If things could probably get more sensual between the both of them, it did. But this time, Daehyun was the one to initiate intimacy and Himchan responded accordingly without hesitation. And although Himchan found it confusing―to the instant that he started questioning what kind of relationship they actually have anymore―he didn't object.

Without anything having to be discussed, the affair just seemed to have happened.

Himchan clearly saw Daehyun more than a friend―with all the doting feats he had done for him over the months―but he's not sure just yet if he felt anything romantic.

But Daehyun had been sure the moment he took Himchan in his apartment. The deeds of affection were the outcome of his amity. With his desire to take care of Himchan and help him get through his wretchedness, the fondness grew with it. But Daehyun wasn't selfish enough to just approach after his cascading feelings.

He stood aside because he knew that the past was still clear in Himchan's head, his mind continued to replay the detailed memories in his sleep, his heart would still slow down as if it's losing reason to keep beating, his arms still longed for Yongguk's warmth.

Daehyun commenced these facts with clenched teeth. He was after all, trying to help Himchan get over his feelings for Yongguk.

But if anything, Himchan was ready―not to forget―but to move on to another stage in his life in acceptance that he needed to stop letting the past cloud his options in the reality he had to keep living.

And even though the question was how he would be able to accomplish this, he didn't have to ask.

The answer was right in front of him.

All that Himchan had to do was let his feelings do the job for him.

Himchan couldn't deny that Daehyun's lingering touches and whispers and kisses made an impact to him because by the time winter came around, while Daehyun was sprawled on the sofa using Himchan's lap as a pillow singing some song with all the wrong lyrics, Himchan laughed for the first time in a very long while that Daehyun almost forgot how it sounded.

Daehyun was caught short and he sat up straight, looking at Himchan like he was some treasure he found on top of a mountain hill. Himchan just smiled at him―the genuineness of it making his eyes shrink into tiny crescents.

The sight of it tickled something inside of Daehyun that made him want to sob in pure joy. Himchan patted his head with a hand.

"You make me happy."

It was all that Daehyun wanted to hear him say.

When college application season came, Himchan had improved enough to appear like his old self again.

He began laughing more frequently and heartily at Daehyun―who had long started throwing funny remarks and corny jokes in an attempt to seeing Himchan smile again and again. Himchan had also started retaliating with sarcastic, spiteful comments again in conversations that were either too serious or too dumb. The tears, the obvious depression, the sullen faces seemed to have gradually arrived to evanescence until Himchan was just a big giggling boy who would snuggle Daehyun close to him in bed every night as a start of their sleeping routine.

Himchan put on a jolly grin even at school which gained him a few of his old friends back. He had also went to visit his mom and dad back home who were in blithe at the emotional recovery of their son. And because Daehyun himself hadn't bothered much about it, he was thoroughly taken aback when Himchan introduced him as his boyfriend to his parents.

Daehyun didn't need firsthand verbal establishment. Just knowing Himchan wasn't unsure anymore and actually sober enough to see and consider him as his lover made Daehyun feel sheer delight. So much sheer delight actually that when they both got on the sidewalk on the way home, Daehyun pulled Himchan close and slowly sealed the distance between them with a sweet kiss.

"I love you."

"What?" Daehyun asked, startled, dropping the pack of noodles down the grocery cart in front of him with a skchsh-ing sound. (He had to look at the label―Himchan was allergic to shrimp.) He glared at Himchan standing on the side, demanding an explanation.

"I said I love you," Himchan reiterated, leaning with his hands on the metal bar of the cart.

"Yes, I heard you. But why would you say that?"

Himchan furrowed his eyebrows. "Why not? I mean it."

Daehyun scoffed. "You expect me to take you seriously, saying you love me for the first time, in a noodle aisle of a supermarket while I'm picking out a pack of ramen. Real romantic."

"Well would you rather hear it from me during a candlelit dinner when I don't even mean it?"

Daehyun made a face. "You're just so random."

"Yeah but―" Himchan scowled. "Yeah, okay," he decided before turning his back on Daehyun who started adding some more ramen packs to their trolley. Himchan crossed his arms, muttering inaudible things under his breath.

Behind him, Daehyun was frowning as well yet actually blushing down to his fingertips as he threw his thirteenth pack of instant noodles to the shopping cart. He moved to lurch the cart forward, grabbing Himchan's hand, tagging him along and intertwining their fingers.

Daehyun cleared his throat awkwardly. "I love you too," He said, making Himchan turn his head to look at him. "Now let's go to the next aisle I think we're running out of vinegar."

It was the first Saturday of the winter season when the mail came with a thick long white fancy envelope that had Himchan's name on it. The letter was from the first university he had took an entrance exam in, applying for a traditional music major. And much to his surprise, he got accepted in Seoul University. A week later, another letter came. Daehyun was accepted for another school.

Their final examination week (finally we're going to get rid of the hellhole that is high school) were mostly just the both of them throwing crumpled review sheets at each other's faces or wrestling one another off the sofa during their supposedly revision sessions in the living room―which had all mostly ended up with them making out on the carpeted floor―and cramming in class the next morning right before the exam papers could be given out.

Himchan hadn't thought about Yongguk in a long while.

Graduation came shortly after and the whole campus was filled with streaks and decorations of black and gold along with a mass of senior graduates in dark blue togas and caps in the school auditorium. Himchan met Daehyun's family then who had traveled a long way from Busan to see their son and after a few hesitant glances, Himchan decided to introduce his parents to Daehyun's. And it wasn't a wrong idea.

Himchan just kept on a smile during the whole ceremony, winking at Daehyun on the crowd when he received his diploma onstage. And much to his surprise when he got down from the platform, he was congratulated by the kids who barely interacted with him the whole school year and received hugs from his other friends. Afterwards, both Himchan and Daehyun's family decided for a dinner celebration together.

Himchan was happy.

"Did you mean it?"

"Hm?"

"When you said you love me too?" Himchan asked in a hush, eyebrows quirked, as he ran his fingers back and across Daehyun's arm.

They were lying in bed on their sides, facing each other with their lower halves buried underneath the covering, both worn out from the earlier vigor.

Daehyun gazed at his lover, eyes b with fondness and conviction, losing himself in the tenderness of Himchan's eyes, of his touch. Without reluctance, Daehyun did something that could've been the most genuine and intimate display of affection anyone had ever showed Himchan. He reached and grabbed hold of Himchan's fingers, and slowly, he moved to place the other's palm on his chest―on his heart.

Himchan trembled at the touch, at the warmth, at the benevolence of the action. He could feel Daehyun's heartbeat beneath his finger tips―racing, pulsating on a rate that seemed strangely familiar.

And that's when Himchan realized―because he could hear it ringing in his own ears―Daehyun's heartbeat matched his.

"I did... I do," Daehyun vowed, voice above a whisper. "I will never hurt you Himchan. And I will never let anyone else hurt you again."

He pulled Himchan's hand to his lips, planting a kiss on his fingers―a symbol of his promise for the years to come.

***

Snow trickled down the pavement of Seoul University's premier gates where Kim Himchan stood waiting for his boyfriend to come pick him up. He slid his hands inside the pockets of his parka, lips pressed together as he trembled in the cold January weather.

Taking another glance at the highway, Himchan sighed in relief when a well-recognizable sedan ascended to a halt in front of him.

He opened the passenger seat door, meeting gazes with a grinning Jung Daehyun as he placed his shoulder bag on the seat before stepping inside.

"What took you so long? It's like negative forty degrees out here," Himchan demanded. "You've been dropping and picking me up everyday for three years and when have you been on time?"

Daehyun just smiled (and Himchan fought the urge to punch him in the face.) "I got this baby cleaned―" He patted the steering wheel "―since it hasn't had a good car wash for almost two weeks now."

"Well, if you don't actually pay attention to your so-called baby eighty percent of the time, then maybe you'll come to notice that your other more important baby's probably freezing waiting out in the cold for almost twenty five minutes."

"I'm sorry, Channie." Daehyun feigned a pout as he leaned toward Himchan, waiting for his greeting kiss.

Himchan secured his seat belt with a click, giving Daehyun a questioning glare for a span of three seconds before pecking him on the lips. "It's the weekend, in case you haven't noticed. Will I get to enjoy a breezy picnic in a deserted beach shore watching the sunset, eating strawberries and playing in the sands?"

Daehyun drove onward the main road, chewing on his bottom lip as he contemplated on his boyfriend's question (suggestion.) "Well―uh―no. We're looking for an apartment."

Himchan grimaced. "Again? Today?"

Daehyun sighed in defeat. "We are going to check out three dorms and one of my pals told me his friend had a spare room for a really cheap rental fee."

"But no apartment will ever be good enough for you! It's either too small or too big or too expensive or the roommate looks like he's a member of a street gang." Himchan complained. "Come on, let's just take options from the previous ones, we haven't had a real date since your birthday."

"I promise that this will be our last apartment hunting trip and I'll take you on a date, okay?" Daehyun offered him an apologetic look. "We have to find you a good dorm near the university, I'm moving to my school dorm on Monday."

"In four days?" Himchan scowled like a seven-year-old. "I told you I can stay in your apartment. We don't have to look for another one."

"Come on, Channie, you know that our flat's pretty far off from the university."

"I'm having your car, right?"

"I still can't risk you traveling that far."

Himchan rolled his eyes. "Of course you're just worried about your precious baby."

"That's not what I meant," Daehyun pressed. "Besides, I want you near me, I want to know you're safe with a good roommate, and we can save half of the money our parents send us because sharing a dorm costs less, right? We talked about this."

Himchan stayed silent for a while, acknowledging his boyfriend's words as he poked his thigh repeatedly.

Daehyun unclasped a hand from the steering wheel and placed it on top of Himchan's, meeting his gaze once with a reassuring smile. "It'll be fine."

For one thing, Daehyun was extremely picky about dorms. For another thing, the occupants-slash-possible-roommates who looked more like college dropouts with self issues weren't cooperating with Daehyun's choices. So Himchan was stuck watching Daehyun survey each flat meticulously like his life depended on it, when to be honest, Himchan was okay with anything, can live anywhere as long as there's a bed, shower and nice kitchen electronics.

By the time they were on the lift making up their way to the right floor of the fourth apartment complex they would be checking out for today, Himchan was about to pass out in exhaustion (and annoyance.)

"This is it."

"What?"

Himchan crossed his arms in front of this chest and leaned back against the elevator wall. "I'll be living here whether you like it or not, I don't care what you say anymore. I'm dead tired."

Daehyun chuckled and encircled his arms around Himchan's waist, pulling him close. "We'll see," he said before planting a kiss on Himchan's lips.

The elevator dinged as an indication of their arrival at the correct level and Himchan went on eyeing his boyfriend as the latter dragged him out the lift toward the hallway.

"That's your second kiss today," Himchan pointed out as Daehyun looked around muttering a set of numbers.

Daehyun gave him a funny look. "You're mine I can kiss you anytime I want."

"There's a limit."

"Your kisses are exclusive to me. What limit?" Daehyun grinned at him, smug, because despite the fact that Himchan could act so snooty eighty percent of the time, Daehyun still had him wrapped around his finger. (Himchan was a sweetheart beneath the snobbish front.)

Himchan nudged him playfully as they came to a stop in front of one of the white doors which had the numbers 514 engraved on its top front.

Daehyun pressed the door bell once as he muttured toward Himchan, "I can do more than just kiss you though."

Himchan made a face and was about to react when they heard someone shuffling from inside the room, unlocking the door. It clicked and creaked open, revealing the person behind it, and Himchan stopped in his tracks―unable to suppress the incredulity that came rushing over him the moment he met eyes with the person he least expected to see.

"Yongguk?"