They took the bus to Jongdae’s apartment and Jongdae helped Minseok upstairs.

But when Minseok couldn’t go on, Jongdae simply lifted him up and carried him the remaining stairs, even though Minseok complained and said it wasn’t necessary, while blushing crimson. Jongdae just grinned and kissed him before putting him down in front of the door.

 

“I feel like we’ve just married or something”, Minseok murmured. Jongdae turned around as he was about to unlock the door.

“What?”, he asked surprised. Minseok was even redder in the face than before. “Uh, n-nothing”.

 

Jongdae guided Minseok into the bedroom.

“It’s a lot more comfortable here than in the living room. Just sit on the bed and sorry everything is so small… you already know that, though”, Jongdae murmured. He took Minseok’s crutches and leaned them against the closet.

 

“So, now you have to answer every question I have”, Jongdae said and sat on the bed next to Minseok and crossed his legs.

Minseok smiled. “Alright”.

Jongdae placed his hands behind him and eyed Minseok. “What is the name of the sports college you go to? I couldn’t find it”, he said.

Minseok sighed. “Of course, you couldn’t. I dropped out. I don’t play anymore”, he said.

“After I told you about my dream of my own coffee shop, I changed my mind. You encouraged me to go for it. So I dropped out of college shortly after and applied to another university to study architecture”, he explained.

Jongdae opened his mouth. “You… wow, that’s… That explains why I couldn’t find it”. Minseok bit his lip.

“Were you serious about it? Were you serious when you told me to go for it?”, he asked carefully.

Jongdae looked at him. “Yes. Yes, I was absolutely serious”.

 

He sat upright and took Minseok’s hand. “Your last name?”, he asked.

Minseok blinked. “Kim. W-Why?”, he stuttered.

“If I had at least known your last name, maybe I could have gotten more information. I felt like I knew nothing about you”, Jongdae sighed.

“Nothing? You knew the most important about me”, Minseok called surprised. Jongdae looked up.

“The most important?”, he asked. Minseok bit his lip.

 

“I’ve told you about my secret dream after just getting to know you, I’ve told you about how I feel. Not only how I feel towards you, but how I feel in general. I told you about my greatest struggle, but you said you don’t mind how I look like. You know more about me than most people I know for years”, Minseok said.

“Don’t you think to know someone means to know how they really look like inside instead of knowing their last name or what soccer team they play on?”, Minseok continued.

 

Jongdae opened his mouth.

“I told you about all these things, because I trust you. I believe, what I tell you, is safe with you. I thought I can be myself before I even knew your name”, Minseok went on.

“Even though we got separate, because I was stupid enough to not ask for your number beforehand; we met again…”, he murmured.

 

Jongdae crawled forward and cupped Minseok’s face and kissed him. Minseok didn’t seem to mind that Jongdae climbed on top of him and didn’t let go of him although both barely could breathe anymore. Their lips moved in synch and both had their finger tangled in each other’s hair. When Jongdae pulled back, Minseok pulled him down again, but he just rested his forehead against Minseok’s.

“Jongdae… do you know the story about the red string of fate?”, he whispered.

Jongdae opened his eyes. “I-It’s probably stupid and… a bit cheesy”, Minseok stuttered.

“Tell me”, Jongdae whispered and caressed Minseok’s cheek.

 

“It’s said that people connected by the red string of fate are destined to be lovers. The string can stretch, but it will never break. When I was in hospital and I thought I couldn’t tell you what happened, I thought I would lose you. And when I came back, Kibum told me that you never came again to the coffee shop. I was so… upset, because I… I love you so much and I couldn’t understand why we had been separated at the most important point. And I told myself that if you came back, it would be destiny. When you came into the coffee shop and I saw the card for White Day… I thought of the story and…”, Minseok said.

 

But before he could continue, Jongdae kissed him. “I believed in you, I thought you would come back… I knew it”, Jongdae said.

 

-

It felt like they had just came home, but when Jongdae shortly glanced at his watch, he saw that it was already 11 pm. Minseok looked really tired, but Jongdae hated the thought of letting Minseok go again.

 

“Minseok… when do you have to go to work tomorrow?”, he asked. “At 10 am”, Minseok yawned and stretched.

“If you want to… you can stay overnight”, Jongdae said hesitatingly. Minseok looked at him.

“The chance of getting caught in another car accident won’t be that high”, he said as if he had read Jongdae’s thoughts.

“But”, he added and sat up. “I want to stay with you”.

 

Jongdae smiled and cupped Minseok’s face. After both had taken a shower, they were sitting in the bedroom again. Jongdae had been searching his whole apartment for something that resembled a mattress until Minseok had assured him he didn’t mind to sleep with him in the bed. Minseok was wearing a shirt and sweatpants Jongdae had lent him. He cuddled into Jongdae’s arms and rested his head onto his chest. Jongdae was softly Minseok’s shoulders and stared at the wall; he wasn’t tired at all.

 

“Jongdae?”

He turned his head and looked into Minseok’s eyes. “Hmm?”

Minseok pointed at the picture that was standing on the bedside table next to him. “Is that your mother?” Jongdae looked away and nodded.

“You don’t want to talk about her…?”, Minseok said carefully.

Jongdae closed his eyes and leaned his head into his neck. “She died when I was 8 years old. She suffered from cancer”, he said finally. Minseok hesitated. “I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have asked”.

 

Jongdae opened one of his eyes and looked at Minseok.

“No, I know everything important about you by now. You should know about me as well”, he said. Minseok reached out his hand and gently touched Jongdae’s lips. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, you know…”

 

Jongdae enjoyed the touch of Minseok’s fingertips and gently kissed them.

“I didn’t live in Seoul at that time. My mum was the gentlest person I’ve ever known, I don’t know how she came to marry such an idiot as my father. He was never there, he was never at home. It was me who took care of her all the time. Of course, he had to work and all, but his wife was dying and he wasn’t there for her. When she died, I was… pretty alone. He went abroad even more often, I mean there were the house maids, but they didn’t do much besides cleaning and making me food. I didn’t like that, you know? I felt always like he didn’t want me, he didn’t want to see me”, he said.

 

Minseok frowned. “Maybe… maybe because you remind him so much of her?”, he said hesitatingly.

Jongdae looked surprised at him. “I do?” Minseok nodded.

“Your lips and your eyes, they are the same”. Jongdae was quiet for a while, then he finally continued.

 

“But maybe he didn’t want to see me, because I made him feel guilty – I hope so. He married again when I was 16 and so I moved out. I couldn’t stand his new wife and there was no way I could ever call this woman ‘mother’”, Jongdae said and shook his head.

“Since then I’ve lived on my own”.

 

Minseok looked at Jongdae for a long time. “Doesn’t your father call to check on you? I mean isn’t he paying at least for your rent?”, he asked. Jongdae shook his head.

“No, if he had ever offered it, I would refuse to take any money from this man”. Minseok bit his lip.

“Okay…”, he murmured and went silent.

 

He listened to Jongdae’s calm heartbeat and thought how strong Jongdae was and warmth spread through his whole body. He felt like not only his deepest secrets were safe in Jongdae’s hands, but also he himself. He looked up.

 

“Thank you, Jongdae”, he whispered. “For what?”, Jongdae asked confused.

“For entrusting me with your story, you could have refused, you know?”, he said. Jongdae smiled. “I felt like it was about time to talk with someone about it and you’re the best person for that”.

 

-

In the next morning, Jongdae woke Minseok up with an already prepared breakfast.

“You’ve got up early just for me? I know you don’t have classes anymore, it’s already holidays!”, Minseok said.

Jongdae smiled and shrugged. “I’m too deep in love, probably”, he said.

Minseok laughed. “I thought I’m the one who owes you one”.

Jongdae nodded. “Yeah, I haven’t forgotten about that… how about meeting later? For a cup of coffee”, he said and looked at him.

Minseok raised one eyebrow.

“A date?”, he asked. Jongdae grinned. “Or maybe just a cup of coffee”, he said.

Minseok puckered up his lips, but Jongdae kissed him and laughed.

 

“Having you by my side again, makes up for everything, Minseok”, he whispered and kissed him again.

He could feel Minseok’s smile on his lips and happiness rushed through his body.

 

---

Oh my, it's over TT

thank you for all the love you showed for this short story~

I love you, guys~ /throws hearts

 

Peeeeenny~ this was basically all in all a Valentine's Day present for you, bb~

I hope you enjoyed it a lot ♥