🏆Featured on TeenFiction | Head Over Heels
To Leroy 'Lee' Hiew, home's never felt like home. He has a huge mansion, a big car, and more money than he could ever spend. And yet, the idea of home always seems to elude him.
Armed with his dog, Socks...
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He goes to see Socks the next morning. Jack follows him, wringing his hands out in the passenger seat of Lee's Camaro as they make the drive to Yumeko's house in near-complete silence, save for Harry Styles' Music For A Sushi Restaurant blasting from his car radio. He leaves the radio on when he leaves Jack in the car. It's a distraction, if anything.
The moment Yumeko opens the door, Socks charges out and leaps into Lee's arms, licking everywhere she can reach. Lee laughs and rubs his dog's head, giving his best friend a grateful smile. "Thanks for taking care of Socks. I'm sorry I haven't been able to take her back for so long."
Yumeko waves her hand dismissively. "It's no problem. You can let me keep her for even longer, in fact. It's been nice having company while you've been gone." She absent-mindedly scratches Socks behind her ears, eliciting an appreciative bark from Lee's dog.
Lee bites his lower lip. "I may have to. Jack's home is...kind of small."
"You're staying with Jack?" Yumeko elbows him, the hint of a grin teasing her scarlet lips. "You sly dog, you. Already getting into his pants."
A loud laugh escapes Lee's mouth. "Don't worry, Yu. You know you're the only one in my heart."
"Sure." It's only then that Lee notices the dark circles ringing Yumeko's eyes, waning purple under the morning sunlight. Her brow seems a little too tight, marked with lines that hadn't been there before.
He pauses. "Yu, are you...alright?"
"Never been better. Just peachy, as you would say, old man."
"You sure? You look..." Off. "Is it Socks? I can take her back if she's being a---"
"No," Yumeko replies abruptly. She sighs, pushing her heavy bangs out of her face. "Listen, it's not Socks, okay? Your dog's been an angel. And honestly, she's been really helpful. Lots of moral support there. Maya and I are just having some extremely small problems right now. That's all. Just a passing storm cloud. The road to true love never runs smooth and all that shit. Nothing to worry about."
"I've never heard you speak that many sentences in such a short amount of time. There's obviously something to worry about."
"It's literally nothing, Leroy."
"Who's the big fat fucking liar now?"
The dark eyes that pierce holes into him are filled with both annoyance and dry amusement. "Touché. Guess we're both big fat fucking liars, then."
"Hey." Lee flicks his best friend's forehead lightly. "I'm the liar here. You're supposed to be the bitchy one, and the bitchy ones are always genuine."
"You can be the bitchy one if you want. You've got the personality for it."
"Oh, definitely. I just didn't want to leave you jobless."
