His heart pounded hard and fast against his chest, the blood and heat rushing to his ears as he panted against Woohyun’s bare chest. The latter his shoulder, drawing circles against the flushed skin. His touch was gentle and calming. So, despite the stickiness and the feeling like he just ran a marathon, Sunggyu was at ease.

“I could never get tired of holding you like this,” Woohyun mumbled.

Sunggyu looked up to see that his boyfriend’s eyes were closed, a serene smile painted on his lips. He felt his speeding heart skip a few beats at the sight. The joy bubbling inside him was indescribable and not for the first time, he wondered if he was simply dreaming because, surely, feeling this happy was impossible?

He kept waiting for the entire thing to blow up in his face but so far, Woohyun brought him nothing but joy and the feeling of love inside him only grew as the days went on.

Surely, he could take a leap of faith once more?

Maneuvering himself gently so that he was hovering above Woohyun, Sunggyu placed a hand on the lawyer’s cheek.

“Woohyun…”

Woohyun opened his eyes to smile adoringly at him. “Yes, jagiya?” His hand wandered from Sunggyu’s waist to further down. “Do you want to go again? We should rest for a bit.”

Sunggyu blushed and his first instinct was to scold Woohyun for being so bold. That was who Woohyun was. He was never closed off to how he felt about Sunggyu. He always made sure that Sunggyu knew he liked and wanted him.

Gathering all of his strength, Sunggyu leaned his head down to press a short and chaste kiss to Woohyun’s lips.

Woohyun hummed in glee.

Sunggyu swallowed. “Woohyun…”

“Hmm?” Woohyun flashed him glazed eyes full of desire.

Sunggyu’s stomach flip-flopped. “I… I love… you…” He swallowed again and made his voice clearer. “I love you.”

“Oh.”

Silence hung above them like a curtain. No sound came from either of them aside from Sunggyu’s heavy and nervous breathing. The editor was well-aware of the speeding of his heart and he tried to read Woohyun’s face.

For the first time since they started dating, Woohyun was guarded. He had always worn his heart on his sleeve and on his face, but for once, it was like an invisible shield had draped itself over him.

Finally, after what felt like hours of simply staring at each other, Woohyun smiled – a forced and strained smile.

“Thank you,” he simply said before gently moving Sunggyu off of him. “I… I’m gonna go get washed up, okay?”

Before Sunggyu could reply, Woohyun had gotten out of bed and headed for the bathroom. He normally invited Sunggyu to join him. But, then the bathroom door was closed and locked behind him and Sunggyu was left alone on the bed.

He knew that he must have caught Woohyun off-guard. Anyone would with a sudden confession like that. But, still, Sunggyu could not stop the dread that settled inside him.

When it was his turn to shower, Woohyun didn’t say a word, only gestured towards the steaming bathroom. His mind still swirling, Sunggyu took his shower and got dressed for bed because he was certain that there would be no more for the rest of the night. His confession had officially dampened the passionate mood.

When he returned to the bedroom, Woohyun was sitting up against the pillows, staring blankly at the wall in front of him.

Nervously, Sunggyu turned off the lights and padded towards the bed in bare feet. Woohyun looked up to flash him a smile and opened the corners of the comforter, inviting him in. Silently, Sunggyu got into bed and cuddled against Woohyun’s side.

“Good night,” Woohyun whispered into his hair.

Sunggyu held in the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes as he replied, “Night.”

Despite being in Woohyun’s warm arms all night, Sunggyu felt cold. Woohyun hadn’t said a word to him all night.

He wondered if he had been too hasty and jumped too soon. Woohyun didn’t seem ready to catch him.

A few days later, Sunggyu found himself at a café, drowning his sorrows in sweets.

The air was filled with smells of freshly brewed coffee and sweet cakes. In front of him, Dongwoo was enthusiastically shoving a slice of chocolate monstrosity into his mouth. Sunggyu let out a soft chuckle as he, himself, dug into his strawberry shortcake.

“Thanks for the treat, hyung!” the younger said in between mouthfuls.

“Well, it’s been a while since we’ve met up. You’ve been busy after you got back from your honeymoon.”

Dongwoo flashed him a toothy grin. “At least you were able to spend more time with Woohyun!”

At the mention of his boyfriend’s name, Sunggyu sighed.

Dongwoo tilted his head to the side in confusion. “What’s wrong? Are things not going well?”

“No, no. Things are going great! It’s just…” Sunggyu trailed off before sighing again. “I’ve been so busy with work that we don’t really get to see each other much. I just feel like I’m disappointing him.”

“Did he say that?” the other demanded.

“Well, no… But… I don’t know.”

Concern flashed across Dongwoo’s face. “Hyung… are you unhappy?”

“No, not at all.” Sunggyu smiled, slightly. “Woohyun makes me so happy. I just… I’m afraid that I’m not doing the same for him.”

“Did he say something about it?”

Sunggyu pursed his lips. “No. He’s the same as always.”

“Hyung, I think you’re thinking this way too deep. I’m sure Woohyun is happy with you.”

“I guess so…” Sunggyu sighed again. “I… told him I loved him…”

Dongwoo paused, fork halfway to his open mouth. “You did?!”

“Yes.”

“Wow… what did he say?”

Sunggyu poked at his half-eaten cake. “Nothing. He said nothing.”

“O-Oh…” In a rare moment, Dongwoo seemed speechless.

Sunggyu couldn’t blame him. He, himself, still didn’t know how to approach the situation.

The morning after his confession, Woohyun was acting the same as he always was. He made breakfast for Sunggyu, kissed him, and even flirted with him. There was no mention of his confession. And no “I love you too’s” either.

“Well… maybe he needs a little more time to think about it,” his friend said, trying to reassure him. “I mean… you did kind just of randomly drop the ‘love’ bomb on him. Was it romantic, at least?”

Sunggyu blushed. “I said it in bed… after .”

Dongwoo tsk-ed, scrunching his nose. “That’s rough, hyung. Maybe Woohyun’s the romantic type. You know… flowers… dinner… slow dancing… the whole shebang.”

Yes, Woohyun liked doing those… for him. He liked being “the man” in the relationship and Sunggyu often didn’t mind being the pampered one. He had to admit, he was a little spoiled. Maybe, that was the issue. Maybe he was too selfish in their relationship. 

Sunggyu felt so stupid. Just thinking about it made him depressed so he dropped the subject.

“And then, there’s my job…” he ended up saying, but instead of feeling relieved, he felt anxious again.

Not questioning the change of subject, Dongwoo pouted. “They passed over you again?”

“Yeah…” Sunggyu huffed. “At this rate, I’m not going anywhere. I might as well quit and find something else.”

“But, you love your job.”

“I do… but, I feel stuck, Dongwoo. I don’t know if I’m happy there anymore.”

“I’m sure they’ll acknowledge you, hyung. Maybe you just need to wait a little while. But, if you’re really not happy, then you should do what you need to do.”

Sunggyu took a sip of his drink before nodding. “If I don’t get promoted by the end of the year… I’ll quit.” He smiled at his friend in reassurance and decided to change the subject. “Anyway, what about you? How’s married life?”

At the question, Dongwoo broke into a huge grin. “I’m glad you asked, hyung!”

Sunggyu raised an eyebrow at the other’s enthusiasm.

Dongwoo was practically vibrating in his seat. “Ailee might be pregnant! She took a test and it was positive so we’re going to the doctor’s next week to check for sure, but hyung, I’m gonna be a father!”

“Congratulations!”

Dongwoo continued to babble on and on about Ailee and her pregnancy and what he hoped for his future baby.

Meanwhile, Sunggyu was struck almost speechless by the news. Dongwoo… his best friend and partner Dongwoo was going to be a father to his own and with the woman he was insanely in love with.

Life was going wonderful for him. And Sunggyu, although genuinely happy and excited for his friend, couldn’t help but also envy him a little.

On Thursday night, Woohyun came over and made dinner for them. Normally, they didn’t meet during the weekdays due to their work schedule, but that night was different as Woohyun revealed that he was leaving the next day for a weekend-long Team building excursion with his firm at Pyeongchang.

Sunggyu wondered why the other didn’t tell him sooner and it didn’t help the uneasiness he had been feeling for a week now. Woohyun still had not acknowledged his confession.

“… and I’ll be back Monday afternoon.”

Sunggyu nodded, concentrating on washing the dishes from dinner. Meanwhile, Woohyun was wiping up the table and putting away the leftovers. They both worked in silence, the shuffling and clanging of utensils the only noise.

“Sunggyu?”

“Hmm?”

Arms s around his waist as Woohyun tucked his head on top of Sunggyu’s shoulder. “You’re so quiet. Are you sad that I’ll be gone all weekend?” he asked, playfully kissing his neck.

Sunggyu paused, halfway through washing a plate. Woohyun continued to plant little pecks at his neck, a normally soothing action. But, Sunggyu couldn’t help but feel bothered.

“Y-Yeah,” he managed.

He continued his task with Woohyun still attached to his back. He could feel the other’s breath hitting his skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Finished with the last plate, he put it away before wiping his wet hands down the side of his sweatpants. He turned around in Woohyun’s arms and leaned into his hold, tucking his head on top of Woohyun’s shoulders.

“Gyu? What’s wrong?” Woohyun sounded concerned.

Sunggyu could never seem to hide his feelings from the lawyer. His boyfriend could read him as easily as an open book.

Sunggyu pulled away and caught Woohyun’s gaze. The latter’s deep brown eyes were piercing, like they were trying to look deep inside him for the answers to his questions. And Sunggyu had questions of his own. Like, why was Woohyun looking at him like he loved him but he couldn’t even say the words?

“Jagiya?”

Sunggyu realized that he must have been staring at his boyfriend for too long. He often couldn’t help but let his mind wander whenever it came to thoughts about Woohyun.

“Can I ask you a question?” he quietly asked the lawyer.

Woohyun nodded, smiling. “Of course. What is it?”

Sunggyu swallowed his nerves as he pushed the words out. “I told you that I… loved you.”

Woohyun stiffened.

Sunggyu continued, “But you didn’t say anything. Why? Do you…” He swallowed again, trying not to let his emotions get the better of him. “Do you not feel the same way?”

The other man looked away. “S-Sunggyu…” he stuttered.

Woohyun rarely stuttered. His arms that held Sunggyu so lovingly fell to his side and Sunggyu felt the emptiness from the loss.

The pit of uneasiness in his stomach grew when Woohyun couldn’t seem to look at him.

“You don’t… love me,” he stated.

Woohyun’s head flew up, eyes wide as he shook his head. “N-No, Gyu. I-It’s not like that.”

This time, Woohyun tried to take his hand but Sunggyu walked past him and headed for the living room. His mind was in shambles as the reality sunk in. Woohyun had hesitated. And it hurt.

He could hear Woohyun’s footsteps following behind him.

“Sunggyu, it’s not that I don’t feel the same way.”

Sunggyu turned to face him.

Woohyun swallowed. “Look… Love… That’s… That’s a huge thing. It’s… complicated. But, Gyu, you know that I care about you a lot.”

“But, you don’t love me,” Sunggyu stated, helplessly.

“I don’t know how I feel,” Woohyun admitted. “All I know is that I like you so damn much that it hurts when I see you upset like this.”

Sunggyu’s first instinct was to deny that he was upset, but he stopped himself in time. He knew that denying it would be a lie. So, he chose to stay silent, allowing Woohyun to talk. Besides, he didn’t want to say anything that he might regret later.

“Sunggyu, I don’t want to tell you that I love you when I’m still unsure of what I’m feeling. You deserve better than that. You deserve a sincere ‘I love you’. But, believe me when I tell you that I like you. I really like you.”

Woohyun took a step closer to him. Sunggyu didn’t move as the other cupped his face in his hands.

“Please believe me,” he whispered.

Sunggyu believed him. He really did. But, the words were stuck in his throat. He was so afraid to say the wrong thing that would push Woohyun away from him that he just couldn’t say a word.

“Sunggyu, I’m not Heechul,” Woohyun said in a tone so helpless and desperate and very unlike him that Sunggyu felt remorse for acting like such a spoiled brat. “I know that even if you’re not saying it, you’re still afraid that our relationship will end up like your old one. I confess that I’m not the perfect boyfriend but I’m trying my best not to hurt you like he did. Is that not enough?”

Sunggyu swallowed. “W-Woohyun, I…”

But, again, he couldn’t find the right words. And unfortunately, Woohyun took his silence as a sign of doubt. He released Sunggyu’s cheeks from his hold and took a few steps back.

“I should go,” he announced, gaze on the floor.

Without another word, Woohyun left Sunggyu standing miserably alone in the middle of his living room.

Sunggyu’s pride didn’t allow him to call him back. A small part of him felt that he deserved this, anyway.

He hurt Woohyun. He hurt the man he loved. He didn’t deserve him at all. But, at the same time, he didn’t want to let him go.

The weekend came and went. Monday came and went. So did Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. By the time Friday came again, Sunggyu had come to believe that Woohyun had silently dumped him. He hadn’t heard from the lawyer all week. He even sent some texts and tried to call a few times, but all of them went unanswered. He was both worried and upset.

“Sunggyu-shii, there’s someone asking for you at the lobby.”

He looked up from his desk, heart suddenly speeding up. Perhaps it was Woohyun coming to see him?

Telling everyone that he was taking his lunch break, he grabbed his phone and wallet and took the elevator down. His palms were a little sweaty and he was feeling a bit anxious, but there was also a sense of excitement. He missed Woohyun so much and the first thing he would do when he saw him was to apologize.

But, when he arrived at the lobby and looked around, there was no sign of the lawyer. Instead, the person waiting for him was the last person he expected to come see him at work.

“Hi, Sunggyu-shii!” Eunji greeted, smiling from ear-to-ear as she waved excitedly at him.

“Eunji-shii? Hi,” he greeted, politely. “What can I for you?”

She waved a hand. “Don’t be so formal, Sunggyu-shii. Just talk to me, casually!”

Sunggyu obliged. “I hope you don’t mind me asking but what are you doing here? And how did you know I work here?”

“Woohyun mentioned it. I was just in the area and thought I’d stop by and ask you to lunch. Are you free?”

It was an odd situation but since he had already told his co-workers he was going out to lunch, he might as well.

“Sure. There’s a family restaurant a block away that’s pretty good. We can go there.”

Eunji clapped her hand. “Fabulous!”

She was so perky that Sunggyu wondered if she was like this as a lawyer too. But, perhaps, like Woohyun, she had a lawyer persona separate from her regular persona.

Thinking about Woohyun just multiplied Sunggyu’s longing and he was silent the entire walk to the restaurant, allowing Eunji to babble on and on about one thing or another. He had to admit, she was quite an amusing woman and rather friendly. He felt sorry that he had been jealous of her before.

They made it to the family restaurant with Sunggyu barely saying a word but Eunji didn’t seem to mind. They were led to a table and sat down. Perusing the menu, Sunggyu decided on a bowl of traditional bibimbap while Eunji ordered some bulgogi stew.

“So, Sunggyu-shii, how are things?” Eunji asked before sipping on some complimentary water.

“Things are… fine,” Sunggyu replied, though he’s not quite sure if things really were fine.

Eunji nodded. “That’s good.”

Sunggyu cleared his throat. “So… Um… How are wedding preparations?”

At the mention of her wedding, Eunji began to rapidly talk again, her eyes sparkling in excitement. She talked about her wedding dress, the venue, and the flowers she wanted. She even mentioned her plans of leaving her job in Japan and moving back to Korea, but that was up to her fiancé if he didn’t mind moving from Korea to Japan; they still had to talk about it. Sunggyu listened, diligently and nodding in all the right places, putting his experience as a reporter and interviewing people to good use.

She continued to talk until their food arrived and Sunggyu realized how hungry he really was.

“Sunggyu-shii?”

He looked up from his food.

Eunji was smiling at him. “Thank you for accompanying me today. I know it was out of the blue. But… I just really wanted to get to know the person who captured Woohyun’s heart.”

Sunggyu blushed at that. “I… I don’t know if I actually did capture his heart. I know he likes me but…”

He trailed off, not wishing for his thoughts to go down that way.

Eunji giggled. “I get what you mean. Woohyun is a very complicated guy. Which was why I didn’t want to get into a relationship with him before. He just wasn’t committed.”

Sunggyu already knew that.

“But, trust me when I say that he more than likes you. He's practically head over heels for you! When he first told me about you, it was different from the others in the past.” She smiled. “I’ve never seen him so happy.”

Sunggyu blushed again. His own lips tilted into a soft smile as a warm fuzzy feeling took over his body.

Meanwhile, Eunji looked at her phone and let out an excited squeal. “Oh, Howon is nearby! That’s my fiancé. Do you mind if he joins us?”

“Oh, not at all. Go ahead.” He wasn't in a hurry to go back to the office.

“Yay! Thank you!” She excitedly typed her response.

They made more small talk as they finished their food.

Soon, a tall and handsome figure appeared behind Eunji and kissed her cheek.

“Hoaegi!” she exclaimed, happily. “Sunggyu-shii, this is Lee Howon, my fiancé. Hoaegi, this is Kim Sunggyu, Woohyunnie’s boyfriend.”

Howon smiled and bowed in greeting at him. “It’s nice to finally meet the famous Sunggyu that Woohyun won’t shut up about.”

Eunji giggled whereas Sunggyu felt himself turn red again. Howon sat down next to his fiancée and ended up finishing her food. Meanwhile, Eunji continued to talk to Sunggyu about one thing or another.

Howon, as it turned out, was Eunji’s total opposite. Where she was perky and excitable, he was calm and serious. Eunji was talkative, Howon was quiet and only spoke when spoken too. He was also a dance teacher in Busan. And, Sunggyu liked him. They were similar, in a way.

“So, how did you two meet?” Sunggyu asked.

Howon answered, “We’ve been friends since middle school. She stole my snacks at recess but I thought she was cute so I let her. But we didn’t get together until after Eunji finished Law School.” He chuckled to himself. “Actually, it was Woohyun who gave me a push to ask her out.” Beside him, Eunji blushed as Howon continued, “I was visiting her from Busan and I guess Woohyun noticed that I was kinda suspicious of him.”

Eunji snorted. “Suspicious? You were full-out jealous, Howon, don’t even deny it.”

At that, Howon laughed. “Fine, fine. Yes, I was jealous.” He smiled adoringly at his fiancée. “But, I owe it to Woohyun to give me that push I needed.” He turned to Sunggyu. “And I’m glad he found you. That guy… he has a lot of insecurities when it comes to relationships.”

Sunggyu’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Really? Are you sure we’re talking about the same Woohyun here? Since the moment I met him in college, he always came across as suave and confident.”

“Trust me, he has tons of insecurities!” Eunji added, nodding her head enthusiastically. “He doesn’t like his snaggletooth.”

“But it’s so cute,” Sunggyu stated, thinking of how much Woohyun resembled a puppy when he smiled with all his teeth showing.  

“He spends too much money on facial products.”

Sunggyu had to agree. He had seen them all. “Can’t argue with you on that.”

“He hates being short.”

He let out a fond chuckle. “He’s not even that short."

“And he’s literally, terrified of being in a relationship. I can’t count the number of blind dates I’ve set him up on that never got a second date.”

Sunggyu’s brows raised at that.

Meanwhile, Howon chuckled. “That’s why when Eunji told me about you, I could barely believe it. But, that guy confirmed it when I asked and, well… I’ll be damned. He actually took a chance on someone. You must be special.”

By the time Howon was finished talking, Sunggyu’s heart was beating a million times a minute.

“When it comes to his heart, Woohyun is really guarded,” Eunji said, oblivious to the swirling emotions Sunggyu was feeling. “But with you, he’s a lot more relaxed and his walls are down.” Eunji sighed. “It’s nice to see him like this.”

“Y-Yeah…” Sunggyu managed.

Now, he couldn’t help but feel guilty at how he treated Woohyun. Pretty much with how he treated Woohyun ever since the day the other had asked him out on a date. He had been rude and closed off. He was so preoccupied with his own fears and insecurities that he didn’t even think about how Woohyun, himself, must have been feeling. It never occurred to him that Woohyun would also have his own doubts and insecurities because the latter was always held himself with such confidence.

And he had briefly caught a glimpse of those insecurities the last time they spoke.

Yet, despite all that, Woohyun would still continue to reassure him that he cared about him and wanted to be with him. And what did Sunggyu give him in return?

Doubt. He doubted Woohyun’s feelings. And he made Woohyun doubt him.

Oh, God, what kind of person was he?! So what if the other didn’t say “I love you” to him? Sunggyu still wanted to be with him.

He had to make it up to him. It was now time for him to reassure Woohyun of his own feelings.

Sunggyu thought about various ways he could express his feelings to Woohyun as he finished lunch with Eunji and Howon. And he continued to think about it after he had said goodbye to the couple and was walking back to work.

As he passed a shop that he had passed countless times before, something caught his eye and he paused in his tracks. He looked through the window to look and the gears started turning in his head.

He was going to be late for work but he figured he could spare it for just that time.

Taking a deep breath, he entered the shop.

Two days after he met up with Eunji and Howon, Woohyun finally replied to one of his messages.

The message was simple: Can I come over tonight?

Sunggyu wasted no time in answering: Yes.

And that was that.

Sunggyu was a bundle of nerves but he prepared the best he could. He cleaned up his apartment, cooked a simple dinner of beef and kimchi jjigae that Woohyun taught him, and dressed up a little (dark jeans and light blue button-down that Woohyun liked).

When the doorbell rang, Sunggyu almost fell over his own feet trying to get to the door. Smoothing out his hair and gathering all his nerve, he opened it.

Woohyun, like him, was dressed to the nines in a white button down and black jeans. His hair was styled, messily. Yet, his eyes had dark circles under them and his skin looked pale.

Sunggyu instantly felt concern grip him. His nerves then got the better of him. “W-Woohyun… are you okay?” he asked, worriedly. “What happened? I haven’t heard from you all week. About last time, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-.”

Lips on his silenced him. The kiss was hard and desperate, lacking the sweetness and finesse of their usual ones. It caught Sunggyu off-guard, but he enthusiastically returned the kiss, his arms instinctively going around Woohyun’s neck.

He felt the other relax and when they both had to pull away for air, Sunggyu was red and breathless.

“I-I-I made dinner,” he managed before smiling. “Hungry?”

Woohyun returned the smile as he nodded. “Starved.”

They ate dinner in silence, throwing each other looks above their spoons and chopsticks. Woohyun seemed nervous about something and it was making Sunggyu anxious as well.

Part of him was afraid that the other was here to officially break things off. If that kiss was any indication, it felt like Woohyun was taking in as much as he could of Sunggyu before saying goodbye.

“Gyu?”

Sunggyu broke out of his reverie. “Y-Yeah?”

“We need to talk after dinner,” he stated.

Sunggyu swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. “O-Okay…”

They finished the rest of dinner without speaking anymore. The nerves kept Sunggyu from eating much. After dinner, he made tea while Woohyun settled in the living room.

He brought them out on a tray and placed them on the coffee table before sitting next to the other.

“Woohyun-,” he started.

At the same time, Woohyun said, “Sunggyu-.”

They took a moment to laugh, easing Sunggyu’s nerves a little.

“I missed you,” he whispered, watching Woohyun from the corner of his eye.

“I’m sorry I took so long to talk to you,” Woohyun replied with a sigh. “It’s just… after our last conversation… I had to do a lot of thinking…”

Sunggyu swallowed. “I’m sorry. I was selfish. I didn’t mean to make you think like you’re not enough.”

“No, I get it. I shouldn’t have tried to avoid talking about it.”

At that, Sunggyu felt his heart grow. Even if he wasn’t at fault, Woohyun was still trying to reassure him.

He let out a soft chuckle and turned his head to look at the other. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

Woohyun tilted his head to the side in question.

“Woohyun, you don’t have to tell me that you love me,” Sunggyu continued. “I know that you care about me and that’s enough for me.” He took Woohyun’s hand in his and met his eyes. “I love you. And I don’t care how long it takes, but I’ll wait until you can say it back to me.”

Woohyun’s eyes widened in shock. “S-Sunggyu…”

But the editor wasn’t done. “I'm not a perfect boyfriend either. I’m insecure and I get jealous, easily. I have low self-confidence. I’m always afraid of change and I get upset when things don’t go the way I hope they do.” He tightened his grip on Woohyun’s hand. “But, I love you. I love you so much and I don’t want to lose you. I'm not afraid to love you anymore. So… please… don’t give up on me.”

Woohyun was staring at him in awe now. “Wow,” was all he said.

At that, Sunggyu frowned. “What?”

For the first time all night, the mischievous sparkle was back in Woohyun’s eyes. Gently, he pulled his hand away from Sunggyu’s grip. At first, it sent a prick of hurt in Sunggyu’s heart but it was immediately eased when Woohyun cupped his cheeks, them with his thumbs, affectionately.

“You finally opened up to me,” Woohyun stated, happily. “I’m glad.” He released Sunggyu’s face and took his hands this time. “Now, will you listen to me, this time?”

Wordlessly, Sunggyu nodded and Woohyun smiled in gratitude.

“You know… when you first told me that you loved me, I was… genuinely happy. And I wanted to say it back, I really did. But, then… I felt afraid. I wondered, what if you were only saying it because you felt like you had to? I mean, I practically forced you to date me by pursuing you until you gave in.”

Sunggyu wanted to interrupt and say he didn’t, but he swore to let him talk so he kept his mouth shut.

“I was afraid because I felt like I wasn’t living up to your expectations. And I was… insecure,” he admitted. “I swore to myself that I when I tell you that I love you, I would mean it and it would be for real because that’s what you deserve, Sunggyu. I wanted to be sure I was giving you exactly what you need and deserve from me. That’s why… this entire week… I did a lot of thinking… It hurt to be away from you and to ignore your messages, but I had to do it. You have no idea how close I came to giving in but I had to be sure. I had to be sure about how I felt for you. And I realized something…”

Sunggyu swallowed, bracing himself. To his surprise, Woohyun stood up, dragging him up with him.

And then, he had to stop his heart from jumping out of his chest when Woohyun reached into the pocket of his jeans and took out a velvet black box.

He couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped his throat when Woohyun opened the box to reveal a pair of white gold rings. They were simple yet elegant, the ceiling light bouncing off the surface, making the rings sparkle.

“I know they’re not much,” Woohyun explained, nervously. “And I kind of bought them on a whim. But, I couldn’t think of anything else to prove to you that I’m serious about staying with you. And I’m hoping that these could help.” With a smile, he held the box out to Sunggyu. “I love you, jagiya.”

The words caught him off-guard. Sunggyu could feel his eyes watering but he forced them not to fall. He was feeling a million things at once: joy, elation, disbelief, fear, love.

Woohyun loved him. Woohyun wanted to be with him. Woohyun bought couple rings.

He must have been silent for too long as Woohyun now looked even more anxious than he was before he confessed.

“Gyu?” he called out, hesitant.

A tear managed to escape Sunggyu’s right eye. He wiped it away with a soft sniffle, embarrassed at his display.

“You’re not fair,” he mumbled with a pout.

Confusion flashed across Woohyun’s handsome face. “P-Pardon?”

Sunggyu chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re not fair, Nam Woohyun.”

“I… I’m sorry… I…”

He trailed off when Sunggyu, himself, reached into his own pocket and retrieved the red velvet box he had tucked in there earlier when he got dressed.

Smiling shyly, Sunggyu opened it to reveal another pair of rings, yellow gold, this time. Like the rings in Woohyun’s box, they were simple but Sunggyu had been hoping they could engrave them with their initials later on. They caught his eye on his way back to work from lunch with Eunji and Howon and knew, right there and then, that those rings were what he needed to show Woohyun how sincere and true his feelings were.

Saying “I love you” was one thing. But, couple rings could help seal the deal. They weren’t simply a gift. He wanted Woohyun to have something to reassure him that despite his misgivings and shortcomings, his heart belonged to Woohyun. Offering him a ring was a symbol of Sunggyu’s commitment.

And it appeared that Woohyun thought the same.

“I love you too,” Sunggyu stated, offering the box to him.

At first, Woohyun only stared at the rings in disbelief. There they stood with their respective boxes of couple rings, silent.

From the outside, it was sort of comical. But, this was a moment when both of their walls were completely down. And, perhaps, Sunggyu hoped, their doubts about each other would end there.

Finally, Woohyun made his move by taking one of the rings from his box and tucking the other back into his pocket. He took Sunggyu’s left hand and gently placed the white gold ring into the other’s ring finger. Then, he held out his own left hand to Sunggyu with a smile.

Realizing what Woohyun wanted, Sunggyu obliged. He took one of the yellow gold rings from his box and put the other back in his pocket. Then, he took Woohyun’s extended left hand and slipped the ring into his ring finger.

As soon as the ring was in place, Woohyun grasped Sunggyu’s hand and pulled him in.

Their lips met for the second time that night in a kiss full of love, passion, and sureness. 

Sunggyu’s heart was so full and he had no doubt that the man in his arms felt the same. He could feel the other’s heart beating alongside his, their touches burning each other yet they had no intention of parting. They only wanted to get closer and closer.

For a brief moment, Woohyun pulled away to whisper, “I love you, Kim Sunggyu. I really love you.”

Happily and barely able to contain his tears, Sunggyu replied, “I love you too, Nam Woohyun. I really love you.”

Grinning, Woohyun leaned in again and Sunggyu met his lips with no hesitation.

Underneath the ceiling lights of his small apartment, the rings on their fingers glinted with a bright shine.

A/N: Ahhh, this took me so long! So much happened here and I wanted it to be perfect! I was thinking about leaving it on a cliffhanger and continuing with another chapter but I figured I make everyone suffer enough with angst. 

The scene with the couple rings was something that inspired me when I read it in a manhwa. I thought it was perfect to add here since Woohyun and Sunggyu's relationship started off full of fear and doubts. The ring is a symbol of commitment and with both of them just instinctively buying a pair and offering them to each other shows that they are both on the same page. They want to be with each other and they are sure of their feelings. Their rings may not match since Sunggyu is wearing the one Woohyun bought and Woohyun is wearing the one Sunggyu bought, but the commitment is there. 

So, I regret to say that this is the last official chapter. The Epilogue is next and there will be a time skip. This was really fun to write, although I have to admit, I ran into several obstacles and had many moments of writer's block with this story. 

But, I hope it was satisfactory! 

'Til the next one!