Chapter 6: Decisions Decisions

Outside, Helen had pulled Caelen down who had said ‘whoo’. “Dear god, even dogs could hear that one.” Everyone else who was sitting in the hallway tried to muffle their giggles as Calen went to sulk to Woo Yong. Helen rolled her eyes, but smirked. “Okay everyone, let’s leave the two lovebirds alone. Obviously, we are the side characters in some kind of c-drama or k-drama and we are not getting anything more for a good few chapters.” Helen pulled everyone down the hall and up the stairs to the dance studio to give the boys some privacy.

“Wait, condoms!” Erin said quickly, pulling one out of her bag and throwing it under the door. Helen smacked her head with her hand trying her best not to question what had just happened and/or throw hands at someone.

“Get back into the band room or something!”

Back inside, the two were trying not to laugh loudly as the others bickered outside. Kai had his head on Joshua's shoulder trying to keep his laughter down. Joshua just chuckled watching Kai. When the hallways became quiet, Kai situated himself on the best seat in the room. Joshua gave him a ‘really?’ look before wrapping his arms around Kai’s slim waist.

“Shouldn’t this be the other way around?” Kai’s eyes blew wide open at Joshua’s boldness. Joshua looked up at Kai’s face and mirrored Kai’s with a smile, but then he realized one small thing: he said that out loud. “Um. . .uh - I uh. . .ignore what I just said.” Kai looked at Joshua smiling.

Kai turned Joshua’s face gently over and smiled. “I don’t think I can ignore that.”

“S-Shut up.” Joshua looked away from Kai trying to look normal. “Ignore it all.”

“I don’t think I will.” Kai brought Joshua’s arms to rest on his shoulders and leaned in so that he was maybe an inch away from Joshua’s face. “And I know I can’t. So, let’s switch!” Kai got up bringing Joshua with him and used the last of his strength to bring Joshua onto his lap. “Ah, okay, that’s the last of my strength.”

Joshua’s eyes widened and he quickly started to look over Kai’s entire body. “I could have gotten up myself, Kai. Don’t exert yourself further than you already have. Those dances were hard.”

“I can tell that’s not the only thing that’s hard.” Joshua shoved his head into the crook of Kai’s neck and looked towards the wall. Kai threw his head back laughing and wrapped his arms around Joshua’s waist. “Sorry. Sorry.”

“No you’re not.”

“I’m sort of sorry.” Joshua smacked him on the arm. They stayed like that for a few minutes until Joshua looked at his watch.

Joshua looked at his watch in shock and quickly pulled out of Kai’s embrace. He pulled his backpack on and grabbed Kai’s as well. “Shit, it’s almost 6pm. We need to leave before security finds us.” Kai chuckled and grabbed Joshua’s wrist before taking both of their bags from the blondie.

“You know I can carry my bag right?”

“I know. I just wanted us to get out fast. Plus you’re probably exhausted.” Kai shook his head and moved to leave the practice room. That’s when something shined catching Joshua’s eyes. Joshua pulled away from Kai making him pout, but Joshua picked up the shiny silver card to read SA Entertainment. It was the card that Helen had found that just fell out of Kai’s backpack.

Joshua turned the card over and saw Kai’s name written on it. His eyes widened a tad, but he tried to look confused. “Kai, why is SA Entertainment looking at you?” Kai stilled not wanting many to know. It’s only been a month, but he doesn’t want to think about it much. He knew Helen wouldn’t interfere if he told her to do so, but Joshua would be worried.

“Um. . .some scouters came over asking for me to audition, but I don’t think I’ll do it.” Joshua scanned the card rapidly before turning around to face Kai. This was legit.

He weighed his options and smiled. “You should do it, Kai.” Kai didn’t miss the small twinge in Joshua’s voice and shook his head. “Don’t have me hold you back. We just admitted things. We’re not official. Besides, I could be going back to Korea for college.” Kai’s eyes widened at the last sentence.

“You’re going to college in Korea?” Joshua cringed realizing he let that slip on accident.

“Um. . .possibly. My mom has a connection to one of the colleges over there and I can get a good degree if I go.” Kai nodded in understanding. This still barely changed Kai’s decision though.

Kai stood in the parking lot with Joshua and sighed. “I don’t know what I will do. I still have my sister to think about. I will be taking care of her soon.”

“Isn’t she seventeen and why would you need to take care of her? She turns eighteen in December. She will be legal.”

Kai knew he was becoming a little too comfortable with Joshua and quickly turned around. “It’s a lot more than that. Let me just leave it at that.”

“Is it why you decided to live on your own?”

“Y-Yeah.” Joshua reached for Kai’s wrist and pulled him into the passenger seat of the car.

“I’ll drive you home. You’re tired.”

“Thank you.”

The moment the car started up, Kai had fallen asleep. Joshua looked down at the business card and drove off. Joshua kept a hand resting over Kai’s side as he drove to the apartment complex near the school.

Joshua shut off his car and started to help Kai up to his apartment. Hobi sat there at the opening of the door with his tongue out and his tail wagging. “Hey baby, wait a few minutes. I’ll be back. Your daddy is really tired right now.” Hobi almost looked like he understood because he went to use his butt and closed the door before jumping and locking the deadbolt.

Joshua looked down and realized that Hobi might be a lot more than just Kai’s dog. He shook his head and brought Kai into his bedroom and laid him down. Hobi followed behind them. He took the duvet in his mouth and pulled it over so that it was covering Kai’s body. He then left and came back with a leash.

Joshua looked down and knew that Kai wasn’t going to wake up anytime soon. He walked out with Hobi to the park across the street and quickly got Hobi to do his business before coming back into the apartment. Hobi ran over to Kai’s bed and laid down in a “small” ball.

“T-Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. I will always have a soft spot for dogs.” Kai chuckled and looked down at Hobi at the end of the bed. “Good boy.”

“Sorry for making you take care of my dog and I. You can stay here if you want.”

“I should get home.”

“Joshie, it’s almost 9pm. You can stay.” Kai wasn’t really giving Joshua an option, so he motioned to where Joshua could get some pajamas.

Kai started to mumble something as Joshua left to go to the couch. “Mina is able to live there because my parents don’t know the truth. I need to protect her.”

Joshua looked up at Kai putting his right hand on Kai’s left bicep holding him there. “Then please put me at ease. I know my parents are more than okay with taking both of you into our house. You didn’t accept my offer back then, please accept it now.”

“Do they know that you’re gay? Do they accept that? Will they not do everything in their power to beat the gay out of you?” Kai asked with a lot of malice on his tongue. All of his past memories trying to resurface. It took everything at bay. Kai looked at Joshua through glazed over eyes trying to search for something that said yes or no to any of his questions. Joshua rubbed at the back of his neck shaking his head.

“I mean, I’m bi, so I guess. . .they don’t know. . .everything, but I’m sure that they are more open than you think. I know they will take us in and won’t bat an eyelash. You were basically family to them.”

Kai shook his head and turned over looking away from Joshua. “That’s why I’m not putting you in that type of situation. We can date if you want, but make sure the people closest to you know the truth. Mina has known mine. She still thinks it’s her fault.” Joshua stood there speechless. “You can stay in here if you want.”