Tuesday Afternoon

Kai watched Kyungsoo as the boy lay unconscious on his own bed, sitting on the edge of it. Once or twice he thought of leaving. But no, he couldn't bring himself to walk out on the doll. No matter how many times he told himself to be hurt, to feel a blow to his pride, Kai remained where he was.

He knew what Kyungsoo did was wrong. To run off with someone for a fling when you have a boyfriend willing to give his all to you in bed is stupid. Kai bit his lip. He never expected Kyungsoo, of all people, to do something like that. And though he had tried to mask it and seem as though it didn't bother him, Kai was hurting a lot on the inside. His heart was cracking from unnecessary pressure.

There was something wrong with Kyungsoo. A part of it, Kai knew, was the fact that Joonmyun was dead. His funeral was coming up in a day or two, and Kai was scared to see the results of Kyungsoo attending it. He wasn't sure if the older should go at all; seeing his friend dead would after all be quite a shock. A death would cause any sane person to do idiotic actions.

But there was something else bothering Kyungsoo. Something that he didn't want to get off of his chest in front of Kai, and thus used someone else as an escape. The younger told this fact to himself over and over again everytime he looked at Kyungsoo. It was the only way he could bring himself to forgive the older after what he did.

Kai Kyungsoo's hair. God, he loved this kid so much. Kai rubbed his hair then placed his hand on Kyungsoo's forehead. It was hot. Just in case, he checked the young man's temperature by pressing his lips to his forehead. Hm. It seemed as though Kyungsoo was burning up. Did he have a fever? Kai furrowed his eyebrows. He knew nothing about taking care of people. He had always been taken care of.

Kai gently shook Kyungsoo. The older's eyes fluttered open and he smiled when he saw Kai. The boss' son loved that smile more than anything else in the world. If he were forced to give up everything just to see Kyungsoo smile, he'd do it. He'd do it without a second time. Love was so ing blinding!

Kyungsoo coughed. "Kai?"

"Hm?" He continued to stoke Kyungsoo's forehead.

"Why'd you tell them you're dating another male? They're going to come after you now. You ruined the company."

Kai cocked his head. "So? It's not mine anyways. Not a real Kim."

"That's just selfish." Kyungsoo frowned. 

How about what you did, huh? Kai wanted to say. You wouldn't call that selfish?! "Kyungsoo, has something been bothering you lately?"

The doll blinked a few times with his large eyes. "No...I mean, not really."

Kai climbed onto the bed fully and sat beside Kyungsoo. He brought the boy's head in his lap to more easily access his soft locks. Kyungsoo eyelids drooped as if he were about to fall asleep again. He sighed and reached out to move a strand of Kai's hair from his eyes. The younger smiled weakly.

"Are you sure?" Kai caressed Kyungsoo's cheek. "Because you can tell me, you know. If there's something you wanna talk about, I'm all ears."

Kyungsoo's eyes watered. "Ok. Can I start then?"

"Mhm."

The older coughed, downing a sob. "S-sometimes I f-feel like we're a m-mistake."

"Well, we are," Kai said. "Joonmyun mistakingly knocked D.O out of the window and the rest's history."

"N-no." Kyungsoo wiped the tears from his face with the back of his hand. "I m-mean, you and I, we're not right for eachother. T-Taemin said I'm p-pathetic and the replacement d-doll. And it's t-true. D-don't deny it. We c-come from s-such d-different b-b-backgrounds. We c-can't possibly f-fit eachother as easily as p-pieces of a jigsaw p-puzzle."

Kai bit his lip. "Who said it was going to be easy? You think I took the easy road by basically telling everyone I'm gay? Do you know how many places that's going to end up? Newspapers? News channels? Televisions? I can see it now: 'Kim Jongin, heir to Kim dynasty, in love with another man.' That doesn't sound like it's going to be easy to deal with. But I'm not afraid of a challenge. And if you are," he poked Kyungsoo's nose, "don't be. I'm here for you no matter what. And Kyungsoo? Don't you ever, EVER, go to someone else to ease your pain with . I'm the one who's supposed to screw you senseless. Got it?"

"I didn't think you'd understand," Kyungsoo whispered. "That's why I didn't go to you."

"What do you think now?"

Kyungsoo sniffled and looked away. Kai rubbed the boy's stomach in circles. Kyungsoo would get better. Kai knew he would. There was no way the older could stay sad like this forever. It sure seemed that way now, but Kai would do anything to cheer him up. And tickles seemed like a wonderful option.

But Kyungsoo didn't laugh. Nope, not one bit. Nada. Silent like a mime. Like he was mute or something of that sort. Kai tickled him harder, hoping for some sort or response. He even started fake laughing himself, hoping the doll would join in. But Kyungsoo only looked at Kai with sad, glassy eyes. He was on the brink of crying again.

Kai placed his hand on the back of Kyungsoo's head. He forced the boy's face into his chest, letting him cry into it. He heard 'Joonmyun' spilling from the boy's lips once or twice during the waterfall of tears. Kyungsoo was dealing with so much emotional stress. Kai forgave him right then and there. The way he reacted by banging someone else was wrong, but understandable. Kai rocked Kyungsoo back and forth, humming.

Just smile. Why won't you smile. I just want to see you do it. To hear you laugh. Come on, doll face, it's not that bad. Everything's going to be alright. So what if Joonmyun's gone? That's just his physical being not with us anymore. But he's here in spirit. Don't cry. Baby don't cry...

The speech was perfect. But it never left Kai's mouth. The words were clogged up deep in his throat. He wasn't sure if even a theoretical plumber could unclog it. Never had Kai heard Kyungsoo cry this hard. He didn't know what to do in this situation. He could feel the wetness of Kyungsoo's tears dampening his shirt. He'd have to remind himself to toss it in the dryer later.

Soon enough, Kyungsoo's crying died down. He whimpered like a pup, occasionally choking on the spit in his mouth. Kai rubbed his back in circles and tried to soothe him with soft tones of his voice. He continyed to rock Kyungsoo as if they were in a rocking chair. Back and forth and back and forth. Kyungsoo buried his face in the nape of Kai's neck.

He breathed the younger in. He had that familiar husky smell that Kyungsoo loved so, so much. The epitimy of perfection. How on earth could he have thought Taemin was better? Taemin could never hold him like this or soothe him like this or love him like this! Kyungsoo was starting to question if Taemin loved anything at all except revenge. Revenge seemed to be his mistress.

Kai moved away from Kyungsoo so he could lift the boy's chin. He placed a soft, delicate kiss onto the older's lips. It was as light as a butterfly. No passion. No lust. Chaste and perfect. Kyungsoo knew he was truly forgiven. All his doubts were washed away with the sighs escaping both boys after such a wonderful kiss. Kai ruffled Kyungsoo's hair.

"Feeling better?"

Kyungsoo nodded and gave Kai a thumbs up. The younger hopped off of the bd and rubbed his hands together as if he were cooking up a plan. Snapping his fingers, he left the room. Judging from the direction his footsteps could be heard going off to, Kyungsoo guessed Kai was going to the kitchen. He got off of the bed too and followed Kai.

He found him searching through the fridge. Milk was taken out and placed on the counter. Next came eggs. Shutting the refrigerator, Kai attacked the cabinet. Flour was extracted from it, its companion soon being sugar. Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow as Kai also pulled out a bottle of vanilla extract. He propped his elbows onto the counter and watched. What was Kai going to make?

Cracking four eggs open, Kai emptied the whites into a bowl. He cocked his head. Hm. He'd watched only a few cooking shows. What was he supposed to do next? Add everything else? Sighing, he plopped random amounts of every other thing he had taken out into the bowl with the eggs, then placed the entire mixture onto the beater. He turned it on and it whirled around. Kyungsoo chuckled at the mess.

"What are you trying to make?"

"Cookies," Kai replied. "If something else edible comes out of this, I'm alright with whatever it is."

"Babo."

"Tease."

Kyungsoo smiled. It was the first time in a while Kai had called him a tease. It felt good to be deemed as one by the younger. Brought back some memories. Some very wonderful memories. As sweet as the sugar Kai was piling into the bowl as Kyungsoo had these thoughts. The doll grabbed the bag of sugar away. By this rate, Kai would use everything and waste it. Money didn't grow on trees for people like Kyungsoo. He couldn't buy millions of bags of sugar!

Kai grabbed a baking pan and a spoon. He scooped up mounds of his batter and flung it onto the pan, not bothering too butter it or cover it with foil. He didn't even know he was supposed to flatten the little mounds of his batter to look like cookies. Kyungsoo facepalmed. Thank God that Kai had maids at home to do everything for him. There was no way the younger could survive on his own.

So he fixed all of Kai's stupid and cute little mistakes. The younger tried as hard as possible to remember what Kyungsoo was doing and forget how to make the mess he had made himself. He clapped his hands with delight when Kyungsoo slid the pan into the oven. Twenty minutes and they'd be feasting on cookies!

In the meantime, Kai felt like watching television. He flopped down onto the couch and placed his feet up on the coffee table in front of it. Kyungsoo walked over and pushed Kai's feet off. Sighing, he sat down beside the younger. Kai's arm draped around Kyungsoo's shoulders, and as for his feet, they once again ended up on top of the table. Kyungsoo tried his best to ignore it.

Kai punched the buttons on the remote. He surfed through the channels, but there was nothing that caught his attention. Ugh! Was there anything good on television anymore? Entertainment these days, gah!

And then, suddenly...

"Reports show that flower boy Kim Jongin, son of the Kim Industries business, has declared his sudden change in uality. Reporters asked his father to see if he knew anything about who his son was dating and how this had happened, but Mr. Kim had no intention to answer the questions. He followed his son out of the press conference shortly after Jongin left. With the death of one of their employees from an illness noone yet knows and the scandal of Jongin's relationship, we'll just have to see what will happen to the Kims and their dynasty created over twenty years ago. Back to you, Da Wook."

Kai dropped the remote. Kyungsoo stared at the screen. His expression was blank as he examined the image of their one week anniversary photo displayed for all of Korea to see. His eye twitched. 

"So this is what Baekhyun meant by hell," Kai whispered. "It starts like this. With telecasts. And then it's going to get worse?"

Kyungsoo stood up. "You shouldn't have told them." He clenched his fists. "Now they know there's something to look for. Before they were only assuming you could be in a relationship. Now they know for sure."

"They would have found out sooner or later," Kai grumbled. He stood up too. "It's for the best. They'll get over the fact that I'm with a guy sooner or later. So when they do find out who Do Kyungsoo is, they'll see us as a fun pair to ship. They might even right fanfictions about us. Oh! We can be called KaiSoo or something like that!" Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes. "Or D.Kai, if you want your name to go first? Whichever you prefer?"

Kyungsoo huffed. "I don't want to be on the market like you, Kai. I just want a normal relationship. You've turned me into a new way for the company to get profits."

He pursed his lips. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Kyungsoo walked into his bedroom. He shut the door behind him. Kai thought about going after him and talking this over with him. 

The doll was obviously angry. He wasn't looking for fame. He had wanted to remain hidden. Kai had involuntarily dragged Kyungsoo from his hiding place. He thought he was doing Kyungsoo a favor. Obviously he had been wrong. 

Kai slumped back onto the couch. He turned the TV back on. Once again, he searched the channels for something to watch that didn't involve him. But karma must have been a true . One channel had the press conference running, the other the news about the photo, the other clips from previous interviews with Kai about how he had been talking about his ideal girl. He was being mocked and bashed and deemed as the new face of failure. Why was society so mean towards people like him?

It wouldn't be so mean if he hadn't become famous. If Mr. Kim had never dragged him into a world he didn't want to be in. Kai cracked his knuckles. It was Mr. Kim's fault. Yeah...it was his fault! Not Kai's! Oh, who was Kai kidding? It was totally his own fault. He should have followed his adoptive father's advise and kept his mouth shut. Now look what he'd done.

Kai stopped clicking the remote when he got to the sports channel. Setting the controller down, he walked over to the bedroom door and leaned his ear against it. From inside, he heard gentle sobs. Kyungsoo was crying again. And no matter how many times Kai could deny it. he knew it was his own fault. He had basically done the same thing to Kyungsoo that Mr. Kim had done to him. Dragged him into a web of lies without his consent. A few  more scandals like this and they could make their own Pretty Little Liars series. Kai wondered if the Americans would like that.

He hesitated before knocking on the door. He wanted to talk to Kyungsoo. He needed to talk to Kyungsoo. They both had to get away from here. Kai was on the right track to cleaning up the mess he made.

Kyungsoo opened the door. His nose was runny, eyes all watery. He himself knew that he looked like hell. Kai frowned and pulled the older into a hug. And then Kyungsoo felt pathetic again. He was older and supposedly the more mature one, yet the irresponsible playboy was doing a better job at comforting him and fixing his wrongs.

Kai's face suddenly lit up. A light bulb had gone over his head. There was nothing more that he wanted to do right now than to shout 'eureka!' at the top of his lungs. But he felt that that would be too much for the already emotionally unstable Kyungsoo. Pushing the older away from himself so he could see his face, Kai spoke.

"How about you and I go to China, hm? I'm sure Lay and Minseok are there together right now and wouldn't mind us temporarily moving in with them. We'll get away from all the Korean reporters and the crazy fans. We're less likely to get recognized in China than here."

Kyungsoo wiped his tears with his sleeves. He smiled as he sniffed. "That's a good idea." He hiccuped.

Kai smiled so widely he thought his face would get stuck. "Aigoo!~ So cute! Do it again, doll face! Hiccup! Hiccup! Hiccup!"

"You're so *hiccup* mean! Please get me some *hiccup* water! Please!"

Kai nodded. He turned around as if he were about to go to the kitchen. Then he whipped around and crashed his lips against Kyungsoo's. The older's eyes widened from shock as the younger's tongue invaded his mouth with a force that military troops couldn't attack with. By the time the kiss was over, Kyungsoo was