Finally the storm had passed over; there were no more sounds of thunders, no more a greyish cloudy sky or bolts frightening kids, the sun was rising again, shining in a new bright glare. The trees were moist, little drops of water dripping from its branches and leaves. The playground floor was still soaked wet, and no kids were there.

By the afternoon when the sun was in his highest and brightest place and when the kids were playing indoors, as how the sun came, a little sunshine came along with it.

Little Hyukjae was playing with his Superman doll when the sound of a door being opened and closed attracted his attention; he diverted his gaze from his toy and gazed at the direction of the sound’s source. There, next to door was a little kid, maybe just a pair of inches smaller than him, wearing black pants and a gray oversized hoodie. Long and brown haired. Little hands clutched steady at a small teddy bear and brown big eyes forming an expressive and timid gaze.

The little boy was looking down while a nurse was accompanying him.

Hyukjae got up from the floor and ran towards the kid with a smile in his face. He stopped when he was in front of the little boy; he gazed at the nurse and gave her a wink and a reassuring smile. The nurse smiled back and patted softly the scalp of the little boy before turning around and leaving the kids alone.

The little boy not feeling the presence of the nurse at his side lifted up his head a bit gazing at his left where the lady in pink uniform was supposed to be. When he didn’t see the nurse he tightened his fists even more in the teddy bear as a scared wave invaded him.

“Hi” Hyukjae said, averting the little boy from his feared thoughts. The little boy turned around facing Hyukjae with a scared look in his little face. Hyukjae smiled openly when he could have a better look of the other kid’s face finding adorable the chubby cheeks of the younger.

Hyukjae’s lips lifted upwards letting his gums being shown “I’m Hyukjae, what’s your name?” He extended out his small hand at the little boy who just gazed at his with his scared eyes.

Soon small drops began to trickle from the younger kid eyes falling on his podgy cheeks. Hyukjae felt a little squeeze in his heart at the sight of the little boy crying, he dropped to the floor the toy he was carrying in his left hand and without think he stepped forward and circled his arms around the other kid tightly.

He shushed him in his embrace, muttering sweet words like “it’s okay, don’t cry” to him. But that only made the other kid to weep more sobbing into his chest.

They remained like that for some minutes until the sobs weren’t heard. Hyukjae tried to release the boy from his hold and slowly tried to remove his arms from the fragile figure clutched to him, but couldn’t get free when little fists grabbed him from the front of his shirt attaching his body once again into him. Hyukjae smiled inwardly and embraced the little kid once again in his arms.

That’s how it all started.

Since that moment the little red threat that they were wearing in their pinky fingers began to knit its way towards the other end in the other’s finger.

Hyukjae had been living in the orphanage since his newborn stage, when he was found at the front of the main door in a carrycot wrapped in a blanket, so all his life happened in that place, in the orphanage. He doesn’t know what have parents mean, but he do know what real love is, so when little Donghae came to his life that sunny day after became orphan at the age of 5 due his parents’ death because a car accident, he didn’t know what else to do than give his love to the younger boy.

Donghae was scared, sad and lonely. He passed the storm in a hospital, alone. His parents have already passed away when the paramedics found them in the wet street that night; he was the only survivor for that horrible event. Being found carefully wrapped in his mother’s embrace. He remembered the moment when bright lights stormed in the front of the car, his father’s voice and his mother embracing him tightly, protecting him from whatever would occur in the next seconds. But most of all he remembered his parents’ last words to him, “I love you, Donghae." He cried as they uttered those last and honest words and hugged his mother tightly.

It was hard for him to wake up in a hospital’s bed alone, without his parents. Nobody said anything to him, and he never asked for his parents, because deep down he did know what happened, but didn’t want to hear, he didn’t want to believe.

Donghae didn’t know any other sibling related to him, the police and hospital could find any either, ­so when his slight injuries healed he was taken in the orphanage, where he met Hyukjae. The first kid he met, the first person that showed him love and not pity.

Hyukjae was always happy, always wearing a smile in his humane face, while Donghae was the shy kid, the private one; he didn’t talk with other kids, only Hyukjae. The few smiles that he would wear were always because and for Hyukjae, he was the light that kept him alive.

Donghae didn’t have any more sad memories or sad thoughts because whenever he was feeling the depressed emotion it was enough to look at Hyukjae giving him a smile to fight the sadden demons that wanted to hurt him.­

They were always together no matter what, day and night they would be at the side of the other, in the rainy days or when Donghae were having nightmares Hyukjae would climb into his bed and enfold him in his arms until both of them fell asleep again.

But Donghae would always felt sad whenever he saw a couple in the orphanage with plans to adopt, because he feared that some day Hyukjae and him would turn apart, when someone would come with the intention of take one of them away. Any family would wish to have a son like Hyukjae, a happy soul with a kind smile. They couldn’t take his sunshine from him.

Every day Donghae turned sad because of those visits, Hyukjae would turn around and say to him “Nobody would take us apart” give him a smile and a kiss in his forehead, and then all bad thoughts would disappear from his mind and he would smile at Hyukjae and embrace him.

Hyukjae was all he needed, and Donghae was all Hyukjae needed.

Hyukjae was often called by from the orphanage’ office director because there was more than one family that was interested in adopt him, but he always refused being adopted, he couldn’t stand the idea of being apart from Donghae. He was smart and he knew that any family would want to adopt the two of them, they were searching for only one son, not two, and of course no two that were so attached.

He would always tell them that he didn’t want to be adopted, that he was better there, and the director would always leave him, he understood his reasons and he will comply the boy wishes.

But Hyukjae never told Donghae about the times being called, because he knew that that would only depress the younger even more, but he knew too that Donghae was a smart kid that wasn’t oblivious of the situation.

The small smiles that he received from Donghae were everything he needed to keep going, because he had a goal, and he wanted a future where they could be free and together, where his love could grow and when they would be finally one.

At their teenager years everything was easier, they didn’t have to worry about the adoption matter anymore, adopting parents wanted little kids, not teenagers with raging hormones and pimples issues.

The orphanage provided them with education and teaching them a job that they could choose, in a way that when they would be of age they could easily get a job or have a way to support themselves. Hyukjae chose the carpentry workshop while Donghae chose cuisine.

They grew up together, the bond between them made from something stronger than the chromium and maintained with their love. They knew that now there was no force that could break them apart.

However one day Hyukjae woke up to the sound of little sobs, he immediately got up from his bed and ran towards Donghae’s bed, the younger was sat on the bed, his knees bent up clutched on his chest, his head buried in his knees and he was sobbing uncontrollably.

Hyukjae climbed in the space beside Donghae and brought the younger’s body towards his, kissing his scalp while swished him. Donghae just let himself cry in the arms of Hyukjae feeling the comfort that he was giving him.

He was scared, because he knew that the day when they would have to be apart would come soon, he was aware that Hyukjae was leaving soon, that he will be out, while he will have to stay there, alone once again.

Being alone without Hyukjae was his biggest fear, he didn’t know a life without him, and he didn’t think he would be able to survive without Hyukjae. Wake every morning without him, without his smile, his hugs, his kisses, his voice, the warmth from his embrace and the love in his eyes.

“Hey, why are you crying, Donghae?” Hyukjae asked and lifted his head, the sight in front of him hurt hard inside his chest, Donghae with puffy and swollen red eyes, his cheeks flustered and utterly wet by the tears he had shed, and his bangs slightly damp.

Hyukjae ran his thumbs across his cheeks wiping the tears spilled and the ones still weeping from his eyes. But Donghae didn’t say anything to him, he just looked at these soothing eyes that he wanted to cherish forever.

Hyukjae leaned forward and pecked him on the lips. Donghae closed his eyes and let being kissed, returning the sweet love-filled kiss that the other was giving him. Hyukjae pulled apart and gave him one last and short peck before he smiled at him.

“Donghae” Hyukjae tried again but got cut by the younger arms around his neck. Donghae climbed at him like a koala.

“I… I don’t want you to go…” Donghae mumbled against his neck in an almost inaudible voice while his arms tightened around him. Hyukjae frowned, no understanding what the younger was suddenly talking about, but nonetheless he circled his arms around his waist.

“What are you talking about? I’m here, I’m not going anywhere” Hyukjae replied, his words filled with tenderness. He wasn’t really going anywhere, where he could go? He won't go anywhere without Donghae anyways.

“Your birthday is next month…” Donghae whispered. Everything he has feared of was finally coming in a one month time. His Hyukjae was turning 18 and will have to leave the orphanage, leaving him there alone. This time nobody could prevent them of being apart. He knew it, that’s why he couldn’t stop himself from cry, not when he woke up from a nightmare when he was alone in a dark room and Hyukjae wasn’t at his side.

Hyukjae finally understood why Donghae was acting that way, of course he was worried and he was mad because this time he couldn’t stop their future farewell. He did cry when he wasn’t with Donghae though, he wouldn’t allow himself to cry in front of him. He had to be strong for him, to offer his shoulder and not his teary eyes to be wiped by Donghae. He knew that he was the strength of the younger, what would Donghae think if he ever saw him in a vulnerable state?

And now that he was soon to be out in the real world he was determined to fulfill his already established goal. For his future, for our future.

He rubbed Donghae’s back up and down in a soothing motion, letting him get all the warmth and love that he needed; soon he didn’t feel Donghae's agitated breathing anymore, just the calm sound of his heartbeat. He called him but Donghae didn’t respond, he pulled back and saw the closed eyes and the peacefully face on his chest, Hyukjae smiled and tucked him in bed before he himself got under the covers falling asleep at his side.

That was the first time of a routine that persisted every night.

Hyukjae always comforted him but no matter what, Donghae would still feel sad inside because he knew the day was coming, that the day after Hyukjae’s birthday he will be leaving, he had heard that the papers for his leaving were almost done, anything was in place for Hyukjae to leave. To leave him alone.

Hyukjae was smiling to him every day more than the usual, he was being more affectionate than always trying to divert him of sad thoughts, and Donghae was happy with that because it really made him forget for brief moments about the leaving.

On Hyukjae’s birthday Donghae baked a cake for him, cooking and baking were the only things aside from Hyukjae that made him happy, and the older was fascinated with his skills in the kitchen. Donghae loved Hyukjae’s expressions every time he would eat something cooked by him. It was overwhelmed the way simple details will fill his heart because of him. Donghae was glad that he could do something for the other, even more if it was the food, because he knew that something that Hyukjae loved was eating.

The cake wasn’t all, Donghae spent almost all day in the kitchen preparing the dinner for the both of them, Hyukjae insisted in help him there, but Donghae didn’t let him or anyone. He was glad that the orphanage let him use the kitchen and the ingredients to cook for Hyukjae.

When Donghae finished cooking he packed everything, except the cake, in a basket and went to Hyukjae telling him that they would have a picnic in the backyard of the orphanage. Hyukjae smiled at the idea and kissed Donghae eagerly, making him blush deep red.

Hyukjae ate everything in the basket; Donghae had prepared a variety of dishes, from curry and rice to desserts like cookies. Being the cake the last dish to eat. Hyukjae loved the cake; it was of chocolate covered by a layer of white chocolate, but the most meaningfully to him was the decorated atop of it. Drew with strawberry jelly were two strings attached together forming a heart shape in the center, our red string of fate, Donghae had said.

Hyukjae smiled at the meaning and gave him a short kiss, he felt his eyes getting teary, and that was it, he finally let his tears flow, all the emotions that he had kept inside, for joy and worry, finally dropped from his eyes.

Donghae beamed and leaned over him kissing his teary eyes and then hugged him, “Happy Birthday, Hyukkie” he chirped and Hyukjae hugged him back.

They spent the twilight and dusk hugged in the grass below one of the trees that had been one of the many witness of their love.

When the night came along with the stars they watched amazed at the starry sight, hand in hand enjoying their last night together.

“Oh! A shooting star!” Hyukjae shouted pointing at the sky, Donghae looked at the sky and indeed he saw a shooting star in his way thru the firmament.

“Let’s make a wish, Donghae” Hyukjae suggested and Donghae nodded. They closed their eyes. It wasn’t needed to say that they had wished the same. His hands tightened in the hold and when they opened their eyes they turned facing each other and sealed their wish with a chaste kiss.

The next day, Donghae spent the whole morning crying over and over again in the arms of Hyukjae.

By noon everyone in the orphanage had already bid their farewells to Hyukjae, but Donghae still didn’t want to do it, he felt that in the moment he would say ‘Goodbye’ everything would end.

“Donghae, it’s the time now” Hyukjae whispered, they were sat in the porch of the orphanage. Hyukjae already had his luggage with him, but Donghae refused to let go of him, he didn’t want to let him go, he shook his head and clutched Hyukjae’s shirt.

“I don’t want to say Goodbye” Donghae said after some minutes.

“Then don’t say goodbye,” Hyukjae rubbed his upper back, “baby, this is not a goodbye, it’s just temporary, just a few months and you will be 18 too, and I’ll be coming to visit you, I’m not leaving you alone.”

Maybe those promising words from Hyukjae were everything he needed. Yes, he knew indeed that as soon as he was 18 he will be able to go out, to be side by side to Hyukjae again, but still everything was hard and gloomy.

“Come on, get up” Hyukjae said patting lightly his back. Donghae wiped his tears-strained face with his arm and got up from Hyukjae’s lap. Hyukjae stood up and helped him to wipe his face “You are a grown up boy, you can wipe your tears by your own now” he reminded.

“Mr. Jung got me a job…” Hyukjae started, attracting the interest in Donghae who raised an eyebrow in a questionable look.

“I, I still don’t know what my working day will be, but I promise you that I will come in my free time, I’m not leaving you Donghae. I will come for you, I promise you.” Hyukjae told him, feeling the tears that were threatening to fall from Donghae’s eyes. Hyukjae cupped his face with his hands bringing him close to him, as he bounded the gap between them and began kissing him, eagerly and hungrily. Donghae kissed back and encircled his hands around his neck. They kissed for a good amount of time, neither of them wanting to pull apart, but they had to when the air was being needed.

“You have to promise me that you will keep yourself healthy, you won’t skip meals and you will try your best to not cry, okay?” Hyukjae made him promise and Donghae reluctantly nodded.

“I want you hearty the day I come for you.”

Donghae smiled between his sobs, but nodded nonetheless. “Wh-When that will be? He managed to ask, even when he did know when that day will be.

Hyukjae gave him a brief grin with glowing eyes at the same time he hold the handle of his luggage, “In your birthday it will be” he smiled with tearful eyes and gave the whipping Donghae a tight last hug, before released him and left.

And Donghae was left alone in the porch watching him go.

Donghae knew that it was going to be hard for him to be by himself in the orphanage, but he made the promise to be strong and he would do everything Hyukjae wanted him to do.

The first days were hard, he will constantly cry in the night, but Hyukjae wasn’t there anymore to comfort him.

A week passed and Hyukjae didn’t show up there, Donghae couldn’t help himself of being curled up in his bed crying for him.

At the second week he asked Mr. Jung if he knew something about Hyukjae’s absence, and the man told him that Hyukjae had been working all day until night without a day of rest, and that that’s maybe why he hadn’t gone to see him.

Donghae felt bad because he realized his selfishness, he was only worrying for himself when Hyukjae was out there working his off with no one by his side.

Since that day Donghae didn’t cry again, he made a vow to himself promising not to cry and stay stronger for Hyukjae. Maybe if he does his best Hyukjae would come to him quicker.

Hyukjae showed up by the 5th week.

When Donghae saw him in the door of the kitchen, where he usually spent all his time, he threw the spoon that was in his hand and ran towards him and climbed into him, Hyukjae carried him and swirled him around as they laughed and cried. He said sorry to him for not being able to go before, he repeated the word sorry a countless of time, but Donghae hushed him with his fingers and kissed him.

Like Mr. Jung had said he was working all day, Hyukjae explained to him what things he did in work and how the outside world was, the subway, the variety of flowers and trees, and the wonderful green park mixed with bright colors from the flowers he saw every day in his way to work, one that reminded him of his last birthday. Hyukjae was living in a hostel by the moment. And Donghae listened in detail everything he was telling him.

Hyukjae seemed happy, Donghae knew that he indeed was, and it was everything needed for himself to be happy as well.

Hyukjae visited Donghae once a week, he had finally got a free day from work and no matter how tired he was he would never fail to go and see Donghae that day. Even if he was exhausted from a hard day of work he just needed to go and see the happy and adorable face of Donghae to recover all his energy and keep going with his goal.

Time flew by. Only 5 more weeks, Donghae repeated everyday like a mantra. He didn’t remember being so eager for something. He had already started with the paperwork and was trying to get a job with the help of Mrs. Ah, his cooking teacher.

In that week visit Hyukjae looked more built, he was already forming muscle in his arms, maybe the payback from his hardwork. He told Donghae that he wouldn't be able to come in the month because he will have to work every day again, but he promised to come the day of his release for him.

That last month Donghae kept replaying in his mind all the memories he got from the orphanage, he still remembered the first day he arrived, Hyukjae smile being one of the first things he saw, the hug he gave him and the comfort that he offered, something that in that moment Donghae was needing the most, to feel the love and comfort of someone.

October 15th, the date the calendar marked.

That morning Donghae woke up with a huge smile in his face, he was a shining soul; he had prepared his luggage since the day before. He bid his farewell from everyone, even when he was a shy kid who was always with Hyukjae, and would only follow Hyukjae, there were people who always had a special spot for him in their hearts, and people whom he was grateful.

The clock marked 6 o’ clock and he was sat in one of the chairs outside the Director’s office where he would be meeting Hyukjae. 5 minutes later he heard fast footsteps coming towards his direction; he stood up abruptly and smiled when he saw Hyukjae stopping in his tracks and walked step by step to him.

“I told you I will come” Hyukjae said and embraced him, feeling an overwhelmed feeling inside.

Finally the day when they will be together again came. The day when they will be one for eternity.

Hyukjae pulled apart and gave a huge smile to Donghae; he carried the luggage with one hand and with the other he hold tightly Donghae’s hand as he dragged him out.

Donghae tightened the hold as his heart started beating faster.

They walked down the streets, Hyukjae was telling him anecdotes that had happened to him in those places, he showed him places he had visited before and things that amazed him, Hyukjae brought him to the park he talked before, and Donghae couldn’t help but being astonished at the sight. The park was indeed beautiful and he wished to spend some time there with Hyukjae.

“Where are we going, Hyukkie?” Donghae asked him when they were out of the park, but Hyukjae just shook his head with a mischievous grin on his lips.

“You will see.”

After some couple of blocks more they arrived at an apartment complex, Hyukjae was heading towards the entrance but Donghae stopped and frowned at him, “What are we doing here?” he asked, wondering that maybe Hyukjae was meeting someone there. But once again, Hyukjae answered with ‘You will see’.

They climbed up the stairs to the third floor, and followed the road of the hallway when all of a sudden Hyukjae stopped. He faced Donghae and hold his hands as he gave him one of those smiles where his gums could be seen.

“Donghae, you know that you mean the world for me, that you are everything I need, right?,” he looked straight at Donghae's eyes with a sweet gaze and lively eyes. Donghae felt lost and all drowned in that pair of orbs full of love.

“I’m so happy that we could be together once again, Happy Birthday!” Hyukjae finished and took a key out from his pocket, opened the door and pulled the younger in.

Donghae looked at the apartment then at Hyukjae, “What is this, Hyukkie…?” He looked again at the apartment and went to the big window in the side.

“Your birthday present” Hyukjae said and hugged him by behind.

“M-my what?” Donghae asked stuttering as he looked at Hyukjae behind him.

Hyukjae released him and faced him properly, “I wanted a place where we could be together, just the two of us, a place that we could call home, when we would make many memories, where we could spend our future.”

Donghae felt a tingle inside his tummy squeezing inwards, his heart was beating fast and his eyes were already glowing.

“Oh Hyukjae, do you know how happy you make me? Thank you thank you thank− ”

He was cut by the lips of Hyukjae planting a sweet kiss in his.

“Oh! There is something else,” Hyukjae halted and pulled a little blue box from his jacket pocket, and gave it to Donghae.

“Open it” he asked.

Donghae opened the little box and took out a peculiar necklace.

“It’s a locket that I made myself, it’s done by the shell of a nut, I ask Mrs. Sung a pair of photos of ourselves and put them in, so when you open it you will see me and you… I’m sorry that I didn’t have enough money to−”

“Oh shut up, Hyukjae” Donghae cut him by another deep kiss as the overwhelming feeling in him was so strong and eager and huge by all those not so little details that Hyukjae offered him.

Any of them could hide the excitement and joy that they were feeling at the moment. They were glad that fate put them together, that their pinkies could trace the line of their love, their future.

Now that they were together again, they knew that this time there will be no more obstacles in their way.

They were together, and together there wasn’t any force that could break them apart.

“I love you, Donghae.”

“And I love you, Hyukjae.”

THE END.

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A/N_  I cried a lot while writing it ;___; but I liked it. I really hope you had brought your tissues' box.
I blame Lee Hyukjae for leaving alone my fishy in Seoul and SJ not passing EMA u__u

LEE DONGHAE. 

Happy Birthday my boy. ♥

THANKS FOR READING. ♥ ~