Double update so read the chapter before this if you haven't.

            “Come on.” Hyukjae nudges the still body on the bed with his foot. “One more day of school before we’re free. We can do this.”

            A guttural groan winds its way from inside the sheets. Donghae’s bleary eyes peek out and squint at Hyukjae. “No. Let me sleep.”

            And promptly screams when Hyukjae ignores him and drags him out by grabbing his legs. He flops onto the floor like a dead fish and then props himself up with his elbows, glaring up at his boyfriend (and best friend. But, like, that’s so old news).

            “You’re welcome, honey,” Hyukjae says sweetly with poison laced in his voice.

            “Ugh.” Donghae throws his pillow at him before standing up like an old man, clutching at his back. He can practically hear his bones creaking, for goodness sakes.

            “Vacation tomorrow,” Hyukjae practically sings. His mood is pretty much the opposite of the owner of this room.

            “Yes yes.” Donghae staggers over to his bathroom, but not before winding his arms around the other’s neck and trying to smile (his facial muscles can’t really work in the morning. Really). “Can you pick out my clothes for today, Hyukkie?”

            “Uhn.”

            Donghae understands that as a yes and presses his lips to Hyukjae’s cheek before continuing on his perilous journey to his bathroom door.

            They’ve walked together to school for years now, except recently what’s different is that their hands find each other’s and wind together. It’s a motion as natural as breathing to them now (the first few times were filled with so much awkwardness, though, that it can probably make an elephant suffocate).

            The sunlight looks beautiful on Hyukjae’s cheekbones (not that Donghae will actually say it out loud because dying from cheesy embarrassment is not a good way to die). He gives a little content sigh, and feels Hyukjae’s hand squeezing his for a moment, as if echoing his own emotions.

            He indulges himself a few seconds of staring at his best friend-who-is-also-his-boyfriend, and Hyukjae’s lips are quirking up at the corners of his mouth because he knows that Donghae is staring. His own lips twitch a little, too.

            He looks forward to loving this man in the times to come.

            “I succeeded, you know,” Donghae says.

            “What?”

            “In my original plan.”

            “Your – Ohh. That thing.” Then Hyukjae turns his head to him, teasing smile on his face. “Where is my two months’ supply of strawberry milk?”

            Donghae gives him a puppy dog pout. “I’m not enough?”

            Hyukjae shakes his head and holds out his unoccupied hand. “Milk.”

            “Fine. FINE. And I was saving up money to buy a gerbil too!”

            “What for?”

            “To own! Duh.”

            “You’ll forget to feed it in a week and then it’ll starve to death.”

            “I won’t forget this time.”

            They are almost upon the school by now. Changmin is sitting on the steps eating ferociously and they both feel déjà vu.

            “I’m not letting Jinki steal my chicken today!” He tells them throw a mouthful of undigested food. Donghae raises an eyebrow at a suspicious shadow whose outline is shaped like Lee Jinki behind a tree. (Jinki is still sulking a little over the fact that he couldn't announce the winner during the school festival because of the shouting chicken incident. Minho instead announced the winner, who was predictably Henry. He got mauled by a hug from Amber right afterwards.)

            “Good luck with that,” Hyukjae tells him, skepticism in his voice. Changmin beams at them and holds up a chicken drumstick in acknowledgment. A second later, there is nothing in his hand. He screeches at the running Jinki and proceeds to chase after him.

            Donghae and Hyukjae lean against each other, still laughing despite the amount of times they’ve seen this happen.

            Nothing has really changed. Not really.

I'm FINALLY finished. Finally. I'm really glad. Thank you to all my readers, subscribers, friends, commenters, etc :DDD (I feel like I'm saying an awards acceptance speech or something). I hope you have enjoyed the duo of idiots as much as I have.