* * *
Exactly a week after their pre-interview, articles announcing Yoochan and Joobin’s participation in ‘Romance Diary’ were released.
The photos captured during the pre-interview showed them being affectionate, with comments from the production team saying, “Seeing how close they are, we’re really looking forward to the shoot.”
As expected, the response was overwhelming.
Since the couple had always flaunted their relationship whenever rumors swirled, this time, they were met with applause as fans eagerly anticipated their appearance on the variety show.
The buzz seemed to excite the production team as well.
They shared casting stories and posted about the two on social media, detailing how sweet they were during the pre-interview.
The public’s interest in the show, still a month away from airing, was at an all-time high.
Cha Joobin’s timely SNS post, aligned with the release of the articles, also garnered an overwhelming response in the comments.
C.Joobin
15,293,053 likes
#ExcitedForLoveInProgress @G.Uchan♡
iiliili1l OMG Yoochan’s cheeks are so squishyㅠㅠ
rd_0624 Wow, Romance Diary???
yuuuuuza OMGGGG;
matds_jm Lol, promoting relationships like this…
zbls2ve I want to be assassinated by Joobin’s eyelash shadowsㅜ
wnqlsdbcks My thousand-year wish has finally come true
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The photos that Cha Joobin had posted with Gong Yoochan had always garnered positive reactions, but this time, it was especially explosive.
Since there had been some talk surrounding the interview for the photobook, it seemed like his fans were already preparing the atmosphere in the comments, conscious of him.
Joobin himself didn’t particularly care, but his fans were the ones putting in all the effort.
As he wrapped up his thoughts lightly, he found himself pacing in front of his house.
“Ah…”
Letting out a sigh, he tightly grabbed at his hair, unable to bring himself to go inside.
At that moment, his phone buzzed with a message from Gong Yoochan at the top: “Not coming in?”
When he clicked on it, the conversations they had exchanged previously came pouring out.
[Hyung♡: I know you don’t have plans, just come in.]
This was from two weeks ago.
[Hyung♡: When did you post the picture? You should’ve told me beforehand.]
This was from yesterday.
[Hyung♡: The broadcast has started.]
And this was today.
The empty chatroom was a stark reminder of how little they had spoken lately.
He hadn’t noticed it before, but seeing it like this, there really wasn’t much conversation.
That realization made him feel bad.
Joobin messed up his hair in frustration, letting out an irritated sigh.
[Hyung♡: Not coming in?]
Another message arrived, and Joobin reluctantly reached for the door lock.
There wasn’t any special reason why Gong Yoochan had suddenly decided to start a live broadcast.
The company had suggested showing a more familiar and approachable side of him, and since an article about the broadcast had already been released, now seemed like the right time.
So, while Joobin had a schedule since the morning, Gong Yoochan, who was on a break, had decided to go live.
And after finishing his schedule, Joobin was supposed to return home and act casual, as if it were just part of his daily life.
That was his role today.
Joobin hated living life this way, constantly calculating his actions.
When people are in a relationship, they can fight and make up naturally, but the idea of forcing situations felt so wrong to him.
But then again, what difference did it make?
Ever since they had broken up — in that unspoken agreement where they both knew but didn’t say it — there hadn’t been a single day when Joobin had felt at peace.
The beeps of the password being entered echoed in the air.
Even then, Joobin’s phone screen still displayed Gong Yoochan’s messages, with the little heart next to his name remaining, a bitter reminder of what once was.
“Hyung, I’m home.”
Suppressing his bad mood, Joobin forced a playful tone into his voice as he called out.
Gong Yoochan, hearing Joobin’s voice from behind, turned around with a smile.
As soon as Joobin’s figure appeared over his shoulder, the live broadcast comments exploded like a waterfall.
Gong Yoochan, who had been lying on the bed casually chatting, lit up as if he hadn’t seen Joobin in ages.
He quickly turned his body and opened his arms as if to embrace him.
“You worked hard.”
Welcoming him warmly, Joobin walked into the bedroom with heavy steps.
The phone, carefully propped up on the head of the bed, perfectly captured the scene.
Joobin burrowed into Gong Yoochan’s arms, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Even though he hated coming onto the bed in his outdoor clothes more than anyone, this time, he didn’t seem to mind.
Gong Yoochan hugged him back tightly. Joobin squirmed in his chest for a moment, behaving like a child who had finally found comfort after a long day out.
Then, he lazily opened his eyes and glanced at the screen.
“Oh, you’re broadcasting.”
“You didn’t see it on the way here?”
“My battery was low.”
“You’re cute.”
Gong Yoochan ruffled Joobin’s hair, a gesture he hadn’t done in a long time.
Joobin felt the tenderness in his touch.
When Gong Yoochan gently rubbed Joobin’s forehead and played with the edge of his ear, Joobin squirmed, saying it tickled, his shoulders twitching.
Gong Yoochan found it refreshing to see this playful side of Joobin after so long.
For some reason, it felt strange.
Gong Yoochan cleared his throat softly, swallowing his feelings.
Instead, he smiled brightly as he adjusted the phone’s angle so that Joobin was clearly visible.
“Say hello. They’re welcoming you.”
“Yeah, hello.”
“Joobin… What time did you go out earlier?”
“Three o’clock.”
“Yeah, he went out at 3 AM and just came back after finishing his schedule. He must be tired.”
Gong Yoochan said this while ruffling Joobin’s ash-blonde hair, which had been bleached for a recent photoshoot.
Joobin had recreated his hairstyle from 10 years ago, showing off a beauty that seemed untouched by time.
Even the idol-style concept photo used for the photobook cover had caused a big stir.
The roots had barely started to show, but before anyone noticed, he had bleached it again.
I wonder if his scalp is okay…
The familiar worry naturally crossed Gong Yoochan’s mind.
As he pressed down on Joobin’s hair gently, Joobin flinched.
Apparently, touching his scalp still gave him goosebumps, just like before.
“I’m going to go wash up.”
“Yeah, grab a towel. I haven’t put them in yet.”
“I’ll put them away.”
Just when Gong Yoochan thought Joobin was going to wash up and rest after his long day, Joobin suddenly wrapped his arms tightly around him.
The force from above caught Gong Yoochan off guard, making him wince, and their lips pressed together for a long moment.
Gong Yoochan, who hadn’t expected things to escalate this far, opened his eyes wide in surprise.
But Joobin, as if it were no big deal, kissed him on the cheek and nose as well.
The kiss lingered for a while.
No matter how the viewers reacted, it seemed like the two of them were in their own world, with Joobin pouring affection into his actions.
Finally, he gave Gong Yoochan a light tap on the butt and stood up.
“I’m going to wash up now. Have fun with Hyung.”
With a neat goodbye, Joobin casually left the room.
The comments exploded, not just from Gong Yoochan’s surprise, but from the viewers as well.
Hearts burst like fountains, and the flood of comments made it hard to keep up.
“Ah, kissing me all of a sudden…”
Gong Yoochan awkwardly laughed, feeling embarrassed.
On the live stream, comments like “How long have you been dating and you’re still embarrassed?” and “It’s cute to see you acting like you’re still in the honeymoon phase” appeared, along with stories from viewers about their own relationships, comparing themselves to the couple.
“Joobin may not look like it, but he’s really affectionate.”
Trying to smooth over the situation, Gong Yoochan continued the broadcast.
His heart, pounding uncontrollably, felt strangely new.
After the broadcast, Gong Yoochan opened the door to find Joobin, who had likely finished his shower and was already in bed.
Ever since their breakup, Joobin, who technically owned the house, had taken over the master bedroom, while Gong Yoochan, the unofficial guest, had been using the guest room.
However, due to the broadcast, Gong Yoochan had occupied the master bedroom, leaving Joobin to use the guest room.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw Joobin wrapped up in the blanket, turned to his side, with no movement, as if he had already fallen asleep.
As Gong Yoochan approached, a strong whiff of Joobin’s familiar pheromones filled the air, something he hadn’t noticed earlier.
Joobin had pheromones that suited him well.
Initially, they had a sharp, tangy scent, just like his personality.
But over time, they deepened into a heavy musk.
It was the same now.
The more you looked at him, the more you noticed the rich allure that Joobin had, and the strong musk that accompanied him.
Gong Yoochan stood still, watching him, drawn in by his charm, when Joobin suddenly turned over, facing in his direction.
“What are you staring at?”
Startled by the voice, Gong Yoochan responded half-heartedly.
“…Either lie down or stop hovering like a ghost.”
Joobin sluggishly moved over, creating space beside him.
He hadn’t fully opened his eyes, still half asleep, breathing softly.
Why did this feel so confusing?
Ignoring his offer and leaving the room felt wrong, but lying down beside him, only to wake up and face Joobin’s inevitable fury, also seemed like a bad idea.
After all, they did break up… Sharing a bed doesn’t seem right.
As Gong Yoochan was about to turn and leave, he thought to himself that once a decision has been made, it’s essential to draw a clear line.
“Ugh…!”
With a startled gasp, his body collapsed onto the bed.
A hand that suddenly emerged from under the blanket yanked him back with force.
“Just lie down already, let me sleep.”
There was so much annoyance in Cha Joobin’s tone that Yoochan couldn’t even muster a response.
He simply felt the familiar sense of comfort in the arms that held him tightly.
Not long after, the sound of Joobin’s soft, adorable breathing could be heard.
Yoochan glanced up at him.
His long eyelashes rested gracefully against his face, making him look so beautiful that Yoochan found himself staring, losing track of time.
* * *
❤
Thanks for the chapter
Beautiful
I’m crying 😭
Pontos gostei
huehuehue
thanks