forty-nine
The Flower Boys (Three Flowers)
Kai was left in the studio all to himself, sweating down his entire body. He was overworked as he danced for 6 hours straight not stopping. He had finished meeting you hours ago and and texted Luhan to meet him at the studio later on. Before then he figured he'd dance off the stress and anger in those 6 hours. He did not stop as he thought about loosing you. He hadn't seen it coming. Just when he thought he had won a victory over his life (due to rebelling against his parents) he had lost a battle to Luhan. A friend whom he had trusted almost all of his life. Though you had told him that you kissed Luhan, Kai couldn't help but feel betrayed by Luhan for even succumbing to you.
When Luhan had walked in solemnly, hands in pockets, Kai did not stop dancing as usual. Luhan watched as Kai rapidly danced his life away for a good hour or two. Once Kai felt like passing out, he stopped dancing and turned off the music.
Luhan had threw him a water bottle and Kai caught it with a smile on his face.
"Hyung....thanks." He breathed in heavy portions.
"Nice to see this kid back dancing again." Luhan came closer.
"Feels good to be back." Kai said.
"So many memories in this studio...I remember when Lay first got this building....it was just a trash lot waiting to be bulldozed into pieces. At that time...I came back from China...you remember?" Luhan said.
Kai took a mouthful of water and nodded his head not saying anything.
"We all had our first drink here remember?" Luhan said now.
"Hyung....you gotten wasted that night that you couldn't even go home to noona..." Kai smiled thinking of that moment.
"Yes. If Jie-jie and her husband had saw me drunk that night...I sure enough thought I would have really been kicked out of their house at that time...." Luhan said.
Kai nodded his head.
"Hyung....let's go and get some drinks." Kai said.
"Okay....I'll treat." Luhan said.
* * *
Kai and Luhan were at a street vender, sitting under a tent with pig intestines burning on a griddle in the middle of the table and 2 bottle's of soju placed in between the two. Kai poured a shot for Luhan and then poured one for himself. They both cheered to their health and then took the strong drink down their throats. Luhan rattled his throat while Kai silently took it all in.
"Strong stuff...." said Luhan as he patted his chest while Kai nodded and grabbed his chopsticks to turn the intestines over the griddle.
"So....
Luhan looked over at Kai, not knowing what to say or do. Kai just spoke of it like it was just normal conversation. Kai looked over at his hyung and laughed.
"You should really see your face right now. Is it of guilt?" Kai joked.
Luhan tried to correct his expression and sat up straighter in his seat.
"Did you just say....
"Ppang doesn't lie. Whatever she tell's me I'd believe." Kai said.
"Well I'm afraid your ppang did lie to you my friend." Luhan grabbed some lettuce, some of the intestines and fed himself.
"So she did not kiss you?" Kai asked, feeling confused now, but still holding what ever he was doing together.
"No. I kissed her." Luhan said as if it was not important at all.
Kai's blood fired. Without thinking, he poured himself another shot (back to back) of soju and drained the whole thing quietly. He figured a nice drink would make this situation better. But it did not. Luhan was carrying on like it was nothing. He was acting too cool for Kai. And right now, though Kai was trying to be cool, he felt far from acting cool.
"Are you serious?" Kai asked now feeding himself a helping.
"Why did she lie and tell you she kissed me when I clearly kissed her." Luhan said more to himself then Kai.
"I don't know....maybe she had a reason....but if it is like you said....why did you kiss her when you know she's my girlfriend?" Kai asked.
Luhan wanted to know the answer to that as well. He just couldn't help what he felt. He truly liked you.
"What's a reason behind a kiss Kai? It's obvious...I like her." Luhan started.
"Since when?" Kai questioned.
Luhan shrugged his shoulder. But he knew exactly when he became fond of you. It wasn't love at first site or better yet say, instant attraction. It was moments by moments when Luhan began to like you. When he felt comfortable talking to you about his problems, that moment when you accompanied him to dinner as well as that night when he gotten drunk and you were there by his side, sipping your first can of beer. These small things made Luhan become interested. It wasn't something every girl was capable of doing. It was just you, you who held that capability of coming into his heart, alerted him and made him feel happy with no regrets.
Even though he sat across from Kai, he did not feel sorry about kissing you.
"It's hard to say....but I had to be sure. I had to make sure the feelings that I felt for her were true. I wouldn't kiss anyone just because...you know my style." Luhan said.
"No hyung...I don't....at least....I thought I did. You know I really liked ppang...every time I was around her...she made my heart....beat....no...not beat....sing....she was really cute. I liked everything about her. Even if she had not return my feelings when I asked her to be my girlfriend, I would have been fine knowing that we would be just friends as long as I could stay by her side...." Kai stopped and poured another shot for Luhan and then himself.
He drained that one and stuffed some of the side dishes in his mouth. Luhan listened well and sighed.
"It's really unfortunate....we both had to like the same girl." Luhan said.
Kai stared at his hyung and then looked away and nodded his head. He put his hand underneath the tabled and firmly bawled his fist. Angry, mad and hurt.
"Hyung...out of all the people in this world...why her?" Kai asked with his head down.
Luhan thought about the time when you had called him a sunflower. He sighed and did not speak as he took another drink. Kai poured himself another and another and another. By this time Luhan stopped drinking and Kai kept on. Kai would yell out to the ahjumma for more side dishes and soju while talking about crazy things.
"Hyung....let me sleep over....my parents are....CRAZY!" Kai laughed so hard as he twirled his finger near his head signifying that they really are crazy.
"Okay." Luhan agreed while calling for the bill.
"Hyung....if you date ppang....go ahead. I'm saying it's okay. I want her to be happy. That is all. If she can lean on you while I'm in Cali, I'll be comforted." Kai started to say.
Luhan did not expect Kai to say that at all. In a way it made him happy but bitter sweet. Kai was giving up on his ppang.
"Hyung....take care of her....I don't know if our friendship will ever be the same....but I'll feel better if you'd take care of her." Kai said before placing his fore head on the table.
Luhan sighed and nodded his head.
"Ppang....ppang...."
Kai kept muttering your nickname over and over until he passed out. Luhan was able to haul him into a taxi and bring him over to his house.
THE UNTOLD ENDING...that's right I will post a mini follow-up to this series. After many people not being satisfied with the ending I will add a mini sequel!
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