The first three days of my side job as Jonghyun's protector were not bad as I expected. Every morning, I would pick up Jonghyun from their house, meet up on an empty alleyway near the school gates after dismissal, and drop him home. We had a few conversations about school and some stuff, and every time we reached our destination, he didn't forget to thank me for walking with him.

At school, he practically stayed away from me the whole day. He made sure that our paths never crossed, even in the school corridors. In our classes, we have done our original routine as usual. I would sit in the corner fooling around with my gang instead of listening to the lecture. While Jonghyun maintained his attentive demeanor, not minding everyone throughout. I seldom saw him after each class. Probably he was in the music room like he always does to pass the time. Mr. Kim Heechul was always so busy that he didn't have the time to check on us to see if we were getting along well or whatnot, which saved me from explaining why I was not with his brother if ever he found out that we were essentially avoiding each other. And Minho, who happened to spot us together near the school gates the first day I was with Jonghyun, didn't gabble about it recklessly, especially if we were with our other friends even though they started to notice my absence during our post-after-school walk home; maybe because he was aware of the odds if our gang ever found out.

It was the fourth day, lunchtime, and my gang and I was seated in our usual spot near the cafeteria. We chaotically eat lunch, and we're so loud that some student flinches whenever one of us roars with laughter. We are talking about a load of stuff, and one of them was the upcoming Christmas concert, anticipating what chaos we would do in there. Of course, we weren't planning to wreak havoc and ruin the whole show; we didn't want the townspeople's efforts to be wasted by our arrogance. We are in the middle of laughing about Taemin's joke when suddenly Minho nudges me gently and whispers into my ear.

"So, are you going to tell me now why you are talking with Jonghyun last Monday?"

I looked at Minho and tried my best not to roll my eyes which I miserably failed. Even if Minho can stay quiet about some secrets, he is also tenacious in finding out the rationalization behind those. I didn't have the plan to tell him the reason this early but seeing his determined face to get an answer from me, I figured he wouldn't let me off so quickly, and maybe he could also help me in keeping it from others, especially they'd began to speculate about my after school forays.

"Before I tell you promise me first that you won't tell anyone about this," I said. "Even with the guys."

Minho nodded and got closer to me to hear the explanation that I would say. I checked my other friends and made sure they were busy playing with each other and out of earshot before saying any words.

"Do you remember Dohyun?" I asked while I sipped all of the contents of the cartoon of juice I was drinking.

"Yeah, what about him?" Minho asked as he took a bite of his kimchi fried rice gimbap.

"Turns out his parents can definitely sue us," I said, shrugging, trying to keep it cool.

"What?!"

Minho looked at me horrifiedly, and he almost choked on the gimbap piece that was inside his mouth before he was able to swallow. I immediately hushed him and looked over to my friends, checking if they heard Minho. Fortunately, Taemin is still busy telling jokes who now joined by Sanghyun. And Kibum is amused by the two crackheads. It had come to my mind that after the meeting with my brother and the director a few days ago I haven't got the chance to tell my friends what's the meeting about.

"Keep your voice down," I said. "I forgot to tell you guys. But the reason why the director had called me in his office a few days ago was to inform me that Dohyun's family had found a cause to press charges."

Minho's brows creased and he fell silent for a moment before he was able to answer. "Your brother or father will help us right?"

He looked at me expectantly. Anxiousness was evident on his face, and I couldn't blame him. Just thinking about being locked up in jail for a couple of months or years, it's enough to bring shivers to our spines. And it would also bring us bad records, which can cause a downfall to our reputations. Especially Minho, whose starting to try his best in hopes of admitting himself to one of the prestigious colleges in the capital city; to try his luck of being drafted into the university soccer team. Knowing Minho since we are children, I am aware of his lifelong dream, which is to be a professional soccer player.

"Well, my brother and father don't want to help me this time." I began and quickly speak again when I noticed Minho was about to interrupt. "But Mr. Kim Heechul is willing to help. He convinced my brother with difficulty."

Minho was now finally able to relax upon hearing my answer. Relief took over his once anxious-stricken face. He let out soft, deep breaths before playfully punching me on my right bicep.

"You scared me." He chuckled. "Knew the director is on our side." And frowned in confusion as if it didn't answer his question. "But, how it is connected to the reason why you are talking to Jonghyun?"

I move closer to him and almost whispered. "That's the deal," I said, "The director told me that they would help me if I'll accompany and protect Jonghyun until the end of the school year. That's why I am walking with him every morning to school. And also the reason why I wasn't able to join you anymore after school is I have to drop him home."

Minho looked at me dumbfounded. He blinked multiple times as if he was trying to process the whole thing, or maybe he was waiting for me to say that I was only joking.

"I see," he says. And I wonder why that was the only thing he could utter; he didn't find it absurd, or he didn't protest. As I said, everyone was keen that Jonghyun is literary and not prone to bullying or some misfortunes. So, Minho's reaction was a bit weird, but I didn't prod. I have enough things to think I don't want to add more. "So, you have to do this every day?"

"Yeah. In fact, I have to be with him in every place he would go," I explained. "But good thing Jonghyun had a deal with me last Monday, that's why I am talking to him. He said he would help me in the legal battle and also stay away from me whenever we are at the school. But in one ridiculous condition."

"What it is?" Minho asked.

I cleared my throat before speaking. Even if it was somewhat ridiculous, it was still awkward for me to tell it to anyone, even to my best friend.

"He said I should promise that I won't fall in love with him," I said while laughing clumsily. I was waiting for Minho to laugh as well, but it didn't happen. He just looked at me calculatingly. And after a few moments, I saw his lips form into a small smile.

"Well," He began. "If Jonghyun had told you to not fall in love with him, you better keep your promise and don't fall in love with him."

"You're full of crap." I frowned upon Minho's words and slapped his bicep while trying not to look annoyed. "How can I fall in love with him? You are a hundred percent aware that I am straight. I like girls, not men."

"You never knew Jinki." He said while shaking his head like he didn't believe my words. He looked away from me and darted his gaze far away.

I looked at the ground as we fell into silence, and things about Minho ran into my mind. I have known him all my life, and that's enough for me to know his uality. He was attracted to both gender, and I never held resentment about him as well as our other friends. In fact, Minho wasn't the only one with different uality from mine; Kibum and Taemin are also biual, while Sanghyun is heteroual like me. Believe it or not, in 1982, your uality wasn't taboo or a big deal in our town. The townspeople are so welcoming and open-minded about sensitive topics that the rest of the world viewed as uncommon.

"Love is ambiguous and inconstant." I looked at Minho when I heard him speak. He was still looking somewhere, and this time he was smiling with adoration. "Before you knew it, the person you thought you'd never be attracted to already had a special place in your heart. Especially the person you got attracted to was not hard to love."

To be perfectly honest, I don't know what to say. I had never experienced being in love. So, those words of wisdom about love sound like an alien language to me. Sometimes, my friends would make fun of me for the reason I was the only one who never got a girlfriend or was involved in flirting, at least. It's not that I am not interested in some girls. In fact, I have those few crushes. I just find it bothersome to involve myself in a romantic relationship.

Anyways, I was curious as to why Minho suddenly smiled like that. It was my first time seeing him like he was daydreaming. I followed his gaze where he was looking at. I was stunned when it landed on a boy walking cheerfully like a bouncing puppy towards the school, greeting every student and teacher he saw. He had natural fluffy brown hair, was wearing eyeglasses, and his backpack was hanging on his back. He wore a black long-sleeve like when I first saw him that morning. He also wore a pair of denim pants and dark blue sneakers. And the boy I was describing, no doubt, was Jonghyun.

"Well," Minho lingers, and I promptly look at him, who by now is looking back at me. "Good luck on your 'job'. Make sure to take care of Jonghyun. We don't want to be in a bad light with the school director, don't we?"

Minho didn't wait for my reply as he joined the three of my friends in playing around. I scrutinized him because the reaction I got from him was surprising. I presume that he would be telling me to stop, that it was ridiculous, or worst, he would be ashamed to find out that his best friend was doing an incomprehensible thing. But instead of my expectations coming to light, it was turned into 360 degrees. By the way, when Minho said the last line, it seemed he was forewarning me that if I hurt Jonghyun, I would be in a bad light with him and the school director was just an excuse. This left me with a great dil