Something New (OnHo)

Getting A Bit Colder

Jinki waited patiently outside of the room, half of him wanting to see Minho again and the other half worried about Kibum. After everything that's happened, Jinki just wanted everyone to be happy and safe, so one of them missing unsettled him. Kibum stayed there until Minho woke up, for him to just disappear after barely talking to the younger felt off. But then again, Jinki didn't know Kibum like Minho did. In fact, no one knows him like Minho does, at least not to Jinki's knowledge.

Jonghyun stepped out of the room and brought Jinki out of his thoughts.

"Do you want to go back in?" He asked, pointing at the door.

Jinki wanted to say yes, but now Kibum was troubling him.

"Maybe later, can I use your phone?" Jinki stood up and gave Jonghyun a smile.

"Is yours dead?" Jonghyun asked as he pulled his out.

"No, I just don't have Kibum's number" Jinki was honest as Jonghyun handed over his phone.

"Why do you need to get in contact with him?" Jonghyun was curious, but Jinki could tell he wasn't happy to be talking about Kibum.

"He's been gone for a while, I'm worried" Jinki told him as he unlocked the phone and found Kibum's contact, calling him.

"Good luck on getting an answer" Jonghyun forced a smile and sat down.

The first two times he was sent to voicemail, and part of him expected that, it was almost at the end of the third attempt that Kibum answered.

"What do you want?" His tone was cold, but there was something under it that Jinki couldn't make out.

"It's Jinki, I was wondering where you went, we got you some food" Jinki kept his tone friendly.

"I'm.. outside, getting some fresh air" Kibum was hesitant to answer.

"Well, hurry back, I'm sure Minho wants to talk to you" Jinki smiled into the phone, "And this bread-"

"Jinki" Kibum interrupted, "Can we talk? Outside?"

"Yeah, sure, I'll be right there" Jinki was confused, but something told him he shouldn't ask questions.

They hung up after that, and Jinki returned the phone to Jonghyun, then he turned to leave.

"Wait, where are you going?" Jonghyun asked.

"Kibum wanted to talk to me" Jinki told him, noticing Jonghyun's worries look.

"You're going to be with him, alone?" Jonghyun stood up, ready to follow.

"I'll be fine, he just wants to talk, plus we're in a public place" Jinki smiled at him to calm him down.

Jinki walked out of the front entrance of the hospital, trying to forget the feeling he had when he walked in. The dark sky gave Jinki a sense of what time it was, something he had been forgetting to check since they got here. The past day was beginning to feel like a blur as he looked around for Kibum.

"Jinki" Kibum called out, walking closer.

Jinki met him halfway, smiling at the younger, which only got him a confused look.

"What'd you want to talk about?" Jinki asked and Kibum looked to his feet.

"I didn't think about how to start this, it suddenly feels awkward" Kibum sighed as a gust of wind flew through them.

"Just say it outright, you're my friend, I'll listen" The words rolled off of Jinki's tongue.

Kibum looked up at him, his expression almost sad, but there was some kind of hope in his eyes.

"I don't get it.." Kibum shook his head, "What part of my actions makes you want to be my friend?"

"It's thanks to you that those people didn't torture me-"

"I did that for Minho, not you" Kibum was quick to respond, but Jinki thought he heard a bit of regret in his voice.

"Doesn't mean I can't be happy about it" Jinki replied and Kibum nodded, his eyes looking down again.

"What happened to you being scared of me? Threatening me with a bat?" Kibum had his confident voice back.

"After all of this.. I just feel like you wouldn't hurt me" Jinki told him honestly, "Even if I was right"

"Right about what?" Kibum was giving him an interested look.

"Ah.. well, those 'suicides' around the time I first moved here, the Thai place and the food truck, I thought they were you" Jinki managed, having not thought of the incidents for a while.

Kibum chuckled, "You're very observant, but you're only half right, only the food truck guy was me" Kibum clarified and Jinki wasn't sure how he felt about it.

"Then who..?" Jinki stopped himself as he remembered Minho that night, the 'sauce' covered takeout boxes and him taking the trash out.

"Seems to me you found the answer yourself" Kibum smiled and Jinki nodded, "..Are you two going to stay together?"

"I hope so" Jinki answered, "Now that everything's out in the open, maybe we can become closer"

"You're not put off by his profession?" Kibum was playing twenty questions.

"I can't say that I'm not.. But I don't want to let him go either" Jinki was conflicted, "I'd rather listen to my heart than my mind I guess"

"Good" The response had Jinki looking at Kibum, "Then I guess everything will work itself out"

Jinki was more confused then he'd ever been, "What do you mean?"

"I mean everyone will still be happy" Kibum sounded like he was going to say more.

"Why wouldn't we be?" Kibum didn't meat Jinki's gaze.

"Because..." Kibum took a deep breath, "I'm leaving"