The stench of graphite tickled Kyungsoo’s nose and the dull colorless walls burned his eyes.

“You should really try painting the walls of this place. I thought this was your art room. Isn’t an art room supposed to be bright and lively?” Kyungsoo asked dancing beneath the ceiling of Jongin’s art studio.

“I don’t really care for bright colors. They sting my eyes and distract me,” Jongin said tugging on Kyungsoo’s arm to bring him closer.

Kyungsoo jolted his head down nervously trying not to trip. “Slow down!”

Jongin stopped and spun around behind Kyungsoo slinging his hands over his eyes. “No peeking. I wanted you to be the first to see it,” he whispered in Kyungsoo’s ear.

Kyungsoo could feel Jongin’s warm breath slither past his neck and couldn’t help but flinch. Jongin slid his hands up and over Kyungsoo’s head letting him see the canvas before him.

Kyungsoo opened his eyes and stood in awe. After staring for a moment, Kyungsoo jolted around to look at Jongin.

“H-how did you know,” he stuttered fighting the tears in his eyes.

Jongin’s lips relaxed into a smile. “It’s for your cover. I thought, since the book was about Him that you’d want the cover to be special.”

“Thank you,” Kyungsoo interrupted as he smiled teary eyed at the beauty of the artwork.

Jongin wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo and pressed his head against his own shoulder. “You’re welcome,” he whispered tucking his head into the latter’s neck.

Kyungsoo silently wept into Jongin’s shoulder. While one side of him was trying to calm himself down and piece it all together, the other wanted to cry harder just so that he could stay like this in Jongin’s arms.

Jongin’s heartbeat was slow and steady, his body was warm and cozy, and his breath was soft and smooth. Kyungsoo just wanted to melt into him and stay there for as long as he could. But soon reality hit him, and he pushed the boy away whipping his tears on his sleeve.

“H-how did you know about that place?” Kungsoo asked sniffling.

Jongin reached over and grabbed the tissue box from the canvas shelves and handed it to Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo took the box and whipped his nose before looking up at Jongin waiting for the answer.

Jongin sighed knowing there was no getting out of it. “Kyungsoo,” he whispered breaking eye contact to look at the floor. “I’ve known you.”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows. “What do you mean?”

Jongin slouched and Kyungsoo wondered if he was going to start crying. “Kyungsoo, I haven’t been completely honest with you. I mean, I have but-“ Jongin looked up at Kungsoo with sorry eyes. “I knew you long before you met me. I knew you before we ever even met.”

Kyungsoo thoughtlessly started backing away from the boy slowly and unintentionally. “H-how,” Kyungsoo asked shaking his head slowly.

“I—“ he whimpered. Jongin raised his arm and Kyungsoo thought he was going to grab him but instead he pointed over to a door on the far wall of the studio. “Kyungsoo, I’ve dreamt of you before and—I don’t know how to say it. I just—I knew you and I,” he whimpered. Kyungsoo watched as a tear escaped from the boy’s eye and fell to the concrete flooring of the studio. “It was my fault,” he said shaking his head. “I was trying to find you. I knew you had to be real. I knew it was going to happen, but when I got there it was to late.”

Kyungsoo lost his jaw as it smacked the cold floor. “No,” he said shaking his head slowly at first. “No,” he repeated his head shaking faster and faster with each breath. “NO!” He couldn’t stop the tears that were now falling uncontrollably. “No,” he huffed. “You,” his mouth was dry and his voice was raspy. “You—Suho. You k-“ Kyungsoo looked up to make eye contact with the murderer, but he could only see a blur of colors. “You knew he was gonna’—“ Kyungsoo stopped mid-sentence trying to wrap his mind around it. “You did this,” Kyungsoo whimpered in defeat letting his eyes fall to the floor. “It’s your fault he’s dead.”