"You're wrong." 

"Excuse me?" Junmyeon narrowed his eyes. "Kyungsoo, are you coming with me or not?"

Kyungsoo shook his head. His eyebrows pulled in as he struggled to explain to Junmyeon that he wasn't the best choice for him. "You're wrong, Junmyeon hyung... Kai isn't just some dog I picked up on the streets. He's not a burden like you're making him out to be. He's my friend, my family, all I've had up until now. And it'd be wrong of me to just forget him." 

"Kyungsoo! Are you listening to yourself right now? You're talking about that mutt as if it was... was... a human or something! As if it had feelings! It doesn't. It doesn't care if you leave it. Why do you think it ran away?" 

The homeless boy tried to shake him off, but Junmyeon tightened his hand around his arm. "You're wrong!" 

The latter growled, gripping both of Kyungsoo's shoulders. "Listen, Kyungsoo, this is your last chance. If you don't come with me, you might as well be writing your death note. It's me or that mutt. Your choice will determine how your life--and that mutt's--will turn out. Now, let me ask one more time," their eyes locked. "Are you coming with me or not?" 

"I... I can't leave Kai, hyung..." He didn't care if he was a homeless forever, as long as he had Kai by his side. Because when Kyungsoo was all alone, when he was starving, both for food and a friend, Kai came along and filled the empty void. And Kyungsoo was thankful for that. He owed Kai his life. Would it have been right of him to leave Kai stranded when the stray had done just the opposite? 

Junmyeon scoffed. It was unbelievable how stubborn Kyungsoo was! It doesn't matter now, he angry. How could Kyungsoo choose a dog over him? He shook his head in disbelief. "Fine, but you'll regret this. Be careful, or you might just end up like those other brats who reject me." 

Kyungsoo's eyes widened. "H-hyung! What do you mean by that?"

"Don't call me hyung!" he spat. "Or Junmyeon! You haven't earned those rights!" Junmyeon--now Suho--snapped his fingers and not even a few seconds later, a black car pulled up behind him. "Don't forget, I have connections everywhere. You won't be safe anymore. And whose fault is that?" The door slammed shut, cutting off Kyungsoo's response--a weak plead for forgiveness. 

There was no way he could catch up with the car. For now, he'd have to find Kai first. Kyungsoo set off in the opposite direction. Kai couldn't have gone so far off. There were hundreds of pedestrians, he would have been slowed down. Kyungsoo wouldn't admit it now, but with each step he took without Kai, his panic rose. The poor stray must think he didn't want him anymore! Kyungsoo was foolish to think he could meet with Junmyeon without him following. 

And now Kai could be miles away! Or picked up by another family... or freezing to death... Oh, what could he do? Where on earth could Kai be? 

"Kai!" Kyungsoo called into the busy streets. "Kai! Where are you? It's me! Kyungsoo!" He ignored the weird looks, slipped past swerving cars, peeped through alleys between stores. He continued to call Kai's name, in hopes of him returning. 

He found him twenty minutes later, although it broke his heart. He had spotted the dog trotting calmly down a particularly empty street. "Kai!" he called, hope swelling in his chest. The dog broke into a sprint, scrambling around a corner. Kyungsoo followed him, dispirited. If Kai did not want to stay with him, then what was he supposed to do? How could he return home without him?

Kai had slipped between a small alley, small enough so that Kyungsoo could not squeeze inside. Kyungsoo crouched in front of the crack, softly calling him again. "Kai? Please come out." The dog didn't move. 

He sighed, placing his chin on his knee caps. "There won't be anymore Junmyeon. He doesn't want anything to do with us anymore. So it'll be just you and me, Kai. No one else, just us. Always." When Kai didn't answer again, Kyungsoo felt tears prick the corner of his eyes. "Kai, you are the most important thing in my life right now. You've become my family. My only family left. And I don't know if you know this, I don't even know if you can understand me, but I need you. I want you back. I had no intention of ever leaving you. Please come back? Please?" 

His tears blurred his vision, but Kyungsoo knew the brown-black blob getting bigger was none other than his dog. "Kai! I'm so so sorry! I wasn't planning on you following me and then you ran away... And oh, I'm sorry! I should not have lied to you!" Kai his cheek, and Kyungsoo deemed it as a sign of forgiveness. 

That suddenly reminds him of Junmyeon. "Oh no, we have to leave." The conclusion came all at once and Kyungsoo swept Kai into his arms, his legs taking them to their home as fast as they could. Kai barked several times, but Kyungsoo's mind was consumed of thoughts of their possible next home. Where could they run to? Junmyeon said he had connections. Was there any place safe for them? 

"We're moving," Kyungsoo declared, taking a swift look around their alley. "We're not safe here anymore. I don't know--I'm not sure where we're going yet, but we can't stay here. Come on, let's pick out what we need most." 

Kyungsoo lunged for their clothes and short food supply, stacking them in a duffel bag. Luckily he resewed the strap a few weeks earlier. He grabbed toothbrushes and water bottles, along with other necessities and stuffed them in a backpack. Kai had disappeared somewhere awhile ago (he guessed to bury something he didn't like) and he returned, Kyungsoo's beanie between his teeth.

Kyungsoo slipped it on and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "Are you ready? Hop in," Kai jumped into his sweater, snuggling against his chest. The human stepped out of their alley, taking one last look at their home. He wasn't sure if he would ever return here. He would like to one day. Whispering a mental goodbye, he turned and walked away from the one place that kept him alive for so many years. 

I'll be back. 

They had gotten a few blocks when a few black cars swished past, splashing water at the human's feet. Could that be Junmyeon? Kyungsoo lowered his head and hustled down an unfamiliar street. The signs told him that in three miles they'd reach the outskirts of town.

They pass a grocery store, accidentally bumping into two males. Kyungsoo hurriedly apologizes, bowing a full ninety degrees, letting Kai jump out. "D.O.?" Kyungsoo's head shoots up at the mention of his nickname. It's them. Chanyeol and Baekhyun. Baekhyun steps forward, a hand touching his shoulder. "D.O.! What are you doing out here wearing only that flimsy jacket? It's freezing! Are you--do you need--"

"I'm sorry," Kyungsoo mumbles, pushing past them. He ushers Kai to follow him, frowning when the stray is frozen, staring at the two males. "Kai, let's go!" He circles his wrist around the furry waist and scurries off, away from the nice strangers. Why was Kai looking at them like that? Does he know them? Could they be... his...

He shakes the thought away. Kai is his now. My dog... Mine!

The town was long gone now. Kyungsoo's feet dragged against concrete, rocks sputtering in random directions. Kai barks and he lets the dog down. He's so tired and hungry. His limbs feel as light as a feather, as if he's going to float any second now. But then Kai is barking animatedly, tail swishing back and forth. His pace picks up, Kyungsoo following behind closely.

In the distance, the human spots lights. Another town? So close to the previous one? Would they be safe here? Where else could they go if not? This would just have to do, Kyungsoo argued. But how could Kai have known there was another town nearby? 

He's led to another alleyway, that was similar in size to their first. Kyungsoo sees Kai drag out some thick sheets, accompanied with plastic sticks. A tent. He sets up the tent, rummaging the boxes in the alleyway for more sheets. Once settled, Kyungsoo pulls out dinner, smiling at Kai's eagerness. 

"You saved us, Kai. I would have never found this place. Your dog instincts are amazing!" He petted the soft fur, digging his nails against skin. Kai shivered, pausing from his dinner. Kyungsoo chuckled, scratching his belly in return. "Let's go out tomorrow, okay? And since you know this place so well, you can show me around." 

His words haunt him when it's dark. Kai is sleeping soundly against him, chest rising with each breath. Yet Kyungsoo can't seem to relax his conscious. He's relieved that they have found a new home, but he's worried also. Why did Kai lead them here? Could he have lived here before? Could... could his previous owners be living here? 

Kyungsoo couldn't stop the rush of scenarios. Kai using him to search for his previous owners, leaving him in the streets to be alone... Kai abandoning him here to search without his help... Kai searching for a new owner because he was tired of Kyungsoo... They all lead to Kai leaving and it didn't make the human's inability to sleep any better. 

What if Kai did leave him? 

That question kept popping up that day. And the days before, too. He had a bad feeling that it would continue to pop up in the future as well. How could he keep Kai by his side forever? 

And would that be the best for them? 

Kyungsoo only remembers the sun peeping over the building when his eyes slip shut and everything is black. He has entered the world where all his worries have disappeared.