The next time Jinki saw Taemin was in the dining hall. It had been a week since the night they'd met and Jinki had been so busy with work he'd forgotten to contact the other boy.

As Jinki carefully held his tray of cafeteria food and surveyed the crowded lunchroom for an empty seat he saw Taemin in the far corner, sitting alone, his face almost obscured by a big hood.

Since there was nowhere else to sit Jinki weaved his way through the other tables until he was in front of Taemin's. The other boy was picking at a salad.

"Excuse me, Taemin? Do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is taken." Jinki politely asked.

Taemin shyly looked up, recognizing the voice.

"Oh, hi." he said, almost as quiet as the night he met Jinki. "Sure, if you want."

"Sorry I never contacted you," Jinki confessed as he sat down. "I have this really big project due in two days and it's all I've been allowing myself to think about. I hope you've been ok."

He busied himself waiting for Taemin to reply by digging into his food only to be disappointed again. This cafeteria's food was sub par, nothing like his parents'.

"Um," Taemin bravely started, talking into his salad, "I'm not really good at talking with people to be honest so I understand if you'd rather not talk with me."

Jinki surveyed him over his food and spoke at a softer volume to match Taemin's own, "To be honest, I'm not one to talk with people I don't know cause I'm so awkward. I won't judge you at all, I promise."

At his words Taemin relaxed a little and braved a look up at Jinki.

"Do you want to go somewhere when we're done eating? Crowds make me a little uncomfortable."

Jinki beamed at him and began scarfing down his food.

"Why don't we sit behind the science building? There's usually no one there."

Jinki wouldn't admit it outright, but the prospect of having a friend, of having a person in his college life that actually enjoyed his presence was a little exciting. After spending so much time alone talking to oneself contact with a non-threatening interesting human being was almost welcome.

Having finished his food Jinki stood up- it didn't look like Taemin was going to finish his salad. True to his guess the other boy stood up and followed Jinki to the dish return station in the cafeteria. Before exiting Jinki quickly stopped by the desert table to nab some cookies.

A few minutes later they were sitting down on the ground and leaning against the back of the science building. Jinki had been right; despite the nice weather there was no one to be seen around this hidden corner of campus.

Taemin visibly relaxed into the wall, closing his eyes. Jinki let him rest for a bit while he munched on a cookie, but didn't expect Taemin to be the one to speak first.

"Why aren't you a music major?" he asked with his eyes still closed, "Your voice is fantastic."

Jinki did not expect the conversation to go this way and was at a loss for words.

"Sorry, I looked you up in the school directory," Taemin quietly confessed as he opened his eyes and turned his head to look at Jinki. "There was no one else named Jinki so you were easy to find." His cheeks turned a light pink with embarrassment.

"Oh," said Jinki, equally as embarrassed, "it's ok, but, um, I don't really want to talk about it."

"Ok, sure."

Jinki felt a little guilty and tried to make up for it by continuing the conversation.

"So... What's your major then?"

Taemin giggled a little and Jinki turned to him.

"Just like you," Taemin started, "l don't want to talk about it."

"Ok, sure." Jinki imitated and the two boys giggled together at each other's shyness.

Jinki didn't feel as awkward with Taemin as he usually did talking with strangers (he guessed the fact that they had fallen asleep together might have something to do with it) but he was still afraid of messing up this chance at friendship.

"Do you have any other friends around here?" Jinki asked, following what he hoped would be a welcomed subject of conversation.

"Not really." said Taemin simply. "I transferred in sophomore year and no one's been really welcoming."

Jinki had more in common with Taemin than he'd originally thought.

"Me too. Well I didn't transfer, but everyone in my classes is so pretentious I find it hard talking with them. I just kinda sit in the corner."

"You're really smart though." Taemin insisted, "You must be to be in that major."

"Not really. I've just always been good with numbers and did ok in high school."

"How ok?" Taemin half asked half teased.

"Number two, but---"

Taemin didn't let him finish. "But my , I wasn't even in the top ten percent, you're waay smarter than me." he said, hitting Jinki's shoulder in a friendly way.

Jinki looked half unconvinced half pleased. "I don't know..."

Taemin held up his hand. "You should be smart enough to know when you're going to lose.” he teased.

They both laughed together, releasing the tension from the personal subject matter.

Jinki looked at his watch. "Ugh, I gotta get to class in 15 minutes but do you want to meet up again tomorrow? Lunch?"

"Ok, but can we get grab n go and eat outside? I like the privacy."

Jinki stood up and smiled down at him. "Sure, see you then!"

"Bye," Taemin replied, back to his soft way of speaking.

He waited until Jinki was out of sight and leaned back against the wall, covering his face in his hands.

Talking with Jinki had been so much fun, and his reluctance to talk about his major... They were more alike than he had thought. Jinki couldn't possibly know what it meant to him, having a conversation with an almost friend...they weren't friends yet, they didn't know enough about each other to be friends, but it had been so easy, letting go with Jinki, trying to forget his stress.

His mind wandered to the night they met, with Jinki serenading him to sleep like his mom used to when he was a child. Jinki had granted Taemin the one thing he had needed most at that time, sleep. He had appeared out of nowhere that night, as if he was a guardian angel having descended from the heavens to save him, and Taemin needed saving.

He needed it so much, and he'd needed it for too long. He was sick of crying himself to sleep and the ache of loneliness he felt every day. Jinki offered the opportunity to a better, happier life, and Taemin prayed that he would be allowed to be part of that.

Sorry for not updating for so long!! I'm almost done with the third chapter so I'll be posting that soon. Lot's of angst. Thanks for subscribing. <3