When did he get so careless? Why did he have to be such an idiot? Jiyong turned his head, staring at Seunghyun, trying to hide the pure misery coming across his face. If there was anything Jiyong wanted, it was to disappear into a hole to be unseen forever because he came to a horrible realization. For the first time in five years, he let down his guard.

 

Seunghyun grabbed Jiyong's hand, only an inch and a half shy of unhealed scratches from not yet three hours previous. Jiyong panicked in his mind,but laughed it off on the outside. There was nothing Seunghyun needed to see on him at all, ever. "I just scraped myself. It's nothing." WIthout even realizing, he began to wave his hands in a swaying motion, finally wrentching his hand free of the black haired male.

 

"Well can I at least see it? How'd you scrape yourself?" Seunghyun reached his hand towards Jiyong's collar, but the blonde caught the movement and took his wrist as he waved the other hand. 

 

"It's really nothing,I promise. I just fell against one of the lockers because I'm utterly clumsy." 

 

"Well if that's the case, then let me make sure you didn't reopen it or something." Seunghyun muttered, another attempt to grab Jiyong's collar being made, but the younger still pushed his hand away lightly to keep from even more suspicion arising. 

 

"Jiyong, you're making this seem to be so much more then it needs to be." Seunghyun began to drop his hand, getting Jiyong to release the grip he had on it. 

 

If looks could kill, Jiyong was dead and gone, flying around in heaven in a daze. Because the look he was getting from Seunghyun at that moment was enough to complete the Holocaust. His eyes had a firey determination with the black brows tilted in utter annoyance. The light colored lips were set in a firm line, until a pink tounge danced across them. For a moment, Jiyong was in a trance. A trance that told him he was weak,and stupid, but he ignore that. Instead, he looked at the dark eyes staring at him as he went crazy trying to find words.

 

"Well you're getting weird about it. It's just a scratch Seunghyun-sshi!" Jiyong slumped his shoulders, appearing like he was getting tired of this pointless fight. In reality he was, but it also terrified him too. 

 

Seunghyun crossed his arms, thinking a moment. A long, deep sigh protruding from the lips of the taller man. Jiyong felt sad for lying, but what really could he do? Just march up and say, 'Hey,guess what? I get bullied and then go into depression fits where I cut up my body.' Yeah. He'd do that right after he married Siwon, in hell. 

 

Seunghyun studied Jiyong's features, a sad smile coming to his face. It was obvious how sad it was as his eyes lacked that sparkly luster, and his dimples didn't pop out insanely. Jiyong's heart tightened.

 

"You are such a bad liar, but I'm sorry. I really shouldn't push you. After all, we met, what, a day ago?" His hand slid up into his hair as he attempted to move some of the bangs out of his face. 

 

"Well I know you're just trying to be nice, and thanks, but it really is a scratch." Jiyong tried to reassure him with a smile of his own, though Jiyong lost how much of it was real now since it was all a lie. That part made Jiyong's eyes widen slightly. No one ever caught him lying before. He was the best. How the hell did Seunghyun know? The itching began again,making an uncomfortable feeling in his arms. Was he really falling into relapse again? It's been a few hours! "It sometimes seems like we've known eachother longer then we have. And caring, well It's nice actually. I don't know many people who would really care all that much,but if you don't mind me asking, why do you care so much?"

 

Seunghyun got visibly tense. His hands dug into his pockets as he straightened up, and Jiyong had a feeling he was biting the inside of his cheek. "I just... Well..." He would start, and then he cut himself off. Eventually, he just sighed, spitting out his words because they wouldn't come any better way. The words going faster and faster until he just stopped, he last sentence much slower. "My friend..He would appear with random scars and bruises and even though his stories never met up with the wounds I tried to believe him,but I couldn't. When I finally found out, it was because he had a bullet in his heart." 

 

The way Seunghyun spoke sent a wave of ugly emotions through Jiyong's whole core. They rocked and rampaged inside of his chest like wild animals. His tone added a phrase that his eyes acknowledged true even though it was left unsaid. I don't want to let someone else down. And in that moment, Jiyong did something unexpected. First he frowned, but then he walked a few steps closer to the clearly in pain Seunghyun, and opened his arms, offering. 

 

Seunghyun scratched the side of his mouth with his thumb,looking down at Jiyong with a sad laugh. It took him a moment to consider,and Jiyong was about to put his arms down when Seunghyun waved him over. A smile spread across the younger's face as he shuffled over and wrapped his arms around the older male's waist. Seunghyun held him close for a moment,crushing Jiyong to his body in a strong embrace with his hands on Jiyong's shoulder blades. Jiyong rested his head on Seunghyun's shoulder for a moment before they broke the contact, and Jiyong took a step back. They both wore a smile. Jiyong could feel an aching to touch the older man again. 

 

"I haven't talked about this for,well, almost a year." He sounded surprised.

 

Jiyong felt his heart stop momentarily. There were so many emotions going through him right now it was crazy. How was it possible to have so many feelings? Jiyong wasn't sure if he wanted to die, or live, if he wanted to hug Seunghyun or push him away. It was like a typhoon had been set loose. 

 

"Maybe we were just meant to be friends. I trust you,unlike other people." And I also have a raging crush, but that's besides the point.

 

Seunghyun smiled, finally walking back towards the countertop and reclaiming his seat on it before patting the space next to him. Jiyong complied and hopped up next to him, looking at him thoughtfully as the calloused hand touched his shoulder breifly and then retreated. 

 

"You're actually pretty easy to talk to Jiyong. Most people just aren't like that." 

 

"Maybe it's because i'm good at listening. Even since I was little I would listen to everything,rarely speak. People thought so many different things about me. Can't count how many times I've gotten in trouble for listening to conversations." 

 

Both the boys laughed,actual smiles breaking through the sad, illusionary place holders. Jiyong and  Seunghyun were greatly allike in some ways, and greatly different in others. Jiyong was loud and in your face, while Seunghyun was quiet and respectful. But Jiyong was a very good listener,while Seunghyun was very thought out and careful with speaking. They both had a common interest in music, books, and other such things, but if you asked their ideas on in particulars, they might spark a complete dibate. 

 

"Maybe you should be a therapist or something then." There was a chuckle,"That's a good trait though."

 

Jiyong smiled, nodding. "We should have deep conversations more often, huh? People say it helps,right?" 

 

Seunghyun considered this, and he ruffled Jiyong's hair. His hand went right on top of the aching area that was hit by the locker, but Jiyong was so lost in Seunghyun's charismatic smile that he didn't even notice until the hand was drawn away and a dull aching was left. 

 

"If you ever want to talk about something, I'll be here to listen. I may not be good at helping, but I can always try, and if I don't know what to do, I'll find some way to get you smiling again in the least." 

 

Jiyong beamed a smile at Seunghyun. "It's a deal then. That goes the same for you,arrasso? You can even have another free hug!"

 

Seunghyun laughed, looking to Jiyong,nodding. "Sounds good, and I might hold you too that."