Kibum straightens his tie, tilts his chin up.

Not because he's anyone significant or dignified, no – important and respectable are terms befitting only Kim Jonghyun. Kibum only plays it up – alongside his terse, curt mannerisms, and his feline eyes of jarring judgement.

He tries his best to look good, speak well, and carry himself with his chest craned upwards, with confidence exuding from him in bursts of cool nonchalance: But this is his daily struggle. His everyday routine doesn't usually involve stringing a tie round his neck like a noose - that is Jonghyun's, not his, propensity. And Jonghyun does it before the mirror at 6am every morning, with the composure of freshly-washed shaving cream, while he does it today at 5.30pm in front of a camera on a tripod stand. He's got his script on his lap and his cheeks contoured with makeup. He's an odd sight: a suit, a tie, and pajama pants – because the camera only shows his upper body – reason being the taut insecurity he nervously possesses towards his legs, but doesn't let anyone know about.

A knock resounds on his bedroom door.

“Kibum? Can I come in?” Jonghyun’s voice – baritone, better – slips in through the crack below the door.

"Yeah,” Kibum responds, “I haven't started recording.”

The door clicks open. Jonghyun, suited up and looking exceptionally dashing, swoops in, sidles up to his husband and gives him a sweet peck on the cheek. Kibum turns, and smiles; “How was work?”

“Oh, fine, nothing new,” Jonghyun says. The bed sinks a little as he sits next to his boyfriend, taking the lithe hand into his own and fiddling absently with its fingers. “You doing good?”

“– yeah.”

“Just wanted to check on you. By the way –” Jonghyun glances up –“how's that new camera I got you?”

“It’s working great.” Kibum subconsciously fixes his fringe.

“Good to know!” Jonghyun stands up, claps the girth of his palms onto Kibum’s shoulders, and gives them a brief, reaffirming squeeze. “I’ll be out for a drive to bring back some dinner. Wanna tag along?”

“Nah…”

“Chinese food? McDonalds?”

“Anything’s fine.”

“All right. Bye, babe.”

“See you.”

Jonghyun forays out the room with gallant strides and a rakish wink; Kibum can only smile faintly.

***

Jonghyun careens down the street in his convertible. The raw wind of the evening whips his cheeks and screams his hair back; his jacket flaps about his torso with fervour. His mind drifts, and all he thinks of Kibum.

Mundane mulling, routine rumination… call it what you will; that much is trivial. Kibum is… certainly unique. His impregnable eyes. His smooth, porcelain skin. His defined jawline, his sharp-angled cheeks… every aspect of the man was an enigma.

In the end he settles for Chinese food, and a bouquet of flowers – just because he feels like it.

***

His trip to the florist’s is supposed to be a five-minute hello, selection, and goodbye, if not for Yuri.

For some reason, his heart skips a beat when he notices her.

Yuri, in her sundress, has her back towards him, her streaming hair falling in waves down her back. She peers quaintly at several heliotrope petals before her, her fingers lightly feeling their velvety tips.

There’s this thing about Yuri. The way she sees the world. She loves details – she’s meticulous, sharp, mellow-eyed. Jonghyun would’ve fallen in love with her, if not for Kibum. And yet at times he still bites hesitantly on his lower lip whenever she breaches his line of vision.

He sort of likes the way she walks, the way she talks. The way her tresses frame her cherry face; the way her nose crinkles when she thinks (she does that a lot, being the creative director of the company. He catches the little wrinkles of her nose all the time, especially when he's by the office pantry, quietly observing, silently ruminating, as his coffee slips past his lips.)

It's all very endearing, see. He likes thoughtfulness, and she likes to point out the intricacies in trivialities. Like how the clouds seem so still today, or how she likes the smell of dew on leaves –

Stop it!

Jonghyun mentally smacks himself. What is he thinking?

Think of Kibum. Think of the way he smiles and the way he puffs his cheeks and waves at the camera at the start of each video. The way his laugh chimes out his lips when he spills an anecdote. And – and the number of people he's inspired, by being comfortable with his uality...

At this point Yuri turns around with an elegant swivel: Her eyes catch his gaze, and her smile slopes up her cheeks. Jonghyun finds himself at a loss for words.

“Jong! Hi! You look great!”

.

“Hi, Yuri,” he says. “What’re you doing here?”

“My mum’s birthday’s today,” she explains. “She likes violets. But personally I prefer sunflowers –”

Jonghyun makes a mental note, and then shakes it off hurriedly.

“– what about you?” Yuri implores.

Jonghyun deliberates briefly. She doesn't know he has a boyfriend; for some reason, he never quite found the opportunity or necessity to tell her.