~ o n e w ~

I couldn't believe my eyes as I covered my mouth. I was outside the Lees' main house. I was about to tell Taemin the truth about my real connection with him but Minho... My God, Minho.... I just couldn't believe he would do such a thing. I was so close to Taemin's room but the sight was too shocking. I never knew Minho felt that way for Taemin. Should I accept it? Or should I question him like a hyung would do for his dongsaeng?

Surprisingly, the gate opened for me to the main house. I was finally able to tell Taemin. This was building up too much for me. I took one step into the house and the smell of traditional Korean food surrounded the air. I must've arrived at one of the huge family gatherings they had every few weeks. They were always pure in their family like that. I noticed a few boys, or girls, I couldn't tell because I didn't recognize some of them. But I recognized Heechul and he gave me a weird look once he noticed me.

I was about to continue but a familiar man stopped me. Taemin's father. Of course. He wouldn't have expected for me to come back to this house or any Lee house at all. I looked up and glared at him. I took a step forward but he blocked me with his arm.

"I thought I told you to never return back here," he spat.

"Oh, it feels so good that you remember!" I nearly sang.

"I'm serious, Onew."

"So, you're calling me by the name you made up for me again? As you know, my name is Jinki. But you always called me Onew. So much that even Taemin didn't know my real name," I spat back, "I never considered you as his father. You never watched him grow up unless he was practicing for a recital or something. You were more into his success. His umma raised him better than you did."

"YAH! LEE JINKI!"

"So now you call me by my real name. What a tremendous feat," I clapped my hands for him. My dongsaeng friends would've been surprised at this side of me. But I had to let out my anger on this man. "Now, will you excuse me... I need to see Taemin."

"No, you will not. Jinki? JINKI!"

I pushed his arm away and went upstairs to look for Taemin's room. I ignored the constant shouting from his appa. I quickly looked for his room and finally found it. I opened the door only to a crack and looked inside. Taemin seemed to be asleep. I was about to go in and wake him up. But I noticed another person.

Minho? What was Minho doing here? He seemed to be watching as Taemin slowly breathed as he slept. He Taemin's hair and smiled to himself. This seemed intense. Where's chicken when I need it? Minho slowly lowered his head down and kissed his forehead. Then....

He pressed his lips against Taemin's gently. I raised my hand to cover my mouth. It lasted for a few seconds then he stood up. I quickly fled the house, again ignoring Taemin's appa's yell. That damn old man should leave me alone.

I panicked. What was I going to do? Minho would pretty much scorch me with endless flaming stares if he found out I knew. Does Taemin like Minho back? I guess homouality runs in the family's men. They were all born with this weird condition that made the heads of the family accept any uality. But he always seem to argue with Minho every time I hear them talk. So, maybe not? Or does that tell that Taemin likes him too. Sigh. But one thing sent alarms to my mind besides chicken.

What will the two families do once Taemin and Minho fall for each other?

---

~ t a e m i n ~

"What?! Oh no. Nonono. Grandmother, I will not do this," I pleaded. We were in the actual stage we are going to perform on in a few weeks to practice. Minho was able to come along too. Which I didn't want considering the command my grandmother asked me to do. "Please, Grandmother. Don't make me do this. At least not until the actual performance."

"Yah. A true performer never protests to any command, ridiculous or not. Now, I say you kiss Minho in this rehearsal, whether you like it or not," my grandmother stated firm. I groaned. "Don't you groan at me, young man."

"But, Grandmother. We don't get along well. At least, I don't get along with him well. I probably would punch him across the face after I kiss him," I insisted.

"Well, if you kiss him for the first time at the actual performance, will you punch him there?"

"..."

"That's right, Taemin. You won't do that. That's why this rehearsal is to prepare you and get used to it for the performance. You'll do well. You've kissed your previous male leads well before."

"That's because I was friendly to them. They didn't know I'm a guy unlike Minho does. But then they keep chasing after me after the performances."

"It makes no difference. Minho's knowledge of you being a boy makes it more easier."

"How-"

"Okay! Dress rehearsal, everybody! Everything must be performed genuinely as if you're performing the real thing!" My grandmother clapped her hands and walked down to one of the front seats.

I sighed to myself. It was bad enough I dreamt about Minho kissing me last night. It had felt so real. We were on my bed like before I fell asleep. Then he suddenly my hair and kissed me. The feelings of his lips felt so real. So soft and gentle. I subconsciously put my fingers over my lips until Minho randomly grabbed me by the shoulders. I let out a surprised squeal.

"Shisus, Minho hyung! Don't scare me like that!" I hit him lightly with my fan.

"I'm hurt. You don't want to see me?" Minho questioned, putting his hand over his chest as an attempt to make me feel guilty. It doesn't seem to work but it's cute. Kinda. A bit. JUST A BIT.

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Maybe? Just maybe? You're confusing me, Taemin."

"Good."

"Good."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"DON'T COPY ME!"

"Don't yell, Taemin. That's not very elegant of you," Minho replied. He leaned down and playfully pecked my cheek before going backstage. My cheeks turned pink as I instantly turned embarrassed and furious. Some of my cousins were staring. Heechul was snickering, dancing around the stage in his red-clad lady glory. He continued to sing nonsense words but I could faintly hear "Taeminnie and Minhoooo, sitting in a tree~"

I threw my fan at him hard.

---

~ m i n h o ~

I guess I really did fall in love with Taemin. Funny. We used to dislike each other. But he still hates me, considering he had a furious look on his face after I kissed his cheek. Damn. It was as hot as my flaming stares. I chuckled at Heechul and Taemin wrestling on the stage. Some of the adults shouted at them for acting so inelegant in their behavior. But they continued to fight.

"Now, now, ladies. We shouldn't fight," I calmly said and separated the two. I dragged away Taemin. "Let's go. We should get ready."

"I'm not finished with him!" Taemin growled.

"I'm not either!" Heechul growled back as one of their cousins, who I recognized as Hyukjae, held him back. He seemed to be struggling as I threw Taemin over my shoulders as if he was a large bag of feathers. He was extremely light. Thin too. I should get him to eat more.

"Yahyahyah! Let me down!" Taemin screamed.

I felt Taemin pounding his fists against my back. But I wasn't fazed by it. I continued to carry him across the stage towards the backstage. I grinned as I saw Kibum and Jonghyun entering the auditorium. They looked at me wide-eyed. I smiled brightly, too brightly to be honest, and carried Taemin to backstage. We walked into his dressing room. He continued to pound his fists onto my back. I finally let him down and he hit me in the chest.

"Pabo. Pabopabopabo! That was so embarrassing!"

"Not for me."

"Not for you, but for me, it was humiliating!"

"But your fight with Heechul wasn't."

"So? My cousins and I wrestle each other playfully all the time! The heads of the family don't. Sometimes. Well, rarely. But, I don't care! None of our family has ever been carried so rudely by anyone across the stag-"

I silenced his constant babbling by pressing my lips against his. Oddly, his body suddenly stayed frozen. It felt nice, being the second time I kissed him, the first time kept a secret. His lips were soft and moist. I wondered why he hasn't pushed me away. I stopped after about half a minute for air. He stared up at me in surprise and total shock.

"There. That's our first kiss for both of us, isn't it? Considering you've only kissed people onstage, I guess I stole your real first kiss. You should get ready. Merong," I stuck out my tongue and exited his dressing room. I guess I lied about the first kiss thing since I secretly kissed him before. Oh well. I could see Taemin falling to his knees and sitting on the floor in pure shock before closing the door behind me.

The rehearsal went fine. There was only one kiss scene in the whole performance but that's what closes the ending. We just haven't reached that scene just yet. Taemin just felt a little awkward with me and kept his distance during breaks. He was really good at acting. No wonder the audience demanded for him. I tripped once, only because the Onew sangtae can be a bit contagious. I don't think anyone noticed. But Kibum and Jonghyun praised us both nonetheless.

"Excellent job, you two! You're going to do great on the real performance. My family, Jjongie's family, and Jinki hyung's family will be watching it. We'll support you guys," Kibum said as he hugged Taemin. He whispered something in his ear as the maknae blushed.

"A Choi playing as the male lead in a Lee musical. How scandalous," Jonghyun whispered. We were by ourselves, far from the Lee family and backup dancers so they wouldn't hear us.

"Yeah. So, keep quiet about it, okay? We need to keep the truth secret," Taemin requested. 

All three of us nodded. Where was Jinki hyung? He texted me that he was going to come and watch too. Was he afraid or something? He always kept his distance around Taemin, as if he'd break into fragile pieces if he touched him. But when they talked, they got along well. One of the staff members walked up to Taemin and I, announcing that the few last scene rehearsals for today were about to start. 

"Gogogo! You don't want to miss your kiss scene with Taemin~" Kibum teased as he sent me off after Taemin took quick steps. 

---

~ k e y ~

I quickly sent Taemin and Minho off. They'd be such a perfect couple if they set aside their arguing. I sat next to Jonghyun and laced his hand with mine. He soothingly rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb. I looked around. Was Onew late? He usually isn't late. But I don't blame him. The family members might look at him as if he was a freak of nature. I remember him crying to me years ago when his father accused him of so. I smiled once I saw the familiar dubu face. He tucked his slightly long hair behind his ear and noticed both of us.

"Jjongie, I have to talk to Jinki hyung. I'll be right back, okay?" I turned to Jonghyun as I stood up.

"Okay then," he accepted and pecked me on the lips.

I walked over to Jinki and we walked to a secluded corner. He sighed as he hit his back against the wall. I rubbed my temples and faced him.

"Onew hyung, when are you ever going to tell Taemin ah you're his older brother?"