The sun had already begun to sink behind the hills when Hwang Hyunjin stepped out of the luxury car, dressed in a sleek black suit that shimmered under the golden hour glow. His long black hair was tied back in a loose, elegant bun, a few strands brushing against his high cheekbones. He adjusted his cuffs and took a long breath. Weddings weren’t really his thing, but Jisung had begged him to come—something about "needing someone to balance out the chaos."

Inside the garden venue, fairy lights twinkled in the trees, and the air smelled like jasmine and champagne. Music floated through the soft chatter of guests. Hyunjin’s dark eyes scanned the crowd—mostly strangers, the occasional familiar face—until he saw him.

A boy in a crimson red suit.

It was a bold color for a wedding, but somehow, it suited him perfectly. His long blonde hair was slightly curled at the ends, catching the light like strands of gold. A few freckles dotted his pale skin like stars across a night sky. He laughed at something someone said, and Hyunjin could swear time slowed for just a second.

Who was he?

The moment didn’t linger long. As if fate had pressed play, the crowd shifted, and the boy disappeared behind a group of relatives. Hyunjin shook his head and walked toward the bar.

Felix sipped his mocktail slowly, glancing across the venue. He hated weddings. Not because he disliked love—but because watching everyone in pairs made him feel like he was missing something. Someone. The red suit had been a dare from Chan, who’d laughed and said, “You’ll stand out. Someone’s bound to fall in love with you.” Felix had rolled his eyes at the time.

But when he turned and saw the man in the black suit leaning against the edge of the bar, he nearly dropped his drink.

Tall. Elegant. Like a painting in motion. Long black hair, eyes that looked like they carried secrets.

Hyunjin caught him staring. Felix blushed and looked away. Hyunjin didn’t.

Later, when the dancing began, Jisung (slightly tipsy and very persistent) shoved Hyunjin toward Felix. “You two need to meet. Trust me.”

Felix turned just as Hyunjin stopped in front of him. “Hi,” Hyunjin said, lips curled into a slight, hesitant smile. “I’m Hyunjin.”

“Felix,” he replied, smiling shyly. “Nice suit.” “Yours too,” Hyunjin said. “You look like…a sunset.”

Felix blinked. “Is that a compliment?” “It is now.”

Felix laughed, and the ice between them melted instantly. They talked under the string lights while the rest of the world blurred into the background. Shared stories. Traded glances. Stole pieces of each other’s hearts without realizing it.

“I thought you were going to disappear,” Felix admitted. “I thought you were unreal,” Hyunjin replied. Eventually, the music changed to something softer, slower. A few couples had taken to the dance floor. Hyunjin offered his hand.

“May I?” Felix took it.

Their first dance was quiet. Gentle. Two strangers wrapped in red and black, twirling in a sea of lights and distant laughter, discovering that maybe… just maybe… this wedding wasn’t about someone else’s love anymore.

Silence stretched between them, warm and tense, the kind of silence where every word left unsaid was hanging in the air, shimmering like fireflies.

“…What if I gave you my number?” Felix asked, breaking the spell.

Hyunjin smirked. “I’d text you the moment you leave.”

Felix pulled out a pen from his jacket pocket—why he had one, he didn’t know, but thank God he did—and scribbled his number on Hyunjin’s palm. The ink bled slightly on his skin, but it didn’t matter.

It felt like something sacred.

A promise.

The Days After:

They didn’t wait long. By the time Felix got home that night, he already had a message.

Hyunjin: Still thinking about the boy in red.

And so it began. Texting at midnight. Phone calls that stretched until dawn. Video chats while cooking. Sending selfies with messy hair and toothpaste still on their lips.

And yes it was one of those days where it was midnight and there on FaceTime, Hyunjin was making some food and Felix was just watched with a smile.