It was a brand new day and though the skies were pretty grey, there was a smile on the black-haired boy’s face, bright and enticing. The tall, young man looked fine in his white button-up shirt paired with his favorite black skinnies, and his hair swept beautifully across his deep, blue eyes. It was barely nine in the morning, still, Changjo had managed to cuddle and gently wrestle his way to his boyfriend, waking the latter up in an adorable manner.

“Ahaa… Changjo-ya…mpphh wait. Haha no! I’m ticklish!” Changhyun burst out into giggles as he struggled to free himself from the much bigger latter, who was too strong for him. And while the smaller tried to escape, embarrassed by his pre-morning condition, Changjo had even planted the boy with a passionate kiss, which had earned them both a satisfying, sweet moan. “Mmm… Chang…jo…. WAIT!”

“Honestly, let me shower first okay!” even if the latter had tried to grumble and shout, he was grinning brightly at the sweet harasses. “Okay. Shower quickly; we’re going on a date” the taller remarked as his hands smacked Changhyun in the as he giggled at the reaction the smaller was giving the moment after. “Okay, okay! Jeez you impatient ”

“A moment.” he wanted to shower but like gravity, he couldn’t help but to have himself just one more kiss from the taller. This time more passionately, more desperately and most importantly, much more lovingly. And when their lips peeled off each other, they had smile so blissfully that the rainy day seemed bright. “I love you Changjo”

However when he spoke, that slight grin the taller did made Changhyun’s guts tremble. Changjo didn’t reply, no, instead the boy had looked down to the floor and smiled alone. But that face looked hopeless, it looked exactly like the smile he used to fake before they met. “Changjo?”

“Yeah. I love you too Yoo Changhyun. I really, really do. Now shower or I’ll do it for you”

The taller gently pushed his boyfriend inside the roomy bathroom and closed the door behind him, with that hopeless smile still on his face, and while tears brim his eyelashes painfully.

“Because I love you… because I love you… “

He whispered low, into the finally warmer breeze. Into the lovely, romantic spring air.

♦

They walked slowly, relishing the way the air was subtly chilly on their skin and how the green leaves accompanied their path. As their hands entwined, sweaty and snug inside the pocket of Changjo’s navy trench coat, hidden from the eyes of passerby. Still it was great for Changhyun, to finally have such moments again, he missed his boyfriend really bad and that day, it was as if the latter was extra charming.

“Ahh… otoke, I’m getting worried of my heart now”

“Uhm? Why?! Are you sick?” the taller retorted as he let go of the latter’s hands and pulled him closer, fingers on top of Changhyun’s forehead.

“haha, relax… it’s just I think my heart is overflowing”

“With what?” concerns were still bright on his face as Changjo took the smaller’s hand again. “With you” the smaller smiled as his cheeks turned bright pink.

“Wow, did I infect you with these corny lines again? Haha you had me worried for a moment okay Ricky.” Changhyun laughed as he looked at his tall boyfriend, somehow relieved that somehow, that moment felt normal again. “Uhh! Yah, it’s raining”

They scampered around, still within each other’s arms as they ran to a shade that was beside a small jewelry stall. With the taller’s arm resting on top of his shoulder, the latter looked around and inside the stylish, mini store. Then, instinctively he pulled the taller inside, with a big grin on his cheerful face.

“Excuse me, can I take a look at that?” the boy spoke as his fingers tapped the glass container, pointing to a specific piece of charm. “Yes, sure.” The middle aged lady pulled out the box calmly, with a smirk on her face. “This is a great choice, this is our latest and one and only design”

“Wings of Phoenix”

Changjo tugged on his lover’s sleeve, eyes dilated as he saw the hearty price tag. “Yah..” In the end, the boy pulled Changhyun back, struggling to knock some sense into the boy’s mind. But with just one look and eye contact, the smaller turned back “I’ll take this please. And no need to wrap, this man here is going to wear this earing right now”

“What the hell…” the latter curse, though his eyes lit up at the sight of the intricate detail of the golden winged shaped earring. And as he felt the smaller’s cold hands against the skin of his earlobes, the boy slightly hitches at the freezing sensation of the metal. “Now we’re perfect, one wing for me and another for you”

“And the only way we can fly is when we’re together, so stay by my side forever okay”

Changhyun spoke as he struggled to attach the golden stud when he saw a specific, white-tainted ink on the back of Changjo’s neck. It didn’t look like a tattoo but rather like a birthmark and he could see it growing, vining further into the latter’s skin. “Changjo! What is this?” the boy’s tone went up as he turned the latter around and pulled at his collar to see more of the patterns. That tattoo was all over Changjo’s back and it made him scared.

The tattoo was pulsing.

It’s nothing, if only it was that easy to accept then the smaller’s heart would definitely never felt sore, but instead it was swollen and stinging painful. Changjo took his hands away and swiftly flipped aside so that Changhyun could not see any more of the white ink on his milky back, but the patterns, the pulses, were lingering brightly within the latter’s mind.

There was something about it that made him queasy.

“So you got a tatt huh? When was it?”

Changjo’s fingers paused as his eye lingered away from the latter’s face, hesitating as he answered. “A few days ago I guess” then he continued fiddling with his brand new earrings, feeling it’s pretty texture. “Seriously?! Does your parents know about this?”

“It’s really surprising, I know. But my family knew and honestly, they don’t mind. But… how about you?”

“Well, I’m not so sure Jonghyunnah. Can you give me some time?” the smaller talked as he took a step further from the latter, sighing at his growing worries. But then, he felt the latter’s strong arms, wrapping at his shoulders and pulling him into a heartfelt embrace “It’s nothing really, I’m still me. As long as this heart beat and I have this beautiful, gold wing on me, I’m all yours”

“Then you can never take it off anymore” Changhyun breathed, eyes glistening from b tears. Oddly, it was as if he was about to lose his love and it ached. “I’m alright with that” Changjo spoke as he brought his lips to the latter’s neck and planted a long, deep kiss on his skin.

While Changhyun trembled, he managed to sniff out the frustration. Gladly accepting the taller’s unspoken apology.

It was raining miserably outside and the coldness managed to creep back into the atmosphere, wet and grey. But then, inside one jewelry store, two boys were holding each other so sincerely, that their warmth had resonated into the clouded, misty sky.

They were soaring.

♦

“Go ahead” Changjo smiled warmly as he slightly nudges the smaller, hinting the boy to go home first. “Where are you going? Aren’t you coming with me?” the latter asked, with his fingers wrapping tightly on the taller’s lean arm, tugging on it to bring the boy along. But then Changjo slipped away from his grip.

“I need to see my sister for a while; I’ll be back so go ahead, okay? Ricky?” Changhyun’s lips gapped as he tried hard to comprehend the fact that it was just a small matter, that usually he’d be fine with the boy gone for a little while. But his lips spurred out the opposite; “What? Why? Can’t I go with you, or I don’t know, ask her to come to our house?”

“Our house…” the taller snickered at the two words, “It’s your house, Ricky, not mine. We don’t have a home yet, remember?” his eyes were blue and pained an expression Changhyun failed to understand, it was so foreign and puzzling even to his quick wits. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean tha…”

“Just go first. You have two angels waiting back home”

The smaller tried to speak, to question Changjo’s statement but the latter was already too far from his voice. And while he stood there frozen, his fingers trailed up to his necklace, slightly shaking as he held the pendant for dear life.

“Chang..jo… I love you”