correlation
title: correlation
pairing(s): broken!2min, onkey, jongho, jongyu
rating: pg-13
wordcount: ~3000
summary: AU, slightly cracky drabbles in which Jonghyun likes casual sex, Jinki and Kibum are bank robbers, and Minho doesn't love Taemin.
a/n: So I was playing with this and I had the idea of entering SHINee's names and writing a short fic incorporating each relationship. And so I did it, and this was born, and it is SO STRANGE but it was fun lol. It probably doesn't make sense but I don't even care, it was never meant to be coherent.
sex friend
So Jonghyun's a little promiscuous, so what? A little sex never hurt anybody.
And it's not like he's off sleeping with a different guy every night - no, he's narrowed it down to two.
"So - Jonghyun-ah - what are we?" Jinki asks one morning as they dress. He laughs awkwardly. "I've kind of wondered for a while."
"What do you mean?" Jonghyun says, pulling his shirt on languidly. "I mean, I don't know what you are, but running late is what I am. I have an appointment at nine, so - "
"I mean what are we, you and me?" Jinki snaps. "We're not friends, you won't even go out for a cup of coffee with me, but then - "
"We're sex friends," Jonghyun says matter-of-factly. He smooths his hair back from his face, craning his neck over Jinki's shoulder to peer into the mirror. They're in Jinki's apartment as usual, where it's clean and warm with just the right amount of untidiness, and Jonghyun goes over to Jinki's dresser and starts going through the drawers. "Can I borrow a tie?"
"Sure, top drawer to the left," Jinki says automatically.
"Awesome," Jonghyun hums, pulling out a navy blue and red striped tie.
"Um," Jinki begins, and Jonghyun thinks he might pursue the 'sex friends' topic again, but he doesn't, and instead just says quietly, "Don't forget to bring it back on Thursday, okay?"
"Okay," Jonghyun agrees easily. "I can do that."
...
Minho doesn't ask questions like Jinki does, and Jonghyun's grateful for that.
It's not like he's dodging talking about the nature of their relationship - he just appreciates silence once in a while. And Minho is usually very good about providing it.
"Sorry I'm a little late - I had an early appointment today," Jonghyun says, letting himself into Minho's studio at exactly ten o'clock. Minho just nods to acknowledge his presence and keeps on pumping the pedal of his pottery wheel. "Hey, when's your next class? Not until like three or something, right?"
"Yup," Minho confirms.
"So we pretty much have all day?" Jonghyun asks, a mischievous smile creeping onto his face.
"Nope." Minho sweeps a calm hand over the wet clay.
"Why not?" Jonghyun demands. He loosens his tie and tosses it onto a nearby chair. "Minho-yah . . ."
"We have until noon," Minho says.
"Why?" Jonghyun says again, pouting like a whiny teenager. Propping his chin on the crown of Minho's head, he slides his hands down the front of the younger man's chest. "Come on . . ."
"Wait a minute, can't you?" Minho says, amused. "I know you're desperate for me to fuck you, but can't you wait until I get cleaned up?"
"No," Jonghyun declares. "Not since you're kicking me out at noon!"
In response, Minho wipes his clay-muddied hands on Jonghyun's pants.
"Yah!" Jonghyun exclaims. "Really, Minho?"
Minho nods sagely.
"I guess I'll just have to take them off now," Jonghyun says delightedly, peeling his pants off eagerly and tugging Minho from his wheel. "Come on, yours next!"
Minho acquiesces and turns to face Jonghyun with what sounds like a sigh, though Jonghyun is ninety percent sure it's a laugh.
former lover
Minho doesn't speak of love much anymore. He decides that he's used up his quota of lovey-dovey, emotional confessions long ago. Nowadays he fills his days with pottery and the occasional sculpture project. Teaching pottery classes is just barely paying the rent on the studio, and he knows he'll have to move out of his apartment within the month if he doesn't get another job, but there was just no way he was staying at the office, not while Taemin was still there.
"I'm going, Taemin-ah. I'm leaving."
"Why are you telling me?"
"I'm not going to cause you any more pain. I'm just going to go."
"Do what you have to do."
"I - Taemin, I . . ."
"Yes?"
"Nothing. Goodbye."
There are days when Minho regrets leaving Taemin. He's hungry for companionship, hungry for Taemin, really, but it's not worth the baggage. As much as Minho wants Taemin, he just doesn't love him. And it hurts him and he's pretty sure it kills Taemin, but they both know that their relationship was doomed the minute Taemin uttered those three dangerous syllables.
"I love you."
friend
Taemin is the only one Jonghyun will never corrupt. He knows Taemin isn't a saint, knows he isn't as pure as he looks, but there's just something about him that makes Jonghyun's protective instincts kick in. He refuses to even consider Taemin in a sexual way, and Taemin is more than okay with that. After all, he's still recovering from his big breakup, about which he sometimes talks to Jonghyun for advice.
"Should I try to get him back, hyung? I just - God, I miss him so much . . ."
"No," Jonghyun says decisively every time. "Nope, you really shouldn't. Bastard dumped you, he doesn't deserve you." And I don't deserve him.
"But hyung - I really miss him. I would be okay with just casually hooking up once in a while, but not even getting to see him at all is just . . ."
"You don't want just casual hookups, Taemin-ah." That would be me. "I know you. You want commitment."
"Ahh . . . You're right. I want him back. And . . . I could probably get him, too, if I could just talk to him."
"You shouldn't get back with him, Taemin, I'm serious." Because then I wouldn't get to hook up with him anymore.
"I know I shouldn't, hyung, but I really want to."
"You'll forget about it."
"Maybe."
"Trust me. You'll feel better in a little while."
"It's already been four months!"
"Well, you were together a long time. Give it another month, tops, and then you'll be ready to move on."
"Really, hyung?"
"I guarantee it."
"If you say so . . . that does make me feel better, actually. Hyung, you're such a good friend! Thank you."
Jonghyun's idea of a good friend is not a person who has casual sex with their so-called friend's ex, all the while telling said friend to get over said ex so said casual sex can continue, but he does not point this out to Taemin.
accomplice
So Jinki has this bank robbing thing going on the side, so what? A little extra money never hurt anyone.
And it's not like it's even dangerous or anything - Key makes sure of that.
Key is - well, Jinki's not sure, exactly, what Key is. He thinks Key might be a model by day, but he only rarely sees the other man's face in any kind of strong light. Shadows work best for both of them when they don their ski masks and scarves. Jinki has peeked at Key occasionally, sneaking glimpses of pink lips and sharp cheekbones and eyeliner, but as Key says, the less they know about each other, the better.
Key says he chose Jinki because of his voice.
"I heard you," he once told Jinki. "And I had to have you. I had to have that voice."
"Thanks, I guess," Jinki said, flattered. Key wouldn't tell him where or when he heard him, but it's enough that he did. Because this thing they do, it spices up Jinki's life in ways he has difficulty describing, makes him feel real in a way Jonghyun's searing kisses just don't.
They pull old-fashioned heists, the kind you watch with incredulity as they play out in movies. The kind that shouldn't succeed at all, ever, because they're just so simplistic, so straight-forward. But Key's planning and execution are flawless, and they've never been caught, have never even come close.
...
Kibum is cautious - not about everything, but about Onew, definitely. He refuses to ever let them know each other's real names, and he's only really seen Onew's face a couple of times.
From what he has seen, he likes it, but that's a different story.
Kibum is cautious about picking which establishments to target. He prefers to steal from excessive, slightly corrupt places - Robin Hood style. He prefers to steal from places that spend too much on security measures - it's kind of an ego thing. And he prefers to space his thefts out totally at random. He knows how the police think, how they look for patterns. And he does everything he can to evade them.
"You're so good at this, Key," Onew says over the phone. Kibum is typing away at his computer, trying to keep a pleased smile from finding its way onto his face. He always tries not to smile when Onew compliments him with that amazing voice, but it's hard.
"It's nothing," he says. "So, five northbloom flashlight? Eleven?"
"Sounds good," Onew says after a brief silence, and Kibum doesn't hide his smile at the pause the other man took to work out what he'd said. He always speaks in code when giving the time and place they're to meet, and Onew always has to think about it for a while before confirming. It's kind of a comforting ritual.
"See you then," Kibum says.
"Bye," Onew replies cheerfully. It strikes Kibum as kind of funny how much Onew looks forward to their joint life of crime, but he's not really complaining.
student/teacher
"No, Jinki-shi," Minho says gently. "Not like that."
"Ah," Jinki sighs, "Sorry, seonsaengnim - "
"Please just call me Minho."
"Er - Minho-shi - sorry. Could you show me again?"
Minho nods and demonstrates the proper way to shape the clay. He's glad he agreed to teach Jinki separately, before the group class time. He's never given individual instruction like this before, but he finds that in the quiet, sunlit studio, with such an eager, willing student, his mood is much better than when he has to deal with fifteen people at once, all asking him if they're spinning the clay right or if they're using too much water or if they're done yet. Right now it's just him and this Jinki guy, this clumsy kid, pumping the pedal of the wheel and letting the clay spin and spin and thin and eventually - like magic - become a bowl.
"You've gotten much better," Minho says proudly after an hour.
"Thanks," Jinki says, beaming. "Um - Minho-shi - I was wondering. It's just . . . I like this pottery and all, but I'm kind of really sort of more interested in sculpture, actually . . . so if you're not too busy right now do you think . . . would it be too much trouble - ?"
"You can try it out," Minho says, smiling. "I have a friend coming by soon who's a good sculptor. She can probably give you some tips."
"Really?" Jinki says breathlessly.
"Sure. She's nice."
"Excellent," Jinki exclaims.
"And single," Minho continues, smirking.
Jinki blinks. "I'm not single, though."
"Oh? You have a girlfriend?" Minho raises one eyebrow; he didn't peg Jinki as the girlfriend-having type, if only because the man just kind of has the sloppy bachelor look about him.
"No. A sex friend," Jinki says with something akin to pride.
Minho tries to swallow a snort and ends up choking on his own spit. Jinki immediately rushes over and thumps him on the back.
"Oh my God, are you okay?" he yelps hysterically. "Oh my God, oh my God, don't die, please don't die!"
"I'm fine," Minho coughs, his eyes watering. "But, Jesus, Jinki."
"What?"
"Having a sex friend doesn't make you not single," he says.
"It doesn't?" Jinki says, his eyes going wide with confusion. "Why not?"
Minho sighs and shakes his head. "You have a lot to learn."
"Really?" Jinki laughs. "You better start teaching me, then."
indifference
Kibum's roommate is hot: tall, good-looking, athletic.
But really, Kibum couldn't care less.
Usually when he says this he's lying; usually when he says this he cares so much it hurts. But in this case, he really doesn't give a shit. And he's pretty sure Minho doesn't give a shit about him, either, which is convenient when Kibum is sneaking in and out on the night of a job. He could probably stagger in the door with a gunshot wound in his side, dripping blood and retching and rasping, and Minho, unflappable Minho, would just dial 1-1-9 and go back to sleep.
Well. Maybe that's an exaggeration.
Nonetheless, Kibum is grateful for Minho's eternal indifference to his late night comings and goings.
"Goodnight," he whispers at ten to twelve as he walks out the door. Minho is watching some horror flick in the den; he doesn't say a word.
opponent
Tonight, Kibum has chosen a fairly low-profile dance studio in lieu of a bank. He happens to know that they make a tidy profit and he happens to know that they keep a good chunk of it in a floor safe under the manager's desk.
What he doesn't know is that they're expecting him.
"Hyung," comes a soft, pleasant voice in the dark hallway. "How nice to see you again."
Kibum freezes, and hears Jinki stumble slightly.
"Don't be afraid, hyung. I won't turn you in. Let's have a chat, hm?"
"Taemin-ah," Kibum says slowly. "What would you like to chat about?"
"Oh, I don't know," Taemin says; Kibum hears the slightest rustling as Taemin draws closer. "Maybe we could talk about how you abandoned me here, how you left dance to become a common criminal? How you were so jealous of me that you couldn't - "
"Jealous of you?" Kibum laughs. "Don't make up things like that. I left for personal reasons, Taemin-ah."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Taemin asks, his voice low and dangerously near in the pitch-black of the hallway. Jinki, close behind Kibum's back, is barely breathing.
"I had no time, Taemin-ah - "
"Bullshit," Taemin hisses. "You left six months ago, you could have at least called!" His voice trembles. "You didn't even call. Not once."
"Taemin-ah," Kibum begins.
"And now," Taemin continues loudly, "now you're back to steal from us! I knew it was you, the famous Seoul burglar. I've known all along. And I've known it was a matter of time before you came here. Well, hyung. I'm not going to allow you to take anything from this studio. You've done enough damage as it is."
Kibum knows Jinki is waiting with bated breath for him to respond, and it's with a heavy heart that he finally speaks.
"Taemin-ah. Step aside before I shoot."
...
Taemin can hardly believe his ears. Kibum, his beloved friend Kibum, is really going to steal from the studio where they both trained?
"I really don't want to hurt you, Taemin-ah. Please move."
"Kibum hyung," Taemin says, his voice cracking, "hyung - "
The next thing he knows, he's being tackled and pinned to the ground by Kibum's familiar, lithe figure, and even as he's clawing and punching with all his might, he feels a knee strike him straight in the gut. The wind is knocked out of him; he's never felt such pain in his life; eyes rolling back in his head, he blacks out.
wonder
Taemin wakes up alone in the bed of Kibum's bank robbing accomplice. It's disorienting, but not nearly as disorienting as the fact that the accomplice himself, Jinki, with his wide smiles and his warm eyes and his hearty laughs, seems like the nicest person he's ever met. Jinki offers him breakfast, as well as an apology for robbing the dance studio. Then he implores Taemin not to tell anyone about this.
"Really, you seem like such a good kid," Jinki says, his eyes serious. "I don't think you'd betray Kibum."
"Kibum betrayed me," Taemin says petulantly.
"But Kibum also said he'd kill you if you told anyone," Jinki continues thoughtfully. "And I really don't want to see a good kid like you get hurt."
"Kill me?"
"Yeah, that's what he said. But don't worry, I won't let that happen - you won't betray us anyway, will you? You'll keep our secret?"
And the way Jinki says it, all trusting and imploring and wide-eyed, Taemin just can't say no.
...
Jinki and Taemin end up becoming friends. Taemin teases Jinki about his clumsiness, and Jinki retorts oh so you're the most graceful person in the world? and Taemin comes back with it just so happens that I am, you want me to prove it? and that's how Jinki ends up in the front row at Taemin's latest dance showcase. Kibum's supposed to be here, too, but Jinki doesn't see him - it makes sense, of course, but Jinki's still a little disappointed. So after the show he goes backstage alone to congratulate Taemin. And it's there that he sees a familiar face.
"Taesun-ah?" he says incredulously.
"Jinki hyung!" Taesun exclaims, hurrying over to give Jinki a hug.
"You two know each other?" Taemin asks.
"Of course, dummy. It's cousin Jinki!" Taesun says matter-of-factly.
"Cousin - ?" Taemin's jaw drops.
"Don't you remember? I guess the last time you saw each other would have been - well - Taemin was sick for the last family gathering, and Jinki was abroad for the one before that, and the one before that was so long ago - I don't think Taemin was even born yet."
"There are a lot of cousins in our family," Jinki muses.
"Wow." Taemin shakes his head and crosses his arms. "I can't believe I'm related to a blundering oaf like you!"
hostility
"YOU BASTARD, KIM JONGHYUN!"
"Eh? Kibum - ?"
"GET READY TO DIE!"
"Okay, Kibum, I'm really not sure what I did wrong this time, but I promised to stop sleeping with your little friend Jinki, didn't I? So maybe you could just calm down and - "
"CALM DOWN? I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
"Kibum, back the fuck off! What are you - "
"NOBODY RIPS THE STRAP OF MY DESIGNER HANDBAG AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!"
Oh shit.
pairing(s): broken!2min, onkey, jongho, jongyu
rating: pg-13
wordcount: ~3000
summary: AU, slightly cracky drabbles in which Jonghyun likes casual sex, Jinki and Kibum are bank robbers, and Minho doesn't love Taemin.
a/n: So I was playing with this and I had the idea of entering SHINee's names and writing a short fic incorporating each relationship. And so I did it, and this was born, and it is SO STRANGE but it was fun lol. It probably doesn't make sense but I don't even care, it was never meant to be coherent.
sex friend
So Jonghyun's a little promiscuous, so what? A little sex never hurt anybody.
And it's not like he's off sleeping with a different guy every night - no, he's narrowed it down to two.
"So - Jonghyun-ah - what are we?" Jinki asks one morning as they dress. He laughs awkwardly. "I've kind of wondered for a while."
"What do you mean?" Jonghyun says, pulling his shirt on languidly. "I mean, I don't know what you are, but running late is what I am. I have an appointment at nine, so - "
"I mean what are we, you and me?" Jinki snaps. "We're not friends, you won't even go out for a cup of coffee with me, but then - "
"We're sex friends," Jonghyun says matter-of-factly. He smooths his hair back from his face, craning his neck over Jinki's shoulder to peer into the mirror. They're in Jinki's apartment as usual, where it's clean and warm with just the right amount of untidiness, and Jonghyun goes over to Jinki's dresser and starts going through the drawers. "Can I borrow a tie?"
"Sure, top drawer to the left," Jinki says automatically.
"Awesome," Jonghyun hums, pulling out a navy blue and red striped tie.
"Um," Jinki begins, and Jonghyun thinks he might pursue the 'sex friends' topic again, but he doesn't, and instead just says quietly, "Don't forget to bring it back on Thursday, okay?"
"Okay," Jonghyun agrees easily. "I can do that."
...
Minho doesn't ask questions like Jinki does, and Jonghyun's grateful for that.
It's not like he's dodging talking about the nature of their relationship - he just appreciates silence once in a while. And Minho is usually very good about providing it.
"Sorry I'm a little late - I had an early appointment today," Jonghyun says, letting himself into Minho's studio at exactly ten o'clock. Minho just nods to acknowledge his presence and keeps on pumping the pedal of his pottery wheel. "Hey, when's your next class? Not until like three or something, right?"
"Yup," Minho confirms.
"So we pretty much have all day?" Jonghyun asks, a mischievous smile creeping onto his face.
"Nope." Minho sweeps a calm hand over the wet clay.
"Why not?" Jonghyun demands. He loosens his tie and tosses it onto a nearby chair. "Minho-yah . . ."
"We have until noon," Minho says.
"Why?" Jonghyun says again, pouting like a whiny teenager. Propping his chin on the crown of Minho's head, he slides his hands down the front of the younger man's chest. "Come on . . ."
"Wait a minute, can't you?" Minho says, amused. "I know you're desperate for me to fuck you, but can't you wait until I get cleaned up?"
"No," Jonghyun declares. "Not since you're kicking me out at noon!"
In response, Minho wipes his clay-muddied hands on Jonghyun's pants.
"Yah!" Jonghyun exclaims. "Really, Minho?"
Minho nods sagely.
"I guess I'll just have to take them off now," Jonghyun says delightedly, peeling his pants off eagerly and tugging Minho from his wheel. "Come on, yours next!"
Minho acquiesces and turns to face Jonghyun with what sounds like a sigh, though Jonghyun is ninety percent sure it's a laugh.
former lover
Minho doesn't speak of love much anymore. He decides that he's used up his quota of lovey-dovey, emotional confessions long ago. Nowadays he fills his days with pottery and the occasional sculpture project. Teaching pottery classes is just barely paying the rent on the studio, and he knows he'll have to move out of his apartment within the month if he doesn't get another job, but there was just no way he was staying at the office, not while Taemin was still there.
"I'm going, Taemin-ah. I'm leaving."
"Why are you telling me?"
"I'm not going to cause you any more pain. I'm just going to go."
"Do what you have to do."
"I - Taemin, I . . ."
"Yes?"
"Nothing. Goodbye."
There are days when Minho regrets leaving Taemin. He's hungry for companionship, hungry for Taemin, really, but it's not worth the baggage. As much as Minho wants Taemin, he just doesn't love him. And it hurts him and he's pretty sure it kills Taemin, but they both know that their relationship was doomed the minute Taemin uttered those three dangerous syllables.
"I love you."
friend
Taemin is the only one Jonghyun will never corrupt. He knows Taemin isn't a saint, knows he isn't as pure as he looks, but there's just something about him that makes Jonghyun's protective instincts kick in. He refuses to even consider Taemin in a sexual way, and Taemin is more than okay with that. After all, he's still recovering from his big breakup, about which he sometimes talks to Jonghyun for advice.
"Should I try to get him back, hyung? I just - God, I miss him so much . . ."
"No," Jonghyun says decisively every time. "Nope, you really shouldn't. Bastard dumped you, he doesn't deserve you." And I don't deserve him.
"But hyung - I really miss him. I would be okay with just casually hooking up once in a while, but not even getting to see him at all is just . . ."
"You don't want just casual hookups, Taemin-ah." That would be me. "I know you. You want commitment."
"Ahh . . . You're right. I want him back. And . . . I could probably get him, too, if I could just talk to him."
"You shouldn't get back with him, Taemin, I'm serious." Because then I wouldn't get to hook up with him anymore.
"I know I shouldn't, hyung, but I really want to."
"You'll forget about it."
"Maybe."
"Trust me. You'll feel better in a little while."
"It's already been four months!"
"Well, you were together a long time. Give it another month, tops, and then you'll be ready to move on."
"Really, hyung?"
"I guarantee it."
"If you say so . . . that does make me feel better, actually. Hyung, you're such a good friend! Thank you."
Jonghyun's idea of a good friend is not a person who has casual sex with their so-called friend's ex, all the while telling said friend to get over said ex so said casual sex can continue, but he does not point this out to Taemin.
accomplice
So Jinki has this bank robbing thing going on the side, so what? A little extra money never hurt anyone.
And it's not like it's even dangerous or anything - Key makes sure of that.
Key is - well, Jinki's not sure, exactly, what Key is. He thinks Key might be a model by day, but he only rarely sees the other man's face in any kind of strong light. Shadows work best for both of them when they don their ski masks and scarves. Jinki has peeked at Key occasionally, sneaking glimpses of pink lips and sharp cheekbones and eyeliner, but as Key says, the less they know about each other, the better.
Key says he chose Jinki because of his voice.
"I heard you," he once told Jinki. "And I had to have you. I had to have that voice."
"Thanks, I guess," Jinki said, flattered. Key wouldn't tell him where or when he heard him, but it's enough that he did. Because this thing they do, it spices up Jinki's life in ways he has difficulty describing, makes him feel real in a way Jonghyun's searing kisses just don't.
They pull old-fashioned heists, the kind you watch with incredulity as they play out in movies. The kind that shouldn't succeed at all, ever, because they're just so simplistic, so straight-forward. But Key's planning and execution are flawless, and they've never been caught, have never even come close.
...
Kibum is cautious - not about everything, but about Onew, definitely. He refuses to ever let them know each other's real names, and he's only really seen Onew's face a couple of times.
From what he has seen, he likes it, but that's a different story.
Kibum is cautious about picking which establishments to target. He prefers to steal from excessive, slightly corrupt places - Robin Hood style. He prefers to steal from places that spend too much on security measures - it's kind of an ego thing. And he prefers to space his thefts out totally at random. He knows how the police think, how they look for patterns. And he does everything he can to evade them.
"You're so good at this, Key," Onew says over the phone. Kibum is typing away at his computer, trying to keep a pleased smile from finding its way onto his face. He always tries not to smile when Onew compliments him with that amazing voice, but it's hard.
"It's nothing," he says. "So, five northbloom flashlight? Eleven?"
"Sounds good," Onew says after a brief silence, and Kibum doesn't hide his smile at the pause the other man took to work out what he'd said. He always speaks in code when giving the time and place they're to meet, and Onew always has to think about it for a while before confirming. It's kind of a comforting ritual.
"See you then," Kibum says.
"Bye," Onew replies cheerfully. It strikes Kibum as kind of funny how much Onew looks forward to their joint life of crime, but he's not really complaining.
student/teacher
"No, Jinki-shi," Minho says gently. "Not like that."
"Ah," Jinki sighs, "Sorry, seonsaengnim - "
"Please just call me Minho."
"Er - Minho-shi - sorry. Could you show me again?"
Minho nods and demonstrates the proper way to shape the clay. He's glad he agreed to teach Jinki separately, before the group class time. He's never given individual instruction like this before, but he finds that in the quiet, sunlit studio, with such an eager, willing student, his mood is much better than when he has to deal with fifteen people at once, all asking him if they're spinning the clay right or if they're using too much water or if they're done yet. Right now it's just him and this Jinki guy, this clumsy kid, pumping the pedal of the wheel and letting the clay spin and spin and thin and eventually - like magic - become a bowl.
"You've gotten much better," Minho says proudly after an hour.
"Thanks," Jinki says, beaming. "Um - Minho-shi - I was wondering. It's just . . . I like this pottery and all, but I'm kind of really sort of more interested in sculpture, actually . . . so if you're not too busy right now do you think . . . would it be too much trouble - ?"
"You can try it out," Minho says, smiling. "I have a friend coming by soon who's a good sculptor. She can probably give you some tips."
"Really?" Jinki says breathlessly.
"Sure. She's nice."
"Excellent," Jinki exclaims.
"And single," Minho continues, smirking.
Jinki blinks. "I'm not single, though."
"Oh? You have a girlfriend?" Minho raises one eyebrow; he didn't peg Jinki as the girlfriend-having type, if only because the man just kind of has the sloppy bachelor look about him.
"No. A sex friend," Jinki says with something akin to pride.
Minho tries to swallow a snort and ends up choking on his own spit. Jinki immediately rushes over and thumps him on the back.
"Oh my God, are you okay?" he yelps hysterically. "Oh my God, oh my God, don't die, please don't die!"
"I'm fine," Minho coughs, his eyes watering. "But, Jesus, Jinki."
"What?"
"Having a sex friend doesn't make you not single," he says.
"It doesn't?" Jinki says, his eyes going wide with confusion. "Why not?"
Minho sighs and shakes his head. "You have a lot to learn."
"Really?" Jinki laughs. "You better start teaching me, then."
indifference
Kibum's roommate is hot: tall, good-looking, athletic.
But really, Kibum couldn't care less.
Usually when he says this he's lying; usually when he says this he cares so much it hurts. But in this case, he really doesn't give a shit. And he's pretty sure Minho doesn't give a shit about him, either, which is convenient when Kibum is sneaking in and out on the night of a job. He could probably stagger in the door with a gunshot wound in his side, dripping blood and retching and rasping, and Minho, unflappable Minho, would just dial 1-1-9 and go back to sleep.
Well. Maybe that's an exaggeration.
Nonetheless, Kibum is grateful for Minho's eternal indifference to his late night comings and goings.
"Goodnight," he whispers at ten to twelve as he walks out the door. Minho is watching some horror flick in the den; he doesn't say a word.
opponent
Tonight, Kibum has chosen a fairly low-profile dance studio in lieu of a bank. He happens to know that they make a tidy profit and he happens to know that they keep a good chunk of it in a floor safe under the manager's desk.
What he doesn't know is that they're expecting him.
"Hyung," comes a soft, pleasant voice in the dark hallway. "How nice to see you again."
Kibum freezes, and hears Jinki stumble slightly.
"Don't be afraid, hyung. I won't turn you in. Let's have a chat, hm?"
"Taemin-ah," Kibum says slowly. "What would you like to chat about?"
"Oh, I don't know," Taemin says; Kibum hears the slightest rustling as Taemin draws closer. "Maybe we could talk about how you abandoned me here, how you left dance to become a common criminal? How you were so jealous of me that you couldn't - "
"Jealous of you?" Kibum laughs. "Don't make up things like that. I left for personal reasons, Taemin-ah."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Taemin asks, his voice low and dangerously near in the pitch-black of the hallway. Jinki, close behind Kibum's back, is barely breathing.
"I had no time, Taemin-ah - "
"Bullshit," Taemin hisses. "You left six months ago, you could have at least called!" His voice trembles. "You didn't even call. Not once."
"Taemin-ah," Kibum begins.
"And now," Taemin continues loudly, "now you're back to steal from us! I knew it was you, the famous Seoul burglar. I've known all along. And I've known it was a matter of time before you came here. Well, hyung. I'm not going to allow you to take anything from this studio. You've done enough damage as it is."
Kibum knows Jinki is waiting with bated breath for him to respond, and it's with a heavy heart that he finally speaks.
"Taemin-ah. Step aside before I shoot."
...
Taemin can hardly believe his ears. Kibum, his beloved friend Kibum, is really going to steal from the studio where they both trained?
"I really don't want to hurt you, Taemin-ah. Please move."
"Kibum hyung," Taemin says, his voice cracking, "hyung - "
The next thing he knows, he's being tackled and pinned to the ground by Kibum's familiar, lithe figure, and even as he's clawing and punching with all his might, he feels a knee strike him straight in the gut. The wind is knocked out of him; he's never felt such pain in his life; eyes rolling back in his head, he blacks out.
wonder
Taemin wakes up alone in the bed of Kibum's bank robbing accomplice. It's disorienting, but not nearly as disorienting as the fact that the accomplice himself, Jinki, with his wide smiles and his warm eyes and his hearty laughs, seems like the nicest person he's ever met. Jinki offers him breakfast, as well as an apology for robbing the dance studio. Then he implores Taemin not to tell anyone about this.
"Really, you seem like such a good kid," Jinki says, his eyes serious. "I don't think you'd betray Kibum."
"Kibum betrayed me," Taemin says petulantly.
"But Kibum also said he'd kill you if you told anyone," Jinki continues thoughtfully. "And I really don't want to see a good kid like you get hurt."
"Kill me?"
"Yeah, that's what he said. But don't worry, I won't let that happen - you won't betray us anyway, will you? You'll keep our secret?"
And the way Jinki says it, all trusting and imploring and wide-eyed, Taemin just can't say no.
...
Jinki and Taemin end up becoming friends. Taemin teases Jinki about his clumsiness, and Jinki retorts oh so you're the most graceful person in the world? and Taemin comes back with it just so happens that I am, you want me to prove it? and that's how Jinki ends up in the front row at Taemin's latest dance showcase. Kibum's supposed to be here, too, but Jinki doesn't see him - it makes sense, of course, but Jinki's still a little disappointed. So after the show he goes backstage alone to congratulate Taemin. And it's there that he sees a familiar face.
"Taesun-ah?" he says incredulously.
"Jinki hyung!" Taesun exclaims, hurrying over to give Jinki a hug.
"You two know each other?" Taemin asks.
"Of course, dummy. It's cousin Jinki!" Taesun says matter-of-factly.
"Cousin - ?" Taemin's jaw drops.
"Don't you remember? I guess the last time you saw each other would have been - well - Taemin was sick for the last family gathering, and Jinki was abroad for the one before that, and the one before that was so long ago - I don't think Taemin was even born yet."
"There are a lot of cousins in our family," Jinki muses.
"Wow." Taemin shakes his head and crosses his arms. "I can't believe I'm related to a blundering oaf like you!"
hostility
"YOU BASTARD, KIM JONGHYUN!"
"Eh? Kibum - ?"
"GET READY TO DIE!"
"Okay, Kibum, I'm really not sure what I did wrong this time, but I promised to stop sleeping with your little friend Jinki, didn't I? So maybe you could just calm down and - "
"CALM DOWN? I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
"Kibum, back the fuck off! What are you - "
"NOBODY RIPS THE STRAP OF MY DESIGNER HANDBAG AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!"
Oh shit.