Kibum tilted his head and regarded the other man, who acted rather confident in his presence that effectively silenced the older man.

Kibum fumbled over his thoughts at first, but then noted the absence of his glasses. “How can you even see me?”

“I’m wearing contacts,” Sungmin replied coolly with a stern smile.

Concern hits his eyes when he took into fact that Sungmin was now back in South Korea. “Then I guess your visit with your mother didn’t go well?” Kibum asked.

Sungmin looked him over as he paced about the table. “Oh no, it went very well, except...”

“Except?”

Sungmin smiled, his reaction still left doubts in the other. Sungmin explained, “My dad wasn’t too keen on it at first. But we had a long talk about it and decided I’d keep relations with both of my parents.”

Sungmin keenly watched as Kibum looked at ease at his reply. “That’s good then,” he murmured in genuine relief.

Sungmin walked closer, and then placed his hands on Kibum’s shoulders and pushed them against the chair. Kibum looked up.

Sungmin smiled. “I decided since you took me without much of my consent, I’d repay it diligently.”

Kibum scoffed, “I told you once you agreed, you were willing.”

“But do they know that?”

Kibum closed his mouth, and Sungmin cheekily laughed at his stumped expression. “Don’t worry, I’ll be the one handling the questioning today.”

Kibum met his eyes and furrowed his brow, “What questions?”

Sungmin let go of his shoulders and stood behind him, making Kibum crane his neck to see him.

“You know, if anyone were to see you like this, they’d think you were innocent.” Sungmin commented.

Kibum narrowed his eyes and just faced forward with cap hiding his eyes, “What questions do you have for me?”

Sungmin walked around the time, his eyes remaining on the older man. “Did my mother ever tell you I hated trains?”

“...She might have, but you didn’t appear to have too much trouble on them.”

“I didn’t, but I was still restless.”

Kibum opened his eyes, wondering what accusations Sungmin could make. “You appeared to sleep just fine when I saw you.”

Sungmin shrugged, “You start being able to sleep anywhere after a while, but I kept waking up during that night.” Sungmin’s smile then grew as he recalled during one of those many times he was unjustly awakened by the rough turns of the train. “You kissed me back then.”

Kibum averted his eyes, “Did I?”

“You also said something to me… on that ship our last night, do you remember?”

Kibum looked up at the ceiling lights, “I don’t… Although it sounds like you didn’t sleep at all during this whole trip.”

Sungmin cocked his head, “Are you worried that I didn’t?”

Kibum’s expressions defeats him, but when he looked at Sungmin once more, he sees his coy smile. He then narrowed his eyes, realizing the ploy. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“I am, especially since you can’t pinch me anymore.” Sungmin replied to his handcuffed hands, and during his rounds about the time, was once again by Kibum’s side.

Sungmin may have felt confident now, but that was only recent. During their journey together, Sungmin was bittersweet to any advance Kibum made, reluctant to return them since he knew their relationship would end eventually. Kibum was unlikely to return to this country again, not with his father's wrath, and Sungmin believed that to be the end.

That morning when he received a phone call of Kibum's detainment, rather than the bitterness that should have showed itself, he was happy. Almost unbearably so.

The older man felt Sungmin’s hands placed on both sides of his neck, with one hand then shifted to his cheek. Sungmin earnestly looked at him, “You’re not sick at least,” he murmured.

Kibum met his eyes. “I told you I was stronger than that.”

Sungmin’s thumb brushed over Kibum’s cheek and he leaned against the table in front of Kibum. With their eyes locked, Kibum found himself spellbound, unable to look away even if he had wanted to.

Kibum studied him and saw that he was a little filled out again, his eyes regained their brilliance, all the stress that had bothered him before was gone. All tall-tale signs that his meeting with his mother did go right, and Kibum was glad to see it was true.

He was happy to see Sungmin was well.

“If you were able to go anywhere,” Sungmin gently asked, “why did you choose to come back to South Korea?”

“I… had things I had to pick up.”

“That so?” Sungmin thought it over, “And it had nothing to do with wanting to see me again?”

Kibum didn’t answer, and they both knew it was because he couldn’t deny it.

Sungmin felt a spurt of happiness at knowing that.

Kibum tilted back his head and his cap completely falls to the floor, he sighed in frustration. “You’re a hard one to please,” Kibum mentioned.

“I’ve heard that too,” Sungmin said and his kidnapper held back his laugh. He lets down his guard down as Sungmin leaned in and swooped in for a kiss.

Kibum accepted the gesture, giving in without feigning resistance this time around. It verified Sungmin’s hopes and when they pull apart, Sungmin’s confidence is a little overwhelming.

Seeing his genuine smile, Kibum shook his head in defeat. “You’re definitely an odd one, no person sanely wants their kidnapper.”

“Except it’s just as you said,” Sungmin countered.

Kibum blinked but his shoulders relax, not minding Sungmin’s hold one bit.

Sungmin smiled mischievously, “I was willing.”

-

Sungmin welcomed himself home, as he dropped off his things in his bedroom, he heard footsteps. He glimpsed back through his opened door and saw his father arriving home as well.

It had been… normal between them. As expected. His father worried furiously over Sungmin’s absence, and he didn’t expect any less anger as he explained he visited his mother, leaving out certain details of how and who took him.

Sungmin waited as his father happened to look his way and smiled, his father gave one back.

They sat across from one another for dinner, “There’s this young woman I met at work today,” his father began. “A daughter of a friend of mine.”

Sungmin raised his eyebrows and uttered, “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

Sungmin didn’t quite say, and said to suffice, “I’m not interested in marriage meetings.”

His father thinned his lips, “You’ve changed since your return, has she influenced you that much?”

“Not quite, but the way there did. I’m determined about the way I want to live now, that’s all.” He smiled brightly, earning a sigh from his father. He peered at his father’s tired expression. Sungmin crossed his arms, “I won’t turn my back against you, I won’t choose sides.”

“You’ve told me.”

“But you don’t believe me yet.” Sungmin said, “I care about you both, believe that. You treated me well all my life, despite the past, I won’t forget that.”

His father grew quiet and Sungmin gave a wistful expression, the pair return to their meal in silence.

Sungmin returned to his room when he glanced at his charged cell and received a text. He promptly called back.

”You need to stop forgetting to charge your cell.”

“I’m trying,” Sungmin insisted and walked to his window, opening it as he peered outside. “Where are you?”

“Who says I’m nearby?”

Sungmin thinned his lips, seeing that Kibum wasn’t in any of the cars below. “...But I want to see you.”

Kibum was quiet and Sungmin thought he heard the sound of the engine in the phone call, and it wasn’t long before he saw a car pull up across his complex, the windows rolled down.

Kibum leaned back against the car seat, all in Sungmin’s view.

“Happy now?”

Sungmin laughed.

“Very.”

“How is your father doing?”

“As expected. Even when I mentioned I was changing my specialization, he just does what he always does and gets quiet.”

“Be patient with him.”

“I am.” Sungmin crossed his arms as he leaned against his window. “I might taking an internship this summer.”

“Where to?”

“A few places you’ve been to actually, it’s a program between three different countries: Germany, Russia and Poland.”

He heard Kibum make an uneasy groan.

“I assume this means you can’t see me there?”

“Poland never quite liked me. The other two… Russia’s fine.”

Stumped, Sungmin huffed. “Just how many warrants are there for you?”

“I think many of them are expiring soon.”

“You make too many enemies.”

“That means I’m good at what I do.” Kibum said rather haughtily, earning a shake of the head.

“And here I was hoping you’d be my travel guide.”

”...But you’ll be alright, even when I’m not always nearby?”

“I’m not a kid,” Sungmin uttered. “There are some couples who can’t stand being a few feet apart from one another, but I know that’s not always possible. I’m fine, even if we’re apart. As long as in the end… we see each other again.”

From a distance, Sungmin had a difficult time making out Kibum’s face, but a passing car’s headlights flashed across the other, showing his smile.

“Fine, then I’ll–”

The line cut off and Sungmin glanced at his cell, realizing the battery died. He looked back at the car and saw a clearly displeased Kibum and gave an apologetic grin.

Sungmin quickly charged it and saw a message arrive, that of his mother. He smiled softly at the picture he used as his profile for her, that of her and his siblings.

He texted, ”I have to go now, I’m going to videochat my mother first.”

“Alright.”

Kibum fixed his seat to leave when he received another text, ”I’ll tell her you said hi.”

Kibum just chuckled, and soon took off.

-

His advisor stared at him, and gave an uneasy expression while tapping away his pen. “Are you certain Sungmin?”

Sungmin smiled, “I’ve made my choice.”

“It’s not an easy path, but it isn’t also the path I expected of you. There’s so many other fields–”

“Ones like my father took?” Sungmin guessed, and his advisor smiled, meaning exactly that.

Yet Sungmin’s certainty was stubborn, and like his father, one couldn’t steer him from the path he wanted to take. His advisor gave a reluctant nod, and added that he’d encourage him along the way and help him as he could.

Sungmin didn’t realize how nervous he had apparently been until the moment he left his advisor’s office, taking calming breaths as he left to his university’s library.

Sungmin walked from his desk and towards the bookshelves, picking up some needed material as he browsed through the aisles. He glanced up and reached for a title, when someone took it from him just a moment earlier. Before Sungmin could speak, he glanced at the taker’s face and arched an eyebrow.

“What are you doing?” Sungmin asked, amused.

Kibum signaled him to be quiet beneath the brim of his cap, “This is a library.” He flipped through the pages without paying too much attention and handed it right back into Sungmin’s grasp, stuffing his hands into his pockets as Sungmin walked around him. The further they walked in, the more books Sungmin grabbed. Soon they reach the end where the students didn’t venture so far in, and Kibum sat down with his own selection on hand.

Sungmin sat down as well, with his back leaned against his. Back to back, the two read through their material.

“I think it went well,” Sungmin admitted. “I told both my father and advisor.”

“Which scared you more?” Kibum asked.

“...A little of both.” Sungmin murmured. He then added, “I want to go into family counseling and mediation.”

Kibum considered it as he flipped through another book, silent. That nerved Sungmin a little.

“Is that not what you pictured of me either?”

“Mm? No, I thought it was rather fitting. As long as you haven’t decided to become our nation’s president, I’m all for it.”

Sungmin leered behind him, and noticed then the book in his hand, maps of South America.

“I thought you mentioned you’ve made enough money?” Sungmin casually asked, turning back around.

Kibum flipped through another page, “I admit I’m greedy.”

Sungmin smiled, knowing otherwise. If someone called for help, then Kibum couldn’t turn a blind eye to it. It wasn’t something he could dislike about him, and rather…

Kibum fell back as Sungmin stood up abruptly, the latter returning his finished books. Kibum quickly followed after hauling his own.

Sungmin had his finger on another title when he saw Kibum’s hand planted by his, and as the student turned around, the man had effectively cornered him.

“This is a library,” Sungmin reminded.

“No one ever comes to this section.” Kibum smirked to Sungmin’s coy expression, and was given his permission to lean in.

A student then abruptly turned the corner into that aisle, face deep into a book, Sungmin saw from the corner of his eye and bowed beneath Kibum’s arm and casually strode away.

The student looked up from his book and freezes at the unamused look the man with the ballcap gives him.

“Timing, not your strong point, is it?” He said before the man simply walked off, leaving the poor student dumbfounded.

-

Years Later

Sungmin was on his cell speaking a different language, he continued the conversation.

“We need another mediator, apparently he’s not handling it well alone.” Sungmin sighed.

“What if his mother tries to leave the country with her kids?”

“Get the judge to freeze her passports and theirs, they’re not leaving until they can settle this. She’ll need to realize that sooner or later.”

His colleague thanked him. “You’re doing so much Sungmin, I’m impressed.”

Sungmin is straightforward in his approach and continued to juggle the assignments that continue pouring in, all to the admiration of his colleagues who understood his vision. He smiled, “I want to help as many families as I can.”

There’s different sort of conflicts he’s come in contact with. Sometimes it’s from children taken by illegal means, and he’s willing to take any resort to get them back with higher success than most in the organization. In those cases, it’s black and white who the villain and victim is.

Sometimes it isn’t always so clear. With more people marrying from different countries, it’s a growing concern with the rise of divorce. Most of their cases involve mediation, and thankfully it’s successful for the most part when both sides show concern for the children.

Then for the small part that involves unwilling parents who decide to defeat the system, Sungmin forces a hand in that as well.

His father always wanted him involved in international politics, but not quite like this. When Sungmin told him where he’d put his capabilities, it was meant with some resentment and disappointment, but soon his father understood.

And while his father couldn’t openly accept his relationship with his mother, he stayed quiet to it. Sungmin was able to maintain a healthy relationship with both sides, including his younger siblings he now had.

Everything that could go well is going well for the most part, except...

Sungmin’s phone vibrated and he quickly looked at the screen, it was just his alarm to his disappointment. But he froze, also realizing the time.

He tried to finish the last of his assignments in the few minutes he had, “I’m calling in early, I have to drive to the coast.”

“Oh right, you have a wedding to attend to, right?”

“Yes, and considered how many times it’s been moved, she’ll kill me if I’m late for the real date.” Sungmin said and closes his laptop.

-

By the time he reached there, he just makes it to the beginning of the ceremony and greeted the parents as he entered inside.

He soon waited inside the bride’s room, sharing space with the other flustered bridesmaids. They spoke in constant hushes, checking their make-up in the spare mirrors. Sungmin looked stoic compared to them, but there was a sense of urgency to just how often he checked his cell.

Only one person noticed. “Are you going to be glued to that my entire wedding?”

Sungmin looked up and smiled at Lina’s sharp gaze, “No, today’s your day after all.”

“Is it a guy?”

Sungmin looked at the mirror, “Your make-up is really well-done.”

“You’re avoiding my question, it really must be a guy.” Lina concluded correctly. Sungmin just smiled, sidestepping the question altogether.

Lina took a deep breath, “I’m finally getting married.”

Sungmin laughed. “I can’t believe your mother kept moving the date.”

“She takes her fortune telling seriously and the matchmaker wasn’t helping, the day I have a child, it’ll probably remain nameless until they decide that too.” Lina exhaled loudly.

A person stepped inside and announced it’d begin, Lina patted her chest and took a deep breath.

Sungmin wished her luck, and knew beneath all the apprehension, that she was genuinely happy.

Sungmin was too, but he was apologetic towards her as well. For his mind did wander a bit during the ceremony, and once it was over he returned to his cell and left a short email sent to that address.

He couldn’t help but miss him.

It was nice when Kibum was with him, and he after spending long months with him uninterrupted, Sungmin was a little spoiled of their time together. It was a little trying on his patience though.

After every assignment Kibum returned to him, he just now had to wait.

Sungmin asked the waitress to change his drink for a coffee instead, still feeling the effects of his night shift the day before, “Black please.” He added and the waitress leaves.

When he looked back, he jumped in his seat and scowled. Kibum was now sitting right across from him.

“I’ve warned you not to do that.”

“I wasn’t planning on it, you’re just too distracted.” Kibum grinned, fixing his tie that was a little haphazardly put. Sungmin gestured for him to come closer and Kibum did so as Sungmin helped him fix his tie until it’s perfectly straight.

“Did you even tell the bride you were bringing someone?”

“Would it matter? You’d sneak in anyway.”

Kibum laughed as Sungmin withdrew his hands.

The two clapped as the bride and groom stepped onto the floor. Sungmin overlooked the couple and beamed at their blissful entrance, he then glanced at his companion and asked quietly, “Did it go well?”

“I wouldn’t be here if it didn’t.”

Sungmin nodded, he guessed that to be true.

Kibum studied him and sighed, “You know I’m not gone this long without reason.”

“I know.”

“Yet you’re still upset with me,” Kibum said. “If it were not for you, I don’t think I’d find half the people recruiting my help.”

“Sometimes it can’t be helped. You know I’m not one to encourage this if it can’t be tried by any other-”

“Legal,” Kibum inserted.

“Means.” Sungmin finished. “That too. But I also know not every case in black and white, sometimes mediation won’t do a thing, and if the child is in possible danger, there are...exceptions.”

Kibum coyly observed the other, the latter was better at holding a stoic face as he adjusted his coffee. He fitted the profile of the uptight government employee, but around Kibum, his true self slipped through the cracks.

“And if word ever gets out of my involvement, I’ll deny everything.” Sungmin stated.

“Even if they ask if you’re involved with me?”

“They won’t ask that.”

“Then you won’t deny you’re involved with me then?” Kibum said lightly, Sungmin thinned his lips. “Or are you meeting with someone behind my back?”

It’s simply teasing, but Sungmin held a keen glint in his gaze, knowing his way around it by now.

“I could, it’s not as if you’re here to keep watch.”

His words effectively silence Kibum.

The camera panned towards the guests and they all reveal huge smiles except one who keeps his back turned. Kibum subtly disappeared behind the crowd as the cameras turn, hiding himself easily from being captured by any strayed camera. He noted Sungmin’s amused look, “I’d rather not appear in photos, someone may recognize me. Why do you know so many lawyers?”

Kibum tugged Sungmin’s hand and the latter followed as Kibum stole him away from the festivities. He’s soon pulled behind a white pillar as the music played on for the couple to dance. Their hands remained interlocked and Sungmin observed the subtle agitation in Kibum’s jawline.

“When he’s jealous, I have him wrapped around my finger.”

"Lina might be disappointed seeing you here," Sungmin spoke, confusing Kibum a bit. He added, "when she saw I didn't check off plus one, she was going to suggest some friends she knows."

Kibum blinked, "You didn't check it off?"

"I had no guarantee you were going to be here." Sungmin replied simply.

Kibum considered it, knowing that to be true. Yet after a short while, he then appeared a little confident, "I think you'll be fine. Not everyone's interested in a politican."

Sungmin chuckled, "You're right in that regard," but casually murmured just loud enough for him to hear. "Although I had a few people interested.”

“Don’t exaggerate.” Kibum commented, trying to appear aloof. But then Sungmin sees his eyes dart back to the crowd, as if deciding who the catches may be.

Lina just may have a great idea.

Kibum cleared his throat, “Will you promise me to stop forgetting to charge your phone?”

Sungmin smiled, “I promise.”

Kibum rounded on him and placed a hand above Sungmin’s shoulder, pinning him where he was. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Sungmin stifled back a laugh, he had a feeling Kibum would be calling more often.

At his endearing look, Kibum presses their foreheads together, despite his absence, he preferred it here the most. It didn’t matter the city, the country, he held no attachment to any piece of land. If he was by Sungmin, that was enough in his book.

Kibum closed his eyes and planted a kiss on Sungmin’s lips, the latter gladly accepting the gesture.

In Kibum’s records it was more than clear, maybe too obvious. It was more definite for him to say, with a confirmed smile on his lips as the two pull part, Sungmin was a success story.