Of Forgotten Umbrella, Unchanged Kisses and Forever
Title: Of Forgotten Umbrella, Unchanged Kisses and Forever.
Pairing: Daejae
Genre: romance, dram
Warning: none.
Summary: Daehyun forgot his umbrella. Youngjae failed on reminding him of it. And their forever..
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It is raining.
Daehyun pulls the hood of his black jacket over his head before tucking the blue A4 size booklet under the protection of his raincoat. He runs towards the bus station, his black ankle boots stepping on the little puddles on the roadside causing for cold water splashing on his pants.
It is a bad idea to run under a heavy downpour with nothing but thin raincoat but he can’t wait. It looks like the rain is not stopping any moment and he can’t afford to be caught in the rush hour. He needs to be at home before he does. He always arrives first.
He knows he’s getting a cold after this. His throat already hurts and his nose is starting to feel stuffy. His body is trembling and he has the immunity system of a child.
He almost slips. He bumps into an elderly woman who glares at and he apologizes. He sighs in gloom when he sees the long line of people under the bus stop. He looks at the direction of his building, just a block and a half away and curses before making a run.
He thinks of his thick blanket. He thinks of hot chocolate in his cat-printed mug. He thinks of his cozy blue sofa. He thinks of his bright yellow umbrella.
He forgot his umbrella.
He rarely forgets important stuff.
He just used to someone reminding him of it.
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Daehyun is drenching from head to toe when he arrives in his doorstep. He fishes out his keys and with his shaky hands unlocks the door.
The house is dark and cold. The streaks of lights coming through the blinds on the balcony door give dimly glow in their living room and the kitchen.
He takes off his wet clothes until he was left only with thin white shirt and a navy blue boxers. He picks up the discarded fabrics on the floor and dumps them on top of the washing machine. He strides his way in the dark to the bedroom, opens the closet and snatches fresh towels. He goes straight to the bathroom, turns on the heater and shower filling up the bathtub. He takes a glance on the mirror before closing the door and dipping on warm water.
Daehyun settles with Kimchi stew for dinner. The weather is cold and a hot soup is the best choice. He cuts the onion and vegetables with such precision. Practice really pays off and he had the time for it. He can only fry hotdogs and eggs in college and it was enough. But it isn’t the case now. So he learns. The web and some books helped a lot. He’s good at it. The best, this boy says and it is enough.
He turns on the TV but doesn’t really watch. It is too quiet that he could hear his own breathing so he put the volume high to reach the next room. The kitchen’s light, the one on top of the four-sitter wooden dining table is the only open light leaving the rest of the rooms still dark.
He just finishes putting two packs of rice on the microwave when he hears jiggling of keys from the door. He turns off the stove and puts the pot’s lid before the door closes and the lights on the living room are turned on.
“I’m home”
The voice sounds tired and husky. He notices its difference from the one that made him fall years ago.
“In the kitchen..” He replies. He turns around, plates on his hand in time to see a figure leaning on the kitchen-slash-dining doorway. A tired yet beautiful smile adorns the said person’s small face. A loose tie hangs around his neck and the sleeves of his white shirt are folded on the elbows.
“tired?” Asking the obvious, Daehyun feels like smacking himself with the spatula he just fishes out from the utensils holder. A lazy ‘yeah’ comes out from the other boy before he feels arms snaking around his torso and a heavy mass leaning on his back.
“you’re warm”
“and you’re cold..go change..dinner’s ready in a minute” He can’t help the smile on his lips as well as the bubbling feeling on his belly.
He waits. And expects. But it didn’t come. A stolen kiss. A poke on the side. And laughter afterwards.
He’s just tired, he says to himself when he hears the bathroom door shuts.
And silence.
It becomes a routine. A regular course in their household. An end-of-the-day waltz.
Daehyun always comes home first from his work in a music school. Makes dinner as he does the laundry or folds the clothes, collects the mail at the lobby, takes the trash down before he sits on the blue sofa watching the local news and waits for his boyfriend.
At six, Youngjae arrives from his job in an architectural firm. Peels off his business coat, takes a shower, opens his laptop and makes some calls before he goes to his seat on the table, across his lover.
Dinner is quiet. The sound of chopsticks and spoons against bowls rings through the room. Youngjae focuses on his food, never looking up. Daehyun watches and understands.
“it’s good” A compliment breaks the silence. Daehyun smiles but he wishes for Youngjae to say it while looking at him. He wishes a lot these days and all remains unspoken.
Daehyun sneezes the same time Youngjae enters their bedroom, his white laptop clipped in his armpit. He reaches for the tissue on the table side and blows. He groans as he feels his throat parched and hurting.
“are you sick?”A hand covers the top of his forehead and the bed dips on the side. A concerned look on the boy’s face makes him guilty of his action in the rain earlier.
“I’m fine. Just a simple cold. I’ll take a medicine later” He replies giving an assuring smile to his partner.
“should I get it for you?”
“no.. I’ll get it..You’re tired..” He says before dangling his feet on the edge and putting it flat on the floor. “you go to sleep..”
“I can’t..i need to finish this proposal” Youngjae stands up too, walking towards his study/work table on the corner. He takes out some folders and put it under his arm together with his laptop.
“can’t you just do it tomorrow?”
Youngjae shakes his head before stepping ahead him on the door. He holds him on the back of his neck and leans. Daehyun closes his eyes, waits and expects. Then soft lips plants on his forehead and gentle ‘good night’ reaches his ears. And when he opens his eyes, he is gone. He hears the TV turning on in the living room and sounds of the coffeemaker and ceramic against marble from the kitchen.
His fingers ghosts on top of his lips, caressing them, trying to suffice their need for warmth. He sighs as he lets his hand falls limply on his side. Taking a last glance on the other direction, a shadow moving on the wall, he heads back to the bedroom and slips under the covers, hoping that it will be warm enough to lulls him to sleep.
He forgot to drink his medicine.
He thought he doesn’t need it.
He’s getting sick anyway.
It’s inevitable.
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Morning comes. Daehyun always wakes first. He tries to move feeling numb on lying on his side when he feels strong arm around him. Warm air hitting the side of his neck and low snores right behind his ears.
He wriggles out of the caging limb and turns to face his captor. He smiles as he looks at the angel-like features of his lover; fair skin, soft cheeks, thin lips and button nose. He traces them with feather like touches, cautious to not wake him up. He didn’t know what time the boy had gone to bed but seeing the black lines under his eyes gives an idea. He hates it when the other sacrifices his sleep for work. When he gives too much of himself, physically and mentally, for something undeserving.
Youngjae works for the company for years now and even though he earns money that’s worth more compare to other people of his age earn, he still thinks the boy is getting less than he’s investing. He can’t help thinking that the firm is milking on Youngjae’s skills, keeping him under their wings hidden and away from bigger opportunities.
And most of all, he hates doesn’t like it when Youngjae is too busy to notice things. To feel. To know.
“I miss you” Daehyun whispers.
Youngjae moves to lie on his back gibberish words slipping pass his lips. A little scratch on his cheek and sleepy moan before his breath becomes steady again, back to slumber.
Daehyun sits up, glances back to the sleeping form beside him before pushing the covers, standing up and walking out of the room.
Daehyun had finished setting the plate of pancakes and bacon on the table when the door of their bedroom opens and closes. Soft padding of feet echoes through the hallway and after a few, a yawning and freshly showered Youngjae immersed with a blue dress shirt tucked in a grey pants.
“morning” Youngjae greets as he takes his usual spot. Daehyun walks close to him, a cup of hot coffee in hand. He places it on table beside Youngjae’s plate and mumbles a ‘morning’.
They eat in silence just like last night and the other days and the past weeks. Daehyun lost track. He even forgot the last time they talk about things that don’t really matter or sometimes makes sense or the last time they had a food fight of corn flakes and grains resulting for both of them to be late for work or the last time they fight because Youngjae bought the grape flavor juice that Daehyun dislike and Daehyun ate the mongo bread that’s definitely from Youngjae’s stash.
“how’s work?” Daehyun asks.
Youngjae looks up at him before shrugging his shoulder. “it’s fine. Busy with this big project..”
And silence. Daehyun twists the handle of his fork as he bores hole on his untouched cakes.
“you’re not going to ask about mine?”
It surprises him. His own words surprise him. So when he looks at the boy across him whose eyes widened twice its size, he expects the shocked look on his face. But what he didn’t expect is the hint of confusion on it.
“sorry” And he stands up taking his plate on the sink, throwing his food on the bin. He turns the faucet and watches his plate drowns in water.
Then a body wraps itself around his. He stiffens and air caught stuck on his passage.
“What’s wrong?”
“nothing”
He turns off the faucet.
“Dae..”
He faces him. His heart is beating so fast. He stares him in the eyes. He opens his lips.
And…
“I-“
A familiar ringing breaks the moment. Youngjae sighs before letting go. He walks back to the table and takes the vibrating device on his ear. Daehyun hears him speak in his corporate tone and takes just seconds for the bedroom door to shut close.
Exactly five minutes for the main door of their apartment closes with nothing but a simple ‘goodbye, see you tonight’.
A thirty before Daehyun finally stands up from Youngjae’s spot on the table and prepares for work.
And a full hour for him to be on the doorway, slipping on his rain boots and coat, and saying goodbye to an empty house.
He forgot his umbrella, again.
No one reminds him, again.
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Daehyun should have said no. But he didn’t.
It took longer than he expected. From the planned one bottle only, he emptied three. It was then he felt dizzy and the need to go home. Himchan offered a lift and he accepted. He promises not to agree with the older boy’s suggestion of relaxing method ever again.
He makes it alive to their floor on the seventh and stands off-balance in front of their door. He inserts the key with difficulty and it ends up being the wrong one.
Then the door opens and appears Youngjae in his blue sweatpants and white shirt. A frown on his face is the next that he notices.
“Hi..” He grins and hugs the other boy.
“you’re drunk” Youngjae says pushing him away. He takes his hand and guides him towards the sofa. Daehyun plops down with a thud.
After a while, he feels wet towel against his face. He opens his eyes and looks at the person hovering above him. He tries to sit up and the boy helps him.
“what are even thinking getting drunk?” The question comes in a low voice, more like a whisper, before his jacket is stripped out of his body. But Daehyun can hear the hint of annoyance in his tone. It’s almost midnight and Youngjae’s probably stayed up waiting for him despite of his long day at work.
“do you think we’re falling apart?”
Youngjae stops midway of throwing the black clothing on the coffee table to look at him. Daehyun averts his gaze and to his lap. The loose thread on his pant’s zipper caught his interest as silence envelops them.
“no..”
“then what do you think of us now?” Daehyun pauses. “we’re clearly not the same..anymore”
“we don’t talk..or fight..like how we used to”
They lock gazes. Daehyun feels vulnerable. Youngjae looks the same.
“do you still love me?”
“of course, I do” Youngjae quickly says. “I love you”
Daehyun looks up but remains still. Youngjae takes his hands and encloses them on his.
“I love you”
Daehyun searches for something on his eyes. He is not sure what that something is.
“then why I am feeling this way…like I’m on the edge…just waiting to fall” Daehyun blinks. A tear escapes. Youngjae fails to catch it.
“I’m sorry..”
His body convulses as it hits the bed. He curls into ball as he lies on his side. He shuts his eyes as tries to block the impending headache and his mind on work.
He tastes bitter. He smells alcohol. And he feels cold. But as his brain is about to shut off, warm touches grazes the expose skin of his neck. Travelling in a slow pace up to his face, it disappears. Then it cradles him from behind. It holds tight but not suffocating. It grasps on him like it’s afraid. It clings and whispers.
“I’m sorry for making you feel like this..but please believe me..things might be different and changed…but my feelings are not..a little yes but never lesser..Daehyun, I love you””
A soft touch of lips on his skin is the last thing he feels before he completely drowns into darkness.
Daehyun wakes up in an empty bed. He stays staring up at the ceiling thinking about last night. He closes his eyes as his head throbs. The feeling of Youngjae’s touch still lingers on him and the sound of his voice that he manages to catch before sleep takes over, plays on repeat on his mind.
It takes him a lot of will and effort to stand up and prepares for the day. He skips breakfast and goes straight to tying up the laces of his boots. He takes a last glance to the room before unlocking the door and stepping out.
He misses a lot of things.
His music sheet.
His umbrella.
And a note in the counter.
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It is raining.
Daehyun sighs as he looks at the glass door of the school’s building, water droplets hitting the surface and making it foggy. He zips close his jacket and pulls up the hood to his head before walking through the automatic doors. He is about to turn to the station’s direction, legs ready to run when he catches a glimpse of a familiar color.
Yellow.
It turns and reveals a person clad in a simple long sleeves tee and dark denims. His face breaks into a smile, the kind that brings him back to six years ago. The one that caught him and brought him to where he is now.
“what are you doing here?”
Youngjae walks towards him stopping when he had Daehyun under his umbrella. “how many times should I remind you to always bring an umbrella? You’ll never know if it’s going to rain or not”
“why, are you mad?”
Youngjae snorts. “yes, I am. I hate it when you don’t listen to me..should I always tell you about these things..you’re too old to be reminded, you know”
Daehyun stares. He bites his lip as keeps his gaze on the boy in front of him. Then he smiles.
“what?..I’m serious Jung Daehyun..you didn’t even read the note..why did I even leave one-”
And it takes just one low chuckle for Youngjae to break his façade. He grins and laughs and before they know it, they are in each other embrace. Daehyun’s sounds of laughter are muffled against the soft fabric of Youngjae’s shirt as Youngjae buries his nose on the boy’s locks.
“I love you”
Daehyun stops laughing but his smile remains.
“a lot..”
They pull away from each other. Youngjae cups Daehyun’s face with his free hand, thumb gently caressing the soft skin of his cheeks.
“and forever”
Daehyun’s eyes crinkles as his smile gets wider. He places his both hands against Youngjae’s sides of face before pulling him close to him. Connecting their foreheads, he can feel hot air hitting his face and smells green apples on the boy’s skin.
“I know…and I love you, too..forever"
And they kiss.
It doesn’t feel the same as the first time. But as their lips touch, and that familiar feeling that only them can tell, they know nothing has changed. Well, at least not that much.
“so can I take you to somewhere warm? a coffee and some sweets, maybe?”
“but how about your work? It’s still early..”
“I quit..”
“what? why? But..”
Youngjae silences him with a peck.
“don’t worry about it..and no it’s not because of you so don’t feel guilty or anything..i hate that place..i’ve been thinking about it for long..it’s just now that I had the courage to do so”
“what will happen now? You work hard for it and-“
And another quick kiss.
“can we not think about it now..let’s just..i don’t know, maybe kiss again”
Daehyun’s laugh rings putting a big smile on Youngjae’s lips. Youngjae pulls down the umbrella, just enough to cover them both from the world, before he leans closer until their lips meet.
And, yes, there are sparks flying and fireworks booming.
Much brighter and a lot more colorful.
Daehyun feels it.
Youngjae feels it.
Under the bright yellow umbrella, they fall in love, again.
And the promise of their forever still stands.
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(Daehyun met Youngjae on a rainy day. He was standing by the cafe’s little roof shed in the entrance as he watched the downpour from the skies and contemplated if his last subject even worth him getting wet, when a boy clad in a grey hoodie with a bright yellow umbrella over his head stopped right in front of him. The boy smiled. He stepped in under his umbrella. And forever has begun.)
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Penny's note: HOw was it? Tell me...
I'm not really sure what i just written. Just something to release my Daejae feels. I wrote it while being stuc in cafe, heavy raining and no umbrella. An hour and a half, a first.
I just wish i made sense..and i didn't confuse any of you...unBetad so yeah...
I'm thinking of sequel/something out of this fic but yeah depends on you and my mood/inspiration /schedule.
BYE!!!