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Chani has been calling Taeyang ‘sunshine’ for a while now, but only in his head of course.
It began as a joke to himself, after all, you get Taeyang in the right mood and the sun could literally start shining out his ass any second. However, this is not the only reason the nickname was born.
The nickname was something affectionate, born from the delight in his soul at the sheer sight of Taeyang. It was something that only Chani knew and he preferred to keep it that way. He didn’t even want Tae to know, because how would he take it? It was difficult to say.
Either way, Chani never wanted to let Tae know about the term of affection that he’d created and had dearly to his heart, but life and his tongue had a way of messing that up for him.
“How were your lectures this week? Mine were a bore, but at least I get to see you now.”
Taeyang turned to him with a grin that left Chani’s chest tight. Such a ray of sunshine. He grinned back as they sat down in the restaurant that was a usual haunt for them.
“I think I slept through half of them. Sanghyuk and his boyfriend have been louder than usual recently,” he grimaced at the thought.
Taeyang rolled his eyes and tsked in response, “I thought that Juho had a lot of coursework these days. I guess I’ll have to embarrass him in class next week.”
Chani giggled at the glint in Taeyang’s eyes, causing Taeyang to join in.
They ordered their food soon after, Tae ordering for both of them before Chani could even try as usual.
He pouted at the older, who just stuck his tongue out in retaliation.
After chatting, their food arrived and they dug in; but Tae had coveted the salt and pepper to his side of the table. In addition to this, Taeyang had just mentioned getting Chani a date, which for some reason, frustrated Chani.
“... I could find you a really nice girl - or guy - in my classes and - actually I think I know of someone who would-”
“Can you pass me the salt and pepper please sunshine?”
Chani stared at Taeyang expectantly, while Tae blinked back at him, beginning to look a little red in the face. Chani began to pout a bit at the gobsmacked-looking man across the table from him, “Tae please-!”
“What did you call me?”
Now, it was Chani’s turn to blink in confusion, before it clicked and he smacked his hand against his mouth.
“Oh, shit.”
He wanted to run, and maybe hide if the situation called for it, but Taeyang reached across the table and held Chani’s wrist with his hand, dragging Chani’s hand away from the youngers mouth.
“Did you… call me ‘sunshine’?”
Ohgodohgodohgod this is the moment it all turns to shit.
Chani swallowed and then slowly nodded.
Taeyang looked thoughtful for a pause, before he exclaimed, “I like it!”
O-oh? Chani instantly felt a mixture of confusion and relief as Taeyang rubbed his thumb into Chani’s wrist before letting go again.
Suddenly, Chani feels silly for being afraid of Tae’s reaction, but at least he no longer has to hide that he has Tae saved in his phone as ‘sunshine’.
He took a deep breath and they both returned to their meal.
They paid and left through the restaurant door into the chilly night air.
“Let’s go to the noraebang,” Tae smiled at him and as he was distracted with Tae’s smile, he felt fingers slowly yet swiftly thread with his.
He looked down to see their fingers intertwined and blushed softly.
“C’mon Chani, your sunshine is cold!”
Chani laughed at the eagerness of Taeyang as he dragged them in the direction of the noraebang.
He decided that the cold could never affect him with his sunshine beside him.
(Later that evening he changed Taeyang’s name in his phone to ‘my sunshine’.)