SIX HOURS; kim jongin

After

Leia took the paper cup of tea held out to her with a polite smile and soft 'thank you', bringing the hot and sweet liquid up to her lips to take a small sip, the heat from it rising and hitting her cheeks, staining them pink.

In comparison, Kai, beside her, took the tea offered to him with a bright 'thanks', and from the corner of her eye she watched him take a gulp, which made Leia wince a little, though Kai didn't seem affected by his scalding mouthful.

"Again, I am so, so sorry!" The hotel manager said before they'd barely had another sip, for what was probably the millionth time, shaking his head. "We're looking into it, of course, but I have no idea what caused such a fault! It's never happened before! Honestly, this is such a fluke-"

Leia tuned the hotel manager, out as he rambled out more apologies and repeated that he wouldn't charge either of them for their stay at the hotel to make up for it, sipping her tea and casting her eyes down to her hands, wrapped around the cup. She heard Kai assuring the manager that they understood it wasn't his fault, and that they were both fine, and she was grateful he was doing so, because since they'd gotten out, ten or so minutes earlier, Leia had fallen quiet, readjusting to everything after six hours inside four small metal walls. Leia didn't realise that the manager was done and had walked away until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You ok?" Kai asked, when she tore her eyes away from the tea and met his gaze.

Her lips pulled up in a small smile, and she bobbed her head in a nod. "I'm alright," she paused, and chuckled, joking "Just like the last five times you've asked me."

Kai shrugged, and half smiled back, before dropping his hand, and raising his tea to his lips to take another sip before saying "Just making sure."

"You're almost as bad as the hotel manager saying 'sorry'." She teased, glancing over to where he was currently stood tersely saying something to the very stressed looking receptionist, who was currently on the phone to the elevator company, before looking back at Kai. In all honesty though, his concern was... sweet. When the elevator had started again, and they'd stood, nervously awaiting as they'd descended, she took a hold of his hand as they stood in front of the doors, and he'd held hers back, giving it a reassuring squeeze, which was comforting and she appreciated. Another example of his concern was after the manager had hustled them into the staff room (he'd been aware of the elevator breaking down, but due to the power outage inside, not that there was two people, and his face was such a picture Leia almost laughed), he'd produced two metal warmth blankets (the kind most commonly seen on people who'd been in road accidents or trauma). Leia had pulled hers over her shoulders, and once Kai had adjusted his, he took a hold of Leia's wordlessly and adjusted hers so it sat right and snug. Along with all that, he'd stayed close to her side, which may not have been intentional, but she appreciated it. Hey, maybe she was reading into it too much, and once the manager said they could go, he'd be glad to be shot of her.

But actually, the thought of leaving Kai's side kind of made her feel sad and... apprehensive. Which was almost funny, given their initial interactions.

"Am not." he retorted, with a snort, giving the shoulder he'd placed his hand on gently before a playful little shove, before wrapping both hands around his cup. There was quiet between the pair for a few moments, as they stood facing each other, poses almost the same, before Kai cleared his throat and said "So."

"So." Leia echoed.

"The manager will probably let us go soon." he remarked.

Leia sipped her tea, and nodded. "Yeah."

Another bout of quiet passed, and Kai sighed softly, before reaching up with one hand to – once more – fuss with his hair. It made the blanket crinkle and start to slide off his shoulder, but before it could, Leia reached up and caught it, and righted it, her hand lingering a moment, before wrapping back around the other and the cup. Kai murmured an uncharacteristically soft 'thanks', and Leia smiled and nodded, before dropping her gaze slightly.

"So." Kai repeated, before clearing his throat, and saying "What are you gonna do now?"

Leia paused, before shrugging, and taking another sip. For tea from one of those little machines, it wasn't half bad. "I don't know. Maybe go lie down or watch a movie in my room or something?" she said, lamely.

"No, I..." Kai said, stopping, before starting again. "I meant about the... date."

"Oh." Leia said, and snorted a laugh softly. "Right. That. I guess I'll probably have to apologise to him, at least, and then my mom and sister."

As soon as she said 'mom', Kai snorted and shook his head, before saying "But your phone is dead."

Leia raised an eyebrow, and gave him a vaguely amused and confused look. "I'll go and charge it in my room?"

Kai nodded, and he bit down on his lip as though he was considering whether to say what he was gonna say next, before deciding to just go for it. "Well, I mean, you could always not... do that."

Leia's eyebrow went up further.

"Or, I mean, you could, y'know, borrow my phone?" he added, and... he almost sounded shy. Awkward. But even the short amount of time Leia had known him, shy awkwardness wasn't a Kai thing. Which made this whole exchange all the more curious to her.

"But... you don't have your phone." She said.

Kai bit his lip again, and Leia tried not to let her eyes be drawn to them (in all honesty she was almost mad – what boy needed lips that big? It was unfair to girls everywhere who relied on lip plumper and lipstick to accentuate theirs), quickly looking up at his dark eyes. "Yeah, but... it's in my room. We could... head up there?"

Leia – frustratingly – still wasn't picking up on Kai's suggestion, and he bit back a groan as she laughed unsurely and said "But my charger is just up in my room? I could just go up there."

"But you could just come to my room." He said, trying not to let his tone be as flustered as he was beginning to feel. Kai couldn't really say he was familiar with his current feeling, and it made him frustrated. He'd noticed his wavering confidence just as Leia had. "I mean... it's closer. Less stairs. It'll tire us out less."

Leia frowned for a moment, before her brain finally picked up that there was a hidden implication behind Kai's words... though she completely misinterpreted it. Her jaw fell open and she rolled her eyes. "...Seriously?" she asked in disbelief.

It took Kai a moment to figure out why she was indignant – before he realised what she thought he was implying. "Oh my god, no!" he said in quickly, shaking his head. "I didn't mean... I don't mean it in a sex way! I swear!" he paused, before reaching up with the thumb and forefinger of one hand and pinching the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes, and saying, in frustration "Why are you making hanging out so difficult?"

Leia was quiet for a moment as she took in his words, frowning slightly, biting the inside of her cheek, before saying, softly - still in disbelief, but less indignant and more... tentative. And... heartened – "Wait..." she said, then despite herself, her lips tugged upward in a coy half smile. "You really wanna spend more time with me when we've been together for the past six hours?"

Kai sighed, in relief, and – pretty enthusiastically – declaring "Yeah, I do."

Leia almost blurted out 'but why?' before biting down on her cheek again and trying her best not to smile too pleased. "Ok. Lead the way." she paused, before chuckling. "I mean, as soon as we tell the manager and take off these dumb things." She grabbed a handful of the metal blanket, making it crinkle, and she wrinkled her nose.

Kai – who didn't even bother to hide his pleased, bright smile – laughed. "Hey, I kinda like them."

Leia snorted, shaking her head. "Are you kidding? I feel like a baked potato in it."

Kai laughed again – before he gave her that smirk, and his eyes glittered as he said "Well, in that case, I gotta say you make a very cute baked potato."

"Oh my god." Leia closed her eyes and pressed one hand to her face, shaking her head, though she couldn't help but grin. Damn him. "You're absolutely incorrigible."

He gave her another playful nudge. "You love it."

Leia rolled her eyes... but didn't deny it.