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Yoo Joonghyuk being domestic and in love was unbelievable.
The man was cold, his words a double-edged sword which no one could recover from, his gaze that bears no emotion and his actions which are self-serving more often than not, meant to maintain minimal contact with other people. It made people quickly assume that Yoo Joonghyuk would be forever alone, no one to love and treasure—a lone wolf that is currently a police captain, they expected nothing from him relationship-wise. It was supposed to be that way for a long time as well, everyone was too sure about it.
So imagine their surprise when Yoo Joonghyuk exits his house one day, bringing a cutely wrapped lunchbox and a sealed letter with him, eyes gleaming in a pleased manner.
That was not all, however.
“Joonghyuk-ah!”
By the doorway stood Kim Dokja, clad in a pink apron with white polka dots. The man in question turns around and walks back to his house without much question, stunning all the local gossipers in the neighborhood into silence, watching with bated breaths as the man nears his partner.
“What is it?”
The captain asks, tone a bit softer than usual and Kim Dokja beams at him, holding out his smartphone.
“You forgot this!” He hands it over. “Have a good day at work and come back safely.” The way he smiled had Yoo Joonghyuk's heart thumping, unable to resist pecking his spouse's lips, rendering the apron-clad man into a blushing mess.
“I'll be home early today.” Yoo Joonghyuk whispers against his lips, before turning to leave for work, while Kim Dokja watches with a fond expression, fingers stroking his tingling lips—the sensation of his husband's own lips still warm and fresh. His captain was such a sweet man, it was always a delight to send him off to work.
He goes inside the house, his mood skyrocketing as a large smile plays at his lips, chuckles tumbling out of his lips in a melodious song. Their neighbors meanwhile remained gobsmacked, eyes wide and jaws dropped at the entire show they just witnessed.
“Was that really the Captain just now?!”
One whispers furiously, looking disturbed.
“Obviously, you idiot! No one else would look menacing while holding a wrapped lunchbox!”
Another commented, just as disturbed.
“His smile… the world is ending…”
The third one fainted, prompting the other two to panic and try to help their fallen comrade, unaware of a very amused Kim Dokja watching them from the comfort of his home, sipping green tea and curled up on the couch with a novel on the coffee table.
The day was starting out so well and he's just getting started.
It was around five o' clock in the afternoon when one of the gossipers saw Yoo Joonghyuk park his car in the driveway, bringing with him the same, neatly wrapped lunchbox and a bouquet of white roses, going up to the door and knocking on it, patiently waiting. Almost as if he didn't buy the house, it was too domestic of the captain and the neighbor wanted to verify it was not some sort of show, that it was real.
The door opens and Kim Dokja is given the bouquet, with his smile turning softer, eyes into crescents and almost as if the endless gaze held the stars in them—Yoo Joonghyuk is starstruck as he bends down a bit to lay a kiss on his head, closing the door and not once glancing at the snoopy spectator who paled at the sight.
It was real.
Yoo Joonghyuk, Captain of Station 41, was actually in love and married. He was a domestic man too, which surprised the woman who witnessed the lovebirds and she promptly went back inside her house, presumably to gossip about her findings with her friends.
“I told you that we should move to a different place.”
Yoo Joonghyuk says in barely concealed annoyance, watching as Kim Dokja arranged the flowers he received from his husband with care, putting it in a beige vase and gently grazing the petals with the tip of his fingers, smiling. Said husband didn't mind the captain's words and merely turned to him with a shrug.
“You know that they're just bored and old, right? Besides, everyone assumed you'd stay single forever.”
“That's none of their business and they should mind their own.”
Kim Dokja laughs and reaches out to cup his husband's cheek, a soothing gesture for the irritated man who relaxed into the hand, almost like a reflex.
“Don't worry about them.” He smiled reassuringly. “Besides, we had a plan to cook together, so come on.”
The captain does not reply but one hand on his waist was more than enough for Kim Dokja who insistently tugged his spouse along, the warmth of their bodies burning like a memory
Yoo Joonghyuk always indulges his husband, no matter how out of place it may look to outsiders, only Kim Dokja's happiness mattered.
“Good morning, ahjumma!”
Kim Dokja greets on a fairly sunny day, looking at the kind old lady who immediately greeted back, carrying some leftovers in her tupperware with the intent of handing them over to the man.
“Good morning dear, out alone today?” The old woman asks and Kim Dokja nods, taking the tupperware when it was presented to him, politely thanking the lady. “My husband's already at work, it was an emergency at the police station apparently.”
The old woman chuckles, arms behind her back.
“I understand. My husband used to be quite busy as well, but retirement has done wonders for us both.” She smiles at Kim Dokja. “I hope you enjoy the beef bulgogi I made, it should be enough to feed your tall husband. Be sure to eat lots as well!”
“Yes, ahjumma, I will! I'll wait for him to come home before we eat your delicious cooking.”
“Alright. If you need anything, I'm always next door and one phone call away. Enjoy your day, dear.”
Kim Dokja waves at his neighbor happily, one hand carefully holding the tupperware before going inside his home to put it away and cook food to return to the old lady. He was going to prepare a warm meal for his husband, knowing the other was irritated from being called so early in the morning but Kim Dokja didn't mind.
He was more than happy to provide a home for his captain.
“I wonder if he liked the omurice I made…”
“Dokja, I'm home.”
Yoo Joonghyuk calls out, changing his shoes to his house slippers and looking for his husband, a box of cream puffs in his hands that he bought for the other man. It was from Kim Dokja's favorite bakery, with the baker, Gong Pildu, as the one who knew the reader long enough to always leave a box reserved for him alone—always with new flavors too as Kim Dokja once suggested during his high school years.
“In the kitchen!”
The man hears his spouse call-out and his feet automatically take him there, noticing on the dining table a variety of side dishes with the beef bulgogi and pork rib soup as their main dishes. The policeman sets down the box of cream puffs and looks at Kim Dokja who was busy tasting the soup, before turning to look at him.
“Ah, welcome home, husband!”
His eyes then went to the pastel blue box on the table and they shone immediately, looking at the box with nothing but happiness.
“Are those from ahjussi's…?”
“From Gong Pildu's bakery.” The man confirmed. “He said you haven't visited in a while to haggle him.”
“I missed these cream puffs so much!” He turns off the stove, looking at his husband with so much love, so much affection that Yoo Joonghyuk freezes. “Thank you, Joonghyuk-ah.” He says warmly and Yoo Joonghyuk was sure flowers touched his heart, leaping in joy at the simplest of words.
His husband then ushers him to sit down at their dining table, bringing the simple soup to pair with all the dishes and eagerly serving him a big portion of the beef bulgogi.
“Ahjumma dropped by to give us the beef, she was quite excited and you know I love ahjumma's cooking!”
Endless chatter that creates warmth, an atmosphere that never existed in his house before, with Yoo Joonghyuk listening attentively to the words of his reader.
“Eat up, Joonghyuk-ah! I hope you like the other dishes too.”
Yoo Joonghyuk knows now that this sort of love was not impossible, it was something akin to a gift and he'll make sure to treasure it. No one could have this much of an effect on him but Kim Dokja. He was glad to marry the man as soon as possible; domesticity was something he would gladly adjust anytime if it meant he'd feel this warmth over and over again.
Yoo Joonghyuk being domestic and in love was unbelievable.
But that was what outsiders thought and he couldn't care less. The one man who he devotes himself to was the only one whose opinions mattered, no matter how ridiculous some requests may be, he will fulfill them all. He was a husband whose actions spoke louder than words—that alone is why Kim Dokja loved him.
And he was nothing but a man in love, surrounded by their ordinary life full of nothing but warmth beyond the sun.
The love between Yoo Joonghyuk and Kim Dokja is a never ending novel, and they are only just starting.