San was a regular at the animal shelter. Starting in high school, he had already paid visits to the animals, all collected in the cosy shelter nearby. He knew every rabbit by name, had named a kitten himself because he had been there at its birth and had met several generations of mice. The one he was going to introduce to Wooyoung today was his friend Byeol, the kitten. San loved her more than anything else in the world, and he had always wanted to adopt her. He had never been allowed to, because of his landlord.

Things might change, however. The moment Hongjoong stepped out of the car behind the two ecstatic boys, Hongjoong wondered if there was a possibility for Wooyoung to adopt Byeol and possibly San, too.

The melody of Seonghwa's dream still rang in the back of Hongjoong's head. His mind was occupied with thoughts about Seonghwa and how soft he had been in that past dream. How smooth his skin had been under Hongjoong's lips.

San snatched Wooyoung's hand with his as he ran off. Giggling, Wooyoung followed. Slowly, like a fond parent, Hongjoong trudged behind them. The woman behind the counter recognised San immediately, and her face brightened at the sight of his friends.

"San, nice to see you again! Did you come to visit Byeol?"

San nodded quickly. His eyes already scanned the room and the cats that slumbered in various corners. On the table next to the shelter worker stood a snake in a terrarium.

"Look around, she must be somewhere. Tell me if you need anything."

With a hasty expression of gratitude, San sped off. While he and Wooyoung chased down Byeol, Hongjoong found himself drawn to the dogs milling around. While he loved all animals the same, he had always wanted a puppy as his best buddy when he had been younger. As soon as San and Wooyoung had disappeared in the facility to hunt down the cat of their desires, Hongjoong stepped out of the backdoor. In an enclosed area and joined by another woman, a group of dogs of all kinds was happily playing fetch. Hongjoong saw dachshunds, dalmatians, and various others of all sizes.

He sat down in the corner of the field as to not disturb the group. Their merry game kept the dogs busy, their attentive and lively faces shooting left and right.

Until one time, the stick landed relatively close to Hongjoong. When the quick beauceron who raced over got it first, he handed it to Hongjoong. Amused, Hongjoong ruffled the good boy's fur gently as he took the spit-sodden stick from him. He threw it again, and wet grass flew into the air when the herd stormed off again.

All apart from one. A pretty dog, smaller than some others but still large enough not to be overseen, stuck around to look at Hongjoong vigilantly. He didn't recognise the race, but he had seen the pointy and intelligent features around.

"Who are you?" Hongjoong held his hand out, inviting the dog to come closer. It did instantly and laid down next to him. Chuckling, he petted the long, soft fur. With a yap, the dog rolled to expose its belly to him, getting the best pets.

"A cutie, that's what you are," Hongjoong concluded with a snicker. Then he glanced up when the lady from the counter stepped up next to him. She handed him some treats and watched as he fed them to the dog.

"She's a sheltie, one of the smaller herding dogs," the woman smiled as her hand joined into the thick grey fur to pet through it. The dog's underbelly was pure white, and some latte brown blotches blended into the mostly grey fur coat. Dark spots across her back prettily patterned her.

Her cute brown eyes closed at every happy roll between the ruffling hands on her.

"What's her name?"

"Berry."

"Good girl, Berry. You're such a beauty," Hongjoong cooed at the dog. Instantly, she rolled onto her paws again to bury her head in his lap contently. Her tail did a merry dance.

"They are excellent therapy dogs. She probably saw you sitting alone and wanted to pay you company." With a fond smile, the woman picked some grass from Berry's fur.

Hongjoong was touched.

"How sweet. She certainly succeeded. I feel far less lonely now."

Before the woman got to answer, San and Wooyoung joined them. In his arms, San carried a black and beige cat that had eyes reflecting the galaxy in them. Wooyoung swooned over both San and the cat, his expression entirely taken over by adoration.

"Oh, you met Berry! Hello, Berry! Byeol, look. This is Hongjoong, the angry little coworker I told you so much about." San grabbed onto a paw to wave it at Hongjoong. Hongjoong rolled his eyes at him, though he had to admit that Byeol was a sweetheart. She seemed to be of the more cuddly type, her face buried in San's neck constantly.

"Hi, Byeol," Hongjoong smiled when San knelt down next to him. Wooyoung smothered Berry in pats and coos, having her basically jump onto him for how happy she was over the attention.

Byeol accepted a few careful brushes of her head with lazy purrs. Then she rubbed her nose against San's pulse again, putty in his arms.

Wooyoung was putty, too. And Hongjoong bet he wanted to be in those arms right at this moment, too.

"I should come here sometime with Seonghwa. He always wanted a dog, maybe he finds a suitable match here." Wooyoung grinned brightly at Berry. With her kind eyes, she peered back.

When Wooyoung glanced at Hongjoong inquisitively, the man tried to hide his blush by rubbing his cooling cheeks. The temperatures dropped quickly with every day, and he should be careful not to catch a cold.

"What's keeping him from getting one?" When Byeol tried to worm away, San let her go. Then he asked if it was fine if they took a few of the dogs on a walk. The workers agreed enthusiastically.

They took Berry, a husky with eyes as blue as the sky, and a playful retriever puppy with them. Berry stuck to Hongjoong, so he got her leash and treats.

"Ah, just that he fears not to have enough time for one. He's taking time off work for family things these days because his grandmother needs someone to look after her and all that. Too nice for his own good, he can't say no." Wooyoung applauded at the husky when he cheerfully sprung along.

"If he had a dog at home that would be a valid reason to decline, no?"

Troubled, Wooyoung shook his head.

"Not really. He's busy most of the time already with his work and family. If he also took care of a dog, he would just feel bad for not being able to rip himself apart even further. Watching him can be pure agony."

With his face cast to the ground, Hongjoong trotted along. He knew just how much baggage Seonghwa carried around. He didn't find rest even late at night, plagued by nightmares.

If anything, Seonghwa deserved for someone to take some weight off his shoulders. Someone whom he would allow. Similar to Hongjoong's job at night, but also during the day.

Berry played with the other two joyfully.

"Sounds tough. And then he also has a job that fuels into asking just that from him," San sighed sympathetically. Wooyoung just nodded along. Worry about Seonghwa etched into his features and overshadowed his bright expression.

Hongjoong jolted when Wooyoung suddenly raised his eyes to look right at him. When he saw him startle, a little grin pulled on Wooyoung's lips.

"What about you? You must have left quite the impression on him. He keeps asking me about you."

As smoothly as possible, Hongjoong brushed his embarrassment off. His fingers swept a strand of his hair back behind his ear. It was too short to stay there.

"Me? But he only saw me once. Am I his type?"

Hongjoong giggled nervously, interpreting it as a joke. Still, his heart was quite hungry for an answer to that question. He hoped he didn't look too expectant as Wooyoung thought about it.

"Honestly, I don't know. He doesn't date around, and his past lover was a woman. I doubt the same rules apply." Wooyoung shrugged. Then a suspicious glint appeared in his eyes. San and he exchanged a gaze before Wooyoung focused on Hongjoong again.

"Could it be, however, that he is your type?" His voice was sugary sweet and laced with an angel's innocence. Hongjoong spotted the little horns pushing his halo askew.

Extremely busy, Hongjoong fiddled with the leash that was safely wrapped around his hand.

"My type? What about him would be my type?"

Wooyoung didn't miss a beat. His song of praise came as naturally as if he recited it every night before he went to bed.

"He has a lot of qualities one may fall for. He's pretty tall - at least compared to you -" Wooyoung continued with a cheeky grin before Hongjoong could do more than gasp indignantly. "And he's soft-spoken and gentle. Loyal, too. He cares about people, he pours his heart into relationships... His humour can be pretty bad. But who knows, you might find that endearing about him."

Giggling, San nudged Wooyoung with his elbow.

"You sound like a grandmother trying to sell her heir to a potential match," he muttered. Wooyoung looped their arms together, looking like a couple already despite the short time they had spent dating.

"Well, he is a nice grandson. I see nothing wrong with hoping he finds someone who appreciates him as much as he deserves."

"But not you," San deadpanned.

"Right, not me."

While they snickered with each other, Hongjoong was busy staring at the fallen leaves under his feet that lined their path. The dogs played with them without ever getting bored and chased them around.

Seonghwa had a lot of qualities that Hongjoong thought attractive. While he didn't know the man's personality well outside of his dreams, everything he had guessed about the man so far seemed to be true. He was a big softie who wore his heart on his sleeve.

And he looked especially good with chequered suits and black leather gloves.

"What was his past girlfriend like?"

At the question, Wooyoung perked up again. He furrowed his brow at the sky as he tried to recall.

"An elegant woman, I'd say. Wore high heels a lot, and tight dresses. Classic red lipstick and dark hair, too."

So not at all what Hongjoong was like. Hongjoong was small, colourful, and most of the times an awkward mess. Nothing about him spelt elegant.

Dejected, Hongjoong pouted at the ground. Wooyoung didn't pick up on his sulking, already distracted again with swooning over San and the retriever puppy.

A gorgeous ex and a man like Yunho manifesting as a person of Seonghwa's sexual desires. Tall and handsome.

Not Hongjoong. Hongjoong could be called pretty at most. Like a pixie, however, not like an elegant vampire like Seonghwa's other matches.

The more Hongjoong thought about it, the surer he was that a pirate had matched him well. And it contrasted with Seonghwa's orderly and noble regime.

When San changed the topic, Hongjoong's thoughts returned to a less gloomy mood.

"What are your plans for later, Joong? Wooyoung and I considered returning to my place and cooking for dinner. Do you want to join?"

Hongjoong grimaced.

"To see you two eye-fuck each other over the table the whole evening until I finally leave? I would rather not. Thanks for asking, but I will just pick up a pizza on my way and watch a movie by myself."

More dramatically than necessary, Wooyoung groaned.

"Oh god, I need to get you with Hwa. That's exactly what he says whenever he mopes. You two should spend your solo time together."

"Doesn't that defeat the purpose of solo time?"

Wooyoung waved Hongjoong off.

"Not at all. You can have your own blankets. It's only together time when you share one."

Enlightened by Wooyoung's wisdom, Hongjoong agreed. They gradually neared the shelter again. When they returned, Hongjoong promised to visit Berry again. Her friendly smile stuck in his mind and elevated his spirits as San drove him home. The moment he dropped Hongjoong off, Hongjoong bluntly reminded the two of them to use protection. San had winked at him and Wooyoung giggled as they took off.

Back in his own room, Hongjoong got out his favourite anime movies. With his pizza and superb entertainment, he spent a wonderful evening alone. Though his mind kept wandering to what it would be like if Seonghwa were there. What they would talk about. And if they would share a blanket.