"Kangin, do you know the way?"

"No.. But Kyuhyun does."

"Where is Kyu?"

"I don't know, sorry Sungmin..."

 

Sighing heavily, Min looked up at the sky and felt the first drops of rain. 

"It's cold, Kangin."

"I know Minnie, just try to keep walking." He held out his hand, aware of how cold and tired the smaller boy was. He knew that he was exhausted, and that he wasn't feeling very well. The hike was meant to last about an hour, but it was almost nighttime.

 

Kangin stopped walking when he saw the redness of Min's cheeks. Lifting the boy onto his back, he carried him through the trees until he found a small clearing with a large oak tree.

"We'll rest here for a while Minnie, are you feeling okay?"

"I'll be fine. I just need to sit down for a while..." 

Resting the boy under the big tree, he watched as his eyes slowly closed. His breathing was short and sharp, and he was a terrible shade of green.

Giving the boy a drink of the water, he felt slighty relieved when Sungmin started to gain some colour again. Cuddling the boy against his shoulder, he phoned Kyuhyun.

 

"Kangin, where are you?"

"I don't know. Where are you?"

"I'm back at the dorm, I thought you had left us. Eunhyuk and I came back to find you."

"Well, we're still walking. We have no idea where we are and it's getting really dark."

"You'll be fi-"

"Don't you dare finish that word! Sungmin can't breathe properly, I'm worried sick. How do we get back?"

"You both need to hurry up, don't be wimps."

Kangin clenched his fists. "He has anaemia!"

Sungmin sat up a little, feeling his head spin as he squeezed Kangin's arm. "I-I'll be fine Kangin.. Don't worry about me.."

The older boy just looked at him with loving eyes, before going back to the phone call. 

"Thanks for all your help Kyu. I'll make sure to repay you later" he said sarcastically, before snapping the phone shut and focusing on Sungmin.

 

The boy had tears in his eyes, and he was breathing deeply.

"Do you want to lie down Minnie?"

When the boy nodded, Kangin helped him to rest on his jacket, before looking around them. It was too dark to walk any more, and it would be too dangerous to move Sungmin. Grabbing a few long sticks, Kangin stabbed them into the ground around them and placed two light waterproof coats on top. 

Lying next to Min under the makeshift tent, he the flashlight and smiled at the boy.

Holding him close, he heard the short panting breaths and felt worry pool in his stomach. What if something terrible happened to Sungmin? What if he stopped breathing?

 

Sungmin just kept breathing as deeply as he could, knowing that he was worrying the older boy. 

"Really, K-Kangin.. I'm going to be okay.."

He felt himself being pulled onto Kangin's chest, and he used the boy's breathing to regulate his own. Feeling himself be able to breathe normally again, he moved from Kangin's chest.

"Thank you Kangin, I feel much better now." But Kangin just pulled him close again.

"You have a slight fever Minnie, stay close to me."

Sungmin could feel the sweat on his skin, and he felt very self conscious that Kangin could feel it too.

"A-am I sticky Kangin?"

"No, you're perfect. Just cuddle up close and stay warm. We'll have to sleep here."

Sungmin panicked, his eyes wide. "Sleep here?! We can't! It's cold and dark, there could be bears or anything! What if there are snakes?"

Kangin just snuggled the nervous boy, and soothed his hair. "Then I guess we just get hurt." Then he felt a thud against his head.

"That's not what you're supposed to say! You're meant to say something like 'There aren't any bears, we'll be safe', not that we'll just have to die!"

"I'm sorry Minnie, but I don't know where we are, we have to sleep here. If we keep walking and fall or get hurt, it'll be harder to see what happened, and there could be a serious infection."

 

Sungmin nodded sadly, before nuzzling into Kangin's chest, pressing his body against him as much as he could. With Sungmin's jacket over them, Kangin almost laughed at their situation. Until he felt the wet tears seeping into his tshirt.

 

"Sungmin? Don't cry, what happened? I was only partly joking about the bears."

Feeling the boy press harder into him, he hugged him warmly.

"It-it's so dark Kangin... And the trees keep making weird noises..."

"I know Minnie, I know.. I'm sorry that I dragged you on this stupid hike. I swear, I'll kill Kyuhyun when we get home!"

The boy just giggled gently against his chest, and Kangin smiled.

"I'm s-sorry for hitting you Kangin.. It's just.."

"I know, I don't like the idea of sleeping here either.. But at least we're together."

Sungmin nodded, and then blushed. "I'm happy to be with you Kangin." He shyly reached up and pressed his lips against the older boy's, just a short shy kiss.

Then he sat nervously, waiting for Kangin's reaction. 

 

The older boy pulled him impossibly close, and kissed him again. Soft lips pressed together, they kissed tenderly, not rushed or lust-fuelled. Sungmin was blushing violently, and Kangin kept one hand on the back of his head to steady the kiss, whilst gently soothing the boy's hair. Eventually, Sungmin pulled away reluctantly.

"We should sleep.."

They entwined themselves together, pressing their bodies together for warmth and comfort. When they were both comfortable, they fell asleep, wrapped in the other's embrace. 

 

Sungmin nuzzled into Kangin's embrace, feeling the warm security that the older boy offered. Whilst they were lost in a cold dark forest, with no idea how to reach the dorm, Sungmin wasn't scared anymore. Cuddled up tightly to Kangin, he was already at home.