The pan was boiling the moment Eunhyuk got out of the bedroom. His hair was still dripping wet from his shower and his upped body still bare. He could hear the news coming from the television in the living room, and he could also hear someone rummaging at the kitchen. With that, he smiled softly as he descended the stairs and putting on the white shirt he snagged out of the drawers. It was quite big for his size, the shoulders not quite fit on his as the shirt hanged loosely but he left it, liking the comfy feeling it gave.

He walked towards the living room to switch the channel into a music show, putting the volume up before leaving it on the table.

"Hey, I was watching that," came a complaint from the kitchen and he looked back to see a smiling Donghae, his left arm on his waist as the other was holding a spatula which was directed at him. He gave back his own smile as he made his way towards the younger. "And that's my shirt your wearing," the brunet added before he resumed in his cooking.

As soon as Eunhyuk was close, he could smell that delicious aroma coming from the pan and he felt his stomach grumble. Standing right behind the brunet, he wrapped his arms around the other, careful not to touch the hot pan, before resting his chin on the brunet's shoulder. He was looking at the food cooking on the pan before whispering directly at the other's ear, "Don't pretend you don't like seeing me in your clothes," and he smirked as he felt Donghae shiver.

Donghae leaned back on the person behind him, slightly resting his weight on the other before answering, "I never said I am."

Placing a light kiss on the younger's nape, Hyukjae released his hold and proceeded to open the cabin on the lower right and took out plates, before grabbing two tall glasses. He, then, walked towards the dining area to prepare the table. They are working in comfortable silence, with the music playing from the living room. While waiting for the younger and the food to arrive, Hyukjae sat down at the working table they bought for himself and opened the folder on top of stack and studied its contents.

"Babe, what do you think about the LSM Ent.? Think we should do it?" asked the blonde, still reading the contents of the said folder. "They specified here that they needed an ad about the upcoming comeback of their artist. You know them, DBSK?"

"Oh yeah. Heard their songs. They're pretty good," came the answer from the brunet. "As for agreeing to them, it's up to you. You're the boss and all."

"But I want your opinion...and you are the head of the art department," Hyukjae looked up as he saw Donghae placing the plate of hot curry rice on the table. Standing up, and leaving the file on his desk, he went straight to his seat as the brunet started filling his plate with his portion, while Hyukjae filled the younger's glass with the chilled orange juice before filling his.

"But that doesn't give me the right to pick which project to do. I work for you, Hyukkie, and I do what you want me to do," Donghae cleared before scooping up a curry rice, blowing it, and directing the spoon towards the blonde. The other smiled softly before taking the offered food, chewing diligently as he scooped for himself and spoon-fed the other. They did this a few more times before turning to their own food and feeding themselves.

Finishing their supper, the two tidied the table. Hyukjae took his position at the sink and started soaping and rinsing the cutleries while Donghae stood beside him, wiping the utensils passed by the blonde and placing them on their right order. After finishing their washing duties, Donghae took out two wine glasses while Hyukjae fetched the chilled white wine on the fridge then the two settled on the couch, watching a late night film. Hyukjae was leaning on the couch with his right hand fiddling with the brunet's soft locks and his left hand twirling the glass he was holding. Donghae, on the other hand, was half lying- half sitting on the couch, his upper body resting comfortably on the blonde's lean chest, his legs propped up at the rest of the couch and humming in satisfaction as Hyukjae massaged his scalp.

"What time are you going home?" came the same question that's being asked for the last two years.

"Should probably leave soon. But I'll stay a couple more minutes," came the same response that's been answered for the last two years.

~*~*~*~*~

Two years and 2 months ago...

"Hello, I am Lee Donghae, the new intern. Pleased to meet you," said by a cheerful brunet who was smiling brightly. His greeting was received warmly by the people in the office, introducing themselves back at the enthusiastic intern before he was directed to his own cubicle. He was arranging his art materials properly when someone called out his name. It was the person introduced to him as the head of the art department... Lee Sungmin.

"Yes, hyung?" asked the younger as he stood before his boss. 

"It's nice to see a new and happy face here, for once," Sungmin noted with a fond smile before he told the other to follow him as he was given his company tour. He was a fresh arts major graduate, and it was quite his luck to land an internship at Kinnetik Advertising. It is one of the most respected advertising company in Seoul, and it would be good in his resume so he had to make a good impression. He took note of the things said to him by hus superior, to where the supplies room is, the photocopy room, the photography room, the lounge for the employees and many more rooms. It was quite a fit for the brunet to remember such rooms, but he noted to atleast memorize those rooms that had relation to his job at the art department.

As they were rounding the corner, with Sungmin busily chatting away and Donghae scribbling notes in his notepad, it was a surprise when Donghae collided with someone and that made him drop his pen and notepad.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking," the brunet apoligized before stooping down. Just as he was about to reach out his pen, though, another arm snatched it and he looked forward to see the person he bumped with offering the pen. And Donghae never saw such lovely dark eyes before. Shaking away the thoughts, and the daze expression he was sure was showing in his face, he took the pen with a bow before standing properly beside his superior. He pretended to not ogle at how the other man stood slowly, and Donghae noted that the man was atleast a few inches taller than him.

"Is this the new intern, Min?" the man asked with a fond smile.

"Yup. Donghae-ssi, introduce yourself to the president," Sungmin whispered to the silent brunet whose eyes widened at the sudden revelation. He looked up at once, finding those eyes staring straight at him with an intent look before he bowed low and raised his head, this eyes and though he remained to direct his eyes on the floor,

"I am Lee Donghae, pleased to meet you, sir."

A low chuckle was heard before Donghae flinched then relaxed as he felt his hair being ruffled. Slowly, he looked up to meet the smiling eyes of the president as he said, "My name is Lee Eunhyuk, I am looking forward to working with you, Donghae-ssi."

~*~*~*~*~

"Donghae-ah, aren't you going home, yet?" his co-worker, Sunny, asked as she wore her jacket and turned off her lamp desk.

The brunet looked up from his work sheet before smiling and shaking his head, "Have to finish this for Sungmin-hyung to validate first thing tomorrow in the morning. Go ahead and take care on your way home," he told her before going back to his task. 

"Don't stay up late," came another response before the woman left and the brunet was the only one in the office.

Once there was silence, the brunet studied his work and bit his lip in concentration. The drawing was done, and it was quite good, if he say so himself, but something's just... missing. He was too immersed in his work that he did not notice another figure entering the office. He jumped up when, out of nowhere, a can of coffee was placed on his desk and he look up to see...

"President! Um...good evening, sir," the younger winced at his stutter and hoped that the dim lights of the office would hide the blush he could feel forming on his cheeks.

"Good evening. It's quite late, Donghae-ssi, why are you still at work? Shouldn't you be home?" asked by Eunhyuk who's in his corporate attire.

"Yes, sir. Just finishing up some work for Sungmin-hyung," the brunet answered, uncertainty in his voice so obvious that the other asked,

"Do you have a problem? Can you show me this work?"

Reluctantly, Donghae showed his sketch book.

"This is pretty good, Donghae-ssi. And you're still young. But," the president pointed out, using his forefinger to draw an invisible line on the sketch pad, "the shadow on this arm was darker than the others, you need to counter-balance everything to make the picture more lively, and also the shading in this part is quite done darkly, in my opinion, the drawing would appear much more appealing if you remove the shading around and just let the photo speak for itself, don't you think?"

Donghae watched the man explaining with wide eyes, and enlightenment as he gave him a bright smile and nodded, "Thank you, president." Then he sat down and returned to work, not noticing the fond expression the other man was wearing as he watched the brunet re-do his work in earnest.

~*~*~*~*~

It's been a month since Donghae had started his internship at Kinnetik. He had built friendship with his co-workers who are all very nice and supportive, his superior, Sungmin, was entrusting him with some of the little projects for him to practice on and every time he presents his work, it is accepted with a proud smile from the other that gave Donghae the feeling of having a big brother at the office. Lee Jong Suk, the team's official photographer, and Sunny, the editor, also became Donghae's closest friends in the company; he would usually have his lunch in the company with the two, sometimes joined by Sungmin. But the friendship that he did not expect he'd build was the one with the company's president.

It started with the usual friendly greetings initiated by the older, followed by the late night cans of coffee he personally delivers at the brunet's cubicle on nights he stays late, then to the blonde offering a ride home for the intern. Sometimes, on the road, they would grab a light dinner and just chat around. Donghae had told his boss things about himself; his hometown, his hobbies, and about his art. In return, the blonde shared things about himself; how he graduated early because he was accelerated and he studied abroad, how at the young age of 24, he inherited the company from his father and now managing it for a year, and a few snippets about his family.

Donghae never would have imagined that he'd end up being friends with the president of the company he applied for, nor would he have dreamt of getting alone with him comfortably for just a short time. There was just something about Eunhyuk that screamed familiarity, and that was enough for the brunet to bask in the attention he was receiving from the president. Not knowing when it happened, he started looking forward to the greetings of the president, and the late night conversations they would share in his cubicle, when no one else was around. It felt nice. And he can't explain it, but he liked it alot. This feeling...

~*~*~*~*~

"...Orange," the brunet muttered as the meeting with the client was taking place. Eunhyuk was with them, since they are having a meeting with one of their biggest clients; an eyeware store that opened a few months ago in Seoul and is now opening their second branch in Ilsan. Donghae was given the opportunity to present the illustrations his colleagues had created and stay to listen in the meeting to learn how the process went. But at the middle of the presentation, the client started voicing out her doubts about the used color on the illustration and they are now having quite a disagreement. Meanwhile, Donghae took the time to tune them out and stared at the illustration in front of him. Now that the observation was made, he does think the blue theme sort of out-contrasts the entire photo; and it does not quite sit well with the font as well.

"Excuse me? What did you say?" came a question, and Donghae was brought out of his trance and looked at the client, then at the entire team staring back at him; but mostly, he looked at the pinned expression on the president.

"Um, nothing I was just---" he rushed to amend, but the woman representative if the eyeware company waved her hand.

"You said orange, am I right? Why would you say that?" she inquired, a light amused expression on her face.

"I think it's not best to ask our intern such---" Song Ji Hyo, the president's secretary tried to politely cut in, but the woman just blandly stared at her then she shut .

"I'd like to hear why, Mr. Intern," the woman said.

The brunet looked at his higher ups, and saw that Eunhyuk a very curt nod, still with that stoic expression before Donghae sighed and reluctantly said, "Everyone at our art school was sayng that Orange is the new blue," he lamely explained then turned quiet. Meanwhile, the client smiled brightly and turned to face the team.

"Make it orange," she ordered with mirth in her eyes before adding, "better watch out, or the intern would rob you off your jobs."

~*~*~*~*~

"What are you doing?" came a cold voice as soon as Donghae closed the door behind him. Right after the meeting, he was congratulated with smiles and pats on the back by his workers, even the higher ups but the president just told him to see him in his office asap, and that is why he is here. What confused him, however, was the total cold treatment he is receiving right now.

"Sir?" he answered in confusion, then the office chair turned to reveal a very annoyed looking Eunhyuk.

"'Orange is the new blue?' Are you trying to make me look like a complete idiot infront of the client?" he asked, spiteful and harsh that Donghae felt himself growing scared at this new, and totally unexpected side, of the president. He saw the blonde happy, playful, annoyed and in his business-mode, but never in this state.

"No, that's not..."

"Just because you and I are quite chummy with each other does not give you the right to make me look like a fool in front of my client," Eunhyuk snapped, directing his cold glare towards the brunet. "You're just an intern, and already you're acting like you actually have what it takes to be here. Stop ebing cocky and go to your rightful place. Get out."

Now having to be told of twice, Donghae turned around and left the office. When he closed the door he quickly walked towards the bathroom and locked one of the cubicles. He sat on the covered toilet and brought his legs to his chest, resting his forehead on his knees before letting out a heavy sigh. He breathed in and out deeply, trying to control his pounding heart,

"Relax, Donghae-ah," he whispered to himself. "You're alright...Don't let those words get to you. Maybe he's just stressed and he vented it out to you. Don't believe those words. Don't---" he stopped as his voice cracked, and before he knew it, tears are streaming down his face and he tried so hard to quite his sobs, covering his mouth with his hands and shutting his eyes close.

Unbeknownst to him, just outside the cubicle, leaning back on the ceramic sink was a certain blonde who followed the brunet after sending him about. He was wearing a pained expression, letting the sound of the younger premeate around the bathroom. Once the sobs quietted down, he swiftly and soundlessly made an exit and returned to his office.

~*~*~*~*~

"I'm sorry."

Donghae was walking back to his apartment when he heard that familiar voice. Looking up, he gasped when he saw the blonde standing beside his car.

"President, what are you..."

"I'm here to apologize. Sorry if I was quite harsh to you back then, I was just--- there was just a lot in my head today and everything piled up so I think I just blew it all out to you. But, even so, what I did was totally unprofessional and below the belt so I am here to apologize. Although I would totally understand if you don't accept my apology. I just---"

He was cut off from his rumbling when the brunet chuckled, and he look up to see those beautiful brown eye brightening up the way they used to. And Eunhyuk realized he really liked seeing that, and even more so, being the reason for it to look so lovely.

"That's okay, sir. I understand," came the soft reply and Donghae smiled.

Eunhyuk gave a smile in return before walking forward and bringing out a stem of rose and handed it out to the brunet. Donghae looked at it for a few seconds curiously before his cheeks tinted in a way that came close to the color of the rose before he took it gently in his hand, and Eunhyuk just liked the way the color looked on the brunet. "I read that a red rose meant 'congratulation, or well done'," he informed the younger with a fond tone.

"Thank you," Donghae uttered softly, staring at the rose lovingly before directing his gaze to the giver and Eunhyuk almost gasped in surprise because at that moment, he cannot believe how beautiful Donghae looked. Before he even knew what he was doing, he moved forward and laid his right hand on the brunet's cheek. He reveled how warm and soft the cheeks felt. He liked the feel of it under his palm.

"I'm going to do something I don't usually do, Donghae... Is it alright if I do it?" he whispered, looking straight into those lovely brown orbs who's looking back at him in surprise. When a subtle nod was given, Eunhyuk didn't waste time to lean in and let their lips touch innocently. He tilted his head to the side to change the angle, wraping his other arm around the younger's waist to bring him closer before letting his tongue graze the soft lower lip. Donghae let out a gasp, and the blonde used that opportunity to slip in his tongue, mapping out the younger's mouth with every flick of his tongue, before coaxing the brunet's own tiny muscle to play with his.

~*~*~*~*~

Two year and two months later...

Donghae was watching with longing as the blonde grabbed his suit case and wore his jacket. Unconsciously, a pout grazed his lips that made the departing man a chuckle as he walked towards the younger. 

"Stop pouting. You're making it hard for me to leave," Eunhyuk said fondly, kissing the pout away before wrapping his arms around the younger. He sighed as Donghae planted a kiss on his neck and he tightened his hold.

"Can't you just stay the night?" the brunet asked, at the same of unwillingness as the blonde.

"You know I can't do that, love. Mother is expecting me to be home," Eunhyuk said before letting go. "We'll see each other in the office tomorrow."

"But I'd still miss you," came a soft whine and the blonde chuckled before engaging the, once again, pouting brunet in a deep kiss. Once they are panting for air, Eunhyuk bis his good night and left the apartment with a final peck on the brunet's kiss. Donghae stayed rooted in place for a few seconds, staring at the closed door, wishing that Eunhyuk would just come back. But after he was met with nothing but silence, he sighed and prepared for bed.

Just as he was about to turn the lights off, his phone beeped signaling a message coming from his friend, Joong Ki.

To: Donghae,

Met someone today and I think he's your type. Since you're single and all, what do you say going on a date with his? Seems like a decent guy ;)

Ever since his friend had found himself a girl friend, and not just someone but a woman Donghae actually knew; Song Ji Hyo, he made it his mission to find the brunet his own partner. Joong Ki reasoned that it was as thanks for introducing Ji Hyo to him. Donghae chuckled before typing out a reply of, "no thanks". He placed back his phone on the night and, flicking the switch off on the lamp.

"I'm not as single as you think I am," he muttered to himself as he drifted off to sleep.