“I…I…I am… s…so…sorry, Jo…Jo…Jonghyun.”

For a short moment of time, it felt like Jonghyun’s world stopped, as a feeling of guilt rushed over him, and his heart clenched painfully in his chest from the impact; all of a sudden he felt like the worst person on Earth for forcing Key to open his mouth and speak.

The older boy nervously chewed on his lower lip, as he considered what to do. He hurried onto his legs and out on the floor where he could see Key – and where Key could see him. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, not really sure what to say to the younger boy in front of him, who was sitting in his bed and staring at him with sharp, feline eyes.

“What—what did you just say?” He ended up asking stupidly – wanting nothing more than to slap himself in the face afterwards.

Key just rolled his eyes of him, showing of his usual self, though his voice displayed a whole other side of him.

“I…I said, I…I am so…sorry…”  

Jonghyun felt his mouth fell agape as he watched Key speak. In any other occasion, he would probably have assumed that Key was stuttering because he was feeling upset, but something was wrong and Jonghyun already knew what it was; the strong tone of Key’s voice and the sharp look on his face did not match the wavering way the words left his mouth.

In fact Jonghyun already knew someone who was just like Key, and so it was a bit easier for him to realize;

Key was having a speech disorder.

“N—No, please don’t be,” Jonghyun stated stupidly, clearing his vocal chords, as his voice got stuck in his all of a sudden way to dry throat – he felt really ashamed of himself right then. “I should be the one apologizing.”

The younger boy sat still, just sitting and looking at Jonghyun for a bit. He then got up from his bed and did not hesitate to walk down the small stairway and over to Jonghyun – stopping right in front of him. His face was strangely stern and it made Jonghyun feel a bit uncomfortable, he could not know what Key possibly could be thinking on.

“W…Why should y…you be ap…apologizing?” Key questioned. He took a deep inhale and gritted his teeth a bit in annoyance – it was obvious for Jonghyun that Key was trying way to hard right now. “I…I do… not need… y…your pity.”

Jonghyun was about to open his mouth and answer the question but he did not.

Wait.

Pity?

Key thought that Jonghyun pitied him?

“I do not pity you at all, Key,” Jonghyun replied, “I am sorry, because I should not have pressured you to talk – I should have accepted that you probably had a reason for staying quiet, and I should have waited for you to be ready to talk...”

Jonghyun was kind of afraid to say something wrong. He was afraid to offend the boy in front of him and to press him too hard, into stuff he did not want to do.

The younger boy just shook his head, sighing at him. “I…I co…could at l…least have g…given you an… ex…explanation.”

Jonghyun bit into his lower lip, not quite sure what to answer. Would Key get angry if he agreed on this? After all, it was kind of unfair that Key had not told Jonghyun anything at all.

“You must have had your reason not to do so?” Jonghyun stated, yet he sounded questioning, hoping that Key would actually give him a much needed explanation, seeing that they were already standing here.    

Key nodded, he had previous been looking Jonghyun right into the eyes, but now he averted his eyes away from him. Jonghyun tilted his head, confused by the sudden action.

“I…” Key hesitated a bit, looking at Jonghyun once again and then away. “I... did n…not want to b…bother you with… m…my voi…voice,” Key tried to explain – but truly Jonghyun did not understand anything of what Key was trying to say with those words. 

“What are you talking about?” Jonghyun questioned.

Why would Key think he would be a bother to Jonghyun because of his voice?

“Y…You are a…a singer a…and y…your voice is s…so p…perfect,” Jonghyun frowned as Key continued to talk. “Com…compared to y…your voi….voice; my v…voice is terri—”

Key was cut off by Jonghyun, who suddenly had pulled Key closer and wrapped his arms around him, dragging him into a big, warm embrace. Jonghyun did not know why he was reacting like this himself – it was just the first time he saw Key looking so weak. He had always seemed so confident about himself on paper and he had always been joking and making fun of Jonghyun too. What was happening?

“I still have no idea what you are talking about, Kibum,” Jonghyun uttered. “I think your voice is amazing.”

The younger boy stayed still inside his muscular arms. “W—What?”

“You heard me, Kibum,” Jonghyun stated, pretty sure Key did hear him, judging by the reaction he got. “I really love your voice. I have always been wondering what your voice would sound like when you would be laughing in my presence – and now I finally know.” 

He was not even lying. Though Key might be feeling unsure about his voice, because of his speech disorder, Jonghyun really loved his voice – and maybe it was just because he was a singer, that he had wondered so much about what the younger’s voice sounded like. He did not know what else could have caused his curiosity.

Key facepalmed his shoulder. “Are… y…you s…serious?”

“Of course I am,” Jonghyun did not hesitate to answer. “I really do love your voice: I see no reason to pity you at all.”

“Oh…Oh my g…god, Jong—”

“Jong?” Jonghyun cut him off jokingly. “I like it.”

“S…Shut up, plea…please,” Key begged and hit his arm softly.

Jonghyun chuckled.

“What? Are you embarrassed now, because I like your voice?” Jonghyun asked, smiling, because hearing the younger like this was somehow, in some really screwed way, just really satisfying for Jonghyun.

“I…I am not,” Key answered way to rushed to be true. He looked up on Jonghyun again and pushed the older away. “W…Why a…are y…you even hug…hugging me? Get a…away from m…me.”

Jonghyun let go of him, but his smile did not disappear an inch from his face.

Key straightened his clothes and looked at Jonghyun for a moment, before turning his face away.

“So are you going to talk to me from now on?” Jonghyun asked him.

Key turned around fully and made his way towards the small staircase leading to his bed. Jonghyun tilted his head questioningly. Was Key so embarrassed, that he actually was going to ignore him now?

“Kibum?” he questioned, but he still did not receive any answer.

Key?” he tried again.

The said person made his way up the stairs and went to lie down in his bed. He buried himself under the sheets and turned off his night lamp, making Jonghyun feel all alone in the darkening room. He blinked with his eyes, and then he looked up at Key’s bed, confused. 

Key then popped his head out of his sheets and looked down on Jonghyun, as if nothing had happened. “Go…Good n…night J…Jong.”

Jonghyun smiled then, figuring that Key after all just was joking with him, as he usually would do.

“Good night Kibum,” he answered and skipped towards his bed.

“So are we fine?” Jonghyun asked as he got to lie down.

“Of c…course we a…are…”

Legende: Sorry for not updating earlier. I hope you somewhat enjoyed this chapter, though! ^^'