Archive of Our Own

So many nights I was in the cold
Sleeping alone here without you

He met Jaehyun in the summer— a season that seemed to embody exactly what Dongmin felt reflected in his eyes.

Before that, Dongmin had been fine. He did what he had to do and it was fun. His life moved in a steady sequence; school, practice, home, hanging out with his team. He felt fulfilled and certain about what kind of future he wanted to hold. He never felt anything was lacking actually.

He was just a highschool kid that summer. His misplaced confidence that came off as brattiness or indifference to others, was faced with the warmth that Jaehyun held in his being. There was something unfailing about him, something that didn’t waver no matter how dismissive Dongmin tried to be.

It was as if the white streaks on the older’s hair seemed to be evidence of the sun that hid behind his eyes, which didn’t burn Dongmin, but melted him. And Dongmin, for all his certainty, for all the neat lines he had drawn around his life, found himself lingering in those moments longer than he should have.

。。。

“You make music?” Dongmin stood at the doorway of the small studio room, where Jaehyun was sat in front of a computer.

Jaehyun turned around, a little surprised. “A little,” he said. “How’d you know?”

“Woonhakie,” Dongmin stepped further in, shrugging. “Can I hear it?”

Jaehyun nodded, reaching for the mouse. “Sure.”

They ended up sitting side by side. Dongmin had pulled a plastic chair from the corner of the room, and settled himself in front of the monitor. The lights were off, the room dim except for the faint glow spilling in through the cracks of the door. Jaehyun played one of his tracks, quietly at first.

“It’s good,” Dongmin said finally, and for once, he didn’t mean it in that casual, throwaway way he usually did.

Jaehyun glanced at him, like he was trying to figure out if he was serious.

Dongmin met his eyes, just briefly. “No, really.”

Finally, Jaehyun flashed him a reluctant smile, a faint redness dusting his cheeks, “Thanks.”

After that night, Jaehyun naturally slipped into Dongmin’s routine without asking.

The younger’s life became school, practice, home— Jaehyun — with the occasional hangout with their team.

Late nights in the studio, quiet laughter, the soft glow of a screen illuminating both of them in pieces. The small brush of shoulders that made Dongmin’s breath stutter sometimes. The way time moved differently when they were like that, slower but somehow never enough.

One night, Jaehyun had left earlier than usual, something about being tired, about needing to get up early. It was reasonable. Still, the room felt off the moment he was gone.

Dongmin lingered for a while, sitting in the quiet, staring at the half-finished track still open on the screen. He tried to focus on it, to pick apart the layers the way Jaehyun had shown him. But it didn’t feel the same. Eventually, he shut everything off and made his way back to the dorms. He washed up and flopped onto his bed.

The sheets were cold.

He exhaled softly, shifting onto his back, then onto his side, like he could find a position that would make the feeling go away. But the bed felt too big, the space around him too empty in a way he hadn’t thought about before.

Downstairs, Jaehyun was just one floor away. Close enough to reach, if he wanted to. He could go down, knock on the door, say something meaningless— and Jaehyun would open it. He always did.

Despite his wandering thoughts, Dongmin didn’t do anything except lie there, caught in the quiet space between wanting and not allowing himself to have it.

Because he didn’t understand it yet— not fully. He didn’t understand why the absence felt more irksome than anything else, why something as small as an empty space beside him could feel like this. So instead, he stayed where he was. Alone in a bed that had never felt cold before.

And every time I tried to make it home
I would be lost in the moonlight

There was a hollow somewhere in him. Deep and quiet. Not prominent enough to hurt— but it was constant and he didn’t know where it was.

Graduation came and went in a blur of noise and movement. Voices layered over each other, cameras flashing, people calling out names that felt strangely distant even when they were his own.

Dongmin stood among it all, smiling when people looked at him, bowing his head in thanks, accepting congratulations that didn’t quite mean anything to him. His family wasn’t able to come, but it was fine. Dongmin had been living in Seoul as a trainee, long enough that he had settled into the absence of them. He visited them from time to time and that was sufficient for him.

Yet he couldn’t tear his gaze from the crowd of people. Scanning the rows as he walked to the stage— then his eyes landed on Jaehyun. Who stood at the very back, a little apart from the others. Nestled in his arms was a bouquet of flowers, his expression was soft in that same, steady way Dongmin had come to know too well.

He kept the older in his sight as he took his diploma, shook some people’s hands and sat back in his seat. When applause finally filled the hall, Dongmin didn’t realize he was moving until he was already walking toward Jaehyun.

“You came,” he said, the words coming out quieter than he intended.

Jaehyun smiled, small but certain. “Of course I did.”

And for a moment, standing there in the middle of everything that was supposed to matter, Dongmin felt that hollow space shift— fill, just slightly.

Jaehyun held the flowers toward Dongmin, basically shoving them in his hands. Dongmin studied his face, the soft curve of his cheeks, ripples on his lips that were smugly curled upwards. And in those same eyes he’d met last summer, Dongmin found himself wondering how he was seen through them. They’d only met a couple months ago, yet here his teammate stood— at one of the most important milestones of his life, in place of his family.

Jaehyun treated him to jjajangmyeon afterwards, even revealing a surprise cake for the occasion, and Dongmin couldn’t feel anything but grateful towards him. 

。。。

A few weeks after finishing highschool, Dongmin found himself staring at the Han River, watching the moonlight bounce off the wrinkles flowing across the water’s surface. He wasn’t thinking about anything in particular, except for the sting on the tips of his ears, nose and fingers as the breeze blew against him. A natural consequence of standing next to a body of water on a winter night.

He had only meant to go for a quick detour before turning in, winding down after practicing a bit longer than the others. It was his first week as an adult, and he savoured it in small moments like this.

His phone vibrated in his pocket and he took it out, the joints in his fingers moving stiffly from the cold.

The screen lit up:

Jaehyun-hyung (11:46PM): where are you

He huffed softly, a faint cloud of breath escaping his lips, and a small smile curled beneath his scarf. He should go home.

But he wasn’t sure what ‘home’ was nowadays. It could be the dorms, the place he would return to rest after a long day of work. It could be home, where he grew up, where his family waited, ready to embrace him when he could visit. ‘Home’ was familiar. And known.

But lately, it could feel like something else entirely. These days it could be whatever place Jaehyun would lead him. These days it could be wherever Jaehyun was— some days it could be Jaehyun himself. Now home felt unknown, but he knew he had it.

He typed back slowly:

Dongmin (11:49PM): i’m on my way home

Then he started walking.

I heard you calling just like the leaves up in autumn— My heart was hopelessly falling for you

He likes Jaehyun—inevitably. Undeniably. Unfortunately. Like the shifting of seasons, like leaves that fall and flowers that bloom without fail.

It was spring, and something had blossomed inside Dongmin. He felt it in the echo of his teammate’s voice, its huskiness brushing against the back of his lungs each time he heard it. He saw it in every stroke of his leader’s pen, in the quiet determination that drew Dongmin’s admiration day after day. He sensed it in the way Jaehyun moved— fluid and precise.

In the way Jaehyun saw him, listened to him, spoke to him with that steady gentleness and warmth.

Their team was set to debut in May, and Dongmin didn’t know how to feel about it. The uncertainty of the future loomed over years of preparation. Frankly, he was scared— scared that all their hard work might bloom only to wither and fall. The industry was unpredictable; anything could happen. Years of practice, study, and effort could amount to nothing.

Dongmin felt the weight of his entire world pressing down on the top of his head. And as their leader, what must Jaehyun be feeling, carrying the weight of whole universes on his shoulders?

How could Dongmin even think of placing the small boulder of his own feelings on top of that?

Yet he knew— he was falling anyway. And he was falling helplessly.

。。。

They were in the middle of a photoshoot, and Dongmin couldn’t help but let his eyes follow Jaehyun. Every movement, every shift of posture drew him in, impossible to ignore.

“Taesan-ah!” Jaehyun’s voice cut through his thoughts, snapping him back to the present.

Dongmin liked his stage name, Taesan—it was cool. But it felt different when someone actually used it. Especially when Jaehyun did. In those moments, he felt like a whole different person.

But not really, because underneath it all, he was still just Dongmin. Just him, carrying an unbelievable fondness for his bandmate.

Dongmin hurried toward the set and sank down next to him, trying to steady his racing heart. Jaehyun casually rested his leg over Dongmin’s, and heat immediately pooled in his chest. He forced himself to stay composed, keeping his cool for the cameras, even though his mind was anything but calm.

Afterward, Dongmin stood up nonchalantly and strolled over to Leehan, swiping a gummy from him as they both watched the shots play on the screen. He stood there for a while trying to push down the flutters in his chest as Jaehyun lagged behind him, finally resting his chin on Leehan’s shoulder to watch the monitor.

Every time that I see your summer eyes
I'm in love, I swear I'm in heaven

They debuted and Taesan was in love.

Their group was new, fresh, and fragile—unstable in ways that kept them on edge. They didn’t know what the future held, or how long they would stay together. Two comebacks down, and a third album was on the horizon. They were still carving out their place; people weren’t fully invested in their music yet, but they had fans who believed in them.

He was happy. He had a team that felt like family, and despite the uncertainty, their bond grounded him. Every day was spent beside them, chasing something brighter—though, sometimes, even they could wear him out.

Still, it wasn’t enough. They all wanted more. They were good— better than most —but none of them were willing to stop there. This comeback proved it. The choreography was relentless, the song even worse. It was fast, unforgiving, demanding breath they didn’t have. Yet they kept going, chasing something that looked a lot like perfection. And he knew why.

Jaehyun, their leader never settled, never allowed them to either. He believed in them—sometimes more than they believed in themselves— and held them to the same impossible standard he lived by. It was exhausting. It was inspiring. It was necessary.

And every time he met Jaehyun’s eyes, he caught a glimpse of something his own heart had been searching for. But he knew better than to think it was his alone.

。。。

The group had just finished their comeback show—and won. Their first win with this song. The song they had made. A song that held hours and hours of their life.

The energy hadn’t settled yet. It buzzed through the waiting room, in the way they laughed too loudly, in the way their smiles refused to fade. Proof that every hour of practice, every drop of sweat, every quiet doubt had been worth it.

Jaehyun, especially, couldn’t stay still. He kept chirping about how proud he was, how happy he felt to be part of a team like this. About how far they could go together. His eyes shone when he said it, like he truly believed there was no limit.

Dongmin watched from the side. He watched as Jaehyun moved from member to member, wrapping them in hugs, pressing quick kisses to their hair, their cheeks— overflowing with affection he never bothered to hold back.

Then he reached Dongmin. And instead of a kiss or a hug, Jaehyun simply patted his head, gently. It was familiar. Safe.

Dongmin smiled like he always did, like it was enough, because it should have been. Jaehyun had never been one for forcing affection on him. He respected boundaries without needing to be told. But sometimes… Dongmin wanted more. More than a passing touch. More than something shared with everyone else.

He wanted something that was just his.

The thought sat heavy in his chest, tangled with everything he stood to lose. Their friendship. Their team. The fragile, irreplaceable balance they had built together. But even knowing the risk, Dongmin couldn’t bring himself to step back.

Because the love he felt wasn’t careless. It wasn’t fleeting. It came from all the small things. It came from Jaehyun’s patience, his softness, the way he stayed the same no matter how hard things got. The way he gave, endlessly, without ever asking for anything in return. Dongmin trusted that.

He trusted that whatever Jaehyun chose—whatever happened if the truth ever came out—it would be handled with care. With the same kindness. With love. And after everything Jaehyun had given to all of them, Dongmin wanted to give something back. Even if it was a different kind of love.

When they got back to the dorms, everyone scattered to their rooms for a quick rest. They had all agreed to go out for a celebratory dinner later, but for now, the adrenaline was finally wearing off.

Dongmin didn’t go to his room. Instead, he made his way to Jaehyun’s. Which was now, right next door to his, and knocked. The door opened almost immediately, just like it always did.

“Hyung,” Dongmin said softly. “Can I talk to you?”

Concern flickered across Jaehyun’s still-sleepy face, but he nodded without hesitation, stepping aside to let him in.

Dongmin felt a small pang of guilt. Jaehyun’s hair was a mess, his room even worse—he had clearly just woken up from a nap.

“Sorry for waking you.”

“It’s okay,” Jaehyun replied, voice rough with sleep. “What did you want to talk about?”

Dongmin hesitated for only a second. “Hyung… I like you.”

The words settled between them.

Jaehyun blinked, the last traces of sleep gone from his eyes. “What do you mean?” he asked carefully, like he didn’t want to assume the wrong thing.

Dongmin swallowed. “I mean… I want to be with you,” he said, voice steady, but just barely.

Jaehyun’s face flushed instantly. He stared at Dongmin in silence, clearly trying to find the right words.

Dongmin gave a small, nervous smile.

“You don’t have to like me back, hyung,” he said quickly. “I just… wanted you to know. How much I care about you. You do so much for all of us—for the team. Even if I don’t always show it… I really do.”

He took a breath.

“I really like you. And I’m grateful I get to be with you like this.”

Jaehyun’s eyes filled with tears. Dongmin didn’t hesitate. He reached out, gently wiping them away with tissues he had prepared beforehand. He couldn’t help the small, fond smile that followed his lips. Jaehyun really was predictable like this.

“Thank you for trusting me with this, Dongminnie,” Jaehyun said, his voice unsteady but warm. “I know how sincere you are… so you don’t have to worry.”

He looked at Dongmin then— and there was so much love in his eyes. So much that Dongmin felt completely exposed, completely open, ready to accept whatever came next. No matter what it was.

Jaehyun’s expression softened further, something almost pained passing through it.

“But I’m sorry, Min.”

Deeper into your ocean
I could stay forever with you— I stare into your summer eyes

Things between them were… a bit vague. Unspoken and undefined.

Jaehyun started buying everyone gifts. Dongmin, too. Maybe it was the paychecks that came with their rising popularity. Maybe it was just Jaehyun’s way of showing affection. Either way, the gifts kept coming.

Not small things, either. Expensive. Thoughtful. The kind that lingered in Dongmin’s hands a little too long after he received them. Except this time around, he couldn’t tell if they were for everyone… or just for him.

On camera, Jaehyun was even worse. He leaned in too close. Let his voice drop just enough. Smiled in that way he knew Dongmin couldn’t handle— soft, fond, a little too intentional.

Dongmin laughed it off every time, playing it up for the cameras. But Jaehyun knew exactly what he was doing, and he did it anyway. Because there was something between them. Something that hadn’t been named— something that maybe couldn’t be.

Dongmin remembered the day he confessed. The way Jaehyun had looked at him. The way his eyes held the stars. The sun. Something bright and overwhelming and just out of reach. There had been no rejection in his gaze— just endless, aching warmth.

“I’m sorry,” Jaehyun had said.

But not I don’t feel the same. Not I can’t. Just—

“I’m a little swarmed with a lot of responsibility right now.”

He had just started MCing. Their next comeback was already looming over them. Schedules packed so tightly there was barely room to breathe.

It was a reasonable answer. One that didn’t break anything, but didn’t give anything, either. And Dongmin didn’t know what to do with that. Because Jaehyun hadn’t pushed him away. If anything, he had only drawn closer.

。。。

Dongmin listened as Jaehyun broke down in his room from time to time. The weight of all their worlds and his own crashing down on him constantly. He watched as the others comforted him in their own ways— how Riwoo and Leehan would approach him without hesitation, reassuring him, surrounding him with a warmth Dongmin couldn’t quite bring himself to show.

The most he could offer, in moments like those, was a brief pat on the back or a simple breakfast left waiting for him in the morning. He couldn’t force out the same deep, heartfelt words that seemed to come so easily to the others.

So he watched. He watched Jaehyun ask Sungho to walk with him along the beach, to speak openly about the uncertainties rising again as they climbed higher in their career. He watched Jaehyun fall into Woonhak’s arms, letting his worries spill freely onto someone else’s shoulder.

And Dongmin stayed where he was. All he could give were the quiet, ordinary moments they shared between those storms. Small things. He told himself they mattered—that every piece of care, no matter how subtle, helped ground Jaehyun in its own way.

But still, the exhaustion hidden behind Jaehyun’s steady eyes pulled Dongmin deeper. And all he could do was wait and hope that Jaehyun’s love, that was deep and vast as the ocean, might one day have space for him too.

Or, if not— that one day, Dongmin’s own love would simply sink, and drown within it.

It's like paradise swimming in your golden eyes
Build our castle in the sand, watch the sunset holding hands

They were in their second year now. Jaehyun had stepped down as MC, and though they were still as busy as ever, they found more time to be together, as a group. They were preparing for their fourth comeback and Boynextdoor was even bigger now.

They had a debut concert tour, a wildly successful single dedicated to their fans, and their popularity had skyrocketed. With year-end award shows approaching, they threw themselves into everything— performances, recordings, appearances —doing all they could to return the love they had been given. For their fans, for their company, and for each other.

And somehow, in the middle of it all, Dongmin still found quiet moments that felt like paradise. He loved his members. He had never imagined he could be this lucky. To meet such talented, genuine, and caring people in one lifetime. But there was something different when it came to Jaehyun.

Every time Dongmin looked into his eyes, he felt it. And he knew, without needing to ask, that he was reflecting it right back. There was comfort in that, something grounding. The simple privilege of still being there, still standing beside him.

They were known now. Recognized. Loved. Dongmin’s chest tightened whenever he thought about everything they had built together, every step that had led them here. Not just as individuals, but as a group. They wanted to be remembered. They wanted to become a piece of someone’s youth, the same way music had once shaped theirs.

And somewhere in all of that they had become his. Jaehyun had become his. His youth. Just as he had become a part of theirs… and a part of Jaehyun’s, too.

It was a quiet understanding, something unspoken but certain. Dongmin was reminded of it every time their eyes met, every time the world grew loud and overwhelming. He always saw nothing but affection, care and tenderness.

It was more than the love he knew from fans, from his members, from the people who had raised and guided him. A feeling he carried carefully, tucked away, hidden and hoarded in the hollow of his chest.

That feeling remained, like an anchor, grounding him and reminding him of where he stood. Not just within the life they shared, but within Jaehyun’s.

。。。

One day, they were walking back to the dorms after work. They were let out early, the sun was still out for once and Dongmin was admiring the way the rays of sunlight kissed Jaehyun’s skin. He was the single most ethereal and brightest thing Dongmin has seen in—dare he say—in his life. He admired how his golden hues seemed to adorn the purple sky as if he were the setting sun itself. And suddenly Dongmin felt like he might be a little too poetic for his own good.

A habit formed from too much song writing. But how could he not? When faced with the object of his affections— the muse for his art —almost every single day, inspiration came whether he asked for it or not.

By the time they reach the dorms, the quiet hum of the evening settled around them. Jaehyun nudged him gently. ”Should we watch a movie?”

Dongmin shrugged in response, “okay.”

Ironically, they ended up watching Titanic, sitting in their usual spots in the living room. It was a movie both of them have seen multiple times, but it remained comforting, even now.

A rare day off, a pocket of stillness amidst their erratic schedules, it was one constant in the spontaneity of their work life. But it was just a movie. A movie he wasn’t watching. Instead, Dongmin’s eyes were fixed on the way the flickering light painted shadows across Jaehyun’s features, seeing the film reflected in the small rectangle of his pupils.

He scooched a little closer, sliding off the couch and settled next to Jaehyun on the floor.

Jaehyun glanced over at him, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. “What’s this? You like me that much?”

Dongmin looked at him and smiled. “Yeah.”

He took Jaehyun’s hand, letting his fingers fall naturally into the spaces between Jaehyun’s, marveling at how perfectly they fit. It had been more than a year since he first confessed. More than a year trapped in this confusingly delicious and aching limbo.

He gazed into Jaehyun’s eyes and watched the flicker of confusion soften into warmth. For a moment, he saw himself reflected there: his own smile mirrored back at him, as if Jaehyun has been carrying it inside his heart all along.

Was that… how beautiful he looked in Jaehyun’s eyes?

He brought their hands up to his face and presses a soft, reverent kiss on the back of Jaehyun’s hand. For a moment neither of them moved.

Dongmin swallowed hard, and finally called out.
“Hyung… do you like me too?” His voice was hesitant and edged with desperation, asking what he never got to in the past year. A question he never thought to ask, because even when he could sense the answer, he didn’t know if he had the right to claim it.

Jaehyun leaned closer, his lips brushing the back of Dongmin’s hand as well. A kiss— separated only by their own intertwined limbs, the space between them charged with everything they’ve left unspoken.

Jaehyun didn’t break eye contact. He pulled their hands down, keeping them together instead of letting go. Shifting sideways, he rested his forehead against the younger’s, and Dongmin’s chest squeezed in the sweetest, most familiar way. It felt like Jaehyun was calling to him—reaching for him—for something they had never been able to have before.

Jaehyun’s gaze dropped to Dongmin’s lips, the warmth of his breath close enough to ruin him. He leaned in, pressing his lips to Dongmin’s—tasting him, wanting him, needing him. And when they reluctantly pull apart, Jaehyun wrapped his arms around Dongmin, pulling him into an embrace.

“I’ve loved you,” he whispered, kissing the lobe of Dongmin’s ear, then trailing down to his neck.

Heat surged from the pit of Dongmin’s stomach to the tips of his ears. He knew Jaehyun could see it.

“Loved?” Dongmin frowned slightly. “Do you love me like I love you, hyung?”

“I… I don’t know,” Jaehyun admitted, pondering.

Dongmin fidgeted at the uncertainty.

“But I probably love you more than you can imagine,” Jaehyun said with a soft chuckle. “I didn’t mean to make you wait this long.”

“It wasn’t that long,” Dongmin said, though his voice was small.

“It was,” Jaehyun whispered, leaning closer, his forehead brushing Taesan’s. “And I’m sorry. I wanted to be sure… that the love I’d give you one day, would be all the love I could possibly give.”

Dongmin swallowed. “Honestly… I would’ve taken anything from you.”

“No,” Jaehyun said firmly, his thumb brushing over Dongmin’s knuckles. “I needed to have the capacity to hold the fans, the members… All of you. Because you deserve as much of me as you’ve offered yourself… or maybe it was just me being greedy.”

His hand tightened slightly around Dongmin’s. “So… thank you for waiting. And for holding on.”

Dongmin’s chest fluttered. His ears and cheeks burned pink. “No, Hyung…” he whispered. “Thank you for holding on to me.”

He pressed a flurry of kisses across Jaehyun’s face, finally reaching the eyes that had drawn him in. Finally, he could adore Jaehyun the way he had always wanted. The way he couldn’t before. The way he needed to.

“All I’ve ever wanted was to be the one to give you this love,” Dongmin said softly.

“I know,” Jaehyun replied. “I’ve known… and that’s probably why I’ve loved you.”

”Why I love you,” he corrected.

And as the years go by, love you more with every sunrise

Through the wind, through the rain, yeah, we stay the same love

They’ve been dating and in love ever since. Though they couldn’t show even a smidgen of it in public or on camera. Dongmin was happy to wake up every other morning next to his love. He didn’t like showing too much to the other members, so they rarely sleep in the same bed. It was even harder now that they’d swapped dorm arrangements and were on different floors again.

One time, they had to wake up at the crack of dawn for a shoot—something they’d both had to do far too often. But waking up next to Jaehyun made it a little easier for Dongmin.

Jaehyun, on the other hand, would probably disagree. He grunted softly, still half-asleep in Dongmin’s arms, as Dongmin leaned in and let out a ticklish breath against his ear.

“Wake up, hyung. We’re gonna be late.”

“Five more minutes, please…”

Dongmin felt his chest tighten at the sleepy plea, but instead of giving in, he smirked and gently bit Jaehyun’s ear.

Jaehyun yelped, jolting upright and clutching his ear. “What was that for?!”

Dongmin broke into laughter. “It wasn’t even that hard.”

Jaehyun shot him a tired glare, rolling his eyes before dragging himself out of bed and heading to the bathroom.

。。。

Through the hard times, Dongmin found himself falling deeper in love. They fought sometimes, misunderstandings happened, but one look at Jaehyun, and he would know. he’d always find more reasons to love him. Despite it all, he was happy and grateful for the privilege of being the one holding Jaehyun’s hand through the difficult moments.

Jaehyun, who poured his love out to his members, to his fans, to his friends, to his family… and to Dongmin.

Their team had swept the award shows, reaching a new peak in their career, and Dongmin couldn’t feel anything but proud. Every member carried themselves with confidence, each striving to be better—to be the best—led by a leader who constantly pushed himself past his limits.

And when Jaehyun drifted a little too far, Dongmin found comfort in knowing he could be the ground Jaehyun would fall back on. He would be the boat that braved Jaehyun’s rough waters, willing to sink in a whirlpool or be crushed by a tsunami, as long as Jaehyun remained his ocean.

After the back-to-back year-end award shows they had prepared for and attended, Dongmin found himself standing at Jaehyun’s door once again. Lately, Jaehyun had been less energetic, the overwhelming workload weighing on all of them—especially on him, with the added responsibilities of being their leader and most popular member. He had been seeking more time alone. But today, Dongmin felt like he needed him. Or maybe… it was the sense that Jaehyun needed him.

He knocked softly. A tired Jaehyun appeared from behind the door, opening it as he always did. And as always, Dongmin couldn’t help but be in awe of him—as if every part of Jaehyun had been crafted to demand his adoration. From the stray strands of hair falling over his forehead to the tips of his toes, he couldn’t help but think. Jaehyun was beautiful.

Jaehyun lay back on his bed, absorbed in his phone, dressed in his pajamas. He glanced up at Dongmin, who lingered by the doorway. “Are you going to come in?”

“Yeah,” Dongmin replied with a lazy smile, a quiet happiness settling over him. He moved toward the bed, following Jaehyun, inching closer until he leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. Which earned him a small smile and a fleeting glance.

Taking the moment, Dongmin spoke softly. “Are you okay, hyung?” he asked, shifting lower on the bed as he gently lifted Jaehyun’s leg.

“Yeah… just tired,” Jaehyun sighed. “We’ve been so busy this week, my body can’t keep up.”

“Let me help,” Dongmin murmured, his hands already working along Jaehyun’s calves, pressing carefully into the muscle. “You’re not getting sick, are you?”

“No,” Jaehyun let out a quiet snort. “God, I hope not. I don’t think I’d survive if I was.”

Dongmin chuckled under his breath, continuing the slow, steady rhythm of his hands. “I’d take care of you.”

Can't pretend, can't explain, but you live in my blood
I guess it's true
Until the end of time

Jaehyun bought Dongmin a designer scarf for his birthday, which he now wore all the time.

The expensive tiles Jaehyun got him during that camcodoor blog—back when they weren’t even dating. The LPs lined carefully in his special corner, each one picked out by Jaehyun. The letters, handwritten and folded, tucked away in a box in the top drawer of his desk. Dongmjn loved noticing all the ways Jaehyun had seeped into his life.

It was all different now. The way Jaehyun held him. The way Dongmin let himself love him—maybe not freely, but freely enough to sink, to drown in it. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

He didn’t know what the future held— for him, for Jaehyun, for their group. But one thing he was certain of, was that he would always love Jaehyun.

Though the future may shift, even if something may break them apart for reasons he couldn’t yet see… And to think such things felt as if he’d swallowed the sweltering hot sun. But all he knew, all that comforted him— was that Jaehyun would always have a place in his life.

For now, he’d cherish this— having that love returned, holding it gently for as long as it lasted. Which he hopes, would surpass even four hundred years.

I could stay forever with you
I stare into your summer eyes, you

Every time he looks into Jaehyun’s eyes, he’s taken back to the summer they met. And every time, he’s reminded of why he loves him and how Jaehyun loves him in return. He wonders how Jaehyun could hold an entire universe in a single look and still give Dongmin the world with just a blink.

They’re preparing for their first full album of their career, and Dongmin and Jaehyun are spending more time together than they ever have before. They haven’t been dating long, but Dongmin can’t stop the butterflies in his stomach. It feels like they’re overflowing, fluttering up into his chest, his throat, threatening to burst out of his mouth, nostrils or eye sockets—like his body can’t contain them.

He squeezes the small box in his pocket. It’s lined with velvet, and inside is a plain silver band—the same one resting on his own ring finger. The underside of both rings is engraved with their initials, a tiny heart between them. It’s cheesy. It’s cliché. But it’s completely Jaehyun.

Dongmin adores Jaehyun as he explains something important about the track they’re working on— how Riwoo’s voice would complement certain parts, how the arrangement should shift. Things Dongmin isn’t really hearing.

Instead, Dongmin is focused on the crease between Jaehyun’s eyebrows as they furrow in concentration.

“Are you even listening?” Jaehyun frowns.

Dongmin smiles. “No,” he admits, threading his fingers through Jaehyun’s.

Jaehyun sighs. “You can go if you don’t want to do this.”

“Sorry, hyung,” Dongmin says, completely unapologetic, earning an annoyed look from the older. He chuckles at the expression, then pulls the small ring from his pocket and gently slides it onto Jaehyun’s finger.

He lifts their joined hands to his lips and presses a soft kiss against the band, admiring how perfectly it fits. “So perfect,” he murmurs against the cool metal.

His eyes flick back to Jaehyun—who hasn’t said a word.

Once again, Dongmin is met with those eyes. The ones that catch the waves, the moonlight, the rain. The same eyes that now fill with tears, overwhelmed by the warmth and love reflected back at him.

Dongmin brushes his thumb against Jaehyun’s cheek, trying and failing, to wipe the tears as they continue to fall. Jaehyun sniffles, and Dongmin’s chest twists in the most delightful way.

He leans in, pressing a soft kiss to Jaehyun’s temple, catching the salt of his tears with each one. As if he were tasting the ocean.

“I love you so much, hyung.”

“You idiot… did you have to do this while we’re working?” Jaehyun wailed, dragging out his words. “We have a deadline tomorrow.”

“I’m sorry.” Dongmin smiled against Jaehyun’s cheek. “Do you like it?”

Jaehyun tried to steady himself, his crying softening into quiet sobs caught in his throat. “I love it.”

Then he looked at Dongmin again—with those eyes that seemed to hold every season, every moment they’ve shared, and every moment still to come.

”I love you too.”