The cool morning breeze hit Yongguk's face as he stood out on the deck admiring the Statue of Liberty. That marked that he was officially back in New York and that he would be reunited with Himchan again. He stared at the sea green statue in awe and smiled at its beauty before walking to the other end of the deck to watch the approaching harbor come into sight, as if it were meeting the ship.

He wasn't on the USS New York this time, he was on a much smaller ship that carried mainly immigrants. Yongguk would more than likely look like one of them since he was wearing casual clothes instead of his uniform, but he didn't mind that. The navy was an old part of his life now, and the moment he was given his honorable discharge, he had been en route to New York ever since. The journey consisted of several train rides, hitchhiking and this ship, but it was all worth it. He pulled out his slightly faded photograph of Himchan and kissed it before placing it back in his pocket.

Once the ship docked, it was another half hour before Yongguk got off of it. He had lost track of time saying his goodbyes to the families and children he'd befriended. Quite a few immigrants were on that ship and he had held conversations with many. Of the ones he met, some were Chinese, others were Irish and one was Italian. They were all good people in hopes of starting anew and he could only hope they'd make it in this city. 

As he walked off the ship with his suitcase and shoulder bag in tow, he made his way through the thick crowds of people. He knew Himchan wouldn't be there to greet him so he needed to find a telephone he could use. Himchan had told him to call him the moment he'd arrived, and although it wasn't even 11 o'clock yet, Yongguk knew the other was up. It took a while for him to find a place for him to use a phone, but he managed to persuade the owner inside a hat shop to use his telephone if he purchased a straw hat.

After purchasing the hat, the owner led him to his office and told him he had five minutes to make the call. Yongguk thanked the owner and dug through his shoulder bag, pulling out a worn piece of paper that had a number on it. He dialed the number and held the ear piece to his ear as he waited impatiently for Himchan to answer it.

"Himchan Kim", the familiar voice answered at the other end of the line. It sounded full of lassitude, as if it had had thousands of other phone calls before this one. Himchan tilted his head a bit to put the handset of the phone in between his ear and shoulder, using his other hand to take out the cigarette that was in between his lips, blowing the smoke out. His eyes glanced at the clock standing in the corner of his so called 'office', wondering when the day finally was going to be over. It had been a slow day and he was tired from the night before where he had to patrol around an area the entire night to see if it'd be safe enough to build another speakeasy around there.

Yongguk grinned the moment he heard Himchan's voice and replied, "I'm back."

Himchan straightened up as soon as he heard Yongguk and it felt as if his heart had jumped out of his ribcage. He threw a look at the door to check if it was closed before answering, trying to keep his voice down. "Yongguk? You're in New York? Where you...", he cleared his throat, stumbling a bit over his words. "Where are you?"

"I'm not far from the harbor. I'm using this man's phone but I'm short for time. I'll just... meet you at the hotel? How about the hotel? I'll just wait for you in the lobby."

"Yes. Yes, hotel is good.", Himchan agreed, speaking in a rushed manner, his stomach tightening in excitement at the thought of finally seeing Yongguk again and already stood up, shoving some papers together with his free hand. "I'll be there as quickly as I can."

"I'll see you soon." He glanced at the hat shop owner as he hung up and grabbed his suitcase and shoulder bag. "Thank you for letting me use your phone," he said as he put on the *straw boater hat he purchased.

"Thank you for purchasing the hat. Don't be a stranger now."

"I won't," he chuckled as he waved and left the shop. The moment he got onto the sidewalks he hailed a taxi and told him to take him to the hotel. The ride seemed to take an eternity although it was only thirty minutes. Yongguk tossed a couple dollars in the front seat and told the cabby to keep the change before grabbing his things and exiting the cab. His eagerness was all too obvious and some of the people in the ritzy hotel gave him odd looks. He ignored them though and walked into the lobby to wait on his lover.

Himchan arrived a good quarter after. He had exited his office as soon as he could, giving a vague excuse of there being a problem in one of the speakeasies. The ride had been torturous since he couldn't ask his chauffeur to drive faster without it seeming suspicious. He finally rushed into the lobby and looked around, his first thought to look for someone in a navy uniform. His heart dropped a little as he didn't find him until his eyes fell on a man with a straw hat. He made his way closer, frowning a bit before an amused smile appeared on his lips as he finally recognized Yongguk.

Yongguk looked around the lobby and tapped his foot continuously on the pearl colored marble floor. He glanced at the grandfather clock on the opposite wall and sighed when he saw it was a quarter after the hour. He adjusted his straw hat on his head and turned his attention to the door of the lobby to see which new set of people was entering the hotel. His eyes fell on a man in an expensive looking suit and when he locked eyes with him a grin spread on his face. "Himchan..." he whispered as he sat up and grabbed his suitcase and shoulder bag. He wanted to hug him and kiss him but he knew he'd have to hold out a few minutes longer until they were safe behind the walls of the suite. He walked over to the other male and whispered, "Same room right?"

Himchan clung to the little willpower he still had after finally seeing him again after so long and hearing his voice directly and not through his memories or the phone like earlier. "Yes.", he mumbled and turned immediately to the elevator, moving quickly towards it.

Yongguk chuckled slightly at both of their eagerness. The elevator ride was agonizingly slow and it took all the willpower inside of him not to dash down the hallway to get to the suite. His heartbeat quickened as he watched Himchan pull the key out of his pocket to unlock the door.

He closed the door after they both got inside and turned to look at Yongguk, mouth opening to say something but nothing seemed to come out. He could only manage to stare at him; momentarily unable to do the things he had wanted to do earlier. It took him a moment before he finally raised his hand, taking off the straw hat from Yongguk's head.

He smiled softly once the hat was taken off and gently cupped Himchan's face. He was overwhelmed with joy and his eyes glistened, though no tears threatened to fall. Yongguk had planned in his head for months what he would say to Himchan once they reunited but he couldn't find the words. The moment felt surreal and when he finally did find his voice he said, "Saranghae.."

Himchan’s cheeks heated up at the simple Korean word, heartbeat quickening. The dangers of their relationship came back to his mind but it was too late now to step back. They were in too deep. It wasn't a simple flirt anymore - if it had ever been one in the first place. "Nado," Himchan replied softly. "Nado saranghae."

Yongguk's smile spread and he pressed his lips against Himchan's, kissing him with all the love he had in his heart. After a year-long absence he showed no sign slowing the kiss down since he had many kisses to make up for. Time seemed to stand still as he kissed his lover and he no longer felt empty or lonely. He was here in New York to stay and Himchan was here with them.

The fears of their relationship faded away as he held the man he loved in his arms and kissed him relentlessly. Arms wrapped around Yongguk's waist and the other tried to keep him as close as possible. Himchan didn't want to break the kiss but the air was running out of his lungs. He finally pulled away but kept the distance close between them, smiling as he panted softly against Yongguk's lips.

"I missed you so much." he whispered breathlessly and kissed the corner of Himchan's mouth. "I'm scared this is all a dream."

"Let's not wake up if it is one..", Himchan mumbled, brushing his lips over Yongguk's cheek lightly.

He nodded and nuzzled his nose against Himchan's cheek before he started to trail kisses along his jawline. Himchan’s head tilted a bit, eyes drooping and fingers curling into the material of the back of his vest. A content sigh escaped his lips as Yongguk’s affections continued.

Yongguk wanted to catch up with Himchan but his lips had an entirely different agenda. He wanted to stop but he had been deprived of Himchan for too long. He wasn't looking for anything ual, he was just being very affectionate to make up for their one year separation. He trailed kisses down Himchan's neck before capturing his lips with his own again.

His breathing quickened and he tightened his grip on Yongguk's vest a bit. It wasn't as if it were the first time someone had kissed him like that but it was the first time since a long time it felt as if electricity was going through him at every kiss against his skin. An unwilling soft moan escaped when Yongguk kissed him again and he pressed himself a bit more against him.

Usually if Himchan made a noise like that he pulled away but when he pressed himself against him it sparked something inside him. He wanted Himchan to make that noise again and he slowly backed him into the nearest wall as the kissing grew more heated.

A grunt escaped Himchan's lips and got muffled against Yongguk's as he felt the wall against his back suddenly, his hands moving up to his hair. Fingers slipped into his hair, gripping his locks while returning the kiss.

Yongguk pressed his body into Himchan's, sandwiching him between himself and the wall. He pulled away from his lips and buried his face in his neck, nipping playfully at the skin before kissing it. Himchan's scent, a mixture of his cologne and cigarette smoke, was intoxicating. Another soft moan tore from Himchan's throat and his blush darkened. He was a bit embarrassed at how easily Yongguk managed to make him make that sound. On the other hand he was scared of which way this might be going. The ex-sailor smirked once he earned another moan out of Himchan and he pulled away, his cheeks having a light tint of blush to them.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you," Himchan mumbled after some time, face flushed in a deep shade of red and moved a hand up to caress his lover's cheek.

"I missed you too, baby. The only thing that kept me sane was reading your letters."

Himchan smiled softly before leaning in to peck his lips. "Me too. I used to come back here every now and then.. But I've already told you that.", he chuckled and his face lit up as he remembered what he had kept in the room. "I've got something for you!” he reached out to grab Yongguk's arm, pulling him towards the bedroom.

"You didn't have to get me anything," he chuckled as he was lead to the bedroom.

"It was for your birthday.", Himchan glanced at him over his shoulder, smiling and let go off his hand when they got in the room, taking a small package from the bedside table. "I tried to keep it simple."

He smiled and took the gift in his hands. "I feel bad for not getting you a birthday gift but I swear I'll make it up to you. Cross my heart," he smiled as he marked an invisible X over his heart. He unwrapped the small package, curious to see what was inside.

"You don't have to get me anything. You being here is enough.", Himchan smiled sheepishly and watched him open it. Inside the small box was a wristwatch. The case and the hands were in a golden tone and the band was a reddish brown colored leather. His eyes widened the moment he saw it. Wristwatches had just become popular that decade and had become the new trend since pocket-watches.

"Himchan... I..." he trailed off and lightly bit his lip. He then pulled the other man into a hug and whispered in his ear, "Thank you." Yongguk had never been given a present that nice before, nor had he ever owned his own watch. He was overwhelmingly happy, not only because of the wonderful gift, but because Himchan had given it to him. Arms circled around Yongguk's waist and Himchan’s head rested against his shoulder, "Do you like it?"

"No, I love it. Nobody has ever given me anything this nice before. I'll cherish it the rest of my life.."

"I'm glad..", He leaned in and pecked the skin on Yongguk's neck lightly. "There are so many things I want to buy for you."

"I don't want you spending all your money on me. Your company is all I need," he chuckled. "I'll start looking for work tomorrow. I'm sure there are some factories that are hiring."

Himchan pulled away a bit to look at him. "I'm sure you can get a better job than working at the factory if you use your ex-navy card."

"I'll see if I can, and if not I don't mind. We all have to start somewhere, plus manual labor never hurt anyone," he chuckled. One of the many qualities that remained consistent with Yongguk was his optimism. Even starting out with a low end job wouldn't rain on his parade because he knew better than anyone that you had to start at the bottom and work your way up in life, especially if you weren't born privileged.

"I could help you get a better job."

"I don't want you going out of your way for me though. You do so much for me already and I offer nothing in return," he smiled sheepishly. "I don't mind working hard. The harder I work the better work I'll find, and then I can afford to buy you gifts and nice things too. Who knows, maybe I can start up a business. I like art and books... maybe I can open up a bookstore or an art store. Do they even have art stores?"

"I don't know... But there's the Metropolitan Museum of Art.. Maybe you could see if they need anyone there?"

"Really? Do you think they'd hire me Himchan?"

"Maybe. I don't really know what goes on there on the subject of employment but you could always go and see."

"I'll check that out tomorrow then," he smiled.

"Don't wear your straw boater when you go.," Himchan grinned softly, teasing a bit.

"Can I wear the straw boater when I'm out with you? All the dapper guys wear them."

"I don't know where you've seen those dapper guys but no."

"Why not? I paid five dollars for this hat."

"You'd only draw attention to yourself Yongguk. As if you don't do that enough with your face already."

He pursed his lips together and sighed, "Then I'll just wear it when I'm not with you. Deal?"

"Alright," Himchan nodded and pulled away, turning a bit to sit down on the bed. He raised his hands to loosen his tie.

"Will you have to go back to work soon?" he asked as he set the wristwatch and hat on the dresser before sitting next to Himchan on the bed.

"I should, yeah...," he sighed softly and leaned a bit against the other, his hand resting on Yongguk's knee. He wrapped his arm around Himchan's shoulder and kissed his temple.

"Will I be able to see you tonight?"

"Yes, I'll finish my tour earlier and come back here."

"Alright. I'll wait for you."

"I'll be as quick as possible." He rubbed Yongguk's knee lightly, sending him a soft smile.

"Take your time. I won't be overly possessive. Like I said before, I'll take whatever you can give me." He leaned in and lightly pecked Himchan's lips. He wanted to spend all day with his lover but he knew he had many obligations to uphold. He couldn't afford to be selfish or else their secret would be discovered. It was a hard reality to face but he knew what he was getting himself into. Yongguk was in too deep and he'd just have to suffer in silence the moments he wasn't with Himchan.

"The problem is that I want to give you everything.", Himchan sighed and shifted to wrap his arms around him. "I'll spend the whole night with you instead.."

"You told me you loved me back... as far as I'm concerned, I already have everything. I know I'm a sap, but it's true," he chuckled. "Miss Charlotte won't question your absence tonight right?"

Himchan chuckled and leaned in to nuzzle his face into Yongguk's neck. "She won't... Don't worry about her,” he mumbled, a sigh escaping his lips again.

"Okay," he whispered and kissed Himchan's lips again.

Himchan responded to the kiss, arms tightening a bit around his lover. Yongguk then pulled him onto his lap and hugged his waist as he deepened the kiss. His face flushed lightly as he settled on his lap, leaning against him, not wanting to break the kiss. Yongguk only pulled away when he needed to take a breather and went right back to devouring Himchan's lips, knowing that they'd be swollen after all the kisses. When Himchan finally pulled away from the second kiss, he couldn't help but laugh, raising a hand to feel his bottom lip. "You know, I can't show up with swollen lips like that."

"Do you need ice?"

"No.. It'll just delay the time I'll leave to go work.", he grinned.

"I guess that means I can't kiss you anymore then.."

"Or you could just kiss me some more," Himchan retorted.

"But then it would take longer for the swelling to go down."

"That's the point, Yongguk.."

"Oh," he laughed awkwardly. "Well in that case.." he trailed off and captured Himchan's lips in a kiss again. Himchan smiled against his lips and leaned a bit, pressing himself lightly against Yongguk's chest. He tightened his arms around the others waist and laid back on the bed so Himchan was on top. Shifting so he'd straddle his hips, Himchan tilted his head a bit, deepening the kiss. A blush crept onto Yongguk's cheeks as he felt Himchan straddle him but he continued to kiss him and parted his lips for him.

The way they were positioned, slowly sank in and Himchan shyly parted his lips as well, running his tongue over Yongguk's bottom lip before slipping it in his mouth. He stifled a groan and brushed his tongue against Himchan's as a way of telling him it was okay for him to continue. Himchan slowly rolled his tongue against Yongguk’s, placing a hand on his chest and curled his fingers in his shirt. Unwillingly, the Yongguk pulled away after he moaned and whispered, "We should stop before we both do something we're not quite ready for.."

"Y-yeah..." Himchan bit down his lip lightly and pulled away completely. "You're right." He noticed he was still straddling him and sat up before pulling him into a hug.

"I just wouldn't know how to do it," Yongguk mumbled.

"Me neither. I've never… experienced it before."

"I won't put any pressure on you Himchan, so never worry about that."

"I know," he smiled softly and reached up his hand to caress Yongguk's cheek. "I won't either. We're pretty much in the same position."

"We're both just as clueless when it comes to these types of things," he chuckled. "I wouldn't even know how two men do it together."

"Me neither.. I guess we'll figure it out when the time is right.."

"Yeah... but let’s not worry about that. This is enough for me right now," Yongguk replied with a toothy grin.

"More than enough. Kissing you right now feels like a dream," he chuckled, smiling sheepishly.

"Well it's real," he smiled and kissed his ear. "I'm real, this is real, and I'm here to stay."

Himchan tilted his head to kiss his cheek, smiling widely. "Yes. It's finally real again."

"I'll kiss you every chance I get to make up for this past year," he grinned.

"That'll be a lot of kissing then."

"I'll give your lips a break for now though," he teased.

Himchan chuckled and pecked Yongguk's cheek softly. "Alright."

He sighed happily and buried his face in Himchan's neck again. "God I love you..." he mumbled and squeezed him. Himchan’s heart skipped a beat, a foolish grin spreading on his lips as he replied, "I love you too, Bbang."

Straw boater hat: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/static/v1.0/ic/iclarge/historyworld-webapp/user/b/bbcstockwood/object/HQur3W6ZQQ2YlO2Ikqityg/asset/1

A/N: Thank you all for your never ending patience and support! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that we didn't disappoint you.