Kibum's flustered, to say the least. He wasn't expecting someone or rather Jinki's own dongsaeng to walk in on them — hugging each other. He learned from his workmate, Nicole, that the person who entered the office was indeed Jinki's brother, Lee Taemin, a highschool student, 2 years younger than him.

After a few more minutes, the door to Jinki's office opened, revealing the presence of Jinki and his brother. "You must be Kibum hyung. I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to introduce myself properly. I'm Lee Taemin, this old man's little brother. It's nice to meet you."

Kibum bowed and formally introduced himself. "I'm Kim Kibum. The pleasure is mine, Sir."

"No, you don't have to call him Sir, Kibum. He's just my 'lil brother." Jinki laughed and ruffled Taemin's hair.

"Not the hair, hyung." He arranged his hair, looking over Kibum who had a cute expression on his face. "Awww~ you're too cute, hyung! I hope you and I could get along." Taemin said, pulling him in a hug.

Kibum stiffened at the contact, looking over Jinki who just smiled. "Forgive my dongsaeng. He's just really into hugs." The oldest scratched his nape, feeling embarrassed by his brother's actions.

Kibum smiles, hugging Taemin back heartily. "I don't mind. It's very cute."

He looks at Jinki over Taemin's shoulder. Seeing a smile on the older's face, he couldn't help but also smile in return.
 

It was already 5 months since he left home and he was grocery shopping with Jinki when he met the last person who he last wanted to see. It was a bit shocking on Jonghyun's side, seeing Kibum together with an unknown man, looking like a couple.

He dropped the snack he was holding and blinked a few more times. "Kibum.."

Kibum's eyes snapped into the direction of his voice. And the walls he built for the last 5 months went crumbling down. "J-jonghyun.."

"Kibummie~ what will we have for - are you okay?" Jinki follows his gaze and sees Jonghyun. He recognizes the latter from Kibum's stories and harbor an instant dislike towards the man. He pulls Kibum by the waist, fakes a smile and greets Jonghyun. "Hi. I'm Jinki. You are?"

Jonghyun snaps out of his thoughts and greeted back. "I'm Jonghyun. Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine." 

A part of Jinki wants to punch the latter, for hurting the most important person in his life right now. But a part of him restrains the other because he doesn't want Kibum to be angry at him for doing something unnecessary.

"How are you, Kibum? The last time I talked to Minho, he told me you left your house." Jonghyun tried to enlighten the heavy atmosphere, but it took a dive for the worst.

Kibum bitterly chuckled as he remembers what had happened that day 5 months ago. "I'm fine living without someone who cheats behind my back. And yes, I left my home. All for a jerk."

Kibum is starting to rage. Jinki could feel it. And all he could offer is a hand rubbing circles in his back. "I'm sorry, Key. It's just that...I don't really know what got into me."

"Don't call me that. Key doesn't exist anymore. And don't you ing tell me the excuse that you didn't know what got into you. This isn't a movie where I'll take you back because of your lame excuse." Kibum spat.

Jinki could already sense the tension rapidly rising. "I'm sorry but Kibum and I have to go. We need go somewhere." He was about to turn away when Jonghyun's next action suprised both Kibum and him.

Jonghyun grabbed Jinki by his collars. "Where are you taking Kibum? Who are you to him?"

Jinki doesn't have any time for things like this and pushes off the younger. "I'm his boss, the one who found him and took him home 5 months ago when everyone left him, and lastly I'm someone who truly cares about him. So back off, puppy!"

Kibum could only drown in his thoughts as those words left Jinki's mouth. Jinki tugs his clothes, gesturing to leave and they walked away from the person he began to hate even more. But not without saying anything.

"The wound heals, but it would leave a scar. I'm not stupid to do the same mistakes again and I could never forget the thing you did to me."

 

It's already been a week since he saw Kim Jonghyun. He wants to forget all the memories of the past that has Jonghyun in it. It's already enough that he trusted the man once. And he already learned his lesson.

But recently, something's been strange about Jinki. After the Jonghyun incident (as they call it), Jinki has been a little too touchy-feely with Kibum. It's not like he doesn't like clingy Jinki. It's just that his heart beats fast whenever Jinki hugs him. Even Jinki walking into the room makes his breath hitch. His stomach flutters whenever Jinki calls out his name.

The feeling is all too familiar for him. And he's feeling nervous to confirm if this is what he thinks it is.

"Kibum umma! I'm here!" He sees his self-proclaimed son, skipping happily towards him.

"Minnie! What are you doing here? No classes?" Kibum asked, wondering why is he early to be in the office. After meeting Kibum, Taemin dropped by the office every Wednesday.

The younger nodded as he drags Kibum towards his desk. "I'm bored, umma! Jinki hyung doesn't have time to play with me." He pouted.

Kibum ruffles his hair, silently admiring Taemin's unlimited aegyo. "Awww~ he has a meeting with the board of directors right now. He'll be out in 30 minutes, tops."

They happily talked about Taemin's classes. How his strict teacher couldn't resist his aegyo. Or how his seniors admire his dancing skills. And all the fun things happened in school.

It was a fun conversation to say the least. Until curiosity got into Taemin and asked. "How did you and Jinki hyung meet? You two certainly just met, right? Otherwise, I might've known you for a long time."

Kibum sighed as he arranges the files in his desk. "It's a long story, Minnie. Your umma has a tough life."

That triggered Taemin's curiosity more. "What do you mean, umma?"

"My father disowned me as his son because you know, that...I was gay and the fact that I have a boyfriend." He held back his tears as he reminisce the pain of his past. "I confessed to my family the truth one day and my father told me to leave. I didn't have a place to go except my boyfriend's place."

"What happened, umma?" He stopped for a few, until he realized something. "Don't tell me he.."

Kibum nodded, knowing what Taemin is implying. "I knocked on his door but he wasn't the one who opened up. It was a girl in the shirt I gave him on his birthday. Then, I said things that ended our relationship. By the time I stepped out of that building, I suddenly realized that I couldn't just go back to my house so I wandered in the streets of Seoul."

"And that's where I found him." Jinki in on their conversation. Kibum smiled as he gestured Jinki to go on and finish the story for him. "It was night and I was taking a walk because I had a tough day. You know, that day when we got a problem in the company. But anyways, as I arrived at Hangang Park, I heard someone crying."

"That's Kibum umma, right?" Taemins asks.

Jinki ruffles his hair and nodded. "I couldn't have the heart to leave him all alone so I approached him. He was so cute with his red nose but his eyes told me a different story. That's when I realized he needs someone to vent on. By the end of our conversation, I asked him to live with me. End of story."

"That was so sweet. You're like a knight in shining armor, hyung — but not with the literal shining armor." Taemin said, obviously proud of his hyung. "I'm so glad you helped Umma! Or else I wouldn't have the chance to meet such a great person."

"It would burn my conscience to leave such an amazing person without doing anything to help." Jinki says, looking at Kibum who blushes instantly. "Who's hungry? Let's go and eat!"

"Me! Me! Me! You can treat us some steak, Hyung!" Taemin cheers as Jinki nods as reply.

"Wait wait wait — I still have work to do so you two go and eat."

"But umma! You obviously didn't have your lunch." Taemin pouted and Kibum diverts his attention to the papers in front of him, afraid that he may fall into Taemin's aegyo.

"I'm fine. I'll just grab a —"

"No. You're my secretary and I need you by my side always. We're eating and that's final. Let's go." Jinki slings an arm to his shoulder, dragging him towards the elevator's direction.

It was then he learns that he just couldn't say no to Lee Jinki.