The couple spent their Friday at leisure. They sat back and ordered food to their home to enjoy it while watching whatever cartoon that ran on the TV. Giggling over the nonsensical plots of a bad fantasy show, they fell asleep wrapped around each other multiple times. Hongjoong slept better than usual. The proximity to Seonghwa not only calmed his nerves, but the warmth they shared also fended off bad thoughts and paranoia. According to Seonghwa, he also didn't have nightmares on both nights that they slept in the same bed together. Proud of his fending off skills that showed in his every being, Hongjoong had hugged the other man even closer.

After a peaceful Friday, the weekend dawned upon them with more snow. It tumbled from the sky in thick flakes, as if trying to make up quickly for the prior lack of it.

Seonghwa stood at the window with a mug of hot chocolate and watched them dance outside. Behind him, Hongjoong got ready. He had gone home only once to get a bag with fresh clothes, but returned instantly after. As he slipped into his comfortable hoodie, he curiously peeked at Seonghwa's forlorn expression.

Seonghwa was absent-minded a lot when he was afraid or cornered. Bundled with his difficulties finding joy in life, he fled reality on any occasion. While Hongjoong liked to wonder a lot about what was going on inside his head at those times, he also always feared that Seonghwa would drift too far off. Like a raft on the ocean.

"If it continues like this, we'll actually get snow this Christmas," Hongjoong announced cheerfully. At the sound of his voice, Seonghwa snapped right back into being. With a serene smile on his lips, he sipped on his chocolate.

"We didn't get that last year, so that would be nice. What are your plans for Christmas?"

Usually, Hongjoong was at work that day, like any other day. The nightmares on Christmas were rarer in most people since they were delighted with happiness and surrounded by family or friends. But there were always those lonely ones who got even more depressed observing communal happiness but not being part of it.

However, Seonghwa was his only case as of now. And seeing that Seonghwa would probably go home and spend time with his friends there, Hongjoong hoped he would sleep well.

"Depending on you, work. Do you celebrate Christmas?" Hongjoong took a few berries from the bowl and popped them into his mouth. Now that he was also finally finished getting ready, Seonghwa gulped down his drink and rinsed out his mug.

"No, I usually hang with Wooyoung. But he sounds as if he will make a couple event out of it this year and be with San. I can be lucky I found a person in the same year, or else I might be very lonely. Do you want to go on a date that day?"

Hongjoong smiled at him, charmed. They put on their boots and jackets, Seonghwa looking classily elegant while Hongjoong preferred baggy street style.

"Why not? If San is busy, my second plan also disappears. Then let's do something together."

Hongjoong held the door open for Seonghwa as they marched through. Downstairs they had a brief conference on which car to take, but Seonghwa succeeded. Hongjoong got to sit beside him and watch him drive once more. The idea of doing all those sweet couple things together with Seonghwa made Hongjoong giddy with joy. In his eyes, Seonghwa was a wonderful man. And Hongjoong was lucky he had scored with him, despite his initial awkwardness.

The drive to the nursing home was filled with the beats of the overplayed pop music from the radio. Seonghwa tapped his fingers to the rhythm on the steering wheel, having fun even when he didn't match the beat perfectly. Hongjoong watched him, enamoured.

The current residence of the tyrannical grandma was a sweet, white building in the outskirts of town. It was surrounded by a park much appreciated by the old people that got led around by nurses if so needed. Seonghwa parked in front of a prettily decorated fir. When he sat there for a moment, collecting himself, Hongjoong patiently waited for him.

Then Seonghwa gave a faint smile.

"Alright, let's go."

They jumped out of the car and walked down the paths covered by a thin layer of fresh snow. The tumbling crystals got stuck in Seonghwa's hair and coat, giving him a dreamy look.

The woman at the counter in the lobby recognised Seonghwa instantly. Her curious gaze wandered between him and Hongjoong as the two approached.

"Hello, Seonghwa. Here to visit grandma again?"

"Yeah. Is she in her room?"

The nurse nodded and gestured at the way Seonghwa already knew. As they took off, Hongjoong glanced at the woman again. His 'people that had a crush on Seonghwa'-meter ticked away as he regarded her like a hawk. When she nervously turned away, unable to catch his gaze, Hongjoong chuckled to himself. So it wasn't Seonghwa she had been looking at.

Feeling sorry for having spooked her, he took off behind his boyfriend. Through sterile white halls that smelled like old people. From time to time, they passed open doors that led to community rooms. The seniors played chess together, watched TV, or just talked over some cake. In all, it had a peaceful atmosphere.

When Hongjoong stretched out his hand to take Seonghwa's fingers in his, he noticed the man's trembling. Despite the foul gazes they got, Hongjoong tenderly interwove their hands to spend comfort.

Seonghwa guided them up to the room that read the name of his grandmother on a little plaque next to the door. As he knocked with ginger fingers, he freed his hand from Hongjoong's with an apologetic smile. Understanding, Hongjoong smiled back gently.

"Come in," a voice that was eerily familiar for never having heard it before replied. All hairs on Hongjoong's body rose to go into defensive mode. His hand nearly grabbed for his non-existent gun, but he held himself back barely. He fought the disdainful expression on his face as Seonghwa led them in.

The room was modest. A bed, a little closet, a window pointing out into the park, and, of course, the grandma. She laid in her bed, looking like an exact copy of the dream version of herself. The wrinkles on her face dipped deep around her brows and tightened her lips in a constant grimace of displeasure.

Her watery eyes looked the two of them up and down as Hongjoong closed the door behind them.

"Hello, grandma. It's me, Seonghwa," Seonghwa muttered nervously. The anxiety in his voice was well veiled, but no secret to Hongjoong, who dealt with it every night.

"I can't seem to remember you, sweetheart. Are we close?"

The horrible pet name had Hongjoong's stomach churn. It sounded even worse and more artificial in real life.

Seonghwa sat down on the single chair at her bed. While he was busy explaining, Hongjoong stepped over to the window to look out into the whitening world. Bleak and mysteriously shrouded in secrets, just like the building, the very room they were in.

"And that is Hongjoong. He's a friend of mine."

Hongjoong perked up at the mention of his name. He put every might in his body into bowing his head respectfully for the woman.

She frowned once more as she looked him up and down. Then she turned to look Seonghwa up and down in the same scrutinising way. Like a scientist who tested her new product on a suffering guinea pig.

"Don't tell me you two are..." She couldn't even bring out the words. Her face contorted in disgust.

Before Seonghwa could lift his hands placatingly and lie, Hongjoong frostily answered.

"We are. Does that bother you? It shouldn't, given that Seonghwa gives his everything to look after you."

The old woman sneered at him. Her brittle grip on her blanket tightened.

"I don't like your tone, young man. I expect certain decency from my relatives. If he wants to sin with men in his free time, then he doesn't need to parade it around. Nobody needs to see such vile acts. It embarrasses me." She spoke as if it made absolute sense, as if Hongjoong was in the wrong. Even when it was all about opinions.

Hongjoong grinned darkly. Seonghwa had lowered his head, hopeless, but he didn't intervene.

"Well, wouldn't it be in your favour if we leave, then? And never come back?"

She regarded Seonghwa as if trying to estimate his worth in her life. When her dementia came up empty, she shrugged with poised nonchalance. Her face told a different story over how badly she wanted to screech at them. But she held back, since there was a stranger in the room.

"For sure. I planned to call my favourite son soon anyway and ask him to move me to a different place. The people here can't keep up with me."

Now Seonghwa perked up again. Judging by his expression, the favourite son was not his dad.

"You are going to leave? But you only just came here."

"Yes, but I don't like it. I will try a different nursing home and if that one is below my standards, too, I will return to living alone or with family. Not with you two freaks, though," she added with a sharp glance at Hongjoong. Hongjoong grinned back charmingly.

So far, this was going better than he expected.

"If you want to make yourself useful, you call him for me and get everything ready. I already told the nurses about my decision." She barked the order at Seonghwa like a commander on a battlefield. Mumbling, the man stood up to pull out his phone. He excused himself to go outside.

Hongjoong and the grandma eyed each other like two bishops on adjoining fields.

"Are you sure that living alone would cut it for you?" Hongjoong made polite small talk. While everything inside him screamed to spook that grandma hard enough she had a heart attack, he played extra nice now that she was so resolved to leave.

"I'm far more capable than most people my age. Or my family, as it shows. Seonghwa is far too handsome to be playing with a boy, but that might be his age. If you truly like him, you will help him find a beautiful girl that can do his housework for him and bear children. I want our family line to persist, even if he taints it."

Hongjoong grimaced at that statement. So many things were wrong with it, he didn't even want to start taking it apart. Instead, he crossed his arms under his chest.

"Leave that to Seonghwa and me to decide. I agree with your statement on being alone, however. Isn't it much quieter? And also far fewer strangers."

Wary of his ulterior motives, the grandma nodded. Her fingers adjusted her white blouse.

"Right. And I will live for a while longer, anyway. I can still go back when I actually need it." Her voice wasn't exactly diplomatic, but Hongjoong took it. He nodded along, giving some more examples of why living alone was paradise. Where she couldn't condemn anyone to look after her and hopefully be far away from Seonghwa.

When Seonghwa returned, his face showed positive bewilderment. He turned right towards his grandma as soon as he had entered.

"I called my uncle, and he said he can pick you up any day next week. He told me to give you his number, too, so the nursing home can call him for you."

"Wonderful. Ugh. You two wouldn't believe how hard it is sometimes to live here. Old people are so stubborn and they stink. Take a piece of advice from me, even though neither of you deserves that courtesy. Don't live here later. It's far more beautiful to die out in the countryside with a bunch of cats tending to you."

Seonghwa took the notebook she handed him to scribble down the number. He wrote the name of the uncle down, too, as well as a 'for if you want to leave.' The relief had him shake, and his letters were larger and more flowing than usual. Hongjoong chuckled at him.

"Here. If you need us to help, you can ask uncle to call us," he muttered as he handed the slip back. Hongjoong prayed she would forget their names again.

"I might not. I'm still good at carrying things, and I don't have much. Well, if those nurses let me." The old woman snorted.

When both of them remained where they were awkwardly, she snatched the book from her nightstand. Without minding them any further, she buried her nose in it.

Seonghwa beckoned Hongjoong over and stood slowly.

"Well, then... See you next time."

She didn't tell them goodbye, out of interest. Hongjoong and Seonghwa left. When the police officer basically ran down the corridor with how gigantic steps he took, Hongjoong scurried to catch up. Through the bleak halls, passing vases with fresh flowers and the lobby. The girl there wished them goodbye, and Hongjoong returned the greeting before he ran after Seonghwa.

Stubbornly, the man didn't slow down. He went right for his car, right for his driver's seat. Hongjoong jogged to get in his seat in time, halfway worried that Seonghwa would forget to take him.

He figured Seonghwa wanted to go home as soon as possible, as he jumped in hastily.

He was wrong.

The moment Hongjoong exhaled and closed the door behind him, Seonghwa's fingers found his face. They yanked him closer, not asking for permission anymore. Then he kissed Hongjoong senseless until he forgot anything that wasn't related to Seonghwa's passionate lips.