The Future [oneshot]
Eli/Alexander | PG | 1750 words
Bad English
**
Eli stepped into the old dusty cafeteria he used to go when he was little. Nothing out of the ordinary, he chuckled. He was only 16 when he was in the town last time. He grew up in the tiny village, which was more like a city now or so. The roads were full of young people spending time, circled with innumerable beauty and fashion shops. If you took a picture of any road or shop, you’d see how rushed yet still so calm it was.
Eli wouldn’t have liked it if he hadn’t gotten used to it; he moved to Seoul at the age of 14. His parents paid for his studies so he got the best education a man in Korea could. He was good at languages including English and Mandarin. He could do maths. He knew many things about finance and policy for example. And some day he’d have a great job and a beautiful wife and three adorable children waiting for him to get home from work.
But Eli was still young and wasn’t planning on getting a family yet. He had no experience in women nor even girls. He had beautiful girls as friends, of course, but somehow, he couldn’t think of himself balling with any one of them.
His parents were bright, successful and tolerant. Their only wish for Eli’s future was that he didn’t get into troubles. Many people in the town knew about them because their family was rich. Plus, Eli was the only child. He had to keep his name clear. Messing up would be a freaking big deal.
But his life was a tiny little bit boring like this. So he thought until his best childhood friend stepped into the classical cafeteria and searched for him with round eyes. Eli could tell the boy was the exact same as before. Only his features had gotten sharper and more adult-like. And as Eli stepped to his sight, he jumped against him and clung onto his neck.
Of course, Key wanted to go shopping. And Eli had nothing against it, really. Years ago, he might have gotten sick of the fierce diva Key, but right now, he wanted and needed to hear the annoying diva voice criticize everything and see the tangy eyes stare at him from head to toe. Kim Kibum was annoying at times, always if he wanted, but Eli wouldn’t care less at the moment.
“Eli, isn’t this beanie just freaking cool?” Key asked as he moved on to the next sale shelf. “That green scarf is horrible. Just like that slut Minho’s. OOH MY GOD THAT JACKET, I WANT ONE!”
“Kibum? Is this Minho the one I know, too?” Eli asked and chuckled as Key was too obvious pretending he wasn’t listening.
“Look. Doesn’t it suit my profile?” Key mumbled as he tried it on. He didn’t look up at Eli.
Minho was Key’s biggest crush in the first class of middle school. But when Key found out Minho was in a relationship, he refused to talk about it even with his best friend. This mostly amused Eli when he was younger, but now he felt unexpectedly bad for Key.
“Eli, I forgot my credit card home, please can you buy this for me? I’ll pay you back”, Key said unusually quiet for his fierce essence. Eli sighed but gripped the jacket anyway and headed to the cash registers, Key right behind him. He looked for his wallet from his pocket and lifted his gaze up to the waiting employee, tried to smile but couldn’t.
Eli had never experienced such a feeling. It was like a fucking car was about to bump into him on the fucking road or he was falling from a skyscraper. His heart panted almost out of his chest with the speed of thousand kilometres per hour. He found his breath fitful and his saliva escaping from his throat.
He was in love at first glance.
**
“Please come to the cafeteria. Now, would be the best.”
It was 7am as Key called Eli from the morning streets. Sure, he had to go. Key sounded so not Key with the hopeless voice echoing on the phone.
Eli entered the silent cafeteria with a slight slam of the door and a glance from the tired waiter behind the cash register. He found Key easily and sat opposite him at the table. They only eyed each other until Key burst into a restless laughter. Eli stayed quiet.
“Guess what. I think I just saw Minho and his fabulous boyfriend in the movies like five fucking hours ago”, Key rambled on, as he got dead serious in seconds.
“How high do you happen to be, Kibum?” Eli asked, not surprised at all. The dumber Key was back again.
“I only drank for like…,” he mumbled and counted with his fingers, “four rounds”, Key grinned.
Eli sighed audibly. "When are you going to get along with the fact you weren’t fierce enough with Minho?” he asked rolling his eyes. Key’s face was disturbingly expressionless.
“Then you should be wise and get your Alexander already. He’s going to get someone else soon.”
Eli’s heart stopped for a moment. He had met Alexander in the fashion shop about two months ago. He found Alexander so attractive yet still so… distant. Two months wasn’t enough. Alexander hadn’t shown any feelings towards him. He couldn’t take him just like that, he wanted Alexander to like him, love him even… He didn’t want to force him to do anything.
“You’ll be leaving soon, huh?” Key asked and smiled that foxy smile. “Go get him before it’s too late.”
**
Eli spotted Alexander folding jeans in one corner of the shop. His legs weren’t so steady as he nervously walked toward him.
“Hi, Alexander”, he greeted and caused Xander to jump about a meter up on his space. His face was sweaty and red from working, his new haircut stuffed. Eli ruffled his hair and smiled. “I startled you?”
Alexander smiled hopelessly and nodded. “I guess. But you’re not supposed to disturb me while I’m working!”
“I’m not. I just came to ask if you wanted to come to my parents’… after your shift. My mom really likes you. Not lying”, Eli grinned. Alexander seemed to think for a while, rubbing his palms together.
“I know you’re lying. But sure. See you here at eight.”
Eli was not in a very talkative mood while they drove together to his childhood home. Alexander spoke for him for the whole way there. When they finally reached the huge building, Eli could sigh from relief.
“Mom, dad! I’m home.”
His mother was fast in the large hall, smiling brightly.
“Oh honey, you brought this well-mannered sweetheart with you again!” she admired and hugged them both. Eli felt a little awkward; it was like his mother thought they really were a couple or something. Alexander bowed and flashed a beautiful smile to her.
“Evening, Mrs. Kim. Thank you for being so kind to me”, he said with his adorable Korean.
“Mom…” Eli started, but his mother waved for him and turned on her heels.
“Okay, I see, you don’t want an old lady like me to hang around with you! Have a nice end of the day together!” the hall echoed and then there was an awkward silence between them.
“So… let’s go up to my room?” Eli suggested and waited for Alexander’s approval.
“Why did you actually invite me here?” Alexander asked as he randomly turned the page of the photo album in his hands. Eli blinked.
“For nothing special, really. I just wanted to hang out with you”, he said, yes, white lies were allowed.
Alexander glanced at him. “Okay. You just said it like you had something in your mind, but I guess I was just imagining it everything.”
There was a long silence until Eli moved up to Alexander from his bed. They both leaned on the wall, the other mind confused, the other one troubled.
“You know… I’ll be leaving soon”, Eli stated blandly.
“Where?” Alexander asked, never lifting his eyes from the album, tapping his toes against the floor. Eli noticed this and pulled the album from Xander’s hands and setting it onto his night table.
“I study in Seoul”, he said sighing. “I’ll be leaving in a week. Alexander.”
“Hm?”
“Are you okay with it? Me leaving?” Eli asked desperately, gripping Alexander’s tiny hands so he’d listen. After all, he couldn’t hold himself back and he pushed Alexander against the wall and smashed his body along with his lips against Alexander. He saw how Alexander’s eyes flew open from the shock right before closing his own lids.
He felt the rushed breath stroke his nose, cheeks and lips. Alexander tried to pull him away but he just couldn’t stop, pulled Xander’s hands down from his chest and forced his head to turn slightly in the kiss. And then there was a time when he didn’t even notice how fiercely he was taking Xander to the bed with him. He guessed it was because Xander’s lips softened a little though. Suddenly he just realized it was easy. Alexander ripped his shirt away willingly, with no questions asked or words spoken.
**
Eli spotted Key near the entrance of the airport. He walked to him smiling.
“You really came. I appreciate it”, he told Key, hesitated for a moment before pulling him into a tight hug.
“You should after all this. I hate you”, Key mumbled but tapped him on the back anyway. Eli laughed and saw how his lover come out of the bathroom. “Some of us are lucky.”
“Thanks to you I got him. I mean it. Thank you so much”, Eli said just before Alexander reached them. Key just winked.
“Have a nice end of your life, then.” Then he turned walked away without a word. It made Eli sad, seeing his diva friend in a bad condition like that and in addition to that, leaving him all alone.
“He’ll be okay. He’s a strong person”, Alexander said from next to him, clinging onto his arm. He gave him a peck on the lips and lifted one of their luggage.
“You’re right. But he didn’t get what I got. At least I know I’m not going to give up on you very easily”, Eli stated and patted his lover’s cheek. “Well now, what’s your plan when we reach Seoul?”
**
**
Bad English
**
Eli stepped into the old dusty cafeteria he used to go when he was little. Nothing out of the ordinary, he chuckled. He was only 16 when he was in the town last time. He grew up in the tiny village, which was more like a city now or so. The roads were full of young people spending time, circled with innumerable beauty and fashion shops. If you took a picture of any road or shop, you’d see how rushed yet still so calm it was.
Eli wouldn’t have liked it if he hadn’t gotten used to it; he moved to Seoul at the age of 14. His parents paid for his studies so he got the best education a man in Korea could. He was good at languages including English and Mandarin. He could do maths. He knew many things about finance and policy for example. And some day he’d have a great job and a beautiful wife and three adorable children waiting for him to get home from work.
But Eli was still young and wasn’t planning on getting a family yet. He had no experience in women nor even girls. He had beautiful girls as friends, of course, but somehow, he couldn’t think of himself balling with any one of them.
His parents were bright, successful and tolerant. Their only wish for Eli’s future was that he didn’t get into troubles. Many people in the town knew about them because their family was rich. Plus, Eli was the only child. He had to keep his name clear. Messing up would be a freaking big deal.
But his life was a tiny little bit boring like this. So he thought until his best childhood friend stepped into the classical cafeteria and searched for him with round eyes. Eli could tell the boy was the exact same as before. Only his features had gotten sharper and more adult-like. And as Eli stepped to his sight, he jumped against him and clung onto his neck.
Of course, Key wanted to go shopping. And Eli had nothing against it, really. Years ago, he might have gotten sick of the fierce diva Key, but right now, he wanted and needed to hear the annoying diva voice criticize everything and see the tangy eyes stare at him from head to toe. Kim Kibum was annoying at times, always if he wanted, but Eli wouldn’t care less at the moment.
“Eli, isn’t this beanie just freaking cool?” Key asked as he moved on to the next sale shelf. “That green scarf is horrible. Just like that slut Minho’s. OOH MY GOD THAT JACKET, I WANT ONE!”
“Kibum? Is this Minho the one I know, too?” Eli asked and chuckled as Key was too obvious pretending he wasn’t listening.
“Look. Doesn’t it suit my profile?” Key mumbled as he tried it on. He didn’t look up at Eli.
Minho was Key’s biggest crush in the first class of middle school. But when Key found out Minho was in a relationship, he refused to talk about it even with his best friend. This mostly amused Eli when he was younger, but now he felt unexpectedly bad for Key.
“Eli, I forgot my credit card home, please can you buy this for me? I’ll pay you back”, Key said unusually quiet for his fierce essence. Eli sighed but gripped the jacket anyway and headed to the cash registers, Key right behind him. He looked for his wallet from his pocket and lifted his gaze up to the waiting employee, tried to smile but couldn’t.
Eli had never experienced such a feeling. It was like a fucking car was about to bump into him on the fucking road or he was falling from a skyscraper. His heart panted almost out of his chest with the speed of thousand kilometres per hour. He found his breath fitful and his saliva escaping from his throat.
He was in love at first glance.
**
“Please come to the cafeteria. Now, would be the best.”
It was 7am as Key called Eli from the morning streets. Sure, he had to go. Key sounded so not Key with the hopeless voice echoing on the phone.
Eli entered the silent cafeteria with a slight slam of the door and a glance from the tired waiter behind the cash register. He found Key easily and sat opposite him at the table. They only eyed each other until Key burst into a restless laughter. Eli stayed quiet.
“Guess what. I think I just saw Minho and his fabulous boyfriend in the movies like five fucking hours ago”, Key rambled on, as he got dead serious in seconds.
“How high do you happen to be, Kibum?” Eli asked, not surprised at all. The dumber Key was back again.
“I only drank for like…,” he mumbled and counted with his fingers, “four rounds”, Key grinned.
Eli sighed audibly. "When are you going to get along with the fact you weren’t fierce enough with Minho?” he asked rolling his eyes. Key’s face was disturbingly expressionless.
“Then you should be wise and get your Alexander already. He’s going to get someone else soon.”
Eli’s heart stopped for a moment. He had met Alexander in the fashion shop about two months ago. He found Alexander so attractive yet still so… distant. Two months wasn’t enough. Alexander hadn’t shown any feelings towards him. He couldn’t take him just like that, he wanted Alexander to like him, love him even… He didn’t want to force him to do anything.
“You’ll be leaving soon, huh?” Key asked and smiled that foxy smile. “Go get him before it’s too late.”
**
Eli spotted Alexander folding jeans in one corner of the shop. His legs weren’t so steady as he nervously walked toward him.
“Hi, Alexander”, he greeted and caused Xander to jump about a meter up on his space. His face was sweaty and red from working, his new haircut stuffed. Eli ruffled his hair and smiled. “I startled you?”
Alexander smiled hopelessly and nodded. “I guess. But you’re not supposed to disturb me while I’m working!”
“I’m not. I just came to ask if you wanted to come to my parents’… after your shift. My mom really likes you. Not lying”, Eli grinned. Alexander seemed to think for a while, rubbing his palms together.
“I know you’re lying. But sure. See you here at eight.”
Eli was not in a very talkative mood while they drove together to his childhood home. Alexander spoke for him for the whole way there. When they finally reached the huge building, Eli could sigh from relief.
“Mom, dad! I’m home.”
His mother was fast in the large hall, smiling brightly.
“Oh honey, you brought this well-mannered sweetheart with you again!” she admired and hugged them both. Eli felt a little awkward; it was like his mother thought they really were a couple or something. Alexander bowed and flashed a beautiful smile to her.
“Evening, Mrs. Kim. Thank you for being so kind to me”, he said with his adorable Korean.
“Mom…” Eli started, but his mother waved for him and turned on her heels.
“Okay, I see, you don’t want an old lady like me to hang around with you! Have a nice end of the day together!” the hall echoed and then there was an awkward silence between them.
“So… let’s go up to my room?” Eli suggested and waited for Alexander’s approval.
“Why did you actually invite me here?” Alexander asked as he randomly turned the page of the photo album in his hands. Eli blinked.
“For nothing special, really. I just wanted to hang out with you”, he said, yes, white lies were allowed.
Alexander glanced at him. “Okay. You just said it like you had something in your mind, but I guess I was just imagining it everything.”
There was a long silence until Eli moved up to Alexander from his bed. They both leaned on the wall, the other mind confused, the other one troubled.
“You know… I’ll be leaving soon”, Eli stated blandly.
“Where?” Alexander asked, never lifting his eyes from the album, tapping his toes against the floor. Eli noticed this and pulled the album from Xander’s hands and setting it onto his night table.
“I study in Seoul”, he said sighing. “I’ll be leaving in a week. Alexander.”
“Hm?”
“Are you okay with it? Me leaving?” Eli asked desperately, gripping Alexander’s tiny hands so he’d listen. After all, he couldn’t hold himself back and he pushed Alexander against the wall and smashed his body along with his lips against Alexander. He saw how Alexander’s eyes flew open from the shock right before closing his own lids.
He felt the rushed breath stroke his nose, cheeks and lips. Alexander tried to pull him away but he just couldn’t stop, pulled Xander’s hands down from his chest and forced his head to turn slightly in the kiss. And then there was a time when he didn’t even notice how fiercely he was taking Xander to the bed with him. He guessed it was because Xander’s lips softened a little though. Suddenly he just realized it was easy. Alexander ripped his shirt away willingly, with no questions asked or words spoken.
**
Eli spotted Key near the entrance of the airport. He walked to him smiling.
“You really came. I appreciate it”, he told Key, hesitated for a moment before pulling him into a tight hug.
“You should after all this. I hate you”, Key mumbled but tapped him on the back anyway. Eli laughed and saw how his lover come out of the bathroom. “Some of us are lucky.”
“Thanks to you I got him. I mean it. Thank you so much”, Eli said just before Alexander reached them. Key just winked.
“Have a nice end of your life, then.” Then he turned walked away without a word. It made Eli sad, seeing his diva friend in a bad condition like that and in addition to that, leaving him all alone.
“He’ll be okay. He’s a strong person”, Alexander said from next to him, clinging onto his arm. He gave him a peck on the lips and lifted one of their luggage.
“You’re right. But he didn’t get what I got. At least I know I’m not going to give up on you very easily”, Eli stated and patted his lover’s cheek. “Well now, what’s your plan when we reach Seoul?”
**
**