Having only been together for a few months, the sound of clippers is familiar to your ears by now. It always hums behind the scenes of any lazy day you spend with Ryu at his place, in the bathroom with you sat up on the counter while he held a shaver in his hand and ran it through his hair before turning around to ask you if there were any uneven spots.A buzzcut isn't just a haircut to him. It's literally his way of life.

Photos of him as a child? Buzzed. He has never had it long, not matter how many photos he lets you dig through or cameras he scrolls through with you. It's efficient and simple. You've never seen him with more than an inch or two of hair straight from his scalp. Once, out of pure curiosity, he let it grow out just a little longer, at least two cuts worth of length on his head. You took many photos and he shaved it off days later.

Dating him meant accepting the fact that he wouldn't change it much, at least not visibly. He's steady that way. Solid. He doesn't do flashy things, doesn't want to draw attention or compliments. Then, he showed up at your place and didn't take his hat off even when he was inside. You didn't think much of it.

He's casual to the bone and you knew that, and you weren't strict or nosy enough to bug him to take that hat off. Carefully taking his sneakers off at the door and putting him aside, he headed up to your room where you were watching a show on your bed. Still didn't comment on how his hat was still on like he was hiding something.

But then he sat down at the edge of your bed, facing away from you before turning his neck just enough to show a certain side, and casually pulled his hat off. You blinked, and there, cut clean into the buzz right in his hair next to his ear, was your initial. And oh, it was there. Like, loudly there.

Anyone with fine eyes would be able to make out the letter from even a few feet away. it was there, right under your fingertips when you ran your fingers over in absolute awe, mouth agape, trying to keep your heart from absolutely combusting. His hairstyle was sacred. It was the only thing he swore to never switch up, not for anyone. Except now, apparently, for you.

His expression didn't shift much, though the way he looked at you from the corner of his eye as you traced your finger over it gave it away. He looked almost smug and stupidly proud of himself, despite the calm he always wore. You weren't sure whether to melt or laugh. Both, actually, since you're a word away from laughing and you've already melted.

"Relax. it's not a tattoo or anything." Well yeah. It'll go away when his hair grows in again. But when that time for his re-buzz, he's sure he'll just retouch it, and it'll be there for as long as forever is, no doubt about it. "Just so I can keep a bit of you on me all the time."