Page 42 of Septembers

Everything.

Okay, fine. So he would back off a bit. It wasn’t like Dae would mind, if it helped him with his girlfriend. Theo would be a good friend in a different way. Problem solved.

Everything would be fine.

FOURTH SEPTEMBER

Chuseok

“Dae, your turn.”

Theo was still damp from his shower when he went downstairs. Dae, Caleb and Jason were in the kitchen, going about their morning routines as if they all hadn’t been separated for the summer. Caleb had stayed at the house and worked at a restaurant near campus. Jason had spent the summer working at a factory gaining muscles that Theo had insisted upon squeezing the moment he saw him. Dae had worked as a cook at a diner in Hamilton, and at Theo’s insistence, he’d sent him daily pictures of his hairnet, which were deliciously embarrassing.

Theo’s dad had gotten him a job as an admin temp at his company, which paid well, but was so boring it was physically painful. There were perks, though. Every so often, when his dad remembered he had a son, he’d bring him free lunch. There were even a few hurried conversations and at least two compliments. Theo was downright spoiled.

He lived at home over the summer, watching old movies with his mom and aunt, attempting to de-clutter the apartment, talking about stupid shit, and experimenting with his hair. The colour had evolved into a softer pink, more cotton candy than cherry popsicle, and his aunt was insufferably proud of it.

It was comforting to see how fast he and the boys fell back into their rhythms in the first week back. Caleb was adding new peanut butter to each bite of his toast (he didn’t like it when it melted; in their first year, Theo suggested buying crunchy instead and Caleb launched into a researched lecture), Jason was ripping spinach into a giant omelette, and Dae was putting slices of homemade bread into plastic bags, handing them out like the three of them were trick-or-treaters.

“Yes, there are raisins.” His voice was shockingly firm. “Just trust me.”

“I like raisins,” Caleb said.

Jason huffed. “You would.”

He had let his curls grow over the summer, and the effect was intimidatingly cool. Caleb looked exactly the same, but Dae was different in a way Theo couldn’t identify. His lines were sharper and his features more defined, like he was a drawing someone finally got around to finishing.

“Um, guys.” Dae cleared his throat. “I wanted to, well…my eomma actually… You know how she can be. Anyway, I know it’s short notice, and you really don’t have to come, but, if you’re free and you want to.” He shrugged, and the rest of them exchanged glances.

“Dae,” Theo said as non-sarcastically as he could, “you haven’t actually invited us anywhere.”

“Oh, right. Chuseok. You’re invited to Chuseok this weekend.”

In their second year, Dae had explained to them what Chuseok was: a Korean holiday with lots of food and family to celebrate the harvest. None of them had ever been to his parents' house before, and now he was offering a glimpse into his life and letting them participate in a family tradition. It was huge, and they all felt it.

Jason put down his fork, frowning. “I promised my sister I’d help her move this weekend, but I can get out of it.”

“No.” Dae threw up his hands. “It’s okay, really. It’s short notice.”

Caleb chewed on his lower lip. “I’m meeting Avery’s parents.”

“What?!” Everyone turned on him, their breakfasts forgotten, asking when, where, how.

“They’re in town from Muskoka for the weekend, and Avery figured it was now or never. Dae, I’m sorry. I would’ve really liked to go.”

“No, no.” His head shake was almost violent. “This is more important.”

All three of them slowly turned to Theo, Dae’s expression hesitant, Jason’s commanding, and Caleb’s almost pleading. Things hadn’t quite settled back into place with their friendship since Dae and Jacinda broke up over the summer. Neither of them told Theo why it happened. He’d simply received a text from Dae saying he didn’t want to talk about it, and that was it.

The past year had been a bit strange as Theo had tried to give him space and rely on him less, but they’d adjusted. It was better that way. Safer. But now there wasn’t a Jacinda-shaped reason for that distance anymore.

Which was terrifying.

Still. He wasn’t about to let Dae down now, so he mustered his most genuine smile. “Well, I’m definitely in. There’s no way I’m turning down that much food.”

Dae’s relief floated off him, lifting his shoulders on its way out. “Don’t say that in front of my eomma, or she won’t let you stop eating.”

Cool. Awesome. Just Theo and Dae’s whole family in his childhood home during an important family event. Not way too intimate at all.