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The graduation grounds were full of cheers and camera flashes. Jun stood away from the crowd, holding a bouquet behind his back. His heart raced when he saw Dylan walking through groups of classmates. Dylan’s gown swished, and his cap was slightly crooked, as always..
When Dylan finally looked in his direction, Jun stepped forward with his friendly smile.
"Congratulations, Mister Graduate," Jun said loudly enough for Dylan to hear, making him look over in surprise.
Dylan's eyes widened in surprise. Before he could say anything, Jun quickly pulled out a colorful bouquet of sunflowers and roses from behind his back. The flowers looked warm.
“Here you go,” Jun said, handing the bouquet to Dylan before he could protest. “I wanted to give you these, so don’t say I didn’t have to.”
Dylan looked down at the flowers, slowly wrapping his fingers around the stems. He opened his mouth, then smiled. That smile always made Jun’s heart feel warm.
“Jun…” Dylan’s voice was quiet, soft with surprise. “You really—”
“Okay, okay,” Jun interrupted, tilting his head with fake impatience. “I showed up, I brought flowers, I’m great. Now smile for me, before I decide to keep them for myself.”
Dylan laughed and shook his head, but the way he held the bouquet close showed how much it meant to him. Jun, watching Dylan’s smile grow, realized he would do it all over again in a second.
The audience clapped loudly when they announced Dylan’s name. He walked across the stage with his shoulders straight, but Jun could see he was nervous from his seat in the back. Jun clapped so hard his hands hurt and whistled loudly above the cheers, not caring that people looked at him.
“That’s my Dylan!” Jun shouted, grinning so wide his cheeks hurt.
Dylan smiled as he stood on stage. When he received his degree folder, he quickly looked through the crowd until he found Jun. For a moment, it felt like the rest of the room disappeared.
After the ceremony ended, graduates streamed off the stage. Dylan moved quickly, hardly stopping for handshakes or photos. He made his way through the crowd until he saw Jun waiting at the steps, holding a bouquet.
Then, Dylan ran.
Jun barely had time to open his arms before Dylan crashed into him, warm and breathless. The flowers crumpled a little between them, but neither cared. Dylan’s cap tilted awkwardly, his gown swishing around them as he buried his face in Jun’s shoulder.
“You were watching,” Dylan whispered, voice muffled but trembling with joy.
“Of course I was.” Jun hugged him tighter, one hand sliding up to the back of Dylan’s neck. “I’ve always been watching you.”
Dylan leaned back just enough to meet Jun’s eyes. His smile was soft, radiant, the kind that made Jun’s chest ache. And right there, in the middle of the bustling crowd, he pressed his forehead to Jun’s—simple, sure, and overflowing with everything words couldn’t hold.
“You’re my favorite part of today,” Dylan murmured.
Jun laughed softly, brushing his thumb against Dylan’s cheek. “Good. Because you’re mine, every day.”
The crowd eventually got smaller, and Jun took Dylan’s hand, leading him away from the noise and cameras. They walked along the familiar paths of the campus as the sun set, casting long shadows in the golden light.
“It feels strange,” Dylan murmured, glancing around at the buildings. “Like the whole place stayed the same, but we… didn’t.”
Jun squeezed Dylan's hand gently, a warm smile spreading across his face. “That’s the essence of growing up,” he said thoughtfully. “We change and evolve, but the memories we create along the way stick with us forever.” He pointed to the sunny, grassy hill next to the library. The bright green grass looked nice against the blue sky. “Do you remember that spot?”
Dylan's eyes followed Jun's finger, and a wave of nostalgia washed over him, causing a shy smile to tug at his lips. “Oh, absolutely,” he replied, chuckling softly, the embarrassment creeping onto his cheeks.
“Do you remember when you were trying to explain lenses to me? I was such a mess, mixing up focal length and aperture like they were the same thing!” He shook his head, remembering the playful frustration on Jun's face during their outdoor lesson.
Jun laughed, a low, fond sound. “You looked like a lost kitten. But you still listened to every word I said. I thought, Wow, this guy is very patient… or very into me.”
Dylan shook his head, chuckling softly. “Maybe both.”
They wandered a little further, past the old campaign posters still faintly visible on a bulletin board. Dylan slowed, his smile dimming slightly. “And over there… that’s where you were showing off the photos for your campaign. Thame was the model, right?”
Jun blinked, then smirked, catching the faint pout tugging at Dylan’s lips. “Don’t tell me you’re still jealous about that.”
Dylan looked away, pretending to study the wall. “…You praised him a lot.”
Jun leaned closer, teasing. “I praised the photos. Not him. Besides—” his voice dropped, softer now, “—I’ve only ever looked at one person like they’re the center of my frame. And it wasn’t your brother.”
Dylan’s cheeks warmed, his jealousy dissolving as quickly as it came. He ducked his head, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “You’re impossible, Jun.”
“Maybe,” Jun said, bumping his shoulder playfully against Dylan’s. “But I’m yours. Always have been.”
The university grounds stretched out before them, a collage of all the moments that had brought them here—laughter, jealousy, confessions under quiet skies. And as they walked, hand in hand, it felt less like the end of something and more like a promise that their story was still unfolding.
Jun’s grin was suspicious the moment they stepped off the main path. Dylan narrowed his eyes. “Where are we going? My family’s probably looking for me, you know.”
“They’ll survive without you for a few minutes,” Jun replied breezily, already tugging Dylan along by the wrist. “Trust me. I have something better planned.”
“Jun—” Dylan started, but then Jun’s hands slid up over his eyes.
“Ah-ah. No peeking.”
Dylan let out a disbelieving laugh, blindly stumbling as Jun guided him forward. “You’re unbelievable. What if someone sees us? I look ridiculous like this.”
“You look perfect. Now walk straight, or you’ll trip, and then I’ll look like the worst boyfriend in history.” Jun’s voice was teasing, but his grip was steady, careful.
After a few more steps, Dylan felt Jun stop. The familiar creak of a heavy door filled his ears, then the faint shift of cooler air. Jun guided him inside, footsteps echoing on the tiled floor.
“Okay,” Jun murmured, pulling his hands away. “Open.”
Dylan blinked into the deep red haze around him as memories flooded his mind. He found himself in the darkroom—their darkroom—a special place where they had captured and developed countless moments, filled with their shared passion. Sheets of old photo paper hung from metal wires, looking like ghostly reminders of memories from the past. The corners of the papers curled gently, as if trying to escape the burden of time.
The counters were filled with jars and trays, each one ready for creating something new. The strong smell of chemicals filled the air, reminding him of a reality that felt both normal and strange. This smell was a part of him, bringing back the excitement of experimenting and the quiet comfort of shared moments.
As he looked around, he caught his breath. “Jun… this—” His words hesitated, stuck between memory and surprise, as he tried to express the mix of feelings inside him.
“I knew you’d remember.” Jun leaned on the nearest table, his eyes softening as the teasing turned into something deeper. “This is where it all started.”
In that moment, the years faded away.
Flashback.
The red light hummed above them, casting everything in shades of warmth and shadow. Dylan sat stiffly on the stool, hands fidgeting in his lap while Jun explained something about depth of field. Dylan’s thoughts drifted far from the lines of the script in front of him. Instead, he found himself captivated by the presence of Jun, who leaned in so closely that Dylan could almost feel the warmth radiating from him.
Jun’s laughter, rich and infectious, echoed through the room, wrapping around them like a warm blanket. Every time he gestured toward the camera, Dylan noticed how their fingers nearly touched, a brief brush of skin that sent a jolt of electricity through him. Those fleeting moments lingered in Dylan’s mind, overpowering any focus he should have had on their tasks. Jun noticed the silence. “Hey,” he nudged Dylan’s shoulder lightly, “are you even listening? Or is my voice that boring?”
Dylan shook his head quickly. “No, it’s not that. I was just… thinking.”
“Thinking, huh?” Jun tilted his head, studying him with that unreadable grin. “You’ve been sulking since we got in here. What’s going on?”
Dylan’s lips pressed together, stubborn. “…It’s nothing.”
Jun leaned closer, eyes gleaming mischievously. “Nothing, or something you don’t want to say?”
Dylan finally lifted his gaze, feeling the warmth creep into his cheeks as the soft light enveloped him. He hesitated, searching for the right words. “It’s just… the way you treat me at times—it leaves me wondering. I can’t tell if it’s because you see me as your junior, or if there’s something deeper involved,” he continued, his voice fading to a whisper, filled with uncertainty. He shifted nervously, his heart racing. “I don’t want there to be any misunderstandings between us.”
For once, Jun was quiet. Then slowly, his grin softened into something gentler. “You are cute when you sulk, you know that?”
Dylan frowned, flustered. “Jun—”
But Jun abruptly interrupted him, leaning in so close that Dylan felt the heat radiating from him, causing him to freeze in place. Jun’s voice dropped to a low, intimate whisper that sent shivers down Dylan’s spine. “If you need me to spell it out…” He paused for effect, his gaze piercing through the uncertainty that clouded the moment. “…It’s not just because you’re my junior. It’s because I like you.”
Dylan’s heart raced as the words registered in his mind, disbelief washing over him. “You… like me?” he stammered, struggling to process the confession that felt like a jolt of electricity between them.
“Mm.” Jun’s smile widened, but his eyes stayed soft, sincere. “A lot more than I planned to.” And before Dylan could react, Jun leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. Warm, lingering just enough to make Dylan’s whole face go hot.
The camera on the table clicked, shutter snapping by accident under Jun’s careless hand—immortalizing Dylan’s wide-eyed shock, Jun’s lips still hovering near his cheek, both of them caught forever in that fragile, perfect second.
“Now you can’t forget it,” Jun teased, waving at the camera. “It’s official.”
Dylan stared at him, stunned and flustered, but the tiny smile tugging at his lips betrayed everything he was feeling.
Back to the present.
Dylan blinked himself out of the memory, cheeks already warm. Jun noticed immediately, of course—he always did.
“You’re blushing,” Jun teased, stepping closer until Dylan instinctively looked away.
“I’m not,” Dylan muttered, though the redness in his ears betrayed him.
Jun flashed a playful grin, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he silently crept up behind Dylan. In one swift motion, he wrapped his arms around Dylan's waist, drawing him closer. The warmth radiating from Jun's body was comforting, yet electric with an unspoken tension. With a soft chuckle, he rested his chin on Dylan’s shoulder, his breath warm against Dylan's ear. His voice dropped to a teasing whisper, smooth and melodic, “You are. Just like back then.” A hint of nostalgia laced his words as he leaned in even closer. “Still shy about me kissing you?” He could feel the subtle tension in Dylan’s body, a mix of excitement and uncertainty that made the moment feel all the more significant.
Dylan huffed, half-embarrassed, half-pleased, leaning back into the embrace despite himself. “You don’t have to bring everything up again…”
“But it’s fun watching you squirm,” Jun laughed softly, pressing a little squeeze to Dylan’s middle.
They stood there in the red glow, letting the silence stretch, until Jun spoke again—quieter now, a thread of something deeper under the playfulness.
“Hey, Dylan?”
“Mm?”
Jun tightened his embrace, pulling Dylan closer until their cheeks were almost touching. A warmth radiated between them, and he could feel the quickened heartbeat beneath Dylan's skin. Reluctantly breaking the moment of silence, Jun’s voice was steady yet filled with an underlying vulnerability. “If I asked you to marry me someday… would you say yes?”
Dylan froze, his breath hitching in his throat as he felt the weight of the question settle over them like a thick fog. He turned his head slightly, their eyes locking, and searching the depths of Jun's gaze for any hint of jest or doubt. “Jun…” he started, his voice shaky and barely above a whisper. The seriousness of the moment gripped him, leaving him momentarily speechless. “Are you serious?” His heart raced, a mixture of hope and fear swirling within him, as he awaited Jun's response.
“As serious as I’ve ever been.” Jun’s grin softened into something steady, sure. “Because I can’t imagine a future where you’re not there.”
For a moment, Dylan said nothing, blinking rapidly as tears threatened. Then he laughed weakly, pressing the heel of his palm against his eye. “You’re ridiculous. You can’t just drop things like that on me.”
Jun tilted his head, pretending to pout. “So is that a no?”
Dylan shook his head vigorously, a bittersweet smile forming on his lips as laughter mingled with tears in his eyes. “Of course it’s a yes,” he said, his voice trembling with emotion. He paused, wiping the back of his hand across his cheek to catch the stray tears that had escaped. “But—” he continued, taking a deep breath to steady himself, “—you’d better get me a good ring. I don’t want any of your cheap tricks this time.” He glanced down at the ground, a playful glint appearing in his eyes as he tried to suppress a grin, feeling the gravity of the moment sink in.
Jun laughed, full and warm, pulling him closer. “Deal. Only the best for my boyfriend.”
Before Dylan could find the words to respond, Jun leaned in, tilting his head ever so slightly. In that fleeting moment, he pressed his lips gently against Dylan's—soft and certain—right at the very spot where, years ago, Dylan had bared his soul and shared his heart. The warm glow of the red light enveloped them, casting a dreamy haze over the room. It felt as if time had blurred around them, allowing the walls to echo with the sweet memories of their beginnings while simultaneously holding the weight of their unspoken promises for the future.
And somewhere on the counter, the old camera clicked again—capturing not the nervous start of two boys fumbling with feelings, but the grown version of them, laughing and crying and loving exactly where it all began.
The shutter’s quiet click echoed through the room, almost like fate itself had chosen to frame them again. Dylan pulled back just enough to breathe, his cheeks damp but his smile bright, trembling with joy. Jun brushed away the tears with his thumb, pressing a gentle kiss to the corner of Dylan’s lips.
“No more sulking,” Jun whispered. “You’re stuck with me now.”
Dylan let out a shaky laugh, leaning his forehead against Jun’s. “I was always stuck with you.”
In the crimson glow of the darkroom, where their story had first begun, Jun and Dylan held each other close—past and future collapsing into a single promise. And this time, there was no doubt, no hesitation, only love captured forever in the warmth of that kiss.
The end