Part 2 - Chapter 15
I Wanna Love15
Someone was hammering on his door. Someone would break his door down if they didn’t stop soon. How did they make it sound like a herd of hippos stampeding on his door?!
Niel pulled himself from his bed, taking the doona with him like a cape. He had woken 2 hours ago to call in sick before going back to bed. Scowling fiercely, he swung the door open to stop the thundering noise. Byunghun and Chanhee’s hands were still moving furiously as the door was pulled away. When they realised Niel had finally opened it they both beamed at him. Niel’s scowl deepened.
“I gave you two a key! Why do you insist on waking me up!” He squeaked out angrily, he had apparently lost his voice as he slept.
“Morning Nielie! We called into your work but you weren’t there.” Byunghun practically bubbled with excitement. Niel continued scowling.
“Apparently because you’re home, sick. Our poor dongsaengie, hyungs have come to mop your fevered brow!” Chanhee continued Byunghun’s sentence for him, somewhat dramatically.
Oh great, they’re being like this again, Niel grumbled internally, Maybe it was better when they didn’t speak.
“Come, come, back to bed little brother. You shouldn’t be out of bed in your condition.” Chanhee herded Niel towards the bedroom and Byunghun closed the door behind them.
“I’m out of bed because of you two! You woke me up!” Niel protested, his voice cracking on every other word. His throat was burning from all the exertion.
“Hush now, little brother, with a voice like that you shouldn’t talk.” Byunghun advised, his tone more devious than caring.
“I hate you both sometimes.” Niel said weakly before climbing back onto his mattress. Chanhee set about tucking him in and he heard the sound of his electric kettle from the kitchen.
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“Do you have your passport? Do you have your itinerary, I put it into your briefcase? It should be on top of the Oxley and Baron files.” Changhyun fussed as he and Mr Worthington rode the elevator down to the street.
“Yes. Yes. Ricky, I have flown before.” The Englishman grumbled as Changhyun continued to fuss.
“What about your neck-pillow? Is it in your carry-on?”
“Yes. I have it. Will you please stop? You’re making me feel old and frail.”
Changhyun gave his square grin in reply, clearly holding back his sassy retort.
“Do I need to remind you that I managed before you came along!” Mr Worthington snapped, knowing exactly what Changhyun was thinking.
“Poorly, sir. With enough missed flights to give your wife heart palpitations. That’s why she employed me to take care of you.” Changhyun couldn’t resist needling his boss. Mr W scoffed in disbelief.
“I’m glad I’m leaving you behind.” He snapped.
“Me too sir, enjoy the English winter.” Changhyun shuddered, he was completely aclimatised to subtropical Hong Kong.
“I will. Enjoy your days off.” He joked, they both knew Changhyun’s job was harder without Mr W there.
The gentleman folded himself into the waiting town car and wound down the window.
“Goodbye, sir, have a safe trip.” Changhyun said, serious now.
“Cheerio, my boy. I’ll see you in a week.” Mr Worthington nodded to the driver and the car pulled away.
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Byunghun busied himself in the kitchen, boiling the kettle and tidying a little. As he waited for the water to heat he stopped and leant a hip against the bench; he examined the plain ring on his 4th finger. It was white gold with three small diamonds set into the rounded band, each about 3 millimetres from the next. It was perfect. He objected a little to the presence of diamonds, they seemed like such a waste of money to him, but Chanhee had chosen it so it was perfect.
He would never forget the image of Chanhee, down on one knee with the small, shining ring held out to Byunghun. The cliché image of being on bended knee, asking for his hand in marriage, made Byunghun happier than he cared to admit (he had admitted it to Chanhee however). A symbol of tradition and stability like that was exactly what Byunghun needed, his chaotic childhood and broken dreams felt a little more bearable when Chanhee gave him those traditional moments.
After everything had come out yesterday Byunghun felt a weight lifted from his shoulders. He had finally let everything out, all of the anxiety that had hounded him for months, and now he felt he could think again. They both admitted they needed to work a little h
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