Kyuhyun could pull off many types of romantic gestures but a surprise birthday party was not one of them. It wasn’t his fault exactly. Ryeowook simply had a superhuman ability to detect surprise parties, especially when it was Kyuhyun who was planning them (neither of them were sure why; maybe the latter breathed too suspiciously). Once, Ryeowook even caught his boyfriend planning a big bash for his half-birthday. That was not a good day for either of them.

But after three solid years of failed surprises, it was no surprise that Kyuhyun gave u the possibility in favor of more (ironically) unpredictable plans. Or so Ryeowook thought. Weeks before the older’s 22^nd birthday, Ryeowook began catching hints of a surprise party in the works. He didn’t say anything at first since it seemed so out of the blue, but with the increase in weird phone calls and afternoon disappearances Kyuhyun was making, it wasn’t hard to draw that conclusion.

Perhaps Kyuhyun thought since he hadn’t attempted a surprise party in so long—five years—Ryeowook would have lost his sleuthing skills. That was, of course, completely wrong. However, Ryeowook decided to act ignorant of those plans. When Kyuhyun claimed to have a sudden work deadline he just had to complete the morning of June 21^st which he was “so sorry” about and Sungmin wanted “nothing more” than to take his oldest friend out for a big birthday brunch all morning, Ryeowook decided to play along because, well, why ruin such a nice gesture? He could let them think they’d surprised him for once.

They were on their way back from brunch now, Ryeowook sitting shotgun while Sungmin drove. The elder was talking animatedly about all the places and activities of interest in Seoul (he visited family there every year), while Ryeowook listened aptly despite already having half his itinerary planned. This summer with Kyuhyun was bound to be the best summer they’d ever had to together, not only because it was their first international trip together but also because…well, it had to be. And part of achieving that meant picking out the best attractions and sites to visit while they were there.

Ryeowook was listening so intently to Sungmin’s sage advice and rearranging their itinerary in his head that he didn’t even notice they were not on the path to his home until the car jerked to a stop.

“The park?” Ryeowook said in only semi-faked surprise. “What are we doing here, Minnie? I thought you were taking me home?”

Sungmin’s lips, so free only moments before, were now sealed shut. Instead of responding, his friend unclasped Ryeowook’s seatbelt and made a shooing gesture towards the door.

Now slightly skeptical, Ryeowook got out of the car. Sungmin immediately locked the doors behind him. Now amount of pounding on the car window would get him to open them either. Sungmin jabbed a finger toward the park’s playground.

So this was how they wanted to play it. Shaking his head, Ryeowook headed over to the swing set. He rolled his eyes at the sound of car tires peeling away behind him.

A surprise party at the park was definitely unorthodox even from a mere logistical standpoint. It would be harder to hide everything and everyone, and the closer Ryeowook got to the playground, the more confusing this fact became; it didn’t look like there was surprise party waiting for him there. In fact, it didn’t look like there was anyone there. His suspicion was confirmed when he actually reached the playground and found nothing but stray juice boxes and mulch waiting for him.

“If this is a prank,” he yelled, while doublechecking for party-goers under the slides, “it’s not a funny one!”

Truth was, he was feeling a little panicky; something felt off. He continued to dart around the metal play structures desperately looking for the party he knew had to be there when a glint caught his eye. A glossy purple marker flag fluttered in the sandbox.

Purple.

Ryeowook scampered over to it and sure enough, from the flag began a trail of lavender flower blossoms. He followed them without hesitation. They led him to the far back end of the park to an area where a dozen towering trees gathered in a miniature forest. He had spent many an afternoon wandering under the shaded awning of their leaves, only today, leaves weren’t the only things decorating these trees.

Dozens upon dozens of strands of purple ribbon twisted down from overhead branches weighed down by the photos, trinkets, bells and what were those—notecards? —hanging from the ends. From the touch of the light summer breeze, the objects spun in lazy circles. Sunlight spilled through the leaves of the tree giving a dappled glow to the exhibition beneath and the light tinkle of bells filled the air.

Ryeowook grabbed one of the paper cards—yes, notecards—which hung closest to him.

“#1: His favorite color is PURPLE”

The handwriting on the card was the most easily recognizable scrawl in the world to him, even if it’s normal state was a thousand times messier than the neat block letters in his hand.

He grabbed another card: “He cooks when he’s upset.”

And another: “He has a voice like crystals.”

And another and another until he had followed the trail of facts halfway through the little woods and into the clearing where a posted sign was stuck in the middle of the grass.

“40 Facts About Ryeowook: A collection”

And It was a collection indeed. A collection of memories and moments, a collection of gifts and funny photos. A collection of them.

Ryeowook went slowly after that, appreciating every handwritten fact in multicolor pens. Some of the facts were simple, others were “simplified” but every one lit up his heart and brought back a small flood of memories. Soon, he was a riding on a wave of their last eight years together.

When he reached Fact #10, he let out a burst of laughter because of course only he would know that. When he read Fact #24, he smiled because “oh yeah, that happened.” And when he saw Fact #32, he turned and walked the other way because he didn’t even want to look at the poem hanging next to it.

Ryeowook was lightly Fact #40 and the homemade photostrip attached to it when a twig cracked behind him.

He didn’t even realize how wet his eyes were until he turned around and in place  of his boyfriend’s face, saw a blurry blob.

“Kyuhyun,” he said, voice cracking as he wiped his tears away. “This present, it’s…it’s so….” He beamed, the words of praise and love and gratitude ready to spill out from within him. But he stopped short when he saw the notecard in the other’s hands.

“One Fact About Kyuhyun:

            “He loves Kim Ryeowook and wants to spend the rest of his life with him.”

Before Ryeowook could even process those words, Kyuhyun was on one knee pulling a tiny box out of his back pocket and holding out the engraved silver band for his beloved to see.

“I’m the one who’s leaving for two years, so I should be the one to ask you to stay,” Kyuhyun said, voice trembling but mouth smiling as he’d finally found the right logic to be the one to propose.

“Kim Ryeowook, will you marry me?”

A thousand thoughts ran through Ryeowook’s mind including “We never talked about this” to “We’re going to Korea in a week!” but the only one which made it through his heart and out of his mouth was—

“Yes,” he said. “Yes, yes, YES!”

He threw himself at Kyuhyun knocking them both to the ground. Ryeowook didn’t care though. He didn’t care about anything except Kyuhyun, Kyuhyun and right now, the happiest, most relieving moment of his life. They kissed each other fervently, lips finding each other’s nose, mouth, and cheeks, and mouth, not even stopping when Sungmin pulled them up off the ground or when Ahra snapped a flash photo of the newly engaged couple. And when they finally pulled apart to breathe, Ryeowook laughed and Kyuhyun cried and they both went a little deaf from the cheers of their friends and family around them.

Ryeowook pressed his forehead against Kyuhyun’s, their noses brushing ever so lightly. “I love you so, so much.” He planted a kiss on his fiancé’s lips. “And that’s a fact.”

0. On June 21^st, 2017, he was engaged to Cho Kyuhyun,

the man he loves.

The End