You make me fly so high

Donghae loves to travel. To explore and experience new parts of the green-blue orb he lives on. He had enjoyed visiting different cities with his parents and older brother for as long as he could remember. Even exploring the areas around his house had been an adventure for the little boy.

Now, as an adult he could travel as much as he wanted to. The brunet didn’t have a lover at the moment nor children. His parents where both in good health so he didn’t have to worry about them.

He had a stable job that gave him a more-than-well-payed-salary. It made it possible for Donghae to get on planes and embrace new places more often than most of is friends and other people around his age.

The down part was that that wasn’t the case. Yes, he did travel. Often. His workplace even payed him and for him to go to countries all over the world. The thing about it was that it wasn’t a leisure vacation where he had the pleasure to explore a bunch of different places until his heart was content.

No! He got on the plane; flew to wherever he was expected to. When he landed someone picked him up, drove him to his designated hotel. Later in the evening he was expected to participate at a dinner with representatives from the business firm that had invited him. The following days were spent in skyscrapers with never ending meetings.

When it was all done it was back to the airport and back to South Korea to attend new meetings until it was time to leave his home country again.

In the end he never got to see more of the places he visited than the airports, hotels and conference rooms.

This Tuesday was no exception from all the other. He had woken up in the wee hours of the morning (it could almost still count as the night), gotten ready, packed down the last of his things into his blue cabin bag before he was out of the apartment door. Donghae had arrived at the airport, a while later, checked in and been guided to the lounge area to wait for the time to head to the designated gate and board said aircraft.

He had a meeting the following morning (thankfully not too early) in Japan with one of their long-term clients.

At the tender age of twenty-six Lee Donghae had grabbed the position as the head in his department at one of Seoul’s biggest companies. Whenever he had to explain what the job entitled most (if not all) people got confused or simply didn’t understand. So, he he’d settled on explaining it with one word; finance. The word alone made anyone understand that it was a high ranked living and no further explanations where asked for.

The brunet didn’t really care if it intimidated or confused others. In a way it made him relived that he didn’t have to try to explain it all. If he was honest even he himself didn’t understand all the things entitled with his position in the company.

And work was something he had to do to make a living not something he enjoyed doing. Which his mother always said was a pity. The youngest son of the family agreed but after all those years in University he felt the need to do something within the field he’d study.

Donghae let out a sigh. The plane where packed with people. Sitting in a cramped seat- because of course something had to go wrong, and his first-class ticket had been changed into an economy class one- he looked around at the commotion happening around him. He’d never understand why was so difficult for people to smoothly store away their things and their designated place.

Passengers where walking around, confusedly searching for their friends and families that that had seats in other rows than them. In that way, blocking the way for the ones that was trying to make it on board.

A shuffling was heard next to Donghae’s right ear where he sat in his aisle seat. A slim man around his own age stood behind a small boy, probably around four or five. The toddler tilted his head back, silently asking the older if it was the right row.

The man in question glanced down at the tickets in his hands then back up at the numbers printed over the sitting man’s head.

“Yes captain, this is indeed our destination!”

The boy giggled at the answer. The endearing exchange between the two making the corners of Donghae’s thin lips pull up into a smile.

He was pulled out from his mental applause at the great way the father handled his son.

“I’m sorry.” The brunet cleared his throat as he rose from his sitting position, leaving way for the tiny family to settle into their chairs.

The skinny man was slightly taller than the businessman, his light brownish hair fluffy as he slid into his seat. He sat down next to the window beckoning the child to follow him.

Said boy did as told, surprisingly smooth in his way of climbing up to the chair and settled down. His feet dangling from the soft patted seat.

Donghae sat back down in his own place, sneaking glances at the duo next to him.

“Make sure that everything is in order before takeoff, captain. Clear view through the window? Bags in their rightful places? Seatbelts fastened? And your co-pilot Nyanco is tightly in your arms?” The light hair haired male asked as he shoved their hand luggage under the seats in front of the pair.

After every question the young boy said ‘check’ while drawing a tilted v in the air in front of his face. At the last question the round-faced toddler squeezed the dark grey cat plushy in his embrace.

The father and son duo kept talking with each other as the crew and the remaining passengers settled in.

Donghae noticed that the older used terms related to flying and aircrafts. By the delighted responses and gleefulness radiating from the boy, the brunet figured that the smaller had a fascination towards planes.

Within fifteen minutes all was ready and the pilots asked everyone inside the plane to take their places as it was time to tax out as soon as they had gotten an ‘okay’ from the control tower.

The businessman read the safety pamphlet when they left the ground, trying to focus on something other than the feeling of absolute weightlessness.

Minutes ticked by before a metallic clicking reached the brunet’s ears. He turned his head towards the direction from where the sound came from. As he looked to his left, the direction of his seat neighbor he found the reason behind the noise.

The little boy next to him played with the belt around his tiny waist, letting the metal plates clink against each other as he opened and closed the lock.

“You shouldn’t do that. What if you slip out and disappear under the chair?!”

A pair of bright, curious brown eyes blinked up at Donghae. “That won’t happen.” The slight uncertainness hinted under his confident showed how innocent the boy truly was.

“Are you one hundred percent sure?” Donghae asked with one eyebrow raised and a mischievous tint in his playful voice. As soon as the question slipped past his lips the older stuck his left foot under the vacant space in front of his feet. With a gasp he let his leg slip further in, pretending to disappear underneath the stool.

The boy fell silent. Before he could tell the younger that he was only kidding around short slim arms wrapped around his left arm. Pulling the man closer to him.

Donghae let out an airy laughter as he ran his fingers through the short strands of the young boy. “Of course, you can’t slip underneath the plane chairs. Right, captain?” He let the nickname the father had called his son sneak out between his thin lips before he had the time to register it. Maybe it’s something reserved only for the light-haired man?

Before he had the chance to think further regarding the name calling a giggle reached him.

The boy nodded his head in agreement. Telling the older brunet that yes, of course he knew that. It was part of the pilot training.

Donghae continued to converse with the boy about everything from planes to the older telling stories of his adventures when he was about the same age as the toddler. They were both laughing and joking around carefreely throughout it all.

As he was talking to the younger the businessman let his eyes wander towards the window seat where the child’s father sat. The slightly taller male was leaning against the window, mouth ajar, soft snores being heard every once in a while.

Thinking about it, the boy and father didn’t look anything alike. The sleeping man had fair skin, an oval face framed by a sharp jawline, full plump red lips and a cute round nose (one that reminded Donghae of the cartoon character Bogus). The brunet couldn’t deny how attractive he found the taller. But this was one of the situations where he had to look but not touch. There was no way that Donghae would have a chance with him for so many reasons, children and a possible wife being two of them.

The boy- who was drawing in a coloring book Donghae had previously pulled out from the boy’s backpack- had a round face, a slightly darker complexion, thin lips and a small nose.

Donghae figured that the child could have inherent his looks from his mother, but to have nothing resembling his father seemed unlikely.

Maybe the mother in question have extremely strong and dominant genes?

“Jae’s been working a lot lately so he’s really tired most of the time. He’ll be back to normal after some more sleep.”

The youthful voice gained Donghae’s attention, making him pull his eyes off of the peacefully sleeping man.

“Oh,” was the brunet’s intelligent reply. He had so many questions regarding that statement.

Why did he call his own dad by the older male’s name, or rather part of his name? What had the other been up to to make him that tired? And was it really a brilliant idea to fly to another country by yourself together with a helpless toddler?

But the businessman knew better than to ask the little boy. If he had the chance later maybe he could question the father himself.

Not that the darker haired man had a right to say anything. He didn’t know what was happening in the little family’s life nor did he know how it was to have a child of his own.

Thinking about it a second time, it would be for the best if he stayed quiet. He’d let the skinny man sleep while Donghae kept an eye on the boy.

That was exactly what he did. He drew together with the toddler, joked around and had a snack (some crackers and apple slices the older had found in the child’s bag). During the little snack break the brunet opened a book that had been fished out together with the food.

He read a story about a little girl who was the strongest person in the world. The red-haired girl lived without her parents in a big yellow house together with a brown monkey and a white and black dotted horse.

The three went on adventures along side two siblings that the supernatural girl befriended.

Donghae found himself getting more and more invested and intrigued as the story proceeded. Probably more than the owner of the book.

Suddenly a heavy weight pressed against his upper left arm. He turned his head to the side, looking down at the turf of naturally dark hair. The younger boy breathed soundly, his temple leaning alongside Donghae’s upper body.

The precious sight brought a smile to the male’s thin light pink lips.

A stutter in his chest made him long to be a part of all this himself. A family of his own to explore every crook and cranny of the planets surface. Even if it’d be a tiny family like the one next to him.

When he got back to Seoul he should start dating again, making his private life his first and foremost priority. Contrary to what he’d usually do. How could he get all this if he lived and breathed for his work (sadly enough)?

Donghae carded his fingers through the short strand of the boy, his grin growing brighter and bigger with every passing second.

The aircraft got filled by a ding sound, as the sign above their heads lit up. Indicating that all passengers had to fasten their seatbelts.

He looked down to his own lap, making sure that it was locked around his waist. Confirming that it was indeed as it should be he glanced down to the sleeping duo on his left side.

The boy had listened to the older, keeping the belt in place throughout the flight. The same could not be said about the light-haired male. His belt had for some reason managed to open up as he was sleeping.

The shorter of the two adults carefully leaned over, trying his hardest to not disturb or wake the little one up.

He softly shook the man’s shoulder as best as he could from his position. Hoping that the other was a light sleeper so he wouldn’t have too much of a challenge gaining the other’s attention.

Thankfully the taller woke up easily, blinking a few times before he looked over to Donghae.

“Sorry to wake you up but I think we´re about to descend and your buckles are open.”

“Oh, thanks!” The man hastily fastened his belt, all the while mumbling things under his breath. If the brunet had been closer than he was, he’d probably be able to make out the words. Unfortunately, that was not the case at the moment.

When the belt clicked the father looked over again. His mono-lidded eyes framing warm chocolate orbs. The faint smile on the other’s plump lips making wrinkles appear on the sides of his eyes.

Donghae found the taller man stunning. Maybe he wasn’t traditionally handsome, Didn’t look like all the models from magazines. The shorter even dared to deem the slim male better looking. There was something about him that made Donghae short of breath and creating a riot of butterflies inside his poor stomach.

Even the slight hint of purplish-blue bags underneath the latter’s eyes made him look good.

The man’s wife was one lucky person.

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep. , what if something would have happened to Jinho. Junsu would have killed me without hesitation.” The man rambled on, looking down at the snoozing toddler.

“You looked like you really needed the rest, even Jinho agrees with it. Plus, he’s a sweet child. You don’t have to worry too much.” Donghae gave his row mate a grin, showing of his crooked teeth.

The man let out a breath. He raised his head, locking eyes with Donghae. Making the shorter male’s lungs suddenly lack air even though he didn’t have any problem with it seconds ago.

“I don’t know how to thank you for looking after him.”

“No worries. It was a pleasure. You have raised him well, with or without lack of sleep.” The brunet let out a weird sounding noise, probably meant to be a laugh of some sort. “And I´m pretty sure that Junsu person won’t kill you. Your wife wouldn’t let that happen for sure.”

At his own words Donghae felt his heart ache and his smile falter. The thought of the other being taken dulling his mood.

The single-lidded male snorted at the statement while shaking his head lightly. He parted his plump lips. Just as the first syllable left his mouth the pilot started speaking, telling all passengers that it was clear weather ahead and time to land.

Jinho sat up at the announcement gaining all the attention of the two adults surrounding him. The answer all but forgotten by the taller male. Leaving Donghae to wonder what he would have replied.

Landing had gone smoothly, the toddler applauding the captain and his co-pilot for making the safe landing. The action made Donghae and the child’s dad laugh in unison.

After driving around for a couple of minutes they where finally standing still in front of their designated gate. All the while the little boy had been leaning over the light-haired male to get a better view of the world outside of the small plane window.

As they were told that it was now okay to leave the aircraft, Donghae stood up. He reached up to pull down his cabin bag before he began to walk down the narrow aisle towards the exit.

Halfway down a heard a loud (verging on trying to be quiet) call of ‘Jinho!’

Donghae halted in his walk, swiftly moving to a vacant row next to him so other people could pass and make their way out.

Seconds later the familiar boy stopped in front of the businessman, grinning as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Which he probably didn’t have. Lucky one.

Not knowing what to do at the situation the brunet stayed silent, only staring at the younger with wide eyes. It took another couple of minutes of the duo just staring at one another until the most awaited male surfaced behind the toddler.

“Jin, you can’t run away like that, you understand me?! We have to stick together.”

The boy pouted as he nodded in understanding.

As the tallest of the three gave the other two a sunny smile he jerked his head towards the exit of the plane. “Come on, let’s head out and embrace all that Japan have to offer us.”

Donghae nodded dumbly. He followed the pair silently, still at a loss of how to properly act.

That was the reason why the young businessman found himself holding the small boy’s tiny hand a few meters from the luggage band. All three waiting for the little family’s bags to arrive. Donghae on the other hand only brought the blue bag standing on the other side of him while they where waiting.

When they had everything they needed, thee three made their way over to the arrival hall. Seeing how much the slightly taller man was struggling to bring all of their bags and child anywhere, the shorter offered to pull one of the big suitcases.

The light brown-haired male thanked him over and over again. Jokingly tilting his head backwards so that he was staring at the ceiling above asking the heavens what he’d done right in his life to have met Donghae.

The man in question chuckled awkwardly. Trying to hide the pink hue rising over his neck and cheeks faster than he wanted. He didn’t want it to happen at all if he was truthful.

As soon as the automatic doors slid open the toddler released his grip on Donghae’s right hand. Before the man had the time to register what had happen and what to do the little kid had managed to sprint to the other side of the room.

“No need to panic, he’s in the arms of his parents by now. I swear that boy should aim for a career in something involving running. He would be able to beat anyone.” The warm presence next to him calmed him down, gaining his attention.

They continued walking till they also reached the young couple hugging the life out of the round-faced boy. When the pair looked up Donghae could take in their appearance. The man crouching down bared resembling attributes as the boy in his arms. The older had lost his baby fat and had gained a couple of lines over his face through time. But there was no doubt about the two being related.

And the skinny man had just said that those where his parents. Meaning that the other man wasn’t the father of Jinho. Donghae could feel a bubbly feeling spreading throughout his stomach and chest. Lips pulling up into a bright smile at the realization.

Could the other be single then?

Donghae shook his head. Now wasn’t the time to think about that. Sure, this child wasn’t his, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t have one back home. Maybe his wife was expecting one soon or something. And if that wasn’t the case, did Donghae really have a chance? Nothing made it oblivious that the taller male could consider dating another male.

Mumbling could be heard around him as Donghae slowly but surely came back to reality.

“You look like you haven’t slept for weeks, maybe even months Hyuk.”

“And who’s fault could that be, Mr. groom-having-to-make-my-best-friend-do-everything-for-me?” The light-haired male gave his friend a pointed stare, one of his eyebrows raising upwards with every passing second ticking by.

The other male didn’t seem bothered by the act and remark. “That’s a part of being my best man. You have the honor to prepare and fix with everything. Being a professional stage director should make all this into a piece of cake for you.”

At the comment the slim male snorted. “What has my profession anything to do with wedding planning? They are nothing alike, unless you want to have a performance at the ceremony. You’re being delusional, Su.”

“I think you’re doing an amazing job for us Hyukjae. Don’t listen to what my silly husband-to-be is saying. It’s easiest that way for everyone.”

Donghae registered the name the woman had just said while addressing the stunning male; Hyukjae. The name fitted the other nicely.

As the four before him continued to talk and kid around the businessman listened in, enjoying the easygoing atmosphere around them. He wouldn’t mind being a part of all this on a daily basis. The voice of Hyukjae fascinating as well as calming the shorter for some reason.

A new voice cleared its throat in the middle of it all. Gaining the attention of all the people standing within their strangely formed circle. Or what was to resemble one at best.

“Mr. Lee it's time to head over to the hotel. If you could just follow me.” The short, round elderly man swept his hand towards the doors leading to the taxi parking lot. His smile well trained and easygoing.

“There must have been a misunderstanding. I haven’t ordered any taxi service to our hotel. Or have I lost my mind and done so by mistake?” The skinny man said to the chauffeur. Ruffling the back of his head as he mumbled the last sentence. This time being close enough for Donghae to actually hear what he said.

The driver on his side looked confused, looking at the man who had just talked to him.

Giggling airily the brunet shook his head. He pointed his right finger to the small sign containing his name in the elder man’s hand. “He’s talking to me. Seems like you haven’t lost all of your mind just yet.”

The slightly taller male hummed in acknowledgment, snorting at the last part. His plump lips separated, showing off his soft pink gums. Donghae knew he was falling even more at that precise moment. The sight making the other look cuter than he’d done before.

The businessman pushed the suitcase he had been helping with towards Hyukjae. He then leaned downwards, placing his hands on his muscular thighs to get closer to the youngest boy of the group. Raising his right hand, he gave the toddler a small (and probably pretty lame) wave as he smiled at the boy.

“Take care and make sure your hyung sleeps long and well inside a bed this time. Okay, captain?” Donghae cocked his head in the direction of where the light-haired male stood next to him. Indicating who he was referring to about resting.

Jinho nodded fast, his head moving so quickly that Donghae feared he would manage to hurt himself with the action. “Sure will! Jae will look like a well-rested little baby.”

All of the adults laughed at the boy’s comment. A child’s mind was a level of its own.

“There’s a limit to just how much sleep can help. And I’m afraid that Hyuk needs a lot more to do something about his face.” The kid’s father laughed as he looked at the frown adorning his friend’s face. Seconds later the male rubbed his left arm all the while pouting. Staring at his bride who had bunched him due to his mean remark.

“Someone will find your face the most handsome one ever, you don’t have to do anything about it Hyukjae. Well, except probably sleep a bunch of hours to get rid of those bags.”

The man in question smile at the girl’s kind statement.

And Donghae, felt like the first part hit close to home with him. Because let’s face it, the slightly shorter male found new things he found charming and stunning about Hyukjae with every passing moment.

A throat clearing sounded from behind once again.

“I really have to leave now. Good luck with everything and it was nice to meet you.” Donghae smiled to every single one of the people standing close to him.

He took a few steps backwards before turning to the slightly taller man only. The businessman as much charm as he could, smiling brightly at the other. “Goodbye Lee Hyukjae.”

The man looked surprised and slightly taken aback at the mentioning of his whole name. Something he hadn’t told the other throughout the short period of time they had spent together (which mostly contained of the light-haired male being asleep).

Donghae had snapped up the other’s full name while listening to the other two grownups and the incident with mistaking the chauffeur's ‘Mr. Lee’ with the man addressing him.

At the lost expression on Hyukjae’s face and his lips looking like a fish gasping for water as it opened and closed without words falling out, Donghae laughed under his breath. He swiftly took the board the driver had been carrying, placing the sign against his well-trained chest.

After reading the words written on the board the confusion on the other’s expression vanished, being replaced by his gummy grin. “Goodbye Lee Donghae. Thank you for all the help.” The taller ended the sentence with a playful wink.

The warmth and the pink hue resurfaced all over his body and face at the sudden action.

Wednesday went exactly as Donghae pictured it would go. Like all other times traveling for his workplace the day had been filled with meeting after meeting. Even the lunch break had turned in to a meeting of its own.

During the evening they held a formal dinner in the brunet’s honor. After the years of business between the two firms, they had grown a tight bond. Making the representatives of the Japanese company spoil Donghae during his visits.

The following morning it was back to the boardrooms, discussing important deals for the near future that would benefit both parties.

Thanks to all the hours they put through the first two days of Donghae’s stay they finished up much faster than they thought they would. And by Friday right before lunch time, all representatives closed up their notebooks and stored away their laptops.

They shook hands. Congratulated one another for a job well done and agreed to meet up soon enough for a follow up on how it all had progressed.

Finally, the day had come. The brunet couldn’t quite believe it all was real. After years and years of traveling all over the world for countless of business deals and meetings, he had a day off abroad. He had time to explore and take in everything the place had to offer him.

Well, as much as he had the time to until the next morning when he had a flight back home to South Korea to catch.

Donghae decided to go back to his hotel room where he could change into something other than the boring, well pressed dark suit he was currently wearing.

As he stepped out the door of the hotel lobby, now dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a plaid shirt with a plain white T-shirt under and his favorite pair of sneakers for the time being. On top of his head he wore a black cap, partly to cover himself from the blazing sun as well as to hide his unruly mop of hair.

He had gotten a tourist map from the front desk showing all the most important things to visit and see during one’s stay in the city. Looking up where everything was on Google Maps Donghae began to plan how to get around to optimize his rare spare time.

The closest thing on the list was a big famous temple a fifteen-minute walk from where he was at the moment. He nodded to himself, agreeing that it was a good place to begin with. Before leaving the temple grounds he could decide on the second attraction.

As he walked around amongst the flood of tourists also visiting the holy building, Donghae stopped every once in a while to take pictures of the beauty around him. The brunet had always loved to take pictures of the things around him. Everything from flowers and trees, to buildings and food he had. It was a way of saving memories that you could revisit whenever you wanted to in the future.

The man had unfortunately not brought any of his treasured cameras with him. The first few times of leaving him home country he had pack at least one of them with him. But when he realized that free time wasn’t something that would happen he had started to keep them in the safety of his apartment.

He walked around the site, helping a family to take a picture of them all together with the main temple. Afterwards he brought out the poorly folded map to see what his next destination would be.

Just as he was about to start making his way towards the closest main road, a man stepped right in front of his face.

Before he could react or comprehend what (rather who) had come to a halt before him, lips parted, forming words and showing off pearly white teeth. ”Hey Lee Donghae! I see that you’re going casual today. No more plain business suit.”

The man in question blinked a couple of times before his mind and body synced up with one another. When he finally managed to comprehend who indeed it was standing before him, a brilliant smile took over his expression.

All the butterflies he had forgotten about over the last few days had made their presence know full force. His inside’s ready to burst open any second of staring into the other man’s warm brown eyes.

“Hi Hyukjae-sshi. You look much better now.” The dark purplish-blue bags under the slightly taller male’s eyes had vanished, making the man look well rested and energetic. A knowing smirk spread over the latter’s plump lips.

In a panic at the realization of what he had just uttered the shorter one spurted out, “I mean; you looked good then as well. Or, what I’m trying to say is that you look less tired than how you did on Tuesday.”

Hyukjae laughed out loud at Donghae’s rambling, shaking his head slowly at the act.

“Thank you. I feel much better.”

They continued talking for another couple of minutes, both having a light air to it all. Neither one of them feeling uncomfortable. Rather it was like talking to a long-time friend whom you haven’t seen for a bunch of years.

The two told each other about themselves. As time went by they came to the conclusion that they where indeed around the same age, only a mere six months between their birthdays.

“Don’t you have a wedding to help settle? Or has it already happened?” Donghae asked.

“Nah, it’s mostly all fixed for tomorrow. And I needed a well-deserved break from all the hysteria regarding it all.” The other light heartedly answered.

Hyukjae was a kindhearted person, always ready to help out as best as he could. And his ambition and passion for his work was remarkable. The younger felt rather silly for staying with a profession he didn’t particularly enjoy. Just because he felt like he needed to keep doing it.

When he expressed his thoughts regarding the other’s love for his livelihood the light-headed man gave him a gentle smile. “There must have been something about it that made you want to do it from the beginning, right? Try to think back to then and maybe you’ll find that passion you used to have again. If not, then you can always do something else.”

“I guess you’re right. But I spent three years studying and then another couple of working myself up the company’s latter. It would all be a waste of time if I just gave up.”

A frown blossomed across the taller male’s face, knitting together the space between his softly shaped eyebrows. “A waste of time? Excuse me if I sound rude, but Donghae your life has pretty much begun. Spending the next forty-or-so years a head of your life doing something you don’t even feel the slightest bit of fulfilment doing isn’t a life anyone should strive for.”

The words hit hard at home. Donghae hadn’t thought of it that way so far. He had been so focused on the years he had spent in University and at the firm that the future had gone amiss. What the older said awoke something within in.

It wasn’t such a bad thing to try and find anything to do that he felt passionate about. Something that made him want to go into work everyday and use his creativity.

“No offence taken. Thinking about it you’re probably correct. I should think about what I really want to do in life.”

The reply brought out a blinding grin on the slightly taller man’s kissable lips. A brief thought of what they would feel like passed his mind before he subtly shook his head.

“The first thing I’m gonna do with my new outlook on life is sightseeing as many things as I can in this city.” Donghae gave a charming smile back to the other.

He didn’t want to stop taking to the older, but he only had a limited number of hours to spend doing whatever he felt like before he had to leave. If destiny rooted for them they would most defiantly meet again in a near seen future.

“Yeah, sound like a great plan! Me and Jinho was doing just-. Darn where is that kid now?!" Hyukjae stopped mid-sentence before he began to look around himself and the areas close by.

Donghae followed the other man’s sight when he finally stopped looking around himself in his search for the toddler.

The small boy was standing beside an elderly couple in front of a pond. The little one was talking with the pair, all the while glancing down into the water.

A sigh of relief left the male with light brown hair, a fond smile replacing the previously worried lip chewing.

After a minute of staring at the boy Donghae felt long slim fingers wrap around his wrist, pulling him in the direction of the child. If the shorter noticed the slight tremble of the other’s he didn’t say anything out loud.

The worrying thought of the older feeling the quickening pace of Donghae’s heartbeat against the thin skin of his wrist made the younger male follow blindly.

With every step forward the hand around his wrist lost its grip, sliding downwards until the digits slipped between the spaces of Donghae’s own.

The businessman glanced over, wanting to see what kind of expression the older wore at the way their fingers clasped together. A bright hot pink dusted over the older male’s ears said enough.

He squeezed Hyukjae’s hand while he strode closer to the latter’s warmth.

The duo made it over to where Hyukjae’s childhood friend’s son stood, both leaning over the edge to see what was inside of the pond.

Inside the water was a lot of turtles, all swimming around one another. Probably searching for anything to eat. A few of them where laying in the raised part in the middle of the pond, basking in the summer sun.

When the boy turned back to look at the two casting shadows over him he adorned a pout. As soon as his eyes fell upon Donghae the tiny brown eyes lit up with recognition.

“It’s the airplane man! Jae where did you find him?” The youngest pulled on the oldest male’s free arm, never taking his sight away from the fellow brunet.

“I found him on the other side of the ground. But for some reason my little companion was nowhere to be seen.” The light-haired man gave the boy a pointed stare, hinting without directly saying the words.

Jinho looked ashamed as he tilted his head downwards to the ground below. “Sorry. I heard someone talking about turtles and I didn’t want to make you stop walking.”

“You could have told me, and I’d have joined you or at least known where you’d gone. I’m not mad Jinho, but it scares me when I can’t find you at such a big place with so many people around.” Hyukjae let go of Donghae’s hand as he crouched down, pulling the short boy in to his embrace.

The child returned the action, burying his tiny head in the crook of the taller’s neck. A couple of beats later the two pulled away from each other. Hyukjae smiled kindly towards the toddler.

“Please don’t say anything to dad. He wouldn’t be happy about me disappearing.”

“I will absolutely not tell him. An angry Junsu is tough to deal with, a stressed out and angry Junsu is a nightmare. We’re keeping this a secret for us only. For the both of ours sakes.”

Jinho giggled at the statement while nodding his little head in understanding.

When the two had come to an agreement the youngest brunet looked behind his ‘uncle’, “What are you up to…?” At the pause Donghae understood that the boy was searching for the latter’s name to fill in the blank.

“My name is Donghae. And I’m planning on going to look at all the famous buildings one has to visit in this city.” As he told his plan for the day he waved his map.

The boy in question made his way over faster than either of the adults had time to react. He pulled the piece of paper from the businessman’s grasp, opening the map close to his little face. He hummed before he looked up over the edge of the paper. “I’ll be your guide then.”

As the boy started to make his way away from the pond Hyukjae called after him that ‘he couldn’t even read maps nor had the boy ever been to that city before in his life’.

Donghae laughed at the funny banter going down between the pair as they all headed out to the road the brunet had previously made his way towards.

Throughout the rest of the day the three made their way around to the many places found on the list the businessman had found earlier. (With the help of Hyukjae´s skillful map reading and GPS searching as well as Donghae’s way with the Japanese language.)

At close to eleven at night the three parted. Jinho had fallen asleep ten minutes earlier and was now carried on Hyukjae’s back with practiced ease.

The goodbye was nothing short of hesitant. Both finding new excuses to prolong the whole ordeal, neither wanting to part ways.

When the older let out a heavy sigh Donghae figured that it was indeed time to walk in other directions.

With a heavy heart the young businessman closed the door of his empty hotel room. It was time for him to pack and get some sleep before heading to the airport the following morning.

Before closing his eyes, he looked through the newest additions to the photos on his phone's camera roll, smiling at the sight of the duo exploring the foreign place together with him.

After getting back to his home country Donghae got busy with work. The words said by Hyukjae rang in the back of his head whenever work got too boring (which was pretty much all the time).

A week passed after his trip to Japan when he told his mother- who later told her husband- that he was thinking about what he really wanted to do with his life in the future. The news made the lady praise her son for finally making a wise decision regarding his job.

Another two weeks passed before the brunet made the choice to hand in his resignation letter. He had three months until his contract was finalized, and he had to have come up with something to do with his life.

Donghae walked out the elevator at the lobby of his office building when quick paced footsteps sounded over the clean white marble floor. Voices talking to each other reached his ears as he looked forward to where the commotion came from.

The sight of the man walking in his direction made him halt in his steps.

Looking behind the male he saw the flustered receptionist that worked on the ground floor running after him as best as she could in her heels. Calling after the light-haired man that he couldn’t enter the building unless he was written on the visitors list beforehand.

Not that the man in question seemed to be listening to the poor girl.

When Hyukjae reached the shorter he grinned brightly, showing off his pearl looking teeth and pink gums.

“I haven’t been able to get you out of my head since the first time I saw you sitting in your airplane seat.” The man was slightly out of breath as he talked.

His hands reached up, grabbing tightly at the well tied moss green tie around his neck. “Did you know that there are a lot more men with the name of Lee Donghae in this country than one would have thought. I was close to giving up, until I spotted you in an article in some finance magazine I found laying around.”

“Thank god you didn’t give up before randomly finding me there.”

The slightly taller male hummed in agreement before he mashed their lips together.

Donghae had thought about those plump lips every waken (and asleep, lets be real here) moment for the last couple of weeks. Nothing could compare to the real deal though.

------------------------- 

My plan of managing to post it yesterday failed horribly. Mostly due to the fact that my brother felt the need to talk about frying pans and dishes. A topic I had no will to participate in. 

Bet most of you where expecting the third person to be Junsu. Plot twist; it was his son. The name was something I made up while writing the start of it all, no particular person in the insipiration behind his name. And if you want a visual image of what he looks like just google pictures of Junsu as a child. I promise you won't be sad after seeing those gems. In fact; look at all of DBSJ's pre-debut pics~~ 

When I say it's going to be a short story I apparently mean over 7000 words. (I promise that that wasn't the plan). As I said in the beginning of it all, this isn't betaed. Hopefully it didn't ruin the total of the story. 

Not really sure if I'm all that pleased with the outcome of it all. We'll see how I'll feel about it some other day. 

'til we meet again~~