Off-Screen (무대아래에서) | Haobin

First Date (첫 데이트)

Author Note: There's another sex scene after the last break in this chapter, just a head's up so you can skip it if you want.

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The moment they're released from their professional schedules, Hanbin and Hyung return to the apartment, shower, and change into their "date" clothes. Hanbin also got them matching bucket hats and color-coordinated masks, so they still look cute for the many pictures he plans to take. Hyung is humming happily to himself as he laces up his shoes. As soon as they're both ready, Hyung tugs Hanbin down the stairs, holding his hand. They stop holding hands before they leave the building, since their manager warned them about lurking paparazzi that seem to be targeting them lately. But that doesn't dampen their good mood as they walk down to the subway entrance and Hanbin figures out their route to the Iwha mural village.

It's miraculously a good time to ride the subway. They find seats easily and have enough space to get some privacy for their conversation, which is a rarity.

"Why did you pick the mural village?" Hyung asks him quietly as they ride to their first stop.

"You've never been, right?" Hanbin asks him. Hyung shakes his head. "It's pretty cool. There's a lot of couples that go together and take pictures. And I know how much you love taking selfies." Hyung thumps him lightly on his thigh. Hanbin laughs. "I know we have to keep our masks on, but I still want to take some pictures that are just for us, that we don't have to share on social media," Hanbin tells him honestly. "The weather's good, and there usually aren't a lot of people there at this time of the week."

"Good thinking." Hyung nods in approval. "I'm really excited. I haven't seen many places in Seoul yet."

"Is there anywhere you want to go?" Hanbin asks him.

Hyung looks out the window. They're traveling over the Han river, so it's a beautiful view, the sunlight skipping over the waves.

"...It's a tourist spot."

"Tell me," Hanbin insists, perking up. Hyung looks a little embarrassed, so Hanbin prompts him again, "Where do you want to go?"

"Namsan tower," Hyung admits.

"Why do you look embarrassed?" Hanbin teases him, nudging him with his elbow. "That's fine, we can go there on the way back. It's not out of the way."

"Do you know... about the love lock?"

"Love... lock..." Hanbin squints at Hyung and then realizes what he's talking about. "Couples put a lock on the tower together, right?"

"You throw away the key. It means your love will last forever," Hyung mumbles, and Hanbin realizes it's the first time he's used the word "love" in reference to them. Hanbin grins behind his mask.

"Ahhhh...." He nods. "I see."

"I have a lock," Hyung reveals, pulling out a small, red lock with a heart-shaped keyhole on the front. "We just need to sign it."

"You planned this?" Hanbin asks, feeling... so many things. All of them good.

"You planned everything else, I just wanted to do this one thing with you. I want to see the whole city, but we just have half a day... so we can go to the tower and put the lock on and look out at everything together."

"I would love to do that with you," Hanbin says sincerely. He sits a little closer, their thighs and shoulders touching as the river disappears from view and they plunge back into the darkness of the underground.

They transfer to another line to get to the Iwha mural village. The weather is as perfect as Hanbin hoped -- not winter-cold anymore, just pleasant and slightly warm. The cherry blossoms are still blooming, although the flowers are more sparse and mostly on the ground. There's only a few couples and groups of friends walking around the mural village. They have to wait at some murals to take a picture, but mostly it's uncrowded and no one pays them any attention. They even pull their masks off for some pictures where there's no one around. They take bare-faced pictures in front of the angel wings and for their selfie in front of the coy fish staircase.