Park Kyung smiled peacefully as he watched his kindergarten students play after lunch was over.  It was a rainy afternoon, so instead of going outside to play, they stayed inside instead.  Some of his more boisterous students ran around the room playing tag and kicking over towers made of blocks, while the quieter students played house or folded little paper boats.  Despite the icky weather, it was turning out to be a very peaceful afternoon with no incidents to speak of.

 

He sighed contentedly, listening to the pitter-patter of the rain on the little tin roof.  He leaned his head on his hand and watched his children play, occasionally sticking little stickers shaped like stars on his students’ crayon drawings, to show a job well done.  After playtime, he planned to hang up their drawings on the wall, and maybe take their pictures in front of them to show their parents.  It seemed to be shaping up to be a perfect afternoon, with no day-halting events in sight.

 

“Teacher,” one of his students, Taeil, tugged on his sweater sleeve, interrupting his thoughts of perfect rainy afternoons but not dampening his mood.

 

“Yes, Taeil?” Kyung asked, still smiling peacefully.

 

“Jihoon ate the goldfish again,” Taeil shrugged like it was normal before going back to his paper boats.

 

Kyung’s peaceful smile faded into a memory as he jumped up to go retrieve the goldfish from Jihoon’s mouth.  So much for an event-free afternoon.

 

-

 

Kyung loves his job.  He really does.  He loves watching the children play and learn and interact with each other.  He loves watching them build friendships and a better understanding of human communication.  Heck, sometimes he even enjoys the chaos that comes with it, like removing a piece of paper that had been glued into someone’s hair.  Or removing a goldfish from someone’s mouth.

 

Being a kindergarten teacher absolutely has its reward.  Kyung’s heart swells every time the students offer him a bouquet of hand-picked flowers of a simple “I love you”. 

 

But sometimes the job could be a little taxing, only sometimes, and all Kyung wants is to lay down after work and put his feet up while he sips on a nice glass of orange juice.

 

But on that particular day, Kyung knew he would have to spend his evening at the pet store in search of a new goldfish.

 

-

 

Kyung sighed as he looked over the lovely selection of fish, and Jiho, who had insisted on coming when Kyung had said “Pet Store”, sighed, too.  He wasn’t particularly weary, like Kyung.  He just liked being a part of things. 

 

“I think you should get this one,” Jiho said, his face pressed against the glass of a tank with a beautiful tropical fish inside, the kind of fish with vibrant stripes and long, flowy fins.

 

“I’m just trying to teach the children responsibility, so a goldfish is fine.  And don’t press your face against the glass.   We don’t own these tanks,” Kyung reprimanded while looking at the plain, orange goldfish.

 

“Maybe if they had a pretty fish, they would be more responsible and not try to eat it,” Jiho mumbled, still staring at his pretty fish.

 

“Maybe I should just get us a class guinea pig, that way the children can hold it and nurture it, unlike a fish.  And I don’t think they can eat a guinea pig,” Kyung pondered, swiping his index finger across his lower lip in thought.

 

“Can we get the pretty fish, then? I won’t eat it, I promise,” Jiho asked, and he looked so hopeful and earnest that Kyung couldn’t help but oblige his wishes.

 

“Yes, we can get the pretty fish,” he said, and Jiho’s eyes lit up brighter than the fluorescent lights shining on the cages throughout the store.

 

“Really?” he asked, excited like a little kid getting their first pet.

 

“Yes, now pick out a bowl for it so we can go and look at the guinea pigs,” Kyung remarked and starting looking at the glass bowls.

 

“Wait,” Jiho said, with some urgency, wrapping his arms around Kyung’s waist and leaning his head on his shoulder.

 

“What is it?” Kyung asked, his voice soft and calm, nurturing this rare affectionate moment from Jiho.

 

“I want you to lay me down in this fish aisle so we can like we’re in the ocean,” Jiho whispered in his ear seductively, his breath tickling that spot so perfectly, so expertly that Kyung almost forgot where they were.  Almost.

 

“We’re in a pet store,” Kyung whispered, as if he had to remind his partner of the location.

 

“I’m aware,” Jiho whispered back.

 

“How about we wait till we get back home so I can lay you down in the bed so we can like we’re in... the bed,” Kyung propositioned.

 

“You’re no fun,” Jiho scowled, but he kissed Kyung on the cheek anyway and wrenched his arms away from his partner’s waist begrudgingly, and went in search of a fishbowl.

 

-

 

The next day when Kyung arrived with the guinea pig, it was a huge hit.  The kids decided to name it Sawdust because of its light tan color, and because Kyung would not let them name it Boogers. Jihoon even got to be the first to hold it, with supervision of course.

 

-

 

When Kyung arrived home, he was met with Jiho sitting in front of his new fish bowl, looking at his pretty fish as It swam around.  He dropped a few fish flakes inside and the fish swam up to the surface of the water to eat.

 

“Don’t feed it too much,” Kyung said as he sat his school bag down on the table and kicked off his shoes.

 

“She is not an it, she’s a she, and her name is Gloria,” Jiho corrected, his nose upturned.

 

“Why Gloria?” Kyung asked as he sat down next to Jiho on the couch, propping his feet up on the coffee table to let them rest after a long day.

 

“Because.  Gloria is a pretty name and my fish is pretty,” Jiho replied and he dropped one more fish flake into the bowl for good measure.

 

“Fair enough,” Kyung said, and they settled into comfortable silence, watching the fish together until Jiho laid down on the couch, resting his head on Kyung’s lap, batting his eyelashes as he looked up at him.

 

“Hyung~,” Jiho drawled, causing Kyung to scowl.

 

“What now?” he growled, gripping Jiho by the hair and tugging it upwards roughly, forcing him to look at him.

 

“Ah- hyung, don’t be so rough,” Jiho winked and grinned, and Kyung just rolled his eyes.

 

“Go upstairs, stupid,” Kyung said, shaking his head, and Jiho was off his lap before he finished his sentence, racing up the stairs and haphazardly stripping his clothes and tossing them about on the staircase, Kyung following closely behind him.

 

-

 

Jiho woke a few hours later in Kyung’s embrace, feeling his breath tickling the skin of his neck and his fingers running through his hair.  Jiho rolled over a bit, wiggling and smiling at Kyung when he faced him, pecking his lips softly.

 

“Why are you being so sweet lately? Not that I’m complaining,” Kyung smiled softly, his eyes still lidded with sleep and satisfaction.

 

“I’m always sweet,” Jiho smirked and Kyung rolled his eyes.

 

“Sure,” he said, sarcasm dripping from his voice as he pulled Jiho in closer, rubbing his back soothingly.  They cuddled for a while, finding comfort in each other, whispering sweet nothings and sharing tender kisses, until Jiho suddenly shot up as if he were on fire, accidentally hitting Kyung in the process.

 

“What’s wrong?” Kyung asked, rubbing his face.

 

“I gotta feed my fish,” Jiho said, getting out of bed.

 

“You just fed her an hour and a half ago.  She’s fine, get back in bed,” Kyung groaned, rolling his eyes.

 

“No way, gotta feed my fish,” Jiho said, slipping on his shoes to walk downstairs.

 

“At least put some clothes on!” Kyung called.

 

“I’m wearing shoes, that’s good enough!” Jiho said, and then he was out the door, fully , a man on a mission to feed a fish.

 

Kyung laid back down on the bed and held his left hand in the air, looking at the ring that adorned it and sighed.  “I’m marrying that guy.”