Hollow Fusion

Chapter 3 (Final)

Rating: T

Note: Little dialogues, lots of narration. Domestic NEO. I like my stories to be 5-10% angst, 15% realistic and 110% Domestic Fluff.

Taekwoon’s phone starts playing its alarm, signaling that it’s the time Hakyeon’s shift will end at the convenience store. He puts down his pen and starts putting away his pen, textbook and notebook.  He mouths a small thank you and a nod at the waitress as he’s leaving the café.

Today Hakyeon’s shift ends in the early evening, before the sun sets down to rest. Taekwoon has been waiting since he got here from university about two hours ago. As always, he’s using the waiting time to do some studying in a café within walking distance from the store. He’s lucky he has found a place that doesn’t mind him being there for an extended period of time, even if he only purchases a drink and a snack or two each time.

***

Hakyeon’s hands tug gently at Taekwoon’s sweater. He tilts his head up expectantly, and Taekwoon’s head leans down to press their parted lips together. It’s February and spring hasn’t arrived yet; Taekwoon’s lips are still somewhat chap no matter how much water he drinks throughout the day. He leans back after he estimates he will have enough energy to last till morning, or at least very late into the night. Hakyeon’s lips are as soft and moisturized as always.

He looks at the present smiling Hakyeon, exuding warmth and happiness in the still cool air. A wondering thought enters his mind, and he wonders if Hakyeon puts on lip balm before meeting up with him. The said person turns and starts jogging toward the bus stop. Taekwoon blinks and puts that thought behind him as he trails after, and then walk side by side with his partner.

Their bus today is almost packed, but they are still lucky to get on it. They find an empty standing spot in the crowded space; their hands grab around the metallic poles and hold onto tight for the trip home. The ride is uneventful. People’s bodies sway along with the movements of the bus. Other people’s conversations and the traffic sound eventually become background noise, and are forgotten. Ten minutes into their trip, Hakyeon’s bodies and his are somehow one way or another are pressing right next to each other. His hand around the pole is right on top of Hakyeon’s hands. They are as close as they can be without hugging each other. Neither Hakyeon nor he makes a move to shift away to give some space between their bodies, as the crowd lessens with every trip. He’s sure if people ask him to write a paper on personal space, Hakyeon won’t even enter his mind. Their closeness now becomes as natural as the air they breathes and share.

***

“Hakyeon-ie, can you open the cover on this brown sugar- ” Taekwoon stops his question when his eyes and then mind register Hakyeon has fallen asleep on the couch. The TV is on low, but it may as well have been singing a lullaby; Hakyeon has gone off to dream land. His body is in a shape of a shrimp, and his hands are tucked against his chest, near his face.

When Hakyeon is at home, he sleeps when he can. Even if he doesn’t plan to, sometimes his tired body will force him to fall sleep to regain his energy. Hakyeon works two jobs: the convenience store one, and the tutoring high school one. He’s working a lot. He’s doing it in part to pay for the living expenses; and in part it’s his personality. He’s the type to push and possibly overworking himself. He hasn’t changed at all from back in their school years. Hakyeon used to strive not only doing well in schools, but also at club activities, and group studying sections which he helped the teachers to organize, and so on.

For the last two years, he’s been putting the same mindset when it comes to working. Taekwoon understands that his partner would have a much easier time in regard to financial matter, if he hadn’t moved away. Hakyeon would certainly save money faster for when he starts going to a technical college next year. Taekwoon has always understood this, and no doubt Hakyeon has to have understood that too, but neither of them ever voices it out.

If Taekwoon has to live 5 hours away from Hakyeon, and only meeting up with him once the weekend arrives, he would rather just move back and finds a place next to Hakyeon’s parents’ house. It’s not a partnership, if the supplier and the receiver only exchange energy for one to two days out of a whole week for 4 years straight or however long. For starter, a receiver needs to receive energy at least twice a day to function properly. The long distance will not make the partnership practical. Secondly, it’s also not fair to make Hakyeon keep waiting around for him either, instead of going on with his life with a new partner.  

Taekwoon returns back into the kitchen to scrub and wash his hand. He scrubs the skin on his hands a bit more vigorously than he needs to be, as if he’s also scrubbing away the negative thoughts. He then moves into Hakyeon’s bedroom to grab his partner’s blanket. When he comes near the couch, he tries to move as quietly as he can and covers the soft blanket over Hakyeon's body. Taekwoon’s eyes linger and soften on Hakyeon’s peaceful closed eyes, nose, cheeks, and lips and then his long neck. He does always look so unassuming and innocent when he sleeps. Not that Taekwoon will ever tell Hakyeon that and feeds his partner’s ego even more.

He goes back into the kitchen to finish seasoning the pork Hakyeon has helped him sliced up. Hakyeon has been craving some grilled pork with lettuce. They don’t have much disposable income, but they both agree on one very important rule: every week they should be able to eat a dish they both crave and agree on. They can’t afford to eat outside very time they crave a dish, so they have been learning to replicate different dishes at home as best as they can, and to their likings.

“You should have small enjoyment in life no matter the time. Can’t just all work and sleep all the time.” Taekwoon tries to keep that advice in mind whenever he feels so tie down with his schooling, especially in the long cold winter. The days feel half shorter than in the spring and summer months. His goal in life is to be happy, and everything he puts effort in is to be able to help him achieving that goal, not just in the far future but also in the presence. He wants to thank whoever gives him that advice, but he can’t remember who it is anymore. It could have been one of his parents, or Hakyeon’s parents. Some day he feels as if he has four parents, not just two.

***

Hakyeon’s mind automatically stirs awake after he dozed off for two to three hours. He’s still in a state of half asleep and half awake, but he can recognize that he’s lying down. His very fogy but overactive mind starts having random thoughts in it, even when he’s not even fully awake yet: Taekwoon, food, Taekwoon, work, food, sleep some more, bed…

Ah his stomach is hungry….Taekwoon. Hakyeon finally forces his eyes to open and turns his body to the left. He pushes the blanket aside and sees that he had fallen asleep on the couch again. No matter how small the couch is, if he closes his eyes for more than five minutes he always manages to fall asleep after getting home from work. He looks around, seeking a familiar tall and lean figure but he doesn’t see his partner. The light in the living room, which is more like a small box consisting of white walls, is turned off. He gets off the couch and shuffles to Taekwoon’s bedroom door. He takes a peek inside the ajar door, knowing his target is there.  

Taekwoon is currently sitting at the small wooden desk. Everything in their apartment is small. His head is tilting down; his hands are holding a book upright. Of course, he’s diligently studying at this time of the night. Hakyeon pushes the door open widely and steps inside. At the sound, Taekwoon turns his head sideway and their eyes meet. A few seconds of acknowledgement later, his partner’s eyes go back to his book. “I put the meat in the fridge; we can use it for tomorrow or Sunday.”

“Humm,” Hakyeon hums in acknowledgement. He comes up behind Taekwoon’s back and leans forward curiously to look at Taekwoon’s book. He won’t understand much of it but he’s still curious nonetheless. This is Taekwoon’s second year of studying music-composition, he’ll sometimes explain to Hakyeon bits and pieces of music theories and histories, but most of the information tend to fly in and then out of Hakyeon’s ear. He usually tries to remember them, but there are only so much information his head can store data in.

“Today, I met a new person.” Taekwoon starts telling him.

 “Humm,” Hakyeon once again hums, and rests his chin comfortably on Taekwoon’s broader shoulder.

“She’s a foreigner from somewhere in Europe. She was getting lost so I ended up helping her finding her building.” Taekwoon continues his story; he has put down his book and his mind is now focusing on somewhere else. His voice sounds pleased and satisfied that he was helpful.

“Humm,” Hakyeon lets his head rests against his partner’s one. His back is feeling a little cramp but he keeps his position, liking their physical contact.  

Taekwoon’s head pushes against his lightly in return so his head stay at the right angle. Hakyeon’s arms come fully around and wrap themselves around Taekwoon’s pectoral. He closes his eyes and basks in their combined warmth and intimacy. He can easily get sleepy against just by staying closed like this. Even though they live together in this tiny two bedrooms apartment, there are days when they barely see each other when they are awake. Some of Taekwoon’s classes end at night, but at least his schedule stays fixed. On the other hand, Hakyeon’s shift hours may change weekly. Then there’s his tutorial job, which has more flexible hours but it does eat up a lot of his remaining free time.

In the summer months, Taekwoon takes on part-time job, or jobs if he’s lucky to find two, to help pay the living expenses. Scholarships and his parents’ financial help can’t cover living expenses all year round. Still, all things considered, it’s better than Taekwoon having to go back home for the summer if he was living alone.   

Taekwoon’s hand comes up and squeezes one of his hands. His partner’s hand stays on top and wraps hold of Hakyeon’s hand easily with his longer fingers.  “You should go eat, it’s late.” He reminds gently. His thumb idly caresses the skin on Hakyeon’s skin. The small touch is so soothing and relaxing, but it’s also sending adrenalin sparks to Hakyeon’s brain. He receives this sudden urge to drag his partner out of his chair. He wants to fall into bed dramatically while pulling Taekwoon along with him, so he can just wrap his body tightly around his partner and sleep like the dead till morning. Screw food and studying. Hey if Taekwoon wants to touch some bare skin too, Hakyeon will even help Taekwoon get undress in record time.

“Humm,” Hakyeon’s hum this time is throatier. He tightens his arms around Taekwoon, one, two and then three seconds. He breathes in, filling up his lung with more air than he needs and the exhales. “Feed me then,” he demands haughtily like a spoiled character in drama. Taekwoon retaliates in his usual quieter way by pushing his head against Hakyeon’s, thereby pushing Hakyeon’s head at an odd angle.

“Okay. I got it. You are so cold Woon-ie.” He straightens and slowly taking his time in unwinding his arms away from his preferred warmth spot. It’s as if his stomach now know it’s time for Hakyeon’s mind to start focusing on it, it’s demanding food even more urgently than when he first woke up.

Taekwoon’s hand surprises him by reaching up and putting a hand on his shoulder, effectively stopping him from moving completely away. His partner turns his body halfway around; his other hand reaches up and touches Hakyeon’s check. He puts a gentle pressure into the palm of his hand, and Hakyeon leans down to receive Taekwoon’s kiss.  Taekwoon’s lips press against his cheek while his cold hand stays on Hakyeon’s other cheek. Hakyeon hums again in pleasure as warmth heats up his face, and then travels down to his chest.

The end

Note: Thank you for reading this AU. I will end the story right here. I still have one more section of their lives in my head, another 2-3 years time skip into the future, when they are 22-23 years old. I didn't write that part down, and probably would never do.

The bad thing about having only the energy to write on a weekend is that I have 5-6 days to stew over my ideas, and by the time I actually can write, I have already overthink too much and the story becomes too big in my head and it overwhelmes me. Writing then will just become a chore, and then I of course start procrastinating, and I don't want want to feel that way about this lovely AU so this is it.

Thanks again for reading ^_^