The air was electric with anticipation.
The rooftop, bathed in the soft golden glow of hanging lights, looked nothing short of magical. The table was set, the candles flickering gently in the cool night breeze, and the music softly playing in the background — it was a beautiful scene, waiting for the man who had been absent for so long.
Hyunjin was finally coming home.
Sherri stood by the edge of the rooftop, her heart racing as she looked at the phone in her hand. She had just received a message from the company. They had confirmed that Hyunjin's flight had landed. He would be arriving in just under an hour.
YoungBok, standing beside her, was lost in his own thoughts. His heart was heavy with conflicting emotions — excitement, nervousness, and fear.
"I don't know if I can do this," YoungBok said quietly, his voice tinged with vulnerability. "What if everything falls apart once he's here?"
Sherri turned to him, her gaze soft but firm. "It won't. We've come this far, and we're not going to let the world tear us apart. You, me, Hyunjin — we're strong together."
YoungBok nodded, taking a deep breath. "You're right."
The sound of footsteps echoed from the stairs, and they both turned. It was Minho, Changbin, and the rest of the group. The members had gathered, waiting to support their friends.
"Everything's ready?" Chris asked, adjusting his jacket as he looked around the rooftop.
YoungBok gave a small smile. "Almost. Just a few more minutes."
Seungmin checked his watch. "He'll be here any minute. Everyone's excited."
"Are you nervous?" Changbin asked YoungBok, his voice light, though there was a flicker of concern in his eyes.
YoungBok chuckled nervously. "More than I ever have been."
But despite the group's efforts to keep the mood light, there was a palpable tension in the air. The rumors, the doubts, the whispers — they had all brought an undeniable strain. But the love between YoungBok, Sherri, and Hyunjin was a bond that nothing could truly break, and tonight, they would prove it.
Meanwhile, at the airport, Hyunjin had just walked through the arrival gates. His heart ached with each step as he thought of the family waiting for him, the ones he had been separated from for so long. He missed them more than words could convey — the feel of Sherri's hand in his, the sound of YoungBok's laughter, the warmth of his sons.
But as he walked through the crowd, a cold shiver ran down his spine. His phone buzzed. Another message from the company.
> "Hyunjin, we've made the decision to keep things low-profile for now. The public is still stirring over the rumors. We'll need you to avoid public appearances for a while. Keep things quiet with your wife and YoungBok for a while longer. We don't want to stir up more trouble."
He stopped in his tracks, the weight of the message sinking in. They had been waiting for this moment for so long, and now… they wanted him to hide.
Back on the rooftop, the sound of a car pulling up to the building signaled Hyunjin's arrival. YoungBok's heart skipped a beat, and Sherri's breath hitched in her throat. This was it.
"He's here," YoungBok whispered, his eyes searching the darkness for the first glimpse of his husband.
They heard the soft thud of Hyunjin's footsteps as he climbed the stairs. When he appeared at the top, all their breath seemed to catch in unison.
Hyunjin, standing in the doorway, was everything they had missed — his eyes tired but filled with warmth, his smile a little shy but as breathtaking as ever. He was home.
For a moment, no one moved. They simply stood there, staring at him, letting the emotions flood in.
"Hyunjin," Sherri whispered, her voice breaking the silence.
YoungBok rushed forward, wrapping him in a tight embrace. "I missed you," he said, his voice thick with emotion.
Hyunjin chuckled softly, his hands resting on YoungBok's back. "I missed you more."
The sound of Hyunjin's voice, the feel of his presence, made everything else fall away. It was just the three of them, reunited after so long.
But as the three of them stood there in each other's arms, there was an undeniable tension in the air. Hyunjin had returned, but there were still whispers — rumors swirling around them like an unforgiving storm.
"We've been waiting for you," Sherri said, stepping back and taking his hand. "The surprise is ready. We just needed you here."
Hyunjin nodded, his eyes softening as he took in the sight of the rooftop. But then, his smile faltered, and he turned to YoungBok, his expression serious.
"YoungBok… I just got a message from the company," Hyunjin said quietly, his voice tense. "They want me to keep things low-profile. They're still worried about the backlash. They don't want us in the public eye right now."
YoungBok's heart sank. "So, after all this time… they still don't trust us?"
"I don't know," Hyunjin replied, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "But I can't keep living like this. I can't keep hiding."
Sherri stepped forward, her voice steady. "We've been through too much. We can't let them control us. This is our life. Our love."
Hyunjin looked at her, his heart heavy with emotion. "I don't want to lose you, or YoungBok, or this life. I just want to be with both of you — no matter what anyone else says."
YoungBok stepped forward, taking Hyunjin's hand. "We're in this together. Always."
The weight of the world seemed to fall away in that moment, replaced by the undeniable truth — their love would always be stronger than any rumor, any threat, any outside force. Together, they were unstoppable.
The evening unfolded into laughter, music, and warmth. The rooftop celebration was everything they had dreamed of, filled with small, intimate moments and memories that would last a lifetime.
But the shadow of the world's expectations still loomed. Hyunjin's return had been a victory, but the battle for their love and their place in the world was far from over.
As the night drew to a close, YoungBok stood by the edge of the rooftop, gazing out over the city. Hyunjin joined him, his hand slipping into YoungBok's.
"We'll face it together," YoungBok said softly, his voice filled with resolve.
Hyunjin nodded, his eyes filled with quiet determination. "Together, always."
Sherri stepped up beside them, her heart full of love for both men. "We've already won."