--

Jonghyun had never been in a courthouse before, but he found out soon after arriving that he didn't like it.

He sat in the back of the room with the other four, Kibum at his left next to the walkway, and Minho on the right, looking smiley and happy go lucky as he always did. Maybe a little bit more than usual; one of the first things he noticed when he sat down and greeted them all was that Minho was being particularly nice today, and that he was sure flirting and giggling a lot with Taemin sitting on the other side of him.

Jonghyun assumed they were together after the incident on the night of Soomin’s death; the two of them after that were more or less attached at the hip. Maybe Minho had gotten over his fear of labels and actually confessed– or maybe they weren't together, and rather were just some kind of friends with benefits thing. Jonghyun didn't know, but whatever it was, it was beginning to make him quietly jealous.

Since he’d picked Kibum up from his apartment and driven them to the courthouse, Kibum had hardly said anything, let alone done anything affectionate. The more he thought about it, the more anxious Jonghyun got thinking about if he'd done something wrong, or if maybe the events of Wednesday (which seemed very mutual to him, but who knew? Kibum was an enigma) had been moving too quickly for him and now things were awkward.

The more he observed, the more fishy Kibum’s behavior got.

Kibum was always tired, always busy, always living on edge in one way or another, but not once had Jonghyun seen him so exhausted that he’d fallen asleep in the passenger's seat of the car while in mid-sentence. It scared him a little– if Kibum usually managed to stay awake on his typical tight, nearly sleepless schedule, how much sleep was he getting now?

When he asked about it (when Kibum was awake, of course) Kibum went slightly rigid and thought over his words carefully before saying a simple, “I had theatre class until late last night.”

Jonghyun laughed stiffly in response, trying to make light of the matter, telling him that he shouldn't have gone to it that late and making a dull joke about how, “the show must go on.”

Really, Jonghyun wanted to stop him dead in his tracks and confront him. Kibum told him less than a month ago that theatre classes never went past five in the evening.

His answer was a blatant lie.

He was a little peeved by this– no one likes being lied to– but more than anything it made him worry immensely. Kibum wasn't the kind of person to lie to people he was close to. If anything he was far too blunt and could be brutally, unnecessarily honest. So, what could be so bad that Kibum would have to lie about to his own boyfriend? After all the cold, hard truths he’d explained about his backstory, his insecurities, his traumas… what could be worse?

Unfortunately, Jonghyun didn't have time to address that issue or even think about it because of the trial. The moment of truth for their case, and what could be a possible end to the entire murder ordeal could be decided at this very courthouse on this very day. He couldn't be too focused on personal issues, because a man could be going to jail and it could be on the five of them’s hands.

He hadn't seen Junho yet, but he'd overheard Jinki speaking with a middle aged woman who was apparently defending the late suspect Soomin. They only introduced themselves, then spoke vaguely about how the whole thing was a tragedy, then parted ways with blank, emotionless faces. It was sort of like a game of poker between experienced gamblers; neither side wanted to show too much emotion this late in the game, because giving away too much of what’s planned may be a huge mistake. Of course, Jinki didn't have anything planned, but he used the lack of emotion to hide that fact. The five of them were completely unsure of what was going to happen– it was all up to Junho.

Overall, no one seemed very sympathetic towards Junho. Even Jonghyun, who knew he was innocent, didn't particularly like the guy because of the below-the-belt comments the man made when Jinki tried to help him on Monday. He didn't have very much going for him; he was the only one left alive out of the two couples, and he did have his fingerprints found in one of the crime scenes and at one of the victims’ houses. Nevertheless, Jinki reminded him and the others in their group that they had to defend him because no matter how much of a reckless he was, he was, in fact, innocent. After the events of Monday, and Junho’s apparent fear of confessing to an outside relationship, none of them knew what was going to happen.

Jonghyun shifted in his seat with anxiety. He really didn't like courthouses. The crowded rooms, the seriousness of it all, everyone wearing suits and blazers, the fact that so much was always at stake in a courthouse… he could go on. He didn't want Junho, or anyone really, to go to jail. He definitely didn't want anyone else to die– but Jinki told him that a death penalty was unlikely. Unless Junho happened to be a serial murderer responsible for all the deaths, he was to be either released or sent to prison. Jinki said that with a cynical, humorless laugh that was supposed to turn the sentence into a cold joke, but it didn't really work.

Kibum leaned on his side, either from exhaustion or affection he wasn't really sure. He hoped for the ladder, but something told him otherwise. Nonetheless he allowed it, nonchalantly holding his limp, motionless hand and mindlessly playing with his fingers in anxiety and boredom. He didn't know when the case was going to start, and neither did the rest of them, so the tension filled lull was dragged out indefinitely. Kibum was already drifting off, leaning me heavily onto Jonghyun’s shoulder, not saying a word.

“Jonghyun?” Jinki called out quietly, over Taemin and Minho who sat between the two. Jinki looked more remorseful than anything; not angry, not scared, just dreading what was to come. His dark, creased eyes darted from side to side, making sure no one was listening in on them before anything else.

“Yeah?”

“You probably already know this, but don't talk about what happened at the cafe around here,” Jinki ordered, somehow not being heard by the other three; Kibum now asleep on Jonghyun’s shoulder, Taemin and Minho now engrossed in looking at something on Minho’s phone and chatting. Jinki looked deadly serious, his dark, creased eyes narrower than usual, and just how formal and business-like he was dressed, his hair combed straight, suit ironed, glasses on his face so that he didn't miss any of the trial. He truly seemed as if he was a real lawyer.

“I won't,” Jonghyun answered, nodding carefully as to not wake Kibum up with too much movement, “I assumed I shouldn't.”

He looked up towards the front of the room and finally saw Junho– tall, rigid, robotic– just as he remembered. Like Jinki, he seemed to shut down into autopilot in such a serious, crowded place as this, and he sat in his seat up front with no spoken words to anyone.

“Do you think he’ll confess? To the affair I mean,” Jonghyun asked, not taking his eyes off the angular figure. Jinki sighed deeply, slumping forwards to put his elbows on his knees and prop his face up.

“No, I don't,” Jinki mumbled honestly, “if he was sure about anything on Monday it was that he sure as hell wasn't going to admit to anything risqué.”

“But… he doesn't really have another option, does he?”

“Not really, but…” Jinki trailed off, looking off to the side someplace and tapping his fingers on his cheek, “he might strike a plea deal… say he's guilty or something, pay, then get less time in prison… you never know; I haven't talked to his lawyer, so I have no clue what he's– is Kibum asleep?”

Jinki raised an eyebrow, examining the passed-out blond beside Jonghyun. He was dressed nicely, looked as if he was official and formal, but was covered in concealer, and still showed dark circles under his thin, pretty eyes. Jonghyun frowned in worry, taking a hand and running his fingers through Kibum’s bangs to move them out of his eyes.

“Yeah, he’s just… really tired.”

“No , but I've never seen him like this before…” Jinki stated honestly, looking slightly worried as well.

“He’s… well, he said he was okay so I can't really do much about it.”

Jinki gave a sideways frown, obviously worried for him, but also with a heartfelt look in his eyes that, somehow, made it all seem like an issue that would blow over. Jonghyun never know how the oldest of the five did it, but somehow he managed to always lighten a mood in the smallest, strangest of ways.

“He'll be fine,” Jinki quietly assured, a small smile returning to his lips, making his eyes look like crescents as they always did when he smiled, “I don't know him that well, but he’s always smiling and laughing around you; honestly I think that he's going to be alright as long as you're around. You draw him out and make him trust people, and he kinda seems to comfort and caution you… it's a good balance.”

Jonghyun smiled sweetly, his eyes darting to the side to evade eye contact. He wasn't sure whether it was visible, but he probably was flushed pink.

“You should be a marriage counselor, Jinki,” out of nowhere, Minho added, a snarky grin on his far-too-perfect face. He looked even more perfect than usual today, smiling with his perfect, straight white teeth, wearing a new suit that Jonghyun had never seen in the office before. Kibum continuously told him he was, in fact, attractive, but compared to the rest of the group he never could really believe it. Maybe he wasn't as unique, or maybe he just happened to befriend gorgeous people– he wasn't sure.

“I’m too cynical and nihilistic– it wouldn't work out very well,” Jinki nonchalantly shrugged, glancing in Minho’s direction.

“But really,” Minho went on, changing the subject with interested eyes, “that did sound pretty soulmate-y… you sure you aren't dating–”

“Shh– it's starting,” Jinki cut Minho off, making Jonghyun silently thank him and exhale his previously held breath in relief. It's not that he didn't want to answer the question– he was the farthest possible distance away from the idea of being ashamed of dating Kibum– but he wasn't sure that Kibum wanted him to say anything. Especially as of recently; Kibum’s paranoia over publicity having shot through the roof. He didn't want to slip up, and he definitely didn't want Kibum to be even more uncomfortable and anxious.

In the current moment, he wasn't sure whether or not to wake the blond sophomore still asleep on his shoulder or not. On one hand he needed the rest, on the other this case was important and Kibum wouldn't forgive himself for missing it.

Jonghyun looked ahead at the front of the room. He assumed the boy would wake up on his own soon; he told himself that he didn't tend to be a deep sleeper anyways. Really, that was just an excuse to cover up the fact that Jonghyun couldn't bring himself to do it, as he looked too peaceful, and needed that nap so badly. His hand was still loosely intertwined with Kibum’s, and he couldn't help but notice how cold his fingers were compared to his own. Kibum always seemed to like warm things; plush blankets, tropical destinations, space heaters… but he himself was always so freezing. With that, Jonghyun only worried more about whether or not the boy would catch a cold, or get sick in one way or another from the winter frigidness.

Unfortunately, lost in those thoughts, a large part of the beginning statements of the trial flew by and Jonghyun barely even heard them. He knew he could always ask Jinki later, and he knew that the important parts weren't really until Soomin’s lawyer and Junho begun to talk, but he still felt somewhat guilty for being so spacey. There were so many things happening, so much to keep up with…

By the time Soomin’s lawyer had worn out the guilt tripping suicide card, the entire courtroom seemed to be bored. There wasn't much evidence displayed for, or against Soomin by the lawyer, and all of the questions asked by the judge were deflected in one way or another. The lawyer on her side of the case really showed Soomin’s legacy– she was a rigid, loud, insincere woman with s slight frame and aggressively high, sharp cheekbones. Personally, Jonghyun felt threatened by her. So did everyone else.

Luckily, her time to speak came to an end. He was sure Soomin did it, but it didn't matter very much anymore now that she wasn't there to be punished. The main problem with the trial was the singular enigmatic wildcard: Junho. When it was finally his lawyer’s turn to speak, he made a long string of statements about things everyone already knew. The man stood up front, talking towards both the courtroom and the judge, and went on about how Junho was a family oriented person, a creative soul, and a fragile man not capable of even hunting an animal, let alone murdering a human. Glancing at Jinki, Jonghyun could see the content in his eyes– even after all of the insults and rude, venomous comments about his past, Jinki still seemed to believe the guy was an overall good person. He noted that he should tell Jinki at some point that he really wasn't as cynical a person as he said he was; maybe just tired and lonely.

As the lawyer went on, Jonghyun finally decided that the man may have been getting to the important part, and that Kibum might murder him if he didn't wake him up for Junho’s testimony. With a light shove of the shoulder, he attempted to rouse him from his sleep; a painful task because of how pretty and serene he looked actually resting for once. Nevertheless, he tried again after the first attempt failed, whispering, “Kibum, get up,” and trying to move him just enough for his head to slip off of Jonghyun’s shoulder and jerk him awake. Luckily, that time it worked. Kibum mumbled something to himself quietly, slowly raising his head to look around and remind himself of where he was and why. He rubbed an eye, then turned to Jonghyun and blinked in confusion, his hair slightly tousled and eyes heavy with sleep and stress.

“How long was I asleep?”

He whispered, trying not to cause anyone to look at them in the quiet courtroom. Due to the five being in the very back, this wasn't hard, but he still remained cautious anyways.

“Uh… I guess the first half? Soomin’s lawyer talked, but it wasn't that important really,” Jonghyun mumbled with a small smile, using one hand to fix Kibum’s bangs and draw them out of his face, “did you sleep well?”

Kibum sighed and smiled back, a sweet little smile that made the edges of the room fade out more and more until everything was focused on him and him alone. Maybe that was a stupid analogy, but Jonghyun really did think that every time he gave one of those innocent, real smiles nothing else mattered. It was a dumb, lovestruck hypnosis that he continuously found himself stuck in.

“I guess, but just because I’m really tired,” Kibum muttered, barely parting his lips to speak and not once looking away from the brunette beside him, “I’m glad I didn't miss anything important…”

Kibum sat up straight again, refocusing his attention to the front of the room and to whatever Junho’s lawyer was talking about now. He rolled his shoulders once, attempting to make it look like he was astute and had been awake the entire time.

“Junho would not have killed anyone due to his demeanor, and certainly not out of jealousy.”

“Why not?”

“Because he was not interested romantically or ually in his wife, but rather, was having an outside affair.”

Junho shifted in his seat, looking down at the table and seemingly writing down notes. Though, it was relatively obvious he wasn't writing anything, just using the pen and paper as an excuse to not look up at anyone. Jonghyun’s eyes widened. Was he actually going to confess to an affair with Minhyun? Looking to the side, Taemin, Minho, and Jinki were sitting on the edges of their seats anxiously; Taemin looking somewhat amused by it all, Minho’s lips falling open without realizing it, and Jinki staring straight ahead as if blinking was a crime.

“Lack of evidence, your honor,” Soomin’s lawyer called from her seat, a cold, emotionless maw on her stony face.

“Yes, please present evidence or leave this subject alone,” the judge, a stout, middle aged man with greying hair and a perpetually-frustrated face, answered.

Junho’s lawyer nodded, mumbling a, “one moment please,” before scurrying to the table at which Junho sat, ever-nervously, and grabbing a thin white file. He scanned through it briefly before handing it off to the judge, his deep set eyes both worried and confident at the same time. Jonghyun got the feeling he knew just what was in that file.

“These,” the lawyer started, presenting now to the entire court and not just the judge, “are emails sent between one Park Junho, and Oh Minhyun. The details enclosed prove a romantic affair between the two, and prove that Junho was not in fact jealous, or even interested in his wife.”

There was no gasp from the audience. No sound of surprise. Only brief silence, wide eyes, disgusted looks, and an aftermath of quiet chatter amongst the crowd. It felt more than wrong– Junho being forced into public humiliation for something that wasn't only taboo due to unfaithfulness, but for being unfaithful with another man. Jonghyun couldn't help but recount the man’s words at the cafe on Monday:

“Don't make me lose my family too…”

The area of the court where Junho’s father, mother, and what Jonghyun believed to be his sister sat was full of catty, surprised, disappointed faces. It was really, truly, sickening. He slammed into the reality of just what society thought of people like himself, like Kibum, like anyone outside of what was considered correct. He could see, suddenly, in this one revelation why Kibum acted the way he did in public; quiet, cautious, overly-polite to the point of insincerity at times… it was self defense, but it was more than that. It was a constant protective barrier he needed to put up simply to survive as someone who didn't just like men, but as someone who could be seen as “obvious,” or even “flamboyant.” He didn't pass as the norm, so the only option outside of closed doors was to up to everyone, become competitive, and keep his mouth shut. Junho no longer had the option to be in a closet– and neither did Kibum, but instead all of his life.

Jonghyun never felt nearly as thankful for having a kind, accepting family and a generally inconspicuous appearance when it came to uality or femininity. The way the courtroom reacted, as if shown some sort of gory, repulsive image, made him shift in his seat and subconsciously hold on to Kibum’s hand a little tighter.

Jinki looked far more terrified than him, though. He had both hands clasped on his knees, and a remorseful, guilty look on his face that simply looked wrong on him. On such a kind-hearted, responsible, caring person, the kind of resent and painful regret just didn't fit– Jonghyun missed the normal carefree grin that he usually had; the one that was equivalent to staring at the sun.

“I really… didn't think he’d do it,” Jinki muttered, moving his hands off of his knees to cover his eyes instead, dragging them down his blank, crushed face.

“Jinki, it’ll be okay, he’s not–”

“No, no, no– no it won't… that guy just lost basically everything except his life. That’s… not okay,” Jinki continued, cutting off Minho’s attempt at consolation, “he’s lost everything and it's my fault. I could have figured out another way, I’m not stupid, I just…”

“Jinki,” Kibum looked at him from across the others, speaking in a demanding, yet endearing tone that, to everyone's surprise, made Jinki look up at him silently, “you did all you could. I know you don't want to hear this, but he’s not your responsibility, you're not his lawyer, he's a grown man, and he made his choice. You didn't do anything wrong, and you tried harder than anyone else on this case, okay?”

Kibum waited for a response, looking at him through similar, tired, strained eyes, his features soft with consolence, yet serious and undeniable. He wasn't looking for any more talk of being to blame– he somehow made it clear by his tone of voice. Eventually, after taking it in, slightly dumbstruck by the sincerity and care, Jinki blinked and nodded hesitantly.

Jonghyun leaned forwards to meet the oldest of the five’s eyes, adding another small, hopefully helpful comment with a weak smile.

“I think you should talk to him after all of this… if you can, I mean. I think it'd mean a lot to him if you offered yourself as a friend, or at least an ally in this whole mess. Besides, if you want him to have support after all this is over, why not be the first one to volunteer?”

Jinki blinked again, even more startled by the advice. Something about the disbelief in his expressions made it clear that Jinki wasn't used to having people– friends– who cared whether he felt guilty or depressed or defeated. Though thinking about it made Jonghyun a bit sad, it also brightened his outlook towards his friendship with the awkward upperclassman. He actually felt important– that maybe he was making a small, comforting difference in his mood and troubles…

His thoughts were cut off by the judge beginning to speak again, calling the court to order as the room had descended into quiet chatter.

“We’ll take a fifteen minute recess, then I’ll make a decision.”

Taemin audibly sighed.

“Really? Haven't we been here long enough? I swear to god,” he mumbled, running his hands through his long, auburn hair as if sitting for a few hours was the most stressful thing he'd ever done.

“This is why you’re a dancer and not a lawyer, small gremlin,” Kibum whispered back, smirking and leaning forwards so that he could see everyone from his spot at the end of the row. Taemin grumbled meaninglessly and opened his mouth to retort, but paused, his eyes caught on something. His frown turned into a smug grin, making Jonghyun a little scared as to what he had noticed. It took a moment, but he traced Taemin’s ever-so-analytical eyes to where his hand was still intertwined with Kibum’s in his lap. His heart jumped childishly at the attention brought to such a cheesy thing, and before he could say or do anything Kibum was pulling his hand away in one punctual movement back into his own lap. It was discouraging to say the least, but the flushed pink color on Kibum’s cheeks made up for everything in the end. Taemin only smiled coyly again, having accomplished what he wanted to without saying a word.

Why did he even care– they were dating after all? Taemin certainly wasn't a threat (at least not in this case), so Kibum’s quick, defensive motion was definitely a little strange.

“I’m going to go find Junho, I guess,” Jinki stated, not actually very sure of himself, but standing up nonetheless, “you guys should go get some coffee up front before we’re called back in here again… Especially you, Kibum.”

Kibum rolled his eyes, somewhat embarrassed by the fact that he was caught sleeping during the trial.

“Yes, your highness,” he mumbled, standing up and stretching his lean arms over his head before unwrinkling his shirt the best he could and waiting for the others to follow.

“Good luck,” Jonghyun smiled towards an already-exit-bound Jinki, “I really hope it goes well.”

“Thanks, and me too…” Jinki smiled softly, then pivoted towards the exit and shuffled out the door between the passing business people in suits and lawyers and other courtroom regulars.

“I hope this doesn't cost money,” Kibum muttered while shuffling out of the row, then towards the door with Jonghyun at his left and Taemin and Minho laughing about something behind him, “I really prefer getting free coffee from the cafè.”

“Yeah, ‘cause I always make you your complicated, huge, sugary drinks. I swear, where do you even come up with those…”

“I’m an artist,” Kibum stated overdramatically, flippantly waving a hand as he spoke, “I personally believe you should take one of my drinks, make it as a special, and name it after me.”

“You really want to be famous some day, don't you,” Jonghyun rolled his eyes with fake aggravation.

“That’d be nice– and when I’m famous I'll let you stay in my future mansion as long as you make it up to me somehow.”

“Like how?”

“Hm… I don't know, take me on nice dates, make out with me in your lambo, buy me a cute dog, and bend me over a–”

“Okay! Okay, Kibum, I get it,” Jonghyun purposefully cut him off, hoping the red on his face wasn't too obvious. It amazed him how the tiniest physical things– holding hands, an arm over a waist, a kiss on the cheek– bothered him in public, but so long as he flirted with a straight face, he didn't mind saying just about anything out loud. Or, maybe now that they were in a hallway amongst a crowd Kibum didn't care as much.

To test that theory, he carefully, nonchalantly put an arm around his waist with a sheepish smile off to the side. There was no physical reaction; no shoving away or pushing his arm off, so he considered it to be a victory at first.

“Jjong, you shouldn't do that here,” he muttered, looking at the floor, completely still and rigid, his previous flirty attitude fading into something darker, “it's really not safe.”

His smile faded and his arm slowly dropped, as to not be obvious. He cancelled the idea that that was a victory.

“Sorry...”

“Don't be,” Kibum sighed, fixing his hair for the umpteenth time, “there's just… too many people around here.”

“How come you get to be suggestive out loud, but when I do something that could just be considered skinship you freak out?”

Kibum looked at him in surprise, eyes wider than before at the blunt question.

“Well, I…” he trailed off, biting his lip and looking off to the side again, “I guess because it's easier to see something suggestive than to hear something. Like if you were standing anywhere farther than, like, three feet away it’d be impossible to hear me. Does that make any sense?”

Jonghyun nodded silently; that was a pretty valid reason. Though, it didn't explain his somewhat-extreme paranoia as of late. It definitely didn’t condone lying.

“Also,” Kibum started again, matter of factly, yet hesitant and dodgy, eyes still darting around as if everyone was a potential threat, “skinship stops being a thing after you graduate high school. Other than a few more masculine people like, I don't know, Minho or something, guys don't get away with that in their twenties… it's a good excuse for why you're hugging, or holding hands with a boy when you're a teenager, but think about it… it really wouldn't pass now.”

“So I guess that’s why he can be all over Taemin like that and no one bats an eye,” Jonghyun added, glancing behind them at the two youngest of the group, still engrossed in some dumb conversation about Fifa Soccer. Kibum nodded in agreement.

“Taemin also looks enough like a girl, so from a distance Minho just looks like he has a sort-of tall girlfriend or something.”

“Yeah, he’s got the long hair and the feminine waistline and all–”

“Yah, keep your eyes on me,” Kibum snapped half-jokingly, his eyes glaring but his lips pulled into a smirk. And then he laughed, and God did Jonghyun want to kiss him. He was stuck staring again, he knew, but he didn't try to fight it. Maybe he understood Kibum’s worrying, but some of it he didn't completely agree with. Holding hands couldn't be that dangerous, especially in such a concentrated crowd. So God forbid he not be allowed to look, with all the infatuation and admiration he had, at his boyfriend. His pretty, high cheekbones, his small but cute lips, his dark eyes, always lightly lined in kohl and concealer. Today the concealer seemed thicker than usual, and he noticed this earlier, but didn't say anything. But now it became apparent that it wasn't just under his eyes today; it was blended over a large portion of his face, all the way down to his neck.

“That’s your fault,” Kibum muttered, looking away from his gaze.

“What?”

“The concealer?” Kibum asked rhetorically, “do you not remember anything that happened on Wednesday?”

“I– oh…”

He definitely remembered; though it still kind of felt like a dream to him. He made those marks. He felt oddly both embarrassed and proud of himself.

“How come your skin is completely flawless– I thought I did at least some damage…”

“Your skin’s lighter; also I bite…kind of alot.”

“you really do,” Kibum muttered, hands instinctively pressing his neck lightly to see if the concealer was still covering decently, “and that was just , Jesus.”

“Bummie,” he whined like a child deprived of ice cream, shoving his arm lightly,  “you can't just say things like that with a straight face; it’s torture.”

“Why not? Are you just talking about it?”

“I’m–” he paused, not knowing how to deny that claim. Kibum simpered and looked forwards as if nothing had happened, a delicate smirk on his face from pride.

“I don't know how to answer that.”

“Amateur,” Kibum chuckled, earning a shove in the side from a half-excited, half-humiliated Jonghyun.

“Shut up.”

“But do you really want me to shut up?”

At a stalemate, they'd stopped walking, standing in front of the small shop where people in suits and ties were rushing in and out carrying coffee cups and small pastries. Jonghyun bit his lip in an attempt to, at least for the time being, forget about the whole conversation. It was so easy to forget just how serious of a place they were in– and for such serious reasons. It probably wasn't the best thing that all he could think about was ditching the whole thing to go dishevel his boyfriend in the back seat of his car.

He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. It was going to be a long day, he decided. With whatever self-confidence he had left, he smiled innocently back at Kibum.

“Are you free tonight? Soojung’s not going to be home until late because she’s going to band practice and it’s a Friday night and all… I’ll buy dinner and a movie or something?”

To Jonghyun’s surprise, he didn’t make another suggestive comment, and the prideful smirk on Kibum’s face dropped to an unsure sideways glance. The suspicion from earlier in the day returned in an instant; flirting aside, Kibum still was acting slightly stranger than usual. He stared down at the floor, examining his shoes for scuff marks.

“Sorry,” he said simply, and almost sadly, exhaling softly through barely parted lips, “I really need to work tonight…”

“It’s alright, I get it,” he answered with a weak smile, more worried than understanding. He wanted more than anything to ask if anything was wrong– no, he knew something was wrong– he wanted to ask just what was wrong. But for whatever reason he couldn't bring himself to do it, and instead just offered that weak, unstable, uncertain smile as a symbol of his sheer worry.

“I’m… honestly, really sorry, Jjong,” Kibum repeated, looking back at him with honesty, yet the absence of an explanation.

“It's okay; I don't mind waiting a little to go out with you,” he spoke softly, moving his arm with the intention of holding his hand, but remembering Kibum’s serious words about essentially never touching in public. He dropped his arm back to his side and disappointingly stuffed his hand into the pocket of his slacks instead. He really was being honest; he didn't mind waiting, but if during that waiting something was happening he didn't know about that was hurting Kibum, he did mind.

“I know, you always say that, but I… don't want to wait either; I don't want to seem like i’m avoiding you… God, I’m not; you're the best thing that’s happened to me in like, a year, but I have to work if I want to get paid and if I don't people will– I mean, I will…”

“It’s fine; I know you're not avoiding me,” Jonghyun consoled softly, trying to sound as honest and understanding as possible, “but are you okay?”

“What?” Kibum looked up, cocking his head somewhat taken aback by the question.

“Are you okay? Like at work– is there something–”

“Kibum! Jjong!” Minho’s clear voice sounded out above the milling crowd, making the both of them raise their heads in alarm and making the rest of Jonghyun’s sentence lost to the perpetual static of the room, “I got the coffee, but it's been almost fifteen minutes so we have to go!”

Kibum shouted back an, “alright!” then looked to his boyfriend with an unnerving frown, not even attempting to answer the question. He sighed and gestured for the two of them to start walking back to the courtroom, looking oddly defeated and sullen.

“We should go,” he mumbled.

“Yeah,” Jonghyun answered lifelessly, accomplishing nothing and feeling even more worried than before, “Jinki’s gonna kill us if we’re not there when they start.”

Kibum laughed half-heartedly, starting to walk in the direction of the courtroom. His chin was held high, and his posture was proud and perfect, and yet somehow he still seemed empty and anxious. Looking at him in the afternoon sunlight beaming through the courthouse windows, he looked as elegant as usual, but with a hint of something that was insincere and off. The more Jonghyun’s eyes wandered to the hardly-noticeable smudges of light concealer, the more they seemed suspicious. He knew that he did some damage on Wednesday– hickeys and bitemarks at most– and maybe his memory was incorrect for such a tiny detail, but he didn't remember biting or doing anything that would leave a mark on the left side of his neck, just the right. But, for whatever reason, there was enough concealer to hide just about anything on both sides of his neck and jawline. When he looked closer, even one side of his face seemed more or less covered in a light, inconspicuous foundation. This was different than a few, light smudges to cover a bitemark; no, this was full-on bruise-covering makeup.

What was uncanny was that he knew Kibum had been hiding bruises before this. The looming injury on his lower back haunted his memory; it was huge and dark and truly painful to look at. So hiding more of them now didn't seem like something that would be that unlikely. No– the part that seemed unlikely, or, more like what Jonghyun didn't want to believe was likely– was Kibum directly, undeniably lying to him.

Kibum glanced at him with concern, noticing that he was staring, and not in the typical awestruck way he usually did. He said nothing, just looked back ahead with a shaky breath and an uncomfortable frown.

––

“How was Junho?”

Taemin whispered, looking at Jinki with wide eyes and his head held high in interest. That was the first thing anyone out of the five had said in the five minutes they’d all been sitting in the courtroom again. People continued to chat, as the judge hadn't called the place to order yet. Jonghyun, and probably everyone else in the entire building, felt overwhelmed with worry.

“Junho? Oh, uh,” Jinki mumbled, pausing to think about it and reassess his conversation with the strange, lanky man in question, “he seemed really… defeated. Like just, genuinely, really hopeless. But he said before I could even really say anything that he was extremely sorry for what he said to me on Monday and that he was just really scared.”

“That doesn't really excuse what he said to you,” Jonghyun muttered, looking down at his hands in his lap with no readable expression. Jinki blinked, not expecting the cold retort.

“I guess, but it's a start,” Jinki shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee and then returning to look straight ahead at the front of the busy room, “what’s up with you, Jjong?”

“Huh?” he looked up, raising an eyebrow.

“I said what’s up with you? You seem sort of… spacey and frustrated,” Jinki asked, leaning forwards to look over Taemin, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“It’s probably nothing– don't worry about it,” Jonghyun answered with a fake smile and a tiny, nonchalant glance at Kibum beside him. Unfortunately, it didn't go unnoticed by Jinki’s ridiculously observative eyes, and he squinted even more than before.

“Are you sure? The Kim marriage is doing okay?”

“The Kim Mar– Oh,” Jonghyun’s eyes widened in understanding, “I– uh… it’s fine, Jinki. I said don't worry about it.”

Jinki shrugged again, leaning back in his seat comfortably.

“Okay, suit yourself– but bottling up your feelings never helps anything, Jonghyun-ah.”

“Okay, mister marriage counselor.”

“Okay, loverboy.”

Taemin snorted at the use of that nickname. Before Jonghyun could snap something back at the eldest, the judge was slamming the hammer down on the podium and calling for silence. Jonghyun tried to focus on the fact that the judge was about to decide Junho’s fate and the entire next step into the investigation of the case, but it was nearly impossible with the anxiety creeping up his spine and the jumbled thoughts in his head making him space out into oblivion. But with one motion, one surprising, electrifying movement, everything bothering him dispersed– Kibum was holding his hand. He delicately, slowly, hesitantly laced their fingers and did so with not even a glance towards him, but it meant more than anything. Jonghyun could feel his face heating up, and instinctively he looked down at nothing in particular, fighting a dumb smile. He was relieved the perpetually-mysterious boy he chose to love wasn't upset with him for asking too many questions– or, whatever else he seemed to be peeved about. Jonghyun had no clue.

“Soomin has not been found guilty, but we will continue to look into her background to see if she is a likely murderer.”

The voice of the judge sounded out, gaining Jonghyun’s focus again. A small laugh was audible from beside him, and for the first time since they'd come back to the courtroom, Kibum was smiling.

“We did it,” he mouthed, just barely squeezing his hand in excitement. Jonghyun smiled back at him, remembering the the first week of the class and how Kibum had grabbed both of his hands in ecstatic joy when the names were announced for the special program. That was one of the first times he'd really, truly seen how pretty he was– it was obvious that the man was gorgeous, with his perfect hair, dark eyes, and elegantly high cheekbones– but this was one of the first times Jonghyun could see more than just superficial attractiveness. He was so much prettier with a cheesy smile, or when he would laugh that loud, undeniable laugh when things were ridiculous within their little group, when his eyes were shut into crescents and cheeks lit up and dimpled from happiness. That was one of the most beautiful things he’d ever seen.

Kibum opened his mouth to say something else but was immediately shut down by Jinki muttering a, “don't celebrate yet, Junho is up next.” His small, spontaneous smile instantly disappeared and the row was sent back into an uncomfortable, dead silence.

Junho looked the epitome of stressed; he tapped his finger on the desk he sat at, and his leg bounced ruthlessly under the tabletop. Though his face didn't show any emotion, his fidgeting and sweating and overall aura of hopeless nervousness was obvious to anyone in the room.

“As for Junho,” the judge started, and Jinki leaned forwards, sitting at the edge of his seat, “He’ll be under watch, and will be investigated further in case of any suspicious activity we may have missed…”

The judge shuffled his papers, not finished with his final testimony, making the tension in the room thicker by the second. No one made a sound; the shuffling of documents and files could be heard all the way from the back of the room. Jonghyun guessed that he would be able to hear a pin drop. It was as if everyone was holding their breath at the same time, no matter what side they might have been on.

“Junho will not be arrested or fined, but will be required to attend trauma therapy. He has been found not guilty.”

Not guilty.

Not guilty.

The words came out of the man’s mouth so casually and carelessly that it took Jonghyun a moment to really process it. Junho was innocent– their case was basically over. Wasn't it?

He looked to his left and Kibum was smiling again with pure pride, and he looked to his right and Jinki was blinking with wide eyes in disbelief. Taemin was shoving Jonghyun in the side out of excitement, and Minho patted Jinki’s shoulder in an attempt at consolation or understanding or some kind of comfort for the strange situation.

“Is that– is that it?”

Jinki mumbled, looking straight ahead, half-spaced out and half focused on the judge, who had dismissed the court and was no longer speaking. Jinki’s eyes just didn't want to move– he needed to think about everything, and yet he needed to think about nothing because it was over. Or, was it over? None of them really knew a definite answer to that.

“I guess it’s…” Jonghyun attempted to answer the question, but trailed off due to a lack of an actual comprehensive answer. Kibum looked at the two of them and chuckled to himself at the dumb looks on their faces. His composition, as it always was in public, was confident and upright, voice clear and precise.

“No, because the killer still hasn't been identified, you idiots,” he simpered, trying to look cool under the circumstances, but failing to subdue a smile looking at the other four’s expressions.

He was right– no one was identified. Soomin was still under suspicion, but it wasn't definitive. On top of that, they'd be the ones looking into her files and life and determining what the likely suspicious parts were in all of this. There was much more– but for now, this was a victory. Junho was found innocent, and that was one major landmark they’d apparently made it past. It was as if they were one huge step forward, one step closer to an actual picture of what happened.

Jinki finally came to his senses and looked at the others; first to Kibum, then the rest. His face softened into that bright, bubbly smile everyone loved, and he clasped his hands in his lap excitedly.

“But we kind of singlehandedly saved a guy from a lifetime in prison. Doesn't that feel like… really amazing to you?”

Minho nodded ecstatically before anyone else.

“I– we did that. I mean like we found all that stuff and just… holy , we actually did something.”

Taemin openly laughed at his dumbstruck reaction, poking his cheek and grinning, his pretty brown eyes creasing in amusement.

“Aw, you’re all grown up now…out here being an adult, doing lawyer stuff,” he purred, making Minho pout and shove him in the side.

“You’re one to talk– you’re barely out of your teens, Tae,” Kibum shot back with a scoff.

“So? I'm an adult, technically speaking.”

“You're barely legal,” Kibum cocked an eyebrow and Jonghyun watched the exchange with amusement.

“Oh? Mister, “I slept around in high school,” cares about if I’m legal?”

“I never said it was a good thing that I slept around in high school, Taemin, so yes I do care. I wouldn't recommend what I did.”

“You’re a hooker, why should I trust your advice?”

“Hey, no need to be a drama queen, I was just saying that you're barely independent from your parents– treating other people like they're below you won't change that,” Kibum squinted at him, obviously annoyed by the last comment and trying not to snap at him. Taemin crossed his arms and huffed, his long hair falling in his face as he fell back to the bench.

“You don't know how long I've been independent from my parents, so don't act like it,” Taemin spat, quieter and in a near mumble. The more he thought about it, Jonghyun realized that Taemin’s home life was more or less a mystery to him. With the exception of his history with Minho, Taemin was relatively quiet about his entire personal life. Hell, Jonghyun didn't even know who his roommates were.

Jonghyun’s eyes darted back and forth from the two boys, watching as the line between playful teasing and protective arguing became blurred. Kibum definitely asserted himself like a mother over the youngest. Usually Taemin didn't seem to mind, as he liked attention and liked the reminders and compliments and overall loving schmooze, but on occasion he'd get extremely annoyed. Moreover, Jonghyun was surprised how quickly the conversation was sidetracked.

“Anyways!” Jinki declared, louder and sterner than his usual calm, smooth voice, waking everyone up to the actual situation; that they were still in a courtroom, and that something extremely important had just happened. The other four went silent.

“When and where are we gonna meet up next? The final is next week and god knows what that teacher has planned,” Jinki looked across the four of them, still a little stunned by the interruption.

“Uh, Monday?” Minho suggested, “at the coffee shop?”

“Alright, sure,” Jinki said in a voice that seemed slightly annoyed and ready to end the conversation, “anyone have plans? No? Okay, see you guys Monday.”

And just like that he was standing and walking away with nothing but a vague wave and possibly a, “bye,” but his rigid, stalky figure was already too far off to tell for sure.

In a few minutes Jonghyun found himself standing by the doors of the courthouse, the sky outside looking as grey and overcast as he’d left it. Kibum stood next to him and said nothing, did nothing, and looked silently ahead at the street, which was filled with cars and people and reporters scattering like cockroaches into buildings and automobiles. Kibum continued his strange silence for long enough to make Jonghyun question if Kibum even wanted him to be there. But, soon enough he spoke up, quietly and smoothly underneath the static sound of civilization. He adjusted his dark, felted navy blue coat and tried to move his bangs from his face, but failed as the wind started to pick up. Not that it mattered; he really only looked better with the whole windswept look.

“Sorry,” Kibum muttered and Jonghyun raised an eyebrow at the random statement. Kibum glanced at him and sighed, preparing to clarify himself.

“For being so distant,” Kibum stated, adjusting his small bag over his shoulder and looking at the concrete under his feet, “it's for safety reasons; I don't want you involved in my work. But that's– uh– not really an excuse…”

“I assumed it was something like that,” Jonghyun answered and stepped forward to stand in front of him, still following the publicity rules established walker and not touching him in any way. He stood quietly a few inches in front of him, shoes nearly touching, faces close, but not too close.

“You did?”

“Yeah– I mean why else would you purposely lie to me?”

Kibum bit his lip hard, and Jonghyun realized how guilt-tripping and harsh that sounded.

“I didn't mean–”

“No– no, you're right– I lied.… that was ty of me, I’m really sorry,” Kibum muttered, looking him in the eyes again with a certain chill to his voice that made it seem like he could break into tears at any moment if not for them being outside and in public.

“Kibum, that’s not the point.”

Kibum’s eyes widened and eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“You never said whether or not you're safe. I know you’re worried about my safety, but from what? What are you in danger from?”

Silence.

If Jonghyun was to be completely honest with himself, he never expected an answer to that. Kibum said nothing, and didn't look for the words to fabricate another excuse or lie. He was tired of lying, and he didn't like lying. Anything that he could say seemed insincere or not enough to make up for the lack of communication. So, instead, he did the only thing he believed made enough of an impact, leaned forwards, placed his frigid hands on the sides of Jonghyun’s face, and closed the gap between them.

Maybe it wasn't a proper apology, and definitely it was far from a real answer to the question, but being kissed softly and sweetly in public, in broad daylight proved that Kibum wasn't trying to be cryptic or worrying. That he really did care, and that he cared a lot– but that this was the best he could do for the time being.

He pulled away and Jonghyun felt the sting of the cold air against his lips and the warmth of connectivity dying out. To his surprise, Kibum smiled at him, cheeks pink and eyes apologetic.

“I’ll see you soon,” he said, just above a whisper, hands falling back to his sides, “I love you.”

“I–” Jonghyun started, trailing off when a hand caressed and lightly held onto his own and caused a shudder up his spine, “I love you too.”

With one more quick smile, one more tiny peck on the lips, and a pivot towards the street, Kibum was striding away towards a taxi cab, leaving him standing alone, just off to the left of the courthouse doors. He didn't know what to think at this point. Definitely not what he should do. He tucked his palms into the pockets of his slacks, realizing his hands were beginning to numb from the cold. He remembered that Kibum had his coat, and that he had to insist Kibum take it in order to accomplish the act. He knew that, now, his hands were freezing, but Kibum’s hands were always cold. The boy seemed to get progressively thinner whenever Jonghyun saw him, and he never seemed to be completely healthy or content. Maybe that’s all he could do; keep giving him jackets, keep stealing him pastries and coffees from work, keep doing little things to make sure he didn't completely deprive himself of all his basic needs. And sure, maybe it helped, but Jonghyun couldn't save him from whatever eminent danger was causing the bruises until he found out what it was.

“Well you definitely look like you could use a drink.”

A voice beside him nearly gave him a heart attack. He whipped his head to the side in surprise to find that it was only Taemin, pretty as ever, messy ponytail strewn over his shoulder, eyes quizzical and trying to deduct why Jonghyun looked as deflated as he did. The younger boy smiled in an attempt to be comforting despite not truly knowing if anything was actually wrong. But, he did tend to be bluntly, brutally accurate when reading people, and Jonghyun definitely did feel like something was wrong. He was always astonished by how damned astute the kid was.

“Yeah,” Jonghyun sighed rubbing one of his eyes and watching Taemin, who was now distracted by watching the cars in the street ahead, “I guess it’s just–”

“Nope–” Taemin interjected, shoving his dainty pointer finger in Jonghyun’s face and shushing him, leaving him wide eyed and lost, “No, no, no, like I said, we get drinks first, then you can complain about your life. That’s how you make it enjoyable.”

Taemin grabbed his hand and dragged him forwards until they were walking in some direction; doing so was becoming a repetitive, bizarre sign of friendship at this point. For such a youthful and, frankly, delicate looking person Taemin was strong, and moreover incredibly confident and assertive. The more he thought it over, Jonghyun didn't think he’d ever seen the boy embarrassed; only annoyed and sometimes by extremely slim chance flustered.

“You’re pretty young to be drinking so much,” Jonghyun stated in more of a question than an answer. Taemin groaned, finally slowing down the pace that he was walking at and dropping Jonghyun’s hand.

“God, if I hear, “you’re too young,” one more time, I’m seriously going to punch something,” Taemin grumbled and gave an exasperated sigh. He shoved past someone on the crowded sidewalk, and Jonghyun still had no clue where they were going. He realized that this was Taemin’s part of town, so maybe, hopefully the local knew where he was going.

“Hey now, I didn't say too young, I said you're pretty young. There’s a difference.”

“Not really, smartass.”

“Yes really,” Jonghyun corrected, watching Taemin make an expression of frustration that turned out to be more of a cute pout, “drink all you want, I’m not stopping you, I don't care. It’s your life, you're pretty much an adult, so it’s not my problem. All I was wondering is why. Usually people drink for a reason.”

Taemin shrugged, looking off to the side.

“I think too much,” Taemin answered after a beat, matter of factly, “when I’m drunk I stop overthinking. It's simpler. It’s way more fun.”

Jonghyun raised his eyebrows in interest at the surprisingly insightful answer. He definitely could relate to that– but instead of things becoming simpler, things for him always became overwhelming when intoxicated. Soojung always complained that he’d go on for hours crying and monologuing about whoever last dumped him, or how much he loved and missed his dog. So, maybe he understood why Taemin would go to such measures to stop thinking as much, but also couldn't quite completely relate. For him he thought of it more as a venting strategy.

“I guess I get that,” he responded, kicking a plastic cup that was in his way on the concrete walkway, “I usually overthink everything.”

“I just… push all my feelings and emotions and problems down over and over until I explode or start slowly losing my mind and stressing out.”

Taemin looked down, a little concerned for himself.

“That's… very metacognitive,” Jonghyun laughed quietly to himself, “why don't any of us ever talk about anything normal… like hey, what did you think of that movie? Or, hey, what are you doing for winter break?”

“We’re not normal people,” Taemin suggested.

“I guess,” Jonghyun shrugged, “but what makes us not normal? I mean.”

“Well for one, we just got back from a murder trial,” Taemin stated, making Jonghyun scoff and huff out a laugh, “one of us is a e, Jinki probably has an IQ of, like, a billion, and I guess we just got close really fast so we can talk about mostly… anything? As opposed to boring stuff like movies or the weather.”

Jonghyun thought about it, and he did have a point. It wasn't the five individually that were out of the ordinary, but the fact that they ended up together from such separate, contrasting lives. He always heard people say that meeting interesting people and having new experiences was a part of college, but he never thought of it so literally. He wouldn't have expected a year ago to be associated with anyone like Kibum, or even Jinki– let alone working on a murder case with those people.

“It’s more fun though,” Jonghyun stated in a half-comprehensive sentence. Taemin blinked.

“What?”

“I mean like… the whole murder case and the strange, sad histories and all… it’s more interesting to talk about, and I guess learn from. The greatest writers and artists in history came from nothing and worked their way up and learned things along the way too. It just makes sense.”

Taemin scoffed.

“God, you're a know it all.”

“Hey! I'm just saying,” Jonghyun threw his hands up in surrender, making the younger boy crack a smile and give him a playful push in the side.

In less time than Jonghyun expected he was being directed into a small corner bar. It wasn't the best nor the worst bar he’d ever been to, but maybe he wasn't the best judge of character because he'd always had a certain loathing for bars. He always found them too loud, too dirty, and always full of creepy masculine men who made him feel both like a piece of meat being examined in a butcher’s shop, and extremely self conscious because of how small and weak he felt. On the upside, he wasn't alone, and the place didn't seem too sketchy. The low lighting painted the place in blues and purples and the room wasn't packed with people; at least compared to the bustling courthouse.

Taemin basically pushed him inside, then waved a small, kurt wave to the bartender. If Jonghyun wasn't skeptical over his strangely persistent drinking, he certainly was now– he apparently went here so often that he knew the bartender.

He pulled the two of them into a booth near the only window in the establishment and immediately ordered something that Jonghyun didn't even hear over the chatter and sounds from the television over by the barista. Knowing Taemin, he assumed that Taemin bought both of them something, even when Jonghyun hadn't asked for anything or even thought about what to get. He didn't even completely remember agreeing to go to a bar– only that Taemin suggested, or maybe commanded it. He didn't mind of course, and on top of it being a good place to vent, he was genuinely interested in finding out more about the kid. He was both blunt and honest, but somehow stayed anonymous in terms of anything relating to his past, or his family, or even his outside-of-group friends.

The next thing he knew Taemin was handing him some sort of dark alcohol (when he drank, apparently, he really drank) and slurring some of his words in a mostly-sober, but blatantly buzzed way. For whatever reason, it didn't worry him much. Jonghyun assumed that the habit of getting drunk like he did was something left over from teenage rebellion, or maybe a way to bring himself to actually talk about what he never usually would talk about.

“Aaaaaish,” Taemin exclaimed in a long slur, sighing out of nowhere as if plagued by something bothering him for years, “I’m supposed to be happy right now. It’s not fair.”

Jonghyun’s eyes widened in surprise at how he jumped into emotional problems right off the bat. The younger boy looked down at the table, running his finger along the rim of his glass.

“What do you mean?” Jonghyun asked, hoping for clarification. Taemin looked up at him, then out the window, sighing for the millionth time and propping his face up with his hand.

“I’m doing pretty well in school, if I keep on the right track I’ll get an internship at a dance studio by spring, and after like, uh…” Taemin trailed off, holding up his hands to count something on his fingers before going any further, “after like six years of hopelessly crushing on someone I’m actually dating them… and like, he’s great too– I'm not dissatisfied with anything in our relationship or anything… So I just don't know what’s bothering me.”

Jonghyun hummed an affirmation and looked off to the side to think about it. Before he could answer or even process what he’d said, Taemin smirked suggestively and gave a small laugh with his glass in one hand and the other making cryptic gestures to go with his voice.

“But you seem worse than me, so I mean…” he laughed again, seeming a little more drunk than Jonghyun had taken into account, “has Kibum not hit on you yet or is the endless pining what’s bothering you? Oh– or did you sleep togeth–”

“Tae, sleeping together isn't the answer to every question, you know,” Jonghyun cut him off, amused, but also hoping that he wasn't obviously blushing. Then again, he could always blame it on the alcohol.

“Well, mister know it all, what’s up with you then?”

Jonghyun bit his lip. He was half surprised that Taemin, as observative as he was, hadn't figured it out yet. He looked down at the polished wood table, hiding a small, bashful smile.

“No, we’re dating now,” he mumbled, barely audible over the noises of glasses clinking, radio static, and the voices of drunk citydwellers, “for about a week now.”

“What the – You’re–,” Taemin gaped at him and blinked with his pretty, blown, brown eyes, then grinned excitedly across the table, “Kim ing Jonghyun, why didn't you tell me that! I’m like– the first person you noticed you liked him.”

“Sorry, Tae.”

“That’s not good enough, you owe me now.”

“Owe you what? God, what are you going to make me do…”

Taemin laughed out loud, his eyes closing completely in pure amusement. When he finally calmed down, he leaned forwards with extreme interest, both elbows on the table holding his face up like a teenager waiting to hear the latest gossip.

“You need to tell me how it happened, cheesy details and all.”

“Fine, but you have to tell me your life story,” Jonghyun smiled back, innocently as possible, attempting to schmooze and into actually telling him something about himself. Truth be told, it was a completely unfair trade; Jonghyun loved talking about his love life, and especially cheesy details.

Taemin pouted, then sighed and sat down his glass with a dull thump on the table, signaling his defeat.

“Yeah, fine,” he mumbled, looking back up and pointing accusingly at the now simpering brunette across the table, “but you can't laugh, you can't cry, and you can't pity me.”

“Well that’s no fun,” Jonghyun slumped and frowned overdramatically.

“Okay, fine,” Taemin responded in a reluctant sigh, “but I still don't want you to pity me or something.”

“Alright,” Jonghyun grinned in satisfaction and excitement, extending his hand across the table to shake, taking Taemin by surprise and making him blink in confusion, “deal?”

Taemin looked from his hand to Jonghyun, who wasn't teasing anymore, but simply interested in whatever story he had to tell. He moved his bangs out of his eyes, then, more hesitantly than he meant to, he shook his friend’s hand with a brief, trusting smile.

--

a/n

hey its ya boy kb back at it again with the long chapters and the Slow Plots 

the next chapter is gonna b basically taemins backstory n its gonna be formatted a lil differently with Fun Flashbacks and stuff n ur gonna kinda get to see y hes so argumentative and overconfident at times and also how/when he met ming in high school so Yeah theres that. whooooooooooooooo

it felt so weird to write a chapter without soojung in it...... i miss her 

anyways so i tried to write this quickly bc i know my last update took a long time so....yeah......... thank u so much for the nice comments i nearly Cried at them ok im Very Very Very Very Very thankful 4 ur input n jsut.....................thank u so much....sobbign....crying in the club

so yeah also i hope the Suspense is building up well bc thats my intention with bummie bein all weird like that................we'll see what's up with him soon ;)))))))))) hohoho 
and the way that im thinking of writing the next chapter is like.....its backstory and it kinda sidetracks a bit from the plot BUT there will be parts of the plot in it so even if it is sidetracking i think u should still read it if u want to idk but its Your Choice 

anywayyyssysyyssysysssssss thank u so much for continuing to read my ridiculously long, increasingly over-detailed chapters. seriously it means so mcuh to me pls comment whatever u want and keep in mind that i literally read every single comment and i have Teared Up over them ok im very. very dependent on feedback. and i love u all so much. thank u <3

ps: i think my editor gave up on me. im so sorry for any mistakes that are in here (and theres probably a lot)

- ki