part 12. back to where we began

February 14, 2013, 6:33 AM___
Hyukjae’s apartment___

“Pizza delivery for Lee Sungmin?”

Hyukjae groans and palms his face before shifting his narrowed gaze towards Sungmin’s form.

Sungmin quickly hands over his payment, taking the rather huge flat box of pizza into his arms before thanking the delivery boy and closing the door behind him. He flashes a guilty smile towards Hyukjae. “Well I thought it would arrive after you went out. Oops.”

“So you were planning to crash in my place without my permission and stuff yourself with pizza, surely leaving a mess for me to come home to, I see how it is,” Hyukjae glares at him half-heartedly and Sungmin laughs, his melodic voice filling the room.

“Please, Hyukjae, you make it sound so bad,” he places the box carefully on the coffee table in the living area before flopping down comfortably on the sofa and smirking knowingly at his friend. “Pretty sure you’d be too happy to even notice my mess after your date accepts your proposal tonight.”

The reminder causes Hyukjae to groan once more. “Shut up, Sungmin, we don’t know yet if I’m going to be accepted.”

Sungmin rolls his eyes before opening the pizza box, his eyes glazing over in delight as the scent of meat, vegetables and cheese makes it way towards his nostrils. “Oh, Hyukjae, you’re probably the only one who thinks there is even a chance of getting rejected.”

“But there is a chance,” Hyukjae whines and stomps his foot childishly on the marble tiles. “What if I look like I’m being too clingy or something? We’re still young after all, and most people our age aren’t ready to get married…”

“But you two are,” Sungmin shoots back, gathering a slice into his hand. “Hell, you’re just dating and you already act like an old married couple. What difference would actually getting married make?”

Hyukjae pouts in defeat, pathetically glaring at Sungmin, who happily takes a bite of his pizza. “Yah, how the hell do you even finish that thing anyway? What are you, a pig?”

Sungmin looks up at him, chewing furiously and swallowing before scoffing in disbelief. “Well I know someone else who can finish a box of pizza as huge as this in one sitting. And you’re proposing to that person soon.”

“Shut up, don’t even compare yourself,” Hyukjae shakes his head. “My baby is adorable even as a fatty, and you’re not.”

Sungmin makes a face in mock disgust. “Still not used to your terms of endearment. I think I preferred it when you called each other–”

Ding dong!

Hyukjae quickly tenses up and Sungmin sends him a smirk. “Surely, this isn’t pizza delivery anymore. She’s here, Hyukjae. And I’m eating so you better get the door this time.”

“ you.” Hyukjae says just for the sake of it and Sungmin cackles behind him as he turns to face the door, his hands shaking.

He turns the knob and pulls, and a pretty face he knows too well greets him with a happy smile.

Hyukjae smiles back.

Sora throws herself at him, laughing and squealing into his ear as she jumps excitedly in his arms. “My baby brother’s getting married! Oh my god, I’m so happy for you, Hyukjae-yah!”

“N-Noona!” Hyukjae chokes on air as he attempts to push his hyper and jumpy older sister away. “I’m just proposing! It doesn’t mean I’m actually getting married tomorrow or something! Ah, get off!”

“Oh, Hyukjae,” she pulls away from him, her hands firmly holding his shoulders as she gazes at her brother proudly from head to toe. “You look so nice. Where is the ring? May I see it? Can I try it on?”

“No! Stop!” Hyukjae wails, stepping away from her grabby hands as he hears Sungmin’s hearty laughter. “Shut up, Ming, just eat your stupid pizza!”

“Don’t be so rude to your friend,” Sora slaps him lightly on the shoulder before turning to wave at Sungmin with a friendly smile. “Thank you so much for taking care of this idiot brother of mine while I was busy at work. I promised him I’d help him with his hair and everything but since something cropped up today, I couldn’t make it on time. He wasn’t too difficult, was he?”

Sungmin chews on his pizza and swallows before answering, “Actually, he didn’t even want my help. He locked himself inside his room to fix his hair and just asked for my opinion afterwards. But I think it was good that I went here, since he wouldn’t even come out until I reminded him of the time.”

Another harsh slap lands on Hyukjae’s shoulder. “Idiot, if it wasn’t for Sungminnie, you would’ve made your date wait!”

Hyukjae grimaces at the sting, his hand rubbing his shoulder as his eyes turn to glare at Sungmin, who casually shrugs at him while taking a huge bite of his pizza slice.

“Okay, we should go before it gets late,” Sora says as she quickly casts a glance at the wall clock. She eyes Hyukjae’s attire and hair once more, reaching out to fix the creases and ruffling his hair a little before nodding to herself and deeming him good enough. “Let’s go. Bye, Sungmin-ah!”

“Ming, don’t leave a mess here okay?” Hyukjae says as Sora grips his wrists and drags him through the front door.

Sungmin merely waves them away with an amused smile, shouting out take care and good luck before he continues to devour his pizza.

*

“Remember our deal,” Sora says as she enters the passenger seat of her white Porsche while Hyukjae slides into the driver’s seat. “One scratch on my baby, and I will scratch your face.”

“Yes, Sora-noona,” Hyukjae rolls his eyes as he starts the engine. “And yes, if even a single piece of dirt gets on your precious car, I will be your slave for a month. God, why am I everyone’s slave?”

“It’s what you’re good at, honey,” Sora laughs as Hyukjae swats her hand away from his hair. “Also, no funny business! You know what I’m talking about. Trust me Hyukjae, I would definitely know if you tried something inside my car. If you two dare to taint my poor baby with your activities I’m gonna–”

“Noona!” Hyukjae practically wails as he drives the car out of the parking lot. “What the hell, we’re not going to do anything!”

“I’m just being cautious!” his sister huffs defensively. “The mental image of your pale and flat from that time I walked in on you two doing it on the couch is still very much fresh in my mind, just so you know. You’re my brother and all, and I’d seen it all when we were babies, but I don’t really appreciate seeing you like that. Luckily it was only your I saw. I don’t think I’d be able to handle it if I saw your–”

“Noona!!” Hyukjae whines, louder this time, as he feels the heat creeping up on his face. His sister just wouldn’t live that incident down, despite it being months ago. “Please! Just… stop, okay? We’re not gonna do anything. You have my word. I’ll be your damn slave for a year if we do.”

“You better,” Sora says, laughing as she turns to face the window on her side. “Now use the shortcut there. Go left after we get past the intersection so we can get to Myeongdong soon. Can’t keep your baby waiting for too long now, can we?”

Hyukjae grins, the mere thought of seeing his baby making his heart skip a beat. He thinks of the night ahead and feels a mix of nervousness and excitement filling his senses. He allows his grip on the wheel to grow tighter as he feels a dreadful churn in the pit of his stomach. The ring inside his pocket suddenly feels a little heavier, making its presence clear to his mind, and he forces the thoughts filled with paranoia away as he focuses on the image of a certain smile.

He’s going to see that perfect smile again soon, and right now, it’s all that matters.

*

After dropping off his older sister at Myeongdong (and getting another round of lecture and reminders about her precious car’s sanctity), Hyukjae is quick to turn back and rush to Itaewon, where they agreed to meet. Luckily, there is hardly any traffic, and when he arrives at the coffee shop and sees that beloved face, his adorable boyfriend sitting by the window as he talks on the phone, Hyukjae couldn’t help the wide grin turning up on his lips.

Donghae is staring at his car, a look of fascination on his gorgeous face. Hyukjae can tell he’s zoning out of his phone conversation, his thoughts probably drifting to some faraway land. He starts to pout unconsciously, and Hyukjae gets the vague idea that he must be thinking of wanting to get a gorgeous car like the one he’s currently driving. Deciding to snap him out of his thoughts, Hyukjae smiles wider as he rolls the tinted windows down, delighting in the total shock that paints his boyfriend’s face as he gives him a wave of the hand.

Donghae continues to speak into his phone, his shocked and confused eyes stuck on the still grinning Hyukjae. After a while, he hurriedly hangs up and gathers his things before rushing out of the café. With a narrowed gaze, he strides towards the passenger side of the car and enters, staring at Hyukjae disbelievingly.

“What the is this?”

Hyukjae tries not to laugh as he leans forward. “Hello to you too, baby,” he gives him a quick, loving peck as he helps him put on his seatbelt. “Surprise?”

“Surprise, indeed,” Donghae nods as he gawks at the car’s smooth interior. “What, did you win the lottery or something?”

Hyukjae couldn’t stop his laughter as he brings his hands back to the wheel to maneuver the car back into the road. He is reminded of his slavery deal with Sora and he could only shake his head in amusement, because that was definitely no lottery. “Something like that,” he says instead, unwilling to share just yet how his sister had warned him multiple times about the car. “Maybe I’ll tell you later, when we arrive.”

He sees Donghae smile from his peripheral vision. “You know, for a moment I thought car was your idea of a date.”

What the –

“I’m relieved we actually have a destination.”

“Wha – Donghae, you can’t say things like that when I’m driving!” Hyukjae practically whines, feeling his face flush as unwanted mental images flood his mind. “Do you want us to die?”

“Sorry,” he hears the cheekiness in that voice.

“God, why are you such a ert,” he mumbles underneath his breath as he wills the images out of his mind, thinking of how Sora would murder him very painfully if he ever dared to actually do something like car with Donghae in her dear Porsche. As much as the idea is very tempting, he knows he couldn’t risk it.

“It’s your fault,” Donghae says, a smile in his voice. “Where are we going anyway?”

Hyukjae is reminded of the things he has planned for the night and he chuckles, feeling the thrilling mixture of anticipation and anxiety tingling in his senses. “That is also a surprise.”

And then he sees the excited grin on his boyfriend’s face – all toothy and crooked and all kinds of perfect – and somehow, he doesn’t feel so nervous anymore.

*

“You didn’t do anything bad, did you?”

Hyukjae looks up from his food, blinking in slight confusion at his boyfriend. “What?”

“I don’t know,” Donghae shrugs, wrinkling his nose a little as he looks around the classy French restaurant Hyukjae has rented for the night. Now that the shock has simmered down, he observes the place once again, taking in the soft, smooth melody of the slow jazz music playing in the background. He eyes the elegant yet modern, high-end interior and decorations, the dim yellow lights from the chandeliers illuminating the classy paintings hanging on the wall, as well as the vases of flowers on different corners of the area, casting shadows across the white marbled floor speckled with gold. He hums to himself, giving Kyuhyun a mental thumbs up for doing a great job at designing his family’s restaurant.

“I can’t help but think,” Donghae continues, taking a small sip of his champagne, “that this could be one of those situations where you did something that would probably annoy me, and you’re too scared to tell me because you don’t want me to get mad. So you did all this to make me feel better, and probably be less angry at you when I find out what you did.”

Hyukjae couldn’t help but scoff, putting down his knife and fork as he playfully glares at Donghae. “Really, Hae? All of my saving up and hard work only for you to think like that? Is it really so unbelievable that I did this simply because I wanted to?”

Donghae narrows his eyes back at him, his own teasing smile tugging on the corners of his lips. “I don’t know, baby. I can’t trust you anymore after that stunt of yours where you took me to the aquarium and pampered me more than usual, only to tell me by the end of the day that the concert I wanted to see was sold out, and that you didn’t get to buy me a ticket when you promised me you would get me front-row seated ones.”

Groaning out loud, Hyukjae palms the side of his face as he pouts pitifully at Donghae. “You’re still not over that? I thought I was forgiven already?”

“Of course you were forgiven,” Donghae grins, his crooked teeth showing as he suppresses an urge to giggle at the adorable frown on his boyfriend’s face. “But it doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about it.”

“But baby,” Hyukjae whines as he pouts. “I swear this time I didn’t do anything. I promise!”

Donghae laughs heartily, reaching over the table to intertwine his fingers with Hyukjae’s. “I know, I was just kidding,” he gives him a tender smile. “I’m just… really surprised. In a good way, of course. Because this really is different and so much bigger compared to our simple Valentine’s date last year, and I can see how much effort you’ve put to make this a memorable night. You didn’t really have to but I’m thankful that you did.”

Hyukjae smiles back, giving his hand a loving squeeze. “I’m just glad you’re happy. I mean, you are, right? Happy, I mean? Because if you’re not, I’ll…” he trails off into laughter when Donghae nods and giggles at him. “Okay, that’s good. Though, really, it isn’t time to be mushy yet, because there’s more to come,” he waggles his eyebrows suggestively.

Raising a brow in curiosity, Donghae allows a small smirk to form on his lips as he asks, “Oh? What kind of come?”

Hyukjae cackles loudly, throwing his head back as Donghae snickers into the back of his free palm. Once he’s calmed down, Hyukjae shakes his head at his lover, giving his hand another squeeze before letting go. “Oh, Donghae. Your erted mind is hopeless.”

“Please,” Donghae snorts. “You totally meant that innuendo.”

“I did not.”

“Yes you did. You and your stupid eyebrow-wiggling implied just that exactly.”

“Implied what exactly?”

“That you were referring to that kind of c–”

“Shh!”

They bite down their urges to laugh as a waiter arrives and takes their empty plates, asking them politely if they need a refill for their champagne glasses. They decline and nod thankfully when the waiter tells them he’ll be bringing them dessert next. As he leaves, Hyukjae and Donghae exchange glances before bursting out into fits of laughter.

“You idiot,” Hyukjae says in between giggles, his eyes crinkling up and his teeth and gums showing. “I can’t believe you almost said that in front of the waiter.”

“You started it!” Donghae retorts, snickering to himself. “If you didn’t say that word so suggestively, the conversation would’ve remained innocent.”

“It would have remained innocent if you didn’t have a dirty mind.”

“Oh shut up, you know you love my erted side.”

“That, I do.”

They exchange stupid grins, ones that are filled with nothing but teeth, gums, crescent-shaped eyes, and pure adoration for the other, just as the waiter arrives with a tray. Donghae’s eyes widen, his tongue snaking out to his lips as he stares at the small round cake being placed in front of him.

“Bavarois Chocolat,” the waiter says before turning to Hyukjae and placing his dessert across him, “and a slice of Fraisier Gateau. Would you like some more champagne, sirs?” the couple shakes their heads and thank him politely, “I hope you enjoy your dessert.”

They eat in companionable ease, occasionally humming appreciatively over their desserts while feeding each other with forkfuls of their respective chocolate and strawberry treats. At one point, Hyukjae pretends to feed Donghae, making him part his lips eagerly, only to leave him hanging by bringing the tiny piece of cake back to his own mouth and chewing on it delightedly. Donghae laughs loudly, cursing at him and smacking him playfully across the arm as he pulls his own plate of cake closer to himself, mumbling about how he won’t ever share his food with Hyukjae again. He easily breaks his own will when Hyukjae makes it up to him by feeding him for real, coaxing him to also give Hyukjae a small piece of cake in return.

It’s honestly so stupid and childish. Ridiculously cheesy and sappy like some typical romantic-comedy love story between two teenagers having their first taste of adolescent romance. Surely, other people would probably want to roll their eyes and puke at the sight of them being so foolishly in love, so lost in their