“Are you okay?”

Kyungsoo hummed in response to that, doe eyes focused on a maple tree across from him. It was cold, colder than usual, but Kyungsoo still preferred taking his evening tea outside in the garden. He needed the cold. It was distracting. Kyungsoo lowered his gaze down to his cup of tea and watched as the clear surface reflected the agony in his eyes.

Kyungsoo was being dramatic, he knew that well enough. Nothing was worth the turmoil he was feeling, absolutely nothing. He was healthy, and well educated with a great family that loved him. He was wealthy, and lived a very comfortable life with friends that never ceased to be there for him. He had it all, he truly did have it all. He was lucky, luckier than most people he knew. Kyungsoo was well aware of that. Kyungsoo was thankful for the blessings he had. Kyungsoo was okay, he was.

“Are you sure?” Kyungsoo responded with a puzzled face, not quite catching Chanyeol’s reason behind insisting on asking him if he was okay. Did he look sick or something? Kyungsoo cleared his throat before answering.

“Hyung, I’m okay.” Chanyeol blinked at him for a moment before taking a quick look behind his back. Kyungsoo raised a brow at that, not quite understanding why Chanyeol was checking if there was someone else around.

Chanyeol’s cautious face morphed into a sleazy grin before leaning as close as possible to Kyungsoo’s face.

“You look really y with your hair pushed back.” Chanyeol whispered with a deep sultry voice and Kyungsoo felt a shiver run up and down his spine at that. His pale face quickly heating as he felt Chanyeol’s wet tongue teasingly his plump lips. “Can I kiss you?”

Kyungsoo wanted to put up a fight and say no, he wanted to bring up the night before and ask Chanyeol why he refused to elaborate about his fight with Oh Sehun, why he stopped allowing people into his apartment after Yixing went to China. He wanted to push Chanyeol back and yell out his frustration, open his heart about how ty he’s been feeling stuck in this fake relationship with an expiration date. He hated that Chanyeol had the upper hand in whatever this was that they were having, everything was on Chanyeol’s terms god damn it.

He couldn’t, however, do any of that. Kyungsoo was weak, he was a weak man when it came to Park Chanyeol. With every hot breath he felt against his neck, Kyungsoo dies and goes to heaven. The younger groaned as Chanyeol a sensitive spot on his neck, heart beating like crazy and common sense long gone.

Chanyeol took Kyungsoo’s satisfied facial expressions as a definite yes and went for a kiss. He grabbed Kyungsoo gently by his chin and drew him closer to him, lips meeting halfway.

Kyungsoo got lost in no time, as kissing the older boy still felt like a dream, his intoxicating cologne pushing Kyungsoo to lose all sense of reality. He felt Chanyeol’s tongue move against his own, and soon enough the gentle kiss turned into a mess of clashing tongues and desperate hands. Kyungsoo was getting hard, and he knew Chanyeol was too by the way his hands kept moving lower and lower down Kyungsoo’s body. The younger was almost on Chanyeol’s lap as he craved more heat from the elder. He wanted Chanyeol to take him right then and there.

“Do Kyungsoo!”

Kyungsoo jumped back in horror, slowly realizing that he was kissing Park Chanyeol in his uncle’s property, publicly kissing his supposed best friend, publicly sitting on his best friend’s lap with a raging hard on. It was scandalous.

“What’s going on?” It was his mother. Of all people that could’ve walked on him with Chanyeol’s tongue down his throat, it had to be his own mother. Kyungsoo covered his face in shame, stealing glances at an equally shocked Chanyeol. “Do Kyungsoo, answer me when I speak to you?”

“I—” Kyungsoo choked on his own saliva, face red in embarrassment. “Mom, I was—”

“Excuse me Mrs. Do, I’ll be taking my leave.” An equally red faced Chanyeol abruptly stood up almost breaking the table and the tea cups on it while doing so. With a quick respectful bow to the elder lady and an apologetic smile to Kyungsoo, Chanyeol soon disappeared from the scene leaving Kyungsoo to deal with his fuming mother on his own. Kyunsgoo groaned and mentally made a promise to beat Chanyeol’s next time he sees him.

“What is going on, son?” Kyungsoo’s mother carefully took a seat next to him, wide eyes still in disbelief at what she just witnessed. “I didn’t know you...” The elder woman cleared before adding. “I didn’t know you were into men like that.”

“Does it bother you?” Kyungsoo bashfully fixed his dishevelled shirt, unsure of how his mother will react to that. They never really had a talk about Kyungsoo’s love life or uality, he wasn’t sure what to expect.

“No, of course not, son.” Kyungsoo felt a sense of relief wash over him. “Your uality is your own, I’m just surprised, that’s all.”

“Okay.”

“I’m surprised by the choice of partner.”

“He’s not my partner.”

“Okay.”

They sat down in silence for a moment, both feeling awkward and unsure of what they were supposed to say to each other in a situation like that. Kyungsoo fixed his gaze once again on the maple tree across from him and watched as the wind carried the orange leaves away. He could feel his mother’s gaze on his face, studying him, Kyungsoo refused to acknowledge it. He was a man of few words, and he wasn’t about to change that and start venting like a high-schooler with a stupid crush to his mother. He respected her too much to do that.

“Honey...” Kyungsoo tore his gaze from the tree back to his mother’s face, a gentle smile playing on her rosy lips. “He’s very handsome. You have good taste.”

“What?” Kyungsoo chocked and his mother laughed.

“Do you love him?” Kyungsoo gaped at his mother with a wide mouth and furrowed brows, scandalized by her bold claim.

“Do I love him?” Did he? He did, he did love him, there was no point in denying it. “Stop talking nonsense. Chanyeol and I kissed to—we kissed as a dare. That’s it. Nothing to worry or think too much about, mother.” No point in denying it to himself, yes; however, his mother didn’t really have to know about that.

“Sure.” Mrs. Do smiled softly at her only son, she could see through him with ease, she was his mother after all.

“Yeah...” Kyungsoo scratched the back of his head sheepishly, avoiding his mother’s knowing gaze at all costs.

“I think you two would make a cute couple, Kyungsoo-ah.” Kyungsoo blinked at his mother’s shockingly sweet words, pale cheeks quickly turning a rosy shade of red, eyes wide and lips slightly ajar. He wanted to cry, Kyungsoo could feel the tears threatening to fall.

His chest felt heavy, her words haunting his thoughts. Kyungsoo refused to entertain his mother with an answer. He allowed the conversation to come to an end by bringing his focus back to the maple trees, and his mother was decent enough to not push for it, thankfully, instead she gave out a short chuckle before joining her son’s gaze in quietly watching the autumn leaves fall.

Chanyeol watched from a distance as Kyungsoo and his mother sat comfortably together watching the garden trees in silence, he let out a sigh of relief, happy Kyungsoo wasn’t in trouble because of him.

He couldn’t help but grin at the sight, his goofy grin widening as he watched Kyungsoo reach for a cup of tea only to realize it was empty and grumpily put it back on the table. Kyungsoo was adorable, everything about him was a sight to behold. Chanyeol wanted to kiss his cheeks and refill his tea, he wanted to tease the younger and watch him get all hot and bothered.

Kyungsoo was too good to be true. Chanyeol couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have someone like the younger like him. He leaned his body against the wall, smiling softly at the thought of Kyungsoo liking him.

His phone brought him back to reality as it buzzed annoyingly in his pocket, Chanyeol brought his phone out only to frown at the name on the screen. It was Yixing. Every single time he saw Yixing’s name on his phone, he was reminded how big of an he was.

“Chanyeol-ah, come help me with these heavy packages, dear!” His mother called for him. He contemplated for a split second on finally answering his Chinese boyfriend’s call before quickly deciding against it. Yixing will understand, Chanyeol thought. It was for the best, for both of them. He threw one last glance at Kyungsoo before making his way into the house to help his mother. A wide goofy grin plastered over his face as his mother greeted him with a quick kiss to his cheek.

♭

Yixing didn’t understand, he stared at his phone with tears in his eyes. He was deeply hurt and embarrassed. If only he knew why Chanyeol was ghosting him so hard like that, it hurt and Yixing couldn’t help but smash the phone against the wall in a fit of anger.

He needed his boyfriend. He so desperately needed Park Chanyeol. Yixing wanted to vent his worries and confide in the one man he trusted. The Chinese man leaned against the wall, nails digging into flesh as he tightened his fists in frustration. He couldn’t believe what their relationship has succumbed to, all the promises and dreams they naively planned together.

He allowed his body to slide down to the floor in defeat, pale lips trembling and body shaking. This was it, everything they’ve built together came crumbling down after one week of being apart. Was their relationship always this weak? Was Yixing delusional to think that they could work things out and find each other after this forced engagement with the Kims’ son? Was everything said in this relationship complete lies and empty promises?

Yixing closed his eyes shut, pushing his hair off his face and taking a deep shaky breath.

“Are you okay, Mr. Zhang?” Yixing wasn’t okay. Yixing was afraid he won’t be okay for a long time to come. He wiped the tears off his face, forcing his body to stand up. Yixing gave the maid a pathetic forced smile and a small barely audible ‘I’m fine’. She looked unsure, but didn’t push for it. After a swift bow, the maid was quickly gone and Yixing was left alone.

He dragged his body towards the window, hoping to feel something, anything, as the cold breeze was allowed access. He inhaled the freezing air, feeling a mean shiver run up and down his spine. He quickly brought his arms up to hug his trembling body. Eyes blurred and thoughts jumbled as he watched the fog slowly cover his estate.

“Can I bring guests back here?” Yixing was startled by the sudden company. He lowered his gaze from the window to his feet for a moment, contemplating what to say, before bringing his gaze back to Jongin’s figure.

“Excuse me?” Yixing’s voice came out hoarse and weak, still not completely recovered from the mental breakdown he just had.

“Can I bring back company to your house? If you don’t mind that is.”

Yixing stared at Jongin for a moment, he was dressed to empress, probably going on a date with that female friend of his again. He’s been spending most of his time outside the property with her, and Yixing was slightly glad he got the house all to himself most of the time.

“Can you come closer please?” Yixing asked, and Jongin looked taken aback for a moment. He quickly complied however, smoothly moving towards Yixing with no hesitat