Prologue - 2 a.m.

“Soo.”

It was the time of night where Kyungsoo should be sleeping and Jongin should be sleeping with some Elite, but the Entertainer didn't care about consequences and the Cleaner only cared about Jongin. So instead, they were lying on the Number 12 mat in the Cleaner's dorm, close enough that their breaths tickled each other as they whispered.

“Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo.”

“Stop it,” the boy in question muttered.

“No, I like it. It's my favorite word,” Jongin whispered back. Kyungsoo blushed and hoped that it was too dark to see.

“Who was the one that refused to give me a name for the longest time?” he asked, half-teasing but mostly serious.

“Kyungsoo,” Jongin breathed out, letting the words roll off his tongue and ending with a pout. “You know why I didn't want to.”

“Not really,” the other admitted. He knew something had happened during Jongin's childhood and he knew it was painful to talk about, but that was it. He wanted to know more about the boy who had somehow become so important in his life.

“I didn't want you to get hurt. And you could get in trouble. You still can.”

Kyungsoo turned towards the younger boy and stared into his eyes; the worry was visible even in the dark. “And then you gave me one anyway.”

“Well, yeah.” Jongin was pouting again and Kyungsoo wanted to roll his eyes.

“So, can you tell me? Tonight?” It's been a year since they met, a season since Baekhyun came back and things were almost back to normal, sometimes even a bit better than before. He was comfortable enough with Jongin that he could whine and joke around, and that was something special.

“Okay, well . . .” the younger boy finally said, dragging the word out. “I don't know what to say.”

Kyungsoo stared at him, waiting, and Jongin sighed. “Umm . . . it's just that when we were little, me and Sehunnie snuck out of the warehouse a lot because there was this Elite and we would hide in his room and it was great but then the Elite disappeared and Sehun was punished and then Baekhyun left for that fuc- for that one Elite and got in trouble and I just don't want there to be any reason for you to get in trouble, okay?”

He let it all out in one breath, voice almost breaking out of a whisper. Kyungsoo worked to process all that was said and replied, “But you're going to get in trouble for being here.”

Chanyeol, deep in sleep on a nearby mat and probably dreaming about Baekhyun, made a noise and both shifted to look at him.

“Yeah, but I don't care,” Jongin said with a nonchalant shrug, still looking at the giant.

“You-”

Jongin turned towards Kyungsoo and the latter was too aware of the distance, or lack thereof, between them. “I'm not leaving until you fall asleep."

Kyungsoo tried not to blush, and failed once again. “But I can't sleep if you stay and keep talking,” he protested.

“Well that's your problem, isn't it?” Jongin replied cheekily.

“Jongin . . .”

“I love you, Soo.”