╔═ Author’sNote ══════════════════════════════════════════════╗

Prepare yourself for a messy and emotional chapter.

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ⒸⒽⒶⓅⓉⒺⓇ ➁

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When Minho woke up it was almost 3am. As usual Key was grinding his teeth on the bunk above him. He sighed rolling over onto his side. Minho let his eyes roam to the bed across the room where Taemin usually slept. Sometimes when he would wake up Minho would watch the maknae until his eyes got heavy and let him sleep again. He sat up in bed when he realized the younger boy’s bed was empty. First he looked around the room as if expecting he would see him somewhere else in the room but he wasn’t there. Minho quietly stood up and made his way out of the room. Taemin was lying on the coach in the living room in front of a silent but bright TV. The younger boy must have had trouble sleeping and came out and fell asleep here instead. Minho smiled at this. He moved up to the boy. His sleeping face really was angelic. He looked so small and fragile like this. As the older boy slipped his hands underneath the maknae the younger boy let out a sleepy groan. His eyes fluttered open slowly. By now Minho had managed to shift his weight under the boy and lifted him, in reality the younger boy was really light. Taemin smiled when he saw Minho.

“Hey” He said simply. When it was just the two of them around, Taemin didn’t bother calling Minho hyung like he would in front of the others. Minho smiled down at the boy.

“Hey. You should be in bed silly.” Minho said, giving the younger a playful accusing smile. Taemin just laughed a little, obviously more asleep than awake.

“But this is better.” Taemin said, nuzzling into Minho’s chest. The older boy began to carry him back to the bedroom when Taemin protested. “No! I want to be out here.” He said, looking more awake now. Minho didn’t disagree and took the younger back to the couch. As Minho sat down he shifted Taemin so that the maknae was curled up in his lap. The younger just smiled and rested his head against Minho’s chest. “Thanks.” He said simply. He closed his eyes but let his hands wander down Minho’s chest until he found the older boy’s hand. They silently interlaced their fingers and remained that way. Minho smiled letting his eyes close as well. Taemin was right, this was much better.

●•۰•♡•۰•●

Woohyun ran his hand along Dongwoo’s throat gently pressing it. The older boy’s voice had sounded a bit off before so the younger had offered to massage it. He did this kind of thing for Dongwoo often, partly because he liked being useful to his hyung and also because he liked the way the other boy pressed into his fingertips. Dongwoo lifted his hands to touch the back of Woohyun’s hands. Sungjong was talking about a fan sign he had seen the other day. Hoya was listening with them.

“Shouldn’t I have more fan boys?” Sungjong wondered aloud. The three laughed at his musing. “I’m serious! Hoya has more fan boys than me but he’s more masculine than me.” Hoya looked a bit uncomfortable suddenly.

“Do you want more fan boys?” Woohyun asked, curious. The maknae threw his hands in front of him suddenly.

“No!!! I’m not like that! I’m just saying~!” Sungjong buried his face in his hands from blushing.

“Most of Hoya’s fan boys are fans of his drama right?” Dongwoo wondered aloud. At that moment Sungkyu walked up. He looked over the group taking the scene in before speaking. There was an annoyed air in his voice.

“Where are Sungyeol and Myungsoo?” He asked.

“I think I saw them going into Myungsoo’s room to play games.” Hoya offered, trying to be useful. Sungkyu looked even more annoyed.

“Sungjong, shouldn’t you be practicing your leg motions from yesterday? Those two should be practicing too.” He said, obviously referring to Sungyeol and Myungsoo. Sungjong looked annoyed already but stood up quietly. He started to walk towards the door but Hoya jumped up and ran over to meet him.

“I’ll go get them. You can start practicing.” He said helpfully. Sungjong didn’t look happy either way and moved to practice in front of the mirror.

“I’ll practice with him.” Dongwoo suggested, looking up to Woohyun.

“Ah, ok.” He said, preparing to stand. Dongwoo grabbed his hand and smiled up at him.

“Thanks” Woohyun just smiled but really didn’t he feel really good about it? The two stood up together. Dongwoo gave the younger boy a pat on the before running over to the maknae. That left Sungkyu and Woohyun alone. Woohyun smiled over at his leader. He could tell something was bothering him.

●•۰•♡•۰•●

That night there had been a large performance of many groups. At the end, even though they were all tired, they made their way to the stage for their goodbyes. Woohyun looked around the stage for Key but was distracted when he saw Sungkyu and Teen Top’s L.Joe. The two boys were hugging suddenly in front of a group of screaming girls. He couldn’t explain it, but Woohyun felt a sudden burst of jealousy. Even though he often did stuff like that with other people, it was part of his personality. Why was Sungkyu being like that with someone from another group? He tried not to let it bother him and turned his face back to the crowd throwing a heart and waiting for the crowd’s reaction. He heard some reactions but not as many as he had hoped. He was preparing a second attack of Aegyo when he heard the crowd by Sungkyu go insane. He looked over in time to see L.Joe acting like he was going to kiss Sungkyu. Infinite’s leader was laughing and pushing away. Without a second thought, Woohyun moved across the stage pulling out his towel from his side. He wrapped the towel around the other boy’s mouth creating a barrier and then adding some force pulled him away from his leader. The crowd was going even wilder. Woohyun let go of his towel and stepped between the two. He took Sungkyu’s hand and lifted it between them. The crowd was cheering and Sungkyu was laughing.

●•۰•♡•۰•●

Minho watched the Infinite boy from the side of his eye. He mentally shook his head at them. He really didn’t understand that Infinite member. Even though he was good friends with Key, Minho wasn’t sure that he liked him very much. He was always smiling and joking and it seemed like he never knew how to be serious. Minho didn’t let it bother him much though. He didn’t make it a habit of being annoyed by things outside of his own group. He decided a better way to distract himself was to go harass Taemin. He walked up behind the shorter boy, wrapping his arms around his waist and lifting him up from behind. The maknae let out a scream and then looked embarrassed. Minho laughed and reached out a hand and kissed the other quickly on the cheek. The crowd went absolutely insane.

●•۰•♡•۰•●

Woohyun had almost gotten to the door when he remembered the towel he had dropped on the floor. He asked the others to go ahead of him while he went back for it. Sungjong complained that it was just a towel but it had been given to him by a fan so it was precious. He climbed onto the empty stage and looked around but didn’t see it. One of the staff must have cleaned it off. He climbed off the stage and was heading toward the door when a voice caught him.

“Is this yours?” Woohyun turned around and saw Jonghyun. His face lit up at the towel in the other’s hands.

“Ya! I almost forgot it. Thanks!” He said, moving forward to reclaim his possession. The other boy moved his hand away. Somehow Woohyun had missed the very serious look in the other’s face up until this moment. He stopped in place to look at him properly. “What~” He started but Jonghyun interrupted him.

“I appreciate that you are a good friend of Key’s, but I have to make sure, you don’t have feelings beyond friendship towards Key right?” He asked bluntly. The SHINee member was studying his face thoroughly. Woohyun looked shocked by this sudden attack.

“Huh?” He asked, a little bewildered.

“I trust Key so I’m not asking if there is a relationship between you two. I just want to know if you have those kinds of feelings towards Key.” Jonghyun explained. Woohyun felt even more shocked and now more bristled.

“What are you two in a relationship?” He asked, a bite in his question.

“He’s a special person to me.” Jonghyun said, not clearly answering the question. Woohyun felt annoyed. Just because they acted cute together on stage didn’t mean they were in a real relationship. If it worked like that then he’d be official with Sungkyu too.

“It’s not like you are official then.” Woohyun said, sounding a bit meaner than he had intended it. Not that he had put much thought into his words before he let them go. In fact, he was already regretting it. Jonghyun looked a bit shocked. Probably because he expected Woohyun to be more understanding. Without saying anything he carefully handed the towel to the Infinite member, a bewildered and defeated feeling in his actions.

“That’s right. We’re not official.” He said softly. He nodded to Woohyun and then made his way away from the stage. Woohyun felt like a jerk. He wasn’t sure how he should have responded. It wasn’t like he didn’t have any of those kinds of feelings for Key after all. Were Key and Jonghyun really in a relationship? Even when there were no cameras around?

●•۰•♡•۰•●

The ride home had been quieter than usual. Minho could tell something was up but wasn’t sure what it was. For some reason he even felt like Taemin was tense. Once they got inside the house and the manager left, all hell broke loose.

“Onew you might want to go out for a bit or go lay down.” Taemin warned gently. The leader looked confused. He could tell there was tension. Taemin flashed a glance to Key and Jonghyun. Onew nodded knowingly.

“I’m gonna go out and get us some chicken.” He said, looking cheerful all by himself. He grabbed his jacket and walked back out. Minho watched their leader leave and then looked at Taemin. Did he know something Minho didn’t? Once it was just the four of them, Key started the real conversations.

“What’s going on? You’ve been weird all day!” Key said, looking at Jonghyun.

“Just some stuff that has been bothering me but I guess I don’t have the right to be upset.” He said, looking lost in his own mind as he spoke.

“What do you mean?” Taemin asked. Minho got the distinct feeling this was a couple quarrel and wished Taemin would let them handle it alone, but Taemin wasn’t really a shy person. This was one of the many reasons he got along so well with Key. Jonghyun looked at Key.

“You don’t even like doing Aegyo but you do it Woohyun every time you see him and you text him late into the night. Even though I trust you, I was worried about how he felt about you but after talking to him I realize I don’t even have the right. He’s right after all, we aren’t official. You aren’t officially my boyfriend. I just feel confused. I don’t know what I’m allowed to feel right now.” He s