Taemin smiles when he hears Jinki's arrival. However his happiness is short lived when Jinki storms inside not bothering to spare him a hello or a kiss to the cheek. Taemin finds it a little offensive but says nothing.

"Hey babe-"

"Kibum doesn't want Hope coming over anymore." Jinki says in an exasperated tone.

"What?"

Jinki paces all the way to the patio and then stomps back inside. His square shoulders are stiff as board and his face set like sky on a rainy day. He's unnerved and there's no doubt about it. He inhales and exhales deeply. Jinki's anxiety is scaring Taemin each passing second.

"Did he give you a reason?" Taemin asks.

Jinki nods furiosuly. "Oh yes. Yes he did and a very good one too on his part." He claws his phone from his pocket, fingers slice across the screen in an attempt to recover the picure he took of Hope's knee when he had rushed to Kibum’s apartment earlier.

Taemin eyes squints at the image not discerining what excatly he's looking at. It's quite comical the way he contorts his face in order to get a better but all he sees a picture seeming to not have sufficient megapixels to have a good resolution. Or if he's being honest with himself, he doesn't care to peer at whatever Jinki's showing him.

"See that?" That's  Hope's knee. Apparently she fell when she was here with us last and Kibum is mad that she got hurt under my care. I wasnt even aware of this until he told me."

In Taemin's mind he's wondering why Jinki is taking this so hard. So she fell and hurt her knee. It'll heal in due time. It's selfish thinking, he knows. He can't stand how every issue is linked back to Kibum. He smiles bittely at the thought that he and Jinki talk more about Kibum and Hope than they do about themselves.

"Do you know what this means?" There is fire in Jinki's usual calm eyes. "It's fuel for him should he ever go to court and push for full custody. He can cite neglect and probably abuse if it should ever get that far." Jinki closes his eyes for a minute and takes a deep breath. "Kibum's adamant too that he tried contacting me the same night he saw the bruise but I ignored the calls." There's a series of hysterical laughter and clapping before Jinki continues. "As far as I'm concerned, i have no calls from him."

Taemin looks away when he hears that part. He remembers the incessant ringing in his post coital bliss. How can he forget when his brief moment of satisfaction , high off his husband's love making all disspated at the ring of the latter' s phone. It's unfair how he has to grab at those times like a needy housewife in the event that something concerning Kibum comes up and he's set aside for later.

"Sounds like something you need to take care of. " Taemin sighs and leaves the room, tired.

Jinki doesn't even notice a fraction of Taemin's indifference , as he's still precoocupied by Kibum's sudden decision to stop Hope visits.

"Bull!" He kicks at a tool and it topples over.

..........,

"Heyyy baby girl!!" Kibum puts down his glass of milk, crouches and opens his arms wide. Hope waits a while as if contemplating her next move before laughing and running into his arms. Oh it's such a fullfing feeling, such a perfect fit to have her in his arms.

"Do you want grapes?"

Hope nods, her pigtails bouncing up and down. Kibum smiles and fetches the furit from the fridge. After eating, he bathes Hope and packs a bag for her since she's spending a couple days with his sister. He needs to go out at least once or he's bound to go crazy.

He gets her things and sets for the road.

"Ugh!" He almost screams when he remembers the conversation with Jinki. He wants to string a line of curses and vent to the universe about Jinki's neglect in all of this but Hope's playing with a toy in the background and he rather continue that illusion of a amicable family with a visiting father that anything else.

Soon he's pulling into his sister's driveway and she rushes out to greet him.

"Where is she?!"

Kibum laughs and opens the back door to find Hope napping. Amber nudges him aside and grabs for the little girl and her bag.

"See you in three days, boo." She calls over her shoulder already on her way into the house.

"Wait, you only want me for my child? What kind of sibling are you?"

Amber continues walking.

"The kind that doesn't want you to be late for your date."

Oh yeah. That almost slipped his mind being caught up in this co -parenting thing.

"At least let me kiss her goodbye so at least she knows she's not kidnapped".

Amber picks up speed.

..

In reality after much prolonging of his visit and hesitation in getting back on the road, Kibum finally enters the cafe and sees him. There he is sunshine smile and every teenaged girl Prince charming if one is going by looks. He beckons over and Kibum earns a few stares from curious onlookers.

"For a minute there I thought I was in the wring place."

"I'm so sorry for being late."

"No worries, you're here now."

Kibum breathes a sigh of relief. This has potential. He's not really sure where he is at this point in time with his life but a social date can't make it any worse.

They order coffee and Dongwoon looks at him like he's looking at a work of art, he takes that he likes this attention when his heart picks up speed and his lips curve upward in smile.

....

After much internal bickering Kibum decides to leave with a hug and a promise of more dates. The craving to focus and channel his energy on something separate and apart from Jinki and his marriage is not getting any better. He's needs this distraction or diversion is else he's bound to fall within the realms of depression.

Amber has his daughter and oh Gosh he misses her so much and he's itching to go back for her. It's been a while since he's gone thone to an empty house and it's for that impending loneliness and silence awaiting him makes him want to bring his date back but that gesture has in and of itself has other promises and connotations attached to it.

"Jinki." His thoughts disperse once he sees Jinki on his doorstep.

"Hey." He does a little wave and remains seated. " I came by in the evening to diffuse the argument we had."

"I was out." Kibum offers the obvious, rubbing at his neck in a self conscious manner.

Jinki chuckles. "I see that." Those intense eyes of his focus in Kibum like a judge's glasses, full of scrutiny and judgement, making Kibum feel guilty and uncomfortable.

"Whoa!" Jinki says when kibum advances to the door and inserts his key. "He smells good."

"What?" Key is mortified.

"Whoever you were with smells wonderful. I can smell him on you."

He doesn't know what Jinki is insinuating at or if he's insinuating anything but it sure as hell feels like it or he's just being his paranoid self or the fact that jinki doesn't seem bothered by his night out.

"Forget I said anything." Jinki dismisses when he sees Kibum's eyes getting cloudy with a indiscernible emotion. He doesn't want to upset the other anymore. "So I guess I'll see Hope in a couple days when she gets back from Amber?"

Kibum nods.

"We can talk another time since it's so late now. " Jinki gets on his feet and shuffles a distance away. " I wanna do it when you've rested."

Kibum nods and forces the door open. It squeaks and groans in retaliation. He remembers prior to his daughter's birth, Jinki's frequent visits to his apartment, forcing entry through this very door only head to his bedroom and tear at each other's clothes.

" Goodnight, Kibum."

"Bye Jinki."

Departing footsteps tell him that's Jinki's leaving and it finds it strange, nostalgic even, the inclination to stop him and say stay for the night I'm lonely I miss you, I ...want you.

"Kibum get a grip of yourself."

When he enters and locks the door, he doesn't hesitate to rid himself of his casaul attire and immerse in a bath . He doesn't want to smell like Dongwoon.

..,.

"Taemin!" The surprise in Minho's voice jumps out at him. Minho glimpses to the side.

"Jae is not with me today. He went to visit his sister with Jinki." Taemin's explanation satisfies him.

Taemin is quite nervous. Hyes at a point where he thinks he's no longer able to make fair decisions because his husband fails to appreciate it. His eyes are tired of searching for lies etched across Jinki's features. His ears are tired of hearing about Kibum every dam time. His mind is exhausted with thoughts of Jinki cheating again. He's tired.

So when Minho smiles that gorgeous smile of his and makes way for him to enter, he tells himself he's doing nothing wrong. He's fighting his demons by becoming one.

Minho encirles his arms around his slim waist and nestles the crook of his neck. " I missed you." Minho's lips kisses the area that his breath ghosts over.

Taemin bites his lip and brings his arms around the other's neck. Minho detaches his lips from Taemin's neck.

"He doesn't deserve you."

Taemin forces a smile and lets Minho kiss him and leaves his fingerprint all over.

 This probably want Jinki is doing with Kibum right now. It's only fair.