Somewhere between walking and running, Kibum rushed to the third floor of a big, expensive looking hospital with a worried expression occupying his features. It took him hours to arrive from Seoul and he didn’t know what could have happened during that time. Key could only hope there was nothing to worry about.

           He stepped out the elevator still breathing heavily and dashed through the long, oppressively white corridor, his eyes desperately searching someone who needed him. And they lit up with relief when he finally found him.

“Hyun!” he said out loud, not caring about the glances he received from everybody around. All that mattered to him then was Nam Jonghyun’s trodden, doubled up body that caused him a small heartache. His blind gaze towards Key, his lifeless expression, his sick pale face were all unknown for Kibum. He was used to his jokes and his smile and his laugh, but they had nothing to do with the broken man who stood up when he saw Key.

“Kibum!” he heard him mumble faintly, reaching out to the younger as if he was the only lifeline he had. Their sudden hug was too emotional, too strong to handle and it made Key back up with few steps as Hyun embraced his body desperately. With Jonghyun’s relieved sigh next to his ear, Kim Kibum never felt as necessary as he was at that instant.

“Shhh… I’m here now.” He whispered to Hyun, slowly patting his back as he heard him holding back his cries. Strangely, the younger felt his eyes tearing up just by the mere thought of seeing tears rolling down on Jonghyun’s cheeks. His heard ached as much as Hyun’s for not being able to do more than just hold him.

That moment, Kibum wanted to be the cure for all his wounds, the only one who Nam Jonghyun needed for the rest of his life.

“Thank you so much for coming, Kibumie” was the first sentence to slip from Hyun’s dried up lips when he tiredly placed his face on Key’s neck, unknowingly caressing the sensitive skin with his breath, which sent shivers to the younger. “I just… I didn’t have anyone else to call…”

“It’s okay Hyun, I got you.” Kibum said, gently running fingers through his soft, black hair. “I’m here with you now, just like you’re always next to me, too…”

“I think your mother doesn’t like me. Like, at all.” Key stated as they were having a cup of coffee in the hospital’s garden. They decided to get some fresh air since sitting and waiting in that suffocating corridor was not bearable more than an hour or two (yet Jonghyun stayed there even longer). Now, walking around outside and breathing clean oxygen without any mixes of various antiseptics, was much better.

“You’re the first male I hugged in front of her after telling them I like boys. She’s an old woman Bumie, she was probably terrified by the thought of you being so close to me. But it’s just her way of thinking, please don’t mind it that much. ” Hyun replied, playing with the small cup in his hand.  He seemed much calmer now, with the younger by his side.

“No worries, I don’t mind it at all!” Kibum said, then his eyes landed on Jonghyun’s free hand, wondering if it would be too much if he tries to hold it. “Are you feeling better? You looked like sick in there, it scares me to see you like that.”

“Why? Am I not allowed to fall weak sometimes? What am I, Superman?” Jonghyun asked, irony and self-pity written all ov