Written by: "8T9Panda"

Pairing: Myunggyu

Prompt: "If you want to know what someone is afraid to lose, look to what he photographs."

A/N: "Dear santee, I hope I gave this prompt some justice~ Merry Christmas!"

If a picture paints a thousand words

(Words: 2,871)

No one could ever prepared Sunggyu for a confession much like this one. He had known his boyfriend wasn’t the showy and cheesy type but could you blame him from being all too surprised seeing him go all out for this one in a lifetime opportunity?

As he walked passed the double doors of an art gallery, he was greeted by an attendant that led him to a private room, where Myungsoo booked their anniversary dinner. He knew that his boyfriend of five years had prepared something for their special day but not like this one. Myungsoo, a prodigy in photography, was having his exhibit in COEX atrium with his latest collection of still pictures that could battle any artwork, and tonight was the opening night.

­

He passed by a few familiar faces and greeted them, all while grabbing champagne from a passing waiter. He continued to walk towards the private room, taking a sip of the vintage champagne, where the attendant bowed to him just before he walked through the door. Sunggyu thanked him, handing the empty glass to the attendant who took it with a polite bow then went his way. Sunggyu entered the private room and he was greeted by a dark room with spotlights adorning the ceilings and floors, illuminating the pictures that lined the wall.

He looked at the first picture and he felt nostalgic at the black and white picture of him when he was on his senior year of high school, he had thick rimmed glasses and his face almost touching the pages of the book he was reading. He then read the caption on the bottom of the picture and he smiled at it.

This is perhaps the first time that you took my breath away

Sunggyu never knew how his boyfriend took such picture but he was sure that he was perfectly straight and geeky at that point of his life. He was serious about his studies and though he didn’t particularly like someone at that moment, he was sure of his preference for girls; he chuckled at that memory. Looking back to that point of his life, he sure never thought he’ll eventually break the mould and bravely continue a path that was both unconventional and intriguing but all the worth taking anyway.

He walked towards another picture and his smile was wide at the nostalgia it brought. It was his graduation picture he remembered Myungsoo took. He was smiling wide, proudly showing off his high school diploma while his parents stood next to him. He remembered that day as clear as the sun because it was also the day that he had received his admission letter to SNU, a school he had always wanted to go to.

I’ve wanted to ask for your second button but your smile was enough for me.

Myungsoo can be cheesy with his captions but hey, he’ll give him credit for the effort. Perhaps he had missed the beautiful smile Myungsoo mirrored at him when he took the picture, because he remembered taking the camera from him and he asked Myungsoo and his parents to pose for a picture. Sunggyu clearly remembered that day, the smile Myungsoo showed that he had captured, and he momentarily thought back if that smile was because he had graduated or because Sunggyu was taking the picture; he made a mental note to ask him later.

 Sunggyu moved on to the next photograph and this time, he was chuckling because that was probably the worst candid picture that he had seen. It was of course him on his first college party which happened to be flowing with beer. Sunggyu was flushed and wasted and he knew better that it was probably one of the worst memories of his college life.

Even if you got drunk and gave your first kiss to the hot cheerleader, I knew I could your other firsts.

Sunggyu blushed at that. He was crushing the hot cheerleader and yes he got a chance to kiss her but it felt weird after, not the magical feeling of Princess Diary’s foot popping sort of scene, and he was drunk so it was like a non-negotiable nightmare when he woke up and his dorm mate (who happened to be Kim Myungsoo) was handing him a glass of water and a couple tablets of aspirin.

He probably hated himself for that memory but who would knew that his first drunken experience at a college party would make Myungsoo step up his game a little harder.

He walked further down the room and the next picture was something that made him smile. It was for a fact a picture of his first ever model for his architecture class. He was super proud of his work and Myungsoo had gladly taken a picture of him and his dearly beloved first model (that is still displayed on the shelf inside his office). He had so many fond memories of it and he was glad to see that Myungsoo treasured this as much as he did.

Like a father to his child, this is one of your proudest moment.

He clearly remembered the endless nights of free flowing coffee and piles of boards he used to make the scale model as his class final project. He was thankful for Myungsoo being a supportive room mate who dashed out of the dorms to buy piles and piles of boards, cutter blades and glue when he ran out of them. He also remembered Myungsoo taking time to drag his best friend to the dorm to teach him how to make coffee or Woohyun to teach him how to cook because Sunggyu never stepped out of his room due to utter concentration on finishing the model. He made a mental note to treat them to some beer later as well.

Sunggyu was feeling a little bit teary eyed now; this has been a trip down memory lane. The next picture constricted his heart a little bit because it was a picture of him shell shocked, eyes wide (as wide it could get) and mouth gaping. It was the day Myungsoo confessed to him, a day he remembered like the back of his hand.

Your expression was priceless; the blush that followed was adorable.

Sunggyu was of course shocked because it was his best friend confessing to him on his third year of college and his mind was fogged by a scale mode deadline. But looking back, he was glad he acted that way because it petrified Myungsoo into losing him.

They did try dating a couple of weeks after, during the summer break to be exact; Sunggyu found out a part of him that always had been concealed: he liked Myungsoo more than a friend too.

The next photograph was that of their first date. It was a selca with Myungsoo, on a picturesque sunset while they were riding a Ferris wheel. Sunggyu was happy with the picture because he truly felt happy at that time.

Thank you for trying us out.

Sunggyu sighed at that, because it was a risk he took and thank God he made the right decision. He would never regret going out with Myungsoo because the boy was the perfect guy for him; from his precious smiles to the way he stared at him with hearts in his eyes, or the sweet chaste kisses they shared, surely Myungsoo was someone he won’t regret loving.

He moved forward and the picture made him blush scarlet. It was a picture of him, face flushed and his hair sticking to his forehead. He remembered this one because it was their first intimate night right after finals week. Sunggyu had been exhausted being top and bottom on 1 night but it was all worth it with the high he got after.

Claimed and be claimed

That was a sinister caption but he knew it meant well. He had flashbacks of that night; the way Myungsoo bit his lips and gazed laced with lust was just too overwhelming; he saw Myungsoo as someone he could not lose ever. His skin felt hot by just the memory of their first time, the first of many times, because who wouldn’t want to remember the feeling of loving someone completely, giving yourself to him and him to you, that it comes in a full circle in infinite proportions?

The next picture was surprisingly one of the funniest things he had seen in his entire life. It was a picture of him on his 21^st birthday when he and his friends partied all night and they ended up as a wreck on the living room floor. Bodies were strewn on the floor and he himself was flat out dead with his mouth wide open, eyes tightly closed and his face smothered with icing.

Cheers for the birthday boy.

He understood that much, he knew Myungsoo was probably doubling over when he took the picture. But it was picture he would proudly display on his wall, because it was a picture showing him and his friends, despite the idiocy of everything about it.

Sunggyu was finding it hard to breathe now because of the nostalgia that each picture was bringing him. He stepped forward, looking into the next photograph and he spilled his tears because it was their graduation and Myungsoo was the proudest when Sunggyu graduated with honors. Sunggyu beamed happily as he showed off his laude certificate.

I knew you can make it hyung, because I believed in you

Sunggyu laughed at the words. Myungsoo was being cocky now. But he was happy to be able to graduate with honors, and Myungsoo was always there to support him and his career choices. From all the fits he threw when he was doing scale models or dragging Myungsoo to certain buildings to study the architectural aspects for his classes, He truly felt that Myungsoo believed in him to complain about the sudden trips or outburst but only showered him with love, care and overwhelming support.

He moved forward, the picture now was their first vacation as a couple, a trip to the picturesque Vigan in the north of the Philippines. Sunggyu was walking down the cobbled stone path with the sun setting a beautiful orange glow on his pale skin. Sunggyu loved the picture because it was also their third year anniversary; it brought back so many memories, of the morning trip to the churches, to making (failing miserably) clay pots and travelling further north for a relaxing day at the Pagudpod beach.

Like the stones that built this picturesque city, my love for you will be preserved and will endure the test of time.

Sunggyu knew those lines were somehow picked up from a movie but he cared less about the words but focused on what it meant. He knew that Myungsoo’s declaration wasn’t made out of tissue paper but like the stones that built any historic and well preserved ancestral bilding with great architecture that will surpass a hundred years, Myungsoo meant it.

The last picture was something that caught him off guard; because it was nothing like the rest of the pictures inside the room. The picture was a simple red box. It was peculiar, rather strange that the last picture was nothing related to him, or is it not? He was confused as hell but when he read the caption, he felt tears fall down his eyes.

Turn around.

It was a simple command and one that he took a little too hurriedly. He sobbed even more as he saw the man who had just captured his heart and kept it beating crazy up till now.

Myungsoo was kneeling in front of him; his face had the most beautiful smile Sunggyu had seen. He had a box on his hand, the same red box that was in the picture behind him, and he opened it to reveal a platinum band with diamond inlays. Sunggyu never expected this that he was left speechless.

“Sunggyu hyung.” Myungsoo uttered but Sunggyu kept on crying his eyes out, fat tears rolling down his cheeks as his sobs were a little too loud to muffle. “I know that this is sudden but will you marry me?” Myungsoo asked and Sunggyu instantly launched his body to envelope the younger in a tight embrace. Myungsoo didn’t expect the sudden body weight that he fell back to the floor, his arms wrapping back to the body on top of him.

“Yes!” He shouted amidst the tears, holding the lover tightly like he will slip away when he let go. “Yes Myungsoo. I will marry you.” Sunggyu added and then laughed as he wiped the tears off of his eyes as he stand up and offered Myungsoo his hand to help him stand up.

“I love you hyung.” Myungsoo uttered and Sunggyu kissed him on the lips.

“I love you too Myungsoo.” He uttered as Myungsoo inserted the ring on his finger.

---

The guests were treated with eye candy as the halls leading to the wedding venue were lined by photographs of the couple to be wed. The laughter and frowns were evident and the guests were talking about them animatedly.  Sunggyu knew Myungsoo would pull off something crazy like this, but he secretly loved the idea of showing all their precious moments all together.

Sunggyu was facing the mirror as his best man Woohyun fixed the bow tie around his neck and one of Myungsoo’s photographer friends, Minho who was another photography protégé, documented the events. He looked at himself and smiled at Woohyun who had a grin on his face.

“Key surely made the suit fitting for you.” Woohyun remarked and Sunggyu nodded before thanking his best man.

They were then called out by the wedding coordinator and the two walked towards the door that led to their wedding hall. He noticed the pictures and admired them one more time before facing the great oak doors. Woohyun stood in front of him, as customary for the best man, and waited until the door was opened to for them to walk through.

They heard soft music Sunggyu noticed his friend Henry and Ryeowook playing a strings duet, the former playing the violin while the latter accompanied the beautiful melody with harmony from a piano. Woohyun walked forward, meeting Sungyeol, Myungsoo’s best man, at the point were two red carpet meet before the center aisle then walking side by side to the altar where Myungsoo and Sunggyu’s dear friend Heechul will preside over the ceremony.

The song changed into something Sunggyu couldn’t recognize but when he saw Jonghyun standing next to Henry and holding a microphone, he knew that the friend had probably composed this song for this day. Jonghyun sang with such soulful voice that Sunggyu felt like it told everyone of the story he and Myungsoo had written together.

Sunggyu walked forward, meeting Myungsoo who was wearing a stark black suit in contrast to his White suit and mirrored the smile on his lover’s face. They were like the Yin and Yang, the preference in colors evident in their styles but they blend in completely that Sunggyu knew that they were destined to be together and will end up together forever. They walked hand in hand towards the altar, handsome faces lighting up with the love that they shared and smiles that was pure and genuine as the summer sun. Heechul started the ceremony and the rest was a blur of flashing lights and applauses.

----

Sunggyu looked at the picture hanging on their bedroom wall and smiled wide, Minho was in fact a protégé to capture the bliss of their wedding day; the kiss they shared as a newly wed. He felt warmth round his waist and a weight on his right shoulder that made his lips turn into a smile.

“What are you thinking of hyung?” Myungsoo asked just as Sunggyu played with the ring on Myungsoo’s ring finger.

“Just about everything Myungsoo.” He replied.

“Like what?” Myungsoo asked and Sunggyu loosened the arm around his waist then turned towards the husband.

He then looped an arm around Myungsoo’s neck and they started to sway their bodies to the beats of their heart. “What made you like photography in the first place?” Sunggyu asked and Myungsoo smiled at him.

“Because I wanted to capture the best memories.” Myungsoo replied then leaned in to kiss his husband. “Because I wanted to keep those that are precious to me, preserve them and never let it fade away.” Myungsoo added.

They sway for a few more time before Myungsoo pulled Sunggyu closer to him and rested his head on the elder’s head. “Because I was afraid to lose what was important to me.” Myungsoo held his husband tighter. “I was afraid to lose you.” Myungsoo uttered and Sunggyu felt tears fall down his cheeks involuntarily.

He pushed Myungsoo off of him and pulled him into a kiss. “I love you Myungsoo.” Sunggyu declared with stars in his eyes.

Myungsoo smiled back at him. “I love you too Hyung,” He then leaned in to kiss the older and they melted into each other.