Sometimes Jongdae feels like he's really out of the loop.

Everyone keeps secrets to themselves.

Tao and Kris.They're obvious enough.

But Minseok, Yixing and Luhan...He doesn't know whether to tell Yixing that Luhan's cheating on him.

Or whether to tell Luhan that Minseok's cheating on him.

Or-

Well, you get his dilemma.

So Jongdae decides that as long as they're not spilling anything, he's not interfering.

He's got problems of his own anyway.

~ ♡ ~

Jongdae feels really excited, considering that it's his, and the rest of the EXO members', first time attending a prestigious ceremony lIke the one they're currently at now. 

The MNET Asian Music Awards.

He tucks a stray strand of hair behind his ear as he awaits the cue to exit their car.

Joonmyun turns to give him a smile.

Jongdae's stomach lurches.He fights a wave of nausea which suddenly attacks him.He knows that the other saw him gagging.

The older man gently touches his thigh with a hand, his forehead with the other.Jongdae jerks away from his touch, nearly bumping into Yixing's head.

"Hey, watch it Jongdae,"Luhan berates him playfully as he pulls Yixing closer towards himself and further away from Jongdae.

Minseok frowns a little, quietly asking Yixing whether he was hit by Jongdae, to which the younger replies with a grin and a swift shake of his head.

Joonmyun has withdrawn his hand, but he still has the other resting on Jongdae's thigh.And it is making the younger man uncomfortable.

Jongdae feels the heat creeping up his neck and cheeks as a finger drew circles on his thigh.

It suddenly feels as though his collars are constricting him.

He wants to die.

He really doesn't like this feeling.

"You know,Jongdae.You either hate me too much...Or you love me too much,"Joonmyun whispers into the younger man's ear.

Jongdae fidgets in his seat.

He clenches his fists tightly,knuckles turning white.

He looks up to see Joonmyun gazing out of the window,with that ever-present smile on his face.

He wants to wipe that smile away.

"Yes, I hate you too much Kim Joonmyun,"he whispers menacingly, pulling the older man's soft fingers off his thigh.  

"I know,"Joonmyun answers, a smile lingering on his lips.

~ ♡ ~

Jongdae then tries his hardest not to let his facial expression betray what he is currently feeling.

His actions belie the facade he has painstakingly tried to put up front of the cameras, fans and hosts on the red carpet.

He scolds Tao when the younger trudges off before they were all done with the photo-taking session.

He hears Joonmyun's little laugh, which pisses him off even more.

Jongdae gives his brightest smile and a thumbs up, at the cameras flashing before the twelve of them.

He finds himself standing a little too near to Suho.

He has his nostrils filled with the scent of hairspray, wax and cologne.

He almost pulls away in disgust.Then he remembers that the public eye is watching.

Jongdae continues smiling till his cheekbones hurt, trying not to stare at Joonmyun's stupid hairstyle which still doesn't make him look tall enough, and the man's almost glowing face.

He doesn't want to admit it.

But.

Joonmyun looks ethereal.

Probably thanks to BB cream.

~ ♡ ~

"What's wrong with you?"Tao asks, arms folded across his chest as he stares Jongdae down.

"What's wrong with me? Nothing,"the older man replies.

Jongdae sips on his tea.

"Just being a nice hyung and trying to right your mistakes,"he continues from where he left off.

"You just embarrassed me in front of the mass!"Tao hisses, stomping into his bedroom with a dazed Kris trailing behind him.

Jongdae closes his eyes.He prays to God that Tao will forget about the situation soon.

~ ♡ ~

"Chanyeol please,"Joonmyun begs, rolling out of the bed and onto the floor.

He shoves his legs into his pants, zipping it up and brushing some lint off it as soon as he is done.

He then runs his fingers through his disheveled hair, patting his sideburns down.

"You look beautiful, Joonmyun,"Chanyeol says groggily from the bed, an arm keeping his head up as he sleepily observes his leader from his position.

Joonmyun laughs, thanking the younger in a bashful manner, as he applies a few dabs of BB cream onto his face.

"Ew, hyung.You don't need that .It's so gay,"Chanyeol groans, scrunching up his nose.

"Well, look who's talking!"Joonmyun chides, rolling his eyes before striding towards the door.

"Go get ready.We have to be there in a few hours' time,"he warns, biting his lower lip as he glances appreciatively at Chanyeol's torso.

He turns away when he hears a knowing laugh, and gets out of the room as fast as he is able to.

Jongdae is sitting on a chair at the dining room.

Joonmyun halts in his tracks.

~ ♡ ~

The redhead didn't expect him, that's for sure.

Jongdae gives a little nod of acknowledgement.

He hasn't been waiting for Joonmyun though.

Chanyeol emerges from the room Joonmyun had just vacated, towel hanging low around his waist, bringing the scent of along with him as he walks past Jongdae to enter the bathroom.

A brief nod.A mischievous smile.

The bathroom door closes.

Jongdae stares angrily at Joonmyun.

And now he remembers why he hates Kim Joonmyun.

~ ♡ ~

Jongdae has the Korean leader against the wall, his long thin fingers stretched across the shorter man's neck.

Joonmyun chokes, breathing heavily into the other's face.

"Why Chanyeol? Why Chanyeol, hyung? You know that I like him!"Jongdae asks as quietly as possible, anger evident in his eyes.

The other K members are still resting in their rooms.And Chanyeol's in the bathroom.

So Jongdae and Joonmyun are the only ones in the living room.

Joonmyun smiles.

Jongdae grabs the other by his collar.

"Bastard,"Jongdae hisses as he punches Joonmyun's face.

","the elder groans,sliding to the floor as Jongdae lets go of him.

"Are you happy now?"He looks up at Jongdae as he asks, a smirk on his face.

He sneers when he feels a sharp pain along his jaw.Joonmyun is pretty sure that he has a bruise.He hopes that it's not too ugly or visible though.

", man.I may have to buy another new tube of BB cream because of this."

Jongdae stays silent.

~ ♡ ~

He follows the older into his room.

He watches as Joonmyun squirts an ample amount of skin-coloured cream onto his finger before dabbing it all over his face.He applies another layer over the bruise Jongdae had just gifted him with.

Jongdae sighs.

Joonmyun blinks at the sudden sound, looking at the younger through the mirror.

Jongdae realises that the leader looks really childlike all of a sudden, and it makes him feel guilty.

He pushes the elder onto the bed, taking the tube of cream from the other.

Jongdae stands between Joonmyun's thighs, tipping the shorter man's head up to face him.

The pads of his thumbs softly spread out the little dabs of cream surrounding Joonmyun's face, evening them out into a thin layer.

Joonmyun gives him a serene smile.

"Stop that!"Jongdae yells,pushing the older man onto his back on the bed.

Flummoxed,Joonmyun asks,"What's wrong?Hitting me wasn't enough?"

Jongdae shakes his head in resignation.

Stop smiling.Stop smiling like that.

He gives Joonmyun's forehead one last swipe with his fingers.

"I'm done here,"Jongdae announces,turning to exit the room.

"Jongdae.Nothing happened.I mean.I didn't have with Chanyeol.He was just trying to comfort me and...We sort of ended up pleasuring each other.If you know what I mean,"The older man tells him,the back of his head resting against the bed's headboard.

His eyes are gentle as they capture Jongdae's gaze.

"We jacked each other off,that's all,"he says bluntly.

Jongdae doesn't say a word and breaks eye contact.He leaves Joonmyun alone in the room.

Just why would Chanyeol be comforting Joonmyun all of a sudden?

Jongdae has too many questions in his mind.And no answers.

Because like always,no one will give him the answers he wants unless he confronts them upfront.

But there are too many questions to ask.Too many answers to receive.

~ ♡ ~

Joonmyun wonders whether he is being punished for something he had done in his previous life.

He tries not to let it show that he is affected by the fact that Jongdae hates him with a passion.Well,he tried.But of course,Chanyeol just had to approach him about the faint animosity he sensed between him and Jongdae.

He blurted out almost everything and ended up sobbing like a baby in the younger man's arms.Joonmyun was at his most vulnerable,but he knew that if he went any further...Jongdae will most likely kill him.

He remembers Chanyeol above him,panting hard against his mouth as his fingers teased Joonmyun's entrance.

But Joonmyun shook his head frantically,pushing the taller man away.

"I...I don't want to do this.Please,Chanyeol.Let's not."

He pleaded with his eyes.He begged.

So Chanyeol just gave him an understanding grin and cuddled the older man to sleep.

Joonmyun breathed a sigh of relief as he wrapped an arm around Chanyeol's waist.

 ~ ♡ ~