Wildfire And Rain

Chapter Eighteen

He finds Soobin waiting by their dorm building, wearing house slippers and a long puffer jacket. He notices Taehyun immediately and is hit with relief, then his expression changes to pure anger.

"Where-" he hits Taehyun on his arm. "The fuck have you been?!" He looks him up and down, at least he looks healthy. "I'm going to kill you!"

Taehyun raises his hands, defensive. "I lost track of time-"

"Until 1 in the morning?" Soobin crosses his arms, looking like a disappointed parent. "On a near winter night, Kang Taehyun?" he sighs. "You're so lucky I'm grateful you're alive otherwise I'd maim you."

"You're a Pre-med student." Taehyun reminds me with a sheepish smile. Soobin is cute when he's angry.

"Which gives me the knowledge I need to discombobulate you, get inside." Soobin purses his lips into a thin line, clearly upset. He drags Taehyun by the sleeve of his hoodie into the building, scolding him endlessly. "Who were you with until this late, have you been drinking?" he sniffs Taehyun's clothes, and grimaces. "You smell like smoke. None of us smoke."

Soobin closes the door of their room and looks at Taehyun intensely.

"Probably passed by some smokers."

"Kai smokes, doesn't he?" Soobin exhales sharply. "You were with him."

Busted.

"Mayhaps."

"Don't mayhaps me, Idiot." Soobin smacks the back of Taehyun's head. "I knew this was a bad idea, you need to stay away from him." he points his finger at him. "He's all... weird and stuff."

"Not your best argument." Taehyun plops on his bed. "I'm tired, Hyung-"

Soobin throws his head back, rolling his eyes. "Wonder why?!"

"Can we talk about this tomorrow?" Taehyun covered his head with his pillow. "Or like... never?"

"He's a bad influence."

Taehyun lays on his bed, yawning. "I guess he is."

"So, you admit it-" Soobin gets interrupted by a pillow flying into his face. "Hey!"

"Good. Night."

..............

Kai takes the stairs down to the basement, draping a towel on his wet hair, he ruffles it dry as he walks. He has time since it's the only day he has no classes at all. He started the day late, and slept in after getting home.

His lips tingle at the thought of last night.

He lets off some steam on the boxing bag, wrapping his hands over the gloves before he begins. A few hours pass and he opts for a shower due to the sweat dripping from his face. He takes the wooden box from the corner of the room, digging into its contents until he pulls out the old yearbook.

Fortunately, Yui allowed him to take the whole box, to have something left of his parents. He graciously thanked her for the kind thought.

He begins looking up each and every person in the book, from teachers to coaches to students and even the janitors.

"I'm sorry, she's passed away."

"My condolences." Kai plays with the pages of the yearbook, not at all sorry. He hangs up before the person on the other line finishes what they are about to say.

He moves on to the next person.

"This is she. Who am I talking to?"

"I'm Huening Kai, Finn's-"