Chapter Text
The practice room felt different that morning, charged with the kind of tension that made every small interaction feel significant. I'd watched Sion arrive early, something fragile and determined in his posture that made my chest ache with the familiar urge to reach out and offer comfort. But I held myself back, maintaining the careful distance I'd been practicing for weeks now, ever since I'd realized that my feelings for Sion had grown far beyond what was safe or appropriate.
God, he looks exhausted, I thought, taking in the puffy redness around his eyes that suggested he'd been crying. What I wouldn't give to just hold him right now.
Every time Sion started to approach me, I saw the exact moment his courage failed, watched him retreat to the periphery of normal group activities with something that looked like defeat. It took everything I had not to cross the space between them, not to wrap him in the kind of careful, warm hug I gave the other members when they were struggling.
Instead, I tried to give him what I thought he needed—gentle space. Not the cold professional distance I'd attempted in the past few weeks, but something softer, more patient. I tried to convey through glances and small gestures that I was waiting, that I was ready to step back if needed but also ready to step forward if he would let me.
Please, I found myself thinking every time our eyes met across the room. Please just let me help you. Let me be what you need.
The concern in Sion's eyes every time they met mine made my resolve waver. There was a softness there, a vulnerability that made me ache with the urge to close the distance between us. But his eyes were still puffy from what had clearly been a difficult night, and I could see how close he was to tears again.
All I wanted was to hold him. To offer the comfort I'd been carefully withholding, to cross the boundaries that Sion seemed to need me to respect. But I'd learned to read his moods, learned when to push and when to retreat, and right now retreat felt like the kindest option even though it was torture for both of us.
I love you, I thought desperately, watching him struggle with whatever was weighing on his mind. I love you so much it's killing me to watch you hurt like this.
"Alright," their choreographer called out after they'd run through their comeback title track for the third time. "Let's call it for today. Good work, everyone. Rest up, we've got a long week ahead."
As the others began packing up their things, chattering about dinner plans and weekend schedules, Riku cleared his throat with the kind of deliberate authority that meant he had an announcement.
"Actually," he said, shooting meaningful looks at Yushi and the younger members, "I was thinking we should have a movie night tonight. You know, team bonding before things get crazy with comeback prep."
"That sounds amazing!" Sakuya said immediately, perking up with the enthusiasm he always showed for group activities. "We haven't done that in forever."
"We should get proper snacks," Ryo added, already pulling out his phone to check delivery apps. "Not just whatever random stuff we have lying around."
"Actually," Yushi interjected with the kind of casual suggestion that felt suspiciously planned, "why don't Sion-hyung and Jaehee go shopping? They know what everyone likes, and they can pick up some of those fancy chips from that place near the convenience store."
My heart stuttered at the suggestion, hope and terror warring in my chest. Being alone with Sion right now felt simultaneously like exactly what we both needed and absolutely the last thing either of us could handle. But when I looked at him, saw the panic and desperate longing written across his features, I made my choice.
This is it, I realized. This is our chance. Whatever's been eating at him, whatever's been wrong between us, maybe we can finally talk about it.
"That's a good idea," I said quietly, keeping my voice carefully neutral while something warm and hopeful unfurled beneath my ribs. "If Sion-hyung is up for it."
I tried to put all my patience, all my care, all my willingness to follow his lead into my tone. If Sion wasn't ready for a one-on-one interaction, I would find a polite way to suggest someone else go instead. But God, I hoped he would say yes. I'd been craving time alone with him for so long, even if it was just a simple trip to the store.
Please say yes, I thought, watching the way he was worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. Please give us this chance.
"Yeah," Sion managed, his voice coming out smaller than I expected but steadier than the trembling in his hands suggested. "That's fine."
The walk to the store was mostly silent, but it was a different kind of silence than the one that had filled the practice room. This silence was fragile, filled with unspoken questions and careful awareness of the space between them, of how their hands almost brushed with every step.
When they reached the convenience store, the chime of the door was a welcome distraction from the tension crackling between them. Under the hum of fluorescent lights, the awkwardness felt both more pronounced and somehow easier to navigate with the mundane task of shopping to focus on.
They split up instinctively, both seeking the familiar comfort of routine. Sion grabbed a small basket and headed for the chips, his movements careful and deliberate. Jaehee moved through the aisles with quiet purpose, his attention split between the task at hand and keeping track of Sion's location in his peripheral vision.
I picked up a small tub of vanilla pudding—Riku's favorite stress-snack—and a packet of sour gummies that would make Yushi's eyes light up. I grabbed two cans of the high-caffeine energy drink that Sakuya and Ryo practically lived on during gaming nights. Each item was chosen with careful consideration, months of observation and care distilled into simple acts of provision.
I know all of them so well, I thought as I moved through the familiar routine. But especially him. I know everything about what makes him smile, what he reaches for when he's stressed, what he needs even when he doesn't know he needs it.
When I glanced over at Sion, I saw him staring blankly at the wall of snacks, clearly overwhelmed by more than just the variety of options. My chest tightened with the familiar urge to offer comfort, to smooth away whatever was troubling him. Instead, I focused on my shopping, trying to give him the space he seemed to need.
It was when I saw him reach for his usual bag of extra-spicy chips—the cartoon flames on the packaging as familiar as everything else about his preferences—that I made my move. I grabbed a carton of strawberry milk from the cooler and approached his basket with careful steps.
He always needs something sweet after the spice, I thought, placing the milk gently in his basket. Always complains about the burn but never remembers to get something to help.
I was already turning back toward the drink coolers to grab my own protein drinks before he could see the flush creeping up my neck, trying to cover the blatant act of care with gruffness.
"For the spice," I mumbled, not quite meeting his eyes. "So you don't complain about it later."
The truth was, I remembered everything about his habits. The way he always needed something sweet and cooling after eating spicy food, the face he made when the heat became too much, the soft sounds of relief when he found something to soothe the burn. I'd been cataloging these details for months without meaning to, storing them away like precious secrets.
I love you, I thought desperately as I heard his whispered "Thanks." I love every small thing about you, every habit and preference and quirk. I love you so much it's consuming me.
When his thanks reached my ears, it sent warmth flooding through my chest so intense I had to grip the edge of the drink cooler to steady myself. I didn't trust myself to respond, didn't trust my voice not to give away everything I'd been carefully hiding.
They met at the counter with a small, unbreachable gap between them that felt symbolic of everything they couldn't say. The clerk scanned their items with efficient disinterest—pudding, gummies, energy drinks, spicy chips, and strawberry milk. A collection of small kindnesses wrapped in mundane packaging.
Jaehee paid for everything with a quick tap of his card before Sion could even reach for his wallet, their fingers brushing for a fleeting second as he handed over the bag. The contact was brief but electric, sending a jolt up both their arms that made them flinch apart like they'd been burned.
"My treat," Jaehee said softly, but the simple words carried more weight than they should have, loaded with all the care he couldn't express directly.
Outside, the weather had turned while they were shopping. Gray clouds had gathered with the promise of rain, and by the time they made it past the store's entrance, fat droplets were beginning to fall, creating dark spots on the pavement that suggested heavier rain was imminent.
We stood under the store's awning as the sky opened up properly. Rain came down in sheets, turning the street into a temporary river and creating a curtain of water that made our small shelter feel like the only dry place in the world.
"We should wait it out," I said, settling against the wall, but my eyes were fixed on Sion's face with an intensity I couldn't hide anymore. Something about the enforced intimacy of our small shelter, the way the rain created a cocoon around just the two of us, made my carefully maintained restraint start to crack.
This feels like a sign, I thought, watching the rain fall around us. Like the universe is giving us this moment, this privacy, this chance to finally talk.
I watched as Sion nodded, saw the exact moment when his carefully controlled emotions began to fracture. The rain had created a curtain of privacy around us, but somehow that made everything feel more intense, more real, more impossible to ignore.
"Jaehee," Sion said, my name coming out rough with suppressed feeling, barely more than a whisper in the sound of falling rain.
God, the way he says my name, I thought, my heart hammering against my ribs. Like it means something. Like I mean something.
"Yeah?" My voice came out gentler than I'd intended, full of all the patience and care I'd been trying to hide. When he looked at me like that—vulnerable and desperate and beautiful—it nearly undid me completely.
Sion's breath hitched, and he pressed his back against the wall of the convenience store, looking trapped by his own emotions. The rain had created a curtain of privacy around them, but somehow that made everything feel more intense, more real.
"I can't..." Sion started, then stopped, his hands trembling as he clutched the plastic bags. "I can't keep pretending anymore."
The confession hung between them like a challenge, like a prayer, like the first crack in a dam that had been holding back months of suppressed feeling.
Concern flooded through me, sharp and immediate. "Pretending what, hyung?"
What has he been pretending? I thought frantically, my mind racing through possibilities. That he's okay? That nothing's wrong between us? That he doesn't hate me for whatever I did to make him pull away?
The endearment slipped out careful and respectful even now, even when my heart was hammering against my ribs and every instinct was screaming at me to close the distance between us. I watched his face, saw the way his expression crumpled with the weight of whatever he was carrying.
When he looked at me—really looked at me, taking in my damp hair and worried expression and the way rain had made my shirt cling to my chest—I felt exposed, seen in a way that was both terrifying and exhilarating.
Please, I thought desperately. Please tell me what's wrong. Please let me help.
"That I don't..." His voice cracked, and he pressed a hand to his mouth as tears began to well in his eyes. "That I don't feel..."
My heart stopped. Feel what? What is he trying to say?
"Sion," I said softly, and there was something vulnerable and hopeful and terrified in my own voice now, something I couldn't hide anymore. "What are you trying to say?"
"I'm sorry," Sion whispered, tears finally spilling over and mixing with the rain on his cheeks. "I'm so sorry about yesterday, about the way I've been acting, about everything. I've been such a mess, and I hurt you, and I made everything so awkward between us when all I wanted..." He sucked in a shaky breath, his whole body trembling. "All I wanted was to be close to you."
The words hit the air between them like lightning, illuminating everything that had been hidden in shadow. Months of careful distance, of suppressed longing, of misread signals suddenly made perfect, terrible sense.
Close to me? The words echoed in my mind, not quite making sense. He wanted to be close to me? But he's been pulling away for weeks...
"You don't have to apologize..." I started, but the protest died on my lips as I saw the desperation in his eyes, the way he was trembling with the effort of finally being honest.
Something big is happening here, I realized. Something that could change everything between us.
"Yes, I do," Sion interrupted, desperation making his voice stronger. "Because I've been lying to myself and to you, and I can't do it anymore. I can't keep pushing you away when every instinct I have is screaming at me to pull you closer."
My breath caught. Pull me closer? He wants to pull me closer? Hope bloomed in my chest, dangerous and bright. This can't be what I think it is. This can't be happening.
The rain seemed to fall harder around them, creating an even smaller world where only they existed, where the rest of the universe had been washed away by sheets of water and desperate confessions.
"I like you," Sion said, the words tumbling out in a rush now that the dam had broken. "I like you so much it's been making me crazy. It's been months, Jaehee, months of me trying to convince myself it was just friendship, just admiration, just anything other than what it really is."
He likes me. The words hit me like lightning, like a revelation, like the answer to every prayer I'd never dared to voice. He likes me. Not as a friend, not as a bandmate, but... he likes me.
My breath caught audibly, my eyes wide and searching his face like I was afraid to believe what I was hearing. Months. He'd been feeling this for months, just like I had. All those times I'd thought he was pulling away because I'd been too obvious, too hopeful, he'd been struggling with the same impossible feelings.
This is real, I thought, tears beginning to blur my vision. This is actually happening. He feels the same way I do.
"I didn't know how to handle it," Sion continued, tears streaming freely now. "I've never felt like this about anyone, especially not someone I work with, someone I live with, someone who's so important to everything we're building together. So I panicked, and I kept pushing you away even though that's the absolute last thing I wanted to do."
"Sion..." My voice was thick with emotion now, my own eyes beginning to glisten as the full weight of what he was saying hit me.
All this time, I thought. All this time I thought I was protecting our friendship, protecting the group, and he was doing the same thing. We've been protecting ourselves right past each other.
"I know I probably ruined everything," Sion rushed on, unable to stop now that he'd started. "I know I made you think I didn't want you around, that I didn't care, but it's the opposite. It's so much the opposite that it terrifies me."
Jaehee moved closer, drawn by the raw honesty in Sion's voice, close enough now that they could see the tears streaming down each other's faces, close enough to feel the way their hearts were racing in tandem.
"You terrify me," Sion whispered, his voice breaking completely. "Because you're... you're..."
The words stuck in his throat, too big and terrifying and important to say out loud.
"What?" I asked, my voice barely audible over the rain, my heart hammering as I waited for words that could change everything between us. "I'm what?"
Please, I thought desperately, watching the way he was struggling with whatever he wanted to say. Please don't stop now. Please tell me.
When he looked at me then—really looked at me with tears streaming down his face and love written in every line of his expression—I saw something fundamental crack open in his face, saw the exact moment when the last of his defenses crumbled.
Oh god, I thought, recognizing the look in his eyes. He's going to say it. He's actually going to say it.
"You're everything," Sion whispered, the confession torn out of him by desperation and rain and the way I was looking at him like he was something precious. "You're my everything, and I'm in love with you."
I'm in love with you. The words hit me like lightning, like a revelation, like the answer to every prayer I'd never dared to voice. My eyes went wide, a soft sound escaping me that might have been his name, might have been a prayer, might have been the sound of my heart breaking open with joy.
He loves me, I thought, the knowledge washing over me like warm sunlight. Sion loves me. He's in love with me.
"I'm in love with you," Sion repeated, louder now, more certain, as if saying it once had given him the courage to say it again. "I have been for months, maybe since the beginning, I don't know. I just know that every day I don't tell you feels like I'm suffocating, and I can't... I can't keep living like this."
Fresh tears were streaming down both their faces now, mixing with the rain and the relief of finally, finally being honest about what had been building between them for so long.
"I don't know how to do any of this," Sion continued, his voice raw with emotion. "I don't know how to be in love with someone I work with, someone I live with, someone whose friendship means everything to me. I don't know how to risk everything we have for something that might not even be possible. But I had to tell you because keeping it inside was killing me."
I stared at him with wonder and disbelief and desperate hope, tears streaming down my face as I tried to process that this was real, that Sion was standing here in the rain confessing love that I had never dared to hope for.
He loves me, I thought again, the truth of it settling into my bones like warm honey. He's been in love with me for months. All this time, all this careful distance, all this pain—we've been loving each other from opposite sides of the same wall.
"Please," Sion whispered, and the desperate plea in his voice made my heart clench. "Please say something. Anything. Even if it's that you don't feel the same way, even if it's that this changes everything, just... please don't let me stand here drowning in silence."
For a long moment, I couldn't find words. The rain continued to hit the pavement around us, but all I could focus on was his face, tear-streaked and beautiful and terrified, waiting for a response that could either heal us both or shatter everything we'd built.
How do I tell him? I thought frantically. How do I explain that I've been carrying this same love, this same fear, this same desperate longing for months?
Finally, my voice came out broken and wondering: "You love me?"
I need to hear it again, I realized. I need to know this is real.
"So much it hurts," Sion confirmed, a fresh sob escaping him. "So much I can't breathe sometimes when you smile at me. So much that I'd rather push you away than risk you finding out and... and I thought you were just being kind to everyone."
Just being kind? The words cracked on my tongue. After months of careful attention, of remembering every preference and habit, of pouring all my love into small gestures I'd thought he didn't even notice. "Sion, how could you think...?"
How could he not know? I thought desperately. How could he not see that everything I do, every small kindness, every moment of care—it's all for him? It's all because I love him so much I don't know how to contain it?
He took another step closer, close enough now that Sion could feel the warmth radiating from his body despite the cold rain, close enough to see the way Jaehee's chest was rising and falling rapidly with emotion.
"Can I..." Jaehee's voice was trembling now, his hands hovering in the space between them like he was afraid to presume. "Can I hug you? Please? I've been wanting to all day, but I didn't know if you wanted me to. I didn't know if you'd let me."
The desperate plea in his voice, the way he was asking permission for something he'd clearly been craving, made Sion's heart clench with love and regret for all the comfort they'd both denied themselves.
Please say yes, I thought desperately, my hands trembling with the need to touch him, to hold him, to finally close this impossible distance between us. Please let me hold you. I've been dreaming of this for so long.
Sion nodded frantically, not trusting his voice, and then I was moving, closing the distance between us with careful reverence. When my arms finally came around him—warm and solid and everything I'd been desperately craving—I felt something fundamental shift in my understanding of what home could feel like.
This, I thought as Sion pressed his face against my shoulder and sobbed, months of suppressed longing and fear and love pouring out of him all at once. This is what I've been missing. This is what I've been waiting for my entire life.
I held him through it, my own tears falling into his damp hair, breathing in the scent of him mixed with rain and relief.
"I love you too," I whispered against his temple, the words spilling out broken and relieved. "God, Sion, I love you too. I've loved you for so long I forgot what it felt like not to love you."
Finally, I thought, tightening my arms around him. Finally I can say it. Finally I can tell him what he means to me.
Sion pulled back just enough to look at Jaehee's face, needing to see if this was real, if he'd really heard those words. Jaehee's eyes were red-rimmed and bright with tears, but there was such tenderness in them, such overwhelming love that Sion felt dizzy with it.
"Really?" Sion asked, voice small and disbelieving. "You really love me?"
"Really," Jaehee confirmed, bringing his hands up to cup Sion's face with infinite gentleness, thumbs brushing away the tears that continued to fall. "I've been in love with you for months, and watching you pull away from me has been torture. I thought I'd done something wrong, thought I'd made you uncomfortable somehow."
"No," Sion said quickly, leaning into Jaehee's touch like a flower turning toward sunlight. "No, you didn't do anything wrong. It was me, I was just scared."
"I was scared too," Jaehee admitted, pressing his forehead against Sion's. "Terrified that if you knew how I felt, it would ruin everything. Terrified that I'd lose you completely."
We stood there in our small shelter, foreheads pressed together, tears mixing with rain, both of us trembling with the force of finally being honest about what had been building between us for so long. I could feel his breath against my lips, could count every individual eyelash, could see the exact moment when wonder replaced fear in his expression.
I can't believe this is real, I thought, studying every detail of his face this close. I can't believe he's here, that he loves me, that we finally found our way to each other.
Instead of answering with words, I cupped his face in my hands, careful, reverent, like I was holding something precious beyond measure, and pressed the gentlest kiss to his forehead. It was barely there, feather-light, but I felt his entire body relax at the contact, felt the way warmth flooded through both of us at the simple intimacy.
Mine, I thought possessively, pressing another soft kiss to his temple. Finally, finally mine.
"Really," I whispered against his skin. "So much it scares me sometimes."
Sion felt tears start again, but this time they were good tears, happy tears that he didn't bother trying to stop. The relief of finally being loved back, of knowing that all those careful gestures and gentle looks had meant what he'd desperately hoped they meant, was overwhelming.
"Hey," Jaehee said softly, thumbs brushing the dampness from Sion's cheeks with infinite tenderness. "What's wrong, hyung?"
The endearment, spoken with such love, made Sion's breath catch. "Nothing's wrong," he said through his sniffles. "Everything's perfect. I'm just... I can't believe you're real. That this is real."
"It's real," Jaehee assured him, pressing another soft kiss to his temple, then one to his cheek. "We're real. I'm not going anywhere."
They stood there in their small shelter while rain poured down around them, holding each other like they were afraid to let go, and both of them felt something fundamental shift in their understanding of what happiness could feel like.
The walk back to our dorm was magical despite the weather, or maybe because of it. I held Sion's hand the entire way, marveling at the way our fingers fit together, at how right it felt to have this simple intimacy finally acknowledged between us. I kept stealing glances at our joined hands, occasionally squeezing gently just to see him smile.
I'm holding his hand, I thought wonderingly. I'm actually holding Sion's hand, and he's letting me, and he loves me back.
"I'm not going anywhere," I said quietly when I noticed the desperate quality of his hold, the way his fingers were gripping mine so tightly it probably hurt. "You don't have to hold so tight, baby. I'm right here."
The endearment slipped out without conscious thought, but when I saw the way his eyes went wide and bright at the sound of it, I decided I'd be using it a lot more often.
Baby, I thought, testing the word in my mind. My baby. Mine.
"I know, I just... I don't want this to be a dream. I don't want to let go and have you disappear."
I stopped walking then, right there in the middle of the sidewalk with rain falling around us, and turned to face him fully.
He's still scared, I realized. He still can't quite believe this is real.
"Look at me," I said, waiting until he met my eyes. "I promise you, I am not going anywhere. I've been waiting for you for months, and now that I have you, I'm not letting go. Okay?"
I mean it, I thought, pouring all my sincerity into the words. I've waited too long for this to let anything take it away from us.
"Okay," he whispered, and this time when he smiled, it felt like sunrise.
When they finally made it back to the dorm, both soaked but glowing with happiness, they found their planned movie night had been derailed by exhaustion. Sakuya and Ryo were curled up together on the main couch, fast asleep despite the early hour. Riku and Yushi had claimed the smaller sofa, also unconscious, looking like they'd barely made it to the cushions before passing out.
"Should we wake them?" Sion whispered, though he was secretly glad they didn't have to share Jaehee's attention just yet.
Jaehee shook his head, already moving to adjust blankets and make sure everyone was comfortable. "They need the rest. We can do movie night another time."
Watching Jaehee take care of their sleeping members with gentle efficiency, tucking Sakuya's feet under a blanket, moving Ryo's head to a better position on the armrest, making sure Riku and Yushi wouldn't fall off their narrow perch, Sion felt his heart expand with so much love it was almost painful.
"You're perfect," he said without thinking, the words spilling out soft and sincere.
I looked up from where I was draping a throw over the younger members, feeling heat creep up my neck at the praise. "I'm just making sure they don't wake up with cricks in their necks."
He thinks I'm perfect, I thought, warmth blooming in my chest. The man I love thinks I'm perfect.
"That's what makes you perfect," Sion said simply, and I felt my blush deepen.
How does he do that? I wondered. How does he make such simple words feel like poetry?
"Go shower first," I said softly, clearly flustered by the praise. "You're shivering, and I don't want you getting sick."
I watched as he nodded but seemed reluctant to leave my side, clearly afraid that distance might break whatever spell had settled over us.
He's still scared this isn't real, I realized. Still afraid I might disappear if he looks away.
"I'll be right here," I assured him, reading his hesitation perfectly. "I'll put the snacks away and check on everyone one more time, but I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
The hot shower felt like heaven after being caught in the rain, but Sion rushed through it anyway, eager to get back to Jaehee. When he emerged, toweling his hair dry, he realized he didn't want to go to his own room. He wanted Jaehee close, wanted the reassurance of his presence, and wanted to continue existing in their new bubble of happiness.
So instead of getting dressed, Sion wrapped himself in his softest pink robe, the ridiculously expensive one Sakuya had bought him for his birthday, all silk and comfort, and padded to Jaehee's room, hovering nervously in the doorway.
"Jaehee?" he called softly.
"In here," came the reply from the attached bathroom, followed by the sound of running water. "I'll be out in just a minute, my love."
My love. Sion pressed a hand to his chest, feeling like his heart might burst from how full it was.
When I emerged from my own shower ten minutes later, hair damp and dressed in the softest sleep clothes I owned, I stopped short at the sight of Sion curled up on my bed. He was wearing that pink silk robe that made him look like some kind of ethereal prince, his damp hair catching the light, and seeing him in my space—finally, willingly in my space—made my breath catch.
He's here, I thought wonderingly. He's actually here, in my room, on my bed, waiting for me.
"Hi," he said, suddenly shy, pink flooding his cheeks. "I hope this is okay? I just... I wanted to be near you."
More than okay, I thought, my expression going impossibly soft. This is everything I've ever wanted.
"Hi, you," I said aloud. "Of course it's okay. This is more than okay."
I approached the bed slowly, like I was afraid of spooking him, and settled beside him with careful distance. Close enough to touch but not presuming.
Even now, I thought, I want to give him control. I want him to know that this is his choice, that he can set the pace.
"Can you dry my hair?" Sion asked in a rush, like he was afraid he might lose his nerve. "I know it's silly, but I just... I like it when you take care of me, and my hair is still damp, and..."
He likes it when I take care of him, I thought, warmth flooding my chest. He wants me to take care of him.
"It's not silly," I interrupted gently, already reaching for the towel. "I'd love to."
Jaehee settled behind Sion on the bed, careful hands working the towel through damp strands with reverent attention. His touch was so gentle, so focused, like Sion's hair was made of spun gold rather than ordinary strands that dried badly when left to their own devices.
"Your hair is so pretty like you," Jaehee murmured, fingers combing through the dark strands. "I could do this forever."
Sion melted at the praise, leaning back into Jaehee's touch with a contentment he'd never felt before. "I love your hands on me," he said without thinking, then immediately blushed at how that sounded.
My hands stilled for just a moment at his words, heat flooding through me at the innocent but loaded statement. He loves my hands on him, I thought, my imagination immediately running wild before I reined it in.
"I love touching you," I said quietly, continuing my gentle ministrations. "I've been dreaming about it for so long."
Being able to touch him freely, I thought as I carefully arranged his damp hair. Being allowed to care for him openly, without having to hide what it means to me.
When the worst of the moisture was gone, I set the towel aside and continued running my fingers through his hair, arranging it carefully. Then, so softly I almost wasn't sure I'd do it, I pressed a kiss to the crown of his head.
Mine, I thought possessively. Finally mine to love openly.
"There," I murmured, but instead of pulling away, I pressed another kiss to his temple.
Then one to his cheek. Then the corner of his mouth, feather-light and sweet. Then his nose, making him scrunch it adorably. His other cheek, his forehead, the tip of his chin, a constellation of tiny, perfect kisses that left him giggling breathlessly.
"What are you doing?" he asked between kisses, though he was already tilting his head to give me better access.
"Kissing every part of your beautiful face," I said matter-of-factly, punctuating my words with another soft press of lips against his flushed skin. "Making up for all the times I wanted to and couldn't."
All those months, I thought as I traced my lips across his warm skin, all those times I watched him and wanted nothing more than to lean over and kiss away whatever was troubling him.
By the time he was finished, Sion felt like he was glowing from within, his skin warm where each kiss had landed. "I think you missed a spot," he said teasingly, pointing to his lips.
"Did I?" Jaehee asked with mock seriousness, leaning closer with a smile that made Sion's heart skip beats. "We can't have that."
The kiss he pressed to Sion's lips was different from all the others, deeper, more intentional, full of months of suppressed longing. Sion melted into it completely, his hands fisting in Jaehee's soft sleep shirt to pull him closer.
When they broke apart, both breathing unsteadily, Jaehee's eyes immediately went to the marks he'd left scattered across Sion's throat and collarbones—dark purple blooms against pale skin that stood out beautifully in the dim light.
Perfect, I thought, tracing one of the marks gently with my fingertip, making Sion shiver at the tender touch. He looks perfect marked by me. Everyone will know he's mine.
"Perfect," I whispered aloud. "You look perfect."
Sion reached up to touch his neck, feeling the slight tenderness where I had claimed him. "I can feel them," he said wonderingly, and I felt a possessive thrill run through me at the thought of him carrying my marks.
Good, I thought with quiet satisfaction. I want him to feel them. I want him to remember.
"Good," I said, pressing a soft kiss to one of the darker marks. "I brought snacks," he said eventually, gesturing vaguely toward the bags he'd abandoned by the door in his haste to get close to me.
I laughed, the sound warm and delighted. "Of course you did. What did we get?"
They spread their haul across Jaehee's bed—expensive chips and chocolate, fancy cookies and fruit gummies, the kind of indulgent treats that were usually reserved for special occasions. It felt appropriately celebratory for the most important day of Sion's life.
"This is perfect," Sion said softly, settling against Jaehee's side with a handful of gummy bears. "Just us."
"Very perfect," Jaehee agreed, wrapping an arm around him and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "I could get used to this."
"Good," Sion said, tilting his head up to look at him. "Because I'm planning to be very demanding of your attention from now on."
"I'm counting on it," Jaehee said with a smile that made Sion's insides flutter.
They fed each other snacks and traded soft touches, Sion discovering that he could make Jaehee blush just by calling him beautiful, Jaehee learning that Sion made the most adorable little sounds when his hair was played with.
"Baby," Sion said as they settled more comfortably against the pillows, the endearment slipping out without conscious thought, "can you turn the light off? I want to cuddle properly."
The effect on me was immediate and devastating. My eyes went wide, a flush spreading across my cheeks and down my neck, visible even in the dim light.
Baby, I thought, the word echoing in my mind like a caress. He called me baby.
"Baby?" I repeated, my voice slightly strangled.
Sion looked at me with growing satisfaction, clearly filing away the knowledge that he could affect me this way. "Do you like it when I call you that?"
"I... yes... it's..." I swallowed hard, trying to find words while my brain was short-circuiting. "It's very much okay."
More than okay, I thought desperately. It's perfect. He's perfect.
"Good," Sion said with satisfaction, watching as I fumbled for the light switch with hands that weren't quite steady. "Because I plan to call you that a lot."
In the gentle darkness, with only streetlight filtering through the curtains, they arranged themselves more comfortably. Sion tucked against Jaehee's side, head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
"Honey," Jaehee tried softly, testing the endearment.
"Mm," Sion hummed approvingly, pressing closer.
"Sweetheart."
"I like that one too."
"My love."
Sion's breath caught at that one, because it was possessive and tender and everything he'd ever wanted to be called. "That's one of my favorites," he whispered.
My fingers traced idle patterns on Sion's arm as I thought. "I want something else, something special. Something that's just ours."
Something that belongs only to us, I thought. Something that will be ours alone, that no one else will understand the meaning of.
Sion considered this carefully, snuggling deeper into my warmth as his mind wandered through possibilities. "I don't know," he admitted softly. "What feels right to you?"
I was quiet for a moment, my fingers continuing their gentle patterns across his skin as I thought about what he meant to me, how he made me feel.
"How about starlight?" I suggested eventually, my voice warm with affection. "You light up everything around you, but it's subtle, gentle. Not like the sun that's bright and obvious, but like stars... beautiful and precious and only really visible when everything else goes quiet."
Like how you are with me, I thought. Beautiful and precious and only really visible when it's just us, when the rest of the world fades away.
Sion melted at the explanation, at the way Jaehee's voice went soft and reverent when he spoke. "Starlight," he repeated, tasting the word. "I love that. It's perfect."
"My starlight," Jaehee whispered, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Mine."
"Yours," Sion agreed, settling back down against his chest with a contented sigh. "Always yours, baby."
The endearment still made Jaehee's breath catch, and Sion smiled against his skin, delighting in the effect he had on this beautiful, wonderful man who called him starlight like it was a prayer.
"I love you," Jaehee whispered into the darkness, the words carrying the weight of months of suppressed feeling.
"I love you too," Sion whispered back. "So much. For so long, even when I didn't know what it was."
"I still can't believe this is real," Sion admitted after a comfortable silence, reaching up to touch my face in the darkness, needing the physical proof of my presence.
He still can't quite believe it, I realized, catching his hand and bringing it to my lips to press soft kisses to each fingertip. After everything, he's still afraid this might disappear.
"It's real," I assured him. "We're real. This is real."
And I'm going to spend every day proving it to him, I thought. Every day showing him that this love, this us, is the most real thing in my life.
They kissed again then, soft and sweet and full of wonder, like they were still amazed that they were allowed to do this. When they broke apart, Sion immediately leaned in for another.
"Again," he demanded, already addicted to the taste of Jaehee's lips.
Jaehee laughed against his mouth but complied willingly, and they spent long minutes trading increasingly heated kisses, hands roaming over soft sleep clothes and bare skin, relearning each other in this new context of mutual desire.
"You taste like heaven," Jaehee murmured against Sion's lips, their mouths barely separated, sharing the same breath. "I could kiss you forever."
Sion arched into the attention, a soft sound escaping him that made Jaehee's breath catch. "Please," he whispered, fingers tangling in Jaehee's hair. "Don't stop."
My hands found the tie of Sion's silk robe, fingers hesitating at the knot. Even now, even with everything we'd confessed, I wanted to be sure.
Always his choice, I reminded myself. Always what he wants, at the pace he wants.
"Can I...?" I asked softly, my voice rough with want but still careful, still giving him the choice.
"Yes," Sion breathed, helping me with shaking fingers. "Please, yes."
The silk fell away like water, pooling around Sion's waist and leaving his chest bare in the dim light. Jaehee's breath caught at the sight, his eyes drinking in the expanse of smooth skin like he was memorizing every inch.
"You're a masterpiece," he whispered, hands trembling slightly as they mapped the planes of Sion's chest, fingertips tracing along collarbones and ribs with reverent touches that made Sion shiver. "I've dreamed about this, about touching you like this."
Sion's hands found the hem of Jaehee's sleep shirt, tugging gently. "Your turn," he said, voice already breathless from Jaehee's gentle exploration. "I want to see you too."
I helped him pull the soft fabric over my head, and then we were skin to skin, chest to chest, breathing each other's air in the intimate darkness. The contact was electric, months of longing finally given form in the press of warm skin and gentle hands.
This is everything, I thought as I felt his heart racing against mine. This closeness, this intimacy, this perfect trust between us.
"Come here," I murmured, my voice rough with desire as I shifted back against the headboard, hands reaching for him with barely restrained need. "I need you closer."
I need him as close as possible, I thought desperately. I need to feel every breath, every heartbeat, every small sound he makes.
Sion moved without hesitation, drawn by the heat in Jaehee's eyes and the way his hands reached for him like he couldn't bear the distance. He settled carefully onto Jaehee's lap, legs bracketing his hips, the new position bringing them impossibly close. The intimacy of it made his breath catch—he could feel every inhale and exhale of Jaehee's chest against his own, and could see every fleck of gold in his dark eyes.
"Is this okay?" Sion asked softly, suddenly shy despite their state of undress, his hands resting tentatively on Jaehee's shoulders.
"More than okay," Jaehee assured him, his hands settling on Sion's waist with gentle possessiveness. "You're incredible like this. So beautiful I can barely think straight."
The praise made Sion flush pink all the way down his chest, and he ducked his head, suddenly overwhelmed by the intensity of Jaehee's gaze. But gentle fingers tilted his chin back up, refusing to let him hide.
"Don't look away," Jaehee whispered, thumbs tracing the sharp line of Sion's cheekbones. "I've been dreaming of seeing you like this, of having you this close. Let me look at you."
Sion's hands moved of their own accord, mapping the broad span of my chest, tracing the defined lines of muscle that spoke of hours in the practice room and gym. Every touch drew soft sighs from my lips, encouraging him to explore further, to learn what made me gasp and arch into the contact.
His hands on me, I thought dazedly as pleasure sparked along my skin. Finally, finally his hands on me like this.
"You feel so good," Sion breathed, pressing closer until there was no space between us, until he could feel the rapid beat of my heart against his chest. "So warm, so solid. I never want to let you go."
Never, I thought possessively, pulling him even closer, one hand threading through his hair while the other traced patterns along the curve of his spine. Never letting you go, never letting this end.
Their response was to pull him even closer, one hand threading through Sion's hair while the other traced patterns along the curve of his spine. The gentle friction of their bodies moving together, the heat building between them, made Sion's head fall back with a soft moan.
"That sound," Jaehee groaned, his lips finding the exposed column of Sion's throat, pressing open-mouthed kisses along the sensitive skin. "You have no idea what you do to me."
Sion rocked forward instinctively, seeking more contact, more friction, and the way Jaehee's breath hitched in response sent fire through his veins. They moved together slowly, carefully, learning this new language of touch and pleasure, every small movement drawing soft sounds from both their lips.
Their mouths found each other again, open and desperate, tongues meeting in a dance that was both tender and consuming. They were so close now that each breath was shared, each movement synchronized, building toward something bright and overwhelming.
"Jaehee," Sion gasped against his lips, their mouths barely separated as waves of sensation built higher and higher. "I can't... it's too much, it's..."
"I know, angel," I soothed, my voice strained with my own need but still infinitely gentle. My lips brushed against his with every word, our breath mingling in the small space between us. "I've got you. Just feel, just let go."
Angel, I thought as the endearment slipped out. My angel, my starlight, my everything.
The endearment, so soft and reverent, combined with the feeling of being so close, so connected, seemed to break something open in Sion's chest. He pressed his forehead against mine, our lips almost touching, sharing each desperate breath as we moved together in perfect rhythm.
This is love, I realized as we moved together toward something inevitable and perfect. This is what it means to love someone completely, body and soul.
"I love you," Sion whispered against my mouth, the words spilling out with each shaky exhale. "I love you so much."
"I love you too," I whispered back, our lips brushing with each word, creating the ghost of kisses between desperate breaths. "My starlight, my everything."
When release finally claimed them, it was with their mouths pressed together, swallowing each other's cries of pleasure, their bodies trembling together as waves of sensation crashed over them. Sion's name fell from Jaehee's lips like a prayer, while Jaehee's became Sion's anchor in the storm of overwhelming feeling.
In the aftermath, they held each other close, skin damp with sweat and hearts racing. Sion had collapsed against Jaehee's chest, boneless and sated, while gentle hands stroked through his hair and along his back.
"That was..." Sion started, then trailed off, unable to find words for what they'd just shared.
"Perfect," Jaehee finished softly, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head. "You were perfect, my love."
We cleaned up with gentle touches and soft cloths, taking care of each other with the same tenderness we'd shown throughout. When we finally settled back into bed, Sion's silk robe forgotten on the floor, we curled up together in comfortable silence.
Perfect, I thought as Sion nestled against my chest, his breathing already slowing toward sleep. This is perfect. He's perfect. We're perfect together.
Sion nestled against my chest, listening to my heartbeat slow to a peaceful rhythm. The marks on his throat were a pleasant reminder of what we'd shared, and he traced lazy patterns on my chest while we basked in the afterglow.
"I love you," Sion whispered into the quiet darkness, the words feeling more real each time he said them.
"I love you too, my starlight," I murmured back, pressing a soft kiss to his hair. "More than I ever thought possible."
More than I knew was possible to feel, I thought drowsily. More than I knew my heart could hold.
They held each other close as sleep began to claim them, wrapped in warmth and contentment and the knowledge that everything had finally, perfectly fallen into place.
"Sweet dreams, baby," Sion whispered, already half-asleep and completely blissful.
"Sweet dreams, my everything," Jaehee whispered back, and they drifted off together, hearts full and finally at peace.
They woke late the next morning to sunlight streaming through the curtains and the realization that they had no schedules, nowhere to be except exactly where they were. Sion had never experienced such perfect contentment, warm and safe in Jaehee's arms, with nowhere to go and nothing to prove.
The first thing he became aware of was warmth—the solid, reassuring presence of Jaehee's body pressed against his back like a protective shield against the world. Jaehee's arm was wrapped securely around his waist, fingers splayed possessively across Sion's bare stomach, and his other arm was tucked under Sion's head like a pillow. The position was so intimate, so perfectly fitted together, that Sion felt like they'd been sleeping like this for years rather than just one precious night.
I could feel Sion beginning to stir in my arms, and I tightened my hold slightly, not wanting to let go of this perfect moment. He was so warm and soft against me, fitting perfectly in the curve of my body like he was made to be there.
Mine, I thought drowsily, breathing in the scent of his hair. My starlight, safe in my arms where he belongs.
I felt him relax completely into my embrace, and I knew that he'd slept as peacefully as I had. There was something about holding him like this, about being trusted with his vulnerability in sleep, that made my heart swell with overwhelming love and protectiveness.
I nuzzled closer to his neck, pressing a drowsy kiss to the sensitive skin there, tasting the lingering salt of our shared intimacy.
"Good morning, beautiful," I murmured against his nape, my voice rough and gravelly with sleep in a way that made his stomach flutter with butterflies. My lips moved lazily against his skin as I spoke, each word accompanied by the ghost of a kiss.
Beautiful, I thought, pressing another soft kiss to his shoulder. So beautiful, and mine, and perfect.
"Mm, morning, love," Sion replied softly, the endearment feeling natural and right on his tongue. He melted back against my chest, reveling in the way our bodies fit together so perfectly, every curve and angle complementing the other. "What time is it?"
I glanced at the clock over his shoulder, but honestly didn't care what time it was. We had nowhere to be, nothing more important than this moment.
We should probably check on the others and make breakfast. They're going to wonder what happened to us, I thought, but the prospect of domestic normalcy with Sion—cooking together, taking care of our members as a unit rather than as separate individuals—filled me with quiet joy.
"Late enough that we should probably check on the others and make breakfast. They're going to wonder what happened to us."
The prospect of domestic normalcy with Sion—cooking together, taking care of their members as a unit rather than as separate individuals—filled Sion with quiet joy.
"Five more minutes," he pleaded, pressing lazy kisses along my collarbone. "I want to stay like this forever."
Forever, I thought, tightening my arms around him. I want that too, starlight. I want this forever.
"Just five more minutes," I agreed indulgently. "Then we feed our children."
"Our children?" Sion laughed, delighted by the casual possessiveness of it.
"They're basically our kids at this point," I said with fond exasperation. "Especially Sakuya and Ryo. When was the last time they ate anything that wasn't ramyeon or convenience store kimbap?"
"Too long," Sion agreed, already mentally planning a proper breakfast. "We should make pancakes. The fluffy ones Sakuya likes."
"And that fancy bacon Ryo is always talking about."
"And coffee that doesn't taste like sadness," Sion added, making me laugh.
They made their way upstairs eventually, moving quietly through the dorm that felt different now—charged with new possibility and the sweet satisfaction of finally, finally being exactly where they belonged.
In the upper dorm's common area, they found evidence of the previous night's exhaustion—Sakuya and Ryo still curled up together on one couch, Riku and Yushi sprawled across the other, all of them deeply unconscious despite the late hour.
"Should we wake them for breakfast?" Sion asked, though he was secretly enjoying having Jaehee to himself for just a little longer.
"Let them sleep a little longer. We can start cooking and the smell will wake them up naturally."
Working together in the kitchen was a revelation—better than any fantasy I'd ever had. I handled the more complex preparations while Sion managed pancakes and coffee, both of us moving around each other with unconscious choreography, stealing kisses when we passed, trading soft endearments like secrets.
This, I thought as I watched him flip pancakes with practiced ease, sunlight from the kitchen window catching in his hair. This is what I want for the rest of my life. This easy intimacy, this partnership, this love made tangible in small acts of care.
"Hand me the vanilla?" I asked, focused on whisking pancake batter.
"Here, baby," Sion said, pressing the bottle into my hand along with a quick kiss to my temple.
Baby, I thought, warmth flooding my chest at the casual endearment. He called me baby like it's the most natural thing in the world.
The casual domesticity of it, the easy affection, the way we just fit—it was everything I'd dreamed of without knowing I was dreaming it.
They were just plating the final dishes—a spread that looked like something from a hotel breakfast buffet—when a sleepy voice interrupted their quiet efficiency.
"So you guys are fucking now?"
Sion nearly dropped the plate of perfectly arranged bacon, spinning around to find Riku standing in the kitchen doorway, hair sticking up at impossible angles and wearing a grin that suggested he was far more awake than he appeared.
"Riku!" Sion gasped, his face immediately flaming red. "You can't just—we're not—"
"What? It's a reasonable question," Riku said with unrepentant amusement. "You're both glowing, Sion-hyung is wearing Jaehee's shirt, there are suspicious marks on both your necks, and there's a very obvious lack of denial happening right now."
I felt heat creep up my neck as I realized how obvious we must be. Sion was indeed wearing one of my shirts, loose and comfortable on his smaller frame, and I was touching my neck self-consciously, clearly remembering the attention he'd lavished there the night before.
We're not exactly being subtle, I realized with amusement. And I don't care. Let them know. Let everyone know that he's mine.
Neither of us rushed to correct Riku's assumption, which only made his grin wider.
"I knew it," he said smugly. "Yushi owes me breakfast for a week."
They bet on us, I thought with fond exasperation. Of course they did.
Before either of them could figure out how to respond to that revelation, Yushi appeared behind Riku, still half-asleep and clearly seeking warmth.
"Riku," he mumbled, wrapping his arms around Riku's waist from behind and nuzzling into his neck with the unconscious intimacy of long habit. "Come back to bed. It's too early for interrogations."
The effect on Riku was immediate and profound—his confident teasing evaporating as a deep flush spread across his face and down his neck, his breath catching audibly at the casual display of affection.
Jaehee started laughing, clearly delighted by this unexpected role reversal, while Sion stared in shock as pieces of a puzzle he hadn't known existed suddenly clicked into place.
"Oh my god," Sion breathed, understanding finally dawning. "You two are together. Actually together."
"A few months now," I said with continued amusement, still chuckling at Riku's flustered state. "I thought everyone knew."
I've been watching them dance around each other almost as long as Sion and I have been dancing around each other, I thought. It's nice to see we're not the only ones who finally figured it out.
"You knew and didn't tell me?" Sion demanded, torn between indignation and delight.
"You didn't ask!" I protested, wrapping my arms around his waist from behind and pressing a kiss to his temple. "Plus, it wasn't my secret to tell. Just like this wasn't their secret to tell."
Though I'm glad it's not a secret anymore, I thought, holding him close. I'm tired of hiding how I feel about him.
Sion melted back against Jaehee's chest, still marveling at how perfectly they fit together. "How long has everyone been keeping secrets from me?"
"Just us," Riku managed, finally recovering enough to speak while Yushi dozed against his shoulder. "And technically we weren't keeping secrets, we just weren't broadcasting it."
"The way you two are broadcasting it now?" Yushi asked without opening his eyes, gesturing vaguely at their obviously couple-y position.
"We're not broadcasting anything," Sion protested, even as he pressed closer to Jaehee's warmth.
"Uh-huh," Yushi said skeptically. "Is that why Jaehee is playing with your hair and you're practically purring?"
I hadn't even noticed my fingers threading through his hair, but now that it was pointed out, I realized he had been making small, pleased sounds. The realization made him blush, but he didn't move away.
I love that he lets me touch him like this, I thought, continuing to play with his soft strands. I love that he makes those little sounds when I do. I love everything about this.
"We're happy," Sion said simply, tilting his head back to smile at me. "We're allowed to be happy."
Happy, I thought, looking down at his beautiful, radiant face. That's exactly what this is. Pure, simple happiness.
"You're allowed to be disgustingly adorable, apparently," Riku said with fond exasperation. "Seriously, you two are cavity-inducing."
"Look who's talking," I pointed out, nodding toward where Yushi was still attached to Riku like a sleepy koala. "You realize he's basically asleep standing up, right?"
"He does this," Riku said with helpless fondness, pressing a kiss to the top of Yushi's head. "He's not a morning person."
"None of us are morning people," Sion said, then paused as the smell of our breakfast registered. "Speaking of which, we should eat before everything gets cold."
The process of waking Sakuya and Ryo was gentle chaos—both younger members emerging from sleep with rumpled hair and confused expressions, drawn by the smell of proper food and the sound of familiar voices.
"Did we miss movie night?" Sakuya asked around a yawn, accepting a plate piled high with pancakes and bacon.
"You fell asleep before we even got back with snacks," Sion explained, settling at the table with his own plate and immediately making room for Jaehee beside him.
"Oh no," Ryo said with genuine distress. "We're such bad dongsaengs."
"You're tired dongsaengs," Jaehee corrected gently, reaching over to ruffle his hair. "There's a difference. We can have movie night tonight if everyone's up for it."
"Yes!" both younger members chorused immediately, perking up at the promise.
The breakfast dissolved into comfortable chaos—six people around a table meant for four, passing dishes and stealing food from each other's plates, the easy intimacy of family. I found myself constantly aware of Sion beside me, the way our knees bumped under the table, how I automatically refilled his coffee without being asked, the small smile he wore whenever he caught me looking at him.
This is what I want, I thought, watching our chaotic, loving family share a meal. This warmth, this belonging, this sense of home. And Sion at the center of it all, mine to love openly.
"This is nice," Sakuya said contentedly, cheeks full of pancake. "We should do this more often."
"We should," Sion agreed, catching my hand under the table and intertwining our fingers. "All of us together like this."
Together, I thought, squeezing his hand gently. My family, complete and happy and together.
"Speaking of together," Riku said with renewed mischief, "are we going to talk about how our leader and our main vocalist are obviously—"
"Riku," I warned, but I was smiling.
Let him tease, I thought fondly. I don't mind everyone knowing anymore.
"What? I'm just saying, if you two are going to be couple goals, the least you can do is warn the rest of us so we can prepare ourselves mentally."
"Couple goals?" Sion asked, pink creeping up his neck.
"You're literally holding hands while sharing pancakes," Yushi pointed out with sleepy amusement. "And Jaehee keeps looking at you like you hung the moon."
I do, I thought, not even trying to deny it. Because he did. He is my moon and stars and everything bright in my universe.
"I do not," I protested, but the soft look I directed at Sion suggested otherwise.
"You do," Sion said quietly, wonder in his voice. "You really do."
The tenderness in his voice made the table fall silent for a moment, everyone recognizing something important passing between them.
"Well," Riku said eventually, breaking the moment with characteristic timing, "I guess this means no more pining dramatically in the practice room."
"There was no dramatic pining," Sion said with as much dignity as he could muster.
"There was so much dramatic pining," Sakuya said solemnly. "Like, award-winning levels of pining. We all noticed."
"Even I noticed," Ryo added, "and I'm oblivious to everything."
Sion looked around the table at his members—his family—all of them grinning at him with varying degrees of fondness and amusement, and felt his heart expand with so much love he thought it might burst.
"I love you all," he said suddenly, the words spilling out soft and sincere. "All of you. My weird, wonderful, meddling family."
"We love you too, hyung," they chorused back, and Sion believed them completely.
Later, after the dishes were done and everyone had scattered to various activities—Sakuya and Ryo claiming the gaming console, Riku and Yushi disappearing back to one of their rooms for what they diplomatically called "more sleep"—Sion found himself back in Jaehee's arms on the couch, absolutely nothing pressing they needed to do.
"So," Jaehee said softly, playing with Sion's hair in the way that made him melt. "How are you feeling about all this? Really?"
"Happy," Sion said immediately, then paused to consider more deeply. "Scared, but happy. Like everything finally makes sense but I'm terrified I'm going to mess it up somehow."
He's still scared, I realized, pressing a kiss to his temple. Still afraid this is too good to be true.
"You're not going to mess it up," I assured him. "We're both new at this, but we'll figure it out together. Okay?"
Together, I thought, the word settling warm and certain in my chest. Whatever comes, we'll face it together.
"Together," Sion repeated, like he was testing the word. "I like the sound of that."
"Good," I said with a smile that made his heart skip. "Because I'm planning to stick around for a very long time."
Forever, if he'll have me, I thought. For the rest of my life, if he wants.
"How long?" Sion asked, tilting his head back to look at me.
"Forever, if you'll have me."
The promise settled in Sion's chest like warm honey, sweet and golden and absolutely perfect.
"Forever sounds good," he whispered, and sealed it with a kiss that tasted like happiness and home and all the tomorrows stretching out before them, bright with possibility and love.
As they held each other close, surrounded by the gentle chaos of their chosen family, both of them knew with absolute certainty that this was just the beginning. They had found each other, finally and completely, and nothing would ever be the same again.
The future stretched out before them, full of music and laughter, quiet moments and grand adventures, all of it made brighter by the knowledge that they would face it together. Hand in hand, heart to heart, starlight and everything that made it shine.
My starlight, Jaehee thought, pressing one more soft kiss to Sion's hair. Mine, always mine.
And in the safety of his arms, Sion smiled and thought the same thing in return: My everything. Always, always mine.