"You're pretty good at using a gun." Daehyun commented. "I don't even need to teach you anything."

"I self-learned it when I was younger." Youngjae said with a shrug. "My father owned a shooting range."

"Oh. That's cool." Daehyun smiled.

"I guess."

Youngjae continued to concentrate on the targets in front of him. He was trying his best to shoot at the very centre of the white and red rings, but the more he tried to keep still, the more his hands shook. He was so focused on his task that he didn't notice when Daehyun walked up behind him.

"Are you nervous or something?" he asked. "You're shaking a lot."

Suddenly, Youngjae felt arms around his shoulders and hands covering his own. Daehyun had wrapped himself around Youngjae to show him the proper position. The younger of the two felt his cheeks heat up, but Daehyun didn't seem to notice as he continued to adjust Youngjae's hands.

"You should have it at this angle. It's easier to aim." Daehyun told him.

"O-Okay."

Daehyun backed away then stared at him for a few seconds, observing the younger boy's flushed face. "What's wrong? Why are you stuttering?"

"No reason." Youngjae quickly said.

Suddenly, Daehyun leaned forward towards him, so close that Youngjae could feel his warm breath on his face and smell the blueberries they had eaten earlier. Youngjae's face turned as red as a tomato and he tried to turn away, but Daehyun's hands shot up and held his head in place as he continued to stare into Youngjae's eyes. Youngjae thought his head would explode from the heat his face was producing.

"Hm... You don't have a concussion... Your eyes look fine to me." Daehyun mumbled. "Why else are you stuttering then?"

Youngjae couldn't stand it anymore. He slapped Daehyun's hands away, then turned and sprinted out of the room. Daehyun stared after him, his mouth open with surprise and confusion. On his way out, Youngjae accidentally ran into Himchan and he quickly apologized before continuing on his way. Daehyun was still standing in the same position when Himchan entered.

"You do know what's going on, right?" Himchan asked.

"What do you mean?" Daehyun asked back, looking away.

"Why he's stuttering and all."

"No."

"Don't lie." Himchan said. "I know you're messing with him."

"I'm not messing with him."

"Fine. Does teasing sound better?"

"No."

"Why don't the two of you just get together already? You two have been through so much together already." Himchan said.

Daehyun sighed. "Easier said than done."

"Why do you say that?"

"I'm part of a dangerous gang." Daehyun said. "Even if he joined too, that doesn't mean he's suitable for this type of life. He still has a chance to start over, but if he develops... A connection to me, then there's no way he can step back out."

Himchan raised an eyebrow. "You've thought this through very well."

Daehyun blushed lightly. "I--"

"You don't have to explain. I'll leave the two of you alone." Himchan told him. "I won't stick my nose in where it's not wanted."

"Thanks." Daehyun said with a small smile.

"No problem. But if you do need my help, you can always ask for it."

"I will."

When Himchan left, Daehyun was left alone with his thoughts. He knew what Himchan meant. Recently, he had realized why he was so protective over the boy he had saved on the streets. It wasn't merely because he wanted to do his job from beginning to end with protecting the boy. It was because... He had started developing feelings for him. The way his cheeks puffed up when he smiled, the sparkle in his eyes when he was happy or excited. Daehyun had felt a strange wave of relief when Youngjae had said that he would stay with the gang despite being given the chance to leave. He knew that he would miss the other boy if he really did leave.

A gangster's life is usually not very long... Daehyun thought. Maybe I should say something about it to him...
 

What's wrong with me? Youngjae thought as he lied on the bed. Why is my heart pounding like this? It must be because of my run up from the basement. Yeah, that must be why.

Youngjae, being as smart as he was, knew he was lying to himself. He sighed and rolled around, not knowing what to do.

This is the first time those cheesy movies my brother made me watch comes in handy. he thought. All those girls talking about the fluttering of their stomach and heart. Mine better not be fluttering for the same reason.

Youngjae groaned when he felt his stomach somersault again when he remembered how close Daehyun had been. The way his dark eyes had shone despite the lack of light. The slight part between his lips as he looked for signs of injury.

"Flutter? More like its trying to throw out my breakfast." Youngjae mumbled into the pillow.

"What is?"

Youngjae jerked when he heard the familiar voice. He dug his face deeper into the pillow and went perfectly still. He thought that maybe he could blend in with the bed sheets that way.

A dip in the mattress told him that someone else had sat down on the bed with him. He still didn't move. More like he couldn't move, because a weight had suddenly appeared on his back.

"What a comfortable pillow. I wonder when it got here." the voice on top of him said jokingly.

"I can't breath!" Youngjae finally shouted, pushing himself off the bed and gasping for oxygen. Daehyun moved away laughing.

"Playing dead won't work around here." Daehyun told him. "Gangsters will shoot you anyway, even if you're already dead."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

Daehyun shrugged. "Just giving you a warning of how dangerous your life is going to get."

The room fell into silence after as both the boys didn't know what to talk about next. Daehyun had been cooped up inside for so long and he didn't know what normal late teens do, and Youngjae was still thinking about their close contact earlier. Daehyun seemed to notice how awkward Youngjae was and decided to speak up about it.

"About earlier... Did I scare you?" Daehyun asked.

"Um... More like... Shocked."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to shock you." the older of the two said.

"I know you didn't. You're just used it, right?" Youngjae said with a smile.

"I guess." Daehyun shrugged. "It's just..."

"Just what?"

"N-Never mind." Daehyun said quickly.

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you some other day."

"Okay..."

"Daehyunnie!" the two heard Himchan call. "Cheesecake is ready!"

Daehyun's eyes lit up at the key word and he instantly forgot what he was going to say. He took Youngjae's hand and pulled him off the bed.

"Let's go."

Youngjae smiled. Seeing him so excited over a dessert was cute. He followed Daehyun until he realized what his thoughts just told him.

"Cute?!" he yelled, startling Daehyun. The older boy looked back at him with wide eyes.

"Cute? What's cute?" he asked.

"Nothing." Youngjae said. He didn't mean to say it out loud. It just slipped before he could stop himself.

"You're weird." Daehyun smiled.

Youngjae felt his stomach flip around again. He wanted to make a smart comeback, but his mind went blank the moment his eyes met with Daehyun's.

Seriously. What is wrong with me? Even if it's... That... Shouldn't it be gradual? Why is this suddenly coming on for me? Youngjae thought, panicking. Unless it actually is a heart disease or something?

"Are you feeling okay?" Daehyun asked. The smile was gone from his eyes, and it was replaced by worry. He walked closer to Youngjae, and the younger boy backed up against the wall, wanting to put as much distance between him and Daehyun as possible.

"I'm f-fine!"

Daehyun placed his hand on Youngjae's chest where his heart is, and Youngjae felt it speed up even more. The older one wasn't looking at his face as he felt Youngjae's heartbeat.

"Your heart is beating awfully fast." Daehyun said. "Are you sure you're not sick?"

"I'm not." Youngjae told him quickly.

"If you say so." Daehyun looked at him hesitantly. "You know, you've been suddenly acting really weird these days. Really jumpy. Is something going on?"

"No." Youngjae said.

"It's getting pretty suspicious."

Youngjae tried to release the nervousness and tension in him and look at Daehyun sincerely. "If this is about me backstabbing you guys, I promise it's not." That's not a lie. At least at the moment. "I'm just... Confused."

"Confused about what?"

Youngjae felt his face heat up again. "I don't know. A lot of things."

"Like?"

"Myfeelingsforyou." Youngjae said, really quietly and fast.

"What?" Daehyun asked.

"Hm?"

"What did you say?"

"Me? I didn't say anything. Idon'tknowwhatyou'retalkingabout."