A thick cloud of smoke wavered through the interior of a bar, music softly being played in the background whilst people of all es were mingling in drinking and light chatter with one another. A lone figure was slouching over his glass of whiskey at the counter, his face shielded by a beanie and the collar of his coat. His hazel-brown eyes had already glazed with the alcohol he had consumed, his long fingers tracing the brim of his glass before he gulped the brown liquid down in one go. He hissed softly at the burn running down his throat before he motioned for the barkeeper to pour him another one.

The blond eyed him with concern albeit he nevertheless grabbed the latter's glass, “Are you sure? It's been your tenth already.”

Piercing hazel eyes shot up to look at the blond, a frown marring usually handsome features. “I'm a paying customer and you're not my babysitter,” the slouching male slurred with a low voice and heavy tongue. With a sigh the barkeeper placed another glass of whiskey in front of him in surrender whilst the man fiddled for his pack of cigarettes. He cursed under his breath when he found his pack to contain only one last cigarette. Glancing at the filled ashtray to his left he mumbled another curse before he put the tobacco filled stick between his chapped lips. He inhaled deeply when he lit the cigarette, the tip glowing a soft orange as he took a deeper drag, his cheeks hollowing a little before he exhaled the bitter cloud of smoke that had nestled in his lungs.

Slowly the customers ebbed away with the hours passing by, no one really registering the lone figure at the corner of the counter. If one looked closely, one surely would recognize the tall brown haired male despite his disguise. But at this late hour and the wall of smoke ruling over the bar none would have been able to really recognize him. A soft melody filled the quite empty room, the brown haired closing his eyes with furrowed eyebrows and a mirthless smile when the piano was joined by a female voice. He knew this song. He knew it all too well.

The refrain time and again triggered the memories to flood his mind. Pictures of the past flashed before his eyes, the times he used to spend with all of them together in their apartment; laughing, chattering and fooling around. He took another drag of his cigarette when his mind swayed to him. The way he smiled at him, how his plush lips would curl teasingly upwards before the beauty of it was hidden behind his hand. He thought about the other's brown eyes, how they always found a way to look at him on camera and how they would sparkle with a smile just reserved for him. He had believed that everything was just reserved for him. But he long had lost the assurance that they truly belonged together.

He exhaled deeply, tracing the brim of his glass with his finger when he mouthed the lyrics of the song softly to himself, “If I have beauty eyes, I could smile for you. If I have beauty soul, I could dance for you.” He sipped on his whiskey when the refrain chimed through the bar once more. He snorted softly at the lyrics, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

The lone figure basking in his memories didn't register a male entering the bar, his gaze scanning through the interior when he pulled down the hood of his hoodie before his eyes locked on the man at the counter. “I'm sorry, but we're about to close for the night,” the barkeeper chimed in when he registered the new customer. The auburn haired regarded the blond with a passing glance before he replied, “I'm just here to pick someone up.”

The brown haired didn't notice the other approaching him, his every being indulged into the song softly playing through the bar. He opened his eyes when a melodious voice joined him, his gaze stubbornly directed at the content of his glass, “Don't forget the smiles, don't forget the times we've shared. Don't forget the past, don't forget the time we've shared.”

The auburn haired sat down next to the lone man, his gaze raking over the slouching male with a soft smile and a slight frown. “You shouldn't be spending your birthday here, YunHo-yah,” he remarked softly, eyeing the other worriedly when he just took a deep drag of his cigarette. He took the glass of whiskey out of YunHo's hand when the latter was about to drink, successfully gaining his attention. “This stuff is nothing for you,” he rasped once he had gulped down the remains of YunHo's whiskey and handed the barkeeper the empty glass whilst asking for the bill of YunHo's drinks.

YunHo eyed the auburn haired lazily, his lips parting slightly when his eyes raked over the other's profile. His gaze followed every path of ivory skin the profile had to offer, lingering a little longer on plush rosy lips before they travelled to a familiar light-brown birthmark at the auburn haired's neck. If it were possible, he'd say that the man was even more gorgeous than the last time he had seen him in person. A bitter smile played over his lips when he remembered that it had been a long time ago. “What are you doing here, JaeJoong?” he slurred, taking a drag from his cigarette once more when the other looked at him.

JaeJoong got hold of YunHo's cigarette and took a drag of it himself before he stubbed it into the ashtray. He exhaled the smoke with a sigh before he replied, “Picking you up. You weren't home when I came to spend your birthday with you so ChangMin told me where to find you.” He extracted his hand to gently palm YunHo's cheek, his fingers grazing slightly along the stubble on the latter's jawline. JaeJoong's eyes softened when he stared at YunHo. He looked tired and thoroughly worn out. And the reason was not the alcohol in particular.

“I missed you,” YunHo suddenly mumbled, his eyes holding a longing in them that let JaeJoong catch his breath. The auburn haired smiled softly in surrender, gently bumping his forehead against YunHo's.

“I missed you, too,” he breathed with eyes closed and basked in the warmth that emanated from YunHo's skin. He planted a chaste kiss onto YunHo's temple before rising from his chair. “Let's get you home,” he announced softly and with a slight smile YunHo let himself be dragged out of the bar after they had left an amount of cash behind to pay YunHo's bill. JaeJoong pulled his hood over his head once more before he led YunHo outside, his hand gently wrapped around YunHo's wrist. The brown haired pulled his beanie a little further into his face and snuggled a bit more into the collar of his coat whilst staggering over the pavement. His eyes travelled from JaeJoong's back towards his wrist that had been grasped by the older male.

“JaeJoong-ah,” YunHo called out softly when they rounded a corner. The latter halted in his movement when he turned to him with a hum. YunHo momentarily forgot about the words on his tongue when his eyes lingered on JaeJoong's features. Gently he retracted his wrist from JaeJoong's grasp and instead entwined their fingers. “Kiss me,” he whispered, cheeks coloured a soft crimson with his accelerating heartbeat. He needed assurance. He just needed for him to confirm that they still belonged together.

JaeJoong smiled softly when he inched closer. With his left hand he gently cradled YunHo's neck to pull him a little down whilst his right pulled on the hood of his hoodie to shield their faces from possible observers on the midnight street. Tiptoeing slightly, JaeJoong pecked YunHo's lips gently. Once, twice; first hesitant, then tender. Eyes were closed when they basked in the gentle warmth of their kiss, YunHo's arms comfortably nestling around JaeJoong's waist. The auburn haired buried his face in YunHo's neck when they parted, his breath fanning against the latter's skin softly. “There's a present waiting for you at home,” he muttered against YunHo's neck, his fingers grazing gently over the nape of YunHo's neck whilst playing a little with his brown hair.

“Can't be better than the one I already received,” YunHo breathed with a gentle smile and received a beautiful one from JaeJoong in return. They shared another simple kiss before they made their way towards YunHo's apartment. Only the night was the witness of their entwined fingers inside of the wide pocket of YunHo's coat.