[A/N] Hi Lovelies~ So remember this story??? And remember bout that whole 14k thing? Well I wrote it back but then 5k of it got deleted somehow so I just decided that I'm gonna ing make it into a few chapters instead of an entire 20k shot or whatever. So, I'm posting what I have now! Enjoy~~

 

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A loud banging noise wakes Minseok up from his brief dream and he raises his head from his textbook, wiping the drool on his face only to see his parents in the opened doorway of his room. His father is staring at him with scorn and his mother is holding a leather belt in her hands, ready to slap it against the wall again to fully wake her son.

     "What have we told you, time and time again, Minseok?" His father begins as they both walk further into the room, leaving the door still opened. Not that it was necessary to close it, the servants and Minseok all knew what was about to happen so there was no need to be secretive. "The time used for silly things like naps or meals could be used for studying!"

     "I'm sorry, Father. It won't happen again." Minseok replies meekly.

     "You're absolutely right!" His mother chimes in. "Not only that, your grades have dropped significantly over the past month. We overlooked your ninety-three per cent on your laser scalpel trial test because we understood you had an inadequate partner but last week's eighty-seven on your report of the wonders of the VAD was unacceptable. You deserve punishment. Now get into position!" She orders and Minseok immediately stands, taking off his clothes before going to lie face down on his bed. He hears his mother walk closer and Minseok braces himself.

     The first hit is searing and even though he's used to it, Minseok's dead eyes still start to swell and his tears flow freely. More hits rain down at him, speeds ranging from slow and heavy that'll leave bruises and quick that will break the skin. His father chuckles in the background as he watches with amusement on his face as Minseok's cruel punishment continues on for another ten minutes. It's only when his mother is out of breath do the hits stop and his parents leave him, closing the door behind them.

     Minseok waits until the fire he feels on his skin cools down before he starts to move, carefully easing himself off the bed. He walks to the full length mirror in the corner of his room and checks out the damage on his body. It's not as bad as it could have been but there are some wounds he'll have to treat before they get infected. Minseok crouches underneath his bed, ignoring the pain as he brings out the first aid kit he has and starts to dress his injuries.

     The alcohol soaked cotton brushes gently against his soft skin marred with rapidly colouring bruises and red lines. The pain of the sting is nothing and soon, his new marks are cleaned and dressed, still looking intense but they'll soon fade and become just like all the others.

     Minseok dresses himself again and carefully ease himself back on his bed, laying on his stomach so he doesn't put pressure on his back and legs. He doesn't fall victim to sweet slumber until a few hours later, long after his pillow is dry from his fallen tears.

-----

The following morning, Minseok wakes to the sound of birds singing cheerful tunes in the air and as he tries to get up, he's reminded of his injuries but he ignores them and stands while the pain shoots up his spine. He gets ready for Medical School and after he's finished, he descends the stairs and walks into the kitchen. It's empty save for the servants flittering around; of course it's empty but he's fine with that.

     As he sits, Minseok's breakfast is placed in front of him and he graciously thanks the servants with a wide smile. They return it but it doesn't reach their eyes because they all know of what happened last night and can't help but grieve for the young master who puts on a smile no matter what. Minseok finishes his meal consisting of two slices of buttered toast, half a boiled egg, an orange slice and coffee and waves goodbye to the servants. On his way out, he passes Sora, his favourite servant since he was young and kisses her wrinkly cheek as she bids him a good day.

     Once outside, Minseok breathes in the fresh air of the warm April day and as he descends the mansion's stairs, he sees his chauffeur in the black Mercedes, already waiting for him. Minseok walks up to the passenger side and motions for him to roll down the windows.

     "Morning, Wonjan-ssi. You can go ahead and park the car back and go rest. It's a nice day so I'll take the subway today."

     "Are you sure, Young Master?" The middle-aged man asks and Minseok nods. "Thank you, Young Master. Have a wonderful day!" He wishes and waits until Minseok steps back to drive back into the garage. Once he makes sure the garage door is closed, Minseok walks down the long driveway and stops at the tall iron gates to stare back at the mansion owned by those two vile people. He shakes the hatred off and leaves the premises.

     As Minseok walks to the station closest to where he lives, he passes by children tugging on their parent's arms so they could go to school faster to see their friends; teens racing by in cars, chatting about the latest things and blasting music from their speakers greet him as well. He also probably passes by people just like him: on their way to the places they hated the most with no choice but to keep moving towards there.

     When he gets to the station and makes his way down to where the trains are, Minseok sees the one he's supposed to take starting to close and he runs, just barely making it through the doors as they fully shut. The train starts to move and Minseok finds one of three sets of double seats next to the window so he sits down, careful not to agitate his bruises. He stares out the window seeing nothing but blackness but it comforts him, making his eyes start to droop ever so slightly.

     He must've dozed off for a few minutes because when he opens his eyes, the train is just closing again after picking up a few people and someone goes to sit with their back to Minseok in the double seat in front of him. Minseok studies them surreptitiously because he had nothing better to do and notices this person has strawberry blond hair peeking out from under the hood on their head. Minseok can't help but admire the colour and wish he could dye his own hair and not have this ugly, dark brown colour.

     The person then moves and Minseok watches as they push back the sleeves of their hoodie to air out the skin. But something dark on the inside of their forearm catches Minseok's attention and he leans a bit to see that it's a tattoo; it's written in what looks like to be Mandarin. Luckily, Minseok was forced to take Chinese language classes when he was younger along with Japanese, English and French, so he was able to decipher the words.

     "Every new day is a new chance to change your life." It reads and Minseok ponders on that interesting quote. He ponders so much that he only barely notices when he's reached his stop and has to run out to avoid being trapped in the train and forced to walk back.

     When Minseok steps into the area of his school, he almost frowns but before he can, he spots a beautiful butterfly with a pink, red and black body, perched on a daisy. He quickly takes out his phone and snaps a picture, storing it into his photography album where his other pretty pictures are, never having the chance to be shown to anyone.

     If it was possible, Minseok would have loved to be a photographer but in his parents' eyes, that was no profession for their son. He couldn't even think about telling them; he winces when he thinks about what would happen to him if he tried. Suddenly, the quote from the person's tattoo today echoes in his mind but Minseok doesn't get to dwell because he realizes that he's going to be late.

----- 

During his second period Anatomy class, Minseok was only barely listening to his professor because all that was going through his head was that damn tattoo.

     Every new day is a new chance to change your life.

     Was it really that simple? Could Minseok change his life if he wanted to? He hated studying to become a doctor when his dreams were being ignored and suppressed in his heart. He hates getting hit for anything he does! How could his parents do that to him? Their only son! Could he really run away from this terrible life and start fresh?

     Every new day is a new chance to change your life...

     Every new day is a new chance to change your life...

     Every new day is a new chance to change your life...

     Every new day is a new chance to change your life.

     Minseok abruptly stands, ignoring the stares as he hastily packs his things and leaves, the professor's calls for him going to deaf ears. He runs out of the school and keeps running until he stops at a bench on the sidewalk to catch his breath. When Minseok looks back, the enormous structure of his Medical School stares back, looking like it's almost looming over him and threatening for him to return. Even his mind is screaming at him to go back before his parents find out but as Minseok picks up his bag again, he turns on his heels and walks the other way.

     In less than an hour, Minseok reaches back to the mansion, surprising the servants who did not expect his return. Minseok runs up to his room and throws his school bag on his bed before going to the closet and taking out the only duffel bag he had. It was dark blue and medium sized but it would have to do.

     He starts throwing random clothes inside and toiletries until the bag is filled and cannot take anymore. Before Minseok leaves, he pushes his bed aside and crawls to the crack in the wall where he's hid his savings from when he was eight years old. Maybe he was unconsciously saving the money for this day and Minseok thanks his younger self for being so smart. He shoves the manila envelope somewhere in the bag and steps out, closing the door of his room for the last time.

     When he comes downstairs, all the servants are waiting for him with worried expressions on their faces. Minseok takes a deep breath in and bows low.

     "I'm sorry for all the trouble everyone. You've been nothing but kind to me all these years. I hope you can forgive me for leaving you like this." Minseok says solemnly and looks upon all their faces when he raises back up. He meets Sora's eyes and she steps closer to him.

     "Minseok..." She starts and pats his hair affectionately.

     "I have to go, Sora. I can't stay here anymore."

     "We know. We all wish you the best, Minseok." She assures and kisses his cheek. "When your parents come back tonight, not only will they not find you, neither will they find us! Right?!" The servants cheer their agreement and all crowd to give Minseok a parting hug. They've seen this boy grow up and now he was leaving and it was for the best. Minseok waves to them one last time before he turns on his heels and walks of the mansion.

     Not once does Minseok turn back for a longing look at the place he grew up. He was finally free.

-----

Minseok's been walking down the sidewalk for close to forty minutes now because he has no idea where to go. It's not like he had a well thought out and constructed plan to follow, all he was doing was following his heart. Someone shouting then grabs his attention and Minseok's body freezes, his blood running cold at the thought that he might've gotten found out and now he was being hunted down. He slowly turns in the direction he heard the shout and breathes a sigh of relief when he sees that it was only some teenagers in a plaza he passed. Minseok then looks behind them and notices that there is a bank his family uses beside the plaza and he realizes something.

     Quickly making his way over to one of the ATMs, he sticks his card inside and goes to his accounts. The balance that greets his eyes make them widen and before he thinks about it, Minseok withdrawals everything and sticks it into his manila envelope. This money was for his tuition for the entirety of his medical schooling and Minseok feels no ounce of guilt taking it all. He could put it to better use anyway.

     When he's finished, Minseok starts his walk again and not too long after, he come to a subway station. Pursing his lips, Minseok walks down the stairs to the platforms and he hesitantly looks at the maps. The trains here all go to different places and he's not sure which way to go. He flinches when the chime of bells startles him and Minseok turns to notices a train that pulled in a few minutes ago is about to leave. He bites his lip and takes off in a run, getting right in the train a split second before the doors close shut.

     Lightly panting, he finds a seat and gets comfortable. Hopefully this train will take him somewhere nice and far, far away from this city.

     Not even sure when he dozed off, Minseok is awaken by someone who works on the train doing their rounds to make sure no one is still on. He thanks the person, grabs his bag and steps out into the unfamiliar station. A sign right above the stairs leading up to the surface tells Minseok that he's now in Andong and the only thing that goes through his mind is that this place is hours away from Seoul. Minseok checks his watch and sees that it's three past seven, which means his parents should be home and they must have noticed his and the servants' disappearance by now. But even if they did hunt him down, they would still take a while to even get to Andong and by then, Minseok will be long gone.

     Hiking his bag to a more comfortable place on his shoulder, Minseok starts to make his way up the stairs and to the city streets. The first thing that greets him is the smell; it must've rained while he was on the train and the earthy yet satisfying smell after the rain makes him smile as he reaches the top.

     The streets aren't bustling with many people; there are a few here and there but Minseok disregards them as his eyes land on a store that makes a particular flutter in his heart. Immediately, he crosses the road and runs into the Nikon store, staring in awe at all the beautiful cameras on display. Minseok finds one that he's absolutely in love with, purchases it and waves to the shopkeeper, thanking them as he steps outside with it strapped around his neck.

     Somehow, the streets look even prettier now and Minseok can't help but take some pictures. He snaps a few of people passing by, but not of their faces, more of the air of happiness around them. He takes some of the rain puddles in the streets and some of the tall buildings towering over him. Some lit up shop signs end up in his camera roll too and even though they're so simple, they're beautiful to Minseok. Just as he crouches to take another picture, a sign he glimpses in the camera screen makes him look up to see that there's a club a few buildings down. The sign reads "The EXODUS Lounge" and it intrigues Minseok.

     He makes his way over, lines up and flashes his ID to the bouncer who glances over it quickly before he's moving the bead curtains and nodding for Minseok to go inside. Once he does, heavy bass reaches his ears and thumps in his chest, making a thrill of excitement shoot up his spine. Minseok has never been to a club before but since he was now a free man, he wanted to taste his freedom anyway he could.

     Minseok passes through the crowd of sweaty and sticky dancing bodies until he reaches the bar where he flags down one of the bartenders and asks what they recommend. The bartender pulls out their menu and points out the three strongest drinks they have for suggestions. Minseok wonders briefly on how ed up he looks for the bartender to suggest these drinks. Maybe he really did look pitiful and the bartender must think he needs those drinks. Considering his day, Minseok decides that yes, he really ing needs those drinks.

     He nods his head at all the suggestions and slides over the amount they cost, making sure no one would see his stack of cash because Minseok really didn't want to get robbed today. He only waits a few minutes before the bartender is setting three different glasses in front of him and wishing him a good night. Minseok stares at them for a moment: one is electric blue, one is layered with oranges, reds and yellows and the last one is an ominous, dark purple colour. He shrugs and picks up the blue one, knocking back half of it.

     The bartender wasn't kidding when they said these were strong because there was so much alcohol in the first drink that it felt like grounded shards of glass were sliding down his throat. But Minseok downs the rest anyway and picks up the tri-coloured one. He turns back to the club and gazes around, but also makes sure to keep an eye on his other drink. The last thing he needed was to get drugged.

     After the first drink, the second one went down ten times more smoother and Minseok was already starting to feel his body flare and turn a bit fuzzy. Bobbing his head to the music, Minseok gulps some of the dark purple drink and deems it his favourite out of the three. His eyes then go back to scanning the crowd and for a short moment, they lock with a pair of doe ones but they quickly disappear into the sea of bodies, leaving Minseok to wonder if his mind was messing with him since it was being influenced by the alcohol.

     Minseok shrugs it off and finishes his drink, leaving the glasses on the bar for pickup. The song that's playing now makes him feel hyped and with the alcohol running through him, Minseok clutches his bag and heads into the crowd to dance. Even though his body feels like it's not connected to his head, Minseok dances his heart out, swaying beautifully and ing his hips to the beat of the song. It finishes more quickly than he wants but then the song morphs into a y, latin beat and Minseok's movements slow to match.

     He must've only been dancing for about half a minute when he feels a presence behind him and before he can turn, a warm body presses up against him, making Minseok let out a soft gasp in surprise. He feels hands circle his waist and even through his hazy mind, they feel oddly comforting.

     "Hi," the person greets, their voice right next to Minseok ears, making him shudder. "May I dance with you?" They ask and Minseok doesn't say anything, only nods his head in reply and he can almost feel the person smile.

     Their bodies fall into rhythm with the song perfectly, moving together in sync and Minseok would be damned if he didn't like it. He really wants to see who this person is so he quickly turns around—ignoring how he almost trips—and hooks his arms around the person's neck, seeing their eyes widen a bit before they soften and a smirk makes its way to their lips. Now, like this, Minseok can clearly see who he's dancing with—and he likes the sight very much.

     Minseok is dancing with a guy whose face is very pretty but at the same time, it's rounded with features that make him look mature. His eyes are innocent-like but they seem like they're swimming with mischief as he watches Minseok consider him. In the dim light of the club, Minseok can make out hair that's coloured... blond? No, it has a pinkish tint to it that seems very familiar. He's wearing a grey sweater with black triangles on the hem, dark pants and boots a colour Minseok can't really tell.

     Considering he's been told what to do his entire life, Minseok has never really regarded his uality. He's never thought about any of that, only done what he was told, quietly without questioning it. Now, he can make his own decisions because no one is here to tell him anything.

     Staring up at this handsome man, Minseok decides that he doesn't really care who he'll be involved with.

     "Enjoying the view?" The man asks, smirking as Minseok is brought from his thoughts. The alcohol is swirling in him but Minseok still comes up with a reply because he wants to see where this will go.

     "Yesh, what about youu?" He's surprised that his voice doesn't sound slurred but maybe it does and he can't hear it. The guy doesn't show any sign that he didn't understand as he counters Minseok's words.

     "I am too, very much so. I like this view," his hand raises up and a finger delicately trails down Minseok's cheeks and the man can feel them get warm beneath his fingertips. "And I also like here and here." He continues, moving his other hand to Minseok's torso and letting the finger on his cheek trail down and back, running along Minseok's spine. Minseok's body burns under this man's touch and he doesn't know if it's the intoxication or just him. He doesn't like feeling this docile as this man touches him so he puts on a dazzling smile and presses closer, rolling his hips into the stranger's.

     "Sho, you like aalll of me. Is that what you're tryimg to shhay?" Minseok knows for sure he slurred this time but his mind is getting more muddled by the minute and he doesn't care as he boldly rolls his hips again into the man, giggling at his reaction.

     "It's exactly what I'm trying to say." The man leans closer until their lips are breaths apart but he doesn't press them together just yet because he's waiting to see if Minseok will allow it. Minseok doesn't think and pushes forward, knocking their noses in his haste but the man quickly takes the hint and kisses him, Minseok's heart beat a mile a minute as he does so.

     This kiss was nothing like he ever felt—granted he's never kissed anyone before but if this is what it felt like, he definitely wouldn't mind doing it more.

     The stranger's lips aren't soft, rather, they're a bit rough but it only serves to spin Minseok's head more than it already is. The man's hands travel down his back and rest on the lower part of it, right above his bum but before Minseok can expect anything, the man pulls away and braces their foreheads together.

     "Wanna get out of here?" Minseok doesn't realize he's nodding but he does feel when the man takes his wrist and pulls him to the doors.

     Once outside, the cool evening air hits Minseok's face but his body still feels like it's burning up. Maybe drinking three strong drinks wasn't a good idea because he feels that the alcohol is starting to catch up with him. Fast. As the stranger gently pulls Minseok along, he still finds it hard to keep up and not trip over his own feet. They suddenly head into an alley way and before Minseok can realize, he's being pushed up against the wall with lips descending down on his again, only more ardently.

     Minseok's small body is trapped beneath the warmth of the stranger's and a rush of excitement flows through him when the man coaxes his mouth open so their tongues can play too. The man slips a hand into Minseok's shirt and his knees almost buckle when he feels smooth fingers slowly trail along his torso.

     The stranger then pulls away from their kiss and directs his lips to Minseok's skin, ravishing it with love bites that will show prominently by the morning. Minseok lets out a soft moan when the man gently bites his collarbone and he turns to jelly in his arms, bracing his back more firmly against the wall so he wouldn't fall.

     Minseok's vision is starting to blur and his mind is racing; why did the alcohol have to hit him full force when he's with this guy! Another moan suddenly leaves him when a particularly hard mark is into his skin and the man pulls back, grinning as he stares down at Minseok with clouded eyes. The man then rolls into Minseok's hips, grinding his hard on against him and Minseok's knees do buckle this time but the man catches him and chuckles.

     A gasp leaves Minseok's puffy lips as the man does it again and he feels the length grind into his hips. , it feels really good and Minseok's ears don't pick up the man saying something until the last word whispers from him. Minseok makes a confused sound, signalling that he didn't hear what he said and another laugh comes from the man as he grinds down.

     "I said 'your place or mine?' Or we could go to a nice love hotel." He whispers into Minseok's ear and tugs on the lobe.

     "Plaashe? Where?" Minseok slurrs and the man stops his movements and pulls back, finally hearing Minseok slur his words. He stares at Minseok and the latter feels a bit uncomfortable under the scrutiny. "Whash wronggg?" The man's eyes widen and he sighs, backing away from Minseok, his heat disappearing which makes Minseok frown.

     "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you were drunk." He apologizes and rubs his nape in embarrassment. "Really drunk."

     "'m not... druuunk," Minseok tries to assure and steps forward but he wobbles and the man catches him by the elbows before he could fall flat on his face. A giggle erupts from Minseok followed by a hiccup and the man sighs again.

     "Can you tell me where you live so I can take you home?" He asks and Minseok his head to the side, staring at him in confusion. "Your home," the man explains. "Tell me where your home is so I can make sure you get back safe and sound."

     Those words hit Minseok hard and his body suddenly runs cold; his brain clears up for a second as his eyes widen in realization. His home. Where is his home now? He has nowhere to go... The bag on his shoulder now feels like it weighs ten tonnes and his fingers reach to clutch the strap so hard there will probably be indents on his hands. Minseok's eyes start to water and a small sob comes from his mouth, making the man step closer and look at him in worry.

     "Hey, what's wrong? Are you o—"

     "No h-h-home no more!" Minseok shrieks and pushes him away, running out of the alleyway and onto the sidewalk. His tears are blurring his vision and his feet feel like lead but Minseok continues to run, ignoring the calls he can hear behind him. He has no knowledge of where he's running but he just hopes he doesn't run into the road where he could get hit by a car. But maybe that wouldn't be all that bad. Minseok ducks into another alley and comes out on the other side but he doesn't make it too far after that. His toe catches on the edge of a sidewalk and he goes falling into a large puddle of rainwater, drenching him head to toe and probably half the contents of his bag.

     The last thing Minseok sees before he blacks out is someone running up to him, crouching down and shaking their head sadly.

-----

A ray of sunshine bursts into the room Minseok's sleeping in and he groans, snapping one eye open to the onslaught of brightness shining on him. Minseok grumbles, turning away from the light coming from the crack in the curtains to the other, darker side of the hotel room. It only takes him a few more seconds to realize that he absolutely does not recognize where the hell he is.

     Minseok quickly sits up and groans again, clutching his head when it spins painfully. It takes a minute before his eyes can finally focus and the pounding subsides to a small throbbing in the back of his head. Minseok then looks around and frowns because he has no idea how he got to this dump. The curtains are an ugly brown colour, the walls are a supposed white but they've definitely faded well over time; there is a door that probably leads to the bathroom but Minseok doesn't think he'll want to step in there. The bed he's sitting up in has sand coloured sheets; the floors are a dark wine colour and Minseok really doesn't want to think of the ominous pearl coloured stains that seem to be everywhere. Even on the ceiling! Just what kind of place is this?

     He tries to think back to last night but his memories are clouded and he can't seem to reach them. Minseok lets out a frustrated grunt and he sweeps his eyes around the hotel room again, looking for anything to jog his memory and they land on his duffel bag sitting on a loveseat close to the front door. His eyes squint to look closer and he notices that on one side of the bag, the material is darker than the rest.

     Before Minseok can get up to see why, he hears the doorknob open and his head snaps in the direction of the door opening, seeing a handsome man come in with a pile of clothes and a plastic bag in his hands. He's wearing a white cotton t-shirt under a black hoodie and sweatpants. When the guy notices that Minseok has woken, he closes the door and sets the things on the loveseat.

     "Great! You're up!" He grins and Minseok stares at him in confusion. Where did this hottie come from and why is—then his memory hits him like a train slamming into his brain at full speed. Minseok lets out an audible gasp as he remembers: the club, the drinking, the dancing, the making out, and the part where he ran and fell. He looks at the stranger in realization and Minseok's cheeks burn because he also remembers what he and this man did together...

     The guy chuckles and seats himself on the arm or the loveseat. "By your reaction, I take it that you just remembered everything that happened last night?" Minseok shyly looks at the guy and nods slowly, the burn in his cheeks barely dying down. "That's good because I feel that you'd be screaming at me and calling the cops if you didn't." The guy tries to joke but Minseok's too embarrassed to laugh so an awkward moment settles between them before the guy decides it's too unbearable.

     "So um, I washed the clothes you were in last night because they were pretty much soaked with dirty street water so I got some from your bag and helped change you." He says and Minseok looks down, seeing himself in his pyjamas. Does that mean this guy saw him ? Then... he must've seen his bruises and scars too...

     "You changed me while I was knocked out?" Minseok asks and the guy looks strangely embarrassed even though he's not the one who should be feeling that.

     "Um, sorta? I brought you to this love hotel when you passed out and I didn't want you to be in your wet clothes because you could catch a cold so I tried to change you but you kept waking every minute or so and yelled at me. You put most of the clothes on by yourself but I had to help you with your top because it got stuck on your head." The guy admits and Minseok doesn't feel relieved because the guy had to have seen his back. At least he wasn't asking about it.

     "I appreciate that. Thank you... er,"

     "Luhan, call me Luhan," the man, now Luhan, supplies and smiles. Minseok briefly notes that his name is Chinese and the dazzling smile Luhan has is sort of blinding yet pretty. Luhan looks at him like he's waiting for something and Minseok realizes that he wants to know Minseok's name. He starts to panic slightly because he doesn't know what to say. He didn't want to reveal his real name just incase his parents had a search out for him.

     "Um, I'm Xiumin." He finally says, using the nickname he had from childhood.

     "Xiumin?" Luhan questions, tilting his head to the side. Minseok finds it very, very cute. "Are you Chinese too?"

     "No-no, I'm full Korean. I used to have lessons with a woman named Sora who taught me a variety of languages. Mandarin was my favourite. She combined my name with the mandarin word for handsome and called me that as a nickname." Minseok explains and winces when he finishes because his head starts pounding again. Luhan notices and reaches into the plastic bag he brought.

     "Sorry, I forgot to give you this when I came back. It's for your hangover." He hands Minseok a small bottle of Advil and a water bottle and Minseok thanks him with a glance before he pops two pills and takes a swing of water for them to go down. "I also bought sandwiches because I figured you might be hungry when you wake up. I got them from a café across the street. Is chicken club okay?"

     "It's fine, thank you Luhan." Minseok says and accepts the sandwich handed to him. He unfolds the cellophane wrapper and takes a bite, finding it to be tastier than he thought, even if it was a little dry. But with his hungry, he'd probably eat anything right about now.

     They eat in a silence that's more comfortable than before, Minseok notices, until they're both done and Luhan collects the wrappers for garbage. He then interlocks his hands together in front of him and rocks back and forth on the balls of his feet with an expression of hesitance and Minseok figures he wants to say something.

     "So, um I know this is kind of sudden but I booked the room until three and it's two fourty-five right now so we'll have to leave soon." He finally gets out and Minseok almost laughs because really? That's what he was hesitant to ask?

     "No problem. I'll just go and change and I'll be right back." Minseok crawls off the bed and grabs his bag and makes his way into the bathroom. He quickly changes into casual clothes and comes back to see Luhan waiting by the door. Minseok's eyes sweep the room one last time to make sure he hasn't left anything but before he follows Luhan out of the room, Minseok remembers his camera.

     "Luhan, can you go get the elevator? I'll be right there." He says and Luhan nods and he leaves, walking down the hallway. Minseok then takes out his camera and focuses the view. He snaps a few pictures of the hotel room and then carefully places it back into its case and his bag before he joins Luhan again.

     They return the keys to the front desk and as they leave, Minseok glances back to see the two receptionists whispering to each other and it makes his cheeks burn as he hurries to follow Luhan. They walk to the parking lot and stop in front of a sleek dark blue car that Minseok deems to be Luhan's.

     Minseok stands there awkwardly as Luhan opens the trunk and pulls a backpack out and throws it in the backseat. After closing the door, Luhan turns around and leans on his car as he looks at Minseok.

     "Is there any place that I could drop you?" He asks and Minseok's grip on his bag tightens but it doesn't go unnoticed.

     "No, but thank you for the offer." Minseok says in a strained voice. Oh God, he hopes he's not about to cry. Luhan nods to himself but there's something about the way his body language looks that makes Minseok nervous. "Xiumin, have you run away from home?" Luhan's sudden, bang on question startles Minseok and he gapes before he starts stuttering out an answer.

     "I-I... wha—um I..."

     "I'm sorry for asking but last night, you said you had no home anymore. And you kept mumbling about being free... The bag's also a dead giveaway because I don't know many people who bring a duffel bag filled with clothes and toiletries to a club."

     "I—"

     "You don't have to explain yourself, Xiumin." Luhan tells him with a smile that seems a bit sad. "I'm a runaway too. I have been for the past few months so I know how you feel." Minseok's eyes widen at this new information and his bag nearly slips off his shoulder in surprise but he manages to catch it in time.

     "You... you're a runaway?" Minseok finally gets out.

     "Yeah, I am. I've just been driving around, city to city with not really a destination in mind but I don't really care because I'm happier than I was before."

     "Are you really?" Minseok finds himself asking, and only after does he realize that it's a bit rude. Luhan chuckles and Minseok is glad that it seems Luhan doesn't take the question with hostility.

     "Yes. Without the negativity in my life anymore, I'm happier. Anyway, are you heading anywhere specific? I could take you, if you like?"

     "I'm... not going anywhere in particular," Minseok starts but then words just start tumbling out of his mouth and he can't stop. "I actually don't know where I'm going. I only ran away yesterday and I have no idea what to do now. This is the first time I'm doing anything like this and I've already royally ed up by getting faced yesterday. If it wasn't for you then I don't know what would've happened to me! God, now what I supposed to do? I don't even know the part of this town I'm in! I jus—"

     "You could come with me?" Luhan suggests, cutting of Minseok's rambling and Minseok looks at him in mild shock. Was he kidding? Minseok studies his expression to see if he's just joking but Luhan's face is serious.

     "Me? Come with you?" Even though Luhan isn't joking, Minseok needs a one hundred per cent confirmation before he can make a decision.

     "Yes, Xiumin," Luhan answers and there is no slight hint of annoyance in his voice that most people would have had if they were asked more than once to confirm something. Minseok stares at him for a second before his gaze shifts away as he thinks. He didn't even know Luhan and now he was offered to go with him as he drives around and does whatever. Should he go for it? It wasn't that absurd of a thought... What would happen if he didn't? Minseok didn't know where the hell to go after this and he's scared. Luhan seems like he's not a crazy serial killer and he did take care of him when he got drunk so he must be a good person. What if his parents found him?

     Maybe Minseok is thinking too much about it but he now knows his answer.

     "Alright, Luhan. I'll go with you." That brings a small grin to Luhan's face as he opens his trunk, taking Minseok's bag and places it inside before shutting it close. Minseok and him go to their sides of the car but before they go inside, Minseok stops and looks over the top at Luhan. "Are you really sure I can come along? I don't want you to feel obliged to let me because of my rant before."

     "Don't worry, Xiumin. I wasn't pitying you," Luhan says. "Anyway, it'll be great to have someone as cute as you around." He winks and then slides into the driver's seat and Minseok cheeks burn as he sits inside too and fastens his seatbelt.

     Luhan drives out of the parking lot, onto the main road until he gets to a highway that he enters onto. The ride is quiet until Luhan turns on the radio and leaves it, turning the volume up enough that it's not blasting in their ears but it's not background music either. The song is 'Call Me Baby' by a group called EXO and Minseok enjoys the song up until realization hits him. His cellphone!

     Quickly, Minseok pats his pockets and finally finds the device in his pants ones. Ignoring that they're going approximately a hundred miles per hour, Minseok rolls down the window halfway and then throws his phone out, watching as it smashes into a million pieces on the concrete. He rolls the window back up and knows that Luhan is watching him but Minseok turns his head and stares out the window. Luhan doesn't say anything and Minseok is grateful. He didn't know how he would have explained that he destroyed his phone so his parents wouldn't be able to track him.

     After about an hour on the highway, Minseok starts to feel sleepy and he yawns quietly as he makes himself comfortable leaning against the car door. It doesn't take too long for him to fall asleep with the gentle purr of the engine drifting him off in the background.

     Ha wakes a few hours later just as Luhan is turning off onto an exit and Minseok can see that the sun has gone down, the sky blackening with night. He doesn't recognize where they are but luckily they have to pass by a sign as they drive from the highway onto the main road and Minseok squints his eyes to see: "Welcome to Yeongyang."

     He yawns quietly and sits up straight, letting Luhan know that he's awake.

     "Since it's getting late, I was thinking of stopping somewhere to get something to eat and then look for somewhere to stay the night. Is that okay?" Luhan asks as they drive down the streets illuminated by the local shops' lights; Minseok eyes the treats some people have in their hands and his stomach suddenly rumbles making him let out a sheepish laugh. "I'll take that as a yes. And I think I see the perfect place to go eat!" Luhan points down to the end of the street and Minseok follows his finger to see a quaint family restaurant named Jumi's House.

     Luhan drives around back where there's parking and when he finds a good spot, he cuts the engine and the two of them come out. Minseok goes to the trunk, opens his bag and slips a few bills into his pocket because he didn't want Luhan to pay.

     They walk through the slightly chilly wind to the front entrance but as soon as they step inside, warmth and something that smells amazing fills their senses. The restaurant is one of those ones from back in the day where the tables were low to the ground and you sat on cushions, surrounded by delicious food. People were gathered, eating, drinking and having plenty of laughs with each other which made the aura of 'family' seem stronger . It made Minseok feel a little weird though because he didn't know what that was like.

     As they ogle, a girl who looks to be the hostess comes up to them and asks for how many people. Luhan replies two and she nods as she grabs a couple of menus and guides them to their table. They seat themselves, albeit awkwardly but soon get used to it as their eyes scan the menu. The delicacies sounded absolutely to die for and when their waitress came, Luhan silently looked to him, asking if he was ready, and Minseok knew exactly what he wanted. After ordering, they fall into an awkward silent moment that neither of them know how to break.

     "So," Minseok starts after seeing Luhan take his third sip of water. "Have you ever been to a restaurant like this? Where it feels like it's the 1980s in Korea? Do you think people ever got cramped leg syndrome from sitting like this for so long?"

     Luhan laughs at that and scoots closer to the table. "Oh, I bet. I can't stand sitting like this for too long so it must've been torture for them but it was tradition," Luhan shrugs. "And nope, this is my first time. I haven't really been to much restaurants in Korea but they're nothing compared to authentic Chinese restaurants." He adds a wink at the end that causes Minseok to snort.

     "Why are you hating so much? Sure Chinese is good but Korean is the best." He winks in return.

     "Oh please, is that what you really think?"

     "Duh?"

     "Xiumin, you couldn't be more wrong. One day, I'm going to get you to try authentic Chinese food and I'll watch as you explode from flavour!"

     "What, are you gonna take me all the way to China?" Minseok teases.

     "Yeah, why not? We're gonna be together now for a while so why not?" Luhan says the words before he thinks them and they both go silent while their cheeks flush the faintest of reds. Luckily for them, their server comes with their food and sets it down as she tells them to enjoy. Minseok stares at their entire meal and can't help but curse himself for not bringing his camera because this would've been a really nice photo. Whatever, he's too hungry to care and dives in.

     The food is literally magical; it has to be made from some fantasy land because no way could something this good be made from this earth. Luhan looks like he's having the same thoughts as he sips his stew and his eyes widen in delight. Minseok smirks at him and Luhan quickly swallows to justify himself.

     "Yeah, the food is terrific but I'm still holding out on Chinese being the best—" As he talks, he swings his hands and one accidentally goes into their seaweed side dish and the other on his rice. Minseok laughs but finds it rather cute how Luhan tries to play it off like nothing happened.

     "If you're done being clumsy, try my seafood noodles. It's mind blowing!" Luhan looks at his semi dirty hands and then back at Minseok before a grin tugs on his lips.

     "Why don't you feed me then? Since my hands are kinda dirty." Minseok's taken aback by the request and he stops to think about it for a split second. Why not? We've already swapped spit. Minseok picks up a small clump with his chopsticks and adds a shrimp piece and then holds it over the table in front of Luhan's face. Luhan's eyes widen and he looks surprised which makes Minseok confused. "I was only joking..." Luhan says but accepts the bite anyway and turns his head as he chews.

     "How's it?" Minseok asks after a few minutes. Luhan turns to him and lets out a long, exaggerated sigh.

     "I guess it was okay."

     "Luhan! Stop or I'm going to throw my chopsticks at you!" Minseok mildly threatens, making Luhan chuckle.

     "Good evening, how are you boys doing tonight?" A voice asks and both of them break from their playful banter to see an elderly women smiling down at them. She's adorably short and she's wearing an apron with the restaurant's name and logo on it. She has short, light grey hair and her smile is just so sweet as she gazes fondly at them. Minseok finds that she looks a bit like Sora and he feels pang of sadness in his heart when he thinks about her.

     "We're doing fine, Ma'am. The food is incredible!" Luhan answers and offers a bright smile to mirror hers.

     "I hope so or my recipes wouldn't have made it to the menu!"

     "Wait, are you Jumi? The owner?" Minseok questions.

     "Yes! The one and only." She grins and pats Minseok on the shoulder. "I usually go around a see how my customers are doing and it's great to see how pleased they are. It's also great to have couples such as yourselves come in too! You two are adorable by the way. I hope you enjoy the rest of your meal." When she walks off to another table, Minseok stares at Luhan with a look that says 'did she just call us a couple?' but he only shrugs.

     When they finish their meal and ask for the bill, Luhan insists on paying half—even though Minseok threatened him with the chopsticks again—and they walk out of the restaurant with wide smiles and satisfied tummies.

     As they get back to the car, Minseok's confused when Luhan stops in front of it until he brings out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

     "Do you mind if I smoke?" He asks and Minseok shakes his head. He watches as Luhan flicks the lighter until a bright orange flame lights the end of the cigarette in his mouth. Minseok's father was a smoker and he's been exposed to the smell enough to not only mind, but grow fond of. He eyes the grey smoke coming from Luhan's mouth as he takes drag after drag and when Luhan looks up, Minseok adverts his gaze.

     "What do you want to do about sleeping arrangements tonight?" He asks as he takes a drag while staring at Minseok. "I usually will sleep in my car to save money but we could go to a hotel if you'd like." He continues, blowing the smoke out into the air. Minseok thinks about it; he didn't mind sleeping in the car to save money but he hasn't had a shower since yesterday.

     "We can go to a hotel tonight because I kind of need a shower. I'll pay for it this time so don't even try to negotiate."

     Luhan chuckles and takes his last drag before throwing the bud to the ground and stomping on it to make sure it's out. He unlocks the car for both of them to go inside and then drives out of the parking lot to find them some hotel but it proves to be a little difficult since they didn't know the area. Half an hour go by before they spot a small hotel that's only four floors but they decide to go for it since they were exhausted.

     Minseok pays for a single room on the second floor with double beds and when he's got the key, they head up to check out their room. As they open the door and turn on the lights, they both grimace because this room was way uglier looking than the love hotel's.

     "I'm going to go shower first since I was rolling in rainwater yesterday," Minseok jokes as he pulls out the same set of pjs and his toiletries. Luhan makes a sound of approval as he flips through the five channels the TV in their room has and settles for a cartoon.

     While in the shower, Minseok relishes the feeling of the hot water cascading down his body, relaxing his muscles and putting his mind to ease. When he finishes, Minseok dries off his skin and puts on his clothes before walking out with a towel rubbing at his hair. He tells Luhan he's done and the man hops off the bed, grabs his stuff and replaces him in the bathroom.

     Minseok's eyes go to the cartoon and he watches it for a minute or two as the shower turns on but he frowns, finding the show quite stupid. He decides to dry his hair as he checks out the view but there's not much to see since they're only on the second floor. Although, Minseok looks up and the nice view of the half-moon against the dark sky is quite more appealing than seeing the ground.

     A sudden noise gets Minseok's attention and he sharply turns but sees nothing that he can identify made the sound. Thinking that it was his imagination, Minseok turns back to the window to admire the moon again but not a moment after does he hear the sound again and now, it's louder; he can clearly hear that it sounds like rustling. Movement from the corner of his eye makes him notice a small paper bag on the floor and before he can think it's the wind rustling it, a mouse scurries out from it and runs under one of the beds.

     Minseok has never screamed more loudly in his life.

     He bolts, running full speed to the bathroom door and rams right in, twisting the knob and finding that Luhan left it open---bless his soul. Minseok slams the door shut and quickly grabs one of the towels and lines it along the bottom space of the door. Luhan, having heard the commotion, pokes his head out from the shower curtains just as Minseok finishes blocking the door.

     "Um... is everything okay, Xiumin?" Minseok realizes then that he barged in by impulse because he didn't know what else to do. He chews on his lip, contemplating if he should tell the truth or not because he didn't want to be laughed at for being scared... but what's the point?

     "I... uh, I saw a mouse..." He squeezes his eyes shut, ready for the giggles but they never come.

     "What? A mouse!" Luhan shrieks and almost loses his balance, luckily grabbing the curtains before he could fall. "Oh crap, how do we sleep here now? Wait, how do we even get out of here? God, I hate rodents so ing much!" He shuts off the water and the room is then filled with a deafening silence. "Xiumin, could you bring me another towel since you blocked the door with the one I had before."

     "Yeah," Minseok mumbles and walks to the small table where the hotel keeps a stack of towels.

     "Oh and if you wouldn't mind, could you hand me my clothes too?" Minseok grabs those too and he walks back, placing them into Luhan's outstretched arms. He can't help but peak and glimpses a toned torso and something black on his arm... A tattoo? Whatever it is, it's not really important.

     Minseok bites his lip as he goes to stand a few feet away but then he slides down to the floor. He can't lie, the sight was drool worthy but Minseok wants to smack himself for being such a . But God was it a beautiful sight. Oh my God, stop that, Minseok! For the next few minutes, Minseok tries not to think of Luhan's body which is kinda sorta behind the shower curtain.

     Thankfully, Luhan pulls back the curtain fully clothed and Minseok can stop picturing him . But now he's got another thing to worry about: Luhan looks ing good with the "just out of the shower" look. He's wearing a simple white t-shirt and blue shorts and Minseok is flabbergasted because how can he look so damn fine like that? He's using a towel to further dry his damp strawberry blond hair and it's so endearing the way it fluffs up and Minseok is confused yet again.

     "I am so not going out there to sleep with that monster in the room with us. What if it crawls up the bedding and scurries over our faces." Luhan shudders when he says that and he plops down on the floor to sit with his legs crossed.

     "What do we do then? Because I'm not sleeping there either."

     "We can't even ask for a different room or anything because it's quite late and I doubt they'd have anything too. Plus, we'd have to go out there to get to the door." Luhan leans his elbow on his thigh and furrows his brows, thinking. "How about, we sleep in here for tonight! We could use the towels as pillows---" he stops and frowns when he sees that there's only one towel left and Minseok can almost see him mentally scratch that idea out.

     "I don't mind sleeping in here, Luhan."

     "Really? That's great! Okay since you're petite, you wouldn't mind sleeping in the tub, would you? I'll dry it for you."

     "Yeah, sure."

     "Awesome! So, I've got another idea and it's a bit wild but hear me out." Luhan says and lowers his voice, scooting a little closer. "It'd be pretty uncomfortable to sleep in here without pillows and such so I was thinking we'd make a mad dash out of here, grab the pillows from the beds and come back."

     "Are you ing crazy?!  I'm not stepping foot out there where that rat can bite my toes off!" Minseok exclaims, adamantly shaking his head.

     "Come on, Xiumin! We have to go out there eventually to leave this hole! What I'm saying is that in addition to the pillows and sheets, we can grab our bags too so that way, in the morning, we can just bolt the out of here!"

     Begrudgingly, Minseok agrees because Luhan was sorta right. He didn't want to waste time in the morning getting their stuff because he really didn't want to see that mouse again. "Fine, but you're getting the pillows and stuff because it ran underneath the bed and I'm not going over there!"

     "Sure, whatever." Luhan stands up and walks over to the door and Minseok does too. "On the count of three, I'm opening it. One, two, three!" The door is opened wide and they both shout as they run out to get what they need. Minseok grabs the bags as Luhan gathers all the pillows and bedding but they both see the mouse run from underneath one bed to the other one, right where Luhan's feet are.

     "It's over there! Run Luhan!" Minseok screams and barrels into the washroom while Luhan sprints from where he is to the door. Once inside, Minseok slams it shut and places the towel back so there's no way for it to come inside.

     Panting, they high-five each other and laugh until they've caught their breath. Luhan uses the last towel to dry the tub as promised and Minseok places a pillow and a sheet to make a makeshift bed. After he crawls inside, he finds it actually to be a bit more comfortable that he thought. Luhan folds two comforters on the floor and places a pillow on it as well as a thin sheet. His makeshift bed looks a bit uncomfortable but Luhan assures Minseok that he's fine with it when he asks if he'll be okay. Luhan then goes to shut the light off, leaving the room in darkness.

     Minseok snuggles as much as he can into his spot and yawns, something unexpected coming out from his mouth as he does. "Goodnight, Luhan. Sweet dreams." He says and blushes when he realizes; his blush then intensifies when he gets a reply immediately after.

     "'Night, Xiumin. Dream of me~"

 

---

[A/N] Hello again, did you like it so far? I'm really sorry that it's been 3 ing years but happens *shrug* 

Also, I'm saying this now, this story will not be regularly updated. I just wanted to at least give you guys something :)

Oh yeah, and thank you for those who have patiently waited! You a real one!

Until the next update, Lovelies~

소니아 (\_/)