7:30 AM

Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh…

The noise coming from the other side of the bed woke Key up first. Rolling over he gave a shove to the prone body laying there. A groan and a muffled sentence that he couldn’t understand at all came in response, but no movement could be detected.

“Jjong, your alarm is going off,” Key said groggily. He was perturbed that he was awake when he had no schedules until later in the day. He had been looking forward to sleeping in, but the best laid plans are always the ones that get screwed over.

There was still no movement from the other person currently residing in the big queen size bed, and the alarm showed no signs of turning itself off. Resigned to his fate, Key rolled out from under the plush comforter and sat up on the edge of the bed, his feet sliding into his plush pink slippers kept conveniently beside it. Tossing a glare at the lump behind him, he stood and stretched before padding over to the nightstand on the other side and shutting off the offending alarm.

“Jjong, get up.”

“Murfpajklom” was the answer. Key looked down at the lump again and contemplated hitting it, but that would be childish. He wasn’t prepared to go to that level yet. Turning around he wandered out of the bedroom into the main room of the dorm-like apartment they lived in with their other members.

The living area was clean, if not cluttered. The couch was crammed in the corner with a papasan chair and a gaming chair nearby. All were facing a large 60’ flat LCD TV and various gaming consoles. Sitting on a stand near the entry door was an acoustic guitar. Pushed against the opposite wall there was an assortment of other instruments including an electric keyboard. Overall, it was the room housed everything they needed and where they spent most of the time.

Looking over his shoulder, he heard no noise coming from the room he just left or the other rooms. He figured the members were enjoying a day of sleeping in. Sending another glare at the offending room, he sighed, perturbed that his own plans were thrown in disarray. Instead of pouting, he made his way to the kitchen and set about making breakfast and coffee for himself, and maybe the lump…or maybe not.

10:00 AM

One voice. (One voice.)One dream. (One dream.)One chance. (One chance.)

Key looked over at his phone ringing where it was sitting on the vanity in front of him as he was getting his hair and make up done. They had an appearance this afternoon, and he was busy getting ready for it. He wasn’t really in the mood to talk to anyone either.

With a deep sigh he signaled the stylist away for a second and picked up the phone. A slight smile crossed his lips as he saw that it was Jjong calling him. He was still slightly miffed from this morning when Jjong got to sleep for a whole extra hour after his alarm woke Key up instead, but that didn’t mean that Jjong wasn’t one of the best parts of his day.

“Hey, Love!” Key answered brightly genuinely happy to talk to him.

“Hey. I need you to do me a favor. When I left the stylist this morning, I left my music book. Since you are there can you bring it to me?” Jjong asked hurriedly. He sounded like he was busy.

“Sure thing. Do you remember where you left it?”

There was a noise on the other side of the connection before Jjong responded. “I don’t remember. Just find it for me. Okay?” The call was disconnect before Key could even respond.

“What the…” Key looked at the offending phone in his hand. Slamming it back down on the vanity, he fumed. Couldn’t he at least say goodbye to me? What does he mean, ‘Just find it for me’? Am I his mom?

With a deep sigh, Key sat back in his chair and waved the stylist back over to finish his hair and make up. Sitting there he silently stewed until his inner voice finally rationalized Jjong’s behavior like it always did. He is busy. He didn’t mean it as a slight. It’s very childish to behave like this just because he didn’t say goodbye.

Childish was something Key hated being. So he sighed and counted to ten before turning to the stylist and asking if she had seen Jjong’s music book. Luckily, she said that the other stylist had put it away. She would get it for Key to take when he was done.

Relaxing back into his seat once again, Key closed his eyes and resolved to not think for the next 30 minutes. He was going to nap to make up for that damn alarm this morning…or maybe to nap off his lingering frustration.

3:00 PM

Stifling a yawn, Key climbed into the van waiting for them. One appearance was done, but there was still a radio show to go to. His energy was waning, but he couldn’t complain. This was his dream after all.

He smiled and grabbed the hand of Jjong as soon as the other sat next to him in the back. He wasn’t going to let the frustrations from this morning’s incidents keep him from enjoying a much needed handholding session and break from the cameras. Again he smiled as he looked up at his best friend and boyfriend.

However, Jjong had other ideas it seemed as he pulled his hand from Key’s and reached forward to retrieve his ipod from the pouch in front of him. Sliding the buds into his ears, Jjong turned to the side and laid his head against the window, his eyes closing as he listened.

Really? What the hell is this? Key looked at him in askance. Biting his lip, he stared at the seat in front of him. Fine. It’s whatever. He resolved that it mattered not.

Suddenly Jinki handed back some kimbap. Apparently they weren’t having time to stop for dinner. This wasn’t new, and Key was fine with it. So he just smiled at the leader and took his kimbap while nudging Jjong to do the same.

Key smiled even brighter when he noticed his kimbap had tuna in it instead of ham. He winked at Jinki and then chuckled slightly. His mood was looking up. He rode the rest of the way with a smile on his face.

8:00 PM

They were home. It was wind down time. Key desperately just wanted to take a bath and laze around. He was a wilting flower and didn’t exactly want to be sociable. He sprinted back towards his and Jjong private bathroom and stripped down as soon as he reached the privacy of their bedroom. However, Jjong had beat him to the tub and was soaking when Key walked in.

With a resigned sigh, his fiftieth of the day, he settled on the bed to wait not bothering to dress again. This day definitely need a redo for Key. He was so frustrated that tears collected in his eyes. He was determined not to cry though instead he resolved to be angry instead. This is ridiculous! All I wanted was a bath and then to curl up.

Twenty minutes later Jjong emerges from the bathroom wearing a towel and a smile. The smile normally would turn Key’s frown upside down too; however tonight it irked him. He wasn’t happy to see the other one happy. He was irritated that he had had to wait for the 20 minutes. Ignoring the smile, Key stomped into the bathroom, leaving Jjong confused and with a befuddled look on his face.

9:15 PM

Key finally stepped out of the bathroom. Padding over to the dresser, he goes to pull out his underwear and his pjs. However, before he can, something catches his eye, a wet dripping towel puddle on the floor at his feet. Seriously!?

It’s the straw that broke his camel’s back. Seeing red, Key slips on his clothes quickly and stomps into the living room. All the members are there. Taemin and Minho are playing a video game crammed onto the couch nudging each other happily with their elbows. Jinki is watching from the gaming chair, a megawatt smile on his lips at the young ones’ antics. However, the one he is interested in is sitting at the keyboard, guitar close at hand too.

Normally the sight, like his smile, will put Key at ease, but not tonight. Tonight he is pissed. He first got woken up by Jjong’s stupid alarm when he planned on sleeping in. Then Jjong acted like a jerk on the phone. Add in the fact the he didn’t hold his hand in the van and stole the bathtub first, Key was at his limit. He marched right over and slammed his hands down on the keys.

The noise startled the rest of the members, but Key didn’t care. He was mad. He was going to have his yelling fit throwing moment, right here and right now, members be damned. However, they seemed to sense the coming storm and vacated the room as quickly as possible all the while Jjong locked eyes with Key.

“What the…Key! What the hell is wrong with you?” Jjong started first only to have Key hold up one hand and stop him.

“No what the hell is wrong with you? You left a ing wet towel on the floor in front of the damn dresser!” The volume of Key’s voice was rising with each word.

“So what? It’s just a damn towel. Pick it up.”

Those words were the wrong ones to say to Key at this point. He shook with rage. His eyes filled with angry tears, and he jabbed Jjong in the chest with an angry finger.

“Pick it up? Just like I picked up your music book today? Am I your ing mother Jjong? AM I YOUR GODDAMN MAID?” Key was hysterical at this point, just ranting and raving at a loud volume.

Jjong stood up. He was angry too and glared back at Key. “Don’t you think you are being a little childish right now?”

The words took the wind out of Key’s sails. He was being childish, but he couldn’t help it. Taking a deep breath, he calmed visibly. The fight wasn’t over though. “Yeah, you’re right. I am being childish. However, aren’t you being too oblivious? You haven’t noticed all day how frustrated and upset I am all day. Then you go and do something you know bothers me. Great boyfriend huh?”

With that speech, Key turned and trod back to the room, leaving Jjong once again befuddled. The towel was still sitting where Key found it. Bending over, he picked it up and tosses it into the hamper. With one last look at the door, he climbed into bed, thinking to himself that tomorrow we really need a redo.

A few minutes pass before Jjong walks back into the bedroom. He had taken the time to turn everything off in the front room and to let himself cool off and take stock in what Key said. Key was right in a way. Still Jjong was still mad, but he knew that you sometimes get mad at the ones you love.

Climbing into bed behind Key, Jjong pulled Key to him. Key shoved back away. Key wasn’t ready to cuddle. He was still mad and smarting from his own lecture to himself about stooping to the childish level. He hated being that way.

With a resigned sigh, his first of the day, Jjong turned over and faced away from Key. The both decided it would be best to sleep it off and be better in the morning. As they were drifting off, Key slid his foot to touch Jjong, needing that contact even in sleep despite the anger. Jjong smiled and whispered a soft, “I love you.”

Key harrumphed, but smiled despite himself. Tomorrow they would get a redo. It would be better. However, Key also knew that this wasn’t the first or the last bad day they would have. It was life and love.