❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎

Two years had passed by so quickly, Joshua and Seokmin didn't even realise. They had both found their passions.

Seokmin maintained his baking career while Joshua turned to music, learning how to play multiple instruments.

They had adopted two kids, Astrid, a boy and Azura, a girl, 3 year old twins who had been put in the local orphanage after their single mother passed away during childbirth.

Safe to say they were in love with both of their children, spoiling them as much as they could while still keeping them grounded.

Today was a busy day. It was Vernon and Seungkwan's wedding. Joshua was the best man and he had to get there pretty early to help Vernon prepare.

Seokmin had decided to let Joshua go to the venue first so he had time to prepare the kids and bring them later on before the wedding began.

"Astrid, the neck hole is the biggest hole, you don't put your hands through it, you put your neck, hence the name, neck hole." Seokmin informed his son who laughed at his father's frustration.

"Sorry dada, it's just so funny!" He rose his arms up, glancing at the ceiling of their home they'd moved into just a few months ago.

No longer an apartment, the two had bought a home, or rather, a mansion in San Diego, a city they deemed more family friendly.

Seokmin opened another bakery while leaving the one in LA open as well and just making the new one his headquarters.

Joshua wanted to teach kids music after learning how to play himself and he had already began saving for his music academy.

To put it short, they were happy, they were healthy and they were wealthy.

"It's funny but we have to be careful, okay?" Seokmin put the shirt on properly and Astrid nodded seeing his father's face. "Yes dada!"

"Okay, go and wait for me in the living room, I'll be right out with Azura." Seokmin smiled as Astrid shot his hand up for a high five which Seokmin didn't waste time to give just before he used his little legs to scurry off.

Seokmin stared in awe as Astrid left the room before he turned back to Azura, the smile on his face expanding as he saw her cute face. "Come here, my beautiful girl." He gently pulled his daughter closer, wrapping her in a warm hug.

Astrid and Azura were fully identical, the only things telling them apart were their hairstyles. Astrid had curly, short platinum blonde hair while Azura had straight, long honey blonde hair. Their big green eyes were their biggest charm along with their puffy cheeks.

"Dada! Are we going to meet daddy?" She asked as Seokmin brushed her silky, smooth hair. He nodded in response, "Mhmm, we're going to Uncle Vernon and Uncle Seungkwan's wedding." He explained and Azura giggled, turning to face her father.

"Dada, will I get married too?" She questioned and Seokmin paused, swallowing a lump in his throat. Definitely not now, you're still my baby girl.

"In the future, when you're older, if you want to." Seokmin replied and Azura smiled, turning around again, "Okay dada!"

After getting the two munchkins ready, Seokmin strapped them to their toddler seats in the backseat before getting into the front, not forgetting to wear his own seatbelt.

"Are you two ready to go have fun?" Seokmin asked, looking to the back where the twins nodded with bright smiles on their faces.

"I want to eat cake!" Astrid put his hand up and Azura followed, "I want to dance!"

Seokmin giggled at their cuteness, an endearing gaze in his eyes as he looked at them. His little bundles of joy.

His babies.

"You'll do all of that, let's just get there first." Seokmin looked back to the front of the car, turning it on before driving off.

.............

Seokmin parked the car, getting out before unbuckling his babies and getting them down from the car as well. He held their hands as they walked into the hall through the side door.

Joshua made eye contact with Seokmin as they stepped inside, waving to him excitedly. Seokmin waved back and so did the kids before they took their seat in the second row which had been reserved for them.

Seokmin looked around. Good. It hadn't started yet. Seungkwan hadn't walked down the aisle yet.

Seokmin's eyes landed on Vernon who had dressed himself in a sleek, dark blue suit. He looked a bit tense but also very emotional as he waited with his hands at his back.

Soon, the music began to play softly and the doors to the hall opened. Seokmin got flashbacks to his own wedding, reliving it just in that moment alone.

Seungkwan stepped into the hall in a red suit and a bouquet of roses in his hands to match as he walked down the aisle with his mother and his father by his left and right. Seokmin smiled at Seungkwan even though he didn't look his way, stunned by how handsome he looked.

Vernon was lucky to have Seungkwan and Seungkwan was lucky to have Vernon.

"Dada, Uncle Seungkwan looks so handsome." Azura pressed her dad's fingers, getting his attention. Seokmin nodded in agreement, glancing at Seungkwan before looking back to Azura, "He does, doesn't he?"

"So does Uncle Vernon!" Astrid stepped in and Seokmin put his finger to his lip, shushing him. "Yes son, he looks handsome but we can't shout like that here, it's a wedding, we have to be quiet." Seokmin deliberately lowered his voice as he demonstrated.

"Like this?" Astrid whispered and Seokmin nodded. "Exactly, high five." He put out his hand with Astrid crashed into his before they put their hands down and watched the ceremony.

It didn't take long for the ceremony to be over as Vernon and Seungkwan shared a short and sweet kiss, earning cheers from all the guests include Seokmin, Azura and Astrid.

"Thank you so much for coming Seokmin!" Seungkwan hugged Seokmin, patting him on the back as people danced and ate at the reception. The wedding itself was forest themed and since it was spring, the theme fit perfectly.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, you know that." Seokmin assured Seungkwan who smiled, replying with a subtle nod before he went off to other guests.

"Vernon my man, congratulations on the wedding!" Seokmin congratulated Vernon ad they shook hands before giving each other a short but warm hug. Vernon was glowing, marriage looked good on him or maybe it was just the after effects of Seungkwan.

"Thanks Si- Seokmin." Vernon almost slipped up but managed to save himself another yelling session from Seokmin. "You're welcome." He said with a cheeky smile, the two chuckling before Vernon walked off and Joshua appeared in front of Seokmin.

"How is my dear husband?" He asked, giving Seokmin a kiss on the forehead before looking down at his twins and opening his arms. "And how are my babies?!"

The two ran into his arms as he picked them up, keeping Astrid on his left and Azura on his right. "Do you guys want to dance or do you want to eat?" Joshua asked and they pointed to the two different places, Azura to the dance floor and Astrid to the buffet.

"I'll get Astrid some food." Seokmin carried Astrid from Joshua's arms, Joshua mouthing a 'thank you' as he walked towards the dance floor with Azura.

"But Josh." Seokmin called making Joshua turn back immediately. "Hmm, Mon Coeur?"

"I want to visit him today. I've been planning on it." Seokmin admitted and Joshua nodded as he replied, "Tell me when you're ready to leave." He gave Seokmin a reassuring smile before fading into the crowd.

Seokmin smiled back. It had been two years and yet nothing had changed. Their relationship was still as rock solid as diamond, unbreakable.

Having kids did change some things and some dynamics in their relationship and sure they had their ups and downs, good days and bad days, it was inevitable, but overall they stayed the same, with the exact same love and passion and care they promised to offer each other at the altar.

.............

"Thank you so much hyung." Seokmin said as he hugged his brother, not letting go as Joshua and the twins ran up to the front door.

"Uncle Wonwoo!" They screamed simultaneously, jumping on their Uncle as Seokmin moved back, giving them enough space to attack him with their kisses and hugs.

"No problem, I love babysitting these kids, say hi to him for me, when you get there." Wonwoo requested and a faint smile appeared on Seokmin's face with a nod after.

"I will." Seokmin stretched his hand out to Joshua who put his fingers through Seokmin's as they held hand. "Bye Wonwoo." Joshua waved and Wonwoo waved back, closing the door as they stepped out.

Seokmin placed the bouquet at the backseat along with a black bag before closing the door and taking a seat in the front beside Joshua who was the designated driver.

"Is this your first time seeing him, since then?" Joshua asked and Seokmin nodded, a bittersweet feeling taking over his mind and body. Joshua noticed his mood and placed his right hand on top Seokmin's hands while he used his left to drive.

Seokmin took a deep breath. It had been 6 years since Mingyu's death and he felt like he was finally ready.

Ready to go and visit Mingyu and apologize and tell him that he still loves him and thinks about him all the time.

.............

Seokmin and Joshua got to the graveyard after about 2 hours of driving from San Diego, back to LA where Mingyu had been buried, laid to eternal rest, 6 years ago.

Seokmin spotted Mingyu's headstone from afar, the memories of his funeral starting to rush to his brain. He deserved better than that half-assed send off, he always did.

Seokmin walked up to Minyu's grave, the headstone still sparkly clean with not even a little speck of cobwebs or other creepy crawlies. Seokmin sighed, relieved that his best friend's gravestone hadn't been left to rot and decay.

Wonwoo had probably been cleaning it himself.

Seokmin sat on the grass just before the grave, crossing his legs and holding unto his toes as he looked at Mingyu's headstone and the picture of him that leaned on it.

He'd always been so handsome. A spectacle and a show-stopper. Taken too early from this world because of other people, including Seokmin and his cowardly behaviour.

Joshua waited patiently from the entrance for Seokmin to finish talking to Mingyu. He knew he had to give Seokmin his space to finally open up to himself, to forgive himself just this once.

Seokmin's eyes teared up the longer he stared at Mingyu's picture and the memories erupted in his brain, the fond memories he had of him and his best friend had been repressed by Seokmin's guilt and regret all these years.

"I'm sorry Gyu." Seokmin apologized, his tears watering the grass beneath him. "I'm sorry that I didn't try my best to save you, to drag you into the van, to do something. Something that could've let you stay with me, right by my side even until today."

He scratched his knuckles, his breaths raggedy and random as he berated himself in his head. "I'm sorry for being mad at you that day, just because you wanted to quit, just because you wanted to be there for my brother, I'm sorry about that Gyu."

He placed the yellow roses beside Mingyu's headstone, his fingers trembling as he positioned it better. "I'm sorry for not understanding why you wanted to leave and only understanding once you'd left me. I'm sorry for escaping before you could and I'm sorry for quitting my job now, living your dream you could never accomplish. I'm so sorry Mingyu."

"And it hurts me everyday, knowing that you could've been here with me, with Wonwoo, with everyone if only I had tried to save you, done something, taken some sort of action but I didn't, like a coward I ran away... but I came back to you Mingyu after avoiding you for years to beg for your forgiveness." Seokmin got on his knees, putting his hands together as the tears fell from his eyes without stopping.

"Please forgive me for being a horrible best friend. I hope that in another life, if we ever get the chance to cross paths again, I'll be your best friend again so I can treat you right. I love you Mingyu and I miss you, we all do."

The thunder sounds and the clouds darkening caught Seokmin off guard. Had Mingyu not accepted his apology? Was this a sign?

Rain started to pour down heavily with no warning, the cold temperature of the water hit Seokmin's heated skin, cooling him down. He looked up into the sky, letting the water pour on him.

Maybe it was on purpose. Maybe Mingyu had sent rain to wash away all of Seokmin's tears, his regrets, all of his pain, all of his guilt and all of his suffering. Perhaps Mingyu wanted Seokmin to be liberated from all of it.

It wasn't his fault. It truly wasn't.

Joshua rushed towards Seokmin with an umbrella, hovering it over Seokmin's head as soon as he got to him. "Are you done or do you still need some time alone?" Joshua questioned but Seokmin just smiled, pulling him down.

Joshua ended up kneeling on the wet grass, right beside Seokmin. "Mingyu, you don't know him, not personally anyways but he knows a lot about you." Seokmin chuckled, interlocking arms with his husband.

"He's the love of my life, my one and only, my husband, Joshua Hong. The name probably rings a bell right?" Joshua's eyebrows furrowed as he turned to Seokmin.

"Don't worry, he's not a psychopath or a devil like everyone says, he's actually an angel, he's my very own angel in disguise, my saviour and my everything so I brought him here, to meet you." Seokmin controlled Joshua's right hand, raising it up and waving to Mingyu's headstone.

"Hi Mingyu, it's nice to meet you." Joshua waved again, this time on his own. He really wished he had gotten the chance to meet Seokmin's best friend but unfortunately, the universe had different plans.

"Also Wonwoo hyung says hi, I know, he's probably said hi to you a million times but you just have to put up with it until he joins you in the next 100 years, okay Gyu?" Seokmin patted the headstone, still with a bit of leftover tears as he beamed and Joshua smiled at him. He was healing. It was obvious that he was sincerely healing.

"What do these flowers mean?" Joshua pointed to the bouquet laying next to Mingyu's headstone. Seokmin's eyebrows raised as he turned to Joshua.

"Oh, those? They're yellow roses, they mean friendship, a lasting bond between two people... they'll wither eventually so I think I'll replace them every month." Seokmin explained and Joshua nodded, taking in his words.

"Do you know what our flower means Shua? The Cyclamen?" Seokmin leaned on Joshua's shoulder as the rain poured down, wetting the roads and the cars and the trees and everything else in an open vicinity.

Joshua shook his head, only just realising that he didn't know what their flower meant. How horrible of him.

"White Cyclamens represent innocent love, the pink ones represent affection and care and the red ones stand for passionate love, overall cyclamens represent an everlasting, undying love." Seokmin explained, a blissful smile on his face as he felt the weight of all his burdens truly lift off him.

Joshua's eyes narrowed to his husband as he processed the meanings in his head, a smile forming on his face as he did.

"That's why I made it our flower, because I'm sure that in the next 10, 100 and even 1000 years, our love will still be alive, even if it only remains in our hearts and in the minds of the people close to us." Seokmin's eyes met Joshua's in a peaceful, therapeutic gaze and Joshua leaned forward, kissing Seokmin.

Their lips joined together in a warm and delicate kiss, a testament to their undying and everlasting love. Sealing their story in history as their tongues intertwined, the taste of each other as addictive as always.

Joshua held on to the umbrella while using his other hand to caress Seokmin's face and Seokmin's hands fell to Joshua's laps, rubbing them up and down.

As they ended the kiss, their lips pulled away and their bodies reconnected in a soft hug. They were each other's solace and nepenthe. Connected in their own special ways that others wouldn't understand. Their love for each other was undeniable and their hearts were in sync.

"I love you, Joshua Hong."

"I love you, Lee Seokmin."

"Forever?" Seokmin wondered but Joshua didn't let him think too long, nodding enthusiastically. "Forever."

"Let's love each other for infinity, okay?" Joshua brought out his pinky. Seokmin's smile broadened at the sight as he intertwined his pinky with Joshua's.

"Promise?" Joshua looked into Seokmin's dazzling eyes. Seokmin nodded, looking right back at Joshua, adoring his existence.

"Promise."

They were their beginning and their end. Nothing could and would never come between them.

The love and the heart, were pieces of a broken puzzle that fit together perfectly, giving the structure its very own charm.

Joshua and Seokmin were meant to be.

It was written in the stars and written in their hearts.

𝐀/𝐍 - it's officially over guys, excuse me while I go bawl my eyes out 😭 thank you guys for supporting this book and loving this couple just as much as I do, see you in the next book ! xoxo, iris ! 🖤

Ⓒ︎𝐎𝐇𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐎𝐇𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐎𝐇