Our Little Lives, in this Big World

[INTRO:] To you, in which everyday is more brilliant than Sadness

One doesn't need to wonder or question a 'perfect life', right? Or 'damn near perfect' at least. When your life has been as perfect as Joshua Hong's, what is there to complain about? The man is handsome beyond levels and still considerably young, celebrating his thirty sixth birthday at the end of the year, with already so much of life's treasures attained. He stands proudly at the top of his career having scored nothing short of a dream-job. He shares a beautiful home with a handsome, loving husband who he raised two incredible sons with. When you have what feels like everything, why should you waste time thinking about all the ways of what could be... missing?

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AUGUST 24, THURSDAY, 15:32 (3:32PM). THREE DAYS INTO FALL SEMESTER.

Nowadays, Joshua has come to favor a certain room in the language building in the English department at Attacca University. Quaint and private with warm colors of summer painted along the two small tables, chairs and cabinets. It is easy to miss even if you are looking, for it and lies randomly in a nook on the ninth floor. So that's why it's perfect. A perfect little escape.

Joshua is leaned back in one of those soft yellow chairs (that oddly matches the door and outside window frame) and dazing off into space. He thinks of nothing in particular as he slowly munches on the ham and cheese sandwich he bought from the cafeteria. Right now, it's better to focus on the flavors of the sandwich, rather than thinking about the Jeonghan he's going to come home to later after he already had to stay overnight on the island two days this week when they're only four days into the semester.

Will he be happy he's finally home, or will he be mad? Will he say he had missed him, or give him the silent treatment? Though he has known and been with the man for so much of his life, he realized early on that predicting Jeonghan's next move is a hopeless endeavor.

A shadow appearing through the frosted glass on the door brings Joshua's attention back from the clouds and to the sunny room. The outline of neat hair above those broad shoulders is easily recognizable to be Joshua's work colleague and one of his closest friends, Wonwoo.

Not a second later, the man is striding through the room and pulls out the chair at the opposite end of the small, lima bean green table.

"So," he starts in a business-like manner, "I've been doing some research about what you were telling me about the other night..."

The word "research" and how it involves "the other night", aka what Joshua confidentially confined to Wonwoo two nights ago when they were drinking, gave the man a jolt of anxiety.

Oh yes, that's yet another reason why Joshua wouldn't be surprised by a silent treatment from his husband: he spontaneously went drinking with Wonwoo Monday night and came home a drunken mess. Then the past two nights he had to stay on campus to finish grading papers and prepare for upcoming lessons.

Joshua doesn't know what to expect, especially with how sensitive his dear husband has been recently with Seungkwan being gone. Once during either his first or second year on the job, Joshua had to stay at A.U. every night for two weeks straight. Though to be fair, it was the week of and after exams. When he came home, Jeonghan was acting extra loving and alluring . He wasn't "mad", noooo, he was even the one who kindled that first night back into a passionate one. Until, he changed his mind halfway through and decided to go to bed. Joshua realized it must be his punishment by the fourth time in a row this happened. The poor sucker even fell for it another couple of times, too.

Which is all the more reason why he needs to focus on his marriage, not the words he blabbed about as a drunk man on a Monday night. So, when sweet Wonwoo brought up that rather silly conversation...