Of Restlessness and Decisions

Let Me Keep You

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Of Restlessness and Decisions

His consciousness prickled with vague awareness as pinpricks of dull blue light beamed in his face, the source of it coming from his studious alarm clock guarding his nightstand. He made a low grunting sound in the back of his throat and squeezed his eyes shut again, poking his nose in the untidy mop of raven hair that was tucked under his chin. It was then he released a content sigh, relishing the blended scent of nature and fruity sweetness; it was intoxicating, and that exquisite scent belonged to only one person in his life.

With slow precision, Jongin reopened his groggy mocha eyes, his blurry vision taking a few moments to refocus as he roused himself up, propping his upper body up on his elbow to better survey his surroundings. His bedroom was doused in a layer of gray shadows faintly illuminated by the glare of the alarm clock. The doors of the restroom, closet, and hallway were meticulously closed as mandatory before bedtime. On the bed where he laid curled up, a mismatched abundance of smushed blankets and scattered pillows were left neglected in a wild disarray, the comforters tangled around his body and the body he was shielding from the derangement.

At that reminder, Jongin smiled absently to himself and drew the small body closer to his broad chest as he laid stretched out on his side.

Kyungsoo’s slight frame fit perfectly against him.

Jongin had both of his long arms s around Kyungsoo’s petite torso and waist, adhering the small boy to his chest possessively. During the night, dainty white hands had fisted into his shirtfront in a tight, grabby hold; an ear pressed against his prominent collarbone just above his heart, transfixed by the strong sound of a steady heartbeat. The repeated, rhythmic reverberation had been an enticing spell that coaxed the younger one to sleep.

It was too surreal to Jongin—sharing a bed with Kyungsoo for the first time since they’ve met each other. He was struck with overwhelming disbelief when he suddenly realized that if he slept with Kyungsoo by his side, he would sink into a one-way ticket into dreamland. Kyungsoo was like a good luck charm that warded off all the nightmares and stress that plagued his deepest-dwelling thoughts, allowing him to have the best night’s rest than he had in years. It was refreshing to be unaccompanied by the feeling of loneliness as he rested; instead, it was replaced by the welcomed feeling of contentment.

Since yesterday night, Jongin was caught adrift in a state of absolute bliss. He had never suspected that the most eventful thing that could ever happen in his life would occur in less than a course of a weekend. Friday night had been totally unexpected when he saved an owl-eyed boy who had captured his interest in a nanosecond. Saturday had been astronomically different as he enjoyed every single second of his enlivened day because of the mentioned owl-eyed boy who he decided to fondly refer to as his little one. Sunday had been hectic and fun, later becoming sweet and intimate during the nighttime when he ultimately realized he never wanted to part ways from his dear little one.

And his feelings were reciprocated implicitly.

That had been the final straw. It had completely made up his mind. Now he would never let go of him—of Kyungsoo. Jongin couldn’t stand the thought of losing someone or something important to him ever again. Kyungsoo had become his source of comfort and affection akin to how Chanyeol had been his dose of sunshine and laughter. Without Kyungsoo, the fragile glass inside his chest that was his heart would shatter into a hundred unrepairable pieces. Jongin had managed to survive through one depression despite his unadvisable methods of coping, but another would surely kill him.

The blankets rustled as Jongin raised a hand to caress Kyungsoo’s pale, round cheek with the back of his knuckles. He chuckled warmly when he was rewarded with an audible coo from plump, heart-shaped lips. So adorable, he thought, indisputable affection blossoming in his chest as he brushed aside the stray bangs that covered the younger one’s flawless face. A fitful silence permeated the air as Jongin listened to his little one’s barely audible breathing while admiring his lovely, cherubic features.

I still can’t believe that a beautiful, godly being like him is...real.

The dancer’s peace was cut short when he belatedly realized that he didn’t know what time it was. And today’s Monday, he reminded himself and groaned in chagrin. He craned his neck as he peeked over Kyungsoo’s head to check the clock.

Holy crap! Jongin would’ve jolted upright if Kyungsoo hadn’t been curled up against his chest. The tan-skinned male pinched the ridge of his nose, bleary-eyed and befuddled. His alarm clock informed him that he had about an hour left before the transit bus he took for school would be leaving its designated stop nearby.

“Jonginnie?” peeped a drowsy, silken voice. A tiny fist tugged at his arm. “What’s wrong? Why are you up so early?”

The older male was quick to reassure the startled-from-sleep boy. “Oh, did I wake you up? I’m sorry, Kyungie.” Jongin shifted into a crisscrossed sitting position and gathered the younger boy into his lap. Kyungsoo allowed himself to be cradled like a baby as he yawned cutely and smacked his plump lips together. He laid his tired head against Jongin’s jutting collarbone, sighing contently.

Meanwhile, Jongin was fretting on the inside as he watched Kyungsoo doze on his shoulder. What am I supposed to do with Kyungsoo if I have to go to school? I can’t bring him with me. The school will never allow it. His gnawed on his bottom lip distressfully. I gotta think of something quick.

Jongin blinked, retreating back into reality, and his tumbling wave of distraught dissipated when he saw the goofy, sleepy-eyed smile directed upwards at him. He softly smiled back, unable to help himself.

“Hey, Kyungsoo, you wouldn’t mind if you...”

 

 

...

 

 

“—my aunt and uncle haven’t returned from their anniversary trip yet since they flew out of the city. So I was wondering if you could watch over Kyungsoo while I’m at school...”

With her finger, Mrs. Han pushed her thin-framed glasses back on the stern ridge of her slanted nose, contemplating the pleading request in mild confusion. “Jongin,” she said, “it would’ve been advisable to have sent your younger cousin to, preferably, your parent’s house—”

“But they work most of the day at a hospital,” he argued.

The old women shot Jongin a peeved look and he immediately clamped his lips together so he wouldn’t interrupt her mid-sentence again. “Anyways,” she continued, “as I was saying: yes, it would’ve been more appropriate to have left your cousin at a relative’s house, but—” she cleared and tethered her weathered hands together in a poised fashion—“considering how Kyungsoo is well-acquainted of our library’s staff and building, I will allow him to stay for the duration of your absence. I will personally oversee his wellbeing and be there if he needs anything.”

The dark-haired male exhaled in astounding relief and bowed his head gratefully. “Thank you, Mrs. Han. I promise to make it up to you one day.”

His boss waved a dismissive hand but was convinced of his sincerity. “I’ll remember that, Jongin—but everyone here adores Kyungsoo, so it wouldn’t exactly be a chore to watch over him.”

Permission granted, Jongin glanced down at Kyungsoo who was adhered to his side, his cherubic face half-buried in the older boy’s narrow waist. Jongin artfully slid his finger under the shorter boy’s chin and tilted his head up so they could lock eyes.

“Kyungsoo, did you hear that? Mrs. Han will take care of you while I’m at school.”

Puzzlement and dismay was evident on the raven-haired boy’s expressive face as he stared up from beneath his human’s finely-trimmed blazer. Kyungsoo blinked owlishly. “I heard,” he peeped in a disheartened manner. “But do you really have to go...?” His bottom lip wobbled, disliking the idea of being separated (maybe because he has separation anxiety issues?) from his savior—even if it was just for a third of the day. He could not handle that absurd time span—it was unfair.

To console him, Kyungsoo was patted on the head, but it only lessened a pitiful fraction of his grief. “I’m sorry,” Jongin apologized softly, “but I have to—it’s school. Besides, I’ll be back by three, and you’ll hardly notice that I’m gone if you can read and sleep all day.”

That made the little vampire frown. He won’t be able to read or sleep if all he can think about is when his human will come back to him.

But he had to surrender—for his human’s sake. “Okay, Jonginnie.”

Jongin bent down so he could hug Kyungsoo tightly in his arms. His thick, plush lips were by the vampire’s ticklish ear as he whispered, “Don’t frown. It makes me sad. I promise to come back to you as soon as I can, so don’t miss me.” He pecked the top of Kyungsoo’s temple and released him, coaxing him over to Mrs. Han who took the boy’s delicate hand (still flinching slightly at his cold skin).

Hesitantly backing away, Jongin slung his backpack over his shoulder and, after shooting his little one a regretful look, reluctantly rushed out the library’s doors so he could catch his bus.

“Bye-bye.” Kyungsoo sorely waved a limp hand as he watched the tall, dark-haired male go.

The young vampire sighed dejectedly. Jongin had left ten seconds ago and he felt like someone had torn him in two. He half-hoped that his human might change his mind and just go back home with him so they could cuddle on the couch and watch reruns on TV, but that was petty of him to think like that (and yet he still thought of it, anyways).

Mrs. Han smiled gently to cheer up the lonely child and proposed, “How about I introduce you to a new shipment of books, Kyungsoo?”

Looks like books would end up as his only companion again, he supposed. Glancing up at his temporary caretaker, the young vampire nodded halfheartedly.

 

 

...

 

 

In a discreet yet attentive manner, the vampire lifted his frozen gaze from the newspaper article spread out in his hands to glimpse across the busy, narrow street on the right of him. He had a perfect view of the library’s entrance from where he sat at a table in front of a chic outdoor café, one leg crossed over the other elegantly as he leaned back in an uncomfortable metal chair. He ignored the heavy, intense smell of steaming coffee and freshly baked pastries wafting from inside the café’s opened doors. People who surrounded him minded their own business as they drank their caffeine-enriched beverages and buzzed with morning conversations.

Minseok sniffled, and it wasn’t because of the early-autumn chill.  He casually flipped to the next page of his newspaper article that he hadn’t bothered reading, though his keen eyes did catch a few interesting tidbits here and there from behind his glinting sunglasses. He skimmed through the paper. It reported something about...a possible serial killer lurking around late at night. Hm...that sounded somewhat fascinating because he definitely had the love for killing...

Fwoosh.

As a breeze loftily blew by, it carried a peculiar scent that Minseok had recently memorized for future references. He snapped his distracted gaze away from the newspaper and across the street again.

There.

A young human male distinctly dressed in a navy blue uniform emerged from the library’s doors and darted down the front steps. His dark brown hair was windswept as he avoided colliding into people, sprinting obtrusively down the congested sidewalks with those long legs of his.

The chubby-cheeked vampire disapproved of the human’s decision to leave his young master at a library. So that brat is going to leave Kyungsoo at a library for eight hours? He clucked his tongue sharply, hypercritical. How heartless of him. That guy needs to learn better babysitting tactics.

Minseok ignored the fact that he was a terrible babysitter himself—but he was a fantastic guard!

Neatly folding up his newspaper, the vampire guard set it down on the cold, metal table and made his dandy way down the street to follow after his target.

Time to learn more about his young master’s new best friend, eh?

 

 

...

 

 

Jongin couldn’t focus in school.

In his seat, the dark-haired male would twitch with restlessness as if fueled by the troubling effects of caffeine (but he hadn’t had time to drink coffee this morning), unintentionally shaking his foot and idly twirling his pencil in a constant, robotic manner that peeved his teachers. His attention was obviously preoccupied elsewhere, not caring if the teachers would signal him out for his blatantly expressed disinterest because, as the seconds passed, he would impatiently glance up at the clocks hung up on the tidy walls of his spotless classrooms, glaring at the device as if demanding for the hour and minute hands to move faster, but, of course, nothing would happen—no matter how much Jongin willed it to be. The ticking and tocking sounds the clocks made were usually drowned out by the teachers’ monotone voices as they lectured, but, to Jongin, it was like those despicable pieces of technology wanted to torment him by echoing loudly and irritably in his ears. He had to gather all his sanity together to resist the uncontrollable urge to slam his face on his desk.

Much to his parent’s besetment, Jongin usually didn’t give two cents about school. It was normal for him not to pay attention in class (which was why he was on his teachers’ I-want-to-smack-some-sense-into-him list), always doodling and taking naps. The dancer prided himself for being one of those people with acute common sense who could easily understand a problem or concept on the first try. He liked to assume he had inherited his parent’s high IQs because his intelligence was the main reason why he maintained a B average in all his classes without exerting too much effort into his studies. But despite his possible potential in highly-esteemed academic majors like engineering and medicine, he had wished his parents had sent him to a fine-arts school instead of fancy academy with advanced classes.

The shrill ring of the dismissal bell snapped the zoned out dancer out of his musings. He rubbed his forehead in vexation and methodically gathered his papers and supplies together, stuffing it halfheartedly into his backpack. Backpack slung over his lean shoulder, he quietly drifted out of the class. Female students fawned over his good looks as he passed by, but his usual reaction was nothing.

“Yo, Jongin!”

Jongin didn’t stop walking as Moonkyu appeared out of nowhere and bounded over towards his friend, tossing an arm over the taller boy’s slouched shoulders.

Moonkyu wore an easygoing smile as he asked, “So, how’s it going, Mr. Babysitter? Did Baby Soo go home yet?”

Jongin grunted in annoyance. Twice. You called him Baby Soo twice, and it sounds totally weird coming from you. “No,” he answered curtly. “Why’d you ask?”

Moonkyu pointed at his miserable face. “You’re wearing the I-lost-my-favorite-teddy-bear look. So I assumed you miss your little charge.”

Jongin elbowed the other boy in the gut and Moonkyu let go of him with a painful (fake) groan, pretending that he was dying. “I'm not wearing a stupid look like that,” he objected, his cheeks slightly dusted with pink. “Besides, someone else is watching over Kyungsoo while I’m here at school... I just feel bad leaving him alone, that’s all.”

Moonkyu ceased with his dying theatrics and eyed that taller male skeptically. “Suuuuuuure. Whatever makes you feel more manly, Jongin.”

Jongin, as a man, didn’t retort and darted down the hall, making Moonkyu yelp.

“H-hey! Wait up, Jongin! We have the same class together!”

Moonkyu chased after his negligent friend halfway down the hall and whined to Jongin how he could be so heartless. The dancer rolled his eyes as he opened the door to his next period class and entered the room barely occupied by anyone. He tossed his backpack on his assigned desk that was located in the back corner by a window and slumped into his seat, sighing tiredly. Propping his elbow on the desk, his rested his chin on his palm and stared wistfully out the window. Meanwhile, a surge of his fellow classmates flooded into the classroom, filling the once quiet air with multiple conversations and rowdy noises. Moonkyu had mingled himself in a group consisting of his other friends, talking about their school’s basketball game planned for this early evening.

Tuning everyone out, Jongin blankly studied the view outside the window. Down below was the grassy, mowed lawn of the school's manicured grounds. Further out was the outline of the school’s brick wall that separated the campus from the outside world. Dark mocha eyes were absently transfixed on a shedding blossom tree several meters from the window. He stared and he stared, even when the bell rang and the teacher began today’s lesson. A tiny dent formed between his brows when he had the vague yet distinct feeling of someone watching him—as in straight at him. He blinked and leaned back a little, searching for the owner of that eerie stare. At the same time, a chill ghosted across his body, making him shiver as a cold layer of air settled upon his desk. Did frost just accumulate on the window?

Amazed and befuddled, Jongin raised his finger to poke at the thin veil of frost. The heat from his finger melted the icy condensation and opened up a dime-sized viewing hole through the frost on the sleek window.

Through that tiny dot, Jongin locked eyes with smirking pair of brownish-amber.

His eyes widened, and he would’ve jumped up in surprise if those eyes hadn’t frozen him into a statue in his seat. Those twinkling dark eyes belonged to a stocky-height figure perched atop a high branch of the leaf-ridding tree, his arms folded across his chest and his body leaned nonchalantly against the trunk. The clouds covering the sun created a huge shadowy expanse below, blanketing the mysterious figure in a charcoal cast, but Jongin could easily distinguish the person’s chalky pale skin and poised, laxly stance (which definitely proved the stalker’s cat-like balance as he stood on a lightweight branch).

The stalker, clearly aware of Jongin’s gawking, winked playfully at him as if to say, So you’ve finally notice me, eh?

The tan-skinned male was too dumbstruck to actually react.

“Kim Jongin.”

And just like that, Jongin was freed from his confounded trance, and he mechanically swiveled his head around towards his teacher who had called him out.

“Y-yes?”

He felt Moonkyu, who sat diagonally behind him, shoot him an odd look because of his rare bout of stuttering.

The teacher rapped the whiteboard with a knuckle. “Answer problem number three, please.”

Jongin’s mind was a jumbled mess as he tried to read and solve the problem. What subject was this again? Oh, yeah. Math. No wonder the problem was a mixture of random numbers and letters.

“Um...twelve?”

“Close, Jongin. It’s fourteen. You must remember to factor out each...” The teacher droned on and on about the importance of going through all the steps to solve the problem, but his words didn’t filter through Jongin’s brain.

Moonkyu tried to catch his friend’s attention by waving a pencil at him, but Jongin conveyed that he wanted to be left alone by shaking his head and burying his face in the circle of his arms. From under his bangs, he discreetly peeked out the window again, only to discover that the shadowy stalker was gone. Jongin frowned. Had the guy been a figment of his imagination? But he swore...

And throughout the school day, not sure if he was truly hallucinating or not, Jongin continued to be haunted by that chilly, phantom presence of the stalker who hadn’t bothered to show his face again. The stalker’s presence had a peculiar air of...absence, as if it was lacking in tangibility, but it also felt unnatural and ominous. Somehow Jongin connected the same feeling of absence and abnormality to Kyungsoo, especially during the moments when the little boy would suddenly sneak up from behind him like it was magic...

 

 

...

 

 

For the hundredth time that day, Kyungsoo expelled another bored breath from his pouting lips. Hours had passed at a painstaking rate since Jongin had dropped him off at the library. During those lonely hours, the young vampire had failed to engross himself in the countless volumes of books that surrounded him in the tall, stately shelves. About a dozen of the librarians, including Mrs. Han, had elicited some small-talk with him, but their words sounded more like pestering coos of affection, and Kyungsoo, hardly paying attention to the bizarre group of humans, would mechanically nod his ducked head in a vague response. He just didn’t have the heart or energy to appear peppy and talkative.

The disinterested child closed the thick book swallowing up his tiny lap and set it aside with the other stacks of volumes orderly arranged on the lacquered table. His bottom lip jutted out habitually as he sulked, sagging back into the stiff wooden chair much too big for him. His dim-lighted gaze lifted upward to the majestic row of windows on the far eastern wall. Rich afternoon light poured down from the elevated windows like a stream of limpid, gold water, and Kyungsoo traced his bored gaze along the shining path that dipped down past the tops of the mighty-high bookcases till it touched the bodies of people hustling about in the library.

And then Kyungsoo stopped breathing.

Between the people that mindlessly treaded back and forth across the limited space the library provided amongst its organized bookcases and tables, one person stood impossibly motionless from where he hugged the dim shadows underneath the windows by the wall. Only a column of golden light manage to highlight the person’s flawless, unreadable face, glorifying his cold, timeless beauty by casting a glowing ring of a halo atop of his ebony-black hair that gleamed a fading harsh red.

Their gazes collided, and Kyungsoo held back a fearful whimper.

Daddy.

When did his father sneak into the library? Why hadn’t he taken the opportunity to whisk him away without caring if the humans were around?

As if reading his train of thoughts, Joonmyun minutely inclined his head towards his shell-shocked son and narrowed his round, dark eyes by an infinitesimal fraction.

I’ve found you, Kyungsoo.

The youngling unconsciously gripped at the bloodstone gem dangling from his neck with a shaky hand.

Oh, God. Daddy doesn’t look happy, he cried.

“Kyungsoo, dearest?”

The intense stare-down was interrupted by the chipper voice of Mrs. Han, and Joonmyun seamlessly ducked behind the shadowy cast of a bookshelf. Freed from his father’s suffocating hold, Kyungsoo spun around in his seat, his breathing hard and fast.

The heels Mrs. Han wore clicked on the hard-tiled floor as she neared closer. “Ah, there you are, my dear,” she said, oblivious to Kyungsoo’s overly rounded eyes and stiff posture. “I just came by to inform you that Jongin called. He said he’ll be here to pick you up in twenty minutes.”

Sweet relief flooded Kyungsoo’s heaving chest until dawning fear captured him with an icy-cold hand.

Daddy knows, he realized with horror. Daddy knows about Jongin.

If Kyungsoo hadn’t been so naturally white-faced, then he would’ve been drained of color. But he had to maintain an unbothered countenance because of the caring human, he stubbornly reminded himself.

“Okay,” replied the small-voiced boy. “I’m glad he’s coming.” No, please don’t come, Jongin. My daddy...

Mrs. Han nodded at the pale-skinned boy and said, “Just wait here. I’ll send him over to find you when he arrives.” She left after conveying her message, leaving Kyungsoo to face his worst fears.

The trembling vampire child tried to even out his hysterical breathing as he laid his smooth forehead on the reading table, also bracing his palms against the glossy surface. He clenched his eyes shut, thinking a mile a minute.

What happens if Daddy decides to attack Jongin? He sniffled at that terrifying thought. He can’t hurt Jongin—Jongin is a good person. He takes care of me and holds me and likes me and...and... Kyungsoo his lips nervously, his closed eyes opening just the slightest. If Jongin was gone...th-then I wouldn’t be able to stand it. I want him live than to be dead because Daddy will separate us either way. A wistful smile adorned the boy’s shapely lips. How come I can’t have an important human like Baekkie did? He got to keep his because...

And the most brilliant yet outrageous idea surfaced into the vampire boy’s mind. His head snapped up, startled by his own boldness, and he leaned back into his chair, almost dazed by his unexpected decision to do something utterly absurd of him. Then an adamant look of fierce determination crossed his small, youthful face.

Sorry, Daddy. Kyungsoo glanced over to the empty spot where his father had been studying him. I know what you’re thinking. But if you want to get to Jongin, he thought daringly, you have to go through me.

Kyungsoo had promised to protect his human—to protect his Jongin. Sure he was conflicted by the aspect of defying his father, the all-powerful superior one, but he would obstinately uphold his promise to never let anyone hurt his human or to be torn away from him. He would do everything and anything within his best abilities to never let anyone lay a harmful hand on his human because Jongin was that important to him.

Jongin was more than his most-favorite-person-in-the-entire-world—no, he was the reason why Kyungsoo wanted to live to see another tomorrow so he could be embraced by those toasty warm arms.

An odd, giddy giggle bubbled up in the raven-haired boy’s chest as he flopped his upper body on the table as if he was done with life—done with life’s complexities specifically. Once again, his mind wandered off to that one strikingly handsome boy with tan skin and thick lips who loved to dance and to forget the world.

Kyungsoo really disagreed with Jongin when the human had claimed he would hardly notice his absence.

Liar...but I love you anyways.

 

 

...

 

 

The wobbly bus rocked on its bumpy wheels as it stuttered to a slow, complete stop by the curb. The foldable door tucked together as it opened, allowing the passengers whose destination was this stop to disembark in a single file.

But one person couldn’t do single file. It drove him insane.

Bristling with impatience, the person shoved past the sluggish-moving people—ignoring their indignant grunts—and hopped off the bus and landed onto the concrete curb. The second the soles of his shoes made contact with the ground, he bolted down the sidewalk, expertly dodging past the people and poles that appeared in his path.

His breathing came out in short, violent pants as he ran, his lungs burning and leg muscles protesting with each dashing stride. His backpack smacked against his firmly-muscled back, and the chilly wind batted at his bare face.

A handsome grin stretched across Jongin’s normally disinterested face when the dark, majestic structure of the public library materialized into view—the building was a sight for sore eyes. He quickly crossed the street and flew up the stone steps leading up to the library’s welcoming entrance.

Glad to be inside the warmly-heated building, the tan-skinned male lessened his frantic (psh, he wasn’t frantic) pace, and, feeling self-conscious, fixed his crooked tie and patted down his windblown hair. Nearby females swooned at his attractive looks defined by his immaculate school uniform, but the dancer hardly spared a glance their way and strode over to the front counter instead.

“Mrs. Han?” he called.

There were some muffled sounds of shuffling papers and clicking footsteps echoing from the distant back room before his boss emerged from behind the closed door.

“Where’s Kyungsoo?”

The old women cocked a steely arched brow, having yet to reach the counter before Jongin had rudely blurted out those two demanding words. Her wine-red lips twisted together disapprovingly, but she sighed and pointed a bony finger over to the farthest wall of the library’s main building.

“Over there. He’s sitting at one of the tables—”

“Thank you, Mrs. Han,” he cut in, voice was brusque and breathless. He ducked his head when he heard her huff at him exasperatedly. Using the short-and-easy directions he received, Jongin navigated his way around the maze of colossal bookshelves to find his little one.

Kyungsoo.

The petite, pale-skinned boy was drooped over a table like a deflated balloon, his thin, short arms laid across the wide expanse of the tabletop. His small chin was plopped on a hardcover book, his full bottom lip protruded outward mopingly, and his lidded-over owl eyes were heavy with boredom and misery. As Jongin approached closer, that cute button nose suddenly began to twitch and Kyungsoo perked up like a hyperactive puppy, swiveling his head around.

“Jonginnie!”

A beam that meant the clouds splitting apart to allow the sun to shine through brightened up Jongin’s miserable, restless day, and he was tackled without warning by an enthusiastic, fifty-one pound boy who was the epitome of adorableness.

Kyungsoo nuzzled his exuberant face in Jongin’s tone stomach and giggled happily. “You’re back!” he sang.

The older boy scooped up Kyungsoo in his arms, the agonizing urge to squeeze his little one until he was black and blue finally quenched. His heartbeat matched the jubilant tempo the shorter boy had. “Yeah, I’m back,” Jongin agreed with a warm smile. For you.

Cold hands with thinly-tapered fingers gripped at his collar. Those big, round eyes were still upset despite being assuaged. “Please don’t leave me alone,” Kyungsoo begged, the melody that was his voice cracking. “Not ever.”

The undertone of I was scared in his little one’s broken voice made Jongin wallow with guilt, but then he was stricken with puzzling concern as to why Kyungsoo would feel scared when he was perfectly safe here at the library where the staff would devotedly watch over him? The tall male inwardly shook his head.

“Okay,” he softly submitted to his sniffling little one. Jongin rubbed Kyungsoo’s back and rocked the boy back and forth as if to console a crying baby. “I won’t. I’ll stay with you.”

Jongin didn’t know how he was going to uphold his words, but something weird told him that he and Kyungsoo were going to be tethered together regardless of the situation.

Kyungsoo rested his head on the juncture of the older boy’s neck. “Can we go home now?” he whispered.

And, in gentle response, Jongin kissed his temple and said, “Yeah, let’s go home.”

 

 


OHMYGOSH I DID IT! I FREAKIN' COUGHED OUT A CHAPTER!!!! *throws confetti in the air* Do you have any idea how long it took me during my Thanksgiving Break to get it out of my brain and onto a Word doc? Almost forever because I got so tired of writing. Ugh. (And I totally neglected my English and ASL projects...oops.)

And because I think this chapter is pretty decent in my standards and around 5,100 words I DEMAND LOTS OF COMMENTS AND UPVOTES AND LOVE AND ATTENTION. (Lol, jk. I just need your honest, generous opinions inputted into comments. You don't have to worship me or anything. Even though I want you to.)

REMINDER: Remember not to translate, copy, etc my fic without permission because 1.) that's rude and disrespectful 2.) this is my hardwork and not yours despite the fact that if you plagiarize it must mean I'm an awesome writer and 3.) I was concerned because of past situations happening my favorite authors.

Hmmmmmm. *scratches cheek thoughtfully* Well, I had debated whether or not to tell you, but...theremightbesomedramaandsuspensefulandheartwrenchingmomentsnextchapter *coughs suddenly* O_O Eh, what? Did I say something?

Anyways, I guess that's all I have to blabber about for now. Pardon me for any mistakes (I might fix those another time) and if I happen to update late again because my brain+school+EXO+life=me dead. (And I'm spazzing because EXO won Album of the Year and I was crying when Kyungsoo sprained his ankle T^T) Here's my ending with Kaisoo!

Cr: to real owners

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SapphireSeptember
LMKY: CHAPTER 17 IS UP! IT EXISTS!
Please also pay attention to my AN at the end.

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aerinaa12 #1
Chapter 17: Hi I'm your story reader who is from Indonesia, I really like your story😭 oh when you say, now you like BTS more than EXO, to be honest it makes my heart hurt :(, but it's okay, it's your right to like another group :(. But I beg you, please continue this story to the end😭
Lemonny_chan
#2
Chapter 17: I'd be sad if you discontinued this story but I understand. Reality slaps hard, but this story was a good one! God job author-nim
Babygirlempress #3
Chapter 17: I don’t know if you dropped this story but not to be rude I’m still hoping for an update
xocberry
#4
this looks so cute :D
mistymountains 193 streak #5
Nice story!
namjaLove
#6
Chapter 17: I CAN SMEEEL HUNHAN??? YAAAAS
bananamilkeu
#7
Chapter 17: Omgeeeeeee ❤ you're back
Cornerstone
#8
Chapter 17: I thought I was alucinanting when I saw this on my feed.