If there is one thing that Jongin regrets is not being able to grow out of his ultimate childhood fear. No it’s not any scary figures or horror movies, heck he can even sleep through those movies like those barbie movies that he watches with his sisters. But none rattles him other than thunderstorms. 

 

Now, this is where he finds himself, surrounded by pillows, curled up inside the thick blanket, all alone in the unfamiliar hotel room. 

 

He should've backed out when Sehun, his best friend, told him he wouldn't be able to join this school trip, the last minute due to a family emergency because his nephew was supposed to come out of this world next week and not today. 

 

The boisterous noise outside makes him flinch to the bones whenever the thunder claps. He feels like he's in between pissing his pants and crying for help. 

 

He closes his eyes, in case his brain might pick up a signal that this person needs to go to sleep right now but it doesn't work at all. 

 

It's probably past midnight, he's not really sure though because he refuses to take his head outside of his fortress to take a look at the clock. Jongin is pretty dumb to fully drain his phone's battery by taking pictures of the scenery throughout the field trip, now it is still charging. 

 

He can hear the gust of winds that taps on his window. This is such a strong thunderstorm, he realizes and he finally loses the hope of this weather to pass by quickly in an hour or so. 

 

Jongin gnaws his lips, his mind is whirring, thinking of the last resort and that is asking for help from his close friends nearby. 

 

In a deep breath, he consoles himself "Okay, everything is gonna be fine Jongin… unless the electricity goes out." 

 

His muscles are probably tired from the non-stop contraction whenever he jolts and flinches from the sound of the chaos outside. 

 

It's silly for others but when he was young, his mother told him to sing the nursery song, 'you are my sunshine' whenever the thunderstorms scare him to make it go away and call the wonderful sun to shine and make everything better. He agrees that its stupid to sing that song since the sun will rise around 6 hours from now but he decides to do so. 

 

"Y-you are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make m-me happy–" 

 

Suddenly an ear-splitting growl of thunder rips, then the monotonous sound of the fan is gone. 

 

What the , this is not okay. 

 

When he feels that the lights have gone out, he goes out of the bed quickly and in a flash, he's outside of his room, leaving everything behind. 

 

Cool, so the corridor still has some lights on, but the rooms were not. What a crappy hotel, they paid such a huge amount for this trip. 

 

A few students also came out of their rooms, mostly girls who screamed at the top of their lungs when it happened but in a few seconds he heard a flickering and the lights had come back. 

 

His hair is going to turn gray by the time he gets home after this school trip because of the stress he has gone through tonight. 

 

Sighing, he turns the knob of the door to go back to his room but he hears no click. He tries to turn it again, it seems like he locked himself outside.

 

", today is my lucky day." He mutters to himself. 

 

He looks around, eyes pleading for help but the girls were already retreating to their respective rooms leaving him outside on the aisle, barefooted, in his sweatpants, and mickey mouse oversized shirt. 

 

Jongin thinks this is the right time to cry, if only Sehun's here, he would've slapped the out of him to bring him back to reality. 

 

Well, he can ask for help from his teachers but he doesn't know their room numbers or what floor they were in and most of all, he wouldn't dare to roam the hotel since he is currently rooted on his spot outside the door because of the rumbling thunder and lightning. 

 

Although he is shy, he gives his 'last resort' a try 'cause no one gets ing shy when its a life or death situation, and in his case, it is when there is a thunderstorm and nothing is protecting him from it.

 

After another echo of thunder, he immediately sidestepped to the left, in front of the room beside him. 

 

"Room 1127."

 

He bites his lips as he hesitates to knock on the room beside him but he has no other choice, he could only wish that he knew the student rooming inside. 

 

He knocks twice, the thunder roars again. 

 

In panic, he raps the door thrice and this time it is as loud as the groaning weather outside. And before he can even knock again, the door is hastily opened, revealing the boy he didn't expect. 

 

The one only man of his wet dreams, Park Chanyeol, from the other section, the captain of the basketball team. Jongin always makes an effort to support his high school's basketball team by watching their game although he knew nothing about it other than ensuring that the ball must go inside the hoop. He's only there to watch Chanyeol play, Jongin thinks he's pretty hot when he's got this game face on, eyebrows furrowed in focus, glistening sweat drips to his body that makes him look even more dazzling and his arms– god that arms, he wants to give it a squeeze but there’s no way he’s ever gonna get close to him. Even though he is serious and competitive inside the court but on the outside, he's a goofball, a happy virus that everyone wants to hangout with. 

 

Jongin's eyes widen, the pink tint on his cheeks blooms because Chanyeol looks like he just woke up from his slumber, his hair is messy, and he's not wearing anything other than sweat pants, his well-sculpted body, and abs are all for Jongin to ogle at. He almost forgot that there is still a thunderstorm outside as he enjoys the sight in front of him. 

 

"What is it?" Chanyeol barks as he makes an effort to open his eyes. 

 

Jongin jumps lightly at Chanyeol's tone, wrong door, he should've knocked on the room on his right. 

 

"I-I'm sorry, I just wanted to ask if I could borrow your room key? I'm really sorry for waking you u–" He tries to reason. Initially, he plans to ask the person in room 1127 if he can stay for a night on the couch, especially if he knows that person. But with the Park Chanyeol? No way! Or else he’s gonna go into a gay panic. 

 

In a crack of the thunder, he suddenly jumps to cling to the person in front of him. Everyone living in their house knows that Jongin used to jump on them whenever he is startled. But Chanyeol is no family member nor he does know him personally.

 

His whole body shakes, head buried to Chanyeol's chest with his eyes closed. 

 

And that woke Chanyeol up, he can feel the trembling of the pair of arms wrapped around his neck as Jongin hides his face away on his chest. 

 

Poor Jongin, he must be scared of thunder, he figures. He can't really judge the boy because he also has an irrational fear of his dog, not all dogs but only his mom's dog. 

 

“Uhm Jongin, are you okay?”

 

Jongin raises his head in shock. “Oh wait you knew me?” 

 

Chanyeol chuckles in his deep voice that Jongin wanna melt into a puddle. “Of course, you’re Sehun’s buddy, I play basketball with him sometimes at the park.” 

 

“Oh.” That’s all Jongin has managed to say as his blush deepens.

 

“Oops, sorry.” Chanyeol immediately removes his arms that cages Jongin as the latter detaches his arms around Chanyeol’s neck to scratch the back of his neck in embarrassment. The short-lived warmth Jongin felt is still lingering. 

 

“Lemme guess, something happened? And that’s why you’re still outside in this hour.” 

 

Sure thing, I wouldn’t be in front of you if not for this ty storm. Jongin has the urge to roll his eyes but Chanyeol is right anyway. 

 

Jongin juts out his bottom lip, his eyes avoiding Chanyeol. “I don’t care if you think it’s ridiculous but I’m scared of thunder, hence I can’t sleep well and when the lights have gone out earlier, I kinda left the room and locked myself out.” He closes his eyes in shame and braces himself for any insulting gesture from Chanyeol, but he hears none. Only the heavy pouring of the rain and echoing thunder can be heard in the moment.

 

He opens his other eye to see Chanyeol looking like he was a lost puppy that needs some love, although the way his eyes gazed at him, staring deep into his soul, it almost left a hole inside Jongin that only this man in front of him could fill.  

 

Chanyeol’s about to open his mouth when he hears a door clicking open from a distance. Heck, that might be the teacher and they both know how strict they were when it comes to following the schedule, the students were supposed to be asleep by 10 am. 

 

Chanyeol immediately pulls Jongin and closes the door behind him. Jongin feels like he was struck with lightning because he can’t feel his body or even move any limbs when he feels Chanyeol's breath ghosts on his cheeks. Too close, too close, he gulps, his back pressing against the wall with Chanyeol’s arm stretched out on both sides of his head. 

 

Jongin jumps again when the deep shrill of thunder booms. Chanyeol clears his throat and straightens himself out. If Jongin is not mistaken, there is a hint of blush on Chanyeol but since he’s not wearing his contact lenses and the only light on the room comes flashing of the lightning outside through the curtain covered window, he’s not sure at all. 

 

You’re just imagining things, Jongin rationalizes himself. 

 

“We’re dead if that was the teacher.” Chanyeol grins as he tries to lighten the mood inside the room. “I understand you, we all got our fears to deal with.” He walks up to the bed and sits on the side.

 

Jongin has been staring at Chanyeol for a good minute after what he said. Aside from his family and best friend, no one has treated his childhood fear as if it’s normal, he was always ridiculed and laughed at whenever he shared it with others.  

 

“Jongin, did you hear me?” 

 

Jongin startled out of his thoughts when Chanyeol called his name. 

 

“I was saying that it doesn’t have any couch in this room, this hotel doesn’t really look well maintained.” Chanyeol snorts. “So it’s either the floor or the bed.” He taps the pillows, inviting Jongin. His tone seems serious. 

 

He straightens when he feels a jolt of electricity travels through his body with Chanyeol’s word “B-but where are y-you gonna sleep?” He asks awkwardly, gnawing his lips. 

 

“Of course here, you dummy. Is it okay? Don’t worry I won’t do anything.” He laughs. “Here’s your pillow, you can lie here on the side.” The fixes the side of the bed.  

 

Jongin slowly nods as he walks to his side of the bed, pushing all the indecent thoughts that run through his mind right now. It’s either he sleeps on the corridor or here, it’s much more okay since Chanyeol understands his fear.  

 

Straight as a log, not really, he lays on the bed, much further on the side even if there is still a big space, face facing the ceiling, light illuminating on as the lighting strikes. 

 

“Hey, are you asleep?” Jongin can feel Chanyeol wriggles closer to him. Warmth overcomes his body when Chanyeol shares the blanket with him, effectively soothing Jongin. 

 

“I’m sorry, I woke you up and had to share your blanket with me.” 

 

He hears a chuckle beside him. “No, It’s okay.” And a faint whisper follows, “More than okay.” 

 

With that Jongin musters all the courage to look at the man beside him. Suddenly his whole world goes mute, there’s no sound of thunder roaring nor blows of strong winds. His hair falls softly to his face, flashes of white from the lightning compliments his skin, a content smile adorns his face.  

 

“I always see you, in our games. Thank you for supporting us, seeing you cheer at the top of your lungs whenever we score is a serotonin boost for me.” Chanyeol mutters sincerely, his eyes never leaving Jongin’s face. 

 

“Y-you heard that? Ugh I’m so embarrassing.” Jongin hides his face behind his hands. 

 

“No, no, you’re not. I think it’s really cute.” Chanyeol voices out straight away. 

 

An awful deafening crash of thunder rumbles that cause a frightened Jongin to curl up and shake under the blanket. He covers his ears to prevent any sound from coming in.

 

Tears springing from his eyes, he sings 'you are my sunshine' at a rapid pace to calm himself. Suddenly, he feels a slight dip in the mattress. 

 

Slowly, heat radiates behind him, a pair of arms stretch out on his waist to pull him closer gently, spooning him. Chanyeol's skin grazes on him. 

 

“Is this okay? My sisters used to do this when I can’t fall asleep after watching a horror movie.”

 

Jongin can feel Chanyeol's heart beating erratically, Jongin hums in contentment, his heart pounds in sync with Chanyeol’s as he snuggles closer to the warmth–it flutters in pure adoration. Jongin realizes that there might be a chance for him to make amends with his fear of thunderstorm for it brought Chanyeol to him. The steady breathing calms him and slowly lulls him to sleep. 

 

“More than okay.”     

 

⚡❤️⚡   

 

“Jongin what the !” Sehun comes up running to his room.  

 

“What’s up Sehun. I just got home, can you please leave me be in peace, I wanna sleep. Damn, that bus ride was awfully long.” He drops on the bed face first. 

 

“Awfully long enough to make out with Chanyeol. Am I dreaming, you kissing your Park Chanyeol.” 

 

He shows Jongin a video shared by the other student’s story on Instagram. 

 

Hoots and hollers can be heard on the short video, it only catches Chanyeol’s hot mouth on his lips, hands cradling Jongin’s face gently, who’s eager to match Chanyeol’s pace passionately. A bit shaky and blurry, too bad it doesn’t capture the sweet smiles they’ve exchanged in between their kisses that hold the delicate promises of a beginning blooming relationship. 

 

Jongin, lying on his stomach, lifts his head and plops it on the side facing Sehun. "Blame the thunderstorm." He closes his eyes, blocking out his best friend's questions, a new cherished memory plays in his mind before sleep takes over him. 

 

Jongin's phone vibrates in a text but he didn't hear since he is already knocked out and snoring. 

 

Sehun picks up the phone and reads the message out loud. 

 

From: Chanyeolie 💕

 

Sleep well, my nini. See you on Monday! ❤️

---

This is kinda short but I hope you enjoyed it. I looooove Chankai so much 💖💖💖

Thank you for reading! Kudos and comments are appreciated. Follow me on my new twt acc @kaiffogato