“Hearts set about finding other hearts the moment they are born, and between them, they weave nets so frightfully strong and tight that you end up bound forever in hopeless knots, even to the shadow of a beast you knew and loved long ago.”

Catherynne M. Valente

“Hyuk, you cannot keep on messing up your drafts just because you don’t want me to leave. You know very well that even if I will be away for two months, the company will hire someone to supervise the team temporarily, right?”

As Donghae softly placed the cream-colored folder on the wooden table, Hyukjae took that time to slump sluggishly on the chair opposite his black-haired supervisor slash partner slash someone he wanted to strangle at the moment.

Donghae immediately noticed the huge frown on the older’s face and he fought the urge to cross the short distance between them and force a smile on the other's face instead. But of course, being the professional worker that he usually is, he just coughed the temptation and faced the blonde-haired romance novelist. He forced himself to put on a stern expression but since he accepted Hyukjae’s proposal to be his, he could not find himself going back to his usual stern and cold self. He knew one look from Hyukjae and his heart would leap in joy.

“Hae—I mean, Boss! You can’t leave us for two months. Our department will be launching dozens of books and we can’t do that without our supervisor.”

Donghae knew Hyukjae was outraged and lonely and disappointed and brokenhearted all at once. However, as the head supervisor of their department, he was incapable of doing anything. He, alongside, Yunho and Junmyeon were summoned yesterday to the director’s office. It turned out that the Annual International Convention for Publishers will be conducted this time in New York. As the leading publishing company not just in Seoul but in the whole of South Korea, they were expected to come and the three supervisors would represent their name.

The news spread quickly throughout their offices and Donghae was immediately met by his enraged boyfriend. He initially thought he already appeased Hyukjae last night, but he seemed more furious today.

“Hyuk, it’s just for two months and you know how important this is for the company, right? Director Park is expecting so much from us and I can’t possibly let him down.” Donghae tried to reason out calmly to the still devastated blonde-haired guy.

“I know, but can’t Yunho and Junmyeon go without you?”

“You know very well they can’t, Hyuk. Yunho hyung’s hands are full already since he also has to attend another convention for comic book writing and Junmyeon is still new to this. I have to be there, Hyuk.”

Donghae watched as Hyukjae squirmed tirelessly from where he was sitting and he knew that the other is slowly succumbing to the inevitable news of him leaving next week for New York. He let his gaze fell on to the forgotten folder on top of his table. It contained Hyukjae’s half-assed draft which the romance novelist obviously intended to pass. It was his futile attempt to not let his boyfriend attend the convention, but it was fruitless and just a waste of his effort and time. Donghae let out a chuckle of disbelief as he realized only Lee Hyukjae would do something as petty as messing up a whole draft of a novel just because he wanted to.

They stayed still like that basking in the silence that surfaced inside the supervisor’s office. The two of them glanced at each other from time to time but no one can’t seem to find the right words to say. Two hearts filled with concern, uneasiness, and burden, but for two polar opposite reasons. The first half is for the one going away, while the other half is for the one who will be left behind.

“Hae?”

Donghae hummed, finally meeting the brown eyes of Hyukjae. It was still pretty apparent that something was bothering the blonde and Donghae wanted to ask what, wanted to know why.

Hyukjae stood up from where he was sitting and made his way to give the younger a back hug. All stress, anxiety, and fatigue were instantly lifted off from both of their shoulders as soon as the contact was made. From that point on, there was no doubt that Hyukjae became Donghae’s home and Donghae became Hyukjae’s comfort.

“Those bastards Kyuhyun and Henry told me something,” Hyukjae started with an aegyo-filled voice, making the black-haired chuckle.

“What did they say?”

The blonde gently turned him around and they were now face-to-face with only a few inches separating their faces.

“That New York is full of handsome and hot guys and that you will realize they are better than me, and that you will finally dump my sorry and I will die alone,” Hyukjae explained with a tone of apprehension and Donghae could not believe his ears.

Just what the hell is this idiot talking about?! Donghae thought.

The black-haired let out an exasperated sigh, “That’s what you were worrying about all this time, Hyuk? You think I would dump your skinny for some New Yorker?”

“I mean...it’s not impossible per se, Hae. You’re beautiful and hot and y and kind and genuine and people just seem to be attracted to you no matter what you do.”

“Hyuk, we’ve been together for what? Four months? Remember what I told you on our vacation in Jeju three months ago?”

Hyukjae nodded his head, finally letting out a knowing smirk. “That you love me now and you will love me in the future. Damn! Why didn’t I think of