“Jongin do you still have my phone?”

“Ah! Yeah I do!” Jongin took out Kyungsoo’s phone and placed it on the table in front of him. “Do you know the school’s phone number?”

“Yeah, I have homeroom teacher Kim’s number saved in my phone.” Kyungsoo climbed on top of the smartphone and tried to get to his contacts.

His hands slid around and he was opening unwanted apps. Jongin watched the amusing scene until Kyungsoo’s hands slipped out from underneath him and the small boy hit his face on the hard screen.

“Are you okay!?” Jongin tugged Kyungsoo up gently.

“Yeah my chin is just throbbing.” Kyungsoo rubbed at the area of discomfort.

“Let me do it.” Jongin picked up the phone and easily scrolled through the contacts, once he landed on their homeroom teacher’s name he pressed the call button and set it down again. “I’ll go get us some breakfast I already called off school myself.”

Kyungsoo nodded and listened to the annoying dial tone. Finally, he heard a clicking sound and a cough.

“Yes Kyungsoo?” Another cough sounded from the other line.

“Mr.Kim are you sick!?” Kyungsoo yelled loudly, his mic had always been funky so he was afraid Mr.Kim wouldn’t be able to hear him.

“Yeah. I’ll still be at school though so don’t try to come in late or anything.”

“Actually Mr.Kim, I can’t come to school for a while.” Kyungsoo didn’t realize that Jongin had already came back with eggs and toast and waiting by the door.

Jongin was shocked to hear that Mr.Kim didn’t sound surprised by Kyungsoo’s statement. Jongin thought back and remembered that Kyungsoo would be out sick for sometimes a month at a time. Yet, he never heard of him getting in trouble for it nor was he struggling from his absences. His grades always were steady A’s.

“Kyungsoo, are you low on money again? I can lend you some if you need it.”

“I’ll be fine! I um...I got a another job.”

“Kyungsoo that’s four job’s! That’s too much.” Kyungsoo winced when he realized that he might get fired from every store he works at.

“I know, but money doesn’t grow on trees. I’m used to this.”

“Just because you’re used to it doesn’t mean it’s healthy.”

The room was smothered in an awkward silence. Jongin felt as though he was eavesdropping on a conversation that Kyungsoo didn’t want to hear(which was totally the truth), but he couldn’t walk away. He didn’t know Kyungsoo was working three jobs with school on top. Baekhyun did say he lived alone, but did his parents really not support him at all? Someone couldn’t just abandon their kid right?

“Mr.Kim I’ll be okay. Please just cover for me. Kim Jongin said he would bring my homework home.”

“Since when have you been friends with Kim Jongin I know you li-”

“Thats enough Hyung!”

“Awe you haven’t called me hyung in the longest time. Do it again.”

“Never. Goodbye Mr.Kim.”

Jongin waited for Kyungsoo to hang up and sit for a bit before he entered his room. He smiled warmly at him at set the eggs and toast down. He set down a napkin and ripped up tiny pieces of food for him.

“So I found out that my Aunt is going on a business trip, so we’ll have the house to ourselves! You can move around freely!” Kyungsoo gave him a skeptical look. “Okay freely with my help.”

“Why did you stay home today?”

“I couldn’t just leave you alone right?”

“Thank you…” Kyungsoo smiled brightly, his cheeks the same color as a tomato.

If Kyungsoo smiled at him before this whole incident then he would have the urge to smack it off his face, but today it made him happy. He was relieved to see Kyungsoo smiling after the talk he had with Mr.Kim. This also made Jongin start to wonder why he hated that angelic smile so much. Jongin truly didn’t want to admit it, but all of his anger was just jealousy. He didn’t like the fact that Kyungsoo was always better than him, especially in the grades department.

“What are you thinking about?” Kyungsoo pulled Jongin out of his thoughts.

“Uhm...just wondering how your grades are so amazing!” Jongin figured that it technically wasn’t a lie.

“Well I have to get good grades. I’m on a scholarship and if my grades drop I won’t be able to afford to go to school.” Kyungsoo stated it matter of factly, but Jongin believed he heard a hint of sadness in his voice.

The statement made Jongin feel extremely guilty. He’s always just assumed Kyungsoo was a spoiled brat who got whatever he wanted, he couldn’t have been more wrong. Kyungsoo was living on his own and paying for school, he works his off everyday it seems. He glanced down at the tiny boy, who resumed eating, and felt a wave a protectiveness wash over him. He had that feeling before when he first saw shrunken Kyungsoo and he couldn’t explain why at that moment. At that time he still had quite a bit of hatred built up in his heart towards the other, now it was starting to make more sense. Before he just saw Kyungsoo as helpless, like a stray kitten that you just can’t leave behind. Jongin now feels determined to help Kyungsoo, especially since he knows him slightly better now. Jongin decided to himself that he could become friends with him, they just needed to start all over. Maybe this wasn’t a curse, but fate.

    Kyungsoo and Jongin spent most of the day watching movies and listening to music, chatting about senseless things. They were beginning to enjoy each other’s company quite a bit. Kyungsoo had realized that he liked Jongin’s laugh very much so he kept telling him every joke he knew. Jongin on the other had realized how adorable Kyungsoo’s face was when he would tell another awful joke, causing Jongin chuckle no matter how stupid the punch line was. Jongin was about to pick up Kyungsoo and take him to go get a snack when they heard a voice bellowing from downstairs.

“Ya! Jongin where are you!? I’ve texted you like a thousand times!”

Jongin looked at his phone quickly to see he had missed only four texts from Sehun, that brat was always over exaggerating everything.

“Is Sebooty supposed to be Oh Sehun from school?” Kyungsoo questioned in an amused tone.

“Yeah that idiot always barges in.” Jongin heard feet stomping up the stairs. “ I have to hide you, that doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut.”
“Wow, you only have kind words to say about your friend don’t you?” Sarcasm was dripping from Kyungsoo’s words causing Jongin to chuckle quietly.

Jongin began to frantically search around the room trying to figure out where to hide Kyungsoo. After quickly vetoing many options his eyes landed on his old baseball glove on top of his bookcase.

“Don’t be freaked out by the height and stay quiet.” Jongin whispered.

“Wait what!?” Kyungsoo looked down and almost screamed, but it was muffled when he was gently stuffed into the glove.

He didn’t really enjoy the musty smell, but he could deal. At least the lining was soft and fluffy.

“Hope you don’t mind, I don’t care if you do anyway, but I stole your salt and vinegar chips.” Sehun barged into the room to see a panting Jongin sitting on the disheveled bed. “Um...is there someone else in here?”

“No...why?” Jongin asked suspiciously.

“It totally looks like you just fuc-”

“Shut your mouth Oh Sehun!”

Sehun just laughed at Jongin’s red, embarrassed face. It was amusing to think that every girl at school thought Jongin was a god because of his looks. In reality, the boy was an innocent that screamed at the word . When he danced though, he didn’t look so innocent. Sehun was starting to think the boy had multiple personalities.

“Why are you here?” Jongin deadpanned.

“I’m here because my stupid best friend left me alone in that prison we call a school!”

“You have other friends like Luhan and Tao.”

“Yeah I know, but recently they’ve been fighting over who gets to spend more time with me. They’re weirdos, beside I like you the most!” He hopped onto the bed with Jongin and continued eating.

“Dude you’re getting crumbs everywhere!” Sehun just shrugged and continued munching. “How rude. I sleep on this you .”

“By the way, your biggest nemesis wasn’t here today either.”

“He’s not my nemesis Sehun.”

“You used to tell me how much you hate Do Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo was laughing at their conversation until the horrid sentence that contained his name. His breath hitched in his throat. He always thought Jongin was just easily annoyed or indifferent, he never thought the feeling was as strong as hate. He has to take care of someone he hates. Kyungsoo began to tear up.

“Hey is that your old baseball mitt?!” Sehun jumped up and grabbed it.

“Hey don’t touch that!”

“Oh calm down, I know it’s old but it won’t break.” Sehun stuffed his hand inside. “Dude, did you put something in here?”

“No! No I didn’t put that down!”

Kyungsoo in a fit of rage bit down onto Sehun’s hand with all his tiny might.

“OW! HOLY !” Sehun flung the baseball mitt to the ground causing a horrified scream to escape Jongin’s mouth. “I THINK THERE IS A BUG IN THERE!”

Jongin grabbed Sehun and dragged him out of his room.

“Go home for today. I feel like vomiting. So unless you want to clean it-”

“I’m going! Feel better and get rid of that bug!” Sehun shouted as he ran down the steps.

Jongin slammed the door and ran over to the mitt, quickly picking it up. He searched inside but Kyungsoo was nowhere to be found. He knew that Kyungsoo had to be the one to attack Sehun’s hand so where the hell was he? Jongin searched on the bookshelf and around various other spots of the room in search of Kyungsoo. He began to hyperventilate. He started envisioning the worst scenarios that could have possibly happened. The last place, which he realized probably should have been the first place, he checked was underneath his bed. He the flashlight on his cellphone and spread out on his stomach. He shined the light and searched. Finally, he landed on a shaking lump in the corner.

“Kyungsoo?”

There was no reply, but when Jongin listened he could hear tiny sniffles. Jongin believed that Kyungsoo had to be crying because Sehun accidentally injured him. Jongin went to reach out for Kyungsoo, but the boy flinched and scuttled away from his hand.

“Kyungsoo what’s wrong? Come here.” Jongin said gently.

He didn’t understand why Kyungsoo was avoiding him. Maybe he was embarrassed? Perhaps, Jongin did something wrong? He thought back until he remembered the conversation he had with his best friend before he had a small heart attack. Sehun said that he hated Kyungsoo.

“Is it because of what Sehun said?” the sobs seemed to get a bit louder. “Kyungsoo, I don’t hate you please come out.”

Kyungsoo shook his head rapidly and crawled closer to the corner. Jongin was thinking of ways to get Kyungsoo out, he was way too far back and he couldn’t reach him.

“Kyungsoo I don’t think it’s smart to be back there. That’s where a lot of spiders like to hide.”

Kyungsoo let out a terrified squeak and ran right into Jongin’s hand. Jongin lifted him up and held him close to his face. Just before Kyungsoo was crawling all over him and constantly cuddling, now he was crawling to the farthest corner of his hand.

“Don’t get so close to the edge it’s dangerous!”

“I’m sorry…” Kyungsoo wouldn’t look up.

“You don’t have to be sorry, just be more careful.”

“No, I’m sorry about all of this.”

“It’s not your fault you’re shrunk it’s Baekhyun’s, don’t apologize.”

“No. I feel bad that you have to help someone you hate!” Kyungsoo broke out into heavy sobs again.

“Hey Kyungsoo don’t cry! Sehun was spouting nonsense, I don’t hate you!” Jongin may have had strong feelings before but they were clearly gone now and Kyungsoo didn’t have to know they existed in the first place. “Come on Kyungsoo, look up at me.”

Kyungsoo glanced up slowing with watery eyes and a large cut on his cheek. Jongin’s eyes widened in shock when he noticed the tiny boy was injured. He rushed over to his desk and set Kyungsoo down and pulled out his first aid kit. He took out a pair of scissors, cotton swabs, a band-aid, and antiseptic. Jongin warned that the antiseptic might burn, but Kyungsoo still squeaked and tried to avoid the cotton swab holding the helpful, yet painful substance. Jongin cut out a small piece of the band-aid creating his own miniature replica. He figured one of Sehun’s nails cut Kyungsoo’s cheek when he ripped his hand out of the mitt.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?”

“I didn’t want to bother you…”

“Kyungsoo you’re not bothering me. I like being around you.” Jongin ruffled Kyungsoo’s hair with his finger. “I-I’ll protect you and take care of you until Baekhyun fixes everything.”

Kyungsoo could feel the heat rising in his face. He was currently riding an emotional roller coaster. One second he was sad, then angry, then sad again, now he was going to burst from overwhelming joy. The smile that Jongin so desperately wanted to see again slowly appeared on Kyungsoo’s red face. Jongin couldn’t stop a smile from spreading out on his own after seeing Kyungsoo happy again.

    They ended up talking in that position until Jongin fell asleep with his head on the desk right next to Kyungsoo. He realized how worried the tan boy must of been when Kyungsoo was hiding. A lot of times when he was younger Kyungsoo would fall asleep after becoming relieved of stress or worry, so in his eyes Jongin was still a little bit like a kid. Kyungsoo giggled and walked closer to Jongin’s face.

“Thank you for everything you do Jongin-ah.” Kyungsoo placed a small kiss on the tip of Jongin’s nose before curling up next to his cheek.

Jongin, who was only snoozing, woke when he heard Kyungsoo moving around. When he felt the kiss it took everything in his power not to squeal at Kyungsoo’s cuteness. He gently snuggled his face closer to Kyungsoo after the boy began cuddling with him. Jongin feared that he could actually get used to this.

Finally I got it up~~ AHaha sorry it took so long! School is truly kicking my -.- Research papers, class projects (where I'm doing all the work), and a multitude of tests! It also doesn't help that I'm directing a one act play. They're performing that this weekend though, so I should have more time to write! Thanks for reading, subscribing, and commenting!!! I really love hearing what you guys think! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!