Maybe a month had passed, maybe a few weeks, who was counting? Jongin was, actually. Each moment he was alone, he would decide to tell Taemin of his acceptance letter. Though, if he was physically around Taemin, the thought would vanish. How could he bring himself to wipe that contagious smile off Taemin’s cheeks? His sentences would start off with a tone of earnestness, and end with sweaty palms and a squeaky “ahh nevermind”. Though this slight distance made Taemin just scarcely suspicious, he trusted Jongin enough to know there would never be any secrets or disloyalty between them. Right?
~~~
Maybe Taemin’s day would have been better if he hadn’t have seen Jongin limping in the hallway. Maybe if he hadn’t have seen Jongin grasping to Sehun and Minseok for support, time would have moved consecutively and by seconds in replacement for the hours.
Rain drops raced each other down the school windows and proved a much more entertaining occupation than listening to a lecture. Taemin tapped on the glass to help out a certain dewy opponent whom he preferred. As the race continued and the thunder sung, Taemin eventually lost himself in the lightning as his mind transported to the clouds. The drones of the lecture faded out along with the helplessness he felt for Jongin and time seemed to reverse; it was going to be a very long day.
Fifth period eventually arrived, and Jongin’s gorgeous face definitely pulled Taemin out from his constant dream and back to reality. Class began as normal. The teacher mumbled some incoherent directions, and a few students responded immediately. Taemin must have missed the topic, for around twenty minutes later, a familiar voice chimed into the argument.
“But that’s just paradox, isn’t it? In retrospect, we are all going to feel loss, and that’s inevitable; you’re right. But I can’t grasp why you would rather pull a family apart sooner than needed.” Jongin’s voice, booming with concentrated opinion set to kill.
“Would you rather separate a child from their mother as a newborn, or as a pre-teen?”
“Have you ever felt loss before?”
The room grew dead silent, and Taemin wished he had stayed awake enough to hear just what they were arguing over. But that didn’t matter. What mattered was the tip of Jongin’s nose turned a cherry shade as he continued.
“Have you ever lost a loved one? No matter what age.”
“No, but—”
“Then don’t talk about things you don’t understand.”
Jongin turned his head towards the wall, purposely turning his face away from the class, but mostly Taemin.
Taemin’s heart screamed.
Of course Kyungsoo was still on his mind. How could Taemin actually have the audacity to believe that maybe Jongin was okay? In hindsight, Taemin should have known.
Kim Jongin, who dances away ache, would still rather bend than break.
The room was still silent, and it was known that Jongin had won that discussion, but it was also known that this was due to some supernaturally painful reason. Taemin wanted to run into Jongin’s arms and carry him away from this room, from his gnawing heart, from his thoughts. All he could do was stare at the perfect frame of Jongin’s back and wish, and feel the secondhand pain.
The bell was usually on their side, and it rang just at the perfect time. The students rose simultaneously, and Taemin just managed to grab onto Jongin’s shoulder as he was walking out the door. Jongin turned around, and they just looked at each other for a while. Just looked, nothing more. Their telepathy wordlessly understanding each other and confiding in each other.
