** Lee Jinki POV **

“Hyung, what's wrong?” Minho sat beside me on the couch that night with a curious expression on his face. Should I tell him about what happened this afternoon? “Is it about a girl?” I didn't answer and then I heard his chuckle. “Come on, hyung... I know you don't take them seriously. I learned from you, remember?”

Right. I can't tell this to Minho for he is currently at the peak of his playful side, therefore – he wouldn't understand if the one who taught him how to be like that will suddenly turn all serious thus, opposing what he learned from me before: Enjoy, have fun, and don't entertain dramas.

“Nah~ I'm just thinking of something.” I shrugged my shoulder and acted as cool as possible.

“Need my help?”

“It's okay. Continue your work.”

Minho smiled and stood up, dusting off his pants. “I'm going to the gym with Changmin hyung and Donghae hyung. Maybe you want to go with us to wind up a bit?”

Gym? “I'm okay. Just go ahead.” Going on a workout at around 9 pm sure is Minho's thing. He nodded and went inside his room to prepare.

After some minutes, I heard someone coming from outside. I waited and found Taemin coming with his training bag and outfit. He sat lazily on the couch next to me, “Hyung ~” He called weakly.

“What's up?”

He shook his head and looked up the ceiling. “Soojungie likes Minho hyung more.” He said and I suddenly saw tears on his cheeks. Our Taemin is crying because of a girl. “I told her I like her... she said she's thankful.. but admitted that she has a huge crush on Minho hyung..”

“That hurts.” I whispered.

“So much. Of all people... why does it have to be Minho hyung?”

We stayed silent for a little while as Taemin savored the pain that he was feeling at the moment. I looked at our maknae. I couldn't imagine how upset he might have felt to figured out his long time secret crush preferred his hyung more than him.

“Take a rest, Taemin-ah.” I told him softly. He followed and stood up with a heavy shoulders. It felt like he was just dragging himself to his room – not the usual lively and bright Taemin who always smiles and give energy to his hyung.

Then came someone who noisily entered the dorm. “Comme des-ah, wait for appa!” I knew it was Key. I saw Comme Des running around the wide living area.

“Comme des-ah, annyong ~” I told the puppy and he wiggled his tail as I called his name.

“Oh hyung, you're here.” He said and ran after Comme Des. “Come on, baby, let's wash up!” He took Comme Des on his arms and looked at me. “Not going to bed, hyung?” I shook my head.

“Go ahead. Comme Des needs some goodnight sleep.” I said.

Key would never listen to me. He likes to hang around Comme Des more and I'm sure he wouldn't understand me on this matter. He said he's too young to ever think of these things.

I was about to stand up and go to my room when Jonghyun arrived. “Hey, hyung.”

“Oh. Where have you been?”

“Jiwon's apartment.” He said and smiled. He looked so happy and in a good mood. Jiwon and him probably had a good time together. “We watched movies on her apartment and ate some snacks.”

“I see. Enjoy, huh?”

“You looked different, hyung. Something happened?” He sat beside me and looked at me sincerely. “Tell me.”

It was funny... how the only one whom I can turn to, happens to be the cousin of the girl I am problematic with. As much as I don't want to open up with Jonghyun about this, there's no other friend that can give me proper advice as him.

I didn't talk. I was still debating myself if I should – or should not – talk to him about this.

“I know something's up.” He said as he looked at me. “I know you, hyung. You can tell it to me. We're friends. I'm your dongsaeng. I can listen.” He said assuring me that he'll lend an ear to me.

I only looked at me. He looked back and after some seconds, he chuckled and looked at the floor. “I think I know what's up.”

There was silence, until he talked again. “Is it about Kim Junhee?” I didn't respond. “I'll take that as a yes.” I heard a small chuckle from him. I thought maybe it was a chuckle of his tension.

“I promise to Heaven and Earth, Kim Jonghyun. She's different.” I sighed. I just couldn't take it anymore. I needed someone to listen to this.

“She's different?” He looked like he was finding it amusing. “How is she different?”

“She doesn't believe me. I told her I like her and she said I should stop joking. I've showed her all the possible clues I can give just to make her realize there's something different that I feel about-”

“You like her? Like for real?” Jonghyun's eyes widened as he looked at me in disbelief.

“Yah, Kim Jonghyun... Can't you see how much I like your cousin!?”

“Well... when I asked you to distance yourself to her, you seemed like you don't mind. I thought you were just fooling around and it doesn't matter to you anyway.”

“You knew I lied just to pick her up every morning and take her home every afternoon.”

Jonghyun only chuckled, “But seriously, hyung, my cousin. She's five years younger than you and I know you always prefer noona. I mean... I can't understand why you like her.”

“I can't understand, either.” I sighed. “When she stepped into this dorm one morning and gathered the guts to point me with her finger and shouted at me... that was like...”

“A change? Something you don't expect?”

“Yeah. And hit me. She made a huge impact, and for days I kept thinking about that – about her – about how she gathered all that courage to face me – when everybody else will surely just fall for a simple smile.”

silence.

“I admit, at first I was just playing around – wanting to know if I can make her like me... but one time I asked her, she bluntly said about not hating me but not liking me either. That doesn't mean no one is entitled to dislike you. I can still recall what she said.”

Jonghyun scratched his head and smiled. “I see some serious and genuine heart over here, hyung.” He pointed at my chest directing to my heart. “I want to congratulate my cousin, for making you like this.”

“Stop being funny, Jonghyun. It doesn't feel good to feel crazy because of a girl.”

“It's irritating.” Jonghyun said and patted my back. “I can't blame Junhee if she doesn't believe in you. Remember that one time when you joked about liking her and then you suddenly laughed like mad when you knew you got us?”

I nodded. “I repeated that while we were in the car.”

“You repeated it twice??”

“I was trying to figure out if she likes me already, okay?!”

“You've got some serious problem over there, hyung.” He shook his head and chuckled again.

“First, Kim Junhee is not the ordinary girl. She's very cautious, and she thinks ahead before going on her decision. She always has this what ifs in her mind and normally pondering over these issues before deciding. You joked about liking her twice, I don't think anyone would believe you if you tell them the same lie for the third time and they knew it was not for real. And besides, Junhee basically knows who Lee Jinki is in real life. She's not like a normal fangirl who flails and adores Onew's charm. She knows very well the real Lee Jinki, which makes her a lot cautious when it comes to you.”

Thanks to Jonghyun... it is getting clearer. And thanks to what I did all this time. I was really the one making this thing difficult for me. If I were just a good guy towards her, then this won't go as hard as this.

“What does she said?”

“To go away and to date someone that will play along with how I flirt.” I told him.

Jonghyun laughed a bit loud. “Wow, very Kim Junhee!”

“Right. Very her.”

“That's Junhee's charm, and I'm sure that's one of the things you like about her. What did you tell her then?”

“If she leaves me then I'll do as she says.”

“She left?” I nodded to his question, and then Jonghyun laughed again.

“Yah, Kim Jonghyun, can you stop laughing?!!”

“Daebak, hyung! You were such a fail!” Jonghyun told me. “But seriously... You'll definitely lose Junhee if you do as she wish. Come on, Junhee is not your ordinary girl who regrets what she does the next day and begs for you to comeback. You gotta fix this, hyung. If you really like her... then, try reading her a bit more. If you look into her deeper, then you'll know how to make her yours.”

I frowned and looked at Jonghyun I disbelief. “Are you allowing me now?”

“To be with Junhee?” Jonghyun shrugged his shoulders. “I realized Junhee can decide for herself. If she accepts you then you're free to have her. I won't go against you...” He patted my back. “But Junhee's going a tough battle, hyung.... so goodluck.” He showed me a teasing look before he left.

// It's a long chapter we had here !!! :)) and yes, expect a lot of ONEW POV from now on... let's go with Onew on this battle, alright?! Fighting!