Different (Kaisoo Fanfic)

Chapter Forty-Nine

The deserted street was eerily silent, lit only by one or two lamps lining the pathways. The midnight sky was like a black canvas above them, peppered with stars that twinkled and provided solace in the otherwise sinister night.

A set of tanned knuckles rapped loudly against the wooden door, disturbing the silence around them.

A familiar bronzed figure came into view, albeit blurred by the patterns engraved in the glass of the door. A click of the key turning in the lock sounded, then the door swung inwards to reveal a young woman with deep brown hair and a beaming smile.

'Jongin!' she cried, her eyes suddenly brimmed with tears of pure joy. 'Kyungsoo!'

Said boys fidgeted nervously on the doorstep as Jongin's mother gushed at the sight of them, suitcases bulging with Kyungsoo's belongings in both of their grasps.

Much to their relief, the woman stepped aside, and they hauled the suitcases into the warm house.

Just moments after the cases had been placed down did Jongin's mother launch herself at her son, smothering him in a tight embrace. 'Oh, how I've missed you,' she sighed, hand pressing his head comfortably to her shoulder.

Jongin chuckled and allowed her to hold him for a moment before pulling away, only to plant a light kiss on her cheek. 'I've missed you, too, mum,' he grinned.

To the side, Kyungsoo stood rather awkwardly on the spot, head hung in slight embarrassment. He had been staying perfectly silent for fear of interrupting their moment.

His eyes widened a fraction when a pair of dainty arms wrapped around him and crushed him to a warm body. Kyungsoo was, to his satisfaction, an inch or two taller than Missus Kim, though the woman certainly possessed an iron grip despite her petite frame.

'Kyungsoo, darling! It's so lovely to see you again!' she said gleefully, and Kyungsoo could only stay frozen for a minute before his senses returned to him, and he returned the hug briefly.

'You, too, Missus Kim,' he replied, biting back a smile. Never before had he felt such a warm and motherly embrace. Jongin's mother radiated love and safety and, besides Jongin, Kyungsoo had never felt such security from someone before - certainly not from his own parents.

After releasing the boy, Jongin's mother glanced down at the suitcases and back up at her son's boyfriend. 'So, I presume this means you're coming to stay with us for the rest of the holidays?' she asked, a hopeful glint in her eyes.

Though she meant nothing bad by it, Kyungsoo couldn't help but feel a little guilty for turning up on her doorstep so suddenly.

Thankfully, a certain dark-skinned boy was there to save him from his apparent culpability. 'Yes, mum, he is. I'm sorry for not asking you beforehand, but..' he trailed off, shooting Kyungsoo a pitiful smile. 'Some things happened which meant that Kyungsoo wasn't really comfortable at home.'

'Oh, don't be silly,' Jongin's mother said, waving a hand dismissively. 'We agreed at your school talent show that your dear boyfriend was welcome to stay with us whenever, and I did hope that he would visit this holiday.'

She offered Kyungsoo a soft smile, and the boy couldn't help but return it. Missus Kim's affection was contagious.

So, when the young woman led the boys into the kitchen, complaining about how she would have baked them some cookies if she'd have known of Kyungsoo's visit, the young heir decided that there was no better place for him to be right now than right here, in Jongin's home. Because his own home was, in fact, not a home at all; it was just a house.

~

Shadows danced across the walls and soft, faint whispers echoed through the air. Darkness engulfed the entirety of the room and filled it with a malicious aura, save for one small area that surrounded a perfectly still, sleeping body. The strands of baby pink hair shone faintly in the glow of the nightlight and the long, black lashes fluttered as the boy slept peacefully.