Jonghyun had been waiting eagerly for Monday morning to come so he could discreetly ask Jinki questions. However, if he had hoped that Jinki was in a good mood to have a better chance to get answers, he certainly hadn’t expected him to look this happy. When the older came in, he had an unusual big smile on his face.

 

“Hello, Jonghyun.”

 

“Hello…” He said absentmindedly, sending him a suspicious look.

 

To be honest, he had expected to see a slightly depressed Jinki, like he usually was after the pretty blond’s departure. But this time, Jinki looked rather happy and even spent some time talking to the other players.

 

Something was off.

 

Practice began when the coach came in and Jonghyun cursed inwardly at how he would have to wait for it to be finished so he could talk to Jinki. Of course, Jinki was a better player when he was in a good mood and after practice ended, everyone congratulated him.

 

He met Jonghyun near the bleachers and his friend frowned at his behaviour.

 

“What ?” Jinki asked, seemingly amused by Jonghyun’s weird stare.

 

“Alright. What’s going on ?”

 

“What are you talking about ?” He asked, frowning.

 

“Don’t play that game with me, Lee Jinki… You’re obviously hiding something.”

 

Jonghyun made a quick list of the reasons why Jinki could look this happy on a Monday morning, the day when he was supposed to be the most depressed.

 

One. Jinki could miraculously walk on his own two feet again.

Two. Jinki had been selected by the Korean Team of Wheelchair Basketball for the next Paralympics.

Three. Jinki had been proclaimed an International Chess Champion.

 

Each one of these reasons were more ridiculous than the next and Jonghyun heaved a sigh. He needed to find something possible.

 

Four. Jinki had finally confessed his undying love to Key and the latter had decided to stay with him for the rest of his life.

 

Alright, it wasn’t more likely than the other reasons, seeing how Jinki refused to accept anything that looked like feelings. When it came to love, Jinki was a coward. It might have been understandable seeing what he had lived through, but it wasn’t any less sad. Jinki wasn’t the only person in the world to have had his heart broken, and Jonghyun thought he needed to stop moping around once and for all and accept his feelings for good. He knew what Jinki felt for Key was genuine and pure, and Jinki couldn’t ignore that. Jonghyun would do anything not to let his friend ruin the chance he had been given.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

Jonghyun frowned and Jinki looked away. So it did have something to do with Key…

 

“You’ll see Key again then ?”

 

Jonghyun would have been blind not to notice the absent-minded look in Jinki’s eyes and his foolishly happy smile.

 

“Yes. He gave me his personal number and I promised to call him back.”

 

Jonghyun’s eyes widened. Jinki had promised to call him ?

 

“For real ?”

 

Jinki nodded with a smile and Jonghyun’s jaw dropped. He had already been surprised when Jinki had called Key himself the first time, but now he had promised to call him back ? Jonghyun had known him for a long time, maybe not as long as Minho, but for long enough to know that Jinki always kept his promises. He never promised anything without intending to keep them. Jonghyun couldn’t help the shock he felt upon hearing that Jinki had made a promise about this. Was he finally moving on ? Was Jinki… getting his life back on track ?

 

Jonghyun smiled, genuinely happy for his friend. However, something was still a bit off… Jinki still had that sappy smile on his face and Jonghyun was sure he had never seen him like that. He had already seen that expression on a few people, like Minho not long after he had met Tae-

 

No.

 

They… Jinki had… ?

 

“Oh. My. God.” Jonghyun said slowly, his eyes widened.

 

“What ?” Jinki asked, clueless.

 

“You slept with him !”

 

Jinki’s eyes widened and the redness of his face was enough to confirm Jonghyun’s suspicions. His lips curved up in a teasing smirk.

 

“You really did sleep with him !”

 

“Jongh-”

 

“How was it ? How was he ?” He asked, moving his eyebrows in an up and down motion.

 

“Jonghyun !”

 

“Wait a minute… So you wouldn’t sleep with him when me and the others hired him, but when you were the one hiring him, no problem ?”

 

“But-”

 

“Oh I get it. Mister only puts his own money to good use !”

 

“That’s ridiculous, Jonghyun !”

 

Jonghyun still couldn’t believe it. After years of celibacy, Lee Jinki had finally gotten laid.

 

He need to tell the others !

 

“Jonghyun put that phone down !” Jinki shouted.

 

………………………

 

When Jinki came back from practice, it was to discover with horror that his aunt had come to visit. It had been a little over a year since he had last seen her, and he had hoped he wouldn’t have to see her again for a long time. His good mood was already starting to disappear.

 

“I’m so sorry, Mr Lee, but I couldn’t leave her outside…”

 

Mrs Park was looking very nervous but she had no reason to be. She had done the right thing. His aunt was a very strict and very unpleasant woman, and if there was one thing she held of importance more than anything, it was manners. She would have made a scandal if Mrs Park had refused to let her in, and she would probably have pushed him to hire a new maid.

 

“Don’t worry about it, Mrs Park. You did good.”

 

“I told her you weren’t here but she insisted… She’s waiting in your office.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Jinki sighed. He couldn’t really welcome her in his current outfit. He was still wearing his basket clothes and he needed a shower. He didn’t want to make her wait more than she already did - she was the impatient kind - but it was preferable not to meet her in his sweaty state. He turned to Sohye.

 

“Can you tell her I’m coming ?”

 

Sohye winced at that and Jinki’s lips curved up in an amused smile. Knowing he wasn’t the only one who hated her was reassuring, somehow. He knew Sohye would have prefered not to talk to her, but he thought Mrs Park had done enough. Sohye had good reasons to hate Jinki’s aunt. The old woman never wasted a chance to criticize the poor Sohye whenever she could. She often made comments on how women shouldn’t work that way (or shouldn’t work at all), since it was very time-consuming and it was difficult to deal with work and a family on the side. His aunt was extremely old-fashioned and conservative, and her views on gender roles came straight from the fifties.

 

Jinki took a quick shower and slipped into the fanciest clothes he could find. He felt like an old aristocrat in this outfit but it was the only way he would please his aunt. He may have hated her, but he’d rather stay in good terms with the family he had left.

 

When he entered his office, she stood up. Her eyes glanced at his wheelchair, like they always did when she saw him. Jinki wondered why she looked so surprised every time, it wasn’t like he would suddenly walk on his own two feet again.

 

“Jinki !”

 

“Aunt Bora.”

 

He didn’t feel like beating around the bush. The sooner he’d find out the reason of her visit, the sooner she’d leave. However, he couldn’t exactly be rude to her.

 

“I see you’re still practicing that sport, what is it… baseball ?”

 

“Basketball.” He corrected.

 

“Ah, yes. That.”

 

She was acting - not very well, he noticed - like she was genuinely interested in what he was doing, and he too, feigned to actually care about what she was saying. It was always the same thing, when she was visiting him.

 

Mrs Park came in with a tray on which were put two cups, one filled with coffee and the other filled with tea, as well as a plate of small cookies. He immediately grabbed the cup of coffee, noticing the disapproving expression on his aunt’s features.

 

“May I ask why you came today ?” He asked as politely as he could, taking a sip of his coffee.

 

He would have needed a lot more coffee to face his aunt.

 

“Am I not allowed to see my nephew when I want to ?”

 

She picked up her cup of tea and Jinki looked up to stare at her. She was wearing old-fashioned - but very expensive-looking - clothes and a pearl necklace which gave her a bourgeois look. Her fingers were covered with rings, each one uglier than the next, and her hair was tied in a tight bun which gave her face an even stricter expression.

She hadn’t changed one bit; she still repelled Jinki.

 

“Of course. It’s just been a while since you last came here.”

 

“I was very busy, you know, with charities.”

 

Charities helping disadvantaged people. His aunt hated poor people, and Jinki loathed that kind of hypocrisy. For her and for other arrogant rich people, it was just a way to have a good reputation and to have a somewhat clear conscience.

 

“Talking about charities, there will be an auction soon. I suppose you’ve received your invitation ?”

 

He had, and he had hoped he wouldn’t have to go.

 

“I did.”

 

“And you will be present, of course ? It’s for a good cause, after all.”

 

Jinki doubted that she was attending on the sole motive that it was a good cause, but he didn’t comment. From what Minho had told him, he had received an invitation as well. He would probably go with Taemin. At least, Jinki wouldn’t be alone.

 

“Of course. By the way, one of my friends is attending as well.”

 

“Is that so ? Who ?”

 

“Choi Minho, my childhood friend. He will be there with his boyfriend.”

 

His aunt was barely hiding her disgust. She had never liked Minho nor his parents, since they were from a lower social class than Jinki and his parents, but she had really started hating him since she had found out about him dating a man. If there was one thing she hated more than poor people, it was homouals. She thought it went against nature (even if she had never said so in front of him, Jinki had already heard her talking about ‘a disease’ when she talked about homouality), and hated the idea that someone from her own family was friends with someone gay.

 

“Oh… Well that’s… good…”

 

“The more people, the more money the charity will get, right ?”

 

“Yes, that’s a good thing.” She said with a fake smile as she took another sip of her tea.

 

She put her cup back down and took a look around, arching an eyebrow as she did so. She had always liked to judge people on everything, including their taste in interior design.

 

“This house hasn’t changed since my last visit…”

 

“Why would it change ? I like it as it is.”

 

“But don’t you it lacks some sort of… feminine touch ?”

 

Jinki was struggling not to sigh loudly. She had apparently decided to talk about his love life… It was always the same thing when she came over.

 

“Aunt Bora…” He trailed off, a bit irritated.

 

“Jinki, it’s about time for you to get married ! I am sure many beautiful women would call themselves lucky if they married you. Don’t you wish to have children ?”

 

He had never really thought about that. It wasn’t that he didn’t want children, it was just that he had never felt the need to have a child. His aunt knew that, of course, but she still tried to talk him into having an heir whenever she saw him.

 

“Jinki, you’re an only child ! You can’t let your name disappear, the Lees are a very respected family. Not to mention that if you don’t have any children in the future, who will you leave your fortune and your goods to ?”

 

Thinking about keeping the family line going was the last of his worries, but saying that to his aunt would likely give her a heart attack. She thought highly of family and would most likely defend it until she died. If she knew Jinki had feelings for a man, she would most likely have a heart attack !

 

Come to think of it, maybe he should tell her...

 

“I know you’re shy, and I can help you meet someone ! I met this very kind young woman recently in a party and I’m sure you would like her, she-”

 

His aunt kept talking about the said woman’s qualities but Jinki had stopped listening. He was staring at his cup of coffee absentmindedly, and his eyes naturally when to the palm of his hand. The numbers were almost entirely gone now but there were still some lines here and there, and Jinki couldn’t help but think back of Kibum. His face, his feline eyes, his smile, the curves of his body, the softness of his skin...

 

“Jinki ?”

 

He looked up, meeting his aunt’s glaring eyes. She didn’t look very happy to be ignored, and Jinki cursed inwardly. He needed to stop daydreaming, his aunt hated that.

 

“I’m sorry, you were saying ?”

 

“She will be at the auction, I’ll introduce her to you.”

 

Jinki just nodded. He didn’t want to make his aunt angrier than she already was, and he knew she got easily angry when she didn’t have her way. He would do what he usually did in this situation, which was either to avoid his aunt for the whole auction or pretend to be interested by the woman she wanted him to meet. He was used to people trying to get him to meet people by now. Taemin hadn’t been the first to try; his aunt hadn’t stopped introducing girls to him since his teenage years.

 

“Do you have any news from other people in the family ?” He asked.

 

He wanted to change the subject and he knew she liked gossips.

 

“I heard your cousin Minhwan is getting a divorce. His wife caught him cheating on her with a e.”

 

Jinki raised an eyebrow at that. His cousin was one of the few honest people in his family and Jinki would have never thought of him as the cheater type, especially with a e.

 

“She was ready to forgive him but he refused to leave that… woman, saying they were ‘in love’. Of course, Eunha asked for a divorce but when the filthy woman he was cheating on her with found out, she ran away with half of their money. He tried to apologize to Eunha but she wouldn’t have it.”

 

Jinki apparently was no longer the only one to have his heart broken by a woman who wanted his money.

 

“I don’t understand how he fell for it. We all know these people can’t be trusted…”

 

She was obviously talking about people who didn’t come from the same social class. All of Seoul’s wealthiest families tend to stay together. For them, there was no way they would get mixed with the lower classes… Jinki’s parents had been one of the few people not to think like that.

 

“Can you imagine ? A e, at that ? She took advantage of his naive nature and made him believed she loved him so she could run away with his money when she had the chance.”

 

At that, something awakened inside Jinki’s heart. No… Not that… Don’t think about that. The more his aunt talked, the heavier his heart felt. It was like all of the dormant fears and doubts he had had suddenly awoken and started to take over his heart once more.

 

“Those women know how to handle men. They give them what they want, they seduce them, and when they’re weak and vulnerable they jump on the occasion like predators would jump on a prey. They should never be trusted.”

 

He could already feel the doubts invading his mind at his aunt’s words, but there was nothing he could do to stop it.

 

Did Kibum… really had feelings for him ? He had never said clearly that he loved him or that he had feelings for him, after all...

 

No. Kibum was different. Kibum wasn’t like her. He would never do that, he would never betray him. They had grown so close these past few weeks ! And they had even slept together !

 

He’s an , he’d sleep with anyone for money.

 

All of his fears and doubts came together in a little voice. No matter how much Jinki wanted to think otherwise, he knew part of it was true. And that was exactly why he doubted so much… He couldn’t tell what was right or wrong.

 

No…

 

He told you himself.

 

Kibum would never do that. He’d never take advantage of me.

 

Some words said by Kibum suddenly came back to Jinki’s mind at that moment.

 

“We could even say I was the one to take advantage of you…”

 

No, no. Kibum would never do that, he’s different, he wouldn’t-

 

I bet Minhwan thought that woman was different too...

 

But it was so different from Minhwan’s situation ! Jinki could feel Kibum wasn’t lying, he knew it in his heart.

 

But love makes people blind… Look at what happened with Yeeun.

 

Jinki had loved her so much… He had firmly believed she did too, but she had betrayed him.

 

What makes you think Kibum won’t do the same thing ? What makes you think he’s not pretending ? Don’t you think it’s odd, that he came to you in the middle of the night and slept with you just before he left ?

 

…“They give them what they want, they seduce them, and when they’re weak and vulnerable they jump on the occasion like predators would jump on a prey”...

 

Kibum would never do that…

 

Where do you think he is right now ? His grandmother’s house… really ? You have to admit it sounds like a lie…

 

Kibum had feelings for him, he knew it.

 

Have you seen him ? Why would someone like him have feeling for someone like you ? It has to be for money...

 

His paranoia hit him like a truck, and all of the little voice’s whispers made so much sense...

 

The heart wants what the heart wants. Falling in love is a mistake. People follow their hearts and put reason aside… And it ends badly - it always does - because life isn’t a fairytale.

 

Nobody can be trusted.

 

All of his fears and doubts had taken control of his mind once more, but no matter how hard they tried… His feelings for Kibum were already carved deep in his heart.

 

I… I love him… I love Kibum.

 

The ultimate battle between his fears and his heart had started, and Jinki couldn’t do anything. He was standing on the no man’s land, attacked on both sides, and couldn’t choose a side.