Minseok had said it would be temporary, and yet here he was, still sleeping in the spare bedroom of his boss’ house. If temporary meant ‘a long time’ then Yixing didn’t like temporary.

He was practically mooching off Minseok and Luhan’s kindness; in fact this was one of the better options he had been given – Baekhyun had offered his couch but lived a rock star lifestyle and so that hadn’t appealed to Yixing all too much, and Jongin had offered the other half of his bed but Yixing wasn’t exactly ready to place himself in the middle of a new relationship. Which is how he ended up crashing in Minseok and Luhan’s spare bedroom.

He liked it to be honest, it was great to have his own space, and Luhan seemed to be less erted around the house - instead it was Minseok who would make sly touches. Yixing had asked, on more than one occasion, if he was interrupting any alone time they might need but both Luhan and Minseok had stated that they were fine just being able to sleep next to each other.

But… He was jealous.

He was jealous of the strong loving relationship Minseok and Luhan had.

He was jealous that Jongin got to see Kyungsoo daily.

And he was jealous about the fact that YiFan and Kyungsoo got to see Junmyeon for nearly nine hours a day.

He was jealous of a lot of things…

For the past few months, Yixing had been avoiding Junmyeon. It wasn’t hard, considering Junmyeon was avoiding him, but he did work in the general area Junmyeon lived in, and worked in… And he refused to give into his instinct to turn into a cat and skulk around Junmyeon’s apartment building. He refused to go anywhere near Junmyeon’s apartment and avoided the area around his workplace. Yixing would have become a shut in if it weren’t for his job.

Minseok had quite often expressed how proud he was of Yixing for not becoming a shut in. Luhan joined him occasionally, but often followed up with a comment about how he thought Yixing would have run back to Junmyeon after a week.

He hadn’t. He had wanted to but he hadn’t.  

Yixing was lucky that Minseok and Luhan lived in the opposite direction, there was no chance of ever running into Junmyeon. And yet, somehow, he still saw him.

Apparently Junmyeon liked to shop at the store that Minseok – and now Yixing – frequented. It had proven hard for Yixing when he had seen Junmyeon walking out of the store the first time. He barely managed to control the spike in his heartrate but had no way to control the intense need his body held for wanting to shrink in on itself and revert to a small caramel coloured cat. He had been fortunate enough to have at least been in Minseok’s car at that time. But still, it had been close.

Now when he entered the store he had to be cautious. If Junmyeon saw him he didn’t know how he would react, if it was even a good idea for their eyes to meet. What if Junmyeon hated him now? He had lived in the elder’s house without him knowing so that was a fair reason, in Yixing’s eyes, to hate him.

But Yixing couldn’t help but want to see Junmyeon. Often he envisioned random scenarios where they met and Junmyeon would just kiss him senseless in the middle of the store or café. But they were nothing more than daydreams that burst into flames as soon as Yixing remembered that he was part cat.

The street was dark, wet and empty. Yixing held an umbrella over his head in hopes to avoid getting wet, the water he kicked off the road kept hitting the back of his legs. It was hard to believe that he was still in Seoul when he walked the backstreets, they were just so quiet compared to the rest of the city it seemed like a different place all together.

After a long day working at the café he had decided to travel to the store in hopes of being able to obtain something sweet to eat.

Taking the back roads from Minseok and Luhan’s wasn’t that complicated once he had done it a few times. On more than one occasion, after first moving in with them, he had gotten so lost that it had taken Minseok an hour to drive them both home.

From the limited light the street lamps provide, Yixing examined his shadow. He looked almost normal in this light. His tail hidden under his oversized shirt and umbrella hiding his head – and therefore ears – from the darkness. He sighed, a sad smile on his face.

Maybe Junmyeon would prefer that Yixing to me.

He tilts his head back as he sighs a second time. It’s the first time all day he has had a negative thought regarding the other. For the first time since he had revealed himself today had been a good day. He had heard from YiFan that Junmyeon’s mood had improved, and from what he understood in between YiFan’s annoyed and slurred Chinese, Junmyeon was thinking about talking to him; Yixing purposely ignored the part of the story where YiFan mentioned another person was flirting with Junmyeon.

Several times after YiFan and Kyungsoo had left he imagined Junmyeon running into the café to apologise or to accept his apology or to just ask him out. Of course that hadn’t happened, but it didn’t stop him from thinking positively about their situation for the first time in what seemed like forever.

Yixing turned left at the next intersection and kicked a stone as he went. He had finally found someone he thought might love him for the rest of his life – even if it were as a cat. He had honestly expected to be alone until he died, or have to move back in with his parents and grandparents. Not that he minded, but he really intended to stay in Korea indefinitely.  

He kicks at another stone before pausing in the middle of the road and examining his shadow once more. It looks more human than he does. He likes that. Likes the way his oversized shirt makes it look like he is wearing a skirt rather than covering up a tail. He likes that he seems more human, that his shadow isn’t seen as a freak for having cat ears. Isn’t seen as strange for constantly wearing hats.

The rain falls heavier now, so he keeps moving. He is no more than a street away from the store and feels like turning back. It might be nice to take a long walk in this weather. Yixing considers turning around, he actually spins on his heal twice before he shakes his head and continues on to the store.

A block of chocolate is better than walking along in the rain.

He continues kicking the stone as he goes, attempting to distract himself from the lack of Junmyeon he has in his life currently.

“You should be careful kicking stones.”

Yixing jumps, letting go of his umbrella, and briefly it floats threw the air before falling to the ground not too far from him. He runs to grab it, avoiding the rain as best as possible in the brief time he is without it, before he looks around for the person who spoke.

“You might hit someone…” Junmyeon mutters from across the street. He has his own umbrella over his head, even though he is under the shelter of the store roof.

Yixing can’t say anything, he is frozen. Tears are welling in his eyes and his hands are shaking. Surely this can’t be real.

They stare at each other for the longest time, before Junmyeon breathes out a single word which starts the world spinning again.

“Surprise…” 

A/N:: This chapter I struggled with. But as promised they met? haha

I had several different senarios in my head for how they would meet before deciding on this one... and I know that it seems kind of disjointed but that is mainly because I am struggling to form words. I honestly don't know how I managed to write as much as I did last time and feel incredibly lucky to have written this much for you now. 

In other news, when I started this chapter I had my first job interview in nearly a year. I then fell down a flight of concrete stairs, which made me fear for my life, thankfully I got away with very little injury (slightly bruised left hand and incredibly sore left arm, scraped right shoulder, right knee and a lack of skin on my right ankle). It was quite an adventure and I felt quite proud because I didn't cry! haha but, sadly 24 hours after I got rejected for the job, so I got no cool bruises and no job out of falling - tumbling? - down a flight of stairs. By the way, I am fine, It hurts to walk and lift things but I am fine ^^

I hope you liked this chapter even though to me it seems like the worst one of the entire fic. Please comment and leave feedback! I always reply and enjoy hearing it. I also take in any advise or requests (such as a lovely subscriber, I cannot remember their username, who requested not to do the cliche of having our two lovebirds meet at the cafe). 

Anyway my dears, I love you all and will hopefully return shortly with an even better chapter than this. <3