Donghae kept touching his stitches on the way to school and, although advised not to do it, didn’t manage to stop his fingers from exploring those scars he now had. It’s been so long already, yet the nurse couldn’t give him good news. He still had to walk around with stitches because the healing process wasn’t going well.

“Let’s try adding a few more medicines, shall we?” she smiled at him. “It’s nothing too bad. We’ve dealt with similar cases already, so don’t worry. Everyone suffers from some side-effects because it’s as if you turned your body off and now it has to learn how to do all the processes all over again. Some struggle with digesting food, some have blood issues. But we can manage everything, don’t worry.”

Donghae wasn’t worried. He didn’t understand how it worked anyway. The method – if it could be called this way – of bringing people back to life was so new that even university students didn’t study it yet. It didn’t get to become a world practice as well and was performed only if the person’s trustees agreed, just like not every hospital could do this. The boy thought that even if he tried to learn all the medical and biological stuff about it, he’d not understand even a half. Just like he was sure the nurses who were in charge of him didn’t know everything themselves. So he had no options but to trust them.

It also got him thinking that maybe the fact that it was a new approach was the reason behind others acting that way. It was something new, something they weren’t used to, and humans tend to be scared of the unknown. There were times when people were afraid to use phones because they thought it’s something dangerous as they had too little information about it. Maybe the progress will allow people to start treating those who were like Donghae normally in a few years. He simply was unlucky to become one of the very first patients who appeared to undergo such treatment, that’s it.

However, it didn’t make things easier.

Donghae stopped in the middle of the road not too far from school and looked at the building in front of him. Big, spacious, bright – he thought he was lucky to study in the school that didn’t look like most of others. His school was colorful and had many places where students liked resting, so that they rarely felt like they were ‘trapped’ here. Most of them didn’t associate their school with boring classes only, they liked spending time here, even if it wasn’t related to gaining some new knowledge. He used to be like that, too.

But now… he was looking at that building and thinking he didn’t want to go there. Even the fact he could meet Hyukjae didn’t help him to change his opinion, not when Hyukjae basically remained the only source of light there. The guy still remembered that PE lesson – once they finished warming up and the teacher told them to split into teams, no one wanted to take Donghae in. Just like the boy predicted. Their teacher, however, suggested for the boy to just rest on the bench as it was his very first lesson anyway and no one wanted him to overdo it.

Maybe that really was the only reason why the teacher made that decision. Yet, Donghae couldn’t stop thinking it was happening because he was the ‘zombie boy’. He’s been treated unfairly long enough to suspect everyone in feeling disgusted whenever they see him.

Maybe that also was the reason why it was so hard to trust Hyukjae, which led to their small argument.

To not be on everyone’s way, Donghae moved from the road and leaned on one of the trees near it; that’s how most of passersby couldn’t see him as well. He sighed and closed his eyes, feeling more secure that way.

He didn’t want to offend Hyukjae and felt bad for everything that happened between them, even though they reconciled and the older didn’t show his annoyance ever again. But Donghae still felt uneasy because of what happened, and he was the only one to blame for it. Hyukjae’s been nothing but nice to him, yet his stupid fears didn’t let Donghae treat him the way that guy deserved. But it was so hard, really. When his closest and dear friends abandoned him like that, when almost everyone in the school was treating him like a cursed weirdo… It wasn’t easy to start trusting Hyukjae. And when Donghae did start trusting him, he felt bad – because Hyukjae didn’t deserve to be mocked simply because he was hanging out with the ‘zombie boy’.

It was so complicated. So, so complicated. Maybe Donghae had to change schools… Yeah, it was inconvenient since he was about to graduate and changing schools now would just add up to his stress, but Hyukjae managed to do it, after all. Maybe he could, too. That’d make it easier for everyone if he went somewhere where no one knew what he went through. Since he was a minor and there was that law about privacy and everything, no one revealed his identity to the media, so no one even knew what kind of creature Donghae was. It’d be easier to just change schools…

Yet somehow, every time the boy was thinking about it, Hyukjae kept popping in his mind. He didn’t understand why, yet the boy felt very reluctant to do it when he was thinking of leaving that guy behind. Not even because it’d be unfair towards him, but because he simply… didn’t want to.

Donghae didn’t want to leave Hyukjae alone, even if it meant suffering in this school until he graduates. Although he still doubted this decision was correct.

Everything was so, so complicated.

“Playing hide-and-seek?” a familiar voice spoke behind Donghae’s back, startling him, so the boy opened his eyes and looked at the person who was speaking in fear and shock, although that was Hyukjae. The latter smiled at him with only one corner of his lips – an attempt to make it easier for Donghae – and said, “Found you. What’s my prize?”

The younger hugged the tree, wondering whether his heart started beating this fast only because of shock or because Hyukjae appeared to be extremely close to him; the guy’s chest almost happened to be touching Donghae’s back. The latter could feel the warmth of his body even, and it made him think of such a stupid thing as of whether he was warm for other people. His temperature was just a little lower than normal one, yet he was promised it’ll be fixed soon. It wasn’t too low, but Donghae kept wondering whether he could, for example, warm Hyukjae up just like the guy did for him.

Stupid, stupid thoughts.

Donghae shook his head – he didn’t know whether he did it because of what his mind offered him or because of what Hyukjae said – and mumbled, “I wasn’t hiding from you, so you get no prize.”

“And who you were hiding from?”

“From no one in particular.” The boy looked at the road where many students gathered before entering the school’s territory. “And from everyone at the same time.”

Donghae looked at Hyukjae, already knowing what the guy was about to say, and they both spoke simultaneously, “So dramatic.”

The younger chuckled. “I knew you’d say this.”

Hyukjae shrugged, “If you know you’re being dramatic, why do you keep doing that?”

“Because I’m a drama queen. You said so yourself.”

“Oh, come on. I did apologize for that too!”

Donghae smiled, “I’m not mad. I am a drama queen, after all.” He sighed. “I just looked at this school and realized that… I don’t want to go there.”

The older remained unimpressed by that statement and simply said, “Then don’t go.”

“Yeah, I should just not go and skip the classes.” The boy chuckled softly, however, the smile disappeared from his face the very next second when Hyukjae didn’t even smile. “You can’t be serious.”

“Why not? If you don’t feel like doing it, then just don’t. No one says you should just drop the school and never return. But giving your mind a break when it badly needs some isn’t a bad thing either. You can take a leave at work once in a while if you feel especially terrible, how’s school any different?”

“But I don’t even have a good excuse to do it! What should I tell the teacher once they ask me where I was?” Donghae’s eyes widened in fear. “What if they tell my parents about it?”

“You never skipped classes before, didn’t you?” Hyukjae sighed and shook his head. “What a waste. Listen, teachers don’t care as much as you think they do. Nothing bad will happen if you skip one lesson and say that you went to get that medical checkup or whatever you’re doing in the hospital. Say that they needed to check something in the morning before you had your meal or whatever – I doubt our teachers know more about this than we do.”

The younger bit his lip, however, didn’t try to resist too much. The fact that he never skipped classes before didn’t mean he never had those rebellious thoughts of doing so. And whatever Hyukjae told him… sounded very appealing, to say the least. Donghae was a responsible boy (most of the time), but he knew how to have fun, too. So yeah, the idea of not going to school just yet didn’t make him shake in fear; on contrary – it made him jump in anticipation.

“How about you?” was his last attempt to change the course of today’s morning. “Will you go to school?”

“And miss all the fun of seeing the A+ student skipping classes for the first time? Who do you think I am?”

Donghae smiled. He did it genuinely, forgetting about his stitches for a second, so the pain followed the very next moment, yet he had no regrets.

“I’m not an A+ student,” he clarified. “And I don’t want you to have troubles because of me.”

“Not the first time of me skipping classes, I’ll be fine. I’m surprisingly good when it comes to excuses.”

Donghae moved his shoulders in an indefinite manner and said, “Then… we better go now before any teacher noticed us. Any ideas as to where should we head to?”

Hyukjae smirked, “Follow me.”

And they just… left. It was just one lesson they were going to skip – nothing too much, yet for Donghae it felt like he finally learned how to breathe underwater. The surroundings still were suffocating and avoiding his problems like that didn’t help to solve them, but Hyukjae was like a fresh air in this world, so Donghae didn’t even care where they’re going. He had no preferences when it came to that, he simply was glad to have some nice time for a change (and really hoped they won’t get into trouble because of their actions).

However, Hyukjae didn’t even try to impress him. Again. One had to expect that from the guy who brought Donghae to the bench in the school yard the last time they spent time alone, yet the younger still was a little flustered once the guy brought him… to the yard near school?

It was a territory that belonged to the residential buildings beside their school – the said buildings covered the guys from it as they had to get by them to enter the yard – and it was a kids playground. Most of kids were either in school or somewhere, so it was surprisingly empty, but again – one had to expect it at this time of the day.

Donghae didn’t show that he was disappointed – he wasn’t – it’s just that… he really didn’t expect they’ll get here. Hyukjae, on the other hand, seemed pretty comfortable and relaxed; apparently, that wasn’t the first time he was skipping classes in this place. He dropped his backpack on one of the benches and headed to the swings; Donghae did the same and followed him.

With no additional explanations, the guys somehow found themselves comfortable when the younger sat down on one of the swings and Hyukjae jumped on it, ready to be the one who’ll ride them. Donghae held onto the ropes tightly, just in case.

“I thought you have some kind of secret place you’re going to show me,” he said eventually, looking right in front of himself.

“What kind of secret place?”

“I don’t know. Some place where you’d spend time whenever you’re hanging out alone?”

Hyukjae chuckled, “Dramatic again. I don’t wander around alone that much.”

“Oh, with a friend then?”

“What friend?”

Donghae frowned and looked up at Hyukjae, being able to see his jawline only. Once again, he noticed a silly thing he didn’t pay attention to before – the fact that the guy had a really sharp jawline. It was especially vivid from this angle. But the younger didn’t dwell into those thoughts as he asked, “Are you doing it on purpose?”

“What exactly?”

“Not letting me to learn more about you.”

Hyukjae looked down, so that their eyes finally met. Donghae’s breath hitched for a second – from his angle it looked like a picture from some movie. The weather wasn’t the brightest in October; it rained here and there and if it didn’t rain, then it most likely was cloudy. Yet that day, although cloudy, the sky was quite bright, and the image of Hyukjae with his hair blowing in the wind – again – and with the sky as his background – again – probably became something Donghae really liked because his heart was beating faster every time that happened.

“I don’t mind you learning more about me if you want,” the older said eventually. “But I really don’t understand what friend you’re talking about.”

Donghae looked away, fearing for his heart a little too much. He was smitten by his own reactions; never had he ever met a person who made him feel that way. From what Jaechan and Wheesung told him when they were friends, his reactions were similar to reactions of a person who… likes someone. At least a little. But Donghae never experienced that before. His father used to tell him he’s still a kid in heart and one had to be more mature to carry such feelings. But Donghae wasn’t interested in girls, didn’t mind the pretty dresses they were wearing and the way they tried to style their hair. He used to be more interested in stuff like games and walks with his friends, so he didn’t really try to court anyone even. He thought he’ll get there eventually, just later.

What never came