Jongin wakes up the next morning to an email with the million dollar attachment. 

By the time Lu Han is up, Jongin is waiting for him, hotel breakfast ordered and set out.

"We found him."

"Yeah?" For someone who has spent thousands of dollars looking for his lost love, Lu Han doesn't look all that happy to have found him.

"His name is Kevin Li. He ran away from home when he was twenty to escape his familial obligations but was pulled back to Guangzhou when his family threatened to cut him out of the will." He slides a photo across the table at Lu Han. "Is this him?"

"I will recognise that face anywhere," Lu Han breathes, holding the photograph gently with two hands. 

“Good, because I got us invites to the party he’s throwing tonight.”

Lu Han sounds startled, “I will need a suit.”

The party is thrown at one of the grandest hotels in Nagoya. “Yes, you will.” Jongin almost comments on how Lu Han’s first reaction to finding his first love is his choice of attire, but instead he pulls his phone out to look for clothing stores around their area.

Kevin Li is a handsome man. It's easy to see how Lu Han could have fallen in love with him, because Kevin radiates charm as he flits around the room, greeting his guests and welcoming them to the party with a sincerity that would be hard to fake.

Zhang Yixing laughs and snakes his arms around Kevin's waist. They are obviously very much in love, from the way Kevin's fingers curl protectively around Yixing's shoulder to the way Yixing leans automatically into Kevin's embrace. When Yixing reaches up to wipe some crumbs from the side of Kevin's mouth, the glimmer of the diamond on his finger is much too obnoxious to miss.

"Let's go," Lu Han says quietly, tugging at Jongin's arm, and Jongin puts up no resistance. They slip out unnoticed, two shadows lost among a crowd of cheerful partygoers.

"I'm sorry," Jongin offers, not knowing what to say. He's usually never around for this part of the job. Usually his job ends when he hands the client an envelope of information, and he ushers them out before he sees their reactions.

Lu Han holds his head up, his eyes suspiciously wet. Still, a determined smile stretches across his face. "We have three days left in japan. Let's not waste it."

He's not obligated to play tour guide to his client. It's more economically viable to change their plane tickets and go home, but somehow it's easier to follow Lu Han's whims, especially when he looks so lost and fragile.

They end up in a small neighbourhood bar, the only customers in the store that seats no more than five tables.

Jongin tips his glass down and lets out a guttural sound at the burn. "Soju is still better."

Lu Han laughs, hiding his grin in his own sip. "You and your silly Korean patriotism. Should I start talking about how rice wine originated from China?"

Jongin points at luhan in mock anger. "You don't know that." 

They settle down into a comfortable rhythm, refilling each other's sake glasses and toasting nothing at all. 

"What were you expecting?"

"Nothing," Lu Han admits. "I needed to see the end. That's the only way I can start over.”

"I don't get it," Jongin pushes on, alcohol loosening his lips. "If you never saw it to the end, you would have retained the good memories. 

"Closure," Lu Han reminds him softly. 

"Closure." Jongin tilts his glass and watches the clear liquid slosh onto the bar top. Soju is better anyway.

Jongin looks up at the tall structure. He didn’t plan on heading here, but somehow they did. Kevin is the only thing holding them together and Jongin is grasping at straws, not knowing why he has to cling to a shattered dream, but doing it anyway. Lu Han tilts his head, bringing a hand up to shield his eyes from the sun. The glass walls of the building reflect the strong noon sunlight and draws attention to it even among a mess of buildings in the busiest parts of Nagoya.

“So, Kris- Kevin owns this, huh.”

“One day he will,” Jongin confirms. “Part of it anyway.”

Kevin’s family is the largest shareholder in the massive conglomerate that owns a good number of factories across Asia. They’re in everything from food products to real estate but are best known for clothing and footwear.

It took some convincing on Jongin’s part to nudge Lu Han into coming here. “You paid for it,” he reminded Lu Han and Lu Han had laughed bitterly.

“I paid for a pipe dream.”

“You paid for an illusion and I will complete it.”

They stand in silence until Lu Han bumps Jongin’s shoulder, impatience lining his voice. “So where to next?”

Jongin has no plans beyond the fancy building. “The port?”

They make it to the port just past lunch, just as the stream of office workers trickle back to work with their stiff ties and weary smiles.

Jongin looks at the identical brown brief bags that all the businessmen hold and exchanges a look of understanding with Lu Han. Perhaps Lu Han is imagining Kevin in the exact same suit, barking quick orders into his blackberry.

Tourist is as tourist do, so they head to the Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium. Neither of them have been to an aquarium since they were children and Jongin admits that he feels a bit silly queuing up for tickets among a sea of excited children and couples. He averts his eyes when he catches a young woman tiptoe to peck her boyfriend on his lips and feels oddly relieved to see that Lu Han has his attention directed elsewhere.

 “I don’t know Japanese.” Lu Han points to the plastic sign with a cartoon apologetic dolphin. All shows in Japanese only! Sorry!

“Neither do I,” Jongin shrugs but they purchase tickets anyway.

It turns out that language is restrictive but the joy of watching adorable dolphins wave is universal.

“A Chinese and a Korean watching sea lions clap their hands in Japanese,” Lu Han muses and Jongin would reply but when he opens his mouth, all that comes out is a shriek. 

“I’ll get you,” Jongin yells at the sea lion, who looks much too human with the mischievous twitch of its whiskers. It waddles off and slips into the water, satisfied with attracting the attention of the two distracted audience members. 

They really shouldn’t have chosen the front few rows when it’s so cold out, especially now that their clothes are drenched. But it’s okay. Lu Han is laughing openly, flicking his hair left and right to rain more water droplets on Jongin.

It’s all part of the Nagoya experience.

On the last day, Jongin takes Lu Han out without telling him where he’s bringing him.

"It's a surprise," he says mysteriously, ushering Lu Han into the train and ignoring Lu Han’s yelp of indignance.

Yamazakigawa riverside is mainly still bare, too early for the cherry blossoms to bloom. Small buds decorate the trees, with a few early bloomers defying the seasons and popping out, too eager to wait for a warmer spring. Jongin had hoped for more flowers but as he watches Lu Han staring in wonder at the trees stretching along the river, Jongin doesn’t think he minds that much.

"The flowers don't bloom until April, so we're early. I'm sorry, I wanted to show you the cherry blossoms. We'll come here again next time-" Jongin catches himself in time and stops, mortified at how far ahead he's getting. Next time?

Thankfully, Lu Han doesn’t notice his slip up. "Thank you." he tilts his head up, eyes falling shut blissfully. 

It's a scene ripped from every anime Jongin has ever seen. The pretty boy under a shower of cherry blossom petals, silhouette perfectly framed in the sunlight. Jongin is spellbound, just a shade shy of heart shaped eyes and Shoujo sparkles. Some petals settle on Lu Han’s cheek, the soft pink as smooth as Lu Han’s fair skin.

"You've-" Jongin gestures at Lu Han's face and before he can stop himself, he leans forward to blow softly at Lu Han's cheek. Lu Han's eyes flutter open and when their eyes meet, Jongin finally understands why people travel the world to recapture that one memory. 

They stand there, locked into place by a sizzling current of energy, Lu Han with his face upturned to match Jongin's taller build.

It's almost magnetic, the way they fall together. They close the gap together, not knowing who makes the first move. Lu Han's fingers reach up to curl into Jongin's shoulder blades like it's the most natural thing in the world and Jongin registers the warmth up his back before he feels the touch on his lips. Maybe it's been too long since he's had a human touch but everything feels unfamiliar and yet he's drawn in.

They kiss sweet and slow, not wanting to rush. It seems only right to savour the moment, spend time memorizing the contours of each other’s lips in this romantic setting. Scene one, end. The credits roll, the cheery music plays. And they lived happily ever after. Jongin has never been more happy to be a cliché anime.

“I’m sorry for taking advantage of you so soon after your heartbreak,” Jongin says solemnly, later as they sit curled up under a cherry blossom tree. Jongin lies on Lu Han’s lap and lets Lu Han card his fingers through his hair, softly messing up and smoothing down his bangs.

“You bad, resourceful man,” Lu Han says but it’s hard to keep up the poker face when giggles keep bubbling to the surface.

“Only the worst,” Jongin agrees and turns his head to breathe into Lu Han’s stomach, breath tickling Lu Han and making him laugh more.

"You mentioned that your first case was for yourself. Did you ever find your first love?" Lu Han asks, curiosity shining bright in his eyes. 

Jongin shuts his eyes and thinks about her, how happy she seemed with her son and the way she smiled at her husband. Then he opens his eyes to see Lu Han smiling down at him, beautiful and exquisite. There is only one answer. "I’m working on finding my next one, but I don't think I'll have to look far."

The blossoms of love don’t need seasons to bloom.