Twister (chapter 5)
Fandom: U-KISS
Pairing: Elvin
Genre: Slash, Romance
Rating: Mostly NC-17
Summary: They start a competition in which neither of them is allowed to give up. The goal is simple: one of them must make the other fall in love with him in a limited period of time.
Disclaimer: I am no way, shape or form affiliated with the named group or any of the characters presented. No copyright infringement intended.
December 1st. 12:22 PM.
Kevin awoke from a dream he couldn’t remember. He knew it involved Eli, he knew it had been unpleasant and he noticed his forehead was sweaty, but that pretty much covered it. That wasn’t surprising at all, because anything that included Eli had to be either terrifying or exhilarating. Whichever way, he had gotten so used to it up to now that it made no difference.
He looked at the clock, rubbed his eyes and glared again. It was past noon, which meant he had to get up as fast as possible, skip breakfast and go wake Eli, probably with a few mumbles, frowns and maybe, if he was lucky enough, a slap. As far as it concerned both of them, they were the heaviest sleepers known to man and it always required much more than just a few wriggles to get them up and running. He removed the blanket with a heavy hand -the thing always seemed heavier minutes after he got up- and tip-toed his way to Eli’s bedroom. He passed through the living room, where Dongho and Kibum were in the middle of an intense video game fight, then opened the older’s door and walked in with his eyes still half closed.
As expected, Eli was slumbering peacefully. If Kevin thought he was slightly disorganized, it was nothing compared to him. The entire place was a mess, from crumbled pieces of paper on the desk, to wrinkled socks on the floor and, oddly enough, elastic bands attached to the fan in the corner. The dry air was suffocating.
‘Crap, when was the last time you opened a window, when it was first built?’ Kevin scowled, loudly enough to make Eli grasp the edge of the sheets and pull them over his head. He then made some muffled sounds under the feathery material.
‘What was that?’ the younger asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
His presence was clearly unasked for, as Eli turned his back and tried pushing him off.
‘I said what the hell are you doing here.’ He answered lazily, distinctly irritated.
‘Came to wake you up.’
‘Mwhy.’
‘Because it’s already late and we need to begin my task. We have practice later on and I hate it when I’m behind.’
‘Christ, Kevin, how long could it possibly take?’ Eli removed the coverlet and stood up, eyes still blurry from sleep and hair spiked up in all directions.
‘We’re going out. We have a few free hours, I want to take advantage of them.’
Eli watched him expressionless, then straightened his torso a little more.
‘Out? Out where?’
‘You’ll see. Thing is, we need to be at a bus stop by one. So up with your sluggish ass and let’s get moving.’
Kevin grabbed his wrist and pulled him out of bed at a snail's pace, among enraged protests and attempts at getting back in. He guided Eli all the way to the bathroom door and pushed him in compellingly, then closed it with a firm hand and leaned onto the wall, determined to wait and make sure he was going to come out quicker than ever before.
As he watched Dongho rage because of his defeat and Kibum cheering with his fist in the air, Kevin began going over his plan.
All of their sexual little games had become tiresome. Sure they were pleasant and even surer, Eli seemed to know exactly what to do and how to speak to make it even more enjoyable with each passing day. He liked being touched by him, enjoyed watching his expression when climaxing and anticipated their assignments more than anything. Yet still, something was missing.
He wanted more than just play. And it had dawned on him the night before, when they were watching a movie with all of their members and Kevin suddenly got sick. He enjoyed horrors, but so much gore and blood definitely wasn’t for him, as he learned on his way to the bathroom. Eli immediately followed him and made sure he was alright, by preparing a tea and taking him in his room to hold him close until he felt better. On their way back out, when asked (by Kibum, on a mocking tone, as usual) if their little princess was alright, Eli glared at him in a manner Kevin hadn’t seen before and, if it wasn’t for Alexander to sit right in between, he was pretty sure Eli would have hit him then and there.
Kevin didn’t thank Eli for it, simply because he was too embarrassed, but felt deeply grateful when the older held his hand throughout the rest of the film, and even more thankful when he offered to sleep with him that night, in case he got queasy again. Of course Kevin knew there could have been other meaning behind it, but the gesture was still appreciated.
Eli was, as Kevin observed over the years, much more than just jokes and gags. He had a very realistic view on things and liked to plan carefully, to the last detail. He knew how to be there for others and knew when to leave. He wasn’t much of a speaker, but was possibly the best listener Kevin had ever met and sometimes that was more than enough. He was polite and had a very specific way of talking, which was sort of fascinating at times. He wasn’t Mr. Perfect, but he was the only person who made Kevin wish he had at least half of the qualities Eli possessed and that was overwhelming. Kevin was strong on the inside, much stronger than most people believed and he had always lived under the impression that he would never need anybody else’s traits.
He had been very wrong.
Above all that, as much as he didn’t like to admit it, he was somehow beginning to fall for Eli.
Not in the serious, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him sort of way, but more like a very subtle, very small, scrawny spot that was rapidly growing within. He always had that for Eli, always felt the need to be close to him, to be touched and caressed by him and held when it was just the two of them. Only now, it was beginning to develop into something more. Maybe because Eli had a side which he only showed to Kevin and it made him feel somewhat special. Or because his flirting had recently reached a peak so high, it was hard for the younger to be oblivious to it. Either way, he liked the idea of being together with him, liked imagining themselves as a couple, even if they’d have to do it secretly and couldn’t help but smile whenever Eli was being affectionate, no perverted jokes and strings attached.
He was going to find out if his feelings were reciprocated, or if this whole thing was just a waste of time.
Scary thing was, he didn’t know what he was going to do if the other was simply fooling around.
‘This better be worth it.’ Eli said as he came out of the bathroom, face still sleepy, even after multiple washes. ‘I need my beauty sleep, you know.’
‘I know, I know.’ Kevin ushered him to the side, then went in himself. ‘Go get dressed. And fast.’ He screamed from inside, after closing the door.
‘Oh, really?’ Eli asked mockingly. ‘I thought I could walk outside like this.’
‘Ha.’
When Kevin exited the bathroom, Eli was waiting for him by the door, already dressed and tying his shoelaces. They left the dorm without anybody noticing, as Kibum and Dongho had started another game, Kiseop joined in later on and Alexander and Soohyun were about to cook lunch.
‘So where are we going, again?’ Eli asked as they were descending the staircase.
‘Stop asking so many questions. You’re worse than a kid.’
‘I think I have the right to know if I’m being kidnapped.’
‘Oh, man, who told you? Now everything is ruined.’ Kevin faked a grimace.
‘I knew it.’
They kept on walking relatively fast a few more blocks, until they reached the nearest bus stop and halted on one of the benches. Kevin took out a piece of paper and began re-reading the instructions.
‘You do know where we’re going, right?’ Eli asked with a slight hint of concern, watching the notes in his hands.
‘The next bus is supposed to arrive at exactly one, which means we still have to wait four minutes.’ He checked the watch on his wrist. ‘And then we’ll be on our way. It takes twenty minutes to get there.’
‘Where is there?’
‘Shush.’
Eli rolled his eyes as Kevin folded the paper and put it back in his pocket.
‘You could have at least told me we were leaving the city. I should have put on a hat and glasses or something.’
‘Yes, because we’re that famous.’ Kevin smiled. ‘I’m sure we’re going to be assaulted by fans the minute we start moving.’
When the bus arrived, they were surprised to find it was almost packed and had to struggle to find two seats. They went to the far back, where an old couple began staring scandalized at their unusual, not-Asian-specific hair color and occupied their places in silence. Eli took his phone out, the only item that was never left at home, and plugged the earphones in. He gave one to Kevin and made him sit with his head on his shoulder, as he usually did on rides like these, then turned the music on and began looking out the window.
The travel lasted shorter than expected, yet it had been enough for Eli to fall asleep again. When it stopped and people started getting off, while others were climbing in, Kevin had to shake his arm to make him stop snoring and wake him up.
‘You can’t possibly be that tired.’ He mustered. ‘Come on, up already.’
He had to drag Eli through the row of seats, while enduring judgmental gazes and a few condemnatory whispers. When they were finally walking on pavement again, the younger had to stop and look around disoriented, in search of a sign that lead to the closest park. According to the directions on the Internet, one should have been spotted as soon as they descended, but the only placard in close proximity was filled with ads.
‘Now what?’ Eli asked, zipping his sweater all the way up. The wind had started blowing irritatingly fast.
‘I think we should go that way.’ Kevin pointed in a random direction, guided by his instinct. He didn’t want to admit they were already lost, since he could already predict Eli’s fuming reaction.
‘You think?’ he echoed. ‘You were supposed to plan this.’
‘Shush.’ He repeated, then spun him around and started leading him on a narrow alley.
They kept on walking for at least half an hour. Kevin was pretty convinced they were going in the right course, from the map he remembered on the website. Even with the blistering, icy wind and the lack of signs, he felt good about the prospect of spending an entire day with Eli, although the named one couldn’t stop whining every few feet. They kept going in zigzag, had to circle a lake a few times and hit a dead end more than once, but in the end made it.
It was a fair. A rather small, isolated fair that started at the entrance of the park and made its way through a meadow, before ending abruptly near a frozen river. There were more food stands than people around, with some occasional roulette and antique booths.
‘You’re not serious.’ Eli’s eyes widened. ‘You woke me up for this?’
‘Shut up, it’s supposed to be fun.’ Kevin said as he began walking in the middle of the crowd. ‘And no complaining, remember?’
‘What are we supposed to see here? What are we even supposed to do?’
‘For starters, eat.’ He looked around until he spotted a fast-food court. He left Eli staring at him in disbelief and went to buy two sandwiches, before returning and handing one to him. The older took it without objection, as his stomach had been growling since having woken up and ate it in just a few bites.
They continued strolling in front of the stands, Kevin eyeing the exposed items with interest, Eli following behind half-heartedly, until they reached a secluded bench, hidden behind some trees. Eli crashed and sighed heavily.
‘It’s freezing here.’ He commented.
‘Lay down.’ Kevin encouraged, tapping his legs. Eli listened and rested his head on his lap, then snuggled his entire body closer and stood still. Music could still be heard in the far distance.
‘Why did you bring me here?’ he asked, taking Kevin’s hand and placing it in his hair. The younger smiled and began caressing.
‘I don’t know. I needed a break.’
‘A break from what?’
‘From everything.’
Eli nodded and waited a few seconds before speaking again.
‘You took me, though. You could have asked Kibum, or anyone else, but you took me.’ He spoke softly.
‘Kibum was playing with Dongho. He would have said no.’
‘Bullshit.’ Eli reflected. ‘He’d do anything for you, you know it.’
‘True, but we have a challenge to finish, don’t we?’ Kevin ripped a leaf and tickled his nose with it.
‘And that’s the only reason?’ Eli inquired further.
Kevin stopped for an instant, threw the leaf and focused on him.
‘What do you want to hear, exactly?’ he questioned, cupping Eli’s face in his palms. Apparently he enjoyed the gesture, because he immediately closed his eyes and took pleasure in the warm touch. When he reopened them, Kevin was vaguely struck by the hidden something behind that look.
‘The truth.’ The older said faintly. ‘Leave the game aside for a few minutes and tell me the truth.’
Kevin didn’t know the direction in which the conversation was going and felt like they shouldn’t be having it. The way Eli knew how to play with his feelings was dangerously heartrending and he was afraid that if he were to confess, he’d lose much more than their imprudent way of entertainment. He’d lose a friend.
‘I took you’ he breathed in ‘because I felt like it was the right thing to do. Because I wanted it to be just the two of us.’
‘So it really wasn’t the game?’ Eli smiled.
‘It wasn’t.’ Kevin took another frozen leaf and started contouring his lips. The music far-off had changed its rhythm.
There was something in the way Eli nodded understandingly, something about the indulgent gaze he kept that made Kevin melt on the spot. The closeness they both wanted to last made the low temperature fade away and, for those twenty-something minutes spent on a hidden bench in the middle of nowhere, it made Kevin feel like they were the only two people in the world.
They talked. About life and about nothingness. About Kiseop’s weird habits and their goals in life. About music and the home they missed. About the mailman and their rival groups. Kevin couldn’t even remember the last time he could talk so openly and carefree with someone about anything that crossed his mind, someone who made him equally laugh and feel safe.
After leaving the fair, they continued exploring the city from one shop window to the other, stopped by the skating rink to watch people fall, warmed up inside the smallest, but most inviting café they could find and got chased by a pack of stray dogs. Eli laughed his heart out, seeing Kevin so terrified of canines, when he always openly admitted during interviews how much he loved them. He got paid back, though, after coming across a flock of pigeons in the city centre, waiting to be fed. Kevin pointed at the birds and started calling them Eli’s relatives, giving them names and asking how are the States in this time of the year.
Two fans approached them at some point and asked for an autograph, then left giggling hysterically after receiving their signatures.
‘And you said we wouldn’t be recognized?’ Eli asked, watching the two girls flee away cheerfully.
‘You’re right, I’m sorry.’ Kevin handed him the pen back. ‘I forgot you are Popularity’s twin brother.’
‘Where are we heading now?’ the older voiced, visibly confused by Kevin’s sudden change of alleys.
‘In a faraway land, filled with three-headed monsters, where once lived a beautiful princess that-’
‘Kevin.’
‘Part two of the task.’
Eli stopped in his tracks for a moment.
‘And exactly how many parts are there?’
‘One trillion, ninety-four billion, three hundred thousand and seventy-’
‘Kevin.’
‘Three parts.’
‘Huh. Can I know the others beforehand?’
Kevin made a thinking face.
‘I guess so.’ He remained silent. Eli watched his face and continued walking by his side.
‘Alright, are you going to tell me anytime soon?’
‘No.’
‘Why isn’t that surprising me…’
They kept wandering the streets for about twenty minutes, after which Eli received a text message from Soohyun, asking him where he was and if he had seen Kevin. He called back and assured him they were both fine, albeit freezing, and that they’d be returning at the dorm later on. By the oldest’s annoyed tone of voice heard through the plastic case, he wasn’t happy with their unannounced departure and asked for a precise location.
‘Soohyun?’ Kevin grabbed the phone from Eli’s ear. ‘Yeah, we’re both fine, don’t worry.’ He put on the sweetest voice he could forge. ‘Yes, we know, we’ll be back soon, I promise. I know, it’s fine, we dressed well. No, not yet. Of course. Don’t be upset, okay? Alright. See you in a couple of hours.’
He hung up and gave the phone back to Eli, who was looking at him in awe.
‘How can you always do that?’ he asked befuddled.
‘Do what?’
‘That.’ Eli pointed at him. ‘Convince people with anything. Calm everyone down like that.’
‘Don’t tell this to anybody, but I have secret superpowers that I don’t share.’
‘Oh, you do? Like what, smother those around you with so much sugariness they suffocate?’
‘Something like that. Oh, we’re here.’ He stopped in front of a bar. Eli looked at the sign glued above the door and had to force himself not to raise a brow.
‘You want to drink?’
‘Don’t be stupid, what’s up there is the main attraction. Come on.’ He wiggled his shoulder and hauled him through the double, metal door. He told Eli to wait there and went to the counter, where a tall man handed him a set of keys in exchange of his credit card. He then came back and steered both of them upstairs, to a dim-lit room. As soon as Eli spotted the giant TV screen on the wall, his face turned blank.
‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘Anything but this.’
‘It’s too late to back out now. Besides, it’s still part of the task, so you can’t refuse. Sit.’ Kevin grinned excitedly, grabbing the remote and trying to figure out how the karaoke system worked. Everything was in either Korean or English, so it wasn’t so hard to set the program on ‘Randomizer’ and hand Eli one of the microphones. The older took it in frustration and watched Kevin begin to sing an old song from American ‘90s bands.
Kevin sang, song after song, pouring his heart into each note, careful to enunciate each syllable more accurately than the previous one, carrying both high and low tones for as long as possible, as if he was trying to surpass his live performances. He wouldn’t stop, as he recited ballad after ballad, then ended with a few pop songs and one last final jazz. Eli watched him the entire time with his microphone held awkwardly, like he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do with it.
When the score on the screen showed 90, Kevin cheered and high-fived himself, then turned his attention towards Eli.
‘Your turn, kind Sir.’ He articulated with poise. ‘If you manage to beat me, I’ll give you a present.
‘Kevin, I don’t sing.’ Eli looked at him desolately. ‘And you know how much I hate places like this.’
‘It’s a nice present. A very nice one.’ He tried again.
‘I can’t sing.’ He underlined. ‘You know it. The entire world knows it. I’m a rapper, I don’t do ballads.’
‘Who said you’d have to do ballads?’ he sat next to him and took a sip of soda. ‘Rap. Whatever. Just sing something.’
Eli sighed and got up. He held the microphone like it was made out of viruses and began searching for old American rap songs he used to listen to. He selected club rap, techno rap and every other associated genre he could remember and started verbally delivering the lyrics that showed up on the screen, four lines at a time.
Kevin could tell he didn’t enjoy the first song. Not even one bit. But as he progressed through the chants, he started taking more and more like to it, verse by verse, until he was actually smiling. Eli’s concentration was kind of mesmerizing to watch, as his eyes and lips moved in perfect sync to the rhythm of the beat. By the time he finished all of them, his mood had visibly lifted and he seemed more keyed up.
‘That wasn’t so bad, was it?’ Kevin grinned at him, as he sat down and drank from his Red Bull can.
‘It was okay.’
It was so typical of Eli, to never admit out loud when others were right.
They returned home half an hour later, with the same course they took hours before, which was at that time far less filled with passengers. Kevin fell asleep with his temple on Eli’s chest and had to be woken up through vigorous shaking.
‘We have practice in less than an hour, don’t sleep.’ Eli wobbled him by the shoulders.
Kevin yawned and got up slowly, following the older on the alleyway that led back to their dorm. They ascended the stairs almost with a struggle and, before Eli could open the door, he grabbed him by the wrist and held him firmly in place.
‘Wait.’ Kevin began. ‘There’s still the last part.’
Eli looked at him easily surprised.
‘I don’t think we have time for the last part.’
Kevin’s heart was beginning to beat faster.
‘Actually, we do. Answer me this: do you want to do it again sometimes?’
‘Yeah, I do.’ Eli smiled, as he spoke on a more silent tone. ‘I liked it.’
Even faster.
‘Soon?’
‘As soon as you want.’
Very fast.
‘Okay.’ Kevin closed the distance, gluing himself to Eli’s body. ‘Then please don’t mind if I do this.’
He reached for a peck on the lips. He gently pressed them against Eli’s and waited, maybe for a reaction or a refusal. But all his lover did was to close his eyes and lean into it, which determined Kevin to intertwine his arms around his neck and pull him impossibly close. Against his own chest, he could feel Eli’s heartbeat, which was much quicker than his own and made him almost liquefy into the touch. The other responded by resting his hands on his frail waist, before bringing one up his back. It stopped right on his nape as he began caressing gentler than Kevin had ever felt.
He wanted to pull back, afraid he might have taken it too far, but Eli made a noise of disapproval in his throat and held him firmly, forced him to open his mouth and let his tongue reach through. Kevin was taken by surprise and let himself enjoy the completely new sensation, as he started sucking on it eagerly. He felt Eli smile through the kiss and almost felt the need to beam back, but instead focused on the closeness as he started flying higher and higher.
When Eli broke the kiss, it was Kevin’s turn to groan in complaint. The older laughed.
‘So I’m guessing that was part three?’ he asked with a grin.
Kevin nodded, face too flushed to say anything. He felt like he had lost his voice and was sure he wouldn’t be able to talk coherently.
‘Too bad you didn’t plan a part four. Or higher.’
‘Eli.’ Kevin deprecated, looking down. The named one started laughing even harder.
Eli kissed him on the forehead one more time, before turning to enter the dorm. After silence settled in, Kevin had to take time to react and realize he was standing like a statue in the middle of the lobby. As he slowly proceeded indoors, he couldn’t take his mind off one thing.
He had his first kiss with Eli.
Pairing: Elvin
Genre: Slash, Romance
Rating: Mostly NC-17
Summary: They start a competition in which neither of them is allowed to give up. The goal is simple: one of them must make the other fall in love with him in a limited period of time.
Disclaimer: I am no way, shape or form affiliated with the named group or any of the characters presented. No copyright infringement intended.
December 1st. 12:22 PM.
Kevin awoke from a dream he couldn’t remember. He knew it involved Eli, he knew it had been unpleasant and he noticed his forehead was sweaty, but that pretty much covered it. That wasn’t surprising at all, because anything that included Eli had to be either terrifying or exhilarating. Whichever way, he had gotten so used to it up to now that it made no difference.
He looked at the clock, rubbed his eyes and glared again. It was past noon, which meant he had to get up as fast as possible, skip breakfast and go wake Eli, probably with a few mumbles, frowns and maybe, if he was lucky enough, a slap. As far as it concerned both of them, they were the heaviest sleepers known to man and it always required much more than just a few wriggles to get them up and running. He removed the blanket with a heavy hand -the thing always seemed heavier minutes after he got up- and tip-toed his way to Eli’s bedroom. He passed through the living room, where Dongho and Kibum were in the middle of an intense video game fight, then opened the older’s door and walked in with his eyes still half closed.
As expected, Eli was slumbering peacefully. If Kevin thought he was slightly disorganized, it was nothing compared to him. The entire place was a mess, from crumbled pieces of paper on the desk, to wrinkled socks on the floor and, oddly enough, elastic bands attached to the fan in the corner. The dry air was suffocating.
‘Crap, when was the last time you opened a window, when it was first built?’ Kevin scowled, loudly enough to make Eli grasp the edge of the sheets and pull them over his head. He then made some muffled sounds under the feathery material.
‘What was that?’ the younger asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
His presence was clearly unasked for, as Eli turned his back and tried pushing him off.
‘I said what the hell are you doing here.’ He answered lazily, distinctly irritated.
‘Came to wake you up.’
‘Mwhy.’
‘Because it’s already late and we need to begin my task. We have practice later on and I hate it when I’m behind.’
‘Christ, Kevin, how long could it possibly take?’ Eli removed the coverlet and stood up, eyes still blurry from sleep and hair spiked up in all directions.
‘We’re going out. We have a few free hours, I want to take advantage of them.’
Eli watched him expressionless, then straightened his torso a little more.
‘Out? Out where?’
‘You’ll see. Thing is, we need to be at a bus stop by one. So up with your sluggish ass and let’s get moving.’
Kevin grabbed his wrist and pulled him out of bed at a snail's pace, among enraged protests and attempts at getting back in. He guided Eli all the way to the bathroom door and pushed him in compellingly, then closed it with a firm hand and leaned onto the wall, determined to wait and make sure he was going to come out quicker than ever before.
As he watched Dongho rage because of his defeat and Kibum cheering with his fist in the air, Kevin began going over his plan.
All of their sexual little games had become tiresome. Sure they were pleasant and even surer, Eli seemed to know exactly what to do and how to speak to make it even more enjoyable with each passing day. He liked being touched by him, enjoyed watching his expression when climaxing and anticipated their assignments more than anything. Yet still, something was missing.
He wanted more than just play. And it had dawned on him the night before, when they were watching a movie with all of their members and Kevin suddenly got sick. He enjoyed horrors, but so much gore and blood definitely wasn’t for him, as he learned on his way to the bathroom. Eli immediately followed him and made sure he was alright, by preparing a tea and taking him in his room to hold him close until he felt better. On their way back out, when asked (by Kibum, on a mocking tone, as usual) if their little princess was alright, Eli glared at him in a manner Kevin hadn’t seen before and, if it wasn’t for Alexander to sit right in between, he was pretty sure Eli would have hit him then and there.
Kevin didn’t thank Eli for it, simply because he was too embarrassed, but felt deeply grateful when the older held his hand throughout the rest of the film, and even more thankful when he offered to sleep with him that night, in case he got queasy again. Of course Kevin knew there could have been other meaning behind it, but the gesture was still appreciated.
Eli was, as Kevin observed over the years, much more than just jokes and gags. He had a very realistic view on things and liked to plan carefully, to the last detail. He knew how to be there for others and knew when to leave. He wasn’t much of a speaker, but was possibly the best listener Kevin had ever met and sometimes that was more than enough. He was polite and had a very specific way of talking, which was sort of fascinating at times. He wasn’t Mr. Perfect, but he was the only person who made Kevin wish he had at least half of the qualities Eli possessed and that was overwhelming. Kevin was strong on the inside, much stronger than most people believed and he had always lived under the impression that he would never need anybody else’s traits.
He had been very wrong.
Above all that, as much as he didn’t like to admit it, he was somehow beginning to fall for Eli.
Not in the serious, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him sort of way, but more like a very subtle, very small, scrawny spot that was rapidly growing within. He always had that for Eli, always felt the need to be close to him, to be touched and caressed by him and held when it was just the two of them. Only now, it was beginning to develop into something more. Maybe because Eli had a side which he only showed to Kevin and it made him feel somewhat special. Or because his flirting had recently reached a peak so high, it was hard for the younger to be oblivious to it. Either way, he liked the idea of being together with him, liked imagining themselves as a couple, even if they’d have to do it secretly and couldn’t help but smile whenever Eli was being affectionate, no perverted jokes and strings attached.
He was going to find out if his feelings were reciprocated, or if this whole thing was just a waste of time.
Scary thing was, he didn’t know what he was going to do if the other was simply fooling around.
‘This better be worth it.’ Eli said as he came out of the bathroom, face still sleepy, even after multiple washes. ‘I need my beauty sleep, you know.’
‘I know, I know.’ Kevin ushered him to the side, then went in himself. ‘Go get dressed. And fast.’ He screamed from inside, after closing the door.
‘Oh, really?’ Eli asked mockingly. ‘I thought I could walk outside like this.’
‘Ha.’
When Kevin exited the bathroom, Eli was waiting for him by the door, already dressed and tying his shoelaces. They left the dorm without anybody noticing, as Kibum and Dongho had started another game, Kiseop joined in later on and Alexander and Soohyun were about to cook lunch.
‘So where are we going, again?’ Eli asked as they were descending the staircase.
‘Stop asking so many questions. You’re worse than a kid.’
‘I think I have the right to know if I’m being kidnapped.’
‘Oh, man, who told you? Now everything is ruined.’ Kevin faked a grimace.
‘I knew it.’
They kept on walking relatively fast a few more blocks, until they reached the nearest bus stop and halted on one of the benches. Kevin took out a piece of paper and began re-reading the instructions.
‘You do know where we’re going, right?’ Eli asked with a slight hint of concern, watching the notes in his hands.
‘The next bus is supposed to arrive at exactly one, which means we still have to wait four minutes.’ He checked the watch on his wrist. ‘And then we’ll be on our way. It takes twenty minutes to get there.’
‘Where is there?’
‘Shush.’
Eli rolled his eyes as Kevin folded the paper and put it back in his pocket.
‘You could have at least told me we were leaving the city. I should have put on a hat and glasses or something.’
‘Yes, because we’re that famous.’ Kevin smiled. ‘I’m sure we’re going to be assaulted by fans the minute we start moving.’
When the bus arrived, they were surprised to find it was almost packed and had to struggle to find two seats. They went to the far back, where an old couple began staring scandalized at their unusual, not-Asian-specific hair color and occupied their places in silence. Eli took his phone out, the only item that was never left at home, and plugged the earphones in. He gave one to Kevin and made him sit with his head on his shoulder, as he usually did on rides like these, then turned the music on and began looking out the window.
The travel lasted shorter than expected, yet it had been enough for Eli to fall asleep again. When it stopped and people started getting off, while others were climbing in, Kevin had to shake his arm to make him stop snoring and wake him up.
‘You can’t possibly be that tired.’ He mustered. ‘Come on, up already.’
He had to drag Eli through the row of seats, while enduring judgmental gazes and a few condemnatory whispers. When they were finally walking on pavement again, the younger had to stop and look around disoriented, in search of a sign that lead to the closest park. According to the directions on the Internet, one should have been spotted as soon as they descended, but the only placard in close proximity was filled with ads.
‘Now what?’ Eli asked, zipping his sweater all the way up. The wind had started blowing irritatingly fast.
‘I think we should go that way.’ Kevin pointed in a random direction, guided by his instinct. He didn’t want to admit they were already lost, since he could already predict Eli’s fuming reaction.
‘You think?’ he echoed. ‘You were supposed to plan this.’
‘Shush.’ He repeated, then spun him around and started leading him on a narrow alley.
They kept on walking for at least half an hour. Kevin was pretty convinced they were going in the right course, from the map he remembered on the website. Even with the blistering, icy wind and the lack of signs, he felt good about the prospect of spending an entire day with Eli, although the named one couldn’t stop whining every few feet. They kept going in zigzag, had to circle a lake a few times and hit a dead end more than once, but in the end made it.
It was a fair. A rather small, isolated fair that started at the entrance of the park and made its way through a meadow, before ending abruptly near a frozen river. There were more food stands than people around, with some occasional roulette and antique booths.
‘You’re not serious.’ Eli’s eyes widened. ‘You woke me up for this?’
‘Shut up, it’s supposed to be fun.’ Kevin said as he began walking in the middle of the crowd. ‘And no complaining, remember?’
‘What are we supposed to see here? What are we even supposed to do?’
‘For starters, eat.’ He looked around until he spotted a fast-food court. He left Eli staring at him in disbelief and went to buy two sandwiches, before returning and handing one to him. The older took it without objection, as his stomach had been growling since having woken up and ate it in just a few bites.
They continued strolling in front of the stands, Kevin eyeing the exposed items with interest, Eli following behind half-heartedly, until they reached a secluded bench, hidden behind some trees. Eli crashed and sighed heavily.
‘It’s freezing here.’ He commented.
‘Lay down.’ Kevin encouraged, tapping his legs. Eli listened and rested his head on his lap, then snuggled his entire body closer and stood still. Music could still be heard in the far distance.
‘Why did you bring me here?’ he asked, taking Kevin’s hand and placing it in his hair. The younger smiled and began caressing.
‘I don’t know. I needed a break.’
‘A break from what?’
‘From everything.’
Eli nodded and waited a few seconds before speaking again.
‘You took me, though. You could have asked Kibum, or anyone else, but you took me.’ He spoke softly.
‘Kibum was playing with Dongho. He would have said no.’
‘Bullshit.’ Eli reflected. ‘He’d do anything for you, you know it.’
‘True, but we have a challenge to finish, don’t we?’ Kevin ripped a leaf and tickled his nose with it.
‘And that’s the only reason?’ Eli inquired further.
Kevin stopped for an instant, threw the leaf and focused on him.
‘What do you want to hear, exactly?’ he questioned, cupping Eli’s face in his palms. Apparently he enjoyed the gesture, because he immediately closed his eyes and took pleasure in the warm touch. When he reopened them, Kevin was vaguely struck by the hidden something behind that look.
‘The truth.’ The older said faintly. ‘Leave the game aside for a few minutes and tell me the truth.’
Kevin didn’t know the direction in which the conversation was going and felt like they shouldn’t be having it. The way Eli knew how to play with his feelings was dangerously heartrending and he was afraid that if he were to confess, he’d lose much more than their imprudent way of entertainment. He’d lose a friend.
‘I took you’ he breathed in ‘because I felt like it was the right thing to do. Because I wanted it to be just the two of us.’
‘So it really wasn’t the game?’ Eli smiled.
‘It wasn’t.’ Kevin took another frozen leaf and started contouring his lips. The music far-off had changed its rhythm.
There was something in the way Eli nodded understandingly, something about the indulgent gaze he kept that made Kevin melt on the spot. The closeness they both wanted to last made the low temperature fade away and, for those twenty-something minutes spent on a hidden bench in the middle of nowhere, it made Kevin feel like they were the only two people in the world.
They talked. About life and about nothingness. About Kiseop’s weird habits and their goals in life. About music and the home they missed. About the mailman and their rival groups. Kevin couldn’t even remember the last time he could talk so openly and carefree with someone about anything that crossed his mind, someone who made him equally laugh and feel safe.
After leaving the fair, they continued exploring the city from one shop window to the other, stopped by the skating rink to watch people fall, warmed up inside the smallest, but most inviting café they could find and got chased by a pack of stray dogs. Eli laughed his heart out, seeing Kevin so terrified of canines, when he always openly admitted during interviews how much he loved them. He got paid back, though, after coming across a flock of pigeons in the city centre, waiting to be fed. Kevin pointed at the birds and started calling them Eli’s relatives, giving them names and asking how are the States in this time of the year.
Two fans approached them at some point and asked for an autograph, then left giggling hysterically after receiving their signatures.
‘And you said we wouldn’t be recognized?’ Eli asked, watching the two girls flee away cheerfully.
‘You’re right, I’m sorry.’ Kevin handed him the pen back. ‘I forgot you are Popularity’s twin brother.’
‘Where are we heading now?’ the older voiced, visibly confused by Kevin’s sudden change of alleys.
‘In a faraway land, filled with three-headed monsters, where once lived a beautiful princess that-’
‘Kevin.’
‘Part two of the task.’
Eli stopped in his tracks for a moment.
‘And exactly how many parts are there?’
‘One trillion, ninety-four billion, three hundred thousand and seventy-’
‘Kevin.’
‘Three parts.’
‘Huh. Can I know the others beforehand?’
Kevin made a thinking face.
‘I guess so.’ He remained silent. Eli watched his face and continued walking by his side.
‘Alright, are you going to tell me anytime soon?’
‘No.’
‘Why isn’t that surprising me…’
They kept wandering the streets for about twenty minutes, after which Eli received a text message from Soohyun, asking him where he was and if he had seen Kevin. He called back and assured him they were both fine, albeit freezing, and that they’d be returning at the dorm later on. By the oldest’s annoyed tone of voice heard through the plastic case, he wasn’t happy with their unannounced departure and asked for a precise location.
‘Soohyun?’ Kevin grabbed the phone from Eli’s ear. ‘Yeah, we’re both fine, don’t worry.’ He put on the sweetest voice he could forge. ‘Yes, we know, we’ll be back soon, I promise. I know, it’s fine, we dressed well. No, not yet. Of course. Don’t be upset, okay? Alright. See you in a couple of hours.’
He hung up and gave the phone back to Eli, who was looking at him in awe.
‘How can you always do that?’ he asked befuddled.
‘Do what?’
‘That.’ Eli pointed at him. ‘Convince people with anything. Calm everyone down like that.’
‘Don’t tell this to anybody, but I have secret superpowers that I don’t share.’
‘Oh, you do? Like what, smother those around you with so much sugariness they suffocate?’
‘Something like that. Oh, we’re here.’ He stopped in front of a bar. Eli looked at the sign glued above the door and had to force himself not to raise a brow.
‘You want to drink?’
‘Don’t be stupid, what’s up there is the main attraction. Come on.’ He wiggled his shoulder and hauled him through the double, metal door. He told Eli to wait there and went to the counter, where a tall man handed him a set of keys in exchange of his credit card. He then came back and steered both of them upstairs, to a dim-lit room. As soon as Eli spotted the giant TV screen on the wall, his face turned blank.
‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘Anything but this.’
‘It’s too late to back out now. Besides, it’s still part of the task, so you can’t refuse. Sit.’ Kevin grinned excitedly, grabbing the remote and trying to figure out how the karaoke system worked. Everything was in either Korean or English, so it wasn’t so hard to set the program on ‘Randomizer’ and hand Eli one of the microphones. The older took it in frustration and watched Kevin begin to sing an old song from American ‘90s bands.
Kevin sang, song after song, pouring his heart into each note, careful to enunciate each syllable more accurately than the previous one, carrying both high and low tones for as long as possible, as if he was trying to surpass his live performances. He wouldn’t stop, as he recited ballad after ballad, then ended with a few pop songs and one last final jazz. Eli watched him the entire time with his microphone held awkwardly, like he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do with it.
When the score on the screen showed 90, Kevin cheered and high-fived himself, then turned his attention towards Eli.
‘Your turn, kind Sir.’ He articulated with poise. ‘If you manage to beat me, I’ll give you a present.
‘Kevin, I don’t sing.’ Eli looked at him desolately. ‘And you know how much I hate places like this.’
‘It’s a nice present. A very nice one.’ He tried again.
‘I can’t sing.’ He underlined. ‘You know it. The entire world knows it. I’m a rapper, I don’t do ballads.’
‘Who said you’d have to do ballads?’ he sat next to him and took a sip of soda. ‘Rap. Whatever. Just sing something.’
Eli sighed and got up. He held the microphone like it was made out of viruses and began searching for old American rap songs he used to listen to. He selected club rap, techno rap and every other associated genre he could remember and started verbally delivering the lyrics that showed up on the screen, four lines at a time.
Kevin could tell he didn’t enjoy the first song. Not even one bit. But as he progressed through the chants, he started taking more and more like to it, verse by verse, until he was actually smiling. Eli’s concentration was kind of mesmerizing to watch, as his eyes and lips moved in perfect sync to the rhythm of the beat. By the time he finished all of them, his mood had visibly lifted and he seemed more keyed up.
‘That wasn’t so bad, was it?’ Kevin grinned at him, as he sat down and drank from his Red Bull can.
‘It was okay.’
It was so typical of Eli, to never admit out loud when others were right.
They returned home half an hour later, with the same course they took hours before, which was at that time far less filled with passengers. Kevin fell asleep with his temple on Eli’s chest and had to be woken up through vigorous shaking.
‘We have practice in less than an hour, don’t sleep.’ Eli wobbled him by the shoulders.
Kevin yawned and got up slowly, following the older on the alleyway that led back to their dorm. They ascended the stairs almost with a struggle and, before Eli could open the door, he grabbed him by the wrist and held him firmly in place.
‘Wait.’ Kevin began. ‘There’s still the last part.’
Eli looked at him easily surprised.
‘I don’t think we have time for the last part.’
Kevin’s heart was beginning to beat faster.
‘Actually, we do. Answer me this: do you want to do it again sometimes?’
‘Yeah, I do.’ Eli smiled, as he spoke on a more silent tone. ‘I liked it.’
Even faster.
‘Soon?’
‘As soon as you want.’
Very fast.
‘Okay.’ Kevin closed the distance, gluing himself to Eli’s body. ‘Then please don’t mind if I do this.’
He reached for a peck on the lips. He gently pressed them against Eli’s and waited, maybe for a reaction or a refusal. But all his lover did was to close his eyes and lean into it, which determined Kevin to intertwine his arms around his neck and pull him impossibly close. Against his own chest, he could feel Eli’s heartbeat, which was much quicker than his own and made him almost liquefy into the touch. The other responded by resting his hands on his frail waist, before bringing one up his back. It stopped right on his nape as he began caressing gentler than Kevin had ever felt.
He wanted to pull back, afraid he might have taken it too far, but Eli made a noise of disapproval in his throat and held him firmly, forced him to open his mouth and let his tongue reach through. Kevin was taken by surprise and let himself enjoy the completely new sensation, as he started sucking on it eagerly. He felt Eli smile through the kiss and almost felt the need to beam back, but instead focused on the closeness as he started flying higher and higher.
When Eli broke the kiss, it was Kevin’s turn to groan in complaint. The older laughed.
‘So I’m guessing that was part three?’ he asked with a grin.
Kevin nodded, face too flushed to say anything. He felt like he had lost his voice and was sure he wouldn’t be able to talk coherently.
‘Too bad you didn’t plan a part four. Or higher.’
‘Eli.’ Kevin deprecated, looking down. The named one started laughing even harder.
Eli kissed him on the forehead one more time, before turning to enter the dorm. After silence settled in, Kevin had to take time to react and realize he was standing like a statue in the middle of the lobby. As he slowly proceeded indoors, he couldn’t take his mind off one thing.
He had his first kiss with Eli.