改变 | Change

Kyungsoo is fidgeting in his seat as he taps his fingers on the counter, his eyes constantly darting between the digital clock beside him and the door.

Twenty more minutes. Twenty more minutes and he’ll be here.

His heart is palpating so strongly that he thinks it’s going to jump out of his chest any time now. He places his right hand on his chest as he starts to inhale and exhale slowly.

“Calm down Kyungsoo, calm down. You prepared well for this,” he reassuringly whispers to himself, as seconds tick by.

But he knows that those words can never really stop his throbbing heart. The thought of seeing that man makes him excited and nervous at the same time.

Eighteen more minutes.

Will today be different?

Will he finally… look my way?

Those words hang on his lips as seconds tick by.

Then a loud ‘ding’ makes him flinch.

Kyungsoo looks up and sees three people smiling warmly at him.

“Kyungsoo oppah!”

A wide, heart-shaped smile immediately forms on Kyungsoo’s face as he steps out from the counter.

+ + +

Just go there and say it. Immediately.

Kai keeps this in mind as he walks to the Do convenience store. That last time he visited that place, he forgot all that he planned. He is determined to say it this time and just get everything over with. That giant man—who said his name is Chanyeol—kept on trying to talk to him just a while ago. And it annoyed the out of him. It was just because of that one slip of his tongue and now the giant is annoying him. He doesn’t like it when people talk to him. Or try to talk to him. He could not let any other things like that happen again, so he will say it this time.

Just don’t look at his eyes.

It took a lot of thinking before he finally admitted that it has something to do with those doe-like eyes of the man—Kyungsoo—why he could not speak properly or even think properly. So this time, he will go straight to the counter and tell him what he wants to say, and once he grants his wish, he will disappear from that place and never return again. That’s it. That’s what he will do.

What he should do.

+ + +

It just turned 4 in the morning. He thinks he’s a bit early, but that doesn’t matter.

Kai is standing just outside the shop, still not looking up, determined to say what he wants to say and leave immediately. He composes himself and clears his throat before stepping inside, walking directly to the counter.

“How may I help you, sir?”

It’s when he hears a female voice that he looks up, eyes a bit wide. The lady, about middle-aged, smiles widely at him.

He doesn’t say a word.

Where is that Kyungsoo person?

He looks around the store. The man is nowhere in sight. He looks back to the lady with his brows knitted together.

As if understanding what his actions mean, the lady speaks again.

“Oh! Are you a friend of Kyungsoo’s? Are you looking for him? He is upstairs. He is treating my mom, so I am looking over the store for now. He’ll be finished soon; would you like me to tell him you’re here? Or would you want to go upstairs?”

The lady speaks to him with a soft smile and her voice sounds so…like a mother’s.

Kai only stares at her. He doesn’t know what to answer.

Should I wait for that person? Should I just go and come back again?

After a few moments, he shakes his head and silently walks to the ramen aisle. It’s been a while since he had one. He’ll just eat ramen and drink coffee while waiting for that Kyungsoo person. He doesn’t want to come back to this place. He might end up not saying it again when he comes back again. He will say it now and end this.

With the hot cup of ramen and coffee in both hands, Kai walks to his usual spot at the corner of the shop. What surprises and stops him in his tracks is the sight of a little girl, giggling as she plays with a white puppy on her lap, sitting on his usual seat. She has a white bonnet on and looks very thin and pale. He doesn’t need to confirm that the little girl is sick.

 He slowly walks to a seat, making sure he keeps distance from the girl.

Kai silently eats his ramen as the soft sound of the little giggling fills his ears. It makes him want to turn and see what makes the little girl so happy, despite the obvious fact that she’s very sick, but he does not look her way.

Kai is sipping at his coffee when he feels a poke on his left arm. He is not the person who gets poked by just anyone. People don’t usually bother to notice him. Because of his cold demeanor, people would usually stay away from him. Human interaction outside his work is not usual to him. That’s why when he feels someone poke him, he flinches in surprise, and loses grasp of the cup of coffee in his hand. The coffee spills on the floor and some on his black leather shoes.

.

He looks at his dirtied shoes and to the one who poked him. It was the little girl. The little girl looks at him; eyes b with tears and Kai looks away. He doesn’t have time to deal with this kind of . He ignores the girl and the coffee that spilled on both his shoe and the floor. And he flinches again when he feels someone wiping his shoes. He looks down and sees the girl wiping his dirtied shoe with a tissue paper.

What is she doing?

Kai is confused. Why is the girl doing that—

“I’m so sorry ahjussi…” the girl speaks in a really soft strained voice, as if talking itself is hurting her.

He gets off the stool and kneels down on one knee.

“It’s okay,” he answers, feeling awkward at the situation.

The girl stands up after cleaning his shoe and walks away, coming back with a floor mop in hand. She has the mop clasped tightly in both of her hands as she drags it with her, and it is so obvious to Kai that she’s having a hard time. The white dog trails behind her. Unknowingly to Kai, the sight tugs at one of his heart strings.

Kai hesitantly walks to her.

“I-I’ll take this.” he says, as he gently takes the mop from her.

She whispered a soft thank you that Kai almost doesn’t hear, but he nods his head in acknowledgement before he mops the floor. There is silence. He sits on a stool after cleaning the floor and putting away the mop. The little girl sits next to him.

“I’m sorry ahjussi. I only wanted to ask you a question, but I didn’t know what to call you, that’s why,” she says.

Kai wants her to stop talking. Strangely, not because he is annoyed that she is talking to him, but because she winces every time she speaks.

“It’s okay.”

That’s all he thinks he should say.

“But looking at you now, ahjussi doesn’t look like an ahjussi! You look like an oppah!”

Kai turns to her when her voice starts sounding cheerful. His eyes travel to the bandage wrapped around her neck. Kai winces and looks away.

“W-what did you want to ask?”

The little puppy jumps onto the seat next to the girl, Kai’s usual seat.

“Oppah, isn’t this your seat?”

Kai looks at where the girl is pointing and it’s to the seat where the puppy is sitting. He isn't sure what to answer. He usually sits there, but it doesn’t mean it’s his.

“Kyungsoo oppah told me to sit anywhere but here because someone owns this seat.”

His eyes widen a bit in a split of second. That person said that?

“You know that per—Kyungsoo?”

The little girl smiles widely at him as she nods her head.

“Kyungsoo oppah is a magician. He made me live longer, and now he’s making my halmeoni [grandma] live longer. And for free too!” she plays with the puppy, small, white, pearl teeth showing as she giggles.

Kai’s heart twists and he looks away at the sad sight of the little girl who knows she’s dying at such a young age. Even that Kyungsoo tried to make him live longer.

So he’s really a doctor.

He tries to think of something to say—something that would get his and the little girl’s mind off the topic.

“You’re puppy is…" he couldn't find the right word, "...beautiful.”

The little girl beams at him, “You think so, oppah?” she laughs and looks at the puppy. “Jjangga, oppah thinks you’re beautful! My Jjangga is beautiful!” and he watches as she hugs the puppy while it wags its tail cheerfully.

“Does oppah want to play with my Jjangga too?” she asks, turning to him.

Kai doesn’t play. He doesn’t play with toys, even when he was a kid. He doesn’t know how. But it’s too late to decline when the little girl pushes the puppy onto his lap. He holds the dog with both hands, staring at it with wide eyes. The dog feels fluffy and so…alive. Kai has never held something so small and something alive in his whole life.

He isn’t aware when a few minutes later his lips curve up into a smile, as he and the little girl play with the puppy on his lap.

+ + +

“Mira-ya?”

Kai and the little girl turn to the sound of an old lady calling someone, and the little girl jumps off the stool, runs to the old lady and hugs her.

Mira. Her name is Mira.

The old lady looks at him. Kai wants to look away but it is too late. He hesitantly bows his head in respect.

“Good morning to you, young man; you are quite early today,” she says, as she warmly smiles at him.

Early?

Kai looks at her in confusion. Does the old lady know him?

“I hope my Mira did not annoy you.” she says, the little girl’s head.

“Ah no, she did not,” Kai answers.

“But I spilled oppah’s coffee,” the girl says.

“You did?” the old lady looks at her, then to Kai, “I’m sorry for that. She can be clumsy sometimes.”

Kai shakes his head, “No, it’s okay. There’s no harm done.”

Kai clenches his fist inside his coat’s pocket. Why is he talking to these people? This is not what he came for.

That’s when the person he is looking for comes into view with the lady, who he remembers was standing behind the counter, by his side.

Their eyes meet and the Kyungsoo person looks at him with wide eyes.

“Let’s go home halmeoni. I still need to go buy the medicines Kyungsoo prescribed,” the lady says, as she wraps an arm around the old lady.

“Ah, right. Let’s go now, Mira,” the old lady answers, but then she turns to Kai and smiles, “Thank you for looking after our Mira, young man.”

Kai nods his head once.

Kyungsoo stares in amazement.

Mira walks to Kai and tugs his hand. Kai looks down at her and understanding what she means, kneels down on one knee. The little girl hugs him. Kai’s eyes widen and so do Kyungsoo’s.

“Kyungsoo oppah is right. The person who owns that seat is handsome,” she whispers before kissing him on the cheek. “Thank you oppah! Bye!” she runs away and waves at him before walking out of the store.

Kai is left standing there, looking outside where the girl was waving at him as she walks away. His lips curve up into a smile without him realizing it. Kyungsoo only stares at the man in amazement and in shock.

+ + +

Kyungsoo clears his throat, making Kai look at him.

The smile on his face remains.

“Y-you looked after Mira?”

His smile fades away.

“I…we…played with the dog.”

“Oh the puppy, Jjangga,” Kyungsoo says, as a smile forms on his face, “Thank you for playing with Mira and for making her smile.”

Kai would have looked away but the man has a different smile. His smile is…heart-shaped and it looks very sincere. He isn’t aware when he begins to smile back at him.

“You’re welcome.”

Spring has come and with the door left open manually, Kyungsoo and Kai can hear the birds chirping outside, a tinge of the smell of the spring flowers blossoming reach them, and the first ray of sunlight reflects through the glass wall of the convenience store. It illuminates the form standing in front of Kai.

There is silence as the two smile at each other.

 As if they are communicating.

It’s then that Kyungsoo clears his throat as he feels his cheeks heating up.

“Is there…something I can help you with?” he softly asks.

His voice isn‘t shaky anymore, Kai notes.

“I came here to thank you…for taking care of me that time.”

He said it. He finally said it. All he needs to say now is ask him what he wants for compensation. But the words don’t come out.

“You’re welcome.”

It’s now Kyungsoo that says those words. Kai ignores the voice in his head as they look at each other; hearts fluttering in sync, smiles forming, and cheeks turning into shades of crimson.

Then at that moment, as time seems to have frozen and only the two of them can see each other, Kai realizes one thing.

He will come back, surely.

But not to say those things again.

Not to end all this.

But so see this man again.

To see Kyungsoo.

A/N:  *twerk dancing* OHOHOH three consecutive updates. huehue. I hope you like this chapter.

I am surprised at how fast I finished this one. I started at 7 in the morning (yes, right after I woke up) and ended at 8. OHOHOH. It used to take me two to three hours because I am the lazy type of writer. Maybe it's because I dreamt about Jongin last night? //giggles// and ohoho I made a cameo in my own story. And I kissed Kai on the cheek too in the story! huehuehue. My name is Mira, btw. but omf. I'm sick in the story. ㅠㅠ

psh. I fantasize too much. lol. Enjoy! //rolls away to my other fanfic while giggling//

p.s. the title is inspired by EXO's Miracles in december, Chinese vesion. I like the Chinese lyrics. ;_;