Chapter Text
“So... what’s the occasion?”
Jihoon isn’t a cheapskate by any means, the Rolex on his wrist speaks for itself, but inviting Wonwoo out for galbi k-bbq on a random Thursday night is quite excessive.
“I got the job.”
Jihoon’s deadpan revelation and stressed brow scrunching would make anyone think he just got fired, not hired. A cold, metallic clink echoes between them as Jihoon thrums his fingers nervously on the table.
‘The job?’ He’s speaking like a mafia boss. Wonwoo purses his lips, trying to maneuver around the tension radiating off of Jihoon. Maybe he’s just nervous?
“You’ll be producing for Yoasobi? That’s like your dream, isn’t it? Congra-”
Wonwoo’s celebration is cut short by a giant, heaving sigh from Jihoon.
“-Okay, what’s wrong...”
Jihoon is visibly antsy, twisting his hands nervously before pinching his nose bridge in stress. Wonwoo reaches out a sympathetic hand to grip his shoulder.
“Hey man, is everything okay? What’s wrong with the job?”
“No the job is great, it’s just...”
Wonwoo waits patiently as Jihoon squeezes his eyes shut and buries his face in his hands.
“Can- CanYouWatchMyDog?” Jihoon blurts the question out so fast that Wonwoo believes he must’ve misheard him.
Wonwoo reels. “Dog? I didn’t even know you had a dog?”
How did I not even know Jihoon had a dog? Jihoon lives in the unit directly above him. Wonwoo has seen Jihoon’s unit several times. In fact - their friendship started when Wonwoo visited Jihoon’s unit to return misdelivered mail. Their mutually dry humor and cynical outlook on life meshed well and they started hanging out whenever they saw each other. They’ve been good friends for over a year now so the sudden revelation of a pet dog Wonwoo didn’t know about is quite the blow to the head.
Jihoon groans and bangs his head against the table. “He just started living with me last month, he used to live with my parents. My parents are retired and are on a cruise around the world so I can’t even reach them. My grandma is too old to walk him every day. I would ask my brother to watch him but-”
“You have a brother???” Wonwoo’s head is starting to buzz from the information overload.
“Two, actually. It’s complicated though. Anyway my brother is in his senior year of university, exam season is coming up, and his dorm doesn’t allow pets. It’s just that this is the opportunity of a lifetime. Yoasobi is just like one of my dream artists to work with and this would mean so much for me. I’m sorry to spring this on you...”
Jihoon’s stressed rambling becomes static noise to Wonwoo. Jihoon has a dog? Jihoon has a brother in university? Wow, there’s a lot I don’t know about him . But what Wonwoo does know about Jihoon is that Jihoon is a very reserved and self-reliant person, that Jihoon must be pretty desperate if he’s asking for help, and that this job is everything Jihoon has ever worked for.
Wonwoo has seen firsthand the way Jihoon gruels over his music, pushing his mind and body to the breaking point. He’s had to check on more than one occasion if Jihoon’s still alive when Jihoon stops responding to messages for days on end. He has knocked on Jihoon’s door with takeout in hand to force him to take a break and eat food. He has corralled Jihoon into resting when he hears Jihoon pacing at ungodly hours of the night. Jihoon deserves this opportunity.
Wonwoo wants to see Jihoon succeed and he’ll do anything he can to support him. Besides, how hard could it be to take care of a dog ?
“How long are you gone?”
“3 months.”
“When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
---
Wonwoo had talked up a big game to Jihoon the previous night, reassuring him “I’m great with animals” and “I just love dogs” . In all honesty, Wonwoo was merely saying anything he could think of to ease Jihoon’s stressed pacing. It would've been heartwarming to witness a typically inexpressive Jihoon express so much concern for his dog had Jihoon not appeared on the verge of a heart attack.
Wonwoo doesn’t know much about dogs, he’s always been more of a cat person, so he doesn’t know what his towering, 6’0 self should do when a cowering, 1’0 pomsky puppy peers up at him from behind the couch. Wonwoo feels guilt stab at his heart as the puppy whimpers and trembles like a leaf.
Wonwoo wishes Jihoon was here right now, overseeing the first meeting. He had asked to meet the dog last night but Jihoon had promptly refused with a grim, serious expression. “No, I need to talk to him and apologize first.” Wonwoo’s not quite sure what he meant by that. It doesn’t help that Jihoon’s parting words were a cryptic “Sorry, he’s not like normal dogs” . Jihoon has never been one to coddle others but he seems to have made it his mission is to deliberately heighten Wonwoo’s anxieties. Wonwoo is so jittery he’s shaking more than the dog.
Wonwoo desperately scans the scribbled note Jihoon left him, hoping to glean anything that would alleviate the mutual apprehension between the two.
How 2 take care of dog:
- Kibble twice a day
- Walk once a day
- He knows how to use the toilet
How the fuck does a dog know how to use the toilet? Wonwoo is in over his head. Never mind peeing in the toilet, this dog is shivering so hard he looks like he’ll pee himself at any moment.
“Want some... kibble?” Wonwoo tries his best to make his voice high-pitched and enticing but the dog stares at him in silence, tilting his head and raising one fluffy eyebrow. Wonwoo deflates, he’s not sure what reaction he expected but he feels very judged.
Dear God, what do I do???
As if the heavens have heard his pleas, Wonwoo’s phone lights up.
Jihoonie:
Sorry, my dog has never been around non-family
members before. You’re the first human he’s ever met.
Me:
Human? 🧍
Jihoonie:
Sorry, I meant the first stranger.
Slip of the tongue. Haha.
Me:
Well that explains it. He’s TERRIFIED of me.
What do I do???
Jihoonie:
[Google Result: How To Approach A Scared Dog...]
Try to approach him low and slow. Crouch on the floor
and like... side-walk to him. Slowly. And talk gently
to him. His name is Chan btw.
Wonwoo shuts his phone and slowly crouches into a true Asian squat. The dog- no, Chan , hasn’t fled yet, which is surely a good sign. Wonwoo chooses to ignore Chan’s flattened ears and tucked tail which are surely terrible signs.
“Who’s a good boy?” Certainly not Chan. Chan has been giving Wonwoo a judgemental side-eye since he first entered the apartment. Maybe treats will make him like me? Wonwoo clumsily reaches for a bag of treats on the edge of the counter, accidentally tipping it over and spilling some on the floor. He spends the next minute scrambling to shove faux bacon back into the bag, hunched over in a very unflattering pose reminiscent of a gangster smoking outside a convenience store. His gangly limbs poke out at weird angles and his knees feel like rusty door hinges, screaming with every bend and sway of his weight. Finally, with savory-smelling, crumb-bespotted hands, Wonwoo tries shaking the refilled bag of treats at Chan. “Come here, buddy! Who’s a good boy?”
Chan snorts at him before turning his nose up. Did that dog just scoff at me? Seriously, is this dog sassing me? Wonwoo’s face heats up as he tries to convince himself that cooing baby words as a grown man isn't embarrassing - it's not like Chan understands me anyway .
Chan still hasn’t moved an inch so Wonwoo braces himself for the journey to bridge the gap between them. Wonwoo starts to inch across the floor in a crab-like scuttle. It’s humiliating. His 25-year-old body feels archaic, his bones grinding into dust with every creak across Jihoon’s apartment floor. Wonwoo curses himself for his lifestyle of spending all day in an office chair and all night in a gaming chair, his lower back might cave in on itself midway through his treacherous adventure. He’s embarrassingly sweaty from exertion by the time he reaches Chan’s side.
“Good boy... [pant] I’m just gonna... [pant] I’m gonna pet you okay?”
Wonwoo pauses and stares at Chan as if he’s asking for permission. Chan only lets out a huff in reply. A few moments pass before Wonwoo robotically raises his hand and slowly extends it to hover over Chan’s head. Wonwoo is the one flinching now, his whole body cringing away from Chan and his own outstretched hand, acting like he’s the one who’s getting petted by a giant foreign being. Finally, stiffly, Wonwoo drops his hand onto Chan’s head.
Soft .
Wonwoo stills, half expecting the stinging chomp of an enraged pomsky, but Chan also remains still, the two of them locked in a wary stare-off. They remain in their stiff, awkward positions for so long that one would think they’ve undergone rigor mortis. Eventually, Wonwoo sucks in a breath and forces his body to relax, gently cascading his clammy hand down Chan’s back.
Really soft .
Wonwoo’s not sure if he’s ever felt anything this soft. Chan’s fur is in pristine shape, freshly brushed and fluffed out to the max. Chan is a striking dog, jet black fur sprawls his back and head while snow-white fur covers his face, belly, and legs. His tail curls over his back, the long fur spilling over itself like the spout of a water fountain. Chan’s big, pointed ears are slowly perking back up from the flattened position they’ve been pinned back into for the past hour.
Chan starts to mirror Wonwoo’s relaxation. Wonwoo watches, mesmerized, as Chan slowly starts leaning into his touch. Chan’s eyes are closed now, no sign of his earlier haughty attitude. Chan even gets comfortable enough to lie down, causing Wonwoo’s pride to swell. I must be a dog whisperer .
“Guess you like me after all, huh?”
Wonwoo barely finishes his sentence before Chan’s eyes snap open. Chan ducks out from under his hand and his eyes narrow into a peeved squint, his lips curling up into a snarl. Oops. Wonwoo opens his mouth to apologize but before he can make a peep, Chan darts up and away from him. Wonwoo is left ruefully staring at the air under his hand that Chan’s fluff had occupied a second prior.
Nevermind.
---
“Chan-ah, hyung is sorry”
Chan swivels his head around, refusing to look at Jihoon. “You Liar!”
“Chan. Look at me please? I’m sorry.”
Jihoon circles around to lean into Chan’s face, futilely attempting to make eye contact. With a bratty huff, Chan turns his nose up and squeezes his eyes shut in sulky protest. The *click* of Chan stomping his paw against the wooden floor accentuates his indignation and Jihoon has to bite his lips to stop himself from cooing at the action.
“hyung promised! Promised to stay with me until Appa and Eomma come back.”
“I know, Channie. I’m sorry. But this job opportunity came out of the blue and it would really help my career.”
Jihoon's pleas sound strained and Chan cracks an eye open. Shoot. Jihoonie hyung looks really sad . Chan can even smell the guilt pouring out of Jihoon as Jihoon chews his lips and stares at the floor. Jihoonie hyung has been working hard to take care of me... and this new job is important to hyung... [POOF] As if Jihoon didn’t appear pitiful enough already, his pointy white ears and signature curly spitz tail pop out, drooping with remorse. Jihoon looks like the poster child of repentance and Chan’s flimsy resolve starts to crack.
Chan knows his protest is fruitless, he feels resignation building underneath his fur. Shame bubbles up from his chest. Why am I behaving so childishly? Jihoonie hyung is just doing what he thinks is best for me. Yet despite knowing he’s fighting a losing battle, Chan, stinging from his wounded pride, lets out one last petulant whine.
“Why does a human have to take care of me? I can take care of myself! I’m 22 years old.”
“Channie...” Jihoon’s voice is gentle but Chan can hear the impending rejection. He already knows the answer. “Channie, you can’t shift. How will you feed yourself? Let yourself outside? I’m sorry...”
Jihoon’s words come as a feather-light whisper but they hit Chan like a 2-ton truck. Tears well up in his eyes as he hangs his head in disgrace. 22 years old and I still can’t shift. Jihoonie hyung and Seokminnie hyung both mastered shifting by 18. I’m stuck being a burden to Appa, Eomma, and now Jihoonie hyung too.
Chan doesn’t know what’s wrong with himself. He feels pathetic. Useless. Stuck as a dog, forcing his aging parents to still tend to him. His gentle Halmeoni is getting on in years, Chan wants to hold a conversation with her without his mom having to translate his dog-speech.
Chan’s mind is in a state of constant war. He feels trapped in his own fur yet he hates the thought of venturing beyond it. He wants to shift, to be whole, but shifting would mean turning into a human, and humans... well...
Chan had happily watched both of his older brothers set off for Seoul when they turned 18. He had dreamt of the day he’d meet them there. But now he’s spent a month in Seoul and misses their home in Iksan.
Seoul is cold. It’s loud. It’s filled with humans. Humans who cuss, who kick, who remind him of-
“Channie...”
Even without any words exchanged, Jihoon knows what’s weighing on Chan’s mind. He scoops Chan into his arms and nuzzles their faces together, pressing comforting kisses against Chan’s cheek.
“Chan-ah, hyung loves spending time with you. So do Appa, Eomma, Halmeoni, and Seokmin. There’s nothing wrong with not shifting, you’re fine the way you are. These 3 months will be over quickly, okay?”
Channie lets out an embarrassed sniffle and buries his head into the crook of Jihoon’s neck. hyung always knows just what to say .
“Okay. I’ll miss you though. No stinky human can ever compare.”
Jihoon ruffles Chan’s ears and smiles fondly. “The ‘stinky human’ is named Wonwoo. He’s our downstairs neighbor. He’s a very kind human, please try to like him.”
---
The stinky human does, in fact, smell. He smells like peaches one day and crisp spices the next. He smells like sugar and warmth. He smells like the bitterness of a cheap coffee machine and the sharp alcohol of printer ink. His strange, ever-changing cocktail of scents is a glimpse into an outside world Chan has never seen before.
Chan prides himself on protecting his territory so it’s only natural for him to trail the intruder’s scent. If Chan ends up sneaking up on Wonwoo to inhale deep sniffs, it’s only because he’s such a good detective! He’s just making sure this Wonwoo guy isn’t stinking up his precious hyung’s home.
He has to do a close inspection too. He’s just being a diligent guard dog, that’s all! If Chan starts lapping his tongue all over Wonwoo’s hands it’s only because he’s masking up his weird scent, and it’s definitely not because Wonwoo smells like a heavenly meal Chan wants to sink his teeth into.
---
Wonwoo is, to put it bluntly, very befuddled by Chan.
Chan obsessively stalks Wonwoo around the house, following him down every corridor and into every room, keeping a consistent 2-foot distance between them.
The first day Wonwoo was getting tailed by Chan he thought Chan was seeking affection. He learned a quick lesson when his attempt to coddle Chan was met with snarly resistance. He spent the rest of the day dejectedly moping around Jihoon’s apartment.
The second day Wonwoo was getting tailed by Chan he thought Chan wanted attention. He attempted making eye contact but Chan would freeze and flatten himself down as if he was trying to not be spotted. He tried dog-whistling, clapping his hands, patting the ground, and even tried shaking treats again, all to no avail.
The third day Wonwoo was getting tailed by Chan, he had formulated a plan on getting closer to this enigmatic dog. Instead of proactively engaging with Chan, he opted to chill in the living room with him, hoping Chan would just warm up to his presence. Of course, being that he’s a clever genius mastermind, Wonwoo’s plan quickly comes to fruition when Chan started darting in to give him vigorous sniffs. He wanted nothing more than to scoop fluffball Chan into his arms, but he could tell from the way Chan warily retreated that it was still too soon.
And now, on the fourth day, Chan has finally warmed up enough to walk up to Wonwoo and give him a proper introductory sniff. Wonwoo sits on the floor, his palms open and inviting, allowing Chan to nose curiously in every nook and cranny of his hands. His wet little snout is a novel sensation against his dry, cracked hands.
Wonwoo’s glad he’s been so patient with this confusing gremlin of a dog. Watching Chan animatedly inhale mouthfuls of air around his hands is greatly rewarding. He’s huffing so hard that he’s panting . Wonwoo breaks out into his signature fond grin (:>). This dog is so strange .
Chan’s sniffing goes on for over 5 minutes and Wonwoo’s endearment twists into paranoia. Why is he sniffing so hard? Is he, like, a cancer-smelling dog? Do I have hand cancer? Wonwoo’s panicked mind reflects back to his wrist seizing up while gaming, and just as Wonwoo is about to break his hands away from Chan’s sniff session to Google if dogs can smell carpal tunnel, he feels a quick, darting lick splay across his fingers.
His jaw drops.
Chan had licked him! And to think just earlier that week Wonwoo had been moping about Chan hating his guts. Wonwoo stills in quiet awe as Chan starts eagerly lapping at his hands. Did I spill something on my hands? Wonwoo is confused but not complaining. He’ll take whatever affection Chan will spare him.
It’s pure, unadulterated bliss that shines in Wonwoo’s heart watching Chan slowly warm up to him. I’ll make this dog like me if it’s the last thing I do . Wonwoo’s resolute determination borders on childish. It’s like his listless life has a purpose now - granted, it’s a little silly, his life purpose making a tsundere dog warm up to him, but the hard-earned affection Chan tosses to him like a bone is a refreshing oasis in his dry, bland life
He’s the highlight of Wonwoo’s day, this adorable, peculiar little fella. Wonwoo zones out during his monotonous work meetings to scheme up ways to charm Chan. And in the mid-workday lull, Wonwoo hides his phone under his desk, out of view from his tyrannical manager, to sneakily read blog posts on dog care. He squirms out of lunch with his patronizing coworkers to watch dog videos in the bathroom. Wonwoo even takes a detour on his way home from work, his mind agonizing over the time lost he could’ve been spending with Chan, but his indulgent purchase of dog sweaters makes it all worth it. From sunrise to sunset, Chan runs circles in his mind.
Wonwoo’s infatuation with Chan only accelerates over the next week. He finds out Chan knows every trick in the book - sit, down, paw, roll over, jump, and even speak! Although, oddly, Chan gives him the nastiest side-eye whenever he gives him that last command.
Speaking of Chan’s snooty attitude, Wonwoo tries checking forums to see if anyone else has a dog that sighs and rolls their eyes. After reading several articles from the most trustworthy sources (dog blogs), Wonwoo concludes that he must have a severe case of millennial-dog-parentism and that he’s assigning human traits to Chan’s behavior in his mind. Either that or Chan genuinely is a sassy human in a dog’s skin.
---
Wonwoo had originally dismissed Jihoon’s note of Chan being able to use the toilet as a joke, so after taking Chan on numerous walks and Chan not peeing outside a single time, Wonwoo starts to fervently worry. His mind jumps to the worst case scenarios - what if Chan has an intestinal blockage? He looks fine but what if he’s actually about to explode?
Wonwoo, in a jittery panic, anxiously paces around the apartment before tearily phoning Jihoon. The second an exhausted Jihoon picks up the call, Wonwoo rushes to spill a waterfall of overflowing apologies.
“Jihoon I’m so sorry I think your dog is going to burst. He hasn’t peed a single time I’ve taken him outside. I tried calling the vet but the one you listed is closed right now. And he keeps eating and eating oh what do I do? Oh my god Jihoon-” Wonwoo’s tremoring voice is cracking with unshed tears.
“It’s fi-”
“-JIHOON OH I’M SORRY CHAN IS GOING TO DIE OF INTESTINAL BLOCKAGE.”
Wonwoo’s despaired wailing wakes Chan up from his nap across the room. Chan shakes his head with a disapproving huff, getting up with a content stretch before making his way to the bathroom. A disheveled, sobbing Wonwoo instinctively tries following him, only for Chan to snarl at Wonwoo in the door frame before slamming the bathroom door shut with a hind kick. Wonwoo gapes, stunned in place, listening as a tinkle and a flush muffle through the bathroom door before Chan reopens it with a string Jihoon had tied to the door handle.
HOW.
Jihoon, still on the phone with Wonwoo, breaks into a maniacal cackle that snaps Wonwoo out of his stupor.
“Jihoon-ah. Did I just witness your dog peeing in the bathroom?”
Jihoon howls with laughter. “I wish I could see your face right now, you must look so stupid.”
“Jihoon, you must be a dog whisperer. How do you even train a dog to do that?”
Chan, overhearing the conversation, turns around to give Wonwoo an all too familiar, nasty side-eye.
“It’s easy - Channie is smart. You can talk to him like a human”
“JIHOON. CHAN IS NOT NORMAL.”
Jihoon’s laughter suddenly falters, his wobbly voice feigning nonchalance as he tells Wonwoo “Don’t think too hard about it” and promptly hanging up.
But what is Wonwoo if not an over-thinker? Jihoon’s hurried dismissal falls on deaf ears, Wonwoo is convinced of Chan’s super-human super-dog abilities. He stalks Chan around Jihoon’s apartment, obsessively observing Chan’s bizarre behaviors. His phone notes are filled with the deranged ramblings of a mad scientist, delusionally devoted to the idea of Chan being a secret genius dog.
His notepad observations are as follows:
- Chan knows how to use the toilet, he even slammed the bathroom door in my face.
- Chan watches the television and flips through the channels with his paws
- His favorite show is the Power Rangers
- He even howls along to the theme song (wait maybe that’s normal dog behavior)
- I asked Chan where Jihoon keeps the salt and he opened the kitchen cabinet for me
Wonwoo’s brow knits together after writing the last note, his phone conversation with Jihoon ringing in his ears, “ You can talk to him like a human” . His eyes narrow suspiciously at the furry lump sleeping on the couch. A human, huh?
“Channie puppy, are you listening?”
Chan remains unmoving but his ears flick and swivel to face Wonwoo.
“Do you know what Jihoon told me?”
At the mention of Jihoon’s name, Chan perks up and raises his head to look attentively at Wonwoo.
“He told me I can talk to you, ‘ like a human’. ”
Chan jumps to his feet, his muscles beginning to tense under his fluff. He glowers at Wonwoo warily. Have I been found out? Hyung, how could you be so careless with your words?! No, perhaps I’ve been too careless with my actions .
Wonwoo breaks out into a devilish grin and Chan shudders in horror. Light glints off of Wonwoo’s glasses and pristine white teeth, transforming Wonwoo into a cartoonishly maniacal villain.
“Do you know what that means, Channie?”
A snarl builds up in the back of Chan’s throat, his immense fluff bushing out even more as he bristles at Wonwoo.
“It means-” Wonwoo giggles and claps his hands “it means I have someone to talk to now that Jihoon’s gone. I’ve been so lonely you don’t even know! Or maybe you do know, I guess I do spend every waking moment with you.”
Chan drops his hackles and stares at Wonwoo, stupefied. Wah, this idiot human. He collapses back onto the couch, all the fight flowing out of his body as he recovers from the scare. Wonwoo coos at Chan, crawling over to pepper his face in kisses while Chan is too stunned to fight back.
“We’re gonna be best friends! I’m gonna tell you everything about my life.”
---
Chan is befuddled by Wonwoo.
Maybe he’s just stupid? Why hasn’t he gotten the hint yet? Chan’s persistent snarling and eye-rolls should’ve sent even the most resilient dog-lover running for the hills. But if Chan is a hard-headed rock, Wonwoo is Sisyphus.
Yeah, he’s just stupid is what Chan reasons, watching Wonwoo spend 10 minutes rotating a harness in his hands. They’ve gone on dozens of walks at this point, yet Wonwoo gawks at the harness as if it’s incomprehensible alien technology every evening. Wonwoo’s head is tilting back and forth, side to side, as if somehow a 45-degree angle will magically untangle the knot of loops. His head is rocking so vigorously that Chan inadvertently finds himself tilting his head too. Wonwoo’s brow furrows, his vexations clearly scrawled across his face as he ineptly grapples with the harness. Chan can't help but feel a twinge of pity at the sight, a part of him wanting to step in and assist, even if it means sealing his own demise in that dreaded, scratchy jumpsuit.
Chan hates the harness. It’s embarrassing to wear - he’s 22 years old! He’s an adult. In Chan’s opinion, the harness isn’t necessary - it’s not like I’ll ever go up to humans voluntarily, not after what happened the last time...
... The last time I...
Chan’s mind unwillingly drifts to a decade past, shackled to a moment he’d rather forget. The fur on the nape of his neck stands, a searing white-hot phantom pain stabbing through his scruff. His chest tightens and his entire body wracks with coughs as the ghostly echoes of water fill his lungs. In a daze, his legs tremble and give way, exhaustion flooding his body as he relives the desperate, futile thrashing against an oppressive current and the tyrannical grip on his neck. His bruised heart acts in lieu of the rubber-soled sneakers, relentlessly kicking against his rib cage. Chan’s broken state is evident in every fracture of his bones, each wary whisper of his mind. Garbled laughter and the roar of rushing water fill his ears, his subconscious submerging him. His own traitorous mind replaces the faceless tormentor who held him under, still suffocating him in his every waking moment.
Tear-blurred vision and an incoherent, scrambled mind render him unable to recognize the gangly figure inching towards him. He lay on the cold, wooden floor, paralyzed with fear. The closer the approaching human gets, the more his body recoils in fear. A hand reaches for him as he flinches in anticipation of being plunged back under.
But a soft brush against his back slowly pulls him back up from the abyss. The gentle warmth of a hand cups his neck, warding away the phantoms of his past.
“You okay, puppy?”
Chan pants, feverishly gulping air as he leans into the soothing touch. I’m not underwater. They can’t hurt me. A distressed whine escapes his lips and Wonwoo quickly scoops Chan into his arms, swaddling him in a comforting squeeze. He hums quietly, the vibrations seeping into Chan’s skin and steadying his disoriented mind.
Chan buries himself into Wonwoo, the fragrance of peaches and spice now calming to him, the scent more familiar than foreign. Wonwoo’s hands thrum down neck, dispelling the leftover shudders tremoring through his body.
It’s peculiar... Ever since the incident, Chan hated any touch to the back of his neck - even his own family members petting his scruff would send him into a spiral. But Wonwoo... Wonwoo’s hands are gentle...
---
True to his word, Wonwoo has gotten very talkative.
It starts off light with Wonwoo venting about his work day whenever he drags himself through the front door. Wonwoo’s overbearing boss, lazy supervisor, and nagging auntie coworkers all become recurring characters in his stories. He often complains about extra work and unpaid overtime. Chan isn’t entirely sure what that entails - he’s not even sure what Wonwoo does for work. Do you just stare at a screen? I do too, I stare at the television screen. But Chan can at least tell from his frustrated tone that Wonwoo’s screen staring is nowhere near as fun as television screen staring.
Wonwoo quickly moves on to talking about his life outside of work. He talks about his dream vacations, favorite music artists, hobbies, etc. He talks incessantly from dawn till dusk, silence now a rare commodity and his throat aching in protest to the abrupt 180 from his quiet lifestyle. Chan may yap but Wonwoo is definitely the yapper.
Wonwoo yaps so much that he’s started taking Chan downstairs to his own apartment to spend the night. He’ll spend long hours stretching into the night talking about video games and lore obsessively, holding Channie on his lap so Chan can watch Wonwoo play his games. Chan has no clue what’s happening.
Chan doesn’t have a clue about most things Wonwoo talks about. He has a vague idea about how human life is - he watches television when he gets bored, but he’s never been that invested in learning about humans because of his distaste for them. The animated joy in Wonwoo’s eyes when he shows Chan his favorite albums or an artwork he really enjoyed viewing ignites an itching curiosity within him.
Chan’s tongue burns with unasked questions. He wishes he could speak to Wonwoo directly, to ask him about his life. Fortunately, it seems like Wonwoo isn’t entirely hopeless, he can pick up on Chan’s curious head tilts and barking.
It’s a game of charades between them, where Chan will yap, bounce, and mime actions while Wonwoo guesses what Chan is barking about until he guesses correctly, at which point Chan will launch himself at Wonwoo in glee. He finds Wonwoo’s stories enthralling, he waits by the door everyday for Wonwoo to come home and tell him more stories. He misses Wonwoo when he’s gone during the day and wastes no time leaping into his arms when he returns in the evening.
Watching Wonwoo’s face light up with joy, Chan wants to ask Wonwoo about his life. What is it that makes you happy? And when Wonwoo reads Chan goodnight stories and tucks him in with a kiss and a smile, Chan wonders is it me that makes you happy?
But life is not all sunshine and roses.
Chan finds Wonwoo in a somber mood sometimes, his head hanging between his arms as he slumps against a wall. Life can be draining. The big city is not what Wonwoo had dreamed of.
“I used to dream of being a music artist.” Wonwoo has a faraway sparkle in his eye. “But being a struggling music artist doesn’t pay the bills.” Wonwoo has a lot on his shoulders, he’s the eldest son and has to take care of his family.
So he fought his way through school, spent long grueling hours hunched over textbooks with his dreams long forgotten in the dust. It paid off, if spending even more grueling hours in a good university counts as “paid off”.
“I thought Seoul would be different. That I would finally have time for myself.” But office life proved to be the same. Worked to the bone and passion stripped out of him. “I hardly have any friends in Seoul, the city is too cold, too hostile. It’s a dog eat dog world.” Chan shudders at the metaphor, he does not want to engage in dog cannibalism .
Wonwoo is loving . Wonwoo talks about his family often. He tells Chan stories about his late mother - her comforting hugs, how she makes the best stew in the whole world, how she always knew just what to say. Chan licks away his tears, wishing he had hands to wipe them. Wonwoo complains that he and his brother fight all the time but his tone is laced with nostalgic affection. Later, when Wonwoo fields a phone call from his younger brother, Chan’s keen ears pick up on the nagging and squabbling between the two - perhaps fighting is their own way of showing love . Wonwoo is loving and kind but reserved in expressing his feelings.
But Wonwoo is lonely . Wonwoo drinks himself into a blubbering mess one night, desperately cradling Chan in his arms as sobs wrack his body. “It’s my 2 year break up anniversary” he murmurs into Chan’s scruff, “they left me because they said I was too cold. Too distant.” Chan lets Wonwoo cry into his fur, occasionally turning around to lick his face in his best attempt at comfort.
Wonwoo repeatedly runs his hands through Chan’s fur, the action therapeutic for the both of them.
“Maybe they were right. I have no passion, I spend all my time at work, I have a hard time opening up to people…”
That’s not true. You’re kind. You’re caring. I’ve never known a human like you. Chan howls at Wonwoo, his chest burning with words he cannot convey.
“It’s a good thing I can talk to you, at least.” Wonwoo’s vulnerability is a privilege only granted to Chan. He smiles for the first time that night at Chan’s yowling protest, an intrinsic understanding that Chan is trying to comfort him. With a lighter heart, Wonwoo’s drunken body slowly drifts off, his arms still wrapped around Chan.
If only I could tell you how much love you deserve. Chan also drifts off, cradled in the cocoon of Wonwoo’s love.
Chan awakes hours later in the dead of the night, his body strangely aching and an unfamiliar weight crushing his ribs. Wonwoo’s face is a lot closer to his than he remembers.
Wah, idiot. Fell asleep with your glasses on . Chan reaches a hand over to Wonwoo’s face, brushing his bangs out of the way and gently pulling off his glasses.
Wait. HAND?!?!