To say working after the storm was a bit awkward would be the understatement of the year. It was a mess of stuttering, silences, avoiding eye contact, and it was just plain uncomfortable. For everybody but Key. He gave off a ‘above this’ aura the whole time, and he honestly was. Key could be dirty, Key could torture you. He would always have you questioning his indifference. It went on like that before the group started loosening up. Some got a little too loose, however.

Like when Taemin tried to get Jonghyun to talk to him and go eat lunch together. Graciously throwing in a, ‘’Like we always do.”

Little Dip, Jonghyun and Key thought simultaneously.

“C’mon Jjong. Just lunch?” Taemin begged. Jonghyun was slowly getting more and more agitated. The way Key was subtly glancing at the two every now and then with his perfect eyebrow lifted. He was waiting, just waiting, for what Jonghyun would do. It was a silent test, and Jjong had no intention of failing it. Jonghyun waited until Onew and Minho left while Key was packing up to tell the maknae off.

“Look, I don’t know what you’re doing but I suggest you stop. I thought I made it perfectly clear that whatever I fooled myself into doing, will never happen again. So I suggest you knock it off before you piss me off.” Jonghyun spat, turning away to walk towards Kibum.

“Were you really fooling yourself when you were for it?” Taemin asked with feigned innocent. Jonghyun heard the door slam behind him as he turned back to face Taemin. He quickly flipped the youngest off and ran after Key, leaving Taemin with misty eyes and a hurt heart.

“Bummie!” Jonghyun shouted as he ran down the halls to catch up with the power walking diva.

“Oh, Hyung. What a surprise.” Key answered with the intention to emphasize their now changed relationship and checked his watch. Gone were the days of saying Yeobo and Saranghae.

“No need to so formal, Bummie. So-uh, that was a good practice today.” Jjong attempted, trying to evoke a response from the taller man.

“Eh, the choreography is too simple for me. I prefer a challenge. If I may, that was a nice little conversation at the end.” Kibum acidly commented with his all-knowing smirk.

Jonghyun immediately went cold and frowned, “Key, you remember what I said. It was a mistake. His attempts are a lost cause. I’m yours. That’s not going to change. Not now, not ever.”

“Wonder when ever started? Maybe a few days ago?” Key agitatedly quipped, “Also, it takes nerve to sum that up as a mistake. A mistake is taking a wrong turn or misspelling a word. You ruined everything. Plain and simple. P.S., I’m not property. I’m not ‘yours’. I also have no intention of having you either if I can help it. Later, Hyung.” The tall man turned and walked off to the parking lot. There was nothing Jonghyun could do other than watch with tear filled eyes as his love got into his car and drove off, leaving Jonghyun alone.

‘What perfect retribution. I’ll willingly reap what I sow. I left him and now he leaves me. Too bad, I’m staying by your side from now until my dying breath. I love you. I’m sorry.’ Jonghyun’s thoughts were filled with this as he too went home. He walked inside his home and stripped down immediately. He started his shower to warm the water and the radio.

“This love, this love, I swear that it’s delicious!” Sang the duo Toheart. Made of his former lover and Jonghyun’s replacement. Hearing the words come out of the radio made him break down and cry, right on the floor.

“I’M SORRY! I’M SO SO SORRY! PLEASE KIBUM! PLEASE I CAN’T LOSE YOU” Jonghyun screamed in nothing but pure agony. His chest was on fire, a pain like he’s never felt before. All he wanted- all he needed, was Kibum in his arms again. He can’t live without him. They’ve been through too much.

He slowly picked himself off the floor and crawled into the shower. He began to stand up, tears disguised by the water pouring over him.  He nearly collapsed as memories of him and Kibum flooded his memory. From the time they had to clean the dorm bathroom and got in a water fight to when they got up to scandalous acts in the shower. The warm feeling that usually spread through Jonghyun as he reminisced those events turns into a million pricks of ice throughout his whole body. The warm water spraying out of the shower head did nothing to warm him up and melt the iciness he felt everywhere. He retched as tears came once again, sobbing uncontrollably as he remembered that he ruined EVERYTHING. He sat down on the cold shower floor as he silently screamed out, feeling the water embrace him as his Kibum once did.  

“Jonghyun, this place is filthy. I don’t think I can stand this much longer.” Key complained as he stood up straight from bending over the sink he was just cleaning. He had on his umma apron and rubber gloves as he repeatedly scrubbed the filth off the sink.

“I understand Bummie, but at least you didn’t have to clean the toilet. Onew hyung needs to lay off the fried chicken.” Jonghyun exaggeratedly gawked as he continued to scrub away. The shorter boy looked up in time to see the taller boy gag at the previous statement.

“Jjong. That’s disgusting. Stop yourself.” Key scolded with a look of disgusted discomfort. Jonghyun just laughed at the reaction and looked back up at his gorgeous lover, entranced my how amazing he looked in that very moment. How the light made his hair shine, his eyes squinted in determination as he cleaned, his fair skin glowing, and just how freaking adorable he looked in that apron. Distracted, Jonghyun got an idea and moved towards the diva.

“But I guess you’re right, he’s going to have a heart attack with all that junk inside of is- HOLY SHII!” Shouted Key as arms encircled his torso and pulled him to the ground. Jonghyun began laughing as he repeatedly rocked Kibum on the floor, giving his exposed skin little kisses in between. Once they calmed down, Kibum gave Jonghyun an unamused look as the mischievous boy gave him a toothy smile. Kibum was about to get up as he rolled his eyes, but Jonghyun pulled him back down. Resting the younger’s head on his chest.

“Just stay like this with me for a while. I’ve missed this.” Jonghyun quietly pleaded. Unable to resist, Key obliged and wrapped his arms around Jonghyun. They laid in each other’s embrace for a while before they drifted into a nap.

“I love you, Jonghyun.” Kibum whispered before sleep overtook him.

“I love you too, Bummie.” Jonghyun replied with a smile. “More than you’ll ever know. I won’t ever stop loving you. No matter what, I’ll always love you.”

Kibum smiled.

  Jonghyun convulsed in pain as he remembered that happy times he shared with Kibum. But then Jonghyun had to be selfish and stupid and burn everything to the ground. He could barely recall when his affair started. He just knew that he pushed Kibum away, and Kibum moved on. Jonghyun was hurt so he fulfilled himself any way he could, not caring if it hurt Kibum. If Key tripped and fell by accident, Jonghyun would feel like trash because Key got hurt. He repulsed himself once he realized he caused Kibum’s pain, and he caused it knowingly. As Jonghyun thought back, he remembered how it started. Jonghyun was jealous. He didn’t want to share Kibum with anybody.

But Key was a social butterfly, that’s just who he was. He practically founded the ’91 line group and befriended practically everybody. Jonghyun first became wary of Dongwoon and Mir, who would flock to Kibum whenever they were in is vicinity. Jonghyun also had a scare when Nicole and Key became close. He started thinking Key liked holes and not poles and there wasn’t anything Jonghyun could do about it. He decided to confront Kibum after those dating rumors came out. Kibum laughed in his face and reassured him that he was the only one for him, verbally and physically. 

But then Infinite happened. Jonghyun wanted to trash them, but he couldn’t. There wasn’t any denying their looks, singing, dancing, and some of their acting. They also had ’91 liners, so naturally Kibum was going to be friends with them. But no, he made a new best friend. A man named Woohyun. It would’ve been okay if Woohyun didn’t pose a threat in more than one area, but he did. He was direct competition to Jonghyun. He was in competition for Key’s attention. But Woohyun also was in an SM sublabel, so their groups were trying to be the best of the whole label. Then, to top it off, Woohyun was also a main vocalist. A damn good one at that. Woohyun was everything Jonghyun didn’t need.

Woohyun and Jonghyun were indirectly head to head in many things. Unfortunately, it was only a contest to Jonghyun. He had to be better than Woohyun. He had to make Kibum smile more than Woohyun. He had to have a better body than Woohyun. He had to sing higher notes than Woohyun. He had to dance better than Woohyun. He had to win Kibum over from Woohyun.

But he failed.

He was too wrapped up in trying to be better that he pushed Kibum away.

Jonghyun was a fool.

That won’t stop him from getting his love back in his arms.

He swears on everything that he’ll get Kibum back.

And he will never, ever let him get away again.

A/N: Dang, that one was rough. It took me a while and it still wasn’t what I hoped would be good enough. It was hard to connect with Jonghyun because we only had two things in common. 1.) We both like dudes. 2.) We both love Key! I also want to give a special thanks to Layni17 for giving me inspiration to continue the story and giving me some direction on how it will turn out! AS ALWAYS THANKS FOR READING AND PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW!!

~volleyballcrizz