If there was one place Jonghyun didn't want to be at right now, it would be the table where Minho & Key were occupying, the very table that he was about to join at this moment. Then why, you might ask, would he still head to the table if he didn't want to be there? Well, for one, he had nowhere else to go (or more like he had nowhere else he wanted to go). And two, Key was his best friend and therefore lunch buddy. So when he plopped himself heavily down onto the seat in front of the happy couple, Jonghyun let out an audible sigh, announcing his arrival. His sigh successfully caught the attention of Minho & Key as they broke their eye contact and looked towards their friend (because intruder was honestly too harsh a word).

"What's wrong?" Key eyed his obviously upset best friend.

"I hate being the third wheel. What's worse is that I've been it for..." Jonghyun looked at the date that was reflected on his blackberry. "3 months, almost 4?"

"Thanks for taking note, hyung. It's 3 months and 28 days to be exact." Minho smiled like a proud boyfriend as he interlocked his hand with Key’s openly on the table.

Key rolled his eyes at his boyfriend (he didn’t pull his hand away though) and then looked earnestly at Jonghyun. "Hyung, we don't mind having you around so what's there to be upset about?"

It was Jonghyun’s turn to roll his eyes at the both of them. "In case you haven't notice, since you're so blinded by happiness and all, I’m not having the time of my life having to witness how blissful you two are."

"Things not going too well with Onew hyung?" Key deduced, truly concerned about his best friend’s situation.

“We’re doing fine, just not as well as you and Minho considering we don’t have the luxury of spending 24/7 with each other.”

Key was quick to defend. “Hyung, you’re exaggerating. We do not spend 24/7 with each other. It’s just that everytime you see us, we’re together.”

“Oh is it?” Jonghyun asked, obviously not at all convinced that was the case.

Key nodded. “In fact, Minho has to leave for soccer training now.”

“Do I?” Minho glanced at his watch and cursed immediately upon seeing the time. “Damn it! I’m late!”

“Thank god I have you.” Minho grabbed his backpack, kissing Key on his cheek, and then waved goodbye to the best friends with his focus on Key. “Call you later, baby. You guys carry on.”

With that, Minho hurried his way out of the university’s cafeteria. Key laughed as he watched his boyfriend swerve his way through the crowd of tables until he finally disappeared at the exit but stopped when Jonghyun looked at him disgustingly.

“See what I mean?” Jonghyun shook his head disapprovingly while he pulled Key’s tray of food towards him to finish off what was left. “It’s revolting, how sickeningly loving you two are.”

“Deal with it.” Key simply answered, not willing to continue the topic as he leaned back in his seat.

Jonghyun scowled. Both of them fell into a comfortable silence until Jonghyun decided to be the busybody he is and question his best friend about something he had heard from a common friend.

“So have you told him?” Jonghyun’s question came out of nowhere but Key did not show any trace of confusion on his face.   

Instead, he tensed up, suddenly all alert and cautious of what Jonghyun might be trying to get out of him. “What do you know?”

Jonghyun shrugged like it was no big deal. “Something apparently you want to keep secret from Minho.”

Key leaned across the table and stared threateningly at Jonghyun. “Tell me what you know now before i-“

“Alright alright.” Jonghyun put his hands up in a surrender position. “I heard you applied for the exchange programme to New York.”

Key’s eyes widened. “Did you hear anything else?”

“Yeah.” Jonghyun nodded. “Your application was successful.”

That was exactly what Key feared Jonghyun knew. It was good news that his application was approved by the school, but he wasn’t ready for people to know about it. The fashion student still had things to sort out on his own end… and it mainly had to do with Minho.

Key fell back into his chair and groaned. “Seriously hyung, how did you find out?”

“Kibum, you’re not the only friend I have in Fashion Design.”

“Jessica?”

“Mmhmm.”

“And how did she find out?”

“Ignoring the fact that you’re notorious in your course, you yourself should know that there’s only that many students in your course. Word gets around easily.” Jonghyun then emphasised. “Especially since you’re going all the way to the Big Apple.”

“But I was so secretive about it…” Key was unhappy knowing his secret was out of the bag when he was confident he couldn’t get more low profile than he was.

“The professors talk.” Jonghyun pointed out the exact reason to answer the unspoken question on Key’s mind.

“That’s not good.” Key messed the back of his hair troubledly, a frown growing on his features. “That means Minho would find out soon.”

“So I take it you haven’t told him yet?” Jonghyun concluded.

Key shook his head. “How am I supposed to tell him that I’m planning to leave Seoul… leave him for half a year?”

“Wow.” was all that escaped from Jonghyun’s lips.

“What?” Key asked, a little annoyed.

“I’m just amazed, that’s all.” Jonghyun remarked. “Before Minho came along, nothing could stop you from pursuing Fashion, not even your parents. The Kibum I know would just pack your bag and leave on the next flight if you had the opportunity like you do now. But now… are you actually hesitating?”

“I don’t know, hyung.” Key worried his bottom lip. “I want to go to New York but I don’t want a long distance relationship that will go on for 6 months. So if I do choose to go to New York, rational me would break up with Minho…”

“But you don’t want to even though you think it’s the best thing to do.” Jonghyun completed Key’s sentence.

Key bobbed his head up and down slowly, heaving out a sigh and looking like he was at his wits’ end.

“What should I do hyung?” Key was desperate for help.

“Well…” Jonghyun hummed in thought. “You can start by talking to Minho personally about New York before he has to hear it from outsiders.”

“And then what?”

Jonghyun let out a low laugh. “You’ll have to figure that out yourself after you tell Minho.”

Key flared up. “What kind of advice is that?!”

“Only the best.” Jonghyun grinned, showing a peace sign, unfazed by Key’s temper.

“Stupid dino.” Key muttered under his breath as he slumped further down into his seat.

Jonghyun shrugged. “The person who asked the stupid dino for advice is the most stupid.”

“Maybe you’re right…” Key mumbled. “Or else how would I have gotten myself into a situation like this?”

Jonghyun gasped. “Did you just-“

Key put up his hand and stopped his best friend from talking. “Not in the mood, hyung.”

“So I guess you’re not that happy after all.” Jonghyun quipped.

Key pressed his lips together in a thin line and that marked the end of their conversation.

------

Dropping his bag onto the bleachers, Key settled comfortably on his usual spot on the highest level that overlooked the entire field. The bleachers had become his best friend at the university’s soccer field since he started dating Minho. It all started when they arranged to meet for dinner but Minho had kept Key waiting alone at the university's entrance for over 15 minutes. Key eventually got fed up and stormed to the field where he knew he would most probably find Minho since he was having his training there. It turned out that the entire soccer team was held up by their coach. And from then on, Key decided he would just do the waiting at the bleachers where he could sit and breathe in the fresh air, at the same time, be entertained by watching Minho train and play the sport. He would normally scan the field for that familiar figure that would be sweating his off with his soccer teammates but today, there were just too many things in his mind to spare the effort to search for Minho.

Key looked up to the sky and took in a deep breath. He would have just shouted all his troubles to the heavens above if he could but he didn't need the unwanted attention. The fashion student knew Jonghyun was right, he needed to tell Minho personally about New York. He just couldn't find the right time to break the news. Then again, was there even a right time to break news like this? Key shook his head and sighed. It seemed like that was all he had been doing ever since his professor told him his application was a success. Key wanted to be with Minho, but he wanted to go to New York as well. Yet, he couldn't get the best of both worlds. How would Minho react when he told him the news? He’ll definitely be upset, that’s for sure, and if Key knew Minho well enough by now, his boyfriend would be supportive of his decision. However, if that was the case, they would be separated for a full 6 months and everyone knew there was nothing easy about long distance relationships. If he had known Minho was going to enter his life and become such a significant part of it, Key would not have been so quick to apply for the exchange programme. Then he wouldn’t be in the predicament he was in right now…

Key’s eyes lost focus as he stared blankly into the far distance. He blocked off everything that surrounded him and fell deep into his thoughts. Not only did he lose track of time, Key also did not notice that Minho was done with training and making his way up to where he was on the bleachers.

Knowing that Key’s mind was somewhere else, Minho quietly sat down in the space next to his boyfriend, not too close to Key though as he did not want to jolt him out of his reverie. Instead, he took the time to catch his breath and wipe off his sweat while the breeze cooled him down. It was only until Minho slung the white towel around his neck, the action itself alerting Key’s senses, that Key finally realised he wasn’t alone anymore. He whipped his head towards where he saw the flash of white and jerked back when he saw an equally startled Minho blinking innocently at him.

“When did you get here?” Key pushed Minho on his arm and then glanced at the now almost empty field. “Are you done with training?”

Minho nodded and smiled amusedly at Key. “About 10 minutes ago.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“You looked like you were thinking about something serious, I didn’t want to bother you and break your train of thought.” Minho shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal.

Key kept silent, his face downcast, lips pursed and hands clenched together, all of which didn’t go unnoticed by Minho. This got Minho worried because he hasn’t seen such a gloomy side of Key before. Frustrated and troubled, yes, but never to this extent…

“Kibum…” Minho began. “You know I’ll be there for you no matter what right?”

Key nodded slowly.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Minho asked, not wanting to beat about the bush.

“Minho…” Key decided to be honest. “I’m telling you now, this might not end well. Do you still want us to talk about it?”

“Now that you’ve said that, I don’t see how we can avoid talking about it.” Minho frowned. “Does this concern me?”

“It concerns us.”

“Tell me Kibum. What’s the problem?”

Key hesitated for a moment, breathing in and then out to prepare himself for what was about to come.

“I’m going for a six month long exchange programme to New York.”

Minho froze, just barely managing to utter out one word, “When?”

“September.”

“Alright…” Minho took in a deep breath and let it out, mirroring Key’s action from before. “That doesn’t sound too bad, it’s not like you’re leaving tomorrow, we could-“

“I don’t want us to be in a long distance relationship.”

“Oh.” A confused expression appeared on Minho. “What are you saying, Kibum?”

Key swallowed nervously, suddenly feeling as if there was a big lump in his throat making it so difficult for him to speak. He didn’t want to say the words, ending the conversation now with a “never mind”, and wanted so badly to turn back time but the look of realisation on Minho’s face told Key that there was no turning back now. He didn’t even have to say the words anymore, for Minho had read his expression and knew exactly what was on his mind.

“You gotta be kidding me!” Minho stood up angrily, staring down at an anxious Key.

Key stood up as well, panic obvious on his face. “I’m sorry Minho, I just thought it would better if-“

“Better?” Minho was furious. “How on earth would it be better?! In what ways would it be better?! I can’t believe you even thought about it! I can’t even say the words and yet you’re thinking about it?”

With every sentence, Minho grew more agitated, the volume of his voice getting louder and his stare becoming fiercer. Key had certainly never seen this side of Minho before. He was scared, anxious and worried but a little part of him couldn’t help but feel excited by this new side of Minho. In all honesty, an angry Minho was attractive in his own special way. However, Key knew this was not the time to be swooning over his boyfriend. If the intimidating glare from Minho meant anything, he had to make things right. And he had to do it fast because Minho had lost his patience. He had grabbed his backpack and was already turning away with every intention to storm down the bleachers.

“Where are you going!” Key called out, watching as the distance between him and Minho increased.

“To cool down!” Minho shouted, without even turning back to look at Key. “I can’t talk to you right now.”

“What about our dinner plans?” Key asked the first thing that came into his mind (which probably was the least important one at this moment).

Minho stopped midway down the bleachers and turned slightly around, enough to shoot the coldest look to Key. “Why would that even matter when you’re already thinking of us breaking up?”  

And for the second time that day, Key couldn’t find the words to form a reply. His eyes followed Minho until he was out of sight, disappearing into a nearby building. And then it hit him. He and Minho have just had their first couple fight. There was nothing worth celebrating for this ‘first’ though. Key felt like he was paralysed. Because deep down inside, it hurt so bad. There was no one to blame but himself. And knowing that Minho could only be hurting as much, if not more than he was, Key died a little inside.

Author's Note: so my lecture got cancelled and i found the time to update! and AFF is finally working for me! i know it's a cliché plot again but did i at least catch you by surprise? hee~ hope you enjoyed the update and look forward to the next chapter! i'll most probably be ending this soon... thanks for reading! :)