A/N: “Noraebang” directly translates to “Music room”, which is a karaoke bar. “Joa” translates to “I like it”. A proper (informal) sentence would be “no-rae-bang jo-a”, which means “I like karaoke”. I pretty much just reversed that and threw them together to use as a fake karaoke bar name that functions with the same meaning. This bit of knowledge comes from the bit of basic Korean that I know, so if there are native speakers who wish to correct this (if need be), please do in the comment section and sorry for the screw up lol. Please continue reading and enjoy ^^

…..

                       Minho groaned, his voice deep and groggy from his precious sleep that was so rudely disrupted by a certain pesky brunette. He clenched his eyes together and turned his face to the right while snuggling his cheek into the pillow. Key his teeth and instead of poking his hips more he sat himself comfortably into the arch of his back. Minho coughed as the weight pressed him further into the mattress and fussed aloud. He didn’t want to be awake, especially at what he considered way too early on a Saturday; noon.

“Jagi-ya---!” Key pouted. Minho shuddered when he felt his soft hands tracing lines between his exposed back muscles and over his shoulder blades. “Are you really going to stay in bed all day?”

“It kind of feels like you want me to.” He replied sarcastically, trying his damnedest to ignore the circling motion of dainty fingers on his neck.

                       It had been two months since the two started dating. In that time, it was still a major challenge not giving into Kibum’s ever demanding whims. Most of the time he didn’t live to regret it. Rather he would end up experiencing something worlds apart from his norm that he actually enjoyed very much. Minho had also transitioned Key into his own world one way or another and just as happily Key found something satisfying about it. Even when it came down to things he didn’t prefer, like exercise and sports he still showed Minho support, cheering him on at the college games or spotting him at the gym. Despite both their classes and Minho working part-time, it had been two months of fun, mystery and bliss.    

“Well, not all day.” Kibum teased.

“Okay.” Surrendered Minho. “What did you want to do today?”

“I’m going to a noraebang later with some of my friends.” Key informed him. “We’ve spent a lot of time between classes together so I haven’t seen much of them lately. Ya know, since I haven’t really been to the club and drinking or whatnot…”

“Yea?” Minho questioned passively as Kibum diverted from the point. It’s not like he never met them, though briefly. He was now nicely known as the hot mystery driver that Key bagged. Regardless of the crude jokes, Minho’s limited impression of the two he did meet were all around good.

                       Then, of course, there was Jonghyun. The two hadn’t had the pleasure of properly exchanging pleasantries since the incident in the car. All things considered, Minho wasn’t exactly in a rush to do so either. However, during his brief relationship with Kibum, Minho found himself ever more vexed by his looming presence. A hoodie hung in Kibum’s closet that was far too bland for his tastes. There sat a neat pile of folded ripped skinny jeans amongst his laundry, the kind of which Key himself would never be caught dead in. Jazz and classic soul CDs that were exchanged were tucked comfortably in spots within his own music collection. Old pictures from high school or random albums could be found anywhere you’d look. A scented candle that was handmade sat on his dresser, because Jonghyun apparently loved scented things. He was everywhere in Kibum’s little apartment without even having to step foot in it. Clearly they were good friends, regardless of what form their relationship took.

                       Minho knew this pattern. After a long week of tests and soccer practice Key never bothered to wake him unless there was something he wanted or if he was anxious in one form or another. Now as he did his usual seductive hand tricks on his bare skin and cycled around his words Minho knew something was on his mind. The timidity in his explanation and a twist in his gut was telling him that it would have something to do with Jonghyun.

“Just spit it out.” Minho huffed, still sleepy but waking up the more he thought about it.

“Jonghyun…”

I knew it. Minho rolled his eyes out of sight as Key stared into the space where his pelvis met his back.

“Jonghyun,” Key continued. “He invited us all, including you. In fact, he insisted that he wanted to get properly acquainted with you now that me and you are officially a thing.”

“Is that so?” Minho almost laughed.

“I think it’s a good idea.” He insisted. “I would feel relieved if my best friend and boyfriend could get along, regardless of the history between the three of us. Besides,” Key’s voice dropped to a meek whisper. “all that confusion was my fault after all.”

                       Suddenly, Minho pushed himself up and Key yelped as he was thrown backwards, almost falling off. With one strong arm he found Key’s hand and tugged him off his back, guiding him onto the mattress beside him. Key landed into the available spot of ruffled sheets onto his back and his eyes followed Minho as he climbed onto him. He hummed as he felt him rest his waist in-between his legs and his abdomen onto his belly.

“Look, Kibum.” Minho started as he placed his left hand onto the pillow beside his head and the right smoothed its way up to his face. With a thumb he caressed his cheek and Key cupped his hand over it gently. “It was…a weird situation, but I don’t regret it. I want to see you happy, and if burying the hatchet will do that then I want to at least try. Jonghyun is….”

He almost choked around the name but swallowed the knot before continuing.

“Jonghyun is important to you, isn’t he?”

Key smiled up at him sadly.

“Yes. He is.”

“Then that’s all I need to know.” Minho smiled. “I know it hasn’t been all that long but I would do anything to give you comfort and make you smile. I can’t begin to express how you’ve done that for me. Kibummie; I love you.”

                       Key giggled and blushed at the shameless cheesiness that he loved so much. In that moment he found himself thinking that if it were at all possible he could honestly wake up every morning for the rest of his life hearing such sweet words and never doubt the honesty behind them. So far; he wasn’t wrong. As they gazed lovingly into each other’s eyes while their faces inched closer, he prayed that holding onto his most precious friend wasn’t going to destroy that.

“I love you too.” He whispered while silencing the thought, wanting more than anything to feel all that love in his touch.

                       Suddenly a boisterous chime cut through the tension, making Kibum turn his head and dodge the kiss. Minho protested to this by placing soft kisses along his cheek and neck. Key his teeth and shrugged his shoulder to knock him loose. Minho chuckled and reluctantly rolled off of him as he retrieved the noisy device off his night stand and laid back down with it to his ear.  

“Jonghyun.”

 Minho snuggled into the pillow and peeked over at Key as he answered with a smile gracing his lips.

“Are you coming to see me later?” Jonghyun asked slyly, grinning in the receiver. Key scoffed and sat up.

“Ya, why are you saying it like that?”

Jonghyun chuckled.

“Would it change if I said it another way?” He retorted.

“Don’t be a smartass.” Key scolded. “Yes. You will be seeing me and my boyfriend Minho later.”

Minho grinned against the cotton and relished in the small victory of being proudly represented. He reached over and trailed his finger up and down his side. Key shuddered and glared down at him.

I can’t with these guys. Key thought shaking his head.

“Anyway Jonghyun.” He said with an eye roll. “I’ll…No, we’ll see you at our usual karaoke place like you said. What time?”

“8 o’clock.” Jonghyun informed. “See you later.”

“Yea yea later.” Kibum agreed nonchalantly and hung up. “Ya!”

                       Now he was yelling down at Minho, who was laughing childishly and hiding under the sheets. Kibum aimlessly hit anywhere his fist landed, making him laugh harder as he mercilessly beat into nothing. Regardless of how well he handled the phone call, Kibum could feel the pressure on him mounting. Jonghyun’s casual teasing that teetered on the edge of flirtation and Minho’s somewhat justified paranoia was complicating things. As he fumbled around in bed with Minho trying to pry him out of it, Key hoped that their friendly gathering could help bridge the gap between them. He never would admit it aloud but he had a tendency to be indecisive and maybe even a little bit selfish. He didn’t want to choose between the two. It would break too many hearts in the process, including his own. That was something he had to avoid at all costs.

….

The rest of the day flew by so fast that Minho barely realized it when he was staring up at the Joa Noraebang. The room was already reserved and all those invited were in attendance waiting for them, which only worsened his trepidation as they entered the building. Despite his griping about the time as it neared 8 o’clock Key had waved him off, reassuring him that his friends knew better than to expect him to be on time. The statement posed no argument. Kibum was the very definition of fashionably late. In fact, IF you looked it up in a dictionary, one of Kibum’s posed yet stylistically angled selfies would be plastered there. Hair, outfit coordination, and even make-up; everything he did was coordinated and time consuming. Minho’s eyes passed over Kibum, admiring him in silence while the woman behind the counter looked up their reservation. He couldn’t help but smile thinking about how every single second of all that materialistic tedium was worth it nonetheless.  

When asking for the aforementioned room under Jonghyun’s name, it was in fact reserved for 9 instead. Despite his worry, Minho found himself feeling at ease over it and altogether anxious about something entirely different as he and Kibum followed a short, curvy hostess to a small waiting area outside of room 6 where a cheerful group of people were loafing around. The first two he noticed were Jonghyun and Nicole, who were both with Kibum the night they met.

 Both were the shortest of the group of four. Jonghyun stood chatting with a boy seeming their age, whose hair was short spiked and dyed blonde and was wearing a lazy plaid button-up and skinny jeans. He was dressed in white slacks and a sleeveless V-neck black silk shirt that showed off sculpted arm muscles Minho was surprised existed. Nicole’s hair was dyed red and she wore a short-sleeve purple body-con dress that stopped at her mid-thighs and was giggling prettily towards a suavely dressed boy lounging on the couch before her. Minho, Kibum and their hostess closed in on the lot as they spoke and as their footsteps came nearer, he looked over and his smile brightened.  

 “My Bum My Bum!” He exclaimed hopping up from his seat mid-sentence. Nicole shrugged and followed the tall, handsome dark-haired boy to greet them.

“My Hyun My Hyun!” Kibum beckoned cutely with a similar chime, extending his arms and doing a little sprint towards him. The three members of the group and Minho looked on as the two boys met in a joyous hug, like two brothers being reunited after one left for the army.    

“It’s been a while.” Remarked Nicole, who stole him from the man.

“I know.” Key agreed dragging out the word sounds while taking a good look at her hair. “Wah, Red really is your color.”

“Well, If The Missing Key to the Fashion World says so then it must be true.” She praised and the two shared a laugh.

“Stop.” Kibum dismissed smugly lightly pushing her shoulder.

“So this must be The Boyfriend.” Came a second female voice that surprised Minho when he realized that it came from the presumed third guy of the group. She came over and extended her hand with a smile.

“Nice to meet you, my name is Amber. Hope you’re ready to party.”

“Uh, yea.” Minho answered bashfully, feeling ashamed at his own assumption.

“It’s okay.” She reassured him patting the side of his shoulder. “I get that a lot. No, I don’t blame you. Yes, I’m okay with it. Let’s just have a good time.”

“Sure.” Minho agreed with a sigh of relief. “My name is Minho. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

“This kid is Woohyun.” Sneered Kibum when the first one to hug him offered his hand. “And Nicole.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” Woohyun greeted graciously.

“Nice to see you again.” Said Nicole, being the second to shake his hand. “I believe we met about a month ago, on campus with Kibum?”

“Ah yes I remember.” Minho nodded. “Same here.”

                All the while Jonghyun was speaking with the hostess, who informed him of some basics of Joa Noraebang’s service. She would show them more about the room when they were ready to start.  Though it was against policy, the look in her eyes as they wandered over his arms and lips implied that she wanted to show him more of something else as well. Jonghyun listened tentatively, (though the group had frequented the place often in the past to know everything she had to say), before he decided to interrupt.

“I think I got it.” He nodded slowly. “We’re good from here. We’ve been here before.”

“Are…are you sure?” she asked hopefully.

“Yes.” He grinned. “Thank you.”

                Jonghyun left her standing there disappointed to approach his group of friends and the invading stranger that he was expected to accept as Kibum’s new boyfriend. He seemed nice enough as he exchanged greetings and some laughs with the rest, and he most certainly fit the bill for what his friend had described as his ideal type. However, this oh so sudden important monogamy was threatening his norm. He could accept Kibum’s past flings, because in the end nothing between them ever really changed. After all, who could love Kibum more than he? Who could hold him better than he? No one. Even in the fragments of their doomed past love affair; he still loved him. If he really had to let him go this time, he wanted to make sure he wasn’t going too far: no matter where he chose to fly off to.   

“Where’s my hug?” Jonghyun cut in, drawing everyone’s attention.

Minho held fast to his smile in spite of the vein that popped somewhere in his head.

They’re friends. He reminded himself, carefully taking deep breathes silently so that no one would notice his discomfort. He’s testing you. You can’t lose.

Kibum rolled his eyes and his teeth all the way over to his dangerously clever friend as he extended his arms to him.

“Idiot.” He spat as they embraced.

“It’s good to see you.” Jonghyun sighed happily digging his nose in his neck. Key broke off the hug when he felt a warm pocket of air hit his neck, backing away to glare at him.

“Jonghyun.” He hissed.

“What?” he smiled innocently.

“Don’t.” he scolded.

“What?” repeated Jonghyun still feigning ignorance.

Kibum folded his arms and grimaced. Woohyun rubbed the back of his neck and Nicole frowned. Amber cleared , drawing their attention and slapped the two hard on their backs at once.

“The gang is all here.” She announced excitedly. “Let’s party!”

Kibum turned back to join Minho and grabbed his hand. Minho weakly smiled down at him.

“Don’t worry.” Key softly advised giving his hand a tight squeeze. Minho could feel Jonghyun’s eyes on them still even as his new acquaintances disappeared into the room one by one. He felt wary, in spite of his boyfriend’s attempt to sooth him. Kibum could see it in his eyes and after the sly greeting he received from Jonghyun he didn’t blame him. He leaned up and placed a soft kiss on his lips and smiled. “Let’s go have a good time.”

“Okay.” He sighed.

Together, along with Jonghyun who pretended to have missed their little episode, they joined the others in the karaoke room and shut the door behind them. 

  ………

                       As his friends and boyfriend got settled in, Kibum was initially worried that the tall conservative driver wouldn’t fit in well with the typically rowdy bunch of people. He was quiet and polite, so liking him and feeling comfortable enough to let loose in front of him wasn’t difficult for any of them. In fact, the lot found him to be very charming, cute when bashful and even about how would often stare absent-mindedly over at Kibum when he talked or sang. It’s needless to say that after two rounds of alcohol and anju, they got an amusing surprise by the entirely different person he was when all his polite defenses were down.

                       Amber cheered Minho on as he slipped out of his jacket, flinging it onto the couch next to Kibum and grinned at him as he spat the intro to Jinusean’s “Phone Number”.

“J.S. Uh huh…yea…dah dah dah dah dah dah…yea uh-huh…”

Then, just as charismatically, his partner Amber chimed in as the chorus came in. She gripped at the front of her jeans, stooped low and leaned to the side with the mic to her lips as Minho motioned for the others to throw their hands in the air.

"I don’t need your first or last name

But there is something I really want

Your number”

Minho chipped back in subbing for the part of Jinwoo, smoothly rocking his torso side to side to the beat of the song while his eyes locked onto Kibum.

“Uh huh, that’s what I want

Give it up, give it up, give it up now”

                       When his index finger went up making a motion that emphasized the lyrics Key burst out in a spasm of laughter. Woohyun and Nicole laughed as well as they watched the show continue. It was so cheesy and suave, just the sort of thing Minho would do at times that caught him off guard and made him smile. Now he was boldly doing so in front of his closest friends. Key felt the heat rise to his cheeks, feeling both amused and embarrassed by the display but nonetheless happy. He threw himself onto Nicole’s shoulder while laughing to hide his face as he blushed and she giggled patting his back.

“Oppa, he is too cute.” She teased when he moved.

“Ugh. I know.” Huffed Key, practically bragging as he looked back upon him.

                       Jonghyun scoffed, resting his chin in his palm as he watched Minho and Amber do the Kid N Play dance during the bridge of the song. It was a strange thing seeing Minho rap to Kibum, showing off that his affection for him was real and honest. More than entertained by the show or relieved by seeing that his best friend found someone special, he felt uneasy as he watched his subtle fanboying. Woohyun glanced over and nudged him when he saw the look on his face.

“You okay?”

                       Woohyun was a smart and observant man. He knew all about their history, hearing more juicy details than he ever asked for from Kibum whenever the elder needed someone to rant to. His plight was a tragic one. Always loving and only being loved passively in return. Of course, the saddest part was that Jonghyun was the one to blame. Kibum never meant to hurt him when he left, nor did Jonghyun when he cheated, but there was no going back. Even as they comforted each other’s needs that only the other could satisfy, there was no regaining what they’d lost. Now there was someone else who could fulfill that void. That person was Minho.

“I’m fine.” Smiled Jonghyun sitting upright, leaning back comfortably against the back of the couch and staring at the other boy. “I’m perfectly fine.”

“Right.” Woohyun nodded slowly. He also knew that Jonghyun was an emotional creature, one who was far too easily bruised. He advised him against this entire gathering, in spite of his good intentions, or what he hoped were good intentions. Now as he watched him glance over at Kibum, who was smiling as he took the mic from Minho, he wasn’t sure what to think.

“Well, if you say so.”

“Don’t worry so much.” Smirked Jonghyun, who then on his bottom lip and cocked his head to the side as a Kesha song started blaring through the speakers.

                       Woohyun shrugged and joined him in watching Kibum perform with eyes full of vigor, his American valley girl English erupting with full fabulous force as he immersed himself in the song. Minho glanced over, half-way ignoring Nicole and Amber talking to him to look over at Jonghyun. When their eyes met for a brief moment, he felt something hiding behind that gracious smile gracing his plump lips. Something that even in his tipsy consciousness brought him back down to his skepticism of the man. He didn’t know if it was that stealthy look of his or the soju mixing with fried food he shouldn’t have eaten, but he could feel a twisting in his gut.

                        Minho turned back to watch Kibum, who was flicking his wrists and rocking his hips to emphasize the pure iness of the song he was partying to. That’s right. This was a party. A free one he was invited to in show of good faith. Minho was here to make new friends and for both their sakes follow his boyfriend’s advice not to worry and have a good time. That’s exactly what he would keep on doing. Minho knocked back another shot of liquor and got up to dance like a nut with Amber and Woohyun. As the disco ball glided shimmering colorful circles over their heads, they cheered the diva on and he decided to tuck that paranoia to the back of his mind.