The weeks and months that passed after that seemed to take place in some kind of happy rainbow-tinted daze for Minho. It was a tough time for Shinee really, filled with intense practice and rehearsals that seemed to sap all the energy out of them, but Minho lived through it knowing that there will also be little stolen moments with Taemin that brought such incredible joy to him. Moments in the practice room where their hands would brush against each other, or in the car where Taemin would only lean against him to sleep. There were the precious nights when Taemin would creep into his bed and kiss him passionately awake again, or Minho making sure he remembered to buy Taemin's favourite snacks to greet him when he woke up in the morning (or face Taemin's pouts).

Minho picked up the tumbler of vitamin water on his table and took a big swig from it, feeling the coolness of it spread through his body. He picked up his phone again to try searching for a cute picture to send back to Taemin, but gave up after a couple minutes. He has never been good with using the internet and social media, even when his manager grumbles that he still hasn't created a SNS account. What else can he then send back to Taemin? "I love you Tae"?

His eyes grew distant. The truth is, those expressions of love used to roll off his tongue easily, but not anymore. In fact he can't remember the last time he had said that to him. When did they grow apart really, that was perhaps the key question. Minho's forehead creased slightly trying to remember but he also gave up on that, not willing to delve too deep backwards. Taemin just started to grow up more, perhaps. Or that others came into the picture... But one day, Minho had woken up all by himself in bed and simply understood that that part of their lives was over. It did not hurt him as much as he thought it might, somehow he had always known it would not last. If anything, he just missed the innocence and carefree-ness they had enjoyed when together. He sighed somewhat in amusement to himself. Look at me, when did I start sounding like such an old man, like Onew-hyung?

There was a knock on his door.

"Oh you're finally up, thank goodness. Jinki-hyung and Jjong want to have a discussion on some of the concert set-ups in Japan."

Minho turned around, dismissing his thoughts. He smiled warmly at the person standing in front of him. "Ok Kibum. I'll just get ready now."

Kibum arches his eyebrows at him and walks into the room, closing the door behind him.

Minho's smile grew bigger. Even in private, Kibum walks like a model. And dresses like one too. He is wearing full make-up, and some glittery earrings on one ear, but a big wooden stud in another. He is wearing a flowery velvet long-sleeved shirt, and ripped burgandy jeans. On an ordinary person, the outfit would look weird. On Kibum, as always, he just looks gorgeous.

Minho thinks to himself: The truth is, no matter how many times he looks at him, he cannot help but be amazed at how beautiful he is. Impulsively, he reaches out and pull him tightly into an embrace. "Good morning Kibum. You look good."

"Ya!" Kibum pulled himself out of Minho's embrace instantly. "What's wrong with you!? Why are you acting all like that? Wait... " Kibum's eyes narrowed. "What have you done? What is it this time?"

Minho laughs out loud. "You know, I just knew you were going to say that. Are you ever going to stop being suspicious? I just wanted to say it because it's true."

Kibum scoffs and flutters his hands at Minho, although his lips twitched in a vain attempt to stop from smiling. Equally smiling, Minho reaches out and catches Kibum's hands in his. "I know you like it so stop pretending. Thanks for putting out the shirt and water for me."

"Yes you should say thanks. I don't understand why you always sleep without a shirt, it is unhealthy even in summer, and you have the air-conditioning on at full blast too. It is so cold for me I have to go back to my own room to sleep you know. And I know you need to eat breakfast too, that water is not enough. I've made some scrambled eggs and toast. Do you want coffee?" In the midst of his nagging, Kibum's eyes wandered over to the laptop on Minho's table, with the pictures of Taemin visible on it. His expression flickered slightly before changing into a big smile. "Is it about his next solo album? They are working that boy too hard!"

Minho half-turned towards the table to look at the laptop as well. "Yes he just texted me. He's coming back tomorrow, earlier than planned. We're having dinner. You wanna come too?"

A half-second of hesitation before Kibum replies. "No, it's ok. I'm going to be really busy now preparing for my musical. And there are a few scripts they sent me, I want to read through them and decide if any appeals to me."

Minho catches himself and turns back to Kibum in delight. "Oh! I didn't know that! That is great! Will you talk to me about them?"

Kibum looks into Minho's eyes, then suddenly smiles rather shyly. "Well, only if you want to. And if you promise not to tease me."

Minho pretends to look offended. "When have I ever...."

Kibum's hands suddenly clamp down on Minho's mouth. "You know you do, all the time."

Minho grins. "You know I am teasing and don't mean it when I do that ok. Alright, I promise, I will be honored if you include me this time and I won't crack a single joke. Serious."

Kibum turns his head away to hide his smile. "Ok, well. Anyway, have a good dinner tomorrow then. And I will see Taemin when you two are back."

"Ok, I'll ask Jinki-hyung and Jonghyun-hyung too. If you change your mind let me know."

Kibum half-raises his head from Minho's shoulder to look into Minho's eyes. There is a depth of understanding in there as they look silently at each other. Sometimes Minho wonders how much Kibum really knows about his past with Taemin. Given how much time they have spent together as a group over the last 10 years, he knows the other three had all probably known something. He could tell Jinki-hyung had always exerted himself to ensure he was around the two of them in public, whereas Jonghyun-hyung's boisterousness meant that he would sometimes forget himself and openly encourage the two of them to express their affection, much to their embarrassment.

Kibum... Kibum had always smirked playfully in the background but had refrained from making any snarky comments as Minho thought he would. But then he had thought, that was because of Kibum's natural affection for Taemin and nothing to do with himself.

After all, they had been the last two to become friends within Shinee given their history. They had only gradually learnt to be comfortable with each other because they were forced to spend so much time together after debut. In fact, Minho had been the first to reach out and apologise (although he will be darned if he ever admits it). His warm nature simply hated the awkwardness and he was keen to be friends. Even then, he had not thought they would be close as he was to the others. It was only when Taemin and himself had naturally grown apart, that Minho started to realise how much he valued his friendship with Kibum. It surprised him, the way he found himself constantly communicating with Kibum and asking to hang out with him, either to go shopping, walking Kibum's two dogs, or just to eat and drink together. When he was silently grieving over the loss of Taemin as a lover, he called Kibum more than ever, sometimes even in the late of night. Strangely, although he was expecting to be scolded, Kibum never did then but always willingly agreed to come and meet him wherever he was.