embracing fate // yeonbinkai

01:09

01:09 - "past midnight"

kai wished for his feet to be cotton when he took too long taking off his shoes.

nobody told him that sneaking in was hard. he heard people babble about escaping from their house at midnight to come back before sunrise, but they left out the important fact that everything is nerve-wracking once the foot steps back inside.

why was every little thing suddenly so loud? even just pressing the code to their door and locking it from behind felt like it was about to wake the entire floor up. he swore that the whole world could hear his heartbeat at this point.

just when he thought he successfully entered the apartment without waking anyone up, the lights from the living room opened without warning. a muffled yelp erupted on kai's end, but his stomach churned when his eyes fully adjusted to the sudden change in brightness.

"hyung.." guilt started seeping in.

for months, kai was used to keeping everything to himself and carelessly forgot about the time when he's renting a cubicle in the public library, but he had to learn how things need to change now that he moved in with soobin and yeonjun.

"where were you?" it was soobin who's been waiting for him all night.

"the library. i, uh, i forgot to let you know beforehand. i'm... sorry," kai looked incredibly regretful and apologetic, but soobin's stern gaze doesn't falter.

instead, soobin made his way closer to hold kai's chin up. "look at me," it was not a request. "what did we tell you about coming home late? the last bus comes at ten, hyuka. did you walk here?"

kai shook his head gently, not averting his eyes. he didn't want to upset soobin any further. "a friend took me home—he was next to my cubicle."

"a friend," soobin cocked his head to the side when he mimicked. a friend. is it hard to believe that kai knows more people besides beomgyu and taehyun?

"he's from my organization. don't worry, binnie. he said he didn't mind."

"you should have just messaged us, kai. i have a car—i'm more than capable to pick you up."

"i know. i just didn't want to wake you when it's so late already."

soobin lets out an exasperated sigh. it was almost painful to know that kai would rather have a friend drive him home despite literally having his soulmate right here, waiting. "did you actually think i'll fall asleep knowing you're not home? i even had to remind hyung that he has to work at eight in the morning for him to finally rest. we were worried, kai."

"i know, love. i'm sorry," kai's voice was barely above a whisper. he didn't like soobin upset like this; he wanted his apologies to take it all away, but it doesn't work like that. not that easy—because soobin sleeps the earliest between the three of them, but he's right here welcoming kai home at one in the morning. "i'm sorry."

"you always do this," soobin finally dropped his hand by his side in defeat. it gave kai the opportunity to kiss him well, sweet, and slow. he reached for soobin's shoulders, but was gently pushed away. "you can't kiss your way out of this."

"that's not what i was doing," kai pouts. "i just want to kiss you. please, hyung."

"i'll never forgive you if you do this again."

"i know, i know. kiss, please," kai gasped desperately when soobin merely pressed their lips together. he wants more. more. why is soobin choosing to be so stubborn right now?

soobin finally breaks into a small smile. "you're needy. wash up, and i'll kiss you to bed."

kai whined at the growing distance when soobin pulled them apart. he chased after soobin's hold, and fumbled with his soulmate's soft ears—yeonjun was always obsessed with them, kai knows why. he felt the ghost of soobin's lips above his, and he surged to crash them together without care.

"messy," soobin hummed. his lips glistening from kai's attack. "i told you to wash up."

"just a bit more," kai tightened his hold around soobin before he could escape. "one last."

"we need to rest, baby."

kai shakes his head, dazed. "i only need you."