This was stupid.  Looking around the restaurant from the vantage point of the waiting area –again – was not his idea of a good time and he couldn’t believe he’d let Himchan talk him into even considering it.  Daehyun exhaled in irritation and roughed his messy black hair up, feeling it settle back into place easily as he looked around, eyeing the couples and families that sidled past him now and again.

                Just because he’d recently gotten out of a relationship didn’t mean he needed to get right back into another one.  He certainly didn’t need help finding someone else either.  But really, when Himchan had his mind set on something, it was easier just to go along with it.  That or he would have been in for hours of pouting expressions, subtle comments, and not so subtle hints of how disappointed the elder male was.

                Why did he have to be early?  Oh right.  Himchan.  Again.  Aggravating, meddlesome friend.  He felt more like his mother some days…  And the description of tall, cute, and nice did nothing to help him get a better idea of who he was looking for.  Glaring at his watch, he chewed his bottom lip impatiently and slouched where he sat, quietly shushing his grumbling stomach which insisted on reminding him that food was nearby and he hadn’t eaten dinner yet.

                He was just about to blow the whole thing off and get food by himself when someone hesitantly called his name.  “Daehyun?”

                Looking up in surprise, Daehyun had to straighten and then tilt his head back further to get a good look at the young man standing in front of him.  “Yes?” he responded just as uncertainly, brown eyes narrowed as he inspected the boy.  “Do I know you?” he asked, wondering how in the hell this kid knew his name.  Wait a minute…

                “Thank goodness it’s you,” the boy grinned, blinking nervously under the fall of curly blond hair that sat atop his head.  “I was going to feel pretty dumb if you weren’t him,” he explained, swallowing audibly.

                “You’re Junhong?” Daehyun asked as he got to his feet, feeling even more uncomfortable when he straightened and found himself still considerably shorter than the kid.  God, he looked like a baby…

                Immediately, the blonde became even more nervous and uncertain at his tone and nodded before he appeared to gather his courage and stuck his hand out in greeting.  “It’s nice to meet you!”

                With a glance at the large palm, Daehyun conceded that he was being just a little childish and mentally sighed as he reached out to accept the gesture.  Junhong’s hand was warm and soft, the long fingers wrapping around his comfortably in a grip that was just right.  Go figure.  “Thanks,” he finally smiled, looking into the slowly relaxing face with bright, innocent eyes.  “You’re right on time,” he explained with a glance at his watch to see that it was two minutes to seven.

                “Ne!” Junhong chirped in response with an enthusiastic nod.  “I didn’t want to be late!  That and Himchan called to make sure I was on time,” he admitted in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his neck with a sideways grin.

                Daehyun snorted with amusement and laughed.  “Sounds like Himchan.”  The awkward exuberance was mildly infectious and Daehyun found that even if he was still annoyed with his friend, it didn’t feel right to keep taking it out on Junhong.  “So.  Ready to grab a seat?” he asked, nodding towards the hostess so they could put their names in.

                “Ne!  I’m starving,” he laughed with a delighted grin, patting his stomach with one hand.  “I was so nervous earlier I couldn’t eat.”

                “Not me,” Daehyun chuckled with a confident smirk.  As if that would ever happen for him.  He could eat anytime, anywhere, and he was more than ready now, but the response made him smile that much more as he put their names in and grumbled about the expected wait time of fifteen minutes.  Didn’t they know he was hungry?  With a noticeable degree of awkward tension between them, the duo took another seat on the cushioned benches and kept exchanging glances, not entirely sure where to start off.

                The general din of noise from the rest of the patrons around them and the restaurant as a whole kept them close just to be able to hear each other and it was odd but nice to feel Junhong’s knee touching his lightly.  They started on a safe topic, Himchan, and went from there.  Apparently, the younger male knew him through his older sister’s best friend who worked with Himchan.  He and Daehyun were temporary roommates until he could find another place again since he’d been living with his previous boyfriend before the breakup.  Cheating bastard.

                “What a jerk!” Junhong gasped in righteous outrage, clearly upset for Daehyun’s sake.

                The knee-jerk statement made Daehyun laugh and he nodded in agreement.  “Ne.  He was really.  But charming,” he admitted with an annoyed curl of his lip and a roll of his eyes.

                “Yeah, but you don’t need someone like that in your life though,” the blonde assured him earnestly, smiling down at the shorter male.

                “I can’t argue there,” Daehyun agreed in a dry manner, perking up immediately when his name was called to announce their table was ready.  “Oh!  That’s us!” he hopped to his feet, ready to rush after the hostess.  He paused just a hair to look at his companion, blinking at him once.  “But damn you’re so much taller than me,” he exhaled in amused annoyance.

                Junhong shrugged helplessly and bent his knees just a touch, making him appear slightly shorter.  “I can shrink some if that would help?”

                “Stop that,” Daehyun chided automatically as he gave Junhong a very light smack on the arm, chuckling as he did so.

                “Hey!” the younger boy laughed, holding his hands out defensively in case he tried it again.

                “If you’re tall, you’re tall,” he shrugged, though it was clear he wished he wasn’t quite so short in comparison.  “Just… don’t get any taller and we might be okay,” he pointed a finger at Junhong accusingly, eyes narrowed in intense observation before he had to laugh, unable to hold up the façade.

                “I’ll try not to,” Junhong grinned, blinking quickly again.

                “Good.  Now come on,” Daehyun urged, waving the taller boy to follow him as he got a bead on the hostess.  “Food and cheesecake await!” he announced, already imagining the delicious, creamy, sugary substance melting in his mouth.  It brightened his entire perspective as they were seated at a small, two person booth.  He’d always considered them couple booths and the thought was weird since they weren’t one, but it was a date…  Ah well.  The bigger question was: What did he want to eat?

                When he wasn’t irritated by a lack of food and having to wait to eat, Daehyun found he was much more inclined to be charitable to his young friend.  He nearly fell out of his seat when he realized that Junhong was still a minor, though barely since he’d recently turned seventeen, and he promised he was going to beat the crap out of Himchan later, but the boy was good company and very easy on the eyes.  God he felt like a ert even thinking that about him but he was ridiculously easy to get along with; not to mention his voice was pleasant to listen to with a soft, deeper tone he found himself nodding along to as he ate in quiet contentment.

                Come to find out, Junhong was just finishing high school; he was most of the way through the first semester and was set to graduate in May of the following year.  When he wasn’t out skateboarding and having fun, sometimes snowboarding in the mountains when his parents took him over the winter, he was looking for a possible job since college wasn’t on the docket.  He wasn’t sure about what he wanted to be, other than a professional extreme sport’s enthusiast, but he didn’t seem too concerned either way.  Daehyun had to admire that almost stubborn determination to be happy, no matter what Junhong was going to end up doing.  It was refreshing and he realized he was beginning to genuinely like the kid.

                He was slightly awkward, smiled a lot, and could hold up his end of the conversation in a very enjoyable give-and-take exchange of words.  Not to mention that while he put away his fair share of food, he let Daehyun finish the appetizer and even offered some of his meal since he had never tried it before.  It meant automatic bonus points since he was willing to share his food, though he gave Junhong a mild glare at the accompanying comment.

                “Maybe it’ll help you grow too,” he admitted, gasping in the next moment when he realized how that sounded before he ducked his head in embarrassment, the tips of his ears turning red.

                “You’re lucky I like you,” Daehyun mumbled around another large bite as he pointed at the younger male, almost immediately placated by the savory morsel.

                “Really?” Junhong asked when he looked up in hopeful surprise.

                Still chewing, Daehyun swallowed first and grudgingly added on, “At least a little bit.”

                “Yes!” the blonde cheered, laughing as he covered his mouth with his hand when their waitress returned to their table with the long awaited dessert item in tow.

                “Oh!  You’re amazing!” Daehyun grinned, accepting the plate with his eyes locked onto the dessert.  He noticed the waitress smile in his periphery as if the comment was for her before he registered that she asked something and was just a happy when Junhong responded with some answer that sent her away.  When she was gone, he finally pried his eyes away to look at his companion and he pointed to his food, whispering, “I was talking about the cheesecake.”

                It took him a moment, but Daehyun grinned devilishly when Junhong understood what he was referring to, mouth dropping open at the comment as his eyes widened in his face.  He laughed in disbelief and shook his head.  “I guess you really like dessert,” he spoke, glancing between the first missing bite and Daehyun’s blissful expression.

                “If I could marry cheesecake, I would,” Daehyun sighed with a contented hum, completely happy as he stuffed more food into an already full belly.  There was always room for more though!  “What?” he asked when he was mostly finished and realized that Junhong had been watching him unobtrusively around their very distracted conversation, clearly entertained.

                “Nothing,” he replied automatically, sitting upright so his chin wasn’t resting in his palm anymore.  At Daehyun’s skeptical look, he added with a slight amount of awe, “I’ve just never seen anyone enjoy food as much as you.”

                “Best.  Thing.  Ever,” Daehyun nodded, pointing his fork at Junhong to emphasize each word before he scooped up the last bite and promptly made it disappear.

                “I’ll take your word for it,” Junhong grinned, draining the last of his soda with a long gulp.

                Finally finished and more than happy with the way the evening had turned out, Daehyun pushed away the clean plate and slumped into the booth further.  “This was fun,” he admitted, blinking lazily at his younger companion who appeared genuinely happy about the comment.

                “I think so too, hyung,” the blonde responded, pausing with an uncertain expression when he realized what he’d said.

                Daehyun debated giving him a hard time about it and then mentally rolled his eyes.  He was in too much of a good mood and the kid was pleasant enough to be around.  He waved off the comment and gave a lopsided grin, “Maybe we can do this again sometime.”

                Much relieved, Junhong leaned forward with both elbows on the table and nodded, “I would like that.  Did you pick the restaurant?”

                “Nah,” Daehyun waved, sitting upright so he could mirror Junhong’s pose with his elbows on the table.  “Himchan.”

                “Ah.  Well, maybe next time you can choose,” he suggested, gesturing fluidly with his hand.

                “We’ll see,” Daehyun replied, a half-hearted wink making Junhong flush lightly.

                When the bill arrived, they agreed to split the cost though Junhong paid for the appetizer and Daehyun took care of the dessert.  Walking close together, Daehyun allowed his companion to lead the way, following easily in his wake as the crowd parted for the young giant, and smiled graciously as the door was held open for him.  Together, they drifted to the side so they were out of the way of the other diners and shuffled in place under the overhead streetlamps in the evening atmosphere.

                “Thank you for tonight,” Junhong smiled, extending his hand in gratitude.

                “Eh.  It was better than I thought it would be,” Daehyun admitted, accepting the gesture before they exchanged an awkward and uncertain, friendly hug that made them both laugh at themselves.  “We at this,” he snorted as he scratched the back of his head, making black strands flutter in the breeze.

                Junhong reached out reflexively to smooth the stray locks back into place, bowing as he brought his hands to his chest.  “Sorry!”

                “I’m supposed to be doing that to you, brat,” Daehyun chuckled, clapping the younger male on the arm with his hand.  Obligingly, Junhong tilted his head closer and Daehyun ruffled the curly, blonde locks mischievously instead.

                “Yah!” the younger male yelped, grabbing his head with both hands in a defensive manner while he stood upright.

                “Don’t even pretend,” he snorted, reaching for his phone in his back pocket, eyeing the taller boy from under his long lashes as his lips pulled into an amused smirk.  Laughing, Junhong mirrored Daehyun’s action and they exchanged numbers with the intent to hang out later, going their separate ways as friends.

                After Daehyun soundly berated Himchan for setting him up with Junhong, a minor no less, he did however get up with the younger male just to relax since, if nothing else, he enjoyed his company.  One ‘hang out’ session turned into another and another and Daehyun soon found it increasingly difficult to keep considering the young man as just a friend.

                “You’re falling for him, Dae,” his best friend of over six years chuckled on the phone when he called to voice his concerns again, which was something he’d been doing more and more often of late.

                “Am not!” Daehyun retorted immediately while he sat up on his bed and glared ahead as if he could spear Youngjae with his gaze from afar.

                “If you say so,” Youngjae responded flippantly, clearly not convinced.  “,” he teased with obvious delight, laughing at Daehyun’s garbled, outraged response.

                Grumbling under his breath, Daehyun frowned and roughed his hair with his hand in agitation.  “I already told you, Jae.  He’s just a friend,” he reiterated firmly, as if he was trying to convince himself as well as the other male.

                He continued to fume when Youngjae laughed at his statement, and then frowned as the subject was abruptly changed.  “So.  You managed to find a new place to stay then?”

                “Ne,” Daehyun groaned, reluctant but grateful to let the conversation slide.  “It’s a little pricier than I was hoping for but the area’s nice,” he explained, his thoughts still drifting back to Junhong despite the topic shift.

                Youngjae hissed in sympathy and added, “Sorry I couldn’t help you out, Dae.  My roommate would have killed me if I tried to back out of the lease,” he explained again.

                “Pansy,” he grinned back, laughing at Youngjae’s indignant response.  Their conversation continued on but once more, Daehyun remained unsettled about Junhong and he personally didn’t know whether he should thank Himchan or hurt him for introducing the pair.

                Junhong was unfailingly cheerful, even if he did come off as more tired than usual sometimes, which the younger male was always quick to wave off.  His defense was usually that he hadn’t slept well or was fighting some sort of cold, which was understandable enough since he was finishing up his senior year of high school.  Things were definitely getting busy for him and Daehyun knew how hard he worked to make sure everything would be good by the end of the semester.

                Even more gratifying, despite Daehyun’s sometimes caustic nature, which he admitted to on occasion, Junhong never took offense to his potentially sarcastic attitude.  At least not for long.  And even if the young giant was considerably taller than him, he didn’t make Daehyun feel short since he was always aware of their difference.  It wasn’t uncommon for Junhong to reach for something that was just out of range for his companion without ever needing to be asked.  All it took was a look, and for someone like Daehyun, it meant more than he could easily put into words.

                Ironically enough, he realized he really liked the kid when he actually offered him a bite of his cheesecake at the tail end of one of their regular dinner gatherings near the end of the spring semester.  Take-home was nothing terribly special, but it was a considerably more relaxed environment than a typical restaurant and since Daehyun had the apartment to himself, they both enjoyed retreating to the enclosed space just to chill.  At least it was better than being at home under the watchful eyes of Junhong’s parents, if nothing else.

                Seated beside each other on the couch, there was plenty of room to spread out but Daehyun stationed himself directly next to Junhong, so close that their knees brushed when either shifted.  The remnants of dinner were spread over the coffee table and he had his container of cheesecake in hand, gaze flickering between Junhong and whatever movie was playing on the TV.  He knew it was something they’d both chosen but he couldn’t recall it because he was having a hard enough time thinking straight anyway and the damn butterflies in his gut wouldn’t leave him alone.

                He jerked in surprise when Junhong gasped and pointed at the screen, “Oh watch!  This part’s really good!” he exclaimed, turning to beam at Daehyun to make sure he was paying attention.

                Dutifully, Daehyun shifted his focus to watch the chase scene play out amidst a rain of bullets and explosions on all sides.  It was really entertaining but he became acutely aware of the fact that Junhong’s fingertips were resting lightly against his outer thigh, the contact apparently accidental but incredibly effective.  He was sad when the younger boy shifted, directing his attention back to his companion when the scene was over, though a perplexed expression crossed his face as he glanced down at the forgotten dessert.

                “Is it not very good this time?” he asked, nodding towards the partially eaten slice.

                “Huh?” Daehyun blinked, following his gaze.  Well that was different…  He really had forgotten about it.  “No.  It’s very good,” he rushed to assure the blonde, taking a hasty bite.  Chewing, he his lips and offered a bit to Junhong.  “Wanna try?” he asked, not sure if he should feed him or just give him the fork…

                “Yes please,” Junhong grinned, solving the dilemma by gingerly guiding the fork to his mouth while Daehyun was still holding it so he wouldn’t have to relinquish the utensil.  Humming in delight, he laughed and nodded emphatically as he covered his mouth with his palm so he could speak without being too rude.  “It’s very good.  Thank you.”

                “You’re welcome,” Daehyun responded warmly, eyes crinkling with affection as he finished it off and set the container aside, settling back into the couch and leaning a little bit harder against Junhong, happy for his presence.

                “Oh.  Do you need more room?” Junhong asked, glancing down in concern when he felt the slight change.  “I can move-”

                “No,” the elder responded immediately, placing his palm on top of Junhong’s thigh to hold him in place.  Looking up, he swallowed the lump in his throat and ignored the hammering of his heart in his chest.  “You’re fine, Junhong,” he murmured, offering a reassuring smile as he searched the bright, brown eyes before him.

                “O-okay,” Junhong smiled with a fairly blinding expression, his innocent face lighting up in almost childlike joy, the pale complexion colored by just the hint of a flush in his cheeks.

                Daehyun thought it might have been just him and reading too much into the nervous tension in Junhong as he shifted in place uncertainly, but then he saw the younger boy’s eyes flicker to his lips.  Before he could convince himself otherwise, he reached up with his right hand to catch Junhong behind the neck and gently pulled him closer as he leaned forward to press their lips together in a tentative, hesitant kiss.

                Junhong froze and searched his face with eyes filled with hopeful confusion before he slowly pulled away just enough to speak, their faces still so very close.  “Daehyun?” he whispered, his breath ghosting over Daehyun’s lips in the process.

                “Will you go out with me?” Daehyun asked instead, ignoring every other irritating distractor that popped into his head.

                Breathless, Junhong simply stared back at him for a long moment, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  Daehyun could see that he wanted to say yes and he rather wished he would since his stomach was starting to knot in nervous fear that he wouldn’t…  “Are you sure?” Junhong murmured in response instead, chewing his bottom lip as he held very still but didn’t pull away.

                “Of course,” he lied immediately, since his mind was a veritable battlefield of arguments about why he was being stupid or not.  “I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t,” he smirked, mentally shoving his doubts off an imaginary cliff for the moment.  Likely, they’d crawl back up later but he didn’t want to mess with them right now and Junhong’s resultant smile was reward enough, even if the question itself was a little bit odd.  Granted, it didn’t matter in the least when he got his response.

                “Ne!” Junhong gasped, practically throwing himself at the older male with an exuberant hug that sent them both falling to the side with the younger male on top and a slightly confounded Daehyun pinned beneath him.

                Daehyun tried and failed to fight the automatic flush that took over his face.  “Erm…”

                “Sorry!” Junhong gasped in apology before he scrambled back to an upright position and hurried to help Daehyun, leaving his hands in place to steady him with ease.

                He had to laugh when he saw the nervous panic on Junhong’s face.  “It’s alright, Junhongie,” he promised, patting the nearest thigh again before he leaned in to plant a chaste kiss upon the pale cheek.

                “Thanks Daehyun…nie?” Junhong murmured bashfully, ducking his head and hunching his shoulders like a child.

                Warmed and pleased by the response, Daehyun didn’t say anything else but he did lean into Junhong again, carefully grabbing one of his hands to hold as he resolutely focused on the movie once more.  “You’re so cute when you’re embarrassed,” he couldn’t help but tease with a sidelong glance at the younger male.

                Junhong groaned quietly beside him and murmured, “Hyung…”

                Daehyun simply laughed and shook his head, but he paused long enough to just look at his newly confirmed boyfriend’s profile.  He was cute, though there was so much more to him than just an attractive face and while he had no idea where this was going yet, he was glad for the chance to find out.

                After they became a couple, it felt natural to Daehyun and he had to wonder why he ever questioned it in the first place.  Though Junhong was young, he often times seemed much older in his responses and his outlook on life was infinitely more positive.  Daehyun was critical by nature and Junhong balanced him perfectly, accepting life for what it was everyday.  He was more than willing to say as much to anyone in his circle that asked too.

                “So!” Yongguk laughed when he stopped by to check on Daehyun at his new place, eyeing the interior with interest before he focused on his younger friend.  “Channie tells me that blind date panned out,” he grinned, the gummy expression dominating his face.

                Daehyun’s brow quirked at the comment and he crossed his arms over his chest, annoyed but pleased at the same time.  “And?” he prompted when the older male didn’t say anything further.

                “And I’m happy for you then,” he nodded, reaching out to clap Daehyun on the shoulder with a firm grip, tipping the edge of his hat up to see him better.  It was the only thing keeping lengthy strands of black hair out of his face in the meantime.

                “You need a haircut,” Daehyun snorted with a gesture towards the locks but he smiled at last and nodded.  “Thanks though.”

                Yongguk shrugged at the comment and looked at the younger boy, expression sincere.  “So you really doing alright then?”

                It was a bit of a struggle but Daehyun managed to curb the immediate, knee-jerk response to roll his eyes.  The last time they’d really spoken at length was just after the breakup since Yongguk’s job often had him disappearing for indefinite periods of time, depending on his project, a fact which his wife Luna very much disliked.  “Ne.  I’m really alright,” he admitted with a genuine smile.  Himchan had been quite worried about him after the breakup since, admittedly, Daehyun hadn’t taken it well at all.  And Yongguk was usually the one to come in and make sure he was good; sort of like a pseudo father figure that bled over from their high school days.

                “That is good to hear, Dae,” Yongguk chuckled in his absurdly deep voice, stepping forward to embrace the younger male in a congratulatory hug.  “So.  Do I get to hear about this young man at all or are you going to leave me in the dark?” Yongguk prompted, stepping back to hold Daehyun at arm’s length as he eyed him knowingly.

                Daehyun couldn’t help but beam at him with a giddy expression before he dropped his head in mute embarrassment as a slow flush crept into his cheeks.  “I guess I can fill you in.  This time,” he conceded with a nod, waving the older male in before he shut the door so they could converse further.

                Not too much later after that, Daehyun was excited to be able to attend Junhong’s graduation ceremony that spring.  He was grudgingly accepted into the younger boy’s family as his boyfriend, though his father still had some definite reservations about the age difference and Junhong’s mother appeared happy but strangely tense.  He chalked it up to her baby graduating, and he finally got to officially meet Junhong’s protective older sister, Jieun, who gave him a friendly, warning glare before she started grilling him with nosy questions.  Junhong rescued him before long, chiding his sister for being too protective, and whisked them off to hang out with his friends.

                Even better, Daehyun got to see Junhong interact with Jongup, his best friend who had graduated high school the year before him.  They were ridiculously adorable together and if he hadn’t been so certain of his position in Junhong’s heart himself, Daehyun might have been jealous.  As it was, Jongup was so easy going and so clearly nothing more than a friend that it was nigh on impossible to even think about worrying.  And quite frankly, between the two of them, Daehyun would say he was the better choice for a boyfriend, though he’d never say as much to either of their faces.

                After graduation, when Junhong was looking to get out of the house, Daehyun managed to help him find a job and a place to stay.  The latter was easy if only because he personally wanted someone to split the rent with and it was just that much better when it was his boyfriend.  It was slightly selfish, he knew, but having Junhong closer and around more often was something he wasn’t going to pass up that easily.  He honestly didn’t know how he did it but the younger man’s smile could brighten his entire day, even if it was sometimes a bit strained or forced.

                “What’s wrong?” Daehyun asked after another such smile on one of his more tired days where Junhong appeared pale and worn out.  He gently sat down next to the taller male as he reclined on the couch, watching television after his shift at work.  “You look beat,” he commented, though worry jaded his eyes despite the attempt at levity.

                Junhong took a deep breath and grabbed Daehyun’s hand, cradling it close to his chest as he smiled up at him, the expression tender.  “Nothing.  It’s just been a long day,” he explained, the tone slightly sad.

                Daehyun traced the blonde curls out of his boyfriend’s face and cupped the back of his head with a tender expression lighting up his visage.  “Do I need to go down and kick some sense into somebody?  I can’t have them working you to the bone now,” he chuckled, carding his fingers through the soft strands.  “That’s my job,” he teased with a playful wink.

                The younger man laughed softly and shook his head, blinking with tired eyes up at his companion.  “It’s fine, Daehyunnie.  Nothing you need to worry about.  I just need to rest is all,” he explained, his grip tightening around Daehyun’s hand.  “You know how I get when my anemia acts up,” he sighed dismissively.

                “If you say so,” Daehyun responded with understandable skepticism, not at all happy about that development.  It never sat well with him, never mind it didn’t happen all that often.  But it certainly explained Junhong’s tired spells in high school before he was officially diagnosed.  “I still think the doctors should be able to do more for it,” he muttered in irritation.

                Junhong nodded in agreement and managed a warmer smile.  “I know, Dae.  I wish they could too,” he admitted in a quiet voice before he pressed the back of Daehyun’s hand to his lips in a gentle, warm kiss.

                Daehyun smiled with a slightly furrowed brow and bent over to kiss Junhong’s forehead for a long moment before he looked into his eyes as his thumb gently the blonde curls.  “Get some rest, baby.  I’ll be right here if you need anything,” he promised, closing the distance to kiss the waiting lips before him, smiling into the exchange.  Junhong nodded in mute agreement and curled onto his side further, cradling Daehyun’s hand close as he shut his eyes to do just that.

                Those rare moments aside though, things were generally fine as the months progressed.  They weren’t perfect by any means with their fair share of disagreements, but Daehyun was coming to realize that despite their flaws, of which he was increasingly having a harder time finding in the younger male, he really cared for Junhong.  It was probably safe to say he was falling in love with him, which was what made it even harder to see the usually vibrant, positive youth laid low some days by his accursed anemia.  ersely, he rather wished it had been nothing more than a lack of sleep or an oncoming cold as the younger boy used to tell him.

                For all that Junhong was usually an open book, it felt as if there was something he wasn’t telling Daehyun though.  And no matter how often his boyfriend assured him otherwise, there was a niggling sense of doubt sitting in the back of his mind that told him he was hiding something.  But short of forcing the issue with another stupid argument, Daehyun held his tongue and conjured a smile he often didn’t feel to match Junhong’s.  If it was something major, Junhong would tell him, wouldn’t he?  He was just being nit-picky about not knowing something, right?

                Curled up together on the couch after another long day of work in their second year of being together, Daehyun braced Junhong against his chest with the younger male’s body between his legs and his arms wrapped loosely around the relaxed torso.  He rested his lips against the soft locks of hair and rubbed his thumb in small circles on the back of Junhong’s hand where their fingers were threaded together.

                The dishes from dinner were still sitting unwashed in the kitchen and he would get to them later but for now, he was simply enjoying Junhong’s presence as he practically napped against Daehyun.  When his boyfriend stirred to make himself more comfortable, nestling further against Daehyun, the older male smiled and whispered, “I love you, Junhongie.”

                He wasn’t sure if the younger male had heard him or if he’d get a response back, but his heart soared all the same when Junhong replied in a sleepy but warm voice, “Love you too, Daehyunnie.”  His fingers tightened around Daehyun’s hand and the elder male took a deep breath before he hugged Junhong closer and turned his attention back to the movie.