"is it necessary to film?"

"um, my boyfriend is coming home from japan after not seeing me for a month- the longest ever time we've been apart since we started dating- and my hair is pink, and he doesn't know, and you're asking me if it's necessary to film?"

why must they disagree about everything, minho wonders. why can't kibum just nod along for once in his life and accept what minho has to say?

"why do we always have to disagree?" kibum snaps, "why can't you just accept what i'm saying for once in your life?"

"what-" minho splutters, "that's so unfair!"

the thing is, minho doesn't actually have a problem with filming jonghyun's reaction to kibum's hair. objectively.

what he does have a problem with, however, is the fact that it will definitely be followed by a lot of kissing. and that will escalate into something else, and really, does minho need to be there for that? does he need to go through so much to film a video, only to have to run away two seconds later?

he says as much, and it's kibum's turn to flush and snap his mouth shut.

aha, victory.

it's minho's unarguable logic that causes kibum to finally roll his eyes and mutter, "fair enough, i'll do it myself."

"he'll love it, though." minho says to placate his best friend, "you look really good."

"thanks."

"he'll totally lose his mind. which is why i definitely don't want to be there-"

this makes kibum laugh, "i got it, i got it. do you really think he'll like it that much?"

"for sure. besides," minho nudges him, "aren't you the one who always says we shouldn't worry about others' opinion when it comes to fashion?"

"well, yeah, but this is different!" kibum flushes, "he's my boyfriend. of course i want him to think i look good."

"you always look good."

jonghyun thinks so, too. minho knows this because the last time he, jinki, kibum and jonghyun got drunk together, kibum had passed out and jonghyun had spent the next hour drunkenly waxing poetic about every feature kibum has.

kibum makes a happy little sound- an amalgamation of him not knowing how to take compliments, and him being excited that jonghyun is coming home soon, "what time do you have to go home? are you drinking tonight?"

"can't." minho says regretfully, "i have an early meeting tomorrow with a client. i'll see you this weekend, though? we can have grab a meal with jinki and jjong."

it's settled like that. kibum is going to pick up jonghyun from the airport tomorrow, and they're going to spend a few days together at kibum's house. and that weekend, the gang will gather again for dinner and drinks.

this is also a long enough time for minho to figure out a plan, hopefully. how does he convince kibum (subtly) to take him for his touch-up appointment? he's been thinking about it for 10 days, and brought it up multiple times, but to no avail.

what is it about lee taemin that makes minho feel so...longing?

it sounds cliche, and minho cringes as the thought crosses his mind, but it's true- he's never felt such a strong attraction before. and he refuses to let something like that slip away without giving it a shot. maybe taemin won't want to get to know him after all, but at least minho would have tried (the thought of taemin rejecting him is more painful than minho expected it to be, and he truly hopes that it won't be the case).

minho wants to see him again.

***

"jonghyun loved it!" kibum gushes over the phone, "you should have seen his face, minho!"

"of course he loved it." minho can't help but coo, "he's obsessed with you."

kibum makes a noise that minho can only describe as 'extremely happy seal', "he said it's perfect! you should have seen his face! he saw me and went totally dazed."

minho listens to another twenty minutes of how much jonghyun loved the hair, and how nice it felt to be back together, and all the things jonghyun had brought back from japan. minho then smoothly draws the line when kibum starts about how "the has been fantastic."

"i'm glad you're happy, kibum." he clears his throat, and kibum laughs on the other end.

"sorry, sorry. i'm just really excited to see him again."

"i'm really glad." minho is genuine, too, "tell him i'll speak to him tomorrow, after he rests and freshens up, okay?"

"sure thing."

unfortunately, minho's 'tomorrow' turns out to be jam-packed with meetings. by the time he's finished for the day and finally back at home, it's already past dinner. still, he figures he'll call anyway- jonghyun could easily have finished eating and be chilling in kibum's tv room with his two dogs.

on the third ring, he picks up minho's call, proving him right.

"minho!" jonghyun says excitedly, "kibummie said you'd call! how've you been?"

"forget me." minho snorts, "it's been the same old. what about you, hyung? you've been abroad for a month! was japan fun?"

jonghyun launches into a full blow-by-blow account of his trip. though it was a travel for work, it's clear jonghyun made the most of his evenings and weekends- the sights he's describing sound beautiful, and minho has half a mind to properly tour japan the next time he gets a break from work.

"kibum would have loved it." jonghyun is saying wistfully, "i kept writing down things i saw or places i went that he'd enjoy. my phone notes are full. maybe sometime next year we can go back, and i can take him around."

minho feels a jolt of longing at his friend's words. it must be nice, he thinks, to have someone like that.

someone who you miss, but whom you know would want you to enjoy yourself to the fullest. someone whom you wish was there, who you think of when you see something beautiful.

of course, minho thinks of his friends or family when he sees things they'd like, but it's different with a lover. it's more intimate, romantic. or, at least, minho imagines it is- because though he's had a few casual relationships before, there have never been any serious ones.

he's certainly never been in love. not like kibum and jonghyun are.

and he wonders what it feels like, because he's never seen kibum happier. whenever the topic comes up, jinki always tells minho that his time will come. you'll meet someone wonderful, he always says, you deserves it. and minho wants to believe him so badly- he wants it to happen, he wants to fall in love.

but for all his wanting, minho doesn't have much confidence in his chances. his romantic heart had already braced itself, and minho was sure that it was for the best, but then-

-then he met lee taemin.

and of course he's not in love with taemin. they barely know each other, minho has only seen him twice.

but the thing is, minho wants to know him. he's never felt so intensely attracted to someone before. he's never wanted to know someone so badly.

minho has never looked at someone and feared the possibility of missing his chance, of letting a moment between them slip by.

and now, suddenly, everything has changed.

he doesn't know taemin at all- but when minho wonders what would happen if he never takes a step... if this passes by and fades away into the spring, if this becomes one of minho's 'what-if's-

he could never live with himself.

lee taemin has pretty eyes and a pretty smile and a pretty laugh. he's got a small waist and small hands, and nice shoulders. strong arms. a delicate, elegant aura. a firm handshake.

he likes to dance. he's been working as a hair stylist for one and a half years. he majored in beauty and cosmetology. he's 24 years old. he's friends with noze the dancer.

minho knows virtually nothing about him. and oh god, he wants to change that.

minho wants to know him.

"jonghyun." minho says, unintentionally cutting him off. he feels choked up at the sudden urgency of his curious, enamoured feelings, and he needs to do something. he needs to see lee taemin again, "sorry, sorry, , i didn't mean to cut you off. i just wanted to ask- did kibum say anything about his touch-up appointment?"

"touch-up?"

"for his roots. you know, his hair. there's a salon that we-"

"oh, yeah, he did!" jonghyun's remembers, "next weekend, right?"

"right." minho breathes, "are you taking him?"

"he asked me to, so yeah." jonghyun lets out a chuckle, "you've been on salon duty when i was away, huh? don't worry, bro, i got it covered now. no need to worry."

panic rushes through minho's body, causing him to respond unusually loudly, "no, no, hold on! wait a second."

there's a moment of silence. minho catches his breath, while jonghyun makes a confused noise.

"um, everything alright, minho?"

"yeah, of course. everything is fine. totally, completely."

"are you sure? you sound a little-"

"-i have a favour to ask." minho accidentally cuts jonghyun off for the second time in five mintues. he groans and mutters an apology, but jonghyun doesn't seem to mind.

"sure!" he says, sounding so comforting that minho wants to hug him, "anything. what's up?"

"i need..." minho takes a deep breath, hoping this sounds more put-together out loud than it does in his head, "i need you to let me tag along for the touch up appointment next week. if you can...i don't know, pick me up on the way? and don't tell kibum until i am in the car with you on that day, that'd be great. please."

another pause. minho cringes a bit- dear lord, that sounded better in his head. and it was already a mess there.

"you want to...tag along?" jonghyun repeats dubiously, "like, to the salon? with kibum and me?"

"yes."

"you know i'm already going with him anyway, right?"

minho tries to sound as nonchalant as possible, "yes."

"and it's just...it's just a touch-up. it's not like one of his piercing appointments."

"yeah, i know."

"um." jonghyun tries his best not to sound completely bewildered, "alright, then. no problem at all, minho, i'll pick you up."

"thank you!" minho nearly jumps out of the couch in relief, "thank you so much, jjong, i owe you big! anything you want. you're the best, really."

"anytime." the older clears his throat, "it's fine if you don't wanna tell me why, but if you do...i'm all ears."

minho stops his mental celebration quickly. honestly, it's really kind of jonghyun to accept his request for a favour before even knowing what it was. and for agreeing to help so easily, too- jonghyun has always been sweet like that.

so has kibum. except kibum is minho's personal devil, while jonghyun is minho's personal angel. jonghyun is a little calmer- and since he's not minho's childhood friend, he will not immediately smirk and tease minho till they end up in a water-throwing fight.

"you can't tell kibum." minho says slowly, "not yet, at least. i'll tell him myself, in the car on the way to the salon or something."

"i guess you can tell me at that time too, then!" jonghyun responds cheerfully, "you know i at keeping secrets from kibum."

minho snorts, "so do i."

and just like that, their phone call drifts into a conversation about kibum's bleaching process, with minho promising to send the video (and then totally forgetting).

and that night, minho sleeps with a weight off his shoulders and the biggest smile on his face.

***

"why the are you here?"

kibum's tone isn't angry or annoyed- of course it isn't, because contrary to popular belief, he really enjoys hanging out with minho.

instead, his tone is absolutely incredulous. he's looking at minho like the taller man has sprouted another head, and then looking back to jonghyun for an explanation.

both of them just grin at him.

"he called me last week and asked me to pick him up on the way." jonghyun says nonchalantly, like kibum isn't practically picking his jaw up from the floor, "he didn't tell me why, though. he said he'd tell both of us in the car. which is now."

"i didn't swear on it." minho sulks, "i said i could."

"oh, shut up." kibum rolls his eyes, leaning his seat back to push against minho's knees, "there better be a good reason for this. i tell you- for once in our lives- that i won't be dragging you out of the house, and you decide to come anyway? what happened to you?"

"i just-"

but before minho can continue, kibum's eyes widen and he twists around in his seat, pointing accusingly, "you asked me! last time, last appointment, remember? you asked me if you could drive me, which was already weird as , and i said no because jjong would do it, and- and- do you even remember?"

"yes, kibum." minho lets out a long sigh, "i do, in fact, remember. seeing as i was there, having that conversation with you."

"whatever, choi minho." kibum waves a hand, "come on, time's up. why are you in my car?"

"actually, babe," jonghyun pipes up, "it's my-"

"that's not the point, jjong."

"of course it's not." jognhyun's eyes are twinkling as he meet's minho gaze through the rearview mirror, "just buying the poor guy some time."

what follows that statement is expectant silence. minho tries to wait it out, but he's clearly unsuccessful- kibum's gaze is on him, sharp and eager. and within seconds, minho gives in (albeit with a lot of huffing and puffing and muttering).

"i wanted a trim." he tries, and kibum smiles his fakest smile.

"then you would have gone to the salon beside your apartment. try again."

"i...wanted to observe the full hair-dye process?"

this time, kibum's gaze is so unimpressed that even jonghyun snorts.

"okay, fine." minho throws his hands up in surrender, "it's just- i just- ugh, i can't say it-"

"you like my hairstylist, don't you?"

minho's head snaps up, jaw dropping as he stares at kibum in shock, "what- how-"

"oh, come on." kibum's grin is knowing and teasing and soft all at once, "you think i don't know you at all? i noticed something weird about you last ti