The night wind revolves in the sky and sings

It’s not like they’re completely strangers, he’s been to Baekhyun’s house a lot of times before, met his brother and mother, they, in fact grew up beside each other. Until they graduated high school, Baekhyun went to college and Kyungsoo started working. One year, just enough for them to grow apart but not enough to stay that way. So the moment they arrived at the apartment, Kyungsoo found himself engulfed in a very tight hug by Baekhyun’s mother.

“Umma,” He said fondly and hugged the lady back.

“Oh, dear. What happened to you? Have you been eating?” The lady said as she pulled back, resting her hands on both sides of Kyungsoo’s face. “Let’s go inside. I prepared lunch for us. And you need to eat a lot, understand?”

She pulled them both inside the main house and pushed him on one of the chairs as she set up the table. He smiled at Baekhyun, who’s apparently very happy to see his mother so excited meeting Kyungsoo again. Save the luggage for later, they’re not going anywhere, lunch on the other hand, that, he had another destination in mind.

The simple lunch took longer than the usual as they shared stories and filled up a whole year of gap between them. Baekhyun and his mother are taking turns in relaying their lives for the past year, and Kyungsoo throwing in some of his, that is, when he’s comfortable enough that he can share it to them without worrying them, he doesn’t give much details though.

“So how was your brother?” Umma asked as Kyungsoo bit on his apple.

He made a funny face at her when he replied, scrunching his nose and letting out a playful scowl. “He’s taller than me now, can you imagine Umma, back then he was still clinging to my legs declaring his love for Hyun.”

The lady laughed, Baekhyun smiling brightly at the mention of his old nickname.

“Oh, dear. Umma missed you so much.” The lady said pinching his cheeks before patting his hair. “Your mom called me this morning and I heard a few things from her. She asked me to take care of you while they’re gone, and you know there’s no need to tell me that. You’re like a real son to me.” She smiled at him and Kyungsoo bit his lower lip as to not ask what more his mom told her.

“They’re moving to Japan, Umma.” He told them quietly, and added in his mind I’m not a part of the plan. “But I have plans and dreams of my own. And I know they’re not in Japan.” He said instead gaining a smile from the elder woman. “I told my mom that I can do it alone. It’s time for me to be independent.”

“Oh, reminds me. Your apartment should be the one closest to our house. No one has rented it years now because it’s just small. You know you don’t have to pay the rent for it.” The lady said and Kyungsoo shook his head hearing the last words of her sentence.

“No Umma, I’m working and I can pay the rent having enough money for my needs. It would be unfair to you and your business.” He told her with a determined frown, a pout in his voice.

“I know baby,” The lady smiled at him before continuing. “But it would be unfair to you too if I place you in an apartment not even functional for business now. I used it as a storage room before, and when I heard that you want to rent an apartment I thought I’d give it to you. It’s fit for about two people with just minimal amount of furniture. If we had another room in this house I’d most likely keep you here but that defeats the purpose of you moving out and being independent right?”

“But Umma,” Kyungsoo started to refuse but the lady beat him to it.

“There’s just one thing I would want to ask from you.” She said in a soft voice making Kyungsoo’s protests halt. “You should come here once in a while and eat lunch with us. Help me cook when you’re off on your work, and make this old woman happy. Is that fine with you, young man?”

Kyungsoo smiled shyly at her before standing and giving her the best hug he could ever muster. “I want you to focus on your studies, use your money for your needs, for your school, and for the little things you want.” She whispered as she hugged him back and it took all of Kyungsoo’s control to not break down and sob while holding her.

He was pretty sure he’s set his mind on living alone, which wasn’t a pretty bad thing. And in the arms of a stranger, he’s quite certain he found a family, a real family, just when he lost the one he thought he had.

Turned out that the apartment Baekhyun's Umma has been talking about was enough for four people to live in and have too much space left. Though he must admit it’s a lot smaller than the main house and the one he used to live in back then with his mother. The bed was even very soft and everything seemed to be clean. He made a mental note to thank the lady for everything.

He was in the kitchen that morning, admiring the stove and the marble kitchen counter when Baekhyun knocked on the door.

“Good Morning!” He beamed “How was your first night living alone?” Baekhyun asked him and he just smiled lazily at him. He’s not really a morning person, and it’s not a secret.

“Umma said we should go grocery shopping, and I should take you so you can buy the things lacking here in the apartment.” He told the still sleepy man, pulling on his hand as he dragged him towards the door. Good thing he showered before Baekhyun dragged him away.

“But the house is actually furnished more than my own room in our house.” He said and Baekhyun just gave him a smug smile.

They walked towards the station two blocks away from the apartment with a light atmosphere and comfortable silence between them. Kyungsoo was humming a song and Baekhyun seemed to be contented listening. Until they reached the subway.

“Hyun, isn’t that Chanyeol?” Kyungsoo said, pulling Baekhyun’s hand and pointing towards the end of the hallway using his lips, to a grim looking Chanyeol, glaring at the book in his hands.

“Oh, he’s here today too.” Baekhyun said giggling before pulling Kyungsoo closer as he whispered something to him. “He believes that he’ll find the love of his life here in this subway.” He whispered and giggled at the amazed look on Kyungsoo’s face.

“Isn’t that… adorable.” Kyungsoo muttered, looking at Chanyeol with curiosity in his eyes. “I wonder where I can find my destiny too.” He said out loud and Baekhyun shook his head, pulling the boy towards Chanyeol’s corner.

“Chanyeol.” A voice called from his right, just in time for his next wave of sneezes to attack. “Are you okay?” The voice said and when he looked up, he saw the guy from yesterday, Kyungsoo, looking at him worriedly with Baekhyun looking the same beside him.

“Oh, uh, Hi. I’m fine, just—“ Before he could even finish his sentence, he let out a huge sneeze making Kyungsoo wince. A soft hand was immediately on his forehead and he wasn’t even able to react when Kyungsoo told him he has no fever. “No, I’m really fine. It’s just that Kris smacked me with a very dirty and dusty throw pillow earlier this morning. Can you believe it? He knew I'm allergic to dust and he still did it, that evil spawn of satan.” He told them with a glare in his eyes before letting out another huge sneeze.

“Who’s Kris?” He heard Kyungsoo ask, and mentally slapped himself. Of course Kyungsoo doesn’t know.

“He’s my roommate.” Chanyeol told the other guy before asking, “What brought you two here?”

“We’re going shopping.” Baekhyun told him and made a gesture for him to stand up.

“You should go with us, and let’s buy a medicine for your allergy while on the way.” Kyungsoo told him, wrapping a hand around his wrist and pulling him along as they started to walk.

Chanyeol fought the urge to pull his hand back when he felt a shiver run through his arms as Kyungsoo held him. And it didn’t help that he could hear his heart beating loudly in his ears all the way to the train and Kyungsoo still hasn’t let go of him. He regretted however, when Kyungsoo released his hand as they made themselves comfortable standing on the pretty crowded train.

He would sneeze once in a while and Kyungsoo would look at him, worry written in his eyes. Baekhyun bought him the medicine along with a box of tissues and a bottle of water before they went shopping. And he thanked all the gods he could remember in his head as the sneezing fit tamed down a little.

The grocery shopping wasn’t a simple grocery shopping after all, with Kyungsoo buying everything that tickles his fancy as he passed everything on the isles. Baekhyun not helping as he did the same. It’s a good thing they didn’t forget to buy the things their Umma asked them to buy. In the end they had ten huge bags to carry, mostly belonging to Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun carried four bags each, and the other two, which are larger than usual, were in Chanyeol’s hands, it took good maneuvering skills as they entered the now fairly crowded train. Good thing it wasn’t as crowded before.

“Hyun, tell Umma I’d be coming over for dinner some other time when I’ve had everything settled in the apartment. But i'll be cooking something for lunch, so.. I'll be glad if both of you can come and eat lunch with me and Chanyeol.” Kyungsoo told Baekhyun as they walked the two blocks towards their house.

Chanyeol looked up at Kyungsoo when he heard him call Baekhyun’s mother, Umma, just like how he calls her, but found it rude to just ask. He was walking them home because of the bags he was certain they couldn’t carry. That, and he couldn’t say no to Kyungsoo who offered to cook lunch for him. It’s not every day that someone offers himself to cook for him. And it’s not like he doesn’t like the food he tried to cook for himself before. He just admitted to himself that he’s not a good cook and never will be.

“What are you doing in the subway?” Kyungsoo asked as they were left alone inside the apartment after saying a short greeting to Baekhyun's mother.

“Uh… Planning my future?” Chanyeol offered as a lame response that got Kyungsoo giggling.

“I would like to plan my future in the subway too” Kyungsoo and he almost grabbed the throw pillow on the couch to literally throw it at him, but he told himself they’re not yet that close to be that comfortable as to be throwing things at each other. But his mind told him they’re close enough to be eating lunch in Kyungsoo’s apartment. And that made him blush (not that he would admit it) so he grabbed the pillow and threw it towards Kyungsoo, making Kyungsoo laugh more.

“You call Baekhyun’s mother, Umma too?” He started as he sat down on the small dining table watching Kyungsoo rummage in the kitchen counter as he cooked.

“We’ve known each other since we’ve been learning how to count. He calls my mom, Mom too.” Kyungsoo told him without looking, not that he would be complaining because Kyungsoo’s back profile is just as beautiful. He choked on air, beautiful, he thought, and buried his face in his palms which made Kyungsoo look at him again worriedly thinking it was about his earlier allergy.

“I’m fine,” He told the man with a smile, pushing his earlier thoughts back and getting to his feet. He hovered above Kyungsoo’s shoulder to look at the simmering soup on the stove. His stomach growled loudly making Kyungsoo’s movements halt as he looked at him with amusement. “Just… hungry.” He said and Kyungsoo almost forgot he was cooking as he laughed mercilessly at Chanyeol.

“Go back to your seat.” Kyungsoo told him. “It’ll be done in a few minutes.”

He watched Kyungsoo’s back as he stirred the pot, going to the other end of the kitchen counter to check on the rice.

His mind went back to those days in the past when he refused to eat, seeing a single set of dining utensils staining the huge dining table. When he stayed awake all night waiting for his parents to come home as they promised. And they never missed. They never missed to break a single promise.

A knock on the door had him jerking away from his thoughts and he told Kyungsoo he’d get it.

Baekhyun and his mom came with a pot in both their hands. They’re celebrating Kyungsoo’s house warming party.

With just the four of them, Chanyeol’s never had a party he enjoyed so much he didn’t want it to end. With just a simple lunch, he’s never had a meal that tasted so good. Just a meal with just three strangers, he never thought he’d find something he’d been longing for all his life.

Family. The line between family and strangers, thin and vulnerable.

It takes just blood to be a real family, and that could be the only thing you had in common in the end.

It takes just a heart to turn strangers into family, and that could be the only thing you have that can make it last forever.