Minho's P.O.V.

It's been a week since Taemin has stayed at my place.

He has been acting better since his breakdown and we even have normal conversations now. But of course, there is the awkward tension still there since I woke up with him in my arms. It's not what you think though, it's because he didn't want to sleep alone and who am I to say no?

That morning was awkward though since Taemin didn't say a word except thanks and good morning. At around 2 p.m., Taemin then thanked me properly and apologized, which was unnecessary. We would start to have conversations about random things and cracked a few jokes, and really just ignored that that even happened.

Like we always do.

Now, we are watching a football game after eating dinner and I suggested that we eat ice cream. As I dip my spoon into the yummy goodness, I talk to Taemin about how my work is going. It's actually more fun than I assumed it would be though because I made friends with my new coworker, Suho.

At some point in my rambling however, I ask where Taemin is working.

"Oh I work at a bar downtown. You probably don't know it," he stutters while averting his eyes to the tiled floor. Is he lying? Why would he lie?

"I thought you wanted to work at a daycare?" There was my mistake.

"Well I've changed since then," he replies quickly, making my heart skip a beat. I look into his eyes and he seems irritated. It's as if he's thinking: and who could have caused that I wonder. He's right though. I'm the reason why he broke up with me. I made the mistake of not showing him how much I loved him.

I'm Sorry, I think to myself.

Taemin looks up flabbergasted with his ears slowly growing more red. Crap. He didn't hear me did he?

"Um, well, it's getting pretty late, I have to get to bed. Tomorrow's a big day," and with that, he walks to his room quickly.

Tomorrow's a big day. Oh yeah, Taemin can go home tomorrow.

I sigh and walk back to my room after I do the dishes. I take off my clothes and climb in my bed, but I don't sleep. , I really ed up today.

~*~

"Well, thanks for everything. I guess I owe you one," Taemin says as I pull into his parent's house.

"No, it's alright. You didn't trouble me. Things just happen I guess," I say. Taemin gulps as if remembering something. Maybe I shouldn't have said that?

"Yeah, well, goodbye," Taemin says as he holds onto his bag tightly and turns to open the door. When he lifts his arm to open the door however, I grab his wrist.

Taemin turns to me with a surprised expression. "Look, I'm sorry," I say quickly. "I don't want things to be awkward around us. I'm sure you feel the same so can we maybe meet sometime as friends?" I ask.

Taemin looks quizzically at me for what feels like years when he slowly nods his head. My grip on his wrist loosens as I think of what that could mean. Is he reluctant to see me again? Does he really hate me like I feared he would? As my mind races, Taemin sees that as a chance to get out of my grip. Taemin then gets out of the car and hurriedly runs to the door.

~*~

Kai's P.O.V.

*Three days later*

I haven't heard from Taemin since the incident at the diner. I don't have feelings for him anymore though. I don't know why, but Kyungsoo just seems more important. Like he is the end of the road and Taemin was just a bump. I sound like a jackass I know. Actually, I probably am since I two-timed both of them. I really wish that I can just go back and break up with Taemin properly. He didn't deserve this, especially Kyungsoo.

My phone rings, meaning that I got a text message. I turn over from my bed to my phone on my nightstand. The name reads Taemin. I got a message from Taemin, I think to myself.

Hey can we meet up? I want to talk. Meet me at the usual place?

The usual place is The Blue Oyster bar that he works at. But what does he want to talk about? Maybe he wants me to explain. I will at least do that for him.

Ok. Meet at 9?

He answers almost immediately.

Ok. See you then.

~*~

I open the door to the club where Taemin told me to meet him. As soon as I walk in, the flashing lights and the thumping music hits me as I make my way to the bar. I sit in a stool and wave over a bartender. 

"What can I get for you?" he asks. "Um, I'm actually here for Lee Taemin," I say and he looks at me skeptically but walks off anyways. 

He comes back with Taemin hot on his tail. He is wearing a fitting white button-up, tight black jeans and an apron that would've made me gone crazy, but not anymore. 

"Hey. Let's go somewhere more private to talk," Taemin suggests as he takes off his apron. I follow him to the side of the bar and towards a booth that was enclosed in walls and a curtain. As we settle down, I then realize that Taemin has two glasses of water in his hands and slides one over to me.

An awkward silence takes over us as the music behind the curtain plays vigorously. I would've danced to it, but now was not the time to think about it when the guilt was hanging over my head. Hopefully he won't bring it up.

Taemin's fingers tap on the glass as he shifts in his seat. "So, how have you been?" He doesn't meet my eyes, but finds the water in his glass more interesting than this conversation. 

"Fine. I heard that you got a promotion here. Didn't think that they would go through it, considering that you have to sleep your way into getting more money here," I say, trying to lighten up the mood. 

Taemin lets out a low chuckle, "Yeah, but don't go getting that idea. Guess I just deserve this." The air around us seems to be getting lighter as we make friendly conversation. I don't know why I feared talking to him when this is the reason that I fell for him in the first place. His willingness to forgive. 

"Oh, and have you used that shopping card you got at Etude House? It expires next week," he says, taking a sip of his drink. "Yeah, actually. I went with Kyungsoo yesterday..." I stop myself. Maybe mentioning him wasn't a good idea.

And just as I predicted, Taemin visibly flinched and tightened his grip on the glass. He looks down at his lap, his bangs covering his eyes. I sat still and bit my lip in regret. A long silence takes over us once again and it was so stuffy it seemed as if the air conditioning stopped working.

Before I can say anything, Taemin s his head up and looks at me with a hurt expression on his face. Tears already started coursing down his cheeks. "Why, Kai," we asks, his voice scratchy with a growing sob. "Why do you hang around him? I know you don't love him, and maybe you don't love me, but can't we still be together?" He asks, reaching for my hands and forcing them closer to him. 

Before I can reply however, he interrupts me again. "I still love you, you know. You can't just push me aside like that. Is Kyungsoo better at that me? Is that it? I can do better, we can experiment. Just please, don't let me go," Taemin pleads, scooting closer to me in the round booth so that his face was right in front of me.

Before I realized it, Taemin's lips were on mine and I saw the devastation unfold in the way that his eyelids squeezed shut and the tears fell faster with the movement. 

I was panicking though. I didn't want this. This felt wrong. I used to kiss him like this all the time, but now I no longer feel the spark I used to before I met Kyungsoo. 

I shove Taemin in the seat, not really caring if he hurt himself or not. It was selfish of me, I know. I don't know what exactly came over me, but I was done with this misunderstanding. I stand up with my back against the curtain as Taemin sits up in the booth again with a hurt expression on his face. Though his emotions didn't affect me this time around. All I cared about was that I cheated on Kyungsoo. Again.

"I'm sorry Taemin, I really am, but I love Kyungsoo, not you. I used to, but now I am a jackass who let this go on longer than it should've and I'm sorry. But being around you anymore isn't gonna help us." I know I am an awful human being, but I need to fix what I have done. 

An apology slipped from my lips one more time before I bolted out of there. The night sky chilled me with it's forceful embrace as I began to speed-walk to my house. 

I walk in and find Kyungsoo sleeping on the couch with the sound of the TV still on. Relief washes over me at the adorable scene as I take off my shoes and coat. I walk over to the couch and slowly take the remote from his hand. I shut the TV off and I lift Kyungsoo up from the old couch and into the bedroom. I don't really care about changing as I softly set Kyungsoo on the bed and I slid off my pants.

I turn off the lamps and spoon him. I hear a soft groan and feel Kyungsoo turn around so that his face was in my chest and the stress immediately settles off as I fall asleep with my love in my arms.