Xiumin was a pretty simple and straight forward guy his whole life. He wanted to got to college get good grades, find a good job, find a good woman, have a family, and live happily ever after, but his life was not as simple and straight forward as he was. He knew he liked girls from a young age, but he also knew that boys were great too and maybe that’s when all his problems started. In high school he dated an extremely gorgeous girl and he thought maybe if he stayed with her then his life would go like he wanted it too, but of course it was never enough. She was gorgeous and her lips were softer than velvet, but she wasn’t for him, the captian of the male soccer team was more for him than she was. His arms were muscular pulling Xiumin against him, and his lips were rough against his, and his grip around Xiumin’s waist could leave bruises, but he loved ever second of it. Ever since then he really didn’t look at girls the same way, so he stopped looking at anyone all together. He marked finding a good woman and having a family off his list, but he kept trying for the rest. He went to college in the city and was excited to finally do something he had planned, studying and good grades would be a breeze now, but of course it never was as easy as he wanted. He became stressed out of his mind and felt like he couldn’t keep up, so he dropped out his second year and started working at a local coffee shop not to far from his cramped little apartment. He marked off college, good grades, and finding a good job off his list and fell into a heavy depression.

Even though he kind of liked his job, he felt alone and just wanted to feel like he accomplished one thing in life. One day on his way to work he walked by a hybrid pet store and in the window was a kitty staring up at him with a lazy smile and hooded eyes. He stopped in his tracks and looked back at the tiny thing and it smiled back at him, showing the deepest dimples ever and Xiumin fell in love. He went inside and asked the old woman at the counter how much for the kitty, and it was too much for him to even continue looking at the kitty. He nodded his head sadly and walked out with his head down and went to work.
Every day he would walk by the pet store and wait to see if he saw the kitty, and usually he was already there waiting for Xiumin to walk by. The kitty would give Xiumin a big smile, showing off his dimples and claw at the window, wanting to go with him and Xiumin would tell him “just wait”, even thought he couldn’t hear him. The kitty would nod and smile again, and watch Xiumin walk to work, hoping that he would get him one day.
Xiumin saved money from his pay check every day just for that kitty, and walk by every day just to make sure he was still there. It took Xiumin a while, but eventually he saved up enough and went in with a big smile and a little jump in his step. The old women confessed that many people had tried to by the kitty, but she saw Xiumin walk by every day so she would reject their offers in hopes that Xiumin would come back in to take him. The kitty was overjoyed to see Xiumin inside and ran to him as soon as the old women let him inside their room. He climbed into Xiumin’s arms and hugged him tightly.
“You’re here, you’re here! I knew you come get me!”
Xiumin laughed and hugged his new kitty.
“Of course I came for you! I couldn’t resist those dimples.”
The kitty giggled and poked at his cheeks.
“Yeah, I knew that’s how I got you. These dimples are my charm.”
Xiumin chuckled and put the kitty down.
“So, what’s your name?”
The kitty stuck out his hand and smiled, showing off his dimples again.
“My name is Yixing, but everyone calls me Lay.”
Xiumin took Lay’s hand and shook it gently.
“Well Lay, I’m Xiumin and today you’re coming home with me.”
Lay smiled showing off his teeth.
“Finally! I’ve been waiting to hear that.”

After getting Lay, Xiumin’s luck turned around almost instantly. The past owner of the coffee shop he was working at grew extremely fond if him and ended up giving him the coffee shop because he was retiring. The extra income helped him get a bigger apartment for him and Lay, and moved in next door to his future boyfriend Luhan. Owning a coffee shop also made him extremely busy, so he and Lay went back to the same pet store to get another pet so Lay wouldn’t be alone all the time. The same old woman was working and ecstatic to see how much Lay had grown. She showed them to the kitties, but for some reason Lay was pulled toward the puppies. Even though both the old woman and Xiumin told him that it’d be easier to get a kitty, Lay was pressed against the glass in front of a puppy who was sleeping on his back, mouth open and drool pooling out of the side. Lay looked up at Xiumin with big eyes pointing at the puppy.
“This one, this one! He’s so cute Minny!”
Xiumin laughed and walked over, crouching down next to Lay looking at the puppy. He was extremely cute.
“Are you sure? He’s a puppy so he might not get along with you.”
Lay pouted.
“He’ll be my best friend I promise. He looks like a good puppy.”
Xiumin stood up and shrugged.
“I guess we’ll have to see.”
The old woman giggled behind her hand, but let them into the puppy’s room. Most of the puppies growled at Lay, but he ignored them and skipped over to the only puppy that was asleep and rubbed his belly.
“Hey there boy.”
He cooed as the puppy’s leg started to kick and he smiled with his eyes still closed.
“Who’s a good boy?” Lay continued and the puppy started squirming around and giggles as his eyes opened. Xiumin was laughing, extremely amused at Lay’s actions and watching as the puppy woke up and jumped on Lay, tail shaking side to side violently behind him with a big smile on his face.
“Jongin! Jongin is a good boy!” he barked and Lay’s face. Lay laughed then looked up at Xiumin.
“See! Jongin loves me!”

Lay and Jongin ended up being the LAZIEST pair of pets ever. They spent most of their time sleeping and cuddling under Xiumin’s legs when he was home, or cuddling on their beds when he wasn’t. He would complain, but he actually loved that they were so calm and found it a godsend, because he really wouldn’t know what to do with two hyperactive pets. Soon after he got Jongin, Luhan ended up asking him out on a date, even though Luhan was practically always bothering him. Luhan would go to his coffee shop every day and give Xiumin some cheesy pick up like: “Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?” To which Xiumin would roll his eyes and reply “For God sake Luhan we live next door to each other.” He complained a lot about Luhan, but he secretly loved it.
Luhan already had Tao went he met Xiumin, so his pets were always around each other.
One day when Luhan slept over and was laying in bed with Xiumin stark , he reached over to his side table and pulled out a little balled up paper. He unfolded it and next to the scratched out ‘have a family’ he put a heart and wrote ‘complete’
Then turned over to Luhan and kissed his forehead, with a big smile on his face. At least he got one thing off his list.

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Original chapter name was THE LIST, but i was like WAIT I promised to call them the tale of ~ 
Anyway, I am EXTREMELY happy with this chapter. I loved writing it and I hope you love reading it <3 
After Chansoo, Xiuhan is my biggest ship so yea c: 
(Also is XiuLayIn even a real name? Should I have put XiuLayKai? I just didn't know because I have him as Jongin in the story...Oh well)
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