Jinki woke up with a start, gasping for breath. Sweat was dripping down his face and neck, and his heart was beating very rapidly. He ran his hands through his hair and down his sweaty face, letting them stay there. He shook his head, consciously willing the dream away from him.

It was that dream again. The same dream. AGAIN. He gulped. Why was this dream haunting him like this? He got off the bed and walked to the dressing table, and stood in front of the mirror, staring at his own reflection.

It wasn't that the dream was bad. On the contrary, he wanted it to come true so bad! He sighed. Why was he acting like a child?

"Hyung! Hyung wake up! It's wakie wakie time!" He heard Minho's sing-song voice enter the room first, before the man himself walked in. 

They looked at each other for a few seconds awkwardly before Jinki smiled.

"Oh! Right! Take a shower then!" Minho said, making Jinki roll his eyes.

Minho and him were classmates at college. They weren't just classmates, but also best friends. They had been each other's best friends since middle school. They were so close that even their families had become one big family. They went to the same high school and were now going to the same college. Jinki had reached a point where he knew that life just wouldn’t be the same without his Minho in it. 

And DAMN HIM for growing up to become the most desirable man ever! He was giving Jinki a very hard time keeping his romantic feelings in check. Even at that very moment. Him, in his stupid tight blue shirt and dumb disheveled hair. Yes indeed. He had fallen for his best friend. The age old story of falling for one's best friend. No one except his friends Kim Jonghyun and Kim Kibum knew that he held romantic feelings for Minho. 

He was scared to even confess, because though he hoped and prayed for Minho to accept him and knew that it could happen, he was more terrified of losing him and his friendship. He simply couldn't survive without Minho.

"I don't need a shower! Not yet anyway." He responded.

"You sure Hyung? You look like you just had a lot of…" Minho paused, then smirked.

"A lot of what?" Jinki asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Fun. On my bed." Minho finished, smirking.

Jinki looked down at himself. His shirt was wet with sweat. That was because of his dream. But he looked further down and noticed the problem. He had a big tent in his pants and he hadn't even noticed. his life to the pits of underworld.

" you Minho!" He supplied, running to the bathroom, his friend's laughter ringing in his ears.

"Had a great dream Hyung? Who was the star of your dream!? Tell me!!" Minho was shouting.

'Oh! If only you knew!' Jinki thought to himself as he got rid of his clothes.

-----------------------------------

            Jinki slipped out of the bathroom and got dressed quickly. He peeked out of the bedroom first, to span the arena. It was clear. He could hear Minho's voice from the kitchen. He was singing. He smiled. Coast was clear. He gently made his way to the balcony, closed the glass doors as gently as possible. He pulled the curtains close. 

             His hand slipped into his pocket to get the pack of cigarettes. He lit one and took a long puff, letting it take over his senses. He opened his eyes as he released the smoke. 

          He looked at the cigarette in his hand. He knew it wasn't a good habit. But he couldn't help it. It was the only thing which could help numb his mind, when it was running haywire like now, after the dream. He also knew that no one approved of him smoking either. He wanted to quit, but he was 22, and had been smoking for 4 years now. It wouldn't be easy. He chuckled, thinking of the visits to the doctor with his mom. The way she always made their family doctor, his uncle give him the exact same speech about how bad and evil smoking was made him feel both blessed that he had such an amazing mother and also disgusted with himself that the visits continued. He was almost done with his second cigarette when,

           "Enjoying ourselves are we?" He heard Minho's voice and jumped in surprise. He turned around to see Minho standing behind him, with a very disapproving look on his handsome face.

           "Minho! I thought you were cooking!" Jinki said, feeling stupid.

           "I was… Until I realized you were taking way too long in the shower and decided to check if you had drowned. But you're doing this! In.My.House!!! Throw that away right now please!" Minho said, his arms crossed across his chest.

           Jinki looked at the still lit cigarette in his hand and threw it on the ground, but then recalled he wasn't wearing shoes. Minho was too quick for him. He put it out for him.

           "You even wore shoes for this? Wait! How did you know I would be smoking?" Jinki asked, surprised.

          "What else would you be doing with the balcony closed like that? You're an old man who always insists on letting nature into the house except for when you want to hide this disgusting habit of yours which literally no one in your life approves of. Then, you suddenly do the dumbest things, thinking you can get away with it!" Minho said.

           Jinki shrunk visibly as he talked, but before he could say anything Minho turned around and walked back inside. He felt guilt piercing his insides like sharp barbs. This was not how he planned for their fun weekend to go and it was still Friday evening. He had truly upset his best friend. He had to make it up to him or their weekend would end up becoming horrible.

-----------------------------------

           "WHAT DOES HE THINK OF HIMSELF!!?" Minho said loudly into the phone.

           "Wow, that was loud! Who!??" Jonghyun asked.

           "Who ing else!?" Minho said.

           "Oh! Did he smile at you again? No wait… You sound angry! Di- Did he smoke again Minho?" Jonghyun asked, sighing.

           "YES! AS IF IT WASN'T ENOUGH TO GET ME ALL HOT AND RILED UP WAKING UP WITH THAT! HE GOES AHEAD AND SMOKES IN MY HOUSE!!! JUST WHAT DOES HE THINK OF HIMSELF!!!?" Minho exclaimed loudly.

           "You lost me there! Woke up with what again?" Jonghyun asked. 

           "Nothing! How could he? He knows I hate it when he smokes! How could he do this to me, Hyung?" Minho said.

           "Minho-ya! He smokes when there's something stressing him out or if there is a problem bothering him. He says it calms him like nothing else. If you want him to stop smoking then you need to give him something which is far more addictive than cigarettes! And frankly-" Jonghyun was saying, but Minho interrupted him.

           "You're right! I know just the thing! Thank you Hyung! I knew talking to you would help! Annyeong!" He said, hanging up.

           The truth was that Minho had romantic feelings for Jinki for a while now. It was time for them to come out. No more hiding. Cigarettes? No! Cigarettes are no match for Choi Minho! He would become Jinki’s addiction. He was thinking when he felt warm arms wrap around his back.

           "Ta da!" Jinki said, making Minho turn around. Jinki blew air at Minho's face, saying,

           "I smell fresh don't I? I brushed my teeth twice!" 

Minho suppressed the urge to lean in and bite the older man’s lips. He managed a weak smile, saying,

“Yes you do.”

He pulled himself out of Jinki’s grasp and started setting the table. Jinki looked at Minho, feeling helpless. He decided that an explanation was in order.

“Minho-ya! I am so sorry! Won’t you please talk to me? I know that I shouldn’t have smoked. I-” he paused, making Minho look at him.

“I had this disturbing dream and my mind was all over the place. When I can’t calm my mind, I find that only the tobacco numbs the pain. That is why I was smoking. To be honest, I only planned on smoking one cigarette, but I was just feeling so guilty even smoking that and I was thinking so much that I didn’t even realize when I started smoking the second one! I am really sorry Minho! I don’t want my stupidity to spoil our weekend. I was just so disturbed and I didn’t know what else-” he ranted.

“You could have talked to me instead, you big idiot! Did it occur to you that talking to your friend might help?” Minho said, frowning.

Jinki hung his head in shame.

“I am sorry. If it makes you feel any better…” he said, taking the pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, Jinki threw them into the trash.

“I am not saying I’ll never smoke again. But I’ll start practicing from tonight. If my smoking bothers so many people, then I should just quit. Problem is it’s going to be-” Jinki’s words were drowned by Minho’s tight hug.

“I am so proud of you!” Minho said, hugging him tighter.

“Minho! Can’t… Breathe!” Jinki whispered, making Minho laugh and pull away.

“So are you still mad at me?” Jinki asked, worried and tense.

“Hyung! To be honest, I wasn’t exactly angry! I was sad that you were smoking. But, you taking such a big decision has given me so much happiness! Don’t worry Hyung! I am going to support you, and help you with this till you beat this. We are in this together now!” Minho said, smiling wide.

Jinki smiled in relief. He could deal with many things, but Minho being mad at him or disappointed with him was one of the things he couldn’t take. He nodded saying,

“Can we eat now? I am starving!”

“Of course! Say what Hyung! Since you said that you had a disturbing dream, why don’t we play a fun game to calm your nerves?” Minho said.

“What kind of game?” Jinki asked, helping himself to the kimchi fried rice that Minho had cooked for dinner. This man would eat kimchi fried rice for the rest of his life even if it was the only dish anyone ever fed him, he thought, smiling fondly.

“I love you so much Lee Jinki!” He heard Minho say, and looked up, spoon stopping halfway into his mouth.

“What? Wae kapchagi?” Jinki asked.

“You can just ask me what the game is without saying no or without complaining. Actually, you’re the only person other than my Hyung who readily wants to play with me without saying anything about my competitiveness. I love you so much for that!” Minho said, dramatically.

“I swear to God! You are so fudging dramatic, Choi Minho!” Jinki said, turning pink, making Minho give him a Cheshire cat grin.

“You didn’t tell me what the game was either Mr.Short attention span!” Jinki reminded him, making Minho say,

“Truth or dare! Ah! But not just any Truth or dare, Hyung! If you fail to tell the truth or do the dare, then you-”

“Have to drink a shot of alcohol?” Jinki finished for him, making Minho’s excited smile drop from his face.

“Yeah! But not just any alcohol! You have to drink-”

“Makgeolli because I said so!?” Jinki said again, making Minho drop the spoon and glare at him.

“You know what? You take the fun out of everything! Why do you have to do that?” He said.

“Well, what can I do? I just know you too dang well! Fine! Let’s play after eating!” Jinki said, amused.

They finished dinner talking about their projects at college, and finished doing the dishes together quickly. They set up their game in the living room, placing bottles of alcohol, glasses and snacks on the floor at the centre next to an empty glass bottle, which would be used to spin. Once Minho was done locking the front door, and Jinki the same with the balcony and the windows, they sat down, ready to play. They decided to play rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets to spin the bottle first.

“가위 바위 보!” they said together.

Minho ended up putting out scissors and  Jinki with a rock. Jinki whooped, saying,

“Ah Minho! Always with the scissors!” he teased, spinning the bottle.

The bottle spun for a while and the mouth landed facing Minho.