6

Mino had not seen Taehyun for two days, he didn’t even reply his texts. Mino was so worried and he couldn’t contact the boy. But the next day they met at their art club activities. Taehyun was sick. He wore a mask because he was still coughing and couldn’t talk much and he had a sore throat. The boy looked tired, he just sat next to Mino and didn’t say a word, all he did was just nodded as a response to whatever Mino said. Taehyun couldn’t concentrate at all. His head was spinning and every sound was echoing in his ears.

“Taehyun-ah… you should rest…”, Mino was concern. He pat on the younger boy’s head, feeling it like he always liked to do. He did want to see Taehyun, but not like this. It would be better if Taehyun rested at home for a day or two more, he could wait. Taehyun slightly shook his head and leaned against Mino, rested his head on the older boy’s shoulder. The boy wasn’t that fully conscious so he did whatever he felt like doing, and that was being close to his senior’s warm body.

Mino froze at Taehyun’s unusual behavior, Taehyun always kept distance and never liked  skinship. He was too surprise to do anything, he just sat still, and tried not to move so the boy could be comfortable. He didn’t even notice that everyone in the club was looking at them. Jiho nudged his friend to bring him back from his little world, but Mino didn’t care about the gay rumors anymore so he did nothing to protest. Jiho sighed and stop trying to interrupt both of them.

The period ended after an hour, but Taehyun had deeply fallen asleep. He didn’t wake up from the sound of the bell. Mino was still sitting where he was, didn’t move any inch. He had no intention to wake the one who was sleeping, leaning against him at all. Everyone already left the room, even Jiho,  and they were still there alone by themselves.

Mino used his other hand to feel the boy’s temperature from his warm cheek. The weather started to get cold, that’s probably why Taehyun caught a cold. It would be a lie to say that Mino didn’t like being like this, even though his body started to feel numb from not moving for so long. He liked being close to Taehyun like this, to listen to his breathing, to scent his sweet smell. Everything was so perfect until Taehyun’s phone rang in his blazer pocket. Both of them flinched because of the sudden sound that broke their peaceful silent.

Taehyun was still drowsy as he picked up his phone while his head was still resting on Mino’s shoulder. His voice was husky and tired. Mino glanced at the boy to see how was he doing. The phone call ended quickly with Taehyun didn’t even said a word. Taehyun parted himself from the older boy and tried to steady himself.

“What time is it…? Why didn’t you wake me up?”, Taehyun asked as he sleepily rubbed his eye. “I’m sorry…”, he Mino’s arm where he just leaned against. The older boy shook his head, smiling. He didn’t mind at all.

“It’s okay. Can you go home like this? You want me to go with you?”, he softly patted on the boy’s head again, tucked the brown locks behind his ear. At first Mino was afraid the boy might not like it, to be casually touched like this, but he didn’t look like he hate it so Mino continued. Taehyun just hummed and leaned against Mino again, snuggling like a cat and it made Mino shivered. His heart pounding hard and had to suppress his arms from hugging the boy. Seeing Taehyun being like this was strange. He became so cute that Mino secretly wanted him to always be like this, only with him of course.

“I’m sleepy…”, Taehyun whispered softly. It was hard to understand with his cough and husky voice and with the mask covering his mouth. Mino swallowed hard, thinking what he should do. He thought Taehyun’s home was too far for him to go back with his condition, and the nurse probably left the school infirmary.

“Do you want to go rest at my home first?”, he swore to god he had no bad intention offering Taehyun to go sleep at his home, which was way closer than Taehyun’s own place. Mino didn’t expect Taehyun to agree at all but he received a slight nod and it meant ‘yes’.  

Mino did his best to Taehyun to his home. His heart raced faster and faster every step they took. Mino’s home was warm and quiet, since everyone had not come back yet. The older boy handle his junior to his room, or his bed, to be particularize.

Taehyun laid himself down to wherever Mino told him to. He couldn’t think of anything. The bed was a bit cold but still comfortable. The scent of the bed amazingly calmed him. It was Mino’s scent, Taehyun realized. He opened his eyes to see where he was and he saw the unfamiliar scenery, and Mino right next to where he was lying down. He wanted to say something to the older boy but his eyelids were too heavy. It didn’t take long at all for Taehyun to fall asleep again.

Mino took off the mask that was covering half of that pretty face. His hands slightly trembled as he slowly Taehyun’s blazer so he could be more comfortable. He sat next to his bed, observing the boy’s face closely in detail. His finger carefully removed the brown locks from that face he liked to watch. His eyes traced Taehyun’s profile, staring at those red lips, and he  pressed his lips on the boy’s hot cheek instead of where he really wanted.

It might be a bad idea, having the one he like defenselessly sleeping on his bed like this. Mino helplessly had dirty thoughts towards the person in front of him. No matter how hard he tried to think of something else but the sweet scent and the breathing sound of the boy kept bringing him back to his inappropriate thoughts. He sighed and nestled his head on the edge of his bed.

He also thought about when Taehyun asked him whether he had a girlfriend or not. The question gave him hope for a moment. He hoped Taehyun would say that he liked him too, but it was impossible since he always denied he wasn’t gay. Mino sighed again and shifted his head closer to the boy’s arm, happily thinking about their 'date' days ago. It was surprisingly good. Mino totally wanted to go out with Taehyun more often. And Taehyun seemed to think the same thing.

Mino had fallen asleep too as Taehyun woke up when it was already dark. He felt so much better and recalled about how he was drowsy and sleepy because of the pills he had took. Taehyun tried to recall what had happened during their club activities and it was embarrassing just thinking about it. He snuggled Mino, in front of everyone in the club. His face started to heat up and it gave him headache.

It was Taehyun's first time in Mino's room. He had been many time at his friends' place but it was different. Mino's scent that filled the room made him feel calm and excited at the same time. His heart pounded louder than it usually was because of his illness, the sound was so loud in his ears. He turned his head to look at Mino who was still asleep, sitting on the floor and his head resting on the bed. His fingers softly ran through the sleeping boy’s black hair, he did it carefully so he wouldn’t wake Mino up. Taehyun closely looked at that plum lips in front of him and felt like kissing them, but he stopped himself from getting any closer.

He sat up and  looked around the room and studied Mino. His bedroom wall covered with some hip-hop posters and drawings, and he saw a small drawing of himself on the wall next to his pillow. He smiled, Mino probably looked at it and fall asleep right? (Taehyun had other thought but he rather not think of it any further) He was flattered, to be very honest. He knew that Mino liked him and he also like the older boy too. He moved slowly and intended to secretly leave the house, but he  accidentally woke up Mino.

"Oh, you are awake. How was it. Do you feel any better?", Mino's deep voice was filled with concern, it made Taehyun felt good. It felt like he was being loved and cared. Taehyun nodded then said to Mino with his husky voice.

"I'm sorry to bother you like this, hyung... I should go home now", he coughed again and his throat hurt so badly that he didn't wanted to talk anymore. Mino seemed to know, he went out to get a glass of water for Taehyun.

"Are you sure?", Mino looked very worried that Taehyun let out a small chuckle at the boy’s overprotection. He wanted to talk but the pain was too bad so he just nodded. The older boy slightly smile.

“Are you hungry? No one is back so it’s only some leftover though, if you’re okay with it”, Mino stood up and led Taehyun to the dining area. He still wanted to spend some more time with Taehyun. He admitted that it was sly that he pretended to offer food and other things just to protract Taehyun from leaving his house.

The younger boy sat down and looked around while Mino was warming some food for him. The Song kitchen was very neat, and Taehyun could see some baking equipments which made him pictured Mino baking cakes and cookies. Unfortunately, Mino was too busy preparing food that he missed Taehyun’s smile.

Taehyun was sick, so he couldn’t taste anything, the food looked nice though. He just quietly ate  it as he listened to the silly things Mino was telling. Their precious alone moment didn’t last any longer because Danah came back home. She was very surprise to see the popular boy, Nam Taehyun, in her house.
 

“Are you guys already dating or what?”, She big brother as always. Both of them didn’t deny it directly because that was what they secretly wanted it to happen.

“Yah! Danah! Stop teasing!”, Mino playfully scold his sister. He took a quick glance to see Taehyun’s reaction. Taehyun was smiling, looking at him. It made Mino’s heart skipped a beat. He wasn’t sure what that smile meant. Did it mean Taehyun didn’t hate the idea of them dating? Or he just didn’t take it seriously and being nice to Danah by not getting mad? Taehyun looked away after a few seconds of their eye contact.

“Are you gonna spend the night here?”, Danah’s curiosity didn’t stop. She stood next to where her brother who was sitting, and stared at Taehyun with sparkly eyes. Taehyun gave her a smile then shook his head.

“I should go home. I don’t want you to catch my cold”, then he stood up, ready to leave. Danah looked disappointed but she said her goodbye and wish Taehyun to recover soon, she even suggested her brother to lend a coat for Taehyun because the night breeze would be chill for a sick person. Mino lent the boy one of his hoodies. It was big, warm and comfortable to wear and Taehyun was grateful, the night breeze was totally freezing for him.

Mino was with Taehyun all the way from his house to the bus stop, he even waited for the bus with the younger boy. They didn’t say anything to each other until the bus came.

“Rest, okay? Get well soon”, the older boy said to the younger one gently. He was a bit sad that he probably wouldn’t see Taehyun for many days since it was already Thursday, and Taehyun wouldn't be at school tomorrow. He emphasized the boy to rest and not to come to school if he wasn’t fully recover. Taehyun smiled and nodded, he leaned himself close to Mino and rest his head on the older boy’s shoulder, almost like hugging, then he went up the bus.

That evening was something for both of them. Mino was happy, very happy, to be able to be that close to Taehyun, to see when he was weak, to be able to take care of him. And in the other hand, Taehyun used his illness as an excuse to be close to Mino.

Mino went back home, to his room. The scent of the boy was still vivid ke he never left. It was so sweet and poisonous. Mino felt guilty for what he was going to do. He laid on his bed, soaking himself with the scent of Nam Taehyun, feeling the warm temperature from that warm body. It started to make him feel hot. But before it would lead him to another thing, his phone buzzed. Someone texted him. Mino quickly grabbed his phone, expecting Taehyun, but unfortunately it was some stupid commercial message. Mino almost threw his phone out the window.

-----

The next day Taehyun did come to school even though he was still sick. His reason of his struggle was he wanted to see Mino. He didn’t understand why he was like this, losing all his senses, probably because of the sickness messing up his restraint.

Mino was surprised to see Taehyun at school. He was a bit angry, “I told you to rest!” He scolded  after he dragged the boy to the infirmary again. Taehyun laid down on the bed with a pack of iced gel on his forehead, looking at non-stop-complaining Mino. The younger boy didn’t catched a word his senior was saying, he just lied there and stare at the older boy's frustrated face.

“Nam Taehyun, are you listening to me?”, he frowned, seeing Taehyun didn't seem to care about his concern made him angrier. The boy didn't respond. He had took pills and it started to make him half conscious.
 

"Hyung...", he huskily called the older boy. Mino hinced. He knew it was wrong for him to think that the boy looked y when he was sick but damn, his face flushed in red, and that half opened eyes, and his panting voice, he was so damn y. The older boy swallowed the air in his throat, trying to chase his dirty thoughts away. But Taehyun didn't give him any cooperate as he grabbed the older boy's arm and pulled him closer. Mino heart raced.

"Y-yeah?", Mino breathed in deeply to calm himself down, but it didn't help.

"I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me", Taehyun mumbled while he tighten his grip. The older boy rested his hand on where his junior was clenching his sleeve. He felt guilty for getting mad.

"I'm not mad at you anymore. You should have rest at home, Tahyun. Why are you making me worry like this?", he couldn't help but told the younger one about his feeling. "I don't want to see you like this", he continued to explain, "Do me a favor and please rest, okay?" Taehyun nodded, had not let go of Mino.

"Can you-", Taehyun whispered and Mino barely understood. He bent down, lowered his ears nearer to the boy's mouth to listen closely. He could feel the hot breath on his jaw and neck and it gave him shivers. He mindlessly holding on Taehyun's hand.

Taehyun was looking at the older one's close up. Everything got hazy. He couldn't think straight anymore. He stopped thinking. He mumbled something then leaned forward to lightly pressed his lips on the boy's jaw in front of him. Mino hitched and even let out a voice. He quickly turned to the boy to make sure what was that. He met those teary eyes staring at him, and Taehyun's breathing became irregular.

That was something. Mino's heart raced like crazy, it started to hurt. The younger one's stare was so strong Mino couldn't help but feeling like Taehyun was alluring him or something. He had to think fast what to do, but it was hard with the pounding sound in his ears like this. But after he heard that husky voice, whispered, called him, he stopped thinking and kissed the boy.

He pressed his lips on Taehyun's hot ones. It was a relieved that the younger boy didn't resist and even kissed him back. That red and hot lips parted like it was inviting him to do more and Mino didn't hesitate to do as he felt like. Mino could feel the boy's hot breath and could hear light moans coming out from their kiss, and it gave him more feels. The kiss was getting hotter and hotter so were their bodies.

"What are you doing?", the nurse asked after she heard weird noises. Mino completely forgot where they were. Thankfully, the curtain was hiding them that she could't see what was happening. He parted himself quickly and looked around, the curtain was still closed. Mino felt guilty for what he had done. He looked at Taehyun and he was already fallen asleep. The older boy slowly removed Taehyun's hand from his sleeve, and quietly left the room without looking at the nurse.

What was the meaning of that kiss? What was it? What just happened?

Mino was confuse. He went back to his class and sat on his seat. The taste that was still on his his lips was driving him crazy. He couldn't think of anything but wanting to go back to the infirmary and continue their kiss, or maybe more than just kisses. He waited patiently for the class to end, to go back to the infirmary. Not that he wanted to do that there but he just want to make sure what just happened.

"What's wrong? You look strange", Jihoon, who was sitting next to Mino, asked when he saw his friend acting fidgety. Mino just shook his head, wasn't sure he should tell his friend about It.

"Did you fight with the kid?", Jihoon continued his question. Mino didn't answer, but that gave Mino new thoughts. What if Taehyun didn't like it, being kissed by a male, by him. What if all what happened was just his own imaginary. It started to terrify him.

"I'll tell you later...", Mino said to his friend. He wanted to make sure of it first, then he will tell his friends about it, the kiss, to be exact.

Finally the bell rang, informing it was the end of their class period. Mino ran out off the room.

"What is wrong with him?", Jiho was about to asked the same question but Mino dashed out of the room before he even got out of his seat.

Jihoon just shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe they fight or something like that", he streatched his arms and yawned. The blonde guy nodded and sat where the owner of the seat just left.

"Man, this is crazy. This is too much. He is too obsess with that kid", to be honest, Jiho was a bit annoyed. All his friend did was talking about the boy, thinking about the boy, rapping about the boy, and many other actions that was about the boy.

"Just let him. It won't be long. That kid won't like him back anyways", Jihoon casually said it, and Jiho agreed.

-----

Mino was disappointed to see that Taehyun already left the infirmary, but at the same time he was relieved. He was afraid that if Taehyun saw him again he might got punched on the face for kissing the boy. Mino took out his phone and texted the boy,

Where are you?

But Taehyun didn't answer. The nurse told Mino that Taehyun called someone to pick him up when Mino had left the room, so he probably reached home now. That made Mino felt worse. It sounded like Taehyun ran away.

He went back to his class and thought about how he should apologize, even he didn't think it could solve the problem.

-----

Taehyun did called someone to pick him up from school but it wasn't his family. The person he called was his 2 years older friend, Jinwoo. He and Jinwoo were friends and they met before Taehyun transfered school. Luckily Jinwoo lived nearby his new school and he was nice enough to take care of the sick Taehyun.

Taehyun did have a good rest afterwards, with Jinwoo taking care of him. The sky started to change into orange. He woke up and see Jinwoo was wiping his sweaty chest and neck.

"Ah, Jinwoo hyung... Thank you so much, and I'm sorry to bother you like this", Taehyun sat up and ran his fingers through his hair to keep them off his face. He felt better now.

"It's okay~  don't worry", Jinwoo smiled. He was still nice like when they were in the same school. Taehyun thought he looked matured but also as innocent as always.

"But I'm curious, why did you called me instead of your mom?" Taehyun suddenly remembered why. He wanted to talked to someone about what happened, so he mindlessly called Jinwoo who he could recalled that the older one was gay. But he ended up sleeping instead of talking as soon as he arrived at Jinwoo's place.

Taehyun hesitated for a while, then decided to tell everything about him and Mino. But he didn't tell Jinwoo about the kiss, because he wasn't sure whether it was just his dream or it was real. He couldn't really remember what happened in the infirmary. Jinwoo's eyes got bigger than they already were. He was surprised, very surprised to hear that Nam Taehyun liked a guy.  He was so shocked that he went speechless, then he smiled.

"This is so unexpected!", he covered his dropped jaw with both of his hands. "Was he that attractive? God, I want to see how he looks like." As expected from Taehyun that this hyung would be supportive and very excited about this. Taehyun let out a chuckle.

"Well, he is attractive, girls like him", taehyun could feel his face heated up a bit as he talked about Mino. "But I don't like him because of his looks", he wasn't sure himself why he liked the boy, he just like him, very much.

"how long have you guys been dating?", Jinwoo shifted himself to sit on the bed with Taehyun. His doe-liked eyes sparkled with excitement.

"We're not dating. We're just friends", the boy had said that sentence for a million times already, and this was the first time he wanted to say 'Yes, we are dating'.

"And you're sure that he likes you?", and that question made Taehyun felt unsure. He always had strong sense about other person's feeling towards him, but what if this time he was wrong? What if Mino was just being nice to him that’s all? And the thought started to scare him.

"I don't know..." , he slightly answered Jinwoo. It was something he had been thinking for days after he had discovered his feelings. "Jinwoo-hyung, what should I do?"

"It's easy! Just tell him that you like him! Come on, where's your phone", the older one started to search Taehyun to find his phone, and Taehyun didn’t resist. He just sat there smiling.  "Oh, is this him? He texted you", Jinwoo showed the screen to Taehyun and that was Mino, sent him text hours ago. Taehyun quickly grabbed his phone from Jinwoo and replied,

I'm sorry I didn't answer you right away. I was sleeping.

It's okay.

Are you feeling better now?

Yes, so much better.

Sorry I bothered you this morning.

It's okay :)

Taehyun smiled seeing the smiley face Mino sent him. He felt so happy that the older boy didn't seem to hate him even he had done so much trouble for him. Jinwoo was also looking, smiling.

"Ah~~ Taehyun-ah~ you are so cute!", he cupped his own perfect shaped face with excitement. Taehyun just smiled, he didn't know how to react when someone told him he was cute, well, usually he would be angry, but not with this lovely hyung. After a few seconds, Mino called. The whole room went silent. Taehyun looked at Jinwoo with panic, asking for help and of course Jinwoo told him to pick up the call.

"H-hello, hyung", Taehyun wanted to slap his own face to calm down. He couldn't control his trembling voice. He didn't want the boy in the line to find out that he was already excited just from hearing his voice.

"Hey, are you at home? Can we talk?", Mino's voice wasn't that calm neither. Taehyun glance at Jinwoo who was staring at him.

"I'm at a friend's, but we can talk" Taehyun swallowed hard. In his head now thinking about what Mino would want to talk about. He started to feel nauseous from nervousness.

"Why are you at a friend's place? I told you to rest", Mino sounded angry and it made Taehyun more nervous.

"No. No, hyung. I was resting at a friend's place. It was very close to school so I..I...", mino didn't say anything. Taehyun started to feel bad about this. "...Mino-hyung?" He called the one who was dead silent. He didn't want Mino to be mad at him.

"Taehyun, I want to see you", what he heard next made him froze, and also made his whole body went hot. His heart was like it was going to burst in his chest.

"Your friend's place was near to our school, right? Can you tell me the address?" He kept quiet. The boy wasn’t sure what to do, it was quite too much for him in a day.

“Taehyun?”, Mino called him again and made Taehyun flinched. Mino’s voice when he called the boy’s name  was deeper than usual.

“I-I…”, then he hung up without finishing his sentence. His hands were trembling and Jinwoo begging him to tell what did they just talk with his doe eyes. But Taehyun just stood up and left his phone on the bed, with Mino called again.

“God, what should I do...”, Taehyun mumbled while he went out for a smoke at the balcony. What would happened if Mino came? Why did Mino want to see him? And why was he so scared of seeing the boy? Taehyun could not think of any answer for those question, especially  with his trembling hands and his pounding heart. The coldness in his sore throat seemed to help him forget about it and made him remember that he wasn’t recovered. He finished his cigarette quicker than he usually did and went back inside to see what he was beware of the most at that moment.

Mino was there, sitting on the bed where Taehyun had laid.

.