City EH

When we arrived to the city, it was already dark. All the shops were closed and not many people still wandered the streets. Donghae looked uncomfortable in dark roads we were walking through and a warm bath or a tasty soup would definitely do him some good. I´ve been to this city many times so I headed straight to my favourite tavern.

I knocked on the hard wooden door and after a while a burly guy appeared in front of us. He looked at poor Donghae with his resentful eyes and spat: "What do you want at this hour? We don´t have a place for you to stay, get out!" Oops, that wasn´t a very good start.

"Kangin," I stepped out, he must have not noticed me, my bad.

"Oh! Eunhyuk," Kangin exclaimed suddenly with a wide grin decorating his face. "I didn´t see you, you should really stop hiding in the shadows. Or at least try to put on some weight. Come on inside! This is your new customer? I´m sorry, sir, I didn´t know you came with Hyukkie."

"Kangin!" I had to stop him before he embarrasses me any further. "Give us a room with a bath and a dinner would be nice too." Kangin let us inside and gave us his best room. So much for not having any place, you bastard.

"After you freshen up a bit, come down for the dinner. Let´s chat, Hyuk, I haven´t seen you for ages!" Kangin said and with a happy laughter left the room. I looked at Donghae in fear he would be crying by now, but he on the contrary seemed delighted. Smiling for himself, he started humming some unknown song and unpacking his stuff. Good, one less problem for me.

Our room was very spacious and cosy. Kangin made sure to heat it up and I couldn´t be more thankful when I heard Donghae sight in the next room, where the hot bath was located. I am used to sleeping outside, washing in rivers or lakes, but for my baby companion it must have been quite tiring. That´s why I took him to Kangin´s. I knew, only here we would get the full comfort. Kangin might be a rough guy but he has golden heart when it comes to his friends. And he especially likes to call me his friend.

After we warmed up and changed our clothes, we went to the back of the building, Kangin´s home. He was already waiting for us at the table full with various foods, two children running around him.

"Hey, sit down kids, we have guests," Kangin stormed and the children plus Donghae sat quietly down. I had to smile, those are old reflexes. I´m sure he runs like that at home too, getting scolded.

"Where´s your wife?" I asked to lighten up the atmosphere.

"She went to visit her parents with my oldest son, she´ll be back in four days. You won´t be staying for that long I presume." I shook my head. My plan was to go shopping tomorrow and leave the next day.

Donghae and Kangin started conversing after that and I concentrated solely on the food. It wasn´t as delicious as his wife´s cooking, but I´m a er for food, so nothing mattered as long as it was good. I ate chicken soup with freshly baked bread, pork and potatoes, vegetable pancakes, just when I was about to attack the dessert I overheard my name. How long were they talking about me?

"Hey, Hyuk! Back in the reality?" Then they both started laughing. What? I furrowed my eyebrows and bared my teeth, not very human like reaction, I know.

"Don´t look at me like that. I was wondering, you rarely come here with a company. Why the change?" Now even Donghae was watching me with the question in his eyes. What was I supposed to say? That Donghae´s the most sensitive and fragile person I´ve ever guided?

“It´s the safest here," I answered truthfully. Kangin nodded knowingly, but Donghae looked hurt.

"You took me here, because you think I would get scared and cry just because I´m uncomfortable? You think I´m that weak?" he blurted out.

I didn´t know where this came from, but it must have been bothering him for a while, because he was quite upset. I had no clue, how to solve the situation. I looked at Kangin, asking for help before I get annoyed. I´m like that, either running away from personal situations like that or blowing up to shut everyone up.

"Hey, hey, Donghae," Kangin got my message, "I believe, that Eunhyuk just cares for you more than for usual customers, right, Hyukkie?" Kangin, you bastard!

I knew his help won´t be for free. Blush started creeping on my face, this is bad. I hurriedly transformed into a mouse and ran to the children. They were trying to catch me and I had to sprint around the kitchen at least five times. Kangin was laughing hard and Donghae relaxed and laughed after a while too. Probably accepting Kangin´s explanation. I figured, they had enough fun on my expense and turned back so I could finish my dessert.

It was already late, we bid Kangin good night and went back to our room. Donghae was deep in thoughts again and I got a bad feeling, that it´s my fault. He hasn´t said a word, he just washed his face and went to sleep on the only bed. I morphed into the wolf and went to sleep on the warm floor. I knew, Donghae wasn´t sleeping, surely contemplating over our little conversation again. But I was somehow confused myself too. I haven´t even considered going to any other tavern but this one, it just felt right. I need to do something about the atmosphere.

"The reason I don´t take my other customers to places like Kangin´s is because I want only good people to enter these houses and I consider you as one. Whenever you come here alone, I know, that you will be accepted with the same hospitality as me," I quietly grumbled in case Donghae was really sleeping. Although my cool image was at stake here I wanted him to know.

"Thanks, Hyukkie," Donghae whispered and I could hear the smile in his voice. Wait, what?! ´Hyukkie´?! Oh, Kangin, you´re so dead.