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The sun wasn’t even fully up yet, but Chenle was already awake, sitting by his window, idly tracing the edge of the glass with his finger. The soft hues of dawn painted the sky, and the cool morning air felt crisp against his skin. His heart raced as he glanced at the street and saw a familiar tall figure, skating towards his lawn.
Jisung.
Chenle stifled a laugh. Jisung wasn’t exactly the sneaky type, but sneaky was the only option right now. It was far too early in the morning for visitors— especially ones who might potentially wake his parents up.
They weren’t exactly thrilled about Jisung’s tendency to show up at odd hours unannounced. If he dared to use the front door? Instant doom, Chenle won’t see the light of day. No questions asked.
Jisung slowed to a stop on the skateboard, kicking it up into his hands as he looked at the large tree next to Chenle’s window. His face broke into a grin, one that Chenle could spot even from inside. He knew what was coming next. Chenle shook his head, half amused, half exasperated.
This idiot.
Jisung slung his skateboard over one shoulder and started climbing the tree. It wasn’t his first time doing this, but that didn’t make it any less nerve-wracking for Chenle.
“Careful!”
Chenle whispered harshly through the window, his voice barely audible. Jisung grinned down at him like he was conquering a mountain and not scaling a tree to sneak into his boyfriend’s room.
He reached a branch near the window, balanced precariously, and pushed the skateboard ahead of him through the opening before attempting to follow. What Jisung hadn’t accounted for was the slightly lowered frame of Chenle’s window.
Thunk!
“Ow!” Jisung hissed, holding his head as he stumbled slightly. The skateboard clattered to the floor inside, and Jisung almost lost his balance, causing the branch to creak ominously.
Chenle lunged forward, grabbing Jisung by the arm and yanking him inside just as his foot slipped off the branch.
“Quiet!” Chenle hissed, his heart pounding. Jisung tumbled into the room in an ungraceful heap, groaning softly as he cradled the spot on his head that had collided with the window frame.
“You didn’t warn me about the—”
“Shhh!” Chenle frantically waved his hands, cutting him off mid-sentence. He froze, listening for any signs of movement from his parents’ room.
Silence.
Chenle could finally let out a sigh of relief. His heartbeat slowed as the seconds ticked by, and the silence from his parents' room remained uninterrupted. Turning back to Jisung, who was still sitting on the floor, Chenle crouched down with a mix of concern and fondness etched across his face.
“Come here,” he said softly, reaching out to help Jisung up. Jisung allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, still rubbing the spot on his forehead where it had made violent contact with the window frame.
“Let me see,” Chenle murmured, gently brushing Jisung’s hand away. He leaned in, carefully examining the faint redness forming just above Jisung’s brow. His fingers were cool against Jisung’s warm skin, and the touch made Jisung’s heart skip, even as his head throbbed slightly.
“It’s not too bad,” Chenle said after a moment, his lips twitching into a small smile. “You’ll survive.” Jisung then rolled his eyes and kissed his boyfriend's forehead, a habit he always does when he meets Chenle.
“If this leaves a big-ass bruise, I’m never going through there ever again,” he grumbled, though his lips quirked upward, betraying his fondness. Chenle huffed a laugh, guiding Jisung to sit on the edge of the bed as he retrieved the skateboard from the floor. “You say that now, but I know you’ll be back climbing that tree by next week.”
“Only if you don’t summon me at the crack of dawn,” Jisung shot back, stretching his long legs out. “Seriously, Chenle. What’s so important that I had to risk my life and my dignity to get here?”
Chenle hesitated, the teasing smile fading completely as he sat down beside Jisung, his fingers twisting at the hem of his pajama shirt. His lips parted as if to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. His throat tightened, and his gaze dropped to the floor. “I just… I couldn’t sleep,” he said softly, his voice trembling. “I kept thinking about last night, about what you said—”
But the rest of the sentence stuck in his throat as the memory resurfaced. Last night, they had talked about how quickly summer was ending, how little time they had left before the next school year started.
It wouldn’t have been so bad—Chenle could handle school but Jisung wasn’t going to be there. He was flying across the country in just a few weeks to join a competition that would keep him away for months. And that was the part that Chenle couldn’t stop thinking about, the part that left his chest feeling hollow and his mind racing in the middle of the night.
Jisung shifted closer, concern etched across his face. “Chenle,” he said softly, his voice cutting through the stillness of the room. “Talk to me. Please.”
Chenle shook his head, his hands clenching into fists in his lap. “What’s the point?” he whispered, his voice cracking. “It won’t change anything. You’re still leaving.”
Jisung’s heart ached at the rawness in Chenle’s voice. He reached out, gently placing a hand on Chenle’s shoulder. “It’s not forever,” he said quietly.
“I know that,” Chenle snapped, the words sharper than he intended. He immediately winced, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his emotions. “I know it’s not forever. But it feels like it. Every time I think about you being gone, I feel like I can’t breathe.”
“You love to dance, you have been dreaming to be able to dance on stage with millions of people watching, you are so close to reaching it, Ji.” Chenle then let out a small hiccup from the tears that were already streaming down his face.
“They might even cast you as a full-time dancer, or whatever that’s called,” Chenle choked out, his voice breaking as the tears continued to fall. Jisung’s heart clenched, and without hesitation, he cupped Chenle’s face in his hands, gently wiping away the tears with his thumbs.
“Baby,” he said softly, his voice brimming with tenderness, “you’ve been there for me through everything. You believed in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. You lifted me up when I felt insecure, when I was second-guessing my every move, or when I wasn’t satisfied with my performance.” His gaze searched Chenle’s watery eyes, his own expression a blend of love and determination.
“You’ve been my rock, my constant—through every setback. I wouldn’t even be here without you. So, please, don’t think for one second that any of this means leaving you behind. I will always go back to you, no matter the time or day, even if I have to climb that tree and bruise myself, I will do it.” Jisung’s voice grew softer, more intimate, as though speaking directly to the raw parts of Chenle’s heart.
“You’re the reason I’ve gotten this far. You’ve always been my reason. And no stage, no audience, no dream is ever going to change that.”
“I love you” Jisung smiled, feeling the love his boyfriend was expressing to him in its rawest form. “I love you most” Jisung smiled softly, his thumbs gently brushing against Chenle’s cheeks.
He leaned forward, pressing a tender kiss to his forehead. “I love you most,” he murmured, the words carrying every ounce of his affection and promise. Chenle let out a shaky breath, his grip on Jisung’s shirt relaxing slightly.
Without needing to say anything else, they shifted onto Chenle’s bed, curling up under the soft blankets. Jisung wrapped his arms around Chenle, anchoring him in the quiet security of their shared space.
Jisung stirred awake to the distant hum of a car engine starting outside. He blinked a few times, realizing the house was unusually quiet. Chenle’s parents must be heading out, he thought absently.
Turning his attention to the figure next to him, Jisung’s gaze softened. Chenle was still fast asleep, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. The morning light streamed in through the curtains, casting a soft glow on his features.
Jisung couldn’t help but marvel at how peaceful he looked, so far removed from the restless emotions of the night before. With a gentle hand, Jisung brushed a few stray strands of hair away from Chenle’s face. His fingers lingered for a moment, and a smile tugged at his lips as he took in the quiet beauty of the boy before him. He stayed like that for a while, watching, admiring, letting the stillness of the moment sink in.
Jisung didn’t want to wake him just yet. Instead, Chenle began to stir, shifting slightly before his eyes fluttered open. His face scrunched up adorably in the morning light as he slowly came to. “Good morning, baby,” Jisung whispered, his voice soft and warm. Chenle yawned, stretching his arms lazily above his head. “Mmm… morning,” he murmured, his voice raspy from sleep. He rubbed at his eyes, blinking up at Jisung.
“Why are you already awake?” Jisung chuckled, brushing a hand over Chenle’s messy hair. “Heard a car outside. I think your parents just left.” Chenle hummed in acknowledgment, letting his head fall back against the pillow.
“I completely forgot, they already told me about it yesterday.” Jisung raised an eyebrow, smirking. “And you scold me for being forgetful.” Chenle then playfully punched Jisungs shoulders and rolled his eyes causing the younger to stir a laugh.
“Get up and let's eat something. I don’t wanna deal with your hangry ass.” Chenle groaned but reluctantly sat up, running a hand through his already messy hair. “Ugh… fiiine,” he drawled, stretching out the word dramatically, his voice dripping with sleepy reluctance.
hi honey, I know you’ll still be asleep when we’re gone, so I made you some breakfast. It’s in the fridge—just heat it up in the microwave when you’re ready. -love, mama
Chenle smiled softly as he read the note his mom had left for him, her familiar handwriting warming his heart. Folding the note carefully, he opened the fridge and spotted the neatly packed tupperware of food she had prepared. Following her instructions, he placed the meal in the microwave and set the timer.
As the microwave hummed softly, Chenle glanced to his right and saw Jisung at the counter, already laying out plates and utensils for them both. There was an effortless ease in Jisung’s movements, as if the house were his own—no hesitation, no awkward pauses. It was a quiet reminder of how much time they spent together, how naturally Jisung fit into every corner of Chenle’s life.
Chenle’s lips quirked into a fond smile. “You know,” he said, leaning casually against the counter, “at this rate, my mom’s going to think you live here.” Jisung turned to him, grinning. “Would that be such a bad thing?” he teased, setting the plates down on the table with a playful shrug. Chenle chuckled, shaking his head.
“Not at all.”
With the last bite of their breakfast, Chenle leaned back in his chair, patting his stomach with a satisfied sigh. “My stomach is going to explode.”
Jisung nodded, setting his spoon down “Your mom might officially be my favorite person.” Chenle propped an eyebrow, playfully nudging his foot against Jisung’s under the table. Jisung giggled but leaned back with a content sigh.
“Alright, breakfast is done. Now what?” Chenle’s eyes lit up mischievously. “Now…”
He stood abruptly, pulling Jisung up by the arm. “We have something important to do.” “Important?” Jisung asked, his tone dripping with playful suspicion.
“What exactly are we doing?” Chenle smirked, tugging him toward the living room.
“Oh, you’ll see.”
Moments later, Jisung found himself sitting cross-legged on the floor, a collection of nail polishes spread out in front of him. Pastels, glitters, and bold colors all glinted under the light.
“This is what’s important?” Jisung asked, raising an eyebrow but unable to hide his smile. “Absolutely,” Chenle replied matter-of-factly, already holding up a pastel purple bottle.
“Your nails are basically screaming for a makeover, and I’m just the person to do it.” Jisung chuckled, holding his hands up in surrender. “Alright, alright. I’m at your mercy.”
Chenle clapped his hands in excitement before grabbing Jisung’s hand and carefully starting to paint. His focus was intense, his brows furrowed as he worked to ensure each stroke was perfect.
“You’re really into this,” Jisung observed, amused. “Of course I am,” Chenle replied without looking up. “If you’re going to let me paint your nails, they have to look amazing.”
“I could probably do it better than you though,” Jisung replied.
His remark ignited Chenles competitiveness as he stopped painting. “Bullshit”
“You heard me,” Jisung said with a playful shrug, cocking his head to the side. “Let me do your nails, and we’ll see which one looks better.” Chenle scoffed, placing the nail polish brush back in the bottle. “Total bullshit,” he retorted, his competitive spirit already flaring.
Jisung grinned, clearly enjoying the reaction. “Oh, come on, what’s the harm? Don’t chicken out now” Chenle’s competitive streak flared, his eyes narrowing. “Chicken out? You’re about to regret saying that.” He grabbed the bottle of glittery pink polish and shoved it into Jisung’s hand.
“Go ahead. Show me what you’ve got. But don’t cry when I smoke you.”
Jisung snorted, rolling up his sleeves like he was preparing for battle. “Alright, just sit there and watch the master work.” he said while cracking his knuckles.
Chenle watched as Jisung leaned forward, tongue poking out in concentration. “Wooww..” Chenle said, dragging out the word with mock admiration. “So professional. Like, totally not sloppy at all. Do you do weddings sir?” Jisung shot him a look.
“You wanna keep running your mouth, or do you actually want this hand to not look like it got done by a toddler?” He then grabbed Chenles hand a little closer to him to get a better view.
“Okay, diva” Chenle said, biting back a laugh. “Go off, Van Gogh. Show us what you got”. A few minutes later, Jisung leaned back with a cocky grin. “And boom. Check that out. You can thank me later.”
Chenle wasn’t really expecting that. His nails did look…decent. He raised an eyebrow, impressed despite himself. “mkay, hold up. I didn’t think you had it in you.”
Jisung smirked, acting casual as he leaned back. “Yeah, I know. I’m basically a nail artist now.” Chenle scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s just one hand.” Jisung shot him a playful glare. “Let’s see you do better, then.” Chenle shrugged. “Maybe I will. But don’t get all jealous when I totally crush it.”
“Yeah, yeah. Keep dreaming, babe.” Jisung winked.
“I’m telling you, mine are clearly more refined,” Jisung said, holding up his hands with exaggerated flair. “Your nails couldn’t look any better.” he proudly complimented himself.
“I should probably charge that, it looks too nice to be free” the younger added. Chenle then bit back “You won’t get a cent from anyone. Dream on”
“But seriously, I nailed that” Jisung then laughed at the joke he made.
The rest of the morning was filled with playful bickering as they both argued over whose nails looked better. The back-and-forth continued, each one more ridiculous than the last, until they were both laughing and shoving each other, completely enjoying the ridiculousness of it all.
In the end, neither could agree on whose nails were better, but it didn’t matter. The entire morning was about the fun they had together. Jisung smiled softly as he watched his boyfriend, completely absorbed in organizing the nail polishes, his brow furrowed in concentration.
He was going to miss him more than he cared to admit.
He took a deep breath and made a silent promise to himself. These next few days, as the countdown to his departure ticked away, he was going to do everything in his power to make Chenle the happiest he’d ever been. No amount of distance would change that. Whatever came next, they’d make every moment count.