It was a pretty average Thursday evening, most of the lights in the apartment were off since only the living room was being used, your desk light was shining over your books like a spotlight, putting your notes and laptop on centre stage, with some scrap pieces on the floor, and at least 5 pens all over the table. Ya… it was a pretty average Thursday evening.

 

Exams were coming up and the last thing you needed was a low GPA since school was a never-ending cycle and grades always mattered. You did nothing but go to school and come home to study, but thankfully you weren’t alone in your struggle.

 

While you were huddled over your books, you always had your boyfriend help you around the apartment when he was at home from practice or work. He would make sure you ate when you forgot to, and would force you to go to sleep when you told him it would be “one more chapter”.

 

Honestly, without Youngjae, you would most likely be a skeleton, forever sitting in that very chair.

 

Your last exam was tomorrow and if you see the name Gallileo one more time, you might throw your laptop right off the table and out the window. You know that you were ready, but you are so stressed that you just kept re-reading the same words repeatedly, making sure that they didn’t change from the minute before.

 

Suddenly you hear the front door to your darkened apartment open and close and you look up from your table to find the shadow of your boyfriend walking into the living room.

 

“Why did I figure I would find you like this today?” he asked you while putting his stuff down in front of your shared bedroom.

 

“Maybe because its how you found me yesterday and every other day of the week?” you said looking back down at your textbook, flipping the page casually.

 

He sighed and walked into the kitchen but kept talking to you, “did you eat something?”

 

“Ya, I had some salad and fruits.”

 

He came back from the kitchen and put a take-out box in front of you with some chopsticks, “Not good enough you need more energy than that. Eat.”

 

He took out another take-out box from the plastic bag and started to eat his food in the seat next to you.

You pushed your stuff away a little and slowly started to eat the food he gave you. You could have said no and gave him the food back, but you knew that he would get mad at you, and you also knew he was right.

 

He looked over at you as you began to poke at your food, you were dressed up in your usual lazy clothes, your baggy black shorts and his oversized white t-shirt that you accidently stained with tea. Your hair was up in a messy bun and you had your glass on top of your head. You were very tired and you could see it in your eyes, but no matter what you were still beautiful in his eyes.

 

He brought his hand up to move a piece of hair out of your face and put it behind your ear.

 

The sudden action surprised you a little, but you just looked at him with a little tired smile that he returned and went back to your food.

 

Once you both finished your food he went to go throw out your garbage while you went back to your studying.

 

He came back from the garbage and sighed as he walked up behind you and put his hands on your shoulders. “There is no way you don’t know any of this, you are going to be fine, just stop with the books already.”

 

“The last exam is tomorrow, let me just finish this one last exam please.”

 

“...I miss you.”

 

You lifted your head from your textbook and turned around in your seat to look up at him. “How could you miss me? We live in the same apartment; you see me everyday?”

 

He looked down at his hands, trying to nonchalantly avoid your eyes, “For the past few weeks I haven’t seen you, I’ve seen a robot version of you who is always studying. Believe me, I am so unbelievably proud of you of your dedication and your hard work, but you know this stuff, and it has gotten to the point where you can hurt yourself.” He put his hand under your chin and softly rubbed his thumb across your cheek. “I just want to see you happy, I don’t want to see you so stressed.”

 

You close your eyes as Youngjae sets his hand against your cheek, losing yourself in the tranquility his touch brings you. You have been so obsessed with your school work you seemed to have neglected the most important person in your life.

 

You stand up and walk towards him, pulling him into a tight hug. He was a little confused by your actions but he ignored that and just hugged you back, pulling you even tighter and tucking your head under his chin. He barely had a chance to even touch you over the past few weeks, he never wanted to let go of this moment, and neither did you.

 

After what felt like an eternity, he slowly pulled away and looked down to see your face still buried into his chest. He kissed your forehead and pulled away, holding your hand and leading you further into the living room where there is an open space. He left you in the centre of the room as he made his way over to the record player and pulled out one of your favourite records and put it on your favourite song from it.

 

As Life on Mars by David Bowie began to play, he made his way over back to you and took one of your hands in his, and put his other hand on your hip as he pulled you in close. You put your other hand on his shoulder as you gently swayed around the room to the music.

 

Getting lost in the moment, you closed your eyes and rested your head on Youngjae’s shoulder, only hearing the music and the sound of Youngjae singing along while being led by him blindly.

 

You step and sway to the rhythm as you dance around the living room without a care in the world. All the stress from the exam seems to be slowly melting away and being replaced by the peace that Youngjae has to offer.  

 

He looks down to see your relaxed state and he can’t help but smile at how at peace you finally look. He loves you with everything he has and he would give anything to see you this happy every breathing moment.

 

Youngjae rests his head against yours and presses his lips against your forehead.

 

You lift your head off of his shoulder and look up at him, catching his gaze in yours as you silently look into each other’s eyes, never wanting to break the contact.

 

He is the first one to move as he slowly lowers his head and presses his lips against yours. You both stand still for a moment as the music continues to play until you start to move again, kissing him back.

There was no rush in the kiss, it was nothing but love, just every loving emotion one could feel could be found in the kiss between the two. As if time had stopped and the only thing that mattered was this moment.

 

You slowly pulled away, trying to regain yourself from that breathless kiss. His eyes were the first thing to meet yours and you continue to dance to the songs just looking at each other. He smiles down at you with the happiest grin you have ever seen, and you can’t help but smile back with his infectious brightness.

 

“You can’t imagine how much I really do love you” he said in almost a whisper as you floated around the room.

 

“I love you just as much if not more.” You whispered back into the crook of his neck.

 

“Please promise me you won’t hurt yourself and push yourself too hard, promise me you won’t let the stress get the best of you, promise me you will let me help you where I can.” he gently said petting your hair.

 

“I promise.” you softly replied. “Only if you promise me to do the same, promise me that you will never let the stress of the stage get to you, promise me to never doubt your ability, please promise me to never hide who you are.”

“You have my word.” He said and sealed with a kiss.