LEMONS / 𝗺𝗹𝗺 (✓)

8: where they talk

CHAPTER EIGHT
where they talk (about parents)

The next time Hwan saw Kalen would be in the early days of January.

He knew Kalen had mentioned going home for Christmas and Hwan had vaguely wondered if New Year's Eve counted in on that, but he never got to ask before the bartender quickly discarded the topic and changed it to a game he called: "Guess what I got my four sisters you probably don't remember the names of feat. Mom and Kevin".

(Hwan wasn't good at that game, but Marcus was incredible at it—apparently, he also had a ton of sisters and bragged about how he knew everything women liked. Hwan had—along with Kalen—rolled his eyes).

Hwan had spent Christmas day working (he had offered to take Cas' shift, knowing they hadn't been able to go home if they also had to work the same day and they had hugged him in response which made Hwan wish he had just called to tell them). Then he spent the night watching three of the movies on the movies-Hwan-NEED-to-watch list that Rose had made him, right after facetiming the said woman who was hiding in her old bedroom at her parents' house, so they wouldn't question him why he wasn't there in person (which Hwan appreciated).

Christmas took forever, Hwan thought, and with only work and walks and cooking to occupy him, the following days did too, but he spent New Year's Eve with Rose. He helped her make a dish her grandma had left for her when she had passed away—not knowing Rose barely knew how to make pancakes.

"That's what I have you for," Rose had chirped and poked him in the side which made him wince and send her an unimpressed look.

Hwan felt indifferent when the new year came around.

He still felt indifferent when Rose talked about all the new possibilities it brought.

And maybe it was because it just didn't feel like a whole new year or maybe because Hwan had never been too big of a fan of "new year, new me" and therefore, a new year was nothing. At least, it was nothing compared to having kissed Kalen. Hwan seemed to have a problem letting that go.

Hwan met Kalen at the bar in the early days of January and he wondered if he was looking at him any differently. Then he wondered—if he did—if Kalen noticed.

He didn't know if it was supposed to feel so different around someone he had kissed and maybe it wasn't just the kiss, but the fact that now Kalen knew what seemed to be some of Hwan's deepest fears and secrets.

Nonetheless, he felt different (and a little exposed) and a new year had nothing to do with it.

When Kalen saw Hwan from behind the bar, he smiled at him as he mixed a drink for the stranger across from him and Hwan smiled back even when Kalen wasn't looking at him anymore.

Kalen didn't waste any time when Hwan sat.

"So, how was Christmas? And New Year's Eve?" Kalen asked and sent him a smile before he grabbed the cloth hanging over his shoulder to clean the part of the counter where Hwan was sitting. He wondered if he did it just to have something to do with his hands or because he knew someone had sat there before him.

Hwan shrugged. It sounded like holidays were a big thing for Kalen. "Christmas was just... a day, I guess. Spent it watching movies." It almost sounded sad, but Hwan didn't think it was.

Kalen glanced at him. "You don't celebrate Christmas?"

"Used to," he replied. "Normally I spend it with Rose and her parents, but I skipped this year. I... didn't feel like it."

It wasn't because Hwan had anything against Christmas. He used to love it as a kid, even as a teenager. It was almost like the spirit of Christmas made his parents forget who he was and what they didn't like about him. At least, enough to treat him the same way they treated Andrew.