What Was Left Behind….

By: Suji

Group: SHINee

Pairing: JongKey

Type: Fluff/Angst

Rating: PG

Warning(s): Achohol

Words: 1,746

            For years, Kibum had been left alone.

Picked up, robed blind, and left on the streets over and over again.

Kim Kibum had always been a ‘hopeless romantic’, falling for the sweet words and well-hidden lies every time. Right when he thought he found someone true- Just as he was nearly fully blinded by his love- they were gone; And with all of his money no less!

The moment Kibum had enough money for even a hotel room, it seemed to be stripped from him immediately.

He’d been through every scenario from, what he found out later was a ‘fake’ engagement, to being slipped a date drug at the local bar- and relationships lasting as long as a drunk night in a hotel room, to a full three and a half year long lie….

Now Kibum had sworn to himself to get out of it.

Key had brought up a strong, concrete wall around his heart, and stuck to reading and writing the romance to vent it all out slowly.

But a few weeks ago, Kibum became distinctly aware of someone watching him at the ‘Liars Dice’ bar….

‘Liars Dice’ was Key’s favorite bar and he wasn’t about to leave just because some guy was watching him.

Kibum danced till his feet ached, drank till his heart numbed the pain, or sometimes just came in for a chat with the bartender- No matter what, Kibum was there every night on routine; And this kid soon realized that….

That same brunette boy was there every night….

He never said a word, only watched Kibum with amused eyes from a distance….

When Kibum would glance at him and their eyes would meet and, no matter how long Kibum held the boys’ gaze, he never looked away…. He didn’t even try to hide the fact that he was watching the other….

So now Key had a plan.

Sure it may seem crazy to stay up for nights on end just to figure out how to speak to this one kid (especially when Kibum had given up real life romance long ago), but there was something about him….

He was different than all the other guys in the bar….

He held a certain swagger, had a certain electric gaze that Kibum could feel no matter how far apart they were in the bar at any given moment; He was…. Different….

Kibum couldn’t explain it, but there was something about this boy that he just had to find out about….

What- He didn’t know…. Hell he didn’t even know why, but he knew he had to….

Kibum had to know this boy….

            “He’s still got his gaze on you, Kibum.” Jinki- the bartender for that night- told him with a sigh.

“Maybe it would just be easier if I slipped out the bathroom window and snuck back in….” Kibum groaned, taking another sip of his pale pink cosmopolitan.

“Nah- that’s no good either,” Jinki shrugged, grabbing a glass and filling it with some sort of draft beer for another costumer.

“Why not?” Kibum cocked his head at his friend as he swallowed a mouthful of the tangy liquid.

“Well he usually leaves once you have,” Jinki explained, glancing back up at the second floor balcony area in which the brunette stared down from now. “And if you actually want to talk to him tonight….”

“Well I don’t know what to do until he looks away….” Kibum groaned. “I didn’t think about this part….”

“Why don’t you just go?” Jinki sighed, sliding the beer down the bar to its waiting costumer with a wave of acknowledgement. “Who cares if he’s watching you? Then he’ll just know your coming…. Ya know? I mean, maybe it’s just me, but…. Well it seems like your kinda…. Nervous to talk to this one….”

“Nervous?” Kibum snorted, raising the alcohol to his lips once more. “What should I be nervous about, huh? It’s not like I like this guy, or anything…. Remember?”

Jinki shrugged as the boy took another swig.

“It’s up to you, Kibum.” He sighed. “I just think you should get it done with and- Where’s he going?”

Kibum’s gaze jolted back to the brunette boy in an instant, just catching his back as he walked away towards the bar, stairs, and elevator of the second floor.

“Wh-…. I thought you said he never leaves until I do?!” Kibum gaped at Jinki now and the elder only nodded quickly.

“He…. He doesn’t….” Jinki explained as quickly as he could now. “Maybe…. Maybe he’s just going to the bar or something. Maybe he just had a bad day today and needs an extra drink- We all have those days, right?”

“Well yeah, but,” Kibum tried again, eyes trailing over to the elevator by the front door now as the doors slid open. “Then why is he down here when there’s the same bar up there….?”

“Maybe he…. Needs to leave for something,” Jinki suggested again, both of their eyes locked on the brunette now as he stepped out and scanned the club carefully. “It is getting late you know…. Maybe he has work early tomorrow morning….?”

Suddenly, the brunette’s eyes locked with Kibum’s from across the room and Jinki’s rambling on of possible excuses for his movement faded into a dull murmur in the background….

The boy smirked slightly and made a b-line for Key, eyes never glancing away for a second, and Key could hear Jinki finally silence completely, realizing the situation now.

“Hey there,” The boy finally grinned as he came to a liquid stop next to Key’s barstool. “What are you drinking?”

“Ummm…. Strawberry cosmo,” Kibum smiled dully, lifting the glass slightly in recognition. “It’s all I ever really get here….”

“Another strawberry cosmo for the boy, please.” The brunette smiled at Jinki now. “On me.”

He slid the money across the bar and Jinki glanced over at Kibum a moment before taking the cash and going to retrieve the drink requested.

“You didn’t have to do that you know,” Kibum sighed.

“Of course I did,” The brunette snorted. “You were running low after all, right?”

“Well I have my own money too ya know….” Kibum sneered, finishing off his drink in a last large swig of the beverage and setting it back down harshly on the bar again now.

“Whoa there, lil’ diva,” The boy smirked at him now. “I’m just tryin’ to be nice….”

Kibum sighed and took a deep breath before locking eyes with the other again.

“I’m sorry….” He tried again, holding his hand out to the other now. “I’m Kim Kibum by the way.”

“Kim Jonghyun.” The brunette smiled, taking Key’s outstretched hand now. “Nice to finally meet you…. You’ve caught me around here a couple times, haven’t you….?”

“Yeah….” Kibum raised an eyebrow at him. “Yeah, you’re always…. Watching me…. Well that’s what it seems like anyways….”

“Yeah,” Jonghyun breathed. “To be completely honest, I…. I kinda am….”

Kibum’s brows furrowed together now in a mix of confusion and slight discomfort at this sudden fact.

“You…. Are?” He questioned, slightly worried now if this stalker was planning on him, or following him home or something….

“Well yes, but…. But don’t take it wrongly…. Please….” The boy begged now, eyes spelling truthful, and Kibum felt the mood shift back slightly at his sincerity. “You’re just…. Stunning…. If you don’t mind my saying so…. You’re absolutely beautiful. I just like coming here, having a drink, and watching you move…. You just…. You walk everywhere like you own the place- Like every room you walk in becomes yours right then and there, and I…. I can’t get enough of it, honestly….I’m sorry if I freaked you out at any point….”

“No, no, no,” Kibum shook his head at the boy now just as Jinki returned with his fresh drink. “Just…. Confused is more like it…. Ya know?”

“Yeah, I understand,” Jonghyun sighed. “I apologize.”

“It’s aright.” Kibum smiled.

….

The moment the brunette smiled back, Kibum’s heart went racing in that all too familiar, once thought discarded way….

No….

No, no, no….

Love brought nothing but hurt- Kibum knew this from experience… A lot of experience…..

He couldn’t fall for this kid.

No.

He just couldn’t- Period.

But then why….?

“Are you okay, Kibum?” Jonghyun’s voice interrupted his thoughts and Kibum blinked, exhaling a breath he didn’t realize that he was holding.

“Uh, yeah- Sorry.” He grinned nervously now. “I was just, uhhh…. Zoning I guess…. It is getting late, ya know….”

“I’m sorry- Am I keeping you?” Jonghyun’s face fell slightly, but Kibum shook his head quickly in return.

“Oh no- Not at all,” He smiled now. “I’m just, ummm…. I don’t even know…. Sorry…. You were saying?”

“Well….” Jonghyun hummed again, just as the clock struck midnight and the music was turned up louder. “Do you think that you might wanna.... dance? You know…. With me?”

Kibum glanced out the slightly crowed dance floor and back to Jonghyun’s hopeful expression a few times before smiling lightly and pushing himself off of the barstool, setting his cosmo back down on the bar again.

“Sure.” He grinned.

As the two danced in the middle of the entire dance floor, Kibum couldn’t help but think….

This kid…. If he could just give him a chance…. Let his heart go just one more time…. This kid would be his first choice by far…..

He was sweet, a little odd, but gorgeous and seemed more sincere then all of the best lies Kibum had ever heard all combined into one….

Either this kid was the best liar ing ever, or…. Or he really did like Kibum….

They danced with and next to each other- Jonghyun never grabbed at him, or forced him closer, it was…. Nice….

Maybe just one night….

Just tonight… With Jonghyun….

Maybe he could let his heart go just once more….

Jonghyun was getting something broken though…. Something left behind….

But for some reason, that seemed like it would be okay….

It seemed like Jonghyun wanted something to fix….

If he had it new, it was no fun- Nothing to learn because there’s nothing to it….

Maybe Jonghyun could play his Mr. Fix-It and repair at least some of this broken heart of his….

And as Kibum caught the shine of Jonghyun’s soft hair, the gaze of his dazzling eyes, and that bright, mega-watt smile in the flashing lights, he made up his mind….

Just one night couldn’t hurt…. <3

 THE END