A few nights later saw Jonghyun and Minho back at the club, sitting by the main stage as they sipped their drinks.

"You know," Minho commented idly, a dancer plucking a bill from his hand with his teeth, "we've spent quite a bit of money in this place..."

Jonghyun snorted.  "So what?  It's not like we can't afford it."  Minho hummed in agreement, shrugging with one shoulder.

The song that had been blasting through the speakers segued into a slower, ier beat, and Key took the stage.  Jonghyun's attention was instantaneously fixated on the undulations of that svelte body; he stared like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time.  It didn't take long for Key to spot the devious duo, but he kept his seductive poise as he danced his way over to them.  Dropping to his knees, his body continued to sway and move as he leaned toward the anxious raptor.

"What are you two doing here?"  He hissed irritably.

"Just enjoying the show," Jonghyun replied nonchalantly.  He barely suppressed the urge to the smooth skin that was tantalizingly within his reach.

Fine, Key thought.  If this asshat is going to keep bugging me, he's going to make it worth my time.  He slithered down off the stage and onto Jonghyun, hands on the shorter male's shoulders as he ground against him in a .  He flashed an expectant look, to which Jonghyun correctly responded by taking out his wallet and stuffing some bills into his captor's hotpants.  Key continued to successfully grind more money out of Jonghyun, but he'd be damned if he ever admitted that he was slightly when he noticed the man's hard-on.

Minho, on the other hand, had been scanning the crowd.  "Where's Taemin?"  He finally asked.

Key suddenly bristled.  "It's his night off," he answered stiffly, climbing off of a disappointed Jonghyun.  "I think it's time you two left.  Besides, I already told you we weren't interested."

"You can't speak for Taemin," Minho stonily pointed out, taking the wind out of Key's sails.  The dancer was speechless and visibly incensed about it, but was spared looking like a fool when an irritated patron summoned him.  He sneered at Minho before leaving to entertain the other man.

Small bubbles of jealousy popped in Jonghyun's blood as he watched Key dance for the glassy-eyed man.  

He didn't like the feeling.

"Mmmm... you're vvery y, y'know thhat?"  The man slurred as he tucked some bills into Key's waistband.  

"So they tell me," Key giggled, but, inside, he was repulsed.  The guy was creepy and kept trying to paw him.  He was also piss-drunk and his heavily liquored breath was making Key nauseous.  Thank goodness his rotation was coming up soon.

Key finished his shift around one in the morning.  He'd long since forgotten about Jonghyun and Minho as he tightened his thick scarf and headed down the sidewalk.  His breath fogged in the cold air, but it felt nice after spending so many hours in the club, under hot lights.  He'd made it about fifty feet from the building when he felt an arm slung around his shoulders.

"Heyyy, y."  It was the drunk man from the club.

"Uh..."  Key tried to duck out from under the man's arm, but he had a solid grip on his jacket.  "Let go of me."

"What's this?"  The man breathed his odious vapors in Key's face again.  "I'm not doing anything wrong; just wanted to see if I could give you a ride home."

"No thanks," was Key's clipped reply.  He continued squirming, trying to get out of the man's hold.  "You shouldn't be driving anyway; you're drunk.  Let go of me and go home."

Suddenly enraged, the man spun Key to face him, his knuckles white as he gripped the small shoulders.  "You're telling me to go away?!  Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Get your hands off of me!"  Key bellowed, bringing his knee up and into the man's stomach.  The man doubled over, but didn't relinquish his hold.  He tackled Key to the ground and lay on top of him.

"You little !"  He spat.  "You're nothing-- just a stripper and a tease!"

Unable to move, Key shut his eyes and braced himself for an attack.  What he felt, instead, was the weight being abruptly lifted off of him.  He opened his eyes, shocked to see Jonghyun and Minho.  Once they had the man away from Key, they took turns raining blows on him, then threw him bodily into the street.  He eventually got up and half-ran, half-staggered in the opposite direction.

"Key!"  Jonghyun rushed over and kneeled down, helping Key into an upright position.  "Kwenchana?"  He asked breathily, examining for injuries.

"N-neh."  Key shook off Jonghyun's hands and stood up, trying to hide how badly he was shaking.  He was deeply embarrassed and agitated.  

"Let's get you to the car."  Minho made a motion to help Key, but the shaking dancer recoiled.

"I'm fine," he snapped, but the other two didn't miss the tremble in his voice.  "Thanks for the help, but I could've handled it on my own."

"Ani," Jonghyun said calmly, shaking his head.  "You couldn't.  But that's nothing to be embarrassed about.  Just let us get you home.  Please?"

Key looked from one set of concerned eyes to the other, and painfully swallowed his injured pride.  "F-fine."

The drive to Key's apartment was mostly silent, much to Key's relief.  He really didn't want to talk about what just happened.  The only words he uttered were the directions to his place.  When they pulled up out front, he opened the door and paused.  Without actually looking at either Jonghyun or Minho, he quietly, sincerely thanked them both, then got out.

He was too embarassed to look back at the guys in the car, but he already knew they would be there until he was safely inside.

** A/N:

This unnie/noona is so ashamed.  It's been nearly three months since I've updated. >.<  And yet, I hope most of you are still around to read this.  I know I've been long overdue, but I was going through a lack of motivation on top of being very busy.  

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING PATIENT!!! <3

Also, the end of the last chapter has been changed a little because I noticed that I'd forgotten something from the outline.  Go check it out. :)  **