The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

Proverbs 10:28

Key looked up the stairs after Jinki came in.

"Where's Taemin?" He wanted to know.

"He wanted to stay home." Explained Jinki as he took off his jacket.

He looked tired. Stressed, he ran his hands over his face.

"Is he sick?" asked Key worriedly.

Jinki loved his little brother. When he wasn't feeling well, Jinki always was worried about him, Key knew that. However, Jinki didn't answer but just sighed deeply. He wondered if he should tell Key what he might have found out. Probably there was nothing to worry about. He didn't want to believe it. It was surely just a misunderstanding.

Key could tell by the look on Jinki's face that something was bothering him.

"What happened?" he asked.

Jinki sat down on the sofa and Key immediately followed him. This evening they were alone in the basement.

"I'm worried about Taemin."

Key was puzzled from his friend's words. His last conversation with Taemin had gone well. It gave the impression that he was finding himself more and more with each passing day.

"Key I..." Jinki searched for the right words.

Key was rarely used to such serious behaviour from Jinki. He had to swallow. If Jinki was acting like this, it had to be serious. He remained quiet and waited patiently until Jinki spoke again.

"If I tell you something...can you please keep it private?" Seriously, Key looked at his friend and nodded. 

It was already evening and Taemin sighed in irritation when he heard their doorbell ring. His father had gone to bed shortly after dinner and Taemin also just wanted to sleep. But his sense of duty got him out of bed. If it was one of Taesun's friends, or one of his students, he couldn't leave them at a shut door.

But Taemin regretted getting out of bed as soon as he had opened the door.

For a brief moment, Taemin and Baekhyun looked into each other's eyes in silence. Taemin was getting hot. He didn't want to expose himself to this now. But God always found a way to make his life more cruel, why was he still surprised?

After some initial hesitation, Baekhyun dared to greet Taemin.

"Hi." He said softly.

He didn't know how Taemin would react if he dropped in on him unannounced. And from the look on Taemin's face, he was anything but happy.

"Hey." Taemin's voice was barely louder.

"May I...may I come in?" There was no mistaking the uncertainty in Baekhyun's voice, even for Taemin.

He nodded slightly. When they reached his room, Taemin crossed his arms. He didn't know exactly where to look.

"How are you?" Baekhyun wanted to know.

Taemin wondered if Baekhyun was here to make fun of him. How was he supposed to be doing? His best friends since childhood had parted ways with him. Taemin had lost everything in his life. He just wanted to get it all over with quickly and go back to bed.

"Okay." Said Bakhyun nodding.

He could understand that Taemin didn't really want to talk to him. When he had a chance to come to Taemin's defence, he had not taken it. On the contrary, he had stood by Kai and left Taemin on the sidelines. But he only did that because he didn't want to leave Kai alone. Taemin had Key now. What would become of Kai if Baekhyun abandoned him too? He wished everything could be like it used to be. He didn't want to choose between his best friends.

"Bakhyun, why are you here?" Taemin brought the brown-haired man out of his thoughts.

He sounded tired as Baekhyun noticed. Maybe coming here was not a good idea after all. Baekhyun regretted it. But now the chance was there and he wanted to take it. He gathered all his courage.

"I wanted to tell you something." he said.

Taemin prepared himself mentally. All that his former best friend would now say would be true.  And he deserved every reproach and insult.

"Okay. Tell me what you have to say and then leave."

Taemin thought it was odd but he wasn't afraid. He knew it had to be. That it was part of his punishment.

"I wanted to tell you..." In Taemin's mind, this sentence ended with different words, but they all had the same message. Taemin would go to hell. There was no way around it now.

"...that it's okay."

Silence spread across the room. Taemin could hear his own heart beating fast. What had Baekhyun said? He couldn't quite interpret Taemin's look. He certainly hadn't meant to offend him. Had he said something wrong?

"Well, so if you are. I don't know, of course. But if you are, it's okay." He quickly explained in a panic.

Baekhyun scolded himself inwardly.