Meeting him for the first time was an experience like no other. Donghae was walking on thin ice. A cold January morning never called him out of his home. The only reason he dared to step out was because of Heechul. The man could turn into gangster if work wasn’t completed on time. It had snowed two days ago and clouds still hung over the vast sky. He was on vacation, just like the students he taught.

Although the roads and everything cemented was cleared, the grass and soil still had a layer of ice that decreased the friction helped people to slip, fall on their limbs and even break their bones. He was careful, really careful, but Lee Donghae can never be too careful.

He studied Physics for four years in college; still, he couldn’t protect himself from sliding friction or inertia or the pull of gravity. But he knew how it happened, and he knew how third law of motion wasn’t going to spare him. Impulse will also be really bad for him. In short words, his future in a very short amount of time wasn’t bright.

But like a scene from a movie, his superhero came in the form of a white husky. He didn’t know how the creature came there but he was exempted from colliding face first in the thin sheet of cruel ice. He managed to get a sprain though.

The creature under him was luckily not hurt. Animals were more suited to survive in this world. Humans had become too used to comfort and luxury.

When his ankle twisted, he felt a short of pain originating from the ankle but coursing through the whole body. For a few seconds, he wasn’t aware of the source of pain but knew he was hurt somewhere.

“Bolero!” Someone screamed. Donghae didn’t have time to open his eyes before there were a loud crash, a scream, and dead silence. The dog slipped from under him and started whining as he sniffed the man lying unconscious on the ground.

Donghae barely had a chance to catch a glance of a red coat before they were surrounded by people, his neighbors. An ambulance was called and they were in the hospital.

** **

That man was Lee Hyukjae, a businessman in the town. He had heard about him before but never met him in person. He didn’t want to meet him either.

When the man was taking a daily stroll down the road, his dog had run off and he had followed it. That dog somehow saved Donghae but Hyukjae wasn’t lucky. While chasing for his dog, he slipped and fell in the lawn of Donghae’s house, only a few feet away from him. The fractured leg and a couple of bruises were proof of that.

He was glad Hyukjae didn’t receive any head injury. The way he fainted was scary.

Lee Hyukjae was a nice human being though. When Donghae dared to see him, he had to, the man smiled at him. He had thought he was going to receive an earful.

He did receive an earful from Heechul for not being careful though. Heechul apologized to Hyukjae but not Donghae, even though he was the one to call him.

The two men shared the same ward. After being treated for a second-degree sprain, Donghae was discharged from the hospital but Hyukjae had to stay there for a longer time.

But during their one night stay at the hospital, they bonded quite well.

“Hyukjae,” Donghae said. Hyukjae had told him to address him casually and he had agreed on the condition that the other did the same to him. “I’m going to get discharged tomorrow.” He said when the two of them were alone. “I will come here to visit you every day.”

“Donghae, you don’t need to,” Hyukjae said with worry. Before Donghae could whine about it, he continued. “You have sprained your ankle. You need to give it a rest to heal. That’s why you are going to stay at your home, got it?”

“But-,”

“No buts. I don’t want to see you hurt because of me.”

“But,” Donghae said dejectedly, looking down. “You’re already hurt because of me.”

“Donghae,” Hyukjae sighed. “You can visit me after your foot gets healed. After that, you can come as much as you want. I won’t stop you. But not before that, please.”

Donghae stayed quiet, a conflicted look in his eyes as he stared back.

“Please,” Hyukjae repeated and Donghae had to agree.

** **

Hyukjae was reading the morning newspaper when Donghae came to visit him after a week. He was almost completely healed. Heechul had accompanied him too.

Hyukjae smiled when he saw the man.

“Good morning, Lee Hyukjae.” Donghae greeted. “See I’m okay now. So I can visit you as much as I want.”

“I see,” Hyukjae nodded.

“I brought you roses,” Donghae said producing a rose bouquet from his back and placing them inside the pot. “Do you even like them?”

“I do.” He answered. “They are beautiful. I like the color.”

“It’s beautiful, right?” Donghae caressed the dark maroon petals.

“I came here too,” Heechul butted in. “I had to make sure he didn’t fall again.”

Hyukjae chuckled and Donghae pouted.

“What were you reading, Hyukjae?” Donghae sat down as Hyukjae’s eyes went back to the folded newspaper.

“News,” he shrugged. “They published about us in the local news section.”

“What?!” Donghae’s eyes widened. “Where?”

Hyukjae searched through the newspaper and found the content published about them. It was a small, short and precise, only a couple of paragraphs. Their names were mentioned, only two men but it was enough to embarrass him. He wanted to be on newspaper headlines but not like this.

“You guys are already the talk of this small town,” Heechul said.

“Don’t remind me.” Donghae groaned. “If I’m outside, I often feel people pointing at me. I’ve seen some trying to peek in from the fencing. That’s so annoying. People in this town have nothing better to do with their lives.”

“It will last only a couple of weeks or until someone else falls. Just relax and reflect on your actions.”

“You know,” he narrowed his eyes at Heechul. “It’s partially your fault. If you hadn’t called me, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“How is it my fault?” Heechul was baffled. “I told you to come and do your work which, by the way, you had been stalling for weeks. I didn’t tell you to fall. I understand with Hyukjae but how could you fall while walking?”

“It happens okay. Once the ground was pulled from under my feet, my whole world was disrupted. I was confused and scared and I just fell.”

“Forget Physics,” Heechul muttered. “You should teach literature.”

“That would be great,” Donghae hummed. “But I need extra pay.”

“As if,” Heechul rolled his eyes. “I need to go now.” He looked at his watch. “Take care, you too. And you,” he pointed at Donghae. “Don’t fall again.”

“I won’t,” Donghae gasped.

As Heechul exited, the two were left alone. Donghae was watching his retreating form, unaware of the eyes on him.

“He is annoying sometimes.” Donghae turned his attention back to Hyukjae. “But he loves me.”

“Is he your friend?” Hyukjae asked.

“Yes, my best friend. He’s like my older brother. In this town, he’s closest to me.”

“In this town? Are you from…?” Hyukjae trailed off.

“I’m from Mokpo,” he replied, surprising Hyukjae. “I moved here a year ago.”