Chapter 3

It's been over a week since Hyukjae moved in and although it wasn't like he and Kyuhyun were the greatest friends of all, at least the latter acknowledge his presence. They would say Hi with a smile in the mornings, Kyuhyun always up, ready for work and drinking some coffee sitting on one of the stools reading a what he believe was a gaming play through magazine in the kitchen island by the time Hyukjae made it out the bathroom still wearing his dark gray cotton sweatpants and an usual white shirt.

So just like every other morning he was serving himself some cereal while Kyuhyun washed the cup he used minutes ago for his black 2 sugar morning drink.

“Going out today?”

“Yeah, time off work it's over”

“What do you do?”

“Mom owns a veterinary clinic not far from here, I help her with the over the counter stuff”

“Ok, I'm off to work.”

With a final smile he turned to sit on the small round glass table when he was startled by Kyuhyun's voice coming from the foyer.

“Oh! I forgot they called from the company to say some guys would come by to fix the air conditioner around 5, will you be here by then?”

“Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'll be back early.”

“mkay, bye”

The day went by quite fast and he was currently doing some paper work for a german shepherd who just went through a hip dysplasia corrective surgery. Thankfully everything came out as his mother expected, the dog was out surgery room within no time. The owner of the canine has been in the waiting room all morning, she's been so nervous he had to get her a cup of tea so she could seat.

“Blue Eye is out, he'll stay here the night and depending on how his condition is when he wakes tomorrow we will let you know the date of his release. I just need you to sign this so that we can give him all he need while he's staying in.”

“He'll get better right?”

“Yes ma’am, do not worry about that he's in the best hands. We'll make sure he's back to his old self when you come back to get him.”

“Ok, that would be it. We'll call you when he's ready to go home.”

With the smile never leaving his face he waved farewells to the lady and closed the door after her. Turning the sign from Open to Close while stretching out his body and letting out a long yawn. It's been the longest day ever and he's so tired he just wants to go to his bed right away, gratefully it's Thursday and they close early on Thursdays.

“Mom I'm out!”

“Mhm, Hyukie wait! Bring me some Deracoxib, Blue Eye is having a hard time.”

Handing the purple plastic jar he sat on the floor next to his mother who was currently giving a final check on the IV.

“So, hows the living with a roommate working out?”

“It's fine... I guess”

“You guess? How's the guy?”

“Kyuhyun is nice. He doesn't talk much...but it's ok.”

“Chul called last night, he was worried about you.”

“Why would he worry? I'm alright.”

“You know how he gets all protective. He's just trying to keep you safe.”

“I don't need safe keeping and if he really wanted to keep me safe he would be here and not with dad.”

“Baby you need to stop. No child of mine will end up living their life with hatred in their hearts.”

“But...”

He knew he should just shut it, that she's gone through enough of it already and he should just stop. He looks down since he can't bring himself to look at her eyes in fear of what they could reflect. Disappointment? Fury? Sadness? It wasn't like he wanted to cry but he felt like a moron for bringing up something that he knows not to.

“No Hyukjae, I don't want to hear it. Your father's actions were despicable and cruel and I've lived my life trying to get over it and trying to give you guys the best I could. I do not regret anything that happened to us, you know why? Because all this gave me a miracle. It gave me a little boy with a lost gaze named Hyukjae. A boy that soon became a bubble of joy and giggles. Your mother trusted me to take care of her most precious possession and you became my most valuable treasure along with your brother the day you came into our house.”

Biting his lower lip he turned his face away trying to avoid the inevitable but his face was tilted back up by the soft hand of his mother.

“Mom”

“Baby you can be sad and angry about things that happened to us in the past, that it's completely normal. It's what makes us human but it's time we stop living in the past, you need to understand that it's alright to move on. We need to move on.”

The only response she got from Hyukjae was small nod of his head as he stayed there patting the sleeping dog's ears while his mother got up to put away the pills not before ruffling his blond mane and offer her boy one of the sweetest smiles he's ever seen.

“Go home, the employee for the night will arrive soon then I'll go.”

“You sure?”

“When is your mother not sure about something? Now go and buy something nice to eat on the way back alright?”

“Love you mom, call me when you get home.”

“Bye baby be careful on the way back.”

When he was out the clinic's doors Hyukjae stopped for some of his favorites treats at the bakery in front. Because, why the hell no? Sweets always make everything ten times better and today was a good day for some pistachio and mint macarons.

Or at least that's what he thought when looking at his watch and seeing it was 4:35 already. Damn, I said I'd be home.

And that's how it started. He was getting nervous, feeling anxious. He won't be able to make it back in time he knows it. Why is there so many people here today? He was staring at his clock for the tenth time when he felt someone tapping his shoulder and he couldn't believe his eyes when he looked up to the person.

 

The guy was tall, well built with jet black hair and dimples. Rather good looking if he was to admit it himself so when the man spoke he just felt like it was indeed an angel sent to him from above so that Kyuhyun wouldn't actually kill him for being late tonight.

“If you're in a hurry you can go first.”

“Excuse me?”

“You can order first”

“Oh thanks”

Shocked by the kindness of the guy who's been obviously waiting in line much longer than he has, Hyukjae let's a shy smile grace his face before walking up to the counter right next to the tall one.

Asking the lady behind the counter for his order; a dozen of pistachio and mint macarons, Hyukjae starts tapping his fingertips on the showcase cabinet as he waits anxiously while she goes to the back to see if the new batch is done.

“Are those any good?”

“The macarons? Yeah! I take some with me every time I come around here.”

“So you're a regular or am I mistaken?”

“mhm, I work across the street and now it's on the way to the new place I'm living in...makes it easier.”

He was getting carried away, babbling and mumbling and talking way too much but it's the first time in a while that someone actually starts off a conversation with him completely willingly and it felt good. It's not like he was an attention seeker... but he wasn't someone who gathered people's interest so having another person actively talking to him, someone who's obviously not obliged to speak to him... How to put it. It was gratifying.

“That gotta be good then.”

There was an all teeth showing smile on the latter's face and he found himself smiling along before picking up the macaron box and paying for his sweet treats.

“Well, I'm done here. Thank you!”

“Have a beautiful day.”

He made it on time, just as the handy men was making their way up the stairs.

An hour later after seeing the two tired workers out and closing the door behind him, he smiled before sitting on the couch enjoying the fact that their air conditioner was now working while opening the white cardboard box that contained the green minty treats.

He was happy... well, at least happiest he's been in a while.

A/N:  Thank you so so so much for the comments guys you're now precious to me. Next time I'll update it'll be an all Kyuhyun chapter to even things out a bit.