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There was this one time when Ricky was 5, where he attended a family reunion for the first time in his short silly life. It was boring, to say the least, but there's not much to expect when you're stuck in an event with a ton of rich businessmen on vacay.
The adults had locked (not literally) the children in one of the playrooms that their venue housed, and Ricky separated from his sister as soon as the door clicked to make his way towards Hao, who was his favorite cousin amongst the swarm of relatives that he didn't even recognize most of.
Honestly, he doesn't remember what they talked about, or if they were even talking to begin with, but he does remember clocking Hao in the face for sneezing on him. Not a good memory, but it stuck with him. A lot. Even 14 years after the incident, he can still see it clearly; the way Hao's head did a 180 when his tiny knuckles chucked into the bottom of his gums. In fact, you can still see the remnants of his violence on Hao's face, where a small dent sits sadly on his jaw.
It's hardly noticeable, just a slight curve the size of a pill, but somehow it zones Ricky out. It makes him think. Makes him wonder if his co-workers ask where it came from. Ponder if his boyfriend has ever placed his lips on that little groove. Gives him a lot of unanswered questions.
Just like right now, as he stares in disbelief at that tiny pit on the bottom of his cousin's face, he has a lot of questions.
His biggest question is: What the hell is Hao doing at his front door at 5 am hand in hand with that kid from last night?
His second biggest question is: Is he dreaming? Though, he has an answer for this one, and it's a big fat solid no. He wishes he was, especially since he looks like an idiot right now in the Barbie pajamas he's wearing and his messy bed hair.
Contrasting Ricky's miserable state, Yujin looks happy to be here, swinging both his and Hao's wrist back and forth with a happy smile. Hao is smiling too, he always is, even at wee hours in the morning.
Although this whole situation feels like something straight out of a nightmare, he still greets them with a limp wave, which they both return gleefully.
❝What are you doing here?❞ Ricky asks bluntly. ❝With Han Yujin from Miss Jo's class too.❞
❝Get dressed already, we're going to school!❞
❝Oh my gosh Hao-ge that's such a great idea! Especially at 5 in the fucking morning while grandma's still marinating on her bed! Actually, why don't we go surfing while we're at it? With the whales too! Let's do it in the middle of the Pacific!❞
