Yugyeom's life is never the same after he met Jaebum. Jaebum, his hyung who has so many layers of secrets and so mysterious that Yugyeom never gain more than a few basic things about him even after sharing bed a few times.

Not that they're friends with benefits or what not, it's much more than that. But Yugyeom doesn't know what that is. Because he doesn't even know who Jaebum really is, but can you blame him for wanting to do just that, to know him better?

It's apparent when he enters his room and saw Jaebum sitting in his king-sized bed, clad in his usual prim and proper attire, dress shirt and black slack, with his glittering expensive rings accompanying chubby fingers and delicate hands, that Yugyeom had no other choice to begin with.

 

Even in the middle of the mundaneness of his house, Jaebum still looks expensive and painfully handsome-like he is worth a whole bloodline of wealth and nobelties, and certainly noble people wouldn't belong anywhere near his old family house but somewhere else more fitting, maybe enormous manor or castle high up mountain.

 

 

"Yah Kim Yugyeom! Why didn't you tell me that you skip school today because you're sick?"

Jaebum raised an eyebrow at him and crossed his hands indignantly.

"Well, uhh, I passed out briefly after taking the meds so I totally forgot to text you this morning. I'm very sorry hyung."

At this, Jaebum just nodded his head once and pull the hem of his shirt to make him sit on the bed beside him. And then, there's fingers touching his forehead gently, he could imagine the smoothness of the ring bands in his head and count them, one by one.

Jaebum's hands felt so cold to the touch and it's soothing, Yugyeom leaned forward slightly and he breathed in Jaebum's clean and fresh cologne.

He wonders idly to himself if Jaebum really is some young master to a very rich household, he does seems like one, even if he tried really hard to hide all that.

But what kind of young masters go to college and travel around places with public transport, eat ramen in convenience store occasionally and befriend someone plain like him?

But selfishly, Yugyeom prayed that none of that are true, because then he'll feel undeserving of all of this, and he doesn't want that.

 

 

"Did you waited long? Don't tell me you didn't budge an inch from the bus station and waited for me all morning, hyung. Is that why your hands are so cold?"

Jaebum ignored him and proceeded to cup his cheeks.

"You're still feverish." He frowned, his face lined with worry. "You should rest more. Just lie on the bed."

Yugyeom dropped his head on the pillow and groaned.

"Yeah, I really should. My head's about to explode and I'm sure my eyes is betraying me also, cause you seems to have two heads today hyung."

Jaebum scoffed and gingerly settled himself beside him and closed his eyes. They stayed like that for quite sometime, content with each other's silent presence.

 

 

But then, Yugyeom cracked open his eyes to stare at the person beside him and found that Jaebum had fallen asleep peacefully.

Sometimes, he thinks, he could almost understand him. Why Jaebum needs to surround himself around people, choosing to drown himself in the subway station crawling with people going back and forth. He likes to eat in the convenience store at midnight -most of the times with Yugyeom, but if not, there's always the cashier of graveyard shift accompanying him while giving judging looks.

 

Jaebum is lonely.

He craves the presence of people like it's an unstoppable thirst.

"Gyeom ah, hyung is lonely," he said to him once.

And Yugyeom had invited Jaebum to his house once, twice. Since then, he keeps coming.

Yugyeom felt like he achieved something big, for each time Jaebum's face light up when he goes to open the door for him.

He seems comfortable here, whenever he greeted Yugyeom's mother warmly and then she will pepper motherly kisses on his face. Jaebum will always smiles a lot and become more... lively, compared to when he's at the college, or anywhere else, really.

 

Yugyeom wondered if manors and castles are nothing but gilded cage. And Jaebum is a lonely bird trapped inside it.