I realize, as I walk into the booth again, that I'd neglected to really taste Taemin's lips, but it's alright. I can do that later.

"Minho!" Young-Min exclaims. I give him an icy smile and I feel the air around me chill. Taemin's not the only one who can ice himself off.

"So... He's unemployed, is he?" Young-Jin asks. Jong-In gives him a Don't press the issue look, but Young-Jin doesn't seem to notice. He's too busy coming up with insults for Taemin in his head.

"Yes, he's unemployed," I answer, eating some appetizers. He can't counter something that blunt, which is what I'm counting on. I wipe my mouth with the embroidered napkin, feeling all eyes on me. "Let's talk business."

"But-" Young-Jin shuts up with the look I give him.

"Alright, well about the deal..." Young-Min looks from me to his friends and back to me. I give him that same look and he trembles.

"Look, Minho," Jong-In says hastily. "This deal could benefit us both. We need this deal."

"You don't say?" I murmur, looking up as a waitress brings us a fish the size of  three dictionaries lined up end to end.

"Minho, are you even listening?" Young-Min asks. I nod and dig into the fish. I relish their fidgeting as they wait for my response. I ice them for a little longer, enjoying sadistic triumph, before speaking.

"I've seen the numbers. You know you need this deal more than me," I say with a harsh glare to all of them. They shiver. It's not true, of course. Neither of us will lose too much if the deal doesn't pull through, but I have to make them believe it is so that the sting will be much more potent. No one hurts Taemin, not even these rich, powerful bastards. Yet, I had heard something eerily familiar in their voices before.

I used to be like them. Not anymore.

"You're lying. He's lying," Young-Jin says confidently to his associates. I shrug and he gulps. "Right?" he asks in a small voice.

"You tell me," I say with a small smirk. I keep myself at a distance, and so the truth goes with me too. Hell if I'll let them know what I'm thinking. Not after what they did to Taemin.

"He's just angry because I insulted his little boyfriend," Young-Jin sneers nervously. "Grow up, Minho."

"No, you grow up," I snap. I slam my chopsticks onto the table. It's time for what I was building up to. Ice turns to lava as I stand abruptly. "Does a grown man torment and taunt a person that has a kid? Does a grown man make fun of someone that's been through more than the three of you combined?"

"Minho..." Young-Min says, but I silence him with a wave of my hand. It's my turn to say something, and they're going to ing listen.

"This deal's not going to work out," I say definitively. Their jaws hang open.

"Now let's not do anything rash," Young-Jin says shakily. I scoff and shake my head.

"Enjoy your meal," I say coldly. I leave as they throw pleas and insults at my back. They hit an icy wall.

           

"Taemin?" Onew calls out softly as he drives. I look up in response, still in a daze.

"N-Neh?" I ask. He looks into my reflected eyes.

"What was that all about, when he k-"

"I don't know," I say immediately. "I really don't..."

"Did you like it?" Onew asks. There's no bitterness or anything in his voice; there's just curious resignation.

"I-I guess," I stammer. "I don't know how to feel about it..."

The kiss had been hard and swift and forced. His lips had pressed onto mine for a swift second before he had started pulling away, and I couldn't even react. His mouth was red when I opened my eyes, and his face... It looked so fierce that for a moment, I thought we'd kiss again.

I touch my lips. They feel tender and fleshy. I swallow and my throat feels dry.

"Appa?" Yoogeun asks in a small voice. I look at him and he blinks watery eyes.

"Yes?" I ask, urging him to say whatever he wants to say.

"Why were those people so mean?" he asks, fear gliding over his face. I sigh.

"Because appa's different from them," I answer.

"Is that bad?" Yoogeun asks. His eyes widen at the very thought of me, his precious appa, being bad. I chuckle.

"No," I answer. "Not at all."

"Why was appa being so scary?" Yoogeun asks. I wonder what he's talking about until I remember the ice I had mounted around me.

"I was just..." I pause and try to choose my words.

"Your appa was protecting himself and you," Onew answers for me, reading the situation. I glance at him gratefully.

"Why was appa crying then?" Yoogeun asks.

"Because..." Because someone incredibly warm touched me and melted the ice. "Because Minho-appa was nice to me."

"Is Minho-appa different from them?" Yoogeun asks, gripping at my shirt. I'm about to open my mouth to say "no." No, he's not different. He's just like them.

Then I think; I think of all the times he's come to me, not as a demon, but as something good. As something... wonderful. Sure, he was an insufferable , but then he leaned on me. He trusted me. I trust him. I l-

"Appa?" Yoogeun squeaks. I look down and see him looking up at me with he stale question in his eyes.

"Yes," I answer. "He's very different from them." Onew raises an eyebrow, but I smile in my own little world.

I can still feel his lips.

             

A/N- So... Yeah. Short chapter, but I have my reasons... I'm grieving T^T My favorite teacher is leaving and I'm gonna miss that guy so much... I LOVE YOU HERR LAND!

*sniff*

But I came and saw my 404 subbies so I hauled and got this crappy chapter written up and I'm uploading from my iPod and I love you guys so much T^T

I'm sorry for the long A/N...

Anyway, pic link!

http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/17800000/2Min-shinee-17859559-1023-639.jpg 

More to come, Comments are love!