Mino woke up with a bundle of Taehyun in his arms.

Somewhere light streamed into the room, coming from a window in the roof. It spilled over Taehyun’s hair that covered Mino’s chest and shoulders. A golden shine sparkled in a way that he had never seen before.

Mino tried to move but Taehyun was holding tightly his hands. One hand was on his chest and the other next to his head. One of his legs was snuck between Mino’s and they were so closely entwined…

Self control! Self control! Mino chanted to himself.

It was like the What if… came back to haunt him. However, this time it came back with a vengeance. The last thing he remembered was falling asleep in the darkness somewhere in the woods. Now, he was waking up in a sort of old but golden environment.

It was like a scene from a movie, a book or a fairytale. Mino looked around and knew immediately that if there was ever going to be a sign, this moment was it.

The dust swirled in the beacon of light from the window. It was like a thousand golden glows. They formed a weird sort of background to that surreal but very wonderful scene of holding Taehyun.

There was a rocking chair with an ancient teddy bear sitting on it and lots of chests and trunks that seemed to come from another century. Furniture was hidden under wide, white blankets. There was a hat stand held a dozen or more weird types of head-gears and the clincher was really the two crowns made from paper that sat on top of it. Both in gold - and as they sat there, Mino could see that they were intertwined without their circles being broken.

Mino stared at them for a long time, blinking once and twice.

Mino had heard and read about the phenomenon of epiphany before but to experience it was entirely different thing altogether.

He felt something creep from his heart and right into his soul and breathed heavily. It felt like something left him. It was like a ship leaving for a better shore. It was really good that way.

Then Mino turned his attention to focus on the present things.

He had no idea what happened but Taehyun was there.  The sharp pain in his chest had dulled down to a mere poke in his shoulders. He still felt several of his bones ache against the muscles and the skin surrounding them but otherwise, he felt well.

Mino felt amazingly well.

He almost huffed, when Taehyun, sprawled all over his chest, sighed softly and rubbed his cheek against his collarbone.

Of course Mino would feel well. It would take him a lot of effort to feel otherwise. When the younger guy wriggled around him, warm skin against warm skin, the hair everywhere on his body started to rise and hot, giddy blood crept up his spine.

Just exactly how much were they wearing? Were they even wearing anything at all?

Mino wondered and tried to peek downwards only to catch a glimpse of Taehyun’s pale and flawless skin.

He looked up to the ceiling quickly, squeezing his eyes shut.

Oh no… Do not look there, Song Minho. Soft delectable skin alert... Just do not look down.

He could not look down because Taehyun still – at least superficially – hated him. He is totally going to kill you… yet he could not help but want to kiss that shoulder of his badly.

When Mino opened his eyes again, he found Taehyun staring back at him with wide thoughtful eyes. It was not the usual black color but it was a nice warm chocolate brown.

They stared at each other for a long time and Mino knew he had been found out. He did not remember what happened the night before but the gaze on the younger’s face pierced right through the Minho and found the Mino.

The Mino- choding.

At that moment, he felt exposed and before the guy on his chest and tried his best to cover it. Unfortunately, Taehyun noticed that too by just slightly tilting his head and staring at him, mildly reproachful.

“Why are we sharing a sleeping bag?” Mino asked softly.

His hands let go of Mino’s and moved to where his heart sat.

The movement had him summoning all his self-restraint he could possibly muster.

The younger guy’s gaze never wavered. “I read when someone suffers from hypothermia, you have to re-warm him.”

“Really?”

“Yes and since we do not have any medical equipment, I believe body warmth would be the next best alternative.” Taehyun answered, his expression was completely earnest.

Mino would have almost thought their situation would not affect Taehyun as all but the slight hue started to glow through. It resulted in the most adorable blush he had ever seen on the younger in all the years they have known each other.

He reached out to brush a lock of hair that had fallen over Taehyun’s eyes, then his fingers no-so-accidentally brushed on the skin just next to the younger’s lips. Taehyun watched all his movements out of the corner of his eyes, while still staring at him, but when he finally touched his skin, he closed his eyes and Mino felt him tense against him.

The sudden movement of all the younger guy’s muscles moved something within Mino too - and there was the dry voice of someone he had not heard for a long time in his head, telling him that, all plans be damned, he had tried and honorably lost.

Mino lifted his head and softly brushed his nose against Taehyun’s and that at least brought the younger partially back.

“What are we doing?” Taehyun asked softly as he hesitantly brushed his nose back against Mino’s.

For the first time since Mino had returned from Japan, since he had turned up in his dorm, since they had argued time and again, Taehyun looked at him as though he had never seen him before.

At that moment, Mino was not the little boy from his childhood. Neither was he the cold man whose brother had died recently. It was someone playful, gentle, kind and affectionate.

“If you do not know what we are doing then I must be doing it all wrong.” Mino whispered and could not help but chuckled as the hue on Taehyun’s face intensified.

Leaning upwards to finally kiss him, the universe’s most unfortunate timing kicked in.

“Taehyun-ssi?” Someone called.

Mino’s head fell back onto the futon. He could not help but groaned out softly.

“Just do not answer.”

Shooting him a quick and admonishing glance, Taehyun called out, “Mr. Kang?”

“When you are clothed, buin will look after your friend’s bruises. Is he already conscious?”

Mino chuckled softly which promptly earned him a light jab to his chest.

“He is but barely.” Taehyun called out and with a dark glance that dared him to say anything.

“Alright, we will be waiting then.” Mr. Kang replied.

Both of them listened to his retreating footsteps.

Taehyun looked down at him again and Mino smiled again reaching out to touch Taehyun’s cheek. However this time, he was not so easily overwhelmed and slowly retreated.

Mino raised his head towards his and again, he backed away. He realized that the spell was breaking with every new sun ray coming through that window. Taehyun still covered most of him and tried to slide away, so he did the one thing he could think off to prevent it.

He held his gaze, trying to convey the things he felt that very moment. Mino then slowly and gently sat up. The motion made their bodies slide against each other and he felt the blood pounding through him. It was that raw, ancient feeling making his soul crawling towards Taehyun, the affection bursting through his heart and the love thundering away.

Suddenly, Taehyun was on his lap and his face only an inch away from Mino’s. Mino yielded to the pounding blood in his heart, pulled the younger closer by his hips and kissed him.

Mino felt Taehyun stiffen when his lips met the younger guy’s but then something strange happened. He could feel it, he was more certain of it than of the sun that moment. Slowly and begrudgingly, being slightly annoyed, he moved his lips against Mino’s, pecking his once, twice, until Taehyun gave in when he pushed forward. Their lips and tongues came together in a clash, yearning for each other, making way for age old feelings and desire.

They battled for dominance. Mino could feel it and finally, it was him, who gave way, who gently, softly, slowly kissed him, until Taehyun seemed pacified. Their kisses grew hot, long, unbearably sweet and as a result, passionate. Taehyun’s hands were on his chest, ready to push him away but instead crept around his neck and held on as Mino continued to kiss him.

For a moment, Mino was not able to ascertain just what about the younger guy that moved, but he felt Taehyun’s legs around him and his knees were positioned next to his hips.

Out of surprise, he almost bit Taehyun’s lower lip causing him to groan and jerked as a response towards him. The movement raked against Mino’s soul and more importantly, against his libido and the kind of sweet uneasiness and impatience grew that told him that they had to stop … or else.

Something within him broke, and he really pushed forward with more urgency and more finality, lifting Taehyun tighter towards him, onto his lap against his barely clad lower body.

Taehyun must have felt it, Mino was sure of it, and what surprised him more, was that he was not appalled or angry or grossed out even.

“Taehyun-ssi?”

Taehyun parted from him immediately. Mino gave a protesting sound when he opened his eyes. He saw the younger’s eyes were wide, open, embarrassed, his face flushed, his mind horrified of what would have happened if Mr. Kang did not called.

More than anything, it was the embarrassment and the mortification that knifed into his heart.

This time, Taehyun did bolt. He got to his feet quickly with a combination of flushed, flawless skin, wild hair, and bare feet and ran.

~~~~~~~~~~

The calvary team consisting of every one arrived later that morning.

The three Winner members promptly engulf their maknae in a group hug despite his protest and feeble attempts to escape.

“Taehyunie, are you injured? Are you hurt anywhere?” Jinwoo worried over him like a mother hen. He could not control himself and hugged Taehyun again.

“I am fine, hyung. I just want to go home.” Taehyun said as he just awkwardly patting his hyung’s back.

“Are you really alright?” Seungyoon asked again. He could not help but to confirm after all the things that happened in Jeju.

“I am exhausted, hyung. I really need a good sleep.”   

Taehyun moved over to thank Mr. and Mrs. Kang for their help once he managed to extract himself from s’ death grips. Yunho and Seunghyun took the chance to join in the conversation and to gather information about the gunman who was aiming at Mino and Taehyun.

Seunghoon watched Mino talking with his guards. He could not help but feel a mixture of unease and suspicion growing within him as he watched on.

Through the mayhem and concern around them, Mino and Taehyun exchanged one, two shy, unsure glances. Both of them terribly laden with feelings of embarrassment and shame and yet the need to know that the other was still around and the desire of assurance that something terribly fragile and beautiful had still managed to escape all the hardships of recent time.

Heavy, desperate affection and possibly love.

“He was crying for him when I found them.” A voice next to him said.

Seunghoon looked up to find a young man standing next to him, a wistful smile on his lips. He continued talking.

“Taehyun-ssi would not leave his side, he warmed him with his own body - otherwise he would have died,” the young man said. He shook his head in disbelief.

“Since when are they in love with each other?”

“What?!” Seunghoon turned to immediately look at the man beside him.

“In love? The two of them? Since when?” the young man demanded.

“They must be. I have never seen anyone fight so hard for another person. If he would have died that night, I am convinced he would have died too, just out of heartbreak.”

Seunghoon pursed his lips and looked over just in time to witness the third glance between them.

This time, it was filled with insecurity and yearning. They knew it too - Taehyun blushed and averted his glance, Mino stared for a moment longer, than had to look away, because Kyuhyun asked him something and because the fact that he wanted to walk over and touch him, but could not, pained him too much.

“I am Kang Minhyuk. What is yours?”

“Lee Seunghoon.”

“I do not live here most of the time. I am just visiting them. Do you want to meet up for coffee once we are back in Seoul?”

“You are pretty forward.”

“I think I have to be since I think is a love at first sight with you. Plus, I don't like to waste time.” Minhyuk shrugged.

Once Seunghoon had overcome his moment of speechlessness, he much to Minhyuk’s surprise and his own actually agreed to the idea.

Later on, much later, really, the air within the plane that took them back to Seoul, was filled with soft snores, with promises waiting to be made, with awkwardness and with a lot of exhaustion.

Seunghoon noticed how his leader suddenly got up from his seat and then padded through the aisle to go get himself a drink.

“He is dangerous to Taehyun!”

“I know.” Seunghyun’s voice calmly hoping that it will make the leader less agitated.

“He almost got killed.”

“I know.”

“You were not able to protect both of them!”

“I know!” Seunghyun voice raised a notch higher. “Are you going to interfere with their relationship?”

“Hyung, I may oppose it but that does not mean I am blind.” Seungyoon muttered exasperatedly.

“It is slowly slipping out of my hands. I feel as though I cannot take care of Taehyunie and to some certain extent Mino too.”

“You are doing a good job. Definitely a better job than I am.” Seunghyun sighed still guilty over what happened during his watch.

Seunghoon slowly made his way back, he knew their leader always carried more burden than the rest of the team but Seungyoon echoed exactly his thoughts and he was really worried for their maknae.

However, it was always hard to argue against feelings As he slowly settled towards sleep, he agreed with himself that as long as Taehyun was happy, he will accept his decision and be happy for him.

Mino watched as Taehyun slept deeply beside him, he knew how exhausted the younger was. Wanting some form of contact with him, Mino gently took Taehyun's hand in his, lacing their fingers together, caressing soft slim hand and savoring at how it fits perfectly over his own. Lifting their joined hands, Mino gave a little peck at the cute mole that Taehyun has on his left thumb and before he could stop himself, he leaned over to gently kissed Taehyun's temple.

As Taehyun shifted in his sleep, his hand unknowingly tightened his hold in his, Mino knew what he needed to do once he got back in Seoul. No more running and hiding, he thought to himself as he leaned his face on the crown of Taehyun's head and finally succumbed to sleep himself.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hihi back with an update... i hope you all like this chapter... it was one of my favourites to write... i thought i post as a little nice valentine's gift to all of you! no silent readers please... let me know your thoughts! have a happy weekend with your loved ones! happy valentine's day!!