On their third day in the city, they wake to find the sky covered with an ominous blanket of dark, curling clouds. The temperature has dropped significantly from the previous day, leaving the air crisp and biting. Daehyun didn’t mind the chill, feeling that his borrowed peacoat was enough, but Youngjae insisted on wrapping one of his many scarves around Daehyun’s neck as an extra precaution. Daehyun already feels more bundled up than he ever has in his entire life, but as Youngjae leans in close to pull the scarf around Daehyun’s neck, he loses all words of complaint because Youngjae’s in his personal space, smiling fondly as he loops the scarf into a loose knot and Daehyun’s willing to accept this extra piece of clothing if it makes Youngjae happy. At least the scarf is soft and smells like Youngjae, which Daehyun thinks is an added bonus.

           Daehyun can’t deny that he likes being pampered by Youngjae, even if he thinks Youngjae’s desire to protect him from the weather is unnecessary. He likes that this pampering brings Youngjae close, that it shows how much Youngjae is thinking of him, how much he cares, even about the small things. It’s cute the way Youngjae tries to protect him even though Daehyun is pretty sure he’s much better qualified to protect himself and Youngjae as well.

           As they leave the hotel, shyly holding hands after last night’s confession, Youngjae explains the need for warm clothes. “We going to be outside for part of the day and I don’t want you getting cold, or worse, sick.”

           Daehyun shakes his head, using his free hand to resituate his mask and scarf to make it easier for him to breathe. “I’ve never been sick. We don’t really get sick on the island.”

           “That sounds wonderful because I hate getting sick. It feels awful, which is why I try to prevent it as much as possible.” Youngjae pulls his dark grey, wool knitted hat he’s wearing down over his ears to protect them from the chill as they make their way to his car.

           Once they’re situated in the car, Daehyun’s pulls his scarf loose while keeping it around his neck so he doesn’t have to completely redo putting it on. “If you keep your body healthy, then getting sick isn’t really a problem.”

           “I am healthy,” Youngjae counters, making his way out of the parking lot.

           Daehyun’s eyes roll with skepticism. “I’ve seen what you eat and it’s not a balanced diet. I’ve also never seen you exercise.”

           “I eat what I like and I don’t like exercising. My body is happy the way it is.” Youngjae sounds defensive, but not angry.

           Daehyun can’t argue against Youngjae’s body because he likes how soft Youngjae is. Admittedly, Youngjae isn’t carrying a lot of excess fat or anything; he’s just not as toned as he should be, especially in terms of proper body health and fat to muscle, to mass, to height ratios. Youngjae’s just a little soft around the edges and Daehyun thinks that’s perfectly acceptable. But at the same time, Daehyun can feel the change of environment and food weighing on him the way it has on Youngjae. He hasn’t kept up with his daily training routines and his body is showing signs of change, especially in terms of fatigue because Daehyun is having more and more trouble waking up at a decent time in the mornings. He just wants to bury himself further in the warm, cozy blankets and sleep the day away with Youngjae by his side. He thinks he’d be perfectly content with doing this and that scares him a little because it’s definitely not a healthy mindset to have.

           Fiddling with the end of his scarf, Daehyun glances over at Youngjae. “Are there gyms here or maybe training facilities?”

           Youngjae takes his eyes off the road for a moment, to stare at Daehyun questioningly. “Yeah, why?”

           “I was thinking about exercising. I’d like to go sometime.”

           “Sure, okay. I’m sure the hotel has a gym. I’ll show it to you later.”

           Daehyun peeks over at the other cautiously. “You should exercise with me sometime.”

           “I’ll think about.” Youngjae grins, keeping his eyes forward. “It might be fun if you’re there.”

           Daehyun tries very hard not to blush and is thankful for his mask and the fact that Youngjae isn’t looking at him because he definitely doesn’t succeeds. While smooshing the scarf up to this face and inhaling Youngjae’s scent, Daehyun turns to stare out of the window as they continue onto to the next place that Youngjae insists on bringing him.

           This time during the car ride, Youngjae turns on the car radio to a station playing soulful music and Daehyun perks up, listening intently. “I don’t usually play music while I’m driving. I get too caught up in singing that I lose my focus on the road and I’m paranoid about having an accident, but I thought you might like to listen. This channel plays mostly R&B or rhythm and blues. It’s a very smooth, soulful style of music. I like a lot of the foreign songs in this style. I’ll have to introduce you to a few artists that I like.”

           Daehyun nods silently, ears trained on the song flowing from the car’s speakers. The singers voice is raspy and blends fluidly with the music and the lyrics sound so full of emotion, Daehyun loses himself in the feeling of the song.

           “What do you think?” Youngjae asks, when the station goes to a commercial.

           “I love it. It’s so beautiful and moving. I wish I could let Himchan hear it.”

           “Why do you call him that?” Youngjae asks lightly, knowing Daehyun’s aversion to talking about his family, even though he seems to be getting better about it.

           Daehyun frowns, looking at Youngjae. “It’s his name. What else would I call him?”

           “He’s your father isn’t he? Why not call him father or dad? Isn’t it rude to call him by his name?”

           “Oh,” Daehyun says, understanding the cultural difference. “We call people by their names because it shows respect. It would be rude to only call people by their titles. Everyone is equal on the island, regardless of age or position. We rarely use titles when referring to someone and even then we still add their name with it.”

           “Really? Our way of thinking is completely different. It’s more respectful to call people by their title because it’s something they’ve worked to acquire. Use of a person’s first name shows intimacy and equality here and even then, we separate each other with formalities.”

           “It sounds complicated,” Daehyun says. The conversation quiets as a new song comes on and they both get lost in the rhythm of the song. It isn’t long before Youngjae’s pulling into a parking area, already packed with cars and people. “Where are we?” Daehyun asks, peering at various signs surrounding the area. In the distance, he sees numerous moving structures and complicated formations. The people in the lot are congregating towards the huge complex situated on the far end of the lot.

           “You’ll see,” Youngjae says, lips curling mischievously as he tries to maintain a bit of secrecy.

           “Why won’t you just tell me?” Daehyun huffs in pretend annoyance, pulling his coat down as he steps out of the car in an attempt to flatten out the wrinkles.

           Youngjae helps Daehyun fix his scarf before taking his hand and leading him through the parking lot. “You’ll understand soon enough. Besides, I like watching your reactions when you learn something new.”

           Feeling flustered, Daehyun matches Youngjae’s pace, choosing not to say anything else as they approach one of the building’s entrances. Youngjae procures two one-day passes for this place that’s apparently called an amusement park. Daehyun reads the sign, wondering how to pronounce the name of the place, Lotte World. Taking what looks to be a map from the ticket booth, Youngjae grabs Daehyun by the hand, pulling him through the entrance and into the establishment.

           As they follow the crowd inside, Daehyun feels as if he’s stepped into yet another world. Everything is covered in twinkling lights and all the shops look like something out of an animated movie. There are even people walking around dressed up in fantastical costumes, at least Daehyun thinks they’re real people dressed up and not actual creatures of different species. The sights are overwhelming as groups of people move from one place to another chatting loudly, that coupled with various tunes of music playing from various parts of the complex magnifies the sound in the building. There are so many things moving and swirling around him that Daehyun doesn’t know where to focus. He looks up to examine the building’s high dome-shaped ceiling made of frosted glass. It reminds him of home, but the small, village-like area within is so much more enchanting and magical.

           “Come on,” Youngjae says. They shuffle through the crowd until Youngjae finds the place he’s looking for. “We’re going to take the monorail around the park so you can see everything. Then we’ll decide what to do next.”

           “Okay. Are you going to tell me what this place is now?” Daehyun’s still glancing around trying to understand the various sights. He’s sure they passed by a giant swinging boat and in the distance there was this strange rock formation, which looked oddly out of place like it should be on a mountainside somewhere instead of inside of a building.

           “This is Lotte World. It’s an amusement park. People come here to have fun. You can ride rides, go shopping, watch the parades and shows, or even go ice-skating.” Youngjae points to the middle of the room where there’s a large oval cutout. “That’s the skating rink. Have you ever been ice-skating before?” Daehyun shakes his head and Youngjae smiles. “Well, I’ll just have to teach you later. It’ll be fun.”

           Soon enough they’re being ushered into a rail car and Youngjae’s tugging Daehyun towards a window so he can look out at the park as the train passes through it. As usual, Daehyun takes everything in with rapt interest. He’s stunned when the train exits the building and enters the part of the park situated outside. Once they’ve rounded the park and the train makes one of it’s many designated stops, Youngjae decides that they should get off. “Since the clouds look heavy, we should enjoy the outside part of the park first. We can go inside later if the weather turns bad.”

           Daehyun glances up at the sky while agreeing with Youngjae’s suggestion. The outside half of the park is called the Magic Island because it’s situated in the middle of a large lake. They exit the monorail at the bridge leading to the castle that offers entrance to the outer portion of the park. Daehyun’s fascinated by the structure of the castle because it seems so foreign. He’s never seen such architecture, but he finds it appealing to the eye. There’s something fantastical and imaginary about it. As they pass through it and into the center of the park, Youngjae pulls out his map, asking Daehyun what he would like to do first. Of course, Daehyun has no clue because this is all new to him, but Youngjae still likes to ask in case Daehyun’s interested in a particular ride or attraction. Youngjae has visited the park before, so he’s up for doing anything that Daehyun wants because he’s already seen everything and ridden all of the rides.

           After some thought, Youngjae suggests they ride the bumper cars because that’s a safe one and everyone likes the bumper cars. Daehyun allows himself to be dragged along as Youngjae enthusiastically lines up for the ride. When it’s their turn, Daehyun chooses a white car, strapping himself in the way he sees everyone else doing. Youngjae is off to his right in a yellow car, grinning devilishly at him with both hands eagerly gripping the wheel. When the whistle blows and the music starts up, everything goes into motion and before Daehyun knows what’s happening, Youngjae slams into his side. Getting the gist of the game, Daehyun turns the wheel, pressing the pedal of the car and tries his hardest to get away from Youngjae before attempting to ram into him. They’re both laughing ridiculously hard and the ride ends before either of them have had their fill of amusement. Reluctantly, they leave the tiny cars to move on to the next attraction.

           Youngjae leads the way again, determinedly pulling Daehyun to the next ride, this time one that’s infinitely more daring. Before Daehyun knows it, he standing in line for something called a Gyro Drop. Youngjae says they’re in luck because the lines short and they get strapped into seats without having to wait. It isn’t until after they’re on the ride that Daehyun remembers what happens. They’re already traveling upwards when panic sets in. This is the ride that goes really high and then drops extremely fast and Daehyun wants no part of it.

           “I can’t do this. I can’t do this,” he starts chanting. His eyes are squeezed shut and he can hear Youngjae laughing at his despair. “This isn’t funny,” he nearly cries. “You tricked me. You know I don’t like heights.” He opens his eyes to glare at Youngjae as the other lets out a loud guffaw. He catches a glimpse of how high they already are off the ground and quickly shuts his eyes again. “Oh no, I’m going to be nauseous.”

           “C’mon, this is fun,” Youngjae laughs. “The whole point of amusement rides is to go on the scary ones so your adrenaline starts pumping. It’s so much more exciting this way.”

           “This is not exciting. This is terrifying.” Daehyun hears the ominous clicks as they slowly approach the top of the contraption. With each new click, his chest tightens with anticipation of what’s to come. He doesn’t feel safe up here at all. It’s cold and the wind is biting through his coat and he just wants to have his feet safely planted on the ground. Just as Daehyun’s mental panic reaches it’s limit, he feels something tug at one of his hands that’s currently gripping so tightly on to the safety bars that his fingers are going numb.

           “Squeeze as hard as you want,” Youngjae says, holding his hand as the ride makes one final click, stalling at the top for a few moments before plummeting to the ground.

           Daehyun screams, squeezing so hard Youngjae thinks he might have broken a few of his fingers. Daehyun has to be assisted off the ride when it finally reaches the ground. He barely peeks through his eyes, feeling queasy as he takes uncertain steps, still clutching onto Youngjae’s hand.

           “It’s okay,” Youngjae coos, trying to pry his fingers out of Daehyun’s tight grip. “That wasn’t so bad.”

           “Speak for yourself,” Daehyun groans, finally letting go as he steadies himself. “I feel like I’m going to vomit on you.”

           Youngjae takes a step back. “Please don’t.”

           Daehyun hunches over for a moment like he’s really going to do it. “Why not? I think it will be a fitting punishment for making me ride that thing.”

           “I didn’t make you,” Youngjae counters, keeping a distance.

           Daehyun holds his head, taking deep breaths to calm his nerves. “Can we please do something that’s not going to make me sick this time?”

           “Okay, okay.” Youngjae places his arm around Daehyun’s shoulders as he guides him to the next ride. They end up at a small pier where a line of people is waiting to board a small boat. Daehyun silently approves of this ride, feeling marginally less terrified of getting on it because he’s been on boats before; he can handle boats.

           “There are a lot of couples on this ride,” Daehyun says as they find a spot on the starboard side of the tiny vessel.

           Youngjae hums in agreement. “I think many people find riding on a boat romantic or something. I don’t really understand it.”

           Daehyun silently agrees, bracing himself on the rails to look over the side of the boat and down at the water. It’s too dark to see much of anything within. He’s startled when someone bumps into him, pushing him precariously forward but Youngjae’s arms wrap around him in an instant. “Careful,” he says, voice speaking directly into Daehyun’s ear as he rights him. He doesn’t let go; instead he shuffles behind Daehyun, keeping his arms linked around his waist while resting his chin on the other’s shoulder. “Just to be safe,” he replies when Daehyun gives him this questioning look.

           Daehyun doesn’t argue as Youngjae presses into his back because he likes the contact, likes the feeling of having Youngjae this close to him. The rest of the boat ride is enjoyable and Daehyun thinks he might be able to understand why couples like going on this ride. Afterwards, they visit a few other attractions, one’s that aren’t too dangerous or nauseating. As they’re making their way around the outside park, Daehyun spots something curious near the edge of the island. There are people riding in these tiny boats that look like swans. He points it out to Youngjae. “What’s that?”

           Youngjae blanches for a moment, debating on whether or not he should explain this particular ride to Daehyun. “It’s another boat ride thing,” he says. “This is one where couples can ride together.”

           Daehyun looks expectantly over at Youngjae. “Can we ride one?”

           A part of Youngjae really wants to ride with Daehyun, but another part of him is embarrassed to because it’s mostly male and female couples that use this ride and it would look strange for two males to be on it. In the end, Youngjae can’t deny Daehyun, especially when he seems so excited with his beautiful eyes shining as he gazes out at the boats on the water. “Fine,” Youngjae says, pulling Daehyun to the line of couples waiting for the ride. He feels a little better when he sees a few adults with children in front of them.

           “How do they work? They aren’t using any paddles and the boats don’t have motors.” Daehyun peers around the people in front of them trying to get a better look at one of the docked swan boats.

           “They have pedals,” Youngjae explains. “They work kind of like ferry boats, only the person pedals the paddle wheel to get the boat to move.”

           “Interesting,” Daehyun says with a sense of awe in his voice. He’s almost bouncing with enthusiasm to get on one of the boats and Youngjae can’t help smiling at him.

           When they’re situated one of the swans and making their way out into the open water, Daehyun slips his fingers between Youngjae’s. “This is nice. It’s very tranquil out here.” They spend some time just floating and enjoying the view of the park with other couples milling around them. “It’s getting colder,” he says, cupping Youngjae’s chilled fingers between his own, rubbing them to circulate the heat from his hands to Youngjae’s. “We should probably go inside soon. I don’t want you getting sick.”

           Youngjae feels marginally warmer because of Daehyun’s care but he’s not going to admit to that so after they get off the ride, they head back towards the castle entrance to cross the bridge to get to the inside half of the park. It’s much warmer in doors and Daehyun’s automatically pulling at his scarf to loosen it. They decide to watch one of the shows taking place, to let themselves warm up a bit while resting. The show happens to be a magic act and Daehyun’s immediately enraptured by it, clapping when the other children do and making the appropriate ooh’s and ahh’s.

           After the show, they decide to get something to eat before going on a dinosaur adventure ride. Daehyun identifies every dinosaur, eagerly patting Youngjae’s arm each time he points one out. Then they go on another jungle adventure ride. Daehyun says the real animals are much more interesting though. After these two attractions, Youngjae tries to get Daehyun to be a little more daring by going on a balloon ride. He’d noticed how fascinated Daehyun was by the balloons circulating around the ceiling and wanted him to see what it was like for himself.

           “The balloons aren’t really that high up and they don’t move fast. It’s safe and I promise you’ll have fun,” Youngjae says coaxingly. “Please ride it with me.”

           Daehyun averts his gaze because he can’t handle Youngjae’s pout and he really doesn’t want to ride anything that takes him into the air.

           “Please,” Youngjae practically whines. “I know you’ll like it.”

           Daehyun’s resolve crumbles when Youngjae starts sounding like a lonely puppy wanting attention. “Fine. I’ll do it. But if I don’t like it, you have to make up for it.”

           “Okay,” Youngjae promises, as they join the queue for the ride. The wait is a little longer this time because more people are coming inside to get away from the afternoon chill.

           Together they step into the basket and Daehyun braces himself in a corner as the balloon rises. Soon enough they’re at the top and they’re slowly making their way around the domed room. Daehyun refuses to look down and practically screams when Youngjae leans over one side of the basket. Stepping into the middle of the basket, Daehyun clutches onto Youngjae, wrapping him in a secure hug and telling him not to do stupid things. Youngjae laughs surprisingly close to Daehyun’s ear as he hugs him close causing Daehyun to blush. They stay like that for the rest of the ride, with Daehyun pressing into Youngjae’s chest while Youngjae holds him close, fighting the sudden urge he has to kiss Daehyun because he really wants to right now.

           As the balloon descends, they separate, but not long after they’re on the ground, Daehyun’s taking hold of Youngjae’s hand again.

           “The ride was fun, wasn’t it?” Youngjae asks.

           Daehyun doesn’t comment as they move through the crowd. “Let’s go on this one,” he says, pointing to the rotating carousel.

           “But that’s a kid ride.”

           “I don’t care. I’ve never been on one before. Let’s go.” He forces Youngjae to follow and soon enough, they’re situated on a pair of white horses, side by side. Daehyun clutches the pole before him as the ride starts and the horses begin pretend galloping. Halfway through the ride, he bursts into an uncontrollable bout of laughter because Youngjae looks extremely uncomfortable on his prancing horse and his face is an unbelievably amusing sight.

           “What’s so funny?” Youngjae asks, frown creasing his eyebrows and lips.

           “You’re face,” Daehyun replies, still shaking with the giggles.

           When the ride ends, Daehyun’s still bubbling with laughter and while he’s distracted Youngjae leads him to the other side of the park. It’s when they finally stop that Daehyun looks up to realize that they’re waiting in line for that boat ride he saw earlier and no, he absolutely refuses to get on this thing. He tries to turn around, but Youngjae pulls him into a back hug to keep him in his spot. “I road the carousel for you, now you get to ride the swinging boat with me,” he says.

           “No,” Daehyun practically shrieks, flailing as he tries to pry Youngjae’s arms off of him. The guy’s surprising strong when he wants to be and Daehyun will admit that he’s not trying as hard as he could to get away because he doesn’t want to hurt Youngjae. “Please don’t make me get on this thing,” he whines, voice thick with fear.

           “It’s not as bad as it looks,” Youngjae says, turning them so that Daehyun can watch as the ride swings back and forth like a pendulum, getting higher and higher.

           It’s a terrible idea to make him watch it because Daehyun’s panic escalates and this time when he tries to pry the other’s arms off of him, he uses more force and he comes out successful. Before Youngjae can grab onto him again, Daehyun disappears through the line of people behind them, rushing to a safe area far away from the ship.

           When Youngjae finds him, Daehyun’s sitting on a bench near an ice cream shack trying to catch his breath. “Why’d you run away?”

           “Because you keep trying to force me to go on those scary rides. I don’t like them. I don’t like how they make me feel.” Daehyun leans forward resting his head in his hands as he tries to calm his rapidly beating heart. “I don’t like being scared.”

           Youngjae perches on the bench beside him, resting a warm hand on Daehyun’s back while rubbing it in small soothing circles. “I’m sorry. I won’t make you go on them anymore. I just wanted you to fully experience what an amusement park is like. Part of the fun is facing your fears and getting scared in the process.”

           “I just don’t understand why anyone would want to scare themselves on purpose.” Daehyun brushes back his hair before flattening it down and looking up at Youngjae.

           “Sometimes it’s best not to try to understand.” Youngjae smiles, combing his fingers through Daehyun’s hair to fix a few disarrayed locks. “Sometimes things aren’t meant to be understood.”

           “People are strange,” Daehyun concludes, unconsciously leaning into Youngjae’s touch.

           “I agree.” Youngjae smoothes down the hair on the side of Daehyun’s head. “Okay,” he says, standing abruptly. “Let’s go do something fun.”

           Linking hands, they make their way to a small photo booth. It’s currently in use so they have to wait outside and while they wait, Daehyun examines the hundreds of tiny pictures stuck to the outer wall of the booth. He starts pointing out the pictures of people making silly faces and Youngjae’s relieved to see him enjoying himself again. When they finally make it inside the booth, Youngjae explains that they will take a few pictures and then they can decorate them. First they have to choose a background before they pay for the pictures.

           Daehyun stares at the screen in rapt interest as their faces appear in the window before them. Youngjae flips through various backgrounds finally deciding on one that is framed with white fluffy edges and has these strange white geometrical designs that Daehyun’s never seen before. Before he presses the button for the pictures, he explains to Daehyun that they have four pictures to take, which means they can do four different poses. Daehyun doesn’t really understand so he just follows along with Youngjae.

           When Youngjae presses the button, the countdown starts and they make the first pose, which involves holding two fingers up to their faces. In the second pose, Youngjae puffs his cheeks out in an attempt to be cute and Daehyun’s just staring at him in mild amusement. The next pose isn’t really a pose at all because they just end up staring at one another and in the final picture, Youngjae drapes his arm around Daehyun’s shoulder telling him to smile at the screen, only you can’t see his smile because it’s hidden behind his mask, but you can still tells he’s happy because his eyes are curved and shining. Youngjae’s smile is wide and on clear display.

           They’re given time to decorate the pictures and in the first pose Youngjae draws on cute ears and whiskers for both of them. Daehyun’s laughs and says it’s cute. Youngjae doesn’t really know what to do with the second picture, so he skips it and moves to the third one where he draws a little heart in one corner and writes something across the top of the picture. He refuses to let Daehyun see it though, so he pushes him away while he scribbles the words, quickly moving to the last picture. For this one, he draws a big heart around them and decides it doesn’t need anything else because it’s already perfect.

           They wait for the pictures to print and when they’re finally out, Youngjae stuffs them into his coat pocket, refusing to let Daehyun see them just yet because he’s too embarrassed by what he wrote on that third picture. Instead, he suggests they go skating to divert Daehyun’s attention to something else.

           After making their way down to the skating rink, Youngjae assists Daehyun with his skates. It’s been a while since Youngjae’s been skating and he’s not the best at it but he’s sure he can help Daehyun. Worse case scenario, they can hold onto to each other in an attempt to stay upright on the ice.

           At first, they use the outer wall of the rink to steady themselves as they step onto the ice. Youngjae finds his center of balance, letting go of the wall while keeping a hold on Daehyun’s hand. Bravely, Daehyun lets go of the wall, allowing Youngjae to pull him away from the edge and further onto the ice. There aren’t too many people using the rink at the moment so they don’t have to worry about bumping into anyone or getting knocked down.

           “Try to keep your ankles straight and your balance centered. We’re just going to glide for now.” Daehyun nods, accepting Youngjae instructions, holding on tightly as Youngjae pushes forward to get them moving. Their movements are awkward at first as Daehyun struggles to balance on the thin lines of his skates and Youngjae reacquaints himself with the ice. Daehyun stumbles often, sometimes holding on with two hands as Youngjae confidently speeds up their movement around the rink. “What do you think? Are you having fun?”

           Daehyun wobbles for a moment as Youngjae slows down causing them to bump into each other. Youngjae steadies them as Daehyun clutches on refusing to fall. “I’ve never seen so much ice before. It’s really pretty.” They glide forward a bit and Daehyun’s knees knock together before he straightens up. “We have skates on the island, but none with blades on them. They looked dangerous at first, but this is fun.”

           “Do you think you can skate by yourself now?” Youngjae loosens his hold on the other, skating just out of reach beckoning Daehyun to follow. Daehyun pushes forward, doing a wild windmill motion with his arms before steadying himself and repeating the action. Youngjae laughs, urging him forward always staying just out of reach but not too far away in case he needs to catch Daehyun. He doesn’t want him to fall because honestly hitting the ice hurts and he doesn’t understand how the professionals who skate around in thin clothes can hit the ice and get back up to do it all over again like it’s no big deal.

           By the end of their session, Daehyun only falls twice and succeeds in making it around the rink by himself a couple of times. Youngjae congratulates him with a proud hug as they step off the ice. They’ve both worked up a slight sweat and Youngjae’s thirsty so they both grab drinks, choosing to find a bench to relax on while they cool down. Not long into their break, a parade starts and they watch as the procession marches by with a band and performers, followed by small floats. Again, Daehyun watches the event with a children’s sort of wonder in his eyes and Youngjae watches him watching because there’s something so beautiful about Daehyun’s innocence.

           They visit a few more of the parks attractions before Youngjae suggests leaving. “There’s somewhere else I want to take you today, something I want to show you.”

           Daehyun’s had his fill of the park so he’s not reluctant to leave, but there’s an edge of intent to Youngjae’s voice when he said he wanted to show something to Daehyun that makes him curious about their next destination. They don’t talk much in the car, but the radio fills the silence and Daehyun’s content with just listening to the melodic voices on the radio. As they make their way through the city, the sky begins to darken as the sunsets. The clouds are as thick as ever, still covering the sky as if waiting for the right moment to erupt. The chill in the air suggests snow and Youngjae’s praying that it doesn’t happen until after they reach their destination.

           After a while of driving, Youngjae parks at one of the cities public parking areas and says, “We’ll walk from here.”

           They travel down a few blocks before Daehyun asks, “Where are we going?” Youngjae points to a tall building not much further ahead. “Why there?”

           “You’ll see.” Youngjae points to their right suggesting they should turn. Before long, they’re in front of the tower and Daehyun cranes his neck back to look up at it.

           “What is this place?”

           “Namsan Tower. A lot of tourists and couples come here. It’s very popular but I’ve never had a reason to visit it before,” Youngjae explains as they walk through the entrance.

           “Why would couples come here?” Daehyun doesn’t see the appeal. The building looks nice enough, but why would it be popular with anyone. There’s a sign near the entrance that boasts about extravagant cuisine coupled with a beautiful night view. There’s a second sign denoting various shops and other attractions that might be of interest to visitors.  

           “You’ll see,” Youngjae says again, leading them to the elevator. As they step inside, Youngjae presses the top button.

           “Are we going all the up?” Daehyun asks, bracing himself on the handrail at the back of the elevator. “We’re not really going to the top, right?”

           Youngjae doesn’t say anything as the elevator ascends and Daehyun silently starts having a mental breakdown. All day he’s told and shown Youngjae that he doesn’t like heights and now they’re traveling to the top of a very tall building. He wonders if Youngjae’s more of an idiot that Daehyun originally thought or if he just likes seeing Daehyun squirm. Much too soon for Daehyun’s liking, the elevator dings and the doors open revealing a circular observation room, surrounded by an entire wall of windows looking out onto the city. The late evening view is breathtaking as the lights of the city illuminate the skyline. As long as Daehyun doesn’t get too close to the windows, he doesn’t feel like he’s going to suddenly plummet to the ground like he did on that ride earlier. Taking a step back, he tries to forget the feeling of having his stomach suddenly trying to escape body by wedging its way up his throat.

           “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Youngjae places his hand against the small of Daehyun’s back as they gaze at the view.

           “It’s breathtaking. Is this what you wanted to show me?”

           Youngjae shakes his head. “There’s something else I want to show you, something you’ll like more.”

           They stroll through the observation room until they reach an area with a gift shop. Youngjae instructs Daehyun to wait in the lobby instead of following him into the store because he just needs to pick up something. When Youngjae returns, he’s extra smiley as he takes Daehyun’s hand and leads him towards a door. Daehyun freezes, body turning rigid as he realizes that the door leads to an outside terrace that overlooks the city.

           “No. I can’t,” he says, struggling to release his hand from Youngjae. 

           “Please,” Youngjae says sincerely. “I promise you won’t regret it. Trust me.” He brings their connected hands up to his mouth, barely brushing his lips against Daehyun’s curled fingers affectionately. “You trust me don’t you?”

           Daehyun gulps, staring at his fingers as Youngjae’s warm breath ghosts across them. “I trust you,” he replies breathily.

           Youngjae gives him a moment to prepare himself before making their way through the door and onto the terrace. The air at this height is intensely cold as the wind whips around them. Daehyun huddles close to Youngjae, keeping himself between the other and the buildings wall. As long as he’s not next to the outer railing, he feels a little more secure about being out in the open like this.

           At first Daehyun’s too focused on keeping his breathing regular that he doesn’t notice all of the locks lining the fence along the terrace’s railing. He sees all of the little writing and notes, wondering what each says but he’s too afraid to get close. “What are all of these?” he asks, following behind Youngjae as they go around the building.

           “This is what I wanted to show you,” Youngjae says once he decides to stop. “They’re called ‘Locks of Love’ because couples come here to put these locks on the fence as a symbol of their undying love for one another. They write their names or little notes on the locks and put them here to signify that they want to be together forever.”

           Daehyun eyes the thousands of locks along the curve of the fence and imagines all of the couples that have come here to express their love for one another. He smiles thinking of the sweet gesture as he witnesses a couple place their locks on the fence, even kissing afterwards. The atmosphere changes as Daehyun realizes the significance behind the locks. When he looks back at Youngjae, he’s met with a nervous smile.

           “Daehyun,” Youngjae says, voice shaking with nerves. “I know we’ve only just met and we’re still getting to know each other, but I feel like you’re the one for me. The more I think about it, the more evident it becomes that I like you, that I may even be in love with you. I don’t want to rush things, but all last night and today, I’ve been wondering why I should wait if it’s inevitable that we’ll be together. I don’t want to wait until it’s too late and I’m regretting not being honest with you, so I’m telling you now that I want to be with you.” Youngjae stops his speech to dig into his pocket, pulling out two silver locks and showing them to Daehyun. “I want to be with you,” he repeats. “I want what you want and if that means forever, then I want it too because nothing in my life ever felt right until I met you.”

           Daehyun presses himself against the wall of the building, staring at the two locks in Youngjae’s extended hand while forgetting how to breathe as his mind goes completely blank. After last night, he didn’t think he would ever be that happy again, but the confession Youngjae just made trumps every happy moment he’s ever experienced all rolled into one. He suddenly feels like laughing and crying at the same time, but his body’s in such a state of shock that he can’t do either, so he just stands there staring blankly at the locks in Youngjae’s hand.

           “Daehyun?” Youngjae sounds anxious. He steps forward, cupping Daehyun’s cheek and tipping his face up so that their eyes meet. “Are you okay?”

           Something in Daehyun snaps and before Youngjae realizes what’s happening he’s being crushed in a tight hug as Daehyun buries his face in the other’s neck. “Happy doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel right now.”

           Youngjae laughs in relief, wrapping his arms around Daehyun to hold him close. “So I take it you don’t regret coming out here with me?”

           “Absolutely not.” Daehyun leans back, hand sliding up to caress Youngjae’s cheek. “I really want to kiss you right now, but…” he trails off and Youngjae doesn’t need to be told to know Daehyun’s thinking about his mask.

           Without saying anything, Youngjae leans in, kissing Daehyun through his mask for the second time. This one lasts longer and the pressures harder, but it’s not satisfying enough for what either of them want at the moment. When Youngjae pulls away, Daehyun feels more suffocated than ever by his mask and as much as he wants to take it off, he doesn’t think this place or moment is right for it. They’ll do it later he thinks, when it’s just the two of them.

           “Here.” Youngjae hands him a lock, then pulls a fine tipped marker out of his pocket. “We can write something on them and then choose a spot to lock them together.”

           Daehyun thinks for a moment before writing their names and drawing a heart around them. It’s simple, but he can’t think of the proper words to express how he feels. While Daehyun’s writing, Youngjae fiddles with something in his pocket before pulling out their sticker pictures from earlier. He chooses a tiny one to stick to his lock before shoving the rest back in his pocket. Taking the marker from Daehyun, he writes “forever” on the empty side of his lock.

           “What did you put on the back of it?” Daehyun asks, attempting to pry the lock from the other’s hand.

           “Choose a spot first and then I’ll show you,” Youngjae says, feeling a wave of embarrassment rush over him. First that overly romantic confession and now the locks, he doesn’t know what’s come over him today.

           “What about here?” Daehyun points to an empty link on the fence.

           “That’s perfect. Unlock yours and put it on first.”

           Daehyun completely forgets about his fear of heights as he places the lock on the fence. Youngjae bends down beside him, hooking his lock with Daehyun’s before showing him the sticker on the back. It’s the third photo, the one where they’re staring into each other’s eyes and scrolled across the top in Youngjae’s messy handwriting are the words “love at first sight.” Daehyun chuckles, thinking the message is fitting while Youngjae steps back trying to bury his face in his scarf as he attempts to understand why he did something so embarrassing.

           “It’s perfect,” Daehyun says, looking up at Youngjae with glassy eyes as he pulls the other’s hands away from his face along with his scarf. “Thank you for this.”

           Youngjae ducks his head shyly. “Let me see your hand.” He exchanges their tiny lock keys. “You can have mine and I’ll have yours.”

           Daehyun grasps Youngjae’s key in his hand, holding it close to his chest. “I’ll treasure it,” he says, causing Youngjae to grin widely.

           They stare at one another in silence, reveling in the moment before a flutter of something white and fluffy catches their attention. Flakes of snow are swirling all around them and Youngjae thinks this moment just became even more ridiculously magical and cheesy, but he wouldn’t want it any other way. Holding his hand out, Daehyun attempts to catch a snowflake only to have it melt in his palm by the time he tries to examine it more closely.

           “What is this?”

           “Snow,” Youngjae explains. “They’re tiny ice crystals that form in the clouds when it’s extremely cold.” He pulls out their pictures again, pointing to the geometric designs around their edges. “This is what they look like up close. Each snowflake is unique in its design; no two are the same.”

           Daehyun looks up, watching as the delicate white flakes fall from the blackened sky. They stay on the terrace until their noses are red and numb with cold. They don’t want to leave but Youngjae knows they should head back to the hotel before the weather worsens and they get stuck somewhere.

           The ride home is filled with shy glances and bashful smiles. The air feels thick and warm, but not uncomfortably so. Youngjae turns the radio on low, so it serves as background noise and halfway through the drive he reaches over to take Daehyun’s hand with the guise that the touch will keep him focused because the long drive is making him sleepy.

           Daehyun doesn’t say much during the ride, but occasionally he squeezes Youngjae’s hand as if to reassure himself that the touch is real, that this moment is actually happening. His mind keeps wandering to when they get back to the hotel and what he’s planning on doing. He has to mentally prepare himself because he’s ready to show Youngjae, to take that next step in their relationship. Youngjae’s done his part by confessing, not only once but twice now, and Daehyun doesn’t see the point in prolonging the inevitable.

           By the time they make it back to the hotel, the snow is already sticking to the ground, gradually covering everything in a blanket of white. When they get up to the room, Youngjae tries to sound casual as he suggests ordering dinner. Originally he had planned on eating out, but with the way the weather turned and how his confession worked out, he didn’t think staying out late was a particularly good idea.

           Daehyun agrees telling him to order whatever before disappearing into the bathroom. After closing and locking the door, he takes off his mask, bracing himself on the counter and breathing deeply to calm his nerves. He mentally gives himself a pep talk, telling himself that he can do this, that it’s nothing to get so worked up over, that he wants to do this. He splashes cool water on his face then pats himself dry while looking at his reflection in the mirror. “I can do this,” he says in hushed tones, grabbing his toothbrush and squeezing a generous amount of toothpaste on the bristles before shoving it into his mouth and scrubbing vigorously. “People do this all the time,” he says through a mouthful of foam. “He’s the one. He wants to be with me and I want to be with him and this is the next step.” He spits before turning from the sink to begin pacing back and forth across the lavish bathroom as he continues to brush. “I can do this. It makes everything final. I just have to go out there and tell him and he’ll take it off and then we’ll kiss and it’ll be over. I can do this.” He stops, spitting a second time and washing his mouth out before catching his reflection in the mirror, eyes wide and glassy, lips parted with toothpaste in one corner, cheeks pink, and hair tousled from the wind. “I can’t do this,” he whines, crumbling to the floor as his resolve dies. “This is terrifying. This is worse than confessing. This should be easier. I already have him and now all I have to do is make it official.” He buries his face in his hands, sighing heavily. “How do people do this? I’m not even doing the full ceremony and there won’t even be witnesses. Everyone else made it look so easy and how do they even cope with…”

           Three knocks on the door interrupt Daehyun’s quiet monologue. “Hey Daehyun, are you okay in there?”

           “Yeah,” he swallows hard, quickly standing from the floor and grabbing his mask. “I’m fine. I’ll be out in a minute.”

           “Okay,” Youngjae calls. “I was just checking.”

           Daehyun lets out a relaxing breath wiping his mouth clean. “I can do this,” he murmurs, staring at his reflection in the mirror as he puts the mask on, hopefully for the last time.

(A/N: I thought about stopping it here and making this a cliffhanger but then I thought that would be too cruel because we’ve all waited long enough for this to happen.)

            Bracing himself, Daehyun steps out of the bathroom and into the hotel suite. Youngjae’s sitting on the side of his bed, facing the other unused bed, while flipping through what looks to be the hotels guidebook to local restaurants and attractions and other such affiliates connected to the hotel. Daehyun tries to act natural as he walks between the beds and sits across from Youngjae, nervously clutching his hands together in his lap. He doesn’t say anything, too afraid that he’ll mess this moment up. He watches as Youngjae closes the book and sets it on the nightstand between the beds, before looking over at Daehyun and smiling as he takes in the appearance of the person he just gave a heartfelt confession to. Blushing Youngjae gazes down at his lap, fiddling with his fingers before peeking up at Daehyun. They both smile and avert their eyes acting like nervous children who like each other but don’t know what to do.

            A few beats of silence pass and Daehyun slowly feels his heart rise into his throat. He feels like he’s on the Gyro Drop again. He swallows his heart down and clears his throat, catching Youngjae’s undivided attention. “Um…I’m ready,” he finally says after staring at the other for a few tense seconds.

            “What?” Youngjae stares in confusion because he’s not really sure what Daehyun means.

            “I’m ready,” Daehyun repeats, “to make us official.”

            “Okay,” Youngjae says hesitantly. “And how do we do that?”

            Daehyun slowly stands, taking Youngjae’s hand in his while guiding him to his feet. Placing both hands on Youngjae’s cheeks, Daehyun inhales, gathering up his courage to say the lines he memorized so long ago. “I choose you, Youngjae, as my partner and other half. With you, I am complete.” He slides his fingers lightly across the other’s face. If Youngjae were wearing a mask, Daehyun would have just removed it and somehow Youngjae understands this. Staring bravely into the other’s eyes, Daehyun says, “It’s your turn.”

            Youngjae blinks, tentatively raising his hands to cup Daehyun’s cheeks. “I choose you, Daehyun…as my partner…and other half.” He stumbles through the words, suddenly feeling hot all over as he tries to brace himself for the next part. This feels oddly like a wedding ceremony and this is them both saying their vows before the big kiss. “With you,” he pauses, fingers curling around the elastic bands holding the mask to Daehyun’s face. “I am complete,” he finishes, fingers shaking as he pulls the elastic from around the other’s ears, gradually taking the mask away and revealing Daehyun’s face.

            They both hold their breath as Youngjae gazes at Daehyun for the first time. His eyes scan the entirety of Daehyun’s face, taking in his flushed, slightly chubby cheeks, his adorably rounded nose, and his perfectly pouty pink lips. All in all, Youngjae thinks Daehyun’s ridiculously handsome. He’s stunned by how perfect Daehyun looks, even better than he imagined. He’s breathtakingly beautiful and all Youngjae can do is stare because he doesn’t know what to say, doesn’t know how to formulate words because what words could possibly describe how he feels seeing Daehyun for the first time.

            “Youngjae?” Daehyun’s voice shakes with dread as he watches the other with worried eyes.

           Youngjae meets his gaze, startled back to reality by the sound of Daehyun’s voice. “Yeah?”

           “Um…now we’re supposed to…” he trails off unable to say the word, but Youngjae knows what he means.

           With a smile, Youngjae inches forward, lightly placing his fingers on Daehyun’s bare cheek for the first time. Leaning in he watches as Daehyun’s eyes flicker closed as he clutches at the front of Youngjae’s shirt. A second later, Youngjae’s eyes flutter closed as well and before he’s mentally prepared, not that he’s sure he will ever be prepared, his lips touch Daehyun’s and the strangest sensation passes through him like something’s suddenly locked into place. A prickling runs down his spine and spreads to the ends of his fingers and toes and Youngjae wonders if this is what everyone talks about with the whole seeing fireworks thing, only he’s not seeing them, he’s feeling them. His heart clenches as Daehyun’s lips move against his, breath ghosting against his mouth and he wonders if Daehyun feels this too. Youngjae presses forward, fingers sliding to curl around Daehyun’s neck and he can feel Daehyun’s lips curl into a smile against his own, which causes Youngjae to smile as well.

           The kiss isn’t heated or filled with longing or some strong carnal desire. It’s a simple pressing of their lips, as their individual body temperatures mesh together while their pulses slowly match each other’s pacing like their becoming one. Eventually, Youngjae pulls away and for a second Daehyun follows the motion before letting go. They breathe together, in and out, before opening their eyes simultaneously. Daehyun grins, lips curling and eyes curving as he revels in the sensations that just passed through him.

           “Wow,” Youngjae breathes. “That was…” he fumbles with which adjective to use: amazing, wonderful, incredible, perfect.

           “I know.” Daehyun laughs, grin splitting across his face astonishing Youngjae beyond comprehension. “I felt it too.” Biting his lip, he tugs at the front of Youngjae’s shirt, staring at him playfully through bright eyes.

           “What is it?” Youngjae whispers, smoothing down the soft hairs along the nape of Daehyun’s neck.

           He ducks his head bashfully. “I don’t know. I’m just really happy right now.”

           Youngjae touches his forehead to Daehyun’s, sighing gratefully. “Me too. I’m really happy too.”

           Before Youngjae has a chance to say or do anything else, there’s a knock on the door signifying that room service just arrived and as much as Youngjae would like to ignore it, he knows he needs to answer the door. Daehyun releases his shirt, pushing Youngjae back giving him smile and a promise of later.

A/N: Sooooooo...early update...big reveal...what do you think? I hope I did this justice because...ugh...feeeeeeels!

Yep...well...that happened and DaeJae's official!!! Finally!

I don't even know what to say...I'm just really excited I got this out so fast.

Okay...I'm done...thanks for reading and subscribing and commenting. I enjoy the comments a lot.

<3 Jae

PS: Thanks for all of the birthday wishes ^-^ My brothers birthday was actually yesterday. We were born three days apart, but he's two years older. When we were little, I always had to share his birthday. Well...that was random >.<