the door of junhui's apartment clicked back in its lock when both boys got themselves inside. junhui picked back up his usual routine by taking off his thin summer coat and slinging it around his coatrack, taking off minghao's jacket along the way. minghao couldn't help but to adore the view of junhui taking off his coat in the mirror that hung on the left side of the narrow, short hallway.
and without saying more words, junhui grabbed a gentle hold of minghao's hand and guided him to his living room. as it was just an apartment, it wasn't excessively big. but with the kitchen of the right side, two steps higher than the rest of the floor and the living room bathing in the orange light of the sun that shone through a large window that covered almost the entire wall, it was perfectly fine for just the two of them.
"welcome home, hao." junhui whispered, pulling minghao a little closer to his side by his waist as he littered a few small kisses across his cheek.
a content smile was stuck on minghao's face as he let his eyes wander through the apartment. the knowledge that he would share this place with junhui from now on filled him with glee, excitement and overwhelmed him with a nostalgic sense of home-like safety. which he previously thought he'd never be able to feel again.
"thank you." was the only thing minghao was able to stammer out, emotions getting a hold of him again. which was understandable after everything he had been through. or more important, what they both had gone through to get at this point.
and they weren't even there yet. they still had to receive doc's acknowledgment to free minghao from his entire medical process. and not only that, the poor boy was also still stuck under a strict management. his contract first had to be broken somehow.
but as they had kept telling each other all along the way; they would find a way. one day, they'd figure it all out to live a peaceful life with just the two of them. and with the company of the toe cult, of course.
"jun.. i brought something here." minghao admitted once his eyes landed on the life sized refrigerator. he rummaged through the pocket of his skinny jeans and found the small item he had been looking for. "can i stick in on the fridge for you?"
minghao held out the little magnet they had bought in the town a few months back. the one thing where their journey had started. and junhui doubted they'd ever find one that would hold more meaning than this one.
"of course you can, go ahead." junhui trailed his boyfriend to the kitchen, two steps higher than the floor level of the rest of the apartment.
it would appear as a simple gesture to anyone else. but it brought tears into both junhui and minghao's eyes when the magnet kept sticking onto the empty surface of the fridge. the thing they had been talking about for what seemed like forever, finally became true. because with the little magnet they marked the beginning of their life, together.
"now we'll only have to see how we're going to print the photo we took after it." junhui chuckled, his eyes glued on the little magnet.
without hesitance, minghao turned around and clung onto junhui's chest, wrapping his arms around his torso tighter than ever. "please tell me this is not a dream." his voice came out as muffled against the fabric of junhui's beige sweater, his nose entirely buried in the safety junhui had to offer.
junhui couldn't restrain another chuckle from leaving his lips as he pulled minghao closer in his embrace, allowing the boy to rest against his chest. "and even if it was a dream, it would be a good one. wouldn't it?"
"without a d..doubt." minghao cried out, silent sniffles leaving his nose.
only a few hours ago junhui had been stated as dead. yet here they were, standing inside his kitchen. what had always seemed like a dream to both of them had come true on a chilly pre-autumn morning. they had finally conquered everything that stood in their way and had arrived at their destination.
junhui's apartment in the middle of a calm town; the beginning of their life together.
they were still young, considered too young to understand the true meaning of love perhaps. but both boys knew, however, that this was it. no other person they would ever meet could be able to fill their hearts with such genuine happiness.
no one would be able to fill the void within them like how they had done together. while junhui's presence had been curing minghao all along the way, minghao had been junhui's miracle when they least expected it. never in their lives would they find anyone again with whom they could build such a deep bond.
not now they finally understood the definition of soulmates.
"maybe we should get some sleep first. it has been a long night for you and i think you deserve a rest." junhui whispered, caressing the back of minghao's head and gently brushing his fingers through his black hair.
"as long as y..you stay with me." minghao sniffled, refusing to move the slightest inch. he had no intention of moving away now he finally had him back again.
"of course i'll stay with you." junhui whispered in return. "i'm a man of my words. of course i won't break the promise i made. and besides, i own a double bed so i doubt there's too little space for the two of us to sleep."
"the single beds back in the lake house were perfectly fine too." upon hearing the sound of minghao's characteristic giggle junhui felt butterflies roaming through his stomach, glad to hear the slightest sense of happiness again.
"well i can't prove you wrong there." junhui threw one last glance over at the little magnet that stuck onto the refrigerator and let out a sigh when he loosened his grip around minghao. "let's take a nap, shall we?"
