He wanted to sleep more. Last night he had found his bed after 2 a.m, because the pub where he was working always closed its doors at that time. Taemin didn't mind that, because he liked his job, but he didn't prefer it, when he had to wake up early after a night like that for the feeling that somebody pulled the curtains away, letting the sunshine in to the apartment. 

"Hyung... what the..."

"Taemin, wake up. This Pride is very special to me, and we have a lot of things to do."

Taemin slowly rested himself on his elbows, and blankly looked at his friend, who was already wearing his colourful clothes. He thought he was just too tired and he imagined things, but as he became more vigilant, he realized that Kibum's hair had really all the colours of the rainbow.

"Key..."

"No Key. Come on. Jonghyun might be here in the pub."

"Why would your boyfriend be in our pub?"

Kibum had always wanted a place, where nobody had to shame themselves and hide their true identity. Taemin had joined him, when his parents had kicked him out of their home because of his 'lifestyle', and back then he couldn't count on anybody but his best friend.

"Maybe because we're leaving soon, and his cousin is one of the organizers of the event. He even got us a van." Kibum adjusted his clothes in front of the mirror.

Meanwhile Taemin could sit up on his bed, but he had a fight with his eyelids, because they wanted to cover the view from him all the time. 

"Cool. So, can I stay home? Who's gonna stay in the pub?"

He hoped he could convince his friend, but Kibum had prepared for everything.

"Taemin, all of our customers will be on the march and the parade. Who would come here? You know that no one can stay here alone" he reminded him of their first and most important rule. "Anyway, we'll have a party in the pub tonight. Amber, Sooyoung and the others come, too. This is the year's busiest night. We need every waiter and waitress."

Taemin sighed with suffer, and he leaned back on his pillow which was the most comfortable thing right now in his life.

"Tae, if you don't wake up in five seconds, I'll bring the bucket."

"Yeah, sure" he let him do what he wanted. Actually, he was so close to his little dreamland, the boy didn't even pay attention to Kibum's words anymore.

Well, it was a mistake. Kibum shrugged his shoulders, took one last look at himself in the mirror, and walked out of the small bedroom. Taemin could finally sigh with relief, and he started to pull the blanket back on himself, when he heard the steps again. 

He shouted so loudly because of the cold water, the neighbours must have heard him. He buried his wet face into the blanket, and then he ran his fingers through his black hair. He didn't want to believe, that this time Kibum really did that.

"I told you. Oh, and if you come down, don't forget to wear your clothes I've prepared for you. And the flags are in the living room!"

*

The pub was under their apartment, so Taemin just had to walk down on the stairs. The always rhythmic and happy boy looked like a person who would go for a casting, where they were looking for someone who would play the role of a zombie.

As he arrived downstairs, he could see the unusually quiet place. The chairs were on the tables as always, when they were closed. He leaned on the column of the stairs, tiredly. It had a rainbow colour, and Taemin was watching Kibum's boyfriend, Jonghyun, as he held a box with T-shirts in it, and took it out of the building. 

He didn't want to draw the attention to himself, so he watched from there as Kibum was studying a list. He murmured the words so quietly Taemin couldn't hear them from the distance.

"Is everything in the car?" Jonghyun came back, and he removed his baseball hat to adjust his blonde hair.

"Hm... almost. We only need one more thing." Kibum leaned on the man, who hugged him from behind. 

"Really? But we took everything out." Jonghyun was surprised, and he leaned forward over his boyfriend's shoulder to take a look at the list. "Lee Taemin? Did you really write him on the list?" he asked, laughing, and soon Kibum was laughing with him, too.

"Very funny, guys." The mentioned boy had enough. 

Taemin walked out of his hiding place, and he went to the counter with an emotionless expression to join the others.

"Nice shirt." Jonghyun let Kibum go, and after he had complimented the clothes, he hugged the youngest.

Taemin took a look again at his white, sleeveless shirt with a really interesting sentence on it. He crossed his arms before his chest to cover the words, and he already started to think about a revenge against Kibum. 

"This is from the new collection." Kibum told them, and went to the door.

God loves me the way I am.

"Next time if your boyfriend has ideas like this, just hit him, please." Taemin turned the lights off, so they could join his friend in the car.

"Yeah... my boyfriend." Jonghyun quietly repeated the word, and scratched his nape.

Taemin didn't like this comment. He stopped just in time, and because he saw that Kibum was already in the car he turned back to the man.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing. Really."

"You... Jesus! Do you want to break up with him during the Pride month? This is the most homophobic thing I've ever heard!"

"Taemin! Stay quiet. And it's..."

"Complicated? Maybe I'm younger than you two, but..."

"Hey! Can we finally leave? We won't even get there for the next Pride. Let's go!" Kibum patted the door through the opened window, and sat back on his seat.

Taemin rolled his eyes and left Jonghyun alone, who still had to close the pub. He didn't want to believe that Jonghyun had chosen THIS day for the break up. Now, when Kibum had been waiting for this day with so much excitement. Maybe he should tell him. But what should he say?

'Hey, Key. Sorry, but this year's Pride has been cancelled. If you go there, your boyfriend will break up with you in front of everybody.'

Well... maybe he should be nicer. Taemin though about it, but by the time he pulled himself together, the door opened and Jonghyun joined them. 

Until now he hadn't had the mood for the march either, and after what he had found out he felt more awful than before. He took his earphones out, so at least he wouldn't have to listen to the conversation about Jonghyun's cousin and his friend who would wait for them there.

Everything was in rainbow colour, people even painted the crosswalk. To be honest, it wasn't the Pride that Taemin didn't like. It had just happened that Taemin had too bad memories about that. Taemin tried to hide the fact that he didn't only like girls in front of his religious family. After he had confessed to himself, he had hoped he could hide it from his parents, at least a little bit more.

But his ex boyfriend had ruined everything. 

Jonghyun, Kibum, Taemin and the man, who was in the same dance school just like Taemin, had gone to the Pride together. Taemin had felt good. He had felt himself free. But he hadn't known that he would be on a page of a newspaper with his lover, kissing.

The worst thing was that he couldn't stop his parents to see the picture.

After a few days of fight and argument Taemin had left the family house, and he had gone to the person he had loved and trusted the most. Be he had been wrong.

He had found a woman in the man's house. She was his bride, they just had had a break. Taemin had never felt himself so useless, so humiliated than then. Everything had been a lie. His love had been a lie. And those who had helped him were Kim Kibum and his boyfriend, Kim Jonghyun.

"Taemin, can we talk?" Jonghyun opened the door after they had arrived.

"Just go to the van. I'll see you after the march" he left the car, and because he was fast, he could walk away before Jonghyun would have stopped him.

But soon fingers were wrapped around his wrist. He wanted to scold Jonghyun, but when he turned around, he saw Kibum. 

"Did you think I'd let you go without makeup?"

"Hyung..."

"Come on. Oh, Onew, could you help me?"

Jonghyun's cousin walked away from the van that they had decorated with colourful balloons, and Jonghyun was already on it next to the DJ stand. Onew had a big smile on his face as always, when he approached them.

"Sure. Hello Taemin."

"Hi."

"Nice shirt."

He would have rather gotten rid of that, but then Taemin realized that he hadn't brought any other clothes with him, so didn't have any chance.

"Don't move." Kibum said, while he was painting a rainbow flag on the boy's cheek. "Hm... should I put some glitter on him?"

"The van is leaving soon, and as I see, Taemin is already suffering because of the rainbow."

"I'm glad that someone can see my pain." Taemin always felt better around Onew. Did he know about Jonghyun's plans, too? Taemin was curious.

"Oh, right. Taemin, you'll be here all the time, won't you?"

"Well, I don't really have a choice. Why?"

"Just because." His smile became bigger than before, and Taemin found it weird. "Just stay around the van. Okay?"

"What the..." Taemin started, but Onew's carrier as a makeup assistant was over, so he went back to the vehicle without any word.

"If you got bored of the walk, you know where to find us. And keep it. As I know you, you'll already ruin your makeup after five minutes." Kibum noted and put the small box in the boy's black jeans' pocket, because he didn't want to have it.

He had a chance to tell everything to Kibum. But the man looked too happy. Taemin just couldn't ruin his happiness. He nodded and watched as Kibum ran to the van. Jonghyun extended his hand to him and pulled his lover up. As soon as Kibum was there he hugged the shorter man's neck and kissed him.

Taemin was always jealous. When he had met Jonghyun a few years ago, actually, he had had a little crush on him, but he had never told it to Kibum. There had been a lot of time, when Taemin could count on him, too, if Kibum hadn't been around.

Taemin hadn't been able to bring everything from his previous home, and Kibum had been abroad, so it had been Jonghyun, who had helped him during packing.

He had to do something. Taemin had to save their relationship.

"Excuse me."

Taemin wasn't prepared for any conversation with strangers. He slowly turned around, and he found himself in front of a tall man with big eyes and a gentle smile. The stranger nervously ran his fingers through his brown hair, then he looked down at Taemin again.

"I like your rainbow. Where... where did you get it? Or, do you have paint?"

The boy backed up, but he already reached for his pocket, because he was always acting and talking first without thinking.

"I have one. Do you want it like mine?"

"Yes, it would be perfect. Thanks."

"Then stay still, and hold the paint" he gave it to him, and stepped so close to the man that he could paint the rainbow on his face comfortably.

Taemin carefully touched the side of the man's face with his free hand, so he could paint the colours on the skin under the man's eye easier.

"Have we met before?" Taemin broke the silence between them, while he painted the red colour.

"Why?"

"Just your face... ah, whatever." Taemin stopped the conversation and put the paint away. "It's ready."

"Oh, Choi Minho! You look fabulous!"

First Taemin only noticed the attack of bubbles, then he saw a little boy, who was running to them, and finally he saw a young woman, who waved to them.

"Ah, Luna, Yoogeun! Onew hasn't mentioned that you would come, too."

"You know we're here every year. And now I think Yoogeun is old enough, too."

"Appa..." The young boy called Yoogeun looked around, almost dropping the bubble maker.

"Look, he's in the van! Should we greet him?" Luna leaned down to him, and she kissed the glitters covered cheek. "Minho, take care of yourselves, okay?"

"Alright, noona."

The information was too much for him. Taemin had heard these names before: Luna and Yoogeun.

Of course! Once he had heard them, when Jonghyun had been talking about his family to Kibum in the pub. Onew was Jonghyun's cousin, and he and his wife had decided to adopt a child after the - now - woman's last surgery. He remembered that Kibum had really envied them because of the wedding and the little boy, too. They had even joked about the fact that Jonghyun wanted a little girl.

When he heard the cough next to him, Taemin came back to the present, and he looked up at the man. Luna had called him Minho earlier.

Choi Minho.

This name sounded familiar. And then he took another look at the man, and the memories immediately attacked him.

"Oh... you were here last year, and you were there with us, when Jonghyun had a birthday party."

"Yes." Minho said. He looked shy, and he giggled. "But we didn't really talk during the Pride."

Of course, they didn't talk. Taemin had been too in love with his ex boyfriend. He hadn't paid attention to anybody else.

"Oh... , your shoe." Taemin remembered exactly what had happened in Jonghyun's birthday party, and he blushed because of the shame.

He had drunk too much, and in the end, when Minho had wanted to talk to him, he had gotten rid of everything he had eaten before. Well, Minho's shoe hadn't looked so nice after that.

"..."

"Oh, it's okay. This isn't that shoe."

This conversation just became more awkward. They stayed in silence for a while, so they only heard the music from the vans nearby, and the sound of the crowd around them. They avoided each other's gaze, because they didn't know what they should say. Then Minho carefully looked into Taemin's eyes. He just wanted to look at him, but Taemin chose that moment, too, to finally look at the man, so in the end both of them laughed.

Suddenly the music became quieter, and it was like somebody tried to turn the microphone on.

"I want some attention, please."

Everybody who was around their van looked at Jonghyun, and Taemin's heart skipped a beat.

Would he even use a microphone for their break up? Taemin had to stop him. He didn't care that Minho was with him. He ran to the van through the crowd, but he was late.

"Kibum, do you remember this song?"

"Sure. This is my favourite, why?"

"Your favourite, and this is why I gave you a serenade last year for your birthday with a radio in my hands, while this song was playing."

"Ah." Kibum put his hand on his chest. He was touched by the memory.

"But now, it's not your birthday. Kim Kibum, I want to ask you something. We've been knowing each other for ten years, and we are best friends since then. A lot of people say that we are soulmates. Then we pulled ourselves together a few years ago, and we thought we should try a more serious relationship. Something that is more than a friendship. I remember how worried you were, but... it's pretty nice, isn't it?"

Taemin finally reached the van, panting, with a confused Minho by his side.

"Kim Kibum, I love you, but this..."

Taemin wanted to distroy the microphone and everything beside that, but when his gaze found the machine, he saw that Onew was standing next to it. He had no chance.

"Wait a little bit." Kibum stopped the older. Everybody was surprised. "Last time when you made such a big thing around me, we celebrated my birthday two years ago. Oh, you'll love this story" he turned to the crowd. "I was jogging by the river, and I realized that a yacht was following me with music and balloons."

Everybody started to laugh, and they were touched by the beautiful stories, too, that the young couple shared with them.

"Kim Jonghyun, you were suspicious already, when I heard the music."

Jonghyun tried to hide his nervousness with a laugh, and when his free hand went behind his back, Kibum looked at his boyfriend with a raised eyebrow.

"Wait" he stopped him again, and it made Jonghyun scared.

"What? But..."

Kibum reached behind his back, and when he nodded, both of them showed the small boxes in their hands. The crowd shouted with happiness again, and in the next moment Onew went to them, and took the microphone from Jonghyun.

Jonghyun put his hand to his mouth, and he had to turn away, because he felt as the tears started to hurt his eyes. Kibum hugged him from behind, and he kissed his tears covered cheek.

"Did you know about this?" Taemin saw the smile on Minho's face.

"Yes. Jonghyun has been talking about this for weeks. And you? I'm sure Kibum was excited, too."

"Well..."

Kibum really had said that this Pride would be different and more special to him. Jonghyun had hesitated, when Taemin had called Kibum as his boyfriend. How could Taemin be so blind? Jonghyun had been already thinking about Kibum as his fiancé, as his future husband, and it had nothing to do with break ups.

"They deserve it."

The love that was dancing on Minho's face wrapped Taemin's heart with warmth. He smiled, too, and he guided his gaze back to the now engaged couple. They were giving their rings to each other.

"Yes, they deserve it."

An important step was missing from the engagement, though, and Onew found it out just in time. He stepped to his friends, and took the microphone, too.

"So, does it mean 'I do'?"

It was such an unnecessary question, and Onew knew it, too. This is why he laughed, when Jonghyun wiped his tears off, and Kibum hugged him again. Bubbles were flying around them, soon, and Jonghyun noticed it, too. When they looked around, they could see that Yoogeun was sitting on Luna's shoulders, and he was waving to them happily.

"I love you so much, Kibum." Jonghyun turned back to the younger, and gave a small peck on his lips.

"Of course, you do. And I love you, too."

*

When the parade and the march are over, and when you step out of the colourful crowd, the world seems simple, gray and sometimes cruel again. But when you find yourself in a street, where rainbow flags are waving to you from the windows and columns, your opinion may change.

Taemin hadn't thought he would have a great time like that. Maybe this time it had worth it to do as the dictator had said in the morning, when he had left his bed. After the engagement he was like a child again. He made bubbles with Onew's son. He was happily waving to strangers with his rainbow flag. When they were around the vans, he was dancing to the rhythm of the music. And when he got tired, Minho took him on to his back, so he didn't have to use his legs.

When they finally entered the pub they already had customers. Kibum immediately got champagne from Amber, and some glasses, too, because they had had no chance to celebrate their engagement with drinks like this during the march.

Taemin almost spilled his drink in the crowd, and when he stepped closer to the man beside him, Minho didn't mind it. He even rested his arm on the younger's shoulders, so Taemin couldn't lose his balance again.

"Ah, I can't wait to throw a bachelor party" said Kibum, after he had had a taste from his champagne, then he felt Jonghyun's lips on his cheek.

"Wow, do you already have plans for that?" Onew was surprised, and he made a grimace because of the champagne's taste.

"We can't start it early enough. So, who wants more champagne?"

After a while Taemin went to the stairs, and he watched the events from there. Kibum and Jonghyun were walking around in the pub, holding each other's hand. They showed their rings to everybody, and they talked about their future plans.

How could he think that Jonghyun would break up with Kibum? It was so obvious that they loved each other. 

"Hey, Taemin!"

The man in his thoughts spoke to him. Taemin was ashamed because of his earlier behaviour.

"Jonghyun, I'm so sorry. I really thought that..."

"It's okay. You just didn't want him to get hurt. That's all. I thought I should ask your blessing after all of these."

Taemin laughed at the man's words, and when he wanted to hit the man playfully on his chest, Jonghyun grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a gentle hug.

"You know, I love both of you. Congratulations."

"I know. And... have a great night. Don't forget, this is the Pride day" he pulled away and kissed Taemin's forehead before he went back to his fiancé.

As Taemin was alone he leaned his head on the rainbow coloured column, then after some minutes he opened his eyes. He saw Minho, who was standing not so far away from him. Taemin looked around in the pub to find his friends. Kibum and Jonghyun were talking to some older men. Yoogeun was playing with the wig of a drag queen, and he saw more glitter on the boy's cheek. Luna arrived, soon, and she shook the drag queen's hand with a kind smile. She pointed at the dress what the drag queen was wearing - it was decorated with fake peacock feathers, and then both of them laughed. Onew joined them with a tray in his hand, and he gave everybody a drink.

When he made sure that everybody was busy, Taemin turned around and slowly walked up on the stairs.

He left the front door open, and when he heard that somebody closed it, he turned around and watched as Minho hesitated but put his drink on the small table. They could still hear the music from downstairs, so at least they didn't have to stay in silence.

"Why did you follow me?"

"Because... you wanted me to do that, right?"

Minho was right. Taemin wanted to have a great time, and he hoped they could do something in the apartment.

Kibum was right. He couldn't live in the past forever. He couldn't live in his parents' house forever. He couldn't live with the memory of that man forever. He had to start a new chapter in his life, and he had to take some steps for that.

And Jonghyun was right, too. He had to enjoy the last hours of the Pride.

Meanwhile Minho slowly closed the distance between them, and he carefully caressed the boy's arm. A comfortable feeling ran through Taemin's body, and he closed his eyes to enjoy the feeling more. Minho's hand wandered further from his arm to his waist, and he pulled the boy closer.

"May I?"

His eyes were still closed, so Taemin didn't know what Minho wanted, but he still trusted the man. He had been kind to him during the day. He had been there for him, when his friends hadn't been around. And he was Jonghyun's best friend. It was enough for Taemin.

"Yes, please."

His legs started to shake, when he felt Minho's lips on his neck. First only his soft lips caressed the younger, then Minho's tongue joined, too, and Taemin almost lost his mind. The older felt as Taemin shivered in his arms, so he walked to the couch with him.

It was like a game between a cat and a mouse. They leaned so close to each other that their noses caressed the other, and they felt their breaths on their skins.

"Can I tell you something?" Minho's voice shook.

"Sure." Taemin could barely think. It had been so long time ago that he was as close to anybody as now, he almost begged for the man's touches.

"I... I didn't forget you from the last Pride. When I saw you with your purple hair, with your little rainbow flag in your hand, you... you were so happy. I couldn't help but smiled. I had a very hard time because of the university, you know, but then Jonghyun talked about you. I knew you were taken, so I didn't really want to get closer to you. But from that day I couldn't get you out of my head. Maybe it's a little bit creepy, but... I almost went all of your dance shows, when Jjong told me that you can dance. I wanted to ask you out at his birthday party, but you were too drunk" he added with a smile, but when he finally looked at Taemin, the boy just blinked at him with shock. "I... I'm not a stalker. Don't think about anything like that. I didn't follow you anywhere. I just... I've been waiting for a chance to get to know you better. When I found out that you'd be with us today, I couldn't wait to talk to you again."

"This is why you came to me?"

"Yes..." Minho took his gaze away from him again, and then took a deep breath.

Taemin remembered the thing Onew had told him. He had said that he should stay around the van, but he hadn't explained it.

"If you're scared..."

He stopped, when Taemin took his face between his palms. He caressed Minho's cheeks, and he tried not to remove the paint from his skin. He carefully took Minho's bottom lip between his lips, then he moistened it with his tongue.

"I didn't want to go with Kibum this year. You're right. I was happy last year, but everything was a nightmare after that. Thanks to you, I could be happy today, because you were with me, and you made me laugh. Now, I think these days can make our community free and happy and proud, again. So, thank you."

Minho sighed with relief. He was afraid that Taemin would call the police for a restraining order. But instead of that, he thanked him? Minho thought it was just a dream, but then Taemin leaned forward and kissed him.

He had been waiting for this kiss for a year, and it couldn't be more perfect than this. Minho pulled the boy closer by his waist, so their bodies touched each other, but Taemin moved away, breaking the kiss.

"What... what's wrong?"

"Your rainbow. It will be ruined by my face."

"Don't worry. I'll have another rainbow on me."

Taemin didn't understand it in the beginning, but then he remembered what Minho had told him.

When I saw you with your purple hair, with your little rainbow flag in your hand, you... you were so happy. I couldn't help but smiled.

Maybe he would have made a joke about it if it had been another time, but they were alone, so Taemin just hit the older man's shoulder gently, and both of them laughed.

"Lay down."

"What?" Minho's eyes became even bigger after he had heard the words.

"Just lay down." Taemin laughed at the look on Minho's face, and he pushed the frozen man until he was lying on the couch. "Thank you for today, and for the confession. Hm, what about a dinner tomorrow?"

Minho really wanted to pinch himself. He was sure that it was just a dream. Did Lee Taemin want to go out with him? Instead of pinching himself, he led his hands on the boy's thighs, so he could feel that he was really there.

"I don't know about you, but maybe it's better if I won't cook." Taemin leaned down to the man, while he confessed the lack of his cooking skills.

"I'll cook" he caressed the boy's back after his hands had gone under the white material.

"It sounds like a date, then."

"I hoped so." Minho lifted his head from the mattress, and connected their lips.

He didn't have to wait for long. Taemin opened his mouth, letting Minho's tongue in, so he could discover every inch of the boy's cavern. And still, Minho was the happiest, when his tongue met Taemin's.

They didn't remember when the music stopped. Maybe it could be around dawn. They only knew that they were on the couch until then. They were so energetic. They couldn't move away from each other. They didn't stop even when they were too tired, and they just moved their lips slowly, making cute sounds with their mouths.

His parents had told Taemin that he would never find happiness in the world he had chosen. He didn't agree with them.

Yes, somebody had already hurt and betrayed him. It could happen to anybody. Yes, maybe one day Minho would walk out of his life, and they would never meet again. But until then Taemin wanted to have everything with him. Maybe their date wouldn't be so great. But it could happen to anybody, too. Taemin just wanted to be happy.

*

When he woke up, Taemin felt two strong arms around his body. During the night they had left the couch, and soon Taemin remembered the events, too.

Minho had wanted to sit up and continue their kiss like that, but it had been hard to do that on the small couch, so both of them had landed on the floor. They had laughed so hard, they had been afraid someone would hear them.

Taemin rested himself on his elbows, so he could take a look at the man's calm features. The rainbow was totally messed up on his cheek, but Taemin wasn't surprised. He kissed the colourful skin, and then he stood up.

He went to the balcony to get some fresh air. He really needed that since last night. Everything was the same in the city like before the Pride. Most of the flags disappeared from the columns and windows, but their apartment and the pub still had them.

Taemin felt that two arms were wrapped around him after he had leaned on the railing. He got used to Minho's scent, so he didn't have to see his face to know it was him. The older snuggled closer to him. He buried his face in Taemin's neck and gave a kiss on his skin.

"Good morning." Minho didn't want to believe that he really said that.

They hadn't done anything but kissing, and it wasn't a problem for them. None of them wanted to rush the things between them. Minho had been already surprised, when he had had a chance to talk to Taemin.

The younger boy smiled and giggled because of the man's tickling breath that he felt on his neck. He leaned his head back, and kissed Minho's cheek easily.

"Good morning."