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He’s had enough.
 
If you stretch a rubber band far enough, it will snap one day.
 
Jongin can’t take it anymore.
 
It is a month after his birthday. He is eighteen and he should be graduating high school in a few months―should be getting ready to wear his cap and gown and attend what would be one of the biggest moments of his life: his graduation ceremony.
 
Except he can’t. Because he never went to high school.
 
Nor middle school. Nor even elementary school.
 
As far as he can remember, he has always been stuck. Here. Locked up in this godforsaken room.
 
Maybe not god. It is his parents that had forsaken him. It is the world that had forsaken him, left him in this life that might as well be death the moment he was born.
 
Taemin had said to prevail, to wait for his chances, but―how? How when the door to his own room is locked from the outside. That he can’t even go out of his house like a normal human being?
 
It is in the afternoon. His parents are still out―won’t be home until late, Kai is off to who-knows-where, and most of the staff are busy around the house.
 
And Jongin just suddenly has this pressing need to―get out.
 
Out of these four walls.
 
Out of his prison.
 
He doesn’t want to be seen wandering across the vast mansion just to reach the entrance to outside, so the only other thing he can do is to open the windows. And looks down.
 
It’s two-stories high, and not the safest method but surely he won’t die from this, right?
 
Whatever.
 
Ha tries to make as little noise as possible before he just. Hops out.
 
The problematic thing about living in a mansion is that the height of each floor is more massive than the average house, and it’s a roughly twenty-feet drop to the ground.
 
Thankfully, the bushes planted around the parameters help break the fall, but he still lands badly and now his palms and knees are scraped bloody.
 
“Urg…” Jongin mumbles, using the wall to pull himself up and limp away. He has scratches all over his legs and there’s a particularly nasty gash on his thigh right above the knee that is dripping blood profusely.
 
But he has to keep moving. Can’t stay here.
 
Even if he is starting to grow faint because he forgot to take his inhaler with him, decision too impulsive, and he’s wheezing for breath and losing blood―much more than his body can handle.
 
“Come on, Jongin. You can do this. You need to see the outside world at least once―with your own eyes, not from pictures in a book. You need to―”
 
He makes it across the expansive yard to the front gates and is debating on if he should climb the fences or try his luck with guessing the passcode when the gates start to open.
 
His heart jumps and he thinks it is his parents getting home early and he will be caught for sure, but instead, what is revealed on the other side is―
 
“Se…hun…”
 
There stands Sehun in his uniform and hair ruffling in the wind. He’s carrying a backpack with a hand clutching onto the strap, and he looks just as bright and innocent as the first time Jongin was able to meet him in the hallways a few months ago.
 
“Kai, you skipped school again!” Sehun whines as soon as he spots him. “I had to bring your assignments to you―Oh my gosh, are you bleeding?!”
 
Immediately, the younger boy rushes towards him. Jongin automatically flinches before reminding himself that this is okay, that this is Sehun, and it is okay for Sehun to touch him.
 
Sehun isn’t like the rest.
 
“How are you bleeding so badly?” Sehun fusses, inspecting his wounds and wincing at the still pouring blood. “Did you get into a fight again? I told you to stop fighting!”
 
“No, I…” Jongin blinks blankly when Sehun drops his backpack to rummage through it and take out a pack of tissues, dabbing at the blood. “I… fell.”
 
“You fell?” Sehun frowns, looking up at him. “You’re not lying to me, are you? You know I dislike lies.”
 
“No, I really did. I jumped out of a window…”
 
“Hmn…” Sehun leans closer to lock eyes with Jongin, scrutinizing, before breaking out into a smile. “You don’t look like you’re lying. And these wounds do look like you scraped them on the ground after a fall.”
 
Jongin nods. “You don’t like lies.”
 
“Yes. I told you before, remember? It makes me unhappy when I see people lying, whether it is to me or not. The truth is the best solution in a situation, I think.”
 
Except Jongin had already lied to Sehun―is currently lying to Sehun, for letting him believe he is Kai. Still… “I would do everything I can to never let you be unhappy,” Jongin sincerely says. “Because I’d always want you to keep your smile on. You have the most beautiful smile.”
 
“Hehe…” Sehun’s cheeks flush a pretty pink as he lowers his gaze bashfully. “Why are you being so cheesy today? Did you hit your head too when you fell?”
 
“It’s the truth. You told me you prefer truths.”
 
“I do,” Sehun’s expression softens into this loving look with a soft smile on his face as he stands up. “Come on. Let’s go back to your house so I can bandage your wounds properly. Your parents aren’t home, right?”
 
“They aren’t, but…” Jongin hesitates. Will the maids and butlers wandering around see them? The mansion is big enough that there might be a chance they won’t be seen, still… Should he risk it? Wasn’t he going to try to escape? But then… to where can he possibly run to?
 
“Is something wrong?” Sehun tugs at his sleeve. “I’m worried about your wounds, Kai. Let’s get them treated.”
 
Looking into the younger’s earnest eyes, Jongin finds it hard to say no.
 
So together, they make their way back inside the house.
 
Maybe Jongin is lucky for once in his life today, for the living room is devoid of presence when they settle onto the couch. Sehun must be used to this house by now that he instantly veers towards a cabinet in a corner and takes out a first-aid kit.
 
After, is a quiet but calming moment as Sehun carefully bandages all of Jongin’s wounds, the latter watching him with flutters inside his chest.
 
Is this the ‘butterflies in your stomach’ thing Jongin’s read so much about? A sign of feelings of love?
 
Jongin hopes so.
 
“Sehun,” he begins, just a murmur as the younger kneels in front of him, currently dabbing all the crusted blood away. “Why are you such a nice person?”
 
Sehun looks up, confused. “Huh?”
 
“You are so nice, so kind… Why? Is it because I’m… Kai, and we’re dating?”
 
“Why would someone need a reason to be nice?” Sehun questions back. “Have you heard of karma, Kai? I believe everyone should do the best they can so they will never look back and have regrets on the choices they’ve made. When I’m old someday, I want to think back on the life I’ve led and be proud of everything I’ve done. And I feel happy when I see other people happy and smiling. I guess it’s something as simple as that.”
 
“Oh.”
 
“And of course I’m not nice to you just because we’re dating,” Sehun gives him an unimpressed look. “Did you forget the first time we met? You were a total d