first year

[14/02/2010]

[15:09]

jaehyun: [image attached]
jaehyun: doyoung look

doyoung: a convenience store fridge full of ice cream?

jaehyun: all these desserts

doyoung: don't

jaehyun: and you're still the sweetest thing in my life

k.dyoung96 h has blocked jay_jung

second year

"Question..."

Doyoung's attention is thrown from the snow floating down outside the glass window to opposite him, quirking an eyebrow as Jaehyun taps at his phone.

"...you're not allergic to roses, are you?"

With a frown, Doyoung takes the warm, porcelain mug between his fingers. "Is that some backward way of asking if I like roses?" He takes a sip, scowling at the fierce bitter and the painful scorch on his tongue.

"Pretty much." Jaehyun grins and Doyoung hates the fact that the very image - bright smile, wide cheeks, cute dimples, eyes curving to accommodate - gives him chills.

He shakes his head and re-attaches his sights on the white painted streets outside. "Call yourself boyfriend of the year..." He can feel Jaehyun's confused eyes on him "...and you don't even know my favorite type of flowers."

"I wasn't asking if they were your favorite, " Jaehyun intrudes, matter-of-factly. "I know your favorite. I was just asking if you liked them."

"Why?"

"Thought they'd be a nice change from the sunflowers," he replies, stirring his own coffee with a tiny silver spoon. "Roses are more romantic."

Doyoung hides the tiny smile with his palm as he clears his throat with a cold-ridden cough. "Yes."

"Yes...what?"

"Yes," he repeats.

"Yes...you like roses?"

Pushing his chair out, Doyoung collects his backpack from his feet. "Yes, I'm allergic to roses." He slips out from the table and kisses the top of Jaehyun's artificial blonde hair. "I'll text you after class."

third year

[14/02/2012]

[20:23]

doyoung: so they were doing a thing on campus today

jaehyun: go on

doyoung: some chick was handing out lil valentine's heart sticker packs to loads of guys
doyoung: and apparently, if a girl talks to us, we give them a heart sticker

jaehyun: sounds lovely

doyoung: whoever gets the most hearts wins or smth
doyoung: and i was like ??? im good thanks
doyoung: and this chick was "omg why are you so anti-valentines???"
doyoung: and i was like "a) i hate stickers b) don't want to give any to any girls??"

jaehyun: sounds like ur still in high school
jaehyun: "ew girls !! cooties"

doyoung: piss off
doyoung: so anyway, for the rest of the day taeyong just referred to me as the 'scrooge of valentine's
doyoung: and johnny felt it necessary to stick heart stickers on my cheek every chance he got
doyoung: i mean granted i hate valentine's day but they gotta be about it??

jaehyun: wait wait w a i t
jaehyun: what do you mean
jaehyun: you hate valentine's day
jaehyun: ???
jaehyun: are you like okay

doyoung: don't take it personally, it's nothing to do w/ your bday or anything
doyoung: i’m just an edgelord
doyoung: a punk
doyoung: hardcore, metal
jaehyun: babe
doyoung: a rebel
doyoung: anarchy is my middle name

jaehyun: stop lying to urself you're softer than a ball pit full of bunnies

doyoung: no
doyoung: ur wrong i'm tough

jaehyun: what's that? i can’t hear you over how soft and squishy u are

doyoung: …
doyoung: i'm a cool kid

jaehyun: u go to bed at like 10pm

doyoung: cool kidz need their sleep

jaehyun: u still eat everything in a salad except the greens
jaehyun: u make me eat them so you don't offend the waitress

doyoung: yeah??
doyoung: how am i gonna fool people into thinking i’m nice if im a all the time???

jaehyun: hm 'fool'

doyoung: i’m going to punch you in the knee caps

jaehyun: a bit rude

doyoung: yeah well
doyoung: don't mess w/ bad boys
doyoung: 1v1 me
doyoung: behind the bike sheds

jaehyun: anyway, u know since it is my birthday and all

doyoung: really? it's not like you weren't reminding me for weeks beforehand

jaehyun: why don't you, u know
jaehyun: come over after your class
jaehyun: and maybe
jaehyun: show me how bad you can be
jaehyun: ;))))

k.dyoung96   has blocked jay_jung

jaehyun: every damn time

fourth year

"So, you know you have no soul, right?

Doyoung sighs and lets the spine of the history textbook smack against the desk. "You mean I don't celebrate Valentine's Day?"

"Same thing." The bed sheets rustle as Jaehyun rolls around in them, his attention remaining on his phone as he continues. "Anyway, why?"

Doyoung shrugs, humming as he flips the page, highlighter at the ready. "I guess I find it a bit stupid. Like, why have just one day a year to celebrate being in love?"

"Why not have one day to celebrate being in love?" Jaehyun challenges, slipping his phone under his pillow and shifting to sit up. He pulls the duvet up to his chin, his back pressed against the plastered wall that his bed stands next to.

"Why not just show love all the time?"

"Sometimes people forget."

Doyoung snorts. "People forget they're in love? It doesn't seem to me that they're that in love if they forget. My point is that we shouldn't take one day out of three-hundred-and-sixty-five to celebrate love."

"People forget to appreciate being in love."  

Doyoung blows a strand of his orange hair from his eyes and pushes his glasses higher up his nose bridge. "You're not gonna let this go, are you?" He shoots Jaehyun a smile, hoping the inclination doesn't sound too narcissistic.

"Why do you celebrate Parent's Day?" He asks and Doyoung frowns.

"To...appreciate parents? Why do you celebrate Parent's Day?"

"It was meant to be a rhetorical question. But furthermore, by your point, shouldn't we just not have Parent's Day and spend every second consciously appreciating our parents?"

Doyoung knows what Jaehyun's getting at, but screws his lip and plays opposite despite. "It'd be nice."

" Yeah, but we don't always, do we? So we take a day to remind ourselves." Jaehyun grins up at Doyoung, who rolls his eyes in defeat. "That's what Valentine's is for."

"Okay, you win," Doyoung hums, attention glued to the page of his book, eyes scanning and rescanning the same sentence in hopes it will be absorbed into his mind. Jaehyun stays quiet for a minute or so, the only sound coming from the bed being the occasional creak of the wood and the air batting around the sheets as he kicks around in them.

"Babe," he calls eventually, intoning, which Doyoung knows as a song of request.

"Reading."

"I know, I can see."

"Then shush..." he glances over to check Jaehyun had taken it lightly before adding, "...please. My exam's in two weeks."

"Babe," Jaehyun repeats, and Doyoung lets out another sigh.

"What?"

Jaehyun flips the duvet, offering a space for Doyoung on the small, rickety, single bed. "Reciting information is the best way to remember it."

Doyoung snorts. "You want me to sensually whisper about how early Greek philosophy has shaped our modern world?"

"Yeah, I promise it's hot when you talk History to me."

Doyoung can't hold back the genuine laughter that echoes around Jaehyun's box-like bedroom.

fifth year

[14/02/2014]

[12:32]

jaehyun: [image attached]
jaehyun: such a sweet message honey

doyoung: new phone who dis

jaehyun: johnny give doyoung his phone back

doyoung: he's peeing i'll be your boyfriend for five minutes
doyoung: what message where what
doyoung: (happy birthday btw)

jaehyun: thanks buddo
jaehyun: he left me a bunch of flowers this morning
jaehyun: the note said "don't be fooled, these aren't for valentines. happy birthday."

doyoung: wow since when did doyoung not have a soul

jaehyun: tell me about it??
jaehyun: every year he gets me something for my birthday and he's like "but i don't celebrate valentines" like he's expecting me to forget/care

doyoung: i can't tell if you two love or hate each other

jaehyun: yeah i find myself asking that a lot
jaehyun: i mean i hope the means it's love

doyoung: idk i mean look at me and taeyong

jaehyun: way too much information youngho

doyoung: :))))

[12:56]

doyoung: doyoung's currently chasing youngho around the office hi it's taeyong
doyoung: btw don't believe what he said :)
doyoung: we haven't had :)
doyoung: like
doyoung: no :)

jaehyun: yeah :) i'm convinced :)

doyoung: happy birthday

jaehyun: oh, thanks !!

doyoung: what did doyoung get you?

jaehyun: a bunch of flowers with a really defensive "i hate valentine's" message

doyoung: i don't get why he doesn't like valentine's

jaehyun: eh, after four years i'm kinda used to it

doyoung: you deserve a good valentines/birthday
doyoung: that wasn't flirting by the way :)

jaehyun: i'm sure :)

[13:12]

doyoung: i hate everyone i'm friends with

jaehyun: hi doyoung how's your day going?

sixth year

Doyoung stumbles through the front door at 6:48 with a face redder than a strawberry.

"You look like you've just run eight blocks," Jaehyun snickers, tapping away at his computer as Doyoung dumps his work bag by the door, handing his jacket on the hook along with the others. When there was no response, he looks intently as Doyoung power walks past him into the kitchen. "Babe?" He calls, pushing his chair out and cautiously following the former's steps.

Doyoung stands with his back to the door, facing the window on the twelfth-floor apartment as Jaehyun approaches tentatively. "Doyoung?"

The latter sniffs and turns to face Jaehyun. Upon closer inspection, the red, irritated eyes, blotchy cheeks and running nose that he tried to wipe and hide are all telltale signs.

Sickness washes over Jaehyun like a torrential tsunami, worry, panic and pity pushing away any form of laughter or jokes he was intent on saying as he wraps Doyoung in his arms, who stands cold and unresponsive in his embrace.

Doyoung hides his face in the crook of Jaehyun's neck, buried in the sweet scent of the clean hoodie and Jaehyun's cologne, breathing raggedly and sniffing. "I'm fine," he croaks hold Jaehyun's biceps and biting his lips to somehow prevent the tears.

"Clearly, you are." Jaehyun nuzzles into Doyoung's hair, strands poking his eyes and tickling his nose. "What's wrong?"

Doyoung shakes his head and inhales deeply. Pulling away to bring his face level with Jaehyun, he braces to bravest, most convincing smile he can. "I'm okay..." he repeats, using the sleeve of Jaehyun's jumper to dab the pools on yet to fall from his eyes. "Bad day."

Jaehyun returns a sad smile, holding his hand out and resting it against Doyoung's hot cheek. "You didn't get that promotion, did you?"

Doyoung shakes his head, eyes trained on the floor and Jaehyun feels gutted.

"I'm sorry, babe," he sighs, reeling Doyoung back in and feeling his heart well as the latter gently melts into his hold. "Did you lose to that bimbo who stuffs her bra to get attention from the boss? 'Cause if you did, I'm going to write a strongly worded letter to Mr. Moon."

Doyoung snorts and snickers, his arms circling around Jaehyun's waist as he mutters: "I lost to Taeyong."

Jaehyun gasps quietly. "I knew he was a snake."

Doyoung's body jitters in Jaehyun's arms as they both laugh. "No, he deserves it," he admits, his pride visibly shrinking in his eyes as he does do. "He's good at his job."

Jaehyun hums and looks into Doyoung's warm eyes, the familiar sparkle small, but still there. "Well, I think you deserve some really intense ice cream and a good action film that we can ironically criticize, yeah?"

Doyoung pushes his shoulder, lips curving as he turns away from Jaehyun. "Hm. I'm not in Valentine's mood..."

"Yeah, but it's my birthday too." Jaehyun knows - and Doyoung does too - that the cute, begging eyes are a pair that Doyoung cannot refuse. "You can't say no when it's my birthday."

Doyoung side-eyes him with a fond softness glazing his resistance.

seventh year

[14/02/2016]

[01:27]

jaehyun: baby?

doyoung: ???
doyoung: jaehyun it's 1 am
doyoung: and you're lying right next to me?

jaehyun: do you ever think about marriage?

doyoung: this is a bit sudden

jaehyun: i mean it's been six years
jaehyun: stop looking at me and type

doyoung: why are you suddenly bringing marriage up?

jaehyun: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
jaehyun: just answer the question

doyoung: yes 
doyoung: i do sometimes

jaehyun: more specific?

doyoung: i want to marry you one day

jaehyun: okay

doyoung: ?? 
doyoung: okay?

jaehyun: thanks babe 
jaehyun: goodnight !!

eighth year

Jaehyun shivers again and Doyoung matches it with a sigh.

“I told you it was gonna be cold,” He says, shaking his head as the former sinks further into his thick jacket. Thick, but not thick enough to banish the cold from seeping through any available gap and cover his body in goosebumps.

“You said it was going to be cold, ” Jaehyun replies, “you didn’t say it’d be  below-freezing-on-par-with-Antarctica.”

“I mean,” Doyoung begins, “that technically still is cold, so I was still right.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Jaehyun waves his hand dismissively. “Why are we in the park in the middle of the night anyway. It’s literally almost midnight, and I’d rather spend the morning of my birthday in bed, warm. ”

“Just two more minutes.”

“Two minutes until I turn twenty-six, your point?” Jaehyun shakes his head and presses his body closer to Doyoung in hopes of attaining some of the latter’s body heat. “Can we go? I’m freezing!”

Doyoung tuts and turns to face Jaehyun, removing his scarf to kindly share. “Eight years and you’re still as impatient as ever.”

“Hey, I’m not impatient!” Jaehyun argues, shuffling close to Doyoung and leaning close to accept the warm material around his neck. “I’m just intolerant towards the cold.”

“You’ve always been impatient,” Doyoung adds with a smile. “Remember when you confessed? We were in Junior year, and I said I didn’t want to date until graduation. But still, you persisted.”

“That doesn’t make me impatient, it makes me...persistent. We were always told to never give up on our dreams.”

Doyoung fakes a gag and holds Jaehyun’s blue, gloveless hands in his. “You told me you couldn’t wait until graduation. That you needed me then.”

Jaehyun shrugs. “Raging hormones, I guess.”

“Still makes you impatient.” Doyoung accepts the eye roll as a victory. “But I guess that’s why I love you, though.”

This time, Jaehyun gags and Doyoung has to physically resist hitting him.

“What was the name of the song you sang at our graduation?” he asks.

Jaehyun ponders for a moment. “ Lay Me Down, why?”

Doyoung smiles fondly, wide, with all his teeth on show as he leans in, close enough that the warmth of his breath soothed the cold on Jaehyun’s lips and melted his heart. “Because I’m pretty sure that’s when I really knew I loved you.”

By the time they disconnect their soft kiss, Doyoung’s empty palm is occupied by a small, golden band fit snug for Jaehyun’s finger.

“Happy Valentines Day, Jaehyun.”

It takes a minute for the breath to return to him, but when it does Jaehyun chuckles an airy laugh. “What happened to not believing?”

Doyoung shrugs. “I guess your relentlessness got the better of me. I’m still deciding if that’s a good thing, too.”

Jaehyun kisses him again. “Glad I’m finally rubbing off on you.”

“Shut up and take the goddamn ring,” Doyoung demands. “I’m cold too, you know.”

With the ring firmly on his finger, Jaehyun holds Doyoung’s hand as they cautiously fumble their way down the dimly lit, icy path. “Took you long enough. It’s been a year since I dropped the hint. Maybe improving your detective skills should be your resolution for the new year.”

“Jaehyun.”

“What?”

“New Years was a month ago.”

“Never too late, baby.”

“Oh, and Jaehyun?”

“What?”

“Happy Birthday.”