Yesung growled. He looked around. Non of these houses seemed to jump at him. He took a closer look, focusing... His pupils shifted from a soft rounded shape to a vertical oval.

 

A voice he would recognize anywhere, resonated behind him. Slowly his eyes reverted to their normal appearance and Yesung turned. Across the street, Leeteuk waved at him with a large smile. He seemed happy to see his dongsaeng.

 

- Looking for me?!, he asked shyly, pointing at his nose.

 

- Yeah... As a matter of fact I am, said the cat-boy, walking in his direction.

 

“How cute...”, Yesung thought when he saw Teuki's expression. They entered the house. It was hot outside and the vestibule was cool. The young man couldn't help sighing in relief. For a cat, he didn't appreciate much the extreme heat. His father used to curl up in the sun at forty degrees. Yesung couldn't stand temperatures above twenty eight.

 

- Sorry..., Leeteuk's soft voice called him back to reality,... Sorry for ditching you earlier... I wasn't feeling too well and... I didn't want to worry you...

 

Yesung didn't give him time to continue. He took Leeteuk in his arms and squeezed tightly. Blushing, he pressed a soft kiss on his friend's forehead.

 

- It's ok... I forgive you, but... but don't do that ever again, Yesung whispered, tightening his embrace.

 

Suddenly, a memory came to Leeteuk's mind like a dream, except he was awake. He closed his eyes as a vision flowed into his thoughts...

 

A scene much like this one... A young boy holding onto another, tears rolling down his cheeks. “Why did you run... Why... Don't you...”, one of the boys whispered, but the sound was too faint, Leeteuk couldn't tell who said that, nor could he make out the rest of the sentence.

 

The elder pinched his eyes. Then, he opened them fast as though he just had a terrible nightmare. Remembering something that seemed lost, strains the body and mind, no matter how short the memory is...

 

- Are you ok!, asked Yesung alarmed.

 

- Yeah... I'm... Ok..., said Leeteuk going over what he just saw.

 

“Who... who were they?... Could it be...”, he asked himself not to sure of what this meant. Realizing he was still in Yesung's arms, he blushed. He gently tried to get out of his dongsaeng's grasp, but he couldn't... For some reason he felt safe and at peace in his hold...

 

Yesung noticed that his friend experienced the same discomfort as he did earlier, but he decided not to prowl and dropped it.

 

After a bit, Yesung let go of Leeteuk and apologized for keeping him like this.

 

- It's ok... I... I love hugs, replayed Leeteuk, his face becoming red again, not from embarrassment this time, but because he lied..., he loved hugs yes, but only Yesung's...

 

Yesung scratched his forehead. He knew he was forgetting something...

 

- Oh, yeah..., he finally recalled the other reason of his visit,... We have a project together! In english class! I almost forgot... We have to prepare an oral presentation on a city... We have Seoul! I guess, the teach thinks we'll do great because we're both from there, he added smiling, amused by the irony.

 

- Ok then let's get started!, replied Leeteuk with great enthusiasm.

 

They sat down in the living room.

 

The house was beautifully put. Every room was decorated by ornaments and paintings. No expenses were spared when it came to making this place as worm and welcoming as possible. If the common rooms were so detailed, Yesung wondered what did the bed rooms look like. He bit his lower lip. What did Leeteuk's room look like he wondered in a daze... He blushed furiously and shook his head violently. “How can I even have such thoughts?!...”, he scolded himself mentally.

 

Luckily, his host wasn't there to witness his strange actions. Leeteuk was in the kitchen fetching some refreshing drinks before they plunged head first into their assignment. This absence gave the cat time to calm down and think of something else. By the time Leeteuk made it in the living room, carrying a pitcher of lemonade and a couple of glasses, Yesung was completely back to normal.

 

- So any ideas?, asked the elder, sitting next to his friend.

 

- Ah yes, a few..., replayed Yesung, gently sipping some of the cold drink.

 

They started talking and talking about Seoul, it's main attractions, even the people there. They didn't notice time was flying past them quickly. Finally after hours of discussion, a plan was hatched. When Yesung got up to get a piece of paper to write all of the detail down, he noticed it was dark outside. He looked at his watch. It was eight thirty.

 

- Wow! I guess we didn't realize it was getting late, ha?!, he said, laughing.

 

- Oh! Sorry about that! Do you want to go, or maybe,... you could call your mom and tell her you'd stay for dinner?!, Leeteuk said gently blushing, his eyes begging Yesung to stay.

 

- Really... You want me to... stay?!, he asked surprised, but happy.

 

- Yeah!... My parents... My parents won't be back for tonight... So?, he asked again, turning his thumbs, looking away for an instant.

 

- Sure! I'd love to!, replied Yesung, almost jumping out of joy.

 

- Yay!, squealed Teuki, I'll get right on it then, he added, running to the kitchen.

 

The young man stayed in the living room. He got out his cellphone and dialled his home number. His mother answered, worried but relieved to hear her son was ok.

 

- WHERE WERE YOU?!, she screamed on the other side of the phone.

 

- I'm at Teuki's house, mom! We're working on a project! I won't be back for dinner..., he started.

 

- Is that so... Wait... What??! Why?!, his mom cut him.

 

- I'll stay here for dinner. Don't worry, I'll be back before ten.

 

- Fine..., she sighed,... But be careful! You know the rule... No human...

 

- Must know! I know! Bye. See ya tonight, he interrupted his mother before closing the phone and going to the kitchen.

 

In the dinning area, Leeteuk was busy cutting up some vegetables. Yesung looked around and spotted almost immediately the main course: fish.

 

His eyes tripled in size, but he stopped himself from touching it. Instead, he asked Teuki if he could help out. Glad to have some assistance, the older one gave Yesung the knife and asked him to cut the rest of the vegetables, while he would take care of the fish.

 

Yesung nodded, accepting the task Leeteuk'd given him, but in reality he had no idea how to handle a knife properly. There were some carrots and half of a celery lying on the board. The young man frowned. He took a carrot and started cutting it into cubes.

 

For a second, the knife slipped. A sharp sting took over Yesung's hand. Not long after, blood poured from the cut. The gash was deep.

 

Leeteuk ran to his dongsaeng's side. He took Yesung's hand and placed in under running water. His friend let out a powerful shriek. Teuki told him to stay there while he went to get some bandages. The wound was already coagulating when Leeteuk dressed it.

 

- Are you ok?!, he asked, his eyes full of tears.

 

- I am... I'm sorry Teuki... I should have told you I'm useless in the kitchen..., apologized Yesung, soundless tears rolling down his cheeks.

 

- Hey... It's ok... What's important is that you're not badly hurt!, comforted him Leeteuk.

 

The elder slowly wiped Yesung's tears and pulled him closer, hugging him tightly.

 

- Please... Please be more careful..., whispered Teuki in a low tone.

 

Yesung felt Leeteuk's soft lips touch the skin of his neck. He shivered, his ears proudly sticking out.

 

Suddenly, images appeared in the cat's mind...

 

A pond... Roses blossoming all around it. Blood falling out of a cut. One of the boys kissing the wound of the other... “Please be careful... I... I don't wanna lose you...”, the boy whispered softly, hugging his friend tightly.

 

Yesung opened his eyes, blushing like crazy. His head hurt, but at least his ears retracted before Leeteuk could see them.

 

- Are you feeling better?!, asked Teuki still worried for his friend.

 

- Yes... Let's finnish what we've started!, he said ignoring his headache.

 

They finished preparing dinner. Teuki showed his dongsaeng how to properly use a knife. He took Yesung's hand, put the sharp tool in it and placed his own hand above the whole. The young man'd been extremely quiet. That's because he was concentrating as hard as he could to keep his kitty ears inside his hair the whole time.

 

Of course, the fish was delicious.

 

Yesung wanted to stay longer, but it was getting very late and he'd promised his mom he'd be home before ten. So he left.

 

At the door, Teuki hugged his friend and whispered softly...

 

- Thanks for stopping by...

 

Yesung smiled. Just as he was about to leave trough the door, Leeteuk grabbed his arm and, breathing deeply, he applied a tender kiss on Yesung's cheek.

 

The young man's eyes fluttered. His face was crimson.

 

- Be careful..., purred Teuki in Yesung's ear, hugging him tightly.

 

- I will... I promise, replied the young cat, hugging him back.

 

They parted with the promise of seeing each other the next day.

 

On his way to his house, Yesung unconsciously touched his cheek in the same spot Leeteuk'd kissed him. He remembered the two boys of his vision...

 

 

“Could they have been... Me and... Teuki?...”, thought Yesung, daydreaming all the way to his home.