The Touch of Jack Frost (Weak Hero)

Seongmok (12-5-22)

Dongha wheezed, desperately trying to force air down his lungs. Big sighing gulps couldn't relieve the strain and shortness of his breath. He didn't stop running though, not when his lungs screamed in pain or when his long hair whipped painfully across his face. This matter was too important, too pressing.  "Seongmok!" He nearly screamed, rounding a corner towards the boy's shitty apartment. Of course, it was irrational to think that he'd be able to hear the anguished cries of his best friend from that far away, then again when was Dongha ever rational?

He skipped knocking, opening the door with his own silver key carelessly. When he'd received the text message, "I think I'm really sick. Might need to go to ER." Unlike the average person, he'd decided rushing over and making a scene was the best course of action. It probably wasn't, but hey whatever floats your boat I suppose. "Seongmok!" He hollered again, dashing up stairs to the larger boy's bedroom.

Going to Seongmok's apartment was like clock-work, navigating the other's home had become his second nature. He knew where the cups were, which closet the vacuum was in, what angle to kick the AC at to get it to work. He'd known for forever it felt like. Or as long as forever could feel like to a high-school boy. Dongha skipped the stairs he knew squeaked, and didn't dare to grab hold of the railing that could fall off any minute now.

Most likely, the boy, who was sick, wouldn't call back, but a worried friend wouldn't listen to reason anyway. "Are you dead?!" He yelled, a few steps from Seongmok's room. It was a joke, but the lack of reply, despite the boy never replying anyway, was unsettling. The tap of cheap worn out sneakers on squeaky, uneven, wooden boards paused. Dongha's fingertips grazed the doorknob, freezing him in place. He often barged in uninvited and without warning, he's been doing it for years, but now something was stopping him. A pale hand gripped the handle until his knuckles turned white. Dark eyes squinted shut as he finally pushed open the door. 

His breath caught in his throat. "Seongmok..." Dongha had a semi-tenor voice, leaning more towards something slightly higher. Seongmok had always been the strongest person Dongha had ever known. He was always there when the other pushed himself far beyond reasonable limits, picking him up our of snow and rain, carrying him wordlessly without a berating lecture. He was soundlessly intimidating and carried with him an incredibly strong aura of power and threat. That was one quality Dongha had always tried to imitate when it came to his friend. Confidence but not arrogance. Passivity without being a pushover. Of course, he wasn't good at those qualities. In all honesty, that was the complete opposite of who he was as a person. After bringing up the point once to his dear friend, they'd settled on Dongha being himself. "Though be less reckless," He'd scrawled across the paper in fine and neat handwriting, perfected over years of careful training.

Seongmok liked it better when Dongha acted like himself, rather than a second-rate, somewhat, version of what Seongmok himself was.

In the case of this "unlikely" pair, the common phrase "opposites attract" was entirely true. They seemed to be the living embodiment of it. One was quiet, wordless, and mature, finding banter and senseless chatter to be a nonessential part of fighting. The other, lived for the annoyance of his enemies through words, he loved getting on every last nerve his adversaries had and crushing them with a sick smile plastered across his face. That was what brought Dongha true joy, and if Dongha was happy then Seongmok was happy. 

The quietest of the two had never had friends before Dongha and was sure he'd never have another. Most people found his muteness annoying, they wanted someone who'd comment on their outfit or achievement quickly without having to write it out with a blank face. They'd remark about how fake it felt, and how aggravating it was that he couldn't even smile when saying it. He gave up, and was content to go through high-school without a single friend, Seongmok didn't need them, he was strong on his own.