Chapter 2

A year later:

Minwoo cuddled against Eric’s chest and made out with him like they hadn’t seen each other for couple of weeks. It had been difficult for Shinhwa ever since Dongwan left, but Eric dealt with the situation like a boss. He negotiated with tabloids and held press conferences to make sure that everything was fine between Shinhwa members, but Dongwan just needed some time off due to personal issues. And that is why Shinhwa would delay album making.

Eric had assured that everyone was still friends.

Ever since the night he had slept next to Minwoo, Eric had grown a special bond between him and the main dancer. Months later that bond escalated to love and the two started dating. Not much asking permission from the rest of the members. Though what could they do when the two obviously were in love with each other more than they had even thought?

“I love you Minwoo.” Eric murmured and searched for the already swollen lips. “I love you so much.”

Minwoo smiled and pecked the leader. “I love you too.” He whispered and snuggled closer.

Eric put his arm around him and squeezed him, closing his eyes to let the moment reach his deepest souls. Minwoo relished the warmth and absorbed it, letting his heart beat wonderfully to the husky voice of the man he had been in love with for a year now. Even silence between them was perfection. They did not need words to express how much they wanted to be there and just think of nothing.

Neither of them recalled Dongwan.

                ***

The fingers laced together as Minwoo and Eric were walking on a street. It had been in the news that the longest-running idol group Shinhwa had finally made it and there was a couple amongst them. Some of the magazines had even made speculations that Dongwan had something to do with that. It wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t right either.

“Would you like to have something to eat?” Eric asked.

“Sure. At Gaepan?” Minwoo responded.

“Nah…I was thinking…something more romantic.” The leader blushed and pointed his head at the restaurant, he had blindly led Minwoo to.

The main dancer gasped and let his eyes glow of happiness as he nodded and jumped onto the neck of his boyfriend. After years of friendship and a year of dating, Minwoo still could melt his heart with such a gesture. Minwoo pulled off and was about to enter the restaurant, when Eric drew him back by the wrist and pushed him against the street lamp, claiming his lips passionately. Minwoo’s arms went around the neck and his lips answered the frantic kiss as he almost started to remove his jacket.

“As much as I wanna do you now,” Eric moaned. “We need to make it to our reservation.”

                ***

The dessert was brought to the table and Minwoo stared at it with delicious eyes. Eric ogled at his lover and smiled when Minwoo stuck his fork into the strawberry cake and initiated to eat it tastefully. The leader could not take his eyes away from him. Especially when Minwoo put a piece of the cake into his mouth and he stopped chewing.

Eric raised his eyebrows when Minwoo put his two fingers into his mouth and pulled out something as shiny as his boyfriend’s eyes. The main dancer looked at the thing and felt his heart beat getting much more painful and slower than before. He was feeling panicky all of a sudden.

“Before you say anything,” Eric said. “I know it’s soon and we’ve not dated long enough, but I am sure Minwoo. I am so sure that I am willing to do this. I love you. I…I will not expect anything from you and I accept a no. I also allow you to think about this for a while.” He babbled.

The younger guy gulped and looked at the ring, admitting that it was extremely beautiful.

“Eric, I…I…I want to marry you someday…but…I…I’m not ready yet…I…I love you more than anything in the world, but…this is so soon…I…I will think about this…but I hope you’re willing to wait for a really long time.” Minwoo responded.

Eric was visibly disappointed, and it hurt Minwoo, but the leader just smiled it off and let the disappointment subside on its own.

“Of course,” The older man said. “You can think about it as long as you want.”

                ***

That did not affect the relationship. On the contrary, Minwoo suddenly wanted Eric more than he had ever wanted him before. He was in love with him and he wanted to show it. Eric received so many cheesy text messages that every day was like a heaven to him. There wasn’t any remembrance of the dark and painful night year ago, and neither of them had any recall of Dongwan and the hiatus.

Hyesung had been warning Eric that someday Dongwan will come back and things would change, but rather than being anxious, Eric wanted to block those dark thoughts from his head and just enjoy what he had. Minwoo had received same kind of speech from the maknaes, but unlike Hyesung, they told him to do anything to stay together with Eric and love him as much as he could.

“Eric,” Minwoo murmured.

“Mmm?”

“When we get married,” Eric sat up, eyes wide. “…can we spend our honeymoon in Las Vegas?” Minwoo questioned.

The leader gulped and nodded dumbfounded, not getting words out of his mouth. Minwoo chuckled and lifted his hand up, showing off the shimmering diamond ring that paraded on his ring finger.

“I thought about it,” he said. “And I am not entirely sure yet, but I am certain that I will not regret it.”

Eric felt like crying, but instead he cupped the face and brought the lips at his, romantically kissing the other guy, until his heart stopped pounding. Their eyes met and they grinned as widely as the other one. Then Minwoo sat on Eric’s lap and tried to get rid of the thought that he was making a big mistake.

                ***

Minwoo leered at the clock and frowned, as he stood up from the sofa and ran towards the door. He had been expecting Eric to come hour later, but he did not mind even if Eric was behind the knocked door now. Minwoo jumped over a pile of clothes and placed his hand onto the doorknob, greeting the person with a wide smile.

“Eric, love, I didn’t expect you to—Dongwan?”

“Hi…Minwoo.” The said man whispered.