“Jonghyun..do you really like him?”

Jonghyun glanced up to face his assistant, Suzy Bae. “What are you talking about? Kibum? Of course I do; in fact, I love him. Why’d you ask?” he replied, turning back to inspecting his camera.

Suzy, a petite seventeen-year-old, shifted her weight, frowning slightly. “..I heard about what’s going on,” she replied, “about President Park and the raise.”

Jonghyun sighed, placing the camera down on the table before swiveling his chair to face her once more. “Suzy, I need the money. You know about what happened between my parents and I,” he told her in a firm voice. Suzy bit her lower lip.

“But it’s wrong.”

Jonghyun’s eyes narrowed. “I didn’t ask for you opinion, Suzy. I told you, I love him.”

“If you love him, then why are you doing this to him? He’ll find out sooner or later,” Suzy retorted.

“I don’t need your opinions!” he shouted. This time, he had shot straight up in his chair, his hands slammed against the table. There was an flicker of fury in his dark eyes and Suzy only pursed her lips.

“I’m only warning you, Jonghyun. He’s not going to like it when he finds out.”

--

“Can I come with you guys?” Taemin asked, his hands slapped together in a praying position as he begged Minho to let him go to the photo-shoot with him and Kibum the day after.

Minho tried to shake the younger boy off, and only replied, “Yes, yes, oh my god, alright.”

Taemin squealed with glee and only hugged Minho’s leg tighter. “Oh my gosh, thank you, hyung. I love you so much, I promise I’ll be a good dongsaeng and I’ll even give you an early Christmas gift–”

“...Minho?”

Taemin stopped squealing and looked up, spotting a blonde boy at the door way. He was in a grey sweatshirt that had a high school’s name in large font across the chest and black skinny jeans. His blonde bangs were tied up and away from his feline-like eyes, giving off a casual aura to the model.

“Who’s that?” Kibum asked.

Taemin squeaked when Minho covered his mouth, answering for him. “Your biggest fanboy.”

“Yah! I just wanted to meet him, that’s all!” Taemin retorted, throwing Minho’s large palm away from his slender face. Kibum smiled slightly, fiddling with the hem of his jacket sleeve. “Nice to meet you. I’m Kibum,” the blonde said, walking over to the kitchen to fix himself some breakfast.

“I know–I mean, er, my name’s Taemin! I’m hyung’s temporary model.” Smooth, Taemin, smooth, Minho thought, chuckling to himself. Kibum giggled. “You’re so cute, Taemin-ah. How old are you?”

“Eighteen. I’m going to attend Daegu Arts University.”

“Daegu? Oh, I was born there.”

The two began chatting away as they disappeared into the kitchen to make tea for one another. Minho went to sit at the couch, turning on the TV, flipping channels to see what was interesting. His stomach growled, discontentedly, and he frowned, staring at his torso. Be quiet, he scolded himself, then wondering why he was even talking to himself in his head.

“Minho, are you hungry?” Kibum’s voice asked. He heard Taemin’s giggle follow, and then the youngest spoke, “We could hear your stomach all the way here.”

Minho flushed in embarrassment and he shouted over his shoulder, “Yah, I’m hungry, okay!” More giggling ensued and then it was quiet once more, only the sounds of the TV and the two boy’s low chatting could be heard. He had already foreshadowed that the two boys would’ve been already close like that, right off the bat. Well..Kibum was always the sociable one; he was the kind of boy with dozens of friends and numbers on that pink cellphone of his.

Minho sighed, recalling the conversation the two had had the night before. Kibum had woken up crying in the middle of the night, his choked sobs heard from down the hallway. Minho had groggily shuffled over to the guest bedroom, flicking on the light to find the model whimpering and clutching his pillow. It had taken a lot of consolation to finally get Kibum to calm down, but the latter managed to do it. Kibum began to tell Minho about his new boyfriend, Jonghyun. He told him how sweet and caring he was, including each and every time they would meet up. Then the younger’s voice became hoarse from the sobbing, but he continued anyway, telling him that Jonghyun was actually manipulating him. Minho was utterly shocked. Was Kibum telling the truth? Whoever this Jonghyun was, even though he had never even spoken a word to the latter, Minho decided he did not like him at all (as if he did not already dislike him). Minho did not ask Kibum any questions that evening. He actually afraid to.

“Hyuuuung, food is ready~” Taemin sang, bouncing into the living room. He tugged on Minho’s sleeve, grinning like a child. Minho came out of his musing, and stood up, assuring the younger that he’ll come to the kitchen. Once he approached the kitchen island, where he sat at his spot at the counter–the left end of it. Taemin sat one chair away from the artist, purposely saving a spot for Kibum in the middle. Kibum smiled when he noticed the intentions of the younger’s actions. He slid bowls of piping hot glass noodles and slices of cooked pork and tofu across the marble countertop, placing one in front of each of the younger males. After serving himself also, he sat down at his seat beside Taemin and Minho.

The rest of the morning was quiet after the three finished their brunch. Kibum disappeared into the guest room once more fix his hair, and Minho decided to bring a sketchbook and some charcoal to the location of the photo-shoot. Taemin waited patiently on the couch, donning a black scarf and his navy blue sneakers, ready to go. Kibum emerged from the room, his hair now neatly combed and straightened. Still wearing the outfit he was already in, he wore a delicate layer of BB cream and left his cat-like eyes natural, without any eyeliner. Minho was now positive that Kibum looked the prettiest like this.

“Alright, let’s get going,” Minho said, sliding a messenger bag over his shoulder and taking a set of keys out of the bag. The three left the apartment, Minho following close behind the other males as they still continued their conversation from before. They took the bus to a stop at the edge of the city, then met up with Kibum’s manager and stylists, Nicole and Woohyun. “Hi, Froggie!” Nicole greeted Minho, with a wide smile. She gave the latter a hug and a kiss on the cheek for Kibum. “Who’s this cutie?” she asked, examining Taemin closely.

“He’s my temporary model, Lee Taemin,” Minho explained, after addressed Woohyun. Woohyun enveloped Kibum in a large hug, for he had not meet with the model for a period of time.

“He’s adorable!” Nicole squealed, hugging Taemin. Taemin, unfazed by her actions, simply smiled. Nicole introduced herself, and like earlier with Kibum, Taemin began talking to her about school.

“So, how are you and Jonghyun?” Woohyun whispered to Kibum.

Kibum shifted uneasily. “We haven’t spoken in two days,” he confessed, quietly.

“I heard he’s going to be at the shoot,” Woohyun replied, his eyes becoming wide with wariness. “But that’s what I heard. I don’t think it’s true.” Kibum nodded, biting his lower lip. He honestly did not know how to approach his boyfriend, even if he were attending. Should he tell him that he had heard everything? It would probably be the most sensible thing, Kibum thought to himself.

“Kibum, we need to get going to the location of the shoot. It’s in less than an hour,” Kibum’s manager told him. “Okay,” Kibum replied.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived the building with the set and hurried inside for they were almost late. “Kibum, go get changed,” Nicole told the model, as she ran to the rack where the assigned clothes were hanging. She grabbed the first set and shoved it into Kibum’s hands, pushing him to the changing rooms with Hyoyeon, who had come directly to the set on her own, following quickly behind.

Minho and Taemin stood awkwardly aside, noticing Woohyun had disappeared along with the others. Kibum’s manager had also went off to speak to someone. “Wow, I’ve never been on a photo-shoot set before...only to the unprofessional ones they have at the school we could sign up for,” Taemin said, obviously impressed.

Minho only nodded in response. Some of the staff members inquired the two of who they were, and led them to a waiting area near the set. Minho set his sketchbook down, waiting until the model actually returned from the changing room.

“Kibum, are you okay?” Hyoyeon asked, as she applied some dark eyeshadow over his eyelid.

“I’m fine,” Kibum murmured in response, his eyes still closed.

“You’re all tensed up,” the makeup artist said. She made another of the brush and placed it down on the table, reaching for an eyeliner. Kibum bit his lower lip in nervousness. He had seen Jonghyun at the other side of the set when he had entered the main room. The latter had not noticed him coming in, for he was speaking to another photographer, but Kibum knew he couldn’t avoid his boyfriend any longer. He had to approach him afterward.

Once Hyoyeon was done, she let Kibum leave the changing rooms and Woohyun led him to the set. Woohyun glanced over at the model in concern when he saw Kibum bowing his head. He was about to lead Kibum to his manager and Mir, when someone stopped them.

“Key.”

--

I got stuck at the end. y chapter. OTL sorry.