You made it exactly one week to the day. It’d been a struggle to avoid the auto shop, to not go see Kris again. Over and over, you told yourself that you simply wanted to catch up, to see what his life had been like since he moved away. That was it. Pure curiosity. And a need for closure.

Yet, you found yourself absentmindedly playing with the necklace around your neck whenever your thoughts drifted in Kris’ direction, whether it was in class or at the table, even driving. Huan had noticed it at breakfast the next morning, which was nothing new. He usually noticed everything. 

“I just found it in a box and decided to start wearing it again,” you half-lied. You technically did find it in a box… purposefully. And you did decided to start wearing it again, but you couldn’t quite figure out why. It’d been years since the stone had even seen the light of day. So why did it now feel like a lifeline?

It was the catalyst that led to you giving in and going to see him.

The more you thought about the last time you saw Kris as children, the more steam that was coming out of your ears. It wasn’t fair. Neither he nor his parents had given any indication that they were leaving so you didn’t have time to prepare emotionally. That was a lot for a little kid to go through. 

One day, after calling the landline several times with no answer, you’d went over to the house, knocking and ringing the doorbell to the Wu residence an obnoxious amount of times, but no one ever answered. Standing up on your toes, you’d peaked in through the now curtain-less windows to find nothing but empty rooms. All the furniture was gone, none of the lights were on, and no sounds of possible life echoed off the ivory walls. They’d left without a single word of goodbye.

As a child, you’d been depressed, not understanding what had happened and why. Growing older, that sadness had evolved into anger and frustration. Eventually you made it to the last step and accepted that you might never find out the where’s and why’s and left that part of your past behind.

At least, you thought you’d left it behind, dead and buried.

But like a frog floating in a pot of water on a hot stove, the feelings you’d suppressed for so long slowly bubbled up until it was too late and you were boiling.

On many different occasions you’d opened your mouth to tell Ji Yeon. You saw her several times over the week, either studying together or grabbing a quick meal in between classes in the student center. Each time, you’d almost started to speak to get her opinion on the situation, but you always ended up stopping yourself or just bringing up something else entirely.

Maybe it was just the fact that you didn’t really know Ji Yeon yet. You knew her, but not enough to divulge all this deep rooted anguish that was trying it’s hardest to push itself up to the surface. If given a few months, you might be able to open up to her, but you needed to let these feelings out sooner rather than later.

You certainly couldn’t tell Huan. There was no reason for him to be jealous, but you didn’t want to worry him or make his mind go down the wrong path. It was simply an answer to a long standing question you were needing, that was all.

So, when you had about a two hour break in the afternoon before your next class, you hopped in the car – forgoing your nice parking spot – and drove to the auto shop.

On arrival, you didn’t see Kris. Only Brian and two other mechanics were around, talking and laughing with each other as they worked on the day’s vehicles. Brian was the first one to notice you, giving you a cheeky grin.

“Car messed up already?” he teased.

You shook your head. “No, I was actually looking for Kris. Is he here?”

“Oh, no, he left about an hour ago,” Brian informed you. “I don’t know where he went and he didn’t say when or if he’d be back. Is there anything that I can help you with?”

Great. Just what you needed. To drive all the way here just for it to be the one day the boss doesn’t stay the whole working hours. You guessed that you could just try again in a few days.

“No, that’s okay.”

“Are you sure?” Brian asked.

“I’m sure. I’ll just g-”

“Yeah, boss, that girl from the other day.” One of the other mechanics was on the phone, look at you and motioning for you to wait. “Okay.” Pause. “Yeah, I’ll let her know.” He hung up the cell phone and turned to you fully. “Kris said he’ll be here in ten minutes and that we’re not allowed to let you leave until he gets here.”

You scoffed. That was such a Kris way to phrase it. No asking to please wait for him or to hang tight. Weren’t the years between childhood and adulthood supposed to change at least small bits of one’s personality? Kris apparently never got that memo.

It was less than ten minutes – maybe even closer to five – when Kris came screeching into the small parking lot out front. He jumped out of the car and met you right outside the garage. His breathing was heavy, as if he’d ran here rather than drove.

“Hey,” he greeted.

Pulling your cardigan a little closer to you, even though it was warm out, and folding your arms, you greeted back, “Hey.”

There it was again. That strange feeling in your stomach. It was similar to the feeling you had when you first met Huan, but at the same time, it was different. Almost… more intense, but also undefinable. You didn’t understand what exactly was going on with you. If you were honest, it was frightening you a little bit.

You tried to focus on anything but his face. Bad idea. Gone were the gray, grease covered overalls. Now he was dressed in a plain black T-shirt, skinny jeans and a weathered jean jacket. The smirk you caught before avoiding your eyes just screamed bad boy. Not even an ounce of surprise filled you up.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” you asked suddenly.

Kris smiled a genuine, uncocky smile at you. “Yeah. Yeah, let’s go.”

He led you down the sidewalk, turning right from the garage and into a small business district of the city.

“So,” he said, keeping his eyes forward and hands stuffed in his pockets, “to what do I owe this random pleasure?”

You sighed, somewhat ending it on a laugh. “I don’t know.” That was a blatant lie, but you figured you’d throw him a few soft balls before hitting him with the fast pitch. “I guess to catch up? It’s been a few years since… since I’ve seen you.”

“Yeah, just a few,” he laughed. He kicked a small rock as if that would be an adequate distraction from whatever direction his thoughts were previously headed in.

“What have you been up to?” you asked. The air was thick with awkward tension and you hated it.

Kris shrugged. “Oh, just, you know, the typical stuff. Graduated high school, went to tech school, did some traveling, got my own shop. Nothing too exciting.”

“Really?” You looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Fifteen years and nothing even remotely exciting or interesting has happened to you?”

He still didn’t look at you. “Nope. My life is pretty boring.”

“Is it just you, then? By yourself? No… girlfriend or anything?”

That stopped him in his tracks. He glanced at you from the corner of his eye. “No. Not for a while. It’s just me and my brothers.”

You frowned. “You don’t have any brothers.”

Kris flinched before he continued walking. “Well, yeah, they’re not my real brothers. We just all live together. We’re like family.”

That made you smile. This was nice. This was a good direction for the conversation to go. Just two childhood friends catching up. “How many of you live together?”

Kris scrunched his face as he thought about it. “Minus me… eleven all together.”

Now it was your turn to screech to a stop. “Where the heck can twelve people live together?”

“Junmyeon has a house out a ways in the woods that has plenty of room,” Kris laughed. “His family has had it for generations. Still crowded sometimes, but it’d be lonely without them.”

“I get that. Huan is so quiet sometimes. Makes me miss my parents,” you admitted. It was the bad part about moving. You were now several hundred miles away from the two most important people in your life. Phone calls just weren’t the same as being in the same room as them.

“How are they?” Kris asked eagerly. They always loved it when Kris came over. Just like you were the daughter that Mrs. Wu never had, Kris was your dad’s surrogate son.

“They’re good. Still working in the school system. Dad made it to principal and Mom is still working with special needs kids.”

That really made him smile. “Good, good.”

As kids, you would tease Kris for having a crush on your mom. He always called her an angel. You mom would laugh and tell him that he’d find his own angel someday.

“What about yours?”

The grin immediately disappeared. “They, um – they died. In a car crash a little after I graduated high school.”

Neither of you were walking anymore. You weren’t entirely sure where you were, still surrounded by red brick buildings filled with goods to buy, but it felt like the whole world had been pulled out from under you.

“What?” You could hardly believe it. Kris’ parents were so full of life; generous and loving. For them not to be walking around, to no longer be existing, it was impossible.

“It’s okay,” Kris murmured. “It was long time ago.”

Shaking your head, you wrapped your arms around his waist and rested your cheek against his chest. “I’m sorry, Kris. They didn’t deserve that.”

At first, Kris didn’t move, just standing there stiffly, but you didn’t let go. It felt too nice, holding him like that. When he finally hugged you back, it felt even better. His head rested against your own while his arms encased you in his embrace.

When you were kids, he’d rarely let you hug him. Something about cooties or whatever dumb excuse he could come up with. But on the days that were really bad, the days that you cried because someone bullied you or because your cat died, he would hug you and never let you go. Just like this.

Whoa, (y/n). No. Bad (y/n). You should not be doing this.

Coming to your senses, you cleared your throat and stepped back, once again creating space between you two.

“Sorry,” you mumbled.

Kris shook his head. “Don’t be. I don’t talk about it, but I think I needed that.”

You nodded. “You’re welcome.”

A moment or two passed with neither of you speaking. You didn’t move or continue on the little walk through the neighborhood.

“So, you’ve got a fiance, huh?” Kris asked, changing the subject.

If he thought that he was lifting the sad atmosphere, he was wrong. You were feeling slightly guilty, being alone with a man who wasn’t Huan, one that making your face warm and your stomach flutter. This whole situation was bad, but you couldn’t leave. You didn’t want to.

“Yeah, Huan.”

“You happy?”

You looked up Kris, unsure if you heard his question correctly. “Huh?”

“Are you happy?” he repeated.

“Yeah, I guess,” you answered honestly. “He makes me smile. Makes me comfortable.”

Kris scoffed, “That’s it?”

You frowned. “What do you mean?”

“He just makes you comfortable?” Kris mocked. “I don’t know, shouldn’t the love of your life be a little more exciting?”

“No,” you countered. “Sometimes, you get the wild and crazy adventure type love and then sometimes you get the meet, fall in love, be together type of love.”

“Wouldn’t you prefer the first?” Kris pushed.

Annoyed at the turn of the conversation, bravery finally hit you to ask the question you came here for. You crossed your arms and stood your ground before you could run away with your tail between your legs. “Why did you leave?”

Kris stared at you, confused at the direction you’d suddenly gone in. “What?”

“Back then,” you somewhat clarified. “You left without a word. Without saying goodbye. I didn’t know if you were ever coming back or if I’d ever see you again. That’s a lot for an eight-year-old to suddenly go through.”

Kris just shrugged, as if the pain you went through never mattered. “We just had to leave. It wasn’t anything big. My parents didn’t think it was a good place to be anymore.”

“But you just packed up and disappeared,” you argued. “If that was the case, why couldn’t you at least tell me where you were going or that I wouldn’t be able to see you anymore?”

“(y/n),” Kris said sternly, “it doesn’t matter. We just had to go.”

“It does matter, Kris!” you yelled. You could feel the frustration building inside, ready to explode. How could he not care like you did? Were you forcing the issue too much? Were you too desperate for an answer?

“WHY!”

You flinched at the sudden escalation. Obviously, you’d pushed too hard. You didn’t even know how or why. You still shouldn’t be this upset over it. But he was your best friend. Your little world practically revolved around him until you grew up and learned how to make friends on your own.

He backtracked quickly. “(y/n), I’m sorry, that was out of line. I- I can’t tell you exactly why we had to move, just that we did. I’m sorry I never got to tell you goodbye. You weren’t the only one upset by it. You should have seen the fit i threw in front of my parents. But we can’t change it. Maybe now, we can try to be friends again. Not like how we used to be, but… friends.”

By the tone of his voice, you had a strange feeling that he was trying to convince himself more than you on the “friends” part. Did he not want to be friends with you?

“I’m sorry,” you whispered, fiddling with stone around your neck.

“Don’t apologize,” he insisted. Noticing your fidgeting, he reached out, fingers brushing up against yours as he plucked the stone out of your grasp. “Is this what I think it is?”

You lifted your shoulders just drop them again. “Yeah. What about it?”

The corner of his mouth pulled up as he leaned forward just enough to be face to face with you. “Do you still think about me when you see it?”

Rolling your eyes, you told him, “Actually, I’d completely forgotten about it until last week. Don’t flatter yourself.”

“You’re the one who came to my shop, remember?” The cockiness that had taken a small break was back in full force.

“To see an old friend again,” you explained. And to get a very vague answer to your question, but that was okay. It was something, at least.

The look in his eye told you that he was taking that reply with a mountain of salt.

“I have to go.” Not really. You actually had a good half hour before you really needed to head back, but you figured that it was best to leave now.

Dropping your necklace, he sighed. “Okay. I’ll see you back to the shop.”

The walk back was shorter than you expected. Too short. Part of you was reluctant to say goodbye. There was no promise of seeing each other again. It looked like that would be left up to fate once again.

Or your own lack of willpower.

From your rear-view mirror, you could see Kris’ figure growing smaller as he watched you drive away.

**

Watching you drive down the road and then turn left, the buildings blocking you from view, without running after you was too difficult. Especially now that he’d been able to hold on to you.

He hadn’t talked about his parents in a long time, but he knew that you would want to know why they weren’t around anymore. He should have expected your reaction, but your arms around him - and the way he felt when you embraced him - was unexpected. And he hadn’t completely lied about what happened to them.

They did die in a crash, but it wasn’t an accident.

Kris could never find the hunters that stage the incident. Hardly surprising. Hunters were masters at hiding their dirty work and covering up their tracks. Someday, though, he would get his revenge.

The way you’d held on to him, trying to bring him comfort for something he’d learn to bury away had almost made his eyes water. His wolf had howled with delight, feeling your warmth against him. At first, he didn’t want to return the embrace. He didn’t want to give in. But resistance was futile.

And you were wearing that damn necklace.

The stone had come a long way since you’d found it as a kid. It was prettier now, more polished and oval shaped, a silver cap embedded on the top that looped it through the chain. It was a lot like you. As a child, you were always cute, but now you were beautiful, shining like the full moon in a clear sky.

Jumping into the car, Kris didn’t even tell his employees goodbye, trusting them to close up the shop without any hitches.

He didn’t really want to go home, but the race wouldn’t be for another few hours and he didn’t know what else to do. So, the long, lonely drive back up to the farmhouse it was.

No one seemed to be home when Kris walked inside. That was about right since most of them should be in school. Kris laughed to himself. Yes, they would be at school, including Junmyeon. Poor guy. Having a student be his mate was terrible luck.

Then Kris remembered his own.

On the way back to your car, he’d noticed you spinning the ring on your left hand. The wolf egged him on to take the ring and throw it away. It was just a flimsy piece of metal; it couldn’t keep him from his mate.

But it really could.

Up in the bathroom, Kris stared at his reflection in the mirror, fighting with himself. If he really tried to pursue you, to get you to choose him instead of your fiancé, he’d be disrupting the life you’d worked so hard to build. People typically didn’t get engaged on a whim. He didn’t know how long the two of you had been together and he’d feel a little guilty breaking that up.

The wolf growled at his conscious.

But you didn’t seem excited about your fiance. You didn’t light up when Kris brought him up and you didn’t talk about him first. That wasn’t how it was supposed to be. Just the very thought of the person you loved was supposed to make you smile. Not somewhat happy.

In the mirror, Kris’ face was replaced by yours. Those piercing eyes at looked at him so softly, so close to the real thing. Reaching out, Kris grazed his fingers along the glass.

And he gave in.

Yes, you were his mate. The one he was always meant to be with.

If you’d never came back to the shop or taken that walk with him or hugged him so close, he might have been able to hold his resolve. But now that he had a taste – a tiny, almost nonexistent taste – he couldn’t resist the urge to have more. To actually feel your lips against his, to keep your body against his, for him to hold you as the night went on. He needed to call you truly his, for him to be truly yours.

He just needed to come up with a plan.