The fog hanging above the buildings was cold and damp, some drops of it slid down the window pane as Taekwoon stood leaning against the window sill with a cigarette between his right index and middle fingers. He felt his hair becoming wet from the water drops, his fringe sticking to his forehead as he inhaled the smoke and watched cars driving by on the road.

There was something soft and warm wrapping around his leg, and the movement was followed by a quiet ‘meow’. When Taekwoon glanced down, he saw a grey ball of fur rubbing against his ankle.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, and Luna meowed in assent.

Taekwoon flicked the ash off the tip of his cigarette and stubbed it out in the ashtray on the kitchen counter. He filled Luna’s bowl with some of her favourite fish-shaped cat food and sat down by the table, watching the cat munch on the treat.

The whole place was so quiet.

Taekwoon had been used to silence once; he had lived in this very flat for years before Hakyeon came into his life, and Hakyeon was the first thing to fill it with noise and laughter and incessant talking, but he was nowhere now. Taekwoon missed all those sounds so much it felt like his heart would break and the shards falling onto the floor would echo through the entire district of the city.

Luna finished eating and stretched in the doorway before leaving the kitchen, her agitated meows soon coming from the bedroom. Taekwoon knew exactly she wasn’t hurt, but he also knew he had to follow the cat and try to calm her down.

The Russian Blue jumped on the bed, complaining loudly as she walked to the left side of the mattress, kneading the sheets with her little paws.

“I know,” Taekwoon sighed, sitting down next to her and caressing her fur. Luna only shrank away from Taekwoon's touch as if she was angry it was him her, not someone else. “I miss him, too.”

Taekwoon pulled Hakyeon's pillow close and laid his head on it, closing his eyes.

It had been a month since Hakyeon had enlisted and Taekwoon still couldn’t find his place in the world. The quiet was one thing and Luna crying for her favourite owner was another, but the most painful of all of them was the coldness of the mattress on Hakyeon's side, and the lack of loving hugs at the end of a stressful workday. It felt like trying to breathe underwater: more and more water filled his lungs with each breath he took.

He felt fingers in his hair, playing with his locks, and Taekwoon turned his head towards the hand, seeing a warm smile flashed his way.

“Hakyeon!” Taekwoon gasped, and quickly sat up, unable to believe his eyes. “Are you— how did you…?”

Hakyeon only continued smiling, his hand sliding to Taekwoon's cheek, cupping it and pulling him close to plant a kiss on his forehead.

“I missed you,” Taekwoon whispered, trying to hold back his tears, but they were already pricking his eyes.

Hakyeon hugged him without a word and he was warm, his embrace feeling like tight ropes that helped Taekwoon stay intact—something without which he would have completely fallen apart.

“I love you,” Taekwoon said and wanted to hug Hakyeon back, but his arms felt heavy as lead. “I don’t want you to go anywhere, ever again.”

Hakyeon nodded, his hair tickling the side of Taekwoon's neck until he had to pull up his shoulders to protect his skin from the soft hairs.

Taekwoon had to shut his eyes tight as the world tipped over, making him feel like he was falling, the impact leaving him feel dizzy. When he opened his eyes, there was bluish grey fur in front of him, Luna rubbing her head against his neck and Taekwoon realized it was all a dream.

Hakyeon hadn’t been there with him. It was only his imagination.

He felt a disappointed tear slide across the bridge of his nose, but then Luna pressed her forehead to Taekwoon's and wiped it off, making Taekwoon smile weakly.

“Come here, little girl,” he said and tucked her under his arm just when his phone started ringing in his pocket.

He fished out his phone and when he saw Hakyeon's name on the screen, his heart started racing inside his chest.

“Hakyeon,” he breathed as soon as he picked it up.

“Taekwoon,” Hakyeon imitated Taekwoon's desperate tone and chuckled. “Guess what, I just dreamt about you.”

There was silence for a beat, but then Taekwoon laughed and Luna started purring, maybe as a sign that she was happy her owner wasn’t sad anymore.

And indeed, Taekwoon's disappointment was suddenly gone, warmth pooling into his stomach and Hakyeon's voice reaching his heart.

“I miss you,” he said, but it didn’t hurt as much as it did in his dream.

“I miss you, too,” Hakyeon replied and Taekwoon heard he was smiling.