|| Jonghyun's POV ||

"! I can't believe I'm late for school AGAIN!" I shouted as I skipped steps and ran down the stairs while I put on my sweater. "I'm skipping breakfast!" I shouted towards the kitchen where my adoptive mother was. . . . I cursed in my mind.

I was running down the oh-too-familiar walkway when I caught a glimpse of blonde hair. I looked to my right and stopped dead in my tracks, forgetting the fact that I was almost an hour late for my first class and that I have to find a way to get in the school since the gates should have been closed by now. I panted and stared at Key as he strolled leisurely along the side-path while looking at his feet. Suddenly, I thought of an idea.

I jogged a little down the walk way so Key and I were beside each other but separated by the road. I walked at the same pace as him and jumped at random times to catch his attention. Then, he stopped walking. I widened my eyes and turned to the front and pretended to mind my own business. I glanced to my right and see him chuckling and shaking his head at my direction. He then looked at me and signaled for me to cross the road to where he was.

I smiled and looked around for cars before dashing across it. When I reached the other side of the road, Key was staring at me with his arms crossed. "What were you doing?" He asked as he pretended to be angry. "I was jay-walking, Appa." I said plainly. Then, we burst out in laughter. It's strange. How I'm joking with a guy I barely knew and yet feel so comfortable. It just feels right.

He started walking down the side walk and I followed beside him. "Though we've met for quite few times, I still don't know what's your name." He suddenly said. Oh, right!

"My name is Jonghyun. Kim Jonghyun." I replied.

Then, he froze in his steps. I turned to look at him with my head tilted. He looked at me and just shook his head. "I'm sorry, I just remembered something." He mumbled.

|| Key's POV ||

Kim Jonghyun... I stopped walking for a moment as a million thoughts invaded my mind. I snapped out of my daze when I remembered Jonghyun was still there. "I'm sorry... I just remembered something," I mumbled out a lie.

I continued the walk with Jonghyun but mostly I was zoning out. I sighed. I glanced at my watch and gasped. "What? You only realised how late we are?" Jonghyun muttered beside me with a smirk. I looked at him with a frown. "But it's my first day of school!" I whined a little. Jonghyun chuckled and puffed out his cheeks in thought.

Cute.

"Then why didn't you go to school in your car today?"

"My parents told me to walk to school because they thought I got into a fight on my first day of school." I muttered as I touched the bandage on my head.

"Why don't you explain to them?" He asked again. After hearing that question, I slowed my pace and smiled sadly. "I did, but they won't believe me." I mumbled.

Jonghyun stared at my face for awhile before grinning. "Well since we're late anyway, let's skip."

I looked at him in surprise. "But today is my first day, is it really okay?" I asked.

"The teachers don't take attendance anyway. Come on, let's go!" Jonghyun shouted and took my hand. Both of us started running down the side path, laughing and giggling while we got odd stares from strangers.

His hand is really... warm.  It's pretty big too but... nonetheless, it also feels really familiar. I thought as I tightened my hold on his hands as we increased our speed.

For the first time, I felt happy. Really happy. And strangely, this feeling was familiar too.

Suddenly, I felt a intense pain in my head and everything turned dark.

Pain. That was the only thing I felt.

I opened my eyes and closed them immediately when smoke stung them.

I opened my eyes once again and forced them to stay open as I tried to look through the thick smoke. I saw a boy. His eyes were closed and blood was rolling down his forehead from the side. Someone was dragging him away.

For some reason, I reached out my hands.

"Hyung!" I heard a voice. "H-Hyung!" It sounds... I-Is... Is it my voice?

There were fire everywhere. My hands were trembling and that was when I noticed how small my hands were. They were so much smaller. "N-No!" It's that voice again.

I couldn't control my body. I was furiously trying to crawl forward but my leg was stuck.

"Don't t-take hyung away!" Tears were streaming down my face like a river.

I... I felt betrayed. There was an intense aching in my heart and I was sobbing. The boy in front of me was soon dragged away and out of sight.

My hand dropped on the ground and I was beginning to feel dizzy. "Y-You said you'll p-protect me...

... Jonghyun hyung."