<(^)

It was 10 A.M. in Antarctic time, which meant that Kyungsoo Penguin was enjoying his usual breakfast of hot chocolate and mackerel in front of the fifth episode of Prince of Icehockey.  He had just started a marathon, and he was looking forward to hours of interrupted peace, quiet, and relaxation without anyone bothering him–

DING DONG!

Kyungsoo Penguin sighed.  There was only one person in the entire Antarctic who dared disturb the sanctity of his igloo on a Saturday morning.  Or any day, really.  Most of the creatures around had learned to leave Igloo #7 alone, but unfortunately one penguin had yet to get the message.

DINGDONGDINGDONGDINGDONGDINGDONG!!!

“Coming!” With significant effort, Kyungsoo Penguin pulled himself out of his couch and waddled over to the front door.  He already knew who it was, which was why he checked his reflection in the mirror before opening the door.

“Good morning, Kyungsoo!”  Suho Penguin’s peppy voice and peppier beam greeted. Kyungsoo Penguin wanted to melt onto the ice tiles.  Of course, Suho Penguin looked picture perfect, like one of those beautiful penguins that made it onto nature documentaries with their flawless fur and markings and cute antics. In fact, Suho Penguin had made it onto Discovery Channel’s latest documentary feature on “Amazing Antarctic Animals,” and his name was even listed in the credits as “Penguin #3.”

(Kyungsoo Penguin had secretly watched that documentary ten times, which was almost as many times as he’d marathoned Prince of Icehockey from start to finish.)

“Isn’t it a lovely day? I was about to go out for an early morning swim, and I was wondering whether you’d like to join me!”

Swimming.  For a moment, Kyungsoo Penguin considered slamming the door shut. But then Suho Penguin would get sad and waddle mopily around Kyungsoo’s igloo for the next few days leaving “I’m Sorry =(” “Did I do something wrong?” messages scratched into the ice and endless fish offerings, and Kyungsoo wasn’t actually that heartless…even if Suho’s fish were delicious. 

“I’m tired,” he said instead, yawning largely for effect.

“Oh! …well, what about a late morning swim?”

“I’m…very tired.”

“…an early afternoon swim? We could share some lunch before that?”

Kyungsoo Penguin looked back at his TV screen, torn.  On the one hand, Prince of Icehockey!  On the other hand, sharing lunch with Suho…

“I don’t really like swimming.” Kyungsoo Penguin decided to go for the honest route.

“What!” Suho Penguin looked shocked. “What sort of penguin doesn’t like to swim?”

Kyungsoo Penguin sighed, having heard the same question multiple times in his young life. “It’s complicated.”

“Well, you can just watch me swim?” Suho Penguin offered, waddling closer. Kyungsoo Penguin suddenly found it very hard to breathe as Suho Penguin’s hopeful smile came just a little too near.  Was it just him, or did the air temperature feel several degrees higher…?

Maybe he should’ve paid more attention to the recent news about global warming.

<(^)

Suho Penguin took to the water like it was his element, diving gracefully into the surface.  Meanwhile, on land, Kyungsoo fished with a rod and some string like he’d seen a human do on one of those tv shows.  It was slow going, because the fish knew better than to swim close to shore, but Kyungsoo had never been a large eater anyway.  He managed to amass a couple of fish in his bucket.  He watched enviously as Suho Penguin was joined by other penguins out in the water, and they swam happily together like normal penguins did.  They looked so carefree…

“Hey man,” Kris Penguin came over to join him, his pet seal Ace flopping along behind him.  He was the only other penguin in the Antarctic who didn’t swim, because it “went against his principles” or something. Kris Penguin was convinced that he could fly, and no amount of failed attempts, bruises, and stern lectures could convince him otherwise.  “How’s it going?  I made some ice sculptures; do you want to see?”

“No thanks.”

Kris shrugged.  “Your loss.”  He sat down next to Kyungsoo Penguin and took out his own fishing rod.

<(^)

“How’d your fishing go?” Suho Penguin asked later as he came ashore, hauling a giant sled of fish along with him.

Kyungsoo Penguin showed Suho Penguin his bucket. Inside was a grand total of ten fish.

“Wow, those look delicious,” Suho Penguin praised, slipping a few of his own (significantly fatter) fish into the bucket when Kyungsoo Penguin’s head was turned. Unfortunately, he was not quite as smooth as he thought he was.

“I can see you!”

Suho Penguin gulped, sensing the imminent temper tantrum.  3…2…1…

“Why do you always do this?” Kyungsoo cried, kicking his bucket over. At least, he tried to; it wobbled only slightly.  “I don’t need your pity!”

“It’s not pity–”

“Then what is it?”

“I-I just want to take care of you–”

“Why? I’m not a baby!”

“I didn’t say you were!”

“Well, that’s what you’re thinking! You all think I’m lame and boring and pathetic and just watch TV and sleep all day and have no life–”

“Isn’t that true though?” Kris Penguin asked curiously. Kyungsoo glared at him.

“W-well, fine!  But at least I’m realistic about my prospects, unlike you!  Penguins! can’t! fly!”

Kris Penguin frowned.  “Don’t you try to limit me,” he said huffily. Ace barked in agreement.

“Kyungsoo,” said Suho Penguin reprovingly. “Don’t discourage Kris’ dreams–”

“And you!” Kyungsoo Penguin yelled, rounding up on Suho Penguin. “Why do you keep coming to my igloo and inviting me on fishing trips if you’re just going to give me all your fish anyway? Do you think I’m a charity case?”

“No–”

“Are you trying to be my parent figure, or something?”

Suho Penguin gaped. “No!”

“Then leave me alone to my lame, boring, pathetic, life!” With that, Kyungsoo Penguin stomped off.  Seconds later, he returned sheepishly to collect his bucket of fish.

“You gave the fish to me right so no takebacks,” he muttered, before slinking off.

“Y’know,” Kris Penguin commented after Kyungsoo Penguin had disappeared off into the distance. “You should probably tell him you’re trying to court him.”

<(^)

As upset as Kyungsoo Penguin was at Suho, Kris, the whole world, etc, he had to admit that the fish Suho Penguin had caught was the juiciest he’d seen in a long time.   He spent the night humming along to Prince of Icehockey’s theme song as he cooked the salmon to a nice pink crisp, carefully following the instructions set out by the man on the cooking channel.

Shuffle, Shuffle.

Kyungsoo Penguin’s ears pricked up at the noise outside of his igloo. He already knew who it was.

“Kyungsoo,” a small voice floated up through his window.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. Please don’t be mad at me. I miss you.  No, I should change that; it makes me sound too clingy.  Um…Kyungsoo, I sort of miss your company a little bit maybe perhaps–”

“Suho,” Kyungsoo Penguin called.  “I can hear you.”

“…oh.”  

Silence. The shuffling stopped.

Kyungsoo Penguin blew out the fire before peering out his window into the night scenery, where he could see Suho Penguin shivering against the cold.  Not for the first time, Kyungsoo Penguin felt like the worst animal in the Southern Hemisphere. He was always pushing others away with his insecurities, especially animals that he liked…a lot.

“I made some food,” Kyungsoo Penguin called, and Suho Penguin turned cautiously around. “Do you want to stay for dinner?”

Suho Penguin lit up.

<(^)

“So…you’re not mad at me?”

“I wasn’t mad at…you,” Kyungsoo Penguin explained guiltily. “I was mad at myself.  I wish I could swim with everyone like a normal penguin.”

“Why don’t you, then?” Suho Penguin asked. Kyungsoo Penguin sighed and looked at the picture on his mantle.  Suho Penguin followed his gaze, to the young couple and their baby.

“Your parents?” he asked. Kyungsoo Penguin had never shared much of his personal life.

Kyungsoo Penguin nodded.  “They took me swimming, when I was little.  They were trying to teach me how to catch food. It was my first time.  A whale came, and…” Kyungsoo Penguin swallowed. “that was the last time I saw them. And the last time I ever went in the water.”

“I’m sorry…” said Suho Penguin with wide eyes. Kyungsoo Penguin shrugged. He wasn’t the only animal who’d lost his family to harsh circumstances of nature; it was part of life out in the wild.

“It’s okay; it was a long time ago.  But I was scared of the water for a long time after that.  And now, I’m too old to learn how to swim, anyway.”

“That’s not true!” Suho Penguin exclaimed.  “You’re never too old to learn new things, and you know, they’re offering group swimming lessons at the fitness center…”

“But those are for babies.”

“I could give you private lessons,” Suho Penguin offered.

Kyungsoo Penguin frowned, but Suho Penguin already anticipated his objection.

“Kyungsoo, I don’t think you’re a baby, and I know you can take care of yourself.”

“Really.” Kyungsoo Penguin said warily.

“But I want to take care of you,” Suho Penguin continued.  “Not because I think you’re a charity case, but because, um…”  Gulping, he reached across the table to take Kyungsoo Penguin’s flipper in his. 

Kyungsoo Penguin stared at him with wide eyes, and his chopsticks dropped to the floor.  

“Do you know what I’m saying?” Suho Penguin asked softly.

“…I t-think so.”

<(^)

“Oh, dear,” said Suho Penguin.  He had been going on his daily check-up-on-my-favorite-penguin morning jog when he’d noticed the remnants of Igloo #7. Chunks of ice were everywhere.  In the center of the destruction was a very miserable looking penguin.  “Kyungsoo!  What happened?”

“My house!” Kyungsoo Penguin wailed.  It was the most emotion Suho Penguin had seen him display.  “My television!  Prince of Icehockey!”

“Soo–”

“What am I going to do? I was only on Episode 7!”

“Kyungsoo–”

“It takes forever to ship things to Antarctica. My new TV probably won’t even get here until next year–”

“Kyungsoo, what happened?”

“Huh?  Oh, an avalanche or something,” Kyungsoo Penguin sniffled.  “I was out when it happened.”

“Oh my goodness,” Suho Penguin paled.  “You could’ve died…”

Kyungsoo Penguin shrugged. “I guess I got lucky.”

“Y-you…”  For a moment Suho Penguin looked like he was about to faint, before he righted himself. “Where are you going to live?”

Kyungsoo Penguin shrugged again. “At the hotel, I guess. They have TV here, right?”

“But how are you going to afford it? You, ah,” Suho Penguin said as delicately as he could.  “You’re unemployed.”

Kyungsoo Penguin scowled at the floor. It was true. Being unable to swim reduced one’s job prospects quite considerably.

“Do you want to stay at my igloo?” Suho Penguin offered when it seemed like the floor wouldn’t be giving Kyungsoo answers any time soon.

Kyungsoo Penguin’s head shot up. “What?”

“Kai’s not there anymore since he and Taemin went to film Happy Feet, so there’s an extra room, if you want.”

“I don’t want to be a bother…” But Kyungsoo Penguin was already starting to perk up.

“You won’t! It would be a dream come true. Um, n-not that I dream about you living with me or anything,” Suho Penguin squeaked.

<(^)

Suho Penguin’s igloo was three times the size of Kyungsoo Penguin’s and, more importantly, equipped with an HD flatscreen TV.  Kyungsoo Penguin nursed away the sorrows of his igloo’s demise with four more episodes of Prince of Icehockey while Suho Penguin made several telephone calls.

“It’ll take a week for your igloo to be repaired,” he informed Kyungsoo Penguin, settling next to him on the couch.  “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want.”

“How about forever?” Kyungsoo Penguin asked as he snuggled into Suho Penguin’s extremely warm side. HD TV, unlimited fish, a handsome penguin to cuddle with…this was a dream he never wanted to wake up from.

“…if you want,” Suho Penguin said softly, as he watched the other penguin doze off.

<(^)

 

<(^)

“Hyung, you’re banned from picking for movie night from now on.”

Suho pouted. “But it was interesting, right?”

“NO!”

“For a nerd, maybe.”

“I liked the animals; they were cute,” Kai offered, but his opinion was outweighed by the others’ dissatisfied grumbles.  

“It was a freaking documentary!”

“About penguins!”

Suho nudged Kyungsoo beside him on the couch. “What did you think, Soo?”  He deflated when he saw that his friend had fallen asleep.

“See? Even Kyungsoo thought it was boring!”

“…ho Penguin…fish…” Kyungsoo mumbled into Suho’s shoulder, still stuck in dreamland.  Suho wondered what the younger boy was dreaming of.  From the smile on his face, it looked like a wonderful dream.