******KEY******

 

For the next few days Minho and I talked lots. We texted a lot when we didn't see each other. It felt so nice being able to tell him anything. Earlier I was trying to hide myself and my feelings from him. But it felt so relieving that I didn't have to hide from him. I was comfortable around him to the point where I could tell him almost anything. 

 

About two weeks later Genie requested the fashion department in our school to design new uniforms for our sports teams. This made me happy on so many levels. One: because I love designing and two: it means I get to see Minho. 

 

Our designing team started with the baseball team. We basically took measurements of the players and back at the studio we picked the fabrics for the new uniforms. Some of the players passed comments on the fact that there were few boys (including myself) in the fashion department but they weren't too mean about it. I've learned to ignore certain remarks. 

 

Alas, we made it to the football team. We met them in the hallway before the field. All the players were tall, muscular jocks. They all looked like studs. Minho was close to the middle of the groups. He seemed to fit right in with them. It would've been hard to recognize him had he not smiled straight at me when we laid eyes on each other. Glad to know he was happy to see me. He silently and subtlely waved at me. 

 

I was about to go talk to him when the coach came and started talking. We broke all eye contact and looked straight at him. 

 

"All right here's what's gonna happen." said Coach Lee firmly. "You guys are gonna practice out in the field as usual. Players who are not playing will be measured. If I call your number you are to report here to be measured. Understood?"

 

We all answered "Neh" in unison and he proceeded to the field, leaving us with the football players. 

 

I noticed two of them checking out some of the girls on the design team. They smirked and one whispered to the other, "Yah, check out that body-" he proceeded to make motions with his hands indicating an S-line body shape. "Ah~ so y~"

 

Hwang Miyoung, one of the members of the design team, rolled her eyes. "Yah you pigs, we can hear what you're saying!"

 

He kept smirking. "Wah~ look that that, team. She's getting angry~ ah how cute is that?" The other team players laughed. 

 

She stamped her foot. "Yah! You want to die!?"

 

He raised his arms. More chuckles from the players. "Look at that! Man you are so CUTE when your angry. Just my style. I like a girl who's curvy and cute."

 

It was pretty obvious she was heating up. "Keep talking like that and I'll-"

 

"Guys stop it!" I intervened. I bluntly admonished, "We came here to do one job. Let's just get it over with. No need to create such a fuss over nothing."

 

The player turned towards me. "And who are you to be talking so informally to me?"

 

I refused to answer. I didn't need to answer to such ridicule and stupidity. He looked at the other members. "Hey everyone, this little of a fashionista is afraid to speak!"

 

His friend added, "Wah~ a boy into dresses? Yah- perhaps.. he's actually a girl?" 

 

The other guys laughed louder this time. They continued throwing out other remarks and calling me a girl and stuff like that. I rolled my eyes. I wasnt much affected by these remarks. They weren't even that original. Heard them far too many times before. 

 

More remarks came my way. 

"Pretty boy"

"Yah you what are you doing in a girls' department"

"WIMP"

""

"REDHEAD, the girls' restroom is down the hall-"

 

"STOP IT!!!" 

 

This loud shout came from Minho. My eyes widened as we all turned our heads to him. Mine in astonishment. His face was red. He was not happy. He was beyond angered.

 

He continued. "You think it's funny acting like a bunch of kids!? Taunting the others just because they're different? What makes you think you're any better?"

 

One of the other players tried to calm him down. "Minho-goon, don't yell. We were just having fun."

 

"Well it's not funny." He fired. He took deep breaths to cool down and slowly shifted his gaze toward me. I was still shocked at what just happened. 

 

"What the Hell is going on in here?!" Coach Lee demanded as he entered the lockerroom. "Why do I hear shouts and clamor and not practice? You guys are supposed to be out in the field!"

 

No one answered. "So no one's gonna speak?"

 

"It was this 기집애()." The player - whose name I still didn't know - motioned toward Miyoung. "She's the one causing this-"

 

"Don't bull me, Haneul. I know the sound of my own players. That's it. All of you go to the field. As for the design team," he turned toward us, "Do as I said and wait near the benches. I'll call the players out to get their measurements."

 

We all responded "Neh" and followed through with Coach's demands. 

 

And from there we proceeded with no problems. The players came to us, we measured, and that was that. We even got to talk to some of them. It was relieving to know that not all of the players were as obnoxious as this Haneul person. 

 

When Minho came in he came to me. I basically measured the length of his arms, circumference of them and all that. 

 

He tried talking. "Kibum-ah, I'm sorry about what happened back there. I really didn't know Haneul 

was-"

 

I tried to avoid eye contact with him. This was just so no one would suspect anything was going on between us. "It's ok. I've heard these remarks before. It's not my first time hearing them." I bent down to measure the length of his skyscraper legs.

 

"But he was so mean to you and that girl. Honestly I had no idea the other team members would be so rude and mean. They're not like that when it's just us. I wanted to stop it and punch him in the face. You really didn't deserve any of that."

 

I paused after I measured his waist. Hearing this touched me so much. I smiled to myself. I couldn't believe how much he cared about me. And how he even had the courage to defend me. I arose until I met his face. I looked into his eyes, cupped his face in my hands and pecked him on the lips. 

When I pulled away, I assured, "Minho, I'm fine, really. These insults are nothing new for me. I'll easily pull through. You don't have to worry about me."

 

He looked at me with worry. "Are you sure?"

 

"I'm sure." I smiled. "But thanks for sticking up for me. I really appreciate it."

 

He smiled. Then he asked, "So.. later today do you wanna go out or something? Get some dinner? Go somewhere specific?"

 

I confidently smiled. "No, not today. I wanna stay at the dorm. With you. Just us."

 

We both smiled big. He leaned forward to kiss me but instead - probably cuz Coach was nearby - he placed his hand on my cheek before leaving. 

 

It had just occurred to me that I didn't think twice about pecking him earlier. I didn't worry about exposing our secret. We just acted as a normal couple. Oh shoot. I hope no one saw us. 

 

 

*****MINHO*****

 

 

We did an extra ten suicides out on the field thanks to Haneul's earlier actions. When practice ended we all went back in the locker room to shower and change. 

 

Haneul  whistled to get our attention. "Everyone, sorry about what happened earlier. It's my fault we got extra suicides."

 

We all just said it was ok and to make sure he didn't do it again. Then he said, "You know what? I'll make it up to you. All of you. I'll take you all out to dinner tonight. My treat."

 

Kyuhyun Sunbae agreed and wrapped his arm around Haneul's neck. "Yea let's do that. Remember, team, it's his treat, so remember to buy all the food you can and drink as much as you want."

 

We laughed and cheered at the treat. I finished changing and headed toward the door. 

 

"Yah Minho-ya, where are you going?"

 

I tried to be as terse as possible so I could be with Key sooner. "Sorry, I appreciate the treat and all, Hyung, but I'm not going with you guys."

 

"Why? Is it cuz of what happened earlier?"

 

"No, it's not that. I just don't wanna go out tonight."

 

"Yah Minho-ya! Hyung is treating us and you're gonna refuse him?"

 

I assured, "It's not like that. It's just,  I already had plans."

 

"Minho, don't be like that. I said I was sorry-"

 

"I said I already have plans!" I shouted. I lowered my voice and said "Enjoy your dinner." before I exited through the door. 

 

I kinda felt sorry blowing my team off like that. But I wanted to be with Key. Especially after what happened today, I wanted to clear up any misunderstandings. 

 

I opened the door to the dorm and saw Key waiting patiently on his bed. He sprung up when he saw me. I muttered his name, "Kibum-ah..."

 

I slowly walked to him. He rushed toward me and I quickened my pace. Our faces lit up with smiles as we apporached each other and hugged. He wrapped his arms around my neck and we kissed passionately. 

 

I pulled away to tell him before I could put it off. "Kibum, I'm so sorry. About everything. About the team. About not kissing you today. About hiding from the others-"

 

"Minho, what happened?"

 

I hesitated, then entwined my hand in his and took him to my bed. We sat side by side. "I really wanted to be with you so I turned down a team dinner. I don't know, a part of me feels guilty about hiding but at the same time..." I drifted off in my thoughts. 

 

He sat criss-crossed on the bed and faced me. He held both of my hands in his. "I get it. People aren't gonna like it. That you and I are together. Whether or not you want to tell them is up to you. I'm not gonna force you. But just let me know when you finally decide."

 

I looked at him. How good he be so understanding? I expected him to get mad that I wouldn't be open with our relationship. And it's not cuz I wanted it to be a secret anyway. But unfortunately, there's so much pain and suffering that goes along with a relationship like ours if made public. It made no sense how someone could be so generous as him? "But what do I do? Like what if I have plans with you and they have another dinner or something?"

 

"If you really have to... I wouldn't mind you going with them. I like spending time with you but I don't want to hog you to myself. As long as you text me or something instead of just leaving me hanging. And remember one thing..." he moved closer and placed his hands on my cheeks. "There's always one place where we can be together and no one else can." 

 

I smiled at this because I knew exactly what he was talking about. The dorm. No one can come in here except for us. This is the one place where we can truly be together. 

 

I pulled him towards me and kissed him. We embraced in each other's arms. Without breaking the kiss, I slowly leaned back, which ended in me lying down on my back and Key on top of me. My hands slowly traveled down from his shoulders to his lower back. They lowered closer to his when he pulled back from our kiss with a worried look. 

 

"I'm not ready yet..." he said, his arms still wrapped around me.

 

My hands went back to his upper back. "I'm sorry, I don't want to scare you. I didn't plan to. I don't know what came over me."

 

"I understand what you mean. I didn't think you wanted to scare me." We both sat up. "I didn't hate it or anything, I just don't wanna move too fast. We just started not too long ago."

 

"Yea. Sorry again" He said it was ok. Then a moment of silence. "We should probably end it here for tonight."

 

Key didn't hesitate to agree. "I second that." He got up from the bed but turned back around and held my chin before kissing me deeply. 

 

"See you in the morning," he whispered. 

 

He slowly pulled away and made his way to his side of the room. I smiled to myself and quietly whispered "Good night," before lying back down on my bed.