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Hyunjin didn’t even try to hide the small, lightly amused smile that was tugging at his lips as he watched a girl pass him, struggling with a cute rabbit plushie almost the same size as her. He breathed out a quiet laugh as she almost walked into various people, vision obscured by the toy; it never failed to amaze him when he saw the kinds of gifts people bought each other for Valentine’s Day. He watched her, amusement growing with every person she bumped in to, until she was out of sight.
Stood, waiting at the bus stop, he bore witness to the number of couples out in force that evening; smiling girls with bunches of roses, tucked in close to their pleased looking boyfriends as they stepped along the streets - no doubt on their way to more romantic locations.
Hyunjin watched these happy couples walk by him, completely caught up in their own private world, eyes blind to anything but their Valentine. They paid no attention to the solitary young man, weighed down with no gifts and not a lover in sight. Hyunjin watched them pass him a little wistfully, heart clenching a little as he watched one couple whispering and smiling tenderly to each other - there was clearly nowhere else they’d rather be. His brows furrowed slightly as he felt a kind of anxiety pang through his chest at such blatant displays of affection; it didn’t sit right that he was watching other people’s intimate moments while he was there alone.
His whole body ached to be with his own lover right at that moment. It was only fitting for the two of them to be together on this day for lovers, but Hyunjin sighed in resignation, long having accepted the fact that his boyfriend didn’t care for Valentines Day.
What was taking the bus so long?
The bitter-sweetness of other peoples love left a sour taste sitting heavy on his tongue, and he wanted nothing more than the bus to arrive quickly so he could make his way back to his apartment and shut the world out.
His unease of being away from his lover abated somewhat when he saw a couple fighting on the other side of the street; Hyunjin squinted his eyes to try and see what was happening a little better, completely unapologetic for spying on their argument. It was obvious that the girl wasn’t pleased with whatever her boyfriend had bought for her as her voice rose in discontent and she carelessly dropped the box he had given her to the floor. At this the boy she was with seemed to spit some words at her before turning and walking away. Without even picking the box up she started to follow after him, voice growing louder the more he ignored her.
Hyunjin shook his head in a mix of disbelief and disappointment; so much drama for a day that should be about love.
He turned his attention back to the road and sighed in relief; he could finally see the bus in the distance.
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Hyunjin trudged up the steps to his third floor apartment and made his away along the corridor to his front door. He hastily opened it and stepped inside the apartment he shared with his boyfriend, anticipation and hope rising in his throat at the prospect of being greeted by his lover as he shut the door behind him.
The apartment was silent as he took a few steps further inside. ‘Jeongin-ah?’ He called out, brows furrowing for the umpteenth time that day as his heart quickly sank in disappointment when no reply came, and he wondered whether his lover had gone out without letting him know. He slipped off his shoes and decided to head to their bedroom, hopeful that the other boy just hadn’t heard him returning home.
Hyunjin knew that his younger boyfriend didn’t particularly care for Valentine’s Day, but he wouldn’t believe that the other would be so mean as to make him spend it alone. As he made his way to their bedroom, he was unsure whether to feel relieved or not; the dim light of a lamp was coming from the room and Hyunjin knew that more often than not they forgot to switch it off, but he still hoped that it meant that Jeongin was in there.
He stepped into the dim room, and every worry and misgiving that he’d had stopped in their tracks as his eyes immediately landed on their bed where the younger boy was asleep on top of the sheets. All thoughts of anyone else disappeared, and he couldn’t stop the soft smile that tugged at his lips at the peaceful sight of his relaxed boyfriend. His body ached with affection and the longing to feel the warmth of Jeongin, and unwilling to remain so far from his lover, he made his way across the room in quick but quiet strides. He gently perched on the bed next to Jeongin, cautious not to wake him, and took the chance to just look at the younger boy while he slept.
Taking in the form of his sleeping boyfriend with tender eyes, Hyunjin was struck by a thought that he’d had many times in the course of his relationship with Jeongin; love is quiet.
He felt a little foolish for even feeling the tiniest bit of envy towards those exhibitionist couples who showered each other with gifts for one day a year. Were they as happy every other day of the year? Did they only celebrate their love on special occasions and then hide it away in a drawer until they had to show people again?
As his eyes took in Jeongin's features in the soft light, he had to wonder why would he would want something as banal as an occasion-obligated stuffed toy that told you it loved you, when he could hear those precious words murmured between soft kisses every night before they fell asleep together?
His boyfriend may not remember Valentine’s Day, or even want to celebrate it, but Hyunjin knew that Jeongin would love him as much tomorrow as he did today. What was the point of flaunting your love for one night if you wouldn’t do the same tomorrow?
His boyfriend didn’t shout his love from rooftops, but Hyunjin still heard him. Everything in Jeongin’s actions spoke volumes of his love for Hyunjin. He didn’t need a card with unoriginal sentiments when he could read the Jeongin’s love for him in the younger boy’s eyes when they lay together at night.
Hyunjin reached out a hand to brush hair off of Jeongin’s forehead, adoration and love rushing through his chest, threatening to overwhelm him in the quiet room just by looking at the cute boy he was in love with. He felt warmth in the presence of his boyfriend, and Hyunjin spent every day of his life constantly grateful that this boy chose him. He thanked every deity that would listen for sending him Jeongin.
Hyunjin was torn out of his thoughts as Jeongin stirred under his gentle touches. His breath hitched; he hadn’t meant to wake him. He bit his lip and watched with soft eyes as Jeongin's brows furrowed slightly as he reached consciousness, and Hyunjin couldn’t help but hold his breath as he waiting for the other to realise he was there.
Jeongin opened his eyes, and it was as if the world suddenly came to life. Jeongin held Hyunjin’s entire world in his deep, sleepy eyes, and Hyunjin’s heart stuttered at the warm smile that blossomed on his love’s face.
‘Hey, hyung,’ Jeongin’s voice broke through the silence in the room, gentle and hushed in his utter state of relaxation. The greeting loaded with the pleasure of his lover finally being home.
‘Hey, baby,’ Hyunjin replied, lower lip slipping from between his teeth and voice quiet compared to the thudding of his quickened heart. How did this boy still have the same effect on him as the day they met? One look from him and his heart was still sent racing, trying to beat its way out of his chest to get to its owner.
Jeongin probably didn’t realise it, but he was the best Valentines gift Hyunjin would ever receive, the only one that the older boy deeply desired to receive every year for the rest of his life. He came home every night to an apartment filled to the top with the quiet love his boyfriend surrounded him with.
Nothing could be better.
Those couples out tonight might be on their annual romantic date, with nice food, expensive wine and candlelit conversation, but as Jeongin wrapped his arms around Hyunjin’s waist and pulled him down, close into his sleep-warmed embrace, Hyunjin’s heart sang and he could only feel pity for them.
They might only feel loved and appreciated by their lovers every once in a while, but the warm hand splayed on the small of his back and the gentle breath on his neck told him that he was always loved.
(Expensive gifts would never compare to the love he got from the boy he shared his life with.)
Fin.