The time went by so slowly allowing the seasonal lovers to cherish each other as they wished. Another school year had ended and the seniors were preparing for their finals.

Xiah was having an awesome time in his life unlike never before. Between the unconditional love he received from micky, he was also appointed as the Sports Captain of the school, which made him get an immense respect and popularity among the boys of his age. As usual, during the school hours and afterschool practices both the boys found the slightest free time they had, to drawn in each other's arms, in each other's warmth.

By this time of the year micky was preparing for another big event in his life. He was practising so hard for the final round of the seniors' music competition, the competition that held at the end of each year to award the best musician of the school, prior to the graduation ceremony.

*******

One fine evening micky was drawn in the music that echoed through the lonely hallway which were produced by his own slender fingers, when he felt a soft pair of hands on each side of his neck. He didn't want to open his eyes or turn his head to identify the owner of the fingers that trailed up along his neck to his face, followed by a warm kiss on top of his head.

“Chunnie, that's enough, i miss you already” winced the intruder wrapping his arms around the neck of the boy who sat behind the grand piano, resting his head on the broad shoulders of his lover.

“Then come here baby, i will play for you until you feel happy” removing the hands of the younger boy from around his neck, micky pulled the boy to sit on his lap. Then he started to play the most beautiful and romantic melody he could imagine on the keyboard, allowing the boy to rest on his chest.

By the end, the melody started to fade and both the boys were drawn in the feeling, the feeling of their love to each other. At once the younger boy hugged the other's neck and started to tangle his hair softly with his fingers while the older boy hugged his waist tightly and buried his head on the crook of the younger boy's neck, kissing there softly. For a moment they both forgot about the entire world and started to demand for each other's touch and affection, which they were both longing for the entire day.

Days and weeks passed by and the day for the final results came. Though the competitors were all so tough to compete with, micky made his way to the trophy through his immense dedication and effort. It was coincidently the day of xiah's birthday that he got the result that he so longed for. That night became the most memorable night in micky's life as he celebrated his victory with the love of his life.

It wasn't long after the hurricanes started that the minds of people became disturbed as the strong winds started blowing from west, spreading the rumours that broke the lovers' hearts into pieces in an instance. People change, just like the seasons change.

“You lied to me! Why did you do this? Answer me!” yelled micky, anger evident in his voice and hurt in his eyes.

“I.. didn't mean to.. I was-” the younger boy couldn't continue.

“Stop that! Stop all of this! Am i that pathetic for you to do this out of pity?” micky's voice was all driven with rage and anger. “That was my competition for god's sake you've got nothing to with it!”

“I'm sorry..” the younger boy had his head lowered. This is nothing like he expected it to have become, this was totally unexpected.

“Keep your apologies to yourself and get the hell out of my life!” hissed the angry boy making the younger boy widen his eyes in shock. “Yeah you heard me right! Let's end this, i want some time to think, you lied to me, you lied about who you really are! i doubt i could trust you anymore.” said micky in an angry voice making his steps away from the boy.

The younger boy stood there. He couldn't utter a word, even how much he wanted. Still shocked he watched the retreating figure, his tears finally giving up. He started it and he ended it, not giving him the slightest chance to explain.

With that the two boys seperated walking on their own way, own path. Everything was fine before the rumours started to spread. The thing that Xiah was actually the son of one of the directors of the school and micky winning the best musician title of the school, followed by the news about the relationship between the two boys were more than enough for the people to spread hateful comments about the apparentness of the competition results. The fact that the results were out on the same day as xiah's birthday was just supplying evidence in haters' eyes. No one came up to talk about the talent the competitors had displayed but their relationship to the administration of the school.

*******

A few days later the two boys were living on their own lives, no matter how much xiah wanted to apologize for what he had unintentionally occured and how much he pleaded for micky to give them a second chance, it was useless, micky won't even talk a word with him and ignored the younger boy's presence completely. The damage he had done to his reputation as the head prefect was enough to make up his mind to keep the younger boy away from him, or so he thought.

“Xiah, enough practices for today, let's continue this tomorrow.” panted a tired max passing the ball to the other boy. He then placed his right hand on his left shoulder and rotated his arm wincing softly.

“Does it hurt still? I'll walk you home today, the bags are heavy for you to handle alone. Come here..” xiah stated and massaged the injured shoulder of the boy, gently not to increase the pain. Then he glanced a one last look at the field, that feeling, the feeling that he's being watched was so strong now, but there was no one there.

Grabbing their bags the two boys started walking past the school gates. They were walking along the shortest way to max's house through an uncrowded area when suddenly they heard a woman screaming not too far from them. Being the curious youngsters they were, they quickly ran to the direction of the source of sound just to see a young lady being harrassed by two men.

Without thinking twice the two boys jumped for the aid of the woman and tried their best to fightaway the men, when suddenly they noticed the increase of number of men around them, trapping them between. Being the skillful captain he is xiah quickly took hold of max's hand and smelling the danger they're in broke to a run. Though they tried so hard to get away from the sight of the gangsters, they were tired and slower than the men, so thinking quickly they hid themselves in the streets.

After a few more moments xiah and max were drained out of their hope seeing the men haven't given up their search on them, wanting to catch the boys who let their pray to escape. Thinking hardly xiah noticed the red telephone booth that stood under the broken street lamp and thought that this would be their last chance, to escape from this mess. He should inform someone to get help as soon as possible, to inform the police. Taking a deep breath not to mention the risk of being discovered, xiah crept to the phone booth taking advantage of the poor light conditions, informing max to keep watching. As soon as he got the receiver in his hands he dialed the first number that came to his mind. He knew, even if youngwoong wasn't home for some reason, micky would be definitely at home right now. And in need, micky would do anything for him, he would forget all their conflicts when he knew he's in danger.

“Hello who is-”

“Micky, it's me, i need your-”

“I'm busy right now”

“No micky, i need your help! I'm out at the-”

“Oh you need my help, so that's obviously why you called me. Isn't that max guy around you anymore?” hissed micky in a mocking tone, still replaying the incident he saw at the playground in his mind. After all, it seemed so easy for xiah to give up on him whenever that boy was around, he noticed that for the past few days.

“He is here too, look we both are tr-”

“Cut that bull! i told you not to bother me anymore, keep your things to yourself. I don't care about you anymore.”

“Micky there's no time to argue, we need help, we are in a great danger! Its-”

“Is it like another type of your lies to get into my pants ah? listen here you, i don't love you anymore,and i never did.” micky was surprised by his own words. ‘I love you like hell and i can't get over you!’

“So let's just forget what we had and move on, let's not bother each other anymore.” ‘You hurt me so much, you hurt my pride, don't make me helpless anymore!’

With that xiah hung up the phone. His mind failing to register the critical situation they're in, for a second.

“Aaaagghhh!”

The sound made xiah to snap out to the reality. There in front, he could see max being held and getting beaten by three of the men. Suddenly a hand came grabbing his neck and the next thing he knew was he was thrown to the ground getting beaten up by a bunch of men, just like they did to his friend. Xiah got frightened to death when he saw the men leave the motionless body of his best friend. He tried so effortlessly to reach the boy trying to avoid the merciless kicking and beating he got from the men, but it was all in vain.

One of the men suddenly knelt down beside him and grabbed his wallet. Seeing his identity the man widened his eyes and quickly showed it to the man in charge. The leader went through it a few minutes and then ordered his men, a furrow in his brows, “Finish them! no evidence should be remained!”

*******

Micky hung the phone up, something was wrong, he felt it, he could smell it. Xiah tried to trick him into many get togethers before and he ignored all of them wondering how childish xiah actually is, but this one felt, real, just real. He started to panic and curse himself for not listening to xiah, when suddenly the door to his house bursted open by a nervous youngwoong.

“Micky! Where is he- he is nowhere- I checked from the school- He never gets late without telling me!” he panted heavily leaning his hand on the wall to support himself.

“Woah! Slow down a bit and tell us what happened, who is missing?” came yunho's voice who just entered the living room.

“I- can't find xiah- he is- too dark now-” tried youngwoong. Not wasting a second micky got out from the house and broke into a run, he should find xiah, he must.

*******

Xiah could feel the blood oozing out from his mouth and the terrible pain in his body. He is never the one to give up a fight but here he is up against a bunch of gangsters, helpless and useless, lying on the cold night ground. The people had stopped beating him but he was sure they got something else for him. And he saw it. The glistening metal barrel under the moon light.

“Nothing personal kid, you leave us no choice. You shouldn't be here in the first place.” the man let out a sarcastic laugh, showing off the weapon in his arms, flashing the single bullet in it above the boy's head, who laid on the ground helplessly.

Without wasting a second, using all the remaining strength of his body, xiah grabbed the gun in the man's arm in a quick movement and stood up. No, never till he breathes he's gonna give up, in love or life he'll fight his best to survive. Aiming the gun at the now cursing men, in front, he stepped back, knowing exactly how stucked up he is in this dead end.

“Now now baby, what are you gonna do with that one bullet? Kill us all?” mocked the man cursing himself under his breath for underestimating the boy's strength.

He was right. Xiah thought about the possible get aways from the situation he is at right now. With only a single bullet left he couldn't do much. He looked at the numb body which laid on the ground a few feet away. His chest didn't seem to move anymore, he noticed that at once. He felt a part of his heart dying by the sudden realization that hit him. His whole body was sore and he couldn't think straight anymore. A possible escape looked far away from reality. Suddenly a voice started echoing in his head.

‘I don't love you anymore,and i never did.’ a bitter chuckle escaped his mouth before he tightened his grip around the weapon. After all ‘Dying in the warfield is prideful than living as a coward.’ he thought, he had fought enough.

*******

A half an hour passed and they still couldn't find them. Max's mother had assured them that they hadn't gone home yet though micky was so sure that he saw xiah leaving the school gates with max.

They had searched all the ways possible for to reach max's house from the school and with every second passing by micky felt a pit being digged in his heart. They were searching in splits and the fear of losing the boy was killing him to no end when suddenly a loud blast was heard from a street not far from him.

Micky felt his heart going numb the second he heard the shot but his legs kept running towards the direction it was heard. After five minutes he arrived at a dark alley which was filled with gun smoke and clearing his vision he saw someone on the ground. He was sweating hard when he identified xiah's friend laying on the ground seemingly unconcious, when he saw another body lying a few meters away under the moon light. He quickly rushed to the body and seeing xiah, his lover lying in a pool of blood he felt his knees going weak and he fell down beside him.

“Xiah, xiah! talk to me baby, i'm here now, i'm gonna take you home soon, just stay with me okay?” he hugged the boy carefully into his chest and wiped away the line of blood that kept running at the end of his lips, his cold lips. He gave a soft kiss on his lips and tried to cover the patch of bloody wound on his chest by his palm, his fingers shivering, his ears, yearning for an answer.

“When we get home i will shower you and clean your wounds okay baby? Then i'll cook you your favourite meal, and we'll have a nice dinner together, dinner at my place! remember?” he smiled softly not caring to register the lack of response he got from the boy.

“Xiah, baby, it's so cold here, why didn't you wear something warmer? You said you won't marry someone irresponsible, but who's being irresponsible now?” he wiped away the tears that kept running down his cheeks and tried to act cute, in front of his boyfriend.

“Leave him, he's dead.”

Micky was starled by the voice, turning his head up he saw Uknow kneeling in front of him holding a youngwoong into his chest, when did they get here, he didn't know, he didn't care.

“No, no baby are you still angry at me? I promise i'll make it up to you, and you got a whole lifetime to punish me as you want, please don't do this now, don't ignore me like this.”

Uknow couldn't watch it anymore, he turned his head away from his little brother and let his tears trail down his face.

“You won't forgive me that easily, will you?” came micky into a decision seeing the boy not caring all his pleadings, just like he did to him. “I will make you forgive me someday, wait for me till then, i will make you mine again.”

With that he placed a soft kiss on the forhead of the motionless boy and nuzzled his neck taking in his lover's scent for the one last time. He let go of the boy and stepped back, his mind slowly taking in that the life he has imagined with his lover, full of love and happiness was never going to come true. The times they had spent wrapped up in each other's arms was never gonna come back. And the life he was going to share with him was empty and blank like a forgotten memory.

He knew he was at guilt, if only he listened to him, if only he didn't let go, if only he gave themselves another chance.. He would've spent a happy life with him right now, it was all his fault, he knew. He wanted to see xiah smiling at him for a one last time, he tried imagining it, while he kept walking back. Suddenly he turned around sparing one last glance at his lover and walked away, into the darkness.

~~~~~~~

The young crowd in the hallway was so quiet. Most of the girls were sniffing and the others were crying softly. The boys were stunned and never made any noise.

“And as it was said, he was never seen after that night. Some says he suicided and some says he lived a lonely life until he died in a shrine. Whether he should be forgiven or not, your choice.” the head prefect glanced at the quiet crowd, smiling softly, feeling guilty for making the girls cry.

Jaejoong was crying softly wiping his tears in junsu's sleeve while junsu was so angry hearing the end of the story. ‘That idiot shouldn't be forgiven for sure.’ kept ringing in his ears. He hated when the people forgive so easily when others hurt their feelings intendedly.

Yoochun was staring at the two boys and imagining the story in his mind, he so wanted to know what the Football captain was thinking right now, with that cute furrow on his brows. He got startled by the sudden sniffing sound beside him and turned around to find a tall yunho who was complaining he got some dirt in his eyes.

*******

The day ended so fastly with the HP showing them around and filling them with the history of the school. After the tired and wonderful day they had spent exploring the school and having fun, all the students dismissed going to their own homes with the hope to start their studies, in this great university, as soon as possible.

*******