~Prologue~

Centuries later, as he watched his clanmate’s lifeless head roll along the laminated floor, Junmyeon was to think back to that distant summer evening when his life began down this path.

He ran. Through the dusty streets and around the abandoned carts. Passing through an emptying market, a wayward hand plucked a ripe apple from the stack yet to be sold. Small clouds of dirt and sand settled in his wake, his shoes skidding and agitating the ground as he sprinted.

Far passed the slums by now, the young man raced through alleys and side streets. He avoided the afternoon flocking of extravagantly dressed women and well-to-do gentlemen, searching for a specific household.

There, on the edge of the middle-class estates, stood a sure building. Its frontage was generous, but its dark edging and plain colour kept it unremarkable. At this property the peasant jumped the side gate and made his way through the servant’s entrance.

The house was familiarly barren, bar the kitchen, and so the young man made his way to the drawing room at the front of the house. There was a single armchair facing the bay window.

“I broughtcha an apple, Mr Lee.”

“How thoughtful, Suho. What else do you bring?” The man stood from the seat, accepting the fruit graciously from the younger, and began to walk to the kitchen. Suho followed.

“Taemin’s no better. Lady Yoona’s still not been seen, sir.”

“Has this Taemin child experienced any more strange symptoms?” The older man asked, and took a seat by the kettle, placing the fruit in a glass bowl. He gestured for the other to sit opposite him.

“One, sir. Beyond the cold skin and lack of hunger there’s… they’re saying he’s got bloodthirst, sir. He attacked the doctor.” Suho sat on the nearby stool, fiddling with the frayed thread on the hem of his tunick. With one glance from the gentleman, however, he stopped.

“That’s unfortunate news. Thank you, Suho.” Mr Lee smiled kindly at the younger, collecting a novel from the counter. “Shall we continue where we left off last time?”

“Mr Lee.” Suho fiddled with the thread again. “It’s my day of birth today…”

“Ah!” Mr Lee dropped the book and instead gripped the other’s shoulder firmly. “How could I forget? A wish of congratulations to you.”

“Thank you, sir. It’s just, you said that when… When I turned a score and five year…” This time he picked at a scab on his knuckle.

“Of course.” The tone turned more serious, the smile evaporating from the gentleman’s wrinkled face. “If you are still sure, follow me upstairs.”

Suho had never before been asked upstairs, nor had he ventured there uninvited. He assumed that one bedroom would have the bare necessities for Mr Lee to sleep, and that the rest would be empty. That would have followed the theme of the rest of the house. Though, thinking back on it, of course Mr Lee would have needed a workroom for his very particular practices.

And that was indeed what Suho found as the door to the master bedroom opened to show what could definitely not be described as a bedroom. Though there was a small cot to the side of the room, the majority of the room was used as a study. There was a desk drenched in paper and books, and a number of screens covered in writing and pinned parchment. What first grabbed Suho’s attention, however, was the trolley by the bed. It housed a copious number of tools. Some looked purely medical, whilst others seemed far too large and violent to do the human body anything but harm.

“You don’t have to do this, Suho.” Mr Lee comforted the hesitant man, patting him reassuringly on the back.

“This will make me the same as you, right, sir?” The question was punctuated with a short coughing fit. The elder wiped some of the coal off the young man’s dirty face with his clean handkerchief when it concluded.

“Yes. You will avoid illness and ageing. You shall remain in peak condition indefinitely.”

“Then, please sir, I beg you to continue.” Breaths came out haggard, and Suho was guided to the cot.

“Alright.” Mr Lee spoke quietly, and gave the younger a sad smile. “It won’t hurt a bit.”

The older man moved to the trolley, and picked up a syringe and a full vial. He plunged the needle in the vial, and the syringe chamber filled with a dark crimson.

“Listen, for this is important.” Mr Lee moved back to the younger, who watched with naive eyes, and pet his hair soothingly. For the time being, he held the needle out of view. “When you awake you will not be Suho. The life you knew, of pain and suffering, will be over.”

The hand that his hair gently pulled, and the younger’s neck was exposed.

“You will show kindness to others as I have shown to you, and build your own clan from there.”

Suho’s breathing increased and the older could hear the quick rhythm of his heartbeat.

“Do not speak it aloud, but think hard now. Of your new name.”

The needle sunk into skin and the human’s eyes rolled back as he slowly lost consciousness. Mr Lee helped lie him down on the bed fully.

“I wonder, dear Suho, who you shall become...”

~Chapter 1~

“Soo, are you even my best friend right now?” Baekhyun looked thoroughly unimpressed, jabbing the end of his french fry at the other aggressively. “You're clearly not my best friend, or you wouldn't be daydreaming about humping through winter with Kim ‘able’ Jongin for warmth in Antarctica while I'm trying to complain here.”

The accused jolted as he came crashing back to reality, almost knocking his open water bottle clean off the table. Baekhyun continued to watch with pursed lips as Kyungsoo muttered that Antarctica was entirely irrelevant while he wiped up the splashed liquid on his sleeve with a nearby napkin.

“I’m in a crisis: I have a family dinner coming up!” The melodramatic boy chewed hopelessly on the soggy fry Kyungsoo wasn’t sure the origin of. All the campus cafes and fooderies were closed by now, and the deserted surrounding tables in the food court area were proof enough.

“I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think. If you go into it with an open mindset-” He couldn't even finish the suggestion before it was overruled.

“Kyungsoo, you naive child, you don't know my family. Every time I see my aunt she gives me sweat pads.” Before the younger could even ask for clarification, Baekhyun was answering. “They're pads that stick on the armpits of shirts to absorb your sweat and stop pit stains.”

The shorter was about to point out how that was actually a rather useful gift when Baekhyun decided he wasn't finished.

“Every time I see her. When it isn't even a gift-giving family gathering. She just does it.” He added exasperatedly, checking the underarms of his sweater in paranoia. “I'm starting to think she's trying to tell me something.”

“Yeah, that totally …” Kyungsoo responded dutifully, before changing the subject to what he’d been thinking about beforehand. “I wonder what the Kim’s family reunions are like.”

He much preferred talking about the popular, yet seemingly mysteries group of adoptive siblings than about Baekhyun’s aunt’s weird sweat-patch obsession.

“God, I don’t know. They probably sit around and talk about how cool, attractive and exclusive they all are.” The older scrunched up the empty paper bag after finishing his oily snack. “I still can’t believe you’re practically dating Jongin, and have never even introduced us. C’mon man, he’s the coolest guy on campus.”

“What! We’re not- It’s not like we’re a thing, we’re just-”

“Actually no, Sehun and Krystal might be cooler. ‘Cause they have that whole twin thing going on which instantly doubles your popularity rating. Yeah, it's definitely them.” Baekhyun nodded his head definitively, wiping his hands on another napkin.

“No way, it's one hundred percent Jongin.” Kyungsoo argued, bouncing back from his previous embarrassment in record time.

“Nuh-uh, sorry kid. Twin telepathy wins.”

“It's Jongin.”

“Sehun!”

“Jongin!”

“Okay, what the hell is going on here?” Minseok called as he and Chanyeol walked over to the two. “I'm this close to just straight up walking out on you.”

“Nothing’s going on, Kyungsoo’s just telling me his To-Do list.” Baekhyun smiled sweetly up at the two additions to the conversation.

Chanyeol ignored Baekhyun’s blatant lie and Kyungsoo’s crimson complexion, moving to drop his sports bag to the side as he sat down next to the sandy blonde.

“Thanks for waiting so long, guys, I was stuck with equipment clean-up duty.” The tall sportsmen wrapped an arm around the musical student, nuzzling affectionately in his hair for a moment.

“I definitely want to leave.” Minseok said, disgust clearly written on his face. “Actually, you have a council meeting right, Kyungsoo? Then I’m just gonna go, I don’t want to be left alone with those two.”

The shorter player picked up his personal equipment and began turning to leave.

“Nuh-uh! You promised me you’d tell me how private practice with Jongdae went!” Baekhyun yelled after the third year, effectively freezing him in place.

Kyungsoo never felt more at ease then when he sat with these three. Baekhyun was a musical student, much like Kyungsoo himself, and had a keen skill for getting under everyone’s skin. He had been Kyungsoo’s closest friend since middle school, though they were a year apart in age. When Kyungsoo enrolled in university the other students had been excited to meet the kid that Baekhyun apparently wouldn’t stop boasting about.

The other two members of their regular four were Chanyeol, an IT second year that had a goofy streak and a soft heart for the sometimes infuriating Baekhyun, and Minseok. The third year business student met the others through Chanyeol, as they were both on the college’s soccer team. He loved to be seen as a tough guy, but was secretly absolutely lovely.

“It’s already quarter to six, Kyung.” Chanyeol reminded the other, kicking him gently under the table to get his attention.

A surprised squawk escaped the first year as he stood abruptly, banging his knee on the tabletop during the process.

“Ow, I gotta go! See you guys tomorrow!”

Minseok helped the musician pack his stuff up, using it as an excuse to ignore Baekhyun’s pestering.

“Tell the council I think that all public displays of affection should be banned on campus.” The business major told the student representative, motioning with his head to Chanyeol who had begun kissing Baekhyun’s knuckles as the singer began whispering and giggling in the taller’s ear.

Kyungsoo sent the third year a silent prayer for good luck as he finally departed from the group.

Quickly running up the stairs to the next level, where he could walk across the bridge to the adjoining building, the first year hoped he wasn’t too late for the meeting. Along with the mild anxiety, though, Kyungsoo felt excitement. He had quickly made a few friends amongst the members of the student representative council, and he looked forward to seeing them again. Especially Jongin.

The second year law student had been somewhat distant at first, but Kyungsoo was always able to coax people out of their shells. Jongin was just shy, and the nineteen year old assumed that the same could be said for the rest of the Kim family, though their reputation leant closer to snobbish and pretentious. Kyungsoo had never met the others, but Baekhyun had once spent a whole afternoon describing the rumours behind the unconventional family. Apparently there were four siblings: Jongin; Jongdae, who was a third year; and Sehun and Krystal, two first years who were also twins. They were all adopted by a pair of fathers, supposedly, and lived a cold and strict life. Personally, Kyungsoo didn’t think there was enough well-known information about them to warrant such a whirlwind of gossip, but Baekhyun claimed it was the mystery that made it so interesting. The second year music student had even gone as far as to request Kyungsoo ask Jongin himself about his family and home life, but the first year didn’t want to pry.

Walking through a corridor on the third floor, Kyungsoo quietly entered the conference room the weekly meetings were always held in. The first year sighed in relief as the filled space echoed multiple strings of conversation, as he didn’t have to draw attention to himself while he entered. The musician sat in the empty spot left for him, with the other first years. He sat between Yeri, who was an arts student through and through, and Hyunsik, who had a bad boy too-cool-for-school vibe, but somehow studied science. Kyungsoo liked that about him though, the biochem student was the embodiment of the phrase ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’.

“Hey, Soo,” Yeri said enthusiastically, smiling when the singer greeted her back. “You didn’t miss anything, we’ve not started yet.”

Kyungsoo thanked her, asking her about her installation art she had mentioned last time they spoke. As Yeri explained that she was worried about how long it was taking her to make, Kyungsoo glanced across the table, where the second years generally sat. His eyes met Jongin’s and the first year smiled. The law student smiled back, nodding his head a little in greeting.

“Pfft, you always say that.” Kyungsoo was startled by a rough voice to his left, making him break eye contact with the second year. “But then you do in’ great anyway, and all the complaining was for nothing.”

Hyunsik sat back in his chair, the front two legs pushed up off the ground, and he sketched something in a notepad that Kyungsoo couldn’t see from his angle. As usual, he fed fuel to the fire of the short-haired female’s venting.

“That’s not true! My abstract portrait for first sem was complete bull, I have no idea how I’m going to face that tutor ever again.” Kyungsoo laughed at the two squabbling around him, enjoying the push and pull nature of their friendship, before the actual meeting started.

After making announcements and giving feedback year-by-year, the meeting finished an hour later. Kyungsoo knew that Baekhyun and the others would be long gone by then, but checked his phone just in case. Lo and behold, Baek had sent through a picture of his dinner, captioned ‘mmm! yummy crab, i bet you wish you had some rn’. And, just as Kyungsoo was going to reply with a whine, knowing that when he got back to his dorm he wasn’t going to have anything as nice as crab, his best friend sent another message. This time the photo was of the other side of the restaurant table, Chanyeol posing with his characteristic peace sign. The caption read: ‘mmm! yummy boyfriend! bet you wish you had that too rn. dont worry soo, ur big hunky joongin is right there~~’. Kyungsoo felt his face flush slightly, sending an aggressive ‘u spelt jongin wrong. also i h8 u and ur boyfriend’ back.

Pocketing the device, Kyungsoo looked around to see that the rush for the door had reduced to a mere trickle. Yeri had gone, and only two others still sat at the conference table with him. Jongin, and Hyunsik. The first year watched as Jongin packed up the book he had taken out during the meeting, wondering how he should start a conversation with the other. They were comfortable around each other, having spoken many times within the past few months, even having had lunch together. Alone. They were fairly close, Kyungsoo would say, but he still got butterflies when approaching the other. The nervousness almost seemed to get worse the closer they got, especially after that time at a college party that they had almost kissed. Well, it was more of a tipsy Kyungsoo falling in the lap of a too sober Jongin who had laughed it off and walked him home. He was both ridiculously embarrassed about it, and also extremely giddy that he’d gotten such a gentlemanly gesture from the older.

“Ey, Kyungsoo.” The musician was again roused from thinking about the law student. He prayed that Hyunsik, who had spoken, hadn’t noticed the dreamy look. “Can I show you something?”

Kyungsoo risked a glance at Jongin, to see him watching the two first years. He stood with his packed bag over his shoulder, as if he were waiting to speak to one of them. The butterflies were back. Kyungsoo should say something.

“You need anything, Kim?” Hyunsik beat the singer to it, his voice gruff and clipped. Kyungsoo had never seen them interact before, he didn’t think they even knew each other, but there definitely seemed to be some tension between the look they shared.

“No, I guess not.” Jongin spoke with a frown, but didn’t make a move to leave immediately. He turned to Kyungsoo, and the law major’s signature radiant smile bloomed across his face. “See you later, Kyungsoo.”

“Bye, Jongin!” Kyungsoo tried not to sound too desperate for the older’s absolute adoration, but wasn’t sure how successful that was when Hyunsik scoffed lightly and Jongin’s smile turned shy as he departed.

The first year didn’t realise his eyes trailed Jongin’s movement until the click of the door closing after him brought him back to reality. Wow, he was really getting easily distracted today.

“So, I was wondering if I could show you somethin’ I made...” Hyunsik’s tone was eons softer than it had been mere moments ago, and though the nineteen year old was surprised, he wanted to put the other’s mind at ease. He was really not one to judge, whatever it was.

“Of course, I’d love to,” Kyungsoo said, smiling in an attempt to eradicate any nervousness the other might’ve been feeling.

The science major turned his laptop to show a digital painting on the screen. Half the canvas showed a dark and twisting forest where a shadowy figure sat, feebly curled up by the base of a weeping willow, an arm outstretched to the other half of the picture. The right half encompassed a plethora of hues bursting off the screen, twirling around a pale boy who smiled contently. His eyes were closed and his dark locks danced amongst the bright tendrils, seemingly unaware of the frail boy who was trapped in the inky abyss close by.

Kyungsoo was in no way a visual artist, though he enjoyed visiting art galleries, but he could immediately tell the technical skill behind the image was impressive.

“Wow, Hyunsik. I had no idea you were so good at art.” Kyungsoo locked eyes with the fellow first year, who looked more timid than he’d ever seen him before. The musician giggled light-heartedly, knowing that Hyunsik was really committed to biology and chemistry, but also wanting to liven the other’s mood. “I’d almost say that you’re wasted in a bachelor of science.”

“I’ve got all the time in the world. I’ll be able to do both, I think.” The artist’s smile was tight, but he no longer seemed reserved. Kyungsoo nodded thoughtfully in response; to be able to merge two such different subjects into one job would be difficult, but Hyunsik seemed confident.

The first years seemed to run out of conversation, and the gaze of the amateur scientist felt heavy. Kyungsoo had a few more possible questions: ‘why show this to me, why not Yeri, an actual art student?’, ‘what was the inspiration?’, ‘why does the colourful boy look like…’, but decided, for once, not to ask.

“I should get going, it’s pretty late and all.” Kyungsoo began picking up his own things, having only used a single book to write down important announcements about the music faculty. “I really like your digital work, though, and I’m glad you showed me.”

Kyungsoo stood, hearing Hyunsik quickly shove his laptop into his bag as well, and turned to start leaving. He was really not looking forward to making dinner, and curse Baekhyun for making him want crab.

“Actually, Kyungsoo, I-argh!” Hyunsik grabbed the shorter’s shoulder, clearly about to ask him something before falling. Kyungsoo turned quickly, ready to help the other up and politely pretend the embarrassing trip had never happened, when he saw a dark red patch on the lower leg of Hyunsik’s jeans.

“Oh my God, you’re bleeding! Are you okay?” The nineteen year old dropped his backpack, crouching next to a wincing Hyunsik. The other first year tried to angle the wound away, but Kyungsoo stopped him by placing his hand on the other’s knee. There was no cut on the pant leg, so how... “What happened?”

“Uh, no big deal.” Hyunsik played the injury off, trying to get back up while grimacing, but was stopped by the shorter.

“No big deal? Look how much blood there is!” The singer fretted, noticing a white material peeking from under the denim at the other’s ankle. He quickly rolled up the leg of the jeans before the other could stop him, seeing a large wrap of padding covering the side of the taller’s calf. The gauze was itself completely bleed through, and Kyungsoo didn’t want to know just how bad the injury was underneath.

“Did you burst some stitches or something?” The question was followed by hesitant nodding. He seemed to be in real pain now, or was only now letting Kyungsoo see just how hurt he was. “Is there someone I can call to pick you up? I’d hate for you to have to get yourself home, when it’s getting dark outside.”

Fervent head shakes as Hyunsik grabbed Kyungsoo’s shoulder again. It was only then that the nineteen year old noticed how close he was to the other. He had to lean over the taller to reach his injured shin, as Hyunsik clearly didn’t want him to see it. He watched wide-eyed as the other first year stared intensely at the musician’s neck, his jaw clenching tightly.

“Kyungsoo…” The husky tone came from the back of the science major’s throat, and he leaned down, closer. Kyungsoo tried to move back, but the grip on his shoulder strengthened.

Kyungsoo was stunned into silence, unsure what was happening. Hyunsik was injured, but seemed immediately sidetracked by the shorter’s presence. Hyunsik frowned deeply, this time not from the pain of his leg. His jaw tensed again, as if fighting himself against saying something aloud. His eyes visibly darkened.

A warm hand clasped Kyungsoo’s pale jaw, and turned his face away.

“H-Hyunsik? Let go of me…” The grasp on his jaw grew tighter and the musician yelped in pain. The hold on both his shoulder and face kept him pinned down, pushing him flat on the ground. He struggled to get up from lying on the floor, but Hyunsik eclipsed the smaller body with his own, properly on top of the black-haired male.

“Ahhh-auuhh!” Kyungsoo grew more scared, what the hell was happening?! The grip on his jaw was so strong he couldn’t speak words, and his eyes began tearing up from the pain of being crushed under the significantly heavier and more muscled body of who he had thought was his friend. He could barely breathe, but continued to gurgle out noises of pain.

Why wasn’t Hyunsik getting off?!

He began properly thrashing about in the other’s hold, desperately needing to get the taller off him. Where had everyone else gone? Why had Jongin left? Why couldn’t he breathe?

“Stop. Moving.” The command was not a voice the the nineteen year old recognised, but definitely came from the other first year’s mouth. Hyunsik’s knee was now digging into his sternum, and Kyungsoo grunted and groaned. He squeezed his eyes shut, and kicked violently, trying to do something, anything, to make it stop.

It was agony. He tried pushing Hyunsik’s face away from him with his right hand, the left one being pinned down by the taller’s other knee. The arm that had been pushing down Kyungsoo’s left shoulder grabbed his right hand and twisted it, making the smaller of the two cry out even louder.

Hyunsik leant over again, hovering directly over the side of his throat. Kyungsoo felt the heavy breath settle against his exposed skin there. He kept his eyes closed, and found no energy in himself to keep struggling. He felt light-headed and dizzy, a thick fog gathering over his consciousness. He still couldn’t breathe.

Hyunsik dived, and Kyungsoo swore he could feel the ghost of teeth on his skin.

“Kyungsoo!” A new, yet familiar, voice barged from the general direction Kyungsoo remembered the door being. “Get off him!”

A heavy groan resounded in the nineteen year old’s ear as the weight on top of him lifted off. The science major who had just been kicked in the side by the assailant rolled back over and hissed. Jongin, jaw tight and nostrils flaring, hauled the 177cm first year and shoved him against the nearest wall.

Hyunsik yelled in pain, his eyes pinched. He wasn’t stunned for long however, as he clawed at the arms that held his shirt collar. Jongin barely registered the attack, though, and pulled and pushed the younger back into the wall.

The plaster behind wheezed and groaned. Kyungsoo did the same, still splayed on the floor.

“Snap out of it!” Jongin growled, and roughly threw him towards the door. Hyunsik stumbled, but caught his balance on the table edge. His breath came quickly, and he hunched over. A steel stare was hooked on Kyungsoo, who held his chest and watched with wide eyes.

“Leave. Now.” Jongin spoke with resolute authority, standing between the two first years.

Hyunsik flicked his gaze to the elder, his expression morphing from that of a predatory attacker to something akin to a frightened child. He opened his mouth and quickly closed it again. He looked down at the music major who still gulped in air with haggard breaths, but somehow managed to look like he was the victim. Tears came quickly to his eyes, and he reached out to Kyungsoo still on the ground, almost as if he could physically take back his actions.

“Hyunsik.”

The science major looked back up at Jongin, his hand stuck mid-air. He nodded, and slowly moved his arm down. Jongin quickly bypassed Kyungsoo, picking up Hyunsik’s bag off the ground, and threw it at him. The jolt as Hyunsik caught the bag seemed to finally get through to him, as he nodded again.

“I’m sorry…” he whispered sincerely, his apology punctuated with a sniffle as he fled the room, not even bothering to close the door the whole way as he departed.

“Kyungsoo, are you okay?” Jongin quickly crouched next to the still sitting teenager. All hostility he had exhibited in front of Hyunsik dissipated, turning into concern. He looked over Kyungsoo’s body, and his hand ghosted over Kyungsoo’s sore jaw. “Can I see?”

Kyungsoo nodded to both questions, knowing the law student wanted to check his neck. He turned his head and felt Jongin’s warm fingertips brush over the naturally sensitive skin. He knew there was nothing there. Hyunsik hadn’t gotten to… bite, or kiss, or whatever he had planned to do. What had he planned to do?

“You’re okay now. You’re safe, Kyungsoo.” Jongin’s voice was even warmer than his hands, and he gave a gentle smile full of reassurance as he rubbed up and down the first year’s arm comfortingly.

“What the hell just happened?” Kyungsoo’s voice was unrecognisably hoarse. A strangled, broken thing that spoke volumes to the surfacing fear and shock that coursed through him. Hyunsik was… nice… a friend, even. Where had that come from? What had that been exactly?

Jongin pulled Kyungsoo into an embrace, patting down the back of his head. The singer hadn’t realised he was shaking until he wrapped his arms around the other. He closed his eyes, centering himself with the earthy and safe smell of Jongin. Kyungsoo was really lucky to have the elder in his life. He didn’t think he deserved it, but he was undoubtedly grateful for it. What would have happened if Jongin hadn’t come and saved him?

“He… He…” Kyungsoo wanted to get the words out, to understand them. Hoping that if he could explain what happened out loud, it would suddenly make sense to him.

“I know, shhh, I know,” Jongin whispered, his hand leaving the raven locks and rubbing circles on Kyungsoo’s back. “It’s over now, you’re okay.”

Both college students took a minute to calm down, and once Kyungsoo steadied his breathing, he realised his heart rate was fast for another reason entirely. He and Jongin had never hugged before, that drunken lap-falling definitely not counting, and Kyungsoo felt the blood rush to his face.

“Thank you,” Kyungsoo said in a fluster, pulling back from the embrace suddenly, quickly thinking of something else to say. “I thought you left, how did you know to...?”

“Ahh,” Jongin replied sheepishly, running his hands through his brown hair. He pushed his fringe out of his eyes, only for the silky curtain to return less than a second later. “I thought I’d forgotten something and wanted to check when I heard you call out. You sure you’re okay?”

Kyungsoo was almost paralysed by the earnest and caring brown eyes that watched him. Jongin was so close that the younger could make out each minute crease around the taller’s small smile. God, was Jongin gorgeous. And damn, was Kyungsoo easily distracted or what, now was hardly the time for such thoughts.

“Uh, mhmm!” Kyungsoo cleared his throat, trying to focus on anything other than the close proximity he shared with the other. He could feel Jongin’s body heat radiate off him, the first year’s arms prickling with goosebumps. He bit his lip.

“Let me help you up.” Jongin stood up swiftly, the air around the younger immediately feeling cold and empty. Don’t be desperate, Kyungsoo told himself sternly, taking Jongin’s offered hand and standing himself.

He was a little wobbly on his feet, but that would be mostly from shock, the younger surmised. Jongin kept holding on, even after the shorter had found his balance. Kyungsoo watched their held hands, thinking that everything about it, from the differences in the complexions to the size, was perfect. Or be super desperate, that works too.

Looking up from the grip they shared, the nineteen year old saw the deep scratches that Hyunsik must have left on Jongin’s otherwise unscarred arms. There were several sets of clawings, the red lines overlapping violently, covering up the golden hue beneath. A few spots were bleeding, and Kyungsoo immediately forgot his own problems.

“Woah, Jongin, those look painful,” the musician pointed out unhelpfully. The older of the two looked down to the wounds himself, as if not feeling them at all. He laughed in embarrassment, dropping Kyungsoo’s hand.

“Oh, they’re not too bad. I’ll be fine.” Jongin looked back up at the shorter, giving another reassuring smile. Kyungsoo, however, felt horrible. None of this was the second year’s fault, he’d just wanted to help someone, but had ended up with worse wounds than the music major himself.

“I’m sorry, I should clean them. Or-or get you a band-aid, at least. Let me-”

“No need, Kyungsoo. Really. Thank you, though.” Jongin’s smile increased, clearly endeared by the offer, but not wanting to make a fuss over the injury. He suddenly turned his head to the window behind him, as if struck by a thought before quickly looking back. “It’s pretty dark out, I’ll walk you home.”

Kyungsoo wanted to press further about the cuts along the taller’s forearm, but also really just wanted to leave the room, hoping to never think about what happened again. So, when Jongin handed him his backpack from the ground, he graciously accepted it.

“Again.” This time Jongin had a mischievous glint to his eye and a cheeky grin as he looked down at the younger. Kyungsoo felt his face flush as it dawned on him what Jongin was referencing. Of course Jongin would remember that night, but the shorter had hoped he’d have more class than to bring it up.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Kyungsoo feigned ignorance. He swung his bag over his shoulder and walked out of the room with his head held high. The first year smiled as he heard Jongin laugh joyously behind him.

And, not for the first time, Kyungsoo was so glad that Jongin was there.