Part Twelve

“Soooooo, is no one going to talk today or what?” Came Jonghyun’s -annoying- voice to interrupt the awkward and tense atmosphere that had fallen upon us on the lunch table. 

But I could not be blamed for it, this silence, I’m sure,  was due to several reasons. 

First of all, I didn’t know how exactly Jonghyun had patched up Key’s hurt feelings after he stormed out of the table yesterday. I’m sure not getting in didn’t suddenly stop stinging overnight. 

I looked over at Key and saw his head down as he played around with his salad. I wasn’t used to seeing Key look so… unconfident. 

Second of all, Taemin had joined us for lunch, which in itself wasn’t unusual as even when we hated each other we all still sat together, but this time he had chosen to sit right next to me. 

Considering the fact that I am pretty sure the rest of the table didn’t go through the rollercoaster of emotions with me thinking I was back together with him, this was pretty weird. 

It was most awkward for me, as I only had last night to think about this new-found relationship with him. It wasn’t friends. It wasn’t boyfriends. It wasn’t even friends with benefits. It was… just benefits, and not even for me. Knowing that, how could I still be okay with this? Knowing that… I didn’t know how I would continue with Taemin. Even if he seemed so ready and okay with this, I wasn’t. Which is exactly why when he sat a little too close to me, I scooted over, creating a large gap between us, which did, infact, add to the awkward atmosphere as everyone noticed. 

Clearing my throat, I begin  with something that’s probably more important than my non-existent relationship with Taemin, “Key, are you okay?” Instantly I cursed myself because my voice came out so sympathetic, the exact thing Key hates because it makes him feel weak. 

His head slowly lifted up to look at me and I felt horrible for making him sound pitiful, his eyes stared into mine for a split-second before glazing with his usual layer of cockiness, giving me a smirk.

“Why wouldn’t I be? I woke up with my face and body, there’s nothing more perfect than that,” It was overly confident and egoistic, completely self-absorbed, especially because I could hear in his voice that he meant it, but for some reason that only filled my heart up with happiness as I genuinely smiled back at him. It was cocky, but it’s Key. He can say that because he is perfect. And I was glad he knew it too. 

Just like that the awkward atmosphere was broken as everyone broke into conversation. Almost, anyways, because Taemin still had an awkward aura surrounding him and I really didn’t want to deal with that. Instead I looked at Key bicker with Jonghyun, I felt like I almost owed it to him to do something about his rejection. I just didn’t know what…

“Minho-hyung!” I heard the newly-familiar voice call out to me, bringing my attention away from Key as I saw Kai approach me, his hands thrown up to welcome an expected embrace from me, which I give, hesitantly, as I don’t want to leave him hanging. Without asking, he sat himself in the gap that I had created between me and Taemin. “The weekend is only two days away~” He cooes, now with everyone's attention on him.

“Yes, indeed it is,” I reply, not exactly knowing what he is referring to.

“Well, I’m just making sure you’re still coming to watch me, I brought your ticket with me,” he quickly slings his backpack forward, roaming his hands around until he finally pulls out a ticket, handing it to me.

Aish. 

I give a nervous glance over to Key, hoping this wouldn’t bring him down, but instead I see him look completely unbothered by it. How is he so strong? But this only gave me an idea, for once I am thanking Kai’s presence.

“Kai!” I realize my voice sounds too urgent, and so Kai’s staring at me expectantly, “Thanks for the ticket, but I don’t think I can go as your support,” I do feel sorry, which is why I hope he can see the apology in my eyes. He gives a small scoff and bitter smile, as his eyes glance towards Taemin, only bringing my attention to him as well, which is when I see his pretty little eyes (that I hate) lit up with happiness. 

What was he smiling about?

“Let me guess, there’s someone else you need to go support?” I’m guessing he didn’t take my apologetic eyes so well, because his voice is sounding awfully sarcastic.

“Yes, I’m sorry,” I trail off, before turning my attention back to Taemin, “Did you manage to get me a ticket as well?” At this Taemin is nodding his head happily, quickly reaching into his side bag to pull out an identical looking ticket, handing it to me.

“Here you go,” his smile is so bright and innocent, it makes my heart swell just a bit, but I can’t keep falling for that angelic face of his so I ignore it, accepting the ticket before I slide it over to Key. 

“What- what is this?” Key is looking at me with wide eyes and my smile only increases. 

“A ticket, you’re coming with me.”

“What are you talking about? Why would I go there?”

“Oh come on, your best friend is going to be performing, don’t you want to see him?” At this Jonghyun lights up, clapping his hands and looking at me eagerly.

“You do care about me!” He exclaims and I roll my eyes.

“Of course I do!” 

“You know that’s not why you’re doing this,” Key speaks up again and I should have expected he’d know that.

“Come on, come? With me? I just want them to see what ing idiots they are. And I mean, look at you, one look and they’ll know they ed up,” I only hope he’ll accept, because I know this will make him feel better. Not to mention, less awkward whenever things like this happen in the future.

He stares at me for a good minute, the rest of the table silent in anticipation of his answer, before he sighs and agrees, with a roll of his eyes.

“Since when did you care this much about me? You frog-face,” 

“Only the people at this table can bring your overly cocky head back to Earth, I refuse for others to do so,”

“That’s why I expect all of you to turn in a well-revised draft of your-” Kwon seonsaengnim continued talking but all I could do was tune out her voice. 

I never listened in class anyways, but now I just kept thinking about Taemin. When didn’t I? But I was sick of being the only one feeling like this when he could so feely walk away with un-tangled emotions. I want to turn around and see his face, but that would be painfully obvious and for what? It’s not like I had something to say to him. Not anymore. 

I still didn’t know what I should decide to do. I don’t want to just be the body he uses to relieve his ual frustrations on, but at the same time, if it wasn’t me, who would it be? Someone new? Or a long list of guys like it was before? 

Shaking my head I realize I have to be that guy. Because I couldn’t stand someone else touching him like that. 

Thankfully, I was pulled out of my thoughts by the bell ringing and at last, I am free to go home. Well, that should have been a refreshing feeling, but suddenly I realize all that means is I’ll be left alone thinking about this again. 

I suppose my thoughts had made my actions slower than usual because Taemin was standing in front of my desk waiting for me to finish packing up. Guess this means I’m his buddy and chauffeur.

“You okay? You’re usually the first person out of here,” He mumbles but even I can tell he’s acting awkward, despite him trying hard to act normal.

“Just thinking is all,” I mumble, getting up and walking out, Taemin right by my side. He nods slowly, but doesn’t reply. It stays like that until we reach my car and get in, but he grabs my arm before I can begin driving.

“Why are you being like this? I’ve felt like you’ve been cold to me all day,” His face looks nervous and how am I not supposed to fall for that? When he looks so innocent, so genuinely concerned for my feelings? I’m not an idiot for falling for him, he’s just so good at it. “Is this because of yesterday? If you want to-”

“It doesn’t matter,” I reply, because I realize looking at his angelic face that it really doesn’t. I can’t let anyone else touch him so I have to stay with him. “I’m not going to let yesterday change anything,” he smiles at me, satisfied with that answer and I can’t help but smile back, even if it hurts. 

But as he leans over to me, grabbing the back of my head to pull me in close and kiss me, I can’t do anything but feel like nothing did change. “Good, because I really don’t want it to,” he whispers against my lips and how can such a sweet voice say such a hurtful thing? He leans back against his seat, looking forward, with the cutest smile. “Minho-hyung?” He half-whispers out.

“Yeah?”

“I want you.”

“You have me, I’m right here,” 

“Not like that. I-it’s been a while since we- since we, you know….” he trails off, cheeks turning red, as he turns his head to the window and I do know. 

“You want .” I can’t help but let my voice come out with disappointment, but what does that matter, Taemin never seems to notice my feelings anyways, or maybe he just doesn’t care.

“Don’t say it like that!” he turns to me, slapping me against the arms, his ears mimicking the color of his cheeks. 

Why is he so cute? I can’t even be fully mad at him because he looks so innocent and adorable even as he’s completely hurting my feelings.

“Why not? That’s all it is.” I should stop, because it was after all my decision to accept the relationship as it was, but I can’t help but feel bitter about it.

“Don’t say that. It’s not like that for me. I-I like it when you told me those things in the dressing room and I like it when we do things in random and public places-”

“Because you’re the tiest person to ever be born?”

“M-maybe. Yeah, because it does make me feel like that. It makes me feel like I am completely y-yours. And it may hurt when I get called that by everyone else, but if you say it then- then it just feels good, because I like knowing I-I’m yours.” I wasn’t expecting that type of answer and I honestly wish he hadn’t said it like that, because it just confuses me even more. It just makes me feel like he really is mine, fully mine. 

But if he says things like this, can’t I just play along? Can’t I just lie to myself and act like he really is mine?

I guess I was silent for a bit too long because Taemin was nervously hitting my shoulder now, “well, say something you can’t just sit in silence after I say something embarrassing like that,”

“Basically you like feeling ty,”

“I told you not to say it like that,” he whined cutely in his seat, feet stomping a bit as he slumped down in his seat.

How is he so cute?

Why is something like this so difficult to decide? No. I already decided, I’ve decided about a thousand times since yesterday. So why was it so difficult to come to terms with it?

“It’s okay,” I finally called out, determined. 

“Huh?”

“It’s okay. You can be whatever you want to be, even if it’s a , as long as you’re mine, it doesn’t matter what it is.”

“You’ve seriously been acting weird since yesterday. Are you sure everythings okay?” Taemin was back to looking at me, eyes filled with concern. Yeah, maybe I knew I was being lied to again, and maybe I knew I was falling for it, but falling didn’t seem so bad if it was with Taemin.

I didn’t reply, instead getting out of my car and going around to open his door, pulling him out.

“W-what are you doing? Why are we going back in?” Taemin questioned me surprised, as I pulled him back into school by the arm, quick steps rushing us into our English classroom.

“Remember how you kept a list of places you wanted to do it in last year? Our math classroom was number 10 on that list because it was the only class we had together that semester.” 

“Y-yeah, but that was last year-”

“This isn’t our math class, but it is the only class we have together this year so I think it is a fine substitute.” I explain, as I lean forward into him, trapping him between my body and the desk behind him.

“Y-you don’t mean you want to do it right here? Right now?!”

“You don’t want to?” I whisper, as our faces are but a centimeter apart and I was expecting a reply not the iest whimper that came out from his throat.

“Y-yes, please,” Taemin managed to whisper out, and how could I not when his pretty little eyes (that I swear I hate) were practically begging?

Both of our heads snapped to the front of the classroom, however, as we heard the door open.

“Minho? … Taemin? What are you two doing here?” Mrs. Kwon was standing at the door, a confused look on her face as she studied our position. I am a man of my actions, but even I couldn’t help but get embarrassed as I thought about what she would have walked into had she come just minutes later. I quickly leaned away from Taemin to bow down, thinking Taemin would do the same, but as I stared back at him I saw he was still leaning against the desk, the biggest scowl I’ve ever seen on his face.

“W-what are you doing here?” I manage to ask, the atmosphere turning even more awkward since Taemin wouldn’t stop glaring at her.

“I forgot some papers I need to grade tonight. Taemin- are you okay?” She answered apprehensively, but she really did seem concerned as she asked Taemin this. I was too, to be honest, his face was unmistakingly, 100%, filled with hatred as he stared Mrs. Kwon down. 

“Don’t talk to me you ,” Taemin breathed out,  making me turn to him surprised at his comment which came out that much more insulting with his tone of voice. 

“Taemin!”

“What did he say?” Mrs. Kwon asked and I could only be thankful that he had whispered it out, because I don’t know how he’d get away with saying that.

“H-he has an upset stomach is all,” I try to come up with an excuse and I am aware it is the tiest excuse out there, but I couldn’t think of anything else on the spot.

“He looks really upset, Ming, is your guises fight that bad?” Her voice was filled with concern and I could only wince as she stepped closer, trying to observe Taemin. But something in that sentence ticked Taemin off completely because he snapped his head towards her and I swear if I didn’t have such quick reflexes I wouldn’t have been able to catch Taemin in my arms.

“I will kill her!” Was the only thing he said as he swung his arms around and I am too shocked, but can't do anything about that as I forcefully pull him out of the classroom in hopes of concealing Mrs. Kwon's safety.

“I-I’ll see you tomorrow, Mrs. Kwon!” I yell as Tamein continues to struggle inside my arms. 

“Let me go, I swear I’ll kill her, I’ll rip her stupid earing off her ears!” Taemin continued struggling until I reached my car again and set him down on the top of my car, with much more strength than I should have had to use. 

“Taemin what the hell! What is wrong with you?!” I finally yell, knowing we were far away from Mrs. Kwon.

This seems to calm him down as he crosses his arms against his chest and sighs. “Nothing,” he mutters, avoiding my gaze, but I can't just let it go, not after the scene he caused back there.

“You literally went crazy back there, what the hell?”

“It’s not my fault! She knew what she was doing!” He's still yelling and I don't understand at all what has got him so... furious.

“Great, mind letting me know? Because I am lost!”

“She called you ‘Ming’, I call you Ming!”

“Taemin, everyone calls me Ming!”

“Well she did it on purpose so that I’d hear!”

“Somehow I really doubt that, is that really all? Because she said a variation of my name, that's what got murder on your eyes?” It couldn't have been, because that was the first time I had seen him become so livid.

“She interrupted us! She knew you were going to take me and she couldn’t handle it!”

“I am pretty sure she had no idea that I planned to take you into her classroom on Thursday after school to you against your desk,” He wasn't even making sense at this point.

“Why do you keep taking her side! What are you her boyfriend?!”

"I'm just saying you're being completely unreasonable!"

"She's a !"

"Oh so it's okay for you to be one, but not her?"

"I said I was yours, that's different!"

"Well, what if she's mine too!" Even before I the words left my mouth I knew they were a bad idea and yet they still managed to slip out of my tongue. The slap to my face was only confirmation that it was a bad idea, but I didn't know what to do as I watched Taemin hop of my car and walk away.

A/N:

I....dont....know.....

dont ask me because this is a whole mess that 2min just have to get resolved asap!

but let me know what you think~~~