Author's Note: Are we ready for Taemin's date? (Jongin's not.) Prepare yourselves for this, and a kiss too! (PS: The title inspired by Exo's song Wolf, which in Korean is called The Wolf and the Beauty! ♡

Sunday came too quickly. On Saturday, Jongin ended up eating at Taemin’s work, just so he could spend time with him. Then he spent the evening sulking beside Taemin as they watched TV, feeling a little better when Taemin rested his head on his shoulder. That was, until Jongin thought about Taemin doing this with someone else tomorrow.

“What’s his name?” Jongin wondered on Sunday morning when they were eating breakfast.

“Yeonwoo,” Taemin replied, looking bashful. “He’s a third year.” Jongin’s mother returned from her room then, and they didn’t talk about it anymore.

The two spent a few hours working on homework together, and then Taemin started getting ready. For his date. Jongin just laid on the bed, pouting as he watched Taemin bustle around. The boy took a shower, then started looking through his clothes for something to wear. Jongin had never seen him put that much effort into his outfits, but he gave some suggestions to help out as it obviously was important to him. Nothing too showy, but something that made him look classy and mature. His date was older, after all…

As Taemin went off to fix his hair, Jongin silently pulled out his phone and checked Taemin’s social media. Searching through his followers, Jongin quickly found the mystery Yeonwoo. Jongin would not admit that he was handsome, but he did spend several minutes scrutinizing every single picture of the man, trying to get a feel for him. The guy had a very slight bad boy vibe to him. Did Taemin like that? Was it a good match for him? He was so good, part of Jongin worried he might end up hurt.

When Taemin came back into the room – his hair nicely styled, the finishing touches all seeming to be complete – Jongin couldn’t keep quiet. “Hey, Taemin… if you have any problems, message me okay? Or call me.”

After a moment of staring, Taemin gave a slow nod. “Are you worried about… something happening?”

Yes. “Not really,” Jongin lied. “But it’s always possible.” He sort of wanted to follow Taemin on the date, but he thought that was unfair. Taemin deserved to experience this alone. His very first date.

It reminded him, suddenly, of the advice he had given Taemin once upon a time. That Taemin should kiss his date – on the first date. You don’t want to leave him with a boring first kiss. It has to leave him wanting more. That’s how you get a second date. Now, Jongin was regretting this advice, hoping Taemin had forgotten it. He didn’t want Taemin to go on a second date.

What the hell is wrong with you? You should be rooting for your best friend… And he was, he was. He was happy for Taemin, he wanted things to go well, wanted Taemin to find someone nice who treated him well and made him feel loved. But the idea made him feel so lonely.

That’s not his problem. You just need to go talk with some girls and find someone for yourself.

This was true, and he told himself he would do that. It was time to start flirting with some college girls; but that would have to wait until tomorrow. In the meantime, he saw Taemin off, fixing his hair a little at the door and wishing him a good evening. Then Taemin was out the door, and Jongin’s chest panged in a painful way.

Not knowing what else to do, Jongin sought out the best comfort he knew.

“Mom?”

Jongin knocked on the woman’s bedroom door, letting himself in when she called him. “What’s up sweetie? Has Taemin gone?” The question made Jongin bite his lip, moving to sit on her bed. In an instant, she was moving beside him and rubbing his back, able to sense his feelings right away. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know, Mom,” Jongin confessed, his eyes watering as the familiar comfort brought up further emotions. His mother always knew when things were wrong, and just being around her made his walls immediately come down. “Mom… did you know Dad was going to leave?”

The woman’s hand stilled briefly, and then she continued. “I… suspected it, yes.”

“How did you know?” he wondered quietly, wishing he could possess his mother’s third eye. The way she could see everything, even the future it seemed… Jongin could barely see things going on in the present, even when they were right in front of his face.

She took a deep breath, then slowly let it out. “People change, baby. I knew your father for twenty years. And then one day he came home and he was… different. The man I knew never came back, even though I waited for him.”

Hearing this hurt Jongin, realizing his mother had known from the very start. And she had waited, for two years… I hate him. I hate him! He despised his father for the things he had done, for hurting his mother for so long. But that wasn’t what he was supposed to be thinking about. That was in the past, and he needed to deal with the present before it slipped away from him too.

“Do you think… Taemin has changed?”

His mother thought on the question for a long time. So long, Jongin had to glance at her in concern. “I think Taemin has grown. When he first came here, he was so out of place, but now he’s made a place for himself. He’s gotten used to this world, and has become so much more comfortable in it. But otherwise? I think he’s the exact same as always, baby. He’s no different than the boy you met three years ago.” She smiled at him, gently patting his back. “But you know him better than me. What do you think?”

Jongin didn’t feel quite so sure. The boy he’d met three years ago wouldn’t touch alcohol, wouldn’t even think of dating, and had to run to a priest to pray for forgiveness after kissing another boy as a dare. The boy he’d met three years ago had no sense of style, hardly studied, drank banana milk, and seemed more like a child than a teenager. But now here he was, going on a date with another guy he had met at one of the top schools in the country, worrying about how he looked and undoubtedly planning to get drunk on alcohol.

“He feels like a different person to me…”

His mother nodded patiently. “I see. Is there anything about him that’s still the same as when you first met him?”

Things that were the same? Jongin tried to think again. Taemin… he was still very positive. Even when he was tired out from school or work, or when he would come home late from nights out, he kept his bright attitude. These days, it felt like there were a lot of clouds blocking his sunny personality, but it still shone through. Jongin caught glimpses of this in his smiles, though the blinding ones were rarer now. But despite that, Taemin always felt warm. And even with countless hands seeming to beat him down – the constant studying, his job sapping his energy, having to come to terms with his uality, and God knows what else – he remained innocent, pure, optimistic. He still carried that just-happy-to-be-there energy.

And he was still kind, considerate, selfless, understanding. He would still put Jongin and others first before himself, still knew the right things to say and do no matter what the situation. Still blinked preciously when he got shy or flustered, still blushed brightly when he was embarrassed, still cuddled up to Jongin at night. He knew how to make Jongin laugh, how to make him feel better, how to listen when Jongin needed an ear and help when he needed advice. He still understood Jongin better than anyone in the world (except maybe his mother), and he made Jongin feel warm and happy and loved.

Taemin, he realized, was still Taemin. Even though the circumstances had changed and Taemin was going through a lot of different things – things that he had to adapt to which resulted in slight differences in him too – he was still just the same.

“Maybe he’s not so different,” Jongin admitted after a long while. “He has more responsibilities, and different friends and stuff. But…” He trailed off, and his mother nodded knowingly.

“Are you worried about him going on a date?” she asked him gently. The question made him feel painfully see-through, but he gave a tiny nod. “Do you think it will change him?”

“I guess I’m just worried that… he’ll leave.”

At this, his mother reached up to his hair. “He’s the closest friend you’ve ever had, sweetie. Even if you get into relationships, that won’t change anything between you two. I’m still friends with my best friend from high school – and we’ve both been married. Our friendship outlasted my marriage,” she chuckled a little sadly. “I don’t doubt that you two will be friends for life. But he might get upset if you’re jealous of his relationships like this.”

The way she posed things so carefully made it a lot easier for Jongin to digest. There was no strong feeling of accusation, but he realized he probably did need to work on his jealousy. He didn’t want to hurt Taemin.

But accepting it in his mind and accepting it in his heart were two different things. Jongin had always known better, but still the thought of Taemin leaving – even if their friendship remained intact – made his chest ache. Was this why his mother had held onto his father for so long?

“How do I stop feeling like this?” he asked, a lump forming in his throat and choking him up. Before he knew it, tears were leaking from his eyes, and his mom was pulling him into a hug.

“Maybe you should talk to him about your feelings, baby,” she suggested softly, Jongin hiding his face in her shoulder.

“I have… but it doesn’t go away.” He felt like such a child, breaking down crying like this, and over something so silly.

His mother was patient, giving him a moment to cry things out. She knew her son well, knew how he hated these kinds of feelings and even more expressing them. Just like his father. She knew exactly how to handle him though. When he had finally calmed down, she asked him lightly, “Have you ever thought that your feelings towards him might be more than just friendship?”

What? What was she suggesting? Did she think that he was gay? Jongin wondered if she could sense Taemin’s feelings towards him, and was misinterpreting them as Jongin being the one with a crush.

He quickly shook his head. “They aren’t those kind of feelings, Mom. Taemin… he’s an irreplaceable friend, but I don’t have romantic feelings or anything.”

“I see,” she hummed, patting him again. “Sometimes friendship can be a very powerful kind of love too, though. And you two have such a close bond; I’ve never seen you like this with anyone else. I suppose it makes sense that you wouldn’t want anyone coming between you.” Jongin nodded, thinking she had explained it exactly right. Jongin wasn’t good at getting very close to people, they both knew this. “I think your best bet might be to just… go through it. You’ll see when he’s in a relationship that it doesn’t change anything between you, I promise.”

“But – but what if they steal him away?” Jongin sniffed, not wanting to accept this. Even if she was right, and she probably was, he was still stuck on losing Taemin.

In response, Jongin’s mother touched his cheek and looked him in the eye. “Sweetheart, he’s not yours to steal. It’ll be easier for you once you realize that.”

*

Taemin came in at nearly eleven o’clock that evening. The door opened, and Jongin’s mother asked him how his date had gone, Taemin brightly replying that it had been good. Then he made his way to the living room, where Jongin was on the couch playing video games.

After talking to his mother, Jongin had gone and sat in his room in silence for several hours. Her words had hit him like a brick, and he’d needed to stew on them for a while. After a great deal of aching, taking himself apart and putting himself back together again, he’d had enough of thinking and gone out to play games as a distraction. Hearing Taemin come in, he took a deep breath and let his emotions flow out of him. Then he shot Taemin a slight smile.

“How’d it go?” he asked, barely taking his eyes off the screen as Taemin flopped down beside him.

“Good,” Taemin repeated with a smile, though he didn’t elaborate. Maybe because he knew Jongin was preoccupied, but more likely because Jongin’s mother was in the room.

She didn’t stick around for long though. “I’m going to bed,” she announced after she was finished preparing tomorrow’s lunch for herself. “Turn the noise down a little please, baby.” Jongin hummed and did as he was told, wishing her goodnight. After playing just a little longer, Jongin switched to a random TV show, and then turned to Taemin.

“So, what was he like?” he asked quietly, voice masked under the sound of the TV.

Taemin thought for a moment. “He was… nice. Funny, friendly. He paid for everything…”

Something about his tone felt… off. But Jongin decided not to comment on it. “Good. Congrats on a successful first date then. What did you guys do?”

The older gave another smile, and it wasn’t fake but something about it didn’t sit right with Jongin either. “We had dinner, then went and saw a movie.”

A typical first date. Jongin wondered if Taemin liked that, or if he was bored by it. Maybe that was why he didn’t seem all that thrilled. Taemin was a more adventurous type, and he probably wanted to get to know the guy. Having to sit in silence together through a movie wasn’t exactly cohesive for that. His next words seemed to confirm Jongin’s thoughts.

“I don’t think I’ll have a second date with him.” It was said casually, like he wasn’t too upset about the matter. Some part of Jongin felt greatly relieved. The rest of him was curious.

“How come? Not handsome enough?”

Taemin laughed at that. “No, no. He was fine. Just… too handsy,” he confessed quietly. Too… what? Jongin froze, jaw clenching, and Taemin continued. “He just… kept trying to touch me, and then after he wanted to go back to his place, and… I wasn’t really comfortable.”

Jongin had to remind himself not to get angry. This guy was trying to make advances on Taemin? Taemin, of all people? Not to mention taking him home – on the first date! What kind of trashy guy…

“He didn’t hurt you right?” he asked, looking Taemin over for any signs of distress. But Taemin quickly waved his hands.

“No, no. He tried to convince me, but – I just told him I wasn’t ready for that,” Taemin mumbled the latter part, and Jongin scooted closer to throw an arm around him. Without a second thought, Taemin leaned into him and let out a sigh. “I guess that’s what everyone wants, maybe I should just…”

“No, you shouldn’t,” Jongin interrupted, shaking his head firmly. “It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing, you need to do what you want, at your own pace.” Sure, Jongin tried to encourage Taemin to do adult things too, but he didn’t want Taemin to force himself if he didn’t want it. Especially to have . That was a big deal, and Taemin was obviously waiting for someone special.

Giving a nod, Taemin seemed to relax at his encouragement. “Thanks,” he mumbled, and they didn’t talk about it anymore after that, though Jongin was secretly relieved at the outcome.

*

The following weekend, Jongin decided to have a little party. It was really just a get-together with some of his new friends, nothing crazy. Since Jongin’s mother was on a business trip that weekend, he had gotten her approval to have some friends over, promising not to make a mess.

On Saturday night, Taemin was still in the bedroom as Jongin’s friends let him know they were on their way. “Aren’t you gonna come out?” Jongin asked, peeking his head in the door and finding Taemin studying quietly. The older was wearing his glasses, a comfortable t-shirt and sweatpants, looking cozy. “Everyone will be here soon.”

“Oh-” Taemin put his book down, looking up at Jongin with surprise clear on his face. “I didn’t know if you would want me to…”

“Of course I want you to! Who do you think you are, my wicked step-brother?” Jongin snorted and then shook his head as Taemin scrambled to his feet. “Come on, we’re gonna order pizza and soju. I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

By the time the first guests had arrived, Taemin had changed into a pair of jeans, putting his books away and joining Jongin in the living room, notably more cheerful. Jongin could only shake his head further, wondering why on earth he honestly believed Jongin wouldn’t want him out there.

His friends arrived in twos and threes, and soon the room was bustling with activity as everyone chatted and debated what pizzas to get. Taemin said hello to everyone when he was introduced – although there were so many of them it was a bit hard to remember all the names – but otherwise he mostly quietly lingered at Jongin’s side. Knowing he could be quite shy, Jongin just let him listen, occasionally including him in the conversation but not forcing him to get involved. Only once the pizza arrived did Taemin disappear from his side, Jongin losing track of him as he went off to be with his true love.

This was fine. Until it wasn’t.

Taemin had taken a seat at the table to eat, staying out of everyone’s way to let the party flow around him. He’d even sat at the far end from the pizzas so no one would feel obligated to talk to him. However, as he went up to get a third slice (and perhaps as punishment for his greed), he found his timing to be poor as someone else came over at the same time. Worse, they both reached for the same pizza at the same time, making Taemin blush a little when their hands touched.

“Ah- hot!”

Taemin watched as the other boy jerked his hand away, feeling confused because 1) the pizza wasn’t even that hot, and 2) he hadn’t actually touched the pizza. He had touched… Taemin? But then, as he was shaking his hand as if to cool it off, the guy caught Taemin’s eye and winked.

Did I… imagine that?

“It’s Taemin, right? Jongin’s roommate,” the other asked, Taemin freezing as he scrambled to remember the guy’s name. Oh no, there had been so many, they’d all just blurred into a blob of useless letters. All he could remember was that he was one of Jongin’s older friends, and he only remembered this because he thought the guy looked too young to be older than him. But what was his name?

The boy waved a hand, making Taemin realize he had gotten lost in his worries. “You’re not mute, are you? I’m sure I heard you talk earlier.” He was wearing a playful smile, clearly trying to ease the awkwardness.

“I- I’m sorry, yes, I’m Taemin,” Taemin finally replied, blushing further as he realized what an impression he must have been making. It was worse knowing his behaviour was reflecting on Jongin too, making it seem like he had such a weirdo of a roommate. “Sorry, I was trying to remember your name,” he said truthfully.

“Well, I was hoping you’d say you were stunned by how cute I am,” the boy joked, winking again. “But it’s alright. I’m Baekhyun. I hope you’ll remember me by the end of the night.” With that, he lifted his soju bottle as if in a toast, and then took a sip from it.

Now, truthfully speaking, Taemin could be pretty oblivious sometimes. However, he got the strangest feeling that there was a double meaning behind Baekhyun’s words. Why did it seem like… He’s flirting with me? That couldn’t be. Taemin looked him over, noting that they were similar in size, and that Baekhyun was quite cute, but did anything about him look remotely gay?

Stupid question. How do you look gay? But then, why was he saying things like that to Taemin?

Maybe it’s just his sense of humour. Or – maybe Jongin told him that I’m gay… To try and get him someone else, after his failed last date. (Or worse, to try and get Taemin to move on from him already.) But… Jongin wouldn’t do that though, right? There was no reason to believe he would, so Taemin assumed he was just joking around and tried not to overthink it.

“So, Jongin said you go to our school,” Baekhyun carried on, obviously not bothered by how quiet Taemin was.

“Yes,” Taemin nodded, trying to think if he’d ever seen Baekhyun around. It was possible, but Taemin didn’t really pay much attention to anything that happened around him at school. There were a lot of people, and he was usually just in his own world. “I’m a second year.”

“I’m a third year,” hummed Baekhyun in return.

“I remember that.” Because even looking at Baekhyun again now, it seemed impossible that he was really in his twenties. Taemin would have believed it if he said he was seventeen.

His comment made Baekhyun grin. “You like ‘em older?”

“P-pardon?” Again with the comments that made no sense. Maybe Jongin had told him after all. And if that was the case, who else knew his secret? His heart thumped as a sickening feeling started to fill him, glancing around to see if anyone else was listening or looking at them. Did they all know?

“I can’t lie. My gaydar has been going off since I first laid eyes on you.” His what? “Let me introduce myself again. Hi, I’m Baekhyun and I’m bi.”

Taemin was only getting more confused (and stressed) with each passing second. What was this guy talking about? “You’re… what?” he asked slowly, wondering if he had just misheard or if it was some city word he’d never picked up before.

“Oh, you’re very sheltered,” Baekhyun commented, making Taemin stare for a second before snapping his mouth shut. It had been a while since someone had … Noticing his reaction, Baekhyun waved his hand. “No, I’m just kidding. A lot of people don’t know, it’s okay. I’m bi. Biual,” he added. “Means I like girls and guys.” Then he winked again, and his words suddenly became a lot clearer.

So he is flirting with me…

Well, Taemin definitely hadn’t expected something like this at Jongin’s party. He wondered if Jongin knew about his friend’s uality. But then… Now that he thought about it, it seemed suspicious. The way Baekhyun suddenly approached and started talking to him, like he knew Taemin was gay… Had Jongin set this up? Taemin glanced around for his friend, but Jongin had his back to them, busy with another group and oblivious to them. Or maybe he just wants me to think that…

“I see,” Taemin mumbled, turning back to Baekhyun uncertainly. He didn’t mind Jongin setting him up, necessarily, but he didn’t like the idea of Jongin going around telling other people his secret. Let’s not jump to conclusions… “Do you tell that to everyone then?”

“Only the cute ones,” answered Baekhyun with another wink. “What about you then, do you swing that way?”

Once again, Taemin froze up. No one had ever really asked him about this like that. And Taemin hardly knew this guy, let alone if he could entrust his secret with the practical stranger. Even if he was interested in men too, there was nothing stopping him from telling anyone – and everyone – else.

Seeming to realize his mistake, Baekhyun grew serious. “Oh, I’m sorry. That was tactless. You don’t have to tell me about that, it’s not my business.” This eased Taemin’s worries a little, but his reaction had likely already exposed him. He couldn’t really hide it now. But maybe it would be good to make a friend like Baekhyun, someone with shared experience who he could talk to about these things…

“It’s – it’s okay,” Taemin said slowly. “I… I am, gay. I think.” His voice was barely audible above the music and chatter around them, but Baekhyun nodded to show he’d heard. “Please don’t tell anyone…”

At this, Baekhyun mimed zipping his lips. “Not a soul,” he promised, smiling sincerely afterward and then raising an eyebrow. “So, you seeing anyone then?” Flirt mode immediately activated again. It took Taemin off guard, making him blush as he shook his head. “Perfect. Could we talk… privately?”

And Taemin wasn’t sure why he agreed, but he figured it would be better to go somewhere else if they were going to talk about these things. He didn’t want anyone else catching onto his secret. So he led the way to his room, Baekhyun shutting the door while Taemin switched on the lights.

“So you share a room with Jongin, huh?” Baekhyun prodded, Taemin humming in affirmation. “Is he really as straight as he says?”

This made Taemin chuckle, imagining Baekhyun having had the same conversation with Jongin at some point. Did he ask everyone about their uality? “Immensely so,” Taemin confirmed with a quiet sigh.

“Dang, that . Can’t even get some easy action, then…” This made Taemin’s cheeks warm up, and then he was reminded of that one time at that party when Jongin had touched him, and then he was growing even hotter. Baekhyun noticed, raising an eyebrow. “Am I wrong?”

“N-no,” Taemin lied, thinking on the spot. He couldn’t lie to save his life – but he could say something that was true without mentioning the other party. “I- I’ve just… I mean, I don’t – I haven’t…”

Baekhyun took a step closer to him, and then chugged a large gulp from his drink. “You’re a ?” he wondered, his gaze suddenly falling to Taemin’s lips. Self-consciously, Taemin pulled his lower lip between his teeth, making the older inch forward that much more.

“Yes…” Taemin didn’t know what to do, frozen on the spot as Baekhyun drew nearer. His throat felt like it was closing, cutting off any words from flowing up and out to stop Baekhyun. Which was a problem, because Baekhyun seemed to be waiting for any signs to stop, and Taemin wasn’t giving them.

In another few seconds, the other’s slender fingers found their way under Taemin’s jaw, closing the space between them and bringing their mouths together. Baekhyun’s eyes closed as Taemin’s widened, motionless as shock immobilized his entire body – except for his heart, which started racing almost painfully. Someone was kissing him. Someone was kissing him.

Panic. Panic. Panic. Taemin didn’t move until Baekhyun pulled away, the older unable to hold in a laugh at his alarmed expression. “Don’t tell me that was your first kiss, too…”

Taemin couldn’t speak. His mouth was processing the feeling of having someone else’s lips on it, soft and a little wet, a slightly tingly feeling remaining. Instead, he just shook his head, trying to find his voice again.

“Was that okay? Can I do more?” Baekhyun asked, fingers trailing down Taemin’s neck and caressing the front of his shirt.

“N-no.” The word managed to make its way out, finally, but as soon as he said it Taemin was doubting himself. Should he really reject him? “I- I don’t know. Maybe I should…”

“Hey, you don’t have to do anything,” Baekhyun assured him, moving his hand away the moment Taemin had said no. “I can always work up to more.” It was a joke, but Taemin didn’t laugh. “It’s alright. You’re not ready for all that.”

Taemin nodded, and then moved to sit on the bed as his knees felt like they were about to give out. “Actually… I- I already… have feelings for someone,” he confessed very quietly, making Baekhyun move to come sit beside him – though now he left some space between them.

“Then why did you say you should do something with me then?”

“Because…” Taemin looked at the floor and heaved a sigh. “He’s straight and I need to move on.”

Silence fell, and then Baekhyun was laughing under his breath. “Ah. Yeah, I get that. Been there.” He shot Taemin a sympathetic look. “But hey – in my experience, as someone so elegantly once said, spaghetti is also straight until it gets hot.”

“Are you suggesting I set him on fire?” Taemin wondered in slight concern. Baekhyun’s eyes nearly disappeared into little crescents as he let out a much louder laugh this time, something Taemin found immensely charming.

“Starting to think you’ve never cooked spaghetti before,” he joked. Then he glanced back to the bed. “Is it Jongin?”

There was no point in denying it, because the blush that painted his face would immediately give him away anyway. And at any rate, Baekhyun seemed like the type who would weasel the truth out of him regardless. So instead he just told the truth. “Yes…”

As Baekhyun seemed to be the jokester type, Taemin expected some further teasing. This time, however, Baekhyun didn’t laugh. If anything, there was a tint of sadness in his eyes as he looked Taemin’s way. “That’s rough. Do you wanna talk about it?”

And although Taemin normally would have said no, something about Baekhyun made him want to open up. Because Baekhyun could really understand, it seemed. Under all his jokes, there was a serious side that had experienced things of his own. Maybe Baekhyun had already gone through this kind of thing too. And Taemin had gotten advice from Jonghyun countless times, but for once he just wanted to let everything off his chest to someone who could just listen.

“Well, it started three years ago…”

*

It took Jongin quite a while to notice that Taemin had disappeared. He had figured Taemin was still eating, maybe taking his time because he felt shy around all these unfamiliar people. So for a bit, Jongin hadn’t given it any thought; but then he realized it had been close to an hour since Taemin had left him and that was a little too long. Even if it was because he felt shy, Jongin needed to check on him and make sure he was okay.

However, when he glanced to their kitchen, Taemin was nowhere to be seen.

Oh. Maybe Taemin had started talking to someone else and was making friends then, Jongin thought optimistically. So he glanced around the room, eyes searching for the unmissable head of bleach-blond hair. It wasn’t there.

“Have you guys seen Taemin?” Jongin asked his other friends, frown lines scrunching the centre of his brow. Most of them shook their heads, but one of them gestured off towards Jongin’s room. At first, this worried Jongin, thinking his best friend had retreated out of discomfort. But then…

“Baekhyun was talking to him earlier, they went to your room a while ago.”

The world seemed to stop for a second as Jongin processed this. His mind flashed to a memory, that of meeting Baekhyun for the first time. When the older had flirted with him, and made his attraction to other men clear. Had he done the same to Taemin? And Taemin, being too nice to say no…

“Wow, Baekhyun really has the audacity to be trying when we’re all in the next room, huh,” one of Jongin’s friends said loudly as he made his way to his room. Jongin did not need his friends reaffirming his thoughts, feeling his heart starting to race as he grabbed the door handle and took a deep breath. For a second, he just listened – almost fearful of what he might hear. But no sound came from the other side of the door, at least nothing audible over the music in the living room. Unsure of what he might be walking into, Jongin threw the door open and stepped inside.

At very least, he did find Baekhyun and Taemin in bed together. “What the hell are you doing?” he snapped as he took their positions in. The two were lying on the bed, looking quite comfortable beside each other, close enough to be touching just a little. Nothing really inappropriate, truthfully, and their clothes were all intact still. But even so, why was Baekhyun lying on his bed with his best friend?

Both pairs of eyes him, wide in surprise. In seconds, Taemin was blinking, blushing, and moving himself away from Baekhyun, while Baekhyun simply stared at Jongin. “We’re having a conversation. Is that allowed?”

The way he said it was so unbothered that Jongin instantly lost any sense of anger. Instead he spluttered out, “Oh- um, no. I mean, yes! Yes, that’s – fine…” Suddenly he felt embarrassed about thinking that worse things might have been going on. Not to mention, the way it made him feel so uptight for no real reason – yes, he didn’t necessarily want people hooking up in his room, but part of him felt like… it was less that, and more the thought of someone hooking up with Taemin that bothered him, honestly.

“Okay,” Baekhyun said coolly. “Then can we continue?”

Jongin didn’t say anything. He didn’t like the feeling he was getting. The way Baekhyun was so comfortable with Taemin – so comfortable stealing him away like Taemin wasn’t Jongin’s best friend. It felt like the first spoonful of his biggest fear, someone getting between him and Taemin – and he didn’t like it.

“You know what? It’s okay,” Baekhyun decided after getting no response, sitting up and pulling out his phone. He quickly got Taemin’s number, and then got to his feet. “I’ll text you, alright? And Taemin?” he added as he moved to the door, nodding his head at Jongin. “This one’s already hot enough.” He winked, then moved past Jongin without another word.

What’s that supposed to mean?

Author's Note: Everyone's been talking about Jealous Jongin, so he couldn't resist coming back! Thankfully he has his mom to help ground him and put things in perspective a little, but even so... 

Anyway, poor Taemin's date didn't go so well (for everyone who was hoping it to fail...), but he did get to kiss a cute boy in the end, so who's the real loser here? (Note: It's Jongin. Imagine how mad he'd be about that kiss.) Plus he gained a new friend who can actually understand him! Mayhaps things are going well for Taemin, finally? (As for Jongin...)

Our next chapter is the final one of Part Two! I hope everyone is ready for the grand finale, and that it will be enough to hold you over until the start of Part Three! As always, please leave lots of love and tell your taekai friends! Cheers ♡