*Song rec - Until I Found
You by Stephen Sanchez *

One Year Later
Growing up, I loved simple things. I was never one to live in the moment. I was the one to draw it and keep it forever.

Though, I wasn't one to experience much growing up. I didn't go to parties every weekend and hang out with my friends. I didn't spend the late nights up on the phone talking to my crush. I stood at home a lot and my room became a sanctuary for me, somewhere I can freely be myself and not feel prying eyes pick apart my mannerisms or the expressions on my face.

I never let anyone in, simply because I had become okay with being alone. I felt as if I didn't need anyone but I did... I found him or would he say he found me but I think we both found each other.

Now we are a little bit older, trying to juggle college and a relationship. There was a time when I'm in the studio late at night working on a project and a time when he had to do heavy studying or read over a material that took him hours to finish.

I felt as if we strayed away and got lost in work and didn't find time for each other. Sometimes we only talked once a day and that lasted for the first couple months until we both stopped. We stopped and realized what was happening after an argument we had.

We were distancing ourselves without realizing it and when it was realized it brought panic sometimes panic isn't good but this time it was.

We fixed our schedule and instead of talking to each other once a day, we talk more throughout the day even if it was a simple "I love you" or "I miss you", that's all it was. That's all we needed to reassure the other that we would be okay and that this is still everything to us.

I felt arms wrap around my waist, feeling the familiar face on my shoulder "That's beautiful" He spoke gently and I smile at his compliment.

The large canvas in front of us that wasn't just sketched or in black and white like I was so accustomed to, this year wasn't just my relationship with Minho but it was also the year I started growing comfortable in my work and with colors in general.

"You think she'll love it?" I turn to him and his arms stay wrapped around me as I asked. This was Minho's mom birthday present.

Minho smiles and nods "My mom loves your art babe, she would appreciate it even if it was just a stroke of yellow on the canvas"

I laugh loudly and he just smiles at me "Yeah, I don't know about that one" I wrap my arms around his neck.

This was comfort.

"I love you" I spoke softly and Minho grows serious.

"I love you Jisung" I felt my cheeks heat up and I pull away from his body "I like that you still get all flustered"

I kneel and start picking up the paints and brushes. "I do not, I'm way over that stage" I tried to lie but heard Minho's chuckle.

I look at him and notice he was also helping me pick up my mess "Stage? What stage are you in now?" He looks at me curiously but with a smirk.

I shrug and stand up, walking to the sink and washing the brushes. I heard him walk behind me and he snickered "I know which one"

I look at him "Yeah and what's that?"

He thinks for a moment and smirks at me "Definitely that one where you can keep your hands to yourself at night" The blood rushed to my cheeks and I look back down to the brushes, continuing to wash them off "And maybe your also still in your last stage, telling from how red your cheeks are" He pokes my cheeks and I freeze at the feeling of the sudden wetness of the spot.

I slowly look at him and he tried to hold in a smile "Don't tell me—" He looks at his hands and I follow his gaze that had paint on them from the brushes he picked up. Slowly looking up "Minho" I warn and he backs away with his hands up in defense.

"It was on accident babe, I promise" He chuckled and I grab a paintbrush that has paint on it and flicked it on him. Making him stop and take in what just happened.

I smile innocently as the green paint seeped into his white shirt "Oops"

Three Years Later
"I did it, I did it!" I jumped into Minho's arms and he laughed loudly. I pulled away and look at him excited "They loved my work and accepted my exhibition!"

Minho's eyes widen "Really?" I nod and he smiles and wraps his arms around me—wrapping my legs around his waist as he spins me around and making me laugh as he holds me tightly. Stopping and looking me in the eyes "I'm so proud you love"

I bite my bottom lip "I-I haven't told my parents that I submitted it already"

He frowns and I unwrap my legs from his body. My feet met the floor again "Why not?"

I shrug and sit on the couch "I was afraid if I did tell them and I didn't get accepted then I'd feel more disappointed, I guess?"Minho kneels in front of me and takes my hands in his.

"You thought they would be disappointed in you?" I nod "Jisung, they have been supporting your art since we moved away—you know that. They come down every time you get amazing news on it" I swallow harshly and look down at our hands "It was always dinners but with this news, I bet they will try and buy you a boat" He jokes and I laugh.

He puts his hand on my cheek "Tell them, they will be proud and maybe your mom will be upset but because you didn't invite them here to celebrate"

"Yeah, she will hold this over me" He nods with a smile, standing up and kissing my head.

"Do you want to stay in tonight or go out to celebrate?" He asks.

I look up at him "Stay in and how about inviting the others?"

Minho smiles "Of course, tonight is about you, my love"

I watch him walk away and I knew I fell in love with him more and more. How could I not?

I look around the apartment that was ours. It was decorated to our liking and it was a place we could now make our own memories. It wasn't a house as we didn't feel it was necessary to have a large space yet after college.

This was our starting point. Eventually, at some point, we would grow out of it.

Our future, it was something we talk about a lot. Mostly on the night, we were in bed, in each other's arms as we stared off into the dark. Whispers and small chuckles filled our apartments on those nights.

Whispering about our futures and plans into the air and to the universe, almost like a wish and hoped for them to come true. We talked about our jobs and where we would want to end up and how we would decorate our house when we bought one. We talked about marriage and even kids, surprisingly Minho loved the idea of adoption—He loved the idea of having a little one roam the house, and at first, I wasn't so sure but the more I think about our life, I also want that.

༶•┈┈┈┈┈୨୧┈┈┈┈┈•༶

The table was filled with laughter and conversation. As we all ate and conversed about life and everything that came with it.

"I'm so proud of you, I might cry," Felix says with a sad but proud smile.

"No crying at dinner babe" Changbin frowns.

Yes, Felix and Changbin got together... well they hooked up on our high school graduation night when Changbin and Chan went to support Minho and the rest you can say is history because they have been together ever since.

Hyunjin and Seungmin, well they finally admitted their feeling in college and spent some time being off and on but now they couldn't be happier.

Chan was newly in a relationship and Jeongin was newly out of one.

"Seeing happy couples make me sick" Jeongin grimaces and we all laugh.

"You say that because you got heartbroken, but you are forgetting that you were in love two months ago," Felix says

Jeongin scoff "I was never in love, it was lust and I was blinded by it and for your information, I was the one that ended things," He said matter of factly.

"Because you wanted your co-worker more," Chan said and Jeongin's eyes widen.

"You can't hold that over me, I didn't sleep with her until I was single. I never cheated, I ain't a dog"

"Does that make it better?" I spoke up and questioned the boy.

"Shouldn't y'all be on my side?" Jeongin pouts

"If your side was defendable then we would be on it but it's not so we're just stepping away," Minho said and Jeongin rolls his eyes.

"Whatever I get it" He sighed "I'm focusing on my career and a relationship isn't on my mind at the moment"

"And how is all that? Any new interesting clients?" Seungmin asks and Jeongin smiles at the sudden change in topic. After high school Jeongin took up photography throughout the years he has gotten a lot of exposure and works for a big magazine now.

"Last week we had a new rising model come to shoot and her boyfriend tagged along but mid-shoot she shooed him off to fetch her coffee and he happily obeyed," He told the story and sat up "But not even 10 minutes later a new guy showed up and she greeted him and introduced him as her assistant"

"What's the point of this story?" Chan asks, growing bored fast.

"Calm your tits Chan, I'm getting there," Jeongin said, "Anyways before I was rudely interrupted, I was saying how we all thought he was her assistant but as she went to the back to change into the next look I heard moaning from the back"

Everyone gasps at the table, "Then what?" Minho says, sipping his beer.

Jeongin looks at him "Her boyfriend showed up"

Felix squeals "Tell me they fought!! Tell me!"

Everyone laughs and this encourages Jeongin to continue "Oh he was pissed, but it didn't get far sadly because the security ran them out"

"God, she's amazing," Felix said "Juggling two guys" He slowly looked to a glaring Changbin "Not like I'll do that I just—Never mind"

Two Years Later
I smile contently as the two that ran around the park with loud laughter.

We did it. Everything we planned slowly unfolded and we were here now. My work was in art museums and Minho was a book editor and it fit him so well, Minho never wanted to write a book but he loves to be surrounded by them. He loved words and I loved colors, we just fit.

And we were here, we had just closed on a house and we're in the process of moving in. That wasn't the biggest news this year, not at all.

We adopted this year and at first, we planned for a baby but now as I watch Minho running around the park with our 4-year-old son, I was happy.

It took a few months for the boy to become fully comfortable around us but when he did, I couldn't help but feel like my heart was gonna explode.

Minho introduce him to books and often took him on library trips, I took him to the studio and watched the boy play with colors. He naturally splashed them onto the canvas with no care but just with fun.

I remember telling my parents about our plans for adoption and my mom was so excited about the idea. Minho's mom as well, throughout the years I can say they were practically best friends now, our moms.

"Dad!! Dad did you see how fast I was swinging?!" The boy ran to me with a big smile with Minho following behind him. "So high" He was out of breath "It was so much fun" He sat beside me on the blanket.

I laugh at the excited boy, ruffling his hair "Yes I saw" The boy looks at me with big bright eyes.

He meant everything to me, this little boy. I look up at Minho who also looked at the boy and I knew he thought the same. They meant everything to me.

His eyes met mine and he gives me a soft smile "I love you" he mouthed.

"I love you too"

*Song rec - Until I Found
You by Stephen Sanchez *

I just want to know, did you cry or was it just me?