7. Years

"I wasn't expecting lesser from you Luhan-sshi, congratulation, it is really praiseworthy".

I smiled politely and shook my professor's hand while bowing, some girls of my class still squealing beside me.

"Ahh, this year's students were good! I'll miss you all". Nobody was expecting our teacher to be that sad about our degree; she had been a good teacher and a strict one both and, I found myself strangely sorry at the tought of finish university. There were so many uncertainties, so many doubts about future.

I stopped at home to drop by my heavy portfolio, my school year's works tidily organized in the big folder with my name neatly written on.

I stared at my reflex on the mirror another time, finding myself less pale, less anxious; I still didn't know what summer would bring to me, how things would go with Sehun, what would september mean.

Down the streets, I walked slowly, taking time to observe the light blue of the sky cut by the flat grey of the concrete of buildings, some stains of green onto balcony and roads.

The gate of his high school looked way less intimidating than the last time I had passed through it: ribbons and signs with colorful inscriptions showing off the school festival, bright stands, lively peoples, happy voices. It was slightly too much crowded for my liking but I had promised to Sehun that I would be there. I just had to found him.

Not surprisingly, I spotted his long arms moving onto a food stand, a nice smell surrounding the place, peoples in line to taste what I bet it would be deliciously. I smiled taking my camera to immortalize his smile, his busy hands, his focused eyes. My hand had already lifted to wave at him when a body shifted to his side, blocking my view, grasping at his arm: it was easy to recognize the girl, easy to notice her cured fingers on his forearm. I couldn't see Sehun's face but my fits clenched when she obliged his hand towards her, chopsticks propping a piece of food and feeding it to her.

Why I was so shocked by it? He was normally behaving like a teenager, falling easily for the - probably fake and high pitched - aegyo of the girl. I knew well that he would cook for thousands of people in the future, as good as he his, but I just didn't wanted him to cook for her. I was there, right there: why wasn't he feeding me?

Groaning at my own possessive and stupid thoughs, I turned around, camera sliding back in my bag, teeth biting my bottom lip, bringing me back to reality.

"Luhan! Where are you going?".

I stopped halfway in my steps, startled by his voice right behind me and his hand on my shoulder.

"You looked busy". I the side, not facing him as I was aware of the deluded look on my face and of my own poor acting skills: I had no rights to be angry.

"I'm not! Come try my mandu, they said it's delicious!".

Whom? Her?

"I'm not hungry, I've already eaten". I knew he would understand I was lying but I didn't care.

"I want your opinion..".

"Just feed someone else and you'll know". My words faded at the end as a guy called Sehun from the stall, apparently in need of help. He sighed and looked at me again..

"Really.. I have to continue cooking now but I want to show you around later, if you want wait for me a bit ok?".

He was still staring at me, waiting for an answer, when he was called again, the girl calling her 'oppa' in a rushed tone; sighing he stepped away from me and ran back to his place, instantly helping out the girl, taking out of her hands the scoop.

Before he could notice me walk away, I slid behind a group of students in cosplay outfits and went back home. He was busy afterall. Even if things were better between us, I still was out of place there.

◊

It was like the first time in that club, Sehun's eyes never leaving mines for an instant, his smile widening as I mouthed a silent 'sorry' in his direction, my hands clutching around the fresh flowers I had bought, embarrassment for my behavior of the day before hitting me again.

As Sehun stepped down from the stage, his diplome in one hand, I breathed out the air I had hold in unconsciously. Lay, seating beside me on those uncomfortable plastic chairs, laughed at me: "Lu, relax! And don't mess things up today, ok?".

I rolled my eyes punching him softly but I hadn't time to answer as Kai stepped on the stage and Lay jolted up in his seat, eyes sparkling.

In the noise of the huge decorated gym, I smiled to myself, nervous of what I had planned for later, anxious of what would happen. I never plan anything. But, I guess, Sehun hasn't changed only my diet habit.

I thought at the night of some days before: at how Sehun had explained me that his father was really strict and had imposed him to rank first in school in order to obtain his permission for enter the cooking academy. He had also retired his cellphone from him and obliged Sehun to take extra hours of study with the student's rep, the girl that was with him into the secretary and at the school's festival - the same that had done the speech for the graduation ceremony few minutes before.

So there I was, waiting patiently to ask for forgiveness to him, Lay on my side controlling me and ready to act his threat of killing me if I tried to runaway again.

It was ended in about 1 hour and I waited with my bestfriend - still ready to kill me brutally - out of the huge gate, my hands trembling a bit, flowers almost falling off my hands as I spotted Sehun walking out of the gym with what I supposed being his and Kai's family. They excused from their parents and walked fast to us, both smiling happily, arms already filled with flowers.

"Congratulation Sehun-ah..".

My mind didn't managed to say much more as he stood in front of me and as his parents were clearly staring at us curious.

"Hyung.. I'm happy you came". He smiled again and took the flowers from my hand, his fingers lingering a bit on my wrist.

I threw a glance at Lay and he smiled nodding, his hand pulling Kai towards his family, leaving us alone.

"Uhm.. Could you.. come with me for a bit?".

Sehun looked surprised at my request but, before I could add more, he had ran towards his parents and gesticulated for a bit. I bet I had seen his father complaining to his mother as Sehun dropped all the flowers - apart mines - in their car and run back to where I stood.

"If you have to go with your parents we can go anoth..".

"I'll go back later for the dinner", he nodded smiling, "I want to stay with you now..".

◊

"We're going at your university".

Another one of his statements, another right guessing.

We were seated silently on the subway, our sides and knees touching every so often making my heart skip a bit every time.

"I'm sorry for how I acted". I murmured glancing at him with a little frown on my forehead, words not coming to me even if I was aware that I should had been saying much much more.

He didn't answer though; silence thumping in my ear as I felt a familiar warmth in my hand, his fingers slipping between mine, his thumb brushing my skin soflty. I was too entrigued by the feeling of his hand that I would had forgotten to get off from the subway if Sehun hadn't pulled me out.

"You aren't going to faint right?".

He laughed loudly at my flushed face as I punched him on the arm and stomped away.

With a poor effort of his long legs he reached me and interlaced our hands again, chuckling out a 'sorry, sorry' before we entered the main building. I would definetly miss that school: not only it was the place where I could express my passion but, it was also where we had meet, into that dusty art classroom, more than 3 months before.

Sehun looked around surprised by the easels stalled on the side of the big atrium, usually the corridors were empty.

"All the thesis' projects are exposed at the end of each year", I started explaining pointing at a blue futuristic statue on our left as an examples. We spent some minutes commenting on the projects on our way, some of them causing him to chuckle, some to grimace.

"The.. uhm.. Best one of the year is displayed as the main piece, at the stair hall".

I couldn't stop my nervousness as we slowly walked towards the hall and I prayed, pointlessly, for my hand to don't be too much sweaty in Sehun's grip.

He had fell in silence. If it wasn't for his hand in mine, I could had thought I was alone.

I didn't lifted my gaze, well aware of what he was looking at..

It started on the left side: messy graphite lines on papers of sketches and drawings, both of full body views and particulars, both sketches from lesson and ones drew at home. Shifting gaze he would notice first lucid photos, simple shots of his body, some Polaroid too, contrasting the flat image with their rough border. On the side, from the beginning experimental collages and drawings onto the photography papers, it would continue to the completed ones, where block of colors were stuck on them, layers of painting shading on his flesh into the photos.

Only to the right of the wall, like a puzzle of hundred parts of the same body, there were the photos of his painted body, drawings clear on the skin. I could remember exactly each instant spent painting his body, obtaining those shades, those colors. As I said, life is a dull, flat wall. Sehun simply had brought me colors to paint it.

"Me - ta - mor - po - sy".

I jolted as he red out loud the title written in the small paper in front of the project, the English word slipping through his lips softly.

As I felt his hand pulling slightly on mine, I lifted my gaze meeting his eyes, brown orbs staring at me intensely.

"This is.. Amazing. It's.. How could you do it?".

I smiled at his still surprised parted lips, at his gaze returning to the wall.

"You".

He arched a brow and turned to me again, his other hand finding his way on my side and stopping on my hip. He smiled at the blush on my face, our body suddenly too near for my mind to function at his best.

"This is .. You. Inspiration, colors..". Love. I breathed in slowly, tasting his scent, feeling his breath on my lips.

"Luhan".

I gasped, my eyes returning in his, aware of the thin inch of air between us slowly becoming lesser. His fingers brushed on my neck, my little shiver surely not passing inosservate to him. My mind started roaming on each one of the paintings of kisses I loved: Hayez, Klimt, Munch.. I thought of how would we look from the outside, how would had been a photo of us, how would my face be. Then, everything shaded away: his soft moist lips, his warmth, his taste, his fingers, his whole self filled me up. There was anything else. Just him, just us.

◊

"Are you sure we're allowed to be here?".

"Lu, this is ours. Of course we can be here".

The key in Sehun's hand shifted smoothly into the lock, the white door - as white as the entire corridor of the building - opening without a sound. Concrete's smell was still into the foul air of the empty entry of the flat; only walls and windows were already there, citylights entering in the dark of the late summer night.

I looked around at the familiar apartment, well aware of how it would look like in the end.

Fresh paint's smell was in the air and as I made a mental note of not touching the walls, I spotted some metal tanks of paint in the middle of the open space of the living room.

"Hungry?".

I smiled at Sehun's favorite question, too often escaping those small lips, usually along with a caring caress or on my arm and a marvelous dinner after awhile. My eyes squinted to see him into the dark room as I nodded. I felt his warm hand pulling me towards the terrace, the tall window already open, a soft lazy breeze messing my air. A chilling shiver ran down my spine as I stepped outside, the view in front of me taking out the air of my lungs instantly.

I stared at the small table set for two; nothing too fancy or extremely elegant, he knew me too well.

Two dark blue glasses - the ones I had choose a month before, actually the only thing I had decided about our kitchen -, two white plates covered with simply metal top, wooden chopsticks on each napkins - cutely folded as a flower as I often oblige Sehun to do, ignoring his complain about it being not the most important thing he learned -, and a bottle of a familiar wine, our favorite as it was neatly connected to the first time Sehun had slept at my place, in my bed. Well, not exactly sleep.

Around the table, into other glasses there were candles, small white firefly into the blind night and the view of the city.

"Happy birthday Lu..".

I wasn't even my real birthday, it was nearer to his than mine but, I knew he was doing all of it because of his tight schedule of the period. He was worried I would feel neglected but, I was simply happy that his dream was becoming real; I was happy to just welcoming him home at night, listening to his rambles, tell him my day, kissing him goodnight.

After almost two year of continuous sleepover into my small flat and millions of excuses with his parents, we had simply decided - with one of his romantic and greasy show that included ferris wheel, flowers and chocolate - to move and live together.

I still couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe I had recently signed a contract as photographer for a design magazine and I would soon move into the center of Seoul; I couldn't believe I had found my way, my new piece of wall. And mostly, I still couldn't believe that I would share it all with my first and sole love.

"You're spacing out".

We smiled to each others. The plates, and the bottle of wine as well, were already empty. I felt light, as everytime he held me in his long arms, my nape resting on his shoulder, his chest warming my back.

"I was thinking of us". Of him. He kissed my temple and pulled me up, a small groan from my lips for his lost heat. Chuckling, he mouthed to wait and desappeared into the flat, silence surrounding me again.

"Luhan!".

I followed the voice and stepped inside the window, the strong smell of paint reaching my nose again.

"Sehun..?".

A loud breath escaped my mouth together with a surprised chuckle: he was standing in the middle of the now lighted living room, torso, bare feet. He was walking to me so slowly that I stepped forward, my fingers caressing his arms, a questioning look into my eyes. He kissed me. Deeply and slowly as he liked, as I loved; my mind already lost into his scent, his hands traveling on my body, his skin onto mine.

I still wasn't aware of how he could do that to me: erase the entire world and make my breath stop, my back shiver, my heart thump. And undress me that easily without me noticing. And lay down. And gasp.

I moaned soflty when his lips shifted down on my neck, the path warmer by his mouth and breath. It was when something cool and liquid landed on my hip that I jolted surprised and finally opened my eyes.

"W-what?!".

I stared at the yellow paint on my waist, Sehun's hand smeared it til my back, bright lines of color on my skin. He chuckled at my open mouth and pecked my lips, his tongue the bottom one.

"I've always wanted to try..".His smirk made me finally snap back at reality and I laughed unbeliving the situation.

"You had to choose this yellow?". I argued scrunching my nose but chuckling right away.

"You loved my uniform".

"I hated it".

He laughed loudly, his eyes burning into mine as we both remembered that infamous yellow blazer - which was strangely present at our first time all together with the wine of before.

"Because it ruined my flawless presence". Mocked me him, repeating what I had told in the past in a impetus of awful sincerity. I still though that. And the fact we were and dipped in yellow paint into our future home - and he had planned it all - confirmed my evaluation: flawless. Hopelessly romanticly flawless.

I straddled him naturally, our body fitting perfectly, my arms encirclying his neck after dirtying my hands in paint; he shivered as the cold color drop down his scaples, his own fingers drawing infinite patterns on my thighs. I couldn't really focus on my drawing as his mouth reached again my neck, my collarbones, on it. He seemed hungry. Tasting me, biting my skin, my jaw.

I could barely breath.

Barely enough to murmur on his lips. "I love you".

I could barely think.

Barely enough to listen to the same words from his lips. Powerful as the first time, as the hundredth, the thousandth.

◊

I stared myself in the mirror; my hair were still a light brown mess, my eyes still the same from years ago, little wrinkles on the edges, sole sign of the time on my face.

I gasped noticing the red mark on my collar bone, visible in the neck of my pale blue linen shirt; I laced a button more, allowing the natural fabric to cover it up and making a mental note to scold my fiancé of still being possessive and blunt about showing his propriety to the world even after 8 years.

I had just enough time to take my old Limography camera - it was really vintage by now - and a soft knock resounded on the door of the apartment. I closed the door of the warm bedroom and made my way through the spacious open space.

The professional island kitchen was silent and tidy as Sehun liked; my studio, with colored canvas on the wall and tons of photos, was silent and messy as I liked.

Walking besides the glass wall, the sight of the nightly Seoul was still visible through the plans in the veranda. Sehun had found another passion in years: as it seems, he was equally good with food that with plans. We had our own little vegetable garden too now on the terrace but, there still was space for the small table for two - and even for candles.

Another soft knock: "Luhan, are you ready?".

I smiled at Lay and hugged him and Kai just before closing the apartment's door after me, joining them into the white corridor.

"Let's go. We can't make the chef wait in his own restaurant".

f in.

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Thanks to all the subscribers and the amazing comment-ers (xD) ! And even to silent readers^^
I hope you appreciated the story. It was really difficult for me writing this kind of fic but, I enjoyed it. This couple is simple fluffly and perfect.
Comment! Let me know what you think about this, about them.
Luv you all
Rian