They’re leaving the store when Jonghyun notices Minho staring longingly into the distance. The only thing is his view is a light-up shoe kiosk.

“You okay, honey?” he asks.

“Yeah. I always wanted a pair of light-up shoes when I was growing up but my parents wouldn’t buy them, said they were a waste of money. I’ve thought about buying a pair, but something always comes up and I never get to save enough.”

“Hopefully you’ll get a new job and you’ll be able to.”

“Yeah.”

Jonghyun pulls gently on his hand and they leave, feeling of disappointment hanging around Minho like a cloud.

***

“I got you a present, since you got all A’s this semester.” Jonghyun exclaims when Minho comes home from work.

“Baby, you didn’t have to do that.”

“Au contraire. I did. I mean I can always take it back if you don’t want it....”

“No, no! I want it!”

Jonghyun hands Minho the box. He laughs when Minho tries to gently unwrap it then in a moment of excitement rips it off.

“What is it?” he asks when he gets to the plain box.

“You have to open it, silly!”

He does and then spends a minute looking shocked between the box’s contents and Jonghyun.

“You? You? You bought me the shoes?”

“Yeah, honey. You’ve worked hard this semester, you deserve something fun.”

Minho stays still, staring at the shoes.

“Why don’t you try them on, honey? If they don’t fit or you don’t like the color we can take them back tomorrow and exchange them.”

Minho immediately starts struggling to put them on, as if he’d just been waiting for permission. It takes him a few minutes to get them put on, excited fingers not cooperating, but soon enough he’s stomping around the kitchen with childlike glee.

“You like them?” Jonghyun asks, even though he already knows the answer.

“I love them, thank you so much, baby!” Minho says, rushing forward to give Jonghyun as many kisses as he can.

***

A week later, they’re once again at the mall; Jonghyun can hear people making mean comments about Minho and his shoes, but he seems unperturbed by them. It’s dark out when they head into the parking lot and the street light by their car isn’t lit. Jonghyun drops his keys and tries to start looking for them.

“Of course I have to drop my keys in the darkest part of the lot.” he groans.

“Don’t worry, baby, I got you.” Minho says proudly.

He stomps and the light reaches just far enough for the glint of Jonghyun’s keys to be seen.