CHAPTER 9

                      Key finally gathered the courage. He headed over to the café where he and Jonghyun always went. He finally perfected the song he wrote.

                      He hopes Jonghyun would be there to listen to his song. He wrote it for him, after all. Then again, he wasn’t exactly sure how Jonghyun would react. Quickening his pace, he finally arrived at the café.

                      He smiled to the owner of the café. He greeted the owner, who was a friend, and asked politely if he could sing there later in the evening. There was a corner in the café where part-time singers are usually hired to perform to entertain the customers and boost their business. Key knew that tonight, there was nobody to sing there. It was a weekday and the café has lesser customers on weekdays compared to the weekends. The owner agreed.

                      Okay. Now the next step in my mission. Key thought to himself as he pulled out his phone. He called Onew.

                      “Onew hyung? Can you do me a favor? Please? I’ll buy you chicken in return.” Key bribed his hyung.

                      “You know I would help you even if you didn’t offer chicken. But since you did offer me chicken, I won’t say no. Why? What’s up?” Onew asked.

                      “Get Jonghyun to come down to the café at 6pm.” Key said simply.

                      “Okay.” Onew said. He didn’t question what Key asked him to do. He trusted Key to know what he was doing. After all, he had a date with Alice tonight at 7pm. He really didn’t care much about what Key and Jonghyun would do as long as he gets to his date on time.

                      “Alright. Thank you. Chicken’s on me.” Key said.

                      “No problem. I need some advice on what to wear though. I’ve got a date tonight.” Onew wanted to impress Alice tonight. And of course, who had better fashion sense than Key?

                      “With Alice noona? Okay. Go for the outfit in the right side of your closet. It has a tag on it that reads ‘for date purposes’. I prepared the outfit for you a few days ago when I had nothing to do.” Key answered Onew.

                      “Okay. Thanks! You’re the best little bro ever! Wait. Hold on a second. HOW DID YOU KNOW IT’S WITH ALICE NOONA?!” Onew raised his voice a few octaves higher.

                      “Heh. Did I or did I not catch you giggling to yourself when you reread her text messages? Have I or have I not lived in the same apartment with you for the past week? I mean, come on, hyung. The way you blush every time she calls you. It’s totally obvious. And… I checked your laptop. You have her photo as your screensaver! Don’t kill me and good luck with your date! Don’t forget about Jonghyun okay?” Key chuckled, hanging up before Onew could scream at him.

**********

                      Jonghyun was watching TV when he heard the doorbell ring. Actually, he wasn’t really watching TV. The TV was , but he was just staring at it, not actually watching the program on it. He couldn’t get Key out of his head.

                      He opened the door to find Onew standing outside. He stepped aside to let him in and was surprised when Onew went straight into his room. Onew threw open the cupboard door and pulled out a couple of shirts.

                      “Get dressed. We’re going somewhere.” Onew said simply.

                      “Well, for starters, if I got dressed, I wouldn’t put those on. Key totally warned me never to pair those shirts with that pair of neon pink colored skin tight jeans.” Jonghyun said.

                      Oh crap. Did I just..? Sigh. I’ve been thinking about him too much. And his fashion sense and nagging has really rubbed off on me. Jonghyun suddenly saddened.

                      Onew looked at Jonghyun knowingly.

                      “You miss him, don’t you?” Onew asked gently.

                      “More than you know.” Jonghyun could feel the tears welling up but he tried to hold them back.

                      “Just trust me and get dressed. I’ll wait for you in the living room. I’m only giving you ten minutes so hurry up.” Onew said, heading into the living room.

                      Jonghyun sighed. Wherever Onew was bringing him, it had better be worth it. He looked through the clothes in his closet before finding a shirt he didn’t realize was in there. It was a couple shirt that Key bought for the both of them when they were on a date.

                      He smiled and put it on. It was black. Key had the same design, but Key’s one was white. He was ready in minutes and headed out with Onew.

                      He was surprised when they arrived at the café he usually went with Key. He looked to Onew in surprise but Onew just smiled at him.

                      “Go on in. I have to go.” Onew said with a mysterious smile, walking away.

                      Jonghyun walked into the café, curious. He sat down at the corner of the café, in front of the mic where they usually hired part-time singers to perform. He ordered his usual drink and waited. He didn’t know what he was waiting for, really.

                      He was looking down at his phone, texting Taemin when he heard a familiar voice speak into the mic. His heart skipped a beat as he looked up and found the eyes of the man the loved.

**********

                      Key was nervous. It had been a while since he performed in public. The café only had a few customers, but there was only one person there that he would be singing for. His heart had skipped a beat when he saw Jonghyun walk in. Jonghyun didn’t notice him and was texting someone on his phone.

                      Finally, he took a deep breath and walked in front of the mic.

                      “Good evening. I’m not a part-time singer and I’m not going to perform tonight for you. I’m dedicating this song I wrote to someone I love. I hope you enjoy it though.” He said to the customers, but his eyes never left Jonghyun’s. His nervous energy was gone the moment Jonghyun looked up and looked him in the eyes.

                      Key sat down on the high stool, propped his guitar on his leg and started strumming while singing. Jonghyun kept his eyes locked on him, and to be honest, Key couldn’t take his eyes off Jonghyun either.

                      He started to sing.

                      “I was a fool

                      I was a fool to doubt you

                      I was a fool to hurt you

                      When all you ever gave me

                      Was everything you had

                      I was a fool

                      I was a fool who fell for you

                      I was a fool who loved you, oh

                      Though it wasn’t something I

                      Could ever regret

                      If I had a chance,

                      To turn back time

                       [Chorus]

                      It was my fault

                      My own insecurities

                      My own stupidity

                      Why did I let you go?

                      I want you to know

                      I’m sorry

                      I was a fo-” Key was cut off when Jonghyun walked towards him, pulled him into his arms and kissed him long and hard.

                      The customers gasped. They finally recognized Jonghyun. “Holy crap! Isn’t that Kim Jonghyun, the singer?!” One customer exclaimed.

                      Jonghyun didn’t hear them. All he could see was Key.

                      Key pushed him away. “Jonghyun! ! What are we going to do now?!” Key panicked. He didn’t think that Jonghyun would kiss him like that in public.

                      Jonghyun finally noticed the shocked customers in the café. He just smiled. “Who cares? You forgive me, right? I don’t care what people say anymore.” Jonghyun pulled out the crumpled letter from his pocket.

                      He took the mic in his hand and read the letter aloud to Key. Key looked at him in both horror and happiness. When Jonghyun had finally finished reading, some of the customers erupted in cheers while some looked disgusted.

                      “Oh dino, I’m so sorry.” Key said, sobbing into Jonghyun’s chest. He missed crying into Jonghyun’s chest. For the past week, he had been crying himself to sleep every night. The worst part was that he cried alone. He didn’t want Onew to know how broken he was.

                      “No, I’m sorry. But it’s over now. Nothing else matters.” Jonghyun said, crying into Key’s neck. Jonghyun just noticed that Key was wearing the white shirt. Their couple shirt.

**********

                      Minho could feel himself getting weaker every day. Taemin was still on vacation with his parents. They talked on the phone every day and Minho forced himself to sound cheerful and healthy. He still hasn’t told Taemin that he was dying soon. He couldn’t bear to tell him.

                      Finally, after the vacation with his family, Taemin came back to Seoul. He went to the hospital to visit Minho the second he got out of the airport. To his surprise, there was another patient in Minho’s hospital room.

A/N :

In case you were wondering, Jongkey's couple shirt is like this -

Whoo yeah. Jongkey is together again :D

And well.. Minho D; Sigh. Well the next chapter is the last one already ):

LOVE YA, READERS AND SUBSCRIBERS :D