Prologue

“Do you really have to go? So soon?” his words sounded a little slurred with half his face pressed flat.

“Was the not mind-blowing enough to make you forget about that just for a moment, baby?”

Donghae pushed himself up with his hand, hitting Hyukjae on the chest with a glare and a small pout.

It only served to make Hyukjae chuckle, though, before he opened his arms.

Sighing in defeat, Donghae dove back into his arms and laid his head on Hyukjae’s shoulder blade again. It seemed rather stupid to ignore any chance of cuddling. He took a deep sniff, the smell of and sweat still lingering in the air but Hyukjae’s scent – balsamic, deep and sweet like vanilla – was still prominent in the mixed and it was intoxicating Donghae all over again. Donghae slid up a bit more, skin gliding easily against skin, and he dragged his nose along Hyukjae neck until he reached behind his ears, where the scent was strongest.

“I’m going to miss this.”

“I’ll miss you too.”

“This is really hard for me.”

Hyukjae ran his fingers lightly through Donghae’s shoulder length, wavy hair, “I know, baby, because being far from you will ache me too.”

“We’ll facetime every day!”

“Night and day.”

“You’ll come back every 31st December?”

“I'll be back for Christmas with my mom and be with before the clock strikes 12 on New Year.”

“I’m serious, Hyuk-ah. I mean in this time zone. You need to be here before the sun rises.”

“I’ll book the flight three months early.”

Donghae snuggled in closer, arms wrapping around Hyukjae’s torso and made himself comfortable on his boyfriend’s shoulder again before he closed his eyes. He felt Hyukjae pulling up the comforter that had pooled on their waists higher over them both.

“I love you,” whispered Hyukjae, right before planting a kiss atop Donghae’s head. The latter acknowledged it with a hum.

Hyukjae had never forced Donghae to say the same thing back.

“Visit my mom sometime, please Hae?”

Donghae eyed his shoes, toeing the glistening floor of the airport. His hand kept pushing and dragging the trolley with Hyukjae’s luggage. Softly, he said, “You know she doesn’t like me much.”

Hyukjae’s hand fell on his, stopping Donghae from playing with the trolley. Before