Three

 

Yixing saw a lot of reds and greens. Work had occasionally become ual harassment, much to Chen’s amusement, but mostly, he was angry because his jerk boss already had a boyfriend but was still constantly trying to win him back.

What kind of man blatantly flirted with other men while already dating someone? Apparently, Kris.

Yixing made an effort to avoid any contact with Kris than that required to complete his job, and pretended to avoid the hurt look in Kris’ eyes.

Although he had submitted his request for a transfer to the literature department, he was no longer sure if he wanted to leave Sapphire.

His co-workers in the manga department had quickly become his favorite people in the world. From Xiumin, who never stopped snacking, to Lu Han, the 25 year old man who looked to be in his late teens, Yixing loved them all, even Chen, who possessed a sarcastic, biting sense of humor and had a life goal of trolling the whole office.

He had even grown accustomed to the pink walls and stuffed  animals, and the girly perfume that Lu Han occasionally sprayed all over the place in an effort to get everyone “in the shojo mood.”

Maybe, Yixing thought,  he could get used to this.



Chanyeol, Yixing learned, worked for some entertainment label. ExoZine printed photobooks and CD inserts, so Chanyeol worked mostly with Kyungsoo in the other department. Chanyeol was a talent scout, and knew famous people like Changmin and Siwon and BoA. Chanyeol was intelligent, and a graduate of the same college as Kris. Chanyeol liked to volunteer at the animal clinic every month and donated regularly to charities. Basically, Chanyeol was a ing saint.

“They went to college together,” Kyungsoo replied, when Yixing asked about the relationship between Chanyeol and Kris. “I actually got to know Chanyeol through Kris, mainly. They were best friends even then.”

Yixing saw Kyungsoo’s shifty eyes and knew that he was hiding something.

“How long have they been dating?” he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Um…I try not to keep track?” Kyungsoo paused for a moment, then noded more enthusiastically. “I honestly have way more things to worry about myself. For example, it’s almost Chen’s birthday and I have no idea what to get him.”

“Are you trying to change the subject?”

“No, I’m trying to be a good friend. Come help me pick a present.”

Yixing decided that Kyungsoo was most certainly trying to avoid the subject of Chanyeol and Kris. Either way, Yixing decided that he would never, ever, fall for Kris Wu’s charms again.

It was raining on the day after exams. Yixing stood under the awning in front of the math building, sighing. As if sitting through a 3 hour exam wasn’t brutal enough, he would probably also have to run home in the rain.

“Xing?”

The voice, Yifan’s voice, brought a shiver down Yixing’s back.

“Xuezhang? You’re still here too?”

“I said you don’t have to call me that, Xing,” Yifan chided. He was holding out an umbrella, and he smiled at the smaller boy. “Share?”

“I – sure,” Yixing stuttered, blushing.

Yifan just chuckled and reached for the smaller boy, tucking the underclassman under his arm so they could both be huddled under the protection of the umbrella.

“Should I walk you home?” he mused, almost teasingly. “Or maybe you can stay over at my house tonight.”

“Your-your house?”

“My parents are both gone again,” he explained, eyes hardening. “My dad is in Canada, and my mom is…somewhere on a business trip. Actually, I think they just want to get as far away from each other as they can.”

Yixing wondered for a moment how Yifan must feel, going home to an empty house every day, and frowned.

“Do you get lonely?”

“Sometimes,” Yifan replied. Then , he smiled, pulling Yixing closer. “It’s okay, because I have you now.”

The two boys had were turning into Yifan’s neighborhood when they saw it; a box was sitting at the corner of the street, under an awning. The rain, slanted by the wind, had soaked half of the box, and a feeble meowing sound emanated weakly.

“Is it…a stray?” Yifan asked, glancing at the box nervously.

Yixing bent down and opened the lid, pulling out a little gray kitten.

“I think it’s been abandoned,” Yixing replied, holding the car it. It snuggled into his hand, and Yixing felt his heart melting.

“I don’t know how to take care of animals,” Yifan said immediately, seeing the look in Yixing’s eyes. “Hell, I can barely take care of myself, Xing. I live on ramen and toast when I’m hopeless alone.”

“But we can’t just leave him here, in the cold and rain,” Yixing argued, pouting. He held the kitten up higher, pushing it toward Yifan’s face. “Look at it; please?”

For a moment, Yifan silently ground his teeth, gaze switching back and force between the flailing cat and his boyfriend’s pouting face.

“Fine, fine!” he finally exploded. “But you have to promise to help me take care of him!”

Yixing’s eyes sparkled as he leaned up to kiss Yifan on the cheek, who sighed grudgingly and took the cat out of Yixing’s hands.

“What are you going to name him?” Yixing asked as they started down the street again.

“How about Xingxing?”

 

 

<

Yixing received a call from an unlikely source in October, and he was reluctant to even pick up. He did, however, after Chanyeol called for the third time. “Hello?” he answered tentatively.

“Yixing, can we talk?” Chanyeol’s voice was calm, but something darker lurked underneath.

“Um…sure?” Yixing replied, uncertainly. He and Chanyeol only knew each other on a superficial basis, through acquaintances, and they were certainly not the ‘let’s go grab lunch’ type of friends.

“Meet me at the coffee shop in Hongdae, down the street from PL Entertainment, the one with the big red sign,” Chanyeol said.

Yixing knew which place he was referring to and agreed to meet Chanyeol here in an hour. When he arrived, however, he found the taller man already there, tucked into a back booth next to a shorter man, who had a hood pulled low over his face. The two were sipping hot chocolates and casually holding hands on the table.  

“Uh….?”

“Yixing, hi!” Chanyeol exclaimed, standing up upon noticing his presence. He coughed in mild embarrassment, and sat back down again. “There