GETTING AWAY FROM a party while being Na Jaemin is incredibly hard. You see, the brunette is a social boy, always willing to have a conversation even with strangers so when people saw the boy pushing past others and making a bolt for the door, they laughed and snickered comments.

"Who'd ya bet he's running from?"

"Anyone, probably. Hell, I could probably flick him and he'd go flying."

"Yeah, he sure thinks he's the shit, huh?"

Jaemin simply decided to ignore them as he finally made his way to the front door. Opening it, he finally caught a breath of fresh air and was able to breathe. It was nice to not smell the intoxicating scent of weed, alcohol, and sweat. He didn't spend time basking in it, though. He has to find a certain blonde boy; just thinking about what could be happening to Jisung tears at the brunette's heart. He sounded so terrified over the phone, as if he was going to cry and although he's technically already seen the younger cry, it still doesn't hide the fact that Jaemin simply doesn't like to see him hurt.

Running around in this neighborhood really wasn't the smartest idea. He saw multiple people sitting in their front yards, intoxicated. Some were in the streets setting off small fireworks and hollering. That was a common thing in this neighborhood, even if it wasn't Fourth of July. People liked to see if they could get away with things. They liked "racing" with the cops and were addicted to the adrenaline. A lot of the times, Jaemin would see teenagers his age racing through the street, one of them hanging out the window and screaming with joy; or he'd often see people starting fights just because they're bored. It happens so much in this damned neighborhood that most don't even look up when they hear the commotion. Jaemin hoped he would never be the same.

Jaemin quickly made himself look away and kept jogging. If he kept staring, somebody would probably run up to him and ask if he's looking for a fight and truthfully, the brunette can't afford to get in a fight right now. Not when he's looking for Jisung.

In all honesty, Jaemin has no idea where he should go. He really should have asked where Jisung was because there's no promise that the kid even lives in the same neighborhood as Jaemin. For all he knows, he could just be some runaway who was looking for some trouble, got scared and ended up here. There's so many possibilities and the brunette really can't comprehend why he's so hung up on Jisung. In fact, there really is no reason why he feels compelled to help this kid out other than the fact that he feels some kind of pull towards him.

Time seems to go by fast because before Jaemin knows it, he's made it to some rich neighborhood with big, Victorian style houses. Jaemin guesses he must be thirty minutes from his neighborhood because he rarely sees places this nice. Everyone's yards are mowed to perfection, and there's not a piece of trash in sight. It would seem perfect if it wasn't from the screaming coming from a house on the left side of the cul-de-sac. Jaemin finds himself walking towards that exact place, and stands in the front lawn and sees two figures arguing in front of the window, giving him the perfect view. One of the figures is a heavy woman, who's yelling at a lanky and cowering boy and - is that Jisung?

Jaemin gasps as he watches the woman harshly shove Jisung, who doesn't budge but his shoulders are hunched as he stares intently at the carpet. Jaemin can't find it in himself to move, he just observes as the woman yells insults at the other. It isn't until another figure - a man - emerges from upstairs with what looks like to be a beer bottle and runs over to Jisung, smashing it against his head. Jisung yelps and falls to the floor with a loud thump and that's when Jaemin finds the strength in his legs to run to the front door. He harshly knocks and hears strings of curses before the man opens the door.

"What the fuck?" He nearly bellows.

Jaemin simply ignores him and steps inside the house, his eyes searching for Jisung. He sees him in a crouching position, leaning again the wall and holding his head.

"Hey kid, it's not fucking Halloween. We don't have any candy," the woman comments, but then as she sees Jaemin making a beeline for Jisung, screeches, "The hell are you doing?" She rushes over to where the two kids are and tries to pull them apart, but Jaemin shoves her enough to where she stumbles then is quick to hoist the younger boy up on his back and makes a run for the exit. He has to dodge punches from the man but manages to get out the door and continues running down two blocks until he thinks the coast is clear and starts walking, tightening his grip on Jisung's thighs.

Soon, they arrive to a park and Jaemin sets Jisung down a bench before crouching down so they were eye-to-eye. He grabs Jisung's chin, only for the younger to flinch away.

The brunette purses his lips. "You saw him coming, didn't you?" Jaemin ask, referring to when the man walked down the stairs with a beer bottle in hand. "Why did you let him do that?" Jaemin's voice is louder than he intended it to be.

Jisung's breath hitches and his eyes shine with unshed tears. "It's the only time he pays attention to me . . ." He mumbles and maybe, Jaemin's heart just breaks.

Jaemin stares at the younger boy for a good three minutes or so, the only noise surfacing is the sound of speeding cars on the freeway and crickets. He tries to make eye contact with Jisung, because maybe, just maybe, if he can finally look into his eyes he'd find something. He doesn't succeed though, and as Jisung continuously avoids his eyes and instead stares at the ground, Jaemin sighs. "That's not the attention you want, though, Sungie." Jaemin can't help the nickname that flows from his mouth.

That seems to make Jisung look up from the ground, though, so Jaemin will count that as a minor victory.

Instead of answering to the brunette's answer, the corner of Jisung's lips tug downward. "Did my father hit you?" He asks, voice so frail that Jaemin almost missed it.

Jaemin furrows his eyebrows and touches around his face to try to feel for a wound. It isn't until he reaches the right side of his jaw does he wince. Jisung's father must have punched him while he was running out of the house, but how did he not feel it? I guess the adrenaline distracted me, Jaemin guesses but then wonders why he felt so excited during that time; most people feel terrified whilst being surrounded by chaos but for Jaemin, he felt the most alive having to rush into that house and dodging everything that was coming at him just so he could save the younger.

What the hell is wrong with me?

"I guess he did." Jaemin responds, still feeling his jaw.

Jisung's bottom lip trembles. "I'm sorry, hyung." He whispered, and his hand twitched as if he was going to reach out but decided against it.

To say that Jaemin was shocked would be an understatement. This is the first time Jaemin has experienced Jisung willingly show his vulnerable side. This is the first time that Jisung seems truly comfortable (perhaps the word comfortable is a little bit too much, but he seems something close to it) in the elder's presence and Jaemin feels pride flow through his chest. 

"How about we go somewhere, Jisungie?" Jaemin offers and when the younger lazily nods his head, he gets up and leads the way through the streets. It's quiet, even the cars seem to have gone to sleep and Jaemin can only imagine how late it must be. They walked probably for about five minutes until they arrived at an ice cream parlor Jaemin frequently visits. It's one of his favorite places to go after a stressful day because he's made friends with almost all of the employees working there, and the decorations are cute. It helps calm him down in some way and he can't explain it, but he's hoping it'll have the same affect on Jisung.

When they walk in, Johnny - a college student - greets them with a wide smile. "What's up Jaemin and Jaemin's friend," he says goofily. "What can I get you guys at four in the morning?"

Jaemin rolls his eyes playfully. "What do you want?" He asks, turning to Jisung who's biting his lip anxiously and has his arms crossed protectively against him and shrugs. "Okay, then. I'll take two chocolate swirls, please."

"Sure thing." Johnny salutes before turning to the back room to get their orders and Jaemin chuckles.

The two boys find a table in the corner of the parlor by a window. The moon is shining, and Jisung seems to be entranced by it as he licks his ice cream.  Jaemin allows the silence to go on for a little longer, allowing Jisung to collect his thoughts until the older can't take it anymore and asks, "What's your favorite color?"

"What?" Jisung turns to him, and it seems as if he's sobered up.

Sobered up from what? Jaemin doesn't know but it seems like Jisung has gone back to his normal self and Jaemin may or may not be internally pouting.

"I'm trying to get to know you."

"Don't." Jisung responds coldly and Jaemin has to bite down his tongue. He wants to say "I just saved your ass from your possibly abusive parents and you won't tell me your favorite fucking color?" Jaemin doesn't say any of that, though, because he knows exactly what the younger's response would be:

"I don't need your help."

And even if Jisung called him, sobbing, it will still hurt to hear those words coming from his mouth.

Jaemin really doesn't understand Jisung most of the times. He's only known the kid for not even a week, but there seems to be so much depth to him. One day he seems willing to be open to you and then the next second everything shuts down and he's back to being cold and giving one word answers. Jaemin briefly wonders if the younger is bipolar but quickly dismisses that thought.

There's nothing wrong with Jisung, right?

The older discreetly watches the younger, trying to look for something, anything. He observes his face, the way he's sitting and thinks about everything he's said in the past and of course, Jisung is a little bit off but Jaemin doesn't think anything of it.

All he can think about is how intruiged he is.

So, ultimately, Jaemin just shuts his mouth and prays that maybe Johnny put something in the younger's ice cream to make him not so cold, but that near impossible.