C H A P T E R  F O U R

“Welcome to la casa de Jeon,” the shorter boy greets as he swings the front for open.

His apartment was on the second floor and was quite small but cozy since his family was small. The living room and kitchen was separated by a breakfast bar and there was an area for a dinner table. A small table was set with place mats and had a bowl of fruit set in the center. It was cute. The living room was small and had one family sofa and a recliner placed facing the TV. A Persian rug was under it all and it paired well with the dark brown furniture. Pictures hung from the walls.

“I'm fifty percent sure your grammar is incorrect.’”

“Fifty percent means it's either a yes or no. Why not sixty? Because I'm right, as always,” Wonwoo teases when in actuality, he doesn't even know Spanish or its grammar.

“I'm going to look this up. Hey, Siri--”

“I was just kidding! Well, technically I was true about the fifty percentage being either right or wrong because it's basically half and doesn't leave one to be more-- okay! I'm sorry! No need to punch me that hard… or at all..!” Rubbing his sore arm, Wonwoo trudges into his room, a snickering Mingyu following right after him.

“Maybe you shouldn't talk so much. I was already smelling the pain,” the younger kid says.

“Smelling?”

“The agony you give me comes in many torturous forms,” Mingyu says dreadfully.

“Dang, bro. I'm sorry… Well, this is my room.”

Wonwoo's room was a shade of blue that reminded him of the ocean but was more cool but bright. His bed was against a wall and a desk was right beside it. A tall lamp stood in the corner and a long dresser sat facing the front of his bed. A TV was placed on it so you could watch it comfortably from the bed. His room was not as big as Mingyu's but was as cozy and with the clean and minimal furniture, it gave off a more spacious and cool vibe.

“Ready to get started?”

“Nope,” Mingyu sighs. He jumps on to the bed and takes inhales deeply through his nose.

You know how it seems like every house or family has its own smell? That's one of the first things Mingyu notices any time he visits someone else's house because it was unfamiliar. Although, he never notices his own scent.

Wonwoo's room smelled different than his living room did. It smelled like wood. Maybe because of the furniture. Or like paper when you open book. That and something musky like sweat and cologne. It was an intoxicating scent. Like the smell of rain, you just couldn't get enough.

Rolling over in favor of laying on his stomach, Mingyu sighs dejectedly, “can't we just watch a movie instead or something?” He begins flapping his feet against the mattress, still talking deep breaths of Wonwoo's smell. It was weird to Mingyu but he really liked the smell.

Wonwoo just watches from his door frame, smiles at the younger male who was flailing around. “But you have a test in two days,” he presses on.

Mingyu hurriedly sits up, waving his hands around. “No! I'm pretty sure we covered everything and I'm confident that I'll ace it,” he lies. He still has another day to study, right?

“You're funny,” Wonwoo says sarcastically. He moves from the door to the TV. After turning it on and grabbing the remote, he hops into his bed right next to a victorious Mingyu who was telling him he made the right decision. Honestly, the tutor needed a break. He was tired of studying and tutoring. Plus his day went so well and he really wanted to keep the mood up.

“What are we going to watch?!” Excitedly, the young male grabs an extra pillow and squeezes it close to him.

Wonwoo couldn't help but smile at his dongsaeng’s adorable behavior and had the urge to squish his cheeks.

Suppressing the grin he was previously wearing, Wonwoo gave a monotonous answer, pretending to be annoyed with the younger.

“Wonwoo,” Mingyu whines.

“Mingyu,” Wonwoo mimics, even copying the pouty expression that the younger wore, momentarily forgeting about choosing a movie.

Mingyu opens his mouth to say something but someone else's voice interupts his speech.

“Wonwoo! You're back late today,” a man says upon entering the room. “Oh. Who's this?”

“Dad, Mingyu. Mingyu, dad. Call him dad, too,” Wonwoo says with a bored expression, turning his attention back to the TV, flicking through each channel.

“Wonwoo,” his dad reprimands with a stern voice.

Probably about his bad manners, Mingyu thinks. His parents would have his on a platter if he were to be rude around a guest.

“Dad,” Wonwoo sighs tiredly, “I was just kidding.”

“You better be. Mingyu, nice to meet you. How long have you guys been friends?” Wonwoo and his father shared some physical traits such as their angular jaw and single lid but where Wonwoo's eyes are sharp, his dad's eyes are soft and warm. His father had thinner lips and a hunkier nose, though.

“Um, for a few weeks,” Mingyu awkwardly replies. He barely realized it has been a short while since they've came in contact with each other.

“Really? Wonwoo usually doesn't open up with people quickly,” his dad says with a slightly astonished face.

“I tutor him and we just naturally became friends, I guess.”

“Oh. So this is the person you've been tutoring,” his dad says more to himself than to the two boys.

“Are you going somewhere?” Wonwoo points his chin to his father's feet which wear covered in tennis shoes.

“Yeah. I left my phone at the office and I think I was supposed to get groceries,” his dad chuckles awkwardly.

“Mom said to get those two days ago!”

“I know. I'll probably come back a little after your mom. I'm going to Kibum’s house to watch the soccer game. Make yourself dinner!” His dad calls as he walks out of the room.

“I guess it's just me and you,” Wonwoo sighs.

Mingyu doesn't know why because he's spent a number or times alone with Wonwoo at his house but he feels somewhat nervous. Maybe it's because earlier that afternoon, he realized how hot Wonwoo is. The saying, “out of sight, out of mind,” will not work in this situation-- especially since he would like to see that glorious sight again.

“You say that like it's a bad thing,” Mingyu pouts exaggeratedly. He clings to Wonwoo's arm (something he did frequently throughout their meetings) but it no longer feels like the regular, friendly gesture.

Paying no mind to the puppy clinging to him, Wonwoo continues flicking through channels. “With you, it is,” here deadpans.

“Rude. Oh! Let's watch that!” An animated movie plays on the screen and Wonwoo can't help but laugh at the younger's childishness. Cute. But of course, Wonwoo's inner child would've played the movie even if Mingyu didn't want to.

Thirty minutes into the movie, the younger boy had trouble keeping his eyes open. As the minutes passed and the movie kept him in a calm daze, his eyelids got droopier and droopier, only opening when a sudden sound reaches his ears. He kept pretending to be awake when he felt his head abruptly drop or he hears a deep rumble of laughter come from the boy beside him. After a while, he looses the energy to even pretend and allows himself to drift into a peaceful nap.

Feeling a warm weight fall upon his shoulders, Wonwoo lets out a quiet giggle at the young boy who fell asleep beside him. Nevertheless, he continues watching the movie until the end, shifting his bony shoulder so it was more comfortable for him and Mingyu. By then, it was coming near six and he was starting to become hungry.

“Mingyu,” he whispers. Looking at the peaceful boy, his lips form a tender smile. Puppies are always adorable when they are sleeping. He couldn't help but brush the hair out of the sleeping boy’s eyes. He needs a haircut, Wonwoo thinks.

“Mingyu,” he tries again. This time, he shakes the boy gently. Normally, if this was one of his other friends-- say Vernon or Seungkwan-- he wouldn't hesitate to yell into their ears or move and let their heads drop but something stops him from being the evil person he could be.

“Mingyu,” he quietly whines, “wake up.”
Gently, he pokes him everywhere: on the shoulder, his cheeks, his nose, his belly and his eyelids.

Groggily, the boy awakes, rubbing his eyes with his fist in a way that was reminiscent of a child. With a pout, he finally comes to his senses.

“Wonwoo,” he whines, “why didn't you wake me up earlier?”

The said boy was standing up, out of his bed, getting ready to change out of his uniform.

“I wanted to watch the movie in peace,” he replies monotonously.

“Meanie,” Mingyu says, still in a hazy state but he quickly become wide awake when he sees Wonwoo the top buttons. Quickly, he turns back to the TV, grabbing the remote to flick through the channels. Luckily, he barely sees Wonwoo change from the corner of his eyes as he's searching for another movie or show. Being a guy, normally he's okay with changing in front of others but being gay, a hot guy he was more or less attracted to would surely make him drool. And he didn't want to drool over Wonwoo.

“Mingyu,” Wonwoo calls out.

“Hmm?” Mingyu's attention was still on the TV, just in case.