Best of You [ChanCheol] ✔

11

"How many people am I preparing for?" They stand outside the apartment as Seungcheol asks. Chan doesn't miss the way he fiddles with the sleeve of his jacket; he twirls at the button, gaze constantly switching from the front door to Chan and back. He seemed nervous leaving Chan to deduce that it may be because of who his brother is. He chooses not to say anything regarding that. Instead, he pats Seungcheol's shoulder.

"Only my brother and his boyfriend," he says with so much assurance that the nervousness seems to slowly dissipate within Seungcheol who nods firmly. His lips curl up slowly as he looks over and with another firm nod of confirmation, Chan opens the door. The living room is empty as they step inside and for a moment, he wonders whether they were even here yet. He looks at the clock and releases a sigh. "They should get here soon," he says, turning to Seungcheol. "In the meantime, would you like something to drink?" Without waiting for any sort of response, he walks into the kitchen and switches on the kettle. Seungcheol sits down hesitantly and Chan cannot help but laugh. He reminded him of a kid who didn't want to get into any trouble. With his straight posture and hands folded together tightly, he presses his lips together as he takes in the room. Which is not much. The kitchen essentials were around, but that was pretty much it. Cupboards, the sinks, a stove oven. Everything else was packed away, but otherwise that was it. And yet somehow, Seungcheol had one of the most intense and conflicted expressions across his face. It was like he'd never seen anything of sort before. He took it in the same way someone would take in a new country if it was their first time there.

"Seungcheol?"

He hums, but says nothing, eyes barely looking away as he stared out of the window above the sink.

"Do you not go home? Visiting your parents or anything?" Chan asks, albeit hesitantly. He realizes, as the question slips past his lips, that Seungcheol never spoke about them; not once were his family members brought up and almost ninety per cent of the time, Seungcheol would be with him if not calling him. Ever since that day. The look on his face says enough for Chan to know there was a reason. It looked like he just witnessed a puppy being injured and he wasn't able to do anything.

"My brother's on a business trip," he replies, smoothly avoiding mentioning his mother or father which leads Chan to accept that he should avoid mentioning them as well. Nodding, he makes the coffees.

"Does he go on them often?"

"Yeah. Visits when he's got a chance." Seungcheol pauses as he considers this and then, after a lengthy moment, he adds, "He pays for the hospital bills and all that, so if an opportunity for a little extra money pops by, he doesn't let it go, you know?"

Chan did know. It was the same with them when their mom was still alive. Jihoon would do whatever he could to get that little extra cash in and sometimes, during months like those, they were able to afford something a little extra. He often felt guilty, even when Jihoon told him not to. He was still in school, but when he offered getting a job, Jihoon shut down the idea immediately. Said he needed to focus on school and nothing else. His mom said the same and, well, who was he to have argued with two of the most important people in his life? "Yeah," he murmurs, tone dipping closely to regret and pure sadness despite his efforts for it not to. "I get it." He turns around and hands the cup over to Seungcheol who looked about ready to say something with his lips parted and his posture straighter than before. However, before he can, the sound of the door opening shatters the moment.

Jihoon walks in with a packet of groceries. Minghao follows closely behind him and, without skipping a beat, takes the seat next to Seungcheol.

"Good evening," Jihoon greets Seungcheol, mouth curving into a smile. Eyes flickering to Chan, the smile never disappears. "You just want to do take-out tonight?"