Mine didn’t expect that Addai would be inches close!

He could feel the other’s faint, warm breath and cologne– musky and tender. Frozen in place, their breath hitched as heat crept up their cheeks, neck, and even the tips of their ears. Time stretched unbearably, each second feeling like an eternity as they stood there, locked in silence.

Before Addai could say anything, the sharp buzz of the station cut through the silence like a blade, jolting them both back to reality. In sync, their head snapped toward the platform just in time to see the train gliding in.

Mine gasped when he glanced at the monitor—it was finally their ride! Without hesitation, he grabbed his bag and, in one swift motion, seized Addai’s hand, dragging his confused friend toward the train. Losing a cliché moment was forgivable, but missing that ride? Never!

Stumbling inside, they barely made it before the doors slammed shut behind them. Gasping for breath, Mine glanced at the flickering wagon lights. He’d never noticed how old these trains were. Well, whatever.

Mine sat on a seat next to a greasy window and Addai sat by his side, both not saying a single word. An awkward silence engulfed them, forcing Mine to slide two seats away. However, his friend made it even more awkward because Addai moved two seats closer.

Mine stiffened, his hands curling painfully in his lap. He decided not to move again, sitting as still as a statue, praying time would fly by and that awful sensation would fade.

The train swayed along the tracks; metal supports rattling as passengers clung to them. The hum of the engine, the rhythmic creaks—it all brought Mine an odd sense of comfort as he waited for the first glimpse of the beach. The clouds outside were sparse, and it certainly looked windy. It was a beautiful day, and as much as he wanted to sleep, it would be a sin to let that morning go completely to waste. Still, Mine began to feel the first waves of sleep as the train swayed. It was a strange but enveloping sleep, just like the feeling of fainting. The only difference was that Mine could still control the urge to sleep.

Where was he going again? Why did he take that line? Ah... he was supposed to go to a little shop at the second stop... the first would lead to Addai's neighborhood. The second stop would be Mine’s final stop, which would still have to walk a long way to get to the little shop near the waterfront.

Addai remained quiet, and Mine didn't dare to break the silence in any way. Instead, he idly grasped the tip of Addai’s backpack strap. Addai didn’t object.

The rattling of the train was giving shape to the enveloping and numbing sleep. Mine would no longer be able to resist, but he still tried. It was unbearably difficult to keep his eyes open, so sleep won the battle, along with the cold air conditioning at the perfect temperature.

Mine didn't want to sleep. What if he missed his stop?! Addai would leave before him, so he couldn't count on a human alarm clock!

Sleep gained more space, making Mine's eyes feel heavy, just like his neck, like the feeling of tiredness after a day of a lot of physical effort. Something brought him close. He no longer knew if it was a hallucination or true, but he felt something warm on his shoulder. His head then leaned towards the source of heat, touching something that seemed large enough to serve as a pillow. Mine – drunk with sleep – smiled as he finally got comfortable.

The “pillow” tensed but didn’t pull away.

“You sure know how to give me trouble, right?" Addai grumbled, awkwardly adjusting Mine into a more stable sleeping position. Refraining from touching Mine any further, Addai stayed there impersonating a log.

Mumbling in his sleep, Mine’s brow furrowed, and his lips trembled. Addai tapped his cheeks twice, and he woke up briefly. Mine grumbled incoherently and slumped back against him. His arms were crossed at first, but before long, they went completely slack. He nearly slid off the seat—if not for his bag catching on Addai’s keychain.

Addai grumbled and almost gave up serving as support for the sleep-drunk. But then Mine clung to his arm, rubbing his face against Addai’s sleeve with a soft, sleepy hum.

Addai froze.

His gaze flickered to Mine’s face. He hesitated.

He always wondered if Mine's hair was as soft as it looked. Now he knew—it was. The smell of cotton blossom and lavender was as striking as the softness of the thin, greenish strands. Addai removed the unruly strands that stuck to Mine's cheeks and forehead, tucking them behind his ears.

Everything about him seemed delicate—the curve of his lips, the fan of his lashes, the subtle points of his ears. It was almost absurd how it contrasted with his sharp personality. Addai leaned in, just slightly, barely brushing his lips against Mine's soft, cold hair.

It was ticklish and kind of… intoxicating.

Oh no.

What…? Addai’s face burned.

A fluttering feeling burnt him inside. A foreign feeling. Bewitching, burning feeling.

What did you do to me? Addai wondered, gazing at Mine’s sleeping face.

It was like a small cube of sugar slowly melting in a glass of cold lemon juice. Slowly sweetening the acidic juice. The sweetness of that bewitching feeling.

Something warm marked Mine’s forehead, and he could feel it perfectly. It was a gentle and comfortable touch, enough to make a slim smile sketch on his face while he nuzzled on that warm thing that smelled a faint musky perfume, like sandalwood and cedar mixed.

It was pleasant, and no words could perfectly translate such comfiness.

But then, warmth turned cold. A sharp gust of wind cut through him, sending a chill down his spine. The cold breeze suddenly transformed into a sensation of burning and throbbing pain.

Wake up. A gentle voice whispered.

Lost in that unpleasant synesthesia – the hazy transition between sleep and wakefulness – Mine attempted to move, but his limbs felt as if they were encased in concrete. He tried to talk, but nothing came out. He tried to shout, much less it sounded. He tried to open his eyes, but it was nearly impossible.

Wake up. The voice was stern.

Mine gasped, eyes snapping open. Pain. A splitting headache. The headache and dizziness immediately pierced his head and blurred his vision. His surroundings were… dramatically different. It was chaotic. It seemed as if something had placed a dark, purplish filter on his vision and a speaker emitting grunts, screams, and the classic noise of a spell hitting someone.

“Ugh...” he groaned, feeling something tightening around him.

“Hold onto me—and don’t even think about jumping off!”  a voice shouted.

Mine, jolted fully awake.

“Addai?!” he gasped, clutching at his clothes. "What's going on?!"

"The wagons were hijacked!" Addai shouted, dodging a few curses cast by who-knows-what. "Our wagon is destroyed—I'm taking us to the next emergency exit!”

“My bag! Where’s my bag?!” Mine fretted.

“Does that even matter?!” Addai snapped, his voice edged with urgency.