Thunder roared in the distance as the rain drummed on the roof of the bus stop. Guitar case in one hand and nothing but a dead cellphone in the other as you wait shrouded in the darkness of the night. Two pinpoints of light appear seemingly out of nowhere as the bus pulls up, its doors opening silently, beckoning for you to board.

You cross the gap between the sidewalk and the bus. The raindrops hammering on your head greedily as you leave the safety of the bus stop.

You search for a seat that could accommodate both you and your guitar, finding one beside a blond boy who seemed to be sleeping with his head resting on the windows of the bus. Nobody seems to see you as you pass them. Their faces portraying the same grim resigned expression as they clutch their suitcases with clenched fists.

Not a sound was made as you sat down beside the blond, neither a word of greeting or acknowledgement exchanged.

You notice the silent tears that roll down his cheeks; something you did not notice before.

Nobody on the bus showed any interest, so neither did you. It was probably a reoccurring event anyways.

~

The bus pulls up at another stop, its silent doors opening, welcoming the person waiting on the other side.

“Kibum”

A word, a name, it seemed out of place in the otherwise silent bus.

A boy stood there, clad in nothing but an undershirt and shorts –casual sleep wear, one would say. With slightly damp brown hair and an empty drug store canister held in one hand, he stood there with eyes trained on the blond boy.

“Jonghyun”

The whispered name cracked the silence like the lightning that split the skies right over their heads.

No more words were exchanged as the blond shakily stood up on weak knees. His crumpled hospital gown crinkled as he threw himself into the arms of the other boy. His arms sandwiched in between his and the brunet’s chest. Something was missing there.

Sobs shook his shoulders as he let his tears free fall like the rain outside before they were quickly gathered into the other’s shoulder.

Not letting go of the blond, Jonghyun sat down in the vacant spot beside a girl with a guitar case.

Gently he hooked his arm under the other’s legs and pulled him up so he was sitting cradled in the brunet’s arms on his lap. The blond buried his face into the other’s shirt, pressing his ear against the other’s chest.  Nothing.

 His sobs slowly dissipated as the brunet continued to whisper soft words into Kibum’s ear before migrating to press his forehead against the snowy white skin of the other’s.

All was silent once again as they stared into each other’s eyes. Wide feline eyes with a layer of moisture on them, threatening to spill over, met large dark brown puppy eyes. There was a silent relay of thoughts and worries.

Jonghyun closed his eyes and leant forward. Gently laying his lips on the other’s, letting them slide and lock into place. Kissing as light and as slow as possible, like as if he was handling a beautiful flower where even the most delicate touch might lead to the falling of a petal.

Kibum keeps his eyes closed a second later after they part, holding onto the receding warmth and feeling of the other’s lips for as long as he was able to.

A small smile flittered onto Jonghyun’s face as he watched his lover’s eyes slowly open. His gaze rests on the scar underneath the blond’s eye.

Retracting his arm from under Kibum’s legs, Jonghyun took a finger and traced it lightly before letting them curl themselves around Kibum’s jaw.

“You’re perfect you know”

A small resigned smile.

“If I was perfect we wouldn’t be here” The words weren’t meant to be heard by the other, it was only a passing thought that slipped out from in between the seams of his parted lips.

“Kibum” His voice was stern this time, “You couldn’t control what happened, this had almost nothing to do with you”

And yet it had everything to do with me, Kibum thought. Why he was here, why Jonghyun was here with him; it was all because of him.

“But you could’ve controlled what happened to you” He said weakly, although he already knew where this was going.

“Kibum look at me” The soft hands on his jaw gently pulled his face up until they were talking eye to eye again. The other’s breathe gently fanning over his nose and cheeks. “I couldn’t control anything Kibum. You think I would just let you leave like that?”

“I-I know you couldn’t, I just…thank you” The last two words were whispered, lingering in the air between their faces.

“I, I” The blond took a deep breath trying to stabilize his voice, “I, I don’t want to leave”

His voice, already fragile, broke on the last word. As new tears retraced the tracks left by old ones on his cheeks.

With nothing but a sigh Jonghyun held the blond close to his chest, muffling his sniffles.

“I know, I know” he crooned, one hand continuously on his back; up and down, up and down.

Jonghyun eyed the guitar case by the girl on the bus seat beside him. His eyes met theirs; silently pleading.

Smiling slightly, the girl nudged the guitar so it was resting on his leg. She didn’t need it, not where she were going anyways.

A thankful smile graced his face as he reached down to unlatch the case. The metallic clicking sounds snapping at the silence.

One hand gripped the neck as the other draped over the body. Kibum, sandwiched in between the instrument and Jonghyun, gazed up curiously at the other, silent tears still cascading slowly down his cheeks.

Three chords rung out in the silent bus, the roaring of the thunder becoming just a silent growl.

“Can you hear me? Baby, can you see?”

The words left his mouth like a question; bending and arching, cutting through the air of the bus like a thin blade.

Kibum closed his eyes and rest his head on the other’s chest, loosing himself into the music around him.

“Baby don’t cry, I’m beside you”

A miniscule sigh left Kibum’s lips.

“Can you hear my voice, Baby my love, love, love”

“So you can try dry up your tears”

“You are not alone anymore”

“You’re not alone, alone, alone”

Taking a deep breath Jonghyun started again, his clear voice the only solid thing in the bus.

“Baby don’t cry; I’m beside you”

“Can you hear my voice, Baby my love, love, love”

“So you can try dry up your tears”

“You are not alone anymore”

“I’m with you”

His last words rang out in the bus for a few seconds before dissipating, the silence now louder than ever.

“Baby”

Kibum looked up at Jonghyun.

“It’s the light”

Kibum raises his hand to shield his eyes from the bright light that loomed before them.

“We’re here” He said, smiling at the other as the bus ascended into the clouds.