- Chapter 5 -

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

At a loss, Kyungsoo responds with a less than intelligent, “Um…?”

Luhan smiles at his palpable confusion. He tosses his cigarette stub to the ground and stomps it out with the heel of his expensive shoes. “I wanted to invite you to the event on Wednesday evening. I mean, it’s only fair since you helped with the invitations. Meant to ask you earlier but forgot. Are you free?”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widen. That sort of event? Him? 

“Oh, I’m not—I don’t think I—”

“I don’t want to pressure you, obviously, but I would love it if you could come,” Luhan says. There’s nothing coercive about his words, but who could resist his most charming expression? Kyungsoo finds himself nodding woodenly in acquiescence; he’s rewarded with a bright smile. 

It’s a nice moment, Kyungsoo thinks, even though Luhan’s presence makes him a little bit nervous and he isn’t sure what he’s supposed to do next. He stands awkwardly a few steps away from Luhan’s fancy car, waiting for the older man to make the next move. Which, thankfully, he does, though it isn’t the move Kyungsoo expected. 

“Do you want to get dinner? I haven’t eaten all day and some company would be nice.”

The query is phrased as a gently as ever, but at Luhan’s imploring look, Kyungsoo begins to wonder if he can ever learn to say no to this man.

*

They end up at a hole in the wall Chinese restaurant near Kyungsoo’s place. This surprises Kyungsoo—he hadn’t pegged Luhan as someone who dined at these places. But the owner clearly knows Luhan and greets him cheerfully when they enter. They exchange words in Chinese, and Kyungsoo marvels Luhan’s ability to slip into another language so glibly. 

“Is there anything you want to try?” Luhan asks after they’ve been seated. “The food here is Szechuan style, so it’s spicy. Is that okay? 

Kyungsoo nods but says nothing more. He’s never been to an authentic Chinese restaurant and feels just slightly out of place among the mostly Mandarin speaking patrons. Luhan takes it all in stride though and orders for the two of them. 

“So…you were out all day,” Luhan remarks nonchalantly as they wait for their food. “I heard from your dad.”

Kyungsoo’s heart skips a beat and he focuses large, worried eyes on Luhan. He didn’t know Luhan had spoken to his dad. What else had his dad said? Did he ask for money? 

“We didn’t speak long,” Luhan says gently. 

Kyungsoo worries his lower lip—a habit that surfaces when he feels nervous or distressed. “I was at work.”

“Oh, you work weekends too? Where at?”

“The convenience store. I just do an afternoon shift.”

Luhan’s brows furrow just the tiniest bit at this. “But does that leave you with enough time for your school work?”

Kyungsoo blinks in confusion. School work? No one’s ever asked him that question before. 

“I had assumed you wanted to finish high school or go to college,” Luhan elaborates. “But it sounds like you have a lot on your plate.”

What college would take you? 

Kyungsoo peers down at the wooden table as he suddenly recalls his father’s harsh words from that morning. He had almost forgotten during the day, what with Kim Jongin’s unanticipated interruption. But it all comes back now, and a sense of defeat descends upon him. Because it’s true, isn’t it? What college would admit him? And would he even pass senior year? Between working and school and recovering from injuries, there’s so little he can actually do. 

He bites his lip again before he says quietly, “It’s pretty hopeless, isn’t it?”

Luhan’s eyes widen. He hadn’t intended to discourage the boy; his previous comments had only been made out of concern. But Kyungsoo’s obvious despair and the way his small body hunches itself into a protective shell evokes in him a feeling of sympathy and guilt. He tries again, in a cheerier tone.

“Well, actually, I’ve been thinking that maybe you could help me with something.”

“Me?” 

“My personal assistant’s about to take her maternity leave soon, and with her pregnancy, I don’t want her working late nights. But it’s a pretty busy season for us and we just got a couple large contracts, so I was wondering if you’d be interested in doing some administrative tasks for me in the evenings. I thought you did a pretty good job with the party invites, and of course, the position pays a bit more than being a janitor so hopefully you won’t have to work weekends. What do you say?”

Kyungsoo takes in Luhan’s bright hopeful look with a sense of wonder and confusion. He stares unblinkingly at the older man as he attempts to digest this new opportunity. It is, after all, nothing he had ever dreamed of—taking on an office job at a company like Luhan’s…the whole thing feels unreal. 

“It’ll be a good opportunity, I think. You might even be able to add it to your resume,” Luhan adds, as if he thinks Kyungsoo needs extra convincing. 

And maybe Kyungsoo does. After the initial shock ebbs a bit, he finds himself flooded with a sense of skepticism that he’s so far managed to keep at bay. But now he wonders: why in the world would someone like Luhan offer him this job. Indeed, why has Luhan gone out of his way to help Kyungsoo at all? 

At first, Kyungsoo pegged him as just a nice person, helping a kid who’s fainted in his office and so forth. Even the rides home can be explained. But tonight’s sequence of events remain a puzzle—from Luhan’s waiting in front of his apartment, to the unsolicited invite, to this job offer. 

If there’s one thing Kyungsoo’s learned from life, it’s that no one’s nice for no reason. He peers into Luhan’s large, twinkling eyes that ooze sincerity and kindness; part of him aches to trust, to just take the gift that’s fallen into his lap, because he’s received so few gifts thus far. But the more pragmatic side of him warns that it’s all illusory, and bells of alarm pull him back. 

The food arrives before Kyungsoo answers. Luhan doesn’t press him; instead, he heaps some spicy fish filet and string beans onto Kyungsoo’s bowl of rice and urges him to eat.

“You’re too tiny,” he remarks with a hint of admonishment.

At this, an unwitting frown tugs at the corner of Kyungsoo’s lips. “I’m not…” he protests weakly.

Luhan chuckles. It’s one of the few times Kyungsoo’s allowed his real age to surface.

“It’s okay. I used to be pretty small myself.”

“You still are,” Kyungsoo grumbles quietly.

“Hey!”

A small, stifled erupts from Kyungsoo; he attempts to hide it by ducking his head and shoving in the food piled on his bowl. But Luhan’s wears a half-hearted pout for a moment longer, even though he’s secretly pleased at having teased a laugh out of the stoic boy.

*

Right before Kyungsoo gets out of the car, he says, “Okay. I’ll take the job.”

Luhan blinks in surprise, though he adjusts quickly enough. “Great! Just come at your usual hours, but report to my office directly, okay? I’ll have payroll change your position and salary.”

Kyungsoo nods. He begins to unbuckle his seatbelt when Luhan lays a hand over his to stop him. The sudden touch startles Kyungsoo—Luhan’s hand is smooth and warm, and a bit larger than Kyungsoo’s. Kyungsoo looks up at Luhan’s face, which shows a seriousness that’s uncommon for the man. 

“Hey, if you ever need help, just give me a call okay? I don’t want to pry into your personal life, but just know that I’m here.”

Kyungsoo’s heart stops, then pounds furiously. 

He knows. 

Maybe not the whole story, but he must’ve guessed that something’s wrong with Kyungsoo’s home life. It’s a nerve wracking thought, that someone out there knows something about the broken family that Kyungsoo’s always kept private and—if he were to be honest—that he’s always been secretly ashamed of. 

A knot forms in his throat, so that all he can manage is a silent nod. 

He’s glad that for Luhan, that seems to be enough.

*

Luhan watches Kyungsoo’s small body disappear into the alleyway. A feeling of frustration plagues him, which he attempts to soothe with another cigarette. But the frustration only grows as he wonders whether this is yet another boy he won’t be able to help. The thought frightens him. 

Winding through the Seoul traffic, memories of the past ghost by. The shadow of Zhang Yixing has been hiding behind every corner since he first met Kyungsoo, threatening to escape the recesses of Luhan’s mind.

They met when Luhan himself was a mere high school student. It was the first day of second year, and Beijing was still mired in summer heat, though the air was a lot fresher than it is now. Most students biked to school in those days, but Luhan’s family was better off than most. His father dropped him off at the curb in their new car. 

Luhan, ever popular, was immediately swarmed by a group of friends and they paraded to their classroom in a raucous crowd full of laughter and good cheer. 

In comparison, Yixing’s world was silent. He stood at the front of the room as the teacher introduced him. Newly transferred from one of the bordering provinces, his otherness was immediately perceptible to the city kids. They exchanged silent glances that communicated louder than words—look at his skin, his clothes, his silly haircut. Luhan barely spares him a glance, too preoccupied with his new mp3 player, until the teacher announces that Yixing would be his new desk partner.

When Yixing makes it to Luhan’s desk in the back, Luhan flashes him one of his easy if insincere grins and says a quick hi. He didn’t mean anything by it—that’s just how he interacted with people.

But it seemed to surprise Yixing, who slowly smiled back. Only Yixing’s smile was more genuine, more open, and betrayed a spark of tentative hope. 

Luhan didn’t know how to reciprocate, but Yixing’s expression that day stays with him for a long time.

***

Between classes, they get a ten minute break. Kyungsoo sits quietly in his desk between second and third period and contemplates his new job. Despite knowing with complete certainty that Luhan wouldn’t give him a hard time, he nevertheless feels a bit nervous. It’s his first desk job, after all, and moving up the food chain always fills one with wonder and dread.

His thoughts are interrupted by Hyunwoo, who drops into the emptied seat besides his and who smirks at him. Kyungsoo’s brows furrow at the ugly expression on Hyunwoo’s face and he wonders if he should ignore. 

Not that Hyunwoo gives him an option.

“Yah, Do Kyungsoo. How was your weekend? You miss us?”

Kyungsoo bites his lower lip hard and looks down at his desk to avoid confrontation. Hyunwoo doesn’t accept though, and presses, “You can join us for lunch. Rooftop, noon. It’ll be fun, yeah?” He waggles his brows suggestively. 

A quick look around the room reveals students watching in anticipation. Used to it by now, Kyungsoo resigns himself in silence and doesn’t respond. 

Their exchange is interrupted, though, by an unforeseen presence. 

From the corner of his eye, Kyungsoo observes Kim Jongin’s tall figure approach them. He stands quietly by Kyungsoo desk, a silent by imposing presence. Hyunwoo frowns and clenches his fist in frustration. He doesn’t like it when people intercept him from his prey.

Kim Jongin is unfazed by Hyunwoo’s show of strength. He says casually, “Kyungsoo’s eating with me.”

“What the fu—I mean, what’s he got to do with you?”

Jongin shrugs, though his gaze grows a degree more icy. “I said, he’s eating with me. And you better stop bothering him.”

Or you’ll regret it hangs in the air. Hyunwoo glowers at Jongin, then Kyungsoo. But one uncharacteristically cold glare from Jongin and he lets out a growl of frustration.

“Fine. Whatever, dude. We were just trying to help you out anyway.” With that, he slides his large body out of the small seat and clambers away, muttering under his breath all the while. 

Kyungsoo watches the whole exchange with wide eyes, which he presently turns on Jongin. Jongin merely shrugs though and sits down in the vacated seat. “Is that okay?”

“What?” Kyungsoo asks, taken aback.

“That you eat with me? I know a good place.”

“Why—?”

Jongin studies Kyungsoo with his half-lidded eyes before he attempts a small smile. Kyungsoo wonders if he’s hallucinating—is the smile embedded with a hint of shyness? That kind of shyness that people often exhibit when first extending offers a friendship.  

“I-I guess so,” Kyungsoo responds in a small voice with a quiet stutter. He can’t make heads or tail of this, but, the bigger grin that blooms on Jongin’s face fills Kyungsoo with an unfamiliar, pleasant warmth. 

***

A/N: Next up...Kyungsoo attends fancay event :]