Kibum has never believed in magic and wizardry and things like that; it’s a load of nonsense, he always said. But right now, there was nothing more that he wanted than to magically transport himself somewhere else. Or to magically cause injury to the two people standing in front of him.

Minho and the new guy, Yunwoo arrived at Kibum’s house early in the morning while Kibum was busy eating. Kibum had taken his own sweet time eating to anger them just for the fun of it. (He was forced into doing this so he might as well as enjoy torturing them while he’s at it, right?) When he was finally done eating, he went outside to see two very annoyed military men in casual attire and not their uniform. Without really acknowledging their presence, Kibum had gone around doing his morning chores. What they were doing while Kibum was working at the barn, he didn’t care. Then, when he was done with that, Kibum had grabbed the sickles they would need to harvest the rice and brought it to the two awaiting men.

Kibum dropped the tools in front of them and crossed his arms. He looked at them as though they were supposed to know what to do with the tools. Instead, what he got was blank stares from the two.

“Well, what are you waiting for? You came here for the rice. Go get it,” Kibum said, enjoying bossing someone around for once. He had always done it with Jonghyun but that was different; Jonghyun needs people to boss him around for him to function.

“Kibum-shii, right? We don’t know how to. You’ll have to teach us,” the guy named Yunwoo said. Kibum could see that the boy was having a tough time keeping his temper. Minho, on the other hand, looked very relax. So relaxed, it was annoying.

“You don’t know how to harvest rice? I wonder what they teach you in the military if you can’t even do something so basic,” Kibum shook his head, displaying his ‘disappointment’.

“They teach us a lot of things except how to harvest rice because you see, you don’t need that particular skill when you’re at a battlefield,” Minho said, with his signature sarcastic expression.

“Well, it’s not my fault that the army sent two people who have not the first idea of how to harvest rice to, well, harvest rice,” Kibum said, offhandedly. He was about to annoy these two until they lost their sanity which seemed like would happen soon with Yunwoo.

Minho stepped forward and picked up a sickle. He examined it in his hand and looked at the paddy, as though trying to see how these two would go together. Then, he turned to Kibum with an all-knowing look.

“Very well. I’ll just do it my way then. It’s the rice that we need, doesn’t really matter how we get it right?” Minho said, passing another sickle to Yunwoo. Kibum watched as the two approached the paddy fields like trying to catch a prey. Kibum had an obsessive-compulsive disorder when it came to the particular way he harvested rice so he had a very hard time watching the two nearing his beloved paddy field.

Minho bent down and placed his sickle at the top of the blades, right below where the rice was inside the grains. It seemed to happen in slow motion to Kibum as he slowly began to slice through the paddy like he was cutting meat.

“STOP!” Kibum shouted at him, his OCD getting the better of him.

Kibum hurried over to Minho and made him let go of the paddy. Minho did it with no emotion. Kibum realized he was trying to get Kibum to react this way so that he would finally teach them. Well, his plan worked. Kibum couldn’t let this brute man destroy his paddy.

“That’s not how you do it. If you cut it like that, you’re gonna have a tough time getting the rice out, not that I would mind you two suffering. But I don’t want to have to see you two any longer than I already have to,” Kibum spoke directly to Minho because really, he meant those words for Minho.

“This is how you do it,” Kibum started demonstrating the correct way to harvest the rice. Minho and Yunwoo watched it carefully. Kibum only showed them once and then, told them to do it themselves. Yunwoo started doing it the way Kibum did it and Kibum thought he was not so bad at it (but of course he wouldn’t tell him that.)

Minho tried the same method on another paddy plant, after having watched both Kibum and Yunwoo do it. With his brows furrowed in concentration, he cut the plant carefully. Kibum found it amusing how just seconds ago Minho was intent on destroying his paddy and now was being so careful.

“Like this?” Minho asked Kibum like a kid asking for approval on his work. Kibum suppressed the urge to smile at the thought.

“Yeah, yeah. But if you do it that slowly, the army could just forget about having rice to eat in a week,” Kibum told him, before picking up his own sickle.

“Just cut them and pile them together here,” Kibum ordered to the two before going to work on the opposite end of the field, far away from the military men.

The whole day they worked in the field, not really paying attention to one another. Minho was making the slowest progress. He was obviously frustrated about this (it’s kind of obvious just how frustrated someone is when they kept cursing at every inanimate object they saw) He kept looking over to the section Yunwoo was working in to compare their works and when he saw that he was falling behind, he would immediately go back to cutting the paddy faster, only to stand up to compare again soon after.

He must be really competitive about everything, Kibum had thought to himself after observing his behavior from far. Something about watching Minho lose in this non-race of who can cut the most paddy, was deeply satisfying to Kibum.

The next day, they repeated the whole routine from the day before. Only this time, Minho and Yunwoo got to work as soon as they arrived because they knew where the tools were and how to cut the paddy.

By the third day, Kibum didn’t even have to say a word to the other two about what they had to do. Minho didn’t even bother being sarcastic with Kibum anymore because Kibum did nothing to annoy them. It was peaceful for once after all the commotion that the General caused the other day at his house.

Jonghyun came to visit Kibum on the fourth day. Minho and Yunwoo were working in the paddy fields. He still had the cast on and he was using crutches to walk. It seems that his doctor had given him the permission to walk around. (Kibum was sure that the doctor meant walk around the house, not make a trip all the way to Kibum’s house)

“Hyung are you stupid?” Kibum asked bluntly when he saw Jonghyun that day. They were both sitting in the open hut.

“No I’m not! Why on earth would you ask that?!” Jonghyun exclaimed.

“Because you know you’re not supposed to be walking and here you are,”

“My driver drove me here, if that is any consolation to your worried heart,” Jonghyun said, mockingly.

“Whatever hyung, just as long as you don’t end up in the hospital for weeks…”

“Yah, won’t you ask me why I’m here?!”

“Why? It’s not like you always had a reason to visit,”

Jonghyun sighed.

“That’s true… I just got bored…”

Then, they sat there silently, watching the two men working in the field. When it was around lunch time, the two of them stopped working for a while to eat. They always ate at the hut because Kibum had never invited them into the house. He told his grandmother to do the same too although she protested in the beginning. Kibum won the argument in the end. But his grandmother still insisted on cooking for them despite the little amount of food supply they had left. She would give the food to them in a lunch box so that they would have something to eat.

Minho and Yunwoo approached the hut with lunch boxes in their hands. They sat on the opposite bench to Kibum and Jonghyun. An awkward silence hung in the air before Minho vaguely acknowledged Jonghyun’s presence there.

“Jonghyun-shii,” Minho said formally.

“Minho-shii,” Jonghyun said just as formally.

“How’s your leg?”

“It’s better,”

“That’s good…,”

Honestly, Kibum has never seen a more awkward conversation. It was almost suffocating to see the two conversing like that. But being the talkative one, Jonghyun soon found a topic to discuss.

“Minho-shii, what’s it like?” Jonghyun asked vaguely. Minho had just helped himself to an egg roll when Jonghyun asked him the question. He turned to look at Jonghyun with a confused expression.

“Whaf’s it like whaf?” Minho asked around a full mouth. Kibum pulled a disgusted face at it and Minho noticed it. He chewed and swallowed his food quickly before repeating himself.

“What are you talking about?”

“What’s it like being in the army?” Jonghyun clarified himself. Kibum wasn’t really interested in hearing about army life but somewhere in the back of his mind, he was curious about Minho’s life. For what reason, Kibum doesn’t understand himself.

“I don’t know… It’s normal to me, I guess. It’s all I’ve ever known so I can’t really compare it with what you’d consider a ‘normal’ life,” Minho said. Now, Kibum was really eager to know more. Minho has been in the army his whole life? How does that even work?

“All your life? What do you mean?” Jonghyun asked. Minho looked down at his food as though he was pondering on whether to answer that or not.

“My parents… they… Well, they died when I was very young,” Minho answered after a long pause. Kibum understood why he was hesitating so much now. He knew that feeling all too well, after all.

“I was raised by my uncle who’s in the army. So I have been living a military life my whole life,” There was a sad look in his eyes that spoke volumes to Kibum that Minho’s voice didn’t. His story was definitely not as simple as he makes it sound. Looking at his eyes, there must be a painful history in his life too. Kibum identified with that. Suddenly, Minho was not the smug, tough military guy anymore. He was just another boy, who longed for love. Just like Kibum.

“Your parents, how did they die?” Jonghyun asked. His best friend definitely meant well when he spoke but sometimes he can be so insensitive.

Minho looked more hesitant to answer.

“Leave him alone, hyung. Let them eat, they have to get back to work soon,” Kibum said. Minho just went back to eating as though nothing happened.

“Look at you, being all bossy now that you have people working in your field,” Jonghyun said, playfully.

“Of course. I am the boss after all,” Kibum said, smugly.

“Um, excuse me, but we don’t work for you. We work for the army,” Yunwoo said. He had been silent the whole time, but apparently he felt the need to say something now.

“Yeah well, the army that you work for sent you to work for me. So that makes me your boss for now,” Kibum answered him.

“Let the boy think what he wants, Yunwoo. Whatever floats his boat right?” Minho shared a smirk with Yunwoo.

“Hey! Who do you think you’re talking to?! I can have you starve to death if I wished to,” Kibum said indignantly. Now that Minho’s vulnerable look from earlier was gone, Kibum had no problem arguing.

Minho let out a sarcastic snort.

“Death? Correct me if I’m wrong but you don’t like me very much, do you Kibum-shii?”

“He makes death threats on a daily basis. I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you,” Jonghyun added, smiling at Minho.

“Hyung, who’s side are you on?!” Kibum jabbed Jonghyun in the ribs. Jonghyun put up his both hands as a sign of surrender.

“I’m not worried, Jonghyun-shii. You see, the feelings are mutual. Guess you could say that we agree to disagree,” Minho said looking Kibum straight in the eyes. Something about those dark, black orbs was just so mesmerizing to Kibum but he pushed the thought to the back of his mind.

“Glad we’re on the same page, Minho-shii,” Kibum replied, sarcastically. Minho sent him another devilish grin.

It was so weird. It was like Kibum just made a deal verbally to always hate Minho. It’s like they signed a peace treaty to never be peaceful, as ironic as that was. Why were things always so weird between him and Minho, this guy he hasn’t even known for a month?

“Come on Minho, let’s get back to work,” Yunwoo called to Minho, bringing both of them out of the stare down they were having without even realizing it. They both packed up their lunch boxes and left to work in the fields.

“Well, that was weird. I’ve never seen you put so much effort into hating someone before, Kibum,” Jonghyun said when they were out of earshot.

“I don’t even know hyung. The fact that he’s in the army is already enough for me to hate him but it doesn’t stop there. He gives me more and more reasons to hate him every time,” Kibum said.

“You know, I read somewhere that hate is always the beginning of really deep love,” Jonghyun stated randomly.

“What on earth are you implying, hyung?!” Kibum asked in shock. This was Minho they were talking about. A guy. Jonghyun must be out of his mind.

“What? I was just saying that I read that somewhere! You thought I meant you and Minho would be like that? That’s ridiculous Kibum. Are you insane?” Jonghyun asked him.

Kibum just shook his head at his best friend’s idiocy wordlessly.

“What?” Jonghyun asked defensively.

“Nothing, hyung. Just… nothing,” Kibum said as he stood up to go continue his work, leaving Jonghyun alone in the hut.

~~~~~

“Kibum! Run! Son, go now!” his father shouted at him. Kibum was crying. What is going on?

“Run away, son! Don’t turn back!” his father told him desperately. And Kibum did what he said.

He ran and ran. Away from the cries of pain. Away from the mocking laughter. Away from the sound of a bullet shot.

The scene around him changed. He was no longer in his old village. He was in the forest and he was lost. Kibum didn’t stop crying. He was scared. He wanted his mummy.

“Mummy! Where are you?” Kibum called out, desperately.

“Kibum?”  It was not his mother’s voice. It was a man’s voice.

Minho.

He walked out from behind a tree and towards Kibum. He wore the brightest smile Kibum has ever seen in his life. When he reached Kibum, he stretched a hand out to place on Kibum’s cheek.

“Are you lost, Kibummie? Don’t cry. I’m here now. I’m here for you,” he said, caressing Kibum’s cheek just like how his mother used to when he was a little boy. He leaned in and pecked his forehead, just like how his father used to. And then, suddenly it was dark. Kibum was all alone again. It was scary. Kibum screamed in fear.

Kibum woke up in cold sweat. He stared up at his ceiling, breathing hard. He had yet another nightmare. It was always the same. It always began with his father telling him to run and ended with him being lost in the forest. But this time, there was something new about his nightmare.

Minho had been in it.

Minho had caressed his cheek. And kissed his forehead. Why did that make Kibum feel so warm on the inside? His nightmares always ended terribly but this time, Kibum had actually felt safe although it was for only the short time that Minho was there. In fact if he closed his eyes, he was pretty sure he would see Minho’s smiling face that he has never seen in real life.

It was all strange. There was only one explanation for his dream. Minho had been some form of a manifestation of his parents in his dream. That must be why he felt so safe. Whatever it was, Kibum was sure he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep again. So he kicked off his blanket and went to do his morning chores, pushing everything about the dream to the back of his mind.

Minho and Yunwoo arrived on time like every day. Instead of reaping the paddy, Kibum had them extracting the rice inside the barn. They had reaped half his field already and now all that was left to do was to get the rice out of the grain and have it packed into sacks.

“It’s simple,” Kibum said while explaining how to get the rice out.

“You take a bunch of paddy in your hand like this-,” Kibum said, picking up a bunch of paddy using his both hands, “-and beat the hell out of it, like this,” He swung the paddy really fast and hit it on the ground that has already been spread with an old tarp. The force of his hit caused the rice to fall out from the grains onto the tarp.

“And that’s how you do it,” Kibum said, proudly.

“Really? Fascinating,” Yunwoo said, bending down to pick up the rice that fell out of the paddy in his hand.

“Yes, fascinating. I’m sure you’d enjoy the beating up part,” Kibum said.

“What makes you think that?” Minho asked curiously, looking at Kibum with those dark, black pupils of his. It brought back memories of his dream from last night.

“Well, you are in the army and it is your job to hurt people…,” Kibum said like it was the most obvious thing.

“No, our job is to protect our country and we do it with pride. It’s sad that people like you don’t appreciate our sacrifices,” Minho said.

How did they end up talking about this when just seconds ago Kibum was demonstrating how to get the rice out of the paddy?

“Appreciate? You want me to appreciate the murders you guys commit in the name of protecting our country? No thank you,”

“Those ‘murders’ are necessary so that ungrateful people like you can live in peace,” Minho said angrily. This topic must be a touchy subject for him.

“I didn’t ask for peace that came through killing. You people create a situation that calls for violence and then you say that it was necessary. I love my country, I do but if it has to kill other people to keep itself safe then don’t expect me to just stand by nodding to every sin it commits,” Kibum answered just as angrily.

“You love this country? Nonsense! You had to be forced into feeding army men that are striving for this country’s independence. I am guessing your parents did a terrible job at teaching you patriotism. And manners, too!”

Oh no, Minho did not just mention his parents. Kibum’s blood was boiling now.

“MY PARENTS DIED BEFORE THEY COULD TEACH ME ANYTHING, THANKS TO THE MILITARY! SO IF YOU’RE GOING TO BLAME ANYONE FOR MY LACK OF PATRIOTISM, BLAME YOUR OWN KIND!” Kibum spat at him.

“The army wouldn’t do something without reason. The army is at no fault,”

“Are you implying that my parents were traitors of the country?” Kibum asked in low, threatening voice.

“Maybe I am. Why? Does it make you feel like you wanna punch me?” Minho challenged Kibum.

Challenge accepted.

Kibum retracted his hand into a fist and landed the hardest blow he could manage on Minho’s face.

(A/N) Yay me for another update!! So I was busy for the past few days but I'm free again for the next two weeks. I'm going to update as much as possible in my free time because all hell is going to break loose for me after that.... (I'M GOING TO COLLEGE!!!!) 

Also, I posted another story. It's a 2min oneshot and I tried a new genre, so you guys can go check it out here if you want to... (Meaning: Go check it out! You have no choice but to!) Please don't mistake me, I am not evil guys... *snickers devilishly behind her hands*

Thank you people for reading and commenting!!

Have a good day guys!!