CHAPTER 23

J e o p a r d y

The sunrise was indeed beautiful. It bathes four people atop a mountain as they marvel at how majestic nature can be. SunWoo and DoHee were hand in hand, whispering sweet nothings. KyungSoo, on the other hand, was as far away from ChanYeol as possible.

The previous night made things uncomfortable between him and ChanYeol. That night, the trip back to their tent was excruciatingly long and the space between their two bodies, while they painstakingly try to fall asleep, was dubiously too small.

“You two looked like you didn’t sleep a wink at all,” SunWoo starts as they made their way down the mountain after eating a quiet breakfast. “In fact,” he whispers to ChanYeol this time. “You two haven’t been talking at all since this morning.”

“Aish, this hyung is so persistent. I told you earlier we didn’t sleep well because you forgot to bring the mosquito lotion. We were assaulted by the multitudes!” ChanYeol tries to change their conversation. This was definitely something he minds talking about.

“I don’t know ChanYeol. I’m sure that that huge bag of KyungSoo you have on your back has everything from a clothes dryer to a microwave. He wouldn’t forget anything like that.” SunWoo is cynical and wants to crack him.

“Stop pestering him SunWoo,” DoHee pulls him to her side. “Forgive this ChanYeol, he just don’t know when to stop.”

“Gwenchana, DoHee noona,” ChanYeol smiles and sighs relief as he steps up and walks faster than the two. KyungSoo’s trailing way ahead of them and seems to be doing so intentionally. He has to distance himself from the taller guy.

They make their way to the foot of the mountain and enter the rented car quietly. SunWoo and DoHee can feel the tension as they exchange glances. It was one of the longest drives they’ve ever been in their lives.

--

Once they were back, they bid each other goodbye. DoHee and SunWoo rode a cab. KyungSoo was about to go down from the car when ChanYeol holds his hand to stop him.

“Stay Soo. We need to talk.”

KyungSoo bites his lips, he has the inclination to run and hide but he knows sooner or later, something had to be said. He closes the door once more and stares forward, particularly at nothing. The carpet on the car suddenly seems to be amazingly enchanting to him. ChanYeol starts the engine once more and drives directionless as they circle the small neighbourhood, making sharp turns at every corner and junction they pass. They were waiting for someone to buckle and give in.

“Yeoli, about last night, I…”

“Let me talk first Soo.”

“’Okay.”

ChanYeol breathes in deeply, “I don’t regret having to kiss you. If anything, I’m proud to have mustered the courage to finally do. Now, I don’t know if I imagined it but, I felt like you kissed back. Tell me you did. Please tell me you did.”

“Yes I did.”

“So where does this lead us?”

“Anywhere I guess. You could stop by the park.”

“Soo, I meant us.”

KyungSoo knows all too well what ChanYeol was referring to, he just didn’t know how to answer it. Or if he wants to answer it at all. In his heart of hearts, he knows where he wants to take it, but is afraid. Afraid of the fact that a few months ago, they were complete strangers. Strangers who shared nothing in common, met eventfully, and did nothing but bicker. But now, they’re both playing dangerously, the consequences of which, are vague. All the more apprehensive the younger one feels. He’s caught between a rock and a hard place.

“Yeoli, I—I don’t know. I, I’m so confused. I mean, I can’t keep doing this. I mean you and JongIn…”

Something inside ChanYeol snaps upon hearing that name. “Don’t drag that JongIn into this conversation.”

“Why not? First and foremost, JongIn and I have been dating for a couple of months now, and I know that he’s serious with me and that he loves me.”

“Then answer this KyungSoo. Do you love him too?”

KyungSoo stops and stares at ChanYeol as if he’s been asked an incredibly iniquitous question. “That is an unfair question and I choose not to answer that,” he retaliates, tearing his gaze from the taller guy. Did he not answer it because he didn’t want to be put on the spot? Or is he too scared of finding out the answer as well?

“If you have enough strong feelings for him Soo, you wouldn’t be conflicted,” ChanYeol adds.

It makes sense. Everything makes sense actually, why would KyungSoo even consider having feelings for ChanYeol if he was sure that JongIn was the one? He feels all sorts of shame. A lump begins to form in his throat as he pushes back the ebbing guilt that was consuming his infirm body. JongIn was the only person who picked him up when he was broken to pieces. The person who endured all of his mood swings and all of his vile engagements. This is Kim JongIn their talking about.

But what of ChanYeol? He who appeared out of nowhere and disrupted his relationship with BaekHyun. This giant who was persistent at every turn and charming even if he doesn’t give effort into it. Park ChanYeol, his workmate, his roommate, his--

“Stop the car.”

“What?”

“You heard me, stop the car!”

“I won’t.”

“You stop this car this instant Mr. Park or I swear I will jump out this door.”

ChanYeol knows the strong will of KyungSoo. He doesn’t argue anymore and pulls over. He watches as the other gets down and slams the door shut. He wanted to say something but he didn’t know what to say. There’s just too much on his plate and he didn’t know where to start. One thing is for sure though, he doesn’t want to lose KyungSoo again.

“Where are you going Soo?”

“Go back to the dorm Yeoli. I’ll be fine. I’ll be back later. I just—I just need to clear my head.”

ChanYeol reluctantly agrees and speeds the car off to return it to the rental car shop. He can’t fight the growing fear in his heart, that something wrong was going to happen, something that might turn the tides.

--

KyungSoo drops the small glass on the ground with a loud breaking noise. The ahjumma taking care of the shop looks up to him and frowns. That was his third glass this night.

“Yah! Stop breaking our glasses! You have to pay for them if you keep breaking ‘em!”

“Neh, I will. One more soju please.”

This might have been his fourth or fifth bottle, but he lost count already after the second. He just wants to forget everything that has been pulling him apart. His heart is a tangled mess of JongIn, BaekHyun and ChanYeol and nothing seems to be going right anymore. He takes a swig yet again of his alcohol and slowly feels the world around him sway. Everything and everyone seems to double, even triple. And it increases everytime he attempts to move. , I’m drunk.

He reaches for his phone and scrambles for a number. He sees JongIn’s multiple text messages. He opens it. Unable to read what it says, he hits the reply button. But before he can form any coherent message, he feels a heavy force pull him to the ground and then everything went dark.

~~

“Yeoli hyung?”

“Neh Soo?”

“Will you always be here for me?”

“Yes of course. I promise.”

“What if you get married? And your wife needs you, and I need you too. Who will you help first?”

“The first person I promised to love and take care of. That’s you Soo.”

The 8-year old KyungSoo, despite the cast on his leg, gets up and hugs ChanYeol. He feels the warmth and smells the scent that undoubtedly has helped him become stronger.

Their embrace becomes more than what it was initially for as hands found their way elsewhere.

~~

KyungSoo’s lips nibble on the skin that was in front of him. He hears a low moan and is weirdly encouraged by it. He flicks his tongue and traces a small wet patch on it. His hands roam the warm body embracing him and found a hard member begging to be touched. He does so willingly. It was warm and his touch seems to stir it a little more.

He reaches for this person’s lips and forced his tongue inside, fighting for dominance as the other submits himself to the pleasant intrusion. It was nice, it was hot, and this was happening.

“Kyung, no stop. You’re drunk,” the other person says. He hears a familiar voice. Even in his state of intoxication, he knows too well that this isn’t ChanYeol.

“Whe-where am I?” He opens his eyes and weakly stirred to ascertain where he is.

“You’re in my apartment Kyung. I took you home last night. You were dead drunk.”

“JongInah, is that you?” KyungSoo asks, pleads perhaps. His heart sank a little upon knowing he isn’t in his dorm room with ChanYeol. Would he rather be there than here? He shoves all the uneasiness aside as he let his drunken state take over his hapless being. That was the reason he drank in the first place.

“Neh my wifey. It’s me.” KyungSoo doesn’t see it, but he feels the warm smile that JongIn had on his lips when he recognizes him. It was endearing and appealing and all sorts of beautiful to him. Like JongIn, beautiful inside and out.

“How—how didja know where I was?”

“The ahjumma running the stall called me with your phone. She said she picked it up from the ground where you fell and saw that you were about to reply to me. So she decided to call me instead.”

KyungSoo forces his eyes to close but his head is still swimming far away from sobriety. His inebriation seems to have gotten the best of him. But he thanks the heavens for giving him this short time to not feel so excessively burdened by a decision he intends to make in the morning.

“Just rest Kyung. It’ll help you. I’ll watch over you don’t worry. I won’t leave you.”

KyungSoo wills himself to sleep as a terrible headache plagued him like a nightmare unwilling to wake him up. He surrenders to his malaise and absent-mindedly replies to JongIn, “Thanks Yeoli.”

JongIn freezes. If broken hearts made sounds, then this night will have definitely been pierced by one. He purses his lips and fights the tears that were forming in his eyes and crafted a mask to show for his beloved boy. He is there for KyungSoo and he was the one who picked him up when he was dead drunk, why would this boy call out a different name?

He caresses KyungSoo’s hair as he doubled the blankets to keep him warm. He fondly looks at the now slumbering boy, and finally lets his sadness show. He hasn’t felt so alone, so shattered and so vulnerable until now.

Earlier, he was looking through KyungSoo’s phone erasing the messages that he himself sent when he came upon a couple of curious messages, one of which came from this Yeoli person.

From: Yeoli Babo ^^

Sent: 10:16 PM

Soo, please come back to our dorm. I’m worried. I won’t bug you ‘coz I know you hate being pestered. I’ll wait for you. Don’t worry, I won’t press on about our kiss last night. I just want to see you right now s’all.

He didn’t have the habit of prying into other people’s affairs or stuff, and this was exactly the reason. He’d rather not know anything, than be played for a fool with his knowledge. Ignorance is bliss afterall. He forces  himself to think that that message means nothing. And that KyungSoo isn’t seeing anyone other than him. But what of that kiss this person was going on about?

A well-kept part of him was lashing, struggling desperately to come out of the shell that JongIn trapped him in. In the past, he was able to control that primal fear of accidentally unleashing this debauched soul. But this time, JongIn dreads that the unstable emotions that his heart is experiencing might just be enough to let whatever he so painstakingly pushed away to the deep recesses of his being, back into this world.

I’m scared Kyung,” he whispers to the sleeping body next to him. Low hums of breathing wafted in the air as JongIn struggles to stifle his sobs. “I don’t want anyone else to have you. I want to be the only want to embrace you.” He starts to cry, warm tears litter his cheeks as they invade his lips, “I don’t want anyone else to kiss you, but someone else did. And now I’m—I’m scared. I’m scared of what Kai might do if he finds out.”

*****************************

And the champorado [plot] thickens.

Kai was first mentioned HERE and I've been waiting since then to introduce this character.

And now we'll get to know who this Kai person is.

I'm betting some of you already know. kkk~

You'll have to wait and see if your guesses are correct.

Oh but that ChanSoo moment in their first Overdose comeback performance in MNet right?

And that awkward [for JoonMyeon] KyungMyeon moment in EXO XOXO.

Hahaha but I will never forget guys that

oosuɐɥɔ is love

More comments because those are one of the things I always look forward to.

Yes silent readers I'm referring to y'all.

kkk~

Have a nice Sunday everyone and

HAPPY MOTHER's DAY to ALL of our hardworking moms!