Chapter VIII.

Painful. Awkward.

The knock on the sculptor’s door comes as expected but dreaded on a Sunday afternoon. He sits still on the couch with Jongin seated on the opposite side, the distance between the two undeniably visible.

Silence becomes an unspoken agreement between two and it’s not really clear whether they’re having an argument or what is wrong but nevertheless, Kyungsoo stands up from his position, face poker and simply blank.

“You’re here.” A sour greeting comes from the redhead and Luhan quirks an eye, he wants to insist that something is wrong within the first seconds of their reunion with his best friend but he keeps his curiosity to himself.

Entering Kyungsoo’s apartment, the man who’s features are up to par with a beautiful female is welcomed by the lethargic looking lad seated on the couch.

He’s probably Kai. Luhan concludes to himself before taking a seat beside the other male. Kyungsoo arrives next after closing the door and he doesn’t make an effort on starting a conversation which makes the visitor feel more unwelcomed by the passing minutes.

Soon, the atmosphere becomes more suffocating for Luhan and it’s not until he fakes a cough that the redhead averts his gaze towards him and realizes that he shouldn’t be prolonging the stay of the blind man in his haven.

“His Kai, right?” Eventually, Luhan earns the confidence to speak and Kyungsoo claims himself to be a bad friend when he doesn’t respond because his teeth are practically clenched for reasons that could hardly seem legit.

Expecting to hear the voice of his best friend, the doe-eyed man is quite surprise when he receives an answer from tanned lad instead. “I’m not Kai. I’m Kim Jongin.”

“Oh yeah. Yeah, your true name, Kim Jongin.”

“Are you the one who’s taking me to another home?”

“Yes I’m the one. Wait no, no, there seems to be some confusion or mistake here. Take you to another home?”

“Well Kyungsoo said he was finding a new home for me and I figured out you came here to fetch me before Kyungsoo throws me out of his apartment.”

Jongin didn’t call him hyung.

He didn’t call Kyungsoo his hyung therefore creating another huge hole in the older male’s heart but he doesn’t show it. In the other hand, Luhan locks his sight towards Kyungsoo who has been quiet for the whole time and was currently avoiding his gaze. He stares at him in utter frustration while his fingers rake the blond strands of his hair, this certainly wasn’t the type of aura Kyungsoo ever had when he was around.

“Do Kyungsoo.” Luhan says, tone firm and stern.

Urgency is in Kyungsoo’s way of speaking as he finally parts his lips to respond.

“Take him Lu. I mean weren’t you looking for him?”

“Yes, I was looking for him but I wasn’t planning on adopting him and how were you able to find him in a blink of an eye?”

“He’s been living in my apartment for sometime already because I saved him from two of my stupid neighbors. Besides, he was supposed to be my model for the fall collection but I changed my mind.”

“Are you nuts? The event is in two weeks and you’re planning on changing your model just so that I could take him?”

“I’ll make it work. And wasn’t Kai your last gift for Sehun? So take him, place him in a box or something.”

The redhead’s sentence is met with a steady punch.

A backlash had occurred from his unpleasant choice of words and he now feels his lips to be a little swollen.

“Place him in a box?” A furious Luhan exclaims, glaring ferociously towards his best friend. “I can’t believe you’re being such an right now.”

“I was just stating the truth!”

“You bas