Nam Taehyun was the slightly eccentric maknae of Winner. He had a knack for bringing home injured animals from a bird to dogs and cats. Once he even brought home a monkey. Having witness it all, s did not really blink an eye when he brought home something again but this time it was not an animal. It was something different altogether.

“This is not an alligator, Taehyunie. Seungyoon is going to nag like really bad. Good thing he is still at the studio” Seunghoon muttered as he opened the door after Taehyun knocked for a good 10 minutes.

“A little help would be good don’t you think, Hyung?”

The older guy sighed before going over to the other side, gingerly slipping his arm round the bleeding mess of a guy. Slowly, they made their way to the floor next to the couch and gently lay him down.

“I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you brought home a guy, a bleeding one no less.” Seunghoon commented still looking incredulous.

Taehyun patters about their dorm before taking a basin of warm water and a first aid kit before he knelt beside the semi unconscious guy and began cleaning him up.

“I thought I heard the maknae coming back. What is that?” Jinwoo yawned as he got out of the room and spotted the somewhat messy heap.

“It is more apt to use who, Jinwoo hyung.”  Seunghoon answered without looking up while he helped Taehyun with bandaging the guy up.

“He looks cute, in a tan muscular kind of rugged way.”

“If you ogle too much, Seungyoon hyung is going to kill you and probably him. Seriously, you both just get together already. It is painful to watch you both still dancing around each other for so long.” Taehyun rolled his eyes at their eldest member.

“Guys, I am home. Taehyunie, did you by chance bring some guy home because manager hyung is livid. Oh my god, manager hyung is so going to kill us. By the way, did you guys read the news, the crown prince died in a skiing accident? What is the reason this time? Shoot!” Seungyoon fired away with his habit of talking a mile a minute.

“I can’t possibly leave him there. There were guys in black chasing him so I had no choice but to hide him at the internet café then come back quickly as I could once they are gone.”

“One night, Taehyunie. Just for a night. He needs to be gone before manager hyung comes over.”  Seungyoon pinched the bridge of his nose.

Mino was floating along somewhere, all he remembered was breathing a sigh of relief that he managed to find Taehyun in the clouded haze of pain before everything out. He woke up later to find 3 pairs of curious eyes looking at him before landing onto a pair of worried ones right beside him.

“Name?” The doe eyed guy asked which Mino could not remember his name. Kim Jin something.

“Song Minho.” This is the 5^th time he was answering the same question.

“Age?”

“22.”

“Do you know who we are?” Some guy called Kang Seungyoon was asking him like a general. He must be the leader then, Mino thought to himself.

“Winner or somethin right? I just came back from Japan, i have not updated myself yet with the idol scene here.”

“Say something in Japanese.”

“Konnichiwa, watashiwa Minho desu.”

“Do you know him?” Seungyoon asked again, pointing at Taehyun.

“No I don’t.” Mino lied for now but he saw a look of surprise from the guy with the droopy eyebrows. He let his hair grew longer, Mino thought and it strangely suited him.

“Enough questioning and let the guy rest. We will let you say for one night then you need to leave tomorrow. Sorry about the poor patchwork, it is the best we can do.” Seunghoon cut in.  

Mino looked at the various band aids plastered on his arms to his sloppily bandaged ribs. Thanking god it was just bruising and no deep cuts, no major injuries that was going to cause more alarm.

“It is ok. Thank you for your help.” Mino bowed as low as his pain would allow him to.

The guys shuffled out leaving Taehyun and him still in the kitchen, finally alone. Wanting something to do with his hands, Taehyun began to rummage the fridge for the sandwiches that he carefully tucked awsy. Offering one to Mino, he sat silently across from the injured guy.

“Thanks for bringing me here.”

“Sorry I was not in time.”

“No, your timing is perfect. Any earlier, it would have been complicated. Anyway, I looked for you immediately once the news came out.”

“I am sorry about Siwon hyung. Have you been summoned back?”

“Not officially yet but soon. I am sure they are in frenzy since they need to rethink the succession plans again. I don’t think it will be us. I mean I am not directly in line yet. There is Jiyong hyung.”

“I see. You have a point.” Taehyun nodded tentatively.

“Anyway, I need to tell you that I can’t fulfill the promise.” Mino supplied softly, cutting through the thick air of awkwardness and silence.

It was barely a whisper but Taehyun heard it clearly.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Here the list, I want you to take it and read it carefully.” A 11 year old Taehyun, passed a neatly folded piece of paper to the then 12 year old Mino.

He got back the paper 30 minutes later and sigh.

Reasons why we won’t work out:

1. I am introvert. You are an extrovert.
2. 1 like music. You love hardcore rap.
3. I am neat. You are messy.
4. I enjoy quiet. You are just too loud.

The list went on with each item crossed out until the end of the paper with Mino’s signature messy scrawl.

But I love you nammie!

~~~~~~~~~~

hihi, i think having too much free time apart from work is a bad thing... i have too many stories on hand... but i wanted to write something light hearted after sins so i put this story in line to write first.

Hope you all like it.. let me know yuor thoughts! Love to hear from you.