The Next Step

Chapter 2

When they got to the bar, it was about 8 o'clock, and it was already buzzing with people heading into the building. Jinyoung pulled in front, getting out and handing the keys to the valet, and opened the door for Wonpil. He stepped out of the car and looked up when he heard the sound of loud music emanating from the roof. Neither of them had been told it was a rooftop bar, but they both just chuckled and shrugged, heading in with the crowd of people. Jinyoung gave his name to the bouncer, who simply nodded and let the two in. They made sure it was an exclusive place, so they could enjoy themselves freely without the need to hide from fans and, hopefully, no dispatch would bother them either.

They had to wait to get into the elevator, a man was letting a certain number of people in at a time. Jinyoung used the close proximity to 'accidentally' let his hand brush against Wonpil's. After the 3rd time, Wonpil smirked and caught Jinyoung's fingers with his. The older boy turned to look at Jinyoung, who just bit his lip while smiling, and bashfully looked down. After holding it a bit, Wonpil released his hand.

Eventually, it was their turn to head into the elevator. The higher they went, the clearer the booming music was. The doors opened and the atmosphere flooded their senses. There were people everywhere, clad in suits and cocktail dresses. The two stepped off and looked around, then at each other. Jinyoung nodded his head toward the bar, walking in front of Wonpil, who smiled, following his date.

They settled on some bar stools, and as the bartender approached them, Jinyoung leaned in close to Wonpil's ear.

"Should we just split one bottle of Soju?" Jinyoung wanted to whisper this, but the music made it so it had to be in a louder tone.

Wonpil nodded, knowing that both of them weren't the fondest of drinking anyways. Jinyoung told the bartender who placed two glasses with the green bottle in between.

It didn't take long for the boys to both be red-faced and laughing hysterically at anything the other was saying. An upbeat song caught Wonpil's ear and he got up, pulling Jinyoung to the dance floor. Jinyoung playfully shook his head while laughing, pretending not to want to go, but eventually gave in.

Wonpil dorkily danced around Jinyoung, causing more laughter between the two of them. Even though Jinyoung came from a dance group, he had no intention of showing up his date, so he just goofily danced at the same pace as Wonpil. They began jumping around like a couple of idiots, headbanging and grabbing each other's arms to keep their balance.

After a few songs, the lights faded a bit, and the DJ put on a slower song. People around them started moving closer to their partners. The two just stopped and stared at each other for a few moments. It was dark, and people weren't paying much attention. There were quite a few idols there doing things that they shouldn't be doing anyway, so Jinyoung decided to be a bit bold.

He moved closer to Wonpil, inching his hand toward the older's waist. He just cupped his waist at first, but then Wonpil brought his hands around Jinyoung's neck, pulling him closer, and the younger circled his arms completely around his partner's waist. Jinyoung brushed his forehead against Wonpil's, feeling his soft auburn bangs tickle his skin.

Wonpil chuckled, pushing his head against Jinyoung's in return, letting their noses bump slightly. Their lips were inches apart, and both thought about going further, but Jinyoung pulled away, only a few inches, to look into Wonpil's deep chocolate eyes. Blushing, the older looked down, seeing Jinyoung's hands pulling his waist closer. He looked back up and noticed their noses meeting once again.

Jinyoung closed his eyes and leaned in even closer. Wonpil braced himself in anticipation as to what was going to happen. Rather than feeling warm against his lips, the warmth returned to his forehead, and he saw Jinyoung simply resting his head there, as he swayed them back and forth. Wonpil relaxed, and rested his head as well, closing his eyes and simply enjoying this time.

As the song ended and the lights returned to their fast-paced flashing, Jinyoung pulled away, smiling at Wonpil who smiled in return. The younger took the older's hand and pulled him away from the dance floor. Once they were clear of people, he pulled him in close, making sure to lightly place his hand on his waist, and whispered, "Should we get out of here?"

Wonpil pulled away just far enough to make eye contact, trying not to audibly gulp, and nodded.