And so Key sobbed. He cried out all his pained, poured his fears and frustations into the shoulder of this random boy who just sat there and hugged him. The two ignored the various bells while Key cried. He eventually fell asleep in the younger boy's lap, while said boy his head comfortingly.

When Key finally woke up, he noticed that the boy was above him, with his neck against the wall at an angle which would be sure to give him a sore neck. He sat up, waking up the mysterious boy in the process. He stirred, and blinked his eyes cutely. Key hadn't really noticed how cute this boy looked, as his first look at the boy had been blurred with tears. Key looked down guiltily as he saw the boy moving his neck around with an uncomfortable expression.

"I'm sorry. Y-you're neck must be sore because of me." he said quietly. The boy smiled.

"It was nothing. You must have been pretty upset, so my sore neck is nothing." he said cheerfully.

Key examined him closely. His bleached blond hair was ruffled cutely, with thick-rimmed glasses with covered most of his face. His was wearing a button-up light blue shirt and black skinnies. It gave Key this... Feeling. Of guilt. Like... He had not done something important. It was quite hard to explain. For some reason, it felt wrong for the boy to be comforting him... For some reason, it felt like it should have been the other way around.

Then Key realized that he was just staring and the boy was giving him a quizzical look, making him look puffier than ever. He cleared his throat.

"So, uh... Thank you." Key said nervously. "But um... What's your name?"

The boy gave him a cute smile. "My name is Lee Taemin." Taemin chuckled. "Aren't you going to tell me yours?"

Key flushed with embarassment when he realized his mistake. "Ah.. right, my name is Kim Kibum, but call me Key." He offered a shy smile and an equally shy hand. Taemin took his hand and shook it enthusiastically, making Key chuckle and smile softly. Taemin smiled too.

"That's what I should see."

Key looked puzzled. "See what?"

"Your smile. It's beautiful. People look a lot better smiling than crying. It's a known fact ne?"

Key smiled at Taemin's simple logic. But he also wondered. Where did this boy come from? Why do I never see him around?

Taemin stood up, and held out his hand for Key. Key took it and stood. 

"How old are you Key?"

"I'm seventeen."

"Oh well, that makes you my hyung~ It would have been weird if you had been my dongsaeng anyway." Taemin said teasingly.

Key looked around, and he noticed that the sun was nearly down. He had to get home soon, the sun goes down really fast at this time.

"Taemin-ah, it's getting late. Thank you for... comforting me." Key said sincerely.

"It was nothing hyung. I'll see you tomorrow, ne?"

"Of course."

Neither of them noticed the figure hiding behind a nearby bush, clenching their fist in fury.

The next morning, Key was still a bit sad, but he felt better knowing that Taemin would be at school too. He also wondered about those gifts. Why would someone take the trouble to give him chocolates in his locker? Why not give them in person? Why give them at all? Who was giving them? These questions haunted Key's mind as he got ready and made his way to school.

As he got to school, he noticed Taemin waving at him. Key smiled and walked over to him.

"Hello Taemin-ah. How are you today?"

Taemin chuckled. "Shouldn't I be asking you that hyung? I mean, I wasn't the one who spent hours crying at the back of the school..." He drifted off teasingly, making sure that his hyung wasn't offended by his words. If he was, then he didn't show it.

They stood outside the front of the school, making polite conversation, as more and more students arrived. Taemin seemed to be looking for someone. Key eventually noticed and brought it up. 

"Taemin-ah, are you looking for somebody?"

Taemin looked at Key sheepishly. "Am I that obvious hyung? Sorry, I'm just waiting for my friend, Minho-hyung."

Key nodded. He looked around, noticing Jonghyun under a tree with his nose in a book. He just looked so handsome, it was as if he was modelling for a book commercial. What Key didn't really notice was the fact that Jonghyun was too still. He hadn't turned the page in five minutes, and if you looked even closer, his eyes weren't moving and his body was tense.

Key looked back to see Taemin waving at somebody... Somebody who seemed to be the Mt Everest to the surrounding mountains.

"Minho-hyung! Over here!" Taemin called out cheerfully.

Minho looked over to where Taemin was. He tensed a bit, and then waved back as he began to walk towards Taemin's location. Key felt a bit intimidated. Minho's presence was strong, it was wise, authorative, commanding, yet, calm and peaceful. Such a potent aura made Key feel somewhat inferior to Minho and that was just something that he wasn't used to.

Minho smiled at Taemin. Taemin smiled back and immediately burrowed himself into his hyung's side.

"Key-hyung, this is Minho-hyung, and Minho-hyung, this is Key-hyung" Taemin said cheerfully.

Minho eyed Key carefully. Key couldn't help but feel as though he was been scanned like a barcode. Minho narrowed his eyes a bit before greeting Key with a curt nod. Key felt a bit hurt. What is he, Taemin's umma? Pfft. What did I ever do to him?

They began making light conversation, or rather, Taemin did. Minho kept up a hostile glare to Key, who in turn internally sulked.

Finally, the bell rang and Key made his way to his locker alone. Once again, there was a chocolate treat inside. Key, who had accidentally skipped breakfast, ate the whole thing this time as he made his way to his homeroom class, next to Jonghyun to spend a whole hour of awkwardness with.

Homeroom was passing by slowly. It was long and torturous. Jonghyun ignored him, and this made him feel rather awkward. Maybe it would be like this for the rest of the year. Key really didn't want that to happen. But if it did, so be it. Or... He could not just let it be, and take some action to save their friendship. Key wondered why Jonghyun had taken it so seriously...

Key decided to save their friendship. Key had more fun in the past few days, than his entire schooling life. And that's saying something, considering he's in his second last year of high school. He sighed. It was going to be hard, but he had to do it.

OTL MIAHNHE~ MIAHNHE~

I seriously started writing this the day of the MAMA 2011, but then I couldn't finish it. Then the next two days I had work, and then everyday after that, everytime I so much as looked at this chapter, writer's block came up. And I'm like, I HAVE TO DO IT. Gah~ I am so sorry, I'm such a lazy person. I swear, after this, I'll just stick to one-shots. TT^TT

I had my formal tonight, and I think I looked really pretty. One of my guy friends randomly decided to slow dance with me, but he doesn't like me, he said that he just wanted to slow dance with someone and I could sympathise, 'cause that's how i felt too~ So it's like friends with benefits, on a much more innocent level LOL.

I'll update more tomorrow, it's getting harder because I didn't plan it properly, and I'm getting off-track from what I wrote. OTL. ;____;

-MAP

COMMENT REPLY:

-iloveyou-: I'm sorry for taking so long~ ;--; I'm glad you're on Key's side keke~ And yes, this is one very predictable storyline, gah~ 

PIC SPAM FROM A VERY SORRY AUTHOR WHO TRIED TO MAKE A LONG CHAPPIE BUT EPICLY FAILED. OTL.

NONE OF THESE PICTURES ARE MINE. ALL OF THEM CAME FROM TUMBLR. credits to their owners.

credit: hopefultomorrows.tumblr (Just the above pic)