000.

It wasn't easy.

It was never easy. Waking up in the wee hour in the morning was never easy. It was the beginning of winter and the temperature already managed to hit a single digit number, so that's probably why the idea of waking up early was the top one on his blacklist.

His cold blanket seemed so warm now it felt like he could cuddle and sleep in it forever. He couldn't afford a heater in his room. The only heater available in the house was in Hansol's room and he didn't have the heart to snatched it away from Hansol for his own selfish reason. Hansol needed it more than he ever would, though he admitted there were few days when his bed became too cold to be slept in so he would sneakily climbed up to Hansol's bed and pull the latter's sleeping form into a hug. He then would stay still until sleep consumed him.

Those were tough days and usually it didn't happen until the peak of the season, which was somewhere in January. He really hoped that this years winter wouldn't bring him much trouble like last year.

Getting up slowly, he could feel his old bed creaked under him. It was a cheap bed, an old one too. It made his back hurt sometimes but it didn't matter as much now that he juggled three part-time jobs at the same time, he wouldn't have much time to sleep anyway. Well, he could always sleep on the couch. It was more comfortable than the bed ever was.

He slightly shivered when he tossed the blanket away from his body and couldn't help but groan when he realised that he had to take a cold shower today. Their hot water supply were very limited and it could only be used three times a day and as much as he would love to shower with warm water, he opted in giving Hansol the luxury.

He trailed his gaze to the red, blaring numbers of his alarm clock that sat quietly on his bedside table.

3.05, it said.

How wonderful, he thought sarcastically. He only had about thirty minutes before his bus came and it was the last bus he could catch if he want to be on time for his first part-time job.

Ignoring the bone-cracking cold, he grabbed his toiletries and towel before dragging himself to the only bathroom in the house. He peeled his clothes off his body, shuddered slightly when he felt a sudden breeze entered through the gaps between the closed small window. He turned the tap on and felt the cold water stung his bare skin like a slap in face. He let out a deep and tired sigh before quickly scrub himself with soap and clean his body thoroughly.

It had become a ritual. He would scrub himself until his skin were angry red, and sometimes it started bleeding as well. He wouldn't stop scrubbing though, he would continue to scrub his skin until he was satisfied that he was clean enough, until he wasn't dirty anymore. It was his pathetic way of showing that he wasn't what people thought he was, regardless of his job.

He spent glorious ten minutes in the shower, something that he couldn't afford if he was using the hot water and by the time he got out of the shower, he could see  a scrawny boy, body filled with many angry red marks, stared back at him in the mirror. His sunkened eyes didn't help either. Hansol would raise a question sooner or later if he kept going in self-destruct mode.

It wasn't as if he had choice though. He really needed these jobs because Hansol needed his treatments and doing one job simply wouldn't make the cut. Heck, even with three jobs, there were times where they were short on money and time like this, he would starve himself so that he could put more rice on Hansol's plate.

His boss, Hakyeon hyung was nice, at least. He would fuss around him and often gave him free muffins and hot chocolate, especially on winter days like these. He was grateful, at the very least, and somehow wished that he could return the favour but the older man would simply laugh it off and dismissed the idea. He never liked owing anything to anyone but sometimes he couldn't help but feel touched at the older's deed. It felt nice to have someone that look after you, so he ended up letting the older do whatever he wanted. He would definitely pay him someday.

Grabbing a set of long-sleeved T-shirt and worn-out black jeans, he put them on as quickly as he could. He brushed his brown locks haphazardly before putting them up in a pony tail. He grabbed his black backpack and his favourite hoodie as he ran to the kitchen to make some simple breakfast meal. A noodle soup, rice and chicken, he put them on the microwave before scribbled some notes for Hansol to reheat them when he woke up. With that, he quickly put on his shoes on before locking the door behind him.

It was always the same and he was really lucky today that he still managed to catched the 3.35 bus. He hopped on the bus, panting slightly from his five blocks  jog, before bowed and thanked the bus driver fervently. He slipped in his prepaid card into the pay machine and finally plopped himself in the back seat. He took out a book from his bag and started to read. It was one of his favourite time. The quiet bus ride and the book gave him a sense of serenity he longed to have; and somehow he imagined himself leading a different kind of life, a life with loving parents and a comfortable house to live in.

"Excuse miss, is this seat taken?"

He looked up from his book only to be greeted with a mop of chestnut hair and a charming smile. Even under the dim light he could tell that the man was someone from well-off family with his expensive looking suit that hug his body perfectly and this fact made him wonder why he took a bus instead of his private car.

"A penny for a thought?"

"U-um.. you can sit there if you want." he stuttered for some reason he couldn't comprehend.

The boy smiled. "Okay. Don't mind if I do."

As the boy sat down, he could smell the fresh cologne radiating from the man and he instinctly feel self-conscious. Maybe he shouldn't have let the man sit next to him. There were plenty of other seats available, so why did the man ask for the seat next to him were beyond him. He knew it wasn't fair since the man was free to choose his seat and this bus was a public transport so he did not have the rights to tell the man off; but he couldn't help but feel a little paranoid. He squeezed his hold of the book tighter until his knuckles were as white as the snow.

"You like reading?"

He heard the man say and he could feel his brown orbs boring on the side of his temporal lobe. "Um...yeah."

"Classics? Pride and prejudice? Shakespeare's? Hamlet? Macbeth? Or maybe stuff like Pictures of Dorian Gray? That's good as well."

"Medical."

The man blinked a few times. "Medical?"

He casted the man a side glance before returning to his book. "Medical."

"Cool!" the man exclaimed of all the sudden. "So, you're a medical student then? What university do you go to? I go to Seoul, major in Business."

The bus came to a stop and he stood up abruptly before excusing himself to the man. He ignored the man's yelling before quickly thanked the bus driver and hopped off the bus, sprinting towards his work place.

How could he answer the man's question when it's just something that he dreamed to be? He used to say that he wanted to be a doctor so that he could cure Hansol's illness but life had another plan for him so here he was, at a place where he supposed to be, a place where he belonged.

A landfill.

***

Aila's note : First of all, words couldn't describe how thankful i am to those who support this story. I know I'm such a failure with the consistent updates and writing. I got caught up with my college stuff and it was really hard to find time to write, especially with my broken arm like now. I'm not sure if anyone will read this story, but i'll just post the first part anyway. As always, there bound to be grammar mistakes everywhere due to the lack of beta-reader. I'm sorry for that and for the long wait /bows deeply

Aila's note II : For birding who asked the question: Yes there will be Jeongcheol, but the main ship is still Jihan :)

Enjoy reading, everyone  :)