‘There are strange people in this world’ was a saying Kai’s parents had continuously spoken in the last few months; their futile attempts at keeping their son from embarking on new relationships. He wondered if perhaps before his accident had been mixed up with some odd people, and his parents were simply trying to keep him from repeating those same mistakes. Then again— he was sure that wasn’t it at all. The male above him, however strange he came across, seemed to be harmless. After all, if the male meant Kai any harm he would’ve acted on such by this point, right? Moving closer to the tree he tipped his head back to meet the other’s eyes as he replied, “Apparently all the crap our parents tell us is true.” With a light chuckle, he sat himself on the ground with his back pressed to the trunk of the tree, giving some support to his head in the position it was. “Of course! If Popeye got somethin’ out of eatin’ spinach, I had to try it out myself.” One knee drew up into a slight bent, Kai then using it as an arm rest of sorts and allowing his eyes to close. “Francesco?” He repeated slowly, the name far too unfamiliar on his tongue. The boy found himself interested in how such a name came about; the two names the male possessed sounding vastly different in origin. But of course, he himself had two names of his own that really had no connection whatsoever. “Hmm…Francesco it’ll be then. So, uh, is it alright if I ask how long you been up in that tree?”
“It would seem so”, Taemin said, his voice bearing the slightest distracted hint, even as he fought to drive it out of his mind. To fight one’s nature was not always the easiest of tasks, however, and though little of it showed outwardly, he had to be careful to not part his lips too far, not let them shape into a smile too wide, just in case. Behind his lips lay what was supposed to be a secret, after all, and one he intended to keep—he was not here for that purpose this day. His dark eyes followed the human as he made himself comfortable beneath the tree, and if he focused, he was sure he could have sensed Kai’s heart beating in his chest. He pushed it out of his mind. “I enjoyed Popeye”, he mused out thoughtfully, before his lips tugged into a slight smile as the other repeated the name he had not been born with, but chosen once with care. By now, he was sure which name he used would no longer matter—so much time had passed since he had left Taemin behind, but both names now felt as much him, so why not let people choose what they felt comfortable with calling him. “Oh, just a few hours or so”, he answered him loftily. There is a squirrel that is quite interesting, though she took a while to warm up to me being here. She’s yet to speak with me, though. I think she might be a bit shy.“ The last sentence was uttered in an exaggeratedly hushed manner, as if it might be a secret.
