Chapter Text
"We're really sneaking it home with us?" A young adult asked though his amusement overshadowed his incredulity as the four walked into the subway station. Yu Wen and Di Li had to admire the older two's confidence. They didn't even give a glance to the overhead cameras or security personnel walking around as they walked casually to the train with a stray dog hidden in You Huo's jacket.
Almost a year had already passed since the system was destroyed and the weather in Korea was temperate, nice, but after regaining his memory, You Huo found a habit of wearing warm jackets and coats and Qin Jiu kept his own habit of wearing a scarf and coat wherever he went as well.
Yu Wen couldn't believe that it had already been almost a year though. One year! The system had been so frightening and real once upon a time, but now so long away, it felt like a dream or someone else's story or just another exam he took in school in the past.
But it was real and Yu Wen was glad for it because he met Di Li, who also remembered the system and kept in touch with him after it. They organized a trip to get together, reunite and have fun, but Yu Wen's father, Old Yu, somehow heard about it, scolded him for eloping (it was just a bros' outing, he swore!), and asked You Huo and Qin Jiu to join and make sure that the two didn't do anything stupid.
Yu Wen and Di Li were both young adults, college students!, but Yu Wen had a tiny niggling sense and Di Li was interested in seeing the great masters again and so the four of them went together on a trip to Korea.
The two weeks had been fun. Even his still stoic brother was smiling in his own way though that could be because of his boyfriend's romantic surprise attacks (PDA, guys! Think of the people that had to eat those sudden scenes of dog food!) and their banter-flirting each step of the way.
They got quite a bit of attention and free stuff because of that though. Quite a number of people in Korea thought that they were idols and would squeal upon seeing a Jiuhuo scene (or just in general because his brother and his brother's boyfriend were unfairly handsome) and ask if they could take a picture together. You Huo wasn't really a picture person (though the system had apparently made him used to monitoring and recording), but Qin Jiu found the attention amusing (and teasing You Huo even more amusing) and would drag You Huo into the cellphone cameras with their impromptu fans.
Qin Jiu hadn't quite managed to get You Huo to make finger hearts with him yet, but he succeeded in getting You Huo to complete his heart once (Qin Jiu grinned like a cat that got the canary and Yu Wen swore that he also saw his brother smile that day) and was still plotting to get You Huo to do more than look disinterestedly at the camera for future impromptu pictures with random people on the streets.
These two.
But it was admittedly fun to watch. Yu Wen and Di Li also got closer together during the trip as if a spark was ignited by Qin Jiu's boldness and their many interactions and shows of love.
Their vacation had been fun and relaxing.
And the two weeks were almost up now and they were on a train heading back to their hotel. Tomorrow, they would be flying back home to China.
With a puppy apparently.
The little pup had been sitting at a statue for what seemed to be days, maybe even weeks with its poor condition, and his brother had been caught staring at it by Qin Jiu so of course in Qin Jiu fashion, Qin Jiu picked it up with a wide, mischievous grin and announced that they were adopting a child into their family. You Huo snorted, but did nothing to stop his boyfriend and they fed the little puppy before hiding their adopted son in the warmth of You Huo's jacket.
You Huo wasn't smiling like Qin Jiu or the happy little puppy, but Yu Wen knew by how easily You Huo let the once homeless puppy dirty his clean clothes that his brother was happy too.
Which brought them back to his teasing question.
Qin Jiu gasped theatrically. "Yu Wen! Are you suggesting that we abandon our first child? How could you?"
Said in all boldness and shamelessness.
Some people in the crowded subway station gave them odd looks.
Unlike Qin Jiu (and You Huo who was used to it and had the poker face of a fortress), Yu Wen couldn't help but feel the rise of embarrassment.
"I was just joking!"
"I was too." Qin Jiu nonchalantly replied, dropping all his false theatrics. Although Qin Jiu didn't smoke anymore, his fingers twitched for a cigarette to complete his smug look.
If Yu Wen lacked his self-preservation instincts, he would want to smack the guy.
Di Li gave them all amused looks and then pointed to a No Pets Allowed Unless In Carriers or Crates sign. "Brother You, Brother Qin, look! Should we go back and find a pet store?"
You Huo easily drawled, "Am I not carrying him?"
There it was! His brother's blatant disregard for rules and tendency to abuse all semantics and loopholes in under a second.
Am I not carrying him? His brother was and technically a person who carries things was a 'carrier'. Preposition 'in'? Well, is the puppy not technically in the carrier's jacket?
Yu Wen mentally clapped at these two people's boldness, but went with it with a grin. He was only teasing earlier. He didn't care. As long as they didn't get caught, no one would know what had happened. He also was someone who had been in the system before.
They continued walking through the station until they reached their train. Normally, they would all choose to stand so that elderly and the people who needed a seat could find one, but You Huo had a puppy subtly hidden and carried in his crossed arms so they chose to sit this time. Well, Qin Jiu and You Huo sat in the middle row while Yu Wen and Di Li stood in front of them, reaching up with a hand to hold the overhead straps for when the train began moving. They didn't need seats so it was still good to leave some more available for those in need.
In You Huo fashion, You Huo began to take a nap as they waited for the subway to fill and depart from the station. Qin Jiu beamed as his lover leaned on him, using his shoulder as a pillow. Although You Huo wasn't the type to drop things in his sleep, Qin Jiu also wrapped his arms around his sleeping lover so that the sleepy puppy would also be supported. And so that he could hug his lover the entire ride, of course.
Yu Wen and Di Li snorted, already used to such PDA.
Instead, they turned on their phones and began doing what they had often did in the quiet breaks of their trip.
Learning and practicing Korean with the translation app on their phones.
Well, Di Li, being the overachieving nerd that he was, had already learned Korean fluently for the trip, having begun learning it as soon as they started planning their trip to Korea.
It was really only Yu Wen who needed help (his brother and his brother's boyfriend, being the geniuses and great masters that they were, somehow also knowing it already) and Di Li was eager to help tutor him and share his knowledge during the trip.
(And for all that Yu Wen complained about being the only normal person who only knew two languages - Chinese and English - Yu Wen kind of adored being the baby surrounded by great masters who fluently spoke for him as they got around Korea. It kind of felt like a very, very safe safety wheels version of the Romani exam. Easy mode with no dangers and only great helpers to carry him through.
Yu Wen also loved seeing the eagerness and joy in his nerdy friend's eyes as he taught him and shared all the Korean culture trivia he knew. It was adorable.)
Since his brother could sleep through anything, even monsters knocking on his bed, literally, Yu Wen and Di Li didn't even bother keeping their voices down as they practiced Korean. Yu Wen was proud to already be in the intermediate vocabulary and grammar section after two weeks of learning with Di Li. Old Yu couldn't call him his idiot son anymore! This idiot son has grown!
Close to departure time, they were surprisingly joined by another woman who sat down next to the business man on the other side of You Huo.
"Oh! You're learning another language too? I thought I was the only one who used these apps."
Yu Wen and Di Li looked up from their phones to see a beautiful woman with long light brown hair. She had gentle features and a bright, lively smile as she showed them her own app which was adjusted for learning Spanish.
"Ah" Di Li said before beaming as well. "Si! Estamos aprendiendo coreano!"
The woman laughed cheerily in response. "Estoy aprendiendo español."
"I only understood 'Korean'." Yu Wen deadpanned.
Di Li laughed. "We're just sharing what languages we are learning. We're learning Korean and she is learning Spanish."
"Oh!" Yu Wen smiled, happy to understand the conversation. Maybe it was because the woman was a great beauty or maybe it was Qin Jiu's influence, but Yu Wen was feeling a little wary and possessive over his crush. Just a little. It just wasn't fair that he didn't stand a chance in the intelligence department!
The woman smiled as she asked with bright eyes. "Are you two foreigners then?"
Di Li nodded. "Yeah! We're from China. We came to Korea for vacation. It's been really fun."
"I'm glad you like it. You know, it's very admirable of you two to learn a new language just for travel. Your Korean is impeccable." Turning her head from Di Li to Yu Wen, she smiled and complimented. "You're learning really well as well. Your pronunciation earlier was good."
Di Li grinned while Yu Wen blushed. Okay, not a threat to his crush. She really was a nice lady.
"Thanks."
Quite a smart lady too because her eyes lit up with some understanding (Yu Wen was a little alarmed. Did she realize he had a crush on his friend?!) and she giggled and gestured to the two, "Well, I'll leave you two to study. Don't let me hinder you two." (She did!) and then turned to talk to the business man sitting next to her, having apparently known the guy. They seemed to be of the same company. What a coincidence.
Yu Wen coughed and Di Li did a little too before they exuberantly returned to practicing their Korean with energy and grins. Yu Wen liked Di Li, but it was always an amazing thing to receive the attention and smile of a beautiful older woman. She also said that their Korean was good! Her, an actual Korean!
They continued practicing though they couldn't help but also listen to the interesting conversation going on right next to them.
Apparently, the woman's bike was stolen? What kind of asshole would do such a thing, seriously. Stealing a nice lady's bike!
Also, the guy might be laid off soon. Tough life... Both Yu Wen and Di Li, college students, suddenly didn't look forward to their working life in the future...
But then the guy suddenly said something interesting.
"It's alright, Yoo Sangah-ssi."
"Huh?"
"Even if you show me that app, it won't change anything. A reader has a reader's life."
Both Yu Wen and Di Li looked up from their phones, not hiding that they were eavesdropping anymore, just curious about what the guy looked like. The words from the man named Kim Dokja sounded quite profound in the ambient atmosphere of an ordinary subway train.
Even Yoo Sangah seemed affected as she repeated, "The life of a reader... You truly say some interesting things, Dokja-ssi."
"Yes?"
"Then I guess that I am living an ivory life." The woman spouted, causing the man to look at her confused. They both could hear the 'huh?' in his mind, but Yu Wen and Di Li couldn't help but grin, feeling a little energized too as they added.
"Then I'm living a Chinese life?" Yu Wen asked.
"And I'm living a Geography life!" Di Li grinned though his brows furrowed again. "Though I don't find geography as interesting as the other sciences."
Yu Wen could hear all the gears in his nerdy friend's mind turning as he began thinking about geography and famous geographers and how it would compare to other lifestyles and become quiet in his 200 IQ contemplation. Yu Wen shook his head in amusement as he saw that the woman had done so as well after beaming at them and also contemplating the words with a pumped "I will imitate Dokja-ssi and stay devoted to my life."
Kim Dokja just seemed a little happy that things got quiet. A little confused, but relaxed.
Yu Wen also contemplated the words and he couldn't help but think of something funny as he thought of the person sleeping in front of him. His brother... It wasn't the right 'Huo', but was You Huo living a calamity life then?
Though nothing had happened since the system was destroyed, Yu Wen had once thought that his brother and his brother's boyfriend were such gods of misfortune.
Though it was good that nothing was happening now.
His brother deserved the rest.
Yu Wen was sure that his brother was happy with his life as a military instructor with his boyfriend as well. They even have a son now. That puppy was going to be secretly spoiled rotten.
Yu Wen chuckled in his thoughts.
It was only a few minutes later when he would regret making fun of You Huo's name being a homonym for calamity.
The lights went out and the train swerved in the subway tunnels.