It was on their first night in vacation when everyone agreed on setting up bonfire in the cold backyard. No strobe lights that hurts the eye, no bass loudly banging too. It was rather a very chill and laid back setting with nothing but bottles of beer, unlimited meat to grill, hotdogs and marshmallows on stick. In the middle of the little talks, Kiko suggested everyone in their clique to play truth or dare, but since majority of them are ladies, they all stood up and joined Kai’s circle.

“Yah, why are you here?” Kai asked while his sister just raised the bottle in her hand. “Truth or dare!” She said while the rest of her friends positioned themselves between the guys. Talk about subtly flirting while acting all innocent was what Taemin is thinking when Jessica sat beside Minho. Poor Irene, she probably thought Jessica was a friend. Little did she know she’s a fox. Taemin’s curiosity increased when Irene sat between him and Kai, while Minho obviously don’t mind.

The game started innocent and just playful. Spell your name using your . 10 push-ups while shouting the name of the person you like. Hold hands with the person to your left for 10 minutes. And it was all fun.

Once the bottle pointed at Irene and picked dare, she was asked by Kiko to kiss the person to her right. Taemin blushed and he honestly don’t know why he’s feeling rather embarrassed when it was Kai and Irene who’s supposed to kiss. He quickly eyed Minho, who’s looking more pleased than he’s supposed to be. Irene drank a bottle of beer in one go, gathered her confidence, and the two had a quick peck on the lips and Taemin swears it was such a nice visual to watch.

The game continued with Momo showing her abs, Joy confessing her big crush to Sungjae, Jonghyun admitting his first time was with Key and Jessica spilling that she’s still a which definitely made everyone surprised. The queenka laughed. She wanted to feel insulted that everyone eyed her with such suspicion. But it’s not like she can blame them with her image. “It’s true! C’mon guys, it’s not like you all had me in bed! I party and drink, I dated quite a lot of guys but really, I’m still holding the V card!”

“But Minho?” Taemin unconsciously spat without him realizing which he quickly regret. Times like this he hates himself when his mouth acts quicker than what his brain can filter.

Jessica laughed a pitch higher while hitting Minho’s shoulder. “This guy didn’t even go hard when I kissed him!” Minho looked at the bottles of beer beside Jessica and it was her 6th, figures. “Yah you’re drunk, I’m taking you back to your room.” He stood up while dragging the petite up by her arm, staggering a little before she was able to stood up.

“Irene too!” Kai stood up, and quickly dragged the lady beside her, catching up with Minho and Jessica.

---

“Sorry about the kiss. I think she’s been too drunk to be sane.” Kai started to break the awkward atmosphere as they walk back to the pension. Two drunk ladies on both their arms.

“And you’re apologizing to me, because?” Minho asked him. A part of him knows why, but he needs to be sure. Which made Kai eye him suspiciously. “Aren’t you two…?”

“What?”

“Dating?”

Minho laughed a bit. “Irene’s actually my cousin. She recently transferred from the States and is currently living in our house.”

“Oh.”

“Does it look like we’re dating?” Minho can’t help but let out a weak laugh.

“Yes. Taemin actually can’t stop going on about you two.” Which Minho nods like he knows. “You know?”

“That wild one had me chase him for months now. One moment he’s clearly still into me, the next… he’s pushing me away. I don’t even know if he’s just playing hard to get, still scared or maybe...” And the pause suddenly shows the obvious fear in Minho’s voice.

“Maybe?”

“Maybe… he’s really over me.” Minho finished like a lost soul. Kai swears Minho’s eyes were blank, his voice almost breaking. He can’t help but wonder how stupid these two can get, and at the back of his mind he realized that maybe, just maybe, sometimes love isn’t enough.

---

The rest was too uninterested to continue playing since four of them are already out of the game. It was Taemin who first called the game off. Well, he can’t calm his mind after Jessica’s declaration of ity because he thought... no. He concluded and believed that something definitely happened with her and Minho. Something more than just a kiss that didn’t even make his ex boyfriend hard. Something must’ve had happened! Yes, of course they did it! She’s lying! And in Taemin’s mind, Minho enjoyed it, he wanted it and did it on purpose because he’s such an ungrateful cheater. It was supposed to be that way! I cried for months, left my happy world, we were both hurt. It couldn’t be just like that! My perfect life wasn’t ruined merely by a ’s kiss.

“Taemin!” It was the 6th time Key called the younger’s name, weakly shaking his shoulders, waking him up from his own little misery. “What?” Regrets and insecurity filled his eyes.

“You know you should talk with Minho. Honestly, like sit and have a good honest talk for ’s sake!”

“What?” Taemin retorted, clueless as to where his best friend was coming from.

“Don’t what me, Tae. I know what you’re thinking. I’m pretty sure you’re blaming yourself right now. Well honey, Minho didn’t even explained so how would you know?”

“I didn’t let him.” He whispered. “What was that?”

“I said I didn’t let him!” He shouted this time. Both his hands covering his face, ashamed of his own tears flowing. He can’t believe he suffered all the pain just because he didn’t even let Minho explain. “I didn’t even… I just… I didn’t… I’m so stupid!” He sobs.

“No Taemin, if Minho really did want you to know what happened I swear he should’ve told you! Nothing-happened,-she-kissed-me-but-nothing-happened! Just. Like. That!”

“It’s too late anyway, he’s happily taken now. We’ve both moved on.” He lied and his best friend clearly knows it’s a 100% hoax.

“Yeah, whatever.”

“Let’s head back, I need to sleep. I can’t think straight, I’m not even sober yet.”

“Yes and maybe a good night on the same bed as Minho would get your mind straight.” Jonghyun joked earning a elbow nudge from Key who thought the joke laid flat to the younger.

“Shut up.” The younger glared.

“Why? Afraid he might do something to you?” Jonghyun teased like the drunkard he is.

“Of course not! He wouldn’t do anything! Especially something without my consent!”

“And how did you know? He’s still a man you know.”

“Because I trust him.”

“You do now?” Key raised his eyebrows as he walked his way inside the villa. Making the two drunk heads follow him.

---

Taemin didn’t expect to see an already sleeping Minho in the room. He thought he was still out maybe with Jessica or Irene. He tipped toe his way quietly, slowly about to get the pillow and his jacket in his bag when

“Where are you going?” Minho asked.

Taemin faked a smile, something he thought he’s an expert by now but Minho can clearly see otherwise. “Oh, Kai asked me to join him. You know, he looks all manly but the guy is afraid to sleep alone!” He laughed as if it’s the funniest joke. Lie.

“You can stay.”

“Minho.”

“I’m taking the couch in the living room if you’re uncomfortable, Tae.” And Taemin was taken aback. He didn’t mean it that way. He didn’t want Minho to feel as if he’s pushing him away. But a part of him wants Minho to just to go away off of his life because Minho isn’t single and available as of the moment, he thought.

“It’s not like that!” Taemin tried to mend quickly but Minho just gave him a weak smile. He got his pillow and his blanket before leaving the room.

And Taemin felt like his whole world left him again.

A/N: Hi guys! I finally got enough courage to update this story. I actually am really scared, seeing the drastic downfall in the quality of this story, I thought updating it would mean making it worse. 'What if I can't give this story the justice it deserve? What if everything is turning to nonsense already? What if I mess up the ending worse?' Those questions are running in my head. It's a pity how the good start met its downfall. It would've been better if I improved on latter parts, not like this. But, oh well. I haven't been reading for months now and I'm afraid I already lost my touch for this but still, thank you for putting up with all my s~ Let's look forward for the last few chapters. Thank you!!! I promise it won't take another year lol for the next updates! Let's finish this together~