Archive of Our Own ^beta

They always did say that money made the world go round, and that couldn't have been truer for Kim Hongjoong who grew up without a lot of money. He watched people get what they wanted when they wanted it since they had financial influence while his family struggled to get by. He couldn't blame people who were born into it, but that didn't mean he wasn't jealous of them. After all, it's difficult for a child to comprehend why others have more than their own family.

Growing up, he lived in a small town on the coast. Fascinated by the world around him and not having much money to buy things to entertain him, he developed a deep interest in the ocean. He loved to go swimming and explore the world that existed underneath the bright blue waters. He loved to learn about all the different creatures who called the ocean its home. He would never grow tired of simply watching a fish swim around enjoying its freedom.

As he got older, his passion and love for the ocean only grew. He spent all his time learning as much as he could about all different species. He may have been a bit of a loner in school, but he was okay with spending his time on his own if it meant he got to learn more about his passion. It was through this learning that he discovered that he desperately wanted to study the field of marine biology. The only issue was the lack of funds to send him to a college.

So, he worked his ass off to get the best grades he could. Any social life he had prior was gone. He was focused on his goal, and he needed to be the best to achieve it. To him, the ends justified the cost.

Hongjoong will never forget the day he was accepted into his dream university and offered a full ride. The university he wanted to go to had one of the best marine biology programs in the country. It would give him on field experience and help him gain licenses that were too expensive to achieve on his own. The issue was the cost to go to such a great university. The students who went there were born into money. They didn't have to worry about loans or scholarships. The cost was nothing to their parents as long as it was the best education, and it was one of the best.

So, when he got the letter in the mail letting him know he was offered the top scholarship, Hongjoong and his family were over the moon. The loner boy from a small, unknown town was going to go to one of the best schools and didn't have to pay for it at all.

His family celebrated his achievement that evening. They were so proud of everything he had already accomplished at such a young age. He showed how hard work could pay off with enough determination. That night was emotional for all of them.

As he prepared to move to the prestigious campus, he became very nervous about what his experience was going to be like. He didn't have money like everyone else there. He didn't have the newest technology or fancy clothes. He was going with his old MacBook that was given to him as a graduation gift and thrifted, reformed clothing. How would others perceive him?

When he got to the university, he truly learned about the population of the people he went to school with, rich kids. They were blessed with the privilege of not having to worry about their expenses. Wanting to go out to dinner? No problem. Saw a new designer shirt that they would wear twice? Yeah, they could buy it. Joking about how easy it was to get into the school because of their private education background? He had heard it all before.

He tried his hardest not to be jealous of them, but it was difficult when they had so much that he lacked. He was constantly worrying about his finances and studies. If he wasn’t studying, he was working a part-time job just so he could afford small treats throughout the week. He couldn’t afford to go to parties or go out to clubs. He had much bigger things to worry about.

The other students didn’t understand why Hongjoong would deny their requests to go out somewhere or party some nights. To them, it was the standard college experience. To him, it was a luxury he couldn’t afford. He wanted to try to be more social in college than in his secondary school, but he just didn’t have the time or energy. It left him alone.

After a few weeks of trying, the other students stop talking to him. When someone would mention possibly inviting him out somewhere, other students would tell them to not waste their time on someone who was unwilling to give theirs. Some of the students learned that his clothing was second-hand, and he started to receive rude comments about what he chose to wear. Some students would judge him for his grades, claiming that he said that he had to be superior to all the spoiled rich kids. Words were thrown around about him behind his back and to his face. He was officially known as the scholarship loner.

At first, he was hurt by the actions of others, but over time, he grew used to it. He learned to keep everyone at a distance. He didn’t want to waste his time on people who didn’t value him or his hard work. He didn’t have enough time to begin with. He wasn’t about to let them absorb the few moments of rest he rarely got. So when anyone would make a joke at his expense, he would snap back at them and walk off. If he was going to be labeled a loner, he would own it.

During his few free moments, Hongjoong would go down to the water. As a child, it was where he found his comfort and amusement. As an adult, he looked to the water once more. The people around him didn’t understand him, but the water and its creatures were never judgmental. He could always find peace in their presence.

It was his second semester at the university. He had many classes that unfortunately required group work. Due to his reputation, a majority of the time he got paired with students who had him do all of the work for the group. It was easier this way as he wouldn’t have to talk to anyone who could be rude and he was guaranteed a good grade. As long as both of the parties were happy with the solution, what could go wrong?

Things went wrong sooner than he expected for him when he was paired with one of the most talkative students in the class, Jung Wooyoung. Wooyoung was constantly trying to complete the work assigned to them with Hongjoong and constantly trying to make conversation with the quiet man. It annoyed Hongjoong to no end. He had a certain way of completing his projects, and he hated having someone else change how he worked. On top of that, it was hard to concentrate when he had someone talking all the time.

Whenever he would try to take over the project, Wooyoung would make sure that he was involved even with the adjustments. Hongjoong couldn’t understand why the young man wanted to participate so much. Most of the students would just let him be, but it seemed that Wooyoung was going to be a constant pain no matter what.

When he handed in the group assignment with Wooyoung by his side, their professor was so impressed with their work and that Wooyoung was able to make the quiet man talk to someone that he decided to pair the two of them together for the rest of the semester. As soon as Hongjoong was told the news, he simply thanked the professor for his grade and walked away. He really didn’t want to be stuck with the younger.

When he tried to leave the classroom, Wooyoung ran after him with his books not in his bag and papers hanging out everywhere. Hongjoong felt his eye twitch from how unprofessional Wooyoung was. The younger was really going to drive him crazy for the rest of the school year. When he didn’t stop or slow down for Wooyoung, the other tried to talk to him.

“Hey,” Wooyoung yelled out loud in the hallway. His commotion caused others to look over at the duo. Many students made a face at Hongjoong for being the holder of the attention of Wooyoung. He really just wanted the ground to swallow him whole. “Hey, wait up! Please!”

With a sigh, the older stopped to allow the younger to reach him without losing everything in his hands. He hated the fact that he was catering to someone who seemed to not understand him at all. He had a date with his textbook and his favorite table in the back corner of the library on the third floor, completely away from everyone as the weather wasn’t good to be studying out by the water currently.

“Can I help you Wooyoung?” The older responded to the younger with a cold tone. He didn’t want to have a fake friendly conversation with the other. He would rather just hear whatever he had to say and move on with his day.

“Just,” the younger paused. He was afraid of annoying Hongjoong too much to the point where he wouldn’t tolerate any form of conversation, but he wanted to be friends with him. He was cool and different from everyone else. He dressed how he liked, he didn’t pretend to like anyone, and he was studious and smart. He was everything that Wooyoung admired and wished he could be as well. “I was just wondering where you were heading.”

Hongjoong turned to look at the younger. He wasn’t prepared for what he saw. Wooyoung looked nervous, and Hongjoong had no idea why he would be nervous to talk to a nobody like him.

“I am heading to the library.” He responded just the tiniest bit gentler than before. He may have been someone who hated being around others, but that didn’t make him an absolute dick to everyone. He did know that he was going to regret the words that were about to come out of his mouth next. “Why?”

Wooyoung’s eyes brighten significantly at the hint of conversation. Hongjoong asked him a question that wasn’t about school work and he was elated. This was the first time he ever got this type of response from the older.

“I was wondering if maybe I could come with you if you were going to study. I know you work at the library stocking the shelves. So, I don’t want to intrude on your work, but if you aren’t going to be working, may I join you? Please!” Wooyoung gave the older his biggest puppy eyes. It worked with all of his other hyungs. It certainly had to work on Hongjoong.

“So, you don’t want to intrude while I am working, but you are happy to intrude while I am studying? Seems a bit rude if you ask me.” Hongjoong was annoyed by the others' request, but he couldn’t find it in himself to tell him no. He didn’t know how to deal with sad people. Disappointed? Sure. Sad? No.

He walked away hoping that the other would take the dismissal as a no and wouldn’t follow him to the stairwell, but Wooyoung was persistent. According to most people on campus, it was one of his many charms. Annoying his way into the hearts of everyone. The only person he had not been successful with was Hongjoong, or so he thought.

Running after him, he followed the older like a lost puppy waiting to be scolded. “That wasn’t a no.” Wooyoung was happy to have won the tiny battle. Hongjoong was more of a pushover than he let on.

“It wasn’t a yes either,” Hongjoong responded quickly. His words were quick to leave his mouth no matter how harsh they may be. Hongjoong was concerned that he may have dampened the younger’s mood. “What makes you think I will let you come with me?”

“Well, you haven’t said no, and you always say how you feel. It’s one of the best things about you. You are always genuine even if it hurts.” Hongjoong stopped suddenly, looking at the younger who seemed to respect him for reasons unknown to him. When Hongjoong stopped, Wooyoung stopped as well, remaining behind the older student. “If you really hated me, you would have told me to fuck off already.”

He felt exposed. Wooyoung was entirely correct with his assumption. If he really hated the idea, he would have made sure Wooyoung never followed him anywhere again. It seemed that unbeknownst to him, he had grown fond of the younger.

With a sigh, he looked quickly over his shoulder and said, “Fine. You may join me. BUT, if you annoy me or act up once, you have to leave me alone. For good.” He quickly turned his head forward and started walking out of the building once more, but not before seeing the huge smile on his face and the look of absolute, pure joy. Hongjoong felt a small swell of pride in his chest knowing that he was the one to provide someone with a smile that wasn’t his family for once.

Surprisingly, Wooyoung was silent throughout the entire night at the library. He only spoke up when the older was taking small breaks and to ask him what he wanted for dinner. When the older declined any food, the younger went to the vending machine and got him a small bag of chips. When he placed them on the table, he winked at Hongjoong and said, “You can pay me back later.”

Hongjoong felt relieved that the younger wasn’t trying to treat him like a charity case. In fact, when he offered him the little bit of money for the chips, Wooyoung happily took it from him with no fights. For the first time, it felt like someone respected him on the campus and wanted to be around him. He was unsure why he wanted to spend time with him, but it made him just the tiniest bit happier knowing he had someone in his life. 

From that point forward, Wooyoung started to cling to Hongjoong's side even when they didn’t have a project or homework to complete. He loved the older’s quick-witted responses and how knowledgeable he was on the topics he was passionate about. He found out that Hongjoong was actually a very caring person behind his rough persona, and he wanted to be wherever the older was.

It was a few weeks later and the weather had gotten significantly warmer. Wooyoung had shown up to the library where Hongjoong would normally be sitting, but found his usual seat empty. Curious as to where the older was going, he followed him after class like he had done in the beginning of their friendship. If there was one thing he learned about the older, it was that he would never offer information to you just cause. You had to ask him about it or simply follow him if he liked you enough.

That was the first day where Wooyoung went to the water with Hongjoong. The older loved to spend time by the water with the creatures he loved when he was studying. He found peace there, and as long as the weather permitted him to be there, he would always choose it over a stuffy library.

Wooyoung found the time out there with Hongjoong to be so peaceful and relaxing. It felt like he retained more information when he studied. Plus, Hongjoong would teach him about all the different creatures that they could see while they were out there. Wooyoung found it to be so genuine. He hadn't met many people who were dedicated to their craft like Hongjoong.

The more time Wooyoung spent with Hongjoong, the more he would talk about him to his friends. Considering that he was spending time with the older every day, he was constantly talking about him. His other friends were starting to feel just the tiniest bit jealous of this new friendship that Wooyoung had developed. Even his boyfriend, San, would pout more claiming that his Wooyoung time was being stolen from him.

Wooyoung had an easy solution to the problem. They all just needed to befriend Hongjoong and become one big, happy friend group. He knew his friends would love him since he was as loving and fun as the rest of them. He was just a little rough around the edges. It was nothing that a little bit of time couldn’t fix. Plus, they were missing the dad figure in their friend group. Seonghwa was already their mother. It was perfect.

His friends were initially concerned about the possibility of befriending Hongjoong. It wasn’t because they had bad interactions with him. The others just knew him as the loner with a sharp tongue. They were confused as to how Wooyoung even became friends with him. 

After one conversation with everyone, they finally agreed to meet him and give him a chance. While they were hesitant about meeting him, the others were excited to meet and interact with the person that Wooyoung was willingly spending a majority of his time with. They wanted to see for themselves if he lived up to all the wonderful things the younger spoke about him.

Knowing that Hongjoong would not be the happiest about meeting new people, Wooyoung had to think of a way to slowly introduce everyone to him. While his friends were great, he knew they didn’t understand the background that Hongjoong came from. Wooyoung would never say that he understood and experienced his suffering. He could never imagine living the life that Hongjoong had. Everything was always provided to him since he was born and the same was true for many of his friends. He needed to let Hongjoong become comfortable with each one of them on his own time.

Knowing everything that he did of Hongjoong and his friends, Wooyoung decided that the best pick for the first one to meet him was San. With San, he had a built-in excuse as to why he was there. He could simply say that his boyfriend wanted to meet the person that Wooyoung had become close friends with. It wasn’t a lie either so Wooyoung’s conscious would be clear. On top of that, San’s background was different from the rest of theirs. His family originally didn’t have the money they had currently. San had some similar experiences to Hongjoong which would make it easier for his friend to connect with.

With his plan ready, Wooyoung decided today would be the day they adopted the little fiery scholarship student into their family. Dragging his boyfriend down to the water, Wooyoung excitedly greeted his hyung. He didn’t tell the older that San was coming with him today, but he figured he would be safe since the older appeared to never be truly angry or annoyed with him.

Hongjoong heard the excited squeals that Wooyoung was making in the distance. While the younger was normally easily excitable, he had never heard him be so loud about coming to the water before. Feeling suspicious, he took his eyes off of his notebook where he was drawing a picture of some of the coral life that he saw on one of his most recent dives and looked up to where Wooyoung was coming.

The first thing that Hongjoong felt when he saw Wooyoung was panic. Wooyoung wasn’t alone for the first time ever since they started to hang out. This time he was holding the hand of a very handsome man who had broad shoulders, a slim waist, high cheekbones, and intense eyes. Hongjoong felt the need to hide when he saw the unknown man looking at him as they made their way down.

Not knowing how to act, Hongjoong made sure he had a face of indifference and looked back down to his drawing. He carefully took a few deep breaths as the two got closer to him before he continued to draw. He knew this was probably one of Wooyoung’s friends, and he expected the day would come when the younger determined that he didn’t want to spend his time annoying the quiet, snippy loner. He just thought he had a bit more time to prepare for the inevitable split of friendship.

Wooyoung let go of San’s hand and ran the rest of the way down to his precious friend. He couldn’t wait to spend time with him and introduce him to San. This meant so much to him and a lot was riding on this first meeting. If he made a good impression with San, the others would be more excited to meet him. Right now, they were just too concerned for their friend to see how absolutely wonderful and badass Hongjoong truly was.

As soon as Wooyoung reached Hongjoong, he took a seat right next to him in the sand. He looked over at the notebook where Hongjoong wrote and drew all of the things he learned and discovered about the water and the creatures who lived in it. He was always amazed at what he saw the other create, but this drawing looked especially pretty to him.

“What is that?” Wooyoung asked Hongjoong just as he always did. Everyday, he would ask the older what he was drawing with such a tone and expression that one would think that Hongjoong was the best artist on the planet.

Hongjoong was surprised with how normal Wooyoung was acting even though he had brought someone else with him. He didn’t understand why Wooyoung would bring someone with him if he was not immediately planning on leaving. It wasn’t a secret that the people on campus did not think highly of him.

“It’s a picture of the coral I saw the other day during one of our class dives.” Hongjoong spoke hesitantly towards the younger as he noticed the man that came with Wooyoung was now standing behind them. He didn’t know how he was supposed to act. “While it is known to many as a decoration, coral is actually very important for different species. Many people also mistaken them to be plants, but they are actually considered an animal as they don’t produce their own food. They are fascinating creatures.”

Wooyoung paid close attention to everything the older was saying. He wanted to encourage his friend to talk about the things that interested him. If that happened to be marine life, then he would gladly listen all day. San on the other hand was surprised by how much the other knew and how pleasant his voice was when he spoke. From what he knew of the older man, he didn’t expect the other to answer any of Wooyoung’s questions.

“Hmmm, you must have gone out near a reef the other day. Did you enjoy it?” Wooyoung asked the older. His boyfriend looked in shock that Wooyoung even knew anything about what Hongjoong was talking about. Wooyoung was very smart, but he was not a big fan of science. The two of them met in a general education class which made Wooyoung’s interest and knowledge in the other’s subject field even more surprising.

Hongjoong could feel the two of them staring at him and started to blush slightly. He wasn’t used to having anyone’s attention except Wooyoung’s on him, and to know that someone else was listening into their conversation made him feel oddly exposed. He wasn’t sure if he should answer like he normally would, but Wooyoung always valued his honesty and lack of giving a shit.

“Yes, I did. You know going out in the water is one of my favorite things. It’s one of the reasons I even applied here. I just wish I got to do it more often.” Hongjoong responded firmly looking out upon the water. He absolutely loved spending time with his one comfort. He truly couldn’t wait to do it for the rest of his life.

“You know that will happen more as you get further into your degree.” Wooyoung tried to offer him comfort. He didn’t know too much about Hongjoong’s background, but he did know how much the water meant to him. It was truly one of his only genuine friends growing up, and Wooyoung would never dismiss or demean the other’s love for it. “For right now, you will just have to spend more time in those annoying gen ed classes that put you in group projects with annoying people who never shut up.”

Hongjoong let out a snort at Wooyoung’s comment. The younger was very good at reading his emotions, and he appreciated the other trying to lighten the mood by making a joke.

“I know. It’s been horrible. In this one class, the professor put me in a group project with one of the most annoying people I have ever met. He wouldn’t let me do all of the work and he insisted on talking all of the time. Can you imagine how annoying that was?” Hongjoong responded jokingly as well.

Wooyoung let out his signature loud laugh. Hongjoong smiled at the other’s amusement, forgetting that there was someone behind them entirely. He truly treasured their friendship and was happy that the younger didn’t leave him alone.

After calming down, Wooyoung gave the older a big smile before turning around to look at San. He motioned for him to get a little closer and sit next to him. Wooyoung knew that now was the correct time for them to meet since Hongjoong had been made less nervous.

“Hongjoong hyung,” Wooyoung softly spoke as to not spook the other too much. “I want you to meet my boyfriend, Choi San. He was wondering where I was running off to all of the time, and wanted to meet the person who I said was one of the best hyungs out there. So, I brought him here. I hope you don’t mind.”

Looking at the eldest face, San could see the clear nervousness in his features. He didn’t know all of the details about why Hongjoong reacted to things the way he did, but it was obvious that he was very cautious of other people. He couldn’t be bad purely from how he treated Wooyoung. San was grateful that the older seemed to care for his boyfriend.

“It’s nice to meet you,” San spoke for the first time to Hongjoong. Hongjoong was surprised to hear how soft spoken he was especially given his intimidating appearance. He didn’t expect the other to be so kind to him since he had a bad reputation, but Wooyoung had a good sense of character. So, he shouldn’t have expected someone nasty since that was not Wooyoung at all.

“Uh,” Hongjoong looked to Wooyoung for guidance. Wooyoung gave him an encouraging smile to let him know that San was truly harmless. It felt like Wooyoung was planning something, but Hongjoong could not decipher what it was. He looked back to San who was also smiling at him, waiting for his response. “It’s nice to meet you as well.”

Wooyoung looked on top of the world that the two of them tried from the very beginning. He could only hope that the same would happen for everyone else that he introduced, but he didn’t want to expect too much. He hoped that he would be able to introduce Yeosang to him next in a few days if things continued to go well.

As the weeks passed, Wooyoung slowly brought the rest of his friends over. While Hongjoong was a bit more hesitant with some of them due to past observed interactions, he trusted Wooyoung and San who he surprisingly got close with very quickly. The two of them seemed to understand each other quite easily as they had the most similar backgrounds out of everyone. San would ask Hongjoong about his reforming, and Hongjoong was happy to have someone who had a similar interest as himself. While San’s personal style was very simple and comfortable, he admired how Hongjoong put himself into everything including his clothing.

As they all got to know him, they learned of how sweet Hongjoong truly was. They learned how his snippy comments tended to be a defense mechanism that he developed while being at the university. He could still be a little harsh in their conversations, but it was never with the intention of hurting them.

They all had a great amount of respect for everything he did. They learned of his scholarship and its requirements. They learned of his part-time job in the library, and would visit him often. They truly enjoyed having him around. They wanted to shower him in affection and love, but Hongjoong was still uncomfortable with having friends. He had grown used to having Wooyoung following him around, but he wasn’t sure how to feel about having six of them appear during his alone times.

He was also still afraid of the possibility that they would leave him alone one day. He feared that they would see that he wasn’t all that great and decide it wasn’t fun to hang around the quiet, poor guy anymore. While he knew that wasn’t their personality, he still held fear deep down since that was what he had experienced in the past.

Hongjoong was curious about the last friend of Wooyoung’s that he hadn’t introduced to him yet. He didn’t know why he would keep him away, but it did make him anxious for the day that he would be introduced to him. He only heard good things about him from the others. They all called him their mother, and spoke of how he nagged them with love. They seemed to think super highly of him. So, he really didn’t understand why Wooyoung would hide him away.

It was a Friday when Hongjoong learned exactly why Wooyoung left him until the end. He heard all of the boys make their way down the sand towards him which had never happened before. He was used to one or two of them showing up during his alone time, but hearing all of them made him nervous. He knew there had to be a reason, and he was afraid to look up and see why.

“Hyung!” San called out to Hongjoong who was intensely looking down at his notebook. Taking a deep breath, he looked up to answer San when he saw him.

This person had to be the most beautiful human he had ever laid his eyes upon. The first thing he noticed was the beautiful outfit that must have been made for him from how well it fit and looked on him. It was beautiful white jeans that fit his thighs so perfectly and a black and white loose, v-neck sweater top that was tucked into the jeans highlighting his tiny frame. Making his way up, he had long, wavy black hair that was tucked slightly behind his ears, framing his face. His jaw was slim and sharp and his cheekbones rested high on his face highlighted by the sunlight. His lips were thin but full. And his eyes. His eyes looked like they held every star in the sky with how the light reflected off of the dark, deep brown.

Hongjoong was immediately enchanted by the man in front of him. Everything about him screamed beautiful and expensive. He was everything that Hongjoong wanted. He couldn’t look away, afraid that if he even blinked he would disappear. There was only one thought going through his head.

Fuck.

Wooyoung looked at his friend, and the reason he feared to introduced them became real. Over the time that Wooyoung got to know Hongjoong, he found out that the older had a bad case of gay panic and a bad protective streak. Whenever he saw a guy he found even remotely pretty, he would stop functioning like a normal person, become a bit hostile, and leave. When Hongjoong would talk about his ideal type, it sounded like he was describing Seonghwa. This was the reason why he didn’t introduce them, and it looked like his fears were about to come true.

The rest of the boys could not read Hongjoong yet like Wooyoung and San. They immediately crowded around the panicking Hongjoong and tried to have a conversation with him. He tried his best to respond to them, but he felt overwhelmed. He couldn’t stop himself from looking over every couple of minutes at the beauty that had yet to be introduced to him.

Looking to Wooyoung and San for help, the older of the two took charge to calm everyone down. They had brought everyone in hopes that having more people around would make Hongjoong feel more comfortable, but it looked like their plan backfired. Instead, he looked even more nervous than normally would when looking at someone who he found attractive.

Seonghwa was excited to meet Hongjoong as he heard so much about the man from everyone else. He had made each one of his friends fall in love with him. He had to be one of the most charismatic people around if he was able to do that. Seonghwa was surprised to find a quiet, nervous man looking at him like Seonghwa was going to strike him down with lightning.

Giving him a smile, Seonghwa walked closer to the blonde to introduce himself. Hongjoong’s brain malfunctioned because of that single smile. He felt like everything in him was screaming. He didn’t know what to do or how to act. He didn’t even know how to breathe at this point. He tried to subtly look around for an escape.

Wooyoung could only watch the disaster happen. There was no avoiding it at this point. Hongjoong’s flight or fight instincts had kicked in, and he was going to escape at the first chance.

“Hello, my name is Seonghwa. It is nice to finally meet you. The others have not stopped talking about you.” His voice sounded exactly how velvet felt. Soft, smooth, and addictive. God, Hongjoong felt like he was drowning in how wonderful it was. He genuinely wondered if it would be weird to ask someone to talk to him for the rest of his life.

“Hongjoong,” he was barely able to get out. His voice sounded detached like he didn’t even care. He was mentally berating himself for being unable to hold a simple conversation.

Seonghwa’s smile faltered at his response. He had heard so many amazing things about the younger, but this Hongjoong in front of him did not match what they told him. This Hongjoong appeared to not want to talk to him at all. It hurt Seonghwa to think that he was the only one that did not get his approval. What was so bad about him that he immediately wrote him off? He even dressed up because he was so excited.

Hongjoong watched the emotions play across Seonghwa’s face and felt utterly horrible. He had messed it all up before he could speak more than one word. How was he so hopeless?

He didn’t want to stick around any more in fear that he would continue to make an ass out of himself. So, he quickly gathered his stuff into his bag and shook out his blanket that he was sitting on. He needed to leave and leave quickly. Hongjoong only stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Looking over, he saw Wooyoung looking at him with concern clearly written on his face. He knew that his friend was concerned about him, but he was not in the mental state to handle this. He just shook his head, and continued to gather everything.

Standing up, he went to say goodbye to everyone before bolting out of there. He didn’t even give them a bullshit excuse as to why he was leaving when they knew he had more time. He just wanted to escape as quickly as he possibly could.

As he walked away, he didn’t see the eldest looking at him shattered. Seonghwa couldn’t help but think that he was so bad that the other immediately ran away from him. He knew that he could be a bit much for some, but the blonde didn’t even know him. To make it worse, Seonghwa found him to be attractive. His pride took a major hit from the immediate dismissal.

Shaking his head, their eldest walked away in the opposite direction. The others stopped when they saw that both of the oldest had run off for no reason. In their confusion, they looked towards the only two who would have any idea as to what happened.

“Don’t worry,” San told the others around him. “They will be fine given some time. Hongjoong seemed really overwhelmed with everyone here while meeting Seonghwa. They just need to get to know each other more one-on-one.”  The others nodded in agreement, hoping everything would work out as San had said.

Everything did not work out like San said. Hongjoong would still go into a horrible state of gay panic whenever he saw the oldest and run away. Seonghwa didn’t know Hongjoong and took it to mean that Hongjoong found him repulsive. This caused the eldest to have disdain for the blonde. He would whine about how unwelcoming and cruel Hongjoong was, and Hongjoong would go on a whole rant about how he didn’t like Seonghwa while listing every single thing he found attractive about the older, which was a lot.

In conclusion, they were a mess.

It was a usual afternoon when everything changed. Seonghwa was supposed to meet his friends down by the water to hang out for a little bit, but it appeared that he had made his way there before the rest of them except Hongjoong. It was known that the blonde was always down by the water when he had any free time. It was just unusual for someone else to not be there annoying him.

Seonghwa started to slowly and quietly walk down towards the blonde. He knew that Hongjoong would just leave when he saw him, but he thought that maybe if he was quiet he could see what everyone else found so amazing about him. So, he got as close as he could without the other noticing him there. What he saw and heard made his heart jump in his chest.

In the sand, there was a tiny crab near Hongjoong. The blonde was looking down at the tiny creature with bright eyes as he took in everything that the creature was doing. Tilting his head, he would observe the creature’s movements and habits. He couldn’t wait to document the tiny friend he saw along the coast.

Sitting down carefully near the creature, Hongjoong opened his notebook and started to sketch the crab. While it wasn’t the most fascinating creature he could study, he thought that every single living thing should be celebrated in some capacity, even if it was just a tiny crab. He wanted to feel like he somehow cherished the beauty of the world around him.

Hongjoong started to quietly speak to the creature while he drew him. He was talking to the little thing about his day and the work he was currently doing. He talked about how amazing he found the creature to be and how beautiful it was. The whole situation was heartwarming, and Seonghwa felt himself slowly melting at how adorable Hongjoong was behaving. He never got to see this side of the man, but it was surely beautiful. He could see why the others held such deep affection for him. He was so pure and innocent.

From that day forward, Seonghwa made it his mission to get Hongjoong to open up to him like he did the others. He wanted to experience the warmth and care that the other gave out. He wanted to be on the receiving end of the annoyed, amused looks that the blonde would give whenever someone made a joke that he found funny but did not want to admit it. He wanted to have the other tell him the stories of the water and its creatures. He wanted what the others had and possibly even more. 

Seonghwa tried his hardest to break through Hongjoong's protective barrier. The first step was to make Hongjoong stop running away whenever he came over. As he didn’t even know why the blonde was bolting as soon as the opportunity presented itself, he went to Wooyoung and San to gain some form of understanding and plan.

San was immediately suspicious of the Seonghwa’s intentions. The sudden change of heart was not lost on the younger, and he knew that Seonghwa was not that easily persuaded. He was quite guarded, and it made no sense for him to try to pursue a friendship with someone he made known he did not like.

Even though he was suspicious of the eldest, Wooyoung was thrilled that one of the boys wanted to make things okay. Therefore, San was forced into helping his boyfriend and their friend develop a plan to get closer to their favorite loner.

The plan was simple. They would just force the two of them to hang out with their supervision. Hongjoong couldn’t say no to San and Wooyoung, and they were planning on exploiting it to keep him around. Then, Seonghwa would simply butter him up like he was trained to do in his Business program and problem solved.

So, that is exactly what they did. While the plan didn’t take into account Hongjoong’s gay panic because they couldn’t just tell that to Seonghwa, they tried their best to keep him calm. Wooyoung was all over Hongjoong having him give him piggy back rides and constant hugs. Whenever the older would try to escape, Wooyoung would give him his puppy dog eyes and Hongjoong would cave. It was simple and it worked.

Next time that Seonghwa came around with the rest of the boys, Hongjoong wasn’t immediately trying to escape. Their friends were ecstatic at the progress that was being made. They were able to drag him around with them everywhere while still respecting his time and money. They could all joke and hang out. It felt good to have finally gotten over the last obstacle in adopting their little scholar into their family.

Seonghwa started to work his hardest to get close to the blonde. He would ask him questions about his studies, complimented him on his hard work, bought him small gifts that the other wouldn't normally let himself afford like fancy coffee, and learned his behaviors so he could be there for the younger when he needed someone. He was always so excited to have his attention on him. He was basically glowing from it.

Slowly, Hongjoong grew to accept the older and even became close to him. He found himself seeking out Seonghwa to sit next to when they were together. He would constantly turn to the older to get his opinion on any topic. He was the first one he would hug when they got there and the last one he would hug when they left. It became all about Seonghwa for Hongjoong without him even noticing it. It became so bad that Wooyoung would whine that he was now closer to Seonghwa than him, and Hongjoong would always say that it was different. It was different because he was starting to really like the Seonghwa who tried his hardest to learn more about Hongjoong and be there for him. Hongjoong couldn't help himself.

One day, it was just the two of them out by the water. The others were all busy that day and couldn't make it. When the younger of the two felt bad about taking the older’s attention away from his studies, Seonghwa made sure that the blonde knew that he wanted to be there over anything else. Seonghwa would never miss the opportunity to spend time just the two of them. So, he happily ignored his responsibilities.

Hongjoong was explaining to him something new he had just learned in his class. He was so excited to share it with Seonghwa. As he explained everything to him, Seonghwa couldn't help but be enchanted by the tiny man whose eyes were sparkling in delight and had the biggest smile on his face. Hongjoong used his whole body to explain his story when he got excited, and Seonghwa couldn’t help but smile at his behavior. Seonghwa was a goner for the beautiful man in front of him.

Looking intensely at those pretty lips that were telling him a story, he couldn’t help but wonder about how they would taste and feel against his. Would Hongjoong taste as sweet as his personality? Would they feel soft like his skin? Without thinking, he leaned down and kissed Hongjoong. His soft lips pressed gently down on the younger’s slightly chapped lips, and everything in the world felt right in his world at that moment.

Seonghwa felt his body light up with sparks from the simple touch. While it was just a soft press, it had to be one of best kisses he had ever had in his life. No one had felt as right as Hongjoong did against him. No one made him feel as alive, beautiful, and seen as Hongjoong did. No one was like Hongjoong. No one, and he couldn’t help the sparks that he felt from the simple touch.

Hongjoong was stunned by the older’s actions. His entire body froze under the older’s touch. He didn’t know what to do. He had never kissed anyone in his life. He never thought that this would happen with someone like Seonghwa. While he was heavily attracted to him, he had made the assumption that he could never win over such a beautiful, intelligent man who was way out of his league. He couldn't quite understand why Seonghwa would kiss someone like him.

When the older pulled away, they fell into an awkward silence. Hongjoong was unsure of what to say or how to act as he never thought he would have the chance to be with Seonghwa, and Seonghwa couldn't read how the other felt about him and his actions. Both were desperately trying to understand what they should say next, but both were too scared.

Seonghwa felt the panic set into his bones. He must have misread the entire situation. Hongjoong wasn’t attracted to him. He was just a friend. He had never expressed any special interest in him. Seonghwa had never felt quite as foolish as he did now.

Thinking that he ruined one of the best friendships he had, Seonghwa ended up leaving, apologizing to the younger for overstepping boundaries. He didn’t want to leave the younger, but he could not stick around knowing that the other did not reciprocate his feelings. He went home to sulk about his decisions.

Hongjoong realized too late that he had accidentally denied the other. Panicking, Hongjoong immediately called Wooyoung. While he didn’t want to bring others into his relationship with Seonghwa, he desperately needed the help right now. He had no idea what he was doing. He wanted to fix what he had messed up.

Wooyoung immediately left San and went over to the beach once he got the phone call. He couldn’t understand much of what Hongjoong said. All he was able to gather was something happened with Seonghwa and he needed help. Wooyoung was disappointed that the two of them had problems after seeming to figure everything out with their friendships.

Once Wooyoung got there, Hongjoong told him everything that happened. Wooyoung freaked out. He couldn’t believe that the two of them kissed! Throwing himself on top of Hongjoong, he continuously called him his new dad since he would always joke about Seonghwa being his mom. Hongjoong was starting to regret telling the younger, but he really did need some help.

Hongjoong calmed down the younger, and they started to plan out what he would do to win the other back. He was going to make a drawing of how Seonghwa appears to him. Seonghwa was always complimenting his work that he completed for his notes. He wanted to give him one of his most important pieces yet.

Feeling a bit better about everything, Wooyoung immediately started to tease the older again. He made him tell him everything. When Hongjoong recounted how it felt when Seonghwa gave him his first kiss, Wooyoung fell into the sand clutching his heart in dramatics. He wouldn’t stop screaming about how his mom and dad were finally getting together, and Hongjoong couldn’t help the blush that spread across his body. He could only hope that he still had enough time to fix things with the older.

Seonghwa had gone back to his room, and he was beating himself over it. He felt like he made a huge mistake since Hongjoong didn't even say anything. He felt foolish. So foolish.

He was staring into space on his couch when San came over. Wooyoung had sent a quick text to his boyfriend asking him to check in on their eldest. He wouldn't explain why, but made it seem very important that he went over as soon as possible. So, when he got to a point where he could stop in his work, he headed straight to Seonghwa's room, using the spare key to enter.

When San entered, he was greeted with the sight of Seonghwa curled up into the corner of his couch staring into space with tears staining his beautiful cheeks. San was very concerned since he had never seen the older look so out of it. He immediately tried to provide comfort for Seonghwa. One look at the oldest and he could tell just how much he needed someone there with him.

When San took him into a hug, he started to cry once more. He couldn't stop the bad thoughts from invading him. He could only think about how he had made such a big mistake and how this affected everything.

Would his friend group be okay? Would they need to pick sides? He wouldn't blame them if they left him for Hongjoong. The younger was just so amazing in every aspect. He just wanted to give him the world, and he ruined his chances at doing just that.

San tried his hardest to calm him down, but when Seonghwa started to tell San of what happened, he began to cry once more. He was a mess from the situation. It truly felt like his heart was broken.

When San was finally able to talk him down, he asked the most important question that should have been asked right from the start. A question that would have saved Seonghwa hours of crying and heartbreak. A question that made him feel like such an idiot.

Did Hongjoong say no, push him away, or say that he didn't like him? Did Seonghwa give Hongjoong the chance to respond at all before leaving?

When Seonghwa realized that he never let Hongjoong respond to him and just ran away, he felt ashamed of himself. He used to say how the blonde was the immature one because he would just run away when anything got difficult or uncomfortable with him, but he did the same exact thing today. He was the one being dramatic for no reason. He didn't even give Hongjoong the chance to say no. He just assumed. Man, he felt like a dumbass.

He didn’t want this to be the end of their relationship. Even if Hongjoong just wanted friendship, Seonghwa would give him whatever he wanted. He could live with the memory of their only kiss and stick by his side. He would do it for Hongjoong if that was what he wanted.

But what if Hongjoong wanted more? What if Hongjoong wanted to be with him? What if he was okay with Seonghwa giving him the world? Seonghwa had to try and give him the opportunity to say that he didn’t want that from him. He needed to be mature and apologize, but how? How was he supposed to win Hongjoong back?

Seonghwa looked to San like he would hold all of the answers to his questions. He had a successful relationship with Wooyoung. He had to know what he was doing and how to woo someone. So, Seonghwa asked him and San reminded Seonghwa that there was one thing that Hongjoong loved more than anything else, the water. That was all the older needed to hear as he started to develop his plan on how to win back his Hongjoong.

Seonghwa got to work immediately. He had an idea that would be the most romantic thing he could think of for his little future marine biologist. Something that wouldn't make him feel uncomfortable about money or attention. It was perfect for him, and Seonghwa couldn't wait to give it to him.

Little did they know, San and Wooyoung were working behind the scenes to get the two of them together. The master plan? Get them both to give their big surprises on the same exact day at the same exact time. It wouldn't be too difficult to do knowing that the eldest two were probably going to be avoiding each other like the plague until they were ready to give their surprises. The two of them would just have to survive their whining.

Ends up, ignoring their whining was easier said than done. During the two weeks where the two avoided each other, the group was going through hell. They wished that the two would get together already. It didn't matter who they spent time with, they were being driven insane by the two of them never shutting up about the other.

Seonghwa couldn't stop talking about his feisty Hongjoong. He would talk about how passionate Hongjoong was in his studies. He mentioned over and over again about his skills in drawing diagrams for his studies. He mentioned how the younger would give a small smile whenever someone responded to his little comments that he didn't expect others to hear. He would talk about how absolutely breathtaking the younger man was with his blonde hair, glasses, and tiny lips. It never ended.

Hongjoong was no better. He was spending so much time drawing the older that he would constantly mention new things he hyper fixated on about the man. There were two things that had currently caught his attention, his waist and eyes. Hongjoong would constantly mention how much he wanted to grab the tiny waist and how it would feel to wrap his arms around them. And if it wasn't his waist, he would talk about how the whole universe sparkled in Seonghwa's eyes. It told their friends more than they ever wanted to know about his attraction to the eldest.

Not only would he talk about his appearance, but he would brag about how well Seonghwa would take care of him. He would mention all of the times where Seonghwa would bring him dinner to the library because he knew the younger was absorbed in his studies. He talked about how Seonghwa would talk about his business classes with fond annoyance that made him question if he truly enjoyed his major. He would talk nonstop about how kind and thoughtful Seonghwa was to everyone.

By the end of the two weeks, Wooyoung was almost regretting the adoption of the fiery scholarship man. The others got tired of the constant gushing from the two. So, they determined Wooyoung was now in-charge of listening to them talk about each other all of the time. He was going insane. When Seonghwa told San that he was ready to confess, Wooyoung rejoiced.

Seonghwa was so excited to confess to the younger. He couldn't wait to show him everything that he had done and plan just for him. He knew the other would like it and would be surprised. San was surprised by just how elaborate of a plan that Seonghwa had come up with. The only concern he had was that the shorter would complain about the money he spent on it, but he would do it again. Hongjoong was special and he deserved every bit of love that he gave him.

Asking San to help him get Hongjoong to the water on the weekend, he was ready to surprise him. The oldest took too much time deciding what he was going to wear that day. He wanted to look his best, but he knew it would soon be destroyed very soon with his plans. He only hoped that he looked good enough to be standing next to Hongjoong.

When Hongjoong appeared on the sand, Seonghwa lost his breath. The man looked so pretty and comfortable wearing a simple white t-shirt, white shorts, and tan cardigan. While he looked gorgeous, he had recently cut his blonde hair short and it looked good . It made him look so mature and serious. Seonghwa was ready to fall at his feet and do whatever he wanted.

So captured by seeing him for the first time in two weeks, Seonghwa missed that Hongjoong was carrying a small frame with him. His hands were nervously gripping at the drawing. He hoped that Seonghwa would appreciate the drawing and not think that he was weird or creepy.

Hongjoong walked right up to Seonghwa. He was ready to tell him exactly how he felt. He didn’t care anymore if the older didn’t want a romantic relationship with him. He just wanted to be by his side again. The past two weeks without him was too much for Hongjoong. He missed him so much. He just wanted Seonghwa. Any amount of him would make him happy.

When Hongjoong stopped right in front of Seonghwa, he did not leave too much space between them. His body yearned to get closer, but he held back. He wouldn’t make a move until he got an answer from him.

Seonghwa was about to finally confess when he was cut off by Hongjoong as soon as he opened his mouth.

“I need you to listen to me,” Hongjoong spoke firmly to the older. “I know that you think that you have everything figured out. You have your life put together and you are confident in those decisions. But, I just need to let you know something before you tell me anything else.”

Seonghwa simply nodded to the younger, letting him know that he would not interrupt him. He would do anything that Hongjoong asked of him.

With a big sigh, Hongjoong took a moment to look into those endless eyes that he held so dear. They told everything that Seonghwa was thinking that he may not say. They held the stars that lit up Hongjoong’s dark life. He felt so alone and helpless before they all became friends, but Seonghwa had truly changed his life. He gave it more meaning and depth. He gave him guidance and hope. He gave him love and confidence. He gave him so much. He wanted to give himself one last moment to look at his personal, beautiful night sky in case he would never get this chance again.

“I like you.” Hongjoong spoke the words out loud for the first time. While he may have told others about how much he liked the older, he never said those simple words before. They were too important for anyone except Seonghwa to hear for the first time. “I like you so much. Every single thing about you I like. I like how kind you are, how you take care of everyone, how you notice the small details about everyone, how you can command the room with a single look, how you ask about people’s interests, how you are so patient with everyone, how you make sure everyone is okay even when you are exhausted. I like every little thing Seonghwa. I like you so much it hurts sometimes.”

Seonghwa felt his breath leaving him. Every word meant so much to him. He didn’t come here to hear Hongjoong speak of him so beautifully. He came here to sing his praises. But yet, he was crying at the pure love and tenderness that the younger was giving him through everything. From his stance to his words to his tone, Hongjoong was showing him how much he truly cared about him.

“I,” Hongjoong struggled to get the words out as he was not the best with them. “I never meant to hurt you a couple of weeks ago. I’ve never liked or kissed anyone before, and I am still not sure how to navigate all of these feelings and desires that have been building up inside of me. All I know right now Park Seonghwa is that I like you and want to be with you. I want to kiss you whenever I feel like it. I want to be able to hold you in my arms. I want to hold your hand wherever we go. I want to go on midnight adventures to the convenience store because we stayed up too late watching movies and spending time together. I want to try to make you dinner and fail. I want to spend my quiet moments of studying with you by my side. I want you and everything you are willing to give me.”

Seonghwa couldn’t hold back the tears. He could feel the pure love pouring out of Hongjoong with every single beautiful word he spoke. Seonghwa would give Hongjoong every single thing he said and more. He would give him the world. He was his sunlight, and he couldn’t help himself from revolving around him.

Closing the distance with no hesitation, Seonghwa lightly grabbed the sides of his neck and pulled the younger to him. Leaning down slightly, he pressed his lips against the blonde’s, desperate to feel him once more. His thumbs softly caressed the ends of his jaw as he gave the younger time to adjust to the new feelings. His own body was surging with pure electricity from the innocent touch.

Hongjoong eyes closed and he dropped his artwork into the sand, completely forgetting about it. His hands gripped onto Seonghwa’s elbows. He couldn’t help but melt into him. He had never felt so alive but so calmed in his life. It was perfect. He was perfect.

Seonghwa pulled back slowly, and Hongjoong tried to follow him. He was completely absorbed in their own little corner of the universe. He didn’t want the moment to end, but the older was persistent. Hongjoong’s face scrunched up in annoyance.

Seonghwa found himself trying to take in everything about his face. He could not believe that he was lucky enough to experience this side of Hongjoong. With his lips in a pout, his nose scrunched up in the cutest way possible, and his eyes still closed in a blissed state, Seonghwa wanted to remember this Hongjoong forever. He wanted it to be only for him to see.

As Hongjoong continued to pout at the fact that nothing more happened, Seonghwa let out a small chuckle. His moment broken, Hongjoong opened his eyes to glare at the older. Hongjoong had been deprived of the wonderful experience that was kissing his entire life and he wanted to make up for lost time. He tried to move in to capture Seonghwa’s lips again, but the older took a step back.

Letting go of his face, Seonghwa’s hands moved down his arms until they captured his hands. Holding lightly, Seonghwa decided it was finally his turn to confess and show him the gift he had prepared. He couldn’t let Hongjoong distract him with those pretty lips and cute eyes. Gathering all of his courage, he let go of Hongjoong to begin.

“Hongjoong,” Seonghwa said to the younger seriously which caused him to stiffen slightly. “I asked San and Wooyoung to get you to come out here today so I could confess to you and give you a gift. Since you seem to have beaten me to the confessing part, I want to be the first person in your life to give you something to show how much they care and like you. Will you follow me?”

Seonghwa offered a hand out to Hongjoong who looked down at it before smiling back up at Seonghwa. Without any hesitancy, he put his hand in his and let Seonghwa lead the way. As Seonghwa was guiding him away, Hongjoong let out a gasp as he realized that his artwork that he made for Seonghwa was not with him.

“Seonghwa!” He tried to get the older to stop walking by tugging slightly on his hand. Seonghwa stopped and looked back at Hongjoong, waiting for him to explain. “I made you something but I left it back where we were. Give me a second. I need to get it for you.”

Hongjoong took off running down the beach. He couldn’t believe how careless he had been to have dropped it and left it behind. He hoped that all of his hard work would still be okay as he would hate for the older not to receive his gift.

Finding it laying in the sand, he carefully picked it up and dusted it off. After a careful inspection, he determined that nothing had been harmed from the small amount of time that it had been left unattended. Feeling a wave of relief flow through his body, he turned to head back to Seonghwa. He couldn’t believe this was all happening to him. It felt like such a dream.

Once he reached Seonghwa, he gave him one of the brightest smiles. Seonghwa couldn’t help but think that his smile lit up the night more than the stars and the moon ever could. He was his sun after all.

Taking his hand, Seonghwa started to guide Hongjoong once more to his destination. He couldn’t wait any longer. He needed to show Hongjoong now.

They arrived at the dock on their school’s campus where a boat that Hongjoong had never seen before was tied up. As they walked down the dock to the boat, Hongjoong just looked at Seonghwa with curiosity. He had no idea what the older was planning, and he certainly didn’t know how the boat held relation to Seonghwa. As far as he knew, Seonghwa was not one to go out in the water.

Seonghwa silently helped Hongjoong onto the boat and took him over to the small seats in the front of the small craft. Sitting Hongjoong and himself down, he completely turned his body to the blonde. His eyes traced over every part of his face once more. He couldn’t get enough of  the beauty in front of him that looked so confused.

“I brought you out here because I have been working on something for over a month now.” Seonghwa took Hongjoong hands and held them in his lap. Taking one last deep breath, he finally told him of what he had been planning. “Over a month ago, I started to take diving classes in hopes to one day go diving with you. I know the water and its creatures are something that you love to explore, and I wanted to have that experience with you. So, I went out and finished getting my certificate a week ago. I rented this boat and hired a guide who would be willing to take us out diving for you. I want to see you surrounded by the things you love hopefully with the person you may feel love for at some point.”

Seonghwa looked down at their hands at the confession. His hand engulfed Hongjoong’s smaller ones. They looked so tiny and precious to him. He hoped that the other would continue to let him hold them for as long as they were in each other’s life.

“So, what do you say? Would you make me so happy by going diving with me?” Their eyes connected at that exact moment and Seonghwa would never forget the look that Hongjoong had given him.

Hongjoong eyes filled with tears at the thoughtfulness the older displayed. He felt so honored that the other got his diving certification just so they could go out and explore the water today. How could one not tear up knowing that someone did that for them.

Nodding his head, Hongjoong gave Seonghwa a big smile before leaning in and finally getting his kiss. Hongjoong arms went around his neck as he tentatively moved his lips in sync with the older. Everything about the moment was soft. From the feel of Seonghwa’s lips to the hand that he put on his waist to pull him closer, it was all soft, quiet, and perfect. Hongjoong couldn’t have asked for a better person or a better way to finally be with the person he had so wanted to be with so badly.

That day, they went diving and Hongjoong started to show Seonghwa the world that he grew up around. It felt almost like he was bringing home his first boyfriend. Hongjoong couldn’t have been happier than he was at that moment. Everything was right.

When they got back on land that night, Hongjoong gave Seonghwa his drawing. Seonghwa was stunned by how wonderful Hongjoong had done. He could see the care that was put into every line on the paper. He knew he would treasure it for the rest of his life.

Seonghwa escorted Hongjoong back to his room, and Hongjoong invited him inside while blushing. Seonghwa was not certain about going in as he didn’t want to move their relationship too quickly, but it ended up that he had nothing to be concerned about. Hongjoong simply cuddled with him on his small dorm bed and exchanged a few tender kisses every once in a while. They fell asleep in each other's arms finding more peace that night than they had in months. It was a perfect way to end the perfect day.