“Why am I here again?” Minho repeats that question over and over again. He’s currently at a fancy restaurant for lunch with Changmin next to him.

“This wouldn’t be happening if you told them we have a party invitation this evening.” Changmin whispers, clearly annoyed that because of Minho, he has to sit here and be a nice puppy for his parents’ sake.

“I didn’t know if they wanted to drag us to their business meeting again.” Minho defended.

“Do you think your mom will ever ask if you’re free just so she can take you to hair salon?” Changmin says half mockingly to Minho. “Don’t be stupid. If they ever ask us about our schedule, it only means they have something up their sleeve and it’s none other than attending some like this. When will you start to learn?” Changmin may a good kid that stays out of trouble and does as his parents say but it doesn’t mean he enjoys being in this formal ambience.

“I’m sorry, okay? Can’t you –“

“I’m sure Minho and Changmin would be happy to visit your pet shop. Minho loves puppies since he’s a little kid. Right, baby?”

Minho flashes a smile and replies to his mother like a sweet boy which earns a snort from Changmin.

“You can come to our place, honey. We have almost every kind of dogs you might want.” The lady offers nicely. Just when Minho is going to reject politely…

“Sure, you’re free for today, aren’t you? Why not coming to Mrs. Dunn’s place after this? You can get yourself a puppy to keep you company at home.”

Minho wants to say no so badly but he can’t do anything under his mom’s gaze and weakly says yes to the offer.

“I’ll go with Minho.” Changmin decides to be a hero for Minho today.

*****

“You owe me two.” Changmin declares when they’re inside the shop and welcomed by the sight of cute animals everywhere. Unfortunately, Mrs. Dunn is a cat freak. She lets out a horrible shriek once she enters the shop because she sees a bundle of Angora just a few steps in front of her. And thanks to those lazy creatures, they don’t have to keep the conversation going because her attention shifts to the fluffy cat on her lap.

“I know. Thanks. And I’m going to repay that by sticking to your side while you’re checking out some girls at campus.”

“You know me so well,” Changmin grins.

“Uh, I hate cats,” Minho mumbles when they spot more cats in this large shop.

“Me too.” Changmin adds. “Can’t you just ask where they keep the dogs?” he asks impatient.

But it isn’t necessary as Minho eyes land at a shy cute puppy that hides under the table. It stares at Minho’s direction, tail never stop wiggling. Minho just knows that he’s going to take it home right at that moment.

“She seems to like you,” the shop assistant says. He smiles at Minho who is currently the white toy poodle dog. “She’s very shy and barely plays with anyone. Only a few can approach her but all of them prefer bigger and more active dogs.”

“Aah, I see,” actually Minho doesn’t really listen to him. “She’s pretty.”

“Yeah, let me get you some toys so you can play with her.”

“Seriously, are you really taking it?” Changmin immediately speaks up once the shop keeper left.

“I think so. She’s cute and pretty and lovely, isn’t she?” Minho turns to meet Changmin’s disbelief look. “What?”

“Ugh, just pick a golden retriever or something more… manly. It looks exactly like the dogs the girls post on their Instagrams. Hell, even my girly sister owns a fiercer dog than this one.”

“Unfortunately, she has caught my eyes. I’m sure the kind of fiercer dogs your sister owns are up on Instagrams too. And, I’m obviously not your sister. What’s so wrong about this one? She’s lovely.”

“But useless.”

“What will you do with your dog if you have one? You’ll either walk it or play with it. It's not like people get dogs to clean their house or something.” Minho looks back to the dog. “Besides, she reminds me of Taemin.”

At that, Changmin could only roll his eyes.

*****

“Taemin-ah, do you love him so much till you have to do this every day? I don’t mean to bring you down but aren’t you tired? Isn’t it too much already? I mean, you don’t have to take a part time job if you don’t do this. You can have more time to rest and to build a social life if you don’t –“

“I never ask you to come with me.” Taemin cuts her off. Taemin understands that Jihye doesn’t mean it; it’s just that she’s tired after following him all day.

“You can feel it, right? How hard it is for us to search him up. Can’t you imagine how much harder it would be if you do this alone?”

“It must be really hard. But I guess it’s not harder than doing this with you complaining all the way back to apartment.”

“Ouch, what the ?” Taemin turns around when he feels a smack on his back and meets Jihye’s furious face.

“You’re so annoying you know that?”

“I know.” He sighs. “Come on, it’s getting late.” Taemin continues walking.

“I’ll forgive you if you carry me on your back.”

Taemin sighs and gives in. He reaches back and kneels down in front of her. “Hurry.” Taemin tells her, flat and cold. But it doesn’t fail to bring a smile on her face. Taemin is actually a sweet boy, in her opinion. “Go on diet.” Taemin comments once he lifts her up and earns another smack on his back.

That night is the first night Taemin let Jihye inside his apartment. The moment she sets her foot in the room, she wanders around the place to check everything out. Taemin can tell that she’s taken aback, not in a good way, when she sees the state of the place he’s living in.

“Sorry, my roommate isn’t a neat person. And I’m not that good in cleaning.”

She smiles, “I think yours counts as normal for boys’ room. Which one is your bed?” She changes the topic.

“Mine is up there.” Without asking Taemin’s permission, Jihye climbs up and rests herself on his bed.

“Taemin, you have a cute fluffy bear!!!”

At the mention of his bear, Taemin who’s in the middle of getting himself a glass of water runs back to his bedroom. The thought of other people touching his bear is implausible. “Put it back, now.”

Taemin wastes no time to go up and snatches his bear from the girl. “Don’t touch this.”

“What? Why?”

“Just don’t.”

“Don’t tell me it’s from him.” When Taemin doesn’t answer, she shifts closer to Taemin and pokes him playfully. “So it’s really from him? Aww… cute Taemin doesn’t want to share his bear with anyone. I bet you hug it every night thinking it’s Minho you’re sleeping with.”

“You must love him very much.” Jihye puts her head on Taemin’s shoulder. Just when the silence gets comfortable, Taemin’s phone rings and they both know who the call’s from. Jihye watches Taemin face as he converses with his hyungs on phone. Sometimes, she smiles when she hears him tell lies. Taemin lies a lot she feels bad to them. If only they know that Taemin’s life here isn’t as beautiful as what he tells on the phone. There are times when she wonders how he feel deep inside his heart about living here. She wishes Taemin would tell her more and shares his burden with her.

“You’re a good liar.”

“I am. Surprised?”

“I wonder how they’ll feel when they find out the truth.”

“They’ll be disappointed and sad and hurt.”

“You know. But you’re still doing this.”

If Taemin can be honest, he wants to say that now he knows how it feels to keep secrets in order to protect the people he loves. He regrets yelling and throwing an act to his hyungs when he found out that his hyungs lied to him. That’s why he promises to himself he won’t blame them if one day they do the same when they find out that he has been lying all this time.

“Hey, what if, you never find your lover?” she dares to ask.

“I’ve promised I’ll come back to them if I fail.”

“And what do you mean by failing?”

“If things really don’t go as I’ve planned and I can’t take it anymore, I’ll fly back to them and maybe… starting a new life?” his answer is hesitant. He really can’t think how it would be if he doesn’t make it. And Jihye feels like she’s swallowing a big rock when she hears that. She doesn’t expect it. All she could think about is, Taemin forgetting his boyfriend and moving on and all. But never once she thinks he will be leaving Vancouver.

“So far, have you ever thought of coming back?” She tries not to sound so cautious but fails on the execution.

“Many times.”

“Oh…”

“You’ll find him. I’m sure of that. How could we both not find him?” she forces a laugh to clear the atmosphere only for it to be gloomier. “Don’t leave me, okay?”

Taemin tsks, “You’ll do fine without me. Better, I guess.”

“At times like this, you should be comforting me saying I won’t leave you but why you choose to be an and give me an answer that only winds me up?”

“Since when do I opt to give sugary talks to you?”

“Alright, forget it. We’ll keep on searching. And when we find him, you’re going to go down on your knees thanking me like I’m your life-savior.”

“You wish.”

Jihye beams upon hearing Taemin’s rejection because she’s 100% sure Taemin will do that. She snuggles closer to Taemin and grabs a pillow as she feels very comfortable with their position.

“Uh, what’s this?” Jihye eyes the bottle she finds under the pillow.

“Letting you in is like the biggest mistake I’ve ever made,” Taemin confesses as he takes it away.

“What is that? Are you sick? Do you have a serious illness?”

“Chill out, it’s just sleeping pills.” Taemin rolls his eyes on his friend’s exaggerated reaction, in his opinion.

“Why are you taking them?” Jihye is honestly worried.

“It makes me sleep. That’s what they’re made for. You’re so dumb sometimes.”

“You’re having difficulties on sleeping? Do you have insomnia?” Jihye is not going to let this go just like that which irritates Taemin more.

“It’s not your business.”

“I’m not stopping until I get the answer.” She pouts.

“I tend to get nightmares when I sleep and they help me to get away from them.”

“Nightmares?”

“I’m not telling about that no matter how you beg for it.”

“It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me now.” she huffed. “I can always bring it up tomorrow and the day after tomorrow and the following day –“

Taemin sighs at her persistence. But that night, Taemin sleeps with a light heart and a smile on his face, knowing that no matter how hard it is here, Jihye will always be there for him.

An update, yay!

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