Chapter Text
“A trip?”
Yuder asked softly. His hands stilled in the middle of folding the clothes, the fabric caught loosely between his fingers. At the quiet words he had just heard, he lifted his gaze and looked up at the man sitting beside him on the floor. Kishiar sat close enough for their shoulders to nearly brush, calmly folding the remaining clothes alongside him, long fingers smoothing out creases with absent ease as he responded.
“Yeah. Your birthday is this Monday.”
Kishiar spoke lightly as he folded another shirt with neat, unhurried movements. His tone carried the same effortless composure as always, but beneath it lingered a quiet certainty — as though the matter had already been decided the moment it crossed his mind.
“So I thought we might leave the country for a few days to celebrate it.”
Yuder stayed silent for a moment, then spoke with a blank expression.
“You do realize it is Monday, right? The beginning of the week — and typically the busiest day.”
“ I know.”
“…You have work.”
Unlike Yuder, who had no classes to teach on Mondays, Kishiar’s schedule was the complete opposite. The man worked relentlessly from Monday to Friday, and often even on weekends. So when Kishiar casually suggested a trip, Yuder could only stare at him in quiet disbelief.
And on top of that — Abroad?
Yuder had only been thinking of something simple. Warm evening at home — a comforting meal, a movie playing softly in the background, and the familiar pleasure of curling up in bed with Kishiar. He had already been looking forward to snuggling into the man's strong arms that would wrap around him, and pull him closer until their bodies fit together perfectly, sharing slow kisses and quiet breaths in the dark.
But Kishiar, as always, had an entirely different idea. His mind had already gone elsewhere entirely, toward something far grander, far more deliberate — something that left no room for simplicity at all.
“ I don't have to.” Kishiar spoke softly, placing the folded shirt down, then looked at Yuder and winked playfully. “I've cleared my schedule for the next four days.”
“…What?” Yuder blinked.
“I've been preparing for this trip for a long time, so it's only natural that I rescheduled everything accordingly.”
“…Since when have you been preparing?” Yuder asked, slowly.
“ Last year?” Kishiar tilted his head,“Or perhaps a little earlier than that.”
At that, Yuder couldn’t say another word. He let out a soft sigh and took another shirt, folding it quietly.
“Where are we going?”
“That's for you to decide” Kishiar spoke excitedly, and Yuder stopped his hands, looking up at him blankly.
“You’re asking the wrong person. I don’t know many places — especially not overseas.”
“We've been to a few countries before. Did none of them appeal to you?” Kishiar asked, chuckling softly.
They had traveled abroad many times before. Even at the very beginning of their relationship, their first holiday had been in Europe — France, Kishiar’s home country — where everything had started with unfamiliar streets, quiet evenings, and the strange intimacy of being far from everything else but each other.
After that, it became a pattern whenever time allowed.
New Zealand, Patagonia, Iceland, Norway, Canada — and other places where cities faded into the background and the world revealed itself in its rawest form. Vast landscapes, untouched horizons, silence that stretched endlessly between mountains, ice fields and the vast expanse of the sky. No excess, no distraction — only immersion.
For Yuder, it was never just travel. It was something closer to being absorbed into nature itself, as if the world had briefly loosened its grip on him and allowed him to simply exist within it. And every time, without exception, it had been an experience that stayed with him long after they returned.
Yuder stretched his arms out slowly, then let his body ease forward until he was fully resting against Kishiar. He settled with quiet certainty, laying his head across the man’s lap. From that position, he looked up directly into Kishiar’s beautiful waiting eyes — the man was holding his gaze in calm, wordless regard as if measuring the response that had yet to come
“No. I liked all of them.”
“That's good to hear.” Kishiar said gently, his fingers idly playing with Yuder’s hair.
“I don’t really have any suggestions. Can you give me some time?”
Today was only Tuesday, so it was fine — just a little research into places with beautiful views, somewhere they could quietly enjoy their time together. Kishiar let out a soft chuckle, his fingers gently stroking Yuder’s cheek as he spoke, the warmth of the gesture softening the edge of his voice.
“ You don't need to do anything.”
Yuder looked at him in confusion. Hadn’t he just told him to choose a place a moment ago? Why the sudden change of mind?
Kishiar met his gaze at once, as though he had already anticipated the question blooming in Yuder’s mind. The faint curve of his lips deepened — not quite a smile, but something gentler, and warmer.
“Mm. I’ve already narrowed it down to a few places,” Kishiar said, tapping Yuder's cheek teasingly. “I’d like you to choose the one you prefer from them.”
Kishiar picked up his tablet from the sofa, scrolled through it, then turned it to show Yuder.
“Here, take your time. Look through them, and tell me which one you prefer.”
Yuder took Kishiar’s tablet and began scrolling in quiet focus. After a few seconds of silence, his gaze paused, as if settling on something.
“The beach?”
“Mm.” Kishiar replied softly, almost in agreement with the season itself more than the words. “It is summer, after all.”
The five places Kishiar had chosen were all tied, in one way or another, to water. He hadn’t said it aloud, but the pattern was obvious — like everything he did, it carried intention beneath its calm surface.
The first was the Maldives. A destination most people only ever described in the same breath as “perfect” and “romantic escape”.
“A lot of people praise the Maldives for feeling more secluded and intimate than most other beach destinations.” Kishiar said evenly, as though he were simply relaying an observation rather than offering persuasion.
His fingers paused only briefly before resuming their gentle touch.
“It’s the kind of place where you can have nothing around you but the sea… if what you want is a feeling of just us against the ocean.”
“So it’s designed for privacy.” Yuder paused briefly on one of the images before moving on.
“That's right.”
The next destination was French Polynesia — Bora Bora.
The images Kishiar had gathered carried a kind of quiet excess to them, as though reality itself had been softened and refined for the sake of beauty. The water shifted through impossible shades of blue, the horizon dissolving into pale sky, while overwater villas floated like carefully placed thoughts above the lagoon.
It felt more dramatic and visually overwhelming than the Maldives — less like a place and more like a suspended dream. In the final image, Kishiar had left a small note.
Many people describe this place as “the most romantic island in the world”.
Santorini in Greece felt less like a private escape and more like stepping into a romance film that had already been perfectly composed long before they arrived — whitewashed walls, blue domes, and cliffs that caught the light as if it had been arranged for them.
The Seychelles, by contrast, carried a quieter kind of allure — less staged, more instinctive. It felt more natural and untouched than the Maldives, as though the world there had simply been left alone to exist in its most honest form.
And then there was the Amalfi Coast in Italy, the last destination Kishiar had chosen. It held an intensely romantic atmosphere, steeped in warmth, color, and sea-salted air — but it was less private, more open to the world’s gaze, as if love there existed not in isolation, but in full view of everything around it.
And Yuder longed for privacy.
After all, it was his birthday — a day that belonged to them alone. He yearned for a hidden sanctuary, far from the world’s watchful gaze, where only the two of them existed. A place wrapped in silence and soft shadows, where no prying eyes could intrude upon their intimacy.
There, he could surrender completely. There, he would not need to silence the breathless moans that escaped him beneath Kishiar’s touch. He could pull his beloved down with trembling hands, wrap his legs around that powerful waist, and lose himself in the slow, burning rhythm of their bodies entwined. Skin against heated skin. Whispered endearments and deep, claiming kisses. A private paradise where desire flowed freely, boundless and unashamed, until the very stars forgot their names.
“The Maldives looks like a good option.”
“I was also leaning towards the Maldives. It has more privacy compared to other places.”
He winked at Yuder, as though he already understood exactly why that particular place had been chosen. Yuder averted his gaze slightly, the faintest shift betraying his composure, before he asked.
“So this is my birthday gift. The trip?”
“No.”
“No?” Yuder asked, faint confusion flickering in his voice. He had assumed the trip was the gift Kishiar had prepared for him — but it seemed he was wrong.
“Why would I let you choose your own birthday gift?” Kishiar said his voice calm, almost mildly amused — as if the question itself had an obvious answer.
“A birthday gift is meant to be chosen by me.” he continued, “A surprise… for my little cat.”
Kishiar leaned in and nibbled playfully on the tip of Yuder’s nose, his teeth grazing with tender mischief. A soft, delighted chuckle escaped Yuder’s lips, warm and breathless, as he squirmed lightly beneath the affectionate teasing.
Tilting his head back just enough, Yuder captured Kishiar’s mouth with his own. He drew those full lips between his, sucking on them gently, savoring their warmth and softness with slow, lingering pulls. When he finally released them, their mouths still brushed together, so close that every whispered word became a shared breath.
“ I look forward to it.”
★★★
“Did you check all of your things?” Kishiar asked, his tone even and composed, as he adjusted the suitcases and guided them toward the car’s trunk with practiced ease.
“Yeah.” Yuder confirmed calmly. “Everything is there.”
“It’s a sixteen-hour flight,” Kishiar said calmly, as he closed the trunk with an unhurried motion, he glanced at Yuder, then smiled mischievously. “so I brought a few books to keep us occupied.”
Yuder’s brow gave a faint flinch. “…I’ll just sleep.”
Kishiar laughed softly at Yuder, who — at the mere mention of books — had already decided, with quiet finality, that he would sleep through the entire flight. He moved to the other side of the car where Yuder was heading, opening the door for him with practiced ease. He held it there, still smiling, and spoke, his voice carrying the warmth of lingering laughter.
“I was just joking.” He glanced toward Yuder briefly, then added with quiet practicality, “Still, I downloaded a few films you like onto the tablet, so you won’t be bored.”
Even though flights had their own curated libraries — films, television, music, sometimes even games and documentaries — Yuder never truly took to them. The selections felt detached, impersonal, never quite aligning with his preference.
So whenever he traveled abroad with Kishiar, the man would quietly prepare something in advance: a small collection of films chosen specifically for him, as though even idle hours in the sky deserved to be tailored with care.
“I won’t get bored, don’t worry.”
Their drive from Seoul to Incheon began before sunrise.
The city was still half-asleep when the black sedan slipped out of the underground parking garage and merged onto the quiet roads, headlights gliding over rain-dark asphalt. Seoul’s skyline receded behind them in layers of glass towers and pale morning haze, the Han River reflecting scattered ribbons of gold from the streetlights above.
Yuder sat in silence, his gaze drifting out through the open window. His chin rested lightly against one hand as he watched the city slip past outside — lights, shadows, and motion blurring together in a slow, distant rhythm. The air still carried the lingering coolness of the night.
Beyond Seoul, the sky had only just begun to pale at its edges — too early still to be called sunrise — while the roads stretching toward Incheon lay quiet under a muted wash of blue-gray light.
With the passenger window lowered, a steady current of soft wind flowed into the car, brushing against Yuder’s skin with a gentle, almost careful coolness — neither cold nor warm, but something in between, like the world exhaling. It carried the faint scent of damp pavement, early morning dew, and distant greenery stirred awake by spring.
Streetlights flickered past in blurred lines of gold while the horizon slowly lightened farther ahead, and now and then stronger gusts slipped through as the car picked up speed along the highway. It was the kind of weather that made staying awake feel strangely easy — crisp and hushed in a way only very early mornings could be.
Kishiar sat beside him in the driver’s seat, one hand resting lightly on the steering wheel, guiding the car with practiced ease, while his crimson eyes remained focused on the road ahead. Yet, every so often, his gaze would drift briefly toward Yuder before returning to the quiet stretch of asphalt unfolding before them.
Outside, the expressway extended toward Incheon International Airport, vast and nearly empty beneath the slowly brightening sky. The darkness of night was thinning now, giving way to a muted silver-blue that spread gently across the horizon, as if the world itself were beginning to wake in silence.
★★★
By the time they arrived, the airport was already alive.
Massive glass walls reflected the pale dawn light across polished floors. Travelers moved in streams through the terminals — families dragging luggage, businessmen in pressed suits, exhausted tourists clutching passports and coffee cups. Announcements echoed softly overhead in Korean, English, and Japanese.
The moment Kishiar stepped out of the car, the attention shifted. Not openly enough to become rude, but enough that Yuder noticed immediately. It was understandable. After all, seeing a foreigner with such striking features at this hour was not something ordinary, not in the softened stillness of early morning when the world was still half-asleep.
Some people glanced twice at Kishiar’s height alone. Others lingered because of his breathtaking appearance — the blond hair, the breadth of his shoulders, the effortless composure of someone who seemed more suited for magazine covers than a crowded airport terminal.
Even dressed simply, there was nothing plain about him. Kishiar carried himself with an unspoken confidence, quiet and assured, the kind that did not seek attention yet inevitably gathered it all the same.
And the man himself seemed entirely unbothered by it.
Yuder adjusted the strap of his bag and walked beside him toward the first-class check-in counters. The process itself unfolded with remarkable smoothness. Dedicated lanes, no lingering queues, no press of impatient crowds — only a quiet efficiency that seemed to anticipate every step before it was taken.
The staff greeted them with polite and respectful courtesy the moment their passports were presented. Their luggage was tagged and whisked away almost immediately, vanishing from sight as though the journey itself had already begun without them.
After security, they entered the first-class lounge, the difference from the main terminal was immediate.
It was so quiet.
No rushing footsteps, no crying children, and no loud boarding announcements every few minutes. Just soft lighting, low conversations, the scent of coffee and warm food drifting through the spacious lounge overlooking the runway.
Yuder paused near the windows. The Aircrafts moved slowly beyond the glass beneath the pale morning light, massive and strangely graceful despite their size. Kishiar approached beside him, holding two bottles of water, Yuder accepted one and sipped from it slowly.
When boarding finally began, the process was almost embarrassingly easy. They entered before the rest of the passengers through a separate priority lane and were guided directly into the first-class cabin.
The space barely resembled a normal airplane cabin — wide private suites separated by polished partitions, soft lighting, large reclining seats that looked closer to luxury hotel lounges than aircraft seating, blankets folded neatly and amenity kits placed beside bottled water and headphones.
Kishiar watched Yuder's reaction with poorly concealed amusement. It wasn't their first time, yet every time he always felt amused by it.
Their seats were beside one another near the window. The flight attendants greeted them quietly before offering drinks and warm towels. Kishiar accepted both effortlessly, while Yuder refused the champagne and took the tea instead. Then, he leaned in and whispered something into Kishiar's ear, his voice low enough to belong only to the man, making him laugh softly, and drawing a brief glance from one of the attendants passing nearby.
The plane eventually pushed back from the gate, engines humming low beneath them. Seoul disappeared slowly beneath clouds and distance, the coastline shrinking into pale fragments below the morning sky.
★★★
“Ah…”
A faint sigh slipped from Yuder’s lips as he lay down on the bed, his eyes closing for a brief moment as the tension in his shoulders slowly unraveled. After sixteen hours of travel, they had finally arrived.
The moment they stepped inside the villa, Yuder had made straight for the bed, as if the exhaustion in his body had been waiting for permission to collapse. He stretched out, releasing the fatigue that had settled deep into his muscles, letting stillness finally take hold. Beside him, Kishiar lay down as well, reaching out to ruffle Yuder’s hair with a gentle, almost absent-minded fondness.
“Were you that tired?”
Kishiar asked, his tone brimming with affection. Yuder turned toward him and snuggled deeper into the man’s embrace.
“It’s not fatigue. My body is stiff from sitting for too long.”
“Would you like me to give you a massage?”
“It’s fine. You must be tired.”
Kishiar leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss to Yuder’s forehead, his lips warm and soft against his skin. He savored the moment, breathing him in, before trailing a path of soft, reverent kisses down the bridge of his nose. When he finally reached Yuder’s lips, he captured them in a slow, deep kiss — the kind that poured liquid warmth through every vein, melting away the lingering stiffness of the long flight until nothing remained but the two of them and the quiet fire building between their mouths.
“Fortunately, I possess enough stamina to survive both the flight and you being stubborn afterward.” Kishiar murmured against his lips, voice low and velvety. “So let me take care of you.”
Before Yuder could protest again, strong hands were already sliding under his shirt, the soft palms warm against the cool expanse of his skin. Kishiar moved with deliberate confidence, peeling the thin fabric upward and over Yuder’s head in one smooth motion, discarding it somewhere beyond the edge of the low bed. The cool air brushed over Yuder’s newly exposed back, raising faint goosebumps that were quickly chased away by the heat of the man's body leaning over him.
“Relax.” Kishiar murmured.
His thumbs found the tight knots clustered along Yuder’s shoulders first — hard, stubborn ropes of tension. He pressed in firmly, circling with slow, powerful strokes that bordered on light pain before melting into liquid relief. Yuder’s breath hitched. The massage was thorough, almost clinical at first. Broad palms gliding down the length of his spine, kneading the sore muscles of his lower back, spreading warmth deep into overworked tissue, each pass of those strong fingers coaxed reluctant knots to loosen, drawing involuntary sighs from Yuder’s throat.
Then Yuder made the mistake of letting a quiet, breathy moan slip free — low and raw with unexpected pleasure.
“Mmph…”
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Kishiar’s touch darkened, the innocent pretense of the massage burning away, his hands grew bolder, less therapeutic. Fingers traced the dip of Yuder’s spine with teasing slowness, nails scraping lightly just enough to make Yuder’s hips twitch. The heat of Kishiar’s breath ghosted over the nape of his neck as he leaned closer, his chest brushing Yuder’s back.
“You sound so sweet.”
Kishiar whispered against his ear, lips brushing the shell. Yuder’s protest died before it could form again. One of Kishiar’s hands slipped lower, fingertips dipping beneath the waistband of Yuder’s pants. The fabric was already loose, barely clinging to his hips. Kishiar's fingers stroked Yuder's heated skin with devastating patience — tracing the sensitive line where hip met thigh, brushing just above the curve of his ass, then sliding forward to tease the taut skin of his abdomen. Every touch was light, maddeningly light, promising more without giving it.
“Ah!”
Yuder arched into it despite himself, his spine bowing as a shiver tore through him. His breathing grew ragged, neck burning. Kishiar chuckled softly, the sound vibrating against Yuder’s back, and pressed a slow, open-mouthed kiss to the junction of his neck and shoulder. His hand ventured deeper beneath the fabric, wrapping around Yuder’s growing arousal with a firm, possessive grip that drew a sharper, needier moan from him.
“That’s it.” Kishiar praised, his voice thick with desire as he began a lazy rhythm — stroking, then squeezing, his thumb circling the sensitive head until Yuder’s thighs trembled and his fingers clawed at the sheets.
Yuder’s hips rolled forward helplessly into Kishiar’s hand, chasing the building pleasure while the other hand continued its possessive exploration — mapping every inch of fever-warm skin, pressing into the space at the base of his spine, then slipping lower to cup and knead the firm muscle of his ass. The room filled with the sounds of their shared breathing, the slick slide of skin on skin, and the occasional wet kiss Kishiar pressed to Yuder’s shoulder blades.
Every touch teased and claimed, turning the simple offer of relief into something far more dangerous — something that left Yuder gasping, aching, and utterly undone beneath him.
They didn’t make it past the bed for a long time after that.
★★★
When they finally emerged from the villa, the sky had already deepened into a rich velvet indigo, countless stars scattered across it like distant fragments of light.
Yuder’s gaze shifted — and paused.
The private infinity pool glowed softly beneath the night, illuminated by submerged lights that turned the water into liquid silver-blue. Its edge disappeared seamlessly into the darkness beyond, merging with the vast ocean until it became impossible to tell where the pool ended and the sea began.
“Want to go play in the pool before having dinner?”
Kishiar asked. His voice was soft as he noticed the way Yuder’s gaze had become fixed on the pool, unable to look away. A faint, knowing smile tugged at his lips as he watched him.
Yuder finally turned toward Kishiar. They had been lost in each other since the moment they stepped inside the villa — hours of slow, passionate lovemaking that left them breathless and entangled, the rest of the day melting away in the sanctuary of their bedroom. Yet now, a different desire stirred in Yuder’s chest.
He wanted this too — to play in the pool with Kishiar, to feel the cool water against their heated skin, to laugh, tease and touch beneath the open sky.
“… Let's change first.”
“ Okay ”
They went back inside briefly, the cool night air clinging to their skin as they changed. Kishiar emerged wearing only a pair of sleek black swim trunks that sat dangerously low on his hips, the sharp v-lines of his abdomen and the sculpted ridges of his torso catching the silver moonlight like polished marble. Every shift of his body highlighted the powerful muscles beneath his skin — broad shoulders, defined chest, and the taut strength of his waist.
Yuder followed moments later in loose white shorts that hung softly against his hips. The pale fabric created a striking contrast against his warmer, pale-kissed skin, the moonlight turning him almost luminous. The shorts swayed loosely with his movement, barely clinging to the curve of his buttocks and the strong lines of his thighs.
They slipped into the pool together. The water was perfectly warm, like a silken embrace, enveloping their bodies as they descended the shallow steps. Small ripples spread outward from them, shimmering under the moon’s glow. For a moment, they simply floated side by side, the gentle lapping of water the only sound besides their breathing.
Then Kishiar’s playful side emerged.
Under the water, his hand brushed deliberately along Yuder’s thigh, fingers grazing the hem of the white shorts before slipping just beneath the fabric to tease the sensitive skin of his inner thigh. Yuder flinched, the heat rushing through him despite being in the water. Before he could react, Kishiar surfaced with a low, mischievous laugh and scooped a wave of water straight at him, splashing it across Yuder’s chest and face.
The sound of Kishiar’s bright, excited laughter filled the night — rich and unrestrained, boyish in a way that made Yuder’s chest tighten. Droplets clung to Kishiar’s golden hair and rolled down the hard planes of his chest.
“You—”
Yuder started, but Kishiar was already circling him like a predator. He tried to return the teasing, reaching under the water to mirror the touch, his fingers aiming for the low waistband of those black trunks. But the moment he got close, Kishiar twisted away with effortless grace, his muscles flexing as he slipped from Yuder’s grasp like water itself. Frustrated yet amused despite himself, Yuder retaliated by throwing a splash of water at him — once, twice — but Kishiar dodged each one with laughing ease, his crimson eyes gleaming with challenge.
“Too slow.”
Kishiar taunted, then he turned to chase after Yuder. When Yuder tried to swim away from those chasing hands, kicking through the water toward the deeper end, Kishiar closed the distance in a powerful stroke. A swift, strong arm hooked around Yuder’s waist and yanked him backward, their bodies collided with a splash. Kishiar pulled him flush against his chest, back to front, his muscular arms locking securely around Yuder’s waist as they floated together near the tiled edge of the pool.
Yuder’s breath caught. The heat of Kishiar’s bare chest burned against his back, water-slick skin sliding together with every small movement. He could feel the steady thud of Kishiar’s heartbeat, and the hard ridges of his abdomen pressing into him.
“Caught you.”
Kishiar murmured against the shell of his ear, his lips brushing the wet skin. One of his hands splayed possessively over Yuder’s stomach, fingers tracing slow, lazy circles just above the waistband of the white shorts. The other arm remained banded tightly around his waist, holding him in place as their legs brushed and tangled underwater.
“Where exactly do you think you're running off to?”
Kishiar whispered, pressing a slow, open-mouthed kiss to the side of Yuder’s neck, his teeth grazing lightly as his hand dipped lower, teasing the edge of the floating white fabric.
“Well, someone kept pulling pranks and getting away every time, so I had to do something.”
“ Really?”
Kishiar chuckled as he pressed their bodies closer, his hands exploring lazily beneath the water — sometimes innocent, sometimes totally not. Yuder laughed softly when Kishiar lifted him up so effortlessly, wrapping Yuder’s legs around his waist so they could kiss properly, their tongues sliding together while the gentle waves of the pool lapped at their skin.
When they finished their little play in the pool, they dried off and changed into light linen shirts. Dinner was served on the villa’s open terrace, candlelight flickered over grilled lobster, fresh mango salads, coconut rice, and chilled champagne. They fed each other bites between quiet conversations and lingering looks, while simultaneously enjoying the view outside. Kishiar’s foot would occasionally brush Yuder’s under the table, a playful gesture followed by a mischievous wink from him.
After they finished their meal, the two lingered on the terrace, chatting softly under the warm lights.
Suddenly, Kishiar reached into his pocket and took out a small packet of pills. All but one were gone, without a word he placed the last pill on his tongue, lifted the glass of water to his lips, and swallowed it in one smooth motion.
Yuder watched, transfixed. His gaze followed the slow, sensual movement of Kishiar’s Adam’s apple as it bobbed, the faint gleam of water still clinging to his lips. It had been nearly a week since Kishiar began taking these mysterious pills every night. When Yuder had asked about them, the man had simply answered with a gentle smile that they were “a precaution”. So Yuder had assumed his lover was feeling the early signs of a cold or fever and was taking medicine to stay strong for their trip.
Little did he know the true reason was something else entirely different.
As night deepened, they moved inside to the spacious living area, a large screen played a soft film, neither of them really paid full attention to it. Bowls of tropical fruits, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and buttery popcorn sat on the low table. Yuder was curled against Kishiar’s chest on the wide sofa, their legs tangled, Kishiar’s fingers idly stroking through his hair and down his neck.
Every so often Kishiar would tilt Yuder’s chin up for a slow kiss, tasting the sweetness of mango and strawberries on his tongue. Their touches grew bolder and bolder — hands slipping under clothes, soft gasps and quiet laughter filling the spaces between dialogue. Eventually the movie became mere background noise as they lost themselves in each other again, slowly and intimately, warm skin against skin under the soft glow of the villa lights.
★★★
The next morning — Sunday — the sun rose golden and brilliant over the Indian Ocean. They took a short golf-cart ride to their private beach, a secluded stretch of powdery white sand and turquoise water that belonged only to them.
Kishiar looked utterly devastating.
His white shirt hung open and unbuttoned, revealing the powerful expanse of his chest and the sculpted ridges of his abs. Dark swim trunks sat low on his hips, and a pair of sleek sunglasses rested on the bridge of his nose, giving him an irresistibly relaxed yet commanding air.
Yuder, by contrast, wore a soft light blue short-sleeve shirt that fluttered gently in the breeze, paired with white swim briefs that clung lovingly to his body. The cut perfectly accentuated the long, elegant lines of his legs and the smooth, porcelain whiteness of his skin.
They walked hand in hand along the path, their fingers intertwined. The moment their feet touched the warm sand, they slipped off their shoes, leaving them behind discarded without a second thought.
They ran into the water like carefree boys, laughing as they splashed and chased each other through the turquoise waves. Kishiar caught Yuder effortlessly, his strong arms wrapping around his waist before lifting him high into the air. With a playful shout, he jumped forward, taking them both under the gentle waves.
When they surfaced, their laughter mingled softly with the sound of the sea. Breathless and glistening, they pressed close — forehead resting against forehead, salt water streaming down their faces and dripping from their hair. Their skin, warmed by the sun, felt impossibly hot where they clung to each other with no space left between them. Kishiar captured Yuder’s lips in a deep, lingering kiss, tasting salt and sunlight with pure joy.
They swam together afterward, their bodies gliding smoothly through the crystal-clear water like two creatures born to this moment. Eventually they floated side by side, fingers intertwined beneath the surface, watching seabirds glide lazily across the endless blue sky above.
When they grew hungry, a private picnic was already set up under a shaded cabana: fresh seafood platters, chilled juices, tropical fruits, and delicate pastries. They ate lazily on the large daybed, feeding each other again and chatting about trivial things, occasionally Yuder would lean in and kiss kishiar, sweet and salty kisses between bites, kishiar would chuckle everytime the bird like kiss was planted against his lips, before he bites Yuder on the tip of his nose teasingly.
Afterward, they lay together on the makeshift chair, beneath the parasol, Yuder's head resting on Kishiar's chest feeling the heartbeat of the man running through his whole body as the sun dried their skin.
Kishiar played with Yuder's hair between his fingers, his hand would move down Yuder's nape, fingertips pressing gently on the wet skin before his palm was placed fully against his back, and kept gently messaging it.
“This feels nice.” Kishiar said softly. Yuder moved on top of him and looked up.
“Yeah.” He pressed a light kiss against Kishiar’s jaw. “It does feel nice.”
Kishiar's fingers threaded through Yuder's damp hair, tugging him up for another deep, lingering kiss as the waves whispered against the shore. The sun warmed their bodies, and the rest of the day stretched out before them — full of more laughter, more stolen touches, and the kind of quiet intimacy that only came when the entire world felt far away.
★★★
The soft glow of the villa’s bedroom lamps bathed their bodies in warm golden light.
Yuder lay sprawled languidly across the wide bed, absently scrolling on his phone, while Kishiar traced slow, lazy circles along the curve of his bare hip. His touch drifted upward — gliding over the elegant line of Yuder’s spine, across his shoulders, then higher, until his fingers slipped into the soft black strands of his hair with unmistakable possessiveness.
Kishiar’s own golden hair was deliciously tousled, his usual sharp elegance softened by the lazy satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. He watched Yuder with deep adoration and affection, as though he could never be tired of the sight before him.
“Wanna play?” Yuder asked, tilting his head as he looked at Kishiar.
Kishiar’s lips curved into a slow, beautiful smile. He leaned down and pressed a lingering, open-mouthed kiss to the sensitive spot just beneath Yuder’s ear, his warm breath sending a shiver across his skin. “It’s fine.” he murmured, voice low. “I’m good.”
After a brief, thoughtful pause, he added softly, “Actually… how about we take a walk outside?”
His crimson gaze drifted toward the large windows, where the night waited, dark and inviting. “The sky is beautiful tonight.” he continued calmly, turning back to Yuder. “And I’d like to see the stars with you.”
Yuder raised an eyebrow, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. Hadn’t they just been outside earlier? And wasn’t Kishiar the one who had wanted to stay inside and play? Yet something in the man's expression made him pause. Perhaps this sudden outing had something to do with his birthday gift, after all, it was nearly midnight.
The moment they stepped beyond the villa’s main terrace, Yuder’s breath caught in his throat.
The private path leading to their secluded beach had been transformed completely from that of a minute ago.
Delicate strings of warm fairy lights spiraled through the palm trees, bathing everything in a dreamy golden haze. Thousands of candles glowed softly inside glass lanterns, their flames dancing gently in the night breeze. A luxurious trail of fresh flower petals — fragrant, velvety, and richly colored — scattered across the sand, guiding their way toward a graceful canopy of sheer white silk that billowed like moonlight made fabric.
Beneath the canopy lay a low, intimate platform adorned with more flickering candles, lavish arrangements of deep crimson and ivory tropical flowers, and a thick, plush rug that invited them closer. Beyond it stretched the endless Indian Ocean, its dark surface shimmering under a sky so clear and vast it felt alive. Countless stars glittered like diamonds, close enough to touch, while the full moon cast a luminous silver path across the calm water.
It was breathtakingly beautiful.
Kishiar had once told him about the secret language of flowers. At the time, Yuder had been quietly surprised — he had never imagined that something as simple as blooms could carry such profound meaning, he used to think people gave flowers only because they were beautiful. He hadn’t known they could speak straight from the heart.
Now, seeing the petals scattered so deliberately across the sand, his chest tightened with unbearable emotion.
Dark red camellias, pure white lilies, and delicate blue forget-me-nots were woven together in a fragrant path beneath their feet.
Kishiar had told him that red camellias symbolized a love deeper than passion — a quiet, unwavering devotion.
“You are the love of my life.” the flowers whispered.
The forget-me-nots spoke of everlasting connection: remembrance, unbreakable loyalty, and a bond that could withstand time, distance, or any hardship.
And the white lilies… Kishiar’s gaze had always grown especially warm and tender whenever he spoke of them. The lilies represented pure commitment and sincerity — a future built on deep trust, sacred, and eternal. Perfect for vows meant to last a lifetime.
Looking at the flowers glowing softly under the moonlight and fairy lights, Yuder’s heart began to beat faster. Every petal suddenly felt like a silent confession.
Kishiar’s strong arm slid around Yuder’s body, warm and steady, gently guiding him forward as his steps gradually slowed, each one heavier with anticipation. Though Kishiar’s expression remained calm and composed, his crimson eyes burned with a depth of emotion that stole the breath from Yuder’s lungs.
They reached the silk-draped canopy just as the soft chime of a distant villa clock rang through the night air —
Midnight.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Kishiar turned to face him fully. In one fluid, graceful motion, the tall man lowered himself on one knee on the petal-strewn sand. The candlelight danced across his features as he reached into his pocket and opened a small velvet box.
Inside rested a breathtaking ring.
A large, flawless cushion-cut diamond gleamed at its center, surrounded by a radiant halo of smaller brilliant diamonds. The platinum band was intricately interwoven with delicate rose gold, engraved with a subtle pattern of twisting vines and tiny sapphires that sparkled like captured starlight. It was regal, obscenely luxurious, and unmistakably crafted for Yuder alone.
Kishiar looked up at him, eyes glowing with quiet reverence and fierce devotion, the weight of everything he felt laid bare between them under the moonlit sky.
“Yuder.”
He called his name with aching affection, yet his voice carried that unshakable gravity that had always defined him. The warm candlelight dancing across his handsome face softened the edges of his face while deepening the intensity in his eyes.
His crimson gaze, usually so commanding and unreadable to the rest of the world, now burned with raw, unguarded devotion as he looked up at Yuder. The gentle rhythm of waves lapping against the shore filled the sacred silence between them.
“My beloved…” His voice turned low and velvet-rough, each word drawn from the deepest chambers of his soul.
“You entered my life like a single flame in an endless night. Since that moment, every beat of my heart has answered only to you. You have become the air I breathe, the blood rushing through my veins, and the fire that pools beneath my skin whenever I think of you. In the hush before dawn, when shadows still cling to the world, it is your face that I crave, and when the world grows heavy and unbearable, it is your touch I ache for. Without you, I am only half a man — forever incomplete.”
Kishiar’s breath trembled faintly as he continued, his large hand reaching out to cradle Yuder’s fingers with aching tenderness, as though they were something infinitely precious.
“I want to wake every morning with you held tight in my arms, your scent lingering on my skin, your heartbeat pressed against my chest. I cannot imagine a future in which you are not mine in every possible way. You are my equal, my deepest desire, and the only true home I have ever known. Let me bind every part of myself to every part of you — body, heart, and name.”
A faint, breathless chuckle escaped Kishiar’s lips, a rare, vulnerable softness curving his mouth as he gazed up at Yuder with open longing.
“Will you marry me?” he asked, voice low and fervent. “Let me claim you beneath the eyes of the stars and the endless sea… to be your husband, for the rest of our lives and beyond.”
The moment stretched, heavy with emotion and the warm, salt-kissed night air. Yuder’s eyes shimmered in the lights, his lips parted in stunned reverence. Kishiar’s gaze never wavered — Yet beneath that intense composer, Yuder could see the slightest tremble in the man's fingertips as they held his hand.
“Yes…”
When Yuder finally breathed out — the word barely more than a trembling whisper — Kishiar’s expression transformed completely. A brilliant, devastating smile broke across his face, triumphant, relieved, and deeply sensual all at once.
In one fluid motion, he rose to his feet and pulled Yuder into his arms with unrestrained passion, crushing their bodies together as if he could merge them into one. He took Yuder’s left hand with reverent care— his touch almost worshipful, and slowly he slid the ring onto his finger.
The large cushion-cut diamond caught the candlelight and moonlight at once, scattering sparks of rainbow fire across their faces. The delicate halo of smaller diamonds, the platinum band woven with rose gold, and the tiny sapphires gleamed like liquid starlight wrapped around Yuder’s finger.
The ring fit perfectly — as though it had always belonged there.
Kishiar lifted Yuder’s hand and brought the ring to his lips, pressing a slow, reverent kiss to the diamond. Then he turned the hand over and placed a deep, open-mouthed kiss against the warm skin of his wrist and the back of his palm, lingering there as if sealing a vow with his breath.
“Happy birthday, my beloved.”
He whispered in a low voice. Yuder leaned in until their noses brushed tenderly, rubbing them together in a soft, intimate caress. A rare, genuine flush bloomed across his cheeks, the back of his neck, and the corners of his eyes.
“Thank you.” he breathed, the words trembling with everything he felt but didn't know how to fully express.
Their mouths met in a deep, consuming kiss — slow at first, then growing deeper and more desperate, tongues sliding hotly, hands gripping tightly as if afraid the night might steal this moment. Kishiar’s arms wrapped around Yuder, lifting him slightly as the kiss turned fiercer, mouths devouring each other beneath the stars.
The silk canopy billowed around them and the ocean whispered its approval. Under the midnight sky, they sank onto the petal-strewn rug, lost in each other completely.
To Be Continued