Below the surface- YeonKai

Chapter 18- Every Body

"Hi, I'm Changbin, I'll be your waiter this evening. Can I get you any drinks?" the waiter asked, suddenly appearing beside the pair.

Kai jumped to look at him, the short yet muscular man smiling sweetly.

"Can I just have some Ginseng tea?" Kai asked politely.

It was colder outside, the frost of winter chilling through him at almost any moment. A warm drink sounded perfect to him.

"Of course, and for you sir?" Changbin asked, turning his head to Yeonjun who sat with his jaw clenched and eyes piercing into his menu.

"A bottle of Soju" Yeonjun responded, eyes not lifting from the menu.

"Any flavour in particular? We have peach, grape, strawberry, plum?" Changbin offered sweetly despite Yeonjun's snappiness.

"Surprise me" Yeonjun stated, smiling at the waiter for a split second before letting his face fall.

Changbin scribbled in his notebook and bowed quickly before scurrying off, Yeonjun's gaze following him as he faded into the distance.

"I liked him," Yeonjun remarked suddenly, leaning forward to talk to Kai.

Kai remained silent, worried that anything he said could upset Yeonjun.

"Nothing to say, darling?" Yeonjun queried, bringing his eyes up to meet Kai's.

His eyes always looked so void, they always looked as if he were bored out of his mind. Sometimes they looked as if he were dead but yet, they always looked alive, constantly watching something or someone.

"He was nice" Kai answered quietly.

It was as if that sentence made Yeonjun's ears prick up, his face subtly scowling before smiling again.

"It's really nice being out with you, the others just aren't the same" Yeonjun smiled, leaning forward to rest his hand over Kai's.

Kai's gaze lowered to Yeonjun's hand lying over his own, half of him wanting to pull away and the other half liking the feeling of security and comfort. However, he didn't have long to think about it before Changbin returned, drinks in hand.

"Thank you" Kai thanked, smiling fondly as he blew on his drink to cool it down ever so slightly.

"Nooooo problem, decided what you want to eat?" Changbin questioned, pen to paper, eagerly waiting for a response.

"Can I have the steak please?" Yeonjun asked, avoiding eye contact with the poor waiter.

"Of course, how would you like that cooked? Medium rare? Well done?" Changbin asked, scribbling away.

"As rare as it can be" Yeonjun replied slowly, eyes finally lifting to meet Changbin's with an eerie stare.

It was noticeable to Kai that the waiter was scared by Yeonjun. He was just trying to do his job bless him and all Yeonjun was up to was creating a growing tension. Changbin quickly turned to Kai, clearly wanting to walk away as quickly as he could.

"I'll just have the Jjigae" Kai answered quickly, Changbin proceeding to write as he walked away quicker than before.

Kai tried to ease himself, sipping on his warm drink, feeling the heat move through his body, calming the coldness of the outside.

"So, how are you finding the others? Have they confused you yet?" Yeonjun asked, knocking back a clean shot and pouring himself another.

"Oh, I like them really, they just seem so...sad," Kai remarked, hesitating with his answer.

"Sad?" Yeonjun questioned, eyebrows furrowed.

"I mean Beomgyu never talks, im sure you remember the time it seemed like there was something wrong but you..dismissed him. Taehyun always looks as if he's seen a ghost, so alert and paranoid. Soobin I guess, he gets to me the most. Y'know with all the pathological liar confusion but his family disregarding him all because of his sexuality, I'm just glad you showed him acceptance" Kai explained, faltering his words when he was worried about the response he may receive.

Except, when he looked up, Yeonjun was smiling. For the topic of the conversation, it didn't seem fit.

"Did I say something wrong?" Kai asked, nervously sipping his tea.

"No" Yeonjun smiled, turning to Kai as he continued to smile.

"Then why are you smiling so much?" Kai asked.

"Am I not allowed to?" Yeonjun replied, dropping his smile and sweet-toned voice.

"No not at all, it's just Soobin. It's just pretty heavy. I guess it just got me a little upset" Kai sighed resting his arms on the table again.

"Mmm, Acceptance" Yeonjun hummed, his eyes narrow.

"He did kinda remind me of myself, young and away from home, though I chose that, he didn't" Kai remarked.

"Soobin deserved it," Yeonjun replied.

Kai looked at Yeonjun, slight concern in his eyes.

"Did you just say Soobin deserved to be kicked out of his house and abused by his parents?" Kai accused, suddenly disregarding his worry.

Yeonjun's eyes seemed to flick through multiple emotions before his eyes widened.

"Oh no, as in, he deserved to find acceptance" Yeonjun quickly corrected.

Kai nodded slowly, an awkward silence (kaw kaw kaw) washing over their table, the noise from the restaurant around them enhancing the ambience between the pair.

"Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking" Kai apologised, bowing his head.

"Between you and me, there is no need for apologies," Yeonjun remarked, taking another shot.

"You never told me about yourself" Kai reminded.

Yeonjun always appeared to know about Kai but it was never the same the other way around.

"There's a little of me inside every body" Yeonjun replied, his metaphorical speech blurring his message.

A while later, their food arrived, Kai happily ate while secretly hoping for this whole situation to be over and done with as quickly as it could.

Kai also tried his best to ignore Yeonjun's plate in front of his own, the steak sitting there practically bleeding as if it were alive.

"I've never seen someone eat something that bled like that"

"It's what I'm used to. It's the only way I like it."

"I mean it looks as if it could still be alive"

"Is there a problem with that? Yeonjun asked, lifting his eyes to stare at Kai's as he ate another mouthful, the blood of his meal staining his lips.

For the rest of the evening all Kai could think about was what Yeonjun had said earlier

"There's a little of me inside every body"

It didn't sound right

Why was it every body instead of everybody

A/N

Hello everyone! Happy holidayssss. This chapter seemed to go on a little and I don't know whether I like it or not but finding places to format sentences and allow certain elements to relate to further in the story is kinda hard :')

I'm also thinking off having an upload schedule? What do you think?

Comments and Votes are always appreciated :)

I love you all to the moon and back <3 stay safe this winter season and spend time doing what you love with the people you love. Look after yourself, drink water and rest well!

~ Author C