I had grown more and more accustomed to coming home to a human sized Donghae by now since the surprise arrival when Kyuhyun had come over.

I was very thankful that Choco had such a wonderful companion while I was away. It had always pained me to leave her behind and I had always contemplated getting her another friend to spend her time with.

Although still extremely confused about what in the world Donghae really was, I was also happy to have company to talk to and talk back at me as well.

Peeking my head into the apartment one afternoon, I would see Donghae holding Choco in his arms as he playfully waved one of her paws in my direction as if she was the one doing the act of her own accord. “Welcome back, Hyukjae!” Accompanied with a few barks which I could only assume meant to be a welcome from Choco as well.

Placing my backpack on the floor, I walked over to the duo and scruffed Choco’s hair and leaned down to place a kiss on top of her head allowing her to try to wildly at my cheek in return. With a smile on my face, I looked up at Donghae and ruffled his hair lightly as I walked into the kitchen to get food ready for all of us.

“How was your day?” Donghae asked as he had set down the pup on the floor who was wildly wagging her tail next to me and barking lightly.

Scratching at my short black hair, I could only look back at him and smile lightly. “It was a rough day. One of the other workers up and quit suddenly. I’m pretty sure she was extremely tired of the way one of the show hosts treated her.”

I could feel him approach me from behind as I was busy cutting away some vegetables. His head suddenly resting on my shoulder as he watched what I was doing intently, “is that the way they treat you as well?”

Stopping my cutting motions, I could only pat his head before continuing on, “some times. You’ve gotta work hard through the difficult motions for your dreams. But I can assure you that I would quit faster than anything if things ever really go out of hand thanks to their ridiculous egos.”

Squeezing the sides of my stomach before wandering off to sit at his usual spot on the island on the swivel chair he loved to play on so much with Choco, I could hear him sigh lightly in the distance. “Well, as long as you feel happy there. We would prefer it if you were happier with it but it’s your choice at the end of the day. And we know it’s your dream to one day be a host so there’s also that.”

Once again stopping in the middle of my task, I could only smile to myself to hear such words spoken. It was still interesting to hear Choco’s feelings along with Donghae’s. Bending down next to the pup who was still wagging her tail at me, I picked her up lightly and placed a kiss on on her forehead, “thank you for loving me so much, princess.” A bark and a few to my face and I put her down to finish cooking our meal. Maybe a little trip would be nice for all of us today, I thought.

-----

Handing Donghae a sweater to put on and tying a leash on Choco, I had announced that we would all be going to the park tonight.

Choco barking loudly and Donghae staring at me with an apparent mix of emotions, I only laughed and approached him to pull down the hoodie down from his face as he was obviously struggling to get fully on.

“We’re… really going out, Hyukjae?” He asked with his eyes as big as saucers. “But I… I haven’t been out with so many people while on this form. And, I’ll be seen. It’s so quiet here. Can we stay here?”

A soft, reassuring smile crept up on my face as I ruffled his hair after getting his head out of the hoodie’s head hole. “Are you really that scared? I figured you’d be bored being cooped up in here for so long.”

“Well, I don’t mind people but,” he looked down at his body and stretched out his arms in front of him, “it’ll be a new experience.”

Smiling at him and pulling on his arm while picking up Choco’s leash, I only assured him that he’d be okay if he stayed at my side.

-----

And he was more than okay! Clinging on my arm as we waited for the walking signal to change for us, he was excitedly staring at every which way possible making random commentary about everything he saw. Smiling at every word he uttered and as he chatted up a storm with Choco as well, he had but dragged me across the way as people had begun to move.

“Where are we going, Hyukjae? There’s so many places! Where are we going?”

Pulling back on him as we had crossed the street, trying to calm his excitement (you’d think I had too puppies with me with the way he was acting... ), I pushed us along to a nearby park so we could all play.

Donghae quickly left my side as he spotted the little flower garden area as Choco was pulling at her leash to quickly join our companion. It took just about every ounce of fiber of my being to stop Donghae from stupidly jumping into the flower bed to roll on top of it.

“But, Hyukjae! I want to!”

Sighing, I dragged all of us to a nearby area that was enclosed especially for dogs to roam around at. Understanding where I was going, Donghae quit his struggles and I bent down to free Choco from her hold. Barking up at me, she quickly ran up to the other dogs that were playing around and jumping on a dog she had tackled that had suddenly fallen on his back and barked at her in an apparent greeting.

Pulling on Donghae’s hand, I dragged us outside of the area and found a nice grassy place so we could both watch her play. Having taken my eyes away from Donghae for a second, I turned to notice that he was stupidly rolling around on the grass himself.

“Hyukjae!!! Play with me! This is sooo nice!”

Covering my face with the palm of my hand, I shook my head in disbelief of this creature in front of me. Eyebrows raised, I could only watch as he enjoyed rolling on the grass far too much.

Finally tiring himself out, he had finally sat right next to me as I was still watching Choco play around with her friends. “You know, I also always worried about her not having many friends. She’s been with me for so long yet I feared that she would grow incredibly lonely when I took her away from home. She wasn’t originally my dog but she wound up with me at the end. I’m really glad she has your company, Hae.”

Without realizing, my hand had somehow found its way on top of his and wrapped itself on top of it. Feeling him squeeze it from underneath, he leaned his head on my shoulder and sighed. “You two really should talk out your feelings to each other, y’know?”

I smiled and squeezed his hand in return and suddenly shot up as I had noticed a familiar dog owner approach with his dog and Choco in tow. “Hey, Hyukjae! How are you these days?”

Picking up Choco and carrying her in my arms, I stretched out a hand to the one reaching out to me. “I’m doing very well, Siwon! I’m glad to see Bugsy as healthy as ever!”

His young French bulldog was known to be one of Choco’s best doggy friends. Siwon, also picking up his doggy companion could only laugh in reply to my statement. “We’re both doing very well,” he said in his deep yet calm voice. “I see you’re in good company today."

Having not noticed  that Donghae was silently tugging at the back of my shirt behind me, I could only prod him to the front to meet Siwon.

Shaking Donghae’s suddenly shy hands and exchanging pleasantries, I also shared goodbyes before starting to walk off.

“Say hello to Sora for me, Hyukjae!” I heard him suddenly call from behind. Raising a hand  up in response, I could feel Donghae shift next to me.

“Who’s Sora?”

“Oh, she’s my sister. You’ll meet her eventually I’m sure.”

-----

On a particularly lazy weekend, I sat on my sofa with my feet propped against the coffee table reading a book as cat Donghae lay in a ball of fluff right next to me. I felt amused at the fact that this tiny little thing turned into quite the stunning young man from time to time. Shaking my head at the sudden thoughts of his human form, I away at the ball of fluff next to me.

Without much of a warning, I started to notice how his shape was suddenly changing forms. Donghae had been right about how he was spending more and more time as a human as of late. This was actually one of the very few times that I had seen his cat persona in the last week. Unsure of what really caused this, I had become unaware that human Donghae was suddenly a ball of human right next to me.

Eyes wide, I could only try call out his name and poke him to try to wake up the sleeping man. “Donghae… Donghae… You’ve changed back. You should consider putting on some clothes…”

Before I could stand up to get him some clothes, I had found myself trapped under his bare body as his legs had suddenly drapped themselves on my thighs. Swallowing hard and trying my best to not stare at parts that I really shouldn’t, entranced by his sleeping face. A smile creeping up on my face as my gaze fell lower and lower upon the body of this young man.

Without being fully aware of it, as if my hand had a life of its own, it had found its way on top of Donghae’s bare chest. Tracing every nook and cranny of it, I was admiring the beautiful man next to me. A finger running on the curves of his chiselled stomach, down to  his belly button, lower to the small patch of hair beneath it…

Realizing what I was doing, I quickly covered my face with both hands as I felt the heat rise up to my face. Poking at his chest some more trying to get his attention, he once again shifted in his position now as entire body was facing towards me. Gulping loudly, I was still trying my hardest to not stare at a particular area of his body.

Hands on my face yet my fingers being particularly sly and suddenly flexing themselves apart, I suddenly jumped with a start as I heard Donghae’s husky voice suddenly. “Like what you see, Hyukjae?”

Turning my still covered face to him, I could see that he had quite the amused look on his face.

Grinning, he was using his right arm to lean his head onto it as his strong gaze captivated mine. I didn't notice if he had been awake the entire time since he rolled over but I knew that I was too many shades of red rolled into one.

Covering my face once again, I could feel him shift in his position and the sofa cushion behind me sinking in as he was apparently leaning on it. I could feel his breath suddenly on my ear. Gulping loudly once again, I had to try my hardest to not let a surprised squeak escape me as he began to speak softly into my ear.

“Is my body appealing to you, Hyukjae?” His breathing lingering far too close to my ear and I could feel my entire body shivering because of it.

“Donghae, please go and put some clothes on,” I said pushing his body away from my personal space bubble before anything untoward suddenly happened.

Seeing him shrug his shoulders as he stood up, my gaze followed the man as he casually stretched his entire body. I couldn’t help noticing the nice shape of that nice, perky .

Of course you’re appealing to me.

Falling back on the space that Donghae had abandoned and covering my face with both my arms feeling like I was about to die from the embarrassment, I could only ask WHY ME??! far too loudly in my head.

A/N: In loving memory of Choco.

Thank you for reading. -S