"i'm going to look hot."

"you're going to look ridiculous."

it's thursday evening, and minho isn't quite sure how his life journey has led him here, sitting in his best friend's living room, desperately trying to convince him not to dye his hair bright pink.

"you're an , choi minho." kibum snarks right back, "you're just jealous."

"jealous of what?"

"um, i don't know." kibum shrugs, "there's lots to be jealous of, though, let's be serious. have you seen me?"

minho snorts, shoving him, and he laughs.

kibum's joking, of course- that's just how they are. they've been bickering since the day they met, and minho always says they'll fight for the rest of their lives.

but he also knows there's not a person out there with a kinder heart than kim kibum. for all the rolling eyes and sarcastic remarks, he's a sensitive soul- someone who wants to take care of others, who's always there for support, who cries easily and is touched by the simplest things.

people who see minho and kibum together always wonder if they're even actually friends. but to be honest, nobody knows minho better than kibum does, and he's a thousand percent sure that it's vice-versa. they've been there for each other through everything, and minho genuinely cares about him.

which is why he is absolutely not going to allow him to dye his hair the colour of their elementary school neon pink highlighters.

"why don't you go for something understated?" minho argues, "it's your first time dyeing your hair. why must you do something so bright?"

"what's wrong with bright?" kibum scoffs, "and also, it's not my first time, thanks. i dyed my hair brown in high school, remember?"

"yeah, but that's barely-"

"and in college i had those streaks, too. remember? red streaks. and pink streaks in senior year- which means i've kind of done pink already, you know it'll look good!"

the thing is, kibum is a fashion designer. a good one, at that. he's the most stylish person minho's ever met, and he's fearless with it.

"aren't you afraid of the bleach ruining your hair?" minho reminds his friend of the one reaosn he's never gone for a bright colour before this.

"well, yes." kibum leans back, "but i was talking to some stylist friends about it. and they said my hair seems pretty healthy. they said that it should be fine, as long as i don't do it too often and look after it properly. someone even recommended me a place. there's a salon that does hair for all the big celebrities."

"can you afford a celebrity salon?" minho raises an eyebrow. a stupid question, because kibum's fashion label is what celebrities wear in the first place.

kibum ignores his question, of course, "i want to get it done before jonghyun gets back from japan. he'll be back in 3 weeks, i wanna surprise him! it's the longest time we've spent apart since we started dating."

"you'll post on instagram immediately after getting it done, and he'll see."

"i won't this time." kibum's eyes are so wide, and he looks so hopeful, and honestly, if the pink hair looks horrible, it really isn't minho's problem.

"it's a hit or miss." is minho's final, half-hearted counter, "it could either look great or horrible."

"it'll look great."

"that depends on how the hair stylist does it."

"they do idols." kibum rolls his eyes, "and besides, even their worst will look good on me."

minho sighs, "well, then...if you must. you don't really need my approval, anyway- it's your hair."

kibum beams, "i know! but i want you to come with me, so i'd rather just tell you my plan now than have you nag me about it in the car."

"what?" minho raises an eyebrow, "why do i have to come?"

"they said it'll take 45 minutes to bleach, and then i have to come back in two weeks for the pink. what do i do for 45 minutes? i need you to keep me company."

minho's not convinced. kibum is a social butterfly, he could talk to a wall. minho's sure that he could easily spend those 45 minutes becoming best friends with the entire salon staff.

as if sensing his disbelief, kibum relents, "okay, fine. it's just... i kind of heard that bleaching hurts a little? like...stings on your scalp or whatever. and you know i hate pain. and jjong's not here, so..."

awww. there's that cute side of his best friend, the kicked-puppy look.

"fine." minho grins, revelling in the supremacy, "if you're scared, i don't mind accompanying you. y'know, as a stronger and braver person. it'll be comforting to have a stronger and braver person there, won't it? the brave friend accompanies his cowardly- ow!."

"forget it!" kibum attacks him with a pillow, "stay at home, i'll lock you into your home-gym or whatever and go to the salon myself."

"no way! now that i know my strength and bravery is required-"

"-you are insufferable, choi minho-"

"-ow!-"

***

"this place is half an hour away." minho squints at his google maps, "isn't there a salon closer to your house?"

kibum is not the one driving, unsurprisingly. he is sitting in the passenger's seat, downing his iced americano and trying his best to not think of how much the bleach might burn. this was how kibum was before he got his flu shot, and him when he waxed his legs for charity, and him during every ear piercing ever. minho was always the one driving.

until kim jonghyun came into the picture, sweeping kibum off his feet.

after that, it was jonghyun who drove, and minho thought he'd been relinquished of his taking-kibum-to-the-doctor/piercing shop/salon duties.

he was wrong, though. kibum would end up forcing minho along, too- so jonghyun would drive over to pick up minho, and they'd exchange knowing grins as minho gets into the back seat and passes kibum another iced americano to calm his nerves.

jonghyun is a good guy. plus, he indulges all of kibum's quirks with the fondest smile ever, and that's more than enough for minho.

"i am not trusting my sacred hair to some random place, minho!" kibum practically shrieks, "this place was recommended to me by the last idol i styled. do you know who it was? boa! the boa suggested a place that she's been going to for years, of course i am going there. and not just her, i've heard that all the current top-stars prefer this place. and i have an appointment."

minho starts the engine. there's no point arguing- he's going to spend his entire evening at a salon half an hour away to watch his best friend fry his hair. his fate is sealed.

"maybe we shouldn't do this." kibum says, taking a too-big sip of his coffee, "what if my hair stops feeling soft?"

"you're the one who said it'll be fine if you take proper care of it and follow all their instructions."

"i know, i know." kibum groans, wringing his hands, "just go, minho. don't listen to anything i say."

minho drives obediently. a normal kim kibum is one thing, but a stressed kim kibum....yeah, minho should probably just listen.

the drive goes relatively smoothly. kibum turns on the radio and sings along to boa for about fifteen minutes, and by the time they reach the salon, he's used his nervous energy up in belting high notes.

"there it is." minho nods towards the fancy-looking building. as expected, for a celebrity hair shop. it looks like it could fit into sm entertainment.

"boa must have parked in one of these slots just like we're doing now." kibum says, more to placate himself than anything else, "she must have walked towards the salon bravely, and that is exactly what i'm going to do!"

minho rolls his eyes, killing the engine and hoping this place carries candy like they do in children's hairdresser shops.

the inside is just as pretty as the exterior. clearly high-end, but somehow inviting in a way that minho can't place. it's a bit brighter and more friendly than he expected, which is a good thing, because it seems to calm kibum down.

"hi." kibum says to the receptionist, using his work-voice, "i have an appointment under the name of kim kibum."

"yes, you do!" she replies cheerfully, checking her laptop, "your hair stylist for the day is lee taemin. just bleaching for today, right?"

"yes, please."

"alright, perfect. taemin-ssi is waiting for you inside, just follow me." she gets up, and then turns to minho, "and what about you, sir? do you have an appointment?"

"he's just here with me." kibum says hopefully, "is it okay if he sits inside and keeps me