cold | junhao

二

Jun is just going about his day - as normal people do - ignoring the infatuated glances constantly thrown his way, as he spends the afternoon walking through the town. He doesn't have a destination in mind, but his heart is in the mood for wandering, so wandering is what he does. It's nice to not have a day when he's being carted off to a shoot half way across the country by his management... and in fact, he's got the entirety of next week off, which fills Jun with joy and adds a noticeable spring in his step whilst he explores the harbour.

At first, he plans to take a walk up to the cliff, where the view over the infinite ocean is stunning, but the dark clouds rolling dangerously close halt him in his tracks and make him turn around. Getting caught in the rain with no shelter isn't his idea of a fun day.

Surprisingly, he doesn't see anyone he knows when he walks along the harbour edge in front of all the shops. Even though it's around the time Soonyoung would be getting off work, with Jihoon surely accompanying him, or Jeonghan would be getting a drink after hours of practice for his upcoming competition... today there's no one. It feels odd.

After a while, the treacherous clouds catch up to them, and rain starts to crash down.

Like I said, Jun was trying to go about his day like anyone would when they've got nothing to do, and right now he's trying to run home... until he hears a thud, followed by a weak groan and his attention is drawn immediately to a boy two metres away - who just collapsed against a lamp post and is slowly sliding to the floor, landing in a puddle of rainwater.

He sprints over and crouches down beside him. His eyes are half closed and even through the sound of rain hitting the concrete, Jun can hear him struggling to draw breath. Despite the situation, a realisation hits Jun like a truck. Fuck, he gasps to himself. He's really cute. Then he shakes his head. Jun, right now's not the time.

Maybe Jun's first thought should've been to call an ambulance... or to at least yell to someone else for help. But instead, he takes it upon himself to pick the boy up, and starts to carry him back to his apartment, which thankfully isn't far away.

He struggles under the weight of him, but just about manages to get to his apartment door and open it. Both of them are soaking wet and practically flooding the entryway, but Jun can't find it in him to care at this point and walks in his boots to his living room, carefully laying this stranger down on the sofa. For a moment, he pays attention to the sound of his breathing. It already sounds stronger than before, but now the boy is definitely unconscious. If it gets worse or he doesn't wake up, then I'll call an ambulance, he decides.

Jun suddenly notices the heavy trembling in the boy's hands, and how his whole body is shivering uncontrollably. Shedding himself of his coat and boots, Jun then battles with the boy, removing the soaked through clothes - of which there are a surprising amount - until the boy is left in a t-shirt and boxers. Why the hell did he put so many layers on? Jun questions, it wasn't even that cold?

Hoping to warm him up, Jun wraps him in as many blankets as he can find, bringing them right up to the boy's chin. During this, a white bundle of fluff leaps up at him.

"Teddy, get down please! I'll play with you later but I'm a bit busy right now."

Teddy, the small white dog, woofs at him one last time before stomping off to his bed.

Next, Jun grabs at a remote hidden between two cushions and presses the top button. An electric fire bursts to life in the wall across from them, immediately radiating heat through the thick glass. When he first moved in, it was his favourite thing about the house. Now, he sighs. Mingyu - his best friend who lives right next door to him - has a fire that fucking changes colour. Why can't Jun's fire change colour?