Pinocchio [chapter 3]
Title: Pinocchio [chapter 3]Rating: PG
Pairing: KangTeuk, side KyuMin
Warnings: None
Genre: AU, fluff, romance, sci-fi
Disclaimer: I do not own Super Junior.
Three days later Kangin emerged from a taxi and paid the driver. He nervously eyed the building he was supposed to go into. A large office building made out of almost completely glass, all of it being bullet proof of course. The CEO was pretty paranoid when it came to the projects he funded, and Pinocchio was one of the biggest and most important there had ever been. People were walking around the building, secretaries carrying coffee to their bosses, ordinary workers either heading for early lunch or running to one direction or another carrying their suitcases and folders that probably had some important documents and stuff in there.
All of this could be seen happening along small tunnel-like glass pipes that connected the two halves of the building together, or in the elevators that moved up and down, or simply in the corridors. Everything happening in the building could be seen to eyes outside - SM had nothing to hide, had the CEO stated when planning the glass fortress, so there was no need for walls when sunlight could be let in in place of the cement.
It wasn't the building that frightened Kangin, no - he had been there many, many times, since Kyuhyun's laboratory was located there, and being a financier he of course had visited the lab while the professor worked. What really made him nervous was that he knew he was going to start working as Leeteuk's... Well, friend, today. He frowned at the idea. Working as a friend. That didn't sound too good. But, he really had nothing else to do with the male as to be with his friend, and he got paid. Royally. So practically it was working as a friend.
...he still didn't like it, though.
Taking a deep breath Kangin entered the building, greeting a few people he knew as he made his way to the elevators. He stepped inside one, and pressed the button that had a big "B" in it. Basement. He frowned again. It was stupid that even though Kyuhyun and Sungmin were the only ones working twenty-four-seven in the building and even living there their laboratory was situated in the basement floor where there were no windows at all and pretty cold all the time. Kyuhyun had specifically requested it, though. He had said he didn't want to work where everyone could see him, and it was safer to keep them underground in case of industrial espionage. He didn't want other companies stealing his ideas.
As the elevator came to a stop Kangin took in another deep breath and stepped out, trying to look as confident as he possibly could. He followed a familiar route down a few corridors and finally came to a halt in front of a pair of glass doors. Kyuhyun's laboratory was huge, and the wall on the corridor's side was made of glass so that the financiers didn't have to go inside if they wanted to observe. The scientist didn't like people coming into his lab and ruining his stuff.
Kangin pushed a button and the doors slid open. He stepped inside, looking around, wondering if anyone was there. Just as he was about to call out a black-haired head popped out from behind a table, and a pair of dark eyes peered at him behind eye protectors.
"Kangin!" Sungmin exclaimed, and raised the silly looking glasses off his nose. He smiled, looking extremely excited, and Kangin couldn't help but answer the smile. "Hi, Sungmin. I hope I'm not late?"
"No, not at all!" Sungmin laughed, standing up from the floor and smoothing his white coat. Kangin almost laughed at how much he really looked like a scientist from some stupid sci-fi movie, what with the glasses and coat and everything.
"Kyuhyun was just talking with Leeteuk's teacher. Come, follow me" he smiled, gesturing for the older man to follow him. Kangin followed him through tables and silly looking equipments to a door in the back.
"This leads to mine and Kyuhyun's apartment thingy" Sungmin explained as they stepped through the door, closing it behind them, and followed a narrow corridor. "We live here full time, so we need to have a proper apartment. Or at least something like it" he chuckled, pointing to the left. "That's Kyuhyun's room. Or actually we sleep together there nowadays, since Leeteuk needs to have a room for himself. Or he doesn't need to, but... We don't want him to be uncomfortable."
Kangin smiled. Sungmin really did resemble a mother, at least a little. The way he rambled on how Leeteuk was such a good boy and if he ever got a child he'd want them to be just like him. He listened carefully as the black-haired male pointed out rooms, and paid special attention to the ones he thought he would need, like the bathroom or the kitchen.
"And here's the library" Sungmin announced, opening a door in the end of the corridor. They stepped in, and Kangin freezed. The room was larger than he thought could fit here, with several bookshelves on the walls, a table, a small sofa and a few armchairs, and a blackboard.
What froze him in his steps wasn't the room, though - it was the people in it.
Or, to be honest, the blond head that whipped around, as the door opened, and the dazzling smile that appeared on those perfect features.
Kangin swallowed.
"Kangin!" Leeteuk exclaimed and shot up from the couch, rushing to the dark-haired man. Kangin stood there, unable to do anything as the blond reached him and looked at him, hands crossed behind his back, black eyes glowing behind golden bangs. "Hello!" he greeted, voice eager and happy, making the taller of them feel light-headed.
A few seconds passed in silence, Kangin still unable to say a word - Leeteuk's voice, his eyes, his face, they all kept him captivated -, and the smile faded from Leeteuk's face. His eyebrows went higher as his eyes widened, and he bit his lip. "I... I'm sorry?" he muttered, backing off slightly, clearly not understanding why his friend wouldn't answer him.
Kangin suddenly snapped out of his daze, and quickly plastered a wide smile on his face. "Hello, Leeteuk!" he greeted, and was about to sigh in relief as the smile immediately appeared back on the blond's face. "I'm sorry, I was dazing off. Don't apologize, please. It's my fault."
Leeteuk shook his head, and continued smiling widely. "I won't apologize if you don't!" he exclaimed, and Kangin was about to question his logic, but then again... He didn't. The male was way too cute for him to question anything he did.
Kyuhyun approached them, smiling knowingly, and Kangin frowned. Why did the scientist have that kind of a grin plastered on his face? Did he know something Kangin didn't?
"Glad to see you, Kangin" Kyuhyun greeted, wrapping an arm around Leeteuk's shoulders and turning them around. Kangin followed them to the couch sitting opposite two small armchairs and one slightly bigger. He sat down on the couch, and couldn't help noticing the way Kyuhyun took the seat on the last vacant chair before Leeteuk had sat on it. The blond looked confused, but nonetheless took his place next to Kangin rather happily.
"Kangin" Kyuhyun started "I'd like to introduce you to Choi-ssi. He is a high school teacher, hired to take care of Leeteuk's academical education." Kangin reached a hand to the man sitting in the largest armchair. "Kim Youngwoon. Nice to meet you" he greeted as the man shook his hand and nodded. "Choi Heejoon. The pleasure's all mine."
Kangin observed the man carefully. Neatly cut black hair, glasses with thin black rims. His mouth formed a tight line, and he was dressed in dress pants, a button down shirt and a grey pullover. He looked tired, professional, and definitely like a teacher.
"I suppose Kyuhyun has already explained the situation to you?" Kangin asked, and thanked Sungmin as he brought him a cup of coffee. When had the man even gotten up from his chair? He hadn't noticed a thing.
The teacher nodded. "Yes. I'm aware you will be observing our classes. However, I will tolerate absolutely no kind of disturbance during my teaching. Not even from you, Kim-ssi. I hope Leeteuk is also aware of the fact that you two are not allowed to interact during our courses." He practically scowled at Kangin, making him feel like a high school student again.
Leeteuk nodded, looking very serious, and answered "yes, Choi-ssi" with the most serious tone he could muster. Kangin nearly spilt his coffee at the sight of the blond with a ruler straight back, wide eyes and lips in a tight line. He was way too adorable for his own good. Or Kangin's.
"I understand it, too" Kangin assured as he put his cup down, and turned to smile at Leeteuk. "I promise not to disturb you. And I'm sure Leeteuk will be a good student. You'll try hard, right?"
Leeteuk nodded eagerly, his eyes scrunching and dimple appearing again as he smiled. "Yes, I'll do my best!" he answered, but neither of them were sure who the words were directed to, since their eyes were locked. And for some reason, Kangin didn't want to let go of that gaze, so soft and trusting.
The teacher frowned and cleared his throat, obviously not happy about the fact that he had been ignored. Kangin jumped slightly, and looked at the black-haired man, smiling sheepishly. "See? He'll do his best."
He couldn't help glaring at Sungmin and Kyuhyun who were both trying to hide their laughter behind their coffee mugs.
Neither could be help the warmth that crept up from his toes to his chest as he noticed Leeteuk's cheeks had taken a slightly pinkish colour.
Five hours later Kangin was extremely bored and slightly pissed off. The teacher wasn't one of a patient nature, clearly, or he just had a bad day and took it out on poor Leeteuk. They were going through very simple things, starting from reading and writing. And to say the least, Leeteuk sucked at both of them.
He didn't know any of the letters, since apparently Kyuhyun and Sungmin hadn't had time to teach him and had left him to the library with an ABC, telling him to try and learn as much as he could. And he couldn't.
The clock stroke three in the afternoon, and Kangin groaned, stretching his limbs. The teacher had left less than a minute earlier, practically fuming and muttering something about brats that should be in kindergarten.
Leeteuk sat on a chair, a pen still in his hands, and looked extremely confused. He stared down at the book in front of him, and the marks he had scribbled down on a paper. Groaning in frustration the blond took an eraser and threw it to the blackboard, its sound snapping Kangin from his stretching session.
Kangin looked up, and frowned. Leeteuk looked upset - he could see the way his jaw clenched and his lips tightened, his hands were balled to fists and- were those tears?
Hurriedly Kangin stood up from his seat and knelt before Leeteuk, taking his hand just as the tears started falling. He didn't have time to wonder how a robot could cry, or if this would scare him. His number one object was to comfort the male that looked like a kicked puppy.
"Hey, hey" Kangin murmured, his thumb rubbing circles on the back of Leeteuk's hand. "What's wrong?"
Leeteuk shook his head, lips still squeezed together. Kangin frowned again. "Hey" he said again, softly, reaching to touch Leeteuk's chin. "You can tell me. That's why I'm here, you know."
Leeteuk glanced at him, two sorrowful black gems glowing behind golden bangs, and something in Kangin's chest twitched. He wanted to embrace the fragile figure, lift it to his lap and wrap his arms around that slender waist, he wanted to reach out and kiss the tears away-
Kangin's eyes widened at his own thoughts. He was a married man. There weren't things he was supposed to think of. He was happily married to a beautiful woman, and he was not going to even think about cheating on her. No, no way.
Hesitantly, Kangin raised his hand and used his sleeve to gently wipe away the tears from Leeteuk's cheeks, feeling the same twinge in his chest as the blond sighed, a sound so broken and sad he never wanted to hear it again. "I don't get it" he muttered. "I'm trying my best. It's not enough."
Kangin smiled softly, and tried to sit back, but found it impossible as Leeteuk's hands gripped his almost desperately. He sighed. "It's enough, Teukie" he assured. "No one expects you to know everything after the first lesson."
Leeteuk blinked, confused, and looked at Kangin with wide eyes. Kangin answered the look, growing confused as the blond simply kept staring. "Um... Did I say something funny?" he asked, slightly nervous under the gaze of those eyes. If it was the eyes that made him nervous or the pleasant tingle in his stomach, he didn't know. He wanted to say it was the eyes. It made everything less complicated.
"What did you say?" Leeteuk asked, and Kangin frowned. "Uh... Could you be a little more specific?"
Leeteuk furrowed, clearly trying to find word. "You... What... What's that you said my name?" he then blurt out, obviously not pleased with his sentence, but finding it good enough to say aloud.
It took Kangin a moment to understand. "Oh. You mean Teukie?"
Leeteuk nodded. "Why?" he repeated, looking curious. Kanging bit back a smile. It was adorable how willing Leeteuk was to learn. He was pretty sure the blond simply needed someone who would be patient and kind with him.
"It's sort of like a pet name" Kangin explained. "It's what people call you when they like you. Leeteukie, or Teukie."
Leeteuk's eyed widened, and he nodded, understanding. "What do I call you?" he asked, and again it took Kangin a moment to understand he wanted to know if his friend had a pet name, too. Kangin smiled. "You can just call me Kangin."
Leeteuk's brows furrowed, his cheeks puffed, and his lower lip jutted out, and Kangin found he had lost the battle as he groaned.
"Leeteuk! You can't pout at me like that, it's unfair!" he exclaimed, clearly confusing Leeteuk again, but the male quickly understand pouting meant the expression he was using and that it clearly had an effect on Kangin. And that was enough for him to know, so he kept doing it.
Kangin sighed. "Fine, fine. If you want to have the same kind of a name for me, that'd be either Youngwoonie or Kanginnie." He scrunched his nose. He liked neither of them.
Leeteuk laughed, clapping his hands, and Kangin found himself leaning closer, wanting to hear more. Slowly the blond's laughter died, and what was left was a wide, soft smile. "Kanginnie" he repeated, and giggled as Kangin frowned again. "I like just Kangin best" he then stated, giving the dark-haired male's hands a light squeeze.
Kangin grinned, and got up from the floor, sitting to the chair next to Leeteuk's. "Good. I'll still call you Teukie, though. I think it's cute." His heart jumped a little as Leeteuk laughed again, cheeks flushing slightly.
"Okay."
Silence fell, and Kangin was just about to grow uncomfortable as Leeteuk broke it.
"Hey, Kangin... Tell me about the world."
Kangin smiled. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything."
They stayed like that for hours and hours, Kangin telling Leeteuk about all the small things he came up with, Leeteuk cutting him off from time to time to ask what this or that word meant, or asking to describe things he didn't know about. Kangin told him about work, about money, about food, about living. About children, about marriage, about love. Simple things that made Leeteuk smile. He promised to take Leeteuk to various places - a restaurant, a zoo, an amusement park, a wedding if that was possible, a football match, for example.
Five hours later Sungmin walked into the room, opening his mouth to announce dinner was ready, but stopped before he had even started the sentence. A smile crept on his lips as he watched the two males, both of them asleep on their chairs in positions that looked extremely uncomfortable.
But what made him smile even wider as he silently left the room and closed the door behind himself wasn't the fact that the two had obviously talked themselves to exhaustion - or most likely Kangin had and Leeteuk simply was curious and decided to try sleeping - or that there was a notebook open on the table in front of them, silly things doodled on its pages, probably from Kangin trying to show Leeteuk what some things looked like.
What made him smile and his heart warm up was the fact that the two's arms were dangling over the chairs' armrests, their fingers still loosely entwined.