His warm arms tightened around me…

Key snuggled closer to his blanket.

…and then we…hugged…

Key breathed in deeply, a smile forming onto his normally emotionless face.

“…and all this is going to end soon.”

A voice broke into his dreamy train of thoughts, causing him to jerk his head up, startled. Who he saw next made him mentally groan. What is he doing here at this time? He cursed inside his head.

“Maybe because I’m the king, and I can do whatever I want,” the man in front of him scowled in reply, obviously unhappy at the unwillingness of his only son to see him.

“Um, hi dad,” Key scratched his head awkwardly as he bit his lip nervously.

“You know he’s not supposed to do it,” his father spoke, ignoring his son’s greeting, his voice cold and hard.

“Dad…”

“And he did it, and it’s a crime. A very serious crime.”

“Dad, I allowed him t…”

“You know what’s the price of touching the body of a sacred prince.”

“Dad, stop!”

“It’s death.”

Silence fell over the duo. Key opened his mouth to retort but all that escaped his mouth was empty silence. His dark eyes bore into his father’s as the truth slowly sank in. Jonghyun was going to die. He was going to die because he hugged me. He was going to die…

“Oh, and by the way, Key,” his father’s voice shattered the deafening silence of the room. “Your mum wasn’t very happy about this. She was crying because her only son’s purity has been tainted by the physical touch of another being. From another dimension, I might add.” He wrinkled his nose, his eyebrows raised in disgust.

“I’ll wait for you at home. You are supposed to go back in another…” He checked his pocketwatch. “…1 hour and 15 minutes, anyway. I’ll go back after I’m done with the job. See you later.”

Key stared after his father’s diminishing figure, his jaw dropped slightly in utter shock. When he finally snapped back into reality, the truth completely sank in.

His father was going after Jonghyun. Jonghyun was going to die.

—

Key had sprinted out of his rented house dressed in only a robe, ignoring all the curious stares and looks he was getting from the passerbys as he ran towards Jonghyun’s house at full speed. He knew he probably could not outrun his father’s car, but he had to take every single chance to save his boyfriend. His lungs burned and his face flushed, but to him, nothing mattered at that point of time. He just knew he had to get to Jonghyun’s house - before his father kills him.

Snatching out his phone, his fingers danced over the buttons at an amazingly fast speed to dial on the number he had already memorized by heart. Pressing the small device to the shell of his ear, the continuous ringing of the phone induced the fear and despair in him to increase every single second.

Sorry, the number you have dialed is not available. Please tr…

Disconnecting the call, he tried again and again, but to no avail each time. By now, his fingers were already numb from the coldness. The wind bit at his skin mercilessly, his legs losing their strength gradually.

Please be okay, Jonghyun. He prayed mentally, tears blurring his vision. He was panting, he could feel his chest slowly giving in to exhausation.

Run, Key, run.

He could see Jonghyun’s house in the distance.

Run faster, Key.

He could see his father’s car in front at the porch.

Faster.

Panic overtook him as he dashed into Jonghyun’s house, just in time to see his father lift the dagger up and about to plunge it into Jonghyun’s chest.

“Dad, no!” He yelled, dashing into the room and covering Jonghyun’s body with his protectively. Jonghyun widened his eyes at the unexpected visitor.

“Key…get off him, now,” his father growled, his voice slightly shaking due to the intimacy of his child and a a human.

“Dad!” Key screamed, tears flowing endlessly down his cheeks at this point of time.

“GET OFF HIM!” His father roared, his fingers tightening around the knife till his veins showed visibly.

“THEN DON’T TOUCH HIM!”

“IT’S NOT YOUR PROBLEM!”

“IT IS!”

“HOW IS HIS LIFE YOUR PROBLEM?!”

“OF COURSE IT IS, I LOVE HIM!”

Key’s father stopped yelling. He froze, staring at Key with a look of pure disgust and contempt. His knife slid out of his sweaty palms and dropped onto the ground with a loud clink.

“You…you know what’s the price to pay for loving someone from a different dimension, don’t you?” His father tried to rise his voice but it ended in a feeble attempt.

“I know.”

Key’s father breathed in deeply. Finally relenting in utter defeat and resignation, he checked his pocket watch one last time.

“You have exactly 1 minute left before you’ll disappear from this dimension, Key. Make good use of it.” He shook his head emotionlessly before making his way out of the front door.

As soon as the door closed with a click, Key spun back to his lover.

“Key!” Jonghyun leapt up, enveloping Key into a tight hug, sending butterflies fluttering inside the latter’s stomach.

“Hey, Jonghyun,” Key forced a smile.

“What was that about you disappearing?” Jonghyun pulled away after hugging him for what seemed like forever, a frown crinkling his eyebrows.

50 seconds left.

“Listen,” Key grabbed Jonghyun’s arms tightly, looking intensely into his eyes. “I don’t belong here, and I’m going to disappear from here in less than a minute so I need you to listen carefully.”

40 seconds left.

Jonghyun nodded dumbly.

“I love you, Jonghyun, and I loved you since the day you showed me what was a hug, since the first day you showed me what was love. I know you probably don’t love me back but…”
 

Key was cut off by Jonghyun’s lips suddenly crashing onto his. He stiffened, but that quickly subsided as the diva concentrated on the vanilla taste of Jonghyun’s lips, deeply engrossed in his first kiss. Key could hear Jonghyun’s heartbeat thumping nervously against his chest, and he could not help but break into a small smile. At other times, his gift of ultrasonic hearing did come in handy. Finally breaking off the kiss, Key’s lips twitched into a smile.

20 seconds left.

“I love you too.” Jonghyun smiled, his hand grabbing onto Key’s with such tightness it was as though he was afraid of letting go.

5 seconds left.

“And it doesn’t matter even if you’re from a different dimension,” Jonghyun’s dark orbs stared lovingly into Key’s quickly fading ones.

1 second left.

“I’ll always come and find you.”

0 seconds left.

Key had completely disappeared by now, leaving Jonghyun with a hallowed feeling of nothing but emptyness. It was as though he’d never existed, but Jonghyun knew better. Holding back tears, Jonghyun stared at his now empty hand. A tight smile formed on his lips.

“I’m coming for you, Key.”

—

It has been nearly a month since Key had returned to his homeland. He had been banished from the castle for falling in love with a human, and was making a living selling coffee and cupcakes at a cafe. It hurt - not because he was kicked out from his own home, but because he could not see Jonghyun anymore. And he missed him - his dimples, his cheeky grin, his muscular arms; every single bit of him.

“Key! Stop daydreaming and serve that customer that just came in!” His boss, the cafe owner, bellowed into his ears. Key jumped up in fright.

“Y…yes sir!” He bowed his head low before scuttling to the aforementioned table.

“Annyeonghaesaeyo! May I take your orders please?” Key greeted, his head still bowed low in respect.

“Hmm, how about a cup of cappuccino? And I’ll have a slice of cake to go with that too.”

Key furrowed his eyebrows. That voice sounded so familiar. Peeking up from his notebook, he gasped aloud upon seeing the handsome, muscular man he was just missing a few minutes ago, right there sitting in front of him, grinning cheekily, his arms stretched out initiating a hug.

“Hi, Key.”

--

So, that's the end of it! Sorry for taking so long to update! My computer broke down and I couldn't access anything. To those who would like a happier ending, hope you guys like this! Comments are appreciated! Thank you!!