Right in front of Jaehyun stood Woonhak, his hand raised, reaching for the doorknob. He was holding the small plastic trash bin that belonged in the kitchen, its weight forgotten as his eyes met Jaehyun’s wide, tearful gaze.

Woonhak’s own eyes widened in shock. The bin slipped from his fingers, hitting the ground with a dull thud. “Jaehyun, what’s wrong?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Jaehyun’s breath hitched, his face pale and his chest rising and falling rapidly. He took an unsteady step forward. “W-Woonhak...” he whispered, his voice cracking. Then louder, almost desperate, “Where have you been?! I thought—” His voice broke entirely, the words catching in his throat. “I thought you went—”

The realization of what Jaehyun was thinking hit Woonhak like a punch. The panic in Jaehyun’s eyes made Woonhak’s heart ache. He immediately reached out, gripping Jaehyun’s shoulders firmly, his hands trembling slightly.

“No! No, no,” Woonhak rushed to explain, his voice urgent and desperate to soothe. “The trash bin was just full, and I emptied it behind the house. I swear, I didn’t go anywhere else. I—”

He stopped, the gravity of Jaehyun’s fear sinking in. His own chest felt tight, guilt and worry swirling together. He searched Jaehyun’s face, seeing the glistening tears threatening to spill over.

“Jaehyun,” Woonhak whispered, his voice softer now, more careful. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Jaehyun’s shoulders shook slightly, his eyes squeezing shut for a moment as if trying to contain the wave of emotions. When he opened them again, the fear was still there, but it was mixed with relief. He let out a shaky breath, his voice trembling.

“You don’t get it, Woonie. When I didn’t see you, I thought you went back to them. That they made you go.” He swallowed hard, his voice breaking. “I was so scared you were gone.”

The pain in Jaehyun’s words hit Woonhak straight in the heart. His grip on Jaehyun’s shoulders tightened just a little more, grounding them both. How hadn’t he realized how deeply Jaehyun cared? How much his own presence mattered?

“No,” Woonhak said with quiet determination, his eyes never leaving Jaehyun’s. “I’m not going back to them. I promise, I won’t. I want to stay here—with you.”

He let those words hang in the air, making sure Jaehyun felt every bit of the sincerity behind them. His voice was steady now, even if his heart was pounding.

Jaehyun’s eyes softened, a tear slipping down his cheek. He exhaled a shaky breath and nodded, his shoulders slowly relaxing. “Okay. Okay, as long as you’re here.”

For a moment, they just stood there, their world narrowing to this single moment. Woonhak reached up and gently wiped the tear from Jaehyun’s cheek with his thumb, offering a small, reassuring smile.

“I guess I owe you an apology,” Woonhak said, his voice tinged with amusement. “Next time, I’ll leave a note saying ‘BRB.’”

Jaehyun let out a breathy laugh, his lips finally curving into a small smile. “Yeah, that’ll totally help me not panic.”

“Jaehyun,” Woonhak said, softly now, “you’ve always been the one who keeps me safe. You don’t need to worry so much.”

Jaehyun exhaled a soft sigh through his nose as a gentle smile played on his lips. “Too late. Worrying about you is basically my full-time job.”

He then took a step towards Woonhaks and pulled the younger into a tight hug, their arms wrapping securely around each other. The hug wasn’t just comfort—it was a promise, an unspoken reassurance that neither of them was going anywhere.

Jaehyun’s voice came out as a whisper, barely more than a breath. “Just promise me you won’t disappear.”

Woonhak squeezed him tighter, closing his eyes as he answered softly, “I promise.”

They finally pulled back, Jaehyun brushing his hand through his hair with a sheepish grin. “Now come on, we still have cupcakes to bake.”

Woonhak’s eyes lit up, a spark of excitement breaking through the emotional haze. “Race you to the kitchen!”

He dashed inside, Jaehyun’s laughter chasing after him, filling the house with warmth.

***

Back in the kitchen, Jaehyun and Woonhak got to work on the cupcakes. Jaehyun measured out the flour, while Woonhak cracked the eggs into a bowl, his tongue poking out in concentration.

“Don’t get any shells in there,” Jaehyun teased, leaning over to peek into the bowl.

Woonhak huffed. “I’m not that bad at baking.”

“Guess we’ll find out.” Jaehyun grinned as he dumped the flour into the mixing bowl. A puff of white powder exploded out, landing on his hands and face. Woonhak burst into laughter, doubling over.

“Hyung, you look like a ghost!”, he giggled.

“Oh yeah?” Jaehyun narrowed his eyes playfully, grabbing a handful of flour and tossing it lightly toward Woonhak. The younger boy squealed, raising his arms in a feeble attempt to protect himself. A fine dusting of flour settled in his hair and on his cheeks.

“Now you look like a ghost!” Jaehyun laughed.

Woonhak's eyes sparkled mischievously. “Okay, you asked for it!” He swiped his egg-covered hand across Jaehyun’s cheek, leaving a sticky wet streak behind. Jaehyun gasped dramatically, then they both dissolved into giggles, their laughter filling the kitchen.

When they finished making the cupcakes, turning the kitchen into a complete mess during the process, a thought suddenly popped into Jaehyun's mind. They had spent so much time together lately, shared so many moments, yet they’d never taken a picture together.

“Hey, Woonie,” he said while wiping his hands on a dish towel, his voice a little hesitant. “We’ve never taken a picture together, have we?”

Woonhak paused, his hands still dusted with flour. He blinked at Jaehyun before breaking into a smile. “You’re right. We haven’t.”

“Do you... wanna take one now?” Jaehyun asked, feeling his cheeks warm. “You know, to remember today?”

Woonhak laughed and nodded eagerly. “Of course! Let’s do it!”

Relieved, Jaehyun pulled his phone from his pocket and opened the camera app. He held it up, angling the screen so they both fit in the frame. Woonhak leaned in, his flour-covered cheek pressing right against Jaehyun’s.

“Kimchi!” Jaehyun said, his heart beating a little faster.

They grinned, eyes crinkling with laughter as Jaehyun snapped the first selfie. Then they took another, and another—one where they made silly faces, one where Woonhak puffed his cheeks out like a chipmunk, and one where Jaehyun crossed his eyes dramatically. Each click of the camera seemed to capture a little piece of happiness, a moment they could hold onto forever.

When they finally pulled away, Jaehyun glanced at the photos, a smile tugging at his lips. “These are perfect.”

“They really are,” Woonhak agreed, his voice soft. His eyes lingered on Jaehyun’s face for a moment longer before he turned back to the counter. “Come on, let’s get these cupcakes in the oven before we end up completely covered in flour.”

Jaehyun chuckled, sliding the cupcake tray into the preheated oven. He set the timer, and they turned to face the mess they’d made. The countertops were dusted in flour, egg shells sat forgotten by the sink, and bits of batter splattered the tiles.

“Alright,” Jaehyun said with a sigh, rolling up his sleeves. “Time to clean up.”

Woonhak nodded, grabbing a dishcloth. They worked side by side, wiping down the counters, rinsing bowls, and sweeping up flour. The warmth and laughter lingered in the air, their earlier worries about Woonhak’s aunt and uncle fading into the background.

In that moment, it was just the two of them—Jaehyun and Woonhak—wrapped in the simple comfort of each other’s presence.

---

Word count: 1279

Tysm for 1k reads💜