It was already night time when Sungmin found himself in an unfamiliar neighbourhood in a strange new environment.

He was looking at the address Ryeowook had given up. He had no map or whatsoever as he scurried down the street anxiously looking for a road sign that corresponds to the address that Ryeowook had given up. The dimly maze of streets added on to Sungmin’s woes as he grew more desperate in trying to find his target.

I need to get to Ryeowook’s place otherwise I might just have to end up sleeping on the streets or at the train station just to save money.

Sungmin was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he failed to notice the roar of the thunder. The rain started to pelt down on him. All of a sudden he felt himself being grabbed and pulled from the street into the side as he heard a loud vroom sound pass him by.

It was then that Sungmin realised what could have happened to him. He could have met with an accident.

The raindrops were falling on Sungmin, hitting his clothes, hair and face as he found himself being dragged by this stranger whose face he was unable to see. He noticed that he was wearing a blazer and a pair of pants.

“Where are you taking me to?” Sungmin burst out.

“Just follow me,” a smooth velvety voice replied.

The person continued dragging him. Sungmin did not put up a struggle which surprised Sungmin himself.

They finally came into a complete stop. It was then Sungmin realised that the rain had stopped battering him. He looked up and he realised he was outside of a building and the stranger was now standing next to him.

The stranger turned to Sungmin and said, “You should’ve paid more attention whilst walking on the road. You can have been injured. I bet you didn’t even know it was raining.”

Sungmin looked at the guy next to him. He was taller and judging from the blazer and uniform pants – the stranger was a high school student.

He was not particularly attractive though his eye brows were rather thick. He looked like the average studious high school student.

“I was kind of concentrating on trying to locate an address,” Sungmin muttered.

“You’re not local, I mean from Seoul?”

Sungmin shook his head.

“Do you want me to take a look at the address? Maybe I could help give your directions?” the stranger offered.

Sungmin showed him the notebook with Ryeowook’s address written on it and the stranger frowned.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“You’re in the wrong area. You must have made a wrong turn somewhere or alighted at the wrong stop?”

“Did I?” Sungmin asked panicky as his eyes widened in fear.

He cursed under his breath, “Damn it. I need to get to the Ryeowook’s place.”

He decided to take off but he felt a hand grabbing him from behind.

“Where do you think you’re going?” the voiced asked. “It’s raining heavily. You don’t have an umbrella. You’re new to Seoul and you don’t know the directions to the place. Why don’t you stay here for a while and wait for the rain to stop?”

Sungmin paused and hesitated.

“You won’t want to get sick do you?” the voice continued to say.     

Sungmin turned around to look at the younger boy. The younger boy’s gaze was burning with earnest and conviction that Sungmin returned next to the younger’s side.

“I’m Cho Kyuhyun,” the younger said.

“I’m Lee Sungmin.”

The two boys remained silent for the next few minutes as the rain continued to pour down. Kyuhyun had removed his blazer. Meanwhile Sungmin started to shiver and his stomach started growling.

Kyuhyun turned to look at Sungmin causing Sungmin to feel embarrassed.

Kyuhyun reached for something in his backpack. It was a small packet rick crackers. He offered it to Sungmin but Sungmin shyly refused.

Kyuhyun just shoved the packet into Sungmin’s hands. “Just eat. You’re hungry.”

Sungmin accepted the biscuits coyly and grateful and started munching on them. Kyuhyun then placed his uniform blazer over Sungmin.

“I know this is a bit wet, but I hope it will keep you warm for a bit.”

“Gomawo.”

Kyuhyun just smiled at Sungmin. Sungmin stopped munching on the crackers and took Kyuhyun’s blazer to cover them both even though it meant that neither had full protection from the gusty winds.

They remained like this for another 30 minutes or so when it finally stopped pouring.

“Kyuhyun-ssi. I have to get going,” Sungmin said.

“Sungmin-ssi, why don’t you come to my apartment instead?” Kyuhyun offered.

Sungmin stared at Kyuhyun in surprise.

“No, no, please don’t misunderstand. I guess that you’re looking for your friend so urgently because you need a place to stay for the night. I share a room with a senior, but he’s out of town for a few nights. I don’t think he would mind if you stayed over a few nights or so if you don’t mind the small messy place. I’m not gay or a bad guy, so don’t worry. I won’t take advantage of you or anything. It’s getting late. Just come up to my place, have a bowl of ramen and rest for the night okay?”

There was such sincerity in Kyuhyun’s tone that Sungmin nodded his head.

“Let’s go then, before the rain starts to fall again,” Kyuhyun said as he took Sungmin by his hand and led him to his (Kyuhyun’s home) which was a few hundred metres from where they were.

Kyuhyun’s apartment block was really old and dingy. Kyuhyun’s apartment was more like a hole than a flat not because of the mess but because it was really cramped and small. There was a small kitchen, a bathroom, a desk, a cupboard and a shelf and two mattresses on the floor. There was hardly room to manoeuvre about without knocking into something.

“I’m sorry about the place. It’s rather small and messy. But at least it serves its purpose and still liveable,” Kyuhyun said sheepishly.

“That’s okay.”

“I’m getting hungry. I’ll go fix us some ramen. You can take a quick shower and change before you catch a cold,” Kyuhyun said.

Sungmin nodded his head.

“You can borrow any towel from there,” Kyuhyun said as he pointed to the cupboard.

Sungmin nodded again, murmured his thanks, picked up some clothes from his duffel bag before heading to the bathroom to shower and change.

By the time Sungmin had finished his shower, Kyuhyun had started digging into his ramen using the pot lid as a sort of plate.

Sungmin sat beside Kyuhyun and Kyuhyun apologised embarrassedly. “I’m sorry for starting without you. I was feeling kind of hungry.”

“That’s alright,” Sungmin said as he picked up the chopsticks and started eating.

The two boys remained quiet for the rest of the meal. Kyuhyun finished his meal pretty quick while Sungmin ate at a leisurely pace.

“So what brings you to Seoul? Holiday? Here to visit a friend?” Kyuhyun enquired.

However Sungmin remained silent as he did not know how to explain the situation to Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun was just only an acquaintance which he had known for just a few hours. Telling Kyuhyun that he left home because he is gay would probably make Kyuhyun quite uneasy.

“It’s alright if you don’t want to share,” Kyuhyun reassured. “I guess it’s something personal.”

“I left home due to some family issues,” Sungmin replied vaguely.

Kyuhyun nodded in understanding and did not probe further.

“Thanks for letting me stay for the night,” Sungmin said trying to break the awkwardness. “I’ll leave first thing in the morning.”

“It’s no hurry. You can stay for a few days. Today is Thursday. Hyung should be back on Tuesday. You can leave on Tuesday. It shouldn’t be a problem,” Kyuhyun said.

“I shouldn’t be imposing on you,” Sungmin countered. 

“Well, if you feel bad, you can help with the tidying up,” Kyuhyun laughed. “Really, just stay until Tuesday morning or something. You don’t have to feel bad about it. What happens if you can’t find your friend tomorrow? I don’t think you’re much older than me. And if you’re looking to start your life here, you’ll probably need time to get a job, find a room to rent. It will take a few days. So just stay on over here. At least you don’t have to waste money in a hotel or whatever.”

“Gomawo,”

“How old are you by the way?” Kyuhyun asked.

“Nineteen. And you?”

“Seventeen, so that makes you my hyung I guess.”

“Alright. I’m going to take a shower. I’ll wash the dishes later when you’re done,” Kyuhyun said and stood up.

When Kyuhyun came out from the shower, he spotted Sungmin cleaning the dishes. “Hyung, why are you doing the washing? I said that I would do it. You’re my guest.”

“That’s alright Kyuhyun. I just want to make myself useful around here,” Sungmin replied as he rinsed the pot and turned the tap off.

“Gomawo hyung. Anyway make yourself comfortable around here, although there’s nothing much to do. There are some novels and manhwa on the bookcase. You can read. I need to get my homework done and do a bit of revision.”

“It’s alright. I’ll try to get some sleep,” Sungmin said.

“You can sleep on the mattress next to the bookshelf. I hope it won’t be too uncomfortable for you.”

“It’s alright. That will do.”

Sungmin lay out on the mattress as Kyuhyun sat down at the desk. He took up some papers from a folder as well as some textbooks and immediately started working on them.

Sungmin admired Kyuhyun from where he (Sungmin) was lying down. Sungmin could feel a level of concentration and intensity emitting from Kyuhyun as he did his homework. And this sort of captivated Sungmin a little.

“Kyuhyun?” Sungmin squeaked.

“Ne?” Kyuhyun shifted his gaze away from the books and turned his head to look at Sungmin.

“Why aren’t you living with your parents?” Sungmin asked. “Are you not from Seoul?”

“My parents have passed away,” Kyuhyun replied softly.

“I’m sorry,” Sungmin said, realising that he had just asked a sensitive question.

“That’s alright,” Kyuhyun said as he turned back to looking at his books.

“So how do you get by?” Sungmin asked.

“I still have some money left by parents. It isn’t much but enough to get me by until I finish high school. Anyway the hyung I’m staying with is paying for the rent here. He’s a family friend but he isn’t very rich enough. He’s studying at the university.”

“I see,” Sungmin replied. “That’s nice of him.”

Kyuhyun did not reply as he returned to his homework. It was only after a while when Sungmin spoke again, “You work really hard don’t you?”

“I have to. I want to become a lawyer,” Kyuhyun replied without turning away from his books.

“I see. That’s a good ambition.”

There was yet another period of silence between the two before it was Kyuhyun’s turn to speak first, “So what plans do you have for your future Sungmin-hyung?”

Sungmin thought hard for a while and he shook his head. He felt a little embarrass and he remained quiet. Kyuhyun seemed to not mind and did not probe Sungmin’s silence.

In the end Sungmin admitted, “I don’t know. I have not really thought hard about it.”

Kyuhyun remained silent.

“Is he judging me?” Sungmin thought to himself.

Sungmin yawned. “Good night Kyuhyun.”

“Goodnight,” Kyuhyun replied.

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Has anyone of you folks seen The Dark Knight Rises? Did you like the movie?

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My other fan fics

KyuMin: Almost a love story

KyuMin: 60 Days 

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