“Waah,” Minseok lets out a sound of amusement as they pass through many streets of Gwangju, pointing at every shiny commercial or an interesting shop with flashy decorations. It only took them an hour to get from Baekhyun’s house to the town in the south. They haven’t checked if all of Lu Han’s stuff was still inside the car, but there was enough money to get them to the first gas-station where Lu Han phoned Sehun, trying to explain in the simplest way possible why they were late.

“Do you have any idea how worried I was!?” Sehun had screamed in the phone, while Lu Han tried to sound apologetic.

Even though Sehun tried to act as if there wasn’t a single thing in this world that worried him, Lu Han knew there was more than that, especially when it came to safety of his hyungs. After having spent a painful amount of money in keeping the phone connection running, Lu Han finally grabbed a chance to interrupt Sehun in his scolding and get the younger boy to meet him at the most obvious place in the town.

Another breathy gasp leaves Minseok’s lips as Lu Han stops in front of a round construction, his car looking like a toy compared to the huge oval walls surrounding the grassy field. There are kids playing in front of the entrance - a group of boys dressed in jerseys – and pushing around as an older man wearing a tracksuit similar to their jerseys tries to rearrange them so they all could fit in one photo. A team fieldtrip, there’s no mistake. Lu Han remembers the excursion he took with his own football team while he was still living in Beijing and more innocent times than these. He never wanted to become a professional football player; no, it wasn’t his dream, but he still enjoyed the games as when he was seven. It reminded him of the time when everything was much easier and all the he had to care about was if the ball’s going to get to his teammate and reach the goal.

“What is this?” Minseok asks, curious.

“Gwangju World Cup Stadium”

“Oh, cool.” Minseok nods, focusing his attention on the boys still taking a picture in front of the stadium and then running towards the entrance. “You like football?”

“I used to play when I was younger,” Lu Han says absently. Sehun is still nowhere in sight.

Minseok only hums at that. Lu Han looks at him from the corner of his eye, noticing how the catboy’s ears respond to every sound outside, tail playing around the car seat. His eyes flash in excitement at every new thing he spots and Lu Han doesn’t know why he responds like this – he grew up in Seoul, Gwangju was nothing compared to it. Still, Minseok acts like everything around him is new, unseen and twice as exciting, although in reality is nothing more than old people lounging in front of café shops and children driving on their bikes around the park.

Ever since they left Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s house, Minseok’s been especially nice towards Lu Han. He still throws insults at him, but they aren’t as offensive as they were only a day before. It’s almost as if their last experience brought them closer, tying them with an invisible thread of unlucky events and bad experiences. Lu Han doesn’t know anything about Minseok’s life other than the things the revealed to Lu Han during their ride, but it’s nothing more than his sassy attitude and inability to walk around fully clothed. Other than that, Minseok remains a mystery to Lu Han.

Only a bigger mystery than Minseok’s life may be Lu Han’s feeling towards the catboy.

Before he could get deeper into his thoughts, a honk startles both of them. Lu Han turns to glare at the person who is parked behind them, obviously the culprit, but his expression immediately softens when he spots a blonde-haired boy waving at him from a metallic Hyundai. Without a word to Minseok, Lu Han steps out of the car with the catboy looking at him curiously.

“Sehun!”

The said boy steps from his own car and spreads his arms so Lu Han could fit right into them, hugging the older boy against his chest.

“Hyung!” he wails, refusing to let Lu Han out of his arms even when the older man lets out a muffled ‘you’re chocking me’ against his sweater. “I haven’t seen you in forever!”

Lu Han says something as well, but it comes inaudible as Sehun won’t free him from his grip. Only when Lu Han starts smashing his fists against Sehun’s back does Sehun let him go, but still having a firm hold on the older boy’s shoulders. He keeps Lu Han at his arm length as he pretends to wipe off fake tears from his eyes.

“Whoa, you got tall,” Lu Han says, trailing his eyes over Sehun’s lanky form.

“Is that the only thing you have to say at me?” Sehun pouts, making Lu Han chuckle.

“Well, it’s true. But yeah, I missed you as well.”

That earns a smile from Sehun, crushing Lu Han against his chest again.

~

They decide it’s better for Lu Han to drive after Sehun’s Hyundai. Apparently Sehun lives in a very exclusive part of the town, known to every local as a neighborhood of snobs and pretentious tight-asses (that’s what the blogs said, not Luhan). Lu Han can’t help but wonder how the younger boy managed to mingle his way into the said group of people, considering he came from a very modest family. Not to mention Sehun’s parents stopped sending him money after he had decided to drop off from college in his second year of interior designing.

Even though he always had a soft spot for Jongdae’s cousin, the boy had an inevitable spark of arrogant attitude, which even Lu Han couldn’t stand at some points. Like that one time he spent the night in Jongdae’s house, while Jongdae and Lu Han were out of town. He was supposed to be the one to guard the house for two simple days, not having to clean around or shop for groceries. Just make sure the house was intact until they come back.

Lu Han will never forget Jongdae’s face when they drove around the corner of the street they lived in, only to be met with dozens of police cars and one fire truck. Lu Han knows Sehun till this day thinks he hasn’t done anything wrong. After all, house parties were common for someone is age and, as Sehun had said, “Did you seriously think I wouldn’t throw a party when I had the house all by myself? And those curtains were ugly anyway; you should thank me for burning them.”

 He deserved the punch after that, yeah.

For all Lu Han knows, at least what he got from Jongdae, after Sehun dropped from college, his parents made him go back to Daejeon where he busied himself with temporary jobs and travels around the country. He only visited Jongdae once after the incident and that was probably around a year ago. Since then, Lu Han hasn’t heard a word about the younger boy from his housemate and when Jongdae gave Lu Han his cousin’s phone number, Lu Han was more than surprised. What’s even more that caught him off guard is Sehun living in this town and driving a 33 million won worth car.

Minseok looks restless by his side. He keeps wriggling around and, currently, he has his head through the open window, waving at the people walking by. Lu Han’s glad no one knows him around here.

It’s obvious they’ve entered the wealthy part of the town since Minseok can’t stop gasping and pointing at enormous houses  – mansions even – where luxury vehicles are parked, kids strutting around in shiny uniforms with brand new cellphones, servants taking out miniature dogs for a walk and cleaning after them. Lu Han feels so out of place with his car that literally last night drove through a corn field in a successful escape, the doors splattered with mud and dirt. The only part of the car that’s actually tolerable is the front window, not including the edges, but only the surface where the wipers could reach.

All of a sudden, Sehun turns on the right blinker and makes his stop next to a parked Maserati – Lu Han can hear himself quietly sob – right in front of a white house, outstanding by its mere size, not to mention the wide glass door and windows working for most of the exterior. Minseok doesn’t try to hide his amusement when he turns to face Lu Han with a grin and says, “This is even better than Jongin’s.”

“You greedy stray,” Lu Han bites back as he turns off the engine. He parked a bit down the street, away from the Maserati and Sehun’s car. He can’t afford Sehun’s neighbors laughing at him.

Sehun’s waiting them by the car as they walk down the street, Minseok trailing after Lu Han. It’s obvious that Sehun didn’t spot the catboy in the car moments ago, considering he can’t hide his surprise when he spots Minseok’s onyx tail and ears to match. Lu Han can’t quite read into Sehun’s emotions, since he’s always tried to mask his feelings with a blank expression, but now his eyes are wide in shock and mouth slightly agape, brows furrowed. Lu Han’s not sure how to interpret it.

“Umm,” Lu Han starts when they stop in front of the tall boy. The catboy seems to not be affect by Sehun’s look of shock, probably used to it by now. Lu Han remembers him mentioning something that one time in the car, while they were on somewhat good terms, how people bashed him and threw insults his way, calling him a freak. It was unusual honestly, knowing that animal hybrids could walk freely around Seoul, only some catching tiny glances from the passengers.

Lu Han shoves Minseok to stand a bit closer to him, saying, “Um, Sehun… This is Minseok.”

Sehun grunts, his lips pressed in a line. Lu Han now deeply regrets not telling Sehun he’d be bringing a company with him.

“You didn’t tell me you have a pet,” Sehun turns to them with his back and starts walking towards the front door. Lu Han follows him quickly, Minseok on his heels.

“He’s not my pet! “ Lu Han protests while Sehun types in the security code. The device lets out a beep, then the front door clicks open. “We won’t be here for long. I promise, just till we manage around the city.” Lu Han doesn’t know why he’s using the term we, while it’s clear he’s going to drop off Minseok as soon as he gets an appropriate chance for that.

‘Yeah right,’ a voice in his head speaks but he ignores it.

“Are you allergic to kitties?” Minseok mocks, to which Sehun only shakes his head.

Sehun turns to them with a worried expression. “I don’t live alone, hyung,” he explains. He eyes the older pair, making Lu Han recall the current state of his and Minseok’s attire, the catboy’s bare feet and legs. His ears burn in embarrassment remembering where they are and how Minseok’s feet are probably going to leave stains on Sehun’s polished laminate and leather furniture.

“Your housemate doesn’t like cats?” Lu Han asks helpfully. Sehun opens his mouth to answer, but a voice coming from inside the house cuts him. They all turn to the silhouette opening the door and standing in the doorway.

“Sehun, have you finally brought your friend?”

What catches Lu Han’s attention first is the man’s height - probably the same height as Sehun, if not taller. He looks immaculate in his white dress shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows where they reveal sunkissed skin and strong arms, tucked into jeans that fit perfectly around his thighs and calves. A pair of huge sunglasses that cover half of his face are perched on the guy’s nose – Lu Han recalls the man had just walked from inside of his house, but what does he know – a few strands of bleached hair falling into his eyes.

“Hyung, I’d like you to meet Zitao,” Sehun says as he points towards the tall man. Lu Han can almost feel his judging stare behind those awful frames. He’s about to greet Zitao, when the tall man gasps and Lu Han flinches as Minseok’s claws press into his back. He hears the catboy hiss when Zitao takes off his sunglasses, pushing them on the top of his head. Blond strands tangle with the temples, but Zitao doesn’t seem to care when he pushes Lu Han out of the way so he could have a better look at Minseok. Lu Han panics inwardly because they’re - he’s - going to lose the only chance of not spending the night in the streets, only because he couldn’t pry off the catboy when he wanted to. That voice inside of his head plays with his patience, but it all dies down the second Zitao lets out the loudest squeak Lu Han’s ever heard and hurls himself towards Minseok.

“Kitty! You didn’t tell me we were having a kitty as our guest, of my god~” Zitao says with his arms full of Minseok. The catboy visibly fights the contact, but Zitao seems oblivious to it, only tightening his arms around the hybrid.

“I didn’t get the chance,” Sehun explains, glaring daggers at Lu Han. Lu Han doesn’t know what to say, because everything feels so surreal when Zitao actually manhandles Minseok in his arms, carrying him inside the house. 

Minseok protest loudly, but Zitao doesn’t seem to mind the colorful curses leaving Minseok’s tongue, not even when he mentions something about his mother. Lu Han doesn’t manage to catch the interior, too preoccupied with the sight of Zitao dropping Minseok on the leather loveseat. The second he gets free, Minseok tries to scramble away, but Zitao catches him by the ankle and pulls him under his right arm.

“Good kitty,” he coos while he pets Minseok’s unruly hair, ignoring the bites Minseok leaves along him arm.

“Um,” Lu Han turns to Sehun, expecting an explanation. Sehun only shrugs, pointing towards the couch across Zitao for Lu Han to take a seat.

“Zitao really likes cats,” Sehun points out the obvious.

“I can see that.”

Lu Han takes the offered seat. He catches Minseok glaring at Lu Han, stuck between begging for help and killing Lu Han for bringing him to this faithful place. Lu Han clearly ignores him, focusing his attention to the enormous flat screen showing some fashion show. It keeps him entertained while Sehun moves around the livingroom nervously, biting onto his nails.

“Take a seat, Sehunnie,” Zitao says to the boy. Minseok now seems calmer in Zitao’s lap, the boy holding him hostage seemed to have found a sensitive spot behind Minseok’s furry ear. Zitao scratches the spot slowly, making Minseok relax even more. He’s still a bit tense, but no more than Sehun who’s still refusing to join them on the couch.

“I’m sorry for stealing your pet from you,” Zitao laughs. Minseok gives Lu Han a pointed look, obviously persuading him to clear the misunderstanding. 

“He’s not my pe-“

“I’m sure you don’t mind. You don’t seem like a jealous type, unlike Sehunnie.” Zitao gives Sehun a wink, to which the other boy only blushes.

“Zitao-sshi,” Lu Han starts, but Zitao cuts him quickly.

“Just call me Tao and please, drop the formalities, I’m much younger than you.”

“Tao,” Lu Han starts slowly, “Thank you for accepting us here. Minseok and I are only going to crash here for a day or two before we find another place to stay.”

“Minseok, how cute,” Zitao giggles as he flicks Minseok nose. Luckily, he avoids Minseok’s teeth as Lu Han grabs their attention by speaking again.

“And Minseok’s not my pe-“

“Sehun, will you please take a seat! You’re creating unnecessary tension that way.”

Sehun grumbles, but obeys. He takes a seat next to Lu Han. Lu Han can still notice how edgy the young boy is, his hands clenched into fists and jaw tense.

“Please continue,” Zitao says politely, to which Lu Han gives a small smile.

“As I was saying, Minseok’s not my p-“

“And I forgot to mention! You don’t have to stay for a day or two, god no. Stay as much as you want, Sehun and I don’t have company that often anyway.”

“Tao,” Sehun warns. “I think you’re forgetting something.”

Tao only shakes his head, confused by Sehun’s words. Sehun takes a deep breath and rubs the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb.

“You’re mother is visiting in two days.”

“Oh.”

“That’s right.”

This seems to make Tao relax his grip on Minseok. In panic Lu Han looks at Tao, then Sehun, not having the slightest clue what does Tao’s mother have to do with Minseok and him spending the night. Is she allergic to cats? Hopefully not, since Lu Han has no idea where Minseok and he could go. Pity was the card he was playing by and Zitao, by the looks of it, seemed to have bought it. Until now, that is.

“I’m sorry, hyung. But Zitao’s mother is-“he pauses, not knowing how to exactly explain Zitao’s parent in a simple way. He gestures wildly with his hands and Lu Han raises his eyebrows, urging Sehun to finish his sentence.

“What?”

“She’s against enslaving human hybrids,” Zitao says instead, making Minseok perk up at that.

“I’m not anyone’s slave! Especially not that pathetic human’s one-“

“Shush, kitty,” Zitao says, quieting Minseok with a scratch behind his ear. Minseok gives a last warning glare before easily falling back into Tao’s lap.

“I don’t understand,” Lu Han wails pathetically. They’re going to miss their only chance to sleep inside – his car doesn’t count – and only because of a misunderstanding. “Minseok’s a free individual with nothing holding him down.”

“What do you mean?” Tao asks.

“I mean that Minseok’s not my pet!”

“Oh hyung, I’m sure you mean that only as an excuse. You don’t have to be ashamed of having a pet, I heard even Jongdae-hyung got one months ago.”

Lu Han’s jaw clenches at the mention of Joonmyun, but Sehun doesn’t seem to catch it. He’s too busy watching Zitao intensely, following his every step and move of his hands over Minseok’s tiny ears.

“But isn’t there a way for us to stay over?”

“Zitao’s mother is very… I don’t know how to explain it, but she’s going to search every corner of the house to make sure if everything is in order and if she finds Minseok… I don’t want to be the one to explain it to her.”

“But,” Minseok finally voices out, catching them all off guard – Lu Han the most. His voice is unusually sweet, soft, resembling the one of a small child. He turns in Zitao’s lap, giving him the saddest look Lu Han’s ever seen and, oh my god, are those tears in the corner of his eyes. Lu Han gapes when Minseok pushes himself on his knees, his hands folded in his lap. Even with his face down, Lu Han can see the pout on his lips. He sniffles. Lu Han almost faints.

Tao whimpers at that, grabbing Minseok by his wrists and pulling him into his lap. Minseok easily complies, allowing the younger man to cradle him against his chest, curling the dark tail cutely around his own leg. There are no words to explain how Lu Han feels at the moment. Betrayed is probably the best.

Without any arguments or attempts to protest against Zitao’s plead, Sehun easily stands up and tells them, “There’s a guest room for you two upstairs.”

Zitao squeals at that and claps his hands in joy, Minseok doing the same.

“Thank you, we promise we’ll be quiet,” Minseok says to Zitao in a soft voice.

 Lu Han desperately tries not to roll his eyes or blush.

He does both.

~

Sehun shows them their room after that. Minseok runs to the bathroom before Lu Han could even drop their stuff by the bed, calling the first one for the shower. Not even the door is properly shut when Lu Han hears Minseok’s shorts hit the floor, followed by his shirt and underwear. With apologies to Sehun for ruining his innocent mind with the catboy’s little escapade, Lu Han shuts the bathroom door and turns to Sehun with a tight smile.

Sehun raises his eyebrows, signaling for Lu Han to talk when the shower goes on and all the noise drowns in the water droplets hitting the cold titles and ceramic walls. The door – cherry wood in light beige, simple but elegant like the rest of the place - leading out of the room are closed as well, allowing Lu Han to relax his shoulders and sit on the edge of the bed, his palms clasped tightly in his lap.

A tired laughs escapes his lips when Sehun sits next to him, waiting for Lu Han to say anything.

“What happened?” Sehun asks first. Lu Han pursues his lips and then gives another laugh.

“Man, you have no idea… Where do I even start?”

“Honestly, there’s only thing I’m really curious about – why did Jongdae-hyung kick you out?”

“Like you don’t know,” Lu Han scowls and allows his body to fall against the mattress, his palms behind his head. From there he can only see Sehun’s back, but he knows the boy well enough to imagine a frown upon his lips, the one he mostly prefers to wear.

“I do,” Sehun whispers, then turns to face Lu Han. Lu Han gulps when the younger boy says, “I want to hear your side of the story.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. Your cousin got that damn hybrid and kicked me out, since the cat and I couldn’t get along. He threw away our friendship like it’s nothing and over whom – a person with a tail and ears he can whenever he gets a chance to.”

It feels weird to finally put everything in words ever since Jongdae kicked him out and for some reason he doesn’t feel anything when he talks about his former friend and housemate. It must be because of Minseok – ironically, considering the boy is a cat hybrid as well – but this is the first time Jongdae is actually on his mind, allowing Lu Han to maybe clear out his thoughts when it comes to the other man. Somehow, Minseok’s been the perfect distraction and Lu Han’s not sure if he’s ready to face the reality yet. He remembers his little fight with Jongin, how badly he judged the young boy and his life, but not being able to do the same with his own.

 “Is that the only reason?”

“It is.”

“You’re only lying to yourself.”

“Don’t talk to me like that, I’m older than you!”

Sehun gives a deep sigh when Lu Han shots himself off the bed, choosing to stand at the very corner of the room, and then nervously pace to the other side. Then repeat the same, again, again and again.

“I’m only trying to help you,” Sehun says, his voice raised a bit. Lu Han stops to glare at him and Sehun doesn’t waver, instead stands up as well. He continues to stay by the bed though, Lu Han three steps away.

“How?”

“Jongdae mentioned you writing and you should continue it-“

“I’m still working on it, okay? I’m going to finish it when I want to.”

“I thought you had a deadline. Yif-“

Lu Han gives an exaggerated groan, muffling Sehun’s words concerning the Chinese man Lu Han doesn’t want to talk about right now. Especially about the deadline that was a month ago. Sehun doesn’t need to know that.

“How long have you been living like this?” Sehun asks.

“Like what?”

A leech

“Traveling”

“About two weeks, why?”

“You can’t do it forever, hyung. At one point you’ll have to settle down and look for a job or a place to live.”

“I seem to be doing fine for now, don’t you think so?”

When Sehun gives Lu Han a disappointed look, Lu Han’s not sure if he’s the older one anymore. Now when he gets a better look at Sehun, he can see how much the boy has changed, grew up, matured. It takes a moment for Lu Han to realize that he’s not a teenager anymore, that people change and move on as the time goes forward, pushing them to grow up and grab onto someone to hold as they switch into responsibilities and errands he doesn’t want to do. Lu Han doesn’t have anyone to hold onto, to push him in the world he doesn’t want to live in, hand in hand – not alone.

Alone – the word haunts him and suddenly he feels very anxious. He blames Sehun for it, so that’s why he pushes on Sehun’s most sensitive buttons, making him share the guilt.

“You’re the one to talk,” Lu Han spits out. “If I recall, the last time I saw you at Jongdae’s you dropped out of university and almost burned his place down. And now – look at you! Look at the place you live in and the car you drive. Who’s he?”

Sehun doesn’t have to hear the name to know Lu Han’s talking about the man sitting downstairs, trying to find the best delivery that has cat food or fish.

“Zitao’s a model,” Sehun explains, but doesn’t push it any further. Luckily, Lu Han’s there to do it instead of him.

“What’s he to you?”

“He’s a friend,” Sehun says too quickly, making Lu Han narrow his eyes at the boy. A malicious smile spreads across his lips.

“Then why are you trying to impress him so hard?”

Sehun’s ears go red, the smile Lu Han refuses to drop making it even worse. Humiliated, he walks to the door and says to the older boy, “Please think about it. I heard Yifan is in the town for his latest movie. This might be your last chance.”

The door shuts and it’s not until Minseok walks out of the bathroom than Lu Han moves to the bed, throwing the covers over his head.

“Was that Sehun right now?”

Lu Han doesn’t answer, too tired to think of an appropriate answer. His mind drifts off to the sound of Minseok calling his name and the smell of soap. The bed dips under Minseok’s weight and even with the sheets separating them, Lu Han can still feel his body heat, burning and burning his skin, but oh so amazing.

~

The last time Lu Han slept over the entire day, including most of the moon’s presence on the dark sky, was when he finished with his entry exam and passed out, indulging himself in a well–deserved sleep, hoping to never go through the same amount of exhaustion like back then.

Now, it’s around 3am when he wakes up, the house silent and bed empty. His body feels a tiny less exhausted, but his skin doesn’t burn with the same amount of pleasure it did this morning, when Minseok lay by his side. It’s cold; the air around him makes Lu Han curl into the duvet, pulling it over his shoulders as he sits in the bed and inspects the surroundings.

It’s too cloudy outside to differentiate anything in the room by the moonlight, but Lu Han easily notes the spot by him empty and the window opened, linen curtains swishing in the summer air. He doesn’t worry about Minseok’s non-presence, too busy trying to get back to sleep and relax his muscles. The chilly wind doesn’t bother him, not when he imagines the catboy curling again by him, warming him with his small hands around his torso and soft tail around his leg.

~

A loud thump and the sound of a window breaking shake Lu Han through his sleep. He jumps at the sound, still too dark to notice what caused the damage and woke him up, but the answer soon comes when the intruder falls on the mattress, making Lu Han push the covers and jump out of the bed in instant. Blindly, he pushes at the wall, trying to hit the lightswitch. He’s this close to screaming for help and running out of the door – he can’t believe he’s about to get robbed in Sehun’s house, right now when he found some peace – when the light goes on and Lu Han swiftly turns to see Minseok lying on the bed, clothes covered in dark blood, his chest moving rapidly, begging for air. With his mouth half opened, the catboy tries to calm his breathing, but the hand clutching on his side making it difficult for him.

“Minseok!” Lu Han calls and runs to the wounded catboy, helping him sit against the headboard. At this proximity, Lu Han can see the damage on Minseok’s skin, all over his arms and legs, some even over his round cheeks and broken lips. Somehow, Lu Han gets Minseok to let go of his right side, only to gasp at the size of a scratch that made Minseok’s shirt rip into tiny shreds, some even stuck in the shallow wound. It’s the amount of blood that catches Lu Han off guard, soaking Minseok’s thin clothes and the sheets beneath him.

“Lu Han,” Minseok groans, barely audible for Lu Han with the blood pressure buzzing in his ears and heart beating rapidly. He’s so scared and he has no idea what to do.

“Yes?”

Minseok looks at him with half-lidded eyes, mouth curled in a tiny smirk.

“Sehun’s going to kill us for dirtying the sheets.”

“Shut up, Minseok, that’s the last thing you should worry about,” Lu Han says in disbelief, but Minseok doesn’t hear it as his eyes close and body slumps against the headboard.

~

Sehun doesn’t question, too busy trying to calm Zitao ever since he spotted Lu Han covered up in blood by his bed, asking him to call for help.

Luckily, Sehun knows a woman living down the street, a young internist working at a private clinic. She doesn’t hesitate with packing her stuff straight away when Sehun calls her and mentions “open wounds” and “passed out boy” in his house. The doorbell rings not minutes after that. She pushes Lu Han aside who was kneeling by the bed the entire time, pressing a bathroom towel over the wound. She doesn’t raise questions, only tells Sehun to get whimpering Zitao out of the room. Sehun obeys, pulling Lu Han with him, promising she will take good care of Minseok. Lu Han believes him, so he lets himself to be dragged by Sehun and planted next to a shaken Zitao in the living room, the model holding a glass of whiskey and talking small gulps now and then.

Lu Han settles with his palms in his lap, trying to calm his shaking hands. It’s difficult with Sehun hovering over him like that, glaring angrily.

 “I’m sorry for ruining your bed sheets,” Lu Han whispers for only Zitao to hear, but the boy only shrugs it off with a hand not holding the whiskey.

“What happened?” Sehun asks. His glare softens when he sees how anxious Lu Han is. He sighs, pushing away his blonde hair and dropping by Lu Han’s feet.

“I don’t know,” Lu Han answers honestly.

Zitao scoffs next to him, turning to glare at the older boy. “How can you not know? He’s your pet, aren’t you supposed to take care of him?!”

“He’s not my pe-“ Lu Han tries to protest, but gives up knowing it’s worthless trying to explain it at this point. Zitao only rolls his eyes and turns to look through the window covering most of the wall. It isn’t dark outside anymore, some people jogging down the street, surprised to see Zitao hunched in his sofa and glaring at anyone who dares to look at him at this hour.

“What time is it?”

“Six am,” Sehun says. Lu Han nods, switching his attention to his folded hands. Sehun doesn’t question anything further.

The doctor comes out of the room only twenty minutes after that, equipment in her hands. She stands at the top of the staircase, searching for something. When her eyes land on Lu Han, she squints, making Lu Han feel uncomfortable under her judging gaze.

“Who’s the owner?”

Sehun only pushes Lu Han by his arm to step forward, giving him a warning glare if he tries to protests against the unflattering title.

“I am,” Lu Han says and she nods. When she reaches the lowest stair she pushes a bottle of pills in Lu Han’s hands and gestures with her chin to a little note plastered over the container.

“He needs to take them once a day,” she says and that’s also what’s written on the note. “He’s going to be okay. He’s a hybrid, their wounds heal faster than ours, but that doesn’t mean you’re not supposed to clean his injuries regularly and change the bandage. If you need any help, Sehun knows where to get me.”

Lu Han only nods and Sehun’s the one who thanks her, offering to her to the door.

The moment she steps out of his sight, Lu Han runs up the stairs and into the room where Minseok is. He doesn’t knock before he steps inside and closes the door quietly after him.

Minseok’s awake, lying on now clean covers and playing with dust speckles in the air. He gives a timid sigh when he sees Lu Han standing in the doorway, the bottle of pills clutched tightly in his hand.

“How are you?”

“You can stand closer you know, I’m not going to bite.”

Lu Han mutters something under his breath, but moves closer nonetheless, surprising Minseok when he settles at the foot of the bed. For some reason, he refuses to meet Minseok’s eyes, instead watching the bottle in his hands and letters written over it. Because of it, Minseok tries to push Lu Han with his bare foot, but curse his height, so he chooses on throwing a small pillow and hitting Lu Han efficiently on the head.

Immediately, Lu Han turns to glare and maybe even hit back, but at the sight of Minseok, wrapped all over and patched, he looks away, the bottle in hands more interesting once again.

“I think it would be more suitable for me to ask if you’re okay,” Minseok says.

“You scared me,” Lu Han confesses and blushes when he sees Minseok smile at the corner of his eye, “and by that I mean when you broke the window and scared the out of me. I thought you were a burglar or something.”

“Yeah right,” Minseok chuckles, making Lu Han grab his foot and squeeze his thumb playfully. At that, Minseok erupts in a fit of laughter and this time gets to push Lu Han away with his foot. He moans in pain suddenly when he tries to sit up, making Lu Han jump in instant and reach for Minseok’s forearm. He helps him sit and Minseok groans when he touches at the gauze covering his right side, sticking to most of the ribs and abdomen. Lu Han pushes his hand away, warning him about something including disinfection and other terms Minseok can’t understand.

This time, Lu Han doesn’t settle by the foot of the bed, but sits closer to Minseok so their thighs are touching, warmth seeping through their skin.

“Everyone thinks it’s my fault you got hurt. They’re convinced an owner should never let something like this happen to his pet.”

“You’re not my owner, though,” Minseok says with a grin, but Lu Han only shrugs, turning so he could cross his legs on the bed. Minseok tries to move so he could make space for the other man, but Lu Han stops him with a hand on his thigh, muttering that he’s okay. He’s fine like this.

“I don’t think they’re quite convinced yet,” Lu Han explains with a tilt of lips, only for a brief moment though. There’s no reason he should feel bad for seeing Minseok in this condition, bandage and gauze running up his already frail limbs, since the catboy was never his responsibility, so he asks, “Will you tell me what happened?”

Shockingly, Minseok doesn’t protest.

“What do you know about me, Lu Han?” he asks.

Lu Han doesn’t know anything about Minseok besides being a stray, living on the dark streets of Seoul and being awfully persistent. His hobbies include harassing Lu Han and eating his food. So Lu Han tells him exactly that.

Minseok agrees about everything, asking again with a playful smirk, “Anything else?”

“That’s pretty much it,” Lu Han says, urging Minseok to tell him more. And that’s exactly what Minseok does.

~

“There isn’t much to tell you about my childhood than you already know from typical hybrid stories you saw on TV. I grew up in a shelter, abandoned by a pair who couldn’t take care of a mutant child, but was lucky enough to find good people who wouldn’t judge or push me around for being different.

I met a lot of people while I was in the shelter, some like me and other normal, and as I grew up I learned from many documentaries they played for us that the reason I have this weird attachment and an extra pair of ears wasn’t nothing more but a very complicated genetic mutation – rare, but possible – and not something I should be ashamed of since there were a lot of people who were just like me. They walked on the streets, had jobs, families and friends – both human and hybrid ones – and that’s what made me believe I could be one of them. Just because I was abandoned for something that made me different, it didn’t stop me from accepting it as something unique and a part of me. I wasn’t self conscious, I wanted to have a normal life – that’s why, when I turned seventeen, I ran from the shelter and onto the streets.

What I didn’t know was that the sheltered box I grew up in wasn’t like the dead corner of a back alley, or the subway after 3AM. People in the outside world didn’t shake my hand like the ones back home. They did what they wanted with me, threw me out of restaurants even though I had money and wouldn’t let me work the simplest of jobs. I was a freak to them but, believe it or not, it didn’t bring me down. It couldn’t - not when I met Yixing.

I met the catboy while I was sleeping in some back alley, only three streets down the place where you lived with Jongdae. He joked about me stealing his spot and cardbox. I almost brushed him off, but a part of me really need a companion during the days I was never prepared for, not to mention I haven’t ate in days or slept more than three hours in a row. I told him my name and I was surprised to learn he was only a year younger than me. He was never in a shelter, grew up on the streets and you should have seen his reaction when I told him about my life before I escaped. He couldn’t help but scold me for running away, but accepted me nevertheless.

It was easy to fall into friendship with Yixing after that. He was incredibly kind; he shared his food with me, let me sleep on the old mattress we would dig out of the dumpster and even give his clothes to me when it got too cold. He was also the one who learned me how to pickpocket, believe it or not. He introduced me to his closest friends, boys and girls who were doomed to the same life as us. Surprisingly, I wasn’t bothered with a life like that. I was young, careless and stupid; of course I could do it forever if I only had Yixing by my side who shared his only piece of bread with me and hugged me when I got cold. And I did it - I lived my life as Yixing’s dead limb for three years until I got introduced to cruelty I was protected from my entire life.

Pickpocketing or sleeping in alleys that smelled like piss were nothing compared to how some hybrids, my friends, earned to live for one night on the streets. I remember when I first saw one of our friends enter a car just round the corner, or how Junseo was always covered in bruises even though he was a tough guy who never let anyone lay a finger on him. Apparently he did when he got paid, and not only him. I feared Yixing and I would have to do the same, but Yixing spent nights convincing me he would never let anyone touch me, how he would protect me from the rest of the world. Ironically, considering he was younger and it had been expected from me to do so, to protect him and hide from all the evil we had to go through. I wowed I would be the one to care of him as well and if we had each other nothing bad could ever happen to us. And that’s where I was wrong.

It was one afternoon after we managed to steal a raw steak from the market; we hid ourselves in the park and Yixing, as always, insisted I should get the bigger slice. It was nothing out of unusual; the park was filled with people, children would occasionally approach us until their parent would drag them away, muttering about rabies and fleas, but it didn’t bother us the slightest. We didn’t pay attention. Happy is what we were, until a guy came up to us with all pleasant smiles and tailored suit, offering the most amazing chance of our lives. I was about to brush him off, but Yixing took me off guard when he took the guy’s card and muttered how he will contact him. I thought it was a way for my friend to get rid of the man, but two days later Yixing told me how he got into touch with the stranger and wanted me to meet him as well.

I couldn’t believe it! Yixing wanted to sell our bodies to some disgusting man who was into the whole hybrid ersion, maybe even offer us to other people and never set us free. It was one thing I learned from all the years of living in the streets - once you get involved in the whole business aside, there’s no way you’re ever getting out.

Before I could even protest, Yixing explained how it had nothing to do with what I was thinking about, but something entirely different. Something no one has ever tried before. The guy was apparently a doctor, some sorts I guess, who was working on a project that included research about hybrids’ genes, mutations and other stuff that involved around us. I was skeptical, of course, but Yixing – oh Yixing – it took him seconds to convince me into doing it. He promised it’s going to be harmless, just a couple of drops of blood and we could go home. It was Yixing – of course I agreed immediately.

It turned out the guy was really a doctor, apparently even rich enough so he could afford his own laboratory with all the latest equipment, including a staff consisted of only the best experts in the field. They took us to a fancy lab, got us to sign some papers. We also got to take a proper shower – something I haven’t had in months – and dress into those white hospital gowns you see on TV. As promised, they took our blood and ran all the analysis it required to distinguish how apparently we had some special gene that could finally help them get behind all the hybrid mystery. It was all a blunt lie, of course it was.

You think it’s necessary to see how fast my wounds are going to heal, just so you can realize why I’m a half-cat? You want to know how fast? Let me tell you: tree hours for blunt scratches, an entire day for open wounds, a week for electroshocks and two for a broken bone.

Yixing got it even worse. I never got to see him, we were kept in separate rooms, but I could hear him and sometimes I still do. When the night falls and silence is all that surrounds me, I hear him cursing, fighting, screaming my name, begging them to stop. It was five years ago when it all happened and I still can’t stop seeing Yixing in my dreams, holding me by the shoulder and promising me it’s going to get better. He’s going to protect me. I promised the same and I’ve done nothing.

They held us there for weeks or possibly months? After they got what they wanted, I got sent to a shelter, but this wasn’t like the one I used to call home. This one had silver cages and ugly collars, offered to curious viewers if they wanted someone to mate their pet with or clean their house. Or if they wanted a partner for themselves, perhaps? Oh, we could be anything they wanted.

I never saw Yixing after that. I was sent to some shop in south Seoul where they couldn’t get anyone to buy me. I was the loud, boisterous cat who never listens to their master and no one wanted that as a pet. Why would they? That’s why I made the job easier for them; I ran away a month after that, during the night when no one was looking out after us. I also set free all the hybrids that were in the same shop as me. They only thing I regret is not seeing the owner’s face when he found the shop deserted, nothing but feathers and hairballs in the cages.

It’s after that when my search for Yixing has started. I ran through every hybrid shop I knew, asked around, but no one ever saw the catboy I looked for so hard or heard the name Yixing to begin with. After I’ve found our friends, some were happy that I have returned, but I couldn’t help but feel how some of them blamed me for Yixing’s disappearance. According to them, it’s was me who made Yixing agree to everything. It was me who enchanted his mind, made him risk everything for me. I never told them what happened at the lab; they would never forgive me.

My search for Yixing never stopped. The first time I heard about him was two years after he had disappeared – a friend told me how his umm, partner, talks about a Chinese feline with huge eyes and dimple that everyone wants to get their hands on. He hadn’t mentioned a name, but I never blinked in front of an information, so I got to the luxurious part of the town where questionable host clubs and bars were. It wasn’t difficult to locate the shop, but when I asked for Yixing, the saleswoman snapped at me because of never hearing the name until now, right before she kicked me out.

 Even though most of my friends were angry at me, they still shared all the information they heard about Yixing. They wanted to find him as badly as I did. Months later is when I heard about a hybrid named Lay about to get adopted by some Korean tycoon and then moving to Busan. The boy was well-known in the tight circle of some of the wealthiest hybrid collectors; mostly known by his beauty and obedience. A perfect trophy to display is what they described him as. I couldn’t risk this slipping through my fingers, so I sneaked onto the first train to Busan with nothing but my clothes on me.

The second I walked off the train I got beat up by some strays, probably in search of food and money. They were suspicious towards the newcomer, not mention I was thin as branch, a perfect target for them to pick on. I got hurt so badly it took me hours to get off the cold sidewalk, but if you ask me if it was worth it, I would agree. I found out the so called Lay was indeed in this town, living in plush and silk. It was easy to locate the house he apparently lived in; it’s was very distinguishable with its iron gates, fish pool and mown garden. And right in the garden, surrounded by yellow roses* laid Yixing, with a leather collar around his neck, mewling up his master’s trousers.

I wanted to call out for him, tell him how happy I was since I’ve finally found him! But the sight of him like that, dressed in linen and furs, skin pale as porcelain and dimple visible – he looked happy. And who was I to get in the way of something like that? I walked away, but not without the last goodbye. If I only I had kept my mouth shut– oh Lu Han, if you could’ve seen his face you would understand why I never stopped my search for him, not even after all these years.

The guards yelled at me, pushed him inside the house and didn’t let me approach the property days after that. I asked, begged the guards to let me talk to Yixing – they’ve never heard the name - Lay – told me Lay doesn’t live here anymore - anyone - they chased me away.

Desperate, I got back to Seoul. Ah-Young, a friend of mine, helped me get back on my feet. I told her I found Yixing, that he’s happy and doesn’t want to go back. She was satisfied with the answer and she was also the one with whom I have spent the past couple of years of my life in Seoul. Of course, until I met you.

You seemed like a perfect free ride for me to get to the southern part of the state, especially after I’ve heard that Yixing lives with his new owner in Gwangju.

Okay, you might get upset when you hear this, but I have long known Joonmyun before you. And he was also the one who told me about his owner’s fried about to move and … who was a bit air-headed. No offense, but you were the perfect target. I mean, for how long did you drive without noticing me? Five hours, was it? Never mind; the point is the only thing you had to do was to give me a ride to my rightful destination and I would give you a break and leave for good.

That’s why I went out at this hour, to search for my long lost friend who apparently moved out of this town just a couple of days ago. No one knows where he is right now, but I’m sure if I search for long enough, I might actually find him. This is the first time I’ve been this close to him ever since the incident in Busan and I’m sure I’ll get to him this time. I am so close, Lu Han, more than ever.”

~

When he finally ends his monologue, Lu Han stays quiet long enough for Minseok to rise slowly to his knees and sit ahead of Lu Han, mimicking the human’s posture, his legs crossed. Their knees touch, and Lu Han doesn’t flinch, even when he feels as if he’s been burned.

Not sure what to feel – anger and betrayal for being used, or pity and sympathy towards Minseok’s loneliness he once felt himself –Lu Han only allows Minseok to place his hands over his own ones.

Morning sun falls upon them as they sit in silence, nothing but the sound of their breathing filling the room as Lu Han tires to find words and let Minseok know how angry he is, betrayed and used. But nothing except for an honest “Sorry” and a heavy sigh lets him express his emotions and show the eternal weakness towards this stray, lone and useless as himself.

“What are you going to do now?” Lu Han asks. He doesn’t know what else to say.

“I’m going to stay here. The Gwangju strays may be dangerous, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.” He shrugs, giving Lu Han a gummy smile, all small teeth and sharp canines. Lu Han feels his own lips curl in a smile. He gives Minseok a pat on the knee, his hand may holding there a second longer, and pulls away. Telling Minseok to lay in the bed and get proper rest, Lu Han walks to the door.

Minseok’s still sitting on the bed, slightly surprised by Lu Han’s sudden departure.

“Where are you going?”

“To let you rest, of course.”

“I don’t think we’re quite done here.” Lu Han blinks, confused. Minseok laughs. “I think you owe me a story as well.”

Lu Han looks even more puzzled, so he says, “I told you everything you should know about me.”

“I don’t think so. You’ve never told me what’s with you and that Yifan guy you don’t like talking about so much.”

A smile tugs at the corner of Lu Han’s lips. “If I don’t like talking about him, why do you ask me then?”

“I think it’s only fair. But I understand if you don’t want to…”

“Nah, I’ll tell you,” Lu Han says nonchalantly, concern washing off Minseok’s face. “Yifan is one of my college friends, only three years older, along with Jongdae. He’s also from China, same major as I. Unlike me, he graduated on time, plus he became a quite successful movie director. For some reason, I guess it’s because we went through the same hardships during studies – you know, being foreigners, language and cultural barriers – we stayed in touch, with him always being extra protective and careful towards me.”

Minseok’s listening patiently when Lu Han tells him about his favorite moments with Kris and Jongdae, how much fun they had during their careless spring break and days before, right before everything went downhill. For Lu Han, at least.

“Like I said, he became a successful TV and movie producer. Two years ago he gave a proposal. It was for me to finish the book I’ve been working on since college and he’d submit it to one of the most famous publishing companies. I always suspected Jongdae to have his fingers in this whole idea, but apparently it was all Yifan’s good will. Even though I dropped out of school, I always had talent for writing and the book was over in less than a year.”

“That’s great!” Minseok says. “Why haven’t you submitted it yet?”

Lu Han fumbles on his feet, nervously playing with the loose strings of his hoodie, an anxious smile playing on his lips. It’s Minseok’s intense gaze, a full of hope one, that weights him down. More than ever, he feels like an utter disappointment. In front of him stands a boy than went through so much in his life, events that couldn’t compare to Lu Han’s ones, and there’s him - a human enveloped in a complex of insecurity and unworthiness. Sometimes it’s easier to think of excuses in your head than to say them out loud.

“I never thought it’s good enough. The book, you know. There’s a reason I dropped out of university – I wasn’t good enough for a world like that. Who’s going to guarantee me success now?”

“No one is,” Minseok says harshly, making Lu Han step back. Only, his expression softens instantly when he meets Lu Han’s gaze across the room. “But no one says you’ll fail as well. Except for you, of course. Life is a huge pile of and risk, Lu Han. It’s something I’ve learned over the past few years, but somehow, in the end, all the hardship pays out. Look at me, for example. It took me years to find Yixing and after all this time he still manages to slip through my fingers, but it’s the almost-there almost-now moments that keep pushing me forward. It’s why I haven’t given up yet, Lu Han. And you shouldn’t give up as well.”

“There’s only one issue,” Lu Han whispers.

Minseok tilts his head confusedly, asking, “What?”

“Remember how I had a deadline? Well, it was a month ago. I don’t think he’ll accept the work now even if I do try and submit it.”

Minseok frowns a bit, mulling the though over and over in his head, before he says, “If he’s really a close friend like you’ve mentioned, then I’m sure he’ll forgive you. What’s thirty days compared to two years?”

Lu Han wants to tell Minseok how he doesn’t know Yifan, the precision and slight OCD of the man, always striving to perfection and success. He almost killed Lu Han for making him wait twenty minutes that one time, Lu Han can only image what would these thirty days do to him.

“I guess,“ is what he tell Minseok in the end.

Minseok nods at that, pointing Lu Han towards the door. “I’m tired. I’d like to take a nap now if you don’t mind.”

Lu Han’s eyes widen. Quickly, he pulls the handle he’d been holding onto for the past ten minutes, the door opening for him. He’s not sure if there’s something he should tell Minseok, maybe thank him or offer his consolidations, only for Minseok to beat him to it with a laugh under the blanket and, “You’re not that bad after all, human.”

Lu Han smirks. “You too, catboy.”

~

Zitao’s mother arrives a day after the incident with Minseok. Sehun panics when the blood on the sheets won’t wash off, he panics even more when he finds Minseok’s onyx fur on the couch cushions’ and he panics the most when the luxurious Maserati parks in the driveway and the living room still smells like salmon since it’s Minseok favorite food and Zitao likes spoiling the catboy with his beloved treats.

Mrs. Huang doesn’t notice the smell, or at least she doesn’t mention it, too bemused with the sight of trembling Sehun with sweaty palms he’s, not so subtly, trying to wipe off his dress pants.

Out of everything, Lu Han regrets the most he can’t witness his only opportunity to see the breaking of Sehun’s ice cold attitude, along with the smile he probably won’t take off as long as the older woman spends her time in the radius of three meters near Sehun.

“Aaghhh,” Lu Han screams in the pillow, his voice luckily muffled by the silky material. Minseok doesn’t spare him a glance, too preoccupied with some artsy magazine he has in his lap. They’ve been stuck in this exact room for the past seven hours, strictly forbidden to leave under any circumstances. Sehun left them enough food to survive for an entire month, plus the bathroom is connected to the room, so there’s absolutely no need for them to leave the bedroom. At all.

 Of course, that hasn’t stopped Lu Han from peeking outside the door once or twice – okay, maybe three times – only to hear Sehun’s forced laugh.

“You sound so mean when you laugh like that,” Minseok had commented from the bed he was lying on. His wounds still haven’t fully recovered, but now he could move around the room and do simple tasks like go to the bathroom without Lu Han assisting him or open a can of tuna, but he still bossed Lu Han around, letting out execrated moans of pain if he had to open the window by himself or grab an extra blanket.

In the first hour Lu Han was too preoccupied with laughing at Sehun’s misery or crying over his own, but now he’s utterly and absolutely and nothing else but bored, the catboy who overslept most of their imprisonment not amusing him at all. Now, Minseok has one of Zitao’s magazines opened, occasionally asking for Lu Han to bring him fruit or another bottle of water.

“You’re such a pain in the ,” Lu Han mutters as he stands from the bed and goes for the water. Minseok only sends him a kiss.

~

“Absolutely not!”

“Suit yourself”

Minseok tightens the covers around him, turning his back on Lu Han. Lu Han continues to stand dumbly by the bed, clutching a fluffy pillow and a Hello Kitty blanket in his hands.

With a sigh, Lu Han takes the duvet from the bed, along with another blanket if it gets too uncomfortable and deadly for his spine nerves. Luckily, it’s almost the end of August and it’s still warm enough for Lu Han not to complain about cold feet or the open window. The smell of elderberry** is heavy in the air. If it weren’t for hardwood floor he’s forced onto, Lu Han feels like he could sleep for days, bask in the bed of white petals and forget about tomorrow and everything the sunrise brings upon him.

But it’s Minseok that gets to huddle against summer nights, away from Lu Han who never seems to settle his mind about the catboy. It’s Minseok’s confession about his alliance with Joonmyun that confuses – worries – him the most. It’s because he’s supposed to be furious, over the top mad at the catboy who planned doom behind Lu Han’s back. But Lu Han feels nothing. He’s certainly not happy about it, but he’s also not fuming like he’s supposed to be. He feels nothing and it’s also maybe why he takes the pillow from the floor, rolls the blanket under his arm and puts the pile on the bed Minseok lies on.

Without a word, Lu Han dips under the blanket Minseok used as a cover, one hand tightening on the back on Minseok’s shirt and other around his waist. And Minseok accepts him just the same – wordlessly, gratefully and with a pattern of fingers on Lu Han’s own.

~

When a night and two days pass, Lu Han feels like he’s about to go mad. Tao’s mother is still sleeping on the floor bellow and Minseok’s not showing any signs of recovery other than snapping at Lu Han every ten seconds for not drawing the blinds tight enough or giving him the apple that’s obviously not his favorite shade of red.

Other than complaining about every sudden movement of his back or the pain under his right rib, Minseok looks perfectly fine for someone who went through an injury that would be deadly for an ordinary human. But Minseok isn’t human, especially ordinary. His skin is a healthy shade of pink, wrists not as bony as they were two weeks ago, not to mention his cheeks have rounded from all the food Lu Han’s been serving him.

When Lu Han comments on it though, Minseok mentions something about skinning Lu Han alive and feeding him to the strays if he ever in his life decides to talk about Minseok’s round cheeks.

~

(Sometimes later Lu Han would tease how he never forbid Lu Han to touch – he almost lost a hand that one time, but it was so worth it.)

~

On the third day Zitao’s mother almost catches them since it’s Lu Han who’s too loud about UNO and Minseok can’t stop laughing at Lu Han’s face whenever he brings out the Draw Four card.

A knock interrupts their game when Lu Han groans in frustration at the obvious advantage Minseok has over him. Minseok jumps so fast that all the cards under his and hoodie pocket fall out on the floor. Lu Han wants to push him off the bed or throw him through the window since he’s been losing his patience over a damn game he got outsmarted at, but the hand on the lock gives him no other option than to grab Minseok by the hand and squish their bodies inside the smallest closet Zitao probably has in the house.

Blinds on the door won’t let Lu Han see anything, but he feels and hears; feels the heat building around his and Minseok’s tangled bodies and hears Zitao’s mother searching for intruders, feels Minseok’s hand on his hip and hears the room being rummaged through, feels Minseok’s breath on his neck and hears someone else walking inside the room – Zitao, by the sound of it – feels Minseok warm lips on his neck and suddenly Lu Han hears nothing but Minseok, feels nothing but Minseok and wants nothing else but Minseok.

The urge to turn around and kiss Minseok on those full lips drowns in the sound of the couple leaving the room and Minseok’s gummy smile letting them know they can leave their hideout. Lu Han doesn’t smile back and Minseok doesn’t question.

The same evening Sehun send Lu Han a simple text:

ur an idiot.

Lu Han couldn’t agree more.

~

On the fourth night, with Minseok clutching onto his arm, Lu Han’s not sure if nothing is what he really feels.

~

“What do you think about Zitao and Sehun?” Lu Han asks on a cloudy afternoon, a duvet he’s sharing with Minseok making him press only a tad closer, his toes colliding with the catboy’s. Dark ears on the top of Minseok’s head twitch at the touch, but his gaze stays firm on Lu Han’s face. He’s closer now and his hand feels warm next to Lu Han’s.

“They gave us enough food to survive for months and a place to sleep… If they were hiding a dead body in the fridge I honestly wouldn’t care as long as I could keep this blanket and maybe those salmon biscuits.”

Lu Han frowns. “Why are you like that?”

“Like what?”

“Greedy”

Minseok snorts, making Lu Han push his shoulder playfully. “And why are you like that?”

“Like what?” Lu Han asks and Minseok grins.

“Acting as if you only met me now.”

“I was hoping my hallowed presence changed you for the best”

“Yeah right,” Minseok laughs, making Lu Han rolls his eyes and turn on his back. The red sweater he wears gets caught on the tip of Minseok’s sharp nail when he tries to turn and face the ceiling. It’s a recent habit he discovered about Minseok, how he liked to play with the most random stuff at any moment, to please his unruly nature.

Minseok drops the now ruined material, a short string still twirled around his nail when he mimics Lu Han’s posture and turns to lie on his back as well. 

“When I asked about Zitao and Sehun, I meant about their relationship.”

“Oh, that.”

Lu Han doesn’t look at Minseok when he asks, “Do you think they’re dating?”

Minseok stays quiet for a minute or so until he says, “I don’t think so. Do you?”

“I don’t know,” Lu Han says honestly. “I keep trying to figure them out, but Sehun is always denying his feelings towards Zitao.”

 “If he says there’s nothing, then it’s probably true.”

Lu Han’s eyebrows furrow. “Then why is he trying so hard to impress his mother and everything else involving Zitao?”

“Maybe he’s only grateful?” Minseok shrugs.

Lu Han wants to says, ‘Like me?’ but instead he lets his actions speak for him when he takes Minseok’s hand in his. Minseok doesn’t protest when Lu Han tangles their fingers.

They’re close now and Minseok’s hand feels warm in his.

~

On the fifth night Minseok goes missing again. Lu Han doesn’t want to search for him – he knows he’ll be back – but the image of open wounds Minseok carries and the weight of bandage on his chest makes him restless and scared.

He spends the night by the open window, his thoughts about his own open wounds and the trail of blood he leaves behind as he passes obstacles that aren’t actually obstacles, but only crossroads and round ways of leaving behind his problems. They’re nothing but misery and excuses, directed only at him. And he keeps taking the wrong turn, while Minseok takes the same, only in the right direction.

~

On the sixth morning, Lu Han wakes to warm skin against his own, fur around his thigh and Sehun yelling profanities at the ketchup stain on the carpet.

“Is she finally gone?” Lu Han groans, stretching his sore limbs and allowing Minseok to curl up closer.

Sehun doesn’t question their pose or why are they sleeping under the window frame, only pushes the blinds open and, luckily, blocks the infiltrating sun with his lofty posture. Lu Han can see the younger’s nose scrunching, probably at the open bag of salty chips they left on the cupboard last night, but doesn’t comment anything.

“I’ll take the silence as a yes.”

With the room now illuminated and dust speckles dancing in the sunlight, Lu Han manages to sneak a glance at the sleeping catboy without any new bruises or wounds to match the ones before. With a sigh of relief, Lu Han allows his shoulder to drop and for Minseok to put his weight on the wall behind, his chin settling in the curve of his collarbone.

Sehun’s still muttering something under his breath and pushing at the clothes on the floor with his foot when Lu Han calls his name. Sehun turns with hands on his hips, a snarky reply already on his tongue, but Lu Han cuts him when he says, “I’m going to submit my work.”

It takes a moment for Sehun to process the information, still too upset over the mess Lu Han and Minseok left.

“What?”

“I said I’m going to submit my work.”

“To whom? Yifan?”

“Yup”

Sehun goes silent again, but the curve of his lip doesn’t go unnoticed by Lu Han.

“Whatever, just make sure you clean after yourself before you leave.”

“Sure do!” Lu Han calls after Sehun walks through the door, the wood slamming after him. Minseok stirs a bit in his sleep, but not enough to wake up. Lu Han takes it as a chance to grab his laptop sitting by the bed and open dozens of emails he allowed to pile up for weeks.

Finding Yifan’s email address, Lu Han opens a clean page and starts writing.

~

“Well, he was decent enough to reply in less than an hour,” Lu Han tells Sehun when the younger boy passes him a mug of coffee and sits opposite of Lu Han, a cup of mint tea in his hands.

They’re the only two in the spacey kitchen, Zitao gone hours ago to drive his mother to the airport. A floor above, Minseok is still soundly asleep, only this time on the bed Lu Han totally did not carry him to. And he totally did not stand like the biggest creep and watched how peaceful the catboy is, occasionally mumbling something in his sleep and slapping his lips where tiny fangs peeked from.

 “What else did he say?” Sehun asks.

“Said how yes, it is true he was filming in Gwangju but he went back to Seoul a couple of days ago. I asked if he wanted to talk over a drink, like a couple of old friends we were, and he told me he lives on the same address as he did two years ago.”

Sehun nods at the every word Lu Han says, and then asks, “So what are you going to do now?”

“I’m leaving tonight for Seoul.”

“Wait, tonight!? Why so fast?”

Lu Han shrugs. “I’ve waited long enough, I can’t afford to lose any more time, especially after he agreed to meet me after all these years.”

Sehun takes a gulp of his tea, nodding once again. “That does make sense.”

“I know.”

“And what about Minseok?”

Lu Han’s eyes perk up from the coffee mug to the tall boy sitting on the bar stool across his own. “What do you mean what about Minseok?”

“Well, considering he’s ‘not your pet’,” Sehun makes small air-quotes with his fingers, “I guess there’s no need for you to take him back.”

“I… haven’t thought about it,” Lu Han says honestly, and really – he hasn’t. The decision came so fast to him he hadn’t thought about Minseok, or what he wants, or how he told Lu Han he’s now closer than ever. Minseok’s been a part of his journey from the very start, it actually feels so surreal for him not to come with Lu Han and pester him all the way back and eat all of his food.

He’s been there from the very start and it hasn’t occurred to Lu Han for a split second he might actually say no this time and leave Lu Han for good. Something clenches inside of his stomach and Lu Han blames the coffee for it.

“Where are you going?” Sehun asks when Lu Han stands from his stool, pushing the coffee mug away.

“To pack,” he says quietly and turns his back on Sehun when the younger warns about the mess in the room and how he isn’t going anywhere until everything is spotless.

~

Minseok is sleeping soundly even while Lu Han packs. He doesn’t seem to mind the ruckus, not even when Lu Han almost breaks the ceramic mug of milk he brought for Minseok when the latter wakes from his nap.

Now, after weeks of journey that seemed like it would never end, Lu Han finally takes the right turn with only a single backpack and a laptop in his right hand. Most of his stuff, the ones he brought over from Jongdae’s place, had been lost along the way. Luckily, his most precious memories were seated closest to him, in the bag he wears over his shoulder, everything except for his Jaejoong merch which Baekhyun took. Lu Han wonders if it’s too late for him to go to the cursed farm and claim it back. One day, maybe. Definitely not now when Minseok is slowly opening his heavy eyelids, mewling softly at the sun in his eyes, cold feet pushing at the covers and reaching for Lu Han who’s sitting on the edge of the bed.

Minseok doesn’t speak at first, choosing to glance at Lu Han through soft eyelashes. With his dark hair, perfect contrast compared to the pale sheets he lies upon, and small hands playing with Lu Han’s shadows, Lu Han can only think how beautiful Minseok is.

“Where are you going?”

“Huh?”

Minseok chuckles in the covers, his voice muffled under the white cotton and early afternoon air.

“I asked - where are you going? Why did you pack?”

Lu Han gulps nervously and it doesn’t go unnoticed by Minseok who sits in the bed slowly, his t-shirt revealing so much, but hiding even more. Lu Han feels exposed under the catboy’s sharp gaze, but Minseok continues to even further.

“You’re blushing!”

“I am?” Lu Han touches his cheeks and they do feel warm, so warm he gets even more embarrassed by the fact and it paints his neck crimson as well. “It’s hot in here.”

“Yeah right,” Minseok rolls his eyes, “so where are you headed?”

When Lu Han doesn’t answer, Minseok’s ears flatten against his head and he uses one of the pillows to support his back against the headboard, clawed fingers intertwined in his lap.

“Seoul”

“Seoul?”

“Yeah”

“When?”

“Tonight”

Minseok looks at the window watching over the back yard where nothing but an elder was planted, probably left there by the previous owners, considering neither Sehun nor Zitao liked dirtying their hands.

“That’s in a couple of hours.”

“Seven, if you want to be more precise.”

“Oh,” Minseok’s gaze wanders from the window to the man sitting next to his feet, “and why are you going back there again?”

“I’ve submitted my work to Yifan, he wants to go over it in person.”

Unlike Sehun, Minseok doesn’t try to hide his smile. His ears perk up again, onyx tail that was hiding under the covers the entire time finds its way behind Minseok’s back and settles by his hip.

Feeling hopeful, Lu Han says, “I’ve packed your stuff as well.”

There weren’t many things to pack, mostly because Minseok didn’t have any personal belonging; all the stuff he wore were either things he snatched from Lu Han or what Zitao had bought him. It all fitted in Lu Han’s bag, along with everything Lu Han possessed and it was enough.

But, all hope Lu Han held drains when he no longer can feel Minseok’s eyes on him.

“Minseok?”

“I’m not coming with you.”

“Oh, right.”

“Yeah”

“You used me to get what you want, why did I ever hope you’d come with me.”

Grabbing his laptop bag, Lu Han stands up angrily, pushing his way through the pillows on the floor and spare sheet he didn’t bother with cleaning. He almost gets to the door when a hand on his wrist spins him around and he finds himself chest to chest with the catboy. Even though shorter by a few centimeters, Minseok doesn’t let the height intimidate him, especially not when he glares at Lu Han, making the taller man step back in surprise.

“What do you want from me?” Minseok growls and Lu Han’s never seen him this upset before. However, it doesn’t stop him from reacting the same way, emotions he didn’t know where hiding breaking through.

“You used me! And I thought-“

“Thought what?”

“Those past couple of days, you and I… It felt different.”

“I guess you were just taken aback by the moment.”

The familiar words sting now when it’s not him saying them, now that it’s him getting hurt.

Tightening the grip on his bag, Lu Han takes the last few steps towards the door, still facing Minseok. There are so many things he wants to say to this creature that stole his clothes, food, his patience, the last month of summer and heart – only to crush it all together in the end. He wants to do it all back, in an equally painful way, but something tells him he might have done it already and not only once.

Minseok’s stubbornly refusing to look away, his sharp eyes holding determination that Lu Han can’t fight now.

“So, is this how we say goodbye?” Lu Han says and finally, finally, Minseok looks away.

“I guess it is.”

Having nothing else to say, Lu Han goes for the door knob and this time it’s Minseok’s voice that stops him when he says, “I’m closer now more than ever. Please don’t make me feel bad for it.”

“I’m not.”

“You are!”

Minseok flinches when Lu Han’s fist collides with the door, the sound echoing through the stuffy room where, after so many days of getting to know each other, they finally depart. It’s all so sad, really, how it’s Minseok that turns into a bad guy in the end, while all he was trying to do is find the only person that made him good.

“Why are you doing this? Just please, let me leave in peace. Just, let me do this…”

Over his shoulder, Minseok looks so tiny and close and vulnerable, that all Lu Han wants to do is pull him against his chest and take both of them somewhere far away where no one can put scars and wounds over their skin. Somewhere far, far, away where Lu Han gets to keep Minseok and heal his scars with chapped lips and soft kisses, somewhere where Minseok would only belong to Lu Han.

For their final goodbye Minseok doesn’t answers Lu Han’s question and Lu Han leaves with unspoken promises the same way he begun – alone.