"you're being weird." kibum tells him squarely, arms crossed and foot tapping, "why are you being so weird?"

"i'm not." minho argues back, "why? what's weird?"

"did you hear what you just said to me?"

"i said i'll drive you to tomorrow's hair appointment!"

"exactly!" kibum nearly stamps his foot, "that's weird!"

minho splutters, at a loss for words. he knew it would be tough to explain to kibum his sudden urge to willingly be his chauffeur- but somehow, knowing didn't prepare him for the actual conversation.

minho and kibum go everywhere together. or, well- almost everywhere. minho doesn't accompany kibum and jonghyun on their dates, of course, and kibum would rather rot in hell than go golfing with anyone.

but still, mostly.

so technically, it's not completely out of the ordinary for them to go to the salon together to finish off kibum's hair dye quest. minho says as much, but kibum snorts.

"i was gonna nag you to come anyway, that's not even the point. the point is, for stuff like this- you never come willingly, let alone offer to drive me." he spreads his arms, as if saying what the , minho, "that's like- that's like me saying, 'hey minho, i'll happily volunteer to give up my saturday evening to drive you 9 kilometres away. to watch you play soccer. no problem!'"

"but-"

"would i still end up coming for your soccer practices? yes, of course i would. kicking and screaming, but i would. but would i offer to dri-"

"okay, okay, i got it, shut up!" minho throws his hands up, defeated.

okay, so it's a bit weird. they follow each other everywhere, but yeah, the voluntary offering is usually for things like...meals, or concerts, or water-skiing. or when immediate emotional support is obviously necessary and the other drops everything and arrives in an instant.

they can be quite wholesome sometimes.

just not, apparently, when minho offers to drive kibum to the salon for no reason.

there's a moment of silence where kibum sizes minho up. it makes minho swallow nervously, because he knows that look- the suspicious 'i-know-you're-up-to-something' look, which minho doesn't think he deserves.

not yet, anyway.

"i just don't have anything else to do!" minho whines, "and i was there for the bleaching, why can't i be there for the dyeing?"

kibum sighs, "you can, oh my god, of course you can." he squints at minho again, "i just didn't expect you to ask me first. i thought i was going to have to force you again. and- and why are you offering to drive, i don't get it! i'm not nervous this time, i can drive- but if you want to, be my guest."

ah, . that's right. maybe minho was a little too enthusiastic.

but it's just... it's been two weeks, and minho has not gone a day without thinking about pretty hair-stylist taemin and his lilac hair and plump lips and sparkly eyes, and cherubic smile and fluffy cheeks, and lilting voice and cheerful laugh, and tiny hands and tiny waist and nice shoulders and-

"minho!"

it's kibum's annoyed voice that snaps him out of his reverie. his best friend is gazing at him expectantly, eyes softening when minho gulps and goes, "w-what?"

"i said," the blond repeats, gentler, "is everything alright at work?"

minho's heart immediately aches, because the last thing he wants to do is make kibum worry about him. this is all stupid, he should just come clean and tell him right there- your hair stylist is hot as , and i would do literally anything to get a date but for that i need to talk to him first.

easy.

but also not, because kibum will try to set them up and minho doesn't want that. he wants to do it himself.

also, if kibum got to know now, right in this moment, just hours before their trip to the salon- oh, his smirk throughout the evening would be far too much for minho. he needs to set some time aside for kibum's mirth and glee to settle down.

"work is fine." minho finally assures his friend, "hectic as usual, but fine. don't worry about it."

kibum relents, rolling his eyes for the millionth time, and saying, "suit yourself, if you want to drive so badly."

and minho should be annoyed that he basically tricked himself into driving, but-

-but he's not, because somehow, the knowledge of what (who) he's driving towards makes everything better.

***

"appointment under the name of kim kibum?" kibum says to the receptionist, minho trailing along behind him.

she looks up form her laptop, smiling at them, "yes, sir! getting the colour in, right?"

"that's right."

she turns to minho "and are you just accompanying him again today?"

"if that's fine." he answers hopefully, "and if there's...space."

"we're a bit busier today, what with it being saturday and all." she scans her laptop screen again, "but the client at the station next to taemin-ssi's just left, so it should be alright."

"thank you."

"but you know the rules- if any staff member asks you to move to the lobby, please do so immediately."

minho nods vehemently, "of course!"

"wonderful!" she gestures to the hallway behind her, "you know the way! taemin-ssi will be with you shortly."

those words are like music to minho's ears. he and kibum make their way to the same station as last time, seating themselves. there are a few people minho recognizes this time- two tv presenters and one girl minho has seen on a dance survival show.

kibum looks just as fascinated, "wild." he says under his breath, "that's noze. she's a dancer."

and while that is cool, no celebrity really phases minho. not unless they're sports stars.

and not until taemin walks into the room and goes to hug noze before making his way towards them.

"hi!" he greets them brightly, "good to see you both again! how are you, kibum-ssi? ready to add the pink?"

"hi." kibum is gazing at taemin with wide eyes, "you know noze? are you close with her?"

it takes taemin a minute to grasp what kibum is talking about. when he does, though, he just laughs- a sweet, cute laugh that has minho's heart racing.

"jihye?" he asks, glancing back at the dancer and using what minho assumes is her real name, "yeah, she's really sweet. we used to go to the same dance studio back in school, and i knew she was gonna make it big even ba-"

"you're a dancer?" the question falls from minho's mouth before he can stop it. and then he wants to smack himself, because what will taemin think of him now? that he's being presumptuous? did he sound too shocked while asking? oh dear, minho really has to fix this immediately-

"not that you couldn't be!" he attempts in a rush, "because you definitely could, i can totally- it makes sense! i'm just- i thought- because you're young, you know, and you said you've been doing this salon thing for a while." he pauses, panicked, "not in a bad way! as in- you have experience in this, and, and-"

"minho, oh my god, shut up." kibum looks absolutely embarrassed for him, and minho can catch the puzzled suspicion in his eyes, "please."

"sorry." minho mutters (to taemin, not kibum), "i'm just- sorry, ignore me."

taemin doesn't seem the least bit offended, though. if anything, he looks amused. he's clearly biting back a real smile so that it doesn't overtake his professional one, but his eyes shine with un-concealable humour.

"no problem at all." he says, relaxed, "and to answer your question, i wouldn't call myself a dancer. it's just a hobby- i've been dancing since elementary school and i was in competition teams in college. but it's been hard to perform ever since i started work...not a lot of time to practice, y'know? so now i just go to the studio and do workshops whenever i'm free."

"that's cool." minho nods, and he means it.

taemin notices that, too. he graces minho with a real smile, and minho decides not to speak for the rest of the appointment in fear of blurting out more stupid .

"you've got a dancer body. the legs and waist and everything" kibum adds, and minho splutters.

"oh, and you told me to shut up?"

"hey, i design clothes for people! it's part of my job to notice th