The rumble of the engine between their legs died and Hyuk climbed down from the seat behind Hongbin on the gleaming red bike. Shedding their helmets and gloves before wandering toward the last door in the long building. Hongbin jammed his helmet onto the bike and tossed his keys to Hyuk, extracting his camera with once he had freed his hands.

“I don’t think they’re here,” Hyuk mumbled, crunching through the gravel. He turned to glance back at Hongbin only to find himself being photographed instead. Rolling his eyes he turned back and continued toward the door.

There was no music, no sign of their cars or any life in the studios at all. Hyuk grimaced as he peered through the window to find it dark and empty inside. His grip tightened on his helmet as he tried to think of any other places they could be. After the 20th unanswered call from both of them they had gone to Wonshik’s apartment. Empty and abandoned, Hyuk had come to the studio as a last ditch effort to find them.

“They’ve gone back to the mountain,” Hongbin called, voice emerging from behind his camera as he continued to point it at Hyuk.

“Ken said he was staying in the city though,” Hyuk argued with exasperation. He glared at Hongbin and cast around for another answer. “I needed him here to meet gallery owners and network.”

Hongbin didn’t reply. The shutter of the camera clicked again.

“Artists!” Hyuk grumbled and advanced on Hongbin. “Will you put that thing away? What would you even use these for?”

Hongbin stepped backward, trying to maintain the distance between them.

“Am I your next body of work? Are you going to call it Anger and Frustration at Flaky Artists and Their Inability to—” He reached for the camera, batting it down from Hongbin’s grinning face.

“Of course you’re my next body of work,” Hongbin teased, “I work on your body all the time.”

Hyuk rolled his eyes, smiling in spite of himself.

“You’re wasting film,” Hyuk’s voice was firm despite the wide smile.

“Nonsense, you’re my favourite subject.” Hongbin offered his sweetest smile and leant up to place a kiss on Hyuk’s lips.

“I appreciate the thought,” Hyuk muttered, knowing full well half of it was done to annoy him into a reaction. “But I really do need to find those two.”

“I told you,” Hongbin dropped his mischievous air for sincerity, “They’ll have gone to the mountain.”

Hyuk weighed the helmet in one hand, looking around at the mostly empty lot as though it would give him the answer he was looking for. As though it would materialise the missing artists for him. He gave a long sigh and leant against the seat of the bike.

“Then I guess we’re going on a holiday to the mountains.” He passed the keys back to Hongbin and pulled his helmet on once more.

“I hear the mountains look beautiful in autumn,” Hongbin reasoned, tucking the camera away and offering Hyuk a sympathetic smile.

Hakyeon couldn’t seem to stop his feet tapping as he sat on the couch and stared at the television. It was on, playing something asinine, but he couldn’t focus. Instead he was clutching his phone, waiting for a text or call from Leo to meet him in the lobby.

The vibration between his fingers startled him so much he dropped the phone to the tiled floor. Shouting in dismay, he scrabbled to pick it up and answer.

“Hello?” He tried to sound collected.

“It’s me,” Hyuk spoke, surprising Hakyeon so much that he pulled the phone away to check that the caller-ID did indeed read Hyuk.

“Oh.”

“Don’t sound too excited.” It was intended to be a joke but prickled tension coloured the words instead. Hakyeon’s agitation faded.

“What happened?” He asked, suddenly worried for Wonshik and Ken.

“Do you know where Ravi and Ken are?” Hyuk all but demanded.

“They went back to the mountains,” N’s brows crept together as he waited for Hyuk to reply.

“I gathered, I meant the address. You’ve been there.”

“Are they OK?” His heart juddered. “Did something else happen?”

“Something else?” Hyuk’s tone had turned surprised now. “What happened? I thought they were just being their usual irresponsible selves.”

“No, they had a fight. Over Ken’s family. Apparently they don’t speak and Ravi pushed it a little far.” He inspected his nails, ignoring the worm of guilt at gossipping so openly.

“Hmm.” Hyuk did not sound surprised at all.

“Anyway, they took off yesterday for the mountains. I’ll send you the address if you still want it though.” N let his hand fall back onto the couch.

“Yeah. Send it. I can’t call them, and I have business to settle. It can’t wait.”

“OK. Are you taking Bean with you?”

“Yeah, we thought we’d go on the bike. Should at least be a nice trip to get there.”

“OK, be safe.” Hakyeon smiled, warmth glowing in his chest every time he thought of Hyuk and Hongbin together. It seemed strange that once it had inspired anything but happiness in him.

“We will,” Hyuk’s voice was kinder now. “I’ll call you when we get home. We can have dinner.”

“I’d like that,” N’s smile was small.

“I’ll talk to you later,” Hyuk’s voice became gruff and he hung up.

Hakyeon stayed where he was, tracing the fibres of the couch as he let the sweet contentment sit in his veins a little longer.

Light filtered through the window and settled on the floor by the bed. Ken watched it, wondering if it was clear white or golden yellow. Did it show traces of the late hour of the day or just pure sunshine from the sky?

“Wonshik,” He whispered.

“Mm?” The voice rumbled through his cheek as his face was pressed against Wonshik’s bare chest.

“What colour is that sunlight?”

“Hmm.” There was a shuffle of cloth and covers as Ravi turned to check. “It’s golden. The colour of warm afternoons when there’s dust in the air. It’s the colour of wheat and grains. The colour of pure gold coins in a fountain.”

Ken hummed, eyes falling closed as Ravi spoke. The sound reverberating through his whole head.

“Thank you,” He mumbled, lost to a sea of satisfaction.

“Jaehwan,” The voice rumbled once more.

“Hmm?”

“We don’t have to talk about your family,” Ravi began softly. “But you asked me about my father.”

Ken pulled himself onto his elbows, peering down at Wonshik as he continued.

“I’ll tell you, if you want.”

Ken nodded, eyes locked to Ravi’s.

“He’s a business man, a chief marketing officer for CNTA.”

Ravi’s face was bland, voice neutral as he spoke. Ken turned the information over in his mind. Of all the people in the world for Choi Sungmi to have a child to, a business man was not near the top of the list.

“Do you see him at all?” Ken asked, voice still a whisper. He tried to imagine the rebellious man Ravi had been in the same room as a high-powered executive.

“Yeah, a bit.” Ravi shrugged, wriggling into a sitting position. “I spent a few weeks every year with him growing up. When I was about 15 we decided it wasn’t necessary.”

Ken’s eyebrows rose and he waited for the rest of the story.

“We’re different people, living different lives. We love each other. But it’s just easier from a distance.”

There was a long silence. Wonshik laced his fingers through Ken’s and ducked his head to press their foreheads together.

“I’m sorry,” He whispered.

“You’re stupid,” Ken mumbled, smiling and kissing Ravi lightly. “But that’s OK because so am I.”

“You don’t have to talk to your family if you don’t want to,” Ravi mumbled back, squeezing Ken’s hand.

“I know. Thank you.” Ken sighed and moved to snuggle against Wonshik once more. “I’m sorry it’s hard for you to understand that I won’t speak to her. I know it’s hard, from where you stand, to see my side.”

“Mm,” Ravi nodded, pulling Ken closer still. “But it’s different. I see that now. Just like my father and I are different again to your situation.”

“Thank you,” Jaehwan let his eyes close as Wonshik’s words washed over him. “Thank you.”

Wonshik pressed a kiss to his hair and sighed happily.

“One more thing though,” Ken spoke again, voice blithe. “How the hell did a revolutionary like your mother have a baby with a marketing executive?”

Wonshik laughed, resting his chin on Ken’s head and sighing.

“It’s a long story…”

The silence in the elevator was electric. Leo was amazed there wasn’t arcs of lighting reaching from the scrubbed steel walls and between the two of them. Hakyeon was staring dead ahead, a strange light in his eyes. Leo ached to reach out and take one of N’s hands. He clenched his fist by his side instead. After their last conversation he was unsure where they stood. Hakyeon had scolded him, rightly so, but still angled toward having their date. Hours of arguing with himself had led him to keep the date and promise to visit Ken in the mountains the day after. Now, he was in a strange limbo hoping he had made the right choice.

The doors finally slid open and Hakyeon led them to his apartment door. It was chic, if slightly sparse a