Alright, I'm finally back with a new hyunsung since I love posting things on my birthday! This one has taken me quite some time and it's also my longest one shot yet! It's 27.5k words.

The idea was inspired by the movie 'Like Father...' but it's only very very loosely based off it.

WARNING: there will be mentions of in this but there's not going to be any ! So please beware because I don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable. The characters are also aged up here. 

I've tried my best to proof-read this and I hope I spotted all the mistakes. If I didn't, I apologize in advance! Anyway, without further ado. Let's get into it! 

I hope you like this one as much as I liked writing it!

PUBLISHED: 05/24/2019
EDITED: 09/11/2020

 

"We can't wait much longer, Mrs Han. I have another appointment booked at 5," the priest whispered, but Jisung could still hear him, as he was standing right next to him. He'd already had a weird feeling that something might go wrong today when he got up this morning.

"He'll show up! I'm sure he's just late!" Jisung's mother answered. Jisung looked over to the door from where he stood at the altar. He couldn't say he'd particularly looked forward to this day, but he'd found a way to accept it. His fiancé was nice, and he figured that he might grow to love him one day.

He would show, right?

Finally, the church doors opened and Junghwan approached the altar. Jisung's mother made an excited noise and quickly scrambled back to her seat. The priest heaved a relieved sigh and got into position as well.

Junghwan came to a halt in front of Jisung, his expression uneasy. The weird feeling in Jisung's chest only intensified instead of vanishing at the sight of his soon-to-be husband.

"I'm sorry, Jisung. I thought I could do this. You know my parents' business means everything to me, but I can't marry someone I don't love," Junghwan explained himself. "You understand that, right?" he questioned, before turning to his parents who sat in the front row next to Jisung's. All four of them were looking at him with shocked expressions.

"I'm really sorry..." was all he said to them. Jisung felt anger boil inside of him.

"You !" The priest clutched his chest in shock at the profanity. "You could have backed out at any given time, but you chose our ing wedding day? Instead of being honest with me, I don't know, yesterday, when we last saw each other, you chose to humiliate me in front of everyone?"

"Jisung, I –"

"No, I'm not done yet! I wasn't happy about an arranged marriage either, okay? But I still believed it when you said that you liked me more than you'd expected! And now you pull up here with the 'I can't marry someone I don't love' bull?"

"I do like you –"

"Save it! You win, I don't want to marry you anyway. I almost threw away my life for this... for this business deal!" Jisung felt a calming hand on his bicep. He didn't have to turn around to know who it was, especially when he spoke up.

"Come on, Ji... let's get out of here," his best man and closest friend Changbin muttered, already dragging him along, past his shocked parents and friends. He silently thanked the older for stepping in, as he probably would have lost it in there. "I'll take you home," Changbin promised, pulling him towards his car. Jisung just nodded and followed his best friend without further words.

~

"What an !" Jisung exclaimed for the nth time, as he angrily threw some clothes into his suitcase. There was no way, he would stay in Baltimore after this! He'd wanted to go back home the moment his parents had told him about the arranged marriage. But, being the dutiful son he was, he'd agreed. He huffed at his own stupidity. His gaze fell onto the travel bag he'd packed the previous day for his and Junghwan's honeymoon.

"Don't worry about it, Ji... this will blow over..." Changbin tried to assure him, but Jisung wasn't so sure. His parents knew how to hold a grudge. Even though this wasn't Jisung's fault, he already knew he'd never hear the end of it.

"I wish I could just get away for a while. I don't want to deal with my parents right now... or Junghwan's, for that matter," the younger said, with a sigh.

"I mean... you could..." Changbin pointed out, nodding his head in the direction of the travel bag. "The honeymoon is still booked, isn't it? A Caribbean cruise? I'd say screw all of this and go anyway."

Jisung looked back at his friend, raising his eyebrow. He seemed to be serious about this...

"You want me to go on my honeymoon by myself?" he questioned in disbelief. Changbin had to be kidding. Sure, the cruise had been the thing he'd been most excited about, regarding this whole wedding slash business deal, but showing up to your honeymoon solo?

"Won't I look pathetic?" he questioned. He couldn't really imagine that showing up to his honeymoon alone, was something people would just ignore. He could already feel the stares and looks of the other passengers.

"No, of course not! You should go and enjoy yourself for a while!" Changbin encouraged him. Jisung knew he was right, but it was still a weird thought.

"I'm not sure about this... Jisung said, when suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "Unless you come with me!" Changbin gave him a surprised look.

"You want to go on your honeymoon with me?" he asked.

"Better than going by myself... Jisung replied with a shrug. "So, are you in? Afterwards, we can just head back to Korea. I never really felt at home in this place anyways," he offered.

"What about your parents?" Changbin questioned. Jisung only shrugged again.

"They already put me through enough. I'll talk to them when we get back. So, what do you say? Are we going on a cruise?"

Changbin seemed to ponder it for a minute. Then eventually, his eyes lit up and he grinned at Jisung, giving him a thumbs up.

"We're going on a cruise!"

~

When Hyunjin's father had suggested for his wife and him to join him on the ship for a South Caribbean cruise, he'd called it 'perfect family bonding time'. Hyunjin already knew that meant his father being busy captaining a cruise ship, his nice, but sort of shallow stepmother sunbathing all day and as for him... he would just end up being bored.

"I promise this will be a fun experience. Hyunjin, I haven't taken you on a cruise since you were 9," his father told his son at the dinner table. "Now that you're living in Los Angeles, I never even get to see you anymore..."

"That's because you're at sea most of the time and when you're not, you and Soljin are here in Baltimore or in Seoul... Hyunjin replied bitterly. His father gave him a look at his tone.

"That's why I'm saying it would be nice to spend some time together," he said. Hyunjin sighed but chose not to argue. "And it would give you an opportunity to get to know your stepmother a little better."

Hyunjin looked at Soljin, who just gave him a small smile in return. He liked her. She was nice to him and his father seemed to really love her, but Hyunjin somehow didn't have any desire to get to know her.

"Please, Hyunjin. You flew all the way to Baltimore for this cruise. Don't ruin this with your mood," Hyunjin's father spoke up again.

"Fine, I'm coming along, and I'll make sure to be my chirpiest self," Hyunjin answered with an obviously fake smile.

"Oh, one more thing before I forget," his father said, "it would be best if you didn't get... involved with any of the passengers!" Hyunjin furrowed his brows at the weird request. It wasn't like he dated around a lot. Sure, his last truly serious relationship had been a while ago, but he wasn't actually looking for anything anyway.

"Isn't this cruise for newlywed couples and old people? Don't worry, I'll steer clear of the shuffleboard area, I promise," Hyunjin remarked sarcastically. His father didn't seem to find it very funny, though.

"I mean it, Hyunjin!" he said sternly, making his son roll his eyes.

"Alright, I got it!"

~

"Seriously, Hyunjin, I can't thank you enough for getting me this job. I really needed it," his close friend Bang Chan told him over the phone that very same evening. The younger only chuckled at the audible gratefulness in his friend's voice.

"You thanked me about a hundred times already. It's the least I can do and I'm happy to help. Besides, I'm going to need an ally with me on this stupid cruise, so you'd be helping me, really... Hyunjin pointed out.

"It's only two weeks; you'll be fine," Chan tried to assure him. "On top of that, you'll have a big- suite all to yourself there! And who knows, maybe you'll meet someone to take back to said suite," he joked.

"Yeah, right... even if I wanted that, my father would have my head on a stick. He made it clear that I'm not supposed to hook up with the passengers. Got awfully serious about it as well, like I'm on the lookout for some 49-year-old guy, who's probably married and looking for someone 'to have fun' with because he didn't do enough experimenting in college. No thanks," Hyunjin rambled, unable to hold back a little scoff.

"Well, that was oddly specific," Chan commented. "But a dating ban, huh... that means you're definitely going to meet someone. It's always like this, trust me," Chan said, trying to sound serious and convincing. Hyunjin let himself fall back on his bed and sighed.

"Chan, as your best friend I get to say this... I think you're reading too many romance novels." Chan only laughed, knowing that he couldn't really argue with that. "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow," he told the older.

"Definitely! And once again, thank you!"

They hung up and Hyunjin let out a sigh, as he stared at the ceiling of his (guest) room. He really wasn't very excited to bore to death on a cruise ship. Even with Chan there, Hyunjin would probably be spending lots of time on his own. And that wasn't exactly something to look forward to.

~

"Holy ... this looks so much bigger than in the pamphlet!" Changbin exclaimed, setting down his hastily packed bag on the floor, looking around the ship's lobby in awe. Jisung chuckled. The ship really was impressive. He was glad that the older had convinced him to come here, despite everything that had happened with Junghwan. His parents and Junghwan had tried to call him a few times, but he hadn't found it in himself to respond to them yet. He was set on relaxing for the next two weeks before maybe dealing with any of them again.

"Welcome aboard," the receptionist lady greeted them with a smile. Jisung smiled back, noticing Changbin stroll away, still awed by everything, as the younger discussed the details of his stay with the lady. "We hope you and your husband will have a great time and please let us know if we can book any excursions for you," she told him while handing him two keycards for their suite.

"Oh, we're not married!" Jisung told her, feeling the need to explain himself, even though it didn't really matter what a stranger thought. She looked over at Changbin, whose jaw had almost dropped to the floor with how fascinated he was, before shifting her gaze back to Jisung again.

"I'm sorry, I just assumed... since you've booked a honeymoon suite..."

"Yes, I see how that might be misleading..." Jisung mumbled.

"I'm really sorry," the lady apologized.

"It's fine, really! No worries..." Jisung said, reaching for his bags, before walking over to his best friend. "Come on, I got our keycards. Let's go find that suite of ours," he told Changbin, already leading the way to the suites.

"This place is amazing! I read that they even have a casino here," Changbin said excitedly, making Jisung laugh and shake his head fondly. They reached their suite and Jisung used his keycard to unlock it, before opening the door. He stopped in his tracks at the sight of the suite.

"Holy ..." he muttered. Changbin gasped in shock. There were small glass coffee tables and red curtains, leading to a wide balcony. That wasn't what had shocked the two of them, though. A small set of stairs led up to a second floor, where a queen-sized bed stood. The whole room was decorated with roses and other kind of cheesy stuff only newlyweds would appreciate.

They made their way up to the bed only to see towels folded into swans building a heart, surrounded by rose petals on the comforter. A bottle of champagne stood on the nightstand, cooled and ready with two glasses next to it.

"I guess they weren't kidding about the honeymoon suite, huh?" Jisung pointed out, setting down his bags and rounding the bed to poke at one of the swans. He couldn't hold back the chuckle that escaped his lips at the ridiculousness of the situation. Looking back at Changbin, he questioned: "You don't mind sharing the bed, do you?"

"Wouldn't be the first time. I definitely won't turn down the champagne either!" Changbin said, grinning. Jisung rolled his eyes playfully. He hadn't expected anything else from his best friend.

"Alright, well, I'm going to check out the ship before the sun sets," Jisung told the older. Changbin spun around quickly, excitement still prominent on his face.

"I'm coming with you! I want to see the casino!" he exclaimed.

~

Needless to say, Changbin ditched Jisung as soon as he had found said casino and the younger was left to explore the ship on his own. It seemed to offer a ridiculous amount of activities; rock-climbing, outdoor movie nights and culinary classes were only some of them. The ship also offered a spa and a fitness center and Jisung had seen several bars and at least three pools already.

He spotted a bar next to one large pool and decided to sit down for a cocktail. The bartender was young, perhaps about two or three years older than Jisung. His hair was dark brown, and he wore only a white, buttoned up vest with the ship's crew logo on it, along with some swim trunks. He regarded Jisung with a friendly smile and came over to take his order.

"What can I get you?"

"Anything, really... as long as it's fruity," Jisung replied nonchalantly. He saw the bartender's nametag. Chan. He looked like a Chan, Jisung figured.

"Coming right up," Chan told him and shuffled away to prepare his drink, as Jisung looked around. The sun had almost set by now and most people were probably in the dining hall, as the deck was mostly empty. Jisung briefly found himself wondering if Changbin was still at the casino, but his thoughts were interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

A guy had sat down in the barstool next to him just as Chan, the bartender, set down his cocktail in front of him. Jisung thanked him with a smile, before looking at the stranger again. The first thing Jisung noticed about him was the cute mole underneath his eye, followed by his full lips that were stretched into a smile. He had dark hair, though Jisung couldn't quite see if it was black or just very dark brown, as it was wet and slicked back, which made it seem like he had just gotten out of the water. The man wore floral swim trunks and a simple dark gray shirt that was a little too snug on him – not that Jisung minded.

"Drinking alone?" the stranger asked. Jisung hadn't expected his voice to sound so soft. He found himself drawn to this guy almost immediately.

"Not anymore, apparently," Jisung answered, causing the stranger to smile a little wider. He waved Chan over and ordered his own drink. From what it looked like the two of them seemed to know each other, judging by the look the bartender gave the stranger.

"My name's Hyunjin, by the way," said stranger now introduced himself, finally putting a name to the beautiful face. Jisung brought the straw of his drink to his lips, taking a sip.

"I'm Jisung," he answered eventually, setting his cocktail glass back down on the counter.

"Can I buy you a drink, Jisung?" Hyunjin questioned.

Jisung chuckled and nodded at his glass. "I think I'm good right now," he replied. Hyunjin pouted a little, which was ridiculously cute, before going back to smiling. "But..." Jisung continued. "I might still be thirsty after finishing this one..."

~

A few drinks later, Jisung found himself a lot closer to Hyunjin than in the beginning. Their knees were touching by now and the other's hand was casually resting on Jisung's thigh. Chan just kept the drinks coming at this point. It had been a while since Jisung had been this tipsy, but to be fair, it had also been a while since he'd been in such great company.

Hyunjin was charming, to say the least. The slightly older man kept smoothly complimenting Jisung, calling him gorgeous and making him feel more special than he'd felt in the whole time he'd known Junghwan. He shuddered at the thought of that guy and decided to try taking his mind off him completely.

"I have an idea..." Jisung muttered, leaning in close to Hyunjin's ear. The other man hummed in interest. "Why don't we go somewhere more private?" It was bold. Usually, Jisung didn't do these kinds of things, especially not with strangers, but the look Hyunjin gave him made it all worth it.

"My suite isn't far from here... is that private enough for you, gorgeous?" he suggested. Jisung slightly bit his lip, pretending to contemplate the idea, before eventually nodding. Hyunjin got up, extending his hand to Jisung and helping him off the bar stool. The younger was a bit wobbly on his feet, but that wasn't going to stop him. He noticed that Hyunjin was taller than him and for some reason that caused him to be even more drawn to the guy.

Hyunjin put his hand on the small of Jisung's back, leading him off deck and to his suite.

~

The next morning, Hyunjin woke up alone.

He looked around his suite but found no trace of Jisung. Granted, last night hadn't been planned, but he hadn't expected to meet someone as captivating as Jisung on this cruise ship. Part of him couldn't believe that he had defied his father on the very first night on this ship. The other part of him couldn't find it in himself to care when images of the previous night sprung to his mind, making Hyunjin smile a little.

He couldn't deny that it stung a little when he couldn't find Jisung anywhere. On the other hand, it was probably better this way. There was no way this could have been more than a one-night stand... right? Hyunjin sighed and ran a hand through his messed-up bed hair. He wasn't usually the type for one-night stands. On top of that, Jisung had a really nice smile.

"Get it together!" he scolded himself, forcing himself to forget that incredibly beautiful face and his gorgeous smile. He decided to get ready for breakfast with Soljin. He was actually surprised that his stepmother had suggested having breakfast together, since he had expected her to sleep in before heading right for the pool.

Once he'd deemed himself presentable – he was glad that the hickeys Jisung had left on him weren't visible once he'd put on a shirt – he headed to the dining hall where breakfast was currently in full swing. He saw his stepmother talking to a waiter and was about to walk over to her when he spotted a familiar mop of blonde hair.

Jisung sat at one of the tables and Hyunjin's heart jumped a little at the sight of him, a small smile spreading on his face again. However, that smile dropped when he realized that the younger wasn't alone. He was in the company of some other guy. They seemed to be very familiar, which was only confirmed when the guy reached across the table to pat Jisung's hand.

Belatedly, Hyunjin thought about the fact that this cruise was, to put it in his own previously used words, for newlywed couples and old people. Jisung probably fell into the first category, which meant Hyunjin had slept with a married guy!

It was then, that Jisung looked up and spotted him. He even had the nerve to smile at him. Hyunjin looked bitter and turned away to head over to his stepmom's table. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid.

"Hey, Hyunjin... you look upset, are you alright?" Soljin questioned when he'd finally made it over to her table. Hyunjin put on a tight smile and sat down across from her. He wasn't going to discuss his internal crisis with her, since she would most likely blab to his father about it. That was the last thing he needed on top of everything else.

"I'm fine. I just didn't sleep a lot last night," he told her. Not a complete lie.

"Oh, I understand. I guess, this ship takes some getting used to..." Soljin replied cluelessly. "Let's eat something, shall we? I have a spa to hit later," she said cheerfully. Hyunjin just smiled and nodded at the suggestion. He wasn't even hungry anymore, so all he wanted was to just head back to his suite and forget all about Jisung.

~

Jisung had noticed how pissed off Hyunjin had looked when he'd seen him, but he hadn't really gotten a chance to ask him about it. Maybe he was mad about him leaving without saying anything, which he had only done to avoid an interrogation from Changbin. Luckily, the older had still been sound asleep when Jisung had returned to the honeymoon suite, so his plan had worked.

After breakfast, Jisung saw Hyunjin about to leave the dining hall, so he told Changbin to wait for him at the pool before quickly catching up with Hyunjin. He stopped the older from walking by gently putting a hand on his bicep. Hyunjin turned around, his face turning sour when he saw Jisung.

"Hey, are you mad at me? If it's about this morning, I had to –"

"Get back to your guy? You know, your relationship seems really promising if you choose to jump into bed with the first guy who buys you a drink," Hyunjin interrupted him coldly.

Jisung had definitely not seen that kind of thing coming. Had Hyunjin just indirectly called him a and accused him of cheating on 'his guy'? He raised his eyebrow at the insult and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Wow, you're a real prince charming, aren't you?" he snapped, before turning around and walking off in the direction Changbin had also left in, not bothering to clear up the fact that he wasn't 'his guy'. He couldn't believe he'd spent the night with such a douchebag.

It didn't take Jisung long to find Changbin. The older was lounging around at the same bar where Jisung had met Hyunjin last night. He huffed at the thought and made his way over to Changbin. He saw that Chan was working again, as he sat down on the barstool next to his friend.

"Get me something strong..." Jisung muttered when Chan gave him a questioning look. Changbin looked at the younger.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Jisung just nodded, not in the mood to tell Changbin about his complete bust with a guy he'd thought was decent and charming. "You're pouting. What happened?" Changbin questioned.

Chan set down his drink in front of him and Jisung couldn't help but notice how Changbin's eyes followed his every move. He seemed pretty intrigued by the bartender. Hopefully, he wasn't also a stupid douchebag.

"Is this about the wedding?" Changbin asked. Jisung furrowed his brows in confusion, before realizing what Changbin was talking about. He scoffed. His thoughts had been so occupied with someone he'd only met a few hours ago that he'd even forgotten about the other who'd left him at the altar. The only upside about that was that Jisung couldn't blame his, apparently pretty bad, taste in guys for Junghwan, since he hadn't even picked him.

Okay, maybe the word upside was a bit of an exaggeration.

"No, I'm okay," Jisung insisted. Changbin studied his face to determine any possible lies. The younger gave him a look. "I'm serious! Junghwan is the last thing on my mind right now and hopefully ever again," he assured his best friend.

"Then what is on your mind?" Changbin questioned.

"Nothing! Aside from the fact that you totally have the hots for the bartender," Jisung teased, a grin spreading on his face when Changbin blushed crimson. He thought he saw Chan look in their direction, but when Jisung looked up properly, Chan was pouring drinks for another guest.

"You should talk to him," Jisung said. Changbin's eyes widened at his words.

"Are you crazy? How can I talk to him?"

"Easy..." Jisung answered. "Hey, Chan," he called out, successfully catching the bartender's attention. Changbin gave him a panicked look and slapped his thigh. Jisung ignored him, his grin widening when Chan came over. "My friend here has a question for you," he said vaguely, rising from his seat and grabbing his drink. He was certain that Changbin was glaring at him, but he chose not to look back and check, as he walked away.

Jisung decided to check out some of the activities on the ship to get his mind off Hyunjin, but nothing really caught his eye. He almost settled for trying the rock-climbing wall, but ultimately decided against it. He spent a little while at the pool, but nothing really seemed to take his mind away from Hyunjin.

He couldn't believe how bummed out he was over what should have been a simple one-nightstand. But something about Hyunjin's judgement had really hurt Jisung. How could the older think so lowly of him? Granted, they barely knew each other, but he could have at least asked if he and Changbin were a thing, instead of assuming the worst.

Jisung felt tears prick at his eyes, but he quickly wiped his eyes and willed them away. He was not going to cry over that guy! He wasn't worthy of his tears! Hell, he didn't even know him!

Still bummed out, Jisung decided that it was probably best for him to head back to the suite and maybe watch some TV. He hoped that Changbin would have more luck than him, at least...

~

Changbin wasn't back from the bar yet, so Jisung had spent the past few hours watching soap operas on the couch in their suite. He settled on going to bed early, to make up for last night's lost sleep, but once he'd settled down in bed, he just couldn't fall asleep. He groaned at being so affected by a guy that it was even costing him sleep now.

Jisung tossed and turned for a while, trying hard to fall asleep, but to no avail. He pretended to be asleep when Changbin returned, though. He would ask the older about how things had turned out tomorrow. He checked the alarm clock on his nightstand. It was 1am...

Frustrated, Jisung got out of bed, once he was sure that Changbin was asleep and put on a morning robe, with the ship's logo on the back. Maybe a nightly walk on deck would help him feel more tired. Water had always had a calming effect on him...

If he still couldn't sleep after that, he could just settle for partying, as there was always something going on in the ship's night club, according to one of the guests he'd overheard when he'd hung out at the pool. Getting drunk sounded awfully tempting right now, but then again, that was what even got him in this mess in the first place.

He cursed himself for even responding to Hyunjin's flirting before he shook his head at himself. "Enough about Hyunjin!" he muttered to himself. This cruise was an opportunity for him to de-stress! He did not need guy trouble!

The ship certainly had a different atmosphere at night. The lights illuminated the deck beautifully and the water looked black. It was a bit scary, but also really beautiful. He was actually a bit sad he didn't bring his phone to take a picture. There were very few people out, so it was peaceful and quiet. Jisung just walked around, watching the water and trying to clear his head a little bit.

He found himself in a rather secluded spot with a great view on the sea. There were two beach chairs standing around. Jisung noticed that one of them was already occupied.

As he took a closer look, he realized that it was Hyunjin...

Jisung was just about to turn around before the other noticed him when Hyunjin looked up, probably feeling his eyes on him.

"Hey," Hyunjin greeted him, catching the younger off guard. He hadn't expected the older to be so civil, after their last encounter.

"Hey..." Jisung answered, hesitantly sitting down in the other beach chair. He somehow felt the need to explain himself to Hyunjin. Despite their earlier run-in and his behavior, he didn't want the older to think lowly of him. He took a deep breath.

"Listen, just so you know, Changbin and I aren't together. He's my best friend who came on this cruise with me instead of the guy I almost married," he blurted out everything, hoping that Hyunjin would believe him. He wasn't a cheater and he didn't want to be thought of as one. The older looked at him, his left eyebrow raised.

"So, there is someone, after all?" he finally asked, after what seemed to be an eternity. Jisung leaned back in his beach chair and looked at the water.

"There kind of used to be. But he left me on the day of our wedding, so I'm definitely not crying any tears over his sorry . Changbin just thought that I should take this trip to get my mind off things..." Jisung explained himself further.

"You don't seem particularly sad, though," Hyunjin pointed out. Jisung couldn't help but scoff at the thought of Junghwan.

"That's because I'm not. That guy wasn't . Marrying him would have been the biggest mistake of my life. I only agreed to it to make my parents happy," he said. He didn't know if Hyunjin believed him, but now he'd at least told him the truth. It was all he could do.

They sat in silence for a while, just watching the water. Jisung had no idea what time it was, but he didn't care. It was so utterly calming out here, and he still felt drawn to Hyunjin, despite not even looking at him right now.

"Look," Hyunjin spoke up, almost causing Jisung to jump at him breaking the silence. "I'm sorry for making false assumptions about you and about what I said to you. It was a thing to say."

The younger smiled at him. "I guess I understand what caused you to think that way. I just wish you would have asked... but, despite that. I accept your apology," Jisung told him. He surprised himself by how quick he was to forgive and forget, but Hyunjin's cute smile at his words definitely made it worth it. "So, tell me... what are you doing on this cruise if you're not married or... 65," he asked Hyunjin, who laughed quietly.

"Well, you see... my dad is actually the captain of this cruise ship. He thought it was a good idea to take me and my stepmom on a family cruise to spend some time with us, I guess. But I haven't seen him since we got here. And my stepmom is spending most of her time at the spa, but at least she had breakfast with me," he explained. "I guess, I'm just... bored."

Jisung nodded slowly in understanding. He was surprised to hear that Hyunjin was the captain's son, but, considering the super fancy suite, it kind of made sense. He tried not to spend too many thoughts on said suite, since he didn't want to think too much about the night he'd spent there.

At least not right now, while he was actually with Hyunjin.

"Well, if you're so bored... do you maybe want to hang out with me?" he offered. Hyunjin smiled at his words. Jisung figured he liked it when Hyunjin smiled because of him. He knew, he shouldn't be this affected by someone he'd met only a day ago, but he just couldn't help it.

"Now that you're not married... how would you feel about having dinner with me tomorrow night... or, given the time, tonight?" Hyunjin offered and Jisung chuckled.

"I'd like that," he answered. "But for now, I think I should get back to my suite," he added. Hyunjin nodded and got up with him.

"Me too," he agreed. They began heading for their respective suites, before reaching the point where they had to part ways. "For the record..." Hyunjin trailed off, his hand gently reaching out to hold Jisung back before he walked away. "Last night was pretty great."

Jisung blushed. "Agreed," he said, mentally slapping himself for not coming up with something that sounded more confident. Hyunjin gave him another one of those beautiful smiles before letting go of his arm. "Good night, Hyunjin," Jisung said.

"Good night. I'll see you at dinner," the older replied.

~

Changbin regarded Jisung with a knowing look the next morning. He furrowed his brows in confusion, not really knowing what his friend was up to again.

"What?" he asked when he couldn't take the looks anymore.

Changbin smirked at him. "Where were you last night? When I woke up to go pee, you were gone," he interrogated his friend.

"I was just taking a late-night walk to clear my head..." Jisung trailed off, thinking about his talk with Hyunjin. He was glad to finally have cleared the air with him. "And maybe I talked to someone..." he mumbled. Changbin raised his eyebrows, intrigued.

"Do tell."

"Okay, so I might have met this guy at the bar the other night," Jisung told him. Changbin gasped in surprise. "And we might have..." the younger trailed off, gesturing with his hands and chuckling at the way his friend clutched his chest in exasperation. He continued telling him about the misunderstanding and about making up with Hyunjin the previous night. "... and so, we decided to get dinner tonight," he closed his story.

Changbin stayed quiet for a few minutes. Jisung didn't expect him to be so skeptical when he finally spoke up again: "Don't you think it's a bit soon? I mean, technically, this is your honeymoon."

"Yeah, after the guy I was supposed to marry left me standing at the altar. Look, I'm having fun, enjoying myself. Or would you rather see me mope around and cry after a guy who never loved me?" Jisung questioned, his voice almost sounding snappy. The younger knew that his best friend was just looking out for him, but he still couldn't help but feel a little defensive.

"Of course not!" Changbin exclaimed. "I'm just worried about you... I don't want you to get hurt," he added.

"I'll be fine, Binnie. That marriage never would have worked out anyway. I said yes out of obligation... because our families wanted it. I'm glad it ended sooner rather than later and it's thanks to you that I'm even on this cruise! I want to enjoy it," Jisung explained himself.

"I guess you're right. Just do me one favor and be careful, okay?" Changbin pleaded, causing his friend to roll his eyes playfully.

"It's just one dinner. It's not like I'm gonna fall for this guy," he answered, a small smirk playing on his lips. Changbin only laughed, unaware of his younger friend's rapidly beating heart at the thought of tonight's dinner with Hyunjin.

~

"So, how are things going with that cute guy you picked up at the bar the other night?" Chan asked, setting a cocktail down in front of Hyunjin. The younger grinned and took a small sip.

"Well, we're having dinner tonight," he replied. He still felt really bad about making false assumptions and snapping at Jisung, but he was glad that the younger had accepted his apology and agreed to dinner.

"Dinner, huh? I thought you weren't looking for anyone on this cruise," Chan pointed out, recalling the exact words he'd used before they'd come here. Hyunjin couldn't help but blush. He hadn't thought he'd ever see the younger again, after their night together, but he was actually really looking forward to it.

"I wasn't... but he's... pretty great, actually," Hyunjin said. "Besides, it's just dinner, right? We're not committing to anything," he reasoned, more with himself than with Chan. Getting serious with Jisung probably wouldn't be the best idea, considering that this cruise was only two weeks long. He didn't even know anything about the younger, aside from the fact that he'd almost gotten married if he hadn't been left at the altar.

"What about your father?" Chan questioned. Hyunjin only shrugged and took another sip from his drink. His father was busy anyway. It wasn't like he actually took this whole "family vacation" thing seriously. He wouldn't see Hyunjin with Jisung anyway.

~

Jisung and Changbin were lounging in the adults only section at one of the pools; the largest from what Jisung had gathered. Jisung found himself able to just sit back and relax to the typical kind of cruise ship music they were playing. His mind was free of his parents and Junghwan. All he cared about right now was his vacation. And the dinner he was going to have with Hyunjin tonight.

He smiled a little at the thought when a waiter brought him a second cocktail. Changbin noticed and smirked at him.

"Thinking about your new boy toy again?" he teased his best friend.

"Oh my god, please don't call him a boy toy! Am I not allowed to just smile without being accused of something," Jisung argued. He knew, he was getting defensive, but he couldn't help it. He didn't remember when he'd last felt excited about a date.

Was this even a date, though? Or was he just reading too much into it? Maybe Hyunjin really just wanted to hang out.

"Now you're thinking about him, though," Changbin stated.

Jisung fake-glared at him. "Only because you put him in my head!" He took a sip from his drink, before looking over at his friend again. "Anyway, speaking of boy toys. How are things going between you and the bartender?" he questioned, relishing in the blush that spread on Changbin's cheeks at the mention of Chan.

"If you must know, I don't think he's caught on to the fact that I'm trying to flirt with him, so I don't know if this will end up going anywhere," he finally answered. Jisung tilted his head. It seemed like Changbin was really smitten with this guy.

"You should definitely keep trying," Jisung told him. "He's totally your type."

Changbin blushed. "I guess, he is..." he mumbled, causing his younger friend to laugh. "But that doesn't matter right now! I didn't come here to get laid!"

"Might as well, though..." the younger muttered, causing Changbin to swat at him from his beach chair. He dodged it and laughed again. If Changbin got to about Hyunjin, he'd return the favor by teasing him about Chan.

"I hate you," Changbin grumbled.

"You love me," Jisung retorted with a wide grin on his face.

"Unfortunately..."

~

Jisung looked at himself in the mirror. He wouldn't say he'd dressed up fancy, but his mother would definitely be proud of his choice of wardrobe. He figured that he might as well look nice for Hyunjin, so he'd decided to put on a black button-up shirt and black slacks.

Changbin whistled when the younger stepped out of the bathroom. He was hanging out on the couch with a magazine in his hands, his eyebrows raised at the sight of his best friend. "You're sure aiming to get laid tonight, aren't you?" he teased.

Jisung fake-glared at the older. "I'm not! What's wrong with trying to look nice?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing," Changbin chirped with a -eating grin on his face.

"Instead of getting on my case, why don't you just go and ask out your bartender?" Jisung questioned, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I- ..." Changbin blushed, obviously flustered at the sudden mention of Chan. "I can't! I mean... he's probably working!"

Jisung grinned at the older. "Then ask when he's done with his shift!"

"Why are you so intent on getting me to ask out Chan?"

"First of all because you clearly like him! I haven't seen you like this with anyone and I've known you since before I could walk! Second, if you're busy with Chan, maybe you'll finally stop teasing me about Hyunjin!"

Changbin chuckled. "You know I'll never do that. You're like my little brother. It's my obligation to tease you to no end! I didn't get to with the last one because... you know..." he trailed off with a distasteful expression.

"Yeah, well..." Jisung mumbled. "Hyunjin's not going to be another Junghwan. I mean, we're not even dating!"

"So, you're getting all dressed up like that for something that isn't a date?" Changbin teased the younger, earning himself yet another fake glare. However, before Jisung could retort or bring up Chan again, a knock sounded on the door. Jisung perked up with undeniable excitement and went to open the door.

Hyunjin stood there, dressed similarly to Jisung, except for his button-up shirt being blue and half covered by a blazer. He smiled at Jisung. "Ready to go, gorgeous?" he questioned. Jisung nodded dumbly, choosing to ignore the snort Changbin let out behind him and instead follow Hyunjin out the door. "You look really nice," the older pointed out.

"You look really nice, too," Jisung replied, mentally slapping himself for sounding so uncharacteristically shy.

~

Jisung had thought they'd just have dinner in the dining room, but Hyunjin led him on deck where a single round table for two stood. A waiter was just putting on a candle. He wished his heart would stop racing at the sight.

"I hope this isn't too much. I just figured some privacy would be nice," Hyunjin explained, as he pulled out one of the chairs for the younger. Jisung took a few seconds to find his speech again, his heart still dancing a tango in his chest.

"N-no... it's fine. Just unexpected, I guess," he replied. Hyunjin chuckled as he took a seat across from Jisung. "Do you treat every first date like this?" the younger joked. Too late, he realized that he had just called this a date, but to his relief Hyunjin smiled.

"To be quite honest, I don't go on many dates. That's probably why I went overboard with this one," Hyunjin explained. Jisung's eyes widened slightly at the revelation. He couldn't believe that someone like Hyunjin didn't go on dates all the time; it was hard to believe that he was even single in the first place.

"You didn't go overboard... it's really nice," Jisung assured him, causing the older to smile again. "So, tell me... what are you doing when you're not taking a Caribbean cruise?" he questioned.

"Well, I used to just study a lot. I graduated from college in summer after studying International Business in Los Angeles," Hyunjin answered, as a waiter came over with a bottle of wine. Hyunjin took it and poured some for Jisung and then for himself. "Not my preferred major, but my father thought it was a good thing to do. I didn't hate it, so I went along," he continued. Jisung could relate to that a lot, only that his parents hadn't forced a major on him, but a fiancé.

"What about you? Are you in college?" Hyunjin questioned now.

"I also graduated after studying web design in Seoul," Jisung replied with a small smile on his face. College had been a pretty good time for him, away from his parents and living his own life for a little while.

"How'd you end up almost getting married in Baltimore?" Hyunjin asked him, before realizing that he might have offended Jisung with his question. "I'm sorry... that's none of my business. You don't have to answer that."

The younger waved off. "It's okay, it's not a secret. My parents came to my graduation with an agenda. They told me they were proud of me because they didn't think I'd even go through with college. Then they started talking about their business and how they wanted to partner up with this American company and that's when I knew I had to somehow get involved," Jisung explained.

"They've always accepted my uality, despite being a little weird about it in the beginning, which is okay, I guess? So, when they told me that their potential business partners had a gay son, they'd like me to meet, I figured this wasn't just an attempt to set me up with someone. When they informed the both of us of their plans to merge their companies through our marriage, I was shocked, and I didn't want to do this. It was Junghwan who convinced me that this doesn't have to be a bad thing..." he trailed off. "We got to know each other a little and I figured I might as well..."

"Marry him?" Hyunjin offered.

"Not the best idea as it turned out, I admit," Jisung said with a chuckle. "But enough about that... what about you? What's your story?"

The waiter returned with their meal. Hyunjin shot him a smile. "I hope you like pasta," he said.

Jisung grinned. "I do..." he assured the older.

"So, my story... there isn't much to tell, actually... I grew up in Seoul and I actually used to come along on a few cruises with my father until I was nine. That was when my mother died and he kind of pulled away from everyone close to him," Hyunjin explained. "I was raised by nannies and got to see him a few times a year. Then when I moved to LA, he told me he met someone, and he got married to my stepmother shortly after. This cruise is actually the first one for me in about... 15 years, I think."

"I'm sorry about your mother. It must've been pretty hard to practically grow up alone," Jisung answered.

"It was okay. I mean, I missed my parents, but I was never really alone," the older assured him with a smile. "Anyway, how about we move on to happier topics?" he suggested.

Jisung nodded and picked up his fork to start eating. "So, are you a cat person or a dog person?" he questioned, causing Hyunjin to laugh at the sudden change of topic. "It was the first thing that came to my mind..." the younger explained himself sheepishly.

"I'm definitely a dog person," Hyunjin replied. "What about you?"

"I actually love both... I had cats, I had dogs... I'm not very good at picking favorites," Jisung answered with a small grin.

They continued talking about small things like this, making each other laugh, as they finished their meal.

"So, would you like to get a few drinks next?" Hyunjin questioned, leaning back in his chair with a grin.

Jisung returned the grin, leaning his elbow on the table and resting his head on his palm. "Are you trying to get me drunk again?" he asked teasingly.

Hyunjin copied his posture, so their faces were rather close now. "Maybe, I am..." he replied.

"Well, how could I say no to that?" Jisung said, making the older chuckle. The two of them rose from their chairs, already the slightest bit tipsy from the bottle of wine they'd had with dinner. They reached the bar. Chan didn't seem to be working tonight, which made Jisung briefly think of Changbin.

Hyunjin ordered drinks for them, as they sat down on the barstools next to each other. He turned to face the younger. "You know when I first saw you here, I approached you without thinking twice," he pointed out.

Jisung blushed, trying to play it down with a chuckle. "I'm flattered," he muttered.

"Seriously, you're like... enchanting," Hyunjin told him, making Jisung laugh.

"Are you drunk, Hyunjin?" he questioned.

"No, just honest," the other answered, just as their drinks arrived. He raised his glass to Jisung before taking a sip. The younger followed suit. He couldn't help but stare at Hyunjin. His soft, beautiful features; the way his hair gently blew in the wind due to the breeze. His brown eyes held a certain sparkle, which was only partly thanks to the alcohol.

Hyunjin caught him staring, raising his eyebrow teasingly. His eyes crinkled in amusement, flustering Jisung and causing him to avert his gaze. He quickly took another sip of his drink, slowly but surely feeling the familiar buzz of tipsiness kicking in.

"Jesus, what's in this thing?" Jisung joked, looking swirling the drink around with his straw.

Hyunjin giggled. "I don't know, but these are pretty strong," he agreed, putting his aside. "I mean... I do have a little bar in my suite..." he trailed off.

"In that case maybe we should try our luck there," Jisung answered. He couldn't help but be reminded of the first and only time, so far, he'd visited Hyunjin's suite. If anyone asked, he'd blame it on the alcohol, but he felt his cheeks heat up at the memory. If that was Hyunjin's agenda again, he definitely wouldn't object.

~

Hyunjin's suite wasn't any less impressive the second time. Jisung thought the honeymoon suite was huge, but Hyunjin's was almost twice its size. Granted, last time he hadn't really gotten around to taking a good look, so he couldn't help but be in awe when the older led them inside.

"I guess being the captain's son really does have its perks, huh," he stated.

Hyunjin chuckled. "I guess it does sometimes," he replied before facing Jisung again. "Am I a bad person if I tell you that I actually didn't come here for drinks?" he questioned, taking a step closer towards the younger.

"I figured you had ulterior motives..." Jisung said, grinning. "But no, it doesn't make you a bad person. I didn't come here for drinks either."

Hyunjin stepped even closer, their faces now only inches apart. "Can I kiss you?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Jisung's breath hitched at the proximity; his mind felt hazy, but he nodded his head nonetheless.

"Yes."

Without further words, Hyunjin closed the distance between them and kissed Jisung. The younger had almost forgotten how much he'd enjoyed doing this last time. His lips felt so soft and plush on his own, yet the kiss was anything but soft. The older pushed him against the nearby wall, breaking the kiss, but only pulling back enough to talk.

"Stay the night..." he muttered, his breath fanning over Jisung's mouth. And who was he to say no to that request?

~

Hyunjin was delighted to find Jisung still next to him when he woke up the next morning. The younger looked so cute and peaceful in his sleep; with his messy hair and his mouth slightly agape as his chest rose and sank in even breaths. Hyunjin had to refrain from reaching out to boop his nose. It had been a long time since he'd been this whipped for someone.

"Like what you see?" Jisung's voice suddenly ripped him out of his thoughts. He hadn't even opened his eyes, yet he had still caught on to the fact that Hyunjin was staring at him.

"Very much," Hyunjin answered, as the younger's eyes fluttered open, meeting his. He almost found it alarming how much he liked waking up next to Jisung. He couldn't explain why his feelings for the younger were so strong already. Sure, he'd immediately been intrigued by Jisung, but one date and he already felt like this; like butterflies were dancing around in his stomach whenever Jisung looked at him?

"I'm glad you stayed," Hyunjin told him, reaching out to gently push the bangs out of Jisung's face.

"Well, you asked me to, didn't you?" the younger replied with a tired grin. He stretched his limbs like a cat, making Hyunjin smile fondly. How could a person be so cute one time, yet so incredibly alluring another?

"I should go soon, though... I'm kind of starving," Jisung told him.

"Or you could stay, and I could just order room service," Hyunjin said and reached over to the telephone on his nightstand.

Jisung chuckled. "Sure, that works, too," he answered with a lazy grin on his face.

Hyunjin ordered some breakfast for them before they decided to wash up and get dressed. Since Jisung didn't want to walk around in last night's clothes, Hyunjin offered to lend him a shirt and some shorts. It would be a lie to say that he didn't enjoy seeing the younger in his clothes, since he practically swam in them thanks to his smaller frame. Breakfast arrived soon and the two of them decided to get cozy in Hyunjin's bed again while they ate.

"So, what are your plans for today?" Jisung questioned, looking at Hyunjin.

"I'm having lunch with my father today... and maybe I'll hang out with Chan for a bit, but other than that, nothing," the older explained. "What about you?" he returned the question.

"Well, I should probably get back to my suite after breakfast, otherwise Changbin might think that you cut me up and threw me overboard," Jisung joked, effectively making the older snort with amusement. "And I guess I'll have lunch with him."

"He's pretty protective over you, isn't he?" Hyunjin questioned, not out of jealousy, he was way over that. He was just curious, since they seemed pretty close from what he had gathered so far. Jisung nodded at his question.

"He's my oldest friend. We grew up together, so I guess, he's always seen me as more of a little brother," Jisung explained. "He's always been there to scare off anyone who might hurt me, which made it pretty hard to get a date sometimes, but I still managed," he continued, making Hyunjin chuckle. He was not surprised that Jisung managed. "Oh, by the way he totally has the hots for your friend Chan," the younger added with a small chuckle.

Hyunjin's eyes widened in surprise at that statement. "Is that so?" he questioned, his interest piqued.

"He's too much of a to actually do something about it, though..." Jisung told him.

"I think he should go for it. He seems to be Chan's type... and on top of that, he's literally the sweetest person ever," Hyunjin told the younger.

"How long have you known him?" Jisung asked him, finishing his scrambled eggs and putting the plate back onto the tray which they'd left on the foot of Hyunjin's bed.

"He was my college roommate. We got really close over our time there. I actually got him this job. Partly, because I thought this cruise would be horrible without him and partly because he needed this job," Hyunjin explained. He thought back to what Chan had said to him about possibly finding someone on this cruise.

"So, is it?" Jisung questioned.

Hyunjin gave him a quizzical look, too deep in his thoughts, to have caught on to what the younger had been referring to. "What?"

"Is this cruise as horrible as you expected?" Jisung clarified.

The older grinned and leaned closer to press a short, chaste kiss to Jisung's lips. "Not even close," he answered, relishing in the way Jisung's cheeks turned pink at the sudden display of affection. Hyunjin couldn't help but chuckle. "You're cute, you know that?"

"Am not!" Jisung argued.

"Are too!" Hyunjin retorted.

Jisung raised his eyebrow and shifted to straddle the older's hips. "Am not," he mumbled, before reconnecting their lips. Hyunjin had never been happier to accept defeat...

~

"Damn, you're back awfully late," Changbin greeted Jisung with a knowing smirk when he finally entered his suite again. The younger was grinning from ear to ear, remaining unbothered at his best friend's teasing. "I take it your date went well."

"It went great," Jisung replied, letting himself fall onto the couch, dreamily staring out of the big window with the great view on the ocean. "He's perfect..." he swooned.

Changbin laughed and sat down next to him. "Well? I demand details!" he exclaimed when the younger didn't elaborate. However, Jisung only looked at him, the grin still prominent on his face as he shook his head.

"I don't kiss and tell," he said. A big part of him wanted to keep the memory of the time he'd spent with Hyunjin in his mind, all to himself.

Changbin pouted, though his expression eventually morphed into a frown. "Do you think it might become serious between you two?" he asked.

Jisung sat up properly, shrugging his shoulders at the question. "I don't know. I thought it wouldn't, but if I feel like this after the first date..." he trailed off. "Besides, he's so entirely different from Junghwan. He's gentle and caring and sappy. He actually seems interested in what I have to say; he's so smart and funny. My last relationship was more business-related than personal. It's been quite a while since I felt like this around anyone."

Changbin nodded slowly, like he understood. He had never been very fond of the idea of Jisung marrying Junghwan, he'd tried to talk Jisung out of it several times. The younger had been so torn between trying to please his parents and listening to his best friend and his heart. In the end, he was glad that things had played out the way they had. He couldn't imagine being on this cruise with Junghwan. He wondered what would have happened if he'd met Hyunjin as a married man...

"Just promise me that you'll take it slow," Changbin warned him. The younger understood his concern but being with Hyunjin just felt so right. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to let himself fall this fast, but it wasn't like he could do anything against his rapidly growing feelings. And if he was interpreting Hyunjin's behavior towards him correctly, his feelings weren't one-sided.

"I promise, I'll take it slow," Jisung finally told him before rising from the couch. "Now, I should probably change. We can do something afterwards, if you like," he told his best friend, who nodded at the suggestion. Jisung made his way to the set of stairs before remembering something and stopping in his tracks to face Changbin again.

"Right, before I forget. You should definitely ask Chan out. A trustworthy source told me that you might be his type," he said, the grin returning to his face. Changbin spluttered, but Jisung was already up the stairs before he could ask any questions.

~

Changbin and Jisung decided to check out the sports courts and play some basketball before lunch. They even met a newlywed couple to play against, winning by a hair. Jisung was reminded that he really wasn't the biggest athlete, whereas Changbin was completely in his element.

The younger was glad when lunchtime finally approached and the two of them headed to the dining hall. Jisung grinned when he saw Chan walking around, not wearing his usual bartender uniform for a change. He nudged Changbin and nodded in Chan's direction.

"What am I supposed to do? I can't just walk up to him!" Changbin whisper-yelled at him.

Jisung shook his head at his impossible friend. "Hey, Chan!" he called out just like last time. Changbin smacked his arm, hard, but it didn't change the fact that the bartender was approaching them now. "It's rare to see you out of your uniform," Jisung said.

Chan chuckled. "Well, I got the day off, so..." he trailed off. His eyes landed on Changbin and they crinkled when he gave the other a friendly smile.

"How did you want to spend it?" Jisung questioned, not missing the obvious tension between his best friend and the bartender.

"I didn't make any special plans. I might head to the gym or something..." Chan told him. Jisung looked at Changbin who stood frozen in place, subtly nudging him again. That seemed to do the trick.

"U-um... maybe... if you have nothing else to do... would you maybe like to hang out with me? I-I mean, we could hit the gym together?" Changbin stammered. Jisung had rarely ever seen the older this shy around a guy. He made a mental note to about it later, since Changbin would do the exact same thing to him.

"Sure, I'd like that, Changbin," Chan answered, smiling again. "I have to go now, though. See you after lunch?" Changbin nodded dumbly, croaking out a "bye" before Chan took off with a last wave.

As soon as he was gone, Changbin's shoulders slumped, the tension leaving his body. "I cannot believe you did this to me!" he exclaimed, though he didn't actually sound mad. "How the hell am I supposed to go to the gym with him? I can barely keep my knees from buckling when I see him. How am I gonna lift weights?"

"You're gonna be fine, Bin. Seriously, you like this guy, so you should go for it," Jisung encouraged him.

"But we'll probably never see each other again after this cruise is over. What if I really end up liking him?" Changbin asked. Jisung didn't expect the question to hit him this hard. Changbin had a point. This cruise would be over soon enough and his and Hyunjin's ways would part. What if they never saw each other again?

"Well... I don't know. But you can't miss out on something great because you're scared of the future," Jisung advised him, trying to swallow the heavy feeling that had spread in his gut at the thought of things not working out between him and Hyunjin.

Damn, he really was whipped.

"I mean... I guess, I could give it a try?" Changbin mumbled, though it came out as more of a question than anything else.

Jisung smiled at him. "That's the spirit! Now let's go eat something, shall we?" he said, already dragging his best friend over to a free table.

~

After lunch, Changbin went to change into more suitable clothes for the gym. Jisung could tell that he was nervous, but he was proud of his best friend for going anyway. He decided to look around for something to do, eyeing the rock-climbing wall once again from a safe distance. Somehow, he couldn't really bring himself to try it.

"It's really fun," an unfamiliar voice suddenly spoke up, causing Jisung to jump at being addressed so suddenly. He looked to his left to see a blonde guy standing next to him. He seemed to be around his age, Jisung noticed as the stranger regarded him with a friendly smile. He was pretty cute with his sun-kissed skin and the freckles all over his face.

"I don't think this is for me, though," Jisung answered, looking back at the rock-climbing wall.

"Felix! Are you picking up strangers again?" another guy showed up next to the freckled one, Felix, as Jisung figured. This other guy was a bit taller than him with cherry red hair and round glasses. "Sorry about him..." he addressed Jisung.

"Oh, no, it's okay," he answered.

"I'm Felix, by the way," the freckled guy introduced himself. "And this is Seungmin. We just got married," he continued.

Jisung smiled at them. "Congratulations," he said.

"Are you a newlywed too?" Seungmin asked him, causing Jisung to shake his head.

"No, I escaped that..." He briefly thought back to his wedding day. Standing there like an idiot while Junghwan told him that he couldn't marry someone he didn't love. He shook his bitter thoughts off. Junghwan was not going to occupy his thoughts any longer.

"So, now you're seeking thrill through rock-climbing," Felix stated.

"No, I'm actually reminding myself of all the reasons not to go rock-climbing. My wish to stay alive is only the top of my list," Jisung corrected him with a chuckle.

"Aw, come on. It's lots of fun! If you miss out on it, you're just gonna step off this cruise when it's over and find yourself wondering 'What if I'd done it? Maybe I'd be a changed man!'"

Jisung couldn't help but laugh. Felix sure was an interesting character. Who just went up to a stranger and encouraged them to go on a murderous rock-climbing wall? "What if I don't want to be a changed man?"

"Work with me here, Jisung!" Felix pleaded. Seungmin laughed, fondly shaking his head at the shorter boy.

"Alright... fine... but if I die, I need you to take my key card and head to the honeymoon suite to tell my best friend that I loved him," Jisung said, pulling his key card out of his pocket for emphasis. He was met with confused looks and realized that his words probably sounded weird to people who didn't know the whole story.

"You're... sharing a honeymoon suite with your best friend?" Seungmin questioned.

"It's a long story... I was supposed to get married but... that didn't quite work out," Jisung replied, as he put the card back into his pocket.

"Runaway bride?"

"Seungmin!" Felix scolded the other.

Jisung couldn't help but find the two of them amusing. He didn't even have the heart to be offended at their inquisitiveness. Not that he would be. He had no problem with people asking questions about his life. It wasn't like Junghwan was a sensitive topic. Definitely not with Hyunjin in the picture.

"What? I'm just asking," Seungmin argued.

"You can't be so blunt with people," the freckled boy told him.

"You married me for my bluntness!"

"I married you for your money!" Jisung gasped in surprise at the comeback. "I'm just kidding," Felix clarified with a grin, wrapping an arm around Seungmin's waist.

"I'm still curious, though," the redhead pointed out, addressing Jisung.

"Alright, if I climb this thing without dying, I'll tell you everything..." he promised, earning himself an excited cheer.

"Perfect, let's go!" Seungmin exclaimed. Well, this guy sure was eager to hear about his failed attempt at marriage. Jisung laughed to himself. Something told him that he might have just made two more weird friends...

~

Needless to say, Jisung didn't die and rock-climbing may not have been as bad as he had expected. Seungmin and Felix had done a pretty good job at talking him through his fears, considering they didn't even know him. Now, all three of them were sitting in a café where Jisung told them all about Junghwan over some coffee.

"Wow, sounds like you dodged a bullet there," Seungmin pointed out once Jisung had finished his story.

"Definitely... I haven't spoken to my parents since the whole thing happened, but I bet they're not gonna be very pleased about me just leaving," Jisung mumbled.

"But none of this is your fault," Felix commented. "I would have left, too! Seriously, if Seungmin had pulled this kind of on our wedding day, I would have boarded this ship with my head held high and looked for a pretty boy toy to spend my time with!"

"Glad to see that I'm so replaceable to you," Seungmin threw in with a chuckle. Jisung laughed, effectively getting their attention again. "Anyway, please tell me you brought your best friend along on this cruise because you're secretly in love with him. I need some actual romance in my life," the redhead pleaded.

"Hey, you're getting plenty of romance, Kim Seungmin, I don't want to hear a single complaint out of your mouth," Felix protested.

Jisung made a face. "Oh boy, I did not need to know that..." he muttered, "but no, Changbin and I are not secretly in love. He really is just my best friend," he clarified, almost cracking up at the way Seungmin's face fell. Jisung wasn't sure if he should tell them about Hyunjin, since it was still pretty new, and he didn't even know what exactly they were. Besides, Felix and Seungmin were still strangers and he hadn't even given Changbin many details.

"I kind of feel like there's a 'but' coming..." Felix pointed out, giving Jisung a knowing look. How was this guy so good at reading someone he'd met barely two hours ago?

"I may or may not have met someone here..." he told them. They both gasped like Jisung had just told them the most exciting news, but he only grinned at them. "But that's all I'm gonna say, guys," he added. They looked disappointed, but luckily didn't argue.

"We should get going anyway. We have a spa appointment in half an hour," Seungmin pointed out.

Felix checked his phone and nodded. "That's true," he said, before addressing Jisung. "It was really nice hanging out with you, though."

"Yeah, I actually had some fun, despite being absolutely afraid for my life," Jisung answered with a chuckle. He was glad the other two had made him do this, as he probably never would have done it on his own.

Seungmin and Felix bid their goodbyes to Jisung before walking off, holding hands. They were quite the unusual couple, Jisung thought, but that definitely wasn't a bad thing. He chuckled to himself. How did he always attract the weirdest friends?

~

Jisung killed some time at the pool before he headed to the dining hall where he'd meet up with Changbin. He really hoped the older's workout session with Chan had gone well. They seemed to be attracted to each other and he wanted nothing more than for his friend to be happy.

"Jisung," a familiar voice ripped him out of his thoughts. Jisung smiled at the sight of Hyunjin approaching him.

"Hey," he greeted the older.

"Are you waiting for Changbin?" Hyunjin questioned, causing Jisung to nod.

"I am... we were going to eat together," he replied.

"I just saw him with Chan. It looked like it might still take a while..." he told the younger, with a small grin. Jisung was delighted to hear that, even though that probably meant that Changbin was going to stand him up. "Do you maybe want to have dinner with me?" Hyunjin questioned, as though he'd read Jisung's mind.

"I'd love that," the younger answered, following Hyunjin to a table. They sat down, waiting for a waiter to come and take their order.

"I had fun last night..." Hyunjin stated.

"I should hope so," Jisung teased. The older chuckled, reaching for his hand across the table. The gesture was small but sweet, causing Jisung to smile.

"I'd really like to go out with you again. We're docking tomorrow, so maybe, if you don't already have any plans... we could do something together," Hyunjin suggested, almost sounding shy.

Jisung's smile widened. Before he could give Hyunjin a reply, though, the waiter appeared, and they ordered their food. This felt like a date already, and yet he was still looking forward to going out with him again. Once the waiter had left, Jisung faced Hyunjin.

"I'd love to go do something together," he told the older.

"Perfect," Hyunjin replied.

~

After dinner, Jisung went back to the suite with a dreamy smile on his face. He'd spent all his time until now with Hyunjin and he couldn't believe how fast he was falling for him. When he entered the suite, he found Changbin sprawled out on the couch, looking at the ceiling.

"What's up with you?" Jisung asked his best friend.

Changbin groaned in agony and sat up. "I think I like Chan..." he whined.

Jisung furrowed his brows in confusion. "Um, I know? Isn't that why you two spent time together?" he questioned.

"Yes, but I think he might not like me the way I like him! He called me dude. Dude!" Jisung made a face. He couldn't believe that Chan had really dude-zoned Changbin, as he'd thought their attraction was mutual. Especially, after Hyunjin had told him that Changbin might be Chan's type. "I want to jump overboard," the older whined.

"Okay, calm down. Maybe he was just nervous or something. Don't be discouraged by a mere word," Jisung tried to encourage him, but his friend only looked back at him with a pout on his face. "Next time just use your seduction skills," he continued, recalling how Changbin used to flirt around back in college, landing him dates left and right. Jisung also recalled having to make use of his headphones a lot when they'd been rooming together. He scrunched up his nose at the memory.

"But I don't just want to seduce him..." Changbin complained, letting himself fall back on the couch.

"Then romance him. Invite him to dinner, get him flowers. Show him that you like him. You're Seo Changbin, you got this!" Jisung said encouragingly.

Changbin sat up once more, seemingly considering his best friend's words. "You're right..." he muttered. "You're right! I have to get my head out of my if I really want to make this work," the older exclaimed, jumping off the couch. Jisung was surprised that his words seemed to have been so effective. "I'll start romancing him tomorrow!" Changbin told him.

"That's the spirit!" Jisung replied with a chuckle.

"So, anyway, judging by your cheerful mood, you ran into pretty boy again," Changbin switched subjects, making Jisung smile again.

"I did. We're going out again tomorrow," Jisung told him. "Which is why I should probably get ready for bed now. I don't want to look like a zombie when I see him," he added, already skipping off to the bathroom to get ready. Changbin snorted at how whipped his friend was but decided not to about it for a change.

~

The next day, the cruise ship docked at an island called St. Croix.

Jisung was surprised to see Hyunjin leaning against a Jeep when he'd gotten off the ship. He gave the older a questioning look when he held open the passenger door for him.

"I pulled some strings to get a car. I figured some privacy would be better than hanging out with an excursion group," Hyunjin told him. "Unless that's what you want," he added, looking over at the younger who was currently fastening his seatbelt. Jisung regarded him with a smile.

"I think this is perfect," he assured Hyunjin. The older returned the smile and started the car, driving off. "I heard this place is famous for its rum. But since you're driving it's probably best if we don't check that out," Jisung said with a small chuckle.

"I figured we could get food first," Hyunjin suggested.

"I like the way you think," Jisung told him, leaning back into the car seat. The weather was amazing; sunny and not a cloud in the sky. He rolled down the window, welcoming the airflow that would probably mess up his hair. It sounded cheesy in his head, but Jisung had never felt so free in his life.

He looked over at Hyunjin who was focused on the road.

"How do you know your way around here?" he questioned.

"I don't, but I read up on the place, so I'm just hoping that I won't get us lost," the older replied casually. Jisung laughed. Getting lost with Hyunjin didn't seem like the worst predicament if he was quite honest. "As long as I get you back to the ship by 6, we'll be okay," Hyunjin added.

~

They tried some of the local cuisine before they decided to walk around for a bit and check out some of the stores to get a few souvenirs. Hyunjin was sporting a typical floral themed shirt by now, which he'd bought as a joke. Jisung couldn't deny that he still looked hot in it, though. When they headed back to the car, Jisung spent most of the time, looking around the gorgeous island.

Coming from a big city, he wasn't used to the calm, quiet atmosphere, the beautiful ocean and green everywhere. It was beyond relaxing. He found himself almost wanting to stick around.

"Oh, can we go there?" Jisung suddenly questioned, pointing to where he'd spotted a pretty empty-looking part of the beach.

"Sure, let me just find a spot to park the car," Hyunjin replied and did just that.

They headed down a small hillside until they reached the beach. "It's beautiful," Jisung said, looking out onto the water. It looked so clear and peaceful, like it was there just for them. Hyunjin was about to agree with the younger, when he suddenly pulled his shirt over his head and started heading for the water.

"Jisung!" Hyunjin laughed, watching, as the younger skipped off towards the sea, shaking off his shoes along the way.

He dove underwater before coming back up and waving to Hyunjin, who still stood where he'd left him. "Come on, the water's perfect!" Jisung called out to him. The older could only see his head and his shoulders poking out of the water.

Hyunjin stepped closer but made no move of joining him. "You know, I actually prefer pools over the ocean," he answered.

"Scared of the great unknown?" Jisung questioned with a teasing undertone.

"More like respecting the great unknown," Hyunjin corrected him. He removed his shoes as well and entered the warm water only up to his ankles.

"Well, it seems to be fine from what I can see so far," Jisung said, obviously trying to tempt Hyunjin to join him, even pouting the slightest bit. Hyunjin couldn't help but be affected by the younger's cuteness. Before he knew it, he pulled his shirt over his head and threw it somewhere behind him. He waded over to him until they were on eye level. He put his hands on Jisung's waist, pulling him closer.

"Seems like you're pretty good at getting me to take my clothes off," he pointed out, as the younger wrapped his arms around Hyunjin's neck with a grin on his face.

"I suppose I'm a guy of many talents," Jisung replied. "See, this isn't so bad, is it?"

Hyunjin hummed in response, letting his eyes wander down to the younger's lips. Jisung caught on and didn't waste any time, closing the distance between them and kissing Hyunjin. This time, however, it was sweet rather than heated. The younger's lips felt so soft against his and he lost all sense of time. Hyunjin felt like he was floating, though the water might have helped with that. When Jisung pulled back, they stared into each other's eyes for what felt like minutes.

"Wow..." the younger breathed out, diving under water without warning, making Hyunjin laugh. When he came back up, he looked at Hyunjin again, the grin back on his face. "Guess that wasn't a dream, huh," he pointed out.

"Not at all," Hyunjin answered. He looked up into the sky. "I think we should head back to the ship soon. I have no idea what time it is," he added, feeling reluctant. He'd had so much fun with Jisung all day, he wasn't quite ready to have the date end yet.

Jisung nodded and together they made their way back to the shore. They didn't have towels with them, though, so the drive back was rather uncomfortable with the wet clothes sticking to their bodies. Nevertheless, Hyunjin hadn't had this much fun in ages.

"You know, despite the circumstances, I'm really happy I went on this cruise," Jisung pointed out, taking in the scenery again from the passenger's seat. Hyunjin smiled at his words, before a question popped into his head. He wasn't sure if he could bring it up, not wanting to drag down the mood, but he couldn't help himself.

"Can I ask you something?"

Jisung looked at him. "Sure, what is it?"

"Why... why did you really say yes to an arranged marriage? Was it really just because you're a devoted son?" Hyunjin asked carefully.

Jisung seemed to ponder it for a few seconds. "Well, I guess part of me did it because I felt lonely. I haven't exactly been lucky in the relationship department. I'm really scared of being lonely, which is also why I took my best friend on this cruise in the first place. That, and because I didn't want to look weird coming to my honeymoon cruise alone..."

Hyunjin gave Jisung a short look before turning his eyes to the road again. "You didn't strike me as someone who gets lonely easily," he pointed out.

"You'd be surprised. I may seem like the kind of guy who has lots of friends and I do have some, but Changbin is the only one who really gets me 100%. Other friends I had in my life just came and went. Same with guys... I guess I just don't want to die alone," Jisung explained.

"I get that," Hyunjin told him. He hadn't told Jisung about this, but after his mother had passed, he had actually felt rather lonely from time to time. Sure, his nannies had been great, and they had tried their best to raise him, but he had missed the comfort of a parent sometimes. "Loneliness really can be a scary thing," he muttered, more to himself than to Jisung.

~

After giving back the car, they returned to the ship around 5:45pm, so just in time. Hyunjin walked Jisung back to his suite, swiftly taking his hand on the way, making the younger blush.

"Sorry if I ruined the mood earlier," Hyunjin spoke up when they reached the suite, but Jisung waved off.

"You didn't. I had lots of fun today..." he replied, turning to face Hyunjin with his whole body, looking up at him, their hands still intertwined.

"Me too," Hyunjin said, a small smile playing on his face. He placed his hand on Jisung's cheek, bringing their faces together for another kiss, this one just as sweet as the last one, despite the fact that their lips tasted slightly salty from the water. He could really get used to kissing Jisung like this.

"I feel like we should do this again," Jisung muttered when they'd pulled apart. Hyunjin chuckled and wordlessly reconnected their lips, gently pressing the younger against the door of his suite. He felt Jisung's fingers play with the hair at the nape of his neck, as he practically melted into the kiss. This kiss lasted a bit longer than the last one.

Jisung smiled when they pulled back, looking up at Hyunjin again with almost sparkling eyes. "As nice as this was, I actually meant that we should go out again," he clarified.

Hyunjin grinned at him. "I know, I just saw an opportunity," he admitted. Jisung laughed and pulled him close once more.

~

When Jisung finally entered his suite after several more minutes of making out with Hyunjin, he had to lean against the door for a few seconds to gather his thoughts first. He felt like a high school boy after his first date with his crush, but he couldn't exactly find it in himself to care.

His quiet moment with himself was interrupted, though, when he saw none other than Chan coming out of the bathroom with damp hair. He raised an eyebrow as he let the bartender pass through the door, after exchanging short greetings. Once he was gone, Jisung went to find Changbin. The older was sitting on the balcony, his hair damp as well, raising his best friend's suspicions even more.

"So, I take it you went on an excursion of your own, huh," Jisung spoke up in a teasing tone, effectively startling the older.

"Jesus, do you have to sneak up on me like that?!" Changbin exclaimed, pressing a hand on his chest in exasperation. The younger laughed and plopped down on the deck chair next to his.

"So, I just ran into Chan," Jisung said.

"Yeah... he was here," Changbin supplied helpfully.

"You two didn't do it on the bed though, right? Because I'm literally going to throw you overboard if you did!" Jisung warned him, only half-joking. Changbin swatted at him, though he couldn't help but laugh.

"We didn't do anything at all! We were working out and for some reason the water in his shower is only cold, so I let him borrow ours. No big deal," the older explained.

"Yeah, right!"

"Believe it or not, nothing happened!" Changbin insisted.

Jisung chuckled. "So, are you still in the dudezone?" he questioned, happy to see his friend's face light up, taking it as a clear no.

"I wouldn't say so," Changbin replied, though he didn't elaborate. Jisung tried to get him to spill, but his friend remained secretive. Eventually, Jisung gave up, leaning back in his beach chair with a pout.

"Anyway, enough about me and Chan... how was your date?"

The pout was immediately replaced by a wide smile, as Jisung recounted the date to Changbin. It was pretty safe to say that he was falling for Hyunjin more and more. He couldn't wait to see him again tomorrow.

"I think I really like him, Binnie..." Jisung mumbled happily and Changbin smiled at him.

"That's really great, Ji..." he answered. Jisung knew that his best friend worried about him getting his heart broken, but he didn't want to think about it that way. Right now, he just wanted to enjoy what he and Hyunjin had and maybe it would all somehow work out in the end.

"Anyway, I should take a shower and change before we head to dinner!" Jisung rose from his chair, already skipping off towards the bathroom, glad to finally get out of the clothes he was wearing.

~

Jisung and Changbin headed to dinner after the younger had showered and changed. They were just about to head for a vacant table when a familiar voice caused Jisung to stop in his tracks.

"Hey, rock climber!" Felix and Seungmin approached the two of them hand in hand and with wide grins on their faces.

"Hey, you two," Jisung greeted them.

Seungmin's gaze fell onto Changbin. "Is he the best friend you told us about?" he questioned, causing Jisung to nod.

"Yeah, this is Changbin. Binnie, meet Felix and Seungmin. I ran into them the other day," he explained to his slightly confused best friend. "They convinced me to try the rock-climbing wall."

"Damn, respect. I never would have gotten him anywhere near that thing," Changbin said, obviously impressed.

"That's because you wouldn't go anywhere near it yourself!" Jisung protested. Felix laughed at their bickering.

"Hey, wanna sit together?" Seungmin asked them.

"Sure, why not," Jisung replied, looking over at Changbin for confirmation, which he got in the form of a nod. Together, the four of them headed for the table Jisung and Changbin had originally eyed and sat down. Soon after, a waiter appeared to take their orders.

"So, you two are married?" Changbin asked, addressing Seungmin and Felix.

"Yep, this is our honeymoon! Jisung already told us all about your situation last time. You're quite the friend for just coming along on such short notice," Felix pointed out.

Changbin shrugged. "Well, it's kind of hard to say no to a Caribbean cruise," he pointed out, even though Jisung knew that he would have accompanied him anywhere, even if their ride hadn't been as fancy. He was really glad to have his best friend.

"I kind of feel like we've talked about me too much last time. Tell us something about your lives," Jisung spoke up. "Like, what do you do?"

"Well, my Seungmin here is about to be a published author, actually," Felix stated, proudly putting an arm around his husband's shoulder.

"Really? That's amazing, congratulations!" Jisung said.

"It's no big deal, really..." Seungmin waved off, obviously flustered about being the center of attention all of a sudden.

"What's your book about?" Changbin asked him.

"It's..."

"A romance novel! About us! He's trying not to show it too much, but he's actually such a big romantic!" Felix explained happily as Seungmin buried his face in his hands.

"That's so sweet! I definitely want a signed copy when it's out!" Jisung demanded.

"Alright, you got it. Now can we talk about anything else, please," Seungmin whined. The others laughed, but decided to grant his wish nonetheless. Their food arrived, distracting them briefly, before picking the conversation back up.

"Felix, what do you do?" Jisung asked him.

"I opened a dance studio with my older brother about half a year ago. He's currently running it on his own until I get back," the freckled man explained. "We mainly teach children and young adults and it's been going really great so far," he continued.

"That sounds awesome. Being your own boss and stuff..." Jisung trailed off. His parents would absolutely freak if he told them he'd open up his own dance studio or anything of that sort. They had already thrown a fit when he'd announced that he would study web design.

"It's pretty cool. Even though, working with my older brother is challenging sometimes," the other replied with a chuckle.

"Excuse me, guys, I'll be right back," Changbin said, getting up and heading in the direction of the restrooms. As soon as he was out of earshot, Seungmin leaned on the table with his elbows to get closer to Jisung.

"You didn't mention that your friend was this hot!" he whisper-yelled.

Jisung stared back at him for a few seconds, perplexed at the sudden change of topic. He looked at Felix to check if he was offended by his husband calling another guy hot literally right in front of his seafood salad.

Instead, he found the blonde nodding in agreement.

"W-what?" he stammered.

"Seriously, I wouldn't mind a piece of him," Felix said.

"Guys, oh my god! Are you two seriously thirsting over my best friend right now?" Jisung asked, unable to hold back his laughter once he'd gotten over the initial shock. The married couple just shrugged.

"I mean, we have eyes... and he's gorgeous," Seungmin pointed out, shrugging.

"Is he available?" Felix questioned.

"You're kidding, right?" Jisung asked. He was met with two pairs of serious eyes, indicating that the two of them were not kidding at all. "You two are really something, holy ..." Jisung muttered. "He's kind of seeing a bartender on this ship. It's nothing official, though, so if you want to make a move on him, now would be the time, I guess," he informed the couple.

Felix just grinned at Seungmin, as Changbin returned to the table.

"What did I miss?" he questioned. Jisung snorted, when Seungmin and Felix only looked at him like they hadn't basically just indicated that they wanted to take him to their suite with them. "What?" Changbin questioned.

"Well, we were kind of wondering if you wanted to hang out with us for a bit after dinner," Seungmin suggested, making direct eye contact with Changbin, who seemed flustered.

"Uh, like... the four of us, or... ?"

"Oh, I should actually catch some sleep. I'm seeing Hyunjin again tomorrow," Jisung spoke up.

"I guess it would just be the three of us, then," Felix pointed out with a small grin playing on his face, as he took Seungmin's hand and put his head on his shoulder.

Changbin looked from Felix to Seungmin to Jisung, who was still trying to hold back his laughter. It seemed to finally dawn on him then. His eyes widened the slightest bit, as he looked at the married couple.

"Oh... oh, um... I guess, uh..." he stammered, blushing furiously.

"You know what, I'm gonna head to bed. You three have fun 'hanging out' or whatever," Jisung said, chuckling, about to rise from his seat. Changbin looked at him, looking the slightest bit helpless. "I mean, you can come with me if you want, but don't let me keep you from having fun," Jisung told him, only loud enough for his best friend to hear.

"I'm not gonna lie, it sounds kinda tempting... but what about Chan?"

"What about him? You're not dating, are you? You're free to do what you want. And isn't this on your bucket list anyway?" Jisung pointed out, remembering the stupid bucket lists they had made in college. Changbin rolled his eyes.

"Alright..." Changbin seemed to seriously consider the couple's offer.

"Look, we won't be upset if you say no. We're also fine with just having drinks or something," Seungmin pointed out. "We just think you're really hot." Jisung began to understand what Felix had meant when he'd said that Seungmin was blunt. Changbin's cheeks tinted an even deeper shade of red at the remark.

"I'll leave you guys to discuss this," Jisung said with a chuckle, finally getting up from his seat. He looked at Felix and Seungmin. "Good night, you two," he addressed them.

"Night, Jisungie," Felix chirped.

Jisung laughed, shaking his head fondly at his new friends. He gave Changbin one last look, silently asking him if he was going to be okay on his own. His best friend nodded at him, giving him the green light to leave.

~

Jisung didn't see Changbin again until breakfast the next morning, talking and laughing with Seungmin and Felix. He raised his eyebrows, chuckling to himself. They seemed to have gotten along pretty well yesterday.

He contemplated whether he should join them at breakfast when someone tapped on his shoulder. He turned around and was faced with Hyunjin, smiling at him. "Hey," the older greeted him softly.

Jisung returned his smile. "Hi," he said, sounding just as soft. "Did you eat already?" he questioned, causing Hyunjin to shake his head.

"I figured we could get something on the island, if you want?" the older suggested.

"Sure, sounds good," Jisung replied. "Do you want to go right now?" he asked.

"Yeah, unless you want to talk to your friends first," Hyunjin replied, nodding over to where Changbin, Seungmin and Felix still sat together. Jisung chuckled, looking at his friends. Part of him was curious, but he still had time to ask Changbin about details later, so he just shook his head.

"No, it's fine. Let's go," he said, taking Hyunjin's hand, as they made their way off the ship.

"I got us a car again... I figured it's the most convenient like this," the older explained. Jisung agreed with him. It was also way more private, which he really liked.

~

They spent the day exploring the island a little bit, going shopping, eating enough food for a lifetime and taking some pictures together. Hyunjin had suggested taking him to the famous Maho beach which was right next to an airport and often had planes flying directly over the tourist's heads. Jisung wasn't sure he wanted to actually experience that, since he already had a slight fear of planes to begin with.

When they got back to the ship that evening, they weren't exactly hungry, since they had eaten so much throughout the day, so they headed to the pool together. Jisung insisted that swimming at night was a lot better than during the day, since it held a much more magical atmosphere.

By the time he got back to his suite, Changbin was fast asleep and he still spent some time out on the balcony, watching the ocean while thinking about his day with Hyunjin and how they were going to explore the next island tomorrow.

~

"You know, for someone who hasn't been on a cruise in 15 years, you sure know your way around these islands," Jisung told Hyunjin the next day, as the older drove them to a "secret place" at he had called it.

"I just read the pamphlets, babe," Hyunjin . Jisung chuckled, though he could feel a slight blush rising to his cheeks at the pet name.

"That makes one of us. Though I do feel kind of bad for making you do all the date planning," he admitted.

Hyunjin chuckled and looked at him briefly, before refocusing on the rather bumpy road again. "Well, I definitely don't mind," he told Jisung. "As long as you're having fun."

"I thought that much was clear," Jisung said, grinning. He looked at Hyunjin, who just smiled to himself. He rested his head against the headrest, admiring his side profile. Even in this rather hot weather, Hyunjin still managed to look effortlessly flawless.

On top of that, he had proven so many times that he was the sweetest human being on earth. He'd insisted on paying for every single meal they'd had, he constantly made sure Jisung was having a good time and he'd been a perfect gentleman even after their dates, never crossing any lines – even though, they had already crossed it before. Twice.

Everything he did made Jisung fall even harder for him.

Hyunjin stopped the car on the side of the road and they got out. "Are you up for a short walk?" he questioned.

"Sure," Jisung replied. He knew that wherever Hyunjin was taking him was going to be lovely, so he didn't mind following him through the rain forest for a little bit. Hyunjin was walking next to him, holding branches out of his way or preventing his clumsy from falling over tree roots and similar stuff that lay around on the ground.

"We're here," Hyunjin finally announced.

Here turned out to be the most gorgeous secluded waterfall Jisung had ever seen. Then again, he'd never seen a secluded waterfall in real life before, so his expectations weren't crazy high. Nevertheless, he had never seen a more beautiful scenery in his life.

"Oh my god, this is amazing," Jisung said, his jaw almost dropping to the floor in awe. He looked at the older again. "Seriously, how do you find these places?"

Hyunjin grinned. "Well, as I said, I read the pamphlets. And I did some research on my own. I hoped that I'd get us to the right spot, but it seems I'm pretty good at navigating," he explained, chuckling.

"You can say that again..." Jisung said, still mesmerized by the scenery.

"Want to go for a swim?"

"Most definitely!"

The water was warm when they got in, but it was very refreshing anyway. They played around, splashing water at each other for a while. Eventually, they calmed down a bit and Jisung swam up to Hyunjin wrapping his arms around the older's neck like he had a few days ago.

"It's really nice out here," he stated. "I don't think I've ever been to a more beautiful place in my life..." Hyunjin smiled at his words and pressed a quick kiss onto his lips. "I wish we could stay here," Jisung swooned.

"Me too," Hyunjin agreed.

They got out of the water after a while, settling for just looking at it for a bit before they had to head back to the ship. Jisung felt comfortably sleepy, leaning against Hyunjin's side, his head resting on Hyunjin's shoulder, the older's arm wrapped around his waist.

"I don't want to go back," Jisung mumbled. Hyunjin chuckled, his fingers absent-mindedly tracing random symbols into the skin of Jisung's side. He also didn't seem to want to go back.

"Unfortunately, we have to," he answered. Jisung sat up straight, a small pout playing on his lips. Hyunjin laughed and swiped a strand of the younger's damp hair out of his face. He leaned closer to kiss the pout away. When he pulled back again, Jisung chased his lips, reconnecting them. Hyunjin brought his hand up to caress the younger's cheek, as their kiss deepened.

Maybe they could just stay a little bit longer...

~

Back at his suite, Jisung was greeted with a kind of pissed-looking Changbin. He furrowed his brows in question.

"What's up with you?" he questioned, earning himself a huff. "Binnie, what is it?" Jisung asked. He didn't know what he could possibly have done to piss his friend off so much.

"Don't you think you've been spending an awful lot of time with Hyunjin lately?" Changbin said.

"So? Why is that a problem?" Jisung questioned, still not quite understanding the reason for his friend's bad mood.

"I think you're growing too attached to him..." Changbin told him, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I like him! I'm enjoying myself! Why is that so wrong?" Jisung shot back, growing more pissed by the second. He couldn't believe that Changbin would just get on his case like that. He didn't seem to have much of a problem with him hanging out with Hyunjin before.

"I'm just trying to look out for you! In case you forgot, I was also the one who warned you not to even go through with this whole wedding thing! Which you still did and look where it got you!" Changbin yelled. Jisung took a step back at his friend's harsh tone.

"So, you're saying I'm too dumb to make my own decisions? Is that what you're trying to tell me here?" Jisung asked in the same tone. They usually didn't fight a lot, but Changbin knew damn well that he didn't like being treated like he couldn't think on his own. He genuinely liked Hyunjin and he felt like the older liked him back...

"I'm saying that you always end up getting hurt and I don't want that for you!" Changbin snapped. Jisung knew that his best friend had good intentions, but he didn't understand where all of this was suddenly coming from.

"I have a good feeling about Hyunjin, so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't interfere!"

"What about next week when we get back to Baltimore? We're gonna fly back to Seoul and pretty boy's gonna go back to LA and you're going to be heartbroken!"

"I –" Jisung started, but apparently Changbin wasn't done yet.

"You're a lovesick fool that feels drawn to every guy that pays you a little bit of attention! Only because you and Hyunjin ed a few times, doesn't mean he's going to want to spend the rest of his life with you. Wake up Jisung, this isn't a fairy tale!"

Jisung felt like he'd been hit by a ton of bricks. His eyes welled up with tears at his best friend's words.

"Well, if that's how you really think of me..." he said, turning on his heel and storming out of the suite.

He furiously wiped his eyes, feeling stupid for crying, but Changbin's words had really hurt. His feet led him to Hyunjin's suite on their own. He needed to know if there had been some truth to it. Was he really just growing too attached too fast?

Before he knew it, he came to a halt in front of Hyunjin's door and knocked three times. The older opened, only wearing sweatpants and an oversized shirt. His hair was damp which indicated that he had just taken a shower. His face lit up when he saw Jisung, but his features were quickly overtaken by a frown when he saw the tears on the younger's face.

"What's wrong?" he questioned, reaching out for Jisung's hand and gently pulling him inside, so he could close the door.

"I'm sorry, if I seem clingy, but I need to know if this is just a fling to you..." Jisung told him, finally managing to stop crying, at least for now.

Hyunjin seemed confused. "I-... where is this coming from?" he questioned.

"Please, I just need to know if I'm making a fool of myself here..." Jisung pleaded, not wanting to get into detail about his fight with Changbin.

Hyunjin took both his hands. "I like you a lot, Jisung. It doesn't feel like just a fling to me..." he answered the younger's question. Jisung felt relieved. He was right about Hyunjin liking him back, which was great, but it didn't solve the other problem at hand.

"Then what's going to happen once this cruise is over?" he asked, unable to hold back a sniffle. He hadn't wanted to start crying again, but the thought of maybe never seeing Hyunjin again after the amazing time they had spent together just made him tear up.

"Does that mean you want to end things now?" Hyunjin questioned, letting go of Jisung's hands, but the younger reached out taking them back.

"That's exactly what I don't want! But I also don't know where we're going with this and I just had a huge fight with my best friend about it..." he trailed off.

Hyunjin pulled him closer. He let go of his hands once more to pull Jisung into a hug. "Well, as I said, I really like you and I'd be willing to make it work if you are..." he told him. It was all Jisung needed to hear; all he'd wanted to hear.

"I am..." he mumbled into the older's shirt.

"Do you want to talk about your friend?" Hyunjin asked, pulling out of the hug. Jisung shook his head, as he let the older pull him along to the couch where they sat down. "Then how about a movie?" the older suggested. "Or just some cuddles? I'm an amazing cuddler," he continued, effectively getting a small chuckle out of Jisung.

"Cuddles sound pretty great right now..." he admitted and before he knew it, he found himself snuggled into Hyunjin's comforting embrace. His head was resting on the older's chest and he could hear his steady heartbeat, as Hyunjin rubbed comforting circles into his lower back. The fight with Changbin was still fresh on his mind and it was gnawing at him because they had never had a fight this nasty before, but he figured that they both needed some time to calm down before talking things out.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Hyunjin questioned.

Jisung looked up at him, giving him a half-smile. "Yeah, I think so. Sorry for showing up here all hysterical and ..." he apologized, actually feeling slightly ashamed about showing this side of himself to Hyunjin.

"You were upset, not hysterical... I'm glad you came here," Hyunjin assured him, leaning down a bit to softly peck the younger's nose. "I know we haven't really known each other for that long, but I want you to know that you can always come to me..."

"This might sound awfully cheesy, but I actually feel like I've already known you for ages..." Jisung admitted, blushing at his own words. He had been intrigued by Hyunjin from the very beginning and spending time with him over the past few days, getting to know him, only intensified his feelings for him.

Hyunjin smiled at him and brought their lips together for a kiss. Jisung shifted a little in the older's arms to get into a more comfortable position. Somehow, he ended up straddling the older, feeling his larger hands come to a rest on his hips.

"I could really, really get used to this..." Hyunjin muttered when they briefly parted for air. Jisung just giggled before kissing Hyunjin again. His hands wandered from his shoulders to tangle in the older's soft brown locks.

Suddenly, the door to Hyunjin's suite opened, causing the two of them to jump apart and stare at the intruder like deer in the headlights.

"..." Jisung heard Hyunjin mutter under his breath at the sight of the middle-aged man in a white uniform glaring at them. It didn't take a genius to figure out that this man was Hyunjin's father. The captain of this very cruise ship. Jisung quickly scrambled off his lap, trying to make himself look less disheveled by running both hands through his hair, though he wasn't sure if it helped at all.

"Hyunjin!"

"Dad... what brings you here?" he asked. Jisung made a face. The older's dad looked anything but amused to find his son in such a compromising position with a stranger, if the icy glare he still regarded his son with was anything to go by.

"I was going to ask you to have a few drinks with me and your stepmother! I didn't expect you to have company!" The way the captain emphasized the last word made Jisung flinch a bit.

"I thought I told you not to get involved with our guests! That was the only rule you had to follow, and you didn't. Maybe it's best if you take a flight back to LA when we dock in Barbados tomorrow!"

Jisung gave Hyunjin a shocked look. The older had never mentioned a dating ban. And now his father would send him home? He wanted to say something, anything, but the man intimidated him to no end.

"Uh, I-I should probably head back..." he mumbled, getting up from the couch and storming past the captain, ignoring the older's call for him to wait.

He couldn't believe that things had just escalated like this, first with Changbin and now with Hyunjin's father. Maybe he shouldn't have left. Hyunjin was going to be sent home tomorrow...

What was he going to do now?

~

"Dad, please let me explain," Hyunjin pleaded. He wished he could just chase after Jisung, but he needed to sort this out first. There was no way in hell he was going home tomorrow!

"You went behind my back, Hyunjin. I have a reputation to uphold here and you're just willing to jeopardize that for a summer fling! You're 24! I thought you were more responsible than this," the captain yelled.

"It's not a summer fling! Listen, I know I agreed to not starting anything with the guests, but I really care about Jisung..." Hyunjin tried to explain himself.

"You can't have met him more than a few days ago!" his father argued.

"I know... but dad, I really like him. This isn't just something casual and I'm sure that it could go somewhere even after this cruise is over..."

His father looked skeptical but Hyunjin tried his best to show him just how sincere he was about all of this. He had real feelings for Jisung, and they were just getting somewhere. He couldn't let his father send him home like some disobedient teenager and ruin all chances he had with the younger.

Eventually, after what felt like hours to Hyunjin but only had been seconds in reality, his father's features softened a little bit.

"Alright, you can stay until the end of the cruise. I'm no monster after all..." he caved in. "But there had better not be any drama!"

"I promise, I'm serious about him," Hyunjin said – and he meant it.

"Then I'll trust you. Now, about those drinks..." the captain trailed off. Hyunjin actually still wanted to go after Jisung, but he had just gotten back on his father's good side. Hopefully, Jisung wasn't mad at him and he could still fix this tomorrow.

"Alright, let's go..."

~

Jisung was glad that Changbin was asleep on the couch when he came back to the suite. He really wasn't in the mood to talk to him right now, not even to possibly make up.

'You're a lovesick fool that feels drawn to every guy that pays you a little bit of attention!'

The words still stung when Jisung thought about them. Had Changbin had this picture of him all along? Did he really seem this pathetic in his eyes?

Jisung decided not to give it any more thought and just head to bed for now. His mind was still filled with worries about Hyunjin leaving tomorrow. He contemplated going back, but he was honestly terrified of the older's father.

Needless to say, Jisung got a rather restless sleep that night, but he was lucky to get any at all.

Changbin wasn't around when Jisung got up. Then again, it was already 9am. Changbin was probably at breakfast.

He was just about to head to the bathroom to take a shower when a loud knock startled him. Changbin had probably just forgotten his keycard. Jisung dreaded having to see his best friend after their fight, but he couldn't very well just leave him outside, so he went to open the door.

He was confused to see, not Changbin, but Hyunjin standing there, grinning sheepishly. In his hand he held a single red rose, which he held out to Jisung. The younger blushed and took it, but he was still very confused.

What was Hyunjin even doing here?

"I thought you'd already be at the airport by now," Jisung stated, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice.

"I managed to convince my father to let me stay," Hyunjin told him.

"Oh really?" Jisung said, inspecting the rose a little closer.

"I'm really sorry about not telling you about what he said about not getting involved with guests. I wasn't going to... but when I saw you at that bar, I just had to talk to you..." Hyunjin explained, looking at him with apologetic eyes. "Please don't be mad at me..." he pleaded

Jisung tried to hide his smile at the older's words. He'd had to talk to him, huh. Jisung put the rose aside and reached for Hyunjin's hand. "I'm not mad," he told him. "I was actually worried about you because I didn't know if you were going to be okay. I know I shouldn't have just left..." he added.

Hyunjin smiled, bringing his free hand up to cup Jisung's cheek, gently caressing it with his thumb before leaning in to kiss him. Jisung felt like a weight was lifted off his chest. Hyunjin would stay on the cruise and they had established that what they had was rather serious. The only thing that could make everything perfect was for Jisung to make up with Changbin.

"I was actually just about to wash up..." Jisung mumbled against the older's lip.

"Seems like my timing was perfect, then," Hyunjin replied with a smirk. Jisung chucked and took his hand, dragging him along to the bathroom.

~

"So..." Hyunjin trailed off about an hour later, "are you up for going out because I hear Bridgetown is gorgeous..." He came up behind Jisung who was currently blow drying his hair, wrapping his arms around his waist and resting his chin on his shoulder.

"You're more gorgeous," Jisung said before he could stop himself. Hyunjin chuckled at the remark and pecked the younger's cheek. "But yeah, I'd love to. I feel like spending the whole day at the beach," he added as he turned off the blow dryer.

"Sounds doable," Hyunjin muttered, nuzzling Jisung's neck, causing him to giggle.

"Tickles..." Jisung said between his giggles. Hyunjin's nuzzles turned into small, soft kisses along the younger's neck. Jisung turned around in Hyunjin's arms, bringing their lips together for a real kiss. The older's hands dipped under Jisung's shirt, coming to a rest on the small of his back.

"God, if we keep this up, I'm afraid we won't get out of this suite all day," Hyunjin mumbled. Jisung grinned, kissing the older on the lips once more before pulling away completely.

"Let's go, then," he said.

~

The beach was rather calm when the two of them arrived. Jisung even got Hyunjin to come into the water with him.

"How did you convince your dad to let you stay by the way?" Jisung questioned when they got out of the water and sat down on their beach towels.

"I just told him how serious I am about this. About us?"

"And that was enough?" Jisung asked. He thought about his own parents. They would have never allowed him to do something only because he was serious about it.

"Surprisingly..." Hyunjin answered, putting an arm around Jisung's waist. "Have you spoken to Changbin at all?" he switched subjects.

Jisung shook his head. "He was asleep when I got back last night and he was already gone when I woke up..." he answered, discouraged.

"I feel like he doesn't like me very much."

"He's just protective over me," Jisung assured him. "He was out of line yesterday, but I know that he's just trying to look out for me..."

"Then I'm sure you two will be able to sort it out," Hyunjin told him, his tone encouraging. Jisung smiled a little at his words.

"I hope so," he mumbled. "But let's not think about that right now and do something fun instead," he said, sounding more cheerful.

"Like what?" Hyunjin asked.

"Well, the ship's leaving soon, and I feel like loud music and dancing. We could go to the club on board!" the younger suggested. Hyunjin chuckled at his excitement.

"Alright, let's go," he replied. Jisung grinned and kissed the older's cheek, before getting up and pulling Hyunjin up along with him.

~

The night club wasn't quite as packed as they had expected, which was probably a good thing. The two of them danced for a little bit before heading to the bar to get some drinks. Jisung had been too his fair share of clubs, but he had to admit that this one held a certain amount of class.

"Jisung!" a familiar voice to his left called out. When he turned around, he saw Seungmin approaching him with Felix in tow.

"Oh, hey you guys," Jisung greeted them.

"Please tell me you and Changbin made up!" Felix got straight to the point. Jisung lowered his head and looked at the drink in his hand while leaning against the bar. "I'm just gonna take that as a no..."

"Can we not talk about this? I don't know what he told you, but he was the one who lashed out at me," Jisung said, slowly getting defensive.

"We know that. But he feels really bad about it. He even cried!" Seungmin told him.

Great. Now Jisung felt bad. He hated when his best friend cried. It didn't happen very often, but Jisung had never been the cause of it before. "What do you want me to do? I haven't even seen him since the fight," Jisung told them.

"Go talk to him. He's at our suite," Felix told him. Jisung was surprised to hear that. Just how much time had those three spent together for them to be this close? Shaking off that thought for now, he turned to Hyunjin.

"Is it okay if I go?" he asked.

Hyunjin smiled at him and nodded. "Of course," he replied, putting a hand on the younger's shoulder.

Seungmin and Felix gave their room number to Jisung who immediately went to find him. Hyunjin walked him there since he knew where exactly the suite was.

"So, who were those two?" he questioned after they had walked in silence for a while.

"New friends. I met them here a few days ago... they're here on their honeymoon."

"They seem to have made quick friends with Changbin," Hyunjin pointed out. "Considering, he's staying at their suite..."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that wasn't the first time..." Jisung said vaguely, thinking back to the dinner the four of them had had together the other day.

"The suite is right down this hall. I'll leave you two to talk," Hyunjin told the younger, vaguely pointing down the hallway to the general direction of Seungmin's and Felix' suite. Jisung turned to face him, taking his hand.

"I'm sorry about cutting our date short..." he apologized, but Hyunjin waved off and leaned in to kiss him.

"Go make up with your friend and I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" he said. Jisung couldn't help but smile and wrap his arms around Hyunjin for a hug.

"You're the best, you know that?"

"I'd like to think so," Hyunjin joked, chuckling at the playful hit Jisung sent to his upper arm. He pulled out of their hug and gave the younger one last peck on the cheek before Jisung turned around and walked down the hallway to talk to his best friend.

He was nervous, standing in front of the door, contemplating whether he should really knock. What if Changbin didn't want to see him? What if Seungmin and Felix had misread the situation and his best friend was actually still mad at him?

But they said that he'd cried...

Taking one last deep breath, Jisung knocked on the door. A few seconds passed. He feared that Changbin might not want to open since it wasn't even his suite. A moment later, the door clicked and opened to reveal Changbin in a sleeveless shirt and grey sweats.

"Hey, please don't slam the door in my face..." Jisung said sheepishly. Changbin opened the door completely, giving his best friend a once over. He was still dressed in his clubbing clothes, making him feel the tiniest bit overdressed for the occasion.

"How'd you know I was here?" Changbin questioned.

"I ran into Seungmin and Felix. They told me where you were..." Jisung replied. "Can I come in?"

Changbin shrugged and stepped aside. Jisung entered the suite and let the older close the door behind him. A few seconds of awkward silence passed in which neither of them really knew what to say and they both just looked down at the floor.

"I'm sorry, Jisungie..." Changbin eventually spoke up. Jisung looked at his best friend, not missing the remorseful look on his face, showing him that he really meant his words. "I shouldn't have taken my bad mood out on you. I didn't mean all those harsh things I said to you..."

"It sure felt like it, though... but I guess you weren't all wrong," Jisung assured him. He knew that he tended to rush into relationships, though he wouldn't have worded it quite like Changbin had by calling him a 'lovesick fool'. "But why were you even in such a bad mood?" he questioned, referring to Changbin's earlier words.

Changbin sighed and walked past Jisung, leading him over to the couch. The suite looked really similar to theirs, which made sense since it was also a honeymoon suite. They sat down and Changbin stared out of the huge floor-to-ceiling window.

"I was frustrated. It seems stupid when I look back, but things with Chan aren't really flowing well, so I guess I was... kind of jealous of how quickly you and Hyunjin hit it off. I know it's not fair to you and I shouldn't have acted like that. I'm really sorry," Changbin apologized, shifting his gaze from the window to his best friend towards the end. "But for the record, I was really worried about you. I don't want you to get your heart broken..."

Jisung side-hugged the older. "I know that. You were just looking out for me. But I'm sorry for not being there for you... I probably shouldn't have pushed this thing between you and Chan and instead should have looked out for you as well," he replied.

"No, it's not your fault... we just... I don't even know what happened. We were just fine and suddenly we were not. It's just not working out. It happens..." Changbin told him, even though he was obviously still upset about it. Jisung was curious as to what exactly had happened between the two of them, but he figured that he could still ask him about it later.

"Are we okay again?" Changbin asked him. Jisung smiled and nodded, before resting his head on the older's shoulder, his arms still wrapped around his waist.

~

"... so, the next day he stood in front of our door with a rose and told me that he convinced his father to let him stay," Jisung finished telling Changbin everything that had happened between him and Hyunjin over the past few days. The older had requested to hear details and was now listening to him while they were still sprawled out on Seungmin's and Felix' couch.

"He seems to be really into you," Changbin stated, grinning at his swooning best friend.

"I'm also really into him... but tomorrow we stop at the last island and then we're heading back to Baltimore. We haven't really talked about where we stand yet..."

"Well, I know that I was skeptical and everything, but if he really likes you, you'll figure it out," Changbin assured him, patting his thigh.

Jisung hoped that he was right. Hyunjin had told him that he wanted to make it work with him, but they did live in completely different cities. Once Jisung and Changbin headed back to Seoul they'd even live in different countries. He wasn't really sure if he could do long-distance...

"It's going to be fine, Jisung," Changbin promised when the younger stayed silent.

"Yeah... I guess you're right..." he said, though still feeling the slightest bit worried.

~

The next day, they had fallen asleep on their friends' couch, the two of them decided to spend the day together. One of the activities that were offered for their last stop in Basseterre was hiking, and the two friends figured that a hike couldn't hurt.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather spend the day with Hyunjin?" Changbin asked him when they got ready.

Jisung looked at him. "I spent every day with Hyunjin since we got here. He'll understand," he assured his best friend. Changbin smiled at him, clearly grateful for the reply.

~

"Oh my god, there's a reason I don't hike!" Chan complained, as he and Hyunjin made their way across the trail. Hyunjin just laughed at his friend's predicament.

"Come on, this is fun!" the younger tried to encourage him. "What better way to spend your day off than to go on a refreshing hike?" he asked.

"I don't know... literally anything else sounds more tempting than getting bitten by mosquitoes and sweating like a pig," Chan muttered, sounding displeased.

"Like hanging out with Changbin?" Hyunjin teased. To his surprise, though, the older's face fell. "Did something happen between the two of you?" he questioned, concern laced in his voice.

"I don't even know. I thought we were doing pretty well, taking things slow and all of a sudden, we were yelling at each other. I don't even remember why... but I haven't spoken to him since," Chan explained.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Hyunjin questioned, putting a comforting hand on the older's shoulder.

"I didn't want to load my problems on you," Chan admitted.

"Hey, you know that that's what I'm here for! I know I've been spending lots of time with Jisung lately, but if you need me, I'm here," the younger assured his friend.

Chan nodded silently before suddenly slapping his own neck. "Those damn mosquitoes," he exclaimed. "Let's please just finish this hike first," he pleaded, causing Hyunjin to chuckle again.

~

Jisung spotted Hyunjin and Chan before Changbin did. He shot his friend a concerned look, not knowing how he'd react to seeing Chan, but he didn't have to wonder for much longer. Changbin stopped in his tracks when he spotted him. Chan seemed to have noticed him, too.

", he's coming over," Changbin mumbled. It was true, Chan was stalking over to them, coming to a halt in front of Changbin.

"Can we talk?" he asked. Changbin looked hesitant before nodding eventually. Jisung patted his shoulder encouragingly before watching his best friend take off with Chan until they were out of earshot. He turned to look at Hyunjin who was still standing where Chan had left him.

"Hello, there," Jisung said, approaching him, unable to stop the smile from creeping onto his face.

"Fancy seeing you here," Hyunjin replied, effectively making Jisung laugh before engulfing him in a hug. "Seems like those two are going to talk for a while," he added, looking over to where Changbin was wildly gesturing while explaining something to Chan.

"It would appear so... do you want to continue following the trail for a while? I'm sure they'll catch up once they're done..." Jisung suggested. Hyunjin nodded in agreement and together the two of them continued the hike up the trail, their fingers laced together loosely.

"So, it seems like you and Changbin made up," Hyunjin stated after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"We did," Jisung confirmed. "Sorry again about practically ditching you yesterday," he apologized again, causing the older to wave off.

"Your friend is important to you. I fully understand that. You don't have to apologize. Besides, we had lots of fun yesterday anyway, didn't we?"

Jisung couldn't deny that. Sure, he'd wished to dance with Hyunjin for a bit longer, but in the end, he was glad he'd run into Seungmin and Felix. He felt much more at ease ever since he'd made up with Changbin.

However, the question of what would happen to him and Hyunjin once they got back to Baltimore still wouldn't leave his mind.

"Hey, so about us –" Jisung started, his tone serious. He didn't get much further though, because Hyunjin seemed to have lost his balance next to him. Jisung reacted a second too late, reaching out trying to properly grasp the older's hand, missing him by a hair and causing him to tumble down the hill.

Luckily, it wasn't very steep and Hyunjin was already sitting up again.

"Are you okay?" Jisung called down.

"I think so... it's probably just a few scratches," Hyunjin replied, trying to scramble to his feet only to yelp in pain and sitting back down. ", I think I've twisted my ankle or something. I can't make the climb," he told Jisung, who was trying his best not to freak out.

"Okay, stay put while I'm going to get Changbin and Chan!" he said, figuring that the three of them might be able to get Hyunjin back up here together. Jisung was glad that they hadn't walked too far and Chan and Changbin were still exactly where they had left them. They seemed less tense around each other, but Jisung didn't dwell on that for too long.

"Guys," he all but wheezed, out of breath from running back here.

"Jisung? What happened?" Changbin questioned, seemingly alarmed at the state of his best friend.

"Where's Hyunjin?" Chan asked Jisung who was still trying to catch his breath.

"He... he fell down a hill. He's alright but he hurt his ankle," Jisung finally managed to explain. Chan and Changbin exchanged alarmed looks before Jisung motioned for them to follow him. He led them back to the hill where Hyunjin was still sitting on the floor with a grumpy expression.

"Are you alright?" Chan asked his friend.

"I take back what I said earlier – hiking is ," Hyunjin answered. Chan laughed, relieved that his friend seemed to be fairly okay. Jisung proceeded to climb down, which luckily didn't prove to be too hard, since the hill wasn't that steep. Once he'd made it down, he took a closer look at Hyunjin's ankle. It didn't seem to be broken which was at least somewhat of a relief.

"Let's get you out of here..."

~

Granted, getting Hyunjin up the hill proved to be harder than expected, but the three of them managed somehow. Chan carried his friend on his back all the way back to the ship and to the infirmary. Jisung couldn't help but worry about him, despite Hyunjin constantly trying to assure him that he was fine.

"I feel like this is my fault. I shouldn't have distracted you back there..." Jisung apologized when it was only him and Hyunjin back at the ship's infirmary.

"Don't be silly. I should have just paid better attention..." Hyunjin waved off, a small smile playing on his face. "Come here," he said, motioning for the younger to come closer. When he did, Hyunjin pressed a little kiss to his lips, effectively making the frown on his face disappear.

"How long do you have to stay here?" Jisung asked him.

"The doctor told me I can leave tonight. I'll be out before dinner," Hyunjin answered. "Don't look so worried. I'm really okay," he assured him when Jisung's face morphed back into a frown. Hyunjin took his hand and looked into his eyes. "How about you stay over at my suite tonight to make sure everything's alright..." he trailed off.

Jisung grinned a little, despite himself. "Is that another one of your tactics to get me into bed?" he questioned teasingly, causing Hyunjin to chuckle.

"Do I still need tactics?" he asked with a confident grin.

Jisung laughed, some of his worry ebbing away. "I guess you don't," he admitted, taking Hyunjin's hand in his. "Okay, I'll stay over but no funny business while you're injured!" the younger warned.

"By funny business..." Hyunjin started, suddenly pulling on Jisung's arm and making him fall on top of him with a yelp, "do you mean this?" He wrapped his arms around the younger's waist to stop him from scrambling back to his feet, laughing at his weak tries to get out of his grip. Eventually, Jisung gave up and resigned himself to his fate.

"You're the worst..." Jisung mumbled, his cheek squished against Hyunjin's chest. He'd be lying if he said it wasn't comfortable though.

"Why? Because I want my boyfriend to cuddle my pain away?" Hyunjin .

Jisung chuckled softly. "Boyfriend, huh?" he asked, lifting his head to look up at Hyunjin.

"I guess I never asked if I could officially call you that," Hyunjin admitted sheepishly. Jisung grinned and craned his neck a little to press a kiss to the older's jaw.

"You can," he muttered as he lay his head back down, unable to fight off the smile that creeped onto his face when Hyunjin gently began to run his hand through Jisung's hair.

~

Jisung eventually left the infirmary, albeit reluctantly, to wash up a little before dinner, promising to meet Hyunjin there. He didn't expect to find Changbin and Chan asleep and cuddling on the couch when he entered his suite, but he definitely didn't mind it at all. He was glad to see that things seemed to have worked out between the two of them after all.

Carefully, in order not to wake them, he got fresh clothes and sneaked into the bathroom to wash up while thinking about the day he'd had. Sure, Hyunjin's little accident had given him quite the scare but all in all, he felt happy. Chan and Changbin had made up, Hyunjin was alright and he'd even called Jisung his boyfriend.

Things were definitely looking good right now.

When Jisung left the bathroom again, he found Changbin stirring awake. He seemed a little confused at first, but grinned when he realized that Chan's arms were around him. When his eyes met Jisung's he blushed a little but made no move to get up.

"Is Hyunjin okay?" Changbin asked quietly.

"He's fine... I'm going to meet him for dinner soon and then I'm probably going to stay at his suite with him to make sure he's going to be fine. Unless you want to hang out?"

"Oh... uh, I think we're fine here," Changbin waved off, trying to sound nonchalant, despite obviously still being flustered by Chan's presence.

Jisung just laughed. "Alright then, I'll leave the two of you alone. But remember: no ing on the bed or I'm staying at Hyunjin's for the rest of the trip!" Changbin balled his fist at Jisung mock-threatening him and calling him a brat, but the younger just stuck out his tongue before leaving the suite.

Jisung made his way to the dining hall where he would be meeting Hyunjin. He hoped that the older's ankle was okay enough for him to even leave the infirmary yet, but before he could wonder much more, he saw Hyunjin approaching him on crutches.

"Don't freak out, it looks worse than it is," Hyunjin assured him when he caught Jisung looking at him with widened eyes. "Really, it's just to keep the weight off my ankle for today. The nurse said I'll probably be fine to walk by tomorrow or the day after."

Jisung pouted, looking at the crutches with a displeased expression. "It really does look worse than that..." he muttered, only causing Hyunjin to chuckle.

"Well, I have my gorgeous boyfriend to nurse me back to health, don't I?" Hyunjin teased and Jisung blushed at his words, still not used to being called Hyunjin's boyfriend.

They headed into the dining hall where they quickly sat down at a table. Jisung hadn't even realized how hungry he was until he smelled the food. "Oh my god, I want to eat everything," he said, as he looked at the menu. Hyunjin only chuckled.

"Go ahead, I won't stop you," he told Jisung, an amused smile on his face.

"If I fall into a food coma, I won't be able to nurse you back to health," Jisung pointed out, chuckling. A waiter approached and they made their orders – Jisung settled for one dish instead of all of them – before they focused their attention back on each other.

"I can't believe you got hurt during our last stop here..." Jisung muttered.

"I guess hanging out with me will never get boring, huh," Hyunjin laughed. "But despite that, I'm glad I ran into you out there. I missed you," he added, sounding more serious.

Jisung chuckled. "We saw each other yesterday," he pointed out, though he couldn't deny that his heart fluttered at Hyunjin's words. He'd missed him too but spending quality time with Changbin had been important and refreshing. "But then again, our date did get cut short..." he admitted.

Hyunjin grinned. "See?" he said, causing Jisung to laugh.

Their food arrived a little while later and they kept their conversation to a minimum to focus on eating, as they were both rather hungry after their eventful day. When they had finished their meal, they started heading to Hyunjin's suite which took a little longer than usual since the older wasn't exactly used to walking on crutches.

"Alright," Jisung said once they had arrived. "Sit down on your bed and put that foot up! Do you need anything? Water? Food?" he questioned, causing his boyfriend to chuckle.

"Babe, we literally just ate. I'm fine, really," Hyunjin insisted.

Jisung raised his eyebrow teasingly. "Well, in that case I can go to bed, bye," he said and headed in the direction of the door.

"I'm not that fine. I think I might need you to cuddle me," Hyunjin interfered before Jisung could reach for the door handle.

Jisung pretended to think about it for a few seconds before shrugging and walking over to Hyunjin's bed and getting comfortable next to him. "I think I can do that," he muttered as Hyunjin wrapped his arms around him. Jisung's head rested on his shoulder and he put one of his legs over Hyunjin's, careful not to bump against his ankle and hurt him somehow.

"How about we spend all day in here tomorrow? We can just order room service and watch movies..." Hyunjin suggested. "And if that gets too boring, I'm sure there's still tons of other stuff we could do," he continued and Jisung didn't fail to notice the slightly suggestive undertone in his voice. He couldn't say he minded though.

"Sounds pretty good to me. As long as you stay in bed and don't put any unnecessary weight on your ankle," Jisung warned playfully.

"Whatever you say, nurse Han," Hyunjin , earning himself a half-assed slap to the chest which only made him chuckle.

~

"I can't believe you've never watched Oliver & Company! It's like one of the best Disney movies of all time!" Jisung exclaimed the next day, sitting up cross-legged to look at Hyunjin who only stared back at him unimpressed.

"I never felt the urge to watch it," he said with a shrug.

"But Hyunjin! It has speaking cats, speaking dogs and more importantly Dodger is voiced by the Billy Joel! The music is fantastic – and even though I already cried in the beginning, it's such a beautiful story. I can't believe you've never seen it before," Jisung exclaimed.

Hyunjin couldn't help but laugh at how passionate his boyfriend was about this movie. "You're so cute, you know that?" he said before he could stop himself. "Alright, let's watch it..." Jisung made an excited noise and almost knocked over the bowl of popcorn when he got comfortable next to Hyunjin again. He picked up the remote and looked through the TVs generous selection of movies for what he'd dubbed "one of the best Disney movies of all time."

Jisung wasn't ashamed of the tears that threatened to fall in the very beginning of the movie when Oliver was shown to be the only kitten in that crappy cardboard box that didn't get adopted by anyone, forced to stay outside all alone in the pouring rain. Hyunjin laughed at him when he passionately sang along to his favorite song but all in all he seemed rather invested in the movie.

At the end they were both sniffling while laughing at their own silliness.

"That was beautiful," Hyunjin exclaimed.

"Right?! Man, I love that movie..." Jisung agreed.

Hyunjin chuckled and wrapped his arm around the younger, pulling him into his side. "This is fun," he stated. Jisung looked at him with a smile. "Seriously, I always have the best time with you. I thought this cruise would be boring, but you turned it into the best trip of my life," Hyunjin explained.

"Good thing I didn't marry that idiot then," Jisung replied with a grin.

"That really is good on so many levels. Because if you had, I couldn't do this..." he trailed off and brought a hand to cup Jisung's cheek, closing the distance to kiss him. He felt Jisung's hand fist the front of his shirt, as Hyunjin slipped his tongue into his mouth, earning a surprised noise from the younger.

Then suddenly, Jisung pulled back, out of breath and with reddened cheeks. "Alright. I think we have time for one more movie before dinner," he said, still trying to catch his breath. Hyunjin chuckled at his flustered boyfriend.

"I wasn't aiming for another movie, but I'll take what I can get," he muttered in an amused tone.

~

They ordered room service for dinner after watching another Disney movie. Hyunjin even took the liberty to light a candle for the romantic atmosphere.

"This is nice," Jisung stated, referring to the peace and quiet compared to the busy dining hall. "We should do this more often, just the two of us..."

Hyunjin nodded in agreement before he snapped his fingers once, remembering something. "Oh, that reminds me. Before I fell... you were about to say something about us," he told Jisung, giving him an expectant look.

"Right..." Jisung trailed off. He'd completely forgotten about that until now. Of course, his worries were still in the back of his mind but the two of them had had such a great time that they seemed insignificant. "I was just worried about what would happen to us once we reach Baltimore..." he admitted. "I mean, I'm sure your life is back in LA..."

"Actually, now that I've finished my studies, I don't really have a reason to stay there..."

"Well, I'm definitely leaving Baltimore when we get back," Jisung said.

"What's the plan for you?" Hyunjin questioned.

"I only came there for the wedding and Changbin and I thought about going back to Seoul..." Jisung told him. He still didn't know how he would break the news to his parents, since he was sure that they would make another attempt at marrying him off. "My parents really won't like this. But I can't let them decide who I marry, and they need to understand that..."

"I'm sure they will. I mean, they're your parents..." Hyunjin said, trying to sound encouraging.

"I hope you're right... but anyway, let's not talk about my parents anymore..." Jisung swiftly diverted the topic back to the issue at hand.

"Right..." Hyunjin trailed off, looking at him. He reached for Jisung's hand. "Look, wherever you end up going, I really want to make this work with you," he said sincerely, never breaking eye contact. Jisung smiled at his words and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"I think I'm falling for you, Han Jisung..."

It was safe to say that Jisung's heart almost jumped overboard upon hearing that. "I think I'm falling for you, too," he replied, leaning closer to kiss Hyunjin to emphasize his words. "I've felt like that ever since our first date, to be honest," he admitted when he pulled back.

Hyunjin chuckled and reconnected their lips. "Me too... and I'm sure we can somehow figure out a way to be together even after this cruise ends. But for now, I think we should enjoy what's left of it." Jisung couldn't help but smile and nod in agreement. His heart felt a little lighter now that he had told Hyunjin about his worries.

He figured that now, it would be rather easy to enjoy the rest of his time here.

~

Once Jisung let Hyunjin walk again – his ankle felt as good as new – they decided to spend some time with Changbin, Chan, Seungmin and Felix. They all just naturally clicked, so it felt like they had known each other for years. Jisung was happy that Changbin was finally getting to know Hyunjin a little better. He even seemed to like him.

"I still can't believe you snatched yourself the captain's son, Jisung," Felix exclaimed on their last night when they all had dinner together. Hyunjin only laughed and let his arm rest on Jisung's chair's backrest.

"Would it be cheesy to say that he was the one who snatched me?" Jisung retorted.

"Definitely," Seungmin said. "But who am I to judge? I wrote an entire novel about my husband, so..." he trailed off with a chuckle.

"And such a good one, too," Felix chimed in, scooting closer to Seungmin with his chair to rest his head on his shoulder. "Even though, I remember some of the events of this book to be a little raunchier in real life than you described them, babe..." he added, grinning.

"I can't have people know all the details," Seungmin replied with the same kind of grin.

Jisung chuckled and shook his head at his new friends. They were impossible but he was glad to have met them. He looked at Hyunjin only to find him staring back at him with a fond expression which Jisung just couldn't bring himself to look away from.

"Something tells me that Jisung's next honeymoon won't be solo," Changbin suddenly spoke up, grinning at the two lovebirds who seemed to have gotten a little lost in their own world. The comment got Jisung's attention though, and he took a swing at Changbin for embarrassing him.

"You're the worst," Jisung muttered, trying to will the stupid blush off his face. Changbin only cackled and stuck his tongue out at him. "And you're five years old!" Jisung added. The others just laughed at them.

Suddenly, Chan checked his phone and looked at the others. "Sorry, guys... I have to start my shift. I'm bartending at the club tonight..." he explained and rose from his chair after giving Changbin a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you guys tomorrow when we dock?" he asked.

"Definitely!" Felix assured him. Chan smiled and bid his goodbyes before taking off, leaving a pouting Changbin behind.

"I can't believe this cruise ends tomorrow..." Seungmin stated after a few moments of silence.

"Me neither, it feels like time just flew by," Jisung agreed. He gave Hyunjin a quick side look. It was mainly thanks to him that Jisung felt like time passed by so quickly. He thought back to the amazing days they spent together on the different islands they had docked at. It was sad that they wouldn't get to do that anymore. At least not on Caribbean islands.

"We're going to stay in contact though, right?" Changbin questioned, looking at the married couple. They had gotten rather close despite just meeting a few days ago, but Jisung also found himself wanting to keep in touch with them.

"Of course, we are! You're stuck with us for the rest of your lives now!" Felix warned them playfully.

"Funny, that's what he said to me on our wedding day. I'm still not entirely sure if it was a promise or a threat..." Seungmin joked, making the rest of them laugh again.

"What about you two though? What's going to happen to you," Felix now addressed Jisung and Hyunjin who shared another look.

"We'll see," Hyunjin replied, sounding confident, moving his arm from Jisung's backrest to intertwine their hands, causing Jisung to smile. Seungmin and Felix cooed at them, quite obnoxiously so.

"On that note, I'm going to bed," Jisung said, getting up from the table, fingers still laced with Hyunjin's.

"It's 9pm," Felix pointed out, as Hyunjin followed Jisung's lead and got up as well.

"I didn't say I was going to sleep, did I? See you tomorrow" Jisung retorted with a sly grin before waving at them and dragging Hyunjin along, ignoring the whistles he got in return. Hyunjin and Jisung took their time, casually walking back to the older's suite, never letting go of each other's hands.

"I'm really going to miss being here," Jisung stated, looking around the pompous corridor of the ship. "I can't believe I almost didn't take this trip..."

Hyunjin gave his hand a small squeeze. "I already said this but I'm really glad I met you here, Jisung," he said, making Jisung smile again. They stopped in their tracks and Jisung turned to face Hyunjin, still not letting go of his hand.

"I'm really glad I met you, too," Jisung replied. Hyunjin pulled him closer, putting his free hand on Jisung's waist and leaning in to close the distance between them. Jisung figured he'd never get used to the feeling of kissing Hyunjin as it made his heart race anew every single time. "Let's get back to your suite..." he said, when they pulled apart, his cheeks rosy from the kiss.

~

The next morning the ship docked in Baltimore and the cruise had officially ended.

After spending his last night in Hyunjin's suite, Jisung had to hurry with the packing before breakfast where he would enjoy one last meal with Seungmin and Felix. Unfortunately, Chan had to work and Changbin was keeping him company, so they weren't here yet, but they had promised to meet up once they'd gotten off the ship.

"So, this is it, huh..." Seungmin said when they all stood together in the parking lot next to the harbor.

"Only for now. We're definitely meeting up again," Chan promised. "I had fun on this cruise thanks to you guys, despite having to work. We're all best friends now," he joked, effectively making the rest of them laugh.

Felix looked at his phone and then at Seungmin. "We have a plane to catch..." he told the others. "I'm really going to miss hanging out with you guys," he said.

"Where are you headed anyway?" Changbin asked.

"Seoul," Felix and Seungmin replied at the same time. "It's my hometown," Seungmin added, effectively making Jisung's and Changbin's jaws drop.

"You didn't say a word! We're from Seoul too, after all!" Jisung exclaimed.

Seungmin only chuckled sheepishly. "I thought we'd mentioned it. But it seems we don't have to live without each other for too long," he said with a grin.

"I hope to still see you guys too, though," Felix addressed Hyunjin and Chan.

"Sure thing!" Chan assured him.

Soon it was time for Seungmin and Felix to leave in order for them to catch their plane. Jisung faced Hyunjin, not really ready to part ways with him just yet. Nevertheless, he knew that he had to face his parents pretty soon. He dreaded it, but there was no running away from it.

"I'm staying in town for a few more days," Hyunjin informed him, taking both his hands. They faintly registered Changbin and Chan distancing themselves, probably to say goodbye in their own private way. "Will I see you before you and Changbin leave for Korea?"

"Definitely... I don't know when exactly we're going to head back to Seoul, but I'm sure my parents won't let me go immediately..." Jisung answered. Hyunjin reached out to pull him into a hug and he buried his face in the crook of the older's neck, basking in his warmth like he'd gotten so used to over the past few days.

"I'm really going to miss you, Jisungie..." Hyunjin muttered, sounding sad.

"I'm going to miss you too... but we'll make this work, right?" Jisung asked, pulling back just enough to be able to look up at him.

"Of course... I might even come back to Seoul soon," Hyunjin told him while running a hand through the younger's hair.

"Really? But what about Los Angeles?"

"Like I said, I don't really have any reason to stay there after finishing my studies. Besides, I miss my hometown and now I have all the more reason to come back," Hyunjin said with a smile. "Unless you don't want me to," he continued in a teasing tone which earned him a light slap on the arm.

"Of course, I want you to. I just don't want to be responsible for you leaving your life behind..." Jisung replied.

"Well, I haven't made any final decisions yet. Maybe I'll just visit you there first," Hyunjin reasoned. Jisung smiled and leaned back into the hug. He was really going to miss Hyunjin a lot but the thought of him visiting and possibly moving to Seoul was enough to slightly overshadow that.

"Jisungie... we have to go. The car's here," Changbin's voice suddenly spoke up. Jisung reluctantly pulled out of Hyunjin's embrace and turned around. His best friend was right. The car that had been booked beforehand to pick him and Junghwan up after their honeymoon had just pulled up in the parking lot. He looked back at Hyunjin again, before standing on his tip toes to kiss him one more time.

"So you won't forget me," he muttered only loud enough for Hyunjin to hear.

"Like that's even possible," the older retorted with a fond smile on his face.

One hug later, Jisung found himself sitting in the backseat of the town car. Changbin looked about as down as he felt, so Jisung reached out to take his hand and give him a small reassuring smile. The driver took them to Jisung's apartment first so they could wash up a little bit and drop of their luggage.

Jisung decided to go see his parents on his own right away, since he didn't want them possibly blaming Changbin for talking him into going on the cruise instead of finding a solution for the failed wedding. He nervously twiddled his thumbs the whole way, not ready to face their wrath just yet. On top of that, the feeling of missing Hyunjin had kicked in a while ago and he was not up for getting yelled at.

When Jisung stepped into his parents' second home, he took a deep breath before calling out for them. He heard his mother calling back that they were in the living room and a cold shiver ran down his spine at her cold tone. Jisung carefully made his way to the living room where he found his parents having tea.

"So, the lost son has returned," his father said, his voice full of dismay. "I take it the cruise was to your liking?" Jisung didn't answer, knowing that his father wasn't expecting him to.

"Now that you've played well, are you ready to face your responsibilities again?" his mother spoke up now. "We have reached an agreement with Junghwan's family and the wedding is back on," she said. Jisung's head snapped up to stare back at her.

Had he heard this correctly?

"I'm not going to marry Junghwan, mom! He was the one who left me at the altar, remember?" he blurted out before he could stop himself.

Mrs Han looked displeased at her son's outburst. "Look, Jisung. This is what's best for the company. You agreed to marrying him once and now you've even had some time to yourself and –"

"And it only made me realize that I almost made the biggest mistake of my life by agreeing to an arranged marriage. I would love to help you make your company more successful, but I won't sell myself and I sure won't let you guys sell me!" Jisung told them, surprised by how easy it was to stand his ground, even amidst the intimidating looks his parents were giving him.

"Besides... I met someone while I was away," he continued. His parents exchanged a long look before shifting their attention back to their son.

"A two-week fling made you not want to marry Junghwan anymore?" his father questioned, his tone making him sound like his son had just announced that he was joining the circus.

"No, I never wanted to marry Junghwan in the first place. And he's not a fling..." Jisung paused. "I'm in love with him." His heart began to race at his own words. He'd been aware that his feelings for Hyunjin were strong and that he was falling for him, but he wouldn't have expected himself to already be there.

An exasperated huff brought him back to reality. "In love? With someone you barely know? Don't you think that's a little ridiculous?" his mother snapped at him.

"I think my own parents asking me to marry someone I have absolutely no feelings for is a lot more ridiculous, mother. Anyway, I didn't come here to ask your permission to date someone I love. I came to tell you that Changbin and I are going to head back to Seoul soon."

"What about the company?" Mr Han questioned.

"Last time I checked it was your company. Maybe you can marry Junghwan, dad." It was brazen and probably the rudest thing he had ever said to his father, but he knew that politeness wouldn't get him anywhere anyway. He his heel and headed for the door. His parents didn't stop him, probably too stunned.

Jisung only allowed himself to breathe when he was back in the car. He had really dared to stand up to his parents. Part of him felt bad about not being the dutiful son they had expected him to be but the other part – the bigger part – felt free. Only now did he realize that the weight of an arranged marriage had been resting on his shoulders until today. He figured that a part of him never would have believed that he would actually stand his ground when he faced his parents.

Now nothing could stop him from being with Hyunjin.

~

Jisung and Hyunjin met up once more on the day he and Changbin would return to Seoul. It was going to be painful to say goodbye to Hyunjin again, even if it wouldn't be for a long time as Hyunjin had promised to visit him as soon as he and Changbin had moved into the apartment they would be getting.

"You didn't tell me how explaining yourself to your parents went," Hyunjin said. They were sitting near Jisung's gate, each with a cup of coffee in their hands.

"They weren't pleased at all with what I had to say. They still wanted me to marry Junghwan and they kind of brushed me off when I told them about you, but I didn't care," Jisung recounted the events from a few days ago. He hesitated, before continuing: "I told them that I'm in love with you."

Hyunjin, who had just been about to take a sip from his coffee stopped in his tracks, eyes widening in surprise. He stared back at Jisung, who bravely held eye contact, hoping that Hyunjin wasn't too taken aback by his sudden confession.

"Y-you are?" Hyunjin finally asked, after finding his voice again.

"Yeah. I know it's too soon to say it, but I couldn't leave the country without letting you know," Jisung answered. Hyunjin said nothing for a few moments before taking Jisung's coffee and putting it on the floor along with his own. Then he leaned in, cupping Jisung's cheeks and kissing him. The younger returned the kiss eagerly, relieved that Hyunjin's reaction was positive.

"I'm in love with you too," Hyunjin mumbled against his lips before promptly reconnecting them with his own. Jisung didn't know how long they stayed like this, but to him it felt like hours.

Unfortunately, their time had to come to an end, as the boarding call for Jisung's plane rang through the airport. Jisung pulled back and looked into Hyunjin's eyes. "That's me..." he said.

"I know... I wish it wasn't..." Hyunjin answered.

"I'll see you in six weeks, alright?" Jisung told him encouragingly, leaning in to press another, much shorter kiss to his boyfriend's lips. "I'm going to miss you, but time will fly by," he continued.

Hyunjin nodded. "I'm sure it will," he told the younger. Jisung got up from his seat and Hyunjin followed suit. He embraced him one last time, exchanging another hushed 'I love you' with him before heading towards the gate.

Six weeks would pass by and he would see Hyunjin again.

One Year Later.

"... I hereby pronounce you husband and husband. Jisung, you may now kiss my son," Captain Hwang announced cheerfully. Jisung didn't need to be told twice. Their small circle of friends erupted in cheers and whistles and someone, probably Felix, popped open a bottle of champagne, but the newly married couple barely took notice of that, still entirely lost in their own world.

"I love you," Hyunjin said, once they had finally pulled out of their kiss.

"I love you too," Jisung replied, unable to fight off the happy smile on his face. It was still so surreal to him that he got to call himself Hyunjin's husband now. And that they got married on the very cruise ship they had met on just one year ago. Even though it was currently docked and not set to depart until tomorrow.

Their tender moment was interrupted by a sobbing Changbin pulling the two of them into a group hug, which the others quickly included themselves in.

"I love you two so much, I hope you know that!" Changbin exclaimed through his tears. Jisung chuckled and patted his friend's head comfortingly.

"Of course, Binnie. We love you too," he answered.

"I knew your second honeymoon wasn't going to be solo," Changbin told the younger who only laughed at his silly best friend.

"First, we party, then they can go on the honeymoon for all I care!" Felix exclaimed, breaking up the hug, to retrieve the champagne bottle he had previously opened and pouring glasses for each of them.

"I can't believe my best friend got married," Chan said, ruffling Hyunjin's hair with a proud, almost fatherly smile on his face. The younger swatted at him, trying to get his hands out of his hair. "Wait, no, I can. It was bound to happen," Chan corrected himself.

"I think we all pretty much saw it coming," Seungmin said, laughing. "My next novel is going to be about you guys and your epic love story," he joked, though Jisung wasn't even entirely sure it was a joke. Either way, he'd be honored to have famous published author Kim Seungmin write a story about him and Hyunjin.

"I'm so not going to miss you chaotic bunch once we depart," Jisung told them jokingly. Felix and Changbin pouted at his words, while Chan and Seungmin only cackled.

"You're going to miss us so much you're gonna wanna come back after only one day," Changbin exclaimed.

"I don't believe that," Hyunjin threw in, throwing an arm around his husband.

After more bickering and drinking champagne their small party slowly but surely came to an end. Despite claiming the opposite earlier, Jisung was going to miss his best friends, but the newlywed couple would only be gone for three weeks, and as long as he had Hyunjin's company he would be just fine.

Their friends left the ship after lots of hugging and some more shed tears and Hyunjin and Jisung decided to head to their suite.

"How do you feel, husband?" Hyunjin questioned, lacing his fingers with Jisung's as they walked through the corridors of the ship once again.

"Like I'm dreaming..." Jisung replied with a wide, probably really goofy smile. "And like I had slightly too much champagne," he added, making Hyunjin laugh his beautiful laugh. "And," he continued unwaveringly, looking up at the older, "like I love you."

Hyunjin smiled fondly at him. "That's good, because I love you too," he told him.

Jisung's heart still raced every single time Hyunjin smiled at him and told him he loved him. He would never be able to wrap his head around the fact that he was now married to this amazing person.

Luckily, he had the rest of his life to get used to it.

 

I struggled hard with the ending because I didn't want to make it too similar to 7000 miles so I thought a time skip would be best

anyway my twitter is @joytiny