“So, Sungmin-sshi... did you not see me standing here - again - or were you just lost in thought for the seventh time in the past hour?”

Sungmin blushed a furious red, his antsy hands tugging at the ends of his long sleeve. “Well, I’m sorry, Kyuhyun-sshi, for having a lot on my mind ever since you so rudely interrupted my evening with your less than appreciable requests.”

“Less than appreciable? You want to know what’s less than appreciable?!” Kyuhyun scoffed, throwing his long arms into the air above him in frustration, “Waking up lost in some ancient land, in who knows what time era, with two despicable idiots!”

The man striding ahead of them, having heard all of the bickering prior, stopped dead in his tracks and whipped around to face the two. “Don’t drag me into your little quarrel,” Yesung warned, narrowing his eyes dangerously while feeling slightly insulted by Kyuhyun’s remark, “I haven’t said a single word since we left the village.”

“And that’s the problem!” Kyuhyun nearly spat out at the oldest of the three, “Not a single word to keep my sanity in tact.”

Sungmin rolled his eyes, “It was never there to begin with.”

“You should be the last to talk, Mr. I’m-here-but-not-really-because-I’m-lost-in-wonder-land!”

“You know what-” Sungmin was about to retort when Yesung took him by the arm and dragged him ahead, spacing the two dongsaengs a good distance from each other.

“You should just ignore him,” Yesung whispered into Sungmin’s ear, “He’s lost it.”

Sungmin twisted his arm out of Yesung’s grasp, “It’s not my fault that he’s making me so nervous I can’t even focus.”

“I know,” Yesung chuckled, throwing his arm over Sungmin’s shoulder, “but he doesn’t. He’s barely been around for two days, give him a break?”

Sighing, Sungmin nodded obediently and followed Yesung forward. Kyuhyun, who padded closely behind them, wondered if all men from this era were so abnormally close with each other. History class, though his least favorite of all his courses, had taught him that men had a thing for, well, men back in these days.

Yesung looked over his shoulder, meeting eyes with Kyuhyun briefly before the younger one shifted his eyes away in embarrassment. “You know,” Yesung breathed out, puffs of cloud escaping his lips with the words, “He’s kind of weird.”

“You don’t say,” Sungmin laughed.

Taking a handful of Sungmin’s shoulder length hair, Yesung pulled down on it with a light pressure before continuing on with his statement. “He keeps staring at us with this weird look,” He analyzed, “Like he’s questioning us.”

“He probably is,” Sungmin scowled, “That insolent brat.”

“I heard that,” Kyuhyun growled out from behind.

Sungmin rolled his eyes, “See what I mean?”

“Where exactly are you two taking me?” Kyuhyun finally asked, butchering the peace and catching up to the two. For some reason, he suddenly started to feel uneasy about their surroundings. Was it normal for a forest to possess such dead silence? Surely, with animals of all sorts, it couldn’t be.

Sungmin folded his arms over his chest, “To feed you to the mountain lions.”

“Stop that,” Yesung scolded lightly. “Ever heard of a Forest Fairy? Maybe she’ll be able to help you return to wherever you came from.”

Kyuhyun bit his bottom lip, “Is that so?”

“I sure do hope so,” Sungmin yawned.

“If anything, I enjoy a dummy’s presence more than yours,” Kyuhyun groaned.

Sungmin turned to Yesung, “Did you hear that? He just said I’m worse than a dummy. He’s calling me stupid!”

Yesung frantically glanced between the two, his head stabbing with pain. “I’m sure-”

“I meant a ventriloquist dummy, Mr. Smarty Pants,” Kyuhyun laughed.

Sungmin rose a brow, “Does that make it any better?”

“Of course,” Kyuhyun straightened himself out, “A ventriloquist dummy doesn’t have a brain, so it’s incapable of being stupid.”

Silence. A heavy, dangerous, silence.


Yesung had abandoned the two the moment Kyuhyun muttered something about dummy’s being brainless, making a run for whatever was waiting ahead. As long as it wasn’t Sungmin and Kyuhyun.

Sungmin took slow, wide, steps towards Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun took quick, narrow, steps backwards towards a large tree. As he felt the solid, rough, material behind him, Kyuhyun glanced both ways just as Sungmin held both arms on either side of him. He was cornered.

“Look,” Sungmin breathed out, “I know you’re lost in the middle of a time and place you don’t belong. I know you’re probably scared out of your wits and feel incredibly misplaced. I mean, just the way you dress, the way you walk, and the way you talk are so different from us.”

Kyuhyun tried to nudge his way out of Sungmin’s arms, but Sungmin kept still.

“But don’t take it out on me,” Sungmin said in a steady tone. “We may look it, but we aren’t the kindest fellows out there. I might just lose control and you don’t want to see me out of control, trust me.”

Kyuhyun averted his attention away from Sungmin’s threatening, watery, eyes. “I trust you.”

“Good,” Sungmin nodded. His smile immediately returned and he regained his posture, searching around for traces of his hyung. He didn’t catch the long sigh Kyuhyun dispersed the moment Sungmin stepped away, nor did he see the blush creeping up Kyuhyun’s cheeks.

Kyuhyun shook his head violently, “Oh god, why the hell am I heating up? It’s freezing out here.”

“You’re cold?” Sungmin asked considerately, “I have an extra-”

“No thank you,” Kyuhyun waved the rest of Sungmin’s sentence away, “I’d rather die from freezing than to be caught wearing whatever it is you’re wearing.”

Sungmin furrowed his brows as he peered down at his outfit, “It’s a sageu-”

“It’s a dress,” Kyuhyun interrupted. His shook his head, meanwhile rubbing his shoulders, and started walking forwards.

Pursing his lips, Sungmin shrugged and followed the younger man. “Is that what you call it where you’re from? A dress? But... but, it’s not a dress. Women wear dresses, ours is called-”

“It doesn’t matter,” Kyuhyun mocked, his teeth chattering. Was it just him, or was it getting colder the further they traveled into the forest? “Let’s just find Yesung first,” he sighed, watching as the puffs of white clouds formed at the tip of his lips. Sungmin nodded.

An hour went by, but not a single trace of Yesung was found. Sungmin watched as Kyuhyun slowly started to pale, but he kept insisting that he didn’t want to wear what Sungmin had to offer. Two hours passed slower than a crawling snail could make the distance from the tip of a pencil to it’s own end.

“You know you’re going to die, right?” Sungmin asked.

Kyuhyun looked down at the other man, “What?”

“You’re going to die,” Sungmin repeated.

Kyuhyun’s eyes widened, “But... I’ve been staying on your good side.”

“I’m not going to kill you,” Sungmin rolled his eyes, “although, I can’t entirely agree with your statement.”

Kyuhyun cocked his head to the side, “You don’t think we’ll find Yesung and the Forest Fairy?”

“Oh, we’ll find them,” Sungmin replied confidently.

Kyuhyun stopped and turned to face Sungmin completely, “Then how am I going to die?”

“You’re going to freeze to death!” Sungmin scolded. “What’s so wrong about wearing a cape? You need to keep yourself warm or you’ll seriously die from the cold!”

“A c-cape?” Kyuhyun stuttered, his teeth chattering violently behind his dry lips, “That’s what it was?”

Sungmin shook his head heavily and pulled the cape out of his bag. “What? Did you think I would carry an entire sageuk outfit with me, knowing that we’ll be traveling a good distance? I may be a ditz, but I’m not crazy.”

“Some would beg to differ,” Kyuhyun uttered.

“What?” Sungmin asked, throwing the cape over Kyuhyun’s shoulder.

Kyuhyun shook his head with a small smile, “Nothing.”

Sungmin gaped at him, his jaw dropped slightly.

“What?” Kyuhyun asked.

Sungmin chuckled, “It’s the first time you smiled at me, or anyone for that matter.”

“Well, my situation doesn’t exactly make room for goofing off,” Kyuhyun retorted. “Wow, this cape works wonders.” Sungmin didn’t reply, but smiled and continued their search for Yesung. The rest of their evening was spent in silence, a comfortable silence.

-----

“How long are we going to let them continue this ridiculous game?” Yesung yawned, stretching his arms over his head and turning to the lady beside him.

The lady smirked, her red lipstick glowing from the light being reflected off the television screen. “Well, he always seemed to like games so much. I thought I’d let him experience the life of a gamer, a true gamer.”

“You kidnapped him,” Yesung rolled his eyes, “And then hired a bunch of people to act out your schemes. What a mother you are.”

The lady, insulted by his words, smacked Yesung upside the head. “I did not kidnap him! You can’t call it kidnapping when I’m his mother,” She scowled, “I’m just teaching him that games are bad for him, a good lesson.”

“What’s sad is he’s actually believing all this crap,” Yesung shook his head, “The poor boy.”

A grin spread about the lady’s lips, his pointer finger tapping the tip of her chin. “That’s my boy,” she happily exclaimed, “my innocent, precious, little baby.”

-----

“I’m tired!” Kyuhyun whined, plopping onto the ground while leaning against the trunk of a tree, “I can’t do this anymore!”

Sungmin tilted his head at the younger boy and laughed, “Okay, let’s take a break.”

“You’re really confusing,” Kyuhyun said, leaning his head back, “One minute you’re all cranky, then you’re quiet, next you’re happy, and then you act all considerate. What exactly are you?”

Sungmin shrugged, “Human?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Kyuhyun rolled his eyes. “How old are you?”

“Older than you,” Sungmin replied simply.

Kyuhyun frowned, “Then what do you do for a living?”

“Whatever it is that keeps me alive,” Sungmin said in a flat tone.

Flicking at some leaves and branches on the ground, Kyuhyun disregarded Sungmin's plain answers and continued to question the older of the two. “Then, are you married?”

“Does it matter?” Sungmin asked in return.

“Do you live with your family?”

“I live with Yesung hyung.”

“Where’s your family then?”

“None of your business.”

“...Do you like animals?”

“What does that have to do with any-” Sungmin was about to retort when he heard something shifting nearby. He immediately stood to his feet and guarded Kyuhyun, glancing around with his sharp senses.

“Do you see it?” Kyuhyun asked.

Sungmin shook his head. “If I did, would I be standing in front of you right now?”

“True,” Kyuhyun sighed.

This was the closest the two had ever been with each other. Kyuhyun noticed how smooth Sungmin’s skin looked, how pale he was, and was tempted to touch him. Just a little. His hands reached out, so close to the surface of the other mans skin, but he quickly retrieved it, reminding himself it was a death wish he’d be asking for.

“I think it’s gone,” Sungmin released a relieved sigh.

“Clearly you don’t like animals,” Kyuhyun laughed.

Sungmin lifted a brow, “I don’t like wild animals.”

“Shouldn’t you know this place inside out? You’ve lived her your whole life,” Kyuhyun accused, taking a seat and pulling Sungmin down with him. The sky was darkening and the crisp air about them slowly started growing colder by the second.

“I don’t live here,” Sungmin replied. He immediately clasped a hand over his mouth and cleared his throat. Kyuhyun looked at him suspiciously. “I mean, I don’t live in this forest. I live in the city.”

“If you can call it a city,” Kyuhyun scoffed, “It’s more like a poor excuse for a run down village.”

Sungmin laughed, “True.”

“You sure are sanguine,” Kyuhyun complimented, holding himself in his arms tighter to protect himself from the cold currents. “I would hate to live in a place like that.”

Sungmin noticed that Kyuhyun was shaking violently again, even with the cape on, and pondered on how to keep him warm. “You wait here, I’ll gather some wood and try to start a fire.”

“I-it’s alri-right,” Kyuhyun stuttered, not wanting to be left alone.

Shaking his head with a smile, Sungmin ran off to collect wood. He couldn’t let his employers' son freeze to death, after all. He was hired not just to act, but to protect this boy in the process as well. The fact that he was also the older one didn't help justify anything, either.

“When will Yesung hyung come back?” Sungmin asked himself.

-----

“I don’t feel like going back,” Yesung groaned half asleep, “It’s so warm in here.”

Kyuhyun’s mother laughed, “Then don’t.”

“Really?!” Yesung asked, excited by the response.

She nodded, “Don’t you think those two would make great friends?”

“Yes,” Yesung replied immediately, not stopping at any chance to stay in this shelter, “They would.”

“I thought so.”

-----

“Are you any warmer?” Sungmin asked Kyuhyun, who sat close to the fire but was shivering in the cold.

Kyuhyun nodded, “Y-yeah.”

“Liar,” Sungmin rolled his eyes.

As if his pride was hurt, Kyuhyun flared his eyes at Sungmin. “How are you not cold?” He asked offensively, “Are you human?”

“I-” Sungmin looked down at his attire. He wore many layers, and each layer was incredibly thick, which kept him warm. “I came prepared.”

“Aish,” Kyuhyun hissed, “This cold is beyond belief. This is ridiculous.”

Sungmin held his chin in his palms, his eyes drooped in sympathy for the boy, and finally decided on a new method to warm Kyuhyun up. He stood, walked towards Kyuhyun, and sat down behind him.

“What are you doing?” Kyuhyun asked.

Sungmin wrapped his arms around the boy, pulling him back against his chest, and held him tightly. “There’s no shelter around here,” Sungmin explained, “And the cold probably won’t be settling anytime soon. Just deal with this for now.”

“I’m fine,” Kyuhyun protested.

Sungmin was stronger than he looked. Kyuhyun had no chance against him while trying to work his way out of his hold. “Just stay suit,” Sungmin commanded, feeling the sting of Kyuhyun's cold hands pulling at his own, “I can’t let you die from the cold, that's just embarrassing.”

Silence. A long silence fell upon them; Kyuhyun’s heart beating faster than any scale could measure. He felt his own heat slowly work its way up his neck, his skin crawling and aching against the cold. Sungmin’s subtle warmth made him feel at ease.


The comfort deepened as time passed and slowly Kyuhyun unconsciously drifted asleep. Warmth, Sungmin’s warmth, that’s all he could think about as everything faded out.

----

Kyuhyun was just starting to wake when he heard a cluster of voices whispering nearby.

“You think he’ll turn the place upside down?” A voice joked, a chord of laughter following after.

“I’m sure he’ll be angry,” The other voice added, “But I doubt he’ll do much about it. His mom’s the one behind everything, after all.”

Feeling the soft comforter that protected him from the cold, Kyuhyun finally realized that he was no longer in the forest. “What is this?” He groaned to himself, sitting up in the bed.

“I think he’s up,” One of the voices said.

The door opened and two familiar faces stepped in. “Morning, Kyuhyun-sshi,” Yesung greeted.

“You two...” Kyuhyun trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck wearily, “You’re not in those dresses anymore.”

Yesung and Sungmin laughed, “Yeah, pretty obvious.”

“What’s going on?” Kyuhyun asked, staring straight at Sungmin.

Sungmin shifted his eyes elsewhere, “This was all just an act.”

“An act?” Kyuhyun scowled. He remembered them mentioning something about his mother. “Damn,” He hissed, “She tricked me again.”

“Again?” Yesung asked, bewildered. “You’re mom’s not the average mom, is she?”

Kyuhyun shook her head, “Not in the least.”

“Well, she had to leave to settle some things at work yesterday night,” Yesung sighed, “She’s on her way back. I have to go now as well.” At that, Yesung waved and left the two in the place alone.

“You’re good at acting,” Kyuhyun commented, throwing the comforter off of himself.

Sungmin nodded, “Actor in training.”

“Of course,” Kyuhyun laughed bitterly, “Was it fun?”

“What?” Sungmin asked.

Kyuhyun stood and stretched, “Making a fool out of me.”

“That wasn’t what-”

“I was joking,” Kyuhyun laughed. He took several steps towards Sungmin, taking his hands into his own. “Just as cold as they were yesterday.”

Sungmin pulled his hands away, “My hands are naturally always cold.”

“You were shivering yesterday, too,” Kyuhyun accused.

Sungmin took a step back, “It wasn’t because I was cold!”

“It wasn’t?” Kyuhyun smirked, “Then why?”

The front door swung open and a formally dressed lady waltzed in.

“Kyu~,” She said in a sing-song voice, pulling her son into her arms and planting kisses on his cheeks, “I missed you!”

“Stop that!” Kyuhyun scowled, pushing her away. “I’m not a baby, stop treating me like one.”

His mother frowned, “You’re always going to be a baby to me. Now, tell me Kyuhyun,” She shook her pointer finger at him, “Are you going to continue spending hours on end on that computer game of yours?”

“Maybe,” Kyuhyun replied mockingly, briefly glancing at Sungmin with a smug grin, “If I can't find another means of entertainment.”

“What?!” She shouted.

Sungmin laughed awkwardly.

“Mom, Starcraft is different from any other survival video game out there,” Kyuhyun explained, taking a seat at a table nearby. His mother shook her head and pulled him up by the arms.

“Let’s go, we’ve got to get you a shower and a change of clothes.”

Kyuhyun nodded and motioned for his mother to go on ahead. Just before he exited, he turned to Sungmin. “This won’t be the last I see of you, Sungmin-sshi, trust me.”

Watching as Kyuhyun swiftly closed the door behind him, a smile made it’s way to Sungmin’s lips.


“I trust you.”