Chapter Text
iv.
Their favorite place was the two-seater couch pressed against the wall in the corner of Yixing’s apartment in Beijing. The couch looked so worn out and the color faded a little bit due to the long hours Junmyeon spent on it studying for his classes and doodling whatever cartoons on the edge of his notebook. When Yixing finally made money from his singing gig, he bought Junmyeon a small sketchbook. Not bigger than his usual notebook so he could keep it with him at all times.
Once, when it was raining cats and dogs outside and both of them got bored of their usual activities—Yixing playing around with his guitar and humming to whatever melody came to his mind and Junmyeon reading business-related journals on his iPad—, Junmyeon suddenly had this random burst of inspiration to decorate some places in Yixing’s apartment. Yixing, being the sap he was, agreed to whatever his lover suggested.
Firstly, it was Yixing’s room. It’s too bare, babe, we need to add a little bit of color to liven it up, Junmyeon easily suggested as he teared up some papers from the back of his notebook. Leaning in to watch over his shoulder, Yixing realized that they were doodles on those papers. Random doodles of animals like bunny, dog, and sheep, and also of cutesy inanimate objects.
They didn’t look like it’s done by a professional artist or anything, but those doodles screamed Junmyeon so much, so he didn’t have any complaints. Not a peep or anything even though it clashed with the minimalistic vibe in his bedroom that he went for. Especially not when Junmyeon had the biggest smile across his face and kept letting out these adorable giggles as he used the masking tape to paste the paper on the door of his closet.
Junmyeon decided to paste those doodles on some random places around his apartment, so “ you’re reminded about me all the time! ”, he said as he skipped his merry way out of the bedroom. Yixing’s heart did this thing, where it felt like it would be inflated like a balloon and burst out of his chest, whenever Junmyeon was around. His feelings used to catch him off guard, but he’d been learning to tame it; to calm himself down and enjoy his lover’s presence beside him (and around him even though sometimes he wasn’t physically there).
Now, though, things are different.
Now, things are calmer. Because love, for Yixing, doesn’t have to be about all the big gestures—the racing of heart, the dates in famous restaurants, and holding hands as they walk around. Both he and Junmyeon can’t afford that. Both of their occupations don’t give them the luxury to do all those big gestures. So, they opt for simple ones yet still very meaningful.
They opt for simple yet warmth-inducing things like giving little updates about their days here and there, bringing each other lunch (or dinner) whenever they can, holding hands under the table when they’re out for a meal with their closest friends, and whispering love confession as they lay on their bed at the end of the day. Both of them may lead a fast life, but their love grows slow yet promising as time goes on.
Yixing may have not stayed in Seoul for as long as he’d like to due to his own commitment waiting in Beijing, but they make it work. The constant text messages and video calls whenever they have time are not the forms of communication they prefer, but it’s what they hold on to when they’re apart. They can’t see each other whenever they want to, so that’s why they always cherish the time when they finally see each other in the flesh again.
“You really should stop this habit of spacing out whenever I talk.” Blinking his eyes slowly, he lets his eyes shift into focus again. Once the haze in his mind and his vision clear up, it’s the sight of Junmyeon pouting at him. It’s such an endearing sight that Yixing has to resist this urge to coo at his boyfriend.
“I’m sorry. Didn’t mean that to happen, I swear,” Yixing quickly apologizes and flashes the man sitting in front of him with a soft smile. “So, what were we talking about again?” At his question, Junmyeon lets out a dramatic sigh and rolls his eyes playfully.
“My parents… They’re flying out to Beijing next month. There’s this work gathering thing they have to attend and,” Junmyeon really has to pause to create some dramatic effect, “I might’ve asked them to clear up their second day so we could meet up together?”
Yixing is at loss for words. His brain may or may not have circuited once it processes the words coming out of Junmyeon’s mouth. He can’t believe Junmyeon really has to drop this news when he’s so fatigued from his recording session and dance practice and unable to think clearly.
“W-when are they coming? I need to make sure that my schedule is clear and-”
“I’ve checked with Min-hyung already.” Junmyeon cuts off. “There’s nothing scheduled for the last weekend, so it’s okay.” Hearing that, Yixing lets out a relieved sigh. He’s so relieved that he feels lightheaded from the whole conversation.
“I think I almost have a heart attack because of that.” Laying back on the bed, he shuts his eyes and lets himself take a few deep breaths to calm his erratic heartbeat. From worrying about meeting Junmyeon’s parents for the first time and worrying about his own schedule because there’s no way he’d miss out on meeting his boyfriend’s parents, he thinks he has enough for today.
At his antics, Junmyeon lets out a loud laugh, the sweet sound of it echoing around the room and seeping into Yixing’s heart like a melody. Sometimes, he feels like he can write a song about everything that’s related to Junmyeon. From how he’s such a sweetheart with everybody and how his smile and laugh can easily melt Yixing’s poor heart.
“I’m lucky you love me.” Opening his eyes, Junmyeon is already gazing at him from where he leans his head on Yixing’s chest. It’s so soft and sincere, how he looks at him. And it makes Yixing once again wonder how lucky he is to witness this again. To be at the receiving end of that smile and love.
“Yeah. I’m lucky you love me too.” The blinding smile on Junmyeon’s face is enough to charge his energy for the remainder of his day. Leaning up a little bit, he plants a kiss on the top of Junmyeon’s head which gets him a kiss in the middle of his chest from Junmyeon.
His heart feels strangely content by that little action alone. Content. It’s a strange emotion; one that he only feels whenever Junmyeon is around. Other people call him a sap because of it; because of the many love songs that he keeps on creating, which is a contrast to the ones he made months ago. This time, he feels content, and the chaos in his heart has lessened and calmed a whole lot.