That night ended with an exchange of numbers and one last sloppy, drunken kiss that sealed their fate. 

It was nearing four in the morning and the sun had yet to rise when grunts were heard in the hallways of the quiet dorms. Two men carried a passed out man down the hallway until they reached room 208. 

“He’s dead, man, I’m telling you.”

“He’s not… dead, Rico, now... hold him right or he’s going to fall.” Mino slurred as he fumbled with his keys to their shared room.

“See, this is why you don't bring nerdy foreigners to our parties. They can't hang.” Mino’s fraternity brother, and the only sober one of the three, said. 

“Shut up already! And quit poking him will ya?!” Mino scolded as best he could in his inebriated state.

“Sorry man, it’s just funny.” Mino just rolled his eyes at his frat brother’s immaturity and continued to try to open the door.

Once Mino got the dorm room open together they carefully laid Seunghoon on his bed. After Rico ensured that both men were in bed he quietly walked out, placing the red leather jacket Seunghoon had with him on his desk chair.

Seunghoon woke up with his phone blasting an unknown tune, Mino snoring in the bed next to his, and an immense headache. He was very confused waking up that Friday afternoon. He awoke having little-to-no recollection of what had happened the night before. He turned off the obnoxious ringing of his phone without paying much attention to the message accompanying the alarm. 

He very slowly and carefully got off his bed, so as not to further disturb his throbbing brain, and made his way to their single bathroom. He carefully scanned his reflection in the tiny mirror, and he looked exactly like he felt - miserable. His hair was all out of place, he had bags under his eyes, his skin was almost a pasty yellow color, and he had red bruises along his neck.

Wait! What?!

He stretched his neck to get a better look at the red marks on his neck and then it all came rushing back like a tidal wave. He went to a party, he got -faced, and in the midst of the chaos he met someone. Someone special whose swollen lips succulently ran along his neck, leaving trails of hickeys. 

Taehyun. 

“I’m going to put an alarm on your phone, so you don’t forget” He remembered Taehyun saying before he was taken away by Mino and his friend. 

Seunghoon quickly fled the confinement of the bathroom and ran towards his phone on the nightstand next to his bed.

Sure enough the alarm that woke him up was set at 1:30 and it read:

Meet Taehyun at Jimmy’s 2pm

The time read 1:59 p.m. He had one minute to reach a destination that was a 20 minute walking distance from his dorm. 

Seunghoon blamed that same invisible force he felt at the party for the reason he was sprinting across the California campus like a madman. He hoped to reach the coffee shop before it was too late. 

Please don't let me be too late. Please still be there, Taehyun. 

Inside the coffee shop a very disillusioned Taehyun watched as the clock struck 2:30. Maybe Seunghoon wasn’t coming, and maybe it was time to leave. It was Friday after all and the coffeehouse would be closing earlier than usual. Taehyun picked up the two paper cups(one full and one half empty) and threw them away as he exited the coffee shop through it’s east exit. 

Just as he stepped out Seunghoon flew through the coffee house's west entrance in panic.

“Hi sir, are you okay? Can I get you anything?” The barista carefully asked a panting Seunghoon.

“Blonde… blonde boy… where?” Seunghoon tried asking between breaths. Thankfully for Seunghoon she knew exactly who he was talking about. They were coworkers after all. 

“He just left. That way!” she exclaimed as she pointed to the exit. 

Seunghoon could see a retreating Taehyun through the large windows of the shop and rapidly went after him. 

Taehyun wasn’t walking fast. Seunghoon could have easily caught up to him in three long strides, but instead decided to follow closely behind for two reasons:

The first, Seunghoon, was admiring the change in aura Taehyun seemed to have from last night. The dark clothes and bold colored jacket were replaced by some light blue jeans, a pair of classic converse and a navy blue shirt neatly tucked in, with a black baseball cap that covered most of his blonde hair. He held onto the straps of his red Jansport backpack as he mindlessly kicked stray pebbles on the sidewalk. All the while mumbling incoherent words under his breath.

Secondly, he wasn’t sure how to approach him. He was late, and Taehyun had left meaning that he thought Seunghoon had stood him up. Which was far from the truth. Would his hangover justify the tardiness? He wasn’t lying. Taehyun was there during the party, but Taehyun wasn’t late and he drank just as much if not more than Seunghoon.

Lost in thought, Seunghoon never realized that Taehyun had stopped walking and nearly collided into him. He was so close to him he was sure Taehyun could feel his breath on his neck. 

“Are you going to say something? Or are you going to keep following me like a creep?” Taehyun asked as he turned to face a stunned Seunghoon. Taehyun raised an eyebrow at the silent Seunghoon as if saying Well?

Once again Seunghoon was at a loss of words because of Taehyun’s bold character. Taehyun didn’t hold back one bit. He would say exactly what he was thinking. Most people Seunghoon had dealt with would beat around the bush or sugarcoat things, but not Taehyun. He was different, in the best ways possible.

Seunghoon, also, had a better appreciation of Taehyun’s beauty in the daylight despite the shadow casted on his face from the cap. The curve of his lips and the small purple marks on them reminded him of all the lip biting that happened last night. He wanted to kiss him again.

“I’m sorry.” Seunghoon said, before he tilted his head at the perfect angle so his lips would come in contact with Taehyun’s without hitting the cap. It was a soft, gentle kiss very different from the ones exchanged at the party, but it was just enough for Seunghoon to show his sincerity to Taehyun.

A small smile appeared on Taehyun’s lips and Seunghoon knew he was forgiven.

“I really am sorry.” Seunghoon stated.

“I know.” Taehyun said.

It didn’t take much after this encounter for the pair to become inseparable. They spent any free time they had together. When Taehyun was working Seunghoon would bring his laptop and books to study at the coffeehouse stealing secret glances at Taehyun every now and then. When Seunghoon had his late night classes Taehyun would bring him late night snacks so he wouldn't be hungry or sleepy. When midterms and finals came around they’d spend their time together studying and comforting each other through the mental exhaustion and sleep deprivation. They easily became each other's best friend.

It was the week before winter break when Seunghoon mustered up the courage to ask Taehyun a very important question.

“Taehyun?” Seunghoon put his notes down.

“Hmmm?” Taehyun responded as he finished highlighting an important piece of information on his handout. Both were studying in Seunghoon’s dorm room. Mino was studying in the library with his frat brothers. They each had one more final exam before they were free, for three weeks at least.

Seunghoon moved from his desk to the bed on which Taehyun sat amidst open books, papers, and highlighters. Always messy Seunghoon smiled as he moved some items, so he could sit in front of him. 

“Taehyun, I have something to ask you.”

“Okay?” He swallowed a lump in his throat he didn’t know was there. Why was Seunghoon acting so strange and serious?

“Taehyun, will you…” Seunghoon suddenly had to clear his throat because he was nervous. “Will you be my boyfriend?” Seunghoon quickly noticed the wide eyes staring back at him and he felt the sudden urge to explain himself. “I mean we’ve been hanging out for months now. I like spending time with you and I feel that you do too. I just… I just want to make it official. I mean if that’s what you want.” Seunghoon tentatively looked back at Taehyun. He had his hands over his mouth and hints of rosy cheeks were visible. Why did he look so shy?

“Seunghoon… I don’t know how to tell you this.” Seunghoon’s heart instantly dropped. That sentence alone began to make cracks at his heart. “I thought we were already boyfriends. I’ve been telling everyone that you're my boyfriend. I even told my mom I would bring my boyfriend over for the holidays. I didn’t know we weren’t.” 

Seunghoon felt life return to his body. His heart was beating and flipping erratically. He stared at Taehyun in absolute wonder! He had never felt more in love than this exact moment in his entire life. He quickly reached out and pulled Taehyun by the nape to plant a searing kiss on those lips he loved so much! When they parted Taehyun said, “It’s a yes, by the way. I want to be your boyfriend.” He gave a bunny grin and Seunghoon couldn’t help but kiss him some more in between laughter.

Today, he was his boyfriend but one day he’d make him his husband. Seunghoon was absolutely sure of that.

Taehyun’s mom was a lovely woman. Seunghoon felt at home in her house. It eased the homesickness he felt. Smelling all those delicious home cooked, Korean meals took him back to Korea. His mom was a brave woman. She left an abusive husband behind pregnant with Taehyun’s younger brother and a toddler Taehyun in hand for a better opportunity in America. It was no wonder Taehyun had her on a pedestal.

His favorite part though, hands down, was spending time with Taehyun, and learning even more about him. Seunghoon held on to every word Taehyun’s mother and younger brother told about Taehyun. He loved the whines and death glares Taehyun would send to his family members. 

“That’s enough!” Taehyun interrupted the laughter in the room. “It’s time for us to go to bed.” Taehyun sternly said, giving Seunghoon a ‘you better get up’ look. 

“Thank you again for the dinner, Mrs. Nam.” Seunghoon said as he stood up from the couch.

“Mmmm, no.” She waved her arm. “Call me Mom.” She smiled as she stood and gave him a hug. She held his hand in his and gave him her motherly smile. “Call me Mom.” She patted his hand before she let go and bid them goodnight.

Taehyun snuggled closer to Seunghoon as he rested his head on his chest, his arm slung over his boyfriend’s torso. He had become his own personal body pillow with the way his leg was also slung over his legs, too. Seunghoon sighed contentedly as he drew circles on Taehyun’s back. 

“Thank you for inviting me.” Seunghoon placed a chaste kiss on Taehyun’s head.

“I’m glad you all got along so well.” Taehyun smiled. “She might love you more than she loves me.” He sheepishly laughed before yawning.

“That’s impossible.” Seunghoon laughed. “Good night, my Love.” He said as he used his free hand to tilt his boyfriend’s chin up for a good night kiss. 

They returned to campus three days before classes started. They would stay together in Seunghoon and Mino’s dorm until Mino returned the Monday that classes started. Taehyun’s mom made sure to pack an immense amount of leftovers that they would have to cram into their mini refrigerators. 

“Seunghoon?”

“Hmm?” Seunghoon responded as he threw away rotten food they had left behind in the mini fridge in order to make room for the tupperware Taehyun’s mom gave them.

“Let’s have .” Taehyun casually suggested as he closed his book and sat up on Seunghoon’s bed.

Seunghoon on the other hand just about fell on of his . He held on tight to the fridge as he looked wide-eyed at his boyfriend.

“What?!” Seunghoon exclaimed. I mean he had thought about it countless times. Who wouldn’t?! Taehyun was a walking sin. Sure they had heated make out sessions with hands roaming everywhere. Marks left on each other, however, he didn’t want to rush Taehyun nor make him feel pressured, but it seemed Taehyun was the eager one.

“Well,” Taehyun began as he stepped off the bed and made his way to Seunghoon. “We’ve been together for a while now, but we’ve never done it.” He said as he pulled Seunghoon up from his crouching position. “I mean don’t you want to?” he whispered against his ear as he grinded himself against Seunghoon.

Seunghoon let out a grunt in response. “H- Here?” Seunghoon questioned.

“I mean if you want to go back to my mom’s...” He teased as he kissed down Seunghoon’s jawline.

Seunghoon couldn’t help but roll his eyes at his boyfriend’s comment. It all made sense to him now. This must have been his plan all along. Taehyun was so adamant about coming back to campus early. 

“Is this really what you want?” Seunghoon pulled away from Taehyun to look into his eyes. Seunghoon wanted it. He’s wanted Taehyun since the day he laid eyes on him, but he needed to know that Taehyun wanted the same thing. 

“Yes.” Taehyun responded with the utmost sincerity. The butterflies in his stomach wrecking havoc as Seunghoon stared back at him as if he were his most prized possession. He felt his cheeks blush as Seunghoon thumbed his cheeks lovingly. “I love you.” They both said at the same time. Seunghoon held tightly onto Taehyun’s legs as he hoisted him up. Taehyun immediately wrapped his legs around his boyfriend’s torso. He couldn’t help but yelp at the sudden movement. Seunghoon steadily walked them over to his twin-sized bed and there they made love for the first time. 

Neither were s, but there was something about each other that they had never experienced with any other partner. Seunghoon loved the way his name slipped between moans from Taehyun’s lips. Seunghoon swore he saw fireworks with every he emitted into the younger male. And Taehyun had never been pleased the way Seunghoon was pleasing him. He never had a partner that cared much about his pleasure to begin with, but Seunghoon made him feel things he’d never felt before! 

Taehyun had already fallen asleep pressed against Seunghoon when Seunghoon whispered, “I love you so much. I’m going to ask you to marry me one day.”