The Only Constant; Minho/Key
A philosopher once said that change is the only constant but Kim Kibum disagreed.
Author's Note: written for my one and only mei who i know loves me so much that she shared with me her lovely idea that goes something like this... "I was thinking of a three shot that shows 3 different stages of MinKey. You can write it however long you want though. So.. Basically: Stage 1: MinKey's fight in real life and the awkwardness that follows em for a year. Stage 2: Sth happens and they're seeing each other differently, both falling hard for the other, confessions, blabla Stage 3: Some months/years into their relationship together, looking back. It can be stage 3 first then the other 2 as flashbacks or in order." and so, dear readers, i hope you enjoy what you're about to read!
It was the first time in his twenty seven years of life that Kim Kibum found himself not wanting to go back home. Home was his favourite place on earth. Enough said. However, now that he was standing outside the door to his penthouse (half of which was under his name), he didn't know if he wanted to go in. It all boiled down to one reason - Kibum was in a cold war with the person who owned the other half of the luxurious apartment.
The silent battle had been going on for four days and counting, and Kibum had long forgotten how the argument even started. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Kibum hated how he felt like he was living with a ghost, or maybe it was because he was accused of being unreasonable or demanding, or that they both felt like they weren't treasured or loved as much as they originally were by the other anymore, but whatever it was, it didn't make a difference because nothing would change the fact that they got into the biggest argument of their lives and said hurtful things to each other they both couldn't take back. And now, the shared owners of the penthouse were going through a rough patch in their relationship, both not knowing what the future would hold for them.
Kibum was tired, not just physically since he had to host 2 radio gigs, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, as well as guest star on a variety show in which the recording went on for almost four hours, but he was also mentally exhausted. With all that was going on in his life, Kibum was definitely not in tip top condition. He had barely slept for the past few nights, his appetite was poor and he felt as if he was just going through motion, waking up every day to attend to his schedules and then coming back home dead tired but unable to sleep. Simply put, he felt like the walking dead. To think Kibum thought he wouldn't have to feel this way ever again after SHINee had their final curtain call almost a year ago... It turned out he had to wait until 2019 to find out he was terribly wrong.
Life after SHINee should have been less hectic. In fact, it was. After over 10 years of being one fifth of the contemporary band, Kibum wasn’t all that interested in performing anymore. He still remained under SM Entertainment but chose to work behind the scenes in the department of Artist Planning & Development where he focused on creating art and visuals, and developing album concepts for the current artistes. Occasionally, Kibum would make appearances on television or radio here and there but only if he wanted to accept their invitations.
With a fulfilling job that had flexible working hours and a bank account that was probably going to last him a lifetime, you could say Kibum was living the life. He generally had no complaints with how his life had turned out after SHINee disbanded but this week had been terribly tough on him. All Kibum wanted was rest but he knew he wasn't going to get any... especially tonight. From what he knew after a trip to the company, the person who owned the other half of the penthouse and was now a full time actor had no schedules for the night so he had to be at home. Four days ago, Kibum would have been happy to know that he wouldn't have to come home to an empty house but right now, he couldn't be too sure about how he felt.
Kibum looked at his hand that held his house key and let out a sigh. This was absurd. How could he not have the courage to step into his own apartment? Even if he was in a cold war with his roommate (because any affectionate term like boyfriend or lover was not for use if they were arguing), this was still his home. Suddenly realising that he was troubling himself for nothing, Kibum took in a deep breath and finally unlocked the door to his house.
He expected to have at least the time needed to walk through the hallway and into the living room to prepare himself to face his roommate. Yet, upon opening the door and looking up into his brightly lit home, Kibum’s eyes instantly met those doe eyes that belonged to none other than his ex-bandmate, current roommate, and if they were on better terms, boyfriend and lover of almost a decade - Choi Minho. That’s right, they had been in a relationship that was currently in its 10th year. Amazing, wasn’t it? Yet, in all the 13 years (and counting) that Kibum knew Minho, it had certainly never got as awkward as this. All of a sudden, it felt like they were strangers meeting for the very first time.
Adjusting the strap of his messenger bag, Kibum shifted awkwardly under Minho's gaze, quickly taking in his roommate's appearance at the same time and realizing that he was dressed in his exercise gear. Before he knew it, Kibum said the first thing that popped into his mind.
“Gym?”
Kibum didn't miss the surprise that flashed across Minho's face (probably because this was the first word he had spoken to him ever since the fight) even though Minho was quick to cover it up as he shook his head before bending down to tighten his shoelaces.
“I'm just going for a run outside.”
Kibum nodded his head and stepped aside to give Minho the space to exit, making sure to look down so he didn't have to feel more awkward if they maintained eye contact. He could feel Minho looking at him for a moment that felt like forever before the actor finally walked past him and left the apartment without saying anything more. Once the door had closed, Kibum let out a huge breath he didn’t know he had been holding and fell back against the wall as if all his energy had been drained from him.
Kibum remembered this feeling. It almost felt like a flashback to the year 2006. Even though the last time he felt this way was more than a decade ago, the feeling was still fresh in his mind. There was a reason behind the phrase ‘young and reckless’. That described both Kibum and Minho perfectly. They were both headstrong and as stubborn as can be, thinking that they were always right, and were largely unconcerned about the consequences of their actions. As much as he wanted people to accept him when he travelled to Seoul from Daegu in his quest for stardom, Kibum never wanted to change the way he spoke and so, he kept his Gyeongsang dialect.
Little did he know, this would become the very reason that sparked off a series of never ending arguments with Minho when they were getting to know each other as trainees. There was just something Minho couldn’t stand about how Kibum always sounded so angry, almost on the verge of rude, when he spoke to him. It also didn’t help that Kibum had entered the company later than Minho and so, even though they were of the same age, Minho was still considered his sunbae in the company. Until now, this was something Kibum would never understand. It was this very reason that made Minho feel he had every right to abuse his authority and order Kibum around every chance he got. And as such, Kibum’s resentment just grew even more.
Little by little, things had gotten really tense between Kibum and Minho; it was obvious that they were on bad terms so no one was surprised when one day, they finally snapped and had a fiery exchange of words with each other. Everyone around them had seen this coming, they knew the two of them wouldn’t be on speaking terms for maybe a couple of days, at most a week; but no one imagined that their fight would make both Kibum and Minho awkward around each other for almost two years, even after they debuted in the same group. That was how serious things were; so how could Kibum ever forget that this happened between Minho and him? It was a memory that Kibum certainly couldn’t erase because he had felt the one thing he feared feeling the most when he had been in that awkward phase with Minho; and that was feeling as if he was going to lose someone important in his life.
As the memories slowly came back to him, Kibum pushed himself off the wall and dragged his feet into the living room. He dropped his tired body onto the white leather sofa that he and Minho had picked out when they went furniture shopping for their penthouse together and stared at the ceiling as a bitter smile grew on his face. Come to think of it, it was funny how Kibum knew Minho was going to be important in his life right from the very beginning. Even though they were at loggerheads with each other, Kibum never once thought that he could do without Minho in his life once he had entered it. It was hard to explain but sometimes, you can just tell if a certain someone is worth keeping in your life, and that was the case for Kibum when he met Minho. It was precisely because Kibum cared for the guy that he even bothered getting into arguments with him. Things just got a little too out of hand. But even if Kibum had felt that they were going to drift apart after the huge argument, fate lent a helping hand as he ended up in the same band as Minho.
As silly as it might sound, Kibum remembered how he thought debuting in the same group as Minho was the universe's way of telling him he had no choice but to sort things out with Minho. Of course, it wasn't until two years later that they finally became comfortable around each other and silently acknowledged the other as a friend. Now that he was looking back on how far they've come together, Kibum would like to think that the universe was actually telling him something more - Minho was here to stay. Even if Kibum wanted to avoid him, it was going to be impossible.
Minho was everywhere. He was one out of four people Kibum would wake up to every morning, and the last few people he saw before he slept. It was a given that they, along with the other 3 members, had to be with each other 24/7. They worked together, ate together, slept together and sometimes even had to use the same bathroom together. Basically, the five of them were inseparable quintuplets. But what made Kibum feel Minho's presence the most out of every other member was the fact that Minho was assigned to stand beside him every time they were on stage, and that, evidently, happened a lot.
Kibum could safely say, although it was the five of them standing on stage together, he felt like Minho was the only person he could depend on and reach out to if he needed someone. He was also the only person Kibum could share his immediate thoughts and feelings with on stage. Simply put, Minho and Kibum were each other’s life saver when they stood as five especially if any unforeseen circumstances happened in front of the cameras. As if that wasn’t enough, Kibum also found himself being selected as the other rapper of the group and well, that just meant that he had to work with Minho even more, not just off stage but also on stage. There was definitely no running away.
True, Minho had gone through a difficult phase when he couldn't get used to being in the limelight right from the start and became too quiet for every one's liking that it felt as if SHINee could do without him. Kibum would tell you though, this made no difference to him at all. In fact, Kibum ended up being even more aware of Minho and his sudden change in character, and it wasn’t soon before long Kibum realised that he wanted the Minho everyone knew as trainees to come back. It didn’t mean that Kibum ended up making conscious effort to bring Minho back to the person everyone was familiar with. Onew, Jonghyun and sometimes Taemin, had done a great job in assuming responsibility for that, frequently trying to lure Minho to open up onscreen and encourage him to speak whenever possible. Kibum simply just stayed the way he was, acting no different from how he normally was around Minho, and allowed nature to take its course.
Kibum should have known that he and Minho were bound to make peace. With such close proximity on stage, they were naturally each other’s immediate form of support and were somewhat obligated to pay attention to and look out for the other. Unable to ignore each other’s presence no matter how much they wanted to, it would come as no surprise then that Kibum and Minho began caring for each other in the littlest of ways. It was these little acts of concern that eventually snowballed into something so huge that both Kibum and Minho themselves didn’t realise they had eventually crossed the thin line between friendship and love.
It was with this thought that Kibum ended up laughing to himself as he finally sat up on the sofa and found just enough energy to head to the open concept kitchen and fix himself dinner. He needed to get his appetite back so why not, Kibum thought, try with something home cooked? As he looked into the cupboards, Kibum’s first instinct was to take out the packet of pasta and the jar of ready-made Carbonara sauce and whip up a quick meal under 15 minutes. But on second thought, he remembered that Minho was home tonight and judging from how he went out for a run, Kibum knew Minho most probably hadn’t eaten his dinner yet. Just like that, Kibum changed his mind. Although they were currently not on speaking terms, Kibum didn’t have the heart to ignore Minho and refuse to cook his share when he was already preparing dinner for himself.
And so, Kibum scrapped the idea to cook pasta for himself, closing the cupboard and opening the one beside it which his mother had stocked up with Korean side dishes as well as seasonings on her last visit. With Minho at home, Kibum knew a traditional Korean meal was the way to go. Deciding to stick with a simple kimchi jjigae, he pulled out all the necessary ingredients from the cupboard before he headed to the fridge to take out the rest. It was going to take a little more time and effort than cooking pasta but Kibum had hopes that it would be worth it. As he began preparing the stew, Kibum could already picture the surprise on Minho’s face when he came home from his run to a home cooked meal on the table. It might just work as a peace offering… or at least an icebreaker.
Kibum had to admit, no matter how much Minho annoyed or frustrated him in the 13 years they’ve known each other, he couldn’t hate him at all. After all, Minho was the one who cared more for him from the start. It was in Minho’s nature to take care of the people around him and Kibum found himself being one of them even though they weren’t on the best of terms when they debuted in the same group. When he was thirsty, Minho would share a water bottle with him. When he was hot from the sun shining on him or getting wet from the rain, Minho would shield him with an umbrella. When his hair was out of place, Minho would help him style it back because he knew how much his appearance meant to Kibum. When his mic failed on him, Minho would pass him another mic and save him from technical difficulties. When he wanted the pink fan instead of the blue, Minho would exchange his own fan with Onew’s just so he could give Kibum what he wanted. When he laughed too hard, Minho was there to be a pillar in human form. When he had thoughts or secrets to share, Minho would be his listening ear. As long as Kibum needed someone to be there for him, Minho would be that person, never disappointing him. Among everything that Minho had done for him, what touched Kibum the most was how Minho had been putting aside a part of his daily allowance for a couple of months just so he had the cash to buy him a birthday present; and with that, every single disagreement they had in the past was all water under the bridge.
It was way too easy for Kibum to warm up to Minho in the end. Soon, he found himself caring for Minho in ways that only the rest of SHINee and Minho himself could tell was Kibum’s way to show he cared. It was in the way Minho became the first person Kibum would look for if he wanted to share his secrets, jokes, joy or troubles. It was in the way Kibum loved squabbling with Minho regardless of where they were, both of them understanding that bickering was precisely what made their relationship so special. Or how Kibum would step up to save Minho during variety shows when the rapper found it hard to express himself in the beginning.
Even the way Kibum had pressed a handkerchief, which he had originally been using to dab at his own sweat, onto Minho’s neck just so the rapper could wipe his sweat first showed how much Kibum paid attention to Minho’s needs as well. Not to forget, how Kibum made a habit out of using Minho as his personal armrest or naturally linking their arms together on stage were the little things that revealed how comfortable he was with Minho. Everyone knew that Kibum was also Minho’s personal cheerleader at any competitive event but out of everything that expressed how much Minho meant to him, perhaps playfully leaving an “I love you too, Minho!” as his reply to a fan who had sent an “I love you, Minho!” addressed to the rapper through UFO was the most meaningful way to announce how important Minho was in his life.
As days quickly turned into months, and the months into years, Kibum and Minho found a way to make their relationship work even though they were complete opposites. They had become so familiar with each other that they knew one another inside out. As close as (or maybe even closer than) family, they could understand each other with just a single look or action and could probably read each other’s minds. Of course, the basics included knowing each other’s likes and dislikes at the back of their hands. And it was this knowledge which made Kibum confident that his kimchi jjigae would surely do the trick. For one, Kibum knew how Minho always got angry when he was hungry and had no food to eat, so if he came back to a home cooked meal, his mood was most probably going to be good. And two, Kibum had cooked Minho’s favourite type of food - the actor loved spicy soups - so that just made him all the more certain that his peace offering would work.
Now that the soup was boiling and the rice was kept warm in the cooker, all Kibum had to do was wait for Minho to return from his run and join him for dinner. As he kept his eye on his stew, Kibum wondered how he should offer dinner to Minho. Honestly, as much as he was tired of fighting and wanted to make peace, he still wasn’t too keen on being the person to take the first step. Kibum was still a little strong headed in that aspect. Of all the times they had argued before (which was plenty considering they had been together for more than a decade), Kibum realised that this was the first time he had the thought of taking the initiative to break the ice. It wasn’t that Minho was always the one who made the first step to resolve their differences; it was more like them giving each other enough time and space to cool down before they went on to pretend their petty fights never happened and naturally got back to speaking terms again. Yet this argument was way different from every other argument they had and so, Kibum knew he had to be more careful with the way he dealt with the matter.
Just as he was racking his brain for a plan, Kibum was startled by the sound of the front door opening and closing. Instantly, he turned off the fire and covered the pot with the lid to keep the soup warm before he held his breath and turned around, making sure to hide the stove from Minho’s view because he wasn’t ready to reveal that he had cooked dinner for the both of them. In a split second, Kibum decided to see how Minho would act around him first before he figured out what was the best thing to do in the situation. His heart was thumping hard as the sound of footsteps came closer and closer until…
“Kibum?”
At the exact same time Kibum heard his name being called, the delicious smell of his favourite food greeted him and Kibum instantly spotted the brown paper bag that Minho was holding with his right hand. His eyes grew as wide as saucers as he then looked directly at Minho with a baffled expression on his face.
Kibum gulped as he cleared his throat and asked, “Is that…?”
“Yeah.” Minho answered as he placed the paper bag on the kitchen counter before he carefully took out the boxes that were inside and set them on the countertop, “You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I thought you would like Fish and Chips for dinner.”
It was at that exact moment Kim Kibum was reminded why he had fallen in love with Choi Minho.
It was another one of those nights Minho and Kibum ended up in bed together (whose bed, it didn’t matter), surrounded by darkness as they found themselves naturally drawn to each other, seeking the other’s warmth. In the next moment, their lips had met in the simplest of all kisses and like always, continued into one that could lead to so much more. They always kept a slow pace though, never rushing into things, simply enjoying the feel of the other’s lips and tongues against their own. Even so, the kisses they shared were nothing short of passion. They both knew what they felt, why they were kissing each other, why they couldn’t sleep peacefully without the other beside him on bed, but nothing was ever said between them. It was their little secret. Yet on one particular night, things had changed. With Minho’s hands secured tightly on his waist as if he never wanted to let go, Kibum suddenly found it too hard to breathe in between kisses that he abruptly pushed Minho away and turned to the side, reaching out to switch on the bedside lamp. Enough was enough. Something had to be said. Something had to be done.
“Minho… we should talk about this.”
Rubbing his lips, Minho blinked in question as he then propped his upper body up on his elbows and asked, “What’s there to talk about?”
“You know what!”
Understanding what Kibum was referring to, Minho creased his eyebrows, “Isn’t it clear?”
“What is?” Kibum questioned back.
“That I love you?”
“You love me?”
“Yeah, the same way you love me.”
Kibum blinked a couple of times before he shook his head and pushed Minho on his shoulder.
“I hate that you sound so confident.”
“But we both know I’m right, Kibum.”
“You’re acting as if there’s no need for us to talk about what’s going on between us.”
Minho nodded without hesitating, “There really isn’t… love should be easy, don’t you think?”
Kibum didn’t have an answer back in the year 2009 where it all began but now that silence was suffocating him as he and Minho stood in the kitchen with the counter separating them, Kibum had an argument to make. If love was easy, how on earth did they end up like this?
With that thought, Kibum finally took his eyes off the take away boxes of Fish & Chips and sighed to himself as he turned around without even looking at Minho.
“You… you’re not eating?”
Minho’s uncertain voice travelled from behind him.
“Actually, I cooked for us.” Kibum replied without even turning back.
Looking straight ahead, Kibum missed how Minho’s eyes had widened in surprise when he finally noticed the mess in the kitchen as well as the pot that he knew Kibum only used to cook stews.
Upon reaching the stove and after hesitating for a moment, Kibum turned back, finally meeting Minho’s eyes as he cleared his throat to ask while gesturing aimlessly, “Do you…”
“Yeah.” Knowing very well that Kibum was asking if he wanted to eat whatever he had cooked, Minho answered in a heartbeat, “Of course.”
Kibum managed a small smile as he then took the pot off the stove and brought it towards the counter, “I’ll get the rice.”
Nodding, Minho naturally took the responsibility to set up the table and prepare for dinner. Even though nothing was said between them, they both knew they were finally, after what seemed like forever, about to have dinner together as a couple.
It might have felt like they were taking one step forward in patching things up with each other since they were now sitting opposite one another although having their own separate meals; but when silence still surrounded them, Kibum knew they weren’t making any progress at all. The atmosphere was still tense and the awkwardness that surrounded them was almost visible to the human eye. Kibum, for one, was feeling too uncomfortable that he couldn’t keep still while savouring his favourite food and so he was constantly fidgeting, crossing and uncrossing his legs under the table. The funny thing was, unintentionally, his uneasiness was what exactly broke the silence.
“Ouch.”
Realising he had accidentally kicked Minho, Kibum’s eyes darted to Minho as he instinctively apologised, “Sorry.”
Shifting his position in his seat, Minho shook his head and sighed, “Kibum, should I go away?”
“What?” Kibum was confused, “Why?”
“From the looks of it, you’re going to suffer indigestion if I continue to eat with you.”
Upon hearing Minho’s explanation, Kibum bit his bottom lip and finally stilled himself, making conscious effort not to move as he clarified, “I’m eating well.”
“If you say so.”
“You?”
“You know I love your cooking, Kibum…”
“Well, I can’t be too sure about that…” Kibum answered in a mumble as he looked down at the bowl of soup that was now half empty, “You haven’t had the chance to eat at home for the past few months... maybe you’ve found something else to love.”
“Are we still talking about food?”
Kibum fell silent.
Knowing that he might sound like he was picking a fight, Minho quickly took back his words, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No. You should. It’s good. We should talk things out.”
“Not like this. Our relationship isn’t a problem that needs to be fixed, Kibum.”
“But this isn’t like any other fights we had, Minho, this is serious. For the first time in my life, I feel like we may be better off without each other.”
Minho tensed up, “Do you still feel this way?”
Kibum looked into Minho’s eyes, his brain searching for an answer to give the person who sat in front of him, looking ever so calm and serious.
Since Kibum looked like he was trying to decide on what to say, Minho continued, hoping to make things easier for his boyfriend, “If you feel that you can do without me in your life, I’ll give you what you want.”
Kibum swallowed as Minho’s words resounded in his ears. It was hard to believe that the reason why ten years of relationship might just go down the drain was the very reason that made Kibum realise he was in love with Minho.
As much as it was something that happened so randomly, Kibum would never forget the moment of sudden comprehension when he had been staring at Minho during one of those infuriatingly long car rides only to shockingly realise the importance of Minho in his life. There, sitting right beside him, was the guy who could give him everything he ever wanted in life. It was almost too much for Kibum to take, knowing that he couldn't imagine life without Minho, and his actions instantly reflected his mini panic attack. Before he knew it, Kibum had reached out and forcefully pulled Minho's earphones out of his ears. Minho was startled out of his daze as he instantly turned to look at Kibum with a bewildered expression, his hands immediately flying up to rub his ears. In normal circumstances, Kibum would most definitely laugh his head off at the epic look on Minho's face. However, the same bewildered expression was mirrored on Kibum's face because he himself didn't have the slightest clue why he had done that. He also had no idea why, of all the things he could do or say, he then chose to grab Minho by the wrist, holding him in a death grip, and say in an almost whisper, “Don't you dare leave me.”
Even in his confused state, Minho had instantly nodded as he took hold of Kibum's hand and promised, “Never.”
It was ironic though, how Minho was now going against his words and possibly agreeing to leave him as soon as Kibum gave the green light. Kibum wasn't angry. He had released all his anger and even threw his fair bit of temper when their argument first broke out. Staying or getting angry again was just too tiring for Kibum anyway. Instead, Kibum was calm; He understood. That's what spending almost half your life with another person does to you. It was hard to explain but after all they had been through together, they were so familiar with each other that they didn’t have to play guessing games anymore. Kibum also knew it was pointless to kick up a fuss. They weren't stubborn 15 year olds who always believed they were right anymore. That would get them nowhere; perhaps even completely destroy their relationship. So after coming so far together, Kibum really couldn't hold it against Minho if he wanted to leave. Besides, it was a promise made a decade ago... And well, Minho had held his promise for a time period worthy of anyone's praise especially since they were surrounded with relationships that didn’t seem to last. Could Kibum ask for more then?
“Why is this my decision to make?” Not wanting to answer Minho, Kibum directed the question to his boyfriend instead, “There’s two of us in this relationship, Minho.”
Minho’s answer was simple and straight to the point.
“Because I still love you enough to want the best for you. And if it makes you happier that we split, then I guess-”
Kibum interrupted the actor with a groan, “Minho, I spent almost half my life with you. Do you still not know the reason why I even bother to argue with you?”
Choosing not to say anything first, Minho waited for Kibum to continue.
“True, I might have my doubts about our future together when I wanted to stab you with a knife for everything you said that night-”
“I made you that angry huh?”
Kibum rolled his eyes and nodded, “Yet I still intend to spend the rest of my life with you...”
“I'm not sure if I should be happy to hear that since you might just really kill me one day.”
“Minho, I've always felt like killing you, ever since trainee days.”
Minho rubbed his neck nervously, “I knew that... It's just that I can actually confirm it right now.”
Minho and Kibum stared at each other for a moment before a smile tugged on the corners of Kibum's lips and soon after, the both of them started laughing. When the laughter had died down, they fell into a silence that was, thankfully, comfortable.
“So…”
Minho looked at Kibum.
“We good?”
Minho grinned, “Only if you promise not to hold a knife around me.”
“Minho, you managed to survive, what, 13 years, with me? I would have killed you long ago if I wanted to.”
“I’m just lucky you love me more than you hate me.”
“Keep reminding yourself that.”
Minho chuckled, completely enjoying their little banter, and as he saw how Kibum was smiling too, Minho knew things were back the way it should be.
“Hey Kibum?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m not planning to take on any new dramas for the time being… do you think you could take some time off from the company?” Minho asked as he reached across the table to hold Kibum’s hand, “I was thinking we could go somewhere together… London perhaps? You love that place, don’t you?”
“Seriously?” Cue surprised look on Kibum’s face.
“Yeah.” Minho squeezed Kibum’s hand and grinned, “And while we’re there, let’s get married.”
Kibum’s breath caught in his throat. It felt as if time had stopped at that very moment the words escaped Minho’s lips. All Kibum could do was stare at his boyfriend as his mind went blank. Trust Choi Minho to drop a bomb on him like that.
“What do you think?”
In an instant, the comfortable silence from before was now unsettling, but only for Minho as he waited for Kibum’s answer.
At the sound of Minho’s voice and the tightening of Minho’s grip on his hand, Kibum snapped back to reality, slowly refocusing his vision on Minho, as he took in a deep breath and said, “I think…”
Minho gulped, suddenly having all sorts of regrets for popping the all-important question so casually when he had most certainly thought of much more elaborate plans before. His nervousness only increased when Kibum dragged his words and took the time to consider his proposal. It honestly felt like forever to Minho before Kibum suddenly nodded to himself and Minho knew then his boyfriend had made a decision.
In the next moment, Kibum leaned forward, over their dinner that had long turned cold, to kiss Minho hard on the lips before he said a string of words that decided their future together,
“We should go to Paris for our honeymoon.”
Author's Note: written for my one and only mei who i know loves me so much that she shared with me her lovely idea that goes something like this... "I was thinking of a three shot that shows 3 different stages of MinKey. You can write it however long you want though. So.. Basically: Stage 1: MinKey's fight in real life and the awkwardness that follows em for a year. Stage 2: Sth happens and they're seeing each other differently, both falling hard for the other, confessions, blabla Stage 3: Some months/years into their relationship together, looking back. It can be stage 3 first then the other 2 as flashbacks or in order." and so, dear readers, i hope you enjoy what you're about to read!
It was the first time in his twenty seven years of life that Kim Kibum found himself not wanting to go back home. Home was his favourite place on earth. Enough said. However, now that he was standing outside the door to his penthouse (half of which was under his name), he didn't know if he wanted to go in. It all boiled down to one reason - Kibum was in a cold war with the person who owned the other half of the luxurious apartment.
The silent battle had been going on for four days and counting, and Kibum had long forgotten how the argument even started. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Kibum hated how he felt like he was living with a ghost, or maybe it was because he was accused of being unreasonable or demanding, or that they both felt like they weren't treasured or loved as much as they originally were by the other anymore, but whatever it was, it didn't make a difference because nothing would change the fact that they got into the biggest argument of their lives and said hurtful things to each other they both couldn't take back. And now, the shared owners of the penthouse were going through a rough patch in their relationship, both not knowing what the future would hold for them.
Kibum was tired, not just physically since he had to host 2 radio gigs, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, as well as guest star on a variety show in which the recording went on for almost four hours, but he was also mentally exhausted. With all that was going on in his life, Kibum was definitely not in tip top condition. He had barely slept for the past few nights, his appetite was poor and he felt as if he was just going through motion, waking up every day to attend to his schedules and then coming back home dead tired but unable to sleep. Simply put, he felt like the walking dead. To think Kibum thought he wouldn't have to feel this way ever again after SHINee had their final curtain call almost a year ago... It turned out he had to wait until 2019 to find out he was terribly wrong.
Life after SHINee should have been less hectic. In fact, it was. After over 10 years of being one fifth of the contemporary band, Kibum wasn’t all that interested in performing anymore. He still remained under SM Entertainment but chose to work behind the scenes in the department of Artist Planning & Development where he focused on creating art and visuals, and developing album concepts for the current artistes. Occasionally, Kibum would make appearances on television or radio here and there but only if he wanted to accept their invitations.
With a fulfilling job that had flexible working hours and a bank account that was probably going to last him a lifetime, you could say Kibum was living the life. He generally had no complaints with how his life had turned out after SHINee disbanded but this week had been terribly tough on him. All Kibum wanted was rest but he knew he wasn't going to get any... especially tonight. From what he knew after a trip to the company, the person who owned the other half of the penthouse and was now a full time actor had no schedules for the night so he had to be at home. Four days ago, Kibum would have been happy to know that he wouldn't have to come home to an empty house but right now, he couldn't be too sure about how he felt.
Kibum looked at his hand that held his house key and let out a sigh. This was absurd. How could he not have the courage to step into his own apartment? Even if he was in a cold war with his roommate (because any affectionate term like boyfriend or lover was not for use if they were arguing), this was still his home. Suddenly realising that he was troubling himself for nothing, Kibum took in a deep breath and finally unlocked the door to his house.
He expected to have at least the time needed to walk through the hallway and into the living room to prepare himself to face his roommate. Yet, upon opening the door and looking up into his brightly lit home, Kibum’s eyes instantly met those doe eyes that belonged to none other than his ex-bandmate, current roommate, and if they were on better terms, boyfriend and lover of almost a decade - Choi Minho. That’s right, they had been in a relationship that was currently in its 10th year. Amazing, wasn’t it? Yet, in all the 13 years (and counting) that Kibum knew Minho, it had certainly never got as awkward as this. All of a sudden, it felt like they were strangers meeting for the very first time.
Adjusting the strap of his messenger bag, Kibum shifted awkwardly under Minho's gaze, quickly taking in his roommate's appearance at the same time and realizing that he was dressed in his exercise gear. Before he knew it, Kibum said the first thing that popped into his mind.
“Gym?”
Kibum didn't miss the surprise that flashed across Minho's face (probably because this was the first word he had spoken to him ever since the fight) even though Minho was quick to cover it up as he shook his head before bending down to tighten his shoelaces.
“I'm just going for a run outside.”
Kibum nodded his head and stepped aside to give Minho the space to exit, making sure to look down so he didn't have to feel more awkward if they maintained eye contact. He could feel Minho looking at him for a moment that felt like forever before the actor finally walked past him and left the apartment without saying anything more. Once the door had closed, Kibum let out a huge breath he didn’t know he had been holding and fell back against the wall as if all his energy had been drained from him.
Kibum remembered this feeling. It almost felt like a flashback to the year 2006. Even though the last time he felt this way was more than a decade ago, the feeling was still fresh in his mind. There was a reason behind the phrase ‘young and reckless’. That described both Kibum and Minho perfectly. They were both headstrong and as stubborn as can be, thinking that they were always right, and were largely unconcerned about the consequences of their actions. As much as he wanted people to accept him when he travelled to Seoul from Daegu in his quest for stardom, Kibum never wanted to change the way he spoke and so, he kept his Gyeongsang dialect.
Little did he know, this would become the very reason that sparked off a series of never ending arguments with Minho when they were getting to know each other as trainees. There was just something Minho couldn’t stand about how Kibum always sounded so angry, almost on the verge of rude, when he spoke to him. It also didn’t help that Kibum had entered the company later than Minho and so, even though they were of the same age, Minho was still considered his sunbae in the company. Until now, this was something Kibum would never understand. It was this very reason that made Minho feel he had every right to abuse his authority and order Kibum around every chance he got. And as such, Kibum’s resentment just grew even more.
Little by little, things had gotten really tense between Kibum and Minho; it was obvious that they were on bad terms so no one was surprised when one day, they finally snapped and had a fiery exchange of words with each other. Everyone around them had seen this coming, they knew the two of them wouldn’t be on speaking terms for maybe a couple of days, at most a week; but no one imagined that their fight would make both Kibum and Minho awkward around each other for almost two years, even after they debuted in the same group. That was how serious things were; so how could Kibum ever forget that this happened between Minho and him? It was a memory that Kibum certainly couldn’t erase because he had felt the one thing he feared feeling the most when he had been in that awkward phase with Minho; and that was feeling as if he was going to lose someone important in his life.
As the memories slowly came back to him, Kibum pushed himself off the wall and dragged his feet into the living room. He dropped his tired body onto the white leather sofa that he and Minho had picked out when they went furniture shopping for their penthouse together and stared at the ceiling as a bitter smile grew on his face. Come to think of it, it was funny how Kibum knew Minho was going to be important in his life right from the very beginning. Even though they were at loggerheads with each other, Kibum never once thought that he could do without Minho in his life once he had entered it. It was hard to explain but sometimes, you can just tell if a certain someone is worth keeping in your life, and that was the case for Kibum when he met Minho. It was precisely because Kibum cared for the guy that he even bothered getting into arguments with him. Things just got a little too out of hand. But even if Kibum had felt that they were going to drift apart after the huge argument, fate lent a helping hand as he ended up in the same band as Minho.
As silly as it might sound, Kibum remembered how he thought debuting in the same group as Minho was the universe's way of telling him he had no choice but to sort things out with Minho. Of course, it wasn't until two years later that they finally became comfortable around each other and silently acknowledged the other as a friend. Now that he was looking back on how far they've come together, Kibum would like to think that the universe was actually telling him something more - Minho was here to stay. Even if Kibum wanted to avoid him, it was going to be impossible.
Minho was everywhere. He was one out of four people Kibum would wake up to every morning, and the last few people he saw before he slept. It was a given that they, along with the other 3 members, had to be with each other 24/7. They worked together, ate together, slept together and sometimes even had to use the same bathroom together. Basically, the five of them were inseparable quintuplets. But what made Kibum feel Minho's presence the most out of every other member was the fact that Minho was assigned to stand beside him every time they were on stage, and that, evidently, happened a lot.
Kibum could safely say, although it was the five of them standing on stage together, he felt like Minho was the only person he could depend on and reach out to if he needed someone. He was also the only person Kibum could share his immediate thoughts and feelings with on stage. Simply put, Minho and Kibum were each other’s life saver when they stood as five especially if any unforeseen circumstances happened in front of the cameras. As if that wasn’t enough, Kibum also found himself being selected as the other rapper of the group and well, that just meant that he had to work with Minho even more, not just off stage but also on stage. There was definitely no running away.
True, Minho had gone through a difficult phase when he couldn't get used to being in the limelight right from the start and became too quiet for every one's liking that it felt as if SHINee could do without him. Kibum would tell you though, this made no difference to him at all. In fact, Kibum ended up being even more aware of Minho and his sudden change in character, and it wasn’t soon before long Kibum realised that he wanted the Minho everyone knew as trainees to come back. It didn’t mean that Kibum ended up making conscious effort to bring Minho back to the person everyone was familiar with. Onew, Jonghyun and sometimes Taemin, had done a great job in assuming responsibility for that, frequently trying to lure Minho to open up onscreen and encourage him to speak whenever possible. Kibum simply just stayed the way he was, acting no different from how he normally was around Minho, and allowed nature to take its course.
Kibum should have known that he and Minho were bound to make peace. With such close proximity on stage, they were naturally each other’s immediate form of support and were somewhat obligated to pay attention to and look out for the other. Unable to ignore each other’s presence no matter how much they wanted to, it would come as no surprise then that Kibum and Minho began caring for each other in the littlest of ways. It was these little acts of concern that eventually snowballed into something so huge that both Kibum and Minho themselves didn’t realise they had eventually crossed the thin line between friendship and love.
It was with this thought that Kibum ended up laughing to himself as he finally sat up on the sofa and found just enough energy to head to the open concept kitchen and fix himself dinner. He needed to get his appetite back so why not, Kibum thought, try with something home cooked? As he looked into the cupboards, Kibum’s first instinct was to take out the packet of pasta and the jar of ready-made Carbonara sauce and whip up a quick meal under 15 minutes. But on second thought, he remembered that Minho was home tonight and judging from how he went out for a run, Kibum knew Minho most probably hadn’t eaten his dinner yet. Just like that, Kibum changed his mind. Although they were currently not on speaking terms, Kibum didn’t have the heart to ignore Minho and refuse to cook his share when he was already preparing dinner for himself.
And so, Kibum scrapped the idea to cook pasta for himself, closing the cupboard and opening the one beside it which his mother had stocked up with Korean side dishes as well as seasonings on her last visit. With Minho at home, Kibum knew a traditional Korean meal was the way to go. Deciding to stick with a simple kimchi jjigae, he pulled out all the necessary ingredients from the cupboard before he headed to the fridge to take out the rest. It was going to take a little more time and effort than cooking pasta but Kibum had hopes that it would be worth it. As he began preparing the stew, Kibum could already picture the surprise on Minho’s face when he came home from his run to a home cooked meal on the table. It might just work as a peace offering… or at least an icebreaker.
Kibum had to admit, no matter how much Minho annoyed or frustrated him in the 13 years they’ve known each other, he couldn’t hate him at all. After all, Minho was the one who cared more for him from the start. It was in Minho’s nature to take care of the people around him and Kibum found himself being one of them even though they weren’t on the best of terms when they debuted in the same group. When he was thirsty, Minho would share a water bottle with him. When he was hot from the sun shining on him or getting wet from the rain, Minho would shield him with an umbrella. When his hair was out of place, Minho would help him style it back because he knew how much his appearance meant to Kibum. When his mic failed on him, Minho would pass him another mic and save him from technical difficulties. When he wanted the pink fan instead of the blue, Minho would exchange his own fan with Onew’s just so he could give Kibum what he wanted. When he laughed too hard, Minho was there to be a pillar in human form. When he had thoughts or secrets to share, Minho would be his listening ear. As long as Kibum needed someone to be there for him, Minho would be that person, never disappointing him. Among everything that Minho had done for him, what touched Kibum the most was how Minho had been putting aside a part of his daily allowance for a couple of months just so he had the cash to buy him a birthday present; and with that, every single disagreement they had in the past was all water under the bridge.
It was way too easy for Kibum to warm up to Minho in the end. Soon, he found himself caring for Minho in ways that only the rest of SHINee and Minho himself could tell was Kibum’s way to show he cared. It was in the way Minho became the first person Kibum would look for if he wanted to share his secrets, jokes, joy or troubles. It was in the way Kibum loved squabbling with Minho regardless of where they were, both of them understanding that bickering was precisely what made their relationship so special. Or how Kibum would step up to save Minho during variety shows when the rapper found it hard to express himself in the beginning.
Even the way Kibum had pressed a handkerchief, which he had originally been using to dab at his own sweat, onto Minho’s neck just so the rapper could wipe his sweat first showed how much Kibum paid attention to Minho’s needs as well. Not to forget, how Kibum made a habit out of using Minho as his personal armrest or naturally linking their arms together on stage were the little things that revealed how comfortable he was with Minho. Everyone knew that Kibum was also Minho’s personal cheerleader at any competitive event but out of everything that expressed how much Minho meant to him, perhaps playfully leaving an “I love you too, Minho!” as his reply to a fan who had sent an “I love you, Minho!” addressed to the rapper through UFO was the most meaningful way to announce how important Minho was in his life.
As days quickly turned into months, and the months into years, Kibum and Minho found a way to make their relationship work even though they were complete opposites. They had become so familiar with each other that they knew one another inside out. As close as (or maybe even closer than) family, they could understand each other with just a single look or action and could probably read each other’s minds. Of course, the basics included knowing each other’s likes and dislikes at the back of their hands. And it was this knowledge which made Kibum confident that his kimchi jjigae would surely do the trick. For one, Kibum knew how Minho always got angry when he was hungry and had no food to eat, so if he came back to a home cooked meal, his mood was most probably going to be good. And two, Kibum had cooked Minho’s favourite type of food - the actor loved spicy soups - so that just made him all the more certain that his peace offering would work.
Now that the soup was boiling and the rice was kept warm in the cooker, all Kibum had to do was wait for Minho to return from his run and join him for dinner. As he kept his eye on his stew, Kibum wondered how he should offer dinner to Minho. Honestly, as much as he was tired of fighting and wanted to make peace, he still wasn’t too keen on being the person to take the first step. Kibum was still a little strong headed in that aspect. Of all the times they had argued before (which was plenty considering they had been together for more than a decade), Kibum realised that this was the first time he had the thought of taking the initiative to break the ice. It wasn’t that Minho was always the one who made the first step to resolve their differences; it was more like them giving each other enough time and space to cool down before they went on to pretend their petty fights never happened and naturally got back to speaking terms again. Yet this argument was way different from every other argument they had and so, Kibum knew he had to be more careful with the way he dealt with the matter.
Just as he was racking his brain for a plan, Kibum was startled by the sound of the front door opening and closing. Instantly, he turned off the fire and covered the pot with the lid to keep the soup warm before he held his breath and turned around, making sure to hide the stove from Minho’s view because he wasn’t ready to reveal that he had cooked dinner for the both of them. In a split second, Kibum decided to see how Minho would act around him first before he figured out what was the best thing to do in the situation. His heart was thumping hard as the sound of footsteps came closer and closer until…
“Kibum?”
At the exact same time Kibum heard his name being called, the delicious smell of his favourite food greeted him and Kibum instantly spotted the brown paper bag that Minho was holding with his right hand. His eyes grew as wide as saucers as he then looked directly at Minho with a baffled expression on his face.
Kibum gulped as he cleared his throat and asked, “Is that…?”
“Yeah.” Minho answered as he placed the paper bag on the kitchen counter before he carefully took out the boxes that were inside and set them on the countertop, “You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I thought you would like Fish and Chips for dinner.”
It was at that exact moment Kim Kibum was reminded why he had fallen in love with Choi Minho.
It was another one of those nights Minho and Kibum ended up in bed together (whose bed, it didn’t matter), surrounded by darkness as they found themselves naturally drawn to each other, seeking the other’s warmth. In the next moment, their lips had met in the simplest of all kisses and like always, continued into one that could lead to so much more. They always kept a slow pace though, never rushing into things, simply enjoying the feel of the other’s lips and tongues against their own. Even so, the kisses they shared were nothing short of passion. They both knew what they felt, why they were kissing each other, why they couldn’t sleep peacefully without the other beside him on bed, but nothing was ever said between them. It was their little secret. Yet on one particular night, things had changed. With Minho’s hands secured tightly on his waist as if he never wanted to let go, Kibum suddenly found it too hard to breathe in between kisses that he abruptly pushed Minho away and turned to the side, reaching out to switch on the bedside lamp. Enough was enough. Something had to be said. Something had to be done.
“Minho… we should talk about this.”
Rubbing his lips, Minho blinked in question as he then propped his upper body up on his elbows and asked, “What’s there to talk about?”
“You know what!”
Understanding what Kibum was referring to, Minho creased his eyebrows, “Isn’t it clear?”
“What is?” Kibum questioned back.
“That I love you?”
“You love me?”
“Yeah, the same way you love me.”
Kibum blinked a couple of times before he shook his head and pushed Minho on his shoulder.
“I hate that you sound so confident.”
“But we both know I’m right, Kibum.”
“You’re acting as if there’s no need for us to talk about what’s going on between us.”
Minho nodded without hesitating, “There really isn’t… love should be easy, don’t you think?”
Kibum didn’t have an answer back in the year 2009 where it all began but now that silence was suffocating him as he and Minho stood in the kitchen with the counter separating them, Kibum had an argument to make. If love was easy, how on earth did they end up like this?
With that thought, Kibum finally took his eyes off the take away boxes of Fish & Chips and sighed to himself as he turned around without even looking at Minho.
“You… you’re not eating?”
Minho’s uncertain voice travelled from behind him.
“Actually, I cooked for us.” Kibum replied without even turning back.
Looking straight ahead, Kibum missed how Minho’s eyes had widened in surprise when he finally noticed the mess in the kitchen as well as the pot that he knew Kibum only used to cook stews.
Upon reaching the stove and after hesitating for a moment, Kibum turned back, finally meeting Minho’s eyes as he cleared his throat to ask while gesturing aimlessly, “Do you…”
“Yeah.” Knowing very well that Kibum was asking if he wanted to eat whatever he had cooked, Minho answered in a heartbeat, “Of course.”
Kibum managed a small smile as he then took the pot off the stove and brought it towards the counter, “I’ll get the rice.”
Nodding, Minho naturally took the responsibility to set up the table and prepare for dinner. Even though nothing was said between them, they both knew they were finally, after what seemed like forever, about to have dinner together as a couple.
It might have felt like they were taking one step forward in patching things up with each other since they were now sitting opposite one another although having their own separate meals; but when silence still surrounded them, Kibum knew they weren’t making any progress at all. The atmosphere was still tense and the awkwardness that surrounded them was almost visible to the human eye. Kibum, for one, was feeling too uncomfortable that he couldn’t keep still while savouring his favourite food and so he was constantly fidgeting, crossing and uncrossing his legs under the table. The funny thing was, unintentionally, his uneasiness was what exactly broke the silence.
“Ouch.”
Realising he had accidentally kicked Minho, Kibum’s eyes darted to Minho as he instinctively apologised, “Sorry.”
Shifting his position in his seat, Minho shook his head and sighed, “Kibum, should I go away?”
“What?” Kibum was confused, “Why?”
“From the looks of it, you’re going to suffer indigestion if I continue to eat with you.”
Upon hearing Minho’s explanation, Kibum bit his bottom lip and finally stilled himself, making conscious effort not to move as he clarified, “I’m eating well.”
“If you say so.”
“You?”
“You know I love your cooking, Kibum…”
“Well, I can’t be too sure about that…” Kibum answered in a mumble as he looked down at the bowl of soup that was now half empty, “You haven’t had the chance to eat at home for the past few months... maybe you’ve found something else to love.”
“Are we still talking about food?”
Kibum fell silent.
Knowing that he might sound like he was picking a fight, Minho quickly took back his words, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No. You should. It’s good. We should talk things out.”
“Not like this. Our relationship isn’t a problem that needs to be fixed, Kibum.”
“But this isn’t like any other fights we had, Minho, this is serious. For the first time in my life, I feel like we may be better off without each other.”
Minho tensed up, “Do you still feel this way?”
Kibum looked into Minho’s eyes, his brain searching for an answer to give the person who sat in front of him, looking ever so calm and serious.
Since Kibum looked like he was trying to decide on what to say, Minho continued, hoping to make things easier for his boyfriend, “If you feel that you can do without me in your life, I’ll give you what you want.”
Kibum swallowed as Minho’s words resounded in his ears. It was hard to believe that the reason why ten years of relationship might just go down the drain was the very reason that made Kibum realise he was in love with Minho.
As much as it was something that happened so randomly, Kibum would never forget the moment of sudden comprehension when he had been staring at Minho during one of those infuriatingly long car rides only to shockingly realise the importance of Minho in his life. There, sitting right beside him, was the guy who could give him everything he ever wanted in life. It was almost too much for Kibum to take, knowing that he couldn't imagine life without Minho, and his actions instantly reflected his mini panic attack. Before he knew it, Kibum had reached out and forcefully pulled Minho's earphones out of his ears. Minho was startled out of his daze as he instantly turned to look at Kibum with a bewildered expression, his hands immediately flying up to rub his ears. In normal circumstances, Kibum would most definitely laugh his head off at the epic look on Minho's face. However, the same bewildered expression was mirrored on Kibum's face because he himself didn't have the slightest clue why he had done that. He also had no idea why, of all the things he could do or say, he then chose to grab Minho by the wrist, holding him in a death grip, and say in an almost whisper, “Don't you dare leave me.”
Even in his confused state, Minho had instantly nodded as he took hold of Kibum's hand and promised, “Never.”
It was ironic though, how Minho was now going against his words and possibly agreeing to leave him as soon as Kibum gave the green light. Kibum wasn't angry. He had released all his anger and even threw his fair bit of temper when their argument first broke out. Staying or getting angry again was just too tiring for Kibum anyway. Instead, Kibum was calm; He understood. That's what spending almost half your life with another person does to you. It was hard to explain but after all they had been through together, they were so familiar with each other that they didn’t have to play guessing games anymore. Kibum also knew it was pointless to kick up a fuss. They weren't stubborn 15 year olds who always believed they were right anymore. That would get them nowhere; perhaps even completely destroy their relationship. So after coming so far together, Kibum really couldn't hold it against Minho if he wanted to leave. Besides, it was a promise made a decade ago... And well, Minho had held his promise for a time period worthy of anyone's praise especially since they were surrounded with relationships that didn’t seem to last. Could Kibum ask for more then?
“Why is this my decision to make?” Not wanting to answer Minho, Kibum directed the question to his boyfriend instead, “There’s two of us in this relationship, Minho.”
Minho’s answer was simple and straight to the point.
“Because I still love you enough to want the best for you. And if it makes you happier that we split, then I guess-”
Kibum interrupted the actor with a groan, “Minho, I spent almost half my life with you. Do you still not know the reason why I even bother to argue with you?”
Choosing not to say anything first, Minho waited for Kibum to continue.
“True, I might have my doubts about our future together when I wanted to stab you with a knife for everything you said that night-”
“I made you that angry huh?”
Kibum rolled his eyes and nodded, “Yet I still intend to spend the rest of my life with you...”
“I'm not sure if I should be happy to hear that since you might just really kill me one day.”
“Minho, I've always felt like killing you, ever since trainee days.”
Minho rubbed his neck nervously, “I knew that... It's just that I can actually confirm it right now.”
Minho and Kibum stared at each other for a moment before a smile tugged on the corners of Kibum's lips and soon after, the both of them started laughing. When the laughter had died down, they fell into a silence that was, thankfully, comfortable.
“So…”
Minho looked at Kibum.
“We good?”
Minho grinned, “Only if you promise not to hold a knife around me.”
“Minho, you managed to survive, what, 13 years, with me? I would have killed you long ago if I wanted to.”
“I’m just lucky you love me more than you hate me.”
“Keep reminding yourself that.”
Minho chuckled, completely enjoying their little banter, and as he saw how Kibum was smiling too, Minho knew things were back the way it should be.
“Hey Kibum?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m not planning to take on any new dramas for the time being… do you think you could take some time off from the company?” Minho asked as he reached across the table to hold Kibum’s hand, “I was thinking we could go somewhere together… London perhaps? You love that place, don’t you?”
“Seriously?” Cue surprised look on Kibum’s face.
“Yeah.” Minho squeezed Kibum’s hand and grinned, “And while we’re there, let’s get married.”
Kibum’s breath caught in his throat. It felt as if time had stopped at that very moment the words escaped Minho’s lips. All Kibum could do was stare at his boyfriend as his mind went blank. Trust Choi Minho to drop a bomb on him like that.
“What do you think?”
In an instant, the comfortable silence from before was now unsettling, but only for Minho as he waited for Kibum’s answer.
At the sound of Minho’s voice and the tightening of Minho’s grip on his hand, Kibum snapped back to reality, slowly refocusing his vision on Minho, as he took in a deep breath and said, “I think…”
Minho gulped, suddenly having all sorts of regrets for popping the all-important question so casually when he had most certainly thought of much more elaborate plans before. His nervousness only increased when Kibum dragged his words and took the time to consider his proposal. It honestly felt like forever to Minho before Kibum suddenly nodded to himself and Minho knew then his boyfriend had made a decision.
In the next moment, Kibum leaned forward, over their dinner that had long turned cold, to kiss Minho hard on the lips before he said a string of words that decided their future together,
“We should go to Paris for our honeymoon.”