Hello! I'm back. I was suppose to update sooner. but I got so sick that I had to take a break.

Enjoy!

Plans

Taemin was with Jongin for the whole day, since he wanted to give Jinki and Jungah time for one another. He knew Key, Jonghyun, and Minho won't be home until sometime tonight so instead of spending the entire day with the couple, he went out with Jongin.

He needed to get his mind to come clean with what he really wanted because one day he'd say that he'll give up on the leader, then the next he'd say that he'll continue loving him even if he gets hurt.

The dancer remembered that he told the leader his ual orientation this morning. He regretted it though, he knew that Jinki would be disgusted. He couldn't take the face Jinki made when he was informing that he was going to leave. It looked like he didn't care about the younger boy anymore.

Why did I have to love him?

He thought out loud thinking Jongin wouldn’t hear it. He was thankful that he didn't say his previous thoughts out loud because he knew that the younger would continue to ask questions.

"Because... he’s been there for you when you went through toughest times of your life. And because you know him better than anyone else." Jongin replied as he looked towards Taemin who taking in the scenery in front of them.

"But why did it have to be him? For sake he's my hyung, member, leader even. Why did it have to be him?" Taemin said as he let out a frustrated cry as he pulled his knees close to himself, his eyes started to tear up once again as he couldn't control it.

A few minutes of silence past them after what Taemin said, since the younger didn't know what else to say. Actually... he did, but he had no clue to how to start it off, knowing what he was going to say was a bit off topic.

"Hyung..." Taemin hummed back, informing the other that he was listening. "Do you remember when you helped me get Kyungsoo?"

​"Of course, it was the happiest moment you've ever been, well... aside from debuting." Taemin replied with a chuckle. "What… did you tell me?" Taemin pondered for a moment until he remembered. The thought made him not want to voice out what he said back then because he knew that his long-time friend would only tell him to do what he told him.

"Hyung?..." Jongin spoke, he really wanted to help the dancer, so the first thing to do was to make him speak. "I said that... If you want someone you truly care about, you have to do whatever it takes to have that person know…"

"Yeah... so... why aren't you doing that? Why are you giving up so easily when you're the kind of maknae who's always used to getting what he wants?"

"Yah!" Taemin slapped. "I'm just saying, please don't give up just yet." Jongin continued as he rubbed his bruised arm. "I can't do what you're asking me to do... hyung is taken, dating. DATING. And when I said what I said in the past, I knew Kyungsoo had feelings for you as well." He spoke.

Jongin didn't know what to say, he ran out of words to say, but he knew... he knew Jinki had feelings for Taemin, It's just that Jinki was having troubles from telling the difference between what his mind and heart was telling him.

Soon after, the younger noticed Taemin crying lightly into his knees. He pulled Taemin into a hug as the other began to cry openly, yet trying to not let a sound out. Taemin knew that the situation he entered was making his emotions be shown freely each time he was reminded that he wasn't going to get a chance with Jinki, but he guessed that's how love likes to play. Once you've secured with someone, love has to meddle through, with no point but to just hurt you in the end.

"Hyung… just don't give up, you have to be strong. You've been holding onto this even before you debuted. You can't give up now." Jongin whispered into Taemin's hair. "I-I can't… you don't know how much it hurts Jongin" He hiccuped through his words. "You don't." He finished, saying the last part in a quieter tone but still audible.

"He doesn't, but I do." Could be heard a few feet from them.

Taemin looked up to see all s except for Jinki just a few feet from where he was sitting. He wondered how the others found them but he came to conclusions that Jongin probably texted the trio about where they were at.

"Jonghyun hyung..."

"Taemin-ah. I know how you feel… I've felt it before..." The singer said as he knelt down in front of the tear-stained boy, patting the boy's hair.

"How d-did you know I w-would be here?" He looked up with his teary eyes while Jongin was still holding him. He still wanted to know how the other found him, because not once did he see Jongin take out his phone.

"Mianhae..." was all Jongin could say, Jongin understood that his friend wanted to be alone with him right now but he ran out of words to comfort the other. Which left him sending a message to Jonghyun secretly asking for help. Taemin ignored Jongin, wondering how the older singer could possibly understand him.

"H-how? How do you know how I f-feel? You're happy. You have the person you love right beside you." He pointed at Kibum as proof that Jonghyun did have the person he loves right beside him. Having seeing this, the only thing the rest did was press their lips together, keeping it shut because Taemin was right... somehow.

The couple motioned Jongin to go with Minho so that they can have a talk with the broken boy. They knew that Jongin was having difficulties comforting Taemin since he wasn't too experienced with love, so it was good the younger thought of telling Jonghyun where they were at.

Now here's the thing, Jonghyun and Key... well it wasn’t always rainbows and butterflies when it came to their story. Key was straight while Jonghyun was not. The vocalist knew he had feelings for the younger way back then but he also knew he couldn't do anything about it at that time. He was like Taemin to say the least. Just like him, Taemin was now scared that he might break the special friendship he created with the leader if the other found out that he looked at him as something more.

Taemin knew Jinki had a 50-50 percent chance of figuring out his feelings but what can he do now? He already admitted what he wanted to keep from the leader— that he was gay. All he can think of now 'wait and see what fate has planned for us'.

3-4 years ago Jonghyun was scared too, he didn't want to lose the friendship that meant so much to him but he surpassed the fears. He surpassed all the negativity that entered his head even if he thought he had a lower chance of owning Key's heart.

The reason Jonghyun and Key are together now was all because of Taemin. Jonghyun knew that if the younger didn't meddled into his problems he wouldn't be here with the person he loves, comforting the younger.

Kibum knew what Jonghyun was planning to say, after all, he was the reason why Jonghyun's heart was shattered long ago.

As Jongin stood up to leave, Taemin pleaded with his eyes to stay with him and reached out only to have Jongin say that he needed this. Everyone knew he needed this, but Taemin was running away from it.

The couple sat down at both sides of the maknae, taking one hand into theirs. In the first few minutes, they sat there as if they had all the time in the world. Jonghyun knew they were staying there longer than needed so he looked at the dancer, squeezing the hand a bit. Taemin was still sobbing quietly along with small hiccups but he wanted to do the opposite, he wanted to badly yell from where he was because now would be the right time to let things out.

"Taemin-ah, you know why I know how you feel?" Jonghyun started as Key kept his eyes focused on the hand he was holding, listening as well. "Please share, I'd rather listen to anything you both have to say than listen to my thoughts."

"Okay. Well, remember when you caught me crying in our room probably 3-4 years ago?"

Taemin pondered for a bit but after a few seconds he gave a hum, recalling the dreadful event in his mind. "Do you remember what the reason was about?"

"Of course. It was about Kibum hyung…" Taemin whispered because now it hit him. It hit him hard that his hyung cried for Key. Yes, he was mature for his age even back then but he was also young— naive. He wanted to learn love on his own so it hit him now that starting this conversation may be uncomfortable to his friend he sometimes called 'umma'.

"Do you remember why I was crying?"

"Neh... You said it's because you loved hyung a lot that it hurt." They both glanced at Key right after Taemin replied. Once Jonghyun knew Key wanted him to continue, he spoke again. "It's pretty self explanatory Tae and that's why I know how you feel."

At first Taemin didn't get where this was going, he knew but what did this have to deal with Jinki and him? He had no idea until he remembered exactly what happened on the day he caught the elder crying his heart out. “Taemin-ah, I don't really know what else I can say at this point but do remember what you told me?"

The dancer knew but he didn't want to voice it out. He got the idea that his hyung will most likely say the same thing he said in the past. Which made him feel worse because if he knew how the other felt before, he would've gave the other a better advice. But that was the 'better' advice because if he hadn't given that advice, then both his hyungs wouldn't be happy together.

Taemin didn't realize that he was taking up so much time just by thinking about a better advice to give others until he heard someone else speak up. “Taemin-ah… What did you say?" This time Kibum was the one who grabbed his attention. The rapper noticed that he hadn't done or said anything to Taemin since he sat beside him, so the least he could do was grab his attention.

"I-I said that you shouldn't give up on someone you've been longing for, for the longest time because you never know what you'll miss if you give up now."

Kibum looked at the younger with wide eyes as the dancer was finishing his sentence with a sigh. He knew Taemin was mature but he never knew that he was as wise too. Key couldn't believe Jinki had been blind to see this side of Taemin when they were always together. This made him want to help the maknae even more. He now knew he had to thank the younger, because now, he was happy than he could ever be in his life but saying a simple 'thank you' wouldn't be enough. If Taemin didn't say anything to comfort Jonghyun, he and Jonghyun wouldn't even be where they were now.

"Tae-Taemin?" The rapper called again.

"Hmm?"

"Was all you said t-true?"

"Yeah… why?" Taemin faced the other innocently with dried tears on his face.

Key gave Jonghyun the most loving look and Jonghyun knew what the other was thinking immediately. They both just worked like that. No one needed to speak, all they needed was that loving gaze they gave each other everyday. They were meant to be together and they both wanted to help the younger. They both wanted the maknae to feel the exact feelings they both oozed from each other.

"N-Nothing..."

From the side Taemin saw Jonghyun take out his phone, contacting the person who would help them continue the conversation. "Kai, come here."

Still on the phone, they saw Jongin running up to them as the rapper of SHINee walked behind. Jongin sat in front of the three, having Minho sit beside him as well. Once everyone was nice and comfortable, Jonghyun took a deep breathe as if saying he'd like to start where they left off.

"Kai how did you and Kyungsoo get together?" Jonghyun asked. “Oh…” he blushed. “Hyung told me to not give up on the person I want to be with the most..."

"Wah… I have a thing for that sentence huh?" Taemin chuckled. "Yes and now we're telling you to follow it."

"But you guys don't get it. It was easy for you because the other liked you as well!"

"Actually... I was dating a girl when you caught Jjong crying…" Key interrupted. "Huh!?" Minho and Taemin asked, shocked while Kai only looked like a fish out of water because he didn’t know what was going on.

"And that's why I cried…" The vocalist said with hand gestures. "Hyung, how come you didn't tell me?" Taemin asked while he grabbed the vocalist's arm, shaking it. "Well… I waited for Bummie to tell us but he didn't."

"Yeah… sorry about that…"

"But key hyung if you were dating a woman, how did you end up with Jonghyun hyung? He is a guy after all…" Taemin asked, the conversation was now giving him hope. Hope that he will be able to date and love the person he's been longing for openly.

"Easy. She broke up with me, because she felt that I loved someone else… At first I didn't understand why she said that… but when I saw you and Jjong always together, I got... jealous." There was a few seconds of silence until Jonghyun and Taemin chuckled together. This made Jonghyun and Taemin look at one another in a knowing look before actually laughing.

"Wait... did I miss something?" Key cocked a brow. "We... we were spending more time together to make you jealous. Didn't think it would work." Taemin said in between giggles.

"You… you guys did that on purpose!" He yelled as he stood up. "Well, Taemin said he knew it would work…"

"We did that with Kyungsoo too, and now we're together..." Jongin interrupted as he showed his widest grin, upon hearing this Key sat down again. "Oh yeah! You guys should've seen Jongin’s face when Kyungsoo blew up!" Taemin laughed out loud as if he wasn't crying earlier. Though he stopped laughing shortly after noticing that the four was looking at him with the same expression etched on their faces.

"What?"

"Let's make Jinki jealous!" The four shouted at once. "What?! No that won't work." He said as he shook his head worriedly.

"Never hurts to try~" They replied as they wiggled their brows. They kept looking at him in the most unattractive way possible until he answered. "Fine, if I was to agree though who would be the other guy?"

"So it's a deal!" Jonghyun shot up as Jongin and Minho pulled the dancer up dragging him to the car.

"Wait what?! Ani! I didn’t agree yet!" The dancer struggled and tried to fight the two off. Normally he would be able to free himself but since he used up all his energy crying he gave up mid way.

"Yet~" Key teased, reminding Taemin that he still replied with a 'yet'. "But noona's still there! It won't work!" He yelled. "And how do you know that? She probably left by now~" Key said in a teasing tone once again. "I... I don't know…"

"Exactly!" Jongin jumped in excitement. As they were walking to the car, Taemin knew that arguing with the four wouldn't change anything. Instead he readied himself as to when he agrees verbally. Once they got into the car, Minho and Jongin sat at both his sides while the couple was at the front.

"So… who's going to help?"

"Are you saying that you agree to what we're planning?" Jonghyun said a bit too cheerfully as he started the engine. "Yes, now tell me before I change my mind."

"Me, of course." A low voice from his left spoke. "But, why you?"

"Well… actually it's going to be both me and Jongin since hyung already knows that you go out with Jongin frequently, we can make him think you both go on secret dates or something."

"What about Kyungsoo?" This time he turned to Kai. "Already texted him while we were getting you into the car, which took so long. Jeez, seriously hyung, you can be a drama queen."

"No can do! That spot is taken by me!" Key interrupted but Jongin ignored him and continued speaking, earning a glare him a glare from Key. "He said it was okay, he'll let this happen to say thank for everything you've done." With that Taemin broke into a small smile. He couldn't believe he's been helping people for the longest time without even knowing it.

"What's the plan?"

"Easy. Act a bit more touchy with those two and don't touch or pay attention to hyung." Jonghyun replied as he was driving out of where he parked.

"I do not touch him." The dancer said with his arms crossed.

"Yeah okay there hyung... what about the thigh touches during live interviews?" Jonghyun butted in. Taemin had a confused face on which made Key squeal.

"Aww… Jjongie he's so deeply in love, he doesn't even know he does it!" Key squealed. With wide eyes Taemin replied. "D-do I really?"

"Yes!" They all said.

Upon hearing this, Taemin sank himself into the car seat wanting it to pull him into a deep black hole so that he couldn't get embarrassed much further.

***

As they were driving back to the dorm, Taemin remembered what he did in the morning. He remembered he wrote on a sticky note saying he was gay. He remained silent though, knowing that he could use this in the plan as well. He agreed with himself that he would tell Jongin though, since both of them can think of what the other was thinking right away.

Just outside the building's door, they went over the procedure. Key acted out what Taemin should be doing when Jinki was around. They also told the dancer that they'll keep doing this until the end of the week or whenever Taemin wanted to stop.

The couple were the first to enter the dorm, as Minho, Jongin, and Taemin got ready.

Jinki heard the door open, hearing footsteps right after, he walked out of his room to see if Taemin came back. Also because he wanted to hang out with him. All this time of being left alone, he was waiting for the younger. All day he planned out what they were going to do, knowing that the others won't be back just yet.

"Minnie?" He called.

"Oh hyung!"

Jinki stood in his spot disappointed that it wasn't Taemin but instead the happy couple of his group. He was also disappointed because he knew he won't be able to hang out with his favorite dongsaeng since the maknae liked to hang out with the others now.

"You guys are back?" Jinki said with disappointment obvious in his voice.

How am I supposed to hang out with Taemin with you guys around?

Obviously Jinki didn't care if Taemin was gay or not, at least he was Taemin right? And at least he was telling Jinki things Jinki wanted to know right? Taemin told Jinki a secret he knew the other was trying to hide so to him it meant Taemin already forgave him.

"Yeah... Tae-baby will be back with Minho and probably Jongin as well in a few minutes." Just when Key finished what he needed to say, the trio walked in laughing. They walked in as if they were the only ones in the room and they made it seem like they didn’t care about the others present.

"Aww hyungie that's so funny!" Taemin said as he caressed Minho’s arm. The three walked into the dorm with Jongin's arms around Taemin's waist and Minho's face close to Taemin’s. It's been long since Taemin used 'hyungie' in a sentence, the last was a few months ago when he called for Jinki.

Before Jinki started dating, Taemin would always call him 'hyungie' Jinki thought he found it annoying when Taemin did but upon hearing it, he missed it so much and only wanted the younger to call him that and no one else.

Jinki watched the trio walk in, seeing them intimately close to one another made him feel the same feeling he had before. Also, hearing Taemin say 'hyungie' to another person almost made his heart tingle. He also didn't like how the three were close to one another remembering that Taemin admitted that he was in fact gay in the note that was left for him.

"Minnie?"

Taemin ignored the leader and acted as if he was paying close attention to the two beside him.

"Mi-Minnie?" Jinki called again. Trying again, he didn't mean to make his voice waver but he guess it was because of the feeling he was getting in his stomach. The leader noticed he's been getting these feelings way too often now and he knew it was bad.

"Oh Onew hyung, didn't see you there..." Taemin finally spoke. He knew this wasn't part of the plan but he knew it worked. He knew the leader would notice that he used 'Onew' instead of 'Jinki'.

Crack

The leader didn't like hearing Taemin call him 'Onew hyung' instead of 'Jinki hyung'. He didn't, it sounded so wrong to him. Taemin never called him 'Onew hyung' well aside from live shows and such, but that was acceptable. On camera Taemin called him Onew, off camera, Taemin called him Jinki. And now that he said Onew instead, made the leader's heart crack.

Is this the end of our friendship Minnie?

Jinki didn't like how Taemin was slowly drifting from him. He knew it was his fault at first but now... Taemin was the one causing it to break further.

"Come on Jongin-ah, we should go to my room to talk~" Taemin grabbed his friend, rushing to the said room.

Taemin made it sound provocative but acted as if he didn't mean it a second after so that Jonghyun, Key, and Minho would think it was said by accident but they were still shocked. The four that were left in the living room were all shocked. The other three knew it was all acting and that it wasn't intended since it pretty much showed on Taemin's face right after he said it but it was still shocking to them.

***

Once the pair entered room, Taemin locked the door giggling. The two dancers began to laugh and they high-fived each other, making sure it was quiet, so the others didn’t hear.

Before entering the dorm, a plan was made up. Taemin and Jongin actually planned that they should make themselves look like lovers but in a way still look naturally friendly to the others, the older dancer also told Jongin that he told Jinki this morning that he was gay.

Taemin should be upset and not be playing pranks, but even if Taemin was heart-broken, he still wanted to have some fun. He was still the maknae after all.

"Hyung, what should we do?" Jongin whispered as he sat down on Taemin's bed. "Massage me..." Taemin casually replied. "And... why would I do that?"

"Kyungsoo always told me you were good that these things…  And after all the schedules, dancing, and crying... I feel sore..." Taemin dragged the last parts, grinning afterwards. "Fine. Lay on your stomach." Jongin knew he had no say in this, knowing the elder won't stop with the whining so he just let it happen. Taemin followed what he was told to do, grabbing his phone so that he doesn't get bored. Jongin sat on him, lifting the shirt up just up to the dancer's shoulders.

As soon as he started to massage the other boy, Taemin moaned because of how good it felt. The pair suddenly thought about the same thing at the same moment.

Liking where this was going.

Taemin turned around, while Jongin stayed on top of him. They both looked at one another, noticing that their eyes told them the same. Jongin leaned down towards the dancer, causing his hair to brush over Taemin's cheeks. They whispered their plans into the other's ears. Jongin stayed sitting on the other, as he looked down at the flushed face beneath him. Liking that they both thought the same thing at this very moment.

They smiled...

Hoped you enjoyed reading! I'm really sorry for not updating early.

Forgive me!

✌