He never understood the power of warnings, until the actual storm hit and he was the main lead. 

Sure, his rainbow had barely ever made it out of the dark, but Woohyun still kept that bit of spark that managed to fool his grim life into a fairly good one, just enough respectable to not give up when hit the fan.

Guess his 'spark' didn't get the memo. Cause his gut feeling hit home and quite hard at that; all bells resonating in his head to get the out of the stupid relationship before it got worse.

And what did he do? Did he report the abuse, fight back? Nah, that would've been the reasonable thing to do and Woohyun still had a stupid gleam to finger paint the whole ordeal into a benefit of doubt. 

So, yeah....paying for it instead of the real criminal, was just the quintessence of his choice.

And to top it, he just managed to get himself into possibly achieving a criminal record over getting on a train without a ticket. Didn't know drama run in his family. Not that he knew of any family.

"I didn't even aim for the train station, I asked for the subway." he hissed, as the train conductor zoomed in on him like he had a bullseye plastered on his face. Maybe he was just too damn nervous and that freak was too damn good at his job. What was it with those swiss people that they had to mess up his days on a row?

He really should've learned to speak at least a few words, but no. He rather had his partner do all the work for him, while he just sat there like a good puppy and took it like a champ: food, abuse, debts. And when he finally woke up and dared to open his eyes, he found himself all alone in a foreign country, trying to desperately find his way back to where he at least knew the language. So it wasn't a wonder the cab driver took him to the wrong place, from where hell looked like a stop away.

The blabber that came at him didn't really need much translation. The spawn was obviously aiming to flung him overboard if possible, but he tried in every way to explain he wasn't at fault; he just ended up hoarded in this stupid transportation when a flash mob absorbed his unballanced body in a last minute call to board.

His 'X' and 'No-No' signs simply dispersed in thin air and he was almost at his breaching point when nature eventually decided to aid him and a native korean fellow actually managed to put the beast in the conductor to sleep.

It was soon easy to understand he claimed to be travelling as a couple and that he had Woohyun's ticket with himself as well. As he said that in a crazily sounding foreign tongue he also translated for Woohyun while he smiled at the conductor, bowing his head and shaking hands like old pals.

"Yeah, man. All cool, planets alligned again. World peace."

He was left in between trying to smile and blink in confusion. Not many would step up to help, at least not him.

"Not sure what the story is, but I'm definitely gonna have to ditch this ride soon. And this can only take you as far as the next stop." he said, pointing at the ticket in his hand. "And, you're welcome, of course." he rubbed it in.

"Uhm, no...I, of course. I am. I mean I am grateful, it's just..." He was a mess of jabber in no time, but what else could he say at that point?

"Breathe. I was only kidding." the other smiled, nodding his head for them to sit at the bar. "Want anything, you look like you could use ...a bit of everything, actually." the man frowned a bit at Woohyun's staggering posture.

"I really shouldn't be here. I meant to take the subway and didn't bring money." Woohyun tuned down his voice in shame. "As you can probably deduct, I'm not very eloquent in..."

"No, really? But you were doing so fine over there." the other giggled. "Sorry, bad habit; my bro would have my head for this lack of finesse." he apologized. "He's more diplomatic with this stuff. Name's Kim." he tried to shake his hand, but just then, another palm was intertwining with his own. "Hey, sleepy head. Thought I'd surprise you today, but you got me first." he genuinely smiled like a million watt at the person who joined him, taking Woohyun by sheer amazement.

"If I'm interrupting, I can always play dumb and..."

"Oh, god. NO!" Woohyun jumped explaining, as if his presence stained somehow their conversation. They looked they shared a private joke and he was eavesdropping. "We just...I mean, he sorta ..."

"Helped." the new comer eyed him with anything but malice. "He does that; it's his thing."

"Don't make it sound so gruesome." Kim fake whined? Woohyun wouldn't know, but he felt Kim was only humoring his partner; at least that much was obvious, by then.

"I still have a bit before your family forbids me to mock your and get away with it."

"No, they aren't that bad." Kim hurried to give him his seat, ordering some brunch for all of them in the process.

"Of course not. Just your brother. I'm Kim Minseok, by the way. And you?" 

Woohyun found himself ditching his untouched first meal in two days with the most displeasing growl. It was fun listening in their convo, but did he really need to be in it, too? Just how much gratitude was required from his part?

Seeing the couple waiting for his answer, he suddenly felt bad; they were only being polite and he acted like a famished beast. It wasn't the first time he'd go without food; he could at least give them a damn name for their charity work.

"Namu." he muttered apologetically.

"Gyu, I know you're all for environmental campains, but this just surpassed your love for trees." Minseok elbowed his boyfriend.

"Now you see where I get my lack of class. It rubs off on you with time." Kim winked, all entertained. "Min, you're making him uncomfortable, not to mention he looks like he'll bite your head off. And with good reason."

"It's probably not his fault. The nickname just stuck." Woohyun admitted. "To be honest, this is the first time it sounds ...funny, in a good way."

"See? You're not that hard to get along with. My family will love you, Min."

"Ugh, if only I'd have it in written." Minseok whined, accepting his boyfriend's peck. "Why can't Namu be your bro? We'd already hit it off beautifully."

"Woohyun." he found himself whispering. "My name's Nam Woohyun." he even managed to sport a little smile.

"Nice bumping into you. You already know who I am, as far as names go, anyways. And this smart mouth is Kim Mingyu." Minseok pated his partner's shoulder with so much glee it almost blinded Woohyun.                                     

"He's just kidding, he loves my mouth. Nice knowing you. And please, feel free to eat while chatting. This dude will have you go without food if you're not paying attention. He tends to steal the show." Mingyu laughed with all his heart on his sleeve.

"Nothing I haven't done before." Woohyun spoke, avoiding eye contact. "You two are like eye candy. Must be nice." he hid behind the straw in his smoothie, slurping like a kid.

"Never fear, my friend. Love might be just around the corner." Minseok encouraged. "You have the living proof, right here. Literally smashed into me as he took a turn." the man bragged like an accident was the best thing that happened to him.

"You mean, like...with his car?" Woohyun forgot for a second his skimmy sandwhich.

"To my defense, his car had broken down and he was just standing in the middle of the road. Barely missed hitting him to leave a scar." Mingyu confessed, his eyes giving him away how scared he must've been.

"In honor of which, we got these babies." Minseok chuckled, showing him their matched tattoos. Both their ring fingers were white inked  with a calligraphic Serendipity.

If he didn't get the heads up, he might've missed them altogether, but now it was like an itch for his eyes.

"I thought you meant the actual rings." Woohyun munched down on his treat, hoping to ease off his embarassment for speaking so freely. there's always a limit to anyone's good will and he never knew when he crossed lines.

"Point taken." Mingyu agreed. "That one was a bit more work." he said, eyeing Minseok like a treasured gem.

"I refused until he made amends with his family again. That's where we're headed now. Meeting the parents. I'm an orphan so it's kinda a big deal to me to actually have someone else close." Minseok tattled like they were a close circle themselves.

As distraught as he first felt, Woohyun found the pair easy to converse with and it was maybe his first time allowing bits of self information to slip his mouth.

"I'm one, too."

"For reals?! Woah, this is so crazy. We could be like brothers from another mother." Minseok tittered happily. "If it weren't so strange, we'd adopt you. Min's family would flip if he brings a brother along." This time he genuinely laughed out loud, excusing himself in a very melodious accent to the pair of eyes directed at him.

"I wouldn't mind, but I don't think Namu has the same itinerary." Mingyu adressed the elephant in the room.

"Woohyun. I like it when you call me Woohyun." he let on, without thinking.

"Well, Woohyun. You are welcome to catch up with us anytime." Minseok tried to scribble down their contact numbers, but found nothing. "Shoot, I'll just take you with us to the travel booth, I think I left my pen there."

"You're so old fashioned." Mingyu giggled. "Maybe you'd like to take a nap, if you aren't hurrying to get down too soon from this ride." he focused then on Woohyun.

"Yeah, I.....thank you. I'd like that. But I can't really repay this." Woohyun stuttered.

"No worries. What are brothers for, right?" Minseok side-hugged him, taking him by utter surprise. "Sorry if I over stepped." the man stopped midway, sensing the distress in him.

"No, it's...ok.It's fine." Woohyun chanced a glance towards him. He was so strange, yet so addictively enticing.

"A man of few words, how rare." chirped Minseok, putting all his warmth in the pure smile he offered freely.

"Min wouldn't know. He's a chatterbox." Mingyu cackled, explaining the reason behind his boyfriend's wonder. "Come on you, two. Off to rest. We still have a good four hours until the next stop." he rushed them.

It took Woohyun a while to understand he practically gave up his seat so that he, a total stranger can take a nap. It was truly weird to see and feel unselfish kindness.

Once settled, he found it hard to give in to sleep. Mostly because he felt out of place and he really didn't know what to do with so much positive vibes around, when he knew he was as good as lost once they parted ways. This just seemed like wishful thinking.

"I know we come a bit too strong, but once in a while there's these type of situations when things just go with the flow. And I meant it back there; I'd really loved to have a brother like you. You simply give off this aura, like you could use a bit of protection."

"Are you also a psychic?" Woohyun just said the first thing that came to mind.

"Apart from overly talkative?" Minseok laughed. "I guess, sensitive is the term I'd use."

"I didn't mean anything wrong, I simply ...."

"...call it as you see it." Minseok filled in.

"Something like it."

"Mingyu was skeptical like you when we first started dating. He couldn't believe something good would actually come out of a bad situation." Minseok told him, lending him his cardigan to use as blanket.

"He doesn't seem like the type. He's so...outgoing." Woohyun pondered.

"That's just my charm working wonders. I can't wait to meet his brother and ask him for embarassing details of his past. Just for analogy sake." he insisted with a smirk.

"You said you threatened your engagement with meeting them. Aren't they in good terms?"

"Very perceptive of you." Minseok praised."Yeah, I guess they parted ways in less friendly terms. Min is kinda secretive about it. That's why I wanna meet them. He hardly ever talks about his past, but it's the look in his eyes that tells me he'd wanna reunite. And having a blessing from parents is awesome, I hear."

"I wish you meet your family." Woohyun said in earnest.

"Would I be too out of line if I consider this happenstance as a great first step? We hit it off ..."

"...beautifully?" Woohyun recalled his first assertion.

"I like you already enough to call you friend, if family is too much." Minseok smiled. "Oh, right. I was supposed to write down our contact."

"Uhm, I don't have a phone, to be honest." Woohyun spilled. "You've already done plenty to help. I don't wanna impose and frankly..."

"This is new to you." Minseok conceived. " I understand how overwhelming it must feel. I felt like I was starring in Hidden Camera the first time it happened to me. But we can't just expect bad to be all we're about. Not every day may be good, but there's something good in every day. You just gotta change your train of thought. the way I see it, if they can't handle your dark skies, they don't deserve your morning light."

"I'm not a morning person." Woohyun pouted.

Minseok was giggling like electrocuted, but once he settled to breathe for a chance he stared  him down.

"I didn't mean it literally, but I get where you come from. Why do you think I pushed off wearing that ring until I see that I am worthy." he pointed to a small pouch inside his cardigan. "That's a family item and I'm so out of my league here."

"It's just a piece of metal." Woohyun said matter of factly.

"I don't know, I'm weary of having it on my finger."

"If they're so traditional as you fear, they'd probably be more vexed about your couple tattoos if anything." he scoffed.

" You make a good and scary point. But it's white ink; maybe they have bad sight." Minseok joked.

"That's the spirit." Woohyun laughed for the first time in a very long time." They'll eat out of your palm in a blink of an eye, don't sweat it." he encouraged him.

"You think? Ugh, I really wanna get along. Mingyu is too caring to tell me, but I see how he lingers over certain phone contacts. He must wish for this even more than me." Minseok confessed.

"Then start wearing the damn thing and give his worries a rest. You probably added to his insecurities."

"Where were you when I needed guidance?"

"Not somewhere you'd be likely to consider pass by."

They looked at each other daring to break the thin ice, but somehow Woohyun ended up on the winning side for once.

"What if it's cursed?" Minseok actually started to act weird, much to his annoyance. He was eyeing the pouch like it was made of something disgusting.

"Oh, my god, fine! Look, I'll put it on." he tried to untie the leathery bindings, shoving what looked like a certificate of some sorts deeper in the side poket. "The way my luck worked lately, it can't affect me even if it's voodooed. Then it's cleansed for you to wear it in peace." he mocked the odds.

" You deserve some change for the better just for offering." Minseok sighed.

That would be strongly debated in the near future, without Woohyun's knowing.

He almost didn't feel the train derail and messing more than his life on the long run.

A/N: heavily adapted from Mrs.Winterbourne movie. Cause i recalled it and i'm woogyu deprived.