“Have I ever told you how much I despise the cold?” Key said, a week later as he walked down the sidewalk with his hands shoved inside his pocket. It was just nearing four in the afternoon and since Donghae had decided to walk him home from school, the two teens had decided to take a detour through town for a change of scenery.

Donghae smiled and shrugged his shoulders, sniffling and rubbing his nose. He looked around and took in the scene around him. The sky was grey and the air was a bitter cold, with every person wearing a warm coat and gloves. It was his ideal sort of day though. A dreary and grey day with barren trees and a cold breeze; it felt like him to him. It felt like his childhood home and more importantly his parents.

“I don’t know; I kind of like it,” He said with a light smile, caught in a reminiscence of old memories. “But to answer your question: yes, you have indeed told me many times how much you despise the cold. It’s because you’re so hot-blooded.”

“I am not hot-blooded!” Key snapped at him, and Donghae grinned knowingly. Key huffed and rolled his eyes. “Oh, shut up, Donghae. Be nice and buy me a coffee!”

Donghae nodded in agreement and nudged him towards the street corner, waiting as a car passed before treading across and heading towards the local coffee shop that Heechul liked to frequent before taking them to school in the morning. The bell chimed as the two stepped inside, greeted by a rush of warm air that was heartily welcomed.

“You go on ahead and get us a table. I’ll order for us,” Donghae said, nodding towards the few empty tables left open. It was a popular little shop, filled with college students and couples taking their afternoon breaks together.

Key swung his backpack off his shoulder and slid into a booth against the window, sighing in relief as the weight was dropped. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent of coffee and fresh baked pastries. He’d only been back in school for four days now, but already he felt exhausted by the amount of energy it took to get back in the groove of things; he’d gotten lazy in the past three months of absence. It was tiring, but it did feel wonderful to be back around people.

Until now, he hadn’t realized how much he missed society. All the chatter going on around him, the lives and stories of so many people who he would probably never know but were going to be there for so long…it was exciting and refreshing. He wasn’t the sort of person that could live cooped up in a house all the time with only the same few people to talk with all the time. How any could live like that he would never understand; by that he meant Kibum in particular. Donghae and Mir both went to school, they had their little buddies and various family members and little activities that they enjoyed. Even Heechul had friends he went out with every now and then and was always emailing and texting; not to mention with a business to run he had something to occupy himself with other than his children.

But Kibum, Kibum had nothing.

And that, Key thought, was the most depressing thing that could ever be. He hadn’t even realized it until now, he hadn’t realized just how depressing it could be. He had been stuck in the house for three months, but it had still, in some odd way, been exciting. A new home, new people to learn, a new way of life. But now he’d grown bored with the same routine every day and was quite pleased that rather than returning to the same old routine, he got something new again by switching schools. And all the while Kibum still had nothing.

He had only his family and the library.

I suppose that must do it for him, Key thought with a frown as he leaned against his hand and stared out the window as a single snow flake fluttered through the air. The library is full of books that he always has his nose buried in. I suppose that after having his entire family die that reality might be difficult to deal with and books are his way of escaping. That’s kind of sad and depressing to have only that.

He didn’t know why it made him feel sad, because he didn’t even like Kibum, but it did. That was an empty feeling he never wanted to feel and he was going to make damn sure to never have to feel it. Life was meant for living and enjoying every little thing there was to enjoy. He wanted to be nosy and know everything about everyone, watching as life changed around him and ride on that rollercoaster of thrill. Maybe, maybe he could shake things up and get the others to join him.

Shaking his head, Key moved his attention away from the window and glanced towards the counter where Donghae was grabbing their drinks and what looked like two muffins. He quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped away any trace of crumbs or germs off the table just as the older boy arrived and set down the purchases.

“This really , they just hired a new counter person!” Donghae complained as he sat down opposite side of the table. He grabbed his blueberry muffin and tore off a piece, plopping it into his mouth and began to chew, “I’m never going to get a job!”

“Why do you want to work? Heechul provides everything for us,” Key replied, grimacing at him for talking with his mout