“You made it! I’m so glad!” Hongbin exclaimed. He grabbed Kyungsoo by the arm and excitedly pulled the smaller male inside the house. “I can see you didn’t have trouble finding the place.”

“Actually, Tao had to circle around the neighborhood thrice just to find your house,” Kyungsoo replied with a shy smile on his face.

“Kyungsoo! I’m so happy you’re here,” the voice that belonged to the old Senator Lee interrupted their little conversation by the door.

“Senator Lee, I’m happy I’m here, too. Hongbin had been repeatedly reminding me about the occasion so it was hard not to be here,” the said man had a proud smile on his face that Kyungsoo just had to smile as well.

“Well, my nephew is nothing but persistent, Kyungsoo. A little bit more and I think he’ll win you over.”

Kyungsoo was taken aback at what the Senator said. He didn’t know how to respond to that. The smile that he had shown had reduced to one that was awkward. He looked at Hongbin meaningfully for the man to say something, to correct Senator Lee. The Congressman and he were not in that kind of relationship. Hongbin had said nothing about winning him over. They were friends, they were beginning to be closer, and Hongbin was not courting him.

But the Congressman wasn’t looking at him. Instead, Hongbin was looking down at his feet with a shy grin on his face, this time, like a school girl being teased.

“Shall we go to the dining room now?” Senator Lee continued. “My brother is eager to meet you, Kyungsoo. He wants to see the person his son keeps on talking about.”

“Uncle, please don’t overwhelm Kyungsoo. I haven’t even said anything to him and I’m going to be rejected because you bombard him like this,” Hongbin’s shy grin intensified and his meaningful banter could not be taken for granted.

All Kyungsoo could do was to laugh awkwardly in response. He took what the Congressman said as a joke because what else could it be?

Kyungsoo followed the politicians in the dining room where people were already waiting. Seeing that they were all waiting for him, he felt embarrassed for coming late. He should have left Yixing’s apartment earlier. They would have been still on time even if they went around and around just to locate the Lee residence.

“Is this Kyungsoo?” the said man smiled at the woman who welcomed him with a warm smile.

“Ah, yes. Mom, this is Kyungsoo. Soo, this is my mother,” Hongbin introduced and Kyungsoo bowed rather clumsily because he did not expect that the woman was Hongbin’s mother. She looked too young to be a mother of a 28-year old Congressman.

“Oh, honey,” Mrs. Lee pulled Kyungsoo up, stopping him from completely doing the bow, and pulled him for a hug instead. “I’m so happy you’re here. I’ve been wanting to meet you because my son can’t stop talking about you. It’s nice that we have finally met.”

Although the hug was awkward and unprepared for, it was nonetheless warm. Kyungsoo returned the embrace and felt that he was welcome. It was a nice feeling. Being hugged by a mother was something he never experienced. His Dara Noona always hugged him before, but that was different. This was warmer and more comfortable and felt like he was protected.

When they broke away from the hug, Kyungsoo almost reached out for another one. But he controlled himself because that would be weird. He just met Hongbin’s mother and he wouldn’t want to leave a peculiar first impression.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Lee,” Kyungsoo whispered. Hongbin who was standing beside him looked really happy. For what reason, Kyungsoo had no idea. “And happy anniversary!”

“Oh, thank you, my dear,” Mrs. Lee cupped Kyungsoo’s face and kissed him on the cheek. “Come on, let’s sit so we can eat.”

Hongbin ushered Kyungsoo to a chair at the table and sat beside him. The moment everybody was settled in their seats, Kyungsoo realized that he was the only outsider at the table. Hongbin had introduced everyone: his dad, Senator Lee’s wife, Hongbin’s little sister (who wore too much make up for a 17-year old according to Hongbin), Senator Lee’s son and his son’s wife, and the Lee patriarch, Hongbin’s grandfather. He was the only one who was not part of the family.

It was a family affair. Well, it was a celebration of Hongbin’s parents’ 30^th anniversary, it was supposed to be only family. And Kyungsoo felt so small because these people didn’t know him but he was there.

The food was served and Kyungsoo remained quiet the whole time he was eating, while the rest started talking about topic after topic. He had been silent and only slightly listening in to the conversation that he almost jumped when Hongbin’s father asked him a question.

“Do you like the food, Kyungsoo?” Mr. Lee asked, an expectant smile on his face.

“Oh yes, I do. It’s very delicious, thank you,” Kyungsoo answered, flustered that he was suddenly asked a question.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking, Kyungsoo. But how is that issue with Senator Wu. Did you finally settle it with him?”

“Dad, let’s not talk about that. You’re making Kyungsoo uncomfortable,” Hongbin interrupted.

“Oh no, it’s okay, Hongbin,” Kyungsoo placed a hand on Hongbin’s arm to assure him that it was okay. “We have not talked properly yet, Mr. Lee. Senator Wu is still very busy.”

To be honest, it wasn’t that Kris was busy. The Senator was even free enough to always be in Yixing’s apartment, to Kyungsoo’s chagrin, doing god knows what. It was just that he was avoiding the Senator. After what happened between them, he couldn’t stand being in the same room as Kris.

Every time Kris was in Yixing’s apartment, he would lock himself in his room. Soojin was different because she would always be with the Senator. It was as if they had formed a bond, while he and the Senator had formed an unspoken agreement about not talking to each other.

“I’m sorry you had to go through this, Kyungsoo,” Senator Lee’s wife said, giving Kyungsoo a small smile in understanding.

“I really don’t know what happened to that kid. I was Kris’ mentor when he was still trying to enter the world of politics, you know,” Senator Lee revealed and Kyungsoo was stunned at the revelation. “And now, he has dragged an innocent person in a scandal.”

“Uncle, please,” Hongbin’s sister interjected. “There’s nothing innocent about him. He knew exactly what he got himself into.”

“Ara, stop it!” Hongbin warned.

“Why? Did I say something wrong?” Ara asked innocently. “He is a grown man who knew exactly what would happen if he played pretend with a man in office. Hell’s going to break loose if a scandal breaks out.”

“Lee Ara, that’s enough,” Hongbin’s grandfather warned this time and Ara closed even when she was about to say more. “Where are your manners? And I don’t like that kind of language at my table.”

Kyungsoo looked down at his plate, stabbing the meat served on it aimlessly. He suddenly lost his appetite and it was a pity because the food really looked delicious. It wasn’t that he was angry at Ara for saying those things. It was because everything she said was true, and it hurt.

The conversation at the table went back to normal but there was a strain in the air already. Kyungsoo just smiled and nodded and occasionally answered questions about him, but he was not totally himself anymore.

Dinner finished and they moved to the garden at the back of the house for some coffee or tea. Kyungsoo chose to sit on one of the benches not too far from the garden table where the Lee couples were chatting. Grandpa Lee had already gone up to his room to rest while Ara was talking with Senator Lee’s son and his wife. She was glancing at Kyungsoo’s direction from time to time, and the small man felt that she really did not like him.

“I’m sorry about earlier,” Hongbin interrupted Kyungsoo’s thoughts and the Congressman sat beside him on the bench.

“No, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it,” Kyungsoo smiled reassuringly and placed a hand on top of Hongbin’s that was rested on his lap.

Hongbin turned his hand palm up and intertwined their fingers together. Kyungsoo was surprised but did not grab his hand back. He let the Senator trace the veins at the back of his hand with his free one.

“Kyungsoo,” Hongbin’s voice became serious and that made Kyungsoo look at the Congressman in curiosity. “I know my timing is really not that great. But I want you to know as early as possible.” The Congressman turned to face Kyungsoo and looked at him straight in the eyes. “I don’t want there to be a misunderstanding between us. I want to be honest to you and I want to be clear on what I feel about you.” Hongbin paused and took a deep breath, “Kyungsoo, I like you. I know you still have so much going on but I just want you to know.”

“Hongbin, I don’t—“

“You don’t have to give me an answer now,” the Congressman interrupted before Kyungsoo could complete his sentence. “When everything is settled in your life, you can give me an answer then. I’m willing to wait.”

Kyungsoo looked away, unable to take the intensity of Hongbin’s pleading eyes. What he wanted to say was that he didn’t think the Congressman really liked him. He was a nobody, someone not important, and for someone like Hongbin to like him, a Congressman no less, was just not possible. There were a lot of ladies who would be more suitable than him—a man who couldn’t bear a child and continue the Lee legacy.

But the way Hongbin pleaded for him to give him an answer later had dissolved Kyungsoo’s resolve to reject the Congressman right away. Hongbin had been so much help to him that what he could do was to at least think about it. Who knows? Maybe if he really thought about it, he would grow to like the Congressman too.

Who are you kidding? You are in love with Senator Kris Wu.

Yeah, I know that but it wouldn’t hurt to think about it.

But you’d be giving the man false hope. Don’t be so cruel.

I’m not giving him false hope. I’m thinking about it, that’s different

Kyungsoo’s inner battle was interrupted when he heard his name being called over and over. He snapped in response and looked at Hongbin’s worried face.

“I’m sorry I made you space out. Did my confession really shock you?”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “Not really. But it’s still a lot to take in,” he confessed.

“Yeah, I guess,” the Congressman agreed. “At least you know already. From here on, when you think about me, I will not be just a friend, but someone who likes you. I feel so much better because of that.”

Kris knew that Kyungsoo was not in Yixing’s apartment. He knew because Tao drove Kyungsoo to the Lee residence. But still, he found himself in his car, parked outside Yixing’s apartment building. He was there not to visit Yixing but to wait for Kyungsoo to arrive from Hongbin’s place. It was his only opportunity to talk to the smaller male because every time he visited Yixing, making up lame excuses to be there, Kyungsoo had not once gone out of his room to see him.

It was almost midnight when a car finally stopped in front of the entrance of Yixing’s apartment building. From where Kris was parked, he could clearly make out who was in the car. Hongbin was saying something and Kyungsoo was smiling at him.

Their exchange lasted for a few more minutes. And then, Hongbin leaned in closer to Kyungsoo, bringing their faces closer to each other. The grip that Kris had on the steering wheel tightened as he forced himself to not do anything that would make Kyungsoo hate him. He wanted so much to get out of his car and yank the Congressman out of the driver’s seat.

But what Kris was really mad about was the fact that Kyungsoo was not turning his head away. When Hongbin finally closed the distance between them, he was able to kiss Kyungsoo without so much as a protest. Kris wanted to look away, to not see Kyungsoo being kissed by another man. But it was as if his eyes were glued to the scene in front of him that he couldn’t make his eyes look at something else. Anything would have been better to look at than Kyungsoo and Hongbin kissing in the car.

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Noona’s Notes:

It had been so loooonnnngggg!!! Thank you for waiting, really.

And Kyungsoo is so cute in EXO Next Door. I still can’t get over the way he said “Oh, that’s me!” when he returned the apron that has his face on it back to the girl.

One thing though, why did they put Kyungsoo up against Chanyeol for the girl’s heart? Oh well, whatever!

I have 3 other krisoo stories to update. Wish me strength! Lol

And I’m trying to make a list of krisoo fics. If you have any suggestions, mention me in twitter and provide the link to the story. It’s some sort of compilation, like a masterlist for all krisoo fics.

Hope to see you all again the soonest.

Love lots!

krisoo_noona