final.
There's No Place Like HomeA loud argument can be heard outside. Kyungsoo tries his best to ignore it because today’s Saturday, therefore he shouldn’t have to wake up until the afternoon rolls around. The men outside seem to disagree with him. They continue to raise their voices and occasional thumping joins the mix. Kyungsoo groans as he unwillingly rises from bed and shuffles over to the window, scanning the vicinity for the source of the early disturbance. His eyes land on a group of three men next door. One of them gestures to the house as they speak, while another one points to the furniture laid out around them. This is when Kyungsoo notices the moving truck parked on the street. The puzzle is slowly piecing itself together. A few weeks ago the house next door was put up for sale. Kyungsoo is surprised by how fast it has been snatched up, considering he lives in the middle of nowhere. He hopes the men are simply movers and not his new neighbors. Small towns are quaint and serene; they should stay that way. Since he’s already awake at this point, Kyungsoo begrudgingly starts his day. He goes into the bathroom to freshen himself up before starting on a simple breakfast which consists of scrambled eggs and a slice of toast. The men are done with their argument by the time Kyungsoo begins to eat in front of his television, but a new comotion takes its place. Various pieces of furniture scrape against hardwood floor, making a high-pitched screeching sound every time. Kyungsoo swears his ears are bleeding. Hopefully this hell will end before the Grim Reaper appears on his doorstep. Throughout the day, the movers progressively get louder and louder while Kyungsoo gets angrier and angrier. He reaches his boiling point when he accidentally nicks himself during a rather obnoxious fight over where to place the damn sofa. Smooth legs will have to be put on hold. Kyungsoo washes off the shaving cream and throws on his bathrobe. He will give these men a piece of his mind. Afterwards, they will surely learn their place. No one pushes Do Kyungsoo to the edge without paying the price. “What in heaven’s name is going on in here!?” Kyungsoo squawks upon entrance to the home. The three movers drop the heavy boxes they’re carrying. Glass proceeds to shatter. “We’re just doing what the boss asked of us,” one of the men says, stepping up to the plate. His name tag reads “Chanyeol”. “Yeah, what he said. Let us do our job in peace, ya geezer,” the one named Jongdae speaks up. The third fool, Baekhyun, snickers. Kyungsoo is just about ready to wring their necks. He has never met a group so incompetent and senseless in his life. It is a wonder how they managed to find employment in the first place. “Did I hear something break in here?” a fourth voice fills the room. The dumb trio huddle together in the corner. Kyungsoo turns around to see what they’re afraid of. Oh. “You’re back,” is all Kyungsoo can utter out at the moment. His surprise is a little overwhelming. He can’t believe that the Wu Yifan is standing in front of him in the flesh. “Yeah, I am,” Yifan confirms and gestures to the cast on his right arm. Kyungsoo doesn’t need to ask any questions to know what happened. Yifan is or was a pitcher for the El Dorado Angels — their ace for several years, in fact. The injury must be serious for them to toss him aside like this. Without the use of his trusty arm, the team probably thought keeping him around would only mean deadweight. It’s such a shame that sports players are seen as disposable. With one man gone, teams will find a new replacement in the sea of hopeful rookies. “How was California? You must have been popular with the ladies,” Kyungsoo says, trying to lighten things up. Yifan smiles ever so slightly and shakes his head. “It was great, but there was no time to mingle. Baseball became my entire life out there. Practices every day in the hot sun killed me a little inside. But of course, all good things must come to an end.” Kyungsoo still remembers the day Yifan had been officially drafted into the major league. The town couldn’t stop talking about their new pride and joy. Living in the middle of nowhere, it was nice for everyone to know they’d be represented among the glitz and glamour. That was years ago and people still talk about it as if it were just yesterday. Sweet memories die hard. “Endings make room for new beginnings,” Kyungsoo points out. “I’d love to catch up, but I need these guys to finish their job before the sun sets,” Yifan says, smiling wryly at him. Kyungsoo takes his leave after shooting the trio a warning glare. He will be damned if they continue to destroy his quality of living. Back in the comfort of his own home, Kyungsoo thinks about how devastated Yifan must be to return to their small town. When they were in high school, all Yifan could talk about was being a star and living the dream. He spent more time out on the field than he did in the library. Kyungsoo could understand why. He himself was dedicated to choir during those years and would always hang out in the music room whenever he had the chance. Kyungsoo and Yifan were never close, but they saw each other after school every so often because baseball practice and choir rehearsals ended around the same time. Brief conversations and mumblings were the extent of their interactions. Even though they are far from friends, Kyungsoo decides he’ll bake Yifan a welcome pie. It’s the neighborly thing to do. He spends all night slaving away in the kitchen, making sure the sweet treat comes out just right. Heaven forbid he serve someone scum scraped off of the devil’s heel. The next morning Kyungsoo takes the pie over to Yifan’s house. As he waits for him to answer the door, he looks around for any signs of the moving truck from the day before. It is nowhere in sight. Somehow the three buffoons managed to get their job done in a reasonable timeframe. If Kyungsoo’s hands weren’t full at the moment, he’d give the guys a round of applause. “Kyungsoo… what brings you here?” Yifan asks, leaning against the doorframe. “I made this for you,” Kyungsoo replies and proudly presents his delightful creation. Yifan glances at Kyungsoo, then the pie, and back again at Kyungsoo. He furrows his brows and puffs out his cheeks. “You didn’t have to do that,” he says. The same wry smile from yesterday returns to his face. Kyungsoo isn’t sure if he should be offended or not. “But I did, so take it. I don’t expect anything back.” Yifan hesitates for a moment and eventually caves in once he realizes Kyungsoo won’t leave until he accepts the pie. He mumbles a ‘thank you’ under his breath and kicks the door closed without a proper goodbye. This unnerves Kyungsoo ever so slightly. He doesn’t understand what Yifan’s problem with him is. They never had any bad blood between them or unresolved issues, so the indifferent attitude makes no sense to Kyungsoo. He goes back home immediately to finish the job he started yesterday — shaving his legs. It’ll help distract his mind and make him feel oh-so good about himself. A few weeks pass by and Yifan hasn’t ceased being aloof with Kyungsoo. Every time they pass by each other on the streets, the taller male will pick up the pace and leave the other in the dust. Kyungsoo is left feeling more confused each time. He knows making it big can change a person, but Yifan seems like a completely different person now. The major league has transformed him into someone unrecognizable. Perhaps Yifan believes Kyungsoo isn’t good enough to associate with him. Just because the latter decided to stay in their hometown all this time doesn’t put him below the former. And besides, Mr. Star Player decided to move back here of all places. He has no right to look down at Kyungsoo at all, especially given the choices he’s made. Kyungsoo gives up on trying to make peace with his neighbor after several attempts. There’s no point in wasting his time and energy on someone who couldn’t care less. Now it’s his turn to be aloof. He pretends he doesn’t see Yifan whenever they cross paths around town. Uuuuuuuunf! Kyungsoo ignores the sound and pays close attention to his drama. The damsel in distress is waiting for her savior to come to her rescue; she forgot her phone. Coffee shops are awfully dull without any company or distractions. Uuuuunf! Kyungsoo doesn’t bat an eyelash. To the young lady’s delight, in walks the man of her dreams. He has another lady in tow. Cue the sad music and dramatic internal monologue. Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunf! Kyungsoo sighs heavily as he pauses the program and peeps out his living room window to see who dares interrupt him. It’s Yifan. No surprise there. The taller male is lugging a large garbage bag across his driveway and towards the bin on the sidewalk. He only has one good arm, so the minor task takes longer than it actually should. Kyungsoo wonders if there are bricks inside of the bag because even an elderly woman could finish faster than Yifan. Despite the fact that he doesn’t want to interact with his neighbor, Kyungsoo leaves his house to help the other out. It’s out of the goodness of his own heart and not because he wants to make life easier for Yifan. “Let me give you a hand,” Kyungsoo says as he snatches the garbage bag out of Yifan’s hand and carries it over to the bin, disposing of it in a swift manner. He dusts his hands off. “I could have done that myself,” Yifan mutters and looks down at the ground. Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. “Yeah, sure. But there’s nothing to be ashamed of if you need help from time to time.” Yifan remains quiet. “Do you want to come over for dinner?” Kyungsoo musters the courage to ask. Screw being cold-hearted and distant. The two of them have to live next door to each other for heaven knows how long. If they skirt around each other for years and years to come, it will surely drive them both mad. “Uh, no thanks. I think I’m o —” “I noticed all the take-out boxes in your garbage bin. That can’t possibly be healthy, so let me do this one thing and I’ll get off your back,” Kyungsoo sort of, not really, pleads. Yifan scuffs his shoes against the concrete pavement and sighs heavily. “Okay, fine. Just this once. I’ll see you again tonight.” In anticipation of company, Kyungsoo makes an emergency trip to the grocery store to pick up a few things. He wants to make sure the meal is perfect and leaves both parties feeling sated. In the back of his mind, he hopes dinner will change Yifan’s mind about him. If a lovely home cooked meal doesn’t do the trick, nothing will. Some things just aren’t meant to be, right? Just like the other day with the pie, Kyungsoo slaves away in his kitchen. He has several things cooking up on the stove top and keeps a careful eye on them all. The last thing he wants is to burn down his own home in the process of winning his neighbor over. By the time he’s done, the air is filled with a wonderful mix of aromas. And as if the planets have aligned, he hears a knock on the door. “Come in, Yifan, and make yourself at home,” Kyungsoo greets him with a warm smile. Yifan merely nods and makes a beeline for the sofa. He sits down, ankles crossed and hands resting neatly on his lap. Kyungsoo lets out a heavy sigh. Dinner follows a similar pattern. Kyungsoo does most of the talking. This would not be a problem at all if Yifan was actually eating. The taller male barely touches his plate, and only takes tiny bites whenever Kyungsoo looks directly at him. Is his cooking that awful? Every moment that passes by disheartens him more and more. Kyungsoo tries to ask Yifan about baseball and his career. It’s a no-go. He tries talking about their hometown. Zilch. He even tries making a joke about the trio of movers. Nada. Maybe inviting Yifan over was a mistake. It is clear by now that the other really doesn’t want to be in his presence. Kyungsoo is slightly embarrassed by all his failed attempts at trying to make amends. He takes a moment to compose himself before he looks over at Yifan again. “Look, you can go if you’d like. I’m not holding you here as a hostage,” Kyungsoo states and pushes around the mashed potatoes on his plate. Yifan lightens up for the first time that evening. When he gets up from his seat, Kyungsoo follows suit and heads for the door to his guest out. To his surprise, Yifan picks up his plate and goes over to the kitchen. “The least I can do is help clean up. It’s my way of thanking you for the food,” Yifan mumbles as he scrapes his leftovers into the garbage disposal with a bit of trouble. Kyungsoo is beyond perplexed. Yifan ate only a few bites and looked very uncomfortable the entire time. Nothing is adding up and he definitely can’t have an injured person go out of their way to help him, but Yifan is beyond stubborn. “Oh, alright,” Kyungsoo concedes. He quickly retrieves the other plates, putting away the salvageable leftovers in the fridge. Yifan doesn’t say any more while he washes the dishes and hums a soft tune Kyungsoo barely picks up over the running water. It sounds familiar, but the smaller male can’t put his finger on it. He busies himself with other tasks in order to give Yifan some space such as wiping down the table and picking at the loose threads on his sweater. Tonight didn’t go according to plan, but at least he can say he tried. “All done,” Yifan announces once everything is put away on the drying rack. They are not in the exact order Kyungsoo would prefer them to be; he’ll rearrange everything later. “Thank you. Let me show you out.” Kyungsoo leads the way, his mind still trying to figure out the song from before. And then it hits him. Literally. Kyungsoo’s back hits the front door; he’s caged in by Yifan’s arm. Well, this is a sudden development. “Uh, is everything alright?” Kyungsoo asks. He looks up at his neighbor in slight terror. It’s not everyday he gets this up and close with a person he hasn’t seen in almost a decade. Yifan stares at him intently. “IwastoonervoustoeatbutIreallylovedthefoodandyoureagreatchef,” he manages to say in one breath. Kyungsoo thinks Yifan is crazy. “What?” “The food was good, but I was too nervous to eat much of it,” Yifan clarifies and finally takes a step back, allowing Kyungsoo to be free from his prison. “Nervous, why? Do you have severe allergies? That’s why, huh? I should have asked —” Yifan breaks out in a slight smile, shaking his head. “No, I’m not allergic to anything. I just… mightormightnothaveastupidcrushonyou.” “You have to stop doing that.” “I like you.” “Oh.” Kyungsoo quickly realizes his response was dumb the moment he sees Yifan deflate and makes a grab for the door handle. “Ah! I mean… really?” Kyungsoo asks and swats Yifan’s hand down. “Well, I didn’t just make a fool of myself for nothing,” Yifan explains. That wry smile of his comes back. Kyungsoo falls silent for a moment as he thinks back to all the incidents leading up to this moment. He had mistaken Yifan’s silence and avoidance as indifference. In reality, it was all nerves and a case of the love bug. This also explains why he moved back to town of all places. “But you barely know me. We didn’t even share any of the same classes in high school!” “Yeah, but I heard you in the music room whenever I got out of baseball practice early. It was like listening to the angels singing. I couldn’t help but be drawn to the passion in your voice, and it didn’t hurt that you were cute. You still are.” A tinge of pink covers Yifan’s cheeks. Kyungsoo feels his face getting a little warm too. He has never had anyone confess to him before and of all people to be his first, it had to be Mr. Star Player. “And you still feel the same way after all this time?” Kyungsoo finds the entire situation hard to believe. Yifan was a widely-loved pitcher for goodness’ sake. The fame must have given him plenty of opportunities to find someone more kind, attractive, graceful. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be? You’re a great catch. No pun intended.” Kyungsoo chuckles anyway to hide his own nerves. “Oh… so, where does this leave us?” “Hopefully at the coffee shop a few blocks down from here at nine tomorrow.” Yifan thinks he’s so smooth. “Only if you tell me what song you were humming before.” Kyungsoo has been dying to know all night. “Sunday Morning by Maroon 5,” Yifan replies. “You sang it at our graduation.” “You are such a sap!” Kyungsoo cries out and hits Yifan’s arm — the bad one. “I didn’t mean to do that!” Yifan tries to get a peck on the cheek in place of an apology, but Kyungsoo shoos him away before it can happen because he needs his beauty sleep as soon as possible. Kyungsoo goes to bed with a wide grin on his face. |
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