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Minho was tasked with carrying the bags up the ridiculously long walkway to the log cabin. He sighed as he slung three around his arms, rolled two with his hands, and bit down on a handle with his teeth so he wouldn’t have to make more than two trips.
The stone path was uneven beneath his feet, and he stumbled a few times as Jisoo walked in front of him, heels clicking against the rocks.
Of course she decided to wear six-inch heels in the middle of the damn woods.
“Babe, hurry up. My parents are waiting for us.”
Minho tried not to sigh—well, he really couldn’t anyway, not with the bag handle in his mouth.
They were staying for three weeks at a cabin in a remote town Minho had never even heard of, and somehow, she’d packed ten bags filled with God knows what. He wasn’t quite sure why she needed that many shoes, but asking would earn him an attitude he didn’t feel like dealing with.
So, he carried the bags and said, “Yes, dear. I’m coming.”
As he struggled to haul the luggage up the steps, he could see his future mother and father-in-law embracing his soon-to-be wife on the extravagant porch.
He couldn’t lie that the huge wooden chairs and the tall log fireplace were rather impressive.
“We’re so glad you made it, sweetie,” Jiyoo said, kissing her daughter on the cheek.
Her father gave Minho a tight smile, extending his hand for him to shake—even though both of Minho’s hands were completely full. He would’ve rolled his eyes if it wouldn’t have cost him his entire marriage. Instead, he let go of the three bags around his arm, and they dropped heavily to the floor, tumbling over each other.
“Hello, Minho. You’re looking well.”
“Hello, sir. You too, as always.”
It was always like this. And Minho knew the man didn’t exactly approve of him. But then again, no one would ever be good enough for his precious daughter.
“You can take those bags upstairs. Your room is to the left, and Jisoo’s is on the right.”
Minho almost laughed. He wasn’t surprised they were expected to sleep in separate rooms. Since they weren’t married yet, there was no way her father would allow anything else.
But honestly, he didn’t mind at all.
“Sounds great. Thank you.”
It was ridiculous to think that he would get any help—or even an offer.
“Minho, after you put everything away, will you bring me a sweater?” Jisoo asked.
“Of course.”
That made her mother smile, and kept a frown off her father’s face.
He carried the bags over to the stairs as his future family walked around the porch, checking out the grounds.
When he stepped into Jisoo’s room, the sudden urge to throw all of the bags to the floor was overwhelming. But instead, he neatly and calmly placed them on the bench.
He had to open three bags before he could even find a sweater, and he really hoped the black one he picked out was suitable enough for her.
Black went with everything, right?
He dropped off his bags in his room, which was considerably smaller. There was no fancy attached bathroom or a giant balcony overlooking nature—but it was fine.
After tossing his bags to the floor, he fell backwards onto the stiff bed. He took a deep breath and stared up at the ceiling, realizing that this was going to be the longest trip of his life.
The whole thing had been Jiyoo’s idea—a pre-wedding family bonding trip to welcome Minho into their family. His own father thought it was a brilliant idea, and even gave him ample time off, even though Minho would’ve much rather been at work.
Hajoon, her father, wasn’t particularly thrilled with the arranged marriage. But it was the only way he could secure a stake in Minho’s company and the financial backing he needed to expand his luxury hospitality brand across the country.
Well—his parents’ company. The one Minho would take over after he married. Because apparently, he was only capable of becoming CEO if he proved he could be a family man—or so his father said.
But he knew this arrangement was for business—to boost profits and keep their company relevant with the current state of the market.
And so he would produce another heir to preserve the family legacy. Because if Minho hadn’t been forced to marry, then he never would.
So they chose someone for him.
He’d become CEO, and her family’s business would get the support it needed. It was a win-win in everyone’s eyes.
Except Minho’s—but that didn’t matter. That was life, and life wasn’t always fair.
He pushed off the bed, grabbed Jisoo’s sweater, and skipped down the stairs before heading out through the giant glass door in the back.
It was chilly. He noticed her rubbing her arms as her father gestured towards the lake visible beyond the woods and down the hill. He quickly wrapped the sweater around her shoulders, and a soft smile came to her lips.
“Thank you,” she said sweetly.
Minho only nodded, careful not to interrupt Hajoon as he was speaking.
“It’s beautiful. I don’t fish much, but apparently there are some great fish to catch.”
“I will not be doing that,” Jisoo said immediately.
Minho almost laughed at the way her face scrunched with disgust.
“Maybe while Jisoo and I go shopping in the town center, you two can fish,” Jiyoo suggested.
“We can give it a try,” Hajoon said, but his dismissive tone made it sound like there was no way he would be doing that.
Honestly, it didn’t really matter to Minho. He had no idea how to fish, and the thought of awkward one-on-one bonding time with Hajoon made his skin crawl.
But instead of showing his extreme disinterest, he smiled. “That sounds fun.”
Jiyoo gave him the brightest grin—at least she liked him.
“There’s a dock down at the lake,” Hajoon said. “But you have to take the stairs built into the hill, and it’s quite the hike. I’m not sure I can do it often with my bad knees. But if you’d like to check it out, Minho, then please feel free.”
Honestly, checking out the lake right now didn’t sound so bad. The sun was starting to set, coloring the horizon in dark shades of pink.
“I’d love to check it out,” he said, glancing at Jisoo, knowing he should ask if she wanted to come.
“I’m going to wash up,” she said, kissing his cheek before heading back into the cabin.
He felt a little bad that he was relieved she wasn’t tagging along. But after spending all day traveling with her and having to do everything she asked, he was drained. Jisoo liked to boss him around, but Minho would rather run around in circles than irritate her and deal with one of her moods.
She was particular, always needing things a certain way, and she’d get what she wanted by any means necessary. Minho could respect that—in a business sense. Her assertiveness made her successful. She was charming when she needed to be, and sweet when she knew how to work it in her favor.
But she could be brutal and unforgiving—and crossing her was a death wish.
When her parents also retreated into the cabin, Minho gave them a polite wave before heading towards the steps.
Hajoon wasn’t exaggerating when he’d said it was quite the hike.
The way down wasn’t bad, but the climb back up would prove to be a workout. But Minho needed his cardio for the day anyway.
He hopped down the steps, knowing he couldn’t stay long unless he wanted to make the trek back in the dark. But he wanted to catch the sunset before it disappeared.
When he reached the bottom, there was a long wooden pathway leading out towards the lake, surrounded by woods.
The bugs and critters were loud in his ears as the day turned into night. He took a deep breath, the fresh scent of nature relaxing him.
He’d never been anywhere like this before. The only scenery he was familiar with was concrete buildings. The traffic-congested roads with cars honking, and the constant disturbance of construction outside his bedroom window were much different than this.
He wasn’t sure why he’d expected it to be quiet, but it wasn’t. The life of the woods chattered around him.
As he made his way through the trees, the pathway turned into a large dock with a canoe on a lift and a bench that overlooked the water.
It was absolutely breathtaking. The water was calm, and in the distance, a few birds were floating with the slow current on the surface. The orange and pink sunset was mesmerizing as it dipped below the horizon.
Minho breathed in the air, and for once, it didn’t feel toxic in his lungs.
To his right, there was another dock—smaller, but similar to the one he stood on. He noticed a folding chair near the edge, and beside it was a plastic storage box. He glanced up the steep hill, and there was a smaller cabin that peeked through the trees—but none of the lights were on.
There weren’t many other cabins around. He could see a few across the lake, just as massive as the one they were staying in, and some off to his left. But their docks were much farther away.
It was secluded and calming, and for the first time in a while, Minho felt content, like for a moment, he could forget the world.
The twilight made it feel dreamlike. The colors in the sky were so strikingly vivid, he actually wondered if something this beautiful could even be real.
Living here must’ve been so peaceful.
And he guessed he was about to find out, since he’d be spending the next three weeks on this lake.
Minho woke up early. Even if he was on vacation—if one could even call it that—he couldn’t help but wake up at the time he usually left for work. Jisoo wasn’t a morning person, and Minho knew she wouldn’t be up for at least another three hours.
He tiptoed down to the kitchen, and he must’ve been the first one awake since no coffee had been started. He quickly brewed a pot, and with the sun beginning to rise, he made a plan to take his coffee and head down to the lake.
No one would be up for hours since it was just past six in the morning, and before he had to spend the entire day with his new family, he wanted to relax a little.
He made his way down the thirteen sets of steps—he’d counted them last night during the dreadful walk back up—and hurried down the wooden walkway.
The sky was just as beautiful as it had been the night before, but now with more of a purpleish, pink tint. The air was cool, and he breathed it in deeply, refreshing and perfectly complementing the first sips of his coffee.
He decided he could probably get back into writing his book here, hoping the stunning scenery might inspire him with some new ideas.
It had been a while since he’d written anything. He’d been extremely busy with work and the upcoming wedding. And maybe, at some point, he’d given up on his passion, knowing it didn’t really fit into his reality.
As he reached the dock, he saw a few fish jumping in the water. He quickly walked to the edge, hoping to catch a glimpse. The water was calm, so it was easy to spot the tiny bubbles where they breached the surface.
That’s when he noticed a bobber floating nearby. His eyes traveled up the fishing line, and he jumped when he saw someone standing on the adjacent dock, looking right at him.
Their eyes connected, and Minho’s breath caught in his throat. He hadn’t expected to see anyone else out here this early.
The man looked to be around his age, with the widest brown eyes he’d ever seen. A small smile popped on his lips, and Minho’s heart skipped a beat.
He was pretty—dark, wavy brown hair and honey-toned skin kissed sweetly by the sun. His white muscle shirt fit loosely on his frame, showing what looked to be a tattoo inked down his side.
It had been a while since Minho had seen someone so beautiful that they took his breath away.
The pretty boy waved at him, and Minho quickly waved back. It was a brief, simple gesture before he reeled in his line and clipped the hook to the pole.
Minho bit his lip, wondering if his loud footsteps on the wooden walkway had just ruined his peaceful quiet.
He took a seat on the bench as the pretty boy packed up what looked to be a tackle box and a small cooler.
Minho couldn’t help but watch him, his eyes noticing the way the neckline of his shirt hung lower to reveal another tattoo across his chest. His cheeks flushed when the boy looked up from closing the cooler and met his gaze. Minho quickly flicked his eyes away, not meaning to stare.
Great.
Now he was acting like a bother, and he seemed creepy.
He heard footsteps retreating down the dock, and when he glanced discreetly over his shoulder, the pretty boy was gone.
Minho sighed and turned back to look out at the water. The sun was bright in the sky, reflecting off the lake as fish sprang from the surface.
He had planned to relax, but now all he could think about was the pretty boy with tattoos and gorgeous, tanned skin. And he felt guilty for interrupting his fishing, forcing him to pack up and leave.
Oh well—there was no use dwelling on it.
Even though he kept wondering if he lived nearby. He peered up the hill at the house he noticed yesterday, but the woods blocked his view, and it was too far away to make out anything clearly.
He finished his coffee, wrote a tiny bit in his notes app, and after an hour, the sun was getting too hot. He hadn’t brought sunscreen or a hat, and he knew Jisoo would kill him if he got burned before the wedding.
So he grabbed what was left in his coffee cup and started the long climb back up the steps, knowing he should probably make breakfast for his future in-laws.
Spending time with Jisoo and her family was just as exhausting as he thought it would be.
It also seemed like she’d stepped up her needy requests since they’d arrived. Minho could practically feel the daggers in her father’s eyes penetrating his back if he took even one second too long to get her what she desired.
She was spoiled, that was for sure. If she wanted something, she got it—and Minho was pretty sure her father had enabled that behavior.
But she wasn’t ungrateful, kissing Minho’s cheek with her rosy red lipstick whenever he did what she asked. She smiled at him sweetly with gentle thanks, but Minho was sure that irritated her father even more.
They’d spent the evening in town, and Minho was just happy someone had put a glass of liquor in front of him. Things were less tense when everyone was tipsy, and thankfully, Hajoon was a happy drunk.
Minho drank a little too much, suffering the next day with a bad hangover. It was five in the morning, but he couldn’t fall back asleep. His head pounded, and he needed water desperately.
He crawled out of bed, but the sun was still hidden behind the horizon, so the sky was still quite dark. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and slipped quietly out onto the porch.
The birds were chirping way too loudly for his head, but the fresh air on his face made him feel a little better. Off in the distance, he could see the lake lit by the softest glow of the rising sun.
He sauntered down the stairs, taking it slow so he wouldn’t slip on the morning dew. When he reached the dock, he immediately looked over, wondering if the pretty boy from yesterday would be there with a fishing pole in his hand.
He wasn’t.
Minho plopped down on the bench, eyes wandering out to the morning water. Bugs danced across the surface, the fish snatching them up before they could get away.
He sighed, watching them swim and eat their morning meal, wondering what it would be like to be a fish in this lake—a simple life, gliding freely through the water without a single care in the world.
Sometimes, he wished his life could be like that.
He rested his head back, trying to clear his head, even though the pain in his skull made it difficult. At least the gentle breeze on his face felt alleviating—so much so that he drifted off to the calming sounds of the lake.
The sun started beating down on his cheeks, waking him from his short slumber. He stretched and blinked his eyes open, relieved that his headache had finally subsided.
It was just past sunrise, and the fish were jumping like crazy.
“Hey there.”
The sudden deep voice made Minho flinch, so surprised that his water bottle slipped from his hand and rolled off the dock into the lake.
“Shit,” he muttered, watching as it floated away on the surface.
“Oh man—I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” The voice called out from across the lake, drifting over from the adjacent dock.
Minho looked over and felt his breath hitch.
It was the pretty boy from yesterday, his wavy hair pulled back with a red bandana. Minho noticed his bare arms, muscles showing through his black cut-off shirt, which hung loosely on his torso. He also wore a pair of red swim trunks with cute little goldfish on them, hugging his sharp hips.
Minho noticed him biting a soft smile on his lips, like he was trying not to laugh.
“No—ah…I just…didn’t know someone was there,” he said, a little flustered.
He got down on his knees to try to reach the bottle, but the dock was too high above the water.
“Hey—don’t worry. I’ll grab it.”
Minho looked over, and once again, all the air left his lungs as the pretty boy suddenly stripped off his shirt.
His tattoos were perfectly visible now—a beautifully drawn compass on his chest, and lettering he couldn’t quite make out from this distance, trailing down his side and into his swimtrunks.
There was a ladder on the side of the dock, which he quickly climbed down into the slightly murky lake. He swam towards the bottle, and Minho couldn’t help but watch the way his muscles flexed as he moved easily through the water.
“Catch,” he said, lifting his arm to toss the bottle.
Minho held out his hands, a bit of water splashing his face as he threw it to him. He wiped the droplets off his cheeks while the pretty boy climbed back up the ladder—but this time, the one attached to Minho’s dock.
“Sorry about that,” he chuckled.
“Oh—it’s no problem,” Minho said, voice slightly strained as he tried not to stare at the water dripping from his toned body.
“Can’t be littering in the water. The fish don’t appreciate it.” He smiled, and Minho gave a soft smile back.
The pretty boy reached out a wet hand. “I’m Jisung. I live next door.”
Minho nodded, shaking his hand, his grip warm.
“Minho—my, uh…family and I are here on vacation,” he said, even if they weren’t quite his family yet. But that wasn’t something he needed to explain to a stranger.
“Cool. How long are you guys here for?” Jisung asked, wringing the water from his red swim trunks.
“Three weeks.”
“Oh, damn. Most people usually only stay about a week.”
Minho shrugged, not really sure what else to say. Honestly, anything he would say would probably turn into oversharing—and he knew if he started complaining, he wouldn’t be able to stop.
“Where are you from?” Jisung questioned.
“We live in Seoul.”
“Ah, city folk, I see,” he said with a short nod.
“Well, I hope you enjoy your stay. And if you need anything or have any questions about the area, feel free to ask,” he added with the brightest smile Minho had ever seen.
Jisung looked like he was about to hop back into the water, but before he could, Minho blurted out, “Oh—I’m sorry about yesterday. You know, for bothering you. And scaring away the fish.”
Jisung let out a light laugh, a beautiful sound that rang through Minho’s ears.
“No bother at all. I was packing up anyway. Fish bite best at daybreak,” he said.
Minho nodded again, and this time, he let him go. He watched as Jisung splashed into the water and swam back to his dock. He lifted himself out of the lake, tugged his shirt over his head, and started packing up his cooler and fishing pole.
Minho wondered just how long he’d been there. He blushed, realizing he must’ve walked down to the dock and noticed him fast asleep.
Well—that was embarrassing.
Jisung waved to him again, and Minho waved back, watching him disappear into the woods and up the steps back to his house.
Minho jumped when his phone started ringing. He quickly pulled it from his pocket, wincing when he saw the time and the caller ID.
“Hi, dear,” he said quickly.
“Where are you?” Jisoo asked, voice soft like she’d just woken up.
“Sorry, I’m down at the lake,” he replied, and she hummed over the line.
“Dad wants to get brunch, so hurry back. You’ll have to shower.”
“I’ll be right up,” he assured her.
She hung up, and Minho let out another sigh.
Another long day ahead.
Every morning, Minho woke up early and made his way down to the dock to write—and every morning, Jisung was already there, fishing at daybreak.
He’d wave at him each morning, and Minho would wave back, captivated by Jisung’s contagious smile that beamed brighter than the sun.
Jisung fished for a couple of hours, reeling in a few and carefully placing them in the cooler. Minho watched him subtly, glancing up from his screen every now and then, hoping it wasn’t too obvious that he was staring.
Jisung hummed softly into the cool morning air, and Minho wondered if he knew he could hear him. Sound traveled easily across the quiet lake, and Minho found the gentle vibrations of his songs relaxing.
Every time the line tightened, Minho sat up a little, watching him fight to bring it in. Some of the fish were pretty big, and he liked watching Jisung’s muscles tense as he reeled them out of the water.
Today was no exception, and Jisung must have heard the small impressed “wow” leave his lips, because he turned and gave him a bright, triumphant smile.
“Not bad, eh?” he said, holding it up.
Minho clapped for him, and Jisung chuckled.
He knelt on the dock, prying the fish off the hook, and Minho watched as he did so easily. After he placed the fish in the cooler, he wiped his hands on a towel and closed the lid.
Minho knew that meant Jisung was about to pack up for the day—and that he’d have to head back to the cabin to get ready to spend time with Jisoo and her parents. He tried not to sigh, as he was very much enjoying the soft glow of the morning sun, and watching Jisung fish.
“Do you fish?” Jisung asked suddenly, calling to him from across the water.
Minho looked over, noticing his cocked head waiting for an answer.
“Uh, no. I’ve never fished before,” he said.
“Wow, really?”
Minho nodded. “I’ve never really been to a place like this before. I’m usually working.”
“Not even when you were a kid?”
Minho shook his head again. His childhood hadn’t exactly been filled with fun outdoor activities like camping or fishing. Honestly, he could barely remember a moment when he wasn’t studying inside the house, at school, or in a library—even having to go to school on weekends.
His family had high expectations of him.
“Well…would you like to?”
Minho blinked at him, surprised by the offer. “I don’t really know how,” he admitted.
“That’s okay. I can teach you.”
Minho couldn’t help his small smile. “You…wouldn’t mind?”
“Not at all,” Jisung said, stretching his back as he stood. “You seem interested—you know, since you’ve been watching me fish all morning for the last few days.”
Minho blushed, realizing now that his subtle staring hadn’t been so subtle.
“S-Sorry.”
“No apologies needed. I don’t mind,” he said, his eyes drifting away this time.
He grabbed his tackle box and fishing pole, and Minho wasn’t sure why he felt a bit disappointed.
“Tomorrow morning, then?”
Minho nodded quickly. “Yeah—I’ll be here.”
Jisung smiled widely. “Great. See you in the morning.”
He left the dock, and Minho let out a soft breath, already looking forward to tomorrow.
Minho set an alarm, even though he wouldn’t need it. There was no way he’d miss the sunrise. It was almost unreasonable how excited he was, never thinking he’d be so eager to learn how to fish.
But maybe it had something to do with the pretty boy on the dock who was teaching him how.
He shook his head and jumped out of bed. He knew he couldn’t entertain those thoughts, but it was hard to deny that Jisung was incredibly attractive.
It had been a while since he’d felt like this—always pushing the feelings down whenever they happened to surface. During high school, with his best friend, and then again at college, with his roommate. He couldn’t act on them, so it felt pointless. His family would never approve. So he gave up on love a long time ago.
That’s why he decided he would never marry. But of course, his parents had other plans for him.
Jisoo was sweet enough and kind when she needed to be. He didn’t love her, and she didn’t love him. But over the past year, as they got to know each other, Minho realized they had a lot in common—both of their families pushing their futures onto them heavily.
One night, after Minho took her out on a date, they’d laughed and cried over the trauma of studying late into the night for exams, and the screaming they endured from their parents whenever they didn’t do well enough.
Their parents were hard on them, and their childhoods were almost nonexistent. In a way, they understood each other.
She’d kissed him first, a light blush on her cheeks, and Minho hated that he felt nothing. It wasn’t her fault. She was a gorgeous woman, with sweet cherry lips—but he didn’t want her, and he never would.
But he kissed her anyway, and she pulled on his jacket, tugging him to the bedroom.
Sex with her had just been going through the motions, and the guilt that ate at him after, for feeling so disconnected, made him sick to his stomach. If this was going to be their life, he wished he could give her more, but he couldn’t.
She deserved better, and Minho wondered if she knew that, or if she was still hoping that someday, something might spark between them.
But it would never happen.
He made a pot of coffee like he always did and took the steps quickly down to the lake. He smiled when he saw Jisung already at the dock, a backwards cap holding his hair back from his face. He wore a bright blue long-sleeved shirt today, and Minho refused to admit to himself that he was a little disappointed he couldn’t see his tattoos.
“Morning, Minho!”
Minho smiled back, his heart swelling with excitement—and guilt again.
Maybe it was wrong to have accepted fishing lessons from him when he couldn’t stop thinking about how pretty he looked, but he couldn’t help it.
It wasn’t a crime to think someone was pretty—and he genuinely wanted to learn how to fish.
So he waved at him.
“Good morning, Jisung.”
Jisung’s smile was so bright, they didn’t even need the sun.
He had two fishing poles with him this time, and there was a canoe in the water, already packed with a cooler and Jisung’s tackle box.
“I’ll be right over,” he said, grabbing the poles and placing them in the canoe. He climbed down the ladder and sat down steadily, careful not to tip it.
He paddled over this time instead of swimming. Minho quickly set his coffee on the dock as Jisung approached his ladder, helping him grab the fishing poles, tackle box, and cooler.
“Thank you,” Jisung said. He tied up the canoe before hopping out onto the dock, placing his hands on his hips. “Hi.”
Minho noticed the faint sunburn on his cheeks. They hadn’t been this close since last week, and now that they were, he could finally take in the features on his face.
There was a bit of stubble on his chin and upper lip, and up close, his soft brown eyes looked even bigger. That heart-shaped smile had his attention, and those chunky cheeks made him want to reach out and squish them.
But he kept his hands clenched at his sides and smiled back at him instead.
“Hi.”
“Ready to fish?”
Minho nodded. “Yeah—I think so.”
“You think so?” Jisung asked, grabbing one of the fishing poles.
“I’m probably gonna be bad at it,” he shrugged.
“You’ll be fine. And I’m a pretty good teacher, if I do say so myself,” Jisung said confidently.
He handed him the pole—bright pink, with a sparkly handle. Minho inspected it with a raised eyebrow.
“Sorry,” Jisung laughed. “This is the only extra one I’ve got right now. My spare snapped last week, so we’re using my little cousin’s.”
Minho took it with an amused grin. “Great.”
Jisung bent down and opened the tackle box. “Alright, so we’re catching trout today,” he said, gathering a bobber and a hook.
Minho’s breath hitched when Jisung stepped closer, reaching for the pole in his hands.
“So, first we’ll tie the hook on—so here,” he said, handing it to him. Their skin brushed, and Minho tried to ignore the way his heart skipped a beat at the roughness of his fingertips. “Thread this through here.”
He pointed to the tiny opening that Minho had to squint to even see.
Minho nodded and slipped the line through the hole.
“Okay, now wrap it around the line, like—” he reached out, gently guiding Minho’s hands, “—yep, like that.”
Minho was starting to sweat, and he couldn’t even blame it on the sun—it hadn’t even risen yet, and the air was still cool.
“Now, put it through that little opening we made, then pull…and boom, we’re ready.”
Minho tugged it tight, and Jisung gave him two enthusiastic thumbs up.
“Look at you. Already a hook-tying expert.”
Minho chuckled, shaking his head as Jisung reached for the line and clipped on the bobber.
Jisung then bent down to grab a small white container, and Minho’s eyes went wide. He popped the top to reveal dirt and a bunch of wiggling creatures crawling inside.
He stood, and Minho flinched when he held it out to him.
“Choose your victim.”
The sight of the worms instantly made him regret his decision to fish. He’d completely forgotten this was part of the activity.
Minho was not about to stick his hand in there.
“Can’t you just do it?” he asked uneasily.
“Uh, no,” Jisung chuckled. “If you’re gonna fish, you gotta do the dirty work.”
Minho grimaced at the container again.
“Oh, come on. They’re just worms,” Jisung said, smirking as he held it up to his face even closer.
“Yeah—slimy, gross worms that will get all over my hands.”
“You’ll live. I promise.”
Minho sighed and closed his eyes, slowly and dramatically reaching out.
“Careful—they bite,” Jisung said quickly.
Minho yanked his hand back so fast that Jisung burst out laughing.
“Oh my god, I’m kidding. They’re worms, Minho.”
Maybe Minho would’ve been annoyed that he was laughing at him if his giggles weren’t so ridiculously cute.
“Not funny. These things are disgusting,” he grumbled.
“Not so loud—you’ll hurt their feelings.”
“Do worms even have feelings?”
Jisung shook his head with a smile. “Are you gonna hook the worm or not?” he asked, realizing Minho was obviously stalling.
He finally reached into the container, making a gagging sound as his fingers touched one of the slimy, wriggling creatures. He pulled it out and avoided looking at how it squirmed in his grasp.
“Good job,” Jisung said, and if Minho didn’t know any better, it almost sounded like he was praising a child. “Now pierce it with the hook through the thickest part, and then through the body a few more times so it won’t fall off.”
Minho followed his instructions, frowning a little when the worm squirmed harder as he threaded it through the hook. He actually felt kind of bad for the poor thing, since it was about to be sacrificed as bait.
He cringed when he saw the leftover mucus and dirt smeared on his hands.
“You’ve never gotten down and dirty before, have you, city boy?” Jisung teased, pulling a tissue from his tackle box and quickly wiping down Minho’s fingers. He would’ve done it himself, but he had the pink fishing pole in his other hand.
“This isn’t something I normally do,” he said, heart fluttering in his chest as Jisung gripped his wrist. His hands were warm.
“Yeah, I can tell by the way you’re acting like the grime might kill you,” he teased.
“It might,” he shrugged.
“Don’t be dramatic.”
Minho let out a soft laugh.
Jisung threw the tissue back into the box and clapped his hands together.
“Ready to fish?”
Minho nodded, turning to face the lake. The sun had just begun peeking over the horizon, casting a warm glow across the water and painting the morning sky a deep orange. It was beautiful.
He jumped slightly when he felt Jisung’s hands on his shoulders, nudging him closer to the edge of the dock.
“Okay, thumb on the button here,” Jisung said, guiding him again. “Bring the rod back a little...and then flick it—kind of like this.” He demonstrated, pulling his arms back before snapping them forward. “And then you let go of the button.”
Minho took a quick breath, pulled back, and cast the line out as far as he could, mimicking Jisung’s quick tutorial.
“Hey, that was perfect,” Jisung said, and Minho gave a slight smile, since he sounded thoroughly impressed.
Minho watched as the bobber floated on the surface, drifting slowly with the gentle current.
“And now we wait patiently,” Jisung said, letting out a big yawn.
When Minho looked over, he noticed he had moved to sit on the bench.
“So, Minho,” he said, lying down and putting his feet up, “you work in the city, right?”
Minho nodded. “Yeah.”
“What do you do?”
“I’m a managing director in real estate development,” he said, wincing at how dull and boring he sounded.
“You’re what?” Jisung blinked, and Minho chuckled.
“My family runs a real estate business. So basically, I’m in charge of projects, planning, construction, zoning—stuff like that,” he explained.
He could’ve also gone on about the burnout, the pressure of taking over the family business, and the arranged marriage he never asked for—but he decided to leave that part out.
“Cool,” he said, definitely trying to sound interested.
“It’s not that cool.”
“Hey, it has to beat what I do,” he said with a laugh. “I work nights down at my uncle’s restaurant in town six days a week.”
Minho wasn’t sure what to say. He’d never had a job like that, so he couldn’t compare.
“Maybe,” he ended up saying.
“Maybe?” Jisung blinked in disbelief. “Hospitality sucks. Haven’t you ever worked in food service? Or retail? Like, you know, when you were a kid or something?”
Minho quickly shook his head. “No. I studied and went to school, and I didn’t have a job in college—well, I worked with my dad, shadowing him, but I wasn’t really paid for it.”
“Wow. So you’ve never had a shitty part-time job or ever held a worm, huh?”
Minho chuckled. “No—but I did hold a starfish at the aquarium once.”
“I don’t think that counts.”
“Why not? It was slimy.”
“Did you scream?” Jisung asked with a raised eyebrow.
“I did cry, yeah.”
Jisung burst out laughing, and Minho couldn’t help but laugh along with him.
After Jisung’s chuckling fit, he leaned onto his side and looked at Minho with lidded eyes. He did look a little tired, and Minho wondered how late he worked in the evenings.
“I never went to college,” he said, the smile fading from his face.
Now definitely wasn’t the time to mention how sometimes he wished he hadn’t either—that sometimes he wished the trajectory of his life could change. But wishing something like that felt pointless.
“That’s okay,” Minho said, turning his head to tug on the line.
“I would have—but I didn’t really have the money. Or the ambition, I guess. And I wasn’t really that smart in school.”
Minho hummed softly, thinking maybe if Jisung was sharing, so could he—just a little.
“I guess it was the opposite for me. My parents forced me to go to college. I didn’t particularly enjoy it, and it was a lot of hard work,” he said, remembering the late, stressful nights, trying to figure out what it was even all for.
“But you’re making good money now, right?” Jisung asked. “So it was worth it in that sense.”
“I guess, yeah,” he shrugged. But money couldn’t fill the emptiness in his chest or give him a meaningful purpose.
“See, I’m totally broke, and maybe if I had someone to push me, then I could live somewhere as cool as the city,” he said.
When Minho looked over at him again, he was staring up at the golden sky.
“The city isn’t that great,” Minho mumbled. “And everything here is…a lot more beautiful anyway.”
Their eyes met as Jisung turned his head, giving him a soft smile.
“How old are you?” Jisung asked suddenly, changing the subject.
“Twenty-eight. You?”
“Twenty-six.”
Minho nodded.
“They say you’re never too old to change your path and do what you want, but doesn’t that feel impossible—especially at this age?” Jisung asked, letting out a soft sigh.
Minho felt his heart clench.
“Yeah, I know what you mean.”
He knew what he meant—a little too well.
Minho gasped then as something yanked hard on his fishing pole. He wasn’t expecting it at all, and the sudden harsh tug ripped it right out of his hands. He stumbled, trying to grab it back, but it was too late—the rod splashed into the lake, and before he knew it, Minho was tumbling in after it.
He completely submerged, water rushing up his nose and stinging his eyes. He splashed and kicked towards the surface, searching desperately for air.
“Oh, shit—” Jisung said, footsteps loud on the dock as he ran to the edge, “—are you good?” There was a slight chuckle in his voice.
Minho panicked, his legs and body starting to feel heavy as he struggled to keep himself above water.
“Ji—Jisung—help, please help—” he begged, slipping under the surface again, coughing and spluttering as water filled his mouth.
“Oh—oh, fuck,” Jisung swore. He didn’t even bother tearing off his shirt before diving in from the other side of the dock.
Minho gasped for air, his chest tightening and burning as he inhaled water.
Jisung swam to him quickly. He slid an arm behind his back and carefully lifted his head above the surface, helping him get the air he desperately needed.
“Got ya,” he said calmly. Minho felt bad because he was definitely clawing at his arms.
Jisung kicked gently towards the ladder, doing his best not to splash, and keeping Minho’s head above water.
When they reached the dock, Minho grasped onto the metal ladder instead of scratching Jisung’s arms, taking deep breaths and trying to calm himself down.
“What the hell? You can’t swim?” Jisung asked, just as breathless as he was.
Minho coughed again. “N–No. I–I can’t,” he admitted. “I–I never learned how.”
He was surprised when Jisung let out a soft laugh. “Dude—if you’re gonna be on this lake every day, you’re gonna have to learn how to swim.”
Minho flushed, coughing out the remaining water from his throat.
Jisung pulled himself up onto the dock without using the ladder, since Minho was blocking it, still clutching the metal for dear life.
He looked up to see Jisung’s hair stuck to his face, and his shirt so wet it outlined the muscles on his body.
“Come on,” he said softly, reaching out to him.
Minho took his hand, and he knew Jisung could feel him shaking. It wasn’t because the water was cold—it was actually incredibly warm—but he’d been momentarily terrified that he was about to die.
“Hey, you good?” Jisung asked, not letting go of his hand. Minho couldn’t help but notice the worry in his eyes.
“Y–Yeah. Sorry,” he said, voice trembling like his body.
“What? Don’t be sorry,” Jisung chuckled.
“But I lost your fishing pole, and now you’re all wet,” he mumbled.
“I’ll look for it later. The lake isn’t that deep. And it’s just water—it’ll dry,” he assured him before letting go of his hand.
Minho wasn’t sure why he felt disappointed.
He nodded, and when he looked up, he noticed Jisung’s warm smile—along with a leaf stuck to his forehead. He gently reached out and brushed it away, watching Jisung’s big, brown eyes cross as he tried to see what was on his face.
“You…had a leaf,” Minho said, blushing again as he let it fall back into the water.
“Oh, thank you,” he said.
He was incredibly cute, his heart-shaped smile stealing his breath all over again.
“Thanks for…you know, not letting me drown,” Minho added, looking away awkwardly, because it was hard to turn his thoughts off.
“Sorry for just laughing at first. But you really should’ve seen your face. You were all like—” He opened his mouth wide, pretending to fall in slow motion. He laughed again, and Minho lightly pushed his shoulder.
“I saw my life flash before my eyes.”
Jisung chuckled again. “Well, I wouldn’t have let you die,” he assured him, the sun twinkling in his crinkled eyes.
It was quiet for a moment, and Minho realized then that the sun had fully risen. Daybreak was over, and he no longer had a fishing pole.
“So, tomorrow I’ll bring a life vest, and we can teach you the swimming basics,” Jisung said.
Minho had to look away again as he shucked his shirt off, wringing out the excess water. But he couldn’t stop his gaze from flicking to his gorgeous, honey skin, noticing the ink on the right side of his chest. He wanted to smack himself when his immediate thought was that he wanted to run his fingers along it, wondering if his skin was just as warm as his hands, and—
“We can also try fishing again, but this time I’ll make sure you don’t fall in,” he said, breaking him from his thoughts.
Minho nodded multiple times, rattling his brain around to clear his mind.
“Yeah—sounds good.”
Jisung knelt down and started packing up his tackle box. Minho kind of hated the sound of the latches clicking into place, knowing it meant he was done for the day.
But the sun was up.
“Okay, well, I gotta run—but I’ll see you in the morning, yeah?”
Minho nodded like always. “I’ll be here.”
Jisung’s pretty smile made his breath hitch, and as he disappeared down the wooden dock, Minho knew he had to push down those feelings in his heart.
Minho made it to the dock even earlier the next day. He’d gone into town yesterday with Jisoo and her parents, walked around, and explored what the locals had to offer. But it was incredibly hot, and Jisoo ended up going to bed early, claiming the heat took a lot out of her. Minho had made the same excuse, heading to bed early to get a good night’s rest before his adventurous morning.
Jisung was teaching him how to swim, and honestly, he was a little nervous. But he bravely put on his swimsuit and headed to the lake.
He got there before Jisung, but it was barely past five in the morning, so he wasn’t surprised. He sipped his coffee and decided to write a little as he waited.
The soft glow of the morning and the calm water filled his mind with ideas, the words flowing as he tapped his phone screen. Of course, he wished he had his laptop, but he’d make do with what he had.
It was getting later and later, and Minho looked up every now and then to see if Jisung was on the adjacent dock. He tried not to feel disappointed as it got brighter and brighter, and Jisung still hadn’t shown up.
Maybe he’d had a long night at work and overslept. Or maybe he’d forgotten about him. Maybe he was mad after all about losing his little cousin’s pink fishing pole. He also wondered if he’d managed to get it out of the lake. Or maybe he’d finally realized Minho was boring and didn’t want to hang out with him anymore.
He sighed, trying to focus on his writing instead of totally overanalyzing it.
“Hey, there!”
Minho quickly looked up, the excitement in his heart almost ridiculous as he heard Jisung’s voice travel across the lake.
He stood from the bench and waved, knowing he had a big, stupid grin on his face.
Jisung had two fishing poles, his tackle box, his cooler, and a life jacket slung over his shoulders. He hopped down into the canoe and quickly loaded everything inside. Minho wished he could help, but he was stuck watching from the dock.
He paddled over, and Minho jumped to the ladder, reaching out his hand to help pull him in.
“Careful now. Don’t fall in without a life jacket this time,” he said as he handed him the tackle box.
Minho rolled his eyes, and Jisung must’ve noticed, because he let out a soft chuckle—a sound Minho realized he kind of loved hearing.
He tied up the canoe and stepped onto the dock.
“Here,” he said, holding out a pole. It was pink, but it was a bit longer, without the sparkly handle. “I bought this yesterday. It’s your own fishing pole. I thought the pink suited you.”
Minho blinked at him in surprise, biting his lip with a smile. “Thanks… you didn’t have to.”
“Sure, I did. Can’t learn to fish without a proper pole,” he said, grabbing the green one for himself.
“Yeah, but…at least let me pay you for—”
“No need. Really, don’t worry about it,” Jisung said, waving him off.
Minho pouted, but Jisung obviously wasn’t going to budge.
“Okay,” Jisung said, grabbing his tackle box and sitting on the bench. “Fishing lessons first, and then we’ll teach you how to tread water.”
Minho followed him with his new pink pole, and Jisung reached out to attach the bobber for him again. He handed him the hook, going through the same motions from yesterday. This time, when Jisung held out the container of worms, Minho only grimaced slightly as he grabbed one.
“I’m so proud of you,” Jisung said, nudging his leg with his knee.
Minho realized then just how close he was standing. He quickly backed away, a light blush on his cheeks.
He stepped towards the ledge, and all on his own, he cast the line out into the lake. The bobber floated to the top, and he smiled, feeling accomplished.
Jisung walked up beside him, but cast a little ways to his left. Once his bobber settled on the surface, he sat down, legs dangling off the edge of the dock.
Minho looked over, and Jisung patted the spot next to him. “Sit,” he said.
Minho wasn’t sure why his heart started racing, but it was probably because of the pretty heart-shaped smile Jisung beamed at him.
He really did have a beautiful smile…
It was quiet as Minho carefully sat beside him, kicking his feet over the water.
The sun was beginning to rise, and Jisung hummed a soft tune into the warming air.
Minho held onto his pole a little tighter this time—just in case—and kept stealing glances at Jisung, hoping he wouldn’t notice.
He was wearing a muscle shirt again and those red swim trunks with the goldfish on them. They were so cute that Minho’s heart thumped in his chest. His hair was messy, kind of like a mop on his head, but it suited him, framing his face perfectly. Minho also noticed a tiny mole on his cheek that he kind of wanted to reach out and poke.
Jisung yawned, and Minho quickly looked away again, reeling in his line a little.
“Do you usually work late?” he asked, needing to distract himself so he’d stop staring.
“Yeah, sometimes,” Jisung said, yawning again. “My shift ends at eleven, but I didn’t get home until after midnight.”
Minho nodded. “Busy?”
“Super busy. But it was fine—my uncle owns the place, so when I stay late, he lets me take home leftovers at the end of the night,” he said with an excited smile as he talked about food.
“If you…needed to sleep in, that would’ve been fine,” Minho said, tightening his grip on the pole, feeling guilty at the thought that Jisung might’ve forced himself to come this morning.
“Nah, I love the mornings,” he said quickly, and when Minho looked over, his head was tilted with a smile. “Besides, if you’re out here by yourself, you might drown.”
Minho shook his head with a laugh. “I’m not gonna drown.”
“Not if I teach you how to swim,” he said, leaning in and bumping his shoulder. Minho felt his skin tingle. “And the number one rule of the dock is, if you’re gonna be out here, you gotta know how to swim, in case you fall in—again.”
Before Minho could say anything, or even roll his eyes, his line went tight. He had a firmer grip this time, so it wasn’t yanked from his hands or went flying into the water.
“Hey—you’ve got a bite!” Jisung exclaimed, reaching over and grabbing both of Minho’s hands. “Pull up to set the hook!”
Minho nodded, but was a little flustered by how warm Jisung’s hands felt wrapped around his.
“There, keep tension on it—but if the fish is fighting too much, don’t pull too hard or the line will snap. It’ll tire itself out eventually, and then you can slowly pull him in.”
Jisung let go, quickly reeling in his empty line and hopping to his feet.
Minho stood too, trying not to stumble as he wrestled with the line. The fish was putting up a decent fight, but he followed Jisung’s instructions on how to pump and reel. He actually let out an excited gasp when he saw the fish breach the surface.
“Nice job!” Jisung clapped, grabbing the line for him and helping him tug the fish the rest of the way in.
“I—I did it,” Minho breathed out, shocked by the adrenaline in his veins.
“Your first catch,” Jisung said, looking genuinely impressed. “It’s a rainbow trout—and he’s pretty big.”
Minho was smiling widely like an excited child, and when Jisung met his gaze, he let out a soft chuckle.
“Alright, let’s take him off and put him back in.”
Minho blinked at him as Jisung gestured to the fish wiggling in the air—he’d completely forgotten he’d have to take it off the hook.
“I—I don’t know how.”
Jisung smiled, and Minho’s heart raced again when he took his hand. “Here, grip in front of the tail and support his belly—yep, like that,” he said, guiding him.
Minho swallowed nervously. The fish was extremely slimy, which freaked him out, but he was way more focused on Jisung’s hands on his again.
The fish struggled a little, its tailfin slapping him, and Minho let out a startled yelp.
“Don’t worry, I’ll help you hold it,” Jisung assured him. “Now take the hook and ease it out—the same way it went in.”
Minho grabbed the hook and carefully pulled it free.
“Got him?” Jisung asked.
Minho nodded, and Jisung slowly let go of the fish, taking Minho’s pole from his hands when he had a firm grip.
“Okay—stay right there. Hold him up!”
He quickly set the pole down and grabbed Minho’s phone from where he had placed it on the bench.
Minho blinked at him curiously as he jogged back over and held up the phone in the air.
“Say ‘trout!’” Jisung told him.
Minho laughed, giving him the widest, silliest grin as he snapped a picture.
“And one more with your amazing teacher,” he added, flipping the camera so they could take a selfie together.
He threw up a thumbs-up, and Minho pretended to kiss the fish.
Jisung’s bright laughter filled the air, and Minho realized he’d completely forgotten about the slime on his hands.
“Alright, now let’s get this big guy back in the water.”
Jisung led him to the ladder, and Minho gently placed the fish back in, carefully releasing it until it swam away.
The sun was bright in the sky now, and he watched the fish glide beneath the water until it vanished into the glimmering surface, warmed by the hot summer rays.
“Look at that—Mr. Expert Fisherman,” Jisung said, his hands on his hips.
“That was…fun,” Minho said with a small smile.
It wasn’t often he said those words.
“Well, I’d like to say let’s keep fishing, but you have swimming lessons now—so come on.”
Jisung turned and grabbed the life jacket, tossing it at him. “Put that on and follow me.”
Minho averted his eyes immediately as Jisung stripped off his shirt like he had yesterday.
He busied himself by taking off his own shirt and fastening the life jacket across his chest. He flinched when Jisung jumped into the lake and splashed him from the dock.
Jisung flicked his wet hair back, floating in the water like one of their bobbers. He beckoned Minho over to the ladder, and Minho slowly shuffled his feet across the wooden boards.
“Don’t be scared,” Jisung said.
Minho rolled his eyes. “I’m not scared,” he lied, tightening the straps on the life jacket.
He was a little scared—but he had a floatation device this time, so he’d be fine.
The real reason he felt nervous, though, was the sight of Jisung’s pretty, tan skin glistening with beads of water.
Minho stepped off the ladder and immediately sank, the life jacket doing all the work to keep him afloat.
His eyes must’ve blown wide with panic, because Jisung swam closer and grabbed his arm. Honestly, his soft touch wasn’t really helping at the moment.
“Okay, so kick your legs gently, back and forth, and move your hands in circles with your palms flat,” Jisung said, demonstrating for him.
His movements were a little hard to see beneath the surface, but Minho nodded anyway.
It seemed easy enough.
Jisung had him practice for a while with the life vest on, until he seemed to get the hang of it.
“Alright—so I’ll hold onto the jacket, and I want you to keep your head above water for at least thirty seconds. But if you need it, just tell me, okay?”
Minho nodded, a little anxious as he unclipped the jacket. He couldn’t believe that as soon as he slipped it off his shoulders, he immediately started sinking.
He kicked and moved his arms like he’d been taught, but it was way harder on his own. He didn’t want to give up just yet, trying his best to keep his face above water, but Jisung must have noticed him struggling.
“Here, grab on,” he said, placing the life vest in front of him.
Minho slapped his hands onto it, accidentally splashing Jisung right in the face.
“Sh—Shit, Jisung. I’m sorry,” he gasped, gripping the vest tightly as Jisung wiped the water from his eyes.
Jisung chuckled. “You’re fine.”
That’s when Minho realized Jisung was incredibly close again. They were both holding onto the life jacket, and Minho accidentally kicked his legs a few times under the water. He had a really good look at his eyes now—tender brown with slight worry inside them. His stubble was a little darker today, and Minho found that really hot.
Shit.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
He couldn’t be having those thoughts.
He quickly looked away, his cheeks burning—and not from the bright morning sun.
“Hey, it’s really fine,” he assured him, giving him a soft smile.
But Minho wasn’t embarrassed because he sucked at swimming—he was embarrassed because of the stupid thoughts running through his head that he couldn’t seem to keep down.
“Let’s practice a bit more,” Jisung said. “You don’t have to become an expert, but it’ll make me feel better if you can at least tread water long enough to get to the dock—just in case I’m not here and you fall in again.”
His gentle, caring voice made Minho’s heart flutter.
He was sweet, and incredibly cute—especially with the way his eyebrows furrowed in concern.
Fuck. Minho was losing his mind.
“Okay. I—I wanna try again,” Minho said, making a pretty smile spread across Jisung’s lips.
He tried again and again, and each time, he managed to tread a little longer. Jisung gave him the life jacket whenever he needed it, and Minho had to find a way to catch his breath when Jisung got too close.
Eventually, he ran out of energy.
“I’m—exhausted,” Minho panted, arms and legs burning as he rested his head on the life vest.
“Okay, we can be done for the day.”
Jisung quickly pulled the life jacket—with Minho still attached—back towards the ladder. Minho carefully climbed out, and Jisung followed right behind him.
He laid flat on the wooden dock, the sun already drying his hair and swimsuit. It was incredibly hot, and he realized they’d been out there all morning.
Jisung plopped down next to him and shook his hair out like a dog, getting Minho all wet.
“Thanks for that,” he grumbled.
“You’re very welcome.”
Jisung grinned widely, and Minho lost his breath—just like he did every single time.
Minho sighed, realizing he needed to get back soon or Jisoo was going to wonder where he’d gone. And he really didn’t want her to come looking for him.
Jisung must’ve needed to get going too, since he reached over and started packing up his tackle box.
“Work?” Minho asked, leaning on his side.
Jisung nodded. “Yeah. I have to shower, eat, and get ready.”
“Do you…wanna fish again tomorrow?” Minho asked.
He noticed Jisung’s fingers freeze on the tackle box.
Maybe he shouldn’t have asked that. Maybe he was busy tomorrow—or maybe he was getting tired of the stranger next door crashing in on him every single morning.
But when he turned around, that beautiful smile was on his face.
“Of course,” he said, eyes crinkling. “Maybe we can take the canoe out.”
He’d never been in a canoe before, but learning new things with Jisung was something he really enjoyed.
“Yeah, that sounds fun.”
Jisung gathered his things and pulled his shirt back on.
Minho really wished the mornings didn’t have to end. But he helped him pack up the canoe, and his heart ached a little when Jisung stepped into it.
“Oh—” Jisung grabbed the edge of the dock before the canoe could drift away, “—and bring your swimsuit so we can swim a little more.”
“I thought I passed your anti-drowning course,” Minho said, pouting softly.
Jisung chuckled. “You did. I just want someone to swim with. I had fun today too.”
Minho blushed, his cheeks and ears turning pink—but he couldn’t help it, not after Jisung said something so damn cute.
“Yeah, alright,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound too flustered.
Jisung paddled back to his dock, and Minho really hated watching him leave—even if he did notice how cute his butt looked when he bent to gather the fishing poles.
Minho actually slapped himself in the face this time after that thought—but thankfully, Jisung was too busy to notice.
He stiffened when Jisung turned to wave at him.
“See you in the morning!” he yelled across the lake.
Minho just waved, unable to get a word out as Jisung smiled at him, breath caught in his throat again.
Canoes were wobbly. Minho wasn’t sure why he thought it would be stable, considering he was stepping onto a floating platform. But Jisung made it look so easy.
He stumbled, and Jisung had to grab his waist to help steady him.
Honestly, it was pretty embarrassing, but Minho tried not to lose it as Jisung’s hand tightened on his hip.
“You good?”
“I’m good. Yep,” he said quickly, hoping Jisung would let go so he could actually get his shit together.
Luckily, it was still pretty dark, the sun hiding behind the horizon, so Jisung couldn’t see his blush.
He sat down, grabbed his thermos filled with coffee from the dock, and put on the life jacket Jisung told him to wear before they got started.
Jisung smiled at him as he clipped it together, but Minho really needed him to look away.
“Alright, so grab the paddle in the back, and I’ll take this one,” he said, easing it into the water. “Then we alternate—one paddle on each side.”
Minho nodded, and Jisung pointed towards the center of the lake. “We’re heading to the deep part of the lake. There’s catfish there I’d like to catch.”
Minho felt a little nervous about paddling so far out into deep water, but if he had his life vest and Jisung with him, then he was willing to do it.
It didn’t take long to paddle out, and when Minho looked over his shoulder, the docks looked small in the distance.
“Alright. We’re here,” Jisung said excitedly. “Ready to fish?”
“Super ready.”
Jisung smiled widely again before turning to grab the poles.
Beautiful.
Minho closed his eyes and quickly shook his head. It was hard to suppress those thoughts that popped up every now and then.
“Nervous about the water?” Jisung asked.
Minho’s eyes snapped open, seeing his tilted head and worried face.
“Ah—a little,” he lied. But he couldn’t admit he was nervous because he kept thinking things about Jisung he really shouldn’t.
“Don’t worry. We won’t tip over,” he assured him, slapping his hand on the canoe. “She’s sturdy.”
Minho gave him a tight smile, knowing he had to get a grip.
He was just learning how to fish—something he’d always wanted to do—and the boy from the dock next door was kind enough to teach him how. And even if he thought that boy was pretty and every time he looked at him it made his heart race—he couldn’t think about that. It didn’t matter anyway. He couldn’t act on any of it, even if he wanted to.
His life was already decided, and in three short weeks, he’d be married, continuing to live through the motions.
But right now, he just wanted to let go and have fun.
He grabbed his pink fishing pole and tied the hook on. Jisung clipped the bobber for him—like always—and Minho even opened the white container and grabbed a worm without hesitation.
He could feel Jisung’s smile on him, but he didn’t say anything as he got his own fishing pole ready.
They cast out in different directions—Minho on the right, and Jisung on the left.
The glow of the sun beyond the horizon was beautiful today, and Minho felt peaceful when Jisung started humming softly.
They didn’t talk much, but Minho was comfortable with just the gentle vibrations of Jisung’s voice. He swore he almost fell asleep—until he finally felt something tug on his pole.
He yanked it up, but nothing caught, and the line went slack.
Minho clicked his tongue, and Jisung gave a soft chuckle.
“Lost him, huh?”
“He evaded me this time. But it won’t happen again,” Minho mumbled, determined as he cast his line back to the same spot.
After almost an hour, he was starting to get impatient.
“Looks like we might have to call it. They’re not biting well today,” Jisung said, disrupting the quiet.
Minho sighed, trying not to sound too disappointed.
“That’s okay. We can always try again tomorrow,” Jisung added, reeling in his line.
Minho couldn’t deny he was excited that Jisung wanted to meet again tomorrow.
Jisung laid his pole down in the canoe and leaned back, Minho’s heart hammering when his head rested on his knee.
He yawned, closing his eyes. “Man, I’m tired as hell,” he said, and Minho swore he was snuggling into him.
His warmth was making him feel crazy, and the way his wavy hair fell into his eyes made him want to reach out and brush it from his face.
“Do you want some coffee?” he asked, trying not to sound so fucking nervous.
“I actually quit coffee about a month ago,” he said. “I’ve been super into matcha lately.”
When he opened his eyes, Minho was immediately lost in those pretty brown irises.
He lost his head, gently removing the hair from Jisung’s eyes, needing to see them better.
Jisung blinked up at him a few times, and Minho quickly snapped out of it, realizing what he’d just done.
He went to apologize, completely panicking at his stupidity, but Jisung spoke first.
“Do you like matcha?”
Minho cleared his throat, really hoping his voice wouldn’t crack when he replied. “I’ve never had it.”
Thankfully, his voice stayed strong, even if his heart felt extremely weak—especially when Jisung laughed.
“Min, I feel like you haven’t done anything.”
He wasn’t sure why that made his heart flutter.
“I’ve done stuff,” he mumbled.
“But you had never fished, learned how to swim, paddled a canoe, or tried matcha,” he said, counting on his fingers.
“I was on a boat once in the Caribbean,” he said, and Jisung blinked at him for a moment.
“Okay, rich boy,” he chuckled, rolling his eyes. “I meant like regular stuff. Like riding a bike or camping.”
Minho shrugged. “I guess my childhood was kind of…different.”
His parents had always been strict, and he was never really exposed to typical childhood activities. There had been expectations for him for as long as he could remember.
Jisung sat up then, and Minho flinched back when he leaned in so close with the biggest smile.
“I’ll bring you matcha tomorrow,” he said, like it was a promise.
Minho just nodded, still nervous about his close presence. The mole on his cheek stood out even more today—he’d shaved his face, too.
“Yeah—okay,” he said, sounding flustered this time.
His heart raced when he laid back down, making himself comfortable in his lap again. Jisung reclosed his eyes, and Minho’s gaze darted around, trying not to stare at his pretty face.
It was killing him. The intrusive thoughts of touching him were going to drive him insane. He wanted to reach down, brush the hair from his eyes, and rub his thumb over his cute cheek.
He took a deep breath and looked out at the water, trying to clear his head. The calm ripples on the surface helped him relax.
He watched as a bug flew near, buzzing loudly as it entered the canoe. It landed on Jisung’s hand, and before Minho could even smile at the sight, Jisung flailed.
“Oh my—off! Get it off!” he screamed, rolling over and nearly tipping the canoe.
Minho gasped, quickly stumbling to the other side to try to even out the weight before they both went splashing into the water.
Jisung gasped for air, eyes wide and chest heaving. “What was that?”
Minho blinked at him, realizing the terror on his face was real.
“It was just a dragonfly,” he told him.
Jisung shuddered, wiggling his entire body.
Minho couldn’t help but laugh. “Afraid of bugs?”
“No. I just don’t like it when they land on me without my consent.”
Another chuckle left Minho’s lips.
“Don’t laugh at me,” Jisung grumbled. “Unlike worms, bugs actually bite.”
“Hey, don’t turn this on me just because you’re just as big of a baby—”
“Not true!” he argued, but he was laughing. “I’m not afraid. I just prefer they keep their distance.”
Minho rolled his eyes, and he would’ve teased him again if Jisung hadn’t leaned in so closely and stolen his breath.
His smile was so beautiful up close…
Jisung suddenly stood, and Minho almost passed out when he took off his shirt, honey skin glowing even in the soft light of daybreak.
“Anyway—wanna paddle back so we can swim?” he asked.
Minho struggled not to glance at his chest because he knew that once he did, he wouldn’t be able to stop staring.
He nodded quickly, busying himself with the paddle.
Jisung sat in the front of the canoe, and Minho winced when his eyes landed on the tattoo inked along his side.
Resplendent Life
God, he was so hot.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Something about Jisung’s cute face and pretty body always made his brain shut off, disconnecting from his rational thoughts—because before he could think properly, the words were already leaving his mouth. “I really like your tattoos,” he said, immediately wanting to smack himself in the face.
But it wasn’t flirting. He was just being honest. He wasn’t hitting on him or anything. He just wanted to let him know they made him look really attractive and super hot—but obviously he wasn’t going to say that part out loud.
Jisung turned slightly, and Minho’s heart raced when he swore he saw a light blush dusting his cheeks.
“Thanks,” he said, smiling widely. “Hurt like a bitch.”
“Really?”
“Oh, yeah. But it was worth it. They mean a lot to me. Kind of a reminder that life is beautiful, and even if things are tough sometimes, it’s still worth living.”
The way his eyes crinkled with that pretty heart-shaped smile, and the orange hue of the sunset on the horizon, made Minho believe he’d just witnessed the most beautiful scene in the world.
He wished he could stop time and stare at him forever, because there had never been a boy so pretty who made him feel like life was a gorgeous gift.
He didn’t usually give in to those thoughts—but Jisung made him yearn for a different life.
When they made it back to the dock, Jisung jumped out first, grabbing Minho’s hand to help him up the ladder. They tied the canoe, and as soon as it was secured, Minho felt hands grab his wrists.
He stumbled as he was yanked towards the edge, gasping as Jisung pulled him off the dock, his feet leaving the wooden boards.
Jisung laughed hard, probably because of the shocked look on Minho’s face.
“Jisun—!”
Minho didn’t get out his full name before they splashed into the lake. Jisung let go of his wrists as they fell, and Minho didn’t go under thanks to the life jacket.
He did get a bit of water up his nose, but that was his fault for trying to yell at Jisung in mid-air instead of closing his mouth before impact.
He spluttered, glancing around—but Jisung was nowhere to be found. The life jacket made it hard to see beneath the surface.
Minho screamed when something brushed his foot, and he gasped when something stuck out of the water, resembling a shark fin. He rolled his eyes when he realized it wasn’t a fish or a shark.
Jisung popped out of the water right in front of him, hands pressed together above his head. He flicked his hair out of his eyes, laughing uncontrollably.
“You’re a child,” Minho pouted, but it was hard to keep a frown when Jisung’s laugh was so contagious.
“Did I scare you?”
“No,” he lied, splashing him.
“I heard you scream from under the water, you liar.”
Minho splashed him again. “I was shocked, not scared.”
“Eh, same thing,” he said, swimming around him in a circle.
“So,” Jisung said, voice a bit strained as he kept his head above water, “how are you liking it here so far? Bored yet?”
Minho raised an eyebrow at him. “Bored? Why would I be bored?”
He was pretty sure Jisung shrugged, but it was hard to tell when he was underwater.
“I mean, this place gets really boring real fast. There’s not much to do—especially when it rains, which is in the forecast for the next few days, by the way.”
Minho slowly shook his head.
Would it be embarrassing to admit this was the most fun he’d ever had in his life?
Probably.
“I’m not bored at all,” he said simply.
Jisung just hummed, turning to float on his back.
“I kind of wish I could stay here forever,” Minho added in a soft whisper, not sure why those words came out—but it was the truth.
Jisung looked over at him, face half in the water, brown eyes blinking at him slowly.
“No, you don’t,” he said, and Minho could hear the soft sadness in his tone. “Believe me—as someone who’s been stuck on this lake their whole life.”
“But it’s so peaceful here,” he said, and before he could stop himself, he added, “and beautiful.”
Jisung looked away then, and Minho kind of hated it, not being able to peer into his pretty eyes.
“It’s also lonely.”
A quiet settled over them, with birds chirping in the distance as they floated gently on the slow current away from the dock.
“I’d do anything to get away from here for a few days,” Jisung sighed into the sky.
Minho noticed then that the sun had risen above the horizon—daybreak was over.
“I bet there’s so much to do in the city,” Jisung said, paddling his arms slowly.
Minho had to kick his feet a little to keep up as Jisung floated away.
“There is, I guess,” he shrugged. “But even if there’s a lot to do with a lot of people around, it gets just as lonely.”
Some of Minho’s loneliest days had been spent in the heart of the city, surrounded by many people celebrating his upcoming marriage. Yet he’d never felt more alone than he had on that day.
Jisung’s hands suddenly went still, and Minho stopped kicking when he realized they were so close he could reach out and touch him.
Minho was startled when Jisung suddenly submerged himself, bubbles floating to the surface as he sank deeper and deeper. He watched him, almost wanting to reach out and pull him back up.
Eventually, he popped through the surface with a soft gasp. Minho felt relieved when he saw a smile on his face as he pushed his hair out of his eyes.
“Wanna race back to the dock?”
Minho blinked at him. “I don’t think it’d be much of a race since I don’t know how to swim.”
“That’s okay. Just alternate throwing your arms over your head like this,” he said, quickly demonstrating.
Minho sighed. “I think the life vest might make that hard.”
“You’ll be fine. C’mon, race me,” he said, almost sounding like a plea.
But he didn’t need to beg. Minho would honestly do anything he wanted.
“Alright,” he agreed, and the smile that lit up Jisung’s face made making a fool of himself feel worth it.
“Okay—ready, set—hey!”
Minho took off before he had said go. Not that it really mattered—he wasn’t going to win anyway. He felt like a cat tossed into water, flailing as his hands slapped the surface. He was pretty sure the only thing moving him forward was his feet, kicking wildly.
But he laughed—and he laughed hard. A genuine feeling in his heart, making him feel so carefree. Jisung yanked his foot to try to slow him down, but Minho didn’t stop kicking.
He saw him glide by him, laughing even more when Jisung purposely splashed him on his way past.
Minho ran out of breath, and by the final strokes, he was so exhausted he could only gently kick to the ledge.
Jisung made it to the dock first, of course. He climbed up the ladder, hopping on one foot as he tried to get the water out of his ear.
Minho eventually made it and grabbed onto the ladder. Jisung bent down at the top, smiling at him as he climbed higher.
“I win,” he said, blocking his way.
“Not much of an accomplishment, I fear.”
They were close again, water dripping from Jisung’s wet hair and onto Minho’s flushed cheeks. His heart raced, and he felt disappointed when Jisung pulled back to let him up on the dock.
Everything was already packed in the canoe, and Minho knew it was time for Jisung to get going.
And it was time for him to head back, too.
“Matcha tomorrow?” Jisung asked, taking Minho’s place a moment ago near the ladder so he could grab the canoe.
Minho nodded. “Can’t wait.”
“I’ll bring an umbrella. It’s supposed to rain,” Jisung said as he stepped into the canoe.
“Is that okay?” Minho asked quickly
Jisung cocked his head to the side, wet hair getting in his eyes again.
“I meant—well, if the weather isn’t nice, we don’t have to…”
He couldn’t help the disappointment in his voice, but he didn’t want to force him out in the bad weather.
“Who said rain isn’t nice weather? That’s mean to the rain.”
Minho blinked up at him, surprised.
“Besides, fish bite better in the rain,” Jisung added, and Minho’s heart fluttered at his smile.
Jisung sat down in the canoe and threw his shirt back on over his head before grabbing the paddle.
“So, I’ll see you in the morning. With matcha and an umbrella.”
Minho nodded quickly, already feeling excited.
“See you in the morning.”
Minho was surprised to find Jisoo in the kitchen when he woke up. She never woke up early.
It was raining, just like Jisung said it would be. He watched as it fell heavily from the sky, sliding down the giant glass windows.
He tiptoed downstairs, and she looked over at him with a tired smile.
“Hey,” she murmured, hands wrapped around a mug—chamomile tea.
“Good morning,” he said, approaching her carefully.
She lifted her face, and Minho placed a soft kiss on her cheek.
“It’s early,” he mentioned, leaning against the counter across from her.
She let out a soft sigh. “I couldn’t sleep. The rain is so loud here.”
Minho hummed in response. Honestly, he found the rain incredibly relaxing.
“The weather is supposed to be terrible today. We’ll probably spend the day inside,” she told him.
“Yeah, that sounds good to me.”
“My mother wants to make dinner. But I want you to offer to help her—it’ll make my father happy.”
Minho nodded. Apparently, it was obvious to everyone that her father didn’t care much for him.
“Of course, dear. I’ll help any way I can.”
She took a sip of her tea, content with his response.
“Why are you up so early?” she asked.
Minho could never tell her the truth. Well—maybe he could tell her half the truth.
“I’m used to waking up early for work, so it’s hard to sleep in. And I kind of like heading down to the lake in the mornings. It’s peaceful—and beautiful.”
It was very, very beautiful. The sun, the lake, the pretty boy on the dock…
“Those stairs are too much for me,” she said, shaking her head. “So I’ll take your word for it.”
Minho chuckled, and she gave him a soft smile.
But he was already starting to feel antsy—he needed to get down to the lake. Daybreak had started, and he knew Jisung was probably already there, waiting for him.
“I’m gonna head down for a bit,” he told her, and she raised an eyebrow.
“It’s pouring.”
He bit his lip, tightening the hood of his rain jacket. “I know. I won’t be long. I’m just curious how high the lake is from all the rain.”
She blinked at him like she had no idea why he would want to do that, but she just shrugged.
“Don’t be too long. I don’t want you getting sick.”
He let out a soft, unnoticeable sigh of relief, thankful she didn’t ask him to stay. If she had, he would’ve had to. Jisoo never liked it when she didn’t get her way.
Minho pressed another soft kiss to her cheek before making his way to the sliding glass door and hopping down the wet steps.
He hurried, slipping a few times as he tried to get there quickly. He practically sprinted down the wooden walkway, the falling rain loud in his ears, his footsteps splashing through the small puddles.
He was breathing heavily by the time he reached the dock, and Jisung was already sitting on the bench with an umbrella over his head. He turned slowly, his lips bursting into that familiar heart-shaped smile when he saw him.
“Thought the rain scared you away,” he said, eyes crinkling.
“Never,” Minho breathed out, wiping the raindrops off his face.
Jisung chuckled as Minho jogged over to sit next to him. He could see the tackle box and fishing poles, his heart swelling at the realization that he’d been waiting for him.
He looked cute today, bundled up in a dark green rain jacket zipped all the way to his chin.
Jisung extended the handle of the umbrella, making it longer, and placed it next to his thigh.
“Here—if we put it between our legs, it’ll stay up.”
Minho almost passed out, his eyes flicking from that big, wide smile to the space where Jisung was waiting for him to press their thighs together.
He swallowed nervously. It wasn’t that big of a deal. But it felt like his heart might stop.
Jisung’s thigh was incredibly warm.
He reached under the bench and grabbed a mug, immediately thrusting it into Minho’s hands.
“Matcha latte—made by yours truly,” he said, bowing his head a little.
Jisung watched him intently, blinking at him with those soft, round brown eyes.
Minho tilted his head back and took a sip.
Honestly, it wasn’t his favorite taste in the world. But selfishly, he didn’t want that smile to go away.
“It’s delicious.”
His heart fluttered when Jisung’s grin widened. “Isn’t it so good?”
Jisung could feed him anything, and as long as that smile stayed on his face, he would act like it was the best thing in the entire world.
He took another sip—and another, and another—just to see Jisung’s heart-shaped grin get bigger and bigger each time.
“Ready to fish?”
“Always ready.”
Jisung seemed incredibly happy today, judging by the even wider smile on his face now.
The rain made it a little difficult to cast, especially while sitting down. But it was comfortable on the bench, their legs pressed together as the umbrella shielded them from the drizzle.
Jisung started humming softly, like he always did. Somehow, it felt even more peaceful in the rain.
“You have a nice voice,” Minho said suddenly. His words always seemed to escape before he could think properly.
“Th—Thanks,” Jisung replied quietly.
Minho looked over at him, and Jisung had averted his gaze, but he could see the blush on his cheeks.
“If it’s bugging you, seriously, you can tell me to shut up,” he laughed awkwardly.
Minho’s eyes went wide. “What? No—it’s not. Not at all.”
Jisung’s blush deepened, and Minho couldn’t help but lean in a little closer.
“I’ve always been told my singing is annoying,” he said, that smile disappearing.
Minho completely panicked. “I don’t find it annoying. Not in the slightest. Your voice is really beautiful.”
Jisung’s eyes widened a little, and Minho could feel the blush on his own face.
Maybe that was too much—but he couldn’t stand seeing that frown on his lips.
“You’re kind,” Jisung murmured, eyes drifting out to the water.
Relief flooded through him as a small smile reappeared.
“My brother used to tell me to shut up when we were kids—whenever I started singing or humming like that,” he said, and Minho’s heart clenched. “But I do it subconsciously. I just…love singing.”
If Minho caught a fish right now, his pole would probably go flying into the lake. He was completely distracted by the pained look on Jisung’s face.
“Well, I like your singing,” he said quickly. “So you can sing whenever you want with me.”
Jisung’s smile was slowly returning to his face. “Thanks, Minho,” he whispered.
It went quiet again for a while. Minho felt his line tense a few times, but he stayed still, not wanting to move his leg from Jisung’s warmth.
The rain started falling harder, and maybe he imagined it, but he thought Jisung moved a little closer. He wondered if Jisung could feel his eyes on him, but he couldn’t stop stealing glances, watching him play with his bottom lip between his teeth.
Minho smiled when he started humming again.
As he got lost in Jisung’s voice, something suddenly splashed out of the water, startling them both.
“Uh oh!” Jisung called out, and before Minho could process what was happening, Jisung shoved his fishing pole in his hand and jumped up from the bench. The umbrella fell over, and rain poured onto Minho’s head.
“Fish out of water!” he shouted, running over to where a pretty large fish was flopping helplessly against the boards.
Minho stood up too, quickly placing both fishing poles down on the dock.
Jisung was trying to grab the fish, but it kept slipping through his hands. When he looked up, his eyes went wide. “Wait—you can’t leave the poles!”
Minho looked behind him, and Jisung’s pole was slowly sliding across the wooden dock.
“Oh— shit,” he swore, feeling like a complete idiot.
At the last second, he threw himself forward. He slipped and landed hard on his stomach, slapping his hand down on the pole just before it could fall into the water.
In the background, he could hear Jisung’s laughter—bright and loud through the patter of the rain. Minho twisted around to see him lying on his back, the fish wiggling in his hands.
“You—oh my god—your face—you should’ve seen it,” he wheezed, laughing uncontrollably.
He leaned over the edge of the dock, carefully slipping the fish back into the water before rolling onto his back in another fit of laughter.
Minho sighed and grabbed the pole. Of course, the fish had fled the hook.
Well—that was totally embarrassing. But Minho ended up chuckling too.
Jisung crawled over to him and took his pole, reeling in the empty line. “Are you okay?” he asked, his soaked hair sticking to his face.
“Yeah—just wet,” Minho mumbled, making Jisung laugh again.
“Sorry, I had to save the fish,” he giggled, the cutest sound Minho had ever heard.
Minho sighed and laid back on the dock, rain splattering against his face—so much for the umbrella.
Jisung laid down with him, still chuckling a little.
“What’s so funny?” Minho asked, turning to see his smiling face.
“You,” he said simply.
“I made a fool out of myself, huh?”
Jisung shook his head. “No. It was just funny when you faceplanted.”
Minho laughed and rolled his eyes. “I’m glad my pain is funny to you.”
“I’m sorry,” he giggled again. “But you did leave the poles unattended.”
Minho sighed. “Yeah, that was dumb on my part.”
“It’s okay. It was worth the laugh,” he said, and Minho couldn’t help but get lost in his pretty, crinkled eyes.
The rain soaked them, clothes drenched and hair dripping. It went quiet again, and Minho panicked as they stared at each other, the rain splashing around them.
If things were different, he would’ve thought this moment was painfully romantic. He’d reach out, brush the hair from those beautiful eyes, cup his soft cheek—the one with the cute little mole—lean in closer, and—
“Can I tell you something?” Jisung asked, interrupting his thoughts.
He was surprised by the sudden question, but grateful it stopped his mind from getting too wild.
“Yeah, of course.”
Jisung blushed a little, sitting up and messing around with his fingers. “Okay—well, it might be more of a request.”
Minho blinked at him, heart starting to race as he waited for him to continue.
“You know how I told you I love to sing?” he asked, and Minho nodded. “Well, I play guitar too. And I write songs.”
Minho leaned up, noticing his cheeks were redder than he’d ever seen them.
“So I was wondering…if you wouldn’t mind, I could bring my guitar sometime and maybe play you something? And you could…tell me what you think?”
Minho had never seen him look so vulnerable. Ever since they’d met, Jisung had dripped confidence—but right now, he looked small and nervous.
“I would love that,” Minho said immediately.
“Really? Because you can be honest with me if that’s totally weird for me to ask. I don’t want to be annoying or, like, force you to listen to my music, so if you—”
Minho reached out and gently touched his cheek, bringing his face back. “It’s not annoying,” he said softly. “And it’s not weird.”
He also couldn’t help but brush his damp hair out of his eyes. “I promise.”
Jisung nodded slowly, and Minho flinched when he realized what he’d just done.
They were too close.
But Jisung looked so cute with those uncertain, round eyes and worried, pouty lips. And he wanted to know what those lips tasted like.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Minho leaned back, pulling away. He needed to get a grip. His thoughts kept getting worse. And he couldn’t have them.
The sun was hidden behind the clouds, but daybreak was over.
Minho got up from the dock, completely flustered. He needed to get back. Jisoo was waiting for him, and he needed to clear his head.
“I have to head back,” he said quickly.
Jisung stood too, and Minho could tell he was avoiding his gaze.
“Yeah—me too. I have work later.”
Minho nodded, feeling bad for suddenly saying he had to leave. But these thoughts were dangerous, and he couldn’t let them take over.
It wasn’t possible to have these thoughts for the pretty boy on the dock—no matter how much he wished things could be different.
Jisung turned and gathered the fishing poles, and Minho felt anxious when he failed to see a smile on his face.
Before he could get into the canoe, Minho grabbed his wrist, shocking them both.
“I want to hear your song,” he said, making sure he knew he meant it. “So…I’ll be here tomorrow.”
The smile Minho needed to see before letting him go spread across his lips.
“Then I’ll see you in the morning.”
Jisung got into the canoe and paddled back to his dock. Watching him leave hurt his heart, but the tiny wave he gave made it flutter.
After Jisung disappeared, Minho let out a deep sigh. He was soaking wet, and now he had to walk back up to the cabin and listen to Jisoo give him an earful.
He wasn’t sure how he was going to spend the entire day with his in-laws and his fiancé when he couldn’t stop thinking about tomorrow morning.
It rained again, so Jisung didn’t bring his guitar the next day.
“I’ll bring it when the rain stops,” he promised, and Minho was fine with that. As long as they kept hanging out every morning, that was all he could ask for.
Jisung did bring him another matcha latte, and Minho drank the entire thing without complaint. It was actually starting to grow on him—or maybe it was the wide smile Jisung gave him that made him suck it down quickly.
Jisung had another hard night at work and looked extremely tired. He wore an oversized sweater today that completely engulfed him, and even some cute, round glasses.
“What time are your shifts?” Minho asked as Jisung rubbed his eyes.
“Two to ten—but it was another past-midnight shift yesterday.”
Minho nodded, glancing back out towards the water.
The rain wasn’t as heavy as yesterday, and Minho held the umbrella over their heads.
Jisung had yawned so many times that Minho was about to suggest they just meet again tomorrow—but when he looked over, his eyes were closed. His head lolled back a little, and Minho was totally out of his mind, but he pushed his shoulder forward to catch his sleepy head.
Jisung didn’t even stir as his cheek rested against him, soft breaths escaping with a hint of a snore. Minho’s heart fluttered so fast he felt lightheaded.
The lake rippled with the rain, the sun hidden behind the clouds, and the sky was moody and dark.
It was raining and a little cold, but the weather was beautiful.
Minho almost fell asleep himself, but as the sun tried to shine through the clouds to illuminate the earth, Jisung lifted his head.
Daybreak was over.
“Oh—oh, uh—shit, did I fall asleep?” he asked, and his flustered face made Minho smile.
“Yeah, but it’s okay.”
Jisung quickly rubbed Minho’s shoulder, his cheeks on fire.
“No—oh my god. I literally drooled all over your shoulder. I’m so sorry. That’s so embarrassing. Why’d you let me—”
“You’re fine. You were tired. I don’t mind.”
“Minho,” he whined, pouting at him. “You’re way too kind.”
Minho’s breath hitched, and something about those pretty brown eyes blinking at him, matched with his pink, puffy cheeks, made his mind start to swirl.
He had no idea what to say. He wasn’t kind, actually. He was incredibly selfish. He kept having these thoughts about him—thoughts he knew he shouldn’t be having. He couldn’t act on them, and yet he kept doing things he shouldn’t.
Jisung sighed, throwing his head back. “I can’t believe I have to work again today. I wish I could just stay here with you.”
Minho’s heart exploded again.
The feeling was mutual. Jisoo thought it would be a great idea for Minho and her father to spend the afternoon together. He was seriously dreading it.
“Me too,” he whispered.
Jisung smiled, soft and pretty, nudging his shoulder. “I’ll call off work, and you can ditch your family—what do you say?”
He tilted his head towards him, and Minho wanted so desperately to say yes. He never wanted these moments with Jisung to end.
But Jisung let out another sigh before Minho could even say anything. “I’m just kidding. My uncle would kill me.”
The disappointment that flooded Minho’s chest was almost ridiculous.
“Yeah, I have to…hang out with my family tonight.”
“Are you here with your parents or something?” Jisung asked, and Minho’s heart stopped.
“Yeah,” he lied.
“That’s cool,” he nodded. “Got any siblings?”
“Nope. Just…my parents.”
He wasn’t sure why he kept lying. He should’ve been honest and told him the real reason he was here. But admitting it out loud made it feel real, and he didn’t want to shatter this fantasy with him just yet.
“Well, that’s fun—if you like your parents. I don’t like mine, so honestly, that sounds like a nightmare,” he chuckled, and Minho slowly looked over at him.
“They, like, basically disowned me,” he explained with a shrug, obviously noticing Minho’s curious glance. “We haven’t talked in over eight years—even though they live right over there.”
He pointed across the lake, but Minho couldn’t really see anything. The houses were too far away.
Minho could tell that behind that strong smile, there was something deeper—but before he could ask, Jisung stood up and stepped out into the light rain.
“The sun is back tomorrow,” he said, stretching his arms over his head. “We should fish on the canoe again. Or we can just paddle around the lake.”
Minho nodded, but was distracted by the sliver of tummy that peeked out beneath his hoodie.
“That—that sounds fun,” he agreed, clearing his throat and flicking his eyes away.
Jisung sighed again, bouncing on his toes and swinging his arms.
“I don’t wanna work. I don’t wanna work. I don’t wanna work,” he repeated, pouting like a child who wasn’t getting their way.
Minho usually hated when people whined and complained, but with Jisung, he found it incredibly endearing. He couldn’t help but let out a gentle laugh, making Jisung pout even deeper.
“I want to go on a vacation. I’ve never been on one. I’ve been stuck on this lake my whole life. It’s not fair.”
Minho frowned a little as Jisung crossed his arms over his chest. He wished his mind would stop swirling with thoughts of how cute he was—but it was impossible, especially when he stuck his pretty bottom lip out so far like that.
Minho stood up and walked over with the umbrella, holding it over their heads, but Jisung didn’t stop pouting. He reached out and poked his lip, making Jisung’s eyes widen.
“You look like a fish waiting for a hook,” Minho said.
Jisung chuckled, and that was all Minho could ask for.
He wasn’t sure when they’d gotten so close, but he could feel Jisung’s body heat.
“Maybe you can visit me in the city someday,” Minho said, and he had no idea why he’d said that—because there was no way it could happen.
“Really?” Jisung asked excitedly.
But Minho didn’t care. He’d figure out a way if it made him this happy. Even if he knew he shouldn’t.
“Sure,” he said, and Jisung bounced on his toes again, but happier this time.
“I want a full tour. The entire city. Oh—and I want to do karaoke. They have that in the city, right? I’ve never been.”
Minho couldn’t help but smile. “We can do that. Whatever you want.”
Jisung’s grin was so big, Minho thought it might split his lips.
“You’re sweet,” he said. “I really like that about you.”
Minho blushed, and Jisung’s crinkled eyes made his heart thump heavily.
He wanted to reach out, cup his cheek, pull his pretty face in, press his thumb to his plump lips, lean in slowly, and see if his mouth was just as soft as it looked.
But Jisung turned away, and Minho had to blink rapidly to clear those thoughts.
“Tomorrow morning—me, you, matcha, and some fishing,” Jisung called over his shoulder before getting in the canoe.
Minho just nodded, air trapped in his throat.
He waved, and Jisung waved back, that pretty smile so captivating.
Jisung disappeared into the trees, and Minho realized he’d completely forgotten to give his umbrella back.
He sighed and sat back down on the bench. He wasn’t in the mood to go back yet, so he took out his phone and started writing.
His inspiration flowed as he thought of Jisung’s beautiful smile.
Minho put on the life vest again as Jisung helped him into the canoe. The clouds had disappeared, and the soft glow of the morning lit up the sky.
Jisung’s hand was warm when he took it, and he looked better rested today. He was also extremely talkative, telling Minho about his shift at the restaurant and how one of the other waiters slipped and fell, dropping an entire tray of food in front of the customers.
His deep voice vibrated off the lake, and Minho wished they could take a never-ending journey, gliding across the water.
The lake was only so big, and at some point, they would reach the edge. It was foolish to wish that forever could exist. But with Jisung, he couldn’t help but wish forever was real.
They paddled out to the middle of the lake and into the deep water. Jisung had packed their fishing poles—pink and green, crossing each other—and the tackle box.
Minho thought Jisung was about to hand him his pole, but instead, he turned around in his seat, blinking at him with a smile.
“You were here early today,” Jisung mentioned. “Couldn’t sleep? Or were you that excited to see me?”
Minho flushed, and Jisung’s heart-shaped smile made his heart flutter so fast.
“I was—I was writing,” he blurted out—which was true. He’d come early because he was excited to see him, and the inspiration for his novel kept coming, so he wanted to get some of it down before their morning adventure.
“Writing? Wait—you’re a writer?”
Minho shook his head. “Not really. I mean…kind of.”
He’d honestly never told anyone about this before. It was just a hobby, something he’d been working on for years—an escape where he could pretend for just a moment, life could be worth living. A world where he could be himself.
But it was just a fantasy, and until recently, he’d almost given it up completely.
“What do you mean not really?”
Minho sighed and shrugged. “I’m not like a published author or anything. It’s just something I like to do when I have time.”
“That’s okay. I’ve never produced an actual song, but I’d like to think I’m still a singer-songwriter.”
Minho nodded, thinking maybe he was right.
“So what kind of books do you write? Can I read one?” Jisung asked suddenly, making Minho’s eyes widen.
“I haven’t…technically finished a novel yet,” he mumbled. “And I—I don’t think you’d enjoy it.”
Jisung frowned. “What? Why not? That’s not true.”
Minho shook his head again. He couldn’t let him read it—any of it. The truth of who he was was in those words. He’d never shared them with anyone before. All of his fantasies, written down and hidden behind a secret file.
“You can tell me, Minho. You know I’d never judge you, right?”
Minho knew that was true. He hadn’t known Jisung long, but being around him made it feel easy to be himself.
And maybe it was stupid, but Jisung made him long for the world he’d built in his stories—wishing it could be real.
“I write romance,” he finally said.
“Really? That’s so cool.”
Minho swallowed down his heart that was stuck in his throat. “But it’s…between two men.”
Jisung was quiet for a moment, blinking at him gently.
“So can I read it?” he asked, that big smile on his face.
Minho bit his lip. “You’re…okay with that?”
Jisung tilted his head. “Am I okay with what? That it’s a romance between two guys?”
Minho nodded quickly, eyes glancing away as a blush spread across his cheeks.
“Yeah, of course I am.”
Minho had never felt so vulnerable. He couldn’t bring himself to look up. He wasn’t sure if Jisung was lying to make him feel better, but his entire life, he’d had to hide this part of himself. His family would never accept it—and if they ever found out about his book…
“I’ve been with guys before,” Jisung said suddenly, making Minho’s eyes flick up.
“You…have?”
Jisung nodded. “Yeah. Have you?”
Minho blushed deeper and slowly shook his head. It didn’t help that Jisung’s knees were touching his—skin warm and making his heart flutter harder.
Jisung hummed, nodding gently. “What about women?”
Minho nodded this time.
“Do you like women?” Jisung asked.
He shook his head again, and he was starting to get dizzy. He glanced down at his hands, wringing them together in his lap.
He’d never told anyone this before, and he’d never felt so anxious.
It was quiet for a moment before Jisung let out a soft breath.
“When I was eighteen, my parents kicked me out of the house. I was young and dumb, and I started dating this thirty-year-old guy who worked at one of the bars in town,” he admitted, and Minho’s eyes widened.
“They were already pissed that I wanted to become a singer. I asked for help to move away from here, but they were never supportive of my music. So I think they were just looking for any reason to cut me off.”
Jisung picked at a scab on his leg, eyes averted and refusing to meet Minho’s gaze.
“He told me he’d help me get away from here. But I wasn’t the only one he was seeing. It was just bullshit. I was naive, but whatever—I learned from it, you know?”
Minho wanted to reach out, seeing that strong smile hiding his real feelings again. But he kept his hands together—they were sweaty anyway.
“But, yeah, my point is, I get you. I’m bisexual. I’ve been with women, too. And I’d love to read your book, if you’d let me.”
Jisung looked up at him. His real smile was back—big and bright like the sun.
Minho nodded again, and a small grin came to his own lips. “If it’s bad, you can’t laugh.”
“I would never.”
Minho bit his lip, smiling when Jisung nudged his knee.
“Ready to fish?”
He appreciated the change of subject and quickly grabbed his pink fishing pole.
“Ready. Hand me the worms.”
Jisung chuckled, the beautiful sound making Minho forget all of his worries.
They cast their lines, and Jisung began humming softly. Minho couldn’t help but notice he never moved his knees, keeping them pressed against his.
Minho hated that daybreak ended so quickly. He hated that they had to eventually paddle back to the dock. He hated watching Jisung pack up the canoe. And he hated watching him leave.
If Minho had it his way, the sun would never rise—he’d make forever last with Jisung’s soft, warm skin on his.
Jisung had promised to see him in the morning. But Minho knew that soon, it would all come to an end.
He couldn’t even bring himself to think about it.
He’d fallen in love with this fantasy. And he was falling in love forbiddenly with the pretty boy from the dock.
Jisung brought his guitar.
Minho watched him walk down the dock with it strapped around his back. He closed his notes app, content with how much he’d written.
“Morning, Minho!” Jisung yelled from his dock, hands cupped around his mouth.
“Morning, Jisung!” Minho mirrored, making Jisung’s bright laughter float across the water.
He carefully placed his guitar in the canoe, moving cautiously as he stepped in. He paddled over, and Minho quickly helped him out.
Jisung handed him his guitar very slowly. “That’s my baby. Don’t hurt her.”
Minho chuckled. “I promise I won’t.”
He placed the guitar on the dock as Jisung tied the canoe to the side.
Once he reached the top of the ladder, he stepped in close—so close that Minho’s breath hitched.
Minho immediately noticed he had makeup on today.
“Hi.” Jisung’s smile took his breath away—like always.
“Hey,” Minho said, voice coming out strained.
“How was writing this morning?” he asked, and Minho swore he leaned in even closer.
“Good—really good.”
All morning, he’d been thinking about him. The words came easily.
“That’s good,” he said, and Minho swore he couldn’t get any closer. “I brought my guitar.”
Minho swallowed nervously. “I see that.”
“I put my best rockstar look on today. What do you think? Do I look pretty?” he asked, winking at him.
He was teasing, but Minho was lost in those beautiful eyes of his.
“You always look pretty,” he said breathlessly.
Jisung’s eyes widened, like he was surprised by that response. He blushed and backed away a little, chuckling as he shook his head and smacked Minho’s shoulder.
“You’re crazy,” he said.
But Minho meant it—even if he shouldn’t have said it.
Jisung knelt down to unzip the guitar case, taking out the acoustic instrument and gently strumming it. He slipped the strap over his head and took a deep breath.
Instead of sitting on the bench, he walked near the edge of the dock, sitting down and dangling his feet over the water.
Minho followed when Jisung looked over his shoulder and beckoned him closer. He sat down next to him, heart racing with excitement.
“I’m, like, extremely nervous right now,” Jisung admitted with a soft chuckle.
Minho was too, but he just smiled at him. “Don’t be.”
Jisung’s pretty brown eyes crinkled, and the orange sky behind him made this feel like a dream—a pretty boy singing just for him, the glowing horizon casting a beautiful warm light on his face.
He cleared his throat, fixing the guitar in his lap. “I wrote this song eight years ago, when I was going through a lot,” he told him.
Minho caught that strong smile again, hiding his true feelings. But when he strummed the chords and the rawness of his voice came out, Minho’s heart ached and fluttered at the same time.
“I’m an alien on this earth.”
His face twisted into slight pain, like the song was a reminder of his loneliness.
When he strummed the final chord, he glanced off into the distance, the lake softly rippling around them.
Minho reached out, gently taking his hand. Maybe he shouldn’t have—but when Jisung looked over at him, there was a small, genuine smile on his lips.
It was quiet for a moment, the wind gently blowing between them. Minho had so much to say. He wanted to tell him that every morning on this dock, he fell in love with him more and more.
But he couldn’t say those words.
“I loved it—every second.”
Jisung’s grin widened. “Really?”
“Yes. Really,” he said confidently.
Jisung blushed a dark red, and Minho panicked when he let go of his hand. He stood and shrugged the guitar strap off his shoulders.
Minho watched as Jisung placed the guitar back in its case, zipping it closed.
“Want to swim?” Jisung asked suddenly.
“Oh—uh, I don’t have my—”
Jisung shucked off his shirt, and Minho was pretty sure he didn’t have his swimsuit on either. But that didn’t seem to matter since he ran off the dock and jumped into the lake.
The water splashed him, making him flinch. He looked over to see Jisung making bubbles float to the surface, hiding beneath it.
Eventually, he popped up, flicking his hair out of his eyes. He didn’t say anything, but he floated on his back. Minho didn’t like how far away he was.
He didn’t have his life vest, but he didn’t care. He took off his shirt and threw it on the bench. He took a deep breath and sprinted down the wooden boards, terrified when his feet left the dock.
But Jisung was trying to run away, and Minho wasn’t going to let him.
He submerged, kicking and splashing until he finally found some air, head bobbing on the surface.
“Hey!” he heard Jisung yell. He said something else, but Minho was struggling to keep his head above water.
He remembered what Jisung taught him—kicking his feet and circling his arms—but it wasn’t working well.
He felt a leg slip between his thighs and an arm wrap around his shoulder.
“Are you out of your mind? Why didn’t you get the life vest first?”
Minho choked on water a little, his heart racing as Jisung’s warmth surrounded him. He pulled him to the ladder, trying to make him grab on, but Minho didn’t let go.
“I wanted—to tell you—that you don’t have to hide from me,” he choked out.
Jisung froze, cheeks flushing again. “And that’s worth drowning over?”
“I wouldn’t have drowned. You said you wouldn’t let me die, remember?”
Jisung blinked at him for a second before laughing. “You really are crazy.”
“Maybe I am.”
He was completely crazy—because right now, he wanted to kiss him so badly.
Jisung made him hold onto the ladder, but instead of climbing it to get back on the dock, Minho turned around so they were face to face.
Those thoughts were so strong, and he couldn’t stop himself this time, reaching out to cup Jisung’s face in his hands.
Jisung gasped softly when Minho slid his thumb over his bottom lip, and he immediately fell into those pretty brown eyes. His makeup was smudged, but he looked so beautiful.
“Minho?” Jisung whispered.
His soft voice snapped him out of it for a moment, but before he could pull his hands away, Jisung grabbed his wrists.
And Minho couldn’t take it anymore. He’d completely given into every single forbidden thought he’d ever had about him, needing him more than air.
He leaned in and pressed their lips together, his heart hammering against his ribs.
Jisung’s lips were soft—softer than he expected. He tasted like matcha, and Minho realized then that whenever he had the green drink, he’d think of this moment.
It was wet, with the lake water between their lips, and Minho wished he could kiss him forever.
But he pulled back for a moment, realizing he’d just lost all control.
Jisung’s eyes were lidded. “Why’d you stop?” he asked breathlessly.
Minho could barely catch his breath. He was panicking, knowing he’d let those feelings he tried to keep down escape.
“I’ve never…kissed a man before,” he admitted.
Jisung hummed, and Minho’s breath hitched as he leaned closer.
“Did you not like it?”
Minho slowly shook his head. “No. I—I liked it a lot.”
A small smirk came to Jisung’s lips. “Then kiss me again.”
Minho was losing his mind, but as Jisung slid his arms around his neck, he couldn’t hold back, even if he tried.
He slammed their lips together, rougher this time. His heart was wild in his chest as Jisung’s fingers twisted into the back of his hair. He pulled Jisung closer, his back digging into the ladder as he wrapped his arm around his waist.
His mind was on fire. Jisung’s lips were making him feel crazy. He could feel his body filling with desire—he’d never had a kiss quite like this.
Jisung kissed him back, just as feverishly, the little whimpers he let out pushing Minho over the edge.
When Jisung pulled away, Minho groaned in disappointment.
“Up. Go,” Jisung demanded, making Minho walk backwards up the ladder.
He barely made it onto the dock before Jisung pushed him back and crawled on top of him.
They were both soaking wet, clothes dripping as they kissed desperately on the dock. Minho’s hands gripped Jisung’s hips while Jisung threaded his fingers through Minho’s damp hair.
Jisung whined against his lips as Minho slid his hand down to his ass, squeezing tightly. He couldn’t help it. He’d been staring at it for so long—his hands wandering without thought.
They traveled all over—his arms, his chest, his thighs—anywhere he could reach.
“You like my body, huh?” Jisung whispered against his mouth. “I always see you staring.”
So much for being subtle. But right now, Minho didn’t fucking care about being caught.
“I like it so much—I feel like I’m going insane right now, honestly.”
Jisung chuckled. “You’re cute as hell,” he said before kissing him even deeper.
Minho wasn’t sure how long they kissed for, but he saw the sun rising, signaling that daybreak was over.
He’d never hated seeing the sun so much before in his life.
“I should probably get back,” Jisung said, pulling away slightly and sitting back on his heels.
But Minho didn’t want this dream to end.
He immediately sat up and pressed their lips together again, Jisung’s hands gripping Minho’s shoulders as he tried to devour him.
Jisung chuckled against his lips. “Hey—”
“No,” Minho whined, kissing him over and over. “Don’t…just don’t go.”
Maybe it was silly, but he almost wanted to cry. This feeling he’d been pushing down his entire life had surfaced, and now that he’d given in, he knew it was almost impossible to push it back down.
Jisung pulled back again and this time cupped his cheek.
“Minho?”
Fuck—maybe it was too obvious how shattered he was. But he couldn’t help it.
“I’m sorry. I just…kissing you was…this feeling…I’ve never…”
It was hard to even put into words. Whenever he kissed Jisoo, he felt so disconnected. He’d feel nothing. But with Jisung, the feeling that ran through his veins was enough to get him addicted from just a single kiss.
“Hey,” Jisung said again softly. “It’s okay. I get it.”
Minho let out a deep breath, his heart racing when he looked into Jisung’s beautiful eyes.
“Will I see you in the morning?” Minho asked desperately.
He couldn’t let this end. He knew it would soon, but he wasn’t ready to let go. Not yet.
“Yeah, of course. I promise, okay? I’ll be here in the morning.”
Minho nodded slowly, his heart fluttering when Jisung leaned in one last time to kiss him—soft, gentle, sweet—and Minho was dangerously addicted to him.
Jisung helped him up, his pretty heart-shaped smile muddying Minho’s brain even more.
They both threw on their shirts, and Jisung carefully grabbed his guitar to place it back into the canoe.
Jisung promised him once more that he’d see him in the morning.
Minho leaned in to kiss him again, lips lingering on his cheek before allowing him to climb into the canoe and paddle back to his dock.
But Minho couldn’t help feeling anxious.
He’d just kissed the life out of the pretty boy from the dock. And he was sure it was the best moment of his entire life.
He felt like he was floating, his mind still hazy as he climbed the stairs back to the cabin. But his heart dropped to his stomach when he saw Jisoo on the deck.
She smiled and waved at him, a cup of tea in her hands.
Reality settled back in with every step that brought him closer to the cabin.
“Hey, babe,” she said, and Minho’s lips trembled when she lifted her face.
He kissed her cheek softly, and his heart sank—he felt absolutely nothing.
“Hi, dear.”
“We’re going hiking today. But easy hiking. So go get ready,” she said.
Minho sighed as she turned and walked into the cabin, the pain in his heart making him grab his chest.
Because this was his life. He was set to marry a woman he didn’t love—because he had no choice.
And he knew the longer he played around in this fantasy world, the harder it would be to let go.
Minho could barely sleep. He couldn’t stop thinking about Jisung and his pretty face and his soft lips.
He tossed and turned, and when it hit four in the morning, he finally gave up and headed to the dock.
Jisung wasn’t there yet. It was incredibly early, but Minho thought he could get some writing in since sleep wasn’t happening anyway.
The sky was still dark, and his heart still ached, full of want and confusion from yesterday.
He’d given in to everything he said he never would.
It was pointless, because even if he wished he could stay here on this lake with Jisung forever, he knew he couldn’t. It was foolish to even think about.
But the moment Jisung came running down the dock, with a smile that lit up the world around them, Minho fell right back into that fantasy.
He didn’t even bother waving this time, just immediately threw the tackle box, the cooler, and the fishing poles into the canoe.
He looked as cute as ever, wearing a long-sleeve white shirt with peace signs down the arms. And it looked like he had his swim trunks on today, too.
As soon as he paddled up to the dock, Minho held out his hand. Instead of handing him the poles first like he usually did, Jisung grabbed his hand and pulled him down to press a kiss to his lips.
Minho’s breath hitched, surprised by the sudden taste of him.
Matcha.
“Good morning,” Jisung said, pulling back.
Minho was completely frozen, blinking quickly as Jisung shoved the fishing poles into his hands.
“I brought you a latte,” he added, showing him the mug in his hands.
Minho smiled softly, already falling for that pretty smile. “Thanks.”
Jisung tied the canoe and jumped out, and Minho couldn’t help but wrap an arm around him, pulling him in.
He breathed deeply, smelling the coconut-scented sunscreen on his skin. The sun wouldn’t rise for a while, but Jisung always wore sunscreen.
Minho kissed the side of his neck, lips lingering for a moment. Jisung shivered in his grasp, and when Minho finally let go, he realized just how fucking hard it was to release him.
“Ready to fish?” Jisung asked, his smile so beautiful that Minho could barely think.
“Always ready.”
They dangled their legs over the dock, Jisung humming softly while bumping their thighs together. He talked about his short night at work, and Minho shared with him the plot of his novel.
“It’s a forbidden love—but it’s set in a world where the king falls in love with his servant.”
Jisung nodded, pretty eyes bright with interest. Minho blushed, worried that he was just being nice, but honestly, it felt good to share his ideas with someone.
“Do they fall in love?”
“It’s unrequited,” he told him. “The king knows he can’t love a man or a servant. But he selfishly keeps him by his side anyway. He wants to tell him…but he can’t, because he’s marrying someone else to rule the kingdom.”
Jisung let out a sad sigh. “So…they don’t get to be together?”
Minho shook his head.
Jisung pouted softly. “I think they should run away together,” he said.
Minho slowly looked over at him, noticing how his cheeks puffed out in thought.
“I know that’s silly, and it’s your story and I’m not a writer or telling you what to do or anything, but…I think the servant should realize he’s in love with the king, because he’s always been by his side—and then they live happily ever after.”
Minho blinked at him for a moment, and a soft smile came to his face when Jisung blushed.
“I guess I just want the king to be happy. I think he deserves true love.”
That almost made him laugh sadly. Maybe he did deserve to be happy, but sometimes life made that impossible.
“I’ll think about it.”
Those words were enough to make Jisung smile brightly.
Minho looked out at the lake, the sun beginning to rise. He wished he could make it stop. He wished he could fish with Jisung forever.
Jisung caught three fish, and Minho almost caught two. He lost one on the line halfway through reeling it in, making him click his tongue in disappointment. Jisung laughed and kissed his cheek to make him feel better—and suddenly, it made him happy that he’d lost the fish.
“Okay. I want to swim before I have to go,” Jisung said. Before Minho could agree, Jisung stood and ripped his shirt off.
Minho’s eyes immediately locked onto him—honey skin and pretty tattoos catching his attention. Every time he saw Jisung’s body, it took his breath away. His fit stomach, wide shoulders, yet snatched little waist were enough to make Minho go fucking crazy.
Jisung must’ve noticed him staring, because he leaned down and pressed a kiss to his open mouth.
“Put your life jacket on this time,” he told him before jumping into the water.
Minho stumbled to the canoe to grab the vest. He quickly tightened it around his chest and wasted no time jumping in after him.
As soon as Minho hit the water and his head bobbed to the surface, Jisung wrapped his arms around his neck.
“Hey,” Jisung murmured, brushing Minho’s wet hair out of his face.
Minho was lost in his eyes again, his brain completely losing all sense of rationality.
“Hi, pretty boy,” he whispered.
Jisung chuckled, leaning in closer. “You think I’m pretty?”
Minho nodded, eyes locked on his lips. “Very pretty. So pretty.”
Jisung tilted his head, and Minho wished he’d just connect their lips.
“Well, I think you’re super hot and incredibly cute. And I really want you to kiss me again.”
Minho swallowed thickly, but when he leaned in to kiss him, Jisung pulled back for a moment.
“But I wanna hear how much you want me.”
Minho groaned, and Jisung chuckled again.
“What? You don’t wanna tell me?”
Minho flushed, but he’d do or say anything if it meant having Jisung’s lips on his.
“I’ve never wanted anything so bad in my entire life,” he admitted.
Minho gritted his teeth when Jisung whimpered softly.
“I wanna kiss you so bad. Please,” Minho begged, and if that was pathetic, he didn’t care.
Jisung blinked from his eyes to his mouth, the desperate expression on his face noticeable now.
Minho could tell he wanted it just as much.
“Then kiss me,” Jisung whispered.
And Minho didn’t need to be told twice.
He slammed their lips together, and Jisung’s whine had Minho going crazy. The life jacket helped keep them afloat, but Minho had to kick hard to keep their heads above water when Jisung wrapped his legs around his hips.
He was so close, even with the life jacket, trying to keep them apart. Minho could taste the lake water on his tongue and the matcha on his lips.
It was perfect—everything he could ever wish for.
The sun was high in the sky, blue reflecting off the surface. But Minho couldn’t let him leave yet, so he held on tighter and kissed him deeper.
Kissing Jisung was like a dream, and he knew he’d have to wake up at some point. But for now, he’d stay in this dreamlike state, escaping in his kiss, pretending like this was something he could have.
Even though he knew he’d already spent too much time in his forbidden fantasy.
But he couldn’t stop himself.
“Tomorrow morning—you’ll be here?” Minho asked desperately.
Jisung chuckled between desperate kisses. “I’m always here in the morning,” he assured him, and Minho wondered if Jisung could sense his anxiousness.
“I promise,” Jisung added.
Minho nodded softly.
Jisung gently pulled away, and they floated apart until Minho was forced to let go of his hand.
“Swim with me before I have to get going,” he said, backstroking gently against the water.
Minho kicked after him, making Jisung laugh with the giant splashes from his feet.
It was a beautiful day—the sun was shining, and so was Jisung. His perfect smile and heart-filling laughter made Minho feel like this life was worth living, even if just for this fleeting moment.
Jisung wanted to sit on the dock and watch the sunrise. They’d both gotten there extremely early, so it was still somewhat dark.
He pulled Minho to the edge, dangling their feet off the side.
“I really love the sunrise,” he said, leaning into Minho’s shoulder and making his breath hitch. “That’s why I like to fish in the morning—and the fish bite better at dawn.”
Minho hummed, taking Jisung’s hand and intertwining their fingers. He was warm—like always.
“Don’t you like the sunrise?” Jisung asked.
Minho glanced over at him, brown eyes still sparkling even in the minimal light of daybreak.
“I do and don’t,” he admitted, softly reaching up to brush Jisung’s hair out of his face. Now that he wasn’t holding himself back, he couldn’t keep his hands off him.
Jisung’s eyebrows furrowed. “You do and don’t?” he asked, confused. “Why don’t you? You’re always up early, so don’t make the excuse that you’d rather sleep in.”
Minho smiled softly, eyes flicking back to where the sun was still hidden behind the horizon. It was pink today, casting a soft glow in the sky that perfectly complemented the lush green of the trees.
“I like it, because it’s always so beautiful, especially here on the lake,” he said, admiring the vibrant colors. “And I don’t, because I know that when the sun rises, you have to leave soon after.”
When he looked over at him again, Jisung blinked a few times.
“Sometimes I wish the sun would never rise, and that we could stay like this forever,” he admitted, sharing those deep feelings in his heart.
Jisung was quiet for a moment, and Minho’s heart raced when he squeezed his hand.
“Is that lame to say?” Minho asked, worried that he might’ve been a little too honest.
“No, it’s not lame at all,” he said. “That’s the most romantic thing someone’s ever said to me.”
There was a blush on his cheeks, but he refused to meet his gaze.
“Damn, you really know how to make someone’s heart flutter. But I think that’s the romance writer in you,” he said with a laugh.
“You think so?”
Maybe he was right about that. But Minho meant every word. He wished the morning with Jisung would never end.
“Yeah. My heart is fluttering like crazy right now,” he admitted with a hand on his chest.
Minho could tell he was a little embarrassed, pulling away slightly. He smiled, finding it cute that when Jisung was nervous, he tried to hide or run away.
It was quiet again for a while, Jisung eventually resting his cheek back on Minho’s shoulder. Their hands were intertwined, with Minho’s ankles crossed over the ledge while Jisung kicked back and forth.
“Minho?” Jisung said, voice soft and barely above a whisper. “I can still come visit you in the city, right?”
Minho’s heart clenched. He froze, unsure what to say. They both knew this was coming to an end soon, and it was hard to ignore.
But he had to say no. After he left this lake, he needed to leave behind these forbidden feelings, this fantasy he’d wandered around in for too long.
In just three short weeks, he’d fallen in love with a man who showed him what it meant to live a life of simplicity and meaning—that life really could be beautiful, especially when you had someone so beautiful to share it with.
But this was a dream he had to wake up from. He should’ve never held his hand or kissed his lips. It was selfish to have taken so much, to indulge in the feelings inside his heart.
Because at the end of these three short weeks, he had to let go.
“Yeah,” he lied.
And for the first time, the pretty heart-shaped smile on Jisung’s face broke his heart.
Jisoo’s parents wanted to grab something to eat before heading back to the cabin.
Minho was exhausted, having carried around both Jisoo’s and her mother’s bags all day. Even though they were in the middle of nowhere, they still somehow managed to find plenty of shops to spend money at.
He’d thought about getting a souvenir but decided against it, knowing that every time he looked at it, he’d be reminded of his time at the lake—and of the pretty boy on the dock with the brightest smile.
It’s not like he wanted to forget completely—hell, these had probably been the best three weeks of his entire life—but he knew the memory would shatter his heart more with every reminder.
Jisoo seemed content with how he catered to her mother, even asking if she’d like him to hold her purse. Her father seemed to take notice, too, and maybe he was finally proving he was a good enough man for their daughter.
After carefully loading all the shopping bags into the car, he met his soon-to-be family in front of the restaurant.
It was a sweet little place, but not fancy. But then again, there weren’t many fancy places in this town. Jisoo had already complained about that several times. Minho wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but he decided to just agree with her instead of starting a small argument.
He took her hand and led them inside, telling the host they needed a table for four. The older gentleman smiled kindly and gestured for them to follow.
Jiyoo praised the interior, saying it was quaint, likely trying to get her daughter to loosen up a bit, since she’d been scowling ever since they walked in.
Minho leaned in closer to her, gently taking her hand and kissing the back of it. “I’ll order you the best glass of wine. How does that sound?” he assured her, knowing it would please her.
She turned to kiss him, and once again, Minho felt nothing compared to the spark he’d felt when Jisung’s lips were on his.
“That sounds perfect,” she said, her red-stained lips widening into a smile.
But that smile didn’t make his heart flutter—not like Jisung’s heart-shaped grin. He hated that he couldn’t stop thinking about him.
This was his reality, and he needed to start living in it.
Jisoo took his hand as they started looking through the menu.
“Hello, what can I get started for you today?”
Minho flinched at the sound of that deep, familiar voice.
The panic immediately set in—especially when he looked up. Jisung was standing there, dressed in full black restaurant attire, with those adorable circular glasses framing his face.
He wasn’t in a swimsuit, and his hair was neatly styled—wavy hair brushed to the side, and not messy with lake water.
Their eyes met instantly, and there was no smile to hide the pain on his face this time.
“Oh, could we get your most expensive wine, please?” Jisoo asked, not even bothering to look up as she ordered.
They went around the table, and Minho knew his turn was coming. But suddenly, his vision blurred, and he couldn’t think.
“And for you?” Jisung asked, and Minho wished he could find air to fill his lungs so he could speak.
Jisoo looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Babe?”
Jisung’s fingers tightened around the pencil in his hand.
“I’ll just have the same thing he’s having,” Minho said quickly, pointing to his soon-to-be father-in-law.
Jisung didn’t say anything else as he walked away.
Minho panicked.
“Excuse me, I’m sorry. I have to use the restroom real quick.”
Jisoo let go of his hand, and her mother nodded. He almost tripped over his chair, and Jisoo gave him a curious look.
“Be careful, love.”
He ignored her—which he’d definitely hear about later—but the only thing on his mind right now was Jisung and that shattered expression on his face.
He could still see him in his view, heading back to the kitchen to put their order in.
“Jisung,” he called out, but not loud enough to cause a commotion.
Either he didn’t hear him, or he didn’t want to, because he kept walking.
Minho sped up his steps, rushing until he finally grabbed his shoulder.
“Jisung—”
The moment he touched him, Jisung smacked his hand off aggressively.
“Don’t—just don’t,” he snapped, making Minho flinch.
“Jisung—please. Please let me—”
“No. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t…I don’t even want to hear it,” he cut him off, voice completely dejected.
Minho grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards the bathroom—even as Jisung struggled to fight him off.
He couldn’t let it end like this.
“Let go of me!”
But Minho didn’t let go. He couldn’t.
“I said I don’t want to—!”
Minho grabbed both of his shoulders, looking straight into those beautiful brown eyes, tinged red from the tears he was holding back.
“It’s not what you think,” he said desperately.
Jisung scoffed. “It’s not what I think?”
“No, it’s—”
“Did I not just see you kiss that woman?”
Minho winced. “Y-You did. But—”
“You have a wife—or a girlfriend, or whatever. And you kissed me.”
“She’s not my wife,” he blurted out, even though in just a few days, that would be a lie.
“Don’t,” he warned, eyes sharp. “Don’t lie to me anymore. Just—don’t—”
Someone walked into the bathroom, and Minho had to let go of his shoulders. Jisung let out a short sigh before trying to walk around him. But Minho grabbed his wrist again.
“Jisung, please, let me explain.”
Jisung turned his face away, but Minho refused to let him leave.
He needed to get back to the table before Jisoo suspected anything, and Jisung had to get back to work. But he needed to explain—even if not right now.
“Tomorrow morning—please meet me on the dock. I’ll explain everything,” he begged desperately.
Jisung flinched, his arm tense in Minho’s grip. He was quiet for a moment, his eyes closing, and face twisted in uncertainty.
After a moment, he hissed, “Fine.”
Before Minho could say anything else, he ripped his arm from his grasp and left the bathroom.
Minho could barely catch his breath, his heart aching and his hands slick with sweat. He couldn’t get the look on Jisung’s face out of his mind, and he wasn’t sure how he was going to make it through the rest of dinner.
When he got back to the table, Jisoo looked a little annoyed, and her father stared at him, unamused, with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Everything okay?” she asked, voice laced with attitude after he’d sprinted off on her.
Minho tried to keep his cool, bending down to kiss the top of her head. His heart twisted with guilt, and lips trembled with remorse as he sat back down.
“Yes. I’m sorry,” he said softly, pressing another quick kiss to her cheek, trying not to recoil.
“What’s taking that boy so long with our wine?” Hajoon complained, and Minho clenched his hands under the table.
When the wine finally arrived, it was brought by another waiter. Minho couldn’t tell if he felt upset or relieved. But he knew that if he had to stare at Jisung’s pained face all night, he might have broken right there in front of everyone.
He could barely focus throughout dinner. If Jisoo noticed, then she didn’t care. He barely tasted the food as it slid into his stomach, sick and swirling with regret.
This was his fault. All of it.
And he’d dragged Jisung into it, selfishly shattering his heart.
Minho couldn’t sleep. It was impossible, since the pain in his heart kept him awake.
It was five in the morning, and he decided to get out of bed since lying there felt useless. He was anxious and had no idea if Jisung would actually show up, but he needed him to.
He didn’t make any coffee, wanting to get to the water quickly. He ran down the steps and across the wooden boards that creaked beneath his feet. As he reached the dock, he noticed the lake rippling gently, and daybreak had just begun. The wind blew, making it a little chilly, so he wrapped his sweater around his shoulders.
When he looked over at the other dock, Jisung was sitting near the ledge, knees tucked under his chin, and arms wrapped around his legs.
The wind blew his hair back, and he was only wearing a t-shirt.
Minho ran to the side of the dock, his heart easing when he saw him—but only slightly.
“Jisung!” he yelled across the water.
But Jisung didn’t move. He sat there, completely still, staring out at the lake.
“Jisung, please,” he called again, hoping he’d just give him one glance.
Minho sighed, and without even giving it a second thought, he shrugged off his sweater and jumped into the lake.
He knew it was completely stupid—but he needed him to listen.
His head submerged, and he tried not to panic, but it was difficult since he still absolutely sucked at swimming. But he needed to get to him, and this was the only way.
When he popped out of the water, he noticed Jisung had turned around. He kicked and paddled as hard as he could, trying to reach the other dock. Honestly, it seemed a lot farther when he was in the water.
He wasn’t sure if he was going to make it—but he was sure as hell going to try.
“Minho—fuck,” Jisung swore, getting up from where he’d been sitting on the dock.
Minho struggled to breathe, water burning in his lungs, but he kept pushing, even if it looked like he was just flailing pathetically.
He saw Jisung at the ledge, pulling off his shirt and throwing it to the side. Jisung dove into the water, barely making a splash—unlike Minho, who was kicking so hard the water hit him in the face.
He gasped when an arm wrapped around his neck, helping him keep his head above water.
“You’re such a dumbass,” Jisung told him.
Minho grabbed his arm, thankful he was no longer fighting to stay afloat. But he felt bad realizing they were soaked now—and it was cold outside.
Jisung dragged him up the ladder as Minho coughed water from his lungs. They crawled onto the dock, plopping their wet bodies next to each other.
“What the hell were you thinking? There’s no way you could swim that far,” he chided, a little out of breath himself.
“I needed—to talk to you. I needed to—”
He coughed again, finally clearing the remnants of lake water from his throat.
When he looked up, Jisung had his arms wrapped around his chest, lips blue and shivering.
Minho immediately got up to grab his sweater he’d taken off before hauling himself over the edge of the dock. Jisung didn’t look at him as he knelt down to wrap it around his shoulders. But when Minho let go, he took the fabric and secured it tightly around himself.
Minho reached out to tuck his hair behind his ear, but Jisung slapped his hand away.
“Don’t.”
He softly clenched his fist and brought his hand down.
“Jisung, I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice shaky.
“For what? For lying to me?”
“I never lied,” he breathed out desperately.
Jisung gritted his teeth. “Cut the bullshit, Minho.”
Minho shook his head. “It’s not bullshit. I swear. Jisoo…she’s technically my fiancé—”
“Oh my god.”
“—but I don’t love her.”
Jisung pushed him away to get to his feet. Minho was worried he might jump back into the water and not finish listening to his explanation, but instead, he just paced back and forth.
“You have a fiancé,” he mumbled, running a stressed hand through his wet hair. “You kissed me and you’re getting fucking married.”
Minho stayed on his knees, looking up at him.
“It’s an arranged marriage,” he told him.
“You’re still getting married!” he yelled.
“I know, but—”
Minho’s heart snapped when he saw a few tears slip from Jisung’s eyes.
“So you were just gonna fuck around with me? I’m just the guy you experimented with before you went off and got fucking married?”
He kept spitting the word like it was fire on his tongue.
“No—that’s not…”
“And you could’ve told me about this the entire time you’ve been here! But you kept it from me. You lied to me,” he said, voice trailing off into a whisper.
Minho swallowed hard, struggling to hold back his own tears.
“Jisung, I love you.”
Jisung scoffed loudly and turned away.
“I don’t care if that’s crazy to say. I mean it. Every single moment we spent together—it meant everything to me.”
He pleaded to his back, and he could see him shaking. But he knew it was less from the cold and more from the pain in his heart.
“My entire life, I’ve had to hide who I was. I could never give in to anything I wanted. I always had expectations I had to uphold. My life has been determined from the day I was born. The path I took wasn’t one I would have chosen for myself.”
He’d never said these words out loud before, and he couldn’t hold back the tears any longer.
“But then I met you—and you are everything I’ve ever wanted. You’re beautiful, down-to-earth, kind, sweet, caring—ever since we met, I can’t stop thinking about you. I told myself I couldn’t, that I shouldn’t feel this way. But I want you so badly, and I’m so sorry for not being honest. I love what we have, so much that I was selfish enough to give in to those feelings when I knew I shouldn’t have. I hurt you, and I’ll never forgive myself for it.”
He poured out his heart, even though he knew it wasn’t enough.
Jisung turned around, and Minho’s heart completely shattered. Wild tears streamed down his face, dripping down his chin onto the dock.
“Jisung…”
Minho got to his feet, and when Jisung let out a broken sob, Minho quickly wrapped his arms around him, pulling him in tight. He rubbed his back in soft circles, trying to soothe him as best he could.
Jisung didn’t pull away but pressed his face into Minho’s chest, crying his eyes out. Minho let him, feeling his tears mix with the dampness on his skin from the lake.
“For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel lonely,” Jisung whispered. “Being with you…made things so much better.”
Minho held him tighter. “I’m sorry,” he said again, tangling his fingers through his wet hair.
He wasn’t sure what else to say. He wasn’t sure where to go from here.
Jisung pulled back and wiped his eyes, his pretty brown irises tinged red and shimmering with tears.
“When are you getting married?” he asked, his voice raw.
“The week we get back.”
Jisung winced, then nodded gently. He let out a shaky sigh, and Minho had to hold himself back as he stepped away. He walked to the edge of the dock, sitting down and dangling his feet over the water.
Minho wasn’t sure if it was okay to sit next to him, so instead, he sat just far enough behind him, watching as he gripped Minho’s sweater tighter around his shoulders as the wind blew. His heart clenched at the faint scent of sunscreen on his skin, carried by the light breeze.
They silently watched the sunrise, and Minho never hated seeing the fiery star lift above the horizon so much.
He knew it was over, but he didn’t want it to be.
Jisung slowly stood, the sweater slipping from around his body.
“Here,” he said, carefully handing it back.
Minho almost wanted to cry again, noticing his indifferent face. He held the sweater in his hands, the warmth from Jisung’s skin still lingering.
The sun had risen, and Jisung was getting ready to leave.
But Minho couldn’t help himself—he reached out and took his hand.
“Jisung,” Minho called out, squeezing gently. “I know…I know I have no right to ask you this. But will you meet me tomorrow morning?”
It was completely selfish of him, but even now, he was struggling to put a close to this love.
It was quiet for a moment, and Minho wished Jisung would look at him with that pretty smile. But that was even more selfish to wish for.
“Yeah…I’ll—I’ll see you in the morning, okay?” Jisung said, his voice cracking a little.
Minho’s heart broke as Jisung slowly let go of his hand, their fingertips brushing as he pulled away.
Jisung dipped back into the water, swimming back to his dock. Minho could only watch as he disappeared down the wooden boards and into the woods—not even waving goodbye.
The next day, Minho made his way down to the dock at daybreak.
But Jisung wasn’t there.
Returning to work left him feeling empty. He didn’t care about any of the upcoming projects and skipped every meeting after he got back. He just couldn’t bring himself to care about any of it.
That day, he waited for Jisung to show up at the dock—past sunrise and late into sunset.
Jisoo kept calling, wondering where he was, but he ignored his phone. He couldn’t bring himself to leave.
She walked down the thirteen sets of steps, and Minho couldn’t help but get angry at her for coming to the dock. Of course he never showed it.
But this dock wasn’t meant for his suffocating reality. She didn’t belong there. Her presence tainted it. In a way, maybe that was what finally made him let go.
He held her hand as she complained about being forced to come and get him, biting his tongue so hard it drew blood.
He said he lost track of time.
If she didn’t believe him, she didn’t question it.
Leaving the lake house was more painful than he thought it would be. As he drove down the driveway, he faked a deep yawn to mask the few tears that slipped from his eyes.
He’d had his lows in life, but this was the emptiest he’d ever felt.
On top of not being able to focus at work, Jisoo and his mother were constantly asking him questions about the wedding. He was so on edge, he was about to snap and tell them he didn’t give a fuck about any of it.
He didn’t care about the flowers.
He didn’t care about his suit.
He didn’t care if the cake was vanilla or not.
He didn’t care how many people were going to be there.
The only thing he cared about was Jisung, as he looked out the window in his office, watching the sunrise over the building.
He wondered if he was fishing on the dock, with his green fishing pole and a container full of worms. He wondered if he had on his red swim trunks with the cute little goldfish on them. He wondered if he smelled like sunscreen, with his wavy hair pulled back in a bandanna.
He wondered if he was looking at the sunrise and thinking about him too.
But Minho knew he didn’t deserve Jisung’s heart. It pained him, but he hoped Jisung would find someone who deserved him—someone who would treat him right, make him happy, and be the strong and honest man he deserved.
He sighed, leaning back in his office chair, knowing he needed to get to work.
When his phone started ringing, he almost smashed it against the wall.
Instead, he took a deep breath and answered it. “Yes, dear?”
“I thought you were off today?” she asked, slight irritation in her voice.
He was. But he couldn’t be home right now—or even think about the wedding. He was also having a hard time facing her. So he went into the office.
“I had an emergency meeting. But I’ll be home this afternoon.”
“You know we have a meeting with the venue staff tonight. Please don’t be late,” she said sternly.
“I won’t be.”
“Good.”
She hung up, and Minho could tell she was pissed.
But honestly, he didn’t care.
His heart shattered when he saw the background on his phone—Jisung’s smiling face, and Minho holding his first catch with the beautiful sun on the horizon behind them. It was silly, but he adored the picture so much.
He looked out the window again, heart aching as the sun rose high in the sky.
Minho felt like he could throw up.
He’d just checked how many people were sitting and waiting for him to walk down the aisle, but he wished he hadn’t.
The room was filled with people, ready to watch him marry a woman he didn’t and could never love.
He paced the room, trying to calm himself down, but he was totally losing his head. He’d never really cared before. He knew this would be his life, and he’d accepted it.
But now, after experiencing what love truly was, it felt like his heart was shattering, begging for what it longed for.
Because every moment, he thought of that beautiful heart-shaped smile. Every day, he wondered if he was doing all right. He missed his laughter, his scent, his warm skin.
He would see him in his dreams, hands intertwined as they swam through the lake. He knew it was just a dream because he felt happy—and he could swim.
He needed to take a breath.
His mother called after him as he ran out the front doors of the extravagant wedding venue Jisoo just had to book—even if it cost them millions.
He ran to the back and even slithered down an alley.
But he gasped when he saw his soon-to-be wife leaning against the building, head tilted back, taking deep breaths.
She looked over at him, shocked, eyes wide with horror. “What are you doing here? You’re—you’re not supposed to see me before I walk down the aisle.”
Minho turned around quickly, clenching his eyes shut. He didn’t have to since he wasn’t facing her anymore, but honestly, he wanted everything to disappear.
“I’m sorry. I had no idea you were out here.”
She sighed loudly, and Minho was even more confused when she chuckled.
“You know—nothing is going right today,” she said, voice strained. “Ever since I woke up this morning, I’ve felt sick. Half the flowers we ordered didn’t show up. My heel snapped as I was leaving the house. The weather is awful.”
This morning, the rain had poured down like the gods were crying. But Minho thought the weather was beautiful. He wondered if Jisung went to the dock. He wondered if the fish were biting. He wondered if he brought an umbrella—or if he let the rain drench him, his hair plastered to his pretty face.
It was quiet for a moment, then she let out another deep sigh.
“I know we shouldn’t be doing this,” she muttered, and Minho’s eyes snapped open. “It feels like the world is telling me this is a bad idea.”
Minho slowly turned around, and for the first time since he’d known her, she was being honest about her feelings on their situation.
“I know it’s what my parents want and what your parents want. But it’s not really what we want,” she added. Minho couldn’t stop blinking at her in surprise.
He’d never told her about his true feelings either. So honestly, he was a little shocked.
“But I guess we just have to.” She sounded hopeless, and Minho just slowly nodded his head.
“Did you come out here to clear your head before you marry someone you don’t love too?” She smiled sadly, her red lips trying to keep up the fake happiness.
Minho shrugged. “I did need some air.”
She chuckled. “You’ve always been kind, Minho. Too kind, sometimes. But I guess that’s why I was okay with it. Even if I know you don’t love me, I know you’ll still take care of me.”
Minho’s heart ached a little.
“Minho, you’re way too kind.”
Jisung’s voice sang deep in his heart, memories popping up again no matter how hard he tried to keep them down.
“Anyway,” she said, standing up straight. “We should probably get in there.”
Minho nodded—because she was right. This was going to happen, and there was nothing they could do about it.
She gave him a soft smile and a quick kiss on the cheek as she passed, and Minho wished his heart would stop aching so much.
Like she had said—he just had to.
He took a few more deep breaths, and when he walked back inside, he knew he had to get a grip.
As he made his way down the aisle, he didn’t look at anyone in the crowd. He couldn’t bring himself to. He probably would’ve started crying—and not in a happy way.
He gave Jisoo a smile, at least. She really did look beautiful. She deserved so much better, and Minho wished he could be the one to give it to her, instead of trapping her in a loveless marriage.
Her hands were cold when he took them. And for a moment, he thought he saw tears in her eyes too.
Everything felt blurred around him. Once again, he was just moving through the motions. Barely listening, barely present, the loneliness creeping in as he waited for their lives to be bound forever.
But at the last moment, just before he pledged himself to her, he looked out into the crowd—and time completely froze.
In the back, almost too far to even see, were the pretty brown eyes he had fallen in love with, staring directly at him. He wore a short-sleeved white shirt and a loose black tie. He didn’t fit in with the rest of the crowd, all dressed to the nines. His hair looked wet, like he’d run through the rain to get here.
Minho slowly let go of Jisoo’s hand. He couldn’t hear her words as he stepped off the altar. All he knew was that he could barely catch his breath—because at some point, he started running.
Jisung’s eyes grew bigger and bigger, and when Minho grabbed his wrist, he realized he was real. That this wasn’t a dream. He was here, and it almost felt surreal. His skin was so warm, and he was soaked from head to toe.
It was completely insane, but the moment Minho saw him, he made up his mind. For the first time in his life, he was going to stray from the path that had been paved for him.
He tightened his grip and pulled him towards the doors.
“Minho?!” Jisung called, confused and breathless. But Minho couldn’t stop running. He couldn’t turn around. He needed to get as far away from that life as possible.
Their feet slapped against the pavement, the rain pouring down. He had no idea where he was going—he just knew he needed to get away from here.
It almost felt freeing, the adrenaline rushing through his veins as he ran away from the life that had always been decided for him. He just kept running, feeling Jisung struggling to keep up, hearing him scream his name as he yanked him down the sidewalk.
When they were far enough away, and Jisung finally pulled him to a halt by the back of his suit jacket, Minho stopped.
“Minho—what the—are you—”
Minho didn’t let him finish his sentence. He grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him into the tightest hug. They were drenched, and the rain started pouring even harder.
Jisung was frozen—Minho could feel how stiff his body was as he held him close.
“You’re here,” he whispered, still terrified it was all a dream.
Finally, Jisung wrapped his arms around him, resting his face against his shoulder.
“Yeah…”
Minho pulled back, needing to see those pretty eyes again. His heart almost shattered when he realized he wouldn’t look at him. Jisung’s eyes were stuck on the ground between their feet—Minho’s fancy black shoes, and Jisung’s black and white Converse.
“Why are you…what are you doing here?” he asked, still trying to comprehend it.
He was surprised when Jisung let out a short laugh. “I don’t know,” he mumbled, face twisted with pain.
Minho swallowed nervously, but he was just grateful Jisung hadn’t pushed him away.
“I honestly don’t know why I’m here,” he said again. “But ever since you left, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”
He took a deep, shaky breath. “And it’s so stupid, because I know nothing will change, and I know you’re still getting married—so I don’t know what I was thinking, because I should hate you for making me feel this way,” he blurted out, and Minho’s heart shattered more with every word.
“But I asked my uncle if I could have a few days off, and I found out where you were getting married—because I felt like I needed to tell you—even if it doesn’t matter.”
Minho felt tears well in his eyes as Jisung finally looked up at him.
“That I love you too.”
The tears fell, and Minho couldn’t take it anymore.
He cupped his face, leaned in, and kissed him under the pouring rain. He felt his breath hitch, and the desperate fingertips twisting into his suit jacket made his heart flutter.
Minho almost smiled—he tasted like matcha.
They kissed on the street with people walking by, but Minho didn’t care. It was crazy and completely insane, but he kissed him even deeper.
He was afraid that if he let go, he would disappear—that the happy feeling in his chest would vanish. There was no way he could ever let it go again.
Jisung eventually pulled back, pressing his hands to Minho’s chest. He sighed, then balled his fist and punched him gently.
“Don’t marry her,” he mumbled, Minho’s heart fluttering at the soft, begging tone. “If you don’t love her, then don’t marry her.”
More tears fell down Jisung’s pretty pink cheeks.
“I know that we’re totally different, our lives aren’t the same, and I might not understand completely—and I’m being totally selfish. But…I don’t want you to marry her.”
Minho gently took his hand—soft and warm.
“I’ve never in my life questioned anything I was told to do. I always hid how I felt, knowing my real feelings would never be accepted,” he said, squeezing his hand. “But all day, I’ve had this sick feeling in my stomach—because I knew that after today, I’d have to let go of the one thing that finally made me happy.”
Jisung sniffled as Minho brushed a soft thumb over the corner of his eye, catching the tears.
“And then I saw those beautiful eyes that I fell in love with the day we met… and I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
Minho smiled at him, thumb trailing down to caress his pouty bottom lip—like a fish waiting for a hook.
“Because you are everything I’ve ever wanted.”
He gasped softly when Jisung suddenly pressed their lips together, arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him in as close as possible.
They kissed for what felt like forever—until a car horn blared at them, making them jump and forcing them apart.
Jisung chuckled, and Minho felt so incredibly happy to see that beautiful heart-shaped smile again.
“The lake is a lot more private than this,” he said, untangling his arms from around him.
Minho couldn’t help brushing the wet hair from his eyes, completely mesmerized by how pretty he looked, soaked from the rain.
“Should we get out of here?” Jisung asked.
Minho nodded. “Yeah. We should.”
Jisung drove him back to the lake. Honestly, he had nowhere else to go. The emotions he felt as they drove away from the city made him feel overwhelmed. He turned off his phone and shoved it deep into his pocket, cutting off his contact with the world.
Jisung held his hand the entire way, letting him cry whenever he needed to.
He thought he would feel nothing but happiness—finally running away from everything. But he hadn’t been prepared for the stress and anxiety that came with it. He knew he had just disappointed a lot of people, and if he thought about it too much, it would drive him insane.
As they returned to the lake, something about driving up Jisung’s driveway filled him with relief. The small wooden cabin felt like home, even if he’d never been inside before.
Jisung helped him out of the car, and by then, he’d mostly dried off from the rain.
They walked across the stone path and up to the small porch.
“So…it’s a bit messy, but I wasn’t really expecting company,” Jisung said, a soft chuckle at the end.
Minho nodded, not minding at all. He was just grateful Jisung was even letting him inside. After everything he’d put him through, he knew he didn’t deserve it.
When they stepped inside, Jisung set his keys on a wooden key rack and kicked off his sneakers.
Minho almost started crying again when he realized Jisung’s scent was everywhere. A sweet mixture of coconut and sunscreen.
“Here,” Jisung said, reaching for the suit jacket still clutched in Minho’s hand. “Let’s get you some warm clothes.”
Minho just nodded again. He couldn’t find his words, completely overwhelmed at the moment.
Jisung led him to the bedroom, rifling through his dresser and pulling out some shirts folded at the bottom.
“Okay, I have a few shirts—they’re a little big on me, so they might be a bit big on you, but—here,” he said, handing them over.
“And I have a pair of shorts, but I have to grab them from the—”
Minho reached out and grabbed his wrist before he could finish. His throat was tight. He still couldn’t say anything, so he just squeezed. But he didn’t want him to leave.
“Minho?” he asked in that soft tone that always made his heart flutter.
Minho blinked at the ground, trying so hard to keep his tears back. He’d already cried so much.
Jisung carefully backed him up until the backs of his knees hit the edge of the bed, and he helped him sit down on the mattress. A choked sob slipped from Minho’s lips—he didn’t mean to, but he couldn’t stop it.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Jisung whispered, brushing Minho’s messy hair out of his eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he finally whispered.
“Don’t be,” Jisung said, shaking his head gently.
“I am, though.”
Jisung just sighed, a small smile on his lips. “Well, then I forgive you.”
“An apology isn’t enough.”
“It is,” he assured him.
“I hurt you,” Minho choked out, his tears falling rapidly. “You gave me everything, and I—”
Jisung didn’t let him finish. He wrapped his arms around him and pulled him down onto the bed, lying side by side. They hadn’t even changed yet, getting their wet, dirty clothes all over his sheets—but Jisung didn’t seem to care.
It was quiet for a while. Minho clung to him tightly, just in case this was all still a dream, and he’d wake up empty again.
Jisung ran his fingers through his hair, kissing his forehead softly every now and then. It was calming, and the sound of the rain against the windowsill, along with the soft thump of his heartbeat, made him feel comforted.
“You know, I really wasn’t expecting you to take off running from the altar like that,” Jisung said, looking down at him with that beautiful smile he loved so much. “You should’ve seen your face.”
Minho sniffled, giving a slight chuckle. “Me either.”
“I honestly wasn’t even sure if I wanted to go inside. I stood in the rain for like twenty minutes, debating if it was even worth it.” The sadness in Jisung’s tone made Minho’s heart ache.
He reached up and cupped Jisung’s cheek. “Thank you,” he whispered. “Thank you for coming.”
Jisung frowned, and Minho wanted to press his thumbs to his lips, gently pushing the corners up until he was smiling again.
“I’m sorry I never came back to the dock,” Jisung said suddenly, and Minho blinked at him in surprise. “I was so upset with you, and I thought it was best to just forget about everything. But when I went back down to the lake a few days after you left, there was such an empty hole in my chest.”
He gripped his shirt near his heart, and his knuckles turned white.
“I missed you so much. So I thought about what you said…and I knew things weren’t that simple for you. And I hated that you were going to marry someone else, because I knew that when you said you loved me, you were telling the truth.”
Minho leaned up after those words, but Jisung wrapped his arms around his neck. He laid them back down, pulling Minho closer until he was straddling his hips.
“So I went after you. Because even if I knew it was impossible, I still wanted you to come back to me.”
A few tears slipped down Jisung’s cheeks, but there was a smile on his face.
“I do love you. I love you so much, Jisung,” Minho whispered.
Jisung’s pretty chuckle filled him with warmth. “Then kiss me,” he breathed out, pulling him so close that their noses brushed.
And Minho didn’t waste another second, pressing their lips together sweetly.
Jisung’s lips were feverish, his hands twisting in his shirt like earlier. Minho was trembling, never feeling something so strongly before in his entire life. He couldn’t stop kissing him, over and over and over, like he needed more of him to survive.
Minho threaded his fingers through Jisung’s hair, maybe pulling a little too hard, but he loved the beautiful sound that left his lips—like he wanted him to yank even harder. He kissed down his jaw and to his neck, his sweet coconut scent driving him absolutely crazy as he nipped at his skin.
His hands were wandering, needing to feel Jisung’s body, his warmth radiating and making his head spin.
“Min—that feels—” His words were cut off by a soft whimper when Minho sucked a mark on his neck.
There had been so many nights he’d dreamed of a moment like this—the feel of Jisung’s stubble on his lips, the way his muscles contracted beneath his touch, the deep, breathy moans that slipped into the air.
Minho’s heart was racing, and when he pulled back for a moment to catch a glimpse of Jisung’s face, he let out a choked sound. His pretty brown eyes were lidded, his mouth open and panting for air. His shirt had come undone at the top, his tattoo peeking out, slightly hidden by his loose, messy tie.
“You are so fucking beautiful,” Minho breathed out, unable to silence those thoughts he’d always kept back.
“So—so are you,” Jisung smirked, reaching up to tug at the buttons of Minho’s shirt too.
Minho grabbed his wrist, halting him so he could kiss him again. Jisung whined into his mouth, and Minho genuinely thought he might pass out from this. Kissing him felt so good, and he was slowly losing his mind.
“Hey,” Jisung whispered, forcing Minho to pull back with a soft hand on his chest.
Minho blinked at him, completely lost in lust.
“You’ve…you’ve never been with a man before…right?” he asked.
Minho swallowed nervously and slowly shook his head. “No, I haven’t.”
Jisung nodded. “Okay, then…do you want to?”
All the air left Minho’s lungs as Jisung stared up at him.
“Do…do I…want to…” he mumbled, struggling to get the words out. But his brain was short-circuiting.
“Because…I want to. I want to, really bad,” Jisung chuckled, and Minho wished he could pinch himself—because he swore this had to be a dream.
He took a deep breath through his nose, trying to get a grip. The fact that Jisung had just suggested they have sex was seriously making him lose his fucking mind.
But he had no idea how to be with a man, and the last thing he wanted was to be bad at it—especially if Jisung had experience and expectations.
He bit his lip, needing to find his words.
Jisung gripped his wrist gently with a soft squeeze. “What’s wrong? You don’t want to? If you don’t, that’s oka—”
“No. No, I want to so fucking badly,” he blurted out, cheeks instantly blushing when he noticed Jisung bite back a smirk.
“Okay…then come here.”
Minho gasped when Jisung pulled him down with more force this time, feeling the sudden desperation on his lips as they crashed together.
He couldn’t believe this was happening—especially when Jisung slipped his hands into his slacks to untuck his shirt. His fingers were warm as they slid up Minho’s stomach, leaving a tingling sensation in their wake.
Every button Jisung loosened made his heart race faster. He was shaking, and when Jisung tugged off his tie and yanked off his shirt, Minho realized that this was real.
He was about to have Jisung in a way he’d only dreamed of before.
The soft smile Jisung gave him as he trailed his fingers up his chest made him shiver.
“Jisung,” he said, reaching for his wrist. “I’m…nervous.”
Maybe that was lame to say, but he needed to be honest. His heart was about to pound out of his chest.
“It’s okay,” he murmured, pulling him closer again.
“And I don’t know what I’m doing,” he admitted.
Jisung smiled once more. “That’s okay, too.”
Minho sighed, hanging his head a little. “But I want this to be good for you, and if I don’t know what I’m doing—”
“Hey, you’ve slept with girls before, right?”
Minho blushed, but nodded.
“Well, just do what you know, and I’ll guide you through the rest.”
“But what if it’s not good—”
Jisung reached up and cupped Minho’s face, cutting him off as he pulled him in for a gentle kiss.
“It will be,” he assured him. “Just kiss me. I like being kissed.”
Minho didn’t need to be told twice. He leaned in and connected their lips, kissing him deeply. He liked that it was rough, Jisung’s hands a bit harsher on his body, squeezing his muscles like he couldn’t get enough.
Minho felt the same. His hands were everywhere, trailing over Jisung’s hot skin. He knew he was being desperate in the way he touched him, but he’d never felt like this before.
He usually disconnected and tried not to think about it. Whenever he was with a woman, it was like that. There was no spark, no feeling, no emotion. Sure, it felt good, but he’d always closed his eyes and detached himself from the moment.
But right now, Minho was so aware of Jisung that it was driving him a little crazy. Every thought he had was filled with him. He wanted to touch him everywhere, to breathe him in, taste his skin, kiss his lips. He wanted all of him—in every way possible.
He was so into him, wanted him badly, that he never wanted this to stop.
Minho kissed him deeply again, their tongues tangling, but Jisung let him take control. He kissed him until they could barely breathe, yet neither of them pulled away.
When Minho finally broke the kiss, Jisung gasped for air, lips glistening and tinted red. He looked so fucking beautiful, his eyes lidded as Minho kissed his open mouth. He couldn’t stop—he needed his taste.
He kissed him everywhere—his jaw, neck, chest, and shoulders—leaving tiny marks along his way. He traced over his chest tattoo, pressing his lips to the beautiful ink, even trailing his tongue lightly around it. He liked Jisung’s high-pitched whines, in stark contrast to his normally deep voice.
A sharp gasp left Jisung’s lips when Minho kissed his nipple. They were smaller than a woman’s breast, and he wasn’t sure if Jisung would even like the feeling, but they were so cute he had to get his mouth on them. He nipped and sucked, curious and needing to taste them.
“Fuck,” Jisung mumbled, his hands clenching the bedsheets.
He took that as a sign to keep going and sucked harder. When he did, Jisung’s back arched slightly, and a throaty moan escaped his lips.
He teased him for a while, kissing back and forth between the tiny buds until they were bright pink and sensitive to the touch. He flicked one gently, making Jisung let out a beautiful whimper.
His flushed skin was fucking gorgeous, and Minho had never been so into sucking on someone’s chest, but Jisung’s pretty body and sweet sounds made it impossible to stop.
When he looked up, his heart fluttered wildly. Jisung looked desperate, eyes pleading as he blinked down at him.
“More,” Jisung whined, wiggling his hips.
Minho nodded, knowing he wanted his pants off. He quickly reached up to undo his belt, fumbling a little with his desperate hands.
Jisung’s chuckle sent a beautiful warmth swirling through his stomach.
It was obvious how impatient he was—and maybe that should’ve been embarrassing—but he didn’t care. He needed him so badly, so he ripped his dress pants down his thighs.
“It’s turning me on how much you want it,” Jisung murmured.
Minho looked up at him again, and Jisung softly ran his fingers through his hair. His heart hammered when Jisung cupped his cheek.
“I want you,” Minho breathed out, and he swore Jisung’s eyes rolled back a little.
“You want me, huh?”
Minho nodded, kissing Jisung’s stomach and making him giggle.
“So much.”
Jisung hummed as Minho slid down to kiss his hips. He wondered if Jisung could feel how his fingers were shaking as they gripped his waist. But the closer he got to Jisung’s clothed erection, the crazier he felt.
He’d never seen a man up close like this before. He’d never touched another man’s cock. But he wanted to see Jisung fully bare—that beautiful tan skin on display just for him.
So he hooked his fingers into the waistband of his underwear, swallowing nervously. This time, he moved slowly, and Jisung lifted his hips to help him slide the black fabric down.
Jisung’s cock sprang free, and Minho was having a hard time catching his breath.
Even his cock was beautiful—long, but not thick or veiny, with the cutest pink head.
“You’re so pretty,” Minho whispered, hands gripping tightly to Jisung’s thighs as he stared.
A small whimper left Jisung’s lips, and when Minho looked up, his cheeks were bright red.
“You’re crazy,” he breathed out, averting his gaze and looking at the ceiling.
“But you are,” he whispered again, and Jisung covered his face with his arms, shaking his head.
Minho wanted him. There was no denying this feeling.
“Jisung, can I touch you?”
Jisung let out a choked sound, like he tried to laugh but it got stuck in his throat.
“Please—yeah,” he breathed out, still hiding.
Minho wished he wasn’t. He wanted to see his pretty face as he took him in his hands.
Jisung sucked in a sharp breath when Minho wrapped his fingers around him, his body jolting a little.
“Oh, fuck,” he whispered, like he hadn’t meant to say it, but it slipped out.
Minho rubbed his thumb over the slit, surprised at how wet he was. It made his heart flutter, knowing he wanted it just as badly.
He played with him for a while, stroking his fingers up and down, taking in every inch of his beauty.
Jisung wiggled a little, making Minho look up at him. His cheeks were flushed a deep red, and his hands moved down to his mouth, finally letting Minho see his eyes again.
“You’re kind of killing me here,” Jisung said, voice breathy with a chuckle at the end.
“Sorry, you’re just…so beautiful,” he told him again. But it was true. He’d never seen someone as beautiful as Jisung.
“Ever since we first met, one of my first thoughts was how pretty you were.”
Jisung whimpered as Minho teased him again, the head of his cock dribbling a little more.
“Me—me too. I thought you were really hot.”
Minho smiled, shaking his head.
“I noticed you staring at me—so I started wearing those cut-off shirts more,” Jisung admitted, smirking down at him.
“You caught that?” he asked, even though he knew he’d been staring too much not to get caught.
Jisung laughed. “Well, you weren’t very subtle.”
“That’s embarrassing, because I was trying to be.”
“Min, you would stare for a while—how could I not notice?”
Minho shrugged. “You were fishing. I didn’t think you were paying attention to me.”
Jisung smiled softly. “How could I not notice the hot guy staring at me from the other dock for like twenty straight minutes?”
“Twenty? That seems a bit much.”
“You were that into me that you didn’t realize it, huh?” he teased.
Instead of answering, Minho ran his finger over the slit of his cock again. Jisung let out a whimper, back arching beautifully.
“I guess. I was super into you—even if I was trying to tell myself I couldn’t be.”
Jisung just blinked at him this time, gnawing on his bottom lip as Minho pumped him slowly.
“It’s crazy how much I thought about you. Every single day, even when I was with my ex-fiancé and her family, I’d only be thinking about seeing you again the next morning.”
He poured out his feelings like it was finally okay to do now.
“I—I thought about you, too. I was always so lonely, and my days felt slow and boring, so I never looked forward to anything—but with you there, it was fun, and time felt like it flew by.”
Minho’s heart fluttered at the sight of his flushed cheeks and soft eyes as he spoke.
“I liked you. It was silly because you were only here for three weeks. But I fell in love with you anyway. So I kept coming to the dock more than I ever had before, because…I liked the attention you gave me. And you were so sweet.”
And God, Minho needed him now.
He gripped him tighter in his hand, and Jisung let out a sharp breath.
“Jisung…I want to…” he trailed off, his heart hammering against his ribs. He was nervous again, realizing he wanted to do so much for him, but he had no idea what he was doing.
“You want to what?” Jisung asked, completely breathless.
Minho swallowed thickly, knowing what he wanted to say, but the words wouldn’t come out.
He gasped softly when Jisung tilted his chin up.
“You wanna suck me off?” he asked, and Minho’s heart was going to give out.
He nodded quickly. “But I’ve never…given before.”
“That’s okay—you’ll be an expert. Just like fishing, I know it,” he smirked at him, making Minho’s heart race even more. “And honestly, I’m so turned on right now, anything you do will be great.”
Minho wondered if he added that last part just to make him feel better—but when he glanced back down, he looked genuinely desperate, twitching in his hands.
He wanted to kiss it. He couldn’t believe he’d ever think a man’s cock could look so cute.
So he leaned forward, capturing the beaded precum with his top lip as he pressed his lips to the head. The breathy whine Jisung let out made him shudder, and he needed to hear more of his desperate sounds.
He kissed him again and again, lips brushing over his sensitive skin. And Minho realized then that Jisung really was warm everywhere—his cock scorching as he licked gently over the slit.
“Holy—holy fuck, Minho.”
Minho smiled, taking that as a sign he was doing good so far. But he knew that probably wouldn’t last, because he was about to take him in—and from here on out, he’d be improvising.
He could count on one hand the number of blowjobs he’d ever received from women, so he wasn’t even really sure what felt good or what felt right. With Jisoo, it was extremely rare, since she didn’t like doing it. Minho never really cared, since he was never into it anyway. Whenever they slept together, he just couldn’t wait for it to be over. So the few times he had received, he hadn’t been paying attention.
But he decided to try his best, slowly slipping the head between his lips.
Jisung’s back arched again, and Minho was surprised when he gripped his hair, pulling hard. But he didn’t stop, taking him in further until he was about halfway.
His cock was warm against his tongue, and he somehow tasted sweet—like coconuts. It was a little difficult to breathe, but he did his best to take in air through his nose, sliding up and down at a slow pace.
If he knew one thing, it was to watch his teeth.
He flushed, wondering if he was even doing it right, just moving up and down like this. When he glanced up to check Jisung’s face, his heart fluttered. His lip was bitten raw, trapped between his teeth, and he stared down at him with those pretty brown eyes. His hand was threaded through his hair, and tiny whimpers left his throat with every gentle movement Minho made.
Minho gently pulled off, and Jisung whined—almost sadly.
“Is it okay?” he asked, feeling incredibly insecure.
“What? Yeah. Yeah, it’s really okay. It feels really good,” he breathed out desperately.
“But I feel like…I don’t know, like I’m not really doing anything.”
“No, you’re doing great, I promise,” he assured him, pulling his fingers from Minho’s hair to cup his cheek.
Minho blushed. Maybe he was just thinking about it too much, but he wanted this to be good for him. After everything, he deserved it.
“Can you tell me what to do? Or what you like?” he asked.
Jisung quickly nodded. “Yeah—sure. I can.”
His breathy voice was driving Minho crazy, and the whimper Jisung let out when he took him back in sent arousal flooding through his body. He was so hard, straining against his slacks, but he didn’t have time to think about it right now. His sole focus was to make Jisung feel good.
Jisung’s hand was still resting on his cheek, and Minho looked up again when he tapped gently.
“Suck in your cheeks a little—and if you can, go a bit deeper,” he said.
Minho would’ve nodded if he hadn’t had Jisung’s cock halfway in his mouth. But he did as he was told, sliding down even more. He wasn’t prepared for his airways to lock up or choke the way he did as he moved too quickly.
Tears filled his eyes, and he pulled back slightly. He glanced at Jisung again, heart fluttering when he saw his mouth hanging open, tongue pressed to his top lip like he was trying not to bite it.
“Fuck, you’re so hot, baby,” Jisung whispered, fingers gripping his hair again.
Minho’s heart almost exploded at the gentle words, the sweetness in his tone dripping from his lips.
“If it’s too much, you don’t have to force yourself. It already feels so good,” he assured him.
But Minho wanted to please him.
He took him down again, and when Jisung’s fingers tightened in his hair and wiggled his hips, Minho knew he was feeling good. It was cute how sensitive he was, his body shaking every time Minho twisted his tongue around the head.
It was messy, spit dribbling down his chin and Jisung’s cock as he tried to take him deeper. But Jisung was moaning like crazy now, and Minho couldn’t stop, needing to hear him more and more.
“Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck,” he breathed out, again and again.
Minho gasped when he was suddenly tugged by his hair, mouth now empty as Jisung pulled him off his cock.
Jisung’s eyes were clenched shut as he heaved for air. His cheeks were bright red, matching the tip of his pretty cock that twitched between their bodies.
“You—you don’t know how to give head, but you’re literally about to make me cum,” he chuckled breathlessly, throwing his head back. “Fuck.”
Minho couldn’t help his proud smile and a slight blush.
It took him a moment, but when Jisung glanced at him again, he pressed his thumb to Minho’s bottom lip.
“So, did you like it?” he asked, a smirk on his pretty face. “Sucking cock?”
Minho nodded desperately. “Yeah. I—I liked it a lot.”
Jisung threw his head back again. “You’re so cute,” he said.
He wrapped his arms around Minho’s neck, and Minho gasped when he slammed their lips together.
His face was a mess, slick with spit, but Jisung didn’t seem to care as he licked into his mouth.
“I want you to fuck me so bad,” Jisung whispered against his lips, and Minho couldn’t help the sharp breath that left his chest.
“I probably…won’t be good at it,” he mumbled.
Jisung chuckled softly. “Well, I don’t believe that after the expert blowjob you just gave me,” he said, making Minho groan as he sucked on his neck near his ear.
“I’ve never…been into it before,” he said.
Jisung pulled back, looking at him curiously. “What do you mean?”
Minho let out a soft sigh. “I mean…when I had sex with women. I wasn’t…I didn’t feel this way. So, I just—went through the motions, so I wasn’t thinking about the other person. But I want to make you feel good, and I’m afraid that I won’t, and—”
“Hey,” Jisung murmured, interrupting him gently. “You will make me feel good. I already feel good.”
Minho winced, realizing how embarrassing he was acting. But he couldn’t help feeling extremely anxious.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“Don’t be. It’s okay. It’s your first time with a guy, and I totally get it,” he assured him, stroking his fingers over the nape of his neck.
“It’s…the first time I’ve ever wanted sex like this. It’s my first time with someone I care so much for. It’s my first time with you—someone who made me realize that I’m so much happier being myself.”
Jisung’s eyes widened, silent as he blinked up at him.
Maybe that was too much honesty. Minho bit his lip, feeling insecure again.
“Fuck—I’m sorry. I’m just…so fucking nervous,” Minho said, casting his eyes away.
His heart fluttered when Jisung took both of his cheeks in his hands.
“Anything you give me will be perfect. I’m just happy you’re here. I’m happy we’re together like this. I want it too, so much, Minho—you have no idea.”
Minho couldn’t believe tears were starting to well up in his eyes. Instead of letting them fall, he kissed Jisung deeply again.
They kissed for a while because Minho couldn’t let go. He could tell Jisung was getting desperate, trying to pull him back by the waist—but honestly, Minho could kiss him forever.
He finally pulled back when Jisung whimpered, digging his fingers into his sides.
“I need it,” he whined. “I need you.”
All the air left Minho’s lungs when he reached for the bulge hidden behind his slacks. He’d forgotten about himself for a moment, needing Jisung’s lips so badly.
The nervousness slipped back in as he nodded quickly.
“Tell me what I should—what do I—”
“In the drawer—lube and condoms. Can you get them?”
Minho nodded again, carefully moving over him, not wanting to accidentally crush him. He pulled open the drawer, grabbed what he was told, shuffled back, and placed it on the bed.
They were quiet for a moment as Jisung leaned up on his elbows, and Minho hovered over him, knees on both sides of his thighs.
Minho blinked at him, and Jisung blinked back. They both flushed, and Jisung chuckled as Minho bit his lip.
“Sorry—I just don’t know what to…” Minho mumbled, trailing off, feeling so embarrassed.
“No, I’m sorry—and I’m not laughing at you, I promise. I’m just—I’m nervous too,” he said, cheeks bright pink. He was so cute when he was flustered, struggling to make eye contact.
“So, uh…here,” Jisung said, taking the lube and handing it to him. “Use a lot, and then…well, you know where, right?”
Jisung blushed the deepest red Minho had ever seen, trying to hide his face. But Minho didn’t want him to run away or hide.
He carefully grabbed Jisung’s wrist and pulled it away from his burning cheeks. Jisung looked surprised, eyes flicking to the side.
“I want to see your pretty face,” Minho said, and Jisung’s eyes closed gently.
“And your pretty eyes,” he added.
“You’re…making me feel embarrassed when you say things like that,” he admitted, chuckling at the end. It seemed to be a shy habit of his.
“Like what?”
“You know what,” he mumbled.
“That you’re pretty?”
Jisung threw his head back, eyes now on the ceiling.
“Yeah,” he whispered. “No one…has ever really said that to me before.”
Minho was shocked and a little upset when he heard that. Jisung was genuinely the prettiest thing he’d ever seen. And he deserved to know it.
“Then I’ll tell you more—every day.”
Jisung whined, trying to hide again, but Minho wouldn’t let go of his arm.
“You’re…you’re crazy,” he mumbled, making Minho smile.
“About you? Yeah.”
“Oh my god…” Jisung trailed off, chuckling.
“I know, I’m lame,” Minho said, smiling at him.
Jisung shook his head. “No, you’re not lame. You’re sweet—my romance writer.”
Minho chuckled and kissed his knee, lips gentle on his skin.
Jisung let out another soft breath. “Min—please,” he whispered desperately, pretty brown eyes pleading with him.
Minho nodded, taking a deep breath himself.
He quickly grabbed the lube, realizing his hands were shaking. But he needed to get it together, because he wanted this to be good for him. He spread the cool liquid onto his fingers, and when he looked over at Jisung, he had his legs spread and hands clenched in the sheets.
God, he was so fucking beautiful—flushed from his cute cheeks down to his pretty chest.
“Minho?” Jisung said softly, grabbing his attention.
Shit. He’d been staring again, not even realizing it.
“Sorry,” he whispered.
He finally fit himself between Jisung’s legs, spreading them even wider. He reached down, pressing his fingers against his rim—and he was so fucking warm.
Jisung let out another sharp breath, and when Minho glanced up at him, he was happy to see he wasn’t hiding. He had his lip between his teeth again, eyes lidded, watching him intently.
“Hi,” Minho said, which made Jisung smile.
“Hi.”
“Um, so…should I just…” he trailed off, tapping his rim gently.
“Just go slow…I’ll tell you if it’s too much.”
Minho nodded, his heart fluttering as he pushed his finger in gently. A high-pitched whine left Jisung’s lips, making Minho swallow hard.
It was incredible how hot he felt inside. Jisung was always warm, but Minho was losing his mind, feeling the core of it.
He went as slowly as he could, watching Jisung’s face twist with discomfort and getting worried.
“Are you okay? Is it not good?” he asked immediately, halting his finger.
“N-No, it just—it takes a second. I’m fine—you can keep going,” he assured him, his small smile sending Minho into a whirlwind.
He was so fucking beautiful—it was hard to think about anything else. Jisung was the only thing on his mind.
As he continued pressing in again, Jisung squirmed beneath him. His cock was wet, lying against his stomach, and Minho wanted to reach out and touch him. But he stayed focused on where he was opening him carefully.
When his finger slid easily in and out, Minho was mesmerized by the sight—cock twitching inside his slacks.
“You—you can add another,” Jisung said, breaking Minho from his gaze.
Minho did as instructed, pulling out to slip two fingers in side by side.
“Fuck,” Jisung moaned as he pressed them in fully.
He was as gentle as he could be, making sure Jisung was okay at every moment. The last thing he wanted was to hurt him or mess this up.
“F-Faster,” Jisung breathed.
Minho’s heart raced, especially when their eyes met.
Jisung was whining and grinding against his fingers. Minho’s mouth hung open, watching him arch his back while he fucked his ring and middle fingers into him deeply.
“You’re…so hot,” Minho breathed out, making Jisung whine even louder. “You’re so fucking pretty, Jisung.”
He couldn’t keep the thoughts back. He didn’t even want to. He wanted him to know how fucking perfect he was.
“Minho,” he moaned, hand unclenching from the sheets. He reached for him, and Minho quickly intertwined their fingers with his free hand.
“Fuck, it feels…so good,” Jisung cried, squeezing so tightly it hurt a little.
Minho loved how vocal he was, needing to hear even more of his sweet voice.
“Can I add another?”
“Yes, please. Please,” he begged. But he didn’t have to, because Minho would give him anything, do anything for him, no matter what.
He pressed in a third finger, feeling a bit more resistance this time. Jisung’s face contorted a little, seeming uncomfortable. Minho went to stop, but Jisung squeezed his hand again, meeting his gaze.
“Keep going. Please, keep going.”
Minho nodded, breathless as he looked at him.
Eventually, he had three fingers fucking in and out of him at a moderate pace, and Jisung’s pretty expressions had him completely in a trance. Their hands were clasped tightly together while Jisung’s other hand fisted the sheets near his head.
At some point, Jisung’s eyes had closed, and Minho missed seeing their prettiness.
“Jisung,” he said softly, but all he received in return was a moan.
“Baby,” he cooed gently this time, and those words made Jisung’s eyes open instantly.
Minho smiled. “There you are.”
Jisung blinked at him, eyes lidded with lust.
Minho kissed his knee over and over, keeping his gaze as he slowed down his pace.
“I—I want you to fuck me,” Jisung said, voice raw.
Minho shivered. Every fantasy he’d ever had couldn’t compare to this. Jisung was truly a dream, so beautiful that Minho was scared he’d wake up before he could even have him.
And now, he was getting impatient as Jisung gazed at him so desperately, like he couldn’t wait any longer either.
He withdrew his fingers, and Jisung let out a soft gasp. He was gaping, rim twitching, and Minho was about to lose his fucking mind if he stared for another second. He quickly ripped off his slacks, throwing his wedding attire into the middle of the floor as he grabbed the condoms on the bedspread.
When he looked over at Jisung again, there was a soft smirk on his lips.
“What?” Minho asked before tearing open the condom wrapper.
“Ready for me to blow your mind?” he asked, wiggling his hips a little.
Minho let out a soft chuckle. “You already have.”
Jisung chuckled, too. “Well, you’re about to blow out my back with how big you are—fuck,” he said, eyes flicking away for a moment.
Minho blushed, rolling it onto his cock. Suddenly, the nerves were back, especially when he leaned over and Jisung took his hand again.
“Slow,” Jisung reminded him, and Minho nodded.
He lined up, the head of his cock brushing against his rim. He noticed Jisung swallow, throat bobbing as he squeezed his hand again.
And when he pushed in, they both let out deep, sharp breaths.
Just as Minho expected, he was so fucking warm. He was also incredibly tight, and he had no idea how he was going to last long at all—especially with the gentle moans falling from Jisung’s lips and the way his fingers dug into his biceps.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Jisung whined, eyes clenched shut.
Minho immediately froze, but his heart was still moving quickly in his chest.
“Sorry. I’m sorry—”
“No, don’t—don’t be. I just—need a second,” he said with a chuckle at the end. He must have been just as nervous.
Jisung breathed deeply and squeezed Minho’s hand again. Minho squeezed back, desperately waiting for him to open his eyes.
He gently reached down and brushed away the hair that had fallen in his face. When Jisung slowly opened them again, Minho couldn’t help but lean down to press a kiss to his bottom lip.
“Hi,” Jisung whispered.
“Hi, pretty boy,” Minho said, making Jisung flick his eyes away.
He was so fucking cute.
“I’m—I’m ready now,” he told him, and Minho slowly started pushing in again.
It took a bit, and every time Jisung looked uncomfortable, Minho kissed him until he was ready again. They repeated that until Minho’s hips were pressed all the way in, and Jisung pulled him down to wrap his arms around his neck.
Minho’s heart fluttered when Jisung pressed his face to his neck, lips on his skin.
“So—how is it so far?” Jisung asked.
Minho gasped when he sucked on his neck, definitely leaving a soft mark.
“It feels so fucking good,” he breathed out, and he could feel the rumble of Jisung’s chuckle against his chest.
“Let me show you how much better a man can be,” he smirked.
Minho groaned when he wiggled his hips again, driving him even crazier now that he was inside him.
“It’s already…you have no idea what you’re doing to me,” he told him, pressing their foreheads together. “I’ve never wanted something—anyone—this badly in my life.”
“Then take me,” he whispered before brushing their lips together softly. “Give in to it. Do what feels good, because I want you to feel good, too.”
Minho shook his head. This was about Jisung—not him. His apology for hurting him, for making him cry, for lying to him when he should have told him the truth, for betraying him after he’d given him everything.
“Babe,” Jisung said so softly that Minho barely heard him. “It’s okay—you can have me. You don’t have to hold back either.”
Minho wondered if he could sense the anxiety he was trying to push down still deep in his stomach. A part of him was still afraid—like he shouldn’t be doing this—and that in some way, he wasn’t worthy either.
He clenched his eyes shut, but Jisung just pulled him closer.
“You can have me,” he repeated.
And Minho couldn’t take it anymore. He slowly pulled back, then slammed his hips in, making Jisung whine loudly into his ear.
Minho wrapped his arms around him, needing him as close as possible. He didn’t want to let him go, afraid he might disappear if he did.
He fucked him deep, strangled whimpers leaving Jisung’s chest as he squeezed him closer. Maybe he was holding on too tight, but he was addicted to his warmth and scent. It felt so good he could barely even think. The only thing running through his mind was how perfect this was, how perfect Jisung was, for giving him something he never thought he could ever have.
True love.
“Minho. Fuck. Minho,” Jisung whined, tangling his ankles around his hips. Minho fucked him faster, wanting to hear his name falling from his pretty lips again. He nipped at his neck, liking the taste of his sweat, breathing in his coconut scent.
It was almost too much. But he didn’t want to cum yet. He’d never felt this way before, so turned on, he could barely keep it together.
He clenched his eyes shut, pulled back, and slipped out—because if he didn’t stop, it would already be over. And he couldn’t let it end just yet.
The small chuckle that left Jisung’s lips made Minho open his eyes, and when he looked down, he could barely breathe.
He had a smirk on those sweet lips, red and swollen from sucking and biting on Minho’s shoulder to keep his moans down. His eyes were lidded, pretty brown and blown wide with lust. A soft, pink blush colored his cheeks, trailing down to his chest, which heaved slightly for air. He was gorgeous—completely fucked out and legs spread wide.
“Fuck…” Minho groaned, his cock twitching when Jisung reached down to press his fingers to his open rim.
“Am I better than her?” he asked suddenly.
Minho swallowed hard, brain short-circuiting as Jisung slowly fingered himself, opening his legs even wider.
“So—so much better,” he told him, trying to look away before he came pathetically into the condom. But his eyes were stuck on where Jisung’s fingers disappeared into his body.
Jisung just hummed, almost like those words weren’t enough for him—like he needed more.
Minho leaned over him, pressing a deep, sudden kiss to his lips.
“You feel so much better. You’re so warm and tight—it’s driving me crazy. I couldn’t…if I kept going, I would’ve cum. But I don’t want to—not yet,” he admitted. And if that was embarrassing or too honest, he didn’t care.
Jisung shivered when he kissed his throat, head thrown back on the pillow.
“Am I prettier?” he asked, his eyes averted.
“Yes,” he breathed out. “You’re prettier, sweeter, hotter—fuck, you’re so hot, baby.”
Another whimper left Jisung’s lips, and Minho noticed his fingers moving faster as he spoke.
“Whenever I had sex with her, I couldn’t wait for it to end. But with you—I don’t want this to end. I love the way you make me feel.”
Jisung whimpered when Minho bit the center of his throat, and he loved the way he could feel the vibrations against his teeth.
“Did you always use condoms?” Jisung asked suddenly.
Minho pulled back, blinking at him curiously.
“Yeah, we did.”
Jisung bit his lip and withdrew his fingers. Minho gasped when he felt his warm touch on his cock, fingers wrapping around him.
“Do you want to feel me without it?”
Minho’s brain completely disconnected—not in a bad way, but in a way where he couldn’t even begin to fucking comprehend the question he’d just been asked.
Jisung blinked up at him, waiting for an answer, his face dark red as he chewed on the inside of his cheek.
“Is…is that what you want?” Minho asked breathlessly.
Jisung shrugged. “I’ve never let a guy cum inside me. But I kind of want you to.”
Minho felt dizzy when those words hit his ears.
“I—I would—yeah. If you want to, then—”
He didn’t even get the chance to finish his sentence before Jisung slowly peeled off the condom. He tossed it to the floor before wrapping his fingers around Minho’s cock again, stroking him gently.
“I want to feel all of you,” Jisung murmured.
Minho’s heart officially and fully gave out.
Jisung tugged him back in, wiggling his hips until the tip pressed against his stretched rim.
“Oh, fuck,” he whined softly as Minho pushed in.
Everything felt different—the intense warmth, the softness. Honestly, his mind went blank. The feeling of skin on skin wasn’t even comparable. He could feel all of him so clearly—the way he pulsed, his heat, and the soft way he wrapped around him. Every time Jisung clenched, he could barely breathe, trembling from the intense pleasure.
“Jisung—I’m—I’m not gonna last long like this,” he admitted embarrassingly, his voice even cracking.
Jisung just pulled him closer, arms tangled around his back and legs hooking at his waist to force him deeper.
Minho groaned, cock fully sheathed inside him, hips pressed to his skin. He couldn’t move, his body frozen from the pleasure and from Jisung holding him in place.
“That’s okay. I won’t either,” he said, lips pressed to Minho’s collarbone. “Just—god, even if it’s not long, please just fuck me.”
Minho almost passed out when pulled out and slammed back in. Jisung’s whimpers were driving him crazy, his beautiful voice so loud that it vibrated off the walls.
It was somewhat hard to move, since Jisung had him gripped so tightly, but Minho didn’t mind—he loved having him so close. He could feel the heat from Jisung’s cock, rubbing between their bodies, making his mind swirl.
He fucked him so deep that Minho wasn’t even sure how it fit inside him. But he couldn’t stop, chasing that intense pleasure he so desperately wanted.
Jisung’s whines turned into breathy, desperate gasps, hair stuck to his sweaty forehead, and eyes blown wide as Minho looked down at him.
“So beautiful…like a dream,” Minho whispered, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.
And he really was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
“Fuck—Min—I’m gonna—oh, fuck,” he cried, and suddenly Minho felt the liquid warmth on his chest as Jisung came from the friction of their skin alone.
His entire body shook with the sweetest moan Minho had ever heard. The way his face twisted with pleasure, eyes rolling back into his head, sent an unknown ecstasy ripping through Minho’s veins. He looked so fucked out, so beautiful as he came—and Minho was right there with him.
“Baby, I’m cumming too,” he breathed out, shocked when Jisung wrapped his arms and legs around him even tighter.
“Cum—cum inside.”
Minho, once again, didn’t need to be told twice.
The feeling was unlike any other, intense and exploding from him in hot spurts. He could feel Jisung around him, tightening and milking every last drop of pleasure from his body. He’d never cum like that before, so extreme that his legs actually gave out. He could barely catch his breath, trying not to crush Jisung beneath him, but he swore he couldn’t feel his limbs.
His cock twitched inside his heat, slowly softening. Everything felt like it was slowly turning back on, almost like a restoration of power. He’d completely lost his head finishing inside him. It wasn’t until Jisung kissed his slack mouth that Minho realized his lips were on him.
They kissed and kissed, and Minho tried not to feel sad that it was already over.
“So,” Jisung whispered, nipping at his ear, “did you like it?”
Minho gripped him by the back of his neck, kissing him so deeply that Jisung whined into it. He was still buried deep inside him, not wanting to pull out, desperately wanting this feeling to last.
“I like you,” Minho whispered against his lips. “With you, it was…unbelievable.”
Jisung chuckled, and Minho groaned when he felt himself starting to slip from his body. Jisung finally released his arms and legs from around him, and when Minho pulled back, they were both a complete mess.
His mind almost went blank again as he glanced at Jisung, who looked completely wrecked. His soft cock rested on his stomach, leaking leftover cum at the slit. And between his legs, where he was still wide open, Minho shuddered at the sight of his cum dripping from his loose rim—wet and glistening.
But Jisung’s eyes were averted towards the ceiling, his face bright red as he hid behind his arm.
“I’ll—I’ll get a towel,” Minho said quickly.
His legs still weren’t working well, but he needed to clean him up. He ran to the bathroom, grabbed a towel from the closet, and ran it under warm water for a few seconds.
When he stumbled back into the room, Jisung had his legs closed and his hands covering his face. Minho carefully crawled onto the bed, gently sliding his hands between his thighs.
“Can I clean you up?” he asked gently.
Jisung just nodded, and Minho was sure he’d never seen him so shy before. It made him a little nervous.
He gasped when Minho pressed the towel to his rim, slowly and softly cleaning him. He remained quiet, not even peeking through his fingers.
He was hiding from him.
“Are you okay?” Minho asked as he gently wiped down his chest.
“Yeah—I’m just…embarrassed a bit.”
Minho frowned. “Why?”
Jisung shrugged. “Because I—I really liked it too. And I…I’ve never had to get cleaned up like this before, so…”
Minho leaned in and pressed a kiss to his stomach.
“Don’t be embarrassed.”
“It’s hard when you’re staring at me like that,” he said, chuckling at the end of his sentence.
“Am I staring?”
“You know you are.”
Minho smiled. “Sorry. You’re so pretty to me. I can’t help it.”
“You’re crazy,” he whined, making Minho chuckle.
“Maybe a little.”
Minho finished cleaning him up and tossed the towel in the hamper near his bed. He was about to gather their clothes, but before he could leave, Jisung wrapped his arms around his waist.
“Lay with me,” he pleaded, big eyes blinking up at him.
There was no way he could deny that pretty face.
He slipped under the sheets, letting out a surprised breath when Jisung immediately snuggled against his chest.
Jisung looked up at him, that beautiful, heart-shaped smile on his lips.
“Hi,” Jisung said.
Minho smirked softly, reaching down to brush the stray hair out of his eyes.
“Hi, pretty boy.”
Jisung chuckled, hiding his face by pressing it back into Minho’s chest. His heart fluttered when he felt Jisung’s lips tenderly kiss his skin.
“I love you,” Jisung whispered, and Minho’s breath hitched as he looked up at him again.
Minho quickly wrapped his arms around him, pulling him in so close. A comfort settled inside him as he felt his warmth.
“I love you too.”
Jisung leaned in and kissed his lips, so softly that it really did feel like a dream. But as Minho held his sides, kissing him deeper, he knew that this was real.
They kissed until the sun set, and the light in the room faded with the sun behind the horizon.
He felt nervous, afraid of what tomorrow would bring, knowing he’d taken a path he couldn’t return from, the bridge crumbling behind him.
But Jisung was in his arms, and he’d never felt this kind of happiness before.
So there was no way he was turning back.
To get down to the lake from Jisung’s house, there were fifteen sets of steps.
Minho had fallen in love with the log cabin he lived in—one bedroom, one bathroom, and the cutest kitchen he’d ever seen. He loved waking up to the smell of coffee and matcha drifting into the bedroom from the kitchen as the sun rose. Jisung had so many mugs, and all of his ingredients for cooking were placed in labeled containers. On the windowsill, right beneath the windchimes, was the first picture they’d ever taken together—Jisung smiling widely, and Minho trying to kiss a fish.
Minho had woken up early today, before the sunrise.
He kissed Jisung’s cheek, pulled the covers over him, and quietly closed their bedroom door.
The weather was perfect as he stepped outside with his tablet, breathing in the fresh morning air, ready to make his way down to the lake.
The sun was still hiding beneath the horizon, its vibrant orange glow beginning to warm the earth. He pulled up his notes app, ready to start his next novel.
After he ran away from Jisoo at the altar, life had changed very quickly. His parents were pissed, and Jisoo’s parents were even more pissed.
But Jisoo had called him in tears after he fled, thanking him for doing something she never had the courage to do. They hadn’t spoken since, but every day, he hoped she was doing well.
It had been about six months since then. He’d lost his job at his parents’ company, and to say they weren’t happy with him would’ve been an understatement. He tried to explain that he’d fallen in love with a man who lived on the lake, in a town no one had even heard of.
They didn’t take it well.
But Minho had never been happier to lose everything he’d been given, to finally have something he’d always wanted.
Jisung let him move in, even if he didn’t deserve it. But Minho had promised he’d spend every day of his life making it up to him, for even giving him a second chance. And even after Jisung said he forgave him, Minho continued to give him everything, because Jisung had shown him how beautiful life could be when it had real purpose.
He started writing every morning by the lake, the words coming easily. He finished the novel he’d been working on for years.
It became a bestseller.
Minho still couldn’t believe it, but Jisung had said he always knew he could do it, always making his heart race with his beautiful words.
He’d written a ton this morning, up until he heard footsteps behind him, running down the dock.
Minho looked over his shoulder to see Jisung with both fishing poles, pink and green, in his hand, and the tackle box under his arm.
“Babe! Why didn’t you wake me up?!” he shouted.
Minho quickly set down his tablet when he saw Jisung almost stumble over his feet.
“Hey, careful!” he called out, but of course, Jisung didn’t slow down.
When he finally reached the end of the dock, there was an adorable little pout on his lips.
“What gives?” Jisung grumbled.
“Good morning, pretty boy,” Minho said, brushing the hair that had fallen into his face out of his eyes.
“You abandoned me. You left me alone. I woke up and you were gone. I don’t like being alone,” he complained, and Minho chuckled, kissing him.
“Don’t you have class today?” he asked.
“Yeah,” he mumbled.
Jisung had enrolled in a college in a nearby city. It wasn’t close, and his commute was long, but he’d always wanted to attend college. Minho, of course, supported him entirely—because when his own dream of becoming an author had come true, Jisung had been right there, every step of the way.
“Well, I didn’t want to wake you because you need your rest,” he told him.
Jisung pouted even deeper. “But I wanna watch the sun rise and fish.”
Minho kissed him again, and this time, Jisung couldn’t hold back his smile.
“Okay. I’m sorry. I should’ve woken you.”
“Yes, you should have. So promise to wake me next time,” he demanded.
“I promise.”
Jisung nodded, that pretty heart-shaped smile returning to his lips. “Good. You know I love watching the sun rise with you.”
He grabbed the poles and Minho’s hand, leading him to the edge of the dock. Jisung held out the container of worms, and Minho grabbed two without hesitation, hooking them onto their poles.
They cast their lines in opposite directions, and when the bobbers hit the water, they sent ripples across the surface.
Jisung leaned his head on Minho’s shoulder with a yawn.
Minho smiled, knowing he was tired. But Jisung refused to miss the mornings with him.
“It’s supposed to rain tomorrow,” Jisung said, kicking his feet over the dock. “Can we still go swimming though?”
It was his only day off, and Minho would never tell him no.
“Of course, baby,” he assured him.
“Sweet. I’ll make matcha too—and I’ll make extra because you keep drinking it all on me.”
Minho had completely fallen in love with the taste, even if he hadn’t cared for it much at first.
“And then we can cuddle all day and watch movies,” he added.
Minho kissed his cheek, the cute, small mole drawing him in as he smiled.
“I can’t wait.”
Jisung talked about his classes and work until the sun began to rise, humming a new song he’d written softly when things fell quiet.
Usually, Minho would get upset when it was time to leave the dock. But now, he didn’t have to worry about whether or not he’d see Jisung the next morning.
Because tomorrow, he’d see him the moment he woke up, that pretty, smiling face, the one he’d fallen in love with, glowing in the light of daybreak.