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Two and a half years ago....

"Sometimes I wish you'd quit," Jaemin murmured gently as he walked with his head back. The sun was pleasantly kissing his cheeks this day, and he was able to wear the bare minimum - shorts and a t-shirt. It felt like summer would never end this year for some reason...perhaps because he was so happy. He'd only been with Donghyuck and Mark for a short time, yet the saying 'time flies when you're having fun' most definitely applied.

"Acting is my life," his oldest lover responded while walking along the streets close to him, their fingers interlaced adoringly and the tingling feeling of him playing with Jaemin's hand in his sending a wave of heat across his chest. Unfortunately, Donghyuck couldn't join them today as he had prior engagements with some family members...so it left the pair to have a regular date as two. "If I gave it up...what would I do?"

"You'd stay home with us," the blonde chuckled as though this was all very obvious. "You'd be here all the time, and Hyuck wouldn't get so upset whenever you have to leave."

"Jaem-"

"Like, I know you want me to give up being a host, and that makes me a hypocrite....but at least I'm always able to rush home to see you both. You're gone for months at a time."

"Lovely, I can't. I know it sucks for you, and this whole arrangement isn't ideal....but I love what I do. I don't want to be stuck in some office or shop, or wander around aimlessly until inspiration hits for things like writing or music producing. Those all sound interesting...but I trust acting. I can act."

"You could just trust that I can bring home income. It's not beneath you to rely on me."

Mark halted their movements to turn Jaemin towards him and hold his hips. On a day like today in the middle of the scorching sun, nobody was about. Most citizens were either having siestas and pool parties, or sleeping. "I love you. I love your mind, your body, your feelings and I love how much you care about us....but I need you to understand. This very conversation has come up for me before, and that's why I settled on dating celebrities like myself. People who also get dragged away all the time."

"That's not fair..."

"Of course it isn't. I guess in the end I forced Donghyuck to give up modelling as well, so my logic is flawed. Though what I'm trying to get at here, is that you being completely normal with no cameras tagging along is the best thing ever. I don't want to manipulate you or tell you what to do...but if my disappearances really bother you so much, then-"

"Don't say that."

"Say what?"

"That we're not right for each other if I can't get over your atrocious schedule. Because I can...and I will." He pursed his lips and looked away to relax out of his irritated and upset stance, "I just hate it right now."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Quite."

The older broke out into a smile, knowing well that he shouldn't have found his boyfriend being angry at him so cute...but God, he did. He wanted to pinch the taller's cheeks and cuddle him. That would've been a bit condescending though, so he chose to withhold his affectionate desires and let him be angry.

"Ah, Jaemin?" A lighter, almost airy voice called from a shop entrance. The couple paused their conversation and glanced in the direction of a young girl with sunglasses on and a white, knee-length dress covering her body.

The host couldn't really recall ever meeting her before, and started to worry that it was one of his clients from the Sapphire Dome. He tightened his hold on Mark's hand and chewed at his lip anxiously. "H-Hi? Do I know you?"

The ravenette gasped all of a sudden, cheeks turning a bright pink as she clutched her bags closer to her frame and stuttered out a response. "Actually, no. Sorry, wrong person-"

"But you know my name. Hang on..." The blonde let go of his lover's warm hand and faced the female with a little more confidence. The voice was a little more familiar than the appearance, and appearances were all he'd have recognised of customers. "Take off your glasses, perhaps I'll-"

"It's really fine. You're with....your partner," she bowed slightly, starting to walk away in a panic, yet the confused adult wasn't entirely sure why the lady seemed so distressed. He carefully grabbed her shoulders and gently spun her around, scaring the life out of the taller nonetheless.

"I'm sorry," Jaemin hummed. "But..." He lifted his hand up to reach for those sunglasses and cautiously pried them away, revealing two very cat-like eyes that had definitely met his before. Unfortunately, there were still no bells ringing in his head. He still had no name to match the familiarity.

"Who is it, Nana?" Mark called, eyeing up the interruption to their date quizzically and feeling a little defensive. "A client?"

"Um...." the younger swallowed, "Are you?"

The tallest dejectedly looked down at her feet before trying her best not to feel disappointed. Of course he wouldn't know who she was. "I'm not..."

"Then an old friend? An acquaintance? Please, I genuinely recognise you, I just can't remember your name."

"I'm not that important," she chuckled dryly. "Really, we only met once...." Her black hair fluttered with one passing breeze before she brought her dainty fingers up and covered his eyes, slowly bringing them back down. "I dazzled you."

Dazzle, Jaemin almost choked, recalling in one hard memory where he'd stumbled upon this person before. That beautiful, beautiful boy at the cinema who'd told him to look after his eyes. "Chenle..." he breathed out wistfully. "Are you Chenle?"

"Mhm. I suppose I look a bit different, huh?" She winked, spinning around so that the dress fanned out a little before settling over her legs again. "I was a boy when you first met me, wasn't I?"

"But...how? Did you switch your gender?"

"Nope. I'm just crossdressing right now-"

"Jaemin, seriously. Who is it?" Mark walked over to both of them and pulled the host back slightly to bring some distance between them. "Enlighten me already."

"This is someone I met about a month or so ago at the cinema," the taller explained. "His....Her name is Chenle," he corrected. The feminine Chinese adult thanked him cutely with a brief nod. "She attracted me."

"I see..." the actor muttered while narrowing his eyes. "Was that it? And you didn't mention this to me?"

"I didn't think I'd get to see her again..."

"I'm really sorry," Chenle apologised. "I don't want to act as a problem in your relationship. Really, I just saw you there and I called out without thinking," she raised her hands. "I'll go."

She slid her sunglasses back over her eyes and attempted to sport one more smile before turning to shuffle back down the street. Jaemin watched her back longingly, having finally come across the boy he'd fancied again, like fate wanted them to be together....yet at the same time as his extremely possessive boyfriend. His chest tightened as he glanced to the ravenette again, motioning that they should continue on with their day.

However, Mark was still watching Chenle grow further and further away....analysing her carefully before sighing in defeat. Jaemin was far too obvious for his own good at times, and he was damnably lucky that the actor loved him so much. "Jesus, you look like I just kicked a puppy, Nana."

"No I don't. I don't look like anything," the younger did a terrible job of redirecting the conversation. "Let's go and get a drink..."

"Call her or him back."

The blonde froze, eyes shimmering only a little as he cocked his head to the side and tried not to get his hopes up. "What?"

"Chenle. Call them back so we can talk to them. There's no harm in a chat, is there?"

Jaemin squealed excitedly and yanked Mark in for an excessively tight squeeze, passionately connecting their lips and for once overpowering the dominant. His hands ran through the older's hair just as he knew the male liked it, and he whispered against his lips quietly, "I love you so much."

"I love you," he rolled his eyes, pushing the hyper taller off him and pointing in the direction that Chenle had gone. "Now go and get her."

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