The morning on their school was like usual, sitting on the hall, chatting, laughing together. Taemin and Minho were still giving each other silent treatment, yeah, in shorter word, a usual morning for them.
"Guys! Dongwoon gave me these invitations for all of you” Jinki took out 4 invitation cards from his bag.
"Ohhh!! That masquerade ball isn't it?" Kibum squealed happily and grabbed the cards from Jinki’s hand.
"Masquerade ball?" Taemin asked in confusion.
"Yup.." Kibum answered, his hands already opening the envelope with his name on it.
"You don't know?" Jinki asked as he distributed the cards to Minho and Taemin.
"No.."
"There's a belief in that party that the first person asks you to dance then your love life with that person will be long lasted" Kibum spoke cheerily, smiling at the whole sentence he said.
"Did Jonghyun get invited?" Taemin asked no one in particular, his face brightened.
"I don't know.. Why don't you ask him first? I think all teenagers on this city get invited." Jinki suggested.
“Call him. Call him!” Kibum was hitting Taemin’s thigh repeatedly, Taemin only saw a glimpse of Minho rolling his eyes.

Taemin took out his phone and dialed Jonghyun’s number.
“Hey, hyung..”
“Hey.. What’s wrong?”
“Hyung, do you know the masquerade ball?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Do you get invited?”
“Yep..”
“Will you come?”
“Of course. You’re coming too right?”
“Yeah.. Ok, then. Bye hyung!!”
“Bye..” Taemin closed his phone, and grinned widely.
“He will take you dance, Tae. I’m sure of it!” Jinki laughed, patting Taemin’s head.

************************


The day of the party had come. They were busy preparing on Kibum’s house, they trusted Kibum and his fashion sense could make them on the spotlight.
“Kibum, my make up!” Jinki tapped his foot impatiently.
“Wait, hyung! Don’t you see I’m helping Minho?” Kibum snapped back. He was the busiest person in the world at that time, three of his friends were asking him this and that, like ‘which one is better?’ or ‘do I look funny in this pants?’ and many more.



Lots of people had come to the building where the party was being held. They wore their best suit and the finest make-up. Even though it wasn’t valentine day, many couples were born on this party.
“Does Jonghyun usually late?” Taemin asked Jinki who sat beside him even he already knew Jinki wouldn’t know the answer.
“Just wait a little more, he will come..” Kibum convinced him.

A few minutes later, Jonghyun’s figure was entering the building, Taemin signaled him to come over. Jonghyun smiled and running lightly to his direction.
"Hey.." Jonghyun stopped in front of Taemin and smiling.
"Jonghyun.." Tamin smiled too, Jinki was poking his sides 
He walked closer, but instead grabbing Taemin's hand, he pulled Kibum waist towards him.
"You're so gorgeous today, baby" and wrapped his right arm on Kibum's waist.
"I am always gorgeous, Jjong.." the said man chuckled and pecked Jonghyun's lips.
"Key?" Three of them widen their eyes in disbelief, couldn't say anything because of the sudden shock. 
Taemin forgot to breathe, Minho clenched his fist until its white, Jinki's mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.

"Key hyung..?" Taemin’s voice cracked, he couldn’t take his eyes of Kibum’s eye, asking for explanation.
"Hmm?" Kibum just smiled, a sly smile painted on his face while he kept leaning closer to Jonghyun.
"Key, how could you..?" Minho shook his head in disbelief, eyes still locked at Kibum’s.
"What? Surprised?" Kibum answered them with a very calm voice, not a voice that would be spoken if you caught cheating.
"You know him?" Jinki asked.
"Of course I know him, hyung. He's boyfriend, duh"
"B- Boyfriend?" Taemin’s voice was weak, his eyes starting to get wet.
"Yes Minnie, Kim Jonghyun, the guy you love is.mine" Kibum spoke confidently emphasizing the word ‘mine’. 
"Jonghyun.. Is that true?" Taemin turned to look at Jonghyun, his eyes hoping for Jonghyun to say no.
"Of course, Taeminnie"
"Why did you do this to me?" Taemin’s tears starting to fell from the corner of his eyes, he really couldn’t believe this kind of drama was happening to him. His OWN best friend, hurting him.
"Because I love Kibum.." Jonghyun answered quickly.
“Because of Kibum hyung?” 
“Yes. He planned this all. I’m just helping him”

Taemin turned to look at Kibum, "We're best friends, right? How can you do this to me?"
"Because I hate you" Kibum replied simply.
"Hate.. Me?" Taemin’s tears were already wetting his cheeks, it fell down from his eyes uncontrollably.
"Yeah, I hate you"
"Then.. Then everything you said about Jonghyun.."
"Yeah, it wasn't luck Tae. I know all about him.."
"Hyung.. You.. You helped me all way, why you.."
"I just want you to feel it too, how it is like to love someone and he never loves you back. How does it feel when you have done all things to make him see you but he didn’t seem to realize your effort”
"What do you mean? I don’t understand"
"Minho. It's about him... It already 6 months since we've dated but he never once care for me.."
"What did you say? Of course I care for you, Key" Minho spoke up, walked closer to Kibum and tried to hold his hand, but Kibum yanked his hand.
"No you don't!” Kibum screamed.
“I do, Key..” Minho spoke in convincing tone.
“Care for me, you said? Did you know when I cut my hair? Did you call me when I skipped school? Did you even try to hug me when I cried? In these six months all you have done to me was only held my hands, no more. And the worst part, did you know I've date Jonghyun for 4 months? And did you say anything even I had his mark all over my body? No you don't! Because you never care for me! It's always Taemin. It's only him whom you can see!" Kibum’s tears slowly falling from the corner of his eyes as he yelled those words at Minho, Jonghyun raised his arms to wipe Kibum’s tears away from his cheeks.
"What?" Taemin’s eyes grew bigger, the last sentence was really shocked him.
"He loves you, Minnie. And he date me not because he loves me, but to get closer to you" Kibum looked so desperate at that time, his eyes were watery and he looked like he was pleading to Taemin.
“It’s not like that, Key. I do love you” Minho tried to hold his arm again.
“Bull!” He screamed, pushed Minho’s hand off his arm.

"I don’t know that” Taemin said innocently, his tears wouldn’t stop flowing even he already tried to.
"Of course you wouldn’t know that…" Kibum wiped his tears and started to talk in his usual diva-tone.
"So when I told you about Jonghyun for the first time.."
"Yeah.. I planned this after you said that"
“Kibum.. Say that all of it wasn’t true.. How can you do this to your best friend so easily?” Jinki cut Kibum and Taemin’s conversation. He couldn’t take it too, both of them were his best friends, and they were hurting each other.
“Unfortunately it’s true hyung. And do you still call me your best friend after this happened?"
“Kibum!” Jinki shouted.
"Oh, are we even best friends from the beginning?"
"What did you say?"
"I'm the drama queen after all.. And you believed in me so easily.."
“So you never looked at us as your best friends?”
“Sometimes.. I spent most of my times with you, though”

“Hyung..” Taemin pleaded, “Don’t say that…”
"Tae, don't you realize he changed you to be like me?" Kibum turned to look at Taemin.
"Eh?"
"Stop dancing. I don't like dancing, you know that already. Cooking, cut your hair and he only complimented your clothing when I dressed you up.. And being a stupid innocent person you are, you willing to change everything in you only to be loved by him"
"Key.. Stop that!" Minho pleaded.
“What? Do you understand how he feels? So you must understand how I felt when I’m with you!” Kibum retorted back.
It was a silence between them, no one dare to speak after Kibum’s last sentence.

"Now, do you know how it feels, Tae? It hurts isn't it?" Kibum walked closer to Taemin whose tears were still falling endlessly on his cheeks.
"Hyung.. If you love Jonghyun why don’t you just say it from the first place? I would step back if you said it from the beginning" 
“If I want to make you suffer, why should I?”
“I can’t believe you, Key” Jinki pulled Taemin back and narrowed his eyes at Kibum.
“Oh, you shouldn’t. You believed in me and this is what you got”
“Kibum..”

"And Jjongie baby..” Kibum turned his body and smiled sweetly at Jonghyun, ”Thanks for keeping it up all the way for me"
"Any present for me? I tried hard to bear with it, you know" Jonghyun captured Kibum’s fingers and intertwined his own fingers with Kibum’s. 
Kibum smiled and kissed Jonghyun, it was short but passionate kiss. 
Taemin couldn't take the view in front of him anymore, his heart hurt more than being chopped into small pieces. He loved Jonghyun, he really did. He just realized that all of Minho’s complains about Jonghyun was for his own good, and he fought with Minho because of his stupidity, his stubbornness. He ran out from the building, crying with Jinki following him.



“Kibum, how could you do this to him?”Minho took a deep breath after seeing Taemin and Jinki walked out from the building.
“I told you before right? Because I hate him”
“Apologize to him!”
“Should I?”
“I promise I’ll care for you more, but please don’t make Taemin like this”
“Care for me? It’s too late, Choi. I already give everything to Jjong. I don’t love you anymore. Jjong is a lot better than you”
“I don’t care if you hate me or not, but please, apologize to Taemin”
“I won’t.. I to..”
“Why you care for Taemin more than losing your boyfriend?” Jonghyun cut Kibum’s sentence, but his question was directed to Minho.
“What?” Minho turned his head and face Jonghyun.
“This man here is your boyfriend right? Why you got mad at him for making Taemin cry instead of blame me for taking your boyfriend? ”
“He never loves me from the start Jjong. Of course he will choose Taemin over me..” Kibum sneaked his arm on Jonghyun’s waist and hugged him. 
“Then he’s so stupid, right? Neglecting a gorgeous guy like you..” Jonghyun also wrapped his arms on Kibum’s slender frame, caressing his back.
“Please. I don’t care you said I’m stupid or whatever. Kibum, please just apologize to Taemin..” Minho pleaded, his large eyes were staring intensely at Kibum’s.
“You better run after him than begging me to apologize to him” Kibum said coldly. 
“Just once, Kibum.”
“I won’t!”
“I’ll do anything to you, but please apologize to him..”
“You’ll do anything, right? Then I want to get your ing face out of my sight!”

Minho defeated, from the beginning he already knew he wouldn’t win against Kibum. Kibum is too strong, it’s so rare if he want to change his mind. So, Minho walked out of the building, searching for Taemin and Jinki.
Minho just broke up with Kibum, but he didn’t feel like a heartbroken person, he didn’t feel anything except hatred for Kibum and Jonghyun because he hurt Taemin, he didn’t feel like losing someone he loves. He realized this feelings, he knew these weird feelings in his heart. He didn’t love Kibum from the beginning, he loves Taemin. 

“Baby, can we just get a room here? I don’t feel like doing the party anymore..” Kibum asked his lover, his hands were playing with Jonghyun’s hair.
“Yeah, sure. Whatever you want, baby”

**********************

It was the morning after that party, Taemin was lying on his bed, although he wasn’t crying but the tracks of dried tears were clearly visible on his cheeks. He refused to go out from the house since the previous night, Jinki was accompanying him the whole time. 
“Tae…” Jinki was Taemin’s hair when they heard Taemin’s bedroom door was being knocked.
“Come in, it’s not locked” Jinki said.

Minho came entering the room with a plastic bag on his hand.
“Tae, how’re you feeling now?” He put the plastic bag on Taemin’s desk and sat beside Jinki.
“Horrible..” 
“We know it’s so hard on you.. But we’re also hurting too, seeing you like this”
“I still can’t believe Kibum hyung did that to me”
“Neither we are. He’s our best friend too…”
“Minho hyung…” Taemin tilted his head to look at Minho’s face
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry.. If only I believed in you, this kind of thing wouldn’t happen to me”
“It’s okay, Tae..”
“I’m really sorry..” 

Minho just smiled, he put his hand on Taemin’s shoulder, “It already happened, we can’t change anything now”
“Hyung…” Taemin started to cry again, and he hugged Minho. 
Minho embraced him, his back tenderly as Taemin was sobbing on his chest.
“Hyung…” Taemin sobbed, his eyes were looking at Minho’s.
“I love you, Taemin..” Minho finally able to say that three words to Taemin. His feelings, his affection, his love to him these years. He lose Kibum, he was being cheated, he was betrayed and those weren’t a good memories, but now, with Taemin close in his arms, Taemin’s angelic face, Taemin’s round teary eyes staring at him, he didn’t think anymore and kissed him.
“I love you, Tae” Minho repeated, smiling as he locked his gaze on Taemin.