DASH-Chapter 189

“Yeah. I do want it today.”

At last, Jiheon said it firmly.

“Really...?”

Jaekyoung crossed his arms with a look that said, What do I do now...

“Why? Just do it now. You’ve already got all the medals, so do it now.”

“In this kind of atmosphere?”

Jaekyoung huffed like Hyung, you seriously don’t get it.

“What’s wrong with the atmosphere? There are flowers everywhere—it’s perfect.”

“But still...”

“Plus, we’re in a hotel.”

Jiheon quickly clapped a hand over Jaekyoung’s mouth.

“If not in a hotel, then where the hell would you propose?”

His tone made it sound like the very idea of not proposing in a hotel was absurd. Jaekyoung widened his eyes, still with his arms crossed.

“Do people usually propose in hotels?”

“It’s the logical choice.”

Jaekyoung made a face like who brings logic into a proposal, clearly unimpressed.

God, how does he not get this?

Jiheon clicked his tongue silently and pointed at the bed.

“You need to warm up in the pool if you want to dive in right away.”

Once he explained it in a way Jaekyoung could really understand, Jaekyoung’s jaw dropped.

“Hyung... that metaphor... isn’t it kinda genius?”

“You think so?”

“Totally. Only you could come up with something like that.”

He clapped his hands, completely sincere in his admiration.

“Exactly. Only I could say it, and only you could understand it.”

Jiheon gave it that extra spin of shared identity, and Jaekyoung clapped louder in delight.

“All right, let’s go—propose already.”

Taking advantage of the good mood, Jiheon pushed him to get on with it, and Jaekyoung didn’t hesitate. He pulled the medals out of his bag, and with a clattering jingle, headed straight—not for the living room—but for the bed.

...He really is planning to roll around on the bed the moment he finishes the proposal.

Jiheon had baited him into this himself, sure—but he didn’t expect the actual proposal to take place on the bed.

“Jaekyoung, you really are a champion.”

He was about to add: Your actions are so perfectly direct. But—

“Of course.”

Apparently thinking the comment was about his medals, Jaekyoung proudly lifted the clinking bundle of them, and Jiheon had to shut his mouth. And honestly, seeing that annoyingly smug grin on such a stupidly handsome face—how could someone that gorgeous also be that cute and lovable? Even at 194—or no, 195 cm tall. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

And now he was really going to be Jiheon’s husband.

The whole world already knew it. Hell, they were having a baby. But still—when it was finally happening for real, Jiheon felt giddy, nervous, happy.

Standing with his back to the desk, Jiheon reached behind and pulled something from the drawer. It was a bit bulky, but he stuffed it into his back pocket and walked over to the bed. Jaekyoung patted the spot in front of him.

“Come on, sit.”

Jiheon climbed up and sat across from him. Despite all his talk about proposals, now that it was actually time, Jaekyoung was fumbling—playing with his medals, clearing his throat, looking everywhere else.

Just two hours ago, he’d confidently led his juniors through a race, heroic in every way. He’d stood at the top of the podium like it was his rightful place, the crowd shouting “Champion!” all week long.

And now, in front of Jiheon, he was fidgeting like a shy kid.

Jiheon couldn’t help but smile.

“Come on. Propose.”

He slapped the bed for emphasis.

“Okay.”

Finally, Jaekyoung wiped the embarrassment from his face, cleared his throat again, and picked up one of the medals. He placed it around Jiheon’s neck and said,

“Hyung, marry me. You’re—”

“Yeah, I will.”

“......I wasn’t done yet.”

Jaekyoung looked at him, flustered.

“Oh, really?”

Jiheon feigned surprise and then said,

“But the important part is ‘marry me,’ right? That’s what makes it a ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) proposal. Once you say that, you’ve said it all.”

“Well, yeah, but... I still have more medals to give...”

“Oh, right. Then hurry up and give them to me.”

At Jiheon’s prompting, Jaekyoung mumbled This isn’t how I planned it... but still picked up the rest of the medals and hung them around Jiheon’s neck one by one.

“Wow, eight medals. They’re so heavy.”

Jiheon exaggerated his reaction, jingling the medals and turning toward Jaekyoung.

“Thanks for proposing. I’m really happy.”

“......”

Jaekyoung blinked for a second, then slammed his palm on the bed.

“What is this!”

“This is exactly how I imagined it.”

Jiheon smiled.

“You gave me eight medals. You said ‘marry me.’ What more is there?”

“That’s not the point—ugh, it was way too fast... and it wasn’t even emotional! I told you to cry!”

“I can’t cry if there are no tears.”

“Then at least pretend to be touched!”

He was clearly hurt—like, genuinely hurt—so Jiheon hurried to explain.

“Dude, every time you showered, I heard you practicing your speech in front of the mirror. ‘Hyung, please marry me. You’re the most precious medal I’ve ever earned. I’ll treasure you forever.’ You said it for a whole month. How am I supposed to cry when I’ve heard it a hundred times?”

“......”

Jaekyoung fell completely silent. After a long pause, he finally muttered,

“Wait, you... heard all that?”

“Of course I did.”

He hadn’t even finished the sentence when Jaekyoung groaned and ran a hand over his face.

“How could you hear that...”

He looked so crushed that Jiheon couldn’t even bring himself to say we’re definitely moving to a house with better soundproofing.

“Anyway, I accept your proposal.”

Jiheon took the small case from his back pocket. The moment Jaekyoung saw it, his eyes went wide. And when Jiheon opened it to reveal a ring, he stammered in shock.

“Hyung, wait... why...?”

“What do you mean, why? You never answered my proposal at the hospital.”

Jiheon said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He took the necklace chain he’d prepared and threaded it through the ring. Then, just like he’d received a medal, he placed the ring necklace around Jaekyoung’s neck and said,

“Jaekyoung, marry me.”

“......”

“You’re the most precious medal I’ve ever won.”

As soon as he heard that, Jaekyoung’s eyebrows scrunched up hard.

“Come on, that’s not fair...!”

He finally exploded. Jiheon burst out laughing and collapsed backward onto the bed.

“Seriously, hyung, what even is this?”

Jaekyoung was too flustered to speak properly.

“Sorry. I just thought it was a really cool line.”

“Which is exactly why you should’ve let me say it!”

He sounded so genuinely betrayed that Jiheon, still laughing, slapped his thigh and said,

“Come on, you’re already cool enough. You don’t need cool lines. Just give ‘em to me.”

“What even...”

“No, really.”

Jiheon hugged his belly and rolled onto his side to face Jaekyoung.

“You were so amazing today. I mean, not just today. All week. Why do you need to top that with some cheesy line?”

Jaekyoung bit his lip, clearly caught between still mad and feeling smug because hyung said I was amazing. The corners of his mouth were already creeping upward. Jiheon took his hand and added,

“And the medals are amazing, yeah. I’m happy. But honestly? You didn’t need to win that many.”

He kissed the back of Jaekyoung’s hand, letting the sound echo softly. Then he looked up and said,

“Because you’re my favorite medal of all.”

“......”

Jaekyoung looked down at him for a long time, lips pressed tight, then finally turned his head and let out a breathless laugh.

“God...”

This time, he was definitely smiling because he was happy. Jiheon smiled too and kissed the back of his hand again—this time on purpose, with a loud smooch, and said,

“So? Are you not gonna answer my proposal?”

Jaekyoung looked torn—not about whether to accept, but about how to answer in the coolest way possible. But realizing he could never beat the line about “the brightest medal,” he gave up and went for clarity.

“I’ll marry you, hyung.”

“Thanks.”

Jiheon smiled.

Jaekyoung looked like he might cry just from hearing thank you in response to I’ll marry you.

His eyes swam with emotion, but then—like always—he shook it off and straightened his shoulders.

“Okay. Time for the vow kiss now, right?”

“That’s for the wedding ceremony...”

“We’re not having a wedding.”

Jaekyoung shot back instantly.

“So this is the wedding. We exchanged medals, didn’t we? That is a ceremony.”

He said it like it was perfectly logical. Jiheon narrowed his eyes. Clearly, he just wanted to kiss—but the way he was pushing it, he must’ve had something else on his mind. Most likely: wedding night.

“Okay. Give me the vow kiss.”

Before the sentence even finished, Jaekyoung flopped onto the bed beside him. Like he was diving into the pool, he threw himself forward, gently cradled Jiheon’s face so as not to press on his belly, and kissed him hard and deep.

And then, of course—

“So this is our wedding night, right?”

Naturally. Jiheon burst out laughing as soon as he heard it.

“Yeah. But the ceremony’s still ongoing, so keep kissing.”

“Oh, absolutely.”

Jaekyoung didn’t even hesitate. He held Jiheon’s face and kissed him again. Jiheon placed his hand on top of Jaekyoung’s, welcoming the kiss.

At last—under the pretext of proposal and acceptance—they kissed, more passionately than ever before.

In their own pure white pool, swearing an eternal love, with this moment’s kiss.

*The End*