"Mirae! We're late!"

"I know!" I grabbed my bag from my bed and flew out of my room. "I'm coming!"

In the kitchen, Taemin groaned as I ran into him.

"Sorry. What are you doing standing there?" 

He held out a piece of toast, which he had protected from me. "Your breakfast."

"Thanks. Let's go, Taem. We're seriously late."

"Thanks to you!" he yelled as he grabbed his bag and put on his shoes. I shot out of the house before him. "It's what I get for agreeing to live with a girl."

"You enjoy a clean house, good food, and great advice. Plus, it keeps the fans away," I retorted and took a bite of the toast as we rode the elevator down to the first floor. "And half the rent. What's so bad about that?"

He laughed sourly as we sprinted out the apartment building. I swallowed the last bit as we started to run towards our school three blocks away. "You take forever to get ready! You're late to everything! I clean up and cook half the time! And your advice !"

I didn't have the extra breath to say anything back.

We weren't late to school, but just barely made it through the gate. As we slowed to a walk, I couldn't help but laugh. It helped oxygen into my lungs.

"Your skirt is everywhere," Taemin said--with no breathlessness at all, because he was in tip top shape--and smoothed down the side of my dress gently.

I smiled at him instead of saying thanks and adjusted my school uniform skirt to reach the top of my knee as Taem moved some of my hair. A girl gave me a nasty jealous glare as she passed us by.

If only she knew.

"Look who else is late!" 

We both looked up at the speaker. Key--Kim Kibum--smiled at us as he nonchalantly walked towards us from the school building.

"Hyung, I don't know if you're completely awake yet, but classrooms are that way."

"I just wanted to say good morning," he shrugged and joined us as we walked to our classes. "Besides, we can't be late now. We beat the gate."

"Someone's in a good mood," I grinned as Key slightly skipped.

He laughed. "Is it obvious?"

"Is it… Kim Jonghyun?"

Key stopped walking. We stopped with him. Suddenly, he smiled. "So, rumors spread fast huh?"

"Of course, hyung! So tell us. What happened?"

Key laughed again. "Nothing happened, silly. It's a rumor for a reason."

"Then why are you so happy?" I asked, although I was kind of scared.

Key shrugged. "I don't know. But I'm happy."

 

Taemin and I sat down in our seats. We were the same grade level as Key, but we were in different classes. Kim Jonghyun also happened to be in Key's class as well.

"Antsy?" Taemin asked when I dropped my pen for the fifth time since class started.

"Slightly."

He shook his head and smiled. "I don't know why Key thinks I'm silly. You're definitely the silly one."

"Shut up."

"I know this is insensitive, but-"

"If you know, then stop."

"Well, I'm just curious…"

"Taemin! Mirae! Be quiet back there!"

I gave Taemin a glare with many meanings and ignored him for the rest of class.

 

I was the one to suggest to Taemin that we live together. We've been friends since we were in middle school, best of friends to be exact. We were each other's first kiss when curiosity kicked in near the end of 7th grade. We also swore to each other right then that we would never do it again. 

He helped me get my first boyfriend. And he was the one I cried on and bruised when the boy turned out to be a cheating . And he was the one that promised me he would only pick out good boys from then on. He hasn't so far chosen one boy for me though. Taemin rejects all of them as "not worthy for me."

I was the first one to know when Taemin realized he was gay in 9th grade. I had caught on when he rejected every single fangirl coming his way, even the pretty ones, but it made me feel special that he told me first. I was also there when he told his parents. I was the one to house him and let him cry on my shoulder when his parents kicked him out. And I also rejoiced with him when his parents accepted him again. 

Since then though, not much has changed. Although Taemin liked men, he was still really picky about it. And he was picky for me on top of it.

When we both received news of being accepted to Seoul Arts High School for 10-12th grade, we knew we had to go together. And that's when I thought the brilliant idea up. Our hometown was nearly two hours away from Seoul. And rent was expensive. And Taemin was gay. So why not share an apartment? 

Now I have fangirls at my throat who think that we're married, a little boy to clean after at home, and a best friend--a brother--who knows me way too well.

 

"I'll see you at our usual table," Taemin said as he ran out of the classroom.

I frowned but let him abandon me. He was probably going to question Key privately and then have me bribe him with something to tell me everything.

I took my time packing my stuff and stopping by my locker to store my academic stuff away and grab a change of clothes. After lunch was the arts aspect of this school. Since I was a dance student, I needed to be comfortable. 

I was leaving the girls' locker room in sweats and a t-shirt, my hair tied up, when I ran into Kim Jonghyun.

Literally.

"Ow," I moaned as looked up. Jonghyun was also groaning and rubbing his arm, where I ran into him. "Sorry."

"Oh, it's fine," he replied with a smile before pausing. "You're… Key's friend."

"Yes. And you're Kim Jonghyun."

He laughed. It was weird that I was talking to him now, the day after all of this started, when I hadn't ever talked to him for nearly three years. "I am."

My eyes narrowed and something came over me. I was suddenly feeling brave. "Is it true?"

"What?" His big eyes blinked.

"The rumors. About you and Key. Are they true?"

He smirked slightly. "You're curious, huh?"

"No, not curious. I'm serious about this."

"Hm? And why would that be?"

"Because." I bit my lower lip to stop myself, but my mouth opened anyways. "I like Kim Kibum."

 

 

 

 

 

 

a/n: Hi everyone! I don't actually know how many people read this and will read this. But thank you to you all! Even if no one comments or subscribes, I'll keep updating, hoping that someone silent is reading and enjoying themselves. It's my first time, so it'll have mistakes. Questions, please feel free to ask! It's just getting started though... so... look forward to it (;