Being able to release new material and promote after such a long period of hiatus was refreshing. It felt as though he was alive again and finally living. He felt that Song Minho was finally back to normal again

After a successful recording of their first comeback stage for their new song, the members of Winner decided that a celebration of sorts was needed to destress and just enjoy the fact that they get eight weeks of dungeon free moments.

Mino was sipping slowly on his drinking enjoying the bittersweet after taste that the whiskey left behind, savouring the light buzz that was slowly building at the back of his head when he heard a familiar tune playing.

He opened his eyes to focus on the stage where the live band that was currently jamming at that moment and realised with a start that it was the singer who was taking the internet by storm, Nam Taehyun, the one who left a successful group for a more indie route.

Mino had been following his music for a while and had admired his passion and dedication of going about his own way in terms on creating the kind of music that he loves, forming his own band in the matter of months instead of conforming to a well-known label since there were multiple reports of the lead singer getting love calls from the agencies.

There was something about the way the guy moved and the voice that drew the rapper in as he watched them with rapt attention and ignoring the comments of s who were in awe. It was something that he could not quite put a finger on that was drawing him in.

However, Mino was set to find out for himself just what that feeling was.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was a great performance that Taehyun and the band had put up. He was grateful to have found the right people who understood his direction when he put up the notice of his social media account looking for members.

Taehyun felt hopeful of the future at this point on as he trudged his way across the club to the bar to get himself a celebratory drink of his own and just savour the wonderful feeling of moving a positive step forward with his music.

s had offered him to hang out with their friends who came in support of their first public performance stage which he did out of sheer politeness but after two drinks, Taehyun had other ideas and decided to leave them to celebrate while he did some of his own.

He was about to take a sip of his gin and tonic when someone slid next to him and was immediately brought back to reality when he realised that it was Song Minho.

“I will have what he is having. Thanks.” Mino ordered as the bartender leaned over to get the rapper a drink.

Taehyun felt unsettled. He thinks it had to be the drinks that he had earlier which was why his body reacted that way instead of a particularly deep baritone voice coming from an attractive tanned skinned star that was sitting next to him.

Sure, Taehyun knew of him during his short-lived days as an active idol in the industry. Song Minho was gaining more popularity with his rap skills as well his dorky personality in variety shows.

However, the guy beside him was nowhere near dorky instead he looked more like a guy who out for a hunt.

Something that told Taehyun that he should probably start making a run to the far away hills. After all, the rapper was also known to be quite a party playboy in the entertainment circle which only meant unnecessary trouble and complications.

Yet here he was, not moving away from his seat all the while looking at the guy beside him.

“Why are you alone Taehyun-ssi?” Mino suddenly asked breaking the silence and turning to catch Taehyun dead in the eyes.

Oh that was not good… not when he has eyes looking at me like that….

“I prefer hanging back and watching.”

It seemed that Taehyun still had some active brain cells and some sort of a backbone left in him as he looked at the guy seated next to him.

“Something in your eyes tells me that you are thinking about something that is entirely different. Like joining in the fun.” Mino commented while he leaned in dangerously close while he explained which Taehyun neither confirmed or denied.

“If the look of longing you gave was solely at me, then I am extremely flattered, Taehyun-ssi.”

Taehyun nearly choked mentally cursing at himself for taking a drink at that exact moment.

“What?! No you have got it all wrong sunbae!”

“You are awfully cute when flustered.” Mino chuckled.

Get your together, Nam Taehyun!

“So it is a no to what? Joining in the fun or your longing for me?”

My my… Aren’t we arrogant, Mr Hugeboy.

“Hate to break it to you but it is none of the above. I was just wondering where did all the charisma of Mino disappear to?”

It was a formal and polite pass without any apology that Taehyun hoped will get him one of the two possible outcomes : either he catches the hint and walks off or his barely held rudeness will stun the rapper into silence.  The former will be ideal but the latter will be much appreciated.

Mino laughed, highly amused with no traces of offence in his face or actions. If anything, he moved even closer while resting his chin on his hand as he continued to observe the guy in front of him.

“You just got a lot more interesting Nam Taehyun-ssi.”

No, wrong! Taehyun did not want to be coming across as interesting, least of all to Mino. He wanted nothing more than his absence and to pretend that he watching Mino in silent amusement has never happened.

“Interesting?! You must have terribly low standards because I bore myself sometimes.”

“You cannot make a statement like this when it contradicts your argument.” Mino countered easily while he laughed more as though he was in on an internal joke that Taehyun had not a single clue a to what it was.

Well, one could say a lot of Song Minho but the rapper sure has a very nice smile which Taehyun for a moment was lost in observing to notice that Mino had ordered another round of drinks.

“Do not stare too hard Taehyun-ssi or I might have to be forced to return the favour.” His deep tone and intent shining in his dark eyes make him nervous and manged to coax a blush from Taehyun which he thanked god for the dim lighting.

Once again, Mino seemed to have known because much to Taehyun’s dismay, he laughed.

“I am glad at least one of us is enjoying this exchange.” Taehyun muttered with a tight lipped smile while he gulped down the rest of his drink so he could at least blame it on the alcohol for any other further embarrassment.

“I am going to have to change that. After all, I am a giver.”

“Don’t worry, Mino sunbae. Your dancing before I came on stage was interesting enough.” Taehyun answered in mocked assurance while unconscientiously smiling at the little memory.

For the first time of the night Mino seemed to be taken aback and Taehyun relished the sense of victory he took against him.

Well, that was until Mino opened his mouth to unsettle him all over again….

“I don’t know what I like most, that you were watching me, that I made you smile so lovely or the sound of my name coming out from you.”   

He smirked when Taehyun choked on his drink for real this time, providing him with a tissue with that annoying smile stretched across his lips.

Either Taehyun was drunk or Song Mino was flirting with him.

“I wonder how long it will take for you to say hyung.” Mino wondered teasingly.

Oh that jerk… Definitely flirting…

“How about never in a million years and multiply that by infinity and then add never. We can be comfortable then sunbaenim.” It was bordering on disrespectful but Taehyun was playing an extremely dangerous game and the drink in his hand assured that it would be even more risky if he continued.

“You are quite cruel but oddly enough I like a challenge.” There was an unmistakable look of darkness in his eyes which Taehyun seemed to notice that it was directed at him. However he dismissed his own deduction as impossible because they just did not know each other well enough for the rapper to sound so determined.

“Flirting is off limits. Imagine the scandal that will befall upon us if our names are linked. Don’t you agree?”

Again, Mino’s eyes darkened but he never lost his composure.

“What is so scandalous about a sunbae buying his hoobae a drink while they talk, Taehyun-ssi? Just what scandalous things are going through your head at this moment, Taehyun-ah?” Mino questioned purposely dropping the formalities and his name rolling off his tongue was too much.

Run, Nam Taehyun… You are drunk!

Taehyun’s phone buzzed, saving him from whatever intention that shimmered in Mino’s eyes and he was more than happy to grab the excuse of escape dangling in front of him.

“If you will excuse me, I will leave first.”

Ku! You are such an angel!

“Don’t drink too much sunbae, goodbye.” Taehyun added ecstatic enough to bow to the guy who almost had him splashing his drink at him and yelling murder.

“Sleep well, Taehyun-ssi.” It was meant to be a goodwill gesture but why did it make Taehyun stutter and send a tingle of awareness down his spine.

~~~~~~~~~~

Mino watched the little spitfire made his way through the crowd towards the exit with an uncomfortable shuffle, clearly affected by his parting words.

He did not know why he approached the singer and that staying clear of him was a best practise but Mino guessed that he just could not resist.

Was curiosity and loneliness the true reasons why he sought Taehyun’s company instead of s?

The answer was loneliness. It was odd to catch something in Taehyun’s eyes and find something that he had been feeling a long time but kept carefully hidden in them. Seungyoon tried his hardest to understand him but always fell short of knowing how he felt, yet the one look at the sad smile of the South Club leader and the mirror of his inner state of mind flashing in his eyes. It felt like Mino found someone who could understand him completely.

Taehyun was nothing like what he had imagined him to be sad and vulnerable. Instead Mino had found that he could be sarcastic to the point of cruelty when cornered and yet so easily provoked.

“Would you listen if I told you to be careful, Mino?”

“Careful of what?” Mino understood what he meant but just wanted the answer to be clear.

“Messing with Nam Taehyun…”

“I am not messing with him…” He liked his partners with an edge, a master at the push-pull game. Nam Taehyun while having a sharp tongue, was the textbook good guy whose heart was fragile and easily broken.

“So you were not flirting with him? You sure? So what I witnessed was nothing to be worried about right?”

Well… it did not get to be anything so…

“It was nothing, Yoon.”

~~~~~~~~~~

And I am back! I am sorry was MIA for a while... Work had been busy and I sort of lost inspiration along the way... I hope that there are still readers left! *Laughs* i am slowly getting back into the groove... Please bear with me... i am definitely working on my existing stories so please be patient ya... Here is something simple to enjoy first... I have no idea how long this is going to be but we will see... Till then! enjoy nd do let me know your thoghts! =)