“Jinki!”

Jinki’s mind went blank at the sound of that voice. His hearing, smell, and touch were snuffed out like a small fire. He was starting to lose the taste of his raw throat when the man he once knew so well reached him.

Jinki knew him once to wear shirts with white collars and ironed pants, tie around his neck. Now he was dressed in jeans and a leather jacket. It was almost unreal. The whole thing could have passed for some kind of nightmare.

Joon took off his jacket and wrapped it over Jinki’s head and shoulders, pulling him to his feet.

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon.” It was almost a faint whisper in Jinki’s ears. It took a moment to realize that they were running. Jinki almost stopped at the end of the overhang, but Joon yanked him along. He could feel the rain spattering on Joon’s jacket. The combination of being senseless and surrounded by water could have induced a heart attack in Jinki. But before any sort of heart failure took place, Jinki was shoved into the passenger’s seat of a car. The engine started, and Jinki’s senses flooded back to him like water through a dam.

“Don’t move the jacket,” Joon instructed. Jinki didn’t dare disobey him. He had never been in a soundproof car without windows. Instead, he bit down on his hand, not wanting to start screaming in such a small space.

Joon was swift in pulling Jinki out of his car and escorting him into a building. When Joon finally removed his jacket, the two men were in an elevator. Joon looked at Jinki, eyes careful in regarding him. Jinki hid his face in his hands, embarrassed at how much he was crying. Joon promptly removed his right hand from his face, and they both looked at the bloody holes carved into it. If Jinki recognized anything in the man’s eyes, it was heartbreak.

Jinki pulled his hand away, in the process bumping into the back wall of the elevator. Jinki couldn’t find the strength to move from the wall when the elevator stopped. He was losing his grip on reality, and that wall was the only support he had to stand up with. So of course, Joon scooped Jinki up and carried him out of the elevator, bridal style. In all honesty, Jinki hadn’t expected him to be so strong.

Within a few minutes, Jinki had been placed in a bed. Joon carefully pulled off Jinki’s shoes and coat, then wrapped him in a blanket. Jinki was still very much out of it. He remained in the bed with his eyes squeezed shut and his entire body shaking, until he fell asleep.

Jinki awoke to the sound of kitchen clatter. He carefully scanned the room around him. Everything was simple and sleek, from the incredibly comfortable bed to the slate-colored walls. So this was Lee Joon’s bedroom.

That thought brought up another, and it took all of five seconds for Jinki to give in and smell the sheets. He almost melted at the scent. It smelled exactly like Joon. It gave off comfort and nostalgia. Jinki never wanted to leave it.

“Ah, you’re up.”

Jinki froze as Joon walked into the room. He scrambled to sit up.

“Relax, Jinki,” Joon told him. He was carrying two steaming mugs in his hands. Joon reached one towards Jinki, and he hesitantly accepted. The smell of coffee was like an old friend paying him a visit.

“Is it still raining?” Jinki asked slowly. Joon nodded.

“But you can’t hear it from this apartment,” He added. Jinki bit his lip. His eyes wandered to the coffee in his hands, and back to Joon.

“You dyed your hair,” He pointed out softly.

“I did,” Joon replied. Jinki quickly looked back down at his coffee. After a few minutes of silence, Joon sat down on the edge of the bed. “Do you resent me, Jinki?” He asked. Jinki slowly shook his head, not bothering to look Joon in the eye. “I ran away with my tail between my legs.”

“Why?” Jinki asked, still avoiding eye contact. Joon paused before answering.

“I’ll tell you in due time,” he stated. Jinki sighed. Of course. He looked up at Joon once more, and found he couldn’t stop looking. The man was beautiful.

“I turned into a baby when you left,” Jinki laughed inwardly. A grin played on Joon’s lips.

“Did you? Didja cry?” He asked.

“I became a useless blob,” Jinki sighed, sipping his coffee. Joon’s smile was breathtaking. “You should have stayed to keep me in line.” Joon’s eyes fell to his own cup of coffee. Slowly, his smile faded. After another minute of silence, Joon slowly reached out and brushed a stray hair from Jinki’s face. His thumb grazed Jinki’s cheekbone, causing Jinki to shiver. Joon then stood up and went to rifle through his dresser. Jinki watched as he pulled out a t-shirt and sweatpants. He glanced back at Jinki for a moment before digging out a plastic package as well. He placed the items on the bed.

“You’ll probably have to stay a while until the weather clears,” Joon stated, taking his coffee to the door. “I just bought those, so…” He slipped out before finishing the sentence, and closed the door. Jinki eyed the package of boxers. God must have had some divine plan allowing Joon to buy them right before Jinki appeared at his house.

The world worked in mysterious ways.

Jinki very quickly decided that wearing Joon’s clothes was extremely unhealthy. The scent was intoxicating, and the mere thought that Joon had worn the very same things at one point was making it difficult for Jinki to form coherent thoughts.

Carefully, Jinki brought his coffee cup out of Joon’s bedroom.

“Hyung?” He called.

“In the kitchen,” Joon replied. Jinki was starting to get angry with himself for being such a little girl. Even Joon’s voice sent him reeling. Joon poked his head out of what was apparently his kitchen. He grinned like a madman when he saw Jinki.

“Cute,” he said as he pulled his head back into the kitchen. Jinki felt like his face had caught on fire. He followed Joon into the kitchen.

“Uh, where should I put this?” He asked, indicating the mug in his hands. Joon quickly grabbed it and put it in the dishwasher. He looked like he was making something elaborate. Jinki watched as the man picked out spices and ingredients and threw them into a pot.

“You know, Jinki,” Joon said, some salt off of his thumb, “You have every right to resent me. I won’t be mad if you do.”

“No I don’t,” Jinki disagreed quickly. Joon eyed him over his shoulder. “It was my fault, wasn’t it?” Joon stopped what he was doing and turned around. He leaned his back against the counter and crossed his arms.

“How so?” He asked. Jinki tensed up.

“I just-“ He began, but Joon cut him off.

“Why do you blame yourself for everything?” He asked firmly. Jinki was a little taken aback. He couldn’t find his voice in time to answer. “What I did was for my own reasons,” Joon said, turning back to the stove. “Go make yourself at home,” He added softly. Jinki left the kitchen with a sigh and found Joon’s couch. It wasn’t quite as comfortable as Hyoyeon’s, but it had that Joon scent.

“I hope you’re hungry,” Joon said, coming into the sitting room with a large pot, two bowls stacked on top. He placed the pot on the lazy Susan in the middle of the coffee table and sat on a cushion next to it. Jinki joined him. Joon silently scooped some Duk Gook into the bowls.

“Is it a little early for Duk Gook?” Jinki asked softly.

“It’s 1 o’clock,” Joon replied.

“What? Really?” Jinki asked, surprised. Joon nodded.

“You had a power sleep,” he said, smiling. Jinki stared at the bowl of soup that Joon placed in front of him. He had spent so much time wishing he was with the man, and now he had nothing to say. He couldn’t fess up. Not this way.

“I’m sorry if I’m quiet,” he said. “It’s been one of those weeks.” He didn’t want Joon to feel guilty, at least.

“One of which weeks?” Joon asked, already eating. He ate like he was about to starve.

“You know,” Jinki told him flatly. Joon shook his head.

“Tell me about your week, Jinki,” He instructed. Jinki eyed him carefully. Really?

“I don’t want to go on a tangent,” Jinki said.

“I don’t care if you do,” Joon retorted. “I wanna hear it.”

Jinki hesitated. And then he told Joon about his awful week. He told him about Hyoyeon leaving, him being jobless, right down to Sunyoung coming onto him. Joon stopped eating at the last part.

“Which café, did you say?” He asked.

“Choco something,” Jinki told him. Joon paused before nodding.

“I’m sorry your week was so rough,” He offered. “Now eat. You’re thin.” Jinki laughed softly. “Aaaah, there’s a laugh,” Joon hummed. “What’s so funny?”

“I don’t know,” Jinki sighed. “Something about red bean paste being so thin.” Joon cocked his head.

“Red bean paste?” He asked. Jinki nodded. Oh no, he was already turning things sour. Joon paused to think for a moment. “Ah-ah-ah,” He said, “I remember. I decided it without telling you. You aren’t red bean paste.”

“I’m not?” Jinki asked. Joon shook his head. “How come?”

“I remembered I dislike the texture of red bean paste. How could I dislike Lee Jinki?” Jinki laughed again, this time more out of nervousness than anything. “You’re tofu.”

“Eh?” Jinki exclaimed. Joon nodded.

“Soft and squishy and down to earth and simple and nice,” Joon said. Jinki could only stare at the man. He didn’t know what emotion he was conveying at the moment, nor did he know which one to feel. It began as a flutter in his stomach, and ended as laughter. Joon pouted.

“I’m not joking,” He said softly. Jinki still couldn’t take it seriously. Finally, Joon shuffled to the side of the table and pushed Jinki over with his foot. Jinki collapsed in a bout of laughter.

“Yah, Lee Jinki, eat your food,” Joon scolded. It took a few moments for Jinki to gain his composure and actually eat his soup. Joon finished off his bowl with a smile, and waited for Jinki to finish as well. Once they were both done, he gathered the dishes.

“I missed this,” He said before bringing the dishes to the kitchen. Jinki’s eyes trailed after him.

Joon didn’t even know the half of it.

“Do you like movies, Jinki?” Joon asked when he returned. Jinki watched the man as he carefully looked through the blinds of his window.

“I guess,” Jinki answered. “Why?”

“Because we have nothing else to do,” Joon answered. “It’s still pouring.”

We. He used the word so casually.

“What’s your favorite genre?” Joon asked. Jinki thought about it for a moment, then got an absolutely brilliant idea.

“Horror,” He lied. Joon looked at Jinki, eyed full of doubt.

“Not true,” He said, “Lee Jinki isn’t so senseless.” Jinki almost choked on the air he was breathing. There he was, doing it again. Judging the fears Jinki claimed to have by his personality.

“Why do you doubt me so much?” Jinki asked, trying to play it off. Joon smirked.

“Jinki, you’re an individual,” He said. “Someone who I imagine people don’t get. But you deserve to be gotten. So I get you, Jinki. And I get that you’re an individual. One that doesn’t like horror movies, because they’re senseless.”

Jinki was awestruck. It took every bit of his willpower not to start speaking without thinking.

Oh my god. You are just amazing. I have the biggest crush on you, and once again, I’m trying not to throw up on your feet.

Because that would sound positively awful.

“Plus,” Joon added. “I know that you’re the one doubting me. I told you I wasn’t afraid of anything!” He waggled his finger like a mother scolding a child.

“No one’s afraid of nothing!” Jinki insisted. Joon laughed.

“You keep telling yourself that,” He teased. “I think there’s a good movie around here somewhere.” Joon went off to hunt for a movie. Jinki sighed. He was already getting flustered. Though, maybe that’s how he always liked it. Jinki silently returned to the couch.

“Here,” Joon said, returning to Jinki and showing him a DVD case.

“That looks cheesy,” Jinki pointed out.

“It’s light-hearted,” Joon stressed. “Which is what you need right now.” Jinki didn’t require any more convincing.

The movie was a typical high school drama movie. And of course, it was cheesy. But Jinki enjoyed the opportunity to sit and laugh comfortably with Joon like they used to. To top it off, Joon looked much handsomer in casual clothes. When the movie was over, Jinki figured he had to say something.

“Thank you for helping me, hyung,” He told Joon. Joon smiled.

”What are friends for?” He asked. Jinki smiled in return.