In some ways, life was really good for him and in others, it was complicated. Jae knew that was just a part of how things went, there were good days and bad days. He and Han had been doing everything they could to make what they had work and it was, they were there for one another through the good and the bad times. They worked through Han’s problem with painting and now he was back to making works of art on a daily basis again, they spent the evenings watching movies and chatting about their day, Jae spent more time at Han’s home than he did at his dorm now and in so many ways he was blissfully happy.

But ever since that day when Jae had come home early only to find out that Han had met someone new, things were different. That wasn’t him being some jealous boyfriend because the star was convinced the male he met was his twin brother. But he could tell whoever this guy was leaving had definitely hurt Han more than he let on. The Celestial was out of the house all the time, searching areas he thought he might be able to find Sunmin and Jae had offered to help too, even though he’d never seen this guy or had any proof he existed. But it was starting to exhaust him, looking for someone who was essentially a ghost and knowing Han wouldn’t rest properly until he found his answers.

So Jae had called Daehuyn and asked to meet, really he just needed someone to talk to that might understand his frustrations, plus Dae was master at finding people who didn’t want to be found so he figured the elder male might have some suggestions. There was a small cafe on the other side of town which he usually met the Niveis whenever he wanted to chat, they whiled away hours there usually and the owner never seemed to mind too much because they were always ordering more coffee. It didn’t take too long for Jae to get to the subway station and make his way over there. He didn’t explain to Dae what he wanted to talk about over the phone because it was a lot but he was glad when the other male agreed to meet him.

Heading up the stairs of the exit station he swiped his pass before heading out onto the streets, entering the little cafe the two of them had claimed as their place and waving hello to the owner before asking for the usual. Iced Americano for Dae and Latte with caramel syrup for him. He took a seat at the table before pulling the painting Han had painted of Sunmin and placing it face up. He figured he may as well ask around if anyone had seen him around this part of the city but after doing a lap of the cafe he was left with the usual story. Nothing. He settled himself back in his seat just in time for a familiar white-haired male to walk through the door, Jae waved slightly to his friend before sliding his coffee over the table towards him with a smile "Feels like a long time since we last got coffee" he mused gently as he waited for Dae to get settled. 

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Life was surprisingly fine for Daehyun. He took a few weeks off work, which did strike him as a surprising thing to do considering the Niveis does not reject any clients most of the time because he doesn't care what he had to do. Hid job was as simple as he would make it out to be; get your client there on time. Be punctual because tardiness gets you eaten. He had a polished record because he never strayed far from bringing his clients before the clock ends. Sometimes, even earlier. But the elder Stormwind had decided to take a small break from working so he could focus on what he wants to do now. His relationship with his sister was significantly better and he can say the same with a certain blond Valkyr as well. Their dynamic together proved that opposites can be attracted to each other and boy did it bore its fruition. He was basically lying on his bed, just staring at the ceiling while playing with the tennis ball after tossing it a few times in the air, when Jae called him. Which resulted in the ball hitting his forehead. Thank god it's Jae. If it were anyone else, that's another story to tell. 

Speaking of which, Dae was aware that he hasn't talked to Jae for a while now, though they did keep in contact by texting and calling a few times when Jae needed someone else to talk to and he needed someone else to talk to. So when Jae told him to meet him at their regular spot, Dae was quick to agree, it wasn't as if he had anything else to do and besides, it's Jae. If he doesn't drop anything to help his distressed friend, then what kind of friend is he? He may not the part but Daehyun cherished every relationship and friendship he's made greatly. The pale haired Niveis grabbed his phone before hopping into the elevator after closing his door. Thankfully, the ride didn't take long and his head was already making his way to the destination that would be taking a couple of minutes to go by from his apartment complex since it was in the middle of the city. 

Winter was setting and much to his delight, he couldn't wait to see the lake freeze so he could have a reason to drag Yeon with him for that ice skating session they talked about. After about 25 minutes of walking, Dae finally saw the signboard of the cafe. The cold surrounding prevented him from sweating in general so even when he dashed over to the entrance door while taking a quick look at his watch just to be sure he's not too late, he didn't sweat. Even from the front door, he could already spot Jae sitting at their usual spot. Pushing the door open, he saw the dhampir waving towards him as he made his way over. "Yeah, I see both of us has been occupied lately" he jested and took a seat across him, only for his smile to drop slight because Jae looked bothered. He accepted his coffee with a thankful smile until his eyes fell over the painting Jae had with him. 

"Thanks for ordering in advance. And do I want to know why you have a surprisingly realistic painting of a guy with you?" he took a sip of his Americano and tilted his head slightly to the side, "I'm going to guess that's your boyfriend's work" he murmured as his eyes darted over to the painting. It wasn't hard to distinguish Hanseol's paintings because the Celestial had a special way of making sure which one is his painting and which isn't. To begin with, not many people use his techniques of dramatization. He's a weird guy, but even Dae grew fond of him the same way Jae grew closer to Yeon. "What did he do now?" Dae didn't even have to say much, he knows that with exhaustion dawning on the dhampir who was also holding his boyfriend's work, that had a part to play in this. "Do I have to whack the kid?"

Jae really liked this place, to most, it was just a simple coffee shop, but he had a lot of good memories here. He and Dae always met here whenever they wanted to talk and the two of them could talk for hours, they’d go through coffee after coffee, end up getting hungry and order a bunch of snacks which they would slowly graze their way through. Sometimes Yeon and Han would even join them, which got pretty rowdy because the four of them joked around a lot and got along well. Yeon had grown on Jae, mostly thanks to Dae because he was a good mediator and now it would feel weird not having the Valkyr as part of their strange friend group. He would say strange because he and Han were a couple and Dae and Yeon were...definitely something, though no one really knew what exactly. Then there was the Volakiri bond that Yeon and Han shared. It was complicated in a way but simple in others.

Jae shrugged slightly when Dae said they had both been occupied and grinned slightly to himself “So incredibly occupied huh?” he teased it because it was about as obvious as obvious got that Dae had been wanting to get into the Valkyr’s pants and it made him wonder if he had managed to. “The semester is ending soon so I’ve been stacked with essays” he commented and grumbled slightly, that had half of his time taken up and then this whole thing with Sunmin had taken the rest. Someone that he didn’t even know but had built up significance in Han’s eyes. He had never seen the star so tirelessly go after something and that was saying something considering how stubborn he could be when it came to his work or anything he set his mind to.

He watched Dae as he studied the painting which he still had face up next to him “Because I’m hunting for a ghost apparently” he spoke with an exasperated sigh and raised his coffee cup to his lips “But you’re welcome, your order never changes so it makes it incredibly easy” he laughed but nodded when Dae commented on the work and asked if it was Han’s “Yeah, he said he painted it from memory” which was impressive considering how much this looked like a real person and the resemblance towards Han was almost uncanny. “Nothing” he responded a little too abruptly to the question of what Han did before shaking his head “He said he met this guy the other week” he pointed towards the picture “But if this guy exists then he’s never had a social media profile, a known address or even a birth” the last one he supposed made sense because Han believed he was a Celestial. He rubbed at his eyes slightly, glad for the coffee because it was bringing some actual sense to his tired mind.

“So I’ve been hunting for this guy for a long while now and I still feel like I’m no closer to anything, I was hoping you might be able to give me some of your scarily stalker-like hunting tips” and just be there to let him vent his frustrations, though he wasn’t going to say that part out loud.

Over the past few months, they have surprisingly formed a friendship over this strange close-knit relationship they have with one another. To the Niveis, how they met each other and how they came to be friends were all surprising cases, for example, he was sure while he and Jae met at the most normal rate compared to Yeon and Han, they still had a funny story to tell. Yeon and Han, he had heard they met through an arrangement; their Volakiri arrangement that Dae doesn't even pretend to understand even till this day. The idea of it is a complicated thing for the snowy-haired Niveis who said he'll just choose to back out of that. Yeon and him, however, strange as it may be, they managed to snag a friendship along the way. "Shut up… I have actually been busy, okay…" From his stare alone, he could already guess that Jae was implying on the Yeon matter. 

Dae did not make it subtle when it comes down to talk about his attractions to the blond Valkyr that's been plaguing his head ever since. He loved their friendship, but he also would love to tap that. A struggle he was sure the dhampir caught the wind of. When he said he's hunting a ghost, a frown creased his features as he took a sip of his coffee, "A ghost? Either the guy is really good at disappearing and covering his tracks or there's just nothing to him" he concluded wryly, ghost cases aren't strange to him, he's met tons of those while chasing his clients. "Instead of studying your ass off, you're out looking for a guy?" Now, he definitely wants to know what the dhampir has planned out. There was no way he would just do this out of the blue for no reason. Now that he had a good look at the portrait, the guy in the picture does hold a strong resemblance to the Celestial boyfriend of Jae's. 

"No socmed… no address… no birth date? Are you sure he's even a real person?" He paused momentarily before sighing heavily, "But then again, Han has no reason to make a whole imaginary character…" The Celestial is many things but creativity to lie is not one of them. God knows how terrible of a liar he actually is, it actually made him wonder how he lives. Jae looked tired, and Dae was concerned. Very. Dae gave Jae one of the default judging looks he usually had plastered on his face when Jae asked for his help, "Excuse you, scarily stalker-like hunting tips? I will have you know that I am one of the decently paid bounty hunter for a reason" the Niveis huffed and crossed his arms dramatically, "I'll help you. With one condition of course…" His eyes never left the dhampir's as he stirred his Americano using the straw, a form of habit. "I want to know why you're even searching for thus guy...you said it. He's a ghost."

Jae snickered slightly at Dae’s reaction when he teased him about Yeon, Dae eyeing Yeon was about as obvious as all the girls that sat in little groups at the coffee shop and eyed the Valkyr before giggling to themselves. Though he supposed Dae was already a step ahead of them because he actually managed to get Yeon’s attention right back “No one’s judging you for liking what you see Dae, pretty sure the entire world stares at him” Jae chuckled softly, there was a time when Jae had felt threatened by Yeon but before long he had learned that the Valkyr had zero interest in entering into anything serious, in fact, he bragged a lot about how he almost never slept with the same person more than once. Bizzare logic to him but it did give him breathing room. But right now he was enjoying that he managed to hit a nerve in the Niveis’ head because it was hard to catch Dae off guard.

But then he knew Dae would turn things right back on him and right now he supposed he had plenty of ammo to use. Or he would when Jae managed to get the full explanation of what was happening out anyway. He made himself comfortable in the seat and lifted his coffee cup to his lips taking a long drink of it before shrugging “From what I can tell he’s lived his entire life off of the radar and it wouldn’t surprise me if he knows ways of staying undetected” sometimes he got the suspicion the reason they couldn’t even get a single clue about him was because he didn’t want to be found and actively tried to block the attempts they made to find him. Which was exactly why Dae had come to mind, since his job was based around finding people who didn’t want to be found. “I know I know, let’s just say that it’s seriously affecting my home life” he commented with a slight grumble knowing Dae would know exactly what he meant. Thankfully Dae seemed intrigued by the picture though, which was a good sign.

“No” he answered definitively, Jae had zero proof this guy existed aside from Han’s insistence that he had met someone in the church that day and brought them back to the house “But I can’t see why Han would get so caught up over something if it could just be played off to a dream” plus he believed his boyfriend when he insisted that Sunmin was a real person. If that was even his name, it could have just been a lie to ensure he couldn’t be tracked. He ran a hand through his hair showing the frustration he was feeling because of this whole situation. Dae’s judging look made him chuckle slightly under his breath “Believe me I’m impressed, kinda terrified, but impressed by your ability to find the unfindable” he looked back at Dae with a challenging expression and let out a soft sigh of relief when he said he would help.

Of course this was Dae though and it would always come with a catch “Alright but I warned you it would be a little crazy upfront” he raised a finger and pointed it towards Dae as though to affirm the words before dropping it against the table “Han thinks he’s a Celestial like him, not one who lives in the castle but one who somehow managed to escape the Ailward capture” he kept his voice hushed because if anyone overhead they would think he was insane. “Not only that but he thinks because of the mark he had, being the same as his” he pressed his lips together “He thinks they’re related, but the brat didn’t stay around long enough to know for sure and now he’s gone” he sighed softly, definitely sounded like another crazy day in his life.

Dae nodded in agreement to what Jae said, everyone stares at the Valkyr. Every time the Valkyr walks into a place, all eyes would be on him. It was as if he had this aura about him that just automatically snagged others. It was probably his charms and that confident air he exuded. He knew he wasn't the only person who likes to stare but he was proud in that sense when he knew Yeon would reciprocate his words and actually spend time with him unlike others who could only afford to stare. "He's a gorgeous man… I'm not surprised." Coming from Dae? Sure. He was sure the only reason why Jae never felt that threatened by Yeon before despite having a close-knit relationship with his boyfriend, Han, who is also Yeon's Volakiri, is because Yeon is not interested to enter any committal relationship. One night stands only. That used to be the rule for him too. Until the Valkyr took his breath away by getting him into a second time and it's been months ever since their friendship was established. 

Months since that second time and the Niveis couldn't help but want another trip down memory lane if it meant reexperiencing it. Dae was curious to know why Jae is so invested in searching for someone he didn't even know but once he received the response of how things weren't good at home with him and Han and it was all because of this guy, the pale-haired male went into a quick serious mode internally. Jae and Han were pretty much that couple. To see them having problems with each other, it's not something he ever thought he'd see. Not ever since their first breakup which everyone really thought would be the last too. "If he's been living on his own and staying away from any public eye, he could get around easier than a certain percentage of most" Which would evidently make his job harder to track him down, if that's what Jae wished for him to do. A friend's favor is a favor, nonetheless. Of course, Dae wouldn't reject Jae when he's in need of his help. 

When Dae was given the task of finding his clients, it wasn't as vague as this. It won't be impossible but it's going to take him some work to get into it. "With my clients, I am given sufficient information regarding them. Even their social security number. I make use of the technology to also aid me in my hunt and search. If this guy is a ghost, I'll need a lot to even start on a few first steps." When Jae said it's affecting his home life, he couldn't refrain himself from snickering, "Sorry" He probably shouldn't have done that but he couldn't help himself. "So… you couldn't get some? How long has it been?" It was pretty blunt of him to be asking such a question but it was expected of him. "Okay… look, I know this guy is real from what Han said. And he looks pretty real from this painting. No offense, but your boyfriend is the most horrible liar ever. Period. So he can't make this up either, even if he has the capacity to imagine. But I need more than just a painting, especially when this guy may keep himself off radar from the entirety of his life" He really wanted to help Jae but it's becoming increasingly hard with the lack of evidence. 

"What's his name? Do you know his name?" Surely, they must at least know that. Even if it may not be his real name, maybe he can make something out of that. Maybe. "You're right. You sound completely insane, Jae" he exclaimed bluntly, shaking his head at the information given, "A Celestial who escaped the Ailward capture? A Celestial who doesn't know he's a Celestial? That's hard to believe…" he murmured faintly and sighed, but it could be possible… right? "Judging from the endearing nickname you gave the guy, he's a big pain in your ass then" he pointed out and pressed his lips together, "Same mark as Han? You mean, the constellation mark?"

Jae chuckled softly, it was pretty obvious to literally everyone that Dae had eyes for Yeon and Yeon had eyes for Dae, they weren’t exactly casual about it with the way they stared one another down most of the time. The Dhampir was going to even begin to try and understand where they stood because they both seemed evident on not being committed while totally wanting one another. So long as they were happy though, Jae was happy. “You know while everyone is staring at him, most of the time he’s staring at you” though he was sure Dae knew that, they seemed to get along well and the four of them always had fun whenever they went for coffee together, though Jae was still curious as to what was holding them back? Their rules about commitment? Their fears of what might happen if they broke those rules? Not that it was much of his business but he did want to see Dae happy in whatever form that took.

The talk about Sunmin both gave the Dhampir hope and annoyed him and he was in a constant war between those feelings every time the young Celestial became the topic of conversation. On the one hand, this could be Han’s brother and his real chance to have a family like he knew the star had always craved but on the other, the guy had already walked away once and he was worried when they did find him that he would break Han’s heart all over again and he wasn’t sure how he could sit back and let that happen. So he was caught in the middle, wondering if he should help or not. Perhaps he hoped with time and space the wound Sunmin left would start to heal and Han could move forward but now that didn’t seem to be the case, in fact, Han only seemed to get more desperate with time. “Yeah and he’s smart too, know exactly how to get away undetected, hasn’t repeated his steps since to ensure he remains out of sight” he was almost too good that it was hard to believe he could be so young as Han described him to be.

“I’m afraid there’s not much to go on here” he spoke softly, biting his lip because Dae was right, how could he help when he had literally nothing but a painting to go on, one that no one seemed to recognize the face in “I’d have brought you more if I had anything but like I said, I don’t think this kid even has a real identity and if he’s a star like Han said he was, it’s perfectly possible he has no birth records which means no real leads” hence why this search felt so frustrating and like he may as well just bash his head against the wall. Jae shot Dae a glare which spoke the words ‘it’s not funny’ while his cheeks flushed with embarrassment because how direct he Niveis was with his questions “Well you know…” he spoke it softly like he was embarrassed to admit it “Two weeks give or take” he sighed softly because he’d just been putting up with it and waiting for Han to realize he was waiting for him but it just wasn’t happening and it was starting to weight on Jae’s self-confidence.

He was glad that Dae agreed this guy was real though, it saved them the time of wondering back and forth. Jae was absolutely certain from Han’s conviction and determination that Sunmin must be real which meant the only way the star was ever going to settle his mind was by finding this potential younger brother of his “His name is Sunmin, or at least that’s the name he gave Han anyway, he said he didn’t have a last name because he never needed one” which went back to the ghost theory. Jae ran his hands through his hair feeling frustrated by how crazy he sounded but he continued to talk anyway “Imagine hearing all of this first hand after coming home to an empty house” he spoke shaking his head too “Apparently he doesn’t glow, meaning he could evade capture because that’s what they used to find them” he shrugged slightly, that much made sense to him at least. “He’s definitely something I’ll give you that” he pressed his lips together “I just want to find answers for him you know? It’s clearly eating away at him and that hurts me in turn” he grimaced slightly “Yeah the mark of the Gemini constellation right here” he placed his hand over the spot the mark was on Han’s chest, one he knew well.

He swore his heart just dropped the moment he heard that from Jae, was he really? "Really?" He wasn't even aware that he had asked Jae silently like that, did Yeon stare at him the same way he stares at the blond? The four of them had nothing else holding them back, in lieu of the previous events, Dae still tried to put this line between them, making sure he wouldn't attempt to cross it since he didn't want to ruin their friendship. But really, after finding out about the whole friends with benefits thing, what was holding him back from proposing the same ordeal to Yeon? He had plenty of rules when it comes to his life, most of which held a certain no to attachments but he's already broken a few rules for Yeon, why does it matter if he was to break yet another one for him? As long as he's content, right? Thankfully, he didn't come today to talk about him and Yeon, he came because Jae wanted to talk to him about something he could probably help with, which he intends to fulfill.

The elder Stormwind could almost feel the tension and annoyance the dhampir emitted whenever the topic about Sunmin resurfaced, it seems like this guy was truly giving Jae a hard time and a part of him was amused by it. Interesting. "So, he's a ghost, and a smart one at that. You sure you want to go tracking him, Jae? Guy sounds like he's impossible to be tracked down. I'm a bounty hunter, and a Niveis, not a therianthrope so I can't track him using his scent even if I wanted to, which also doesn't work unless I have something of his. Neither am I a diviner who can conjure up a locator spell" He didn't mean to discourage Jae, but knowing Dae, he was telling the dhampir what he needed to hear and know. Pure honesty with his own abilities. "Which does beg the question why you came to me first, I assume that you did… came to me first?" he quirked his eyebrows up questioningly as he teased the younger male, "How old do you think this guy is? I mean, he's connected to Han, and isn't he like what, a century old? I mean if this kid is the same age as Han, it could explain why he's used to hiding?" 

At this point, Dae was just trying to pull out theories while assuring Jae. Multitasking is not as easy as it sounds. "Right, Celestials… tricky people. No birth records… possibly no immigration documents either, social security number? Gah." This wasn't making things easier, but hey, he didn't want to see his best friend down either so Dae placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Hey… don't worry about it, alright? This painting is realistic enough for me to run something… we may get a face and if we do, then facial recognition will be possible. But if not, then I'll do what I can" Jae seemed so bothered trying to find this guy so the least he could do is help him out. "Two weeks? Give or take? 문재성, 뭐하고 지냈어? (Moon Jaesung, what have you been doing, dude?)" He was also a bit pissed that Han would neglect his boyfriend when everyone was sure the Celestial would quite literally burn the entire world for making Jae cry.

"Do I need to go have a pep talk with him? Tell him what a boyfriend is supposed to do? I don't know much about relationships but I know that you do not leave your partner questioning his own worth" The more he heard about this Sunmin guy, the more he finds it confusing. "A Celestial who doesn't glow? So the only thing tying him down to the species is the same mark he had with Han? The only proof we have is Han's words and whole that shouldn't be accepted by anyone, you and I both know Han's not crazy or desperate enough to conjure an imaginary person." Daehyun pressed his lips together into a curl and sighed softly upon hearing that this took a heavy toll on Han, "I mean… would we do the same if we hear we have someone waiting for us all this time? Or maybe not wait… but you get where I'm going. Jae, what if this guy doesn't want to be tracked down? What if he left because he didn't want to see Han again?" 

Jae nodded slightly when Dae asked if Yeon really stared at him, it was kinda hard for the Dhampir to miss considering he usually sat opposite Han and next to Dae whenever they went out, you could see the way Yeon would glance over whenever Dae wasn’t noticing him, frankly sometimes he wondered if the Valkyr was trying to get his attention with the way he would often be clingy with everyone else while glancing over to see the way Dae responded to those actions. “I don’t know what happened between you two and frankly, I don’t want the recount because it will probably scar me for the rest of my life” he commented pulling a face because he knew Dae well enough to know he would probably take that as a prompt to tell the story “But it’s pretty damn obvious that neither of you are over it” he wasn’t going to pry any further than that but he hoped that gave Dae the knowledge he needed to solve whatever frustrations he was currently going through.

Jae definitely found it hard to talk about this whole thing with Sunmin, not because he was jealous or anything ridiculous but because he wasn’t really sure how he was going to get through to Han when it came to setting expectations, what Jae saw was guy who had the chance to know his family and left at the very first sight of it. The very first thing Sunmin had done was hurt Han and that in turn didn’t make Jae his biggest fan “I have to try” he responded when Dae expressed how hard it was going to be to find this kid, he knew that and yet he was asking anyway because he didn’t know who else to turn to at this point “I know the odds of actually finding something are low, I know, but I can’t not try either” he nodded slightly to affirm that he didn’t expect Dae to perform some kind of miracle or anything. When Dae asked why he was the first person he came to Jae shrugged “I just wanted someone to understand I guess” he couldn’t ask Han to do that right now, he was worried about his brother, he didn’t need to be listening to Jae’s frustrations on the topic, nor were they as bad as anyone made them out to be.

“Han said that he seemed to imply he was relatively young, definitely younger than Han, I’d say probably 20s” not that it probably helped but he glanced down at the photo and pursed his lips “He looks much younger than that though, Han seemed to think he had about the appearance of 18” which might flag something right? Young people tended to have their ID checked a lot, hell Jae was over 21 and he got carded pretty much every time that he bought alcohol. Looking up at Dae when he placed a hand on his shoulder he was biting on his bottom lip a little, a nervous habit he had when he was worried about something “I’m not asking for a miracle Dae, just any kind of clue” he spoke it softly and nodded in appreciation for his friend agreeing to try regardless of the mountain of a task he was being asked to look into.

Jae practically winced at Dae’s reaction to him admitting how long this had been going on and he let out a heavy sigh because he had the feeling Dae was going to say something like that considering how much of a hedonistically driven person he was. He purposely avoided eye contact when he asked him what he had been doing “I’m sure he’s just distracted with his worries and it hasn’t crossed his mind” he commented under his breath, picking slightly at a loose thread on his jeans just to distract himself from the embarrassment he was feeling. “I know it all sounds so farfetched but he has to be real, maybe something happened which made it so he couldn’t tap into his energy or something but that mark...that mark has to mean everything” and it was a Celestial mark, it had to be enough proof that Sunmin was a Celestial.

Jae crossed one leg over the other, bouncing them up and down a little while they talked “I have to try and understand for his sake, because I don’t want to be the reason that comes between him and the family he never had before” he spoke it softly and nodded slightly pressing his lips together at the last thing Dae said “That is what I’m afraid of” he spoke it softly “It’ll break him in half Dae” he ran a hand through his hair frustrated “But if he doesn’t find him then he’ll spend forever looking, I know him” so it was a damned if you do or don’t kind of situation he found himself in.

His words got to him. It really did. It left Dae wondering if he's been too occupied by something else not to notice even the smallest glimpse of Yeon staring at him. For someone who's used to being extremely perceptive, Dae sure failed to see that. He chuckled when Jae said it would probably scar him for life, "Ha, you don't say... " he cast a dirty look towards him as he tried to recall the last time he went over to visit Jae who had basically made Han's place his home which made him wonder why they haven't moved in together yet, "You don't think I was scarred when Yeon and I came over and heard you two fucking in the bathroom? Yeon sure had plenty to say about it with his darn Valkyr hearing." He paused momentarily before shrugging, "No, I wasn't scarred. It was rather interesting... " He may not be scarred but he knew Jae would, which was the whole point of it. Jae, however, was right that he wasn't over it. Their friendship was made with hopes that it will help them grow closer without being awkward and he hated to ruin it just because he couldn't keep it in his pants.

 But to hear that Yeon wasn't over it, that was an entirely new thing for him. "God, I swear that kid has no idea how much he deserves you" he grumbled and nodded softly, saying he'll do it for him, sometimes he wondered how much luck Han seemed to have in his life. From what he sees, the Celestial had two very important people close to him who would protect him with everything given the chance and sometimes it made him jealous but he also knew he'd try to help too. Over the months of spending time together, Dae may have grown a certain soft spot for the other male. He's not exactly hard to miss when his happiness engulfs the entire room. "I guess I'm not the best friend if I don't do my job properly, right? The last thing I want is to have my bestie card revoked… so ease up, I'll do what I can. I'll try my best on this guy, I promise." 

He didn't like seeing Jae in distress. "Makes sense… Han looks 18, doesn't he? If this guy is somewhat younger than him then they must have a similar appearance" For a Celestial to be as young as the twenties and not caught by the Ailwards however, that's new. He was even more interested now. Dae saw the way Jae bit his bottom lip, it was something the other male suddenly whenever he's nervous. "And I understand that… but with nothing but a picture and a name we're not sure he uses, this is gonna take me some time. But I'm sure we'll get somewhere." He couldn't afford to bring back failure either. Not with the way Jae is worrying. "The fact that you're avoiding eye contact with me says a lot about how you feel, Jae" he pointed out and leaned against his seat, crossing one leg over the other as he drank his coffee, "You give all this excuses to try and 'defend and justify' his acts. But at the end of the day, he's your boyfriend and he's been your boyfriend for months, almost a year now, and you wanted to feel wanted which is not what you're feeling with him worrying his head off about this thing." 

Dae placed his cup on the table as he tilted his head to the side to try and gauge his reaction, "Are you trying to convince me or yourself, Jae? Because it sure as hell seems like you're trying to tell yourself that he's not neglecting you on purpose." He assured him that it wasn't something to feel embarrassed about, how wanting to feel wanted is something he has the right to feel. Jae was right, Han won't stop until he gets himself some answers. The Celestial can be quite stubborn. "Then you have to be there to tell him not to put his expectations too high on something he doesn't have control over. Someone needs to tell him that, Jae… and it's not me or Yeon. It has to be you. One, he loves you. Two, you're not the one he won't hesitate to snap at."

Jae resisted the urge to shudder when Dae agreed with him that it would probably scar him for life, he was completely certain before that him and Yeon had a thing because of the suggestive undertone that often came up in their conversation but he tried not to trouble himself about it too much because imagining them both together was completely inside considering their personalities and like for sex. “Oh come on, you’re not scarred by anything” he responded giving him a pointed look but the flushed look on his face said everything about how the Niveis had managed to embarrass him “It’s not strange to have sex with your boyfriend in your own home Dae” he grumbled the words out, his face turning redder by the second as he averted his gaze and coughed slightly.

Jae scoffed a little under his breath when Dae commented on his worth when it came to Han and he shrugged slightly, there was one thing that was for sure though, just spending some time with his friend and talking for a while had already made him feel a little better about everything and while he knew his problems weren’t just going to disappear, talking about them did give him some perspective and ease his mind a little. “You’re the best friend regardless Dae, who else would agree to meet with me with 30 minutes notice just because I needed to chat” he shrugged slightly and smiled “Don’t work too hard for me okay, I know you have important things to do” he knew Dae’s work took him here there and everywhere and that he was paid a lot to do it and so he didn’t want to interrupt his schedule “Believe me I know that your time is precious” he assured with a nod, which also said how much he appreciated him spending any of it helping him with this problem.

“I’d say around 17 or 18 from the painting sure, but don’t paintings make people look younger?” he didn’t really know and it was hard to know the accuracy of Han’s mind of this guy, honestly he was impressed he remembered anything considering he said they were there for less than an hour. “I know, I know it’s not much to go on at all, if it was then I would have been able to find literally anything myself” but no, all he had was what he started with and that was entirely infuriating and made him want to bash his head against a wall. Jae sighed a little the moment Dae called him out, the Niveis always seemed to see through any front that he put on so easily that it seemed pointless bothering sometimes “I’m just worried he doesn’t see me anymore you know? I mean what if it’s more than just this, what if I’m just not attractive enough to get his attention or…” he bit his lip feeling bad for feeling this way because he was sure the reasons were nothing to do with him but the insecure part of him couldn’t help but wonder the other direction.

Jae shifted in his seat a little when Dae asked him who he was trying to convince and sighed softly as he picked up his coffee and sipped it softly before setting it down on the table “I don’t know Dae, it doesn’t feel like him to do that, you know him too, he’s not the type to just drop someone, he latches on and never lets go, that’s who he is, hell that’s what he’s doing right now with Sunmin” Jae was pretty sure about that but there were parts of him that doubted himself sometimes, wondered if he was enough for Han or if the star deserved better. “I’ll tell him, I’m not sure he’ll want to hear and I’m not sure how much will actually sink in but” he shrugged lightly “Someone has to deliver the blow huh?” though there was still hope that Sunmin would accept his brother and things would get better, there was also a high chance of the opposite and he needed to find a way to prepare Han for that.

Of course he wasn't scarred by anything, well, not entirely true. Dae may be scarred by something, he just didn't know what it might be is all. Though he still wouldn't put it out of his equation to say that he wasn't afraid of anything. "Now, while I would love to say I won't be scarred by anything, we both know that could easily be refuted some day." Something could, and while he didn't want that to be a reality, he also had no control over it. A wolfish grin crept up when Jae's face was flushed as he pointed out that it wasn't strange for a boyfriends to have sex with each other within the vicinity of their own home. "Right, you're allowed to show your boyfriend some love in your own safe space, true. But gosh you guys can be quite loud" he snickered, there was no doubt to point that Han and Jae could be exceptionally vocal when they're enamored by one another. 

"Not that I'm trying to shame you or something, keep it up, Jae, spice up your sex life a bit." He knew it could also be interpreted in ways that it may sound like an advice given the dhampir's current situation. "I'm not saying sex can solve every problem you have with your partner but another way to his heart is to show how much you've missed him. Take charge." Obviously, something was going on with the two of them, the usual lovebirds, and seeing them being apart did make him question if anything was fine at home, initially. Until Jae spilled. "I came for you under 30 mins because I have nothing better to do, don't flatter yourself" he scoffed, there was a clear sure of playful hint somewhere because they both know Daehyun didn't mean those. He seemed cold outside only to be revealed to be as warm when someone managed to move past that exterior. 

"Hey, don't worry about me. I can handle some work, Jae. This is what I do best, no? And if I can do it for other shits I don't even know personally, you bet I can do twice the amount with you." When it comes to his work, the Niveis takes it seriously. "Painting does make people look younger but from what I've heard and seen, Han usually drew them to the dot. I've seen the portrait he did for you and Yeon, they look very realistic. So even if that guy looks younger in a picture, it wouldn't make much difference. Besides, we live in a world filled with immortals" he pointed out, "Your boyfriend is one of those who looked like he didn't age another day out of 18. So if this guy is really related to him as Han claimed, perhaps it would be logical to be younger." Whatever this thing is going on between him and Han, Jae was obviously deeply affected by it and it upsets the snowy-haired male. 

But it gradually gotten worrisome when Jae expressed his insecurities, wondering if the Celestial didn't see the appeal any longer in the attractive male, causing Dae to click his tongue in annoyance as an attempt to chastise him while shaking his head. "No, no you don't get to think like that, dude" he huffed and crossed his arms before pressing his lips together to form a thin line, "You know he loves you. The kid holds you like his entire world, Jae. Remember we were worried what would be of him if he doesn't have you? Yeah. What makes you think he doesn't feel attracted to you anymore?" Insecurity is a powerful weapon, he knew that. "You're one of the most beautiful people I've ever met. And he knows that too." The elder Stormwind didn't usually defend the Celestial but anyone can see how these two held each other at the highest regard. "And don't kid yourself, Jae, you're attractive as hell" he chided, the fact that Dae still feels attracted to him alone says it.

 "Exactly, you said it so, yourself, Jae, he latches on and doesn't let go. The same thing with you. So why are you doubting that you guys aren't what you were?" He knew he was turning the point back to the dhampir but it was needed, Jae needed some motivation boost. "I feel sorry for the kid… but he also needed to find ways to cope. I don't know how he did that back then but perhaps you can also prod him about it. He won't get angry at you, Jae. Do it slowly, kid's impulsive enough to snap but you know before long he'd snuggle by your side apologizing for the next hour." 

Jae had to laugh at the way Dae pointed out that he could never say for sure he wouldn’t be scarred by anything because he was probably right in thinking that the world would find some crazy and stupid way to prove him wrong “True, who knows what monstrous situations you might find yourself walking into if Yeon is leading the way” he jested it with a chuckle because they were both as shameless as each other and Jae wondered sometimes if either of them would ever back down in a situation like that. The Dhampir gave Dae an unimpressed look when he pointed out the volume of his and Han’s sessions “Careful, your jealousy seems to be flaring up Dae” he commented and shook his head “Besides are you really trying to tell me you’re not equally as loud?” now that he didn’t believe for a second given how vocal Dae was about the topic itself.

Jae ran a somewhat frustrated hand through his hair and sighed “I have tried that” he responded when he said to try taking charge and leading the way when it came to showing Han what he was missing out on “The problem is we need to actually be in the same room as one another and” he shrugged slightly “He’s so worried all he wants to do is go and check every place he ever knew Sunmin had been, which is no use considering he took off from there the moment he realized Han could trace him down” but that meant most nights Jae had gone to bed alone and the times he did see Han he was rushing off to head to work or in the middle of the night when Jae was too tired to think about it. “Oh come on, you rarely get out of bed unless you absolutely have to and you said you wished you could have a dog that would fetch food from the fridge for you!” Jae gave him an expectant look, Dae didn’t do things by accident that was for sure.

“I know, I just hate asking for favors” he responded candidly to the other male, but the fact that he was asking Dae for this said a lot about their friendship and how much Jae trusted him, but also a lot about how important finding Sunmin had become to the Dhampir too, even when he was mad at the brat for hurting Han. “Yeah Han has never painted a picture I couldn’t recognize the person in” he agreed with a nod, there were a lot of him but also Yeon as Dae pointed out “I’m sure a lot of people wish they had the kind of photographic memory he does, he said he was barely with him longer than half an hour” and yet he had memorized so much about him that he could make a realistic painting of him, it was incredibly impressive and it made Jae proud considering there had been a time last year where Han could barely pick up a brush. “Yeah one day I’m probably going to look twice his age” he joked with a slightly shy laugh, in fact, he would look older than Dae and Yeon too one day.

Jae’s fears and insecurities were irrational when they came, usually without rhyme or reason, just making him doubt himself because he’d always done that, it kinda went back to his parents and the way they always asked him to be more like his brother, how kids at his school would always gush over Eun and he would feel like he was second-best compared. “I know...I know...I just” he pressed his lips together for a moment “I just worry that someone is gonna come along and take everything I have one day” he spoke it softly because it wasn’t something he usually liked talking about. “And I’m used to Han being the one who boosts me up and tells me how attractive I am and then he just stopped” he grimaced slightly, it was evident that the confidence in his own self wasn’t quite there but he did appreciate Dae’s rather strong-handed compliments which he said to try and knock some sense into him “You know you’re really good at making people see when they’re being stupid” he complimented the other male back and nodded slightly “I just really miss him” he spoke softly and nodded a few times.

He sighed slightly resting his hand against his cheek and then his elbow against the table “We all talk about coping alone but at the end of the day, not a single one of us are perfect like that, we all need things we shouldn’t need” and Dae wasn’t an exception to that either, he definitely sensed in the time Jae had known him that the Niveis cared more for other people's opinions than he would ever speak out loud, especially when it was people he actually let in. “I mean he might get angry but you’re right, before long he’ll realize that all I wanna do is help him” which was the same sentiment he carried, it hurt him to see Han obsessing over this guy and not being able to get a single answer he needed.

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