Archive of Our Own

Yushi had been standing in front of Sion's apartment for nearly ten minutes ever since he sent the older man a text, quietly shifting his weight from one foot to the other while staring at the familiar door.

The moment Sion finally replied with an order to go inside, there wasn't much of a reason to linger in the hallway anymore. Waiting outside any longer would only make him look ridiculous.

Letting out a long sigh, Yushi stepped closer to the keypad and punched in the passcode without the slightest hesitation. His fingers moved almost absentmindedly over the numbers, the sequence having long since settled into his memory after countless visits. A soft electronic chime echoed through the quiet hallway before the lock clicked open.

Yushi quietly pushed the door open and slipped inside, carefully closing it behind him so it wouldn't slam shut.

The apartment greeted him with the same warm it always had—the faint scent of freshly washed laundry lingering in the air, mixed with the subtle aroma of Sion's favorite fabric softener and whatever candle he had burned the night before. It smelled exactly like Sion, a scent Yushi had grown so accustomed to that it somehow managed to soothe him almost instantly.

He bent down by the entrance to remove his shoes before reaching for the pair of house slippers waiting neatly beside the shoe rack. The moment his feet slipped into the fluffy slippers, he couldn't help the quiet laugh that escaped his lips.

The oversized kitten face stitched onto the front stared back at him with the same permanently grumpy expression as always.

Honestly, they were cute. But still, it was ridiculous.

Sion had insisted on buying them months ago after claiming the little cat looked exactly like Yushi. At first, Yushi had denied it with all his might, insisting that he looked nothing like some round-faced kitten with puffed cheeks. But Sion had only laughed, pinched his face, and said it was the pouting expression that gave it away.

Ever since then, the slippers had somehow become his. They were always waiting by the entrance whenever he came over, as though Sion had silently reserved a place for him in this apartment long before either of them ever acknowledged what that meant.

Every single time he wore them, Yushi found himself laughing despite pretending to be offended. They were ridiculous. But still cute.

And it wasn't as though Yushi totally hated it. If anything, it was quite the opposite.

There was something endearing about knowing that Sion would come across the smallest, most random things and somehow think of him.

Like a pair of this cat slippers, a dessert Yushi happened to mention once, or a song playing in the convenience store that reminded Sion of his voice. They were all insignificant on their own, yet Sion always seemed to connect those little fragments of his everyday life back to Yushi.

And Yushi liked that. Perhaps more than he should.

Because it meant that somewhere in the middle of Sion's busy days between work, friends, and everything else that occupied his attention, there were fleeting moments when Yushi crossed his mind. They might have only lasted for a second before disappearing again, but they were there. To Yushi, who spent far too much time wondering what Sion was doing or whether he had eaten, even those tiny moments felt precious.

It was embarrassing to admit, even to himself. But that was simply how it was.

Yushi liked Sion.

Not in like in a, he's a nice person kind of way. Not in the way friends admired one another, either. He liked the warmth in Sion's smile that somehow made every room feel brighter. He liked the patience in his voice whenever Yushi rambled about something insignificant. He liked the way Sion effortlessly remembered the little things about him.

Somewhere along the way, without Yushi ever realizing when it had happened, admiration had quietly grown into affection.

That affection had, unfortunately, transformed into a quiet yearning.

Sometimes, Yushi found himself wondering how he had ended up like this. When had simple admiration turned into something that made his chest ache whenever Sion smiled at someone else? When had he started looking forward to every text, every call, every excuse to see him? At what point had Sion become someone Yushi couldn't seem to stop thinking about?

The funny thing was, they had only known each other for a year.

Yushi met Sion through his best friend, Riku.

At that time, Riku had insisted on bringing Yushi along to visit his model boyfriend, Daeyoung, who was in the middle of a photoshoot that day. Yushi had refused almost immediately after hearing the plan.

Being the third wheel was awkward enough already, but tagging along to someone's workplace while they were busy? That sounded even worse for his introverted ass. He couldn't imagine anything more uncomfortable than standing around while Riku shamelessly flirted with his boyfriend between takes.

But then again, Yushi had never really stood a chance whenever Riku wanted something.

The older man had a talent for getting his way. He would plead dramatically, cling to Yushi's arm, promise him meals for the next week, and when none of that worked, he'd pull out his ultimate weapon: acting cute.

That last tactic was, by far, the cruelest. Watching a grown ass man intentionally puff out his cheeks and bat his eyelashes should have been ridiculous enough to laugh at, yet somehow it always left Yushi surrendering in defeat.

So, in the end, Yushi gave in.

Looking back now, he sometimes wondered what would've happened if he had stayed stubborn that day. Maybe his life would've been much simpler.

Because that single agreement had led him to Sion.

When they arrived at the studio, Daeyoung was still in front of the camera, effortlessly posing beneath the bright studio lights. Beside him stood another model, matching each pose with him as photographers called out directions and camera shutters clicked one after another. 

That was the first time Yushi saw Sion.

He already knew Daeyoung from Riku, so exchanging greetings with him came naturally. They weren't particularly close, but they had met often enough that Yushi didn't feel awkward around him anymore.

Sion, however, was a complete stranger.

At the time, he was simply Daeyoung's modeling partner for the photoshoot. Nothing more.

And when the photoshoot finally wrapped up, Daeyoung walked over to where Riku and Yushi had been waiting and casually introduced them to his modeling partner.

That was the first time Yushi met Sion properly.

And his first impression toward Sion was that man is ridiculously handsome.

Not just handsome in the conventional sense, but the kind of handsome that made people hesitate before speaking. Standing face to face with him under the studio lights, Yushi found himself momentarily at a loss for words. Sion had the sort of face that belonged on magazine covers, indeed. He has that elegant features, broad shoulders, and an effortless confidence that came naturally from someone accustomed to standing in front of cameras.

For a moment, Yushi genuinely thought life must be unfairly easy for someone who looked like that. That thought alone made Sion feel strangely intimidating.

But then, Sion smiled.

It wasn't the polished smile he had been wearing for the cameras just moments ago. Instead, it was bright smile that softened every sharp edge Yushi had noticed before. As he extended his hand with an easy grin and introduced himself, the intimidating aura Yushi had built up in his head shattered almost instantly.

The man standing before him wasn't cold. If anything, Sion was probably the warmest person Yushi had ever met.

After exchanging greetings, the four of them decided to have lunch together. Or rather, that had been the original plan.

Before they could leave the studio, Sion suddenly leaned closer to Yushi with an amused smile and quietly suggested that the two of them disappear on their own instead.

"We'll only end up third-wheeling those two anyway," he had whispered at that time, subtly gesturing toward Riku and Daeyoung, who were already standing far too close to each other despite having just spent the entire morning together.

Surprisingly, he agreed almost immediately.

Normally, Yushi would've preferred enduring an overly affectionate couple rather than spending hours alone with someone he had only met a few minutes ago. He wasn't exactly the type to warm up to strangers so easily.

But Riku and Daeyoung were a special case.

Those two were so hopelessly, disgustingly in love that Yushi was convinced they would somehow find a way to flirt over a menu. Spending lunch with them sounded less like a meal and more like voluntary torture.

So, for once, choosing the stranger seemed like the better option.

Looking back now, Yushi couldn't help but think that a single decision had changed everything.

Because that one lunch with Sion became another meal. Then a coffee. Then exchanged numbers.

Conversations between them grew longer, meetings became more frequent, and before Yushi even realized it, Sion had quietly become a regular presence in his life. Day by day, month by month, the distance between them slowly disappeared until being around Sion felt no longer awkward and instead it felt right.

Maybe it was Sion's smile that reached his eyes and somehow made everyone around him feel welcomed. Or maybe it was the way Sion always greeted him with that affectionate Ushi-ya that Yushi sometimes caught himself replaying it in his head long after they had parted ways.

It could have been the countless little gestures Sion did without thinking—the way he always walked on the side closest to the road, or texted him whenever he came across something that made him think, Yushi would probably like this.

Perhaps it wasn't just one thing. Perhaps it was everything. Whatever the reason, Yushi knew he was already beyond saving.

He had fallen too deeply. The worst part was that he couldn't bring himself to regret it.

Even if every flutter of his heart was destined to remain one-sided, he couldn't imagine wanting to feel differently. That terrified him more than anything else because Yushi knew where the line was and he refused to cross it.

Confessing would only gamble away something he treasured far too much. If Sion didn't return his feelings—which Yushi had convinced himself was the most likely outcome—everything between them would inevitably change. The spontaneous dinners, movie nights, all of the laughter they shared... all of it could disappear with just a few careless words.

Yushi would rather spend a lifetime hiding his feelings than lose Sion altogether.

It was pathetic, indeed. But it was a fate he had accepted long ago.

A quiet, bitter laugh escaped his lips as he shook his head, forcing himself away from thoughts that would only sour his mood. There was no point dwelling on something he had already decided would remain buried. Setting the paper bag he'd been carrying onto the kitchen counter, he began unpacking the groceries one by one, lining up the vegetables, meat, and seasonings.

They were going to make curry together for tonight's dinner before settling onto the couch to continue the drama series they'd been obsessively binge-watching for the past few weeks.

Well... Yushi had been obsessively binge-watching. Sion, on the other hand, spent nearly every episode complaining.

"Why are they making such a stupid decision?" He said

"If they just talked to each other, this would've ended three episodes ago." He said.

Yet despite grumbling through almost every scene, Sion never once suggested dropping the show. He still faithfully watched every episode beside Yushi, occasionally stealing bites from whatever in Yushi's bowl without permission while continuing his endless commentary as though he were being forced to endure the greatest injustice imaginable.

The thought alone was enough to bring a smile to Yushi's face.

As a friend, Sion was probably the best person anyone could ever ask for.

He had this uncanny ability to make people feel important without even trying. Whenever Yushi casually mentioned wanting to watch a certain movie, Sion would somehow remember it weeks later and suggest they watch it together.

If Yushi pointed at a restaurant and mumbled that it looked interesting, Sion would quietly add it to a mental list before dragging him there on one of their weekends. It didn't matter whether it was a new café hidden in a quiet alley, a seasonal festival on the other side of the city, or an activity Yushi had only mentioned once in passing, Sion always remembered.

And somehow, he always made it happen.

He watched everything Yushi wanted to watch, even if he spent half the time grumbling about the plot. He ate everything Yushi wanted to eat, regardless of whether it was something he personally craved. He was willing to try practically anything Yushi showed even the slightest interest in, approaching every new experience with that same easygoing smile that somehow made everything feel more exciting.

It was a dangerous kind of kindness, not because Sion intended it to be, but because every thoughtful action of his only made Yushi fall a little deeper each passing week.

Before meeting Sion, weekends had simply been days to rest before another busy week began. Yushi would usually stay at home, occasionally meeting Riku or wandering around by himself whenever he felt particularly restless.

They were, for in fact, not bad days. They were just ordinary, and plain, and boring.

But ever since Sion entered his life, the word boring had quietly disappeared from Yushi's vocabulary.

Almost every weekend seemed to turn into a new adventure.

Sometimes Sion would suddenly text him early in the morning, saying he'd found a place Yushi had once mentioned wanting to visit. Other times, he'd send a random screenshot of an event happening that weekend, followed by a simple, Want to go?

Before Yushi knew it, they'd be wandering through flower festivals, trying cafés with absurdly long waiting lists, attending pop-up exhibitions, or getting hopelessly lost because Sion insisted the shortcut on the map "looked right."

Yushi had thought today would be no different from all the countless weekends they had spent together.

Standing in front of the sink, Yushi absentmindedly rinsed the potatoes and carrots he had just bought, watching droplets of water roll across the smooth skin of the vegetables before disappearing down the drain. His hands moved almost automatically, his mind wandering back to a conversation they'd had not too long ago.

Yushi almost laughed to himself the moment a memory of Sion claimed that curry was his favorite food resurfaced. Because he knew it was a lie.

He knew Sion well enough by now to recognize when the older man was quietly saying something for someone else's sake. Curry wasn't Sion's favorite dish—not when Yushi had personally seen the older happily devour sweets and practically everything else put in front of him with equal enthusiasm.

So whenever Sion insisted that curry was his favorite meal, Yushi knew exactly why.

Because curry was the only dish Yushi could cook without turning the kitchen into a disaster.

Every other recipe they had attempted together had somehow ended in chaos. Soup that was too salty. Fried rice that was somehow both burnt and underseasoned. Pancakes with questionable shapes that Sion had jokingly insisted belonged in a modern art museum instead of on a plate.

Yet somehow, whenever curry was involved, Yushi never seemed to mess it up, and Sion knew that. Which was exactly why he had started claiming it as his favorite.

Not wanting to disappoint Sion—especially after the older had gone out of his way to insist that curry was his favorite—Yushi wasted no time getting to work.

Rolling up the sleeves of his sweater, he reached for the vegetables lined and began preparing the ingredients. The sound of the knife tapping against the cutting board soon filled the otherwise quiet apartment as he carefully peeled the potatoes, sliced the carrots into bite-sized pieces, and chopped the onions.

If there was one dish Yushi trusted himself to make, it was definitely this.

One by one, the prepared vegetables found their way into the pot. The onions sizzled softly as they met the heated oil, releasing their sweet aroma into the air before the carrots and potatoes followed. Yushi stirred everything together with careful motions, watching the vegetables glisten beneath the warm kitchen lights before pouring in the water along with the curry roux.

Soon, the apartment began to fill with the delicious scent of curry.

As the curry continued to simmer gently on the stove, filling the apartment with its rich aroma, Yushi turned his attention to the rice. He measured the grains out of habit, rinsed them until the water ran clear, then poured everything into the rice cooker before pressing the cook button. A soft click echoed through the quiet kitchen, signaling that all he had to do now was wait.

For a moment, there was nothing left to do.

The curry bubbled lazily inside the pot, the rice cooker hummed quietly in the background, and the apartment settled into a silence once again. Leaning back against the counter, Yushi let out a small breath, allowing himself to relax after finishing the preparations. It felt nice, standing in Sion's kitchen like this. Almost felt like home.

His thoughts didn't have long to wander before the electronic lock at the front door let out a familiar beep.

Yushi instinctively lifted his head because he knew Sion was finally home.

Without thinking much of it, Yushi reached for a spoon resting beside the stove and scooped up a small portion of the curry. He blew on it carefully, watching the steam slowly disappear until he was certain it had cooled enough to taste without burning anyone's tongue.

Just as he lowered the spoon, footsteps echoed from the entrance.

"Ushi-ya."

Yushi didn't need to look up to know Sion was smiling. The older always did whenever he saw him. And sure enough, when Yushi finally turned around, he was greeted by the older's familiar bright grin, the kind that effortlessly lit up his entire face and somehow made Yushi's own lips curve upward in return.

Rather than greeting him back, Yushi simply hummed in acknowledgment and held out the spoon toward Sion.

No explanation was needed because Sion understood immediately.

He walked the remaining distance between them until they were standing only a breath apart. Instead of taking the spoon himself, Sion naturally reached out and gently wrapped his fingers around Yushi's wrist, steadying the hand that held it before guiding it toward his own mouth.

The gesture was so casual, yet it was enough to make Yushi's entire body tense.

He hadn't realized just how close they were until Sion stepped into his space. Close enough that Yushi could catch the faint scent of his cologne lingering beneath the fresh smell of laundry. Close enough to notice the makeup on Sion's face after what had probably been a long session of photoshoot. Close enough that Yushi unconsciously held his breath.

Meanwhile, Sion appeared completely oblivious to the effect he had on him.

Still holding Yushi's wrist, he tasted the curry without the slightest hint of hesitation. His eyes never left Yushi's, maintaining eye contact as though it had to be done that way.

Yushi, on the other hand, could practically feel the heat rushing to his ears under that gaze.

After swallowing, Sion gave a thoughtful hum before the corners of his lips curled into a satisfied smile.

"Perfect," the compliment came softly out of his mouth. Yet he still didn't let go of Yushi's gaze.

"I also bought katsu from your favorite place."

Yushi blinked, only then noticing the plastic bag hanging from Sion's hand. He had been so distracted that he hadn't even realized the older was carrying anything.

Sion lifted it slightly with a pleased smile, the familiar logo of Yushi's favorite katsu stall peeking through the thin plastic. "Thought it'd go well with the curry."

"I'm going to wash the makeup off first," Sion continued, already walking backward toward the hallway. "Then we'll eat together, yeah?"

Yushi could only nod.

The response seemed to satisfy Sion immediately. With an amused grin, he reached out and ruffled Yushi's hair, completely ignoring the younger's half-hearted glare. Before Yushi could even protest, Sion had already slipped the plastic bag into his hands.

"Hold this for me."

Then, just like that, he disappeared down the hallway toward his bedroom, no doubt heading straight for the bathroom to wash away the layers of makeup left over from the photoshoot.

Yushi let out a small sigh, unconsciously smoothing down the hair Sion had just messed up before placing the katsu on the counter.

Since Sion was getting ready, he figured he might as well finish setting the table.

By now, he was so familiar with the apartment that he no longer needed to think about where anything was. His feet carried him toward the kitchen cabinet almost automatically, and he reached for the handle without hesitation. Inside, neatly stacked dishes greeted him exactly where they had always been.

Yushi pulled out two plates before returning to the counter.

He had just reached for the ladle to scoop the curry when his movements came to an abrupt stop.

His gaze drifted down to the plates resting in his hands. One was decorated with a row of tiny white bunnies around the rim. The other was covered in little cats.

A smile found its way onto his face before he even realized it. He remembered buying them together.

It had happened months ago while they were wandering around a home goods store for no particular reason other than Sion insisting they "look around for five minutes." Five minutes had somehow turned into nearly an hour, and before Yushi knew it, Sion had excitedly picked up the matching plates and declared that they looked exactly like them.

Yushi still wasn't entirely sure what kind of logic Sion had been using, but the older had looked so pleased with himself that arguing had seemed pointless.

Sion, however, hadn't been satisfied with buying just one pair. Instead, he had insisted they each get a matching set so they could have the exact same plates in both apartments.

"So they'll match," Sion had said at that time.

Yushi had rolled his eyes and complained that it was unnecessary, yet he had still bought them anyway.

Now, every time he reached into Sion's cabinet and saw the familiar bunny and cat plates sitting side by side, Yushi couldn't help but think that there might be something more than that.

As much as Yushi wanted to call himself dumb, he wasn't that dumb to overlooked everything.

He knew that somewhere along the way, the line separating friendship from whatever-this-was had begun to blur.

Not because he wanted to believe it. But because there were simply too many moments that refused to fit neatly into the definition of just friends.

It wasn't just because they owned matching plates, either. Sure, most people would probably point at that first and call it suspicious, but if Yushi was being honest with himself, those ceramic plates were merely the tip of the iceberg.

Riku certainly thought so too.

Every single time Riku asked him to hang out only to hear Yushi sheepishly decline because he had already promised Sion they'd spend the day together, the teasing would begin without fail. Riku would sigh dramatically and complain that even he didn't see his own boyfriend as often as Yushi saw Sion.

Yushi had always brushed the comments off with an eye roll or an embarrassed denial.

He insisted it was just coincidence. They simply enjoyed each other's company. Their schedules happened to line up. It wasn't a big deal.

...Even though, deep down, he wasn't entirely sure anymore.

When he really stopped to think about it, traces of himself had quietly spread throughout Sion's apartment without either of them ever consciously deciding it would happen.

It wasn't just the fluffy kitten slippers waiting by the entrance whenever he visited. Or the matching plates neatly stacked inside the kitchen cabinet without looking remotely out of place.

There was a toothbrush beside Sion's in the bathroom. A collection of skincare products lined up on the sink, mixed so naturally with Sion's own that it was impossible to tell which belonged to whom without looking closely.

One of the drawers in Sion's wardrobe also had gradually become Yushi's without either of them ever discussing it, filled with spare clothes he had left behind over time because carrying them back and forth eventually became more troublesome than simply leaving them there.

None of it had happened all at once.

A toothbrush forgotten after staying the first time he stayed the night, a hoodie left behind because Sion said just leave it here, Ushi-ya, or bottle of Yushi's moisturizer that Sion bought because carrying it back and forth became a hassle.

Little by little, it happened.

Until one day, Yushi looked around the apartment and realized pieces of himself existed in almost every room.

Perhaps the clearest example was the day Yushi accidentally left his laptop behind after working from Sion's apartment for several days in a row, his wi-fi was so slow that Sion offered his place so Yushi could work in peace. It hadn't even occurred to him that he had practically been living there until he realized his bag felt unusually light after arriving home. When he returned to retrieve it, he didn't bother knocking for long before letting himself in with the password Sion had given him months ago.

He greeted the apartment as if it were his own, kicked off his shoes without thinking, and headed straight toward the guest bedroom that somehow become his where he was certain he'd left the laptop.

Only then did he notice Sion and Daeyoung sitting in the living room.

The younger man watched the entire scene unfold with an expression somewhere between disbelief and amusement.

At that time, Yushi could only blinked while Sion laughed at Daeyoung's weird face. But now Yushi thought about it again, Daeyoung's reaction was more than valid.

"Wooow, isn't this nice?"

The familiar voice cut cleanly through the haze of Yushi's wandering thoughts, pulling him back to the present.

He turned toward the sound and found Sion strolling out of the hallway, dressed in the same sleeveless shirt he always wore around the apartment.

Furrowing his brows, Yushi tilted his head. "What's nice?"

The question only seemed to delight Sion. A shameless grin spread across his face, before he answered without the slightest hint of embarrassment.

"Coming home to a nice meal and a pretty wife, that is!

Yushi felt the heat crawl up his neck almost instantly.

Because there it was again.

Without missing a beat, he shot Sion the fiercest glare he could muster, hoping it was enough to communicate every ounce of indignation swirling inside him. Unfortunately, it had the exact opposite effect.

Sion only laughed.

Not a slight chuckle, not even an apologetic one, but the kind of laugh that came from someone who found Yushi's reactions endlessly entertaining. His eyes even curved into crescents at this point, and somehow that only made Yushi's face burn hotter.

This wasn't even the first time.

At some point, Sion had developed the utterly ridiculous habit of calling him wife whenever Yushi did something remotely domestic. Cook dinner? Wife. Fold the laundry because the living room is messy because of them? Wife. Remind Sion to drink water? Definitely wife.

The older man didn't even have the decency to keep the joke between the two of them. During one of Sion's photoshoots, when Yushi had stopped by the set with homemade lunch (which Sion had been nagged for weeks, mind you), the older had cheerfully introduced him to half the staff as his "wife" before bursting into laughter at Yushi's horrified expression.

The worst part was how naturally he said it every single time. As if it wasn't a joke at all.

"You'd better shut up before I poison your curry," Yushi grumbled in the end, deciding that threatening bodily harm was the only appropriate response left.

His threat merely earned another laugh.

Eventually, though, Sion's amusement settled into a soft smile. He walked over, pulled out one of the stools by the kitchen counter, and sat there without another word, resting his chin in his palm as he quietly watched Yushi scoop steaming curry onto a plate.

For a brief moment, the apartment fell silent, but that didn't last long because Sion decided to open his mouth again.

"You really do look like my—"

"One more word," Yushi didn't even let him finish.

He slowly turned around, raising the curry ladle like it was a deadly weapon, pointing it directly at Sion with all the seriousness of someone issuing a final warning.

"Say one more word," he said flatly, "and this is going straight to your head."

After a beat, he dramatically pressed his lips together and mimed zipping them shut before throwing away the imaginary key.

Even then, the corners of his mouth refused to stay down. That infuriating grin was still there.

Yushi clicked his tongue under his breath, but decided—for now—that keeping Sion quiet was victory enough.

After that, they settled into dinner, the conversation flowing as naturally as it always did. Between mouthfuls of curry and the occasional laughter that echoed through the apartment, they filled each other in on everything that had happened over the past week—the little annoyances at work, funny stories that weren't important enough to tell over text, random thoughts that had crossed their minds, and moments that somehow felt more enjoyable when shared face to face instead of through a phone screen.

Somewhere along the way, Friday nights had quietly become theirs.

Neither of them could remember exactly when the routine had started. Maybe it was after Sion casually invited Yushi over for dinner one evening because they hadn't seen each other all week. Maybe it was when Yushi began suggesting for them to cook every now and then, claiming it was easier than deciding on takeout. However it had happened, it eventually became an unspoken tradition. Friday meant dinner together.

Yushi liked that more than he cared to admit.

There was something deeply comforting about knowing someone genuinely wanted to hear about the ordinary parts of his life. Sion never asked out of politeness. He was sincerely curious, listening with the same attentiveness whether Yushi was talking about a frustrating client, a funny interaction with Riku, or simply rambling about something insignificant that had happened during the day.

And Yushi found himself returning that same curiosity just as naturally, wanting to know how Sion's shoots had gone, whether he'd been eating properly, or if he had finally gotten enough sleep after another hectic schedule.

Somehow, the conversation never ran dry.

Before either of them realized it, the plates were empty, the curry pot had been scraped nearly clean, and the evening had slipped further into the night.

As always, Sion insisted on handling the dishes.

"You cooked," he said, already gathering the plates before Yushi could protest. "The least I can do is clean up."

Yushi didn't argue. There was little point trying once Sion had made up his mind.

Instead, he wandered over to the refrigerator, pulling the door open as if it were his own. His eyes scanned the shelves with familiarity before settling on a small box of berries tucked neatly beside the yogurt. Without giving it much thought, he took the container out, closed the fridge with his hip, and made his way back toward the kitchen island.

Climbing back onto one of the stools by the counter, he absentmindedly popped a berry into his mouth while watching Sion stand at the sink, sleeves rolled up as warm water ran over the dishes.

The moment the berry burst against his tongue, Yushi instinctively closed his eyes.

A soft, satisfied sigh escaped him before he could stop it, the sweetness lingering pleasantly in his mouth as he let himself savor it for another second.

"Sooo good," he murmured, almost to himself.

It was one of those perfectly ripe berries, sweet with just the slightest hint of tartness, the kind that made him immediately reach for another without thinking.

When he finally opened his eyes again, he paused. Because Sion had stopped moving entirely.

One hand was still submerged beneath the running water, a plate forgotten in his grasp, yet his attention wasn't on the sink anymore. He was staring directly at Yushi with an expression Yushi couldn't quite decipher. It wasn't exactly surprise, nor confusion. If anything, he looked strangely tense. Almost like something was bothering him.

Yushi frowned, "What?"

Sion blinked, as though he'd only just realized he'd been caught staring. "Nothing."

His gaze drifted away for the briefest moment before returning to Yushi, and despite the casual tone, there was something suspicious about the way his eyes flickered.

"Are the berries good?"

Yushi didn't think much of the question.

He simply nodded before plucking another berry from the box and tossing it into his mouth.

And just like before, the sweetness spread across his tongue almost instantly.

Without realizing it, his eyes fluttered shut again, and another pleased sigh slipped past his lips as he leaned back slightly on the stool, quietly enjoying the simple little treat.

"Fuck."

The curse was so soft Yushi almost convinced himself he'd imagined it.

When he looked up again, Sion was suddenly standing right in front of him. The dishes had been completely abandoned. Water was probably still running back at the sink, but Sion didn't seem to care.

Yushi blinked up at him in confusion, tilting his head.

"What's wrong?"

Instead of answering, Sion reached past Yushi, grabbed the container of berries from the counter, and, without the slightest hesitation, walked over to the trash can before dropping the entire box inside.

And just like that, the plastic container disappeared beneath the lid.

"Hey!" Yushi immediately protested, nearly sliding off the stool. "What are you doing?"

"I just remembered," Sion replied with surprising calmness, closing the trash can as though nothing unusual had happened. "I bought those a long time ago. You shouldn't eat them."

Yushi stared at him.

Then, almost instinctively, his eyes shifted toward the trash can.

He had clearly seen the label when he took the berries out of the refrigerator. The expiration date was still several days away. If anything, Sion must have bought them fairly recently. The explanation didn't add up.

The words of protest were already gathering at the tip of his tongue.

But the moment he looked back at Sion, they quietly dissolved.

Sion's face remained composed, almost unnervingly so, yet there was a clear stiffness in his expression. His jaw was set just a little too tightly as though he were forcing himself to stay calm while holding something back.

Whatever it was, it clearly had nothing to do with the berries.

Yushi couldn't tell what was going through Sion's mind, but one look at his face was enough to make him swallow every question that had been ready to leave his mouth.

Not long after, the two of them migrated to the living room.

Yushi claimed the couch almost immediately, sinking into the cushions until he was practically lying across them. His arms instinctively wrapped around the oversized bunny plushie tucked in the corner, something Sion had bought months ago after noticing that Yushi always needed something to hug whenever they watched movies or simply lazed around together.

Sion, meanwhile, took his usual spot on the floor.

Rather than sitting beside Yushi, he leaned his back against the couch, one knee bent while the other leg stretched lazily across the rug. It wasn't the most comfortable position by most people's standards, yet somehow Sion always preferred sitting there, close enough that they could still talk without having to raise their voices.

Yushi's gaze then wandered absentmindedly around the coffee table until something unfamiliar caught his eye.

There, resting neatly beside the television remote, was a magazine he didn't remember seeing before.

Tilting his head, he pointed toward it, "Is that the new magazine you modeled for?"

Sion glanced over before nodding.

"It came out today." A small smile tugged at his lips. "Want to see it?"

Yushi answered with a hum.

That was apparently all the invitation Sion needed. Without another word, he reached over, picked up the magazine, and handed it back over his shoulder. Yushi accepted it eagerly, barely waiting a second before flipping it over to look at the front cover.

His smile immediately widened.

"Oh, look at that," he said, unable to hide the amusement in his voice. "Even the cover is you!"

Sion couldn't help but laugh, "What a surprise."

Ignoring the dry sarcasm, Yushi continued grinning to himself as he carefully turned the pages.

The magazine belonged to a well-known menswear brand that Sion had been working with for quite some time. This month's feature centered around the launch of their newest watch collection, and judging from the sheer number of pages dedicated to the campaign, the company had clearly put a lot of faith in Sion to represent it.

Practically every spread featured him.

One photograph showed Sion resting his cheek against his palm, his wrist angled just enough for the watch to catch the light without looking forced. On the next page, he was stretched comfortably across an elegant sofa, one arm hanging effortlessly over the edge so the watch naturally became the first thing the eye was drawn to. Another captured him adjusting the cuff of his sleeve while looking away from the camera, somehow making such a simple gesture feel sophisticated.

Yushi found himself lingering on each page longer than he intended.

It never failed to amaze him how effortlessly Sion could do this.

Modeling looked deceptively easy whenever Sion was the one in front of the camera. Every pose appeared natural, yet somehow the product always remained the center of attention. It was a balance that sounded simple in theory but was incredibly difficult in practice.

"Hooooly shit."

Yushi's eyes widened as he flipped to another spread, the words slipping out before he could stop them.

"You look good!"

The photograph took up nearly two full pages. Sion stood beneath warm golden lighting, dressed in a tailored charcoal suit with the sleeves rolled back just enough to reveal the watch wrapped around his wrist. He wasn't even looking at the camera. Instead, his gaze was fixed somewhere off to the side, and yet, it looked effortlessly cool.

Yushi couldn't help but admire it for a few extra seconds. His unfiltered reaction, however, immediately caught Sion's attention.

The older man looked up from where he was leaning against the couch, a hint of curiosity flickering across his face.

"Really?"

Yushi looked at him as though the question itself was ridiculous.

"Duh," he rolled his eyes dramatically before looking back down at the magazine. "You're probably the most handsome man I've ever met."

To Yushi, it was the most natural statement he could muttered.

There wasn't any hidden meaning behind it. He wasn't trying to flirt, nor was he attempting to make Sion blush. It simply happened to be true. Sion was ridiculously handsome. Anyone with functioning eyes could tell that much, and after spending so much time around him, Yushi had long since accepted it as an objective fact.

What he hadn't expected was Sion's reaction.

When Yushi glanced down again, he noticed the tips of Sion's ears slowly turning pink.

His eyebrows shot up. Then, unable to help himself, he burst into laughter.

"Whoa, what's with that reaction?" he teased between laughs. "Your ears are all red!"

Almost immediately, Sion reached up and clapped both hands over his ears as if that would somehow hide the evidence.

"I can't help it," he muttered, sounding almost embarrassed. "You've never said that before."

That made Yushi pause. His laughter gradually faded as he blinked at Sion in surprise.

"Really?" he asked, genuinely trying to remember. "I've never told you that?"

Sion simply shook his head.

Yushi found himself momentarily taken aback.

Now that he thought about it, maybe Sion was right. Sure, he'd thought it countless times. More times than he could possibly count, actually. Every time Sion stepped out of a fitting room, every billboard he passed by on the street, every campaign photo that popped up online, the thought always crossed his mind.

He's ridiculously handsome.

It had simply never occurred to him that he'd never actually said it out loud.

A sheepish smile slowly spread across his face.

"Well then," he said with an easy shrug, "now you know."

Sion's chuckle lingered in the air for another moment before gradually fading into the comfortable silence that always seemed to settle so naturally between them.

After that, they slipped back into their own little worlds without a second thought. Yushi remained curled up on the couch with the magazine resting across his lap, absentmindedly flipping through its pages, while Sion reached for the remote and lazily skimmed through the television channels in search of something worth watching. Neither of them felt the need to fill the silence with conversation. Simply sharing the same space was more than enough.

Near the end of the magazine that Yushi was busy reading, the glossy pages shifted away from the campaign photographs and into a short interview with Sion.

It wasn't particularly long, just a handful of questions about the collaboration, the brand's newest watch collection, and Sion's thoughts on being chosen as its model.

Yushi found himself reading every answer carefully and a small smile lingered on his face the entire time.

He had known Sion long enough to recognize the way he spoke, even when his words had been edited into print. The answers were thoughtful and sincere without trying too hard to sound profound. Whenever Sion complimented the staff, he did so because he genuinely appreciated them. Whenever he talked about the campaign, it wasn't empty promotion because it was clear he had actually paid attention throughout the project.

By the very bottom of the page sat Sion's signature, written in bold black ink beside a printed version of his full name.

Oh Sion.

Yushi's eyes lingered there for a little longer than necessary.

Almost absentmindedly, his thumb brushed over the printed letters, tracing the name as though it held some kind of quiet fascination.

He didn't know much about Korean history or family names.

He vaguely remembered hearing somewhere that the surname Oh came from a respected lineage, though he couldn't recall whether that was actually true or just something he'd picked up in passing. Either way, it didn't really matter.

What caught his attention wasn't the history. It was simply the name itself.

Oh Sion.

For some reason, it sounded perfect.

There was a pleasant rhythm to it that rolled naturally off the tongue. It felt like that name had always belonged to the person carrying it.

Without realizing it, Yushi quietly repeated it in his head once more.

Oh Sion.

He liked the way it sounded.

"It's pretty," he murmured almost absentmindedly.

Sion, who had been quietly scrolling through his phone on the floor, glanced back over his shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"Your name," Yushi clarified, his gaze still fixed on the page.

He softly read it aloud again, almost as if he were testing the sound of it.

"Oh Sion," the corners of his lips lifted into a smile. "It's pretty."

Only then did he finally look down at Sion, "And it suits you."

Sion didn't answer right away.

Yushi could watched as the older man's body language subtly shifted. His shoulders stiffened almost imperceptibly, his fingers curling slightly against his knee before relaxing again. For a moment, Sion simply looked at his own knees.

Then he quietly drew in a deep breath, when he let it out, the tension seemed to leave his body all at once.

"You can have it," he said.

Sion slowly turned around until he was facing him completely now. There was no trace of teasing left on his face this time. His smile was impossibly gentle and his eyes held a sincerity that made Yushi instinctively sit a little straighter.

"If you think my name is pretty, Ushi-ya..." Sion said softly, never once looking away from him, "...you can have it too."

For a second, Yushi couldn't understand what he meant.

The words reached his ears. His mind, however, refused to process them.

It was as though his thoughts had come to a complete standstill, leaving nothing behind except the deafening sound of his own heartbeat pounding against his ribs.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

It was so loud that Yushi was suddenly convinced Sion could hear it too.

Heat rushed up his neck with alarming speed, and for a moment, he genuinely wondered if his heart was about to give out from sheer shock.

Before Yushi could gather enough scattered thoughts to respond, Sion smiled again.

"I think..." he murmured, carrying just enough warmth to make Yushi's pulse stumble all over again, "...it would suit you too."

"Hyung, what are you—"

Yushi tried to ask, he really did. But the words never made it past his throat.

They dissolved somewhere between his racing heartbeat and the sudden realization slowly crashing over him, leaving him staring at Sion in complete silence.

Sion only smiled.

It wasn't the playful grin Yushi had grown so used to over the year nor was it the mischievous smile he wore whenever he teased him just to watch him fluster. This smile was softer. It felt as though Sion had finally reached the end of a very long road.

"I'm sorry," he said gently.

Sion let out a quiet breath before continuing.

"I'm kind of tired of playing friends..." Another words spoken calmly, but Yushi could hear the vulnerability hidden underneath. "...when all I've wanted is to hug you, call you mine, and not have to laugh right afterward and pretend it was just another joke."

Yushi opened his mouth, but nthing came out, so he closed it again.

A second later, he tried once more. And still nothing. It was as if every coherent thought had abandoned him all at once.

The feelings he had spent so long burying beneath excuses suddenly came rushing back with overwhelming force. They all resurfaced at once, crashing into him so violently that he didn't know what to do with them.

His chest tightened and his vision slowly getting blurred. Only then did he realize his eyes had filled with tears.

The moment Sion noticed that, all the color drained from his face.

"Hey, hey," His voice immediately lost every trace of confidence. "Why are you crying?"

Panic spread across his features almost instantly.

"I'm sorry. Fuck, I'm really sorry." He hurried closer without thinking, his hands instinctively reaching up to cup Yushi's face as he clumsily wiped away the tears with his thumbs. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

And that, somehow, only made Yushi cry harder.

The tears he'd been trying so desperately to hold back spilled over completely, and before he knew it, quiet sobs were escaping him one after another.

Sion looked utterly helpless.

The confident model who could stand before hundreds of cameras without batting an eye suddenly looked like a man who had no idea what to do with the person he cared about most breaking down in front of him.

Without another word, he pulled Yushi into his arms.

Strong arms wrapped carefully around him, holding him close as one hand gently rubbed slow circles against his back.

"I'm so sorry, Ushi-ya," Sion whispered against his hair. "Please don't cry."

Hearing how Sion's voice cracked ever so slightly only made Yushi's heart ache even more.

They stayed like that for what felt like forever, Sion patiently holding him until the trembling in Yushi's shoulders gradually eased.

Only then did Sion reluctantly pull back just enough to look at him.

His hands immediately returned to brushing away the tears still clinging to Yushi's cheeks.

"You can forget everything I just said," he murmured softly. "Just, don't cry anymore, okay?"

Yushi couldn't answer.

He merely rubbed at his runny nose with the back of his hand, still struggling to steady his breathing.

Sion watched him for another second before letting out a self-deprecating laugh.

"My God..." He lowered his gaze with a crooked smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You hate the idea of dating me that much that it made you cry your eyes out?" He joked.

Yushi knew he was trying to lighten the mood. But beneath the forced humor, he could hear the disappointment Sion was desperately trying to hide behind another joke.

The sound of it shattered whatever composure Yushi had managed to rebuild.

Fresh tears welled up almost immediately and Sion panicked all over again.

Before he could say another word, Yushi suddenly threw himself forward, wrapping both arms tightly around Sion's waist and burying his face against his chest with far more force than before.

He clung to him as though letting go wasn't an option anymore.

"Stupid hyung!" he cried, his voice muffled against Sion's shirt. "I hate you!"

The words came out between sobs. Not because he meant them, but because Sion had spent all this time believing he had been loving Yushi alone.

Sion, meanwhile, let out a quiet laugh. One of his hands continued to gently stroke the back of Yushi's head, his fingers slowly combing through the soft strands of hair in an absentminded attempt to soothe him, while the other remained securely wrapped around his waist.

"Come on," he whined softly, exaggerating the pout in his voice. "You're hurting my heart."

The familiar teasing made its return so naturally that, despite everything, Yushi found himself pulling away from the embrace.

His eyes were still glossy with tears, his nose practically flushed pink, and his breathing hadn't quite steadied yet, but he lifted his head anyway and looked straight at Sion.

Sion only blinked back at him, visibly confused. "What?"

Then without warning, Yushi lightly smacked his shoulder.

Not enough to hurt. Just enough to express the frustration that had been building inside him for far too long.

"I was so fucking scared!" he burst out, voice cracking all over again.

Fresh tears immediately gathered in his eyes.

"I was so scared that I'd ruin our friendship because I couldn't hide my feelings anymore!" His words tumbled out between quiet sobs.

"I kept telling myself that I couldn't lose what we already had. I couldn't let our friendship fall apart just because I was selfish enough to want more." His shoulders trembled as he wiped furiously at his cheeks, only for more tears to replace the ones he'd brushed away. "...and then you just had to ruin everything by saying the exact same things I've been trying so hard not to say!"

The confession echoed through the living room.

And for what felt like eternity, Sion could only stare at Yushi. Every trace of amusement vanished from his face as his expression went completely blank.

Yushi could practically see the gears inside Sion's head struggling to turn, desperately trying to process what he'd just heard.

His lips parted, and then it closed. Only then a second time he parted again, "...Ushi-ya." was coming out of his mouth, though it was slightly trembling.

He looked at Yushi as though he were afraid the answer might disappear if he blinked.

"Does that mean..." He swallowed. "...you feel the same?"

Yushi immediately glared at him through watery eyes.

His cheeks were still wet with tears, his face might as well still blotchy from crying, and yet somehow Sion had the audacity to ask something so obvious.

"Shut up and figure it out yourself!" He sniffled loudly before angrily rubbing at his eyes again.

Another tear escaped despite his best efforts, "And let me cry in peace!"

A smile slowly spread across Sion's face.

It started small, as though he was still trying to convince himself that this wasn't some elaborate dream his mind had conjured up. Then, little by little, the corners of his lips lifted higher until a laugh finally escaped him.

This time, however, it wasn't forced. It was simply radiating happiness.

The bright laugh Yushi knew so well. The one Sion always let out whenever they were together as if being around Yushi alone was enough to make the weight of the world disappear for a little while.

Watching it made Yushi instinctively puff out his cheeks into a pout. He had just cried his heart out, and here Sion was laughing.

Unbelievable.

Unfortunately for him, the adorable display only made Sion smile even wider.

Before Yushi could even think of protesting, Sion leaned forward and wrapped both arms around him once again.

Yushi melted into it almost immediately. He could feel Sion's heartbeat beneath his cheek, and the loud thump was enough to comfort him, somehow.

"My God..." Sion's voice came out as little more than a whisper. He let out another quiet laugh, still sounding completely awestruck by the realization.

"All this time..." he murmured. "We could've been dating already if we weren't both so unbelievably stupid."

Yushi couldn't help but let out a soft hum of agreement.

When he thought about everything. It really was ridiculous.

They had spent so long wearing their hearts up on their sleeves that, somewhere along the way, they'd unknowingly built a life together without ever admitting what it actually was.

The thought was so absurd that Yushi found himself smiling before he laughed. And that makes Sion laughed too.

But not long after, quite suddenly, Sion smile disappeared, replaced by an expression of complete seriousness.

"Wait," Sion looked at him with a level of caution that would have been amusing if it weren't so painfully sincere.

He paused for a second, taking another small breath before carefully asking, "This means... we're dating now, right?"

Yushi simply stared at him for a moment, before lifting his hand and lightly smacking Sion's shoulder once again.

"Use your brain, stupid hyung!"

Then, another laugh escaped him.

Relief washed over Sion's features as though the confirmation, despite being delivered through a scolding and a smack on the shoulder, was all he had needed to hear.

Without another word, Sion wrapped his arms around Yushi once more and pulled him close, holding him with the same tenderness he had been longing to show all this time.

Yushi quietly returned the embrace, his fingers tightening around the fabric of Sion's shirt as he buried his face against the older man's shoulder. 

After an entire year of loving Sion in silence, convincing himself that keeping his feelings hidden was the only way to protect what they already had, Yushi finally understood something. He hadn't ruined anything.

If anything, he had finally found the place where he had belonged all along.