The Glitch (Box #1)

5

A precious record needed to be discarded with the utmost care.

~

It couldn't simply be thrown away in one of the neighborhood bins.
It couldn't simply be split into two and discarded in a dark alley.
It needed a bittersweet goodbye.
It needed one last warm embrace.
It needed one last kiss.
In a way.
Throwing something away had never been quite as painful.
Therefore Lee Chanhee tried slowing down the process.
He slowed it down to the point of finding himself unable to let go of Minsoo's hand.
He slowed it down until it reached a complete standstill.
"Let's get you laid tonight!"
Until it only paled in comparison to the antics surrounding them.
"Lee Byunghun!" Niel slurred as he collided into a bin.
First things first.
Lee Chanhee did not know these people.
True.
He had had dinner with them.
He had had several beers with them.
Still, fact remained that he in no way knew these drunkards.
"Laying someone down." Byunghun started as he raised a finger. "You could be lain down on the street after you've passed out. You could be laid down on a bed just to go to sleep."
Or so he liked to believe.
"Someone could lay a finger on you and you'd go all wa-cha on their ass!" Byunghun happily clapped his hands as he looked up at Niel.
Lee Chanhee was not one to judge.
After all, he was just as tipsy as Lee Byunghun.
However.
The hell had that just been?
"Wa-cha?" Niel cutely wondered as he cocked his head to the side.
"Wa-cha!" Byunghun confidently repeated as he fell into a Karate stance.
Never mind the fact that Byunghun looked adorable as he went through several failed stages of spin kicks.
Bang Minsoo couldn't take any more of this.
"Did you really just say wa-cha?" Minsoo sighed as he pulled his snapback from his head.
"Wa-cha!" Niel and Byunghun called in perfect unison as they wrapped their arms around each other.
"Are you serious?" Minsoo groaned, clearly exasperated. "Can't we just throw them in a taxi and hope for the best?"
"Byunghun could go wa-cha but Niel is in a no-wa-cha state."
Now.
Bang Minsoo was staring straight ahead at Dumb and Dumber.
He didn't need Chanhee joining the Stupid train.
Lightly squeezing Chanhee's hand, Minsoo easily pulled him closer to him.
"Are you alright?" He mused as he peered down at his boyfriend. "Are you also about to head delusional?"
Lee Chanhee lightly chuckled as Minsoo's forehead bumped against his.
After teasingly rubbing their foreheads together, he gently pushed on Minsoo's shoulder.
"It's catchy." Chanhee shrugged as he easily slipped into an impromptu song. "Wa-cha. Wa-cha. Cha. Cha."
Despite himself, Minsoo started nodding along to the bright tune.
Even creating a small choreography with Chanhee as they walked.
Laughing, Chanhee easily sidestepped Minsoo.
Only for the latter to do the same as they sang.
"Wa-cha." Minsoo laughed as Chanhee ducked under his arm. "Wa-cha." He smiled as Chanhee walked ahead of him, their fingers tightly intertwined. "Wa-cha. Cha..."
"Enjoying yourself there?" Chanhee teased as Minsoo continued singing by himself.
"Your stupidity is contagious." Minsoo easily shot back as he tugged him closer.
"If that thought lets you sleep at night." Chanhee rolled his eyes as he let himself bump into Minsoo's side.
The hard bump was ever so different from the light kiss Minsoo placed on his forehead.
Naturally, his eyes slowly drew to a close as he allowed himself to fold into Minsoo's side.
His free hand easily playing along the front of Minsoo's shirt.
"Are you enjoying yourself there?" Minsoo whispered, his breath warm against Chanhee's skin. "Hm, Lee Chanhee?"
Indeed.
Lee Chanhee was perfectly enjoying himself.
Wrapped in this embrace that he knew and loved.
Yet.
There was no denying the bile building at the back of his throat as Minsoo's fingers gently grazed his chin.
Slightly tilting it upwards to guide him into a kiss.
Put more precisely.
Failing to guide him into a kiss.
After all.
Chanhee had expertly dodged him.
Clearing his throat, he slightly skipped ahead of Minsoo.
"Should we sing some more?" He proposed as he lightly squeezed Minsoo's hand.
However times for fun and games were over.
"Sweetheart."
To say Lee Chanhee had been surprised would be an understatement.
Minsoo's gentle tone had done nothing more than render him useless.
Hell, he'd momentarily forgotten how to walk.
So much so that he had tripped over his own feet.
Ever so slightly escaping getting up close and personal with the floor.
Not that it mattered to Minsoo as he looked straight ahead at Dumb and Dumber.
"Lee Chanhee." Minsoo softly called.
"What is it?" Chanhee wondered as he peered up at him.
"Nothing." Minsoo lightly chuckled to himself. "I just wanted to see your reaction, sweetheart."
At the beginning of their relationship, Minsoo had tried giving Chanhee pet names.
However he had been far too embarrassed to ever put them to good use.
Clearly, today, that no longer mattered.
Hence explaining his soft smile as he lightly pinched Chanhee's cheek.
"I'm disappointed, Lee Chanhee." He shook his head before giving Chanhee's cheek one last squeeze. "It didn't seem to please you."
Reassuring words lay on the tip of Chanhee's tongue.
Yet.
He simply bit on his lower lip as he looked up at Minsoo.
Truth be told.
The problem hadn't been that.
Lee Chanhee hadn't been displeased.
Quite on the contrary.
However, he knew that telling Minsoo that he had felt nothing would hurt him beyond repair.
Lee Chanhee had already hurt Minsoo more than he should have.
Therefore his silence was the only plausible answer to this.
He simply stepped closer, wordlessly wrapping his free arm around Minsoo's wait.
The latter seemed reluctant to reciprocate the hug. Still he automatically found himself leaning forward, conveniently resting his forehead against Chanhee's.
At that moment.
It would have been wonderful for them to endlessly revel in this benign embrace.
It would have been perfect for time to simply stop and let them be.
However Ahn Daniel trampled all over these futile wishes.
"Stop being chummy without me!"
Ahn Daniel became many things when drunk.
Many things.
One of them being a more than determined cock blocker.
Hence justifying his actions as he wedged himself between the couple.
Correction.
As he tried to wedge himself into a space that had no longer existed. Thus elbowing Minsoo in far from acceptable places. All before gingerly wrapping his arms around a far from amused Chanhee.
Indeed.
While Minsoo had received an elbow in his stomach, Chanhee had practically been jabbed in both eyes.
"I feel lonely." Niel cooed as he rested his chin atop of Chanhee's head.
"Buy a dog." Minsoo groaned as he tried prying Niel off of Chanhee. "It'll love you till death and beyond."
"I'm seeking human affection!" Niel clucked his tongue as he tightened his hold around Chanhee.
"I'm here for you, Niel."
Needless to say, Lee Chanhee wanted nothing more than to wipe that innocent smile off of Lee Byunghun's lips.
Lee Chanhee knew that he had no right to be jealous.
Hell, there was no need whatsoever for him to be jealous.
However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't lovingly smile at this idiotic blushing best friend of his!
"I only have Byunghun in this world." Niel sniffled before dramatically throwing his head backwards.
Or at least attempting to.
Bang Minsoo had perfectly wrapped his hand at the back of his head.
Thus stopping the collision that would have probably led to a trip to the ER.
"You are a public menace." Minsoo said through gritted teeth as he brought Niel's head to the crook of his neck. "A menace, I tell you."
"Like Dennis the Menace?"
The first to many bad and worsening jokes? Check.
Minsoo could only swear under his breath as he wrapped an arm around Niel's neck.
"You're going home." He ordered as his free hand flicked Niel's forehead. "Now."
"We didn't even have round 2!" Niel whined as he massaged his forehead.
"You barely survived round 1." Chanhee deadpanned as he rubbed his own throbbing eyes.
"I want a round 2!" Niel cried out as threw his head back against Minsoo.
"You've got to be kidding me." Minsoo rolled his eyes. "Are you throwing a tantrum right now?"
"Round 2!"
No words could describe how cute Niel was as he thrashed around like a mere toddler.
A clear contrast from his allure as he conveniently wrapped himself around Minsoo.
His head perfectly nestled into the crook of his neck as his arms tightly squeezed his waist.
Seeing this, Lee Chanhee couldn't wait for Niel to regain his senses.
Needless to say, he would surely berate Chanhee for not stopping him.
He would be more than livid upon hearing about his lewd actions.
Still.
Revenge was a dish best served cold and Niel had perfectly earned it.
After all, since when did Byunghun, of all people, make him blush like that?
"What are you, 4?" Minsoo snapped as he hit the back of Niel's head.
"Round 2!" Niel cried out as he leaned into him once more.
"Niel." Minsoo warned.
To no avail.
Chanhee could only stifle a laugh as Minsoo let out a beastly groan.
Clearly he was biting off more than he could chew, today.
"There will be no round 2, Ahn Daniel!" Minsoo hollered at a blinking Niel.
That only meant one thing.
"2?" Niel tried as he slightly leaned away from Minsoo.
Oh boy.
"3." Chanhee finished as Niel shoved against Minsoo's chest.
All before running down the street like a mad man.
Minsoo following at full speed.
All the while screaming profanities for all to hear.
Much to Lee Chanhee's amusement.
Not only was Niel a cock blocker when alcohol coursed through his system.
He was also a self-proclaimed gold-medalist sprinter.
One that always ran away in the face of danger.
Regardless of his surroundings.
Thus heading straight into oncoming traffic on several occasions.
Hell, had it not been for Minsoo running after him like this, things would have ended terribly a long time ago.
"He still has that habit?" Byunghun tittered as he skipped closer to Chanhee.
"Old habits die hard."
It was said that one needed to turn their tongues seven times in their mouths before speaking.
Therefore avoiding uttering stupidities.
However.
Lee Chanhee's tongue could have churned for eons and he would have still made that blunder.
A light blush crept to his cheeks as he awkwardly cleared his throat.
All before stealing a brief glance towards Byunghun.
Just in time to see the latter tripping on flat ground.
Put more precisely tripping on nothing whatsoever.
"The hell?" Chanhee bit back a chuckle as Byunghun managed to catch himself. "Will you be alright?"
"I'm fine, really." Byunghun waved him off before readjusting his coat.
"Is that so, Mr. Wa-cha?"
"It explains the move." Byunghun clucked his tongue.
Truth be told.
Lee Chanhee had never attacked a lamp post.
However he was more than sure that Lee Byunghun was going about it the wrong way.
Proud beyond words, Lee Byunghun had proceeded to demonstrating his Karate skills.
Or lack thereof of any Karate skill whatsoever as he had squared off against an inanimate object.
Only to lose.
In all honesty, Lee Chanhee had tried not to laugh.
He had desperately tried holding in his laughter.
However there was only so much that he could do as Byunghun fell face first against the lamp post.
All before clutching his nose as he shakily leaned off of the damned thing.
"I guess that I am slightly tipsy."
Lee Chanhee's laughter only seemed to double as Byunghun spoke in a more than nasally voice.
Clutching his stomach, he found himself unable to stop laughing despite Byunghun's frown.
"Thank you for caring for my wellbeing."
"I do care." Chanhee tried as his laughter slowly died down to light chuckles.
"I doubt your laughter will magically heal my bleeding nose, Lee Chanhee." Byunghun snorted in his newly acquired voice.
"You're not even bleeding." Chanhee bit back another chuckle as he walked towards Byunghun. "See?"
Unless he was handed a mirror, Lee Byunghun would not be able to answer.
Not that it mattered to Lee Chanhee.
After all he had other preoccupations.
Such as his body suddenly acquiring a mind of its own.
Indeed.
Lee Chanhee's hands had gently cupped Lee Byunghun's cheeks before he'd even registered what he'd been doing.
Thus allowing him to peer into the latter's mysterious dark eyes.
There had been a time where Lee Chanhee had been unable to read this gaze.
Yet.
Over time.
It had slowly become second nature to him.
Over time.
It had always given Lee Chanhee the green light.
For a mere touch.
For a soft caress.
For a kiss.
Unconsciously, Lee Chanhee's fingers softly passed over the corner of Byunghun's eyes.
Unconsciously, their bodies closed the unbearable distance between them.
Unconsciously.
Lee Byunghun let out a majestic burp.
No words could explain the incredulous look on Chanhee's face as Byunghun grew beetroot red.
"I didn't do that."
Hold on just a minute.
"You didn't?" Chanhee repeated as he squished Byunghun's cheeks together.
"I really didn't." The latter protested as his hands raised to Chanhee's wrists.
"Am I deaf maybe?" Chanhee scoffed as he teasingly pinched Byunghun's cheeks.
To face the music or to lie some more?
Lie some more it was as Byunghun cutely nodded back at Chanhee.
A light scoff escaped Chanhee's lips as Byunghun lightly squeezed his wrists.
"Losing your hearing is natural with old age."
"So is losing my sense of smell, is it?" Chanhee innocently blinked as he cocked his head to the side. "Though I must admit that you nearly killed me with that toxic..."
A small yelp escaped Chanhee's lips as Byunghun clamped them shut.
"It didn't smell!" Byunghun shot back at him as he pinched his lips harder.
"So you did burp."
Lee Chanhee-1
Lee Byunghun-0
Lee Chanhee's smug smile appeared just as quickly as it disappeared as Lee Byunghun gutted him.
His beautiful face distorted into a mask of pain as he desperately clutched his stomach.
Not that Lee Byunghun cared.
The latter simply turned on his heel and stomped down the street.
Closely followed by a now cackling Chanhee.
Much to his dismay.
"Burping is natural." Chanhee nodded to himself as he massaged his stomach.
"Not another word, Lee Chanhee." Byunghun warned as he slipped his hands into his coat pockets.
"It is." Chanhee pushed on as they stopped at a street light. "There is no need for you to be embarrassed because you sounded like an ogre."
"Oi!" Byunghun snapped as he angrily turned to face Chanhee.
This should have been the part where he had Lee Chanhee's head for being so insupportable.
This should have been the part where he left Lee Chanhee stranded and all alone in this busy street.
However he simply found himself staring.
Staring at Lee Chanhee staring at him.
A besotted smile on his lips.
"Oi."
That simple word had faintly left Lee Byunghun's lips once more.
However the end of his sentence finished in Chanhee's chest as he was violently pushed aside.
The light had long turned green, thus urging the throng of people around to quickly cross the street.
They didn't care about two idiots idly standing at a green light.
They didn't care about Lee Chanhee and Lee Byunghun.
Not at all.
Yet.
They had finally brought them into each other's arms.
Indeed, Lee Chanhee had only been able to blink as Lee Byunghun's nose had awkwardly bumped against his own.
Followed by his thin arms, tightly wrapping around his waist as he tried regaining his balance.
To no avail.
Lee Chanhee couldn't help but groan as they staggered into an oncoming stranger.
Only to be knocked away into another passerby.
Hell, Lee Chanhee could have very well happy-danced when they finally found their balance.
Clearly, playing bumper cars minus the cars was far from fun.
"That was fun."
Or not.
"Are you maybe, just maybe, suffering from a mild concussion, Lee Byunghun?" Chanhee mock gasped.
"Live a little." Byunghun teasingly shot back before chuckling.
"How can you laugh?" Chanhee blinked as he slightly leaned back.
"How can you not?"
Over the past few years, Lee Byunghun had changed his hair color over and over again.
However this time around, it seemed as though he had been too lazy to choose any specific color.
Strangely yet beautifully merging with his blonde locks, odd colors adorned his head.
Green.
Blue.
Red.
Purple.
Pink.
It was a turmoil.
One didn't exactly know where to start looking.
All until he smiled.
"How can I not?" Chanhee softly repeated as the tips of his fingers crept up Byunghun's neck. "How could I?"
Lee Byunghun's handsome features were all the more captivating due to their proximity.
Daunting Lee Chanhee just as easily as the first day.
"How could I when I remember everything?"
However, everything thing was so much more different than on that special day.
"How can you still look me in the eye and smile?" Lee Chanhee's voice slightly shook as he bit on his lower lip. "How could you not simply keep on ignoring me? How could you not simply sit still and not congratulate me?"
They had been ignoring the truth staring them dead in the eye.
They had been pleasantly laughing.
They had been having a good time.
It had all been going well.
Still there was only so much Lee Chanhee could take.
"How could you?" Chanhee repeated as he lightly shook Byunghun.
"I needed to congratulate you."
"Why?"
"Because I hadn't."
Lee Byunghun's answer was simple.
Hell, it even made sense.
Still.
"That's it?"
Lee Chanhee wasn't asking for much.
"Is it me or were you expecting more?" Byunghun tried as he slightly cocked his head to the side.
Lee Chanhee just needed some sort of clarification.
Nothing was as crystal clear as Lee Byunghun made it out to be.
"Can you blame me?" Chanhee spat back at him as he let him go.
Now.
Lee Chanhee was no child.
A few mere missed kisses here and there were no crying matter for him.
However there was something incredibly mind-boggling about this scenario.
After all, they had almost kissed on three goddamn, fucking occasions.
Lee Chanhee knew better than to mull over it.
Still the sexual tension between them was staring him in the face.
It wouldn't let him be.
"It's been six months." Byunghun softly whispered before slightly passing his tongue over his lower lip.
It just kept taunting him.
"We were friends before anything else."
It just kept tugging at his nerve strings.
"Surely we can laugh together now."
It just kept highlighting the inviting curve of Byunghun's lips.
"We've had more than enough time..."
It just kept gnawing away at Lee Chanhee.
Mocking his each and every perverted thoughts.
"More than enough time to build a bridge, make sure all the foundation was there and shit, then cross it."
The words had left Lee Chanhee's lips as quickly as his hand had reached forward.
If his desire to feel Byunghun in his arms would mock him, he would obliterate it.
First by covering Lee Byunghun's daunting lips.
Much to the latter's surprise.
Despite himself, Byunghun spluttered against Chanhee's hands.
All before easily wrapping his hands around the latter's and prying them off of his lips.
"Weren't those my words?"
"I plagiarized, so sue me." Chanhee cleared his throat as he pulled his hand away from Byunghun's.
"I just might." Byunghun mused as they started walking once more.
"Oi!"
Comfortably wrapping around them, Lee Byunghun's bright laughter teasingly tugged at the corners of Lee Chanhee's lips. Indeed, despite his small outburst, the latter found himself biting back a smile as he slowly threw his head back. His gaze soon losing itself in the bright night sky.
There were hardly any stars shining down on them but Lee Chanhee could very well feel the warmth of the one walking right alongside him.
Truth be told.
He had missed this.
He had terribly missed this.
Though wrapped in the cacophony of the nightlife surrounding them, he could only focus on the comfortable silence between them.
In a way, Lee Byunghun had been right.
The simple fact that a small smile had been enough to rekindle their friendship had said it all.
Their failed relationship could not change the fact that they were close friends before anything else.
Surely, six months had been more than enough for their minds to think this over.
Surely it had been more than enough for them to realize this.
If not.
Surely this time spent together proved it.
After all.
Though no words were uttered between them, their being together just felt right.
Down to the way Byunghun carefully snaked his arm though Chanhee's as he avoided colliding into more people.
Down to the way Chanhee teasingly bumped into Byunghun's shoulder as the latter quizzically blinked back at him.
Down to the way Lee Chanhee fell into a nonsensical fit of chuckles whenever he tried speaking.
All because he was right where he needed to be.
Never again would he forget this.
Never again would he give it up so easily.
True.
He hadn't planned a thing.
He hadn't seen it coming.
Still he didn't regret a thing.
"We never walked like this."
Unlike Lee Byunghun.
His voice had been so soft that it was a wonder Chanhee had even heard him.
Still, fairly enough, the latter couldn't help but blink as he slightly turned to face him.
His head thrown back, Lee Byunghun was staring up at the night sky.
A sad smile adorning his lips.
"We could have." Chanhee softly called.
"Oh?"
"Had you not dumped me."
Lee Chanhee hadn't meant to answer.
Quite sincerely, he had just wanted to revel in their reunion for a bit longer.
However the words had let his lips before he could stop himself.
Thus forcing him to take in Lee Byunghun's light scoff.
"I broke up with you, yes." He nodded to himself before looking into Chanhee's eyes. "Because you didn't have the balls to."
"I did have them." Chanhee shot back defensively.
"Yes you did." Byunghun nodded as he patted his shoulder. "Which is why you're still looking Minsoo dead in the eye."
"So are you."
"You never loved me so there's no need for me to feel guilty about hurting him."
Lee Byunghun could have kicked Lee Chanhee square in the balls and it would have amounted to the same thing.
It would have amounted to the same pain surging through his body.
It would have amounted to the same faint gasp escaping his lips.
"I did love you." Chanhee scoffed as he pried Byunghun's arm off of him.
"Past tense? Check." Byunghun nodded to himself as he slipped his freed hand into his pockets.
"Is it now your turn to plagiarize?" Chanhee pushed on as they stopped at another traffic light.
"I'd call it an homage."
Lee Chanhee could have told him where exactly he could shove that homage of his.
He could have.
However.
To verbally abuse Lee Byunghun, the latter actually needed to be present, didn't he?
No words could explain Lee Chanhee's loud groan as his eyes drilled onto Lee Byunghun's slender back.
Clearly walking away from him and folding into the crowd.
"Attitude?"
Or not.
"Check."
Lee Chanhee's sentence finished against Lee Byunghun's scarf.
His lips easily losing themselves to the warm wool as he pulled Byunghun against his chest.
His hand perfectly wrapped around the latter's slender elbow.
Thus stopping him from going any farther.
Much to Lee Byunghun's dismay.
"Are you trying to get us run over, Lee Chanhee?" Byungun sighed as he tried tugging Chanhee off of the street.
"I'm trying to have a conversation, Lee Byunghun."
Lee Byunghun's words had only been a passing comment.
Lee Chanhee should have ignored them.
He shouldn't have answered.
He knew that now.
He knew.
Therefore they could go back to having a meaningless conversation.
A normal conversation.
Yes.
A comfortable conversation.
Even if it would occur in the middle of the street.
Emphasis on the middle of the damn street.
"No really?" Byunghun deadpanned. "Here I thought that you were trying to get us killed."
"If you're fully aware, then do participate."
"My ass is about to get flattened by oncoming cars." Byunghun pursed his lips as he relentlessly tried shaking Chanhee off of him. "Do excuse the order of my priorities."
"Is the subject the issue?" Chanhee softly whispered as he let his fingers slip down to Byunghun's hand.
Not that the latter cared.
A loud shriek escaped Lee Byunghun's lips.
Perfectly on par with the screeching tires of a car.
Just as it prepared to collide into the pair.
"Chanhee!"