Jihoon's pov:
As the sun began to rise and the light beamed through our room I couldn't help pull Minji tightly into my embrace to block the sun from him. After being together for 4 years I'm still madly in love with this man, I never thought that one day I'll be waking up to next to him and seeing him almost everyday.
As I held Minji close, feeling the steady rhythm of his breathing, I smiled to myself. So much had changed over the past five years, but the way I felt about him hadn't shifted an inch. In fact, if anything, my love for him had only deepened. I brushed a few strands of hair away from his face, watching him stir slightly but not wake up.
He looked so peaceful, like nothing in the world could bother him when he was in my arms.
I thought back to how things used to be—how complicated and uncertain our relationship was in the beginning. But now, waking up beside him every morning, it felt like all the struggles were worth it. We had built something strong, something real.
Minji shifted in his sleep, mumbling something incoherent as he buried his face into my chest. I chuckled softly and kissed the top of his head, holding him even tighter. I wanted to protect him from everything, even the sunlight.
"You're going to spoil me if you keep waking up this early just to cuddle," Minji's groggy voice broke through the quiet, his eyes still half-closed as he smiled up at me.
"Maybe I like spoiling you," I teased, running my fingers through his hair. "You deserve it."
He chuckled sleepily, his arms wrapping around my waist. "Well, I'm not complaining."
I watched him for a moment longer, feeling overwhelmed with gratitude for the life we had built together. "Can you believe it's been four years already?" I asked, my voice soft as I kissed his forehead again.
Minji opened his eyes fully, giving me a warm, sleepy smile. "Four years and you still act like I'm the best thing that's ever happened to you."
"Because you are," I said without hesitation. "I wouldn't trade a single day with you for anything."
He blushed slightly, playfully hitting my chest. "You're too sweet, Jihoon."
We stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other's arms, savoring the quiet moments before the day fully started. It was mornings like this that reminded me how lucky I was to have Minji by my side—then, now, and hopefully for many more years to come.
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Minji's pov:
As I tried to push myself up again, my body protested, sore in ways I hadn't anticipated. "Guess we really overdid it last night," I muttered to myself, feeling a mixture of exhaustion and contentment.
Jihoon, of course, wasn't anywhere near to help me. I could hear him in the kitchen, probably making breakfast without a care in the world. I sighed and let myself fall back onto the bed, the cool sheets soothing my tired limbs.
"Jihoon!" I called out, my voice hoarse from the morning. "A little help would be nice!"
"Is the love of my life already too tired to function?" Jihoon's teasing voice echoed from the kitchen. I could practically hear his smirk as he approached the bedroom door. "I told you, you'd be down for days if I stayed the night."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smile creeping onto my face. "Yeah, well, maybe next time you could go a little easier on me."
Jihoon leaned against the doorframe, a towel slung over his shoulder, looking far too smug for someone who caused all this. "Where's the fun in that?"
"Come on," I groaned, reaching out a hand. "Help me up."
He chuckled and crossed the room, taking my hand and effortlessly pulling me up into a sitting position. "There you go, baby," he said, leaning down to kiss my forehead.
"Thanks," I muttered, feeling a little embarrassed but also grateful for his tenderness. "I'm not as young as I used to be, you know."
Jihoon raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Please, you're still as youthful and full of energy as the day we met. Besides, I wasn't exactly holding back, so I'll take some of the blame."
I swatted him playfully. "Yeah, you better."
He helped me to my feet, wrapping an arm around my waist to steady me. "Come on, breakfast is almost ready. You need to eat after last night's workout," he teased, pressing a kiss to my temple.
I sighed dramatically but let him carry me toward the kitchen. "You're impossible, Jihoon."
"And you love me for it," he replied with that grin that always made my heart flutter.
As we made our way to the kitchen, I couldn't help but think how lucky I was to have someone like Jihoon. Even when he drove me crazy, he was always there—helping me, loving me, and making sure I never felt alone.
"I made your favorites, blueberry waffles." He said as he sat me down a ready set plate of waffles, scrambled eggs, and a cup of orange juice.
"Is this like a signature breakfast you make after having a long night of sex?" I asked.
"This is just for you, I learned how to cook it for you since you like it." He replied pouring syrup on the waffles.
I smiled as I grabbed my table wear and started eating, Jihoon just sat there looking at me with a big smile on his face like he was deep in love. If someone told me that this guy would be this in love with me I wouldn't believe it.
I guess growing up as a unwanted child thinking about someone loving me or caring for me was so unreal to me.
As I took a bite of the blueberry waffles, their sweetness melting in my mouth, I glanced up at Jihoon, who was still staring at me with that big, adoring grin on his face. It made my heart skip a beat.
"You know, you don't have to stare at me like that while I eat," I teased, feeling a little self-conscious but also warmed by his attention.
He shrugged, leaning his chin on his hand as he watched me. "Can't help it. You look cute when you're happy. Plus, I like seeing you enjoy something I made just for you."
I rolled my eyes, but the warmth in my chest grew. "You're too much sometimes, you know that?"
He chuckled softly. "I'm just making up for all the times I didn't show you how much I care."
I paused for a second, the weight of his words sinking in. Jihoon had changed so much over the years, becoming more attentive, thoughtful—everything I once thought he'd never be capable of.
"It's been five years, I think you've done enough." I said.
"Well-" he got distracted by his ringing phone.
It was BaekHyeon, he smiled as he grabbed his phone and answered the call. "I never thought you would call me." He said.
"Come on stop being a bum, why wouldn't I call my twin." Hyeon said, "It doesn't feel like am a twin anymore, you're so far away that I forgot how you look like." He teased.
Jihoon's laughter echoed in the kitchen, and I couldn't help but smile at the playful banter between the twins. It was comforting to hear their dynamic, reminding me of the bond they shared, despite the distance.
"Seriously, though, I miss you, man. It feels weird not having you around," BaekHyeon continued, his voice sounding a bit more serious now.
"I miss you too! You should come visit soon," Jihoon replied, glancing at me as if trying to gauge my reaction.
"I'll be down there for Christmas, mom has been pestering me about it."Hyeon replied.
"I'll be sure to pick you up," Jihoon said, his eyes lighting up at the thought of a family gathering. "Just remember to bring Minji along. I can't have you hogging all the attention!"
"Of course! If he can handle our family chaos," BaekHyeon laughed, and I rolled my eyes playfully.
"I think I can manage. I've survived your craziness for five years, haven't I?" I shot back, grinning at Jihoon.
Jihoon chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "That's true! You're practically part of the family at this point."
"Ugh, that sounds so cheesy," BaekHyeon said, feigning disgust. "But I guess it's nice knowing you're taking care of my twin. Just don't let him become too whipped, okay?"
"I'll do my best," I replied, my heart warming at the camaraderie between them.
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At the Kim family mansion:
Jihoon's pov
"Seriously Jihoon, when are you going to bring Minji home, you guys have been together for 4 years." Mom asked as I entered the house.
"like I told you ma, you lost the privilege when you met him with out my permission." I told her.
"Oh come on, can't I see my future son-in-law?" She stated. "Mom, there's a thing called boundaries. Minji is not a secret, so if I'm not ready to bring him around here please don't push it and try to mee him yourself." I told her.
"You never change." She sighed.
"Now where are the documents dad said to give me, Uncle Jae need them really quick."
Mom shook her head, clearly disappointed but not willing to push further—at least not right now. She waved her hand toward the study. "Your dad left the documents on his desk. He mentioned you'd be needing them soon."
I nodded and headed toward the study, trying to push aside the frustration building up inside me. As much as I loved my mom, she had a way of pushing buttons when it came to personal matters—especially about Minji. I wasn't ashamed of him, but I also wasn't ready to open the floodgates of family expectations.
Walking into the study, I spotted the stack of papers Dad had mentioned, neatly arranged in a folder. I grabbed it, flipping through the pages quickly to make sure everything was in order. As I did, I could hear Mom's footsteps approaching the door.
"Are you at least going to bring him to the new year's ball?" She asked, "If he wants to attend then yea, but if he doesn't then no." I replied placing the papers back in the envelope.
"Well I'll be heading back, uncle Jae is waiting for me at the office." I said hugging her and headed out.
As I stepped out of the study, Mom trailed behind me, still clearly wanting to push the conversation but holding back. I could feel her eyes on me as I grabbed my coat and slipped on my shoes.
"Drive safe, Jihoon," she said, her tone softer this time, almost hopeful.
"I will," I nodded, giving her a small smile before heading out the front door.
The fresh air hit me as I walked toward my car, and I felt a sense of relief wash over me. Mom's words lingered in my mind—about bringing Minji to the New Year's ball. I hadn't even mentioned it to him yet. Honestly, I wasn't sure how he'd feel about it. He wasn't a fan of big family gatherings, especially ones filled with formalities and expectations.
Sliding into the driver's seat, I pulled out my phone and stared at the screen for a moment, debating whether or not to text him about it. I knew he'd want to be there for me, but I didn't want him to feel pressured.
After a moment, I decided to send a simple text:
Jihoon: let's talk when I get home, I have something to ask.
I hit send and leaned back in the seat, staring at the sky for a second before turning the engine on. As I drove to the office, my phone started ringing.
It was Minji, "yello!" I said as I answered the call.
"What is it that you want to talk about?" He asked his tone a bit serious. "I can't talk about it right now, I'll tell you when I'm home. Don't worry about it nothing serious." I told him.
"Are you sure?" He asked, "yeah everything is great." I said.
"Okay then I love you."
"I love you too," I replied, my voice softening despite the rush of thoughts in my head. Hearing Minji say those words always had a way of calming me, grounding me in the moment.
As I hung up the phone, I couldn't help but think about how much things had changed over the years. There was a time when I wouldn't have even been able to say those words back, let alone feel them. Now, they were second nature—something I genuinely meant.
Pulling into the office parking lot, I parked the car and took a deep breath before stepping out. But as I was about to get out my phone buzzed, I grabbed my it and it was a text from a unknown number.
Unknown: call me when you're free, I want to talk to you.
TBC