“What did she do this time?”

“It’s nothing hyung. I’m alright.” Yixing said and smiled. “It’s just blisters, it’s fine.”

“How could that be fine?” Kris asked and took hold of Yixing’s hands. “How are you going to practice your piano then?”

“I’m fine, really! I can still play. Besides, it’s only on the sides of my hand, it doesn’t matter.”

“That’s it. I’ve had enough, you stop scrubbing the stairs and go straight to my room.” Kris said and pushed the bucket of soapy water away from Yixing. He pulled him up and gave him a light push towards the direction of his room.

“What are you doing?” Yixing asked him while walking up the stairs.

“Just go.” Kris said. “I have a little something to take care of.” He said and stormed off to his mother’s bedroom.  He slammed open the door and stormed in.

“Oh, there’s my dear child.” His mother said and smiled. “What are you doing here, do you have something to say to me?”

“Mother, you’ve got to stop bullying Yixing.” Kris said and his mother’s face darkens.

“Oh, so I see… He has been telling on me again hasn’t he? To make my own son turn his back against me. To have you talk to rudely to me.” She said and walked away towards the window.

“Mother, he is your stepson.” Kris said. “You’ve got to stop.”

“That creature is no son of this family. Your father married that woman because he pitied her. She had seduced your father and how dare you speak up for him.”

“Mother. Please.” Kris softens his tone. “Stop making Yixing do all those impossible house chores like sweep the chimney by himself, wash the entire floor with only a rag. He is my brother and I have to protect him.”

“Protect him? You have to stay away from him and be careful around him. Who knows he may steal your position as the successor of your father’s company from you?”

“Mother I have said before a thousand times, I don’t mind if father lets him have the CEO position. I can be his helper, or better, I can live out my dreams.”

“Don’t you dare talk to me like that. I have work so hard just to prove to your father that how good of a son and how suitable you are as the successor of the company so don’t you dare ruin it for me.”

Kris went speechless. He knows his mother wants him to be the next boss of the family’s company and he knows that his father is keeping a close eye on both him and Yixing. He stood there still for a moment, staring at his mother and he shook his head.

“I’m outta here.” He said and walked out of the room before his mother could say anything else. He closed the door behind him and sighed.

“I can’t do this.” He said to himself. “Yixing is my brother. I… I can’t fall in love with him, that’s ! Even though we’re from different mothers but…” Kris sighed again and runs his fingers across his messy hair. “What am I going to do?”

He walked slowly towards his bedroom and pushed opened the door just to find Yixing sitting on his bed, cheekily changing the channels on the TV. He looked up just as he heard Kris walking in and he gave Kris the most charming smile that Kris had ever seen in his life.

“Where have you been?” Yixing asked.

“Oh, uhm…” Kris begins to stutter. “I was uhm, uhhh… Nevermind. I’m hungry.” He said and Yixing smiled.

“I’ve got just the thing to cook for you!” He said and jumped out of bed. “Come on, off to the kitchen!”

“Wait wait wait.” Kris said and pulled Yixing’s hand. “You know father hates it when you walk into the kitchen. He hates it when you cook.”

“Well, father isn’t here right?” Yixing asked and winked.

“You rebel.” Kris laughed. “Father is going to flip if he knows this.”

“He doesn’t have to know. And if he does, I know who to seek revenge on.” Yixing said with a n evil laugh.

“Who? Me?” Kris asked while pointing at himself.

“Of course. Who else knows except for the two of us?” Yixing asked.

The two of them headed towards the kitchen and Yixing starts to cook while Kris just sits by the counter, looking at Yixing.

“You’re really good at this do you know that?” Kris asked.

“Really? I merely thought of it as a hobby.”

“You could be a chef.” Kris said.

“And that’s what I have been thinking about for the past 3 years.”

“Wait, what…” Kris asked and looked at him. “But the company…?”

Yixing smiled. “It’s all yours hyung. I don’t want it.”

“Yixing, father will kill you if he knows.” Kris said. “And besides, I don’t want it as much as you don’t.”

“But father have so much hope on you.”

“And so does he have on you!” Kris said. “We can’t both abandon the company. It’s all our family’s hard work, from generation to generation.”

“Someone has to take it… We’ll see how it all works out. It will, eventually, I guess.” Yixing said and shrugs. “Anyway, serve’s up!”

---

“What are you doing?” Kris’s mother asked Yixing while he was making some icing sugar for Kris’s birthday cake that he had prepared the night before.

“Oh, uhm. Nothing.” He said and pushed the bowl under the shelf. “Just trying to make some snacks. Getting hungry easily these days.” Yixing said while an awkward laugh.

“Well, I think you’re up to no good.” She said and walked closer towards Yixing. “Stay away from my son.” She said and walked away.

Yixing sighed. He can understand why Kris’s mother hates him so much and how much she wanted him out of the house. He too, wanted to get out of the house with his mother and move in to a beautiful house by the beach where he could open up a seafood restaurant there with no one to get onto his nerves.

“What are you doing dear?” He heard his mum’s voice by the kitchen door and he turned.

“Mum! You’re back!” He said and gave his mum a big hug. “How was the trip to Paris?” He asked.

“It was alright.” She said. “If you had been along with me then it would be perfect.”

“Aww mum. You know I can’t, with dad wanting me to stay here and take care of the company with Kris and all.”

“Then promise me you’ll go with me next time.” His mum said and smiled.

“I promise.” Yixing said. “By the way, here, taste this.” He said and gave his mum a little nit f the chocolate icing he’s been mixing.

“Yum. What are you making?” She asked.

“It’s Kris hyung’s birthday today, so I thought I would, you know, bake a surprise for him.”

 “Speaking of Kris, where is he?”

“He’s back at the office, busy with all the paper work.” Yixing said.

“Yixing, about the company…”

“Mum, we’ve talked about this.”

“I know, but you know your father, well he, he sees the potential in you.”

“But what about Kris hyung? He has worked so hard for this. Isn’t it unfair if someone that has worked hard loses to someone who had ‘potential’?”

“So, you should work hard too…”

“Mum, no. After all this, after all this successor thing ends, I’ve moving out. Away from this house.”

“Where are you going?”

“To France. I want to learn French pastries, I want to have my own bakery maybe, I don’t know but all I know is, I want to get out.”

“Yixing…”

“Please mum? Just, just let me go after what I want.” Yixing said and smiled. “Please?”

“Okay son… But promise me one thing.”

“What?”

“Give it a try, okay? Give the company a chance. Who knows, you might win this fair and square.”

Yixing sighed. His mum really wanted him as the next CEO of the company. He just nods his head and sighed again.

 Kris on the other hand was so busy in the office that he had quite forgotten about his own birthday. He was so busy that he didn’t even hear his phone ringing, Yixing had sent him a text.

It was 11pm when Kris finally finished off everything. He checked the clock on the office wall and he sighed. Well, at least he has finished today’s work. He pulled out his cellphone and was shocked to see that Yixing had sent him a text.

‘Hyung! Happy Birthday you -faced weirdo! I have prepared something for you so remember to come back home earlier tonight! Btw, thanks for everything, thanks for being my brother!’

Kris almost slapped himself when he remembered that today was his birthday. Yixing said that he had prepared something special for him and wanted him to get home earlier, Kris glanced at his watch and quickly grabbed his coat and car keys and rushed out of the office building, into his car and straight back home. When he arrived home, he quickly went inside and he saw Yixing, sleeping on the couch with his mouth wide open.

“Idiot.” Kris said while smiling. He leans in towards Yixing’s ears and said “THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE!”

Upon hearing that, Yixing jumped up and immediately stood up. “Fire? Fire? Where?” But all he sees is Kris, at the side laughing hysterically.

“Oh my hahahahah you should have seen your face!” He said while laughing nonstop.

Yixing looked at him with a blank look on his face. After a few moments of staring at Kris, he finally understood what happened. “You .” He said and gave Kris a punch on the chest.

“Owww! That hurt!” Kris said and scrunch up his nose.

“Oh! What time is it?” Yixing asked and looked at the clock on the wall. “It’s still 11.30, still your birthday! Hurry up!” He said and pulled Kris to the kitchen.

“What is it this time? No explosive cookies?” Kris asked, remembering the birthday cookies that Yixing had made for him last year and as a prank, he put wasabi in it and Kris was in tears.

Yixing laughed. “No, no explosive cookies this year.” He said and took out the cake he baked, which was a two layered cake with pretty colourful icing sugar.

“Galaxy themed?” Kris asked when he saw the cake.

“Well, you do like the galaxy themed stuffs don’t you?” Yixing asked. “Well, happy birthday!”

“You make these, all by yourself?” Kris asked and Yixing nods. “You’re a genius I tell you!”

“Well, it is your birthday so…” Yixing said and sneakily went closer towards Kris. “Birthday surprise!” He said and wipes some icing sugar and cream onto Kris’s face.

“You sneaky idiot!” Kris said and tries to get revenge. The two of them ends up chasing each other in the kitchen around the counter.

While running around the kitchen, Yixing almost ran into the fridge and he was lucky that Kris pulled him back. He was pulled into Kris’s embrace and the two of them stayed like that for quite a while, in awkward silence. Yixing pulls away a few moments later and Kris clears his throat.

“So… Candles! You have to blow out the candles and make a wish.” He said and went looking for the candles that he had prepared earlier.

“Right…” Kris said and scratches his head.

Yixing lighted the candles and the both of them sang the birthday song together. Kris wanted to blow out the candles immediately but Yixing stopped him, saying that he haven’t made a wish. Kris then looks at Yixing and he gave in, he closes his eyes and he made a wish.

“What did you wish for?” Yixing asked.

“Secret.” Kris said.

“Party pooper.” Yixing said and pouted.

“Don’t you know that if you tell someone your wish, it won’t come true?” Kris asked and Yixing stares at him.

“Are you for real?” He asked and Kris just nods. “Fine, I won’t ask.”

Kris laughed as he cuts the cake and pass one to Yixing. And while they were enjoying their time together, Kris’s phone rang and he went silent.

“What is it?” Yixing asked him.

“Father.” Kris said with a serious look on his face. “He’s in the hospital.”

“What? What happened?” Yixing asked.

“Heart attack.” Kris said. “Should we wake up our mothers?” Kris asked.

“I think we should.” Yixing said and the both of them went upstairs to wake up their mothers.

They rushed to the hospital and when they got there, they were relieved that their father was fine. Doctor said that it was just a minor attack and it’s because that he was too stressed, a little more rest should be fine.

“What time is it now?” Yixing asked.

“About 2 am. Are you feeling tired?” Kris asked.

“Yeah, a little. But since mum is still in there I think we should just wait.”

“You could sleep on my shoulder if you want.” Kris said and Yixing looked at him. “What?”

“Nothing.” Yixing chuckled. “But I am getting a little bit sleepy…” He said and yawned. Yixing slowly drift off to sleep while Kris was checking on his phone, he didn’t realize that Yixing was already asleep until his head fell on his shoulder.

“Told you so.” He said and smiled. Kris continues to check on stock markets on his phone for quite a while and he realized that it’s already 3 am in the morning. He pushed Yixing away slowly, making him sit and making sure that he doesn’t fall over, and walked into his father’s ward room. He saw his mother and Yixing’s mum were also asleep on the couch. He reckoned that they would want to stay here so he went out and woke Yixing up.

“Come on. Wake up.” He said and Yixing’s eyes opened.

“What is it?”

“Let’s go home.” Kris said. “You need some sleep.”

Kris drove Yixing home and dragged him upstairs to his room. Yixing was still half asleep and when he Kris pushed him gently on the bed, he pulled Kris’s sleeves, making Kris falling on top of him, almost squishing Yixing.

“You’re not even drunk to act drunk.” Kris said and Yixing was already sleeping. “Good night.” He said and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “What was I thinking?” He asked himself while walking out of Yixing’s room. “That is so wrong in so many levels.”

Kris woke up the next morning just to find a sticky note sticking on his forehead. He took it off and immediately recognizes Yixing’s handwriting.

‘I’m off to the hospital to see father! I didn’t bother to wake you up because you seemed so deeply in sleep and you looked so comfy. Breakfast is in the microwave already, just heat it up!’

Kris stretches his waist and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. After completing his morning routine, he went downstairs for breakfast and was glad to find that the breakfast that Yixing made, was breakfast burrito. It was one of his favorite foods that Yixing makes. After that, he went straight to the hospital.

“How’s father doing?” He asked Yixing.

“Fine, just still tired I think. He slept through the morning after breakfast.” Yixing said.

“Well, at least he’s fine.” Kris said with a relieved tone.

“Oh yeah, father wanted to see you as soon as you’re here. So, go.” Yixing said and nods towards the door. “I think he wants to talk to you about the company.”

“Do I have to?”

“You are the hyung.” Yixing said.

Kris smiled and walked into his father’s ward room while Yixing sits outside, waiting. His mum saw him staring into blank and went over to sit down beside him.

“So, when are you getting married?”

“Mum, why are you talking about marriage when I don’t even have a wedding partner yet?”

“It’s time for you to get married.”

“I’m 23.”

“When I was 23, I was already married.”

“But mum…” Yixing started to whine.

“No buts. I’m setting you up on blind dates from now on.”

“But there’s still so many things I wanted to do. From travelling to adventuring…”

“You can do that once you have a wife. You can do it together.”

“But I promised Kris hyung that we would do it together.” Yixing said. “And if I get married, that I can’t.”

“Stop spending so much time with your hyung. He’s a busy man, and his mother doesn’t like you around him much too.”

Yixing kept quiet. His mum was right. His hyung is a very busy person and his mother doesn’t like him much. But there’s this kind of feeling he has for him, not just a brotherly love, but something else. The feeling that makes him awfully uncomfortable to think that he might be in love with him.

“I… I’ll try.” Yixing said.

“You have to. His mother doesn’t like us much and god knows what is she going to do next.”

“But mum… I… I love him.” Yixing said softly.

“What?” She opens her eyes and stares at Yixing in disbelief. “Say it again.

“I love him okay?” Yixing said again and she gasps.

“He’s your brother!”

“I know!” Yixing turns away. “That’s why I’ve wanted to go to France.”

“Yixing…” His mum walked towards him and pats his back. “Just… Get it together okay…?”

All Yixing can do is to nod and sigh. He knew that it was wrong to be in love with his own brother, but what he didn’t know is Kris had heard everything he just said. Kris happened to be walking towards Yixing when he heard his mum talking to him; he stopped and listened to everything they’ve said.  He cleared his throat and walked towards Yixing.

“Hey uhm, father wants to see you next.”  He said and Yixing nods.

Yixing walks slowly towards his father’s ward room. He stood outside and took a deep breath. He pushed opened the door and went in. He saw his father on the bed, he wasn’t the strict father that Yixing knows now. He has a smile on his face, what Yixing can see now is a caring, loving father.

“Father, how are you feeling?” He asked.

“Terrible.” His father said. “But it’s alright. At least I can get home soon.”

“What is it that you wanted to see me about?”

“There is something I need to tell you before anything else. It’s more of a confession.”

“What is it…?” Yixing asked.

“It all started 30 years ago, before you were born. I had a friend, he was my best friend. We went to school together, study together, and even got into trouble together. And when we grew up, we worked together. It was hard to start a business of our own, we were young and broke. So we made a promise, no matter what happened to one of us, we will take care of each other’s family. We were so close that we were just like brothers. Everything went on smoothly, our company was stable and we were doing just fine so we settled down and formed our own families, and a few years later, your brother was born.”

Yixing was silent while his father was talking, he listened quietly, not quite sure why is his father telling him this.

“Then we went to Hong Kong, to expand our business. We went for meetings for days, and we were got our business deals alright. That night, while we were going back to our hotel, he told me that he was going to the bar, just to get a drink and we would meet the next morning. I agreed and went back to my room. I fell asleep a while later and was woken up by my phone ringing. I answered it and immediately rushed to the hospital. My friend, was ambushed while going back to the hotel, he was robbed and stabbed. When I arrived at the hospital, he was already dead. At that time, I was so lost, so confused of what I should do. But I remembered the promise we had, to take care of each other’s family. I called his wife, and was even more shocked to know that she was pregnant with his child of 3 months.”

“Father…?” Yixing called him when his father stopped talking for a while.

“So I made a decision of my own. I don’t want his child to be born without a father, I don’t want him to be bullied at school just because his mum is a single parent. So I married her. I bought her into my family, and when the kid was born, we decided to name him after his father… Yixing.”

“Wait… Father, what are you talking about?” Yixing was confused.

“Yixing, I am not your real father, child.”

“You meant to say that all these years… My real father was dead?” Yixing couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

“I’m sorry Yixing for not telling you this earlier but you were so young and so naïve that we didn’t have the heart to tell you that. And when you first called me father, I was happy that I could help my best friend raise his son.”

“So I am not from the Wu family…. What is my real name?”

“Zhang. You are Zhang Yixing.”

Yixing was speechless to hear this. His father, is not his real father after all. “Why are you telling me this now?” He asked.

“I saw the way you looked at Kris, and the way he talks about you to me. I knew that something like that would happen because since you guys were young, you were so closed to each other. And when you got older, the two of you got closer to the point that you two don’t even care who the next successor of the company is. I don’t want the two of you to lie about your feeling’s just because of the lie me and your mum kept.”

“….” Yixing didn’t know how to response to that. “Can I still call you father then?”

“Of course. Your mother and I are married so I am still your father, well, step-father actually.” He said. “Now go, go and see Kris, tell him all about this and tell him you love him.”

“But father…”

“Just go. And you two can stop worrying about the company just yet. I am still alive and kicking, healthy enough to be running the business still. So, run along, go ahead.”

“Thank you father. Thank you…” Yixing said and stood up. He immediately ran out of the room to find Kris. But Kris was nowhere to be seen. “Mum, where is Kris hyung?”

“He went back home I guess.” Yixing’s mum said. “Why? I thought I’ve said…”

“I’ve got to tell him that I love him.” Yixing said and ran off before his mum could finish her sentence.

Yixing’s mum sighed. She walks slowly towards her husband’s ward room.

“So, you finally told him the truth?”

“It’s been 23 years… He has to know.”

Yixing took a taxi home and looked for Kris, he was nowhere to be seen in the house so he decided to go search at the gardens. Yixing looked everywhere and just as he was about to give up, he saw Kris in the greenhouse, watering the flowers. Yixing walked slowly towards him and without hesitation, he gave him a hug from the back.

“Hey, it’s me.” Yixing said when Kris tried to get out of Yixing’s tight hug.

“Yixing? What are you…?”

“Just listen to me before you say anything okay?” Yixing said and Kris nods. “I have been in love with my brother for the past 10 years. And I thought that it was not okay for me to say this out loud until today. Father told me that you are not my biological related brother. I am not the son of the Wu family.”

Kris was shocked to hear what Yixing had said, he turned around and saw Yixing staring at him with tears in his eyes.

“And now, after 10 years, I can finally tell you that, I love you.” Yixing said and smiled. “Even though you might not feel the same way as I do, I just wanted you to know that I really do love you.” He said and turned away, wanting to walk away but he was stopped by Kris. Kris pulled his wrist and pulled him back into a tight hug.

“I have always wanted to tell you that I love you too.” Kris said and pats Yixing’s head. “Brother or not, I still love you.”

Yixing pushed Kris away and looked him in the eye. “Really?” He asked.

“Really.” Kris said and nods. “I really do love you.”

“But I thought… You just treat me like your little brother.”

“Do brothers do this to their little brothers?” Kris asked and kissed Yixing on the lips.

“No…” Yixing said and laughed after they pulled away from each other. “They don’t.”

“I’ve heard your conversation with your mum… France… Are you still thinking of going?” Kris asked.

“I… I don’t know.” Yixing said. “Your mother doesn’t want me in the house anymore I’m sure… Now that the truth that I’m not one of the Wu family members.” He said. “Father told me so.”

“Nonsense.” Kris said. “Your mum is married to my dad, you are still a part of the family.” Kris said. “Not as the son, but as the son’s boyfriend.”

“Shut up you.” Yixing said and blushed.

“We’ll handle my mother.” Kris said. “Besides, it was father who told you the truth right? He didn’t chase you out of the house did he? You’re staying no matter what.”

“Thanks hyung…”

“Hyung? It’s chagiya from now on.” Kris said and pinched Yixing’s cheeks. “Besides, can you move into my room already? It’s getting lonely nowadays.”

“Idiot.” Yixing said and Kris swooped in for another kiss. 

“So I guess my wish did come true.”

 “Wish? What wish?” Yixing asked.

“Remember my birthday wish? I wished that we can be together and now, it came true!” Kris said.

Yixing smiled, so it does come true sometimes huh?

---

It's been so long! I'll find time to post another one soon!

I know I have requests but this was already half done so I thought, why not?

More Kray or are you guys getting sick of these? I actually have a lot of half done Kray saved in my computer though...