Horrid. The smell was so damn horrid. The sight, even more so.

Yet, Kibum found his feet stuck to the ground, unable of moving. His eyes were incapable of looking away even as the stench made Kibum want to hurl. He was too petrified to move, too shocked to think.

Who could have done such a horrendous thing?

That was when anger started boiling in Kibum’s chest. Tears collected in his eyes out of fury as he tried to wrap his mind around what this actually was. It was a threat obviously. Something done deliberately to scare Kibum, or probably even to show him his own fate in the future beforehand. Either way, Kibum couldn’t find himself feeling any of the said feeings. He felt nothing but anger and disgust for cruelty of the men who were supposed to be providing security rather than threatening to disrupt it.

“Kibummie! Where are you? Lunch is ready!” Kibum’s grandmother called, her voice growing closer and closer to the barn. She shouldn’t see this. Her weak heart won’t be able to take it. Kibum had to hide this from her.

Kibum exited the barn, swiftly pulling the door close behind him in panic. The man who was guarding Kibum gave him a questioning look. Kibum wanted to tell him what he had just seen but his grandmother was already approaching fast.

“Ah, there you are, Kibummie!” the old woman said, approaching Kibum with a wide smile. Kibum hurried to her so that she wouldn’t come close enough to detect the stench.

“Do you smell that? Something smells terrible!” his grandmother asked, sniffing the air when Kibum reached her. He took her hand and led her back towards the house, assuring her that everything was alright, that the smell was just the cow dung he hadn’t had the time to clean in the morning. She seemed to believe it.

After making an excuse to get away for a while, Kibum went out of the house to call the other man who had been watching his grandmother while he was gone. In a state of panic and hurry, they rushed to the barn where the first man was already investigating out of curiousity.

Kibum saw the fear in the eyes of the two buff, tough-looking men at the sight that was awaiting them. They hid it very well, though, to not lose face in front of Kibum who was way younger than them and yet, acting more maturely than them.

Kibum instructed the man to take the carcass down and bury it somewhere in the forest while his grandmother was taking her afternoon nap. He had watched as the two men, wearing nauseated expressions, took down the body of one of Kibum’s precious barn animals.

An innocent life had been taken in the name of revenge and Kibum couldn’t see how much more heartless the General can get. He knew there is worse to come. His own life is in danger but will Kibum let stunts like this scare him off. No way! He may be terrified to death but he will never let his enemies know that they managed to scare him off. Kibum would fight until his last breath if that is what it would take to teach those men what humanity is.

Jonghyun’s father was very, very furious when he heard what had happened at Kibum’s barn. But his fury was to no avail as he took it out on the wrong people- the men who were supposed to be protecting Kibum for not doing their jobs properly. He would have gone straight to the army General if Kibum hadn’t convinced him out of it.

“Please, don’t go to the General about this, ahjusshi…” Kibum told the older man calmly when the latter was fuming about the incident. The last thing Kibum needed was to have his personal affairs being publicized. Not to mention, who knows what the General might attempt if the head of the village were to go against him.

“Why not, Kibum? He has crossed the lines. How can I trust him with the lives of my villagers when he is going around hurting innocent people for the fun of it?!” he spat out.

“Dad, please calm down…”Jonghyun had tried pointlessly to cool his father off.

“Listen, ahjusshi. We need the army’s help in keeping our village safe. If you were to go head to head with him about this, then I don’t know what our village’s safety will come to. Let’s be smart. Let’s not stoop to his level. Let’s use him, ahjusshi,” Kibum explained.

Jonghyun’s father stood up from his seat, pounding his fist on the table. The table trembled under the staggering force.

“It’s not about the army anymore, Kibum. This is a breach of trust!”

“I understand, ahjusshi. He may not have a care for the village but he has too much ego to let a village under his control fall in the hands of the Japanese army. We should play this ego of his to our advantage. You angering him about me would only cause him to turn against us as well. This is a problem between him and I. He only seeks revenge against me, not the village. Let it remain that way, ahjusshi. I am not going to let my personal problems become the problem of our villagers,”

“He’s right, dad. Listen to him. This is the time for us to think carefully and not take rash decisions. The lives of hundreds are at stake,” Jonghyun added.

How did it come to the younger two advising the older man?

Jonghyun’s father looked up at Kibum, concern clouding over his eyes. Kibum was touched that the man had so much care for him, enough to want to go against an army’s General for him. Kibum wouldn’t even be exaggerating if he said that Jonghyun’s father had become almost like his own father. Kibum felt that even his own father would acknowledge that if he was here. This family is and always has been a part of his family, and Kibum was not about to lose them to the army’s violence as he had his parents.

“So what are you two saying? That I should just close my eyes and pretend that that man didn’t just threaten to kill Kibum?” Jonghyun’s father asked through gritted teeth.

“No, dad. I was actually thinking that we should have Kibum and his grandmother move in here. No one will dare touch him here,” Jonghyun suggested, surprising both Kibum and his father. Kibum supposed that wasn’t such a bad idea after all, if it wasn’t too much trouble for them. Kibum said that they didn’t have to do anything to retaliate the cruel act of the General, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t want security for his grandmother.

And that was how Kibum and his grandmother had ended up moving into Jonghyun’s house. Kibum took the guest room while his grandmother took Songdam noona’s room. They had added a bed in her room so that they could share the room. Songdam noona had been, shockingly, very excited about this new living arrangement, for she said that she had many things to learn from the older woman. What things, Kibum would never understand. But he was glad, nonetheless, that they were not causing too much inconvenience to them with their moving in.

The incident of the skinned cow was successfully kept a secret from Kibum’s grandmother and eventually, over the next few days, Jonghyun’s father too cooled off about the issue. There were no mentions about it in the house, not only because it made everyone who knew about it uncomfortable, but also because they didn’t need outsiders finding out about it. What with Jinki being around Jonghyun almost 24/7, no one wanted to risk the ex-military man finding out anything.

Kibum made himself busy with the favour he was supposed to be doing Jonghyun. He would usually go alone to the village after coming back from working in his barn (getting chills every time he entered the place now)  but he knew that Jonghyun’s father had men following him around just in case. This meant that he had to make his job-hunting seem as ordinary as an interaction with villagers can be so that Jonghyun’s father didn’t hear about it.

By the end of the second week, Kibum already had five jobs down, the sixth being quite hard to secure with the old man in the cobbler’s shop. He had also recovered from his head injury enough to no longer wear the bandage and he no longer had brushes off with Jinki as often anymore (both finding it easier to simply go their own ways instead being in each other’s hair constantly.) All in all, Kibum was doing very well.

If only it was not for the numbness he felt where his heart used to beat…

“Who are these people again?” Jinki asked curiously from his place on the couch in Jonghyun’s room. Kibum glared at him on purpose, shifting impatiently from his left feet to his right where he stood in front of the bed. Jonghyun laid on his bed beside Taemin, both too absorbed in staring at the ceiling, for some odd reason.

“I told you. They are my friends from Itaewon. They need jobs because they obviously can’t make enough money in their own village with the Japanese there…” Kibum explained yet again. The only reason he was being patient was that he had no energy to fight the other. Jinki looked at him with an unreadable expression which only made him look all the more suspicious. Why was he always curious anyway?

“You mean just like your friend Minho? Where is he anyway? Haven’t seen him in ages…” Jinki asked, a knowing look in his eyes. He knew. To what extent, Kibum doesn’t know. But he knows that Jinki knows about his and Minho’s ‘separation’. Jonghyun must have given him some alibi about Minho’s disappearance.

“He went back to his village obviously…” Kibum said through gritted teeth.

“-yellow is too bright. Grey seems….-“ Kibum caught snippets of Jonghyun’s conversation with Taemin.

“Why would he do that? Isn’t it better to stay here and work since they have all those problems there?”Jinki asked again.

“You know what’s your problem? You ask too much!” Kibum exclaimed.

“You know what’s your prob-“ Jinki began to retort.

“Okay, Taemin. That’s our cue to separate these two before they rip each other’s head off,” Jonghyun said in a bored voice, as he climbed off the edge of the bed. Taemin looked just as tired as he did the same as if on schedule.

“Come on, Kibum. Let’s go…” Jonghyun said, taking Kibum’s hand to lead him outside. Jinki eyed their interlocked hand cautiously, paying no attention to Taemin who blabbered non-stop in his ears. Kibum gripped the hand tighter just to spite the latter off because this really seemed to bother him.

“Jonghyun, you’re going with me!” he exclaimed. Jonghyun turned to him, sighing. He opened his mouth to answer but Kibum spoke instead.

“He’s my best friend too, you know? I deserve to spend time with him too,” Kibum said. He really was getting tired of seeing the two together all the time. He was never able to talk with Jonghyun like he used to anymore. It was Jinki has become a barrier to their friendship. Kibum didn’t need another important part of his life being taken away by circumstances.

“Well, he’s still coming with me, so take your whining somewhere else,” Jinki said, walking in their direction and instantly pulling Jonghyun’s hand from Kibum’s wrist. Kibum was ready to protest, ready to attack. But he didn’t have to. Jonghyun did it himself.

“Hyung, let me go!” Jonghyun said, shaking his hand out of the elder’s hold violently. Kibum and Jinki were both surprised by the sudden outburst.

“Neither of you own me alright? So don’t act like you do! Kibum, let’s go!” Jonghyun said, taking Kibum’s hand and leading him out of the room. As they were leaving, Kibum’s eyes never left the crestfallen expression on Jinki’s face. Kibum was able to empathize with him although he hated the other’s guts. Why? Because Kibum knew that feeling all too well; to be dejected by the one you love and to watch them walk away.

Could it be that Jinki felt something more for Jonghyun than just friendship or brotherly love? A feeling similar to what Kibum felt for Minho.

Kibum pondered over this as his feet moved thoughtlessly at Jonghyun’s guidance, out to the garden. Jonghyun didn’t stop until they well outside the house compounds. When he finally let go off Kibum’s hand, Jonghyun looked like he was about to cry any moment but was holding back desperately.

“Hyung, are you alright?” Kibum asked, touching Jonghyun’s shoulder gently. Jonghyun shrugged the hand off nonchalantly.

“I’m fine. What were you saying about those jobs for the military men again?” This was Jonghyun’s pathetic attempt of changing the topic.

“I told you. I have five down, only one more to go. Is there something bothering you, hyung?” Kibum asked again, adamant in clearing up certain things with the latter today. Certain things involving Jinki.

“I said I’m fine! Now about that last job-“

“Hyung!”

“What?!”

“Tell me what’s wrong!”Kibum demanded, forcing the other to meet his eyes. Jonghyun’s determination to pretend seemed to falter. Then, the dam of restrained words crumbled down, unleashing all the things that Jonghyun had obviously wanted to say for a long time but haven’t said in fear of many things.

“Why do you two always fight?! Kibum, why can’t you get along with him? Why can’t we all be happy together? I know that he can be quite difficult at times but so was Minho. Now, you get along fine with him but you still fight with Jinki hyung like you are enemies or something. Do you know how hard it is for me to watch you two to go at it while I’m stuck in between, unable to do much to stop you two from hating each other so much?”

Kibum blinked, processing all he has heard. He needed a moment to come up with a coherent reply.

“Hyung… The fights are between him and me. I didn’t know that it would trouble you so much….” Kibum admitted truthfully. He never once considered what Jonghyun must think of the fights between him and Jinki.

“Of course it would trouble me! Both of you are huge parts of my life and the fact that you two can’t even get along pains me, Kibum. I hate you when you’re mean to him and I hate him when he’s mean to you. I can’t go back and forth like this anymore Kibum. I hate feeling so helpless!” Jonghyun exclaimed. Kibum cringed at the raised tone.

“I-I’m sorry, hyung… I really do try to get along with him or at least stay out of his way. But he always… he’s just… I can’t even put it in words…”Kibum tried explaining himself to his hurt best friend.

“Then, try harder Kibum. For me, at least…” Jonghyun said in withdrawn tone. Kibum would have retorted that he should say that to Jinki, if only it was not for the tone of his voice. Kibum didn’t like seeing his hyung like this at all.

“I will, hyung… But he will have to too. Be honest, hyung. This is not the only reason you’re upset. There’s something else,”Kibum pried for more information, maintaining eye contact with him so that Jonghyun will admit it. And it worked.

“I have never gotten mad at him before, Kibum. Did you see him just now? I hurt him. I’ve hurt him a lot in the past few weeks, defending you. I’m not blaming you for that, Kibum. It’s just that… I don’t like seeing him sad. It breaks my heart. Does that even make sense?!” Jonghyun said in frustration, turning away from Kibum. His voice indicated clearly that he was sobbing although he was doing his best to hide it now.

Yes. Yes, it makes a lot of sense.

Kibum thought it but did not say it out loud.

“He’s like your brother. It’s understandable, hyung...” Kibum said, instead.

Kibum heard Jonghyun sneer at the word ‘brother’ under his breath. Kibum’s suspicions were very, very close to being proven as the truth by what he has observed between the two ever since Jinki came back. Jinki’s undivided attention for Jonghyun and Jonghyun alone, Jonghyun’s obsession for his hyung, the way they acted when they were together. It all suggested one thing only- that there was definitely something more than friendship between them.

“Hyung, are you hiding something from me?” Kibum asked, feeling like a hypocrite because in fact, he too was hiding something very major from his lifelong best friend.

Jonghyun turned to face him, puffy eyes and all.

“What do you mean?”he asked, seriously.

“Is there something going on between you and Jinki hyung?”

“What the hell are you doing, Kibum?” Kibum found himself asking himself simultaneously as he said the earlier question out loud. It wasn’t enough to stop his mouth apparently.

“I don’t get what you mean, Kibum. Stop beating around the bush,” Jonghyun said, losing all his patience.

“If that’s what you want…-“ Kibum paused, gulping nervously, “-are you in love with Jinki hyung?” Kibum was sure that these words were not leaving his mouth. He would have to be so stupid to be saying these things, for it is only going to end up revealing his own dirty secret rather than a probably non-existent one of Jonghyun’s.

Jonghyun stared at Kibum for an unconventionally long time as if he had a grown an extra head or two. He seemed to be having problems processing Kibum’s question. Whether it was confusion of what Kibum meant or shock of being found out, Kibum couldn’t tell.

“Are you crazy, Kibum? Do you hear yourself?!” Jonghyun hissed harshly. Kibum couldn’t stop now. Not when he’s so close to finding out if it was possible for other people to be like him. Especially someone who was so close to him.

“I know what I said, hyung. I asked you if you are in love with Jinki hyung? Are you?”

Jonghyun opened and closed his mouth like a fish gasping for oxygen out of water. His eyebrows furrowed at the centre of his forehead and he frowned at Kibum with a sickeningly sharp glare.

“Kibum, have you lost your mind? How can I be in love with him? That’s just so w-“

“IT”S NOT WRONG DAMMIT!” Kibum couldn’t help it. He’s had enough of people telling him that he’s wrong and disgusting. He didn’t want his own best friend to think the same thing. But judging by the look Jonghyun was wearing now, Kibum figured that it was a bit too late.

“It is! It’s wrong and unnatural! How can you even think of something like that?!” Jonghyun asked infuriated. It was like the Jonghyun Kibum knew had been replaced by this mean person, although there were still glimpses of uncertainty in his eyes that made Jonghyun recognizable once in a while.

“It’s not! It’s not wrong. It’s not disgusting. It’s love!” Kibum said, trying to convince his own conscience more than Jonghyun, the annoying voice in his head louder than ever now. His eyes felt hot with tears threatening to spill over any moment.

“Kibum, stop this nonsense! Two guys don’t… fall in love. They simply can’t! That’s an abomination. Against all laws of nature. I can’t even begin to say how unnatural it is!”

Kibum scoffed at this.

“Then, I must be an abomination…”Kibum said, dark humor tinting his voice.

“What are you talking ab-“

“I’m in love with Minho. So that means that I’m going straight to hell, right?!” Kibum said the words he thought he would never say out loud to anyone. Well, he said it now. The deed was done and there was no way of taking it back now.

(A/N) Chapter 23 people!!! Oh, cliffhangers, how I love thee.... Enjoy!!! XD

I have four tests this week, finals in two more weeks, an assignment to complete. And yet, here I am on AFF, with my earphones plugged in and listening to the same song for the past two hours... (If you can't guess what song, here's a clue... Ai! Ai! Ai! Ai! ) Oh and guess who's coming down to my country on the same day as my German finals?? Shinee... No big deal... I'm still smiling like an idiot listening to Key's cute rap in Dazzling Girl... I'm probably going to be raging when i wake up tomorrow and everything sinks in... But until then, let me just float on cloud nines listening to this WONDERFUL song!!!

Thank you guys for reading and subscribing and commenting!!! My readers are the best ever for putting up with my temperamental mood swings!!

Have a great day guys!! <3 Aieru!! Saranghaeyo!! Ich liebe euch!!!