xi.

Following a stern call from his mom, Donghae finds himself spending the last few days of Christmas vacation with his family in the south. The quiet little town where his grandparents live offers a nice change from the hustle and bustle of big cities. There’s no honking, or loud neighbors at four in the morning, or angry landlord lady that yells at anyone who forgets to wipe their feet on the doormat. Just empty fields of wheat covered in thick layers of snow and the occasional cow.

Donghae spends most of his time here helping his grandfather at his small convenience store, building snowmen in the garden, and pushing Donghwa into the sea. He gets thrown in a couple of times as well, and he can attest that it isn’t quite the most pleasant prank to suffer. It’s the middle of winter and the water is literally freezing. Still, it doesn’t stop the two brothers from messing around, sometimes out of proportions—case in point.

No one but Donghae and Donghwa seems surprised when they both catch a horrible cold. Their mom scolds them for a good half an hour, going on and on about how “you should have known better” and “you’re so irresponsible, the both of you” and “on the last weekend before university starts again, no less!” She still cooks them a ton of delicious food and makes sure that they take their medicine, and that’s why she’s always been the best mom in the whole world.

Donghae is confined to bed for his last two days of vacation before he has to go back to his place. After some negotiation, he gets to relocate to the living-room. He also upgrades from browsing the Internet on his phone, to still browsing the Internet but also watching boring dramas for old people on the ancient television. Next to him, Donghwa is sprawled on the couch, asleep and snoring.

All in all, Donghae is pretty bored.

He’s just about to follow his brother’s lead and take an afternoon nap, when his phone rings a new text. It’s from Hyukjae. Just reading his name in his notifications is enough to chase away any kind of sleepiness. He straightens up, his belly twisting in excitement, then unlocks his phone. It’s just a simple “hello, how have you been? I tried to make mulled wine with mom again today, and it’s a lot nicer than the first time!” but it’s enough to warm him up inside. Just for a moment, it seems like he’s cured, glowing, in perfect health. Until he sneezes, nearly knocking himself in the face with his phone.

Donghae replies to Hyukjae with a whiny ‘i’m so sick i feel horrible’ and a bunch of sad-looking emoticons. Almost immediately, Hyukjae calls him and demands to know exactly what happened and how. He doesn’t sound very much impressed when Donghae tells him about scuffing with his brother and the both of them falling into the sea.

“Why do you insist on acting so immature all the time?” he wants to know, exasperated.

“But he started it,” Donghae complains, as he puts his feet on the coffee table and turns the volume of the television down. He vaguely acknowledges that acting so childish only helps in proving Hyukjae right. “I’m just a victim.”

“I do not care whose fault it is! You’re just as bad as the other!” Hyukjae snaps, sounding irritable and worried. Then he sighs. “Just, please get some rest, alright? I would have come over and taken care of you myself, but since you’re so far… well, there’s nothing we can do about it, is there?”

And , but Donghae really wishes that he could teleport back to his apartment, just to have Hyukjae nurse him back to health and some more.

“Anyhow,” Hyukjae sighs, “I suppose I’ll see you on Monday. Do make sure to take your medicine properly; sleep a lot, too, and drink some ginger tea.”

“Yeah,” Donghae says. His heart gives a little tug inside his chest, aching sadly at the thought of hanging up.

It’s only been a few days since they last saw each other on New Year’s Eve. Although they’ve kept in touch through phone calls and texts ever since, it’s just not the same. Donghae can’t stop thinking about Hyukjae. He keeps remembering the amused tilt of his eyebrow whenever Donghae does something a bit silly; his fresh, lemony smell tickling his nostrils every time that he breathes in; the taste of his full lips pressed against his own.

“Hyukjae?” Donghae calls, sweet and hopeful, and Hyukjae answers with a soft hum. “I miss you, you know?”

Hyukjae doesn’t reply immediately—but when he does, he sounds pleased and a little shy. “Me too,” he says. “Take care, Donghae; I’ll see you on Monday.”

Just as Donghae drops his phone onto his stomach with a groan, Donghwa stirs awake next to him. Putting his feet up on the table, he pokes him in the ribs and eyes him curiously. “Was that your new girlfriend? Boyfriend? Paramour of neutral gender?”

“You’re an idiot,” Donghae laughs. “And for your information, it’s my boyfriend; his name’s Hyukjae.”

“Aww, look at you,” Donghwa coos teasingly. He reaches out and ruffles Donghae’s hair, ignoring his cry of protest. “My baby brother is in looooove.”

Spluttering, Donghae blushes furiously and punches hard at his brother. “What are you saying!” he exclaims as Donghwa keeps teasing him. “Ugh, stop!”

Donghwa kicks his thighs then digs his toes painfully into his side. “Look at you, acting so shy and innocent!”

Then a furious sound behind them startles the two brothers. Gulping, they turn around anxiously. Their mom stands by the couch, her eyes flashing fiercely, her hands resting sternly on her hips, as she glares down at her sons.

“What did I say about putting your feet on the table?!” she snaps hotly.

*

The second semester of university kicks off on the following Monday. For some cruel reason, classes start at eight o’clock sharp when the sun has yet to rise, which is pleasant for absolutely no one. Waking up has been a particularly painful experience so far, between turning off his alarm before dawn and bumping his shin into the coffee table on his way to the bathroom. Then he sneezes three times in a row. Clearly the world seems to be against him today. At that point, Donghae is seriously considering skipping the first period, no matter how irresponsible it might be.

But then he remembers that he has a breakfast date with Hyukjae before their first classes, and that’s enough to bring a smile on his face. , he thinks excitedly, but he really can’t wait. Maybe he’s being a little dramatic, but it feels like it’s been ages since they last saw each other. They kept texting over the weekend, with the occasional phone call here and then, but it just isn’t enough—or even the same.

Humming happily, Donghae goes through his morning routine without further complaints. He gets dressed and then heads out some time afterwards. The weather is cold and windy outside, chilling him to the bone; prompting him to shiver uncomfortably. The only incentive that holds him back from going straight back home, is the thought of finally kissing Hyukjae again—and so instead of turning around and giving up, he hurries to the nearest subway station. It takes about fifteen minutes before he reaches his stop, and another five until he finally finds the coffee shop where they agreed to meet up.

Hyukjae is already here, of course, early as usual. He’s standing a bit further away from the entrance door, leafing through one of those newspapers that people give out in the streets. Something about the way that he intently reads and frowns at today’s news is oddly endearing.

Donghae feels his heart speed up in excitement while a wide smile spreads across his face. He breaks into a run and pulls Hyukjae into a tight hug, lifting him up his feet. Hyukjae splutters in surprise. Around them, people stare in outrage and shake their heads disapprovingly, but they barely notice it.

“Stop this at once!” he exclaims in a high-pitched voice—but he’s laughing, too, hugging Donghae back. “Put me down!”

Donghae complies, smiling. Immediately after Hyukjae’s feet are back on the ground, he leans in and presses their mouths together. He kisses him long and sweet, pouring all of his piled-up frustration and need into it. Sighing contentedly, Hyukjae flicks the tip of his tongue along his lower lip, then slips inside.

, Donghae thinks as he groans softly—but it’s just as he remembers it, if not even better. Hyukjae tastes like winter and lemons, and also a bit like mint toothpaste. He smells lovely, too, and Donghae breathes him in like he can’t get enough. It makes something hot and hungry curl inside his stomach, aching for more, so much more.

He breaks away from the kiss some time afterwards. “Hi,” he whispers soppily. Hyukjae looks a little flushed, a little disheveled, as if he wants to disapprove such embarrassing behavior—in public, no less!—and yet can’t help but find it nice, too. It makes Donghae smile and press soft little kisses along Hyukjae’s cheeks. “Hi,” he says again.

“Hello,” Hyukjae replies with a tiny, pleased little grin. Then he sobers and frowns at Donghae sternly. “I must warn you though—none of this at university, is that understood?”

Donghae rolls his eyes. He knows Hyukjae well enough by now that he isn’t that much surprised. Of course Hyukjae would do his best to keep business and pleasure separate, especially in such a sacred place as university.

“You know what, I didn’t even think about it! But now that you mention it, it sounds pretty fun,” he jokes, which earns him a sharp glare for his trouble. Laughing, he kisses Hyukjae again. “I really missed you, you know?”

Hyukjae huffs and eyes him suspiciously. “Hm. Well, me too, I suppose.” Then he asks, “do you feel better, by the way? Are you still sick?”

“Nah, I feel loads better now,” Donghae shrugs. He gently brushes Hyukjae’s hair off his forehead, who shivers a little when his cool fingers graze his skin. “I didn’t mean to worry you, sorry.”

“I wasn’t worried,” Hyukjae protests, but he’s clearly lying, because in the next moment he’s resting his hand onto Donghae’s forehead and then nodding approvingly. “