Chapter 68

Unedited 

It was his first week back from military enlistment. After two full years of hard work and labor he was finally grateful to be free of the camouflage uniform he had been forced to wear on a nearly daily bases.

s, and his friends, had been there to greet him as he finally took his first steps into YG. Youngbae had bought him a cake, having discharged the month prior, and he felt tears swell up in his eyes as he was showered with love. A welcome back party was just what he needed.

There really was only one thing missing.  “Where’s Seunghyun?”

Youngbae brushed aside the question and moved away, calling Seungri’s name as if needing something important. It was an excuse, Jiyong realized, as the younger man looked completely confused as to why Youngbae would call on him like that.

What ever was happening, s would be no help. Daesung had been avoiding his company after giving him a hug in greeting.

Jiyong’s eyes scanned the room as he contemplated who he should ask next. Thinking it over, he hadn’t seen Seunghyun since parting ways on his first night back. He had intended to spend the night with his estranged loved but his mother had pulled him home. He didn’t have to heart to tell her he had other plans.

His eyes lingered on Lee Hi before landing on Bom. Would she tell him where Seunghyun was? Probably not, but he would get more information from her then anyone here. Bom was never good at keeping secrets.

He made his way across the room and was stopped in his path as a broad chest blocked his path. Jiyong huffed as he looked to the face of the man blocking his way. Sean’s smiling face greeted him and he was forced to smile back in greeting.  He listened with mock interest as the older man ask him questions about his enlistment and how he remembers when he enlisted.

Jiyong had never been happier when he was finally allowed to move to the next person pulling at his arms in attempt to get his attention. Sean had been there since his beginning, and he was glad that the man still looked at him as a son, but he didn’t have time to reminisce about the two years he currently wanted to forget. He had a boyfriend to find.

“Oppa, welcome back.” The child's sweet voice was music to his ears, the only distraction he would allow at the moment. Haru had grown into a beautiful young girl. Jiyong wondered how many boy he had to shoo away with a bat. She looked just like her mother. He hugged the girl before pushing to where Bom had once been.

It had to be a diversion, this party. No one was willing to tell him where Seunghyun was and the ones known to have a big mouth was avoiding him. Jiyong was slowly growing annoyed with the current situation.

All he really wanted was a hug and a kiss.

Jiyongs shoulders slumped as he lingered by the cake table. It was nearly gone, it having been cut as soon as the congratulations began, and his depression grew. He wasn’t even able to  taste his own cake.

A tap on the shoulder forced him to turn from his self pity and his eyes automatically widened in joy at the sight of the man standing in front of him.

His earlier irritation of searching for the man washed away as his eyes surveyed the grinning face of Seunghyun. His eyes glistened in the light and Jiyongs smile lessened at the nervousness flowing off the man in waves. What could Seunghyun be hiding?

Jiyong glanced around the room where his YG family had circled around them, watching with anticipated gazes.

“It took me a while to figure out how I was going to do this.” Seunghyuns voice cracked as he began but he pressed forward. Jiyong's lips twitched in amusement.

“I thought about doing this on the day you got back, before you enlisted, at the park, at my place over a candle light dinner.”

He was confused now. Do what where?

“I’ve read so many romance novels, seen so many romantic comedies, that I can throw up rainbows and butterflies if I wanted to.”

He heard the faint laughter from Tablo and bit back his amusement as he was elbowed at his side. His gaze focused back on Seunghyun who stopped talking every time his eyes lingered elsewhere. Seunghyun was demanding his full attention even though he looked about to pass out due to nerves.

“Finally, I settled on this. It took me a while to get here but I was finally able to find the ring.”

Realization hit like a ton of bricks as Seunghyun lowered down to one knee, pulling out a ring from his pants pocket and nearly falling over due to lack of balance. Jiyong’s heart thumped heavily in his chest as he grew anxious of what was coming next. Seunghyun better not be playing jokes.

“I think that the best way to do with would be to be completely honest with you. Marriage is important to me. I’ve always wondered who I would marry, what that person would be like, how happy we would be together, how happy we would make each other. As a kid, the spot had always been left blank.”

Jiyong breath was caught in his throat with every word spoken and his hands twitched by his side. He could feel his eyes tear up but did nothing as the first drop flowed down his cheek.

The occupants in the room blurred out as his eyes lingered to the ring being presented to him before connecting back to the man on one knee.

“Now that I’m older, and more sure of what I want, when I think about marriage all I can think about is you. You’ve occupied that spot that held no image for so many years. You’ve become my best friend, my lover, and I hope you will forever live on as my husband. Though it’s still not legal in Korea yet, we don’t need paper to live happily ever after.”

Seunghyun gulped before straightening his shoulders, and taking a deep breath to calm down. “Kwon Jiyong, will you marry me?”

Blank, his mind went blank but he knew what he wanted to say. Words refused to leave him as the tears flowed harder. Seunghyun realizing no answer was going to be given as Jiyong was still in shock, stood to his feet and wrapped his arms around the smaller frame as Jiyong's head nodded enthusiastically.

Cheers erupted around them and Seunghyun placed lingering kissed on his fiance's lips. Seunghyun smiled into every kiss planted.

“Is that a yes?”

Jiyong sniffled and pressed his face into the others broad chest to hide his embarrassment. In the commotion Seunghyun had managed to slip the band around his finger, his thumb played with the cold metal. “.”

Seunghyun laughed as YG family came up to congratulate them. Shortly after, Seungri and Psy pulled out bottles of liquor and the welcome back party soon transformed into a congratulatory party.

The two lovers stayed joint at the hip before Jiyong yawned. Seunghyun ruffled Jiyong’s hair chuckling at the others glare. “Move in with me?”

There was suggestion in his tone and Jiyong scoffed at the man. A smirk found his way to his lips, Seunghyun eyes them with glazed focused. “Did you even have to ask?”

They left shortly after.