“So, you really think this'll work,” the red haired boy asked. Lee Taemin, also known as the always ever willing assistant to his boyfriend's ridiculous plans. He was currently holding up a metal hanger over their brand spanking new television (which only cost Kibum a hundred dollars if you can believe it) trying to get reception.

“Oh, just hold on a second!” Kibum screeched from behind the TV. “I know we'll get something...” He ducked back out from behind it and grabbed the remote.  “Yeah, just jiggle it around like that,” he muttered distractedly. Pushing a few more buttons, the screen suddenly started playing the latest episode of House Hunters Korea. “Aha! We've got it!” He screamed and jumped up and down. “Taemin don't you move a muscle, I'll go get some tape!” Throwing down the already abused remote, he ran off towards the kitchen.

“Well alright...” Taemin sighed and tried to sneak a peek at the screen. Just as he moved however, the picture got a little fuzzy so he panicked and quickly moved back to where he was. Can't have Key yelling at me anymore, he thought. Oh, how happy he was about buying a house with his long term lover. Glancing around at the still unfinished, unpainted walls, he felt his heart swelling up with joy. They had only moved the big furniture in today, the beds, the couch, loveseats and TVs. Painting was to be done on Tuesday, strictly put on the schedule for that specific day since Kibum had a hair appointment the previous day, and a nail appointment on Wednesday. Which Taemin was totally allowed to join.

Breaking him from his thoughts, Key came running back in carrying packing tape. “Got it!” The blonde boy made quick work of taping the hanger to the wall in the exact position and height the younger was holding it at. “Perfect,” he whispered more to himself. Kibum took a few steps back from the television and focused on the screen. “Don't you think,” he barely asked and took a glance at Taemin. However, Taemin was not thinking of the situation at hand when he said, “Yeah, perfect,” and kept smiling at Key.       

Suddenly catching on to what he was talking about, Key blushed and ducked his head. “Hey...” He suddenly felt very self-conscious. “Shouldn’t you be working on the cabinets or something,” he muttered and looked up, hopeful that the younger wouldn't take his hint. He didn't. Taemin gracefully crossed over to his boyfriend in two long strides and took him in his arms. “You're perfect,” he crooned in Kibum's ear, making him shiver slightly. Key grinned. “Oh stop it,” he playfully pushed at the others' shoulders but Taemin wasn't having any of it. He just tightened his arms around his waist and squeezed harder.

Kibum laughed, which sounded like music to Taemin's ears, and squealed. “Hey! I said stop!” He screamed again when he was swiftly picked up off his feet bridal style and thrown on the couch. “Taemin!” He covered his face when the other boy crawled over top of him. Key giggled and snuck a peek up at his boyfriend. Taemin was just gazing contently down at him, like he didn't have any other care in the world, except for Kim Kibum. Feeling like it was his time to strike, Taemin quickly ducked down and placed a kiss on the others' soft lips. Melting a little at the contact, Key kissed him back.

Suddenly realizing where they were, he reopened his eyes. “Mm- wait,” he mumbled against the younger's mouth. “We can't-” He was cut off with another kiss. “I don't care,” Taemin mumbled back and pressed his full weight into Key. Not really feeling like putting up a fight, Kibum happily complied. Soon, the room was littered with stray clothing and delicious sounds and moans were filling the air, reverberating off the empty walls.

***

Soon after, the couple was snuggled up with each other gazing around their brand new living room. “We really did it, huh? We finally have our own place.” Key mumbled against Taemin’s bare chest. Taemin just smiled. They really did do it. After everything, getting the loan, searching for the right house, actually buying that house, persuading all their friends to help them move all their into said right house. Yeah, he’d say they finally did it.

 The red haired boy sighed and stretched his long arms out, listening to each crack of his joints and bones. “I’m really happy I got to do this with you.” He smoothed Kibum’s raven black hair. Knowing that the he was blushing already, he kept going. “You know, I really couldn’t imagine actually building a life with anyone else. You helped me through a lot…” He remembered all those nights Kibum had stayed up with him through thunderstorm after thunderstorm at the dorm. He helped him with his self-harming problem and helped him forget all those times he was bullied or or pushed around. Kibum has always been there. Through every tear and drop of blood and sweat for the last four years. Breaking him from his thoughts, Kibum leaned up and kissed Taemin’s slightly red and puckered lips.

 “You’re thinking too much again.” He smiled playfully and kissed Taemin’s blushing cheek. “I can see it in your face.” Taemin just laughed. “Yeah, but I was thinking about you.” He closed his eyes and leaned his back against the arm rest. “You do that a lot?” He heard his boyfriend ask. More than you would believe, he thought. Not that I would tell you that. “Yeah.” He only responded with that before Kibum pressed his head back against Taemin’s chest.

***

 The following week, they finally had everything in order. All the furniture was in, electronics, the fridge was stocked, and walls were painted. Taemin had requested he got his own studio inside the house so he can practice without bothering anyone and his wish was almost immediately granted by Kibum. The house they had settled on was two stories, had a huge master bedroom and adjoining bathroom. It also had two guest rooms, his studio was upstairs along with a ‘lounge’ as Kibum called it, but Taemin knew they just didn’t know what else to do with that room. There was also a two car garage and an in ground pool in the backyard.

 “Wow this place looks great!” Jonghyun exclaimed as he walked in the front door. He hadn’t seen it with the paint all done yet. “I see Kibum did a great job with the painting. Taemin, why are you here again?” He chided and winked at Taemin.

 “Yeah, that’s pretty funny but I did help with stuff! Like, I helped put dishes away and put rugs down…” He trailed off. Who was he kidding? He actually didn’t really do anything except distract his boyfriend from actually doing his work. “Right, Kibum? I did stuff!” He heard muffled laughter coming from the kitchen. “Yes, Jonghyun, he did help. Mostly by smacking my booty though.” He laughed again at his attempt to be funny. Taemin just rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically. “Fine, fine. I’ll just be upstairs then.” He mumbled as he trudged up to his bedroom.

Jonghyun laughed and made his way to join Kibum in the kitchen. “You’re baking already?” He folded his arms over his built chest and leaned against the counter. “You need to at least get fully settled in first, yeah?”

Kibum just shook his head in disagreement. “No, baking makes me feel less nervous.”

Jonghyun cocked his head a bit at the statement. Nervous? “What do you have to be nervous about? You have a nice, brand new house, a loving boyfriend? Not to mention your job at the store.” Kibum was head manager at the nicest clothing shop in the city. He even sketched some designs and has had them sent in to the main designer.

Kibum sighed. “Jonghyun, you may be my bestest friend of all time, but I don’t know if I can talk about it with you. You might tell Minho and he might tell Taemin and I can’t have that.” He stirred the cake batter a little too roughly. “He worries too much about me.”

Jonghyun puckered his lips in thought. “You got a girl pregnant or something?”

“What??” Key whipped around and glared at Jonghyun. “No! I couldn’t even- Why would you even think that??” He stammered, blushing fiercely at the question. “I don’t even like girls!”

The older boy just laughed at Kibum’s reaction. “Okay, okay. But seriously, what’s going on?” He sobered up just enough to make sure his friend knew he could trust him with information.

Kibum could sense the other’s seriousness and decided to give in. He went and sat at the table and beckoned the other to follow. Once the other was seated he started. “I just feel so overwhelmed you know? I mean, I’m the one who wanted this after all. I’m the one who said ‘Hey Taemin! Let’s move out and get our own place! We can do it!’” He exclaimed in a sarcastically cheerful tone. “But now I just feel like this was a bad idea. Like we can’t make it on our own. Taemin doesn’t make much and I’m basically the one paying all the bills already.” He put his head in his arms on the table to hide his embarrassment. “I don’t want to lose this house already though.” He mumbled. He was trying not to cry, especially not in front of Jonghyun.

“Hey, I’m sure it’ll be alright…” Jonghyun began rubbing circles into Kibum’s back. “It’s a lot at once, right?” He murmured. He didn’t notice the small footsteps coming down the stairs. “I mean, just talk to him about it, alright? I’m sure he’ll understand.”

“Understand what?”

Both boys turned their heads to see Taemin standing at the doorway to the kitchen. “What are you talking about?” He asked again. “Kibum?” He looked from his boyfriend’s face to Jonghyun’s, feeling his own heating up at being the topic of their conversation.

Kibum stood up first. “T-Taemin I just need to tell you something real quick and then it’ll all be fine.”

“Well, I think that’s my cue to leave.” Jonghyun stood up and pretended to stretch. “I’ll see you guys later alright?” He half waved and shuffled out the front door, letting it swing shut behind him.

Taemin furrowed his eyebrows and looked at his boyfriend once more, noticing his stiff shoulders and frown. “Okay, what is it baby? You’re scaring me.” He beckoned his boyfriend to come closer and opened his arms to wrap them around Kibum’s waist. “What is it?” He brushed back the other’s bangs and looked at his deep brown crescent shaped eyes. They were avoiding his own and laced with nervousness.

Kibum took a deep breath and just started talking. “I feel really nervous about all of this and the new house. I feel really overwhelmed and I know I talked you into all of it and I shouldn’t be having second thoughts but I am…” He kept his head down and face hidden from Taemin as he spoke, for fear of him losing it and crying all over him like the baby he was. “We don’t make a lot of money you know, and we might have trouble paying bills and eating. We all shared on that stuff while at the dorm.” Kibum buried his face into Taemin’s shoulder and sighed, fighting back tears.

Taemin didn’t know what to say. Does he want to move back out? Break up with me? He shook those thoughts away. “Well, what do you wanna do?” He just rubbed cliché circles into the other boy’s back, trying to soothe him. Soon, he could feel his lover’s soft sobs reverberate through his chest. “Baby, shhh it’s okay.” Tightening his grip on the other, Taemin gently guided him to the couch and sat down. He pulled Kibum into his lap and held him tightly against him while he cried.