SEVENTEEN ONESHOTS [✓]

💌 : chanhao

Dino and Minghao try to maintain their relationship while living in different countries.

Dino stared at the screen, his fingers hovering over the keys of his phone.

The distance between him and Minghao felt endless, an invisible wall built by oceans and time zones.

Just a few months ago, their lives had been intertwined, shared meals, spontaneous walks, late-night conversations that carried them through the mundane and the extraordinary.

But now, everything was measured in time differences and the brief moments when their faces lit up on the screen, separated by the vast space between Korea and China.

Minghao had moved back to China a few months ago, a decision that came too suddenly, wrapped up in family obligations and unspoken promises.

It was hard to say goodbye, even harder to imagine a life where their worlds no longer converged on the same city streets, their routines no longer aligned.

But life had a way of scattering things, and responsibilities often tugged at the heartstrings more than love could.

"Good morning."

Dino finally typed, the words feeling small.

A simple greeting, yet it carried the weight of all the things left unsaid, the feelings that clung to the edges of their words.

He paused before hitting send, thinking of the last few days.

There had been calls, of course, but the absence of Minghao's presence in his daily life was like an ache in his chest, quiet, persistent, and sometimes, unbearable.

Minghao's move had been sudden, the kind of change neither of them had prepared for.

The announcement had come out of nowhere: a family emergency, a call that couldn't be ignored.

He'd packed his bags, said his goodbyes, and before Dino could fully grasp the situation, he was in another country, back in his home.

And Dino was left in Korea, alone, with only their shared memories to hold on to.

They had promised to make it work.

Long-distance wasn't easy, but it wasn't the end of the world either.

They'd both seen it before, couples who made it work, friends who stayed close despite time zones, family members who crossed continents without hesitation.

But there was a difference between watching someone else do it and living it yourself.

The long hours of silence, the longing that crept in on quiet afternoons, the small disappointments when time didn't allow for spontaneous moments.

It was hard.

Minghao was adjusting to life back in China, new routines, different schedules, a changed sense of self as he balanced his own desires with the needs of his family.