While TaeMin’s family and JongHyun went inside to see the unconscious boy, Onew and Key took the time to go to the bathroom. Not because they actually had to go but they wanted to move away from the dark, suffocating atmosphere.

            On the way there Key kept looking back over his shoulder in hopes of catching a glance of JongHyun. He felt too awkward now. He’d never been able to bring closure with his declaration to the elder. Now everything was just hanging in the air – unsettled and vulnerable to the wind. It was a selfish way of thinking on Key’s behalf, but he couldn’t help it.

            Onew noticed the uncharacteristic behaviour of the younger boy. Worry pooled up in his chest like water from a leaking pipe pooled on the ground. He decided he had no other choice but to confront him about this as soon as they got into the bathroom.

            “What’s going on?” he asked. “Do you want to leave? Is it reminding you of your mom or when you were here after the robbery?”

            “No, don’t be ridiculous; you know I’m not like that,” Key brushed off with a roll of his eyes. Though now that Onew had mentioned that particular hospital stay from when he met JongHyun he couldn’t help but feel a bit disconcerted.

            “Then what’s going on? You’re acting weird… Did you do bad on your exam or something?”

            “No, I think I did really well actually…”

            “Then what’s going on?”

            “I confessed to JongHyun…” Key slipped into one of the stalls afterwards. He had a gut feeling that Onew wouldn’t handle this information too well. As expected, a series of mortified stutters dribble off of his tongue only seconds after he’d bolted the lock on the door.

            “What? What do you mean you confessed?” he demanded.

            “I mean exactly that – I confessed.”

           There was a flutter of movement from the opposite side of the stall. Onew flicked on the water, flicked it off, then back on and off before grabbing some paper towel and wringing it through his hands. He traveled to dryer still after that and hit the button before repeating his actions with the water.

            “So?” he eventually asked after he’d finished his little OCD routine.

            “The only thing he said was that he wasn’t gay… Then the phone rang and we came here…” That familiar frog in his throat bounced back up to lodge itself between Key’s internal pipes. Despite his best efforts at capturing that animal he felt it spit in his eyes and leave behind burning tears that tried to make their way forcefully down his cheeks. Sometimes he hated being gay for this very reason. There was rarely ever a guy that Key had liked that was interested in him, or even interested in men. In fact, none of his crushes but one in the third grade had returned his feelings…

            “Key…” Onew’s soothing voice called softly.

            “W-what?” the younger blubbered.

            “Come out, please…”

            Key obliged, not knowing what else he could do. He slid the metallic lock out of its hole and cracked open the door inch by inch. When enough of it was opened he slipped between the space and into the waiting arms of his hyung. He rested his head against his muscular chest in the same manner he’d done when he’d been left crushed by his crushes. Oh, the irony. Salty water trickled down Key’s face in a continuous pattern. All he could do was hiccup and scorn himself for being so stupid as to actually take a chance with this baby romance.

            Onew grabbed some paper towel (not the best thing to use but it was his only option) to clean Key’s face. This was exactly what he had feared. This was why he had tried to keep Key sheltered and protected throughout all his years of knowing him. Onew knew that behind the tough diva-like exterior that Key held on to proudly there was a very confused and sensitive guy who had been through too many heartbreaks.

            “I had to tell him…” Key whimpered.

            “Why do you do this to yourself?”

            “Because I … I hate being gay…”

            “Don’t say that… Your gayness is party of who you are… And you’re a great guy…”

            “You’re only saying that because you’re my friend…” He pulled away from Onew, migrating to the mirror. His reflection gave a jolt to his system from how hideous he found it to be. The make-up he’d applied that morning (because he had stolen the test products from Onew, of course with his permission) was running down his face, following the tear trails. He took a bit of toilet paper and tried to fix his face to the best of his ability. The bunches of experience he had under his belt made him more skilled in this department. Eventually he had most of the raccoon eyes cleaned up, but his red puffy eyes he could do nothing about. This was the time when he wished he hadn’t forgotten his bag in the car.

            Declaring himself done he turned to Onew with a forced smile adorning his face.

            “We need to go support JongHyun hyung,” he declared.

            “I’m buying chicken tonight,” was all Onew said. He could identify the end to the conversation by Key’s actions. He’d known him long enough to pick up on those little things. Not even two steps into the hallway, Onew collided with a body. “JongHyun!”

            “Let’s go home…” the shorter boy whispered. The lifeless tone to his voice came as a shock to the two opposing boys. JongHyun looked as if he had aged ten years in ten minutes. His hair had fallen limp – even with all the gel he’d applied to it that morning – and lost its lustre. His eyes, instead of being full of life and excitement like a puppy about to enter his new home were cast downwards with a defeated look carved into his irises.

            Seeing how down JongHyun was, Onew preferred to ask no questions. He led the way out of the hospital; they were the trio of broken hearts. JongHyun sandwiched in the middle with Key and Onew flanking him on both sides. They were the pillars holding his breaking spirit up.

            JongHyun could barely muster up the energy to put one foot in front of the other. He’d heard nearly everything his co-workers had talked about in the rest room. From Key telling Onew about his confession to him breaking down into tears… It was another unnecessary burden being tossed onto his shoulders. He felt a bit like a pack mule carrying all this weight around.

            Key… TaeMin…

            TaeMin… Key…

            Two very different boys with personalities that clashed and yet all JongHyun could think about was them two…

            TaeMin and Key…

            Key and TaeMin…