So long as you're happy

The tent was boarded up, just as Jinki had instructed. Top to bottom. Jinki had gone somewhere or other when the others were working, so Jonghyun snuck off to look for him. He knew he was being a huge jerk by not helping, but he was also these people’s captive human, so he didn’t mind so much. Jonghyun went to Jinki’s room. The door was closed, and Jonghyun could hear smashing inside. It sounded like a complete meltdown. So Jonghyun backed up and left as quickly as he could.

Now he couldn’t really go back, because he did in fact look like a jerk. So he went to Taemin’s room, and knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Minho called. Jonghyun opened the door to find Minho on the floor next to a sleeping Taemin. He was stroking the boy’s hair when he looked up at Jonghyun.

“H-how is he?” Jonghyun asked. Minho eyed Taemin for a while before answering.

“I don’t know. He doesn’t remember me…” Minho mumbled. Jonghyun grew very tense when he saw Minho’s eyes glaze over with tears.

“I’m sure he’ll remember,” Jonghyun offered carefully. Minho smiled sadly.

“That doesn’t matter. Just as long as he’s not hurt… he seems to be comfortable. I don’t care if he forgets,” He sighed. Jonghyun frowned.

“That’s not true,” He argued. “You totally care.”

Minho looked up at Jonghyun with an unreadable expression. It looked painful.

“You… you cried when… when Taemin… you know,” Jonghyun explained. Minho turned back to Taemin.

“That was a knee-jerk reaction,” Minho muttered.

“Now you’re just straight-up lying,” Jonghyun retorted. Minho didn’t respond. “You care about him,” Jonghyun continued. Minho seemed to shift uncomfortably. Suddenly, something dawned on Jonghyun. The way Minho hadn’t stopped touching Taemin’s hair. The way Taemin, in his sleep, leaned into it. He was almost smiling. Jonghyun sighed before leaving, not bothering to bid them goodbye. It was 100% not his business.

Finally, Jonghyun forced himself back into the ring. A few of the performers were playing a mess of games in the stands. Jonghyun watched as Kibum gave a loud ‘Yes!’ and threw his hands in the air. His grin was dazzling.

“Jonghyun!” Victoria called down to him, waving her hands, “Come play!”

Kibum’s grin disappeared. He even looked despaired. Victoria looked ready to pinch him. With a sigh, Jonghyun climbed the stands and sat down next to Krystal. Sulli collected and re-dealt a deck of cards.

“We’re playing blackjack,” Sulli informed Jonghyun, handing his two cards to him. Jonghyun nodded. He tried to ignore Kibum glaring at him.

Jonghyun found very quickly that he was terrible at Blackjack. He lost again and again and again. Each loss seemed to bring a little more of a cruel smile to Kibum’s face.

Jonghyun began loosing on purpose. And Kibum began snickering. Once he started catching onto how often he was laughing, Kibum clearly tried to hide it. But Jonghyun knew he was getting under his skin.

“Why do you suck so badly!?” Krystal suddenly shouted. Victoria slapped her knee. “Unnie, he’s obviously losing on purpose!”

“I am not!” Jonghyun lied. Kibum looked a little red.

“You are so!” Krystal retorted.

“No fighting!” Jinki shouted. He was just coming back into the ring.

“We aren’t fighting!” Kyrtsal insisted. Jonghyun laughed. “See? Look, he’s laughing!” Jinki smiled.

“What are you playing?’ He asked.

“Blackjack,” Victoria answered, “Come replace this bum.” Jinki climbed the stands to join them.

“You can take my place,” Jonghyun told him. Jinki took his cards while Jonghyun shuffled away. And like magic, his first hand was 21. And again. And again. Never more, never less. And they weren’t the same cards either.

“Oppa, you’re cheating!” Krystal finally accused. Jinki simply laughed.

“Jinki, you are! Don’t try to hide it!” Victoria told him with a giggle.

“I’m not cheating!” He insisted. “Listen, when you turn twenty one, it becomes a curse! You always have exactly 21! Victoria is just hiding it!”

Victoria slapped Jinki’s shoulder, and he laughed.

“Ah, I won’t play anymore. I’m a cheater,” Jinki sighed. He stood up and left the stands. “Do something more creative with your time!” He added as he left the ring again. Victoria clapped her hands.

“You heard him! Something creative!” The others were silent until Luna reached out and poked Kibum on the shoulder.

“Tag,” She told him under her breath before rushing from the stands. The other girls were quick to catch on, and they fled as well. Kibum remained sitting for a moment. He looked up at Jonghyun. He almost looked like he was going to say something before he turned away and went after the others. Jonghyun stayed in his spot. He simply watched Kibum try to catch the others. Kibum was laughing. He was still adorable.

And Jonghyun was the idiot who made him so upset.

Maybe he shouldn’t have listened to Jinki. Or maybe it was a mistake not to wait from the beginning. In the end, there was just a whole bunch of regret in Jonghyun’s head. He wished he could fix everything. He wished that he could make Kibum smile rather than grimace. But maybe it was better to step back and leave him alone, because that seemed like the only way to see him smile.

Now Jonghyun knew what Minho was saying. Not caring about how they felt about you as long as they were happy.

With a heavy sigh, Jonghyun propped his face on one hand. For now, watching would have to suffice while he figured out what to do. 

Agh, the text sizes are weird again. Apparently I'm a text noob XD

Ah, a little more fluff. There'll be even more coming up! Mixed in with some action... maybe some angst or violence.. hmmm. 

I figure you can start to guess who Taemin likes... kekekeke XD So, fluff for them will come up as well!

Thanks you very much for your fabulous comments so far! <3 

Stay tuned fror chapter nineteen! :D