3. One Year Later

Settling down hadn’t been quite the smooth process Hyukjae had hoped for. Despite his former wanderlust, Hyukjae was a solitary person who liked to spend a lot of time alone, either creating his art or simply absorbing the place he was staying.

Donghae was the exact opposite. Perhaps because his home had never been more than a resting place to clean up and sleep, he was always flitting about town, meeting friends, working out, rehearsing with his band, or coordinating things for the charity. Even when he wrote, it usually came out in one feverish burst of typing, where he would spend an entire day at his desk, then shoot off the finished product to his editor in time to make dinner.

There was a bit of push and pull in the first few months they were together, but Hyukjae found it so much easier to endure social activities when he saw how happy it made Donghae to have him there. And Donghae made concessions as well, venturing on some short trips to check out places Hyuk found online, as well as making more frequent trips into Chicago, mostly to visit museums and art exhibits (with an occasional outing to a club).

The best part was the studio he insisted on partitioning off for Hyukjae in an open, unused space above the store. A door had to be punched through the wall the two buildings shared, just as on the lower floor, but once it was framed out, the empty, light-filled storage room was perfect to finally set up a real art studio. There was even a couch in the room so that when he got tired of drawing or painting, he could veg out and listen to music without interruptions.

For all the adjustments and petty disagreements, however, the happiness at being with someone he loved, who loved him, was more than Hyukjae could have hoped for. Donghae was a kind, pure soul who loved helping others and making people happy. Plus, he possessed a feisty, flirtatious streak that made Hyukjae crazy in the best ways possible.

A new passport arrived the first week of March, after jumping through some interesting hurdles due to Donghae’s foreign birth and adoption. It had taken a bit of investigating and a lot of rummaging through his parent’s old files, but they were eventually able to produce the needed documents.

They chose to plan a trip back to South Korea ahead of Hyukjae’s birthday, intending to spend at least a month there with his family, so that Donghae could rediscover the place he’d been born. Since he remembered very little of his native language, Donghae had embarked on a crash course in Korean online, practicing with Hyukjae until he had a shred of confidence at not embarrassing himself in front of his boyfriends’ parents.

Since Hyukjae was naturally cautious with his money, and had never minded visiting new places, their trip was planned in three stages, Chicago to Las Vegas, Las Vegas to LA, and finally LA to Incheon. Las Vegas was somewhere he had never been before, and Donghae wanted to see the desert, so they booked an inexpensive hotel and planned to spend a few days there exploring both the natural beauty and the manufactured wonders.

It was while wandering down the main strip one evening, that Donghae stopped in his tracks, gazing off at a large group gathering in front of a hotel fountain taking pictures in the warm spring air. A wedding party.

Inhaling deeply, Hyukjae walked over and took Donghae’s hand, snapping his attention back. There was a quiet spot nearby, in front of a massive hotel built to look like the Eiffel Tower, and Hyukjae led Donghae over and away from the bustling foot traffic. There were questions in his lover’s eyes, but he waited patiently for Hyukjae to explain himself. Instead, he secretly tugged one of the rings he wore off his finger as he asked, “Donghae, I know you keep asking me what I want for my birthday, and I thought of the perfect gift, even though we’re a few weeks early.”

“What is it?” Donghae asked with an eager innocence. “Is it something I can get here?”

“Sort of. It’s a gift that you can give me once and it will last the rest of my life.”

“Wow. What kind of gift?”

Smiling through his nerves, because Donghae was so adorably clueless, Hyukjae got down on one knee and looked up into the dark brown eyes he loved so much, now widening in shock and comprehension. “I love you. You’re the most beautiful, rare bird, and exactly my kind of ridiculous. I knew from the moment we met that I wanted you in my life, and every day we’re together shows me that you’re the home I’ve always been looking for. Will you make me the happiest man in the world, and agree to be my husband?”

“Oh, Hyuk,” Donghae choked out, tears filling his eyes, “I’d love to marry you!”

They had a simple, private elopement in the garden chapel at their hotel, and the next morning flew to LA for their connecting flight to South Korea, each admiring the cheap wedding rings they had purchased in a souvenir shop at that same Paris hotel.

Hyukjae’s parents were thrilled and loved Donghae immediately. After a month there, Hyukjae thought they might love his husband more than their own son. But that was okay, too. Donghae deserved all the love in the world, and he was thrilled to be the one chosen to give it to him for the rest of their lives.

A month in Seoul sped up the process of relearning Korean as well, though Hyukjae’s friends still teased Donghae a bit about being a native who spoke like a foreigner. In reality, he was a foreigner. Though his adoption had been highly unorthodox, Donghae was an American citizen with an American passport. And while being gay wasn’t always accepted, it would certainly be much easier to show their affection there than in Seoul.

One thing that did disappoint him, however, was Donghae’s refusal to try and find his childhood home or any remaining members of his family. After pushing the issue a bit too hard one evening, Donghae went up to their room without him, leaving Hyukjae to sulk and pout until his mother asked him what was wrong.

“Lover’s spat? Don’t be too upset, I’m sure he’ll forgive you soon. He loves you a lot.”

“Why do you assume I’m in the wrong?” Hyukjae protested in a huff.

“Because you’re both stubborn, but Donghae would never do anything to hurt you.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt him,” Hyukjae whined. “I just don’t understand why he won’t even consider the idea of trying to find his birth parents.”

“Oh, Hyukjae,” his mother sighed, sitting down beside him and putting her arm around his shoulders. “Donghae went through something traumatic. Whatever reason his parents had for giving him up doesn’t change the fact that he was wounded deeply. He must have spent years wondering what was wrong with him and why they didn’t come back. I’m sure it’s a way to protect himself. Imagine how he would feel if you found them again and they had no interest in renewing the relationship? He would feel abandoned all over again.”

“But what if they did want him?”

“It’s his choice, son, you have to respect that.”

“I know. I guess I’m just sad for him. I want to take away every hurt he’s ever suffered, and this is the only thing I might have a chance of changing.”

“I’ll tell you what. Your father has some friends that might be able to help. When you get back home, send me whatever information you have, and we’ll see what we can do. That way, if they aren’t interested, there’s no harm done. And you won’t have to be involved at all.”

“How would I not be involved?”

“Because I won’t tell you anything,” she teased, leaning over to kiss his cheek. “Now, run upstairs and apologize to your lovely husband. I want to enjoy the few days we have left with you two, so no more fights, all right?”

“Yes, mom. I love you a lot.”

“I know you do. And we love you, too. Thank you for bringing us home such a darling son-in-law. I can see how well he takes care of you.”

“He really does. That’s why I want to take care of him, too.”

“You will. Just love him as much as you can.”

***

In all honesty, once they left Seoul, Hyukjae mostly forgot about the idea. He had sent his mother the little information Donghae had, but when there were no updates, he assumed she and his father had run into the same problems Donghae’s adoptive family had all those years ago. His parents could have moved towns, divorced, remarried, or even passed away. There were a hundred ways they could have disappeared and only a few chances to find