One year later...

“I SWEAR TO GOD I AM BREAKING UP WITH YOU! JUST GODDAMN PICK SOMETHING YOU WILL USE!”

“CAN YOU PLEASE SHUT UP? WE’RE IN PUBLIC! AND I’M TRYING TO PICK THE BEST!”

Donghae dramatically sighed as he leaned on the nearest metal rack containing various designs of backpacks.

“It’s just a bag, you Monkey! Stop making a great deal out of it,” he muttered, purposely toning down his voice. The soft glares of the store employee were a bit much. “Just pick anything. We don’t want to be late for Heechul hyung’s party.”

Hyukjae hummed, flashing him a knowing smirk. “Hae, it’s not JUST a bag. It is something I would use for school. And the party is about us going back to school.”

And Donghae could not help but let out a sigh as his boyfriend went back to inspecting three bags at a time.

People always say that sometimes a year is more than enough for things to change and for people to mature. However, that was not the case when it comes to the ever-so-mature Lee Donghae and Lee Hyukjae.

Time shifted the two of them to the better, stronger, and more dependable version of themselves. Countless challenges made them depend on each other more and thus, strengthening their hearts and love for one another.

What never changed during the duration of a whole year though were their childish fights and petty banters, which made their friends surrendered in absolute defeat.

“What do you think about this one?”

Donghae looked up from opening a simple-designed backpack. Hyukjae was currently holding a regular-sized maroon-colored bag.

He nodded, “That one’s nice. Definitely better than the denim bag you showed me earlier. It suits you.”

His boyfriend smiled his widest one so far that day as he briefly hugged the bag to his chest. “I’m so excited, Hae. I’m going back to school. We’re going back to school!”

Donghae’s heart melted at the sight. It was pretty damn obvious Hyukjae was more than ecstatic upon the idea of going back to studying.

“I’m so excited too, Hyuk.”

With the help of Donghae’s former parents, the collective efforts of their friends, and especially the hard work of the two of them, Hyukjae managed to enroll to the newly-opened dance academy just a building away from Seoul College of Law.

As Hyukjae would start afresh by studying as a dance academy student, Donghae, on the other hand, would resume studying in law school as a fourth year student. Not really wanting to depend to his former parents and of course to his Heechul hyung, he applied for a scholarship and was immediately granted. He was not the top student for nothing anyway.

So, what really happened after?

Five months after the success of gaining his freedom, the Chief Justice and his wife gifted him an apartment unit which he reluctantly accepted. The couple said to him to just consider that as their last gift for their son.

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter