The quiet forty five minutes Xiumin daily dedicates to read a good book and stimulate his creativity that will become amazing master pieces, to motivate his well-recognized art in the vast manga-readers’ world while drinks from his hot tea cup were interrupted by constant steps and annoying low voices and rollicks in the hallway.

Uncomfortable but also curious about the reason behind the impolite and even cruel interruption, he decided to get up from his seat and head to the main door to face the source of the little laughs.

Secretly, of course.

Opening the door just the necessary, he could see a tall dark-haired man smiling widely and taking a box from a blonde male’s smaller hands. The latter smiled while he managed to get on his tiptoes to close the gap and find the other’s lips in a short kiss.

Xiumin, who was about to close the door to get back to his own business, stopped when he heard another voice.

“Baekhyun, you’re doing nothing else but distracting him. We need to get this done before grows dark” –he said, clear discomfort in his voice as he crossed his arms as he observed the other two.

The guy was really tall, a little bit taller than the dark-haired holding the box; his blond hair and pinkish lips marked a flawless contrast with his dark and penetrating eyes, those eyes could take any one’s breath and make any heart skip a beat with just a single glance.

Xiumin could assure, by the accent accompanying his voice, the guy wasn’t hundred percent Korean. An attractive foreigner accent was the perfect ingredient finishing such a desirable human being and make even more interesting.

“Stop growling, Kris” –answered Baekhyun– “You might disturb our new neighbors”

Kris. That was definitely a fair name for a man with such good appearance.

His voice was almost hypnotizing, his hair and the way it falls covering part of his forehead was almost as coming out from some of the manga-characters Xiumin usually to draw; his captivating eyes were breathtaking, the way he was dressed was beyond acceptable and with such a good taste, his lips…his lips had the shape, the volume and color, almost perfect.

If there was somebody that usually pushes himself the closest to the limit, searching for perfection in anything, that person was Xiumin.

He analyzes, corrects, edits, improves and, in the worst scenario, gets rid of anything that isn’t good enough to almost touch the norms of the so-called and unreachable perfection. 

The artist couldn’t help but admire the Kris’ presence, who even just a short distance away, was completely unaware of the hidden glances resting on him. He looked somehow very close to what Xiumin called Mr. Perfection, his own brand of perfect guy.

It wasn’t like if he dedicates much of his time to evaluate the possibilities to find a guy like that one, his job and his minutely planned life usually prevents him from wasting his short free time in something as vain as romantic relationships in the real world.

The interesting thing was that, without even think about it, there was actually a guy really closer to his ideal type living in the apartment right next to his own.

The days seemed to simply increase the interest the young Kim seemed to have developed for his new neighbor since that afternoon.

Kris knew how to dress to go to work; sober and neutral colors, hair in perfect shape and he even seemed to share Xiumin’s theory wearing his belt and shoes with complementary colors and not exactly the same for the two. Even when a little diamond was attached to his left earlobe, he didn’t look informal or unprofessional; his car was always clean and shining and never, for any reason, he caused disturbances for parties or events that would make his neighbors uncomfortable.

He doesn’t live alone. The two other guys in the hallway that day also lived in the same two-room apartment.

Sunday morning and Xiumin finally has a single free day to do whatever he wants to do before start his new project. He gets up by 8:35AM as always and checks his mail, accumulated after the week, while he starts his day drinking a cup of just-made coffee.

He stops when he observes the letter in his hand; it’s not addressed to him but to some Kris Wu.

Kris Wu.

Kris is the new neighbor’s name, and probably Wu is his last name. Considering the proximity of the two apartment doors, it doesn’t sound crazy that someone could actually pick the wrong door to deliver the envelope.

For a moment, he debates among different ways to give the letter to its real owner. Strange and extreme things like introducing the letter under the door, knock and run back to his home were actually going through his mind. But, what happened if the letter wasn’t addressed to that Kris?

“It’s better if I ask if it belongs to someone there” –concluded.

He got up on his feet, fixed his clothes and, taking his keys and the small envelope, headed his short steps down the hallway; after knocking on the door twice he took a step backwards and waited for a minute until someone answered. He mentally thanked it wasn’t Kris who opened it.

“Good morning, hello. My name is Xiumin, I’m your next door neighbor. I’m sorry for the hour but while I was checking my mail I realized this doesn’t belong to me” –he raised his hand a bit– “I thought that it might belongs to you”

The blonde who seemed a bit sleepy took the white envelope and smiled, inviting him to come in.

“Thank you, it belongs to my fiancé’s brother. I’m Baekhyun, nice to meet you. Would you like something to drink? Coffee? Tea?”

The main door swung open and the two said males were soon also in the kitchen. Sport clothing, water bottles with some remaining water and even some sweat drops still on their bodies.

The dark-haired came closer to Baekhyun and shortly kissed his lips, whispering something in his ear and making him bit his lower lip and smiling while listening to it; excusing and introducing himself as Chanyeol after that.

“Kris, this is for you. It was accidentally delivered under Xiumin’s door” Kris only thanked in a cold way, taking it before going into a more private area and disappearing from his eyes.

“Excuse him, he’s like that all the time. It’s nothing personal”

“No problem. I have to go now, it was really nice too meet you two”

“The same to you, Xiumin. Thank you and please feel totally free to come and visit me whenever you want. I stay here the most part of the time, alone and bored” –Baekhyun smiled.

“Thank you, Baekhyun”

After that day, Xiumin and Baekhyun became really close. They shared a lot of time together, chatting or even going on shopping together sometimes. Shopping has never been one of Xiumin’s priorities or one of his hobbies.

 He got to know that Kris and Chanyeol were actually half-brothers, Baekhyun met Chanyeol thanks to Kris and the three of them agreed to live together because Kris doesn’t feel completely comfortable living by his own and totally alone.

That was the treat, at least until Chanyeol and Baekhyun decide to start their own family together.

What an irony.
A cold-hearted and distant guy as Kris, didn’t enjoyed loneliness.

Xiumin’s visits to the next door apartment became more often, and of course, the encounters with Kris became more often as well.

He liked it.

One in a while he could see him smiling and Xiumin was absolutely sure that it was the most beautiful and sincere smile he could ever imagine. Not even his most flawlessly detailed manga-characters owned such a heavenly smile.

Sometimes they would share some glances by mere coincidence and he would realize his heart fluttering and his breathe turning unsteady as soon as their eyes would meet. The symptoms worsened when Kris decided to give him a wink from above the glass he was drinking from.

Xiumin understood the effect that Kris had on him. It was something like what he usually creates between main characters of some of his manga, something that actually could go further than simply attraction.

 That night, Baekhyun insisted until finally convinced Xiumin to forget about his job for a few hours and accompany them to have dinner together with Kris and Chanyeol, too.

And there he was, seated at the table, Kris seated right next to him; waiting for Chanyeol who half an hour earlier said to be stuck in the frustrating traffic on the main avenue.

Xiumin observed from the corner of his eyes, once in a while, the way that the taller blonde seemed to be far away from reality and totally into the reading of the book he was holding in his hands, page 327 to be exact.

Suddenly, the door was opened and Chanyeol finally arrived. Wasting no time, he excitedly approached to Baekhyun and kissed his head.

“Did you tell them already?” –curiously asked, Baekhyun shook his head.

“No, I was waiting for you”

“So?” –Kris closed his book, placed it on the table and shifted in his place.

“Okay, we’ll go right to point; Baekkie and I…will be parents!”

“You mean”

“We’re going to a have a baby, yes” –a huge smile formed on Chanyeol’s face at his boyfriend’s words.

“I mean, after all, you guys knew that Baekhyun and I were planning to get married and start our family, right?”

“That’s great! Congratulations to you both!” –Xiumin hugged them.

“I think I’m going to be the coolest uncle ever” –Kris got closer to his brother– “And of course, you guys will be great parents”

That night went by very fast, more than what any of them would have wanted it to.

Soon, it was time for them to try to have some rest. Xiumin had a very important reunion with the editorial the next morning and Kris and Chanyeol had work, Baekhyun should take care of himself and the baby growing in his insides and rest was definitely one of the punctual recommendations from the doctor.

Kris insisted on accompanying Xiumin to his apartment door, same that was actually just a few steps away.

“Thank you for…” –Xiumin’s heart seemed to skip a few beats and stopped breathing as he realized his back was against the wall and Kris continued closing the gap between their bodies.

Blaming on the alcohol seemed the most logical thing to do, but the amount that both of them actually consumed consisted in barely two glasses of red wine.

The kiss was soft, nothing what Xiumin would have expected from someone like Kris. A brief lip-lock, the older didn’t offer any resistance and the blonde complemented the moment with the warmth of his hand against the other’s cheek.

After the kiss, there were no words left to speak.

Kris distanced himself from Xiumin and walked away without turn around, his eyes still glued to the other until disappearing behind his own door; a small side-smile meanwhile.

A few months passed and, as expected, Baekhyun and Chanyeol decided to find a small house where they can give to their upcoming baby all the comforts he/she needed. The farewell was a bit weird, though; they were moving to a relatively close neighborhood but it wasn’t going to be the same, and the sensation of having Kris alone in the apartment next to his was absolutely overwhelming.

The contact between both of them was practically null since that night, they barely see each other and, for some reason, Xiumin considered it better like that.

A call from Baekhyun filled him with concern: Kris caught a cold and missed work that day.

Without even think about it twice, Xiumin headed to the latter’s apartment and softly knocked on his door.

Kris opened after the third knock; his hair was a mess, wearing just a pair of gray sweatpants and a necklace against the bare skin. Without even saying a word, he moved to a side and let Xiumin in.

“Baekhyun told me you were sick, I wanted to know if you needed anything”

“You didn’t have to”

“But I wanted to, Kris. I will make you some soup, is it okay?”

Kris nodded.
The older got into the kitchen and opened the fridge and started to take from it everything he would need; Kris observed from his seat.

Kris watched attentively for around ten minutes until, in completely silence, got up from his seat and walked towards the other, stopping behind Xiumin whose body tensed when he suddenly felt Kris’ arms embracing his waist and his nose resting on his neck.

“I’m tired” –whispered the taller.

“Go have some rest, I can handled this”

“I don’t want soup, I’m not hungry. I’m cold and tired, I just need some company on the couch…I need you”

“Kris…”

“Please”

They both ended up hugging each other on the couch. Kris’ breathe brushing against Xiumin’s messed locks.

“I like you” –he said it in a hushed voice but higher enough for Xiumin to hear him.

“You don’t know what you’re saying Kris. You probably have some fever”

“I know what I’m saying, and I mean it. I like you”

Probably around five minutes passed in total silence until something else could be heard.

“I like you too” 

Sorry for taking so long, I hope you like it and sorry if there's any mistake ^^