Wednesday Evening

Kai's cheeks burned as he stood still motionless, frozen to the spot where he had just been kissed by Do Kyungsoo. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears. His palms were still sweating. And his cheeks, which were usually not the ones to burn when he was in a relationship since he was the flirt, were on fire. He blinked a few times, expecting Kyungsoo to walk back into the bathroom. Standing in the same position for a small while, Kai waited.

When Kyungsoo didn't return, the boss' son shut the bathroom door, leaning against it. His bare chest heaved up and down, his breathing inconstant. Placing a hand where his heart was, the young man looked up at the ceiling, lost in thought. His lips had met Kyungsoo's. Something that he had wanted to happen for a while now. It had felt so good to have the older's mouth moving against his own. Pure bliss to say the least.

Kai wouldn't lie to himself and say that he wasn't in love. This was not a mere crush, or a simple infatuation. Not a 'hit and run.' Kai wanted Kyungsoo now more than he had ever wanted him, let alone anyone else, before. He, from that moment on, breathed for Kyungsoo, his heart beat for Kyungsoo, he lived for Kyungsoo. It was all him; everything else was no longer important.

Sighing, the young man suddenly remembered his doll's words about the upcoming press conference. Kicking off his shoes and ridding himself of his bottoms, Kai entered the shower, turning the knob of the faucet. Icy water sprayed onto his self and his skin devoured it, needing the unbearably cold temperature. Both of Kai's hands rubbed his neck. He needed to figure out what he'd do with the young man in the other room. And most importantly, he needed to know what to do when Kyungsoo's stay as the replacement doll was up. How would he live without him?

Kai sat down in the shower, gaze on what was between his legs. Well, that was a problem...and it was all Kyungsoo's fault. All because of Kyungsoo's perfection, this had been caused. Kai's hands travelled downwards and his sensual moans filled the bathroom's space, the sound of the water crashing against the shower bottom barely covering them up.

Kyungsoo didn't hear the mewls but he heard the water, and he knew Kai would be in there for a while like he always was. Then the master would leave for business and leave his plaything alone. The plaything didn't want to be alone. It pained him.

Blowing some hair which had fallen onto his face away, Kyungsoo got onto Kai's bed. He hugged the blankets to himself, sniffing for any trace of Kai's scent like a bloodhound. Soon he found it and breathed it in, smiling at the familiar aroma. His cheeks became tinted red as a rose when he thought about the kiss which had just occurred between him and his employer. He squealed and kicked his feet around, feeling suddenly so energized that he could run a mile.

There was a knock on the door. Kyungsoo stopped moving and silenced himself, waiting for any hint that it was someone he knew behind the wooden board. The knocks became more persistent, and Kyungsoo began to panic. As long as it was locked, however, he felt somewhat safe. He bit his lip until it bled, listening to the anonymous knocker.

"Jongin!"

Mr. Kim! Kyungsoo internal voice screamed. He remained frozen on the bed, not wanting to make it creak and give Mr. Kim any hint that there was someone inside of the room.

"Jongin, you have ten minutes to be dressed in a suit downstairs. If when I come down, you're not there, your doll is going to get it. I'm timing you boy!"

Kyungsoo shut his eyes tight. He was the doll and he was going to get it. When he heard Mr. Kim's footsteps get farther away after he walked down the hall, Kyungsoo rushed to Kai's private bathroom, banging on the door. 

"Kai! Your father wants you downstairs in ten minutes in a suit or else...or else bad things will happen! To me!"

The faucet turned off immediately. Kyungsoo heard a grunt and cupped his ear to the door, trying to hear what was going on inside. Was Kai ill? Was he in pain since he was and grunting? Kyungsoo couldn't help but worry for the younger man, too frightened to imagine what would become of him if something were to happen to Kai. The door suddenly opened and Kyungsoo, who had been unconsciously leaning against it as he was listening, tumbled into something wet and muscular. He looked up to see Kai's face, dripping with shower water.

He attempted to push himself away from Kai but the other only pulled him into a tight hug. Kyungsoo's face ended up in Kai's chest, his ear now pressed up against the left side of the well built upper body area. He could hear it, thumping quickly, then faster and faster. Kai rubbed Kyungsoo's back while the other continued to loose himself in the rhythm, the beat hypnotizing. Kai soon let go, however, his hands flying to the towel around his waist which was threatening to escape to the floor. Chuckling nervously, the younger slowly trudged into his room, Kyungsoo behind him.

Kai searched through his closet for a suit he had not yet worn in public. He finally found one which he did not recognize or recollect wearing ever. Taking the black fabric off of its hanger, the boss' son turned to walk towards the bathroom. Halfway through the way there he stopped, turning around to face Kyungsoo with a sly smile.

"Do you mind if I change in here?"

Kyungsoo stared at him, eyes wider than usual. His face flushed and he sat down in his case, bringing his knees to his chest. "It's y-your room, K-Kai..do whatever y-you want..."

Kai chuckled and slung the suit over his shoulder. "Just teasing. I'll be out of the bathroom fully changed soon. Don't worry."

Kyungsoo answered to that with a nod, then rocked back and forth. He didn't want Kai to leave him for another press conference. He didn't want to remain cooped up in here all alone. Joonmyun was running errands for Mr. Kim with Jongdae and Baekhyun would follow the boss and his son out the door. All by himself again. Kyungsoo sighed.

Kai came out fully dressed as he promised he would, hair neatly combed back and tie perfectly placed in between the opening of his jacket. Kyungsoo looked up at him, not able to restrain a smile. Kai looked so wonderful. 

The rich boy approached the case and climbed inside of it with Kyungsoo. He sat down despite how cramped the space was, both boys squished against eachother. Kai nuzzled Kyungsoo's neck with his nose, breathing in the other's sadness.

"I've told everyone to leave the house," he whispered. "That means you can do a bit of exploring."

Kyungsoo smiled. "I can leave the room?"

Kai nodded. "You don't think I'd keep you in here if the house was yours for the night? I'm not that cruel. You can go anywhere you want, touch anything you want, hell take anything you want. I'll have my friend come over too, so at least you won't be alone."

"Your friend?" Kyungsoo started. "And this friend, you've already told them about me?"

Kai nodded again. "Don't worry. I trust Yixing." He stood up, smoothing out his dress pants. "And now I have to go. Tomorrow, you and I are leaving the house so try not to suffer until Thursday comes."

Kyungsoo watched Kai leave out the door. They were leaving the house? Oh, the joy! The doll scrambled up from the case and locked the door behind Kai, then raced around the room in circles, arms outstretched as if he were an airplane. Finally, to breathe the fresh air, to feel the familiar warmth of the sun, to hear the birds singing! He had wanted it ever since he first got here. Being in a glass cage really makes a person desperate.

Now alone, Kyungsoo walked over to the bay windows of Kai's room. He saw Baekhyun opening the limo door for himself and getting in. So Kai and his father had obviously already entered the car. And Kyungsoo, who had wanted to discreetly wave him goodbye, didn't get the chance to. But on the bright side, Kai was coming back, after all. For now, Kyungsoo would have to compromise and creep around the mansion.

Slowly, still not sure if everyone was gone, Kyungsoo opened the bedroom door. Making sure that noone was there, he stepped out, leaving the door wide open as he had before. Quietly, he made the journey downstairs, nearly tripping on the carpet covered staircase. He held on to the elegantly polished wooden railing, breathing a sigh of relief when he got to the bottom. 

He gasped in awe. He assumed this was the grand dining room. Kyungsoo dragged his feet around it, looking this way and that, trying to take in everything at once. The room was a work of masterpiece in itself. The walls were a cream color, designs of golden flowers painted onto them. The table on which the family ate stretched through the entire room, fifty chairs on each side of it. The table cloth matched the walls as did the plush seat coverings. Kyungsoo wrapped himself in the curtains of the window, feeling their silky texture rub against his skin.

Unraveling himself like a scroll, Kyungsoo then continued on his quest, attacking the kitchen next. It wasn't to his taste but still not so bad. Kyungsoo couldn't help but feel that Mr. Kim had designed the kitchen's interior, and the dining room had been put together by Mrs. Kim. Kyungsoo would have to ask Kai about her when he got back home.

The front door suddenly swung open as Kyungsoo was thinking about this. He ducked behind the kitchen counter, praying that it wasn't one of the maids or Mr. Kim himself. His prayers were answered as soon as he heard a soft voice, one definitely of a young man, calling his name with a slight Chinese accent.

Kyungsoo peered over the counter. There was a face smirking down at him, and he knew he had been caught even before he had decided to come out from his hiding place. He observed the tall figure above him. The hair was a mass of waves, floating from left to right. The eyes were kind yet stern. As for the smirk, which quickly generated into a soft smile, Kyungsoo noticed it had a friend beside it. A single dimple, deep and adorable, on the right side of the young man's face. Kyungsoo stood upright, eyes locking with the other's.

"Judging by the resemblance to D.O, you must be Kyungsoo," the intruder said, grasping Kyungsoo's hand in his and shaking it Western style. The touch strangely sent jolts down the doll's spine.

"The one and only," Kyungsoo confirmed, escaping the handshake and stuffing his hand in his pocket. "You're Yixing?"

"Did he really call me that?" the boy asked, groaning a little. "Lay. Call me Lay. Yixing annoys the heck out of me."

Kyungsoo cocked his head. "Ok, Lay. So why did Kai call you here, anyways?"

Lay shrugged then walked behind the counter to stand beside Kyungsoo, searching for something in the cupboards. He soon took out two bowls and two spoons. Handing Kyungsoo one of each, Lay then ventured to the fridge, stealing from it what looked like to be a full pound barrel of ice cream. Kyungsoo mouth went dry from anticipation when he saw the flavor was chocolate, his absolute favorite. Lay, balancing his bowl on top of the barrel, carried it into the dining room and placed it on the table.

"I suppose so you don't die from lonliness," he soon said, prying the lid open. He scooped up some of the contents inside and placed them in Kyungsoo's bowl as the other held it out to him. "I'm bored. You're bored. It's a perfect combination."

"For being more bored?" Kyungsoo suggested, poking his ice cream with the tip of his spoon.

Lay laughed. "Naw, we'll have fun. You'll see. Kai has some games we can play. I know they're around here somewhere and I'll find them for you."

Kyungsoo smiled warmly and dug into the cold ice cream. It melted on his tongue almost immediately, and the taste was different than the usual chocolate ice cream he bought at the grocery store. He furrowed his eyebrows in concentration, soon realizing that the taste was more organic, more real, if you will. It tasted like genuine cocoa had been used, not just some extract. Kyungsoo read over the label on the barrel, almost choking when he saw the price. Yep, just as suspected, this wasn't your regular one pound barrel of chocolate flavored ice cream.

Lay chuckled at the young man's response to the text on the barrel. He himself was not so rich, barely having any money at all, but being honest and kind, he had befriended Kai the moment they met. Both with a talent in dancing, Lay's mother had somehow payed the tuition for her son for the same school as the son of the Kims went to. As soon as they saw each other's moves, the boys became a team, close to inseperable. And over the years, the fact that Lay was filthy poor and Kai was filthy rich did not matter anymore to either of them or the parents on both sides. In the end, Lay was used to being in the Kims' mansion, the place feeling more like a second home than a castle.

Kyungsoo finished his serving first. He placed the empty bowl onto the table and walked around observing the priceless artwork hanging on the walls. Lay's eyes followed him, watching the boy's reactions to the paintings. He noticed how Kyungsoo stopped at one with a woman's portrait, her lips the same shape as Kai's, her lashes the same length. Kyungsoo fingertips brushed against the frame of the work as he examined it, staring into the lifeless woman's eyes. The shade of her irises and even the shapes of the eyes themselves were that of Kai's. Kyungsoo turned to Lay, pointing to the painting. He breathed not one word, just waited for Lay to answer the silent question.

"Mrs. Kim," Lay told him in between a mouthful of ice cream. He swallowed. "Only painting in the house of her that Mr. Kim left uncorrupted. Since this was her favorite room and the painting was there before she died, he decided to keep it there."

"What did he do with the other paintings?"

"Covered them with a fresh coat of paint."

So that was her in the family portrait upstairs! Kyungsoo thought, congratulating himself from being such a great detective. He could be the next Sherlock Holmes.

"Why would he do that?"

"He hated her," Lay replied. "I doubt he even felt bad when the cancer finally took her life. It was Kai who begged him not to ruin this particular picture out of respect for the dead. He hates Kai too since he looks so much like his mother."

Kyungsoo looked back to the painting. It looked like someone had taken Kai's mother and stuck her face onto a copier, pressed 'male,' and Kai was produced. She was as beautiful as he was handsome. Both were creatures of pure perfection. Looking at her, Kyungsoo mentally asked her if it was alright for Kai to be in his life as more than just a friend or employer. Of course the painting did not reply.

Lay picked up Kyungsoo's bowl and his now empty bowl, placing them both into the washer and clicking it on. The latter walked upstairs with Kyungsoo behind him, entering into Kai's new bedroom. He took a look around, nodding. Lo