The tattoos were fake.

He travelled overseas for work.

And it wasn’t illegal.

But still, Ryeowook had absolutely no clue what Donghae’s profession was. It bothered him but not so much now that Donghae had admitted to Ryeowook that it wasn’t illegal. Ryeowook had a hunch that Donghae could be working for the government. That was the only reason why Donghae had to have on fake tattoos too, Ryeowook guessed.

Other than all those information, Ryeowook also had a bad feeling that Donghae’s job was not safe. That was the only reasonable explanation Ryeowook was able to think of for why his boyfriend couldn’t tell him about it. But after spending so much time apart from Donghae,, okay Ryeowook had to admit… it wasn’t that long, Ryeowook missed Donghae and he didn’t want to let Donghae go.

Donghae barged into Ryeowook’s life so suddenly, so randomly, so unexpectedly and now Ryeowook couldn’t think of a life without Donghae.

Ryeowook wanted to be mad at Donghae after that morning. Donghae wouldn’t tell Ryeowook what he did for a living and it frustrated Ryeowook. But Donghae asked for only thing from Ryeowook which was to trust him and… Ryeowook was falling for the stupid blonde. Ryeowook couldn’t do anything but learn to trust.

In the next few months that Ryeowook and Donghae started off their relationship, they were relatively happy, both of them were fools for each other. Donghae and Ryeowook were complete opposites but that was one of the reasons how Ryeowook got so attracted to his boyfriend.

Donghae and Ryeowook spent more nights together, sleeping over at each other’s places often and Ryeowook found that every time he saw Donghae’s body without tattoos, he was more attracted to the other. It was weird but it looked like Donghae wasn’t the bad-boy Ryeowookt thought he was in the first place. Ryeowook noticed that other than his monstrous bike and horrendous driving skills, Donghae was actually a good person. He never smoked, his apartment was clean of drugs (Yes, Ryeowook checked every nook and cranny of the blonde’s house) and that Donghae had an innocent saving, never talking about financial problems.

The only problem with dating Donghae was having to watch him leave for work. Over the five months they had been together, Donghae had travelled for work at least four times and when Donghae travelled for work, he was always unreachable. It was part of the job, Donghae had said to Ryeowook and Ryeowook remembered sniffling quietly as Donghae hugged him tight telling him that he would be back as soon as he could. Donghae kept true to his words. He was never gone for more than two weeks. Ryeowook never knew when Donghae would be back and so, Donghae was always surprising him with cute events or gifts when he came back and Ryeowook would forget all about the pain and fear of his unreachable boyfriend.

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and it was true. Every time Donghae travelled overseas, Ryeowook found himself missing Donghae more than he should and when his boyfriend came back, the couple were inseparable. Anyone could tell that Ryeowook wasn’t the only one head over heels in love with Donghae. Donghae too always had that love-struck look in eyes whenever he was with Ryeowook, whenever Ryeowook’s name was mentioned or whenever he thought of him.

Ryeowook and Donghae’s love was real and strong.

But the stronger the love, the more the pain and Ryeowook wished he knew that from the very first moment.

***

“Are we going somewhere today?”

Ryeowook lazily stretched on the couch. He had his head rested on Donghae’s laps as Donghae flipped through the television channels. When there was nothing interesting going on, Donghae opted to switch the tv back off and then glanced down at his lover.

“Yeah,” Donghae answered, “But it’s a surprise.”

Ryeowook’s nose scrunched up cutely, “Hae… The last time you brought me out and said that it was a surprise, we ended up lost in Busan.”

Donghae grinned sheepishly, “You still had fun, didn’t you?”

Ryeowook playfully reached up to flick Donghae’s nose playfully and giggled. He did, in fact. Donghae had first wanted to bring him to a fruit farm. It was lame but Ryeowook had always expressed his love for fruits and Donghae decided that it would be fun to go visit a farm on their own. But they got lost while trying to locate the farm and thanks to Donghae’s horrible driving skills, they ended up a deserted area in Busan. It started raining and they had to run to find a shelter.

In the end however, they didn’t find a shelter. They did however end up kissing and making out in the rain. Even if Donghae and Ryeowook fell sick the next day, it was hands down one of Ryeowook’s favourite dates with Donghae.

Ryeowook tilted his head, looking out of the window. “It looks like it’s going to rain though. Why is it that every time you plan something, it’s on a rainy day?”

It rained that one time where Donghae brought Ryeowook to the zoo again and then rained when they went to the park to have a picnic and then rain when they went to do a little sightseeing in Incheon. Basically, there were more failed dates where Donghae and Ryeowook ended up making out in the rain. Not that Ryeowook had ever complaint about it.

Donghae shrugged, “Maybe I’m the God of Rain?”

“Ha Ha,” Ryeowook muttered, rolling his eyes.

Donghae smirked, “Let’s get changed and then head out.”

“Where are we going?” Ryeowook groaned, wanting to know. When Donghae ignored Ryeowook, he pouted, “At least tell me what I should wear.”

“How about: Nothing?”

Ryeowook slapped Donghae’s chest as he muttered under his breath, “Idiot.”

Donghae laughed out loud, pecking Ryeowook’s lips, “I’m only an idiot for you, idiot.”

***

“Hae, where are we exactly?”

Ryeowook asked, glancing around. They were surprisingly not outdoors. Donghae always preferred to go outdoors since he enjoyed being out in the fresh air and all that nature stuff. Ryeowook was neutral. Anywhere Donghae was, Ryeowook was completely fine with it. This time was a little different. Donghae had brought him to an apartment complex and they were standing outside someone’s house. Donghae pressed onto the door bell and looked at Ryeowook affectionately.

“You know; we’ve been together for half a year now right?” Donghae asked.

Ryeowook nodded, still confused. “And?”

“And I’ve met your friends and even hung out with them,” Doghae paused and then added, “Which by the way, I think Kyuhyun still has a crush on you and I don’t like you being friends with him.”

“He’s like my second closest friend now, Hae.” Ryeowook rolled his eyes, “You can’t tell me not to hang out with my best friend.”

“How are you guys suddenly best friends again?”

“I told you,” Ryeowook sighed at his overzealous boyfriend. “When you had to go to Thailand for two weeks, I was on the verge of going crazy and then he helped me distract me from worrying about you.”

Donghae’s eyes softened as he held up his hands and Ryeowook’s cheeks, whispering a quiet, “I’m sorry, honey.”

Donghae always apologized whenever they talked about his work and the way he apologized made Ryeowook’s heart clenched with guilt for always giving him such a hard time. From Donghae’s tone of voice to ow pained his expressions look all the time, it was fair to say that Ryeowook wasn’t the only one suffering from this, from missing his boyfriend too much whenever he was gone, Donghae experienced just the same too.

Ryeowook was about to tell Donghae that it was okay but stopped when the door abruptly opened and a red-haired man greeted them with a cat-like smirk.

“You’re finally here, babyhae!”

The man, who looked too much feminine and beautiful at the same time, threw his arms over Donghae and grabbed him in. Donghae grabbed Ryeowook’s hands, fingers interlocking tightly with him as they were pulled into the house.

Inside, there were other people too who looked weirdly intimidating and interesting at the same time.

“He’s finally here, our babyhae!” The red-haired guy hollered to the others and everyone turned around, eyes focusing on Ryeowook and Donghae.

Ryeowook tugged on Donghae’s shirt a little nervously but Donghae only smiled and then gestured to the people who were looking at Ryeowook interestingly, “Ryeowook, meet my family.”

Ryeowook swallowed.

What.

Family?

Donghae then pulled Ryeowook to the red-haired man, “This is Heechul, he’s been taking care of me since I was five with Kangin and Leeteuk.”

“Kangin’s still in prison but he’s coming out soon,” A brown haired man approached them, smiling sweetly with a dimple on his cheek. He looked the friendliest out of the rest of the guys in the room. “And I’m Leeteuk. It’s nice to finally meet you, Ryeowook. Donghae’s told us a lot about you.”

I glanced at Donghae who only smiled sheepishly and then returned my attention to Leetuek, “I… Uh... It’s nice to meet you too.”

“You look pretty lost,” The Heechul guy commented, suddenly poking Ryeowook’s cheeks.

Ryeowook’s eyes widened in shock and Donghae pulled Ryeowook behind him, pouting as he whined, “Hyung, don’t scare him like that.”

“Heechul will introduce him to the others. In the meantime, Donghae, how about you help me out with bringing the food out onto the dining table?” Leeteuk suggested.

Donghae frowned as Leeteuk pulled him away before he could tell Ryeowook that Heechul was completely harmless and that he should stop looking like he had just seen a ghost. Once Donghae was out of sight, Heechul smirked the cat-like smirk again and hung an arm over Ryeowook’s shoulder, introducing him to the rest of the people in the living room.

“So, Ryeowook this is everyone you should know.”

“This is Hankyung, he’s my boyfriend,” Heechul pointed at a black-haired guy who greeted Ryeowook in Chinese, “He’s from China but don’t let him fool you, he understands Korean perfectly and pretends he doesn’t when he’s in trouble.”

Hangkyung snorted and then Heechul moved on, pointing to a blonde-haired guy wearing a sleeveless top and ripped jeans. He had tattoos on his arms and Ryeowook wondered if they were just as fake as Donghae’s.

“That’s Yesung. He’s a weirdo,” Heechul told Ryeowook and when Ryeowook greeted Yesung,