▼▼▼

And so that's how you end up sitting warily next to the deejay in his black Hyundai.

You conclude what happened yesterday was probably just the male putting up a front and for all you know, he might have been pulling his hair out the moment you were out of view.


Kyungsoo is quiet for the most part.

He'd tried his darndest to worm out of the situation, thinking that in view of his oddity last night, he should avoid you altogether.

But failing to come up with a reason good enough for his grandmother ("I know you don't have work today, I checked with the station, Baekhyun is overseas and no, you've already used the haircut excuse the last time."), he's stuck in the driver's seat ferrying you to the children's shelter.



He puts on some music to quell the awkward situation and you relax enough to notice that the guy is a rather good driver.


Polite road etiquette, steady driving.

No sudden jolts, smooth curves.

And he drives fast.


Not before long, you reach the destination.

There's a sense of familiarity as you cast a glance over the modest building, children who turn and stare like meerkats at the sight of two strangers.


It reminds you of the place you'd spent a few years back in Yonhee-dong.

Something like nostalgia, but not quite, washes through you. It's more like coming back as a grown up, shouldering more responsibilities, that makes your legs feel slightly more heavy with each step you take. You slow down to a stop when you see Madam Park waving to you at the entrance and parks a smile.
 

"Ga-eun! You're here!" She shouts from the distance. "I'll be with you in a minute! Let Kyungie show you around first!"


With that, she disappears back into the building and you turn to see Kyungsoo frowning in response.

Before he can open his mouth to say anything, a child's voice calls out to him.



"Hyung! Kyungsoo hyung!"

Both of you pivot towards the source and the deejay breaks into a wide smile when he recognizes Yoogeun running towards him.



"Yoogeun- ah! Have you been well? Did you miss me?" He picks up the five year old in a swoop and the little one squeals.


You marvel internally at the male's rapid change in expression. How capricious.

Though it does make him look less... Detestable.




"Yes, I miss you!"

"How much do you miss me?"

"This much!" The little boy extends his hands wide.

"Wa! That's alot!"


And there's that heart shaped smile again.

Damn.

You look away, searching for something else to focus on.



"Who's that?" Yoogeun points at you with a scowl.

"She's..."

How does Kyungsoo explain that you are his probably-would be wife at the end of the month?


He's still coming up with an appropriate answer when the little boy blurts out.


"I don't like her."

Kyungsoo is taken aback by his remark and you are too. However, you feel more amused than offended.



"And why is that so, Yoogeun ssi?" You address the boy formally on purpose. Kids his age usually don't like to be taken lightly, especially not the children at the home. They are forced to grow up too quickly, too fast. Mini adults in the making.



The boy eyes you for a while more before uttering.

"Kyungsoo hyung is mine. You're not taking him away."



You bite back a chuckle forming at the back of your throat.

"And he still is, Yoogeun ssi. What makes you think I'm gonna take him away?"



The boy glances at the deejay briefly and back to you again.

"Aren't you his girlfriend?"



You nearly choke on your own saliva.


"It's... Not like that Yoogeun ah..." Kyungsoo begins. "Ga-eun ssi is... my grandmother's friend."

He figures that's a safe enough explanation.


"Yeah..." You acquiesce. "I'm here with... Madam Park."


The boy seems unconvinced, clutching his tiny fingers tighter around Kyungsoo.




"I still don't like her."

❖❖❖

You think the entire universe is conspiring against you.


The little boy, Yoogeun, although five times smaller in size, packs an attitude and annoyance quintuple that of the deejay.

It's no wonder he likes him so much, you fathom.


Birds of the same feathers flock together.

In this case, rascals from the same mob cahoot together.


During lunch, he successfully dumps half his bowl of soup on you, blares your eardrums out with his incessant din and calls you a "scary witch", whilst the deejay snickers behind his hand.


If you have supernatural powers, the first thing you'll do is whisk the both of them to Neverland. Or somewhere far enough from you.



Granted, it's not that Kyungsoo finds the little one's antics funny. He just enjoys seeing the look on your face when your usual stoic mask is stripped, deemed helpless from the little one's attacks. It makes you look more... Approachable.


Shortly after convincing Yoogeun well enough to leave you alone (much to your relief), the deejay observes a younger child struggling with self-feeding and stops eating to assist him.

You watch as he guides little hands around spoon and bowl, voice soft and encouraging. When the child gets it right, he cheers, eyes twinkling and smile wide. You know the guy to be fairly attractive, but in this instance, he actually qualifies as... Spouse material.

You forbid yourself from dwelling further into that thought though.




It's "Haircut day" for the children at the centre and Kyungsoo and his grandmother are out at the yard with the elder acting as hairdresser.


You are still wiping down the side of your jeans where the soup stain stubbornly refuses to come off when you hear the shrill cry of Yoogeun.

Striding out of the kitchen, you see the two adults trying to coax the struggling boy onto a chair. There's a large yellow cutting cape tied around his neck and some stray hairs on the ground where you presume the others have already gone through the hairdressing session.



"No! I don't want to! I don't want to cut my hair!"

The boy wrestles as Kyungsoo effectively picks him up once again onto the chair, all the while uttering reassurances patiently. After watching the scene repeats itself for the umpteenth time, you step forth and squat down on eye level with the little devil.




"Yoogeun ssi, do you want to be adopted? Have new parents?"

The question obviously took the boy by surprise because he suddenly stops all the thrashing and whining.


"Do you?" You ask again, softening your tone.

He simply nods quietly.



"Ga-eun noona..." You point to yourself. "Used to be in a place just like this... And there's also many cute and sensible kids like Yoogeunie. When people come around, looking for kids to bring home, they like to see that the child is neat and tidy, because it shows that he's responsible and able to take care of himself. So, a haircut..."


You take over the scissors from Madam Park and rounds behind the boy.

"... Is essential in keeping you neat for the parents that may come and see."


Snip snip.

You chop off the length of his hair quickly.



"This is to let you hear them better when they arrive..."

You work on his sideburns.


"And this..."

You turn around to face him again.

"Is to see them better."



Snip snip. His fringe falls down in drizzles in front of him.


Throughout the whole time, he doesn't protest at all.

"Will they adopt me like this then?" The boy finally speaks, eyes earnest and hopeful.


You flash him an encouraging smile.

"Ga-eun noona isn't much of a hairdresser, so I'm letting Madam Park finish all the rest ok? I'm sure you'll look fantastic afterward."


The pair of scissors is handed back to the elder.




Kyungsoo's jaw drops a bit at this sudden change of events.

"Okay." The boy grins cheerfully. "Grandma you must help me look good ok?"


The old lady smiles benignly.

"Leave it to me, Yoogeun-ah."



"Ga-eun noona?" This is the first time the boy hasn't snapped at you directly for the entire time you're there.

"Yes?"

"If I don't get adopted, will you and Kyungsoo hyung adopt me?"




The two of you gape in shock. Madam Park sniggers a bit as she continues the haircut.

"But... Kyungsoo ssi and I..."

"You two are getting married, aren't you? Grandma Park told me."



The deejay glowers at his grandmother.

"I..." You don't know how to answer that.

"You'll definitely get adopted, Yoogeunie." Kyungsoo remarks confidently as he reaches for a packet drink beside the table. "Now here's your strawberry milk, drink up, ok?"



The little boy takes the milk obediently and just when you think you're finally let off the hook, Madam Park quips.

"Ga-eun ah, has Kyungie taught you the baguette recipe?"



The two of you glance at each other for a split second, Kyungsoo stiffening and you fighting against the turmoil of whether to tell the truth.





Yoogeun peers up from the older male to you. "Grandma said once you learn the recipe you two will be getting married."

Oh, great.

He on the straw noisily as you bite on your bottom lip.

The pressure in the air is overwhelming.





I...

"I... Haven't." You breathe out.


The deejay's eyes widen in surprise.



"I mean, he did, but I haven't mastered the recipe..." You blink and cast your gaze down on the hair strands littering the floor.

"Oh, is that it?" Madam Park continues kindly. "Don't stress yourself too much ok? I'm sure you'll master it in no time, right Kyungie?"



"Y-Ye?" He jolts from his stupor. "Ah... That's right. Yeah. I'll help her with it."




As the elder resumes the hair cutting, Kyungsoo's gaze follows your retreating figure as you head back to the kitchen to clean off the stain.



Why haven't you told her the truth?

 

❖❖❖

After leaving you with the encouragement "You'd master the recipe in no time, Ga-eun ah, hwaiting!" and Yoogeun declaring "I think I don't dislike you", Madam Park left and you return home with the deejay.



"You were pretty good back there."

He admits while driving you back.


Dusk is draping lazily over the skyline as you take a moment to gather what he's talking about.

"Oh, you mean Yoogeunie? Well, it's nothing. I've had my fair share of dealing with brats, namely my younger brother."



He chuckles a little as you break into a wry smile.

It's probably due to exhaustion from the long day, you find yourself loosening up around the male. On the other hand, he thinks that a smile definitely looks better on you.


"You said you grew up in a similar place?"


Kyungsoo knows he's probably probing, but he is curious.



Sighing, you peer at the view outside the car window.



"After my parents and grandma passed away, my brother and I resided in a sheltered home. I was 11, Youngjae was 9. We stayed there 'til I was 18."


You leave it at that and the deejay takes it as hint to discontinue the conversation.


Sensing the change in atmosphere, you slant a cheeky glance at him. "And I could say the same for you. You're rather good with children, I didn't know rich brats like you take to volunteering work."


Instead of feeling offended, he snickers good-naturedly. "I wasn't always rich. My parents barely made it by. Dad left for his aspirations and after my mom passed, Grandma took me in. She's worried I'll be alone. So she took me here frequently, I'll play with the kids while she does her volunteer work. But 'cos I'm older than most of the children here, they sort of look up to me as hyung."



"That explains why the kids are rather attached to you."


"Yoogeun came in about a year ago. His parents were killed in a freak accident. And I was the only guy around here, most of the volunteers here are females, so he warmed up to me fairly quickly."


He shrugs and turns to you. "How old are you anyway?"


"24. Why?"

"Really?" His brows spark up with interest. "Month of birth?"

"June."


"Ah..."

There's a smile playing on his lips.

"Why? And how old are you?" You quiz back.


"24. But I'm an early '89 er. That makes me your oppa."


He snitches a grin.



"Well, my friend is also an early '89 er but we both agree that we're chingus."


"Not in my case. Within my friends of the same age, I'm definitely the hyung or oppa." He throws you a game look.

"Call me oppa."


You shoot him a defiant glare.

"No."


"But I am your oppa."

"We're chingus."


"Well suit yourself, it's still oppa to you." He smirks and reaches for the music player's dial.



Usher's "Something special" is the first to come on.


"Oh! It's my favorite song!" You yelp.

Kyungsoo is a bit startled by your reaction because... It's his favorite song too.



"Is it then?" He muses.


You start humming along with the tune, but stops short when you suddenly remember how you got to know about the song in the first place.


Jongdae.


Before the ache sets in again, you hear Kyungsoo picking up at the chorus.



I think we've got something special... Girl you and me...
Together we'll take over the world.


To say that you're stunned is an understatement. The guy has an impressive voice. It's smooth and rich, like honey and light bourbon, easy and sweet and deeply soothing.


You've heard Jongdae sing this song before, but never had the lyrics moved you so much like it does this moment.



And for the first time in a very long while, you forgot about heart break.



And sings along with him.

▲▲▲

This chp is because of this:

The first time i saw it i'm like ndljadksajdkaljdksajdksadjsa

And if u haven't heard "Something special", it's the song Kyungsoo said he'll like to listen on Valentine's Day

And BY THE WAY, HAVE U SEEN THEIR NEW HAIRSTYLES /CREYS/ KYUNGIE IS SO CUTEEE