The Last Bite : Part II
Title: The Last Bite.
Pairing: Onew/Key
Lenght: 24000+ words
Genre: Romance, Supernatural, Drama
Rating: pg-13
Summary: And a simple bite can change everything. Jinki knows that, but his decision is set in stone. He'll give up everything for that one person. And everything, means everything.
Disclaimer: A three-shot for chunonew_rx (For the shinee_replay Replay4Japan fundraiser).
Warning: Vampire!AU the parts are already posted.
“You’ve been all mysterious these past few weeks…” Fingers hastily typed over the keyboard, errors marked all over the document as a trembling fingers erased the mess of words.
“What? I haven’t been anything but myself… you’re the mysterious one.” It should’ve come out poisonous, his tongue should’ve lashed out on the brunet casually sitting on his desk, papers pushed aside to make room for that stupid huge ass to settle. Why did Jonghyun have to choose today to start shoving his nose in his business…
He felt his eye twitching when he sensed a face hovering over him at his right, hot breath tickling his cheek. “You look different though, glowing… are you pregnant?”
“Kim Jonghyun, take that musky bad breath of yours somewhere else and stop pestering around! I’m working here, or at least trying to.”
Exasperated, the brunet reluctantly pulled away, giving his best friend enough space to breathe as he moved his feet up and down against the table, legs hanging limply from the side. Jonghyun wasn’t stupid, maybe slow and overly naïve, but he was no fool. His pretty little friend had his nose in some serious business-he could almost smell it, coming off of him like waves and crashing on him. He found it quite cute that Kibum was trying hard to hide it from him though-both of them knew it was impossible.
“I missed you at lunch. I’ve been missing you at lunch lately.” Crap he cursed under his breath, his elbow clumsily having knocked down the pile of papers he had stacked close enough to tumble. He felt the other one’s gaze on him as he recollected the scattered papers, coughing as he restacked them in a neat pile now pushed at the far end of the desk.
“Sorry I’ve been skipping so much. I had to catch up with some work I have to hand over this Friday. Mr. Lee is all over me these days, tossing work and more work at my way.” Kibum thought it was a good safe, watching from the corner of his eye as Jonghyun nodded in agreement. An eerie silence settled between them, dragging itself in between as the minutes ticked by on the small clock at this side. Slowly that tension started rolling off his shoulders, making him sigh and concentrate on that letter he had been trying to write for almost an hour.
“I think I would’ve believed you if you had thrown those disposable plates and aluminum foil in the trash instead of leaving them next to your bag.” With dread, he turned around to stare at all the mess he and Jinki had left while eating lunch, durapax containers stacked one after another next to his brown satchel. He cursed Jinki then for wanting to try takeout for the first time in his life, the vegetarian leftovers sticking out from the side.
He knew he was asking for troubles the moment he decided to accompany Jinki at lunch, fetching enough food for them fifteen minutes earlier in other to pass unnoticed through the sea of hungry employees piling up in the elevator. The first days he was able to brush Jonghyun off with mindless excuses, always putting Jinki in those as he knew the older one wouldn’t mind, but lately it had been more difficult to deceive the brunet, and after weeks of lies and secret lunches, finally Jonghyun was able to catch up.
“Spill it out boy, who’s the one you’ve been sneaking with on lunch hours? Is it that guy from the accountancy department, the one with the funny grin? Or maybe that slutty intern at finances?”
Glaring at the sudden animosity leaking from the older one’s skin, he decided to keep his mouth shut and avoid getting his and Jinki’s ass on the line. The worst that could happen was a gossip spreading through the departments, and Jonghyun was just the type of guy to spill out the beans by accident, having his brain disconnected from his mouth. He wondered in those moments if those walls separating him from his boss’s office were thick enough, cause he couldn’t imagine the other one’s face if he happened to hear the course on which this conversation was going.
“You’re not talking then?” He remained quiet, typing away on his laptop in hopes of pushing the brunet away with his indifference.
“Fine, I guess you’re tired from all that horny sex you must’ve had earlier. Tell me, do you guys have problems keeping things professional while at work? Surely you might struggle shifting from love to work now and then.”
“What!? No! It’s a strictly professional relationship!! There’s no love involved!” Horror fell on his face, quickly turning into imminent failure at the winning grin the other one was sporting on his face. “Oh god did I say that?…”
“AHA! So there IS relationship going on here!! I knew it! Come on Kibummie, tell Jjong who the lucky fellow is!”
Closing his eyes, he waited for a miracle, or a thunder to crack the roof and roast Jonghyun alive, whichever came first, as he was showered with questions turning dirtier by the minute. Was it over then? Their journey towards Jinki’s human preparations? It all seemed hopeless now, the sneaking out, the delicate cautiousness which they had developed around the corporation, never rising suspicion in those oblivious minds. But Jonghyun wasn’t just any other employee-he was an expert in humans, knowing how to read their expressions like a pro.
Kim Jonghyun wasn’t in charge of human resources just for his admirable social skills, or his looks, he was the most qualified half breed that the corporation has ever encountered. Jonghyun’s mother died while giving birth to him, the labor work draining all her human energy and pushing her over the edge. Being raised by a single parent wasn’t easy, but somehow he and his father managed to survive the cruel world in which half blooded vampires were as low as the maggots eating on a rotten chunk of meat, for both pure ones and humans.
Years later, Mr. Kim found love again, a reason to wake up in the mornings and look forward to going to work. Lee Chaerin was a single mother struggling to raise her only son, having lost her husband in a car accident months before giving birth to forever lovely Lee Taemin. Both parents met on Mrs. Lee’s working place, a small coffee shop two blocks away from Mr. Kim’s workplace. It was love at first sight apparently, hearts racing and eyes catching from across the room, and a year later Jonghyun’s family greeted the new additions with arms wide open, a half becoming a whole after so many years.
Jonghyun gained a brother at the age twelve, and Taemin won a brother to look up to, even though he was teased constantly for having a vampire, a filthy half breed, as family. Being human was never easy for the younger one, but Jonghyun always stuck up for his little brother, learning to care and appreciate the second chance god had given him of having a family. It was throughout his brother that he learnt what love was, what it felt like to want to throw everything to hell just to take the pain away from those he cares the most.
His family was the best source of knowledge for him, having his mother and his brother as humans, and that knowledge was the key point to getting such an important job at the company. Kibum truly admired his friend for everything he had been through, but he detested him in those moments for always knowing when something was going on under water. He was too good at his job… far too good at reading his human emotions.
“Kibum are you done with those orders I asked you to do?”
Kibum swore he heard that voice descent from the mere gates of heaven, clouds pushed aside by a godly force to make a path for that angel that had come to his aid. With dreamy eyes he stared at his boss walking across the room, Jonghyun quickly scrambling to his feet as the older man approached them with an unreadable expression over his face. If he could, he would’ve hugged that man and invited him to dinner later on, his treat, but as he caught the slight twitch in said man’s lips he knew Jinki was trying to save his ass at the moment and showing some kind of intimacy in front of a certain brunet would push all those efforts away just to let them crumble at his feet.
“I’m on that at the moment Mr. Lee, just give me fifteen minutes to finish the last few touches.”
“Okay, I’ll be waiting for them. Mr. Kim, don’t you have some work to do? We have some new employees coming over today, and I think it would be nice to give them an introductory lecture, show them around the company and all.”
Nodding nervously, the brunet quickly bowed in respect before hurrying off towards the elevators. As Jinki was casually looking over the stack of papers at the desk, commenting about some orders that needed to be shipped that afternoon while reading some files, Kibum swiftly glanced at his friend waiting for the elevator doors to close. Jonghyun was obviously peeved for having been interrupted in his interrogation process, and as he quietly pointed two fingers towards his eyes and waving them later in his direction, he knew this was far from over.
I have my eyes on you, scoffing Kibum returned his attention towards his boss, waiting promptly for the elevator to finally take its leave. In seconds, the low ring was heard around the room, making both men sigh in relief.
“Are you crazy!? How could you leave our trash on the floor like that!!” Glaring at Jinki’s outburst, he stood up and made his way towards the dirty food containers, roughly shoving some in the older one’s unsuspected hands.
“Yeah, well who was the genius that wanted take out huh? Hey Kibum, I think I’m down for some vegetarian today, what do you think?” Ignoring Jinki’s grumbles, both men proceeded to clean their mess, fighting over who had been assigned to clean up this time. On Kibum’s agenda, the older one was in charge of cleaning up as he was assigned to fetch food for both at the cafeteria, but accordingly to Jinki, the one that brought the food was the responsible of cleaning the mess said food made.
“So, any luck there with the burrito?”
“Should I be feeling any different?” Jinki asked, patting his stomach softly, “I’ve been feeling a little funny, but that’s it.”
Kibum sighed, eyeing his boss up and down with remorse. “You’re looking a little pale though, even more than you already are, but I think that you pretty much killed the infection that should’ve spread around your body even before it got the chance to be one.”
Groaning, the older turn around and dragged himself towards his office, mumbling under his breath something about stupid vampire bodies and their strength. Watching his hopeless boss moping around the office was quite the show for Kibum, shaking his head and smiling to himself.
Hours passed by too slow for Kibum’s liking, glancing longingly at the clock in hopes of some magical force to plunge its power on it and fast forward time. His ridiculous pledge was never heard though, and between phone calls, impromptus meetings and client letters, he managed to survive the day. Wiping the sweat bids sticking to his forehead, he found himself smiling and leaning his back against his chair, arching the stiff vertebras that cracked noisily with the exercise.
It was finally six pm, every employee in the company wrapping up all their work for tomorrow. He felt exhaustion heaving over his shoulders, muscles aching from staying so much time in front of the computer. Jinki had been locked in his office all afternoon, their only mean of communication being the intercom on each room. Kibum had been able to hear that same exhaustion laced in the other one’s voice, like an exasperating silence between every word he said, and it was understandable as both have been swallowed from the neck down by a workload that never seemed to end. He kinda blamed Jinki’s company for being so stupidly successful.
Kibum had been so submerge in his work that the little episode with Jonghyun at lunch just managed to fade away to the deepest corners of his mind to remain nonexistent. He wondered if the brunet had forgotten about his discovery as well, but that was just as stupid as thinking that the shoes he was wearing didn’t cost him two paychecks, and that thought alone put a frown on his face. He was gonna go back to hiding then, avoiding the inevitable conversation he was bound to have with that friend of his one way or another.
Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t catch the small noises coming from the other side of the room, pained groans marred by the thick walls separating both rooms. But thankfully he was able to hear quite clear the solid thump of a body falling face straight on the floor, jumping on his feet worriedly as the noise was coming obviously from Jinki’s office.
As he half skipped towards the office, he felt something hard and uncomfortable bobbing in his throat, making it hard to swallow as he pushed pass the doors just to gasp at the sight that greeted him inside. The older one that was supposed to be sitting on his desk while working on some deals was now rolling on the floor in visible pain, sweat sticking his bangs across his forehead as eyes rolled backwards towards his skull.
“Oh God! What the heck!? Jinki!! Are you okay?” He didn’t wait for a response, kneeling hurriedly at his side to check for any sign of visible wounds, “Where does it hurt??”
“Ugh, everywhere…” Jinki was able to push the slurred response pass his lips, air puffing his cheeks as his ragged breath seemed shallower by the second. Nodding in panic, Kibum patted all the places in the other one’s body that might be wounded or hurt. A pained moan echoed in the room as his pressed his shaky hands just below his stomach.
“Sorry! I’m sorry, I’m trying to find the source of the pain, wound or whatever.” With a jerky bob as an answer, he proceeded to inspection his boss, hands travelling from his torso all the way up to his face. He couldn’t control his horror as he felt the scorching heat emanating from that face, a fever so high that Jinki was bound to convulse at any moment.
“We gotta get you to the hospital, like now!” Despite the older one’s grunts of disapproval, Kibum managed to haul the bulky body up, huffing under the weight as he wrapped his arms around his waist and proceeded to drag him out of the room and into the elevators, hooking his ankle around his satchel lying on the floor to drag it with him with every step. His heart slammed painfully against his chest with every stare he stole, eyes wetly watching Jinki’s chest slowly dragging air to his lungs, slower with every minute the elevator delayed its arrival.
“Jinki?” His hand softly wiped bids of sweat falling from his face, thumb lingering on his flushed cheek a little bit longer than necessary. His arms unconsciously tightened their grip on his waist, pulling him closer and resting more of his weight against him.
After what seemed like eternity, the doors opened miraculously before his eyes, a hopeful smile breaking on his lips as he carried his and Jinki’s bodies inside the lift. With a quick movement, he twisted his ankle up, awkwardly reaching towards his bag in order to fetch his car keys. He didn’t wanna risk getting caught by taking Jinki’s ridiculously expensive car, so they’ll have to settle for Kibum’s middle class sedan, knowing that it would be pretty much impossible to raise suspicion on that.
Thankfully all employees had already headed home, leaving all departments deserted and at their disposition. In those moments of panic and full uncertainty, Kibum could care less if he happened to encounter his best friend, not really knowing how he would be able to avoid telling the truth when the evidence was clinging all his weight on him. Fortunately, as the elevator descending all twenty two floors to the parking lot, no brunet was on sight, just a few people from the cleaning crew far too busy with their job to mind the two lonely figures travelling on the see through lift.
Jinki’s skin felt hot to the touch, his blazer looking like it might catch fire any time soon. Biting his lip, Kibum rubbed Jinki’s back in reassurance; stealing glances now and then as said male was having trouble breathing, staring back at him through half-lidded eyes. What could’ve possibly gone wrong? Did he drink alcohol by accident? Maybe that soy meat they had for lunch was cooked with some cooking wine? Thousands of possibilities danced around his head, all resulting in the same tragic outcome: Jinki was gonna die soon.
Shaking his head to discard all those thoughts, he found himself dragging Jinki’s limp body with renewed strength, looking everywhere in case someone was still lingering around the underground parking lot. Their path was clear, and in no time Kibum was almost shoving his boss into the front seat, strapping the seatbelt with shaky hands and cursing loudly as it seemed to get stuck at an invisible obstacle.
“Hold on Jinki, we’re on our way.” He didn’t know if it was a wisest thing to drive in his current state, all freaked out and scared for his boss’s life, but he figured that if by some ungodly event some police checkpoint decided to pull him over to take a look at his driver’s license he’d probably show them a piece of his mind-or his middle finger-or maybe he’ll shove Jinki’s derp face against the window for them to take a good look at the mess the other one was currently floating in.
He managed to lose his exit in those moments of sheer desperation, cursing loudly for that middle age woman to use the fucking sidewalk woman! As he missed her by a hair, tires shrieking against the asphalt as he sped up towards the nearest hospital. He couldn’t help watching over Jinki, checking his pulse and temperature at every red light they happened to encounter. The fever was refusing to leave, persistently stubborn and making the older one sweat non-stop though his shirt.
As the community hospital started showing at the end of the boulevard, Kibum felt like sticking his head out and screaming for the heck of it. Despite the busy hour, the streets had been nothing but fluent with traffic, cars miraculously flowing smoothly through the streets, and as he neared their much sought-after destination, he felt like pulling over to sing a few prayers as the entrance was ambulance free, paramedics casually talking and laughing while waiting for some action.
Confusion was evident in the face of those men as he pulled over at the hospital’s emergency entrance, almost falling on his face in the hurry of getting Jinki some help. By now the older one was shuddering from the high temperature, teeth biting the plump lower lip with eyes screw shut from the pain. Am I too late? He wondered with remorse, softly pulling Jinki out of the seat and towards the paramedics now surrounding them.
“Sir, can you tell us what’s wrong with your friend here?” As two men hoisted Jinki up in a stretcher for a faster transport, Kibum struggled to catch up as his feet ached all over.
“Hi, um I don’t know what happened to him. This afternoon he was fine, and just an hour ago I heard this noise coming from his office and when I went to take I look I found him doubling over in pain with a high fever.”
“Alright, don’t worry. He’s in good hands now.”
He watched intently as Jinki was wheeled pass the emergency room into hallways only patients and family members were allowed to walk in, disappearing from his line of sight at a right turn. Something like hopelessness settled in his heart as he was dragged gently by a nurse towards the reception area, having to fill in some forms and some personal information.
Every minute that passed by felt like eternity, just pure nothingness as he waited for someone to tell him Jinki was well and resting, that everything had been a misunderstanding. His head hung low, eyes staring vacantly at the way his fingers slowly played with a thread of his suit. He hated silences, the way even his own breath resounded through space-deafening. In those moments he quietly waited in reception for any signs of the doctors attending his boss, he thought of all those moment, all those decisions that brought him to this very moment.
How did Jinki managed to crawl so deep under his skin? Why did he allow him to? Resting his head against his head, he placed both palms against his face, feeling a throb against his fingertips. This was the first time he had gotten a headache out of worrying too much, never in his life had he felt so utterly disarmed and groundless, deadly scared about what might come. What if Jinki died? A lump formed itself at the thought, swallowing the discomfort with difficulty. He didn’t wanna think about it… he forced himself not to.
“Excuse me, is there a Kim Kibum here?”
A rush of life brushed past him, posing itself all over him and reviving his once dull heart. Leaping from his seat, he half run towards the awaiting doctor, lips trembling with the thousand questions he wanted to shower the man. “Tha-at’s me doctor. I’m Kim Kibum.”
“Good evening Mr. Kim, I’m Dr. Jung. Why don’t you walk with me for a bit?”
It didn’t mean anything, it could mean just everything too, so Kibum just nodded and followed behind, his heart slamming against his ribcage as the middle aged doctor skimming through a medical chart he supposed was Jinki’s. He understood what people meant with Have your heart on your mouth-his heart was currently thumping against his lips.
Kibum drew in a shaky breath, eyes staring anxiously at the older male intently reading his boss’s chart-or his dysfunction chart. “Please Dr. Jung, Is Jinki alright?”
“Oh yes, don’t worry, Mr. Lee is perfectly fine at the moment. He’s a little bit weak and exhausted but that’s normal after having a severe episode of dehydration.” He stopped outside room 204, turning around and directing his full attention towards the younger one. “And that’s why I want to ask you some things Mr. Kim in order to fill Mr. Lee historical background and seal the diagnosis. Did Mr. Lee by any chance drink water from while on the streets? On a public oasis?”
Furrowing his eyebrows in thought, he couldn’t remember watching Jinki drink water at all. “No, not that I know of. He’s a full blooded vampire, so he rarely eats or drinks anything.”
“No water then. Perhaps he ate something he never eats? Meat, pork?” Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair, trying to remember if by any chance Jinki mentioned something about going to eat meat on the weekend. The answer came so fast he startled the doctor with his outburst. The answer was so simple that it almost made him feel stupid for not having thought of it earlier. It was what they had been waiting for! What they had worked hard for, and a smile broke from his lips and earned a confused looked from the older one waiting an aswer.
“Yes! We went to this Mexican restaurant at the night market, and we ate these pork burritos that looked a little suspicious up close.”
Nodded in thought, Dr. Jung proceeded to write what looked like a diagnosis in the chart on his hands, closing it minutes later to return his attention on Kibum. “Well that explains everything and I can finally confirm my diagnosis. Mr. Lee acquired Salmonellosis.”
“Salmo-what?”
“Salmonellosis. It’s an infection caused by a bacteria that proliferates on poorly cooked meats such as pork and meat and contaminated water. Mr. Lee must’ve gotten the bacteria from the meat of the burrito you both ate.”
Kibum sighed, wanting to kick Jinki in the nuts for having put him in so much trouble. He thought the man had poisoned himself accidentally or something. “But why didn’t I get the symptoms too Doctor? We both ate those damned things.”
“A vampire’s metabolic system is different than humans Mr. Kim. Even though vampires cure ten times faster than humans, they still catch diseases. For unknown reasons, full blooded vampires have an exceptional immune response towards common sicknesses, but a very deficient one towards rare diseases. Salmonellosis is not that common in our country, so that was another factor that triggered Mr. Lee’s susceptibility.”
Relief settled in his heart, finally slowing its drumming as he showered the man with thank yous. Dr. Jung smiled, nodding at the grateful words as he closed the chart in his hands. “Tell Mr. Lee to take it easy with the food. Pure vampires aren’t like half blooded ones, their bodies are a little bit slower as they try to get used to regular food. Despite half breeds, pure ones tend to be more delicate when food is involved, as it really isn’t in their bodies necessities to depend on it.”
“Thank you very much Dr. Jung, I’ll be sure to tell him that.” Kibum said, biting his lower lip as his eyes shifted towards the door at the right, “Can I see him?”
“Of course, even with the high fever and all he was asking for you.” Kibum didn’t know why he blushed at those words, simply coughing while lowering his eyes as his attention fell on his now interesting pair of shoes, “We’re gonna have him stay for three more days to threat the infection and to restore his hydration levels. Please tell Mr. Lee to take it slow with the food, one step at a time.”
Smiling, he thanked the kind man one more time, slowly making his was inside the dark room, the moonlight softly lightening the figure resting lifelessly on the hospital bed. Closing the door softly behind him, Kibum took some deliberate steps towards Jinki, watching cautiously the way his heart monitor showed the evenly thumping of his heart. If it weren’t for the pair of shiny dark orbs watching like a hawk his every move, he would’ve assumed the older one was sleeping, the soft rising of his chest with every breath to slow and imperceptible.
“I got what I wanted right?” he said, making Kibum snort as he took a seat on the small chair by the bed.
“You got even more than you bargain for Mister.”
“I know, but I’m happy we were able to achieve this: together.” He was about to smack the man right in the face and knock some sense into him, You fool! This stupid infection could’ve been a lot worse!, but his tired smile and his sparkling eyes pulled him out of it, making him sigh resignedly. The undying worry that had been hammering in his chest for hours now was finally subduing, still holding a grip on his heart like a molten vice but letting enough space for it to calm and settle.
Jinki could only stare at the flood of emotions running in his assistant’s face, worry and relief becoming the most prominent of them all, and in those moments he understood just how much he had worried him, how bad this whole situation could’ve turned. Eyes softened, heart rate lowered, and with a little effort on his part, he was able to lift his hand just enough to grasp Kibum’s own limp one resting on his lap. It’s so warm, he mused, enjoying the sudden rush of comfort.
“I’m sorry.” He murmured, catching the other one’s eyes in his own, “For having put you through all these troubles.”
Kibum smiled softly, thumb softly running up and down against the tender flesh of Jinki’s palm. “That’s what friends are for you know?”
The words felt just right, the meaning was perfect, and Jinki could only crack a lopsided grin, head shifting sideways to catch the little twinkle in Kibum’s eyes. “I know now.”
The night passed by, filled with hushed whispers and muffled laughs, both males shared silly jokes and entertaining life stories, not noticing the moon painting the prettiest cloudless night as it advanced towards the horizon just to die at sunrise. It was right on the moment when the fresh morning dew starts to evaporate from the light rays of sun that Kibum noticed he spend the hold night by Jinki’s side, holding his hand comfortably as he watched the way his eyelids fluttered with the inevitable sleep.
It was on that precise second when his eyes softened at the sight of his boss murmuring silly nothings as the assigned nurse waltzed inside the room for his early check up, that he realized that Jinki was starting to look more human with each passing days, more vulnerable.
And it was between Jinki’s short puffed out breaths and his own prolonged stares that Kibum realized that his heart was starting to skip beats, pumping more blood into that blush that had stuck with him since yesterday.
He decided to push those thoughts aside, focusing solely on attending not only his boss but his now best friend. He was now aware of how fast he had been able to bond with that vampire despite his childhood stigma towards his kind, and now with his newly found conviction about vampires being just like anybody else-painfully human-he was determined to let that friendship blossom and grow in a long lasting one.
Kibum decided to take those days off, spending every hour at making his boss company, scowling at the ridiculous whines the older one would let out when it was time for him to go home to attend his hygiene related needs. Jinki started getting spoiled, becoming accustomed to having all nurses fuss around him and getting his undivided attention-an attention that was embarrassingly stole just by the mere presence of a certain assistant, spiking the women’s jealous fights.
He wondered if his and Jinki’s sudden unattendace had managed to draw some suspicion among the company, not having received at least one call from Jonghyun or other co worker asking for his unexplained absence. The only communicate given to the management office was that their CEO got into a car accident-which was obviously unlikely, but possible-and his assistant was just suffering from a severe case of the flu.
The excuses seemed to work, and no questions were asked, and finally it was Jinki’s last day at the hospital. With much dismay, all nurses showered the older male with nothing but nice thoughts and some insinuative regards coming from the middle aged side.
“It wasn’t my fault! I didn’t know that damn burrito had a stupid, potentially dangerous bacteria in it!”
“Yeah right, and you think I’m gonna believe that? You were the one that dragged me into that fishy looking restaurant and pretty much threatened to cut my balls if I didn’t eat that thing.”
Growling, Kibum shoved the remains of Jinki’s last lunch down his throat, making the older male choke and gurgle, “It’s your damn fault and you know it! If your body wasn’t such a wimpy mess of flesh and bones you would’ve been able to eat that burrito just fine-but no! You just had to have the most deficient immune system of all right? Bravo Mr. Lee!”
Scowling, Jinki slurped the blood that was being spoon fed by his assistant, “Aren’t you suppose to like respect me or something? I’m still your boss.”
“Just shut up already and finish this up so we can go. I’m getting cramps from sitting on this chair all day long.” How they managed to slip into a heated argument of whose fault it was for having Jinki hospitalized? Who knew, and the way they easily slipped in and out of those conversation topics was simply a matter that defied all law.
If Kibum was asked months ago if he was willing to feed a pure vampire blood-hot, sticky and slightly dense blood-he would’ve probably turn around and leave whoever asked that question behind, feeling offended and obviously shaken. But here he was, to his amusement, feeding his vampiric boss/friend with a spoon now drenched in red. He would’ve rather given Jinki the blood packet and watch him eat on his own, but he still had that IV hooked on his hand, making it impossible for the older one to even lift his hand without wincing in pain.
After an hour or so, it seemed natural, like the most normal thing in the world, and between jokes and snide remarks, both were able to get rid past the awkwardness. Kibum tried to swallow the coos that wanted to escape pass his lips the moment a fat drop of blood slowly slid from the corner of Jinki’s lips, to dribbled sluggishly at his chin.
“God, has no one ever taught you how to eat?” Jinki smiled cheekily, sitting up and leaning on Kibum’s direction, making the other fidget uncomfortably at his side, suddenly conscious of their close proximity on the bed.
“Why do I need to learn how to eat if you are here to feed me anyways?” Tempted to throw the blood remains on his face, Kibum promptly rolled his eyes as he roughly wiped the messy trail with a napkin,
“You’re such a baby.”
He tried to steady his trembling hand as his movements softened, losing his focus with that look on Jinki’s eyes, more intense with each passing second. Unconsciously he started leaning closer, the napkin falling on the sheets as his hand lingered lifelessly on the smooth skin now clean and pristine. There was something in those orbs, molten chocolate dancing blazingly under the soft rays of sun splaying from the window, and with every centimeter he leaned forward he drowned deeper in those eyes that spoke thousands of unseen words at once.
Parting his lips, he tried to say a word, at least form a syllable loud enough to disrupt this moment from fulfilling itself. Cause he knew were this was going, he knew where his lips were unconsciously leaning to and he didn’t have to be a genius to understand what Jinki’s inquisitive stare was trying to imply. The strange part was that somehow he didn’t want this to stop, despite the consequences-he wanted that inevitable kiss to happen and change everything.
With his heart beating on his ears, and his blood flush against his cheeks, he felt his eyes dropping, a sudden warmness hovering over his quivering lips-skin barely ghosting over equally chapped skin. And that kiss would’ve happened if a sudden gasp hadn’t resounded loudly around the room, pulling both males out of their trance. Hurriedly composing themselves, equal sets of curious eyes turned around to stare at the young woman fidgeting nervously by the door, a beautiful bouquet of flowers covering half of her face.
“Lizzy?” Kibum noticed the surprised yet confused tone in Jinki’s words, staring mutedly at the unknown girl as she grinned widely at recognition.
“Hey! Hope I’m not interrupting anything?” He had never seen Jinki so exposed, so unbearably human as he blushed while shaking his head furiously, a mess of words pouring from his lips as the girl named Lizzy laughed cutely at the sight of the distressed man.
“I’m sorry I came by so unexpectedly. I thought I’d surprise you by coming a few weeks earlier, and once I arrived at your apartment the porter told me you were hospitalized, so I booked a hotel and came as fast as possible.”
She was breath taking, simply gorgeous with her sparkling eyes, full lips, rosy cheeks and curvy body-and she was painstakingly human. Kibum stood up, making space for the girl to hug the still blushing man. He wondered what her relationship with Jinki was since both looked pretty close. A school friend perhaps? The thought of Jinki bonding so intimately with a human girl, a model like human girl nonetheless, made his heart race-a sudden dryness making him parched in seconds. This is ridiculous, he thought, scowling at his own confusing reactions.
“Hello! I’m Lizzy and you must be his assistant Kibum? Onew has told me a lot about you!”
“Onew?”
“Oh! Sorry, I still have a habit of calling him that from time to time.” Kibum slowly shifted his stare towards the now embarrassed looking man.
Jinki sighed, eyes lowering towards the sheets as his fingers played nimbly with the loose threads. “From where we come from, Onew is used when someone wants to referrer to something as soft and squishy looking.”
“And you can’t deny he looks and feels like the softest piece of tofu ever, right Jinki?” He didn’t look the slightest amused as Lizzy suddenly laughed, affectionately pinching the older man’s cheeks while pulling a rather awkward smile from him. Was it his imagination or the temperature was slowly dropping?
“Anyways! When I asked the nurse at the reception of your whereabouts she mentioned something about your file being uncompleted, so I think I’m gonna go and help a little there. No one knows you like I do for that matter.”
Waving reluctantly at the girl bouncing her way out of the room, Kibum felt a rather tense silence resurging through the room, making the air heavier and dense. He felt the question just hanging lifelessly in the air, just waiting to be asked, and just to spare Jinki one last time, Kibum decided to voice the already present interrogative.
“Who is she Jinki?” It sounded casual, nonchalant almost, but Jinki knew there was something hiding underneath that tone, something that made him stare nervously at his assistant as said man moved around the room in order to tide things up for his leave.
“She’s Lizzy, a friend I knew when I accepted a temporary job as a tutor at her school.” Nodding, Kibum kept quiet after that, holding the gorgeous bouquet Jinki’s friend had left by the chair and placing it later on the crystal clear base by the nightstand, carrying it across the room to place it with the other ones. The inexplicable need to throw that vase out of the window was instantly present in his mind, the evil thought mudding his coherent mind. Why was he getting so worked up about this? It wasn’t any of his business who Jinki had befriended over his childish human years. It really wasn’t any of his business.
Jinki knew he shouldn’t leave things like that, he couldn’t keep the entire truth in the shadows and from the first friend he had been able to call as such since he moved in, so taking a deep breath and counting silently to three, he tilted his head to stare at the window, watching silently the way those curtains danced with the wing. “Lizzy is not only a friend though. She doesn’t know it yet, but I love her.”
He didn’t mean for the vase to slip, time moving on slow motion as the definite sound of glass against marble pierced the eerie silence moments later. He did catch the whisper that slipped effortlessly pass his lips, masked with the wind and the sound of the crystal vase slipping noisily from his frozen fingers.
He had heard it yet he refused to believe as he hurriedly kneeled down to recollect the shattered pieces now scattered on the floor. Jinki’s shouts to leave the glass untouched reached his ears but went right by, laughing nervously that he was okay, it’s just a vase, he said, watching Jinki’s worried eyes from afar. He saw his lips moving, mouthing words he couldn’t hear, his mind only repeating those simple whispered words like a sadistic memento.
That’s why I’m turning human. For her. He wondered why he felt like he was recollecting shattered pieces of not only a vase but something far more fragile and delicate. Kibum wondered why he was starting to feel hollow-wounded. Why was he suddenly feeling so heartless?
"It's just a vase." He repeated softly, thinking to himself, It's just my heart.
----------------------
There’s a saying that when someone takes one step forward, they actually take two steps backwards. But it was not that simple, there were many issues involved in that statement. Like, How much space covered with the first step, how small those two backwards steps were, and the main question of it all was how long it takes to get back on track, to forget those step back and start moving forward once again.
Kibum knew perfectly well the answer to all those interrogatives, hating the answers all together as they were the last thing he expected. His backward steps have been too spacious, swallowing that step forward that had cost him a lot of work. And he was now on standby, afraid and unsure of what might happen if he regains his path once again.
“You’re looking awfully pensive lately, is something wrong?” His deep thoughts crumbled with the interruption, making him sigh as he played with the untouched food now cold against the plate.
“I’m fine, I’m just having some troubles with a friend of mine.” Jonghyun might be a lot of things-obnoxious, an irritating snooper and a terrible secret keeper-but he was also the best friend he could ever ask for, and one of his qualities was that he knew when it was the moment to stop asking around, when it was simply time to let things go.
The brunet nodded slowly, patting his back reassuringly before he decided to comment-or rather whine nosily-about the horrible cafeteria food they were intent on serving the employees on daily basis. Kibum appreciated the topic change at least.
Life is about cycles, he mused, some of them being longer than others. That day at the hospital, where Jinki introduced him to his soon-to-be wife or whatever, a cycle ended. It was that simple really, there was no need for them to keep searching for human experiences that might help the older one in his intricate journey.
Throughout the months spend together Jinki was able to acquire many good aspects about the human life, he learnt about friendship, acceptance, and what it felt like to have someone there for you in your moments of need.
He was able to give Jinki all that, and even though he wasn’t gonna lie, he thought that maybe, just maybe, they could remain the good friends they had been able to be. He felt a little selfish though, ignoring the other one once they went back to their duties at the company, their absent days spent at the hospital simply forgotten. Kibum figured Jinki was ready to embrace the life of mortality, and Lizzy looked like the type of girl that would turn his life brighter.
Grimacing at the thought, he nodded just in time to make his friend believe he was actually listening to a word he was saying, but Jonghyun knew that he was being fully ignored by this time, talking just to keep the atmosphere from falling into that moody silence. Kibum had been strangely down after his sick leave, and the first week he took it as him still recovering from the sickness, but another week passed by and the mood seemed to darken and fall into depression.
He started having lunch with him once again, replying on his behalf how he now got time to come down to lunch. Jonghyun was clearly dying on those moments, wanting to find out what had happened between Kibum and his mystery lunch companion, but it was obviously nothing good as the other one would scowl at the sight of fruit or vegetables, feeding only on soup and meat to avoid remembering bad memories.
Days seemed too long, dragging almost week after week. Kibum avoided his boss as much as possible, fighting the will to step inside his office and damned all with apologies. After the hospital incident, Jinki had been nothing but absent, muttering a slight hello every morning, and whispering a soft goodbye every evening.
He wondered how the older one was able to change so much, a 180º change the moment that girl had stepped in their lives. He was not even a shadow of the sweet caring man he had learnt to know, and that made his heart sink.
They were back to where they had started, complete strangers. It hurt him, he was beyond capable of lying now, but he couldn’t say that he wasn’t expecting it, that he hadn’t see it coming. There had to be a reason for Jinki to want to turn human, it was ridiculous to think that the older one wanted to become mortal just cause he felt like it. He would’ve never thought Jinki to be in love though, that was quite the shock to be honest.
He wondered how that girl had been able to break through Jinki’s shell, what was her approach to win his heart. Sighing, he focused his attention on those papers he was trying to sort out, feeling blue and bitter as the day was taking too long to end.
“Kibum?” He tried to fight the shiver from running up and down his spine, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, opening them seconds later and focusing his attention on the man standing before him.
“Yes Mr. Lee?” Jinki softly placed a set of notes on his desk, little post it sticking at the corners. “Could you please get me a copy of all these notes I took at today’s meeting? In case I loose them.”
Nodding curtly, Kibum took the notes in his hands and took his leave, not noticing the deflated expression in the older ones eyes at the indifference. Kibum had been so absorbed in his thoughts lately that he feigned to notice those dark circles burning around his eyes-that spark gone and lost. After spending those days in the hospital, having Kibum take care of him day and night, he couldn’t comprehend how everything changed for the worst.
Why did he feel like this was his fault? They were back to being strangers, to barely acknowledging their own existence-no, this was far worst. The younger one had become a part of him, a chunk of his heart going with him the moment they both drew farther away. Why did he let it happen? He watched Kibum slipping away, each day becoming just a distant memory he once cherished.
How could a friendship that had cost months to develop crumble so willingly in the course of a few seconds? He had a slight idea that Lizzy’s visit had something to do with it, and in all honesty, he would feel just like Kibum, betrayed. He should’ve been honest with the younger one right away, telling him the reason to why he was planning to become human. Maybe Kibum was mad at his reason, not finding the motive strong enough to trade his immortality.
But he was in love-he wanted to believe he was in love at least. Lizzy had been the first human that didn’t recoil at his sight, giving him her warm smiles and her friendship without any second thoughts. She was a substitute teacher at that time, he was in charge of the tutoring program at that private school, and despite all odds, they found themselves enjoying the strange relationship that looked pass their race.
He realized it must be love, with the way he cared deeply for the younger one. It made his blood boil the thought of something making her cry, and from what he had seen and heard people talk about, it was love. Jinki sighed, staring at the vacant chair that had been occupied minutes ago by his assistant.
He missed Kibum dearly, even though it had only been two weeks since they last spoke aside their jobs. Did he missed him? He hoped so, and with a small hopeful smile he turned around and retreated to his office once again.
Kibum believed he was going crazy, the need to simply talk to Jinki, to laugh and joke around like they used to pulsing hot in his veins. There was no excuse for his behavior, he watched Jinki slowly shifting away from him and he let it, without any valid reason. Why did he felt so hurt though? Why did he felt the need to be mad at the older one from keeping that lonely secret hidden from him. Sure, they were friends, pretty good friends too, but he had the right to keep some things to himself, there was no written rule that clarified that every secret most be shared with your friends.
But he was slightly afraid in all honesty. Maybe now that the girl he was in love with was back in his life he wasn’t gonna need anyone else beside her. Why would he want a human friend if he had his human sweetheart by his side?
Crest fallen, he stepped into the desolated photocopiers room, all workers long gone. He was gonna try and finish fast so he could go to his small apartment to sulk on his depression, not in the mood of doing anything but succumb to his lonely misery. Going through Jinki’s notes, he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of those silly drawings the older one had doodle in his afternoon meeting.
He saw a dragon, a fairy and a horribly deformed monkey. He rolled his eyes as he read the little post its he had deliberately stick on the first few pages, just meaningless notes that weren’t really necessary to photocopy. Softly he started peeling off the little notes, noticing that the notes started getting less funny and more personal. His heart skipped a beat as he stared at that pinkish post it at the last few pages, feeling a blush mapping over his cheeks.
I miss him. Nervously, he peeled off the note, placing it with the rest.
Does he miss me? Another note stuck at the side, this time with a sad face drawn at the end of the question. What was that man thinking? Writing such silly thoughts in the middle of a meeting.
Do you miss me Kibum? He bit his lip, trying to hide the smile that was starting to shape on his lips. He knew he would read those notes, he knew it all along and his heart started hammering on his chest at the thought of Jinki missing their time together. He missed him dearly, and he wasn’t gonna let this opportunity slip. Hurriedly, he photocopied all of his boss’s notes, placing all those post its carefully in their corresponding place, running to the elevator to get as fast as possible to his desk.
Jinki kept a stoic face as his assistant mutedly handing him all his notes and the photocopies, those notes he had written neatly stuck back together. Did he read the notes, he wondered, searching desperately on Kibum’s eyes for any sign of acknowledgement. He found none though, the younger one barely lifting his eyes to catch his stare as he bowed in respect and bid him farewell. It wasn’t meant to be then, their friendship would be just a sweet distant memory he was bound to cherish from the sidelines.
He watched with sad eyes as Kibum swiftly walked away, opening the door and closing it behind him without hesitation. He was about to being his moping faze when the door suddenly opened, Kibum’s head sticking out as he smiled softly at his direction.
“I do you know? I do too.” Jinki smiled, even laughed and nodded, waving goodbye as his assistant playfully stuck his tongue out before closing the door.
For the first time in his life, Jinki felt a fluttery thing flying inside him, softly grazing his insides. He felt butterflies.
Part I \\ Part III
Pairing: Onew/Key
Lenght: 24000+ words
Genre: Romance, Supernatural, Drama
Rating: pg-13
Summary: And a simple bite can change everything. Jinki knows that, but his decision is set in stone. He'll give up everything for that one person. And everything, means everything.
Disclaimer: A three-shot for chunonew_rx (For the shinee_replay Replay4Japan fundraiser).
Warning: Vampire!AU the parts are already posted.
“You’ve been all mysterious these past few weeks…” Fingers hastily typed over the keyboard, errors marked all over the document as a trembling fingers erased the mess of words.
“What? I haven’t been anything but myself… you’re the mysterious one.” It should’ve come out poisonous, his tongue should’ve lashed out on the brunet casually sitting on his desk, papers pushed aside to make room for that stupid huge ass to settle. Why did Jonghyun have to choose today to start shoving his nose in his business…
He felt his eye twitching when he sensed a face hovering over him at his right, hot breath tickling his cheek. “You look different though, glowing… are you pregnant?”
“Kim Jonghyun, take that musky bad breath of yours somewhere else and stop pestering around! I’m working here, or at least trying to.”
Exasperated, the brunet reluctantly pulled away, giving his best friend enough space to breathe as he moved his feet up and down against the table, legs hanging limply from the side. Jonghyun wasn’t stupid, maybe slow and overly naïve, but he was no fool. His pretty little friend had his nose in some serious business-he could almost smell it, coming off of him like waves and crashing on him. He found it quite cute that Kibum was trying hard to hide it from him though-both of them knew it was impossible.
“I missed you at lunch. I’ve been missing you at lunch lately.” Crap he cursed under his breath, his elbow clumsily having knocked down the pile of papers he had stacked close enough to tumble. He felt the other one’s gaze on him as he recollected the scattered papers, coughing as he restacked them in a neat pile now pushed at the far end of the desk.
“Sorry I’ve been skipping so much. I had to catch up with some work I have to hand over this Friday. Mr. Lee is all over me these days, tossing work and more work at my way.” Kibum thought it was a good safe, watching from the corner of his eye as Jonghyun nodded in agreement. An eerie silence settled between them, dragging itself in between as the minutes ticked by on the small clock at this side. Slowly that tension started rolling off his shoulders, making him sigh and concentrate on that letter he had been trying to write for almost an hour.
“I think I would’ve believed you if you had thrown those disposable plates and aluminum foil in the trash instead of leaving them next to your bag.” With dread, he turned around to stare at all the mess he and Jinki had left while eating lunch, durapax containers stacked one after another next to his brown satchel. He cursed Jinki then for wanting to try takeout for the first time in his life, the vegetarian leftovers sticking out from the side.
He knew he was asking for troubles the moment he decided to accompany Jinki at lunch, fetching enough food for them fifteen minutes earlier in other to pass unnoticed through the sea of hungry employees piling up in the elevator. The first days he was able to brush Jonghyun off with mindless excuses, always putting Jinki in those as he knew the older one wouldn’t mind, but lately it had been more difficult to deceive the brunet, and after weeks of lies and secret lunches, finally Jonghyun was able to catch up.
“Spill it out boy, who’s the one you’ve been sneaking with on lunch hours? Is it that guy from the accountancy department, the one with the funny grin? Or maybe that slutty intern at finances?”
Glaring at the sudden animosity leaking from the older one’s skin, he decided to keep his mouth shut and avoid getting his and Jinki’s ass on the line. The worst that could happen was a gossip spreading through the departments, and Jonghyun was just the type of guy to spill out the beans by accident, having his brain disconnected from his mouth. He wondered in those moments if those walls separating him from his boss’s office were thick enough, cause he couldn’t imagine the other one’s face if he happened to hear the course on which this conversation was going.
“You’re not talking then?” He remained quiet, typing away on his laptop in hopes of pushing the brunet away with his indifference.
“Fine, I guess you’re tired from all that horny sex you must’ve had earlier. Tell me, do you guys have problems keeping things professional while at work? Surely you might struggle shifting from love to work now and then.”
“What!? No! It’s a strictly professional relationship!! There’s no love involved!” Horror fell on his face, quickly turning into imminent failure at the winning grin the other one was sporting on his face. “Oh god did I say that?…”
“AHA! So there IS relationship going on here!! I knew it! Come on Kibummie, tell Jjong who the lucky fellow is!”
Closing his eyes, he waited for a miracle, or a thunder to crack the roof and roast Jonghyun alive, whichever came first, as he was showered with questions turning dirtier by the minute. Was it over then? Their journey towards Jinki’s human preparations? It all seemed hopeless now, the sneaking out, the delicate cautiousness which they had developed around the corporation, never rising suspicion in those oblivious minds. But Jonghyun wasn’t just any other employee-he was an expert in humans, knowing how to read their expressions like a pro.
Kim Jonghyun wasn’t in charge of human resources just for his admirable social skills, or his looks, he was the most qualified half breed that the corporation has ever encountered. Jonghyun’s mother died while giving birth to him, the labor work draining all her human energy and pushing her over the edge. Being raised by a single parent wasn’t easy, but somehow he and his father managed to survive the cruel world in which half blooded vampires were as low as the maggots eating on a rotten chunk of meat, for both pure ones and humans.
Years later, Mr. Kim found love again, a reason to wake up in the mornings and look forward to going to work. Lee Chaerin was a single mother struggling to raise her only son, having lost her husband in a car accident months before giving birth to forever lovely Lee Taemin. Both parents met on Mrs. Lee’s working place, a small coffee shop two blocks away from Mr. Kim’s workplace. It was love at first sight apparently, hearts racing and eyes catching from across the room, and a year later Jonghyun’s family greeted the new additions with arms wide open, a half becoming a whole after so many years.
Jonghyun gained a brother at the age twelve, and Taemin won a brother to look up to, even though he was teased constantly for having a vampire, a filthy half breed, as family. Being human was never easy for the younger one, but Jonghyun always stuck up for his little brother, learning to care and appreciate the second chance god had given him of having a family. It was throughout his brother that he learnt what love was, what it felt like to want to throw everything to hell just to take the pain away from those he cares the most.
His family was the best source of knowledge for him, having his mother and his brother as humans, and that knowledge was the key point to getting such an important job at the company. Kibum truly admired his friend for everything he had been through, but he detested him in those moments for always knowing when something was going on under water. He was too good at his job… far too good at reading his human emotions.
“Kibum are you done with those orders I asked you to do?”
Kibum swore he heard that voice descent from the mere gates of heaven, clouds pushed aside by a godly force to make a path for that angel that had come to his aid. With dreamy eyes he stared at his boss walking across the room, Jonghyun quickly scrambling to his feet as the older man approached them with an unreadable expression over his face. If he could, he would’ve hugged that man and invited him to dinner later on, his treat, but as he caught the slight twitch in said man’s lips he knew Jinki was trying to save his ass at the moment and showing some kind of intimacy in front of a certain brunet would push all those efforts away just to let them crumble at his feet.
“I’m on that at the moment Mr. Lee, just give me fifteen minutes to finish the last few touches.”
“Okay, I’ll be waiting for them. Mr. Kim, don’t you have some work to do? We have some new employees coming over today, and I think it would be nice to give them an introductory lecture, show them around the company and all.”
Nodding nervously, the brunet quickly bowed in respect before hurrying off towards the elevators. As Jinki was casually looking over the stack of papers at the desk, commenting about some orders that needed to be shipped that afternoon while reading some files, Kibum swiftly glanced at his friend waiting for the elevator doors to close. Jonghyun was obviously peeved for having been interrupted in his interrogation process, and as he quietly pointed two fingers towards his eyes and waving them later in his direction, he knew this was far from over.
I have my eyes on you, scoffing Kibum returned his attention towards his boss, waiting promptly for the elevator to finally take its leave. In seconds, the low ring was heard around the room, making both men sigh in relief.
“Are you crazy!? How could you leave our trash on the floor like that!!” Glaring at Jinki’s outburst, he stood up and made his way towards the dirty food containers, roughly shoving some in the older one’s unsuspected hands.
“Yeah, well who was the genius that wanted take out huh? Hey Kibum, I think I’m down for some vegetarian today, what do you think?” Ignoring Jinki’s grumbles, both men proceeded to clean their mess, fighting over who had been assigned to clean up this time. On Kibum’s agenda, the older one was in charge of cleaning up as he was assigned to fetch food for both at the cafeteria, but accordingly to Jinki, the one that brought the food was the responsible of cleaning the mess said food made.
“So, any luck there with the burrito?”
“Should I be feeling any different?” Jinki asked, patting his stomach softly, “I’ve been feeling a little funny, but that’s it.”
Kibum sighed, eyeing his boss up and down with remorse. “You’re looking a little pale though, even more than you already are, but I think that you pretty much killed the infection that should’ve spread around your body even before it got the chance to be one.”
Groaning, the older turn around and dragged himself towards his office, mumbling under his breath something about stupid vampire bodies and their strength. Watching his hopeless boss moping around the office was quite the show for Kibum, shaking his head and smiling to himself.
Hours passed by too slow for Kibum’s liking, glancing longingly at the clock in hopes of some magical force to plunge its power on it and fast forward time. His ridiculous pledge was never heard though, and between phone calls, impromptus meetings and client letters, he managed to survive the day. Wiping the sweat bids sticking to his forehead, he found himself smiling and leaning his back against his chair, arching the stiff vertebras that cracked noisily with the exercise.
It was finally six pm, every employee in the company wrapping up all their work for tomorrow. He felt exhaustion heaving over his shoulders, muscles aching from staying so much time in front of the computer. Jinki had been locked in his office all afternoon, their only mean of communication being the intercom on each room. Kibum had been able to hear that same exhaustion laced in the other one’s voice, like an exasperating silence between every word he said, and it was understandable as both have been swallowed from the neck down by a workload that never seemed to end. He kinda blamed Jinki’s company for being so stupidly successful.
Kibum had been so submerge in his work that the little episode with Jonghyun at lunch just managed to fade away to the deepest corners of his mind to remain nonexistent. He wondered if the brunet had forgotten about his discovery as well, but that was just as stupid as thinking that the shoes he was wearing didn’t cost him two paychecks, and that thought alone put a frown on his face. He was gonna go back to hiding then, avoiding the inevitable conversation he was bound to have with that friend of his one way or another.
Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t catch the small noises coming from the other side of the room, pained groans marred by the thick walls separating both rooms. But thankfully he was able to hear quite clear the solid thump of a body falling face straight on the floor, jumping on his feet worriedly as the noise was coming obviously from Jinki’s office.
As he half skipped towards the office, he felt something hard and uncomfortable bobbing in his throat, making it hard to swallow as he pushed pass the doors just to gasp at the sight that greeted him inside. The older one that was supposed to be sitting on his desk while working on some deals was now rolling on the floor in visible pain, sweat sticking his bangs across his forehead as eyes rolled backwards towards his skull.
“Oh God! What the heck!? Jinki!! Are you okay?” He didn’t wait for a response, kneeling hurriedly at his side to check for any sign of visible wounds, “Where does it hurt??”
“Ugh, everywhere…” Jinki was able to push the slurred response pass his lips, air puffing his cheeks as his ragged breath seemed shallower by the second. Nodding in panic, Kibum patted all the places in the other one’s body that might be wounded or hurt. A pained moan echoed in the room as his pressed his shaky hands just below his stomach.
“Sorry! I’m sorry, I’m trying to find the source of the pain, wound or whatever.” With a jerky bob as an answer, he proceeded to inspection his boss, hands travelling from his torso all the way up to his face. He couldn’t control his horror as he felt the scorching heat emanating from that face, a fever so high that Jinki was bound to convulse at any moment.
“We gotta get you to the hospital, like now!” Despite the older one’s grunts of disapproval, Kibum managed to haul the bulky body up, huffing under the weight as he wrapped his arms around his waist and proceeded to drag him out of the room and into the elevators, hooking his ankle around his satchel lying on the floor to drag it with him with every step. His heart slammed painfully against his chest with every stare he stole, eyes wetly watching Jinki’s chest slowly dragging air to his lungs, slower with every minute the elevator delayed its arrival.
“Jinki?” His hand softly wiped bids of sweat falling from his face, thumb lingering on his flushed cheek a little bit longer than necessary. His arms unconsciously tightened their grip on his waist, pulling him closer and resting more of his weight against him.
After what seemed like eternity, the doors opened miraculously before his eyes, a hopeful smile breaking on his lips as he carried his and Jinki’s bodies inside the lift. With a quick movement, he twisted his ankle up, awkwardly reaching towards his bag in order to fetch his car keys. He didn’t wanna risk getting caught by taking Jinki’s ridiculously expensive car, so they’ll have to settle for Kibum’s middle class sedan, knowing that it would be pretty much impossible to raise suspicion on that.
Thankfully all employees had already headed home, leaving all departments deserted and at their disposition. In those moments of panic and full uncertainty, Kibum could care less if he happened to encounter his best friend, not really knowing how he would be able to avoid telling the truth when the evidence was clinging all his weight on him. Fortunately, as the elevator descending all twenty two floors to the parking lot, no brunet was on sight, just a few people from the cleaning crew far too busy with their job to mind the two lonely figures travelling on the see through lift.
Jinki’s skin felt hot to the touch, his blazer looking like it might catch fire any time soon. Biting his lip, Kibum rubbed Jinki’s back in reassurance; stealing glances now and then as said male was having trouble breathing, staring back at him through half-lidded eyes. What could’ve possibly gone wrong? Did he drink alcohol by accident? Maybe that soy meat they had for lunch was cooked with some cooking wine? Thousands of possibilities danced around his head, all resulting in the same tragic outcome: Jinki was gonna die soon.
Shaking his head to discard all those thoughts, he found himself dragging Jinki’s limp body with renewed strength, looking everywhere in case someone was still lingering around the underground parking lot. Their path was clear, and in no time Kibum was almost shoving his boss into the front seat, strapping the seatbelt with shaky hands and cursing loudly as it seemed to get stuck at an invisible obstacle.
“Hold on Jinki, we’re on our way.” He didn’t know if it was a wisest thing to drive in his current state, all freaked out and scared for his boss’s life, but he figured that if by some ungodly event some police checkpoint decided to pull him over to take a look at his driver’s license he’d probably show them a piece of his mind-or his middle finger-or maybe he’ll shove Jinki’s derp face against the window for them to take a good look at the mess the other one was currently floating in.
He managed to lose his exit in those moments of sheer desperation, cursing loudly for that middle age woman to use the fucking sidewalk woman! As he missed her by a hair, tires shrieking against the asphalt as he sped up towards the nearest hospital. He couldn’t help watching over Jinki, checking his pulse and temperature at every red light they happened to encounter. The fever was refusing to leave, persistently stubborn and making the older one sweat non-stop though his shirt.
As the community hospital started showing at the end of the boulevard, Kibum felt like sticking his head out and screaming for the heck of it. Despite the busy hour, the streets had been nothing but fluent with traffic, cars miraculously flowing smoothly through the streets, and as he neared their much sought-after destination, he felt like pulling over to sing a few prayers as the entrance was ambulance free, paramedics casually talking and laughing while waiting for some action.
Confusion was evident in the face of those men as he pulled over at the hospital’s emergency entrance, almost falling on his face in the hurry of getting Jinki some help. By now the older one was shuddering from the high temperature, teeth biting the plump lower lip with eyes screw shut from the pain. Am I too late? He wondered with remorse, softly pulling Jinki out of the seat and towards the paramedics now surrounding them.
“Sir, can you tell us what’s wrong with your friend here?” As two men hoisted Jinki up in a stretcher for a faster transport, Kibum struggled to catch up as his feet ached all over.
“Hi, um I don’t know what happened to him. This afternoon he was fine, and just an hour ago I heard this noise coming from his office and when I went to take I look I found him doubling over in pain with a high fever.”
“Alright, don’t worry. He’s in good hands now.”
He watched intently as Jinki was wheeled pass the emergency room into hallways only patients and family members were allowed to walk in, disappearing from his line of sight at a right turn. Something like hopelessness settled in his heart as he was dragged gently by a nurse towards the reception area, having to fill in some forms and some personal information.
Every minute that passed by felt like eternity, just pure nothingness as he waited for someone to tell him Jinki was well and resting, that everything had been a misunderstanding. His head hung low, eyes staring vacantly at the way his fingers slowly played with a thread of his suit. He hated silences, the way even his own breath resounded through space-deafening. In those moments he quietly waited in reception for any signs of the doctors attending his boss, he thought of all those moment, all those decisions that brought him to this very moment.
How did Jinki managed to crawl so deep under his skin? Why did he allow him to? Resting his head against his head, he placed both palms against his face, feeling a throb against his fingertips. This was the first time he had gotten a headache out of worrying too much, never in his life had he felt so utterly disarmed and groundless, deadly scared about what might come. What if Jinki died? A lump formed itself at the thought, swallowing the discomfort with difficulty. He didn’t wanna think about it… he forced himself not to.
“Excuse me, is there a Kim Kibum here?”
A rush of life brushed past him, posing itself all over him and reviving his once dull heart. Leaping from his seat, he half run towards the awaiting doctor, lips trembling with the thousand questions he wanted to shower the man. “Tha-at’s me doctor. I’m Kim Kibum.”
“Good evening Mr. Kim, I’m Dr. Jung. Why don’t you walk with me for a bit?”
It didn’t mean anything, it could mean just everything too, so Kibum just nodded and followed behind, his heart slamming against his ribcage as the middle aged doctor skimming through a medical chart he supposed was Jinki’s. He understood what people meant with Have your heart on your mouth-his heart was currently thumping against his lips.
Kibum drew in a shaky breath, eyes staring anxiously at the older male intently reading his boss’s chart-or his dysfunction chart. “Please Dr. Jung, Is Jinki alright?”
“Oh yes, don’t worry, Mr. Lee is perfectly fine at the moment. He’s a little bit weak and exhausted but that’s normal after having a severe episode of dehydration.” He stopped outside room 204, turning around and directing his full attention towards the younger one. “And that’s why I want to ask you some things Mr. Kim in order to fill Mr. Lee historical background and seal the diagnosis. Did Mr. Lee by any chance drink water from while on the streets? On a public oasis?”
Furrowing his eyebrows in thought, he couldn’t remember watching Jinki drink water at all. “No, not that I know of. He’s a full blooded vampire, so he rarely eats or drinks anything.”
“No water then. Perhaps he ate something he never eats? Meat, pork?” Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair, trying to remember if by any chance Jinki mentioned something about going to eat meat on the weekend. The answer came so fast he startled the doctor with his outburst. The answer was so simple that it almost made him feel stupid for not having thought of it earlier. It was what they had been waiting for! What they had worked hard for, and a smile broke from his lips and earned a confused looked from the older one waiting an aswer.
“Yes! We went to this Mexican restaurant at the night market, and we ate these pork burritos that looked a little suspicious up close.”
Nodded in thought, Dr. Jung proceeded to write what looked like a diagnosis in the chart on his hands, closing it minutes later to return his attention on Kibum. “Well that explains everything and I can finally confirm my diagnosis. Mr. Lee acquired Salmonellosis.”
“Salmo-what?”
“Salmonellosis. It’s an infection caused by a bacteria that proliferates on poorly cooked meats such as pork and meat and contaminated water. Mr. Lee must’ve gotten the bacteria from the meat of the burrito you both ate.”
Kibum sighed, wanting to kick Jinki in the nuts for having put him in so much trouble. He thought the man had poisoned himself accidentally or something. “But why didn’t I get the symptoms too Doctor? We both ate those damned things.”
“A vampire’s metabolic system is different than humans Mr. Kim. Even though vampires cure ten times faster than humans, they still catch diseases. For unknown reasons, full blooded vampires have an exceptional immune response towards common sicknesses, but a very deficient one towards rare diseases. Salmonellosis is not that common in our country, so that was another factor that triggered Mr. Lee’s susceptibility.”
Relief settled in his heart, finally slowing its drumming as he showered the man with thank yous. Dr. Jung smiled, nodding at the grateful words as he closed the chart in his hands. “Tell Mr. Lee to take it easy with the food. Pure vampires aren’t like half blooded ones, their bodies are a little bit slower as they try to get used to regular food. Despite half breeds, pure ones tend to be more delicate when food is involved, as it really isn’t in their bodies necessities to depend on it.”
“Thank you very much Dr. Jung, I’ll be sure to tell him that.” Kibum said, biting his lower lip as his eyes shifted towards the door at the right, “Can I see him?”
“Of course, even with the high fever and all he was asking for you.” Kibum didn’t know why he blushed at those words, simply coughing while lowering his eyes as his attention fell on his now interesting pair of shoes, “We’re gonna have him stay for three more days to threat the infection and to restore his hydration levels. Please tell Mr. Lee to take it slow with the food, one step at a time.”
Smiling, he thanked the kind man one more time, slowly making his was inside the dark room, the moonlight softly lightening the figure resting lifelessly on the hospital bed. Closing the door softly behind him, Kibum took some deliberate steps towards Jinki, watching cautiously the way his heart monitor showed the evenly thumping of his heart. If it weren’t for the pair of shiny dark orbs watching like a hawk his every move, he would’ve assumed the older one was sleeping, the soft rising of his chest with every breath to slow and imperceptible.
“I got what I wanted right?” he said, making Kibum snort as he took a seat on the small chair by the bed.
“You got even more than you bargain for Mister.”
“I know, but I’m happy we were able to achieve this: together.” He was about to smack the man right in the face and knock some sense into him, You fool! This stupid infection could’ve been a lot worse!, but his tired smile and his sparkling eyes pulled him out of it, making him sigh resignedly. The undying worry that had been hammering in his chest for hours now was finally subduing, still holding a grip on his heart like a molten vice but letting enough space for it to calm and settle.
Jinki could only stare at the flood of emotions running in his assistant’s face, worry and relief becoming the most prominent of them all, and in those moments he understood just how much he had worried him, how bad this whole situation could’ve turned. Eyes softened, heart rate lowered, and with a little effort on his part, he was able to lift his hand just enough to grasp Kibum’s own limp one resting on his lap. It’s so warm, he mused, enjoying the sudden rush of comfort.
“I’m sorry.” He murmured, catching the other one’s eyes in his own, “For having put you through all these troubles.”
Kibum smiled softly, thumb softly running up and down against the tender flesh of Jinki’s palm. “That’s what friends are for you know?”
The words felt just right, the meaning was perfect, and Jinki could only crack a lopsided grin, head shifting sideways to catch the little twinkle in Kibum’s eyes. “I know now.”
The night passed by, filled with hushed whispers and muffled laughs, both males shared silly jokes and entertaining life stories, not noticing the moon painting the prettiest cloudless night as it advanced towards the horizon just to die at sunrise. It was right on the moment when the fresh morning dew starts to evaporate from the light rays of sun that Kibum noticed he spend the hold night by Jinki’s side, holding his hand comfortably as he watched the way his eyelids fluttered with the inevitable sleep.
It was on that precise second when his eyes softened at the sight of his boss murmuring silly nothings as the assigned nurse waltzed inside the room for his early check up, that he realized that Jinki was starting to look more human with each passing days, more vulnerable.
And it was between Jinki’s short puffed out breaths and his own prolonged stares that Kibum realized that his heart was starting to skip beats, pumping more blood into that blush that had stuck with him since yesterday.
He decided to push those thoughts aside, focusing solely on attending not only his boss but his now best friend. He was now aware of how fast he had been able to bond with that vampire despite his childhood stigma towards his kind, and now with his newly found conviction about vampires being just like anybody else-painfully human-he was determined to let that friendship blossom and grow in a long lasting one.
Kibum decided to take those days off, spending every hour at making his boss company, scowling at the ridiculous whines the older one would let out when it was time for him to go home to attend his hygiene related needs. Jinki started getting spoiled, becoming accustomed to having all nurses fuss around him and getting his undivided attention-an attention that was embarrassingly stole just by the mere presence of a certain assistant, spiking the women’s jealous fights.
He wondered if his and Jinki’s sudden unattendace had managed to draw some suspicion among the company, not having received at least one call from Jonghyun or other co worker asking for his unexplained absence. The only communicate given to the management office was that their CEO got into a car accident-which was obviously unlikely, but possible-and his assistant was just suffering from a severe case of the flu.
The excuses seemed to work, and no questions were asked, and finally it was Jinki’s last day at the hospital. With much dismay, all nurses showered the older male with nothing but nice thoughts and some insinuative regards coming from the middle aged side.
“It wasn’t my fault! I didn’t know that damn burrito had a stupid, potentially dangerous bacteria in it!”
“Yeah right, and you think I’m gonna believe that? You were the one that dragged me into that fishy looking restaurant and pretty much threatened to cut my balls if I didn’t eat that thing.”
Growling, Kibum shoved the remains of Jinki’s last lunch down his throat, making the older male choke and gurgle, “It’s your damn fault and you know it! If your body wasn’t such a wimpy mess of flesh and bones you would’ve been able to eat that burrito just fine-but no! You just had to have the most deficient immune system of all right? Bravo Mr. Lee!”
Scowling, Jinki slurped the blood that was being spoon fed by his assistant, “Aren’t you suppose to like respect me or something? I’m still your boss.”
“Just shut up already and finish this up so we can go. I’m getting cramps from sitting on this chair all day long.” How they managed to slip into a heated argument of whose fault it was for having Jinki hospitalized? Who knew, and the way they easily slipped in and out of those conversation topics was simply a matter that defied all law.
If Kibum was asked months ago if he was willing to feed a pure vampire blood-hot, sticky and slightly dense blood-he would’ve probably turn around and leave whoever asked that question behind, feeling offended and obviously shaken. But here he was, to his amusement, feeding his vampiric boss/friend with a spoon now drenched in red. He would’ve rather given Jinki the blood packet and watch him eat on his own, but he still had that IV hooked on his hand, making it impossible for the older one to even lift his hand without wincing in pain.
After an hour or so, it seemed natural, like the most normal thing in the world, and between jokes and snide remarks, both were able to get rid past the awkwardness. Kibum tried to swallow the coos that wanted to escape pass his lips the moment a fat drop of blood slowly slid from the corner of Jinki’s lips, to dribbled sluggishly at his chin.
“God, has no one ever taught you how to eat?” Jinki smiled cheekily, sitting up and leaning on Kibum’s direction, making the other fidget uncomfortably at his side, suddenly conscious of their close proximity on the bed.
“Why do I need to learn how to eat if you are here to feed me anyways?” Tempted to throw the blood remains on his face, Kibum promptly rolled his eyes as he roughly wiped the messy trail with a napkin,
“You’re such a baby.”
He tried to steady his trembling hand as his movements softened, losing his focus with that look on Jinki’s eyes, more intense with each passing second. Unconsciously he started leaning closer, the napkin falling on the sheets as his hand lingered lifelessly on the smooth skin now clean and pristine. There was something in those orbs, molten chocolate dancing blazingly under the soft rays of sun splaying from the window, and with every centimeter he leaned forward he drowned deeper in those eyes that spoke thousands of unseen words at once.
Parting his lips, he tried to say a word, at least form a syllable loud enough to disrupt this moment from fulfilling itself. Cause he knew were this was going, he knew where his lips were unconsciously leaning to and he didn’t have to be a genius to understand what Jinki’s inquisitive stare was trying to imply. The strange part was that somehow he didn’t want this to stop, despite the consequences-he wanted that inevitable kiss to happen and change everything.
With his heart beating on his ears, and his blood flush against his cheeks, he felt his eyes dropping, a sudden warmness hovering over his quivering lips-skin barely ghosting over equally chapped skin. And that kiss would’ve happened if a sudden gasp hadn’t resounded loudly around the room, pulling both males out of their trance. Hurriedly composing themselves, equal sets of curious eyes turned around to stare at the young woman fidgeting nervously by the door, a beautiful bouquet of flowers covering half of her face.
“Lizzy?” Kibum noticed the surprised yet confused tone in Jinki’s words, staring mutedly at the unknown girl as she grinned widely at recognition.
“Hey! Hope I’m not interrupting anything?” He had never seen Jinki so exposed, so unbearably human as he blushed while shaking his head furiously, a mess of words pouring from his lips as the girl named Lizzy laughed cutely at the sight of the distressed man.
“I’m sorry I came by so unexpectedly. I thought I’d surprise you by coming a few weeks earlier, and once I arrived at your apartment the porter told me you were hospitalized, so I booked a hotel and came as fast as possible.”
She was breath taking, simply gorgeous with her sparkling eyes, full lips, rosy cheeks and curvy body-and she was painstakingly human. Kibum stood up, making space for the girl to hug the still blushing man. He wondered what her relationship with Jinki was since both looked pretty close. A school friend perhaps? The thought of Jinki bonding so intimately with a human girl, a model like human girl nonetheless, made his heart race-a sudden dryness making him parched in seconds. This is ridiculous, he thought, scowling at his own confusing reactions.
“Hello! I’m Lizzy and you must be his assistant Kibum? Onew has told me a lot about you!”
“Onew?”
“Oh! Sorry, I still have a habit of calling him that from time to time.” Kibum slowly shifted his stare towards the now embarrassed looking man.
Jinki sighed, eyes lowering towards the sheets as his fingers played nimbly with the loose threads. “From where we come from, Onew is used when someone wants to referrer to something as soft and squishy looking.”
“And you can’t deny he looks and feels like the softest piece of tofu ever, right Jinki?” He didn’t look the slightest amused as Lizzy suddenly laughed, affectionately pinching the older man’s cheeks while pulling a rather awkward smile from him. Was it his imagination or the temperature was slowly dropping?
“Anyways! When I asked the nurse at the reception of your whereabouts she mentioned something about your file being uncompleted, so I think I’m gonna go and help a little there. No one knows you like I do for that matter.”
Waving reluctantly at the girl bouncing her way out of the room, Kibum felt a rather tense silence resurging through the room, making the air heavier and dense. He felt the question just hanging lifelessly in the air, just waiting to be asked, and just to spare Jinki one last time, Kibum decided to voice the already present interrogative.
“Who is she Jinki?” It sounded casual, nonchalant almost, but Jinki knew there was something hiding underneath that tone, something that made him stare nervously at his assistant as said man moved around the room in order to tide things up for his leave.
“She’s Lizzy, a friend I knew when I accepted a temporary job as a tutor at her school.” Nodding, Kibum kept quiet after that, holding the gorgeous bouquet Jinki’s friend had left by the chair and placing it later on the crystal clear base by the nightstand, carrying it across the room to place it with the other ones. The inexplicable need to throw that vase out of the window was instantly present in his mind, the evil thought mudding his coherent mind. Why was he getting so worked up about this? It wasn’t any of his business who Jinki had befriended over his childish human years. It really wasn’t any of his business.
Jinki knew he shouldn’t leave things like that, he couldn’t keep the entire truth in the shadows and from the first friend he had been able to call as such since he moved in, so taking a deep breath and counting silently to three, he tilted his head to stare at the window, watching silently the way those curtains danced with the wing. “Lizzy is not only a friend though. She doesn’t know it yet, but I love her.”
He didn’t mean for the vase to slip, time moving on slow motion as the definite sound of glass against marble pierced the eerie silence moments later. He did catch the whisper that slipped effortlessly pass his lips, masked with the wind and the sound of the crystal vase slipping noisily from his frozen fingers.
He had heard it yet he refused to believe as he hurriedly kneeled down to recollect the shattered pieces now scattered on the floor. Jinki’s shouts to leave the glass untouched reached his ears but went right by, laughing nervously that he was okay, it’s just a vase, he said, watching Jinki’s worried eyes from afar. He saw his lips moving, mouthing words he couldn’t hear, his mind only repeating those simple whispered words like a sadistic memento.
That’s why I’m turning human. For her. He wondered why he felt like he was recollecting shattered pieces of not only a vase but something far more fragile and delicate. Kibum wondered why he was starting to feel hollow-wounded. Why was he suddenly feeling so heartless?
"It's just a vase." He repeated softly, thinking to himself, It's just my heart.
----------------------
There’s a saying that when someone takes one step forward, they actually take two steps backwards. But it was not that simple, there were many issues involved in that statement. Like, How much space covered with the first step, how small those two backwards steps were, and the main question of it all was how long it takes to get back on track, to forget those step back and start moving forward once again.
Kibum knew perfectly well the answer to all those interrogatives, hating the answers all together as they were the last thing he expected. His backward steps have been too spacious, swallowing that step forward that had cost him a lot of work. And he was now on standby, afraid and unsure of what might happen if he regains his path once again.
“You’re looking awfully pensive lately, is something wrong?” His deep thoughts crumbled with the interruption, making him sigh as he played with the untouched food now cold against the plate.
“I’m fine, I’m just having some troubles with a friend of mine.” Jonghyun might be a lot of things-obnoxious, an irritating snooper and a terrible secret keeper-but he was also the best friend he could ever ask for, and one of his qualities was that he knew when it was the moment to stop asking around, when it was simply time to let things go.
The brunet nodded slowly, patting his back reassuringly before he decided to comment-or rather whine nosily-about the horrible cafeteria food they were intent on serving the employees on daily basis. Kibum appreciated the topic change at least.
Life is about cycles, he mused, some of them being longer than others. That day at the hospital, where Jinki introduced him to his soon-to-be wife or whatever, a cycle ended. It was that simple really, there was no need for them to keep searching for human experiences that might help the older one in his intricate journey.
Throughout the months spend together Jinki was able to acquire many good aspects about the human life, he learnt about friendship, acceptance, and what it felt like to have someone there for you in your moments of need.
He was able to give Jinki all that, and even though he wasn’t gonna lie, he thought that maybe, just maybe, they could remain the good friends they had been able to be. He felt a little selfish though, ignoring the other one once they went back to their duties at the company, their absent days spent at the hospital simply forgotten. Kibum figured Jinki was ready to embrace the life of mortality, and Lizzy looked like the type of girl that would turn his life brighter.
Grimacing at the thought, he nodded just in time to make his friend believe he was actually listening to a word he was saying, but Jonghyun knew that he was being fully ignored by this time, talking just to keep the atmosphere from falling into that moody silence. Kibum had been strangely down after his sick leave, and the first week he took it as him still recovering from the sickness, but another week passed by and the mood seemed to darken and fall into depression.
He started having lunch with him once again, replying on his behalf how he now got time to come down to lunch. Jonghyun was clearly dying on those moments, wanting to find out what had happened between Kibum and his mystery lunch companion, but it was obviously nothing good as the other one would scowl at the sight of fruit or vegetables, feeding only on soup and meat to avoid remembering bad memories.
Days seemed too long, dragging almost week after week. Kibum avoided his boss as much as possible, fighting the will to step inside his office and damned all with apologies. After the hospital incident, Jinki had been nothing but absent, muttering a slight hello every morning, and whispering a soft goodbye every evening.
He wondered how the older one was able to change so much, a 180º change the moment that girl had stepped in their lives. He was not even a shadow of the sweet caring man he had learnt to know, and that made his heart sink.
They were back to where they had started, complete strangers. It hurt him, he was beyond capable of lying now, but he couldn’t say that he wasn’t expecting it, that he hadn’t see it coming. There had to be a reason for Jinki to want to turn human, it was ridiculous to think that the older one wanted to become mortal just cause he felt like it. He would’ve never thought Jinki to be in love though, that was quite the shock to be honest.
He wondered how that girl had been able to break through Jinki’s shell, what was her approach to win his heart. Sighing, he focused his attention on those papers he was trying to sort out, feeling blue and bitter as the day was taking too long to end.
“Kibum?” He tried to fight the shiver from running up and down his spine, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, opening them seconds later and focusing his attention on the man standing before him.
“Yes Mr. Lee?” Jinki softly placed a set of notes on his desk, little post it sticking at the corners. “Could you please get me a copy of all these notes I took at today’s meeting? In case I loose them.”
Nodding curtly, Kibum took the notes in his hands and took his leave, not noticing the deflated expression in the older ones eyes at the indifference. Kibum had been so absorbed in his thoughts lately that he feigned to notice those dark circles burning around his eyes-that spark gone and lost. After spending those days in the hospital, having Kibum take care of him day and night, he couldn’t comprehend how everything changed for the worst.
Why did he feel like this was his fault? They were back to being strangers, to barely acknowledging their own existence-no, this was far worst. The younger one had become a part of him, a chunk of his heart going with him the moment they both drew farther away. Why did he let it happen? He watched Kibum slipping away, each day becoming just a distant memory he once cherished.
How could a friendship that had cost months to develop crumble so willingly in the course of a few seconds? He had a slight idea that Lizzy’s visit had something to do with it, and in all honesty, he would feel just like Kibum, betrayed. He should’ve been honest with the younger one right away, telling him the reason to why he was planning to become human. Maybe Kibum was mad at his reason, not finding the motive strong enough to trade his immortality.
But he was in love-he wanted to believe he was in love at least. Lizzy had been the first human that didn’t recoil at his sight, giving him her warm smiles and her friendship without any second thoughts. She was a substitute teacher at that time, he was in charge of the tutoring program at that private school, and despite all odds, they found themselves enjoying the strange relationship that looked pass their race.
He realized it must be love, with the way he cared deeply for the younger one. It made his blood boil the thought of something making her cry, and from what he had seen and heard people talk about, it was love. Jinki sighed, staring at the vacant chair that had been occupied minutes ago by his assistant.
He missed Kibum dearly, even though it had only been two weeks since they last spoke aside their jobs. Did he missed him? He hoped so, and with a small hopeful smile he turned around and retreated to his office once again.
Kibum believed he was going crazy, the need to simply talk to Jinki, to laugh and joke around like they used to pulsing hot in his veins. There was no excuse for his behavior, he watched Jinki slowly shifting away from him and he let it, without any valid reason. Why did he felt so hurt though? Why did he felt the need to be mad at the older one from keeping that lonely secret hidden from him. Sure, they were friends, pretty good friends too, but he had the right to keep some things to himself, there was no written rule that clarified that every secret most be shared with your friends.
But he was slightly afraid in all honesty. Maybe now that the girl he was in love with was back in his life he wasn’t gonna need anyone else beside her. Why would he want a human friend if he had his human sweetheart by his side?
Crest fallen, he stepped into the desolated photocopiers room, all workers long gone. He was gonna try and finish fast so he could go to his small apartment to sulk on his depression, not in the mood of doing anything but succumb to his lonely misery. Going through Jinki’s notes, he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of those silly drawings the older one had doodle in his afternoon meeting.
He saw a dragon, a fairy and a horribly deformed monkey. He rolled his eyes as he read the little post its he had deliberately stick on the first few pages, just meaningless notes that weren’t really necessary to photocopy. Softly he started peeling off the little notes, noticing that the notes started getting less funny and more personal. His heart skipped a beat as he stared at that pinkish post it at the last few pages, feeling a blush mapping over his cheeks.
I miss him. Nervously, he peeled off the note, placing it with the rest.
Does he miss me? Another note stuck at the side, this time with a sad face drawn at the end of the question. What was that man thinking? Writing such silly thoughts in the middle of a meeting.
Do you miss me Kibum? He bit his lip, trying to hide the smile that was starting to shape on his lips. He knew he would read those notes, he knew it all along and his heart started hammering on his chest at the thought of Jinki missing their time together. He missed him dearly, and he wasn’t gonna let this opportunity slip. Hurriedly, he photocopied all of his boss’s notes, placing all those post its carefully in their corresponding place, running to the elevator to get as fast as possible to his desk.
Jinki kept a stoic face as his assistant mutedly handing him all his notes and the photocopies, those notes he had written neatly stuck back together. Did he read the notes, he wondered, searching desperately on Kibum’s eyes for any sign of acknowledgement. He found none though, the younger one barely lifting his eyes to catch his stare as he bowed in respect and bid him farewell. It wasn’t meant to be then, their friendship would be just a sweet distant memory he was bound to cherish from the sidelines.
He watched with sad eyes as Kibum swiftly walked away, opening the door and closing it behind him without hesitation. He was about to being his moping faze when the door suddenly opened, Kibum’s head sticking out as he smiled softly at his direction.
“I do you know? I do too.” Jinki smiled, even laughed and nodded, waving goodbye as his assistant playfully stuck his tongue out before closing the door.
For the first time in his life, Jinki felt a fluttery thing flying inside him, softly grazing his insides. He felt butterflies.
Part I \\ Part III