Chapter Text
[night]
It was the sound of the wind that awoken him.
The wind was hollering against the window, whoosshed and thumped—the osmanthus bare branch knocked against the glass panel: tock tock tock in repeated tempo, almost like there was someone there, begging permission to enter. Most night, he will surely got restless and swamped with so many unnecessary thoughts—unable to went back to sleep.
But not tonight.
The bed felt warm. Underneath the striped patterned blanket, Daniel lied there with him, the first time after their last night two years ago. Seongwoo invited him to his current home after their meeting on the cafe—Daniel was holding his hand all the way during the bus trip home, paid no mind to other people’s stares on the street. They chatted a lot, filled up the news during their years apart until the night came.
“Stay,” Seongwoo said, fingers tugged the hem of Daniel’s shirt, and the younger male smiled as he nooded, “Your wish is my command.”
They chatted more on the bed, lied there side by side cramped on Seongwoo’s single bed, slowly drifted to sleep while doing so. It was a bizarre feeling: the other male entered his life again and it felt like that he never ever left before. It felt right to have the latter by his side, together with him.
There was another loud whooosshhh hollering sound, and Daniel stirred in his sleep for a bit. Unconsciously, he pulled Seongwoo closer to his embrace: pressed the older male’s body against his own. He snuggled closer, mumbled something that sounded like Seongwoo’s name, before those lips curled upward into a smile. Seongwoo’s breath hitched as his heart melted, witnessing his lover smiled after mentioning his name during sleep. God, he missed these tender moments.
The younger male always hug him while sleeping like this, strong arms circled Seongwoo’s torso. The older man will always using the latter’s arm as pillow, their faces were inches apart. Seongwoo wondered if his sleeping position numbed Daniel’s arm, something was awfully always happen during those years they shared the bed. Daniel’s main sleeping pose was the starfish, sprawled his long limbs everywhere in such a messy pose whenever he sleeps alone—but miraculously the latter mirrored Seongwoo’s fetal position whenever they sleep together, and somehow Seongwoo always ended up on the latter’s embrace. Unconsciously, they will seek each other during the night—resulted a tangled mess on the morning since their bodies intertwined together in a messy hug.
His lids felt heavy, but Seongwoo kept his eyes open. He stared on Daniel’s sleeping face, tried his best to etched the latter’s image on his memory. It felt like an insurance: he was molding the latter’s feature on his heart, so he won’t forget his lover’s face, ever. It was silly and Daniel promised him that he won’t ever left Seongwoo anymore, but there was this little dark fear inside him—creeped him up with insecurities.
He pushed the negative feelings out, and stared some more: Daniel’s face was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. He was thinner, looked tired eventhough his expression was peaceful at the moment. The hair was in darker shade of brunette this time, still soft as ever. There wasn’t a wrinkle yet, but there was a dark shadow under his eyes; along with a five o’clock shadow casted on his jawline.
“…woo-ya,” Daniel mumbled his name again. The younger’s breath felt warm against his face. Seongwoo smiled. He felt secure. Daniel’s embrace was his home, his sanctuary. He snuggled closer and buried his face on the latter’s chest, inhaled the nostalgic scent he missed so much all these times whenever they weren’t together.
Outside, the wind went quieter. The tock tock knocking sound sounded demure, almost faint. Daniel’s heartbeats was clear and steady, synched with his own. It felt like a lullaby. Seongwoo slowly closed his eyes, asleep.
[day]
The other side of the bed was empty when he wake up.
Daniel yawned as he rubbed his eyes, slowly positioned himself into a sitting position. He ruffled his cowlicked hair, bedhead and all. For a second there the place felt foreign and unfamiliar, then he remembered that he stayed at Seongwoo’s home.
A sinking feeling followed soon after, but Seongwoo’s side was still warm. There were a faint static song heard from the radio, harmonized with the sizzling sound of something delicious on the skillet, followed by occasional tapping and scrapping of the spatula against the utensils. The air were filled with the aroma of coffee and fried egg and chicken soup as he stepped closer to the kitchen barefooted, the linoleum flooring felt cold against his feet.
There he was: Seongwoo in front of the stove. The older male was wearing a plaid waist apron, Daniel’s sweater underneath—baggy as he was at least one size bigger than the latter. Seongwoo’s own pants somewhat barely visible since the well-weared sweater sagged too much, hems inches apart from the knee-length pants. He hummed along the song played on the radio: something western with nostalgic 70s vibe. Seongwoo looked relaxed, eyeing his sunny side up with pursed lips, waiting the perfect moment of the edged white went crispy while the yolk was still runny. He twirled the wooden spatula on his hand, tapped it rhythmically on the iron’s skilled.
It seemed awfully domestic, yet felt like a wishful fantasy for Daniel. His heart swelled with joy as he savoured the sight, a wide smile spread on his face. He stepped closer, and the older male noticed him.
“Hey,” Seongwoo replied with smile, eyes crinkled into a half crescent shape, “You’re up. Breakfast almost ready.”
“Mmm,” He nodded, slowly approached Seongwoo and hugged his waist from the back. The older male let him hugged him, laughed as he threw his head back against Daniel’s—his back against Daniel’s torso.
“Are you cold? Sorry, I’m wearing your sweater. I just couldn’t resist,” Seongwoo stirred the soup on the pot. It smelled heavenly. Daniel kissed the latter’s cheek, “It’s okay. You looked lovely wearing it.”
“Help me set the table? The utensils on the second drawer from the left.” Seongwoo asked, and Daniel hummed a yes before reluctantly separated himself from the hug. He placed the plate and the bowl, along with the chopsticks and the soup spoon on Seongwoo’s tiny dining table.
Soon Seongwoo was done with the cooking and their breakfast was laid out perfectly. A set of identical two, Seongwoo even cut the mini tomatoes to garnish their meal with more vegetables. “Let’s eat,” Seongwoo took the first bite, and Daniel followed suit. The familiar taste felt really good, and Daniel sighed in bliss. “I miss this so much,” He admitted. Seongwoo bashfuly grinned in response, “Eat some more, then.”
It was ten minutes later when their plates were almost empty, the awfully familiar song played on the radio. Both of them paused for a second, as they recognized the song immediately. It was their song; filled the room like fate, nothing coincidental.
♪ ♫ ♬ You know I can't smile without you
I can't smile without you
I can't laugh and I can't sing
I'm finding it hard to do anything
You see I feel sad when you're sad
I feel glad when you're glad
If you only knew what I'm going through
I just can't smile without you ♪ ♫ ♬
The same and always, the Barry Manilow’s Can’t Smile Without You. Daniel offered his hand as he stood up from his chair accross Seongwoo’s. The older male asked, “What?” but he was smiling from ear to ear.
“Let me have this dance with you?” Daniel bowed with one of his hand placed across his heart, mimicking those gentry gentlemen from Victorian period. “Sure,” Seongwoo laughed as he took the hand, positioned themselves in slow, circular dances.
They barely moved: Daniel’s hand on Seongwoo’s waist, Seongwoo placed his on Daniel’s wide shoulder, their other hand joined together. They only moved their legs left and right, twirled slowly in paces—the kitchen didn’t have much space in the first place.
Yet it felt perfect; like a fairytale ending. The one with the protagonist finally conquered evil to be with their loved one, smiles on their faces, and the magical sentence of and they lived happily ever after was written before the last two letters in bold: The End.
“Daniel,” Seongwoo called, almost a whisper, “I love you.”
“To the moon and back,” Daniel replied, full with certainty. They moved closer, and Seongwoo replied the continuation, “To infinity and beyond.” Daniel leaned in, kissed the older male lips with a whole-heartedly passion. “Forever,” He mouthed, lips locked with Seongwoo’s velvety one. He kneaded the latter’s lower lip, and as the older male slightly moaned, Daniel stole another passionate kiss, “…and ever.”
“And ever,” Seongwoo mouthed again, repeated the ending of their quotes. “Niel…?”
“Hmm?”
“Kiss me more.”
Daniel laughed and obliged, “Your wish is my command.”
♪ ♫ ♬ You see I feel glad when you're glad
I feel sad when you're sad
If you only knew what I'm going through
I just can't smile without you ♪ ♫ ♬
