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Sunoo never thought Heeseung would entrust him with a hamster.
When he arrived back from his stacked schedule that finally ended with a week long rest, Sunoo opens his room and found a hamster on his desk. He almost thought it was some kind of prank the other member (heavy on Riki) pulled on him since there’s no cage whatsoever. Just a random Siberian hamster that’s apparently look very calm and well behaved (it was sitting silently below Sunoo’s monitor), until Sunoo realized that there was a folded note right in front of it.
‘Sunoo, it’s Heeseung’
Heeseung is the least person Sunoo expected to pull a prank like this. Unless it’s the other member pretending to be him.
‘I remember that you once mentioned you had a pet hamster before’
It’s true, that’s when Sunoo was still in elementary school (he didn’t remember the instance where he mentioned it). But that doesn’t mean Sunoo is good at it or currently has some free time to be a pet parent.
‘Among the members, I can only trust you to take care of me’’
“Does he mean take care of ‘it’? Is he being for real? Since when Heeseung-hyung has a hamster? Why is he leaving me such a big responsibility out of nowhere… Like I have every time in the world..” Despite his confusion, Sunoo continues to read,
‘Hamster is a very small creature, so I need someone that’s very delicate and care enough to take care of me’
Sunoo’s soften upon called a delicate person. “Maybe he means take care of it for him? Is Heeseung hyung pranking me? He’s not the type that would go all out to prank someone this far though. Maybe he’s going somewhere for several days and needs someone to take care of his newly adopted hamster? Makes sense..”
‘I know you’re surprised, Sunoo. I actually will turn into a hamster once in a while when my stress level is beyond high. I haven’t turned into one since a few years ago, normally it would just for three days, but it could be longer or shorter, depending on my mental state. So please, take care of me’
Sunoo let out a surprised gasp, and diverted his eyes towards the small, significant creature that is still in the same position, staring back at him.
”So YOU are Heeseung hyung?!” he exclaimed.
”Poor Heeseung hyung! What had you done to get transformed into this helpless hamster?!”
***
“You don’t have a cage or something? Should I get you one? But a regular hamster cage is way too stuffy, don’t you think?”
Sunoo learnt that the hamster version of Heeseung can speak. However, the voice is very small, and distorted, quite similar to that movie with talking chipmunks on it. It’s a lot smaller though, so Sunoo has to have hamster Heeseung really close to his ear for him to be able to hear what he’s saying.
He was a little hesitant at first, since normally he and Heeseung wouldn't engage in that close proximity, yet his small and cute appearance had luckily made Sunoo feel less weird, so he’s getting used to putting hamster Heeseung on his broad shoulder.
“I don’t want a cage, it makes me feel like an actual pet. Also I should be able to turn back soon,” Said hamster Heeseung in his small voice.
“Mm, okay.. Afterall you’re not a usual hamster! I still can’t believe this!” Sunoo’s voice sounded way too jolly.
Sunoo suddenly puts Heeseung down onto his desk, then heads to the other part of his room, making Heeseung confused.
It doesn’t take long until he’s back with a small storage box.
”How about this as your bed? I filled it with cotton so it’s more comfortable.. So you’re still free to roam around and just have a designated sleeping place!” Sunoo lowered his face to hamster Heeseung, ready to listen to Heeseung’s answer.
”Okay. Can you give me something like a small fabric or tissue for my blanket?”
“Oh my God.”
“What”
“A hamster that uses a blanket?!” Sunoo almost let out a laugh, it’s a view that to him, very exciting to look forward to.
”Well, I have this special edition Kaito Kid glasses wipe that I don't use..”
“Are you okay with me using it? Just give me a tissue”
“Nah, tissue is way too thin, easy to get torn. As long as you give me permission to take pictures..”
Somehow Heeseung agreed.
***
Sunoo put hamster Heeseung’s bed on a cabinet right beside his human bed. He left for a long hot shower he’s been looking forward to the entire day, then think; ‘poor Heeseung-hyung, he can’t take a hot shower after this tiring day because he transformed into a hamster..’
Gladly, the group previously had dinner outside, when Heeseung was still in his human form. But Sunoo is worried about the next day, and the next one, and the day after the next day –if Heeseung is still in hamster form longer than expected. He’s thinking about how to take care of a hamster that’s not really a hamster. He also thinks about how hard it would be if Heeseung turned into a hamster and nobody around believes it.
‘He’s lucky I'm an ‘F’ type..’ Sunoo thought as the hot water ran through his back.
He finished his shower, took his time to apply his skincare routine despite him being exhausted, then tucked himself comfortably below the duvet after making sure Heeseung was safe in his new chamber.
“Do you know the story of The Princess and The Frog?”
Sunoo stares at the ceiling. He knows Heeseung said something in return but he couldn’t really hear what it was. So he scooped Heeseung from his box and put him on top of his chest.
“W-what are you doing?” Hamster Heeseung immediately sprints onto the creak between Sunoo’s shoulder and neck, feeling embarrassed with how easy Sunoo moves him around as he likes.
“Oh, sorry! I couldn’t hear what you said so..”
“About The Princess and The Frog? I mean, it's a well known movie so of course I know. What about it?”
“Yeah. So, is it like that? Your situation?”
“Did I get cursed? I don’t know, but it's just –‘I was born with this’–kind of situation..?”
“Oh…” Sunoo inhales, “But like, you know. Do you have to like… Kiss someone and ‘out of true love you’ll transform back’ sort of thing?”
“That’s like something straight out of a fairytale..”
“You literally transformed into a hamster, who knows it’ll work!”
“Well, I don't know. I never heard about anything like that passed from my family”
“You can try if you want!”
“W-what?!”
“I don’t mind! You're technically a hamster, so it’s just like giving a kiss to a pet. Everyone does that!”
So after considering it for a moment, Heeseung kissed Sunoo.
And as expected, nothing happened. Worse, Sunoo was having a cute aggression, then he put Heeseung back to his original spot. Sunoo typically doesn’t move around a lot when he sleeps, but he’s scared that he might accidentally sleep on Heeseung.
“Guess you don’t love me enough, hyung,” Sunoo was obviously joking from the tone of his voice. Heeseung didn’t reply.
“Heeseung hyung,” Sunoo giggles, then his hand reached the lamp to turn it off. “You’ll make a cute pet, actually!”
Never in his life Heeseung felt this embarrassed.
***
Sunoo learnt that the other members didn't know about Heeseung’s condition. Since everyone usually just hibernates inside their own bedroom, it’s easy to assume Heeseung did the same thing. Nobody will intrude on anyone especially on the beginning of their free day after a whole bunch of hectic schedules.
When Sunoo asked about the last time Heeseung transformed into a hamster, he said it wasn’t a really good memory. Because it happened when everyone was still in the same shared dorm, and he got no one that knew his condition that would help him manage his daily needs. Heeseung, luckily, had a separate bedroom for himself at that time, and the timing was pretty much the same as the current one; they had just finished their comeback schedule. Sunoo then recalled that time when Heeseung didn’t exit his room for two days straight, locked the door and left a sticky note with ‘do not disturb’ written on it.
So it’s about four years ago.
It makes sense, they had a really rough time as a rookie that year. Sunoo, an empath (and nosy) he is, asked Heeseung; what is it that he’s so stressed about that got him turned into a hamster after four years. Heeseung said, it’s just probably how rushed and crazy the schedule currently is, mixed up with him having a quarter life crisis. Sunoo hums in response, understanding.
“So you too have a quarter-life-crisis..” Sunoo nodded.
“Of course, I’m a human too, you know”
“You mean human slash hamster?”
“Sorry,” Sunoo probably thought Heeseung would be angry with him joking and poking him around. But they don’t talk so often before this, and Sunoo likes the way that he can be playful to Heeseung, just like the old days. And although it doesn’t seem so – because of the limitations of expressing something of being a hamster, Heeseung secretly enjoys being teased by Sunoo.
Besides, Heeseung is already pretty much prepared for Sunoo's antics. He specifically choose Sunoo for plenty of reasons.
That day, Sunoo bought himself a tteokbokki and shared a small cut with Heeseung after the later convince him that the hamster state has a different digestive system so Heeseung is allowed to eat human food he normally eats. And, of course, he couldn’t resist tteokbokki.
Sunoo sat on his gaming chair and made a small sauce bowl as Heeseung’s plate while having a movie played on his monitor. Every time Heeseung has something to say, Sunoo came closer. When they’re both done with the foods and movie, Sunoo immediately tidied up. Sunoo has this plenty of movie he wanted to watch so Heeseung just comply and naturally fell asleep in front of Sunoo’s monitor.
Unknowingly, it was already night.
Sunoo doesn’t usually keep a strict routine except washing up, sleeping, and eating during resting days. Normally, he would spend his free time alone, enjoying his movie marathon while eating, playing online games with his friends, or going out with his friend. When Heeseung apologized for giving him an extra job to take care of him, Sunoo assured him that he genuinely doesn’t mind, especially knowing that it’s his own member. Of course he will help.
“I’d do the same if the others turned into animals”
Somehow Heeseung doesn’t feel very happy with that. But one of the main reasons why he came to Sunoo is because he knows Sunoo is highly empathetic, he would immediately believe him and help. Although Sunoo has a temper sometimes, Heeseung always sees Sunoo as a person that’s delicate, soft-hearted, and caring. Definitely not because Heeseung wants to use this opportunity to get closer to Sunoo. That, only Heeseung knows.
“Then I’m glad trusting you”
Sunoo smiles, then after turning off his PC, he walks up to his bed, one hand aiding hamster Heeseung to not fall from his shoulder.
“However, Sunoo, If you need time alone, or if you want to go out with you friends, just let me know. You already gave me so much help”
Sunoo nods.
They talk a lot about a lot of things until their eyes are heavy out of sleepiness.
***
It’s 2pm and Sunoo woke up panicked because he remembered falling asleep with hamster Heeseung still on his shoulder.
“Heeseung hyung?”
He looks at the empty cabinet, checks below the pillow and carefully scans his bed but still doesn’t find the hamster in sight.
Sunoo washed his face. He thinks Heeseung probably fell asleep somewhere in his room where he couldn’t be seen. Heeseung is so small so he could go anywhere Sunoo couldn’t possibly reach, and the hamster got the intelligence of an adult men so he shouldn’t worry too much.
Sunoo just makes sure he walks carefully when he exits his room. His eyes wander around while he’s trying to get himself water in the kitchen, just in case Heeseung got bored because Sunoo was asleep for approximately 12 hours and found a way to get out of his room.
“What are you looking for?” Riki chimes in from the living room.
Sunoo didn’t take his eyes from scanning the floor. “Heeseung hyung,”
“Huh? Why would you look for him on the floor? Did he turned into a hamster or something?”
Sunoo gasped, “You knew?!”
“Hyung. You probably slept too long.” Riki found his surprised face funny. “If you're looking for Heeseung hyung, he’s gone to the studio this morning. Probably working on his project or something.”
“Oh…”
Sunoo went back to his room in confusion because rather than feeling relieved knowing that Heeseung is back to his human form, he was... upset?
***
‘So that’s it..?’ Sunoo thinks as he closes the door behind him.
Heeseung had returned to his original form, so Sunoo pretty much doesn’t have to take care of hamster Heeseung again. Doesn’t have to worry about what’s going to happen if Heeseung stays in his hamster form for a longer time. Work is done. He can relax fully this time.
He walks onto his bed, sits, then stares at the box on top of the cabinet near his bed. He just realized it was neat, the tissues and cottons had been discarded. Sunoo took the box, fiddled with it then put it back on the cabinet.
He genuinely don't know why does he feel kind of upset.
Maybe because Heeseung didn’t immediately tell him he transformed back? but Sunoo doesn’t mind, he will meet Heeseung again anyway. Maybe he got some urgent work he missed doing because he turned into a hamster. It's understandable and Sunoo doesn’t typically get mad with that. Who is he to Heeseung anyway?
And maybe it's because hamster Heeseung was genuinely cute that he wanted to spend more time with it. Because that is the closest they have ever been in these 4 years.
Or maybe it is also the wariness engulfing him, thinking that now that Heeseung has gone back, their relationship will go back to the usual. Co- members, co-living, don't interact when it's not needed.
Sunoo doesn’t even know what happened, or he just doesn’t want to find out. He just assumed they just grew up and the work environment had made them into someone they weren’t before.
He knew he just simplified things because the reality is, they interact just fine when Heeseung was a hamster. When Heeseung was a small, helpless hamster, and only relies on him. That was the most vulnerable Heeseung ever for the past four years. He craves for Heeseung to be vulnerable and honest, which has been untouchable for years.
Then a knock on his door. Sunoo just mumbles, he didn't lock the door so whoever it is could just come in. Usually the others would knock once before barging in, ignoring Sunoo’s complaints.
So he was more surprised when nobody didn’t immediately enter. Sunoo thought it might be just Riki playing around.
Then comes the second knock so Sunoo just sighed and walks towards the door.
Sunoo opened the door with Heeseung in front of him.
“Oh, Heeseung hyung”
“I brought a cake. Can I come in?”
Sunoo nods, eyes light a little and Heeseung follows him inside from behind.
They both sat on the end of Sunoo’s bed. Aside from the time when Heeseung was still in his hamster form, Heeseung never really went into Sunoo’s room. To the point the awkwardness started to disperse even though they had spent approximately two days sticking close next to each other.
“When did you transform back?” Sunoo watches as Heeseung unties the ribbon on the box open and hands Sunoo a small plastic spoon.
“5am. You were sleeping so soundly so I didn’t wake you up.”
“Oh...” Sunoo took a spoonful of a strawberry whole cake that Heeseung bought. He deserved it, and he knows Heeseung especially bought it for him as a thank you even though he didn’t specifically say it.
“I finally can take a hot shower. I was envious you get to have it while I was a miserable grubby hamster”
It made Sunoo giggles
“Also, I’m sorry” Heeseung continues.
“For what?”
“Uh, a lot of things, actually. Sneaking into your room and made you a pet parent for couple days unannounced”
“We’ve talked about it last night, hyung. It’s okay,” Sunoo took another spoon of the cake, “At least you were a cute hamster”
Heeseung lets out a chuckle, “Do you wish I'm still a hamster?”
The awkwardness dissipates as Sunoo couldn't hold his giggle. “Maybe? Yeah”
“But I won't be able to make it to the practice and stage. We have to cover up that i got sick”
“Sorry about kissing you too”
“That –I was the one giving the idea. Besides, you were a hamster, hyung! It meant nothing, it was rather funny” Sunoo didnt see that coming,
“I see.”
It was silent for a moment and Heeseung clearly had a slight hesitation upon saying the next thing. “Then.. If I kiss you as a human, would it mean something?”
Sunoo blinked once. Twice.
He inhales, diverting his previously content gaze to somewhere else that is not Heeseung. His hand fidgets on the spoon.
“Obviously,”
“I was thinking the same thing”
Heeseung then slowly leans forward, right hand magically teleported to caress Sunoo’s soft cheek. Sunoo’s eyes flutter shut from the touch. Then Heeseung planted a soft, feather-like kiss on his lips.
The smear of whipped cream on Sunoo’s lips transferred onto Heeseung’s. He slowly pulled back, eyes still on Sunoo’s lips as he lick his own to taste the remains.
Both of them are equally red, breath hitched and unable to react nor look into each other’s eyes.
“Can I, can I come to you room sometimes?” Heeseung stutters, but he kept going.
“Not only when I’m in a hamster state, I mean. Can I just, come to you without a particular reason?”
Honestly, Sunoo never felt more relieved before. Its something he deeply always desired, to revisit his bond with Heeseung.
Sunoo nodded, giving a softest smile that made Heeseung’s unmoving for a second.
“I always wished you do”