Ryeowook leaned over Kyuhyun’s lap, gazing down at the source of conflict. “What’s going on, Kyu?”

Suddenly, the pink jacket fellow clambered to his knees, gaze fixed on Ryeowook. “Oh wow, you’re pretty cute. I didn’t think there were any decent looking people living outside of the Honors Dorm.” He smiled at Ryeowook. “I’m Sungmin, what’s your name?”

“Ryeowook…,” he replied, blushing at the perfect expression of happiness on the boy’s face. Without ill-intentions, Ryeowook had come to believe the same thing as Sungmin…

Sungmin ran through the slush covered cobblestone, arms tight and swinging to propel his slight body forward. Cold wind was whipping at his eyes and exposed forehead, black hair spastically flying backwards. His eyes flitted to a bright and warm dorm building. The construction was familiar and nostalgic – a distant memory now.

Beyond the flurry covered glass he could see students gathered in the living room being spoken to by their Resident Advisor. They were apparently doing some sort of bonding activity. Sungmin smiled a bit, heat building up behind his thick scarf.

Ryeowook breathed, watching his breath become like a heated dragon’s in the cold air. He broke into a grin, running up to be directly beside Sungmin. “Look, look, Dragon’s Breath!” Ryeowook huffed and a big puff of white air burst out in front of him. “Did you ever do that when you were little?”

Sungmin’s eyes smiled, the lower half of his face hidden behind a scarf, “I forgot what we called it but yeah we used to have contests and stuff! It was so awesome! I always won though.”

“Really?” Ryeowook’s eyes became large and he hugged the other boy’s arm for warmth.

He leaned against one of the buildings, catching his breath. Running hadn’t made him tired yet somehow his heart was beating rapidly.

Sungmin watched white puffs of air fall from between his lips. The shape was random and childish, feeling unfit to someone who would soon be eighteen and in college. There hadn’t been time to play around since his third year started. StudGov work was fun but at the same time incredibly tedious.

Inhaling deeply, Sungmin released a large white puff of air, watching it dissipate in front of him before continuing his wild sprint through the campus.

“Wookie~!” Sungmin tackled Ryeowook off the bench and to the ground. The attacker nuzzled his best friend’s neck happily, arms wrapped around Ryeowook. “I was looking all over for you! The cooking club blew up something again and I was wondering if you could help?”

Ryeowook smiled, patting Sungmin’s back, “Sure, I don’t mind, Minnie…but you have to get off of me, hmm?” He laughed a bit, shifting beneath his friend’s weight.

Dark eyes shot up at Ryeowook. “Not yet,” Sungmin whispered, attitude changing. Passersby whistled and howled at them. The ones playing sports turned to look, some of them blushing or shouting playfully.

“Fan service again?” Ryeowook sighed. Sungmin nodded curtly. It was silly but the student body had taken a liking to the two of them. Ever since they entered high school a few months prior, the all-boys’ academy had become obsessed with the adorable pair. Having one idol to drool over was nice, but having two idols that “loved” skinship would keep the testosterone atmosphere fresher. And being the kindly youth that he was, Ryeowook couldn’t say no.

“Mid-terms are coming up and everyone’s stressing,” Sungmin explained, holding the side of Ryeowook’s face and smiling cutely for the hidden cameras, “so it’d be good if we did a little extra for them.”

“Oh…alright, I guess that’s okay…,” Ryeowook murmured, blushing. He always felt uncomfortable when Sungmin got so close. The other boy was attractive after all.

Sungmin winked, “Yeah, good little Wookie.” He leaned closer, getting ready to kiss Ryeowook’s cheek.

The wide open sports field just beyond the main square came into view. Sungmin flew past it, head tilting slightly at a particular stone bench on the outskirts of a concrete playing area. Snow covered everything now though, all of the days footprints disappearing slowly.

It was refreshing and just the tiniest bit sad. Why did everything always have to be forgotten or changed? Were things better that way?

Everyone wishes at least once in their life to have time freeze. So is change all that great?

A moan rang through Sungmin’s ear and the boy immediately stopped moving. “Aw, no more struggling?” the guy mumbled, chuckling and his jaw, “I really liked it.”

“What is wrong with all of you?” Sungmin shouted at the top of his lungs, but the roar of the music beat him down. He pushed the person’s face away from his neck, receiving only more tongue action against his palm. “I’M NOT EVEN TRYING TO TURN YOU ON!” Sungmin tried to head the person but missed and let out a frustrated groan.

His eyes wandered over to Ryeowook and his heart nearly stopped. The other boy was red faced even in the dark room Sungmin could tell. Minho had taken the liberty of kissing the boy as he continued feeling his slender body up. A trail of saliva slipped from the connected mouths and Sungmin felt the fury burst from him.

“DON’T TOUCH HIM!” Sungmin tore out of the grip, adrenaline pumping rapidly through his veins as he knocked both of them over. He pushed Ryeowook out of the surprised loosened grip and went on to punch the older boy in the face. A momentary feeling of pride washed over him. It had taken too many tries to punch that rotten molester. Sungmin attempted to punch Minho again but was stopped by a larger, strong hand. He whipped around, freezing as he saw Kangin standing over him.

Mir was behind the muscular third year, looking rather upset and red. Kangin on the other hand was glowering at Minho and Sungmin. “Both of you, up and in my office,” he ordered in a low voice, releasing Sungmin and stalking off.

Minho smirked up at Sungmin, patting the first year’s head mock-sweetly. “Aw, getting in trouble just for me? You’re such a cutie, Sungmin.”

“Shut up,” Sungmin snapped, climbing off the other boy and grabbing Ryeowook’s hand. He pulled the uncomfortable looking boy to his feet and hugged him tightly. “Are you okay Wookie? I’m so sorry this happened,” he mumbled close to Ryeowook’s ear.

“It’s okay, they were doing things to you too,” Ryeowook answered, sniffling and returning the tight hug. “I’m sorry you’re in trouble…”

“No big deal,” Sungmin laughed, “it’s not like it’s Teukie-hyung or the administration punishing me. Otherwise all of us would be in deep—”

The sports field was shadowed by the forest closing in on Sungmin. He skidded around a building, stumbling through some moderately high and muddy snow piles. Dark trees swayed, sending white dust into the slicing wind.

If he looked hard enough, the path to KUG lit itself. Sungmin would never forget that day – the only day he had ever gone to the secret club.

“Sungmin…I don’t really want to do this…,” Ryeowook said uneasily. The other boy was dragging him towards the auditorium, ignoring all of his partner’s words. “Really, this has never been my sort of thing…maybe we should choose something else…?”

“Stop being a wuss, Wookie,” Sungmin barked, turning an annoyed glare on the anxious boy. He pushed the door to the auditorium open, pulling Ryeowook in behind him. “Teukie-hyung said we need to get involved and this is the coolest thing I could find. Otherwise I’ll sign us up for cooking club and people will keep grabbing your when you bend over to take things out of the oven—”

“—Okay, okay!” Ryeowook exclaimed, covering Sungmin’s mouth. “Don’t say that so loud,” he mumbled, flushed and keeping his hand over the darker haired boy’s lips.

He swallowed hard, pausing just inside the Auditorium. The lights were on, sending hope through Sungmin’s chest. Quickly, the boy started jogging down the hallway, ignoring the burning of lungs and his urge to simply crumple from the swelling of emotions.

So many forces were daring to crush him in that moment but he bore it all, gritting his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to clear his whirling thoughts.

But for Sungmin…he saw only the moment where true love parts ways. It was sort of sad…but at the same time, for who was it sad? The demented Phantom had lost to a normal, wonderful man in the fight for love; the wonderful man had won the hand of his beloved and saved her from the clutches of a dark enigma. Sungmin peered over at his companion. “I’m your Raoul, huh?” he said softly, reaching over to caress Ryeowook’s face.

“Hmm?” Ryeowook turned his head, meeting the warm, gentle lips of Sungmin.

He pulled away just a bit, eyes steadily gazing at the other. “The Phantom…he’s so much more alluring, isn’t he?”

The non-descript door opened under Sungmin’s adrenaline powered hand. He steadfastly walked into the closet sized room and climbed the cold, metal ladder. Each rung was stiff, ready.

Over the edge, Sungmin peered through the darkness, sighing in relief as he spotted a hunched figure sitting on the Cat Walk. The lights from the auditorium seating area showed the huddled person’s face, just barely.

Sungmin removed his scarf, allowing the material to dangle around his neck as he crawled through the dark space.

The door clicked open and Ryeowook curled his hand around Sungmin’s sleeve, other hand tightly holding the place over his burning chest. “Minnie…it hurts,” he croaked, squeezing his eyes shut in hopes of making the tears slow.

Sungmin pulled the other boy into the room worriedly, hugging him gently. “Where’s your medicine? Do you need me to call the doctor?”

“I took the medicine…that’s why I don’t understand why it hurts,” Ryeowook explained through hiccups and sobs. “But there’s so much pain…I don’t know what to do, Minnie…!”

“What happened before all of this?” Sungmin asked softly, Ryeowook’s soft hair and sitting him down on his bed.

“Kyuhyun went to sleepover at his boyfriend’s room,” Ryeowook whispered, and suddenly he was lurching forward, gripping Sungmin with both hands and wailing loudly. “I don’t know why but it hurts every time I think about it..! If Kyu’s happy why am I not? I don’t want him to be sad…Minnie what’s wrong with me?” He looked up at his friend and saw tears running down the dark haired boy’s face as well.

Ryeowook’s eyes widened and he caressed the other’s face with hands. “Why are you crying Minnie…? Does something hurt in you too…?”

Sungmin nodded, lips quivering. “You’re making me sad…,” he whispered, hiccupping and holding Ryeowook close to him.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, still gazing into those melancholy black eyes. Ryeowook’s eyes shifted down to the pale pink lips shaking before him and a new question appeared among the mess of his brain. “Why did you kiss me so long ago?” he blurted.

Sungmin’s eyes saddened even more. “Because you’re my most precious friend…and I want you to see that Kyuhyun won’t make you happy. He’s only—,” Sungmin cut himself off.

“Do you still remember?” Sungmin asked softly, nestling down beside Ryeowook. The latter didn’t reply, keeping his head down upon his pulled up knees. Exhaling, Sungmin gazed out at the empty stage, a memory flickering past. “The Phantom didn’t win the girl. She was captivated by him from the very beginning but she went with Raoul.”

Ryeowook finally looked up, red eyes rimmed with tears. “W-What…?” his voice broke and he tried to bury his face back into the safety of his knees.

Sungmin stopped him, hands coming up to hold either side of that beautiful face – the same face that caught him two and a half years ago. “I once told you that you’re my most precious friend. When I said all of that stuff earlier tonight…I was just angry.” He forced the lump in his throat down. “I…”

Ryeowook leaned forward, pressing his lips against Sungmin’s gently. “…Then you’re my precious friend too…and I don’t want you to be sad…” He raised his eyes back up to meet Sungmin’s seeing the tears slowing and drying on that gently sloping face.  

They simply gazed at one another, each passing silent words but then carefully, slowly they felt their bodies adapting to the small space separating them. Ryeowook’s hands slipped down from the other boy’s face to rest on his shoulders. Sungmin fully enveloped the other with his arms, head tilting slightly as Ryeowook’s shifted the other way. And then their lips were meeting, softly, fleetingly.

“…I’ve loved you…as more than a friend for a long time, Ryeowook,” Sungmin whispered, brushing away stray brown locks obscuring the smaller boy’s widened eyes, “so please don’t say that you changed your mind…after what I said…”

And then Ryeowook was leaning forward, a sigh escaping his lips as their mouths met in a hurried, demanding kiss.

Ryeowook felt his eyes close, as his lips moved in a secret rhythm against Sungmin’s. There was nothing heated about their touches, just the soft comfort of companionship. At the same time, it was nothing like Ryeowook had ever experienced before. It wasn’t like the forceful way Kyuhyun kissed, nor was it like the sloppy, wet contact of Minho.

Sungmin gazed hard into those lovely, liquid eyes. “Can we be together…?” He blushed, voice quivering far more than he would’ve liked. “We should be together…that’s what I mean.”

“I love you, Minnie,” Ryeowook stated through sniffles, laughing a little.

“What does that mean?” Sungmin’s head tilted in confusion.

“I love you lots, Minnie,” Ryeowook restated, slowly grinning.

“Does that mean you want to be with me?”

“I really, really love you, Sungmin.”

“…You can’t back out now,” the dark haired boy reminded, carefully entwining their resting fingers. Ryeowook simply pressed his lips to the other’s mouth, unable to suppress the smile on his face.

Sungmin lightly tugged on Ryeowook’s lower lip with his teeth, eyes carefully opening to look at the latter. He reached his hands up, pushing the hair back from Ryeowook’s face. Their lips pressed harder against one another, both of their tears coming to a halt.