Best friends since birth, that's what they were. Lee Jinki and his best friend Kim Jonghyun; otherwise known as dumb and dumber. If you saw one, you could expect to see the other nearby. That's just how things were, since they were babies. When they went to school, they wore matching colors and their hair was done similarly. When they were at home, they were running after each other pretending that the world was theirs to conquer; because in truth, it was. 

It was only a few of the perks that came with living next door to each other. There were also the nights where one of them would sneak over to his window and, no matter how dangerous it actually was to do this, would climb into the other's room and they'd stay up playing together until they fell asleep in each other's rooms. Their parents must have figured it out eventually, because it was kind of suspicious, but no one had said anything about it; they were like brothers, after all.

But like all young friendships, theirs changed. They changed. As they grew up and hit the age where puberty changed them for the better or worse, Jonghyun had taken up the interest of working out, and Jinki spent most of his days at home studying. That didn't stop them from sneaking into each other's room, though, because even as high school started to consume their lives, the two best friends refused to go on without one another.

However, when they were juniors in High School, Jinki realized something that had his heart constricting in fear; he was in love with Jonghyun. How did he know? It wasn't just because of the fact that he smiled whenever he saw Jonghyun in the morning, but there were days where the only thing he thought of was Jonghyun, and when he started taking an interest in watching dramas, he wished he could kiss Jonghyun the way the characters in the drama kissed each other.

It was Jinki's secret, though, because how was he supposed to tell Jonghyun about it? He didn't even tell his own parents about it, because he had never known a case in which a boy fell for the best friend that treated him like a brother. Because of this, Jinki distanced himself from Jonghyun, and they stopped spending nights together, and Jinki forced himself to stop thinking of Jonghyun whenever his best friend appeared in his mind.

And like that, they had stopped being friends. After sixteen years of friendship, they were done. Their parents didn't seem to notice, because children would always drift apart no matter how close they were at one time. Jonghyun didn't seem to notice either, because he had quickly become the most popular boy in their school and Jinki had stopped seeing him completely.

After High School, Jinki decided to move out of his parents' house, to an apartment closer to the College he was enrolling himself into. It was something his parents didn't want, but Jinki needed to move on, if only to put more distance between himself and Jonghyun. His parents had finally accepted his decision, and when Jinki went next door to tell Jonghyun's parents he was leaving, it was none other than Jonghyun that opened the door.

"Oh, Jinki, what brings you here?" Jonghyun was no longer the lanky little kid that was attached to Jinki's hip. Instead, Jonghyun was muscular and confident, and his blonde hair and pierced ears were only proof that he had changed.

"Ah, are your parents home?" Jinki asked, his lips curled into a smile although his eyes were keeping their distance from Jonghyun's. Jonghyun's eyes were always captivating to him, even as kids, but now that he knew the truth about himself, he couldn't dare let Jonghyun know.

Jonghyun leaned against the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest in amusement. His cell phone was vibrating within one hand, but Jonghyun refused to answer it, and Jinki wondered why.

"My parents are gone for the weekend. Can I leave a message for them?" Jonghyun's tone was playful, but Jinki only scratched the back of his neck. He had originally decided to leave without even telling Jonghyun, but now he had to tell Jonghyun about his departure.

"I just wanted to say goodbye, is all." Jinki muttered, and he saw Jonghyun's eyebrows raise in confusion. Jinki stared at him for a moment, wondering why he had ever let himself push away from Jonghyun when in the end, his heart still only thought of him.

"Where are you going?" The younger male muttered, and when Jinki finally looked back into Jonghyun's eyes, he could see Jonghyun's soft gaze flood with concern.

"I was accepted into the University that my dad went to, but it's a couple of hours away, so I got an apartment there. I'm leaving in the morning." Jonghyun didn't look away once throughout Jinki's explanation, but when the elder was done, Jonghyun pushed himself off the door and pulled Jinki into a hug, much like the ones they had shared when they were just children.

"You're making your dreams come true, Jinki. That's great." Jonghyun muttered against his shoulder, and Jinki slowly wrapped his arms around Jonghyun's waist as well. Jonghyun didn't know how quickly his heart was beating because of that hug alone, but Jinki couldn't let himself fall apart now that Jonghyun was readying for them to part for good.

Jonghyun didn't apply to colleges like Jinki did, according to the elder's parents. Instead, Jonghyun had decided to go straight to work and had sent out several applications already. Jinki hadn't ever talked to Jonghyun about it, but he knew that Jonghyun always had a plan for his future; so what could be better than that, even if it meant they'd never see each other again?

The elder pulled back first, his hands coming to rest on Jonghyun's shoulders as a smile forced its way onto his lips. If he didn't wish Jonghyun luck before they parted then, he'd only ever think of Jonghyun and remember that his best friend wanted what was best for him without asking for anything in return.

"The next time we meet, Jong, let's both have our dreams come true." He didn't know where the confidence came from, but when Jonghyun clasped his own hands over Jinki's and instead pulled them to his chest, he accepted Jonghyun's silent agreement.

The next morning, when Jinki piled his things into the beat up car his mom and dad bought for him, he looked back at the two houses that held dear memories of his. He'd miss being there, but more importantly, he'd miss the one person who shared many of those memories with him. When he glanced up at the second floor of Jonghyun's house, he could see Jonghyun looking at him from the window.

After holding his hand up in a half-hearted wave, Jinki climbed into his car and drove off.

 

---

 

Clubs weren't Jinki's style, not in the slightest bit. Jinki spent most of his time studying for finals and writing papers, not clubbing. He had detested large amounts of people since he was a child, so why would he suddenly be willing to go to a club? Well the answer is simple, he wasn't willing to go to a club, he was forced. A male that went by the name of Kibum, a year his junior, had forced him.

Jinki had successfully gone three years of college before Kibum decided it was time to bring him clubbing. Jinki protested for days, and even on the day that Kibum appeared before his front door, but the younger male had chosen to ignore him. Due to a tedious life full of studying and lacking in social grace, Kibum found this to be the only way to keep Jinki out of his apartment for a few hours.

Of course, Jinki was dragged to the club, with Kibum's fingers creating red rims around his wrist where it was being held. Jinki whimpered and whined and had made several cute faces, believing them to be the only way to have Kibum finally let him off the hook, but that would be thinking little of Kibum. Kibum had cooed at his attempts of being cute but had otherwise ignored his protests, and Jinki almost burst into tears.

Almost being the keyword. 

He couldn't cry in public, that was a no-no. No matter how miserable he was feeling about the situation, Jinki refused to cry in public, because he was getting ready to be a professional, anyway, and professionals don't cry because their friend is taking them to a club.

"Bummie, please. You know how I feel about big crowds." Despite his earlier claim of him getting closer to become a professional, however, there would be no denying that Jinki has a case of social anxiety, and Kibum is well aware of this fact.

"I know you hate these things, but you have to. You have to do this at least once. You're almost out of college and you're still a , hyung!" Kibum frowned, and by this point, the younger of the two had stopped walking and they were eventually facing one another.

Kibum only ever did things like this when he really thought Jinki needed a push; and most times, Kibum was successful in whatever it was he was trying to accomplish by forcing Jinki to go out. Jinki didn't move for another few minutes, until he could see Kibum's face dropping in disappointment with what seemed to be Kibum's growing acceptance of his refusal.

"Alright, but I plan to leave within an hour." Jinki finally agreed, and he sighed at the look of triumph in Kibum's eyes. He should have just went home, but it was too late now that they were actually inside the place.

"I'm going to go find my friends and introduce you to them. Who knows, you might hook up with one of them. You just go wait by the bar." Kibum had left his side within the first ten seconds that they were in the club, and in his head, Jinki had slapped his younger friend at least five times by that point.

He tried locating Kibum's figure amongst the crowd of grinding bodies, but Kibum was pretty good at being invisible, and Jinki finally just obeyed Kibum's command and trailed over to the bar. There was a short male working behind the bar, silver hair sparkling under the lights of the club as he hurried about to comply with the orders he was given. By the time Jinki had gotten there, the other customers had already left and the bartender had turned his attention to Jinki.

And then, Jinki froze. There he was, working as a bartender in the club Kibum had tried getting him to go to several times since they first met. Did Jonghyun recognize him the way he recognized Jonghyun? Jinki surely hoped not, because his dyed red hair and skinny frame were much different from how he was when they had parted years ago.

"Can I help you?" Jonghyun's voice was the same as it was all those years ago, smooth and full of amusement, and Jinki swiftly closed the mouth that he hadn't realized was open. Great, not only did he see his first love again after years of being separated, but now he was even making a fool of himself in front of said first love.

Jinki glanced at the other patrons in the club for a moment, trying to find Kibum and failing. Jonghyun might not have been able to recognize his body, but he would definitely recognize Jinki's voice, right?

Suddenly, as if by magic, Kibum appeared and claimed an empty barstool, groaning as he elaned forward. Jonghyun had turned to focus on the younger male immediately, and Jinki watched the chuckle that escaped Jonghyun's lips.

"You're here again, Kibum? Who are you trying to set up tonight?" Jonghyun was amused, like he always was, and Jinki forced himself to turn back to Kibum before he became even more captivated by the man behind the bar. 

"This idiot." Kibum grumbled, lifting a finger towards Jinki. The eldest of the three simply gaped back at him, his eyebrows raised in surprise and his jaw slack, but Kibum merely ignored him, although Jonghyun had turned back to him with a hum in his voice.

"Maybe you're unsuccessful because you're calling introducing him as an idiot?" Jonghyun asked, his lips curling into a grin. Jinki always loved that smile, because whenever Jonghyun smiled, it was as if the horrors he was facing faded away.

"Does he have a name; other than idiot, that is?"

Kibum glanced at Jinki for a moment before turning to Jonghyun, and just as his mouth opened to introduce Jinki, Jinki had glanced around nervously and thought up a name that wouldn't betray who he was.

"Onew."

 

---

 

When Jinki had suddenly blurted a name that wasn't his own, both Jonghyun and Kibum just blinked at him. Not only was the name a strange one, but in his haste to say his name, Jinki had ended up a lot louder than was necessary. Jonghyun had merely brushed it off and greeted him properly, and even gave him a drink on the house. Jinki didn't say another thing to him at all that night.

On the other hand, Kibum was furious. Not only did they fail at finding someone for Jinki to hook up with that night; the elder had made up such a ridiculous name and wouldn't even engage in a conversation with Kibum or the mysterious bartender. When asked about it, though, Jinki remained silent and parted ways with the friend he should have been grateful to.

"We're trying again tonight." Kibum had cornered him the next day on his way to his apartment. He had just finished with his classes for the day and was more than excited to go home and curl up in bed with a book.

"No, Kibum. I'm not doing it again." Jinki was desperate to get away from Kibum's death grip this time, but Kibum hadn't allowed it. 

"Why? Why won't you try at least one more time?" Kibum demanded, his eyes blazing in anger and his jaw set. 

Jinki wanted to be honest, and to tell him that the bartender they had met the night before was the love of his life and he couldn't stand being there in the same room so long as Jonghyun didn't know of his existence. He couldn't say it, though, and in the end, he realized he was caught with no way out.

And that's how he ended up at the same club that night. He had gotten there at least an hour earlier than Kibum himself, and simply because he wanted to mentally prepare himself for the torture that was to come. The club was mostly empty that night, and when Jinki saw that silver head of hair, a smile almost lit his face.

Again, almost. It didn't, and only because he remembered how awkward he had been the night before. 'Onew' had definitely left an impression on Jonghyun, hadn't he? Awkward and impossibly shy, why would Jonghyun care for him now?

"Can you give me something really strong, please?" Jinki asked, after finally gathering the limited courage he had and placing himself at the bar. Jonghyun, who had been scrolling through his cell phone, looked up and let his lips curl into a grin. Jinki was relieved that his voice hadn't given him up, since he had purposely raised it half a pitch the night before and continued in the same pitch. If he's going to pretend he's someone else, he'd might as well do it all the way, right?

"Sure thing, Onew." Jonghyun's friendly smile and the casual calling of 'Onew' had his heart thud gently, even though Jinki knew that Onew wasn't real. Jonghyun would never be able to tell how much Jinki missed him over the years, would he?

"Kibum called me earlier and told me you'd be here early tonight so I have to make sure you're drunk enough to stay and hook up with someone." Jonghyun informed him, a chuckle escaping his lips, and Jinki finally forced his eyes to look away from Jonghyun.

"I love Kibum, I really do, but he needs to stop meddling in my affairs." Jinki groaned, dropping his head into his hands. How was he supposed to listen to Jonghyun talk about this stuff, anyway? 

"He's done it to me before, too. The hook up went well, but not the relationship that came with it." Jonghyun slid the drink over to him, and Jinki's heart dropped slightly. 

Why was he so surprised? Just because Jinki was waiting for him, doesn't mean that Jonghyun's waiting as well. Jonghyun doesn't even know about Jinki or his feelings; and anyway, Jonghyun had always been active in dating.

He sipped at his drink quietly, just mildly aware that Jonghyun was now looking at him. Jonghyun didn't usually pay much attention to him, and that was the only reason Jinki had been safe from being caught. With Jonghyun's gaze on him now, it would be only a matter of time before he's found out, so Jinki merely lowers his head from Jonghyun's view.

"Are you from around here? I never saw you before." Jonghyun easily picked up another conversation, and Jinki could tell he was bored. Jonghyun was always unable to stay still or quiet for a long time, and Jinki liked that about him.

"I go to the University nearby." Jinki answered, and he peeked up at Jonghyun to see the younger male's face brighten just slightly.

Jinki thought Jonghyun was going to bring him up somehow, like perhaps mention that he had a friend who enrolled there or something, but the words never left his lips. Jonghyun merely turned to other customers and poured them drinks. Jinki felt a little betrayed.

"It's better this way," he told himself, and he turned around in his barstool to watch as couples danced. It was always a weird view, or at least it was for him.

Suddenly, there was a tap on his shoulder, and he turned his head to see Jonghyun was standing there beside him, after tossing his work apron to the back where another employee was standing, "My shift ends here for the night. How about you and I dance until Kibum whisks you away?"

"Sure."

Jinki's only mildly aware that he should have refused; because he's still pretending to be Onew and dancing with Jonghyun was something Jinki had thought of doing several times throughout their lives.

That night, 'Onew' danced with Jonghyun, and when Kibum spotted the pair of them together on the dance floor, he had completely let go of Jinki's hook up, because he could tell there was something going on between those two.

That's why when Jinki caught his glance that night, Kibum smirked.

 

---

 

The next time Jinki met Jonghyun, it ended up being a nightmare.

After the dance they had shared together that night weeks ago, Jinki had forbidden himself from going there, even with Kibum's protests. Kibum had caught him by the arms several times, whining about Jonghyun being hot and "Why won't you date him? Like he's all over you, I can tell." Jinki felt his heartbeat pick up for a few moments, but then his heart crashed right into his ribs, because Jonghyun was all over 'Onew', not his childhood best friend.

Kibum had also asked if he were allowed to give Jonghyun the elder's number, and Jinki refused so loudly that other students turned to look at the pair suspiciously. Kibum himself was suspicious of Jinki's relations with Jonghyun, but Jinki had brushed it off every time it was brought up, because Kibum's not too great at keeping secrets.

To Jinki, though, his behavior and refusal to get closer to Jonghyun made sense. If Kibum gave Jonghyun his cell phone number, there was the chance that Jonghyun recognized the number or Jinki let it slip that 'Onew' didn't really exist.

Now Jinki's changed his number before due to other reasons, and there was really no need for Jonghyun to have his number considering their parents told each other everything, but Jinki wouldn't risk having himself found out.

At least not before he could find the courage to tell Jonghyun himself.

That's why he was surprised to have run into Jonghyun after all. It was after his last class for the day on Friday, and he was weaving through crowds on his way to Kibum's class. His younger friend had texted him earlier that day, demanding that the two meet up, and there was no one who was insane enough to refuse Kibum's demands. 

He'd almost been plowed to the ground from behind when he spotted Jonghyun and Kibum together across the hall from the classroom Kibum had just come out of. With his casual attire, messed up hair, and an easy going smile gracing his lips, it was fairly obvious it wasn't a random visit 

Oh, that Kibum was seriously beginning to push his buttons by meddling in things that shouldn't be meddled in. Jinki probably should have listened to the voice in his head that told him to turn around and leave the pair behind, but it was at that moment that Jonghyun turned his head in his direction. Jonghyun must have sensed them being watched, but with the smile on his lips becoming even sweeter than it already was, Jinki realized he was a goner.

Killing Kibum would have to come later; Jonghyun was waiting for 'Onew', and Jonghyun was someone Jinki didn't want to make wait. 

"There you- what the hell are you holding?" Kibum had been relieved when he finally noticed Jinki, but when his eyes trailed down to Jinki's arms, his lips curled into a sneer.

"Books... for homework?" Jinki muttered unsurely, clutching his books to his chest. Kibum alone was someone he could handle easily; but Jonghyun? No way.

"Homework? Oh my-- are you serious?! On a Friday?!" Kibum had caught the interest of several passing students, some of which openly laughed at the conversation they overheard, and even Jonghyun had started to chuckle until Kibum turned to him in exasperation,

"I told you, right? He's never going to get laid if he keeps this up."

Both Jinki and Jonghyun widened their eyes in surprise. Not only was Kibum being loud enough for even strangers to hear what he was saying, the glare he sent to Jinki had gotten worse.

"Relax, Bummie. Getting mad at him isn't going to solve anything." Jonghyun muttered, and even though Kibum hadn't say anything, Jonghyun leaned forward to rub Kibum's shoulder gently.

Finally, after taking in deep breaths, Kibum had turned to Jinki and the elder could already tell that he wouldn't like whatever he was thinking. It was obvious, because it was Kibum.

"You can do your homework on Sunday. We're going out with some friends tonight."

Jinki is taken aback, and justly so. He's not the type to hang out with friends and Kibum's never really shown interest in dragging him out to meet his other friends until Jinki met Jonghyun. Jinki knows well enough that Kibum has some sort of ulterior motive in inviting him, but would that be enough to back out of this hang out without being suspicious? He's not entirely sure, and when his eyes flicker from Kibum to Jonghyun in order to see if he can see through their smiles at their hidden agendas, his mind blanks the moment his gaze locks with Jonghyun's. 

"I know it's last moment but we were going to go to a karaoke bar and most of the other guys ditched. It'll feel like an awkward double date with just four of us." Jonghyun explains with a half hearted shrug, and he tucks his hands into his back pockets.

"But... why -- why me?" Jinki questions unsurely, and his palms feel clammy as they press his textbooks tightly against his chest in growing nervousness.

"Kibum mentioned you having a beautiful singing voice and it got me curious," Jonghyun tells him as he his head in Kibum's direction,

"Plus, you've been extremely busy recently and we thought this would be good for you to get out a little bit."

Feeling like a fish out of water with his jaw going slack, Jinki turns back to Kibum to notice the flicker of mischief in his friend's eyes. There was definitely an ulterior motive if that look was anything to go by. Jinki's ears are burning red at the idea of Jonghyun being curious about him of all people, but before he can say anything, Jonghyun's cellhpone rings and the young man steps away with a quiet 'excuse me'.

"You like him that much, huh?" Kibum asks, his voice teasing as the pair glance over at Jonghyun's frame,

"then maybe it's time to tell him your-"

Jinki knows what he's implying instantly, "No!"

When receiving Kibum's disapproving glare for being cut off, Jinki merely clears his throat and turns his gaze to his shoes,

"I- I want to make sure this isn't fake, first."

Kibum's about to say something, Jinki can feel it, but it's at that moment that Jonghyun walks back towards them, and thankfully distracts them both.

"Taemin called to see how long we'd be," Jonghyun tells Kibum as he slides his phone back into his pocket, and the familiar name uttered by Jonghyun causes Jinki to falter.

They're not related or anything, but because of the fact that they had the same surname, a lot of teachers in their old town had considered them as siblings. Lee Taemin was like his younger brother, in a way. While Jinki had become an introvert and spent most of his free time on his own, Taemin had risen to become as popular as Jonghyun. Jinki knows it may not be possible to keep the acting up while two men from his childhood are around, but also knows he may not have a way of escaping their plans.

"Onew?" Jonghyun calls out, and Jinki snaps out of his thoughts with his lips twitching in his embarrassment at having been caught dazing off.

"You'll come hang out, right?" Kibum asks with an eyebrow raised, and Jinki just wishes he couldn't see the mirth dancing in his eyes as his bottom lip juts out in a mocking pout,

"Jonghyun came all this way to invite you."

Jinki hates how unfair Kibum's being intentionally, and hates the quiet chuckle Jonghyun releases as he elbows Kibum's side in a playful manner. He also hates that with that one statement, Jinki knows he no longer has the will to walk away.

"Fine. I'll meet you there after I drop my books off at my apartment," Jinki relents, after a long moment of silence with both younger men looking at him with those knowing eyes.

"Let Jjong take you so you don't sneak off," Kibum says with that crooked grin of his, and Jinki's eyes narrow in disbelief. 

Does Kibum truly hate him or is he just torturing Jinki without intending to?

"That's really not ne-" Jinki begins to protest, but he's distracted when Jonghyun's slender fingertips come into view followed by his grasp on the elder's arm.

"The karaoke place is hard to find if you haven't been there before, anyway." Jonghyun eases out, and he turns to walk away with a light tug on Jinki's arms.

"See you there!" Kibum calls out with a cackle, but Jinki can no longer pay attention. How can he, when Jonghyun's hand releases its grip on his arm in order to take him by the hand, instead?

 

---

 

Jinki's a little nervous about being alone with Jonghyun inside the younger man's car. Yes, they've been alone without Kibum before, but they've never been alone -- at least not while Jinki's been pretending to be someone else. Jonghyun's car is a shiny sports car that he'd been excited about getting even in high school, and when Jinki sees it for the first time in person, his heart swells in pride. How hard must Jonghyun have been working to have been able to earn this car?

"She's pretty cool, isn't she?" Jonghyun murmurs as they step closer, and his free hand digs the pair of keys out of his pocket in order to unlock the doors. Only when they get to the passenger side door does Jonghyun release Jinki's hand, and while Jinki's hand feels cold from the lack of the younger's touch, Jonghyun only really removes his hand to open the car door for him.

"She?" Jinki asks with a chuckle, though he's ducking his head so Jonghyun can't see the way his cheeks were set ablaze.

"So I think of my car as a woman," Jonghyun snorts as he climbs into the car himself, though his lips are curled upwards into a grin, 

"sue me."

"It's cute," Jinki reassures him with a shake of his head, and he pointedly ignores the way Jonghyun scoffs,

"My first car was like an old man, so I understand the personification."

Jonghyun chuckles as he turns to Jinki, and his eyes are brightly lit in amusement, "While I do enjoy the conversation about our people-like cars, Onew, we should hurry over to your place so we can meet the others."

Jinki's answering chuckle is forced as he tells the younger his address, and as Jonghyun reaches out to clasp his hand around Jinki's, Jinki's hit by the bitter realization that Jonghyun isn't here with him, he's with Onew. He wants to laugh or cry or something, but he can do nothing but stare out of the window as the neighborhood view passes by them. He doesn't realize how tired he is, either, until he's suddenly being shaken awake.

"Wake up, gorgeous," Jonghyun's voice fills his ear, soft and smooth in the way Jinki had dreamt of so many times in the past.

When Jinki's eyes flutter open, he finds Jonghyun a mere few centimeters away from him, and his own throat has suddenly dried out. Jonghyun's gaze is soft and filled with admiration, and his hand is on Jinki's face with his thumb gently caressing Jinki's cheek. Jinki looks around for a moment to shake himself out of his disorientation, then back to the amused Jonghyun.

"Did you want to come in for a minute while I freshen up?" Jinki asks, though he's not really aware of what he's asking. He doesn't have any pictures of them from when they were younger, or anything that can betray him to Jonghyun after all, but he's not entirely confident in himself.

"If I go in there with you right now, I don't think I'll be able to hold onto my self control," Jonghyun admits as he finally leans away from Jinki,

"I'll just make a quick call to work to see if someone can cover my shift tonight while you're gone."

"I'll be right back, then," Jinki says, his voice thick with sleep as he smiles at the young man and sleepily reaches for the door handle.

"Don't keep me waiting for too long," Jonghyun calls playfully right before Jinki closes the door. The elder laughs with a shake of his head, and his drowsiness is slowly fading as he trods into his apartment.

As he puts his books away and searches his wardrobe for a clean shirt, Jonghyun's words suddenly sink in. Jinki feels completely thrown off by Jonghyun's blunt admission, and he feels another wave of nervousness flood him as he realizes the weight of the younger man's words. And though the words were aimed towards Onew who doesn't even really exist, the thought of being with Jonghyun excites him and makes him want to forget about that very fact. He's shaken out of his stupor when a car honks outside, and Jinki feels a little guilty about taking too long when he knows Kibum's probably got Jonghyun under pressure about getting them back in time for their karaoke session.

With a quick toussle of his hair and double checking to make sure his shirt doesn't have any holes in it, Jinki stumbles out of his apartment. He learns that it wasn't even Jonghyun's car that was honking but a neighbor down the road. In fact, when he walks up to the car, he notices fondly that Jonghyun's eyes are closed and there's the faintest melody that he can hear from outside the car. A lot of things about Jonghyun haven't changed despite the amount of years they spent apart.

Jonghyun's eyes open the instant Jinki pulls on the car handle, and the younger man is once more smiling over at him with that charming grin of his as he shifts the car back into drive, "You know, Kibum's been calling for the past five minutes."

"Oh god," Jinki grunts out with a roll of his eyes,

"What did he want?"

"No clue," Jonghyun answers, and Jinki's gaze flies over to him in surprise,

"I guess we'll find out when we get there."

Though Jonghyun's always been a little playful, this was almost an entirely different side of Jonghyun that Jinki wasn't accustomed to. Though it had certainly caught Jinki off guard, however, the fondness he felt for Jonghyun only grew with every new thing he learned about the man he once walked away from.

 

---

 

Kibum had only called to see what was taking them so long, because he didn't see any reason for them to be taking so long when he and their other friends were waiting on them. In truth, Kibum probably called so many times to figure out if they were doing anything scandalous without alerting him, and both Jinki and Jonghyun noticed and chuckled at the obvious deflation of Kibum's shoulders.

"Let's go," Kibum sighs with a snap of his fingers, and both of the elders just follow him in the direction of the karaoke rooms in the back.

"There you are!" A deep voice calls as their door opens, and Jinki's gaze is drawn to a tall, thin, exceptionally good looking man,

"We were beginning to think you got lost on the way!"

Though Jinki doesn't know the speaker, his eyes then flicker over to the fifth of the men, where his gaze catches with that of Lee Taemin. Taemin stares back at him for a very short moment, but then his attention turns over to Jonghyun and he breaks out into a wide smile.

"I keep telling you, Minho! He's not as dumb as he looks." Taemin chortles, and while Minho joins in on the amused chuckles, Jonghyun looks between them like they've betrayed him.

"You two are horrible wingmen." Jonghyun shakes his head and he pushes past the tall boy, Minho, to make enough space on the bench for him and Jinki sit down.

"You don't need wingmen," Kibum snorts as he pours all of them a cup of soju,

"the idiot's so into you he can't think for himself."

Jinki looks down at his phone screen with his lips pursed and feeling the tension in his body increase.

"What is it?" Jonghyun asks with an eyebrow, and all four of them notice him growing tense.

"This is the fastest I've ever regretted going out with Kibum. I think it might be a record." Jinki answers, and while Kibum scoffs, the rest of them burst into laughter.

Minho is an interesting addition to their group, Jinki quickly decides. He's quiet but has plenty to say, and cracks a lot of jokes though most of them are at Jonghyun's expense. The others seem to have been friends for a long time, though, from how Jinki sees them interact. They spend hours joking around as they sing and drink, and he's a little concerned about how much they're spending on the establishment's snacks, but the others aren't any bit concerned.

"We do this like every month," Minho finally speaks up, like he can tell what Jinki's thinking. Jinki stares at him, bewildered, but then decides he's probably better off just going with their flow.

Eventually, though, he decides he has to go to the bathroom, and badly. He's polite as he can be as he excuses himself, but can barely walk in a straight line on his way to the urinal. He's surprised he even makes it to the bathroom in the state he's in. He whistles to himself as he does his business, the same song that Jonghyun had been singing just minutes prior that Jinki was pretending wasn't directed towards him. He had personally declined every time the younger men had asked him to sing because he wasn't as confident in his voice as the rest of them, but found himself completely speechless whenever Jonghyun's sweet voice sang.

When he steps out of the bathroom, he sobers immediately. It's hard not to when he finds himself face to face with Taemin, who's leaning against the wall with his arms at his sides and his expression looking like he's lost in thought.

"Kibum told us that they invited someone that liked Jonghyun so much to hang out with us, but I was confused when he told us the mystery guest was using a fake name," Taemin explains as he slowly drags his gaze across the floor and to meet Jinki's gaze,

"It makes sense now, though. It's been a while, Jinki hyung."

Jinki's smile is nervous as he shifts on his feet, then throwing a glance in the direction of the room the others are in. Of course Taemin would recognize him immediately -- but if it only took moments for Taemin to recognize him, what about Jonghyun?

"Even you figured it out before Jonghyun," Jinki laughs, though it sounds hollow and longing even to his own ears.

Taemin reaches forward and pats him once on the shoulder, and his smile is just slight as he turns and heads back down the hall, "Like I told Minho, he's not as dumb as he looks."

Startled and wondering if there was a double meaning to Taemin's words, Jinki is unable to move even as he watches Taemin slip back into their karaoke room. The doubt swirls in his mind and makes him feel like he's drowning in it. He already knew that Jonghyun wasn't as dumb as he led on -- but if he knew, why wouldn't he have said anything? The door that had closed behind Taemin opens again, with both Kibum and Jonghyun stepping out while looking like they're in the middle of a heated discussion.

"We're all pretty tapped out so we're figuring out rides," Kibum calls out to him from the end of the hall, and Jinki can't bring himself to look at Jonghyun with the way the doubt nags at the back of his mind.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about me," Jinki tells them quickly, and he pretends not to notice the both of them raising their eyebrows in question,

"This place isn't too far from campus. I can go to the library and get some work done."

"On a Friday?" Kibum asks, and his glare is so strong that Jinki knows he was expecting something to happen between Jonghyun and Jinki.

"Are you sure you're sober enough for that?" Jonghyun questions him, but Jinki isn't really paying attention anymore. It's hard to when Kibum's glaring the way he is now.

"Thank you for inviting me out, I had fun." Jinki tells them with a quick bow, and he all but runs out of the karaoke club. He decides to pay seeing as it's the first time they had invited him out, and pretends not to be disturbed by the amount they had spent on just a few hours. He wonders how they could possibly do this every month.

"Onew!" Jonghyun calls out just as Jinki catches the attention of a cab driver.

Jinki already has a foot in the taxi when he turns his head, and Jonghyun looks angelic with the way his hair shines in the moonlight. Though his heart lurches into his throat when Jonghyun calls him, it quickly falls when he realizes what Jonghyun had called him. And in this moment, it doesn't matter if Jonghyun knows he's Jinki or not, because even now, Jonghyun's only interested because he's pretending to be someone else.

"The guys are coming to the club tomorrow night." Jonghyun continues, and though the cab driver is clearing his throat, Jinki's unable to look away from Jonghyun for even a moment,

"If you have any time, you should stop by."

He walks away too fast for Jinki to decline, and the elder just holds back a sigh as he gets into the cab.

 

---

 

After the amount of times he's been at Jonghyun's workplace, Jinki realizes that it's a little ridiculous to be so nervous again, but things are different now that he's had that brief talk with Taemin. While Taemin hadn't been hostile in any way, and hadn't seemed to have the intention to out him to Jonghyun, he had a feeling it was only a matter of time. And perhaps, tonight, his luck would run out. He just wasn't sure anymore.

It's kind of quiet in comparison to the usual bustle he's used to at this night club. In fact, there are only a few people scattered about. Kibum's there, though, as are Minho and Taemin. The three of them are crowded over by the bar and laughing at whatever joke Jonghyun's decided to crack with them.

"Come on, Lee Jinki," he chides himself to try and build up his courage,

"It's no good to be scared all the time."

Finally, Jinki drags his feet in their direction and it doesn't take long for them to notice his presence.

"It's not too late to walk away from his lame , Onew," Taemin snickers out, and Jinki's eyebrow raises at the thought of Taemin playing along. It makes the whole situation just feel that much more -- wrong.

Kibum chortles as he glances between Jinki and Jonghyun with his arms crossed over his chest, "He's equally lame. They'd complete each other."

"Is this ... another successful hookup?" Minho asks in a dramatic fashion as he leans back into Taemin's outstretched arms. They're enjoying this too much, Jinki decides.

He's thinking of what to say in his defense when he's distracted by a glass being slid towards him on the bar counter. Jonghyun's ears are flushed but he doesn't say anything to disprove the younger men. In fact, his suddenly shy demeanor just seems to edge them on further. They don't actually get to spend much time at the bar with Jonghyun, seeing that he's working. The music is enough of a distraction for them, anyway. Taemin's always loved to dance and seeing him dance again reminds Jinki of their time in high school. Kibum's also a dancer, to Jinki's astonishment, and he barely holds back his laughs as he cheers his friend on. Minho dances, too, but he's kind of drunk and does more stumbling than drinking. 

"Let's get him jealous," Taemin says all of a sudden into his ear, and the next thing he knows, Taemin's spinning him on the dance floor.

Jinki's not a dancer. He thought they all knew that by this point in their friendship, but his protests remain unheard as he stumbles after Taemin on the dancefloor. Taemin's attempt to make Jonghyun jealous seem to be working, though, according to the bartender's stiff posture whenever Jinki turns in his direction. Jinki wants to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

"Excuse me, good sir," Minho cuts in as he steps between them, and Taemin raises an eyebrow in amusement as he steps back,

"I hear you're planning to make the dinosaur jealous and I definitely need to play a part in it -- you know, as his wingman."

His dance with Minho is very brief and he's laughing the whole time because Minho is seriously wobbly on his feet. Jonghyun's friends really love him, and it's obvious even if they're just trying to mess with him. Eventually, though, Minho starts looking like he's going to hurl, and Jinki quickly steps back as he notices his new friend's face paling. He shakes his head fondly as he watches the tall man run off, and he slinks back to the bar to get some water and to unwind even just slightly.

"It looks like you're having a good time," Jonghyun's voice quips as he gets closer, and Jinki looks up to see the smallest spark of jealousy in Jonghyun's gaze.

"It looks like you're jealous," Kibum's voice interjects before he can say anything, and when Jinki turns to the side, Kibum's sitting on a barstool while nursing whatever cocktail he was sipping on.

"How can I not be jealous when this hottie is dancing with everyone but me?" Jonghyun retorts, and Jinki's face is set ablaze. 

Kibum is quiet for a moment, though Jink can tell that he's calculating something in that devious head of his. He wishes he could be wrong, though, he really does. Kibum's fingernails tap on the counter as he hums, then casts a glance at the drink in his hand.

"Hey, Jjong, your shift is almost over, right?" Kibum asks, and Jinki decides he really doesn't like where this is going.

Jonghyun glances down at the watch on his wrist before answering with a light hearted shrug, "Just ten minutes. Why?"

In the blink of an eye, Kibum turns and throws the contents of his glass onto Jinki's shirt, and both of the elders stare at Kibum in bewilderment. Jinki's bewilderment quickly morphs into rage and he's about to lunge at Kibum, but the young trouble maker just puts a hand on his forehead to push him back. He looks very pleased at himself, too.

"You mind taking him home, then?" Kibum asks with a sickeningly sweet smile, and he looks all innocent as his eyelashes flutter at Jonghyun,

"The cops might arrest him for public intoxication if he goes out covered in booze like this."

Embarrassed and annoyed, Jinki just sulks as he sits himself on the barstool. Part of him is also kind of grateful to Kibum's interference, because it gives him a chance to spend time alone with Jonghyun, but this is the exact kind of situation he had narrowly avoided just the day before.

"I was going to take him home regardless, Bummie." Jonghyun tells them with an eyebrow raised. He looks stern, but his ears are still red and Jinki can see a twinge of excitement on the young man's expression.

Kibum stares between them with his face void of amusement like he doesn't believe any of the crap coming out of their mouths, and the few minutes leading to the close of Jonghyun's work shift are awkward with both of the older men just waiting to get away from Kibum.

 

---

 

"Sorry about Kibum," Jonghyun mutters as he pulls up in front of Jinki's apartment. The ride over has been silent and incredibly awkward, though it wasn't really either of their faults but Kibum's, who had wiggled his eyebrows suggestively as they walked out of the club.

"Me too," Jinki answers with a shake of his head. His clothes are sticking to his body and he's still somewhat peeved that Kibum was actually stronger than him.

They look at each other for a moment, and they both turn away to chuckle under their breaths. The is strong and Jinki doesn't really know how to react in such a situation, but he knows this might be his only shot to get closer to Jonghyun after all.

"Jonghyun?" He starts off, sounding small.

"What is it, Onew?" Jonghyun asks, and Jinki ignores the soft pang in his heart as he slowly brings his gaze back to Jonghyun's.

"Do you... uh, maybe want to come in?" Jinki asks, and he's feeling extremely shy as he asks. He's invited Jonghyun over previously, he knows, but this time, it feels entirely different from the last.

Jonghyun leans forward, and Jinki chuckles as Jonghyun just does so to unfasten his seatbelt.

"It's finally my chance to spend time with a hottie. How could I ever say no?" Jonghyun answers with a chuckle, and Jinki eases up as they get out of his car.

They make it into his apartment before either of them make their move. They're standing right in front of the door and it's completely silent between them for a moment as Jinki tries to think of something, anything. He knows he's never dated before, but at his age, he should be able to make a move on the man he's loved his entire life. Being unable to is nothing more than being a coward and he knows it.

"Onew," Jonghyun calls softly, and Jinki peels his gaze away from the front door in order to look at Jonghyun, instead.

"I wanted to do it while we're out here because a first kiss under the moonlight just sounds romantic," he continues, and Jinki's so startled by the soft tone and softer words that he's unable to even breathe as Jonghyun leans forward, cups his face, and presses his lips to Jinki's.

If he had any air in his lungs, it would've been taken away by Jonghyun's kiss, Jinki realized. He's dreamed about kissing his best friend many times since they were young, but actually experiencing it felt like something out of a fairy tale. When they both pull back, Jonghyun's face is flushed, and Jinki knows he's no better. It doesn't last long, though. Jinki is suddenly all too aware of how long he's waited for his best friend to notice him, and even though he's pretending to be someone else, the feeling's still there. The second the door closes behind them and they know they're in the privacy of Jinki's apartment, they begin kissing again. The desire in their actions is so strong they barely make it to Jinki's bed with their clothes on.

They land in his bed in a heap of limbs, their chests rising and falling quickly between their pants and moans. Jinki's on top of Jonghyun, and while he's definitely not as experienced, Jonghyun's moans are enough to let him know that he's doing it right. He's so into their kiss that when he feels Jonghyun's cool fingertips under his shirt, he's snapped back to reality, and the situation crashes down on him.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this." Jinki groans as he rolls himself off of the younger

"Jinki?" Jonghyun pants out, and Jinki thinks Jonghyun's calling him by Onew, but isn't sure of anything in that moment.

"You just called me Jinki, didn't you?" Jinki asks under his breath, and he's now sitting up beside the younger and angling himself so he's looking Jonghyun in the face.

"I wanted to wait until you were comfortable enough to tell me yourself," Jonghyun says with a sheepish grin, reaching out to press his palm against Jinki's cheek,

"but I guess I let it slip out of instinct."

Jinki just stares at him, watching as his breathing went back under his control, "How long?"

There's no verbal answer, just a shake of the head and the vibration of laughter in Jonghyun's chest that confirms Jinki's suspicions that Jonghyun knew from the very first interaction. Jinki always told himself that this could be the case, and yet, finds himself to be surprised. Then why was he acting, and why didn't Jonghyun stop him? And did that mean Jonghyun liked him, whether he went by Onew or Jinki?

"I've been in love with you since we were freshmen in High School, Jinki." Jonghyun tells him like he can read Jinki's mind, and Jinki's eyebrows fly up at the revelation.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Jinki asks, shaking his head out of confusion.

"I didn't realize you felt the same until the end of our senior year, when you came over to say goodbye," Jonghyun explains, and he's no longer smiling at all, but looking down at his legs dangling over the side of Jinki's bed,

"For two years, you seemed like you wanted absolutely nothing to do with me, and when my parents told me about your acceptance into this school, I thought that was the end of it -- but I felt it when we hugged that last time, Jinki. So -- I accepted a job offer in the area for the club I work at now, and I thought it would be enough to be near you even if I never saw you again. Then imagine my surprise when you walk into the club for the first time with Kibum."

Jinki's head is spinning with the knowledge that was bestowed upon him. So he wasn't alone, and his feelings weren't unreciprocated? So the reason he and Jonghyun had drifted apart during High School was really him and not because their similarities had run out?

"J-Jonghyun, I--" he begins, though he's not sure of what to say now that they're together again. He's not even sure that after all this time, he has a right to say anything.

"I'm not mad," Jonghyun tells him, and Jinki's not even sure how Jonghyun was able to understand that even without him thinking it,

"I just wish you didn't have to hide who you are around me. I thought we knew each other better than that."

That statement causes for Jinki's heart to break, because he knows with that statement alone that he'd been nothing but cruel to Jonghyun. His words were true, of course. It was all in Jinki's head alone, but he made the man he loved most in the world suffer because of his own insecurity. He doesn't realize how silent and tense he's gotten until Jonghyun's lips curl into a sad frown, and the younger of the pair makes to get up like he's not sure if he should hold onto Jinki after all. Before he can even take a step away, though, Jinki has a hand around his wrist and Jonghyun is still as he looks at him from over his shoulder.

"I'm a ing coward, Jonghyun. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, and you're right," Jinki says quickly, his teeth chattering as he fights back the tears that try desperately to spill from his eyelids,

"but I really don't want to lose you again, so... so please, please don't go."

Jonghyun is silent as he turns his full attention back to Jinki, and Jinki can see all the pain in his expression clearly, now. There is no amusement to cover the vulnerability in Jonghyun's eyes this time.

"Then kiss me," Jonghyun dares him quietly, and he slowly moves his hand so their fingers are interlaced,

"as Jinki, not Onew."

So Jinki pulls him back towards him, and Jonghyun falls onto his lap as Jinki's arms encase him, and Jinki finally gets to kiss the love of his life as himself.

 

---

 

Jinki's parents aren't too thrilled to learn about his uality, though they know they can't do anything about his choices. It doesn't seem to bother them too much, though, because there are millions of people out there and they suppose it's better Jinki's with Jonghyun than one of them. Jonghyun's family, on the other hand, is openly supportive and Jinki feels extraordinarily warm whenever Jonghyun's family wants to talk to him. They go back and visit often because of their family's requests, too.

Their friends aren't surprised in the least when they figure out that Jonghyun and Jinki are officially together. It's not hard to miss what with Jinki going over to hang out while Jonghyun's working and Jonghyun refusing to go out because he'd rather they all just come over to hang out in Jinki's apartment -- which he's unofficially moved in to. Kibum was proud of himself for the briefest of moments until Taemin disclosed Jinki and Jonghyun's childhood, and then spent a good hour telling Jinki he's an idiot and how did he really expect someone to forget about him like it was that easy?

Speaking of Taemin, he comes over the most frequently over the three because of how comfortable he is around the two that he'd spent many years of his childhood with. Jinki finds himself glowering a little because of all the sudden attention because he went from being the awkward guy without friends to being someone everyone knows, even at Jonghyun's work and around campus.

One night, however, after spending the night at the library and ignoring Kibum and Jonghyun's texts to go out and join them because he'd rather not fall behind on his studies, thank you, Jinki walks into their apartment completely unexpecting all the lights to be off and to be overcome by silence. He thinks that it's too silent and checks out in the street to check if Jonghyun's car is actually there and he's just trying to pull something, but doesn't see anything akin to Jonghyun's sports car.

He gives up quickly and sighs as he readies himself for bed, but though his body is tired and his head hurts from staring too long at the books he had been reading, he's unable to even sit on his bed. Instead, he goes over to the desk in the corner of his room and pulls out another book, -- yes, he knows of the irony in the situation -- and he lets himself get lost in the book as he waits for sleep to come.

Jinki's not sure how much time has passed, but there's a sudden squeaking coming from behind him, and when he turns, he can see Jonghyun climbing in through the window. It's accompanied by an extremely nostalgic feeling and Jinki chuckles as he walks over and helps Jonghyun get in safely, and only grins when Jonghyun distracts him with a quick kiss.

"I forgot my keys at the club," Jonghyun tells him with a sheepish grin, then glances past Jinki to where he had just been sitting and reading,

"It feels like we're back in middle school with me climbing into your window like this, though."

Jinki looks at the alarm clock by his bed, the time glaring back at him and having him narrow his own eyes back at Jonghyun, "Yeah but back then we didn't choose 3 am to sneak over to each other's rooms."

Jonghyun grins as he sits down on the edge of their bed, reaching up to gently clasp a hand around Jinki's wrist and tug him down so they're sitting side by side, "Sorry. I lost track while we were celebrating."

"Celebrating what?" Jinki asks with an eyebrow raised in suspicion, because why wasn't he invited? Wait, he was. He just didn't want to go anywhere.

"I've been working at the club for years, and while it's nothing like what you'll be doing when you graduate college, I've saved up a lot of money," Jonghyun says, and he's excited, by the looks of how tightly he's holding onto Jinki's hands,

"Well, the owner's been thinking about selling because he's getting old and I made an offer!"

Jonghyun looks so endearing with the excitement shining in his eyes that Jinki just feels himself soften as he watches. He's incredibly proud of Jonghyun, of course, and remembers back in High School where they weren't sure of who they'd be if they ever met again in the future.

"So what does that make you?" Jinki asks carefully.

"You're talking to the new owner of Blue Night!" Jonghyun exclaims, and then he wraps his arms around Jinki's neck to pull him in for a kiss.

And while this isn't what they agreed on when they said they'd meet again when their dreams came true, they were happy enough to chase after their dreams together.

 

---

 

bonus

 

"What are you doing, Bummie?" Jonghyun asks with an eyebrow raised.

It's just him and Kibum at the bar. Jinki doesn't like coming out on school nights, and both Taemin and Minho are scattered around Blue Night. Kibum looks distressed, almost, and listless. While everyone gets depressed sometimes, Jonghyun's not used to it coming from the flambouyant Kibum.

"All my friends are taken now," Kibum sighs in exasperation as he tosses his empty glass down onto the counter,

"Now who do I set up?"

Jonghyun quickly swipes the glass away, grateful that it hadn't broken at all. He's kind of concerned about Kibum's mental health, what with the constant need to meddle in others' affairs. Kibum, however, goes back to his depressed state, and Jonghyun's lips quirk into a grin as he quickly figures out his friend's dilemma. He looks across the bar at the new tender he's been training recently. He's tall and handsome, and Kibum only hasn't noticed him previously because he's too busy wallowing in his self despair.

"Hey, Woohyun," Jonghyun eases as he walks over to the male, and Woohyun pauses from cleaning the glass in his hands to raise an eyebrow in question towards his new boss.

"I've got a friend over there who can use some company, if you don't mind." Jonghyun continues with a soft grin and a gesture of his head in Kibum's direction.

"Why the hell not,"

Woohyun answers with his ever charming grin, and Jonghyun's chest puffs up in pride as he pretends not to pay attention to their interaction. Woohyun had just gotten out of a long relationship and wasn't really interested in anything serious, but Jonghyun figured it would help Kibum stay out of his and Jinki's love life if he had someone else's to think about.