Jinki thought he was a goner from the moment Kibum and Minho disappeared from his vision. He was left alone at the busy street, searching frantically for his friends shop by shop, only to sigh in despair when none had  the back views of his friends. As if it's not enough, people around him were speaking in Korean, which he did not understand at all. This was Jinki's first trip ever to Korea in his twenty years of life living at America, and on top of getting lost in a foreign country at night, he left his wallet and phone with Minho who offered to keep it for him in case he lost it. Well, how ironic it was. 

The number of people on the street decreased when he turned into a path that led him into a park. Well congratulations to Lee Jinki, this choice successfully secluded him. There wasn't even a single soul. He walked cautiously into the park as he looked at the tall trees and the pond that were a few meters away from him. Something was sparkling in the pond, it aroused Jinki's curiosity, luring the lost foreigner in Korea to walk closer to the pond, until he was standing at the edge of pond. He then chuckled to himself, thinking that he was silly when the sparkling thing that caught his interest was actually the reflection of the moon in the sky. He lifted his head to take a clear look at the moon, and smiled slightly at how pretty it was. He turned and tried to trace back the route that brought him here, only to find himself more confused when every path looked the same to him.

Now, if anyone could just appear before him, he would just grab tightly to the person and never let go. 

That was, until he decided a path based on his sixth sense, only to crash into someone's chest moments after he walked on it. It was so sudden that Jinki got slightly-, no. He got such a huge shock, and then his instinct decided to tell him that this particular person was a mugger. It was weird that Jinki even believed his instinct when his instinct always failed him. So, acting on his instinct, he literally attempted to throw a punch towards the mugger's face until he found his fist was caught swiftly by the stranger, and instantly, he found his back meeting the rough ground harshly. He wished he had never chosen this path at that very moment. 

What happened to Jinki's thoughts of grabbing tightly to whoever he sees?

Jinki bit his bottom lip, feeling the sharp pain on his elbow which was bleeding. Of course, what would he have expected? Him, Lee Jinki to overturn a mugger? Everything is wrong about that sentence. He should have just ran and cared for nothing else - 

He flinched in surprise when the person suddenly squat down in front of him, and Jinki could feel himself being eyed suspiciously. All of a sudden, the stranger started to speak in Korean which gosh, he didn't understand at all. Was he trying to tell him to get all his valuables out? He had none, though. Sighing at his unluckiness, he removed his jacket which was the most valuable thing he could find on himself at that moment. 

"That's all I've got here right now," Jinki mumbled softly as he outstretched his arms to give the jacket to the mugger, only to find that the mugger was looking at him.

The mugger looked puzzled. 

Well, that puzzled Jinki even more. 

"I don't have any money with me, and - ..." The puzzled look on the mugger's face was still there. "Do you even understand what I'm talking about? English, you know?"

The mugger shook his his head as he continued staring back with a puzzle look. Seriously, Jink was just trying to explain to the mugger to why was him giving him the jacket instead of money. And it looked like Jinki was going to continue explaining until the mugger's puzzled look was gone. 

Jinki couldn't quite believe it either. He just spent five to ten minutes trying to explain his actions to the mugger in a way which he thought the mugger will understand. Bad luck though, because the puzzled look was still there. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, trying to think of any Korean words he knew that could fit into this situation. After another three minute of thinking, apparently none. The only phrase he knew in Korean was "Sarang hae yo" which didn't make the least bit of sense if he actually said that to the mugger. 

"Korean?" The mugger finally spoke in English, but Jinki could clearly know that he wasn't skilled in it. 

"I.... don't speak Korean," Jinki mumbled softly, thinking of the time when he migrated to America from Korea at the age of 1 years old. 

The mugger finally wiped the puzzled look off his face while he nodded his head. And all of a sudden the mugger smiled. He held Jinki's wrist lightly as he stood up, which Jinki took the hint and stood up too. The smile was still there, and it was Jinki's turn to have that puzzled look which the mugger had before. And before he could question anymore on the mugger's actions which he knew he wouldn't get any answers that he would understand,the mugger pulled Jinki to the direction which Jinki was walking to before knocking into him. 

-

They had been running for ten minutes, and Jinki was amazed at how he hadn't fainted when his stamina was so weak. There were more trees surrounding them, and if Jinki hadn't known, he would think that he was in the woods. The night was peaceful, just interrupted by the ruffling of the fallen leaves when they stepped on it when running, and the soft pants coming from Jinki and the stranger. And Jinki couldn't miss it after the next five minutes, the tall structure that was before him. Jinki could tell that it was old, but there's a touch of antique beauty to it. It was a church. 

His wrist was released by the stranger, and the place they were in was completely dark until the candles were lit up. And that's when Jinki could really have a clear look at the stranger's face. He had handsome features and a really nice smile, that was what Jinki noted until the stranger suddenly stood before him and shook his hand.

"Jong-hyun, Jonghyun."

Jinki wasn't stupid to not understand that. It was the mug- no, something told Jinki that he misunderstood the other all along.

He smiled at the person that just introduced himself, well at least after learning his name, the distance between them didn't seem to be that wide anymore. 

"Jinki."

By this, was it enough to say that they were friends?

-

Jinki looked around the church when Jonghyun went to search for something at the corner. There were cobwebs all around, but there was this particular bench which was free of all the dust and cobwebs. Jinki could probably assume that he was at an abandoned church, and that bench must have been Jonghyun's favorite spot. Not too far stretched, right? Jinki smiled to himself until he heard a noise behind him, and saw Jonghyun rolling out a clean blue checkered mat onto the dusty long red carpet at the middle of the church. Jinki looked at the clean mat, and blinked in surprise when Jonghyun suddenly lay down, his back comfortably on the mat. 

"Eh?" 

It was time to use common languages now. Jonghyun could at least understand "eh", "ah", "oh", right?

Jonghyun let out an amused look before laughing as he patted the empty space on the blue mat beside him. Jinki laughed, too, as if understanding what was there to laugh about before lying down beside Jonghyun, on the blue mat nervously. It was then he looked at the top of the church, his eyes widening in awe. Spaces through the poorly fixed rooftop, he could see really beautiful stars. Stars were painted across the dark sky, sparkling gorgeously. It left Jinki breathless for a moment before he turned to look at Jonghyun, who was smiling proudly at this discovery. 

Jonghyun started to speak, after that. He had small hand motions, and knew Jinki couldn't understand him. He continued talking though, and Jinki didn't feel that frustrated as before, surprisingly. And as time passed, Jonghyun's smile started to fade, Jinki could sense the serious tone that was in Jonghyun's words as he spoke. Jinki just looked at Jonghyun as he spoke, and Jinki could just feel the huge burdens Jonghyun was carrying. And that was when Jinki started to understand why Jonghyun was telling him so much even though Jinki did not understand at all, even if they just met moments ago.

For Jinki, who did not understand a single word that Jonghyun said, was probably the best listener Jonghyun could ever get to listen to his heavy burdens.

So for the next thirty minutes, Jinki spent it by lying on the blue mat, looking at Jonghyun's face as he listened to what he couldn't understand. 

Jinki just stared. 

-

Jinki stole some quick glances at Jonghyun as they walked side by side to where, Jinki assumed was the entrance of the park. And when their eyes accidentally met, both of them smile awkwardly while turning away. When it was the sixth time, Jinki decided that he would just stop looking towards Jonghyun's direction. It was far more awkward when compared to the first time their eyes met. But after five to ten minutes, Jinki, who had clearly forgotten about his decision, decided to take another quick glance at Jonghyun, and their eyes met again for the seventh time. And this time, something was different. Instead of smiling, Jonghyun started laughing as he ruffled Jinki's hair lightly. And it didn't seem that awkward anymore later on, when their eyes met again. They just smiled.

When Jonghyun's steps stopped, Jinki who had been staring at the worn out sneakers Jonghyun was wearing, lifted his head and noticed that they had already reached the entrance.

Perhaps this was goodbye for the both of them...? He could see Jonghyun smiling as he waved. Jinki waved back gently, taking the chance to look at Jonghyun's face who he had just met. He doubt he would ever forget how Jonghyun smiled when they were watching the stars, and how soothing his voice was when he spoke. As he turned to leave for home, something struck his mind.

"Jonghyun!" 

Jinki immediately turned and called out his name, and ran towards the newly-met friend. Jonghyun gave a slight smile as he waited for what Jinki was going to say. He looked like he was anticipating it, since Jinki hadn't spoken much for the time they had spent together.

"...." 

It was then Jinki realized he did not know how to say phone in Korean. He at least, needed someone's phone to call Kibum or Minho. He needed to get to Kibum's home, urgently. It was late, Jinki could tell. It was then Jinki tried to use hand motions to show how a phone look like, and thank goodness Jonghyun knew what was he trying to say.

Jinki took the phone, cautiously as he did not want to drop it like he always did to his phone and smiled thankfully to Jonghyun as he dialed Kibum's number. As he waited for Kibum to answer, he looked at Jonghyun who was leaning on the streetlight, waiting.

"Hello?" It was Minho's deep voice that Jinki would never mistook it for other.

Jinki felt so relieved when he heard Minho's voice over the phone. Before he could ask Minho what Key was doing to have Minho answer the call, he could hear the sound of Kibum cursing at how all the traffic lights seemed to turn red when it's his turn, complaining how the car was going so slow, threatening to kill anyone that kidnapped Lee Jinki, and worrying if Jinki was starving or suffering outside in the cold. He said all of them so quickly that if people hadn't known, would assume that he was rapping.

"Minho ah, you can ask Kibum to put a rest to his rapping now." Jinki laughed as he heard how fast Minho told Kibum that it was him on the phone line, and after much sharp screeching noises, he heard Kibum's loud voice, screaming at him.

"Lee Jinki, I will only give you one minute to tell me where the hell you are at right now, the reason why you got lost despite me constantly telling you to not disappear from my circle of vision, and lastly why it took you so long to call me!" 

Jinki pulled the phone away from where his poor suffering right ear was, and smiled guiltily at how worried Kibum was due to him. 

"W-Wait, Kibum, I'm at a park now-"

"Do you think Korea only has one damn park?" 

Jinki scratched the back of his neck as he looked around to see signboards that he couldn't read, and turned to face Jonghyun as he heard Kibum telling Minho to list all the parks in Korea out. He smiled awkwardly as he walked towards Jonghyun, hearing Minho's soft protests as he did so. 

Jinki should just sign up a lesson on body languages, that would help greatly. Jinki tried to ask Jonghyun where was he through his hands again, and the smile on Jonghyun's face made him know that it worked. As Jinki was smiling about how awesome body languages were at that moment, he could hear Minho mumbling name of parks over the phone. 

Seriously, Minho.

"Lucifer." Jonghyun said it in English, and Jinki smiled at the accent.

Due to his huge lack of knowledge in Korea, he could only bow to Jonghyun thankfully as he returned to his phone call. 

"Are you seriously intending to list all the parks out in Korea?" Jinki smiled as he turned to look at Jonghyun once again. "I'm at Lucifer, the park's name is Lucifer."

-

After much constant warning from Kibum to stay still at the entrance and wait for him to fetch him, the phone call finally ended without Jinki telling the reason as to why he got lost, and why it took him so long to call Kibum. He guessed he would have to, after getting into the car. He turned and realized Jonghyun was just standing beside him. By Jonghyun's amused look, Jinki could just conclude that Jonghyun must have heard Kibum's long-winded rapping of telling him to stay still. 

"Stay still, I said. Stay still stay still stay still and don't you move!" 

Jinki laughed, remembering how Kibum managed to repeat that three times, and handed the phone back to Jonghyun. 

"Thanks, - ah," Jinki started to think of what was thanks again in Korean until he felt his hair ruffled gently like before, and looked up to see Jonghyun grinning at him. 

"No problem," Jonghyun said in an accent which Jinki thought was cute. Why didn't Minho and Key have that accent when they spoke to him?

Jonghyun ruffled Jinki's hair one last time before looking at the time. By Jonghyun's surprised look, Jinki guessed it was too late for Jonghyun to stay anymore. Jonghyun scratched the back of his neck, looking sorry as he mumbled some words that Jinki could not understand before leaving hurriedly as he waved Jinki goodbye once again. Jinki guessed Jonghyun was apologizing to him for not being able to stay any longer. Jinki could only smile with this unknown feeling in his heart as he watched Jonghyun's back view slowly disappearing into the dark.

Jinki spent the next ten minutes waiting for Kibum thinking of what happened earlier. 

He thought of how he mistook Jonghyun for a mugger like an idiot, and even attempted to punch him. Luckily he didn't succeed, though. He wouldn't want to hurt Jonghyun because of his stupidity. He thought of how firm Jonghyun's grip was when he held his wrist, and how nervous he was when he lay beside Jonghyun on the blue mat. There was so much more to think about. About how beautiful the view of stars were, how Jonghyun's smile was, how he started to tell Jinki about his burdens, how gentle he was when ruffling his hair, how he laughed when their eyes met for the seventh time -

He could think of much more, if not for Kibum's sudden hug.

"K-Kibum...!" Jinki broke into a bright smile when Kibum looked up with a worried yet deadly glare.

"How did you even manage to get to this place? Do you even know how far this place is from the spot where you got lost? Anyway, why did you just disappear and did you know that shocked me? I thought you got kidnapped or something, seriously! Lee Jinki, bring a map next time when you go out! And don't you ever dare to get lost again! That's an order, you hear that!?"

Kibum poked Jinki's forehead thrice after he finished his rap, staring at Jinki with a solemn look.

Both Jinki and Kibum stared at each other for a long while before laughing, and Jinki managed to apologize to Kibum through all that laughter while he saw Minho smiling as he sat in the red convertible, watching them.

"... Let's go home," Kibum pulled Jinki towards the red convertible, only to find Jinki was standing still, not moving. Key raised an eyebrow at that, and questioned worriedly. "What? Did your legs got paralyzed or something?"

Jinki shook his head as he scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed.

"I'm hungry..."

-

Jinki watched hungrily as Minho shifted the fried chicken to the clean plate from the box carefully. He was so hungry that he could feel his stomach touching his back, not literally, though. He could feel drum rolls in his stomach as he watched Minho. He was just so hungry to the extent that he could finish twenty pieces of chicken. 

"Lee Jinki, you are really hungry." Kibum muttered as he pressed the buttons on his phone at a rapid speed. 

Jinki nodded so sincerely that it made Kibum laughed. 

All of them in a house, laughing happily and eating together really reminded him of high school life, when they were all living together in dorms. They became best friends very quickly, their personalities differ a lot, but that's why opposites attract.. Who knows? It was a pity when midway through college, Minho, who was having a part-time job as a model became a huge hit, and went over to Korea to pursue his career further. And as if being upset that one of his best friend migrated to Korea wasn't enough, Kibum coincidentally, had to migrate to Korea straight after graduating from college, when his mother remarried. Both of the separations were full of tears and endless hugs, Jinki could remember that clearly. And maybe it was the work of destiny, the final year of Jinki's university life, he was posted to Korea for a project which would last for one year. Who was Jinki to reject it when both of his best friends were there?

His nostalgic thoughts came to an end when a plate of fried chicken was rested before the hungry him.

"Ah, it's nice to see my girlfriends again~" Jinki squealed in happiness as he began his favorite meal, full of chickens. 

Minho laughed at how fast Jinki was eating the fried chickens while Key stared worriedly, nagging Jinki to go slower or he would choke, and also wondering if Jinki had suffered a lot after getting lost. 

It was always nice to be together as three. 

-

"... Minho's asleep," Kibum complained as he exited the bedroom, walking to the kitchen, where Jinki was doing the dishes. "Jinki ah, you don't have to do these."

Jinki shook his head as he smiled, washing the plate he was using earlier carefully. It was the least he could do to help Kibum, since he threatened to skin him alive if Jinki ever handed him the rent for staying in his house. "It's my first plate of chicken after a week in Korea, Kibum!" Jinki chirped happily as he rested the cleaned plate aside. Jinki could only chuckle happily at how Kibum sighed at him being a chicken maniac. 

"Kibum ah, are all fried chickens in Korea this nice?" Jinki smiled cheerfully as Kibum handed him a glass of water. "Thanks, by the way."

Kibum shrugged, "I'm not sure. But Minho sure loves this outlet's fried chickens. Looks like he successfully dragged you into his side." Kibum wouldn't know anyway, since he didn't love fried food that much at the first place. He took the box that contained the fried chickens before out of the plastic bag and threw it onto the counter. "This outlet."

Jinki drank the glass of water as he took the box up, and his eyes widened when he saw what was printed on the cover.

"T-This...!" Jinki coughed harshly when he was choking on the water, surprising Kibum.

"Jinki, you alright?" Kibum took the box away and patted Jinki's back worriedly. 

The poor choking person could only shake his head as he stumbled over his own feet recklessly as he went to take the box back, hitting his already injured elbowed onto the counter, earning a painful groan. "This person...!"

"This person? He's very popular lately, and girls all love him to bits. Nothing interesting to me though, he's like all over Korea. And Lee Jinki, don't tell me you didn't see his posters. What's with the big surprise over a person's picture being printed on the cover? You didn't expect a real chicken to become the spokesperson for this outlet, right?" Kibum sighed as he checked Jinki's wound. 

But it wasn't the problem.

The problem was, 

-

-

-

-

"Jong-hyun, Jonghyun."

It was the person that Jinki thought he wouldn't be able to forget in his life.