“Kim Kibum, I can’t take it anymore!”

Jonghyun threw his pencil against the table, distracting Key – who sat face to face with him – with hands holding a manga.

“What is it again Jonghyun?” he asked indifferently. Eyes shifted slightly from the manga to his friend.

“It is,” Jonghyun said as his eyes barely glanced to the angry sun, “hot.”

It was in the middle of August and the sun was blazing mad red, sending the utter high temperature to the pitiful mother earth. Jonghyun had watched the TV that the sun may become bigger and hotter which someday will burn Mercury and even Venus into ashes and make the earth become Venus itself, hot with no water. Just thinking about it made Jonghyun grimaced.

Key let out an exasperating sigh from his lips, “Well it is summer, Kim Jonghyun. So what are you expecting more? Snow? Ha-ha don’t be ridiculous.” He stopped to reading the last page of the manga before said, “I wonder why our library school doesn’t have this kind of manga.”

“Sailor Moon? Come on Key! Air conditioner is more useful than that girlish manga!”

Their school didn’t have any air conditioner each class. That’s why Jonghyun had trouble with studying when the sun was in the middle of the sky. He couldn’t concentrate and it annoyed Key so much since Jonghyun couldn’t stop complain. Jonghyun had to submit the report of his biology project this afternoon so he should complete his blank task now. Key was going to go home together with Jonghyun and the others. He stayed at the classroom, waiting with Jonghyun while wasting his leisure by reading the manga his junior had lent him at the previous break time.

“This is good. You should try to read it rather than complaining about the obvious unchanged heat,” he put the manga on the table beside some sheet of papers with BIOLOGY PROJECT written on it, “and stop squirming like a worm for crying out loud!”

Now that Jonghyun was squirming on the floor, ignoring the wooden chair he had used to sit before. “But the floor is cold, Key.”

Key rolled his eyes, “Why don’t you damp your hot brain while I called Minho and Taemin to join us?”

Jonghyun finally stood up obediently, “Okay, that’s a good idea. I had finished my report anyway. And where will they be?”

“Soccer field, playing soccer,” Key answered shortly.

“Oh my God. Are they zombie or what? How could they manage to survive in this hell heat? They must be dead meat.”

“Stop nagging, Dino. Let’s just go.”

Key jogged lightly to the soccer field while Jonghyun just sit under a big tree avoiding any direct contact with the sun and muttered ‘dead meat’ every time he glanced to Taemin, Minho and Key who already on the soccer field.

He opened a bottle of cold mineral water he had bought at the canteen and drank it. He didn’t feel his throat dry anymore so he poured the water on his hair to make him more refreshed. Too bad, it didn’t really work like he had thought. Because of the sudden change of temperature on his head, he felt dreadfully dizzy.

He shook his head, trying to remain conscious. His hand was on his temple, preventing it from fall if it was really possible. At that time, his eyes caught Minho who ran towards him, hand waving and mouth opened as if he was shouting something to Jonghyun.

Jonghyun waved back without hearing what Minho had shouted. Minho shook his hand frustratingly, making Jonghyun more confuse. Taemin and Key were oddly running towards him too.

“…out, Kim Jonghyun!”

Huh?

Before Jonghyun was utterly understand, a stinging pain struck into his head. He even couldn’t make any move or sound. He felt like he was a TV that had been turned off abruptly and left with a soft puff. The last thing he could hear was Minho cursing while Taemin and Key were screamed in panic. Jonghyun promised himself if he was going to dead, he would haunt the one who made him like this. Yet Jonghyun didn’t notice a pair of cold arms lifting his body up from the ground as the blackness took his sight away.

“You think he’s okay?” a familiar voice asked. Anxious was obviously heard from his stagger voice.

“Well, doctor said he’ll be fine. So, he will.” An unrecognized voice answered.

Jonghyun could barely hear them talking but his eyes felt too heavy to open. He wondered if he was already dead or not and wondered if he was in heaven or hell. The voice seemed to be close and Jonghyun certain the first voice must be Key. Jonghyun had been friend with Key for 10 years so there was no doubt for him to know that voice. But he couldn’t recognize the second voice. He knew it must not be Minho or Taemin.

“Really? But I swear I saw the ball hit his head so hard. I don’t think I could survive as well from Minho’s ball…”

So it was Minho who kicked the ball that successfully landed on his pathetic head. Jonghyun made a mental note to scolding Minho later whether when he was already awake or maybe when he already become ghost.

“Please don’t worry too much, let me check his temp–”

My what? Jonghyun thought.

Suddenly Jonghyun felt the chill on his forehead. It was so comfortable, just like raindrops in desert. Like the chill could go through his veins until it reached his heart to make it frozen. Jonghyun then forced to open his eyes, to know what it was on his forehead. His eyelids twitched slowly as blurry image came to his vision. He had to blink several times to adjust his eyes with not-so-bright light there.

The next thing, he heard Key’s screaming which was more like a happy squealing. Jonghyun quickly shut his eyes because Key’s high pitch voice struck his ear and made him dizzy in instant time. Disappointment came as the chill disappeared abruptly.

“Oh my sweet Lord! You’re awake! You’re awake! I thought you won’t awake like forever! Don’t you know how was I’m worried about you? I’ll tell the others!” as usual, Key’s babbling was always fast but each word still can be heard clearly. Still shutting his eyes, Jonghyun could still managed to tugging Key’s shirt.

“Wait, what about my . . . biology project?” Jonghyun said weakly as his eyes opened at a snail’s pace. He could see Key by now was standing from his seat which was beside his bed. His eyes were slightly wondering around Key, exploring the already familiar room. It was school’s infirmary room.

“Well, Minho said he will submit it as a form his apologize for you.”

Jonghyun giggled lightly, an image of Minho in manic panic ran across his mind. “He better do it, then.”

“Of course he will! He looked terribly scared to death when he saw you lying on the ground motionless like dead meat! I should go now, he have to know about your conscious. Senior, please take care of him for awhile, okay?” Key bowed slightly before vanished from the room. Jonghyun then realized that there was another person in the room – which Key called him as senior. His eyes flicked and saw the figure, sitting on the left side of his bed. That’s why he didn’t see it he was too focus with Key on the other side before.

“Hi,” the person – who was maybe his senior – greeted Jonghyun with a warm smile. Jonghyun felt his heartbeat rise fluently.

“Um I . . . uh . . . hi?” Jonghyun’s voice staggered in a dull tone. Jonghyun didn’t know what to talk about and he felt he slightly forgot how to breathe. He inhaled when he realized that his lungs were dying for fresh oxygen.

“Are you okay?” the senior showed concern on his face. Jonghyun barely nodded and trying to sit on his bed for making the other not worry about him. But his intention didn’t work well as he failed to sit properly because he felt his head heavy. The senior helped him by holding Jonghyun’s arms. At that time Jonghyun could feel the familiar low temperature on his arms.

“Don’t force yourself too much. Your friends will come here in a minute. Just stay at bed,” he told Jonghyun.

“Oh my God. Your hands are . . . cold.” Jonghyun then realized the chill on his forehead before was the senior’s hand.

“I’m sorry. You don’t like it?” the older let go of Jonghyun’s arms.

“N-no it’s okay,” Jonghyun grabbed the senior’s hands and blushed slightly when their skins brushed. He then let the hands off and hoped the senior didn’t realize his red cheek.

It seemed the senior pretend to not saw it so Jonghyun won’t feel embarrassed too much but there was a tiny smile at his lips. “Your friends were all panic when I brought you here, especially the tallest one.”

Jonghyun’s eyes widened, “Y-you were the one who brought me here? Thank you, um . . . senior?”

“Onew, my name is Onew,” the senior finally told his name as his eyes gazed softly to Jonghyun’s, hypnotizing him in a second. Jonghyun felt like his heart fall to the ground right now.

“Um I, uh, I’m Jonghyun.” Jonghyun nervously gazed back, like questioning to Onew ‘Can we meet again?’

“Nice to meet you Jonghyun,” Onew smiled gently. Jonghyun really admired Onew’s beautiful smile. It was comforting and somehow made Jonghyun feel safe, resembling him of feeling at home.

“Me too, senior. Uh, can we sometimes–,” Jonghyun hesitated for awhile but this wasn’t the time to be less of brave. He might not have this chance again, “–meet again? I . . . kinda like your cold hands. I can’t stand of the summer heat lately.”

“Oh well, it’s okay. I’m available every time you want me to.”

Jonghyun’s face brightened up. “Thank you senior, thank you very much!”

Jonghyun didn’t notice there were pairs of eyes who watched him behind the slightly open door. Key who was with Minho and Taemin sneaked a peek and silly smile forming on their lips.

“I don’t think we can come in right now. We don’t want to break the beautiful mood inside, do we?” Key whispered and half covered his own lips – looked somehow happier than the other two.

“My, my, Jonghyun hyung!” Taemin giggled like a kid.

“It was worth, then. He should thank me later,” Minho whispered and kind of liking his own thought.

-Several days later-

“Onew hyung! Onew hyung! Lend me your hand!” Jonghyun chirped cheerfully. Onew smiled softly at him and outstretched his arms. Jonghyun put Onew’s hands to his face and closed his eyes.

“How was it?” Onew tilted his head to examine the younger’s face. Jonghyun’s face looked peaceful and beautiful. Onew felt he begin flushed slowly.

“Good as always,” Jonghyun said without open his eyes; too focus with the chill on his face.

After their encounter at school’s infirmary, Jonghyun began to meet him fluently – to feel the cold hands on his face. At first it was awkward but slowly they got along pretty well which made Jonghyun wondered. Did he have special feeling towards Onew? But he quickly ditched the question away from his mind and reassured himself that it must be impossible to have feelings towards Onew. Boys weren’t supposed to like other boys, right?

Onew stared at the face in front of him. The beauty had taken his mind away – he couldn’t think clearly and felt his face getting closer to Jonghyun’s in every breath that he took. He wanted to just kiss Jonghyun right now. Jonghyun was too alluring. Did Jonghyun felt the same way like what he felt right now?

Jonghyun’s eyes suddenly snapped open which made Onew quite taken aback. Jonghyun grinned at Onew playfully, didn’t realize it.

“Onew hyung, I always wondered why your hands are so cold,” he paused for awhile, “Oooh! Are you – you know, like in a movie – a vampire?”

Onew laughed delightfully, “You’re just too much watching TV.”

“Come on, hyung!If you told me the truth, I’ll keep it as a secret between us!”

Onew placed his hands to his pocket, “No, it’s just I was born this way. My hands have lower temperature than anyone else. Doctor said it was odd too but it won’t do any harm to my health.”

“It’s that so? But hyung, if you think clearly, doesn’t it like some kind of fate?”

“Fate?” Onew raised his eyebrow.

“Yeah, I mean you have cold hands and I can’t stand of hot temperature. Doesn’t it match? So it is like you’re meant for me, like you were born in this world to be with me, to be a part of me. Because without you I may be can’t live in this heat world.” Jonghyun grinned stupidly but Onew just stared at him in silent.

Jonghyun frowned, “Hyung? Did I say something wrong?”

But then, Jonghyun’s slow brain finally caught something. He realized he just say something too much, something that shouldn’t be spoken. His colorless cheek turned to red.

“Oh my – I, just forget what I’ve said before – I . . .” he forced his brain to work so hard so he could find an excuse that makes sense, “I remember I have to go somewhere with Key. I have to go now!”

With that, Jonghyun dashed out from Onew’s classroom, leaving the blushing Onew alone in the low light.
 

Jonghyun’s eyes flicked swiftly to find Key. When he found the familiar hair of Key’s, he sprinted like crazy and grabbed Key’s arms. Key lost his balance and nearly collapse. The manga on his hand was almost fall too if he didn’t grip on it tightly. Key turned to shot Jonghyun a deadly glare.

“You! Why can’t you–”

But Jonghyun had already cut before Key could bicker around like always, “Key! Kim Kibum Key! Oh God, I just said something stupid! Stupid mouth! Stupid mouth!”

Key was about to scolded Jonghyun but abruptly stopped because he felt entertained seeing Jonghyun like that. He smiled mockingly although he didn’t intend to. “Yeah, yeah I already know you’re stupid enough. But you should told me first so I could know what stupid things that you do again.”

Jonghyun didn’t really hear Key’s mocking so he just spilled it out. “I just said something embarrassing to Onew hyung, Key! Something that a boy shouldn’t say it to other boy.”

Key giggled, “What? A confession?”

“I, uh . . . what? N- no! Why should I – how could I–”

The next thing Key heard was an incoherent babbling from Jonghyun. Key scowled because he utterly didn’t understand what Jonghyun was talking about. He cleared his throat so Jonghyun could stop at that moment.

“Kim Jonghyun, if you keep babbling something I don’t even understand, how am I supposed to get it? Now, say it in short, clear words. Straight to the point.” Key’s voice seemed calm and stern.

Jonghyun lowered his head, “I said something stupid that I think it was maybe, maybe it was like a confession to Onew hyung . . .”

“Oh well you like him anyway, don’t you?”

“Wha–? Who said so?” Key gave him a short, deadly glare, “Err . . . okay maybe you’re right.”

Key sighed and put his hand to Jonghyun’s shoulder while the other still held the manga, “Come on Jonghyun, we’ve been friend like from . . . Dinosaur age. You can’t hide anything from me, y’know.”

Jonghyun gazed at Key. “Yeah. Maybe I do like him, but what about him? He might not like me back and maybe he hates me right now. He must have thought I’m kind of disgusting.”

“Oh please, did you even hear that words coming out from him?” Jonghyun shook his head. “Well then, how’s his expression when you said that?”

“I don’t know . . . I was too embarrassed that time so I ran out to find you. And here I am.”

Key chuckled, “You’ve always been this stupid all of the time. Just go back to him now and tell him properly your real feelings. Now.”

“But I . . .”

“I said NOW!” Key’s eyes almost popped out. “Before he likes someone else! Before you regret it!”

Jonghyun gulped but walked weakly toward Onew’s classroom. He sneaked a peek inside and found that Onew was already standing in front of a girl – a quite pretty girl. Before he likes someone else! Before you regret it! Jonghyun swallowed hard and Key’s words were like echoing on his mind. Jonghyun shook his head to go back to his sanity.

They were standing close and Jonghyun could feel like his heart being pinched hard. They seemed having a serious conversation but Jonghyun couldn’t hear anything since he was too far away. Could she be . . . ?

Suddenly Onew stepped closer to the girl. Jonghyun’s eyes widened. What is he going to do with the girl?

Onew’s hand was going to reach the girl’s face. Jonghyun couldn’t take it anymore. He didn’t want Onew to touch the girl. He didn’t want Onew make the girl feel like what he feel. He came out from his hiding place before rushed out inside. “Stop!” he shouted.

The other two looked quite surprised at Jonghyun’s coming. Jonghyun paused to thinking what words he should say.

“Onew hyung, I don’t want you to touch her like you touch me. I don’t want you make her feel the chill on your hands. I don’t want you to being closer with her. I – I like you . . .” Jonghyun felt his voice vanished after he said those simple three words.

The classroom fell into a dull silent. Jonghyun could feel the tension grew inside the pit of his stomach. It was nauseating. He wished he could just fade away into thin air right now.

“Um, I think I should leave you two alone, then?” the girl finally spoke. Onew nodded and the girl came out from the classroom.

The wave of silent began to come again. Jonghyun felt numb and he couldn’t move. Onew stepped closer which made Jonghyun winced.

“Now that it’s just you and me, can you . . . repeat that again?”

Jonghyun gulped again, beads of sweat fall from his face. “It’s just I . . . you know . . . err forget it hyung. You will feel disgust if I say it again.”

Jonghyun was going to leave but Onew already caught his arms. The familiar chill spread on his arms again, giving a slight shiver to him. Jonghyun bit his lips as Onew turned Jonghyun to face him. “Please, say it again.”

Onew stared at him with his soft eyes again. The gentleness in his eyes that could make Jonghyun’s heart felt so warm, so comfortable. Unlike his hands, his gaze was warm. Although there were different temperature that Jonghyun felt right now, it still made Jonghyun felt comfortable.

Jonghyun gazed down on the floor, too embarrassed to show his face. “I like you.”

Onew pulled Jonghyun’s chin gently. “Look at me,” he said. Then he lowered his head until their lips touched.

Jonghyun felt too surprised to talk. So he just closed his eyes and let the kiss take his mind away. The kiss felt so amazing. Onew put so much gentle and feeling on it, feeling that he likes Jonghyun back. Jonghyun wanted to scream in happiness so badly. But for now, all that he could do is just enjoying the feeling that Onew give to him. Every time Onew’s lips move on his, he felt his heart jumped and his stomach lurched. It was such a strange feeling but he like it.

Onew gave him a small kiss on his lips once again before he stopped and put his forehead to Jonghyun’s. They let the silent took away their time by gazing quietly at each other and hear their own soft breath. Onew hugged Jonghyun to make their distance getting closer.

“Are you . . . feeling disgust?” Jonghyun asked with a low voice, like afraid that someone could hear.

“Why are you still asking about that?”

“I just need to make sure.”

Onew smiled lightly, “How could I feel disgust? You’re just too . . . captivating.”

Jonghyun blushed, “Am I?”

Onew chuckled, “Yeah, should I say more? You’re fascinating, charming, attractive, gorgeous, beau–”

“Sshhh, stop it. Do you want to make me die in embarrassment?” Jonghyun’s colorless cheek became more and more red.

“Ha ha so you feel embarrassed now? That’s cute.”

“And can you please let me go now? I’m having a hard time to look at you now. If we still in this kind of distance, we will become cross-eyed.”

Onew then go of Jonghyun but still locked his eyes to Jonghyun. “There, don’t worry about become cross-eyed now.”

Jonghyun grinned slightly to Onew, “I thought you’re going to touch her face like what you did to me because she asked you to. I thought you like her.”

“How could you think like that?”

“Well, your hand looked like it wanted to touch her face. Besides, both of you looked like having some kind of serious talk. I didn’t know it though; I couldn’t hear it since I was far away from both of you. So my instinct just told me I should stop whatever you’re going to do to the girl.”

Onew laughed lightly, “Are you a detective now? No, I don’t like her or whatever. There was a mosquito on his face and I wanted to scare the mosquito away that’s why my hand looked like it wanted to touch her face. To be honest I almost slap her face to kill the mosquito. Thank God you stop me.”

Jonghyun laughed loudly but then he felt awkward again. “Hyung, so are we like . . . you know . . . um, couple or something?”

“Nope,” Jonghyun felt like the words slap his face hard, “not yet, I mean.”

Jonghyun squinted his eyes at Onew, “Oh you really know how to make my heart stop beating!”

Onew just smiled then took Jonghyun’s hands and gave him an intent look which successfully made Jonghyun’s heart beat rapidly once again. “Jonghyun, do you want to be the one for me?”

“Absolutely,” Jonghyun answered with a small smile.

Outside the classroom, as usual the other three were peeking at the scene. Silly smiles came to their lips once again but unlike the other day, this time the happiness consumed them too much that they could feel what Jonghyun’s felt right now.

“See what I’ve told ya,” Key whispered and giggled.

“Oh my, we should make a recording of them earlier!” Taemin made a low screech.

“Taemin you aren’t supposed to be in here, you’re underage!” Minho said.

“Oh not this again, hyung,” Taemin whined.

I'm at making the ending. But I hope you like it!

Thank you for reading♥!

Jongyu is love ♥

Have a good summer!