Minhyun's day wasn't off to the greatest of starts. He'd woken up later than usual and had taken the quickest - and coldest since the warm water had once again been out - shower before running out of his one bedroom appartment to catch his bus; almost knocking over a mother with a strolley when he turned a corner. Then, as he got off the bus, he stepped into dog poop. Despite that, he had a calm expression on his pretty face - or so everyone back in his hometown told him so, he never really paid attention - as he hurried down  the busy streets of Seoul to his destination. Ignoring the people that shot him dirty looks because of his smelly, -stained shoes Hwang Minhyun wasn't the type to let it show, though that's simply the kind of person he was. He had learned that showing any type of weakness was bad for him. That didn't stop him from feeling utterly annoyed by the whole situation.

He mentally scolded himself for forgetting to put a pack of tissue inside his bag and an umbrella for that matter - the grey clouds that hung over his head seemed to be about to burst anytime now.

Aish, now isn't the time to get to the studio looking like a wet dog, he thought as he quickened his pace. Actually, it was never really the time since they were constantly getting judged for their overall looks by the Pledis team of coaches. Being a trainee meant that you were judged all the time and while it was hard to get used to at first - Minhyun thought he was doing a pretty good job. He knew how to take care of himself and up until he moved to Seoul, he basically raised his two younger siblings by himself; their mother being too busy crawling around the appartment in various states of drunkeness to remember how many kids she had.

Today was more important than others, though. He could feel the familliar feeling of excitement in his guts. All the Pledis boys knew that a rumor was going around that the label was planning to debut their first boyband, but they hadn't decided the members yet. It wasn't like they didn't have much to pick from - the boys trainees were separated into two groups of twenty. Minhyun had recieved a call two days ago that an emergency meeting reuniting the two groups would be taking place today. He kept repeating himself that they were better trainees than him - especially in the other group - and that he might not get chosen. Minhyun was down to earth after all.

As he reached his destination, he couldn't help but think no one would ever think this place holds a recording and a dance studio. The Pledis agency wasn't the type to flaunt itself and the tall four stories building was as plain as could be, the only indication was a marble sign on the side of the door.

Minhyun briefly remembered how he had stood there two years ago for almost half an hour, pondering weither or not to push the glass door and try it out. All lot of things had changed after that. He entered the familiar lobby, pictures of Son Dambi and After School were plastered all over the walls, holding gold records and shining bright accomplished smiles. The teenager couldn't help but think that someday he might end up right up there with them.

He quickly walked past the secretary who was too busy with her paperwork to see him and headed towards where he hoped remembered the bathroom was. He wouldn't dare try to use the ones on the second floor since all of his hyungs were there and would jump at the opportunity to laugh at Mr. Perfect - a nickname Minhyun loathed. He simply thought of himself as a hard worker while most of his comrades weren't.

He finally managed to find his way but ended up in the back of the building. He wondered briefly if anyone ever used it since it was completely empty as he entered the boy's room. It was dimly lit and reminded him of a space ship with its stainsteel and round mirrors. He quickly cleaned his shoe with tissue while gagging and cursing the whole way through because it smelled like...well crap. Just as he was about to dry his hands off with a paper towel - the door slammed open.

Minhyun barely saw a boy with two-toned hair disappear in one of the stall - not even bothering to close the door - and empty the content of his stomach in the toilet bowl. Minhyun thought that maybe he had eaten something funny but as the boy kept dry-heaving between sobs - he figured something was seriously wrong with him.

" Um..."  Munhyun cleared his throat as he approached him, " Are you okay?"

Real smooth, Minhyun. He mentally scolded himself. He's obviously not.

The boy ignored him, his back still turned to him shile his hands clutched the toilet bowl and his knuckles were turning white. He had trouble catching his breath and Minhyun thought he would choke on his own lungs.

He was having a full-blown panic attack.

Minhyun didn't know how to deal with panic attacks.

" I-I'll go get someone to help! I'll be right ba-" He was about to turn around and walk out of the bathroom when the other boy's hand had shot out to grab his wrist with such force that Minhyun almost yelped in pain. As he turned back to him to tell him to let go - he stopped in his tracks.

The boy couldn't have been much older than him. His pink and black hair was hanging over one of his eyes and short enough to accentuate his strong jawline. His clothing and haircut made him looked like he belonged in a boyband. His face was almost white and some tears where still left unwiped on his cheeks. What captured Minhyun's attention the most though, were his eyes - dark almost black and looking straight at his with a pleading expression.

Minhyun thought he was a little sick in the head to think a person could look so beautiful in such a state - let alone a boy.

He almost didn't notice that said boy was trying to form words in between sobs and dry-heaves.

" D-dont....I'll be fine.... Just... Don't go..."

Minhyun ignored the blush that came to his cheek as he kneeled down beside him. Big brother mode taking over as he opened his messenger bag to pull out a brown paper bag - his lunch for the day. Then, He flipped it upside down to empty it's content - chopsticks and yesterday's leftovers fell on the tiles with a small noise.

Minhyun wasn't sure what he was trying to do; he had seen the mother of a child who used to live two doors from him do it to her daughter once when she was having an ashtma attack and that was pretty much his only experience in dealing with those things - he simply hoped the principle was similar.

" Hey... What's your name?" He asked softly as he tried to get the boy who was back to dry-heaving to look at him.

" Jong-....Jonghyun..." he looked like he was ready to pass out.

" Alright, Jonghyun-ah..." He repeated his name, something he learned when he used to calm the crying children in his appartment complex. " I know this will sound extremely cliché, but I want you to inhale and exhale into this as slowly as you can. It'll help, I swear."

Minhyun suddenly remembered his own brother and sister as he felt the same urge to help Jonghyun as he did with them back in Busan; His brother used to run up to him with a scraped knee and Minhyun would simply smile gently and clean it for him, reminding him to be more cautious. He pushed those painful memories away and handed Jonghyun the bag. Then, He watched as Jonghyun did exactly what he was told while he rubbed circles onto his back; hoping this would help soothe him. Or maybe he just felt urge to reach out and touch him, he wasn't sure.

They stayed like this for almost ten minutes - Minhyun counted them, he had no idea why - as Jonghyun's breath slowly returned to normal. Minhyun thanked every God he could think of that the boy beside him didn't die from lack of oxygen - something that wouldn't really look good on a resume. His mind was also swirling with questions about the boy he had just met; Why was he dressed like that? Did something terrible happen to him? Why didn't he let him call for help?

A few minutes later, as Jonghyun was washing his hands and trying to fix his make up and hair, Minhyun stood awkwardly behind him. Not exactly sure if voicing his thoughts was the best of ideas. Their eyes met through the reflection in the glass and both boys looked away quickly; the silence in the room almost asphyxiating.

" Don't you have somewhere you need to be? " Jonghyun's voice was the first to break the silence. Minhyun was expecting an apology and maybe some kind of gratitude - not those words and icy tone.

"Ah! Uh... " Crap. He had completely forgotten the meeting. " I should get going. "

Jonghyun's back was still turned to him when he bolted out the door.

---

So? Did I do good? Are you interested? I have a few chapters written up but I'm not posting them yet. I'm cruel like that.