Everything was almost too white. You know, like how you see it in all of those cruise and vacation commercials? It was just like that. The heat of the sun was white, the sand was white and even the water was white as the waves crashed against the beach. The smell of salt burned against his nose and he felt the rays of the sun tingle on his face. He had always loved being at the beach.

There was something magical about it. A music in the sound of the waves, rhythmically rushing and crashing before they retreated again. This, combined with the noise of trees swaying in the wind that he felt rustle his hair, created the perfect base for a symphony that was completed by the noises around him. The squawk of seabirds over head, the scurry of crabs across the sand. Behind him, in the forest, he could hear animals making their way through the brush: a scrape here, a snap there. The only thing missing, was people.

And that was what confused him the most. There were no people. Every beach he had been to before had been crowded with other people like himself. Those looking for an escape from their everyday lives, which became too stressful to deal with anymore. These people were part of what made the beach. They had their own kind of music. But this was different.

He was alone.

Yet, there was something comforting within this. The squish of the sand between his toes, the smell of the salt, the brush of the wind and the tingle of the sun made him feel content to just walk and listen. There was a peace in it. It was a sense of peace that he could never remember feeling before in his life, and he decided that he liked it. Yeah, he liked it a lot.

As the sun set, though, he began to feel lonely. It was as though something was missing from the perfect scenery. Or rather, someone.

He felt something brush his hand. At first, it was so gentle that he thought it was just the wind. But then it came back, more forceful this time. As he turned he could see Hyukjae standing there in the twinkling orange light of the setting sun.

"Hyukjae," he said quietly, the feel of the name on his lips was as familiar as a lover's kiss.

"Yes, Sungmin?"

"What are you doing here?" Sungmin asked, trying to figure out when the man had appeared. He had been certain that he was alone on the beach.

"Walking with you silly."

Sungmin looked down, wriggling his toes in the sand and relishing in the feeling of it with a smile on his face.

"It feels nice," Sungmin said and Hyukjae couldn't help the laugh that escaped his mouth.

Hyukjae simply watched as Sungmin messed with the sand. Glimmers of joy flashed across his face in the fading light, making him even more beautiful than he already was.

"Come on, Sungmin," Hyukjae commanded, extending a hand which Sungmin easily took.

They walked together, just like that. Hand in hand on the squishy white sand they made their way down the beach, the setting sun going down over the water keeping them company along the way. When the sun was almost down, and their light almost gone, they came to a steep cliff that blocked their route.

Sungmin turned to Hyukjae and asked, "what now?"

Hyukjae gave him a very solemn expression, one with regret and disappointment written in his eyes.

"We go home."

He woke to the orange light of the rising sun peeking in through his open window. It reminded him of the beach. Everything sounded different, though. He heard the rush of cars outside his window, people making their way to their jobs first thing in the morning. There was construction going on a block over from where he lived, and he could hear them banging loudly. Beside him he could hear the quiet breathing of someone still sleeping. Carefully, and with some trouble he rolled to his side so that he was facing the man beside him.

There was no need to wake him, not yet. It was still early and they had plenty of time before the needed to get up and start their day. Instead, he watched him sleep. There was something about a sleeping man that made him more attractive. The sharp jaw line was more defined, the gentle eyelids more tender and the full lips, parted slightly, begged to be kissed.

Slowly, he opened his eyes to see Sungmin staring at him.

"Morning," Hyukjae said with a small smile that Sungmin returned, though he didn't say anything. Instead, he just pushed the messy blonde hair out of his eyes.

"What is it, Sungmin?"

Sungmin rolled onto his back, staring up at the white ceiling and folding his hands across his stomach.

"I had a dream."

There was a pause, not an uncomfortable one, just one where Hyukjae waited patiently for Sungmin to finish his thoughts. He knew he didn't need prodding.

"We were walking on a beach."

It was simple, yet all telling at the same time. At least, to someone who knew Sungmin better than the back of his own hand.

"Was it nice?" Hyukjae asked, rolling to snuggle up to Sungmin's side and intertwining his hand with Sungmin's.

"Very."

They lay like that for awhile, comfortable in each other's embrace as the morning light washed over them. Those were the moments that they treasured the most. The ones where they could just be, and nothing more. No work, no worries, just pure, satisfied existence relished in each other.

Sungmin was the one to break the silence.

"Help me up?"

Hyukjae didn't answer, simply rising from the bed to fetch a wheel chair that had previously stood in the corner. Hyukjae bent and easily lifted Sungmin's slight frame off the bed and placed him in the chair. As he adjusted his legs so that they wouldn't drag, Sungmin just watched him, looking down at his broken legs; ones that were forever destroyed by the impact of that crash.

He knew he was supposed to be grateful. He was alive, he was still with the man he loved and despite the weeks of having tubes shoved down his throat his vocal chords managed to make it out unscathed and he was still able to sing. But as he thought of the dream, it didn't matter. Because while there were beautiful beaches out there, ones with fluffy white sand and a sun so bright it hurt, and a beautiful man who held his hand every day, he would still never be able to walk on one with him again. And that hurt more than he would ever show.