Kyungsoo paced about in her living room, trying to calm herself as she waited for her call to be picked up. Minutes passed by and Kyungsoo’s resolution was slowly disappearing. It had taken a tremendous amount of self-persuasion for Kyungsoo to dial the number and if Yixing was not going to pick up soon, Kyungsoo was certain that it would be some time before she would have enough courage to call Yixing again.

Overwhelmed by nervousness, Kyungsoo did not realise that the dial sound has changed to silence until she heard a rather heavy and seemingly annoyed exhalation from the other end.

‘Yixing?’

There was no reply. Kyungsoo swallowed, her voice trembled with uneasiness as she spoke. ‘Can I meet up with you? Please, give me a chance to explain.’

Another brief moment of silence followed before a harsh “fine” was heard.

‘I’ll see you at Moments at four this afternoon?’

‘Okay.’ And then Yixing hung up. The tension in Kyungsoo’s shoulder ebbed away as she let out a sigh of relief. Her best friend could be quite intimidating when she wanted to be.

Kyungsoo left the house at three-thirty, not wanting to further aggravate her friend with her tardiness. Moreover, leaving early would allow for her to slowly make her way to the café while mentally preparing herself for the upcoming confrontation and the possible outcomes. Around ten to four, she reached the place and exactly at four, Yixing walked into the café.

Yixing glanced around to search for her friend, and when she did, she approached Kyungsoo with a hardened and rather indifferent expression. Kyungsoo put on a small smile as Yixing sat down opposite to her. A waitress walked up to their table soon after. After both teachers had made their order and the waitress had left, Kyungsoo felt the air immediately became heavy. She took a glance at Yixing’s face, and it seemed that her best friend was waiting for her to break the silence.

‘I’m sorry for hiding it from you all this time and I’m sorry that you had to find out about it like that.’ Kyungsoo began.

When Yixing said nothing and the air was getting heavier by the minutes, Kyungsoo continued feebly.

‘So…do you have any particular question? To be honest, I don’t know how or where to begin.’

‘How long has this relationship been?’ Came the direct question.

Kyungsoo pursed her lips. She had expected this question. ‘Since mid-autumn.’

‘Nearly a year.’ The accusing tone in Yixing’s voice had Kyungsoo winced inwardly.

‘Does your mum know about it?’ Kyungsoo shook her head in reply. The drinks arrived at their table, and for some unknown reason, Kyungsoo felt a sense of relief when her drink was placed down in front of her. Immediately, she diverted her eyes from Yixing, reached for straw and started stirring her smoothie.

‘How long are you going to keep it going?’

‘As long as I can.’

‘You mean you are serious with this relationship? Kyungsoo-’

Kyungsoo put up a hand to stop her friend from speaking further, and when Yixing had halted, Kyungsoo let out a heavy breath.

‘I know what you are thinking and no, you are wrong. I have thought about it for quite some time now and it’s just recently that I made my decision.’ She spoke in a grave tone. ‘I love him, Xing. I want to be with him and if you can’t come to term with that, I hope that, at least, you can respect my decision.’

Yixing was quiet at first, looking at Kyungsoo with an undecipherable gaze that made Kyungsoo nervous as she waited for her friend’s verbal response.

‘Are you sure, Soo? I just want to know that you know what you are doing.’

A bright smile etched on Kyungsoo’s face, noticing the positive change in her friend’s attitude. She gave a firm nod. ‘Yes, I am sure.’

Looking defeated, Yixing tried to pull a small smile on.

‘Does this mean that you have forgiven me?’

Yixing faked a sigh. ‘Like I actually have a choice. Are you planning on telling everyone else and your mum about you and him?’

The question was enough to snuff out the small sense of relief in Kyungsoo. ‘Not yet. I don’t want to deal with my mum. Not this soon.’

Yixing nodded, understandingly. Then she made a face and asked, ‘But serious Soo, Jongin over Taekwoon?’

‘I’m not attracted to Taekwoon that way, and even if it wasn’t for Jongin, I’d still never date Taekwoon.’

Yixing scowled. ‘What’s wrong with Taekwoon?’

‘Firstly, I just don’t feel any romantic attraction to him. And secondly, because he’s not Jongin.’ Kyungsoo merely stated. Yixing handed out a judgemental look to her friend.

‘Go home. I can’t believe you just said that.’

Kyungsoo grinned.

‘Fine. I’m sure that there are girls out there who find Taekwoon hot and I’m going to find them for him.’

The mention of match-making put a frown on Kyungsoo’s face.

‘Xing, I don’t think you should try to hook him up anymore.’

‘What? Why?’ Her friend’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. ‘Aha. I knew it. You’re jealous.’

Kyungsoo rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t be stupid, Xing. What if Taekwoon has a girlfriend already? Or that he doesn’t want to be in a relationship now? Have you asked him?’

Yixing dismissed her friend’s question with a wave. ‘I’m sure he doesn’t. It’s pretty obvious if he does or doesn’t have a girlfriend. Trust me on this, I know.’

Seeing how it was pointless hinting to her friend, Kyungsoo decided to let the matter go. Taekwoon would have to tell Yixing himself.

‘So how is it going with you and Kris?’

‘We’re going strong,’ Yixing said. Then she paused, a taint of pink tinted her cheeks. ‘Actually…he proposed to me.’

Stunned by her friend’s confession, Kyungsoo stared at her friend, eyes widened. ‘Wait. What? When was this? What did you say?’

The pinkish red hue on Yixing’s face became darker as she replied with an uncharacteristic shyness. ‘It was three nights ago. And I said yes.’

‘Oh Xing, I’m so happy for you. Spill the details. I want to know everything.’

The red shade on Yixing’s cheek intensified, she took a sip of her smoothie to try to get rid of the heat in her face. The wide smile never left her face.

‘We were just celebrating our one - year anniversary on the cruise and he just knelt down in front of me out of the blue.’ A chuckle played on her lips at the memory of the spontaneous proposal. ‘In hindsight, I should have guessed that some thing was going to happen - the cruise was unusually empty.’

‘I never took Kris to be the romantic type, but I guess I was wrong,’ Kyungsoo commented, her smile mirroring the one on her best friend’s face. ‘So when is your wedding?’

‘We were thinking of this spring, so in three months - when it’s warm. I don’t want to shiver while trying to exchange wedding vows. Not to mention the coats that I would have to wear on top on my wedding dress. Ew.’

They sat and talked some more until Yixing received a call from Kris, who came to pick her up. With a lighter heart, Kyungsoo caught the bus and headed home.

----

The incessant buzzing of her phone pulled Kyungsoo from her sleep. Let out a groan, she reached towards the nightstand, glanced at her clock as she grabbed her phone. 2:00 A.M. it read. Upon seeing the name of the caller, sleepiness was gone. Worry overwhelmed her as she sat upright and picked up the call.

‘Jongin?’

‘Soo, can you come out? I’m standing under the tree four blocks from your house.’ His voice was serious and it made Kyungsoo worried even more.

‘Give me a minute.’ Kyungsoo put on her coat and opened her the door to her bedroom. There was a fairly high chance that she could sneak out without waking her mum. But even if her mother woke up, she could care less about her mum finding out and all of the aftermath at that moment. Slipping on her shoes, she tried to leave the house as quietly as she could afford, and once she was out in the garden, she bolted down the street to where Jongin was waiting for her.

Seeing him unharmed physically relieved her, though she noticed that he had a big bag with him, while his bike was nowhere in sight.

‘What’s wrong?’ she panted heavily. 

‘I’m sorry for waking you up at this time,’ he said. Shaking her head, she repeated her question.

‘I know that this may be asking you too much and if you were to say no, I would understand.’

‘Stop beating around the bush. You’re making me worried. What is it?’

 A resigned sigh could be heard from the other end. ‘My dad found out I was crashing at Sehun so I can’t go back there. At least not tonight. And I don’t have any cash on me at the moment.’ Then he paused, hesitating for a moment before continuing. ‘Could I stay at your house for tonight?’

Kyungsoo was slightly taken back by the question, but she nodded. His safety comes first.

‘Are you sure? I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable,’ he said.

‘Where would you have crashed at if I had said no?’

‘The park.’

‘Are you crazy? Sleeping in the park in this temperature would have given you pneumonia the next day,’ she snapped furiously. The boy was an idiot. She pulled him by his wrist and began to walk back to her house.

‘Where’s your bike? How long did it take you to walk?’

The sight of Kyungsoo in her pyjamas and leading him by the wrist was strangely adorable, but he didn’t think stating that aloud would make Kyungsoo less inclined to pinch him, like she always does whenever he aggravated her. ‘It’s at the studio. It’s safe from my father’s clutch for now.’

They stopped in front of her house. ‘If we’re lucky, my mum won’t be awake when we walk in but if you see my mum, leave everything to me. I’ll come up with a plausible story.’ She told him before twisting the knob and opened the door slowly. Inwardly, she prayed that her mother would be in her usual deep slumber.

The light was off, an indication that her mother hadn’t woken up. She turned around and put a finger to her lips before taking off her shoes.

‘Bring your shoes,’ she whispered, tip-toeing to her room with Jongin in front. Once they were both inside, she locked the door and turned the table lamp on. Turning around abruptly, her nose hit his back. Taking a sniff, she made a face and pushed him into her bathroom.

‘You need a shower.’

Jongin took one without any protest. While waiting for him, Kyungsoo took out a sleep bag, pulled one of her extra blankets and unwinded them on the spot next to her bed. Away from the door. She the heater to warm up the room then went to the kitchen to get two cups of warm water. By the time he emerged from the bathroom, she was sitting on her bed, waiting for him.

‘Stand by the heater, it will warm you up.’ She motioned to him. ‘Drink up the water too.’

She took a good look at him and found herself grinning at the sight of Jongin in his duck pyjamas, the one that she had bought for him. Although she couldn’t see most of his upper body and face, it was enough to amuse her.

‘What are you smiling at?’ he scowled a little, despite knowing the exact reason.

‘You look cute,’ she commented, her smile widened as the scowl on his face deepened.

Her smile froze as he walked away from the heater and toward her, wet hair dishevelled and droplets of water dripping along his collarbone. Then she belatedly realised that he hadn’t bothered buttoning up his top buttons. The slight scowl on his face was still there.

In her stupor, she let her thoughts slipped out.

‘Hot.’

Her face turned beet red, realising what she just said.

‘What? Hot?’ Jongin was briefly confused, but the colour of his girlfriend’s face put a smirk on his face.

‘Nothing. I said nothing.’ Kyungsoo slipped down into her blanket and closed her eyes.

She heard him chuckling as he walked around to his side.

‘Good night, Soo.’

‘’Night, Jongin.’

---

‘Kyungsoo, wake up. It’s already ten.’

Kyungsoo turned and slipped further into her blanket, trying to hide herself fromher mother’s morning holler and the constant knocking.

‘I’m going over to Ms. Kim’s house. I’ve left your breakfast and lunch on the table.’

She groaned and mumbled, tossed and her small single bed. Then she rolled to the edge of her bed, peering down at Jongin, who managed to sleep through her mother’s thunderous morning call. He looked so unattractive now, she giggled to herself. A naughty finger probed gently at his lips, causing his face to scrunch up cutely before curling into himself.

‘Oh dear, he is precious.’

Her fingers continued to play with his lips, her eyes trained on his face, watching his little reactions to her game. Until she felt her finger being nibbed and a hand pulled her down, causing her to landed onto him.

‘Good morning.’ He flashed her a smile, his arms circled around her waist.

A shy smile is given to him as she snuggled against his chest, thankful that her mother would not be home until late afternoon.

‘How was your sleep?’ she asked.

‘Good.’ A light kiss landed on the crown of her head.

‘You smell like me?’

‘I used your shampoo and soap. Do you like it?’

She shook her head. ‘Really? I like it though. I think it made me slept well.’

‘You know what we could do? We could swap soap and shampoo, then you’d be smelling like me while I’d smell like you.’

Kyungsoo rolled her eyes. ‘I don’t appreciate smelling like a man.’

‘But you just said you like my smell,’ he squawked.

‘Well, on you. Not on me.’

‘Oh, I see.’

With that, they ended the conversation and chose to quietly lay there, revelling in the warmth of each other’s hug. The silence did not last for long though as Kyungsoo remembered about the night.

‘Jongin, what are you going to do about your dad?’

A heavy sigh exhaled from the top of her head. ‘I’m going to talk to him. I figured that I can only avoid the conversation for so long.’

Kyungsoo tightened her embrace around him. ‘Just remember that you have your dance team and I behind you and fight for your future.’

They lay there in silence for some time before Kyungsoo decided that they both needed their breakfast, considered the loud grumbling that came from both of them. Kyungsoo went to her mother’s room to clean up, leaving her bathroom for Jongin. Once finished, she headed into the kitchen, happy to find that her mother had prepared a big breakfast for her. They could always eat the lunch food and eat out for lunch, she mused.

‘I’m so hungry right now.’ Jongin exclaimed as he walked into the kitchenand sat down opposite to her. ‘I didn’t even have dinner yesterday.’

Kyungsoo placed the bowl of rice in front of him and said, ‘I guess that means that we’re going to have to go out for lunch later.’

‘This is fried rice is heaven. I’m jealous of you, getting to eat food like this everyday.’

‘Living with mothers has its perks. Especially this one since I’m too tired to cook on most days.’ She nodded. ‘Hey, slow down, no one is fighting with you.’

‘But I’m hungy,’ he whined through his full mouth.

‘You’re going to get indigestion at this rate.’

He ignored her as he continued to gulf down the food. Suddenly, the sound of the knobbed being turned could be heard, followed by the jarring of the hinge as the front door was pushed opened. The second Kyungsoo saw a familiar shoe emerged through the threshold trepidation filled her heart, cutting off her breath. Across her, Jongin was equally startled.

‘Kyungsoo, could you get me my card, I left – ’

Mrs. Do’s sentence was cut when her eyes fell upon a man who sat opposite to her daughter in his set of pyjamas. Her face set into a solemn expression, tightened into a grim thin line, her hands stilled on the door knob.

‘I can’t believe this.’

‘Mum, I can explain.’

‘Quiet, Kyungsoo,’ she shouted at her daughter, then turned to the unfamiliar man. ‘Who are you?’

‘My name is Jongin, Kim Jongin.’

‘I didn’t ask for your name. I asked “Who are you?’

Jongin looked at Kyungsoo, asking her. Kyungsoo looked back at him before she lowered her eyelids and answered her mum instead.

‘He’s my boyfriend.’

‘I figured so. How dare you bring him home and fooled me?’

‘Mum, we didn’t do anything. Let me explain.’

‘I don’t think you can explain, not with your boyfriend in pyjamas.’

‘Just hear me out, mum.’

‘I will, once your boyfriend has changed into something else rather than his pyjams.’

Jongin passed a sorry look to his girlfriend then went into her room to get changed. Being left alone in the kitchen with Kyungsoo somehow made Kyungsoo felt less tense.

Her mother took Jongin’s previous seat and said, ‘I’m utterly disappointed in you, Kyungsoo.’

‘It’s not what it look like,’ Kyungsoo began. ‘He really doesn’t have anywhere else to sleep yesterday night, not with an empty pocket. And mum, don’t ask me why, it’s his personal story and I can’t share it if he doesn’t want me to.’

‘Fine, but he could have called his friends.’

‘They lived quite far away from here,’ Kyungsoo said. ‘Mum, we didn’t do anything last night. He slept on the floor, if you don’t believe me, you can go into my room and check, the sleeping bag is still on the floor.’

‘So you’ve slept with him?’ Her mother glared at her. ‘Why else would you hide him from me?’

‘What? No, don’t be ridiculous mum, I haven’t slept with him.’

‘Then why didn’t you tell me that you had a boyfriend?’

Jongin resurfaced into the kitchen, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and a pair of jeans. He pulled out the chair next to Kyungsoo and sat down, taking in Kyungsoo’s hand that was underneath the table and giving it an assuring squeeze.

‘How long have you been dating?’

‘Nearly a year, Mrs. Do,’ he replied. ‘Before we talk, I want to say that I’m sorry. I put Kyungsoo this position.’

‘Is it true that you had nowhere else to sleep yesterday?’

‘Yes.’

‘What do you do and how old are you?’

Jongin passed a dreading look to Kyungsoo before answering. ‘I’m twenty, and ...I’m a dancer.’

‘Twenty? Oh god, that means that my Kyungsoo was dating a student? A dancer?’ The scowl on Mrs. Do’s face deepened. ‘Just a dancer?’

‘Mum, don’t – ’

‘Yes, I love dancing.’ Jongin replied, his eyes looking straight into her mother’s eyes. Kyungsoo’s worried gaze alternated between her mother and boyfriend’s face.

‘I don’t think I can trust you with taking care of my daughter, especially if you are dancing for a career.’ Kyungsoo’s mother spoke up first. ‘I don’t approve of him, Kyungsoo.’

The words hit Kyungsoo heavy against her palpitating heart. The scenarios, which she was afraid of and had been avoiding, was playing out clearly in front of her, leaving her with no time to prepare. Tears collected at the end of her eyes, fighting against Kyungsoo’s will to escape.

‘Mum, I love him,’ she almost whispered.

‘What are you doing fooling with boy barely out of high school? He’s not mature enough and your relationship won’t go anywhere.’ Her mother shook her head in disapproval. ‘And you, Kyungsoo -  you dated a student. Where are your morals as a teacher?’

‘Mrs. Do, please give me a chance to show you that I can be the one that you can trust your daughter to be with,’ Jongin spoke up.

‘I’m not going to take any risk, I want Kyungsoo to be with someone who can take care of her in all aspects. You are too young – barely out of high school with an unstable job. How can you ask me to give you a chance?’

‘I don’t need anyone taking care of me. I’m capable of taking care of myself,’ Kyungsoo protested. She hated that mother felt that she needed a man to take care of her. Just because she was still living with her mum it did not mean that Kyungsoo isn’t capable of taking care of herself.

‘Quiet, you say that now because you haven’t entered marriage yet. Who is going to be helping you financially to raise up your children? Who is going to help you pay the bill? Have you thought of that?’ her mother bellowed.

Kyungsoo’s mind was blank. She could retort that they can manage, but then she hadn’t even thought that far about their relationship. Fear quickly ate up inside her, paralysing her mind completely. And the tears won their battle against her will that moment, cascading down freely along her cheeks.

‘See? I thought so,’ her mother said. ‘Break up now while the pain is still bearable.’

With that she stood up and walked away. The sight of her mum walking away brought back Kyungsoo’s tongue.

‘No, I won’t break up with Jongin.’ She began murmuring to herself. Then the murmur got louder to the volume of a firm declare. ‘I will not break up with him.’

‘Kyungsoo!’ her mother turned around upon hearing what her daughter had said.

‘No, mum,’ Kyungsoo stopped her mum before she could begin another talk. ‘What Jongin and I have is not a joke. We’re not fooling around.’

‘I’m not going to repeat that I’ve said, Kyungsoo.’

‘I’ve thought long and hard about this relationship and Jongin has shown me that he’s a trustworthy  guy. I don’t care that he doesn’t have a fancy job and earn big money. What I care about is that he loves me.’

Jongin pulled Kyungsoo into his embrace, patting her back softly.

‘I’m not changing my mind, Kyungsoo.’ Her mother’s reply was brief and curt before she went upstairs, away from the couple’s sight.

(tbc.)

I know it's been ages since the last update. I'm sorry. I've been like really, really busy and tired for the past few months. I'm sorry for keep you all waiting. Though busy, I won't drop the story.

Thank you for waiting and I hope you enjoy this chapter. 

P.S: Why is everyone disliking Kyungsoo? I mean, if you put yourself into her shoes, perhaps you can understand why she acts certain way.

Oh, if you have any questions in relation to the story, (except for the ending) please ask and I will try to clarify/explain to you.

Lastly, as usual, please drop a comment on your way out.