Keen to go!

DH´s POV

Warning: yes, I did use Comic Sans, it´s for the retro feel, this story is 2004.

“Oh, Donghae, you´re such a damn prick!” Hyukjae in the end resorted to vulgarities. I just shrugged and continued eating. He wouldn´t shut up just because I ignored him, after all.

“Look,” another change of tactics, “I promise that if you do this one thing for me, I will be really good to you, do the dishes, come home early, go to the gym with you. Anything you ask.” I only snorted.

“Donghae, please,” he whined, sprawling himself on the table next to the untouched meal I cooked for him. It was a healthy meal with lots of vegetables which never really impressed the junk food lover.

“I said no, I can´t use my powers for non-work-related business,” I tried to sound stern.

“Nobody would find out, it´s not like anyone checks anytime you time travel,” Hyukjae whined, “it´s just about two hours, three top!” My eyes widened and I cleared my throat unable to say anything. I´m so meticulously counting every precious minute and he asks for hours?

“I´m sorry,” I told him and from then on ignored anything he would say on the topic. In the end, as expected, Hyukjae stood up and left the apartment. I sighed.

It´s not that I couldn´t time travel if it´s not work-related. Of course, there are some extreme rules to keep, every time-eater needs to be responsible for his actions and irregular shifts in time are monitored, but I´ve been doing this since like forever so I know what are the risks. I was born as a Chronophage, after all.  It´s also my job to quickly smoother all unnatural shifts in the past so that they wouldn´t affect the future. You could say that my job is to prevent unwanted butterfly effects. Anyway, the reason I don´t want to do Hyukjae a favour isn´t because I´m a prick, I´m certainly not, but because I´m scared.

Hyukjae came home late, I was already lying as it was way past my bedtime. Being awake of course, worried and unable to sleep, but pretending with my eyes closed. I heard him loiter around the kitchen and bathroom and then the door to the bedroom squeaked and his bare feet tapped across the parquets. Some more shuffling and the mattress finally dipped under his weight. I could barely breathe, that´s how tense I felt. I hated fighting, I at that, at first chance I would always come crying.

“You´re just so busy, you don´t care about me anymore,” he mumbled, his voice stuck in his throat. Okay, this is my limit!

“What are you saying,” I turned around, hugging the bundle of limbs and blankets tightly. “You know that I love you.” Hyukjae whined into the pillow.

“You´re right, it´s not such a big deal. Three hours in 2004 and back should be fine. And we can have a nice vacation as well, we haven´t been on a trip together for a long time. It will be fun.” I knew I fell for a trick but if it makes him happy, bugger it.

“I love you too.”

Now, what was Hyukjae´s selfish request? He´s a die-hard fan of a tiny group from Britain. That´s as far as I know. Recently he talked online with another fan who told him that he attended a concert in Manchester in November 2004 and it was the best thing that has ever happened in his life. With the November date approaching and his boyfriend being a Chronophage, Hyukjae decided that he really needed to cross this event in his bucket list. Thus, started the weeks long period of stubborn persuasion that ended up with the heartful scene in our bedroom.

Of course, I wasn´t really happy. All the time I spent by exercising, eating light food, having regular regime, taking care of my health would be bombed by this incredible idea to visit Europe, time travel and then stay long awake to see a concert. I felt tired only imagining all the troubles we would have to go through.

“The concert was on 30th of November 2004 in Carling Apollo Manchester,” Hyukjae was explaining to me, gesturing with his arms so much, he almost fell off the sofa, “the venue is now called O2 Apollo, so it´s a little confusing.” I was holding my leaning head with my propped palm and watching ´the Kean enthusiast´ in front of me with disbelief. He was so into it.

“It has to be this concert because I know for sure that they played the encore songs I wanted to hear,” Hyukjae was now dramatically frowning, “they didn´t play ´To the end of the Earth´ and ´Allemande´ at every concert of the tour.” I just nodded.

“Hopes and Fears is the best tour, it was the big thing, you know, you can´t bring back this kind of sentiment in a comeback. I wish I could get a sign on their album, but I don´t want to interfere with the future,” he blabbered, “ah, I