Seoulstruck (Stray Kids, 18+)

Chapter 45: Body Count

Chan stood to the side, gesturing for Hongjoong to enter the company elevator first. "After you," he said, doing his best not to smile too widely. Their dinner date had been a huge success and he couldn't wait to get the beautiful man alone, again.

Hongjoong smiled, thanking him as he stepped inside, waiting for the other producer to enter before pressing their floor's button. Before the doors could close, however, a perfectly manicured hand wedged between them, the sound of drunken laughter on the other side. The doors parted to the only thing that could ruin Chan's mood. A very intoxicated Hyunjin was being held up by a cheerful Jeongin, the scent of soju permeating the elevator as the pair entered.

"Channie!"

Hyunjin practically threw himself at the man, whining as the producer side-stepped closer to Hongjoong. He turned to see the newest employee of the company standing beside the floor buttons, dripped in his usual designer clothes and silver jewelry. Hyunjin smirked, pushing himself between the pair. "Channie," he remarked, leaning against the wall, "your new boyfriend is so damn beautiful. I'm almost jealous." Chan's stomach flared with rage, the Aussie clenching his jaw, his heart beginning to race for all the wrong reasons. Hyunjin's hand rose to stroke the chains climbing up the shell of Hongjoong's ear, the producer recoiling from the advances. "Mm," the idol continued. "Maybe sometime, Channie will be willing to share--"

Chan saw red, shoving Hyunjin back at the model, the pair struggling to stand as the elevator came to a stop on their floor. The muscular man took Hongjoong's wrist, wasting no time rushing through the doors as they opened. "Hey!" Jeongin shouted, after them, helping Hyunjin out of the elevator before standing in Chan's way. "Chan, what the actual fuck?!" Jeongin had never spoken informally to Chan, before, but no one harmed Hyunjin and got away with it. "Jinnie's just drunk, he didn't mean to offend anyone--"

"Shut the fuck up," Chan commanded, his mouth contorting into a disgusted scowl, his grip on Hongjoong's wrist tightening. He pointed at Hyunjin, his eyes still on the model. "I know you're excited to finally have a boyfriend, but I have to say, Jeongin, you're off to a terrible start if that's who you deem worthy of having a relationship with." Hyunjin held himself up on the edge of the railing, tears beginning to sting the backs of his eyes. "Channie, let's go..." Hongjoong's meek voice suggested, but Chan continued, finally turning to shout in the idol's direction, his eyes glistening with rage.

"Do you even know his body count?! I doubt he even remembers just how many guys he's fucked! How else do you think he even go to be so popular in the company so quickly to begin with?! Talent? HA!"

"Stop it." Hyunjin winced in agony as tears slid down his cheeks, his voice barely audible.

"Wasn't there even that rumor?" Chan continued, cocking his head. "Oh, yeah."

"Stop it..."

"About you and Mr. Seo?"

"Stop--"

"That house on his private island?"

"Stop!" Hyunjin recoiled into himself, Chan pointing a finger against his own chest.

"While you were sleeping with every seonbae and higher up you could, I was working hard creating music for everyone and bettering myself as an artist, but somehow you got to debut?!" Chan turned back to Jeongin, sneering. "Your boyfriend's a slut, nothing more."

Jeongin closed the gap between himself and the producer, landing a punch square in his jaw. Chan stumbled back, Hongjoong catching him with a gasp. "You think I don't know Jinnie's sexual appetites?" He shook his head, angrily. "Of course I know he's been with countless guys, and none of that matters to me. It never has. That's not why I liked Jinnie to begin with." Hyunjin looked to his boyfriend, the model looking back at him, proudly.

"Jinnie is kind and loving. He cares about how others are feeling and wants to alleviate their pain in any way he knows how. He likes to make people happy. He's creative, he's smart, there's no one like him." He looked back at Chan, leaning in. "It's not his fault if you can't see those qualities in him... but I always admired him for them. Yes, even his freakishly high libido. That's why it doesn't matter where he's been. He's invaluable to me. Which is why he chose me over you."

Jeongin moved over to Hyunjin, gingerly helping the crying idol back to their apartment. Chan watched them leave, a familiar bitterness in his glare as Hongjoong pulled him back home. "Come on," he said, calmly. "Let's get your jaw iced up."