Freezing
PrivilegedMy lips tingle as I give his neck another quick glance. I swallow hard and look away. What the had I been thinking? Kissing him like that was just...
"Appa, you okay?" my son asks. I look down at the boy snuggled into my chest and smile.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I say. Yoogeun asks Taemin the same question.
"I'm fine," Taemin answers with a sugary cheeriness. I lock eyes with him for a minute before he looks away, swinging his head towards the window.
"Is appa mad at appa?" Yoogeun asks. I force a smile.
"Of course not!" Taemin and I say at the same time. Yoogeun's not convinced. He crosses his arms and pouts.
"Then hug," he growls.
"I'm holding you," I counter quickly.
"Just put him in the seat next to you," Onew suggests with infinite evilness in his voice. I snarl and do ask instructed. I turn to hug Taemin, and I feel those thin arms wrap around my waist and I can feel myself losing my sanity.
"Can I let go now?" I ask as Taemin's heady scent sends my head reeling.
"Now you have to kiss him on the cheek," Yoogeun commands. Taemin and I give him twin looks of shock. Even Onew raises a skeptical eyebrow.
"Y-Yoogeun, we don't do that," I say slowly. Yoogeun's pout gets poutier
. "But appa always does it when he's not mad at me," Yoogeun grumps. I glare at Taemin, which he flings back with a steely look crossing his face.
"Fine," I snarl, and I see Taemin's face registering shock before I lean over and cup his chin with one hand, the other clenching into a fist on my lap. I get closer and his sweet breath ghosts over my lips. I feel confusion mount in my brain as I my dry lips.
"Minho, just do it," he mumbles impatiently, his voice shaking. The air between us heats as I let my mouth meet the corner of his parted lips, still technically his cheek. Just a little of his taste seeps into my mouth. I kiss more onto his cheek, traveling to his ear, and he whines a little under my roaming lips.
"There," I half growl, pulling away before he can push me off. Yoogeun's satisfied, and he crawls into my lap. I look in the rear-view mirror and see Onew raise an eyebrow. I roll my eyes.
It's for the bet. It's all for the bet.
.
The rest of the car ride is awkward as Minho and I try to keep a distance. It's like he WANTS me to go insane. I look over at him and see him playing a hand game with Yoogeun. My cheeks burn.
Since when did it get like this? Since when was he the good appa and I turned into the loner?
"Give me Yoogeun for a sec," I say, turning towards him. Minho places my son in my arms and I cuddle the little boy close.
"Appa sad?" Yoogeun asks. I see Minho turn towards me out of the corner of my eye. I shake my head.
"No, appa just wants a hug," I say.
"Okay!" Yoogeun exclaims cutely. He wraps his arms around me and hugs me back. I feel the weight lift from my shoulders and I return him to Minho, who's shaking slightly.
"You okay?" I murmur softly. He looks down.
"Yeah," I hear him mutter. I want to press him for more info, but Onew shakes his head subtly in the mirror. I back away to my side of the limo and watch Minho warily as he goes back to playing with Yoogeun.
"Do you want some music back there?" Onew asks. I nod gratefully and he turns on the radio.
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day
You gave it away...
I lean forward as the music plays and Minho sings along with Yoogeun. I grab a mini hotdog from the plate of hor dourves on the mini-bar.
"Yoogeun, do you want something?" I ask. He looks over and sees the little snack in my hand. He nods and reaches forward.
"Please," he begs plaintively as I give it to him. He snaps back into Minho's arms like a rubber-band and munches on it happily.
"Little piggy," Minho teases. Yoogeun wails jokingly.
"Appa! Minho appa's mean!" he rattles to me. He bounces up and down on Minho's lap and points accusingly at Minho.
"Bad Minho," I scold, scooting over and slapping him playfully.
"Bad Taemin," he counter, hitting me softly on the arm. "No hitting people."
"Onew-ajusshi," Yoogeun calls.
"Yes?" Onew asks, looking at us through the mirror.
"Appa is hitting appa," Yoogeun pouts. We all laugh as he hits the both of us lightly. I look up at Minho's smile and it's all I can do to stop myself from kissing him.
"Something on my face?" he asks curiously. I reach up and wipe an imaginary smudge from his cheek, wanting any excuse to touch him. I withdraw my hand ruefully and slide back to my seat by the window, rubbing my finger on my pants.
.
"Alright, have fun you three," Onew says. I step out with Taemin's arm through mine and Yoogeun in my grasp. We're on a curbside, in front of a huge restaurant weighed down with neon lights. Crowd after crises passes by, unable to walk in but still gazing at the building longingly.
My three associates are waiting outside, and they flock over as a single unit, eager to inspect my "date" as Onew drives away.
"You've finally gone for a guy?" Jong-In asks as he catches a glimpse of Taemin. I see Taemin smile encouragingly at me and I nod, beaming.
"Taemin, these are the executives for one of the companies I'm thinking about investing in," I say, waving an arm to indicate them.
"So many for one company?" he asks, looking up at me. The three men chuckle and I see him grow red.
"You know, it's freezing out here," I say hastily. "Let's go inside."
"Is it warm inside?" Yoogeun asks. Everyone chuckles this time as we move towards the restaurant. We're hit by a blast of warm air as we enter. Taemin clings to my arm as heads turn..
"This must be your son," Young-Min says with approval.
"Yes, this is Yoogeun," I confirm. Young-Jin catches up to me as Jong-In talks to the valet.
"You seem well," he says with a firm grin. I nod and return his smile.
"You too," I say.
"So, Taemin," Young-Min says to my "date." I stiffen with his sudden change in tone. It's like he's assessing Taemin. In my arms, Yoogeun squirms.
"Yes?" Taemin asks with an unflinching challenge. Young-Min falters and Young-Jin jumps in, eager to rip into Taemin and gather some intel.
"What company do you work in?" he demands with a fake smile. Suddenly. I'm disgusted with the three men around us. They start to hover around Taemin like vultures as we move to be seated. Taemin keeps his lips pursed until after we've been placed in a large private room with velvet cushionings and Chinese decorations.
"Well?" Jong-In presses as Taemin takes his time smoothing out his pants. Finally, Taemin casts a cold glare around the table.
"I'm unemployed," he says softly. Yoogeun squirms in my arms as the atmosphere stiffens immediately.
"I see," Young-Min says finally, forcing a smile. It's so fake that I want to shout at him for insulting Taemin like this, but I swallow it.
"Yes, as do I," Young-Jin sneers contemptuously. "Minho, I thought you actually had standards." I swallow the words I would have flung at him. I swallow them all.
They taste like .
"Young-Jin!" Jong-In scolds. I let out a short huff of relief. Finally, some sense. "Where did you work before?" he asks Taemin.
"I was a waiter," Taemin says frostily. I'm suddenly frightened. He's shut himself off, icing himself over.
"Taemin," I mutter, but he gives me a look that cuts me off.
"Like I said..." Young-Jin mutters self-righteously.
"I see no problem with it," Taemin snarls.
"Neither do I," Young-Min adds hastily. Jong-In echoes him as Young-Jin rolls his eyes.
"Appa, I don't like it here," Yoogeun whimpers. Taemin and I refocus on him instead of the three s at the table.
"Yoogeun, don't cry," I murmur soothingly, bouncing him in my arms a little. Tears slide down his cheeks.
"B-but... They're being mean to appa!" Yoogeun wails. I hold Yoogeun's face to my shoulder, muffling his cries. Taemin snatches my son from me.
"You stay here," Taemin growls, standing up and rushing from the room with Yoogeun in his arms. He's followed by my associates' bewildered looks. I hear the door close and I spring up.
"Excuse me," I say hastily as I scramble as gracefully as I can from the room.
"Minho, what are you doing?" Jong-In asks gently.
"Excuse me, gentlemen," I snarl, smearing the last word from my tongue as if it had a bad taste.
"Minho! Where are you going?" Young-Jin demands, standing up. I turn around and bristle, glaring at those three men with a sudden shock of hate. They made Yoogeun cry and Taemin...
I don't even know what they did to Taemin.
"I'm going to take care of my son," I spit and hiss before turning on my heels. I sprint out of the building and catch Taemin at the curbside. His back is turned to me, his shoulders stiff as he rocks himself from side to side, soothing Yoogeun.
"Taemin," I call out. He turns to me, his face cold and stony. I walk up to him slowly, freezing when I'm facing him in all his icy glory.
"Go back to your dinner," he says softly, his voice like frozen steel wool.
"Taemin, let's just go home," I whisper. Taemin shakes his head.
"This dinner is important, right?" he mutters, looking away. I reach forward and take his chin into my hand.
"Are you mad?" I ask, voicing my fear that he might be angry at me. The very idea is scary beyond belief.
"No," he sighs. "I just... This is important, right?" I nod reluctantly.
"It's a big deal, but it's nothing I can't go without."
"No, I..." Taemin rocks Yoogeun agains before reaching up with his free hand. His fingers close over mine.
"Taemin, don't-" Don't what? I swallow heavily, unable to finish. Don't what? Don't leave me? Don't leave me here without you?
"I want you to be successful," he whispers, his voice cracking. He's still holding my hand, his eyes down.
"Taemin, will you be okay?" I ask softly. We're attracting attention from passerby's, but they go just as quickly as they come. The only constants I need are standing right in front of me.
"I'll be fine," he says, looking up. I definitely will be, his eyes say, and I have no choice to believe him.
"I'm so sorry for tonight," I say softly as I hear Onew's limo down the street. I fold Taemin and Yoogeun into my arms for a hug, and Taemin's free arm comes up to wrap around me.
"Appa... Appa..." Yoogeun whimpers. I let go and look into Taemin's melting face. Tears trickle down Taemib's cheeks, but I doubt he notices. I lean down and kiss one away, and I hear him inhale slowly, shocked.
"Be safe," I whisper to him. Onew's car pulls up and I watch Taemin start to get in.
"Thanks," I hear him say to Onew, and I suddenly need Taemin to look at me. Think of only me. After losing him to a wall of ice in the restaurant, and losing him to Onew now, I need him.
"Wait," I say hastily. Taemin looks towards me, one foot in the car. I grab his chin again and force his yes to center on mine. Yoogeun watches on, but I'm past caring that anyone's there.
"Minho, is something wr-" I kiss him hard, finally letting my lips crush his into sweet submission, and he doesn't push me away. I lighten the kiss after a second, and then I pull away completely. His eyes are closed, his face still shocked.
"Bye," I whisper as his eyes open. I feel myself pieced back together into the calm, collected being that I need to be.
"Minho!" Taemin calls, but I sprint for the restaurant.
Now to deal with those s.
.
A/N- I think it speaks for itself... *smug*
No pics cuz this is from my iPod. I'll just give you guyz the link :3
http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/b462/oriole_minah/2min-%20shinee/f5c80ddea562bf7d95ee37d4.jpg
More to come! Comments are love~!
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