Mark wasn't angry the next morning. Maybe he should have been. The past few days had been exhausting in completely different ways, and he had no idea what this one would bring. He really should tear Jackson a new one for putting him through this.

But this time, he had the confidence he'd been lacking previously. It didn't matter if he met Jinyoung at Seoul Station or outside of an over priced restaurant at practically midnight or if he randomly showed up in his neighborhood if he ever remembered where said neighborhood actually was. The same attraction that had kept them talking for eight hours the first time would still be there. He didn't have to worry or rehearse. He just had to live.

Still, he wanted a status update from Jackson since he hadn't been able to read any of his messages before blacking out. Apparently not everything was resolved, and there was still work left to do.

As soon as Mark made it downstairs, Jackson looked at him contritely. “I'm so sorry I didn't wait for your answer, man,” he said. “It turns out that the situation was about a lot more than just Jaebum breaking up with me, and if I want a solution everyone can accept, I had to start one more time. But I really wanted to OK it with you first. I know I couldn't manage to knock over Jinyoung this time for you-”

“Don't worry,” Mark said calmly. “This time I found him.”

“Aw, ,” Jackson winced. “And I reversed it again. I'm so sorry.”

“It's fine. This time involved a lot of running and waiting around and only getting to talk to him for about five minutes. Don't get me wrong, it was still one of the best things that ever happened to me, but I liked the first way better.”

“I'll take care of it. Just tell me what he looks like.”

“Our age. Wearing a black and white striped sweater. Cute eye crinkles when he smiles. The best my eyes have ever seen, though I'd prefer you to overlook that. Unofficially, I have dibs.”

“No worries about that. Right at this moment, Jaebum and I are officially still together. And I intend to end today with that still true. Jinyoung is up to you.”

“I'll do my best. Though honestly, this whole business of intentionally pushing him over is making me feel kind of guilty. If Jinyoung hadn't said having a swollen ankle and a bunch of bruises was the absolute best, I'd ask you to go easy.”

“I trust that you'll take good care of him to make up for it.” He looked at Mark earnestly. “There's just one more thing. About our living situation.”

“Yeah?”

“I'm probably not going to be living here full time anymore.”

“For real?”

“Uh-huh. My plan to live and work here pretty much exclusively isn't going to work out anymore. I'll explain it to you in more detail once I figure it out with my manager. Who should be calling right about now.” He glanced down at his phone.

“And you and Jaebum?” Mark asked softly.

“You know what...that guy thinks of me more than I've ever thought of me. I think he worries about me even more than I've worried about him, which is saying something. I think we'll be fine. If he loves me to the extent of being willing to let me go no matter how much it hurt, I think he'll love me to the extent where he'll wait for me to come back.”

His phone started vibrating, and he picked it up with a small smile. “This one's going to take awhile,” he said. “If I don't see you before I leave, good luck with Jinyoung.”

“Yeah. Be happy, Jackson.” It felt like a more important thing to wish him than luck.

“I will be.”

Mark went upstairs to get ready, putting on the same old outfit he'd been wearing and pulling a comb through his hair. One more time. This time when he found Jinyoung, he wouldn't take a single second for granted. He would revel in every single moment, and let the joy of finding love in such a crazy world consume him until all the anxiety and desire to get things just-so were swallowed up.

He didn't do much else to get ready or kill time this morning. He just settled back on his bed and played “Like Opening a Box of Wonders” on his music app. It wasn't Jinyoung's voice, but it was Jinyoung's melody and words. “Each new thing amazes me, each separate color and touch and taste of you a wonder like no other in the world. How does it feel to be you? How does it feel to breathe magic, to with your magic steal my breath until you are the air I exist on?”

It was a beautiful song, and showed a glimpse of the beautiful mind and soul who had dreamed up of it. But Mark wanted to hear the other song, the one that had only just begun in a reality other than this one. He wanted to know what would happen when there really was no way back from this moment.

He left at the same time and got on the same train car. He took the same stairs and escalators behind the exact same people, listening to their exact same conversations. He got hit by the exact same suitcases. You could feel stuck in time, trapped in a cycle of sameness and repetition if you lived life like this. It was inevitable. Some of the day was different every time, but some parts would always be the same.

He stepped aboveground and saw him limping there in his black and white striped sweater, being buffeted at every side by careless pedestrians, his shoulder straining to manage the duffel on his shoulder. The tangles of time unwound from Mark, freeing him from the cycle. This had happened before. He knew that. But it was still brand new. He hadn't felt like this last time. It wasn't the same moment, and he wasn't the same person. He wasn't falling in love. He was already there.

Taking a breath, he jogged forward until he was at Jinyoung's side. “Sorry to bother you,” he said. He met Jinyoung's eyes, and warmth spread all across his body. It was truly like opening a box of wonders. A smile spread across his face, and Jinyoung instinctively smiled back.

“Oh no,” he said. “I was waiting for someone to bother me. I need help. Badly.”

“Can I take your bag, maybe?”

“Ah, actually, I was going to ask you for directions. You don't have to trouble yourself.”

“Please. I insist. Your shoulder must be killing you, right?” He extended his hands, still grinning to the extent where it almost hurt.

“Right. Thanks.” Jinyoung passed the bag on to him. “You've got a nice smile. Did you win the lottery today?”

This is different, Mark thought. “In a sense, it feels like I did.”

“How so?”

“Because I just got to meet someone like you.” He laughed awkwardly. “Ahem. Sorry. That was cheesy.”

“No need to apologize,” Jinyoung said with a massive grin. “As far as pick up lines go, that's one that just might work. If you're trying to pick me up, that is? Are you?”

“Shouldn't I give you those directions you're looking for first?”

“Uh, directions? Ah, yes, right. Those. I was going to go to Myeongdong to sell some books. But very suddenly I do not want to go to Myeongdong. Unless you're going to Myeongdong. Are you?”

“I'm not. And bad news about Myeongdong, it's a pretty far walk from here.”

“How unfortunate,” Jinyoung said, though he didn't look like he cared at all. “And the thing is, I'm brand new to Seoul, so if I walk, I'm 100% sure I'll get lost. And we can't have that, can we? When the police come to rescue me, I might even have to report you for neglect.”

“And we definitely can't have that.”

“Definitely not. So where were you headed before you won the lottery?”

“To get some lunch at a restaurant.”

“Restaurants? I love restaurants. I love food. I love the chairs there I could sit on and rest my ankle. Hint hint.”

Mark laughed, enjoying this slightly different version of events. “Do you also love Thai?”

“Thai? Of course I do. It's now officially the number one food I want to eat right now.”

“Then by all means, please do me the honor of your company for lunch.”

“Oh, I like that. The honor. I am honoring you with my presence. You have a golden tongue.” Jinyoung flushed a little. “In the talking sense, I mean.”

“What a compliment. My tongue and I are honored.”

“Don't let it go to your head.” He paused for a moment. “Speaking of which, I should clear my own head for a second. I have these rules, and I'm just about to break several of them, but I guess I should ask you if you're a murderer first. You're not going to lure me down an alley and off me, are you?”

“I'm not a murderer, sorry,” Mark said, amused that the conversation had wound its way back to this point, though some things had changed. “Just an ordinary university student, I swear.”

“That's what they all say. Lead the way, ordinary-university-student.”

“Mark for short.”

“And I would be Jinyoung.” He walked forward, wincing. “Ow.”

“You can lean on me a little, if it helps. I don't mind.”

“Seriously? Are you majoring in becoming a saint?”

“Nah, just human decency. There's a lot less requirements for that one. Here.” He wrapped an arm around Jinyoung's waist and accepted his body weight. Jinyoung's eyes turned to him as he adjusted himself into Mark's arms.

“I like the way you look at me,” Jinyoung said suddenly.

“Hmm?”

“It's like you're drinking in every single part of me and can't get enough. Like I'm the most incredible thing you've ever seen and you can't believe I even exist in front of you.” He shook his head in amazement. “I'm flattered. And don't get me wrong, I absolutely love this look you're getting in your eyes. But I'm not that special. I don't think I'll be able to live up to that person you're seeing right now.”

“Don't worry. That's the last thing you have to worry about.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because the person I'm seeing and the person right in front of me are the exact same. No need to feel pressure. Let's just enjoy a nice meal and rest, all right?”

“All right.” Jinyoung laughed a little. “Heh. I thought this was going to be a bad day. Shows how much I know. I feel like I just won the lotto, too.”

Eight hours later, they were walking back to Jinyoung's apartment, firmly wrapped up in the euphoria of each other. It had progressed similarly to last time, though there had been little changes enough to keep Mark on his toes. He learned new things about Jinyoung that he hadn't learned the first time, and since they'd started flirting a lot earlier on in their conversation, by time they reached the coffee portion of their evening, there was much more skinship than there had been previously. Every once in awhile, Jinyoung would rest a hand on his arm or lean into his shoulder when he laughed, and once he even ran his foot up Mark's leg, smiling playfully. For his part, Mark didn't touch as much as he stared. Sometimes when Jinyoung was talking, he'd lose himself staring into his eyes, grinning like an idiot and failing to realize Jinyoung had stopped talking and was looking back at him with a satisfied smile. Mark would flush and look away, but seconds later his eyes would be back, unable to stay away.

And Mark paid perfect attention to the route they were taking this time. Just in case.

The conversation from the first time played out again. Mark got Jinyoung's number, and they mapped out tomorrow's date, sashimi and a moonlit walk if Jinyoung's ankle was up to it. And they at last came to a stop in front of the elusive apartment building.

“All right...so here's my apartment.”

“Yes,” Mark said, his body instantly heating up in anticipation.

“Like it? Here's something even better.” He tugged Mark's hand, pulling him to the side of the building. “Here's the dark alley beside my apartment.”

“Gorgeous.”

“You would know, wouldn't you?”

Mark's body had been starving for this kiss, and the satisfaction of finally having it after going through days where the potential of experiencing it again had seemed bleak made it even better than the first time, though it hardly seemed possible. He clutched onto Jinyoung for dear life and lifted him up a little bit in his arms, pressing into him so hard he could barely breathe. Jinyoung bit his lower lip again, leaving the same mark from the first time, and Mark groaned into his lips in delight in calling up that same spirit of possessiveness and desire.

“I usually don't do that,” Jinyoung said, wrapping his legs around Mark's waist so that he was truly carrying him now. “Kissing after meeting a few hours ago, I mean. I just wanted to tell you that usually I am not easily seduced and I have ridiculously high standards, but since you passed all of them already, I just had to go and change every single one of my rules for you.”

“Generous of you.”

“What about you, or are you a budding politician of the easy to corrupt variety? I'm thinking you might be a little bit easy considering how you're looking at me like you're already my love slave.”

“I've never been this easy in my life, Park Jinyoung. You've worked a miracle.”

“100% weak to me and all my seductive charms. Noted.” Jinyoung kissed him again, and Mark could feel the smile on his kiss. “Also, I've never invited someone into my apartment after knowing them only one day. Never.”

“Thinking of making an exception?”

“Thinking, imagining, absolutely dying to. You name it. But I have some repair guys coming tomorrow at seven in the morning to fix my radiator, and I have to answer the door in good condition.”

“I have an idea about that,” Mark said.

“Hmm?”

“I answer the door. You stay in bed and try to recover from being ed to the extent you can't walk.”

“Oh,” Jinyoung said, his breath catching. “I should have thought of that.”

“That's what you need me for.”

“Oh, trust me, I need you for a lot more than just that.” He kissed Mark one last time, then slipped out of his arms and back down to the ground. “I have to go up and clear out some boxes from my room. You take that big old wallet of yours to the convenience store over there and get some presents for me. As for your present...” He trailed a finger up Mark's arm. “I'll be waiting for you in room 7. As for how much clothing I will or won't be wearing when you get there...I'll leave that up to you to anticipate.” He grinned. “See you in a bit.”

“Look, Jackson,” his manager said. “I love working with you. You're the best client I've ever had. But this whole business about living and working in South Korea? This isn't what I signed up for. And it's clearly not making you happy either, but you refuse to see it. I'm sorry to tell you this, especially today of all times, but I've had it. I'm quitting.”

“Yeah,” Jackson said with a sigh. “I am, too.”

“Wait, what?”

“I'm dropping out of the contract.”

“But...it's a contract. You can't just drop out.”

“You and I have a contract, but that doesn't seem to have impacted your decision.”

“But this is far bigger in scale. They'll be a penalty fee-”

“Which I'll pay.”

“And a hit to our reputation.”

“Which shouldn't have much impact in China.”

“You're serious about this? Jackson, the shoot is today! If you leave them scrambling, it's not going to be as simple as you're making it sound.”

“That's why we'll have to get ahold of them quickly. I'll call them personally to apologize since this was my decision, not yours. And they'll need time to get ahold of Kim Yugyeom's team to call him in. He's the one who should have had this contract all along. Not me.”

His manager fell silent for a moment. “OK. What's gotten into you?”

“A little bit of sense. A wake up call. And you should know better than anyone since you've seen it firsthand that this isn't making me happy.”

“But you were so determined. And that boyfriend of yours-”

“This whole thing put far too much pressure on him. He was the only one holding up my happiness, and it made him unhappy. That was a mistake. We can't go forward like this anymore.”

“Then how exactly are you planning on going forward?”

“With you, I hope. You're an amazing manager and I love working with you, too. We had so many good times, and we reached so far together. I would be an idiot to throw that away. And I have been such an idiot lately, and that stops now.” He cleared his throat. “I need to go back to China. I understand that. But if I go back, it's going to have to be different.”

“Different in what sense?”

“Let's have a few more glory years. We'll do every promo and pictorial and magazine we can get our hands on. We'll take advantage of whatever we can possibly get. I'll have my peak and enjoy every minute of it.”

“Your peak? Jackson, you're still young. You've got plenty of years left in you.”

“I know. And I still plan on working for those years. But Jaebum will have graduated and finished with his service by then. And call me traditional and sentimental, but I'd like to settle down as much as I can. So I'm going to get rid of everything I don't need. The luxury apartment, the cars, the TVs, the jewelry, everything. I'm going to sell it. I'm not going to buy frivolous things anymore, and I'm going to save up the money I earn. And all of that money is going to go into flying to see Jaebum as much as possible. The flight's not so far, after all. I'll even fly budget airlines if I have to, economy seats.”

“That's a little bit idealistic, don't you think? A schedule like yours isn't going to allow for that.”

“I'm going to cut back on my schedule when Jaebum's out of the military. I'll still take work, but not enough to prevent me from seeing him often. I still want to model, because it's what I love, but I can't be happy with that if I don't have him. So I'm not going to choose one or the other. I'm going to find the balance between both, the answer that will make me the most happy overall. What do you think?”

His manager was quiet for a minute. “I understand your heart on this, and I agree that it's much preferable to what you're doing now. But as your manager, I'm not sure I like the idea of cutting back your schedules. There are plenty of people eager to take your place, you know? And if you're not at the front of everyone's minds, they're liable to forget about you.”

“Forget about me? Maybe the boring version of Jackson Wang I've been doing here, but the real deal? No way. Don't forget who was so wild and y that he got stubborn, chic Im Jaebum flying all the way to Shanghai for a piece of prime tail. Trust me, I can make them love me while I'm there, miss me while I'm gone, and cry in relief when I come back. And when I'm saying that, I'm talking about my fans and Jaebum. I'm willing to put in whatever effort it takes. I promise you. As for the loss in revenue to you and the team...I can't believe I'm saying this, but I give you my blessing to take on another client. I'm willing to be your side chick if that's what it takes to keep you on my team.”

“I see. You really are serious.”

“100%. And this was no easy decision, trust me. I don't like the idea of living away from Jaebum. But if I stay here and continue to be miserable, he's going to break up with me. There's no way around it.”

“Fair enough.” He paused for a moment. “All right. Go ahead and cancel the contract. You do your bit, and I'll call the company after and try to smooth it over as best as I can. As for the rest, let's negotiate that when we're back in China. Deal?”

“Deal,” Jackson said. “How you feeling about this, man?”

“Not bad. I wasn't happy about quitting. I want you to know that.”

“I'm happy you're happy. Glad I could give you something to be optimistic about. Talk to you later, then?”

“I'll look forward to it.”

After that, Jackson called up the leather company and humbly made his withdraw. They were furious, naturally, and he learned more Korean curse words than he had even after a year of being with Jaebum, but in the end he was able to talk them down enough to get them to consider the benefits of passing the contract along to Kim Yugyeom. Jackson was willing to pay not only the withdrawl fee, but all the expenses of the delay to the shoot and even a portion of Yugyeom's contract as well, which also calmed them down as well. Thank god he had a boatload of things to sell back in his base in China to offset all the payments.

When he was at last able to hang up, he immediately dialed Jaebum. He remembered how he'd gotten his voicemail on the second day and prayed he was around to take the call, and almost gasped in relief when he did.

“Happy Anniversary, babe,” he said in a bright voice when Jaebum answered. “Can I come over to celebrate in person?”

“What about your photoshoot?” Jaebum asked.

“There's no more photoshoot.”

“Did it get rescheduled?”

“Nope. I dropped out.”

“What? Why?”

“I didn't actually want to do it, you know? I acted like I did because it would be good for you and me, but you and I both know I was bullting. And that it won't be good for you and me at all.”

“Huh,” Jaebum said, still sounding shocked. “But...wasn't this supposed to launch your career or whatever?”

“Technically. But I launched my career ages ago. A very successful and enjoyable career. Remember this day a year ago? How I charmed the audience into making a freaking scarf the number one best selling product in China? And how I charmed the pants off a certain front row attendee?”

“Jackson...what are you saying?”

“That I have to go back, Jaebum. That trying to make it here was a mistake, and that it was a mistake to do something that wasn't making me happy while saying that I was doing it for your sake. That was really unfair to you. I realize that now.”

“Oh.” Jaebum exhaled to the point where it sounded like wind was coming through Jackson's phone. “That's good. I'm glad.”

“Wait, Jaebum. You can't be glad until I tell you that I'm fully intending to maintain this relationship. You're not getting away from me so easily. I may be working overseas, but you better believe that I'm going to be coming back often for dates and snuggles and a regular thorough pounding. So much that I'm barely even going to give you a chance to miss me, though I hope you still do anyways.”

He thought Jaebum was going to protest, or say “What about the waste in time/money/opportunities?” just like his manager had. Instead, what he got was a frank, “Well, of course you are. I didn't need you to say that. I figured as much.”

“You did?”

“Of course. We're dating, aren't we? When I came to Shanghai last year, that's what I had been anticipating. A bit of a long distance relationship, but with you always popping up as often as you popped up in my DMs. Did you really think I was arrogant enough to assume that you were going to drop your career for me and try to move across the country as you so idiotically tried to do? You were the one who decided to do that on your own, remember?”

“Oh,” Jackson said, feeling like an idiot. He'd assumed Jaebum would want him to move closer to him, but now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember outright asking him. Big mistake. He'd had no idea that Jaebum had been willing to accept Jackson keeping his career in China and having long distance aspects in their relationship from the beginning.

“God, you're such an idiot,” Jaebum groaned on the other line. “You didn't realize any of this, did you?”

“No...sorry.”

“Huh. I knew you were an idiot before I started dating you, but seriously Jackson. Try using your head for once.” He snorted. “Well, I'm glad you're at least figuring it out now. I want you to be happy, OK? And these past few months haven't been very happy. For either of us. It was getting... let's just say if you'd let it go on for any longer, it would have hit a dangerous point between us. So I'm glad you changed your mind.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

“So what now?”

“It's our anniversary, right? Now that I'm not going to the shoot, I pretty much have the whole day for you. What would you like to do?”

“I haven't gotten to do anything with you recently, so it's hard to decide. How about keeping it simple? Going out to eat, then hitting a bar after? And you could come back to the apartment after. I have some of that wine you like.”

“Sounds perfect,” Jackson said, grinning from ear-to-ear. “Looking forward to all of it, babe.”

Jackson took the train to White Smoke, finding the exact car where an attractive 20-something in a striped sweater was leaning against the train doors, managing a heavy looking duffel bag and frequently consulting a map application. When they reached Seoul Station, Jackson took in a breath and barreled out the doors like a bat out of hell, completely nailing Jinyoung in the shoulder and knocking him out onto the platform as he went. He felt guilty ignoring everyone screaming at him to be careful and apologize. I do this for your own good, Jinyoung, he thought by way of apologizing. One day, maybe even today, you will thank me for this.

With Mark's love life hopefully salvaged, he walked the rest of the way to the restaurant where Jaebum was waiting for him with a ready smile and a peck on the lips as a greeting that assured that breaking up was 100% not on the night's agenda.

The food at White Smoke was delicious as always, but Jackson could barely remember it when it was all over. What he remembered was talking. Getting to spend the evening talking to Jaebum after not seeing him for so long. Not arguing. Not having to see him cry or having to puzzle through a seemingly hopeless situation. Just talking. Talking about how university was going, talking about Mark's romantic escapade and speculating how it would end, talking about the summer and how hot it was and how much they were looking forward to fall. Talking about old memories, about last year and Shanghai and about the upcoming year and all that would be changing.

There was of course a lot of planning to be done, too. They touched on some of it briefly—where Jackson would stay when he came to visit in Korea (Jaebum's place, as long as he promised to help with the rent, unless Mark really wanted them to keep up the apartment where they were currently living), budgeting the constant airline fees, the possibility of Jaebum coming to China from time to time so it would be a little bit more balanced. But for now, they didn't want to get too bogged down in technicalities. That would come later. Today was mainly about reveling in the pure relief of getting to be together after all.

After dinner, they took the train home back to the apartment. They did open the wine, but they only manage one glass apiece before everything else was forgotten and they were in each others' arms, kissing with all the force of two people who hadn't kissed or touched in weeks. And now that Jackson thought of it, Jaebum had probably already been debating the possibility of breaking up the last time they'd been together. Even then, all of that had been weighing on him, making things strained in a way Jackson hadn't realized but Jaebum surely had. But right now, the two of them were incredibly light. Jackson handed himself over to the giddy happiness of it, grinning blissfully as Jaebum on his neck, then playfully teasing him just to elicit that gruff and incredibly dominant side he loved so much.

“Thank you,” he murmured as Jaebum started ing his shirt. Though he wanted to keep up the light atmosphere, he knew he had to say it at least once. “For giving me another shot. I'm sorry. And thank you.”

“I should be thanking you,” Jaebum whispered into his ear. “For not making me say the thing I absolutely did not want to have to say.”

The clock Jackson could see over Jaebum's shoulder said 11:59. Instead of saying anything, Jackson grabbed Jaebum's face and kissed him hard, counting down the seconds in his head until 12:00. A new day began. It was time to move forward.

I take absolutely nothing back.

Mark didn't even bother going to sleep. By time they were finished, it wasn't that long before he'd have to get up and let the repair guys in. He contented himself watching Jinyoung sleep, enjoying the absolute mess he'd made of him. His hair was swept up in multiple directions. His body was covered in small bites and hickeys. His lips were deliciously swollen. He looked absolutely perfect, and Mark was even more in love than he had been hours before.

At six-thirty, Mark regretfully pulled himself out of bed and changed into his wrinkled clothes. He went to the bathroom to make sure he wasn't sporting any obvious hickeys, then wet down a comb to take care of his own hair. He checked his phone to see if there was anything from Jackson, which there wasn't. That was a good sign, he thought. The only thing that would distract Jackson from getting in contact with him was ending the day with Jaebum the same way he and Jinyoung had ended their day. Just to be cute, he sent Jackson two emojis: the pointing hand and the OK sign, plus a question mark. Jackson was apparently also awake, since a few seconds later he received a message with a lot of eggplants and hearts. “How about you?” he asked. Mark texted back a peach, a kissy face, and a burst of streamers. Then, as an afterthought, he added a pair of hands clapping together in thanks.

The repairman arrived at promptly 7:00, and Mark opened the door to let him in. “Park Jinyoung?” he asked.

“Yeah, sure,” Mark said. “The radiator's over there. Do your thing.”

While the repairman worked, Mark went into the kitchen to make Jinyoung breakfast. He had a feeling they were both going to spend the entire day sleeping up until their date tonight, if that was still happening, but they still needed to eat a little bit anyways. He made some scrambled eggs with some spam on the side, which was pretty much all he could do with the scant ingredients Jinyoung had bought on his first day. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

The repairman reported back that it had been a simple fix, and left Mark with the bill, which he'd let Jinyoung take care of later. He went back into the bedroom with breakfast, sitting down on the bed and letting Jinyoung take a few minutes to wake up properly.

“God, I feel like I've been hit by a truck,” he groaned, massaging his hips as he tried to sit up.

“I was just following orders,” Mark reminded him.

“Yeah, and you were very good at that. That was not a genuine complaint.” Mark handed him his scrambled eggs. “You even made breakfast, too? Show off.”

“You didn't get to see everything I was capable of yesterday. I have to let you know that I still have some surprises left.”

“How tantalizing.” Jinyoung took a bite of the eggs, smiling in approval. “So, we ironed out a lot of things yesterday, but upon reflection, I still have a few more things I need to check. Most importantly: committing to a guy you just met yesterday. Yay or nay?”

“100% yay.”

“Good. Because I'm willing to sign a long term contract for what you just did to me last night. What you've got, I want.”

“It's mutual.”

“Oh, was I good?”

“To put it lightly. I was even considering writing 'the was sublime' in ketchup on your eggs.”

“You should have. That could have been the one and only picture on my insta.” He smiled. “So...boyfriends, then?”

“Yes.”

“Fantastic. Less than three days in Seoul, and I've hit the jackpot. I wasn't giving this city enough credit.”

“I'm glad you're enjoying yourself.”

“Trust me, me too.” He finished up his breakfast and set the plate on his end table. “All right. So I'd really like to make out for a bit and get up and write that song from yesterday, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to fall asleep again in a minute. You're sticking around, right? I wouldn't mind something to snuggle with.”

“Yeah. I'll stick around.”

“Mmm. Good.” Jinyoung planted a sleepy kiss on his lips. “Gives me one more thing to look forward to when I wake up. Goodnight, miracle boyfriend.”

Mark kissed him on the forehead. “Goodnight, my beautiful box of wonders.”

They'd forgotten to shut the curtains, so Jackson woke up with the sun shining on his face. It felt right. Today was a sunshine kind of day. He lifted his face and enjoyed it for a few minutes. That was how it should be—taking each day with the assumption that it would only come once.

Jaebum was still sleeping soundly, and Jackson turned his attention to the beautiful picture his lover made with the sunlight streaming down on him. He also needed to appreciate it, now that he realized that having it always was something he should never take for granted. Jaebum had never stopped loving him, but love wasn't the only priority and impact on their lives. He had to remember from now on that other things counted.

He checked his phone quickly to see if there was anything from Mark, and was greeted with emojis wondering if he got laid. Why, yes, I did, Jackson thought with a smile, hunting for the eggplant. And you did, too, I hope. Sure enough, Mark's reply indicated that the peach on offer at Jinyoung's was splendid.

There were also some messages from his manager, but Jackson decided to read those later. It was only a little bit before seven in the morning. He had no reason to rush, nowhere else to be. He was going to enjoy being in this bed while he could with every fiber of his being.

Setting aside his phone, he snuggled into Jaebum's chest. Jaebum stirred a little, cracking open his eye to see Jackson there. With a small smile, he wrapped his arms around to envelop him and pull him closer.

“Go back to sleep,” he murmured. “You've worked hard.”

“Mmm,” Jackson said. “You too.”

He closed his eyes, smiling against the warmth of Jaebum's skin. He wasn't sure if the cloud of misfortune around him dispelled or if it ever would fully. But he was sure it would be OK. He had someone looking out for him, someone to give him reason to be less careless and more sensible. Maybe it would take a few more hard lessons, but he would learn how to get it right. For the sake of the person who loved him, there was no other choice.

Together, they fell back into a peaceful sleep. It was a beautiful day, but it could wait. It would still be there waiting for him when he woke up.

A/F/N (author's friend note): Hey readers! This is SonicBoom's friend Aimee, reporting for duty! I hope you enjoyed this story! I sure did ^^

SonicBoom is off in Korea mooning after VIXX's Leo or something, so I'm posting for her. She'll also be in Germany with her grandmother after, and she'll be back at the end of the month. She hates flying and will probably be really grumpy after the flight, so let's cheer her up with comments to make her less scary when she gets back ^^ tehehe. Even if you're usually a silent reader, it will really mean a lot to her if you tell her what you thought of the story!

All righty-o! Await SonicBoom's return and the coming of Pirates...PART TWO...dun dun duuuuunnn!!