Hyungwon had planned the whole thing perfectly. He had shopped around for the perfect ring for months, settling on a simple black onyx band encrusted with a few small diamonds that would look both pretty and manly wrapped around Wonho’s ring finger. He bought a suit. A good suit. A finely tailored black one with a white dress shirt to go with it. he bought a new red tie and new dress shoes.

He even got this hair dyed blond that day, the way it had been when they’d first met. He had always wanted to go back to colour at some point, and he couldn’t think of a better time. He sprung for a little undercut too, because Wonho had always fawned over haircuts like that and he wanted to look, as much as possible, like the kind of guy Wonho would be very excited to marry.

He booked a reservation at a really fancy restaurant, one that was known for its ramyeon selection, and hoped Wonho would love it. He texted Wonho at work, told him where they were going for dinner, to dress nice, to get a cab and meet him there, he’s just gonna be a few minutes late because he’s stuck running an errand. But really he was just stuck calming his racing heart and wanted Wonho to think that night was nothing particularly special. He didn’t want wonho to suspect he was going to anything crazy like propose.

He showed up exactly five minutes late, and stuttered saying his own name to the hostess. He drowned in a tangled ball of tingly nerves as she lead him into the main seating area. And the restaurant was indeed Very Fancy, with crystal chandeliers dotting the ceiling, and stunning dark purple decor.

But nothing was as stunning as Wonho sitting there at their private booth waiting for him. Nothing shined like the way Wonho’s eyes did when they lighted on Hyungwon; his trademark gorgeous grin breaking out on his face. Hyungwon had planned everything perfectly, because he was not smooth, or romantic, or worthy to even be looked upon by a man such as Wonho, and if he was going to have the audacity to ask such a man to marry him, he’d be damned if he didn’t do it right.

Wonho, always the perfect gentleman, rose as Hyungwon got to the table. Hyungwon found himself stammering out an ‘i love you’ rather than the ‘ sorry to be late’ he had originally intended. He blamed it on the fact that Wonho was too handsome, also dressed in his best black suit, his gaze appraising Hyungwon, no not appraising, but adoring, drinking in Hyungwon from his head to his feet.

"I love you too,” Wonho said firmly, his eyes shaping into crescents as he smiled. He gestured for them to sit so they could stop standing awkwardly staring at each other for the rest of the night. Although that thought didn’t sound half bad with the way Wonho looked at the time.

The rest of the night went better than Hyungwon could have expected, because Wonho was perfect in every way, and complimented his hair and his suit. And told Hyungwon he looked amazing every 10 minutes. And really did enjoy the ramyeon he ordered like an excited child on christmas morning after looking through the menu. And made Hyungwon laugh way too hard like they were teenagers at a fast food joint and not grown adults at an extremely nice restaurant. And reminded Hyungwon of exactly why he couldn’t live without Wonho in his life - exactly why he had to do what he was about to.

“Happy four year anniversary,” Wonho breathed out soon after they’d finished the last bite of the dessert they’d fed to each other off their own plates. He fished into his suit pocket and pulled out a little black box.

OMG, Hyungwon thought. After doing everything right, Wonho was still going to beat him at proposing. Just his luck. Hyungwon took a deep breath anyway, berating Wonho with a nervous laugh for buying him a gift when they had agreed on no gifts this year. Inside he was trembling.

“I know but I had to. They reminded me of you,” Wonho said.

They, plural. An engagement ring was singular, not plural. Hyungwon sighed inwardly in relief as he opened the box to find a pair of gold earrings in the form of ZzZs. A laugh rose up in his throat and his hands came up to cover his mouth to stop it. Across the table Wonho’s eyes were crescents again, waiting for Hyungwon to say something.

"These are so perfect,” Hyungwon just about squealed. “I love them. I love you”

"I love you too babe,” Wonho replied gently. “You know i do.”

"But I didn’t get you anything,” Hyungwon lied, his own little black box burning in his suit pocket.

"You don’t have to,” Wonho assured me. “Besides, you did all this for me,” he gestured vaguely in the air at the surroundings. “This is more than enough.”

Wonho and Hyungwon didn’t kiss very much in public places, still cautious of who might be watching with disapproval, but in that moment Hyungwon couldn’t care less if the whole world was looking on with disgust; Hyungwon had to kiss him. So he leaned across the table and did just that, cupping Wonho’s face in his hand as he pressed his lips to Wonho’s.

It was brief but so so sweet and they settled back down just in time for the waitress to come with the bill - which meant it was time.

The moment she left, Hyungwon peeled off his suit jacket and laid it on the seat next to him neatly, his heart beating against his rib cage like it wanted to burst out.

"I have to go use the restroom before we leave,” Hyungwon said, managing to keep most of the tremble from his voice.

"Go ahead,” Wonho said. “If she comes back should I just pay?”

"Of course not! Wonho don’t be ridiculous, this is my treat you know that. My wallet is in my inner suit pocket, just take it out and use my cash to pay if she comes before I get back.”

He nodded. And it was done.

Or you could just tell her to come back later, but that wouldn't benefit me, Hyungwon thought with a smile as he scurried off to find the restroom, painfully trying to fight against bounding off as fast as his legs could take him, and mostly losing. In the bathroom Hyungwon readied himself in the mirror, giving himself a much needed pep talk. It’s nothing, he thought, just asking the most amazing man in the world to marry you. That’s all.

He stayed long enough to make sure the waiter could return to take the payment. He stayed long enough to make sure Wonho would have to into his pocket to take out his wallet and find the box. He stayed long enough to get his heart from a full sprint doing to a steady jog. He maintained a steady defeatist dialogue in his head as he waited. There was no way this would actually work. Everything was probably already ruined. You stupid fool, Wonho wouldn't actually marry you. He waited, then he exited the restroom and headed back to the table.

The table at which Wonho was crying. He was holding the box with his ring in it and tears were seeping out of his reddened eyes. Hyungwon sank down beside him, relieved that somehow things had gone as planned, and wrapped his arms around Wonho. Wonho was a sensitive man, that he was crying due to Hyungwon’s proposal was unexpected but not particularly surprising.

"Who is he?" Wonho choked out between tears. “How could you do this to me?”

Hyungwon’s eyebrows ruffled in confusion. Wonho sounded utterly broken, which didn’t make any sense. “Who is…?”

Wonho still did not look Hyungwon in the eye, staring only down at the little box in his hand, opened with the ring staring back at him.

And then it clicked.

Hyungwon had done everything wrong. He was so stupid. Of course Wonho wouldn’t see the ring for what it really was. Of course Wonho would fear the worst, think the impossible. He thought the ring was for someone else, and he’d found it by mistake. He thought Hyungwon had been cheating on him, and was going to leave him and marry someone else. The mere thought was ridiculous to Hyungwon, but of course Wonho would think that.

"Oh no,” Hyungwon muttered desperately. “No no no Wonho. It's yours. It's for you. I want you to marry me!”

Wonho looked up at Hyungwon, eyes puffy and red. “What?”

Hyungwon grasped Wonho’s face in his hands. “The ring. It’s your ring Wonho. There’s no one else. There will never be anyone else.”

Wonho was snifiling, tears still letting loose from his eyes slowly, but he seemed to be understanding.

"Mine?” he whispered.

"Yes, yours baby.”

"You want to marry me?”

"More than anything.”

“Me?”

"Yes you Wonho.” I couldnt help but giggle. He was so very cute. 

Wonho was smiling then, softly, as the realization fully came upon him. It was a smile that lit up Hyungwon’s whole world. He couldnt help himself, he kissed Wonho all over his face until Wonho was giggling, his smile more radiant by the second.

"So will you?” Hyungwon asked, sure now of the answer.

"Will I what?” Wonho’s eyes were wide and searching. His eyes kept flicking between Hyungwon's eyes and the box, filled with wonder regardless of which they landed on, because it didn't matter, both of them were his. 

“Marry me,” Hyungwon laughed.

Wonho pulled Hyungwon down and crushed him in his arms. “Yes yes,” he breathed against Hyungwon’s neck. “Of course I will.”