16 RISE (& fall)

Setting: Dubai

“I don’t do social media,” Taemin declares while browsing Kibum’s Instagram posts on the latter’s phone.

Kibum and Taemin are inside a dressing room, killing time while waiting for a local photographer who’s shooting Taemin for a mobile phone print advertisement.

“Why not? It’s an easy and fun distraction. And the quickest way to escape when you’re drowning in solitude.” Kibum is sitting on a couch on the opposite side of the room where Taemin is on a makeup chair.

“I like how you put it, hyung. And I totally get why you’re into it. But considering the life I live, being in social media is a bit redundant.”

Kibum cannot help but admire Taemin for his insights. If only the rest of the world could see how he is so much more than just a gorgeous entertainer.

Sometimes it irks Kibum that Taemin makes no effort to express his actual thoughts to people. Kibum has learned to care for Taemin so much that he wants the world to see the depth of Taemin’s character.

But seeing the way Taemin scrolls down Kibum’s Instagram photos, the latter knows that all that is unnecessary to him. Maybe Taemin can live happily with just one person seeing through him, as in really seeing through him.

“Come here, let’s take a selfie. Maybe I‘ll post it on my IG.” Kibum motions for Taemin to join him on the couch.

As Taemin settles on the couch, Kibum grabs his phone from him and positions it in his hand for a selfie. When he thinks he’s found the right angle, Kibum tilts his head towards Taemin’s as a way of establishing that they’re on friendly terms.

Taemin huddles close to Kibum and, in a second, he finds himself transfixed by the sight of Kibum’s dimples on the phone’s screen.

It suddenly dawns on Taemin how close his face is to that glorious smile and he can even hear Kibum holding his breath to capture the shot as he says, “Hold still, Taem... 1, 2—“

Kibum doesn’t get to count until three because he was caught off-guard by a hurried but gentle kiss on his cheek where his left dimple is.

Before Kibum could recover from his momentary freeze, Taemin has hopped his way out of the room after a breathless “See you later, Kibum-hyung!”

---

It is the wee hours of the morning but Kibum still couldn’t stop looking at their picture in his phone.

No one would be able to tell that it was a momentary, hurried kiss because Taemin has his eyes closed and his lips puckered and pressed on Kibum’s cheek. Kibum, on the other hand, looks astonished in a good way in the picture. His eyes are sparkling. They look like a couple in the photo. A couple in love.

And therefore, it is a photo that is for his eyes alone. It is one photo that could derail Taemin’s career. For my eyes only, Kibum thinks, until he gets a text from Taemin, who is apparently still up at this witching hour too.

Taemin: Hyung, please send me our picture. :D

Kibum: I’ll send the evidence, thief! -__-

Wait, this isn’t the first time that boy stole a kiss! Kibum certainly remembers the kiss inside the car when they were in Singapore. Maybe I should get back at him. But how? By kissing him too?

The thought made Kibum giggle for a second. He covered his mouth immediately, not wanting to wake Jinki up.

---

It is their last day in