“So I guess this means, you’re not going to stop liking Jinki then?” Sungjong grinned as he stood in the doorway, watching as Minho danced around their dorm room in his boxers, singing about how Jinki wanted to work with him. Sungjong’s grin grew wider as he heard Minho stop suddenly, whirling around to see Sungjong standing there, “Hyung, you’re so adorable, but you dance so awkwardly.” Sungjong pressed one hand to his hip as he sashayed over to where Minho stood.

“Oh, you’re back.” Minho adjusted his glasses carefully, blinking as he stepped back towards his desk, and almost walking into the chair. “No, I-I uh have to get over him.” Minho declared, pulling the chair out and sitting down heavily. Minho frowned, he hated the idea of quitting, but he also didn’t want to burden Jinki if he liked that Yui.

“Okay hyung, good luck. Oh don’t you have class now?” Sungjong frowned as he looked up at the clock, and Minho glanced up at the clock, gasping before he grabbed his bag and started to run off. “Ah hyung, so silly.” Sungjong smiled fondly as he watched his roommate leave, his hair not brushed and messy, and his shirt slightly crumpled.

Minho wasn’t panting when he reached the small lecture hall thanks to his soccer training. He pushed his glasses on firmly as he looked around trying to spot Jinki. Heat flooded his chest when Minho saw Jinki motioning for him to come and sit next to him. Minho breathed in deeply, as he saw a small bunch of students glaring at him. Ignoring them he went over to sit next to Jinki, feeling strangely elated, Jinki had never noticed him coming in before or asked him to sit with him. Minho’s elation didn’t last long though.

“So how was it hyung?”

Minho frowned, when he realised that the person next to Jinki was talking to him, and so Jinki wasn’t even looking towards him. Minho sighed and started to take out his notebook, deciding not to listen in, but even before Jinki said a word Minho was leaning closer to hear better. He just couldn’t help himself, figuring it was about the night before.

“It was awesome Kibum-ah, really awesome.”

Minho felt his heart clench as he heard the happiness in Jinki’s voice and he wished that he knew what they were talking about since they were both being so vague. Minho couldn’t help but think the worst. Biting his lip Minho sat patiently, wishing he knew what made Jinki so deliriously happy, surely they hadn’t had .

“Ah so last night was even better than you thought it would be?”

Minho felt sick, he didn’t even want to hear the reply. Minho tried to breathe, as he remembered that he had seen Jinki and Yui, all over each other. Minho shivered and tried to tell himself it would be okay, but as he heard Jinki’s voice, and the happiness it felt as if someone was driving nails into his heart one by one. The pain intensifying every second that class went on and by the end Minho just wanted to leave.

“Minho-ya, where are you going,” Jinki asked softly, making Minho stop and turn back, he had forgotten about the project. “I’m sorry we didn’t have time before class to talk but can we talk about it now?” Minho bit his lip, wishing he was stronger. Wishing he could just shake his head and tell Jinki to off, but he just had to smile and Minho’s resolve was gone, even if the pain was still there, throbbing in his chest.

“Sorry, I uh forgot,” Minho sheepishly whispered, stepping down slowly towards where his heart rested with Jinki. “Um, so. Um.” Minho pressed his hand to his mouth, real ing smooth. You ing idiot, no wonder he doesn’t like you.

They discussed the science project for thirty minutes before Jinki said he had to leave. Minho just nodded, still feeling light headed from being so close to Jinki. Minho in a deep breath as Jinki turned to look at him again, smiling brightly as zipped up his bag.

“You um, have really nice eyes,” Jinki commented as he straightened up, and Minho felt his heart lurch in his chest. Minho gaped across at Jinki, it was the first time he had ever said anything about Minho’s appearance. The first time he had given him a compliment, and Minho’s brain well it over reacted. Minho stood up slowly, and he just spoke.

“I uh, really like you, Jinki-ssi.” Minho murmured, in his deep voice, hands shaking, as he earnestly looked across at Jinki in his thick framed glasses, wishing for once he had worn his contacts. “I like you a lot,” Minho repeated with a nod of his head, unable to stop himself from beaming, and then pushed his glasses back onto his nose, waiting hopefully for something.

“Um, that’s nice,” Jinki mumbled absentmindedly, and when Minho looked over, he could see Jinki was staring intently at his phone. A sinking feeling settled in Minho’s stomach, he didn’t even know if Jinki had heard him or was even paying attention. Minho felt like the biggest idiot ever, he knew Jinki liked Yui, and he had just confessed like a moron. Minho hated how hopeless and pathetic he was around Jinki, maybe if he stopped liking him he would return to his usual self again.

“Hyung you’re hopeless,” Sungjong stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest, leaning against the wall as he saw Minho flopped back on his bed with his hands over his face. “I guess you’ve heard the news then,” Sungjong bit his lip, looking sadly across at Minho.

Minho moved one hand away from his face, staring up at Sungjong with a pout, “Yeah I heard the rumours.” Minho breathed in deeply, his chest rising and falling slowly, “I kind of knew, but but I hoped you know?” Sungjong nodded his head, feeling something clench in his chest at the thought of Myungsoo getting a girlfriend and how much it would hurt.

“What are you going to do?” Sungjong bit his lip, he straightened up and then moved to sit next to Minho on the bed, one arm casually draped across Minho’s leg. “Sorry I just wondered. I have no idea what I’d do if I was in the same situation.” Sungjong shook his head, pouting as he idly slid his fingers along Minho’s muscular calves in weird patterns.

“Uh sorry to um disturb you both, but the door was unlocked I should come back later?”

Minho shot up hearing Jinki’s voice, and Sungjong turned in surprise to see Jinki standing in the doorway for the second time, looking slightly surprised. Immediately Minho began to shake his head, he slid off his bed (more carefully this time), and stood up looking across at Jinki. Minho couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face, as he eyed Jinki who was beaming back across at him.

“No no, um nothing’s going on, he’s just really touchy-feely!” Minho stuttered out, shaking his head, “Now is perfect. Yeah really perfect Jinki-hyung!” Minho started to nod his head, ignoring the way Sungjong rolled his eyes and mumbled “pathetic” under his breath. Minho glared at Sungjong for a second before turning to smile across at Jinki.

“Oh good, shall we work on the project then?” Jinki smiled walking into the room, “um do you want to go to the library?” Minho nodded his head, feeling his heart starting to pound softly as Jinki smiled across at him. Minho wished he knew why it was that seeing that smile, the way Jinki’s lips curved up made him melt so much.

“We can do it here, save us lugging all that paperwork to the library,” Minho shrugged, “And I’m sure Sungjong has something he needs to do, or class right?” Minho smiled sweetly across at Sungjong before he began to subtly tug on his arm, indicating towards the door.

“Actually hyung,” Sungjong smiled back just as sweetly as he lay down on the bed, spreading out and getting comfortable, “I have nothing on this afternoon, I planned to spend the time consoling you,” Sungjong’s smile grew wider, and he batted his eyes softly, ignoring the way Minho gripped his arm tightly and glared at him, and Jinki looked confused, blinking his eyes slowly.

“So I think I’ll just stay here,” Sungjong nodded his head pushing Minho’s hand away from his arm, “just pretend I’m not here.” Minho glared across at Sungjong, he knew the younger would just watch them, and make kissy faces at Minho when Jinki wasn’t looking. Minho sighed, feeling irritated when Jinki walked across the room at sat down at one of the desks.

“Okay we should get started?” Jinki murmured, “We don’t want to be stuck here all evening,” Jinki grinned sheepishly, and Minho felt his mood darken. Oh you probably want to spend time with your new girlfriend. It’s not like I have any plans, except to kick a soccer ball around on a stupid field.

Over time Minho hoped that he would stop liking Jinki. Especially when he confessed to Jinki, and the older boy finally realised what Minho was saying, he finally understood what Minho meant. It was painful and it hurt to have Jinki reject him and tell him that he could only see Minho as a friend. I’m really sorry Minho, but I don’t… like boys. I’m not attracted to you at all, only girls, I’m really sorry. But despite that Minho found it impossible to stay away from Jinki, he realised that in the end as long as Jinki was happy he could be happy too. Well that was the plan – he was determined to be happy, provided that Jinki was happy too.

Minho sighed and placed the beer mug down on the table, staring blankly into space as he sat in the dimly lit bar. It wasn’t somewhere that Minho went usually but since Sungjong had begged him to go out that night, there was nowhere else to go that was still open. Minho picked up his notes and tried to concentrate, ignoring the stares. Because really who came to a bar to study? However Minho had a test coming up, he really didn’t want to fail.

After thirty minutes Minho put his pen down, lips set in a straight line, it was impossible to concentrate. It wasn’t the bar distracting him it was the thoughts swirling through his head that distracted him. Minho told himself as long as Jinki was happy, he could be happy but the problem was Jinki hadn’t seemed so happy lately. Minho had noticed that Jinki wasn’t smiling so much, and it just made Minho’s heart ache because he just wanted him to be happy.

Minho took another sip of his rapidly cooling beer, but just about choked when he looked over and saw Jinki and Yui standing over at the bar. Minho coughed and placed the beer down, glancing down quickly, his heart pounding and he wondered how long they’d been standing there. Minho slumped down in the seat so he no longer looked so tall and he slipped his papers into his bag. Checking the time Minho started to get up but he made the mistake of looking over in time to see that they looked like they were arguing. Minho frowned staring at Yui’s cold expression, and the way Jinki’s body stiffened, he looked so dejected, like a kicked puppy. Shaking his head Minho stood up, it was none of his business, grabbing his bag he started to walk towards the door but the sight of Yui walking towards the door instinctively made Minho turn to see Jinki slumped over the bar.

“Hyung,” Minho breathed in deeply as a sad eyed Jinki looked up at him, eyes widening in surprise as he saw Minho standing there. “Hyung are you okay?” Minho gripped the edge of the bar top, knuckles whitening as Jinki breathed out slowly before he shook his head slowly. Jinki looked like he was about to cry, his eyes all watery. Minho’s hands gripped the edge harder, he hated Yui, he hated her for making Jinki like this.

“I’ll be fine,” Jinki murmured softly, “what are you doing here?” Jinki looked curiously across at Minho, knowing that he didn’t frequent bars very often. Minho felt like asking Jinki the same thing because he knew that his hyung didn’t go to bars very often either. Jinki was the studious type after all, although he didn’t really need to study and still got the highest scores. That was one of the reasons why Jinki was so popular in certain circles.

“It’s the only place open this late,” Minho shrugged, “my roommate kicked me out,” Minho bit his lip, he knew he sounded like a loser for saying that but he also didn’t feel like lying. Jinki nodded his head slowly, and Minho could still see the sadness in his eyes, it made Minho want to scream and just hold Jinki but he knew it wouldn’t achieve anything. Jinki didn’t like him back, and forcing himself on Jinki would only make Minho look bad. The last thing he wanted was Jinki avoiding him.

“Hyung, if you need someone to talk to, you know I’ll always listen to you. Anytime, anything you just need to ask and I’ll do it.” Minho gasped out, realising that he’d had too much to drink and he shouldn’t be talking but the words just kept spilling out. “Really hyung, you just need to ask and I’ll do it, I’ll listen to you. I just want you to be happy.” Minho took a sip of the beer, anything to shut himself up and he could feel Jinki’s surprised gaze.

“You can um, come to my room at any time if your roommate kicks you out,” Jinki offered, “it only seems fair if you’ll listen to me. But still how can I do that to you?” Jinki whispered shaking his head slowly, and Minho found himself gripping Jinki’s wrist lightly, turning to look at Jinki. Drinking him in with his eyes, memorising the way Jinki’s plump lips curved upwards, and the way his eyelids fluttered slightly.

“You can Jinki-hyung, I want to be there for you. Please let me help you in some way,” Minho whispered his voice breaking as he clung to Jinki. It was pathetic the way he was acting and Minho knew it but at the same time he wanted it so bad. Minho’s heart was pounding so fast when Jinki looked right into his eyes and slowly nodded his head.