It is strange…Jong Suk thinks, there is such a soothing warmth enfolded around his body. It must be a dream, he reckons as he snuggles closer to the source of the heat. Yes, it has to be a dream…but he likes it, because it has been more than six years since he last felt the warmth of another human healing into his body. He somehow likes this warmth that wraps around him. It makes him wish that things will go back to the time before he was ten, the time when he was able to welcome the warmth of another human without having to get pulled into a world of nightmares. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to be close enough to another person to feel their warmth drifting into his own body, chasing away the iciness of the winter. It feels nice…he thinks as he wraps his arms around the source of the warmth, eyes still clamped by the heaviness of his sleep.

Oh…it’s drifting away…Why is the heat furthering away from me? Why are my hands untangling? Jong Suk twitches when that warmth completely pulls away from him. There is a sudden coolness piercing into his back, hollow air hugs him from everywhere as his body sinks onto something soft. He feels that usual emptiness gathering back into his heart, like the evening fog. He wonders where that gentle glow is gone. Why did it have to disappear so quickly? Jong Suk doesn’t like this sudden silkiness around his body, because whatever it is he is wrapped in now, it only draws the heat away from his body. It is back again, the same soothing heat that wrapped around him before. It only hovers over his mouth for few seconds, Jong Suk feels something soft, warm and slightly wet press against his mouth, it somehow send a tingle of electricity down his body, it feels…no why is it pulling away? Before Jong Suk could even register the ghostly touch of that warmth, it pulls away.

Jong Suk forces his heavy lids to open up very slightly, just enough for him to capture the visage of a broad back walking away from his bed. Somehow that figure looks strangely familiar he thinks. He wants to bolt his eyes open and find that source of comforting heat, but his eyes are too heavy for him to keep open. He gives up the futile attempts and lets his body relax into the warming up surrounding around him.

***

Jong Suk flutters his eyes open; the room is strangely silent, no sound of that usual snore hovering above his bed, no sound of ruffling bed sheets, no pitter-patter of the shower running. He squints at the round clock hanging on the wall next to his study table; 6:45 a.m. it glows under the light sneaking through the slits of the curtain.

He stretches his arms, arches his back to rid the stiffness and freezes mid-way when the last memory he has from the previous evening flashes across his mind. He remembers watching that live concert on the TV; he remembers how his eyes became heavy and eventually clamped shut engulfing him into a deep sleep. But he doesn’t remember walking to his bedroom or getting under his blankets.

“How did I get here?” He mumbles into the silence. Did Woo Bin bring me here? He tries imagining Woo Bin carrying him in his arms up the stairs, and shakes his head in disbelief when the picture he gets is not something realistic.

“Eh, no way…he couldn’t have carried me here,” he says to himself again. Then how did I get here? There was only him and Woo Bin home at that time…Perhaps…did he drag me up the stairs? He stiffens at the thought of his body bouncing up each step, his back aching with each drag. That’s ridiculous…then again, we are talking about the dinosaur boy, it’s not absolutely impossible with his personality. He gazes up at the empty bed above him and sighs, pitying his own poor body. Nothing I can do now…he concludes and steps into the bathroom.

Jong Suk had expected to see the dinosaur boy in the kitchen, but when he came down dressed in his uniform, there was no one but an empty house. He pauses by the sofa for a moment, the memories from the evening playing in his mind again He still finds it strange that Woo Bin actually sat down with him on the same sofa and even so close to him. He chases the memories away and walks to the kitchen. Like every morning there is another one of those post-it notes stuck on the fridge. It reads: We are going to Busan today, we will be back tomorrow. You were already sleeping when we got home last night and we didn’t want to wake you guys up so early. So I’m leaving you this note. Fix something for dinner and I left some money for your lunches in the usual place. Jong Suk walks to the table and lifts the flower vase; a fifty thousand won note greets him. He picks it up and glances back at the note; Make sure to have dinner and hope you two will get on well. If there is anything call me, Love mom.

They must have gone to visit the family grave Jong Suk thinks, remembering that they were planning to go two days ago, but due to an emergency call from the hospital, his aunt had to rush back to work on her day off. Busan was the place he once lived, before he was ten years old that is. It has been a while since Jong Suk last visited that place…perhaps a year ago? It is a place where both his and his aunt’s loved ones rests. He visits it once every year, because his father is also resting in that place. Sometimes he can’t help but wonder if his life itself is an unlucky charm, is that why everything he longs for turns to poison? His father, whose face he hadn’t even seen once since his birth, wouldn’t have died if he wasn’t born in the first place. He wouldn’t have rushed from his oversea trip to visit his new born son. He wouldn’t have driven in that heavy rain in those slippery roads. He wouldn’t have gotten into an accident and lost his life before he could even see his son’s face. Jong Suk only knows the gentle features and the kind glance in his father’s eyes from that picture in his aunt’s house. It was taken on his father’s graduation day and he looks handsome in that academic dress. 

Jong Suk slams the door shut after him. He has got plenty of time before the school starts; it’s only seven thirty in the morning. He plugs in his ear phones, pushes the play button and slides the iPod back into his pocket. There are few students scattered on the road every here and there, but not that many. He takes his time walking down the sloping path.

Jong Suk halts in mid-way and swings around; other than the old lady humping across the road, her whole weight supported by the wooden cane in her trembling grip, there is no one else in the sight. That’s weird…he could have sworn that there was someone following him. He gives his head a shake to rid the silly thoughts and starts back on his way to the school.

***

Woo Bin leaps across the sidewalk, cringing his body into the alley running between the two shops. That was close; he feels his heart racing hundred miles per hour. It has been long since he last felt like this; like a thief about to be caught red handed. Why the hell am I even doing this? He has woken up so early in the morning and left home way before his usual time and now, here he is following behind his new step-brother like some crazy stalker. No—perhaps not like a stalker, because the purpose of his ‘stalking’ was to keep that beautiful creature under surveillance from unwanted treats. Still, isn’t this bit too much? What will happen if he sees me? He gives himself a mental slap at the horrifying thought, but it makes no difference to the uncontrolled state his mind is in.

“I must really be going crazy this time,” he mumbles under his breath as he creeps out of his hideout. He follows Jong Suk from a good distance until they reach the school gate. He straightens his back, clears his throat and buries his hands into his pockets; that is enough to get rid of the Jong Suk’s ‘stalker’ mode and gain his usual composed self, back into action. For some reason since the first day he met this strange kid, his life has been taking a U-turn. He wanders what is happening to the peaceful ordinary life he has toiled for two years to build up.

“Wow, you are awfully early,” the rough voice doesn’t make him feel any better. Instead of answering Woo Bin heads for the class.

“It’s rude to not answer you know,” the voice says again, this time much closer to him. It vexes him to the point he wants to swing around and slam his fist into that mouth so it will shut up. Trying his best to hold it in, he shoots a glare at the annoying person but he doesn’t seem to be affected by his glare at all. As if Woo Bin’s sharp eyes hold no treat to him, Seung-hyun grins widely before scooting closer. 

“Aren’t you happy to see me?” he chirps like some lovesick girl and Woo Bin feels his stomach lurch at the sick image. Seung-hyun trying to be cute with his muscular bad-boy image is like a sumo player dressed in a ballerina dress—just ugly. Why the hell he even bothers to be cute when he clearly knows how ugly it is, is a mystery to Woo Bin.

“Are you going to the class today?” he tags along with Woo Bin, attracting unwanted attention from girls. He doesn’t like it and he wants to rid of this annoying person sticking so close to him like a piece of gum.

“What do you want?” he finally asks, knowing that if he doesn’t Seung-hyun would just keep bugging him until either he punch him in the face or his own sanity breaks into pieces. The best option would be to just speak. A moment passes and when there is still no answer from Seung-hyun he turns around. To his surprise that sickly grin in Seung-hyun’s face is now replaced by a serious look. Woo Bin knows what those stiff eyes mean—it means he is about to hear something he doesn’t want to hear.

“What is it?” Woo Bin asks again, his tone much calmer, almost with a hint of encouragement to continue.

“He wants to see the boy after school,”

Woo Bin feels a cold shiver skims through his blood. He says nothing; he doesn’t want to say anything, because no words will stop this from happening. Seung-hyun is merely informing him of what is about happen. Woo Bin sighs as he turns around and walks back toward the class.

He slides the door open into the class to find something he hadn’t expected; the beautiful creature is sitting at the end row of seats, staring at Woo Bin like he had just seen an alien. Seung-hyun slams onto Woo Bin’s shoulder as he steps into the classroom. He smirks sideways at Woo Bin before slumping on the chair next to Jong Suk.

What the hell is this? He is sitting next to this jerk? He steps pass the two boys that are currently exchanging morning greetings and dump his bag on the adjacent desk. Facing at the window, he slouches on the chair, his head leaning against the desk, away from that annoying couple. If they are this close, why the hell did he act like Seung-hyun was about to violate him at the rooftop?

***

He is the Devil? Jong Suk wonders looking at Woo Bin’s figure leaning on the ‘forbidden’ desk. He doesn’t understand why other students seem to be so scared of him, well sure he looks like a dinosaur with those piercing eyes—he can even admit that those eyes sometimes does give him shivers—but not to the point of wanting to run away or hide from him, at least not to the extent he wants to vanish into thin air when Seung-hyun is grinning at him like some ert sitting so close to him like right now. In that aspect he would rather be closer to the dinosaur boy than this guy whose next move is as unpredictable as the flight of a kite. He doesn’t like being on the edge with his guard up every second Seung-hyun is next to him. It makes his life a lot more difficult and way more tiring. The least he wants right now is to sit comfortably in the class without the fear of some random guy groping him. He would have just ignored people’s warnings and taken the seat next to the so called ‘Devil’ if he had known that feared existence in this class is the same dinosaur boy he shares a room with.

Jong Suk jolts at the sudden rush of hot air creeping into his ear. Seung-hyun winks as his grin grows uncannily wide. Okay, perhaps it’s not too late Jong Suk assures himself before getting up from his seat that is way more dangerous for his scarred self.

He plods past the few seats separating his from Woo Bin’s and taps gently on Woo Bin’s shoulder. As expected he is greeted with annoyance written all over his face. It softens to some extend after a moment. Jong Suk can feel the few students that have made it earlier into the class staring at him like he has gone mad. He ignores those eyes and clears his throat softly.

“I-Is it alright if I…sit there?” he asks pointing at the empty seat by the window where Woo Bin’s bag is resting on. Woo Bin glances back and forth between the seat and Jong Suk and then at Seung-hyun who is observing the situation keenly. He snatches the bag and tucks it under his desk and gives Jong Suk an approving look.

A smile invades Jong Suk’s face the moment he gets the approval.

“Thanks,” he mutters before rushing back to his previous seat. He grabs his bag and darts down to his newly found safe location beside Woo Bin.

AN: Hey guys...Just finised the new chapter, hope you will enjoy it :D (somehow I feel like I'm lacking something but can't quite put my finger on it...Let me know if you guys have any improvement suggestions for my writing)