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Daehyun is jittery, the nerves penetrating every inch of his body. His hair is wet, the spilling drops wetting his blue, ironed collar shirt.
At this moment he couldn’t see himself in the mirror. His hands were distributing the gel equally in all parts, like a memory, as if he had a mirror engrained in his brain and he could see how his hair was coming out.
Still, without looking, Daehyun turns the light off, calming himself down.
The phone ranged as Daehyun grabbed his shoes from the pile of lined up shoes from the inside of his closet.
Quickly, speeding up like speedy Gonzales, he fetches the phone from his nightstand, and hops on top of his fluffy bed. The phone was in its forth ring.
“Sup,” he says out of breath. That was such a work out. He hated missing calls.
“Not even a hello? Boy you gotta get your ass whoop from your mother,” Samantha, his best friend, says from the other side of the line.
“Sorry. I’m just so nervous, like I’m going to chicken out or something,” he squirms, throwing one shoe to the side, and yanking one of the shoelaces from the other shoe so it would untangle from the loop.
Samantha groans, probably rolling her eyes, Daehyun wonders. She hated that he was so nervous about something that he shouldn’t be nervous about.
A proposal is always something to be nervous about.
“Don’t you back out now, boy!” She warns. “Youngjae deserves that ring.”
His insides whirled. Some type of energy was creeping into his tiny billions of cells working so that he can a day like this to freak out.
With a feat, the loop is undone and the shoe laces are in opposite poles. Unto the next one. Daehyun grabs the next shoe, and wiggles his body so that he is further into the bed. The cover was so soft that he just wanted to lay in bed, and forget that he was about to propose to the love of his life.
Through the phone, he could hear the background noise getting a little bit too loud, so he removes the phone from his ear and he shouts so he can be heard.
“I’m not! It’s just… What if Youngjae says no?” There it is. That question that has been bugging him since yesterday night when Youngjae had snuggled up to him, and whispered ‘I love you’ while his eyes were shutting.
She scoffs. “You fool. You’ve been dating Youngjae for five years, it’ll be stupid of him to refuse to marry you. I know him like you know me. He would never say no,” Samantha reassures him, her soothing tone relaxing his tight muscles to a lesser degree.
Samantha always knew what to say. She even helped one of her friends keep her relationship with her boyfriend of two years. When in doubt, she’s the perfect to make the worries go away. She’s the good in people.
“I shouldn’t be doubting myself. He wouldn’t be with me for this long if we wouldn’t be serious,” Daehyun agrees, comforting himself more than just agreeing.
Anxious mind makes him doubt everything that he knows won’t go the way he thinks he does at this exact moment in time.
The birds chirping outside, and the light shining from his window, casting a shadow all over the room except that part that expressed itself like a person does when they’re on stage, announced that it was past morning.
Cars outside were bumping into the bumps, his neighbor was cracking up some fast paced music, and the trash car was making its loud music announcing that it was Tuesday.
A nice day to make him feel better about moving forward into the next level of his adulthood life.
“Correct. Now when are you coming to pick the special cheesecake that I made just for you two? I don’t have all day,” she tells him, her voice getting distant. Probably taking someone’s order.
He drops his phone to the side, tapping the speaker, and he unties the last part of the loop. His socks were on- his feet very cozy- and slides his feet on each foot, one by one.
She was right. He couldn’t dragged his stay at his house any longer. He planned to propose earlier since he wanted to take him too many places as celebration if he did end up being a fiancé.
The day was getting busier with the time, the sun shining brighter. His boyfriend Youngjae works at a beauty salon, coloring people’s hair, so it meant that he was already in his place, everyday same routine, while he was at home, freaking out.
Youngjae had no idea what he was going to do. For as long as he had the idea of a proposal in his head, he knew instantly that he was going to surprise him with their favorite dessert, lime pie with cookies & cream spread all over the dessert.
In fact, that was what they first ate when they first met: at a Cheesecake Factory where he used to live, and they were seeing each other for the first time.
It was a blind date if you could considered that they only talked on the dating app that they had at that time.
Daehyun sighs, and jumps from the bed and into the floor, his shoes perfectly aligned with each other.
The more he waited, the more the anxiety appeared. Staying home would not make the time go faster. He has to be at the restaurant soon or else something might go wrong.
Samantha was still busy with customers; he picks the phone and holds it tightly while he grabs the present from his hidden spot: the bottom of the bed.
“I’m gonna go,” he tells her, rather softly, yet still audible that Samantha can hear him perfectly.
“I’ll see you here. Don’t be too nervous, everything will go fine,” Samantha speaks quickly, and hangs up, not before saying her ‘bye’ with an extended e that lasts for several seconds.
With a smile, he slides his phone to the back pocket of his jeans and then fetches his keys.
The sun rays were blinding his eyes as he shuts his door. His grey Buick was parked right in the middle of the space in front of his garage. He didn’t like to park his car inside. Too much commotion.
~~~
“Why aren’t you moving?” He shouts. The car in front of him was not moving.
It had been three minutes and he was still stuck in line. He had a couple of cars behind him.
He lets outs shaky breath as he honks again, his fist connecting with the middle of the steering wheel.
From all days, it had to be today. The ride to the restaurant was starting to become a problem. If he can’t get there yet, then what else is going to happen today?
Daehyun hasn’t told Youngjae yet about what is going to happen today. He had planned to pick him up from work, tell him that he had a surprise for him. With confusion, he would lead Youngjae to an unexplored restaurant, a building he had never seen before. And now it looks like that won’t happen.
There was no reason not to tell him that he’s taking him out anymore.
Daehyun inserts his phone on the dashboard, where there is a cradle to hold his phone for him. He presses Youngjae’s name on the screens and lets the ringer blast off.
The line was slowly moving which was progress. There is probably an accident very close by. He doesn’t want to be a douche, but the crash is preventing him from reaching his plans.
The phone was on its last ring when Daehyun’s car is filled with his boyfriend’s lovely voice. “Hey, Love. Do you need anything?”
“Yeah. I need to borrow you,” he laughs, feeling like he just said something cheesy.
“Borrow me? I’m always available for you,” Daehyun chuckles. That was true. Obviously, they live together. He needs him now, though.
He can’t wait any longer.
“No, I need you now. Are you almost done with your client?” His heart was beating faster. He was doing all he could to prevent him from telling him what he was up to. He just wanted to shout the word already.
But, then that would not be romantic at all. And he would officially be classified the worst guy to propose to his parter.
“Yeah,almost. My client wanted a hair cut so I’m almost done. I just need to finish this and then I’ll tell my boss that I gotta go,” Daehyun says, unbothered, and ready to leave.
That was such a relief. He thought he would refuse. Sometimes Daehyun has to color people’s hair for a long time and other times, it doesn’t take long for him to color their hair. Sometimes, on those days, he wouldn’t see him until the very dark of the day. Thank the heavens, he was not busy today.
The line moved again, and he pushed the pedal and the car started moving again. The cars coming from the opposite way were fast, they appear one second, the next second, gone.
“What you need me for?”
“I’ll tell you when I pick you up,” he responded, keeping his voice composed and filtered.
“Are you serious? You’re going to make me wait?” Daehyun smiles. He can picture Youngjae pouting as he brooms the remaining of his client’s hair.
Gosh, he loves that pout so much.
“Won’t be for long before you know,” Daehyun says, finally driving away from the line.
As he hears Younjae tell him something, his eyes catches the car who had just been struck by another car.
There was a bittersweet feeling as he looked at the car in ruins, as if a can crusher had just crushed this car. Here he was wanting to go faster because he had no time when in fact, this car had no longer time. The person who was inside the car had no time. Everything was pulsing, rushing to make the clock stop.
Daehyun holds a breath, closing his eyes for one second before opening his eyes and continuing to hear his lover’s voice.
No matter what happpend, he had time. There is always time for the ones you love, before there is no time at all.
~~~
Daehyun watched as Youngjae came out of the salon, green glasses on, and a blue stainless steel water bottle under his armpit as he had his phone on his hand. He smiled at him, his hair silky and bright, red.
Daehyun unlocks the car for his lover. “What is this all about?” He questions with glee.
“You’ll see,” he grins. Daehyun attaches his lips to Younjae, and as they pull away, he can’t help but display a huge smug on his face.
“I had such a horrid day,” Youngjae complains, stirring the conversation away after seeing that Youngjae will not tell him where they are going.
“What happened?” Daehyun keeps the conversation going so that Youngjae doesn’t keep asking where exactly they are going.
“This lady- more like devil,” he exclaims, removing his glasses,” waltz into the salon and exclaims that she needs to dye her hair again because supposedly one of us destroyed it. And guess what? She wanted it for free!” He screeches, rolling his eyes, trying to contain his temper.
“That sounds like a nightmare. Since when do you guys do free stuff?” Daehyun makes a left turner and then turns off the ticking signal. Sometimes his stories where boring, but he had to hear them out since Youngjae would hear his stories about when babies would die prematurely in the incubator.
“Never. She didn’t get the point, not even when the manager came and discussed her the policies. To her luck, the manager manage to give her a twenty percent discount, and that was that.” Youngjae slaps his hands and pops a candy into his mouth.
“Want some?”
Daehyun mumbles a yes, and as Youngjae pops the candy into his mouth, he turns the engine off, after finding a parking spot very quickly.
“Aww, you’re taking me to a restaurant?” Youngjae’s eyes scan the restaurant and the quick, high squeak, he fills his face with kisses.
“This is not the surprise yet,” he laughs, enjoying this moment very much.
“It’s not?” Youngjae’s eyebrows furrow, making a thin line across his forehead, and makes a pouting face. Daehyun shakes his head.
The outside of the restaurant was very lovely. Trees were surrounding the building , and the smell of fresh of nature filled their nostrils.
“It feels like we’re somewhere far away from our busy lives. I like it,” Youngjae gleams, opening the car and fixing his hair since the wind was starting to pick up.
Daehyun had gotten a text saying that everything was prepare. He liked very much that they were keeping in touch with him so that everything went very smoothly.
Some of the nerves were leaving his body now that Youngjae was next to him, the stress removing from his system.
His hair was on his face, the strands covering a part of his eyes. The coolness of the air enters his body, keeping him chill and compose.
“You’re going to love this place,” he tells him, grabbing his hand and intertwines it with his.
The waiter greets him, bowing down, and then taking him to his table. The table was outside. Youngjae gave him a cheeky smile as he sat down.
Daehyun was about to sit when he realizes he left his present in the car. Dammit, he thinks. This is was supposed to go smooth for him.
“I’ll be right back,” he quickly tells him as he runs to get the present.
As he ran, he felt his neck tingle with cold sweat. So much for acting cool and compose. Now he was getting nervous.
The waiter smiled at him once again as he sort of jogged through the restaurant and into the outside where Youngjae was waiting for him.
“I hope you don’t mind that I pour myself some wine,” Youngjae tells him, a wine glass in his hand.
“No problem. I almost forgot your present.” He was out of breath. The gold, pattern bag was in front of him, on top of the plate.
“Is today my birthday or our fifth anniversary, cause I’m confused?”
“Youngjae, I’ve been meaning to ask you this for a very long time,” Daehyun nervously tells him, taking the small elephant from the bag.
“No! I can’t believe this,” Daehyun gasps, his hands covering his mouth as he lets out squeals of excitement.
Daehyun grins wider, turning the elephant towards Youngjae so that he could see what the teddy bear’s T-shirt was saying.
“Will you marry me?” Daehyun says as Youngjae’s mouths them.
“Of course, I will. I’ve been waiting for this since, like the first year since we got together,” he cries with his face full of bliss.
Daehyun stands up as soon as he hears the word ‘of course’. He takes Daehyun into his embrace and smoothly, kisses his lips slowly, his hands on Youngjae’s torso.
“I promise that I will try best to show you the very best of me. I will continue to support you and give you my underlying devotion. I will show you my caring, naturing side even more so, so that you can become proud of a husband like me,” Daehyunwith a soothing voice tells him, looking into his eyes, intensely.
“Oh, love. You don’t have to do all that. Just be here for me, listen to me rant and I’ll be the happiest man on earth.” Youngjae sniffs, hugging him with such force he coughs a little.
“You’re going to kill me before we even tie the knot,”Daehyun jokes, finally being able to breath after Youngjae removes himself from him. “Don’t even joke like that.” Youngjae swats him in the head.
“You ready to eat some dessert?” He asks, calling the waiter over.
“We haven’t even eaten yet.”
“I know,but… Fuck! I forgot the cheesecake.” Daehyun’s head goes back with loud grunt. Of course he had to forget the Cheesecake. Of all things.
“Daehyun, when don’t you forget something?” Youngjae laughs, tilting his head back as well.
“So chocolate cake instead?”
~~~
A/N:
Once again, another update. This one shot was hard to write cause I knew what I wanted, but I didn’t know how. It was as if i just had completely forgotten how to write. I tried my best, and I hope that you like it very much @Snow-Kpop.
For the rest of my readers who read my kpop one shots, I will not take anymore requests since I’m busy and I still have to finish I’m not that cruel, Rivals’ love affair, and Kismet. And the point I’m trying to find the time and motivation for it. I hope you guys like this story and I’m going to try and update faster, but as you all know, that is going to take long 😂
Love you all 🙆🏻♀️
-Laterz Kelsi.
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