“Play along,” Aron whispered in Minhyun’s ear in the van. Conveniently, Aron was seated right beside Minhyun, and Baekho beside Aron. This was the prefect arrangement for what Aron had in mind.

Aron hugged Minhyun’s arm to his chest and put his head on Minhyun’s shoulder. “Minhyun-ah, I love you,” Aron said.

“I love you too, hyung,” Minhyun played along, putting his head on top of Aron’s. Minhyun didn’t know why he trusted Aron with this, but he knew that he liked being hopeful. Aron was giving him hope, and Minhyun sincerely wanted to believe what Aron was telling him. Maybe, just maybe, Aron’s right… Minhyun thought. It was because of that hope that he let Aron lead him through it.

It came as an impulse when Minhyun kissed Aron’s head, and Aron nuzzled closer to Minhyun in turn.

Much to Minhyun’s surprise, Baekho didn’t comment. He didn’t smile, didn’t laugh, he didn’t tease. He just shifted and turned to the window, looking away from them.

Baekho would usually make suggestive comments, he would laugh and tease and make fun of this excess bromance. When JR attacked Ren very seductively in the LO/\E Story, Baekho teased them for days and days afterwards. Why isn’t Baekho saying anything now?

Aron whispered in Minhyun’s ear, “see, I told you. He’s jealous.”

Minhyun didn’t respond to that, and just took in the possibility with a shrug.

“Baekho,” Aron asked, breaking the cuddle with Minhyun.

“Hmm?” Baekho asked.

“Mind if we switch rooms? Can I take your place and you take mine with manager-hyung?”

“Yeah sure whatever,” Baekho said coldly.

So unlike Baekho, Minhyun thought. Baekho never takes anything with such indifference. Never.

“Baekho, are you feeling okay?” Minhyun asked, starting to believe that something was seriously wrong with Baekho.

“I feel a bit dizzy,” Baekho admitted rubbing his head.

“Oh,” Minhyun said, discouraged. So that’s why he’s acting this way. It’s not that he’s jealous, it’s that he’s sick. “Did you take antibiotics?”

“Yeah, manager-hyung gave me some,” Baekho said.

“Does your head hurt?”

“Not really hurt, I just feel a little dizzy and tired.”

“Maybe you should miss this fanmeeting, if you’re not feeling well that is.”

“No, the LO/\Es will be upset if I don’t go. It’s okay, I’ll just rest after the fanmeeting. It’s no big deal.”

Minhyun stretched his arm out across Aron and towards Baekho’s forehead.

“Baekho, you’re burning,” Minhyun said with concern. “After the fanmeet, you’re going straight to bed. No eating. No playing around. No showering even.”

“Yes, mother,” Baekho said with a smile, and Minhyun was relieved to see that smile again and so couldn’t help but smile back.

Meanwhile, Aron sat back watched this exchange between Baekho and Minhyun. Lovebirds, he thought as he saw them both smiling at each other brightly as if that was the most normal thing ever.

When they arrived at the fanmeet, Aron was sure to sit next to Minhyun. He was not done meddling just yet.

Aron back-hugged Minhyun and put his chin on his shoulder. The fans of course went crazy. Minhyun stood there idly as Aron performed his elaborate fanservice, looking at Baekho with the side of his eyes.

“Kiss him!” the fans screamed and Aron took that as an opportunity to plant a kiss on his cheek. The fans screamed.

“BaekRen! BaekRen!” the fans began chanting all of the sudden. Minhyun couldn’t help the searing jealousy in his heart and his face fell when Baekho did to Ren was Aron was doing to him.

Aron let Minhyun go and whispered. “How you feel right now is exactly how he feels.”

“Not here!” Minhyun pushed Aron away, not wanting to talk about this when the fans were analyzing their every move.

Aron shrugged and went to perform fan service with poor lonely JR. At this point, Baekho stopped with Ren and stood beside Minhyun where they waved to the fans and smiled the rest of the time.

A Q&A session followed.

“If you could marry anyone in the group as a girl, who would it be?”

Aron started, “Minhyun, because he would make such a beautiful girl!”

Minhyun went next, “ahh, I would marry Aron-hyung,” he lied, “because he’s funny and I want to marry someone funny.”

Ren continued, “Baekho for me, because Baekho would be good to our kids.”

JR, “Ren for me because he’s fashionable and I like fashionable girls.”

The mike was handed to Baekho, and Baekho thought for a moment before saying, “Ren because Aron-hyung took my wife,” Baekho joked but that joke meant the world to Minhyun.

Aron continued touching Minhyun and delivering the MinRon fanservice. Baekho was unusually quiet throughout, and Minhyun just assumed it was because he was feeling unwell.

While they were ascending back into the van to return to the hotel, Aron deliberately stood to the side as to not sit beside Minhyun. He let Baekho and Minhyun occupy the backseat alone.

Baekho, exhausted fell right asleep, and Minhyun pulled him so that his head rested on his lap. Minhyun Baekho’s hair and wiped the sweat forming on his forehead. Baekho was amazing. He smiled for the fans and pretended that everything was okay when he was really exhausted and very sick.

When they arrived at the hotel, their manager told them to have dinner in the hotel. Minhyun walked Baekho up to their room, who was too dizzy and half asleep to go up by himself. Minhyun wished he were stronger. He wished he could carry Baekho up there.

He led him silently through the halls until they finally made it to Baekho’s bed in their room. Minhyun tucked him into bed and held his hand. “Get better soon, Tiger.”

“Wait!” Baekho said drowsily, “I should go room with manager hyung.”

“No, just stay here for tonight.”

“But I told Aron that…”

“Forget it.”

“But I don’t want to be a er. I want you to have fun and be alone with him.”

Even when he’s sick, he still thinks of others. Even when he’s half asleep in bed, he’s still thinking about what Minhyun would want. Minhyun was so taken by Baekho’s selflessness that it took him a while to find the appropriate response: “don’t worry about me. Just go to sleep.”

Baekho didn’t reply and instead just closed his eyes and fell into deep slumber.

“Idiot,” Minhyun mumbled lovingly to the sleeping Baekho before kissing his forehead and retreating to dinner.

The next morning, Minhyun woke up to the sound of Baekho vomiting in the bathroom. Concerned, Minhyun got out of bed to see Baekho a panting mess, hovering over the toilet, which was filled with vomit.

“Oh Baekho,” Minhyun said with a pout as he massaged Baekho’s back. Baekho collapsed on the bathroom tiles as Minhyun continued rubbing his back.

“Sorry I woke you,” Baekho said.

“Don’t be sorry, idiot,” Minhyun said. “That’s it. Today, you’re staying in bed. You’re not going anywhere with us.”

“But the LO/\Es will be really upset.”

“Think about yourself for once.”

Baekho nodded, “maybe I do need some rest.”

“I’ll talk to manager-hyung for you,” Minhyun said as he stood up and pulled Baekho with him. He pulled him towards the sink and began washing Baekho’s mouth from the vomit. He then washed Baekho’s face and hands. Baekho stood there idly and let Minhyun do with him what he willed.

When Minhyun was finished, he pulled Baekho back to the bed.

“I’ll make you some tea,” Minhyun stated as he walked towards the coffee maker and boiled some water.

“Minnie, it’s still 6:00 AM, you should go back to bed.”

“I’m fine. Not tired anymore,” Minhyun said as he filled Baekho’s mug with sugar and a tea bag.

“Thank you,” Baekho said, not knowing what else to say. Minhyun filled the mug with the boiling water and brought it to Baekho’s bedside table.

“You were happy yesterday, weren’t you?” Baekho asked after taking a sip of the tea.

“How could I be happy when I had you to worry about?”

“I mean with Aron. He really went all out with the skinship yesterday.”

“Oh. Right.”

“You know Minhyun,” Baekho continued sleepily, “I bet he would accept you if he ever found out you liked him. You should tell him about your feelings. Really.”

“What made you come to that silly conclusion?” Minhyun asked.

“It’s obvious that he’s comfortable being physical with you. And he obviously really loves you at least like a brother. In that sense, he wouldn’t want to hurt you, right? So he wouldn’t completely reject you.”

“Baekho, you’re too hopeful. It’s not that easy.”

“I just thought… if it were me that you liked, even though I’m straight and even though I certainly don’t think about you in that way, I would not reject you.”

“Huh?” Minhyun stammered in surprise.

“Because I know how much you want love and I know how Yongguk’s rejection made you feel. Aron probably knows that too. Aron also knows that you’re a great friend, that you’re very faithful and that you’re fun to be around. Plus, Aron thinks you’re beautiful. Everyone knows how beautiful he thinks you are. With those things in mind, I don’t think he’d let his uality get in the way...”

“So if I confessed to you, right here, right now, you would accept me?” Minhyun asked in disbelief, totally staggered.

“Well, yes. But I’m not the one you need to confess to.”

Minhyun blinked a few times and nodded to Baekho slowly, not knowing what to say. He was dumbfounded at this new revelation, and he didn’t know exactly what to think of it.

“A person doesn’t really have to return the other person’s feelings in order to accept them,” Baekho added, “I have no reason to reject you, Minhyun. As does Aron. We might fall in love with you after being with you for some time.”

Minhyun nodded in response, not knowing what else to do.

 “So are you going to confess?”

“I’ll think about it,” Minhyun said.

“I hope he’ll make you happy, Min,” Baekho said, taking another sip of his tea. “And if he rejects you then I’ll be happy to have a cleaning day like the last one to make you feel better. Hopefully by then I’d stop being so sick so I don’t get my sick germs on your lips,” he joked.

Minhyun couldn’t help but smile. “You’re the best friend ever. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Baekho replied, “and so does Aron,” he added with a wink.

Baekho then turned to his cup of tea and began sipping silently as an awkward silence ensued between them. Minhyun realized that he and Baekho had become awfully awkward, and he really didn’t know why. Nothing changed with Minhyun, so did something change with Baekho? After thinking about it he realized that something really did change with Baekho.

“Baekho?” Minhyun said, breaking the minute-long silence.

“Yeah?”

“Remember, that day three weeks ago? We kissed and then you said if I had fallen for you, you would have to break my heart. Now you’re saying that if I do fall for you, you wouldn’t. What changed?”

Baekho smiled slightly. “You still remember that? I didn’t expect you to. I think I just matured a little and realized that I shouldn’t stick to what I think my uality is.”

“Think? Are you questioning it then?”

Baekho seemed to hesitate. “You’re quite smart,” Baekho said, “but no, I don’t think that I’m questioning it.”

There he goes again with the word “think,” Minhyun thought but didn’t want to put Baekho on the spot so didn’t question further. He just realized that Baekho had changed somehow since that day, and whatever this change was, it was certainly in Minhyun’s favor.

He talked to Aron about it when Aron woke up, and Aron substantiated his suspicions.

“What more proof do you need? Minhyun, he’s confused. He’s in denial. He likes you. You just need to make the first move!”

Minhyun nodded in agreement. “Tonight,” Minhyun told Aron. Tonight, he will finally confess his feelings to Baekho.