Diamond Heart | Hyunbinchan

Chapter 7

The next day, Chan walks to work – it takes significantly longer, but Felix walks next to him, a ball of nerves and anxiety.

"You'll be fine," Chan tells him and drags him inside.

"Welcome, and hello Chan-hyung," Jisung says from in front of the counter where he's arranging some tulips. Then he sees Felix, who isn't hiding behind Chan because Chan steps away from him "Felix?"

"Hello," Felix says with a sunshine smile.

Jisung throws himself through the room and onto Felix, who stumbles but doesn't fall. "Felix!"

Chan smiles as he watches Felix and Jisung converse in a mix of English and Korean, and Felix lifts his wrist and Jisung hugs him again. He feels someone drop something into the breast pocket of his suit and looks to the side. Hyunjin's smiling at him, hair in a bun, wearing a white v-neck t-shirt that leaves almost all of his marks uncovered. Chan melts a little on the inside.

"Hey," Hyunjin says.

"Hi," Chan leans in and pecks his lips. "I gotta go, but I'll leave Felix with you. He has his phone, he knows the code to my apartment, but I doubt he'll want to leave anytime soon."

Hyunjin nods, taking one of Chan's hands hostage in his. "That's fine. I'll see you tonight?"

"Yes," Chan says, and lets Hyunjin kiss his fingers.

When he looks into his pocket, he finds an orange rose.

-

At work, he finds his office almost drowning in flowers. He's welcomed back with iced coffee (and drinks it despite Felix's warnings to stay away from coffee for a bit) and organised files of everything he missed. Someone brought a "We Hope You Had Fun On Your Holiday And Will Go On Holiday Again" cake, and Chan is filled with appreciation for his team and pride in what Jia and he managed to do with the company their parents left them when they split.

He spends lunch with his colleagues and subordinates, accepting compliments but remaining secretive about the orange rose. He didn't bother with a tie in the morning, wearing just a simple black silk shirt with the top buttons undone, so he even shows off his lilac. It's nothing less than the lilac deserves, he reasons, and then he acknowledges that he's a bit possessive about his soulmates, maybe.

He leaves on time, which doesn't get him a standing ovation but it does get him applause from his assistant and happy cheering from the photographers and editors working on next month's magazine.

As he leaves, the receptionists greet him with a bow. They look at him like he's a k-pop idol or something, but Chan dismisses the thought – they're probably just new to the company and just learned he's his sister's brother, or saw one of his high profile photo shoots. Chan wishes them a good evening and steps outside, into a storm of flashing cameras.

He lifts a hand to shield his eyes, and is immediately grateful for the member of security who steps up next to him and blocks him from the reporters.

"Bang Chan-nim, Seo Changbin-nim politely requests your presence," the guard says.

Chan's eyes adjust to the flashing lights, or there's a brief pause – and he can see down the stairs to the street, where Changbin's sleek company car parks illegally on the curb. Changbin steps out and waves, ignoring the cameras shoved in his face. He can, he has four security staff members around him.

"Thank you," Chan nods to the guard next to him and walks toward Changbin.

Like in a cheesy romcom or the story of Moses as he crossed the sea, the crowd of paparazzi parts before him like waves. Changbin is smiling, hair styled back from his forehead artfully, suit tailored to perfection, and most daringly: he's got an orange rose on his neck, there for the world to see. His tie is pastel purple, the same shade as the lilac under his shirt.