It's kind of cold, yet kind of warm. Donghae looks at the worn out face in front of him. The same handsome face he fell in love with twenty years ago. The face he's kissed thousands of times, the face he's gazed at countless nights.  

He gently runs his fingers along the contours of that same tear streaked face. He smiles sadly as more tears trickle down that face and a hand gently, yet firmly holds on to his.

"Donghae..." He hears the man in front of him mumble.

"I'll bring you to Paris again, to New York, to London. I'll bring you everywhere." Donghae feels tears streaming down his own cheeks as he wipes the tears off the other's face.

"And we'll bake together, and see thousands of sunsets, and we'll eat all the deokbokki you want."

Hyukjae’s crying so hard, but he wants to tell Donghae everything.

"I'll dance for you, that same dance I danced for you twenty years ago on that stage."

"There's still so much... So much we haven't done together..."

"We'll grow old together..." Hyukjae cries, in a voice so broken, Donghae feels his heart shattering to pieces.

"We'll grow old together, Donghae..." Donghae shakes his head, caressing the other's face.

"Hyukjae..."

"We'll grow old together.... We will..." Hyukjae sobs, hugging Donghae so tightly.

It's quiet for a little while, apart from their sniffles. Hyukjae runs his hand through the vanilla scented locks gently, gazing at the man in his arms. He leans down to kiss Donghae, and there's a mixture of chocolate and salt.

As two pairs of eyes gaze into each other, time seems to halt and everything else doesn't matter. Just like twenty years ago.

Donghae closes his eyes and he remembers. All the memories come back. The boy who always comforted him when he cried. The boy who was always there when he fell.

The boy who first kissed him.

As Donghae opens his eyes, he sees that same boy, staring back at him. That fond gaze... It has never changed.

Donghae tightly grabs onto the other's hands, resting his head onto his chest. He hears it, the gentle sound of his heartbeat.

My name is Hyukjae.

Umma made cookies, do you want to come over?

You're beautiful.

I love watching you dance.

Will you marry me?

I'll always be with you.

I love you.

Always, Donghae. Always…

He feels that same happiness he's always felt as he feels the familiar pair of arms wrapping around him, that familiar embrace.

“Silly… Why are you crying?” Donghae mumbles, his voice oddly calm, yet thick with tears.

Hyukjae kisses the top of Donghae’s head which is gently pressed against his chest now, and he runs his fingers through the thin strands of hair. He breathes in the scent of Donghae, the smell of vanilla, and he relishes in the way Donghae has always smelled so pure and sweet.

“I’m not crying,” Hyukjae laughs, thumbing away the tears at the corners of Donghae’s eyes.

“You are.”

Donghae pouts, fingers gripping onto Hyukjae’s shirt, his face pressed against his chest.

“Let this be the last time you ever cry for me, Hyukjae.” Donghae murmurs, holding Hyukjae’s hand tightly.

“Donghae-”

“Promise me.” Hyukjae holds Donghae’s hand just as tightly, and he nods.

“If there’s a next life, I’ll be sure to remember you.” Donghae’s pale, shaking fingers curl around his own tightly.

“I’ll recognise you, somehow, and this time, I’ll be the first to say hello to you.” Donghae continues, his hand shaking as he attempts to cup Hyukjae’s cheeks.

“I hope you’ll remember me then.” Donghae chuckles weakly. “You’ll find me, won’t you?”

Hyukjae attempts to steady his trembling hands, but fails as they are shakily placed onto the pale face in front of him.

“I’ll always find you. No matter where you are, who you are, regardless of how many lives have passed. I’ll find you.”

Donghae smiles at that, letting out a shaky breath.

“Thanks, Hyukjae.” For being with me in this life.

“Hey, Hyukjae.”

Donghae smiles, a faraway look in his eyes.

“We’ll grow old together.” Hyukjae’s hand trembles at that, and he feels the familiar heat at the corner of his eyes, but he wills it back. I promised him.

“You’ll bring me to Paris, to New York, to London… Everywhere I want to go…”

“And we’ll bake together, and see thousands of sunsets, and eat all the deokbokki I want…”

“You’ll dance for me, that same dance you danced for me twenty years ago.”

Hyukjae is sobbing again by now, and he holds on to whatever that is left.

Time is ticking, and everything is fading away.

"There's still so much... So much we haven't done together..."

Yes, so why now?

Why take him away?

"We'll grow old together..."

I promised you…

I’m sorry...

I’m sorry...

Everything comes to a halt, there’s a loud buzz, and time seems to have frozen.

Perhaps, in this moment, we can pretend that everything is all right.

And then, there is nothing.

Hyukjae laughs, and soon his laughter is mixed with sobs, with screams of anger. But everything becomes quiet again.

Everything becomes quiet eventually.

Donghae lifts his head up to look at the face which he's never gotten tired of, and he closes his eyes.  

10. Your face... I want it to be the last thing I see, before I die...

-

And with that, this is the last chapter. Thank you to those of you who have left comments/upvotes, and those who read and like what I write, I’m really so thankful. I hope I managed to touch you in some way through this story. Thank you for all your support, and I hope to see you guys as I continue to write. Follow me on a new journey as I’ve started on a new story ^^ https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1346417/take-flight-donghae-eunhae-hyukjae