The Thin Space Between Us [ Daehyun x Himchan]

Himchan was a bit of a clean freak.  No, scratch that.  He was a huge clean freak.  In fact, he has been diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and haphephobia.  How did he become like this?

Himchan was born in a rich family with overprotective and strict parents.  His mother made a rule when Himchan was a baby that nobody was allowed to touch him unless they've washed, starting from the elbow down to the fingertips.  The rule no longer applied when Himchan learned how to walk, but his mother always made sure that whoever handled Himchan had short and clean fingernails.

When Himchan tripped for the first time and wounded his knee, his mother scolded him a lot.  She said that Himchan should be more careful in order to have smooth and flawless skin.  Himchan wasn't allowed to play too much so that he wouldn't dirty himself.  Because of these things, Himchan developed an obsessive-compulsive disorder and haphephobia, the fear of touching and being touched.

Himchan could only tolerate being touched by a few people, mostly his parents, the servants he had grown up with, and a few relatives.  Even when these people touch him, he doesn't like it when he's being touched for too long (just 5 minutes at maximum would be fine) because it would him feel dirty and he would get the urge to wash the part of his skin or body that was touched.

He didn't like getting involved with sports because it meant sweat, dirt, body contact, accidents, and all other things that Himchan deemed dirty.  His mother wasn't bothered by this fact, but his father was very disappointed.  His father wished for him to be in a soccer team and he blamed his wife for turning their child into a freak.

It was around Himchan's last year in elementary when he started having therapy sessions with a psychologist.  His father hoped that he would be "cured" and that he would be able to play soccer in high school.  It was also around that time when he met Daehyun.

Daehyun came from the province.  His parents got a job in the city and decided to take Daehyun with them which is why Daehyun enrolled his last year of elementary in the same school as Himchan.  He found Himchan to be a very handsome guy, so he wanted to be friends with him.  He got hurt though when Himchan refused to shake his hand and rejected his friendship.

"Himchan has OCD and haphephobia, so he doesn't shake hands with just anybody,"  Youngjae explained to the new student.  "As for rejecting your friendship, it's probably because you came from the province.  Province which means you are a country boy which equals to poor and dirty.  Plus, you have dark skin which also equals to dirty.  I know it sounds crazy, but that's how Himchan's mind works."

Daehyun was surprised to know about this.  He didn't expect such a beautiful person could have such psychological issues.  "Does he have any friends?" He asked curiously.

"I am one of his few trusted friends actually."  Youngjae bragged about it since it wasn't easy to get Himchan to be your friend, especially since a lot of people wanted to be on Himchan's good side because of his rich family.  "We mostly communicate through things like text messages, online chat, or phone calls.  We don't really talk face to face except for the usual friendly greetings.  I think that's how he treats his other friends too since nobody really sees Himchan hanging out with somebody."

Daehyun wants to be that somebody for Himchan.