Archive of Our Own ^beta

"It's past 3 a.m., Jeongin. I'm going after him!" Minho gets out of the hotel room bed with determination. He’s fully ready to go find Hyunjin — the lunatic who's been at an after-party since midnight and who, at 8 a.m., has an important interview with a major U.S. radio station.

"Are you sure, hyung? Hyunjin's gonna flip out," says Jeongin, Hyunjin’s younger brother and constant companion, prompting an exasperated sigh from Minho.

"Your brother needs boundaries! Sorry if he’s gonna throw a tantrum because I ruined his little party, but this has gone way too far. Last month alone he missed three important appointments because of this crap and even gave an interview hungover. Do you realize what kind of image Hyunjin’s putting out there? He looks like some teen idol who completely lost his way." He finally lets out everything that's been choking him up — and still holds back a bit for when he comes face-to-face with Hyunjin himself.

"Are you bringing him back here?" Jeongin asks, giving up on trying to reason with his brother’s manager and realizing that, honestly, Hyunjin really is going too far.

"I am. Leave some water bottles in the minibar. He’s gonna need them."

Minho leaves the luxurious Los Angeles hotel where they’re staying, heads down to the lobby, takes his car, and drives toward the upscale house where he knows the after-party is happening. As Hyunjin’s manager, Minho is supposed to know where he is and who he's with — but when it comes to the “who,” Hyunjin either lies or drops important, reputable names just to get Minho off his back. Minho knows this, and even though he pretends to play dumb so Hyunjin won’t suspect anything, he’s well aware of everything.

He parks in front of the mansion and can already hear the blaring electronic music coming from inside. Minho sighs and steps forward, walking into the house and finding himself surrounded by drunk people dancing like maniacs and couples practically having sex in the corners of the room. He narrows his eyes, scanning the place for Hyunjin — no sign of him.

"Oh! Sorry," he keeps saying every time he bumps into someone, even though he's well aware they probably don’t even notice anything colliding with their alcohol-soaked bodies.

Further in, just when he’s about to lose hope of finding Hyunjin in this drunk, writhing crowd, he spots someone shirtless, dancing on top of a pool table.

"You’ve got to be kidding me," Minho mutters to himself and quickly pushes his way through the crowd, no longer bothering to say sorry when he bumps into people. He gets close enough to see the beautiful specimen of a human being flaunting his sculpted abs for the circle of people gathered around the table.

Hyunjin moves his gorgeous hips sensually to the beat of the music. In one hand, he holds a half-empty bottle of straight vodka. In the other, between his fingers, a suspiciously suspicious cigarette...

"Excuse me." Minho pushes a girl’s shoulder out of the way and manages to face the criminal himself, who still doesn’t even notice he’s there. Hyunjin keeps dancing, his long hair falling into his eyes, damp with sweat. Everything about the scene feels wrong — and it only gets worse when Hyunjin lifts the bottle to his lips and downs several gulps like it’s water.

May Hyunjin’s mother forgive him if he’s overreacting, but if it were up to Minho, he'd drag Hyunjin straight to an AA meeting the second they leave this party.

"Hyunjin!" Minho shouts with all his strength, trying to be louder than the music. It seems to work, because Hyunjin looks at him from atop the table, eyebrows furrowed. "Get down from there, now!" he demands, and Hyunjin just laughs, dragging on his cigarette.

"Minho hyung!" he says, falsely cheerful. "You came to ruin my life again?!" he yells in English, his grin vanishing into a scowl.

"I'm serious, Hyunjin! Get down from there or I’ll climb up and drag you down myself," Minho threatens, and Hyunjin clicks his tongue and huffs in annoyance. He takes two more gulps of vodka before placing the bottle on the table and, stumbling, climbs down — earning groans of frustration from the crowd watching his little show.

Minho quickly removes his leather jacket and wraps it around Hyunjin’s bare torso as soon as he’s close enough. Hyunjin grumbles and tries to shrug it off, but Minho forces him to keep it on.

"I'm not cold," he mutters in Korean, clearly in a bad mood, already being guided through the crowd by Minho.

"I'm trying to salvage what's left of your image. What the hell do you think you’re doing, Hyunjin? You have an interview tomorrow with an amazing radio station! The darling of Korea who's got the whole world swooning — remember that?" He stops in front of Hyunjin once they’re outside the mansion, standing next to the manager’s expensive car.

"Screw the radio. I’m sleeping till 4 p.m.," Hyunjin slurs, visibly drunk, but still intelligible to Minho.

"That’s it? Screw the radio and screw your career too?" Minho snaps, and Hyunjin just shrugs, bringing the cigarette back to his lips — but before he can take a drag, Minho snatches it from his mouth and throws it on the ground. Hyunjin parts his lips in protest, glaring at the manager with fury.

"Don’t fuck with me!" Hyunjin yells, the alcohol stripping away any filter he might’ve had.

"Stop acting like a child, Hyunjin! Get in the car, now. I’m taking you back to the hotel," Minho says, pointing at the silver vehicle. Hyunjin brushes past him, purposely bumping shoulders and opening the passenger door.

Minho takes a deep breath and runs his hands through his hair, then walks around the car to take his place in the driver’s seat. For the next twenty minutes, Hyunjin says nothing. Minho forces him to drink a bottle of water to keep him from vomiting all over the expensive leather seats, and Hyunjin reluctantly complies. When they arrive at the hotel, Hyunjin slams the door open and gets out, letting the black jacket slide off his shoulders. Minho follows him, forgetting to even lock the car, only managing to grab the jacket from the sidewalk.

Hyunjin starts slamming random elevator buttons while waiting for it to arrive, and punches the wall when he realizes that won’t make it come any faster.

"We’re gonna have a serious talk, Hwang Hyunjin," Minho warns, and Hyunjin laughs mockingly.

"You’re not my dad," the singer says, and Minho nearly loses it.

"Maybe I wouldn’t have to act like one if you got your shit together," he snaps. "Where the hell is this elevator?!" he yells in frustration — and right then, the doors open.

"Magic," Hyunjin mocks and steps inside, Minho joining him moments later.

They reach the top floor where Hyunjin’s enormous suite is. The artist bursts the door open, nearly hitting Minho in the face.

"Get out of my bed," Hyunjin snaps when he sees Jeongin lying comfortably on the king-size bed. Jeongin sighs, knowing the fight ahead will be big, and just raises his hands.

"I’ll go to my room," he says, passing by Hyunjin, who’s already kicking off his shoes and unbuttoning his ripped black jeans — his shirt long gone. "Good luck, hyung," he offers Minho, who looks anything but amused.

"Nope. Don’t even think about sleeping now," Minho says as Hyunjin finishes removing his pants and sits on the bed.

"I can’t even sleep anymore?" Hyunjin huffs.

"It’s 4:30 a.m. If you had come back to the hotel after the event and gone to bed early, you’d be deep in a beautiful sleep right now. But no, you had to go to that party full of sketchy people."

"They’re my friends!"

"What friends, Hyunjin?! You don’t even know a third of those people, and the rest only know your name because they want to leech off your fame and money."

"Oh, because in your head, no one could possibly be a real friend to me!" he shouts, and Minho swears he sees tears in his eyes.

"Wake up, Hyunjin! This business is like that, the industry is rotten… You’ve been in it for six years, how do you still not get how it works?"

"I wasn’t supposed to understand all that at fucking fifteen!" he shoots back, and Minho sighs, exhausted by this same argument they always seem to have whenever Hyunjin messes up.

"That’s enough. You asked for this," Minho mutters, and Hyunjin frowns. "We’re going back to Korea this afternoon."

"What?! What about the events I have this week?"

"Oh, now you care about your schedule?" Hyunjin seems to think it over and bites his lip, looking down. "Well, they’re all canceled. Along with tomorrow’s interview."

"You’re punishing me? That’s not even a punishment to me — staying away from all those damn cameras."

"No, Hyunjin. I’m not canceling your schedule to punish you. I’m canceling it because, as soon as we land in Korea, you’re going straight to the countryside." Hyunjin frowns at the words.

"What do I have in the countryside?"

"You’re spending a month and a half at my grandparents’ farm." Hyunjin processes the information for a second, then bursts out laughing, making Minho roll his eyes.

"You’ve got to be kidding me, Minho," he scoffs. "Come up with a better story if you want me to do what you say. I’m not falling for this one."

"I’ve never been more serious in my life. It’s decided. I’m calling them right now to let them know you’ll be there in less than three days. At this hour, they’re probably already awake." From Minho’s expression, Hyunjin realizes he’s not bluffing. That’s when it hits him — he really is about to spend forty-five days on a farm, surrounded by animals.

"A month and a half is a hell of a long time! That’s all the time I have off before the next comeback recordings!" he protests, but Minho just shrugs.

"All that time you’d be spending getting wasted somewhere, you’ll now be spending in a family home, learning some manners and how to actually work hard."

Hyunjin can’t believe the absurdity. Even with his mind still foggy from the alcohol, he struggles to accept that Minho could be this serious.

"You’ve got to be kidding me," he says in a low, almost threatening tone.

"You know I’m not."

"You know what? Get out of my room now! You’re fired, got it?! F-I-R-E-D!"

Minho almost laughs. Hyunjin is ridiculous when he tries to act like he’s in charge.

"Stop pretending like you’ve got the guts to actually do that, kid. I practically changed your diapers. You fire me once a month. Why would this time be any different?"

"Because this time you’re trying to send me to a damn chicken coop! Now get out!" He shoves Minho toward the door, the alcohol clearly fueling his rashness.

"Sleep until 11. Around lunchtime, I’ll come get you so we can eat. Then we head straight to the airport," Minho says as Hyunjin shoves him out with all his strength. "Oversleep and I’m dragging you onto that plane in your underwear."

"I may not fire you, but I will cut your salary in half! Let’s see how you buy imported wine then!" Hyunjin yells after finally slamming the suite door shut, finding himself alone in the room. "Shit," he mutters, suddenly queasy. He runs to the bathroom and throws up everything he’s eaten in the last few hours.

Hyunjin brushes his teeth carelessly and then falls face down onto the bed, feeling his body bounce a few times on the soft mattress. He doesn’t turn off the lights — he doesn’t have the courage. He simply grabs his sleep mask from the nightstand and covers his eyes, falling into a deep sleep almost instantly.

The next day, Hyunjin swears he hasn’t slept even two hours, but when he comes to, there’s Minho removing the mask from his eyes and bombarding him with a brightness that feels like fire in his pupils.

"It’s 11:30," Minho says, already fully dressed in his usual stylish clothes.

"At night?" Hyunjin grumbles sleepily, trying to focus while keeping his eyes shut against the daylight.

"In the morning, Hyunjin. What did I tell you earlier?" Minho asks, impatient.

"Earlier? What time?" He rubs his eyes and sits up in bed, letting out a long yawn.

"Don’t make me throw a bucket of cold water in your face, brat. I told you not to go past 11. We need to have lunch and head to the airport, come on."

Minho pulls Hyunjin out of bed, and though the singer grumbles, he can’t do much but let himself be dragged across the room to the bathroom, where, still in his underwear, he feels the hot water from the shower hit his body.

Minho helps him brush his teeth and get dressed, then hands him a painkiller for the headache he claims is from the hangover. They have lunch with Jeongin and then all head to the airport to catch the plane already waiting for them.

Already inside the plane, Hyunjin keeps his sunglasses on and wears a pouty expression as he looks out the tiny window at the clouds that look like cotton.

"I want champagne," he says to the lovely woman there to serve them in the private jet.

"He wants strawberry juice," Minho corrects, and the woman looks a bit confused. "No alcohol for him today." Nodding, she goes to fetch the drink.

"Stop riding me! I’m already in this plane going to your ridiculous farm and you won’t even let me drink what I want," he whines, stomping his foot on the floor of the aircraft. That’s when Jeongin, sitting two rows ahead, turns up the volume on his headphones.

"If what you want to drink has alcohol, then no, I won’t let you," Minho replies firmly, making Hyunjin pout his pretty lips. "You’re hungover and still want to drink. I’m starting to really worry about you, Hyunjin."

"Relax, I’m not an addict," he mutters, and Minho sighs. Even as an atheist, he almost prays that it’s really true.

(...)

"This is where you get off," Minho says, dropping Hyunjin’s last suitcase on the concrete floor of the bus station.

"You’ve got to be kidding me," Hyunjin looks around and all he sees are poorly dressed people who look like farm workers. He doesn’t like the vibe at all and is sure his eyes would be burning from the horrid view if not for his sunglasses.

"Why do you never believe me the first time I say something? I’m serious, Hyunjin. This is as far as I take you. You’ll catch the bus to the farm from here."

Hyunjin is furious. Minho is trying to ruin his life — he’s sure of it.

"Why are you doing this to me, huh?" he whines, trying everything he can to get Minho to take him back to Seoul. "Take me home, hyungie," he even pouts, but Minho is unmoved.

"No use, Hyun, you’re going to the farm." Hyunjin drops the pleading face and replaces it with sheer rage.

"Then go to hell," he huffs. "At least help me put these damn… ugh… bags on that bus!" Even the word irritates him.

Without another word, Minho carries Hyunjin’s bags to the bus and stows them in the luggage compartment, then walks back to his friend.

"I’m doing this for your own good, little hedgehog," he says, caressing Hyunjin’s cheek, only to get his hand slapped away.

"Don’t call me that in public!" Hyunjin hisses, glancing around to make sure no one is watching this display of affection between two men who might, who knows, get eggs thrown at them.

"Sorry, it’s just… I’m going to miss you." Hyunjin lets his shoulders drop and sighs.

"Then let me go home? Hyung, I swear I’ll behave. I promise I won’t drink anymore and I’ll stop vaping at parties. Just let me go home." He pleads one last time, but Minho only shakes his head.

"Sorry," is all he says, and Hyunjin finally accepts defeat, too tired to keep fighting or cursing at his manager. "Aren’t you going to give me a hug?" Minho asks, arms open wide.

The singer almost considers giving him the cold shoulder, but he loves Minho too much to refuse the affection. He melts into his arms and breathes in the scent of his best friend one last time before his nose gets contaminated with the smell of the countryside.

"Come back a better person, Hyun..."

"I’ll come back the same… A farm’s not gonna change me," Hyunjin says as he pulls away from the hug.

"Well, I still have hope," Minho smiles shyly. "Now go, the bus is about to leave."

"Bye, hyung," Hyunjin waves as he walks toward the bus. Minho returns the gesture, and the last thing he sees before the vehicle departs is Hyunjin’s sad face in the little window, silently begging to be rescued.

When Hyunjin gets off the bus, he wants to cry upon seeing nothing but a dusty dirt road leading to a vast green pasture. He takes a deep breath and pulls himself together, adjusting his expensive backpack while dragging the heavy suitcase through the mud, raising a fine cloud of dust. His allergies are definitely going to flare up — he’s sure of it.

"What a shitty life," he mutters while walking toward his destination. Up ahead, he can see the house — large, but modest. His black boots grow dirtier with the reddish soil with each step, and the singer silently vows to burn them as soon as he gets back to Seoul. "Minho could’ve sent me to a rehab clinic — that would’ve been better than this!"

He keeps walking, and just a few meters before reaching the edge of the road and stepping onto the lush green pasture, something crosses his path. Hyunjin freezes and swallows hard, stopping dead in his tracks as he stares at the spotted cow chewing something methodically.

"Shoo!" Hyunjin waves his hand, trying to get it to move. The cow, which has appeared out of nowhere and blocks his way, moos and starts walking toward him. Hyunjin tenses and takes a step back. Crap — he can’t go back, he has to get to the farmhouse, but the damn animal won’t move.

"Oh, come on!" he raises his voice when the cow picks up speed, and before he knows it, he’s running like a fool, his backpack bouncing and his Louis Vuitton suitcase dragging through the mud. "The cow, oh my God!" he yells when he realizes the animal is actually chasing him.

Luckily, he runs toward the farmhouse and finally steps onto the grassy field. The house is now close, giving him a glimpse of salvation. The cow is still on his tail, but when Hyunjin sees the airy porch, he throws his backpack onto the wooden floor. He doesn’t know who the man standing there laughing at him is, but he doesn’t care — he uses the guy as a human shield to hide from the cow.

"Help! Get her away from me!" Hyunjin screams, and the stranger laughs even harder. "Go on! Get her away!" The man sees the panic on Hyunjin’s face and finally walks over to the cow, now peacefully munching on the green grass in front of the house.

"Come on, Daisy," the man says, petting the cow and leading her off somewhere unknown, then disappearing from Hyunjin’s view.

"I’m going to kill that damn Minho!" Hyunjin screeches, collapsing into a rocking chair and burying his hands in his dark hair as he pulls off his sunglasses.

"Why do you want to kill my Mimo?" a sweet, feminine voice rings out, catching Hyunjin’s attention. He looks up and sees an adorable elderly woman with graying hair and a checkered apron.

"You must be Hyun," she says, and the artist stands up, bowing respectfully.

"Hyunjin, please," he corrects her. Minho probably gave her that horrible, childish nickname.

"Ah, of course... I see you’ve already met Seungmin," she nods toward the direction the man — and the fierce cow — disappeared. From afar, Hyunjin sees him giving the cow water from a bucket as he pets her.

"He saved me from that cow," he says warily, and the old lady chuckles.

"Daisy scared you?" she laughs gently, and Hyunjin nods. "She’s not fond of strangers."

"She almost made me fall flat on my face," he rolls his eyes.

"I’m Sejeong," she says with a formal bow, and Hyunjin returns it. "It’s a pleasure to have you in our home," she smiles again, and Hyunjin forces a smile just to avoid being rude. "I’m going to call my boys to welcome you. Just a minute," she says, and with short, slow steps, she heads back into the house, leaving Hyunjin alone on the porch.

The singer sits back in the rocking chair and pulls his latest-generation phone from his pocket. He tries to turn on mobile data, hoping to get some internet, but is greeted with a big "no signal" instead. He groans, locks the phone, and puts it away.

It doesn’t take long before Sejeong returns with two boys in tow. One is almost his height, not much shorter, wearing a black plaid shirt with a few buttons undone, exposing his skin. Hyunjin tries not to stare too long and glances at the other, who is a bit shorter, dressed in worn-out denim overalls with bleached blond hair. "Looks like even country boys know about hydrogen peroxide," Hyunjin thinks.

"These are my grandsons, Felix and Christopher," she says, pointing to each respectively. The taller one is Christopher, the shorter Felix, though Hyunjin doesn’t bother too much with remembering their names. "This is..."

"Hyunjin. I bet you guys know me — I mean, we’re all young here," he adds with a pop-star chuckle.

"Huh?" Felix frowns and looks at Christopher, who just shrugs.

"Hwang Hyunjin. Come on, I’m on every variety show on TV."

"Oh, the rich kid Mimo works for," Christopher concludes with a short laugh. That nickname for Minho is new to him, but he vaguely remembers hearing Sejeong call him that earlier.

"We don’t have TV at home," Felix says, and Hyunjin almost laughs at the joke. "Dad says TV fries your brain," he shrugs, and Christopher nods in agreement.

"Boys," Sejeong calls their attention. "I want you to be patient with Hyunjin while he’s here. I hope you’ll teach him how the farm works and show him that, even though our life is simple, it’s full of riches. Oh! And help him get over his fear of Daisy." Daisy is the cow — Hyunjin gets that — but if it were up to him, that wild beast would never be near him again unless it was being grilled.

"We’ll help you milk her, Hyuhin," Felix says, and Hyunjin sighs.

"It’s Hyunjin," he corrects, already low on patience.

"Sounds the same to me," Felix laughs, and that’s when Hyunjin snaps.

"That’s because you’re some redneck who probably never went to school and can’t tell the difference between phonemes." Everyone stares at him, wide-eyed, after the outburst. "Are we done here? Look, I’m dying to take a shower and, I don’t know, sleep for fifteen hours. So can I get settled wherever I’m supposed to sleep?"

"Hyunjin," Sejeong starts, using a firmer tone, and the singer braces for a scolding. He runs a hand through his hair and focuses his eyes on her, but instead of a lecture, she simply says, "Let’s have lunch first, then I’ll show you your room. Christopher, grab his bags."

"Grandma!" Christopher protests, but Sejeong holds her stern gaze, and he just sighs and walks over to the suitcases. Still standing in the same spot, Felix stares at the floor, fiddling with the straps of his overalls, visibly uncomfortable and a bit embarrassed. Hyunjin sighs, realizing he went overboard and was unnecessarily rude to the blond.

"Hey, I’m sorry, okay?" Hyunjin says, touching the smaller one’s bare arm quickly to get his attention. Felix looks up and their eyes meet as Christopher struggles to sling the heavy backpack onto his shoulder. "I was rude to you," he admits.

"No, you were a prejudiced jerk to him," Christopher cuts in, glaring at Hyunjin with clear disdain.

"Chris, you don’t have to — " Felix tries to stop him, but Christopher goes on.

"Talk to him like that again and I’ll knock your fancy porcelain teeth out." Hyunjin’s eyes widen as he watches Christopher usher Felix into the house.

"They’re real," he mutters, running his tongue over his prominent teeth, then scoffs. "Brute."

At the lunch table, Hyunjin finally feels some relief as he kicks off his hot black boots and touches the cool floor beneath the table. Seated with him are only Sejeong, Felix, Seungmin, and that brute Christopher, who looks like he wants to kill him just by staring.

He eyes the appetizing bibimbap in his bowl and salivates. He’s starving, and although the food is simple, the way everyone else digs in suggests it’s delicious. Hyunjin starts eating slowly, and the moment the first grains of rice hit his stomach, it feels like fireworks.

"Is it good, Hyun?" Sejeong asks, and only then does he realize he’s closed his eyes and is chewing like his life depends on it. He nods, cheeks flushing at being caught in the moment.

"It is, ajumma," he replies respectfully, a far cry from the Hyunjin who exploded just minutes ago.

"Hey, aren’t you going to eat?"

Seungmin, the one who saved him from Daisy, touches Felix’s slightly gloomy face with the tips of his fingers.

"What’s wrong, Fefi?"

"I’m not hungry," he says softly, and Hyunjin sees that Felix still looks downcast because of his words.

"But it’s Grandma’s bibimbap," he points out, gesturing toward Felix’s untouched bowl.

"It’s just that…" he starts to explain, but Hyunjin cuts him off.

"It’s because of me," the artist says, and everyone looks at him — even Christopher. Christopher still has that ridiculously tanned skin on full display with the buttons of his shirt undone, like he’s trying to throw Hyunjin off, but Hyunjin just watches him.

"I’ve already apologized, Felix. I usually say things without thinking, I’m working on it," he admits.

"Are you really sorry?" Sejeong asks, looking at Hyunjin with understanding. She knows he’s just a boy corrupted by the filth of fame.

"I am," he says simply and lowers his gaze, acknowledging his mistake.

"Do you forgive him, Fefi?" the lady asks, and Felix glances at Christopher as if asking what he thinks. Christopher shrugs and turns back to Hyunjin, staring at him and making him feel a little awkward.

"I forgive you, Hyunjin," he says, and Hyunjin gives a small smile. "Sorry for messing up your name."

"I’m sorry for calling you a hillbilly and saying you were illiterate… That wasn’t very nice."

"Good thing you know that," Christopher mutters under his breath, but the singer hears him.

"Well, now that everything’s settled, eat your lunch, Fefi," Sejeong suggests, and Felix smiles, showing a crooked little tooth. Hyunjin breathes a sigh of relief and goes back to eating.

At the end of the meal, he sighs with his belly nearly bursting from all the bibimbap. Everyone helps Sejeong clear the table, but the lady insists that Hyunjin take a rest — it’s his first day, after all, and he needs to be well-rested for the work ahead.

Before the singer heads up the stairs to the room Sejeong showed him, Christopher stops right in front of him, blocking his path.

"I don’t believe you," Christopher says, narrowing his eyes, arms crossed over his solid chest.

"What are you talking about?" Hyunjin asks, and Christopher runs his tongue slowly over his lips, like he’s trying to provoke him.

"About your apology."

"I was being sincere, Christopher. Can you move out of my way?" He tries to get past, but Christopher steps aside just in time. Hyunjin huffs and presses his tongue to the inside of his cheek, tired and impatient.

"You should call me hyung, I’m older than you."

"I was being sincere, hyung," he mocks with a smug grin. "Happy now? Can I go?"

"You’re not getting an easy ride here, you know that, right?"

"Yeah. I’ll have to milk pigs and feed those wild cows."

"You don’t milk a pig," Christopher mutters, and Hyunjin rolls his eyes.

"Not my job to know that."

"It is now. Just so you know. I’m gonna get back at you," he says with a crooked smile, and Hyunjin swears his fist clenches on instinct, ready to punch that pretty face.

"Are you threatening me?" he raises an eyebrow, and Christopher shrugs, finally stepping aside to let Hyunjin pass, but Hyunjin plants his bare feet firmly on the floor, still facing him.

"I’ve got lawyers, you know?"

"Relax, sweetie, I’m just saying…" he leans in close enough for Hyunjin to feel the heat of his tanned body. "You might end up face-first in horse shit one of these days," he whispers, and Hyunjin burns with anger.

"And I know exactly how to make it look like an accident," Christopher adds with a playful wink. Hyunjin shoves him by the chest and storms up the stairs, his face twisted with rage.

Christopher Bang, Lee Minho… Yeah, now he sees the resemblance between the cousins that their surname doesn’t reveal: both are out to ruin his life.

Hyunjin takes a relaxing shower in the only bathroom in the house, then puts on some comfy pajamas and sleeps through the rest of the afternoon. When he wakes up, it’s probably past 6 PM, and Sejeong knocks on his door to call him for dinner.

The star feels genuinely disappointed when he opens his eyes and realizes he’s still stuck on that farm against his will. Maybe he hoped — dreamed even — that when he woke up, he’d be back in his luxury apartment, lying in his king-size bed wearing his silk robe. Unfortunately, that dream doesn’t come true, and he finds himself descending the stairs for dinner.

They all eat together again, and Hyunjin feels the moisture in his body dry up under the weight of Christopher’s stares. Felix doesn’t seem mad at him anymore — on the contrary, he even tries to make conversation, but Hyunjin doesn’t engage. As far as he’s concerned, all they’re getting from him is hi, thanks, and goodbye. Maybe a good morning for Sejeong — she’s a sweet and polite ajumma — but for those farmhands, all Hyunjin has to offer is a big bucket of ice and coldness.

"Heading upstairs already, Hyun?" Sejeong asks as she sees him step onto the first stair.

"Uh… Yeah."

"So early?"

"There’s not much to do around here," he says, ready to continue up the stairs, but the woman stops him.

"Come sit with us on the porch. Mr. Kim, the owner of the neighboring farm, is telling ghost stories."

Hyunjin sighs. Truth is, he doesn’t have much choice. His phone has no internet signal, and there isn’t even a TV in the house. Either he goes out and listens to some dumb story from an old hillbilly, or he goes back to bed.

"Alright," he says, giving in.

(...)

"So there we were, washing dishes outside when we heard this heavy breathing. My wife ran to the barn and saw the damn werewolf scratching himself on the beams. She ran back in and grabbed the shotgun and shot the bastard’s arm from a distance, and he took off into the woods."

Hyunjin shivers, curling up in the rocking chair.

Kim Jinyoung is an old farmer who often drops by Sunrise in the evenings to chat. He’s a good friend of Sejeong. Seungmin, Felix, and of course that idiot Christopher all sit captivated by the stories, just like Hyunjin and the older woman. Jinyoung has a ton of stories, and it seems like everyone there believes him.

Hyunjin tries to think it’s all just tall tales from an old man, but he can’t help glancing out into the dark pasture and then toward the old wooden barn, which now looks even creepier after the werewolf story.

"People think I’m crazy, but I swear that demon’s still out there," he says firmly, and Hyunjin hugs his knees, eyeing the man smoking a straw cigarette.

"Next day, that drunk Lee shows up with his arm all messed up and bandaged. Says he scratched himself on some bushes — but I don’t buy it. He’s the damn werewolf."

Felix’s eyes widen, but he gets elbowed in the ribs and looks at Christopher, who points at Hyunjin huddled in the chair, all paranoid.

"This rich boy’s in for it," Christopher says, clearly plotting something.

"What are you gonna do, Chris?" Felix asks, and Christopher grins.

"We’re gonna show him the werewolf."

Mr. Kim leaves, and finally Sejeong closes the doors, and everyone heads to their rooms. Hyunjin can’t sleep — he napped all afternoon and now tosses and turns in the saggy mattress that’s probably twenty years old. Beyond the insomnia, the werewolf story haunts him.

He’s an adult, okay, he shouldn’t be afraid of stuff like this… But the countryside is famous for all sorts of paranormal activity, and Hyunjin isn’t exactly a skeptic. He doesn’t disbelieve anything. To him, everything is possible — especially when it comes to strange creatures scratching themselves on barn beams and feasting on helpless chickens.

He keeps tossing and turning, sighing. His feet are fully covered by the blanket, which somehow makes him feel a little safer — even though it’s ridiculous. A piece of fabric wouldn’t stop a monster, but in his head, it makes sense.

Just as he’s finally about to fall asleep, after much tossing, Hyunjin opens his eyes wide, startled by what he hears. A loud noise. Sounds like an animal growling.

Shit. It’s the werewolf.

"No, no, no," he curls up and hides under the covers. "Our Father who art in heaven…" he begins to pray, something he hasn’t done since childhood. "Deliver me, Lord, in Jesus’s name," he pleads as the growling gets louder. "Please don’t let me die like this. I swear I’ll stop drinking and dancing on pool tables," he squeezes his eyes shut and bites his lip as the sound draws closer. "I’ll become a gospel singer, just don’t let that thing get me," he cries, completely panicked.

His bedroom door opens, and at that moment, he’s nearly fainting from fear. He hears the creature’s footsteps getting closer and closer, and even though he covers his mouth to stay quiet, he can’t stop the tears from falling.

He’s sure it’s the end when something grabs his foot — a cold hand wrapping around his ankle and pulling. Hyunjin screams in terror, throwing the blanket off his head.

He’s braced for a brutal death when he sits up in bed — only to hear two loud, uncontrollable laughs in the dark.

Werewolves don’t laugh… or do they?

No. It can only be…

"You bastards!" Hyunjin jumps out of bed and turns on the lamp.

"I’m gonna have a heart attack!" Felix is doubled over, laughing so hard he’s holding his stomach. Now Hyunjin can see the werewolves who pulled his leg just seconds ago — those damn cousins are laughing it up on his bed, and he feels so humiliated he starts crying again.

"You should’ve seen your face," Christopher says between fits of laughter. "You’re such a wimp, sweetie. Next time I’ll be the Bloody Mary ghost — how about that?" he keeps laughing, though more controlled now.

Hyunjin glares at them for a minute before bursting into tears again, his pout more pathetic than cute this time. He was truly scared — and it wasn’t funny.

"Get out!" he yells, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Come on, Hyunjin," Christopher begins, the laughter dying when he sees Hyunjin’s state. "We were just playing."

"No! You wanted revenge for what I said to Felix!" Deep down, they both know it’s true. "That kind of prank isn’t funny! I was actually scared and now I won’t be able to sleep! You’re both idiots who’ll never make me like this stupid place! I already hated it all, but after tonight, I’ll never even try to like this disgusting farm! Get out!" he screams, not filtering or measuring his words.

"Hyunjin, stop yelling, you’re gonna wake up Grandma," Felix says, trying to calm him, though he feels awful for making the singer cry like that.

"I don’t care! Get out or I’ll… I’ll…" He scans the room for something to use as a threat. His eyes land on the lamp, and he grabs it, raising it above his shoulder.

"Or I’ll smash this old thing over your heads!"

"Come on, Fefi… we need to sleep," Christopher says, grabbing Felix’s arm.

They leave the room without looking back, while Hyunjin stays behind, still crying, his heart pounding from the fright.

In that moment, Hyunjin just wishes those forty-five days would fly by, so he can go back home and stay far away from those two psychopaths.

(...)

Hyunjin only manages to fall asleep around 3 a.m., and doesn’t even get three full hours of rest, since exactly at 5:30, Sejeong comes knocking on his door, calling him to get up. He groans and, with a heavy scowl and cursing that stupid farm — as he’s nicknamed Sunrise — he takes a quick shower and puts on clothes more appropriate for the setting, which ends up being a pair of light-wash jeans and a plaid button-down shirt.

He heads downstairs and finds Christopher Bang putting on his boots on the living room couch. Their eyes meet for a few seconds, but Hyunjin lifts his chin and ignores him, walking straight to the kitchen where the ajumma is preparing breakfast.

"Good morning," he says, because she’s the only one who deserves his good morning.

"Morning, Hyun. Here, take this." She hands him a metal bucket as soon as he comes into view. Hyunjin looks at her, confused, holding the object.

"What’s this?"

"It’s a bucket," she says, obviously, and Hyunjin has to restrain himself from rolling his eyes.

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Help me milk Daisy," Christopher Bang’s voice echoes through the room, and Hyunjin wants to lunge at his throat and kill him just to stop having to bump into him every damn second.

"With you? No fucki — " He almost lets out a curse, but glances at Sejeong and holds back. "No chance."

"Oh, but you will. Today marks the beginning of your first tasks, and I’m assigning this as your main duty from now on: every morning, you’ll go with Christopher to the corral so you two can bring the milk back for breakfast."

"Take that, sweetie."

"Do me a favor and don’t talk to me? Thanks," he says without looking at Christopher, who insists on leaving those top buttons of his shirt undone, showing off his tanned chest. "Can’t you put me on something else? I hate that cow and I hate your grandson. I can fry the eggs," he says, grabbing a frying pan nearby and holding it up enthusiastically to Sejeong.

"Sorry, honey. It’s already decided. You two better get going while it’s still early."

Hyunjin huffs and turns around, stomping out of the kitchen. Christopher smirks and follows behind.

This should be interesting.

"Hold up, speedy, you gonna walk into the corral alone?" Christopher calls out, walking fast behind Hyunjin, who stomps through the grass with pure hatred until he reaches the corral. "Aren’t you afraid of running into the werewolf?"

The singer suddenly stops and turns to face Christopher with blazing eyes.

"I already told you not to talk to me, you… you…" He searches for an insulting word. "Hillbilly."

"Wow, I’m so offended."

"Good, that was the point. Let’s just get this over with before I run off to the nearest bus stop and get the hell out of this pigsty."

"Listen, sweetie, you can call me names all you want, but stop talking shit about the farm."

"I’ll badmouth whatever I want," he snaps, starting to turn away again, but Christopher grabs his arm and stops him.

"Not my house," he says seriously, and Hyunjin just rolls his eyes, pulls his arm free, and keeps walking.

They reach the corral, and Hyunjin stops to look at the gate. From there, he can hear several cows mooing and also the sound of pigs. He takes a deep breath and soon feels Christopher’s presence beside him, also observing the area.

"Don’t stand behind any animal unless you want to get kicked," Christopher warns.

"Then please, stand behind them. Watching you get knocked over by one of these beasts would be the highlight of my day." He flashes a mocking smile, and Christopher chuckles, opening the gate.

"Come on, get in," he gestures, and Hyunjin looks around, then down, noticing a bit of mud gathered on the ground.

"I’m not going in there."

"Why not?" Christopher starts to lose patience.

"It’ll ruin my boots!" he says, pointing at his nice black shoes.

"Then go barefoot."

"Yeah, right!" He puts his hands on his hips. "I think you’d better go in alone, and I’ll wait here."

"Keep dreaming, sweetie. Your pretty little fingers are the ones milking Daisy."

"I’m not getting near that beast! She almost killed me!"

"Stop being so dramatic. Maybe she just got scared of your ugly face and ran off, and now you think the poor thing chased you on purpose." Christopher crosses his arms and looks mockingly at Hyunjin.

"You jerk!" He takes a step toward him but stops when he realizes he almost stepped into the corral. "You’re lucky you’re in there!"

"Then come in here and get me," Christopher spreads his arms, showing his vulnerability.

"I know that would be your dream, but I’ll pass. I’ll just wait here while you milk your wild animal." He lifts his chin, crosses his arms, and taps his boot on the ground.

"Come on, Hyunjin. It’s getting late, and we need the milk for breakfast!"

"Don’t care," he shrugs. "I’m taking a break from caffeine."

"You selfish brat!" Christopher huffs, finally losing patience. "Get over here already!"

"No."

"Oh, you’re coming whether you like it or not." He walks over and grabs Hyunjin’s arm, trying to drag him inside.

"Let go of me!" Hyunjin protests, but Christopher keeps pulling.

"You won’t come willingly? Then you’ll come by force!"

Christopher yanks him hard, pulling Hyunjin straight into the corral. Both of them lose balance and fall right into the puddle of mud. Christopher feels the sludge stick to his back and the weight of Hyunjin’s body on top of him. The rich boy hasn’t gotten dirty at all, since Christopher’s body served as a shield, and that pisses him off.

They stare at each other like that, their bodies pressed together and their faces close enough that their breaths hit each other’s noses. Hyunjin gulps, and Christopher tries to steady his breathing, but once reality hits, he shoves Hyunjin to the side, making him fall to the ground. Luckily, there’s no mud there, just dirt — but enough to mess up Hyunjin’s clothes.

"You maniac! Look what you did!" Hyunjin shouts as Christopher gets up and looks at his pants, now completely covered in mud.

"What I did?! You’re the one who threw a tantrum about coming in here!"

"You ruined my clothes, you hellish brute!"

"It’s just a little dirt, you spoiled brat. Look at my pants, they’re way worse!"

"Serves you right! Should’ve gotten mud all the way in your — "

"Watch what you’re about to say!" Christopher lifts a finger as if warning him.

"In your ear!"

"Right…" He gives him a suspicious look. "Now that you’ve caused all this drama, can we just get this over with? I can’t stand looking at your spoiled face anymore."

"Right back at you," Hyunjin rolls his eyes. "Fine, I’ll go, but I’m not touching that animal."

"The only animal here is you. Stop insulting Daisy."

"Daisy, my ass. Let’s go."

Hyunjin picks up the bucket that fell when they landed and walks over to where the cows are, with Christopher right behind him, walking in a ridiculous way because of the mud on his clothes.

"What do I do now?" the singer asks when Christopher places a small stool beside Daisy, who’s munching on feed without a care in the world. "You don’t actually think I’m sitting near her, do you?"

"What do you think?" Christopher replies, sarcastic and out of patience.

"I said I’m not touching her. How many times do I have to say it?!"

"Hyunjin, I’m sick of your whining. Sit your mud-covered ass on this stool right now or I swear to God I’ll throw you in Daisy’s feed trough," he threatens, and the singer groans.

"Hold her! If this beast makes any sudden moves, she’s becoming my weekend barbecue." He sets the bucket under the cow and sits on the stool.

"You say the most disgusting things," Christopher complains, petting the cow’s neck to keep her calm.

"Fine, but what am I supposed to do? I’ve never milked anything before," Hyunjin says, his hands hovering awkwardly.

"Sweet patience," Christopher sighs, crouching next to him. "Just do it like this." He grabs two of the cow’s teats and starts milking, the liquid squirting straight into the bucket. "I’m sure you’ve got some experience with this kind of motion," he adds with a teasing wink, then returns to petting Daisy.

"Show some respect," Hyunjin warns. "I’m not one of your little buddies."

"Hurry up, sweetie, I’m starving," Christopher says, and Hyunjin begins milking, finding the sensation weird but managing to get the job done.

"This is disgusting. I’m not drinking this," he grimaces as the milk accumulates in the bucket.

"What, you don’t like milk?"

"I do. Just not when I’m the one pulling it straight from the source." He sticks out his tongue and turns his face away, though he doesn’t stop milking.

"But fresh milk is the best milk."

"Maybe for hillbillies. Not for me." He lets go of Daisy’s teats. "Is this enough or do you want more?" He stands and lifts the bucket, showing a good amount of milk inside.

"You did good," Christopher says. "Maybe you’re not as useless as I thought."

"Yeah, keep pushing your luck," Hyunjin replies with a scowl. "Let’s go. This place reeks of manure."

"Must just be your mouth being too close to your nose."

"I swear I’m gonna… shit!" Hyunjin jumps and almost spills the whole bucket when Daisy moves too quickly and startles him — even though the cow clearly couldn’t care less.

"You’re such a wimp. I get being scared of a werewolf, but of an innocent little cow? You’re a joke, Hwang Hyunjin."

"Idiot," he mutters, and starts walking back, following Christopher to the farmhouse.

(...)

A few days have passed since Hyunjin arrived at Sunrise, and he’s slowly starting to get used to the routine, which boils down to: milking cows early in the morning, feeding the chickens at noon, and helping Sejeong’s brute-force grandsons with the harvest tasks. The farm is a large strawberry producer, and Hyunjin actually enjoys walking through the fields because he gets to eat fresh fruit. He’s in charge of holding baskets filled with strawberries and helping Seungmin and Felix sort them. He spends every day with the three boys who love to tease him — especially Christopher — but someone who surprises him is Felix. On the first day, Felix comes off as sensitive and shy, but the blonde proves to be just as annoying as his cousin. The other day, he even mocked Hyunjin for not being able to get on a horse… unbelievable.

But now, almost two weeks in, Hyunjin has kind of accepted his reality. After all, there’s nowhere to run, and nothing to do but keep doing his chores until the day Minho comes to get him.

"You have to knead it with some force," Sejeong encourages Hyunjin, who is working a lump of bread dough on the kitchen table.

"Like this, ajumma?" He follows her instruction.

"That’s right, sweetie, you’re doing great." Hyunjin smiles, face covered in flour.

Sejeong has invited him to help in the kitchen because later that evening there’ll be a welcome barbecue for the son of Kim Jinyoung — the werewolf man. His name is Kim Seungmin, he’s coming from Seoul after graduating in agronomy, and everyone is excited about the boy’s return. Hyunjin is happy with the news because he’s finally going to meet someone in this place who understands city life and has something interesting to talk about.

"How’s it going with my boys?" she asks, referring to her grandsons, and Hyunjin shrugs.

"Normal."

"Good normal or bad normal?"

"Somewhere in between," he says, slamming the dough on the table and sending flour flying onto his apron.

"Is Christopher still picking on you?"

"Yeah," he replies, not giving it much thought. "But I pick on him too, so it’s fine."

"Why don’t you two try being friends, sweetie? Chris is sweet when he wants to be."

"He’s as sweet as the strawberry I ate yesterday afternoon."

"But you ate an unripe strawberry and said it tasted like lemon." She frowns.

"Exactly." He punches the dough harder. "He’s an idiot."

"Hyunjin…"

"It’s true, ajumma. I told you about the scare he and Felix gave me the night I arrived. I couldn’t sleep for a whole week because of that. Felix apologized the next day, but Christopher never did."

"He can be a difficult person, but that’s just his way." Sejeong takes the dough into her own hands and starts kneading. Hyunjin sits in a chair and watches the older woman. "Christopher has a strong temper, but it’s just a front. My boy is kind and polite to those who deserve it."

"And I don’t deserve it?"

"It’s not that, sweetie." She smiles softly. "Maybe Christopher has the wrong idea about you, just like you do about him. Look, if you were a bad person, you wouldn’t be helping me in the kitchen right now — you’d be resting like everyone else."

"But I was rude to everyone when I got here… How can you say I’m not a bad person?"

"Because I don’t see you as someone heartless or lost in life, like Mimo described." Hyunjin makes a mental note to yell at Minho later for slandering him. "I see a boy whose teenage years were stolen because of fame, and who didn’t know how to deal with it all… You say things without thinking because that’s how people have always talked to you."

"How do you know all that?"

"Mimo was like that too," she says, sprinkling more flour on the dough. Hyunjin frowns.

"Minho?" He chuckles softly. "He’s the most responsible person I know." Now it’s Sejeong’s turn to laugh.

"Well, he is now." She grabs the rolling pin and starts flattening the dough into an oval shape on the floured wooden table. "But he used to be a handful."

"Really?"

"Mhm." She stops rolling the dough and seems to recall something, eyes looking up at the ceiling. "Minho was rebellious… loved parties, fun, and drinks." She laughs as she resumes her task. "His father, my son, would go crazy."

"I can’t imagine hyung being like that."

"Right? But he was. My son sent him here to spend three months with me and my late husband after he got arrested at sixteen for graffiti."

Hyunjin’s eyes go wide.

"And when he got here, he was exactly like you. He hated the farm, hated the animals, hated that there was no TV… But once he started spending time with his cousins and working hard, he gained discipline and left here as the responsible Minho you know."

"So that’s why you didn’t scold me when I yelled at Felix the day I arrived?" She nods while cutting the dough into several strips. "I’m sorry, ajumma… I know I’m explosive and sometimes I freak out, but I just can’t control it."

"Don’t worry, sweetie. I know all of that." She smiles warmly. "That’s why I said you’re not a bad person — you’re just a boy who needs to learn responsibility and what hard work means."

"I’m trying."

"I know you are, but try a little more. Just do one more thing, and then your effort will be one hundred percent."

"What do I have to do?"

"Be friends with Seungmin, Felix, and Christopher." Hyunjin shifts uncomfortably in his chair.

"Ajumma…"

"Just try. I know they’ll be kind to you."

"I’ll only lower my guard with Christopher if he apologizes for the werewolf."

"I could talk to him so that — "

"No. I want him to feel that he should apologize. I don’t want it to be forced, otherwise it won’t be genuine."

"You’re right." Sejeong smiles. "Now come on and help fill the bread rolls while I prepare the rice." She taps flour on the tip of Hyunjin’s nose, making him laugh. The singer gets up and starts filling the dough with shrimp.

As night falls, the porch is lit up and the tables are full of food. Seungmin is manning the grill, roasting meat, while Felix won’t leave his side, helping him prepare skewers and chatting animatedly. Christopher is in charge of the music. Big surprise, Hyunjin thinks, though he can’t deny the cowboy sings well and plays the guitar even better.

Kim Seungmin is a good-looking guy and clearly picked up the Seoul accent. His father looks extremely proud of his freshly graduated son, shouting to everyone how Seungmin had top marks throughout his course and is now back to take care of the family’s melon farm.

"Can I sit here?" Seungmin asks, settling next to Hyunjin on the sofa set on the porch to better accommodate everyone. Hyunjin wears casual clothes: light jeans, black boots, and a plaid shirt — Sejeong’s suggestion. Seungmin is dressed almost the same.

"Sure." He gives a slight smile. Hyunjin sips a bit of his soda, trying not to give in to the temptation of drinking soju. He wants to stay away from alcohol for now.

"I’m a big fan, you know?" Seungmin says, taking a sip of his beer. Hyunjin smiles, a bit unenthused.

"Thanks. You’re the only one around here who seems to know my work."

"Ah, don’t judge them — they’re not into music or anything like that, but I had the chance to go to one of your shows when I was in college."

"I’m really happy to hear that." Hyunjin gives a genuine smile. It’s nice to talk to a fan — and someone who isn’t seventy years old like Sejeong, even if she is his favorite person on the farm.

"So when are you going back to the city?"

"In a month," he says, almost mourning it.

"You’re here against your will, right?" Seungmin laughs, and Hyunjin nods. "You don’t like it even a little?"

"Well, I don’t hate it as much as I did at first, but I’d still rather be home."

"Totally fair… but enjoy the night."

"I’d enjoy it more if I could have a beer."

"And why can’t you?"

"I mean, I can, but I shouldn’t." He raises his orange juice. "I sort of have a problem with drinking. I don’t know when to stop."

"I’m sorry."

"Oh, no — it’s not like I’m an alcoholic." He chuckles weakly. "It’s just that I like being out of it, the feeling of freedom I get when I’m drunk."

"Honestly? You’d feel much freer on this farm than drinking, if you knew how to enjoy it."

"Enjoy it?"

"Yeah… Get off this couch, go talk to people, and let go of that prejudice that country folks are boring and grumpy."

"Well, that one is." He nods his chin toward Christopher, who’s still playing the guitar and singing.

"Christopher?" Seungmin chuckles. "He’s a good friend."

"Oh, come on, even you’re defending him?"

"I’m not," he defends himself. "I’m just saying he’s a good friend, because he’s always willing to help — even though I was a jerk to him." He says the last part more quietly.

"You were a jerk to him ? I find it more likely it was the other way around."

"Trust me, it wasn’t." Seungmin looks at Christopher, still playing. "I cheated on Christopher."

"Cheated?" Hyunjin frowns.

"Yeah, I kind of hooked up with my current boyfriend while we were still together… It was messy." He sips his beer, and Hyunjin’s eyes go wide in a quiet mental breakdown.

"W-wait, boyfriend?"

"Don’t tell me you’re homophobic, please. If you are, just say it so I can leave now." He starts to get up, but Hyunjin shakes his head repeatedly.

"N-no, I’m not… homophobic. I’m just surprised." He looks down at his feet, trying to process that Christopher dates men.

"Surprised that Christopher and I are gay?"

"Yeah?" It comes out half like a question.

"You don’t know many gay people, do you?" Seungmin laughs, and Hyunjin nods. "Relax, you’ll get used to it."

"I hope so," he chuckles softly. "So, where’s your boyfriend?"

"Right there." He points to a broad-shouldered man chatting animatedly with his father. "His name’s Changbin. He’s the town’s feed supplier."

"Damn, he’s handsome," Hyunjin notes. "With all due respect."

"It’s okay — he really is," Seungmin laughs. "So? Why don’t you go dance?" He nods toward a few couples starting to dance on the porch to the music now played by one of the farmhands. Hyunjin wonders where Christopher is.

"Dancing alone is depressing," Hyunjin remarks, but Seungmin only laughs.

"Who said you’ll be alone?" The singer lifts his eyes and finds Christopher standing right in front of him, wearing that smug smile. The patch of exposed skin between the buttons of his shirt feels like a blatant tease, and Hyunjin swallows dryly.

"May I have the honor, sweetie?" He extends his hand, and Hyunjin frowns, glancing at Seungmin.

"I’d invite you, Seungmin, but I’m afraid you’ll stab me in the back," he adds with a sarcastic smile, though Seungmin knows he’s joking.

"I’m going to dance with my man, but thanks." He gets up. "Have a good dance." He smiles and leaves them alone — Christopher still bowed, hand extended.

"Where’s my ‘yes, of course, I’d love to’?"

Hyunjin rolls his eyes and gets up from the couch, ready to walk away, but Christopher grabs his arm, stopping him.

"Come on, Hyunjin… Cut me some slack."

"Not until you apologize to me," he says, and Christopher frowns.

"For what?"

"You know exactly what."

"For the werewolf thing?" Hyunjin nods. "But Felix apologized for both of us."

"No, he apologized, and I forgave him. You never even bothered."

"If I apologize, will you dance with me?" Hyunjin seems to consider.

"No, because it won’t be heartfelt."

"Since when did you get so sentimental?"

"Since when is that any of your business?"

"sweetie, stop being like this…"

"Stop calling me sweetie — it’s so annoying!"

"I’ll stop if you dance with me."

"I don’t know how to dance."

"You’re an idol — you obviously know how to dance."

"Let me rephrase: I don’t know how to dance country music ." He tries to pass again, but Christopher blocks him. "Why do you always have to be in my way?"

"Because I like seeing you all riled up." He grins, and Hyunjin rolls his eyes.

"Are you gonna let me go?"

"Not until you dance with me." The singer sighs and gives in.

"One dance." He raises his index finger to make it clear. "And if you try anything, I’ll step on your foot."

"See? All riled up." Hyunjin groans and walks toward the dancing couples.

"You coming or not?" He puts his hands on his hips, impatient. Christopher laughs and follows him.

"Good thing it’s a slow song. If it were upbeat, I’d make you dance biscuit to biscuit."

"What?" He frowns.

"Well, the name’s cookie to cookie, but we’re two guys, so…" Hyunjin realizes what he’s saying and parts his lips in disbelief.

"You’re so annoying!" Hyunjin says, already feeling Christopher’s hands settle on his waist, pulling him closer.

"I’m a comedy genius." The singer wraps his arms around Christopher’s shoulders, and they begin a slow dance to the rhythm of the guitar.

"You’re bipolar, that’s what you are."

"Me? Why?"

"Because one moment you hate me and won’t get off my back, and the next you're begging me to dance with you."

"What can I say? You bring that out in me," he says softly.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," he smiles, then pulls Hyunjin's waist even closer. "So tell me, do you come here often?" he jokes, and Hyunjin rolls his eyes.

"When you're not around, yes."

"You’ve got such a sharp tongue..."

"And you don’t?"

"I do, but I know how to control it."

"I don’t need to control it with you. After all, you practically ask me to be venomous."

"Venom, huh?"

"Mhm."

"But if I drink the venom straight from the source, it has no effect," Christopher grins slyly, eyes dropping to Hyunjin’s lips.

"What are you trying to say?" the singer frowns.

"I’m saying that..." He leans their faces closer, and when Hyunjin realizes what’s going through Christopher’s mind, he stomps hard on his foot — just like he promised — and pushes him away by the shoulders.

"Don’t even think about it!"

"I wasn’t going to do anything!" he defends himself, but Hyunjin scoffs.

"Bullshit you weren’t!"

"Come on, Hyunjin..."

"Save it. Stay away from me!"

He stomps off, heavy-footed across the floor, back to the couch where he grabs onto a fluffy pillow. Christopher sighs and runs his hands through his hair, shaking his head, thinking Hyunjin is driving him crazy in more ways than one.

The party is over for the singer. He doesn’t even want to look at Christopher anymore, who spends the rest of the evening chatting with Seungmin and his boyfriend, as if the whole betrayal situation doesn’t matter anymore — despite the jokes.

Everyone leaves, and those who live at Sunrise head inside, turning off the lights and leaving the cleanup for tomorrow. Hyunjin tells Sejeong he wants to stay on the porch a little longer to look at the stars from the couch, and she hands him the house key, telling him to lock the door when he comes in. He sits there, watching the night under the moonlight, silently wishing the month would go by faster so he can finally go home.

"You can see the constellations from here, you know?" Hyunjin is so deep in thought he doesn’t even hear Christopher approach and sit on the armrest of the couch, gazing up at the sky just like him. Christopher holds the guitar he was playing earlier, but Hyunjin ignores him, keeping his eyes on the stars. "What, are you taking a vow of silence now?"

"That's enough, Christopher. I’m not in the mood to argue," he says, curling up tighter on the couch, hugging his knees.

"Me neither," the cowboy replies, holding out the yellow guitar.

"What’s this for?" Hyunjin takes the instrument in his hands and examines it. It's nothing like the expensive, custom guitars he’s used to, but it’s a beautiful instrument.

"You’re a singer, right?" Hyunjin raises an eyebrow like it’s obvious. "Then… sing one of your songs."

"Oh, no way." He tries to hand the guitar back, but Christopher doesn’t take it.

"Why now? You don’t even like my work."

"Well, I’ve just never heard it. Who knows, maybe I’ll like it when I hear you sing. Come on, it doesn’t bite," he gestures for him to hold the guitar more firmly, and Hyunjin sighs, positioning it. As he places his fingers to form the chords, Christopher smiles.

Hyunjin begins singing the first lines of a beautiful song, one of his biggest hits. The lyrics reflect many of his own feelings, and singing it now feels like a confession.

He doesn’t want to be in the countryside, and yet, in a lovely contradiction, he feels happy singing under the moonlight with Christopher watching closely, smiling at every chord, every movement of his fingers strumming the guitar.

He finishes the song and gives a small smile as he stares at the couch cushion, avoiding Christopher’s gaze.

"You never told me you sang that well," Christopher says.

"I’ve been an idol since I was fifteen, of course I sing well."

"Can you not be cocky for, like, five minutes?" he shows five fingers. Hyunjin scoffs and offers the guitar back to Christopher again.

"Alright, was that all?"

"No. Actually, I came here to apologize," he says seriously, and watches Hyunjin blink several times, like he can’t believe it.

"If it’s just for the sake of easing your conscience, don’t bother."

"No, Hyunjin. I mean it."

"I doubt that."

"Stop being so stubborn," Christopher sighs, climbing off the armrest and sitting next to Hyunjin. "Come on, I want us to stop fighting."

"Why? You’ve made it pretty clear you don’t like me."

"Because I know you’re here trying to be a better person, and I’m not helping if I won’t even give you a minute’s peace from our petty fights." Hyunjin stays silent. "I’m sorry about the werewolf and for saying I’d knock your teeth out," Christopher says with a sweet smile, looking directly at him. "So?"

"You promise not to do it again?"

"I promise," he says sincerely, placing one hand on his chest and holding the other out open. "Scout’s honor."

"Alright then."

"'Alright then’ what?" Hyunjin sighs again and rolls his eyes, knowing exactly what Christopher wants him to say out loud.

"Alright then — I forgive you, Christopher," he says all at once, and Christopher smiles. "But don’t let it go to your head."

"Wouldn’t dream of it," he grins. "So, how was the talk with Seungmin? Did he tell you about the great betrayal?"

"He did, and honestly, I think you had it coming," Hyunjin drops his feet from the couch and relaxes his legs.

"You think I deserved to be cheated on?" Christopher looks stunned.

"You’re no angel, Bang," he narrows his eyes. "Probably didn’t even get that hurt."

"Truthfully? I was pretty down for a couple days. But then... life goes on. It’s not like his ass is the only one in the world," the cowboy laughs at his own joke, but notices a certain discomfort in Hyunjin. "Oh, sorry. You one of those uptight, conservative types?" he rolls his eyes. "Didn’t mean to offend you with my homosexuality."

"No, it’s just..." He bites his lips, wondering if he should say it. "I’ve never met a gay guy who was openly out," he admits, and Christopher is a bit surprised. Considering Hyunjin came from Seoul, it’s kind of shocking he’s never met an openly gay person.

"And the fact that I’m gay... is that a problem for you?" Christopher looks straight into Hyunjin’s eyes, and the singer has to avert his gaze from those deep, dark eyes that seem to see right through him. He shakes his head, still staring off into the shadows.

"Christopher," Hyunjin says. "If I tell you a secret that no one — absolutely no one — can ever know, will you keep it for me?" Christopher raises his eyebrows, a little thrown by the sudden request.

"Y-yeah, of course. I mean... go ahead, I can keep a secret," he says, and Hyunjin takes a deep breath.

"No, forget it... it’s better if I just go inside," Hyunjin shakes his head several times, like saying it out loud would be madness. But before he can stand up from the couch, Christopher grabs his hand, stopping him.

"I don’t know what it is, but I can feel you need to tell someone, and I — "

"I’m gay," he cuts him off before he can finish, saying it all at once before the courage vanishes again. And contrary to what he expects, Christopher doesn’t widen his eyes or look shocked. He just smiles.

"You’re laughing at me, aren’t you?" Hyunjin grows a little irritated at the grin still on his face.

"No, Hyunjin," he explains. "I’m smiling because I know how hard it is to admit that — even to ourselves. And the fact that you’re telling me this shows that you’ve overcome that hurdle."

"Just because I told you doesn’t mean I’m going to come out," he says, completely disheartened. "I can’t do that. Ever," he whispers the last word.

"Why not?"

"Because I’m an artist, Christopher. I’m an idol. A role model for millions of young people... What would my fans’ parents think if they found out their kids idolized a guy who kisses other men? And my fans — most of them girls between fourteen and seventeen — what would they do if they found out their prince charming isn’t looking for a princess, but for another prince?" Tears begin falling from his eyes, and it hurts Christopher to watch. "I’ll never be able to come out. I’ll spend my entire life pretending to be someone I’m not. I’ll get married, have kids, and die without ever even tasting the lips of a boy because I’m too much of a coward to do it."

"You’re not a coward," Christopher says. "Look, you’re saying all this, but it’s not like you know what tomorrow will bring, Hyunjin. Things are changing, even if slowly. Look around… I live in the countryside, where everything is more backwards and conservative, and did you ever see anyone look sideways at Seungmin and Changbin? Or judge us for dancing together?" Hyunjin sniffles, letting that sink in. "You’ll meet a lot of awful people, sure. But you’ll also meet a lot of amazing ones," he says, taking Hyunjin’s hands — which now hold no defenses.

"I’m tired," he sighs, then lets out a sob. "I don’t want to drink till I pass out or smoke just to forget what a mess my life is… I just want to be happy, you know? I want to fall in love, to live a big, beautiful love story and not be crucified for it. I’m tired of the cameras, the spotlights... I want to make music without worrying about how many millions of albums I’ll sell or what records I’ll break."

"Hey, it’s okay," Christopher pulls him into a hug, letting the singer cry into his chest. Hyunjin doesn’t resist, just sinks into the warmth of another person, wondering when was the last time someone held him and told him everything was going to be okay. "It’s going to be okay, Hyun," Christopher dares to use the nickname he doesn’t like — but gets no complaint.

Hyunjin stays like that for a while until his crying calms, and when he finally lifts his cheek from Christopher’s shirt and looks up, Christopher sees the breathtaking beauty that is Hyunjin. He’s stunning, almost like a rainy day. Hyunjin doesn’t look away when Christopher stares — in fact, his amber eyes, darker in the moonlight, look back with curiosity. His nose is red from crying, his lips a little swollen.

Hyunjin is beautiful and, damn, he makes Christopher’s heart race.

And just as quickly as it beats, Hyunjin presses his lips to Christopher’s in a wet, tear-salted kiss. He parts his lips to deepen it, and Christopher doesn’t resist — he cups his cheek and lets the kiss unfold. Hyunjin is a bit clumsy, but his mouth moves with hunger for Christopher’s. The cowboy deepens the kiss, slipping his tongue into Hyunjin’s mouth and twining it with his in a mess of saliva and sighs. Hyunjin grabs his shirt and pulls hard, nearly tearing the buttons, dragging Christopher on top of him. His back hits the couch cushion, and he feels Christopher’s hands on his waist, even though the cowboy’s body isn’t fully on his. One of Christopher’s knees settles between Hyunjin’s legs while the other leg supports him from the floor.

Their mouths move fast and skillfully, but then it hits Hyunjin like a lightning bolt: he’s kissing Christopher Bang. He’s kissing a man — for the first time. A wave of awareness crashes over him, and he pushes Christopher off, breathless.

"Hey..." Hyunjin doesn’t say a word. He looks at Christopher for a few seconds, then bolts from the couch and rushes to the front door.

Christopher chases after him but isn’t fast enough to stop him from slamming the door in his face, locking it from the inside.

"Hyunjin!" he knocks on the door, but the singer on the other side just leans his back against it, heart racing and vision blurry. "Let me in, Hyunjin!" Christopher pleads again — but the singer has no intention of opening that door.

Frustrated and accepting his fate, Christopher sighs and heads back to the couch that would be his bed for the night.

Inside, Hyunjin touches his lips with his fingertips, feeling them tingle from the recent touch of Christopher’s soft mouth.

He doesn’t know what’s happening. But one thing is clear — he’s just discovered how sweet a man’s kiss can be… and how badly his body wants to taste it again, even if his mind screams for him to stay away from Christopher Bang.

(...)

A week has passed, and it feels as if time has stood still for a few days. Hyunjin keeps avoiding Christopher, no matter the situation — he won’t stay in the same room as the cowboy, not even by some miracle. He’s even abandoned the task Sejeong gave him of milking the cows early in the morning, coming up with a different excuse every day. Yesterday it was a bad stomachache, the day before that a sudden toothache. The old woman knows something’s wrong, so she quickly asks Christopher what’s going on. He explains the situation and, even a little hesitant, reveals to his grandmother that they kissed. Sejeong isn’t surprised, but she asks him to sort things out with Hyunjin as soon as possible so everything can go back to normal —  even if “normal” means the two of them bickering all over the house all day.

"Hyunjin, dear, are you feeling any better?" Sejeong asks, even though she knows his pains aren’t real. The new boy sits on the couch with a distant look, and today’s excuse is weakness in his body and a fever faked with hot water and a dish towel.

"I am, ajumma," he says, since apparently, Christopher isn’t nearby.

"Don’t you think you should see a doctor? Might be a virus." The woman sits beside him, and Hyunjin just shrugs, unconcerned — after all, there’s nothing to worry about.

"No, there’s no need. I’m already getting better." He smiles, and she accepts that.

They chat for a few minutes about trivial matters and things involving the farm, until they notice someone else entering the room. Instinctively, Hyunjin freezes where he is and doesn’t even glance up, glued to his seat. Sejeong gets up and walks over to Christopher, stopping at his side.

"I’m glad you’re here, Chris. I need you to go into town and buy some flour — we’re almost out," she says, and though Christopher keeps his eyes on Hyunjin, he nods. "And I want you to take Hyunjin with you." She smiles sweetly, and both boys stare at her wide-eyed, waiting for an explanation.

"Ajumma, I think my fever’s back, look!" He places a hand dramatically on his forehead and makes a hilariously exaggerated pout. Sejeong doesn’t even bother walking over — she knows he’s faking. She just wants the two of them to end this cold war once and for all.

"No, you look perfectly fine! Besides, you’re going in the truck, so it’ll be a quick trip." The old lady leaves the room, and Hyunjin hugs a pillow to his chest, pouting and looking away.

"I’m not going," he whines.

"You have to. Grandma said so," Christopher argues, and Hyunjin just shrugs.

"I’m not going anywhere with a fever." Christopher huffs and walks over to him, quickly placing a hand on his forehead to check his temperature — perfectly normal — before getting smacked away.

"You’re perfectly healthy. Come on, let’s go," he insists. Hyunjin rolls his eyes, drops the pillow on the couch, and stands up.

"I’ll go, but don’t try anything funny," he says, brushing past Christopher in a hurry. Christopher shakes his head and chuckles to himself, secretly celebrating his tiny win for managing to talk — however briefly — with Hyunjin.

Inside the truck, the singer slams the passenger door shut as he sits down.

"Whoa, easy there. You might have a car collection, but I’ve only got Carla, so go easy on her," Christopher says, making Hyunjin frown at the name.

"Who’s Carla?"

"The truck."

"What’s with you naming everything? Precious, Carla..."

"I get attached to my things, so I name them. Now put on your seatbelt." Hyunjin fastens his seatbelt without another word. He’s still not in the mood to talk to Christopher, and every time he remembers that scene from a week ago, his cheeks flush.

Halfway through the drive — made in complete silence — Christopher pulls over on the dirt road, the same one Hyunjin traveled weeks ago by bus.

"What is it? Why are we stopping?" Hyunjin asks, and Christopher unbuckles his seatbelt, turning to face him. Hyunjin leans back slightly, wary of what’s coming.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Hyunjin nearly chokes.

"I-I’m not avoiding you," he replies, but Christopher raises an eyebrow.

"No? Then why’d you lock me outside during the party? And why do you run and hide every time you see me?"

"You’re imagining things. I don’t do that," he tries to defend himself, but his nervousness is clear.

"And your sudden morning pains, just to skip milking duty with me? That part of your imagination too?"

"Maybe. Could be a new airborne illness that makes you see things that don’t exist." Christopher sighs and takes off his straw hat, revealing his brown hair.

"Cut the crap, Hyunjin," he says seriously. "Talk to me. No sarcasm, no games. Tell me what happened. Tell me about the kiss."

"I’m not talking about that!" Hyunjin snaps, startling Christopher.

"What are you so afraid of? Why are you acting like this?"

"I’m not afraid," he says through clenched teeth. He doesn’t want to admit he’s terrified.

"Then why do you seem like a completely different person from the one you were that night?"

"That wasn’t me. I was vulnerable, lonely, and you showed up with that stupid guitar and I sang an emotional song. Just because I cried on your shoulder doesn’t mean you get to demand anything from me."

"Keep pretending all you did was cry on my shoulder that night," Christopher accuses, making him look away. "Maybe that kiss meant nothing to you, but Hyunjin — " He pauses, taking a deep breath. "I haven’t stopped thinking about it since that night."

Hyunjin goes quiet for a few moments, processing what he just heard. Deep down, he doesn’t want to admit he feels the same way — that the memory of that kiss still lingers vividly, and that his heart skips a beat every time he sees Christopher around the farm. Christopher is stirring something inside him, and that’s what scares him the most: the terrifying sense that everything inside is spiraling out of control.

"Say something," Christopher pleads, watching Hyunjin shake his head, snapping out of his thoughts.

"It was a mistake," he says softly, and it feels like Christopher’s heart shatters just a little.

"What did you say?"

"I shouldn’t have kissed you."

"Why not?"

"Stop asking me questions!" Hyunjin yells, exhausted from never having an answer.

"I’ll stop when you answer me."

"It was a mistake because I shouldn’t have kissed you because you’re a damn man!"

"Is that what’s driving you crazy?! You’re gay, Hyunjin!"

"Don’t say that out loud!" he shouts. Luckily, the road is completely deserted at this hour.

"Not talking about it won’t make it any less true."

"I don’t want to be gay."

"But you are."

"I can fight it. I know I can."

"You can’t. It’s who you are."

"I don’t know who I am," he whispers as a single tear falls. "I don’t know..."

"Hyunjin..."

"I want to go home."

"No, wait, let’s talk — "

"What else do you want to talk about?!" Hyunjin unbuckles his seatbelt and moves closer to Christopher. "You want me to admit I liked kissing you?! That I can’t stop dreaming about you and your damn scent?! Is that what you want, Christopher Bang?!"

"No. That’s not what I want," he says softly, inching closer to the singer.

"Then tell me what you want," Hyunjin says, lowering his voice, though it still trembles.

"I want you," he whispers, and pulls Hyunjin by the nape of his neck so their lips can meet in a kiss that, unlike the first one, tastes not of tears but of longing.

Hyunjin doesn’t resist — he kisses back with intensity, clutching Christopher’s shirt just like before, pulling him closer. Their tongues dance in sync, and the taste of each other’s lips is like water after a day spent thirsty.

Christopher tangles his fingers in Hyunjin’s black hair, tugging at the strands at the nape of his neck, feeling Hyunjin’s slightly long nails graze the exposed skin of his chest.

When they pull apart, they press their foreheads together, catching their breath. Christopher bites his lip and leans in again, sealing their mouths in a soft, simple kiss — no tongues, just to feel Hyunjin’s lips again before whispering:

"Meet me on the porch at midnight."

Hyunjin doesn’t answer right away, his head still spinning.

"Midnight?"

"Yeah, around two a.m.," he replies, and Hyunjin shakes his head, licking his lips. "Please..."

"I don’t know..."

"I’ll take you somewhere," he whispers, still with their foreheads pressed. "I promise you’ll like it."

"Christopher, I don’t — "

"Shhh," he places a finger on Hyunjin’s lips, silencing him. "Don’t say anything right now. You don’t have to..."

"But — "

"I’ll be waiting there at two. I’ll understand if you don’t come, but I hope you do."

Hyunjin says nothing, and they part. They buckle their seatbelts again and return to the farm without exchanging another word — though Christopher’s hand occasionally slips over to brush against Hyunjin’s fingers.

"You’re back already?" Sejeong says, spotting the boys entering through the front door. That’s when Hyunjin realizes they forgot to buy the flour.

"Shit, ajumma, we forgot the flour!" he exclaims, smacking his forehead. The old lady just laughs and nods.

"I know, but it’s fine. We still have two sacks left." She turns her back to them, and Hyunjin and Christopher exchange confused glances. "Congratulations, you two," she adds, disappearing into the kitchen — leaving both boys standing dumbfounded at the door.

(...)

For the rest of the day, Hyunjin wrestles internally over whether to accept Christopher’s invitation to meet at midnight.

It’s clear to him now that the cowboy is awakening feelings he’s never experienced — feelings he once thought impossible to feel in his heart that used to be as hard as stone. He likes Christopher. He needs to accept that and admit it once and for all. But what about the guilt? The desperate desire to be “normal”? All the roadblocks he keeps building just to stop himself from falling for another man? Everything is right in front of him, yet he refuses to see it.

Maybe, if he goes to that meeting, he can sort things out once and for all — figure out what he really feels and decide if it’s worth fighting for self-acceptance and experiencing the beautiful things love has to offer.

That’s why he sneaks out to the porch when the clock hits 1:30 a.m. He knows it’s earlier than they agreed, but maybe, in his mind, if he gets there first and Christopher takes too long to show up, he’ll have an excuse to go back to bed and ease the anxiety burning in his chest. However, as soon as he steps out and reaches the porch, he sees Christopher standing out front, petting a horse. In the darkness, he can’t tell the color, but he knows it’s a dark one.

Christopher wears a shirt almost completely unbuttoned, as always, and ripped jeans. On his feet, riding boots. Hyunjin looks down at himself and realizes he’s dressed almost identically — so they’re clearly not going anywhere fancy.

"You came," Christopher says when their eyes meet. Hyunjin hugs himself against the wind and walks down the porch steps to him.

"Did I have a choice?" he says, and Christopher raises a brow. "Okay, I did," he admits, and the cowboy smiles. "I wanted to come."

"I’m glad you did."

"You’re not going to kidnap me or anything, right?"

"I should... That way I’d have you all to myself." Hyunjin feels his cheeks burn and thanks God for the darkness hiding the blush.

"Easy," Hyunjin pleads. "I’m still getting used to this." He gestures between them, indicating the pseudo-relationship.

"That’s okay. Take your time. First, you need to ride." He points to the horse.

"You want me to get on the horse? I almost fell off the last time I tried." Horseback riding hasn’t exactly been a great memory for Hyunjin.

"I’ll help you this time. I won’t let you fall," he promises. Hyunjin hesitates, but Christopher holds out his hand, and the singer has no choice but to take it and be guided.

"Careful, okay?" Hyunjin says as he places his foot in the stirrup and prepares to mount. "Don’t let go of me!" He settles into the saddle, eyes shut tight to calm his nerves — especially when the animal shifts slightly.

"See? That wasn’t so bad." Christopher laughs as he takes his place behind Hyunjin, holding the reins with both hands, his arms wrapping around the singer.

He can smell the honey scent of Hyunjin’s hair at the nape of his neck, and it intoxicates him for a moment.

"Still scared?" the cowboy asks. Hyunjin, still shivering from the breath at his neck, just shakes his head.

"You won’t let me fall," he says confidently.

"I won’t," Christopher promises, and without another word, gently snaps the reins, and the horse begins to move.

Moments later, they’re galloping at a decent pace, not minding the cold wind against their faces. Hyunjin is smiling because whatever this feeling is — it’s life. And nothing has ever made him feel this way. Not the awards, not the fans’ screams, not even the booze and parties. What Christopher Bang and this place make him feel is something almost supernatural. It’s magic.

"We’re here," Christopher says as they stop the horse in a spot a little ways from the farm, though not too far.

He dismounts first, then helps Hyunjin down, tying the horse nearby to keep it there.

"Where are we?" Hyunjin asks, and Christopher smiles, reaching out to touch his hand. A jolt of electricity shoots through Hyunjin’s body at the contact, and the sight of Christopher’s smile brings him joy.

"It's just a place I like to come to when I'm not working on the farm." He points toward a medium-sized greenhouse that looks very well-kept.

"Is it yours?" Hyunjin asks as they begin walking toward the entrance.

"No, it belongs to Seungmin’s dad," he explains. "But I come here a lot — I like being around the flowers."

They step inside, and Hyunjin is instantly enveloped by the delicious scent of the blossoms surrounding them. Everywhere he looks, there are flowers and plants, filling the greenhouse with color and life.

"And why did you bring me here?" Hyunjin asks as they stop in front of a stunning patch of white roses. The pale petals contrast with Christopher’s tanned skin, and Hyunjin almost forgets how to breathe.

"Because it’s calm, and it’s beautiful… I think you need some peace, and the scent of flowers is the perfect cure for stress."

"Are you saying I’m stressed?" he teases, giving Christopher a playful punch on the shoulder.

"No, of course not," Christopher plays along. "Just a little hot-tempered."

"You’re the one who provokes me!"

"Consider this a formal request for a truce." He extends his hand toward Hyunjin, who looks at the offered palm and then into those dark eyes, finally taking it and giving it a squeeze.

"Peace is finally declared," Hyunjin says.

"So, now that peace is declared between us, does that mean I can do this?" Christopher touches the singer’s chin and leans in to kiss him, but Hyunjin turns his face, causing Christopher’s lips to land on his cheek. Christopher sighs and pulls back, noticing how Hyunjin stares at his own feet, as if wishing he could vanish from the moment. "I thought we were okay…" he says softly.

"We are, but…" He pauses. "I’m still scared."

"You don’t need to be afraid of me, Hyunjin."

"I’m not." He shakes his head. "I’m afraid of myself."

"But why? You just have to let go," Christopher says, placing a hand on his waist and pulling him closer. Their faces are now so close that even the smallest movement would make their lips meet. "It’s not that hard."

"It is," Hyunjin says. "I can’t deal with all of this… with these feelings and…"

"I’ll teach you."

"But it’s going to take time."

"I don’t care." Christopher tightens his hold on his waist, and by now, Hyunjin has wrapped both arms around his shoulders. "I just want to be with you. And I know you want to be with me too, Hyunjin."

"I-I do, but…"

"No buts." Christopher silences him with his own words. "Don’t think about anything, Hyun." He brushes his nose along Hyunjin’s jawline, making him shiver. "Just focus on me and my voice," he whispers, backing him up until Hyunjin’s lower back presses against a gardening table. The dim lighting makes everything feel more intense. "On my scent and my mouth."

And then, Christopher kisses him with all the desire he’s been holding back, making Hyunjin lose all sense of direction. Just like their other kisses, this one is overwhelming and delicious, as if every cell in their bodies needs to be fused together. Their tongues move in perfect rhythm, driving them wild for each other. Christopher nibbles on Hyunjin’s lower lip and slips his hands under his shirt, feeling the warm skin beneath the fabric.

"C-calm down," Hyunjin pleads, pulling their lips apart. "You can’t do that here," he says, and Christopher frowns.

"Do what?" he asks, and Hyunjin grabs his hands, pulling them out from under his clothes.

"That," he says, and Christopher looks a bit disappointed.

"Oh… you don’t want to?"

"I…" Hyunjin glances around, hesitating, before realizing he’s already completely surrendered to Christopher. His greatest desire is to share a moment like this with him. "I do."

"Then?"

"But here?" he asks again, and Christopher smiles, taking his hand.

"Come with me."

They start walking through the greenhouse, carefully avoiding some stray branches that try to get in their way. Eventually, they reach a spiral staircase and look up.

"Where does that go?"

"Well, sometimes Mr. Kim pays me to keep an eye on the greenhouse… There’s a small room up there. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s clean and comfortable." Hyunjin seems to consider it, biting his lip. "If you don’t want to, that’s okay. I know it’s not what you’re used to."

"No, no," Christopher interrupts, not wanting him to feel that way. "It’s perfect." He smiles and kisses Hyunjin, then pulls him along to climb the stairs.

They reach the small room, and Christopher flicks on a dim light, bathing the space in a soft glow. Hyunjin looks around and sees a polished wooden floor, and on it, a mattress with neatly arranged bedding. The floral scent is still strong even in here, and to him, there’s nothing more perfect.

"I told you it wasn’t much," Christopher says, and Hyunjin looks at him, smiling.

"It feels like it was made just for us." He embraces Christopher, and those strong arms, shaped by hard work, wrap around his waist again.

"You really like it?"

"I do." He kisses his lips briefly. "Chris…" he says, and Christopher looks into his eyes. "I’ve never… I…" He struggles to find the words, but Christopher’s steady gaze gives him courage. "I’ve never done this."

"You’d never kissed a man before, so I figured you hadn’t done this either," he replies gently, though it’s clear he doesn’t quite understand what Hyunjin means.

"It’s not that I’ve never done this with a man," he says, looking away. "I’ve never done this with anyone." Christopher’s eyes widen slightly. "I’m a virgin…"

"Wow… I…" He clears his throat, trying not to show how surprised he is.

"I know it’s ridiculous…"

"No, no!" he assures him quickly. "It’s not ridiculous."

"Yes, it is… I never had the courage to sleep with a man, and I knew I couldn’t do it with a woman." He shakes his head, clearly embarrassed.

"But I’m here now," Christopher says, pulling him into a tighter hug. "And I’ll make sure it feels good for you." He kisses the top of Hyunjin’s head and feels him lift his face.

"Thank you," Hyunjin whispers, then kisses Christopher with all his strength.

He threads his fingers through Christopher’s blond hair, tugging slightly when he feels those long fingers sliding back under his shirt, marking his skin. Their mouths move with growing urgency, and Hyunjin feels like he might explode at any second.

Christopher begins walking blindly toward the mattress, and once they’re close, they both sink to their knees. He leans over Hyunjin, lowering him onto his back and positioning himself between his legs. He kisses Hyunjin’s face as the singer’s hands explore his broad back.

"Let me take your clothes off," Christopher whispers against Hyunjin’s neck, feeling him shiver at both the words and the teasing lips. Hyunjin simply nods, and Christopher starts unbuttoning his shirt, his hot tongue trailing down the fragrant, pale skin beneath.

He removes Hyunjin’s shirt, and their shoes are soon discarded on the floor. Christopher’s mouth devours his flushed skin with bites and sucks, even tending to his sensitive nipples with a gentle tongue.

Christopher pulls off his own shirt and unbuttons his jeans, revealing bright red briefs. Hyunjin’s erection aches inside his clothes, and he almost moans at the sight of Christopher just as undone as he is.

Hyunjin arches off the mattress when Christopher sucks his earlobe, his teeth leaving marks on the reddened cartilage. Then Christopher shifts, bringing Hyunjin to straddle him in his lap.

The singer rocks forward, adjusting his legs while sitting atop him. He cups Christopher’s jaw with trembling hands and presses a kiss to those sculpted lips. Christopher grips his waist, sliding his thumbs along his back and then back to his hips. Hyunjin moans aloud, grinding his hips against Christopher’s and circling them. Christopher’s hands move down, caressing every inch until they reach his ass, still clad in pants.

He finishes removing Hyunjin’s pants and kicks them aside along with the rest of their clothes. He returns to Hyunjin’s lips, nibbling gently before guiding him down onto the mattress.

Hyunjin gets on his knees, letting Christopher lie down with his back pressed against the mattress before climbing back onto his lap. Hyunjin wraps his arms around the cowboy’s neck, kissing him at the corner of his lips. Christopher slides his hands down Hyunjin’s back, feeling the warm skin under his fingers — so soft.

"I know it’s your first time, but fuck," Christopher curses, biting his lip and leaving a red hickey on Hyunjin’s neck. "I want you so badly."

"I do too," Hyunjin pants. "I want you to make me completely yours."

"I will..."

Christopher then lays the singer down on the mattress and kisses his entire body, removing his black underwear and leaving him fully exposed — his beautiful cock hard and dripping with pre-cum. The cowboy takes him in his mouth and drives him wild with pleasure, showing him just how good he can make him feel. Soon after, Christopher starts preparing him to take his size, slipping fingers inside and listening to Hyunjin’s languid moans, music to his ears.

The artist feels pain just from the fingers, and when the cowboy finally positions himself inside, it’s as if he’s being torn apart.

"Easy, it’ll pass soon," Christopher whispers, stroking his face as he watches his pained expression.

"I-it’s okay," Hyunjin says through gritted teeth, digging his nails into Christopher’s tanned shoulders.

The pain fades after several minutes, and Christopher begins to move slowly, thrusting in and out just a few times until Hyunjin adjusts.

In that moment, they aren’t just joining their bodies — but their souls, which light up and connect with every thrust. Their lips stay locked, and everything feels magical — even the faint pain that still lingers. Hyunjin feels weightless, and with every moan that escapes Christopher’s mouth, he knows just how real this is.

They come together, panting and moaning with need. They lie side by side, still able to smell the roses in the air, though now blended with the scent of the sex they just had.

"What happens after this?" Hyunjin asks, drawing little circles on Christopher’s bare, tanned chest as the cowboy gently strokes his shoulder.

"You want to make plans?"

"I don’t know?" It comes out like a question. "I just get scared of uncertain things."

"You worry too much about everything," Christopher says, and Hyunjin can’t argue with that.

"You’re right, but I can’t help it."

"Well, if it’s bothering you, we can think about what to do after this," Christopher says with a sigh. "Tomorrow I’m taking you riding in the pasture, and we’ll run off to the strawberry fields, and then we’ll fuck behind the bushes — " Hyunjin widens his eyes and gives Christopher a light punch in the chest, making him laugh.

"Can you stop being such a perv? You just took my virginity!"

"Exactly, which means we can do a whole lot more of this," he says, squishing Hyunjin’s cheeks until he forms a pout, sealing it with a kiss.

"I won’t deny it," Hyunjin plays along. "But promise me one thing?"

"Anything you want."

"Help me become a better person..."

"Are you really willing to change?"

"I am. I don’t want to be the old Hwang Hyunjin anymore... I want to live something different. And Chris, you’ve been lighting me up and making me simpler, just like everyone else here on the farm."

"I knew Sunshine would help you with that. And now that you’ve finally admitted you want to change once and for all, I’ll do whatever I can to help."

Over the next few days, Christopher keeps his promise to help Hyunjin become a better person. Everything goes perfectly — Hyunjin even pets Daisy, something no one ever imagined when he first arrived at the farm. The cowboy and the singer flirt openly all around the property, drawing playful teasing from Felix and Seungmin and sweet smiles from Sejeong, who finds their relationship adorable. There’s still a week left before Hyunjin is supposed to leave, but the thought already aches in his heart. After all, he’ll have to say goodbye to all the good things he’s learned here — and worse, leave Christopher Bang, the man he’s hopelessly in love with.

It’s morning, and Hyunjin is still lazing in bed, dragging his feet before getting up for breakfast. One thing he still hasn’t gotten used to is waking up before the chickens, but he has to if he wants to avoid getting scolded by Sejeong and mocked by the cousins.

"Hyunjin, are you ready yet?" Sejeong partially opens the bedroom door.

"Almost, ajumma," he says, still getting up, stretching.

"Hurry up, there’s a surprise waiting for you downstairs," she smiles, and Hyunjin frowns.

"What is it?"

"I said it’s a surprise, Hyun," the older woman says with a grin and shuts the door behind her.

Hyunjin takes a quick shower, brushes his teeth, throws on some light clothes, and heads downstairs, anxious to see what’s waiting. But as soon as he steps on the last stair, his blood runs cold, and he’s sure he’s turned pale.

"N-Minho hyung?" he swallows hard, spotting Minho sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee, chatting with the cousins and Sejeong. Christopher is there too, sitting in an armchair with a sour expression.

"Hyunjinie!" Minho gets up and walks over to him, wrapping him in a tight hug. Hyunjin is happy to see his manager too, but in some way, it hits him like a bucket of cold water.

"It’s good to see you," he says, sounding a little down, though Minho doesn’t seem to notice. Seeing Christopher in the corner of the room only makes it worse.

"I came to take you home," Minho smiles brightly, and Hyunjin’s heart shatters. There’s still a week left — he doesn’t understand why Minho is already here. "The flight leaves the day after tomorrow. I figured I’d spend the weekend here with you guys."

"That’ll be fun," Hyunjin says with a forced smile, and when he looks back to where Christopher was sitting, the armchair is empty. "I need to go outside, I’ll be right back." He excuses himself and goes looking for Christopher.

Out on the porch, Christopher sits on the steps, tearing a small leaf between his fingers and staring out at the green pasture. Hyunjin sighs and sits beside him, but the cowboy doesn’t look his way. They stay in silence for a few seconds before the singer breaks it.

"I could call you every night," he says, but Christopher lets out a sarcastic laugh and shakes his head.

"You’ll do that for the first five days, then you’ll forget I exist," he says, and Hyunjin feels hurt.

"You really think I’ll forget you that easily?"

"Your life will force you to."

"No, Christopher! Nothing I have there can replace what you gave me this past month."

"One day, it will."

"You’re talking like you don’t even believe in what I feel for you. Come on, Christopher, I gave myself to you, did things I never had the courage to do with anyone, and you still doubt that I’m completely in love with you?"

"Hyunjin," he says, sighing as he finally looks into Hyunjin’s eyes — and sees them brimming with tears. "I’m crazy about you," he confesses. "But look at me... I don’t stand a chance against Seoul."

"Hey," Hyunjin grabs Christopher’s face and pulls him closer, locking eyes with him. "I’d give up everything — everything — to stay here with you." Christopher laughs like he doesn’t believe it. "Seriously, look... if I didn’t have my career and a company I owe explanations to, I swear leaving would be the last thing I’d do right now."

"But you have to go," he lowers his eyes. "I’m gonna miss you so damn much, sweetie..." he says, using the teasing nickname, and a tear rolls down Hyunjin’s cheek.

"I’m still here — we still have two days together," he whispers, kissing his lips briefly.

"Two days isn’t enough."

"I know, but I swear we’re going to make them count."

"Promise me you won’t forget me?"

"I promise, Chris... You’ll always be in my heart. Always."

The next two days feel like they’ve just met… They live unforgettable moments, just as they promised. Sejeong, noticing they’re saying goodbye, excuses them from farm duties and lets them spend the time loving each other.

The night before Hyunjin’s departure, they make love in Hyunjin’s room and cry in each other’s arms nearly all night, soaking in each other’s warmth and trying to memorize the unique scent of the other.

Hyunjin wakes up feeling anxious and reaches across the bed for Christopher, but it’s empty. He sighs and gets ready slowly, trying to delay the inevitable. He heads downstairs and sees his suitcases packed near the door, Minho saying goodbye to the cousins and the grandmother, who’s crying. Felix and Seungmin are there — but not Christopher.

"Look who’s here," the old lady opens her arms, and when he sees her, Hyunjin breaks down, crying.

"Ajumma," he sniffles and buries his face in her neck, feeling her tears soak his shirt. "I’m sorry for everything," he says, holding the small woman tightly. "I tried to change, but I know it wasn’t enough."

"Oh, my boy, you did so well," she smiles, revealing her dentures. "You’re going back as a new Hyunjin, and I want you to visit me for Christmas."

"I will," he says with one last smile before walking toward Seungmin and Felix.

"Sorry for laughing when you almost fell off the horse," Felix says, a little embarrassed.

"Sorry for calling you illiterate."

"Sorry for pretending to be a werewolf and pulling your foot," Hyunjin laughs and pulls the smaller one into a hug, ruffling his blond hair.

"Thanks for saving me from Daisy that day," Hyunjin says to Seungmin, who just laughs and nods.

"No problem. Watch out for the city cows," they both laugh, but Hyunjin feels a tightness in his chest as he pulls away and still doesn’t see Christopher anywhere.

"Where’s Christopher?" Felix asks, and Sejeong sighs, shrugging.

"We have to go, Hyunjin... The flight’s in an hour," Minho calls.

"Wait just one more minute." Hyunjin stares intently at the top of the stairs, hoping Christopher will show up at any moment — but he doesn’t.

"Hyun, it’s getting late." Tears stream down Hyunjin’s cheeks, and he just nods, heartbroken.

"Tell him I said goodbye, okay?" Hyunjin says to Sejeong, who nods, crying too. "I’m going to miss you all so much," he sobs, placing a hand over his mouth to stop himself from crying harder. "Goodbye," he waves with both hands as Minho loads his bags into the car parked near the pasture.

"Goodbye, kid," Sejeong says, and the others wave.

Hyunjin closes his eyes tightly and turns away, walking to the car, opening the door, and getting into the passenger seat. He puts on his sunglasses and lets himself cry in silence, sobbing.

"Hyunjin... are you okay?" Minho asks as he gets into the driver’s seat. "Grandma told me you got attached, but I didn’t realize it was this deep."

"J-just drive, hyung," Hyunjin says, glancing back at the house one last time.

(...)

"Hyunjin, stop crying for a second," Minho pleads, noticing Hyunjin hasn’t stopped crying once since they left the farm. They’re waiting to board, and Hyunjin is still sobbing uncontrollably.

"I-I c-can’t," he sniffles, biting his lips.

"I’m getting really worried about you."

"Why didn’t he come say goodbye, hyung?" He rests his head on Minho’s shoulder and feels the businessman sigh and gently run his fingers through his hair.
"Because I was busy packing my bags."

Hyunjin jumps in shock when he hears the deep voice resonate behind him. He leaps out of the chair and stands up, staring at the figure in plaid standing right in front of him. Minho also stands and smiles, fully aware of everything.

Everyone wakes up in the middle of the night, summoned by Christopher, who shares news no one is expecting: he’s going to Seoul with Hyunjin. It’s a last-minute decision, but one he can’t avoid. He needs to follow his love.

Sejeong is the first to support him, promising to help however she can — which, in this case, means buying his plane ticket over the phone. Christopher then goes to the corral to say goodbye to the animals and afterward heads to his room to pack, which is why he doesn’t make it in time to go to the airport with Hyunjin.

"C-Christopher?" Hyunjin asks, taking off his sunglasses.

"The one and only."

"How did you… How… YOU BASTARD!" He runs to him and slaps his chest, crying now out of relief. "How could you do this to me, you… you…"

"Easy, sweetie, it was supposed to be a surprise." He laughs and grabs both of Hyunjin’s arms, gently stopping him.

Hyunjin sighs, unable to hold back any longer, and gives in, throwing his arms around Christopher with all the strength he has.

"I couldn’t bear being away from you."

"Me neither… I can’t believe you’re here."

"I am. And now we’re going to be together."

"Promise me you won’t leave? Promise you’ll help me not lose myself again?" he pleads, the words muffled against his lips.

"I promise. I promise you everything."

"I love you, Chris," Hyunjin finally says, and it’s as if a heavy weight lifts off his shoulders with that confession.

"I love you too," he whispers.

"I hate to interrupt the lovebirds, but our flight leaves in five minutes," Minho says, and the lovers laugh, pulling away from each other.

The three of them walk to the boarding gate, and the tears that once were so full of sorrow now turn into tears of joy.

Hyunjin is going back to being the idol he’s always been, but with one major difference: this time, there will be no more drinking, no more spiraling out of control. He has found something to fill the emptiness in his heart, something that’s been with him for years — and Christopher Bang fits that void perfectly.

As the plane takes off and he glances to the side to see the love of his life sitting next to him, holding his hand, Hyunjin can only think of two things.

First: how hopelessly in love he is with that cocky, smirking cowboy.
Second: how incredibly grateful he is that Minho sent him to that farm.