Kibum had been in a terrible mood since waking up today. He really didn’t know why. Sure, he dreaded going to the gym, but was it enough to put him in such a horrible mood?

“What’s wrong, Kibum-ah?” Minho asked when they arrived at the gym. They had been sitting in the car in silence for a few minutes before Minho had spoken.

“Nothing.”

Kibum did not have the energy to actually come up with a decent answer to describe his mood. He had an inkling it probably had to do with yesterday, something he hadn’t taken too seriously at the time. But maybe pondering over their cancelled date overnight had led to Kibum’s nasty mood today.

“Are you sure?” Minho asked, just as curtly.

“Yes, it’s nothing,” Kibum said, getting out of the car and slamming the door shut. He stormed in the direction of the gym entrance, hearing hurried footsteps nearing him. Suddenly, he was being spun around by a strong hold on his wrist.

“Yah, we haven’t seen each other in a week and you can’t even talk to me?” Minho was obviously upset too.

“Let go of me. Now,” Kibum was almost shaking in anger by then. Minho dropped his wrist forcefully, walking towards the gym by himself.

“If you hate being here with me that much, you’re free to leave,” he called back to Kibum, not even turning around to see him as he entered the gym. Kibum considered leaving but chose to stay because his ego wouldn’t let him be the first to show weakness.

He headed towards the changing room that he knew Minho wouldn’t be in. He got changed into his Jiu Jitsu robe quickly, throwing things around in the process just to let off steam. He received stares for the ruckus he was making, but he couldn’t care less in the state he was.

How dare he walk away from me?

Kibum entered the training room. He had been so attuned to sensing Minho’s presence that he found the other almost immediately at the opposite end of the room. He caught Minho’s glare before he looked away pointedly. Kibum had seen that look before while Minho was on the phone about his cases and things were not going his way. It felt hurtful to be on the receiving end of it.

Kibum quickly found himself a partner to avoid looking like a fool. Minho seemed to do the same. He was probably glad about it too, he’d finally have some sort of a challenge instead of having it easy, like it always was with Kibum.

Why on earth had he signed up for these regular classes after one free trial? Kibum knew the answer even as he asked himself the question. It’s all because of Choi Minho.

Kibum seemed to be performing better than usual today. He must be, because his opponent was already out of breath after just a couple rounds. He found himself seeking Minho out with his eyes, even though he really tried to stop himself. But Minho didn’t seem to have such troubles as he was fully immersed in his combat.

At eleven o’clock, they were given a fifteen minutes break and Kibum used the time to retreat into a corner, avoiding small talk with his partner. He grabbed his water bottle from the bench and tried his hardest not to think about the other. He doesn’t even remember how it had come to this point now, all he knew was that he won’t be the first to cave in.

“You still mad at me?”

Well, there goes his plan of spending the fifteen minutes recollecting himself.

“Leave me alone, Minho,” Kibum said, not even facing the other. He felt the hold on his wrist for the second time that day. The classes he had been taking must have taught him something, because he was incredibly fast in his response of removing himself from the hold, finally turning on his own accord to face the other. Minho was slightly taken aback by it, but his scowl was back in place before long.

“Seriously, what is wrong with you?”

“Wrong with me? Gee, I don’t know, let’s start with the fact that I don’t really want to be here!”

People around them were beginning to sense the hostile atmosphere, but they were both too riled up to even care.

“Why’d you even come then? And I told you to leave, didn’t I? Why are you still here?”

“Yah! You drove me here, I’d have to walk miles to the closest subway station,” Kibum stated, crossing his arms indignantly.

“If that’s the issue, then let’s go. I’ll drive you back,” Minho said, looking completely serious about it.

“I can’t leave now.”

“You can’t,” Minho repeated, sarcastically.

“I can’t. My partner’s waiting on me…” Both of them briefly turned in the direction of the lanky man Kibum had been combatting. He looked like a deer caught in headlights.

“You’re kidding me,” Minho said.

“Yeah sure, make light of me when I’m here spending my Saturday doing something I absolutely despise, just to spend some time with you,” Kibum blurted out. The statement seemed to anger Minho even further.

“I did not force you to do this. I thought we agreed mutually.”

“You thought wrong. If it’s not for some kind of sport, I won’t be able to even see you on the weekends. And you really wanted to do this. So here we are…”

Minho didn’t get a chance to say something before the break was over and everyone was moving back to the mat. Kibum his heels after putting his bottle back down and started towards his partner for the day, before a hand on his wrist – a common occurrence for the day – pulled him towards an empty spot in the back instead.

“Sorry, he’s my partner,” Minho had told the other briefly. Kibum protested by trying to release the grip but to no avail. The hand on his wrist was almost hurting him with the amount of force being applied.

“I don’t know what you want from me, Kibum. You know things are weird right now because Yoogeun’s still adapting to all this. We have to give him the space to adjust,” Minho ranted between executing the holds being taught flawlessly while Kibum struggled to just keep listening to the other.

“I know, Minho but I can’t help it, alright? You wanna know what it was like knowing that you cancelled our date, just to end up going out with your ex?”

“Oh don’t you do that to me! I told you I didn’t know Yoogeun asked her to come watch the game as well. And you sure seemed to take this well last night when I told you,” Minho said defensively.

“I didn’t know baseball involved dinner and movies, Minho…” There. It was out in the open now.

“ you,” Minho cussed out loud, attracting even more attention. Now, normally Kibum would have welcomed the notion Minho was suggesting, but in his current mood, it only made everything worse.

“Ha, I wish! We don’t even have the time for that. We’re drifting apart, Minho, I don’t know if it has occurred-“ Kibum stopped abruptly as he was thrown onto his back with Minho’s arm pinning him down on the chest.

“-to you.”

Minho stopped moving as well. He seemed rather confused. Kibum couldn’t blame the other, he didn’t know just how angry he was going to be either after hearing Minho talk about the dinner last night with his ex-wife.

“I told you, things have really been out of my control lately…”

Kibum pushed Minho off of him, resetting their positions again ignoring the eyes on them now. They both watched the master in silence and made to copy the move. This time, Kibum had the upper hand and had managed to flip the other onto the ground, not because Minho was distracted, but because Kibum had really showcased better technique.

“I don’t ever see you anymore. When was the last time you watched a movie with me, huh?” Kibum managed to stop himself in time before he had said something he’d regret in public.

Minho’s expression darkened.

“Kibum, I’m not gonna lie. I don’t like what you seem to be implying here…”

“And what’s that?” Kibum sneered.

“Please don’t make me choose between you and my son.” Minho said, his voice deep and forlorn. It hit Kibum like he had been on standing on tracks and been run over by a train. They were locked in a war between their eyes for some time. The toxicity of Minho’s words dawned on not only him, but also on Minho himself.

“Get a room, you gays!”

That was the call back to reality for them. Kibum stood up slowly. He looked around at the faces around him, some curious, some repulsed, most of them obviously angered by the commotion. And then, there was Minho, looking up at him coldly.

“You know what, you!” He decided to leave then, having had enough of this.

But his problems were obviously not ready to leave him alone. The rest of the class had entered the changing room when Kibum had finished showering and was changing into fresh clothes. He figured Minho would have left by now anyway, so he might as well take a shower before he had to walk to the subway station. He should make the most out of his Saturday in town since he was already out.

It would at least distract him from what Minho had said. Kibum did not like at all how small it made him feel, how little Minho thought of him to even make that accusation.

“Hey, look who’s still here…”

Kibum heard the same voice he heard earlier during class. He found the man saying it, a muscular man with a buzzcut. Kibum noted how he looked exactly like a bully would in animes. The thought was slightly amusing so Kibum decided to focus on that while he finished changing, instead of fueling the bully. He’s used to the mocking by now to even let it faze him.

“Probably wanted to stay back and enjoy the view…”

Kibum sighed, muttering under his breath about how their off-putting attitudes overshadowed any physical attractiveness.

“What did you say?”

Kibum picked his bag up, sliding it onto his shoulder, turning to leave when he heard something that made his blood boil.

“I asked you a question, !”

“Hey man, no need for words like that…” someone else said. Kibum was staring straight at the bully now.

“Don’t flatter yourself, honey. You and your ugly can’t turn on a granny, even if you tried…” Kibum said, forcing a laugh just to drive home the point.

“You-“ the man was on Kibum in two long strides, being pushed up against the wall. Okay, Kibum hadn’t bargained for this when he had spoken up. Rarely does one of these bullies jump to a physical confrontation so quickly, so Kibum had banked on getting away with just an exchange of insults. He had not expected this and he certainly did not know how to respond, gripped by fear.

“Let go of me, …” Kibum tried in vain. A few men were trying to pull the other off half-heartedly, but it didn’t seem to work. Kibum saw a hand winding up to punch him and he braced himself for the impact.

But it never came. Instead, the hold on his shirt was released in an instant. By the time Kibum could make sense of what had happened, someone had called the master of the Jiu Jitsu class in, along with a security guard for the establishment.

Only then did Kibum notice Minho, pinned under the muscular man, bleeding from a crack in his lower lip. He hurried over as the others dragged the bigger man off and he fell to his knees before Minho.

“Yah, are you okay?” Kibum asked, concerned. He started checking for other injuries as the other sat up, but Minho stopped him with both his arms.

“I’m fine…” he answered curtly, standing up, not breaking eye contact with the bully.

“You best get him out of here before the police arrive…” the master called out to Kibum. He picked up both his and Minho’s bags and took hold of Minho’s wrist, forcefully pulling him out of the changing room behind him.

They sat in the car for at least 10 minutes in silence, Minho still seething and Kibum still concerned.

“Yah, you sure you’re not concussed or something?” Kibum asked, shattering the silence.

“I’m fine, Kibum…” Minho repeated himself, he removed the tissue on his lip, throwing it onto the back seat as he started the engine. Kibum went to open the door when Minho locked them all, putting the gear into drive.

“I’ll take you home…” he simply said. Those were the last words shared in the car. Even after dropping Kibum off, Minho had said nothing before driving off.

Fine, if that’s how he’ll be, so will I.

~~~~~

Just three days later, Kibum was back at Minho’s place, waiting for the door to open after ringing the doorbell. They hadn’t spoken in all this time, but Kibum had to break the cold war when he had realized that he had left his photographer’s pass here the last time he was here, which happened to be two weeks ago. He had come here right after work on a Friday, knowing Yoogeun was going to spend the weekend with his mother, and had left his clothes along with the pass here. He hadn’t realized it was at Minho’s until the need for it had him searching for it urgently. That was how he remembered bringing it to Minho’s place. So, he had to be the one to swallow his pride and send a text first.

The door opened and Kibum felt the pride and anger in him instantly be replaced by something completely opposite.

Has he missed Minho that much that just the sight of him stole his breath away?

“Come on in, I’ll fetch it for you…” Minho said, making way for Kibum to enter as his eyes avoided Kibum’s intentionally.

Kibum entered, slipping his shoes off before walking into the living room. Yoogeun was seated at the coffee table, watching a sitcom while drawing something on a piece of paper. He looked up as Kibum came in. For a moment he seemed like he was going to throw a tantrum.

“Hi Yoogeun, I’m just here to pick up something. I’ll be off soon…” he said, reassuringly. Yoogeun seemed to be fine with that as he remained in his position without saying much else. Minho walked past him to go to his bedroom. Kibum decided to seat himself beside Yoogeun, for the lack of anything else to do.

“What are you drawing?” he asked, making conversation.

“Just stuff,” Yoogeun answered, adding more green to his vague drawing, “Did you and appa fight?”

Kibum pursed his lips, considering how to answer this right.

“Yeah, sort of. Why, does that make you happy?” Kibum asked. He knew the boy was direct, so he should have seen the bright smile and enthusiastic nod come, but he didn’t. He was once again, one step slower than the younger boy.

“Is it because of eomma? I warned you this would happen…”

“You know, they say fights bring people closer together,” Kibum said, not quite ready to let the boy win this. Yoogeun’s smile dwindled a little at that.

“His lip, did you do that?” Yoogeun asked, switching topics. Kibum had to take a moment to understand what he had been asked because his Minho-deprived brain had gone down a very different path at the mention of lips.

“No, I didn’t. He didn’t tell you what happened?” Kibum asked instead, surprised. Yoogeun shook his head, showing interest at Kibum’s question. Minho appeared at that moment, but Kibum pretended not to notice as he continued speaking.

“Well, something happened between me and this guy at the gym the other day,” Kibum started, leaving out specific details about the confrontation. He recounted the way the man had almost punched him and how he had been perfectly capable of handling the situation by himself. Kibum heard a snort from behind but continued with his storytelling.

“Then your father came swooping in like a superhero to rescue me. He managed to land a couple hits before the man had even hit once,” Kibum finished.

“Appa did that?” Yoogeun asked him again, completely hooked on Kibum’s story. Kibum nodded, biting his lips to suppress his amused smile.

“Awesome...” Yoogeun said, turning to his father before continuing, “Appa, I didn’t know you were that strong…”

Kibum watched Minho approach his son with a small smile on his face.

“Yah, appa could fight ten people at once, if I wanted to,” he said, proudly.

“I wouldn’t go that far…” Kibum chided, to which Minho answered only with a smirk.

“Remember Yoogeun, violence-“

“-is never the answer, I know, I know. Unless in self defense and then, you better show ‘em who’s the boss…” Yoogeun said, nodding impatiently. Minho laughed at this, ruffling up the boy’s hair.

“Yoogeun, can you give me and Kibum some time to talk?” Minho asked. Yoogeun looked between them both before deciding to stand up with his drawing.

“Very nice meeting you after a long time, Key-hyung,” Yoogeun said, winking not so subtly at him. And with that Kibum understood that the younger boy meant the exact opposite.

“Okay, that was strange, I’ll admit,” Minho said while sitting down beside Kibum once the boy was out of earshot. They were both leaning against the couch side-by-side on the floor, the sitcom droning on in the background.

“Yeah well, you’ll find what that was all about soon, so don’t you worry about that …” Kibum said, reaching out to take the pass from Minho’s hand but stopping when Minho’s hand took hold of his wrist instead.

“I missed you…”

Kibum felt his heart skip a beat at that. He was surprised he wasn’t a pool of mushiness on the floor yet. But he also remembered the stabbing pain he had felt when Minho’s words had plunged into him like daggers. It only made sense that something that made him this happy would have the power to damage him most as well. And Choi Minho happened to be that something.

“You don’t get to say that. Not after-“ Kibum gulped, knowing he was getting choked up, “I would never. You, of all people, should have known that.”

Minho looked away, unwilling to meet his eyes.

“You still don’t believe me, do you?” Kibum said, clearing his throat as he started to get up. He can’t handle this right now.

“You’re too perfect.”

Kibum muttered a confused ‘What’. He must have heard it wrong.

“It’s a problem, alright? I can’t have nice things without expecting for it to somehow turn out to be the complete opposite. It was the same with you. I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop and your argument the other day seemed to be it…”

Kibum sat back down, eyes fixed mindlessly on the television for a bit. He felt Minho’s gaze return to his face and he decided that he had to say it now or he might never be able to.

“I want you Minho, all of you. That includes your son, no matter how much he hates me. But if I can’t even convince you that what I feel for you is genuine, what luck do I have with Yoogeun? I should just give up right now and walk away.”

Kibum met Minho’s eyes then.

“Is that what you want?”

“If I ever let you get away-“ Minho laughed, completely hollow and lacking amusement.

“I love you, Kim Kibum.”

Kibum could do nothing but stare back in silence. He could feel the tears pooling in his eyes, ready to spill over any second now. When Minho looked back up at him, Kibum could see that he wasn’t faring any better himself.

“, that was cheesy…” Minho muttered, embarrassed. He wiped away stray tears on his face with the back of his hand hastily.

Kibum finally found his motor functions again at that and he acted instinctively as he pulled Minho into an embrace. Due to their awkward positioning, Kibum found himself climbing onto the other in the process and ended up straddling the taller man.

“No, that was perfect…” Kibum said, resting his forehead on Minho’s. The only sound in the room besides their breathing was the laugh tracks from the sitcom and in any other situation, Kibum would have found it comical. But today, it seemed like the best thing to break up all the seriousness between them earlier.

“I’m sorry,” Minho said, “I’m sorry I’m an idiot and I’m sorry for hurting you.”

Kibum reveled in the feeling of Minho’s hands gently massaging his thighs. He really had missed this all way too much.

“You are an idiot.”

Kibum felt Minho’s smile more than he saw it as he found his way into the crook of Minho’s neck, pushing the other’s head back onto the couch so that he had more access to it.

“But I’m sorry too, for getting mad at you like that. I was blinded by jealousy…” he said, placing an apologetic kiss on the spot right below Minho’s left ear.

“You can get mad at me more if this is how you’ll apologize every time…”

Kibum slapped Minho on his chest gently, earning a weak chuckle from the other. Minho’s arms pulled Kibum’s face up and their lips found each other’s as if they had been hungry for the contact all along. And along with the long overdue kiss came other needs that was begging to be satisfied, but that was exactly when they heard a door open down the hallway.

“Appa, I’m hungry. Can I come out now?”

Kibum pulled back, slightly breathless and overall satisfied with the way he has left Minho’s lips abused.

“Just- just a second, Yoogeun-ah!”

“I have to go as well…” Kibum said, reluctantly pulling away from the other and helping Minho up along with him. Minho seemed just as reluctant to let him go as he pulled him into another kiss. And another. And just one more.

“This weekend. No Jiu JItsu. We’ll do whatever you want…” Minho whispered, right against his lips.

“I thought Yoogeun’s with you this weekend?”

“Yes, he is. It’s about time he got to really know you…” Minho said.

Kibum nodded, despite his lack of confidence when it came to the matter of Yoogeun. But he was eager to put his words into action and try to win the boy over. Spending time together would definitely be a great way to achieve this.

Footstep from the hallway were drawing nearer, so Kibum grabbed his pass from Minho’s hand, brushing their lips together one last time before walking towards the door. He waved goodbye at Yoogeun but was ignored completely as the boy headed into the kitchen. He brushed it off for now, turning back to Minho, who had his hands buried in his pockets and looked completely endearing with his content smile.

“Oh, and about what you said earlier…” he started, while putting his shoes on. Minho instantly perked up, awaiting a response. Kibum smiled back at him cheekily before giving him an answer.

“Ditto…”