a year later

"Stop with the pictures, baby, please!" Caiden pleaded, his face pouting, as his boyfriend snapped away with the camera the raven haired lad bought him for his birthday.

"You were worse, angel, and you know it!" Jake laughed, taking a break from the millions of photos he had been capturing. "Also, it's your graduation. I need the memories."

"He does look adorable, J," Mark chuckled, pulling his brother into a hug, as he was leaving within the hour to South Korea.

"He looks like he was swallowed by a curtain, actually," Jake laughed, hugging Mark, once the brothers pulled away.

"Who has Clover?" Mark looked around, when he found a small Dalmatian running to greet him.

"Landon had him," Kai chuckled, the ring on his finger practically blinding the others.

A year has passed since Mark had been reintroduced to the universe, and since Jake was, once again, brought back to life. A year since Caiden and Jake had gotten together, confessing their love for one another. The past three hundred and sixty five days have been full of laughter, pain, anger, love, happiness, thrills, and adventures.

Hannah had finally joined the group as a solid member, when Kailey had asked her out, and Landon had realized why he didn't like her; the name reminded him of the girl his ex had cheated on him with.

Bailey and Jenna moved in together, starting their own clothing company; Taylor and Ava spent the year writing comics on their crazy adventures, which had the school buzzing in anticipation for the next issue; Landon proposed to Kai on his birthday, which was about three months after the craziness that occurred at the lake house; Mike and Eli were finally dating, but living separately, as Mike was deep into his studies, and Eli was teaching first graders.

As for Caiden and Jake, the two moved in together once Caiden had left the hospital; he had slowly transferred his things into Jake's single, spending every waking moment with him.

Once Jake had graduated, as he did stick to his three year plan, the two got their own place across campus, which happened to be the same apartment the group of five, Sophia, Logan, Vanessa, Nate, and Noah, had started off Hart Solutions and Investments.

Clover was a puppy the two had found one day outside their building, as Caiden had finished with his classes for the day and was about to surprise Jake with a simple box of chocolates, and noticed the little dog was injured with no collar, tag, or name. He was as lost as the couple had been prior to finding one another. The two named him Clover, realizing how much luck being found can bring to someone's life.

Mark had moved close by, training under Noah through video calls, as he was ready to begin his newest adventure; running the security department of Lee Enterprises in South Korea.

Caiden hadn't fully forgiven his dad, but had learned that being civil with him was healthier for his own heart. Mark was more understanding of Noah, but was by his brother's side through it all.

"Ready for your flight, Mark?" Ava hugged her long lost friend, tightly, already missing the boy.

"I wasn't till about an hour ago, honestly, but I know it's what's best for me, now. This place brings too many haunting ghosts and nightmares my way, Va," Mark hugged back, then pulled Eli into an embrace, as well.

"You'll be missed, dude, again," Eli laughed, feeling a few tears drip from his brown eyes.

Mark wasn't someone who let the past impact him, but with the hell and back both him and his brother had gone through, he was ready to set sail on something new.

Maybe meet someone who doesn't know everything about him. Or, at least thinks he knows everything about him, as no one could really comprehend the type of life he had lived.

****

"Caiden Jaemin Lee," Director Blakely called, handing out the diplomas to each and every student who walked the runway towards the stage.

Jake's hand squeezed, as he heard a whimper beside him; Noah Lee was finally able to witness his son walk through the stage, composed as ever, with a degree. The two nodded at one another, as Jake took more pictures for the memories he kept close.

"Send them to me, kid," Noah spoke, once the ceremony ended. The boy in the navy blue polyester walked towards them, his hair tousled and disheveled due to the cap.

"Sure," Jake smiled his way, before being pulled into the biggest bear hug.

Caiden was ready to grab his boyfriend, get back to their cozy home, and rip each other's clothes off. But, Jake had other plans. Kissing the raven haired lad, Jake smiled pulling on the hair at the nape of his hair. Caiden's hands played with the curly locks his boyfriend owned, before pulling apart, utterly breathless.

"Everything is ready, Mr. Hart," one of Noah's guards spoke, and Jake's smile grew, though the look on Caiden's face read complete disorientation.

He didn't say a word to the raven haired boy. Jake turned him around, blindfolding him and taking his hand, while leading him towards the elevator and to the roof. A helicopter had arrived for the two, and Jake helped his boyfriend in.

"Where are you kidnapping me to?" a whiny Caiden asked, understanding the two were not on the ground anymore.

"You'll see," Jake took his hand in his, kissing every knuckle and untying the blindfold.

It took hours and hours with the constant are we there yet, for the couple to arrive at their destination.

Caiden could not believe his eyes; the two had landed in South Korea. He thought Jake was asleep the other night when he went on and on about how much he would miss his brother and that if they really were to travel in the next two weeks, they should stop there after their original itinerary to the UK and Europe.

"I love you Caiden Jaemin Lee, and as long as you have a smile on your face, I'm good with wherever I am in this world," Jake and Caiden had just gotten off the fifteen hour ride, making their way towards the place Jake had rented out for the both of them.

Clover had come with Mark on his flight, which was planned by Taylor, knowing the helicopter would have been too claustrophobic for the little dog. As the two entered their new home, Jake had no time to put his things away, as the raven haired boy had hunger and lust written in his eyes.

The curly haired lad was pushed against the wall, his neck being smothered with kisses by his boyfriend. Jake slipped off the raven haired boy's shirt revealing the matching tattoo the two shared; Caiden had gotten a cape with the letters JEH in it in blue, as it was Jake's favorite color, while Jake got wings with the letters CJL in the color purple, for Caiden's most loved hue.

The couple got them right under the right side of their chests, done on the anniversary of the day they had met.

All the same, Caiden removed Jake's shirt, kissing where the new tattoo was placed, Jake's sounds still driving him insane in the best way possible.

"You're not in control, angel," Jake smirked, as he had stolen another little friend Caiden had just bought.

"You like to think you are, baby, but you're simply doing what I wish you were," Caiden's breath hitched, as Jake continued clicking the little device in his hand.

****

Two weeks had passed, and Caiden and Jake hadn't seen anything other than each other's new moves. Mark had been over a couple of times, and had told them about this new guy he had asked out, but ran a background check on him, first.

Caiden laughed, agreeing that that was a great idea, and asked for his help with something, as Jake had gone out to buy a few things for the apartment.

'A car will be by at seven; I'll see you tonight.' Jake read the text sent to him by his boyfriend, as he finished up his shopping.

Shrugging off the confusion, Jake made it home, seeing a box on their bed with a note that said 'let's go back to where it all began.'

Jake opened the box, revealing a green mask and a black tuxedo with silver stripes, with a matching bow tie.

Once showering, figuring out what his hair was doing, and getting ready, he was ready for the night. A car had arrived at exactly seven, with a driver, who had opened the door for Jake. He knew Clover had been between his place and Mark's, so when he didn't see his little guy, he didn't worry.

The drive lasted about forty minutes, leaving the suspense growing from within Jake. He had arrived in a palace looking place, surrounded with greenery and small lights.

Jake was immediately let in by the secret service looking guards. Making his way up the stairs, he was brought back to the first time they had laid eyes on one another; a masquerade ball.

He felt like every Disney princess ever, as he made his way down the curved staircase. His eyes landed on the boy in the black tux with the blue stripes and silver mask.

Jake took everything in; the view was spectacular. The music had been brought back from his high school days. The ballroom was full of gold trimmings and black accessories surrounding every table. His friends, that he had no idea were even in Korea were there, as well as, Nate and Vanessa and Noah.

Walking towards the boy with the silver mask, Jake chuckled seeing Taylor walk towards him, begging for him to talk to the boy he had been crushing on, while Mark had his arm around the other boy's shoulder encouraging him to make a move.

The music slowly quieted down, playing Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls, as it was only appropriate with the time being thrown back.

Caiden was a bucket of nerves, getting down on one knee. Jake felt his knees give in, but Tay was there to hold him in place.

"Jake Elliott Hart; my boyfriend, my soul, my life, my hero, my everything..." Caiden took a deep breath, chocolate brown eyes meeting hazel ones. "You came into my life because of a damn vibrator remote, and let me tell you that one little device brought us here."

Laughter echoed the room; they didn't actually expect any normalcy to erupt from the raven haired boy, did they?

"This past year with you has been nothing but a fight for control, but who am I kidding? You took control of my heart from the very moment your eyes looked into mine. So, here I am, asking you with every cell on my body to continue taking control of me and don't let me go. Take my last name and stick with me until I don't have any more remotes for you to steal," Caiden removed a box from his pocket, revealing a fire red ring, placing it on the curly haired lad's left ring finger.

Tears, cheers, and laughter sounded, as Jake pulled Caiden up from his knee, kissing him, lovingly.

A chuckle escaped Jake's lips, once the two steadied their breathing.

"I was going to take you to breakfast tomorrow and propose by the park," Jake pulled out the box from the jacket he had worn, showing off a white ring, with spot on it like the moon, pushing it up the boy's left ring finger.

"I'd gladly take your last name, but I don't think I've ever been in charge when it came to the both of us," a chuckle sounded from the couple, "You're far too in my head to let me think about anything other than you. So who really is in control?"

"I love you more than anything, Jake Hart," Caiden kissed him, once more.

"I love you more than you love me, Caiden Lee," Jake laughed into the kiss, reaching into his pant pocket and clicking away a couple of times, knowing the trouble he would be in was utterly worth it.