Taemin’s POV

I came home from Jinki hyung’s and Key jumped up as soon as I came in. “I know Jonghyun gave you his key.” Key glared at Jonghyun hyung.

“I don’t like seeing Taemin sad; I had to give him the key.” Hyung said with puppy eyes.

“Oh and I like seeing him sad?” They fight like they have been married their whole life. I rolled my eyes as if I was their teenager.

I started walking to my room. “Yah, where are you going?” Key dragged me back to sit on the couch. “You look upset still. Did everything go okay? Answer your umma.”

“I’m fine; we both apologized to each other.”

“Then why do you look sad?” Key sat next to me rubbing my back. His face turned into a more clam and caring expression.

I leaned my head on his shoulder. “I’m not sure. Something seemed off about him this morning.” I paused and fidgeted with the end of my t-shirt. “He said he was fine so I should be fine too. He said he forgave me. But this morning he packed all his games away into the closet.”

“Why?” They both said looking at me with concern.

“He said he was going to give himself a new makeover.”

“Again? We gave him one though. I made that man look freaking hot if I do say so myself.”

“I think that might be the problem. I think … I think that he said he forgave me but I don’t know if he really does think I liked him before you dressed him or I cut his hair. Like did he just forgive me for yesterday and is trying to move on with hints of distrust in me?” I felt my tummy turn at the thought. I really need him to call me later. Just to make sure I’m not blowing this all out of portion.

“Taemin, that can’t be it. Jinki doesn’t lie. If he said he likes you and trusts you and he forgave you, than he did. I think you are just thinking he thinks that and he really doesn’t.” Jonghyun hyung explained to me.

“I guess you are right.” I said with uncertainty.

……………………………………….

Later that day I was at work when I heard my phone ring. I took it out of my pocket. It was Jinki hyung. I smiled, blushing a bit. I did blow it out of portion. I sighed with relief. “Hello?” I smiled.

“I’m coming over your place later, when do you guys get home?”

“We’re here from 1-9 today.”

“I have something I want to show you.” He sounded very happy like he was in a good mood. This made me feel so much better.

“Ok see you later at home.”

We hung up our call and I turned around and grinned really big. “KEY! Jinki hyung is coming over later. Everything is fine. I just should have gone with my gut the first time. He only needed some time to think. He is happy and he is coming over!” I almost squealed.

Key smiled at me “You sure are happy. You repeated yourself. You like Jinki hyung like I like Jonghyun. Just admit it already, geesh. You’re too cute.”

“Key” I playfully hit his arm and blushed. Which  I shouldn’t have done because then he teased me again. “See you do like him that way you’re blushing again.” Key pointed at my face. I smacked his hand away playfully.

“Key hyung stop it.” I smiled.

“Then stop smiling baby.” He smirked.

“Umma really stop it” I whined cutely. Why does Key hyung tease me so much if he loves me, like it’s cute or something? I laughed and got back to work, cleaning my area, sweeping up hair.

“Jinki and Taemin, Jinki and Taemin. Sounds cute to me.” He sing songed with a smile.

“KEY!”

“What?” He smirked again.

We laughed. 

I went back to cleaning up.

I thought about everything that has happened. Jinki and I playing his video game, how cute he looked when that little girl hugged him the day I met him after I cut his hair. The hurt I had when he told me about Luna. The weird felling I got when I thought he liked her, she kissed his cheek. When I saw him with Joon that one day when he lied.  When he told me he liked my hair and when he said he liked my smile, and I thought about the time he hugged Yoogeun and how cute that looked.

All the memories filled my head, then lots of emotions and a warm fuzzy feeling came over me, then “it” hit me like a flood. His smiles make me smile; his sadness makes me sad too.  Everyone is right. I do...

“Key?”

“Mmm?” he looked up from cleaning off his sink.

… I think I love Jinki hyung. “I-I do like like Jinki hyung..” I blushed.

“I know baby.” He hugged me “And you get to see him tonight so I’ll dress you up so cute when we get home.” Key almost squealed when he said that last sentence.

……………………………………………………………………..

When we got home Jonghyun hyung came over too. Key made us all dinner as we waited for Jinki hyung to arrive.

I was getting dressed with the clothes Key picked out for me when I was in the shower, when I heard a knock on the door. “Oh god he is here already!” I tripped forward when I tried putting my leg in my jeans.  I’m just so exited and eager to see Jinki. I sat on the floor putting my leg in my pants and stood up pulling them over my . I walked over to my mirror. “Ok, I look good.” I grinned,  I was bubbling with excitement.

I made my way down the hall and I could see Key and Jonghyun hyung’s backs I couldn’t see Jinki hyung yet. I dashed down the hall sliding next to Key. “Hi!” I blurted out. I would have done a mental face palm but I couldn’t, I was shocked almost instantly.

Jinki was stunning. I blinked slowly not believing my eyes. My breath felt like it was snatched away from me. His shirt was shiny and black, and he had the top three buttons undone. His selves were rolled up a few inches above his hands.  He had a bracelet on each wrist. He had sunglasses propped up in his hair holding his bangs back. Hyung was in very tight fitting jeans. He looked um, he looked good in the jeans. I felt a bit dizzy. Did he just walk out of a damn magazine?  I was not excepting that at all.  He looks happy and sure of himself. I feel happy he feels better now. I smiled at him. We locked eyes.

“What’s up Taem?” he smiled at me. There was a smooth tone to his voice.

Did he just say “what’s up?”  He doesn’t normally greet me this way. “Wh-what’s up hyung?” I felt very shy all of sudden.

“WHOA!!! You look amazing. Now that Taemin is here, turn around, turn around, I want to see the whole ensemble!” Key said pushing on Jinki hyung’s shoulder so he’d turn around.  Jinki hyung backed away from his touch and turned around on his own. He held out his arms as he walked in a circle showing off his new style. “You look hot.” Key said joyfully and smiled from ear to ear, clapping his hands.

He looked y. Oh my goodness. My stomach felt fuzzy. Jonghyun hyung I think said something about his looks, I couldn’t hear because of the pounding in my ears. 

“Taem? Taemin? Well?” Jinki hyung was talking to me.

“I’m sorry, can you repeat that? I think I blanked out for a second.”

Key went to get me some water for me thinking I just needed to drink or needed something to fill my empty tummy.

Jinki repeated himself. “I said Tae, What do you think?”

“I think you look HOT!” I grabbed my mouth, I blushed. I didn’t mean to just say it like that; my voice was really deep but loud and kind of fast too. It was definitely not like how Key had said it.  Key was walking back into the room and heard how I said it and drank my water instead of giving it to me, from the shock of how I said it. That was embarrassing. Can I just go dig a hole and lay there till I die?  Hyung is still smiling at me. I looked away but his eyes didn’t leave mine. I can’t stop blushing. I hate this stupid habit of blushing all the time like this.

“Let’s eat before the food gets cold.” Key said coming to my rescue. He put an arm around me and walked me to the table. “It’s ok Taemin.” He whispered to me. 

Jinki hyung walked closer to me, hyung smiled, no that was a smirk. “Good, I’m very happy you approve.”  He pushed Key out of the way and sat beside me.

Key slapped his arm playfully. “Hey that was rude, I was going to sit there.” He teased.

“Well, I want to sit with you anyways.” Jonghyun hyung said with a smile. Key kissed Jonghyun hyung’s head and sat beside him.

Did they not notice Jinki hyung was different somehow? I guess Jinki hyung was just playing around but that was out of character to do that to Key or anyone. It must be part of his transformation or whatever he is trying to do. I was happy he wanted to sit next to me though. I smiled at Jinki hyung.

He smiled at me too. He is so handsome. I looked away before I could start blushing or opened my mouth and embarrassed myself again.

Key was placing food on our plates talking about how much we’d love this meal and how hard he slaved over it for us.  Jonghyun hyung was talking about how it all looked so good so it must taste just as good.

“So do I look y or what?”  Jinki hyung said with a cocky tone.

We all turned towards him. Key looked over at me then back to Jinki hyung again.

Jonghyun broke the awkward moment. “Key, looks like Jinki is our new diva.” He joked.

“Yeobo, I’m going to smack you.” Key thinking nothing of it. Thinking Jinki hyung was just playing and was in a good mood.

“Yes I do think you look good. But I liked you either way hyung.” I said thinking the same thing. I smiled at him. Jinki hyung ruffled my hair. So he must be just pretending to be diva like to tease Key.

“Yeah we all liked you before.”  Jonghyun hyung added after he took at bite of his dinner.

Jinki hyung removed his hand from my hair and started eating.

Jinki hyung told us about his shopping and all the girls he flirted with today at the mall. He talked about it as if it were nothing. He wasn’t blushing and he wasn’t uncomfortable. But I was. I didn’t feel like eating anymore.

“Key can I put my food in the fridge and save it for later.” I asked, rubbing my belly and I pouted.

“Yeah sure baby, I’m done with mine anyways. You can help with dishes after you put your stuff in the refrigerator.”

We got up and went to the kitchen.

I wrapped up my food and a tear rolled down my cheek. Key turned the water on to fill up the sink with soapy water. He walked over to me as it filled up.  “Taemin are you ok?”

“I didn’t confess to him yet, and now it’s too late. He actually likes the attention those women gave him today.”

“Don’t say that. It’s not too late.” He wiped my tears. Key took my food from my hands and stuck it in the fridge for me. He then hugged me. “Listen to me ok” he leaned back to look at my watery eyes. “He is not dating anyone, he was just happy. He just wants to share his new self found self-esteem with us. That’s all. And when you are ready to tell him you love him he’ll be ready to hear it too.  I bet he will be able to actually accept a confession now too honey.” He stood back and held my shoulders. “Do you hear me? Let Jinki hyung have this one moment of feeling good about himself and then go for it kiddo.”  He hugged me one more time and then pushed me to the sink. “Now do your chores or else umma is going to tickle you to death.”

I smiled and wiped away my tears and sniffed.

Key hyung started tickling me. “Ok, I’m going, I’m going.” I laughed.

“You look HOT!” Key teased me as he walked to stand next to me as we began the dishes together.

“I didn’t mean to say it that way.” I pouted.

“Well you almost gave me a heart attack.” He laughed and put a soap bubble on the tip of my nose. I blew it off. 

We turned away from each other and faced the sink. I started thinking.  Key is right, maybe I’m being selfish. Jinki hyung is just happy that he knows he has it in himself to be hot and cool. So if strangers can like him then he will be able to know I like him too. And it will mean more if I say I like him. I grabbed the sponge and started washing a plate. “Thank you Key.”

“I love you Taemin. And I bet Jinki hyung LOVES you too. I bet soon he might confess to you.” He nudged my shoulder with his as he teased me.

 We giggled and I blushed.  Key made me feel a lot better.

I washed the dishes and Key wiped them off. We were almost done when Jinki hyung came into the kitchen. Jonghyun hyung walked in after him and stood in the door way.

“I think you should bring your laptop over and I’ll get mine and we can play a PC game together while Key and Taemin watch a DVD.” Jonghyun hyung suggested.

I turned to face them. “Key rented the really cool movie everyone at the salon keeps talking about.” I dried my hands off. I handed the towel to Key hyung.

 “That is lame.” Jinki hyung rolled his eyes.

Key and I just looked at each other.

“HA HA man, very funny, now go get it so we can play.” Jonghyun hyung laughed.

“I’m serious. I gave that crap up. That was the old me. This is the new me.”

Did he just say games are crap? I went wide eyed.  I was in shock he’d say that about his games, he might be giving them up for awhile but he still loves them right?

“Are you feeling ok” Key said in disbelief, clearly he must be sick to say something like that. Key placed his hand on Jinki’s forehead. Jinki pushed Key’s hand down.  “Get off me, I’m fine.” He said firmly.

Key was offended. He was about to yell at him for moving his hand away but Jinki hyung spoke first.

“If Key and Taemin want to watch this cool movie then we are watching it.” He walked out of the kitchen. “Come on let’s watch this so called cool film.”

We walked out of the kitchen slowly behind Jinki hyung. I was shocked too, but I defended Jinki hyung though, because if this is just an awkward stage of finding himself then I have to support him. “He is trying to give up his games remember?” I whispered to Key on the way to the couch.

“How rude.” Key mumbled walking next to Jonghyun hyung.

But Key and Jonghyun hyung were still looking at him. I sat down on the couch next to Jinki hyung. “I know you want to stare at my hotness but could you put in the DVD already and stare at Key instead.”

Key and Jonghyun hyung's eyes went wide, and then they looked over to me as if I should say something. Jinki hyung saw their shocked expression and said.  “I was just playing around.” He shrugged.

I laughed nervously. What was going on in his head?  I leaned in closer to whisper to him. I didn’t want to embarrass him. “Jinki hyung, can I talk to you?” I said shyly.

“What’s up Taem?”

Jonghyun hyung was sticking in the movie and he and Key were talking about the previews. So I started talking to Jinki hyung so only he could hear me.

 “I think you were rude to Jonghyun hyung and Key. They were just looking at you because you said games where lame and crappy.”

“Taemin, only nerds play with games. I want to see this cool movie that you said everyone was talking about. If anyone asks me about the movie I won’t be left out like I use to be. Everyone use to talk about things and I wouldn’t know about them because I was too busy play games all the time. And with the other thing, I was just teasing Jonghyun that he was staring at me. Key would have joked like that. So I didn’t do anything wrong. Ok? So relax and let’s watch the movie.”  He gave me a cute smile. “Trust me I’m fine. Don’t worry so much like Key does. I don’t have a fever making me say I don’t like games. It’s just that’s the old me like I said.” He smiled again and turned towards the TV.

I really didn’t pay attention to the movie at all when it started. I was trying to put the pieces together and review today’s events. Jinki hyung got confidence; he was happy about it and wanted us to see his change.   But wouldn’t he rather play a game with Jonghyun hyung? I turned towards him. He looked uncomfortable. He was fidgeting with the other thigh seam on his skinny jeans.  “Hyung?”

“Yes Taemin-ah?” He stopped messing with his seam and turned towards me.

“I just want you to know, you really don’t have to watch this if you don’t want to. You could play with Jonghyun hyung and I could tell you about it later if you really do want to go play.”

“I’m fine Taemin, I want to do this, I'm more than a nerdry gamer you know.” He turned towards the TV. 

Jinki’s POV

I was feeling anxious all of a sudden. I really wanted to play my new game with Jonghyun.  Then I started thinking about my online friends and that one quest in Diablo III I still haven’t finished yet. I would miss all of it. But I want Taemin to like me like this more. He has to see I’m just as cool as him or anyone else for that matter.  I have to stop thinking about stupid nerdy things. .. I want to impress Taemin, I want to thank him. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t of have such a good day today.

I leaned in as we both faced the TV, I whispered to him. “Thank you, for worrying about me though.” I titled my head slightly, Taemin’s lips curled up into a smile.

I turned back towards the TV. A tear started to puddle in my eye. I wiped my eye before anyone could see, as I pushed and buried the last of my old “Onew” feelings deep down.