25. Cat person (2/4)
“Correct me if I am wrong,” Jongdae says once the boy is safely dressed up in Jongdae’s baggy pair of pajamas and he is sitting on the opposite couch of him in the living room. He is not meeting Jongdae’s gaze as he is playing with the long arms of Jongdae’s pajamas. He has a muscular form but is so skinny so even Jongdae’s clothes are big on him. Jongdae’s mouth is kind of going dry at the moment.
“You are a human but you become a cat during the day and you turn back into a boy at night,” Jongdae says slowly. The boy suddenly raises his head to give Jongdae an amused, smug smile.
“Boy?” The boy says with his eyebrows raised. “I am thirty you know?” Jongdae coughes on his own spit. Xiu- the man laughed. He is actually three years older than Jongdae.
“Do you have a name?” Jongdae asks. The man before him snorts.
“Oh course I do. Look I am not a fantasy creature. I wasn’t always like this,” he says. Jongdae kind of feels stupid. “It’s Minseok by the way.”
“Go easy on me. You don’t see cats turning into a human every day,” Jongdae scratches the back of his neck. Minseok’s lips go downwards creating a small pout and his eyebrows furrow before he is looking at his hands again.
“I am sorry that you had to experience this. I was planning to leave tonight actually,” Minseok ‘s lips are pressed together in a thin line.
“Leave? Where were you planning to go?” Jongdae says. Suddenly remembering the poor cat Zhoumi bought to the shelter.
“To streets obviously, I am a cat remember?” Minseok smiles. Jongdae rubs his temples.
“This still feels like a prank. Am i on tv? There is no way you can be that cat I bought home,” Actually now that Jongdae looks at Minseok’s face, he and the cat has similar looks. The eyes, the small figure and all of the feline gestures. Minseok suddenly smiles, showing his gums again.
“Uhm you just sang and danced to ‘Single Ladies’ in front of me. Do you need any more proof?” Minseok says and Jongdae shrieks in horror.
“Okay, is there any explanation of why you are a cat by day and a human by night?” Jongdae says trying to change the subject. Minseok’s eyebrows furrow in concern again. Maybe Jongdae is getting way too used to watch Minseok’s expressions.
“Not really. I mean I don’t really know what’s going on myself,” Minseok scratches his head.
“Any idea?” Jongdae is pretty insistent. Minseok sighs.
“Let’s say that I messed things up with a girl and I got her angry,” he says biting his lower lip.
“Are you cursed or something?” Jongdae says trying to hold back a laugh. Minseok gives him an annoyed look and it is just like the ones that he does when he is a cat. “So you are actually a Disney Princess?” and the pout Minseok gives has Jongdae bursting into laughter.
“Laugh all you want,” Minseok says. “Thank you so much for everything but I think it’s better if I go now,” Minseok says standing up.
“Hey calm down, it was just a joke. And don’t tell me you are thinking about going back to streets,” Jongdae is also getting up to stop Minseok .
“Yeah, I told you I am a cat,” Minseok says.
“That doesn’t necessarily mean that you are good at being one. You were almost dead when you were bought to the shelter,” Jongdae says motioning for Minseok to sit back down.
“It’s not that easy,” Minseok says as he sits back down and Jongdae feels relieved.
“That’s why I am saying that you can stay here,” Jongdae doesn’t really know why he wants this guy to stay, why he wants to take care of him or get to know him but he knows that he will regret it and he will feel guilty for the rest of his life if he lets Minseok go right now. “Maybe we can find a way to to solve your problem.”
“It’s a bit complicated. Xiumin is looking at the ground with this confused and troubled expression on his face. “I don’t have any idea. I don’t know anything about this thing that is happening to me.”
“I am a veterinarian,” Jongdae says proudly. Minseok rolls his eyes and it makes Jongdae grin when thinking about how his cat, Xiumin, also rolled his eyes like that. “How much can you stay as a human?”
“Well, I change when the clock hits the twelve,” and Minseok makes a wild gesture with his hands when Jongdae playfully smiles. “Don’t even dare to make a Cindrella joke,” he quickly adds.
“And when do you change back into a cat?” Jongdae tries not to be rude and holds back his laugh as much as possible. Minseok pouts and that just makes everything more amusing.
“I change back at three a.m.” Minseok says. Jongdae makes an approving sound and then turns his head to the side to face the wall, biting his bottom lip to prevent from laughing. Minseok is giving him the look again.
“Grow up a little,” Minseok hisses and finally Jongdae laughs again for a good five minutes. Minseok’s left eye is literally twitching.
“You have to go easy on me okay? I am like shit drunk right now and I don’t even know if I will laugh about this or freak out in the morning,” Jongdae says after catching his breathe. He smiles sheepishly and Minseok sighs. His face does soften though.
“Like I said, I will do my best to help you find a way to get rid of this situation if there is a way of course but you need to tell me the details,” Jongdae say and he smiles genuinely. Minseok is looking at the carpet again and not giving a response. It makes Jongdae wonder what’s so interesting about the carpet.
“Why are you so willing to help me? I mean you really seem like a good person and I appreciate it but,” Minseok is curling inside again like he is shying away. “I can’t… I mean I am useless like this. I can’t share your rent or something. I am going to be burden.”
“Bitch please,” this kind of startles Minseok but Jongdae wants to break the iceberg between them so he thinks if he wants to make Minseok comfortable, he should make himself comfortable first. “Finally some action is going on in my life and you are so wrong if you are thinking that I am going to miss that,” and Jongdae is only relieved to see that Minseok is smiling. Jongdae means it. He is curious right now and he can’t even remember the last time he felt this excited.
“We can talk about this tomorrow. You really have to go and sleep now if you want to go to work tomorrow,” Minseok says and Jongdae hates that he is so right.
Yixing elbows him while Jongdae is filling the med form for one of the puppies that are getting adopted.
“What?” Jongdae says suddenly pulled back to reality and away from his thoughts.
“What is wrong with you today? Your head is in the clouds,” Yixing says. Jongdae rolls his eyes. “If I wasn’t the one that bought you home yesterday I would think that you met someone or something,” Yixing says with a smug smirk.
“If you don’t have anything to do that means you can fill this form,” Jongdae says pushing the papers towards Yixing before he gets up from the table.
“You are cruel!” Yixing says pouting. Jongdae grins. Jongdae neutered three cat’s today and if he can take that out on Yixing he will be happy.
“But seriously, something is wrong with you,” Yixing says. Something might be wrong with Jongdae. He thinks that is totally reasonable since he came home shit drunk last night and found out that his cat is actually a man and he can’t help but think that maybe he is really losing it. He can’t make sure that if he had a dream or if it was real. It felt so real but technically it is impossible.
“How crazy do you think life can get?” Jongdae says and drops himself to the couch.
“You would be surprised to know how crazy it can get,” Yixing says smiling. Yixing is probably thinking that Jongdae finally found a guy and is trying to sport him because Jongdae knows Yixing like the back of his hand. But somehow this response makes Jongdae feel lighter.
“But I think, instead of stopping and fussing about how crazy it is, you should focus more on what to do and how to make the best out of it,” and there is Yixing with his inner white bearded old wise man. But Jongdae finds himself smiling anyways.
“You are a ball off mozzarella cheese,” Jongdae says getting Yixing in a head lock.
“Don’t you think I at least deserve to be mozzarella sticks? Because they are damn expensive,” Yixing says pushing Jongdae away.
“Oh you poor baby. You have never been to Walmart have you?”
Minseok can hear him. He is lying on the couch in the living room but he can hear Jongdae shifting his weight from a foot to another before the apartment door. Damn those cat ears. Jongdae is awfully slow at getting his courage up but Minseok can’t blame him. The whole Minseok just sat on the couch and felt nervous. What if Jongdae was thinking that he saw a dream? What if he was going to freak out? Last night Jongdae was drunk but Minseok is sure he is pretty sober this time.
He hears the door getting unlocked and he has goose bumps when Jongdae steps inside. Minseok doesn’t know what to do. Should he get up and go to him or should he stay here awkwardly and prevent from making noises. He ends up deciding to and peer from the hall.
Jongdae is undoing his shoelaces and when he lifts his head and sees Minseok, he stumbles backwards falling on his ass. Minseok feels guilty causing that but Jongdae’s small form is on the ground looking at him with a dumbfounded face and it is pretty amusing actually. Then Jongdae is laughing at himself too. His face looks pretty ugly when he laughs like that. His eyebrows raise upwards like he is in some sort of pain and his eyes literally disappears.
Minseok can’t look away though. It is just so true, so honest and gives you a bubbly feeling, making you happy too. It gives Minseok the courage to walk over to him.
“How are you?” Jongdae says and unexpectedly starts petting Minseok’s head. Minseok’s eyes open wide as Jongdae scratches the back of his ears. Doesn’t he know that he Minseok is a human? Isn’t this skin ship a bit too much? Of course Minseok is a cat right now but still he has his dignity - Oh Fuck! He purred. Minseok fucking purred!
Minseok starts walking away before it gets more awkward and Jongdae goes to his room to change. Minseok jumps back on the couch and he starts to scratch it lightly. He doesn’t want to damage the furniture but he can hear the clicks of Jongdae’s belt and the sound that fabric makes against Jongdae’s hair when he takes it off. Minseok is nervous and cat instincts are no help. When Jongdae enters the living room Minseok is looking at everywhere but Jongdae .
Something is off though. Jongdae is just his usual self. He is talking to himself, singing, making jokes as he is watching TV. Minseok wonders if he had eaten before he got home because he is just watching the TV.
Shit, Minseok thinks. Jongdae had forgotten or thinks that it was a dream. Fuck, he is going to freak out when he sees Minseok the human and they are going to have a remake of the last night but this time Jongdae will be sober.
Minseok doesn’t know how he didn’t end up destroying the couches or the curtains with the stress he was feeling as the hours went by. Jongdae doesn’t look like he is going to sleep anytime soon as he is explaining how neutring female cats is done. Minseok knows that it is almost twelve because his bones start to ache a little. He freaks out for a moment. Not knowing what to do. He ends up jumping down from the couch and hiding behind it.
“Xiumin?” Jongdae says and fuck he called Minseok ‘Xiumin’ and he kind of groans in frustration as the pain of the transformation hits him. In just a few seconds he is sitting on the ground and pulling his human legs closer to him. The room is silent. It is deadly silent.
“Jongdae?” Minseok ends up saying after waiting for a few seconds. Jongdae stays silent and Minseok slams his face to his kneecaps.
“Yeah..?” A reply comes long after and Minseok hears Jongdae’s steps as he is coming closer to the couch that Minseok is hiding behind.
“Don’t come please,” Minseok says and feels relieved as Jongdae stops. “I just need some clothes, Can you bring me something? Anything?” Minseok asks hesitantly.
“Oh! Yeah, sure! Just a second,” Minseok thinks Jongdae runs out of the living room but he can’t make sure since his hearing abilities are back to the lame, human level. But even with his human ears Minseok can hear the loud beating of his own heart. It probably takes a few minutes until Jongdae is back but it feels like hours to Xiumin.
“Here,” Minseok sees a pair of small hands leaving clothes to the side of the couch. He waits until Jongdae pulls back to grab the clothes like his life depends on it. He thinks Jongdae letted out a quiet chuckle at his behavior.
After Minseok is fully clothed, he takes a deep breath and stands up, ready to face Jongdae. Jongdae is there standing in front of him and smiles when he sees Minseok.
“Hi there,” He says. Minseok feels his heartbeat going to it’s normal rate.
“So you are not freaking out?” Minseok says as Jondae smiles wider. “I thought you forgot about it. You called me Xiumin,” Minseok feels the need to add.
“Well, I wasn’t a hundred percent sure because it is so unrealistic but,” Jongdae’s smile turns into a sheepish one. “I would be pretty disappointed if you wouldn’t transform after I made such a fuss about it and felt nervous the whole day,” Jongdae shrugs. He says it so easy. Minseok smiles back. It is good to know that he was not the only one.
“So do you want to eat something? I am kind of starving,” Jongdae says motioning the kitchen. Minseok’s mouth hangs open.
“You haven’t eaten yet?” and Jongdae is giving that cat grin again. Minseok can’t look at it more than a second. It feels…. Kind of… Too welcoming.
“I thought that we could eat together. Didn’t you miss human food?” Jongdae says.
“Well, my cat food is healthier than ramyun,” Minseok says smirking as Jongdae pouts just like the child that he is.
“Not everyone can cook!” He is furrowing his arms in front of him. Minseok finds himself smiling at this cute act.
“I can,” and he chuckles at how Jongdae’s eyes are suddenly sparkling. “Do you have anything to cook though?” and as soon as he says that he is being dragged by an overly excited Jongdae to kitchen.
“So you can’t cook but your fridge is full,” Minseok says looking all of those vegetables in the fridge.
“I get motivated by buying them,” Jongdae says. “I think that they will motivate me into learning how to cook but I just don’t… It doesn’t work.” Minseok is seriously giving him The Look.
“Hey! They don’t go to waste okay? Yixing cooks them whenever he comes here,” Jongdae says. Minseok feels a little bit uneasy suddenly.
“Yixing is the guy at the shelter right?” He finds himself asking and wonders what has gotten inside him.
“Yes, the one with the dimples,” Jongdae says pressing his forefingers to his cheeks imitating dimples with his kittenish smile.
“Is he your boyfriend?” Minseok thinks since he started already, he must go till the end. Jongdae pulls the frozen- shocked act until Minseok finally gives up and looks at him instead of getting the rice.
“What?” Minseok says.
“Dude he is my best friend. That was so gross,” He says with a grin. Minseok looks back at the rice that he is pouring to a bowl because he is afraid he might smile back.
“You talk about him a lot. That’s why,” He says. Jongdae pouts.
“Yixing is engaged,” Jongdae says with a sincere smile. Showing that he is happy for him. “He is engaged to Zhoumi. The tall guy that bought you to the shelter. He is also a vet just not in the shelter.”
“Oh that’s so nice. Now cut the vegetables please,” Minseok says because he knows that once Jongdae starts, there will be no stopping him.
“Yeah, I think I should cook the rice and you should cut the vegetables,” Jongdae reaches out to pass the knife to Minseok.
“And why is that?” Minseok says but he takes the knife anyways. Jongdae bites down on his bottom lip and Minseok finds himself watching the act.
“I’m bad at it. I always cut my fingers instead of the vegetables,” Jongdae says. Minseok just looks at him.
“You can neutralize cats but you can’t cut vegetables?” Minseok says.
“It’s not the same okay? It is my profession so I feel confident in it but vegetables are just evil. Can we just cook? I am so hungry,” Jongdae is pouting and Minseok finds himself laughing at it.
“You are impossible,” Minseok says and he doesn’t realize that he is actually smiling until Jongdae is still pouting but with a pink shade on his cheeks now. The urge to call Jongdae cute is almost unbearable.
Minseok is not a cooking genius he just had this I need to lose weight! Era in his life and that gave him an idea of cooking but Jongdae is slurping everything down to his stomach like it is the best thing he had ever eaten and this makes Minseok smile proudly.
“So,” Jongdae says after a while of eating like crazy “You seem to know a lot about my life but I don’t know anything about you.” Minseok quirks an eyebrow at that.
“Well technically I didn’t ask you anything did I? You talked to yourself,” and the pout Jongdae is giving again makes Minseok laugh.
“I wasn’t talking to myself! I was talking to you,”
“I was a cat,” Minseok says.
“You don’t want to talk about it?” Jongdae says gently like he is testing the waters. Minseok shakes his head. Jongdae opened his house to him there is no reason for Minseok to behave that way.
“I am an architect,” Minseok chuckles at that. “I mean I was an architect. I came to Beijing for college and after that I started working with B+H Architecture in Beijing. Everything was going okay than this happened,” Minseok says gesturing his body.
“Thank you for applying. We will call you back,” Jongdae says giving Minseok ‘The Look’ and it is not fair because that look belongs to Minseok. “I am not interviewing you for work for god’s sake.”
“Oh, sorry for not being entertaining,” Minseok says leaning back on his chair. Jongdae smirks.
“It’s okay, just make sure that it won’t happen again,” Jongdae’s lips are kittenish like always. “Look I am just trying to get to know you. We will be living together and it doesn’t have to be that formal. I am a good person I promise. Okay, I tease and I can’t guarantee that the things you said are not going to be used against you in terms of teasing, but I am a good human being,” Jongdae’s tone is actually sincere though. Minseok finds himself rolling his eyes at him.
“Three years ago, I met this girl,” Minseok flinches when Jongdae suddenly woos and starts clapping. “Behave, or I am not telling you anything.” He says pointing his finger at Jongdae and almost laughs at how Jongdae stops immediately.
“It was a time that i was very pressured by my family. I was successful at work so that they started expecting something else from me. Like finding a women and getting married. I thought it would be okay if i would find a girl just to shut them up for a while and there was a beautiful girl in the office I worked. Her name was soojung. She was Korean like me so we used to talk and hangout and when I realized that she was actually showing me interest in that way, I thought why not,” Jongdae’s eyebrows are furrowed in concern it is so interesting to see how Jongdae is all ears on this.
“She was a nice girl and I thought I should stop doing to not to damage her that much but things just happened so fast. In a blink she met with my family and my mom was talking to her about wedding dresses while my father was taking me to shopping for the rings. It just came to a point which I couldn’t stop it from happening,” Minseok is talking about this for the first time and it just feels like everything is happening all over again.
“It must be scary,” Jongdae says, he looks troubled too, like he is actually living it.
“It was and I got so scared because there were so many things that I didn’t have time to figure out. There were things that I had to push away and hide but they were a part of me,” Minseok stops for a while. This part is the trickiest part. He never told this to anyone and this might change what Jongdae will think about him completely but he just feels the need. The need to let it out.
“I hooked up with a boy,” Minseok faces the way Jongdae’s eyes widen in shock.
“I didn’t saw that coming,” Jongdae admits sheepishly.
“No one did,” Minseok feels the way to look away. To the ground, to anywhere. Fear of being judged, that fear he thought to himself is rushing back in.
“I wasn’t comfortable about that too until I was in college. Then I just said fuck it,” Jongdae smiles. Minseok figures it is encouragement for him to continue and speak freely. It kind of works.
“He was Canadian- chineese I guess. His name was Kris and he was tall and handsome. Eye catching kind of man,” Minseok says with a shy smile and Jongdae chuckles. “It felt so free being with him secretly. I didn’t had to explain anything to anyone and no one was disappointed in me but of course it was impossible for me to get away with that.”
“Did she find out?” Jongdae asks. Minseok nods at that. “How??”
“There is this thing about women. They just feel. Maybe she saw my texts or something, we never had a chance to talk this out but she came home one day later than usual. I was home at early because I felt that she was getting suspicious about something being wrong. She came in crying and shouting. I didn’t deny anything. I couldn’t do that to her,” Minseok feels himself calming down now. Since the story is getting close to it’s end. It is funny how he feels like the same things just happened again but now he feels lighter.
“But how did this happened to you? How can you transform into a cat?” Jongdae says.
“I don’t know. It is impossible to explain. She said that I don’t have a heart and I don’t know how to love and she hopes that life gives me twice as amount of the pain and the struggle she had till i learn what love fucking means. Her exact words,” Jongdae’s mouth opens wide. “And I was a cat when I woke up.”
“You were cursed like this? Oh my god!” Jongdae’s voice is impossibly getting an octave higher and Minseok lets out a chuckle. “Do you really believe it is the reason why?” Minseok thinks for a while. Considering everything.
“I don’t know. Maybe I hurted her really bad. Maybe she just wished for something to happen to me so much that it happened… Or maybe I ate something weird,” Minseok says and Jongdae grins.
“You are right. Believing that you are cursed is much more cooler,” Jongdae says patting Minseok’s back. It oddly feels comforting. Like he finally has someone to lean on, someone to trust. He regrets his previous life sometimes. He was so focused on hiding and being afraid that he didn’t had the chance to enjoy his life and make connections.
“And you spent your late twenties being a cat,” Jongdae says. “Perfect.” Minseok smiles playfully.
“Yeah I am so sad that I didn’t get to spend it while neutering animals,” Minseok says. Jongdae pouts.
“I am not thirty yet! And at least my profession is not being a Disney Princess,” Jongdae wiggles his eyebrows with a smirk and Jongdae looks like he can go on whole night to just to get the last word so Minseok figures he should clean the dishes because Jongdae won’t.
“Oh my god you are seeing someone!” Yixing says slamming his hands to the table with a big grin on his face. They came to this Korean BBQ place that Chanyeol somehow managed to find and Yixing is just going to get them kicked out with the amount of soju he Is drinking and this long faced waiter is looking at their table already.
“Baby,” Zhoumi is trying to pull Yixing back into his sitting position and is giving apologizing glances to the waiter.
“Yixing is right though,” Baekhyun smiles at Jongdae from the end of table and he is holding hands with a Chanyeol that is struggling to cook the sliced Korean beef. His eyes are lined with black eyeliner and he looks stunning in his while cardigan. Baekhyun is literally glowing tonight and it has been such a long while since Jongdae saw Baekhyun without the purple circles under his eyes. This Baekhyun looks so much like the fearless, young Baekhyun that Jongdae met at the college. And Jongdae is only happy to say that those same things also goes for Chanyeol.
“Jongdae, you have been murmuring lovesick songs the whole time since we came here and I pity Yixing thinking that he had to go through with this all day at the shelter,” Baekhyun smirks and Chanyeol laughs because Chanyeol has to laugh everything Baekhyun says and has to give him a cheesy smile because he is disgusting like that.
Jongdae thought it would be hard to see them happy and together. Jongdae thought that he would feel alone and left behind. He had a hard time when Yixing got engaged. He smiled and congratulated Yixing, he ordered him drinks but when he got back home, he lied down on his bed and started thinking. He wondered if Yixing was better than him. He wondered if Jongdae didn’t really deserve love, to be loved. And then he hated himself for not being able to be just happy for Yixing. But right now he is happy. He is happy for Chanyeol and Baekhyun. Maybe, he thinks, maybe he has grown up.
“I murmur songs all the time and it is not my fault that songs are generally about love,” Jongdae says stuffing his mouth with side dishes as an excuse to not to speak.
“Not all of them are love sick like you. Baaby I’m youuurss~” Yixing starts’s to sing Arctic Monkeys and Jongdae smiles at Zhoumi , the poor guy that is going to drive Yixing home tonight.
“You know that we are just going to bully you until you tell us who is he and what is happening,” Kyungsoo says while placing slices of beef to Jongdae’s plate.
“It’s not like that,” Jongdae says not knowing how to explain. “I mean, I did met someone but we are not seeing each other like that.”
“You should though,” Yixing says with a reassuring smile. “It’s been such a long time Jongdae. It will be good for you.” Kyungsoo is bumping to Jongdae’s side in an encouraging way, Baekhyun is giving one of those pure smiles that he usually gives to Chanyeol to comfort him and Chanyeol is grinning at Jongdae. This is driving Jongdae crazy.
“You guys always complain about how I am not going out with you, how i spend all of my time alone and all but did you ever stop and think that maybe this is the reason why?” Jongdae knows that he is going to ruin this night for anyone. Jongdae knows that he is going to regret this oh so much but he is just so sick and tired. All of those things that he kept bottled up inside are rushing out now and he can’t stop it now. He doesn’t want to stop it.
“We used to have fun together, we used to talk about things and make music but recently it is all about how miserable my life is. I’m sick of hearing that I need this, I need that, I am being like this, I am like that. Stop judging me for a second. Just stop it!” Jongdae is kind of yelling maybe.
“Jongdae, we are not judging you,” Baekhyun says, grabbing Yixing’s arm in a comforting way because Yixing looks like he is shocked.
“Oh, shut up. Just because you guys are all having your ‘happily ever after’s you are expecting me to have one or I am just not good enough,” Jongdae didn’t really wanted to say that actually. Kyungsoo grabs his arm strongly and looks right into his eyes.
“Don’t do this Jongdae,” He says with a soft voice but it is as strong as he is shouting.
“You are right,” Jongdae says and raises his hand up to get the long faced waiter’s attention. “Excuse me! Can I get this wrapped up?” he says putting some more things to his plate before giving it to the waiter. The only reason he got out of his shell and came here was because he thought Minseok would like to eat Korean BBQ but it was impossible for him to come so Jongdae thought he could get some for Minseok. At least he can still do that.
“Hey, dude!” Chanyeol says and Yixing grabs his arm when Jongdae gets up.
“Jongdae please, sit down and we will talk about this,” Yixing says with pleading eyes. He looks like if someone would poke him he would cry but right now Jongdae is blind and all he can see is just anger, fear and insecurity.
“If you think that you can fix me by telling me how broken I am again and again, you are just so fucking wrong,” Jongdae pulls his arm back and walks to the counter because he figures he can’t wait at the table anymore. Yixing tries to go after him but gladly Zhoumi stops him because Jongdae is toxic right now.
~~~~~~~~~~
First time that Jongdae and Luhan had sex was also the first time Jongdae had sex with a boy. Jongdae was so nervous as Luhan pushed him to the bed but as soon as the clothes got out of the way Jongdae’s mind was clouded with so many other emotions that he forgot how to be nervous. Jongdae would never regret having his first time with Luhan because Luhan made it an amazing experience.
Everything was so slow and intense. Luhan kissed every corner of Jongdae’s body and left countless marks everywhere like the kids that they were. Whispered dirty things all over and over again about how he would do that to Jongdae and then do this and it was driving Jongdae crazy because Luhan was actually not doing anything , teasing Jongdae till the end instead.
By the time Luhan actually parted Jongdae’s legs, Jongdae was leaking. He took Jongdae to his mouth not to relieve the tension but to double it. He bought Jongdae so close to the edge so many times just to stop Jongdae from having it. He was watching Jongdae like jongdae was an artwork, like he was the most beautiful thing in the whole world. Luhan kept going like he wanted this to last till forever. He wanted it to take as long as it could take.
It went just like that the night after that and the night after that. It was like Jongdae was having his second first time and the third first time and the fourth and the fifth. Every touch and every position making him feel like he was discovering something new and he was complete. Maybe it was because Jongdae was having sex with a boy for the first time or maybe Luhan was just too good at it.
When he was alone at his own bed in the dorms, he would just lie there sleepless and think if Luhan would ever leave, would all off those new things he discovered leave together with him. Would all of this newly found confidence and happiness disappear?
~~~~~~~~~~
“Heyoo!” Jongdae says as soon as he gets in to his apartment and closes the door. Minseok comes to greet him looking as awesome as always in his white shirt and pajama pants. He doesn’t really have to greet Jongdae but it is like something that Minseok always does without giving much thought about it. He is back in his human form because Jongdae got late and Jongdae feels terrible for losing time at outside when Minseok has only three hours to be human and talk with someone.
“Sorry I’m late. But I got you Korean BBQ!” Jongdae takes a step forward to give the bag to Minseok but Minseok looks like he is having a heart attack when he stops Jongdae with both hands on Jongdae’s chest.
“Take your shoes off first! I just cleaned the hall,” Minseok is looking at him like Jongdae committed a crime. At first he would realize something was off with his apartment when Minseok started cleaning it at night when he was asleep but now he is so used to it that he doesn’t even notice. Minseok fitted to his life perfectly fine.
“Fine, but I can’t do it with a bag in my hand right?” Jongdae says pushing the bag to Minseok insistently. Minseok takes the bag and opens it. His eyes widen and Jongdae feels bubbly for the first time today.
“Fuck! Is this Korean beef?” Minseok says with a big grin on his face and Jongdae starts focusing on taking his shoes because he can stare forever if he lets himself.
“Yeah! It is not as good as it is in Korea but it is okay, “ Jongdae says as he takes his jacket off and starts walking to the living room. Minseok follows him.
“Does this mean you already ate?” Minseok says with furrowed eyebrows. “I cooked you know?”
“You did?” Jongdae felt something stir inside of him. There was someone in his house waiting for him, cleaning the apartment they share and cooking for both of them. Jongdae wondered if he would even be able to express how happy he is.
“Yes I did. I don’t care even you fucking explode, you are going to eat something Jongdae. I even added anchovies just because you like them and you know I can’t stand them,” Minseok says giving Jongdae a deadly glare.
“Of course I will! Thank youu~” Jongdae makes a buing buing aegyeo and Minseok just looks at him dumbfounded. He was clearly not expecting that and Jongdae gives him a smile.
“Go change. You smell like a dog,” Minseok says after a while of not knowing how to respond to Jongdae.
“Yes, sir! But first,” Jongdae starts looking for his phone in his pockets. “I downloaded a song for you.”
When Bi Rain’s ‘Thirty Sexy’ fills up the room Minseok rolls his eyes but Jongdae knows that as soon as he leaves the living room he will hear Minseok’s laugh.
After they eat and clean the table -forcefully- they sit on the living room and chat. It is like their routine now. Eating together and just talking. Television or computer long forgotten in their places and Jongdae finds just having this comforting and relaxing. He is actually looking forward to this time of the day all the time.
They talk about this and that effortlessly and even though Minseok feels that something is off with Jongdae, he doesn’t ask about it. But it Is half past two and it is the time of the day that Minseok forces him to go to sleep.
“Can you… I know it is weird but,” Jongdae is looking for a way to put it in words to make it seem normal and casual but he is kind of failing. “I don’t want you to keep sleeping on the couch all the time. It’s not good for your back.” Minseok smiles with his gums showing in return and even if Jongdae wasn’t nervous asking about the thing he was thinking about, he is nervous now.
“I have only half an hour before I am a cat again and this couch is pretty big for me, don’t worry,” He says. This almost makes Jongdae give up. Almost.
“My bed is queen sized? We can share it if you want?” Jongdae says and he knows that he is all red on the face. Minseok looks at him with eyes wide open.
“Uhm, it is not necessary? I mean I am okay here,” and since Jongdae started he thinks he must go till the end.
“Well I am asking because I want to,” and he panicks when Minseok’s does eyes widen even more. “I mean I don’t mean anything by it but I don’t really like sleeping alone and if you don’t mind we can…” Jongdae goes on. Watching Minseok’s face for him to change his shocked expression but Minseok keeps staring.
“Nevermind. I am sorry for making things awkward. I just had a rough day,” Jongdae’s head is suddenly so itchy. He get’s up to go to the bathroom without looking at Minseok because he is really embarrassed right now.
“We can. I mean I can sleep with- sleep on your bed,” Minseok says and Jongdae feels like Jumping around when he looks Minseok and he is sure his eyes are sparkling.
“Really?” Jongdae says with a big grin. Minseok shrugs.
“Yeah. I mean I will be a cat. It’s not like anything funny can happ-“ Minseok sighs and rubs his temples with his index finger and thumb. “ I mean yes.”
“Thank you! Buing buing~” Jongdae gives all the aegyeo he has and Minseok is looking at him dumbfounded again like he did when Jongdae came home today.
“Just go wash that aegyeo off of your face. It is disgusting.” Minseok gets up and walks towards Jongdae’s bedroom while Jongdae jogs to the bathroom.
When Jongdae comes to his bedroom all excited like a puppy, Minseok is lying on top of the covers, looking at him and Jongdae really wants to grab his camera to took a picture of it because it is one of the loveliest sights he had ever seen. He smiles at him and gets under the covers while Minseok prefers to stay on top of them because he will turn into a cat anyways and turns his back to Jongdae to make this whole experience less weird Jongdae assumes.
“Minseok, I need to ask you something,” Jongdae says.
“God Jongdae! Sleep already,” Minseok says. “We can talk about it tomorrow.”
“No. I really need to ask this. I have been dying to ask this for a while,” Jongdae insist with a little pout in his tone. Minsoek doesn’t respond for a while so Jongdae starts to think that he is ignoring him but Minseok sighs and turns to face Jongdae. Waow, Minseok up close doesn’t do good things to Jongdae’s heart. Are those eyes even real?
“Go ahead,” he says. Jongdae takes a deep breathe.
“Remember the time you pushed down Luhan’s picture?” Jongdae hesitates a bit as Minseok’s eyes grow larger. “Did you do that on purpose?”
“Oh god, sorry I forgot it, I was going to apologize for that. I mean, it was not my place to do so and you actually cried… God I feel terrible about it. I kind of wanted to help but I messed up,” Minseok is rubbing his face and Jongdae shakes his head.
“It’s not important really. I have been meaning to throw it out. I just, please don’t get me wrong. I am not angry at you or something. The thing is,” Jongdae takes another deep breathe but this time he gets a better one because he will need it.
“Everyone around me is like, giving me advices, telling me to move on. They are just trying to help me all the time like I’m desperate for it. And they know me for a long time so I kind of got used to that lately. But you only knew me for less than a day back then and you felt the need to help me,” Jongdae doesn’t know If he is doing a good job at explaining this or if he is just making things awkward. “I just want to ask you that do I really seem that… In need of help?” Jongdae bites his bottom lip so hard it kind of hurts.
“Oh,” Minseok says and goes silent for a while as he is looking anywhere but Jongdae and panic rushes in. Did Jongdae really mess that up? Was it too early for this kind of talk? Was it too intense or something? Jongdae wants to slap himself for showing his insecurities like that to Minseok. That was not a smart move. Especially on a guy that he kind of likes.
“I think you are looking at this from the wrong perspective,” Minseok’s voice brings Jongdae back to real life.
“I don’t really know your friends and I can’t say something about how they treat you but if you want me to explain why i did that it’s because you seemed unhappy. Did you look like you need help? Yes, kind of but that wasn’t the thought I had in mind when I was pushing Luhan’s picture down. I did it because it looked like it was making you unhappy and I thought that you are a good person that didn’t deserve to be unhappy,” Minseok’s words are getting into Jongdae.
“I just think that you are a good person that easy to like and care about. So people don’t want to see you get hurt or see you sad. If your friends are behaving like that it is not because that they think you are miserable or it’s not that they think they are better than you. It is because they want you to be happy,” Minseok smiles at Jongdae a shy smile and Jongdae is biting his lips. Jongdae knew it but he just choose to be angry and feel prideful about it.
“I think, maybe I should apologize to them then,” Jongdae says trying to smile. Minseok grins at him reassuringly, showing his gums again.
“I don’t know about that but your phone has been buzzing like crazy you should check that up,” he says. Jongdae reaches to his nightstand to grab it.
God. Sixteen calls from Yixing, three calls from Chanyeol and tons of messages.
From: GiantYeol
To: Jongdae
Don’t be an ass and answer Yixing’s calls or my next song will be bout ur small dick.
From: GiantYeol
To: Jongdae
I swear you won’t have a small dick to write a song about if you don’t call Yixing now.
From: Byuntae
To: Jongdae
It will cost you three BBQ nights to pay for tonight. Get your wallet ready.
From: Xingxing
To: Jongdae
Jongdae I am so sorry! We are so sorry. We didn’t mean it to be like this.
From: Xingxing
To: Jongdae
I didn’t know that you were feeling like that. I am sorry only if you told me sooner T-T
From: Xingxing
To: Jongdae
Jondae you know that I love you please can we talk about this. Please just say something you are being childish. I only want the best for you! We all do!
From: Xingxing
To: Jongdae
Soooorrryyyyyy! I am so sooorryy!! Jongdaeeeeeeeeeeee :”(((((
Jongdae feels like crying and laughing at the same time so he decides on not doing anything as he starts texting.
From: Jongdae
To: Xingxing
You are going to regret those emoticons so badly when you wake up tomorrow. I am so sorry for ruining the night btw.
Before Jongdae can place the phone on the night stand his phone buzzes like crazy.
From: Xingxing
To: Jongdae
You answered!! :”D
From: Xingxing
To: Jongdae
I swear I am gonna neuter you tomorrow.I am gonna cut your balls and I will do it slowly. With a dull kitchen knife. ^^
“Everything’s okay?” Minseok asks but his smile tells Jongdae that he knows the answer. Jongdae is probably smiling too.
“Yeah. My balls are threatened but I think I will be okay,” Jongdae reaches to his nightstand again to place his phone and when he turns back to Minseok, there is only a pile of clothing instead of him. There is a little bump moving around underneath it and Jongdae chuckles.
He reaches to untangle Minseok from the clothes and after that he throws the clothes to a chair across to room. Minseok might be a cat but still, he is capable of giving a glare to Jongdae because of creating a mess but Jongdae can’t care less right now.
He reaches up to pet Minseok. Scratching his cheeks and behind his ears. He avoids touching to base of his tail because that is a special zone and that would probably make Minseok uncomfortable so his hands only go down till the base of Minseok’s neck.
Minseok is not facing him, this probably a little bit intimate for him but Jongdae can see that he likes it from the small buzzing coming from Minseok’s neck and Jongdae hopes that his petting session shows how thankful that he is for Minseok’s companion.
It has been such a long time since the last time Minseok was in a car. He is sitting on the front seat and this feels so weird. Actually he Is more like sitting on his pet transport box which is on the front seat and Jongdae’s car is a disaster. Every sound that the car makes is three times stronger because of his cat ears and Jongdae’s old car is actually making dangerous sounds everywhere like it is going to fall apart.
This was a bad idea.
Minseok starts mewling loudly. There are not many things he can do at the moment. He can’t even get out of the box and was that box really necessary? This needs to stop before it turns into a disaster.
“What’s wrong?” well he can’t see Jongdae but he can hear the grin in his voice. “You don’t want to do this anymore?”
Yeah Minseok doesn’t want to and he makes it clear with another cute, kitty mewl that he hates. Jongdae laughs. He is going to pay for this later.
“Don’t worry. Nothing bad is going to happen. You can trust Yixing,” Jongdae says. No, Minseok can’t.
Jongdae brought up this idea few nights ago. Saying that Yixing is good at giving life advices and knowing everything so maybe he could do something about it or give Minseok an idea to how to get rid of this curse. And Jongdae was the only person that knew about Minseok and it would be a good idea to have someone they can trust if something happens and Jongdae has to go away or gets busy or something
Minseok agreed to it but now he just feels so nervous because Jongdae didn’t explain the situation to Yixing. Just said that that something is wrong with “Xiumin” and he can’t find out why and Yixing told Jongdae to come over to his apartment together with “Xiumin”.
So the thing here is, Jongdae’s plan is to make Minseok turn into a human in front of Yixing and if Yixing dies because of heart attack, Minseok will have to live with that.
“Here we are!” Jongdae says while pulling over. Minseok makes a sound in protest but it’s too late. Jongdae must be the worst vet ever because he keeps bumping Minseok’s box to his leg, to the door of the elevator and he almost fucking drops it.
“Sorry,” Jongdae says as Minseok hears the doorbell ring. Minseok is going to kill him for tonight. He means it.
It takes a minute until Yixing opens the door.
“Hey! Come in,” He says opening the door all the way. From the box Minseok can only see Yixing’s legs but Yixing’s voice is so soft and reassuring so Minseok relaxes a little bit. They go to the living room.
“Open his box. I am getting you a beer,” Yixing says as Jongdae opens Minseok’s box with a sheepish smile on his face. Even though it is opened, Minseok keeps sitting in it and gives Jongdae a glare.
“We are not going back now. C’mon,” Jongdae says with a smile as he grabs Minseok and pulls him out into his lap. Okay Jongdae has magical hands, he is a cat petting genius and his lap is impossibly comfortable but Minseok is still going to kill him for this.
“Oh he looks great!” Yixing says as he places a bottle of beer on the coffee table next to the couch and sits next to Jongdae. This is the first time Minseok is seeing Yixing completely and he can see why Jongdae is close friends with him. His face is bright and clear with dimples and his smile and eyes are sincere just like Jongdae’s.
“Zhoumi is still in Macau?” Jongdae says after looking around.
“Yes the seminar ends tomorrow and he will come back the day after that,” Yixing says. “So what is wrong with Xiumin?” Yixing comes closer to Jongdae, pressing their thighs together and places his head on Jongdae’s shoulder. He reaches to pet Minseok but for a reason Minseok jumps away from Jongdae’s lap to the ground childishly. He is having a sour taste all of a sudden seeing them likes this and Minseok wants to face palm because he makes no sense.
“Doesn’t like being touched?” Yixing says with a chuckle. Jongdae grins.
“He likes being touched just by me,” Jongdae says with his annoying, disgusting, and not charming at all, kittenish smile. Minseok hisses at him.
“Moody aren’t we?” Yixing smiles at him and Minseok will make Jongdae’s death painful and slow.
“He is just nervous that’s all,” Jongdae shrugs.
“So his problem is?” Yixing asks again and Jongdae looks at his watch.
“Just give him three minutes and you will see,” Jongdae says giving Minseok encouraging smile and Minseok panics. Three minutes? That sucker only gave him three minutes before he changes in front of Yixing. He mewls at Jongdae. He is going to be naked for fuck’s sake!
“Don’t worry I got you!” Jongdae says throwing the white towel at him that he placed in Minseok’s box earlier. A white towel. Just a fucking white towel.
“Okay. This is getting weird,” Yixing says. Jongdae smiles.
“You have no idea,” Jongdae says and Minseok starts feeling his bones aching and growing. “Close your eyes, it is gonna get bright here,” Jongdae covers Yixing’s eyes andMinseok closes his own eyes too. Hopping that he will find himself on Jongdae’s apartment when he opens them and hopes that this was just a dream.
It is not.
“Holy fuck!” Yixing says and gets up from the couch and he is looking at Minseok with wide eyes as Minseok is trying to cover his lower sections with the towel.
“Did your cat just turned into a human in my living room or am I going crazy?” Yixing says grabing Jongdae’s collar. Well at least he doesn’t look lie he is having a heart attack.
“Remember what you said when I asked you how crazy life can get?” Jongdae says trying to make Yixing let go of his collar.
“Hi?” Minseok says and the way Yixing turns to look at him with overly large eyes is scary.
“He can speak?” Yixing says turning back at Jongdae. “Your cat can turn into a human?”
It took one and a half an hour to calm Yixing down and make him understand that Minseok is not a cat that turns to human but a human that turns into a cat and yes Minseok can understand what they are saying and yes Minsek can talk and yes Minseok does exist. Thank you.
Yixing is still staring at him with wide eyes and asking him a tons of questions but at least Minseok is dressed up and he has beer.
“Wait a second!” Yixing says and turns to Jongdae. “Minseok is the hot friend that you have a crush on?” Jongdae’s eyes widen and his whole face is red. Minseok leans back on his couch and smiles. Maybe he doesn’t have to take a revenge on Jongdae. Seems like universe is doing that for him and he will pretty much enjoy it.
“I did not say something like that!” Jongdae says but Yixing hits the back of Jongdae’s head and Minseok holds back a laugh. “Ouch! What was that for?”
“Is he even legal you pedo!” Yixing shouts at Jongdae . Minseok actually laughs this time.
“He is thirty years old for fucks sake!” Jongdae says and Yixing hits him again. “What?!”
“And you believe that? Are you fucking blind?” Yixing says and Jongdae grabs Yixing’s wrists before he can hit him again.
“Say something!” Jongdae looks at Minseok with pleading eyes but no. Minseok will enjoy this as much as he can.
“Well you never checked my ID or something,” Minseok says with a grin and Yixing gets rid of Jongdae’s grip and and jumps on Jongdae. After fifteen minutes of wrestling on the ground Minseok takes pity on both of them and pulls them apart.
“You are thirty years old?” Yixing asks again for the seventh time and Minseok had already told him about his degree and his work at B+H Architecture and that he was about to get married before this happened.
“I feel like I am in a Disney movie,” Yixing says.
“Ask me about that,” Minseok says but his voice resonates and he realizes that Jongdae said the same thing too. All three of them starts to laugh.
“So have you ever tried to do what she said to end this?” Yixing says. “I mean she said ‘until you fall in love’ I believe.” Yixing says and Jongdae looks at him in wonder. Somehow they never thought that could be the solution.
“Well,” Minseok thinks about the years he spent as a cat and all he can remember is the cold streets. “I never wanted my family to find this out so I left my apartment and nobody knows about this except Jongdae and you now and I didn’t really see cats as an option,” Minseok scrunches up his face and Jongdae laughs.
“But you can try it now,” Yixing says. “You know Jongdae now.”
“Yes I can introduce you to new people actually! Well most of my friends are not single but..” Yixing pinches his arm and Minseok smiles at it.
“What?” Jongdae says but Yixing ignores him.
“In Disney movies kisses solve the curses right?” Yixing says with a smile and Jongdae groans in frustration.
“Not you too! I already damaged him enough with Disney jokes. If you don’t have an actual advice we should better go,” Jongdae says.
“You can’t know without trying,” Yixing says and he sounds serious now.
“Thinking about that I can turn into a cat, this doesn’t sound crazy but I think we should really go because I don’t want to go back to Jongdae’s apartment in that box,” Minseok really means that one.
“You put him in a box?” Yixing gives Jongdae a glare and Minseok thinks he really likes Yixing.
“He uses his pawns when he is nervous!” Jongdae tries to say before Yixing hits the back of his head again.
Part 3 →
“You are a human but you become a cat during the day and you turn back into a boy at night,” Jongdae says slowly. The boy suddenly raises his head to give Jongdae an amused, smug smile.
“Boy?” The boy says with his eyebrows raised. “I am thirty you know?” Jongdae coughes on his own spit. Xiu- the man laughed. He is actually three years older than Jongdae.
“Do you have a name?” Jongdae asks. The man before him snorts.
“Oh course I do. Look I am not a fantasy creature. I wasn’t always like this,” he says. Jongdae kind of feels stupid. “It’s Minseok by the way.”
“Go easy on me. You don’t see cats turning into a human every day,” Jongdae scratches the back of his neck. Minseok’s lips go downwards creating a small pout and his eyebrows furrow before he is looking at his hands again.
“I am sorry that you had to experience this. I was planning to leave tonight actually,” Minseok ‘s lips are pressed together in a thin line.
“Leave? Where were you planning to go?” Jongdae says. Suddenly remembering the poor cat Zhoumi bought to the shelter.
“To streets obviously, I am a cat remember?” Minseok smiles. Jongdae rubs his temples.
“This still feels like a prank. Am i on tv? There is no way you can be that cat I bought home,” Actually now that Jongdae looks at Minseok’s face, he and the cat has similar looks. The eyes, the small figure and all of the feline gestures. Minseok suddenly smiles, showing his gums again.
“Uhm you just sang and danced to ‘Single Ladies’ in front of me. Do you need any more proof?” Minseok says and Jongdae shrieks in horror.
“Okay, is there any explanation of why you are a cat by day and a human by night?” Jongdae says trying to change the subject. Minseok’s eyebrows furrow in concern again. Maybe Jongdae is getting way too used to watch Minseok’s expressions.
“Not really. I mean I don’t really know what’s going on myself,” Minseok scratches his head.
“Any idea?” Jongdae is pretty insistent. Minseok sighs.
“Let’s say that I messed things up with a girl and I got her angry,” he says biting his lower lip.
“Are you cursed or something?” Jongdae says trying to hold back a laugh. Minseok gives him an annoyed look and it is just like the ones that he does when he is a cat. “So you are actually a Disney Princess?” and the pout Minseok gives has Jongdae bursting into laughter.
“Laugh all you want,” Minseok says. “Thank you so much for everything but I think it’s better if I go now,” Minseok says standing up.
“Hey calm down, it was just a joke. And don’t tell me you are thinking about going back to streets,” Jongdae is also getting up to stop Minseok .
“Yeah, I told you I am a cat,” Minseok says.
“That doesn’t necessarily mean that you are good at being one. You were almost dead when you were bought to the shelter,” Jongdae says motioning for Minseok to sit back down.
“It’s not that easy,” Minseok says as he sits back down and Jongdae feels relieved.
“That’s why I am saying that you can stay here,” Jongdae doesn’t really know why he wants this guy to stay, why he wants to take care of him or get to know him but he knows that he will regret it and he will feel guilty for the rest of his life if he lets Minseok go right now. “Maybe we can find a way to to solve your problem.”
“It’s a bit complicated. Xiumin is looking at the ground with this confused and troubled expression on his face. “I don’t have any idea. I don’t know anything about this thing that is happening to me.”
“I am a veterinarian,” Jongdae says proudly. Minseok rolls his eyes and it makes Jongdae grin when thinking about how his cat, Xiumin, also rolled his eyes like that. “How much can you stay as a human?”
“Well, I change when the clock hits the twelve,” and Minseok makes a wild gesture with his hands when Jongdae playfully smiles. “Don’t even dare to make a Cindrella joke,” he quickly adds.
“And when do you change back into a cat?” Jongdae tries not to be rude and holds back his laugh as much as possible. Minseok pouts and that just makes everything more amusing.
“I change back at three a.m.” Minseok says. Jongdae makes an approving sound and then turns his head to the side to face the wall, biting his bottom lip to prevent from laughing. Minseok is giving him the look again.
“Grow up a little,” Minseok hisses and finally Jongdae laughs again for a good five minutes. Minseok’s left eye is literally twitching.
“You have to go easy on me okay? I am like shit drunk right now and I don’t even know if I will laugh about this or freak out in the morning,” Jongdae says after catching his breathe. He smiles sheepishly and Minseok sighs. His face does soften though.
“Like I said, I will do my best to help you find a way to get rid of this situation if there is a way of course but you need to tell me the details,” Jongdae say and he smiles genuinely. Minseok is looking at the carpet again and not giving a response. It makes Jongdae wonder what’s so interesting about the carpet.
“Why are you so willing to help me? I mean you really seem like a good person and I appreciate it but,” Minseok is curling inside again like he is shying away. “I can’t… I mean I am useless like this. I can’t share your rent or something. I am going to be burden.”
“Bitch please,” this kind of startles Minseok but Jongdae wants to break the iceberg between them so he thinks if he wants to make Minseok comfortable, he should make himself comfortable first. “Finally some action is going on in my life and you are so wrong if you are thinking that I am going to miss that,” and Jongdae is only relieved to see that Minseok is smiling. Jongdae means it. He is curious right now and he can’t even remember the last time he felt this excited.
“We can talk about this tomorrow. You really have to go and sleep now if you want to go to work tomorrow,” Minseok says and Jongdae hates that he is so right.
Yixing elbows him while Jongdae is filling the med form for one of the puppies that are getting adopted.
“What?” Jongdae says suddenly pulled back to reality and away from his thoughts.
“What is wrong with you today? Your head is in the clouds,” Yixing says. Jongdae rolls his eyes. “If I wasn’t the one that bought you home yesterday I would think that you met someone or something,” Yixing says with a smug smirk.
“If you don’t have anything to do that means you can fill this form,” Jongdae says pushing the papers towards Yixing before he gets up from the table.
“You are cruel!” Yixing says pouting. Jongdae grins. Jongdae neutered three cat’s today and if he can take that out on Yixing he will be happy.
“But seriously, something is wrong with you,” Yixing says. Something might be wrong with Jongdae. He thinks that is totally reasonable since he came home shit drunk last night and found out that his cat is actually a man and he can’t help but think that maybe he is really losing it. He can’t make sure that if he had a dream or if it was real. It felt so real but technically it is impossible.
“How crazy do you think life can get?” Jongdae says and drops himself to the couch.
“You would be surprised to know how crazy it can get,” Yixing says smiling. Yixing is probably thinking that Jongdae finally found a guy and is trying to sport him because Jongdae knows Yixing like the back of his hand. But somehow this response makes Jongdae feel lighter.
“But I think, instead of stopping and fussing about how crazy it is, you should focus more on what to do and how to make the best out of it,” and there is Yixing with his inner white bearded old wise man. But Jongdae finds himself smiling anyways.
“You are a ball off mozzarella cheese,” Jongdae says getting Yixing in a head lock.
“Don’t you think I at least deserve to be mozzarella sticks? Because they are damn expensive,” Yixing says pushing Jongdae away.
“Oh you poor baby. You have never been to Walmart have you?”
Minseok can hear him. He is lying on the couch in the living room but he can hear Jongdae shifting his weight from a foot to another before the apartment door. Damn those cat ears. Jongdae is awfully slow at getting his courage up but Minseok can’t blame him. The whole Minseok just sat on the couch and felt nervous. What if Jongdae was thinking that he saw a dream? What if he was going to freak out? Last night Jongdae was drunk but Minseok is sure he is pretty sober this time.
He hears the door getting unlocked and he has goose bumps when Jongdae steps inside. Minseok doesn’t know what to do. Should he get up and go to him or should he stay here awkwardly and prevent from making noises. He ends up deciding to and peer from the hall.
Jongdae is undoing his shoelaces and when he lifts his head and sees Minseok, he stumbles backwards falling on his ass. Minseok feels guilty causing that but Jongdae’s small form is on the ground looking at him with a dumbfounded face and it is pretty amusing actually. Then Jongdae is laughing at himself too. His face looks pretty ugly when he laughs like that. His eyebrows raise upwards like he is in some sort of pain and his eyes literally disappears.
Minseok can’t look away though. It is just so true, so honest and gives you a bubbly feeling, making you happy too. It gives Minseok the courage to walk over to him.
“How are you?” Jongdae says and unexpectedly starts petting Minseok’s head. Minseok’s eyes open wide as Jongdae scratches the back of his ears. Doesn’t he know that he Minseok is a human? Isn’t this skin ship a bit too much? Of course Minseok is a cat right now but still he has his dignity - Oh Fuck! He purred. Minseok fucking purred!
Minseok starts walking away before it gets more awkward and Jongdae goes to his room to change. Minseok jumps back on the couch and he starts to scratch it lightly. He doesn’t want to damage the furniture but he can hear the clicks of Jongdae’s belt and the sound that fabric makes against Jongdae’s hair when he takes it off. Minseok is nervous and cat instincts are no help. When Jongdae enters the living room Minseok is looking at everywhere but Jongdae .
Something is off though. Jongdae is just his usual self. He is talking to himself, singing, making jokes as he is watching TV. Minseok wonders if he had eaten before he got home because he is just watching the TV.
Shit, Minseok thinks. Jongdae had forgotten or thinks that it was a dream. Fuck, he is going to freak out when he sees Minseok the human and they are going to have a remake of the last night but this time Jongdae will be sober.
Minseok doesn’t know how he didn’t end up destroying the couches or the curtains with the stress he was feeling as the hours went by. Jongdae doesn’t look like he is going to sleep anytime soon as he is explaining how neutring female cats is done. Minseok knows that it is almost twelve because his bones start to ache a little. He freaks out for a moment. Not knowing what to do. He ends up jumping down from the couch and hiding behind it.
“Xiumin?” Jongdae says and fuck he called Minseok ‘Xiumin’ and he kind of groans in frustration as the pain of the transformation hits him. In just a few seconds he is sitting on the ground and pulling his human legs closer to him. The room is silent. It is deadly silent.
“Jongdae?” Minseok ends up saying after waiting for a few seconds. Jongdae stays silent and Minseok slams his face to his kneecaps.
“Yeah..?” A reply comes long after and Minseok hears Jongdae’s steps as he is coming closer to the couch that Minseok is hiding behind.
“Don’t come please,” Minseok says and feels relieved as Jongdae stops. “I just need some clothes, Can you bring me something? Anything?” Minseok asks hesitantly.
“Oh! Yeah, sure! Just a second,” Minseok thinks Jongdae runs out of the living room but he can’t make sure since his hearing abilities are back to the lame, human level. But even with his human ears Minseok can hear the loud beating of his own heart. It probably takes a few minutes until Jongdae is back but it feels like hours to Xiumin.
“Here,” Minseok sees a pair of small hands leaving clothes to the side of the couch. He waits until Jongdae pulls back to grab the clothes like his life depends on it. He thinks Jongdae letted out a quiet chuckle at his behavior.
After Minseok is fully clothed, he takes a deep breath and stands up, ready to face Jongdae. Jongdae is there standing in front of him and smiles when he sees Minseok.
“Hi there,” He says. Minseok feels his heartbeat going to it’s normal rate.
“So you are not freaking out?” Minseok says as Jondae smiles wider. “I thought you forgot about it. You called me Xiumin,” Minseok feels the need to add.
“Well, I wasn’t a hundred percent sure because it is so unrealistic but,” Jongdae’s smile turns into a sheepish one. “I would be pretty disappointed if you wouldn’t transform after I made such a fuss about it and felt nervous the whole day,” Jongdae shrugs. He says it so easy. Minseok smiles back. It is good to know that he was not the only one.
“So do you want to eat something? I am kind of starving,” Jongdae says motioning the kitchen. Minseok’s mouth hangs open.
“You haven’t eaten yet?” and Jongdae is giving that cat grin again. Minseok can’t look at it more than a second. It feels…. Kind of… Too welcoming.
“I thought that we could eat together. Didn’t you miss human food?” Jongdae says.
“Well, my cat food is healthier than ramyun,” Minseok says smirking as Jongdae pouts just like the child that he is.
“Not everyone can cook!” He is furrowing his arms in front of him. Minseok finds himself smiling at this cute act.
“I can,” and he chuckles at how Jongdae’s eyes are suddenly sparkling. “Do you have anything to cook though?” and as soon as he says that he is being dragged by an overly excited Jongdae to kitchen.
“So you can’t cook but your fridge is full,” Minseok says looking all of those vegetables in the fridge.
“I get motivated by buying them,” Jongdae says. “I think that they will motivate me into learning how to cook but I just don’t… It doesn’t work.” Minseok is seriously giving him The Look.
“Hey! They don’t go to waste okay? Yixing cooks them whenever he comes here,” Jongdae says. Minseok feels a little bit uneasy suddenly.
“Yixing is the guy at the shelter right?” He finds himself asking and wonders what has gotten inside him.
“Yes, the one with the dimples,” Jongdae says pressing his forefingers to his cheeks imitating dimples with his kittenish smile.
“Is he your boyfriend?” Minseok thinks since he started already, he must go till the end. Jongdae pulls the frozen- shocked act until Minseok finally gives up and looks at him instead of getting the rice.
“What?” Minseok says.
“Dude he is my best friend. That was so gross,” He says with a grin. Minseok looks back at the rice that he is pouring to a bowl because he is afraid he might smile back.
“You talk about him a lot. That’s why,” He says. Jongdae pouts.
“Yixing is engaged,” Jongdae says with a sincere smile. Showing that he is happy for him. “He is engaged to Zhoumi. The tall guy that bought you to the shelter. He is also a vet just not in the shelter.”
“Oh that’s so nice. Now cut the vegetables please,” Minseok says because he knows that once Jongdae starts, there will be no stopping him.
“Yeah, I think I should cook the rice and you should cut the vegetables,” Jongdae reaches out to pass the knife to Minseok.
“And why is that?” Minseok says but he takes the knife anyways. Jongdae bites down on his bottom lip and Minseok finds himself watching the act.
“I’m bad at it. I always cut my fingers instead of the vegetables,” Jongdae says. Minseok just looks at him.
“You can neutralize cats but you can’t cut vegetables?” Minseok says.
“It’s not the same okay? It is my profession so I feel confident in it but vegetables are just evil. Can we just cook? I am so hungry,” Jongdae is pouting and Minseok finds himself laughing at it.
“You are impossible,” Minseok says and he doesn’t realize that he is actually smiling until Jongdae is still pouting but with a pink shade on his cheeks now. The urge to call Jongdae cute is almost unbearable.
Minseok is not a cooking genius he just had this I need to lose weight! Era in his life and that gave him an idea of cooking but Jongdae is slurping everything down to his stomach like it is the best thing he had ever eaten and this makes Minseok smile proudly.
“So,” Jongdae says after a while of eating like crazy “You seem to know a lot about my life but I don’t know anything about you.” Minseok quirks an eyebrow at that.
“Well technically I didn’t ask you anything did I? You talked to yourself,” and the pout Jongdae is giving again makes Minseok laugh.
“I wasn’t talking to myself! I was talking to you,”
“I was a cat,” Minseok says.
“You don’t want to talk about it?” Jongdae says gently like he is testing the waters. Minseok shakes his head. Jongdae opened his house to him there is no reason for Minseok to behave that way.
“I am an architect,” Minseok chuckles at that. “I mean I was an architect. I came to Beijing for college and after that I started working with B+H Architecture in Beijing. Everything was going okay than this happened,” Minseok says gesturing his body.
“Thank you for applying. We will call you back,” Jongdae says giving Minseok ‘The Look’ and it is not fair because that look belongs to Minseok. “I am not interviewing you for work for god’s sake.”
“Oh, sorry for not being entertaining,” Minseok says leaning back on his chair. Jongdae smirks.
“It’s okay, just make sure that it won’t happen again,” Jongdae’s lips are kittenish like always. “Look I am just trying to get to know you. We will be living together and it doesn’t have to be that formal. I am a good person I promise. Okay, I tease and I can’t guarantee that the things you said are not going to be used against you in terms of teasing, but I am a good human being,” Jongdae’s tone is actually sincere though. Minseok finds himself rolling his eyes at him.
“Three years ago, I met this girl,” Minseok flinches when Jongdae suddenly woos and starts clapping. “Behave, or I am not telling you anything.” He says pointing his finger at Jongdae and almost laughs at how Jongdae stops immediately.
“It was a time that i was very pressured by my family. I was successful at work so that they started expecting something else from me. Like finding a women and getting married. I thought it would be okay if i would find a girl just to shut them up for a while and there was a beautiful girl in the office I worked. Her name was soojung. She was Korean like me so we used to talk and hangout and when I realized that she was actually showing me interest in that way, I thought why not,” Jongdae’s eyebrows are furrowed in concern it is so interesting to see how Jongdae is all ears on this.
“She was a nice girl and I thought I should stop doing to not to damage her that much but things just happened so fast. In a blink she met with my family and my mom was talking to her about wedding dresses while my father was taking me to shopping for the rings. It just came to a point which I couldn’t stop it from happening,” Minseok is talking about this for the first time and it just feels like everything is happening all over again.
“It must be scary,” Jongdae says, he looks troubled too, like he is actually living it.
“It was and I got so scared because there were so many things that I didn’t have time to figure out. There were things that I had to push away and hide but they were a part of me,” Minseok stops for a while. This part is the trickiest part. He never told this to anyone and this might change what Jongdae will think about him completely but he just feels the need. The need to let it out.
“I hooked up with a boy,” Minseok faces the way Jongdae’s eyes widen in shock.
“I didn’t saw that coming,” Jongdae admits sheepishly.
“No one did,” Minseok feels the way to look away. To the ground, to anywhere. Fear of being judged, that fear he thought to himself is rushing back in.
“I wasn’t comfortable about that too until I was in college. Then I just said fuck it,” Jongdae smiles. Minseok figures it is encouragement for him to continue and speak freely. It kind of works.
“He was Canadian- chineese I guess. His name was Kris and he was tall and handsome. Eye catching kind of man,” Minseok says with a shy smile and Jongdae chuckles. “It felt so free being with him secretly. I didn’t had to explain anything to anyone and no one was disappointed in me but of course it was impossible for me to get away with that.”
“Did she find out?” Jongdae asks. Minseok nods at that. “How??”
“There is this thing about women. They just feel. Maybe she saw my texts or something, we never had a chance to talk this out but she came home one day later than usual. I was home at early because I felt that she was getting suspicious about something being wrong. She came in crying and shouting. I didn’t deny anything. I couldn’t do that to her,” Minseok feels himself calming down now. Since the story is getting close to it’s end. It is funny how he feels like the same things just happened again but now he feels lighter.
“But how did this happened to you? How can you transform into a cat?” Jongdae says.
“I don’t know. It is impossible to explain. She said that I don’t have a heart and I don’t know how to love and she hopes that life gives me twice as amount of the pain and the struggle she had till i learn what love fucking means. Her exact words,” Jongdae’s mouth opens wide. “And I was a cat when I woke up.”
“You were cursed like this? Oh my god!” Jongdae’s voice is impossibly getting an octave higher and Minseok lets out a chuckle. “Do you really believe it is the reason why?” Minseok thinks for a while. Considering everything.
“I don’t know. Maybe I hurted her really bad. Maybe she just wished for something to happen to me so much that it happened… Or maybe I ate something weird,” Minseok says and Jongdae grins.
“You are right. Believing that you are cursed is much more cooler,” Jongdae says patting Minseok’s back. It oddly feels comforting. Like he finally has someone to lean on, someone to trust. He regrets his previous life sometimes. He was so focused on hiding and being afraid that he didn’t had the chance to enjoy his life and make connections.
“And you spent your late twenties being a cat,” Jongdae says. “Perfect.” Minseok smiles playfully.
“Yeah I am so sad that I didn’t get to spend it while neutering animals,” Minseok says. Jongdae pouts.
“I am not thirty yet! And at least my profession is not being a Disney Princess,” Jongdae wiggles his eyebrows with a smirk and Jongdae looks like he can go on whole night to just to get the last word so Minseok figures he should clean the dishes because Jongdae won’t.
“Oh my god you are seeing someone!” Yixing says slamming his hands to the table with a big grin on his face. They came to this Korean BBQ place that Chanyeol somehow managed to find and Yixing is just going to get them kicked out with the amount of soju he Is drinking and this long faced waiter is looking at their table already.
“Baby,” Zhoumi is trying to pull Yixing back into his sitting position and is giving apologizing glances to the waiter.
“Yixing is right though,” Baekhyun smiles at Jongdae from the end of table and he is holding hands with a Chanyeol that is struggling to cook the sliced Korean beef. His eyes are lined with black eyeliner and he looks stunning in his while cardigan. Baekhyun is literally glowing tonight and it has been such a long while since Jongdae saw Baekhyun without the purple circles under his eyes. This Baekhyun looks so much like the fearless, young Baekhyun that Jongdae met at the college. And Jongdae is only happy to say that those same things also goes for Chanyeol.
“Jongdae, you have been murmuring lovesick songs the whole time since we came here and I pity Yixing thinking that he had to go through with this all day at the shelter,” Baekhyun smirks and Chanyeol laughs because Chanyeol has to laugh everything Baekhyun says and has to give him a cheesy smile because he is disgusting like that.
Jongdae thought it would be hard to see them happy and together. Jongdae thought that he would feel alone and left behind. He had a hard time when Yixing got engaged. He smiled and congratulated Yixing, he ordered him drinks but when he got back home, he lied down on his bed and started thinking. He wondered if Yixing was better than him. He wondered if Jongdae didn’t really deserve love, to be loved. And then he hated himself for not being able to be just happy for Yixing. But right now he is happy. He is happy for Chanyeol and Baekhyun. Maybe, he thinks, maybe he has grown up.
“I murmur songs all the time and it is not my fault that songs are generally about love,” Jongdae says stuffing his mouth with side dishes as an excuse to not to speak.
“Not all of them are love sick like you. Baaby I’m youuurss~” Yixing starts’s to sing Arctic Monkeys and Jongdae smiles at Zhoumi , the poor guy that is going to drive Yixing home tonight.
“You know that we are just going to bully you until you tell us who is he and what is happening,” Kyungsoo says while placing slices of beef to Jongdae’s plate.
“It’s not like that,” Jongdae says not knowing how to explain. “I mean, I did met someone but we are not seeing each other like that.”
“You should though,” Yixing says with a reassuring smile. “It’s been such a long time Jongdae. It will be good for you.” Kyungsoo is bumping to Jongdae’s side in an encouraging way, Baekhyun is giving one of those pure smiles that he usually gives to Chanyeol to comfort him and Chanyeol is grinning at Jongdae. This is driving Jongdae crazy.
“You guys always complain about how I am not going out with you, how i spend all of my time alone and all but did you ever stop and think that maybe this is the reason why?” Jongdae knows that he is going to ruin this night for anyone. Jongdae knows that he is going to regret this oh so much but he is just so sick and tired. All of those things that he kept bottled up inside are rushing out now and he can’t stop it now. He doesn’t want to stop it.
“We used to have fun together, we used to talk about things and make music but recently it is all about how miserable my life is. I’m sick of hearing that I need this, I need that, I am being like this, I am like that. Stop judging me for a second. Just stop it!” Jongdae is kind of yelling maybe.
“Jongdae, we are not judging you,” Baekhyun says, grabbing Yixing’s arm in a comforting way because Yixing looks like he is shocked.
“Oh, shut up. Just because you guys are all having your ‘happily ever after’s you are expecting me to have one or I am just not good enough,” Jongdae didn’t really wanted to say that actually. Kyungsoo grabs his arm strongly and looks right into his eyes.
“Don’t do this Jongdae,” He says with a soft voice but it is as strong as he is shouting.
“You are right,” Jongdae says and raises his hand up to get the long faced waiter’s attention. “Excuse me! Can I get this wrapped up?” he says putting some more things to his plate before giving it to the waiter. The only reason he got out of his shell and came here was because he thought Minseok would like to eat Korean BBQ but it was impossible for him to come so Jongdae thought he could get some for Minseok. At least he can still do that.
“Hey, dude!” Chanyeol says and Yixing grabs his arm when Jongdae gets up.
“Jongdae please, sit down and we will talk about this,” Yixing says with pleading eyes. He looks like if someone would poke him he would cry but right now Jongdae is blind and all he can see is just anger, fear and insecurity.
“If you think that you can fix me by telling me how broken I am again and again, you are just so fucking wrong,” Jongdae pulls his arm back and walks to the counter because he figures he can’t wait at the table anymore. Yixing tries to go after him but gladly Zhoumi stops him because Jongdae is toxic right now.
~~~~~~~~~~
First time that Jongdae and Luhan had sex was also the first time Jongdae had sex with a boy. Jongdae was so nervous as Luhan pushed him to the bed but as soon as the clothes got out of the way Jongdae’s mind was clouded with so many other emotions that he forgot how to be nervous. Jongdae would never regret having his first time with Luhan because Luhan made it an amazing experience.
Everything was so slow and intense. Luhan kissed every corner of Jongdae’s body and left countless marks everywhere like the kids that they were. Whispered dirty things all over and over again about how he would do that to Jongdae and then do this and it was driving Jongdae crazy because Luhan was actually not doing anything , teasing Jongdae till the end instead.
By the time Luhan actually parted Jongdae’s legs, Jongdae was leaking. He took Jongdae to his mouth not to relieve the tension but to double it. He bought Jongdae so close to the edge so many times just to stop Jongdae from having it. He was watching Jongdae like jongdae was an artwork, like he was the most beautiful thing in the whole world. Luhan kept going like he wanted this to last till forever. He wanted it to take as long as it could take.
It went just like that the night after that and the night after that. It was like Jongdae was having his second first time and the third first time and the fourth and the fifth. Every touch and every position making him feel like he was discovering something new and he was complete. Maybe it was because Jongdae was having sex with a boy for the first time or maybe Luhan was just too good at it.
When he was alone at his own bed in the dorms, he would just lie there sleepless and think if Luhan would ever leave, would all off those new things he discovered leave together with him. Would all of this newly found confidence and happiness disappear?
~~~~~~~~~~
“Heyoo!” Jongdae says as soon as he gets in to his apartment and closes the door. Minseok comes to greet him looking as awesome as always in his white shirt and pajama pants. He doesn’t really have to greet Jongdae but it is like something that Minseok always does without giving much thought about it. He is back in his human form because Jongdae got late and Jongdae feels terrible for losing time at outside when Minseok has only three hours to be human and talk with someone.
“Sorry I’m late. But I got you Korean BBQ!” Jongdae takes a step forward to give the bag to Minseok but Minseok looks like he is having a heart attack when he stops Jongdae with both hands on Jongdae’s chest.
“Take your shoes off first! I just cleaned the hall,” Minseok is looking at him like Jongdae committed a crime. At first he would realize something was off with his apartment when Minseok started cleaning it at night when he was asleep but now he is so used to it that he doesn’t even notice. Minseok fitted to his life perfectly fine.
“Fine, but I can’t do it with a bag in my hand right?” Jongdae says pushing the bag to Minseok insistently. Minseok takes the bag and opens it. His eyes widen and Jongdae feels bubbly for the first time today.
“Fuck! Is this Korean beef?” Minseok says with a big grin on his face and Jongdae starts focusing on taking his shoes because he can stare forever if he lets himself.
“Yeah! It is not as good as it is in Korea but it is okay, “ Jongdae says as he takes his jacket off and starts walking to the living room. Minseok follows him.
“Does this mean you already ate?” Minseok says with furrowed eyebrows. “I cooked you know?”
“You did?” Jongdae felt something stir inside of him. There was someone in his house waiting for him, cleaning the apartment they share and cooking for both of them. Jongdae wondered if he would even be able to express how happy he is.
“Yes I did. I don’t care even you fucking explode, you are going to eat something Jongdae. I even added anchovies just because you like them and you know I can’t stand them,” Minseok says giving Jongdae a deadly glare.
“Of course I will! Thank youu~” Jongdae makes a buing buing aegyeo and Minseok just looks at him dumbfounded. He was clearly not expecting that and Jongdae gives him a smile.
“Go change. You smell like a dog,” Minseok says after a while of not knowing how to respond to Jongdae.
“Yes, sir! But first,” Jongdae starts looking for his phone in his pockets. “I downloaded a song for you.”
When Bi Rain’s ‘Thirty Sexy’ fills up the room Minseok rolls his eyes but Jongdae knows that as soon as he leaves the living room he will hear Minseok’s laugh.
After they eat and clean the table -forcefully- they sit on the living room and chat. It is like their routine now. Eating together and just talking. Television or computer long forgotten in their places and Jongdae finds just having this comforting and relaxing. He is actually looking forward to this time of the day all the time.
They talk about this and that effortlessly and even though Minseok feels that something is off with Jongdae, he doesn’t ask about it. But it Is half past two and it is the time of the day that Minseok forces him to go to sleep.
“Can you… I know it is weird but,” Jongdae is looking for a way to put it in words to make it seem normal and casual but he is kind of failing. “I don’t want you to keep sleeping on the couch all the time. It’s not good for your back.” Minseok smiles with his gums showing in return and even if Jongdae wasn’t nervous asking about the thing he was thinking about, he is nervous now.
“I have only half an hour before I am a cat again and this couch is pretty big for me, don’t worry,” He says. This almost makes Jongdae give up. Almost.
“My bed is queen sized? We can share it if you want?” Jongdae says and he knows that he is all red on the face. Minseok looks at him with eyes wide open.
“Uhm, it is not necessary? I mean I am okay here,” and since Jongdae started he thinks he must go till the end.
“Well I am asking because I want to,” and he panicks when Minseok’s does eyes widen even more. “I mean I don’t mean anything by it but I don’t really like sleeping alone and if you don’t mind we can…” Jongdae goes on. Watching Minseok’s face for him to change his shocked expression but Minseok keeps staring.
“Nevermind. I am sorry for making things awkward. I just had a rough day,” Jongdae’s head is suddenly so itchy. He get’s up to go to the bathroom without looking at Minseok because he is really embarrassed right now.
“We can. I mean I can sleep with- sleep on your bed,” Minseok says and Jongdae feels like Jumping around when he looks Minseok and he is sure his eyes are sparkling.
“Really?” Jongdae says with a big grin. Minseok shrugs.
“Yeah. I mean I will be a cat. It’s not like anything funny can happ-“ Minseok sighs and rubs his temples with his index finger and thumb. “ I mean yes.”
“Thank you! Buing buing~” Jongdae gives all the aegyeo he has and Minseok is looking at him dumbfounded again like he did when Jongdae came home today.
“Just go wash that aegyeo off of your face. It is disgusting.” Minseok gets up and walks towards Jongdae’s bedroom while Jongdae jogs to the bathroom.
When Jongdae comes to his bedroom all excited like a puppy, Minseok is lying on top of the covers, looking at him and Jongdae really wants to grab his camera to took a picture of it because it is one of the loveliest sights he had ever seen. He smiles at him and gets under the covers while Minseok prefers to stay on top of them because he will turn into a cat anyways and turns his back to Jongdae to make this whole experience less weird Jongdae assumes.
“Minseok, I need to ask you something,” Jongdae says.
“God Jongdae! Sleep already,” Minseok says. “We can talk about it tomorrow.”
“No. I really need to ask this. I have been dying to ask this for a while,” Jongdae insist with a little pout in his tone. Minsoek doesn’t respond for a while so Jongdae starts to think that he is ignoring him but Minseok sighs and turns to face Jongdae. Waow, Minseok up close doesn’t do good things to Jongdae’s heart. Are those eyes even real?
“Go ahead,” he says. Jongdae takes a deep breathe.
“Remember the time you pushed down Luhan’s picture?” Jongdae hesitates a bit as Minseok’s eyes grow larger. “Did you do that on purpose?”
“Oh god, sorry I forgot it, I was going to apologize for that. I mean, it was not my place to do so and you actually cried… God I feel terrible about it. I kind of wanted to help but I messed up,” Minseok is rubbing his face and Jongdae shakes his head.
“It’s not important really. I have been meaning to throw it out. I just, please don’t get me wrong. I am not angry at you or something. The thing is,” Jongdae takes another deep breathe but this time he gets a better one because he will need it.
“Everyone around me is like, giving me advices, telling me to move on. They are just trying to help me all the time like I’m desperate for it. And they know me for a long time so I kind of got used to that lately. But you only knew me for less than a day back then and you felt the need to help me,” Jongdae doesn’t know If he is doing a good job at explaining this or if he is just making things awkward. “I just want to ask you that do I really seem that… In need of help?” Jongdae bites his bottom lip so hard it kind of hurts.
“Oh,” Minseok says and goes silent for a while as he is looking anywhere but Jongdae and panic rushes in. Did Jongdae really mess that up? Was it too early for this kind of talk? Was it too intense or something? Jongdae wants to slap himself for showing his insecurities like that to Minseok. That was not a smart move. Especially on a guy that he kind of likes.
“I think you are looking at this from the wrong perspective,” Minseok’s voice brings Jongdae back to real life.
“I don’t really know your friends and I can’t say something about how they treat you but if you want me to explain why i did that it’s because you seemed unhappy. Did you look like you need help? Yes, kind of but that wasn’t the thought I had in mind when I was pushing Luhan’s picture down. I did it because it looked like it was making you unhappy and I thought that you are a good person that didn’t deserve to be unhappy,” Minseok’s words are getting into Jongdae.
“I just think that you are a good person that easy to like and care about. So people don’t want to see you get hurt or see you sad. If your friends are behaving like that it is not because that they think you are miserable or it’s not that they think they are better than you. It is because they want you to be happy,” Minseok smiles at Jongdae a shy smile and Jongdae is biting his lips. Jongdae knew it but he just choose to be angry and feel prideful about it.
“I think, maybe I should apologize to them then,” Jongdae says trying to smile. Minseok grins at him reassuringly, showing his gums again.
“I don’t know about that but your phone has been buzzing like crazy you should check that up,” he says. Jongdae reaches to his nightstand to grab it.
God. Sixteen calls from Yixing, three calls from Chanyeol and tons of messages.
From: GiantYeol
To: Jongdae
Don’t be an ass and answer Yixing’s calls or my next song will be bout ur small dick.
From: GiantYeol
To: Jongdae
I swear you won’t have a small dick to write a song about if you don’t call Yixing now.
From: Byuntae
To: Jongdae
It will cost you three BBQ nights to pay for tonight. Get your wallet ready.
From: Xingxing
To: Jongdae
Jongdae I am so sorry! We are so sorry. We didn’t mean it to be like this.
From: Xingxing
To: Jongdae
I didn’t know that you were feeling like that. I am sorry only if you told me sooner T-T
From: Xingxing
To: Jongdae
Jondae you know that I love you please can we talk about this. Please just say something you are being childish. I only want the best for you! We all do!
From: Xingxing
To: Jongdae
Soooorrryyyyyy! I am so sooorryy!! Jongdaeeeeeeeeeeee :”(((((
Jongdae feels like crying and laughing at the same time so he decides on not doing anything as he starts texting.
From: Jongdae
To: Xingxing
You are going to regret those emoticons so badly when you wake up tomorrow. I am so sorry for ruining the night btw.
Before Jongdae can place the phone on the night stand his phone buzzes like crazy.
From: Xingxing
To: Jongdae
You answered!! :”D
From: Xingxing
To: Jongdae
I swear I am gonna neuter you tomorrow.I am gonna cut your balls and I will do it slowly. With a dull kitchen knife. ^^
“Everything’s okay?” Minseok asks but his smile tells Jongdae that he knows the answer. Jongdae is probably smiling too.
“Yeah. My balls are threatened but I think I will be okay,” Jongdae reaches to his nightstand again to place his phone and when he turns back to Minseok, there is only a pile of clothing instead of him. There is a little bump moving around underneath it and Jongdae chuckles.
He reaches to untangle Minseok from the clothes and after that he throws the clothes to a chair across to room. Minseok might be a cat but still, he is capable of giving a glare to Jongdae because of creating a mess but Jongdae can’t care less right now.
He reaches up to pet Minseok. Scratching his cheeks and behind his ears. He avoids touching to base of his tail because that is a special zone and that would probably make Minseok uncomfortable so his hands only go down till the base of Minseok’s neck.
Minseok is not facing him, this probably a little bit intimate for him but Jongdae can see that he likes it from the small buzzing coming from Minseok’s neck and Jongdae hopes that his petting session shows how thankful that he is for Minseok’s companion.
It has been such a long time since the last time Minseok was in a car. He is sitting on the front seat and this feels so weird. Actually he Is more like sitting on his pet transport box which is on the front seat and Jongdae’s car is a disaster. Every sound that the car makes is three times stronger because of his cat ears and Jongdae’s old car is actually making dangerous sounds everywhere like it is going to fall apart.
This was a bad idea.
Minseok starts mewling loudly. There are not many things he can do at the moment. He can’t even get out of the box and was that box really necessary? This needs to stop before it turns into a disaster.
“What’s wrong?” well he can’t see Jongdae but he can hear the grin in his voice. “You don’t want to do this anymore?”
Yeah Minseok doesn’t want to and he makes it clear with another cute, kitty mewl that he hates. Jongdae laughs. He is going to pay for this later.
“Don’t worry. Nothing bad is going to happen. You can trust Yixing,” Jongdae says. No, Minseok can’t.
Jongdae brought up this idea few nights ago. Saying that Yixing is good at giving life advices and knowing everything so maybe he could do something about it or give Minseok an idea to how to get rid of this curse. And Jongdae was the only person that knew about Minseok and it would be a good idea to have someone they can trust if something happens and Jongdae has to go away or gets busy or something
Minseok agreed to it but now he just feels so nervous because Jongdae didn’t explain the situation to Yixing. Just said that that something is wrong with “Xiumin” and he can’t find out why and Yixing told Jongdae to come over to his apartment together with “Xiumin”.
So the thing here is, Jongdae’s plan is to make Minseok turn into a human in front of Yixing and if Yixing dies because of heart attack, Minseok will have to live with that.
“Here we are!” Jongdae says while pulling over. Minseok makes a sound in protest but it’s too late. Jongdae must be the worst vet ever because he keeps bumping Minseok’s box to his leg, to the door of the elevator and he almost fucking drops it.
“Sorry,” Jongdae says as Minseok hears the doorbell ring. Minseok is going to kill him for tonight. He means it.
It takes a minute until Yixing opens the door.
“Hey! Come in,” He says opening the door all the way. From the box Minseok can only see Yixing’s legs but Yixing’s voice is so soft and reassuring so Minseok relaxes a little bit. They go to the living room.
“Open his box. I am getting you a beer,” Yixing says as Jongdae opens Minseok’s box with a sheepish smile on his face. Even though it is opened, Minseok keeps sitting in it and gives Jongdae a glare.
“We are not going back now. C’mon,” Jongdae says with a smile as he grabs Minseok and pulls him out into his lap. Okay Jongdae has magical hands, he is a cat petting genius and his lap is impossibly comfortable but Minseok is still going to kill him for this.
“Oh he looks great!” Yixing says as he places a bottle of beer on the coffee table next to the couch and sits next to Jongdae. This is the first time Minseok is seeing Yixing completely and he can see why Jongdae is close friends with him. His face is bright and clear with dimples and his smile and eyes are sincere just like Jongdae’s.
“Zhoumi is still in Macau?” Jongdae says after looking around.
“Yes the seminar ends tomorrow and he will come back the day after that,” Yixing says. “So what is wrong with Xiumin?” Yixing comes closer to Jongdae, pressing their thighs together and places his head on Jongdae’s shoulder. He reaches to pet Minseok but for a reason Minseok jumps away from Jongdae’s lap to the ground childishly. He is having a sour taste all of a sudden seeing them likes this and Minseok wants to face palm because he makes no sense.
“Doesn’t like being touched?” Yixing says with a chuckle. Jongdae grins.
“He likes being touched just by me,” Jongdae says with his annoying, disgusting, and not charming at all, kittenish smile. Minseok hisses at him.
“Moody aren’t we?” Yixing smiles at him and Minseok will make Jongdae’s death painful and slow.
“He is just nervous that’s all,” Jongdae shrugs.
“So his problem is?” Yixing asks again and Jongdae looks at his watch.
“Just give him three minutes and you will see,” Jongdae says giving Minseok encouraging smile and Minseok panics. Three minutes? That sucker only gave him three minutes before he changes in front of Yixing. He mewls at Jongdae. He is going to be naked for fuck’s sake!
“Don’t worry I got you!” Jongdae says throwing the white towel at him that he placed in Minseok’s box earlier. A white towel. Just a fucking white towel.
“Okay. This is getting weird,” Yixing says. Jongdae smiles.
“You have no idea,” Jongdae says and Minseok starts feeling his bones aching and growing. “Close your eyes, it is gonna get bright here,” Jongdae covers Yixing’s eyes andMinseok closes his own eyes too. Hopping that he will find himself on Jongdae’s apartment when he opens them and hopes that this was just a dream.
It is not.
“Holy fuck!” Yixing says and gets up from the couch and he is looking at Minseok with wide eyes as Minseok is trying to cover his lower sections with the towel.
“Did your cat just turned into a human in my living room or am I going crazy?” Yixing says grabing Jongdae’s collar. Well at least he doesn’t look lie he is having a heart attack.
“Remember what you said when I asked you how crazy life can get?” Jongdae says trying to make Yixing let go of his collar.
“Hi?” Minseok says and the way Yixing turns to look at him with overly large eyes is scary.
“He can speak?” Yixing says turning back at Jongdae. “Your cat can turn into a human?”
It took one and a half an hour to calm Yixing down and make him understand that Minseok is not a cat that turns to human but a human that turns into a cat and yes Minseok can understand what they are saying and yes Minsek can talk and yes Minseok does exist. Thank you.
Yixing is still staring at him with wide eyes and asking him a tons of questions but at least Minseok is dressed up and he has beer.
“Wait a second!” Yixing says and turns to Jongdae. “Minseok is the hot friend that you have a crush on?” Jongdae’s eyes widen and his whole face is red. Minseok leans back on his couch and smiles. Maybe he doesn’t have to take a revenge on Jongdae. Seems like universe is doing that for him and he will pretty much enjoy it.
“I did not say something like that!” Jongdae says but Yixing hits the back of Jongdae’s head and Minseok holds back a laugh. “Ouch! What was that for?”
“Is he even legal you pedo!” Yixing shouts at Jongdae . Minseok actually laughs this time.
“He is thirty years old for fucks sake!” Jongdae says and Yixing hits him again. “What?!”
“And you believe that? Are you fucking blind?” Yixing says and Jongdae grabs Yixing’s wrists before he can hit him again.
“Say something!” Jongdae looks at Minseok with pleading eyes but no. Minseok will enjoy this as much as he can.
“Well you never checked my ID or something,” Minseok says with a grin and Yixing gets rid of Jongdae’s grip and and jumps on Jongdae. After fifteen minutes of wrestling on the ground Minseok takes pity on both of them and pulls them apart.
“You are thirty years old?” Yixing asks again for the seventh time and Minseok had already told him about his degree and his work at B+H Architecture and that he was about to get married before this happened.
“I feel like I am in a Disney movie,” Yixing says.
“Ask me about that,” Minseok says but his voice resonates and he realizes that Jongdae said the same thing too. All three of them starts to laugh.
“So have you ever tried to do what she said to end this?” Yixing says. “I mean she said ‘until you fall in love’ I believe.” Yixing says and Jongdae looks at him in wonder. Somehow they never thought that could be the solution.
“Well,” Minseok thinks about the years he spent as a cat and all he can remember is the cold streets. “I never wanted my family to find this out so I left my apartment and nobody knows about this except Jongdae and you now and I didn’t really see cats as an option,” Minseok scrunches up his face and Jongdae laughs.
“But you can try it now,” Yixing says. “You know Jongdae now.”
“Yes I can introduce you to new people actually! Well most of my friends are not single but..” Yixing pinches his arm and Minseok smiles at it.
“What?” Jongdae says but Yixing ignores him.
“In Disney movies kisses solve the curses right?” Yixing says with a smile and Jongdae groans in frustration.
“Not you too! I already damaged him enough with Disney jokes. If you don’t have an actual advice we should better go,” Jongdae says.
“You can’t know without trying,” Yixing says and he sounds serious now.
“Thinking about that I can turn into a cat, this doesn’t sound crazy but I think we should really go because I don’t want to go back to Jongdae’s apartment in that box,” Minseok really means that one.
“You put him in a box?” Yixing gives Jongdae a glare and Minseok thinks he really likes Yixing.
“He uses his pawns when he is nervous!” Jongdae tries to say before Yixing hits the back of his head again.
Part 3 →