B A R C O D E

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It was six in the morning when Hyungwons alarm went off. He grunted and rolled over to turn it off. He picked up his phone and got dressed. He did his hair and walked down to the kitchen. There was a note from his mom.
Hey Wonnie. I had to go into work early today. Sorry, Hunny. There are snacks and stuff in the fridge and there are pancakes in the fridge. Just heat them up, or eat them cold. I hope you have a good day at school.
                        -love Eomma
He sighed and got the pancakes from the fridge. He put them on a plate and pulled out his phone. He didn't feel like going to school today. He didn't want to sit with Wonho after what he said yesterday, he didn't want to sit alone at lunch again, he didn't want to go. He texted his mom and said thank you before calling Changkyun.
"What do you want Hyungwon, I'm trying to get ready for school," he snapped.
"Sorry nevermind I guess," he said softly.
"Hyungwon I-" Hyungwon hung up.
He folded a pancake in half and began eating it. He grabbed his bag and walked out the door. It was rainy and cold but he decided to walk. He popped his hood on and put in his headphones. He listened to the music and started thinking about his past life. How he was becoming successful, how he trained for so long, worked so long, got so much criticism, so much hate. His eyes filled with tears as he thought about it. He just wanted to be successful, provide for his family. If he had just worked harder, get that first win, he could've stayed in Korea, paid for his brother's college, and done what he loved. But no, because he wasn't enough. Sooner or later he arrived at the school. He looked at the entrance and continued walking past the school. He was in his own world when someone grabbed his arm.
"Dude where are you going? I said your name like twelve times."
    He looked at the muscular boy holding his arm. "I decided I don't want to go to school today, Wonho," he pulled his arm away and continued walking.
The small boy looked at him in utter shock and began to walk beside him. He locked his fingers with the taller and continued looking ahead. Hyungwon stopped and looked at the boy.
"W- what are you doing Wonho?" he stuttered.
"What do you mean? I'm walking with you," he smiled and continued walking, still holding Hyungwon's hand. Hyungwon took a few steps and then stopped and ripped his hand away.
"No, you have to go to school Wonho," he said sternly.
"I'm only going if you are."
"No that's not fair," he felt tears build in his eyes.
"Then go to school with me, or skip school with me," he said harshly.
Hyungwon walked with the boy for a few minutes and shyly interlocked his fingers with Wonho's. He looked down at their hands and blushed slightly. He squeezed Hyungwons hand and continued walking. They walked for about a half-hour, crossing streets and passing buildings. They walked until they arrived at a small park. They were soaking wet from the rain but neither of them seemed to care. They sat down on a bench, fingers still locked. They sat in comfortable silence and stared at the ground. Wonho lifted his head to lightly look at Hyungwon.
"Can you tell me why you didn't want to go to school today?" he asked softly.
"I don't know, I just didn't," he mumbled. "I'm just not in the mood to look at everyone and be all happy and giggly with their friends while I sit alone and look like an idiot."
"Hey, you don't look like an idiot, ever," he placed his hand on Hyungwon's cheek and lifted his head to look at him. His soaking wet hair dripping in his face. Raindrops running down his nose. "You're new Hyungwon, all new kids go through a period where they don't know anybody. But guess what? You know me, and Changkyun. And we will both always be here for you no matter what." He smiled at the boy and saw the built up tears in his eyes. "No baby don't cry, please," he said as Hyungwon brought his head to Wonho's chest. They just sat there in the rain, hugging, and crying. Hyungwon's breathing started to slow as his crying stopped.
"Wonho," he lifted his head up and looked at the boy sitting in front of him. His hair stuck to his forehead and his cheeks red from the cold rain. The golden leaves behind him contrasting his deep brown eyes made him look gorgeous. He leaned in slightly when Wonho put his hand on his cheek. Not knowing what was gonna happen next he looked into the boy's sparkling eyes.
Wonho looked at the boy's thick, heart-shaped lips and then back up to his dark brown eyes. His small nose dripping with water. Wonho pulled him in quickly and their lips melted together. Their lips slightly pulled apart, but neither of them wanted to stop, this time Hyungwon initiating the kiss. Their lips moved in sync as they held each other close. Hyungwon put his hand behind the elder's neck to deepen the kiss. As their lips moved together Hyungwon smiled, breaking the kiss. They both just sat there with their foreheads touching, smiling. Wonho let out a slight laugh and looked at the boy.
"What the hell was that?" he said smiling.
Hyungwons smile dropped immediately as he said a small "sorry." He looked away and fidgeted with the hem of his sweatshirt.
    "No, no, no, I meant it in a good way I just wasn't expecting you to do that," Wonho said as he grabbed the boy's face.
    "Oh," he said embarrassed. He looked at the boy and smiled. He leaned down and rested his head in the crook of the other boy's neck. "We should get home, I'm cold and we're both soaked."
    "Do you want to come over? I can have my mom make us some cookies and brownies and we can have hot chocolate," he said as he rubbed the boys back. The taller nodded and picked his head up. He grabbed his bag and Wonho grabbed his. The rain cleared a few minutes into their walk to the house and the sun was warm. Wonho grabbed Hyungwons hand and smiled at the ground. About 20 minutes later they arrived at Wonho's house. They walked into the house and Wonho's mother looked confused.
    "It's only noon, why aren't you boys at school?"
    "Hyungwon was having a bad day so we didn't go," Wonho said.
    "Well where have you been?" she questioned.
    "We were just walking around and we went to a park," Hyungwon said. "I'm sorry this is all my fault, please don't be mad at Wonho," he bowed apologetically.
    "No mom it's not his fault I told him if he wasn't going to school I wasn't either," he said defensively.
    "Both of you cut it out. You're soaking wet and I know neither of you would skip school unless it was for a good reason. You both need to shower and change into new clothes. You guys smell like laundry left in the washer too long."
    Wonho and Hyungwon both looked shocked.
    "Can you make us cookies, please?" Wonho said quietly.
    She nodded and waved at them to go upstairs. They ran up the stairs and began to laugh.
    "I thought she was gonna yell at us," Hyungwon laughed.
    "Honestly, me too," Wonho said and snorted. They smiled at each other and laughed.
    "Oh shoot you need clothes. Actually do you want to shower?" Wonho asked as he grabbed an oversized hoodie and some sweatpants from his closet.
    "Uhm sure," he said and grabbed the clothes from Wonho.
"Okay, the bathroom is down the hall to the left. I'll be in here when you're done," he smiled.
    Hyungwon nodded and headed to the bathroom. He took a quick shower and threw on the blue hoodie and black sweatpants Wonho gave to him. He walked back into Wonho's room and sat down on the bed next to him.
    "Go shower, you're gonna get sick," he said as he leaned on the shorter boy.
    "Don't worry about me, I already changed so I will be fine," he said as he pulled the boy closer to him. "My mom made us cookies and hot chocolate, I'll go get them." He got up and went to the kitchen. Hyungwon laid down on his bed and pulled a blanket from the end of his bed up to him. He grabbed the remote and put on his favorite k-drama. Wonho came back with the cookies and hot chocolate and Hyungwon sat up. He smiled as he took the warm mug into his hands. Wonho climbed on the bed and sat down next to him. He pulled some of the blanket from Hyungwon and slid under it.
    "Hun, you have to turn the captions on if we're watching this," Wonho laughed.
    "Oh yeah, we really need to teach you Korean," he laughed. He placed down his cup of hot chocolate beside the bed and picked up the remote to turn on the captions. The plate of cookies was almost gone so Wonho picked them up and put them on the other side of Hyungwon. He pulled Hyungwon closer to him and Hyungwon buried his head into the other's chest.
    "I can hear your heartbeat," he laughed.
    "Well at least if I die you'll know."
    "What?" he laughed.
    "I don't know just come here," he laughed as he pulled the boy closer. Wonho was matching the sounds with the words and continued to ask Hyungwon if he was correct. Hyungwon either shakes his head or hums in response. They laid there for hours, Hyungwon even drifting off to sleep while Wonho studied the words on the screen. Wonho asked another question but didn't get a response.
"Hyungwon?" He looked down at the taller to see him sound asleep in his arms. He smiled and kissed the boy's head. A smile crept on the sleeping boy's face and he started to giggle. "I thought you were asleep! Have you just been ignoring me?"
Hyungwon lifted his head, still smiling. "No, I really was asleep but I heard you start talking and I woke up," he laid on top of the muscular boy and looked at him. "Awww are you all pouty now?"
"No, but you did ignore me," he rolled the taller off of him so he could look at him better. "You know, you're cute when you're asleep. Did you know that?"
"No I'm not! My face gets all puffy and I look like a frog! How is that cute?" he started to laugh.
Wonho loved seeing the boy laugh. His smile was pretty and his eyes scrunched. When he smiled big enough you could see his silver tooth in the back. Without warning he grabbed the boy and kissed him. Hyungwon immediately stopped laughing and reciprocated the kiss. Their lips melted together as Wonho slightly slid his hand under the other boy's shirt. Hyungwon wrapped his hand around the back of the other boy's neck to deepen their kiss. They both smiled at the same time, breaking the kiss. Hyungwon moved to straddle wonho and laid his head on his shoulder. Wonho rubbed the boys back and smiled as Hyungwons soft breaths tickled his neck.