Work Text:
"TILL POSTED A NEW PIC AND HE’S HOLDING A DOG."
Hyuna groaned from a pile of tires. “Ivan, if you show me one more photo of Till smiling with anything that breathes, I’m going to uninstall your entire existent.”
Ivan stood in the doorway to her garage, phone glowing like it held nuclear secrets. “But look at his hand placement. That’s a boyfriend grip. That is not how you hold onto things you don’t love, I bet he'd hold his future boyfriend, aka me, like that too! Can't wait ahhhhh."
The dramatic just-got-another-shot-from-cupid idiot takes a breath before continue. "His wristwatch is the same one he wore to the Milan. Hyuna. That’s continuity.”
She threw a wrench at him. “You need help.”
“I need Till,” he dodged it then muttered, shamelessly as always.
The place smelled faintly of motor oil and dry shampoo, empty takeout boxes populated the corners like modern art installations.
Hyuna didn't need much to be happy.
The growl of her engine. The smell of burnt rubber. The way the city lights bled into one long blur when she was driving too fast for her own good.
She didn’t need much — but Luka was an exception.
Today was her birthday and Luka was in.. Paris.
At least, that’s what he said last night on the phone — in his usual tired voice, muffled by poor reception and something that sounded a lot like coughing.
“I know, baby. I’m sorry. There’s a last-minute shoot with an Italian brand and..uhm I’ll try to call when I can.”
Try to call. He didn’t even mention her birthday.
She hadn’t said anything. Just laugh to herself.
By noon, Hyuna was still in the garage, wiping grease off her cheek with the back of her arm. Ivan sat nearby, legs crossed on a folding chair, scrolling through his phone and sighing dramatically every few seconds.
“Till hasn’t texted,” Ivan said, for the sixth time that hour. “I commented on his post. He liked it. But didn’t reply.”
All Ivan did was just sitting and lying around Hyuna place like a lost spirit and whining nonstop about his love life.
Hyuna raised an eyebrow, a small frown on her face. “Maybe he’s busy.”
Ivan clutched his heart. “Busy? He posted a selfie right after. You don’t understand. This is gay betrayal.”
Hyuna rolled her eyes, tossing him a cold soda. “Drink. Hydrate your heartbreak.”
As Ivan pouted, she leaned back against the side of her motorcycle. The scent of oil, sweat, and sun-drenched concrete filled the space. She liked it here. She liked not thinking.
Her phone buzzed.
She checked it, half-hoping, half-cursing herself for it.
...
A real estate advertising, look as fake and scamful as it could too. It takes her everything not to smash the damn phone right away.
Ivan peeked over her shoulder. “Oof, still no message or call from the pretty prince?"
“Don't call him that." She slightly push Ivan off. "He is just...a bit busy."
Ivan, instead, frowned. “Sometime I can't believe that you guys are married.”
She shrugged. “He’s trying. Luka’s just... Luka. He’s never been good at days. Or time. Or—”
“—being emotionally available?” Ivan finished, deadpan.
Hyuna laughed, more genuinely this time. “Yeah, that.”
"Ugh that guy always forget things." Ivan scoff, gets back to his seat on the sofa, continue with polishing his black nails. Matching with Till's ones obviously. "I'm surprise you guys are married."
"Oh please."
"Like, he once forget his own birthday right? When you drag me to surprise him with it. Another time when you told me he forget eating and sleeping for days. I mean, who even forget those?? Hyuna, you know what you married."
"He makes me laugh." Hyuna joke, not wanting to extend the topic any futher. "Plus, he's taken and you're not."
"Argh- damn it!!"
But even as she smiled, something in her chest ached. She loves Luka yes, but so what, he is always like this anyways. Not pratically toxic but not exactly a good partner too. Ivan, Mizi,...all of her friends have always been there for her, but at the end of the day, the only person she yearns for is just...that idiot.
Loving Luka was, is and will never be a mistake. Hyuna needs to remember that deep into her head. It's not like they're still lovebird highschoolers or anything, the both has grown and now he is just busy helping the small family. Hyuna's job doesn't make that much money anyways, she should feel proud being Luka's partner..right?
That night, the house was quiet. Too quiet.
She got home late, dust on her boots, adrenaline still clinging to her spine from the last illegal street drag Ivan talked her into. The living room lights were off, no shoes by the door, no Luka.
It's not even that rare anymore finding Hyuna in these states. An extrovert and energetic woman with her lifestyle motto being 'I don't even know what's for dinner', it feels illegal seeing her like this but, well, life sucks.
She took a shower, microwaved leftover soup, and sat alone at the kitchen island with a spoon in one hand and silence in the other. Quietly watching some youtube videos about fixing motor, enjoying the silence.
A message pops up on the screen, honestly she thought it was another commercial but then her stomach twisted.
From Luka.
The poor girl almost chokes from soup, FROM SOUP. Hyuna stared at it, blinking.
"Do you remember the day I proposed to you?"
What? Does he mean anything saying it?
Hyuna takes a cup of water, calmly gulp. The day Luka propose her was when they've just graduated from college. No jobs, no nothing. Just endless path in front of their eyes, they didn't even know each others before.
The blonde nerd dared to say he'd make Hyuna the happiest person on Earth. Was it..like, on the rooftop. Oh yeah right, definitely. She can remember that scene clearly in her mind, as if it was just yesterday. Their silhouette faintly dimmed under the sunset light, Hyuna being confused as fuck and Luka shivering like a small and fragile lil' animal. Ah, lovely. Tho..he might, like, skip quite a lot of steps in lovey dovey things, not even try courting her first.
But then it strikes into her mind. In half a second, Hyuna dropped down the phone and go grabbed her jacket.
The rooftop was only a few floors above, but the climb felt surreal. She didn’t know what she expected. Nothing, maybe. A note taped to the door that said "April Fools, I’m still in Paris."
..bro nawh it's not even April..
But when she pushed open the heavy steel door, the cool night air hit her — and then something sweeter.
Lights.
Soft fairy lights had been strung from one end of the railing to the other. A blanket was spread out on the ground, with pillows and—
“Luka,” she whispered, the air cold enough for her words to turn into mist.
He was standing by the edge, back turned, cigarette between his fingers. He wasn’t supposed to smoke anymore due to his infamous bad health, but he always lit one when he was nervous. It wasn’t lit, she realized. Just in his hand. He turned slowly.
His golden hair was tousled, his eyes tired but warm. Damn he still looks the same, angel-like-image. And there was a cake on the ground, a little crooked, store-bought. With too many candles and a plastic cat on top.
“Hey,” Luka, surprisingly, can still talks like a well and healthy person.
“You lied,”
He slightly nodded. “Yeah. I did.”
Hyuna stepped forward. Her voice a bit trembled despite her best efforts. “You remembered.”
“Remembered what? I never forgot,” Luka said, small but fully satisfied smile on his lips. “Just...", He spreads his arms wide open for Hyuna. "It's a bit cold on here don't you think?"
She looked at him. The oversized hoodie. The sleeves slightly chewed at the ends from stress. The slight tremble in his fingers, like he’d been sick again. The bags under his eyes. Yet, he still looks perfect.
“Were you really in Paris?”
He shook his head. “Cancelled it. Had no interest in it anyways.”
There was a pause. Then she punched him in the arm — lightly, enough to make him flinches.
“Ow..”
“That’s for making me think you forgot.”
Luka looked at her, then slowly smiled. “My baby is not mad?”
She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her forehead against his shoulder.
“I am...” she whispered. Ugh how she hates this idiot.
Took them ages to finally settle down and Hyuna stop messing with Luka's face. Squishing and pinching him to see if this is real or not. They lay on the blanket later on, side by side, staring up at the stars — or what little of them could be seen through the light-polluted sky.
Luka rested his head on hers, breathing evenly now. He felt much warmer and softer than those cold poster she got everytime Luka got a new fashion brand or something targeting him.
“I thought you’d be happier without me today,” he said suddenly.
Hyuna blinked. “What?”
“You always look brighter when I’m not around. Less tired. Less disappointed. I was thinking you wouldn't see that message.”
“Silly.”
Hyuna's voice was firm when she pinch his cheek again.
He bit his lip. “I mean, Ivan would definitely take you out somewhere in nights like this. You know, nights when I'm not home."
"Yeah he did. But I said I was tired and stuffs. I don't want to anyways."
Luka let out a long breath, then shifted to lie on top of her, face pressed into her neck like a kid hiding from the world. She held him there, running fingers through his hair.
“You smell like engine oil,” he mumbled.
“You smell like anxiety,” she replied.
He laughed, muffled. “Perfect match.”
Luka then leans up and quietly kiss his one and only love. This time, Hyuna didn't punch him.
"Oh, about the gift." Hyuna's ears perk up at the sentence. Many thoughts gone through her mind right now.
"Please don't say you bought me a new mo-"
"Nah, I bought you a new motor-"
They both stop, end up with Luka sulking and looking like a sad dog, Hyuna just sighing and rolling her eyes.
"No need for expensive gifts."
"But.."
"No buts too."
Still with that sore loser look, Luka looks straight at Hyuna, quietly ask, "Then what can I even get for you? Beside the money, I don't have anything."
Hyuna's hands reach on his back, slightly pull him down with her. "Just...be with me."
Luka didn't protest.
"...Roger that."
.
.
.
Somewhere across the city, Ivan woke up in a cold sweat and screamed into his pillow: “I knew that man was plotting something.”