Minho laid him down gently onto the soft cushions. The disturbance had caused Key to wake up as he now hovered full of concern over the unconscious-like form. Minho and IU quietly filled him in; Minho let IU do most of the talking as he sat down with his face in his knees.

Key was fussing over him, whispering despite the fact that Taemin was already awake.

Minho had already dried and dressed Taemin himself. He scratched his head and frowned at the scribbled message below his bellybutton before trying to wipe it clean. It wouldn’t come off. Taemin moaned at the sensation of Minho rubbing frantic angry circles over his stomach but did not open his eyes.

All the while, IU stood anxiously in the doorway. Key did not pay attention to her in the current disturbance as he flew past her, grabbing necessities for the traumatized boy.

 Key sadly laid a hand on his cheek. Taemin flinched at the touch. “I should’ve stopped you. I should’ve made you stay with me,” he softly murmured with tears in his eyes. Life is more important than breakfast! He scolded himself.

Taemin did not speak. He stared past the two boys’ worried and protective stares and ignored their questions and concerns.

He was having something like an out-of-body experience.

And Jonghyun, on the other hand, was away from this. He was spending the night at Se Kyung’s.

Minho shook his head. “No, hyung. Please don’t blame it on yourself, when really, it’s my fault.”

“NO! You, you don’t understand.” He brushed a tear away impatiently. “I was in a bad mood, and I didn’t care where he was going –”

“No. Drop it. He followed after me because I told him I was sick when,” he cleared his throat nervously. “I really wasn’t,” he continued in a lower voice.

They continued arguing when Taemin softly groaned and turned over to his side; the two arguing boys were completely distracted to notice. His pale eyelids were shut but he exhaled slowly and opened them.

He was staring straight at IU, who was clutching the doorway, unsure of what to do.

She gasped and dropped to her knees at his strong but needing gaze; shock, and sadness ripping through her.

“Just understand this! I should’ve been there for him when he needed me!!” Minho screamed. He looked down at the movement spotted from the corner of his eye. “Yah, what are you doing?!”

He was addressing IU. She was crouched on her knees. She gripped Taemin’s hand as he inaudibly whispered into her ear. She was nodding intently as she sniffed loudly.

“What! What is he saying!?” Key asked, shock etching his face. Taemin had not talked to anyone ever since Minho had brought him.

IU looked up at him. “He says to…er…shut up. Both of you.” Key gasped, hurt. She cringed at addressing the older men in this way. “He also says,” She brought her ear closer to him as he continued to whisper to her. “He says to stop blaming yourselves. And that it’s— Taemin-oppa, it’s not your fault!” She was baffled by his words.

Taemin sighed. “I’m sorry, everyone,” he finally spoke. His voice was hoarse.

Everyone then elapsed into “No’s!” and “Nonono’s!” At the boy’s silly explanation.

“Ok,” Minho interrupted. “It’s no one’s fault. There is no one to blame for this incident. We can only blame that sick, sick ert.” But inside, Minho could not help but blame himself.

Taemin shivered without realizing it and Minho had to hold his hands to soothe him.

After much fussing over, Taemin, telling everyone for the 3,000^thtime, said that nothing had happened in that alley, had finally convinced them. Key hugged him tightly before sadly ruffling his hair. He drifted back into his room.

IU, still lingering in the background despite that close connection earlier, bashfully asked if there was anything she could do.

“I’m fine. Thanks for everything, noona,” Taemin managed a smile, but it was too weak for it to be convincing.

“You’re welcome oppa,” she bowed, feeling undeserving of it. “I will try to drop by as soon as possible!” She left Minho and Taemin alone in the room.

“Can we sleep here, hyung?” He was too tired to move back into the shared room and yawned. His just-blow-dried hair gleamed healthily under the dim light. He pouted and rubbed at his eyes, looking drained. At that moment, he looked just as he did the first time they slept together in the Janitor’s room at Seoul middle school.

Taemin, noticing Minho gazing at him, pouted more profoundly. He was using aegyo to get what he wanted.

If only he could’ve used his aegyo to get away from that ert, huh?

Minho looked down at the kitten -like boy, whose eyes were shining with plea.

How could Minho say no to that?

“Of course,” he said, laying himself beside the sleepy boy.

He turned the light off immediately, tiredness now looming over Minho as well. He turned to his side, facing the maknae.

“Yah, Taemin,” he said quietly.

There was no answer.

Figuring he was already asleep, Minho laid a hand on his cheek. Taemin did not flinch.

“Please don’t worry about me so much. It’ll only make me worry about you even more, ok?” Minho stopped holding back the tears that desperately fought to get out. He let it run over his cheeks, not caring anymore.

There was nothing to hide.

“I made a promise. And now I want you to make one for me.” He leaned in closer so that his breath barely grazed his face. He thought carefully.

“Please don’t leave the house without me, ever.” He waited, expecting a reply when remembering he was asleep. Satisfied, he smiled, figuring this was the only way this troublemaker could be kept safe and he silently turned to his side and d at his jacket that was on the floor below him. He came back empty handed.

Where were his pills? He yawned, tiredness too overwhelming for him to investigate. It could wait. He threw a blanket over him and Taemin, falling asleep at once.

“I promise,” Taemin whispered to Minho’s back, which rose and fell with every breath of his deep sleep.

~~~

Present: the 23rd day of September, Key’s birthday:

“Going out for a few minutes! Nobody leave, please~!” Jonghyun called happily.

“Telling us not to leave. Who does he think he is?!” Minho grumbled. He had had another “bad” dream last night and wasn’t feeling like his usual self. He was lucky to feel well enough to please Key on his birthday. Well, thinking it like that, it made him feel even guiltier.

Minho couldn’t function like this. It was his best friend’s birthday, for Pete’s sake! He tried his best to remember his doctor’s orders from a few weeks ago.

He shook his head after that long and painful recap.

“Oh, right. .” Minho face palmed himself. Those damn pills!

He hurriedly went back into the room that was once Key’s and Jonghyun’s before they all shared a room. He picked up the water-damaged leather jacket and ruffled through it. They were not in his front pocket. They weren’t anywhere.

He scanned the floor, wondering if he had dropped it while carrying Taemin. No such luck.

He his lips thoughtfully. He was going to have reorder them and put up with the dreams for now. He nodded, convincing him that it was going to be ok.

But it wasn’t.

Firstly, those damn pills were flipping expensive!

Secondly, Minho’s dreams were too disturbing and visual to put up with every night.

And thirdly, he was terrified of that pedo-doctor.

Minho gripped the jacket that dangled loosely in his left hand and began to smack it against the mattress.

“GRAAAHH! WHAT IS MY LIFE?!”

He threw himself on the mattress and groaned into the pillow nearest him.  

Taemin entered the room, sighing in relief at finally finding his hyung and jumped on the bed in excitement, making the mattress shake with happiness.

“Hyuuuunnggg!! I locked Key in the bathroom so we can finally bake the cake!”

He beamed at Minho who was still sobbing tearlessly into a pillow.

“Minho?”

He grunted.

“Fine. I’m adding cinnamon,” he said dejectedly and his heels.

WTF?! I’m allergic to cinnamon!!! Literally!

Minho threw the pillow in his anger and annoyance squarely at his head just before he left.

You wouldn’t think it would’ve hurt, considering it was a pillow.

But it was Minho.

“OW! FUUUDGE!” He gripped his head in pain. Am I bleeding?

He wasn’t. But it still hurt as hell!

 Taemin turned back around with a demon glare. These were very rare, and it always made Minho shiver with delight every time, melting the pill-drama away instantly. He took every opportunity to trigger the Taemin Demon Rage Glare whenever he could. He also liked to call it the TDRSG. It was mean, but it was so worth it.

Minho smiled innocently.

Taemin growled and pushed himself off the ground with all of his strength, colliding into Minho. He tackled him back onto the mattress.

Is that all you got? Minho leered. The force wouldn’t have pushed him if Taemin tried, but Minho let himself fall back onto the cushions.

He let Taemin dominate him for awhile before showing his own strength, startling Taemin as he was pushed back. He growled at the sudden takeover, suddenly feeling weak.

They tussled and rolled all over the mattress; the pillow-like substance fought to support the two boys as they fought for dominance. Pillows seemed forever abandoned on the floor and blankets were entangled between arms and legs. Minho finally pinned a helpless Taemin onto his back as he panted for air. He gripped his arms down at his sides, trapping him.

This scene was oddly and chillingly familiar. But Taemin was not cringing in fear or fright. This was not Siwon. This was Minho. And that simple difference made everything clearer; it made his feelings different. He felt weak, in the good kind of way. The way Minho dominated over him was unlike Siwon’s dominance and strength. Taemin felt like his vulnerability was left in Minho’s hands.

He liked this feeling of weakness.  

He liked being controlled by Minho.

 “OK, you got me,” Taemin said, laughing and gasping for air at the same time. Taemin wanted him to get off him before he could begin to blush. Minho also felt hot under all his clothes from their little match. He tightened his grip, fingernails digging into his arm.

Taemin winced but did not jerk away.

“You think I’m done with you?” He asked testily, a different kind of anger flooding him.

Taemin gulped at his hyung’s dangerous words. His nails dug into his skin deeper. These were going to leave marks.

He craned his long milky white neck to the side, holding his breath.

“HELLO?Are you guys in hereeee~?”

Jonghyun pushed the already ajar door thoughtlessly as he pulled Shin Se Kyung’s hand into the now stuffy room.

Why hadn’t they heard the front door open?

Their jaws seemed to have no limit as they took in the scene. Se Kyung eyed the discarded pillows.

Minho gracefully rolled off of Taemin but underestimated the size of the bed and fell onto the floor with a loud thud.

Taemin could not suppress his giggle.

Se Kyung whispered something into Jonghyun’s ear as she felt her lower half tingle with an unusual feeling.

“Er…NO! Honestly!” He turned back to the two boys and cleared his throat rather nervously. The more he looked at them, the more he doubted his words. “Taemin, Minho. This is Shin Se Kyung.”

She waved briefly, feeling a cold sweat break over her. She resisted the urge to fan herself and desperately wanted to get out of that hot, steamy, y room.

“Sh-Shin Se Kyung?” Minho and Taemin exchanged bewildered glances. They had seen this beautiful goddess through movies and media, but never in person. And they were starting to wonder if Jonghyun was faking his relationship with her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” they said in unison, bowing politely.

Oh my god. This is…HORRIFIYINGLY EMBARESSING, Taemin’s mind screamed. But Minho looked smug. Taemin almost wanted to smack that look off of his face for making him look bad in front of another idol.