They wake up the next morning at the sound of Kyungsoo’s alarm clock. Jongin, who hasn't heard one of these in such a long time rises hastily in panic. His first instinct is to run away, but because he isn't used to Kyungsoo's bedroom, crashes right away against the bed and falls back on the blankets that are on the floor.

Kyungsoo cracks an eye open at the sudden movements and spots Jongin on the floor. He can’t help but to start laughing hard at the disoriented expression plastered on the other boy's face. He gets out of bed unusually quickly and explains animatedly where the sound comes from, while he turns the alarm clock off in the process.

However and a little too late, both understand that they were making too much fuss, when strong footsteps can be heard from the outside of the bedroom’s door. The boys barely have time to react before the door is opened, Kyungsoo pushing Jongin to the floor and the latter crawling under the bed.

“You’re already up?” Kyungsoo's mother doesn't mask her surprise, everyday her son is very strong-minded in not getting out of bed.

“Yeah. Good morning, mum!” The boy greets her in a strangulated high pinch tone. It's almost as if he can feel Jongin's breathing on his feet and he gulps, nervous.

“Oh, that’s good, son. Good morning to you too. Breakfast will be ready soon, then.” The woman makes the same heart shaped smile that Kyungsoo has and which is promptly mirrored back by her son, feeling that he is off the hook. His mother was about to leave when she suddenly turns around, remembering the voices that she heard before entering the room. “Were you talking to yourself?” 

Pink tinges Kyungsoo's cheeks in less than a blink and he shudders out, “N-no.”

The woman seeing behind her son’s lies, smiles and decides to let it pass. “Okay, baby. Hurry up now!” She utters and leaves the room, closing the door behind her.

Instantaneously, a wave of weakness runs through Kyungsoo's body and he slumps to the floor. “Oh boy! That was close! Jongin-ah?” The room’s owner lowers his head to look under the bed.

“I thought she was going to find me.” Jongin has one of his hands over his chest and the other over his mouth.

“Me too.” A big grin appears on Kyungsoo's face and he feels really thrilled. They did it! The night passed and no one found out about Jongin. This was going to be as easy as taking care of Sehun’s dog. “I have to get ready to go to school. You have to stay in my room until I come back, okay?” Kyungsoo is now pulling the covers up to look like the bed is made and his mum doesn't come nagging about it later. He frowns at the thought of Jongin alone in his room all day and adds, “You can go to the other parts of the house after everyone has left and play with all of my things, you just have to put them back in their places after.”

During the next forty minutes Kyungsoo eats, brushes his teeth and dresses himself. While he is inside his room, Jongin follows him around, paying deep attention to all of Kyungsoo’s routines, but eventually they have to depart and Kyungsoo promises to come back around 6 p.m..

It's at school, when Kyungsoo is savouring his lunch that he remembers Jongin’s food for the first time. Kyungsoo emptied the other’s bag and was sure that there wasn't anything edible. Besides, he didn't give him dinner, breakfast or left him lunch to eat now. The blood leaves the boy’s face in his state of concern and anxiety. How could he have been so irresponsible? He would always have a bowl of food for Sehun's dog, yet even Jongin's size wasn't enough to remind him that he needed to give him food too.

For the rest of the day and until Kyungsoo got home, he forbade himself from eating as a punishment, if Jongin didn't have food because of him, he too would also starve. However, the guilt was so big inside of him that hunger never came back after lunch and when he finally got out of the last public transportation that led to his house, he raced the rest of the way – needing to arrive the as fast as possible.

He reaches home, gasping and in despair to find Jongin. He runs to the kitchen first, living room next and only then to his room.

The other boy was nowhere to be found.

Kyungsoo is on the verge of tears as he reaches for his wardrobe door, sure that the other's belongings wouldn't be there too. He is such a bad caretaker how could the other not leave?

However instead of emptiness, he sees Jongin sitting, cross-legged and playing with his little soldiers. His eyes rise to Kyungsoo’s face and he promptly forms a warm smile. “Welcome back!” The boy lets go of the plastic toys and gets up, happy.

Relief washes the body of the room’s owner, as if a bucket of water is being emptied in his head and Kyungsoo instantly throws himself at Jongin’s middle, half hugging the boy. “I thought you left.” He whispers softly against the fabric of his own sweater that Jongin is wearing.

“Hum? Why?” Jongin is very confused, he spent most of the day in the wardrobe because it was actually big enough to be comfortable and not knowing well the rest of the house, he felt safer hidden.

“I couldn't find you.”

“I was hidden! No one saw me until they all left! I did good right?” All of a sudden, he feels a tad insecure that he could have done something wrong.

Kyungsoo steps back and pats Jongin’s shoulder. “You did great. Really. I didn't.” He looks at the floor in shame. People could die of hunger. He learned that at school. “I forgot your food.”

Kyungsoo looks so sad, that Jongin feels bad. Some time ago skipping some meals would be like hurting him physically, because he simply loved to fill his mouth with delectable meals. But now he was so used to the feeling of hunger that it worked as a second heartbeat, something that was there, but if he didn't pay too much attention, he wouldn't notice.

So for him, Kyungsoo’s mistake wasn’t that serious. Although Jongin feels really weak now and not even all the trips that he did to the bathroom to fill his stomach with water seem to be working. “It’s okay. Don’t be sad. I’m okay.” Jongin reaches for the other boy and cradles his face between his hands, taking both of his thumbs to each side of Kyungsoo’s lips and tugging them up in a smile. He disliked seeing sad people, reminded him too much of his mother crying because of him.

Kyungsoo recovers by giving a weak smile and to compensate Jongin for his mistake, he goes to his secret hideout of cookies (the ones that he won from Sehun and Jongdae) and gives them all to Jongin. “Here. It’s all just for you, okay? You don’t have to give me any.” Kyungsoo is kneeling on the floor to take the stash from behind the last row of books in the bookshelf. He looks at the other's face as he too kneels on the floor next to him. “I’m really sorry, Jongin-ah. It won’t happen again. I promise.”

Jongin grabs one cookie and brings it to his mouth to take a bite. It’s full of chocolate and very much to his liking. He thanks Kyungsoo and quickly eats another one. By the third, his stomach starts to turn and he feels sick. The cookies are too sweet for someone that hasn’t eaten in such a long time. So he gives the cookies back to Kyungsoo, before he vomits.

Kyungsoo hides everything behind the books again and thinks that maybe Jongin could use some rice or something different that’s in the fridge.

The room’s owner takes them to the kitchen and on the way there he explains to Jongin that he can watch television in the living room, (when he’s alone if he wants to) showing him the remotes. In the kitchen, Kyungsoo teaches him how to make rice in the rice cooker for himself for when he is alone at lunch. He just had to clean everything after using.

Kyungsoo fails to notice how severe is Jongin's weakness, – not even allowing the boy to really focus in any of his explanations – and thus keeps on chattering.

Kyungsoo tries to show Jongin the things that he could eat and not eat in the fridge. Normally, because of his mother's work schedules, she would always do lots of different types of food on the weekends and store them in a big variety of boxes inside the fridge for the family to eat during the week.

Nonetheless, even Kyungsoo was finding it hard to create a pattern for the other to follow, so he decides to rearrange the location of the boxes. On the top shelf he puts the food that Jongin could only eat a spoonful of, on the second those that he could eat a bit more but it still needed to look untouched and on the last two rows the boxes from which he could eat half or more, if he would like.

Only then and with the warm rice already prepared, Kyungsoo sets on the table a simple meal with some vegetables, meat and kimchi for Jongin to eat.

Jongin didn't eat much, which was surprising because he was so thin. Kyungsoo had assumed that the other boy would be very hungry and eat a lot. However the other had a very satisfied expression on his face and Kyungsoo took that as a good sign, not forcing him to eat more.

They clean up the kitchen together (Kyungsoo taught Jongin about the places of the different utensils and dishes that he could need) and go back to Kyungsoo’s room. He still had to do his homework before he could play with Jongin and it was better for the both of them to take a bath before any of his parents got back home.

They were fast creating a routine. In less than a week Kyungsoo was already used to searching for Jongin in the middle of night if he woke up and to run for his hidden place when he got home.

He kept on checking the kitchen to see if Jongin hadn’t missed cleaning something, too afraid that one of his parents found out. But it was all in its right place as if the other boy hadn't even eaten. Actually, he never made rice by himself, even if Kyungsoo had taught him three times already, but the last boxes in the fridge where being eaten so Kyungsoo wasn’t too worried about Jongin being hungry. They also discovered that it was better to let Jongin eat dinner earlier, before his parents got home, or else it would be like an impossible mission to bring real food for the other.

His new habit of rearranging the fridge to let Jongin know what he could eat was driving his mum crazy and she would scold him severely, every night after seeing another Kyungsoo’s typical organisation system.

Only on Thursday, when he was doing his homework (Jongin was sitting nearby playing with some of Kyungsoo's small cars) the thought crossed his mind that the other didn’t go to school like him. Did he have a favourite subject? For how long was he skipping classes? More important did the boy know at least how to read?

Kyungsoo looks at Jongin's profile playing quietly, he was very curious about the other’s past, especially the institution, but Jongin refused to tell a single thing. It was making the room’s owner very frustrated, accustomed to always have his way with everything. He would let it go for now and wait a little longer for the answers that he wanted. Only because it was Jongin and Jongin was so, so nice that every time Kyungsoo tried to be a little harsher or insistent with him, he would feel horribly guilty for hours.

Feeling observed, Jongin looks up and sure enough curious eyes meet his. He is already getting used to Kyungsoo's curiosity about everything and although he finds it very entertaining, when it turns on him, it scares him deeply. He knows that one day Kyungsoo is going to gather his belongings and order Jongin to leave and not come back anymore. He just hopes it happens sooner rather than later, because he is too quickly getting used to the other boy’s warm smiles and excited voice.

“Do you have a favourite subject at school, Jongin-ah?”

The question catches the other by surprise, but at the same time not really, because he knew that at some point the school subject was going to pop up. “I didn't go to school much.”

Just like Kyungsoo thought. “I hate school, but my dad says that when someone doesn't go, the police comes after them and then they are arrested. Do you think they are looking for you, now?” The idea doesn't suit Kyungsoo’s mind at all, no one should be capable of taking Jongin way from him, he is the one that brought him and took care of him.

“I… Don't know…” For some moments, a storm arises in Jongin's thoughts, thinking about the consequences of running away that he would face if he ever got back to the institution. He imagines locked dark rooms to be and cold floors to sleep for many, many days. The words that then come out of his mouth are faint and insecure, “I think they already are.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widen as he reaches out for Jongin’s hand intuitively, grabbing it. “Did someone find you before?”

“Not yet.” Jongin is gazing at the floor, lost in conjectures of what could happen to him if some grown up manages to catch him.

The room’s owner sighs in relief because it isn't too late to protect the other. “Then we just have to keep you far, far away from any policeman.” Jongin is his to keep. He was the one that found him and befriended him, if Kyungsoo takes good care of this secret he can keep him hidden in his room for a very long time, for sure. “You just have to stay at home, they aren’t going to find you here. And if you want to leave, I will come with you. I won’t let them take you.” From me. Nobody could take Jongin from him now. “Okay?”

And as if a magical wind had passed through Jongin’s cloudy sky and had blown away all of the dark clouds, Kyungsoo’s words set his mind back to a peaceful and relaxed state. He smiles back at the other, hoping, wishing, that maybe Kyungsoo would keep him forever.

After that, Kyungsoo makes his mission to teach Jongin every single thing he learns in classes, then even if some policeman suspects the boy, they could show him that Jongin had learnt many different things ‘at school’.

However they cross the first difficulty in Jongin's capability of reading. Although the boy did know how to read, it was really, really, really slowly and it took forever before Jongin himself could understand what he had just read. So before Kyungsoo could teach him something more difficult, he tried to make the other learn how to read properly. For this Kyungsoo would read to Jongin the same books that when he was younger he loved that Joonmyeon read to him, and he would point out word by word, reading slowly to make sure Jongin could keep up.

In the first night it appears to be an impossible task, with Jongin's eyebrows completely furrowed in concentration and his full attention on Kyungsoo, but whenever the later asked him to reread a sentence, it would be as slow and incomprehensible as before. Not a single improvement.

However on the second night, it was like a complete transformation. Jongin was much better, almost has if he had practiced all day. Well maybe he had, but Kyungsoo wasn’t going to think much about that and take credibility from his awesome teaching skills.

On the first Saturday after Jongin's arrival, Kyungsoo does his usual routine (with music and swimming classes). Afterwards, when he and Joonmyeon are returning home together from their Music Lessons (like they normally did), they agree to stop at a convenience store close to their neighbourhood – it was something that sometimes they liked to do to buy candies or other snacks that their parents would surely disapprove.

Immediately after entering the store, the older boy runs straight to the candies aisle to find the ones that he loves the most. Confident that the younger is right on his heels, he advertises happily, “Kyungsoo-yah, today they have the watermelon gummies!” Joonmyeon giggles madly, because today he is the one that is going to take the entire box of watermelon gummies packages home (it was rare to be in stock and they were his favourites ones). Yet, he receives no reply from the younger, so he turns around confused, not finding Kyungsoo. Where did the other disappear to? Joonmyeon promptly abandons his favourite candies on behalf of his best friend, going from aisle to aisle looking for him.

He finds him a little later, alone with his attention focused on some bottles. “There you are! You disappeared on me!”

“I'm sorry, Joonmyeon-ah.” Kyungsoo doesn't look away from the bottles in his hands.

“What are you looking at?” Joonmyeon takes in the aisle they are in. Vitamins and health products. “Why are you here? Are you sick?”

“No. Do you know anything about vitamins?” Kyungsoo places both bottles back on the shelf and takes a new one to observe.

“Hum. A bit… What are you looking for?”

“What is the right one for someone kind of sick?” He takes another one and tries to compare the two, reaching the exact same conclusion as before. He doesn't have a clue about what the words and numbers on the labels stand for.

“What type of sickness?” Joonmyeon is conflicted with himself. Because he wants to be useful and help, but at the same time he would rather ask questions about the destiny of the vitamins.

“Hum… He is weak, too skinny and his stomach hurts all the time.” The younger replies nonchalantly.

He. Weak and too skinny. Kyungsoo's words repeat countlessly on Joonmyeon's mind, trying to give them some meaning. Who would Kyungsoo know that… Maybe… No no. But, it's the only one that makes sense... The boy. The boy from the park. Jongin. Honestly, since that person attacked them, he hadn't seen the younger.

At the thought of that man, Joonmyeon's body shivers and he feels dizzy, suddenly not feeling safe outside of his house. His neck is still recovering, the man’s fingers very much present in the purplish bruises that adorn it. He reaches for Kyungsoo's arm and holds it in an attempt of keeping his ground and don't freak out out of irrational fear.

Joonmyeon knows that they are safe here at the convenience store, but his nightmares have been so destructive in the last days and he just feels safer touching the younger boy. He knows how much Kyungsoo fought for his safety. Even Jongin did so, which surprised Joonmyeon when he really gave time to think about that horrible afternoon.

Jongin. The boy really looks sick and fragile. Not to forget smelly and very much unclean in general, but Joonmyeon isn't going to think much about that. It's nice if Kyungsoo is trying to help him out, the other obviously has some serious problems of lack of money, which is sad. Discovering about others that don't have a good life because of something as superficial as money always makes Joonmyeon sad, knowing that his family has too much. That's why he is the happiest sharing things that he can buy for his friends.

Of course that he wants to help Jongin too. The image of the frightened and worried face that the boy carried while leaving Jongdae's house was still nagging him in the back of his mind. So the older gives his best, searching between all the bottles for the best candidate. After a while he thinks that maybe it’s better two different types, one specially for kids and other to help strengthen the stomach. Probably the younger doesn't eat enough or eats just unhealthy and cheap food, that's why his stomach hurts.

“These two.” He says while holding the bottles for Kyungsoo to see. “Two different types will be more effective and he is going to be healthier faster.” He thinks… Truth be told, Joonmyeon's knowledge about supplements isn't much better than the younger, but they had learned about the general human anatomy not so long ago at school and as different medicines heal different diseases, different vitamins restore different body problems. Or so he hopes.

“Ooww. You are the best!” Kyungsoo takes both bottles and tries to sum their prices together in his head. He isn't sure, but he thinks it’s a lot more than what he has now. To buy something like this, he will have to save – from the money that is parents give him weekly – for a month, maybe even two.

“I will pay for them. Don't worry.” The older takes the bottles from Kyungsoo’s hands and makes his way back to the candies aisle.

“Really?” The younger walks after him. “But they aren't for me. Are you sure?”

“I said I would pay for them. Do you want any candies? They have the watermelon gummies today.” Joonmyeon avoids looking at the younger boy, to not give away how much he knows about the future of the bottles.

Kyungsoo slowly lets his lips turn upward in a smile, while he processes that he can take both bottles home. His eyes shine full of sparkling stars of ecstasy and he jumps in the air from joy. “Thank you, Joonmyeon-ah. Thank you so much! You are really the best!” He grabs the older’s hand and squeezes it hard, letting a great part of his weight go to the other boy’s arm. Jongin could start taking his vitamins even today and soon he was going to be fully okay. Kyungsoo smiles so bright that it probably rivals the convenience store artificial lights. He looks up at Joonmyeon’s face, how lucky he is to have such a warm-hearted friend. Kyungsoo squeezes their joined hands again, swinging them a little.

From the corner of his eyes, the older boy is following the younger’s glee and he feels pleasantly warm in his chest, smiling to himself. Making Kyungsoo happy is almost a life mission sometimes and he is proud for today’s success. Though it isn’t an extensive state of happiness because…

Oohhhh no. NO NO NO. “Where are my gummies??” Joonmyeon kneels dramatically in front of the lower shelf, where previously were his watermelon gummies. Eyes wide in disbelief. “Where did they go?? I didn't even take ten minutes long! Come on!”

Kyungsoo looks around and spots three boys at the end of the aisle with at least twelve packages of the same gummies. He scrunches his face and pouts. They were too late again. Poor Joonmyeon. He pats the other’s back, trying to comfort him.

“They were here. I swear. I saw them…”

“There, there. Let's take another one.”

“I don't feel like it.” Joonmyeon stands up, his shoulders a bit slump and his face in a grimace. “I want chips.” If he can't have the watermelons he doesn't want anything else sweet. It would taste bitter anyway.

Kyungsoo drags the unhappy boy to choose some chips and after paying they walk home.

He departs from Joonmyeon in front of his house door like usual and walks inside his home to find it empty. Good, it meant more time to play freely with Jongin. Kyungsoo runs to his bedroom – now knowing the other’s hide out – and opens the wardrobe door.

He is startled by Jongin, who jumps from the inside and tickles him to the floor. Kyungsoo laughs out loud and tries to crawl away from the attack but to no avail.

They end up lying on the floor, breathless from the effort of the tickle battle, but it feels very nice to be welcomed home like this – Kyungsoo agrees internally. “I bought something for you. Well not really, Joonmyeon bought it. But still, it’s for you.”

“Hyung, bought me something? He knows about me being here?” The sudden revelation catches Jongin by surprise and he rises from the floor, sitting.

“No. I didn’t tell him! And if you speak to him don't tell him either. He would tell our parents, I’m sure!” Kyungsoo rises too and looks for the small bag that he abandoned on the floor before opening the wardrobe, giving it to Jongin. “For you to get better.”

The boy is very curious. Hyung bought him something! Kyungsoo sought something for him? What could it be?

He opens the bag, carefully, it could be something breakable. When faced with the two bottles his eyebrows crumple low on his forehead from confusion. Jongin searches Kyungsoo’s face with his eyes for an explanation.

“Vitamins!” The other is smiling cheerfully and Jongin copies the movement, unintentionally. He doesn’t have a single idea what he can do with vitamins, but whatever. It’s the first time in a long, long while that someone offers him something and he is very thankful for that. “You have to take them every day, okay?” He nods firmly. Kyungsoo grabs the bottles and shows the front to Jongin. “Joonmyeon wrote here when you should take them. Two to make you healthy twice as fast, so don’t forget okay? Every kid takes vitamins, that’s what mum says and it makes us stronger and helps us grow taller. I’m going to be really tall one day when I grow up.”

Jongin nods along, now understanding the reason. So Kyungsoo was trying to make him grow up healthy. His heart beats a little faster at the thought that someone cares about him, feeling all fuzzy and comfy inside his chest. “I’m going to grow up tall, too.” He wants to be the same as Kyungsoo, equals.

“Of course you are! But I’m going to be taller, okay? You don’t mind, do you?” Jongin shakes his head quickly. “Awesome! So don’t forget to take them like Joonmyeon wrote.” Kyungsoo smiles adorably and stands up. “Where is mum?”

“She took the car keys. But I don’t know where.” Jongin crawls to the wardrobe to arrange the bottles on the space that Kyungsoo freed for him to use. Just for his belongings.

“Oh. She must be shopping. And dad?”

“He left with his slippers still put on?”

“Oh right. If he isn’t working he spends a lot of time with Joonmyeon’s dad, at his house. It’s normal. Sooooo you ready for your lesson?” Jongin likes an awful lot that Kyungsoo keeps referring to his parents as ‘mum and dad’ as if they were Jongin’s too. It almost makes him feel like he belongs here, in this house with this family.

“Yes.” He grabs the book that he was reading before Kyungsoo arrival and takes it to the other.

“Oh, no no no. Today is Saturday. He will have different lessons!”

“Hum. What type?” He puts the book back in the wardrobe.

“Jongin-ah, it’s about time you learn everything about the Digital World!” Kyungsoo goes fetch his cards, map and miniature plastic toys of his favourite Digimons. “Come here.” He remembers to go lock his bedroom door just before sitting on the soft pillows in front of the television. One never knows when his parents may arrive.

He prepares Jongin with the most basic and essential information and after that turns on his VCR system and plays the first Digimon’s episodes that he recorded with his father’s help.

It’s a success. Jongin only after the first episode is completely addicted and begs for more, which Kyungsoo without delay plays. They see six episodes in total before his parents come home and knock on his door, calling him for dinner. It’s take out and Kyungsoo makes sure to hide some chicken parts in a cloth on his lap to bring back to Jongin. He forgot to make him eat dinner earlier and now it’s perhaps the best option. Maybe he will like take out?

After Jongin is done eating they play with the Digimon toys pretending to be ‘Chosen Children’ raising their Digimons. It’s funny Kyungsoo notices, how he and Jongin like the same things yet in different ways. For example, while he prefers the reliable Gabumon, Jongin appears to love the brave Agumon.

Later, Kyungsoo hides Jongin under a big bathrobe to take him to the bathroom – while his parents are in the living room quietly watching T.V. – to pee and wash his teeth. The Digimon’s expert does the same routine and hides him again to take him back to the bedroom. He knows that his parents never enter his room or wake him up on Sundays, so he locks his door and invites Jongin to sleep on the bed with him. Honestly, he prefers that a lot (replacing his doll with the boy’s body).

Jongin climbs on the bed only after a little persuasion, still tentatively and shyly. Kyungsoo follows after him and lies on the bed too. He lets his muscles relax without a worry, feeling his best friend’s body warmth.

Kyungsoo thought about this the other day at school. He liked Jongin a lot and wanted the other to be his bestest friend. Of course he had Joonmyeon and Sehun and Baekhyun, but it was different, they were different. Baekhyun was his best friend at school, Sehun at the park and especially on school holidays and Joonmyeon was his older brother. He still wasn’t sure where he would fit Jongin between the others, but he was sure that his place was as Kyungsoo’s best friend.

He falls asleep, seeing the dim illumination of the nightlight reflecting on Jongin’s soft and clean hair, a small smile playing on his lips.

Jongin wakes up in the middle of the night with a strong grip around his neck and chest that makes it very hard for him to breath. For instants, he feels terrified and almost has a panic attack believing that he is back in the alley and the man is caging him against the floor. But then he smells Kyungsoo’s apple shampoo and relaxes bit by bit. Where Kyungsoo is, he is safe.

Well, not really at the moment with this vice grip on his throat. Jongin tries to free himself by rotating a little in the opposite direction. However, it has the contrary effect as Kyungsoo holds him even stronger. Jongin fights against him not using too much force to not hurt Kyungsoo, grabbing the other’s arm to take it off of him, which makes the boy tighten his hold even more.

Sometime after, Jongin starts to feel desperate, if after this night he is still capable of breathing he swears to never again sleep in a bed. Welcoming the worst that can possibly happen he turns his body fully to Kyungsoo, front with front. If the other wants to squeeze the daylights out of him, he better repay it at least a little.

So Jongin puts his arms around Kyungsoo’s torso and strives to press his body wholly strength against the other. To his great surprise the arm that was around his neck, descends to his shoulder blades, also in a tight hold but much, much more bearable.

Jongin flattens his hands on Kyungsoo’s back and really lets himself hug the other.

It feels truly enjoyable. It’s been too long since he last hugged someone. He is shy and it’s really hard for him to make friends so he is more comfortable keeping a distance. But even if he stubbornly says he doesn’t need another person to help him out, he secretly wishes for one. Too many times in the last weeks, he has been wishing for Kyungsoo.

He gives small pats on Kyungsoo back, letting the other’s steady breathing lull him to sleep. The last thing he listens to is Kyungsoo’s content sigh, before darkness envelopes him.