‘Key, I really don’t think-‘

‘Jonghyun, it’ll be fine, I promise!’ Key chirped as he dragged Jonghyun into the hair salon by the sleeve of his jacket.

It had been a few days since Jonghyun had been in the studio recording and he could no longer avoid Key’s desperate attempts at getting him to dye his hair.

‘It will suit you, I promise!!’ Kibum reassured carelessly running his hands through Jonghyun’s hair before letting his palm rest on Jonghyun’s cheek.

Jonghyun felt his stomach become over run with butterflies and inwardly cursed himself as he lent in slightly to the touch. He was just nervous for the hair dye that’s all the butterflies were, it had nothing to do with the way Kibum’s thumb his cheekbone and the way Kibum only had eyes for him in moments like these. As much as Jonghyun had been spending his time denying how much he liked the fashion designer he knew he was lying to himself. There was something there, he swears he caught a glimpse of it, Kibum was so affectionate towards him. Way more affectionate than he was even to Yuna, his best friend. Ever since the morning Jonghyun had woken up with Key in his arms he knew something had shifted, something was different between them and quite frankly, Jonghyun was terrified.

‘Just sit back and relax, you’re in good hands here, trust me! I wouldn’t let anyone but Onew take care of you!’ Kibum smiled at Jonghyun once more before marching up to the front desk and speaking with the receptionist.

Jonghyun stood just behind, tuning out of the gossip the two shared. He glanced around the salons waiting room and was in awe at how bright and clean and artificial it smelt. Jonghyun had been in a fair few salons during his Idol career but never a salon like this. This was a place for gorgeous celebrities and royalty to lounge around in and get their hair done for the paparazzi. But Jonghyun wasn’t either of those (Kibum would argue the first one) and he coward behind Kibum like a shy child clinging to their best friend. Jonghyun just about resisted the urge to hold onto the back of Kibum’s jacket as they were finally escorted through an open doorway by the side of the receptionist’s desk. The room they stood in now was even brighter (if that was possible) A large box room with glossy floors and mirrored ceiling met the pair as the receptionist walked back to her desk. Mirrors lined the two opposite walls, each station with spinning leather chairs and trolleys full of styling equipment, bottles and small machines.

‘Kibum?’ A voice asked, and the pair whipped their head in the direction of a man who stood over the single customer to also be out this early in the morning. The man waved over an assistant sweeping the floor of the nearly empty room and gestured for her to take over on brushing off the customer.

‘Onew darling, hello!’ Kibum cooed stepping forward to embrace the man who had walked over.

As this happened, Jonghyun took a minute to absorb the friendly appearance of the new man, Onew. His hair was a glossy brown and shaggy in a stylish way, his clothes, no doubt expensive, were worn from use and he emitted warmth and happiness. He hugged Kibum like a teddy bear and his innocent grin stretched wide and contagious, even to Jonghyun.

‘I heard you were coming in today! Couldn’t stay away from me that long, eh?’ The man joked as he beamed at Kibum, holding him at arm’s length.

‘Actually, the appointments not for me today-‘ Kibum explained, tilting his head to Jonghyun who was doing a successful job of appearing invisible. ‘-This is Kim Jonghyun, he needs his hair dyed, pronto.’

The man, Onew, let go of Kibum and walked toward Jonghyun, looking him up and down before cracking a smile even bigger than the first.

‘Jonghyun, wonderful to meet you!’ Onew declared, throwing his arms around Jonghyun in the same fashion he had with Key.

Kibum couldn’t help but giggle behind his hand as he watched Jonghyun’s eyes nearly pop from their sockets at the tight squeeze.

‘Yah! Onew, play nice, Jonghyun isn’t one for much skin ship’ Kibum scolded, tugging at one of the scarves Onew had wrapped loosely around his neck.

‘Oh, sorry!’ Onew apologized, springing back and straightening Jonghyun’s jacket sheepishly.

‘That’s fine, you just startled me’ Jonghyun explained, fighting the urge to readjust his jacket.

‘Right! No time to waste Jonghyun, let me take care of you now’ Onew sang, pushing Kibum down into a seat against the wall by the door, tossing him a magazine, before focusing entirely on Jonghyun’s short form.

‘So what is it to be?’

***

2 hours down the line and two bottles of bleach later, Jonghyun sat in his seat, staring at the blonde mop of hair in the mirror as Onew darted around him like Edward scissor hands.

‘So tell me, how did you and Kibum meet?’ Onew asked pleasantly as he lethally brandished his scissors. Jonghyun glanced briefly in Kibum’s direction through the mirror, watching as he now spoke with the assistant who still held her broom.

‘I sang at one of his fashion shows a few months back and he asked me to work for him for the force able future…’ Jonghyun explained and Onew nodded along.

‘Uh huh, but how did you two… happen then?’ Onew continued, cutting off a particularly large chunk of Jonghyun’s hair before reaching for the electric razor, flicking it on.

‘What do you mean?’ Jonghyun asked, puzzled as to what the hairdresser meant.

‘When did you start dating?’ Onew asked as though it was obvious. Jonghyun felt like he stopped breathing, the insane desire to start coughing on the air stuck in his throat washed over him.

‘What?!’ He spluttered, trying to keep his head still in the process.

Neither Kibum nor the assistant paid any attention to his outburst on the other side of the room, conversations drowned out by some typical pop background music.

‘We aren’t dating!’ Jonghyun added, voice low but urgent as he pulled his eyes away from Kibum and to meet Onew’s.

‘Oh! Well I misread that badly… wouldn’t be the first time’ Onew laughed, round cheeks rosy, brushing the mistake off casually whilst Jonghyun tried not to have a seizure.

‘It’s fine, we aren’t dating, we’re just friends, ask Kibum…’ Jonghyun started up again, piling on the excuses.

‘Wouldn’t be the first time he told me that-‘Onew muttered, finishing sliding the razor carefully along the sides and back of Jonghyun’s head.

‘What do you mean?’ Jonghyun asked hesitantly as Onew started mixing a few bottles of grayish dye.

‘It wouldn’t be the first time he tried to tell me he was ‘just friends’ with someone, let me tell you that that didn’t end well. Kibum was totally heartbroken over some guy for ages! All because said guy chose a younger boy-toy over him’ Onew gossiped jokingly, but there was something in his expression, something serious and sad.

‘Who was the guy?’ Jonghyun dared asking softly, watching Onew carefully through the mirror.

‘Goodness, I’m not sure, it was so long ago-‘ Onew muttered, scratching his head with the end of his dye brush as he thought. ‘M..Min..No…Minhyuk? No, that’s not right…’Onew muttered as he started slathering the dye on Jonghyun’s bleached hair, Jonghyun tensed from the cold slimy and slightly burning sensation.

‘Oh! I got it! Minho! Yeah, nice enough and all, bit of a in the end-‘Onew started rambling but Jonghyun’s mind just froze.

He couldn’t piece things together.

Minho? As in THE Minho, the one he met the other day? The one who was very obviously enraptured by a certain Lee Taemin. Wait. Lee Taemin, the boy-toy?

Jonghyun let out a slow breath as things came together slowly. Kibum had had a thing for Minho but Taemin must have taken that all away, that would explain the obvious dislike between the two! But still, Jonghyun felt he was missing something, something more to the situation. Taemin was a tricky one who’d very clearly hurt Kibum in ways he couldn’t and didn’t want to explain, why else would Kibum have sobbed so hard that day they stumbled across one another. Something about Taemin was very off and Jonghyun couldn’t help but despise him for hurting Key in some way. Kibum didn’t deserve to feel threatened or ashamed or upset. Especially not over some sleazy man- who didn’t know how to be civil in the slightest.

Jonghyun didn’t care if he was exaggerating, didn’t care if he didn’t know the first thing about this Taemin, he knew that Kibum had been hurt by this, by this child and it wasn’t fair.

A/N

GOD it's short, I know, I'm sorry! I was working today but really wanted to update!! Hopefully the appearance of Onew can make up for my terrible updates!! As always comments are appreciated and thank you for over 50 Subs, that's legit so awesome!! If ya wanna chat with me come hit me up on my tumblr or insta 'squishhoshi' we can fangirl and chat!!

Cherry x