Lee Jinki sighed, finally done. He shut off his laptop, packed up his backpack, and left the library. After exiting he allowed himself the luxury of stretching, reaching both of his arms above his head and arching his back. A huge yawn escaped his mouth. He put down his arms and covered his mouth politely. 

His moment of release was short-lived when he turned around to face the long staircase and hill leading back up to his dorm room. 

"Here goes nothing," he muttered to himself and began the endless hike back to comfort. 

On his trek he couldn't help his mind wandering to all the other things he still had to do for homework that week. He shook his head, it felt like it would never end. There was always something else. 

His calves burned as he crossed the street and proceeded up an even longer set of stairs. The thought of the four extra flights of stairs once he even made it to the building made him want to cry. He was so tired. Tired of not getting enough sleep, tired of not feeling good enough, tired of having to work so much for something he cared so little about. He was going to school for business because his real dream wasn't realistic enough. 

When he had told his mom his desire to study vocal performance she had put up her hand. 

"Jinki, you know I was a music major too and look where that got me." she had said while his hopes dissolved. 

"I'm all for following your dreams but maybe you have to find a different dream. I want you to be able to support yourself and live a comfortable life."

So he had been shipped away to study business, something that ate at his soul and made him feel lifeless. The only things he could look forward to anymore were his precious hours alone at the end of the day and his few hours a week in his college's a cappella group. There he became a whole different creature, surrendering to the music, closing his eyes and letting the harmonies wash away his pain like a soothing ocean while he lifted up his voice with others. 

Finally he reached the top of the hill and decided to take a break at his favorite spot on campus before ascending to his room. 

Jinki's dorm was at the top of the large hill that was his campus, offering him a spectacular view of the college and the city below. This view was enhanced further at night when everything would light up and the horizon would blend together with the dark sky, the bright stars mimicking the lights of the town. 

Jinki spent a lot of time sitting here at night pondering things and sometimes silently crying to himself. He didn't really have any good friends at school, just acquaintances from classes. He was too quiet in his a cappella group to make friends, and he didn't want to worry his mom with his woes so he kept everything to himself. 

As he settled himself down on the asphalt and hugged his knees to his chest he looked up at the night sky, vast and unknown, and imagined what it would be like to send his voice up there, to spend eternity soaring and floating without rhyme or reason, letting go of all his worries and fears....

Jinki woke with a start to the sound of crying. He kicked himself for having falling asleep outside (who knew what could have happened to him?) but all his worries disappeared when he saw the small shaking frame of a boy ten feet away from him. The boy must have not been able to see Jinki in the dark or he was too overwhelmed to care. He sat on the ground leaning against the wall rocking back and forth and a small bit of moonlight revealed his face covered in tears. His eyes were scrunched, his face puffy and swollen, and his nose runny. 

Jinki wasn't one to talk to strangers but he saw a bit of himself in the crying face and thought about how he sometimes wished people would notice he wasn't okay. He fished a tissue from his pocket and walked over to the boy, holding it out as a peace offering. 

"I'm sorry you're upset." he whispered.

Shining dark brown eyes looked up, frightened. The boy's anguished face contorted to a contrived smile.

"don't work about me, I'm ok. Sorry to bother you" he said as he hurriedly stood up. 

Jinki's heart ached as he recognized the forced smile he donned all too often himself. He reached out to grab the boy's hand before he could get away. The boy looked back, alarmed.

"Please." he pleaded. "don't lie to yourself. It's ok to not be ok."

Jinki saw the other boy's eyes begin to brim with tears again. 

"I know you don't know me, but you can trust me. I'm here if you want to talk but I'm also here if you don't want to talk and just need a friend. I won't pry."

Jinki could see the boy considering his offer and he arranged his face into what he thought was a trustworthy looking smile. Eventually the boy sighed and returned to the pavement next to Jinki. He wasn't turned to directly face Jinki and he spoke to the air. 

"I'm Taemin."

"I'm Jinki. Do you live in this dorm? I've never seen you before."

"yea."

Taemin's voice was barely above a whisper and Jinki had to strain his ears to hear it. 

Jinki decided to wait for Taemin to speak next but he didn't for a long time. This didn't bother him though, because he had never minded silence. After what felt like half an hour Jinki opened his mouth and began to sing one of his self composed songs 'Moonlight.' his voice permeated the silence of the night and Taemin looked over at him, startled at first but soon being soothed by Jinki's voice. He shuffled closer and rested his head on Jinki's shoulder where Jinki could wrap his arm around him.

After Jinki finished the song he thought he heard Taemin whisper "thanks," but he couldn't be sure because when he looked over Taemin was fast asleep on his shoulder, looking exhausted.

Jinki yawned and closed his eyes too. When he woke up the next day to the sun rising Taemin was gone, but there was a note stuck inside of Jinki's shoe.

"Thanks for helping me get the best night's sleep in a month. I owe you. (xxx)xxx-xxxx Taemin"