Mir stared up at the ceiling. How had he come to be in this situation? That always seemed to be the question that popped into his mind whenever Taemin was involved. One second Mir was studying at his desk, the next he was trapped against a mattress by a lustful pretty boy. It wouldn’t be the first time such a thing happened either.

That’s how all of their “dates” usually went. Sure, Mir was still a teenager with hormones and such…but just being with Taemin was enough. He glanced down at the sleeping boy curled up next to him. See? Why couldn’t they be like that all the time? Why couldn’t they just…be?

Taemin stirred, eyes squeezing shut before slowly opening. His head tilted up, fluffy blonde hair shifting against Mir’s arm. A sleepy smile appeared on Taemin’s face as he hugged Mir tighter. “You’re still here…,” he mumbled, gently kissing the other boy’s shoulder. And then he went and started being all cute.

“Y-Yeah…I am,” Mir replied.

“I thought you would leave…,” the boy murmured drowsily, eyes shutting as he tried to get even closer to Mir.

The latter turned his body so they were facing one another, foreheads brushing ever so slightly. “…why…?”

Taemin sighed quietly, words a jumble as he tried to explain. From what Mir could catch, it sounded like “No one ever stays…they all leave…Minho…”

Was that why…? Mir stiffly wrapped his arms around the slender boy, pulling him closer until their legs were tangled and their bare chests touching. There was a grateful moan of comfort from the smaller one as he nuzzled into Mir. “I-I won’t leave you,” he said quietly, lips fluttering against Taemin’s ear.

The door opened.

Mir sat up, evidently taking the boy clinging to him up as well. A shirtless Minho had walked into the room, towel around neck and toiletries under one arm. “G-Good morning,” Mir greeted quickly, embarrassed by the current state of things. Plus, Minho always ended up walking in before, during, and/or after Taemin had reeled Mir into doing stuff.

“Yo,” he nodded, dropping his things on a shelf and digging through a closet for a long sleeve.

“Come back to bed, Mir…,” Taemin whined, not bothering to open his eyes.

Mir smothered a sigh. “I’m still here,” he explained, trying to pry the boy off of him.

“You can’t get rid of him during that stage,” Minho smirked as he pulled the plain shirt over his head, “don’t worry, you know he’ll wake up eventually.”

Eventually…Mir flopped back down on the bed, feeling the arms around him tighten. It was sort of like an anaconda, except less scary and with more hair. “…Yeah…I know.”

Mir heard a familiar buzzing and immediately tried to sit up again. One dismissive wave from Minho stopped his struggling. The standing boy picked up Mir’s cell phone, checking the text message for him.

“It says: Hey, I’m coming to the academy on February 10^th so be ready to see me. Joon,” Minho recited rather blandly. He wasn’t quite sure what the message was supposed to mean but by the look on Mir’s face it was good news.

“Thanks,” he said, smiling happily as he sank back into Taemin’s snake like grip.

Minho watched the progressively tightening hold and chuckled. “Sorry about him. But you gotta admit, he’s pretty cute right now, huh?”

Mir nodded, blushing and looking away.

Their conversation ended there as Minho felt his own phone vibrating. He pulled it out, seeing the Caller I.D. and walking out of the dorm room.

“Hey, I finally got situated,” Key’s voice rang through the phone.

Minho smiled a bit, walking through the campus towards the Dining Hall for breakfast. “That’s good. Do you like it at the university?”

“There’s a lot of controlled freedom,” he replied, laughing softly. “It’s sort of lonely though…my roommate is pretty cool.”

“Oh? Will I get to meet him?” Minho was looking around the campus, not searching for anything in particular. The morning air was rather crisp and fresh – fresher than normal. Maybe he was just in one of those moods, whatever.

“Of course,” Key said quickly, sounding as if he were smiling, “I can’t wait. You said you’d come up this weekend, right?”

“Yeah, can’t wait either,” he assured. Minho’s eyes trailed across the miscellaneous shops making up the main square. It looked like students were decorating for some sort of event. He thought for a moment, trying to remember any past festivals that may have taken place during that time of year. When he came up with nothing, a frown replaced the wondering expression. What the hell could the school be planning?

“Then I’ll see you soon!” Key chimed before saying goodbye and ending the call.

Minho put the phone away, footsteps slowing at the sight of someone struggling to attach a string of lights. The boy was standing at the top of a shaky ladder, one foot actually starting to come off the metal contraption.

A queasy feeling slowly crept up from Minho’s stomach. “H-Hey—!” he called out, but it was already too late.

The person was falling and ripping the carefully pinned up lights down with him. Minho dashed forward, arms outstretched. Thank the lords the ladder wasn’t tall or else the catch probably would’ve been a lot harder to pull off than it was. Minho breathed a sigh of relief before looking down at the person he had saved.

Sungmin was gazing up at him, those large, black doe eyes boring into his. “M-Minho?” he said, surprise registering. “Oh, thanks.”

“That’s all I get?” Minho scoffed, shaking away his momentary speechlessness from seeing the cute boy up close, you know, after so long. “You were about to break your skull on stone and all I get for saving you is an ‘Oh, thanks’?”

Color seeped into Sungmin’s cheeks. “Well what else am I supposed to say?” He glanced down at the string of lights in his tightly clenched fist. “Man…I was so close to finishing too.”

Minho hated himself. He ing hated himself. No, wait, actually he hated his weak kneed about Sungmin self. Why did things have to be like that? Taking a deep breath, Minho set the smaller boy down on his feet and took the lights from him. “Hold the ladder steady.”

There was no reply, just the quick movement of Sungmin grabbing the ladder and repositioning it at one end of a building. And then Minho was climbing the death trap, fully aware that he was being stupid and lovesick for someone who probably thought he was some low life scum.

Oh wait, maybe he was a bit better than low life scum.

Then again, that wasn’t saying much.

After they finished, Minho stepped down from the ladder and turned to Sungmin. “What’s all of this for anyway?” He took the metal tool, folding it up and leaning it against the building.

Sungmin smiled at the handiwork, happy that it was finally done. “Last year someone said it would be cool to do a Valentine’s Day event so we’re decorating in preparation for all of the things we’re planning.”

“You guys actually read those suggestion box messages?” Minho smirked enjoying the mild glare shot his way.

“Of course we do,” he snapped, relaxing the next second, “besides, don’t you think this could be a lot of fun?”

“It depends on what sort of things you’re having us do.”

Sungmin pulled a list from his jacket pocket, reading, “February 8^th is Give a Red Rose, the 9^th is Karaoke, the 10^th is Promises, the 11^th—”

“—promises?” Minho repeated.

The other boy nodded, looking up from the paper, “Students apply for Promise Rings that they can give to their boyfriend or mail to their girlfriends outside of the academy.”

“How did you guys get the money for all of this?” his voice trembled with amusement, much to Sungmin’s irritation.

“The director recently got a bunch of money so he said he’ll turn it over to StudGov. Now can I finish?” Minho nodded and Sungmin cleared his throat, going back to the paper. “The 11^th is Raffle Day where the winner will be given two free passes to leave campus on the 14^th. The 12^th is Matchmaker Day where a lecture about love will be given and then everyone in the academy, who wants to, will take a matchmaking quiz to see who they’re most compatible with. The 13^th is Love Letters Day and the letters will be sent the morning of the 14^th. The 14^th is a Valentines Dance in the newly redone Ballroom.”

“You mean the scary , haunted one at the edge of the campus?” Minho cocked an eyebrow.

Sungmin nodded, “but it was cleaned up and redone.”

“How much money did the director recently get?” he shook his head, bewilderment clearly written on his face.

The black haired boy shrugged and put the paper away. “If you were headed somewhere, I’m sorry for keeping you here,” Sungmin said, “but thanks for all of the help.”

Minho smiled, unable to help himself. “I liked it.” He was about to reach for Sungmin’s hand when it abruptly moved away.

Sungmin was watching the taller boy carefully, large eyes guarded. “You’re dating someone still, right? Don’t flirt with me.” He voice cracked the tiniest bit, but then he was swiveling away too fast for Minho to be sure.