☆click→ ♬ bgm_close the door

Fluffy’s owner, who introduced himself as Lee Jinki, lead the three boys through the woods and onto a path that seemed to be leading to a small village. Fluffy turned back from time to time, eyes turning fierce and growling faintly whenever Jinki’s attention diverted somewhere else. Chanyeol growled back, and Taemin had to punch him in the arm each time to shut him up.


 

Fields of potatoes and corns emerged, and the boys heard the village chief’s loud voice booming throughout the entire village from the speakers that hung at the roofs of houses.


 

As if God had answered their prayers, Jinki prepared a generous feast that Taemin, Jongin and Chanyeol gladly devoured as soon as he motioned for them to eat. Dumbfounded at the three boys who were gobbling up his food like a pack of starving wolves, Jinki stared at them for a few minutes before getting up to prepare their rooms.


 

Taemin watched Jinki as he dragged a big mat of drying red peppers from the spare room. He flopped down a few blankets in its place instead, and Taemin shoved another spoonful of rice into his mouth. They were going to have to spend the night in a room that wafted of spicy red peppers.


 

At least it was better than freezing to death outside.




 

***




 

After the most satisfactory dinner of his life, Taemin laid on the floor of the room. The spicy smell of red peppers stung his eyes, and Taemin closed his eyes when Chanyeol came in.


 

“Where’s Jongin?” He asked, carelessly drying his wet hair with a towel.


 

“Outside.” Taemin replied from the floor. “I think he said he wanted to look around the village.”


 

“...It’s pitch black outside.” Chanyeol raised his eyebrows, clicking his tongue judgmentally before continuing. “Jinki says he’ll drive us to Jungdongjin tomorrow. He says we’ve walked thirty kilometers.”


 

Taemin straightened up.


 

“…That’s a lifetime amount of walking we’ve done in one night.” He laughed, getting up to his feet and heading for the door.


 

Taemin turned the doorknob and pulled, until Chanyeol stepped in and pushed the door shut.


 

“What are you doing?” Taemin stumbled back a little, startled by Chanyeol’s brisk movement.


 

“I thought maybe you were going to Jongin.” Chanyeol replied, his hand still against the door.


 

“Why would you care…” Taemin started, but Chanyeol briskly cut him off.


 

“Because I decided to.”


 

Chanyeol’s tone was somewhat challenging, and Taemin took a step back. Chanyeol continued, rubbing the towel at his hair again.


 

“I probably carried you for at least five kilometers out of thirty, don’t you think I deserve a right to care?”


 

“Call me up anytime then. I’ll carry you home from school.” Taemin said gruffly, and Chanyeol smirked.


 

“Forget it, I’m not going to be the one responsible for your death.” Chanyeol said, and Taemin’s face fired up from the memory of being carried on his back.


 

But before Taemin could cry out in his defense, Chanyeol leaned against the door and opened his mouth.


 

“What do you think those two bimbos are doing right now? Having the time of their lives relaxing in the hot tub and eating hot food?"


 

“Where do you even get the idea that Soojung and Sulli could get along?” Taemin interrupted. “I’d be surprised if Soojung hadn’t fried up Sulli yet.”


 

With this, the two closed their mouths and imagined Soojung torturing the soul out of Sulli… or vice versa. A laugh escaped between Taemin’s lips, and his eyes met with Chanyeol’s that were also smiling in return. Taemin stiffened instantly, his chuckle ceasing awkwardly as he broke off their gaze.


 

“…Why…why do you do that?” Chanyeol suddenly questioned, looking at Taemin with a complicated expression.


 

“Do what?”


 

“You do that thing… You look away when our eyes meet...” Chanyeol drifted off. “You’re weird. You give off this lurching vibe. Like a girl.”


 

“…What?” Taemin said in confusion, but Chanyeol continued before Taemin could say more.


 

“No wonder Jongin is confused as . You’re a natural in screwing people’s emotions around.” Chanyeol threw the towel on the ground. “Why do you think he’s staying as far as he can from you at this time of night? He’s obviously starting to accept what he thought was ing impossible.”


 

Taemin bit his lower lip.


 

I was really, really jealous.


 

Jongin’s voice from earlier echoed in his mind, and Taemin felt a lurch in his stomach.


 

“He’s probably reached his limit though.”  Chanyeol said, taking a step forwards toward Taemin.


 

“D, don’t come closer.” Taemin jumped, and Chanyeol paused before snickering again.


 

“See? I don’t know if you do this on purpose but you really know how to turn a guy on.”


 

“What the hell, I didn’t do anything!” Taemin cried indignantly, the word sputtering from his mouth as Chanyeol leaned in closer. 


 

“Whenever you flush red like that and flit your eyes up at me like this, I feel like I really have to do something in order to meet your expectation.”


 

Taemin stared at Chanyeol, his eyes widening as Chanyeol put his hand on his shoulders. Chanyeol's face was so close that Taemin could smell his shampoo.


 

“So what I’m trying to say is…” Chanyeol whispered with a smirk. “If you go to Jongin now, he’ll finally give in. Who knows if things will escalate quickly from there?”


 

“…….”


 

“Wanna bet?”


 

“…I can't.” Taemin said, trying his best to sound composed. “I have no money.”


 

“It doesn’t have to be money. You have lots of things you can bet with."


 

Chanyeol said with a sly smile.  


 

"Like this face of yours, or your hair…”


 

He continued, a few of Taemin’s brown locks. His hand slid down to Taemin’s nose.


 

“Or this nose, or your lips… or if that doesn’t sound so good…”


 

And Chanyeol lowered his hand and pulled at the belt of Taemin’s pants.


 

“Park Chanyeol!!” Taemin shrieked, and lashed at Chanyeol’s grip. “Are you ing crazy?!!”


 

Taemin faltered back until his heels hit the wall of the small room. He froze as Chanyeol trapped him between his arms, and a drop of water fell from the end of Chanyeol’s hair and onto Taemin’s hand.


 

“If you go, wouldn’t it be all over?”


 

Chanyeol said, his face relaxed in a laid-back manner. 


 

“…What?..”


 

“Whatever happens, good or bad, it would be over. That precious friendship that you guys seem to care so much about.”


 

“…….”


 

Chanyeol was right. Whatever Jongin decided on, there would be no more ‘mutual friendship’ between Taemin and Jongin. Or at least not like how it used to be.


 

“Who knows, you might thank me later for not letting you go.” Chanyeol said, cocking his head to the side.


 

“…Move.” Taemin said flatly. 


 

“You’d still go?”


 

“I’d still go.”


 

Taemin responded firmly as he looked back into Chanyeol’s eyes. Chanyeol looked surprised for a few seconds before breaking out in laughter again. Taemin pushed Chanyeol’s arm and walked towards the door. He turned around, and found Chanyeol still smirking against the wall.


 

“Don’t act like you know anything. Friendship doesn’t describe what we have.”


 

Taemin said quietly, something hot forming in his chest.


 

“…Then what is it?”


 

“…Friendship doesn’t hold enough meaning. It’s…”


 

“It doesn’t, huh.” Chanyeol looked amused. “Then what is it?”


 

“…There’s no such word.”


 

Taemin clenched his fists.


 

“It’s too complex that the world doesn’t have a word for it. It’s that special and it can’t be easily described, okay?!”


 

Taemin spat, his voice rising without himself realizing it.


 

Chanyeol didn’t look so amused anymore.


 

“……Okay.” Chanyeol said fi