Chapter Text
Huening Kai is a very normal intern. A newly hired intern at the Tubatu Cooperations, to be exact. He works the eight-hour shifts diligently, handling menial tasks around the office to earn his place in the game-testing department. Fetch an unreasonable amount of printed documents from the printer? Yes sir. Remember everyone's coffee order? Yessir. Soothe the department atmosphere when conflicts occur? Yessire.
Honestly, it's an incredibly draining environment. But Kai's passion for game testing is stronger than that, successfully becoming one of the only two interns left in a batch of thirty. And he can't help but feel giddy at the prospect of receiving an official employment notice by next month, when his internship ends.
Today was especially harsh on the poor intern. Kai couldn't help but recall all the terrible incidents that happened in the office as he rode the train home. This morning, he almost clocked in late, barely scanning his face at the last second at the machine and giving himself a heart attack when the system loaded longer at Kai's turn. Then he got the department manager's lunch order wrong, the spicy tteokbokki earned him a lengthy, red-faced scolding. And when Kai thought his day couldn't get worse, one of his beta game reviews got flagged for plagiarising another colleague's. He then spent the last few hours of the workday throwing fancy words in an email back and forth with HR to prove his authenticity (since when does HR manage plagiarism?).
By the time Kai left the office building, his brain was already on autopilot, navigating back home. He came to consciousness only when he placed his thumb on the electronic lock, an 8-bit chime ringing when unlocked.
He quickly swings the door open, smiling when he notices the impeccable pair of polished leather shoes in the foyer and hears a steady clattering from the kitchen further in. Kai changes into his fluffy slippers and shrugs off the heavy coat, using the last of his sanity to put the coat away into the hallway cabinet before rushing down the hallway to see-
"Ah, perfect timing, angel! Dinner's ready in five, so go set the table for me, yeah?" A voice that could only be described as pretty came from the person in front of the steaming pan; shirt sleeves rolled to show those amazing arm muscles, wearing a dark apron with strings tied behind his back that cinches the small waist so well, broad shoulders beautifully backlit by the yellow light above the stovetop, highlighted by a pair of sleek, rimless glasses resting on that perfect nose. And, god, Kai's heart did backflips whenever he heard that nickname. Angel. He'll hear it a million times from other people, and it'll never compare to what comes out of his lover's mouth. He gravitates towards the focused chef and slides his arms around the smaller's waist, relishing in their perfect height difference as Kai rubs his chin playfully on the cutely round head.
"Taehyunnieeee~ 'm so tiredddd~ How can you be so perfect and prepare dinner for us even when you're so tiredddd~" That's right, Kai's secret lover (it's not exactly a secret, his coworkers just never asked for his lover's name) is Kang Taehyun, the CEO of Tubatu Cooperations. One of the country’s youngest CEOs, who radically reformed the entire company within the first month of his position and fired all the corrupt officials. His work facade crumbles to dust in his lover's presence, the taller becoming golden retriever personified as he leans his weight onto the other.
"Kai-yah, get off me! What if I burn the pasta!?" Taehyun scolds frantically and steadies himself, but does nothing to push the younger off. In fact, Taehyun leans his head back so his lover can have a better view of the food cooking on his shoulder. And boy does it make Kai melt when he does that, so he reciprocates by nosing the smaller's neck to inhale his scent: a clean lemon smell from their shared laundry detergent and a slight musk from not showering yet (Kai will never tell Taehyun that he likes his lover's sweat and is more than willing to lick it off him -- but he'll save it for when they become bolder in bed). He litters small pecks and tiny licks on the exposed neck, careful not to leave bruising marks above the collar; only gnawing harder on the shoulder blade hidden beneath the fabric, face digging into the skin with a slight desperation. God, Kai could be famished in a desert, and a taste of his partner's honey-kissed skin would satisfy his hunger instantly.
"Mgh, a-angel, not now, we should eat a proper meal first," Taehyun flinched at the sudden pleasure on his shoulders, maintaining his composure to turn off the heat and plate the creamy pasta as the grip on his stomach loosens; one hand wandering on the toned abs through the thin linen shirt, and the other obediently opening a drawer to get the silver cutlery.
So entangled with each other, they staggered towards the dining table, Kai only leaving Taehyun alone after an obnoxious 'po-po!' noise on their nose.
"So childish," his lover reprimands emotionlessly as they sit down across from each other, but it holds no bite. Kai stares happily at Taehyun's reddening ears, keeping his mouth shut with a grin as they dig into the pasta.
Under the warm yellow droplight, the couple exchanged quips about the day, the low hums of conversation, occasional giggles and cutlery clattering on ceramics filling the apartment. Their ankles brush together absent-mindedly, and Kai laces his fingers with Taehyun's when he finishes the plate first.
The dirty dishes were left to the dishwasher as the two washed up separately, much to Kai's dismay. ("Kai-yah, you know what happens when we shower together. Not today. I have an important meeting tomorrow, and I need to sleep well." "But baby-" "Shh. It's final. I'll think about it on Friday night." "Oh!")
Nearing midnight, both lovers enter the bedroom with freshly dried hair in matching fluffy pyjamas, which Kai bought for their first anniversary along with other couple items. They fall haphazardly onto the bed, arms wrapped around each other, mumbling sweet nothings with a smile on their faces.
"Angel, you really don't want to take my offer? You don't have to start as an intern. It's my company, after all," Taehyun asks as he fidgets with Kai's fingers and marvels at the size difference.
"No, baby, I'd rather start from the bottom. My efforts will speak for me when I become a project lead. Thank you for looking out for me, though," he hugs the other closer, catching whiffs of the vanilla shampoo they share.
"Alright, but speak to me when it gets too tough, okay? There's a line between teaching newbies' experience and workplace bullying, and I won't tolerate my boyfriend being a victim," he huffs.
"Aww~ Taehyunnie, you love me so much~" Kai put on his aegyo voice and leaned his head into the other's neck, peppering small grateful kisses.
"Okay okay, time to sleep, 'm tired," Taehyun yawns, slurring his words as he stretched over to turn off the bedside lamp. He snuggles closer into Kai's embrace, drifting off with the softest "g'n night" as he clutches his lover's pyjama collar.
Kai carefully adjusted his arms and the pillow under Taehyun, mentally screaming at how the closed fists on his chest are literally cat paws. The gentle rise and fall of his boyfriend's breathing eventually lulls Kai into drowsiness, and the pair finally rests together peacefully on a normal Thursday night.