2106, Korea

He sat in the empty lobby, legs crossed, reading yesterday’s newspaper. The newspaper boy hadn’t arrived yet so he just randomly flipped through the pages of news reports he had already read yesterday to kill time – “Cha Holdings to create ‘Cha funds for Needy Kids’ ”- another one of these snobby businessmen tactics to earn the belief of the public.

Silence filled the space as it was only 7a.m. on a Sunday and most people would still be sleeping in unlike him. His mother got a call for an extra morning shift so he agreed to tag along even though Sundays were the only days where he could rest and recharge after a long week of juggling school, drama practices and a part time job at night.

He would never let his mother sit the bus to work alone, the world was too dangerous for a fragile woman like his mother.

Half an hour passed and people started walking in through the doors, doctors with their dishevelled hair rushing to treat patients, nurses with their neatly ironed pale blue uniforms chatting as they checked the health reports of patients and visitors coming in to visit sick loved ones.

He looked around, not particularly at anything, just feeling the atmosphere of the start to another busy day at the hospital. He went back to reading yesterday’s news and stifled a yawn when he felt something weighing down on his shoulder. He ignored it as he knew who the person was, there was only one person who dared to go so close to him and he let her be as she leaned her chin on the tip of his broad shoulders.

He tried to ignore the warmth of her breath on his neck as she exhaled slow and stable breaths. He casually flipped to the next page, he could feel his heart rate increase and hoped she couldn’t feel it. He let the girl rest on his shoulders, feigning indifference.

“Taekwoon-ah.” She called, her voice was deep for a girl’s but still feminine-like. He ignored her, only reading the words on the pages half-heartedly because the other half was preventing heat from rising to his cheeks. She poked his chiselled thigh - the result from years of playing soccer when he was younger but was somehow still muscled even after he quit two years ago due to a knee injury – he twitched slightly.

“Taekwoon-ah.” She called again, this time the way a five year old would call for her parents when she was bored. He hummed as a reply, finally acknowledging her presence before she decided to poke the other parts of his body.

“I’m sleepy.” She whined, her big eyes closing till only a tiny part of her eyes could be seen. “Then go home.” He answered, voice soft, gaze never leaving the slightly crumpled newspaper.

“I can’t. I’m being punished to help out Nurse Jung until she gets off work because I fed Hongbin ramen for a week while appa was in Australia. He found out. Let me hide here before your mom comes after me to help her with another stubborn patient.” She said, her voice getting softer as she stifled a yawn and wrapped her arms around his arm for warmth, closing her already tired eyes. The tips of his lips curved into a smile, Hyebin was always getting into trouble and she never seemed to learn from them. He stayed in that position, watching her silently as she slept on his shoulder. Her face peaceful.

He reached out a hand to caress her cheek but kept it back before it touched her face.

Most people would think they were a couple judging by their uncontrolled amount of skin ship but their relationship was nothing like that. They were childhood friends and seemed to stay that way even though their personalities were polar opposites. They had been through a lot together and would do anything for each other. They were like siblings.

So he shouldn’t be feeling this.

He shouldn’t be enjoying her presence as much as he was now.

He shouldn’t be wanting to touch her lips. To feel how they felt on his.

Stop.

He should stop.

*****

Wonshik didn’t like this idea one bit. He never liked the crazy ideas his best friend would come up with. Especially since almost all of them involved him either making a fool of himself or getting into trouble.

He stood back as his friend tried picking the lock of the door which lead to the rooftop of the school. He tapped his foot uneasily as his friend cursed silently when the lock didn’t give in, it was almost the end of free period and the black haired boy had decided to have some fun on the roof since the teachers weren’t in.

“Hongbin, we’re seriously going to get expelled.” Wonshik commented uneasily, right before the latter managed to unlock the door and let out a cry of triumph. “Oh stop being a worrywart Wonshik. We’re only going up there for a while. To get some fresh air. All this studying is making my head spin.”Hongbin replied, ing the door open as light poured into the dark hallway.

“Viola, freedom from this hellhole.” The boy said, flashing his signature dimpled smile that sent girls swooning.

Wonshik wouldn’t deny that his best friend was handsome, he was the kind of guy that had puberty hit him in all the right places and would be lying if he didn’t feel the slight skip in his heartbeat every time the latter smiled. That was a secret he would keep deep down inside, the strange feelings he felt for his best friend, the way he felt infatuated by a person of the same more than the opposite . He felt disgusted at himself, for liking a boy and not just any boy, for liking Lee Hongbin, his best friend.

A pair of fingers snapped in front of him, startling him from his daydream. His friend looked at him weirdly, “Yah. Hurry up or not we’ll really get caught.” Before walking through the door. Wonshik slapped himself lightly, ridding his mind from all the confusing thoughts before following the other male to the rooftop.

The cool morning breeze slapped him right across the face, causing him to shiver slightly at the sudden temperature change. The view was breathtaking as he saw the horizon, the mountains far behind the school painting a beautiful canvas in his mind.

“Wonshikkie! Come here, the breeze is daebak!” he heard Hongbin yell and followed the sound of his friend’s voice to the edge of the building. He found Hongbin dangling his feet over the railing, smiling as the breeze blew through the boy’s messy black hair, causing Wonshik’s heart to go on a rollercoaster ride along his ribcage.

He walked over warily and sat beside Hongbin, trying his best to hide the rising temperature of his cheeks. He noticed the smile on his friend’s face, it seemed different. The hotness in his cheeks died down. He could see that Hongbin’s jaw was clenched tight behind that smile, something was wrong.

A tired sigh came out of Hongbin’s lips as he laid down on the rooftop floor, one hand behind his head while the other covered his eyes. A wall of heavy silence built up between them, only the soft whistle of the morning wind was heard. Wonshik felt a sudden uneasiness rise in his throat, Hongbin was not himself today.

 He had been particularly restless today as Wonshik had noticed. He was getting frustrated easily at questions he couldn’t answer in class, was barely paying attention to lessons and stared out the window too often, his face scrunched up in deep thought. Wonshik thought hard about it for a while and the realisation kicked in like a slap on his face, it was today. How could he forget?

“It’s today isn’t it?”

Silence before Hongbin gave a slight nod, swallowing the lump in his throat.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“Do you need some time alone?”

“No, stay.” Hongbin pleaded, his voice cracking sli