It was a peaceful Wednessday evening and although it was late, Taemin was still at the book shop. A new stock of books arrived that day and he was busily arranging them on the racks with Minho's help. They could have done it on the next day but Taemin hate delaying work. Because who knows if there'll be a tomorrow in his life, or in everyone's life. So the earlier he completed his work the more he felt satisfied.

"How's your singing classes going?"

Minho asked while looking through a new release.

"Um.. it's pretty good. But there's still more to learn. And hyung helps me a lot"

Minho had been noticing that whenever Taemin talked about something without him knowing Jinki was there in all his conversations. It wasn't like Minho didn't like it, but he was curious about his crush's closest friend.

"Tell me about him. Your hyung. How did you meet him?"

"We went to the same school. I was so small those days and since I prefered to have long hair everyone used to tease me saying I look like a girl. One day a big guy came to me and started to bully me. And that was when Jinki hyung came and rescued me. We became friends and I don't know how or why but hyung's family moved near our house and then on we became neighbours"

He said with a big smile on his face. He cherished every moment with his Jinki hyung. Taemin always saw him as his saviour. His gaurdian angel. Even the thought of that made him blush like a small kid.

"So it was another coincidence. Wasn't it?"

Taemin couldn't hide his reddening face from his friend. And there was that usual sparkle in his eyes that appear when he's so much happy which made Minho's heart weak even though he knew that he wasn't the reason why Taemin was that much happy.

"Maybe. Haha.."

"Do you like him?"

Minho asked it so casually like it was the most normal thing. But it wasn't for Taemin, who almost dropped a book he was holding.
Do I look that much obvious? He thought while smiling from inside.

"Haha.. he's my hyung. So yeah.. I like him"

Minho didn't miss Taemin's smile when he said it and it hurt him. He wished that he was the one who saved Taemin from the bullies and was friends with him all this time. And he knew he would have protected him more than anyone else would have done. Even more than Jinki. He so much wished that Taemin's fondness towards Jinki was only as a brother and not more than that.

"Hey, I think we should go now. It's getting late"

Taemin said while placing the last book on the rack and adjusting the rest of the books tightly.

"Taemin?"

That was when he saw Jinki coming towards them. He was wearing a simple white turtle neck t-shirt and black jeans to go with it, but for the younger one's eyes even that was too much. Recently he looked at Jinki with a lot of admiration. He had the perfect looks and Taemin wondered why he's not dating anyone yet, even though from deep inside his mind he hoped that he wouldn't.

"Hyung!! Why are you here? It's your day off today, right?"

It was. And more than anyone else Taemin knew that Jinki would never leave the apartment when he could just lazy around reading and sleeping. For his own surprise he knew too much about his hyung.

"Yeah it is. Well.. I just came around. It was boring so I came to look for some books"

Jinki was too bad at lying. True he was bored with nothing to do but he lied about coming to look for books when he actually came to look for Taemin. He wasn't able to see him for days and the love boy started to miss his secret crush which caused to get him out of his comfy bed and come to Taemin's book shop. But for his luck Taemin was so much innocent to not imagine it.

"That's great then. I was just about to go home"

"Let's go together then"

Jinki was just about to leave the shop when he saw two questioning looks from Taemin and Minho.

"Hyung? You came to buy books, right?"

He slapped his mind from inside for being so stupid with everything. 
"Oh yeah. Haha.. But I feel tired again. I'll come by another time. Haha.."

Jinki knew that no one would believe his words but the poor one couldn't think of a good lie at that moment.

"Stop being so lazy hyung. Let's go"

Taemin gently punched Jinki's shoulder and ran to get his bag and came back.

"See you later Minho"

He waved at his friend while going out of the shop with Jinki, leaving a hurting Minho behind. Minho wasn't innocent like Taemin so he understood the whole thing. He knew that Jinki came to see Taemin and he also realized that they had something more than a friendship between them. His heart hurt a little too much to think that Taemin's heart was already taken. But he wasn't going to give up on Taemin. Not after all the things he did to gain his trust.

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"So how was the day?"

The two friends were walking on the street side by side finishing stuffing their mouths with some crisps they bought.

"I was sleeping. Eating. Reading. And again sleeping"

And thinking about you. Jinki wished he could say that.

"Seriously hyung. You should stop being so lazy. Go out and do something fun"

"I don't feel like doing anything alone"

He wanted Taemin to understand what he meant. But he didn't. Sometimes Jinki wished he could put some senses to Taemin's brain cause the younger one was just so innocent to not understand such hidden meanings. Of course he found that innocency adorable but at times like that it made him frustrated. 

"What about you? How was your day?"

 "Tiring but good. As always. It's not bored to work and Minho is there too. You know what, sometimes he makes puns like you"

Jinki was feeling sad whenever Taemin talked about Minho since Jonghyun's birthday party, the day when he heard the word 'dating'. It always made him feel like a coward who can't even open up his true feelings. Even though he could understand that Taemin liked Minho, he didn't knew what exactly their relataionship was. So he thought that it was time to know the truth from Taemin.

"You like him, don't you?"

"Yeah.."

They stopped walking when both of them realized what that actually was about. 

"NO! I mean.. he's my friend. So I like him. But no hyung. Not by any other way"

Taemin quickly said not to let Jinki to think too much about his answer. It was true. He didn't saw Minho more than a friend.

"Stop lying to yourself Taemin. You like him more than that, right?"

"NO!! No I don't"

I like you, you idiot. He wished he could say that but he knew it wasn't the right time.

"Stop! I know everything"

"What??"

"You two are dating. I heard it that day. I know so stop lying to me"

"No hyung. It's not what y.."

"STOP IT TAEMIN!!"

Jinki was angry to a point that he was afraid that he would tear up any moment. Not because of Taemin but at his own self. He lost Taemin. Again. And it was all because of his bottled up feelings that he couldn't free. He was hurt. He was too much hurt.

"Hyung.."

Taemin sounded like a small child trying to persuade his mother about something he didn't do.

"Go home Tae. I'll come later.."

"Hyung please, let me explain.."

Jinki missed the teary eyes of the younger one. 

"Please.. I want to be alone. Go home safely"

He turned back and started walking away leaving a messed up Taemin behind. The younger stood like a statue not knowing what to do. Should I go with him? Should I tell him that I like him? His mind was a mess. He couldn't open up his feelings without knowing whether Jinki was gay. He was so much certain that Jinki would leave him when he tells about his feelings, if he didn't like men. He didn't wanted to lose his hyung again. And at that moment, he knew nothing except for the fact that he created a big tangle that would be hard to untangle.

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Jinki walked and walked without even knowing where he was going or where he sould be going. But then he was there. The park he frequented in his free time and weekends. He went to the bench he usually sits, the same one he sat with Taemin some days ago. It was getting dark and cold. But he didn't mind. He was much calmer than before when he was burning up with anger and left Taemin alone on the street. He couldn't face Taemin at that time cause he knew he ed up everything.

"What the hell did I do.."

He hid his face in his hands trying to find answers for the problem he caused. He was angry about his own self but since he didn't knew how to release it he couldn't help but shout at Taemin who didn't do anything. Taemin only fell in love. It wasn't wrong at all. It was all his fault for being such a coward. Who can't even protect, but always hurting the one he loved so much.

After staying that way for some while he took his phone out of his jean pockets. There were seven missed calls and one message from Taemin. He opened the message.

"Hyung, please come home. Or tell me where you are. Please call me when you see this. I'm worried"

Why was he worried? Jinki thought. After all it wasn't anyone else's but his own fault. Then he suddenly felt sad and guilty. He left the younger one alone like that and didn't even thought for a second whether he went home safely.

"Why am I such a loser?"

He thought for a while whether to call Taemin or not and atlast he dialled up his number. It only took ten seconds to hear the younger one's voice. It only contained worry. Not a single space for anger.

"Hyung? Where are you now?? Are you ok? Talk to me hyung please"

Jinki felt like tearing up just from those innocent worry filled words.

"Hyung.. talk to me.."

"I'm fine Tae"

"No you're not. I know that. Where are you?"

"I'm on my way home"

"Ok then.. come safely"

"Wait, Tae!"

"What is it?"

Jinki waited for some time thinking about what he should say. He knew that there was nothing to tell. He made all that trouble.

"Are you ok.."

Silence. Jinki thought Taemin already hung up so he was going to put away his phone.

"Yeah.. I'm ok. I hope you're ok too. Ok for real. I know you're blaming yourself right now thinking that it's all your fault. But it's not hyung. So please don't think so. Come back soon"

Why are you making so hard? Why can't you just scold me and shout at me like I did to you? Jinki thought. 

He put his phone away and looked at the distant lake. Luckily it was visible because of the light from the tall lamp posts standing on each side of the sandy path near the lake. He saw some couples walking hand in hand enjoying the beauty of the night and the sound of the slow waves. Once he dreamt to walk with someone like that. But he was busy with work and didn't had time to fall in love. Maybe it was because he wasn't over his first love. And then Taemin came to his world again, reminding him how lonely his life was. He made changes in his world turning it to a dreamland. He felt like the past has started to repeat. Again falling in love and again not being able to express his self. It needed to be changed. It shouldn't have a sad ending like before. But what he didn't knew was how to do it. Lee Jinki was a strong, confident young man at work. But when it came to his personal life he was the complete oposite. 

Hello everyone!!! I'm back with Rooftop Princes. Hehe.. I can't believe it was after 6 months. So how was it? Those two love birds should get together soon, don't they? Hehe.. Hope you liked it. Don't forget to subscribe and comment. Have a nice day!!