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The melodic sound of waves crashing over the shore is relaxing, almost zen-like, as Mingyu walks along Punta Bunga Beach. There are barely any people flitting around this time of the year, and he can practically feel his nerves relax, the burden of responsibilities shedding as he decides to take a pause from his patrol.
He spots a few of the sun loungers empty and occupies one of them, removing his straw hat to cover his face and protect them from the harsh sunlight. The last thing he wants is to walk around with a sunburn, tanning in the worst way possible.
The bones in his back and arms crack most satisfyingly as he stretches his body on the sun lounger to find a comfortable position.
It’s soothing. The scene in front of him is breathtaking, the light blue ocean merging with the navy blue waters to create an illusion of serenity. The tune the ocean tides make is so relaxing, Mingyu almost feels himself being hypnotised to sleep. Emphasis on the word almost because he hears a sudden commotion behind him as soon as his eyes feel heavy.
“The fuck! How could you both leave me alone? I thought it was supposed to be a holiday to celebrate our brotherhood!”
Mingyu is usually a man who strays away from eavesdropping just because it's a breach of privacy. But at this moment, it's not his fault he hears Korean in the middle of the Philippines. If anything, the language feels a little bit like home and sues him for being homesick. So he decides to listen further.
“How is it my fault you decided to fuck each other to ruin the sanctity of our brotherhood? Aish, what am I meant to do here all alone until you both decide to grace me with your presence?” It looks like their two friends have left the person alone in the resort. Mingyu can sympathise on a level. It’s always shitty to be the third wheel of a couple. That’s why he always avoids hanging out with lovers—specifically, his best friend, Seungkwan and his boyfriend, Soobin.
“I hope you both know I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you so much! I’m hanging up!” And then quiet, the peaceful tranquillity is back as Mingyu watches the waves wash over the shores peacefully. But his heart feels heavy, a rock over his heart, forcing him to acknowledge the situation.
He inconspicuously glances behind him to see the person abandoned alone by their friends.
Pretty — that’s the first word that dances in the ballroom of Mingyu’s mind. The man is supremely pretty with his two-toned hair, the blonde framing his sharp features artfully while the wind plays with the black at the back. There is something so alluring about the rose-tinted lips, shaved in to resemble a heart, and Mingyu is instantly filled with an emotion of fondness.
Then and there, Mingyu decides there is no harm in letting a little loose and asking the displeased man if he’s okay, mainly because they speak the same language, and he’s just showing fellowship to their roots.
“Hey? Hi, are you doing okay?” Mingyu asks in Korean as he gets up from his place to get close to the man. The annoyed expression quickly dissolves into guilt as the man acknowledges Mingyu’s presence.
“Oh? Did you hear all that?” The man asks. When Mingyu nods, the man withers even more. “I’m so sorry for being so loud. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
And maybe if Mingyu wants to hug the man and keep him in his pocket, then it's nobody’s business to care and tell him off. It’s his own personal thoughts rippling in the lake of his desires.
“I wasn’t disturbed at all, please don’t mind,” Mingyu says, wearing a cheerful and amiable face. “If anything, it's nice to hear my mother tongue in this foreign place.”
The man (Mingyu thinks it's more justified to refer to him as a pretty man for now) looks at him with wide eyes, probably absorbing Mingyu’s words.
Meanwhile, Mingyu admires the cute, doe-eyed stare discreetly.
“Oh, I get it,” the pretty man says. “But I am not Korean!”
“Huh?”
The pretty man gestures for Mingyu to sit on the sun lounger next to him under the big umbrella, and Mingyu’s heart is already melting for this kind stranger.
“So hi! My name is Junhui, and you are?” The pretty man-Junhui extends his hand. Mingyu automatically reaches for it and shakes it.
“Mingyu.”
“Right, Mingyu-ssi. First things first, I’m Chinese, but my friends are Korean, and yes, before you ask, I do live in South Korea,” Junhui excitedly relays, and the twinkling in his eyes is mesmerising.
“Nice, I live there, too. Seoul, to be exact,” Mingyu eagerly overshares. “So, where are your friends?”
The stars in Junhui’s eyes suddenly die as he hears Mingyu’s question, and a big part of Mingyu wants to backtrack, probably Doctor-Strange-his-way back a few seconds ago.
“My stupid friends, who happen to be dating each other, left me early in the morning to go sightseeing in Boracay, outside the resort. I just— I know they need their precious alone time, but a little heads up would’ve been nice,” Junhui finishes with a pout on those delectable lips.
Seungkwan has always commented on Mingyu’s shortcomings and how he needs to work on them, or else he’ll be conned by people. One of Mingyu’s most significant weaknesses is hot men and Junhui perfectly falls in the category of hotness that Mingyu happens to appreciate. And if there is a sexy way to die, it’s probably by getting trapped in a hot man’s love cage.
“You know, I’m also riding solo.” Junhui’s eyebrows comically raise at Mingyu’s comment, so he rephrases. “What I mean is, I’m also travelling alone, and I can keep you company until your friends decide to come back.”
Junhui looks at him with wavering eyes, the distrust evident in those dreamy eyes, and Mingyu gets it; he entirely does. If only he were as distrustful as Junhui, he would be back on his patrol to check out the crowd at the restaurant next to the beach.
“It’s alright! You don’t need to bend over backwards to accompany me,” Junhui declines Mingyu’s offer. Perhaps this is a good enough signal to leave Junhui alone and get on with his life. But being an optimist definitely has its cons.
“Are you sure? I really don’t mind,” Mingyu persists, hoping his enthusiasm will change Junhui’s mind.
“Okay,” Junhui suddenly agrees, a shy smile on his lips. “If you must insist.”
The illusionary angel and devil cheer and dance on Mingyu’s shoulder as he conceals his excitement with a polite smile.
🏖️
As it is almost noon, the first activity they decide to tackle is water sports. It’s kind of fun pretending to be a tourist and partaking in the activities that the resort offers. When the staff spot Mingyu and straightens their backs, he quickly calls the resort manager and asks him to inform the whole team at the resort to treat him like a guest. After about ten minutes, the news reaches the team, and they all relax around Mingyu.
It’s good that Junhui remains oblivious to this change as he browses the brochure to decide which sports they could do.
“Do you have anything, in particular, you wanna do, Mingyu-ssi?” The formality hits Mingyu like a train as he reels from the attack and processes his words.
“Ah, you don’t have to be so formal with me. How old are you?” Mingyu asks.
“Me? I was born in 1996.”
“Oh, I’m a 1997 kid,” Mingyu informs. “Then can I call you hyung?”
Junhui nods. “Sure, we can be comfortable that way. So, Mingyu-s—” The suffix is on his tongue, but he stops himself, quickly shaking his head to spit it away metaphorically. “What do you wanna do?”
Mingyu hums and pretends to glance through the brochure, even when he knows what is good enough to try. “Jet skiing and wakeboarding.”
“Interesting,” Junhui studies the brochure one last time before turning towards the staff. “I’ll pass wakeboarding and instead do parasail. We can do jet skiing together, though,” he murmurs while still reading.
“Why not wakeboarding?”
“Well, because I don’t know about you, but I don’t wanna make a fool of myself.” Mingyu chuckles at the comment but quietly accepts the reasoning. Wakeboarding can be superiorly hard. Mingyu still remembers the first time he tried it. Just remembering the experience brings an ache to his chest. The pain was unbearable.
It’s a fun experience. The shimmery blue water dances around Mingyu as he tries wakeboarding. He watches Junhui from the corner of his eye, parasailing in the distance. The man looks happy, effervescently happy, as he flies above the ocean with his hands held out, almost mimicking the wings of an angel. An element of lost childhood innocence is reflected in Junhui’s behaviour, which brings an uninhibited ache in his solar plexus. Nevertheless, the scene brings a smile to Mingyu’s face.
The merriment lingers in Mingyu’s bones as he finds himself at the forefront of the jet ski, Junhui’s hands securely wrapped around his waist as Mingyu zooms past the low tides.
“Yah! Go slower! I’m getting all wet!” Junhui yells, yet the loudness of the engine subdues his voice. Ultimately, Mingyu is a rebel and takes a sharp turn, making the jet ski drench with another wave. Junhui whines, but it soon turns into a laugh, making both the men laugh like madmen.
After reaching back to the land, it's kind of impossible to ignore the insistent growling from their stomachs. So Junhui leads them to the seafood restaurant located inside the resort.
Mingyu eagerly orders for the both of them, claiming his gut feeling has a way of figuring out what's good when, in reality, he’s just familiar with the menu like the back of his hand. He’s been having his lunch and dinners here for almost a week now, after all.
“So, hyung? Are you working or a student?” Mingyu asks after as he chews on his Pancit Luglug. The taste of squid bursts in his mouth, and he falls in love again with the food of this place.
“Hmm?” Junhui looks up while slurping his glass noodle, the vision of it so funny but adorable at the same time. “Oh, I work with my friends, you know, the ones who ditched me. We own an entertainment company in South Korea. There is Jeonghan hyung, who looks after the Korean side, while Joshua hyung looks after the American side of the business. I mostly look after the Chinese side because I’m Chinese.”
Mingyu is forced to absorb too much information in a matter of seconds. Firstly, Junhui owns a whole entertainment company. Mingyu doesn’t know much about the industry, but he just knows that the Hallyu wave is prominent in Western countries, and it's good money. Second, god, he is so cute, and Mingyu wants to eat him almost. Thirdly, he will reiterate the second reason continuously because it needs to have its own emphasis in a museum or something.
“That’s interesting. How did you end up in Korea?” Mingyu asks to quench his curiosity.
“Oh? I was engrossed in the stock market when I was young, so I used to help adults with it for cheap until I collected enough money to start investing myself. At 19 years, I had earned around 100 million yuan and didn’t know what to do with all that. I went to Seoul for my first solo trip, stumbled upon the two hooligans and two years later, we were signing up our first artist; fun times.”
Mingyu looks at Junhui like he’s grown horns out of his head. “Are you for real?”
“Yeah. I know it’s kind of hard to believe,” Junhui says as he sucks on a mussel. “What about you?”
“Me?” Mingyu repeats. “I just work around the family business.”
“What kind?”
“Hospitality.” Junhui hums in acknowledgement. After ordering some main course, Mingyu asks how they ended up choosing this particular resort.
“Oh? Apparently, Jeonghan hyung’s father is very good friends with the owner of this place.” A voice inside Mingyu laughs. He thinks that’s why Jeonghan felt like such a familiar name. It’s a small world, after all.
After food, they walk back to the beach and silently observe the beautiful scenery in front. It’s pretty, and the scene never gets tiring. Mingyu wishes he could live like this, besides the beach forever, and maybe get a dog as well. Junhui walks a little closer to the ocean and then unceremoniously plops down on the sand. Mingyu understands the emotion behind the action, the lunch was way too heavy even when delicious, but Junhui is too funny a man. He’s grateful he decided to take a break and enjoy the day instead.
He slowly sews the distance between the two and drags an umbrella, planting it next to Junhui and rolling under it.
“Mingyu?”
“Hyung?”
“What would you do if I suddenly said it’s the last day on earth?” Just as he asks, he turns to look at Mingyu. The harsh sun reflects in his eyes, and it seems soft, as soft as the man sitting next to him. A gush of wind brushes past them. Mingyu watches a lock of hair flit over Junhui’s eyes, and Mingyu can’t have that obstruction to his paradise. So he raises his fingers and, with the utmost gentleness, tucks Junhui’s hair behind his ear.
Tulips bloom over Junhui’s cheeks, and Mingyu is mesmerised.
To escape the situation, Junhui turns away and clears his throat, bringing Mingyu back to their conversation.
“Last day?” Mingyu purrs in thought. He’s never really thought about it. Some of his friends like to live like it's the last day and repeat the motto like it is their one true mantra, but Mingyu has never seen its appeal.
He’s someone who believes that hard work is like sand; the more you have it, the prettier it turns into, just like a sandbar. He cannot accumulate his hard work with that ‘YOLO’ motto.
“I’ll call my parents and tell them I love them,” Mingyu starts listing out his sequence of actions. “I’ll also call my sister and apologise for not giving her credit for my Instagram pictures.” Junhui snorts a peal of laughter at that, which is infectious because Mingyu starts laughing as well.
“I’ll also message on all my group chats with my friends that I love them,” he says, but he’s running out of things to say.
“It’s hard, and I’ve never thought about it,” Mingyu whines. “Why don’t you tell me yours first in the meantime?” Junhui shrugs and then nods.
“Well, just like you, I’ll call my parents and tell them I love them. Finally, confess to my younger brother that I worked hard since childhood to watch him have a happy life. As much as I keep shitting about the relationship of Jeonghan hyung and Joshua hyung, I’d tell them that I was the happiest person on this planet when they finally got their shit together and moved ahead of their pining stage,” Junhui sounds very sure of his list like he’s worked on it and revised a few times as well.
“I’d message my secretary and apologise for being a difficult boss. Oh, and I’ll also message a ‘fuck you’ to this stupid-ass investor in our company’s shares who thinks he runs the world. After all this communication business, as it is the last day, I’d switch off my phone and take a good rest,” Junhui finishes by closing his eyes. It feels like he imagines the scenario because a quiet smile morphs on his lips.
“The ending was so anticlimactic, hyung. The world is ending, and you decide to sleep?” Mingyu cannot believe the man he finds so fucking attractive.
“I wanna die a peaceful death, not a stressful one, hmph!” And Mingyu really does not have words to comment on that.
Instead, he decides to stare back at the ocean, the waves peacefully crashing against each other, making love under the sun. It’s romantic. And Mingyu is just a lover in the end.
“For me, if it's my last day, I’d just want to die filled with love,” he sighs dreamily.
“What do you mean?”
Mingyu takes a deep breath. There are two ways this would play out. Either Junhui leaves him alone, or he gets lucky. He turns towards Junhui and grabs his arm.
“Hyung, wanna live today like it’s your last one?”
“What do you wanna do?” Junhui’s eyes reflect the scorching sun, and they look so dazzling, Mingyu loses sense of his own existence, and unfortunately, all his courage melts down under the heat. He can’t differentiate whether it's the heat of the sun or Junhui’s smouldering gaze.
“You wanted to rest, right?” Junhui takes a little while to catch up, but when he does, his face brightens up, and all of a sudden, ivy blooms around Mingyu.
🏖️
Junhui and his friends have rented out a two-bedroom ocean villa, an expensive choice, but it gives an elevated vantage point of the ocean as it is situated on the cliffside. It’s a whole bumpy journey to reach the villa, but once they get to the place, Junhui is all ready to bring pillows from his bedroom and make the living room a pillow fortress.
Mingyu doesn’t understand, and he shouldn’t even find all this acceptable, but he finds it so relaxing, and he’s practically feeling at home with a stranger in their hotel room.
“Do you have any recommendations for a movie, Mingyu-yah?”
Mingyu turns towards the voice and finds Junhui all cosied up and comfortable between the pillows and comforter, a vision from a domesticity dream Mingyu has never considered pursuing. As homely as Mingyu’s brain feels at the moment, his heart is sending all kinds of dangerous signals to his brain, which get intercepted and extinguished in their transmission.
He’s so mesmerised by the picture painted in front of him that without considering much, he says the first thing that pops into his mind, “The Truman Show.”
“Ah! Let me search for it,” Junhui presses buttons on the remote as Mingyu adjusts the pillows on his side to get comfortable as well.
Mingyu is barely cognisant of the food baby inside his belly that is making him drowsy. He wants to watch the movie and maybe unravel Junhui’s tales in the process, but sleep is taking over him, and before he’s able to notice and control it, he’s taking an afternoon nap with an almost stranger.
🏖️
“Woah! I don’t believe it.”
“Jun-ah just straight up brought an unknown person inside our villa and then slept. Dude, stranger danger!”
“Shut up, hyung!”
“He’s not a stranger, though. I know him.”
“What did you say?”
“He’s Mingyu, right? We go way back. I used to ski with him in my childhood.” That voice. Mingyu recognises it. Skiing in childhood, Junhui’s friend; has to be Jeonghan.
He blinks open his eyes to notice the entry of two men. One of them is Jeonghan. Mingyu instantly recognises him with his dark almond eyes, bow-shaped lips and shoulder-length dark hair; he looks handsome as ever.
The other man has big doe eyes, plump lips, and shorter black hair. Mingyu concludes that he must be Joshua.
“Oh, you’re up too. About time,” Jeonghan says. Mingyu is filled with so much reminiscing and good memories as he comes face to face with his old friend.
“Yo! Long time!” He raises his palm to gesture to Jeonghan to slap it in greeting.
“So, it is true!” Mingyu turns to look at Junhui as Jeonghan slaps his palm. “You know each other.” There is a stroke of betrayal marring Junhui’s handsome face.
Mingyu looks a bit guilty, but before he even has a chance to explain himself, Jeonghan decides to add more salt to the fire.
“Don’t tell me you don’t even know that his father owns this resort. In fact, his father is the owner of M Hotels and Resorts.” There goes Mingyu’s peaceful anonymity, he thinks.
“Woah, really? It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Joshua,” the third man introduces himself as he extends his hand. Mingyu greets him with a small smile.
“I feel cheated,” Junhui laments as he looks out the window. The sky is painted with shades of indigo, orange and yellow; that is how Mingyu realises it's almost dinner time.
“Hyung,” Mingyu calls, his tone unsure and wavering. He does not want to mess anything up with Junhui. He’s a chill guy and precisely what Mingyu needs. Someone who can lend them their shoulder while Mingyu relaxes and loses himself to the world's wonders.
“Eh, it’s chill.” Junhui turns around with a dazzling smile on his face. “Not that anything changes, but woah big man! You’ll be paying for our dinner tonight!”
“But I am the youngest!” Mingyu argues, losing the correlation of how he ends up emptying his wallet.
“And the owner’s heir,” Jeonghan adds, much to Mingyu’s dismay.
“So it’s decided.” Suddenly, Junhui is all charged up. “Mingyu is—”
“Paying!” They all cheer in unison, like suddenly they are watching their favourite sports team playing and cheering for it.
A part of Mingyu wants to argue for suddenly being cornered, but he notices the smile on their faces, bringing a balmy warmth to his chest.
Maybe he can hold on to this warmth till the day ends.
🏖️
They all end up having dinner by the cliffside restaurant, and it's nice to catch up with Jeonghan.
It’s also absolutely hilarious to watch Jeonghan and Joshua grovel on Junhui’s feet to beg for his forgiveness as they apologise for leaving him behind earlier in the day. As far as Mingyu remembered, Jeonghan never was the type of person to feel apologetic over his actions. It was always others kowtowing to him to gain his acquaintanceship or favour. Junhui must be an extraordinary force to reckon with to bring Jeonghan to his knees.
After dinner, Jeonghan and Joshua start making lame excuses to leave, but Junhui candidly reveals they are going to fuck. After the two men leave, Mingyu wonders if he could prolong their time somehow.
“What are you thinking?” Junhui asks. The ocean breeze flows around them and caresses Junhui’s hair in the most precious and delicate way. It’s a wonder how more people aren’t falling to their knees to worship Junhui at this point because he is ethereal, his beauty surreal and holy.
“You know, you wanted to rest if it was your last day, and we did that. How about we live as if it’s the last day my way?” Mingyu suggests, averting his eyes from Junhui’s dark brown gaze. If he keeps staring, he knows he’ll drown hopelessly in them.
Silence engulfs them as the roaring of waves and muted murmurs of people keep them company.
“How can we fill you with love?” Junhui asks, the face of innocence dawning over him.
Mingyu takes a deep breath. “Let’s pretend that you and I are lovers.”
Junhui, like the beautiful human he is, takes a few seconds, which seems to pass like centuries, to figure out Mingyu’s request. The wind is too gentle on Junhui, accentuating his sharp cuts and soft looks. Mingyu feels devastatingly mesmerised as he absorbs Junhui’s beauty under the pale moonlight.
Junhui tilts his head, the countenance of his face transforming into mischief, and Mingyu sees it, the devil in his eyes beckoning him to surrender everything at Junhui’s feet.
“Darling,” Junhui starts, the pet name shaking the very core of Mingyu’s insides. “It’s getting late. Let’s go back to our room.”
And suddenly, it’s all flame. Mingyu knows Junhui’s acting to indulge him, it’s all a play, but he would be lying if he said he’s not going crazy. He’s barely tipsy with the two cans of beer inside him. But he realises he needs a hell lot of more liquid courage to persevere through the night.
“Give me a second, baby,” Mingyu says as he digs for his phone from the pocket of his shorts. “Let me order some wine for our room.”
The smile that Junhui gives Mingyu is blinding but serves him trouble on a silver platter. Mingyu wants it desperately.
🏖️
“Why is your room at the top of the hill?” Junhui wails pathetically, trying to keep up with Mingyu’s steps.
“Not my room; it’s our room,” Mingyu corrects Junhui playfully.
“Forget it. I’m putting a pause on our act. I require more alcohol before I can continue,” Junhui grumbles.
Mingyu twists his neck to glance at Junhui. Besides the physical distress he seems to be suffering from, Mingyu can’t figure out if he’s really up for these foolish games. So he decides to be sincere for the moment, with no pretences or silly wits on the side.
“Hyung? Are you sure you’re okay with this all pretending to be lovers thing?” Junhui looks up and locks his gaze with Mingyu.
“If I were uncomfortable, I would’ve already gone back to my room,” he says simply. “Besides, I don’t want this night to end because I’ve become pretty fond of you in a short amount of time, as ridiculous as that sounds,” Junhui laughs, the pretty sound sending a tingling sensation down Mingyu’s chest.
He takes a couple of steps to eliminate the offending distance between them. At times like this, Mingyu likes to take advantage of his height, and he pushes Junhui against a tree and looks him down, right into his drowning eyes.
“Is this your vague way of admitting you like me, hyung?” Under the soft golden lights of a nearby lamp, the flush on Junhui’s face looks muted yet hypnotising, and all Mingyu can think about is leaning a little bit more to taste the sweetness from his lips.
“Mingyu-yah?” Junhui’s quick recovery is admirable as he snakes his hands around Mingyu’s waist and pulls him in, pushing their bodies flush against each other. “Is this your vague way of showing you want me?”
“Have I not been obvious enough?” He tosses back teasingly. Junhui inhales deeply, his fingers digging into Mingyu’s hips before he exhales and decides to whisper in his most seductive tone.
“Take me to your room faster, my lover, for the night.”
Mingyu practically pulls Junhui and runs for it.
🏖️
Mingyu raises his wine-filled flute and tips it towards Junhui.
“Cheers!”
“Cheers, baby!” Junhui clinks his glass with Mingyu’s. He downs the bubbly drink, feeling all muddy and lovely inside. Junhui walks up to the balcony, looking out the deck at the dark beauty of the night, the gorgeous moon reflecting over the palpitating pulse of the ocean, so steady and soothing.
Mingyu follows him, switching on the outdoor whirlpool bath of his treehouse villa as he lounges over on the daybed, forgoing the flute glass and straight away drinking the champagne from the bottle.
“How does it feel to live here?” Junhui asks.
“It’s nothing special. I’m too preoccupied with work to appreciate the beauty of this place. To be honest with you, I’ve never been on this floor. I always stay at my room below and just use this place to crash at most,” Mingyu admits meekly.
“That’s tragic.”
“I’m hoping you can change that.” Mingyu looks at Junhui with a challenge in his eyes as he gulps more champagne. Junhui reaches for the bottle and passes it, listening to the serene music of the ocean.
Once the bath is filled, Mingyu goes over to it to feel the temperature of the water.
“Ah, perfect!” And without warning Junhui, he unbuttons his shirt and dips his body inside the tub.
“Oh my god!” Junhui exclaims as he turns around to look at the ocean, probably hiding his flustered face away from Mingyu.
“Won’t you join me, sweet dream?” Mingyu asks impishly.
“It’s not big enough for both of us, big boy,” Junhui hollers, still refusing to turn around.
“You could always sit on my lap, honey,” Mingyu suggests.
Junhui groans and then downs whatever remains in the champagne bottle, hissing as the liquid burns down his throat. As his back still remains to Mingyu, he slaps his cheeks lightly and then drags his palms down slowly. First, Junhui unbuttons his pants and drags them down. Then he slowly tugs the shirt over his head and places it next to his pants. Mingyu gulps as the moonlight shines over Junhui’s naked skin.
He’s sinfully beautiful, with moles artistically scattered around over his golden skin. As he appreciates Junhui’s beauty, the incessant need to devour him grows inside Mingyu, and he needs, he desperately needs Junhui under his skin.
Junhui hesitantly joins him, sitting awkwardly over Mingyu’s lap until he has made a place for himself. It’s relaxing as both of them stay quiet for a while and enjoy the intimacy of their scorching skin next to each other.
“Are you comfortable, sugar?” Mingyu rasps against Junhui’s ears. Junhui leans back and relaxes his head on Mingyu’s shoulders, his eyes closed.
“Hmm, you feel better than my bed at home, sweetheart,” he says as he starts rubbing his palm over Mingyu’s thigh.
“God, you’re so sexy,” Mingyu breathes, his patience running thinner with every second.
“Yeah? Wanna do something about it, dear?” There is a provocation in Junhui’s tone, but it sounds so fond. Mingyu probably has an angel in his arms, so achingly beautiful and without thinking too much about it, he tilts his head down.
Their lips meet in a slow and gentle kiss. It’s rocky at first, just like the waves next to them, before Junhui raises his hand and tangles his fingers in Mingyu's hair roughly, deepening the kiss.
Mingyu gasps, and Junhui lets his tongue melt inside Mingyu’s mouth, sugary-sweet. Other than sweetness, Mingyu tastes so much eagerness that it makes his heart soar off the balcony because the beautiful man equally desires him.
Mingyu turns Junhui on his lap, the beautiful man practically melting as he devours those lips, groaning and moaning into them. Mingyu could kiss Junhui like this all night, all hot and searing, with the fervent heat dancing off the panoramic windows.
The dreamy kiss comes to an end as Junhui moves back. Mingyu tries to chase those lips, but Junhui slaps his hand on Mingyu’s chest.
“What?” Mingyu asks confusedly.
“I want you,” Junhui says with his eyes closed, which just baffles Mingyu further.
“Not gonna lie, you’re sending me mixed signals here, hyung.”
“Baby, oh baby,” Junhui cups Mingyu’s face and looks at him with the utmost fondness that anyone has ever graced Mingyu. “I don’t want this thing we have built somehow to end tonight. I want you to chase me back to Seoul.”
Mingyu is drunk and maybe a teensy bit horny, and that is why this rejection makes him moody and petulant.
“Hyung! Stop being ridiculous and come back here,” he whimpers, bringing Junhui closer by dragging him in by his waist.
“No, listen to me!” Junhui insists. Maybe it's the determination in those eyes that sobers Mingyu up a little, and he nods with a pout, gesturing to Junhui that he has all his ears. “I want to like you under the dullness and sobriety of Seoul and not under this magic of Boracay, where I find anything you do irresistible.”
As much as half of Mingyu wants to argue, the other half gets Junhui, and he’s right. He’s known ever since he comfortably watched a movie and napped beside Junhui that he is a special one, and he doesn’t want to waste this bond over a phenomenal one-night stand.
He wants Junhui, possibly in more ways than just a physical, searing night. Not only that, but he wants Junhui in the most sacred way. He wants Junhui with all his mind, body and soul.
He stares at the moon for a while and takes a deep breath, loosening his grip on Junhui. Without another word, Junhui detaches himself and climbs out of the bath, drying his body with a towel and wearing his clothes.
He leaves Mingyu with a single line, bringing a yearning ache to his heart.
“I hope to see you again, Mingyu.”
Just like that, Mingyu lets Junhui go.
🏖️
Mingyu blinks and opens his eyes to the birdsong and the sound of rain pelting over the window. He starts registering his surroundings, slowly lifting his left hand to find the ring on his fourth finger. Beside him, he watches Junhui looking at him with a warm smile. He sighs in relief and rubs his face to remove sleep from his eyes.
In his addled state of mind, Mingyu reaches for Junhui’s left hand and brings it to his lips to leave a reverent kiss on his fourth finger, right over the matching ring.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmurs.
The pink that blooms over Junhui’s cheeks make him look ethereal. It feels like the blooming of hibiscus in the early morning.
“Wow, this guy,” Junhui whispers while bringing his other hand to cover his face, looking everywhere else but at Mingyu.
Mingyu stretches his limbs and turns his head to look out the window. It’s raining, the dark and gloomy clouds populating the sky aggressively. Usually, dreary weather is bound to make Mingyu feel lethargic and blue—the perfect kind of weather to get lost in his doldrums. But today, Mingyu feels joy spreading deep inside his bones. There are butterflies fluttering inside his ribcage, and all his worries seem like a distant memory. There are so many reasons to look at the world through rose-tinted glasses.
He’s happy.
He’s in love.
He’s engaged to Junhui.
“You’d never believe this dream I had,” Mingyu starts as Junhui brings over his iPad to browse the morning news. He hums, signifying that he’s listening.
“I dreamt about the time we met at Boracay for the first time,” Mingyu explains. That gets Junhui’s attention as he looks up at Mingyu with a simper on his lips.
“Yeah?”
“I’m really glad you made me chase you all the way to Seoul, or else I’d never have found this much happiness in my life. Thank you for loving me the way you do.”
Junhui tosses the iPad on the bed and slithers his body closer to Mingyu, resting his head on Mingyu’s chest.
“I love you so much, Mingyu-yah. More than you’ll ever know.” He turns his head and starts placing soft kisses over Mingyu’s chest, right above his heart.
It comes naturally for Mingyu to kiss Junhui, eliminate the space between them, and paint Junhui’s essence with himself. Kissing Junhui is like taking drugs. It feels like a necessity, and Mingyu thinks he will go feral if someone deprives him of his life source.
Mingyu crowds Junhui’s body entirely and kisses him again and again, morning breath be damned.
“You seem very eager,” Junhui says in between the breaths.
“Why wouldn’t I be? I’m crazy about you.”
“Are you now?” Junhui asks with a smirk on his face. He still looks so devilishly handsome. “Just how crazy are you for me, my beloved Mingyu?”
“You can’t even imagine,” Mingyu tries to chase Junhui’s lips, but the other man moves faster and leans back, looking at Mingyu with glittering eyes.
“Mingyu-yah? I think your dream is a sign, and we should go back to Boracay to honour the place and celebrate our engagement,” Junhui suggests.
Mingyu thinks about it. He enjoys the simplicity he gets to experience with Junhui. No hidden thoughts or mind games are being played here. It’s just two people who are too fond of each other and stick together in all the good and the bad times. An ideal definition of a perfect relationship and Mingyu loves it, wants it, craves for it.
He’ll do whatever Junhui wants, however he wants it. Call him whipped; he doesn’t care.
“Let’s do that!”
And Mingyu closes the distance between them, swimming in Junhui’s ocean, the turbulent yet tranquil tides devouring him.