The more time passed the more Taemin’s grades started to slip. He started to come home later than usual and started being less and less responsible. He was in a way, starting to act more like his brother.

His parents didn’t say anything. Why would they? To them, Taemin was perfect.

Onew didn’t say anything. He saw how Taemin and Minho were growing closer with each passing day. He hated himself for not being able to do anything about it. What could he do? Taemin was his brother. Minho was his friend and yet that didn’t matter. Onew wanted Minho, but was he willing to hurt Taemin in order to get what he wanted?

One night as Taemin sat on his bed waiting for a reply from Minho, Onew knocked lightly and poked his head through the door.

“Hey.”

“Hey hyung,” Taemin smiled. His innocent and naïve smile. “What’s up?”

“Nothing. It’s been awhile since we’ve talked. I was just wondering how you were doing.”

“I’m okay,” Taemin reassured him. “How are you?” Just then his phone buzzed.

“Not too bad myself.” He lied. “Is that Minho?” Onew asked as he walked over and sat at the

foot of the bed, knowing all too well who it was.

“Ne,” Taemin smiled, blushing lightly.

Onew nodded and looked down at his feet before looking back at his brother again. “Be careful, Tae…”

“Hyung?”

Onew sighed. “I know Minho. He- …he might not appear to be who he seems.” Onew explained.

“What do you mean? He’s one of the coolest people I’ve ever met.”

“He’s a liar, Taemin.” Onew spoke softly, still trying to convince himself that he was doing was best for everyone. “It’s what he does. He’s going to hurt you. They way he hurt me, the way he hurts everyone.”

Taemin sat silent for a while. He didn’t even bother to read Minho’s reply. “What happened between you two?” Taemin asked vaguely remembering what Jonghyun had brought up that night by the camp fire.

“A couple years ago, Minho’s parents died in a car accident. Minho blames himself, but there was nothing he could do. It’s when he took up drinking. One night we got really wasted at one of Changmin’s parties. The next morning we woke up in the same bed and realized what we had done. We tried to laugh it off, but it seemed to be interfering with our friendship. The day he left to live with his aunt in Busan, he promised me when he came back we’d be together. I was stupid enough to believe him. When he came to visit 2 years ago, he told me he had someone in his life already.”

“He left you waiting all that time…” Taemin eyes widen when he realized he hadn’t even considered Onew’s feelings about him hanging with Minho. “Hyung, does my spending time with him, bother you?”

“Oh god, no!” Onew laughed. “What happened between me and Minho is ancient history. But it’s not like Minho to change so easily. So for your own sake.... be careful.” Onew watched Taemin’s facial expressions. “Hey, it’s late,” Onew said patting Taemin’s leg. “You should go to bed.”

“N-ne,” Taemin said still trying to take in everything that he just found out. Was Minho trying to make up what he did to Onew with him? Was Taemin in some way a replacement?

Just as Taemin and Minho’s texting, phone calls and house visits had began, they quickly ended. Minho began to worry when Taemin didn’t reply or answer his calls. Every other night Minho would sneak over to Taemin’s house and throw pebbles at his window, but Taemin would never open it. Minho would ask about the maknae every time he saw Onew. Onew would claim Taemin was busy with school work, or hanging out with friends, as Taemin had instructed him to do.

They sat drinking beer and looking up at the stars. Jonghyun and Key were inside while Minho and Onew waited for hem in the back yard to join them. They had been talking. Sadly things that taken a turn for the worse When Jinki confessed what he had been trying to hide all this time.

“I like you, Minho.” Jinki said.

There it was. “Don’t do this, hyung-” Minho began to say, but didn’t get a chance to finish. He saw the pain in his friend’s eyes. It hurt him, but what could he do? Minho shook his head. Onew stood up and turned to head inside, but Minho was quick to stop him.

“Why?” Onew asked in a quiet voice.

“Because I would be lying if I said I felt the same way.”

“You were always great a lying. Why can’t you lie to me now?” Onew asked, tears threatening to fall.

“You hate me when I lie and you hate me when I tell the truth. I don't know what to do! Tell me what to do!"
 

"Choose me! Be with me!"
 

"Onew, I can't... I told you the night of the party all those years ago and I'm telling you again now. I'm sorry. I just don't see you that way."

"Why!? What does Taemin have that I don't!?" Minho remained silent. It was because of the fact that Onew wasn’t Taemin.
 

Onew sighed, lowering his head. "I understand if you don’t want to be with me, but promise me something."
 

"Anything," Minho said, wanting nothing more that to make his hyung feel better.
 

"Promise me you won't do anything with Taemin."
 

Minho was taken aback. "I can't prom-"
 

"Promise me, Minho!"
 

Minho sighed, scatching the back of his head and letting his hand fall to his side. "...I promise."

Taemin laid on his bed. He had decided to go to sleep early, but it wasn’t working out the way he had planned. He heard his phone buzzed and prayed it wasn’t Minho. Lucky for him it wasn’t. It was Key.

Key: Come over tonight?
 

Taemin sighed as he typed his response.

Tae: I don’t think so. Thanks tho…
 

He didn’t wait long before hearing it buzz again.

Key: I bought banana milk~
 

Taemin smiled at his hyung attempt to get him to go over. Maybe it would be good for him to get out of the house. The only thing he feared was that Minho would be there. Weighting out the pros and cons, the craving for banana milk won.

Tae: I hate you. Be there in a few.

Malkom’s Note
This fic is going to be over in like 3 – 4 chapters.
I’m sick of it and I really don’t like it. It’s and it pisses me off >.>
*grumbles*
 Comments are loved anyway ♥