Minky here again! Just as we thought we were getting somewhere with plot, a wild out of order Taepyo attacks! I just had a major urge, I don’t know.

            He…he really thinks I can’t see him, thought Taeil as he tried to focus on what Minhyuk was trying to teach him.

It was clearly established amongst the “gang” the boys had created that Taeil was by far the weakest fighter. Everyone came up with reasons for this and ideas for him to improve, and it was currently Minhyuk’s turn to coach him. If they were going to stand a chance at all against the gang that took both Kyung’s parents and Yukwon’s brother, each member had to have their own strength. Taeil thought that this time for sure he could learn something, if he at least couldn’t see Jihoon out of the corner of his eye, making his “cute” hand motions and talking excitedly to Yukwon who was also watching the practice.

“Hyung, you’re not…something’s…” Minhyuk brought his hand to his chin and tilted his head. “Kwon-ah, what am I trying to say?” he called over to the other boy.

“He’s not fluid enough! Too stiff,” Yukwon shouted back.

Minhyuk snapped. “That’s it! Taeil-hyung, it’s not enough to read someone’s moves, and I know, I can see you doing that. You have to be able to act. Don’t be afraid. Watch this,” he said, turning to look at Yukwon.

The boy sprang up and ran over to Minhyuk, skidding to a halt and falling easily back on one hand as Minhyuk threw a hook towards his face. He twisted to brace both hands on the floor before kicking out at Minhyuk’s legs. Jumping to avoid the attack, he landed and reached a hand down to help the other boy up.

“See?” he said, slinging an arm over Yukwon’s shoulder.

Taeil shook the stunned look from his face and said, “but you two are dancers, no one can move like that!”

The dancers looked at each other and then at Pyo, who was still leaning contentedly against the wall.

“Pyo, come here,” Yukwon yelled.

“Pyo, you’re a fighter, show Taeil-hyung that regular fighters can move smoothly too,” Minhyuk said when he’d trotted up.

Pyo scratched the back of his head and murmured in his deep voice, “I don’t know hyungs, I’ve always got through fights with power and, uh, stamina. I’m not very good with strategy.”

“Let’s see what you can do anyway,” Minhyuk said, removing his arm from Yukwon’s shoulders and getting into his stance. “I want Taeil-hyung to see how to react in a real fight, so don’t hold back, and I won’t either, okay.”

Pyo relaxed into a stance and nodded.

Taeil watched nervously as the two began their brawl. He flinched as Pyo very nearly blocked a punch that would’ve hit him square in the gut. The two moved around the lot, kicking up dirt. Pyo was giving a good fight, a good amount of his punches were connecting, but he couldn’t seem to block anything coming from Minhyuk. Taeil fidgeted next to Yukwon, knowing that Jihoon was getting hurt trying to help him learn. After Jihoon took a hook to the jaw, he couldn’t stand it anymore.

Praying that Jihoon wouldn’t get distracted, and it was very likely, he yelled out, “Right block, Jihoon…now duck! Step back and…” To his immense relief, Jihoon immediately perked up and moved according to his instruction. He jumped back, and then stepped forward quickly, delivering a punch to Minhyuk’s stomach that knocked him off his feet. Taeil let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

Yukwon darted over to Minhyuk’s side. Upon making sure his partner was all right, he laughed and said, “It was like you were piloting a mech, hyung!”

Minhyuk sat up, grabbing his stomach. “Crap, that just might work,” he said, wheezing, “Maybe you guys should just be partners like Kwon and me. I think we could probably arrange it.”

Pyo turned his head and looked at Taeil excitedly. Taeil shook his head and chuckled. He walked over and reached a hand up to Jihoon’s shoulder.

“We’ll talk about it later, but right now, let me get you cleaned up.”

Taeil and Jihoon sat on a bed in their dorm room, a first aid kit between them.

            “Jihoon, please stop bouncing around, I’m gonna hurt you by accident,” Taeil said, attempting to wipe the small trickle of blood from his busted lip.

“But hyung, this is great, I’ve never fought like that before. Your voice was like magic, you knew exactly what to do!”

“Anyone could’ve read that, I’m useless if I can’t act on it…” Taeil trailed off.

“Hyung, I’m serious, you could tell what he was going to do even when his back was to you. That’s a real talent. And when I’m fighting, I block out everything and just fight. But your voice hyung, it got through to me.”

“Stop talking,” Taeil scoffed, and grabbed his dongsaeng’s face to still him. He meant to continue, saying that he couldn’t clean his cuts with his mouth moving like that, but Jihoon’s eyes were staring into his own and he was blushing. Seconds passed without either making any movement.

            “Hyung, will you be my partner?” Jihoon asked after a few moments.

            Taeil dropped his hands and looked down. “The way you say that, like you’re asking me to marry you or something-“

            Taeil was cut off as Jihoon’s lips found his. His kiss was soft and nervous, and his lips were warm. Taeil wasn’t surprised. He’d seen it coming with the way Jihoon acted around him, calling him cute and trailing after him like a lost puppy. He was more surprised by his own actions.

            His eyes fluttered shut and his head tilted. His hands reached up to Jihoon’s shoulders, then circled around his neck. He felt Jihoon’s hands, trembling slightly, on his waist.

            The first aid kit clattered loudly to the floor jolting the pair from their kiss. Taeil looked up at Jihoon and brought his hands back to his shoulders. He sighed.

            “Jihoon, you are so distracting. When I should be practicing fighting, all I can see is you out of the corner of my eye. I can see you react to the things I do, even when you think I can’t. I can’t do anything without thinking of you first, and how you’ll react.”

            “Hyung?” Jihoon said softly, worriedly.

            “I think you’d better start calling me by my name if we’re gonna be partners,” he said with a crooked smile.

            Jihoon’s eyes lit up. “Really hyung? I’m so happy!” he exclaimed, flinging his arms around Taeil and throwing them both down on the bed.

            “Ack, Jihoon!” he said, muffled by Jihoon’s shirt.

            “Sorry, I meant ‘Taeil’”

            “No, Jihoon, I’ve got bruises and you’re bleeding on me!” But he laughed anyway.