"Hi hyung" Kai smiled shyly and waved his hand when the door in front of him opened. It was their first encounter since the day at the park and he couldn't help but feel pretty damn nervous. "Is-.. is Taem home?"

"No, he's got a schedule. I think he should be back in an hour or so. Come in." Onew stepped aside and let the younger inside the dorm.

Kai took off his shoes and followed Onew to the living room, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down a bit. They sat down on the couch and immediately an awkward silence ensued.

The older rubbed his knees frantically with a troubled expression on his face before his index finger shot up into the air. "Aha! There's something I wanted to ask you." he leaned forward in his seat. "SHINee's having a photo shoot on Jeju in two days and we're staying the night so we'll also have some time for ourselves. If you don't have any schedules or anything then maybe you'd like to come with us? It'll be fun."

It wouldn't be true if Kai said he was completely free but he wasn't going to let a chance like this pass. "I'd love to go with you. You can sign me up!" he grinned.

"Great." Onew grinned back. Then he looked down at his lap and started to rub his hands as the sticky silence was coming back to life once again. "I'm- going to get you something to drink!" he sprang up from the couch.

"I-um!" Kai stood up too. "I'll go with you."

Onew gave him an awkward smile and slowly padded into the kitchen. He switched the radio on and tapped his foot to the beat, trying to relax a bit even though he could feel the younger's eyes boring holes in his body which was not helping.

Kai leaned against the counter and watched as the older shakily poured water into the electric kettle, clumsily splashing some on his sweater by accident. He was nervous too, Kai noticed relieved and then smiled warmly. "You look pretty today hyung." He really did, with those mussed hair and oversized clothes which made him look even cuter than usual.

Onew jumped a little and looked back at the younger, a nice blush spreading on his cheeks. He didn't say anything, just stared at Kai for a few seconds and then looked away but Kai didn't miss the way the corners of his mouth pulled upwards in a small smile. It gave him some of his confidence back, he stepped closer to Onew and slipped his arms around his waist in a cozy little backhug before gently beginning to move their bodies together to the music. The older went stiff at first, the tea bags he was holding dropping onto the counter but after a few more seconds he relaxed in Kai's arms and leaned his head back resting it on the younger's shoulder, his eyes closed and a content smile gracing his lips.

They swayed like this, shifting from foot to foot lazily not really caring about the beat and Kai nuzzled his nose in the older's neck, inhaling his scent. Jinki chuckled at the sensation and Kai spun him around, making him stumble a bit and then land in the younger's welcoming arms. Kai reached out for Jinki's left hand and laced their fingers together, the other resting on the older's waist, holding him close, and they danced a little faster as the music turned more upbeat. Onew threw his head back and laughed loudly, heartily, and Kai's heart stuttered as he felt warmth spread through his chest, his body tingling with emotions. He was in love. He was so in love with this man.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Onew's head snapped to the left and he noticed Taemin with his arms crossed over his chest, as well as Minho who looked like he wanted to escape the room as soon as possible. When did they get here? He didn't hear them come back. Minho scratched his neck uncomfortably and muttered "I have something extremely important to take care of bye" into the air before fleeing from the dorm.

Kai was reluctant to let go of Onew but the older went stiff in his arms, squirming a little, and he figured there was no use in trying to make him stay.

"Taemin-ah...this isn't-" the older started and took a hesitant step forward.

But Taemin had enough of this. He was tired of constantly feeling jealous and anxious and tired of wondering when Jinki was going to finally leave him for his best friend. "You have to make a choice hyung." he uttered with a shaky expression on his face. "I'm really sorry but I can't do this anymore, is it me or him?"

Jinki's eyes widened, he looked back at Kai hoping he would save him from this situation, help him in one way or another but Kai only sent him an apologetic look and walked to stand next to Taemin.

"Um. I- I don't understand." the oldest said, gaze switching between the two confusedly.

Kai nudged his best friend and Taemin exhaled nervously before approaching Onew, stopping two feet away from the man. He swallowed the lump in his throat and looked up, staring straight into his hyung's eyes. "I l-l-like you hyung." he stuttered, his face pale, and then cleared his throat awkwardly, standing up straight. He should probably make sure there were no misunderstandings. "I like you in a gay way!" he blurted out looking up at ceiling.

Onew sputtered, his eyes almost going out of his sockets. "G-g-ga.."

"Gay." Taemin helped kindly and then pressed his lips tightly together, anxiously waiting for some kind of answer. Instead, he heard a sigh coming from behind him and soon Kai was at his side, rubbing his temples in despair.

"You're seriously hopeless, who confesses like that?" 

"S-shut up, I was nervous."

"Look what you did to him, he looks like he's having a or some ."

"You're the one that's going to have a if you don't stop annoying me."

"Well how are we supposed to talk to him now, smartass? You totally knocked him out with your gay confession."

"G-g-ga.." It was Onew again.

"Gay" Taemin and Kai offered.

"M-me??" Onew shrieked and looked up at the two men in disbelief when the pieces of the puzzle finally started to come together. "Are you trying to say that the both of you like me?"

The younger men looked at each other raising their eyebrows in confusion. "Well, who were we supposed to like if not you?"

"Well, each other!" Onew exclaimed, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Taemin and Kai blinked at the older and then frowned deeply because what the actual ?

"Where did you get that from hyung?" Kai asked, now an amused smile pulling at his lips. "In your opinion, what was our motive when we were asking you out and stuff?"

"Um. I don't know, I guess- I guess you were trying to show each other that you are perfectly fine without the other and that you don't need them? Because I thought you guys were having a fight or something. Or-or I don't know, maybe you just wanted to hang out because you were lonely without the other? Or something?"

"Wow hyung you can really come up with all sorts of things" Kai laughed and Onew blushed, suddenly feeling really stupid.

"So..." Onew looked up at them after a few minutes of silence, miserably failing at hiding how pleased he was. "...you guys like me. Both of you." he uttered, more to himself than to the other two men. 

"Yeah." Kai smiled unwittingly seeing how happy the older man was. "But, um-. It's really awesome that you enjoy this situation so much hyung but..." Kai fumbled with his fingers and his face saddened. "Like Taem said, I think it's time you made a choice hyung... To be completely honest, I'm at my limit too... If-..if this was to go on for any longer I don't think I'd be able to get my heart back together in case-... you know."

Onew's smile slipped from his lips, he looked away and then down as he ducked his head. Yes, this was the reality. He couldn't have them both, no matter how much he wanted to. Choosing Taemin would be definitely the smarter option, they were in the same group and if he caused some sort of unpleasant relationship between them it would definitely reflect on SHINee's teamwork. On the other hand, could he really forget about Jongin? What if he couldn't, what if he hurt Taemin too because he wouldn't be able to give him all the attention he deserved? The same thing could happen if he opted for choosing Jongin but above all that, how would picking one of them affect the two men's friendship? 

"Hyung, um..." Taemin interrupted his train of thought with a quiet voice. "I-I guess it's hard to make a decision right away-" he looked tired, so tired and anxious and Jinki's heart was heavy in his chest. "-so, um, I guess we'll give you some time to think?" he looked at Kai and when the other nodded he sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. "We won't push you or anything, just tell us when you're ready to give us your answer."

"I-..." Onew started but then he only pressed his lips together and looked down.

After a few more seconds of silence Kai sighed. "I guess I'll get going.." he said, giving Jinki a small smile and then turned to leave. 

"I'll walk you home." Taemin offered and was about to follow after his friend when Onew called after him.

"T-taemin wait."

The younger looked back, his eyes questioning and a little cautious.

Onew took a few slow steps closer to the man and then slipped a hand behind his neck and pulled him closer. He pressed Taemin's face into the crook of his neck and hugged him as tight as he could, gently rocking their bodies together.

"I'm sorry." he whispered softly and the younger shivered in his arms. "Don't sleep at your parents' today, come back to the dorm. Let's talk later okay?"

Taemin nodded and pulled back, a small blush visible on the apples of his cheeks. "Um, Jongin's waiting so-..."

"Yeah. Yeah- go." Onew smiled sheepishly and made a shooing motion with his hands.

When he heard the front door shut he let a shaky breath out and bit his bottom lip as he felt a few tears run down his face.

Hello again. So yeah, it's been quite a while since I last updated this fic. Finals do this to people... Tho I don't think any of you even noticed I was gone for so long so no harm done, right?

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, see you next time! :)

Comments are very much appreciated!