[LEVEL 6: THE VOID]

Jonghyun and Key were left alone in the dorm since Onew was in his own class's field trip and for some reason, Taemin and Minho decided to go somewhere to hang out.

"Hangout? Psh. They're probably dating." Jonghyun spun his chopsticks around the bowl, playing with the leftover rice grains from his dinner.

"Why are you being so grumpy, huh? You're jealous, aren't you?" Key asked him teasingly, while he got the bowl Jonghyun was fiddling with and placed it in the sink for washing.

"No." Jonghyun answered, almost too quickly.

Key scoffed at the other's reaction and said, "You're just jealous that your dongsaengs have a blossoming love life, meanwhile you have none. And no, don't tell me your girls are your love life because those are not considered real relationships, you flirt." Key continued while washing the dishes from dinner.

"Ouch. That was harsh," Jonghyun placed his hand over his chest and acted out as if someone shot him."But look, I'm not alone, Mr. Sass also doesn't have a love life!" 

Jonghyun poked Key's waist and the fox immediately retreated.

"Yah! You know I hate it when people poke me there!" Key shot Jonghyun a glare before going back to the dishes.

"And so what? Being single is fun! No partners to worry about, no commitments to promise to, and no money to spend on presents!" Key shot Jonghyun a pensive look of obnoxiousness.

"Look. Whatever you say Key. I mean you're the one who started this, so I'm just going to stop." Jonghyun sighed and slowly got up from his seat.

"Anyways, isn't it a little humid today?" Key asked, drying the dishes an trying not to notice the sudden change in the puppy's mood

"What do you mean by little? I've been sweating and feeling so sticky since morning!" Jonghyun leaned against the refrigerator.

"I'm going to go to my room now and turn the goddamn aircon on. I can't bear with this humidity anymore." Jonghyun exclaimed a little grumpily. Well, it wasn't his fault that he was feeling a little grouchy. Key just kind of got to his nerves with his response earlier. He felt a bit disappointed that Key wasn't willing to be in a relationship.
 

And to think that I was kind of planning to ask him out. Psh. Jonghyun closed the door to his room, turned the aircon on and laid on his bed.

He drifted off to sleep with the dorm's silence and thoughts of whether to ask Key out or not, but after a few hours of sleeping, he later on woke up to the sound of thunder shaking the whole house.

"Ah!" He heard a squeal from the other room that made him jolt up from his bed and head off into the next room. He've never sprang out of bed that fast before, but knowing that it was possibly only Key who yelled late at night made it possible for him to do so.

He opened the door to Key's, only to see a very poorly lit room and a curled up Kibum in the corner of the room.

Is that Kibum? Jonghyun had to ask himself first, before really believing that the scared boy was the diva and brave Key.

"Are you alright, Kibum?" Jonghyun's voice echoed in the room, before it was followed by a strong thunder that made the other boy squirm in fear once again.

"J-Jjong?" Key's whimper was barely hearable from the other side of the room wherein Jonghyun was standing. Upon hearing the boy's small voice, he scurried towards the the figure leaning against the wall.

"Hey. It's just thunder. What's wrong?" Jonghyun put his arms around Key's shoulders. Key just shook his head as a response.

"C'mon, let's get you to bed... You wouldn't want to fall asleep in the corner, would you?" Jonghyun lifted the other towards the bed and fortunately, Key wasn't frightened enough to not move.

"Wait a minute. I'll get you something warm to drink." Jonghyun left the room as soon as he settled Key in his bed. He heated a mug of water and mixed in the hot chocolate powder.

As he opened the door, the first thing he saw was the silhouette of Key tightly hugging his knees to his chest formed from the soft moonlight entering the dark room. Jonghyun decided to sit down beside Key and the lamp beside the bed.

"Here's your hot chocolate." He handed Key the mug after the boy raised his head when he felt Jonghyun's weight on the bed.

"Are you fine now?" Jonghyun asked before another thunder clap shook the room making the fox wince but still nod slightly.

"I'll go to my room already, okay?" Jonghyun got up from the bed and started to walk towards the door when a soft hand stopped him.

"Please stay." Key's eyes were set downcast and his toes fidgeted with nervousness, fear and embarrassment mixed altogether.

Jonghyun was in awe with the scene before his eyes.
 

He's asking me to stay? Jonghyun lightly gasped. Key was a very surprising being. Not only did he shock the puppy with this different side of him being scared of thunder and all, but also because of his adorable appearance. Key's hair was puffy and all over the the place, unlike the usual primped and neat up-do he had; also, it was slightly covering his eyes which made the sight even cuter. He was standing in front of Jonghyun, wearing a lose shirt and pink boxers, and was looking very nervous. Key was a fox; a cute fox, indeed.

It took almost a full minute before Jonghyun was brought back to his senses. Kibum's adorableness was just too much to take in.

I really need to ask this cutie out, or else that Hyeongseop might get him first. Jonghyun nodded while thinking.

"Thank you." Key's soft voice reached Jonghyun's ears, making him realize that the boy was waiting for an answer and that his nodding was taken as a yes.

Another thunder clap boomed and made Key wince and slightly shake, but he still gently dragged Jonghyun to his bed and patted a spot beside him after he settled down. Jonghyun obliged to the fox's order and sat near Key, their skin touching. They remained silent throughout the night. It wasn't awkward silence that filled the room, but a more comfortable and intimate one. Somehow, it's like the atmosphere between them had changed. It was no longer the competitive and tension-filled one.

They both were silently admitting to themselves that they were comfortable around each other. They didn't feel the urge to compete against each other anymore, because it was senseless. The game was going to become void eventually, so why bother continuing it? The parties didn't know if the other was going to agree to making the game void so they were doubtful.

Now, the question was who would raise the white flag first? Who would admit defeat and confess?

Level 6: The Void, fully accomplished.

You guys must hate me a lot ;_; I am so sorry for being late once again... We had no internet connection since Monday afternoon and on top of that this chapter is a little shorter than my usual (okay not a little; it's a thousand words shorter) I am so sorry :( I must be one of the most awful authors yet. I hope this chap is okay though, because I tried to make it fluffy this time. (and I think I obviously failed) Thank you for the amazing support! I love you guys~