"Mom, what's wrong with Cooly?" Youngjae was at his desk, feet dangling over the edge of the chair. "Why isn't he moving?"

Ms. Choi stepped up to view the fish. He was floating about on his back. "Oh, Youngjae." She wrapped an arm around Youngjae's waist as she slid into the space next to him. "He's moved on."

"As in moved houses? But why would he do that? I love him. I make sure to feed him, too. Does he not like his food?" 

Ms. Choi offered her son a bittersweet smile. "No, sweetheart. That's not it. Life is a little more complicated than that." She grabbed Youngjae's hand and squeezed. "He's taken up residence in the sky."

"Can I visit him?"

Ms. Choi swiped at her eyes. "Not unless you want to make him sad. He's up there so he can watch over you down here."

Youngjae's gaze fell to the patch of rough skin on his thumb. "So he's never coming back?"

Ms. Choi shook her head. "No."

"He's gone forever..." Youngjae whispered. He felt a familiar prick of along his waterline but he forced the tears away in case Cooly showed up again. His friend deserved to be welcomed home with a smile. No matter what.

"But," Ms. Choi said as she slipped a strand of hair behind her son's ear. "I can tell you where he is and where he'll always be." She tapped the side of Youngjae's head. "Here."

Youngjae swallowed. "In my head?" 

"In your memories. Every time you get sad, remember the good he brought you. Remember your relationship and then you both will be able to smile."

Youngjae puffed his cheeks out and stretched his eyes wide open to keep them cool. No tears. Keep smiling for Cooly.

"It's okay to cry, Youngjae." Ms. Choi leaned in to kiss the side of Youngjae's head. "Tears can also show how happy you are." 

Youngjae nodded. Cooly was smaller than his index finger and thinner than his thumb. Blue scales hugged his wiry body. The fish had been with him every morning, every night and all of the times in between. Youngjae reached out to touch the glass wall of Cooly's home just as the tears gushed out over his cheeks. This time, he didn't try to push them away.

Youngjae awoke with a feeling of dread running over his heart and he didn't know why. The only thing he could recall from his dream was the notebook at the corner of his childhood desk. He had been writing a poem to someone...

Something?

Youngjae rolled over. The space next to him was devoid of life but the uneasiness from yesterday morning didn't strike him today. Jaebum was okay. He was here to stay.

Youngjae closed his eyes and without meaning to, drifted back to sleep. 

The breeze pooled in from the air outside. Youngjae's sliding glass doors were open. When had he opened them?

"Did you know that there was once two seas? Back before the sky came to be."

Jinyoung sat hunched over the edge of the bed. The breeze died down.

Youngjae stirred.

"They were the greatest of friends. Neither could live without the other. But like any other tale of wonder, their rampant emotions drew them apart."

Youngjae struggled to get a sense of where he was. His vision was hazy. His bedroom seemed too picturesque. Was this his bedroom?

The man unclasped his hands. "I had something important to tell you... But that wasn't my story to tell." He ran his fingers over the white sheets as Youngjae's mind faded back into black.

Youngjae's eyelids snapped open. His nerves alighted and his senses revved into action. He sat up in bed and swallowed hard when the saliva in his mouth threatened to choke off his airway. 

Had he been dreaming? Who had that man been? Unable to shake the quiver of doubt from within, Yongjae ventured to the first floor in search of Jaebum. He found a note taped to the refrigerator door.

Be back soon. Don't eat anything. Please! >.<

P.S. Yezi taught me that face means frustration.
P.P.S. Hopefully, she didn't lie to me. 

Sorry, I'm rambling... 

Love you.

Youngjae leaned back against the counter. Everything was alright. 

He took the note and walked over to the corkboard he had set up yesterday. So far, only two things had been tacked onto the board. Of the two, one was a photograph of Yezi posing for the dispensable camera while the other was of Jaebum embracing him from behind while he had been frying the eggs to make an omelet; a courtesy of Yezi's secret paparazzi taking skills.

Youngjae pinned the note to the board and stepped back to examine the square as a whole. He thought back to the first time he had met Jaebum. To the day when he hadn't imagined he would fall in love with the fumbling fool.

His phone vibrated. Unknown number. He ignored the call.

A shower sounded like the perfect idea. He had been dying to try the bottle of vanilla bean shampoo Yezi had gifted him in lieu of the news that he and Jaebum were dating. 

# 

The scratching of nails against the bathroom door stopped as JunJun pitter-pattered away to greet the person who had let himself in. 

"JunJun! Hey there, little fella." Youngjae's heart picked up speed. "Is Youngjae still asleep?" JunJun yapped. Jaebum chuckled. The faint rustle of a bag followed by a chorus of soft-toned noises filtered in through the gap in the door. "Shh. We wouldn't want to wake him." 

Youngjae set the comb down before hurrying out through the door. 

"Youngjae!" Jaebum grinned. "Are you hungry? Because-"

Youngjae fell into Jaebum's lap, one leg strewn over either side of his hips. 

Jaebum swallowed. Hard. "Youngjae."

Youngjae wrapped his arms around Jaebum's neck. All anyone had to do was bridge the foot-long distance between their mouths and their lips would touch. 

A faint blush crept up over Jaebum's cheeks. "Youngjae... This is uh, I-I like it. No. I love it. But, I mean, is something wrong?"

Youngjae bit the inside of his cheek. Suddenly conscientious of his weight, he shifted his gaze to Jaebum's ear. "Someone has to tell you how handsome you are." 

Having regained his composure, Jaebum let his forehead fall against Youngjae's. "Say that again. And this time don't be embarrassed." Youngjae gasped as the warmth of Jaebum's hands spread out over his . Jaebum proceeded to lean in for a kiss but Youngjae slipped free before he could. 

"You ert. All you want is to see me strip."

Jaebum frowned. "Can you blame me?" He stood and set JunJun down onto the ground. The tiny dog scurried into the bag b with groceries. 

"Will you join me for breakfast?"

"Are you cooking?"

"Yes." 

"Okay. And it better be good or I'll sue."

"Sure. Sue me."

"What?"

"On account that your y self may have distracted me in the kitchen, I think we know who'll be the winner." Jaebum flashed a smirk. Before Youngjae could retort, JunJun shimmied out of the bag with a bag of dog treats tucked between his teeth. 

"JunJun, no! Those are treats." Jaebum pried them from his mouth. "You earn them." 

JunJun whined. Jaebum relented. He opened the bag and handed him two.

# 

One look. Of distaste. From Youngjae.

That's all it would take for Jaebum to collapse on the floor in a tangled heap of tears and tattered hopes. He forced his hands to slow their shaking as he set the plate down before Youngjae. JunJun barked—indicating that he had finished his omelet and was ready for seconds. 

Jaebum played with JunJun while he waited for Youngjae to finish contemplating the morsel of omelet in his mouth. Jaebum's hands didn't stay dry no matter how many times he ran them over the back of JunJun's fur. The seconds turned into what felt like minutes. Jaebum's mind circled over to the idea that he may have unintentionally poisoned his sprite.

The clang of a fork being set down onto a ceramic dish disrupted the stifling silence. Youngjae reached for the napkin at his side before speaking. "Good."

Jaebum sighed.

"Too little salt but I love how fluffy the egg turned out," Youngjae continued. His eyes were alight and his lips wouldn't stop quivering. His attempt at hiding his smile failed when Jaebum shot to his feet.

"I've got approval from the chef himself!" He lifted Youngjae into his arms and carried him over to the island. Eyes skimming over Youngjae's face, Jaebum clamped his hands around his waist and pulled him forward. Youngjae wiggled around. The heat in his lower abdomen was beginning to creep up over his inner thighs. 

Jaebum pulled him in for a kiss. His tongue was quick to seek entrance into Youngjae's mouth. Youngjae arched his lower back as the tip of Jaebum's tongue the roof of his mouth but before he could taste much more, Youngjae's ringtone erupt