Chapter Text
“See, this is the blender I want.”
Jaehyun lifted the home appliance catalog and flipped it around to point out his choice to Johnny, who was sitting across the kitchen table.
It was a lazy Sunday morning. Steam floated off the top of their coffees while they caught up with the magazines that had collected in their entryway throughout the week or did the crossword puzzle in the newspaper, all while Sportscenter quietly droned on from the TV in the other room.
Frankly, they both could use a bit of a slow day. Things had been busy lately, especially with last weekend’s celebration of their five-year anniversary.
The pair decided it would be fun to relive some of their college glory days moments: a cheeseburger and milkshake date at Sonic; making out in the back of a movie theater; and finally settling in at home with a party-size bag of jalapeño cheddar Cheetos, a six-pack of tall boys, and a couple of edibles that they managed to buy from their friend Yuta.
Unfortunately, by the next day, they were met with the harsh reality that a few years makes a big difference and they couldn’t necessarily handle all that anymore. These days, they were moderately-functioning adults in their mid-twenties, with things like full-time jobs and joint bank accounts and even renter's insurance.
Even though their life together was not as carefree as it once was, neither would trade it away. But still, a quiet weekend was definitely in order.
Johnny tried to focus as Jaehyun read off the features of the product he was so interested in, but frankly, all he could see was his favorite person and his favorite dimples on his favorite kind of morning.
“It’s cool, right? I mean, it’s expensive, but it basically does everything,” Jaehyun lowered the catalog to tabletop once more, reaching for his coffee. "Maybe after the holidays or something..."
Of course it was expensive – Jaehyun always wanted the best of the best. And Johnny was in a generous mood on this fine morning.
“You know, I was talking to Doyoung last week, and he said his Costco membership pays for itself. And they have everything,” Johnny offered, twirling his pencil between his fingers. He had all but abandoned the Times crossword in front of him. “Should we look into that? ”
Jaehyun sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest and turning toward the window while he mulled it over. His eyebrows scrunched while he weighed the pros and cons.
“We could save a lot on our basic necessities,” he thought aloud. “But—”
“But it feels like a big commitment?”
“Yeah,” Jaehyun exhaled. “To… suburban life. “
Even though they were pretty content with growing up as long as they were together, some things still freaked them out.
“It’s like we’re leveling up in suburbia.”
“Exactly.”
“But in the long-run,” Johnny added. “It’s probably worth it for us, right?”
Jaehyun hummed, tilting his head while he thought. Of course, Johnny was probably right. They’d probably be together for a long time, if not forever, even if neither had popped the question of marriage yet.
“Hey,” Johnny whispered, stretching out his arm toward him across the table.
Jaehyun lowered his hand onto his palm.
“You know how much I love you, right?” Johnny said softly, eyes warm little honeypots in the morning light.
Jaehyun’s heartbeat quickened as Johnny’s thumb rolled across his knuckles. He didn’t know how the elder still managed to have that effect on him.
He cocked an eyebrow, smiling. “Of course I do.”
Johnny closed his hand a little tighter around Jaehyun’s.
“More than anything in the world.”
Jaehyun nodded, his throat tightening at this sudden burst of affection.
“And there’s no one I’d rather level up in suburbia with than you.”
He leaned further across the table, grinning like a fool.
Jaehyun’s cheeks grew pink, tugging his hand away to the sound of the elder’s chuckles.
“Why are you like this?” he huffed, pushing a hand through his hair through his hair to distract from his blushing grin.
“Because it makes you smile,” Johnny said, shoving himself away from the table. He slugged back the rest of his coffee, leaving his empty mug beside the sink. “Come on, how about we go to Costco and at least see what it’s about. It’s not a big deal.”
“Okay, okay.”
Johnny strolled over to his boyfriend and bent over him, palms clasped on either side of his face, lifting it up towards him.
“I’m so glad you’re mine forever.”
The younger used to find it so peculiar how often Johnny would say such grand things, but over time, he just got used to it. He just never shied away from expressing himself.
Johnny leaned down for a gentle kiss.
“I’m gonna hop in the shower,” he said, lowering his hands and turning. “You’re welcome to join me.”
Jaehyun bit his lip, eyes following his boyfriend as he strolled away and disappeared around the corner. He looked at his still half-full mug of warm coffee.
It’ll go cold and be wasted if I abandon it now, he thought.
But then he heard the shower faucet kick on down the hall of their condo. He pushed his chair away from the table and scurried toward their bathroom.
Sorry, coffee.
///
“Okay, and will you both be on the membership card?”
Jaehyun looked to the elder to be sure.
“Yep,” Johnny said clearly.
After waiting in line for fifteen minutes at member services and then having the employee explain the different membership types and all their perks, they had settled very quickly on the one they wanted.
The moment they entered the building and saw the flat-screen TV they had been eyeing lately on display for a much lower price than was advertised anywhere else, they were sold.
“Sign here, and here, please.”
The couple did as they were told, and weirdly, it felt perfectly right.
“And how will you be paying for this today?”
Johnny dug out his wallet from his back pocket and Jaehyun followed suit.
“Um… let’s see,” the elder hummed as he poked through his credit card slots. “Shouldn’t use the Chase card anymore this month.”
“Hm… the Amazon card?”
“I thought you canceled that,” Johnny tutted. “You know how I feel about Jeff Bezos.”
“Shit, I forgot, sorry,” Jaehyun mumbled.
“Fuck Bezos.”
“Yeah, fuck Bezos.”
The clerk cleared their throat and suddenly the pair remembered they weren’t just in their own home.
Johnny and Jaehyun looked at each other.
“BofA?”
Jaehyun nodded and Johnny whipped his Bank of America card out.
Five minutes and $170 later, Johnny pushing a massive cart through the warehouse-like structure with Jaehyun by his side.
“I wonder if they have my blender—”
“Jae,” Johnny gasped suddenly, stopping. “This is the soundbar I want.”
His fingertips ran along the long, slim device set atop a shelf, eyes glittering. It was sleek. High-end. Expensive. Certainly more expensive than his blender.
“Do we need it right now?”
Johnny’s fingers thrummed against the black brushed metal before he sighed.
“I mean the quality of this thing is nuts, and it would be nice, but,” he turned to Jaehyun. “You’re right. We have bigger expenses coming up soon anyway.”
Johnny nudged his arm, lips spreading into a smile that Jaehyun couldn’t entirely read. He wanted to ask what he meant but Johnny was already moving on down the aisle.
The elder had been making weird little allusions all week. If he was trying to drop hints at an incoming proposal, he was doing it with the subtlety of a gorilla – which was pretty much Johnny’s style anyway.
Still, it was starting to put Jaehyun on edge.
“Ooh, I hear they have great samples here,” Johnny said suddenly, turning to face him, now walking backwards. “Shall we feast, my beloved?”
Jaehyun rolled his eyes but nodded, letting Johnny lead the way.
First, they passed through the deli, tasting fresh cuts of thick ham and sliced turkey. That was washed down with a refreshing little sip of a root beer. Next, they had tiny cups of vegetable soup which warmed them from the inside out. And finally, they passed through the freezer section - the coup de grâce.
“Shit, these little cheeseburgers are amazing.”
Johnny’s eyes just about rolled back into his head as he munched on the quartered sample of burger, hot out of the little toaster oven.
“Seriously,” Jaehyun said, sucking in air to cool his sizzling tongue.
“Honestly,” Johnny started, swallowing down the mouthful and crumpling up the little appetizer plate. “We should totally just get Costco to cater the wedding.”
Jaehyun’s eyebrows furrowed, and he looked around himself, confused. “Whose wedding?”
“Our wedding,” Johnny said matter-of-factly, licking a bit of burger grease off his thumb. “Duh.”
Jaehyun gawked.
“We’re getting married?” His usual baritone voice somehow almost reached a hoarse squeak. “Since when?”
Johnny was confused. Deeply confused. It was etched all over his face.
He pulled his boyfriend away from the sample stand by his elbow, as they were starting to get some questioning looks from their fellow shoppers.
“Last weekend,” Johnny said lowly. “I proposed last weekend.”
Jaehyun squinted.
“Our anniversary?” Johnny offered, trying to jog his memory.
“I think I would’ve remembered that, John.”
Johnny looked away, eyes staring right through a shelf full of frozen pizzas while he ran through the events of last weekend.
He finally exhaled.
“The pot brownies,” he mumbled, pitifully, rubbing his forehead.
For the last week, Johnny was under the impression that they were engaged, but apparently his proposal got lost in all the festivities.
“They were pretty strong,” Jaehyun said, patting his shoulder. “And you’re a bit of a lightweight now.”
Johnny groaned, the sound coming out pained and whiny.
“Baby, I swear I planned to,” he added, eyes widening until he looked like a big, regretful puppy. “Obviously I thought I did, but— I don’t know... Fuck.”
“Ah, Johnny,” Jaehyun breathed, reaching out to brush the elder’s bangs to the side, only for them to fall right back into the same place on his forehead. His boyfriend was such a romantic and Jaehyun was sure he probably agonized for weeks if not months over how to go about it. “It’s okay, really. Hey, it probably wouldn’t be us if it just went according to plan, right?”
Johnny laughed, his pout giving way to a smile again.
“Do you think it’s too late to propose properly then?”
Jaehyun shook his head, dimples appearing. “Of course not.”
Johnny took a deep breath. “Okay.”
He stepped back, and bent down on one knee, right there next to the frozen potstickers.
“Oh god, no,” Jaehyun whispered tightly. “Johnny, this can’t be our story.”
But Johnny ignored it, smile plastered on his face as he took his hand in his own.
People were already starting to turn their heads and the younger felt a heat stinging his ears.
“Jung Jaehyun,” Johnny said firmly. “Will you do me the honor of spending the rest of your life with me?”
The younger knew his face must be positively engulfed in the flush that spread up from his neck.
And yet, what could he say? Johnny was the love of his life and he had been fully prepared to accept such an offer for a long time now. There was no doubt in his mind that Johnny was his soulmate.
But here? Like this? In the freezer section at Costco? Johnny was really something else.
Jaehyun buried his blushing face in his free hand, chuckling through an embarrassed “yes.”
Johnny leapt up, cupping the younger’s cheeks and pulling him into a chaste kiss. It was so sweet but sudden and forceful – definitely enough to distract Jaehyun from being otherwise mortified as the people around them offered a congratulatory applause.
“Well that’s not something you see everyday here,” the older lady giving out samples remarked from behind them. “But they look so happy.”
They were happy. Ecstatic, even. But—
“I’m gonna kill you just as soon as we get home, Johnny Seo,” Jaehyun said, despite his smile that was pushing the very limits of his cheeks.
“Then I’ll die a happy man,” Johnny countered, smirking as he tugged the younger into one last hug.
Jaehyun could only let out a muffled half-groan, half-laugh into his shoulder.
“Come on,” Johnny said once he released his tight hold around him. “Let’s get some stuff to celebrate.”
\\\
The pair didn’t make it to their bedroom. Frankly, they barely even made it to the couch.
They basically dropped their new purchases by the front door and proceeded to ravish each other as newly-engaged partners should.
Now they were collapsed on the cushions, cuddling in a somewhat sticky but very contented mess.
Jaehyun’s fingertips ran over the dips and curves along Johnny’s back.
“So, I assume there’s no ring?”
Johnny laughed, breath warm against the younger’s sternum.
“No, I know that’s not your style,” he said, eyes fluttering closed. He flung his arm out and gestured loosely in the direction of the box still left in their entryway, beside a cheap bottle of champagne. “But we got your blender so… there you go. Engagement blender.”
“‘Engagement blender,’ okay,” Jaehyun giggled before shifting on the scratchy, worn cushions beneath him. “Shame we didn’t get an ‘engagement couch’ instead.”
Johnny huffed out a laugh that tickled Jaehyun’s skin.
“This thing has seen worse,” he started, tilting up to see his face. “But we’ll definitely get a new one when we move into a bigger place after the wedding.”
‘The wedding.’ ‘A bigger place.’
Jaehyun smiled to himself and closed his eyes, wrapping his arms tighter around Johnny. Their engagement story didn’t matter. This was what mattered most of all – that they had each other forever.
~