Behind the Sex - Chapter 34
Title: Behind the Sex
Fandom(s) : U-KISS
Pairing(s): KeMaru
Rating: NC-17
Genre: AU, Romance
Warnings: Awful!English
Author's Notes: My second NaNoWriMo, and a rather bold decision, if I might say :)! Hopefully doesn't contain too much inaccuracies, and if it does, please ignore it? >_>?
Prologue :: Chapter 1 :: Chapter 2 :: Chapter 3 :: Chapter 4 :: Chapter 5 :: Chapter 6 :: Chapter 7
Chapter 8 :: Chapter 9 :: Chapter 10 :: Chapter 11 :: Chapter 12 :: Chapter 13 :: Chapter 14 :: Chapter 15
Chapter 16 :: Chapter 17 :: Chapter 18 :: Chapter 19 :: Chapter 20 :: Chapter 21 :: Chapter 22
Chapter 23 :: Chapter 24 :: Chapter 25 :: Chapter 26 :: Chapter 27 :: Chapter 28 :: Chapter 29
Chapter 30 :: Chapter 31 :: Chapter 32 :: Chapter 33
As expected, Kevin couldn’t wake up no matter how strong the morning sun was. He probably would have a bad hangover when he stirs awake from the amount of alcohol he had the night before, the only reason why Kibum decided to bring Kevin home with him. Kibum, on the other hand, had already freshened up from the night before, instinctively reaching for his neck to soothe the strain from sleeping in a bad position.
Debating with himself on whether he should make breakfast or wake Kevin up, the psychology student decided on neither and ended up staring at Kevin’s sleeping form. Kibum smiled softly at the small frame of the younger as compared to his bed, seeing the slightly swollen eyelids hiding puffy eyes from his cries a few hours ago.
“That man.” Kibum mumbled, shifting closer to Kevin. Technically, it wasn’t correct for Kibum to reach the conclusion that Kevin liked another man. He could easily be in love with a woman. But being Kevin’s driver, he was quite sure Kevin never had a female customer, and his love that strong shouldn’t be for someone from long ago.
Or was he just too used to the image of Kevin being gay?
Leaning low anyhow, he watched the other breathed and wondered if he was growing selfish.
Selfish enough to kiss Kevin while he was asleep, as if taking advantage.
Exhaling a sigh, Kibum headed towards the door instead, pausing only when he heard a whine. There were some movements behind him, and the older man turned back to see a somewhat curled up figure rolling about.
“H-Hurts…” Kevin whined inaudibly, covering himself in the soft blanket as if to cushion the pain.
Kibum turned on his heels and went back to the younger’s side, deciding to carefully bring him to sit up. Kevin grumbled slightly at the motion, nuzzling his head towards Kibum’s chest as if to will away the hangover.
“Mm…” Kevin hummed, taking in the light scent from the man’s skin. He cuddled closer for another five seconds, and then as if suddenly registering the scent in his head, jerked backwards with eyes wide. He was about to launch into some incoherent explanation when his headache cut him off. “Pain…”
Afraid of being too loud for the younger, Kibum chuckled softly and let Kevin rest against his bed’s headboard. He then placed a pillow behind Kevin to cushion his back in case it was too hard for him, before leaving the room wordlessly.
Kevin watched the older man leave the room, himself left wondering where he might be and what he was doing there. His body was barely listening to him thanks to his headache, with his head too heavy to turn around and take in his surroundings. It looked like someone’s house, and not a random hotel, seeing how it had a personal touch to it.
Squinting to block the glaring morning light, Kevin saw neatly organised shelves and a spotless computer table. There wasn’t any bit of thing misplaced in the room, except probably…himself. Kevin blinked away his fatigue, and blinked once more at the realisation.
Reaching for the second pillow that was by his side, he brought it to his nose and took in a deep breath.
This was Kibum’s room.
He was in Kibum’s room.
Kibum entered the room again and smiled at Kevin’s blank expression, holding a plate and a cup of water. Offering the water first, Kevin took it gratefully and downed the cup. The plate of freshly made French toasts was then placed before him, but instead of the food, the younger man couldn’t help but think of how this breakfast-in-bed scene felt so dreamlike.
“I’ll get you more water. Water cures your dehydration from the alcohol intake, and carbohydrates along with some eggs will probably help.” Kibum spoke quietly, and then passed Kevin a fork and knife, using the second pillow as a makeshift table. Holding the empty cup he received from the younger, he left the room for a refill.
If this was heaven, Kevin doesn’t mind being dead.
Hurrying to try Kibum’s handmade food since it has been really long ago that the other cooked for him, Kevin chewed quickly, enjoying the warm breakfast. It was naïve to believe these would chase his pounding headache away, but whatever Kibum says go. And even if it really didn’t cure his hangover, at least he wouldn’t be hungry.
He snuggled back towards the pillow cushioning him as he chewed on his first bite, taking in a deep breath and then releasing it.
“Oh my g-” Kevin widened his eyes, the previous night’s events slowly coming back to him. He had gone off and drank more alcohol than he could tolerate, and even though he wasn’t a really bad drunk, he had no memories of whatever had happened.
Had he said or even done something stupid?
“No, no, no…” The prostitute shook his head, feeling the headache come back to him as if with a vengeance the more he tried to recollect whatever happened the night before.
Kibum then walked in with the cup of water he promised, frowning when he saw Kevin grabbing his own head, almost overturning the plate laid on the makeshift table. Worried, he shifted closer to put away the half-eaten toasts, once again offering water. “Kevin? Do you think you need painkillers?”
“Yeah…I mean, no.” Kevin bit his lower lip and tried to will away the pain instead, grabbing both the cup and Kibum’s hand. “W-What did I do yesterday?”
Kibum blinked back, surprised at the sudden question. “What?”
“I feel like, I feel like I did something stupid.” The younger trailed off, gulping down on the water. It wasn’t like he had any recollection at all, only trusting his instincts that his drunk self would have gone ahead to do something his sober self would regret.
“…”
Kevin paused, wary of the silence between them.
“No. Nothing happened.” Kibum pressed his lips together, rearranging the plate of French toasts onto the pillow. “Have some more.”
“I did something stupid, right?” The younger pressed on, the poker-face Kibum wore being unreadable even more than usual. “What was it? And…what am I doing here?”
“Well, it was obvious you were going to have a hangover.” Kibum replied, passing over the question he couldn’t answer. He watched the younger take a second bite and another, smiling softly at the scene. “I just brought you back here so you could get over the hangover quickly, since you don’t usually get so drunk.”
“…oh.” Kevin mustered up, still a little too groggy in his hangover state to notice the avoidance. “Right, thank you.”
-
Kevin’s hangover stuck around but definitely became milder after his food intake and constant rehydration Kibum offered him. With nothing better to do after breakfast, he was ushered into the bathroom to freshen up.
Watching his fatigue state from Kibum’s clear mirror inside the clean bathroom has ten times the effect than usual. He looked absolutely horrible and unfitting with the environment.
Kibum’s toothbrush was settled neatly next to his toothpaste on the right of the sink, the sink table decorated neatly with a pot of trimmed heart-leaf philodendron and a slightly scented liquid hand soap dispenser. A hand towel hung right before the sink, evenly spread along the towel bar.
“What am I even doing here?” Kevin sighed, fingering his face and then his dishevelled hair.
If this was a fairytale, then him, an unworthy commoner had definitely fallen for a prince.
The attire he was to change into after taking a bath was placed neatly on the empty area at the end of the sink table, and was Kibum’s smallest size clothes. The older man even offered him fresh underwear that Kevin couldn’t bring himself to accept nor refuse.
Sure, he was uncomfortable in the clothes he was wearing because of the strong alcohol smell, but he was even more uncomfortable wearing what Kibum wore before. Something so…intimate.
Crap, he’s starting to feel like a pervert.
Taking a deep breath and tentatively forgetting everything else, he removed his clothing and went for the shower. A cold shower, definitely.
-
“Sorry about that.” Kibum turned to Kevin, unable to continue as the younger wore his clothes out of the bathroom. “…is it too big?”
“No, it’s okay.” Kevin blushed slightly, remembering whose underwear he was wearing. On top of that, it wasn’t boxers, but fitting briefs. Tight, and in proximity, and everything else to emphasize how close the non-existent distance was from his bare skin.
“And I forgot to get you a new towel. Was it wet? I used it a little earlier.” Kibum turned away, scratching his head and subconsciously wondering if he was those kind of men that contributed to the boyfriend-shirt trend.
No, it was just that Kevin looked like a little boy wearing clothes a size bigger. Not that it turned him on or anything like that.
Kevin blushed harder as the words left Kibum’s lips, holding the towel he was using to dry off his hair tighter. He had wondered why the towel was slightly damp but hadn’t linked it up.
The towel used just barely a while ago by the other…
God, it wasn’t as if he was in high school with his crush. He had sex with this man countless of times and all of a sudden the thought of having indirect contact made him tremble.
“Um.” Kibum coughed, still unable to meet the other’s eyes. “We should have lunch soon. My…father’s cooking.”
The younger froze, unsure of how to go about meeting Kibum’s father for the second time, and on top of that, knowing Kibum’s relationship with his father wasn’t at its best. He was even wearing Kibum’s clothes and the entire situation seemed so ridiculous.
A son bringing home a drunk prostitute and the said prostitute wearing the son’s clothes and eating the father’s homemade food.
“M-Maybe I should leave.” Kevin hurriedly suggested, wondering why he hadn’t thought of that earlier.
“No, I lied to them and said you were having a bad hangover.” Kibum grabbed the younger’s wrist, restricting his movement. “Your head still hurts so I’m not letting you go back out.”
“B-But-”
“And I said to cook for three.” Kibum continued quietly, his grip around Kevin’s wrist slowly released. He turned to stare off at space, hiding his insecurities.
Kevin watched the older man, a rarely seen nervous expression appearing. With a soft sigh, Kevin decided he could maybe try to help mend the relationship between the father and son. Afterall, he was the one who came into the picture and messed with it.
-
Kevin fidgeted slightly in his seat, unable to enjoy his lunch. The meal was great and simple at the same time, but absolutely suffocating. Everyone just ate quietly, and probably because Kibum sensed Kevin’s discomfort, he picked out food for Kevin instead of the younger reaching out.
Kibum’s father only inaudibly chewed on his food, eyes never leaving the bowl before him.
A low hum from the vibration of a phone broke the silence, as if breaking everyone’s train of thoughts and bringing the tensed atmosphere back to the front of their faces. Kibum reached for his phone and took the call, a frown appearing soon after.
“Now? Can’t I get it some other time later?” Kibum pushed back his chair, mind seemingly made up despite his words. “Right, I’ll go right away. Thanks.”
Kibum paused in his steps to the main door, turning back slightly.
He would have to hurry back.
Kevin tried to concentrate on the food, but he couldn’t exactly forget that he wanted to help mend the relationship of Kibum and his father. Well, easier said than done. Right now, the awkwardness was so apparent he was surprised his weird posture that he didn’t dare fix wasn’t causing him more ache than it should.
The door was locked shut a while later, and Kevin quickly swallowed the lump of food down.
“I’m sorry.” The prostitute started, eyes darting around uncertainly. Where was he supposed to look? “I hope you don’t hate me. I don’t know why either, but Kibum…he keeps visiting me-”
“Is he doing fine?” Kibum’s father stopped the young man with a small smile, meeting Kevin’s shifty eyes. “Is he eating well?”
“Yes.” Kevin nodded, biting on his lower lip. “When I’m not on appointment, we have lunch together.”
“I wonder if this is getting out of hand.” Kibum’s father sighed as his words trailed off, wondering if this much research was fine. Kevin probably didn’t know anything either, being led on to feel guilty towards him. This man was surely also a poor pawn piece in Kibum’s game. “Take care of him for me. I don’t know for how long more, but please do.”
Kevin’s heart skipped a beat. Kibum’s father might not mean anything, hell, he was almost saying that this interaction between him and Kibum would end soon. But Kevin felt jittery when the other man spoke, because it sounded as if he was handing Kibum over.
If Kibum loved him back…maybe, maybe he would have such a caring father too.
Kevin nodded again, unable to speak. They continued eating silently, but Kevin felt so much more at ease this time around. This was a father that loved his son no matter what he did.
-
“Do you want to head out to the garden?” Kibum’s father offered, leaving the dirty dishes by the kitchen sink. It was still a little difficult coming to terms with the identity of the male before him, only around the age of his own son.
“Yes, please.” Kevin agreed politely, following after the older man through the backdoor into a small garden.
It was a humble little garden, with flowers lacking vibrant colours, telling everyone the lack of feminine preferences in the house. However, the place was well kept, with barely any weeds seen. The watering can was placed beside the ledge of the backdoor, looking almost brand new.
“I started this only a few months ago.” The older man spoke, eyes conveying some kind of sorrow. “And I thought it helped me feel better. Feel…more at ease.”
Months ago…was this linked to the start of Kibum meeting him?
“He’s an amazing young man. More impressive than myself when I was younger, I will say.” A low chuckle, followed by a deep sigh. “But if there’s one thing I would like him to lose, it would be his distance from people. Sometimes, he does feel so distant that I wonder if he stopped considering me as his father.”
Kevin pressed his lips together, deciding to hold onto the older man’s hand tightly, giving him some warmth his own son couldn’t provide. “I’m sure….he just doesn’t express himself well. The fact that he still eats at the same table as you, eating what you cook, it shows. Before lunch, he was nervous about something, and maybe...maybe it’s because he has never expressed himself before and hence doesn’t know how to tell you he still cares.”
Kibum’s father smiled softly, holding up their hands to look at the aged skin on his and the smooth one on Kevin’s. Kibum never held his hand before, and since his wife died, no one held his hand again.
It was definitely…warm.
“What the-” Kibum burst through the backdoor and snatched Kevin over hostilely when he saw their linked hands. Whatever was his dad making Kevin promise him?
It took Kevin a second to understand what sort of misunderstandings Kibum might have gotten from what he saw, and another to decide Kibum was a fool, a complete fool. “Let go of me!”
Kibum froze while the younger screamed. He slowly released his grip about Kevin’s wrist as he felt a stinging slap delivered to him across his face when he didn’t accede to the demand immediately. That was…unexpected, to say the least.
“You idiot. You don’t know what I wouldn’t give for a father, living and loving me, like yours is.”
Kibum’s father blinked at the slap Kevin sent, gently patting Kevin’s shoulders to tell him it’s all right. “It-It’s okay.”
Kevin shook his head, images of his own father coming back to him. No matter how vague the image, or how outdated those features were, it was what he imagined his father to be. And that was enough. It was enough because that image was the only thing his father left him.
“C-Can I hug you?”
Kibum’s father nodded in response, allowing Kevin in his arms before realising how endearing this boy before him was. He affectionately embraced the younger man, pausing to think that maybe this was a boy broken by his job, and that he was never meant to suffer the stereotype given to him.
Kibum sighed at the scene, watching Kevin hold back the tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Kev.”
“Not to me.” Kevin pulled away slowly. “But to your father.”
The psychology student hesitated, obviously uncomfortable with apologising, with the fact that he was wrong. He looked at his own hand and held it out, awkwardly offering a handshake. “I…shouldn’t have gotten angry at what was obviously my fault. I’m sorry.”
Kibum’s father smiled warmly at the words, pulling on the hand Kibum offered to embrace him. He patted Kibum’s back lightly, as if soothing the discomfort away, and then beckoned for Kevin to join the hug.
Kevin didn’t want allow himself a moment to think. He just wanted to enjoy the warmth he can never experience again, to drown in this feeling for just a little while. He stretched his arms out and entered, feeling both father and son’s hand on his back, each conveying their thanks by pulling him in closer.
A family.
So this was what a family felt like.
-
Don't know if I still have any LJ readers, but if I do, thank you so much for being patient with me and lasting through the two years with me <3
I'm not the best author right now, leaving you guys sparse updates, so really all the love to you guys for sticking with me!
Have a happy 2014, and may I finish this fic by this year :D
Fandom(s) : U-KISS
Pairing(s): KeMaru
Rating: NC-17
Genre: AU, Romance
Warnings: Awful!English
Author's Notes: My second NaNoWriMo, and a rather bold decision, if I might say :)! Hopefully doesn't contain too much inaccuracies, and if it does, please ignore it? >_>?
Prologue :: Chapter 1 :: Chapter 2 :: Chapter 3 :: Chapter 4 :: Chapter 5 :: Chapter 6 :: Chapter 7
Chapter 8 :: Chapter 9 :: Chapter 10 :: Chapter 11 :: Chapter 12 :: Chapter 13 :: Chapter 14 :: Chapter 15
Chapter 16 :: Chapter 17 :: Chapter 18 :: Chapter 19 :: Chapter 20 :: Chapter 21 :: Chapter 22
Chapter 23 :: Chapter 24 :: Chapter 25 :: Chapter 26 :: Chapter 27 :: Chapter 28 :: Chapter 29
Chapter 30 :: Chapter 31 :: Chapter 32 :: Chapter 33
As expected, Kevin couldn’t wake up no matter how strong the morning sun was. He probably would have a bad hangover when he stirs awake from the amount of alcohol he had the night before, the only reason why Kibum decided to bring Kevin home with him. Kibum, on the other hand, had already freshened up from the night before, instinctively reaching for his neck to soothe the strain from sleeping in a bad position.
Debating with himself on whether he should make breakfast or wake Kevin up, the psychology student decided on neither and ended up staring at Kevin’s sleeping form. Kibum smiled softly at the small frame of the younger as compared to his bed, seeing the slightly swollen eyelids hiding puffy eyes from his cries a few hours ago.
“That man.” Kibum mumbled, shifting closer to Kevin. Technically, it wasn’t correct for Kibum to reach the conclusion that Kevin liked another man. He could easily be in love with a woman. But being Kevin’s driver, he was quite sure Kevin never had a female customer, and his love that strong shouldn’t be for someone from long ago.
Or was he just too used to the image of Kevin being gay?
Leaning low anyhow, he watched the other breathed and wondered if he was growing selfish.
Selfish enough to kiss Kevin while he was asleep, as if taking advantage.
Exhaling a sigh, Kibum headed towards the door instead, pausing only when he heard a whine. There were some movements behind him, and the older man turned back to see a somewhat curled up figure rolling about.
“H-Hurts…” Kevin whined inaudibly, covering himself in the soft blanket as if to cushion the pain.
Kibum turned on his heels and went back to the younger’s side, deciding to carefully bring him to sit up. Kevin grumbled slightly at the motion, nuzzling his head towards Kibum’s chest as if to will away the hangover.
“Mm…” Kevin hummed, taking in the light scent from the man’s skin. He cuddled closer for another five seconds, and then as if suddenly registering the scent in his head, jerked backwards with eyes wide. He was about to launch into some incoherent explanation when his headache cut him off. “Pain…”
Afraid of being too loud for the younger, Kibum chuckled softly and let Kevin rest against his bed’s headboard. He then placed a pillow behind Kevin to cushion his back in case it was too hard for him, before leaving the room wordlessly.
Kevin watched the older man leave the room, himself left wondering where he might be and what he was doing there. His body was barely listening to him thanks to his headache, with his head too heavy to turn around and take in his surroundings. It looked like someone’s house, and not a random hotel, seeing how it had a personal touch to it.
Squinting to block the glaring morning light, Kevin saw neatly organised shelves and a spotless computer table. There wasn’t any bit of thing misplaced in the room, except probably…himself. Kevin blinked away his fatigue, and blinked once more at the realisation.
Reaching for the second pillow that was by his side, he brought it to his nose and took in a deep breath.
This was Kibum’s room.
He was in Kibum’s room.
Kibum entered the room again and smiled at Kevin’s blank expression, holding a plate and a cup of water. Offering the water first, Kevin took it gratefully and downed the cup. The plate of freshly made French toasts was then placed before him, but instead of the food, the younger man couldn’t help but think of how this breakfast-in-bed scene felt so dreamlike.
“I’ll get you more water. Water cures your dehydration from the alcohol intake, and carbohydrates along with some eggs will probably help.” Kibum spoke quietly, and then passed Kevin a fork and knife, using the second pillow as a makeshift table. Holding the empty cup he received from the younger, he left the room for a refill.
If this was heaven, Kevin doesn’t mind being dead.
Hurrying to try Kibum’s handmade food since it has been really long ago that the other cooked for him, Kevin chewed quickly, enjoying the warm breakfast. It was naïve to believe these would chase his pounding headache away, but whatever Kibum says go. And even if it really didn’t cure his hangover, at least he wouldn’t be hungry.
He snuggled back towards the pillow cushioning him as he chewed on his first bite, taking in a deep breath and then releasing it.
“Oh my g-” Kevin widened his eyes, the previous night’s events slowly coming back to him. He had gone off and drank more alcohol than he could tolerate, and even though he wasn’t a really bad drunk, he had no memories of whatever had happened.
Had he said or even done something stupid?
“No, no, no…” The prostitute shook his head, feeling the headache come back to him as if with a vengeance the more he tried to recollect whatever happened the night before.
Kibum then walked in with the cup of water he promised, frowning when he saw Kevin grabbing his own head, almost overturning the plate laid on the makeshift table. Worried, he shifted closer to put away the half-eaten toasts, once again offering water. “Kevin? Do you think you need painkillers?”
“Yeah…I mean, no.” Kevin bit his lower lip and tried to will away the pain instead, grabbing both the cup and Kibum’s hand. “W-What did I do yesterday?”
Kibum blinked back, surprised at the sudden question. “What?”
“I feel like, I feel like I did something stupid.” The younger trailed off, gulping down on the water. It wasn’t like he had any recollection at all, only trusting his instincts that his drunk self would have gone ahead to do something his sober self would regret.
“…”
Kevin paused, wary of the silence between them.
“No. Nothing happened.” Kibum pressed his lips together, rearranging the plate of French toasts onto the pillow. “Have some more.”
“I did something stupid, right?” The younger pressed on, the poker-face Kibum wore being unreadable even more than usual. “What was it? And…what am I doing here?”
“Well, it was obvious you were going to have a hangover.” Kibum replied, passing over the question he couldn’t answer. He watched the younger take a second bite and another, smiling softly at the scene. “I just brought you back here so you could get over the hangover quickly, since you don’t usually get so drunk.”
“…oh.” Kevin mustered up, still a little too groggy in his hangover state to notice the avoidance. “Right, thank you.”
-
Kevin’s hangover stuck around but definitely became milder after his food intake and constant rehydration Kibum offered him. With nothing better to do after breakfast, he was ushered into the bathroom to freshen up.
Watching his fatigue state from Kibum’s clear mirror inside the clean bathroom has ten times the effect than usual. He looked absolutely horrible and unfitting with the environment.
Kibum’s toothbrush was settled neatly next to his toothpaste on the right of the sink, the sink table decorated neatly with a pot of trimmed heart-leaf philodendron and a slightly scented liquid hand soap dispenser. A hand towel hung right before the sink, evenly spread along the towel bar.
“What am I even doing here?” Kevin sighed, fingering his face and then his dishevelled hair.
If this was a fairytale, then him, an unworthy commoner had definitely fallen for a prince.
The attire he was to change into after taking a bath was placed neatly on the empty area at the end of the sink table, and was Kibum’s smallest size clothes. The older man even offered him fresh underwear that Kevin couldn’t bring himself to accept nor refuse.
Sure, he was uncomfortable in the clothes he was wearing because of the strong alcohol smell, but he was even more uncomfortable wearing what Kibum wore before. Something so…intimate.
Crap, he’s starting to feel like a pervert.
Taking a deep breath and tentatively forgetting everything else, he removed his clothing and went for the shower. A cold shower, definitely.
-
“Sorry about that.” Kibum turned to Kevin, unable to continue as the younger wore his clothes out of the bathroom. “…is it too big?”
“No, it’s okay.” Kevin blushed slightly, remembering whose underwear he was wearing. On top of that, it wasn’t boxers, but fitting briefs. Tight, and in proximity, and everything else to emphasize how close the non-existent distance was from his bare skin.
“And I forgot to get you a new towel. Was it wet? I used it a little earlier.” Kibum turned away, scratching his head and subconsciously wondering if he was those kind of men that contributed to the boyfriend-shirt trend.
No, it was just that Kevin looked like a little boy wearing clothes a size bigger. Not that it turned him on or anything like that.
Kevin blushed harder as the words left Kibum’s lips, holding the towel he was using to dry off his hair tighter. He had wondered why the towel was slightly damp but hadn’t linked it up.
The towel used just barely a while ago by the other…
God, it wasn’t as if he was in high school with his crush. He had sex with this man countless of times and all of a sudden the thought of having indirect contact made him tremble.
“Um.” Kibum coughed, still unable to meet the other’s eyes. “We should have lunch soon. My…father’s cooking.”
The younger froze, unsure of how to go about meeting Kibum’s father for the second time, and on top of that, knowing Kibum’s relationship with his father wasn’t at its best. He was even wearing Kibum’s clothes and the entire situation seemed so ridiculous.
A son bringing home a drunk prostitute and the said prostitute wearing the son’s clothes and eating the father’s homemade food.
“M-Maybe I should leave.” Kevin hurriedly suggested, wondering why he hadn’t thought of that earlier.
“No, I lied to them and said you were having a bad hangover.” Kibum grabbed the younger’s wrist, restricting his movement. “Your head still hurts so I’m not letting you go back out.”
“B-But-”
“And I said to cook for three.” Kibum continued quietly, his grip around Kevin’s wrist slowly released. He turned to stare off at space, hiding his insecurities.
Kevin watched the older man, a rarely seen nervous expression appearing. With a soft sigh, Kevin decided he could maybe try to help mend the relationship between the father and son. Afterall, he was the one who came into the picture and messed with it.
-
Kevin fidgeted slightly in his seat, unable to enjoy his lunch. The meal was great and simple at the same time, but absolutely suffocating. Everyone just ate quietly, and probably because Kibum sensed Kevin’s discomfort, he picked out food for Kevin instead of the younger reaching out.
Kibum’s father only inaudibly chewed on his food, eyes never leaving the bowl before him.
A low hum from the vibration of a phone broke the silence, as if breaking everyone’s train of thoughts and bringing the tensed atmosphere back to the front of their faces. Kibum reached for his phone and took the call, a frown appearing soon after.
“Now? Can’t I get it some other time later?” Kibum pushed back his chair, mind seemingly made up despite his words. “Right, I’ll go right away. Thanks.”
Kibum paused in his steps to the main door, turning back slightly.
He would have to hurry back.
Kevin tried to concentrate on the food, but he couldn’t exactly forget that he wanted to help mend the relationship of Kibum and his father. Well, easier said than done. Right now, the awkwardness was so apparent he was surprised his weird posture that he didn’t dare fix wasn’t causing him more ache than it should.
The door was locked shut a while later, and Kevin quickly swallowed the lump of food down.
“I’m sorry.” The prostitute started, eyes darting around uncertainly. Where was he supposed to look? “I hope you don’t hate me. I don’t know why either, but Kibum…he keeps visiting me-”
“Is he doing fine?” Kibum’s father stopped the young man with a small smile, meeting Kevin’s shifty eyes. “Is he eating well?”
“Yes.” Kevin nodded, biting on his lower lip. “When I’m not on appointment, we have lunch together.”
“I wonder if this is getting out of hand.” Kibum’s father sighed as his words trailed off, wondering if this much research was fine. Kevin probably didn’t know anything either, being led on to feel guilty towards him. This man was surely also a poor pawn piece in Kibum’s game. “Take care of him for me. I don’t know for how long more, but please do.”
Kevin’s heart skipped a beat. Kibum’s father might not mean anything, hell, he was almost saying that this interaction between him and Kibum would end soon. But Kevin felt jittery when the other man spoke, because it sounded as if he was handing Kibum over.
If Kibum loved him back…maybe, maybe he would have such a caring father too.
Kevin nodded again, unable to speak. They continued eating silently, but Kevin felt so much more at ease this time around. This was a father that loved his son no matter what he did.
-
“Do you want to head out to the garden?” Kibum’s father offered, leaving the dirty dishes by the kitchen sink. It was still a little difficult coming to terms with the identity of the male before him, only around the age of his own son.
“Yes, please.” Kevin agreed politely, following after the older man through the backdoor into a small garden.
It was a humble little garden, with flowers lacking vibrant colours, telling everyone the lack of feminine preferences in the house. However, the place was well kept, with barely any weeds seen. The watering can was placed beside the ledge of the backdoor, looking almost brand new.
“I started this only a few months ago.” The older man spoke, eyes conveying some kind of sorrow. “And I thought it helped me feel better. Feel…more at ease.”
Months ago…was this linked to the start of Kibum meeting him?
“He’s an amazing young man. More impressive than myself when I was younger, I will say.” A low chuckle, followed by a deep sigh. “But if there’s one thing I would like him to lose, it would be his distance from people. Sometimes, he does feel so distant that I wonder if he stopped considering me as his father.”
Kevin pressed his lips together, deciding to hold onto the older man’s hand tightly, giving him some warmth his own son couldn’t provide. “I’m sure….he just doesn’t express himself well. The fact that he still eats at the same table as you, eating what you cook, it shows. Before lunch, he was nervous about something, and maybe...maybe it’s because he has never expressed himself before and hence doesn’t know how to tell you he still cares.”
Kibum’s father smiled softly, holding up their hands to look at the aged skin on his and the smooth one on Kevin’s. Kibum never held his hand before, and since his wife died, no one held his hand again.
It was definitely…warm.
“What the-” Kibum burst through the backdoor and snatched Kevin over hostilely when he saw their linked hands. Whatever was his dad making Kevin promise him?
It took Kevin a second to understand what sort of misunderstandings Kibum might have gotten from what he saw, and another to decide Kibum was a fool, a complete fool. “Let go of me!”
Kibum froze while the younger screamed. He slowly released his grip about Kevin’s wrist as he felt a stinging slap delivered to him across his face when he didn’t accede to the demand immediately. That was…unexpected, to say the least.
“You idiot. You don’t know what I wouldn’t give for a father, living and loving me, like yours is.”
Kibum’s father blinked at the slap Kevin sent, gently patting Kevin’s shoulders to tell him it’s all right. “It-It’s okay.”
Kevin shook his head, images of his own father coming back to him. No matter how vague the image, or how outdated those features were, it was what he imagined his father to be. And that was enough. It was enough because that image was the only thing his father left him.
“C-Can I hug you?”
Kibum’s father nodded in response, allowing Kevin in his arms before realising how endearing this boy before him was. He affectionately embraced the younger man, pausing to think that maybe this was a boy broken by his job, and that he was never meant to suffer the stereotype given to him.
Kibum sighed at the scene, watching Kevin hold back the tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Kev.”
“Not to me.” Kevin pulled away slowly. “But to your father.”
The psychology student hesitated, obviously uncomfortable with apologising, with the fact that he was wrong. He looked at his own hand and held it out, awkwardly offering a handshake. “I…shouldn’t have gotten angry at what was obviously my fault. I’m sorry.”
Kibum’s father smiled warmly at the words, pulling on the hand Kibum offered to embrace him. He patted Kibum’s back lightly, as if soothing the discomfort away, and then beckoned for Kevin to join the hug.
Kevin didn’t want allow himself a moment to think. He just wanted to enjoy the warmth he can never experience again, to drown in this feeling for just a little while. He stretched his arms out and entered, feeling both father and son’s hand on his back, each conveying their thanks by pulling him in closer.
A family.
So this was what a family felt like.
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Don't know if I still have any LJ readers, but if I do, thank you so much for being patient with me and lasting through the two years with me <3
I'm not the best author right now, leaving you guys sparse updates, so really all the love to you guys for sticking with me!
Have a happy 2014, and may I finish this fic by this year :D