ik, ik. ya'll werent into yixing's pov, but he is one of the important characters + a fave so #noregrets.
here - no minji pov for once. mostly kai.

the twenty-ninth step

A pair of feet moved to the pulsing beat, displaying a testimony of precision and skill. It was all perfectly coordinated until a foot lagged with a jarring squeak, shattering the allure. Jongin cringed, and the music screeched to a halt.

“Minji-ah.”

Another day, another mistake, and his girlfriend worried her lip in shame. Jongin watched helplessly as Hyoyeon walked over to pull the girl aside.

There was not much time left before the showcase, so he understood Hyoyeon’s concern. They have been practising weekly; getting better each time even though outside the studio, things were not.

It seemed the consequences of that were catching up as Minji's mistakes started to pile. Under the eyes of the cameras that they could only escape in the student lounge, Jongin had been dealing with that in the only way he could; he held her, listened to her, kissed her; anything to remind her that he was here, and today was supposed to be no different—until that dreaded confession.

“Don't worry about earlier,” he said as they got comfortable in one of the sofas in the lounge. “If you think about it, we’ve been great so far, and that part is usually a hassle anyway—”

“He kissed me.”

It came out of nowhere, like a breath she had been holding, that he thought he misheard it. One glance at his girlfriend though said otherwise.

“Who?” He forced out calmly though he had a very good idea.

Minji looked even more worn out. “Yixing.”

Honestly, he really didn’t know how to respond, torn between being upset or perhaps being angry. Already having to sit back as Minji went to see Lay as much as possible, should he be surprised to hear this too? He didn’t know anymore.

The emotions must’ve surfaced on his face because Minji curled into his side. It calmed him somewhat. “He didn’t mean it. He’s confused. I just have to help him find his way back.”

“But why would he kiss you?”

“He thinks he loves me,"she replied sadly. "But I know that’s just him trying to prove something.”

He thought back to Lay’s confession a while ago, remembering the determination that steeled his eyes.

“How do you know he doesn’t?”

“I just do, okay?”

The conviction in her answer was almost disturbing.

“You don’t know that,” Jongin said. “You’re the one who told me about Lay being a childhood friend of yours. You two have a history together, why wouldn’t it make sense for him to end up liking you too?”

She didn’t respond straight away, but he already knew she wasn’t convinced.

“Trust me, Jongin,” she said. “If anything, he probably cared about you than he ever cared about me.”

Just like that, it was brushed aside and the pattern was expected to continue.

He had no idea what was going on with them anymore, but for the time being, Minji convinced him that everything was fine; that the kiss wasn’t such a big deal and some progress was made. That was the priority. That so-called progress.

If Minji considered Lay’s attitude lately as progress then so be it. Not that complaints of that were surprising to him when he had witnessed that non-angelic side many times before.

Jongin was just positive with one thing; he was willing to bear with it and let it go for her sake.

Not for Lay, but for her and all the efforts so far.

“Minji.”

Another practice just concluded and Minji hadn’t stopped yawning since this morning. Even Hyoyeon had been sympathetic despite the rounds of scolding she put his girlfriend through.

At the sound of his voice, Minji blinked the sleep from her eyes and stretched. Her drowsy expression and “hmm?” afterwards looked so cute that Jongin couldn’t help himself.

“No, stop.” She giggled at the brush of his lips on her hairline. “We’re not alone, you know.”

He almost pouted but obeyed. “But why you’re tired in the first place is the question,” he said.

She collapsed against the sofa they were sitting on. Unfortunately, Minji was right as other people were in the student lounge with them.

“Well, I'm graduating soon. It can't be helped. ”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. It's just scary. I’ve never seen bags under your eyes like that."

“Hey,” she protested with a sulky glare, and he just smiled.

He really wished they were alone so he could kiss her senseless.

Checking the time on her phone, Minji told him they only had fifteen minutes left before anyone would get suspicious. He hid his disappointment by asking her about her week and as usual, she babbled on about Lay and what they have been doing lately.

“You know he played this piece for me a few days ago, Love Marriage.”

“Interesting choice,” he couldn't help say but Minji was too engrossed in her explanation.

“In Chinese though, it’s interpreted as if the wedding never took place. It was just a dream.”

She seemed to slip into a thought far away from him, and it left him cold, alone with his own imaginations like the picture of her in a wedding dress with Lay at her side. This wasn’t new to him, but it was something he rather not think about.

He gave her cheek a pat in an attempt to lighten the mood. His and hers.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked. 

She must’ve recognised the effort because she smiled despite the tired pallor of her face, which he knew wasn't simply from the labours of school. It was a whole lot more than that, and it never sat well with him.

He sighed. “Just how long are you going to keep this up?”

Instead of answering, she averted her gaze. No longer caring about the others in the room, he tried to pull her closer.

“Maybe you should just stop for a bit,” Jongin suggested, but she was quick to contest.

“No. Not yet. I can keep going. He’s actually letting me into his place now, and I get to see him every week. Besides, playing all these pieces for me, he even talks more—”

He knew. He knew because that was all she ever talked about.

“And what do you get in return? His attitude?”

The words came out more aggressively than it should have. It caused Minji to flinch before schooling her expression into one of upset.

“I deserve it, Jongin.”

Ignoring a tug in his chest, he heaved another sigh. “C’mon, Minji. That’s bull—”

“I’m leaving.”

She stood, gathered her things in a span of a few seconds and left. Shock delayed his reaction before he was grabbing his bag and gave chase. Minji almost made a turn to the main corridor when he caught her and shoved both of them to the nearest empty studio he found.

“What the hell, Jongin!”

“Look, Minji.” He pulled her gently by the elbows. “I don’t hate him, I just don’t agree with the way he’s acting towards you!”

“But that’s because of me. Everything is my fault. I’m…” Guilt squeezed her eyes closed. “It’s my fault.”

Breathing in, Jongin cupped her cheeks and pressed their foreheads together.

“No, because if it’s yours, then it’s mine as well.”

When he entwined his apology into the mesh of their lips, he willed for her to take it. To take him and understand that this wasn’t just her burden to bear.

“We’re in this together, aren’t we?” he murmured after.

Minji crushed her face into his chest. She nodded, and that was enough for him.

To Jongin, this was his motivation to keep going and he wanted it to be hers too.

But sometimes, it was just hard. Like the night that Lay left Minji in the restaurant after their ‘date’. Jongin never opposed it and he even understood what ‘date’ really meant to the parties involved, it was just what Lay did that night.

The fact Minji risked to call him after said enough. She had been that upset.

Hiding in a nearby park before her chauffeur came, he became her source of comfort that evening, the ear and shoulder she needed as she lamented Lay’s indifference to the night sky. It wasn’t fair, he remembered thinking; here he was, savouring what time he had with her while the guy who received it all treated it like nothing.

It tested his nerves, grating on his patience fast, but not completely and entirely until a few days later.

“He won’t answer to any of my calls or messages,” Minji had cried over the phone. “I don’t know. I don’t know what I did this time.” The frustration in her voice was beginning to tip over into a sob. He could tell. “I must’ve done something!”

“Maybe he’s actually busy,” he tried to say but she was adamant.

“No, Jongin. The receptionist told me I should stop visiting him from now on. Clearly, I’m not welcomed anymore!”

Her hysterics were starting to take over that he had to lower his voice and told her to calm down, but inside, a simmer of anger was starting to take place. It just kept building, his hands curling to fists and his feet itching to move and do something.

He respected Minji’s decision but this was all he could take.

“Just calm down, baby. It’ll be okay.”

And silently, he swore it would be.

The day resigned to evening since a while ago, leaving the night to reign and chase people into the comforts of their home. At any normal day, Jongin would’ve done the same if his pent-up feelings hadn’t forced him out here in the dark, waiting for an exchange that he knew wouldn’t go well.

It didn’t take long.

It was the shape of his figure silhouetted against the street lamps that alerted Jongin of his presence. Then, it was his footfalls padding across the pavement. After that were his eyes as he stopped in front of him. They met him head-on.

“Leave.”

It was commanded coldly, capable of making anyone obey without so much a squeak but Jongin wasn’t just anyone.

“Who knew you were such a coward, hyung?”

Lay’s lips peeled back ever so slightly to reveal his teeth. "Don't make me repeat myself, Kai."

The older male began for his car, but Jongin was quick to obstruct his path. This man before him was a stranger, and certainly not his friend who always looked at him with warm doting eyes. He was a stranger with a cold heart, who had no qualms hurting Minji. Hurting him.

Jongin prepared himself for a physical counter but Lay's strength seemed to come out of nowhere when their shoulders met in a jolt. It was strong enough to make Jongin stagger back a little.

His anger sparked to life.

The car door Lay started to open was slammed shut just as fast. Avoiding an elbow to his chest, being the taller one gave Jongin advantage to pin the other to the vehicle. Lay snarled like a trapped dog, but Jongin was too pissed to care.

"Just drop it already!" Jongin demanded. "Quit acting like a jerk! Quit acting like…" 

There were no dimples on Lay's face but a clenched jaw. No smile but a sneer that screamed hostility and it hit Jongin hard. 

Heat swarmed behind the lids of his eyes.

"Like this…"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lay bit, and Jongin’s temper flared once more.

"Bull, of course you do! Pushing everyone around you away. Now, you're just toying with them. You know exactly what I'm talking about!"

"So what?" Lay's eyes darkened. "You want an apology, is that it? Didn't I already tell you, Jongin? I am sorry—sorry you had to fall in love with her!"

He punctuated that same apology with a shove that caught Jongin off guard. It left him winded but not enough to stop him as Lay fled to his car.

Grabbing the back of Lay’s collar, he yanked the older male back out, but that just caused Lay to growl and twist back, throwing a punch at him that barely missed.

Losing balance, they both fell into the pavement in a heap.

“It’s all your fault!” Lay somehow landed on top of him, his hands curled around Jongin's collar. “If you just kept your nose out of this, everything would’ve been fine—but no, you just had to like her, didn’t you? If you just kept on hating her. If you just…”

“Kept on being an ignorant fool, is that what you wanted?” Jongin wheezed from the ground. “If it weren’t for her, I wouldn't have understood your situation myself!"

“I didn’t need you to understand anything, Kai.” Lay’s eyes started to tremble. “That’s why I never said more than I needed to. Why I was vague about everything!”

“And how is that fair? You knew about my family—what happened with Krystal—I always told you everything but you insist on bottling up your side. You know what? If you just told me your situation with Minji, maybe I wouldn’t have fallen for her, but now, it’s too late because I love her and I don’t regret it!”

It happened in a blur.

One second, Jongin was pouring his heart out, then a second later, Lay’s face was red and he was throwing a fist back. Jongin squeezed his eyes shut on impulse. A rough thud reverberated next to his ear.

“You idiot.” The uneven sound of Lay’s voice coerced Jongin to open his eyes again. “I was just trying to protect you.”

Beside his head was Lay’s fist on the jagged ground.

“God damn it, hyung. Why the hell? I don’t…”

“The same reason Minji is protecting you.”

And then, Lay was retreating.

Reason? Jongin began to make a list in his head, filing through every known motivation Minji had to fight for their relationship, but no concrete reason seem to match up.

“Oh my god, Kai! Lay!” 

There were the sounds of running, and then, Jongin could finally breathe. It looked like someone pulled Lay away and bizarrely, that person was none other than Amber.

“Holy , Minji was right. You two are so in trouble!” She declared as she whipped out her phone.

Somehow, they ended up in Amber’s dorm room, not too far from Lay’s business school. Her arms were folded as she sat across them, an unusually stern expression adorning her face. Jongin hadn’t bothered to open his mouth to explain and Lay next to him didn’t look like he was going to do that any time soon.

So, he stayed quiet.

“I don’t know what’s going on besides the fact you two aren’t exactly