Moonshine {Hyuckil} | complete

4

Taeil is acting suspicious.

It's the first thought that runs through Donghyuck's mind when he checks his phone on Friday after his shift at the book shop.

my moonshine♥
i'll be a little late home today hyuckie baby i'm so sorry, i'll be as quick as i can then we can eat ice cream together i promise. love you lots xxxxx

Donghyuck narrows his eyes to scrutinise the message. Taeil is never late. He always lets him know in advance if he's doing anything with his friends at work, or if he has an appointment coming up, although those things get entered into their joint calendar for him to see anyway. This sudden announcement has his heart sinking.

He's not mad. Their bond is strong enough to allow each other distance in their personal lives, but he certainly is confused, a little upset, and very worried. Sitting in the chair on the balcony to watch the trees sway in the breeze in the park opposite, he ponders over what could have come up for Taeil to have to do something at such short notice. If he's working overtime, he surely would've just said so.

It must be something he doesn't want him to know about.

Donghyuck presses the heel of his hands into his eyes, then blinks to clear the white spots that fizz across his vision as his knee starts to bounce. None of the suggestions supplied by his mind comfort him. An inkling of a voice whispers in the corner of his head, just loud enough to jostle the positivity that tries to be rational. Taeil could be cheating. He could be making a spontaneous visit to his other boyfriend's place. He could be getting tired of Donghyuck.

"He's probably just shopping." Donghyuck mutters. A tiny brown bird lands on the railing and hops along before flying off again, the glare in his eyes clearly too intense for nature. But Donghyuck can't help it. Too many worst-case scenarios hammer his skull until it splits with a sharp ache that has him staggering back into the kitchen.

Cradling a glass of water in his hand, he pouts at the silence of the apartment. It's cold without Taeil, too large for one person to inhabit, much less someone waiting for their significant other to come home. Donghyuck checks his phone. Nothing. He closes his messages, opens them again, still nothing. Not even an estimated time. He scratches the sunflower sticker on the case but stops when it starts to peel and smooths it back down with gentle fingers, not wanting to take his frustration out on it. Jaemin bought him a pack of cute stickers for his birthday a few years ago and the sunflower has been loyal to him ever since, as are the stars and clouds on his laptop.

Donghyuck doesn't bother to connect his phone to the speaker or turn the radio on to fill the silence. His thoughts are loud enough to keep him occupied. His worries cling onto the idea of Taeil cheating on him and, despite knowing it's stupid, his stomach clenches in agony, entire body suffering from the appearance of such horrid thoughts. It only lets them fester.

"You've been sneaking around from him, too." Donghyuck speaks aloud, something Renjun recommended to ward off anxiety. The photos of him and Taeil stuck on the fridge smile back at him and the colourful magnets sing bright, reminding him that his boyfriend is the most loyal person there is. Taeil used to feel guilty for spending time with his friends to the point where Donghyuck would have to shoo him out the door and order him to have a social life. "It's only fair that he has secrets as well."

He lets the words linger in the air around him. The proposal plan has been taking up a lot of his free time. He's been messaging Renjun every hour, even sneaking texts when Taeil is focussed on a movie or driving. It's all been happening right under the elder's nose and he doesn't have a clue what's going on, so Donghyuck's suspicion evolves into something different. It blooms into hope.