Seongwoo looked at the finely yet casually dressed CEO, simply blinking in his signature cat-like way for five minutes.

“N-Neh? Sorry sir, but could you repeat that one more time? I think I must have heard something wrong.”

The CEO of Fantagio chuckled, shaking his head. “Seongwoo, we have already repeated this comedy routine the last five minutes. I will put it simply. There is a big company that wants you, in New York, like I said. No joke. They will give you double what you are making with us. You will be choreographing for various American pop artists. All you have to do is send a link to what place you want them to buy for you. They will take care of the rest. You have to be there in a week. Think fast on this before the chance flies away.”

“But…okay, let’s say that was true that some huge director wants an amateur from an Asian country to be their main choreographer for some odd reason when they shouldn’t even have a way of knowing I exist. What about my family? What about my responsibilities, my accounts, all my belongings…”

The CEO shrugged. “It’s going to be a quick change of lifestyles. A headache to wrap up your affairs to be able to move in a week. Your belongings can easily be packed up and shipped by a international moving company that the Americans have agreed to refund you for. As for family, you will have to make sacrifices. It’s a great opportunity that lines up with your dream though. We can’t offer you even five years down the road what they are offering you. Plus, I understand that you love New York and have visited there before. I suggest you take the offer. Your family can always visit once or twice a year. And I’m sure the American artists will come here for tours and you can join them then.”

“But…my boyfriend…” Seongwoo bit his lip. He fidgeted with his hands, the idea of ever separating with Daniel made him uncomfortable to say the least.

Daniel could barely use a phone and a computer properly. How could he put him into a long-distance relationship where they would have to communicate only that way? Would Daniel be able to fly and see him often? He was a student now, so it wasn’t like he could afford the ticket. Maybe if they saved up, Daniel could stay with him on his school vacations. However, it would surely stress them both out and affect their performance.

He wasn’t sure about their bond as well. Would their bond break? Would their love fade? He absolutely hated the idea of that. Daniel was his and he was Daniel’s. He had spent a year thinking that way and he had absolutely no desire for it to ever change.

“Ah, you are dating someone, that’s right. That buff blonde guy who is always smiling and really cute and kind. Hmm, I would feel awful encouraging you to break such a sweet kid’s heart like that. You love him a lot?”

Seongwoo sniffled as tears started slipping out. The gracious CEO passed him some tissues. Seongwoo nodded as he dabbed the wetness off his cheeks glumly, still in a daze, shocked, and feeling a mix of dread and delight.

It was such an amazing opportunity he hated to pass up on a whim. It was his dream like many others to live abroad and he could even become a professional choreographer and make double the money, so him and Daniel would have less money troubles to worry about. At the same time, he wouldn’t want to take a risk on not having the shifter in his life. Daniel and their relationship was still his number one priority.

“I love him a ridiculously, insurmountable amount. More than there are stars in the sky. He’s like…my whole life. I can’t leave him here. I can’t risk losing him. I think…”

The CEO interjected with his hands up, “Wait! Don’t reject this opportunity so quickly, Seongwoo! I just got an idea. It’s a little bit crazy but…”

“What is it?” Seongwoo jumped forward, grabbing the desk, his pretty, round eyes lighting up effervescently like they held the moon inside. He was excited, desperate for a way out of his dilemma.

“It’s America, come on. You know how free the laws are and how, compared to our own, they judge much less. You could get married there even. Take him with you. You can live much more freely than here. Show off how much you love each other even.”

“Get…married…?”

Seongwoo sat back in the chair, utterly shocked like the CEO had just punched him. He had never thought of that, so he wasn’t sure if he wanted it. Would Daniel want that? Had Daniel ever wished that? Had Daniel ever felt frustrated and envious of women-male couples that could get married legally? Were shifters even allowed to get married to humans?

The more that he thought about it though, the more he started thinking the idea sounded rather nice. He already felt like they were married actually. He wanted to devote his whole life to Daniel only. He thought the shifter felt the same as well. It was because of and thanks to their bond. Their bond made them feel married.

If they went to America though, they could be legally bonded so then even if the bond was gone as Daniel’s shifter powers faded, they had some sense of security and proof they were together. A security blanket that would keep them happy when times were rough and stop them from possibly fighting and leaving each other easily like some other shifter-human couples did apparently.

They could be free. They could have a better life. It was possible that shifters were better treated there, the schools were great so Daniel could go to college there as well, they could date openly, plus he’d be making a lot more money which would improve the quality of their lives and give them more free time to be together surely.

Seongwoo decided he better do some research on various things right away. He stood up and bowed to the CEO who had a gentle, fatherly smile on, like he knew that he had convinced Seongwoo finally and was proud of his son for making a life achievement.

“I am going to take today off to think about it and look up some things just to be sure before I make any huge, rash decisions. I will get back to you about this tomorrow, sir. I think…I might just take this job, as much as I have loved it here and appreciate your care. Let me just talk to my boyfriend about it first.”

“Daniel, what do you think of these pictures?”

Seongwoo that night showed Daniel photos of New York, American college campuses, and gay weddings. They were both laying in the bed in their blue and green alligator couple pajamas. They had just finished watching a SpongeBob marathon. It had been one of Daniel’s favorite shows. Seongwoo hadn’t understood how he could possibly enjoy something so childish at first, but after a couple episodes he had gotten into it as well, finding it amusing and mood-lifting.

“Well, that was very random.” Daniel looked at him with arched brows.

“What do you think though?” Seongwoo pressed, tickling his shoulders and smiling widely.

“I really want to know what this look is about. You clearly have something you want to tell me and want to hear from me, but since the bond is a bit foggy I can’t read as clearly.”

Daniel pouted, eyes turning gloomy. Seongwoo hugged and kissed his cheek, humming with sympathy. He also felt it and was worried about it. Daniel was losing his shifter powers gradually with every month that passed.

It was rather terrifying for both of them. Although Daniel had been coming much closer to accepting it on good terms than Seongwoo had. Seongwoo really didn’t want their bond to fade, especially, worried that if they lost they bond their relationship would completely change—for the worst. What if the only thing that ensured Daniel still liked some ordinary, moody, picky human was their bond? He had yet to manage to shake off all of his insecurities and tendency to think negatively.

Daniel insisted that he loved Seongwoo for a variety of reasons and nothing would change without their bond except the mind reading, which he felt he could still do a rather good job at without since they knew each other well. He insisted he wanted to be human and couldn’t wait for it, but Seongwoo sensed at times that he was scared and sad about separating with a huge part of his identity. Although Daniel hardly acted like a literal puppy as he had used to when they met and started dating right away a year ago, he would always be a shifter at heart and have all the memories of his puppy days.

Seongwoo decided to confess everything. “Daniel, I have some…huge news. Terrifying but exciting and adventurous. I got an offer to work and move to New York, in America. I want to take you with me. I want us to move there. Besides that there are many great schools and I will be making a good salary so you don’t have to work part-time anymore, there are also perks. The biggest one is that it turns out there are even more shifters there and they coincide with the humans. You can walk around freely with your ears and tail out. They have laws that protect you from discrimination. They also have shifter doctors which leads me to say for perk number two…they are almost finished developing a special shot you can get. To stop your de-transformation.”

“They… You… What?” Daniel rolled over, pulling the human into his arms as they laid on their side, his eyes wide and blinking rapidly, his plush lips flapping.

Seongwoo gently brushed his face, the pretty mole under his right eye. He was smiling wide, hardly able to contain his immense happiness at the things he had discovered during his day’s worth of research while Daniel was at school and working at the convenience store. Their life was going to be so perfect soon and Daniel was going to be even more excited than he was, he was sure of it. Once he explained it all out and got the shifter to fully understand what it all meant.

“Daniel, you know what this means, don’t you? We are going to be living a dream!”

Daniel accepted his kisses, though he was still completely lost. Sure he liked the idea of them ‘living a dream’ and he was ecstatic to see the human happier than he had ever been. He would do anything, follow Seongwoo anywhere, get him anything he desired. As long as Seongwoo was happy, that was all that mattered to him.

Even if he was required to go to a foreign land and abandon all his friends and all he had ever known on a whim for his love. He was giving up his special powers for Seognwoo already, there wasn’t much bigger than that for him to lose. He didn’t regret it a single day that he was living with the human as well. Seongwoo made him happier in ten minutes than he had felt within days of using the benefits of his shifter powers in the past. It was a sacrifice he could make easily.

“Um, that’s great baby. That you are happy. But I don’t get what it means, all about America and what not…” he admitted sheepishly.

Seongwoo chuckled, kissing his nose and sitting back a bit, his pretty eyes crinkling and shrinking with this huge, dazzling smile that just didn’t quit. Daniel decided he was going to agree to whatever Seongwoo was about to ask of him because he wanted to see that smile stuck on his face permanently. Well, as long as they weren’t mating that was.

“Sorry, I was going too fast, right? I got an offer to be a professional choreographer in America today. It’s in one of my favorite cities. They will be giving me twice the money I am making now. They will also give me a place to stay, pay for the move, give me a car, anything I need. The thing about America is that it’s a very free, open-minded country. So there are lots of shifters and life is comfortable for them. Also, we can go to a doctor and if you want, we can stop your powers from fully fading. We can keep the bond and you can transform halfway still. Hmm? You understand now? It’s wonderful, right?”

Daniel asked him to repeat a few parts, as usual he was slow on the uptake with new things seeing as he had led a simple, animalistic life for so long. He didn’t know about America really at all, either. Just that they made the best steaks. Seongwoo only ever bought steaks that came from there. He also said they had the greatest hamburger joints there and he wanted to visit New York again whenever he craved them.

Once he understood why Seongwoo was excited, his expressions and feels mimicked the humans. The bond between them was buzzing with joy and excitement.

“That’s great! I can just switch schools, it’s no biggie. I’m not attached to them. I can make new friends too. And if you teach me how to video call, I can call my shifter friends too. They could even visit. They would like that actually. Don’t worry about me. I don’t object to it at all. The idea of living in a new place, traveling with you, exploring somewhere new after class, making new friends, having my powers back, not working and worrying about money…Wah, it all sounds wonderful. When can we go?” he asked brightly at rapid-fire speed as they both embraced while standing up and bounced around the bed literally.

“In a week! We just have to wrap things up and see our families and friends to say goodbye. Then we put the stuff we really need to take in boxes and get our flight tickets and we’re off!”

“Wah, so simple. The sooner the better! This is great. I’m already wanting to go from tomorrow! I’m so happy for you, Seongwoo! So proud of you! Your talent is already recognized. Wah, I love such a talented guy!”

Daniel squeezed Seongwoo tight, lifting him with ease and pulling his legs around his waist. Seongwoo laughed, clinging to him like a koala, feeling he was about to burst with joy. He was ecstatic that this was really happening and that Daniel was more than pleased to go along with his idea. Their lives were about to change for the better and it was happening without a single hitch, unlike anything else in their lives, especially before they met.

They clung and kissed happily, playfully rubbing noses like they did to show affection, like puppies did as Daniel preferred from months ago.

“I’m happy too. For us. We can even get married there! Can you believe it?” Seongwoo squealed.

“Married? What’s that?” Daniel stopped kissing him to his head with a curious look.

Seongwoo played with the Samoyed white, fluffy ears that had popped out in his boundless excitement. As usual, they were velvety soft, adorable, and warm. Seongwoo felt another surge of joy that he would be able to see them for the rest of his life and not have to feel any more stabs of guilt for being the reason they might someday wake-up, having utterly disappeared. His smile could beat the radiance of the moon. Daniel’s smile was more like the blazing beauty of the sun just before it dropped below the mountains on a clear day, though his was merely a domino response to Seongwoo’s.

“Didn’t you see the pictures I showed you earlier clearly? The ones with the men in the suits and the fancy rooms decorated with flowers? No? Come on. Let me show you again.”

They sat down in front of the laptop. Daniel was still confused what the big deal was without some sort of explanation.

“So in America we can have a big flower party? We give a speech while holding hands and kiss in front of a crowd? Not to diss on your culture, but why would you want to do that? It seems embarrassing and kind of boring...”

Seongwoo fell back on the bed, giggling and kicking his feet in the air. Daniel was usually glad to make his lover nearly die from laughter, but not at times like this when it was at his expense. Daniel flushed and pouted, crossing his arms and legs.

“Sorry for being ignorant of human customs, you know-it-all meanie,” he huffed, turning up his nose, his puppy ears drooping in annoyance, his tail swatting the other’s bum.

“Sorry, so sorry baby…I thought you would know what marriage is, after all those movies you watch. What it means….My bad…excuse me….Just give me another minute….” Seongwoo patted his leg in comfort but his giggles wouldn’t stop.

They seemed to have a mind of their own. Apparently, Daniel not knowing what the significance of marriage was made him the b