They don’t win any trophies at all for Tell Me What To Do. Taemin doesn’t really mind. He likes the song, likes the dance, likes the styling and it sells well enough that SM isn’t breathing down their necks about the lack of music show wins.

After they’re done with the last stage, Kibum and Jonghyun insist that they should celebrate and have dinner. Jinki and Minho agree, enthusiastically. There’s no way Taemin can refuse. Anyway, his hanahaki is still in the early stages. He gets a little short of breath every now and again, but the coughing hasn’t started yet. He can still hang out with them without raising suspicion.

Minho wants to share a bottle of soju with their dinner. One bottle turns to two, to three and before long it’s turned into a drinking party.

After the restaurant manager – politely – throws them out at midnight, Kibum says they can continue their drinking party at his flat; it’s just around the corner, after all. Taemin tags along, pleasantly tipsy. He’s missed s.

~

“Oh my god, he’s stripping,” Kibum grumbles. “Who let the baby drink again?”

“ you,” Taemin replies. He peels his shirt from his arms, rolls it into a ball and throws it somewhere. It doesn’t count as stripping if he’s got a t-shirt on underneath.

Minho’s phone buzzes. He checks it and says “Oh, Suho-hyung wants to hang out with me. Hey, can I ask him to come over?”

“Sure,” Jonghyun says, as if he’s the owner of the flat. “Ask him to bring more soju.”

“And Jongin,” Taemin adds. He misses his friend. “Bring Jongin.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Kibum says then.

“Huh, why not?” Minho asks.

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea,” Kibum replies, cryptic, and Taemin wants to laugh, because his alcohol-soaked brain finally gets why Kibum is against Jongin coming over. “He’s still recovering.”

And that makes it clear for everyone, because there’s only one thing Taemin is recovering from.

Jonghyun laughs aloud. “Really, that’s what you think?”

“I don’t think, I know.”

That makes Jonghyun laugh again. Taemin suddenly feels like he’s drunk too much. He wants to end this conversation, but he’s not entirely sure how to do it.

“Jongin was the first person he wanted after the surgery, both times. Jongin always knows what he’s doing, where he is… and you think it’s Jongin? Jongin’s not the one he’s been avoiding lately.”

“Can you all shut up?” Taemin says then. Jonghyun is far too close to the truth. “I don’t want to talk about this.”

~

They’re all way too drunk to go home. Jonghyun is the first to fall asleep, on the couch, and that’s how he gets out of cleaning up.

Kibum throws a blanket over Jonghyun, lets Jinki and Minho have the guest room and tugs Taemin into his own bedroom. Taemin knows he should refuse, but what difference would it make? The flowers are back. Avoiding Kibum isn’t going to make them go away.

They don’t bother with showering or brushing their teeth, or even with changing. Kibum takes the left side of the bed and Taemin takes the right, and he’s just on the verge of sleep when he hears the sheets rustling.

“Taemin-ah?”

Taemin rolls over, facing Kibum.

“It’s me, isn’t it?”

Taemin could pretend not to understand what Kibum means. He could pretend to be too sleepy or too drunk. But there are flowers growing in his lungs again and he’s tired of pretending. “Yes.”

Kibum’s leaning forward then, in a move so out of the blue that Taemin doesn’t understand what he’s trying to do until he feels Kibum’s lips press against his. It’s over before he can even think of kissing back.

“You’ll be fine in the morning,” Kibum whispers.

That’s not how it works, Taemin wants to say. But Kibum’s eyes are so full of hope that Taemin just nods.

“Sleep,” Kibum says.

Taemin closes his eyes.

~

His head is killing him. His throat is dry, his mouth sticky. This is why Taemin hates drinking; it’s really not worth the hangovers.

The first thing he sees when he opens his eyes is Kibum.

Startled, Taemin snaps awake, only to realise that Kibum is still fast asleep.

There is a tickle at the back of his throat. Not wanting to wake Kibum, Taemin stifles a cough into his palm.
 

In his hand, he finds a pink petal.