“Let’s go for a drive.”

There is a hint of a natural, mild blush that glitters underneath the moonlight, serving to only emphasise the slight chubbiness of Youngjae’s cheeks. His back is slouched against the tattered headboards and his legs are pulled up casually, spine of the floppy book resting in the small margin of space between his lean thighs.

Daehyun can’t help but gaze at how Youngjae’s black skinny jeans are tight at all the right places. Youngjae’s eyelashes bat against his cheek gently as he perks up, blinking once before turning his head to face Daehyun.

The dim light travelling unevenly through the tinted window catches Youngjae’s face at perfect angles, and all Daehyun wants to do is to kiss the boy senseless right now. Keys are jangling in Daehyun’s hand and he continues to swing them coolly, watching as the other blinks in mild surprise again, plump lips parted and head tilted upwards.

---

They end up in Daehyun’s dark blue convertible, racing down the roads as they tune the radio up to full blast. He nods his head to the beat that seems to swerve through his body like smooth waves, and its outlet is the way his car meets every curve slickly, the wheels gracefully attacking the rough bumps of the black lanes and how his car flies down the road so smoothly, as though friction had given up on him.

When they reach the deserted highways, save for a few cars with luggage strapped to the top, Youngjae rises and throws his hands up in the air, screaming his lungs out as the wind flushes past him and sifts through his hair. A smile that creeps up Daehyun’s lips soon grows into a bright, 1000-watt grin as he jams to the music, thumb slipping up and down the nylon covering of the steering wheel. The stars and the crescent moon are their sole perpetual audience, and Daehyun likes to think they’re jealous of how him and Youngjae can drive down the highways so freely.

Youngjae returns back to his seat, a contented, pleased smile lingering on the edge of his lips as he presses his messy hair back to shape. Youngjae watches as nothing ever closes in on them, road never-ending as though to prolong their time together. Daehyun wants to tell him he looks fine (perfect) just the way he is, hair messy or not, but knows it will only fuel an amused scoff from Youngjae.

---

They arrive at their destination, and albeit Daehyun’s reluctance to leave his car, he clambers over the grass and lies beside Youngjae, looking at the onyx sky.

The chirps of cicadas keep the silence company, and the occasional fireflies intercept their view and light up the dark field. There is nothing about their quietness that is awkward, and is merely a symbol of how close they are.

“Isn’t that Andromeda?” Daehyun’s bass voice echoes and Youngjae tilts his head, a little closer to Daehyun, and nods with enthusiasm.

“Wasn’t it named after the princess who was a sacrifice to a sea monster?” Youngjae is a baritone, and Daehyun thinks Youngjae’s voice mingles flawlessly with his.

“Yes, and she was saved by her future husband, Perseus,” Daehyun draws the lines between the stars, and knows there is a smile on Youngjae’s face.

“Oh, and that’s Cassiopeia,” Youngjae points and marvels at the bright ‘W’-shaped constellation in the sky. “It’s Jaejoong's favourite constellation, right?”

Daehyun affirms and murmurs, “Five bright stars connected to one another…”

Youngjae gets the underlying meaning and thinks back to the trio that had left to seek better jobs and education for the town, and the duo that stayed behind to help the people and manage it.

Distances never really mattered, Daehyun thinks as he admires their love for their hometown, it can never tear apart the links you have.

They find Orion, Cepheus and a few other unidentified constellations before Daehyun feels a surging, strong, tingling feeling infusing his heart. He doesn’t know what prompted him to do so, whether it was him turning his head and seeing the trace of eyeliner glimmering under the stars, how Youngjae’s eyes are a shade of the brightest, hopeful brown, lips red and shining, or the incessant buzzing of cicadas mixing with Youngjae’s shallow breaths, but Daehyun finds himself turning over, above Youngjae and their lips pressed together.

He swallows the gasp that comes from the boy beneath him, hands clenching the baby grass as he kisses the lips that taste better than he has ever imagined. When he feels two arms wrapping around his neck, pulling him as close as possible and Youngjae reciprocating, he abandons all self-control and delves his tongue into Youngjae’s mouth, kissing the younger boy senseless.

The small whimpers he receives are absolutely breathtaking and it takes him the burning need for oxygen to actually get Daehyun to part. Daehyun feels it is equally as worth it to see the younger's flushed face, lips swollen and eyes fluttering open.

The night sky plays spectator to Daehyun’s confession, a whisper of “I love you”, a reddish-pink shade of blush from the younger boy and Daehyun’s thumb grazing gently over Youngjae’s swollen lips. Their mouths meet again as Youngjae whispers back the exact same words into the kiss.

Daehyun swears he hears his car sigh contentedly through its engine, as though it had been impatiently waiting for this moment.