It turns out that Daehyun is an early riser, so Youngjae doesn’t get the opportunity to find out what it feels like to wake up beside him. It had, admittedly, been nice to fall asleep with a warm presence next to him - a feeling he hasn’t experienced for a while now - and truth be told, Youngjae had almost expected (wanted) Daehyun to end up holding him as they slept. But Daehyun, apparently, isn’t the type of person to overstep boundaries and had kept strictly to his half of the bed. Youngjae can’t quite decide whether he’s relieved or disappointed.

Trudging into the kitchen, he finds Junhong and Yongguk at the kitchen table, chattering away over their breakfasts. “Good morning, hyung!” Junhong calls cheerfully.

“Morning,” Youngjae says, stifling a yawn. “Where’s everyone else?”

“Jongup’s definitely still asleep, and Himchan and Daehyun are probably already outside,” Yongguk says, waving Youngjae over. “They’ve always woken up insanely early.”

“They seem...close,” Youngjae says tentatively, hoping he doesn’t sound overly interested. Moments later, he silently berates himself for even bringing it up, especially when Himchan is clearly into Yongguk, so even if Youngjae were interested in Daehyun - which he isn’t - Himchan would hardly be a obstacle.

“Yeah, they’re pretty much brothers,” Yongguk confirms, oblivious to Youngjae’s internal conflict. “Himchan always used to talk about how he raised Daehyun. Daehyun hated it, of course, but he and Jongup certainly did get influenced by him quite a lot, growing up. It was up to me to make sure they weren’t getting too corrupted.” He laughs softly. “Every summer, he’d tell us stories about how he was ‘raising’ you two back home, too. He was obviously a busy dad!”

Talking to Yongguk is nice, Youngjae decides as he eats. He has an unwaveringly calm demeanor, but he doesn’t shy away from telling embarrassing stories about Himchan’s teen years on the farm, the fond smile never fading from his face. He’s in the middle of a story about Himchan accidentally locking himself in the stable for three hours when Jongup stumbles in sleepily, his shirt rumpled and his hair sticking up at odd angles like he had awoken just moments ago.

“Good morning,” Yongguk says, looking amused. Jongup just lets out a groan and drops into the chair next to Junhong heavily.

“Not a morning person?” Youngjae asks with a grin.

“Not even close,” Yongguk answers for Jongup, smiling affectionately.

“Me neither,” Youngjae says, watching interestedly as Jongup’s head unintentionally falls onto Junhong’s shoulder. Junhong, despite the flush that blooms on his cheeks, looks somewhat pleased by this development, and Youngjae can’t resist wiggling his eyebrows at his friend pointedly.

He and Yongguk both laugh softly as Junhong pouts at him in return before focusing his attention on Jongup. “Jonguppie-hyung,” Junhong says gently, and Youngjae absently wonders how they’ve already managed to become close enough to refer to each other so comfortably. “Do you want to eat something? Himchan-hyung made breakfast.”

Jongup’s eyes flutter open and he pulls his head off Junhong’s shoulder hastily with a matching blush on his face. “Sure,” he says quietly. “Thanks, Junhongie.” He offers Junhong a sleepy smile, and Junhong returns it shyly. Youngjae wonders if they know that their obscenely adorable exchange is making him and Yongguk feel very much like intruders on a private moment.

“Youngjae,” Yongguk says, tearing Youngjae’s attention away from the younger two men. “If you’re done, you can probably go find Himchan and Daehyun. They’ll have something for you to do.”

“Okay,” Youngjae agrees immediately, grateful for the excuse to leave. “Thanks, hyung.”

After wandering outside for a few minutes, he finds Himchan alone in the barn, looking so at home in his checkered shirt and straw hat that anyone who doesn’t know him would probably believe that he’s never stepped foot in a city in his life. “Look what the cat dragged in,” Himchan says as a greeting.

“What are you wearing?” Youngjae asks in reply, eyeing the outfit critically. It doesn’t necessarily look bad, but it’s rare to see fashion-forward Himchan dressing so casually.

“Damn, everyone’s a critic,” Himchan says, pretending to be indignant. “Let me have this! It’s been so long since I had an excuse to wear this stuff.”

“That sounds like your own fault,” Youngjae points out. “No one’s asking you to be Mr. Diva back in the city.”

“I’m asking me,” Himchan retorts, though he’s still smiling.

“Who are you talking to, hyung?” Daehyun’s voice drifts across the barn, followed by the man himself as he walks inside. His outfit is very similar to Himchan's, but somehow, Youngjae thinks absently, the way Daehyun wears it makes even someone as handsome as Himchan look plain. Daehyun’s face brightens considerably when he spots Youngjae. “Hey, good morning, sunshine!” he beams. “I hope you weren’t too lonely when you woke up.”

Youngjae tries to keep his expression unimpressed, but unfortunately for him, it ends up looking more like a pout. “I was fine.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Daehyun says, looking sincerely apologetic. “I always wake up really early, and I didn’t want to disturb you.”

Part of Youngjae is grateful, because being woken up against his will is at the top of the list of things he hates most. But the more dominant part of him wants to be petty, wants to prove that he’s resistant to Daehyun’s charms. “Whatever,” he says.

“All right,” Himchan cuts in. “You two can finish your lover’s spat when I’m not around to suffer through it. For now, let’s give Youngjae something to do.”

The farm is fairly expansive, and Youngjae isn’t sure that he’s ready to tackle large-scale farm work just yet. Fortunately, Himchan explains, he won’t be expected to. Youngjae’s job is to work in the more manageable flower garden just behind the house, and as luck would have it, he’s left under the supervision of Daehyun.

“So,” Daehyun starts, after a brief lesson on how to properly pull up weeds. Youngjae looks up from his work to find that Daehyun has drifted over to the fence, leaning on his elbows and watching Youngjae intently. “What do you do back in the big city, cutie?”

“I have a name, you know,” Youngjae informs him instead of answering the question. “It’s Yoo Youngjae, if you’re interested.”

“Oh, I am,” Daehyun says, the corner of his mouth curling upwards.

“Great,” Youngjae says, suppressing the reflexive urge to smile back. “Then maybe you can actually use it.”

“Yoo Youngjae.” His name rolls off Daehyun’s tongue like Daehyun is tasting its sound. “Hm. I’ll consider it.” His smile widens as he continues, “You know, I haven’t heard you use my name either, sweet cheeks. It’s Jung Daehyun, in case you were interested.”

“Not really,” Youngjae drawls, keeping his tone nonchalant.

Daehyun raises an eyebrow, amused, like he doesn’t believe Youngjae’s denial in the least. “Well, Yoo Youngjae, you haven’t answered me yet. What does the little prince do for a living?”

“Fine,” Youngjae sighs. There’s no harm in telling Daehyun what he wants to know, anyway. “I’m the branch manager of the company I work for.”

Daehyun lets out a low whistle, looking impressed. “So you’re the whole package, pretty and smart.” The wink he sends Youngjae’s way is met with an unimpressed look, but Daehyun doesn’t seem bothered as he continues asking questions. “Does that make you Himchan-hyung’s boss, then? He told us you work for the same company, but he didn’t mention that part. I wonder why.”

Youngjae involuntarily laughs at that, picuring Himchan’s reluctance to reveal his position as Youngjae’s subordinate. “Yeah, I’m his boss. Junhong’s too, actually. The youngest manager in the company’s history, so they tell me.”

“And you wanted to keep your big, important position a secret from me?” Daehyun asks playfully. “Why? If you hadn’t told me, I would’ve just had to keep thinking that you’re a model or maybe a trophy husband.”

“Flattering,” Youngjae deadpans. “A trophy husband? Really?”

“What? I’d love to be a trophy husband, personally,” Daehyun says, grinning. “You get to sit around all day, looking pretty and talking to everyone about how great your spouse is. That sounds like the life.”

“Well, you’ve got the ‘looking pretty’ part down, at least,” Youngjae says absentmindedly, before belatedly realizing that he hadn’t meant to say it out loud.

“Oh really?” Daehyun looks delighted, his eyes shining. “I’m glad you think so, but I think I’d be pretty good at the ‘talking to everyone about how great my spouse is’ part too, if I were your trophy husband, Manager Yoo.”

Youngjae stares at him, conflicted. Daehyun’s words are playful, and Youngjae has come to assume that his shameless flirting is largely for his own entertainment, so why does it feel like right now, Daehyun isn’t quite joking?

Before Youngjae can come up with a reply, their conversation comes to an abrupt halt with the arrival of Himchan as he strolls back into the yard. “Daehyunnie, go help Yongguk with lunch, will you? He’s trying, but the man is still hopeless after all these years.”

“Give him some credit, hyung,” Daehyun says with a grin, springing up obediently. “He wanted to impress you with his improvement.”

Himchan’s eyes soften. “He has gotten better,” he says fondly. “But for now, he could still use a little help.”

“I’ll let him know,” Daehyun says cheerfully. He flashes Youngjae one last smile before he goes, and now that it’s not suggestive or cocky, Youngjae has to admit that Daehyun’s natural smile is actually quite breathtaking. “See you later, Youngjae!”

For whatever reason, hearing his name on Daehyun’s lips affects Youngjae more than any nickname has. He watches Daehyun walk into the house, his ears burning, and only snaps out of his trance at Himchan’s amused snort. “What?” he demands, turning to glare at his friend.

“You get all cute when you have a crush,” Himchan says. “I almost forgot what it was like to see my baby all starry-eyed.”

“So much of what you just said was wrong,” Youngjae says, even though he’s not particularly bothered by any of it. “I don’t have a crush and I’m not starry-eyed. And I am not your baby. That’s Junhong’s job.”

“Junhongie is all grown up too,” Himchan sighs. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it coming. Of course he and Jongup would get along, they’re practically made for each other.” He stares at Youngjae for a few moments consideringly. “Actually, I should have known you and Daehyun would be drawn to each other too.”

“We aren’t,” Youngjae protests weakly, knowing full well that it’s a lie.

“Please,” Himchan scoffs. “That boy is already completely hung up on you. And you look happier too, you know. Much less stressed. He’s good for you.”

“I don’t need someone to save me, hyung,” Youngjae says resolutely. “I can take care of myself.”

“I don’t think that’s what Daehyun is trying to do,” Himchan reasons. “I think he just wants to add something more. A little excitement, a little passion.” He shakes his head and lifts a hand to squeeze Youngjae’s shoulder. “You eat and sleep and work, Jae, but the last time you did something fun, just for the hell of it, was when you were still dating -”

“There’s your explanation right there,” Youngjae cuts him off, immediately agitated at the mention of the last relationship he was in. “You saw how that ended. If that’s what happens when I’m in a relationship, what’s the point? I’m happy with my situation now.” (And it’s not quite a lie. He’s not unhappy, at least.)

“Daehyun is a good kid,” Himchan says. “I raised him, so I should know.”

Despite the statement’s ridiculousness, the matter-of-fact way in which Himchan says it puts a smile on Youngjae’s face. “Yeah, yeah.”

“Give him a chance, is all I’m saying,” Himchan concludes, ruffling Youngjae’s hair affectionately. “You both deserve that much.”

~~~

On the fourth day, Youngjae finds himself on the couch in the living room in the middle of the afternoon with Daehyun awkwardly seated next to him, but far enough that they’re not touching each other. Daehyun is really a mystery, Youngjae thinks, because on one hand, the man flirts like there’s no tomorrow, but on the other, he refuses to make any kind of physical contact with Youngjae out of some kind of respect for Youngjae’s personal space. He hates that he’s annoyed about it, though, so he refrains from moving closer to keep up the pretense that boredom is the only reason he’s sitting here with his arms crossed and a pout on his face.

From where they’re seated, they have a good view of Yongguk and Himchan talking and laughing together as Himchan cooks and Yongguk tries to help. Himchan looks the happiest Youngjae has seen him in a while, and while it admittedly is very much like watching his parents fall in love, Youngjae is happy for him. He chances a glance at Daehyun, absently wondering if (hypothetically speaking, of course) a relationship with him would be like that, but he quickly banishes the thought from his mind.

“They’re sweet, aren’t they?” Daehyun sighs, watching them with a faint smile on his face. It’s the first time either of them have spoken in at least half an hour, and Youngjae almost jumps at the suddenness of the question. “It’s only been, what, four days? And they’re already in domestic bliss.”

“It’s nice to see Himchan-hyung whipped for someone instead of the other way around,” Youngjae agrees, because Daehyun does have a point. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he skips over the dating part and just proposes by the end of this trip.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if no one on this farm is single by the end of your trip,” Daehyun says, winking at Youngjae.

“I’ll be surprised if you aren’t still single,” Youngjae retorts, although in reality, it remains to be seen whether he’ll actually be able to successfully ignore the part of him that’s already hopelessly attracted to Daehyun.

“We’ll see, cutie.” Daehyun grins, like he can read Youngjae’s mind.

“Whatever,” Youngjae says, looking away before Daehyun can spot the light flush that seems to be ever-present under Daehyun’s intense gaze.

“Come with me,” Daehyun says, suddenly changing the subject. “I want to show you something.”

“What?” Youngjae asks, already wary.

“Just come!” Daehyun insists, standing up and extending a hand for Youngjae to take.

Youngjae pointedly ignores it and gets up by himself. “Okay, fine.”

He follows Daehyun upstairs and waits as Daehyun goes into Yongguk and Himchan’s room, watching him wander into the corner and pick up something that Youngjae can’t see. When he comes back into the hallway, Youngjae realizes that the little ball of fluff in Daehyun’s arms is a dog. “This is Ganji,” Daehyun says proudly. “My son.”

Ganji is, admittedly, one of the cutest dogs Youngjae has ever seen, and he can’t help himself from moving closer, momentarily unbothered by Daehyun’s proximity. He reaches out a hand to pet Ganji, giggling when the little dog nips at his fingers enthusiastically. “Are you hungry, Ganji? Do you want to eat?”

“You know what?” Daehyun’s voice, the most gentle Youngjae has heard it, floats through the narrow space between them. “You try to act all mean and aloof, like the big bad manager, but you’re not. You’re soft, Yoo Youngjae.”

Youngjae lifts his head to glare at him, and even though their faces are only inches apart, he doesn’t retract his hand from where he’s Ganji’s ears. “I am not soft,” he protests indignantly. “Your dog is just really cute.”

“You’re cute, sweetheart,” Daehyun says, and Youngjae is startled to find that Daehyun’s gaze isn’t heated the way he expects it to be; instead, his expression is almost fond, a smile pulling at his lips as he watches Youngjae pout.

Youngjae is hardly a stranger to being flirted with, but he isn’t used to the attention being motivated by anything other than lust. He’s somewhat mortified that Daehyun’s apparently genuine words have him incapable of stopping himself from blushing. “Shut up,” he says without much heat, absentmindedly petting Ganji’s head.

The look in Daehyun’s eyes doesn’t change as he smiles. “Just telling the truth, cutie.”

“Why hasn’t Ganji been around until now?” Youngjae asks, changing the subject. “Why doesn’t he stay in your room?”

“I didn’t know if you would be okay with having him there,” Daehyun explains, and Youngjae is once again surprised at how much thought Daehyun has actually put into accommodating him. “He’s been with Tigger.” At Youngjae’s raised eyebrow, Daehyun clarifies, “Yongguk-hyung’s dog. I knew Himchan-hyung wouldn’t mind since he was already used to having a dog around, so it all worked out.”

Youngjae clears his throat carefully. “Well, I don’t mind either. So, you know, you can let him be in our - the room from now on.”

“You hear that, Ganji?” Daehyun brings the dog up to his face and kisses his head. “He wants you in our room!” He looks at Youngjae again, his eyes hopeful. “Do you want to walk him with me?”

And Youngjae can’t (doesn’t want to) find a reason to say no.

~~~

Five days in, Youngjae decides to spend some time with Jongup and Junhong. The two younger men have been steadily growing closer and closer, Youngjae knows, and because Junhong is like a little brother to him, he figures he needs to get to know Jongup better. (It helps that Jongup is Himchan’s cousin, because that practically guarantees Himchan’s approval, which in turn makes it more likely that Youngjae will approve too.)

The two of them have mostly been working with the animals, Youngjae discovers: things like feeding the chickens, milking the cows, grooming the horses. Personally, Youngjae isn’t a fan, and he’s ready to change his mind and do something else instead when he realizes that if he stays, he’ll have a prime view of Daehyun carrying heavy bags of fertilizer in and out of the barn - not that he cares that it’s Daehyun specifically (he does, but he can barely admit that to himself, let alone anyone else). It is an objectively nice view, though, and Youngjae isn’t about to pass up the opportunity to check out a handsome man lifting heavy objects. Anyway, he reasons to himself, it’s not like admiring Daehyun’s looks means Youngjae wants to date him or anything, right? It’s strictly appreciating a good-looking, muscular guy, that’s all.

Daehyun, of course, notices Youngjae almost immediately, catching him in the middle of helping Jongup collect eggs from the chicken coop. He calls out his usual, “Morning, cutie!” as he passes by, walking towards the barn to pick up another bag. Upon spotting Youngjae’s somewhat obvious stare after emerging several moments later with his arms full, he sends Youngjae a bright smile and blows him a kiss. Youngjae responds by glaring at him and resolutely fighting his desire to melt at the oddly sweet action.

“Is Daehyun always like this?” Youngjae asks Jongup, his eyes following Daehyun as he walks into the field and starts spreading the fertilizer.

“Like what?” Jongup peers at Youngjae curiously.

“You know,” Youngjae says, waving his hand vaguely. “The cutesy nicknames, the smiles, the winking.”

“Well, he definitely smiles a lot,” Jongup says thoughtfully. “He’s just a cheerful person. I don’t know about nicknames and winking, though. He only started doing that when you got here.”

“Oh.” Youngjae tries not to feel too pleased about the fact that he’s apparently special. (He still remembers the last time he thought he was special to someone, and how badly that had ended for him. The thought sobers him up quickly.)

“I think he must really like you,” Jongup continues obliviously. “It’s been a long time since he put so much effort into impressing someone.”

“You should ask him out, hyung,” Junhong suggests, smoothly joining their conversation. “Since you like him too.”

“Why would you think that?” Youngjae asks, frowning. Is he really that bad at pretending to be unaffected by Daehyun’s advances?

Junhong and Jongup exchange an amused look, and Youngjae feels even more indignant that they’re ganging up on him. “It’s kind of obvious,” Junhong says. “You act either grumpy or flustered when he’s flirting with you and then as soon as he leaves, you’re all weirdly smiley and pleased with yourself.”

“I am not,” Youngjae says even though he’s not sure if it’s true; he’s a little mortified by the idea of himself actually being that sappy. “You two are the ones who get all giggly and blushy around each other.”

True to his words, both of them turn pink at that, but neither looks particularly bothered, if the little smile they share is anything to go by. Youngjae internally sighs. Is everyone here infatuated except for him?

No, a little voice at the back of his mind answers helpfully, because you’re infatuated too.

~~~

By the end of the first week, Youngjae already feels acclimated to the pattern of life on the farm. It’s by no means a leisurely vacation - they’re constantly working outside - but there’s something relaxing about it regardless. Youngjae has discovered that he actually quite enjoys gardening, and he’s almost ready to invest in a little flowerbed to place on his apartment balcony when he goes back to the city.

After spending the morning in the garden and playing with Ganji for a bit, he brings the little dog back to his and Daehyun’s room so he can nap before heading to the kitchen in search of a snack. What he ends up finding is Daehyun standing at the stove, focused intently on the pot of noodles he’s stirring. When he hears Youngjae come in, though, he looks up and his whole face brightens. “Hey cutie, your timing is perfect! Come try this!” His smile does funny things to Youngjae’s stomach, but those feelings are subsequently ignored.

“What is it?” Youngjae asks warily, drawing nearer to peer into the pot.

“My specialty!” Daehyun says proudly. “Just try a little bit, come on, please?” And try as he might, Youngjae can’t seem to resist Daehyun’s hopeful eyes, so he nods and is rewarded with a delighted smile.

Daehyun hands him chopsticks and a bowl full of noodles, watching eagerly as Youngjae takes a bite. Youngjae’s eyes widen in surprise; it actually tastes amazing. “Wow,” he mumbles, his mouth still full but his chopsticks already going for another bite.

“Is it good? Do you like it?” Daehyun asks anxiously. “Do I need to add- ?” Youngjae glances up as Daehyun talks, his cheeks puffed out from all the food in his mouth, and Daehyun breaks off suddenly. He stares at Youngjae for a few moments, looking somewhat dumbfounded. “Oh my god,” he says, so softly that Youngjae figures he must be talking to himself. “He’s the cutest ing boy in the world.”

Youngjae blinks, suddenly hyperaware of every movement his face makes as he continues chewing silently. He carefully swallows and tentatively says, “I - this is really good.”

“Really?” Daehyun says, looking pleased. “Thank you.”

“Do you cook a lot?” Youngjae asks, and he’s told himself so many times that he won’t get too attached to Daehyun - which means learning as little about him as possible - but his curiosity gets the better of him.

“Yongguk-hyung and Jonguppie would probably starve if I didn’t,” Daehyun says, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “They’re not great at cooking, so it’s up to me to keep them fed when Uppie’s parents aren’t here.”

“I’m not so good at it either,” Youngjae confesses. “Himchan-hyung usually makes me stuff, or I just have ramen.”

Daehyun smiles at that, and Youngjae is sure he’s going to make a comment about how he wouldn’t mind cooking meals for Youngjae instead. But surprisingly, Daehyun just gazes at him for a few more moments before hastily looking away and busying himself with preparing another bowl so he can eat too.

They move to the living room once Daehyun has served himself and settle next to each other on the couch. Youngjae watches as Daehyun digs into his food and grudgingly admits to himself that the man is endearing in everything he does. And the truth is, if Daehyun hadn’t been the one to start flirting first, Youngjae probably would have been pursuing him instead. (Look. Daehyun is funny and cute and charming and a little dumb, and Youngjae might have found his ideal man. Maybe.)

Ultimately, though, Daehyun did make the first move, and Youngjae has been here before. He’s already experienced the aftermath of returning the interest of a flirtatious man, and he knows how that story goes - he’s not a big fan. And moreover, he still has his pride. He’s not going to let the life he’s built for himself suddenly feel incomplete or inadequate just because some boy is making him (maybe, possibly) catch feelings.

“You know,” Daehyun says, breaking the comfortable silence they’ve fallen into and cutting off Youngjae’s thoughts. “Whoever broke your heart was an idiot.”

“Who says anyone broke my heart?” Youngjae asks, immediately on the defensive, taken aback by the accuracy of Daehyun’s assumption.

Daehyun offers him a wry smile and doesn’t answer the question. “About a year ago, I broke up with the guy I had been dating for almost two years. Turns out he was a manipulative who ended up trying to convince me that I didn’t deserve better than him.”

Daehyun’s jarring confession leaves Youngjae wondering how anyone could ever do that to someone like Daehyun and why they would ever want to. He’s never been very good at empathy, though, so instead of saying any of that, he settles for a somewhat underwhelming, “I-I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize, it wasn’t your fault,” Daehyun says lightly. “I just wanted to tell you.”

“Why?” Youngjae asks, half-curious and half-apprehensive about the answer.

“I just...it took me a long time to get over it,” Daehyun says, his eyes meeting Youngjae’s meaningfully. “So I’m sorry if I’ve been too forward. I can tell that you’re still getting over something too, and I guess I haven’t been very mindful of that. I’ll back off if you want me to.”

Youngjae stares at him, speechless. It hadn’t occurred to him that Daehyun might really think his advances have been unwanted, and it had certainly never crossed his mind that Daehyun would try to apologize for it. “No, it’s really - that’s not really true,” he says, trying to figure out a way to tell Daehyun what he means without revealing everything. “I mean, you’re right about the other thing, the me-getting-over-something part, but you - you don’t really need to back off.”

Daehyun offers him a half-smile, like he knows exactly what Youngjae isn’t saying; Youngjae is grateful that he doesn’t press further. “I won’t ask you to tell me what happened or anything, I know we only just met a few days ago. But I just wanted to let you know that, well, I get it.”

Youngjae is silent for a few moments before he numbly hears himself say, “I should have known.” He doesn’t know why he says it, doesn’t know why something in Daehyun’s knowing eyes makes him want to tell Daehyun everything, but suddenly, words are tumbling out of his mouth before he can stop them. “I should have expected that he would cheat. He was really possessive but he was also always hitting on anyone he found remotely attractive. I was just stupid enough to think that because he didn’t want me being with anyone else, it was special when he did it to me.”

“No,” Daehyun says firmly. “You shouldn’t have expected anything except commitment, and it’s only on him for not giving you that. His actions aren’t your fault, Youngjae. Once he started a relationship with you, of course you weren’t wrong for thinking it was special.”

“It doesn’t matter now, anyway,” Youngjae mumbles hoarsely, because this isn’t something he likes to think about. “It was ten months ago. He obviously moved on long before that, but I-I’m over it too.”

“It’s okay even if you aren’t,” Daehyun tells him. “And it’s his loss, in the end.”

“Yeah,” Youngjae whispers. “I guess.”

“I know,” Daehyun says, and he sounds absolutely convinced of it. Warmth blooms in Youngjae’s chest. “Like I said, the guy was obviously a complete ing moron. He clearly didn’t deserve you, if he couldn’t see that having you was the best damn thing to happen to him. Why would anyone need to go around hitting on other people if they were already dating someone smart and funny and cute and who also happens to be the most beautiful man alive?”

“Stop that,” Youngjae protests, but it sounds weak even to his own ears, especially when he can feel a genuine smile creeping onto his lips. “You really shouldn’t throw compliments like that around so easily, you know. People might get the wrong idea.”

“But sweetheart,” Daehyun counters, a charming smile on his face, “it’s only for you.” And (unlike the time Youngjae’s ex-boyfriend tried the same line after being confronted) Youngjae finds that he actually believes him.