Chapter Two (1/1)

It's forty minutes later, when they're safely in the cream-coloured apartment. It was a small apartment with old mismatched furniture and a boxy television set up in the corner. The walls were bare of pictures or anything personal and the windows were only covered by a ratty blind that hung crooked, the way all blinds inherently do. It didn't look dirty, but there was a dusty, musty smell about it that reflected a lack of care. A coffee table only a few feet from the sofa was empty apart from an ash tray which was in desperate need of cleaning.Hyukjae's breath hitches, as well as Donghae. They stood there for about a full minute of pure awkward silence. The red haired man opened his mouth and blurted, “You must be kidding me hyung.” And at the same time Donghae said, “It can't be real.”“What's your problem?” Jungsu asked innocently, his eyes twinkling. “This apartment is nice enough, it just needs some touch, and treatment.”“What touch are you talking about just now?” Hyukjae shouted, looking between Jungsu and Donghae, his brows drawn together in a frown and disbelieve. “Those cracked walls, those white dust, that broken AC, and what the hell with that splatter of reddish-blank paint? How I supposed to re-touch this permanent horrible thing?!”"Nothing's horrible here young master . Scratch here, a bruise there and there, then you can repair and paint—is all better now, see?” Jungsu said with a broad smile, one big and unexpected enough that Hyukjae wasn't really sure if it was real or fake. “It will be good as new."Hyukjae knitted his brows together and said almost defensively, “No.”“Yes.”“I'd quit,” he stated without thinking.Jungsu grinned at that and told him, “Go ahead. But I just want to inform you that being homeless is not a smart choice for a spoiled brat like you, young master Hyukjae.”“Hyung!!!”The two argued men turned their attentions to the source of the scream that comes from Donghae's mouth. Jungsu ran to see what happened inside and Hyukjae just rolling his eyes in annoyance.“What’s wrong Donghae?”“What’s wrong? You asked me what’s wrong?” he muttered in horror, pointing at the small room in front of him. “Look! Why there is only one room with one single bed?!”Jungsu blinked at that, “I don’t see what is wrong here. You can share, finish.”Hearing the word ‘share’ taped his ears, Hyukjae went straight into the room. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the room was indeed small, with only single bed, a small couch and a wooden cupboard.“You know I never share anything with anyone, hyung.” Hyukjae said solemnly, as if he was talking to God in the altar.“Now you have. Problem solved.” Jungsu said, getting irritated. “Oh. Guess what? I’ve to go now. I will see you tomorrow, okay?” he said beamingly while walking to the front door. “Be good to each other. See ya…”“Wait, hyung!” Both of them called in unison, but Jungsu being all deaf so suddenly and left the two desperate boys alone.Donghae sighed and lowered his head. He felt an uneasy feeling in his stomach.A few seconds passed. Then a minute, and then another. They were trying to figure out how they could easily resolve this problem.“So, here is the rule,” Hyukjae muttered staring at the single bed in the middle of the room. “Don’t talk to me, don’t invade my belongings, and I don’t want to share the bed with you. We will take turns to use it.”Donghae could feel Hyukjae’s eyes on his. His jaw tightened and Donghae flicked his eyes towards him, letting him know he was aware of his sickening presence, too. “You know what is your problem Hyukjae? He said, making sure to look at him from head to toe in a manner of disgust. “You think that all your problems are so much worse than everyone else's! Stop being so gloomy and depressing and arrogant the whole time, and you talked like you own the world. You’re not in the position to bossy me around Lee Hyukjae, so stop acting like the biggest kid here. My life’s hard enough right now!”Hyukjae rolled his eyes and glared at the brunette, “Don't you dare to try psychoanalyse me."Donghae laughed cruelly. “Me? Psychoanalyse? Get over yourself. I just think you should work on some quiet introspection time for yourself.”“See. Who is being so bossy now?”After gaping a moment, Donghae barked a laugh, “Jerk,” he groaned, but a little of the darkness left his eyes.“Idiot.” Hyukjae retorted back.“Arrogant bastard!”“An attention whore!”Donghae stood, gaping at the insult Hyukjae threw him. “You don't know anything about me, you self righteous asshole.”“Well… Fuck you!” Hyukjae shouted angrily, grabbing his phone and leaving.“Go, just go!” Donghae shouted back, feeling his triumph. “Don’t come back if you have a better place to go, you fucking arrogant bastard!”And Donghae winced when he just got a loud slamming door sound as a reply.~O~O~‘What a freaking day’, Donghae thought, exiting his bathroom after taking a long cold shower. He thought the spray of the water would help him to relax, to release his mind of the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that chased through it, but he was wrong. It didn’t help, at all. All he could think about was today’s events. Since he woke up, until now he is sitting on the harsh couch. It felt like he explored a time machine, where he was stuck in the wrong situation and the wrong place with the wrong people; like Hyukjae.Flopping down into the couch, he grabbed the remote and turned on the television. He surfed through the channels for a minute, but he wasn't really seeing what was on each channel. His mind refused to stop reliving the fact that his family was bankrupt and he didn’t own anything for now. No power, no money, no home, no parent and suddenly his emotions got the best of him and before he even knew it, he forcefully pitched the remote control angrily, missing the tv. The black unit slammed against the wall beside the television, shattering into hundreds of small plastic pieces.“Shit!” Donghae cursed loudly, pushing his hand through his brunette hair frustratingly. Looking towards the window, he noticed for the first time the glass door that exited out onto the balcony. Rising, he walked over and pushed the glass door aside. The cool night breeze hits him immediately, washing over him, much like the water from the shower he had before. Spying a chair in the corner side, Donghae drag it out of the moonlight so he could sit in the darkened shadows.‘It's a beautiful night out’, Donghae thought, noting how beautiful the stars were that evening. The billions of stars seem to glitter in the night sky, shining like millions of crushed diamonds and pearls. He raised his arms and stretched, breathing in the cool night air. It was a little windy and causing the leaves to rustle softly, but he liked that. He stood still in the air, stretching his neck to relieve some of the stiffness and tensions that are mostly caused by Hyukjae.‘Hyukjae,’ he puffed when his name plopping on his mind. He wondered how their relationship could be this awful in the first place. They never got along and they were meant to be a rival, an enemy. Period. Both of them and everyone knew it was the fact – except their parents; thank you very much.Well, their parents tried, they tried, really tried to be more friendly towards each other, trying to figure what’s wrong with them, why couldn’t they are being a good friends like their parents? But the more they were tried, the more obvious that they were not born to be ‘a good friends’ or even ‘best friends’. They couldn’t even be in the same room for five minutes without any intention to kill each other.But what’s happening now? He was suddenly placed in this difficult position where he was alone and must be forced to live with someone who never got along with him. What a luck!Let out a heavy sigh, Donghae reached his pants pocket to find his cell phone. He squinted as the light from his phone momentarily blinded him. His thumb playing over the screen and dialing the number that he had memorized by rote; his father’s number. But as previously, what he found was not his father’s voice but a mailbox. He was so lost, so broken-hearted, how could they leave him like this?Donghae dropped his knees back down, willing himself to silence his tears, at least for the time being. ‘C'mon Donghae, you’re a man. Pull it together. Crying never got you anything.’ He thought and standing up, Donghae wiped his eyes and moved to lean over the railing, the wind still whipping his tousled brown hair. He stood still, staring up into the night sky, trying so hard to be brave. After all, in the end, he himself was all he had. The only person he could truly count on.A knock at the door startling Donghae, he glanced over his shoulder and wondered who knocked on the door at this hour, he didn’t even know anyone here. ‘Hyukjae?’ his mind asked. But just judging by the cover Donghae knew that Hyukjae is not the type who will knock the door first – courteous and Hyukjae never get along in Donghae’s mind, slamming will be a more suitable phrase for him.“Who the hell…” Donghae frowned and walked over to the door, opened it only to be greeted by two unfamiliar guys.To be honest, Donghae wasn't ready to meet any new people right now especially when he had just moved here. His brown eyes skimmed over the two people before him. One of them has an overly cute face– little animal like look, his bunny teeth showing proudly when he smiles. He has the image like ‘if you want cute, just look at me’. Unlike the other guy that has ‘devil may care’ expression on his calm feature. He wears the plain white t-shirt which he jazzed up with a black-striped cardigan. He is much taller than both of them, his pitch black hair unruly and pointing in all directions, clearly pictured that he is still in his baby blue.“Hi, you must be our new neighbourhood?” the cute looking boy suddenly asked, raising his eyebrows curiously.“Um, yeah, I guess…” A nervous smile appeared on Donghae’s face, eyeing their linked hands and he suddenly feels uncomfortable. “I just arrived this afternoon, and you are…?”“Oh! Sorry!” he smiled sheepishly, offering his hand to Donghae. “I’m Sungmin. Lee Sungmin. And this is –,” he trailed off, nudging the guy beside him with annoying look. “Yah! Introduce yourself.”“Cho Kyuhyun.” He smirked, shaking Donghae’s hand. “Nice to meet you Lee Donghae-ssi.”Donghae blinked, “How did –?”“Teukie hyung told us,” Sungmin interrupted, looking amused. “He said the guy with the brown hair is Donghae, and the one with raven hair is Hyukjae. Where is he anyway?”“Teukie?” Donghae asked quizzically, tilting his head.“Oh!” Sungmin clamped his palm on his mouth cutely. “I meant Jungsu hyung. Teukie is his pet-name, we used to it. We’re his dongsaengs, not the real dongsaeng, but we are pretty close.”Donghae muttered an ‘um’ and Sungmin brought the question back, “Where’s your roommate?Roommate? The sentence itself made Donghae shivered in unpleasant ways. “He is…,” Donghae paused for a moment, feeling confused. What the fuck he will supposed to say? Like, I don’t care and I don’t give a shit about him?But before he opens his mouth a grin suddenly tugging at the side of his lips, eyeing another presence in the dark hallway. “There he was,” he said flatly, pointing toward Hyukjae with his chin. Donghae frowned when noticing the grocery bags on Hyukjae’s hand.Sungmin and Kyuhyun quickly turned their heads. In front of them there was a gorgeous guy with short red hair, wearing an expensive fawn jacket and that had the sharp masculine feature. “Hi,” Sungmin greeted cheerfully, offering his hand. “You must be Hyukjae. Nice to meet you.”Hyukjae looked at the three of them with a bored look, he just nodded slightly before walking paralysed into the house, leaving Sungmin with his un-accept hand.“What a manner.” Kyuhyun spoke up, narrowing his eyes annoyingly.“He is just a little bit off this moment.” Donghae explained non-chalantly. “Don’t mind him, I’ve faced worse.”“Uhm…” Sungmin looked Donghae with an awkward look, giggling. “Yeah, I think he does.”“Well, nice to meet you two.” The brunette began politely, hoping that this conversation will be over soon. “Thank you for greeting me.”Sungmin gave a light hearted laugh and nodded. “So, our place is right next to you. Feel free to come and ask for some sugar or coffee whenever you want!”“Sure. Thanks for your help, both of you.”“Well, I guess we better leave Kyuhyunie,” Sungmin smiled warmly, looking at his friend who was smiling at him too. How surprised Donghae when Kyuhyun’s ice feature melted automatically when the latter just simply throwing smile at him. “If you need anything, don't hesitate to knock our door Donghae-ssi. Good night.”Donghae nodded for the umpteenth time, hearing those words, he wasn't sure if he should feel happy or worried instead. “Good night.” He replied, waved goodbye to them before closing the door. With a deep breath, Donghae fought the tiredness and stretched to look around. Over the back of the sofa, he could just see a sink with numerous dirty dishes in the tiny kitchenette.“That jerk, he ate on his own and didn’t clean it up?” Donghae muttered stressfully. “He thinks there will be a maid here, huh?” he grumbled non-stop, checking the fridge because Donghae was curious about what supplies Hyukjae bought earlier. He almost burst out in laugh while he noted that half of the fridge almost filled with dozens of strawberry milk.“You gave me another reason to mock you up, Hyukjae.” He singsonged lowly, walking toward the room. Opening the door he looked only to find the room empty, and the sound of the shower running. Donghae sighed and plopped down on the single bed in the small room, enjoying the silence around him and he tried to close his eyes, let the sleep takes over until –“Yah!”Fuck!“Get off.”Donghae turned towards the source of disturbance and flickered his eyes open. “Wha –““Get off! I said I'm taking the bed!” Hyukjae replied, irritating on his voice.Donghae groaned and rolled his eyes, “What I said about bossy me around? And for fuck’ sake, put on your shirt. Idiot.” The brunette commented calmly. He knew exactly the kind of response that comment was going to get. This was not the first time they'd had this petty argument. And of course, his words fell on deaf ears.Hyukjae crossed his arms and glared menacingly at Donghae. “Get off, will you?” The red haired man stated firmly. That wasn't a question. That was an order. “No.” Donghae answered stubbornly. “You are the one who need to go if you don’t want to share this bed with me. Anyway, I don't have to share with anyone if you don’t want to, and I like that. It's a perfect place for some 'me time'. The door’s right there, strawberry boy.” He persisted, rolled over trying to bring the covers with him only to be stopped halfway by something heavy lying on top of him. Looking over he came face to face with the raven haired boy, and suddenly his breaths like caught in his throat.After nearly having a heart attack he sighed, shaking Hyukjae to get off of him. “I think we should leave it. Just for now, okay?” Donghae almost pleaded. For some reason he suddenly felt nervous. Heck! He was never this physically close to Hyukjae, and although he hated to admit it but Hyukjae really smells good. The smell of his strawberry shampoo was truly intoxicating, yet coupled with his hot breath which only making Donghae even more uncomfortable.“Um, let me think first…” Hyukjae said with a happy grin, a gum peeking proudly. “What if I said… No! Get off!” he shouted annoyingly, pushing Donghae off of the bed with his leg.“Lee Hyukjae,” he grumbled ominously under his breath, withdrawing all of his delusional perfectness about Hyukjae’s smells minutes ago. He is not worth it, he is just a stinky monkey, a freak strawberry addict. No more.“What?” Hyukjae stared at him expressionless, as if nothing’s wrong at all with their current situation.“I fucking hate you!” Donghae exclaimed before climbing back into the bed and kicked Hyukjae with all of his might. The redhead wouldn’t have it and he did the same to Donghae. They spent the night with kicked each other off of the bed and somehow both of them ended sleeping on the dusty floor with Donghae rested his head against the warm skin of the other’s bare chest while Hyukjae snuggled his chin on the brunette’s fluffy hair.In that first night, they slept very soundly in each other arms.___________________________________________________________________________________________________A/N: aw, the ending was lame as hell . But anyway, comment and subscribe will be loved > // <