Fair warning: it isn't the last chapter yet so don't expect n_n;;;;;;;

part 10. a togetherness

April 22, 2011, 6:22 AM___
Donghae’s house___

Donghae blinks blearily at the uninvited guest currently sitting on his bed, looking down on him with an adoring close-lipped smile. He rubs his eyes, thinking he must still be asleep and dreaming, and turns to bury his face into his pillow to block out the light.

His guest, however, wouldn’t have any of that, and Donghae hears a small disapproving hum before his visitor tugs at his wrist, forcing him to open his eyes once again.

“Wha-?”

“Donghae, it’s almost 6:30,” Hyukjae says in a stern voice. “Get your lazy up from bed.”

“What the hell, you’re not a dream?” Donghae mumbles incoherently, and Hyukjae raises a brow at him before a soft chuckle escapes his lips.

“Why, do you dream of me often?”

“That would be called a nightmare,” Donghae grunts before pulling his wrist away from Hyukjae’s hold and burying himself under his blanket, his mumble muffled by the fabric. “What are you doing here so early? You were already here yesterday. Don’t you have class, or that thing they call a life?”

Hyukjae scoffs, shaking his head at the lump on the bed. “So kind as always, our sweet Donghae,” he mutters sarcastically as he pokes the younger on what he assumed is his shoulder. “We’re going somewhere so hurry and get up.”

Donghae peeks from underneath the blanket, his ruffled brown hair sticking out in different directions as he narrows his sleepy eyes at Hyukjae. “Who do you think you are deciding whether we’re going somewhere or not? What if I don’t want to go with you?”

Hyukjae frowns before allowing himself to lie on the bed next to Donghae, his arm going over his best friend’s torso, as the latter squirms away.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“You know you’re my favorite pillow even way back in high school, right?” Hyukjae grins as he waggles his eyebrows suggestively. “If you don’t want to go out, we can cuddle instead.”

“Go away!” Donghae yelps as he pushes Hyukjae and hides underneath his blankets again, feeling his face flush due to his best friend’s unusual display of affection. He hears the other laugh before he feels the strong arms wrapping around his figure once again and he is pulled against Hyukjae’s warmth, his back hitting the older boy’s chest. “H-Hyukjae–”

“Shh,” he whispers, and he sounds so close that it effectively stills Donghae from his struggling. “Sorry. I’m being too much, I know. But… you’re going back to Incheon tomorrow, so I wanted to spend more time with you. Plus, I really missed this, so just let me stay like this for a little while.”

And Donghae doesn’t have anything to say anymore, because truthfully, he missed this too.

*

When Donghae comes out of the shower, fully clothed and a towel draped over his damp hair, he finds Hyukjae stuffing his clothes into a backpack. He raises a brow before sitting next to his best friend and asking, “What are you doing?”

“Preparing some change of clothes for later,” Hyukjae hums as he carefully folds a plain white v-neck shirt and places it into the backpack along with his own clothes.

“Why do we need extra clothes?” Donghae inquires.

“You’ll see,” Hyukjae grins as he zips up the backpack and turns to face Donghae, his eyes going towards the towel adorning his head. He casually takes it into his hands, ruffling Donghae’s hair with it to help it dry, unaware of the slight blush on the younger’s face as he continues, “it’s a surprise.”

Donghae snorts, the reddening on his face fading as he playfully pushes Hyukjae’s shoulder. “What the hell is up with you and surprises, huh? Is this some kind of new hobby you developed in the two years I was away?”

Hyukjae laughs, all teeth and gums, as he pulls the towel down and grabs a comb to brush Donghae’s hair. “Not really, I just felt like it.”

Donghae makes a face, backing away slightly before grabbing the comb from Hyukjae’s hand. “I’m not a kid, Hyukjae, I can brush my hair on my own.”

“Of course you’re not a kid,” Hyukjae nods before cooing mockingly, “you’re a baby.”

“Shut up.”

“Our cute, chubby-cheeked baby Donghae.”

“I’m not a baby!”

Hyukjae snickers at the indignant look on Donghae’s face before reaching out to pinch his cheek, causing the younger to yelp and slap his hand away. “Stop!”

“Okay, okay,” Hyukjae laughs, standing up and bringing the backpack to his shoulder. “Hurry up. I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

Donghae merely glares and sticks out his tongue as Hyukjae chuckles and strolls out of his room. Once he’s out of sight, Donghae exhales, suddenly feeling a strange mix of nervousness and excitement for their outing. Although he acts nonchalant, and even annoyed, he honestly couldn’t wait to find out what Hyukjae’s planning for the day.

Ever since the other night, when Hyukjae told him he’s winning him back and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, Donghae hadn’t been able to sleep well. That night, he squirmed and tossed and his bed, burying his face into his pillow and screaming into it, effectively causing his mother to knock on his door and ask him if he’s okay. Donghae told her not to worry, that he’s just frustrated over a game on his phone, and proceeded to stay quiet the entire night – all the while thinking of that kiss and feeling all kinds of fluttery and giddy, and most of all, happy.

Yes, he felt happy.

It annoys him a little – how easily he reverted to his teenage high school self. The one that blushes like a fool at every single thing Hyukjae does, the one who gets flustered and nervous and jittery over every little interaction. But he doesn’t hate it. And although there are still big question marks in his mind, pertaining to the why’s and how’s of Hyukjae’s apparent affection for him now, Donghae couldn’t bring himself to doubt his best friend’s feelings. He still couldn’t fully believe what is happening, and a part of him thinks it must be some kind of joke, but the bigger part of him is truly happy about everything so far. Hyukjae is still like his best friend – teasing, and easily pushed into their usual slavery or sea monster/primate banter, but at the same time he is also sweet, caring, and affectionate. Not that he wasn’t before, but Donghae could see the difference now. It’s as if Hyukjae is no longer caring for him only as a friend – in fact, he acts more like a boyfriend.

Donghae gasps, the word echoing in his mind. Is that what they are now? Boyfriends?

He quickly shakes his head. Of course not. First of all, Hyukjae still thinks he’s undergoing the process of winning Donghae back. Which is useless, really, because what’s there to win back when he has already claimed every inch of Donghae’s heart without even knowing?

Donghae wonders if Hyukjae knows, deep inside. He didn’t react badly when Hyukjae kissed him, and he doesn’t even try to push his best friend away when he’s being affectionate. If Hyukjae thinks there’s someone else, then he should know that this isn’t how Donghae should be acting around him.

Does he know? That my feelings never really changed?

What is he thinking?

What should I do?

It confuses him, honestly. Donghae wants to ask so many questions, and yet for some reason, he couldn’t find it in himself to bring them up, terribly afraid that he might not hear the answers he wants to hear. He figures that he should just wait for Hyukjae to talk to him about it. Until then, Donghae wouldn’t categorize this as anything else other than best friends hanging out (with some bonus surprises and kisses on the cheeks.)

Sighing, he picks his lazy off the bed, done with fixing his brown hair, and heads downstairs where his mom tells him that Hyukjae is waiting outside in the car.

What the , what car?

After giving a goodbye kiss to his mother, Donghae walks out of the house, his eyebrows knotting as he stares at the faded yellow Volkswagen Beetle waiting for him outside the gate. Hyukjae is smiling at him from the driver’s seat, greeting him with a wave of the hand. Donghae scrutinizes the vehicle as he walks around it, noting that it looks kind of old, but not battered up, and the pale finish looks like it hasn’t been polished in a long while, but it’s clean, almost as if fresh out of a carwash.

He enters through the passenger door and buckles himself up, curious eyes on Hyukjae’s shy face.

“Well,” Hyukjae grins, rubbing a palm over his nape. “I got it from my uncle. It’s old, I know. But it still runs great, and it’s good enough for getting to university and traveling when I feel like it,” he bites his lip. “Sorry. I wish I could’ve impressed you with a cooler car, but… I’m technically still a student. Which means I’m poor.”

Donghae chuckles, shaking his head in disbelief and secret adoration at Hyukjae’s bashfulness. “It looks nice. Old, but nice. Also, yellow is a nice color for you. It’s the color of bananas. Your kind’s favorite food.”

Hyukjae snorts as he starts the engine and begins to move the car out of the small parking area of the street. “How sweet of you, Ursula dearest, to be able to find a connection between me and the color of my car. Really, thank you.”

“You’re very much welcome, Rafiki,” Donghae coos in a fake sweet voice before laughing at the face Hyukjae is making at him. “Anyway, where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise, remember?” Hyukjae says, snickering when Donghae scowls at him. “Fine. I’ll give you a hint. There’s water.”

Donghae’s eyes immediately brighten in excitement. “We’re going swimming? Is that why you prepared extra clothes?” he suddenly tilts his head to the side, looking confused. “But don’t you think it’s too cold for that?”

“Well we don’t have to actually swim,” Hyukjae grins as he drives out of Donghae’s street and into the more populated area of Seoul. “I just got us extra clothes just in case. Anyway, it’ll be a long trip. You can sleep if you want to.”

Donghae chooses to talk instead of sleep, and they spend the first hour chatting about unimportant things and fighting over which radio station they should listen to based on the songs they are playing. In the end, Donghae wins, but only because he decided to sing along loudly, and Hyukjae likes to listen to his singing voice even though he doesn’t say it out loud.

Fifteen minutes into the second hour and Donghae is fast asleep on his seat – his eyes unable to stay open after being woken up too early for his liking this morning. Hyukjae feels bad that his old car doesn’t allow the front seats to recline, so he takes a pillow from the backseat and places it between Donghae’s head and the window, giving him a more comfortable rest.

It takes them two and a half more hours to arrive at their destination, and while Hyukjae wants to watch Donghae’s sleeping face like a creep, he knows they shouldn’t waste time, so he decides against it and chooses to wake his best friend up instead. Donghae easily stirs after Hyukjae shakes his shoulder, and his eyes flutter open, blinking dazedly before suddenly sitting up abruptly, eyes widening at the sight before him.

“Hyukjae, we’re at…”

“Busan,” Hyukjae grins, as he unbuckles his seatbelt and proceeds to get out of the car after shutting its engine.

Donghae follows after him, a hint of a smile appearing on his thin lips at the sight of fine, white sand, and the beautiful hues of blue that made up the glittering ocean. The nearby beach is quiet and peaceful, the waves sending water to splash gently along the shores. There aren’t many people, and Donghae assumes it must be because it’s springtime – not exactly the season for people to go on swimming outings.

Hyukjae chuckles before casually putting an arm over Donghae’s shoulder. “Now, now, I know it’s lovely, but we can enjoy the beach later. We have to fill our tummies first.”

Donghae only nods, reluctantly taking his eyes off the perfect view as he allows Hyukjae to lead him away from the beach and into the mass of seafood restaurants waiting behind them. At the sight and smell of food, his stomach suddenly growls out loud and he huffs while Hyukjae laughs at him.

“Not my fault you nagged me to go out so early that I didn’t get to eat breakfast,” Donghae mutters as they enter one of the restaurants.

“Sorry,” Hyukjae says sheepishly. “I thought of stopping over some convenience store on the way but you fell asleep. Plus, it’s better to eat here, anyway. You can stuff yourself with as much seafood as you’d like.”

“What, you’re paying for it?” Donghae challenges as he slides into a booth next to the windows for a good view of the ocean outside.

Hyukjae follows after him, deciding to sit next to him. “Yes sir, today you may reclaim the slave you didn’t have on your last birthday,” he laughs as Donghae thankfully accepts a menu given by a waitress and opens it – completely oblivious of the way she blatantly checks him out.

Hyukjae notices the girl’s stare and scoffs to himself, before proceeding to lean his head on Donghae’s shoulder, acting as if he’s only looking at the menu. He takes a glimpse of the waitress, whose flirtatious smile immediately drops.

Donghae slightly stiffens at the gesture and glances at the red hair next to him before gulping audibly and clearing his throat, a slight blush forming on his cheeks. “W-What should we order?”

“Whatever you want,” Hyukjae mumble