"Come on Mik Mik, it's just one more month. You can do this."

Mix whined. "I feel like the days are going slower and slower."

"To be honest I think so too. Today I cleaned my room, made cheese, did my rounds around the farm, and raced Nuean around the lake. And it's only noon!"

"Did you win the race?" Mix snickered.

"Of course not, her Baby is faster than my Snickers. Uhm Mix...I have to ask you something, although Nuean told me not to tell you."

"What is it?" Mix sounded curious. "I can keep a secret."

"Well your birthday is in summer and I know what Nuean and Amy have for you as a present."

"Oh, no, don't tell me what it is!" Mix panicked. "I want to be surprised!"

"But I know for a fact you don't really like this kind of thing. I don't want you to be stuck with present you don't like and keep it out of politeness, because it will require frequent care."

"Oh...that's a toughie." Mix huffed. "Is the present something alive?"

"Uh...yes."

"Can it be kept on the farm?" He tried to guess.

"Of course!"

Mix smiled. "Then I want it. I so so want it. Besides, it would be very rude rejecting a gift from my sister-in-law and my boss."

"I can't wait to have you back here..."

"I know. Just a month Earth, we can do this." Mix snickered, this time him comforting his boyfriend instead.

"Just 26 days actually..."

"Are you counting?"

"You're not?"

"Haha. I gotta go, I promised Neo I'll help him move some stuff."

"Okay. Mmm...Mix?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Mix blushed. "I love you too."

"Are you done being mushy? Mom wants to talk to you about something." Earth nearly jumped out of his skin when the blissful moment with his boyfriend got interrupted by his younger brother, poking his head through the door. "Did you not know eavesdropping is not polite?" Earth frowned and put his phone down before grabbing a sharpie and ticking another day at the calendar. The last time Mix came was almost three months ago, and he marked the third Friday of June with a drawing of kitty, just to remind Earth on which day he will return. Just the day before his birthday which fell on Saturday. "Well I knocked twice, but you wouldn't turn around to look." Khao shrugged before stepping out of the door so Earth could go through.

"What is this about?" "Something bothering you Earth?" His mother immediately asked as she noticed her son's tone of voice. Kao snickered. "He's just grumpy because I disturbed his phone call with your future son-in-law." "Stop it." Earth elbowed him gently. "We haven't even talked about that yet." "You've been together for almost four years; Nuean and Amy got married after a year." Kao folded his arms. "That's different, Mix and I-" "Okay okay, you can argue about this later." Their mother shook her head. "Kao." She gestured towards the door. The youngest reluctantly left, he was curious what did his mother have to say that his ears weren't allowed to hear. "Actually, the thing I want to talk about involves Mix too." She nodded. Earth sat down, confused and a little panicked. Was she going to suggest a marriage? His mom looked out the window. "The addition is finished now, they'll lay the floors tomorrow and fit in doors and it will be ready to move into."

The addition in question was a new building attached to their farm house, bridged by a hallway, but it was its own closed off structure. A smaller four bedroom house, connected to the large family house. Earth wanted to help, but the workers shooed him away each time. "Move into?" Earth raised an eyebrow. "I thought it was gonna be an inn? For your restaurant?"

"Oh honey." His mother laughed. "It's your house."

"I'm sorry?" "Your dad thought maybe you're outgrowing your room. I know you work the farm, but perhaps you would like your own place to have instead of your childhood bedroom." Mom patted his head, smoothing down his hair a little. "I thought you said the talk involves Mix..." Earth's brain was slowly making the connection. "Well it has a big bedroom and three other large rooms, with big bathroom and a kitchen. It's for two people, if you want."

Earth quickly turned around, looking at his mom's smiling face. Then, he hugged her, so tightly she almost disappeared in his arms. "Are you serious? My house? My and Mix's house?" "Of course. You're a big boy now, you're already 23. And Pearwah said she would let him stay with you anyway; our place is closer to Amy's clinic than theirs, so he will have it closer to his workplace too." She patted her son's back until he let go. It was when Mix came home the second time in his first year that his mother asked to see the farm too, and she instantly became best friends with Earth's mother, the two growing closer as Mix was so far and Pearwah was lonely. "You're not gonna charge us rent though, are you?" Earth asked jokingly, earning himself a smack on the shoulder. "I will if you slack off in your work. By the way, Pearwah hasn't told him, she decided it's best to leave it up to you, so maybe tell him before he comes back?"

-----

"Don't sulk, it's just four more days Earth..."

"But it's going so slowly!" Earth groaned.

"I know. What are you doing? You sound a little tired."

"Mmh, just loading the truck, dad and I are going to the farmer's market." Earth heaved as he laid a large sack of potatoes in the back of the truck and he accidentally dropped it onto his own foot.

"Now? Don't you always go at 10?"

"Summer has started, so we open at 9 now and stay until 4." Earth locked the cargo door and hopped in the passenger seat. "Oh just you wait till you're here; we just started picking the strawberries and they're de-light-full."

Mix chuckled. "I'll make sure to get some. I gotta go, the dorm inspector is coming to check the rooms, make sure nothing is broken. Bye."

Earth frowned at the phone when Mix hung up without waiting for his goodbye, but didn't dwell on it as they pulled onto a familiar square and backed against their stall. He quickly forgotten about the conversation as people started to gather and they got busy, selling all their fresh produce and homemade foods. The strawberries seemed a huge hit as from the twenty baskets they brought, only one was left by the time noon came. That was, until a hand reached for them. "Excuse me; how much are these?" "They're just-Mix!?" Earth stumbled over his own foot as he looked the shopper in the face and came to see his own boyfriend. His boyfriend who came back four days early. "Hey..." "Excuse me, are you getting these?" Someone asked when Mix put the basket down. He shook his head and let the lady come infront of him while Earth pushed his father forward and quickly run around the stall. He didn't care for people around them, and just wrapped his arms around Mix's waist tightly and picking him up for a twirl.

"You're back " "I'm back." Mix chuckled. "You're here." "I'm here." "But how?" Earth, upon hearing his father clear his throat, grabbed Mix's hand and they walked behind the stall, out of sight of the shoppers. "I thought your flight was on Friday. And what about the dorm inspector? And your luggage?" Mix snickered. "I came this morning, the inspection was yesterday. And my luggage is at my house already, mom came to pick me up from the airport." He explained as they sat on the grass and Mix leaned against his shoulder. "I'm sorry I lied, I just wanted to surprise you." "You're forgiven." Earth laughed, wrapping his arm around Mix. "But you know I'm technically still at work, right?" He looked at the stall with a sigh.

Oh how he wished he could just run of with Mix instead, but it wouldn't be fair to his dad, and he also promised his mother not to slack off with his work after all. "That's okay." Mix nodded. "Maybe I could help?" "Are you sure? Wouldn't you rather go home and rest a bit?" "Please." Mix rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't be able to fall asleep even if I tried. I'm too excited to be back. Unless..." He leaned close to Earth's ear. "You really want me to go?" Earth looked around quickly before grabbing Mix's chin and pressing a firm kiss to his lips. "No way. I'm never letting you go away from me again."