#lakeaether

“Huh?” You say, tilting your head slightly in confusion.

“I asked what you were thinking about. You looked deep in thought,” he replies, leaning in to softly poke you in the forehead.

“Oh!” Your mouth parts in realization. “I didn’t even notice I was zoning out.” 

Instead of answering right away, you lean against his arm, your gaze drifting back to the playground that had caught your attention earlier. The park is alive with the golden glow of the afternoon sun, its rays filtering through the trees and casting shadows on the grass. Even from a distance, children's laughter rings out like an infectious joyful melody, blending with the soft rustle of leaves swaying in the gentle breeze.

Mingyu follows your gaze, tilting his head slightly as he tries to figure out what’s caught your attention. “Baby?” he calls softly, pulling you from your thoughts again.

You smile up at him, eyes warm and tender. “Sorry,” you chuckle. “I was watching the kids earlier and got lost in thought.”

“You were thinking about kids?” Mingyu huffs dramatically, playfully nudging your shoulder. “We’ve only been dating a couple of months, and you’re already imagining kids? Wow, how bold of you.”

“What? No!” you exclaim, your face growing warm as you pull back from his arm. “That’s not what I meant!” Covering your mouth with your hand, you let out a surprised laugh, embarrassed by his teasing.

Mingyu grins, clearly enjoying your flustered state. “Then what were you thinking about?” he presses, his voice still playful but now tinged with curiosity.

You glance back at the playground, the corners of your lips tugging into a wistful smile. “I was thinking about how happy and carefree they look. I guess it reminded me of when I was their age and life felt simple.”

You pause, hesitating, then add, “One of my favorite memories as a kid was getting piggyback rides. The wind rushing through my face made me feel like I was flying.”

Mingyu looks at you for a moment, then lets go of your hand. Without a word, he steps in front of you and turns around, bending his knees slightly. He pats the back of his thighs, glancing over his shoulder.

“What are you doing?” you ask, raising a brow.

“Hop on,” he says simply, his grin widening.

“Yeah, that’s not happening.” You cross your arms and shift your weight onto one foot.

Mingyu straightens up with a pout, crossing his arms to mirror you. “Why not? What, you don’t think I’m strong enough? These muscles aren’t just for show, you know.”

He flexes his bicep dramatically, and despite your resolve, your gaze flicks toward his arm for a moment too long. His smirk grows.

“Mingyu, be serious!” you protest, shaking your head

“I am! Tell me, why not?” He whines, dropping his arm.

“Because…” you start, then trail off, looking elsewhere.

“Because…?” he prompts, leaning closer.

You sigh, your voice dropping to a shy murmur. “What if I’m too heavy?”

Mingyu’s expression softens instantly. “Babe, that’s nonsense. If anything, it’s motivation for me to keep working out. And honestly, you’re perfect just as you are.”

His sincerity makes your chest tighten, and you’re not sure how to respond. Instead, you glance down, muttering, “What if people stare?”

He takes your hand, his thumb brushing over your knuckles. “There’s no one around on this side of the park. And even if there were, let them stare. It’s not every day people get to see someone as beautiful as you carried around by someone as handsome as me.”

You huff out a laugh, shaking your head at his shameless confidence. “You play a hard bargain, Mr. Kim. Fine, I’ll do it.”

Mingyu’s eyes light up with excitement. He turns around, crouching down again, his hands motioning for you to climb on. Taking a deep breath, you place your hands on his shoulders and jump gently onto his back. His hands immediately grip your thighs, steadying you as your arms loop around his neck.

“Ready?” he asks, barely containing his grin. “Here we go!”

Before you can respond, he takes off at a sprint, the wind whipping through your face as you shriek.

“Mingyu, slow down!” you cry out, though your laughter betrays your enjoyment.

“Faster? Got it!” he teases, his giggles mixing with yours as he dashes around the park.

After a few minutes of running, he slows to a leisurely pace, his chest rising and falling as he catches his breath.

“Honestly, I could walk us all the way home, and I wouldn’t even break a sweat.” he boasts, puffing out his chest playfully.

“All right, Superman, I get it,” you say, rolling your eyes and patting his chest lightly. “I’ll never doubt you or your ridiculous strength again.”

You rest your chin on his shoulder as he continues walking, the two of you wrapped in a comfortable silence. 

“Thanks, Mingyu,” you whisper after a moment. “This… it means a lot to me.”

He turns his head slightly, his cheek brushing yours. “Yeah?” His voice is soft. “Well, you mean a lot to me, so this is the least I could do.”

Your heart swells, and you lean in to press a kiss to his cheek. His ears turn red, but he doesn’t say anything, just tightening his grip on your thighs slightly.

With Mingyu’s warmth and the serenity of the park surrounding you, everything feels right.

“Just a couple more minutes, sunshine,” you reply, flashing a brief smile before turning your attention back to the noodles. You lift the spoon, tapping it on the rim of the pot before setting it down on the counter, to grab a clean one. Dipping it into the rich, simmering sauce, you scoop up a small sample. “Here, tell me how this tastes,” you say, holding the spoon out to him, your hand cupped beneath to catch any drips.

Seokmin steps closer, leaning down to take a taste. The moment the sauce hits his tongue, an abundance of flavors erupts in his mouth. “Wow, that’s incredible!” he exclaims, eyes lighting up and a grin spreading across his face.

“Perfect,” you say, your chest swelling with pride. “Can you set the table, please? I’ll bring everything out in a bit.”

“On it,” he replies with a cheerful hum, heading to the upper cabinet, carefully taking out the fancy dinnerware reserved for special occasions, and making his way to the dinner table. With care, he gently places down two wine glasses and one plate. Wanting to enhance the intimate atmosphere even more, he lights a couple of candles that fill the room with a soft floral scent. 

Looking at the perfectly arranged table, the memory of what inspired tonight’s dinner surfaces in his mind. During one of your cozy movie nights, two of you watched Lady and the Tramp. The iconic scene, in which the two dogs shared a plate of spaghetti on a starry night, had Seokmin immediately jump up from your cuddled position. 

“Baby, that’s the cutest thing ever!” he exclaimed, pointing to the screen and bouncing. “Can we try that too? Pretty please?” He asked, giving you the biggest puppy dog eyes—as if you could deny him anything when he did that. 

Seokmin’s pulled from the memory by your approaching footsteps. Turning around, he sees you carrying a steaming plate of spaghetti and meatballs, the centerpiece of tonight’s evening. He steps aside to let you place the dish on the table, your smile proud.

As you reach behind you to untie your apron, Seokmin’s voice stops you. “Wait,” he says softly, stepping closer. “Can I?”

Caught off guard, you look at him with wide eyes. “Sure,” you nod with a grin and raise your hands to your sides.

His fingers brush against your waist, the soft touch sending a small shiver up your spine. Looking up at him, you notice the affection in his eyes as he unties the bow on your apron, letting the sides hang. His movements are slow and gentle as he pulls the neck strap over your head. You feel his lips press a quick kiss to your forehead before he drapes the apron over one of the unoccupied dinner chairs.

With a flourish, he pulls out a chair for you. “Your seat, my love,” he says with a playful bow. Smiling shyly, you sit, murmuring a quiet ‘thank you’ as he takes his seat beside you.

“This is going to be amazing!” he says, rubbing his hands together. He picks up his fork and twirls some noodles onto it. “Say ah,” he calls out, holding the fork out for you. 

Laughing, you lean forward and take a bite. “My turn,” you declare, grabbing your fork and mirroring his actions. He opens his mouth dramatically and takes a bite, making you both dissolve into laughter.

After a few more playful exchanges, Seokmin sets his fork down and rests his chin in his hand, his expression turning thoughtful. “Can we try it now?” he asks softly, his voice tinged with a hint of nervous excitement as he looks up at you.

“Try what?” you ask, tilting your head.

“The noodle kiss,” he replies, his cheeks glowing faintly.

Your face warms, but you nod. “Sure, let’s try it.”

Seokmin’s face lights up as he picks up a single noodle strand with his fingers. You do the same, gripping the other end with trembling fingers. Slowly, you both begin eating the noodle, moving closer and closer with every bite. Your breaths mingle, and before you know it, your lips meet in a soft, lingering kiss. The contact is brief but electrifying, leaving both of your hearts racing. 

Pulling back first, you avert your gaze, biting your lip to hold back a nervous laugh. Seokmin watches you with fondness, his smile as warm as the candles on the table.

A nudge against your shoulder catches your attention. You turn and watch as Seokmin leans his head down to your shared plate and softly nudges one of the meatballs with his nose, rolling it toward you. As his head rose, you immediately burst into laughter at the sight of the bright red marinara staining the tip of his nose. “Hold still,” you say between giggles, grabbing a napkin and gently dabbing the sauce off. His eyes cross as he tries to follow your movements, his cheeks reddening.

The rest of the dinner passes in easy conversation and shared laughter. Once the plates were cleared, Seokmin stood up, grabbed the plate and glasses, and brought them over to the sink with the rest of the dirty dishes. Since you cooked tonight, he thought it was only fair that he washed up tonight.

As he’s on his last plate, Seokmin feels your arms slowly wrap around his waist from behind.

"Is it okay if I hold you for a sec?" you murmur, your voice soft against his shoulder.

He pauses, glancing over his shoulder and meeting your gaze with a longing look in his eyes and a soft smile. “More than okay,” he replies, his voice warm with affection and leaning slightly into your embrace.

You hum contentedly, pressing your cheek against his back and letting the steady rhythm of his breathing lull you. As the last plate joins the others on the drying rack, Seokmin, refusing to move your bodies more than one inch from each other, turns carefully within your arms, his hands finding your hips.

With a mischievous grin, he moves you toward the counter and effortlessly lifts your body onto the marble, drawing a surprised gasp from you. Sometimes you forget that outside this absolute sweetheart of a man is one of pure muscle and strength who could move you around with ease. You try not to indulge too much in that thought.

Instead, you part your legs to make room for him. Seokmin grins, stepping closer and wrapping his arms snugly around your waist, yours looping around his neck.

"Thanks for indulging me tonight, honey," he whispers delicately, his forehead resting against yours.

"Of course, sunshine," you reply, pressing a kiss on the tip of his nose. "It was my pleasure."

Seokmin’s smile widens, his eyes turning into moon crescents as he takes in the earnestness of your words.

His eyes glimmer as he leans in, brushing his nose against yours in a flutter. The soft gesture causes you both to break out into a fit of giggles.

As the laughter fades, he leans in, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You know,” he begins, his lips brushing lightly against your ear, “I think I owe you a proper thank you for tonight.”

Your breath hitches, and you glance up at him through your lashes. “Oh?” you manage, your voice barely above a whisper and cheeks heating up.

He cups your cheek with one hand, his thumb tracing your bottom lip. “Can I show you how much I appreciate you?” he asks, his words sending a shiver down your spine.

Your lips part slightly, but no words come out. Instead, your gaze drops, cheeks flushed as your fingers toy with the neckline of his shirt. Finally, you give him a shy nod. In one fluid motion, Seokmin slides his arms under you and lifts you effortlessly, wrapping your thighs around his waist. “Hold on tight,” he whispers, his gaze never leaving yours as you look up at him.

As he carries you toward your shared bedroom, his lips brush against your neck, leaving a series of soft, lingering kisses that send shivers throughout your body. The anticipation hangs thick in the air as the door clicks shut behind you, sealing the promise of an unforgettable night.