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The night air of Paris
Little did I know why it was this sweet
it's a little cliché to say this but really, everything is better when you see it yourself.
paris at night is a lot different than what donghyun was able to imagine from just pictures and a few movies. the air is cold, brushing through his hair, carrying distant music and the faint smell of baked bread from somewhere down the street.
dongmin stretches beside him, hands shoved in his pocket, curled in on himself to help with the chilly weather. donghyun feels a little guilty when he clings closer to the jacket dongmin had taken off to drape over him instead.
“what do you think?” dongmin glances at him through his overgrown bangs, blinking cutely like a cat.
donghyun hums. what does he think? he's thinking a lot. the warmth of hand in his, shoulders brushing against each other, feline-like eyes and pouty lips, a curious stare that burns the back of his neck.
he looks around.
people pass them in two or threes, laughter and hushed chatter spilling into the night. stars graze the sky over two different color haired individuals. everything glows faintly gold beneath the rows of streetlights.
“i think,” he tries. “it lives up to its name.”
dongmin nods and pouts— not in the way he's unsatisfied with his answer, but in the way he really can never resist. donghyun thinks it's one of his cutest habits.
Perhaps
It's because the Eiffel Tower
sprinkles love like powder every night
it's as crowded as donghyun expected it to be.
people around them gather in groups, cameras raised to the air as they await the scene of something people hope to witness at least once in their lifetime.
dongmin and donghyun are no better, though their hands stay intertwined, still close enough for elbows to knock each other.
one second, they're staring up in excitement, the next second, lights erupt across the tower in glittering bursts. the entire structure shimmers against the dark sky, scattering tiny sparks like someone dusted the air with starlight.
“oh my god!” dongmin exhales from beside him, a smile so blinding that it makes his eyes crinkle.
donghyun smiles back just as wide, though dongmin has already looked away. his eyes are wide, mirroring the stars across the sky. the glow paints faint gold freckles over his cheeks, and he looks so pleasantly excited donghyun feels something settle in his chest.
a few couples kiss beneath the dazzling sky, a proposal happening a few feet away from them, people smiling and trying to capture every bit of each moment.
it's a ridiculous thought— but for a moment it almost feels like the tower is really sprinkling something into the air, something soft and invisible coating everyone standing beneath it.
before donghyun can think much of it, he grabs the sleeve of the other beside him, standing on his tiptoes to press a shy kiss onto his cold cheeks.
dongmin blinks in shock, and donghyun can only smile sheepishly at how quickly his cheeks heat up, pink dusting the pale skin.
While the Seine River flows slowly,
It secretly writes down
the lovers' innermost thoughts
the seine moves quietly through the city, dark water reflecting broken streaks of light from the bridges above.
couples sit on the stone edges with their feet dangling, arms wrapped around another, low voices vibrating between individuals. somewhere down the path, a violin is playing, the melody floating softly over the water.
dongmin leans against the railing, watching the current move.
“would you be a fish in this river?”
the question is so sudden that it makes donghyun bark out a laugh. dongmin only looks at him in confusion, and donghyun realizes he is dead serious.
“here? i heard it's pretty polluted…” donghyun peers down at the water, as if he could really spot something swimming beneath the dark surface. then he looks beside him. “would you?”
“unless the pollution kills me.”
donghyun laughs again. “okay, well what if it wasn't polluted?”
“yes.”
donghyun tilts his head. “why?”
dongmin looks a little shy when he answers. “sounds romantic, don't you think? a fish in the city of love, swimming through the river carrying people's secrets and most intimate thoughts.”
it's an answer he really didn't expect, but he feels his heart flare up. he nudges his shoulder with his.
“well, then. i'd like to be a fish alongside you.”
dongmin shrinks, bashful and sweet and so cute. donghyun wonders if the river recognised how much he yearned to press a kiss on the other’s lips at that very moment.
The street lights
they spread red like wine
Leaving drunken confessions on every street
to dig one's own grave.
it's donghyun's first thought when dongmin drags him to sit at the very edge of a jazz bar they discovered a few streets away from the river. he smiles fondly at his boyfriend, careful not to bring up his very obvious low alcohol tolerance. sue him for liking the other all tipsy and cute.
donghyun soon realizes it was his own grave he had dug.
the bar is small, packed with a decent amount of people you wouldn't expect at this hour of the night. warm glow spills over their table, saxophone hums somewhere near the front of the place.
dongmin scoots closer to donghyun, eyes crinkling and grimacing when he takes yet another sip of the drink the bartender personally suggested.
“burns.” he quietly says, eyes stuck onto the performer that just stepped into the small stage.
“just don't drink it.” donghyun says, amused. his own cup is barely touched. he doesn’t really get drunk easily but he would rather not take any chances.
dongmin shakes his head cutely. “feels good.” he twirls the cup in his hand, blinking up at donghyun through his lashes. “your hair…”
donghyun stills, consciously bringing his hand up to play with the ponytail. the style is entirely different than what he would usually go for, especially given the new color. he thought it looked good but dongmin hadn't said a word about it the entire night.
“you think these old people would care if we kissed here?” he continues after taking a big sip, like gathering the courage to say the words he already practiced in his head.
donghyun blinks and flushes red.
“huh?” he replies, dumbfoundedly.
from what he knew, from what has been true the entire time they've dated each other, dongmin was far from what someone would consider a fan of public displays of affection.
dongmin refuses to meet his eyes, looking down at the cup in his hand. like a cat observing a ball of yarn.
“it's all i've been thinking about since we left the hotel. you look nice, and handsome. and pretty. and i want to kiss you.” he rambles and takes another shy sip.
donghyun giggles, a little breathy, a little nervous. he eyes the room. everyone's in their own world, swaying to the sound of soft tunes, clinking glasses and sharing sweet words. the warm hue makes everything look lovelier than it is.
“not here.”
While I'm walking in between all those,
I realised it all of sudden
the outside is hushed at this time of the night. streetlights still cast shadows under their feet, under the slope of dongmin's nose, under his long eyelashes.
donghyun leans in and presses a kiss to his eye, watches dongmin melt in his arms, and feels his arm clutch the front of his (dongmin's) jacket. another over his other eye, his nose, his cheeks, the corner of his lips.
donghyun feels drunk. maybe he is, on something stronger than what dongmin downed earlier.
dongmin is impatient in the way he whines, clutching the leather tighter and taking matters into his own hands to lean forward and press his own lips to his.
donghyun laughs against his mouth, pressing him right back onto the brick wall, a few buildings away from the bar earlier, hidden from the sight of anyone who could pass by.
he feels dizzy. dongmin's breath is warm over his spit-slicked lips, the taste of him intoxicating, something sweet and fruity coating his tongue when he pushes it past his swollen lips.
another whine and dongmin pulls back, eyes blown wide as he shyly looks around the space around them, cautious.
“we shouldn't…” he mutters.
donghyun tilts his head, a teasing smile playing on his lips. “weren't you the one asking to be kissed?”
dongmin groans, small fist pushing at his shoulder. donghyun laughs.
The reason why this city is beautiful
It wasn't because of Louvre, Eiffel Tower, or Seine River
the streets twist into new ones as they walk forward with no particular direction.
dongmin is skipping forward, too drunk and a little clumsy, light footsteps echoing in the quiet surroundings. he recalls their museum visit from the morning, the eiffel tower, the river, the streets and the desserts and the people.
his hair is messy from the wind, nose turning red from the cold, cheeks dusted pink from the drink earlier, eyes so wide and dewy.
he's twirling and looking back at donghyun with almost every word. his smile is brighter than what adorns the sky. his voice holds a kind of smoothness no melody could carry. his excitement bounces off the walls around them and settles inside donghyun's chest.
It was caused by my heart,
that has you in it
right now
they barely get past the hotel room door before dongmin slumps forward, pressing his forehead against his shoulder.
“tired..” he mumbles, voice low and slurred. “wanna sleep now.”
“i know.” dongmin murmurs, one arm wrapping around his waist to keep him from sliding straight to the floor. “just a bit, okay? we have to change.”
dongmin shakes his head immediately—too hard apparently, as he sways, dizzy, hands trying to steady himself by clutching donghyun's shirt.
donghyun feels himself smile once again. he would agree he's a handful when he's so drunk, but it's not like he doesn't enjoy doting on him.
“it's cold. bed's warm.”
“you're wearing make-up, baby.” he coaxes, nudging the bathroom open with his foot. “if you sleep like this, it'll get all over the pillow.”
dongmin groans. “who cares.” he drags out the word like a kid getting refused for ipad time, but lets donghyun set him on the closed toilet seat anyway.
he watches donghyun wet a cotton pad with remover, gently tipping his head back and pressing it onto his skin. dongmin hisses, scrunching his face.
“cold.”
donghyun lets out a laugh. “sorry, look, i'l warm it up with my hand.” he rubs the cotton between his fingers before trying again.
dongmin relaxes, closing his eyes.
a beat.
“is it done yet?” he huffs, lips jutting out into a pout.
“almost.”
“hurry.”
donghyun only smiles as he wipes carefully, till dongmin is clean and pink-cheeked.
As you shine brighter
Than Paris
“donghyun.” he calls out after donghyun is done helping him change too, now dragging him to the bed.
donghyun simply hums, climbing beside him. his small notebook rests on the bedside table and he grabs it, flipping to an empty page while getting comfortable.
“we should move here.”
donghyun stills, then looks beside him. the other had his eyes closed, sheets tucked up to his chin.
he lets out a small laugh. “here?”
dongmin opens his eyes and looks at him. “when we're older and free from everything. let's settle here.”
donghyun smiles faintly, heart beating loudly in his chest. a sweet promise. maybe it was just a stupid drunken wish, something he wouldn't even remember in the morning. but aren't people the most honest when drunk?
he leans down, pressing the ghost of a kiss to his forehead. dongmin scrunches his nose and accepts it with a smile.
Through it all
I walk, as if inside a photograph
slightly out of focus
Perhaps Paris is the kind of city,
That never leaves people
Perfectly clear
But lets them remain like this,
A little blurred and somehow
more beautiful for it.
as days slip into weeks and months, the time they spent almost feels dreamlike, blurred around the edges like a figure in an old photograph.
he closes his eyes and thinks of soft words, sweaty hands, swollen lips, slurred out confessions, eyes filled with so much love and adoration. dongmin. dongmin and his sweet presence.
paris, the city people speak highly of. the city that doesn't really leave people with sharp and clear memories— but rather something hazy and emotional. moments that linger as feelings rather than precise details.
the city of love.
donghyun recalls back to telling dongmin it lives up to its name and he still stands by it.
he scrolls through the few pictures they had managed to take on that trip. his lockscreen greets him with a picture of them hand in hand, smiling so wide in front of the eiffel tower a few minutes before it burst into sparkles.
dongmin is curled up against him, looking at him with his wide curious eyes before they dart to their bedside table.
“are you ever going to read me that poem you wrote?”
donghyun smiles shyly at him, locking his phone away and avoiding eye contact.
“maybe one day.”