Fángzi (House)

Chapter 2

Tao sat up before stretching his body to the limit, trying to get rid of his sleepiness and muscle -ache from sleeping statically. After getting back his consciousness, Tao stood up and slowly walked towards the bathroom. He realized that he hadn't took his bath since he arrived here in this house. His house. He started unbuttoning his working shirt and didn't hesitate to pull down his working pants and boxers together before pooling them on the bathroom floor.

He got inside the shower cube and turned the knobs to draw hot water, enough to get his body alive after abusing it with hectic working schedules. Tao smelled rose as he rubbed his arm with a rose-scented soap which Mrs Huang bought for his son. Taking his sweet time bathing, Tao then went out from the cube and shaved and washed his face at the sink. He took a moment to praise his own appearance. Winking to the mirror before he walked out.

A moment later, he sat in front of the television with a box of pizza on his lap, enjoying his dinner without caring about his weight. As if he gained weight. He was on his way to ravish his 6th slice of pizza when he heard knocks on his door. Ah, who knocks on people's door at this time? I want to watch tv. Nevertheless, he put back his half-eaten pizza inside the box, licking clean his hands before jogging casually to the door. Safety first, he looked through the peeking hole on the door but no one was there. I might misheard. He shrugged and half-hoping half-jogging to the couch, increasing the volume of the television, didn't want to be distracted anymore.

The knockings became familiar everyday.

***

Tao started to get friendly with his neighbors. He recognized the house on the left of his house belonged to Oh Sehun, a young and successful CEO of a famous company in Korea. On the right, there was another bungalow, occupied by an architect named Kai Kim Jongin, lived with his partner, Do Kyungsoo. Tao was never once a homophobic person so he didn't developed ideas about living near the house of two men living together. He was an open minded person though.

Tao started some bonding time between the couple one day, on his day off.

As he turned off his television, he walked outside. Smiling as he watched the manly one washing his Maserati and his so-called wife - as Kai introduced the other to him before - watering their rose garden.

"Hey there, Kai!" Tao addressed the latter comfortably since Kai was younger than him and he didn't mind either.

"Yo, Tao!" Kai waved his hand, finishing his work and walked towards Tao. They were only separated by short-rock fence.

"Day off today, huh?" Kyungsoo smiled sweetly to Tao. Heart-shaped lips formed perfectly -almost gave out motherly aura- before Kai wrapped his arms around the other's waist and placed a small kiss on his wife's cheek.

Sweet. Tao thought.

Kai left Kyungsoo to settle down with his flowers and walked past him to shake hands with Tao - just like all men with careers always do -

"How is your new house Tao? Is it more comfortable here? With less noises and more fresh air?" Kai chuckled, taking a glance to his neighbor's house.

"Yeah. It was better here than at my parents'. Freedom I guess" Tao smiled, feeling really proud of himself.

"Freedom for us too when we were newlywed before. Kai's parents never liked me though", Kyungsoo sighed. He finished watering the plants and now wrapping his arms around Kai's waist with his head leaned over his lover's shoulder. "Right Kai?"

"It's okay sweetheart. They will understand sooner or later", this time Kai placed his arm around Kyungsoo's shoulder, brought the smaller one closer to his side.

"So, Tao. Isn't the neighborhood nice? You can ask for our help if you have problem or something. We will happily help", Kyungsoo's tone changed brightly as he talked to Tao.

"Ahh, it was okay here. I like it", Tao nodded vigorously. It was then he remembered something. "Oh, by the way, were there any hobos around here?"

Kai lifted his eyebrows and Kyungsoo stared at him with his eyes bigger than usual.

"Umm, I don't think so. Even though there were no guards to guard our house respectively but there were policemen patrolling this neighborhood. Why are you asked so?" Kyungsoo asked.

"Nothing. It was I heard knockings on my door every single night. For this whole week. But I just let it slide since I thought it was perhaps some hobos or maybe drunken people on the street. Something like that y'know", Tao curved a smile even though his eyes showed confusions.

"It was nothing I guess. Maybe you misheard or something. Don't worry too much", Kai patted Tao's shoulder in order to calm the other guy. "We need to get off now. Kyungsoo's parents invite us to their place later. It is nice to actually talk with you"

"Yeah, we will see you again okay? We are here if you need anything", Kyungsoo gave him his final wave before both of them walked into their house.

Tao walked into his house few minutes later only to find his television was switched on. Shit, I forgot to turn off the television.