"Have you ever wished that you had a second chance to meet someone again for the first time?"

"Have you heard? That famous singer is dead!"

"Yeah. A fan of his went on a rampage!"

"He even killed a staff member!"

Whispers resounded from every corner of the street as kids, teens and adults alike talked and gossiped. Groups of people were scattered everywhere, passing hearsays and rumors; sharing stories that they have just heard from somebody else.

A duo briskly walked passed them. A tall, blond boy pulled his struggling doe-eyed companion away from the crowd of students. The teenagers didn't even notice them as they were far too busy talking amongst each other to notice.

"Let me go!" the doe-eyed boy complained. "Sehun! I'm serious!"

Sehun didn't slacken his hold over his friend's shoulder. He continued pulling the boy away from the crowd, unmindful of the rather strong resistance that he was getting.

"Luhan," Sehun called out flatly. "If I let you go, you'd march up to them," the blond male inclined his head towards the throng of people before he met Luhan's eyes once again and continued, "and you'd give them a piece of your mind."

Luhan glared at him from the corner of his eyes as he successfully pried his shoulder away from Sehun's hand.

"Well, they deserve it!" Luhan hissed as he stomped alongside his friend. He grew more irritated as they passed by more people because as he did so, he heard more of those ridiculous stories and false rumors.

Sehun, for his part, rolled his eyes at the gossip that resounded from all around him. His grip found Luhan's shoulder once again and it tightened more so than before. The blond dragged the fuming boy away as Luhan moved to approach a couple once more.

Luhan glared at the people that were littered on the streets, or more specifically, the gossiping ones. He suddenly stopped and angrily turned to Sehun, grinding his teeth as he glared at the other male. "They don't even know the whole story!" He hissed to Sehun. "How could they spread rumors about them like that?!"

"You don't know the story either," Sehun pointed out in amusement as he continued walking. Luhan gawked, eye twitching before he came back to his senses and ran to catch up to the blond. The shorter of the two cursed his friend's long legs as he hastily followed him.

"It doesn't matter!" Luhan said when he finally caught up to Sehun. "I knew them back then and..." he said with a pout as he trailed off.

"If you want to prove their innocence so much, then hurry up," Sehun said as he eyed the bag that Luhan was wearing. "That's part of why we're going there after all."

Luhan grinned and walked even faster than Sehun, teasing him, but the blond only laughed as he easily caught up.

 

Luhan swallowed down the lump building in his throat as they neared the big, white building. Sehun watched him at the corner of his eyes but didn’t pause in his stride nor ask Luhan whether he wanted to continue. Luhan ignored him and eyed the bustling men and women in white coats, some of whom had patients with them.

The sun was at its highest point that day. Its bright rays illuminated the large banner above the hospital. A mental institute was happily welcoming its visitors.

Luhan slowed down, and Sehun matched his pace as he eyed him in concern. “Sehun,” Luhan whispered, heart thundering in his chest, “what the are we doing here?

Sehun stared at him. “We’re here because we know – no, you know – that Jongin doesn’t deserve to be in there.” He inclined his head at the imposing building. “We’re here because you are on a mission. Come on, Lu. You didn’t convince me for a whole week just so you can give up now.”

The pair looked at each other for a few seconds. Luhan smiled nervously and scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah… Yeah! He needs to see this letter. It’s- it’s the least I could do…”

“There you go then.” Sehun smiled as they resumed their previous pace.

“Oh, and Sehun?” Luhan asked. “It’s not just my mission you know. You’re here with me, aren’t you?” He grinned at Sehun and walked faster, leaving the other gaping at him.

 

"Good afternoon," Luhan greeted the scary-looking receptionist that sat behind the desk as he smiled charmingly. Luhan bowed and smiled at the other receptionists as well before he spoke again. "We're here to see Kim Jongin."

"And what is your relationship with Mr. Kim, may I ask?" The receptionist inquired. Sehun sighed impatiently as he scrutinized the ferocious looking male. The blond man's eyes landed on the name tag that was clipped just below the guy's heart. It read Huang Zitao.

"Listen here, Zitao -," Sehun said, but Zitao interrupted.

"It's Tao." Tao's eyes turned to him, and Sehun sighed in annoyance.

"Okay, Tao," the blond male repeated in a somewhat sarcastic tone. "Whatever our relationship with Kim Jongin is, it's none of your business," he said quite rudely. Tao leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

Tao and Sehun stared at each other, obviously challenging the other. Tao scrutinized Sehun and the latter met his stare with just as much provocation.

A whole minute passed and none of them was willing to back down. Luhan nervously looked back and forth between the two. Another minute slipped by as visitors began to notice them with much suspicion. It was when a kid screamed - "Mama, they look like they're going to hit each other!" - that Luhan decided to step in.

Luhan gripped Sehun's elbow which served as an indicator that he will handle it. A moment passed, and the doe-eyed boy tightened his hold which caused Sehun to flinch and sigh in retreat before averting his gaze. An almost undetectable smirk crossed Tao's lips as he looked at Sehun in triumph. The blond male was about to rudely insult the receptionist when Luhan's nervous laugh drew Tao's attention to him. "W-what my friend means is that we're just worried about Jongin. We're his f-friends and... we're here to give him a gift."

Luhan desperately hoped that Tao didn't catch the slight stutter when he said the word 'friend'. So maybe he was stretching the truth a bit... they were barely friends back then... more like two strangers sharing the same house- but he needed to talk to Jongin. And Luhan will do anything just to do that.

"Mr. Kim isn't stable yet," Tao informed coldly. “We can’t allow you to see him.” His voice didn't seem welcoming at all and it seemed like he had memorized the sentence and uttered it a thousand times before. He sounded just like a robot which made Luhan's skin crawl.

Upon hearing the sentence, Luhan's doe-like stare eluded a cold and judgmental aura as he looked at Tao. "He's not crazy," he said stiffly as his posture turned defensive. It was Sehun's turn to put a calming hand on his friend's shoulder.

Tao sighed tiredly as he rubbed his temple in irritation. Some people just can't accept that the ones they love had lost it. "Then can you please tell me why a perfectly sane man would scream at an empty space and tell it to leave him alone?" Tao asked Luhan sarcastically. He rested his head on his palm and looked at Luhan with a bored expression.

Luhan exchanged confused looks with Sehun. The pair turned to the receptionist with a question clear in their eyes.

"What do you mean?"

Tao sighed again and shook his head at the utter confusion that the two males emitted. "Never mind," he waved off, staring at Sehun and Luhan with a serious expression. "If you want to go through the risk, you’ll have to sign some contracts that would free the institution from any obligation if you were to get hurt.”

"Yes," they answered no hesitation present in their voices at all. Tao stared at them for a moment before he sighed.

"Jeez- Fine," he consented, knowing that nothing he could say will stop them. The receptionist looked around for a moment before his eyes landed on a tall, blond man that was just passing by. His whole face lightened up as a big grin managed to find its way to his face. Sehun and Luhan followed his eyes, confused as to what or who could make the guy smile like that.

"Mr. President!" Tao called. Kris turned upon hearing his name being called by the familiar voice. He looked over and grinned before approaching the trio.

A sputter of nervous greetings reached Kris when he arrived. Kris just held up one hand and they fell into silence. Sehun and Luhan glanced at the receptionists in bewilderment.

"What do you need?" he asked with a smile. The tall male completely ignored the other two standing before him. Luhan gawked at Kris for ignoring them, and Sehun glared disbelieving that an employee would have the guts to ignore his client, but then the blond's eyes landed on Kris' formal attire and it clicked in his brain.

"I mean... Mr. Wu, these two people wish to see Kim Jongin," Tao informed as he gestured to the Sehun an Luhan that was completely ignored. Kris brows furrowed and a concerned frown etched its way into his face as he turned to them.

"It is highly inadvisable, but if you want to risk it, you need to sign a contract that would not hold the hospital responsible for anything that may happen during your visit."

Sehun resisted the urge to sigh. Is that the main question for today? Sehun and Luhan stared at each other before they turned to Kris, both boys giving the president their own answer.

"Anything."

"All right."

Kris stared at them for a moment before he sighed. He grabbed a passing employee and whispered something in his ear. The employee nodded and left without another word. He came back with a sheet of paper in hand, and the pair hastily read the contents before signing.

"Please stay here while we ready the room," Kris requested before he turned to Tao, "and Mr. Huang please come with me."

They left Sehun and Luhan alone without another word. Kris was hissing something to Tao, but they were far enough away that Sehun couldn't hear their conversation. Luhan nudged Sehun's arm and the blond boy snapped off his eavesdropping.

"Sehun, thank you" Luhan mumbled as a tinge of red appeared on his cheeks. Sehun chuckled and wound an arm around his neck. The blond rubbed his knuckles against Luhan's head as he did so.

"You’re welcome," he said casually. Luhan playfully punched his shoulder with a roguish smile. Sehun pretended to wince as he rubbed the spot in mock hurt.

"He's not nuts..."

"I know, I know," the blond assured as Luhan pouted at him. He ruffled the boy's hair and Luhan smacked his arm away.

A comfortable silence settled between them; the kind of silence that you experienced only with people that you've known long enough.

"You know," Sehun began with a smile as he stared off into the distance. "I'm really glad that auntie adopted you." Luhan turned to look at him curiously.

"You're being thankful for the wrong reason," Luhan replied as he shook his head at Sehun's confession. "You should be glad that our moms are best friends," he corrected. "If they weren't friends then you wouldn't know me even if mama adopted me."

Sehun opened his mouth to answer but the employee from before approached them. "Luhan and Sehun, correct?" he asked and they nodded.

"Please follow me," he requested. The man began walking away even before Sehun and Luhan had the chance to reply. They were left with no choice but to follow.

An uncomfortable silence surrounded the trio as they walked. No one spoke, and the only sound heard was the clicking of shoes on the tiled floor.

Sehun couldn't help but observe the place around him. The walls were covered with white paint, and the hospital looked new. Rooms were soundproofed and it can only be viewed through a big glass window. It gave Sehun the creeps and he couldn't stop himself as he inched closer to Luhan. It looked way too much like a prison.

The employee stopped in front of a door with the numbers 011214. He opened it and walked inside to stand beside the door. There were 4 other guards that were stationed at the four corners of the room.

Just like the previous rooms that they had seen before, the walls were white and the floor is tiled. Sehun and Luhan's eyes then landed on the boy that sat behind a desk, the boy that they had come to see.

Sehun gawked at the sight and jumped in shock as Luhan emitted a very audible gasp. The blond turned to stare questioningly at him but Luhan only had eyes for Jongin.

The brown-haired male was nowhere near to what he had looked like before. He had dark circles under his closed eyes as if he had not slept for weeks; a sunken face and a pale, shallowly skin. Anyone who would see him would be able to tell that he had lost all will to live.

They would see that the man before them had lost everything that he lived for and that he was nothing more than a shell of what he previously was.

Jongin slowly opened his eyes to look at the newcomers. Luhan and Sehun stepped back at the dead and lifeless look in those once passionate eyes.

What had happened to make him so... dead? Luhan wanted to know but he then realized that he already knew.

The famous singer, Do Kyungsoo, died - that's what. Now Luhan wanted to know another thing- how close were Jongin and Kyungsoo for the male to turn out like this?

Luhan slowly moved to approach Jongin but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned his head and found the nurse looking at him seriously.

"We'll be out here in case things get out of control," he reassured the doe-eyed boy. He noticed just how uncomfortable the duo was right after seeing Jongin. "He's as much danger to himself as he is to you."

Luhan nodded and swallowed thickly. He glanced at Sehun for comfort only to find that the blond male was also sweating slightly. The guards all left in one file and all looked at Sehun and Luhan as if they had signed their death sentence.

Luhan and Sehun slowly inched closer to Jongin., and he stared at them blankly all the while. The pair then sat at the two chairs that were in front of Jongin and stared back at him.

A minute passed. Two... Three... but not a single one of the trio emitted a single sound. Sehun and Luhan could only gaze helplessly at Jongin as they wondered if the lad had any life left in him. If he still had a fire in him that they could spark once more.

All of a sudden, a beautiful voice then filled the room. Luhan sweat-dropped and he hastily ended the call, cutting off Kyungsoo's ethereal voice as he did so. He nervously looked at Jongin's eyes again only to blink in shock. The lifeless eyes had regained some of its warmth and emotion and Jongin was staring at the phone in sadness. Was he actually affected by the song?

Sehun and Luhan exchanged knowing looks. They had just figured out how to get through Kim Jongin.

"Jongin," Luhan began. "Do you know what they say about you? And about Do Kyungsoo?" he asked.

At the mention of the name, Jongin's eyes flashed with life and the brown-haired boy stiffened in his seat. He slowly shook his head and stared at the ground. Sehun exchanged looks with Luhan again.

"They say that you killed someone," Sehun stated bluntly. Jongin met his eyes again with a blank look on his face.

"Why should I care about that?" Jongin croaked and finally spoke for the first time. His voice had turned raspy after so much time of not using it.

"Because you and Kyungsoo were close," Sehun told him and Luhan nodded slowly beside Sehun. "You don't want his memory tarnished do you?"

"No... I-" Jongin faltered. He shook his head and his hands traveled to his hair to clutch it as he did so. The guards outside shuffled nervously. "What should I do?" he asked them with a lost look in his eyes.

Luhan smiled at him and grasped his hand. "Just tell us what happened," he said, "and we'll spread the word."

"B-but, where should I start? So much has happened-so, so much..." Jongin said in a breathy voice. His eyes clouded as he spoke. Sehun stared at him while Luhan smiled at him gently.

"Why don't you start from the beginning?" he suggested softly. Jongin nodded slowly as the clouded look increased in his eyes.

"It was on the evening of January 14, 2004, when my life turned upside down. It was supposed to be the night that my life ended, but I have always survived accidents before."

 

"Donghae, why did you use this road?" Yoona asked her husband. She looked out of the window nervously and her stomach lurched with fear when she saw that she could see absolutely nothing. "It's so dark..."

"Don't worry," Donghae reassured her as he held her hand. "No one uses this road; only a few brave people. Besides, I want to celebrate Jongin's 16th birthday already."

"But still-" Yoona trailed off, and she bit her lower lip in worry. Donghae tightened his hold on Yoona's hand. Sometimes, Yoona tended to worry too much.

"Calm down," Donghae told her with a laugh. "We're going to take a left turn and then we'll use the main road," he added.

Yoona nodded although her fears stayed with her. She just couldn't shake off the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong. She sneaked a peek at her son over her shoulder only to find him smiling at their linked hands.

Jongin smiled happily as his parents held hands at the front of the car. He seldom sees them sweet that whenever he could, he would smile to himself and wonder about how lucky his parents were that they had each other. With a last smile at their joint hands, Jongin looked out the window to gaze at the twinkling night sky.

"Jongin," his mother's voice called his attention. Jongin's gaze left the stars above to meet the stare of his mother. "Where do you want to eat today?" she asked.

Jongin shook his head happily and grinned at his mother. "Anywhere with you would be perfect!"

His father laughed and met Jongin's eyes through the rearview mirror. "Yoona, he so got his charms from me!" he gloated. Yoona smacked his arm and chuckled to herself.

"Oh please, Donghae, who did he get his looks from?" Yoona gloated back, all but putting aside her fears as she fell into the normal routine of bantering with her husband. Jongin chuckled quietly as the pair began to bicker.

"Aside from charms, he got his drawing skills from me!"

"How about his singing skills?"

"Dancing skills!"

Their squabble faded in the back ground as Jongin blocked them out. He wasn't annoyed, of course not. His parents were always like this. They would argue like children and fight like children; but like kids, they also loved with all their heart.

If anything, Jongin was slightly jealous of their relationship. He wanted to have a companion, someone who will never leave him. Jongin wanted a friend who will go with him through thick and thin.

Jongin paused and he wondered whether someone like that really existed. His eyes wandered up to the stars again, and he silently made a wish for himself.

'I want to have someone like that too,' he thought as he closed his eyes tightly and folded his hands together. He wished so hard that Jongin drowned out any other noise. Only his mother's shrill and terror-filled scream woke him up from his trance.

Jongin's eyes snapped open and he swiftly turned to the front only to be blinded by a bright light.

Everything was a blur then; time seemed to have stopped. Jongin could remember how his mother mouthed the words 'I love you' and how his father clutched his hand. Jongin wished that time would just be still forever, but alas! Not every wish could be granted, and so time moved again for Jongin and the last thing that he could see was his mother's tear-stained face and the bright head lights of a bus charging right at them.

 

"And then what happened?" Luhan asked curiously. Jongin met his curious stare with his own dead ones.

"They died, but I survived. The doctors consider it as a miracle. I should have died. If I had been left long enough - I should have died, but I didn't; I didn't because Do Kyungsoo saved me."

"How could he save you from that?" asked Sehun in an incredulous voice. "Don't tell me he's an alien and that he could teleport."

"He's not," Jongin stated blankly. "I... I didn't actually see him do it. But they told me that he was the one who called the ambulance. When I woke up I was already at the hospital."

"You must be really grateful," Luhan remarked. Jongin turned his blank eyes to face the doe-eyed boy. He slowly shook his head and his eyes never left Luhan's.

"I wasn't," denied Jongin, a faraway look in his eyes. "I hated him."

 

Jongin blinked groggily only to be greeted by white. It was as clear as daylight that he was in a hospital. But what was he doing there? Jongin tried and failed to come up with a possible answer. He slowly sat up on his bed and he finally noticed the other occupants of the room. There were 5 other people who were sleeping in the room with him. Not a single bed contained his parents, he noted. Jongin shrugged it off and ignored how his heart skipped a beat in his chest. Perhaps they were just in another room or something.

Jongin smiled nervously as the anxiousness grew. He tried to convince the nagging voice in his head that his parents were fine. That they were probably resting, all safe and sound. Jongin flinched at his own words. For he noticed just how hollow and empty they sounded.

In a feeble attempt to distract himself from the dark thoughts that were beginning to formulate on his brain, Jongin observed the room that he was in.

The room was rectangular in shape. The walls were painted white, as well as the floor. Everything was so white that Jongin was attacked with sudden claustrophobia.

He didn't want to be here. He didn't belong here. The walls felt like they were enclosing on him.

Restricting.

Trapping.

Suffocating.

Jongin wanted to leave. He wanted to take his parents away and never look back.

The door creaked open and Jongin felt hope bloom in his chest. Only to drop when he saw that it was just a pale, beautiful and dark-haired nurse.

"Where's my mom and dad?" Jongin asked; anxious to get rid of the dread that had pooled at the bottom of his stomach. He didn't beat around the bush and the nurse blinked in shock at the sudden question.

She approached him and she didn't even bother to give him an answer. Instead, she checked how his body was doing. Jongin couldn't help but notice that the nurse refused to meet his eyes. It irritated Jongin a little bit. All she had to do was to open and answer the question. Was that so hard to do?

"Where are my mom and dad?" Jongin repeated in a louder voice, unsure whether the nurse heard him. Her eyes flashed to his face for a moment before it went back to his records.

Jongin bit down his growl of frustration and his stomach tightened into knots. He shifted nervously on the bed and waited patiently for her to answer. As she was doing what she was doing, Jongin's eyes landed on her name tag. 'Sandara Park' it read.

Time passed, Jongin didn't know how long Sandara stayed but then she finally finished her rounds and she turned to leave.

"Where's my -"

"I- I don't think I should be the one telling you this..." she cut Jongin's sentence off with a stutter. The nurse didn't bother to turn around but even with her back turned to him, Jongin could tell that she was shaking.

"Tell me what...?" he asked with a shaky voice. Subconsciously aware of what she was about to say but refusing to believe it. The dread that pooled at the bottom of his stomach increased a thousand times, and Jongin felt like puking all of a sudden.

Sandara turned around to face Jongin. She clutched her uniform as she tried her hardest to look at Jongin's eyes. "They- they're not... with us... anymore," she confessed. Silence reigned in the room. Snores from the other occupants were heard, as well as the beeping sounds of machines. Sandara nervously stared at Jongin as the boy lowered his head and bowed.

Sandara hesitantly took a step closer, her heels making a sound as it hit the tiled floor. Jongin's head snapped up to stare at her and the nurse hastily took a step backward at the apparent anger behind his eyes.

"Don't lie," he said icily as he continued to stare her down. "Don't ing mess with me."

Sandara took another step back and was about to answer when the door opened to reveal a very handsome doctor.

"Doctor Ji-yong!" she exclaimed and breathed in relief. "It's a good thing that you're here!" She rushed to the doctor's side and then stared in something akin to fear at Jongin.

"Sandara," he called, his eyes going back and forth between Jongin's hateful look and Sandara's tired and nervous face. "You told him didn't you?"

"I-I'm sorry," Sandara stammered out as she bowed her head. Ji-yong sighed and patted her shoulder as he moved closer to Jongin. He didn't know why but he felt like running away all of a sudden.

"She's telling the truth," he told Jongin slowly as he walked towards the boy.

"I said don't lie!" Jongin screamed. A sudden sharp pain flared on his head. His hand immediately flew to it but instead of his skin, his hand was met with a bandage.

Bandage- Jongin's eyes widened as the events rushed back. His birthday, the bus and most importantly, his parents. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. These people were lying. There was no way in hell that his parents were dead. They were strong. Jongin strongly believed that.

'That doesn't mean they can't die,' the voice in his head taunted him. Jongin grimaced as he tried to ignore the annoying voice. But it was relentless.

"Jongin -" Ji-yong tried again only to be tongue-tied at the furious look that the younger boy sported.

"They're only human after all," the voice continued. "Humans are weak. They're vulnerable, they bleed. They die."

The memory of his parents smiling flashed in his brain before it shattered. Jongin stiffened when it was replaced with a gruesome image instead, and he felt sick to his stomach.

"Shut up!"

Ji-yong stopped dead in his tracks, and he nervously looked at the patients as they shifted in their beds. They would wake if Jongin continued screaming. He needed to calm him down.

Ji-yong held his hands in front of him, palms facing Jongin, as an attempt to calm the boy down. It did nothing but agitate him further.

"Don't come closer!" Jongin ordered weakly as his headache grew worse. Dragon ignored it and moved closer to the boy.

"They're dead Jongin. They've left you," Ji-yong told him. Seven more steps and he'd be by Jongin's side. Jongin clutched his head and then glared at the doctor. He covered his ears and shut his eyes tightly as he screamed.

"Don't lie! Don't lie! Don't lie!!"

Ji-yong hastily took the last seven steps needed and then he knelt by Jongin's side.

"I'm so sorry..."

Jongin slowly opened his eyes and met the doctor's earnest gaze and his own welled with tears. He shut his eyes tightly as the tears streamed down his face. He didn't want to believe it- He didn't... but his heart was already mourning.

"I said don't..." Jongin faltered. Lie? But they weren't lying were they? He knew it... deep down he knew it. He just didn't want to accept it.

"Who saved me?"

"Do Kyungsoo," the doctor informed. He watched Jongin's reaction carefully but the boy showed no outward emotion. Inside, though, Jongin was seething.

"Do Kyungsoo..." He repeated, not liking how perfectly the name rolled off his tongue. Jongin would remember that name. Not to thank the bastard for saving his life, but to inform him how death would be easier than the hell that he put Jongin in.

The bastard was very selfish, though. He didn't save Jongin because he wanted to. He saved Jongin for himself.

It was because humans are selfish- it's in their very nature. They don't help others to really help others. They help others to feel good about themselves. That's just exactly what Do Kyungsoo did.

He didn't even stay until Jongin had woken up.

Tears continued its relentless journey down his face. Jongin kept his eyes shut tight, not wanting to leave the darkness that it provided. If he were to open them again... he'd have to face reality, and Jongin wanted nothing more than to escape it.

"I'm really sorry Jongin," Ji-yong apologized once more. "We couldn't save them."

Jongin's eyes snapped open at the sentence. Raw and pure anger bubbled in his chest, threatening to burst. Anger at whom, he didn't know. Maybe at himself because he continued to live... it could be directed at Do Kyungsoo for saving his life... or at the bus driver for killing his parents... perhaps even at the doctors who failed to save his parents' lives.

At that moment, it didn't matter. Jongin needed an outlet and he would use anyone who was within reach.

"It's your fault," he accused venomously as he glared at the doctor. "This is all your fault!"

Ji-yong’s eyes widened at the words. He opened his mouth to answer but Jongin's next sentence left him speechless.

"Get away from me you murderer!"

A gasp was heard and Sandara chose that exact moment to enter the conversation. The nurse spoke up from her position by the door. “Don’t you dare-"

Ji-yong held up his hand to silence her. The doctor slowly reached out to touch Jongin's shoulder but it only made him thrash about.

"No! No!" he screamed as he flailed about. "Don't touch me! Get away from me!"

By then, all of the patients in the room were awake and they all stared at Jongin. Ji-yong didn't spare them a glance, his eyes trained on Jongin's bandaged head that was slowly turning red because of the blood that was seeping out of the wound.

"Jongin," the doctor said slowly as he retracted his hand. "Calm do-"

"Shut up!!" Jongin bellowed as he turned away from the doctor. He then felt a sharp sting on his arm and he hastily turned around to face the doctor.

 He looked apologetic as he held the syringe in his hand.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't want to do it, but you left me no choice."

Jongin blinked as the doctor's form gradually grew blurrier. The room started to spin and Jongin weakly raised an arm to point it accusingly at the doctor. "What did you do?" he breathed. Ji-yong’s mouth formed the words but Jongin couldn't understand any of it. The words morphed together and trying to decipher it made his headache worse.

"What did you-" the arm fell down on the bed with a thump and then all Jongin could see was nothing but black.

 

"Wow." Sehun whistled. "You were really hot-headed, weren't you?" he asked.

Luhan elbowed him and then smiled sweetly at Jongin. "And then what happened?" he asked, hopeful that he would divert Jongin's heated glare away from Sehun.

With a last glare at the blond male, to which Sehun impishly shrugged his shoulders, Jongin turned to Luhan.

"Then I was sent to the orphanage. I spent most of my time alone. I hid from people. I was a loner. I didn't care, though. Because of the dark aura that always surrounded me, I was never a choice for adoption, and so I wouldn't even go when someone was being picked. I would eat alone and spend most of my time sleeping. That was how I lived after losing my parents," Jongin paused and stared at the ground before he looked up again. "My relatives didn't want me. They didn't want to adopt a child when life was already hard... So they left me to survive on my own... They left me to die."

Sehun and Luhan gawked at Jongin, when not even five seconds later, the brown-haired boy slapped himself. Jongin shook his head and rubbed the red mark on his cheek. He caught their surprised looks, and he shook his head in a dismissive manner.

"Eventually, I saw Kyungsoo again."

 

It was after two months when Jongin got discharged from the hospital. They used his parents' funds to pay for the fees. Two months when Jongin moved to a different home and six months since the death of his parents.

It didn't take long for Jongin to find out that his 'savior' was a very famous singer and actor; a very famous and very much loved singer and actor.

Jongin's mood instantly soured when he heard the latest song playing on the radio. It's not the song itself that irritated Jongin. It was who was singing the song. Jongin wanted to put a sock on the guys' mouth so he would shut up.

"Kyungsoo’s voice is divine" the girls who were listening to the radio squealed. Jongin glared at them in annoyance and stormed out of the room.

That was how his life at the orphanage went. Kyungsoo would be heard singing on the radio and then Jongin would walk out and leave for his favorite spot in the whole orphanage. It was behind the house and it was hidden by a cluster of trees and thick bushes that were never cut.

That place was the only area that he could be alone and Jongin loved to be alone. He sought isolation- needed it like it was his air. Jongin didn't really want it, but he knew that it was better than to get attached...

The orphanage was filled with children. The annoying and whiny ones... the loud ones and the big kids that loved to bully the annoying ones. It all irritated Jongin. But then again, it was hard to find something that didn't irritate him after his parents' deaths.

Everything reminded Jongin of them and if he was reminded of them, he'd be reminded of the bus driver, of the doctors, and of Do Kyungsoo.

And when Jongin remembered that he was saved and his parents weren't, he'd be reminded that he was alone. And that was what made living for him unbearable. He had a family, they just didn't want him. In the end, he was left to fight for himself. In the end, everyone left him behind...

It was a fear that he couldn't get rid of. Jongin had long ago stopped trusting people. He eventually got tired of being disappointed, and so he learned to live on his own.

More often than not, due to the loneliness, Jongin thought of suicide but every time he would try; his hands would shake so much that he wouldn't even have enough strength to hold the blade, and even if Jongin managed to hold the blade in place, he could never do it. He could never bring himself to slit his wrist.

Death was better than the hell that he was in, and yet Jongin couldn't bring himself to end his life. In the end, he was nothing but a coward.

Jongin sighed in irritation as he looked up at the sky. He flinched as the sounds of screams and squeals reached his ears. The orphanage children were annoying when they were their usual noisy selves but they were downright intolerable when a very famous singer was within the area.

"Kyungsoo-oppa!"

"Saranghaeyo, Oppa!" The squeals increased accompanied with shouts and proclamations of love. Jongin mussed up his hair and closed his eyes as he basked in the sunlight. Of all the places that Do Kyungsoo had to visit- It had to be his orphanage.

He supposed that he should be grateful that Kyungsoo went to that particular orphanage, though. After all, Kyungsoo was there to donate and be charitable. The least that Jongin could do was to be grateful, but he just couldn’t muster up enough tolerance to be.

Jongin closed his eyes as he blocked out all the noise. The lad welcomed the darkness and embraced it as he was lulled into a dreamless sleep.

 

It was a loud scream followed by a thump that was accompanied with a swear word or two that disturbed Jongins' sleep. The brown-haired male groaned as he slowly opened his eyes before he turned to look at the newcomer.

Do Kyungsoo's large, owl-like eyes and angelic face greeted him. The heart-shaped mouth formed into a nervous grin as Kyungsoo met Jongin's glare. He raised one hand as a form of a wave and greeted Jongin.

"Hey, I'm sorry for the-"

"No," Jongin interrupted, eye twitching at the rather sudden turn of events. Kyungsoo blinked and smiled unsurely at him.

"I'm- I'm sorry?"

"Go away," Jongin harshly gritted out, changing his previous words. He didn't even bother to face the singer as he talked.

Kyungsoo stared at him, affronted, before the singer crossed his arms over his chest and raised his head in a proud manner. "No," he said and to further piss Jongin off, he marched to the boy's side and took a seat beside him. "You can't tell me what to do."

Jongin glared in irritation at the male, suddenly reminded of the time when his own mother refused to leave him when he was sulking.

"I said leave," he hissed. Kyungsoo's eyes flashed with fear before it was replaced with the same stubborn look from before.

"And I said no," Kyungsoo retaliated. He felt Jongin's glare intensify and resisted the urge to make a bee line for it. The rude guy will not scare him away. But really, he didn't get what his problem was. He should be worshipping the very ground that Kyungsoo walked on. That was protocol, wasn't it? But no, what he got was an eyeful of dark looks and scowls.

"You're not welcome here," Jongin told him venomously. Kyungsoo blinked in shock at the hate and anger that was apparent in the other boy's voice.

He scoffed and said, "The squeals and screams tell me otherwise."

Jongin blinked and his mouth hung open in shock as he stared, speechless. Nothing he could say would make the guy leave. He then decided to change tactics. After all, they said that offense was the best defense.

"What are you even doing here?" Jongin blurted out. "Shouldn't you be over there?"

"I just... wanted some time for myself," Kyungsoo mumbled. He stared at the ground and played with the grass. He clenched and unclenched it within his fingers.

Some time for himself... Jongin could understand that. Jongin was about to stay silent when he remembered how he could understand the feeling of solitude in the first place. His mind flashed back to his parents, the bus driver, the doctors and Do Kyungsoo.

Jongin suppressed the urge to growl as a wave of anger hit him.

"You're not going to be alone here. Leave already."

Kyungsoo blinked once before he stared at Jongin in bewilderment. "Why do you dislike me so much?" he asked, brows furrowed. "What did I ever do to you?"

The question raised a bark of laughter from Jongin. "You really have no idea who I am, huh?" he asked with a small bitter smile. "I'm just the kid whose life you ruined," he continued casually while he looked at his nails.

Kyungsoo blinked in shock. "I don't even know you," said he.

"You don't remember the guy you 'saved' six months ago?" Jongin asked with a raised brow. He stared at Kyungsoo with challenging eyes.

A moment of silence passed. The wind howled and the leaves danced along with it. The sunlight bathed two people in its warmth. Kyungsoo gawked at Jongin and it was a while before he found his voice again.

"That- that was you?" he stammered out. Jongin glared at him and nodded stiffly. "Then why are you mad?!" asked Kyungsoo loudly, voice curious. He just couldn't understand. Who would get mad at someone for saving them? Surely there must be another reason.

"Because you saved me," Jongin said venomously with a glare. Kyungsoo grew even more confused as he flailed his arms about.

"Who gets mad at someone for saving them?" the singer asked incredulously. "And news flash, I didn't save you!" he informed with a scowl. "Don't give me credit for something that I didn't even do."

Silence settled between them. The only sounds heard were the children from the front of the orphanage screaming Kyungsoo's name.

"Then who?" Jongin asked, after a minute, with his brows furrowed. Did the doctor give him the wrong information? Had he been hating the wrong guy for the last six months? The questions swirled inside his head.

"The angels, obviously," Kyungsoo told him with a scoff, as he stared in contempt at Jongin for not knowing. Jongin stared at him in absolute disbelief.

"The w-what?" Jongin sputtered, indignant. "The angels?"

"Yeah," Kyungsoo nodded, face and eyes completely serious. "Someone must have wanted you to live on, so they, the angels, saved you."

"What the are you talking about?!" Jongin blurted out and rolled his eyes when Kyungsoo gasped dramatically. He really had no idea what Kyungsoo was saying. None at all. It was like, the guy suddenly spoke a different language that was not known to men.

'Maybe he's alien?' Jongin entertained the thought for a moment. He let it linger in his mind before he snapped back to his senses.

"Don't tell me you don't know about the legend of the three wishes?" Kyungsoo asked. The boy sighed in exasperation and shook his head when Jongin told him no.

"How can you not know about the legend?" Kyungsoo asked in such a smart- tone that immediately made Jongin feel stupid.

"Well, excuse me for not being childish enough to know and believe in legends." he snapped. "What is it about anyway?"

"Well... It's about how a human has three chances to live before they're taken up into heaven," Kyungsoo informed with a smile.

"That's stupid. How come there are others who die the first time?"

"That's just because they're needed already!" Kyungsoo insisted when he saw Jongin's complete blank look.

"I think it's full of bull," Kyungsoo glared and poked him.

"The legend is real!" Kyungsoo insisted while Jongin rolled his eyes.

"Oh yeah?" The brown-haired boy asked sarcastically. "Then give me some sort of proof," he challenged and jumped in surprise when Kyungsoo pointed his finger at him.

"You!" Kyungsoo said in triumph. “You’re a miracle yourself! You should have died and yet, here you are. Alive. Breathing -"

"All because of you," Jongin interrupted in an accusing tone. Kyungsoo sighed and he looked at Jongin in exasperation.

"I told you it wasn’t me! It was them!"

"And I told you that the legend isn't real!"

They didn't know when they moved but they were then standing, face to face and bodies close to each other. It was Kyungsoo who noticed it first and the singer stepped back in embarrassment.

Jongin, curious about the red that spread across the other's cheeks looked for the source. Only to find that it was because of their previous position.

Silence reigned between them once more. Though this time, it was an awkward one. Both boys were looking for things to say. Both of them found nothing to talk about.

There was no common ground. All they did was argue the moment they met and yet Kyungsoo cherished every moment of it. He finally found someone he could be normal with. No pretensions. No falseness.

"Kyungsoo! We need to go!" The voice of his manager was heard and they snapped back to Earth. The singer ran back to the path that he took but paused and stared back at Jongin.

"Will you be here tomorrow?" he asked. Jongin stared at him for a moment before he nodded.

"Yeah, why?"

"I'll be coming every day. We'll be shooting here. I'm sure that the president of this orphanage already signed the contract," Kyungsoo informed. He turned his back, about to leave, only to be stopped by Jongin's voice.

"Hey!" he called. "Don't come back," he ordered half-heartedly. It was too long since Jongin had someone to argue with... too long since he last held a conversation. He had to admit, he missed it.

"You can't tell me what to do," Kyungsoo said. He shot Jongin one last smile that was half arrogant and half genuine before he disappeared into the cluster of trees.

Jongin stared after him before he sighed. The brown-haired boy lied back down and he looked up at the sky once again. His thoughts and mind focused on Do Kyungsoo.

True to his words, Kyungsoo had come back the next day. And the next... and the day after that. Every day he would go to Jongin's place and stay there until he was called back. Every time Jongin would ask him to leave only to be told that he was in no position to order that.

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned to a month, until one day, Jongin stopped telling Kyungsoo to go away.

Kyungsoo's movie ended the second month but despite his busy schedule, he still visited the orphanage. He still visited Jongin.

Over the course of time, they had learned a lot of things about each other. Kyungsoo would borrow Jongin and bring him home whenever the guy felt down or depressed. He would then cook home-cooked meals for him and watch movies with him until Jongin would feel better.

Jongin had learned to rely on Kyungsoo and Kyungsoo had learned to rely on Jongin.

Whenever certain fans would bash him, Kyungsoo would visit the orphanage and cry in Jongin's arms. He would cry and cry until he could cry no more. Jongin never said anything. He didn't speak words of comfort, nor did he sing songs. He would just hold Kyungsoo and rub his back until the heartbroken singer would calm down.

The two became each other's source of comfort and when both of them realized it; both found out that they didn't mind. They trusted the other with their lives. Jongin believed that Kyungsoo wouldn't leave him and Kyungsoo believed that Jongin will always be there for him.

It was a very beautiful relationship.

 

"But he died..." Luhan said sadly as he heard the story. He wiped the corner of his eyes and Sehun blinked over and over again from beside him.

"But he died," Jongin repeated, voice devoid of any emotion. He stared at the ceiling and recalled the last smile that Kyungsoo gave him. Jongin's heart constricted when he found out that he couldn't. When he thought of Do Kyungsoo, he couldn't remember the bright smile and the warm eyes- all he could see was his bloody chest, blue lips and his eyes that were devoid of life.

Jongin closed his eyes as a tear escaped it.

"This is so not cool," Sehun said as he tried hard not to cry for them. Jongin opened his eyes as he smiled bitterly at the blond male.

"It's not," Jongin agreed, lips pressed into a tight line.

"What happened next?" Luhan sniffed. "That can't be the end of it."

"Next?" Jongin asked. "Next, Kyungsoo lost his first 'wish'."

 

Jongin laid on the slightly damp grass as he stared at the dark sky. It was the day before Christmas, people were happy with their families and ever since Kyungsoo filmed his movie, the orphanage had been popular and kids were adopted each and every day.

Sixteen-year-old Jongin stood no chance against those baby faces and cute smiles. Those eyes that were filled with innocence.

He didn't mind, though. Jongin liked stability and he had grown used to the orphanage. Even if the people there didn't give him gifts or new things, they still gave him what he needed.

A place to stay.

That was enough for Jongin. When he lost his parents, he realized that material things didn't matter. As long as there are people who loved you, who was willing to take care of you then it's all okay.

Jongin had a house, but he didn't have something to call home. He didn't before... but then he met Do Kyungsoo.

"Yah!" A familiar voice called and it shook Jongin out of his thoughts. He was about to look at who it was when he found himself being pulled to his feet. "A couple just picked who they were going to adopt! He's really nice and all. He even thanked me and stuff but still... Why weren't you there?!" it asked.

Jongin stared at Do Kyungsoo in a bored manner. "I'm not interested," he answered bluntly. Kyungsoo stared at him in disbelief.

"What do you mean you're not interested?!" He sputtered. "Those people could have given you a home!"

"I already have a home," was Jongin's answer.

Kyungsoo's brows furrowed as he stared at the guy. "I didn't know that you thought of the orphanage as your home," he remarked.

"I wasn't talking about the orphanage."

The statement only confused Kyungsoo further. "Then what?" he asked.

Jongin sighed as he stared at the other boy. "What are you even doing here?" he asked, answering Kyungsoo's question with his own. "The road's really slippery. You should have stayed at home."

"I walked here," Kyungsoo informed him with a proud smile. Jongin raised an eye brow.

"You walked here? How?" Jongin wasn't really asking how he walked there. He was asking how Kyungsoo got there in one piece. His clothes clean and untorn without a speck of dirt, dust, and sweat on him.

Kyungsoo smiled proudly again as he held up a hat and dark sunglasses. Jongin nodded in understanding.

"Hey kkamjong," Kyungsoo called with a faraway look in his eyes. Jongin glared at him when he heard the nickname.

"I told you not to ca-"

"-Take a walk with me," Kyungsoo interrupted. He stared at Jongin, and Jongin stared right back.

A moment of silence passed. Jongin then began to look at Kyungsoo. As in, really look. The singer had huge dark circles under his eyes and he looked a lot paler than normal.

"Okay," a huge smile broke on Kyungsoo's face when Jongin agreed. "I'll walk with you."

 

"Don't you think you're being too obvious?" Jongin asked Kyungsoo as he stared at the other male at the corner of his eyes. "You look like a mugger..."

They were walking down the quiet street to go to the park and Kyungsoo's appearance gathered him a lot of suspicious looks. He had changed into a new set of clothes. He wore an oversized sweatshirt and large pants. His reddish-brown hair was hidden by a cap and his large eyes were behind a pair of sunglasses.

"But, I don't look like me," Kyungsoo stated. Jongin felt like it was a question though and so he answered.

"No..."

"Then it's working!" Kyungsoo said happily as he grinned at Jongin. The younger couldn't help but smile back.

"I suppose it is," he agreed.

The rest of the walk was wrapped in a comfortable silence. Once or twice, Kyungsoo would stop and coo at the kittens and puppies that they saw on the way. Jongin would just stare at him as he did so. He would marvel at how lucky he was and wonder how such a compassionate and kind-hearted guy became his friend.

Jongin and Kyungsoo sat side by side on a bench when they got to the park. It was silent for a few minutes before Jongin spoke.

"Kyungsoo," he called softly, voice but a mere whisper. "What happened?"

Kyungsoo stared at him and he laughed nervously. "Nothing happened!" he denied, a little too defensively. Jongin flinched. "What makes you think that something happened?"

"Hey, tell me what's wrong," Jongin requested as he stared back at Kyungsoo. The latter opened his mouth to deny it once again when he saw the look of helplessness that marred Jongin's face. "Please, I don't want to see you like this..." Not only that, Jongin hated feeling like Kyungsoo didn't trust him.

"But you hate talking about family, Jongin..." Kyungsoo reasoned as he bowed his head. Jongin's eyes widened. It took a whole minute before the brown-haired male was able to produce some words.

"It doesn't matter. If you ever need someone to listen, I'll be there," Jongin told Kyungsoo as he grasped his chin to meet his eyes. "Even if it's about your family or your burned spaghetti."

Kyungsoo couldn't stop the laugh that escaped him. It died after a moment when he seemed to remember what his problem was. He stared at the dirt again as he wrung his hands.

"It- it's my mom..." Kyungsoo whispered, eyes focused on the ground. "I don't think she'll wake up Jongin..."

Jongin rubbed his back as Kyungsoo shook slightly. His mom was in a coma when she got in an accident 6 years ago that killed his father. She still hasn't woken up. Kyungsoo was never that close with his uncle but he had always supported the latter and for that, Kyungsoo was grateful.

Jongin didn't say anything. He didn't speak. All he did was rub Kyungsoo's back as the owl-eyed boy leaned into his gentle touch.

"At least, you have a family," Jongin spoke bitterly when the singer had finally calmed down. Kyungsoo stiffened as he listened to Jongin talk and repeat the same lines that he had uttered so many times before. "Mine doesn't even want me. They don't give a what happens to me as long as their needs are met. They don't care. I'm just a worthless piece of trash. I'm not worth anyone's attention. No one would care if I di-"

A loud slap echoed throughout the whole park. Kyungsoo stood in front of Jongin, head bowed as he cradled his hand. Jongin stared in shock at Kyungsoo as his cheek grew a bright red.

"What the -"

"Don't ever say that again," Kyungsoo interrupted as he whispered in a dangerous voice. He took a menacing step closer to Jongin. "Don't ever say that no one will care if you die."

"What?" Jongin asked, dumbfounded and confused at the sudden turn of events. Kyungsoo raised his head and Jongin saw that his eyes were filled with tears.

"You're right Jongin," Kyungsoo agreed in a flat voice causing Jongin to flinch as he bowed his head. "They don't care," Kyungsoo continued. "but you're wrong about the rest."

Jongin's head snapped up in shock. "You're not worthless," Kyungsoo told him. "You're probably one of the most amazing guys I know."

"I -"

"Who care's if no one's paying attention to you?" Kyungsoo asked, head bowed, as he kneeled in front of Jongin. "It's their loss. They don't get to be friends with someone as great as you."

"I'm not -"

"And don't ever think that no one will care if you die," Kyungsoo continued as he interrupted Jongin's sentence once more. He then raised his head to meet Jongin's eyes. He cradled the younger's slapped cheek with his hand. "I'm here aren't I? I care."

"Why?" Jongin asked softly, afraid to ruin their moment, as he unconsciously leaned into Kyungsoo's palm. "I still don't understand why you kept coming back even if all I did was just to push you away..."

Kyungsoo smiled softly at him. "You were the first to glare at me personally like that," he admitted and chuckled. "They would either hate me behind my back or shower me with gifts."

"I see," Jongin trailed off. He looked somewhat disappointed as if he wanted a different answer from the other.

"But that's not the complete reason," Kyungsoo added. Jongin stared at him as he waited for an explanation. "I kept coming back because... I saw the lonely boy inside."

"You..." Jongin whispered as he stared deep into Kyungsoo's eyes. Kyungsoo stared right back at him.

"Jongin," Kyungsoo sighed as his eyes landed on Jongin's red cheek. "I'm sorry, I didn't know what I was doing... I just did it."

"No worries," Jongin reassured him with a grin. "It doesn't hurt a bit."

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow as he tried to stop the laugh that almost escaped him.

Jongin had never been a good liar. Especially not when he was lying to Do Kyungsoo.

 

"Hey kkamjong," Kyungsoo called as he and Jongin walked down the street. "Promise me something," he requested.

Jongin stared at him for a moment as he wondered what Kyungsoo wanted. "What?" Jongin asked with a shrug.

"Promise me that you'll slap your self every time you talk about being hated by your family or being left by them."

Jongin stared incredulously at him as Kyungsoo flashed him a sweet smile. "No way!" he protested loudly, glad that they were the only ones there. " Why should I do that?" he asked.

"Because you promised!" answered Kyungsoo. The owl-eyed boy smirked at him and Jongin couldn't help but hit him playfully in the arm.

"I didn't promise anything!" Jongin said with a laugh. "I just asked what you wanted!"

Kyungsoo was about to respond when the screeching of tires caught their attention. The pair turned towards the source of the ear-splitting noise and saw a car that was speeding down the road.

Jongin stood frozen on his spot as his mind flashed back to his accident. A whimpering sound caught Kyungsoo's attention. His owl like eyes widened when it landed on the puppy that he had been petting before. His eyes then flashed to the car that was speeding right towards it.

The car didn't stop. It continued, not a care for the pup that it would kill. Kyungsoo didn't know why but he saw Jongin in the dog. The homeless and lonely puppy that just wanted to be loved. The puppy that no one cared for...

Kyungsoo had no idea what he was thinking. He just acted- he ran.

The car honked as it saw Kyungsoo run towards the dog. It continued its fast pace, certain that Kyungsoo would stop. The singer ignored it and the car honked loudly once more. The driver tried to stop but found that he couldn't. It headed straight for Kyungsoo and yet all Kyungsoo could think about was that he needed to get to the puppy. He needed to save it. He needed to show it that someone cared.

By then, Jongin had awoken from his day dream to see that Kyungsoo was about to get hit by the car. Jongin's feet moved on its own; With his arms outstretched, he yelled as he ran towards Kyungsoo.

"No!"

Jongin's heart stopped when Kyungsoo fell to the ground. The car sped away but Jongin barely paid it any attention. All he could think of was Do Kyungsoo.

Jongin ran towards the unmoving body, scared of what he might find. He kneeled before Kyungsoo's side as his arms hovered over him. He was afraid to touch him but was too anxious to completely stop himself.

"Kyungsoo!" Jongin yelled, panic and frustrating coloring his tone. His eyes started to fill with tears. "Kyungsoo!" he tried again, but the boy continued to lay motionless on the ground. "Open your goddamn large eyes dammit!" Jongin yelled at the top of his lungs.

Kyungsoo didn't move and Jongin's parents’ dead faces flashed in his mind before it was replaced with Kyungsoo's. Jongin felt a bile rise in his throat. "Kyungie! You hate that nickname right?! So wake up! Wake up and hit me like you always do!" he yelled as his voice cracked. He laid his head on Kyungsoo's chest as tears rolled down his face. "Owl eyes! Kyung-kyung! K!" Jongin called Kyungsoo all the nicknames that he knew. His voice grew even more desperate with each unsuccessful attempt to wake up the boy.

Jongin didn't know what he was feeling then. It was a whirlwind of emotions. Despair, anger and a certain emptiness. But most of all he was scared- scared that he may never see Kyungsoo's smiling face again.

"Wake up, Kyungsoo," he whispered, his voice muffled by Kyungsoo's shirt. "Please, wake up..." he sobbed. His hand reached for Kyungsoo's only to be met by fur.

He raised his head and then noticed the puppy that was safely sleeping in Kyungsoo's hand.

"You-"

A groan interrupted what he was about to say. Jongin's eyes widened before his shoulders sagged in relief as Kyungsoo opened his eyes. He groaned as he sat up, he rubbed his head as he did so. "Ugh..." he moaned. "I feel like I’ve just been hit by a truck."

Jongin glared at him as tears continued to make its way down his face. "You idiot!" Jongin roared. Now that he knew that Kyungsoo was okay, the relief gave way to anger. "What were you thinking?!"

Kyungsoo flinched at Jongin's loud voice and he didn't hesitate to tell the boy so. "Lower your voice Jongin... it hurts."

Jongin scowled at him but did as he requested anyway. "I asked you what you were thinking," he hissed.

"I had to save him," Kyungsoo reasoned as he held up the puppy in his arms. He avoided Jongin's angry eyes and opted to stare at the ground.

"A dog? You risked your life for a ing dog?! Damn it, Kyungsoo! It's not impor-"

"He reminded me of you..."

The sentence made Jongin's mouth go dry as he stared in shock at Kyungsoo. "I had to save him," the singer repeated. "Besides, I have n-never been in an accident before. I still have three lives."

Jongin slapped his forehead at Kyungsoo's reasoning. He didn't even bother correcting Kyungsoo. He knew that the other male would just get mad.

Jongin didn't want them to fight again. Not because of some stupid legend. The last fight had lasted for a whole week. Jongin had no idea what to do with himself in those seven days of no Do Kyungsoo. He was deeply ingrained in Jongin's life now that he felt so... weird when Kyungsoo was not around.

"You still need to go to the hospital," Jongin remarked. Kyungsoo huffed when Jongin ignored his previous statement. "Come on."

Jongin kneeled with his back turned towards Kyungsoo. "Get up," he ordered. Kyungsoo got on his back without another word. He gently laid the puppy on his shoulder.

"Jongin," Kyungsoo called in a meek voice. Jongin hummed in response. "Thanks for not calling an ambulance..."

Jongin nodded as he gripped Kyungsoo tighter. "I figured that you didn't want this on the news," he excused. Honestly, though, Jongin was just too anxious that he couldn't do anything else other than call Kyungsoo's name over and over again.

Silence settled between the pair.

"I'm going to call you Jongin..." Kyungsoo whispered sleepily out of the blue as he stared at the fluffy brown dog. "You're going to be my Jongin from now on!"

 

"The - the legend is real!" Luhan stuttered out with disbelief written all over his features and Jongin resisted the instinctive urge to snap back.

Sehun stared at Jongin in a contemplating manner for a whole minute before he hesitantly voiced his thoughts out loud. "…you still don’t believe it, do you? You don’t believe the legend."

Jongin glared at him and ignored the slight gibe as he continued on with the story.

 

Christmas and New year passed. The event's after the almost-accident, as the pair decided to call it, was pretty quiet. The orphanage had celebrated both occasions but as usual, Jongin didn't join them.

He had tried- he tried because he knew that Kyungsoo wanted him to be more social but in the end, he couldn't do it. The happy and festive mood, the family-like feeling. Jongin had grown so used to the solitude that he didn't know what to do when the atmosphere was like that.

And so, after five minutes of standing at the corner of the room and flinching at every sound, Jongin made a bee-line for his favorite spot.

He laid on his back, his hand used as pillows, as he watched the stars. The brown-haired male berated himself for not trying hard enough as the feeling of loneliness gnawed on his chest and increased.

It would be the first time that Jongin celebrated Christmas alone...

The wind howled as the stars twinkled above him. The moon was full that night and it gave light to the clearing, making everything look majestic and ethereal. Jongin's eyes landed on the brightest star and he suddenly remembered when he had made a wish. He smiled bitterly at the memory.

It was so ironic, Jongin realized. Right after he made the wish, he had lost the two most important people in his life. It was as if it was some sort of payment.

"That's a y payment," Jongin voiced his thoughts out loud.

"What's a y payment?" A familiar voice asked. Jongin bolted up from his position at the unexpected voice. Bathed in the moonlight, Do Kyungsoo had looked even more of an angel than before. An angel that just came out from a battle that is.

Jongin blinked at the image that seemed to be stuck in his brain.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as Kyungsoo took a seat beside him. "You should be resting," Jongin commented, annoyed.

Kyungsoo smiled at him. "Merry Christmas to you too," he replied playfully. Jongin stared at him blankly and Kyungsoo sighed at the serious aura that surrounded the other boy.

"I'm fine, Jongin," he reassured when he saw the worried frown that marred Jongin's face. "It's just a few scratches."

"Just a few scratches," Jongin repeated with a scoff. He turned his head to survey Kyungsoo's well-being once more but found that he couldn't do so. The only scar that he could see was the one on Kyungsoo's cheek and that was an old scar that Kyungsoo refused to talk about.

Kyungsoo was wearing a jacket and sweat pants. Every inch of his body was covered, save for his neck and head. Even with all the clothing that he was wearing, Kyungsoo was shivering slightly from the cold.

Jongin turned to look at his own clothing which consisted of nothing more than a t-shirt and shorts and yet he didn't feel cold or anything.

'Cold," Jongin mused. How long has he been bathed in it that it seems to be the normal temperature for him?

Jongin stayed silent after that, too deep in his own thoughts. Kyungsoo glanced at him from the corner of his large eyes and took his silence as a bad thing.

"Jongin, I'm really fine," Kyungsoo insisted. His voice echoed around the clearing and shook Jongin out of his thoughts.

The younger boy stared at him for a moment.

Jongin knew that Kyungsoo was fine. The doctor, although confused, said so himself. Kyungsoo had left the accident with nothing but a few scratches. He knew that he was probably over-reacting but he couldn't help it. He had almost lost Kyungsoo... just the thought of something like that happening is disturbing enough. The fact that it almost happened was just too much of a frightening experience for him...

"I know," Jongin replied after a moment.

"Then can you please stop worrying?" Kyungsoo asked pleadingly. He just didn't get it. Didn't Jongin understand the legend? It wasn't his time yet.

"I can't," Jongin replied bluntly, the words flowing out of his mouth before he could stop them. Kyungsoo blinked his large owl-like eyes over and over again.

"O-okay," he stuttered out.

Silence reined in the clearing. No one of the duos said anything. The only sounds heard were the crickets creating their own noises and the wind howling around them.

The two friends just basked in the comfort of being with each other.

"You didn't answer my question, though," Jongin curiously remarked out of the blue. "What are you doing here?"

"I was feeling lonely... and I had a feeling that you were too."

Jongin blinked in shock. Of course, Kyungsoo was feeling lonely... his mother was asleep in the hospital... his uncle was busy with work. It would be weird if he wasn't lonely.

It warmed Jongin's heart that he was the first person Kyungsoo went to, though.

"W-what about your dog?" he asked with high hopes that Kyungsoo didn't hear the stutter.

The singer immediately smiled at the mention of the creature. "You mean Jongin?" Kyungsoo asked. "When are you going to call him by his name?" he pouted.

"Never," replied Jongin with a scowl. "I still can't believe that you named a dog after me. Am I that despicable?" he asked sarcastically. Jongin was less than pleased when Kyungsoo had happily introduced 'Jongin junior' to him.

"You took it the wrong way!" Kyungsoo defended. Jongin laughed at the indignant look that sported the shorter male sported "And to answer your question, he's with my mom. He's staying with her," Kyungsoo told him fondly and added, "He's very protective of her… and of me too."

"At least, he's being useful."

The sentence earned Jongin a hit from Kyungsoo. Silence settled between them again and Kyungsoo shifted anxiously in his place, doubtful whether he should open the topic or not.

A minute passed before Kyungsoo gained the courage to speak up.

"I've been meaning to ask you," Kyungsoo began nervously. "What should we do for your birthday, Jongin?"

"I told you that I won't celebrate it," Jongin told him, annoyed.

Him? Celebrate his birthday? Just the thought of it was enough to irritate Jongin. What kind of son would he be if he were to celebrate his parent's death?

"But -"

"No."

There was an air of finality that surrounded Jongin that Kyungsoo tried to protest no more. A tense silence filled the clearing. Kyungsoo kept twisting his hands together while Jongin just glared at the moon.

When Kyungsoo discreetly shifted an inch away from Jongin, the younger boy sighed and decided that he didn't want this awkward atmosphere between them.

"Hey, Kyungie," Jongin called. Kyungsoo nervously looked at him with furrowed eye brows, unsure whether Jongin was mad or not. Jongin turned to him with a gentle smile. "Merry Christmas to you too."

Kyungsoo blinked three times before an ear-splitting grin made its way to his face. He nodded to Jongin's direction and wound an arm around the other boy's neck.

And just like that, everything was okay again.

 

Jongin sighed at the image that stared back at him. He stood in front of a mirror in his room as he eyed himself. With furrowed eyebrows, Jongin fixed the new set of clothes that he wore before his frown deepened.

It had been so long ago since he had brand new clothes. It was weird to see himself so... rich looking, and it was all thanks to Kyungsoo.

The singer had asked him - no - begged him to accompany him to the fair. Jongin had been reluctant at first. Crowds, noise, and Kim Jongin just didn't match but when he saw Kyungsoo's pleading look, he knew that the fight was lost.

Jongin ran a hand through his curly locks and watched as it magically fell into place. The gel was a part of the package that Kyungsoo had given him but his parents loved his curly hair and so did Jongin.

With one last lingering look at his reflection, Jongin turned around and left the room.

 

"What the hell is going on here?!"

Jongin stood in shock as he stared at their clearing. The tall grass had been cut and it could now be seen. The trees that separated the clearing from the lot behind the orphanage was all but gone. The clearing- no - it wasn't just any clearing. Their secret place was now open for the whole world to see.

"Jongin!" Kyungsoo exclaimed when he heard Jongin's voice. The singer stood alone at the center of the clearing as he stared at nothing in particular. "They’re cutting it down." Kyungsoo’s mildly distressed voice informed him when Jongin was beside him. "They cutting it all down.”

"Why?!" Jongin asked in frustration. This was his secret place. The place that he felt comfortable in; the place where he could be alone when he needed to be. To suddenly lose it in a blink of an eye was too much for Jongin to handle.

"They said that they were going to build a mental institute over there," Kyungsoo inclined his head to the spot where the trees had once been.

"A mental institute?" Jongin asked in an incredulous voice. It was a rhetorical question but Kyungsoo still nodded.

Silence settled over them like a blanket. Both of them were too lost in their own thoughts that neither minded the heavy silence.

"Jongin," Kyungsoo called. "I don't feel like going to the fair anymore."

"Me too."

"I want to go home..."

Jongin stared in shock at Kyungsoo. To Kyungsoo, there was a large difference between a house and home. A home was where he lived with his real parents. Homes were when everything was sunshine and rainbows and not as ed up as they are now.

House was where Kyungsoo lived in now. The big mansion that was filled with servants but never the actual family themselves. House was the place where Kyungsoo stayed in but his home will always be the rundown house that his uncle refused to take care of.

And home was where Kyungsoo went to when he was bashed by his fans before he met Jongin. The home was where Kyungsoo felt comfortable in, the place where he felt safe.

"Okay Soo," Jongin whispered. "Let's go home."

 

"This house needs to be cleaned," Jongin commented bluntly to no one in particular as he stared at the old structure. He walked away from Kyungsoo and went to the house. The grass was overgrown and there were ferns everywhere.

"This house seriously needs to be cleaned," Jongin added when he saw the bugs that crawled at the side of the walls. It was obvious that no one lived in the house for it was completely barren and had accumulated a good amount of dust. Even with the ancient look, it was obvious that the house had once been beautiful.

Jongin walked quietly inside the old house before a brilliant thought struck him. "This could be our new secret place Kyung," Jongin lightly suggested as he caressed the walls. His voice echoed inside the structure. "It's remote and it's quiet. It's perfect don't you think?"

Silence greeted his suggestion and Jongin turned around with furrowed eyebrows. He was confused and a tad bit irritated because he was ignored.

"Hey, didn't you-" Jongin's sentence came to an abrupt halt when no Kyungsoo was in his line of sight. "Soo?" Jongin asked.

"Jongin! Where are you?" Jongin heard Kyungsoo's distant voice outside. He was about to walk over when he tripped and his hand reached for something to hold on to. His hand gripped a silk cloth and he instinctively pulled it. Instead of stopping himself from toppling over, Jongin pulled the curtain with him.

He groaned as he lay on the floor. Jongin rubbed his head and sat up before he was faced with a large painting of Kyungsoo's real family.

Jongin stood up, his eyes glued to the image of the happy family. They looked so perfect that Jongin felt bitterness wash over him and the image of his own family flashed before his eyes.

Kyungsoo's father looked exactly like him. He was built and good-looking and Jongin could tell that the man was kind. His eyes then landed on the young, scar-less and grinning Do Kyungsoo and Jongin held back a gasp of surprise.

Kyungsoo's eyes were bright and as big as ever. His mouth was set into the biggest and happiest grin that Jongin ever saw. He was so beautiful that he left Jongin speechless.

"So you were here," a voice spoke from directly beside him and Jongin jumped and turned in surprise. Kyungsoo was beside him and the older boy's eyes were glued to the painting. "I didn't know that this was still here," Kyungsoo commented absently and Jongin hummed in response. He knew that Kyungsoo wasn't talking to anyone in particular.

"We were so happy then. A perfect family. What I'd give to have that back... my mother awake and laughing and my real father who would never hurt me even if he was mad."

Jongin was about to hum in response again but something that Kyungsoo said caught his attention. "But... your uncle never hurt you...?" the statement ended up being a question and Jongin could literally see Kyungsoo stiffen.

"O-of course not," he denied as he turned his back to the painting. "I never said otherwise Jongin." Kyungsoo knew that lying was futile. Jongin had already seen through it the moment he stuttered and turned his back.

"Kyungsoo," Jongin called, voice so flat and devoid of emotion that Kyungsoo flinched. "What are you hiding from me?"

"I-I'm not hiding anything Jongin," Kyungsoo laughed nervously as he walked away. "Don't be silly."

Jongin's hand darted to Kyungsoo's shoulder to hold the boy in place. "Don't lie," he said in a cold voice and Kyungsoo flinched once more. If there was one thing that Jongin hated more than people leaving him; it was them lying. A few minutes passed and Kyungsoo wondered whether it would be better if he were to just tell Jongin the truth. It was when Jongin's grip on his shoulder tightened that Kyungsoo turned around to face him.

"My- my uncle and I didn't have a great start," Kyungsoo whispered, his voice barely heard inside the building. "B-but one day, I crossed the line."

Jongin gently patted Kyungsoo's shoulder to comfort him.

"I told him that he should stop playing father and that he should stop dreaming. He- he was so mad Jongin. He didn't mean to do it but... he pushed me and we were at the stairs then and I couldn't really hold on to anything. Grandfather Suho saw the whole thing and I guess it was his wish that kept me alive. I told him not to tell anyone."

"So to sum it up, your uncle almost killed you," Jongin stated blankly causing Kyungsoo to glare at him.

"It was an accident and it was my fault! Not to mention that it was my first wish!"

"The ing legend isn't real! You almost died!"

The duo stood in front of each other, faces red and eyes furious. They were close to each other, but not one of them pulled back. As Jongin stared into Kyungsoo's eyes, he realized that he would do anything just to protect that guy.

And that was exactly what he did.

 

"You liar," Luhan accused with a tinge of betrayal present in his voice. "You said it was his first wish!" Sehun was about to open his mouth to agree when Jongin's harsh glare made him snap it shut again.

"And you believed me," Jongin told them coldly, irritated because of Luhan's accusation. “Sometimes people- sometimes they lie.”

The pair gulped and nodded in fear as they remembered just who they were talking to. With a last glare directed at them, Jongin continued where he left off.

 

For the next couple of days, Jongin stuck to Kyungsoo like glue. He refused to let Kyungsoo go alone anywhere and even refused Kyungsoo whenever he suggested going to the clearing. Jongin claimed that it was too dangerous there because it was near a construction site and that he was not willing to risk it.

Kyungsoo, for his part, was irritated and pleased when Jongin became over-protective of him and he would tell Jongin off every time to which the younger boy would reply to with a mere scoff.

An uneventful year passed and Jongin couldn't be any more thankful for the stability. He was the total opposite of Kyungsoo who whined and sulked about how boring everything was.

Everything was almost perfect. If only they had their secret clearing back but you just can't have everything in life. The three-story mental institute was finished and it had gained a lot of attention in just a short period of time.

Nonetheless, they were grateful that neither of them encountered any more accidents. But then again, life s you up just as you start being happy. It was a lesson that both boys shall once again learn.

 

Jongin smiled as he listened to Kyungsoo's voice over the radio. He was in his room with the window open, allowing the cool breeze to sweep in. Jongin listened to Kyungsoo's beautiful voice sing until it was cut off by a breaking news.

'The body of the famous actor and singer Do Kyungsoo was found in the woods three hours after his photo shoot. He was found by three hikers with various deep cuts all over his body and his missing. The actor is now in the SM hospital in a critical state. Police officers highly suspect a sasaeng fan - '

Jongin didn't get to hear any more. Fast as lightning, he ran blindly to the hospital with one thought in mind: Get to Do Kyungsoo.

 

Jongin sat rigid outside the operation room as he stared at nothing in particular. He wanted to go wild... to scream and to cry but somehow... he just can't. A certain emptiness filled him... as if his heart was replaced with this black hole that every hope and will in his body.

Jongin would barely look up as doctors left the emergency room only to be replaced by someone else. Every time that they would do, though, the doors would open, allowing Jongin to hear what was going on inside. He could hear the panicked voices and the slow beating of the monitor that represented Kyungsoo's heart. And every single time that it would happen, a little bit of hope that Jongin held would leave him. Every time it happened, a tear would fall down from his face.

Another doctor left the room and Jongin could hear the others as they bustled inside. Jongin could hear them shout in panic as Kyungsoo's heart started slowing down and Jongin felt as if his own would stop alongside Kyungsoo's. His mind flashed to the legend that Kyungsoo had been so fond of and then he just knew- he knew that no matter how hard the doctors may try or how good they were... Kyungsoo will die.

Jongin couldn't stop the onslaught of tears that escaped him. He couldn't stop the howl of pain that rose from his throat. Jongin slid off the chair and lay helplessly on the ground as he cried. A doctor walked passed him and barely spared Jongin a glance as he entered the room. When the door opened, Jongin's head snapped up in shock and he could hear the monitor continuously beep. A signal that Do Kyungsoo's heart had stopped beating.

At that moment, Jongin was sure that his own heart stopped beating too.

 

Fans from all over the world mourned Kyungsoo's death. Thousands of people who loved him attended his funeral but the one who loved him, perhaps the most of them all, stayed at home and listened to his voice on the radio over and over again; hoping that everything is just a nightmare and that he would wake up soon.

Jongin's eyes snapped open and he sat up on his bed. He stared in shock because across from him, stood Do Kyungsoo. "Soo!" Jongin grinned and jumped off the bed as he ran towards Kyungsoo who smiled gently at him. The moment that Jongin touched Kyungsoo, the singer disappeared from his sight.

Jongin stared in shock at the spot where Kyungsoo stood not a moment ago before he chuckled bitterly. The chuckle then turned into a full blown laugh and Jongin could be heard laughing his off while he was in his room, alone, in the middle of the night.

When the caretakers peeked into his room to see if everything was okay, Jongin would grin at them and tell them that Do Kyungsoo was with him. Of course, it worried the caretakers greatly and they started paying more attention to Jongin then.

 

"Hey Soo," Jongin called happily as he approached Kyungsoo who was sitting on the bed. "Guess what today's dinner is! It's your favorite; Spaghetti!"

Jongin placed the plate in front of Kyungsoo as he smiled at him gently. "Eat up! We can't let you get sick now, can we? " Jongin told him and handed him the glass of water only for it to pass through Kyungsoo.

"Oh no!" Jongin whined. "You're going to get your clothes wet!" he then picked up the pieces carelessly only to drop it again when it cut him. "Ouch! Look Soo I -" Jongin's smile dropped on his face as Kyungsoo disappeared again. A certain mood seemed to have settled into Jongin as he stood up, eyes wild and furious.

"If you're going to disappear just disappear already!" Jongin yelled at the room. "Don't show yourself ever again! Leave me alone! Leave me alone!" The brown-haired male then proceeded to throw any thing that he could get his hands on, to the spot where Kyungsoo used to be.

The noise had alerted the members of the orphanage and they hurriedly called a mental institute to take care of Jongin.

 

Silence reigned when Jongin finished as he stared at the duo in grim silence. It took a while before Sehun and Luhan could reply because both boys were trying to stop themselves from crying.

"A-and he didn't show himself again?" Luhan asked, his voice shaky. Jongin closed his eyes and shook his head solemnly.

"Oh."

A heavy silence settled over the trio. Sehun stared at the ceiling and Luhan on the ground while Jongin stared blankly ahead. It was when Sehun elbowed Luhan that they remembered what they came there for.

"We're here to give you something," Luhan then pulled out a letter from his bag and held it to Jongin. He accepted it with furrowed eyebrows. Who would write him a letter? His family who wants to adopt him? Jongin almost scoffed out loud at the thought. Let them try and he'll give them a piece of his mind.

Jongin turned over the letter only to be greeted by a familiar hand writing. The letter came from Kyungsoo. His head snapped up to stare at the pair, eyes crazed and indirectly asking for an explanation.

"My father is a police officer; they found this after investigating Kyungsoo's things. My father gave it to me because he knew that Luhan had come from your orphanage. It was really no secret that Kyungsoo came to visit you every day." explained Sehun.

Jongin stared in shock at Luhan. "You were from the orphanage?" he asked and Luhan massaged the nape of his neck.

"I... was the one that Kyungsoo was referring to- the one who thanked him and stuff. I knew you were close. I figured that you'd want to, at least, read his letter..."

Jongin didn't reply anymore and he turned the letter over, caressing Kyungsoo's name lightly before he opened it.

Dear Kkamjong,

I know you hate that nickname, but you do know that isn’t true, right? The only reason why I call you that is because you hate it, and I love annoying you

I'll just cut straight to the point.

Do you know what they say that if you can't say something... then you should just write it down? I know, I’m stalling. But nobody ever said writing a love letter is easy

I just want to say... I love you Jongin.

I am deeply in love with you. You are the only breath of fresh air in a world that is so insistent on drowning me. It’s a shame that you never saw my concerts live because each one of them had been dedicated to after… well, after everything.

I have no idea if I'll ever give this to you. Maybe I will... when I'm ready, but I just want you to know that I will never leave your side, not until you tell me to. And hopefully, that won't happen anytime soon.
 

Owl-eyes.
Do Kyungsoo

'I will never leave your side -'

And then it all clicked. Kyungsoo's appearances and why Jongin could see him. The male shook in anticipation as he tried to call Kyungsoo once more.

"Kyungsoo..." he whispered with his eyes shut tight. When he opened them again, no Do Kyungsoo was in sight.

"Kyungsoo," he tried again, louder. Still, no Kyungsoo showed up. Luhan and Sehun exchanged confused looks as Jongin stood up from his chair. "Look, is it because I told you to go away? I take it back Kyung! I was mad and I didn't know what I was doing!"

Luhan and Sehun were ushered to slowly back away as Jongin spoke to the empty room. The nurses outside went in; their faces determined and ready.

"Kyungsoo! Please!" Jongin pleaded as tears made its way down his face. "Please show yourself!"

The nurses started to surround him but Jongin paid them no heed.

"KYUNGSOO!"

Author's Note:

This is the longest and most dramatic one-shot that I have ever written xD Well, I hope you liked it! ^^

Votes, comments, and subscriptions are loved. :D

Thanks for reading! :) Saranghaeyo ~ (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥