no such thing as coincidences; leo/n
Title; No Such Thing As Coincidences
Pairing; Leo/N
Fandom; VIXX
Rating/Genre; PG/Humor, Fluff
Comment; Long overdue sequel to Find Some Inspiration.
Synopsis; In which Hakyeon visits his parents and Taekwoon just happens to be there; AU
How the heck did this happen? Since when did Hongbin become friends with a person like that? It couldn't be in a party because the male- Taekwoon? Was it Taekwoon?...anyway, he doesn't look the type to be hanging around in an area filled with chattering, lively people. He looks more like…well, I can’t really say. I don’t usually judge a person by the first impression (not anymore). The times that I had ended up rather badly- like that one time I judged a girl, who I thought was a boy in drags and that earned me a slap on the face. Or another whereas I thought Ravi was a rambunctious gangster in disguise and that ended in a rather heated argument (thank god, he’s a pacifist and not a fighter). But I suppose it was a good thing that time since our friendship was established from that. Weird, but true.
Staring down at the piece of paper, I re-read the short message that was handed to me well over two hours ago. I’m not sure how many times I’ve read it but the more I did, the more I’m in disbelief (the businessman I mentioned earlier continues to type furiously on his laptop; however, I could see the split second glances he kept sending me when I started murmuring angrily to my phone and banging my head a little against the window).
Anyway.
Right after my plane departure from Seoul, I immediately sent a text message to Hongbin, inquiring about the person in question and he had given me a bit of information minutes afterwards.
Like the alias he goes by- Leo. A name that I found strangely fitting for a person of his stature.
Second, he’s the same age as me and had gone through the same university as Hongbin, which was how they met in the first place. Third,…I didn’t even want to know this but Hongbin just had to add it in- Taekwoon’s birthday, blood type, and approximate height and weight. Why he bothered to tell me, I haven’t got a clue and it’s not like I’ll remember this for future reference or anything (maybe).
Needless to say, the issue nagged at me throughout the entire trip and caused me to remain distracted from everything else until I reach the airport in Sydney, Australia. And that eventually vanish by the time my eyes catch sight of my mother- short, petite with curling dark hair, and waving at me with a welcoming smile sitting across her slightly aged face. In all aspects, she’s still the same to me and her very presence is something that I’ve missed dearly since the time she and my father moved from Korea.
“Hakyeon ah, you made it.” My mother speaks up the moment I’m in proximity and doesn’t hesitate to envelop me into a tight comforting hug. I have to smile at that and promptly return the hug with a soft laugh. “Yeah, it was pretty rough getting here.”
“Has it? Surely, it’s not that bad.” She quirks up an eyebrow a little, looking just a bit doubtful.
My laughter grows louder as I steer away to her side, my arm slinging across her shoulders. “It wasn’t really. I didn’t pay attention to my surroundings so it’s like a blink of an eye, coming here.” I nod once and pause. “I missed you, ma.”
Her eyes soon meet my own as she gives me another smile and a pat on the lower back. “I missed you too, seeing you look so grown up now. Let’s go see your father, hm? I’m sure we have lots to catch up on.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” A grin creeps across my lips as I lead the two of us through the sliding door; however, my mother stops me before I have the chance, stating that the car is parked further to the right. Geez, don’t tell me she went and parked four blocks away like she did before! My stamina’s not so great at the moment!
--
Approximately twenty minutes of getting blocked with heavy traffic and listening to old classics that my mother adores, we manage to reach in front of a baby blue, two-story building resting around the near corner of a quaint looking neighbourhood. My parents sent me a photo of this back when they were moving in so I’ve seen it before; however, when my eyes lie on the clean exterior of the building as well as the small rose garden within a line of glossy, stylized bars of the gate, I can’t help but to think, ‘It’s prettier than I thought.’
“How do you like this place, Hakyeon ah?” I hear my mother question me in amusement; no doubt I look like some gaping idiot since I belatedly realize that my lower jaw is hanging.
“I like it.” I manage after a few seconds and she laughs in response. “I believe you said the same thing the first time we sent you a picture of it.”
My eyes shift from the complex to my mother and I laugh with her once I realize that she’s right about that. “I suppose my impression of it remains the same.”
“What are the both of you standing around and laughing for?”
The both of us suddenly swivel towards the source of the voice, whose question is directed at us most likely and there, standing just outside the door with a hand on the knob is my father. He gazes upon my mother and I with a mixed expression of curiosity and mirth before he reprimands in a rather playful manner, “You’re both leaving me out of the conversation. And Hakyeon! You’re supposed to be greeting me the moment you stepped out of the car!”
Yup, that’s my dad- he kids and jokes around seventy five percent of the time but there are times where he knows how to put his foot down before the situation gets serious. He is also the person who taught me a lot about life as well as how to live my life to the point that I will be able to enjoy it (he’s the one who suggested I be a writer after he rummaged through my things to see if I have porn and found my drafts) so overall, he’s a really good figure to look up to.
“Sorry!” I apologize with a grin and hastily add when my father gives me a stern look, “I mean, hello, pa! Long time no see!”
“It would’ve been shorter if you visited more often.” He grumbles but his lips quirks up as he gestures my mother and I to come in. Holding onto her arm to support her, we steadily head through the gate and by the time we reach my father, I wrap loose arms around my parents and smile brightly. “I missed the both of you.” My stomach decides to make itself known that that precise point and I end up laughing sheepishly at the looks my parents sent me. “So what’s for lunch today? I’m starving.”
--
The rest of the day consisted of me and my parents chatting over various topics during meal time- how’s your work doing?, are you writing a new novel?, what have you been doing on your free time, got a girlfriend yet?…yes, once again, it strayed to that topic again. I don’t think I have the heart to tell them about my sexual orientation yet. They’re going to hate me forever and will disown me first thing!
Well, my mother seems a little more open-minded than my father but still. It’s tough.
Perhaps another time. Maybe.
Where was I? Oh yes, we spent most of the time conversing and then my father decided that he wanted to teach me a bit of English so I learned something useful! Though the only words that I managed to master are, Hello, how are you?, thank you, I like you, and Chicken of the Sea. I feel that the last one must be special because my father was rather enthused when he taught me that phrase. Maybe I’ll use it in the future.
The day ended with me taking an early nap since jetlag had finally got to me. It wasn’t bad for the first day in Australia- there’s another week and six days to plan out everything.
--
The next day so far had been uneventful, other than me taking another opportunity at updating with my parents. Despite that, however, there was one small thing in the back of my mind that kept intruding- and is still intruding, I might add.
It’s nothing special- just some guy from the airport and-what? What did I say? Oh god, I said it, didn’t I? No, I’m not thinking about that person whose name is at the tip of my tongue (I remember, okay).
Alright, maybe I am. But it’s thanks to that that I was able to write twenty pages of competent literacy that I was satisfied about. It’s a win-win situation for me since I don’t have to worry about meeting the guy in the future anymore.
“Hakyeon ah!”
I shift around from the top of the stairs connecting the first and second floor, my laptop still resting securely over my upper legs. “Yes, ma?” I call back.
“Someone’s coming to visit at any moment. Can you open the door for him when he comes? I’m still cooking for dinner.”
“Okay.” Upon responding to her, I catch sight of my father striding out of the bedroom, hair disheveled and still clothed in pajama wear. It looks like he had just got out of bed.
My father mumbles as he passes by, “Mornin’”
“Pa, it’s two in the afternoon.”
“Is it?” he scrunches his eyebrows together in thought. “Strange. My clock still says eleven.” He shakes his head and waves me off before dragging himself to the bathroom. I manage to tell him as he closes the door, “We’re having a visitor soon, just to let you know!”
The doorbell suddenly rings, loud and shrill. It almost makes me flinch; however, I carefully place my laptop down and head over to get the door without much of a thought. I wonder who it could be.
I pull the door open and that’s when my mind blanked.
…
Okay, I think I’m back into coherency. My words aren’t jumbled together. But, you want to know the most awkward thing in my life from birth until now?
This.
To have the one person who's been prodding and occupying my mind for the past two days (not that he is!)…in Australia. In front of my parents' front door adorned in tight dark jeans and that white wash t-shirt that is wrapped loosely around his damn attractive upper body and no, I’m not checking him out. I am gathering information and making an attempt to gain knowledge of the situation, thank you very much.
But I’ve come into a conclusion- my guess is that the person before me is a stalker. And my muse. No, how can he be my muse when it’s obvious that he’s a stalker? That doesn’t sound right…and I thought there wasn’t a chance to see him again, ever! Like the dramatic scene of my favorite novel- where the protagonist leaves her loved ones for their sake of happiness! Wait a minute, I just did not compare myself to her! I’m no female protagonist going through an epiphany with her life.
Right before I can find my voice to scream out from the top of my lungs, my mother gently pushes me aside to greet him, "Taekwoon ah, you've finally made it. And I see you've met my son." an airy giggle fills my ear as she takes the taller male by the hand and leads him in, leaving me rather dumb-founded by the entire ordeal.
Words of multiple inquiries fill my mind and yet they can't formulate into proper sentences. And it's not until I hear my mother calling out, "Hakyeon ah! Shut the door, you're letting the cold air out" that I manage to snap back into reality.
I blink once, then twice. And then, I explode without thought.
"What are you doing here?!" I cry out, pointing accusingly at the male. Taekwoon swivels his gaze toward me along with a mild arch of the eyebrow, hardly affected by my outburst. Instead, my mother reprimands me, “Hakyeon ah! You’re being rude to our guest.” ’Guest? You can’t be serious, ma!’ “I invited him when we confirmed that you would be visiting. I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for you to meet.”
It’s too bad I’ve met him already. And to boot, it was an embarrassing affair.
She seems to have read my mind or something because she suddenly speaks up, “Did you two meet already? It looks like you’re familiar with him.”
I wave my hand and shake my head in denial and just when I’m about to voice it out, the other person- Taekwoon, speaks, in that same soft voice that catches me in surprise once again, “We did. At the airport.”
“Oh, I see. That’s good then.”
I really don’t see what’s good about it. But please tell me he’s not going to stay!
“Then the both of you can get to know each other more during dinner time!” My mother sounds enthusiastic about this but for me, I just want to run away from this entire ordeal.
--
It’s awkward.
Seated beside Taekwoon and across from my parents in the dining room, listening to them (my mother, mostly) converse much as we had done yesterday. Only the differences are one- there’s an addition here and two- I’ve been silent for generally most of the conversation.
“Hakyeon ah, why won’t you speak up? I’m sure the both of you have much in common.” I hear my mother say and all I can offer her is a smile. “My mind’s a bit tired. I’ve spent most of the time writing today.”
“Oh, maybe you should rest after this then.” She soon carries an expression of concern, which I do not like seeing and guilt’s starting to eat at me with every passing moment. I laugh and smile reassuringly, “It’s nothing serious. Don’t worry about it, ma.”
“Then, maybe both of you boys can go out later today.”
“No, thank you, ma.” I wonder if she can hear my voice hardening a little. I hope not.
It seems like she doesn’t notice after all because she simply waves a hand at me, responding, “Don’t be like that. You have two weeks to spend here. Might as well make it enjoyable.”
“But I prefer enjoying it with the both of you.” I protest. And my laptop too. God, I miss it right now.
“Taekwoon ah’s going to be staying for two weeks as well.” I see the aforementioned male nod to this through the corner of my eye as he continues to stuff a piece of chicken into his mouth. “So don’t be mean and spend some time with him.”
Two weeks…with that guy?
I manage a stuttered ‘okay’ before excusing myself from the dining room, claiming that my writing materials are still in the middle of the hallway and I wouldn’t want them to get ruined. So I did, and when I come around to retrieve them to my room, I place them on the desk nearby and collapse on the bed, hoping this is all just one big dream.
--
So.
Should I summarize what happened afterwards? I should. If I were to follow up every single event occurred between Taekwoon and I, it’ll be a long endless story.
Well, I had spent a week with said male in my household due to the fact that his parents were working overseas and they wouldn’t be back until the week after. What did that mean? It meant that my mother had an excuse to put him and I into the same room since the guest room haven’t been cleaned up properly yet. My father simply agreed to whatever his wife said only because he didn’t mind the arrangement at all. It should’ve disturbed him a little bit at least!
To tell the truth, it was alright at first. Taekwoon was actually a very stoic person, quiet and spoke only when it was necessary. That was when the problem began. He was too quiet and I just couldn’t stand staying in a place with someone without some social contact. So once in a while, as we sat in our respective beds (futon for Taekwoon), I prodded at him with various inquiries. I think it was after a full hour of perseverance that he finally snapped and promptly demanded me to shut up.
Then, we argued. Soon after that came a pillow fight.
Somewhere along the line, once we collapsed with exhaustion, I had learn some things about Taekwoon (aside from the might-be-unintentional pieces of information Hongbin gave me)- like the fact that he’s into photography and singing and he didn’t want to work as a security personnel but rather a designer. I also learned that he enjoy watching romance films on his free time. That was something I didn’t expect coming from someone like him, though it looked like we have some things in common. One of these days, I’ll ask him if he would want to have a movie night with me.
Other than that, we- meaning all of us- went through a couple of trips- the Rocks (happens to be a historical sight), the Taronga Zoo, the Bondi Shark Museum (oh my god, the sharks!), and generally, anything worth sightseeing. I’d heard that there were places in Australia that were a must-see and they were right, apparently. Australia’s amazing!
And finally, I got a hundred and fifty pages done. I’m so proud of myself. The story’s about halfway done now, according to the plot I sketched out around the beginning of the week. It won’t be long before I get everything done, and before the deadline to boot!
(Taekwoon actually found out about my work when I went on a bathroom break, leaving my laptop on the bed. I wanted to kick him for that but apparently, he had some good input and offered me several pointers that I found to be rather helpful. It was much better than Ravi’s ‘you actually wrote all this? Hard to believe’)
I think our relationship got slightly better now.
--
On the second to last day of the trip, Taekwoon and I are spending a late afternoon trip to the river by the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Yes, only the two of us; my parents claimed they need a date and wouldn’t want either of us to disturbed them and so they promptly kicked us out. Can you believe that?
I didn’t mind as much now as I would back when I assumed Taekwoon to be a stalker. He’s actually not a bad guy and he’s been helpful on more than one occasion. Not to mention that he talks to me a lot more than he did before
(and I wouldn’t admit to this aloud but the more I know him, the more I’m beginning to like him. But don’t tell him that; I know he’s not bent so shh!)
Leaning against the rail with propped arms, I pull my phone out to take a picture. The sun is on the verge of setting beside the large bridge, its luminous glow dimming steadily with time. A cool breeze passes by, caressing my cheek gently as it continues over the surface of the rippling water. It’s a beautiful sight to behold.
“Here.”
The sight of pink and red invade my eyes and I jerk back out of instinct, blinking several times before catching it in the form of ice cream. “Geez, you could’ve given it to me properly.” I mumble as I take it. “Thanks.”
Taekwoon gives a hum in response as he leans against the rail like I did and eyes around the area. I scoot closer to him, enough for our arms to touch. There’s a bit of silence between us before my mind racks up a few questions that I keep forgetting about.
“Hey, are you going to work straightaway when you go back to Korea?”
He shakes his head. “No.”
“When are you?”
“The day after.”
“Want to hang out then?”
Taekwoon pauses to that and for some reason, my heart is steadily speeding up as I wait for a response. “Mm.”
I try to hold back a grin but it’s about to break free so I swivel away and lick around the melting surface of my ice cream instead. Another question pops up. “Mm, I just remembered something. You recall giving me that note when we were at the airport, right? I’m guessing Hongbin told you about me but what did he say anyway?”
At first, Taekwoon was staring back at me with a blank expression on his face; however, I can tell he’s trying to find words to explain himself.
“There’s this one time I was looking through Hongbin’s phone.” He starts quietly. “And after scrolling through his pictures, I’ve found you in a couple of them, alongside this one blonde. I thought…you look...” he trails off for a few seconds and pauses in thought. “weird.”
Hey, I resent that.
Taekwoon continues, obviously not noticing my trail of thoughts. “Hongbin noticed and began telling me about you, even when I didn’t pry from him. Like…” he pauses, looking mildly thoughtful. “you’re a writer, single, loud, bossy…an overall interesting person.”
Note to self: reprimand Hongbin first. Steal his camera and hide it from him second.
"And my parents?" Might as well ask him that while we're on the topic.
Taekwoon's lips thin. “A few months before graduation, my parents told me about these new neighbours moving in next door. They were coincidentally from Korea and they got along well enough that they invited me at some point to get to know them.”
As Taekwoon continues to explain how our parents met, I vaguely recall reading an email from my mother, stating something about having neighbours from Korea but I didn’t think much of it then. It was good to know though, that they were not completely alienated by the language and cultural barriers.
“The first time I arrived here and saw your parents, they immediately told me about you. Showed me pictures too.”
I palm my face out of horror and sheer embarrassment. My parents showed what? Did I hear it right?
Eventually, I turn away from the other male and crouch down to bury my face into my knees, groaning ‘why? Why?’ but then again, I have the feeling Taekwoon doesn’t really care about my reaction. I wonder if it’s a good thing or a bad thing.
“…Are you done?”
I stop for a moment before forcing out a soft cough. I thought as much. “Yeah.” My voice sound weak to my ears and I clear my throat loudly before taking a glance over to Taekwoon and repeating myself, “Yeah. Are you done?”
I watch as he meet my eyes for a second and shifts away after. Then, he raises a hand to rub the back of his neck. “I take it back. You’re different than I expected.”
“Excuse me?” I dip an eyebrow out of puzzlement and poke at his shoulder to grab his attention. He doesn’t budge. “What do you mean by that?”
There’s a bit of silence until finally, Taekwoon goes and clarifies for me in a mildly irritated manner, “You’re not interesting. You’re more annoying than any other people I’ve met but I like your parents and I wonder why you are related to them.”
Ouch.
“But…”
I quirk up an eyebrow at him and he glances back for a second. “I don’t know why I want to know more about you.”
My mouth decides to speak up before my mind can stop it, “Maybe you like me?”
I tense up and shift my gaze away to the opposite end, shoulders up and fingers digging into the thick fabric of my jeans. I expect Taekwoon to hit me for even suggesting the idea but as the seconds drag on to a minute and then, two, I take the risk of looking back. Much to my surprise, there’s a contemplative look casting over his face.
“Maybe…”
I wonder if I heard that right. When Taekwoon speaks up at that point, the word comes out soft, nearly inaudible to hear. I’m not sure whether or not to pry it out of him again, lest he becomes angry with me as he did before.
Rubbing off the light sheen of sweat off my palm with the side of my jeans, I decide to mutter out, “I do too.” However, upon catching Taekwoon’s gaze as he turns to me, I hastily add, “I-I mean, you’re more reliable than I thought when I first met you and about that first time, I’ve been meaning to say sorry for calling you a pervert but the words didn’t come out as I thought it would and-“
It stops there. A pair of lips, warm and soft, are against my own and I can’t bother to think anymore.
And just saying but I’ve kissed before. None of them can compare to this and I’m surprised. The telltale sparks and heart beating faster and nerves wrecked seems to fit the bill here and perhaps I can admit that Ravi’s right about something he told me long ago- something about true love and fate and unicorns, I think.
Taekwoon pulls away from me a few seconds after, leaving me flustered and shy. “It’s late.” He announces as he straightens himself up from his position.
I check for the time. It’s late to have dinner but not late enough for other activities. “Mm.” is all I can manage until a few seconds later, when I calm down enough to speak. “Um…let’s go.” My ice cream’s melted but I hurriedly finish it up, making a face as I lick the cream off my fingers. I then stand up and stride towards the way home and hearing the soft footsteps coming up from behind, clicking against the cement floor, I’d say Taekwoon’s not that far from me.
(I ignore my heart as it skips a beat when Taekwoon reaches close enough to take my hand into his own and it lingers all the way home without protest)
a/n: 4,400+ words of nonsense. Yup. Recently, I’ve been reacquainted with the manga xxxHolic and hence, you see the title and their personalities altered orz
Nonetheless, I hope you all enjoyed reading.
Pairing; Leo/N
Fandom; VIXX
Rating/Genre; PG/Humor, Fluff
Comment; Long overdue sequel to Find Some Inspiration.
Synopsis; In which Hakyeon visits his parents and Taekwoon just happens to be there; AU
How the heck did this happen? Since when did Hongbin become friends with a person like that? It couldn't be in a party because the male- Taekwoon? Was it Taekwoon?...anyway, he doesn't look the type to be hanging around in an area filled with chattering, lively people. He looks more like…well, I can’t really say. I don’t usually judge a person by the first impression (not anymore). The times that I had ended up rather badly- like that one time I judged a girl, who I thought was a boy in drags and that earned me a slap on the face. Or another whereas I thought Ravi was a rambunctious gangster in disguise and that ended in a rather heated argument (thank god, he’s a pacifist and not a fighter). But I suppose it was a good thing that time since our friendship was established from that. Weird, but true.
Staring down at the piece of paper, I re-read the short message that was handed to me well over two hours ago. I’m not sure how many times I’ve read it but the more I did, the more I’m in disbelief (the businessman I mentioned earlier continues to type furiously on his laptop; however, I could see the split second glances he kept sending me when I started murmuring angrily to my phone and banging my head a little against the window).
Anyway.
Right after my plane departure from Seoul, I immediately sent a text message to Hongbin, inquiring about the person in question and he had given me a bit of information minutes afterwards.
Like the alias he goes by- Leo. A name that I found strangely fitting for a person of his stature.
Second, he’s the same age as me and had gone through the same university as Hongbin, which was how they met in the first place. Third,…I didn’t even want to know this but Hongbin just had to add it in- Taekwoon’s birthday, blood type, and approximate height and weight. Why he bothered to tell me, I haven’t got a clue and it’s not like I’ll remember this for future reference or anything (maybe).
Needless to say, the issue nagged at me throughout the entire trip and caused me to remain distracted from everything else until I reach the airport in Sydney, Australia. And that eventually vanish by the time my eyes catch sight of my mother- short, petite with curling dark hair, and waving at me with a welcoming smile sitting across her slightly aged face. In all aspects, she’s still the same to me and her very presence is something that I’ve missed dearly since the time she and my father moved from Korea.
“Hakyeon ah, you made it.” My mother speaks up the moment I’m in proximity and doesn’t hesitate to envelop me into a tight comforting hug. I have to smile at that and promptly return the hug with a soft laugh. “Yeah, it was pretty rough getting here.”
“Has it? Surely, it’s not that bad.” She quirks up an eyebrow a little, looking just a bit doubtful.
My laughter grows louder as I steer away to her side, my arm slinging across her shoulders. “It wasn’t really. I didn’t pay attention to my surroundings so it’s like a blink of an eye, coming here.” I nod once and pause. “I missed you, ma.”
Her eyes soon meet my own as she gives me another smile and a pat on the lower back. “I missed you too, seeing you look so grown up now. Let’s go see your father, hm? I’m sure we have lots to catch up on.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” A grin creeps across my lips as I lead the two of us through the sliding door; however, my mother stops me before I have the chance, stating that the car is parked further to the right. Geez, don’t tell me she went and parked four blocks away like she did before! My stamina’s not so great at the moment!
--
Approximately twenty minutes of getting blocked with heavy traffic and listening to old classics that my mother adores, we manage to reach in front of a baby blue, two-story building resting around the near corner of a quaint looking neighbourhood. My parents sent me a photo of this back when they were moving in so I’ve seen it before; however, when my eyes lie on the clean exterior of the building as well as the small rose garden within a line of glossy, stylized bars of the gate, I can’t help but to think, ‘It’s prettier than I thought.’
“How do you like this place, Hakyeon ah?” I hear my mother question me in amusement; no doubt I look like some gaping idiot since I belatedly realize that my lower jaw is hanging.
“I like it.” I manage after a few seconds and she laughs in response. “I believe you said the same thing the first time we sent you a picture of it.”
My eyes shift from the complex to my mother and I laugh with her once I realize that she’s right about that. “I suppose my impression of it remains the same.”
“What are the both of you standing around and laughing for?”
The both of us suddenly swivel towards the source of the voice, whose question is directed at us most likely and there, standing just outside the door with a hand on the knob is my father. He gazes upon my mother and I with a mixed expression of curiosity and mirth before he reprimands in a rather playful manner, “You’re both leaving me out of the conversation. And Hakyeon! You’re supposed to be greeting me the moment you stepped out of the car!”
Yup, that’s my dad- he kids and jokes around seventy five percent of the time but there are times where he knows how to put his foot down before the situation gets serious. He is also the person who taught me a lot about life as well as how to live my life to the point that I will be able to enjoy it (he’s the one who suggested I be a writer after he rummaged through my things to see if I have porn and found my drafts) so overall, he’s a really good figure to look up to.
“Sorry!” I apologize with a grin and hastily add when my father gives me a stern look, “I mean, hello, pa! Long time no see!”
“It would’ve been shorter if you visited more often.” He grumbles but his lips quirks up as he gestures my mother and I to come in. Holding onto her arm to support her, we steadily head through the gate and by the time we reach my father, I wrap loose arms around my parents and smile brightly. “I missed the both of you.” My stomach decides to make itself known that that precise point and I end up laughing sheepishly at the looks my parents sent me. “So what’s for lunch today? I’m starving.”
--
The rest of the day consisted of me and my parents chatting over various topics during meal time- how’s your work doing?, are you writing a new novel?, what have you been doing on your free time, got a girlfriend yet?…yes, once again, it strayed to that topic again. I don’t think I have the heart to tell them about my sexual orientation yet. They’re going to hate me forever and will disown me first thing!
Well, my mother seems a little more open-minded than my father but still. It’s tough.
Perhaps another time. Maybe.
Where was I? Oh yes, we spent most of the time conversing and then my father decided that he wanted to teach me a bit of English so I learned something useful! Though the only words that I managed to master are, Hello, how are you?, thank you, I like you, and Chicken of the Sea. I feel that the last one must be special because my father was rather enthused when he taught me that phrase. Maybe I’ll use it in the future.
The day ended with me taking an early nap since jetlag had finally got to me. It wasn’t bad for the first day in Australia- there’s another week and six days to plan out everything.
--
The next day so far had been uneventful, other than me taking another opportunity at updating with my parents. Despite that, however, there was one small thing in the back of my mind that kept intruding- and is still intruding, I might add.
It’s nothing special- just some guy from the airport and-what? What did I say? Oh god, I said it, didn’t I? No, I’m not thinking about that person whose name is at the tip of my tongue (I remember, okay).
Alright, maybe I am. But it’s thanks to that that I was able to write twenty pages of competent literacy that I was satisfied about. It’s a win-win situation for me since I don’t have to worry about meeting the guy in the future anymore.
“Hakyeon ah!”
I shift around from the top of the stairs connecting the first and second floor, my laptop still resting securely over my upper legs. “Yes, ma?” I call back.
“Someone’s coming to visit at any moment. Can you open the door for him when he comes? I’m still cooking for dinner.”
“Okay.” Upon responding to her, I catch sight of my father striding out of the bedroom, hair disheveled and still clothed in pajama wear. It looks like he had just got out of bed.
My father mumbles as he passes by, “Mornin’”
“Pa, it’s two in the afternoon.”
“Is it?” he scrunches his eyebrows together in thought. “Strange. My clock still says eleven.” He shakes his head and waves me off before dragging himself to the bathroom. I manage to tell him as he closes the door, “We’re having a visitor soon, just to let you know!”
The doorbell suddenly rings, loud and shrill. It almost makes me flinch; however, I carefully place my laptop down and head over to get the door without much of a thought. I wonder who it could be.
I pull the door open and that’s when my mind blanked.
…
Okay, I think I’m back into coherency. My words aren’t jumbled together. But, you want to know the most awkward thing in my life from birth until now?
This.
To have the one person who's been prodding and occupying my mind for the past two days (not that he is!)…in Australia. In front of my parents' front door adorned in tight dark jeans and that white wash t-shirt that is wrapped loosely around his damn attractive upper body and no, I’m not checking him out. I am gathering information and making an attempt to gain knowledge of the situation, thank you very much.
But I’ve come into a conclusion- my guess is that the person before me is a stalker. And my muse. No, how can he be my muse when it’s obvious that he’s a stalker? That doesn’t sound right…and I thought there wasn’t a chance to see him again, ever! Like the dramatic scene of my favorite novel- where the protagonist leaves her loved ones for their sake of happiness! Wait a minute, I just did not compare myself to her! I’m no female protagonist going through an epiphany with her life.
Right before I can find my voice to scream out from the top of my lungs, my mother gently pushes me aside to greet him, "Taekwoon ah, you've finally made it. And I see you've met my son." an airy giggle fills my ear as she takes the taller male by the hand and leads him in, leaving me rather dumb-founded by the entire ordeal.
Words of multiple inquiries fill my mind and yet they can't formulate into proper sentences. And it's not until I hear my mother calling out, "Hakyeon ah! Shut the door, you're letting the cold air out" that I manage to snap back into reality.
I blink once, then twice. And then, I explode without thought.
"What are you doing here?!" I cry out, pointing accusingly at the male. Taekwoon swivels his gaze toward me along with a mild arch of the eyebrow, hardly affected by my outburst. Instead, my mother reprimands me, “Hakyeon ah! You’re being rude to our guest.” ’Guest? You can’t be serious, ma!’ “I invited him when we confirmed that you would be visiting. I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for you to meet.”
It’s too bad I’ve met him already. And to boot, it was an embarrassing affair.
She seems to have read my mind or something because she suddenly speaks up, “Did you two meet already? It looks like you’re familiar with him.”
I wave my hand and shake my head in denial and just when I’m about to voice it out, the other person- Taekwoon, speaks, in that same soft voice that catches me in surprise once again, “We did. At the airport.”
“Oh, I see. That’s good then.”
I really don’t see what’s good about it. But please tell me he’s not going to stay!
“Then the both of you can get to know each other more during dinner time!” My mother sounds enthusiastic about this but for me, I just want to run away from this entire ordeal.
--
It’s awkward.
Seated beside Taekwoon and across from my parents in the dining room, listening to them (my mother, mostly) converse much as we had done yesterday. Only the differences are one- there’s an addition here and two- I’ve been silent for generally most of the conversation.
“Hakyeon ah, why won’t you speak up? I’m sure the both of you have much in common.” I hear my mother say and all I can offer her is a smile. “My mind’s a bit tired. I’ve spent most of the time writing today.”
“Oh, maybe you should rest after this then.” She soon carries an expression of concern, which I do not like seeing and guilt’s starting to eat at me with every passing moment. I laugh and smile reassuringly, “It’s nothing serious. Don’t worry about it, ma.”
“Then, maybe both of you boys can go out later today.”
“No, thank you, ma.” I wonder if she can hear my voice hardening a little. I hope not.
It seems like she doesn’t notice after all because she simply waves a hand at me, responding, “Don’t be like that. You have two weeks to spend here. Might as well make it enjoyable.”
“But I prefer enjoying it with the both of you.” I protest. And my laptop too. God, I miss it right now.
“Taekwoon ah’s going to be staying for two weeks as well.” I see the aforementioned male nod to this through the corner of my eye as he continues to stuff a piece of chicken into his mouth. “So don’t be mean and spend some time with him.”
Two weeks…with that guy?
I manage a stuttered ‘okay’ before excusing myself from the dining room, claiming that my writing materials are still in the middle of the hallway and I wouldn’t want them to get ruined. So I did, and when I come around to retrieve them to my room, I place them on the desk nearby and collapse on the bed, hoping this is all just one big dream.
--
So.
Should I summarize what happened afterwards? I should. If I were to follow up every single event occurred between Taekwoon and I, it’ll be a long endless story.
Well, I had spent a week with said male in my household due to the fact that his parents were working overseas and they wouldn’t be back until the week after. What did that mean? It meant that my mother had an excuse to put him and I into the same room since the guest room haven’t been cleaned up properly yet. My father simply agreed to whatever his wife said only because he didn’t mind the arrangement at all. It should’ve disturbed him a little bit at least!
To tell the truth, it was alright at first. Taekwoon was actually a very stoic person, quiet and spoke only when it was necessary. That was when the problem began. He was too quiet and I just couldn’t stand staying in a place with someone without some social contact. So once in a while, as we sat in our respective beds (futon for Taekwoon), I prodded at him with various inquiries. I think it was after a full hour of perseverance that he finally snapped and promptly demanded me to shut up.
Then, we argued. Soon after that came a pillow fight.
Somewhere along the line, once we collapsed with exhaustion, I had learn some things about Taekwoon (aside from the might-be-unintentional pieces of information Hongbin gave me)- like the fact that he’s into photography and singing and he didn’t want to work as a security personnel but rather a designer. I also learned that he enjoy watching romance films on his free time. That was something I didn’t expect coming from someone like him, though it looked like we have some things in common. One of these days, I’ll ask him if he would want to have a movie night with me.
Other than that, we- meaning all of us- went through a couple of trips- the Rocks (happens to be a historical sight), the Taronga Zoo, the Bondi Shark Museum (oh my god, the sharks!), and generally, anything worth sightseeing. I’d heard that there were places in Australia that were a must-see and they were right, apparently. Australia’s amazing!
And finally, I got a hundred and fifty pages done. I’m so proud of myself. The story’s about halfway done now, according to the plot I sketched out around the beginning of the week. It won’t be long before I get everything done, and before the deadline to boot!
(Taekwoon actually found out about my work when I went on a bathroom break, leaving my laptop on the bed. I wanted to kick him for that but apparently, he had some good input and offered me several pointers that I found to be rather helpful. It was much better than Ravi’s ‘you actually wrote all this? Hard to believe’)
I think our relationship got slightly better now.
--
On the second to last day of the trip, Taekwoon and I are spending a late afternoon trip to the river by the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Yes, only the two of us; my parents claimed they need a date and wouldn’t want either of us to disturbed them and so they promptly kicked us out. Can you believe that?
I didn’t mind as much now as I would back when I assumed Taekwoon to be a stalker. He’s actually not a bad guy and he’s been helpful on more than one occasion. Not to mention that he talks to me a lot more than he did before
(and I wouldn’t admit to this aloud but the more I know him, the more I’m beginning to like him. But don’t tell him that; I know he’s not bent so shh!)
Leaning against the rail with propped arms, I pull my phone out to take a picture. The sun is on the verge of setting beside the large bridge, its luminous glow dimming steadily with time. A cool breeze passes by, caressing my cheek gently as it continues over the surface of the rippling water. It’s a beautiful sight to behold.
“Here.”
The sight of pink and red invade my eyes and I jerk back out of instinct, blinking several times before catching it in the form of ice cream. “Geez, you could’ve given it to me properly.” I mumble as I take it. “Thanks.”
Taekwoon gives a hum in response as he leans against the rail like I did and eyes around the area. I scoot closer to him, enough for our arms to touch. There’s a bit of silence between us before my mind racks up a few questions that I keep forgetting about.
“Hey, are you going to work straightaway when you go back to Korea?”
He shakes his head. “No.”
“When are you?”
“The day after.”
“Want to hang out then?”
Taekwoon pauses to that and for some reason, my heart is steadily speeding up as I wait for a response. “Mm.”
I try to hold back a grin but it’s about to break free so I swivel away and lick around the melting surface of my ice cream instead. Another question pops up. “Mm, I just remembered something. You recall giving me that note when we were at the airport, right? I’m guessing Hongbin told you about me but what did he say anyway?”
At first, Taekwoon was staring back at me with a blank expression on his face; however, I can tell he’s trying to find words to explain himself.
“There’s this one time I was looking through Hongbin’s phone.” He starts quietly. “And after scrolling through his pictures, I’ve found you in a couple of them, alongside this one blonde. I thought…you look...” he trails off for a few seconds and pauses in thought. “weird.”
Hey, I resent that.
Taekwoon continues, obviously not noticing my trail of thoughts. “Hongbin noticed and began telling me about you, even when I didn’t pry from him. Like…” he pauses, looking mildly thoughtful. “you’re a writer, single, loud, bossy…an overall interesting person.”
Note to self: reprimand Hongbin first. Steal his camera and hide it from him second.
"And my parents?" Might as well ask him that while we're on the topic.
Taekwoon's lips thin. “A few months before graduation, my parents told me about these new neighbours moving in next door. They were coincidentally from Korea and they got along well enough that they invited me at some point to get to know them.”
As Taekwoon continues to explain how our parents met, I vaguely recall reading an email from my mother, stating something about having neighbours from Korea but I didn’t think much of it then. It was good to know though, that they were not completely alienated by the language and cultural barriers.
“The first time I arrived here and saw your parents, they immediately told me about you. Showed me pictures too.”
I palm my face out of horror and sheer embarrassment. My parents showed what? Did I hear it right?
Eventually, I turn away from the other male and crouch down to bury my face into my knees, groaning ‘why? Why?’ but then again, I have the feeling Taekwoon doesn’t really care about my reaction. I wonder if it’s a good thing or a bad thing.
“…Are you done?”
I stop for a moment before forcing out a soft cough. I thought as much. “Yeah.” My voice sound weak to my ears and I clear my throat loudly before taking a glance over to Taekwoon and repeating myself, “Yeah. Are you done?”
I watch as he meet my eyes for a second and shifts away after. Then, he raises a hand to rub the back of his neck. “I take it back. You’re different than I expected.”
“Excuse me?” I dip an eyebrow out of puzzlement and poke at his shoulder to grab his attention. He doesn’t budge. “What do you mean by that?”
There’s a bit of silence until finally, Taekwoon goes and clarifies for me in a mildly irritated manner, “You’re not interesting. You’re more annoying than any other people I’ve met but I like your parents and I wonder why you are related to them.”
Ouch.
“But…”
I quirk up an eyebrow at him and he glances back for a second. “I don’t know why I want to know more about you.”
My mouth decides to speak up before my mind can stop it, “Maybe you like me?”
I tense up and shift my gaze away to the opposite end, shoulders up and fingers digging into the thick fabric of my jeans. I expect Taekwoon to hit me for even suggesting the idea but as the seconds drag on to a minute and then, two, I take the risk of looking back. Much to my surprise, there’s a contemplative look casting over his face.
“Maybe…”
I wonder if I heard that right. When Taekwoon speaks up at that point, the word comes out soft, nearly inaudible to hear. I’m not sure whether or not to pry it out of him again, lest he becomes angry with me as he did before.
Rubbing off the light sheen of sweat off my palm with the side of my jeans, I decide to mutter out, “I do too.” However, upon catching Taekwoon’s gaze as he turns to me, I hastily add, “I-I mean, you’re more reliable than I thought when I first met you and about that first time, I’ve been meaning to say sorry for calling you a pervert but the words didn’t come out as I thought it would and-“
It stops there. A pair of lips, warm and soft, are against my own and I can’t bother to think anymore.
And just saying but I’ve kissed before. None of them can compare to this and I’m surprised. The telltale sparks and heart beating faster and nerves wrecked seems to fit the bill here and perhaps I can admit that Ravi’s right about something he told me long ago- something about true love and fate and unicorns, I think.
Taekwoon pulls away from me a few seconds after, leaving me flustered and shy. “It’s late.” He announces as he straightens himself up from his position.
I check for the time. It’s late to have dinner but not late enough for other activities. “Mm.” is all I can manage until a few seconds later, when I calm down enough to speak. “Um…let’s go.” My ice cream’s melted but I hurriedly finish it up, making a face as I lick the cream off my fingers. I then stand up and stride towards the way home and hearing the soft footsteps coming up from behind, clicking against the cement floor, I’d say Taekwoon’s not that far from me.
(I ignore my heart as it skips a beat when Taekwoon reaches close enough to take my hand into his own and it lingers all the way home without protest)
a/n: 4,400+ words of nonsense. Yup. Recently, I’ve been reacquainted with the manga xxxHolic and hence, you see the title and their personalities altered orz
Nonetheless, I hope you all enjoyed reading.