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The sky was grey, covered in clouds as is often the case in autumn. However a few sun rays managed to break through the thick barrier, making the rain droplets on the multicoloured leaves sparkle like a thousand crystals.
It had rained in the morning, but as Yeonoh and Jaehyuk were getting ready to take the road, the rain had stopped, it was as if they were given the blessing to have a nice vacation.
Yeonoh was particularly excited about this one. This was not only their first trip in a while, as they had both been busy with work, but it was also the first one he was planning from start to finish, on his own. He had been more than happy when Jaehyuk had agreed to give him full reign, from funding, to driving, through planning. It was all him. Even the car was his.
He knew relinquishing control wasn’t easy for his boyfriend, so he appreciated his trust even more. The days where he used to feel unseen and unheard, were long behind them.
“Ready to go?” He asked his boyfriend as he sat in the passenger seat.
“Ready.” Jaehyuk nodded, smiling at him..
He started the car, they were finally on the road. His car wasn’t as fancy as the vice-president’s, but it was comfortable enough and that was all he needed.
An half an hour into the ride, Jaehyuk started dozing off, his eyes fluttering shut and his head drooping down, before he jerked awake a couple seconds later.
“Jaehyuk.” Yeonoh called gently.
“Mmh?” His boyfriend blinked to chase the sleepiness away.
“Incline your seat, you’ll be more comfortable.” He told him.
“No, it’s okay, I don't want to sleep while you drive.” He said, his voice groggy.
“You’re going to fall asleep either way, so just do it. I won’t be able to focus on the road if I have to worry about you hurting your neck.”
This seemed to do the trick as Jaehyuk leaned his seat back and swiftly dozed off again. It had taken some time but Yeonoh had learned how to handle his boyfriend and make him do what he wanted. Jaehyuk didn’t consider it a big deal if something was inconveniencing him but if it was Yeonoh, he wouldn’t stand for it. And since Yeonoh couldn’t be serene if Jaehyuk wasn’t fine, it was the perfect loophole.
He smiled thinking about it, it was a nice feeling to know someone cared so much about his well being, to the point of putting him before their own needs. However, the part of him that only wanted the best for the older man, couldn’t help but be annoyed at times. They were each other’s soft spot, and he loved it. The landscape changed from roads to small villages and finally nature. He entered a wooden area and soon they had arrived at their destination, a cabin in the woods. Jaehyuk had been sound asleep but the car stopping, stirred him awake.
“Are we there?” He asked, stretching.
“Yes, we just arrived.” Yeonoh leaned down to kiss his cheek.
His boyfriend smiled at the gesture and decided to peck his lips in return. The actor couldn’t help the small giggle that escaped his throat, it didn’t matter how many times they had done it before, kissing Jaehyuk always made his heart flutter.
They got out of the car, took their baggages and entered the cabin. Yeonoh had rented the place for four days, it was the most they could afford to take a break from work. But it was more than enough to have fun. He had chosen the place because it was built in a gorgeous area, surrounded by trees and next to a lake. But mostly, he had chosen it because it was small and cosy, and the perfect excuse to be snuggling with his companion all the time. They put their bags in the bedroom and made a quick round around the house to check it out. Yeonoh’s favourite room had to be the living room, it had a fireplace, bookcases full of books and games and a comfy looking loveseat in the corner where you could lie down, right in front of a gorgeous bay window.
They both stood side by side, looking through said window.
“This is gorgeous.” Jaehyuk muttered to himself.
“It’s a nice change from the beach, right?” Yeonoh beamed, happy to see he was enjoying the atmosphere. He was glad he could share some new experiences with him. He sometimes felt like Jaehyuk was the only one teaching him new things, so it meant even more to him to be the one to do it this time.
After unpacking, they went to get groceries at the nearby village. When they came back to the cabin, the afternoon was rolling in and the sky was bidding goodnight to the last rays of the day.
Jaehyuk insisted on cooking, to thank Yeonoh for driving them all the way here. But the actor was having none of it, so they ended up cooking together. They kept bumping into each other, because of the small space, and Yeonoh was glad to see his plan was working out.
Well, it worked for him, but Jaehyuk seemed a bit annoyed. He chuckled as they bumped into each other again and Jaehyuk sighed.
“Ok, that’s it.” Jaehyuk put his knife down and grabbed Yeonoh to lift him up.
“My potatoes!” He whined, as Jaehyuk sat him down on the counter.
“Here.” Jaehyuk passed the potatoes to him. “You can peel them here.”
“You’re a grumpy old man.” He teased his boyfriend.
“Yes I am.” Jaehyuk did not even try to deny it, making him laugh.
But once everything was brewing in the pan, the businessman came up to him to hug him, resting his head on his shoulder.
“Are you cold?” He asked, with a giggle.
“Yes.” Jaehyuk sighed, nuzzling against his neck.
“We probably should have lit the fire first thing, when we came in.” He chuckled.
Without adding anything else, Jaehyuk lifted him up from the counter and carried him to the living room. Yeonoh tightened his grip around his neck, so he didn’t slip.
His boyfriend sat him down on the love couch before he turned to the fireplace, intending to light it up. The actor observed with an amused smile as Jaehyuk struggled for ten minutes to get the fire started. The thick eyebrows were scowling in concentration as he crumpled some paper for the eleventh time.
But the businessman had no choice but to admit defeat when all his efforts could only conjure a thin fluttering flame that died a couple seconds later. He sighed, before turning to him. His expression was a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment, and Yeonoh just wanted to pinch his cheeks.
“Can you help me?” He asked, looking adorable.
“Sure.” The actor giggled as he got up.
He got the fire started in less than five minutes under the impressed gaze of his lover. Jaehyuk used the world “wonderful” a couple times to describe it.
“We can even put the pot here, so it cooks slowly.” He informed him. The taller man immediately went to get the pot, so they could try it out.
“It’s adorable how excited he gets about these simple things. ” Yeonoh thought fondly as he watched his boyfriend stir the food.
“You were cold, weren’t you?” He asked with a grin.
“It’s fine now that the fire is lit.”
“Alright.” Yeonoh said, acting annoyed. “Guess you don't need to cuddle anymore then.”
He knew that by saying that, his boyfriend would run to join him on the couch. And sure enough, two strong arms wrapped around him as a weight pushed him down until he was lying down.
“I always want to cuddle.” Jaehyuk insisted, planting kisses all over his face.
Yeonoh couldn’t help the laugh that escaped his lips, as he tried to fend his boyfriend off. But he loved it when Jaehyuk was being affectionate. He slid a hand through the soft black hair, stroking it gently. Jaehyuk was wearing his hair down, making him look much softer. “He’s so handsome.” He dreamily thought. His delusional brain even believed Jaehyuk only wore it like that when he was around him, that he was the only one allowed to see him unprepared and unguarded.
Jaehyuk rubbed his nose against his, and the actor grabbed his face to kiss the tip of it. The blue eyes disappeared between the long eyelashes as his face was split in two by a big smile. The sight was so lovely, Yeonoh couldn’t let go of him. He kissed his forehead, eyes, cheeks,and nose again and again, until his ears were blessed by a soft chuckle. He wanted to hear more of it, but at the same time, it was so adorable, he couldn’t help but lock their lips together.
Jaehyuk answered eagerly, his tongue invading his mouth almost immediately, while a hand stroked his cheek. He slid his fingers under Jaehyuk’s shirt to caress the small of his back and sighed of contentment, this was everything he had hoped this little vacation would be. Just them two in their own little world.
“I love you.” He softly said, as Jaehyuk pulled away so they could catch their breath. The eyes that were staring into his soul were dark, the gorgeous blue irises hiding behind the dilated pupils. Jaehyuk softly put his lips on his forehead, where he kissed him.
“I love you too.” He breathed against this skin.
After that, the only thing Yeonoh could hear was the sound of their hearts beating in unison as they lips found their way back to each other.
The next thing he knows, Yeonoh is in his boyfriend’s arms, his eyes fluttering open. He’s waking up from a slumber he wasn’t even aware he’d fallen into. He shuffles in bed, trying to get away from Jaehyuk’s embrace, as he feels too hot. As he extricates himself from the two muscular arms, he bumps with his knee on a warm fluffy lump. He takes a look at it. Was Jaehyuk so cold he had to get a hot pad, when they were right next to the fireplace? It didn’t make sense.
But on closer inspection, it wasn’t a hot pad. He had to rub his eyes, to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. Next to his knee, half lying on Jaehyuk’s thigh, was a black cat. It looked quite comfortable, stuck between the two of them, Yeonoh extended a hand to stroke the fur. The animal stirred in its sleep, purring as Yeonoh petted it.
“ The owner didn’t say anything about there being a cat .” He remembered because he had insisted on the lodge being dog friendly. Surely, he would have warned him there was a cat if taking a dog was okay, right?
He got out of the bed, shivering from the loss of warmth, but at least it was easier to breathe now. The cat, however, snuggled closer to Jaehyuk, trying to make up for the loss of heat. Yeonoh took the pot off of the fire. It was a good thing they hadn’t left it on the stove, seeing as they had fallen asleep. He put it to the side to cool off and chopped some vegetables and a lettuce to make a salad to accompany the main dish.
He checked the time, and figured he should wake Jaehyuk up, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight. As he made his way back to the living room, he saw the cat had changed places, he was now sleeping under the arm that had been wrapped around him as he slept. Making it look like he had turned into a cat. He chuckled as he took his phone out and took pictures. “ Maybe we should get a cat. ” He thought. “ And if we can manage that, maybe we can have kids one day. ” He stopped himself before he got lost further in the fantasies. They had just recently moved in together, they weren't there yet.
He sat down next to Jaehyuk on the bed, softly shaking him awake. The older man cuddled closer to the cat, mumbling to himself before his eyes suddenly shot wide open. He sat up and stared blankly at the cat for a couple seconds, then he turned to him.
“Was it here from the start?” He scowled with confusion, his voice hoarse.
“No, It wasn’t here until I woke up from the nap.” He said with a smile, caressing Jaehyuk’s arm. “I was going to send a text to the owner to ask.”
“Alright.” Jaehyuk nodded. “I thought it was you for a second. That was very confusing.”
“You’re so cute.” He laughed, cupping Jaehyuk’s cheeks to plant a kiss on his lips. “Let’s eat, dinner’s ready.
Yeonoh sent a text to the owner of the place, to check if the cat belonged to him or anyone in the area. He didn’t get an answer until they were done eating and had gone back to the love seat next to the fireplace, their favourite spot in the whole house. They were leaning against the back of the couch, next to each other. Yeonoh was sitting with his legs crossed, caressing the cat that had decided to nestle there. He had found a novel from one of his favourite series he hadn’t read yet in the bookcase. So he immediately took it and jumped into the story, impatient to see how the Belgian detective with a moustache would solve the mystery this time. He was reading when he got a text back. He read it, and gasped, freezing in his movement.
“What’s wrong?” Jaehyuk asked.
Unable to explain, because of his shock, he showed the text to his boyfriend, whose eyes widened immediately.
“Did he just tell you to throw the cat in the lake?” He asked, dumbfounded.
“We can’t do that!” Yeonoh protested. Guarding the cat with his hand in a protective gesture.
“Of course not, I wasn’t suggesting that!” Jaehyuk defended himself.
“I know.” Yeonoh said apologetically, he was too stunned by the owner’s answer to think logically. To be so cruel to such a defenceless little thing, was too much. There were no excuses.
“We can go check with the neighbours tomorrow.”
“You mean, the squirrels?” Yeonoh raised an eyebrow.
“Right.” Jaehyuk sighed. “I keep forgetting we’re in the middle of nowhere. Maybe we could go to the town vet, then?”
“Sure.” Yeonoh nodded. But he wasn’t too sure about that, what if they took the cat, and said they were going to take care of it. How could they be sure, they weren’t just going to euthanize it? He felt a knot form in his stomach at the thought.
And things didn’t get easier the following morning. The cat had slept all night with them and sat politely at the table, on a chair next to them, while they had breakfast. Yeonoh was holding it close to his chest, under his coat, as they rode into town to get it checked at the vet. The cat was purring, looking comfortably ignorant of Yeonoh’s inner turmoil. Jaehyuk had tried to reassure him they wouldn’t hurt the cat, but he still wasn’t convinced. He would never forgive himself if something happened to the little creature now.
The vet that received them was all smiles and quite friendly. Yeonoh felt a pang in his heart as he had to hand over the little furball to her. The way he had immediately been fond of the animal, reminded him of the first time he had seen his little brother. He was wrapped in a blanket, all pink and wrinkly, and was crying at the top of his lungs but Yeonoh had been enchanted right away. He had insisted on taking him in his arms, his mother was exhausted and agreed, within seconds Yeonjun had calmed down and ever since, Yeonoh had loved him dearly. It may be weird to compare the two, because his brother was his blood relative, however, in his eyes, they were both smaller, fragile beings that needed him to protect and care for them.
“This one doesn't have a microchip." She confirmed for them. "I’ll need to run a few checks, but it seems he doesn’t have any issues, aside from being slightly underweight.”
“Will it take a while?” Yeonoh asked nervously.
“No, but the results for the samples may come in a day or two.” She explained in detail how she was going to check his health and why before she started. She put him on a treatment for parasites and recommended getting him neutered as soon as possible.
"We usually recommend waiting eight days for any potential owner to declare themselves before we let people adopt the cats." She added, smiling knowingly at Yeonoh. "But considering how friendly he is, he's probably just a stray cat that the guests have been feeding."
"We'll do what's necessary." Jaehyuk intervened. "Maybe you could send a word to your usual patient's owners to see if they're missing a pet?"
"Of course. If you just let me take a picture of him." She nodded.
Yeonoh watched in silence, his heart constricting. He didn’t want someone to come and claim the little fur ball.
They went back to the cabin but the cat wasn't as happy as before, now that he had been examined by the vet. He whined as Yeonoh carried him back inside, and disappeared under a cupboard as soon as he was free.
"Poireau hates me now." He sighed, looking at his boyfriend in search of comfort.
"Who?"
"Poireau means leek. And it sounds like the name of the detective from the book I was reading when he sat on my lap." He explained, persuaded by the sound logic of his train of thought. Jaehyuk pondered it for a second before he nodded. If he didn't get it, he didn't let it show.
"He just needs to calm down, the visit to the vet was probably very stressful for him." He said as he rubbed his back. "You need a moment alone too after you've gone to the doctor."
"That's true." He felt a bit better. "Let's give him some space and try to find something for him to eat."
They went about their day like Yeonoh had originally planned for them. They took a stroll through the woods, visited the historic centre of the town and ate out at a local restaurant. It was a pleasant day and at times, he forgot about the little ball of fluff they had met. But everytime his mind was blank, it went back to Poireau. As they made their way back to the car, he glanced at a pet shop. He was really tempted to go in, However, he already felt bad for burdening Jaehyuk with the cat, the vet, and the search for potential owners. He didn’t want to be too much.
"Shouldn't we check the pet store for food for the cat?" Jaehyuk stopped, pointing at the shop.
"Would that be okay?" He asked.
"Of course, she said he was too thin, we can't just leave him like that."
"Alright." Yeonoh beamed, unable to hide his happiness. He was so lucky to have such an understanding boyfriend.
They went in and asked the store clerk for the best nutritive food for a six-month old cat, and he suggested two different brands. Yeonoh made his choice and as he was at the check out, Jaehyuk added a harness and a leash, as well as a little toy.
"He might like to be walked." Jaehyuk cleared his throat, the tip of his ears flushing.
Yeonoh didn't comment on it, but he was ecstatic to know he wasn't the only one that had fallen for the adorable black cat. He paid for the items and they happily went back home.
"Poireau, where are you?" He called as soon as he reached the door. The cat didn't answer, but he found him right away, fast asleep on the pyjamas he had left on the couch. That was where they had fallen asleep the night before, and it seemed like the cat liked it a lot too. He petted its head, making it purr in its sleep. He sat comfortably and picked up his novel, to occupy himself as he caressed the little ball of fluff.
"I'll go make the rounds around town, tomorrow." Jaehyuk told him as he stepped out of the shower, shirtless and drying his hair with a towel.
"I'll come with you." He said, looking up from his book.
"Someone might recognise you, Mr. Seo Yeonoh." His boyfriend smirked. "Did you forget the general public fell for you because of your last movie?!"
"It's not to the point people in a small town would recognise me." He blushed, feeling shy.
"Even then, they won't be able to forget it if someone as pretty as you comes up to them to chat." Jaehyuk hovered above him, inclining his face so that they were just centimetres apart. "You stay here with Leek."
"Poireau." He rectified.
"Sure." Jaehyuk snorted, before kissing his forehead.
"Come here, I'll dry your hair for you." Yeonoh extended his hand towards him.
Jaehyuk smiled sweetly at him, before giving him his towel and sitting in front of him.
Yeonoh sat up on his knees and started by running his fingers softly through the hair to comb the knots. One of his favourite memories with Jaehyuk was when he dried his hair for him after they had been intimate. They weren’t together at that time, and their feelings were all over the place, but the gesture had been so tender and intimate, it had left a lasting impression on him.
He didn’t know it back then, and neither did Jaehyuk, but they were already falling in love with each other. It would be a long, torturous road ahead of them afterwards but in the end, they had come out of it stronger than ever.
He gently pressed the towel against Jaehyuk’s head, massaging his scalp. His boyfriend relaxed under his gentle care, his head slouching down unconsciously. After drying his hair as much as he could without a blowdryer, he passed his fingers through it once more, to make sure there were no knots. Once he was satisfied with his work, he rested his two hands on Jaehyuk’s shoulders and planted a kiss on the top of his head.
“All done, you can go to sleep now.”
Jaehyuk turned around and grabbed him before lying down on the sofa and burying his face in the crook of his neck. Yeonoh wrapped his arms around him, rubbing his nose against the pale shoulder. Poireau stirred in his sleep, as they made the couch’s cushions move.
“We shouldn’t be sleeping here. It’s cramped.” Yeonoh pointed out with a chuckle.
“That’s why I like it.” Jaehyuk smiled, snuggling closer to him.
“Hmm, yeah. It’s not that bad.” He giggled.
He quickly fell asleep, feeling better than ever between Jaehyuk and the kitten.
The following day, as Jaehyuk went around town to see if the cat belonged to anyone, Yeonoh stayed home with Poireau, he managed to coax the cat into trying the harness by feeding it tiny bits of boiled chicken breast. It was supposed to be used for their meal that evening, but Yeonoh figured they could skip on a few grams.
After managing to put the harness on him, he left the kitten alone to get used to it. Poireau seemed bothered at first, but soon enough he stopped trying to take it off and went by his business as usual.
Yeonoh took his book, put his puffy jacket on and went to read on the bench outside. The colourful leaves were swaying elegantly in the autumn breeze, the smell of wet grass and wood filling the air. Before long, Poireau joined him outside, settling for his lap as a cushion for his next nap. He smiled as he reached out to the cat to stroke its fur.
“ Next time, we should take Yeonjun on vacation with us. ” He thought.
He was almost done with his book when Jaehyuk’s car swerved into the property. He watched as his boyfriend parked the car and got out, waiting anxiously to see if he had found an owner for the kitten.
“So?” He asked, biting his lip.
“No one.” Jaehyuk smiled at him. “I gave a call to the doctor and she told me the odds are it belongs to no one, especially as this property is far off from the town.”
“So can we keep it?” He made sure, before getting his hopes up.
“She said we can.” He nodded.
“Do you hear that?” Yeonoh cupped the kitten into his arms and kissed him. “You’re coming with us.”
“She told us to pass by her cabinet, on our last day here, to sign some papers and chip him. There will be no turning back once it’s done.”
“Perfect for me!” Yeonoh beamed, Poireau seemed more than happy in his arms as it let itself be pet. “Is it ok for you to take him into your place?”
“He can’t be more work than your brother.” Jaehyuk shrugged, with a smirk.
“That’s true.” He chuckled. “Oh, I’ll go send him a pic!” He stopped in his tracks and turned back towards his boyfriend.
“Thank you.” He said.
And he didn’t need to explain more. They both knew what he meant.
Jaehyuk walked up to him and kissed his forehead, before wrapping an arm around his shoulders and walking into the house beside him.
Yeonoh couldn’t help but fantasise about doing the same thing one day, with a baby in his arms. They would go inside their home where his brother would be waiting for them, playing on the couch with Poireau, as his grandma knitted a beanie for the baby. There would be a picture of Jaehyuk’s mother on the mantel, where she watched over the little family, protecting them from above. And at her side, would be a picture of his dad. He hadn’t done the best job at being a parent, but he had loved them till the end, and maybe from where he was now, he could do a better job.
Whether his dreams would ever come true or not, didn’t matter. Just the chance to dream about the future, was the greatest thing he could have ever asked for.