Endless • Stray Kids X reader

18 🍹

That sentence alone was enough to give anyone anxiety. The street was quiet, which seemed to be quite normal around this neighborhood, except for either clients or sketchy guys you wouldn't want to deal with. It made it the perfect place to get your rest or have a quiet talk. "Listen, before you begin scolding me, I'm sorry, I know you did so much already and I know this isn't a place for me, but my landlord just threw me out, and I had nowhere to go, so-" I started ranting uncontrollably, only to be pulled in a warm hug, making me lose my ability to speak.

"It's been tough on these days you hasn't it?" he asked calmly, a voice so soothing it could bring you to sleep. Had it? I mean, sure, it hadn't exactly been great, but throughout my life I hadn't know much better than struggles. Not that I wanted to admit that now, though. Not when he was trying to calm me down, holding onto me so tightly, so warm, so addicting. I wanted to hold onto it forever, so if that meant I had to feel bad, so be it. I nodded into his chest, not uttering a single word. It might have given it away.

Chan sighed, stroking my hair. He smelled good. Was it weird to think about it? How a person smelled? I had never beent his close to him before, but everything about him was making me melt. As if the anxious feelings had once more been replaced by butterflies. It felt both the same, yet completely different. I liked this feeling way better. Even though my heart was still beating way faster than it should, even though my chest still felt tight, my breathing stocked, I suddenly didn't mind it anymore. Rather even, I wanted more of it.

I wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him back. He took a deep breath, as if he was preparing himself to say something. He was, actually. "I know that the past two days haven't exactly gone as planned for the both of us, and I just wanted to apologize for the way I behaved with you." What? Why would he have to apologize? He had done nothing but be kind and take care of me. "I got annoyed, not at you, but at the situation, and reacted it off on you, so I became curt to you. I'm sorry."

I still couldn't believe it. This was his way of being rude? This wasn't normal to him? I mean, come on, who doesn't have bad days? I almost laughed. Never before had I met someone so emotionally stable to apologize for something so little. When I grew up you simply cursed each other to death and then pretended all was fine at the dinner table again. Just how more perfect could Chan get?

Since I couldn't find any words to say to him, he continued to fill up the silence. "I'm sorry about the landlord and all too. I didn't know about it... why would he throw you out so suddenly?" Shit, I was supposed to answer. All this time my mind had been occupied by how close we still were. Quick, what did he say? Ehm, ehm, thrown out! Right. "As you probably noticed the business was quite slow at the restaurant, so I didn't make much... was a month behind on rent, and could barely afford this month's rent. And now with people worried I might have a stalker, having to change the lock was probably too much work for him to want to handle."

Chan let go, as the cold air instantly made the temperature drop. No, please come back. He turned around, muttering another curse word before turning back to me. "Why didn't you tell me before? I'm sure we could have figured something out together. Besides, you could stay here for quite some time before we found you something more permanent." I could feel myself become overwhelmed. Why did he care for me so much? Not even my parents did, so why would he? I just couldn't bring myself to understand it. Even when I had survived on my own for this long, why would someone suddenly come into my life to make me feel like I needed help? I could do this! I handled everything on my own before, so why wouldn't I be able to do so now?

"I don't want to be so dependant on other, I hate it, actually. I want to be able to take care of myself, and if this is the way to do so, then so be it. I know this job isn't exactly cut out for me, I'm not as pretty, as funny or as lovely as all the other girls in there, but if this is a way for me to build up my life again, than I will put in everything to make myself a good host. I'll survive in this world, no matter what anyone does or says." I automatically covered my mouth with my hand. Did that really just came out of me? I mentally cursed. What was I thinking, saying something like that to him? Ugh, here it would come again. I made someone upset.

Against all of my speculations, he was actually smiling. He didn't seem angry or sad at all. He seemed... proud? "I think this is what I like best about you, your optimism." I couldn't even believe my ears, which were turning a brighter shade of red with every second. "Listen, do I agree with you working here? No. Not at all. I still don't think it's a place for you, but if you want to do it so badly, I don't think anything I say is going to stop you, is it?" I finally smiled back at him, shaking my head. I had already set my mind to it, there was no way I was backing down.

"Not a single chance."