The Invalid: Chapter Nine - Finally some Jongkey action
Taemin walked home confused. He looked up the starry night sky as he recalled awkward dinner. Is that a typical valid family? Prim and proper, strict and formal. He recalls the happy moments he had with his family on the dinner table. Taemin shook his thoughts away as he continued home.
The school bell rang as Taemin lugged his heavy schoolbag to class. It was another boring day in school. The boy noticed his friend in front as he ran up to him.
"Hey! How is your project going with Key? I had to read a huge stack of books which took me the entire day and I haven't even finished it! And I had dinner with..." Taemin continued on with a huge grin on his face. He seemed to be recalling yet having a dreamy look on his face. Jonghyun nodded every now and then but his expression remaining grim.
"Hi..." Key said shyly. Taemin widened his eyes as his friend waved back blushing. Key left with a slight wave as Jonghyun stood dazed. Something was off. The great and mighty diva greeting us invalids. And not to mention the pinkish glow on Jonghyun's face.
"Did something happen between you two? What happened? Tell me quick! Tell me!" Taemin shot questions at his friend eagerly only to render the other a deeper shade of pink.
"It was nothing. Just that we talked a bit during our project and found that we seem to be in the same predicament." Jonghyun replied. He quickly walked away, covering his ears childishly as he walked on. Taemin cannot know. He must not know.
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Jonghyun knocked on the door nervously, shifting his feet slightly as he waited for a reply. The door sprang open as he noticed the designer clad guy that greeted him. He smiled slightly as the other merely sneered and led him in reluctantly.
"Let's start. I bet we have much to do since I am working with a invalid of such calibre." Key said arrogantly as he walked up the stairs to his room. Key made no action to invite him upstairs so he just invited himself to Key's room. He followed the sleek figure up to the well furnished and elaborately decorated room. The walls were coloured dark red and black, furniture seemingly coloured coded in black and red as well. Everything in the room was placed neatly, with not a single book out of place. Key sat down on the couch as he picked up a book from the shelf. Jonghyun was left bewildered, only to find a chair in the far corner which he brought to sit down near the other.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Start researching. I will do the books and you can stet with the Internet. The computer is over there." Jonghyun went over to the direction the other was pointing. He was greeted with a large computerized screen with a small keyboard an wireless mouse on the small table placed in front.
The two worked in silence until Key finally stood up and placed a few books on Jonghyun's working table.
"How is your friend now?" Key asked, with a slight tinge of guilt.
"What finally feeling guilty? You know you shouldn't have done that." Key can only be seen keeping silent with his head slightly tilted downwards.
"But he was too close to Minho!" Key shouted loudly suddenly causing Jonghyun to be a little surprised. Jonghyun did not know what came over him as he put his arms around the other, patting the back soothingly chanting repeatedly "It's okay, it's okay." Key did not resist as he buried himself in the older's embrace, basking in the warmth. When realization dawned upon both of then they sprang back simultaneously, pointing fingers at one another pushing the blame.
Jonghyun quickly resumed to his research on the computer as Key also went back to researching on the books silently. However, that embrace seemed to have broke the ice as the silence now no longer contained the tension but only warmth, the comfortable atmosphere was set.
Key blurted out bluntly:"You like that friend of yours, Taemin right?" Jonghyun was left bewildered but he remained concentrated on the computer information. Was he obvious?
"Of course I do. He is my best friend." Jonghyun decided on the most diplomatic answer, only earning a soft sigh from the other.
"You know what I mean. Do you like him more than friends? If it helps, I think we are in the same predicament. The one I likes doesn't like me." Key looked away as he said it, with an expression Jonghyun couldn't quite understand. It was a mixture of bitterness and sadness, maybe even a tinge of anger.
"I think I do feel a little more towards Taemin. He is like my younger brother.. But sometimes I don't know why I would be so protective and get all worked up just because of him." Jonghyun muttered under his breath.
Key did not give a reply. Many thoughts ran through his mind then. It was when he realized that invalids and valids are actually not so different. All were humans with emotions, emotions that cannot be justified with reasoning an emotions that all cannot run away from, no matter valid or invalid. He reminisced the time he would bully the invalids just to gain the recognition, the times he would look down on invalids just because hi parents had told him that they were inferior beings. Were they really that different from the valids? He was not sire anymore. He regretted the times he looked down on the invalids, he was actually no different from them. Valids get hurt by the things people do just like the invalids; Valids would experience unwanted emotions and feelings just like them; Valids are powerless in controlling the feelings just like them.
"Back to Earth! Back to Earth!" Jonghyun waves his hands in front of the dazed Key. As Key finally snapped out of it, he quickly grabbed the waving hand in front of him and pushed it away. He put up his look of contempt, unwilling to let the older's confession deter his pride. He cannot change his views on invalids so drastically and obviously it would just kill his pride.
"Why? Sudden realisation that we are in the same predicament? Unhappy and denying that you’re the same as me, a mere invalid?" Jonghyun chuckled as he said. Key looked away, ignoring the other though each word hurt his heart. It was hard to learn that what you have been educated since birth was all false and untruths.
"I do not think so. Of course I can accept it, I am an all knowing valid, and perhaps I already knew it before you told me." Key pointed his finger at the other boy, almost stabbing the tip of the other's nose. Jonghyun swallowed the ball of saliva stuck in his throat as he noticed the pale plush lips just inches away from his. There was a sudden hunger for that pair of lips, to ease the owner of loneliness, to provide the love and warmth to the owner. Without a second thought, Jonghyun lightly placed his lips over Key's. He relished the light contact as he quickly pulled back again, just as quickly as he had contacted the other's lips. He motioned to go as he quickly ran out of the room and out of the house sighing in relief once out of the house.
Key was left stunned and also surprised at the other's actions. Were kisses supposed to be like that? He didn't know because it was his first. It felt warm and comfortable, gentle and soft. It certainly caused a tingling sensation through his body. This was not to be. He loved Minho. This must just had been how normal kisses felt like. Yes, if was just a short contact between both pairs of lips, nothing to it. Nevertheless it still ensued a blush on the boy at the mere memory.
Jonghyun blamed himself for his actions. His heart contained Taemin and yet he kissed that valid that in fact had no feelings for him. He psyched himself, constantly muttering under his breath that it was unintentional and merely a peck on the lips, nothing more to it. He smacked his forehead with his palm as he sighed, what was he thinking when he did that? Key just looked lonely and needed comfort, needed love and concern. The boy's eyes looked so sad and the never showing a bight smile. Yes, that must be why. I just wanted to give comfort, Jonghyun continued to psych himself. It was going to be hard to forget this memory.
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Taemin knew something was fishy between them two but he left it hanging. Jonghyun didn't seem like he wanted to share. Taemin would just have to wait till the day the other boy decides to spill the secrets.
Taemin noticed Minho walking past him as he smiled and waved lightly. Minho merely glanced at the younger and walked past with his group of friends, ignoring Taemin. Taemin felt anger rising at the action as he immediately complained to Jonghyun.
"Did you see that?" Taemin blabbered on, throwing a few words to describe the tall boy negatively, calling names out of desperation. How dare he! Key seemed so chummy with Jonghyun after one meeting for the project work and yet Minho and him are still far apart. This is unfairness!
"Didn't you want to forget about him?" Jonghyun looked preoccupied as he blurted out. Taemin kept silent as he suddenly remembered how he did not want to be project partners with Minho just to avoid the older. He ought to continue avoiding the other so what went wrong? He should not even have waved hello to that dear project partner of his.
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Nyeheheh jongkey is progressing faster than 2min /facepalms/ hahaha oh well i will make up for it later :DD