[Kibum]

The day was another, like the one before. The houses passed by as a blur, outside of the bus window. You wondered why you bothered with a calendar - there was no need to remember dates. Dates were not important when there was nothing memorable, to make them special. You gave a bitter chuckle. Everything was becoming a reminder of how you have begun to see yourself - plain, boring, and not special. You were just another person on the bus.

A sharp wind caught you by surprise as you stepped out onto the street. The afternoon sun gave no warmth. The indifference of the strangers about you mirrored your own. It was —

"Kibum! Hey, wait!"

You looked back as soon as the shouts registered in your mind. A frown crossed your brow and it took a good minute for you to recognise the person calling out your name. Jonghyun.

Jonghyun was running and came to a stop in front of you. He bent over his knees, his mouth wide open and gasping for breath. You wordlessly gaped at him.

"Didn’t you hear me shout to you, way back there?" Jonghyun complained in between pants.

Back there? Where? “What are you doing?” you asked him, confused.

He stood back up straight, his back no longer heaving for air, and wiped away some of the sweat that formed above his lips. "Are you alright?" he answered with a question instead.

"What?"

"You were crying."

You gingerly touched your face and your fingers came away warm and wet. When had you started crying?

"I… I wasn’t!" You feebly denied and Jonghyun grinned with amusement. He wasn’t fooled

"Sure, if you say so."

"I wasn’t!"

"Okay, you weren’t crying," he waved away your protests and looked at your surroundings. "Come," he commanded. He grabbed your hand and pulled you to a nearby cafe. "I need a drink and food."

"I wasn’t crying, Jonghyun!" You had no idea why you were insisting, only that it felt necessary. You weren’t about to admit even to yourself that you just wanted to… to what?

"Jonghyun." His name came out soft and forlorn.

He stopped dragging your arm and looked back to find you staring at the ground. Fresh tears blurred your sight. A surge of panic rushed through you when you felt him release your hand. He was ashamed of you! And so you hastily tried to wipe them away.

"I’m not —," you tried to say again but was stopped when Jonghyun pulled you into a tight hug. It was strong and warm and forgiving.

"No," he said softly into your ear. "You’re not crying. But I am. So let me have this hug, ok?"

You numbly nodded and hugged him back. “Ok.”