𝙁𝘼𝙇𝙇𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝘿𝙊𝙒𝙉

Prologue

"Minghao? Baby is everything okay?" Junhui's voice floated in the back of his head, too quiet in his busy mind.

Minghao hadn't realized how long he had been staring at the other, too afraid to look him in the eyes and instead settling for the spot just below his chin.

"I'm okay. I..I'm great actually."

It was when he felt the other wipe his cheek that he finally met his eyes. His thumb was wet. He tilts his head and looks at the other.

"Why are you crying, baby? You're smiling but..what's on your mind?" Minghao takes a deep shaky breath as he looks around the patch of grass they had settled on for their date. It was the last date before their big showcase tomorrow.

He and Junhui had been together for a few years now, since their freshman year of college. Minghao, now 22, knew what he wanted. For the first time in his life, he knew.

He wanted Junhui. And Junhui, thankfully, felt the same way.

So on the 31st of May, in their forever place in China, Minghao proposed.

And Jun accepted.

"You're engaged?" Soonyoung nearly yelled, dropping his sandwich in the middle of the dance studio. "So Minghao really proposed?" The dancer asked as he looked at the culprit, who was sitting in the corner and staring at his own ring in awe.

Junhui couldn't help but smile, walking over to the other and sitting next to him, wrapping his ringed hand in his. "He sure did. And I can't think of anyone else to spend the rest of my life with."

The conversation went the same for just about all of Junhui's friends.

First Soonyoung, then Chan who walked in not too long after. Although Soonyoung rushed to tell the younger dancer as soon as he walked in the room. Then there was Mingyu and Jihoon, who were both told together. They seemed a bit more celebratory than the others, who couldn't seem to process more than one emotion at a time.

"Minghao! I'm proud of you. You've really changed since Junhui came around. It's nice to see." Mingyu told him. Mingyu was his best friend. Perhaps Minghao's only friend. They had been friends since high school. He knew what Minghao had been through growing up. He knew of his struggles and of how far he had come since Junhui entered his life.

This time Minghao looked up at the other, smiling softly and nodding his head. "Thank you. Thank you for sticking with me for so long." He speaks gently, as he usually does, but the sincerity in his words didn't hide. Mingyu didn't have to be his friend all those years ago, but he did. And he would be forever thankful.

Other people, acquaintances, more or less, found out through social media and through their friends. Everyone was happy for them, of course. It had taken so long for Minghao to open up, even with Mingyu. Growing up, he was always an easy target, and Mingyu had witnessed it first hand.

"What are you reading?" The senior asked Minghao, knocking on the book in his hands with his knuckle. Minghao only adjusted his glasses, scooting over in his bus seat away from the other as he cleared his throat.

"I asked you a question." The guy said lowly, the stern tone in his voice sending a subtle chill down Minghao's spine. He peaks away from his book, reading the name on the perpetrator's ID.

"Donghan for dummies. New York Times Best Seller," Minghao says the words in English, holding back the smirk that nearly crawled on his face.

Donghan wasn't too smart, insulted just by the fact that Minghao said something he didn't understand. There were a few chuckles on the bus which startled Minghao, not knowing he had an audience listening. He didn't want an audience. He didn't want to anger Donghan. He didn't want to be hit.