The notepad lay on the centre of the coffee table. The pages were limp and flat and the whiteness of the paper seemed unnaturally bright. Silence surrounded it, as if the silence was almost too loud, invading. The clock could be heard across the room. A hollow tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. It resonated throughout the hushed area. In the distance, a siren whizzed past. It may have been a police car or an ambulance, a fire truck. The whee whoo of the siren distorted as the vehicle sped past. Doppler effect. The stillness of the expanse seemed fabricated. Two figures sat side by side on a sofa facing the coffee table. One figure sat rigidly, back straightened to an uncomfortable degree. The other slouched back on the sofa, limbs splayed haphazardly. The larger man's eyes wandered lazily towards the other man. The smaller man was staring intently at the notepad.
"What're you staring at?" The low voice questioned idly.
"I'm thinking." A soft voice replied.
The silence continued from where it left off, weaving in and out, dropping a pressure on the room. The atmosphere became almost tangible. And the silence stayed.

"Ahem"

The mere clearing of a throat felt like it shattered the quietness. As if a glass box was broken from the inside and every piece of silence snapped and splintered and split into a million pieces.

"Why is it so quiet in here?"
"I dunno. You're thinking, right?"
"Yeah."

Kyungsoo turned towards Chanyeol's skewed body. He sighed dejectedly.
"These plans won't work. Shower scene. Robbery defence - Hero:Kyungie. Reverse psychology jealousy. And the double S-M? None of these plans have potential." Kyungsoo held his head in his hands.
"Kai comes tomorrow. I need to have a plan."

Chanyeol pushed up his body with his arms. He slid off the sofa and walked round and crouched in front of Kyungsoo.
"You don't need to attract him starting from tomorrow." He smiled gently. "Besides, I think I know what's wrong. These plans ... they're too outrageous. When he comes tomorrow, just act natural. And act like a bro. We don't know if he's gay yet. Ask him about something we would do together. Like go to a theme park or bowling or something."
"Hmm" Kyungsoo tapped his chin thoughtfully. "You, Mr Park Chanyeol, are absolutely correct for once in your life."
"Once in my life?" Chanyeol scoffed. "I'm always here to get you out of the gutter, BRO." He stood up and tousled his hair while yawning.
"Hey Soo ... I'm kinda tired. Mind if stay over tonight?"
"Why bother asking?" Kyungsoo rolled his eyes."You always stay here whenever you want. You're probably here to watch me and Kai in the morning."
"Wha? No, noo I'm not..heh..Bye!" Chanyeol stuck out his tongue and darted out of the room.
Kyungsoo hid his grin.



Kyungsoo groaned. He was too hot. Not bothered to sit up and turn on his air con, he writhed in his duvet cover and kicked it off of himself. The curtains were slightly open, allowing the silvery moonlight to stream into the room. He couldn't sleep. Kyungsoo reached out his hand lazily towards his phone and knocked over a cup in the process. It fell and rolled onto the floor. Thump. Kyungsoo flinched and his eyes flickered towards Chanyeol. Chanyeol stirred and moaned but stayed dead to the world. Kyungsoo sighed inwardly and felt for his phone. Aha! Clicking on the sleep/wake button, he squinted at the brightness of the screen. Ugh. 3:15 AM.
He twisted his head around and rested on his arm. He watched Chanyeol's sleeping figure. Chanyeol was spread out, arms and legs askew, on top of an inflatable mattress on the floor next to Kyungsoo's bed. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were together so often that Kyungsoo had an inflatable mattress, pillow and blankets specially for Chanyeol, kept in his bedroom.
Chanyeol's hair was swept and messy. Some of it was stuck to his forehead with sweat. His lips were slightly open and Kyungsoo could hear his shallow breathing. Kyungsoo watched him fondly.
Suddenly, Chanyeol whimpered and kicked out, hitting Kyungsoo's bed with his foot. Kyungsoo jumped and looked at Chanyeol, confused. Chanyeol cried out again and threw his hands out in front of himself. He,too,had kicked his blanket off himself. Chanyeol let out a quiet scream and flailed around. His flailing hands landed on Kyungsoo ankle. Chanyeol began pulling Kyungsoo's ankle towards himself, thrashing.
"Ack!" Kyungsoo choked in surprise. "Stop! S-stop Chan!" He yammered. He kicked his ankle violently and it slipped out of Chanyeol's sweaty grip. His ankle proceeded to unknowingly travel towards Chanyeol's face. It landed on it's target and Kyungsoo accidently booted Chanyeol in the face. Startled, Chanyeol woke suddenly and yelped.
"Ow! My face....AH! SOO! HELP MEEE!" He hollered.
"What?" Kyungsoo grunted, annoyed by Chanyeol's behaviour.
"Wha...where?" He timidly looked around, genuinely confused. Kyungsoo softened at Chanyeol's cowering tame state.
"What is it, Chan." He sighed
Chanyeol sat up quickly, his shirt pushed up to below his neck in his struggle. He was shivering and his dilated pupils darted around the room, never settling on one object.
"Chan?" Kyungsoo asked lightly. "Did you have a nightmare?"
"Yeah, I think so." Chanyeol bleated. "It was so scary...like, the grudge was chasing me. She..she killed y-you ...in front...of me. It was so realist-t-tic." 
Kyungsoo swallowed. The only thing that he was thinking about was the fact that Chanyeol was dreaming about him. Even in a nightmare.
"Well, go back to sleep. Kai's coming in a few hours." Kyungsoo turned over on his side and shut his eyes, wanting to erase the vulnerable Chanyeol he just saw.
He lay on his side for a few minutes in silence before he heard a small voice. 
"Soo...I'm scared." Chanyeol mewled. "I don't want to be on the floor."
Kyungsoo groaned. "Neither do I. I mean think about it. Imagine you feel hair wrapping around your ankles and wrists, twisting around your neck and flowing into your mouth. That's what the grudge's hair does.When you try to look up, there is a woman standing in the shadow behind the door, yes, look, just raise your eyes and look or she'll come closer-"
"Stop!" Chanyeol squeaked. "I'm scared, Soo, I mean I really am, I don't know if she's there or not-"
"Then get off the floor." Kyungsoo said coldly and shut his eyes once again.

His eyes snapped open almost immediately as he felt a presence slide into bed next to him. Was it .. the grudge? His heart started beating, fast. He scared himself with his own story. Okay, He thought. Turn around in 3 ... 2...
What!?! Chanyeol was lying meekly on his back, staring at the ceiling, just 5 cm away from Kyungsoo.
"Chanyeol!" Kyungsoo whispered. "What are you doing?!"
"Um." Chanyeol stuttered. "Please...I'm scared."
"Fine" He huffed.
For some reason, Kyungsoo was comforted by Chanyeol's presence. He'd begun to get creeped out himself. Both of them began to fall asleep, Kyungsoo subconsciously smiling with the thought of meeting Kai. He drifted asleep, painfully unaware of the arm snaking around his waist.


BEEP BEEP BEEP
Kyungsoo groaned as his arm thrashed around and hit his alarm. He propped himself up and looked at Chanyeol. Chanyeol was snoring, mouth wide open, body half falling off the bed. Kyungsoo smiled and pushed himself out of bed.


Kyungsoo sipped his coffee and tapped his foot nervously. He glanced at his watch. 8:25. He breathed out slowly. This was it. The day he was going to ask Kai out. Well. Not exactly ask out.
Chanyeol stumbled into the living room, obviously recently woken up. His hair was tousled and his eyes were half lidded with sleepiness, He was dressed only in his boxers with a large duvet draped around himself like a robe. It even went over his head, like a hood.
"Wassup?" He mumbled.
"Shhh!" Kyungsoo hissed. "Kai is coming in ... 3 minutes! It's 8:27! Get out, get out!" Kyungsoo quickly hustled Chanyeol out of the room. "Go, go!"
"But I want to see...." Chanyeol whined, rubbing his eyes.
Ding dong.
Kyungsoo gasped. Kai was early.
He pushed Chanyeol down the corridor at top speed. Chanyeol tripped and fell in the doorway of the bathroom. Kyungsoo quickly pushed his body into the bathroom and closed the door. Rushing to the front door, he it open.
"Good Morning!" He desperately patted down his hair.
"Hi! May I have your empty bottle?"
For a fleeting moment, Kyungsoo was frozen, struck by Kai's beauty. Talking about all the scenario's made him forget how amazing he was. It also made him forget how shy he was in front of Kai.
"Y-yeah sure. Here."
"Here's your new bottle." Kai grinned his brilliant smile.
 "Thanks."
"See ya." Kai began to turn around.
"Um."
Kai turned back around. "Yeah?"
"W-what's your name? I mean, I know last time I asked, you told me your nickname was Kai. But what's your real name?" Kyungsoo felt his face turning red.
"Oh!" Kai laughed. Kyungsoo almost melted. "No one ever asks me. I'm glad you did. Jongin. I'm Jongin."
"Oh...Jongin.." Kyungsoo mumbled quietly. "I'm Kyungsoo."
"I know." Jongin grinned. "I need to know your details to deliver milk to you."
Kyungsoo was just about to open his mouth to ask Jongin out when he was struck with an overwhelming fear of embarrassment. He stood in silence feeling like he was paralysed. Blood began to drain out of his face when he realised that Jongin was looking confused. 
"Uh...um" He stuttered. Oh no. He was dead.

"Hey!"
Kyungsoo whirled around. Neither he nor Jongin had spoke. Uh oh. Chanyeol had gotten out of the bathroom and was stumbling down the hallway like a drunken man. He'd ditched the duvet and he was now only in his boxers.
"Hey! You're Kai, right?"
"Um...Jongin." Jongin called out. He looked very very confused. "Who ... is that?"
"Oh!" Kyungsoo plastered on a fake grin. "Ha ha...my roommate was at a party yesterday and I think he might still be drunk... excuse me for a moment..ha.."
Kyungsoo stormed down the hallway towards Chanyeol.
"What are you doing?" He hissed. "Sit there." He pushed Chanyeol down onto the sofa and rushed back to the doorway.
"Sorry!" Kyungsoo cleared his throat.
"It's alright." Jongin chuckled.
"So...I was wondering.... I see you all the time but we don't really know each other... do you want to go play some football? Uh, I know a place one of my friends always practices at. It's free! He going back home to China for the next few weeks...."
Jongin smiled his heart melting smile. "I... I would really like that. Thanks Kyungsoo."
"So...meet at my house on friday at 5:00pm?"
"Sure!"
"Well...thanks for accepting."
"No problem! See ya Kyungsoo."
"Bye Jongin.."