Taehyun's biting his fingernails blunt waiting for the day to end. There are only a few more minutes to go. He's nervous and excited at the same time. Today is the day the plan's going to take action, everything has to go perfectly. Finally, the last bell of the day rings and there is a flurry of excited movements among his classmates. Taehyun glances over at Danah who is also facing his way. "Is he coming?" he mouths. Danah nods her head in affirmation.

Both their heads turn in unison towards the door. Jongsik is making his way outside with his group of friends. They scramble up from their own seats and run towards the door. They have to be walking in front of Jongsik for the plan to have its full effect. As luck will have it, Jongsik and his friends linger in the hallways, giving time for the duo to overtake them. Taehyun holds his head high and ignores Jongsik completely but his heart is pounding in his chest. Jongsik had said something about remaining friends when he broke up with him, Taehyun had stormed out saying he didn't need more. If it were any other day, Jongsik would be waiting to talk to Taehyun. But they are broken up now. Taehyun forces himself to remain cool and not be sappy. He walks with a little more strut in his walk, giving his own brand of " you" to Jongsik's friends.

Danah stops at the entrance while Taehyun continues walking towards the gates. His phone buzzes in his pocket. He takes out his Bluetooth earpiece from his front pocket and answers the call. Its Danah, calling as per previous instructions. Taehyun strains his neck towards the gates, looking for signs of Mino. He sighs in relief at the sight of the familiar mohawk hair. He stands out from the crowd of uniformed students in his black shirt and ripped blue jeans. Taehyun can't help but smile in approval at the choice of clothes. He had forgotten to put a dress code in the contract, but he guesses Mino didn't need it.

"Ok, Jongsik is coming. Like 20 steps behind you," Danah's voice comes into his ear, prompting him forward towards the gate where Mino is standing.

He notices the exact moment Mino spots him, a broad grin on the guy's face. Taehyun wonders if Mino had ever smiled his way like that before. He silently muses that Mino will not be a horrible actor and thanks Danah for suggesting they rope him in for the part. 

"Action!" Danah's voice comes loud and clear in his ear, almost jolting him. He gives the start signal with his fingers to Mino who sees it and approaches him, the grin still in place.

"Hyung, what are you doing here?" Taehyun winces as soon as the words come out of his mouth. His voice came out strangled; nervous; not at all natural. He can only pray Jongsik did not see his face. He can't look around him to see if Jongsik is watching, however, he is quite sure they were attracting some sort of attention from the other students. Taehyun checks from the corner of his eyes.

"I came to ask you out on a date," Mino's voice rings loud and clear. Is Jongsik hearing this? He better be. "Here," Mino s out a bouquet of flowers he had been hiding behind his back all this time. Taehyun looks at the bouquet in surprise. He hears giggles and one girl is aww-ing, obviously because of Mino and Taehyun. He looks around and confirms that a few students have crowded around the two of them. High school kids are naturally curious, and they don't bother hiding the fact.

"Flowers?" Taehyun scoffs. "Who do you think I am? A girl?" Taehyun looks at the flowers at the end of the outstretched hands with a credulous expression, then looks up to catch a glimpse of something in Mino's expression which is gone in an instant and quickly replaced by a good-natured smile. He takes the flowers anyway.

"Oh? I figured a pretty face deserved pretty things. I simply picked them up on the way here. You can throw them away if you want. But, what do you say? Wanna go for some coffee?"

"Are we some office workers? Coffee? Please don't be pretentious," Taehyun scoffs again but then he smiles. "Spicy rice cakes and I'm in. But this is not a date."

"Okay," Mino beams. "Wow he is a good actor." Taehyun hadn't meant to be his rude sarcastic self, he is scared Mino will call the whole thing off. However, Mino seems to let it all slide, like water off a duck's back, and takes it all in stride.

Taehyun turns back to look for Danah, who quickly sidles up to his side. "Please take these. I feel silly carrying them," Taehyun hands the bouquet to her.

"He saw the whole thing," she whispers in Taehyun's ears when she took the flowers and  her chin in the other direction. Taehyun turns to where she's looking to see Jongsik watching them. As soon as their eyes meet, Jongsik pretends to cough and looks away, walking away from the trio making a scene right in front of the school gates.

"So that's the ex?" Mino asks, interrupting Taehyun's victory dance inside his head. Taehyun looks at Mino who is also looking at Jongsik's retreating back.

"Yeah," Taehyun answers with a dreamy sigh.

"Snap out of it," Danah scolds him with a giggle.

"Wanna drive past him just to spite him more?" Mino suggests.

"You have a car?" Taehyun questions, not bothering to hide the disbelief in his voice.

"Why is everything so surprising to you?" Mino's lips almost look like they are pouting, Taehyun felt a slight guilt creeping up on him. "Wait here," the guy says and leaves the two high-schoolers alone.

"I didn't know he has a car," Taehyun mumbles to Danah.

"It's more like a jeep. And he doesn't really drive it around," Danah tries to explain.

In a moment a military-green coloured Jeep comes and stops right in front of them, with Mino behind the wheel. "Danah, you can go on home while we go with what's-his-face," Mino calls out. Danah darts out a tongue towards Mino but she does not complain and waves the two off with a wink for Taehyun.

Taehyun climbs into the vehicle and slides into the seat. Something is making him nervous, and wary. Mino is being uncharacteristically nice to him. Taehyun can't understand it. He looks around at the vehicle while putting on his seat-belt. The jeep is a top-down and looks rough; the paint is peeling in places and Taehyun finds it completed the owner in a lot of ways. He barely manages to get the seatbelt on and they are off, with Taehyun's hair flying in the wind. It is strangely exhilarating, Taehyun cannot help the broad grin on his face. In a minute he can spot Jongsik and his friends on the sidewalk. Taehyun is sure Jongsik's shoulders look a little hunched while his friends are laughing around him. "There, slow down a bit," he points at the group and Mino does as he is asked, thankfully there is not a lot of traffic.

"See? He can easily spot your bright hair with the top down. Am I not such a wonderful person for deciding to bring this?" Mino is smiling.

"You really..." Taehyun starts but ends with a thank you instead.

"He's looking our way," Mino points at the rearview mirror. "Put your hands in the air. Really show him you're having a good time."

Taehyun needs no prodding. He raises his hands high in the air as Mino speeds up, driving away from Jongsik and his friends.

"That felt so good!" Taehyun's almost gushing.

"I treat my slaves well," Mino chuckles in reply. Taehyun quickly clams his lips shut, realising the situation they are in. This was why Mino had been nice, because he will be getting something out of this arrangement. Taehyun can't help but focus his thoughts on what Mino has in mind for him to do, as his slave. Mino starts to slow down and the vehicle comes to a stop. Taehyun has no time to be confused as Mino says "Okay, now get out."

Taehyun opens his mouth, a half "What?" escapes his lips and dies halfway. He releases his seatbelt and moves to get out of the car, stunned in disbelief. 

"There's a backpack in the back with books inside. Return them to our local library for me, some may be overdue so pay my fines as well. I have to go to work," Mino gestures with his hand to the back. Taehyun peeks in the back and takes the backpack. He turns back to Mino who has black sunglasses on now, Taehyun can see his reflection in them, he finds he looks sad and pathetic. Anger suddenly boils inside him. He has the sudden urge to slash Mino's tires.

"You really are an ," Taehyun grits out.

"You ain't an angel yourself, kid," Mino's face is hard. "One, you didn't even ask if I would be free today to take part in your little shenanigan. Two, you insulted me in front of strangers and I don't ing care if it was part of your game or not. Three, just... your entire existence is just ing..." Mino pauses then, he sighs in defeat and looks away. "Don't let your ex see you on the way back," he turns on the ignition and drives off leaving a fuming Taehyun.

Taehyun holds up his fist in the direction of the vehicle, middle finger in the air. His whole body is shaking with pent-up rage... and humiliation. He should have trusted his instincts when he got inside the damn jeep. He lets out a growl when Mino waves without looking back, Taehyun knows Mino is watching from the mirror and that he saw Taehyun's middle finger. He stomps his foot in irritation, wishing the gravel underneath him is Mino's face.

He does not have to worry about Jongsik spotting him on the way back though. He knows Jongsik takes English classes at some academy near the school which is not on his way. However, he decides not to take chances and hails a cab instead, telling the driver to stop at the library to return the books.

.

.

.

"You got a new boyfriend? After one day?"

Taehyun is backed into the wall of the boys' bathroom. He feels icky to have his back touch the tiles, even though his jacket and shirt obstruct his skin coming in contact with the walls, but Jongsik is in front of him. Taehyun feels like a prey being stalked, unable to move his body. "You broke up with me." He manages to put a defiant tone in his voice.

"Not even 24 hours have passed and you... " Jongsik is only a few inches in front of him now. He scoffs at Taehyun and looks away. "I guess my friends were right about you."

Taehyun does not know everything Jongsik's friends had told the guy about Taehyun, he has a few ideas however, he is not completely clueless about the rumors going around in school about him. He lets out a laugh. "I thought you and your friends would have better things to do than sit around gossiping." He peels himself away from the wall, walking towards the door. "And I haven't even agreed to date the guy," he turns around to look at Jongsik. "It was just one date and I am not so easy. Maybe you would know if you hadn't broken up with me," he smirks a little at the dumbfounded expression on Jongsik. He flicks his hair back and sashays out of the bathroom, not allowing Jongsik to come back with a retort.

"He is so jealous," Taehyun whispers to Danah when he gets back to class, emphasising the 'so' with a long drawl for effect and his stomach flips with excitement. Danah squeaks in reply, sharing his delight. Taehyun cannot wait for the day to end. Mino had promised to make an appearance again today. He is not particularly excited to see Mino again after what happened the day before, however, with the way Jongsik was riled up, he is sure it's only a matter of time before they get back together and he will not have to deal with Mino for long.

Mino was waiting in front of the school gates again, however, unlike the day before, he is in his top-down jeep at the steering wheel, wearing a black sleeveless shirt that showed off the sides of his torso. Taehyun can see a lot of the students crowding around the vehicle, some making a pretense of not staring while others blatantly did so. Taehyun cannot help but smile to himself. Mino is making sure he is noticed which is going with Taehyun's plan perfectly.

After he gets the cue from Danah, he walks towards the standing vehicle which hums alive as he comes close to it. "You're here again."

"I thought I'd give you a ride home," Mino's smile is blinding. Taehyun averts his gaze and in the process, he can see Jongsik again, a sneer in place. Taehyun:2, Jongsik:0.

Taehyun turns his attention back to Mino, forcing himself not to think of him as Mino, Danah's obnoxious older brother but as a potential lover. He had been practicing last night, taking acting cues from Danah's drama classes. "You do know I can simply walk home right? It's not far at all," he has on a flirty smile and demure eyes, his hand caressing the door of the jeep, showing that he is not denying Mino's offer at all.

Before Mino can reply, someone sidles up next to Taehyun, almost pushing him out of the way to ask "Is this guy bothering you, Taehyun?"

Taehyun's eyes open wide realising its Jongsik, currently trying very hard to stare down Mino, and failing, as Taehyun can clearly see, because Mino still has on a smug smile, not at all intimidated. His plan is working out better than he thought.

"Not at all, Jongsik. Stay out of my business," Taehyun lightly scolds Jongsik, making his voice sound almost condescending. He offers a smile to Mino. "Danah will come too, right?" Taehyun asks, not wanting to be dropped off in the middle of the road again. He figures if Danah is in the Jeep Mino will be more accommodating.

Jongsik sneers and walks away. Taehyun wonders briefly if Jongik knows Mino and Danah are siblings. He didn't seem like he knew when he was confronted in the bathroom. Jongsik has been admitted to the school only after Mino had graduated.

Danah comes forward at the mention of her name and after Mino smiled and said it was okay the two of them get inside the vehicle, leaving Jongsik who is again surrounded by his friends. Taehyun knows having Danah in the vehicle works because they are driving towards home which really was not far from the school. 

"I can't believe your parents bought you this," Taehyun mumbles. He is experiencing the same feeling of rush when riding in the car, having the wind blowing your hair everywhere is a nice experience. He almost forgot the driver and owner is a douchebag.

"They didn't," Mino replies gruffly. Taehyun realises he had been speaking out loud again.

"Huh?" is his intelligent reply.

"He fixed this up himself. It was damaged and abandoned in the garage he works at," Danah offers an answer.

"You work in a garage?"

"I told you yesterday I had to go to work," Mino looks irritated, well, he always seems annoyed around Taehyun. "What do you think I do? Laze around whole day?"

"But I thought you are an artist," Taehyun should have just shut his mouth, but he cannot hold his tongue sometimes. Mino's jaw clenches harder. He does not reply and looks straight ahead at the road.

"Why do you think that?" Danah is asking, filling the lull in the conversation.

"His room is filled with it? And yesterday he made me return some books to the library and they were all about..." the Jeep suddenly swerves to the right. There is a screech of tires and Danah is screaming. 

"Sorry. I thought I saw a cat on the road," Mino replies grimly. Taehyun is sure there was no cat, or anything resembling a cat. His eyes were also on the road. They don't have time to say anything else because they have reached the Song residence.

The two high schoolers get out of the car, a little dazed from what seems to be an almost-accident. Before they turn to go inside Mino throws something in Taehyun's direction which he catches on reflex. It's a key on a chain attached to a miniature model of a Porche. Mino's face turns into a smile that's bordering on sinister. Taehyun  in his stomach and holds his breath, awaiting instructions from his new master. "You clean my room."

Taehyun lets out the breath he has been holding in obvious relief. It isn't so bad. He can clean the room as long as Mino is not in the room inspecting his every move. However, Mino is not done.

"But, you have to wear the maid's dress hanging behind my door."

"Oppa!" Danah looks appalled.

"What the ... no way!" Taehyun protests.

"And Danah has to take videos of you wearing it so I can know for sure you ARE wearing it," Mino is not daunted.

"You can't..." Danah starts.

"It's for Taehyun to decide. If he doesn't want to do it, he can back out anytime," Mino challenges, looking at Taehyun.

"You said no ual stuff," Taehyun crosses his arms in front of his chest.

"I know. Article 2, clause 5. When you see the dress you will see there is nothing ual about it," Mino rattles off. "Otherwise the witness can decide if it is so and I will rethink what you have to do."

"You take pleasure in humiliating me," Taehyun accuses to which Mino merely smiles and raises his eyebrows to ask if Taehyun is willing to do it. "Fine!" Taehyun grits his teeth.

Taehyun takes off his shirt and puts on the dress, not bothering to take off his pants. He is in Danah's room, refusing to change in Mino's in case he has hidden cameras or something. Danah tells him he is paranoid. Taehyun is sure she is right but insists on changing in another room anyway.  The dress is certainly not made to seduce anyone,Taehyun concedes Mino was telling the truth. It reaches below his knees and the stitching is awful. It looks like a Halloween costume that has been left on the shelf way too long. He carefully ties the bonnet in his head, Danah squeals in delight.

"Ohmygosh you look so cute!" she rushes over to Taehyun and pinches his cheeks, obviously forgetting that she had been angry at Mino for making Taehyun put on the awful dress.

"A commemoration picture," Danah clicks the camera on her phone before Taehyun can protest.

"If you show that to anyone else I am not responsible for your mysterious death in your sleep," Taehyun's tone puts on a venomous tone. Danah merely laughs and pockets her phone.

He finally finished cleaning the room, including the cobwebs that have started appearing on the corners of the room, with Danah's help of course. They are now lounging on the bed, allowing the auto vacuum cleaner to do its work when there comes a knock on the door. "Come in!" Danah shouts and Mrs. Song's face appears at the door.

"Oh mom, you're home!"

"Yeah, and what are you two doing in your brother's room. I heard the music and had to check," she clucks disapprovingly. "You know how Mino feels about his space."

"He's making us clean his room," Danah pouts and it is very convincing.

"And is that why Taehyun is in a maid's dress?"

Taehyun thinks his face is red enough to be mistaken for a tomato. He wants to hide but figures it will probably only make things worse.

"It's for a school play. We were just practicing," Danah saves him, she is definitely going to fulfill her dream of making a convincing actress, Taehyun wonders adoringly. As soon as the door close again Taehyun scrambles to get out of the maid's costume, preferring to go half- instead of being seen by anyone else with the damn thing on, completely forgetting about the paranoia he had before about there being hidden cameras in Mino's room. He is definitely going to make Mino go out of his way as a fake boyfriend. Possibly make him do unnecessary things to make him pay for today.

After her mother leaves Danah turns to Taehyun with a strange expression. "You know, I am quite surprised my brother allowed you to clean his room."

Taehyun merely gives her a questioning look. 

"I mean... like mom said, he never allows people inside his room without his supervision, not even me. He locks it up whenever he leaves the house," Danah giggles. "That's why I helped you out in the first place, to snoop around. But there's nothing incriminating here. Do you think he hid everything?"

"What were you expecting to find?" Taehyun is mildly curious.

"I don't know... he always keeps a notebook with him, and he draws, and I can't find any of those anywhere."

"Yah! Would you like it if your brother tried to read your diary?" Taehyun scolds.

"I don't have any secrets from him," Danah counters, which is probably true. Danah is an open book and does not seem to have the traits most girls her age have regarding crushes and other things. Taehyun seemed to be living vicariously for the both of them. 

"What's that bumping sound I keep hearing?" Taehyun asks suddenly. They both quieted and listened. There is the sound again, and another. "It's coming from under the bed," Danah says what they both were thinking and peers down under it.

It's the automatic vacuum cleaner they had set on the floor, bumping its flat circular body against what looks like a steel trunk. Danah looks excited. She scrambles down from the bed to check what it is. She proceeds to pull it out and it is definitely a trunk, military green in colour and looks quite heavy from the way Danah struggles to pull it out, not at all proportionate to its size because it isn't large.

"Do you know how to pick a lock?" Danah grins at him from below. Taehyun merely shakes his head in amusement. "I know... I just know whatever I am looking for is right here in this trunk," Danah is contemplative as she rubs her chin.

"What if its a dead body chopped up into pieces?" Taehyun muses out loud while Danah glares at him. Her expression changes again when she shifts the trunk.

"Oh wait! Look what we have here!"

Taehyun can no longer suppress the curiosity he feels when he saw the trunk and peers down from the bed to see Danah pulling carefully at something. Taehyun gets down from the bed to see better; its a corner of a paper that had peeked out from inside the trunk. Danah is trying very carefully to pull it out without ripping the paper. After a few seconds of serious concentration, the whole paper is out of the trunk, and it looks like its completely blank, until Danah turns it over.

The two of them cannot hide their giggles when they realise what it is. It's the backside view of a man, a man, with a very nice bubble . "I knew it. I knew I would find some embarassing stuff," Danah's squealing between her giggles. "I am going to put it in a frame on his desk and surprise him tonight," Danah cheers while Taehyun inspects the trunk closely, awash with new curiosity. He does not understand why Mino is hiding his art under lock and key when he has no qualms displaying some on the door to his room, and on the walls too. He knows they are Mino's artwork, all signed with that loud and large signature of his. Occasionally, the sketches on the door will change, and Taehyun has accustomed himself to standing a few seconds outside the door to inspect the drawing. He guesses, and he knows he is right, when he assumes at this moment, that Mino has explicit stuff inside his trunk, stuff that can't be displayed on walls. He wants to see them.

Rationality and good nature wins over curiosity so Taehyun goes home without knowing the contents of the trunk. After dinner, as he settles himself on the bed, a message popped up on the screen. 

Song Minho: I didn't know you could dance with a winking emoji

Taehyun furrows his brows in confusion. When has Mino ever seen him dance? He is trying to type out a proper reply, erasing and typing when another comes.

Song Minho: I think this can garner a lot of views on youtube with a short video clip. Taehyun presses play and he gives out a shrill squeak. Its a video of him dancing to EXID- Up and Down with the hideous maid uniform. Danah must have taken it while they were both in Mino's room, putting on their dance playlist featuring all the girl group songs of the summer. He is going to kill Danah.

Taehyun tries to formulate a reply again, but nothing in his repertoire of comebacks is nearly scathing enough to convey the anger and humiliation he feels. He settles for an angry emoji instead.

Song Minho: What? No witty response? I'm disappointed

Nam Taehyun: Your existence is a disappointment He types and presses send before he can stop himself. He instantly regrets it. He is being childish and not his usual self. What has Song Minho reduced him to? He stares at his phone screen waiting for a reply, and cringes inwardly when he sees his own words staring back at him.

Song Minho: And here I thought I was being useful

Nam Taehyun: I guess not since Jongsik hasn't asked me back

Song Minho: hm... so are you going to call off the operation?

Nam Taehyun: after two days? i still have to pay you back for what you made me do today now there is light banter. Taehyun is finally getting back in the game.

Song Minho: okay, whatever you say, your highness

Nam Taehyun: i thought I was your slave. don't think you're getting off being my fake bf so easily

Song Minho: i wouldn't dream of it now what's that suppose to mean? Taehyun wonders out loud. Okay, so now he is reduced to talking to himself. He is definitely not back in the game

Nam Taehyun: are you picking me up tomorrow?

Song Minho: if you want me to

Nam Taehyun: you have to

Song Minho: okay boyfriend/slave

Nam Taehyun: #fake boyfriend

Song Minho: ah but you didn't correct the slave part

Nam Taehyun: the sacrifices we make... and delete that video

Song Minho: oh i think this is quite a piece of art

Nam Taehyun: what do YOU know about art?

Song Minho: you undermine me

Nam Taehyun: drawing butts of boys is not art

Song Minho: Did you look at places where you were not supposed to?

Nam Taehyun: Only because it was peeking out Taehyun presses send with an emoji with tongue sticking out, obviously believing they are still talking normally. No reply comes for the next two minutes, Taehyun giggles to himself at a fight not-so-fairly won. He does not question himself on why he considers himself to be at war with Mino. People can try to humiliate Taehyun but he will always get back at them, always, with twice the viciousness. Another minute pass, and the glory of the win loses its allure. Taehyun is biting his lower lip now, worry sketches across his forehead. Is he being mean? He cannot afford to lose Mino being on his side, not now, when Jongsik is clearly so riled up about Mino's presence, it's only a matter of time before they get back together. And he knows Mino is talented and quite artistic. What if he hits a sore spot? Shall he call him and apologise?

However, the next message is cruel and completely erases the smile off his face.

Song Minho: Never go through my stuff again. When I said clean I meant clean, not stick your nose where it shouldn't

Taehyun can feel the venom dripping from the message and throws his phone to the foot of the bed. He has no idea why he did that. Maybe he can pretend he didn't see it? He stares at his phone like it had offended him a great deal. He wants to break it. Throw it out the window. Something. However, the phone didn't do anything wrong, it is merely the messenger, and they did say "Don't kill the messenger." 

He wonders why Mino is so mad. It isn't even that embarrassing. Taehyun would know. In some art classes, the students are required to draw a model. He cannot understand what made Mino so angry. Obviously he thought Taehyun had snooped around his room, but that was Danah. Of course he got curious at the end, though he never intended to snoop from the very beginning. He realises he can't blame it all on Danah. He has to definitely apologise. He picks up his phone again. There's another message.

Song Minho: Danah informed me she was the one snooping. I don't know if I should believe her but I will give you the benefit of doubt. I was the one who gave you the key to my room anyway. No hard feelings. 

Taehyun scoffs at what was supposed to be an apology but there was no 'Sorry' anywhere. "No hard feelings?" he seethes. "Like that's supposed to make me feel better?"

Song Minho: also Renaissance says otherwise  Another message comes. Taehyun smiles despite himself. "OK. Let's go with 'No hard feelings'," he sighs.

Nam Taehyun: touche. oh Jack, draw me like one of your french girls

he types a reply. Not mentioning Mino's outburst. Taehyun decides to ignore it like it never happened, although he tells himself he has to be wary of Mino's temper from now on. Another minute passes. Oh how Taehyun loved making people speechless.

Song Minho: you're teasing me

Nam Taehyun: you make it too easy. before Mino has the chance to reply, he decides to end the conversation before he makes Mino hate him, which he knows will be quite easy considering his past failures.

Nam Taehyun: I'm going to bed. See you same time tomorrow. goodnight Jack.

Song Minho: okay Rose

Nam Taehyun: Don't die on me

Song Minho: as long as you let me in the plank i wont. Goodnight and a dozing emoji

Taehyun goes to bed with a smile on his face, in spite of what had happened in the middle of the text conversation, at least it ended well. "All's well that ends well," he whispers to himself, hoping Mino will be in a good mood the next day.

--------------------

a/n: updates every Wednesday and Friday. Please remind me if I forget. This story will have 8 chapters in total. I hope I am not dragging this out. Also, please understand my mistakes. I don't have a beta. The story may be inconsistent since I don't have anyone to help me edit and also English is not my first language.