Chapter 3

"Are you alright?" Woohyun finally said after a few seconds of intense eye contact with Sunggyu who shot daggers at the young man through his smaller than usual eyes.

"Is stealing my smoothie not enough for you? Now you also want my life?" Sunggyu shouted at the black haired man.

"I already said that I am sorry! What more do you want? It's not like you are hurt anywhere..." Woohyun muttered.

"Take me to this address. I will let you go if you promise to bring me there."

Woohyun, seeing this as a chance to tease the elder, said "Are you sure it is not because you cannot call a taxi with your English?"

"Shut it. Just bring me there." Sunggyu limped to Woohyun's black Audi and entered to the back.

"YAH! Don't get my seats all wet! I just got this car two months ago... YAH HAMSTER!"

Woohyun moved to the driver seat and started the car. They headed off to Sunggyu's hotel in silence amidst New York City's famous traffic jams.

Sunggyu shifted uncomfortably around the back seat, his wet clothes bothering him more than the stranger who almost knocked him over. The seats made squeaking sounds whenever he shifted, causing Woohyun to wince at the noise and the damage his leather seats is suffering.

"You know, this car is pretty new and I have to meet someone important tomorrow, so try your best to not ruin the seats, will you?" Woohyun finally broke the silence.

"It's not my fault that I am all wet. Just be happy that I am not suing you."

Woohyun snorted. "If getting a hamster wet counts as a crime, then all pet owners around the world will be in jail by now."

"YAH! What is with the hamster jokes? Speaking of which, you have been speaking informally to me since the beginning. How old are you?" Sunggyu asked.

Smirking, the driver said "Curious, aren't you? I don't blame you, even straight men managed to fall under my charm quite easily. I am 23."

"Ah. Well you see, I am 24. Therefore, address me formally you kid." Sunggyu felt a childish triumph to be older than the younger man.

Woohyun agreed to play along with Sunggyu. "What if I don't want to, Hamster-hyung~".

"Aish you little-" Sunggyu paused, replaying Woohyun's words before. He has definitely heard this voice before. It was a voice that haunted Sunggyu for years, yet he can't seem to put a finger on it.

"Ca-Call me hyung again. "

Startled by this request, Woohyun asked "Wae? Don't wanna~ Do you like being so old, hamster-sshi? I-"

"PLEASE! one more time...I-" Sunggyu begged, tears surfacing as memories flooded his head.

"Fine. Hyung. Ok? Happy now? Aish, at least reply when I agreed... YAH!"

Woohyun turned around to see the hamster sobbing his eyes out, eventually fainting in the backseat.

What's wrong with him? Does the word hyung cause a person to faint like this? Aish so troublesome. I'll just bring him home until he wakes up. My chicken and beer... Woohyun thought.

"LEE SUNGYEOL! OPEN THE DOOR!" Woohyun screamed into the intercom, ringing the door with his sharp nose.

"Coming hyung! Aish why can't you open the doo- WOAH HYUNG! I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WENT AROUND BRINGING DRUNK PEOPLE HOME! You should have told me so you guys can have the apartment all to yoursel-"

Woohyun's glare shut up the choding quite easily. He handed Sungyeol the drinks and carried Sunggyu bridal style to the bedroom. Strangely, the man grabbed onto Woohyun's white shirt and refused to let go. And what was it that the man whispered? Something about New York City, lights, and a strawberries...

Sunggyu woke up in a dark room. The pillow was softer than usual and it carried a scent that made Sunggyu feel comfortable and warm. The hamster sat up, rubbing his tired eyes and took in his surroundings. He was in a simplistic bedroom with a tall window that showed the beautiful New York lights. It was the Empire state building that stood out the most with its majestic height and shape.

Wait. Empire State building. New York City.

The flustered man jumped off the comfortable bed and opened the door to the bedroom, only to see the man who almost hit him leaning by the door fast asleep by the door.

Ah. I must have fainted in the car. This is probably this person's house. Aish, why are you so stupid Sunggyu...

"Gyu...is that your name?" a voice asked. Stepping out from a room across the one Sunggyu just stepped out of, a girlish looking man looked at Sunggyu up and down.

"Ah, yes. I am Kim Sunggyu. Sorry to bother you. I must be leaving..."

Sunggyu stepped away from the door and was stopped by a tug on his shirt. He looked down to meet a pair of shining brown orbs of the young man that finally woke up.

"Don't leave yet. It's late at night so just sleep here and I will take you back in the morning. Besides, Jongie took care of your clothes so wait until they are dry before leaving my apartment looking like...that." Woohyun said, stifling his grin.

Sunggyu looked down. The drenched suit he had been wearing in the car was replaced with a cute hamster overall. There were ears on the hood Sunggyu didn't realize he was wearing and his puffy cheeks from sleep made him seem more like a hamster than usual.

"Thank you...I guess." Sunggyu quickly closed the door and went back to the bed. He heard chuckles from the other side of the door and footsteps that faded away.

Smooth Kim Sunggyu. Why are you so stupid...wait. Does it mean that the man changed my clothes?

A faint blush appeared on his cheeks as Sunggyu wandered off to dreamland once again.

"Yah Jongie, did you catch his name?" Woohyun asked in the kitchen.

"No, I only caught the syllable Gyu. The rest he said really faintly so I couldn't catch it at all."

Hmm. Gyu hamster-sshi. He seems like an interesting person.

The rest of the night passes away quietly without disruptions until a scream erupted the calm silence at 7 AM the next day.

"YAH! You scared me...What do you think you are doing..." Woohyun said as he bent over his drawers to look for a white shirt, his chiseled body left for the world to see. Or in this case, Sunggyu.

"I..I.."  Sunggyu stuttered, his face turning tomato red.

The first thing I see waking up is a man half beside my bed. How can I not scream?

Fortunately, Woohyun finished changing rather quickly, covering up his abs with a crisp, collared shirt.

Nope. Sunggyu was not disappointed. Not at all.

"Here you go. Nice meeting you Gyu hamster-sshi." Woohyun said as he stopped his car at the hotel's entrance.

"How many times do I have to say that I am not a hamster..." Sunggyu muttered as he stepped out.

"Goodbye. Live well."

Flashback

"Strawberry hyung! Come with me!" Woohyun cried, blindly reaching out for Sunggyu, only to grab onto thin air.

"I can't Hyunnie. Hyung is sorry alright? I will come find you one day. I promise."

"Bu-but hyung...."

Sunggyu gently pushed off the crying boy from his arms.

"Goodbye. Live well."

Woohyun's eyes squinted as hard as he could, managing to catch a blur of black hair slowly move away from him before darkness covered his eyes again.

"I...don't even know how hyung looks like. How can I find you?"

Flashback ends.

Woohyun looked at the retreating back of the man walking into the hotel. That farewell was familiar. Too familiar. He has definitely heard it before. But from whom?