C H A P T E R  O N E

It was a sunny day, in a nice café, and was too early to hear the hustle and bustle of patrons going in and out of it. The sunlight was too harsh as it hit and window and so Donghae moved a bit while keeping his hands on his hot espresso.

“So, Heechul hyung, what’dya think?” He said in that accent that still rarely comes when he talks. Perhaps staying in Seoul for two years wasn’t enough to conceal his nasal, Mokpo accent.

Heechul was pretty used to it though, and instead of making a word about his friend’s odd accent, he drowned himself in his iced choco. “I think it’s a bad idea.”

“But, hyung, he didn’t seem like a serial killer.” Donghae tried to reason out, and explain one of the reason why he thought living with a stranger for three months wasn’t that bad. “Besides, I really want to have the kid. There’s just something special about him, you know? I can’t let him go.” The brunet flinched, as he burned his tongue on the cup of warm espresso for the third time that day.

“You idiot,” Heechul huffed and tucked his shoulder-length hair behind his ears. “Serial killers aren’t supposed to look like serial killers.”

“Hah, smart one, hyung.” The other muttered, sarcastic, in an attempt to end the topic as all his concern for now was about his numb tongue.  

“Well, don’t expect me to cry if they ever find you in that dude’s house completely chopped off with organs missing.”

“Hyung, that’s disgusting!”

“I’m just stating the possibilities here!”

“Still!” Donghae pouted. “You’ll never understand me unless you see the child himself. He’s adorable and mature for a four year old and he knows how to do chores! That’s a plus! And it’s so sad that someone as dear as him doesn’t have friends.  I really, really want him to socialize in a different environment, as such, in school and he’s—“

“Yeah, I get it,” The elder cut him off as Donghae gave him a death glare, which a perk he has for being Heechul’s favorite one. No one can ever glare at Heechul unless he’s the cute, stubborn Donghae, or else he’ll strangle you do death. “He’s precious, and adorable, and bla bla bla.” He imitated Donghae in a high-pitched voice and rolled his eyes, which made the latter feel like throwing his still very much scorching espresso on Heechul’s flawless face.

-

Hyukjae couldn’t even say in words how excited he is!

Apparently, it’s the day, the day of Jay’s adoption, and the day he was going to win the child’s heart! Also, the day he was going to see that prick who ruined a little bit of his life choices. That, was the one he wasn’t anticipating. Imagine living with all the sass and complaints for three months! Why did he even suggest that in the first place? Oh, because he thought he had a nice face and was certain that the dip didn’t have plans to back off, and the only peaceful way he can sort it out is to have a competition.

He suddenly felt bad thinking how they were technically having a bet, and the kid as the prize. No, no, the kid didn’t deserve that, and besides, they just love Jay so much they were willing to go through all the struggles of living together with a stranger that were at each other’s throats.

What a nice depiction of love.

The red-head decided to turn off the shower, as he was only spending too much time there, thinking. He opened the cubicle’s door and fetched for his towel. Drying his body, his phone, which he was using to play music in the bathroom, rang and Hyukjae immediately reached for it.

“Hello, noona.”

“Heard the kid’s going to live with you starting today.”

“Oh, yes, noona. You don’t even know how excited I am!”

“I bet you are! If you need some parenting advices, don’t forget that noona is here, okay?”

Hyukjae hummed then asked the woman how she is, and Sora returning the question, again, reminding him the she was always there if ever there would be any problem. Hyukjae felt his heart swelling at the words of his elder sister, telling him how she was so proud that he finally found some direction in his life—to be a good, productive parent, that is—and he couldn’t help but agree with her.

He left some details though, such as the fact that he had to live with that Donghae guy who has the looks of a god, but the attitude of a brat, for three months. He was sure Sora will storm her way to his house and make a ten-page power point presentation of why he was such an idiot to let a stranger in his house.

Well, he has a rich , and it wouldn’t take that much effort to have security all over him and have Lee Donghae sent in jail. It was quite brutal, but he hoped that Donghae was actually a bad guy, so he wouldn’t have to struggle much for months.

Just kidding.

-

Donghae had everything ready. He had his luggage with him, some boxes of thing’s he’ll need will be delivered by the moving company within the week, and he already talked to the landlord about it. They came to an agreement that Donghae will have to keep paying for those three months in order to save the place. He’d prefer that and have the furniture he invested untouched inside his apartment than to end up being homeless after everything of whatever it is, ends. It wasn’t easy to find a decent apartment in the first place.

He had been fixed in the same location for fifteen minutes and Hyukjae was running late. People had kept on staring at him, what with that man carrying two luggage and boxes standing like an idiot under the shade of the tree, who wouldn’t stare?

The brunet groaned and fished for his phone inside his jeans’ pocket, deciding to call ‘’ as he named him on his phone. He wasn’t disappointed when the man on the other line immediately answered on the first ring.

“Ya, why the hell are you calling?”

“I’m sorry?” He was flabbergasted by this man’s memory! How easy was it for him to forget? “You were supposed to pick me up in this park near your neighborhood, you dolt. Be fast! People are starting to think I’m a weirdo.” Donghae paces back and forth, although still keeping his things in check. That Lee Hyukjae was really getting on his nerves. He bet that was actually doing this on purpose.

He heard the shuffles and noises of drawers being opened. Must have been the preparing himself. “Shut up, sissy, and wait for more—“

“Excuse me?!” Donghae was raging by that time. Hyukjae ruined his plans of adopting the child he wants in peace, made him sweat like under the sun, and now he wanted him to wait for more? How considerate!

The line was immediately cut off just when the brunet was about to give Hyukjae a lecture on how he should be nice to others. Here he was, being a good person and fair to the other, while said other kept on being an to him. How great. If neither of them was dead by the last day, he’d self-proclaim himself as a saint.

“What a ing .” He hissed and it wasn’t like he had any other choice, so he waited.

Hyukjae arrived in the place after ten minutes, all in all, Donghae had been stuck in there for twenty-five minutes, and wow. What a pleasant host Hyukjae was to his guest.

“About goddamn time.” Scowling, he shoved all the stuff he brough in Hyukjae’s face and made him carry it in the trunk as he sat in the passenger seat. Hyukjae, again, complained about him being sissy. “I’m not sissy!”

Hyukjae went inside the car and made himself comfortable, ready to drive. “Tell that to your princess-y .”

“Oh yeah? You wanna get involved in an accident?” Donghae threatened, eyeing the steering.

“Keep your hands to yourself.” The red-head warned in his firm voice as he started the engine.

The house was, holy , amazing, and huge, and just screams money! Donghae’s expensive apartment will look like trash compared to it. The brunet wouldn’t be surprised if he knew that it was designed by one of the finest architects in Korea. It was the house he always dreamed to have. Big, minimal