The scorching sun shines at its peak, beating down on the couple as they step out of the Jeju International Airport. Pravat shoves his sunglasses up so he can look up at the sky and take a deep breath for a second. Originally, they claim to be in Seoul, but he's faking an excuse about ditching the paparazzi when the real intention is to spend much time with Tiwa and free him from the stress before reaching there.
The arranged car is already present as planned, so Pravat takes his mate there and helps him sit on the passenger seat while thinking about a road trip from Jeju to Seoul, which will take almost seven hours. There is just too much stuff in their brains to organize, so it will be worth it in the end. With an appreciative smile, he gets in the driver's seat and turns toward Tiwa, who is deep in thought.
He can hear the wheels turning inside Tiwa's head before the car even starts moving. Wanting to cheer him up, he leans down and presses a kiss on Tiwa's lips. In response, Tiwa shoves him away and glares, but there is a slight quirk at the corner of his lips that he thinks no one can see.
Feeling satisfied, Pravat starts the car. It's good to have something to do, concentrate on, hands tight on the steering wheel, and feet firm on the gas. But soon, the heat is getting on his nerves and making him think otherwise, so he takes his hoodie off and ties it around his waist instead, feeling the fresh air straight from the trees. He gazes toward Tiwa then and finds him already damp, sticking to the skin.
Instead of complaining, Tiwa pulls his cap down over his face to shield himself against the sun and slumps low in his seat. He closes his eyes and tries to enjoy the quiet and steady drone of the wind and the easy, satisfying acceleration of the car over the smooth, straight asphalt.
Shaking his head, Pravat speeds through the countryside, past rolling fields and woods and train tracks and rivers, his eyes fixed on the road as he thinks about how to make the road trip memorable. Suddenly, an idea pops into his head, and he interrupts his reverie immediately. "We should camp out tonight," he says aloud, as if continuing his own random train of thought out loud.
Tiwa barely raises his head to look at Pravat from under the brim of his cap, cracks his eyes open, and hums his approval.
"What?" Pravat asks, looking across at Tiwa in surprise that the omega has accepted the idea so easily. "You're not going to complain about getting late already."
"Nah," Tiwa shakes his head and moves closer to lean on the alpha, wrapping his arms around him and closing his eyes.
Everything shifts back to normal as they stay in a new kind of silence they've learned together, unraveling the pieces of each other as time passes. Eventually, there are only woods on one side of the road and sprawling flatlands on the other, with shadowy mountains looming in the distance, slightly obscured by clouds.
The heat of the afternoon gives way as the sun begins to set, casting a darkening light over the landscape. Suddenly, something catches Pravat's eye on the side of the road, causing him to abruptly hit the brakes and tightly grip the steering wheel.
Tiwa jumps and hugs his mate tightly, thinking about bandits or something. He holds his breath and slowly raises his head to find that Pravat is not looking scared. Confusedly, still moving closer to him, he turns to whatever his mate's eyes are fixed on, more curious than worried. "What-" His words stop in his throat when Pravat presses a finger to his lips.
"Shh, don't make any sounds. You'll scare it," Pravat whispers.
Tiwa stares blankly until Pravat gestures for him to look ahead. A large, tawny deer emerges from the bush about twenty feet in front of them. He holds his gasp, eyes wide, and mouth agape while his hands grip his mate's arm tightly in pure excitement. The deer trots across the road, paying little attention to them. They remain still, watching until it disappears into the woods and is no longer visible.
Looking at each other, they dissolve into laughter, soft and awed.
Giving a quick peck on Tiwa's lips, Pravat encourages him to get out of the car and take him to the open field with some things he had bought on the previous getaway. Setting up a fire, they sit around it and roast marshmallows while their eyes follow the path of a couple of stray fireflies up and away through the trees. It stirs something in their chests, and they turn to stare at each other for unsaid minutes.
Tiwa takes a deep breath and says, "I love you, Pravat."
"I love you too, baby deer," Pravat replies with a smile, leaning in to give Tiwa a lingering kiss as they hold each other close, chest to chest. Their arms wrap tightly around each other's waists as they deepen the kiss. The combined scent of musk and jasmine envelops them, creating a rich and warm aura. They seamlessly blend with each other's tastes as they enjoy the moment before resting their foreheads together and gently stroking each other's faces with long, slender fingers.
Later, they settle down on blankets next to each other, but they're not sleeping yet. Their bodies are exhausted, but they are somehow still too wired from the whole day to quiet their minds enough to drift off. Pravat is staring up at the trees above and listening to Tiwa's steady breathing while thinking about their future, which he needs to care about.
The silence between them is palpable until Tiwa breaks it with a murmur, "I want some unsaid thing known to the world."
Pravat turns to look at Tiwa, who appears as a shadowy figure in the darkness, with blankets thrown over his body. "Now everyone knows you're a male omega," Pravat responds, smiling with amusement, understanding the true meaning behind Tiwa's words.
Tiwa lies still on his back, eyes closed, feeling the warmth enveloping him.
The night is serene, with only the sounds of birds chirping above, leaves rustling in the wind, and water cascading onto rocks in the distance. It is a peaceful night without any disruptive city noises, unpleasant characters, or troubling thoughts plaguing their minds.