Part Seventeen

“That’s a real shocker,” Key stated, very disinterested, may I add. Did this have nothing to do with him? Was I talking to him about two strangers right now? Why was he acting like we were conversing about the day’s weather? 

Taemin was mine, yeah, but he was Key’s best friend too. No, actually, this is worse than that. Taemin wasn’t just Key’s best friend, he was the only person Key ever trusted and let in behind his walls so easily. I am one hundred percent sure that up to this day Taemin is the only person Key has confided all his secrets too, the only person Key has helped from the ground up without asking anything in return and that was not like Key at all. Key didn’t do anything for others and didn’t expect anything in return because he didn’t need anyones help. But, Taemin? He did everything for him from the very start. 

When Taemin met Key his grades were average, his fashion even worse, dancing just a hobby. Taemin is perfect inside and out, but Key’s the one who disciplined him in his school work, dressed him for the first year of high school, and taught him how to pursue his passion in dancing. But he was also the one true friend to him. How hard it is in this world to find someone to be so devoted to you, honest, and faithful to you, and yet Key did that for him. 

Taemin took and took and took and it was all fine, but the one thing he should have known not to take was Jonghyun. 

“Why are you acting like this doesn’t bother you at all, you’re in love with Jonghyun!”

“We’re not dating, you know? We never have. Taemin has every right to kiss him or whatever else he wants to do with him, and if I remember correctly, he wasn’t dating you when he kissed him either, so there’s nothing Taemin did wrong.” I cannot believe he was defending Taemin until the very end.

All I could do was stare in disbelief at Key. We were at the school’s rooftop, and he was leaning against the rail on his elbows, looking out into the view, but instead I was stuck looking at his profile.

“Are technicalities the only thing important right now? What about feelings, emotions, friendships. He may have not done anything technically wrong but that doesn’t make him a saint either.”

“Oh, trust me, I think he messed up and big time. He shouldn’t have kissed your best friend, that’s true. But not because of me, I have nothing with Jonghyun-”

“You love him, don’t you? Even if you’ve been rejecting him for years, even if you refuse to say you have feelings for him- the fact is you love him and I don’t know because you make it obvious, I know because I’m your friend and I can tell. Taemin knows that too. But even more than that, I’m sure Taemin is the only person you’ve confessed your feelings to, right? So not only should he have known because he’s your friend, he was told directly. And he still kissed him. He’s not just a jerk to me, he’s a jerk to you too.” Was it because I was mad at him that I wanted Key to see it too? 

“Well, you can’t tell me how to feel, so let’s just keep it as he’s a jerk to you. To me he’s still just Taemin.” How is it that Key’s voice never waivered. 

“Whatever, I guess I should just stop talking about him over all,” I mutter, taking a deep breath as I stare out into the view as well, joining him in leaning my elbows to the rail as well, “You’re really beautiful, you know?” I say after a couple minutes of scilence, my voice suggestive.

“You’re not kissing me,” he was quick to reply, and quick to catch on too. How did he know that’s where I was going? I’m also slightly offended as his voice held some disgust, I think I’m a great catch.

“Why not?” I almost whine, looking at him upset. If Taemin can go around breaking all these unspoken rules, then why can’t I? If only technicalities mattered then I should be able to do whatever I want to. Key’s not dating anyone, neither am I anymore.

“Look, I know you’re stupid, and that’s why you think that something like kissing you lover’s best friend is a good idea, but I’m not stupid so I know it’s not. Also, just because we’re being nice to each other doesn’t mean I want to go anywhere near those slimy frog lips,”

“Stupid idea.” I scoff before continuing, “If it’s such a stupid idea, then why did it happen?”

“You know, that’s what I’m thinking too. I know Jonghyun’s an even bigger idiot than you so he must have thought it was okay, but Taemin… Taemin’s not an idiot. So why did he do it?” At this point he wasn’t even talking to me, more like thinking out loud to himself and I could only agree. Taemin wasn’t an idiot, he didn’t make the stupid mistakes I did. Plus, even when we had confronted each other this morning… he said it himself. He didn’t have an excuse, he knew exactly what he was doing. He wanted to kiss Jonghyun despite all that it meant to everyone around him. Despite knowing that I would be the one hurt the most.

“Because he’s a jerk who only thinks about himself and he knows it,” suddenly we hear a voice coming from behind us, making both me and Key turn around. Walking closer to us, with cuts all over his face, was none other than little Jongin-ah. 

“Yah, Taemin copycat, what are you doing here?” Even if Key’s voice was normal level, the attitude he could display without even trying was amazing.

“You know you’re the only one that thinks like that, right? Everyone else says the opposite,”

“Well, I was never one to follow what others say, so,” Key shrugs his shoulders and returns to looking back at the view, giving us as much privacy as he possibly could while still being in the same room.

I really admire him, even if I won’t say it to his face. But, deep down I think he knows. How is he so cool? So unbothered? So intact with his feelings? I know all of this must be hurting him just as much as me, and look at him take it so cooly. I can’t do that, if Taemin hurts me all I can do is cry like a baby. 

“I don’t want to talk about Taemin, Kai. So if you came here about that, then please leave.”

“So you did see the pictures,”

Thinking about it, it was Kai who did all this. The one who wanted me to go into the cafeteria, he’s probably the one who prepared them. Is that why Taemin wanted to kill him? He had no right to do so, if he kissed Jonghun he should have owned up to it. How could he possibly blame Kai for his wrongdoings.

“I’m sorry. Taemin… he really beat you up, huh? Will you be able to perform tomorrow alright?”

“Uh-I-, yes, I will, don’t worry about me.” I suppose he wasn’t expecting my concern as he seemed flustered over my questions. “I came looking for you to see how you were doing. I knew taking those pictures wasn’t an honorable thing to do, but at the same time, I really felt like you should know about it,” 

“You don’t have to apologize to me, you didn’t do anything wrong. I would have rather appreciated a less public humiliation, though,” I mutter, looking away as I scratch the back of my head. Thinking back to it… it was quite the embarrassment. I was an idiot. The idiotic guy who was head over heels for someone that couldn’t repsect him for even a day. 

“Don’t say that, hyung. The last thing I see you as is embarrassing. To love someone that much, I can only admire it and everyone else feels like that too, no one thinks you're an idiot,” Despite the fact that he was the one who made this all public, I could hear the sincerity in his voice and I appreciated it so I reached over to give him a hug.

“Thanks, Jongin,” I mumbled before letting him go. “If you don’t mind, I have to go to class now, skipping most the day is more than enough,”

“Of course, hyung. And if you ever need to talk, I’m here,” Giving him one last smile, I leave for class. 

Class.

My last class.

English class.

With Taemin.

“-which means that you guys are now at the ending stage of your project! Isn’t that exciting?” As expected, I was already late to class, so I entered while Mrs. Kwon was already teaching. With a bow of my head, I tried apologizing for my tardiness, before heading to my desk. I wanted to avoid Taemin as much as possible, but it was hard to do so when his desk was right behind mine, therefore it was practically inevitable that I locked eyes with him. 

Those pretty little eyes (that I hate), normally I could read them so easily, but now I didn’t know what was going on inside of them. It didn’t matter because I ignored it as I quickly sat down and, as usual, zoned out to what was happening around me in class.

I wasn’t really listening, but I did notice when my surroundings changed, and suddenly everyone was scurrying along the classroom, moving seats and talking to each other so I could only assume Kwon seonsaengnim had given us the class period to do our group project. Group project. Which my partner was Taemin, great. 

I was about to it up and turn around to talk to Taemin, but Mrs. Kwon had come over to my desk before I could do so.

“Minho? Can we talk?” She was looking at me pitifully and her voice was soft and kind. I was kind of getting sick of everyone treating me like this. Yes, I know I’m the pathetic loser who got played in the most humiliating way someone could. Can we stop talking about it? I already feel like crap every time I think about it. Taemin and Jonghyun. Those names should never be put together!

But, I’m sure that’s not what she wanted to talk about, probably didn’t even know about it, so I just put on a small smile before replying, “Of course, what’s up?” 

“M-maybe, a little bit more private? Come talk to me outside,” she didn’t wait for me to reply before walking out of the classroom, so I followed behind. “I,” she began softly, before taking a deep breathe while looking down, “I heard what happened this morning and I was also alerted that you skipped all your classes today,”

Great. So word even got around to the teachers.

“I don’t know what to reply to that, It’s quite embarrassing,” 

“No, Minho, that's not why I’m talking to you about it, please don’t be embarrassed at all, okay?” She was quick to go against my words, grabbing me by the arms to pull me into a hug. I was not expecting that. “You’re such a sweet guy, a total romantic, and I should have known you still had someone in your heart,” 

I could only stand there and awkwardly reciprocate the hug. Even though she was clearly older, I was taller and though the hug was supposed to be comforting me, it just felt like I was holding her.

Still, I couldn’t help but take her words into account. I knew I had constantly been flirting with her throughout the year, but I never thought she may have had actual feelings for me. 

“Yuri, I really like you. I really, really do, actually,” I began to state. I wanted to explain to her my feelings. That I really did think she was beautiful and that I loved her company. That she was funny and just my type. That despite the many dates I’ve gone on, none had made me forget Taemin’s name like the way she did when I hung out with her. I wanted her to know that I hadn’t just been playing or fooling her, but that, in the end, I loved Taemin. I still did. And that maybe if I didn’t, she would have been the one to steal my heart, but that nothing like that could happen while I still felt so strongly for Taemin. 

I wanted to explain this, but it was kind of hard when she was suddenly ripped from my arms by a very angry Taemin, who didn’t waste time to turn to me and slap me across the face. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing right now?” He was absolutely fuming, his eyes filled with fire, cheeks red and not in a shy blush.

I could have replied but I was still in shock. Did I just get slapped?

“Lee Taemin. Are you aware that I am a teacher? I will not tolerate physical violence in front of me!” Mrs. Kwon seemed to compose herself much faster than me.

“Are you aware that you’re a teacher? He’s your student! What the do you think you’re doing!” 

I still didn’t quite know how to intervene. But I did know Taemin having another cat fight was the last thing I needed.

“You can’t talk to me like that. And my business between me and Minho has nothing to do with you, Taemin.” 

“The hell it doesn’t! How is it none of my business when you’re so obviously flirting with my boyfriend!”

This seemed like the perfect time for me to speak up, “I’m not your boyfriend Taemin. I broke up with you. This morning. The same moment I found out you kissed my best friend, may I remind you of that?” 

“I didn’t accept your break up, so we’re not broken up, may I remind you of that?” 

“He really is crazy,” Mrs. Kwon muttered looking at Taemin slightly appalled. “Minho, I can clearly see how you are in a difficult situation so I will allow you to turn in your own project. I can’t see you being partnered up with someone so toxic,” she had stopped looking at Taemin and instead at me, reassuring me with her eyes, “I can help you with whatever you don’t understand as you’ll be at a disadvantage without a partner. And Taemin, you can go ahead and join your original partner, Yesung. You guys will be a group of three including Jonghyun,”

I did not like this. Not one bit. No. I’d rather stay Taemin’s partner than have him crawling back to the one guy who's been trying to get inside his pants all year and my best friend who apparently suddenly decided he had the hots for Taemin too. 

Taemin beat me to disagreeing with this however, “As if! You just want me away from Minho, but let me make it clear that whether I have a stupid project tying me to him or not, I will not leave Minho’s side.”

“Do you realize that you sound like a psycho?” 

“Do you realize you sound like a e?”

“Okay. Seriously, both of you, stop. Taemin that’s incredibly rude to say to her, she’s older and your teacher and if she has feelings for me or not is none of your business and doesn’t make her any less of a person. She may be older, but at least her feelings for me are sincere. And Mrs. Kwon,” I now turned to her, softening my voice as I still felt bad for the trouble I had caused her, “I really do appreciate it. You’ve really been taking my feelings into account, but I’d rather deal with this psychotic mess myself,” with a soft smile and a reassuring pat to her shoulder, I turned to go back into the classroom. 

I didn’t miss Taemin’s snarky, “Stick to your place!”, however so I turned back to smack his head, dragging him back in with me.

A/N:

These two days are sooo long, when will we finally get to Saturday, day of the Dream Concert?

Hehe, just wait a bit~~

As always, plese let me know what you think!