“You mean he’s not mad or anything?”

“He’s not mad or anything.”

At six in the morning on the first Wednesday of January Jongin thinks it’s a good idea to teach Kyungsoo how to skateboard.

Reasons? It’s a nice day and they both love when everything is covered in a cyan hue, the sun fresh out from hiding and not quite up in the sky yet, the cold making their cheeks rosy and their noses runny. They’re somewhere in what seems to be an empty parking lot turned into a skating alley which is apparently where Jongin frequents when he has some spare time in his hands. It’s still winter but it hasn’t really snowed a lot for the past weeks so there are only a few blotches of white here and there. Basically it’s just cold and early and Jongin decides that cold and early is the perfect setting for some skateboarding tutorials 101.

…Or Okay so maybe neither of them are very big fans of early mornings and maybe the cold is giving them frost bites but that didn’t stop Jongin from calling him out a lot earlier than necessary just to say “hey. Wanna hang out?” to which Kyungsoo merely agrees to. They were probably both subconsciously aware of the real conversation that went on in the back of their heads anyway, which was something like Hey. I miss you, come out let’s un-miss each other.   

“Put your foot here…”

“Ow.”

“Don’t move so much. Just hold on.”

“Wa-wa-wa-wa-wait Jongin, Jongin, Jongin I’m gonna fall I swear-“

“Relax. Look, I’m holding you right? I’ve got you.”

With Kyungsoo wobbling unsteadily on Jongin’s skateboard, the tanned boy has his grip tightly on his elbow. Likewise, Kyungsoo grips Jongin in the same manner, his eyes trained downwards never leaving the funky decorated piece of contraption in which he stands on (aka Jongin’s skateboard). The taller starts walking sideways, pulling him along in a steady and slow pace which allows Kyungsoo to feel safe enough to pry his eyes off the ground for a few seconds and take short glances at Jongin’s concentrated expression.  He looks nice in that simple black v-neck, leather jacket and ripped jeans, Kyungsoo notes, also noticing how it’s somehow a complete contrast to his own get-up, which mainly comprises of a button down underneath a knitted sweater over denim shorts. All of a sudden the tables are turned and it’s him looking like the genius medical student while Jongin’s the guy who works at a motor bike shop or something.

“So you’re saying…” Jongin begins, “That he’s okay with us?”

“Well I’m guessing so.”

“That’s…that’s awesome then.”

“I think he likes you.” Kyungsoo says, pausing for a moment because he nearly loses his balance. “I think. I can never tell with that guy.”

“I’m okay with that for now… it’s some sort of approval, at least. I hope.”

“Mm…Shouldn’t you be telling me how to kick myself into motion or something?”

“Oh no, I won’t teach you that much.”

“Why not? What’s the point of standing on a board if It doesn’t move.”

 “Hush. I need reasons to hold you, just roll with me here roll with me here”

Kyungsoo could only chuckle at the Jongin’s silly antics. At his boyfriend’s silly antics. Boyfriend, Such a foreign word to our dear little oddball and yet he finds himself quite fond of it already.

The ride home from the New Year’s eve concert went quite…awkwardly so to say. Right after Krystal had stormed away all of a sudden, hauling a cab and heading home without permission, they all pretty much headed their own ways, Jongdae walking to his apartment which was a block or two away, Taemin and Chanyeol hitching a ride on Junmyeon’s fancy car complete with a fancy driver, and Jongin, Luhan and Sehun up to Kyungsoo and his brother for a ride home (Mostly it was Luhan).

A ride home they got but for some reason the air in the car felt stuffy and tense. Well, to Jongin and Kyungsoo at least. Sehun had deliberately sat himself between them just because he’s Sehun and he’s a ing , to which Jongin gives the guy a minus one to in his mental list of people you should like too because Kyungsoo says so. All throughout the ride he and Kyungsoo exchange looks of discomfort, their telepathy game strong with the both of them knowing that the problem here was whether to tell the big boss in the house (Seungsoonim) or not. When Kyungsoo had let out a small inaudible whine it’s then that Jongin decided to go in for the kill. Or…dive in.

“S-seungsoo hyung.”

“Driving shut up.”

Jongin swallowed, because despite what he had just said, Seungsoo was clearly throwing daggers at him through the rear-view mirror, as though he already knew what he was going to say. He took a deep breath, bracing himself. Somewhere in the front seat Luhan braced himself as well, although he mostly just looked out the window and tried to disappear.

“Im uh, Im dating Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo whiped his head towards his direction, eyes wide as ever. Jongin merely pursed his lips and shrugged apologetically. “I-if that’s okay with you I mean, I mean, I really hope its okay because I promise you I-“

“Kyungsoo?” Seungsoo’s gaze shifted to his little brother who was all but sinking into his seat wishing a vortex would open up and swallow him whole. The next word that came out of Seungsoo’s mouth was unexpected however, causing a bit of an awkward silence among them.

“Okay.”

“….O-okay?” Kyungsoo and Jongin both said in unison. Sehun had let out a whistle.

“Okay what do you mean okay.”

“I mean okay okay.”

“..Okay..Okay.”

“Yeah. Okay.”

“Okay?”

“ing okay Kyungsoo now unless you want to live to find out what okay okay means I need you to shut up because Hyung is driving.”

“Okay.”

With that Jongin and Kyungsoo deemed it safe to hold hands for the rest of the ride home (which Sehun hadn’t been very happy about). Although Kyungsoo only found out later that night that okay okay actually translated to something like okay I have to talk Terms and Conditions with you when we get home okay.

Anyway.

“Why am I wobbly?”

“Your feet are too close together, spread your legs for me will you.”

Kyungsoo stills, coughing quietly and feeling a bit uncomfortable with Jongin’s choice of words. It takes a few seconds for Jongin to realize the implication he must have prompted until his cheeks flush pink upon realization. He clears his throat.

“Balance. Spread your legs for balance.”

Kyungsoo obediently does as he’s told, slapping himself mentally for the not-so-appropriate images he conjures up in his head, although Jongin should really do some mental slapping too because he’s not the most innocent kid on the block either.

“s-so” The tanned boy starts desperate not to embarrass himself any further.

“yeah we talked before bed.”

“Status?”

“I guess you’re under surveillance for now.”

“I’ll take it.”

“Although he wants you over for midnight later.”

“Midnight?!”

“Ah-!”

The peculiar invitation has Jongin accidentally pushing Kyungsoo forward, causing him to go wobbling more than he already was, nearly toppling over backwards if it weren’t for Jongin instinctively wrapping his arms around the smaller boy to prevent his fall. Kyungsoo’s hands quickly grab onto Jongin’s shoulders to steady himself, letting out a breath of relief. “I’m about an inch off from the ground and yet here I am about to pee my pants.” He mumbles to himself. Jongin’s still holding him in a hug and his breath is warm against his ear because on a skateboard Kyungsoo is just about his height. Well, that’s one good thing about skateboards, he thinks.

“Sorry. Sorry I just- Midnight? A-are we going to have some sort of brawl in a dark alley or something? Or maybe I’m going to wake up later in the middle of an abandoned warehouse, tied to a chair for some sort of interrogation..”

Kyungsoo could only snort. “no of course not. It’s just an invitation to dinner really. My brother and I don’t exactly eat at…well whatever is the society’s dinner time norm. Sometimes we’re too early sometimes we’re too late. And today’s just one of those days I guess.”

“Oh. Oh dinner. Okay yeah, I can do dinner.” Jongin leans his forehead against Kyungsoo’s shoulder, laughing. “Yeah. Midnight got it. I’ll be there.”

“Sorry, is it weird? He’s just that type of guy, doing what he wants.”

“I was just surprised, but it’s no problem.” Jongin lifts his head, meeting Kyungsoo’s eyes with a smile which positively makes the smaller boy’s cheeks go rosy. “I’ll go.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

“Okay.”

“So…seeing that I’m going nowhere with this thing.” Kyungsoo taps his foot once over the board. “Can I get off now?”

Nodding and laughing in agreement Jongin steps back to allow him to step down, immediately taking his place and expertly setting himself in motion. He glides smoothly across the cemented asphalt, circling Kyungsoo who stands still and follows his every move with his gaze.

“Come to think of it, you’ll have to meet my family too.”

“Do I? I mean…I’m not even sure if they’re okay with relationships like me…I mean…I’m a guy and all…”

“Oh nono you don’t know my parents, they’re practically as crazy as any teenager can get. When I told them I’d like to take med as a major they called me boring and suicidal before suggesting that I take up ‘something interesting’ which to them is apparently car racing or skydiving.”

“Really?”

“Not lying. They’d probably congratulate me for getting into any sort of relationship because Med students are single for life I quote them.”

“Wow. I think they’d get along well with my brother.”

“They won’t be much of a problem, my dad works on a cruise ship and he’s currently on a trip to the Bahamas or something which had effectively made my mom out her suitcase and come with, so the most you’ll be seeing of them is through a computer screen. Beware of my sisters though. Because of them I’ve spent half of my toddler life cross-dressing…..” Jongin shivers. “The Dark days.”

Kyungsoo bites his lower lip, seemingly deep in thought. “Can I ask you something?”

Jongin makes an impressive jump-and-flip trick before he responds “Mm?”

“Your mom…or either of your sisters…they don’t happen to be terrible gardeners do they? Or well you don’t have diseased pets or something…?”

“What?” Jongin stops, turning to face him completely. Kyungsoo could already feel himself shrink, though he justifies to himself that it’s a must ask because a garden filled with dead or animals who could die any second is definitely going to be a problem for him.

“I’m allergic.” He quickly covers up, or rather lamely. “I’m allergic to…to…diseases and…weeds.” Slow claps.

Jongin blinks, once, twice, thrice before laughing his guts out. “My mom’s an excellent gardener and Monggu and Janggu are practically more spoiled than all three of us siblings combined so, you’re safe I guess.”

 Kyungsoo lets out a sigh in relief while Jongin just shakes his head, mumbling to himself. “Peculiar you are Do Kyungsoo.”

“I heard that. Don’t you have class Kim Jongin?”

“Oh shoot right.” Jongin checks his watch before proceeding to pick up his skateboard and slinging his backpack over his shoulder. Kyungsoo follows suit, picking up his sling bag and securing on a pair of earmuffs and a scarf.

“You heading to the bakery?” Jongin asks as soon as they begin to walk away.

“Yeah.”

“Mkay. Take care. Don’t go through any alleys.”

“You too. I’ll see you midnight right?”

He heads over to where Kyungsoo stands with his big strides and cocky smirk to effectively envelop the smaller in a warm embrace. “I’ll see you midnight.”

“Oh by the way!” Kyungsoo shouts, once Jongin is a good few meters away from him. The tanned boy turns around, tilting his head to the side just the slightest bit to indicate that he’s listening.

“You’d probably win Seungsoo over if he opens the door to find you wearing anything ‘Manchester United’!”

Manchester United. Noted.

***

True or False.

Luhan is annoyingly talkative. True.

Luhan is annoyingly silent. Also true.

Luhan is the best friend in the entire world. False.

Luhan is the worst friend you could ever have. Also False.

Kyungsoo loves Xiao Luhan. …Tralse?

“Like I know this is INSANE-“

An hour, an hour just after they’ve opened the bakeshop and Kyungsoo is already feeling so attacked. How could he not when every move he makes is followed by Luhan’s smug expression and wiggling eyebrows. The first thirty minutes go by with him simply ignoring it but then the elder reaches a whole new level of creepy once he spends the next half an hour across the small baker’s counter doing nothing but smiling at him with his chin propped on his hands. Kyungsoo manages to keep his cool for the most part, quietly going about his tasks and just pretending the his doe-eyed hyung isn’t there. If it weren’t for Sehun handling the cashier at the moment he’d have already scolded him for slacking off. Luhan silent like this is almost as unbearable as Luhan talking, which is why Kyungsoo snaps when he finally utters a word, dropping the whisk he held almost instantly in surrender.

“So…Jongin huh.”

“Like I know this is INSANE-“

“I’m not doing anything!” Luhan laughs, dodging the ball of dough Kyungsoo flings at his direction.

“You’re driving me nuts!”

“I’ll have you know I’ve been completely silent up until now.”

“There is no such thing as peace and quiet with you even when you’re silent you’re interrogating me!”

“You should feel honoured Kyungie pie, I’m actually interested in your life right now.”

“Go be interested in Sehun’s!”

The words come out of his mouth rather impulsively and it makes Kyungsoo regret saying it. He lets out a breath of relief when he notices that Luhan puts no context into his statement, remaining clueless as ever.

“Oh please, that boy’s got the personality of a toothpick.”

“W-well I’d rather deal with a toothpick than someone who’s got the energy of a thousand suns compressed into his tongue.”

“Now who could that be.”

“I don’t know probably this cake- OF COURSE ITS YOU.”

“I’d flip my hair if it were long enough.”

“I’d pull it if it were long enough.”

“I’m sure you’d love to run your hands through Jongin’s hair.”

“What?!”

“Jongin”

“Luhan!”

“Jongin~”

“UHM, SHUT UP?”

Right on cue a highly grumpy Sehun pops his head through the door and makes obvious of his annoyance, to which Kyungsoo responds with a soft sorry while Luhan merely sticks his tongue out. The small baker couldn’t help but dart his eyes from his one best friend to the other as they exchange various teasing expressions. After having busted them during the New Year’s eve concert Kyungsoo just couldn’t unsee the subtle affection that’s somehow present in all their interactions. He resumes his work quietly, willing himself to be patient with his two companions.

Luhan eventually gets bored of ogling Kyungsoo and decides that it’s best for him to get back to work since, in his words, Sehun’s face is probably scaring away all their customers. This leaves Kyungsoo to his long desired peace and quiet, which admittedly results to some perfectly baked crème breules.

Familiar faces come through their shop doors and Kyungsoo welcomes them all with a warm smile. Jongdae happens to be one of them, remembering the smaller boy’s mention of a bakeshop he runs. He drops by to say hello and surprisingly a table filled with college girls erupt in squeals of recognition upon seeing him, probably recognizing him as ‘Chen the host from that popular dance club at the edge of town’.  But with Jongdae being Jongdae he throws them a judging look before returning all his attention to Kyungsoo who he’s oh so fond of. He doesn’t stay long however, saying something about being late at yet another one of his part time Jobs. Kyungsoo bids him goodluck and Jongdae could only wave a longing goodbye to him.

The clock ticks, and the rest of the day goes by with Kyungsoo too engrossed in his work to notice. If it weren’t for Sehun knocking on the kitchen door he might as well have completed another birthday cake while the rest of them headed their jolly ways home. He looks up to find the youngest leaning against the door frame, typing away on his phone unmindful of the hesitant look on Kyungsoo’s face.

“Sehun…” He asks, tone soft and careful while he busies himself with putting away utensils and washing his chocolate covered hands. “…Can I ask you something?”

The younger merely hums in acknowledgement, however Kyungsoo wouldn’t have any of that especially not now because if he wants to ask this he needs Sehun to really hear him out, hear himself out, and give an answer he can trust. “Sehun.” He calls, voice firm this time, arms crossing in front of him. It’s apparently enough to pry Sehun’s eyes off his gadget.

“Yeah?”

“Do you and Luhan really have nothing to say to me?”

“Uhm…nothing that I know of…?”

“You know I already know, you just have to tell me.”

Sehun’s face goes pale and now his attention is completely on the smaller boy in front of him. “Y-you do?”

“Yes. I’m anti-social not stupid.”

He instinctively darts his eyes out and declares the coast clear when he sees Luhan too preoccupied in filling up the log book, proceeding to sprint across the kitchen spluttering out words to Kyungsoo in a soft whisper like his life depended on it.

“Hyung I swear I’m sorry I just- I can’t help myself I really- Please don’t tell-“

“What? Why I don’t understand there’s really nothing wrong with you two being together.”

“Hyung I know I know it’s bad but- Wait. What?”

“It’s not bad, why would it be bad? Because he’s a lot older? You’re in the 21^st century. Besides I know how long you’ve liked Luhan.”

A minute of silence goes on with Kyungsoo looking expectantly at Sehun and with the latter looking at him somehow dumbfounded. “You don’t know.” He deadpans.

“no I do really and I just hope you guys told me, what did it look like I wouldn’t be happy for you?”

“Hyung no you don’t understand.”

“Oh but I do, look I’ll just say it I’m really happy for you two and I don’t mind if you eat each other’s faces-“

“Luhan is dating someone else.”

“I- What?”

Kyungsoo stops and makes sure he hears it right. “What?” He repeats, all of the pieces he’s managed to put together suddenly all falling apart making him wonder how much he knows exactly of these two bestfriends of his. He searches Sehun’s eyes for an explanation but somehow all he can pick up is sadness, defeat.

“You’re probably really confused right now. I’m so sorry hyung.”

“Sehun…Sehun what’s the matter.” Kyungsoo’s worry escalates to a whole new level when Sehun’s expression turns dark, his eyebrows furrowing as he bites his lips as though he were afraid if he didn’t it’d wobble. The smaller reaches out to cup his maknae’s cheeks.

“I didn’t tell you…because there’s technically nothing to tell.” He begins after having taken a deep breath. “Luhan hyung and I aren’t anything official. At least, that’s not what he wants.”

“What do you mean?”

“God this is so wrong this is-“

“Tell me. You said Luhan was dating someone”

“…is. He’s dating someone.”

“Well then what was all that during the New Year Concert? I mean…I kind of saw you two..”

“It’s…It’s just so complicated.” Sehun runs his hands through his hair, looking really frustrated. “I…I confessed to Luhan on Christmas eve hyung. He didn’t exactly answer me with a yes or a no, he just straight out kissed me. We well…something happened between us that night.”

“…You didn’t…Ohmygod did you?”

“Fine so we had . And there I was feeling ecstatic because I’ve just had with the love of my life but then he ing had to ruin everything by telling me ‘not to think anything special about it’. I was so confused and so upset but I just couldn’t voice it out and we just kept seeing each other and kissing and holding hands in private but hyung I found out he was already dating someone and turns out I’m just second in line.”

“What?!”

“SH- please just- please don’t tell him I know just-“

“Sehun! That’s- It’s wrong! If you’re dating you’re dating If you’re not you’re not.”

“I know I know, this is why I didn’t want to tell you, its all so stupid. He keeps insisting we’re ‘Just friends’ but I swear his actions tell me otherwise…”

“Have you mentioned to him about…this person he’s dating?”

“No oh god no, You can’t tell him I know please. Please. I’m scared Hyung. I’m scared okay, you know how long I’ve had my eye on him and now he’s finally treating me like a man instead of just another one of his dongsaengs and i- I don’t want this to stop- But I damn know it’s wrong- “

“I-“ All too suddenly Kyungsoo’s vision goes black. “Luhan. That stupid- I’m gonna kill him-“

“No!” Sehun shouts, darting his eyes to the door immediately, hoping the eldest doesn’t hear from where he stands outside. “No.”

“You are not tolerating this kind of relationship Sehun, neither of you are. I refuse to allow both of my bestfriends to fool each other and themselves.”

“I know hyung. I know. And I agree, we’re wrong, and unreasonable. But,” In Sehun’s eyes there’s a twinkle of desperation “not now hyung. I swear I’m thinking of a way to fix this, but I don’t want you involved. Please let me handle this, I trust you. I trust you to act normal, like you know absolutely nothing, and like you have nothing to tell.”

“But Sehun…”

“Please. How you feel about Jongin? That’s how I feel about Luhan. Please hyung.”

There’s a long extended pause that hangs in the air as Kyungsoo stares at Sehun in contemplation. Is he to let this pass, or is he to take charge? His maknae, his precious maknae and not to mention his beloved hyung, going through something so complicated and confusing that they seem to think silence is the best solution. Kyungsoo weighs his options and although he feels deeply concerned, one look into Sehun’s eyes has him failing to resist. He opens his mouth to say something however, as if on cue, Luhan bursts in from the kitchen doors, as obnoxiously loud as ever. “My subjects!” He announces, arms spread out wide, seemingly unaware of the tense atmosphere in the room, “Our day has ended, come! let us frolic in the meadow outdoors.”

Sehun’s eyes could only continue to stare at Kyungsoo pleadingly for a few meagre seconds before he chooses to turn away, gaze now trained on the empty space in front of him, fists clenched, preparing himself for whatever is to come. “Uh- guys? Did I interrupt something?” Luhan asks, finally aware of the lengthy silence. However, Kyungsoo sighs and gives in, wasting no time to go in for the save. After all, he’s always had a soft spot for the straight faced sweetheart.

“I was just telling Sehun about how good Jongin is in bed. Damn, you missed the good part.”

“Be- WHAT?! My Kyungie pie isn’t a anymore?!”

“If I say yes can all go home now?” Kyungsoo begins taking off his apron and hanging it by his locker before ushering the two out of the kitchen.

“Kyungsoo! Man I didn’t know you had it in you!”

“Lu Hyung I was joking now move it.”

“Joking?!”

“Yes, Joking, otherwise known as Kidding around or Trolling.”

“Yah!-“

“no further questions!”

Luhan only continues to complain and chatter on about the rules of trolling but neither Kyungsoo nor Sehun is listening because basically their eyes are locked on each other, one gaze filled with gratitude and the other filled with worry. Sehun seems to get the message, responding with a smile and a nod of his head, as If to say that there’s nothing to worry about, that he’ll take care of this, or simply as if to say thank you.

A gust of cold wind blows past the trio as they exit the warmth of the bakeshop. They separate ways, but not before Sehun is able to envelop Kyungsoo in a warm hug, which admittedly piques Luhan’s curiosity. He shrugs it off, thinking that they all have their sentimental moments.

***

“Hey cutie. You come here often?”

Jongin playfully strides up to where Kyungsoo stands waiting by the university’s gates, eyebrows scrunched together in deep thought. He’s probably spent a good two minutes or so just watching the smaller boy stare into nothingness as people walked past him, probably on their way home after a long tiring day trapped in the school’s labs or classrooms. He takes the time to capture this image of Kyungsoo in his head, of his rosy cheeks blushing in the cold, his plush lips hiding behind a fuzzy warm looking red scarf which is probably the only thing not black on him at the moment, and If you squint your eyes a bit you’d notice that his hair is slightly curled, which is a nice change from his normal, flat look.

Kyungsoo blinks several times before he’s able to completely bring himself back to reality. “Oh hi” Is the only greeting he manages, partly because his mind has been wandering too much on the whole Sehun Luhan issue and partly because Jongin looks even more breathtaking in a turtleneck underneath a doctor’s coat. Not to mention the dorky backpack that ruins the whole professional look he’s got going on.

“Oh hi? That’s all I get?”

“Uhm…Oh hi, hello, goodevening, yo, hey-“

“Alright alright smartass, I see where you’re going.” Jongin chuckles to himself and Kyungsoo finds it hard not to do the same.

“Hello Jongin.”

“Hello Kyungsoo.”

“Am I too early? I could just wait for you at home.”

“No, I was hoping you could come over to my place first before yours, help me fix up a bit.”

“Y-your place? I mean- with your sisters and- and your dogs-“

“Huh? Oh! Oh no sorry I mean, I sleep at my dorm during busy weekdays since my place is kinda far.”

“Oh. Good, I don’t think my heart could handle two confrontations in one day.”

“Aw hey it couldn’t go that bad.”

“But then it also could go that bad.”

“Tss, such pessimism.”

“Anyway, wanna go? I need to stop by a store to find buy some ingredients. Genius brother thinks its cute to have me cooking on a night he planned.”

“You cook? y.”

Kyungsoo blushes. “Shut up.”

“Alright. Let’s- ah- wait.”

Jongin begins feeling his pockets, bringing out a small key which looks like it would fit into a padlock. From what it looks like he’s probably missing something, which Kyungsoo figures. “Something you forgot?” He asks, watching the taller scrunch his face and scratch his head.

“Yeah, skateboard, locker, 5^th floor.”

“Oh. Okay I’ll wait here.”

“no you’re coming with me we’re going to go get it.”

“W-we are?”

“Yeah, come on it’s alright, I’m not leaving you alone here.”

Before Kyungsoo even finds the time to answer, he’s being dragged deeper into unfamiliar grounds where everyone is clad in white coats and stethoscopes. He shies away from the curious gazes that fall upon him, this awkward small boy who’s a blotch of black in a sea of white. Instead he focuses all his energy into registering jongin’s hand warm against his, fitting perfectly in place.

It’s quite noticeable how Jongin is a known face around here. Every now and then people would greet him hello or hi or you still owe me an overdue paper. Most of their stares would curiously flicker towards Kyungsoo’s direction and sometimes knowing looks are exchanged. The elevator ride to the 5^th floor is an awkward one, with Jongin effortlessly conversing with the nurses there and Kyungsoo doing his best to answer their questions politely. They never release their hold on each other.

So it’s easy to say that Kyungsoo’s been put in a good mood for those few minutes, for that short walk. He’s all smiles and blushes by the time they reach their destination but when Jongin opens the door and switches on several rows of lights, it’s then that his heart drops to his stomach and his face instantly pales.

“Meet my bestfriends.” Jongin announces with his back turned to Kyungsoo as he lets go of the smaller’s hand and walks across tables and tables of, what Kyungsoo guesses is, cadavers.

“I think I’m gonna be sick” He mumbles to himself, eyeing the corpses with fear and caution as he instinctively holds his hands to his chest. “J-Jongin!”

The tanned boy stops, turning around to find Kyungsoo still at the other end of the room, standing awkwardly in place. “hey, you staying there?”

“I-I uhm, I don’t- I think I’m staying here.”

“Are you sure? I mean the locker room is just over there.” Jongin points to the door across him, which to Kyungsoo seems like a mile or two away. “Wait- Kyungsoo you’re not scared of these kinds of things are you? They’re just corpses.”

“No- no you go get what you need to I’ll stay here. I’m just…not used to the smell that’s all.”

“Oh, okay I’ll be quick then. Stay there, this will take like, two seconds.”

With that Jongin is already jogging all the way across the large room, disappearing behind the green door and leaving Kyungsoo all by himself in a room he considers not far from his worst nightmare. He wasn’t lying when he said he’s not used to the smell, he doesn’t think he ever wants to get accustomed to the stench of death. He inhales and exhales deeply, willing himself to calm down, to stay put and to just behave.

It’s a plan, he decides, closing his eyes and doing his best to meditate and keep calm. He does okay, for the first 5 seconds or so, until a group of crazy loud students decide to barge in unannounced, causing him to crouch and crawl behind one of the tables for god knows why. Why the are you hiding he asks himself, knowing it’s too late to pop out and say ‘hi pretend you saw me when you entered’. He stays where he is, assuming that he was driven by the instinct to keep his most protected secret safe, his hand clasping over his mouth as he listens intently on the chattering voices, the equipment tinkering around and finally the footsteps and voices that disappear as quickly as they came. He exhales in relief. They must have just passed by to take a few things. With a hand over his heart, he grabs onto the table and lifts himself up again.

Which isn’t his brightest decision. For a split second, a split second, his hand grazes ever so lightly over the dead body placed on the table he hid behind, and Kyungsoo nearly dies on the spot. As if to  mock his luck, the carcass is one that’s fully intact, one which hasn’t been sliced open or experimented on in any way and is simply just a fresh dead body filled with stinky chemicals to keep it from rotting.  Jiminey crickets. If only this thing were butchered to bits like the meat in the poultry section of a grocery then maybe his powers stood a chance of not working.

But no.

Meet my bestfriends, Jongin’s words ring fresh in his ear as he watches Mr. blue body spring to motion. Kyungsoo’s eyes go wide, his heart pounding against his chest because holy he’s alive which means someone close by must have…

He touches the body again. It drops back to the table and returns to its state of…cadaver…ness…which is how It’s always and forever supposed to stay. Kyungsoo’s mind is going wild however because he’s half expecting to hear some people scream about someone dropping dead on the spot somewhere nearby unless…

Unless, the life he takes in exchange is of someone who’s currently in a room alone. Where no one would find him. Where his body would fall cold and lifeless to the ground where no one could hear him and where no one could save him.

Somewhere like the locker room.

***

Long and boring.

Krystal’s day is long and boring without Jongin. But she’d rather it be long and boring than irritating and painful.

She tried really, she tried to convince herself not to give up, recalling all of the celebrity magazines she’s come across in the past flashing headlines like Hot topic! So breaks up with so because of his growing feelings for so! Praying that her name would be on that last blank (and well you could guess whose names she’d like to be on those other two blanks). Her mini pep-talk with the mirror this morning served her a little good, at least little enough to give her a determined smile on the way to the university that morning.

Jongin had been waiting for her at the lobby (or well, okay maybe not her specifically but their entire gang, though technically she was the only one missing so she deems it valid to say he was waiting for her). The thought made her insides flutter and as she approached him he smiled like she meant the world to him (or at least that’s how she interpreted it) and for a moment she had thought this is it, this is it he just broke up with Kyungsoo and he’s going to confess to her, his childhood sweetheart, and then they’re going to start dating, finally. The way he waved at her and greeted her goodmorning only seemed to get her hopes way up high but then…but then he started to talk.

“Wow…You’re giddy today” Taemin began, noticing the weird, unusual, dorky smile jongin’s had on the entire morning.  

“….Hm?”

“Giddy and Aloof.”

“Oh. Oh sorry. Sorry.”

“….Earth to Jongin?”

“…sorry what?”

“You…You met up with Kyungsoo this morning, didn’t you? It’s the only explanation I could think of.”

“No, no psh…no..I…yeah.”

“I’m a genius.”

Krystal rolled her eyes, not because of taemin’s cockiness though, no she’s too used to that, she rolled her eyes at the mention of the small baker’s name, the smile on her face almost instantaneously wiped off.

“Wait- wait, so let me get this straight, you’re telling me, that you, you, you kim Jongin, woke up early? Earlier than necessary?”

Jongin couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yeah?”

“You mean this revolutional small soft bug eyed baker actually managed to break the indestructible sleeping pattern of kim Jongin?!”

“Don’t go there Taem.”

“Well damn! I wish Minho would stir up some inspirational change in me too I mean the only thing he’s taught me to do is chain smoke Jesus, where do I sign up for a Kyungsoo?”

“You can’t sign up for a Kyungsoo’ I won’t allow you to.”

“Just a joke .”

Krystal could only take so much of this…this…’Kyungsoo talk’.

“God why don’t you guys just build him a shrine and worship him there.” She mumbled to herself as she pushed past the two bickering boys to say hello to Junmyeon who was busy studying (like the good role model he is). At least with him, she could hold a nice, decent, and civil conversation without wanting to pull her hair out every second or two.

“Hello Myeonie.” She beamed. Suho read the last few lines of his notes before he gave his full attention to her.

“Hey, Goodmorning.”

“Studying?”

“Ah..Yeah. Anatomy. Test. Braindead.”

“Oh,” Krystal laughed half-heartedly, her mind was too busy wondering whether Jongin was looking her way or not. She took a quick and brief glance back to see, and surprisingly they glanced at the same time. But it just wasn’t the same anymore, there weren’t any butterflies or sparks because she knew their glances met because of nothing but chance, coincidence. She looked away, back to Junmyeon with a smile, the poor guy seeing the tied up tangled world of his friends unveil before him.

He sighed. “Come with?”

“What?”

“I meant come with me to class. You’ve aced this subject right? I could use a little help.”

“O-oh.”

Krystal searched Junmyeon’s eyes, he’s never really been one to offer such a thing, but the fact that he was doing so made her curiously tilt her head and quirk her eyebrow. It’s then that she saw it, that thing Junmyeon does with his eyebrows in class to signal to them that he’s freaking mind pooped and that he wants to leave.

Wants to leave. I know you want to leave Krys, this is me saving you.

Damn, Junmyeon’s smart.

“Oh! Class! Yes Sure!” Krystal exclaimed, a little too high-pitched and a little too loud, successfully makeing Jongin look their way as she linked her arm around Junmyeon’s and pulled him along with her almost skipping down the hall. Junmyeon could only sigh and stagger along to Krystal’s long strides, wishing he didn’t know so much about his friends or their little crushes.

And that’s how her day was pretty much ruined.

Now that it’s currently early in the evening and she’s walking down the hallways of the 5^th floor laboratories alone, dressed in her nursing uniform with her hair tied up neat and pretty In a bun underneath a little white hat, her mind freely wanders. Ignoring the multiple flirtatious looks thrown at her by the group of noisy male students who pass by carrying all sorts of equipment from the nearby lab, she thinks of how she needs to bring things back to how they were. She decides that she wants Jongin back, she doesn’t care whether is just as a bestfriend or a childhood sweetheart, she just wants him all to herself again. If she can’t have him? No one should. Or something like that.

As she continues to walk, staring blankly at the space in front of her, some words of the chattering male students who pass by catch her attention. It makes her stop the aimless wandering and scrunch her forehead in confusion because she gets this feeling that it’s a matter she’s supposed to be concerned with. She tries to eavesdrop on the rest of the details.

Hey, what’s with that kid hiding behind one of the tables earlier. One of them says.

Oh thank god you saw him too I thought I was being haunted here. He was in all black for gods sake.

Yeah, their voices begin to fade as they walk further down the hallway. Krystal is about to return to minding her own business at this point but then suddenly they just had to mention the only name in the world that would get her completely interested. What a weirdo. I heard Jongin was seen dragging a little guy around campus a while ag though, and apparently-

“Excuse me”

The sweet voice that interrupts their conversation has all four men turning their heads towards one of the campus goddesses standing right in front of them, ever beautiful smile plastered on her face like she isn’t at all feeling the least bit irritated. Krystal almost wants to laugh at their not so subtle nudges towards each other. She tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear and if it were Jongin she were talking to right now he’d definitely figure out her true motifs right away and say something like “alright doll face what is it you want.”

 “I just want to ask, have any of you seen Jongin around? He wasn’t at the lecture hall anymore when I passed there.”

“Skateboard!”

Krystal blinks as she watches two of the students shove their companion and curse his impulsive senseless mouth.

“What he means is,” one of them continues “Jongin left his skateboard at his locker in that Lab over there, he might have come back for it by now.”

“That one? The body farm?” Krystal points to where he seems to be looking and she’s given a nod in response. She wastes no time to spin around and start walking up to the said lab with a brief thank you and goodbye to the kind (but damn noisy) lads.

What she is to say to Jongin is not important at the moment, she decides. Conversations with him flow naturally and so it isn’t much of a worry for her, all she wants is to catch him before he leaves, catch him before he falls into Kyungsoo’s stupid little hands again. Catch him before-

It’s too late.

Late. Krystal freezes by the doorway, immediately moving out of view so that she’s merely peeking into the room, watching what could be the most bizarre and freaky scene unfolding before her eyes.

She knows all too well that the things lying underneath those white sheets are nothing but cadavers waiting to be sliced open and poked on by future doctors and nurses of the university. It’s a body farm, for heaven’s sake. She herself had a few classes in this very room, expertly demonstrating to the class which part is which and what functions for what. Rooms like these are pretty mundane to most med students...

Which is why her heart nearly stops beating in shock because why the hell is one of them currently moving? Moving as in sitting up and freaking breathing?! Holy hell, It’s m o v I n g!

And to make things weirder, what the hell is Kyungsoo doing standing there? Not looking shocked in any way like he’s supposed to look?

Krystal covers because she is so sure she’s gonna scream if she doesn’t. There’s a moving, dead body right in front of her straight out from the walking dead, she’s not even sure how she’s not screaming and pulling on a fire alarm right now. She’s about to, that’s for sure, until Kyungsoo reaches his hand out to the awakening corpse and it all of a sudden just flops back down onto the table motionless, going back to its original state and looking no different from the rest of the dead bodies in the room once again. Her eyes go wide, she bites her hand harder. Not sure whether she could take any more of this uncanny scene she takes a step back, carefully, slowly, as though making a sound would wake up an entire room of carcasses who would all be too willing to go after her brains or something. With trembling legs and a racing heart, she runs. Sprints down the hallway and takes the stairs down because elevators never serve anyone good in the movies.

At that very moment the state of her day takes a 360 degree turn, from being Long and boring to being unusually surreal. 

***

“Hey sorry I took long damn I forgot my locker code…but check what I changed into, Manchester United! I-“

The first thing Jongin sees when he comes back out is a mass of slightly curly red hair as this small frail body comes crashing against him in a hug. His arms impulsively wrap around the boy’s frame while he spends several seconds trying to register what just happened.

“Kyungsoo?”

At the mention of his name, said boy separates, looking thoroughly panicked as he checks Jongin from head to toe. Still very confused, Jongin allows him to do what he pleases, his eyes following Kyungsoo’s every move with much worry, all traces of his previous excitement instantly gone. A minute goes by with the smaller boy continuing to fret and this time Jongin holds him by the shoulders until their eyes meet. He says nothing, staring at Kyungsoo as though his eyes had the answer to his sudden panic.

They stare, and stare, and stare, the silence between them deafening. Until soon, Kyungsoo lets out a long, heavy sigh of relief.

“Oh thank God” Jongin thinks he hears him mumble, he scrunches his face in confusion.

“Thank god for what?”

Kyungsoo’s eyes fall on him again and he blinks several times. “O-oh. I mean. I mean thank god…thank god…you’re…wearing Manchester United.”

Jongin stares at him a second longer before breaking out into a laugh “You were worried I wasn’t gonna follow your advice?”

“No! I was- well- You were uhm, taking so long. I thought you…slipped and hit your head or something.”

“Slipped…and hit my head.” His voice tweaks in the end which makes obvious the laugh he’s trying to restrain.

“Jongin. Please don’t”          

“I’m not-“ Jongin coughs, closing his eyes as though it took all the energy in him to keep a serious face. He opens his eyes again seemingly more composed “Okay. I’m done.”

Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow at that and so Jongin attempts to speak again, failing of course, his voice dying down in his throat transforming into something in between a choke and a guffaw. It makes Kyungsoo annoyed enough to side eye the closest corpse in contemplation. He settles for rolling his eyes.

“Ugh let’s just go.” He demands, stomping his way through the aisle (extra, extra, extra carefully). Jongin watches the smaller boy’s back retreat with a smile, still laughing.

 “man, I love you.”  He says, more to himself, but Kyungsoo hears it anyway and he nearly screams and runs for the elevator.

***

On the fifth floor female’s restroom of a medical university in hongdae in the early hours of the evening, music plays.

Music echoes through the empty rows of cubicles along with the sound of running water from the open sink which is about to overflow. It’s empty at this hour especially since majority of the students and professors have all called it a day, picked up their bags and headed home. The thing about public restrooms is that no one bothers to use them at night time because they’re headed home anyway and home has a nice clean toilet bowl where you can take as long as you want and not worry about empty toilet paper rolls. That and of course the unavoidable ghost stories that manage to travel around from ear to ear are pretty much reason enough to avoid the said places.

This is exactly why no one is around to see the poor nursing student drop dead to the ground just as she is about to re-apply her cherry red lipstick, her phone clattering to the ground where its headphones unplug and its music plays on speaker instead. Some classical piece by Bethoven plays in the background as the poor girl lay there lifeless, probably to be discovered only hours later by the janitress who swings by for her final rounds. It’s a shame such a valuable life like hers, one with years of knowledge and experience on how to save people, is taken away in exchange for a corpse who lived for not longer than 20 seconds.

Shame shame. 

A/N: i feel very disoriented. GAH just so you know i know nothing abt medicine i am a mass communication student soBs. like i do in every chapter, i apologize if there are mistakes or if its simply unsatisfactory o/ and uhm my tab button wont work HAHAHA

by the way ive been meaning to say this, thank you guys so much <3 I know this isnt the best fic out there and i know it has a lot of flaws or loopholes, its not the most popullar either, it doesnt have a thousand subs or what, but i really appreciate all your comments or even if you dont comment and just read it really encourages me. to those who comment with such enthusiasm, i love you ;3; i could kiss you hahahaha writing is so much more enjoyable when you know there are people who actually look forward to your work or take the time to just sit down and read even a few paragraphs. Bec of it rather than being stressed to write, it becomes more of a stress reliever. so thank you! <3 sincerely. If you're not happy with the flow of events you may freely decide to stop reading, bec u as the reader should read what makes you satisfied and happpyyyyyy ! <3   

Have a good life all o/