Running away from a notorious mafia in the wee hours of the morning was the last thing Kim Jongin has ever pictured himself doing. He’s been in trouble countless of times, mostly for being an , but nothing too serious or risqué like what was taking place at that moment.

It was dark, cold and eerie as he struggled to keep his breath intact, pushing his body against an empty alley’s rough wall, Jongin squeezed his eyes shut and reached for his cell phone to call for help. It was unlike him to ask for anyone’s help, Jongin would’ve been insanely embarrassed if it was any other situation, he prided himself on being a lone wolf who never needed anyone in his life. He preferred things that way, it kept him sane. However, as faint footsteps got closer and closer to his hideout Jongin began to panic.

He was known to be wild, but not to the point of dying by a bullet to the head. It was all because of a stupid bet, Jongin couldn’t believe how brainless he was to go through something life threatening like that. What started off as fun and comical was about to end up with him dead on the asphalt ground—that is if they were merciful enough to spare him the torture.

Jongin was the sole heir to the Kims’ fortune and businesses, he was often confident with how protected his family was in the Korean society, they had both local and international political connections and Jongin felt safe because of that—safe enough to mess with the mafia for a silly little bet. The tanned male groaned under his breath, praying his friend would pick up his call and come to the rescue already. Squishing his body into an even darker corner, Jongin couldn’t help but look back at his short life, trying yet failing to come to peace with the possibility of dying. He wasn't ready to die yet, not with the unfulfilling dull life he has been leading so far. 

♭

Zhang Yixing reached his slim pale hand towards his bedside nightstand lamp to switch a yellowish dim light on, illuminating the cosy attic room he was in. He checked the time briefly then turned around to look at the man sleeping next to him. Yixing couldn’t help but smile fondly at the sight. He would never grow tired of staring at Chanyeol’s adorable face as he slept peacefully next to him.

“Chan, are you awake?” It was late at night and Yixing was pretty sure Chanyeol was already asleep and halfway through his dreams, yet he was surprisingly rewarded by a throaty hum. “Well, I’ve been thinking…” Chanyeol half chuckled at his boyfriend’s thoughtful side that only made appearances in the middle of the night. When most people surrender to sleep Zhang Yixing’s brain gets in gear and start making amusing theories. Chanyeol low-key enjoyed that part of his lover.

“Oh no, don’t tell me you wanna propose to me or something?” Yixing slapped Chanyeol’s arm lightly before clicking his tongue no.

“That’s for you to do.” Chanyeol grinned lazily, peeking at the elder from under the covers, intrigued. “But no, I’ve been actually thinking about us and about my…” Yixing sighed. “Well, about my grandfather, you know...he’s kind of still unaware of us, being together I mean.” Chanyeol turned his body fully towards Yixing with a blank face, his stony expression swiftly morphing into a small, somewhat sad smile.

“And what a perfect timing for you to remind me of that, it’s like what? Three or four in the morning? Babe, c’mon…”

“I’m just…I’m worried about how my grandfather is going to take it. You know…he already knows I’m into men and he’s pretty okay with it but…” Chanyeol reached his hand to caress the smaller male’s soft cheek, his eyes looking right into his lover’s droopy brown ones.

“But I’m not exactly the one your grandfather would want you to fall in love with right?” Yixing turned his head away from Chanyeol’s gaze, biting hard on his lower lip in shame.

“Xing, look at me. I can’t stand seeing you like this.” Chanyeol softly cooed. “Your grandfather might even accept us. I mean you never know when it comes to him. He didn’t mind about your uality so he’ll probably not mind about us. I’m working hard at the Kims’ firm and I’ll soon get promoted.” Yixing smiled at that, he was proud Chanyeol’s hard work was finally paying off. “We’ll get his approval eventually. Don’t worry too much.” Yixing moved closer to his boyfriend’s side with a cute pout on his pale face, making Chanyeol chuckle softly at the sight. “I love you okay?”

“I love you too, Chanyeol.” The smaller male snuggled against his lover’s bare firm chest, feeling Chanyeol’s arms slowly wrap around his body in a tight embrace.

They remained quiet for a moment, simply enjoying each other’s warmth, until Chanyeol’s phone went off, signaling that someone was calling. After letting a low groan out and giving Yixing a death glare for laughing at his misery, Chanyeol brought his phone to his ear with hopes of not having to leave his house and boyfriend behind for Kim Jongin’s liking.

“You couldn’t sleep without bidding me goodnight couldn’t you, Kkamjjong?” Chanyeol waited for Jongin to snicker or say something witty back at him like he’s used to, yet he never did.

“I need you to pick me up right now.”

♭

An hour and a half later after that call, Jongin was lying on his couch with an amused looking Yixing sitting next to him while stitching his nasty looking injuries.

“No, he’s okay now. I still don’t know what exactly happened.” Chanyeol moved around his living room with a deep frown on his face. “Yep he’s at my house. Okay. I’ll try. No Kyungsoo you don’t have to come, it’s too late. I’ll bring him myself don’t worry. Okay fine, I’ll take a picture to prove it. Huh? How is your presence going to help with anything? No? Kyungsoo you’re not coming and that’s it! Don’t make me regret telling you! What? Okay okay I’m sorry. No I’m not yelling at you! Kyung—“ Chanyeol gaped for a few seconds at his phone screen which clearly showed that Do Kyungsoo just hung up on him. “What the—“

Yixing chuckled at his boyfriend’s crestfallen expression before shifting his gaze back towards the grumpy guest on the couch with a polite smile.

“This will hurt a bit.” Although Jongin winced at the stinging pain, he somehow managed to restrain any pain-related noises from coming out. Yixing’s focus was soon settled on a small Saturn planet tattoo on the tanned male’s left wrist, it was nicely done with some barely visible scattered stars around it. The pale male chuckled at the odd coincidence because he himself had a Saturn tattoo on his body.

Chanyeol was really into tattoos, had more than one himself, and somehow along the way, managed to convince Yixing to have one as well. The latter refused at first because he was very much afraid of his grandfather's reaction if he ever found out, but his worries were quickly wiped off when his lover told him that it wasn’t really that necessary for him to have one on the visible parts of his body. His family would never know.

The Chinese male ended up having the tattoo on his hip bone to please his boyfriend, and it hurt like hell, Yixing winced at the memory.

“How the hell he managed to convince me is what I’ll never know.” Yixing shook his head, eyes still glued to the younger’s tattoo.

Jongin cleared his throat, making Yixing realize he was stupidly thinking out loud and staring instead of cleaning the guy’s wounds.

“I—I’m sorry I was just…” Yixing jerked his head up, catching by the swift motion the tanned male’s dark gaze for a second before turning his head again towards Chanyeol, who seemed long lost in his phone call with Kyungsoo.

“Can you stop holding into my hand?” Yixing was s