Work Text:
“Just a few more steps.”
Yeosang felt Jongho’s hand squeeze around hers, her steps slow and cautious the further she walked into the unknown. The silky white blindfold Jongho wore obstructed her view, leaving her in the dark on the plans Yeosang had in store for her.
“Sangieee, where are you taking me?” Jongho whined for nearly the fiftieth time that day. Yeosang stifled a laugh, fondly rolling her eyes at her girlfriend's whining.
“Be patient. We're nearly there.” Yeosang led Jongho down the trail, a giddy feeling blooming in her stomach the closer they got to their destination. She couldn’t wait to see the look on Jongho’s face when everything was finally revealed.
When they finally made it, Yeosang positioned Jongho in front of the display and left a chaste kiss on her cheek. “You can take it off now.” She quickly scurried off, picking up a bouquet of daisies, waiting for the big reveal.
Jongho peeled off the blindfold, careful not to smudge any of her makeup. Once she opened her eyes, blinking to get them accustomed to the sudden change in lighting, she couldn't help the gasp that slipped past her lips, awestruck by the display in front of her.
The first thing that caught her eye was the extensive landscape. A grassy lakeside that looked like something you would only find in a fairy tale. The vast grassland was decorated with wetland plants and wildflowers of many shapes and sizes. Hues of pink, purple, and white sprouting from vibrant green shrubs gave the area a wonderland-esque, something almost unreal. The sunlight reflected off the deep blue water, almost giving the illusion that glitter shimmered on the surface.
What stood out most to Jongho was the beautifully set-up picnic that made the entire scene come together. On the ground lay a white picnic blanket with pink flowers, with her favorite fruits and various finger foods neatly arranged in cute bento boxes on top. Painting easels and art supplies were set up on the far edge of the blanket facing the lakefront. In the middle of the blanket, Yeosang stood with a bouquet in hand, beaming at her, the lilac dress she wore flowing gracefully in the wind.
“Happy Birthday!” Yeosang exclaimed, smiling brightly, watching as Jongho took in everything around them.
Yeosang worked for weeks planning the perfect picnic for Jongho’s birthday. Her girlfriend had talked about going on cute picnics several times, swooning at the thought of a picnic by the lake, both of them dressing up in pretty dresses, eating delicious food while enjoying the scenery together. Of course, Yeosang recruited just a bit of help from their friends, mainly Seonghwa and Wooyoung, who were overly eager to take part in the surprise. With a bit of planning and a lot of trial and error searching for the right spot, the perfect birthday picnic came to life and turned out better than Yeosang had ever imagined.
Yeosang held her hand out, inviting Jongho to join her on the blanket. She walked closer, taking Yeosang’s hand and taking her shoes off before stepping onto the soft fleece. Jongho reached for the ornate bouquet, admiring the yellow and white daisies arranged in a miniature picnic basket. She inhaled the sweet herbal scent of her favorite flower, sighing contentedly at the familiar smell.
“They’re so beautiful,” Jongho hummed, a small smile forming on her lips.
“Not as beautiful as you.” Jongho looked up from the bouquet, eyes locking with Yeosang’s. Her honey-brown eyes gleamed with the familiar sparkle, the same sparkle she had every time she looked at Jongho. Jongho felt heat rush up her neck, the red flush that decorated her cheeks, adding to the rose colored blush she was already wearing. Yeosang’s compliments and the way she looked at her, eyes bright with admiration and love, never failed to make Jongho flustered.
Jongho wrapped her arms tightly around Yeosang’s neck. “Thank you, My Love,” Jongho placed a quick peck on Yeosang’s lips. “I love this. I love you.” She leaned in, capturing Yeosang’s lips in another kiss, this time lingering longer. Their lips moved in sync, languid and tender, as the serene sounds of nature surrounded them. Jongho smiled into the kiss, feeling Yeosang’s hands squeeze her waist slightly.
“I love you too,” Yeosang breathed once they finally pulled apart, kissing the tip of Jongho’s button nose.
Jongho giggled, reluctantly pulling away to get a better look at everything. She kneeled, dragging Yeosang down with her, and set her flowers off to the side.
Yeosang began opening a few lids of the bento boxes, revealing the delicious foods arranged intricately in them. Some were filled with strawberries, blueberries, grapes, and many other fruits that Jongho preferred. Others were packed with Korean foods Jongho loved that were easy to eat, like gimbap and mandu.“I know you don’t like sweets as much as I do, so I thought it’d be nice to have fruits instead of cake, and I brought your favorite Haribo candy too!”
Jongho perked up at the mention of her favorite candy, her eyes eagerly searching for the familiar golden packaging.
“I’ll give them to you after you eat. Don’t forget what happened the last time.” Yeosang chided playfully, looking at Jongho pointedly, trying her hardest not to laugh.
Jongho grimaced, remembering the stomachache she had that lasted nearly two days, from eating an entire pack of Haribo in one sitting. Though it was nice to have her girlfriend babying her and tending to her every need for those two days, Jongho never wanted to feel that feeling again.” I think that’s a good idea...” she said, turning her attention back to the other foods.
Her mouth salivated, hungry and ready to dig in, but not knowing what to start with. Before she could think too deeply about it, the tip of a strawberry touched her lip.
“Ahhh,” Yeosang prompted, holding a strawberry to Jongho’s mouth. Jongho opened up, taking a bite out of the fruit. She hummed in content, savoring the sweet juices that permeated her mouth. It was the perfect season for strawberries. Yeosang popped the rest in her mouth before pulling out a pair of chopsticks. She picked up a piece of gimbap and held the sliced roll to Jongho’s lips.
Jongho took a bite, looking at Yeosang oddly. “I can feed myself, you know,” she said after swallowing. Yeosang held the remainder out for Jongho to eat, which she gladly took.
“I know, but I want to feed you.” Yeosang shrugged, biting into a crispy piece of mandu. “You just sit here and be pretty. I’ll take care of you.”
Jongho giggled but obliged, never one to deny her girlfriend. Even if she tried, Yeosang was stubborn and would do what she wanted anyway. Yeosang loved taking care of Jongho, and Jongho loved it. Though there were times she wished Yeosang would relax and let her return the favor more, Jongho knew it was Yeosang’s way of expressing her love. She believed that if it were up to Yeosang, she would do everything so that Jongho never had to lift a finger.
Yeosang continued to feed her, making sure she was satisfied before taking a few bites of her own. Jongho only sat back, watching the ducks float in the water, some dabbling, coming back up, eating plants, and small fish.
Once they finished, Yeosang quickly cleaned, closing the empty bento boxes and putting them back into the picnic basket. Jongho helped where Yeosang let her, which only consisted of her organizing the bento boxes in the basket after Yeosang placed them in.
They moved over to the canvases, Yeosang carrying a few containers of fruit with her and the Haribo gummies she promised Jongho, just in case they wanted to snack while they painted.
“I saw this cute game called the Canvas Swap Challenge, where we both paint on our own canvases and after a certain amount of time, swap back and forth until it’s finished. I thought it’d be a fun thing to do, if you want!”
Jongho thought about it; she had seen a few videos here and there on her feed and thought the challenge was interesting. She loved painting, and the idea of them making it into a fun activity had her quickly agreeing. “I would love that! But I have just one request...”
Yeosang looked over at her, waiting for her to finish, “It has to be themed around this moment. I want to frame them so that we always remember today.” Yeosang smiled fondly at her, reaching out for Jongho’s hand and squeezing it. “I think that’s an amazing idea, Jjongie Bear. I love it.”
Jongho beamed, already itching to start painting. She had an idea of what she wanted and hoped Yeosang would see the vision and make it come to life with her own twist.
They decided to swap every minute so that they each could have enough time to paint something, but not too much time to complete the entire picture. Once they had their desired paint prepared, Jongho’s favorite being watercolor, and Yeosang's being acrylic, they began working through their first minute.
Jongho popped a few gummies into her mouth, humming to a tune that helped her focus. Her brush moved feather-like on the blank canvas, each stroke precise as she began to mold her vision. The two fell into a comfortable silence as they continued to paint, switching canvases back and forth, adding their own touches to the art until it was complete.
The day passed in a peaceful blur. The painting game turned out to be a success. In the end, with their shared efforts, they created two distinct pieces that Yeosang knew would look perfect in their living room. Yeosang’s painting showcased a mama duck and her ducklings swimming in a line down the river. Her bold colors stood out compared to Jongho’s softer ones, giving the painting a pop art feel. Jongho’s gave the complete opposite vibe from Yeosang’s. Her painting was a well-done realism painting of them enjoying their picnic. They both were sitting side by side, a big smile plastered on Jongho’s face while Yeosang looked at her fondly. Finer details of their surroundings were present, bringing the entire piece together. The art was a perfect blend of Jongho’s soft style of painting and Yeosang’s eccentric style; it had come out even better than Jongho had imagined.
Once the sun slowly began to descend, both Jongho and Yeosang found themselves getting comfortable after packing everything away. The last thing Jongho had wanted to do at the end of the day was watch the sunset.
Yeosang had heavily factored in the view when choosing the perfect location. She knew how much Jongho loved watching the sunset. Every day her girlfriend would sit out on their balcony during golden hour, nursing a warm cup of tea, watching the sun's slow descent below the horizon until nightfall. When Yeosang found the lakeside, she was immediately sold on the location after briefly seeing the sunset in person. If she was awestruck by the surreal view, she knew it would have the same effect on Jongho.
Jongho leaned into Yeosang’s lap, the sliver of sun left in the sky radiating beautifully off of her golden skin, giving the illusion that she was an angel placed in Yeosang’s lap just for her. The white linen dress Jongho wore was loose but hugged her curves in all the right places, and her raven hair sprawled out over her lap, almost like a halo was the cherry on top.
Yeosang wrapped her arms around Jongho and pressed a small kiss to her forehead. “Did you enjoy your surprise?” she murmured, breaking the silence.
Jongho nodded in response, smiling up at Yeosang. “This was the best birthday ever, baby.” Jongho never really thought much of her birthday until she and Yeosang began dating. For years, she seen it as just a regular day that signified she was getting older, but then Yeosang came into her life and showed her just how special her birthday was. Yeosang’s birthday surprises exceeded one another every year. She never did anything she knew was out of Jongho’s comfort zone, opting to keep the celebration more intimate between the two, but it always felt grand to Jongho.
“You always make me feel loved and seen in ways I’ve never felt before, Sangie. I couldn’t ask for anything better. I couldn’t ask for a better girlfriend.”
Jongho couldn’t contain the deep love that bloomed in her chest for Yeosang. The once scary feeling, now electrifying, set her ablaze under Yeosang’s gaze. She sat up slightly, turning until she could get a full view of Yeosang’s face.
Yeosang caressed Jongho’s hair, her words coming out soft but assuring. “I would do anything for you, Jjong. If I could, I would paint the sunset by hand every night for you to look at and admire. I would hang the stars one at a time in the sky just for you. Because I love you.” Her hand traveled down, gently cupping Jongho’s chin as she leaned in, sealing their lips together in a searing kiss. Every emotion bled out in between soft gasps and dreamy sighs, showing Jongho that she meant every word she said.
Jongho climbed her way into Yeosang’s lap, pressing gently into her shoulder blades, signaling for her to lie back. When Yeosang complied, Jongho deepened the kiss, her mind nearly dizzy with how intoxicated she felt. Yeosang’s hands found her waist, kneading at the supple skin, groaning deep in her chest. They moaned into each other's mouths when the kiss turned more frantic, but before they could get too far, Jongho pulled away, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.
“I love you too,” Jongho finally said once her breathing was back to normal. “Let’s keep our clothes on, though…for now,” she crawled off of Yeosang’s lap, giggling at her whine of displeasure.
Jongho lay next to her girlfriend, cuddling into her side as close as she could. Yeosang’s warmth encompassed her like a blanket fresh out of the dryer, leaving her feeling cozy despite being outside. With one last lingering kiss, they both settled down, ending their date watching the sun finally decorate the sky in vibrant shades of yellow, orange, and pink. This was a birthday Jongho would never forget.