i. today (with you)

 

“Relax,”  

 

Soonyoung looks up from his downcast gaze, right into mirror to send a shaky glance to his right, catching his friend’s eye.

 

“You’re going to be just fine, Soonyoung.”

 

He reaches up to tug at the collar of his pristine white dress shirt, feeling choked and suffocated all of a sudden.

 

“What if he won’t be there?”

 

Jihoon scoffs, rolls his eyes and and has half a mind to whack Soonyoung’s head but decides against it thinking about how long it took him to fix the nest of black hair his friend had on his head. Lee Jihoon refuses to go through all that struggle again.

 

“You’re an idiot, really, you are.”

 

“What if he suddenly regrets everything and decides not to show up?”

 

Soonyoung was visibly sweating now, something that only happens whenever he so much so eats spicy food or is anxious and nervous, as if trying to conquer his stage fright, as if he didn’t do dancing for a living, as if performing in front of an audience made him cower in fear.

 

“I honestly have no idea how Wonwoo’s been able to tolerate you all these years-“

 

A sound akin to a dog whimpering cuts Jihoon from his fragmentary rant. He turns to check on Soonyoung who now had his head in his hands and was in a weird sort of squat, rocking back and forth on his heels, his usual bright and sunny optimism gone and replaced with a black cloud of pessimism hovering on top of his silky raven hair. It was a rather hilarious sight, might Jihoon add, considering that he was in a formal suit, dolled up to - read in Wonwoo’s voice: perfection.

 

“Exactly. What if he-“

 

“Kwon Soonyoung.”

 

He flinches.

 

Jihoon’s voice held authority, something Soonyoung’s always been intimidated of since they first met in college, bringing it with him until after graduation while respectively working together as a music producer and a choreographer for a well known entertainment agency, he just couldn’t seem to get used to the shorter man’s menacing aura. As much as Jihoon didn’t want to use that tone, knowing how effective it was on this certain friend- today , Soonyoung was being troublesome and overly negative and Jihoon has had quite enough.

 

“You guys have known each other since, I don’t know, birth?” He crosses his arms for added effect, “If Wonwoo wanted out, don’t you think he’d have already done that around 30 years ago?”

 

Soonyoung looks up from his position, careful and timid like a kicked puppy, not liking the fact that Jihoon looked so much bigger than him while he was crouched low like this.

 

“You really think so?” He asks in a small voice.

 

Jihoon almost wanted to tear his own hair out in exasperation. Almost . Again, it took him Jesus knows how long to fix both his and his pathetic friend’s hair, so no, he wasn’t going to risk it.

 

 

 

“Yes, God, why else would he ask you to marry him?”

 

And as if on cue, their memories, the most significant moments in their lives that led up to where they were now today came crashing into Soonyoung’s thoughts. As if all of it happened just yesterday.

 

 

ii. yesterday (with and without you)

 

A year apart proved to be a long, long, long wait for two people who were born with practically a single umbilical cord. For two people who were basically attached to the hip, shoulders, knees and every possible anatomical part of the human specie all their life.

 

For two people very much like Jeon Wonwoo and Kwon Soonyoung.

 

They were two people who, in layman’s term, were very different from each other.

 

While Soonyoung loved to perform in front of hundreds and thousands of people, Wonwoo loved to be surrounded in the solace of hundreds and thousands of books.

 

While Soonyoung loved dogs, cats and anything and everything furry, Wonwoo was absolutely terrified of them. Not that he would admit to being afraid of cats of course.

 

(He claimed he was allergic to them. He thinks he’s convinced Soonyoung but distinctly remembers Junhui rolling his eyes and Jihoon scoffing beside him.)

 

While Soonyoung had a vast knowledge of dance related terms, mumbling something about pirouettes and fouettés and grand jetés every now and then, Wonwoo had an even wider knowledge of flowers and their meanings, unexpectedly gifting Soonyoung with Camellias in the most random of days but on the rare days that Wonwoo was feeling courageous, he’d slip a stem of Orange Blossoms in his hands.

 

They were two very different children but were born in the same neighborhood, they were two very different boys but were often dragged to the playground by their gossiping mothers and they were two very different people but found themselves complementing each other in more ways than any other person ever can.

 

So when Soonyoung told Wonwoo that he was going to travel the world, Wonwoo was incredibly and genuinely happy for him. Soonyoung was finally about to fulfill his dreams and Wonwoo was determined to support him like Soonyoung had always done. They weren’t as big as Soonyoung’s dreams, no, his dreams were dust compared to Soonyoung’s ivory ones but his hyperactive best friend makes such a big deal about them which always makes him want to pull him in for a bone crushing embrace and never let go.

 

“I’m so happy Soon-ah, this is it! Worldwide stage, like you’ve always dreamed of-“

 

“Wonu-yah,”

 

The small and trembling voice behind him catches Wonwoo off guard, he turns around and sees his best friend looking straight at him with shaky eyes, similar to those that you would see in animes, glistening as the light of the room reflected on them, a tell tale of tears threatening to fall any second. Wonwoo feels a little bad for thinking that Soonyoung still looked as beautiful as ever.

 

“Jihoon said the tour preparations and the tour itself will last a-“ Soonyoung blinks. A tear falls, just one, “A year.” He finishes, face slowly crumpling into a full blown sobbing mess.

 

Wonwoo’s arms immediately engulfs him into a tight embrace, he’d expected this much. Soonyoung would be swamped for a year, flying from one country to another, rehearsing and preparing and staying abroad for a long period of time. Wonwoo already knew it was bound to happen sooner or later, Soonyoung was talented like that.

 

While Wonwoo thought he was the clingier one in their relationship, often asking for cuddles from Soonyoung after a tiring day at work, Soonyoung just proved himself more deserving of the title and Wonwoo can’t help but smile.

 

He kisses the crown of Soonyoung’s head that was tucked underneath his chin, the love of his life still sniffling and trying to get himself together, “You know,” he starts, attracting the other’s attention.

 

“Just recently, I read about a very clever invention called FaceTime. ” Wonwoo muses.

 

That seemed to have done it. All the sniffling and hiccuping halting a second after Wonwoo finishes. He feels Soonyoung’s head slowly move to look up at him, the grip of the hands that were clutching his shirt from behind growing tighter as Wonwoo’s eyes land on Soonyoung’s slightly puffy but very annoyed ones.

 

Ah, he’s so cute.

 

“I’m over here, worried to death that a year apart will make you fall in love with somebody else while I work my off trying to look good in front of people when, really, all I want to do is look good in front of you . Thinking that maybe you’ll realize after a few months that a life without me is actually more convenient because let’s face it, I’m annoying as hell. Scared that you’re going to forget to feed yourself again while you’re cooped up writing your novels and get sick and die because I won’t be here to take care of you- no, don’t look at me like that, need I remind you that you almost died that one time in high school when your ulcer acted up while I was away for a week for dance camp? I can’t believe you’re thinking about a freaking app.” Soonyoung growls, feral, almost like a cat.

 

If Soonyoung was a cat, Wonwoo thinks, he’d probably like cats.

 

He sighs, a smile playing on his features, his eyes never leaving Soonyoung’s as his right hand reaches up to brush away the fringe that looked like it was poking his cute adorable slanted eyes, “Thinking about ways to talk to you while you’re away fulfilling your lifelong dreams,” Wonwoo corrects, leaning in to kiss Soonyoung’s forehead.

 

“And I wasn’t about to die, that was just you being paranoid,”

 

The shorter grunts in disapproval but does not shy away from Wonwoo’s lips, in fact, he leans into it.

 

“Why do I get the feeling that you actually want to get rid of me?”

 

Wonwoo chuckles.

 

“Why do I get the feeling that you really love me?”

 

Soonyoung frowns.

 

“I hate you.”

 

Wonwoo laughs, his nose scrunches, and Soonyoung falls in love all over again.

 

“My dream is for your dreams to come true and I will be right here waiting for you to come back into my arms after that one year is done and over with.”

 

“Ugh, stop being such a sap, you’ve proven yourself worthy of my forgiveness already. I’m cringing now.”

 

If it wasn’t possible for Wonwoo’s smile to grow bigger than it already was, well, he thought wrong. He pulls Soonyoung closer, bodies flush against each other, cups his jaw and kisses him soft, gentle and full of nothing but complete adoration. The kiss is returned despite the contradicting words that came out of the same mouth just a few seconds ago. Soonyoung’s feelings pouring out through his actions so much better than his words. This was why he was a dancer and Wonwoo was a writer, the latter had always been better at expressing himself through words.

 

When they break apart, Wonwoo sees the split second where his lover still had his eyes closed, lips as cherry red as ever and cheeks dusted with a tinge of rose.

 

He was so in love with Kwon Soonyoung.

 

“You better have an awesome gift waiting for me when I come back home from the tour.” Soonyoung threatens drawing Wonwoo back to reality.

 

“I’m not getting you a puppy,” He deadpans, Soonyoung’s pout evident.

 

Then he smiles.

 

“I’ll get you something even better.”

 

 

 

☄️

 

When Wonwoo said he’d get Soonyoung something even better than a puppy, he didn’t actually expect himself to be walking inside a mall with Junhui, a few days before Soonyoung’s flight back to Korea with the task of finding the perfect engagement ring of all time.

 

It’s not that he wasn’t preparing for this, and it’s not like he wasn’t prepared for this either. It was quite the opposite, to be honest. Wonwoo was so sure. It’s probably the most sure he’s ever been in his entire life.

 

The year that he was physically apart from Soonyoung allowed him more time with his own thoughts, he was able to think more and feel more.

 

He didn’t know exactly when it clicked or what triggered his thoughts to come together like a huge jigsaw puzzle but in the midst of the constant video chat sessions and the borderline creepy staring at the sleeping figure through the screen, Wonwoo had come to the conclusion that he wanted nothing else but to spend the rest of his remaining life with his best friend.

 

“Do you think he’s going to like it?” Wonwoo mumbles as they exit the jewelry store, face too red to say that it was just from the winter breeze. Absentmindedly smoothing over a shaky thumb across the small dark blue velvet box in his hand.

 

“Knowing Soonyoung?” Junhui says, a puff of smoke makes its way out of his mouth from the cold.

 

“Nah,” he shakes his head laughing, rubbing his hands together to warm them up.

 

“He’ll love it.”

 

 

 

iii. right now (lifetimes with you)

 

Most of the minister’s words were a complete blur—the only ones granted passage into Wonwoo’s ears were the ones that he wanted to hear the most: Wonwoo , Soonyoung and forever.

 

It had only been forty minutes into the ceremony, but to Wonwoo, it had already felt like an eternity, standing in front of the man that he has loved for almost 15 years, longer if he considered the days when he still had no idea what word perfectly described what he felt for his best friend. Soonyoung was so breath-taking, his perfectly (semi) tanned skin tremendously complementing his warm, ebony black tuxedo while the minister proceeds with heading the celebration. He had always thought Soonyoung looked his best in black (though Soonyoung wearing absolutely nothing was a close second.)

 

He’d already lost count of how many times he had gazed into Soonyoung’s eyes, and even now, so many years later, it’s still a constant, inward battle for him to decide if he felt lost, or found every time he gazes into them—it felt different every time.

 

“ Wonwoo ?  Come back to me.”

 

Everyone was looking at Wonwoo expectantly when Soonyoung calls out for him under his breath, so he snaps back from his momentary trance—and everything that was happening around him—the cake, the minister, the celebration, the marriage, the guests, but most especially Soonyoung, and the realization of all of this came crashing in the form of a single tear forming at the corner of Wonwoo’s eyes.  

 

To Wonwoo, this day almost entirely felt like a distant memory. Mostly because he has dreamt of this happening so many times, it was almost hard to believe that today was a complete reality.

 

“You never lost me,” he muttered back, keeping his gaze locked with Soonyoung’s.

 

Wonwoo smiles and then inhales—the last one he would take before he was to be considered officially a married man.

 

“...and you never will.”

 

It was time to exchange their vows, and he was the one to go first.

 

“Soonyoung,” he starts, and the countless times he practiced his vows in front of a mirror before their big day just immediately went down the drain.

 

He had trained hard to force himself not to shed tears until he had finished stating his vows too, but his soon-to-be husband’s warm hands were already on his cheeks as he finally lets go—freely allowing the tiny rivulets of tears to glide along his skin before he even started. He had always imagined Soonyoung to be the one to draw tears when this day had come, but now that it was actually happening, he realizes that it doesn’t really matter too much.

 

Wonwoo needed him to know how much he felt for him. For his Soonyoung.

 

“Home. When asked about its meaning, most people would define it as a box of four walls and corner pillars with a roof which stood over the heads of a family. But when they asked me what home was, all I could think about was how you only had two pillars—one left and one right—and how you managed to support the entire solar system above your feet.

 

Including mine.

 

All I could think about were the constellations formed with each tip of your fingers connecting to the different, beautiful parts of your body and how it scattered along the galaxy of your skin.

 

I have always loved littering your flesh with make-believe stars to give you a reminder that you are a part of the sky; that you are unending, infinite, breath-taking.

 

In the nine years that we have been officially in love,” Of course a wedding vow, no matter how carefully and intricately constructed, wouldn’t be complete without Jeon Wonwoo adding his own flare of corny jokes. And Soonyoung, being the supportive best friend that he was, first and foremost- would double over laughing if he wasn’t feeling overly emotional at the moment.

 

“I have given you small, separate parts of me—my shoulder, the wrap of my arms, my corners and all my edges, the parts of me that I could afford to give. And you never asked for more.

 

So today, I am giving you the rest. I am giving you my hand, my heart, my body, my future. Everything,”

 

Wonwoo couldn’t help but pause a little as he felt Soonyoung’s hands dropping down to take hold of his, his expression now mirroring Wonwoo’s as he, too, began shedding tears. He had always hated seeing Soonyoung cry—but today, today was different.

 

“You have seen me through fleeting flashes of imperfection—my less than ideal moments, the inadvertent times when I was simply human. You have seen me through my worst and through my best and you just- you still chose both.

 

I’m telling you today that I choose both, too, Soonyoung.

 

I will not be able to love you forever, but I will love you until every star in this galaxy expires, until every curious mind has retired—until the sky has ceased to cry, up until all the hummingbirds in existence have gone mute.

 

Like I said, I will not be able to love you forever... but I promise that I will love you enough.

 

Thank you for letting me love you.

 

Thank you—for existing with me in this same space, this same time and this same place.

 

I hope we grow old never learning how to be apart.”

 

Wonwoo couldn’t even decipher how Soonyoung was feeling based on how he looked like—it was almost blank, his lips were quivering, his hands sweating against Wonwoo’s.

 

That’s when Wonwoo looked up, right into his husband’s eyes. They told of stories only the both of them knew, secrets sworn to be whispered only between the two of them. His eyes did all the talking—and that was all that he needed to know that Soonyoung felt the same.

 

 

 

☄️

 

The sound of metal chopsticks dropping on the wooden table startles Jihoon. He looks up from his phone to glare at his strikingly blonde friend.

 

"Oh my god."  Soonyoung says, eyes wide and looking straight at a point somewhere behind Jihoon's head, except, he's not exactly looking at anything in particular, it was as if his mind was swimming through a vast ocean of thoughts.

 

Jihoon shakes his head, "What? No- just cause it's your birthday today, I'm not letting you copy off my calculus homework-"

 

"I'm in love with Wonwoo."

 

Jihoon raises an eyebrow at him then rolls his eyes, "Yeah, no kidding, Captain Obvious," he says before going back to scrolling through his phone.

 

Soonyoung finally tears his gaze away from the point behind Jihoon's head and looks him in the eye, expression horrific. "Jihoon, I'm in love with Wonwoo-"

 

"Yes, I know."

 

"I didn't?!"

 

"Well, congratulations, now you know." Jihoon says, not bothering to look up from his phone. The sarcasm was so evident in his tone of voice that if Soonyoung wasn't in the middle of a meltdown right now, he would've totally been offended.

 

Soonyoung groans, his legs bouncing up and down underneath the table in anxiety. "No, no, no, this can't be happening- this can't be happening, this is bad . Jihoon, this is going to ruin everything!" He now has his face in his hands grumbling and mumbling unintelligent gibberish that the shorter male couldn't understand.

 

To: Junhui

Soonyoung finally realized he was in love with Wonwoo. Just now.

 

From: Junhui

Awesome. You owe me 20 bucks.

 

To: Junhui

Bastard.

 

Jihoon exhales and decides to cut his friend some slack. He places his phone down on the table and examines Soonyoung who was currently in the midst of an internal turmoil.

 

"For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure Wonwoo has no idea that you like him." He's too busy staring at you with googly eyes to notice. Jihoon contains the snicker that was threatening to come out of his throat.

 

How he even ended up becoming friends with dumb and dumber (and dumbest a.k.a Wen Junhui), he wasn't sure.

 

Soonyoung finally looks up from his hands, he sniffles unattractively. "You think so?"

 

"Oh, I know so."

 

"Wonwoo won't stop being my best friend?"

 

Jihoon shakes his head.

 

Silence envelopes them for a few beats. The sound of the busy barbecue restaurant was all that could be heard.

 

That is until Soonyoung drawls out another groan, a longer one. Whipping his head back and covering his face once more. "Noooooooooo- when did he even start looking so handsome? He was such a puny little kid five years ago. How did his voice become that deep? It makes me want to bury myself six feet under the ground whenever he says my name. Jihoon, when did he become taller than me? Why do I always end up looking straight at his lips? They weren't even attractive when we were 10, he always had ice cream smeared all over his face. The weird thing that his nose does when he laughs at my jokes? Why is it that when his nose does that thing, I feel like I’m the funniest person on earth? And when he brings me ramen from my favorite Japanese restaurant when I sprain my ankle or something- does he think he's cool when he does that? Because damn right he is. And- and when he's supposed to be busy doing some literature , like, I don't know a ten thousand words worth of essay, does he think I don't notice him fighting his oozing amount of melatonin? I just want to- I want to wrap him in everything soft and comfy and tell him to take a break and lie down on the bed with him but that's not something a regular best friend should be doing- that's- a- I'm- argh-"

 

Jihoon only laughs and shakes his head, "Took you long enough but hey, Happy Birthday Soonyoung."

 

This time, it's genuine.

 

 

☄️

 

iv. right now (forevers with you)

 

Soonyoung stood frozen, and there were a million, different ways to describe what he was feeling by the time Wonwoo had ended stating his vows; though, to sum it all up in one simplified word said in the purest and most innocent form, he was… happy. Wonwoo was looking straight at him, his cheeks stained with tears. He wasn’t even sure how to take in everything that Wonwoo had said. He needed a moment to let every word sink in before fully realizing that this is it. It was really happening. More than nine solid years of nothing but complete adoration for one person, and they were finally fulfilling all the promises of forevers and lifetimes that they’ve sworn against each other’s ears over late nights of lying compose under the stars and coffee dates today. Finally .

 

And when it was Soonyoung’s turn to look up right into Wonwoo’s eyes, he saw what Wonwoo saw in his; an entire galaxy so beautiful and so magnificent that it completely took his breath away- wondering how it was possible for something so infinite to fit in the dilated pupils of the one person he saw his future with. Soonyoung had never been good with words, and Wonwoo was well aware of that. But he was going to do it anyways because he knew for a fact that he couldn’t dance his way out of this one.

 

He inhales, his eyes never leaving Wonwoo’s and smiles up at him, knowing full well how this certain smile had various effects on his well-being. But what he wasn’t prepared for, was the effect of the smile that was returned to him-  on him . It was one of those smiles that Soonyoung would always feel but never see close enough. It was a smile that had always been directed to him and for him alone.

 

He sees it through his peripheral whenever he tells Wonwoo about his day, his own hands flailing all over with conviction and when Soonyoung turns to look at him to gauge his reaction, the smile is gone and has already been replaced with a teasing grin, a snarky retort already bubbling from the pits of Wonwoo’s throat. Not that Soonyoung ever minded, there was always next time anyway .

 

He feels it at the back of his head whenever they’re cuddled up in bed, blankets shielding them from the cold, bodies entangled and sharing a comfortable amount of heat. When he turns around to tuck his head under Wonwoo’s chin, the smile is gone and the next thing he feels are soft slightly chapped lips on his forehead before he falls into a deep slumber.  He dreams of Wonwoo’s smile.

 

He knows it when he’s on stage while adrenaline courses through every fiber of his body, he performs his best when he’s aware of the pair of eyes that are watching him from the audience, in the midst of a sea of black from the dimmed auditorium lights Soonyoung knows that Wonwoo’s wearing that smile.

 

He’s not as eloquent as Wonwoo is, and he will never be as eloquent as Wonwoo will ever be and he surely has not frequented bookstores and libraries like his lover has, but Soonyoung was determined to confess just what and how strongly he felt for him. For his Wonwoo.

 

“Well…”

 

There was a long pause. And before he knew it, everybody inside the venue has bursted into mild laughter. Wonwoo couldn’t help but break into a small chuckle himself as he gazed at Soonyoung, who looked completely clueless. This was something Wonwoo loved about him — always being so  bubbly, and making other people smile was too easy for him — it was as if he wasn't even trying.  Wonwoo used to envy him for his effortless ability to brighten up an entire room, but eventually, the very thing he had been jealous of was the one that would eventually cause his downfall. How couldn’t he? Soonyoung made it so easy for Wonwoo to fall in love with him. Too easy. Almost effortlessly.

 

“Wonwoo,” he finally starts, and he realizes how natural it sounded when he called for his name.

 

“My vows will sound nowhere near as pretty as yours, but I’ll try, because that’s what you’ve always done. I’ve always been so difficult, and I don’t think I’ve given you the proper credit you fully deserve for putting up with so much— I am a handful, I know. Through the years we’ve loved, I have made a graveyard of your hands for all the broken pieces of me that I have been far too afraid to pick up. I have always been afraid to lose you, but not because I’ve realized that it’s going to be so hard to live without you, but because ever since I met you, my life has been at its best. And I never ever  want to lose that- us .

 

My point is that I am the most annoying brat, the biggest headache and all around the most insecure person that anyone could possibly have the misfortune to be with for the rest of their life. So forgive me if I never fully understood why you asked me to be yours 9 years ago up on that dance studio’s rooftop while we were crazy drunk. It was only because I never expected to be a significant presence to anyone in particular- and I most certainly did not expect to become the lover of the most selfless, understanding and bravest man to ever exist. Up until now, on our wedding day, it still amazes me how you’ve made such a decision, how you’ve chosen me.”

 

By the time Soonyoung was more than halfway through his vows, the whole venue had already bursted out into a quiet, happy collective sniffling. Surprisingly, there was Jihoon who was also trying his best to hold back his tears. He had seen their love story and has watched it unfold in front of his very eyes. He had been there to witness Soonyoung’s meltdown when he first realized that he was indeed in love with his long term best friend. In which Jihoon wondered why Soonyoung was being overly dramatic because as far as the world could see (except Kwon Soonyoung), the feeling was mutual.

 

It was so mutual to point of being nauseous, if Jihoon was being honest. He had seen and still sees the way the tall and lanky and too-skinny-for-his-own-good man gazed at the performer, full of nothing but of complete adoration and fondness that just grew and grew over time. Most of the time, the temptation to whack his dense friend’s head is strong but Junhui’s always been there to stop him with a pointed look as if saying: they’ll come around, let’s just wait and see.

 

And somehow, Jihoon is glad he stuck around long enough to witness two of his closest friends finally doing something about the strong feelings of love and care that they harbor for each other.

 

"You have seen me fall several times— while practicing, on and off stage, inside the dance studio, even in our apartment where I often trip over my own feet,”

 

A pregnant pause. And then a slow exhale of breath.

 

“but you will always be my favorite one, Jeon Wonwoo. My favorite fall. The sweetest one."

 

The vibrations in Soonyoung’s voice were now clearly apparent; he was on the brink of losing it, definitely. It was the good kind of lost, though. He was slowly reaching the conclusion of his vows, and it was finally going to be the beginning of them . No more yous and Is. From now on, it was only going to be we and us.

 

Wonwoo and Soonyoung will no longer be recognized as two, separate people, but as one. Finally .

 

Soonyoung takes a deep breath as his pupils tremble for a moment, though his gaze remains glued to Wonwoo before speaking.

 

“Up to this moment, I still do not know what amazing thing I have done to be on the receiving end of everything that you are. But I’m glad that I am.

 

All these years, you’ve been talking about lifetimes and forevers, and I’ve always asked you how long forever was.

 

It is only today that I’ve realized that I’ve been asking the wrong question. I realized that forever isn’t a time period...”

 

A puzzled look crosses Wonwoo’s handsome features, his eyes stained with the tears he had been shedding during Soonyoung’s vows. Slowly, Soonyoung reaches for Wonwoo’s hand, bringing it up to his face, his soon to be husband’s knuckles resting comfortably against the puff of Soonyoung’s cheeks. Wonwoo looks at him with nothing but love in his eyes, Has he always looked at me this way?  Soonyoung lets himself think before finally saying,

 

“It’s a place. Forever has always been a place. A place where I’m with you. My Wonwoo.”

 

 

 

v. an infinity of tomorrows, just us two

 

Two years ago, Soonyoung embarked on a journey with one of his closest friends to fulfill the dream he had been yammering non-stop about since he was 13 years old, the victim of said yammering being his childhood friend, his best friend, his partner in crime, his number one confidant, his most trusted companion and his better half (which Soonyoung won’t realize until he’s 17 years old), Jeon Wonwoo.

 

One year ago, he never expected to be proposed to in the middle of a bustling airport. Despite being barefaced and jet-lagged, he had pounced on Jeon Wonwoo, ugly sobbing and muttering a continuous mantra of “ Yes , yes, I love you, damn you, I’ve missed you so much, how dare you , yes I want to marry you, you big romantic dork-“ burying his face in the crook of his neck and ignoring the triumphant smirk on Jihoon’s face as Junhui unwillingly slides a couple of dollars into his expecting hands.

 

Today, he witnessed Wonwoo crying for the first time in his life. Wonwoo never cried, he didn’t cry at 7 years old when he fell down while running after Soonyoung and busted his knee, he didn’t cry at 14 years old when his parents scolded him for being on his Nintendo all day long, he didn’t even cry at 16 years old when he was dumped by his girlfriend in high school. This is the first time Soonyoung ever saw Wonwoo cry, and he was crying because of him smiling through the tears and looking at nothing else but Soonyoung. The shorter male’s heart rate picked up as he returned the smile, hotness prickling at the back of his eyes and in no time, he too was crying, ugly fat tears smearing the makeup that was applied on his face to hide all his battle scars ( read : pimple scars from lack of sleep and stress due to the tour).

 

Not that he could help it- we was, after all, getting married to the man of his dreams.

 

“I’m the luckiest person alive,” Wonwoo had said, as he slipped the silver band on his best friend’s left ring finger.

 

Soonyoung begged to differ.

 

Fast forward into some time in the future, when Soonyoung and Wonwoo are filled with a sudden wave of déjà vu as they stood across each other in front of the altar for the second time around. This time however, albeit a tad bit farther than the first time they did. They trade places with their best men, watching Jihoon and Junhui exchange their own vows, glancing at each other from time to time, Wonwoo even having the gall to send him a wink at one of the boring parts of the ceremony.

 

“My memories of Lee Jihoon were mostly sad, he would often scold me or threaten my life with a guitar-“

 

“Hyung, you know that this isn’t a eulogy we’re asking from you right?”

 

“I’m well aware of that Mingyu, stop ruining the best man’s speech.” Laughter erupts as Soonyoung raises his glass, to the newly wed couple, “All I really want to say is that, I’m not sure what Junhui saw in you but thank you for not letting me run away during my wedding day, I wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for you. I owe you.”

 

The expression on his husband’s face as he turned back around was priceless, “Y- you wanted to run away?” Wonwoo’s voice cracks.

 

Soonyoung stifles a giggle, squeezing his thigh underneath the table, “I can explain.”

 

He sees Wonwoo take a glance on his wrist watch and when he looks up to lock eyes with him, Soonyoung doesn’t expect him to be smirking, face void of all the anxiousness he may have been playing at a few seconds ago. “Alright, I’ll listen to your explanation,” Wonwoo slides his other hand on top of the one that was splayed on his thigh and intertwines their fingers together, giving it a squeeze for good measure.

 

“We have forever anyways.”