Glancing sideway to the slightly nodding male in the passenger seat, Woohyun is glad that Sunggyu finally succumbs and dozes off; even it is only for a little while. It has been an exhausting trip. The digital clock on the dashboard indicates the time is almost 8pm. They left during midnight yesterday; he has driven them to the neighboring well-established town two hours away that has a veterinary hospital. Luckily, the cat although looking horrible at first glance is not seriously wounded. After cleaning and tending to the wounds, the hospital has declare it fit to go home after twelve hours of observation. The feline is currently curled up in the dozing male’s lap, knocked out from the administered medication. The two make an endearing sight despite the fatigued face and bandaged body, bringing a smile to Woohyun’s face.      

Sunggyu... The name fits the pale male perfectly although he might feel the same for any name from the happiness of finally knowing his neighbour’s name. But he likes Sunggyu, both the name and its owner. Woohyun bets when it comes to Sunggyu; the little feline might just be his Lady Luck. His first encounter with Sunggyu was when the male was feeding the kitten; while this time, he gains the male’s name. Although there is a chance the name used for registering at the hospital might be fake, but considering the worrying emotional state Sunggyu was in at the hospital, Woohyun decides against the possibility. With a name to the face, he might just be able to find out more about the male but this will mean he needs expertise.

Like him, the rest of his team is having a break and Woohyun is quite reluctant to engage them but he is not the technology expert. While he likes to believe that he excels in all areas, Woohyun has to admit rather reluctantly that Myungsoo dominates in the digital world. He can already predict how happy Myungsoo will be considering the male’s keen love for a challenge. That can wait though; his first priority is to get the two dozing beings in his car home the soonest possible. He steps on the accelerator.

Sunggyu wakes from his dozing, not long after he finally loses the battle against sleepiness. Panic sets in almost immediately as he wakes in the car, the unfamiliar surrounding making him tense in his seat. It takes a few seconds for the warm body in his lap to remind him that he is in Woohyun’s car and they are on their way home. His body relaxes, a thought filling his head. It has been a really long time since he has fallen asleep in a stranger’s presence. During his escape, he has gone days without sleep just because he could not trust anyone. He realizes that even though he tries to reject it, his mind has already acknowledged Woohyun is someone who can be trusted. With that thought lingering in his mind, Sunggyu slowly drifts back to dreamland.

He wakes to soft calling of his name. Even in his semi-consciousness, Sunggyu knows he is not in the lab. They never called his name; he was 28489, just an experimental subject among the many prisoned in the gigantic lab. He had initially thought he was the only one but how wrong he was when he finally knew the truth. There were hundreds liked him, being treated like lab mice for the numerous experiments going on in the lab. Records in the computer mainframe shown reports dated many years back. He was however, the last survivor out of the few who had made it to the advance stages of the experiments throughout the years. His captors were close to success because of him and that is when he knew he must escape.

Woohyun lightly shakes the male who has opened his eyes but seems lost in thoughts, not making any effort alighting the car. Sunggyu jumps a little, eyes blinking for a second before focusing on him.

“We are home. Do you need help with the kitten?”

As he speaks, Woohyun gently unbuckles Sunggyu’s seatbelt, freeing the male from his seat. Sunggyu shakes his head, scoops the kitten up into his embrace and alights the car. Woohyun quickly grabs the medication from the back seat and follows the male up the apartment. He helps Sunggyu prepares a temporary bedding with some towels while the male feeds the awakened famished kitten. A comfortable silence engulfs the trio except for the occasional purring from the kitten and cooing from the human being feeding it. The sudden growling first from Woohyun’s stomach and mimic by Sunggyu soon after breaks the tranquility, invoking embarrassed laughter from the two men. The owner of the house sheepishly declares he only have instant noodles and Woohyun immediately offers to go back his apartment and cook them a decent meal.

Despite his initial refusal, Sunggyu opens his door half an hour after Woohyun left to let in the male who is balancing two plates of kimchi fried rice and a plate of bulgogi in his hands. They have to settle for the tired looking sofa, he does not have a dining table in his barren apartment. He has no need for it; it has always only been him in the apartment. Digging into the delicious plate of rice, Sunggyu thinks he may just get use to these simple pleasures; a companion for dinner, piping hot home cooked food and a snoozing cat curled up at the end of the sofa.

New character mentioned, more of Sunggyu’s past and name revealed to Woohyun. Is this finally new life for Sunggyu?

I hope everyone enjoyed reading this update. Leave me lots of comments to boost me through my upcoming exams and return with the next chapter.

PS: I’m late for Sunggyu’s birthday as usual. Happy belated birthday to the one who has bring much laughter to my life. Congrats to his solo album too!!!