The Scarf
TITLE: The Scarf
AUTHOR: giveitupjessica
PAIRINGS: OnKey
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: Who knew that a simple scarf from a snarky, but kind stranger would be the foundation true love.
A/N: This is a oneshot to add to my Paper Clips and Other Office Supplies series, but can also be read on it's own. People wanted more of a backstory for OnKey in the Paper series, so here it is. This is also for shineeangel for her donation in the Replay4Japan fundraiser. I hope you like this. And thank you again for bidding and donating.
I still can’t believe it. I’m in total and complete shock. Both of my hands are shoved in my pockets in hopes of trying to keep warm, I didn’t even think about grabbing my jacket when I left. All I knew was that I needed to get out of there and fast, everything else just slipped my mind. Now I feel like an idiot for just storming out like that without my coat. It’s not like I didn’t pass it on my way out, I just didn’t think about grabbing it. So here I am walking the streets in the middle of a fall night with no coat. Yeah, I’m an idiot.
A sigh escapes my lips as I walk across the street and the hand in my right pocket brushes against something cold. I scrunch my face and pull out the object, realizing what it was before I looked at it. I was going to propose to Luna tonight. We’re still young, but I knew that I wanted to marry her and I wasn’t planning on our wedding actually happening until after we were done with school. I just wanted to give her the ring as a promise that I did intend on marrying her one day. She had other plans though. She wanted to break up. Apparently our relationship had plateaued in her eyes. She felt like it was time for both of us to move on. I didn’t want to move on though. I still love her. I want to be with her and only her. So how could she say those things about our relationship?
Just then I feel a hand grab mine and yank me backwards. I stumble and fall on my ass only to look up into one of the most beautiful faces I’ve ever seen in my life. High cheek bones, soft, flawless skin, cat-like eyes, and nice plump lips.
“YAH! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!” the person yells at me and I snap out of my thoughts. I get a good look at the person and realize that it’s a boy that I’m staring at. He has his hands on his hips and is tapping his foot. I guess he’s waiting for me to answer his somewhat rhetorical question. At least I thought it was rhetorical.
“Mianhe,” I say and bow as I get back up on my feet, “I was caught up in my own thoughts. I didn’t realize where I was going.”
“Obviously,” there’s silence between us and I stuff my hands back into my pockets, “Aren’t you going to say anything else?”
“Um,” I scratch the back of my head and give him a shy smile.
“I just saved your life babo. Aren’t you going to thank me?”
“Oh right. Of course. Thank you,” I bow again, “Thank you very much.”
“Whatever. Just try not to get yourself killed tonight. I can’t follow you all the way home just to pull you away from curbs. Then again you might freeze to death first. Why are you out without a jacket? Are you trying to show how manly you are or something?”
“No. I forgot it.”
“Forgot your jacket?”
“Yes.”
“Aish,” he unwraps his scarf from his neck and ties it around my neck instead. I look up at him with surprise and he just rolls his eyes at me, “Well I can’t give you my jacket. I still have a few blocks until I get home. And I’ll feel guilty knowing you’re walking around without a jacket, so this is the best I can do. At least a part of you can stay warm.”
“But why?”
“Because I’m a nice person. Now you better get home before you really do freeze and try to remember to look BEFORE you cross a street,” and with that he was gone, walking in the opposite direction of where I was going. I pull the scarf tighter around my neck and take one last look in the direction this mysterious stranger walked off in before continuing on my way back to my dorm. A strong gust of wind carries the scent from the scarf into my nose causing me to inhale an enormous amount of the boy’s scent. Tangerines and mint.
*~*
“Hey, you’re home earlier,” my roommate says as I walk through the door. I toss my keys onto the counter and flop down on the couch next to him, “I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow. You know so that you can celebrate your engagement and all.”
“Do I look like a person who just got engaged?”
“No, you look like shit actually. Where’s your coat?”
“At Luna’s.”
“Where you should be.”
“No.”
“What?”
I pull the scarf tighter around my neck and inhale his scent again. It has a calming effect on me and I smile, “She broke up with me.”
“What?”
“Luna dumped me.”
“Then why are you smiling?”
“No reason,” I stand back up, “I think I’m going to go shower then hit the sack.”
“Sounds good,” I start to walk towards the bathroom, “Hey.”
“Yeah?” I turn back to my roommate.
“Where’d you get the scarf?”
“Oh this?” I pull at it.
“Yeah.”
“It was a gift,” I look down at it and smile, “Why?”
“It kind of looks like the one my boyfriend was wearing earlier that’s all.”
*~*
“Hey guys,” I greet as I join them for our usual B and D night at Jazzy’s house.
“Hey Onew,” she replies and walks over to give me a hug, “How you doing?”
“I’m okay,” I shrug and return her hug, “Could be better, could be worst.”
“Well I got a lot of your favorite donuts, so don’t be afraid to fat kid it up,” we share a quick laugh together before she goes back to sitting next to her boyfriend, Leeteuk. I look over at my cousin, Jonghyun, who is currently clenching his fists so tight that the knuckles are turning white.
“Where’s Minho?” I sit down next to Jonghyun and lean over to whisper in his ears, “Relax Jjong.”
He turns to me and glares. I can’t help but laugh though. He’s been in love with Jazzy since we met her and Minho a few years ago, back when I was still in high school. Jonghyun’s never had a problem confessing to girls in his life, but for some reason it’s different with Jazzy. He gets super nervous around her the way I normally do when I’m around a girl like. And now she’s dating Park Jungsu, better known as Leeteuk. So naturally Jonghyun wants to kill the guy and all that jazz. Pun intended.
“He’s getting the burritos for our B and D night,” Jazzy says, “So what movie are we going to watch tonight?”
“I think we should watch something funny,” Leeteuk suggests and Jonghyun scoffs. I elbow him in the stomach, I swear he couldn’t be discreet to save his life. And when Leeteuk drapes his arm across the back of her chair, I swear I heard him growl. I told him he should have confessed a long time ago, but he was positive that Jazzy only saw him as a friend. I think otherwise, but what do I know? I just graduated second in my class is all and that doesn’t validate my reasoning at all. I roll my eyes and turn back to the other people in the room.
“A comedy sounds good,” I add, “I could use a good laugh these days.”
“Okay, so two for comedy and I could care less what we watch,” Jazzy says and we all turn to Jonghyun.
“Anything but a comedy, horror film, or cheesy chick flick. How about something historical?” Jonghyun suggests and we all give him weird looks.
“Historical?” I question, “Why would we ever want waste a B and D night on a historical movie. I really think we should watch a comedy.”
“If I had to choose between a historic movie or a comedy, I’d choose comedy in a heartbeat,” Jazzy says.
“And I already casted my vote,” adds Leeteuk.
“Okay so comedy it is, we’ll pick out a movie when Minho gets back with the rest of food.”
“So hyung,” Leeteuk says to me.
“Yeah?”
“Why are you still wearing that scarf?” he points to the fabric that’s hanging from my neck and I blush. I know it’s lame, but for some reason I couldn’t be without this stupid thing. Ever since that night, it’s been by my side. A grown up safety blanket if you will.
“Oh, I forgot I was wearing it,” I half laugh and carefully remove it from my neck before neatly folding it and placing it on my lap.
“You wanna put it with your coat?” asks Jazzy.
“No, I’ll keep it here,” I pat it, “Just in case I get cold later.”
“Okay, if you say so. It’s really nice. Where’d you get it anyways? I’ve been looking for a scarf like it since last year.”
“Oh it was a gift.”
“Well can you ask the person who gave it to you where they got it?”
“Sure,” that is if I ever see him again which I really do hope so. Just then Minho runs through the door, plastic bag in hand and panting. He brushes the snow off his jacket and hangs it up before taking his shoes off and joining us.
“It’s snowing now?” Jonghyun asks as he takes in our friend who is still trying to rid himself of any snow that was on him.
“Yeah, just out of the blue it started to snow. Kind of strange if you ask me. The weather forecast said nothing about the possibility of it snowing today.”
“Oh Minho, how can you believe what the weatherman says? They get paid to lie,” Jazzy states and we all laugh. The smile stays on my face long after our laughter dies down though. It looks like I’ll have even more of a reason to wrap the scarf tightly around me when I go home later. Perhaps tonight will be the night that I see that mysteriously beautiful boy again. I cross my fingers and send my silent wish up to the stars, hoping they hear it and decide to grant it, “Anyways, let our weekly B and D night commence. We have the donuts and now we have the burritos, all we need is to pop in the movie.”
*~*
It was the first week of classes for the new semester and I really wasn’t looking forward to the next few months at all. What possessed me to take two science courses, a math class, and an English class all at once is beyond me. I must have been delusional when I made up my schedule, but I’ll just have to suck it up and deal with it. I walk into my chemistry lab and immediately see that there’s a seating chart on the projector in the front of the room. I find my name on the diagram and make my way to my seat. It was going to be a long semester, I just know it. I hope my lab partner isn’t a slacker.
I’m in the middle of taking my notebook, pencils, pens, highlighters, and text book out of my bag when I heard the stool beside me screech across the linoleum floor. I turn to look at my partner for the next couple months and my jaw hits the floor. It’s him, the guy from that night. The true owner of the scarf that still hung around my neck. I quickly take the scarf off and stuff it in my bag. The last thing I need is for him to know that I still had the stupid thing.
I clear my throat and he turns to face me as well, “Um… Hi, I’m Lee Jinki or Onew. Looks like we’ll be lab partners in this class.”
He stares down at my outstretched hand before finally shaking it, “Kim Kibum. You better pull your weight. We split the work 50/50. We only discuss the lab and anything else must be chemistry related. Don’t ask about my personal life and I won’t ask about yours. We are strictly lab partners and I don’t intend on taking it further than that. Got it?”
Controlling won’t even being to describe the boy who was now taking out his own belongings and laying them almost parallel to mine. This was definitely going to be a long semester. I let out another sigh and open my text book, reviewing the chapter we had just went over in lecture yesterday. Might as well make the most of the free time I have and study because I just struck out with this guy without even having to step up to the plate.
*~*
“Dongwoon, how could you?!” I hear from the living room and I roll over on my bed. If things couldn’t get any worst in my life, I recently found out that Kibum or Key as his friends and my roommate call him, is currently dating said roommate. So not did I spend a good portion of every Tuesday afternoon with him, but I was also seeing him at home. I really couldn’t escape him and it sucks. How do you get over a crush on a person if you can’t get away from them? You don’t that’s how.
“Key, baby” my roommate responds.
“Don’t ‘baby’ me! You lost the right to call me that when I caught you with that whore! So how does it feel to fall from the easy tree and fuck every whore on the way down?! Got an STD yet? I hope your dick falls off.”
I grumble and grab my headphones from my bedside table. I put them on and turn my iPod on, drowning out whatever was going on in the next room and the rest of the world with music. I guess Kibum finally found out what, or rather who, Dongwoon has been doing behind his back. It was only a matter of time really. And before you think that I’m an asshole for not telling Kibum, I couldn’t. He made it perfectly clear on the first day of class that our relationship was strictly business and nothing more. I couldn’t have told him even if I tried. It’s not like he would have believed me anyways.
I end up falling asleep to Eric Benet’s “Cracks of My Broken Heart.”
*~*
When I wake up it’s pitch black in my room and I check the display of my clock. I was asleep for a good three hours. I pull my headphones out of my ears and listen carefully for any sign of my roommate and Key. My stomach growling fills the silence and I figure its safe for me to leave my room now. I grab my hoodie off the end of my bed and throw it on. I feel like eating fried chicken, the place down the block should still be open. And I should get there just in time if I walk really fast.
I spot a lone person sitting on the bench just outside my building and pay no attention to it as I start to make my way down the street. It’s only when I’m passing by and hear the person sobbing that I stop. I turn and recognize Kibum right away. I have a quick silent argument with myself before I finally walk over to him. I place my hand on his shoulder and he looks up at me, tears streaming down his face.
“I know you said that we’re not supposed to butt into each other’s personal lives,” and I'm unable to finish the rest of my sentence before he flings himself at me. Arms wrapping around my waist as he buries his head in my chest. His tears quickly start to seep into the fabric of my hoodie. I quickly envelop him in my arms and slowly rub his back. The only thing occupying my mind is Kibum and making sure he’s okay. I should take him back upstairs, it’s cold and he’s not wearing very much. A weird sense of déjà vu rushes through me but I quickly shake it off when I feel his body shiver against mine.
“Come on, let’s get you inside before you catch a cold,” I pull away from him, but keep my arms wrapped around his waist. He leans into me, hands resting on my arms as I lead us back into my building. I hope Dongwoon left and wasn’t just chilling in his room. I had a feeling he was the last person Kibum wanted to see.
*~*
The bright sunlight wakes me up and I shift in my bed only to feel something or someone lying beside me. I open one eye and see a head full of brown hair in front of me. I take a deep breath, the smell of tangerines and mint filling my nostrils causing a smile to form on my lips. I look over at my clock to see that it’s just after 8:30.
After I had brought Kibum back upstairs, I took him to my room with a handful of paper towels. We didn’t have any tissues in our dorm and the bathroom was out of my way so paper towels would just have to do. Kibum clung to me the whole night, just crying or sniffling until his body produced more tears for him to shed. The last thing I remember is laying on my bed together. His head resting on my chest and my hand rubbing his back. I fell asleep to the sound of his even breath telling me that he had already drifted off himself.
I look down at him and brush the hair out of his face. I didn’t want anything obstructing my view of the work of art in front of me. I seriously have never seen such a beautiful face in my life and the early morning light only enhanced his beauty even more. A weird feeling begins to boil in the pit of my stomach as I continue to start at him.
“Kibum,” I softly whisper, “I know you said that we’re nothing more than lab partners. But I think we crossed that line last night. And since we’re already here, why don’t you just let me protect you from now on? I promise not to let anything or anyone hurt you. So please tell me that I can stay by your side. Just like this. Let me wake up to this face every morning from now on.”
A soft sigh leaves his mouth and I take that as a ‘yes’ to my question. I pull his body closer to me and he snuggles into the embrace. I close my eyes and drift back to sleep, a smile permanently on my face.
*~*
And that smile is still on my face to this day. Never once has it left since the day he came into my life. And he hasn’t left my side since that night either.
“Yeobo?” he says from behind me and I turn around, “You still have this?”
I walk over to him and grab the scarf from his hands, “Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s from the boy who saved my life and I can’t be without it now. Just like I can’t live without him.”
“Aw, yeobo,” his arms wrap around my neck to pull me down for a gentle kiss.
“Gross umma and appa!” Eli yells from the door and we pull apart to smile at our son. He walks over to us and I pick him up, “Umma what that?”
“This,” Key says as he wraps the scarf around Eli’s neck, “Is a very special scarf.”
“It is?!”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“It saves a life and brings soul mates together.”
“Really?!” his eyes light up and I kiss his temple with a smile.
“Yup. At least that’s what it did for umma and appa. So you better take good care of it okay?”
“Ne umma,” he leans in and kisses Key on the cheek before doing the same to me.
AUTHOR: giveitupjessica
PAIRINGS: OnKey
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: Who knew that a simple scarf from a snarky, but kind stranger would be the foundation true love.
A/N: This is a oneshot to add to my Paper Clips and Other Office Supplies series, but can also be read on it's own. People wanted more of a backstory for OnKey in the Paper series, so here it is. This is also for shineeangel for her donation in the Replay4Japan fundraiser. I hope you like this. And thank you again for bidding and donating.
I still can’t believe it. I’m in total and complete shock. Both of my hands are shoved in my pockets in hopes of trying to keep warm, I didn’t even think about grabbing my jacket when I left. All I knew was that I needed to get out of there and fast, everything else just slipped my mind. Now I feel like an idiot for just storming out like that without my coat. It’s not like I didn’t pass it on my way out, I just didn’t think about grabbing it. So here I am walking the streets in the middle of a fall night with no coat. Yeah, I’m an idiot.
A sigh escapes my lips as I walk across the street and the hand in my right pocket brushes against something cold. I scrunch my face and pull out the object, realizing what it was before I looked at it. I was going to propose to Luna tonight. We’re still young, but I knew that I wanted to marry her and I wasn’t planning on our wedding actually happening until after we were done with school. I just wanted to give her the ring as a promise that I did intend on marrying her one day. She had other plans though. She wanted to break up. Apparently our relationship had plateaued in her eyes. She felt like it was time for both of us to move on. I didn’t want to move on though. I still love her. I want to be with her and only her. So how could she say those things about our relationship?
Just then I feel a hand grab mine and yank me backwards. I stumble and fall on my ass only to look up into one of the most beautiful faces I’ve ever seen in my life. High cheek bones, soft, flawless skin, cat-like eyes, and nice plump lips.
“YAH! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!” the person yells at me and I snap out of my thoughts. I get a good look at the person and realize that it’s a boy that I’m staring at. He has his hands on his hips and is tapping his foot. I guess he’s waiting for me to answer his somewhat rhetorical question. At least I thought it was rhetorical.
“Mianhe,” I say and bow as I get back up on my feet, “I was caught up in my own thoughts. I didn’t realize where I was going.”
“Obviously,” there’s silence between us and I stuff my hands back into my pockets, “Aren’t you going to say anything else?”
“Um,” I scratch the back of my head and give him a shy smile.
“I just saved your life babo. Aren’t you going to thank me?”
“Oh right. Of course. Thank you,” I bow again, “Thank you very much.”
“Whatever. Just try not to get yourself killed tonight. I can’t follow you all the way home just to pull you away from curbs. Then again you might freeze to death first. Why are you out without a jacket? Are you trying to show how manly you are or something?”
“No. I forgot it.”
“Forgot your jacket?”
“Yes.”
“Aish,” he unwraps his scarf from his neck and ties it around my neck instead. I look up at him with surprise and he just rolls his eyes at me, “Well I can’t give you my jacket. I still have a few blocks until I get home. And I’ll feel guilty knowing you’re walking around without a jacket, so this is the best I can do. At least a part of you can stay warm.”
“But why?”
“Because I’m a nice person. Now you better get home before you really do freeze and try to remember to look BEFORE you cross a street,” and with that he was gone, walking in the opposite direction of where I was going. I pull the scarf tighter around my neck and take one last look in the direction this mysterious stranger walked off in before continuing on my way back to my dorm. A strong gust of wind carries the scent from the scarf into my nose causing me to inhale an enormous amount of the boy’s scent. Tangerines and mint.
*~*
“Hey, you’re home earlier,” my roommate says as I walk through the door. I toss my keys onto the counter and flop down on the couch next to him, “I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow. You know so that you can celebrate your engagement and all.”
“Do I look like a person who just got engaged?”
“No, you look like shit actually. Where’s your coat?”
“At Luna’s.”
“Where you should be.”
“No.”
“What?”
I pull the scarf tighter around my neck and inhale his scent again. It has a calming effect on me and I smile, “She broke up with me.”
“What?”
“Luna dumped me.”
“Then why are you smiling?”
“No reason,” I stand back up, “I think I’m going to go shower then hit the sack.”
“Sounds good,” I start to walk towards the bathroom, “Hey.”
“Yeah?” I turn back to my roommate.
“Where’d you get the scarf?”
“Oh this?” I pull at it.
“Yeah.”
“It was a gift,” I look down at it and smile, “Why?”
“It kind of looks like the one my boyfriend was wearing earlier that’s all.”
*~*
“Hey guys,” I greet as I join them for our usual B and D night at Jazzy’s house.
“Hey Onew,” she replies and walks over to give me a hug, “How you doing?”
“I’m okay,” I shrug and return her hug, “Could be better, could be worst.”
“Well I got a lot of your favorite donuts, so don’t be afraid to fat kid it up,” we share a quick laugh together before she goes back to sitting next to her boyfriend, Leeteuk. I look over at my cousin, Jonghyun, who is currently clenching his fists so tight that the knuckles are turning white.
“Where’s Minho?” I sit down next to Jonghyun and lean over to whisper in his ears, “Relax Jjong.”
He turns to me and glares. I can’t help but laugh though. He’s been in love with Jazzy since we met her and Minho a few years ago, back when I was still in high school. Jonghyun’s never had a problem confessing to girls in his life, but for some reason it’s different with Jazzy. He gets super nervous around her the way I normally do when I’m around a girl like. And now she’s dating Park Jungsu, better known as Leeteuk. So naturally Jonghyun wants to kill the guy and all that jazz. Pun intended.
“He’s getting the burritos for our B and D night,” Jazzy says, “So what movie are we going to watch tonight?”
“I think we should watch something funny,” Leeteuk suggests and Jonghyun scoffs. I elbow him in the stomach, I swear he couldn’t be discreet to save his life. And when Leeteuk drapes his arm across the back of her chair, I swear I heard him growl. I told him he should have confessed a long time ago, but he was positive that Jazzy only saw him as a friend. I think otherwise, but what do I know? I just graduated second in my class is all and that doesn’t validate my reasoning at all. I roll my eyes and turn back to the other people in the room.
“A comedy sounds good,” I add, “I could use a good laugh these days.”
“Okay, so two for comedy and I could care less what we watch,” Jazzy says and we all turn to Jonghyun.
“Anything but a comedy, horror film, or cheesy chick flick. How about something historical?” Jonghyun suggests and we all give him weird looks.
“Historical?” I question, “Why would we ever want waste a B and D night on a historical movie. I really think we should watch a comedy.”
“If I had to choose between a historic movie or a comedy, I’d choose comedy in a heartbeat,” Jazzy says.
“And I already casted my vote,” adds Leeteuk.
“Okay so comedy it is, we’ll pick out a movie when Minho gets back with the rest of food.”
“So hyung,” Leeteuk says to me.
“Yeah?”
“Why are you still wearing that scarf?” he points to the fabric that’s hanging from my neck and I blush. I know it’s lame, but for some reason I couldn’t be without this stupid thing. Ever since that night, it’s been by my side. A grown up safety blanket if you will.
“Oh, I forgot I was wearing it,” I half laugh and carefully remove it from my neck before neatly folding it and placing it on my lap.
“You wanna put it with your coat?” asks Jazzy.
“No, I’ll keep it here,” I pat it, “Just in case I get cold later.”
“Okay, if you say so. It’s really nice. Where’d you get it anyways? I’ve been looking for a scarf like it since last year.”
“Oh it was a gift.”
“Well can you ask the person who gave it to you where they got it?”
“Sure,” that is if I ever see him again which I really do hope so. Just then Minho runs through the door, plastic bag in hand and panting. He brushes the snow off his jacket and hangs it up before taking his shoes off and joining us.
“It’s snowing now?” Jonghyun asks as he takes in our friend who is still trying to rid himself of any snow that was on him.
“Yeah, just out of the blue it started to snow. Kind of strange if you ask me. The weather forecast said nothing about the possibility of it snowing today.”
“Oh Minho, how can you believe what the weatherman says? They get paid to lie,” Jazzy states and we all laugh. The smile stays on my face long after our laughter dies down though. It looks like I’ll have even more of a reason to wrap the scarf tightly around me when I go home later. Perhaps tonight will be the night that I see that mysteriously beautiful boy again. I cross my fingers and send my silent wish up to the stars, hoping they hear it and decide to grant it, “Anyways, let our weekly B and D night commence. We have the donuts and now we have the burritos, all we need is to pop in the movie.”
*~*
It was the first week of classes for the new semester and I really wasn’t looking forward to the next few months at all. What possessed me to take two science courses, a math class, and an English class all at once is beyond me. I must have been delusional when I made up my schedule, but I’ll just have to suck it up and deal with it. I walk into my chemistry lab and immediately see that there’s a seating chart on the projector in the front of the room. I find my name on the diagram and make my way to my seat. It was going to be a long semester, I just know it. I hope my lab partner isn’t a slacker.
I’m in the middle of taking my notebook, pencils, pens, highlighters, and text book out of my bag when I heard the stool beside me screech across the linoleum floor. I turn to look at my partner for the next couple months and my jaw hits the floor. It’s him, the guy from that night. The true owner of the scarf that still hung around my neck. I quickly take the scarf off and stuff it in my bag. The last thing I need is for him to know that I still had the stupid thing.
I clear my throat and he turns to face me as well, “Um… Hi, I’m Lee Jinki or Onew. Looks like we’ll be lab partners in this class.”
He stares down at my outstretched hand before finally shaking it, “Kim Kibum. You better pull your weight. We split the work 50/50. We only discuss the lab and anything else must be chemistry related. Don’t ask about my personal life and I won’t ask about yours. We are strictly lab partners and I don’t intend on taking it further than that. Got it?”
Controlling won’t even being to describe the boy who was now taking out his own belongings and laying them almost parallel to mine. This was definitely going to be a long semester. I let out another sigh and open my text book, reviewing the chapter we had just went over in lecture yesterday. Might as well make the most of the free time I have and study because I just struck out with this guy without even having to step up to the plate.
*~*
“Dongwoon, how could you?!” I hear from the living room and I roll over on my bed. If things couldn’t get any worst in my life, I recently found out that Kibum or Key as his friends and my roommate call him, is currently dating said roommate. So not did I spend a good portion of every Tuesday afternoon with him, but I was also seeing him at home. I really couldn’t escape him and it sucks. How do you get over a crush on a person if you can’t get away from them? You don’t that’s how.
“Key, baby” my roommate responds.
“Don’t ‘baby’ me! You lost the right to call me that when I caught you with that whore! So how does it feel to fall from the easy tree and fuck every whore on the way down?! Got an STD yet? I hope your dick falls off.”
I grumble and grab my headphones from my bedside table. I put them on and turn my iPod on, drowning out whatever was going on in the next room and the rest of the world with music. I guess Kibum finally found out what, or rather who, Dongwoon has been doing behind his back. It was only a matter of time really. And before you think that I’m an asshole for not telling Kibum, I couldn’t. He made it perfectly clear on the first day of class that our relationship was strictly business and nothing more. I couldn’t have told him even if I tried. It’s not like he would have believed me anyways.
I end up falling asleep to Eric Benet’s “Cracks of My Broken Heart.”
*~*
When I wake up it’s pitch black in my room and I check the display of my clock. I was asleep for a good three hours. I pull my headphones out of my ears and listen carefully for any sign of my roommate and Key. My stomach growling fills the silence and I figure its safe for me to leave my room now. I grab my hoodie off the end of my bed and throw it on. I feel like eating fried chicken, the place down the block should still be open. And I should get there just in time if I walk really fast.
I spot a lone person sitting on the bench just outside my building and pay no attention to it as I start to make my way down the street. It’s only when I’m passing by and hear the person sobbing that I stop. I turn and recognize Kibum right away. I have a quick silent argument with myself before I finally walk over to him. I place my hand on his shoulder and he looks up at me, tears streaming down his face.
“I know you said that we’re not supposed to butt into each other’s personal lives,” and I'm unable to finish the rest of my sentence before he flings himself at me. Arms wrapping around my waist as he buries his head in my chest. His tears quickly start to seep into the fabric of my hoodie. I quickly envelop him in my arms and slowly rub his back. The only thing occupying my mind is Kibum and making sure he’s okay. I should take him back upstairs, it’s cold and he’s not wearing very much. A weird sense of déjà vu rushes through me but I quickly shake it off when I feel his body shiver against mine.
“Come on, let’s get you inside before you catch a cold,” I pull away from him, but keep my arms wrapped around his waist. He leans into me, hands resting on my arms as I lead us back into my building. I hope Dongwoon left and wasn’t just chilling in his room. I had a feeling he was the last person Kibum wanted to see.
*~*
The bright sunlight wakes me up and I shift in my bed only to feel something or someone lying beside me. I open one eye and see a head full of brown hair in front of me. I take a deep breath, the smell of tangerines and mint filling my nostrils causing a smile to form on my lips. I look over at my clock to see that it’s just after 8:30.
After I had brought Kibum back upstairs, I took him to my room with a handful of paper towels. We didn’t have any tissues in our dorm and the bathroom was out of my way so paper towels would just have to do. Kibum clung to me the whole night, just crying or sniffling until his body produced more tears for him to shed. The last thing I remember is laying on my bed together. His head resting on my chest and my hand rubbing his back. I fell asleep to the sound of his even breath telling me that he had already drifted off himself.
I look down at him and brush the hair out of his face. I didn’t want anything obstructing my view of the work of art in front of me. I seriously have never seen such a beautiful face in my life and the early morning light only enhanced his beauty even more. A weird feeling begins to boil in the pit of my stomach as I continue to start at him.
“Kibum,” I softly whisper, “I know you said that we’re nothing more than lab partners. But I think we crossed that line last night. And since we’re already here, why don’t you just let me protect you from now on? I promise not to let anything or anyone hurt you. So please tell me that I can stay by your side. Just like this. Let me wake up to this face every morning from now on.”
A soft sigh leaves his mouth and I take that as a ‘yes’ to my question. I pull his body closer to me and he snuggles into the embrace. I close my eyes and drift back to sleep, a smile permanently on my face.
*~*
And that smile is still on my face to this day. Never once has it left since the day he came into my life. And he hasn’t left my side since that night either.
“Yeobo?” he says from behind me and I turn around, “You still have this?”
I walk over to him and grab the scarf from his hands, “Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s from the boy who saved my life and I can’t be without it now. Just like I can’t live without him.”
“Aw, yeobo,” his arms wrap around my neck to pull me down for a gentle kiss.
“Gross umma and appa!” Eli yells from the door and we pull apart to smile at our son. He walks over to us and I pick him up, “Umma what that?”
“This,” Key says as he wraps the scarf around Eli’s neck, “Is a very special scarf.”
“It is?!”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“It saves a life and brings soul mates together.”
“Really?!” his eyes light up and I kiss his temple with a smile.
“Yup. At least that’s what it did for umma and appa. So you better take good care of it okay?”
“Ne umma,” he leans in and kisses Key on the cheek before doing the same to me.