I didn’t get to update yesterday because I totally thought I did but here’s the fourth chapter
Enjoy!

Naturally

Jinki sat up as he rubbed his head when he woke up. He laughed at himself for the silly thoughts he had last night because surely, Taemin would tell him whatever it was that was happening around him.

He could tell he was the last to wake up because of all the noise that was coming from outside his room. Jinki sat on his bed for a few minutes, thinking of nothing really but he knew he was wasting time when he could be eating right now. He was just about to get rid of his blankets when Taemin walked in without a knock.

Taemin peeked into the leader’s room and when he saw that Jinki was up he smiled.“Oh hyung you’re awake!”

“Good morning Minnie.” Jinki replied in hoarse voice accompanied with a gentle smile.

“You slept early last night but you’re the last to wake up.” Taemin said as he walked towards the bed and settled himself beside the leader. Jinki ruffled the dancer’s head, “I was up late waiting for you and Jonghyun to come back.”

“You were awake?” Taemin’s eyes widen a bit.

“Hmm…” Jinki nodded, “where’d you guys go?”

“We went out to eat hot pot because I couldn’t fall asleep.” Taemin answered truthfully. “Well, come on hyung, you need to get up! We only have to practice again today and then we’ll get the rest of the day off.”

“I know that silly.” Jinki smiled.

Taemin left Jinki to get himself ready and Jinki sat on his bed for a little while thinking back to last night.

You’re just over thinking, nothing happened and everything is still good.

***

The day went on just like normally and Jinki was having a pretty good day until they got home.

Jonghyun and Taemin had been whispering to each other right when they got home and he haven’t even seen the maknae touch his phone to text his girlfriend. He knew not to assume so he tried not to, but it was so hard when you constantly saw what was happening between the two.

Whenever Taemin was finally alone, Jinki got to talk to him and again, he realized he was worrying over nothing. Their conversations felt the same although he did notice that Taemin would avoid the topics involving relationships.

Maybe, the couple was just having a small fight.

But he wondered why Taemin hasn’t talked to him about it if there was a problem. Did he go to Jonghyun about it? Is that why?

Later in the evening, he and Taemin entered his room like always. It was like a routine for the both of them to spend a little time together during these hours. They continued to talk about many things that came into their head and because of it, they’d laugh at how silly their conversation had become.

However, after they settled themselves down from laughing too much, they laid beside each other again, looking at the ceiling. The silence was comfortable like always, however it was ruined when the younger received a message.

“Your girlfriend?” Jinki muttered. Jinki didn’t seem to be bothered at all when he asked so it made Taemin wonder. Did Jinki get so used to him when he talked about the people he was interested in? Is that how Jinki coped with it in all these years? But then he remembered, the leader moved on and he was late.

“Ani, it’s Jonghyun hyung.” The dancer answered.

Jonghyun…?

“Why’d he text instead of coming here?” Jinki asked. “I don’t know, maybe he thought you fell asleep and didn’t want to bother you? He knows that when you fall asleep, I stay here for a little while.” Taemin answered as he went to look at the message, not knowing that the information he gave Jinki made the older's heart beat a little faster.

He stays…?

Jinki smiled but he shook it off right away, knowing he shouldn’t be feeling this anymore.

“Well, what’d he say?”

“He asked if I wanted to eat out again, can I?” Taemin asked as he lifted his face a bit to look at the older. It was another adorable sight for Jinki but he chuckled. “Yah, why are you asking me?” Jinki nudged him.

The dancer shrugged, “because you might wait again and not get enough sleep.”

“It’s not that late so I guess you can.” Jinki answered as he looked back at the ceiling.

“Thanks hyung, you’re the best.”

Taemin sat up and patted the leader’s shoulder, “night, hyung.”

The boy left with a smile and Jinki was left to think to himself again.

***

The two came back and Jinki heard the bedroom door close. He was about to stand up to switch his lights off when the door opened.

“Hyung… you waited again.” Taemin quietly whined. “No I didn’t, I just didn’t feel like sleeping.” Jinki answered calmly but Jinki knew he was only trying to fool himself.

Taemin stood standing near the door as he observed Jinki. He later walked cheerfully to the leader and guided the older to the bed. “Come on hyung, I’ll tuck you in.” Taemin smiled.

“I’m not a kid, you know that right?” The leader chuckled.

“Then don’t make up excuses.” The younger laughed quietly.

It didn’t bother Jinki that Taemin caught on with his lie, it only bothered him because Taemin could read him like an open book but couldn’t get that he had feelings for him.

But maybe the dancer knew and he was only ignoring so that Jinki won’t feel bad.

With those thoughts, Jinki felt a little down. He was brought back to reality when Taemin nudged him.

Taemin lifted the blanket and waited for Jinki to get in. Once Jinki was lying down he patted the blanket down and smiled at the leader. Taemin was about to say something but he got distracted with an idea. He pulled the covers up to Jinki chin but later covered the leader’s head with it.

“Yah! You brat!” Jinki laughed as he slapped the boy’s hands away. “What?” the boy acted innocent, “you always sleep like that, I was just being the nice dongsaeng I am.” Taemin laughed along.

Taemin got a hold of the blanket again and this time, he tucked the older in nicely.

“Good night hyung.” the boy whispered and as he was about to leave, Jinki grabbed his hand.

“Can… can you stay the night?” Jinki asked.

“Wae?”

“I don’t know, I really can’t sleep and I need someone.”

It wasn’t the first time Jinki asked and usually when he did, the younger wouldn’t hesitate to say yes. However, this time he did, now knowing his feelings towards the leader.

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to.” Jinki whispered as he let go of Taemin’s hand. “Ani…” Taemin smiled. “I’ll stay. I just need to change.” Taemin turned but was interrupted. “There’s clothes in the drawer if you want.” Jinki offered quickly.

“Okay, but I still need to brush my teeth.” Taemin grinned.

“Oh… yeah, right.”

Jinki rubbed the back of his head and looked down. He felt like he embarrassed himself too much in front of the younger.

When Taemin got back into the room he saw Jinki on the other side of the bed waiting for him. Jinki wondered why Taemin just stood there looking at him. “Aren’t you going to lie down?” It took a while for the boy to process the words and when it did he nodded and walked quickly towards the bed.

It was quiet and Jinki could tell something changed in the atmosphere. He didn’t want to say it though, he didn’t want it to be awkward.

It has only been a few minutes when Taemin asked a question. “Hyung... you asleep yet?” the boy shifted himself so that he was now facing Jinki.

Jinki did the same and looked at the younger, “almost, but you spoke.” He joked, which led him to being pushed on the shoulder.

The two kept looking at each other and as the time progressed Taemin was feeling so flustered, he knew Jinki would notice that he was turning red. Jinki watched the boy close his eyes.

“You know hyung, people usually close their eyes to sleep, you should try it, maybe it'll help.” The boy giggled, trying to hide whatever he was feeling.

“Brat.” Jinki chuckled.

“You love me so it's okay.”

Taemin didn't know how it was still easy to joke around like this, but he figured he wouldn't question it because it would only ruin his friendship with the older.

After a while, Jinki looked at him again. “Yah, come closer you brat, why else did you think I asked you to sleep here?” Jinki chuckled. The dancer hesitated but he still moved closer until his head hit the leader chest. “I don't know, maybe you wanted someone to push you off the bed in the middle of your sleep.” Taemin mumbled jokingly, voice full of sleep.

The two just chuckled at the themselves and let the silence envelope them. Taemin wrapped his arm around Jinki's waist and Jinki had both arms tightly around Taemin.

“Hyung?” Taemin called out again.

“Yah, how am I supposed to sleep when you're constantly talking?” Jinki smiled down at him.

It was the smile that almost made Taemin forget what he was about to say but he controlled himself.

“Don't you always need your blanket over your head to sleep?” He questioned, still hugging the leader.

“You've slept with me before and you're asking this now, why?” Jinki looked down at the boy once again.

“Don't you?”

Jinki wrapped his arms tighter around Taemin as he answered.

“It's warm enough with just you.”

***

When Taemin heard what Jinki said, his heart started beating fast and he hoped the other wouldn't feel it.

He chose to ignore his worries and snuggled closer to Jinki. He even dared to put a leg on top of Jinki's. He smiled as he rubbed his face on the leader's chest for a bit and sighed.

And this time his sigh was happy.

***

It has been two weeks since that night happened and that morning, Jinki had woken up to a beautiful sight of Taemin seeking for more warmth from his chest. Although Taemin thought nights like that would happen again, it didn’t. He hadn’t told Jinki about Naeun and he didn’t know when to tell the other.

Recently, at nights, especially after a long day, Jonghyun would ask Taemin to eat out with him. They’d leave at midnight and come home in two hours or three. Jinki knew Taemin valued sleep, so this new habit of the two made him curious. What happened in those talks the two had? And why did it have to happen outside of the dorm, when they could be staying at the dorm and make something to eat here?

The two best friends barely got to talk at night anymore. This was usually the time when Taemin would come in without knocking and about something as he walked towards him.

Jinki waited as he sat against the headboard of his bed. He would constantly look at the door to see any signs of the younger.

He waited and waited but sighed one last time when he heard the front door closing.

***

Jinki couldn’t take it anymore, sure, he and Taemin would have conversations everyday but it seemed like Taemin didn’t want to. Of course, he’d tell himself that it was all in his head however, when he saw the two joking around in the waiting room, his mood would drop and it was very noticeable to the others.

***

“Yah… look at hyung, it seemed like something bit him.” Key nudged Minho. “Shut up will you? He might hear you.” The rapper whispered, scared that Jinki’s anger might be turned to them.

Key rolled his eyes and walked towards the maknae. “Yah, do you know what happened to hyung?” he asked as he jerked his head towards Jinki. Taemin turned around.

He raised a brow because he had no clue as to why Jinki was acting like this because he was sure that Jinki was fine earlier.

Taemin turned back to Key and shrugged. “I don't know… I’ll go ask him.”

Taemin took a bottled water from the table and walked towards Jinki. He sat beside the leader and nudged him on the shoulder. “You okay?” he asked as he handed the older the water bottle.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it.” Jinki replied as he took a drink. “You can’t lie to me, come on, tell me.” The boy sent the leader his smiles and it only got bigger when he saw Jinki sigh, knowing that the older would open up.

“I don’t know honestly, I just… maybe I haven’t got proper sleep?” When Jinki said that, Taemin’s smile disappeared slowly.

Jinki was lying, he felt it but he didn’t pester him about it. If Jinki wasn’t ready to speak about it, then he won’t ask about it. “If you want to talk to someone, you know I’m here, right?” Taemin reminded Jinki.

“Of course I do, you’re my best friend.” Jinki nudged him as he chuckled.

Best friend… right.

It was those words that didn’t make Jinki confess and made Taemin not confess either.

Taemin sighed.

Just as he was about to say something else about him being just a call away, they were being called to the studio.

***

That night, Taemin was alone in his room, he had wanted to go to Jinki’s room to talk like old times because it’s been so long.

As he was walking towards the door, he heard yelling from the kitchen. He opened the door immediately and ran towards the yelling.

When he entered the room, he found Jonghyun on the ground holding his jaw and Jinki a couple feet away as he looked down at the injured male. Taemin has never seen this kind of posture from Jinki, he looked at the leader’s hands and both were in a tight fist.

Are you guys liking it so far? I hope so… Ooooooo a fight.
‘Till next time… Bye!