Matching Key (JoongNine AU)

Code VIII

Joong

Instinct caused me to step forward and hold the person tight. I knew he was hurt, but he needed to see the truth too. He might push me and I was willing to take that chance, but my strongest instinct was to give comfort. Maybe because he was my key, or else this sudden action would surprise me too.

My shirt front was wet with tears, my hold tightened as his sobs shook his body too. I closed my eyes and connected, I needed to understand what he was feeling right now. It didn't matter that the Hunters would laugh seeing how messy the relationship of my key and I right now.

Pain. His heart was in pain, but his mind welcomed this comfort. Oh, so confusing, human is really really complicated it seemed. But, this connection allowed me to at least feel a little. So, is my defect actually a blessing? I would only rely on mind without the interference of conflict of heart liked this. His pain caused me to feel his sorrow too. Another one? Damn. I would go mad with all three conflicts at once. Choose one, can you, Nine?.

When my hand moved to his nape, trying to envelope him more, the skin touch caused a sudden buzz on my connection.

"Kiss...", he asked me while pouting his cute lips.

"Do you see any other pair as bold as you?", I said and a crease appeared between my brows.

"Why should we follow what other pair did? If you kiss me, I would kiss you back, liked before", he said with a gentle smile.

"What for? It's two lips touching, then?", I said, but still not pushing him away.

"It's a show of affection, doesn't necessarily need a reason to do it".

"Affection? You like it? Alright, then I give in", I said without understanding, but just bent  a little and kissed that smiling lips that kissed me back passionately in between merry laughter.

"Yes, I like it very much, do it more often. Maybe, someday, you would understand the feeling too, Joong".

"Archen...", I corrected him.

"No. That's the name they set for you. I would call you as we once were, Joong. Remember that, alright?"

My eyes wide open, and I pushed Nine a little bit away from my body, but still holding his arms. He looked shock as well, his eyes still wet, sniffling and mouth hung open.

"Have you ever kissed Joong?", I asked, making Nine a little befuddle.

"What? Kissed you? No, never...", he tried to pull his arms away, maybe a little scared of the intense stare that I gave him. I held on tight. My mind was in tumult. He never did, then what was that? That was not his memory, then, was it...mine? But, who or when, as I too never have a pair.

Will a kiss make more sense? As Nine in that fuzzy memory said, made me understood the feeling?

So, I pulled his waist closer, and also held his nape in place, without further doubt, bent down and kissed Nine.

Nine

His hold was tight, no matter how much I pushed back, he was unmovable. I never had any relationship before, nor decided any preference; thus this kiss shock me to my core. In the end, it was useless to struggle, my emotions that was yet to settle, was again haywired. I just held his shirt, closed my eyes and waited for the kisses to end. My heartbeats were jumping erratically. I couldn't decide it was due to fear or excitement or anger.

"Kiss back...", I heard him said, "this is just lips touching, if you don't kiss back, I won't understand the feeling", and his lips crushed mine again.

This is not right, get a grip, Nine, don't let someone abuse your right without a fight. That sudden voice caused me to pull away from his kiss and raised my hands to block him.

"STOP JOONG! This is insane! Don't push me to slap you", I said while turning my face to the side to not be kissed again. My shout somehow released Joong from his madness, and he stepped back and wiped his face, breaths rugged.

"You are supposed to like it, then how come what I got from you is anger?", he said, almost in mumbles, that I realized it was not a question for me, but rather to make himself understand. For the life of me, I felt that every time we were together, my rational went out of the window a little too. It was as if, I faced a multiple personality in one person, which drove me to my wit's end.

"Joong, I beg you. I can't keep having this unending battle with you every time. Please, choose a different manager. This is more than what I could take", my voice sounded desperate, distress.

He looked at me for a time, "It is not for me to change that, Nine. I  don't think Mr. Ta would agree too".

"I started to have a distaste, manager or not, if you used your privilege that way, Joong".

"No, I...have no way yet to make you understand, but things are more complicated than what it seems".

"God! I'll break, Joong. If you try me more than this, I might hate you rather than just being angry... ".

"Then...", again he extended his hand, for the third time today. I should have put a stop, gave him that money, but my mouth ran first.

"You didn't say sorry...", I said, and waited.

"Sorry for?"

"Kissing someone who didn't consent, is a form of harassment. Lucky, we are yet to be under a contract, then this is all the more forbidden".

His eyes darting, thinking, "So, if you are my manager, we can't be more than a work partner?".

"Exactly...".

"Damn, no wonder they insisted for you to be my manager. They figured a subtle way to put a space between us!", Joong said, his eyes were looking at something beyond me who stood in front of him.

"What? They... Who?".

"Nothing, Nine. Let just say, I went out of my mind for what happened just now. Probably, a heatstroke, and also hunger...". His words was ridiculous, but that was better than insanity, but again the last word caused a little doubt in me...

"Ah, don't misunderstand, hunger...for food, not any other things that ran inside your head...", he said and smiled.

Did he read mind? But he did say my face showed it all. Alright, it's a lucky guess, I think. But, I could feel my face was blushing and looked down.

"Nine...", he called again, "I'm sorry. Really. I would try to understand you better, and...err...behave. So, either you give me the money so I could go back home, or please treat me to something to eat".

I sighed, for the umpteenth time since I met him. He waited for my answer calmly, while my mind ran crazy, so all that was left was to follow my heart.

"Eat", I said and turned. My lips curved a little, when I heard the footsteps that followed from behind.