Of Fake Smiles and Broken Hearts

two

Edited as of 180203.

Jongin never smiles at him, Kyungsoo thinks bitterly as he watches his husband laughing with his colleagues. His eyes crinkle into small crescent moons every time but by now Kyungsoo can see more of him, if not, through him. His smile doesn't reach his eyes at all, his posture is stiff as a rock, and to top it all off, he's been drinking his sixth glass. Kyungsoo traces the rim of the glass in his hand with his finger as he watches from a few table away, sighing into his drink as he downs it all in one gulp.

This wouldn't be a bother to him nor the others because it is a party and you're supposed to have fun and get wasted even if it is risking your reputation if you accidentally throw up on your boss' overly expensive tuxedo. However, this was different, because tonight, Kyungsoo is here with him for moral support since the company was supposed to launch a new project. Kyungsoo dreaded it. He went to nightclubs when he was in college, just for the experience, for him to think that he actually had freedom once. But he doesn't attend parties like this. Parties like this are all about politics anyway. It was about making connections, showing strength, power. It was about keeping friends close and enemies closer. He sighs. Perhaps the change of scenery was quite gratifying because he doesn't need to worry about random people coming up to him to pitch the lamest pickup lines. He knew how it worked. The later into the night, the uglier the compliments became. Harsher, even. It always seemed like everyone was too desperate for a grind. Turns out, he didn't have to worry at all, seeing as Jongin handled most of the talking almost as if he knew about his inability to hold decent conversations.

He felt someone slide up next to where he was standing. "Woah, calm your husband down, Kyungshit. He's drinking like his throat was on fire."

Kyungsoo snaps his head at his right, only to see a tall brunette grinning at him. Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at the sight of Jongin's best friend, Sehun. He had met the man several times due to the fact that his family was one of the shareholders of their company. By now, he knew what sets off the fire in his tongue.

He takes a small sip of his drink and fought the urge to make a face at the way it burned down his throat. "You know you can't talk like that in here."

Sehun lifts his chin and tilts his head to the side, forcing Kyungsoo to meet his gaze. He looks smug. "I can say whatever the hell I want."

Sehun at work is unfamiliar to him, like his least favorite piece of shirt that always seem to turn up in his clean laundry even if he swears that he hadn't even worn it that week. It was unpleasant, but Kyungsoo ends up wearing it anyway. Outside of work, Sehun is the shy guy with a slight lisp whenever he's nervous. He couldn't quite place why this side of him manifests every now and then, but it sure is a hell of a lot to deal with. Kyungsoo decides to blame it on the alcohol.

He drank the remaining contents of his drink hastily while Kyungsoo stared worriedly. Some dripped down the sides of his mouth, from his chin down to his unbuttoned white collar shirt. He puffs a cloud of air and closed his eyes, shaking his head as the alcohol burned his throat. "Goddamn, that's strong."