Finding common ground in marriage was often difficult, added to the fact that the two had been apart for so long. It was like meeting each other for the first time, but only this time Seungri’s chubby hands didn’t fit neatly with Jiyong’s covered in sweets and candy. Little Seungri wasn’t bothered by much, his routine had consisted of pre-school and sleeping, and then waiting to spend time with his Jiyong Hyung.

Before he left for New York Seungri had made his Jiyong Hyung a small picture of the two. It had been a drawing of them in front of a house, and the sun is shining brightly in the corner. The two stick-figures were happy, and were accompanied by the scrawly handwriting, or rather scribbles that spelt out ‘Best Friends Forever’.

Jiyong’s Mother had gotten it laminated to ensure that the paper remained in all its glory, and it stuck nicely to Jiyong’s wall, above his desk. It found a new home inside a box once they had moved houses. And now it was revealed once again as Seungri rummaged around the wardrobe trying to find space for his own clothes.

“You still have it?” The younger questioned with cheeks a bright red.

He feels a bit embarrassed having drawn such a thing, but the love was still there. It felt like it was being opened up once again.

Jiyong’s wardrobe had been filled to the brim with clothes, and expensive suits and shoes. The guest room was all that was left for Seungri’s belongings, even so, half the wardrobe was taken up by Jiyong’s personal belongings.

Jiyong nodded and took a spot next to his Husband, and admired the neatness of the walk-in wardrobe that they were currently sitting in. The whole afternoon after brunch had been used to bring some calm after the last two hectic days. Seungri’s books and other belongings sat on the nightstand, his laptop on charge. Jiyong had almost forgotten that the younger had to attend University.

“I held onto it like it was the last thing I was ever going to see. Mom got so scared for me that she went and laminated it so it wouldn’t get damaged.”

Seungri placed it to the side and rummaged through the box once again and this time pulled out a small photo album. He flipped through the pages and smiled at each photo, every one with a backstory that made Jiyong turn red.

Seungri also blushed at the stories as Jiyong remembered more than he did. Young Seungri sure was spoiled.

Jiyong held the picture in front of them where it had the two laughing away with ice-cream cones in their hands.

“We got double scoop ice-creams that day, but you tripped over your untied shoelaces then your ice-cream fell as well, and you cried for several minutes.”

Seungri studied the picture further, “And I assume you gave me one of your scoops so I would stop crying?”

Jiyong smirked. “I’ve always been kind.” He shrugged his shoulders, but ultimately he was proud of himself, well, of course, the two scoops for Seungri would have made him go on a sugar rush, so it only made sense for him to share his own.

“And this?”

His Mother loved capturing all moments of Jiyong’s life, and it only made sense for her to take a picture of her crying son after Seungri’s departure. Now Jiyong was more than red.

“I cried a lot after you left and I mean a lot,” he emphasised the last word.

After all, a kid didn’t know much about the world other than what was happening in the current moment.

“Even though I forgot about it a few months later when school started up.”

Sadly, that was the cycle of life.

Seungri placed the album back into the box and closed the top; it took the two to set it back in its spot due to how heavy it was, leaving them a panting mess.

“So, uh, dinner?”

“What are we making?”

Making? Wait, Seungri wanted to make dinner? As in from scratch? As long as Jiyong can remember his meals at home were either from takeaways or whipped up by his Mother when visiting.

“Well, I mean there isn’t much in my kitchen considering I don’t cook.”

Seungri only stared at him blankly. Was Jiyong serious? It was safe to assume that Jiyong only consumed junk food when he was home, and that was great and all but not to cook something? That was absurd.

“Why not Hyung? It’s a lot of fun.”

“Burning down the kitchen isn’t exactly my idea of fun.”

Seungri ignored the statement and grabbed his coat from the rack by the door, Jiyong did the same knowing exactly where this was going, or rather where they were both going. Jiyong was fast, but Seungri was faster, and he was learning more and more about his Husband with each passing minute.

“Do you have any dietary requirements?”

Jiyong and foods that he couldn’t eat? Impossible.

“I think we should be more worried about you Mr I can’t drink orange juice.”

“Hyung, sometimes I tend to get carried away.”

“You should be glad that alcohol in my apartment is locked away from sight.”

“I’m glad you’ve thought about my well-being.”

It was locked away because Seunghyun had no limits when it came to consuming it all. There were one too many stories about Seunghyun and his alcoholic adventures, and it seemed that he had recruited Seungri as the newest member.

Jiyong didn’t say anything at that but instead placed his hands in the back pockets of his jeans, and rocked back and forth. The elevator was taking its merry time, and Seungri’s stomach growled in response. Jiyong’s followed right after.

“What exactly are we getting from the supermarket? We could just order online.”

“I feel that I should get used to life around here and I think the supermarket is the best place to start.”

Of course, it was, the aisles full of food and so many other products. It was so colourful and somewhat calming. They had just missed the post-work rush, and Jiyong was glad that the aisles were empty, it meant no getting irritated having to make space for others.

He was placed on trolley duty, and he pushed it around as he followed Seungri from aisle to aisle. Of course, his own selection of products sat at the front as Seungri took up the rest. Product after a product was placed knowing that Jiyong’s card would cover it all.

Four different kinds of bread, and some vegetables followed by different brands of coffee and hot chocolate. It was evident how vast Seungri’s New York taste was from his very own. The packaged doughnuts made it onto the top of the food mountain in the trolley. Jiyong was sure that it was going to break at this point.

“Hyung, what kind of chocolate do you prefer?”

Finally, the treats. The endless amount of vegetables was beginning to make his head spin.

“The light one.”

Seungri blinked, “What about dark chocolate? It’s good for you.”

He’d read it on the internet one time but another excuse to buy more expensive chocolate, right?

“Why not both?” Jiyong ended the non-existent argument as he placed both into the trolley. Their food mountain was finally complete, topped off with the highest good of all; chocolate.

Maybe having both wasn’t a bad idea after all. Bless Jiyong for coming up with this solution. After all, he could say it was a balanced diet.

And so the process of placing it on the conveyor belt began. Jiyong watched the screen raise the final cost with each item that passed through the scanner, and packaged neatly into bags that sat back in the trolley one by one. Damn shopping for yourself was one thing, but shopping for two was another. The total exceeded over $400, and Jiyong was about to drop dead then and there.

It had happened all