Not Just For Show

The black automatic sedan sat motionless in the gridlocked traffic, its sleek frame gleaming under the fading afternoon sun. Inside, the air was still, save for the quiet hum of the engine and the soft murmur of city life beyond the tinted windows. Two young men occupied the front seats — both striking in appearance, yet in very different ways.

The man in the driver’s seat rested his arm on the wheel, his posture relaxed, almost languid. With a calm expression and sharp features, he looked unfazed by the congestion that had held them hostage for nearly twenty minutes. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying the rare moment of stillness. His dark eyes remained focused on the road ahead, though a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Beside him sat a smaller, more delicate figure — cute in the kind of way that could disarm even the most hardened heart. His soft features and expressive eyes made him look like someone who belonged in a magazine spread, not in the middle of a traffic jam. At the moment, however, that pretty face was creased with mild frustration as he held a phone to his ear.

“Yes, we’re on the way. But traffic is terrible, I’m so sorry,” he said politely, though the irritation in his voice was barely concealed.

“…”

He sighed. “Alright, we might arrive in about thirty minutes. Thankfully, we left early.”

Another pause.

“Got it. Thank you!” he added quickly before ending the call with a tired tap on the screen.

The driver glanced sideways, his eyes flickering with curiosity. “Was he mad?”

The younger man shook his head, setting his phone down on his lap. “No. Actually, he said the event's been postponed by thirty minutes. So, we’re in the clear.”

A comfortable silence fell between them before the driver spoke again, his voice low and smooth. “That’s good to hear. You can nap a bit if you want — we’re not going anywhere for a while.”

The smaller man leaned his head back against the seat, exhaling softly. “I do feel a little sleepy... but I don’t want to leave you alone like this. Today was supposed to be your day off. You didn’t have to do this.”

His voice had softened, tinged with guilt. The corners of his lips had turned down, and his brows knit ever so slightly — like he was genuinely upset about being a burden.

The older man reached out without thinking, his large hand gently caressing the back of the younger’s head. His fingers slid through the soft strands of hair, slow and soothing — the kind of touch one might use with a treasured pet or someone they cherished deeply.

“I offered, didn’t I?” he said with a warm chuckle. “So don’t feel bad. I wanted to drive you — and I don’t mind spending time like this. With you.”

The affectionate gesture caught the younger man off guard, but he didn’t move away. In fact, he leaned into the touch just a little, letting his eyes flutter shut.

“You’re too good to me,” he murmured, a small smile forming despite himself.

“Nah. I just know a good boy when I see one.”

~

The traffic hadn’t moved an inch in over five minutes, the stillness stretching on like a lazy summer afternoon. Inside the car, the air was quiet and comfortable. The smaller guy — who had earlier apologized for being a bother and making the other man drive — had slowly drifted off, eyes closed and breathing soft. He’d slipped into sleep like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Night glanced at the dashboard clock, then back at the sleeping figure beside him. Sky’s head leaned slightly toward the window, his features relaxed, lips parted just a little as he breathed steadily. The sight made Night’s chest feel unexpectedly warm.

Traffic used to frustrate him. Wasting time — sitting still while the world refused to move — had never been something he tolerated well. But now? With Sky beside him, silence wasn’t frustrating. It was peaceful. In fact, it felt full — full of possibilities, of warmth, of things he couldn’t quite name.

He smiled faintly to himself as memories crept in.

The first time they met was in a modest-sized meeting room at Dream Entertainment’s trainee office — maybe six people total, all of them guys around the same age. Some looked nervous, others overconfident. But his eyes, without hesitation, had landed on Sky.

Sky had stood out instantly — not because of his looks (though he was cute as hell), but because of the way he seemed both excited and terrified at the same time. Wide eyes, fidgeting fingers, the kind of nervous energy that filled a room even though he hadn’t said a word yet. Something about him was... magnetic.

Night remembered barely registering anyone else in the room. He should’ve been listening, observing, maybe sizing up the competition — but instead, all his focus was glued to this delicate-looking boy who sat right in front of him.

And then, it was Sky’s turn to introduce himself.

He’d stood up awkwardly, clutching a sheet of paper in one hand like it would somehow protect him.

“Hi everyone, my name is Sky. I’m nineteen years old and a mechanical engineering student at Rose Bloom University,” he said, louder than necessary, his nerves betraying him through the pitch in his voice.

Night couldn’t help but smile at the memory. It had been so clear back then — Sky was out of his element. A mechanical engineer in a room full of wannabe idols, models, and actors. But instead of shrinking away, he stood up and spoke. He gave it a shot.

He hadn’t even remembered the names of the others who introduced themselves after that. Sky had completely hijacked his attention. And now, months later, he was still doing it — even while asleep in the passenger seat of Night’s car.

Finally, the traffic began to crawl forward. After nearly thirty minutes of being stuck, the road ahead had started to clear. With about twenty minutes left until they reached the event hall, Night drove slowly and carefully, not wanting to disturb the sleeping passenger beside him.

Sky was completely out — his head tilted slightly toward the window, mouth parted, brows relaxed. Night knew just how exhausted he must be. They had just returned from a whirlwind vlog shoot in Japan — a short trip, only two nights and three days, but packed from sunrise to midnight. Even though it was “just filming,” there had been barely any rest. Moving locations, shooting promotional videos, sightseeing for content, posting pictures… it was more draining than most people would imagine.

And as soon as they got back, their manager had scheduled this event for Sky — a brand request, apparently. Night knew Sky couldn’t say no. He was too kind for that, always worrying about others, always working hard not to let anyone down.

That was exactly why Night had insisted on picking him up this morning. He could already tell Sky would be running on fumes, and part of him just wanted to make sure the smaller boy could catch even a little more sleep on the way. Night was tired too, but seeing Sky rest was worth it.

They reached the event venue’s parking lot with a few minutes to spare. Night skillfully pulled into a shaded space, then turned off the engine but left the air conditioning running. Sky didn’t stir. His breathing remained slow and steady, his lashes fluttering slightly like he was deep in a dream.

Night unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned back, watching him quietly.

Sky had more to do today — he still had to attend his afternoon class at the university. He always said he could manage his time, that it wasn’t a big deal. But Night knew better. He was pushing himself too hard.

He remembered the conversation they’d had late one night, when Sky had finally told him the real reason he worked so relentlessly. His father’s business had collapsed during the pandemic, leaving the family with a massive debt. Sky wanted to help. He wanted to ease the burden on his parents, and this opportunity with Dream Entertainment felt like his one shot at doing that.

Night respected him deeply for it. It made him want to help — not in a way that would overwhelm or embarrass Sky, but quietly, from the background. Just enough so that Sky wouldn’t fall apart from the pressure.

His eyes traced the younger boy’s face — the soft curve of his cheek, the defined bridge of his nose, the gentle pout of his thin lips.

How can someone look this pretty? Night thought, feeling his heart tug in his chest.

Almost without realizing it, he found himself leaning closer. His face inched forward, breath shallow, gaze fixed on those lips. Just a little more and he’d be close enough to kiss him.

But then—

Bzzzt.

Night froze, blinking as if waking up from a trance. He quickly pulled back just before Sky stirred, eyes fluttering open.

“Are we there?” Sky asked groggily, his voice still heavy with sleep.

Night cleared his throat, nodding. “Yeah, we just arrived.”

Sky blinked a few times, rubbing his eyes before picking up his phone. He pressed the answer button.

“Hello? Yeah, we’re in the parking lot now. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“…”

“Oh, you’re coming to get me?”

“…”

“Alright. I’m still in Night’s car.”

There was another pause before he ended the call. He turned to the man beside him.

“Manager’s on his way. What about you? What are you doing after this?”

Night glanced at the clock. “It’s only 10 AM. I’ll probably hit the gym. What time will you finish?”

“Manager said the event should wrap up by 2 PM.”

“Okay, I’ll pick you up at 2. We’ll grab lunch and I’ll drive you to uni for your 4 PM class.”

Sky hesitated. “You really don’t have to—”

Knock knock.

A light knock on the window interrupted him. Their manager stood just outside, waving for Sky to hurry.

“He’s here,” Night said, unlocking the door. “Go on. I’ll see you at 2. No excuses.”

Sky gave him a sheepish smile before slipping out of the car. The manager ushered him quickly toward the building for makeup prep, speaking hurriedly into a headset as they walked.

Night remained seated, watching silently as Sky’s figure grew smaller, disappearing behind a concrete wall. He stayed like that for a moment, eyes still fixed on the spot where Sky had vanished.

He didn’t know when it started — this constant need to be there for him, to watch over him — but it had grown into something he couldn’t ignore.

And he wasn’t planning to stop anytime soon.