Chapter III.

Baby Don't Cry

The next days go by in a blur of motions. New year comes by like an unimportant event, just something normal like it had always been for Kyungsoo.

2014 arrives next and winter slowly fades.               

In the middle of January, Kyungsoo finally decides that sadness is the theme that he should choose for his sculpture of Jongin and the younger boy agrees by giving a thumbs up, his mouth filled with newly cooked kimchi spaghetti.

“But it’s still undecided if I’ll you’ll be or not. What do you think?”

Jongin spits his food out. “?!” He exclaims, spluttering and ears turning red. Kyungsoo glares at him as he throws a clean towel towards Jongin telling him to wipe his face and the table.

“But hyung, I can’t be .” The younger male insists, cleaning the mess he had created.

Kyungsoo chuckles. “Why? Aren’t you proud of your body?”

“No.” Jongin admits straightforwardly. “There’s nothing in my body to be proud of.” He says.

“To be honest, there’s nothing in my entirety to be proud of. I’m not like you anyway, I can’t create amazing sculptures, I can’t cook a kimchi sphagetti as delicious as yours, I’m not talented hyung. Heck, I’m not even up to par with your singing skills.”

“But you can dance, right? And you can draw.” Now, it was Kyungsoo’s turn to speak and Jongin laughs a little more loud than he’s supposed to.

“Hyung, do you think at this state which I’m in I’ll be able to do those things you just said?” He tells him, disbelief coating his voice and the older male walks toward him, patting his back.

He says. “How about some encouragement then?”

“What encouragement?”

“You never knew how I looked like, right?”

“And?”

“I’ll let you touch my face.”

Jongin chuckles bitterly. “You think I don’t know how you look like hyung?”

“You can see me?” Kyungsoo responds in utter shock.

The younger pouts. “Aren’t you the stupid one now hyung?” Jongin says with a smirk which Kyungsoo sees for the first time that he thinks it’s breath taking.

Suddenly, he feels like his drowning and he sees Jongin’s lips move with every word but he doesn’t hear what he’s actually saying.

And in that split second, Kyungsoo falls into euphoria until he actually gets hit with Jongin’s cane.

“Hyung are you still there?”

“Oh? What? Your cane indeed looks old.” Kyungsoo says abruptly as he is caught off guard.

Jongin snickered. “What old?  Hyung, you weren’t listening were you?”

“I was!”

“What was the last word I said?”

“You..err..ok, ok I wasn’t listening!” Kyungsoo states in a defeated tone and Jongin only shakes his head.

“What I was saying earlier hyung was that I couldn’t see you but for me, the inside reflects the outer.” He explains. “I mean, I’ve been staying here for almost a month already and your kindness is enough to make me believe you’re a beautiful person.”

An uncomfortable laugh is elicited from Kyungsoo. “Jongin, you sounded so mushy.”

“But I was sincere!” The younger male tries to defend himself and Kyungsoo rolls his eyes accordingly before he tries to convince him again about drawing and dancing.

“I told you hyung I can’t.” Jongin responds dryly, dampening Kyungsoo’s spirits. The older of the two releases a sigh yet he acts as if the word 'give up' is not even in his vocabulary.

Jongin continues to chomp down on the huge serving of kimchi spaghetti that he had almost forgotten earlier before he felt Kyungsoo’s grip on his wrist.

“Hyung what are you doing?” Asks Jongin in a surprise tone and instead of receiving a reply, he is ushered by the redhead to