Broken pieces, jagged edges. His heartbeat remained in cardboard boxes still trying to break free.

Taeyong watches his footsteps carefully without stirring the other. It was a common alley where darkness was usual and the old scent of rain on the asphalt rings in the air. Taeyong questions himself for following as well as for believing to whatever the taller boy that he just met on the bus has said. The fact that he doesn't even know his name was enough to treat him as a complete stranger but his curiosity kept him taking the other's path. It was a ten minute walk long enough to almost make Taeyong whine and complain as if he wasn't used to it but he managed to keep his mouth shut and hoped the other still had no clue he was following him.

The familiar place slowly begun to become foreign as the breeze of the air turns colder and the asphalt turns into heap of grass as they continue their way. The bursting color of red roses turned the whole place into a place Taeyong had never imagined leaving him in complete awe. He never knew this place ever existed in the middle of a busy city and it made Taeyong more interested. The taller boy stopped in front of a small bungalow and rummaged his keys in his pocket. Taeyong quickly tried to compose his thoughts straight and hid himself behind a stack of hay infront of the taller boy’s house but to his surprise, the boy looked at his direction making Taeyong's eyes almost pop out of their sockets.

"Ajhussi?" The taller boy wasn't expecting to see a familiar face and he didn't notice how the other had been following him from the bus stop.

 "Hey, uh, I-It is not what you think. I-I did not follow you." Taeyong stuttered as he shook his hands in denial making the other chuckle.

"I didn't say you did." The taller boy grinned cheekily, raising his eyebrows in doubt.

 "Fine. I just wanted to ask you something.” Taeyong tried to compose himself and shake the dirt away from his hands.

"Oh. So you really did follow me. What is it?" He flashed a teasing smile that washed away every hint of weariness in his eyes that amazed Taeyong somehow, making him even more nervous.

"I just wanted to know if... If I'm dying." His forehead creased which emphasized how serious his question was.

"What?" The taller boy was left confused.

 "Just tell me If I am. Don't worry, just tell me." Taeyong wanted to know the truth immediately even if it meant knowing his final judgement. All he ever wanted was to break free.

 "I said you are losing heartbeats but that doesn't mean you are dying." The boy eyed him carefully with a reassuring stare.

"I don't understand. Isn't that the same?"

"Well if you ran out of heartbeats then you would be dying."

There was second of silence before Taeyong’s mind registers everything. He still cannot believe how the boy’s words convinces his mind.

"How do I gain heartbeats then?"

 "Follow me." The taller boy managed to pick up his keys and slid it into the door lock.

Taeyong's eyes wandered in every corner of the boy's home. From the outside it looks like a normal bungalow house but never did he expected what's inside. The scent of sweet red roses welcomed him as soon as he entered the house. From the racket near the glass door which he believed the kitchen, he saw small and big glass bottles arranged neatly that looked like those magic potions in fairy tales and sci-fi movies.

"So what exactly are you?" Taeyong asked as his eyes continued wandering in awe.

"I'm a heartsmith." The taller boy announced.

 "A heart what?" He quickly turned his eyes to the other as he heard an unfamiliar word he had never heard of.

 "I fix hearts that needs a lot of repairing. You know, people and their life battles causes a lot of damage." The taller boy’s attention is fully on the glass of red liquid he was holding as he mix it with another yellow liquid coming which from Taeyong’s perspective was one of those things a chemistry person would own. He eyed the boy carefully mixing the liquid as if it was the most fragile and expensive thing in the world. “Drink this.” Taeyong was caught off guard as the boy handed him the glass of red and yellow mixture.

“What’s that?” Taeyong studied the glass on the boy’s hands as his brows met in curiosity.

“It’s a rosethia. It calms the heart.”

“I think it’s not a good idea to drink something especially from a stranger.” Taeyong tried to sound as genuine as he could, trying not to offend the boy.

“Oh. So you wanted to know my name?” The boy chuckled cheekily leading the other to give him a ‘no it’s not like that look’.

“Hi! My name is Jung Jaehyun. I fix hearts, how may I help you?” The taller boy extended his free hand and smiled genuinely to Taeyong.

“Lee Taeyong.” He uttered but didn’t take Jaehyun’s handshake anyway.

Jaehyun tilted his head and offered the glass once again. This time, Taeyong took it despite having an unsure look in his face.

“Try it.”

Taeyong took the glass and gulped a tiny bit of the unfamiliar mixture of liquid. He was about to say something when he felt an unnatural warmth seeping in his chest. It wasn’t an uncomfortable feeling, in fact it felt pleasantly relaxing. Then, it was there again. He felt the familiar outburts inside his chest as if a wildfire has been lit.

“How is it?” Jaehyun was anticipating for the other’s reaction and he can’t help but smile when he saw a glint of surprise in his eyes.

“I-it tastes like roses. And it’s sweet.” Taeyong looked away sheepishly as he catches his breath, regretting how he felt skeptical about the boy.

“Guess what? You just gained one heartbeat.” Jaehyun smiled and Taeyong was left with the satisfying warmth inside his chest.

a.n.: Hi! So I've decided to continue this story. I apologize for the LOOOOOONG wait. Still, Thank you for reading!