Work Text:
✶⋆. 🍂˚ ⋆˚꩜｡ 🍁 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 🤎 3&4 years old
In Australia, autumn comes soft and slow,
the light fading gently as the days grow cold. It was the rain that made flowers grow,
but with the sun missing, even the rain couldn’t help. And the land waited quietly for warmth to return.
And yet, Leo and Sangwon love autumn all the same, finding comfort in its quiet, gentle days.
It had rained earlier that day, leaving the ground soft and shiny, little puddles scattered across the yard. The air smelled fresh and cool, and everything felt just a bit more fun than usual.
“Wonie, look!” Leo said, crouching down and poking the mud with a stick.
Sangwon toddled over, his small steps careful at first. “What is it?” he asked, eyes wide.
“Mud!” Leo grinned. “It’s squishy.”
Sangwon hesitated for a second, then slowly reached out and pressed his finger into it. His face lit up. “It’s soft…”
That was all it took.
Before long, they were both kneeling in the mud, giggling as their hands got messier and messier. Leo splashed a little puddle, and Sangwon laughed so hard he nearly toppled over, catching himself with both hands in the mud.
“Leo!” Sangwon giggled, “Look, I made a mark!” They showed each other their muddy hands like it was the most important discovery in the world, comparing shapes and laughing at how messy they’d become.
The sky stayed grey, but they didn’t mind.
And in that small, muddy yard, two little boys decided that getting dirty was the best kind of fun there was. 🍂🤎
✶⋆. ❄️˚ ⋆˚꩜｡ 🗻⊹ ࣪ ˖ 🤍 6&7 years old
The winter took over, draping the land in quiet white glitter. The cold moves quickly, almost tenderly, as if it might hold a moment in place, freezing time just long enough for a feeling to linger, for something beautiful to stay a little longer than it should.
It was Sangwon’s first year at school, and to him, it felt like the most wonderful thing in the world. Not just because of the new place, but because it meant he could see Leo again every day.
When Sangwon first arrived, Leo proudly introduced him to all his classmates so they could all play together. But by the end of the break, it was always just the two of them left, because somehow, nothing ever felt quite as fun as playing together, just the two of them.
“Ha! Got you!” Sangwon laughed, gently tossing a snowball that landed right on Leo’s face.
Leo blinked, surprised for a moment, before a small grin spread across his face. “Alright then… wait there” he murmured, carefully packing snow into his hands as he built the biggest snowball he could manage.
Then, with a playful shout, he ran after Sangwon, his footsteps quick and eager.
“Ahh!” Sangwon squealed, laughing as he ran, his little feet carrying him as fast as they could. But Leo didn’t stop chasing him, determined to catch up.
And when he finally did, Leo gently threw the snowball, nudging Sangwon just enough for him to tumble into the soft snow “Got you, Gronk!” Leo cheered.
Sangwon giggled at first, but then the cold and the sting of the snow made his eyes fill with tears.
A teacher nearby quickly stepped in. “Leo, Sangwon, come with me, please.”
After they had been cleaned up and Sangwon’s tears had settled, the two of them sat quietly in the office, looking down at their hands.
The teacher spoke gently, but firmly. “Leo, where did you hear words like that? We don’t say things like that, it can hurt others. And hurting your friend on purpose isn’t kind, is it? We want to take care of each other.”
Leo nodded, his eyes wide and a little sad, as if he only just understood what he had done. “I’m sorry, wonie” he whispered, taking Sangwon’s hand carefully and stroking where the little plaster was. Sangwon looked up and gave a small nod. “Sorry too, hyungie.”
“I love you, wonie” Leo said softly, his voice brightening just a little. “Let’s play again later!”
The teacher smiled gently. “I’m glad you’ve apologised, but for now, you’ll stay here until the break is over.”
And really, that didn’t feel too bad at all, because there wasn’t a place in the world where Leo and Sangwon didn’t know how to have a little fun, even when things got quiet.❄️🤍
✶⋆. 🍃˚ ⋆˚꩜｡ 🌷⊹ ࣪ ˖ 💛 9&10 years old
When winter slowly fades, the air itself begins to change, softer, lighter, almost filled with quiet hope. The cold no longer bites as sharply, and the days stretch a little longer, as if time is gently opening up again. There’s a subtle warmth in every breeze, a feeling that something new is about to begin, even if you can’t quite name it yet.
“Hyungie… don’t lie to me. I can tell you’re scared.” Leo let out a quiet huff, shaking his head. “Nah, Sangwonie. I’m not scared of anything. You know I’m the best on my team, why would I be?”
“Come with me.” Before Leo could ask anything, Sangwon reached for his hand and started walking. It was so sudden that the basketball slipped from Leo’s fingers and rolled away unnoticed.
Leo blinked, a little startled, glancing down at their hands, his much larger one held tightly in Sangwon’s small grip, then up at him. Sangwon looked completely serious, more than usual, like this really mattered.
They didn’t stop until they reached the old weeping willow, their spot. Their quiet place, tucked away where no one else ever came.
Sangwon finally let go and turned to him, eyes steady. “See this?” He reached up, gently brushing his fingers over the tree trunk where L + S had been carved, a little uneven but still clear.
“That’s our promise, Leo. And I’m not letting you lie to me, alright? You’re my best friend. You can tell me anything.” His voice softened just a little. “We’re safe here. No one can hear you.”
For a moment, Leo just stood there.
Then he looked down, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well… I guess I am a bit scared. The whole team’s counting on me… Mum and Dad too.” He hesitated. “It’s just… I don’t wanna let anyone down.”
Sangwon nodded, like he’d been expecting that. “Hyungie… I believe in you. I really do.” He shifted his weight, searching for the right words. “And I know you’re gonna do great, ‘cause you’re that good.”
He paused, thinking hard. “But even if you don’t win today… if you had fun playing…” He looked back up, a small, certain smile forming, proud of what he would say next. “Then you still won, Leo. And everyone still loves you. That doesn’t change.”
Leo let out a quiet breath, something in his shoulders easing. “Yeah… I guess you’re right.”And somehow, that was enough.
By the end of the game, Leo did win.
He was completely knackered, sweat sticking to his skin, chest rising and falling as he caught his breath, but before he could even properly look up, Sangwon came running onto the court.
“Hyung! You won! you actually won!” he laughed, throwing his arms around him. Leo laughed too, a bit breathless, as Sangwon pulled him into a small, clumsy spin.
It was the second time that day Sangwon felt proud, really proud, because that was his hyung.
And somewhere deep in his chest, something warm and bright began to spread, soft and unfamiliar. 🌷🩷
✶⋆. ☀️˚ ⋆˚꩜｡ 🌺⊹ ࣪ ˖ 🩵 13&14 years old
When summer settles in, the world feels fuller somehow, as if everything is gently glowing from within. Golden light stretching into soft evenings, and the air carries a quiet kind of ease. And somewhere in between those slow sunsets and quiet smiles, it starts to feel like your heart might be shining as bright as the sun.
“Ew, no! Why would I do that?” Leo groaned, scrunching his nose.
It was a friend’s birthday, and somehow they’d ended up playing spin the bottle. Of course, the bottle had landed in a way that made everyone immediately start chanting for Leo to kiss Sangwon.
It wasn’t the first time people had teased them. They’d always been close, always side by side, but this felt different. Too much.
“C’mon” Jiahao said, grinning. “You two are basically a couple anyway. You’re always glued together.”
“That’s gross” Leo shot back quickly. “We’re not like that. Right, Sangwon?”
Sangwon hesitated. “N-no… I mean.. yeah. That’s… gross.” He looked down as he said it, his ears turning bright red.
Leo frowned slightly. For a second, he thought Sangwon looked… hurt.
“I… I gotta go” Sangwon muttered, suddenly standing up. He slipped out the door before anyone could stop him.
“What was that about?” James asked, confused. “Oh, shut up, James” Leo said, tossing a napkin at him before hurrying after Sangwon.
“Oi, Sangwon, wait up!” Leo called. Sangwon didn’t stop. He didn’t slow down until they reached their spot, the old tree.
“Leo, go away” Sangwon said softly, his voice shaking.
“No. Not until you tell me what’s wrong.” Leo stepped closer, gently turning him by the shoulder.
Sangwon wiped at his face, but it didn’t help much. “Why? Aren’t you too disgusted by me?”
Leo blinked. “What? No- Sangwon, don’t think like that. I just didn’t want them to make it weird between us.”
That only made it worse. Sangwon’s shoulders shook as he tried to hold back another cry.
“Wonie…” Leo said quietly, not really sure what to do.
After a moment, he pulled a tissue from his pocket and carefully wiped Sangwon’s cheeks, a bit clumsy but gentle. Then he paused.
Before he could overthink it, he squeezed his eyes shut, leaned in and pressed a quick, soft kiss to Sangwon’s lips.
Sangwon froze, eyes wide. Leo pulled back just as fast, his ears turning red. “I’m not… disgusted by you” he mumbled, looking down and scratching the back of his ear. Sangwon let out a small, shy laugh.
After a second, he stepped closer, rising just a little to reach Leo, and pressed a quick kiss to his lips in return. Gentle, but certain.
“I like you, hyungie” he said quietly.
And before Leo could say anything back, Sangwon turned and hurried off again, a little smile still on his face. 🌺💛
✶⋆. 🔥˚ ⋆˚꩜｡🌊 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 🍂
As the warmth slowly fades, the sun seems to carry a piece of it away. The breeze turns colder, the sky dimmer, and somewhere above, the heavens begin to weep, soft and quiet, as if mourning the light that just slipped away.
“As golden hues emerge and leaves fall, may we remember the beauty in letting go.”
It had been a long, exhausting day, and all Leo wanted was to see Sangwon, to sit beside him, play video games, and let himself be lifted by that quiet, easy warmth Sangwon always carried.
But when he reached Sangwon’s house, no one answered.
He waited a moment, then another, before stepping closer and peeking through the window. Inside, the rooms were almost bare, furniture draped in white sheets, like something paused in time. The house felt still…Empty.
Leo frowned, confusion settling in his chest as he slowly turned away and made his way home.
The next day, he came back. And the day after that. Each time, he stood at the door just a little longer, hoping it would suddenly open, hoping Sangwon would appear with that familiar smile and throw himself into his arms like nothing had changed. But the door never opened.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months… and still, Sangwon never came back.
Leo didn’t stop trying. Every now and then, he would leave a letter, carefully pushing it through the gap beneath the door, small, quiet pieces of himself, sent into the silence, holding onto the fragile hope that one day, somehow, Sangwon would return and read them.
🍂
Since you left, Sangwon, I have grown cold.
I still stand in the same place, waiting for the day you return and call my name again.
I hope it’s soon but I would wait years.
I have been waiting for years now.
The rain had stopped long ago, but the streets still shimmered, as if they refused to let go of the water. Leo walked slowly, aimlessly, as he had for years now. There was no place left that felt like home. Only directions that all led to the same emptiness.
Missing you feels like breathing.
It just happens. Constantly. Without choice.
I’ve learned to live with it. It lingers in every movement, every breath, every glance that stays a little too long on unfamiliar faces, clinging to the absurd hope that maybe, just maybe, it’s you.
At times, Sangwon, it drives me mad. I want to carve it into stone and throw it at you, just so you could understand, for once, how much it hurts to miss you.
Leo stopped in front of a small café. He didn’t know why, only that he had been here before. Or maybe he had just convinced himself that Sangwon might have been.
He stepped inside. Warm air, rich with the scent of coffee and something sweet, wrapped around him. For a moment, he closed his eyes.
Leo sat down by the window. Outside, people passed by, laughing, talking, living. He watched them as though through glass, separated by something he couldn’t really name.
I searched everywhere. In cities you once mentioned. In streets we walked together. In faces that looked even slightly like yours. In places that were supposed to feel like you.
I go everywhere you are, or at least… anywhere you might be. It’s pointless. I know that. Everyone knows.
You are gone…
as if you erased yourself from the world.
🍂
Years passed, and Leo had stopped waiting a long time ago. With each changing season, something softened until not only his best friend had faded into memory, but also the quiet, burning ache of living without him.
And when, at last, nothing seemed to tie him to Australia anymore, Leo made a choice.
For the first time, he would live for himself. He left for Korea, to study, to start over.
✶⋆. ❄️˚ ⋆˚꩜｡ 🗻⊹ ࣪ ˖ 🤍 21&22 years old
Winter in Korea arrives like a quiet sigh,
the streets wrapped in pale silence,
snow falling gently as if the world is learning how to slow down again.
Lantern lights glow softly through the cold,
and in the stillness between breaths,
it feels like time itself is waiting for something to return.
The university campus was blanketed in white, the kind of snow that softened every sound. Leo pulled his scarf a little tighter as he walked, his breath visible in the cold air. He wasn’t used to this place yet. New faces. New halls. New beginnings.
,,Hey, so you must be the new student?” Leo turned at the light touch on his shoulder, already half smiling as he looked up, then paused, the expression lingering as his thoughts briefly stalled. The man in front of him was breathtakingly beautiful.
“Uh.. yeah, yeah, that’s me” he said, a little flustered, letting out a quiet, self conscious laugh. “That obvious, yeah?”
The other man smiled, easy and warm.
“I’m Sangwon. They asked me to show you around a bit.” His heart skipped a beat when he heard his name.
There was something soft about his voice, low, but gentle, that made Leo hesitate for just a second longer than he meant to. “Leo” he said, nodding slightly. “Nice to meet you.”
“Yeah… you too, Leo.” Sangwon repeated his name a touch more quietly, like he was testing how it felt. Then he glanced away.
“Come on, I’ll walk you through campus.”
They started down the snow covered path, their steps muted.
“We’ve actually got heaps of international students here” Sangwon said after a moment. “I grew up overseas myself.”
“Yeah?” Leo glanced over, a small grin forming. “Makes sense, you don’t really sound like you’re from here.”
Sangwon let out a soft breath, almost a laugh. “I used to have a pretty strong accent. Lost most of it over time, I guess.”
He hesitated briefly. “Where’re you from?”
“Sydney,” Leo replied. “Just moved over, still trying to get used to all this,” he added, gesturing lightly at the snow. “Bit different from home.”
Sangwon slowed for half a step. “Sydney…” he echoed softly. Something changed in his face then, surprise, disbelief, maybe both.
“Wait,” he said quietly, looking at him properly for the first time. “Leo… Lee Leo?”
Leo blinked. “Yeah?”
And in that moment, Leo felt it too. That strange, sudden pull of recognition, like something long lost had quietly found its way back.
❄️
They didn’t talk much at first. They ended up in a small café not far from campus, somewhere warm and quiet, away from the cold outside. Steam rose from their drinks, untouched for a while, as if neither of them knew where to begin.
Leo sat across from him, staring for a moment longer than he meant to. “You really are here” he murmured, quieter than usual. “I honestly thought I’d never see you again.”
Sangwon’s fingers curled around the warm cup in front of him. He gave a small nod. “Yeah… it’s me.”
Silence settled between them for a moment.
Then Leo let out a breath that sounded almost like a laugh. “I looked for you, you know.”
Sangwon’s eyes dropped. “…I figured.” Leo frowned slightly. “You did?” Sangwon nodded once, slow. “I thought maybe you would.” He paused, searching for the words.
“I just… didn’t know how to find you after everything happened.”
Leo leaned forward a little without realizing it, listening carefully now.
“My parents split up” Sangwon continued quietly. “And after that, everything changed really fast. We moved out the same day.” He gave a small shrug, though it didn’t quite hide the sadness behind it. “I was a kid. I didn’t really understand any of it back then.”
His fingers tightened slightly around the cup. “I was too young to explain it… or to reach out. And then time just…” he gave a small, almost helpless shrug. “It kept going.”
Leo stayed quiet, his expression softening.
“I did miss you, though” Sangwon added, quieter now. “A lot.”
Something in Leo’s face shifted at that.
The silence between them wasn’t awkward anymore. It felt full and heavy with years they’d lost and everything they still didn’t know how to say.
Leo slowly reached across the table, his hand hesitating just for a second before gently resting over Sangwon’s. Sangwon didn’t pull away. Instead, he held on a little tighter.
After a moment, Leo gave a small, almost disbelieving smile. “You grew up so well, Wonie” he said softly.
Sangwon finally looked back up at him. Leo’s gaze lingered, warm and a little distant, like he was trying to connect the boy he remembered with the person sitting in front of him now.
“You got pretty handsome too.” Leo added and Sangwon’s ears turned a soft shade of red. And for the first time in a long time, the quiet between them didn’t feel empty at all. ❄️🤍
✶⋆. 🍃˚ ⋆˚꩜｡ 🌷⊹ ࣪ ˖ 💛
When the quiet, weary trees begin to breathe again, a soft magic returns to the world. Winter loosens its cold grip, and tender buds unfold like whispered promises. Shades of green, gentle and alive, spread across the land, reminding us that even after the longest silence, life always finds its way back.
It was Sangwon who suggested it. “Hyung… do you wanna go out today?” he asked, a little hesitant, like the question meant more than it sounded.
Leo glanced up from his phone, raising a brow. “Out where?”
“Just… somewhere” Sangwon said, a small smile forming. “I found a spot.”
Leo huffed softly, already reaching for his jacket. “Yeah, alright. Lead the way.”
🍃
They ended up on a small hill just past campus, tucked away enough that no one else had really wandered up there. The grass was still a little damp, patches of green pushing through where winter had finally let go.
Sangwon spread out a thin blanket, smoothing it down with careful hands. “I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I just brought a bit of everything.”
Leo crouched down beside him, peeking into the bag. “You went all out, didn’t you?” he murmured, a faint grin pulling at his lips. “Just a little” Sangwon replied, though the way his ears tinted gave him away.
They sat close, closer than necessary, but neither of them seemed to notice. Or maybe they did, and just didn’t say anything.
For a while, it was easy. Sharing food. Small comments. Quiet laughter that came naturally, like no time had passed at all. Leo leaned back slightly, propping himself up on his hands, tilting his face toward the sun.
“Missed this kind of weather” he said softly. “Feels… right.” Sangwon watched him for a moment longer than he meant to.
“Hyungie.” The word slipped out so naturally it almost startled them both. Leo froze for half a second, then turned his head, eyes narrowing slightly, not annoyed, just… caught off guard.
“…You still call me that, yeah?” he said, a quiet huff of a laugh following. Sangwon looked down, suddenly shy. “It just kinda came out..”
There was a small pause. Then Leo shifted closer, shoulder brushing lightly against his.
“Mmm” he murmured, softer now. “Think I missed it a bit.”
Sangwon glanced up at him, something warm flickering in his eyes. “Yeah?” Leo shrugged, but there was a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah. Makes it feel like you didn’t disappear on me for years.”
Sangwon’s expression softened instantly. His fingers curled slightly into the blanket. “…I’m here now.”
Leo looked at him properly, fully. “Yeah” he said quietly. “You are.”
A warm breeze drifted past them. After a moment, Sangwon reached over to brush at Leo’s sleeve, like he’d spotted lint that wasn’t really there. His fingers lingered a little too long.
Leo noticed. He just didn’t move away.
Instead, he shifted his hand until it rested beside Sangwon’s on the blanket, close enough for their fingers to bump.
“…You’re still clingy, by the way,” Leo said after a second, voice lighter again. Sangwon laughed softly. “You liked it before.”
Leo glanced at him sideways. “Didn’t say I stopped.”
That pulled a quieter smile from Sangwon this time. Their fingers brushed once, then settled together naturally, like muscle memory.
No rush. No questions. Just warmth returning, slowly, like spring. 🌷💛
✶⋆. ☀️˚ ⋆˚꩜｡ 🌺⊹ ࣪ ˖ 🩵
“Spread before your eyes is the ivory Milky Way
Blooming gold season, like our summer
No matter where you are, no matter what season”
Summer settled softly over the fields, sunlight resting warm on their shoulders, the air sweet with ripening strawberries.
Everything felt slower here, like time had stretched itself out just for them.
Leo sat back on the grass between the rows, absentmindedly turning a strawberry between his fingers.
“You’ve picked, like, three” Sangwon said as he walked over, basket hanging from his arm. Leo looked up at him with a lazy smile. “I’m working on it.”
“No, you’re eating them.”
“That too.”
Sangwon shook his head, trying not to laugh. “At this rate we’re gonna leave with one basket and a stomachache.” Leo hummed softly, still looking at him instead of the strawberries. “Could be worse.”
Sangwon noticed the way his gaze lingered.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“That didn’t sound like nothing.” Leo glanced away for a second, rubbing his thumb over the strawberry in his hand. “…Got distracted.”
“By what?” There was a pause. Then Leo looked back at him, quieter this time. “You.”
For a moment, Sangwon just stared at him. Something softened in his expression before he crouched down in front of him, close enough that their knees almost touched.
“I found sweeter ones” he murmured, holding out a strawberry. Leo leaned forward and took a bite straight from his hand, eyes still fixed on him.
“Yeah” he said after a second. “Definitely sweet.” Sangwon rolled his eyes, but he was smiling now. “You’re so bad at this.”
“At what?”
“Flirting.”
Leo laughed under his breath. “I didn’t know I was.”
“You are.”
Their fingers brushed when Sangwon finally tried to pull his hand away, both of them sticky with juice. Neither moved right away.
The field around them stayed quiet except for distant voices and the steady hum of summer heat.
“Hyungie.” It came softer this time. Leo stilled. His gaze shifted, something in it changing, settling deeper. “Yes, Wonie?”
Sangwon tilted his head just slightly, studying him like he was trying to memorise something. “You still look at me the same.”
Leo let out a quiet breath, almost a laugh, but it didn’t quite land. “Do I?”
“Yeah.” Sangwon’s voice didn’t waver. “Like you’re about to say something… and then don’t.” That hit a little too close.
Leo looked away briefly, rubbing his thumb against his fingers where the strawberry juice had dried. “…Maybe I shouldn’t have waited so long.” he said, quieter now. There was no teasing in it and Sangwon shifted closer.
Close enough that Leo could feel the warmth of him without touching. “Then say it now.”
Leo hesitated. His eyes flicked back to Sangwon’s, searching, like he needed to be certain this was real.
“You sure?” he asked softly. Sangwon didn’t answer with words. He just leaned in. Slow and carefully. His hand came up first, resting lightly against Leo’s jaw, thumb brushing just under his cheekbone, grounding him there.
Leo inhaled softly at the touch but stayed perfectly still, letting him.
And then Sangwon kissed him.
Gentle at first. Easy. Like this had been waiting to happen for a long time. Leo froze for half a second in surprise before his hand slid up to Sangwon’s wrist, holding him there.
The kiss deepened naturally after that. It was slow and warm and unhurried.
Sangwon leaned closer, and this time Leo met him halfway without hesitation.
When they finally pulled apart, they stayed close enough to share the same breath.
Sangwon’s hand was still resting against his face.
Leo let out a quiet laugh, still a little breathless. “You really weren’t gonna wait for me, huh?” Sangwon smiled, thumb brushing once across his cheek before finally pulling his hand away. “You were taking too long.”
“I was thinking.”
“Dangerous habit.” That earned a softer laugh from Leo this time, the kind that stayed warm between them.
And between strawberries and sunlight, the sweetness still lingered on their lips for a long while.🍓🩵
✶⋆. 🍂˚ ⋆˚꩜｡ 🍁 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 🤎
"Just like autumn leaves, I fell for you one by one, then all at once."
As autumn leaves drifted slowly to the ground, Leo and Sangwon stood in front of their tree.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
To them, it felt like yesterday, standing right here, younger, softer, wrapped up in a world that had only ever been the two of them. All those quiet moments, the laughter, the nervous touches… the kind of memories that didn’t fade, no matter how much time had passed.
Back then, they had to climb the tree, fingers clumsy and determined, just to reach the place where they carved their initials.
Now… they could simply stand in front of it.
Sangwon stepped a little closer, his hand lifting slowly, almost hesitantly, as if he was afraid the moment might slip away if he moved too fast. His fingers brushed over the carved letters, tracing them carefully. L + S.
A small smile formed on his lips, soft and full of something unspoken. “We had our first kiss here” Sangwon said quietly.
Leo moved closer behind him, his arms wrapping around Sangwon’s waist, pulling him in without urgency. A low, warm hum left him.
Sangwon leaned back into him slightly.
“We were way too young to understand anything” he continued, voice gentle, “but… I always knew all my love belonged to you. Only you.”
For a moment, the world felt still. Then Leo slowly turned him around, guiding him with quiet hands until Sangwon’s back rested lightly against the tree. The rough bark contrasted with the softness of Leo’s touch as his hands came up, cradling Sangwon’s face.
His thumbs brushed over his cheeks, slow and careful, as if memorising him all over again. Sangwon looked at him, eyes softer now.
“Do you ever think…” he asked, barely above a whisper, “…that we were created for each other?”
Leo chuckled softly, not teasing, not dismissive, just fond. There was something so Sangwon about the way he said things like that, so openly, so beautifully.
His forehead nearly touched Sangwon’s as he smiled. “You’re so romantic” he murmured, voice warm.
Then quieter, more certain. “I believe my only reason… is to be part of you, Sangwon.”
The words were soft, almost carried away by the wind itself, like something too sacred to say too loudly.
Sangwon’s breath caught just slightly. He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. He simply leaned forward, closing the distance between them, his head resting just beneath their initials as his lips found Leo’s.
When they finally decided to leave, the air had grown cooler, the sky dimmer.
They chose to go back to Sangwon’s place.
The moment they stepped inside, something shifted.
Leo slowed down. The house felt the same… and yet completely different. Quiet. Still. Almost like it had been waiting.
For a second, he just stood there, his gaze drifting toward the door, memories rising without warning, all those days he had stood in that exact spot, staring at it, waiting for it to open. Waiting for Sangwon. Hoping. Missing him in a way that had settled deep into his bones.
“Hyungie… everything okay?” Sangwon’s voice came softly, pulling him back. Leo blinked, like surfacing from somewhere far away.
“Yes…” he said quietly, then exhaled, a small smile forming as he looked at him. “I just… I’m happy I finally have you back.”
Sangwon’s expression softened immediately.
Leo reached for his hand without hesitation, their fingers fitting together like they always had, like nothing had ever changed.
“Come here” Leo murmured gently, guiding him upstairs. It had been a long time since he’d been here, and yet, his body remembered everything. Every turn, every step, every small detail etched into him like instinct.
He led Sangwon straight to his room without thinking.
“Let’s relax for a bit” he said softly, glancing back at him. “It’s been a long day.”
There was something quiet in the way he said it, not just tiredness, but relief. Like being here, with Sangwon, made everything settle again.
The candles burned low, their soft light flickering gently against the walls while a movie played quietly in the background, more sound than story. The room was warm, filled with the comforting scent of cinnamon and vanilla, wrapping around them like something familiar.
Leo lay back against the pillows, one arm loosely around Sangwon, who rested against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing.
“My beautiful baby” Leo murmured, his voice soft, his gaze lingering on Sangwon rather than the screen.
Sangwon scrunched his nose a little at that, trying to hide his smile. When he looked back up, there was something soft in his expression, shy, but wanting.
After a moment, he spoke quieter. “…Kiss me?” Leo’s expression softened instantly.
“Yeah?” he asked gently, not teasing so much as making sure.
Sangwon nodded once, eyes still fixed on him, already a little mesmerized, his thoughts narrowing down to Leo and nothing else.
Leo lifted a hand to his face first, thumb brushing lightly near the corner of his mouth before his fingertip traced softly over his lower lip. Then he leaned in.
The first kiss was barely there. Another followed at the edge of his upper lip, then the other side, slow enough to make Sangwon melt into him a little more each time.
Unhurried. Gentle. Like Leo was trying to memorize him through touch alone.
Sangwon closed his eyes, a quiet sigh leaving him as his shoulders loosened.
Leo kissed him again, this time lingering just a little longer. Sangwon leaned into it instinctively, lips soft, wanting to feel everything at once. When Leo pulled back teasingly, Sangwon followed without thinking, a small, needy sound slipping out.
“Hyungie…” he whined softly.
That did it.
Leo’s fingers gently tipped Sangwon’s chin up as he kissed him properly this time.. still slow, still controlled, but deeper.
“More kisses” Sangwon murmured between kisses, voice soft and a little needy, as if Leo’s lips were the only thing holding him together.
His senses were flooded by Leo, the faint scent of his shampoo, the subtle salt of his skin, the taste of his lips, the quiet strength in his presence. Every nerve in his body hummed.
Leo’s lips moved slowly over Sangwon’s face, leaving tiny, deliberate butterfly kisses. One on the tip of his nose, another along his cheekbone, a soft one at the corner of his mouth.
Sangwon counted them in his head, each one imprinting a small, exquisite warmth, making his pulse quicken and his chest ache in the best way.
He let out a small, breathless laugh, anticipation curling tight in his stomach, watching Leo pause and look at him as if reading the hunger in his eyes. When Leo leaned in again, this time with intention, Sangwon’s hands went to his shoulders, holding him close, leaning into the kiss, letting himself melt.
Their lips met fully, warm and soft, Leo tilting his head to match his movements perfectly. Sangwon’s body reacted immediately, shivering slightly as a wave of calm and heat passed through him.
He let out a quiet sigh of relief, pressing back instinctively, holding the kiss like it was everything he needed to breathe.
This time it lingered. It wasn’t rushed, wasn’t fleeting, it was all consuming in the gentlest way. The cold rain outside seemed to fade into nothing, the world narrowing until there was only Leo’s touch, the press of his lips, the quiet rhythm of his heartbeat against Sangwon’s own.
In the dim hush of that autumn night, as leaves drifted endlessly past the window, Leo held his Sangwon close 🍂🤎