Kai and Taemin walked almost holding their breath. So far Kai hadn't keeled over or shown any signs of illness. He held the flashlight in a trembling hand.

"I've never been here. When I was just a kid my parents didn't let me play here because there is i lake over there." Kai pointed with the flashlight.

"It's really beautiful." Taemin said as he caught sight of it.

The two moons and the many stars shone brightly and the lake glittered beautifully in the night light. The air was still warm and it was completely silent. All Taemin could hear was their footsteps and their breathing. He peered over at Kai who seemed genuinely moved by the scenery. Taemin smiled. It wasn't until now that he noticed the younger boy was actually taller than him. He could see why Iseul had thought they looked alike, in a way they did. Kai had shorter dark hair and Taemin thought his eyes looked warmer than his own. Taemin was pulled from his thoughts when the other suddenly let go of his hand and ran off. It went completely dark and Taemin stopped walking.

"Kai what the hell ?" Taemin blinked and tried to see the path before him but the moonlight wasn't enough.

"We're testing my theory." Kai called from somewhere to his right.

"What theory ?" Taemin held his hands out before him and took a few stumbling steps to Kai's presumed direction.

"If I can- If I can-" Kai tried to speak between his coughs.

"Kai !" Taemin stumbled on, then the flashlight again in the distance.

"As I...sus- As I suspected." Kai crouched and held his stomach and tried to speak despite not being able to breathe.

"Idiot !" Taemin ran over to him and kneeled.

"It's ok, I've been much worse." Kai tried to stand up but his legs betrayed his spirit, Taemin caught him just before he hit the ground.

"This better have given you some clarity because it just scared the out of me." Taemin said and layed Kai's head in his lap, hoping he would breathe more easily.

"I-I was just thinking, I should see how far I can go." Kai said and looked away flustered.

"But didn't you already know ? And how come you could go all this way this time ?" Taemin asked truly confused.

"I didn't need to go home to recover this time either..." Kai was too embarrassed to look straight at Taemin.

"No. Why is that ?" Taemin asked and brushed Kai's bangs out of his face.

"Be-because you, uhm." Kai blushed madly.

"Do you have a fever ? You look flustered." Taemin touched Kai's forhead with his hand.

"No I don't think that's it..." Kai mumbled so quietly Taemin could barely hear it.

"But I think you're warm." Taemin bent down and pressed his forhead against Kai's.

"Wha-wha-what are y-you-" Kai stuttered and swallowed loudly.

"Taking your temperature." Taemin lifted his head just a little bit and looked Kai in the eyes.

"Taemin..." Kai said quietly.

"I think you'll live." Taemin smiled.

"KAAAAI ! KAAAAAAAAAI ?! TAEMIN ?" Iseul's voice called from a distance.

"He is alright ! We're coming !" Taemin called back and pushed himself up, pulling Kai up with him at the same time.

"Ahem urhm." Kai cleared his throat and stiffly walked ahead of Taemin.

"Aw are you flustered because of me ?" Taemin teased and pinched the younger in the side.

"Wha-no, not at all, just nearly had a heart attack." Kai defended himself.

"Naw did I give you a heart attack ?" Taemin continued to tease, it was too easy to embarrass the other boy.

"No a real one ! Along with rest of my organs failing ! Because I went too far away from you..." Kai said the last part very quietly but Taemin heard it.

"Wait, what's that supposed to mean ?" Taemin grabbed Kai's arm to make him face him.

"You don't see the connection, airhead ?" Kai kept looking away but stopped walking.

"No... What am I missing ?" Taemin asked.

"Maybe it's fate...or I'm cursed..." Kai muttered.

"What are you talking about ?" Taemin was clueless.

"Over the past 6 years, mom and I tried to take everything outside, to see what I'm "attached" to." Kai made qoute signs with his fingers.

"Ok..." Taemin wasn't sure what that meant.

"But nothing worked, we even pulled the piano and the oven out with me once !" Kai faked a laughter.

"It didn't work ?"

"No, nothing did. It must be the damn house itself. I'm cursed !" Kai exclaimed.

"Or it's fate that you met me because I'm like your home, is that what you mean ?" Taemin laughed.

"Don't play with me, I'm serious." Kai tried to look annoyed but couldn't hide the blush across his face.

"Sorry sorry. It's so strange." Taemin smiled.

"But the timing is eerie..." Kai kicked away a small rock from the path.

"How so ?" Taemin asked.

"Mom has alzheimers, sometimes she actually forgets that I'm not dead." Kai stuck his hands in his pockets and bowed his head down.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's only a matter of time before she is comitted to a rest-home for demented people." Kai sighed deeply.

"But then..." Taemin's words faded out.

"I was planning on jumping off the roof." Kai shrugged.

"Kai !" Taemin stopped.

"Yeah, pretty pathetic right. But rather that than being hit by the wrecking ball when they tear down the house haha." Kai kicked away another stone.

"Promise me you won't." Taemin embraced the taller boy in hug.

"It's just..." Kai hesitated but then placed his arm around Taemin's waist and rested his chin on his shoulder.

"I can't leave knowing that. Promise me Kai." Taemin asked.

"Then don't leave..." Kai whispered and tightened his grip around Taemin.

"Kai..." Taemin didn't know what to say.

"It's ok." Kai released his grip and cleared his throath.

"I-" Taemin began as Kai slipped out of his embrace.

"KAI ! TAEMIN ?" Iseul's voice interrupted him.

"Right here !" Kai grabbed Taemin's hand to run the last distance, since he couldn't seperate from him yet without dropping dead.

"Kai I-" Taemin grabbed the back of Kai's t-shirt as they entered the house.

"Don't force yourself." Kai turned around and smiled brightly at Taemin.

Taemin was sure he could feel his heart rip apart. They sat down at the kitchen table, Iseul had made some kind of meatloaf with som red pasta like thing and svereal smaller side dishes. Taemin felt his heart sink even further down in his stomach as he watched the two seemingly so happy people make small talk over dinner just like any family would. Just like he would with the rest of the crew on Viper. He desperatley wanted to save these precious feelings for them. But there was no way to do that, he couldn't take Iseul to the hospital because of the ed up things that went on there as well for the fact that she might never be able to see Kai again then. He couldn't help Kai either, no one else could see him so it wouldn't matter to maker Sara or Star have a look at him. They wouldn't find anything wrong with him, they wouldn't even find him at all ! Taemin hadn't felt this devastated in a year, since Marco died and Jonghyun was leaving. Now he would be the one leaving, and leaving them in a terrible situation too. Taemin bit his lip, there was no way he could do that, no way. Taemin wasn't the caring type usually, he didn't get too emotional and didn't cry easily. But now he truly felt like crying, or pulling his hair out, or something in between. He sighed hopelessly.

"I have a proposal for you." Iseul suddenly said and put down her spoon.

"Huh ?" Kai had his mouth full of food.

"Please, Taemin, take my son with you." Iseul reached out to hold Taemin's hand and looked him in they eyes.

"Take him...?" Taemin stared at her in shock and Kai choked on his food.

"Take me ?!" Kai said and punched his own chest, trying to force the food down.

"I have to get comitted, I can't take care of this big house, of my son." Iseul teared up.

"Mom..." Kai grabbed her other hand.

"I know it's too much to ask but I really, really can't turn anywhere else." Iseul sniffled.

"But I'll manage, somehow I'll-" Kai was cut off.

"No you won't and we both know it. So I beg you Taemin, while I'm still this clear, please save him from this hell." Iseul's voice cracked.

"It'll be ok somehow, don't worry-" Kai was cut off again.

"Ok." 

"Please- really ?" Iseul's eyes widened and a smile spread across her face.

"What ?!" Kai stared at Taemin.

"Please come with me, Kai."

"I uh..." Kai was stunned.

"Oh I'll let you two talk about it." Iseul dried her eyes and started removing the food and plates, she gestured for them to go ahead, still smiling.

Taemin followed Kai upstairs and in to his room. He realized he hadn't been in here yet. It was extremely plain and you really could believe it belonged to a dead person. The walls were light blue and a bed and night stand were crammed in to the corner, surrounded by three big bookshelves. The floor and a small children's desk were also flooded with books and other random things. You could've guessed a hurricane had messed the place up if you didn't know that a teenage boy lived here. The closet was open and there were plenty of hangers but 80% of the clothes were thrown around the room. Kai excused the mess and made space on the bed so they could sit down. Taemin looked at a single photo on the night stand, It showed a woman and a man kissing each other happily and a girl leaning in over a little boy in a wheelchair. He recognized the girl as Kai's sister since there were photos of her in the room Taemin had slept in the previous night.

"That's cute." He pointed to the photo and sat down next to Kai on the bed.

"Yeah, can I bring it ?" Kai asked.

"Ofcourse, the problem will be explaining it to the rest of the crew. They'll wonder why I'm bringing so much random stuff." Taemin said.

"Yeah... It's not like you can tell them it belongs to the invisible boy you picked up..." Kai scoffed.

"Guess not." Taemin laughed and yawned.

"I'll just be a bother if I come with you, I'll just be in the way, you-"

"No you won't, ok maybe sometimes." Taemin mocked him.

"Taemin..." Kai nudged him lightly in the side.

"Kai ~" Taemin giggled and stretched out over Kai's bed.

"Why are you willing to do this ?" Kai fumbled with a piece of paper, pretending it was just a casual question.

"I like you, and I like your mom."

"But you don't have to go so far just-" Kai began.

"I want to, and just admit it, you need me." Taemin teased.

"Idiot." Kai thew a pillow at the other boy but not fast enough to hide his smile.

"Cutie." Taemin placed his head on the pillow.

"Ey don't sleep here !" Kai panicked.

"We might as well practise." Taemin pulled him down next to him.

"Pra-practise what ?" Kai stammered.

"Sleeping together." Taemin giggled and jokingly snuggled up to Kai.

"Wha-what are you-." Kai swallowed and stared at the face who was dangerously close to his.

"Just relax." Taemin let go of Kai and laughed at his flustered expression.

"How can I..." Kai mumbled and took a deep breath.

"You're going to have to sleep in my bed on Viper. There are already 14 beds and 14 people." Taemin explained.

"I'll sleep on the floor." Kai stated.

"Hah ! You say that now..." Taemin yawned.

"This is just not an option !" Kai whined.

"Mm..." Taemin was half asleep already.

That night Taemin woke up in cold sweat, he looked around horrified. His heartbeat was irregular and he had a hard time breathing. Taemin sat up and the whole room seemed to be spinning around. He was forced to lay back down again, fearing he would throw up if he remained in that position. He noticed Kai when the younger rolled over to face him in his sleep.

"So it was just a dream..." Taemin sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

Taemin felt his pulse slow down as he looked at the sleeping boy next to him. His hand moved on it's own but Taemin stopped an inch away from Kai's face. What was he even doing ? Taemin didn't know but he reached out anyway, his fingertips touched Kai's cheek. Taemin watched the hair on his arm rise up and he shivered. He resisted the urge to pull away and instead carefully caressed his cheek, he was so warm and soft. Taemin pulled his hand back and held it close to him, he watched his trembling hand in disbelief. Taemin didn't dream most of the time and when he did it usually never made any sense. However this dream had been so clear and he could still remember every single moment of it. He shivered again at the memory of it. He wanted it to go away but it just wouldn't, Taemin shook his head. In the dream he had been on Viper, everything had been going on as usual when suddenly a huge blast sent him flying backwards. When he got up there were fire everywhere and Kenta was ordering them to emergency procedures. Taemin was just about to get to it when he stumbled over something, he looked down and choked on the air hw inhaled. Jihoon's dead body lay before him, or rather what was left of it... Taemin stumbled backwards and desperately looked around for someone else but all he saw was fire and blood, the only voice he could hear was Kenta's through the radio. Then he heard a loud crashing noise to his side and as he spun around he wished he hadn't. A few metres away Jonghyun had dropped dead on the ground, his body on fire. Tatsuya lay next to him, covered in blood. Taemin felt the ground crack up under him and then he fell through to the next level, he landed on his side and heard his own bones crack at the impact. Taemin thought the screamed but he couldn't hear anything, nothing at all. Someone pulled him up and started making their way away from where they were, it was Iris. Soon Onew rushed to his side and he was shouting something but Taemin couldn't hear a word. An explosion threw them hard against the wall and Taemin passed out, when he opened his eyes again he was almost holding Iris in her arms, she was bleeding heavily. Taemin looked around in panic and his eyes met with Kai's, the other lay on the floor not too far away and they stared at each other. Taemin was screaming something in panic when his hearing suddenly came back. The emergency alarm pierced through his head and the fire growled evilly.Taemin sat up and tried to stop Iris's bleeding but froze as he looked at her. She wasn't just bleeding from a wound, her arm had been torn off in the explosion. Taemin turned to Kai and screamed something incomprehensible but when the other opened his mouth to answer he coughed up blood. Taemin crawled over to him, he couldn't understand, what the hell was happening. 

"It's all your fault." Kai coughed with his last breath as his body grew soft and his had rolled to the side.

And then Taemin had woke up. The dream felt as real as this moment right now. Taemin couldn't shake of the horrible feeling in his stomach.

"I must be loosing my god damn mind..." Taemin mumbled and rubbed his eyes.

"What are you doing ?" Kai mumbled.

"Nothing, sorry I woke you up." Taemin answered.

"You ok ?" Kai yawned and heaved himself up on one elbow, facing Taemin.

"You...You know I'll do all I can for you right ?" Taemin looked down.

"Wha- Taemin what are you talking about ?" Kai asked confused.

"I just, maybe it won't be enough but I'll try my best, I just- I will...try." Taemin clenched his fists.

"Taemin, don't worry about me, gosh I'll be fine." Kai assured him.

"But if you're not, just know I'm doing my best too. I just can't-" Taemin stopped, his voice wouldn't hold anymore.

"Thank you." Kai smiled.

"Kai..." Taemin looked up.

"I know I'll have you." Kai smiled sheepishly.

"Heh...yeah." Taemin took deep breath, the uneasy feeling somewhat dissapearing.

"Try to get some more sleep." Kai advised and lay down again.