Lucky Number Seven
Title: Lucky Number Seven
Pairing: 2min, side Onkey, side Jongkey
Length: 8209 words (oneshot)
Summary: After Kibum takes Taemin out to drinks to cheer him up after his sixth break up in a row, Taemin wakes up the next morning naked and confused in Minho's bed. This leads to a very angry Taemin. Will he eventually give in to the advances of Minho or will he lose out on his chance at love?
Rating: NC -17
It was happening again, just like it had nearly countless times before. All things accounted, Taemin really shouldn’t have felt like he was being run over by a truck and then stomped on for good measure. But if there was one thing that Taemin had learned about heartbreak over the years was that it didn’t hurt any less whether it was the first or the second time, or in his case, the sixth. Rather, it seemed his heart proved to have the immense capability of being broken again and again-and mending subsequently, though that was always a longer process.
In a sense it was almost impressive.
I don’t think we ever really hit it off that well. And now it’s showing.
Taemin tried to open his mouth to deny what he believed was clearly a false claim but his girlfriend, or rather ex-girlfriend now, continued to spew the words that would pierce his heart.
We’re just not very compatible. I guess you’re not my type after all. I think it’s the best for both of us if we part ways.
He shook his head violently and tried to stop the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes (he was a man goddamnit). From the corner of his eyes he could see his once girlfriend look at him with pity which only served to make him feel even more miserable. Nonetheless, it didn’t stop her from turning around and walking away, leaving him an abandoned and crying fool sitting alone in a coffee shop.
*****
“It’s just not fairrrr you know?? I’m a good-looking guy for chrissake. I-I’m anyone’s type!!”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re a real beauty alright. Be careful not to knock over your glass.” Kibum rolled his eyes at his best friend’s all too obviously inebriated state. “Jesus,” he muttered to himself as he watched Taemin sway back and forth precariously on his bar stool before slumping forward onto the dirty counter like a sack of rotten potatoes.
Taemin lifted his head to look at him, bleary-eyed, but with considerable resolve despite his level of drunkenness. “What do you know, you flaming gay!” Taemin sat up once more and poured himself another hearty serving of soju before taking a big swig, all of which Kibum eyed disapprovingly. Taemin glared at his best friend and muttered, “As if I could ask you for love advice. You’ll probably just try to convince me to like dicks.”
Kibum had to silently count to ten and do the breathing exercises he had learned in drama class while also giving himself mental reminders such as Taemin’s going through a hard time, this is my best friend, but more effectively if I punch him in the face now it will just create more trouble later.
Taemin prattled on and on, something about the “meaning of love” (Taemin was an English major so he liked to spout out such nonsense from time to time), but Kibum largely tuned him out. It wasn’t that he was unsympathetic to Taemin’s break up but rather it was such a common occurrence now (really? six girlfriends within a year?) that Kibum found himself having trouble feeling the same level of sympathy with Taemin the sixth time as he did the first. He was really starting to wonder what was Taemin’s problem that led him to getting dumped so many times. His personality was alright, if you got past his obstinate nature and occasional bouts of obnoxiousness. And it wasn’t as if Taemin wasn’t attractive or anything. Granted, the kid was no Fabio being all of 115 pounds and more likely to go to a poetry reading then lift a dumbbell. But his wide eyes and shaggy fringe gave him an almost puppy-like appeal that girls, usually older ones, seemed to fawn over. Surely , the problem couldn’t be…
Kibum’s eyes scanned the relatively small space of the neighborhood pub that many of their fellow college students liked to frequent. His eyes landed on Minho, Choi Minho, who wasn’t Kibum’s friend but more of an acquaintance. And this was mainly because Minho was also gay and the gay community was pretty small in their university. Minho was tall, dark, and handsome and a very nice guy admittedly, but not Kibum’s type which was why he never tried to pursue him. Kibum liked the nerd types, as Taemin liked to call it. Sexy nerds, as Kibum was always quick to correct. Kibum thought fondly of his boyfriend Jinki who was obediently waiting for him back in their studio apartment, probably working on his thesis or watching an episode of Numbers. Sure Jinki was bespectacled and could recite the first two hundred digits of pi. But he also had those thighs to die for, not to mention that other part of his body. Kibum practically purred in the thought of what would be waiting for him in bed tonight.
Kibum was shaken out of his reverie by a poke in the arm by a glaring and still-drunk Taemin. “What are you purring about you morally corrupt homo??” And it was with these words that Kibum had to remind himself once more that today was about helping Taemin get out of his funk as quickly as possible (he shuddered recalling Taemin hiding out in a dark dorm room surrounded by the smell of death and decay) for Taemin’s and his own sake.
“My dearest friend of twelve years,” Kibum wrapped an arm around Taemin who eyed him suspiciously. “I’m going to help you get over your heartbreak. After tonight, whats-her-face will be the last thing on your mind, I promise you.”
“And how the hell are you going to manage that?”
Kibum shrugged, “Just a little social mingling to get your mind off things.”
With this he grabbed Taemin’s arm and pulled him away from his beloved soju across the room, marching up to Choi Minho with a smile and a greeting as though they went wayyy back.
Kibum glanced at Taemin from the side of his eye and smiled a little to himself. In all honesty this was 9 parts good intention, one part petty revenge for always making those snide remarks about him being gay.
But in any case, he was sure that Taemin would thank him in the end.
*****
Taemin just stood there, awkward and fidgeting as Kibum worked his usual charm with a tall (too tall) and rather good-looking guy (though he himself was much better!) who Taemin had never met before. It was so like Kibum to know just about everyone on campus. Taemin only made perfunctory greetings and noncommittal grunts to whatever they were talking about, too drunk and depressed to really care about being social at the moment. Kibum merely ignored him, too busy making jokes with this guy, Minho, and whispering things in his ear. It wasn’t long before the three of them were seated again, except this time at a round table. Taemin shifted in his seat, a little unsettled by this Minho guy’s gaze and a bit miffed about the fact that Kibum was totally ignoring him even though he had promised to cheer him up today.
Nonetheless, time flew as drinks came around once more and Taemin was satisfied just as long as the soju came to him in a steady flow (why not just get an iv drip of the stuff? Minho joked at one point). However, Kibum didn’t do much to stop his drinking, only occasionally slapping him on the back saying things like, “It’s alright Taem, at times like this, a man’s gotta drink!” and filling up his glass once more. Minho looked on, amused at the whole situation.
And it was around the time when Taemin had his nth shot of soju and both his face and ears felt very very warm, that he quietly rested his head against the table and closed his eyes.
*****
The first thing Taemin saw when he woke up was stars, as per usual when the pounding headache of a massive hangover threatened to knock him back into the unconscious once more. This was normal. The second thing Taemin saw was the broad, tan and muscular chest against which he had apparently snuggled up to all night, if his cheek pressed into the warm flesh was any indication. This was definitely, definitely, not normal.
“Aarrrghhhhhhhh!!”
The owner of the tan, muscular chest groaned, turning over and scooting to the edge of the bed as if to escape the noise before finally sitting up, propped up on one arm as his other hand reached up to run through his tousled brown locks like a freaking Abercrombie model-Taemin shook his head of the thought, that wasn’t the point right now, why the fuck…
“Minho?? You! And-and, m-me??!” Taemin barely managed to sputter, his own hands, he noticed in annoyance, already clutching the sheets around his naked form as if he was a blushing bride the morning after her wedding day or some stupid crap like that. Hurriedly, he threw the sheets off of himself (as if he had anything to hide!) but instantly regretted it as it became so obviously clear the difference between his and Minho’s body, his pale, skinny body nothing in comparison to the freaking Adonis next to him. Again, Taemin’s face burned in shame. In his twenty years of existence he had never been so ashamed to be born a man!
Wait, but that’s not the point! Taemin shook his mop of hair furiously back and forth as if to rid his head of the distractions and if possible this whole nightmare of a situation. He seriously couldn’t remember anything from last night after the three of them had started drinking. He tried to steady his swirling thoughts to focus and think logically. It appeared he was in Minho’s own apartment, if the rather spacious layout of the bedroom was any indication and he had woken up in his bed …naked.
Taemin suddenly wanted to cry. Maybe his drink had been drugged! Maybe it was the dreaded roofie that got so many girls into these kinds of horrible situations, lead into a stranger’s home, and taken against their will, their minds and bodies no longer their own! Taemin’s eyes widened at the ever-escalating horror and he snatched the sheets back up again to hide himself in. Who knew what this Minho guy would do next!
It seemed to take Minho a minute to get his bearings but once he did, he turned to Taemin with a wide, albeit sleepy, smile that showed off his glittering, Colgate-white teeth, “Morning, baby.”
In retrospect, Taemin would regret sobbing like a little girl right then and there.
*****
When Taemin finally stopped crying, it appeared he was clothed once more and sitting at a kitchen table with a steaming mug of coffee pressed into his hands. Taemin sniffled a little before rubbing at his eyes furiously. He stared at the brown liquid a bit suspiciously, but took a sip nonetheless. He doubted that this Minho guy would try anything funny at 9 in the morning, and he’d be lying if he said a bit of caffeine didn’t sound wonderful at the moment for his hangover. Minho sure was friendly for a sexual deviant.
Minho eyed him over his own mug of coffee, the tiredness written into the bags under his eyes though they were still creased in what seemed like never-ending mirth, “Feeling better?”
Taemin guzzled down as much as the hot liquid as he possibly could without burning himself, setting down the cup loudly before glaring at Minho from across the table, “Cut the bullshit Choi, and how about answering some questions?”
Minho sighed a little, “I already told you earlier. You passed out at the bar last night and Kibumssi asked me to bring you back because his boyfriend was waiting for him at home. I just brought you to my place because I thought it was easier.”
“W-well, then why did I wake up naked??”
Minho shrugged, taking another sip of his coffee, “You seemed uncomfortable. I always sleep naked so it’s no big deal.”
Taemin bit his lip, “How do I know you didn’t do anything to my body??”
“Oh, you would be feeling it this morning, I assure you,” Minho smirked. “Though I can’t say I didn’t appreciate the view.”
“So, you really are gay!” Taemin exclaimed. As if that insufferable homo Kibum wasn’t enough! Why was he surrounded by such people in his life?
“Aren’t you?”
“E-excuse me?”
“Didn’t you just break up with your boyfriend? Kibumssi told me that’s why we were all drinking together yesterday. In fact, his exact words were ‘he’s pretty down after his bf dumped him. But I’m sure spending some time with a handsome guy like you would perk him right up!’ and so that’s what happened.”
“I-I’m most certainly not gay!” by this time Taemin was nearly red to his ears in rage. Momentarily, Taemin imagined painfully pulling his best friend apart limb by limb. And then doing the same to his precious Jinki for good measure. Of course he would set Jinki’s stupid thesis up in flames before his very eyes as well.
In comparison, Minho seemed unperturbed by the turn of events, striding over to his toaster and getting out a plate. “Toaster strudel?” he offered to Taemin who merely shook his head and sulked.
Minho shrugged and began to wolf down his breakfast, unconcerned with the fact that he was consuming what Kibum would call “fat people food”. As if even an ounce of fat has the slightest chance of clinging on to the contours of his sculpted body, Taemin observed bitterly. Of all the gays Taemin had met (which consisted of a number that was largely made up of one Kim Kibum) Minho was by far the most deceiving.
Taemin eyed Minho warily. Perhaps the toaster strudel was just a front? “You don’t seem quite as…flamboyant.”
Minho looked up from his breakfast, laughing a little, “I don’t think that’s necessarily an indicator of sexuality. If it helps I’m also an avid soccer fan, a bio major, and hate shopping.”
Taemin made a noncommittal grunt. He decided he disliked this guy, everything from the way he talked like a dating site ad, had a perfect body, right down to his stupid, straight teeth.
“Well, as much fun as this all has been,” Taemin took a moment to roll his eyes for effect. “ I’ve got to be heading back, very busy and all.” Being heartbroken, he added to himself.
Minho looked up again, “You should stick around for another thirty minutes or so and then we can leave together. I have to head out to my part time job anyway.”
Taemin shook him off with a wave of his hand, blundering around Minho’s living room for his cellphone and wallet, “No need, no need. Quite honestly I don’t really want to spend any more time with you is all. This has been one of the most traumatizing experiences of my life, thank you very much.”
His incessant movements were stopped by Minho who was silently pressing his belongings into his hands.
“Thanks,” Taemin muttered before hastening to leave. But before he could take another step he felt a strong grip on his wrist holding him back. Taemin felt the hairs on his nape prickle up in anger at the increasing sense of emasculation by this Minho guy.
“What?!” he spat out, a little nastier than intended.
“I just want to help.” Cue disarming smile. Taemin glared harder. “Skip the mourning process and come by the Starbucks on campus anytime today between 11 and 4. I’ll whip up something sweet to cheer you up.”
Taemin wrestled his hand away, “The only thing that’s going to help me right now is holing up in my room with the blinds drawn! So stop smiling at me like that! It hurts my eyes damnit.”
At this, Minho broke out in hearty laughter once more, his hand even coming up to wipe some moisture from his eyes, “You’re quite a hellcat aren’t you?”
He bent down to whisper something in Taemin’s ear which made him turn all shades of red and nearly bristle with anger and embarrassment. In lieu of answering he merely turned around and ran out of Minho’s apartment like hells fire until he was standing outside to hail a cab. Despite the frosty air of November weather, Taemin could still feel the heat rising all the way to his ears.
You’re just my type. I like them cute and feisty.
******
The next few weeks consisted of a series of very annoying reoccurrences of running into Minho just about everywhere on campus. “It’s like he’s stalking me!” Taemin had complained to Kibum one day after the two had made up over what Taemin darkly called “the incident” (this required quite a bit of ass-kissing on Kibum’s part and even on Jinki’s part by association). Kibum had merely shrugged saying, “Well, he’s in our grade. It’s only natural to see him around I guess.” “But he’s not even in my department! Biology and English, how polarizing can you get??” Kibum pat Taemin on the back comfortingly, “Who knows, my friend, who knows…” (He may or may not have slipped Taemin’s schedule to Minho on the sly).
Kibum didn’t even know the worst of it, Taemin thought darkly. He had been too embarrassed to tell Kibum what Minho had said that day when they parted. And now, every time they met, Taemin got this horrible sinking feeling that Minho was hitting on him.
There was no way he was imagining it, as much as he wished this was the case. Minho would wait outside of Taemin’s classrooms on certain days with free deliveries of Green tea latte (how did he know?) and a variety of baked confections (for which Taemin also had a weakness for). Poor student that he was, Taemin wasn’t above accepting free food but he would usually take it and run away at the first opportunity, using a repertoire of increasingly ridiculous excuses (last time he had told Minho that his hamster Emma had a skin disease which required meticulous application of ointment every two hours for which he had to go home for), once he realized that simple threats wouldn’t make Minho go away on his own. Truthfully Taemin felt a little bit guilty whenever he saw Minho’s crestfallen face but it couldn’t be helped for the simple fact that he was not gay.
These days, it became a habit for Taemin to hide out in his favorite section of the school library, 19th century Romanticism, perusing the poetry aisle along the back wall. Except that day the usually empty section of the library had one other person, the back of the tall figure strangely familiar. But Taemin realized too late that it was indeed Minho. Before he could sneak away he heard a voice call out to him, “Taemin!”
Taemin turned around, albeit begrudgingly, “What are you doing here?? “
“Bio majors are required to take a literature course. I wanted to get some books for my essay. Help me out?” Minho smiled ear to ear as if Taemin hadn’t just brushed him off for the nth time earlier that day.
Somehow Taemin found himself shoulder to shoulder with Minho, going through books explaining the merits of Gerard Hopkins compared to the more well-known Wordsworth. Minho listened obediently, the pile of books in his arms growing steadily upon Taemin’s recommendation.
“How’s your hamster?” Minho asked offhandedly.
“Fine,” Taemin replied tersely, keeping his eyes on the row of books before him.
There was a brief silence as both boys pretended to be immersed in the titles they were picking off the shelves. It was Minho who first broke it, clearing his throat, “Look, I know you’ve been avoiding me. But I just want you to give me a chance.”
“No. I told you, time and again, I am not gay!” Taemin’s voice was a whispered hiss as he looked around the library wildly for any eavesdroppers.
Sensing Taemin’s nervousness, Minho dropped the books in his arms onto a nearby shelf and moved closer to Taemin, who also kept backing away, until Taemin’s back hit the shelf behind him and Minho’s much bigger figure was enclosing him in the small space. Leaning forward, Minho let both arms rest on either side of Taemin’s head, leaving the two dangerously close. Taemin found it suddenly difficult to breathe, gulping nervously as he looked up into Minho’s eyes, which were usually like those of a friendly puppy, but were now narrowed in what could only be described as dark desire.
“Come to lunch with me.”
“N-no. I don’t have to listen to you!”
Minho leaned in ever closer and Taemin had to hold his breath because it felt like the slightest movement would make their lips touch. Minho’s breath ghosted over his lips, making his insides tremble and his legs go weak, “If you don’t, I’ll just eat you up right here instead. Would you like that Lee Taemin?”
Taemin could only utter a frightened, “F-fine” and suddenly Minho was backing off and smiling his ever bright smile as if nothing had even happened. “Awesome. I know this great bistro that’s a few blocks away from here. Shall we go then?”
Taemin swore he saw the devil in that smile.
******
Lunch was surprisingly…pleasant. Minho told him funny stories of exploding things in his chemistry lab and despite his better judgment, Taemin even found himself opening up to Minho quite a bit.
Minho whistled, leaning back in his chair, “Six girlfriends in a year? That’s pretty impressive.”
Taemin couldn’t help but puff up in pride. Who said he wasn’t the model of manliness and virility? He had gotten all those girls to fall for him after all (though they had all dumped him in the end).
“What about you?” Taemin was even surprised with himself with the question. It wasn’t like he really cared who Minho had gone out with. But he couldn’t help being a little…curious.
Minho bit into his sandwich and chewed for a while as if to think, “Well, I haven’t had a boyfriend in a while. My last serious boyfriend I dated all throughout high school. But he got so busy it was hard to see each other anymore.”
“Is he from our school?”
“Nah, he doesn’t go to school.”
Taemin raised an eyebrow, “Oh I see…what does he do?”
“He sings, dances, and writes lyrics…”
“A singer?”
“Yup. Have you heard of Key?”
Taemin could physically feel his jaw drop in shock, “The Key? Who swept all the rookie awards when he debuted and has been at the top of the charts ever since??”
“Haha yeah…we were childhood friends and started going out in high school. But obviously our lives were going in different directions.”
Taemin didn’t say anything more but he couldn’t help but feel a bit trumped. Six girlfriends was nothing to dating a celebrity. Especially such a successful and attractive one. Kibum had always insisted that he looked just like Key but Taemin never really saw the resemblance himself.
As if sensing his discomfort, Minho was quick to explain, “Of course he wasn’t famous when we started going out. It was only when he dropped out of school our junior year that things started to get pretty serious.” There was a note of sadness in Minho’s voice and for some inexplicable reason it bothered Taemin a little bit.
“Anyways, that’s all in the past now. Let’s talk about us.”
“There is no us,” Taemin corrected testily.
“Now, don’t be like that. Take a chance on me, yeah?”
Taemin sighed heavily. Minho’s grin was quite blinding. But Taemin never had quite believed the old adage that you can’t spit on a smiling face. “This is why I don’t trust gays. When you think you’re having a normal conversation they just go ahead and quote from the soundtrack of Mamma Mia.”
Minho remained unflustered, “I’m pretty persistent, you know.”
“Save your energy for the gym,” Taemin muttered.
“You think I have a nice body?”
Taemin rolled his eyes, getting up to leave and picking up the tab. Minho wanted to pay. In the end they agreed to go halves.
******
Despite Taemin’s strong resistance, their relationship progressed to a level that most of society would certainly deem as “friendship”.
Though Minho had indeed said he was persistent, in Taemin’s eyes this description was a bit of an understatement. Minho continued to diligently dog Taemin’s steps (“Stop following me around!”) and act so freaking nice to him that Taemin couldn’t help but surrender to Minho’s perseverance. It was when he found Minho waiting for him outside the English department building one rainy day with one umbrella and his perpetual grin that Taemin thought to himself that perhaps he had been too hard on the guy.
That day, Taemin had been having a rough morning where nothing seemed to be going right: he forgot some materials for his presentation so he had to rush to the library last minute to print out more copies only to find that the printers were down for maintenance. He had no choice but to wing it from memory but because of his lack of sleep the night prior, his mind kept drawing blanks at critical points and he was a blundering mess in front of his class and his notoriously hard-ass teacher. He had skipped lunch because he was too nervous and now he was starving and facing a likely mad dash in the rain to his dorm room because he had forgotten his umbrella.
He slowly trudged out of his classroom and out the corridor, the nearing sound of the steady downpour of raindrops filling his heart with dread.
What he saw from across the glass entrance doors was a smiling Minho who looked like he just rushed over here himself from lab, if the lab coat and lab goggles around his neck were any indication. He waved a little and pointed at the umbrella with a jerk of his head, beckoning him, a silent promise to protect Taemin from the rain.
Taemin’s breath left his body as if he was winded, all the stress from earlier dissipating as something that felt like relief washed over him.
And he couldn’t help but smile a little for the first time that day.
******
The only thing with being friends with Minho was that if you gave him an inch, he would take a mile.
The free drinks and snacks kept coming until Taemin had to finally tell Minho to stop-he did have some conscience after all. He couldn’t keep freeloading off of Minho for food from his workplace that probably came out of his salary anyway. Minho protested, saying that he got an employee’s discount but Taemin was adamant.
What started as seeing each around campus developed to something more. Eventually, Minho even made it a habit to visit him in his dorm room (how did he find out where he lived??) and even made friends with his hamster (the first time he came over Taemin had told Minho that Emma’s skin condition had cleared up overnight. It was a miracle! Minho remained dubious). Emma now ran to snuggle in Minho’s hand instead of Taemin’s whenever they let him out of his cage. Taemin felt an unnatural level of betrayal over this matter. As the scorned owner, he briefly contemplated denying Emma her favorite snacks but in the end he couldn’t bring himself to do it whenever he looked into her round, watery eyes. What could he say, he was a softie at heart.
Other times Taemin went over to Minho’s apartment under the pretense of helping him with his literature homework which Minho always complained about being so hard. Usually those nights consisted of perhaps thirty minutes of doing homework and then Minho showing off his surprisingly good cooking skills for Taemin before they watched movies out of Minho’s DVD collection (“You know Taemin, I think you’re already about eighty percent in love with me.” “In your dreams, I’m only here for the free dinner.”). On other nights they would watch the soccer games on TV that Minho said were of utmost importance. Though Taemin wasn’t really interested in sports, he always occupied himself with watching Minho get so riled up by the games, sometimes yelling at the screen, other times getting up and kicking the carpet before sheepishly grinning at Taemin who told him to sit back down and watch the game like a normal person.
There were times when Taemin stayed too late and found himself waking up on Minho’s sofa, a blanket wrapped around him, with Minho’s body draped around him as well for extra warmth. Unlike his first experience in Minho’s apartment, now Taemin couldn’t really bring himself to mind.
******
Taemin groaned, of all the people to see in this situation. Minho looked up from across the table at the slight noise, cocking his head to the side in silent question.
“Goddamnit,” Taemin muttered.
“Hey Taemin!” from across the small diner where Taemin and Minho had come for lunch between classes, the familiar sight of a goofily waving Jinki and a smiling Kibum was coming ever closer.
The two boys walked up to their table, Kibum hanging off Jinki’s arm as if Jinki was his personal consort. Jinki’s beady, little eyes went round at the sight of Minho. Taemin sighed. If there was anything worse than Jinki and Kibum apart, it was the two of them together.
Taemin still didn’t understand what Kibum saw in the guy. Exhibit A: his appearance today was if possible even worse than normal with his untucked collared shirt that didn’t look washed, horn-rimmed glasses that were falling off his face, and hair that looked like it was growing out in an undignified mop. (He was not even the kind of dork that would look good if he took his glasses off like you see in the movies because the rest of him was so pathetic). And it wasn’t just his appearance that was an issue but his demeanor. Kibum called him a genius but with the way he carried himself, Taemin thought the term “idiot savant” was much more appropriate. He had this horrid way of wheezing through his syllables in daily speech like a six year old with severe asthma that made Taemin want to smack him until he spat out what he had to say.
“Are you guys…dating?” Jinki gasped out. Taemin dropped his face in his hands while Minho looked up at the pair, smiling as ever.
“Yes we are. Please take care of us hyungnim.”
As Jinki continued to gasp, Taemin angrily stabbed a laughing Minho with his fork before glaring at the intruding pair, “Shut your pie-hole Lee! And you! What are you doing here?”
Kibum shrugged a flawless shoulder which peeked out from his fashionably large knit sweater, “Can’t a man have some lunch?”
Without being offered Kibum slid into the seat next to Taemin while forcibly seating Jinki on the other side. Jinki fearfully looked at Taemin who glared at him in return.
Kibum cocked his head to the side, resting it in one propped up hand as he looked back and forth between Taemin and Minho, amusement clearly written in his features, “I see you guys are getting along famously now.”
Taemin could feel his cheeks turn pink, which of course annoyed him to no end because what did he have to be embarrassed for? It’s not like he and Minho were really dating. He was repulsed by the very idea.
“Anyway, my baby here finally turned in his thesis this morning. I say we go out for drinks tonight.”
Jinki beamed, his squinty eyes creasing into oblivion, “Yup, I’m a free man now.”
Kibum narrowed his eyes, leaning in seductively to the clueless Jinki. “Not quite, my dear,” he cooed in a low whisper, delighting in seeing Jinki’s embarrassed face, his eyes darting from side to side like a cornered deer. Kibum reached forward to clasp Jinki’s face with one well-manicured hand to set his gaze on himself, “Jinki dear…look at me.” Jinki’s eyes focused on Kibum’s face instantly as if transfixed and they shared a look that spoke of deep longing and something more like…
Both Taemin and Minho fidgeted in their spots, picking at their food until Minho who couldn’t take it anymore cleared his throat loudly, “Y-yeah drinks tonight sound good, we’ll come congratulate you hyung.”
The preoccupied couple seemed to break from their trance, Jinki looking guilty and Kibum smiling languidly like a satisfied cat. “Well, I’m glad we have you lovebirds on board. It’ll be like a double date!”
Taemin got up abruptly from his chair, and pushed the rest of his uneaten lunch towards Jinki, “I have to go to class.”
Without waiting for the others, he hastened out of the diner, the sounds of a delighted Jinki gasping “Ooh chicken!” resounding behind him.
******
Taemin avoided Minho for the rest of the day, the earlier comments that Kibum and that idiot Jinki had made troubling him, though he didn’t want to admit it. Just because those two were gay, they thought everyone else was as well! Taemin thought angrily. Sure Minho had said he liked him before but it was pretty clear that they were just friends now.
Kibum texted him the time and place for drinks and at nine o’clock he found himself in the thumping underground club, Fever.
He waded through the crowd until he arrived at one of the booths in a dark corner in the back. Jinki had cleaned up considerably, much likely due to the efforts of Kibum. Though it looked like the strobe lights might give him a seizure any moment by the way he kept blinking rapidly, he was holding up considerably.
“Taemin!!” Kibum popped out of the crowd with four drinks and Minho in tow. Kibum’s face was already a little flushed and he was wearing some slinky black tank top and tight black skinnies, with his hair spiked up in a faux-hawk. Minho greeted Taemin as usual, also looking pretty good with a black button up shirt and dark wash jeans, his naturally well-built frame doing his look great justice.
“Oh you look so good Taebaby!” Kibum glanced at Taemin’s form-fitting v-neck shirt and dark skinny jeans appreciatively. Kibum whispered to him, “Trying to impress someone tonight?” Taemin only smiled. Yeah, but not who you think.
It only took a couple drinks before Jinki was already slurring his words and nuzzling his cheek into Kibum’s neck like a love-sick puppy. It wasn’t long before the two of them were not so secretly fondling each other and making out, much to the disgust of Taemin who tried to look at anything but.
It was awkward with two of the people in their booth lost in their own little world and Taemin couldn’t bring himself to look at Minho either, who was also being unusually quiet. Taemin settled for downing another two shots of pineapple soju. At a time like this, what he needed most was liquid courage. Getting up, he extended a hand to Minho, “Wanna go dance?”
Minho smiled and agreed readily. Minho’s large hand was so warm clasped with his, but Taemin ignored the sensation, pushing into the crowd, scanning, looking around for the right one.
He found her easily. She was definitely his type and dancing alone, making eye contact with him instantly and beckoning flirtatiously with her kohl-rimmed eyes. Her curvy yet petite body moved in sensual waves, her ultra-mini skirt barely covering her ass as she grinded her hips in midair.
That was enough of an invitation for Taemin and without hesitation he let go of the hand he was holding, striding over to the girl and placing his hands on either side of her hips to bring her closer to himself. Soon enough they were moving to the beat in unison, her face way too close to his own, and her perfume overpowering. He didn’t even have that much to drink but he still felt drunk, drunk enough to be here, committing what felt deep down like an indelible crime. One moment Taemin was looking at Minho’s hurt-filled face which already felt so far away and the next moment he was grabbing the girl closer and they were kissing, a carnal exchange of tongues that was all vodka-laced saliva and no real feeling.
And suddenly, after kissing her, Taemin knew why all his relationships with all those girls had failed.
He pushed the girl away from him hurriedly and whipped his head around, scanning the crowd again but much more frantically this time. Despite Minho’s given height advantage, he was no longer anywhere to be seen. The girl grabbed at his arm, trying to be flirty and seductive, pressing her body against him, failing to realize that Taemin had somewhere to go right now.
Taemin rushed back to the booth where he found Jinki and Kibum, no longer making out, and no Minho in sight. “Where is he?”
“Gone,” Kibum spat out, glaring at Taemin disapprovingly.
Jinki barely managed to prop himself up on the seat, turning to Taemin with an accusatory look, “You know, you can be a real dick at times, Taemin.”
And that, coming from Jinki of all people, served to make him feel a million times worse.
******
Minho didn’t answer his phone that night or the next day either. Though Taemin was used to Minho coming to see him in between classes, today there was no sign of him.
He ran into Kibum on his way home, though his friend was unsympathetic to his despair.
“It’s your own fault you know,” Kibum said, his arms crossed across his chest, a sure sign that he was unhappy with Taemin.
“I thought you were supposed to be my best friend,” Taemin muttered, kicking his foot into the ground.
“I am. That’s why I care enough to tell you when you’re being an asshole.”
Kibum sighed and pat Taemin on the back, “I know you have a weird stigma about gays but don’t you think you’re overdoing it? Before you know it, you might find that the person you really love, whether it’s a boy or girl, is walking out of your life for good.”
“Yeah…”
“I have to go,” Kibum turned to leave. “Oh yeah, if you’re looking for Minho he said he was hanging out with an old high school friend today.” He added as an afterthought, “I heard they used to date too.”
Kibum chuckled as he watching Taemin’s’ running form get smaller in the distance.
******
It was already dark by the time Taemin arrived at Minho’s apartment complex and he despaired to see that his fourth floor window was black with no sign of anyone inside. Taemin figured he might as well wait outside for Minho and stood around the main entrance inciting a few weird looks from the night guards.
After what felt like hours of waiting around and getting his hopes up at every figure that walked his way, his nose was bright pink and he hopped from one foot to the other, hands wrapped around himself to try and keep warm.
An expensive looking black sedan came into his view, parking a little ways down the street and Taemin had a gut feeling that what he had been waiting for had finally arrived. The car opened on one side and a slightly short figure, presumably the driver, opened one door in the back. Out stepped Minho and another figure that could only be!
Minho was leaning down to say something to Key and they both laughed. Taemin felt a muscle above his eyebrow twitch. But it was when the two began to partake in a heartfelt embrace that made Taemin’s blood begin to boil.
Before he knew it he was marching over to the pair and wrenching Minho away from the smaller man’s grasp.
“He’s mine damnit!”
Taemin immediately clasped a hand over his mouth. What in the actual fuck…did I really just say that??
The sentiment seemed to be mirrored in the faces of the two other men, and even that of the driver. Taemin felt his face flush in shame because no one was saying anything and they were all just looking at him with the same expression as if he was the biggest idiot in the world and quite probably he really was the biggest idiot in the world and he deserved to be blighted from the face of the earth by God, Zeus, or whoever-
“Ohmygoodness Minho, you were right. He’s absolutely adorable!”
Taemin’s eyes widened in shock as he was suddenly attacked by a pair of soft hands in an impromptu session of intense cheek-squishing and coddling. He was suddenly so confused. Why was this man touching his cheeks and why the hell were his hands so soft??
“Alright, alright that’s enough Key. Look, the kid’s about to cry.”
“Aww,” Key cooed but backed away from Taemin nonetheless.
Now that he finally came to his senses, Taemin could only stare in awe at the sparkling wonder that was Key. He was even thinner than he usually looked on television and his hair was swept to the side with rainbow streaks going through it. He had perfect porcelain skin, a toned body, and feline-like eyes that could be either sexy or ferocious. Of course his clothes were all designer, a sight that would have made Kibum pop an artery out of sheer jealousy.
“You don’t have to worry cutie-pie. Minho and I aren’t like that anymore. In fact, I’m going out with that guy! Say hi, Jonghyun.” Key smilingly pointed at the short guy Taemin had mistaken as the driver. “Hello.” The man waved obediently at Taemin.
“But really he’s just my boytoy,” Key whispered conspiratorially. “Isn’t that right baby?” he called out to the man with a sexy growl. Jonghyun shrugged with a good-natured grin, “What can I say, I’m a kept man.”
Taemin couldn’t help but laugh a little. For some reason, Key reminded him a little bit of Kibum after all.
“Anyways, you guys look like you have some talking to do,” Key gave a pointed look to Taemin and Minho. Judging by how Minho blushed and ducked his head, Key had wheedled out all the juicy details of his and Taemin’s relationship.
“Jonghyun?” Key brought his hands up in the air to perform two quick, successive claps with an arched eyebrow as his eyes glanced at the door once and back. Taemin thought he was going to choke on his spit. He changed his mind, Kibum was nothing compared to Key.
Jonghyun rolled his eyes but came over to open the door for Key anyway, who slid into the plush leather seat with a content look on his face. Key turned to Taemin again with a wink, “Tell me if Minho doesn’t treat you right. There’s always more room in the Key mansion for cute little things like you.”
Taemin slowly backed away from the man without looking too conspicuous, “I-I’ll keep that in mind.”
Key brought up a slender hand and waggled his fingers at them airily, “Until next time, toodles!”
The sedan was gone in a flash, leaving Minho and Taemin behind in an awkward silence. Taemin looked down at his feet in despair. If only he could turn back the last thirty minutes of his life…
“So...I’m yours huh?”
“Shut up.”
“What’s the point of being shy now?”
“I swear it was just a spur of the moment thing!!”
“Liar.”
Minho chuckled and put an arm around Taemin, his usual warmth giving him comfort and reminding him that he had been so cold while he was waiting outside for Minho by himself. “Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Taemin asked, his voice muffled into the folds of Minho’s jacket as the taller boy pressed his body closer into himself.
“Sorry, were you waiting long? I was with Key all day today and as you can probably tell he demands a person’s whole attention. And yesterday…I was just angry. I needed some time alone.”
Taemin stepped back, albeit reluctantly from Minho’s warm body, looking up into his eyes apologetically, “Yesterday, I was just-I was just being dumb! I don’t even like that girl. I’m sorry.”
Taemin hung his head in shame, his fingers fidgeting with the ends of his shirt, twisting them and letting go, as he was prone to do whenever he was nervous. It was a bad habit ever since he was young.
“Okay.”
He felt a large hand ruffle his hair, warm as ever, and Taemin was overcome with a feeling of relief and happiness. An arm circled around his shivering frame once more and the two of them headed inside Minho’s apartment just like old times, as if yesterday had never happened and all that was left for them in the future were the good memories they would build in each other’s arms.
*****
“You didn’t think I’d let it go that easily did you?”
Minho on the whole was a very nice guy but there were times like this when his voice would become one tone huskier and Taemin would feel chills go down his back as his body broke out in a cold sweat.
“B-but I said I was sorry!”
“I may not look it, but I’m a very jealous man Taemin.”
“Fine.”
“Really?”
“Sure. Let’s do this.”
And that’s how Taemin found himself pinned down to Minho’s bed, their hands clutching at each other in a frenzy as their lips were locked in a passionate interplay of tongue. That is, until, Taemin felt a large hand slip into the back of his jeans, stretching the thin film of his underwear and poking at the entrance to his-
“Whoa whoa, back the fuck up,” Taemin pushed Minho’s large frame off of him in a hurry. “I’m the bottom??”
“Yes.” The main problem with Minho’s answer was that he was deathly serious.
“Wait, why am I the bottom?? Though I may have been dumped by numerous girls, it was never for the reason that I lacked any skills in bed!”
“Don’t you read manga? Of course you’re the bottom. Now get down on all fours.”
“No!!”
“You owe me. C’mon I’ll make you feel good.”
Taemin sighed, “Fine.”
******
Taemin cringed, the feeling of a foreign substance being spread around in his hole a highly strange though not completely unpleasant sensation.
Taemin glanced behind him once, where Minho was hard at work, poking and prodding with his fingers with a grave expression.
“Hey you better be careful back there, I don’t want to lose anything important.”
Minho just chuckled
“I’m serious!”
“Alright, alright, I promise I won’t pull out a kidney or whatever.” Minho rolled his eyes.
******
Sure, Taemin had been a rather prejudiced man towards gays, his best friend included.
But now he felt like he could completely turn back on his old ways. Who knew sex with another man, especially on the receiving end, could feel so good? Hell, Kibum deserved a public apology.
“Ungghhh, harder Minho!” Taemin cried out. Minho obliged by quickening his pace, his chest coming forward to lean against Taemin’s back as his hips were flush against his lover, his member ploughing into him with a heightened sense of urgency.
Bringing his hand forward, Minho hurriedly jerked Taemin’s cock in time with his thrusts. Taemin cried out once more, unable to take the maddening pleasure from both ends. With a firm but gentle hand, Minho brought Taemin to completion as he himself thrust especially deep, a sweet climax, even more so because it was with the one he loved.
The two lovers collapsed on top of the bed, exhausted, Minho whispering a litany of I love you’s in his ear and Taemin taking comfort in the sound.
******
“Well, was I right?”
“…perhaps.”
Minho brought Taemin’s lithe form closer into his chest, bending to whisper in his ear darkly, “You were mewling and whimpering like a baby kitten. “
Minho had to stifle a laugh as he watched Taemin’s face redden to impossible shades.
“Asshole.”
“You’re adorable Tae.”
From the nightstand, there came a faint vibration and Taemin reached over lazily with one arm to get his phone. It was a text from Kibum.
[Heard there was ‘progress’ in the relationship. Didn’t I tell you I’d help you get over your heartbreak? You’re welcome. J]
Taemin glared darkly at his phone. Dismemberment was too soft a punishment for Kim Kibum after all.
******
Kibum looked down at the hateful message on his phone in amusement before tossing it aside, choosing to lean back languidly into the arms of math geek extraordinaire and his lover, Jinki. “Their love was engineered by the masterful mind that is me. Praise me, Jinki dearest.”
In lieu of words Jinki bent down to kiss Kibum full on the mouth, preparing for round two of their steamy nightly activities.
a/n I tried to make Taemin the typical tsundere hehe. I personally liked his character quite a bit, he can be obnoxious and full of himself but also has a tendency to overreact and cry a lot J on the inside he’s just a softie! For purposes of this story Key and Kibum are completely different people (in reality me just being too lazy to come up with more characters).
a/n2 Also, some of you may be curious about the progress on my other works...i guess this 8000w monster was some form of offering to appease those of you who may be annoyed about the slow updates..things are a little rough right now because i lost all my old files while i was fixing my laptop. But I'll really try to get working on my other fics! Though i make no guarantees *facepalms*
Pairing: 2min, side Onkey, side Jongkey
Length: 8209 words (oneshot)
Summary: After Kibum takes Taemin out to drinks to cheer him up after his sixth break up in a row, Taemin wakes up the next morning naked and confused in Minho's bed. This leads to a very angry Taemin. Will he eventually give in to the advances of Minho or will he lose out on his chance at love?
Rating: NC -17
It was happening again, just like it had nearly countless times before. All things accounted, Taemin really shouldn’t have felt like he was being run over by a truck and then stomped on for good measure. But if there was one thing that Taemin had learned about heartbreak over the years was that it didn’t hurt any less whether it was the first or the second time, or in his case, the sixth. Rather, it seemed his heart proved to have the immense capability of being broken again and again-and mending subsequently, though that was always a longer process.
In a sense it was almost impressive.
I don’t think we ever really hit it off that well. And now it’s showing.
Taemin tried to open his mouth to deny what he believed was clearly a false claim but his girlfriend, or rather ex-girlfriend now, continued to spew the words that would pierce his heart.
We’re just not very compatible. I guess you’re not my type after all. I think it’s the best for both of us if we part ways.
He shook his head violently and tried to stop the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes (he was a man goddamnit). From the corner of his eyes he could see his once girlfriend look at him with pity which only served to make him feel even more miserable. Nonetheless, it didn’t stop her from turning around and walking away, leaving him an abandoned and crying fool sitting alone in a coffee shop.
*****
“It’s just not fairrrr you know?? I’m a good-looking guy for chrissake. I-I’m anyone’s type!!”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re a real beauty alright. Be careful not to knock over your glass.” Kibum rolled his eyes at his best friend’s all too obviously inebriated state. “Jesus,” he muttered to himself as he watched Taemin sway back and forth precariously on his bar stool before slumping forward onto the dirty counter like a sack of rotten potatoes.
Taemin lifted his head to look at him, bleary-eyed, but with considerable resolve despite his level of drunkenness. “What do you know, you flaming gay!” Taemin sat up once more and poured himself another hearty serving of soju before taking a big swig, all of which Kibum eyed disapprovingly. Taemin glared at his best friend and muttered, “As if I could ask you for love advice. You’ll probably just try to convince me to like dicks.”
Kibum had to silently count to ten and do the breathing exercises he had learned in drama class while also giving himself mental reminders such as Taemin’s going through a hard time, this is my best friend, but more effectively if I punch him in the face now it will just create more trouble later.
Taemin prattled on and on, something about the “meaning of love” (Taemin was an English major so he liked to spout out such nonsense from time to time), but Kibum largely tuned him out. It wasn’t that he was unsympathetic to Taemin’s break up but rather it was such a common occurrence now (really? six girlfriends within a year?) that Kibum found himself having trouble feeling the same level of sympathy with Taemin the sixth time as he did the first. He was really starting to wonder what was Taemin’s problem that led him to getting dumped so many times. His personality was alright, if you got past his obstinate nature and occasional bouts of obnoxiousness. And it wasn’t as if Taemin wasn’t attractive or anything. Granted, the kid was no Fabio being all of 115 pounds and more likely to go to a poetry reading then lift a dumbbell. But his wide eyes and shaggy fringe gave him an almost puppy-like appeal that girls, usually older ones, seemed to fawn over. Surely , the problem couldn’t be…
Kibum’s eyes scanned the relatively small space of the neighborhood pub that many of their fellow college students liked to frequent. His eyes landed on Minho, Choi Minho, who wasn’t Kibum’s friend but more of an acquaintance. And this was mainly because Minho was also gay and the gay community was pretty small in their university. Minho was tall, dark, and handsome and a very nice guy admittedly, but not Kibum’s type which was why he never tried to pursue him. Kibum liked the nerd types, as Taemin liked to call it. Sexy nerds, as Kibum was always quick to correct. Kibum thought fondly of his boyfriend Jinki who was obediently waiting for him back in their studio apartment, probably working on his thesis or watching an episode of Numbers. Sure Jinki was bespectacled and could recite the first two hundred digits of pi. But he also had those thighs to die for, not to mention that other part of his body. Kibum practically purred in the thought of what would be waiting for him in bed tonight.
Kibum was shaken out of his reverie by a poke in the arm by a glaring and still-drunk Taemin. “What are you purring about you morally corrupt homo??” And it was with these words that Kibum had to remind himself once more that today was about helping Taemin get out of his funk as quickly as possible (he shuddered recalling Taemin hiding out in a dark dorm room surrounded by the smell of death and decay) for Taemin’s and his own sake.
“My dearest friend of twelve years,” Kibum wrapped an arm around Taemin who eyed him suspiciously. “I’m going to help you get over your heartbreak. After tonight, whats-her-face will be the last thing on your mind, I promise you.”
“And how the hell are you going to manage that?”
Kibum shrugged, “Just a little social mingling to get your mind off things.”
With this he grabbed Taemin’s arm and pulled him away from his beloved soju across the room, marching up to Choi Minho with a smile and a greeting as though they went wayyy back.
Kibum glanced at Taemin from the side of his eye and smiled a little to himself. In all honesty this was 9 parts good intention, one part petty revenge for always making those snide remarks about him being gay.
But in any case, he was sure that Taemin would thank him in the end.
*****
Taemin just stood there, awkward and fidgeting as Kibum worked his usual charm with a tall (too tall) and rather good-looking guy (though he himself was much better!) who Taemin had never met before. It was so like Kibum to know just about everyone on campus. Taemin only made perfunctory greetings and noncommittal grunts to whatever they were talking about, too drunk and depressed to really care about being social at the moment. Kibum merely ignored him, too busy making jokes with this guy, Minho, and whispering things in his ear. It wasn’t long before the three of them were seated again, except this time at a round table. Taemin shifted in his seat, a little unsettled by this Minho guy’s gaze and a bit miffed about the fact that Kibum was totally ignoring him even though he had promised to cheer him up today.
Nonetheless, time flew as drinks came around once more and Taemin was satisfied just as long as the soju came to him in a steady flow (why not just get an iv drip of the stuff? Minho joked at one point). However, Kibum didn’t do much to stop his drinking, only occasionally slapping him on the back saying things like, “It’s alright Taem, at times like this, a man’s gotta drink!” and filling up his glass once more. Minho looked on, amused at the whole situation.
And it was around the time when Taemin had his nth shot of soju and both his face and ears felt very very warm, that he quietly rested his head against the table and closed his eyes.
*****
The first thing Taemin saw when he woke up was stars, as per usual when the pounding headache of a massive hangover threatened to knock him back into the unconscious once more. This was normal. The second thing Taemin saw was the broad, tan and muscular chest against which he had apparently snuggled up to all night, if his cheek pressed into the warm flesh was any indication. This was definitely, definitely, not normal.
“Aarrrghhhhhhhh!!”
The owner of the tan, muscular chest groaned, turning over and scooting to the edge of the bed as if to escape the noise before finally sitting up, propped up on one arm as his other hand reached up to run through his tousled brown locks like a freaking Abercrombie model-Taemin shook his head of the thought, that wasn’t the point right now, why the fuck…
“Minho?? You! And-and, m-me??!” Taemin barely managed to sputter, his own hands, he noticed in annoyance, already clutching the sheets around his naked form as if he was a blushing bride the morning after her wedding day or some stupid crap like that. Hurriedly, he threw the sheets off of himself (as if he had anything to hide!) but instantly regretted it as it became so obviously clear the difference between his and Minho’s body, his pale, skinny body nothing in comparison to the freaking Adonis next to him. Again, Taemin’s face burned in shame. In his twenty years of existence he had never been so ashamed to be born a man!
Wait, but that’s not the point! Taemin shook his mop of hair furiously back and forth as if to rid his head of the distractions and if possible this whole nightmare of a situation. He seriously couldn’t remember anything from last night after the three of them had started drinking. He tried to steady his swirling thoughts to focus and think logically. It appeared he was in Minho’s own apartment, if the rather spacious layout of the bedroom was any indication and he had woken up in his bed …naked.
Taemin suddenly wanted to cry. Maybe his drink had been drugged! Maybe it was the dreaded roofie that got so many girls into these kinds of horrible situations, lead into a stranger’s home, and taken against their will, their minds and bodies no longer their own! Taemin’s eyes widened at the ever-escalating horror and he snatched the sheets back up again to hide himself in. Who knew what this Minho guy would do next!
It seemed to take Minho a minute to get his bearings but once he did, he turned to Taemin with a wide, albeit sleepy, smile that showed off his glittering, Colgate-white teeth, “Morning, baby.”
In retrospect, Taemin would regret sobbing like a little girl right then and there.
*****
When Taemin finally stopped crying, it appeared he was clothed once more and sitting at a kitchen table with a steaming mug of coffee pressed into his hands. Taemin sniffled a little before rubbing at his eyes furiously. He stared at the brown liquid a bit suspiciously, but took a sip nonetheless. He doubted that this Minho guy would try anything funny at 9 in the morning, and he’d be lying if he said a bit of caffeine didn’t sound wonderful at the moment for his hangover. Minho sure was friendly for a sexual deviant.
Minho eyed him over his own mug of coffee, the tiredness written into the bags under his eyes though they were still creased in what seemed like never-ending mirth, “Feeling better?”
Taemin guzzled down as much as the hot liquid as he possibly could without burning himself, setting down the cup loudly before glaring at Minho from across the table, “Cut the bullshit Choi, and how about answering some questions?”
Minho sighed a little, “I already told you earlier. You passed out at the bar last night and Kibumssi asked me to bring you back because his boyfriend was waiting for him at home. I just brought you to my place because I thought it was easier.”
“W-well, then why did I wake up naked??”
Minho shrugged, taking another sip of his coffee, “You seemed uncomfortable. I always sleep naked so it’s no big deal.”
Taemin bit his lip, “How do I know you didn’t do anything to my body??”
“Oh, you would be feeling it this morning, I assure you,” Minho smirked. “Though I can’t say I didn’t appreciate the view.”
“So, you really are gay!” Taemin exclaimed. As if that insufferable homo Kibum wasn’t enough! Why was he surrounded by such people in his life?
“Aren’t you?”
“E-excuse me?”
“Didn’t you just break up with your boyfriend? Kibumssi told me that’s why we were all drinking together yesterday. In fact, his exact words were ‘he’s pretty down after his bf dumped him. But I’m sure spending some time with a handsome guy like you would perk him right up!’ and so that’s what happened.”
“I-I’m most certainly not gay!” by this time Taemin was nearly red to his ears in rage. Momentarily, Taemin imagined painfully pulling his best friend apart limb by limb. And then doing the same to his precious Jinki for good measure. Of course he would set Jinki’s stupid thesis up in flames before his very eyes as well.
In comparison, Minho seemed unperturbed by the turn of events, striding over to his toaster and getting out a plate. “Toaster strudel?” he offered to Taemin who merely shook his head and sulked.
Minho shrugged and began to wolf down his breakfast, unconcerned with the fact that he was consuming what Kibum would call “fat people food”. As if even an ounce of fat has the slightest chance of clinging on to the contours of his sculpted body, Taemin observed bitterly. Of all the gays Taemin had met (which consisted of a number that was largely made up of one Kim Kibum) Minho was by far the most deceiving.
Taemin eyed Minho warily. Perhaps the toaster strudel was just a front? “You don’t seem quite as…flamboyant.”
Minho looked up from his breakfast, laughing a little, “I don’t think that’s necessarily an indicator of sexuality. If it helps I’m also an avid soccer fan, a bio major, and hate shopping.”
Taemin made a noncommittal grunt. He decided he disliked this guy, everything from the way he talked like a dating site ad, had a perfect body, right down to his stupid, straight teeth.
“Well, as much fun as this all has been,” Taemin took a moment to roll his eyes for effect. “ I’ve got to be heading back, very busy and all.” Being heartbroken, he added to himself.
Minho looked up again, “You should stick around for another thirty minutes or so and then we can leave together. I have to head out to my part time job anyway.”
Taemin shook him off with a wave of his hand, blundering around Minho’s living room for his cellphone and wallet, “No need, no need. Quite honestly I don’t really want to spend any more time with you is all. This has been one of the most traumatizing experiences of my life, thank you very much.”
His incessant movements were stopped by Minho who was silently pressing his belongings into his hands.
“Thanks,” Taemin muttered before hastening to leave. But before he could take another step he felt a strong grip on his wrist holding him back. Taemin felt the hairs on his nape prickle up in anger at the increasing sense of emasculation by this Minho guy.
“What?!” he spat out, a little nastier than intended.
“I just want to help.” Cue disarming smile. Taemin glared harder. “Skip the mourning process and come by the Starbucks on campus anytime today between 11 and 4. I’ll whip up something sweet to cheer you up.”
Taemin wrestled his hand away, “The only thing that’s going to help me right now is holing up in my room with the blinds drawn! So stop smiling at me like that! It hurts my eyes damnit.”
At this, Minho broke out in hearty laughter once more, his hand even coming up to wipe some moisture from his eyes, “You’re quite a hellcat aren’t you?”
He bent down to whisper something in Taemin’s ear which made him turn all shades of red and nearly bristle with anger and embarrassment. In lieu of answering he merely turned around and ran out of Minho’s apartment like hells fire until he was standing outside to hail a cab. Despite the frosty air of November weather, Taemin could still feel the heat rising all the way to his ears.
You’re just my type. I like them cute and feisty.
******
The next few weeks consisted of a series of very annoying reoccurrences of running into Minho just about everywhere on campus. “It’s like he’s stalking me!” Taemin had complained to Kibum one day after the two had made up over what Taemin darkly called “the incident” (this required quite a bit of ass-kissing on Kibum’s part and even on Jinki’s part by association). Kibum had merely shrugged saying, “Well, he’s in our grade. It’s only natural to see him around I guess.” “But he’s not even in my department! Biology and English, how polarizing can you get??” Kibum pat Taemin on the back comfortingly, “Who knows, my friend, who knows…” (He may or may not have slipped Taemin’s schedule to Minho on the sly).
Kibum didn’t even know the worst of it, Taemin thought darkly. He had been too embarrassed to tell Kibum what Minho had said that day when they parted. And now, every time they met, Taemin got this horrible sinking feeling that Minho was hitting on him.
There was no way he was imagining it, as much as he wished this was the case. Minho would wait outside of Taemin’s classrooms on certain days with free deliveries of Green tea latte (how did he know?) and a variety of baked confections (for which Taemin also had a weakness for). Poor student that he was, Taemin wasn’t above accepting free food but he would usually take it and run away at the first opportunity, using a repertoire of increasingly ridiculous excuses (last time he had told Minho that his hamster Emma had a skin disease which required meticulous application of ointment every two hours for which he had to go home for), once he realized that simple threats wouldn’t make Minho go away on his own. Truthfully Taemin felt a little bit guilty whenever he saw Minho’s crestfallen face but it couldn’t be helped for the simple fact that he was not gay.
These days, it became a habit for Taemin to hide out in his favorite section of the school library, 19th century Romanticism, perusing the poetry aisle along the back wall. Except that day the usually empty section of the library had one other person, the back of the tall figure strangely familiar. But Taemin realized too late that it was indeed Minho. Before he could sneak away he heard a voice call out to him, “Taemin!”
Taemin turned around, albeit begrudgingly, “What are you doing here?? “
“Bio majors are required to take a literature course. I wanted to get some books for my essay. Help me out?” Minho smiled ear to ear as if Taemin hadn’t just brushed him off for the nth time earlier that day.
Somehow Taemin found himself shoulder to shoulder with Minho, going through books explaining the merits of Gerard Hopkins compared to the more well-known Wordsworth. Minho listened obediently, the pile of books in his arms growing steadily upon Taemin’s recommendation.
“How’s your hamster?” Minho asked offhandedly.
“Fine,” Taemin replied tersely, keeping his eyes on the row of books before him.
There was a brief silence as both boys pretended to be immersed in the titles they were picking off the shelves. It was Minho who first broke it, clearing his throat, “Look, I know you’ve been avoiding me. But I just want you to give me a chance.”
“No. I told you, time and again, I am not gay!” Taemin’s voice was a whispered hiss as he looked around the library wildly for any eavesdroppers.
Sensing Taemin’s nervousness, Minho dropped the books in his arms onto a nearby shelf and moved closer to Taemin, who also kept backing away, until Taemin’s back hit the shelf behind him and Minho’s much bigger figure was enclosing him in the small space. Leaning forward, Minho let both arms rest on either side of Taemin’s head, leaving the two dangerously close. Taemin found it suddenly difficult to breathe, gulping nervously as he looked up into Minho’s eyes, which were usually like those of a friendly puppy, but were now narrowed in what could only be described as dark desire.
“Come to lunch with me.”
“N-no. I don’t have to listen to you!”
Minho leaned in ever closer and Taemin had to hold his breath because it felt like the slightest movement would make their lips touch. Minho’s breath ghosted over his lips, making his insides tremble and his legs go weak, “If you don’t, I’ll just eat you up right here instead. Would you like that Lee Taemin?”
Taemin could only utter a frightened, “F-fine” and suddenly Minho was backing off and smiling his ever bright smile as if nothing had even happened. “Awesome. I know this great bistro that’s a few blocks away from here. Shall we go then?”
Taemin swore he saw the devil in that smile.
******
Lunch was surprisingly…pleasant. Minho told him funny stories of exploding things in his chemistry lab and despite his better judgment, Taemin even found himself opening up to Minho quite a bit.
Minho whistled, leaning back in his chair, “Six girlfriends in a year? That’s pretty impressive.”
Taemin couldn’t help but puff up in pride. Who said he wasn’t the model of manliness and virility? He had gotten all those girls to fall for him after all (though they had all dumped him in the end).
“What about you?” Taemin was even surprised with himself with the question. It wasn’t like he really cared who Minho had gone out with. But he couldn’t help being a little…curious.
Minho bit into his sandwich and chewed for a while as if to think, “Well, I haven’t had a boyfriend in a while. My last serious boyfriend I dated all throughout high school. But he got so busy it was hard to see each other anymore.”
“Is he from our school?”
“Nah, he doesn’t go to school.”
Taemin raised an eyebrow, “Oh I see…what does he do?”
“He sings, dances, and writes lyrics…”
“A singer?”
“Yup. Have you heard of Key?”
Taemin could physically feel his jaw drop in shock, “The Key? Who swept all the rookie awards when he debuted and has been at the top of the charts ever since??”
“Haha yeah…we were childhood friends and started going out in high school. But obviously our lives were going in different directions.”
Taemin didn’t say anything more but he couldn’t help but feel a bit trumped. Six girlfriends was nothing to dating a celebrity. Especially such a successful and attractive one. Kibum had always insisted that he looked just like Key but Taemin never really saw the resemblance himself.
As if sensing his discomfort, Minho was quick to explain, “Of course he wasn’t famous when we started going out. It was only when he dropped out of school our junior year that things started to get pretty serious.” There was a note of sadness in Minho’s voice and for some inexplicable reason it bothered Taemin a little bit.
“Anyways, that’s all in the past now. Let’s talk about us.”
“There is no us,” Taemin corrected testily.
“Now, don’t be like that. Take a chance on me, yeah?”
Taemin sighed heavily. Minho’s grin was quite blinding. But Taemin never had quite believed the old adage that you can’t spit on a smiling face. “This is why I don’t trust gays. When you think you’re having a normal conversation they just go ahead and quote from the soundtrack of Mamma Mia.”
Minho remained unflustered, “I’m pretty persistent, you know.”
“Save your energy for the gym,” Taemin muttered.
“You think I have a nice body?”
Taemin rolled his eyes, getting up to leave and picking up the tab. Minho wanted to pay. In the end they agreed to go halves.
******
Despite Taemin’s strong resistance, their relationship progressed to a level that most of society would certainly deem as “friendship”.
Though Minho had indeed said he was persistent, in Taemin’s eyes this description was a bit of an understatement. Minho continued to diligently dog Taemin’s steps (“Stop following me around!”) and act so freaking nice to him that Taemin couldn’t help but surrender to Minho’s perseverance. It was when he found Minho waiting for him outside the English department building one rainy day with one umbrella and his perpetual grin that Taemin thought to himself that perhaps he had been too hard on the guy.
That day, Taemin had been having a rough morning where nothing seemed to be going right: he forgot some materials for his presentation so he had to rush to the library last minute to print out more copies only to find that the printers were down for maintenance. He had no choice but to wing it from memory but because of his lack of sleep the night prior, his mind kept drawing blanks at critical points and he was a blundering mess in front of his class and his notoriously hard-ass teacher. He had skipped lunch because he was too nervous and now he was starving and facing a likely mad dash in the rain to his dorm room because he had forgotten his umbrella.
He slowly trudged out of his classroom and out the corridor, the nearing sound of the steady downpour of raindrops filling his heart with dread.
What he saw from across the glass entrance doors was a smiling Minho who looked like he just rushed over here himself from lab, if the lab coat and lab goggles around his neck were any indication. He waved a little and pointed at the umbrella with a jerk of his head, beckoning him, a silent promise to protect Taemin from the rain.
Taemin’s breath left his body as if he was winded, all the stress from earlier dissipating as something that felt like relief washed over him.
And he couldn’t help but smile a little for the first time that day.
******
The only thing with being friends with Minho was that if you gave him an inch, he would take a mile.
The free drinks and snacks kept coming until Taemin had to finally tell Minho to stop-he did have some conscience after all. He couldn’t keep freeloading off of Minho for food from his workplace that probably came out of his salary anyway. Minho protested, saying that he got an employee’s discount but Taemin was adamant.
What started as seeing each around campus developed to something more. Eventually, Minho even made it a habit to visit him in his dorm room (how did he find out where he lived??) and even made friends with his hamster (the first time he came over Taemin had told Minho that Emma’s skin condition had cleared up overnight. It was a miracle! Minho remained dubious). Emma now ran to snuggle in Minho’s hand instead of Taemin’s whenever they let him out of his cage. Taemin felt an unnatural level of betrayal over this matter. As the scorned owner, he briefly contemplated denying Emma her favorite snacks but in the end he couldn’t bring himself to do it whenever he looked into her round, watery eyes. What could he say, he was a softie at heart.
Other times Taemin went over to Minho’s apartment under the pretense of helping him with his literature homework which Minho always complained about being so hard. Usually those nights consisted of perhaps thirty minutes of doing homework and then Minho showing off his surprisingly good cooking skills for Taemin before they watched movies out of Minho’s DVD collection (“You know Taemin, I think you’re already about eighty percent in love with me.” “In your dreams, I’m only here for the free dinner.”). On other nights they would watch the soccer games on TV that Minho said were of utmost importance. Though Taemin wasn’t really interested in sports, he always occupied himself with watching Minho get so riled up by the games, sometimes yelling at the screen, other times getting up and kicking the carpet before sheepishly grinning at Taemin who told him to sit back down and watch the game like a normal person.
There were times when Taemin stayed too late and found himself waking up on Minho’s sofa, a blanket wrapped around him, with Minho’s body draped around him as well for extra warmth. Unlike his first experience in Minho’s apartment, now Taemin couldn’t really bring himself to mind.
******
Taemin groaned, of all the people to see in this situation. Minho looked up from across the table at the slight noise, cocking his head to the side in silent question.
“Goddamnit,” Taemin muttered.
“Hey Taemin!” from across the small diner where Taemin and Minho had come for lunch between classes, the familiar sight of a goofily waving Jinki and a smiling Kibum was coming ever closer.
The two boys walked up to their table, Kibum hanging off Jinki’s arm as if Jinki was his personal consort. Jinki’s beady, little eyes went round at the sight of Minho. Taemin sighed. If there was anything worse than Jinki and Kibum apart, it was the two of them together.
Taemin still didn’t understand what Kibum saw in the guy. Exhibit A: his appearance today was if possible even worse than normal with his untucked collared shirt that didn’t look washed, horn-rimmed glasses that were falling off his face, and hair that looked like it was growing out in an undignified mop. (He was not even the kind of dork that would look good if he took his glasses off like you see in the movies because the rest of him was so pathetic). And it wasn’t just his appearance that was an issue but his demeanor. Kibum called him a genius but with the way he carried himself, Taemin thought the term “idiot savant” was much more appropriate. He had this horrid way of wheezing through his syllables in daily speech like a six year old with severe asthma that made Taemin want to smack him until he spat out what he had to say.
“Are you guys…dating?” Jinki gasped out. Taemin dropped his face in his hands while Minho looked up at the pair, smiling as ever.
“Yes we are. Please take care of us hyungnim.”
As Jinki continued to gasp, Taemin angrily stabbed a laughing Minho with his fork before glaring at the intruding pair, “Shut your pie-hole Lee! And you! What are you doing here?”
Kibum shrugged a flawless shoulder which peeked out from his fashionably large knit sweater, “Can’t a man have some lunch?”
Without being offered Kibum slid into the seat next to Taemin while forcibly seating Jinki on the other side. Jinki fearfully looked at Taemin who glared at him in return.
Kibum cocked his head to the side, resting it in one propped up hand as he looked back and forth between Taemin and Minho, amusement clearly written in his features, “I see you guys are getting along famously now.”
Taemin could feel his cheeks turn pink, which of course annoyed him to no end because what did he have to be embarrassed for? It’s not like he and Minho were really dating. He was repulsed by the very idea.
“Anyway, my baby here finally turned in his thesis this morning. I say we go out for drinks tonight.”
Jinki beamed, his squinty eyes creasing into oblivion, “Yup, I’m a free man now.”
Kibum narrowed his eyes, leaning in seductively to the clueless Jinki. “Not quite, my dear,” he cooed in a low whisper, delighting in seeing Jinki’s embarrassed face, his eyes darting from side to side like a cornered deer. Kibum reached forward to clasp Jinki’s face with one well-manicured hand to set his gaze on himself, “Jinki dear…look at me.” Jinki’s eyes focused on Kibum’s face instantly as if transfixed and they shared a look that spoke of deep longing and something more like…
Both Taemin and Minho fidgeted in their spots, picking at their food until Minho who couldn’t take it anymore cleared his throat loudly, “Y-yeah drinks tonight sound good, we’ll come congratulate you hyung.”
The preoccupied couple seemed to break from their trance, Jinki looking guilty and Kibum smiling languidly like a satisfied cat. “Well, I’m glad we have you lovebirds on board. It’ll be like a double date!”
Taemin got up abruptly from his chair, and pushed the rest of his uneaten lunch towards Jinki, “I have to go to class.”
Without waiting for the others, he hastened out of the diner, the sounds of a delighted Jinki gasping “Ooh chicken!” resounding behind him.
******
Taemin avoided Minho for the rest of the day, the earlier comments that Kibum and that idiot Jinki had made troubling him, though he didn’t want to admit it. Just because those two were gay, they thought everyone else was as well! Taemin thought angrily. Sure Minho had said he liked him before but it was pretty clear that they were just friends now.
Kibum texted him the time and place for drinks and at nine o’clock he found himself in the thumping underground club, Fever.
He waded through the crowd until he arrived at one of the booths in a dark corner in the back. Jinki had cleaned up considerably, much likely due to the efforts of Kibum. Though it looked like the strobe lights might give him a seizure any moment by the way he kept blinking rapidly, he was holding up considerably.
“Taemin!!” Kibum popped out of the crowd with four drinks and Minho in tow. Kibum’s face was already a little flushed and he was wearing some slinky black tank top and tight black skinnies, with his hair spiked up in a faux-hawk. Minho greeted Taemin as usual, also looking pretty good with a black button up shirt and dark wash jeans, his naturally well-built frame doing his look great justice.
“Oh you look so good Taebaby!” Kibum glanced at Taemin’s form-fitting v-neck shirt and dark skinny jeans appreciatively. Kibum whispered to him, “Trying to impress someone tonight?” Taemin only smiled. Yeah, but not who you think.
It only took a couple drinks before Jinki was already slurring his words and nuzzling his cheek into Kibum’s neck like a love-sick puppy. It wasn’t long before the two of them were not so secretly fondling each other and making out, much to the disgust of Taemin who tried to look at anything but.
It was awkward with two of the people in their booth lost in their own little world and Taemin couldn’t bring himself to look at Minho either, who was also being unusually quiet. Taemin settled for downing another two shots of pineapple soju. At a time like this, what he needed most was liquid courage. Getting up, he extended a hand to Minho, “Wanna go dance?”
Minho smiled and agreed readily. Minho’s large hand was so warm clasped with his, but Taemin ignored the sensation, pushing into the crowd, scanning, looking around for the right one.
He found her easily. She was definitely his type and dancing alone, making eye contact with him instantly and beckoning flirtatiously with her kohl-rimmed eyes. Her curvy yet petite body moved in sensual waves, her ultra-mini skirt barely covering her ass as she grinded her hips in midair.
That was enough of an invitation for Taemin and without hesitation he let go of the hand he was holding, striding over to the girl and placing his hands on either side of her hips to bring her closer to himself. Soon enough they were moving to the beat in unison, her face way too close to his own, and her perfume overpowering. He didn’t even have that much to drink but he still felt drunk, drunk enough to be here, committing what felt deep down like an indelible crime. One moment Taemin was looking at Minho’s hurt-filled face which already felt so far away and the next moment he was grabbing the girl closer and they were kissing, a carnal exchange of tongues that was all vodka-laced saliva and no real feeling.
And suddenly, after kissing her, Taemin knew why all his relationships with all those girls had failed.
He pushed the girl away from him hurriedly and whipped his head around, scanning the crowd again but much more frantically this time. Despite Minho’s given height advantage, he was no longer anywhere to be seen. The girl grabbed at his arm, trying to be flirty and seductive, pressing her body against him, failing to realize that Taemin had somewhere to go right now.
Taemin rushed back to the booth where he found Jinki and Kibum, no longer making out, and no Minho in sight. “Where is he?”
“Gone,” Kibum spat out, glaring at Taemin disapprovingly.
Jinki barely managed to prop himself up on the seat, turning to Taemin with an accusatory look, “You know, you can be a real dick at times, Taemin.”
And that, coming from Jinki of all people, served to make him feel a million times worse.
******
Minho didn’t answer his phone that night or the next day either. Though Taemin was used to Minho coming to see him in between classes, today there was no sign of him.
He ran into Kibum on his way home, though his friend was unsympathetic to his despair.
“It’s your own fault you know,” Kibum said, his arms crossed across his chest, a sure sign that he was unhappy with Taemin.
“I thought you were supposed to be my best friend,” Taemin muttered, kicking his foot into the ground.
“I am. That’s why I care enough to tell you when you’re being an asshole.”
Kibum sighed and pat Taemin on the back, “I know you have a weird stigma about gays but don’t you think you’re overdoing it? Before you know it, you might find that the person you really love, whether it’s a boy or girl, is walking out of your life for good.”
“Yeah…”
“I have to go,” Kibum turned to leave. “Oh yeah, if you’re looking for Minho he said he was hanging out with an old high school friend today.” He added as an afterthought, “I heard they used to date too.”
Kibum chuckled as he watching Taemin’s’ running form get smaller in the distance.
******
It was already dark by the time Taemin arrived at Minho’s apartment complex and he despaired to see that his fourth floor window was black with no sign of anyone inside. Taemin figured he might as well wait outside for Minho and stood around the main entrance inciting a few weird looks from the night guards.
After what felt like hours of waiting around and getting his hopes up at every figure that walked his way, his nose was bright pink and he hopped from one foot to the other, hands wrapped around himself to try and keep warm.
An expensive looking black sedan came into his view, parking a little ways down the street and Taemin had a gut feeling that what he had been waiting for had finally arrived. The car opened on one side and a slightly short figure, presumably the driver, opened one door in the back. Out stepped Minho and another figure that could only be!
Minho was leaning down to say something to Key and they both laughed. Taemin felt a muscle above his eyebrow twitch. But it was when the two began to partake in a heartfelt embrace that made Taemin’s blood begin to boil.
Before he knew it he was marching over to the pair and wrenching Minho away from the smaller man’s grasp.
“He’s mine damnit!”
Taemin immediately clasped a hand over his mouth. What in the actual fuck…did I really just say that??
The sentiment seemed to be mirrored in the faces of the two other men, and even that of the driver. Taemin felt his face flush in shame because no one was saying anything and they were all just looking at him with the same expression as if he was the biggest idiot in the world and quite probably he really was the biggest idiot in the world and he deserved to be blighted from the face of the earth by God, Zeus, or whoever-
“Ohmygoodness Minho, you were right. He’s absolutely adorable!”
Taemin’s eyes widened in shock as he was suddenly attacked by a pair of soft hands in an impromptu session of intense cheek-squishing and coddling. He was suddenly so confused. Why was this man touching his cheeks and why the hell were his hands so soft??
“Alright, alright that’s enough Key. Look, the kid’s about to cry.”
“Aww,” Key cooed but backed away from Taemin nonetheless.
Now that he finally came to his senses, Taemin could only stare in awe at the sparkling wonder that was Key. He was even thinner than he usually looked on television and his hair was swept to the side with rainbow streaks going through it. He had perfect porcelain skin, a toned body, and feline-like eyes that could be either sexy or ferocious. Of course his clothes were all designer, a sight that would have made Kibum pop an artery out of sheer jealousy.
“You don’t have to worry cutie-pie. Minho and I aren’t like that anymore. In fact, I’m going out with that guy! Say hi, Jonghyun.” Key smilingly pointed at the short guy Taemin had mistaken as the driver. “Hello.” The man waved obediently at Taemin.
“But really he’s just my boytoy,” Key whispered conspiratorially. “Isn’t that right baby?” he called out to the man with a sexy growl. Jonghyun shrugged with a good-natured grin, “What can I say, I’m a kept man.”
Taemin couldn’t help but laugh a little. For some reason, Key reminded him a little bit of Kibum after all.
“Anyways, you guys look like you have some talking to do,” Key gave a pointed look to Taemin and Minho. Judging by how Minho blushed and ducked his head, Key had wheedled out all the juicy details of his and Taemin’s relationship.
“Jonghyun?” Key brought his hands up in the air to perform two quick, successive claps with an arched eyebrow as his eyes glanced at the door once and back. Taemin thought he was going to choke on his spit. He changed his mind, Kibum was nothing compared to Key.
Jonghyun rolled his eyes but came over to open the door for Key anyway, who slid into the plush leather seat with a content look on his face. Key turned to Taemin again with a wink, “Tell me if Minho doesn’t treat you right. There’s always more room in the Key mansion for cute little things like you.”
Taemin slowly backed away from the man without looking too conspicuous, “I-I’ll keep that in mind.”
Key brought up a slender hand and waggled his fingers at them airily, “Until next time, toodles!”
The sedan was gone in a flash, leaving Minho and Taemin behind in an awkward silence. Taemin looked down at his feet in despair. If only he could turn back the last thirty minutes of his life…
“So...I’m yours huh?”
“Shut up.”
“What’s the point of being shy now?”
“I swear it was just a spur of the moment thing!!”
“Liar.”
Minho chuckled and put an arm around Taemin, his usual warmth giving him comfort and reminding him that he had been so cold while he was waiting outside for Minho by himself. “Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Taemin asked, his voice muffled into the folds of Minho’s jacket as the taller boy pressed his body closer into himself.
“Sorry, were you waiting long? I was with Key all day today and as you can probably tell he demands a person’s whole attention. And yesterday…I was just angry. I needed some time alone.”
Taemin stepped back, albeit reluctantly from Minho’s warm body, looking up into his eyes apologetically, “Yesterday, I was just-I was just being dumb! I don’t even like that girl. I’m sorry.”
Taemin hung his head in shame, his fingers fidgeting with the ends of his shirt, twisting them and letting go, as he was prone to do whenever he was nervous. It was a bad habit ever since he was young.
“Okay.”
He felt a large hand ruffle his hair, warm as ever, and Taemin was overcome with a feeling of relief and happiness. An arm circled around his shivering frame once more and the two of them headed inside Minho’s apartment just like old times, as if yesterday had never happened and all that was left for them in the future were the good memories they would build in each other’s arms.
*****
“You didn’t think I’d let it go that easily did you?”
Minho on the whole was a very nice guy but there were times like this when his voice would become one tone huskier and Taemin would feel chills go down his back as his body broke out in a cold sweat.
“B-but I said I was sorry!”
“I may not look it, but I’m a very jealous man Taemin.”
“Fine.”
“Really?”
“Sure. Let’s do this.”
And that’s how Taemin found himself pinned down to Minho’s bed, their hands clutching at each other in a frenzy as their lips were locked in a passionate interplay of tongue. That is, until, Taemin felt a large hand slip into the back of his jeans, stretching the thin film of his underwear and poking at the entrance to his-
“Whoa whoa, back the fuck up,” Taemin pushed Minho’s large frame off of him in a hurry. “I’m the bottom??”
“Yes.” The main problem with Minho’s answer was that he was deathly serious.
“Wait, why am I the bottom?? Though I may have been dumped by numerous girls, it was never for the reason that I lacked any skills in bed!”
“Don’t you read manga? Of course you’re the bottom. Now get down on all fours.”
“No!!”
“You owe me. C’mon I’ll make you feel good.”
Taemin sighed, “Fine.”
******
Taemin cringed, the feeling of a foreign substance being spread around in his hole a highly strange though not completely unpleasant sensation.
Taemin glanced behind him once, where Minho was hard at work, poking and prodding with his fingers with a grave expression.
“Hey you better be careful back there, I don’t want to lose anything important.”
Minho just chuckled
“I’m serious!”
“Alright, alright, I promise I won’t pull out a kidney or whatever.” Minho rolled his eyes.
******
Sure, Taemin had been a rather prejudiced man towards gays, his best friend included.
But now he felt like he could completely turn back on his old ways. Who knew sex with another man, especially on the receiving end, could feel so good? Hell, Kibum deserved a public apology.
“Ungghhh, harder Minho!” Taemin cried out. Minho obliged by quickening his pace, his chest coming forward to lean against Taemin’s back as his hips were flush against his lover, his member ploughing into him with a heightened sense of urgency.
Bringing his hand forward, Minho hurriedly jerked Taemin’s cock in time with his thrusts. Taemin cried out once more, unable to take the maddening pleasure from both ends. With a firm but gentle hand, Minho brought Taemin to completion as he himself thrust especially deep, a sweet climax, even more so because it was with the one he loved.
The two lovers collapsed on top of the bed, exhausted, Minho whispering a litany of I love you’s in his ear and Taemin taking comfort in the sound.
******
“Well, was I right?”
“…perhaps.”
Minho brought Taemin’s lithe form closer into his chest, bending to whisper in his ear darkly, “You were mewling and whimpering like a baby kitten. “
Minho had to stifle a laugh as he watched Taemin’s face redden to impossible shades.
“Asshole.”
“You’re adorable Tae.”
From the nightstand, there came a faint vibration and Taemin reached over lazily with one arm to get his phone. It was a text from Kibum.
[Heard there was ‘progress’ in the relationship. Didn’t I tell you I’d help you get over your heartbreak? You’re welcome. J]
Taemin glared darkly at his phone. Dismemberment was too soft a punishment for Kim Kibum after all.
******
Kibum looked down at the hateful message on his phone in amusement before tossing it aside, choosing to lean back languidly into the arms of math geek extraordinaire and his lover, Jinki. “Their love was engineered by the masterful mind that is me. Praise me, Jinki dearest.”
In lieu of words Jinki bent down to kiss Kibum full on the mouth, preparing for round two of their steamy nightly activities.
a/n I tried to make Taemin the typical tsundere hehe. I personally liked his character quite a bit, he can be obnoxious and full of himself but also has a tendency to overreact and cry a lot J on the inside he’s just a softie! For purposes of this story Key and Kibum are completely different people (in reality me just being too lazy to come up with more characters).
a/n2 Also, some of you may be curious about the progress on my other works...i guess this 8000w monster was some form of offering to appease those of you who may be annoyed about the slow updates..things are a little rough right now because i lost all my old files while i was fixing my laptop. But I'll really try to get working on my other fics! Though i make no guarantees *facepalms*