“Halmeoni, is this all you need?” Kibum asked, checking again if he had gotten everything from the list his grandmother had given him.

“You got everything from the list?”

“Yes,”

“Then, this is all I need,” she confirmed to Kibum.

It was Jonghyun’s birthday today and like every year, Jonghyun would come over to his house to celebrate it with Kibum. He was the richest kid in town and instead of celebrating his 20^th birthday grandly, like anyone else in his place would, Jonghyun had opted to settle for a small party at Kibum’s place with his grandmother’s home-cooked food. Jonghyun had even ordered a list of his favorite dishes for her to cook and being the soft-hearted old lady she was, she had agreed to cook it all for him.

“He doesn’t have a mother, Kibum. It’s normal for one to wish for food prepared with love and care, no matter how simple it is, instead of an expensive one prepared by total strangers. It’s his birthday, let him have his way for one day,” Kibum’s grandmother had explained to him when he had asked her why she still bothered cooking for him when it was such a difficult task at her old age. Jonghyun must have felt bad for her to go through all the hassle alone too because he had offered his sister’s help (without really asking her; she wouldn’t be too happy about that.)

It’s a perfect little gathering for Jonghyun’s birthday. Everyone he loves will be there, including Taemin. His father is the only one who is not going to be able to make it as he has left the village to go take care of his job.

“I wonder when they’ll get here. He did promise that Songdam noona was going to help you,” Kibum thought out loud.

“I can handle things here myself, Kibum. Now, there was something I was going to tell you. But I forgot what. I’m getting too old…,” she said, her forehead creased in concentration, trying to remember something. Kibum waited patiently.

“Oh, right!-“ his grandmother brightened up, “-Minho-goon!”

“What about him, halmeoni?” Kibum asked, trying hard not to pull a face at the name.

“He was here while you were gone. He came to pick up another sack of rice,” she explained.

Minho was here while he was at town? He couldn’t still be around, right? It has been quite a while since he left for town, almost an hour. And he didn’t see Minho when he came back just now. So that means he would be gone by now. But all this did not dampen Kibum’s hopes of catching a glimpse of Minho after not seeing him for almost a week.

“Okay, halmeoni. I’ll go check if he’s still here,” Kibum said, as he hurried to get out of the house. He didn’t want to seem too eager but he couldn’t help from jogging all the way to the barn at the back of his house. He flung open the door, only to see a few chickens he had managed to scare flapping their wings. His cows and goats looked at him, uninterestedly. Kibum’s mood dropped considerably.

Well, it was for the better, isn’t it? Not seeing Minho, that is. How else is he supposed to get rid of his inexplicable feelings? That wasn’t enough to lift Kibum’s spirits, though. He shut the door to his barn dismally.

“Found what you’re looking for?”

Kibum jumped a feet into the air. He turned behind and came face to face with the one he had been looking for. Minho, with his charming eyes, sarcastic smirk and all

“I…. I…. What?” Kibum finished dumbly. It only made Minho’s smirk that much wider.

“It’s just that you seemed to be looking for something…. Or perhaps someone?” Minho said nonchalantly, standing with both his hands interlocked at his back.

“I wasn’t looking for anything. I was just here to check if you’ve taken anything besides the rice sack,” Kibum said the first thing that came to mind. It was only after he said it that he realized that he had just accused Minho of trying to steal something.

“Because I’ve always had an eye on that one particular rooster with the red feathers in its tail, right?” Minho said, mockingly.

 “But don’t worry, I don’t stoop that low…”

Kibum only managed to look back at Minho wordlessly, as his reflex that always supplied him with sarcastic remarks was failing him. Minho had that effect on him, for some odd reason.

“Kibum? Hello? Are we still here on planet Earth?” Minho asked.

“What do you want?” Kibum asked back finally. He was glad he could get at least that much out of his mouth.

“You,” Minho said as though on instinct. Kibum and Minho shared a look of shock before Minho hurriedly fixed his answer.

“What I mean is, I want you to move out of the way so that I could go get the rice.”

“Why haven’t you done that by now? You were here long enough,” Kibum retorted and it was Minho’s turn to stand there wordlessly now. He looked to be struggling to find the right words to say. He didn’t have to, though. Jonghyun chose that exact moment to make his appearance.

“Kibum! Whose birthday is it today? Oh that’s right, it’s mine!” Jonghyun came skipping towards Kibum. Before Kibum could say anything, he was suddenly wet as Jonghyun emptied a bottle of water on him. Kibum was shocked beyond words as he felt the water that has soaked his hair and most of his shirt, drip down his face.

“I’ve always wanted to do that. Now I can because it’s my birthday and you can’t hurt me!” Jonghyun stuck his tongue out at Kibum.

“I can always murder you tomorrow, hyung. It’s not your birthday everyday!” Kibum shouted back at him. Jonghyun just shrugged and bent down to pick up the grass Kibum kept outside the barn to feed the cows. He then proceeded to joyfully throw it all over Kibum’s head. The grass stuck onto his wet hair and shirt easily.

“Are you done, hyung?” Kibum asked through gritted teeth.

“Almost-,” Jonghyun said, reaching out to muss up his hair, “-Okay, done. Hey, don’t look at me like that. If I’m going to be murdered, might as well make it worthwhile, right?”

Kibum heard a very familiar snickering.

“Good job, hyung. Happy birthday, by the way,”  Minho told Jonghyun, obviously unable to hold back his laughter despite Kibum’s angry glare. Kibum is really going to murder Jonghyun for this embarrassment. He would have already, if today had not been his birthday.

“Thanks Minho! Stay for lunch! Halmeoni’s cooking lots and lots of food. Speaking of which, I must go visit the chef for today. Kibum, you might want to look in the mirror. You have a little something right about……..,” Jonghyun dragged the last syllable, gesturing to Kibum’s entire face.

“Hyung, you are so de-“ Kibum started after Jonghyun, who was already running away from him.

“Birthday, Kibum! Let’s not forget that,” he called back once he was at a safe distance from Kibum.

“How could I? It’s the only thing keeping you alive now!” Kibum muttered under his breath.

“You know, hyung was right. You do have a little something on your face,” Minho repeated Jonghyun’s words, trying to hold back a fit of laughter.

“Haha that’s so funny. Now you can be so proud of yourself!” Kibum said, as he used his hands to wipe away at his face randomly and pull as many grass out of his hair.

“Wait, wait. Let me…” Minho said, grabbing Kibum’s wrist to stop him. He reached his other hand out to pull a few blades of grass from his hair, his eyes fixed on Kibum’s hair alone.

This went on for a few more minutes. Kibum was sure that by now, most (if not all) of the grass had been removed from his hair. Then, why is Minho still running his fingers through Kibum’s short, straight hair? His fingertips would graze his scalp every once in a while and Kibum would revel in the sensation for at least a few more seconds every time it happened. He studied Minho’s every expression as time lost its power on Kibum. He couldn’t tell if he had been standing there for minutes or hours anymore.

“Minho-shii…” Kibum asked more than said.

“Umm, yeah. I got all the grass out. Yeah, I’ll just get the rice and go. Yeah… That’s what I came to do anyway. So yeah…” Minho rambled as he snapped out of his own world.

“Uh…. Hyung did invite you to stay for lunch. I wouldn’t like it-“Yes, I would, “- but it is his birthday and he’s entitled to invite anyone he wishes to,”

Kibum couldn’t believe he had just uttered those words. Minho brightened up at that non-invitation of Kibum’s to join them for lunch and agreed right away.

What could possibly go wrong? It’s just lunch.

Everything. Everything can go wrong. This was all that was running in Kibum’s mind as he watched Minho from across the table, where everyone was gathered to have lunch.

 After leaving Minho to go get changed from his wet clothes, Kibum had stayed inside the house, helping his grandmother and Songdam noona with the food preparation. Jonghyun and Taemin were outside doing god-knows-what. Minho must have been with them since he had agreed to join them for lunch.

After the lunch had been prepared, Kibum’s grandmother had called everyone in to eat. Since Songdam noona did not know Minho, Jonghyun had introduced the two to each other. That was when everything had begun going downhill. Minho was a perfect gentleman when he had been introduced to a lady. He bowed respectfully and smiled charmingly at her. Something about it all irked Kibum to no end.

Songdam noona, on the other hand, got attached to Minho like a leech. With an arm around his, she wouldn’t stop admiring the fact that Minho was in the army and how fit he looked. She had even wondered out loud if Minho had six packs like all military men supposedly did, to which the latter had just blushed (Kibum was shocked to find that Minho was capable of doing that) and refused to answer verbally. She even took to sitting beside him at the table to serve him every dish that she had helped cook (she kept reminding that to him.)

Now, Kibum has always loved Songdam noona like his own sister. But right now, as Kibum watched her place yet another tofu onto Minho’s plate because he needs to eat up, there is nothing more that he would have liked to do than to strangle her. He played the scenario in his mind.

“Noona, get your hands off him!” he would tell her.

“Or what?” she would ask him.

“Or I’ll strangle you!” he would threaten him.

“Why, Kibum? Are you jealous?” Minho would ask, with an all-knowing smirk that Kibum loved to hate.

“Yup, that wouldn’t play out very well,” Kibum muttered to himself under his breath, reaching with chopsticks for more fish. He may have applied a little more force than needed to get the fish meat.

“Hyung, are you that hungry?” Taemin asked him with an incredulous look. Kibum ignored the question as he saw Minho refuse the offer for more rice from Songdam noona.

“I’ll take that, thank you very much,” Kibum grabbed the bowl of rice from her. Minho gave him an amused look before turning back to Songdam noona to answer something that she had just asked.

The whole lunch continued in that very manner. Kibum ended up eating twice as much as he always ate, since he had grabbed everything that Songdam noona offered to Minho. She had sent him a threatening glare once to stop him but Kibum had ignored it, just like he had with all the funny looks he was getting from everyone else at the table.

“Well, someone was surely extra-hungry today,” Jonghyun said, from his place on the floor in the living room. He was sitting with his legs stretched out and arms behind his head as he leaned against the wall.

“Shut up, hyung. My stomach is about to explode,” Kibum said, collapsing onto the floor. He lied flat on the floor with his head on Jonghyun’s lap.

“No one asked you to eat so much, hyung. You brought this onto yourself,” Taemin said indifferently as he sat down on the other side of Jonghyun.

“Speaking of which, why did you eat so much?” Jonghyun asked. Not knowing how to explain himself, Kibum just laid there staring up at the ceiling silently. Understanding his reluctance to answer, Jonghyun decided to drop the subject.

Just then, Minho walked out of the kitchen with Songdam noona by his side. Kibum decided to ignore the two (as difficult a task at it proved to be.) Jonghyun called Minho over and Songdam noona followed him.

“Noona, we have some things to talk about. Will you please leave us alone?” Jonghyun said with a saccharine smile that looked too fake.

“What things? I wanna know too!” she whined.

“It’s a guy thing. Girls are not allowed to know,” Jonghyun told her. After a bit more of complaining, she finally moved away, leaving the four of them alone in the living room. For the first time that day, Kibum was actually grateful for something that Jonghyun has done.

“What is it, hyung?” Minho asked curiously, eyeing Kibum’s position on his lap. Did it bother him? Because if it did, Kibum would be more than glad to continue doing it.

“Come closer, Minho,”

Minho approached them and sat on the floor opposite to Jonghyun.

“You know, since it’s my 20^th birthday and all, I wanted to try something,” Jonghyun began. Kibum could already tell that whatever he has planned is only going to spell trouble. He sat up to get a better look at Jonghyun’s face.

“So I thought, why not go to Mia-ri?” Jonghyun whispered to the four of them.

Kibum’s jaw dropped. Taemin looked like he could die of embarrassment. Minho just looked confused, even more so looking at Kibum and Taemin’s reactions. It was understandable, though. He probably didn’t know about Mia-ri.

“Hyung, this is a new low for you. And just when I was thinking it couldn’t get any worse….”Kibum told him, shaking his head in disapproval.

“Why, Kibum? I’m a man. I have needs too…” Jonghyun tried explaining himself.

“Is that what you call it? Needs?” Taemin asked unbelievingly.

“I’m sorry. I seem to be missing something here,” Minho said.

“Jonghyun hyung here is suggesting to go to Mia-ri, the most famous red light district around,” Kibum told him flatly. Understanding finally dawned on Minho.

“Oh goodness!” Minho exclaimed.

“Exactly! Hyung, what are you thinking? es, really? How much lower can you stoop?” Kibum agreed with Minho for the first time in his life.

“It’s just for fun, Kibum. We don’t even have to do anything,” Jonghyun continued to try to convince him into this idea. Kibum was not about to be convinced, no matter what.

“I’m in,” Minho said, without much expression. Kibum looked at him disbelievingly.

“But you just- I just- What?” Kibum asked, confused.

“Jonghyun hyung, I’m in. So when are we going?” Minho asked like he was asking what day of the week it was instead of making plans to go visit es.

“Good! Tonight. I’ll be driving. My leg’s good enough for that now. Kibum, you’re joining us, right?” Jonghyun asked Kibum. Kibum looked between Minho and Jonghyun, trying to decide. Just seconds ago he was sure of refusing to follow Jonghyun but now that Minho has agreed to go as well, Kibum was not about to let them out of his sight. He still couldn’t believe that Minho agreed to this.

“I… Yes. Whatever. Just know that you’re asking for trouble with this damned idea of yours,” To hell with never being convinced into this; Kibum was not about to let these two out of sight especially if they are going to a red light district.

“Count me in too!” Taemin added after a while. He obviously didn’t like being left out of the trip.

“You’re not coming Taemin-ah. You’re too young,” Kibum told him off.

“But I’m just two years younger than you!” Taemin whined.

“You’re not coming, Taemin! And that’s final!” Kibum told him sternly, nudging Jonghyun to back him up.

“Kibum’s right, Taemin. You’re too young,” Jonghyun told Taemin. Taemin looked angry.

“Then, you shouldn’t have told me in the first place! I’m not speaking to you guys ever!” Taemin said, getting up to leave. Jonghyun got up to leave too since they all came in the same car.

“I’ll go talk to him. So tonight at around ten, I’ll pick you guys up from here. Just get to the main road, alright?” Jonghyun whispered to the both of them. Kibum just nodded vaguely while Minho nodded a bit more convincingly. Jonghyun smiled mischievously at the two them.

“See you guys tonight!” he whispered again before calling out to his sister in a louder voice. He then turned to go after Taemin.

Songdam noona hurried out of the kitchen after hearing her brother’s shout. She took her time saying goodbye to Minho, though.

“Bye, Minho-shii. Hope to see you soon,” she said, her voice dripping with honey. Kibum had goosebumps at the sound of it.

“Bye Kibum,” she added dryly to Kibum before turning to leave the house, leaving Minho and Kibum alone once again.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you tonight then. I’ve got to go now and device a plan to sneak away at night,” Minho told him, before he too turned to leave the house. He went straight in the direction of the barn, to get the rice sack that was the reason he came here for in the first place. He appeared again after a few minutes with a sack on his back. Minho stopped to look back at Kibum, who was standing at his front door.

“Don’t worry! I didn’t take any roosters!” Minho called back to Kibum from halfway across his paddy fields, his devilish grin so clear to Kibum despite the distance. Kibum watched as he then disappeared through the forest trees. It was only after everyone was gone that the full reality of the situation he was in dawned on Kibum.

What on earth have I agreed to?

(A/N) Chapter 8 people!!! What would happen when these three go on their not-so-innocent road trip?? You'll have to wait to find out! Hehehe...  Next update is tomorrow guys!!

Warning: Random content!

So.... I learned a very valuable lesson today- Never Ever reply comments on AFF using your phones if you have a fat thumb like me or you risk accidentally deleting people's comments that mean the world to you!! (sorry again @wuggypie!!!)

Okay I'm done with my randomness... Thank you guys for commenting and subscribing!! I love it when I open AFF and it says 'New subscribers!' or even better, 'New comments!' I love you guys *cries* You too, my dear silent readers!! 

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