Meraki (Taegyu one-shots)

Hidden in Plain Sight (F)

Beomgyu and Taehyun had always been good at keeping secrets, especially when it came to their relationship. To the world, they were just two friends, occasionally bickering and constantly teasing each other like rivals. But beneath that veil of playful insults and competitive jabs, there was something much deeper—something no one else could see.

Not even their closest friends.

They had been dating for almost a year now, and yet, somehow, everyone around them remained oblivious. It was almost a game at this point. The challenge wasn't just in keeping the relationship hidden but in the little thrill of fooling everyone—especially their friends, who were convinced there was nothing between them.

It all started out as a simple prank. At first, they kept it lowkey just to see how long it would take for someone to figure them out. But as time went on, and no one picked up on it, the two boys realized how much fun it was to live this double life.

***

One evening, they were all at Soobin's place for game night. The atmosphere was laid-back, with a few beers and pizza spread across the coffee table. Soobin and Hueningkai were on the floor, immersed in a heated game of Mario Kart, while Yeonjun watched, half-bored, tossing a ball up and down. Beomgyu sat on the couch next to Taehyun, deliberately keeping his distance, maintaining the illusion that they were just friends.

But under the surface, it was a different story. Beomgyu's knee brushed against Taehyun's ever so slightly. A brief, almost imperceptible touch—but it was enough to send sparks of warmth through both of them.

"So, you guys still haven't killed each other?" Yeonjun asked, tossing the ball at Beomgyu.

Beomgyu caught it effortlessly, flashing his trademark smirk. "Nah, I'm saving that for a special occasion," he replied with a dramatic eye roll toward Taehyun.

Taehyun scoffed, biting into his pizza. "You wish. You couldn't handle me even if you tried."

"Pfft. I'd like to see you try," Beomgyu shot back, grinning.

Everyone laughed, thinking it was just their usual banter. Little did they know, under the surface, those words carried a different weight, a different kind of tension.

Yeonjun squinted at them suspiciously, as if trying to read between the lines. "You two are always like this. It's almost like you like arguing with each other. Just get together already!"

Beomgyu and Taehyun shared a quick glance, both fighting to suppress their smiles.

"As if," Taehyun said, leaning back against the couch, crossing his arms casually, though his heart raced at the thought of Yeonjun coming so close to the truth.

"Yeah, keep dreaming," Beomgyu added, casually tossing the ball back to Yeonjun.

"You're all insane if you think I'd date him," Taehyun said with a convincing level of disgust in his tone, though beneath the surface, his heart fluttered.

***

Later that night, after their friends had left and the house fell silent, Beomgyu and Taehyun were finally alone. They had stayed behind to help Soobin clean up, using it as a perfect excuse to steal a few moments together without raising suspicion.

As soon as the front door clicked shut, Taehyun let out a long breath and grinned at Beomgyu, who immediately closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around Taehyun's waist. "You're really good at lying," Beomgyu whispered against his ear, his breath warm and teasing.