It’s not the first time Jihoon has dragged Taeil halfway across the country on some hare-brained scheme, but as Taeil stares out the window at the scenery he realises it’s the first time they’ve done this at night.

“Where are we going?” he deadpans, glancing over at Jihoon, faintly annoyed that this is the fifth time he’s asked this question in three hours, getting the same non-reply every time.

This time, however, Jihoon takes one hand from the wheel to grab Taeil’s hand and squeeze, grinning so wide his eyes scrunch up. “We’re nearly there!”

“About time,” Taeil grumbles, but he doesn’t really mean it and he knows Jihoon can tell.

The rest of the drive passes in silence, mainly because they argue about what kind of music to listen to too much to have the radio on peacefully. Soon, however, they’re pulling up in a parking lot in the middle of ing nowhere and Taeil gets out of the car somewhat apprehensively, looking around dubiously.

“Are we going to get axe murdered?” he asks, wandering around the back of the car to see Jihoon opening the boot and pulling something out. “Cause, you know, I have a lot of stuff that I haven’t ticked off my bucket list.”

Jihoon’s head pops out from the boot and he winks at Taeil. “Shut up, hyung, and come here and help me with this.”

Taeil tolerates the rudeness and does as he’s told, knowing he’s a er for Jihoon, grabbing one end of the thing and realising it’s the veryexpensive telescope Jiho had bought Jihoon for his birthday a few years ago. It had been one of Jihoon’s maniacal phases (he used to walk around the dorm reciting the names of stars to everyone until they got so sick of it they would throw pillows at his head whenever he opened his mouth) of interests that had soon burnt out; unluckily for Jiho, Jihoon’s astronomy phase had coincided with his birthday that year. The telescope had been languishing in the dorm since; Taeil didn’t even realise Jihoon still had it considering how often he cleans out his closet.

“What the hell are you doing, Jihoon?” he breathes, huffing into the night air as he dutifully helps Jihoon set it up. “And why did you have to involve me?”

It’s a pointless task, though, because Jihoon is squatting on the ground – long legs akimbo – pointing the telescope every which way until he finds what he’s looking for and begins to make fine adjustments. Taeil knows it’s futile to talk to Jihoon when he’s focused on something, so he settles for resting his hands on Jihoon’s shoulders, enjoying the feeling of being taller for once.

“There!” Jihoon exclaims, straightening up and nearly knocking Taeil backwards in the process. “Look, hyung!”

Sighing, Taeil bends over to look down the eyepiece of the telescope, expecting something cool like a constellation or comet or something but instead getting a close up of a very ordinary, very boring star. He straightens up, catching Jihoon staring at his , and crosses his arms over his chest. “You dragged me all the way out here to look at one damn star? Have you lost your mind?”

Jihoon looks sheepish. “It’s your star, hyung.”

Taeil pulls his phone out of his pocket, winking at Jihoon. “So, I’ll tell Jiho you’ve officially gone insane, then.”

“No,” Jihoon begins, reaching into his back pocket and procuring a folded (slightly rumpled) piece of paper that he hands to Taeil. “Just read it.”

Congratulations on your purchase of your very own star! Here are your star’s coordinates, so you can look at your star anytime you want!

Your star has been named: CORYDORAS

For: LEE TAEIL

You now own a piece of the cosmos!

Well, Taeil already knew that, since it seems like Jihoon’s eyes sparkle with stars when he’s grinning widely like now, but he looks from the piece of paper and back to Jihoon somewhat incredulously.

“Corydoras?” he asks, but he’s unable to hide his smile.

Jihoon shrugs. “I couldn’t think of anything, so I went with the first thing that came to mind. Do you like it?”

Taeil lets the certificate flutter to the ground as he leans up to kiss Jihoon, wrapping his arms around Jihoon’s waist, closing his eyes happily. “Yes,” he replies, his lips brushing Jihoon’s. “But you’re still crazy.”

“Crazy for you,” Jihoon replies, and Taeil rolls his eyes before leaning up on his tippy toes to kiss Jihoon again and again.