It was those goddamn candies again. I could smell them from the other side of the couch.

I regretted buying them the first time Jjong reached over to the coffee table, plucked one out of the bowl, and popped it into his mouth.

I had found them in the grocery store and I immediately threw a bag of them into the shopping cart. They were guava candies, my favorite fruit, and I had just recently run out of the mints that usually sat in the bowl on the coffee table.

I thought they would be a nice change.

I couldn't be more wrong.

They were absolute torture.

Those candies, they smelled exactly like the fruit.

They were just as delicious as they smelled, and they had become an addiction. Not only for me, but apparently Jjong, too.

Every time we sat on the couch, flipping through channels, relaxing after practice, he would have one of those candies in his mouth.

They just smelled so damn good, and the scent just clung to Jonghyun.

It didn't help that every once in a while he would pick up his phone from the coffee table and squint at the shattered screen with the small candy between his front teeth.

I had emptied the bowl as soon as he went to sleep in attempt to get rid of the horrid little things. And by emptied, I mean I ate all of them.

The stupid candies had reappeared in the bowl the day after. I had glared at them from the front door. Those tiny little green wrappers just glimmering, laughing at me.

I almost ripped my hair out when I opened a cupboard in the kitchen looking for some pain killers for Taemin who had a headache. There they were again, several bags of those tiny candies.

I slammed the cupboard shut and moved on onto the next.

I just couldn't get rid of them.

Their scent was intoxicating and delicious, even more so when they were mixed with Jonghyun.

I had a hard time staying away from him already.

I fidgeted on the couch, ignoring the anime he was watching, fighting every bone in my body not to throw myself at Jonghyun and see if he tasted as good as those damn candies.

Maybe he tasted even better.

I couldn't even say a word to him, afraid to risk more of that wonderful, sweet scent wafting out of his mouth.

"I'm going to bed, Jjong." I sighed, getting up from the couch.

"Alright, Bummie. I'll be in in a little bit, don't wait up though." he said, flashing me one of those toothy smiles.

My heart fluttered slightly. I couldn't figure out if it was because of his use of my nickname, the smile, or the scent of those stupid candies.

It was probably all three though.

It was probably just Jonghyun.

I practically ran out of the room before my thoughts could wander anywhere that would drag me closer to the scent of those candies.

As of it wasn't hard enough to stay away from him already. 
 

The next afternoon, I sat with Minho on the couch and Taemin sprawled out on the floor.

Onew was somewhere in the kitchen, looking for snacks.

Jonghyun was nowhere in sight and I was glad.

I don't think I could handle him or the scent of guava at the moment.

I had caught myself looking at him too often during practice. He had caught me a few times, too.

I blushed ridiculously often thinking that he had to be trying to look at me to catch me.

I had kept myself in check for years around him, and I wasn't going to ruin our perfect friendship because of some stupid candies.

I knew exactly how I felt, I was in love with the moron, but how the hell did he feel?

He confused me too much, too often.

Fanservice was almost too much for my poor heart to handle. It also didn't help that Jjong was the skinship king.

His personality was enough to deal with.

Every single thing about him just screamed, Kibum, come get me!

Those strong arms of his, those big puppy eyes, that dorky laugh, his voice, his bright, goofy personality, everything.

Onew plopped down in between Minho and me on the couch and munched on potato chips obnoxiously loud.

I ignored him as best I could while I glared daggers at those candies.

Jjong walked out of our room, phone in hand, and plopped himself, face down, on the living room floor next to Taemin.

"Bummie~" he called me, voice muffled in the carpet, "pass me a candy?" he mumbled.

"No." there was no way in hell I was going to aid him in my own torture.

"But, Bummie! They're too far away!" he said, rolling over, giving me his most potent puppy eyes.

I almost caved.

Almost.

"You're not a kid, Jonghyun. Come get it yourself." I said, avoiding looking at him.

He just pouted and turned to ask Minho and Onew, and they both refused. They were all just lazy.

Those damn candies are making everything worse. I can't even look at him without blushing anymore.

Did his lips always look that soft?

Before I knew it, he was crawling towards the couch on hands and knees.

He grabbed a handful of candies and sat down on the floor, his back supported by the couch near my legs.

"I'm an independent man, and I don't need no Kibum." he grumbled, popping a candy into his mouth, picking up his phone.

"Oh, yeah? How about you cook and clean for yourself from now on?" I said, smacking the back of his head, trying to ignore the scent.

Thank god I couldn't see his face.

"Key! Damn it! It hurts!" he yelped, turning around to glare at me.

Over dramatic dinosaur...

"Don't be such a baby, Jjong! That was nothing!"

"Not that Key!"

He then holds up his hand.

Blood dripping down his thumb.

"This." he pouts at me, and I immediately feel guilty.

Minho yelps at the sight of blood, and Taemin laughs at him.

"Oh god. Key, go help him get that cleaned off before he stains anything. I can't hold down my chips for much longer..." Onew clutches his stomach and looks away.

They're all babies.

Except my Taebaby.

He's a man that doesn't flinch at the sight of blood.

I grabbed Jonghyun by the hand, the one not currently almost dripping with blood, and dragged him to the kitchen.

I smacked his arm once I had him seated on top of the counter next to the sink

"Idiot! I told you to get that damn phone fixed!" I scolded him.

"Now you're blaming it on me? It's your fault my finger's all messed up!"

"Well, this wouldn't have happened if you had gotten it fixed!"

I felt bad, but, god, he was irritating me!

I the tap, and put his hand under the running water, telling him to keep it there.

I opened the cupboard to get the first aid kit, and I had to claw through the freaking bags of those damn candies to get it out of the back.

"Why the hell do you like those damn candies so much? You're always eating them!" I yelled at him, not having enough courage to look at his face. I went through the kit and found some gauze pads to dab the cut dry.

I grabbed his hand out of the water and turned off the tap, waiting for a response that didn't seem like it was going to come.

"Key, I'll do it myself. I don't need youhelp." he then jerked his hand out of my grasp, already trying to get off the counter.

"If I let you do it by yourself, it'll probably end up getting infected. Give me your hand Jjong." I say, pushing his chest back, so he wouldn't be able to get off the counter.

Was he taking what I said earlier seriously?

Before he could even say another word, I looked him straight in the eyes.

"Give me your hand, right now. I swear, if you don't, I will not be gentle."

Reluctantly, he gave me his hand again, and I pat it dry with the gauze.

Grabbing the small disinfectant wipe, I mumbled, "This may hurt a bit, don't be a baby."

As I dabbed it, Jjong dejectedly whispered, "I rely on you too much. I'm sorry, Bummie..."

"I knew it." I whispered to myself.

"Jjong, I wasn't even serious about that earlier, I was just messing around." I said a little louder, enough for him to hear.

"I know you were, it's just that it's true, though. You do so much for me, I don't want to be a burden."

"Okay, did I smack you that hard? Are you insane?" I glared at him again, and took a deep breath.

That was a mistake.

He still had one of those candies in his mouth.

I hadn't noticed 'til then, but he smelled good.

Like Jonghyun and guava.

It made me blush, and it probably killed a few brain cells 'cause what I said afterwards, was the beginning of my fall.

I was doomed.

I stared at those puppy eyes, and that sad expression, and I knew I was doomed.

"Look here, moron. I rely on you just as much as you rely on me. You will never be a burden to me. You are like family to me. I will take care of you, just like I know you will take care if me. Now let me clean this damn thing before you pass out from blood loss or something."

"You don't need me though, I'm just-" I could feel his eyes on me, and I was angry. I cut him off before he could even finish the sentence.

"I need you more than anyone, okay? Oh god, that was cheesy... but it's true, damn it! I need you, don't you dare say otherwise! Sure you piss me off all the time, but you keep me sane! Tell me, how many times have I cried in front of you? How many times have I cried on your shoulder? How many times have you held me and comforted me? It sure as hell more times than I can count. You've always been there for me, even before we were in SHINee! You idiot! You're my best friend! How could I not need my best friend? I could say so many cheesy things about how you make me happy, and how you make this whole life worth it for me. Don't you dare tell me I don't need you."

I clutched his hand for a while, and he was quiet for so long...

He didn't even say a word as I put a large band aid over his cut, cleaned up all the mess, and put away the first aid kit.

He still hadn't said anything when I took a deep breath, the smell of delicious guava attacking my nostrils, tears burning in my eyes.

He didn't say anything when I walked away and locked myself in our room. 
 

I cried for a long while that night.

How could he not say anything?

I fell asleep with tears in my eyes, and that single thought running through my mind. 
 

The next morning, I woke up and I saw him in his bed, still asleep, facing me.

I was embarrassed.

I realized that I may have said too much, and overwhelmed him.

So I didn't have to face him just yet, I quickly got out of bed.

I walked silently out of the room, and into the kitchen.

It was about time I started working on breakfast anyway. 
 

I had decided on omelets, and I had eggs beaten, I had everything chopped, I just had one thing left.

The onion.

I usually had Jjong do it because I hated the feeling of crying because something as stupid as an onion.

I sliced it in in half, and pealed it.

Eyes already tearing up, I started to make small cuts, parallel to the chopping board.

I didn't hear Jjong come out of the bathroom, or stomp through the living room, so it sure was a surprise when he came up behind me and hugged me.

It was such a surprise, that I ended up cutting my thumb.

I could have laughed at the irony, but the tears in my eyes didn't want to let me.

My sharp intake of breath, and Jjong's chorus of 'I'm sorry' were enough to snap me out of my tears.

I quickly dashed to the sink before I could bleed anymore all over the place, and Jonghyun quickly followed.

"Key! Are you okay?" He said worriedly, his large puppy eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"I'm fine, Jjong, just get me the first aid kit." I mumbled, feeling weird because if the situation being reversed.

Once back to my side with the first aid kit, he cleared the counter next to the sink, and made me sit up on it.

We didn't talk as he patched me up.

After a while of holding my breath because of his proximity, I took a breath.

It wasn't even eight in the morning, yet he already had a guava candy in his mouth. I smiled a little bit, not looking away from my lap, my heart slightly fluttering.

"It's because they remind me of you." he mumbled softly, stepping back and walking over to the cupboard to put away the kit.

"Huh?" was the most intelligent answer I could come up with.

He walked back over to me, and I couldn't help but look at him.

His hair was in disarray, but I loved it. I'd usually say it made him look y, but that morning, it almost made him look even more tired than the dark circles under his eyes.

Although tired, his eyes were still the same gorgeous brown I always saw on the days when we stayed home and he didn't bother putting his contacts on.

There was no bluish ring around them from his contacts. His eyes were like chocolate mirrors, he was looking directly at me, and I could see myself.

I blushed when he began talking again.

I could smell the extra sweet guava scent all around us.

"The candies, they remind me of you. That's why I like them so much."

"How do they remind you of me? I don't think I've ever told you guava is my favorite fruit..." I said, staring at him blushing and confused.

He then blushed at me and looked down, placing his hand on my knee.

"You remember that concert in Mexico? Around my birthday? When we did, um, that one thing during "Hitchhiking" I could smell the on you... I think they had them backstage."

"Cut in wedges with honey drizzled over... I remember." I whispered, blush on my cheeks intensifying.

He chuckled a bit and looked back at me with those chocolate mirrors again.

My heartbeat accelerated, and I felt like I could fall off the face of the earth with him and be perfectly fine.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you this last night, but," he blushed even more, and he shyly looked down at his hand on my knee, "I love you, Bummie."

I grabbed him by his shirt, slid off the counter, and kissed him with everything I had.

We kissed for a long time.

It could have been centuries.

I couldn't think straight after the kiss, he left me breathless and lightheaded, my mind completely jumbled. Despite this, I knew only three things.

1. I knew I loved him.

2. His lips were just as soft as I thought.

3. He definitely tasted better than those damn candies.