The next day

Ken stared at the sight in front of him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

Xiumin was smiling.

He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating before turning to find someone to share this strange vision with. Sadly Tae, the only person who believed him when he said Xiumin was scary, wasn’t there because she’d caught a cold after her date yesterday (and not to be petty but he’d been totally against her going sleeveless).

As it was, there was no one there and he had to satisfy himself by looking at his boss once again, as he tried and failed to focus on work.

Xiumin had this soft look about him that made him look positively… cute. Ken blinked again, sure he was losing his mind.

‘What’s up?’ Raina asked as she passed by, putting on her apron. ‘Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?

Ken opened his mouth to explain, then shut it, opting to point. There was no way to put it into words.

‘Am I dreaming?’ he asked.

Raina giggled but came to a stop beside him. ‘Aw, he looks so cute,’ she said. Ken felt validated.

‘I’m not going crazy, right?’

‘No, silly!’ Raina laughed. ‘That’s how he usually is when Lily’s around,’ she told him conspirationally, nudging his shoulder. ‘Look!’

Ken watched in bemusement as Lily came downstairs, looking fresh and put together. Xiumin literally lit up like a Christmas tree and padded over to her side, a hand gently sliding over her waist. Ken honestly thought Lily would throw him off – she was very particular about workplace boundaries – but she leaned into him and pecked his cheek instead. Xiumin reciprocated by pecking her lips and Ken was sure now – he had officially lost it.

‘What’s going on?’ he demanded, thoroughly disoriented. ‘Lily’s letting this kind of behavior go and Xiumin’s cute. It’s like my life has turned upside down!’

Raina laughed as if he was being ridiculous, as if any of this was normal.

‘Don’t laugh at me!’ he whined, turning away before he became even more disoriented. ‘It’s like everything I’ve ever known was a lie.’

‘That’s how I felt when I found they’d broken up,’ Tiffany, who’d joined them who knew when, responded. ‘I just can’t imagine them without each other.’

As one, the three employees turned to look at their (former and current) bosses.

They were in the limited space behind the counter, moving around each other with practiced ease, each adjusting to the other without even sparing so much as a glance. Despite that, one way or the other, they were also touching constantly, be it a hand around the waist or a gentle touch to the shoulder or simply leaning into each other when they got close.

‘Are they always like this?’ Ken asked. ‘Really?’

Tiffany nodded. ‘I told you, they are it. And they’re idiots for trying to deny it.’

Raina gave her a side-eye, making her immediately defensive. ‘What?’

‘Nothing,’ said Raina, shaking her head. ‘I just think we have no room to call them idiots when we both were in denial for our mates.’

Tiffany glared at her friend but Raina shrugged with a grin. ‘It’s the truth.’

Her friend huffed and turned away. ‘Whatever. Get back to work.’

Ken shook his head and followed.

……………………………………

‘I’m fine,’ Tae croaked, nose completely clogged up.

‘You’re obviously not,’ Angel countered. ‘Thanks for telling me Nara, I’ll make some soup for Tae.’

Nara – who’d been hovering around Tae since she’d woken up with her sinusitis badly acting up, and who’d  presumably brought in reinforcements in the form of a determinedly caring Angel – nodded.

‘Heat makes it better,’ she told Tae seriously. ‘I called Chanyeol to warm you up.’

Tae laughed at that, then groaned because laughing made the throbbing headache worse. ‘Thanks, but there’s no need.’

‘But he’s very warm,’ Nara insisted.

Tae groaned again before sitting up and gesturing at Nara to step closer. Her friend did so, eyes wide with worry. It made her heart melt.

‘Nara, it’s not appropriate, no matter how warm Chanyeol’s hugs are, okay? You are in a relationship with him, so of course he’ll hug you. It’s very different with me.’

Nara frowned for a moment, thinking it through. ‘Is it because… social norms dictate some personal boundaries and by hugging, he’ll be crossing them?’

Tae nodded. ‘And vice versa. He can hug me if we become very good friends.’

‘I want you and Ken to be very good friends with Chanyeol.’ Nara told her.

Tae smiled. ‘I’d like that too but for now, let’s keep our distance.’

Nara nodded. ‘I should-‘

There was a knock on the door and Chanyeol peered in. ‘Nara?’

Nara didn’t say anything out loud but it was obvious they were communicating. Especially  when Chanyeol’s eyes softened and he nodded, then opened his arms. Nara stepped into them, hugging herself close.

Chanyeol nodded at Tae. ‘How’re you feeling?’

‘Been better,’ she said, wincing a little. ‘I’m sorry, I thought Nara had social convention down pat.’

‘She tends to forget things when she’s worried,’ Chanyeol said and Nara nodded in affirmation, looking worried. Tae felt like cooing and crying at the same time.

Chanyeol seemed to sense her utter need to squish Nara into a hug because he sent her friend towards Tae. Nara looked lost when she reached her, looking back at Chanyeol. He obviously communicated something because Nara leaned down and hugged her.

Tae snuggled into her, sighing a little when Nara started carding fingers through her hair. ‘You’re warm too,’ she told Nara, who seemed to glow at the compliment. Her finger carding became a little more thorough and Tae felt, rather than saw, Chanyeol leave.

With Nara’s warmth around her, she felt super comfy and her eyes slipped shut.

……………………………………

‘Are you… crying?’ Kris tried his best to suppress his laughter.

‘She’s so cute!’ Chanyeol wailed, falling dramatically into his Shadow’s arms, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him. ‘I’m dying!’

Kris gave up on suppressing his amusement, grinning widely as he straightened his Shadow. ‘I’m sure you’ll be fine.’

‘How can she be so cute?’ Chanyeol demanded before dissolving into tears again. ‘I can’t, I just… can’t!’

Kris shook his head but patted his shoulder anyway, trying to calm him down. Trust Chanyeol to break down over his mate’s cuteness.

Leaving Chanyeol to his crying, Kris went over to Tae’s room and knocked. A moment later, the door opened and Nara peeked out, looking at him questioningly.

He smiled. ‘Hey Nara, how’s Tae?’

‘She’s sick,’ Nara informed him seriously. ‘I’m taking care of her.’

‘That’s very nice of you. Do you think she’ll up for a visitor?’

Nara thought about it before withdrawing. A minute later, the door opened up again. ‘She says she’ll like that.’

‘Thanks,’ Kris told her before stepping inside.

The room was much like the other rooms in the HQs, but it was a little less personalized than some of the other places in the mansion. In the double bed, Tae was propped up against the pillows, her eyes closed, a hot water bottle resting on her head.

She cracked open one eye when he reached her side, looking up at him forlornly.

‘Hey,’ he said gently, pulling up a seat to sit beside her. ‘How’re you doing?’

She shrugged, then winced. ‘Been worse… but then again, been better.’ Her voice was nasal and clogged.

‘Anything I can do to help?’ he asked. She shook her head, the bottle wobbling dangerously; Kris reached out to straighten it.

‘Nara’s helping me already,’ Tae said, opening one eye and smiling at her friend who seemed to glow at the praise. ‘And I’ve taken my meds.’

‘Why didn’t you ask Lay to heal you?‘ Kris asked, adding teasingly. ‘What was it that you were saying yesterday? ‘I can always ask Lay to heal me?’?’

Tae gave him the stink eye. ‘I don’t want to be a bother-‘

Kris’s face lost its grin as he fixed her with a stern look. She had the grace to look sheepish. ‘I just meant-‘

‘I’m calling him.’ His tone brooked no argument.  

She slumped against the pillows as Kris pulled out his phone to call the healer. ‘I’m on my way,’ was how Lay answered the phone.

‘’kay.’ Kris hung up.

There was momentary silence. Tae fiddled her fingers nervously, glancing at Kris a few times before looking at Nara. ‘Nara… can you bring me some water?’ she asked.

Nara nodded, standing up immediately, starting to leave before seeming to recall something. She turned to look at Kris.

‘Will you like some water too?’ she asked, eyes flitting questioningly to Tae. Tae smiled and nodded, giving her discreet thumbs up.

‘Uh… sure.’ Kris nodded, not sure what that was all about. Tae let out a laugh when Nara left.

‘You look so confused,’ she cackled in response to his raised eyebrows. He watched her with mild amusement as she giggled. ‘I fail to see why this is so hilarious.’

‘You know Nara’s social skills aren’t the best,’ Tae finally answered.

‘I’ve noticed.’ Kris responded.

‘Well, she’s trying to learn social convention,’ Tae told him, grinning. ‘And she’s gotten pretty good at it – I didn’t even have to remind her about what to do when we have guests over! I’m so proud of her!’

She flailed excitedly, the hot water bottle wobbling again. Kris reached out to hold it once again. ‘Please sit still,’ he said wearily.

‘I’ve been sitting still the whole morning, I’m tired of it,’ Tae countered, pouting at him.

‘You should have called Lay instead of waiting the whole morning.’

‘Kris, unlike you guys, I’m used to taking my meds rather than calling some supernatural healer when I get sick.’ Tae told him seriously. ‘That’s what most people do.’

Kris opened his mouth, then closed it. ‘Okay, fair point.’

‘Besides, it’s just a little headache.’ She turned her head to smile at him but winced at the jerk.

‘It’s obviously worse than that,’ he said sardonically.

‘Yeah, yeah… whatever.’ She slumped into the pillows once more, and Kris straightened the bottle before slowly withdrawing. ‘So…’ she said, yawning. ‘What brings you here?’

He nodded at her. ‘Just wanted to check in.’

‘Aw, are you worried about me?’ she asked, batting her lashes.

Kris looked at her for a moment before nodding. ‘I am.’ She looked taken aback at his statement, so he clarified. ‘I feel like it’s my fault you got sick. I should’ve taken you inside soon as it started snowing.’

She didn’t say anything for a couple of seconds before shrugging and looking away. ‘I should’ve worn something thicker.’

‘Still…’

There was silence but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Tae closed her eyes and Kris observed her closely, Chanyeol’s words from last night still going through his head.

He’d thought it over and over and realized that his Shadow was right. He couldn’t talk to his brothers about his mate, not about the things that had made their relationship fall apart. But maybe talking to someone on the outside would…

‘I had no idea about your mate,’ Tae muttered, dragging him out of his thoughts.

‘Hm?’ He looked at her; she wasn’t looking at him, instead playing with the threads of her duvet.

‘Um… I didn’t mean to go behind your back or anything… but Baekhyun and Chen told me about how she… died.’  

He shook his head. ‘It’s not a secret or anything… I just don’t like to talk about it.’

‘Understandable.’ Her eyes were dark when she met his. ‘I’m really sorry, it must have been really difficult for you.’

The sincerity in her voice touched him. He smiled, albeit sadly. ‘Thank you. It was… still is, sometimes.’

She looked at him again before glancing away. ‘Well, if you want to talk about it… or anything else, for that matter, I’m here for you.’

Her words, said in the a hesitant but sincere tone, made him feel warm. ‘Thanks,’ he told her. There was a moment of silence before… ‘I might take you up on that.’

She smiled. ‘I’ll be all ears.’

He smiled back and it was really nice, this moment of connection. It was broken by Nara coming in, Lay following in on her heels.

Kris stood up, taking that as his cue to leave. ‘I’d better get going.’

She glanced up at him with a pout. ‘But you just got here!’

‘I have to get to work but tell you what,’ What the hell, right? Not like he had anything to lose. ‘we can hang out tonight if you feel up for it.’

She perked up immediately. ‘It’s a date!’

Shaking his head in amusement, he left.

……………………………………….

A/N

The chapter is prewritten and I'm too lazy to make edits :/