„Woo Bin.." Yi Jeong whispered and started playing with the hair in his neck. „Hey... wake up.."
He noticed a trace of dried tears on his cheek and felt his heart aching. Was he already aware? But how did he find out?
Woo Bin grunted and shifted a little, slowly opening his eyes. They were red and swollen, when he blinked at Yi Jeong.
Before even knowing where he was, he jumped up and right into his boyfriend's arms, holding on like his life was depending on it.
Yi Jeong hugged him so tight and Woo Bin started sobbing immediately. „I don't want to die.." he blubbered out and Yi Jeong took a shaky breath. „Shhh... We'll figure it all out, please don't be sad.."
Yi Jeong regretted nothing more than leaving Woo Bin alone in a situation like this and mumbled: „I shouldn't have left without you..."
„Why? It doesn't matter where I start rotting, I can't stop it..." Woo Bin sniveled and wiped over his eyes.
Yi Jeong cupped his face with both hands and locked eyes with Woo Bin.
„So...you thought you might as well start now?" he said with a little smile and let his thumbs run over Woo Bin's three-day stubble. „Did you even shower once? Or eat something?"
Woo Bin looked down. „..No.." he cracked a sad smile. „I'm the worst, aren't I?"
„No...You know you're the best, right? And you certainly win that audition for next Santa Clause."
Woo Bin touched his own face and frowned. „Oh my.. it's really that bad, isn't it? I think I better take a shower.."
„But hurry, I brought your favorite food from your favorite restaurant."
Woo Bin pulled Yi Jeong closer for a kiss. He felt so helpless just a moment ago, but his sweetheart always managed to cheer him up and helped him to see something in a different light. It was good, knowing that they both knew now. It was good, having Yi Jeong back after three days of no contact at all.
„I love you. I'll be back to be recognizable in a few minutes, I promise."
Yi Jeong answered with a smile and left to get some fresh clothes from the bedroom.
He had the chance to take a shower everyday, but still.. he was wearing the same clothes he started his journey with.
Without knocking, he entered the bathroom, because there was nothing in there he hadn't seen anyway and used the sink to refresh and changed the clothes.
Woo Bin took only a quick shower, because he was so hungry. He joined Yi Jeong with a towel wrapped around his waist and looked into the mirror. His own reflection startled him and Yi Jeong chuckled around his toothbrush.
Woo Bin was searching for something, while Yi Jeong brushed his teeth and followed his movements with questioning eyes.
„Where's my shaver?"
Yi Jeong spat the toothpaste into the sink and said: „You can use mine!" he grabbed it from his drawer and handed it over.
„Thank you. Sorry for letting you come home to such a mess.. I was just.."
„I know."
„I thought we would grow old together.." Woo Bin's voice broke and he was tearing up again.
„I know.." Yi Jeong whispered and wrapped his arms around Woo Bin's waist. He leaned against him and closed his eyes. „Song Woo Bin... Can't you try to be happy, that you will have me for all your life? And that you will be 103 and still have the hottest boyfriend? Because you won't ever get rid of me. Not in this life, not in the next."
„I won't get that old. I'll never reach that point where you have to change my diapers."
„Don't say that... You will get as old as possible and we will have the best life together and now we will forget about that and enjoy dinner, okay?" Yi Jeong smiled. „And about the mess... You can clean that up tomorrow, okay?"
Woo Bin returned the smile. Usually, Yi Jeong would drill him to clean up the mess first, so much, that he never even made a mess in the first place. They shared another kiss and Yi Jeong left first to set the table.
He tried hard to keep the mood up, but seeing Woo Bin like this hurt him beyond explainable.
In his imagination, he would have come home and Woo Bin would welcome him back with the brightest smile, proud about the work he had finished just in time and they would laugh and share stories about what they did the past three days over dinner.
If he had known that Woo Bin knew about the aging thing, he would never have left him alone with his thoughts and fears.
Yi Jeong had used the time on the island to make a decision for himself. To find his own peace with the whole situation. Now Woo Bin needed to find his way, too. He hoped he was able to help him with that, somehow.
When Woo Bin came out of the bathroom, he looked like himself again and his tired eyes looked over the table, now set with all his favorite food.
"You even got me my dessert. And I prepared nothing for you..." he immediately looked upset again and Yi Jeong sighed. "You could try being happy that I'm back. That would mean the most to me.. I don't need a party, just you. You have no idea how much I missed you. I thought about you all the time, I couldn't sleep and the room we stayed in was crap. I had a good time, but nothing is the same without you. Our life won't change much. We have more people to get to know, if you want. But now let's eat first, hm?"
Woo Bin agreed with a little smile and took his seat.
"Hmm.. this smells so good." he said happily and Yi Jeong enjoyed seeing him brightening up over the food.
Woo Bin loved Italian food and Yi Jeong liked it enough to enjoy the lasagne he got for himself, while Woo Bin was passionately enjoying his seafood pasta.
"I met Ji Ah." he mentioned randomly and Yi Jeong looked up. Just in that moment, Woo Bin remembered where he met her and that he in fact had something for Yi Jeong, but decided to give him the sweater after dinner.
"That's how you know. She told you, right?"
"She thought I already knew... It was a shock.. I suddenly felt like there was a whole world between us.. A world you will discover now while I still stay the same.. with nothing to offer.."
"Song Woo Bin." Yi Jeong said and got up, circling the table until he was in front of his boyfriend.
"Get up." he said softly and Woo Bin followed the order. Yi Jeong took his hand and pulled him along, to the balcony. He opened the door and got on his knees.
"What are you doing? For proposing you should be the other way around, no?"
"Get on my back you dummy."
"Why do I not trust you right now?" Woo Bin asked, but climbed on his back. "I swear, if you pull some Twilight shit on me.." Woo Bin interrupted himself with the most embarrassing scream, when he suddenly dashed through the air without warning, on a speed level that wasn't comparable to anything he ever experienced before. He didn't end up in a tree though, when he opened his eyes carefully, he found himself on top of the Lotte World Tower, the highest building in Seoul, that offered a view that would take his breath away, if it wasn't gone already.
"Are you out of your mind?" he asked and his voice was a few octaves higher than usual.
Yi Jeong laughed. "This is our new world, Woo Bin. There is no me without you. There's a few things I can do now, like this. Yeon taught me how to shape shift, but I don't actually see a reason to do that. He doesn't like it either. I learned how to fight, in case we get attacked. I learned how strong I am and how to control myself. I can be your dog on demand now." Yi Jeong smiled, when he felt Woo Bin's soft chuckle against his neck, while he was gazing over the city lights.
"The most important thing is, I'm not scared anymore. And you shouldn't be, either. Hey, I can train with you know!"
"You and your lazy ass?" Woo Bin grinned.
"Hey. My lazy ass just carried you through half the city and up this building."
"You could become like Batman." Woo Bin suggested and Yi Jeong groaned. "That's so annoying and I look terrible in tights."
"There he is." Woo Bin laughed and tightened his embrace. "I love you, my lazy ass fox."
"Should I drop you?"
"No.." Woo Bin smiled and rested his head on Yi Jeong's shoulder, now finally starting to enjoy the view. "Only if I become too heavy."
"No.." Yi Jeong replied softly. "You wont."
In silence, they kept enjoying that surreal moment for a little longer, until Woo Bin's stomach started to rumble again. He hadn't even been through half his meal.
"Babe... I appreciate you trying to fly me to the moon, but my stomach would rather be with my dessert now."
A mischievous smile flashed over Yi Jeong's lips and right after, without any visible source for the average human eye, another scream echoed through the night.
Back at home, Woo Bin needed a moment to calm down and Yi Jeong couldn't stop laughing.
"We really should do that all the time!" he said and laughed even more, when Woo Bin tried to kill him with his eyes.
"Hey.." he said more softly and walked up to his boyfriend, caressing his cheek, "You weren't in danger at any time, you know that, right? With me, you never will be." Yi Jeong leaned in for a kiss. Woo Bin closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his neck. Just now he realized how much he had actually missed Yi Jeong.
"Do you even know how much I love you?" Yi Jeong whispered against his lips and Woo Bin shook his head. "I think I'm not sure.. why don't you show me?" Their eyes locked and both smiled at each other, before their lips met again.
"What about the food?" Yi Jeong asked more or less seriously between kisses, while Woo Bin already started to drag him to the bedroom.
"We can finish that later."
-
"Yi Jeong?" Woo Bin whispered into the darkness. It was far past midnight by now and Yi Jeong was in his arms, slowly about to fall asleep after his exhausting days of training and their exciting evening. Tonight had been special. Woo Bin had even been allowed to eat in bed and the dishes were still on the night stand. Almost like it was his birthday.
"Hmh.." Yi Jeong hummed quietly.
"I'm sorry for being the one leaving first.. When you vanished and I thought something had happened to you.. I promised myself that you will never have to die alone again.. It hurts, knowing that I have to leave you behind one day.."
"Oh, don't worry about it, I won't be alone for long." he mumbled and Woo Bin shifted. He switched on the night light and looked at Yi Jeong. "What do you mean? Will you just move on and find someone else? I mean... you could... you.. I think you even have to, but.."
Yi Jeong, suddenly laughing out loud, interrupted him. "Don't be ridiculous. I won't spend just one day without you."
"What? How.."
Their eyes found each other. Yi Jeong wasn't laughing anymore and slowly, Woo Bin started to understand.
"No.."
"Yes."
"I won't let you do that." he felt his eyes tearing up and then Yi Jeong's lips on his. He pulled back, shaking his head.
"Listen.." Yi Jeong started and leaned his forehead against Woo Bin's, who shook his head again, but Yi Jeong kept talking, his voice soft.
"You will get as old as possible. And I will be by your side until your last breath. And you will be in my arms and I will love you so much, Song Woo Bin. And you will fall asleep, peacefully. And I will kiss you good bye for only a moment and then I will be right behind you. Because we wanted to go together and we will."
"I won't let that happen.." Woo Bin whispered. He was crying without making a sound.
"You won't have much of a choice, you will be dead at that point." Yi Jeong smiled and kissed his lover's nose.
"It won't be your time.."
"Yes it will. I thought this through. What if you won't be reborn for 500 years and by then I'm dead and who knows when I will come back and what if we keep missing each other? I know I will find you in the next life and after that and until forever. But I'm not like my brother.. I can't sit still for 600 years and I don't want to. Please allow me to finish this one with you.."
Woo Bin said nothing. He pulled Yi Jeong closer and buried his face in his soft hair. He wasn't agreeing to his plan, but he also wasn't arguing back anymore. He was tired and the urge to sleep won over the will to fight a battle he knew he couldn't win.
"Why are you telling me this?" he mumbled and Yi Jeong smiled. "We're always honest with each other. Also, do you really think you freaking out and yelling at me is the first thing I want to experience when we meet in the afterlife? I want you to wait for me with a smile and open arms. Death is not the end and we should stop treating it like it was. We know better now. Right? ..Woo Bin?"
Yi Jeong switched out the light. He didn't need it to watch the one he loved most, now finally looking peaceful.
"It's all going to be okay.." he whispered, before he followed him into a deep, dreamless sleep.