Kibum watches his hands run across Minho’s cheeks. He can see his affection is soothing Minho. The specter rolls over crawling further onto Key’s lap. Kibum rubs the doubles large back.

“How did you two meet?” Minho mumbles.

“Huh?” Kibum leans down to hear the revenant better.

“How did you meet your husband?” Minho speaks up a bit.

Key smiles, “I met him through my parents. He just popped up one day. My parents had opened a little shop and he walked in one day asking for a job. My parents always spoke so highly of him. He would stay until they closed the shop and he never took a sick day. One night while my dad was closing up he noticed Minho waiting outside the shop. It was surprising since he had let him leave hours ago.

“It’s the middle of winter, son,” the shop owner states. “Why are you just sitting out here?”

Minho turns roughly past his shaking, “Oh I was just … waiting.”

The man grimaces, “You’re usually gone by the time I close up. Do you have anywhere to go?”

Minho casts his eyes, “No, sir.”

The man pats his gloves together, “well, you can come with me. I’ve had an empty room ever since my son left.”

Minho shakes his head shyly, “Oh no, I couldn’t possibly ask you to do that.”

The man waves him off, “It’s not a problem. My wife loves you. We’d actually really like having a guest around.”

“I didn’t meet him until the day I went to visit my parents,” Key laughs.

Kibum walks over to his mother, deadpan. His mother welcomes him warmly with a hug. Key hugs her for a moment in silence.

“Why is there a guy sleeping in my room?” Key finally asks.

His mother laughs softly, “His name is Minho. We hired him at the shop. He’s such a sweet boy. Your father found him waiting outside the shop a couple weeks ago. We had to take him in.”

Kibum shakes his head, “do you guys even know this guy? He could be crazy for all you know.”

“He’s an exchange student. He’s very smart. We haven’t been able to pay him much so when we found out he didn’t have anywhere to go we had to take him in,” his mother argues. “Look at him he’s such a handsome boy. How could he be crazy?” She moves away from Kibum. Key turns to see his mother kiss the tall stranger on the cheek. The stranger smiles sweetly as he receives his kiss. Kibum blushes, watching the tall man tousle his hair as he moves towards another room. “Wait, wait! You haven’t met my son!” Key’s mother yells.

He walks back into a room stretching, “I’m sorry.”

She drags him toward Key, “he’s the same age as you.”

Minho smiles shyly while politely bowing, “nice to meet you.” Kibum mimics him silently.

“After that first encounter I was smitten. Something about him. I started visiting my parents way more,” Kibum laughs bashfully.

Minho laughs with him, “So you didn’t visit your parents that often?”

“I visited them as much as any child should, but after my husband showed up I knew I had to visit way more,” Key confesses. “He was just so handsome. He actually brought in more customers after my parents figured to put him out front for a bit.”

“How’s work?” Kibum pokes while crossing his legs.

Minho shrugs, “same.”

Key bites his lip, “I heard women are always coming by to see you.”

Minho sighs then takes a sip of his coffee, “you’ve heard correctly.”

Kibum picks at his straw, “are … you interested in any of them?”

Minho’s body jerks before aggressive snickering, “not really. I’ve got my eyes set on someone else.”

“Oh?” Key straightens in his seat, “is this someone nice?”

“Not in the slightest,” Minho answers quickly. He makes a cupping motion with his dominant hand, “the person’s got me like this.” Kibum cackles at the response.

“When do you have to go back?” Kibum becomes serious.

Minho’s expression wipes itself clear, “I’m not sure yet. I think in another two weeks.”

“He would leave and come back in really strange intervals, but I was just glad he’d come back,” Key is warmed by the memories. “After a while I was able to get my husband to move in with me.”

“Come back anytime,” Key’s mother pats Minho’s back in the midst of one of the many final hugs.

“We should really get going mom,” Kibum says slightly frustrated. Minho just smiles at Key awkwardly.

“Do you have any money on you?” Key’s mother questions Minho. Minho nods as he backs away slowly. “Here let me give you a little extra,” Kibum’s mother begins to dig into one of her bags.

Minho raises his hands to try and refuse the money, “I’m good on money. Please keep it.”

“Just take it. I know you haven’t been keeping the money we’ve been giving you,” she nods.

Kibum steps in, “it’s okay mom I’ll pay for him.”

“Oh please, you can barely afford to take care of yourself,” she scoffs. “Make sure to eat every day. You know I worry.”

“I will,” Minho promises.

“Don’t stay out too late,” she continues to warn. “Don’t let him bully you into drinking. Makes sure you go to sleep early. I don’t like it when you stay up late.”

“Mom you treat him better than you treat me,” Key whines.

“He’s such a good boy,” she compliments.

Kibum turns away from his mother to roll his eyes, “you’re spoiling him. This is why I’m taking him away.”

“Don’t taint him with your bad habits!” Kibum’s mother orders.

“Bringing him back with me was the best decision I ever made,” Key blushes. “I don’t remember leaving my apartment for a week.” Minho chuckles against Kibum’s lap.

“Who proposed?” Minho grumbles.

“My husband,” Kibum answers quickly.

“How did he do it?” Minho questions.

“We had been dating for a while, but because of his exchange program he still had to leave often for long periods of time,” Key explains. “I was dropping him off at the airport.”

Kibum refuses to be the first to move. Minho’s arms only tighten around Key. They had moved off to the side to keep from blocking people’s way, but people still stared as they passed.

“I don’t want to leave,” Minho whimpers against Key’s shoulder. Then don’t, Kibum thinks to himself. Minho’s phone vibrates. He moves away from Key. He looks over his phone, “I have to take this.” He walks off as he answers the phone. Key takes a seat next to Minho’s luggage.

Minho comes back moments later. He kneels down in front of the tired Kibum.

“I’m not going,” he whispers.

Kibum grins softly, “are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. I’m done with school. I just want to be with you,” Minho places a warm hand on Key’s cheek. “I always want to be with you. Every second of every day. I’ve known that since the day I met you. I couldn’t help falling in love with you.” Key laughs softly, embarrassed by the kind words. “I’m serious,” Minho moves for his pocket. “I’ll die before I’m taken away from you,” he pulls a small box out his pocket. Kibum’s heart drops. “Just say yes and I’ll make sure you’re never alone.” Kibum can’t speak, he doesn’t even try to fight back the tears. Minho chuckles while slipping the ring onto Key’s finger, “it’s my promise to you.”

Key tries to swallow back the tears, “he lied.”

hello darlings~ or should i say cookies now? anywhosies, chair here! ( ^ - ^ )/ for those who dont know, i'm the person our lovely author here refers to as "chair" sometimes in the footnotes. the captain doesnt know that i'm putting this here, but if you guys are reading this, i just wanted to let you know that our captain here, or as some of you guys like to call her, "author-nim" x) is having her birthday tomorrow! *throws confetti* YUP that's right, tomorrow's her birthday! so if you guys want, you can leave little birthday wishes for her ^^ *sniff* my dongsaeng is catching up to me T^T