Wildfire And Rain

Chapter Twenty-Four

This is fine. Worst case scenario, they all get drunk. That is in fact what Beomgyu hopes for, that they are all drunk, they can't remember anything from this disastrous night.

It hasn't even begun yet.

He leaves the house early in the morning, buying the ingredients needed to prepare dinner for five. Yeonjun suggested they help with cooking, that way there would be less room for awkward silences since they would be busy most of the afternoon. By the time dinner is ready, they would be already acquainted.

Beomgyu is not sure about this plan. But then again, whatever they do will be somewhat... disaster-y.

"Are you leaving?" He sees Kai take his coat from the hanger while he is in the kitchen, putting the groceries away.

"Work."

"Kai, Tonight-"

"I remember." Kai drapes the long coat over him. "I'll be here."

Beomgyu nods. "Be careful."

"I will be."

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

Time passes by slowly. Beomgyu wishes the clock would speed things up, just for today. Make five hours feel like one.

It's weird. He used to long for this moment; when all the walls tore down and he wouldn't have to lie to the closest people in his life, but he never thought it meant having to sit and watch as his two-world meet, or clash. Now, he kind of wishes he could keep Kai a secret for longer.

And yes. Maybe that makes him a shitty person, he does not care. Living with Kai was not easy but bearable when no one knew the relation between them. Now, he felt like it was harder than ever.

He lives with the son of his mother's killer. And that is not something many people could understand, not even himself. He can try to explain but at the end of the day it is the situation at hand and both Kai and him can't change it.

How can he sit at dinner and try to pretend that it is not the question burning in everyone's mind?

He can see the confusion in Soobin and Yeonjun as well. They try to hide it, but he knows they still have too many questions, and he can't answer any of them. He just can't because he doesn't have the answers either.

He's both jittery and irritable. A pit in his stomach appears and grows bigger when he thinks about what is planned in just a few hours. He's unable to sit down and relax, not even to take a short nap.

A state of pure agitation.

He feels messy, the whole thing feels messy, and he wishes he could just tidy up his life before he has to show it to other people. Instead, he tries to distract himself. He cleans the already clean living room and wipes down the round dinner table again.

Beomgyu bundles the silverware and places it on the table on top of a pile of five plates. He washes the fruits and vegetables, preparing the kitchen with the sharpest of knives and the nicest pots.

He hears a knock on the door.

"It's open!" he yells out.

The door clicks open. Footsteps approaching. "Beommie."

"In the kitchen!"

Soobin and Yeonjun come in, both bearing something in their hands. Yeonjun holds out a bouquet of flowers. He kisses Beomgyu on the cheek, and his smile immediately falters. "Is everything okay?" he asks.

"Hmm? Yes." Beomgyu takes the bouquet from his boyfriend's hands. "Thank you, they are lovely." he puts them in a clear vase, maybe a little too aggressively.

"You look stressed. "Soobin notes. "I have just the thing." he waves the plastic bag in his hand. "Beers."

"Where is Taehyun?" Beomgyu ignores Soobin. "Is he not coming?" no, he needs someone in-check on Kai, he needs Taehyun here.

Yeonjun puts a hand on Beomgyu's back. "Taehyun will be here soon, he needed to do something for his class first." He rubs circles on Beomgyu's nape. "Are you sure you're okay, Baby?"

"I just need this to go well."

Yeonjun pouts his lips outward as he strokes his Boyfriend's back. "Why wouldn't it go well?" he asks. And Beomgyu turned his head to him and glared. "Why wouldn't it go well..." he parrots. "Well, gee Hyung I don't know. Maybe because I haven't heard you refer to Kai as anything other than that Kai dude. I find it hard to see how you guys would get along, not to mention that only a week ago Soobin still thought he was batshit crazy." he pants, plopping on one of the chairs in the kitchen and massaging his temples. "So, excuse me for not expecting this evening to be a huge success."

"Technically, I still think he's a little shady."

Yeonjun inhales sharply. "You're not helping, Soobin." he scolds; crouching down to reach Beomgyu's eye level. Soobin rolls his eyes and lets them two have their moment while he waits around in the living room. "Listen, Baby." Yeonjun soothes. "Yes, this might not be ideal for both parties here. I didn't think I'd meet your family 2 years into our relationship. And yes, I certainly didn't think I'd be Kai of all people." he huffs.

Beomgyu looks up at him, listening intently.

"But it doesn't mean that I can't adapt." Yeonjun shrugs, brushing his thumb against Beomgyu's rosy cheek. "We can all make an effort to adapt and be the nicest we can be. Right Soobin!?" he yells.

"What!?" Soobin yells back from the living room, approaching the kitchen. He sticks his head inside. "What was it?"

"You promise to be nice, right?"

Soobin clears his throat. "I can promise to try." he gives an awkward thumbs up and Yeonjun hits him hard on the arm. He rubs the sore spot. "I'll be nice, I'll be nice... Beomgyu knows I'm joking, don't you?"

Beomgyu gives him a half-assed smile.

"Speaking of, where is Kai?" Yeonjun asks. They had come a little earlier than the actual time they were supposed to arrive so it makes sense he's not there yet, but Yeonjun assumed the two brothers would be at home at this hour. Not too early or late to have classes and it can be assumed that all five of them have their evening all cleared.

Beomgyu looks up at the clock hanging over the round table. "He's out, he should be here in a bit." He feels slightly better about the ordeal if not because of his friends' lame attempt to reassure him. He forgot just how light the two can be and suddenly he doesn't feel too heavy himself.

Soobin and Yeonjun are sociable people which makes it all a tad easier.

"Should we start?" Yeonjun suggests. They can start prepping whatever needs to be chopped or minced for dinner while they wait for the others. Beomgyu nods, thinking that'd be a good idea too. He gets up and briefs the two about what to do and the three begin to cook.

He hands Yeonjun the chives and the other rolls up his sleeves, washes his hands, and starts chopping. "Does Kai drink?" he asks. "Soobin bought enough beers and soju to get the whole neighborhood drunk."

"Alcohol is the key to a good dinner party." Soobin defenses. "Flowers, are not." Yeonjun rolls his eyes. "Talk when you are not painfully single."

"Depends on what occasion." Beomgyu answers, waiting for the two to be done with their daily squirrel. "He doesn't drink often-" the door opens which makes his thoughts trail and his words fade. He tunes his ears to the noise.

"I'm home."