#shineefic

Friday

2:09 // we're going to Jeju...wanna come?

2:23 // will you kidnap me and take me anyway if I say no?

2:25 // first of all why would you say no? 2:25 // and secondly maybe I would

2:25 // ㅋㅋㅋ

2:26 // does that scare you?

2:26 // hmm 2:27 // I'd rather not say

2:32 // ㅋㅋ…..so?

2:32 // yeah, I'll be there 2:33 // when do we leave?

...

Saturday

A wave of humidity washed over Kibum as he followed the others out of the Jeju International Airport. Jinki had forged ahead, running to catch a taxi for them so they could drop off their meager luggage at the hotel before they went off in search of food. The wheels of Jonghyun’s suitcase rattled loudly in the lobby, but he didn’t seem to notice. His conversation with Taemin was too riveting, it seemed. Kibum smirked, then glanced behind him.

“Hey! What’s taking you so long?” Minho looked up at him from where he was tying his shoelaces, his eyes wide. “Come on, you can do that on the way!” He smiled and went back to tying his shoes, and Kibum rolled his eyes as he jogged to catch up with the others.

This impromptu vacation had been his idea, wholly and completely. He was so completely bored -- having been at the same job for over two years now, it had grown to be quite monotonous -- and he knew that his college buddies were probably feeling the same way.

It was quite by chance that they had come together, all those years ago. Kibum always thought it was kind of lucky that they all happened to meet in the theatre club -- Kibum, Minho, and Jinki wanted to act, Taemin wanted to be in the chorus, and Jonghyun wanted to compose his own plays. Unfortunately, for them, they were too late and the club was already at its full capacity. They, at Taemin’s suggestion, decided to drown their sorrows in pizza and beer, and by the end of the night, they were inseparable.

They still were, even now that they had left college. Sure, Kibum had returned to Daegu, Minho to Incheon, Jinki to Gwangmyeong, while Jonghyun and Taemin stayed in Seoul, but that didn’t mean they didn’t text or call each other as often as their schedules would allow.

The drudgery of everyday life had taken its toll on Kibum, though, which is why he decided to reach out, to see if any of the others wanted to escape for a little while. To remember what it was like to feel...to feel alive with the myriad of possibilities available to them.

He texted Jonghyun first, a strategic move. Jonghyun would be able to convince anyone to do anything, if he really, really wanted to. He skipped Taemin altogether since he knew that Jonghyun would take it upon himself to get Taemin to agree, and went straight to Jinki. It didn’t take much to get him on board -- the promise of all the cold beer and food he could want while laying on the beach was more than enough.

While he knew Minho would be easy to convince -- he missed everybody just as much as Kibum did -- he couldn’t help but hesitate. Kibum opened their messages, starting a text, only to backspace and try again. It took hours before he finally decided on we’re going to Jeju...wanna come? even though he wasn't quite sure why.

Well, that wasn't quite true...but, they were here now, all of them. Kibum stopped for a second in the automatic doorway, taking a deep breath of the warm, summer air. He smiled to himself, satisfied with the start of their weekend getaway.

“Kibum, come on!” Jinki called, taking Kibum out of his reverie. The door to a taxi was open, and Jonghyun was throwing his and Taemin’s luggage inside the trunk.

Minho, who had surpassed him now, looked back. His eyes were twinkling as he grinned. “Yeah, what’s taking you so long?” What a little shit. Kibum slowly returned his grin before Minho turned back around and picked up his pace, jogging to toss his backpack in the trunk before he slipped inside.

He stuffed his duffle bag beside Minho’s backpack and closed the trunk, squeezing into the backseat next to Minho. Jinki closed the door and hopped into the front. “Where are we going?” the taxi driver asked, and Kibum leaned into Minho as he reached into his back pocket for his phone, rattling off the address for the hotel.

Jonghyun stretched his legs out from where he was sitting on Taemin’s lap, resting his ankles across Kibum’s thighs. He closed his eyes and leaned back, his freshly-dyed -- as far as Kibum could tell -- platinum blond hair ruffling in the breeze of the open window. “Don’t you even think about it, Choi,” he said without looking up.

Minho’s hands froze over the rips in the knees of Jonghyun’s knees. “I wasn’t doing anything.”

“Mhm.”

Taemin and Kibum shared a look before Taemin reached out, slipping his hand beneath Minho’s, and tickling Jonghyun’s exposed skin. He pulled his hand back before Jonghyun sat up and Kibum pursed his lips to keep from laughing, looking out his window as Jonghyun started yelling at Minho, despite his protests.

The line of shops they were driving past came to an end, revealing the sea beyond. Blue, as far as the eye could see. The ocean melted into the distant horizon. Little puffy clouds were scattered like popcorn across the sky, casting their shadows on the calm sea and the beach and the roads. Kibum rolled down his window and leaned against the door. Behind him, Minho sighed.

“Thanks for doing this, Bummie,” he said, softly enough so only Kibum could hear him.

“Yeah, no problem.”

… … …

He was staring; he knew he was.

In his defense, it had been nearly six months since he had last seen Kibum and he was still so...so beautiful. Not that he was expecting him to change all that drastically in their time apart, but… His hair was longer now, the breeze toying with the many-colored strands. Minho worried his bottom lip as Kibum brushed it out of his eyes, his gaze not leaving the sea now that it was in view, and he looked away.

Jonghyun reached out, a smile in his eyes as he ruffled Minho’s hair. “So, when you’d do that?”

“Hm?” His eyes flicked up to Minho’s honey-blond hair and then back to meet his gaze, smiling fully now. Minho knew without having to check in the rearview mirror that his face was coloring. “A couple of weeks ago.”

“It’s a bold choice for you.” Taemin snorted, carding his fingers through his lavender hair. “What, it is!” Jonghyun said, smacking Taemin’s chest with a laugh. “I never thought he’d go this light!”

“I think it looks good,” Kibum said, still without looking away from the window.

Minho’s eyes widened, and he made the mistake of meeting Jonghyun’s knowing, slightly pitiful gaze. He lowered his eyes, smiling to himself. Of course, Jonghyun knew. “Thanks.” His hand found Minho’s thigh, and he patted it gently before he withdrew.

“I like how we all decided -- without telling each other -- that we’d dye our hair.”

“It just proves that we’re on the same wavelength, no matter how far away we are from each other,” Jinki said, turning around with a smile. “So, where do we want to eat?”

“I’ll look up some places,” Taemin said, reaching into Jonghyun’s pocket and pulling out his phone.

“What happened to yours?” he asked as Taemin typed in the pin, unlocking it.

“I forgot it at home, remember?”

“Oh, yeah.”

Minho started when Kibum grabbed his shoulder, pulling him close. He leaned into him, closing his eyes as Kibum’s breath tickled his ear. “Could they be any more obvious?” Minho bit back a smile, shaking his head when Kibum pulled away to look him in the eye. Kibum leaned back in. “Do you think they’ve told each other yet?”

He hummed in thought, turning his head to whisper in Kibum’s ear. “I mean, they live together, so…”

Kibum snorted softly. “That doesn’t mean anything, though.”

“I guess.”

“What are you two gossiping about?” Jonghyun asked, Minho looking his way with guiltily wide eyes.

Kibum’s hand slid off of Minho’s shoulder and down his arm, slowly pulling away at his elbow. “Nothing,” he said with a nonchalant shrug. “I was thinking we’d go to Hwaro Hyang, and I was just telling Minho what I read about it online.” Minho’s eyebrows shot up and he looked back at Kibum, whose eyes were twinkling as he avoided meeting his gaze.

He was always so quick on his feet -- it got them out of so much trouble during college. Kibum unlocked his phone, pulling up the restaurant website and passing it to Jonghyun. His eyes flicked to Minho’s -- he had been staring again -- and his cheeks dimpled with a small smile.

The rest of the ride to the hotel was fairly quiet. Jinki and the driver chatted about things to do while they were -- as if he’d be anywhere but their hotel or the beach -- while Taemin watched Jonghyun play a game on his phone, pointing at the screen when he thought he should make a move. Kibum went back to staring out the window, and Minho folded his hands in his lap, tapping his thumbs together as he stared blankly at the ocean.

“So, what’d you want to do today?” Kibum asked, leaning his head against the door and looking back at Minho. He blinked, refocusing, and searched Kibum’s expression. “We’ve got all day.”

“Just us two?”

Kibum shrugged, squinting when the sun shone in his eyes. “We can bring the others along if you want.”

Odds were that Jonghyun and Taemin would be lounging around today and would only want to leave the hotel once the bars were open. Jinki had been talking about napping ever since they met up at the Incheon airport this morning, so it would probably just be them this afternoon.

Not that Minho was complaining, of course.

“No, I’m good with that.” Kibum smiled, turning to look out the window again. “What’d you have in mind?”

… … …

“What floor?”

Kibum’s eyes followed Minho as he leaned across him to press the button of the elevator. Fifth floor. He tapped their room key against his palm, glancing over Minho’s shoulder at the others. “Are you sure you guys are fine with me having the single room?” Jinki asked, his hands wringing around the handle of his carry-on bag.

“You asked for it,” Kibum said, snorting.

Jinki sighed. “I know, but -- “

Jonghyun cleared his throat. “I mean, Taemin and I are roommates, so this isn’t new for us.”

“Yeah, and you know how hyper Kibum and I can get," Minho said as he slung his arm over Kibum's shoulder, pulling him snug against him. "We wouldn't want to bother an old man like you with our bullshit."

Jinki cocked his head with a glare, feigning exasperation. "Really? We're already starting with the old man jokes?"

Jonghyun covered his mouth to keep himself from laughing and turned to Taemin to hide his amusement when the elevator stopped. The door opened and a family of white tourists coming on. Americans, it sounded like, based on their accent. They huddled in the middle, and Minho moved him and Kibum to the wall, while Jonghyun, Taemin, and Jinki did the same on the opposite side. Jinki covered his mouth with his fist, his shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

"Should I tell them we're not laughing at them?" Kibum whispered to Minho when the mother kept giving them weird looks.

"It's up to you."

He couldn't decide by the time they reached the fifth floor, and Minho swept him away and into the hallway, the other three following them. Minho dropped his arm from Kibum’s shoulder, and Kibum let out an almost sigh, already missing the weight of his arm. “523...52 -- This way!” Jinki said, turning around and leading the four of them down the long, beige hallway.

Kibum glanced around at the prints hanging on the walls, unsurprised to find picture after picture of the ocean or waves. His gaze fell to the royal blue carpet, and he smirked, leaning toward Minho. “I wonder where they got their inspiration for the decor.”

Minho took a quick cursory glance around, his eyes lighting with amusement before he looked Kibum’s way. “It’s unclear.”

“Mm. Maybe...just maybe...it has something to do with the sea.”

He hummed thoughtfully, stopping in front of their door as Kibum fiddled with the key card. “It’s possible. Or perhaps the ocean.”

“I see where you’re coming from. But I think it’s more from the sea.”

“But this is Ocean Suites, so…” His voice trailed off with a sarcastic lilt, and Jonghyun scoffed as he unlocked his and Taemin’s door on the other side of the hallway, letting Taemin head inside first.

“Text us when you want to eat,” he said to no one in particular, the door closing behind him.

“All I’m saying is that the ocean is more likely as a source of inspiration than -- “ Jinki sighed, his door slamming shut and making them both jump. “See, I told you you wouldn’t want to share a room with us!” Minho called out, and they leaned toward the door, waiting for Jinki’s laugh. When it came, Kibum grinned and slid their card into the slot and pushed the door open.

A blast of cool air caressed him as he walked inside, Minho closing the door behind him. “Right or left?” he asked when Minho followed him into the main room.

“Bummie, they’re separate beds.”

“Yeah, but -- “ Minho tossed his backpack on the left bed, leaving the one closest to the window for Kibum. “Thanks, you’re a total sweetheart.”

Minho blinked sarcastically. “Aren’t I just?”

Kibum shoved him, and Minho went limp as he fell onto his bed. He smiled then, dazzling as ever, and Kibum’s heart fluttered like it always did. He swallowed thickly, crossing his arms over his stomach as he sat on his own bed, facing Minho’s. “So, how have you been? It’s been a while.”

He rolled over onto his side, propping his cheek up on his fist. “We talk literally every day.”

“Not in person. It’s different.”

“Yeah.” Minho watched him for a second, his stare wandering until he blinked and met Kibum’s eyes again. “I’ve been okay. You?”

“Just okay?” Minho nodded, shrugging with one shoulder. “I’ve been fine.”

“Just fine?” Minho asked, mimicking Kibum’s tone. Smiling, Kibum nodded. A silent better, now that I’m with you hung in the air, waiting to be spoken. But some things were better left unsaid.

Back in college, Minho had been his almost, and there were moments -- like this -- where Kibum thought he might be aware of that fact. He had considered it, telling Minho how he felt, but when Minho said that his dad wanted him to come back to Incheon and work under him as his assistant coach… Kibum knew better than to interfere, knew better than to try his luck on a “what if.”

“I’m here if you need to talk about it,” Minho said, bringing Kibum back to the present. He shook the cobwebs of his college memories out of his head with a small smile.

“Thanks. Maybe later.” Minho started to sit up. "Did you eat breakfast?"

He nodded. "I mean, I could eat again, if you're hungry."

“Let’s go, then!”

… … …

“So, then you two broke up?” Minho asked, passing Kibum the cup of peach ice cream they were sharing. He nodded and Minho grinned, reaching out to ruffle his hair. “Is that why you dyed this, then? Emotional distress?”

Kibum scoffed, moving away from Minho and shaking his head, trying to get his hair back to its original style. “No, I just did this because I wanted to.” When he moved back to stand beside him, Minho reached over and brushed Kibum's fringe off his forehead. He smiled to himself as he took another spoonful of ice cream then passed it back to Minho. “I knew you’d tease me about my hair.”

“I’m glad I didn’t disappoint you, then.”

A sigh, and then Kibum reached for the ice cream, his fingers covering Minho’s as he took another spoonful. “But really, she and I just weren’t compatible. We were really only dating because our parents set us up.”

“Yeah, same.”

“Oh right, you broke up with Seulgi too, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but that was months ago.”

Seulgi was one of the female soccer players that practiced after his dad’s team did. She had been wearing an oversized Park Jisung ManU jersey, and Minho had stopped to chat with her until both his dad and her coach were yelling at them to move on. The next time they saw each other was at a sports bar in town, and she drank him under the table. Their conversation slurred as the night went on, but when they made it back to her apartment, she had sobered up enough to push Minho out of her space, as they had been leaning on each other to be able to walk.

“Please don’t get the wrong impression,” she said as she fumbled with her keys. “I like you, but I’m not interested in you.”

Minho had been about to blurt out that he wasn’t interested in her either, when the door swung open, to reveal another woman, whose wide eyes met Minho’s when Seulgi’s inhibitions lowered enough for her to coo “Jagi-ya” at her as she stumbled in the house. Minho blinked, the term of endearment settling into his alcohol-addled. He smiled, his brow furrowing as he pressed his finger to his lips and nodded, and staggered off the porch and away.

“So, my parents want me to ‘find a nice boy and make him date me’,” Seulgi said once she pulled him aside before her practice started. A tired smile lifted her features. “Which is, you know, great for me.”

“Of course. I’m sure Joohyun is thrilled.”

Seulgi snorted. “So, listen...I was thinking…” Minho’s eyebrows raised and he glanced her way, already guessing where this was going. “Since I’ve got a girlfriend, and you’re still hung up on that Kibum guy…And since you’re the only nice guy I’ve ever met, I thought we could help each other get our parents off our backs.”

“As long as Joohyun is okay with it, sure.”

“Really?”

“We can date for as long as you need to, I don’t mind.”

She let out a sigh as she pulled him into a quick, tight hug. “You’re the best!” she called out over her shoulder, blowing him a kiss before she joined her team. Minho rolled his eyes with a smile.

Kibum snapped his fingers in front of Minho’s face, bringing him out of his memories. “Thought I lost you for a second.”

“Aww, were you worried you’d have to go on without me?” Kibum scoffed, his face coloring as he took the ice cream out of Minho’s hands. Minho grinned. “Did you miss me?”

“Yes,” Kibum said in a droll monotone. “Every moment that passes without you is a waste. Every second that you’re not beside me, I yearn for you.”

He grabbed Kibum’s arm, stopping him in the middle of the street, his expression one of faux agony. “I long for you with every breath that we're apart,” Minho said, finishing the lines from the play they had auditioned for, all those years ago. Kibum’s face scrunched up as he laughed and pushed Minho away, and Minho broke character, laughing with him. “God, what was that play?”

“The writers were just trying to invoke emotion.”

“At what cost?”

“Our sanity?” Kibum’s eyes met Minho’s then, and they both broke into a fit of giggles. He leaned on Minho to keep his balance. Once he had regained most of his composure, Kibum tossed the empty cup into the nearest garbage can, his spoon clattering onto the pavement. He bent over to grab it, and Minho put his own spoon into the garbage.

They started walking again, their shoulders bumping together. “I’m glad we decided to do this,” Kibum eventually said, his voice quiet. “To come here, I mean.”

Minho nodded. He had been surprised to get that text from Kibum that early in the morning. He had just been crawling into bed after playing video games until he was struggling to keep his eyes open. Truth be told, he had been relieved that Kibum finally texted him. It was strange to go almost a whole day without them really texting much, and he had been unsettled all day...until that moment. He sunk into bed, making himself comfortable before texting him back.

“Yeah, I really missed...you guys.” He gulped, glancing over to see if Kibum had caught his almost slip-up. “Honestly, we should do this more often.”

“I’m the only one who lives so far away, though. You four can still see each other more often,” Kibum said with an overly dramatic sigh. He grinned when Minho shoved him.

“Daejoon is probably the halfway point between us.” Not that he had looked that up or anything. Or checked out the restaurants there. Of course not. “We could always head there for the weekend. Or, you know, whatever works for you.”

Kibum looked at him, searching his expression with a suspicious twinkle in his eye. Oh shit, did he catch onto him? Before Minho could think of an excuse or explanation, Kibum’s phone chimed and he pulled it out. “Ah, Jjong is awake.” He texted him back, watching his screen until another message popped up. “They’re ready to eat.”

Minho glanced up, looking across the street to see Hwaro Hyang. He tapped Kibum’s arm and pointed at it, and Kibum nodded.

“Okay,” he said, Minho following him as he started to cross the street. “They’ll meet us there. We’ll get a table for us.”

When they said they needed a table for five, the hostess led them out onto the patio, bringing a chair over from one of the tables. “Your server will be right with you!”

“Thanks!”

The others arrived within a few moments of the bottles of soju and beer being brought to the table, and it wasn’t long before they ordered their fill of barbeque. As day transposed to night, and the comfortable haze of alcohol settled around them, Minho couldn’t help but stare at Kibum. He was dancing to one of f(x)’s older songs, the choreography sloppier than it should have been. He and Taemin and the group of girls who were also on the patio with them were having a great time dancing offbeat to the music blaring through the speakers.

He had asked Minho to dance with him, his fingers teasing down his arms as he reached for his hands. As much as he would have liked to, he was far more content to just sit back and enjoy Kibum’s uninhibited excitement.

He knew he was smiling like a lovestruck fool, but he just couldn’t bring himself to care.

… … …

“I bet he’ll confess by the end of the weekend.” Jonghyun pulled his beer away from his lips, frowning at Jinki until he nodded across the patio to where Minho was. He smirked then. “₩20,000 if he does,” Jinki said, holding out his hand for a shake of agreement.

Jonghyun took it, shaking it once. “They might not tell us, though.”

“True. But, we should be able to tell, right? They’ve never been great at hiding their feelings.”

“Yeah, to everyone except each other.”

Jinki laughed and took a swig of his soju. “I guess sometimes feelings are just more obvious to the people not wrapped up in them.”

Slowly, Jonghyun brought his beer back up to his mouth, hesitating for a second before he took a drink. His attention shifted from Minho and back to Taemin, his heart fluttering a little when he smiled his way.

… … …

Minho’s buzz had all but worn off by the time he dragged Kibum back to their room. Kibum, however, had had a few more bottles of soju before they left when the restaurant was closing. He was clinging to Minho like his life depended on it as he dug around for the key card in Kibum’s pocket, fishing it out and unlocking the door. It swung shut behind them as Minho maneuvered Kibum into the room and dropped him on his bed. He started to bend down to take off Kibum’s shoes for him when Kibum grabbed his hand, fiddling with his fingers.

“Stay with me,” he said, his slurred words ending with a giggle as Minho wiggled his fingers out of his grip.

“I am.” He pulled off one of Kibum’s shoes, tossing it toward the door. “We’re in the same room, Bummie.”

“No no no no no...no,” he stumbled over the words, shaking his head as he tried to sit up.

“Just lie down.” Minho tossed the other one aside before he stood and helped Kibum find his pillow. He pulled the covers over him, and Kibum grabbed his wrist before he could move away. He released him almost as soon as he grabbed him, but Minho didn’t pull back his hand. Not when Kibum’s fingertips grazed over his palm, a rash of goosebumps blooming across his skin. He laced their fingers together, squeezing his hand before his grip loosened.

But he didn’t let go.

“Stay with me.”

Minho opened his mouth, trying to think of a response.

His thumb brushed over the back of Minho’s hand, and he looked up, the light from the lamp gleaming in his eyes. “Please?”

Minho sighed, squeezing Kibum’s hand before he let go, his heartbeat pounding in his ears as he stepped into the bathroom. Deep breath in; long exhale out. His gaze flickered up, meeting his own eyes in the mirror before he shook his head slightly and grabbed two of the cups, filling them with water. After some digging into the drawers, he found some ibuprofen for when Kibum woke up.

He brought the cups and the pills out into the main room, his shoulders relaxing when he saw that Kibum was fast asleep, his arm stretched out across him. Minho set the cups down, one on each side of the nightstand, and then the pills closer to Kibum’s side. He checked to make sure that Kibum’s blanket was covering him before he turned off the light between them and settled into his own bed.

...

Sunday

Bright sunlight pierced the room, searing Kibum’s eyes as he started to open them. Groaning, Kibum curled up, pulling the covers over his head as he sank further into bed. “I’m never drinking again,” he mumbled to himself, pulling the covers back a fraction so he could see Minho.

Still asleep. Of course.

Kibum smiled despite the pounding of his head, his pained gaze flicking to the water and bottle of pills set out on his side of the nightstand. Slowly, he sat up, his stomach churning at the slight movement. He grabbed the cup of water and took a couple of sips before he picked up the bottle of pills and slid out of bed.

He braced himself on Minho’s bed as he walked past, being careful not to jostle it too much -- even if he knew Minho could sleep through a monsoon. Minho shifted, hugging his pillow a little tighter, and Kibum swayed for a second when he stopped, staring blearily. He smacked his lips in his sleep, his soft snoring continuing as he rolled over onto his back. A light rapping on the door drew his attention away, and Kibum staggered toward it.

Jonghyun grinned at him as the door swung open. “Get any sleep?”

Kibum started to nod but thought better of it. “Yeah.”

“Tae and I are heading down to breakfast, want to join us?”

“In a minute, gotta shower first.”

He let the door close and heading inside the bathroom. After he took his pills and drank the water, he turned on the shower. As much as he wanted to take a quick shower, once he stepped into the warm stream, he wanted to live in it. He sat on the floor of the shower, hugging his knees and closing his eyes as the water massaged his aching head.

How long he sat there, Kibum wasn't sure -- he just knew it felt amazing.

Once he stood, he washed his hair and body quickly and reluctantly vacated the shower. The bathroom was filled with steam, a sort of makeshift sauna. He wiped the mirror clean where his face was and he blow-dried his hair once he was dressed.

The ibuprofen must have taken effect because he felt marginally better as he stepped outside his and Minho's hotel room and started for the breakfast downstairs. He nodded to Jonghyun and Taemin, who were sitting on the same side of one of the tables -- Jonghyun sipping his coffee while Taemin was stuffing his face with a plateful of American food.

That actually...surprisingly...sounded good. He made himself a waffle and loaded up his plate with scrambled eggs and sausage links. He drowned it in syrup before he made his way over to Jonghyun and Taemin.

"Is Minho awake yet?" Taemin asked around his mouthful of food.

Kibum scoffed, cutting off the first bite of his waffle. "I know better than to try to wake him up." He smiled as he chewed, then swallowed. "As...funny as he is when he's grumpy, I'd rather not have that directed at me."

"Right."

"Like he'd ever really be grumpy with you." Kibum frowned mid-bite and looked at Jonghyun, who just laughed. "Forget it."

Jinki stumbled into the room, waving sleepily at them as he passed. “So, what’s the plan for today?” he asked once he sat across from Kibum with his own breakfast

Everyone turned to look at Kibum expectantly. He chewed quickly, swallowing. “Why is this on me?”

“It was your idea to come here?” Taemin said.

“I don’t know. I guess we could go to the beach?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

They ate quietly, Jonghyun picking food off of Taemin’s plate while they whispered back and forth to each other. Kibum watched them for a moment, amused, before he looked up to see if Jinki was paying any attention to them. He wasn’t.

Once Kibum finished eating, he got up to make a plate to take back to the room for Minho. By the time he finished with the waffle, Minho shuffled into the lobby, carding his fingers through his honey-blond hair. He sat in Kibum’s vacated seat, glancing his way with a sleepy smile. Kibum returned the smile and finished fixing him his coffee. He sat in the empty seat, setting Minho’s food in front of him, his smile growing when Minho looked up at him with adorably wide eyes.

“Thanks, Bummie,” he mumbled, picking up his fork and starting to eat. His hair was sticking up on one side, the wrinkles from his pillowcase indented on his cheek. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Not as bad as I was expecting.” Minho nodded, cutting off another bite. “Thanks for setting out that stuff for me.”

Minho smiled, his eyes darting to meet Kibum’s for a second before they fell back to his plate. “Yeah, no problem.” He ate a couple more bites before he asked, “So, what are we doing today?”

… … …

"Ooo, watermelon." Minho glanced in the direction that Kibum was pointing. There was a small kiosk on the edge of the beach selling fresh fruit, ice cream, cold beverages. "That sounds good."

"Hm, it does," Jinki said absently, lifting his sunglasses so he could see better. "There are some empty spots in the shade over there." If Minho had been looking, he would have seen the empty lounge chairs under the umbrellas, but he was still focused on the fruit kiosk.

The others were already making their way over to the shade, quickly so no one else could snatch the vacant spots up, but Minho hung back, digging his wallet out of the pocket in his swimming trunks. Kibum called out to him when he got in line, and Minho waved him on to join the others. He was too far away, but Minho could almost hear Kibum sucking his teeth at him. Smiling, he turned back around, ordering a large platter of cut fruit and a couple of water bottles.

He carried it all carefully over to where Kibum, Jinki, and Taemin were making themselves comfortable, setting it by Jinki’s feet. “Woah, Min, what’s this for?”

Minho shrugged, opening one of the water bottles and passing it to Kibum. “I just thought it would be nice.” He avoided meeting Kibum’s eyes until he passed the water bottle back to him, his expression soft. Minho grabbed the bottle and took a sip, almost coughing it back up when Jonghyun clapped his hand on Minho’s shoulder, crouching beside him.

“Hey, wanna go play volleyball?” He turned and found the group of guys Jonghyun was gesturing at. Jonghyun hooked his arm around Minho’s neck, grinning at him. “I know it’s been a while since we’ve played, but I think we still have it in us.” He patted Minho’s chest before he stood, looking back at the other guys. “Anyone else want to come?”

Kibum scoffed, shaking his head as he snatched the water bottle from Minho’s hand. “Please, you guys were the dynamic duo.”

“Will you guys watch us?”

“From here,” Jinki said, pushing his sunglasses up his nose.

Jonghyun tugged on the back of Minho's tank top before he started running back across the sand, and Minho pulled off his sandals and sunglasses, setting them by the chair that Kibum was sitting in. “Hey,” he pulled out his wallet and handed it to Kibum who readily took it. “You mind watching this for me?”

“Not at all. Have fun,” he said, his dimples appear when he grinned. Minho started to smile, his drive to go join Jonghyun and the others dwindling. Until Jonghyun called him, that is. He let go of his wallet and jogged out onto the white sand.

… … …

It had been several years since Kibum had had the...opportunity to watch Minho play volleyball.

It was always just a recreational thing, since he played for the basketball and football teams at university. But, he liked to keep active, and it meant that Kibum always had something to do on the weekends because that’s when his games were and he always asked Kibum to come to watch him play.

Volleyball was his and Jonghyun’s game -- they dominated. Jonghyun’s slight stature always threw off new opponents, but he was a threat to be reckoned with. No one had better hustle than him on the court -- not even Minho -- and he could almost always perfectly set Minho up for the attack, no matter where he was on the court. There was a precision and fluidity to their movements that were unrivaled by anyone who dared oppose them.

Kibum’s breath hitched as Jonghyun set the ball up for Minho to attack, both of the guys on the opposite team jumping to block, and Minho tipped it across the net where it fell, untouched, in the sand.

He could hear their celebratory hollering from where he sat across the beach.

“Looks like they’re having fun,” Jinki said, grabbing another strawberry from the platter Minho had bought.

Kibum and Taemin gave unsynchronized hums in response. They had both been paying close attention to the game, but once Minho and Jonghyun's tank tops came off in the middle of the first match, they were both riveted. Not that Jinki minded, of course -- he had brought one of his books to read.

“Do you…” Taemin started to ask, his voice trailing off when Jonghyun moved to serve the ball.

“Do I what?” Kibum asked once the volley started.

“Do you think they need water?”

Oh...probably. It was a hot day and they’d been playing for a while...it’d only make sense. “We’ll be right back,” Kibum said, tapping the arm of Jinki’s chair. He picked up his and Minho’s half-drunk water bottle and Taemin did the same, and they ran out to them, standing on the sidelines. The ball was still in play, the longest volley of the match so far, both teams taking whatever attack the other could make. One, two, three, then over the net again until Jonghyun got the first touch.

For a split second, Jonghyun and Minho made eye contact -- Kibum assumed -- and Minho raced for the ball, lobbing it over on the second touch. It landed in-bounds on the backline of the opposite side, the other two guys scrambling to hit it and missing it by a hair. Taemin clapped loudly and Kibum let out an obnoxious cheer, drawing their attention.

Jonghyun jogged over first, taking the offered water bottle out of Taemin’s hands and taking a couple of quick sips before he drank almost all of it. Minho soon joined him, breathing heavily as he took the water bottle from Kibum.

“I think this is the game point,” he said between drinks. He bent over, grabbing his tank top from where he discarded it and wiped the sweat off of his brow and out of his eyes.

“Getting tired?” Kibum asked, holding out his hand for Minho’s tank top. He nodded, and Jonghyun huffed a laugh. “Are you having fun, at least?”

“Yeah,” Minho said with a small smile, and Kibum lowered his gaze, which locked onto his exposed torso.

“Well,” Taemin cleared his throat, crinkling the empty bottle that Jonghyun passed back to him. “You guys are doing great.”

“Thanks!”

Minho grabbed Kibum’s arm, pulling his attention away from Minho’s abs. “I think I have enough money, could you buy a couple more waters for us?”

“Uh, sure thing.”

Thanks, you’re the best.”

“I really am, aren’t I.”

Minho snorted and pulled Jonghyun’s attention away from Taemin with a pat to his shoulder. “Come on, we’re almost done.” He turned, and Kibum’s gaze lingered until Minho got into his ready position, glancing back over at them at the sidelines. Kibum immediately looked away, clearing his throat and discarding Minho’s tank top by his feet. When he looked back, Minho wore a cocky sort of smirk until Jonghyun served the ball.

Kibum rolled his eyes, huffing, and trudged back across the beach to where Jinki was lounging. “Did they win?”

He picked up Minho’s wallet. “Not yet,” he said, jogging as he ran over to the back of the line at the kiosk.

He opened Minho’s wallet, checking to see how much money he had before it came time to pay. Enough for three more bottles, it looked like. He was about to close it when he spotted a time-worn movie ticket stub. Curious, Kibum pulled it out.

Huh…

It was for Thor, the first one. He checked the date, his smile growing. It was the first movie they had went to together. Just them. The other three had already seen it, but Minho was busy studying when they went to the theater and he had asked Kibum to tag along with him. Afterward, they still didn’t want to head back to the dorm, so they hit the night market, eating as many samples as they came across.

Funny that he kept this…

“Sir?”

Kibum looked up to find that he was the next in line. He stuffed the ticket stub back in and pulled out the won he needed. “Hi, yeah, sorry…Three waters, please.”

… … …

"Good game!" Jonghyun called out to Sungwoo and Minhyuk, their opponents. Minho waved to them before he slipped his tank top back on and followed Jonghyun back to where the others were lounging in the shade. "Well, that was certainly fun," Jonghyun said, grinning up at Minho.

Minho slung his arm over Jonghyun's shoulders, holding him close for a second before releasing him. "I definitely missed playing with you."

"Same." He looked back to where the others were -- Kibum sliding into his seat and looking across the sand at Minho, holding up one of the bottles. Minho quickened his pace slightly, and Jonghyun hurried to keep up with him. "It was fun to show off a little, too."

He glanced down at Jonghyun before looking back at Kibum. "Yeah, it was."

Once they were back with the others, Taemin crossed his legs beneath himself and Jonghyun sat in the space he cleared for him. Kibum tossed Minho the water bottle he was holding. He sank down, sitting on the end of Kibum's lounge chair, his gaze slipping over to Kibum as he took a drink.

"Oh, you guys are back!" Jinki said, putting down his book to grab one of the wedges of watermelon. Minho grabbed the fruit platter, setting it between him and Kibum so everyone could finish it off. There were only a couple pieces left, and when Jonghyun took the last of it, he picked up the platter to return it to the kiosk.

Minho stretched his arms over his head, glancing out over the beach. Another volleyball game had already started -- two couples, it looked like. Seagulls cawed overhead as they searched for any scraps of discarded food. The breeze was warm, blowing through his still-sweaty hair. He turned his head, focusing on the cerulean waves washing ashore and the people chasing after them as they returned to the ocean.

He started to smile when he turned around, his eyes falling on Kibum who cocked his head in silent question. “Those are nice sunglasses,” he said, hoping his smile didn’t give him away.

“...Thanks? I just got them a couple of weeks ago, actually. They’re real Ray-Bans.” Taemin ooo’ed, and Kibum’s smiled at him. Minho held out his hand for them, and Kibum slowly took them off, squinting at Minho as he handed them to him.

His vision darkened when he slipped them on, the glare from the sun immediately going away. “Oh, they’re nice…” he said, flashing Kibum a smile before he jumped to his feet and started to run.

“Hey!”

There was laughter in his voice, and Minho’s smile turned into a grin as he ran through the crowded beach and to the water. The sand grew wet beneath his feet, a cool relief from the warmth of the dry sand, and water splashed around his ankles as he ran into the sea. The water was lapping around his knees before he started to turn around, only to be surprised by a splash drenching him.

"Come on, give them back!" Kibum said with a laugh, kicking more water at him as he turned fully around.

Minho took another step back, his eyebrows raising. "Come get them, then," he taunted, chuckling when huffed. He stepped back again, and again until the ocean reached his mid-thigh. Kibum followed him, raising his chin when he stood before him. For a split second, Minho was worried that Kibum was pissed at him, but it was soon eradicated by the appearance of Kibum’s dimples as he tried not to smile.

He took the sunglasses off, squinting at the sunlight shimmering on the surface of the water, and slipped them gently back onto Kibum’s face. “Better?”

“Yup.” Kibum smiled then, and if he hadn’t been wearing sunglasses now, Minho would have had a warning from the twinkle in his eye. He pushed Minho into the water, his laughter becoming distorted and warbled as Minho submerged. Minho wiped his face clean once he resurfaced and ran after Kibum before he got too far away. “No no no -- “ he chanted as he ran away, and he let out a yelp when Minho grabbed him from behind, picking him up in his arms. “What are you doing?” he yelled when Minho started to twirl him, water splashing around them.

He meant to just toss him into the water, really, he did, but Kibum didn’t stop clinging to him, and Minho tumbled into the water with him. Minho pulled them out of the water almost immediately, Kibum sputtering a laugh as he took his hands off from around Minho’s neck. Before he could think better of it, Minho reached out, adjusting Kibum’s sunglasses so they sat straight on the bridge of his nose.

Sighing, he sat back, creating a little bit more distance between them. Neither stood, the small waves rolling past their chests. Kibum stared behind him with a smirk. Minho turned to find Jinki, Jonghyun, and Taemin splashing around in the water a little ways away. “We should all go skiing,” he eventually said, and Minho looked back at him.

“Right now?”

Kibum snorted. “Sometime after Christmas. Don’t you think it’d be fun?”

“Have you ever skied?”

“Just water skiing.” Minho frowned in question, and Kibum smacked his shoulder. “Remember, I told you about that! It was a thing my parents liked to do during the summer.”

“Right...I’ve never skied.”

“You’ll probably be a natural at it, don’t worry.”

The breeze picked up, Kibum’s wet hair blowing into his face and sticking to the lens of his sunglasses. He tried to shake it off, but it wouldn’t budge. So, Minho reached out and brushed it away, fixing his part while he was at it. He couldn’t tell if Kibum was watching him when he dropped his hand -- the lens was quite dark and he couldn’t see his eyes. Minho cleared his throat when Kibum’s lips parted and lowered his gaze to the water between them.

“We should probably head back to the room and shower before we go out tonight.”

Minho’s brow furrowed. “Go out?”

Kibum’s lips curled up in a smile, and his attention turned back to the others. “Yeah, to the bar. Jinki mentioned it when you guys were playing volleyball.”

“Yeah, okay.” Minho pushed himself up, water dripping off of his clothes as he reached out to help Kibum up. Their joined hands lingered a second longer necessary as they made their way out of the water.

… … …

Thunder rumbled overhead, the promise of rain perfuming the air as Kibum and the others hurried into the Bluebird. Minho closed the bright blue door behind them, and they ventured into the main room.

A haze enveloped the room, the scent of old cigarettes clinging to the rafters and the gaudy red chandeliers. Colored lights cut through the haze, shining on the dance floor and the karaoke stage. Tall tables and supporting poles were scattered about the room, patrons roaming between the dance floor, the karaoke stage, and the bar for more drinks. Jonghyun and Kibum both looked at the current singer, cringing at how off-key they were. Minho laughed and pulled them away and toward the bar.

They ordered their drinks, setting up at the counter when Jinki started asking the bartender questions about the whiskey he had ordered. As soon as the last note played, Jonghyun shot up from the bar, abandoning his drink, and hurried to take the mic.

Three drinks later, and Minho had grabbed Kibum's hand, leading him away from the bar. He let go of him and hooked his arm around one of the poles, twirling around a couple of times until Kibum laughed. Then he grinned, stepped away from it, and took Kibum’s hand, letting him take him to the nearest open spot on the dance floor.

Kibum tried not to read too much into it -- they were both a little tipsy and just having fun, after all. But, it was a little hard not to get his hopes up with the way Minho’s hands kept slipping around his waist and pulling him closer. He had always been a tad flirtatious, especially after a few drinks, but...Kibum lost his train of thought when he met Minho’s eyes.

The blue light they were bathed in shifted to purple as Minho’s gaze caressed him, and he opened his mouth, starting to say something, only to clear his throat and look away. A small smile toyed with the corner of his mouth and he nodded to the empty stage. “You wanna?”

Kibum followed him up on stage and scrolled through the song choices. “Oh, they have Boa!”

“Of course they do,” Minho said as he adjusted the mic stand.

“Do you know Dangerous?”

“Just the choreography.” Kibum frowned his way and Minho just laughed. “We got drunk one night and instead of studying you showed me a bunch of live stages and we learned it.” Kibum selected it with a chuckle, the loud techno music booming from the speakers as the song began.

He did his best to sing and do the choreography with Minho, who was giving it his absolute everything. But when Jonghyun ran up to the stage, holding his phone like he was recording them, he couldn’t help but break and laugh. Minho stepped in, singing along slightly off-beat until Kibum could sing again. When the last note played, Minho held up his hand for a high five.

He grinned, tapping the back of his hand against Minho’s palm before he put the mic back on the stand. Kibum braced himself on Minho’s shoulder as they took the steps back down to the dance floor, and he followed him back to the bar through the crowded bar getting separated when a group of guys stepped between them.

Kibum stumbled over someone’s discarded shoe, reaching out to a nearby table to brace himself but accidentally grabbing the arm of one of the nearby patrons. “Sorry,” he said, patting their arm before he let go and started to move away. Only, someone grabbed his arm and whipped him around.

The guy was a little taller than Kibum, and about the same size, bulk-wise. If it came to that, Kibum could probably hold his own against him, as much as he detested the thought. He shrugged the man’s hands off of his arms only for him to grab him again, squeezing a little tighter this time.

“Hey, it was an accident, I didn’t mean to grab you.”

“Me?” The guy shook Kibum. “You touched my fucking girlfriend!”

“And I said I’m sorry?” Kibum batted his hands away again, his brow furrowing. “Obviously, I didn’t mean anything by it, so if you could just fuck off now so we can all move on with our night, that’d be great.”

He grabbed the front of Kibum’s shirt, pulling him a little closer. “No one touches my girlfriend without my say so.”

“I think you mean without her ‘say so.’ It’s her body, dude, not yours.” He tried to push him away, but his fist tightened in Kibum’s shirt.

“Junho, just leave him be,” the guy’s girlfriend said, trying to step between them. “I’m fine, nothing happened.” Junho shoved her away, and she stumbled into the table, catching herself before she fell.

Oh, fuck, the guy was belligerently drunk. Kibum wrenched himself free of his hold and backed away, standing between him and his girlfriend. A pair of hands slipped around Kibum’s waist. He didn’t even have to look up to know that it was Minho turning and guiding him back to the bar. Junho staggered forward, yelling something that Kibum didn’t quite catch.

The crack then tinkling of glass was unmistakable, however, but Kibum didn’t feel the blow. Instead, Minho slumped against his back and Kibum turned, catching him before he fell to the floor. “Min?” His eyes opened slowly, and he stared at the floor beyond Kibum. “Minho?”

The bar bustled to life around them, but Kibum didn’t pay them any mind. He cupped Minho’s face in his free hand, looking into his eyes until Minho focused on him.

“Let’s get you out of here.”

… … …

All was quiet in the bathroom of the bar, except for the dripping of one of the sinks. Minho leaned against the wall and Kibum sat crouched before him, holding the bag of ice he got from the bartender where the bump on the back of his head was. Minho kept his eyes closed, the dim light of the bathroom still too bright for him right now, and focused on the steady, soothing strokes Kibum’s other hand made against his side.

“You’ve gotta keep talking to me, Min,” he said, his voice strained.

He had already thrown up. Twice. Kibum stayed beside him both times, rubbing his back and dabbing the sweat from his brow with a wet paper towel.

“Thanks, Bummie,” he whispered.

He scoffed. “What are you thanking me for? I’m the one who got you hurt…”

“For...making sure I’m okay.” He opened his eyes then, barely, and Kibum immediately met his gaze. “And don’t blame it on yourself. It’s not your fault. Better me than you.”

“Hey, no, that’s not true. You think I like seeing you like this?” Minho sniffed, the need to cry building up and making his headache worse. He closed his eyes again and Kibum sighed, his thumb brushing away the first of Minho's fallen tears. "How are you doing?"

Before he could answer, the bathroom door creaked open and Kibum retracted his hand as quiet footsteps approached. "You doing okay, Minho?" Taemin whispered -- Kibum must have told him to stay quiet.

"Yeah."

"The bartender made you another ice pack and found some tylenol."

"What about the guy?" Kibum asked.

"He got thrown out."

"Okay, thanks, Tae." The door opened and closed once more, and Kibum carded his fingers through Minho's hair, massaging the crown of his head lightly.

"Are you mad at me?" Minho asked with a heavy sigh.

"Of course not. Here." The pills rattled together as Kibum opened the bottle and he grabbed Minho's wrist, opening his palm. "Take these." Minho slightly opened his eyes again, sipping the offered water and taking the pills in his hand.

Kibum leaned forward, pressing Minho's head until his forehead rested on his shoulder. "Just a second," he said, his breath ghosting over the shell of Minho's ear. Something wet splatted off to his right, and the new ice pack was pressed against the back of his head. "Lean back now."

His thumb caressed Minho's cheekbone, and he opened his eyes. Kibum started to pull away but Minho grabbed his hand and rested their joined hands in his lap, lacing their fingers together. "This is probably a weird time to say this but, uh, I'm really glad we got to come here. To Jeju. Together. I’ve been, well, pretty lonely since we all left college, but..." Kibum squeezed his hand, and Minho looked up at him. "This trip has been nice."

"Except for this part," Kibum said with a soft laugh.

Minho smiled then huffed when the throbbing of his head increased for a second. "This part is still nice. Being with you is...is nice."

Kibum searched his expression, his eyes brightening slightly in the dim light. Then, he smirked, looking down at Minho's chest. "I don't think you realize what you're saying."

"Because of my head?" Kibum nodded, his gaze slipping back to meet Minho's. "You're right. Maybe that's why I'm finally saying it, but -- "

"Finally?"

Minho sighed and reached back to adjust his ice pack. "I've missed you. A lot. Ever since I dropped you off at the train station so you could go back to Daegu." A small smile bloomed on Kibum's face. "That's...that's when I knew. For sure."

"Knew what?"

Minho squinted at him then smiled when he saw Kibum’s smirk. “Do I really have to say it?”

He shrugged, squeezing Minho’s hand. “Not if you don’t want to.” Minho’s gaze dropped to Kibum’s lips, just for a second, and when he looked back up he found that Kibum was doing the same. His eyebrows raised in silent question when Kibum’s eyes met his once more. In answer, Kibum’s hands gently cupped Minho’s face, holding his head steady as he leaned in.

The kiss was softer than Minho had expected their first kiss to be.

Perhaps it was because of his probable concussion, but Kibum was being extraordinarily gentle with him. He wanted nothing but to melt into Kibum’s arms, to relish in this moment that he’d wished for. That he’d dreamed of for years. When Kibum started to pull away, Minho reached out with his free hand and grabbed his shirt, pulling him back. Kibum smiled against his lips, deepening this kiss as he leaned as much into Minho as their positions would allow.

He pulled back, leaving Minho a little breathless, but didn’t lean away. Their noses brushed together as Kibum rested his forehead against Minho’s, and there was a smile in his voice when he said, “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

The door opened again, and Kibum scooted away from Minho and looked toward whoever it was while Minho adjusted his ice pack again.

"You doing alright?" Jinki asked, his voice echoing slightly.

"Yeah, I think the tylenol is starting to kick in."

"Good. Just say the word and I'll get you a taxi back to the hotel."

Kibum looked back at him with a small smile. "We'll be back in a minute," Minho said and Kibum turned back to Jinki, nodding.

"Okay." Jinki slipped out of the doorway, letting the door creak shut behind him.

… … …

"Are they doing okay?" Jonghyun asked Jinki as he returned to his place beside him at the bar.

Jinki smiled, swirling his beer around in his glass. "Yeah. I think I walked in mid-confession."

"Oh?" Jonghyun sat up, his attention snapping to Jinki. "Are you sure?"

"I mean, they looked like they were about to kiss…Or just kissed..." Jinki shrugged, then, with a bright smile, held out his hand to Jonghyun. Sighing, Jonghyun dug into his pocket for his wallet, fishing out ₩20,000 and passing it over to Jinki. "It's about time, don't you think?"

"Yeah," he said, glancing over to where Taemin was singing karaoke. "It is." He finished the rest of his beer, pushing away from the bar. "I'll be right back,"

If Kibum and Minho could finally admit their feelings for each other, then so could he…

Taemin smiled at him as he approached the stage, and Jonghyun returned it, stuffing his hands in his pockets while he waited for him to finish singing. When he did, Jonghyun held his hand out and Taemin readily took it, hopping off the stage.

"Hey."

"Hey...can we talk?"

… … …

“Woah…”

Kibum stopped, steading Minho when he swayed once he was standing. “You good?”

“Head rush. I’m fine.” He huffed a laugh. “God, I hate headaches.”

“We can leave as soon as you need to, okay?”

Minho started to nod, but instead said, “Okay.”

He guided him out the door and into the noisy bar, returning him to his spot on the bar. Minho’s hand settled on his thigh as Kibum ordered him a glass of water. Jinki turned to them and Kibum swiveled around on his stool, finding Jonghyun lead Taemin away from the dance floor and out the front door. “Oh, is it finally happening?”

Minho hummed in question and Jinki asked, “What?”

“Nothing.” He swiveled back to face Minho, finding him squinting in the light. “Here.” He took his sunglasses out of his pocket and gingerly put them on Minho. “Better?”

“Much.”

By the time Minho finished sipping his water, Jinki had gotten a taxi for them to head back to the hotel. Jonghyun and Taemin were waiting for them by the curb, both drenched from the drizzle. Both were grinning, though, despite their shivering. Kibum thought about asking them what happened, but the cab arrived. They filed inside and Jinki gave the driver the address and they were off.

Minho leaned his head against the window, wincing when there was a pothole. Kibum touched his arm and Minho looked over. He patted his shoulder and Minho slowly scooted over, resting his head on Kibum’s shoulder with a sigh.

Someone cleared their throat, and Kibum looked over to find Jonghyun watching them. He glanced at Minho then back to him, his eyebrows raising. Kibum nodded and Jonghyun grinned, then Kibum glanced pointedly at Taemin before looking back at Jonghyun. His grin turned to a shy smile, and Taemin leaned closer to him, distracting Jonghyun from his and Kibum’s silent conversation by whispering in his ear.

Kibum looked away, giving them a bit of privacy.

“You still doing okay?” he whispered when the lights from the hotel came into view.

“Yeah.”

“We’re almost there.”

The elevator ride seemed longer than normal, and Kibum helped Minho maintain his balance as they reached their floor. “So I texted Chinri,” Jinki said as they walked down the corridor. “And she said that it’s okay if you sleep with a concussion.”

“Okay,” Kibum answered for him. “Did she give any special instructions?”

“Maybe wake him up every few hours? Make sure he’s still doing okay.” He pulled out his phone, scrolling through the texts between him and his wife. “If you want to, Min, you can head home with me and she can check you out for free after her shift tomorrow.”

“Yeah, that works.”

“Let us know if you need anything, okay?” Jonghyun said once they stopped at their doors. Kibum nodded and unlocked the door, letting Minho go in first.

“Do you want the light on?” Kibum asked once the door closed behind him.

“Uh, I guess.” Kibum flicked it on as Minho walked into the bathroom, wetting his toothbrush.

He brushed his teeth and Kibum went to the main room to change into his sleeping clothes. He turned down Minho’s bed before he crawled into his own. As much as he would like to sleep in the same bed, he wasn’t quite sure if Mino was ready for that. All doubts, however, were eradicated when Minho came back into the main room, glanced at his bed, and walked over to Kibum’s with a question in his expression.

Kibum scooted over, trying very hard not to smile as Minho slipped beneath the covers with him. He curled into him, his arm draping over his stomach as he settled into bed. “Sleepy?”

“No.” He sighed, his breath tickling Kibum’s neck. “Okay, yeah...but I don’t want to sleep. I’d much rather talk with you.”

Kibum stroked Minho’s back, pulling him a little closer and kissing his forehead. “Go ahead and sleep. I’ll wake you in a few hours, and we can talk then, okay?” His eyes fluttered closed when Minho kissed his neck. He could feel his smug smile against his skin, and he shifted away so he could look him in the eye. Kibum brushed his hair off of his forehead, his hand cupping Minho’s cheek. “As much as I want to, you need your rest, right?”

“Yeah. It’s just…” Minho sighed sadly. “We’re going home tomorrow. And who knows how long it’ll be before we see each other again.”

“Hey, it’s okay.” He brushed his thumb over the scar on Minho’s cheekbone, his expression softening when Minho leaned into his touch. “We’ll figure something out, alright? Don’t worry.” Kibum closed the distance between them, guiding Minho into a tender kiss that led to another and another. They both sighed when Kibum pulled away, and he leaned over Minho to grab his phone from where it was charging on the nightstand. Quickly, he set a series of alarms and he placed his phone on his side of the bed.

He leaned back over him, flicking off the light and covering them in darkness. “Get some sleep, Min. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

Minho wrapped his arm around him again and nuzzled into his neck. “I already can’t wait.”

...

Monday

7:48 // I already miss you how pathetic is that?

7:49 // I would say very but then I’d be calling myself pathetic so

7:49 // you miss yourself? Self-absorbed much? Just look in a fucking mirror and move on with your life

7:51 // ㅋㅋㅋ obviously I was talking about missing you ㅋㅋ

7:51 // oh I know...it’s just nice to hear is all :-)

7:53 // ㅋㅋ you’re cute

7:53 // I’m well aware but thank you for noticing

7:55 // hey I'm boarding now so I’ve gotta go 7:57 // are we still meeting in Daejoon on Friday?

7:57 // yup, I can’t wait

“Uh- not here...in..our room,” Taemin suggests, hoping behind a closed door, they’ll be covered by another layer of security should anyone decide to come back earlier. Taemin tells himself this, and while he is mainly doing it for that sole reason, he can’t help but think that being behind a closed door will be more convenient for the both of them if these next few minutes go smoothly.

Once behind the wooden door of their room, Jonghyun faces Taemin, confused and giddy, wondering if Taemin has some sort of wonderful of surprise in store for him; and while it might be a surprise, Taemin isn’t sure if it’s going to be anywhere near wonderful for the elder. “What is it?” Jonghyun asks.

“Well I um..I feel-” Taemin starts but Jonghyun quickly moves closer to him, bringing a hand to his forehead and another onto his tummy. Fuck, Jonghyun doesn’t know how much having his tummy touched works him up, but he ignores the swirl in his stomach when Jonghyun speaks.

“Feel? Feel what baby, are you okay? You sick? You don’t feel that warm, and I don’t feel any weird gurgling in your belly either.. What’s wrong Minnie?” Jonghyun coos in the gentlest of voices. Baby, seriously Jonghyun, how much more boyfriend can you get without actually being one, Taemin thinks.

“No no I just had to tell you something..” Taemin starts again, pulling away from Jonghyun softly as to not offend him, more so just put an end to the warm contact Jonghyun is giving him because all Jonghyun’s warm hands and caring eyes are doing for him right now, is flustering him up, which he really doesn’t need.

“Okay..shoot,” Jonghyun says, slowly letting his hand leave Taemin’s sweater and forehead. Taemin flips his hair to readjust it on his face and then starts speaking in the quietest voice he’s ever produced.

“Hyung I’m..in love.” Taemin says blankly, not wanting to jump the gun.

“Really Minnie? That’s great.” Jonghyun cheers. “Who’s the lucky person? Tell me everything, Tae, are they a non celeb?”

“Uh- no hyung I- I’m in love with yo-”

“Yoona? Wow Taeminnie I’m shocked, she’s three years older than you- wait, then again so am I.. But Yoona? Really? Wait, I didn’t even let you finish, you probably didn’t even mean Yoona. I should have let you finish, you probably meant someone else.” Jonghyun takes a deep breath, confused by Taemin’s deer in the headlights expression, but continues on.

“Fess up, who is it? Minho? I knew that tall son of a- um, I knew he’d steal your heart someday, should’ve seen it coming. Wait no, not Minho. Kai, Jongin, crap he’s a dancer, too, it makes perfect sense. I mean, Minho can dance, but Kai..you guys are on the same wavelength, you’d be great together..unlike.. Wait no, is it even Kai? I swear you’ve been hanging out with your friends more often as of recent, fess up, Taem, who is this mystery person I don’t know about, and how long until I meet them and have a few choice words with them.”

Before Jonghyun can ask him to verify his mystery lover to him, before he can pout and yell that he’ll defend his Taeminnie’s honour should anyone try and hurt him, and before Jonghyun can silently mope to himself because yes, while he’s delighted that Taemin has found himself someone, he can’t deny the pit in his stomach, the sinking of his hopes and the aching of his heart, the pains that remind him so clearly of how he secretly cares for his Taemin, how he wishes he could be the one Taemin leans on, cares for, touches softly and roughly; deeply, he wishes he could be all of that. But he bites his tongue as Taemin leans close, close enough to speak a whisper or.. It couldn’t possibly be..?

Jonghyun learns in the span of a few seconds that Taemin’s lips are a thousand times more soft than they look face to face, incomparable to fansite photos, because now he’s tasting the real thing. Taemin’s mouth is hot against his, moving and searching, pushing into him, pushing all of him, bluntly into the wall behind him, and Jonghyun gasps as they part air for a second. Taemin’s hooded eyes meet his and he’s not sure what to say, what he should ask, or if he should continue kissing the object of his affections until someone forcibly rips his mouth off of the maknae’s.

His mind is clouded when Taemin gives him no more time to think, and suddenly they both go from panting between each other’s lips to swallowing up each other’s moans, soft and deep. Jonghyun’s hands instinctively find their way around Taemin’s smooth waist and he lets them rest there, likes the easy feel of them resting on a clothed, warm body. Taemin responds in kind, bringing his hands up to cup Jonghyun’s flushing cheeks. He smiles inside their kiss, giddy at how Jonghyun is blooming under his touch just like he is for the elder.

They lean against the wall like this for ages and just kiss and kiss and kiss; kiss until both their lips are aching but they’re both to into it too care to stop. Until the quickened beats of their hearts have slowed into soft thumps, and their heavy panting turns into gentle moans and light breaths. Eventually they pull back with a smack and take each other into a warm embrace until they hear keys jingling at the front door. Then, they part.

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