Seungkwan felt exhausted.
This is not what he envisioned his dream job to be like. It was fine when they made him do the odd tasks when he was an intern but now? When he was actually an employee and beat god knows how many interns to get to this position?? It was unacceptable. But what could he do? He was just a new hire and needed to keep his superiors happy to keep the job. That's what some helpful collegues have told him anyway.

He took a deep breath, completed colouring the boundaries of the chart he was making for his manager's son. He glanced towards his watch and noticed it was almost nine. He got up, packed the crayons and other art supplies and tried to straighten his wrinkled clothes.

Before he could complete tidying up, the door to the shared office space opened and a woman walked in harriedly.

"Ohh my god..... Where did I drop it??? It's going to break his heart when he finds out I lost it......" She was murmuring to herself but it was audible easily because this floor of the office was empty at this hour.

"Hey boss??? You looking for something??" Seungkwan called out to her.

"Ohh Seungkwan.... You're still here??"

"Yeah..... I was finishing the project for your son..... As you asked me to. Remember?"

"Yeah?? Yeah thanks for that. You're such a lifesaver. Anyway would you mind looking for my ring?? I think I dropped it here somewhere." She said.

"Here where? You know this place is huge, right?" Seungkwan said alarmed.

"Ohh I don't know. You know I have to go from desk to desk as a supervisor...... It'll be really easy if I knew where I dropped it......" She trailed off.

She looked here and there for a little while and then sighed as if giving up.

"Nevermind..... I'll just tell him the truth. I'll have to buy him a gift but whatever.... I should've been careful."

"Heyy..... Why don't you look in your office and I'll look here....." Seungkwan suggested.

"Ohh thank goodness you're here to help me. I'll go." She said walking towards her office.

Seungkwan cracked his neck and started looking at the floor and walking everywhere and anywhere. He looked under the chairs, below the tables, scanned the desks but to no avail.

He looked at his watch to see it was almost 9:30. He shook his head and went towards his boss' office. He opened the door to find a jumping Jessi in her office.

"What?? You found it???" Seungkwan exclaimed.

"Yes yes..... It was inside my drawer. I had removed it from my hand when I was going to the washroom. Oh my god thank you so much!!" She laughed.

"Okay cool... I'm gonna leave now, alright? It's already so late."

"Yeah.... Thanks Seungkwan for helping me out. My son made this ring for me. He would've been so upset if I had lost it." Jessi said.

"Your son? The seven year old kid? Made the ring??"

"Yeah look.... It's beautiful right??" Jessi extended her hands towards him and showed him the cupped multicolored paper ring.

"But this is a paper ring!!!???"

"Yeah... As you said my son is seven." Jessi shrugged.

"B- but I thought it was real ring." Seungkwan slipped.

"So you mean just because it's paper it's not real??" Jessi scowled.

"No no just you know if you'd have told me I'd have looked for it. I was looking for gold or metal ring." Seungkwan tried to do damage control.

"Whatever it's not like you'd have been able to find it. It was in my office anyway... So no point in telling you right?" Jessi smiled and moved towards the door.

"Alright I'm going now... And can you drop that project at my home? I would take it with me but I'm going out tonight and my son needs it in school tomorrow. He's with his nanny. Thank you. Good night Seungkwan."

"But your house is not on my way....." Seungkwan said but it went nowhere because Jessi was already gone.

Seungkwan sighed, collected his stuff and left the office.

By the time he reached home it was over 11 o'clock and Seungkwan was exhausted.

He put his keys in the door lock but before he could unlock, the door swung open on its own.

"Hey you're home!!!!"

Seungkwan yelped jumping backwards.

"Hansol???!!!! You scared the shit out of me!!" Seungkwan shouted.

"But I just opened the door." Vernon said, confusedly looking the door and then at Seungkwan.

"It's my fault.... I forgot you were at home." Seungkwan shook his head.

"Ohh" Vernon sighed out.

"How did you know I was home anyway?" Seungkwan asked.

"I heard a car entering the driveway.... It could only be you" Vernon shrugged.

"Good Job Sherlock. Now can I come inside??"

"Ohh yeah sure.... Come on in. Mi casa es tu casa. Just think of it as your home." Vernon winked.

Seungkwan just rolled his eyes and made his towards the kitchen.

"Why aren't you sleeping? Aren't you tired??"

"Jet lag." Vernon replied. "And I slept after unpacking."

Seungkwan poured himself a glass of water while Vernon followed him to the dining table.

"Are you hungry??? I ordered pizza. It's right over there if you want to have it. I ordered extra for you too."

"No thanks I'm not hungry."

"Ohh did you go out with your friends??? You're home late."

"No. I was at the office."

"You do love your job. You're such a workaholic." Vernon smiled and picked an apple from the fruit bowl and went towards the kitchen.

He came back with a knife and plate and started cutting the apple.

"Here... Have some." He said pushing the plate with apple pieces towards Seungkwan.

"I said I'm not hungry."

"You don't need to be hungry to eat apple." Vernon shrugged.

"I didn't ask you to cut it for me."

"It's not for you. It's for me. I'm just offering you some." Vernon said.

"And I'm rejecting your offer." Seungkwan said going towards his room.

"Hey Kwannie.... Come on don't be so rude. Atleast have two pieces." Vernon called out.

Seungkwan spin around suddenly.

"Rude??? I am rude?? You barge into my life, into my home, into my schedule, into my me time and when I try to simply tell you to stop bothering me I am rude??? I had a long fucking day and all I wanted to do was take a shower and go to bed but no. Now I have to play housemates with my brother's and his boyfriend's good for nothing pet project??? This is too much. Stop bothering me. If you want to do me any favours, just give me my solitude back. Please." Seungkwan shouted and slammed the door to his room.

Seungkwan slipped down the door and sat with his legs in front of him. A tear slipped down his cheek.

I miss Hannie hyung. Hell I miss Coups hyung too. I need someone to talk to. Someone who would understand me. Not that manchild outside who doesn't know the difference between day and night. Literally.

He stood up, removed his clothes and jumped in the shower. He cried for a good while in there and then came out and went to bed.

Only to find that his body wasn't ready to sleep. He kept turning and twisting in bed, changed positions of pillow, altered the temperature but to no use.

He was exhausted. He didn't have it in him to leave the bed but he could not fall asleep for the life of him. This wasn't the first time it was happening to him. It was quite a routine for him now. But that didn't mean he was comfortable with it.

Seungkwan sighed. He closed his eyes and suddenly Vernon's face flashed in his vision. How his smile vanished after Seungkwan's outburst earlier. Seungkwan hadn't paid attention but what he saw in a few milliseconds were enough for him to know that he was harsh on Vernon.

He repeated the words he had hurled at Vernon earlier and scolded himself.

Hansol just wanted me to eat an apple. Why couldn't I eat an apple??? And what was you barged into my home??? It is not my home. It's Hannie and Coups' hyung's home. I'm just here because they give two fucks about me. And pet project?? Seriously?? How low can you go Seungkwan??? He is the same to the hyungs as you are. He's Coups hyung's brother. Great Seungkwan. Now you've alienated the only person who talked to you nicely the whole day.

Then it hit Seungkwan and he sat up suddenly.

Shit what if it hurts his ego and he tries to leave??? What if he has already left?? Fuck how am I going to explain it to hyungs???? Shit shit shit you screwed up Seungkwan.

He got up and ran towards the door. He opened it and tried to find Vernon.

He went towards kitchen first. Vernon wasn't there. He called out his name numerous times and checked his room, the bathrooms, the porch, even the garage and driveway. Vernon was nowhere.

Seungkwan sat down at the dining table with his head in his hands and tried to make sense of the situation.

Okay when did Hansol turn into such an egotistical brat???
Shut it Seungkwan it was your fault. You basically accused him of trespassing. How could anyone with even a shred of self respect stay after listening so much??

Slowly his heartbeat and breathing returned to normal pace and he made his way towards his room to give the news to the hyungs.

On his way to his room he heard a noise coming from the tiny room which Seungcheol called his home office. They only used that room when after a fight they needed a little space. Seungkwan called it the calm down palace.

The sound resembled that of hammering. He softly made his way towards the room. The sound was coming from the ajar door. Seungkwan lightly pushed the door open and saw Hansol peacefully hammering a some pieces of wood.

"Hansol." He called out.

But Vernon didn't reply.

"Hansol listen I'm sorry about earlier. I was so exhausted and you know I hate it when people force stuff on me. I know that's no excuse for the all the things I said to you but please forgive me if you have it in yourself. It would mean a lot to me."

Vernon still didn't reply.

"Hansol please stop ignoring me. Atleast talk to me."

Seungkwan took a few steps towards Vernon but stopped when he saw Vernon bopping his head gently.

The man was wearing earphones.

Seungkwan backed out of the room and ran to his room. He closed the door and collapsed on the bed.

Guess Hansol doesn't even have a shred of self respect.

Seungkwan smiled to himself and waited for sleep to engulf him.

Hard chance of that. But still he tried.