Minki pulled his hair back into a tight ponytail and puckered his lips, smearing chapstick over them in a second. As he straightened his shirt and took a look at his face in the mirror one last time. He’d been so focused on his face for a moment that he’d hardly heard his bedroom door open and the eldest of the group enter.

Minki turned. Something about the look on Aaron’s face screamed at him uncertainty, but he ignored it. What could it be? Just then, Aaron reached for his hand. Minki pulled away at once.

“Why are you in here?” he asked him, not meaning to sound as suspicious and angry as he did. He held both of his hands behind his back now as he stood in his spot.

“I just wanted to see if you were ready to go yet. Joonkin is here.”

The blonde nodded, looking to Aaron one last time before he exited, and waited in the hall for him.

---

Jonghyun stared hard at Dongho as they stood on the lawn, Joonkin already in the van. Oh, how the Leader wanted to warn him of his actions, but held back, scared for his secret. Instead, he continued his hard glare until the other three emerged from the house.

Aaron took the front seat, Dongho and Minhyun in the middle, as usual. Jonghyun sat with his back resting against the seat with his eyes closed. As Minki climbed in next to him, he rested his hand on the other’s. The way he moved his fingers on top of Jonghyun’s own explained exactly how he felt. Afraid of what he should do. Wrapping his thumb around Minki’s smaller hand, he consoled him.

The car ride to the venue was quiet, as it was only a few miles from the house. Minki tried not to let the meeting the day before get to his head as he entered the building. Though the thought drove him nuts, he knew what had to be done.

He took his seat next to Dongho at the table; their sister group, After School already taking the stage. This was not their usual order, and the fans certainly noticed. Several girls with questioning looks on their faces passed by as they signed anything and everything they brought to them. It was ten minutes before Joonkin approached them again, ducking his head between Minki’s and Dongho’s.

“You have to make this believable.” was all he said. Minki groaned as Dongho turned to him, whispering himself.

“I’m going to smile. You have to, too. And don’t freak out if I touch you.” he said.

“Touch me?” Minki asked, his face askew. He soon fixed his eyes upon the poster in his hands, and signed his name again. Passing it to Dongho, the elder spoke again.

“Not touch you, touch you. Just your shoulder, god.” Dongho bickered.

“Fine, but this is stupid.”

Dongho smiled, and Minki smiled back, looking into his eyes. He saw nothing; not a hint of any feeling whatsoever. Good. The brunette let out a boisterous laugh, and Minki’s smaller one soon followed.

“This is ridiculous.” Minki mimicked Aaron’s favourite phrase in English. It was then that he felt Jonghyun’s warm thigh on his. He’d almost forgotten he was next to him, and let out a sigh of relief. The speakers blared as After School continued their performance.

The Maknae looked down the table, no one’s eyes meeting his until he reached Aaron. He had had his cheek resting on his hand, and his elbow on the table, looking dreamily in the blonde’s direction. Minki snarled, not rudely, and turned away, looking back at Dongho who was checking his watch. He smiled at him again, this time placing a hand on his shoulder and running it down his arm. Minki quivered, but had no choice but to smile as well. He felt Jonghyun’s hand on his thigh now, and he grinned for a reason this time. He looked to his love, noticing his beam of delight as he signed the final CD.

---

The van was full now. Minki sat next to a large pile of gifts and letters from their fans. It would be a lie if he’d said he wasn’t happy; he was, but his face hardly showed it.

“You did good.” Joonkin praised as he started the van, pulling out of their spot and quickly driving off. “Now, just keep that up.”

“This is stupid.” Minki said aloud, against his will. He widened his eyes at his own voice. Joonkin chuckled from the front seat, and the rest stayed quiet.

“I know.” the manager agreed.

---

           Minhyun pulled the pot of pasta from the stove and poured it over the sink, draining the noodles just as his mother had taught him to do when he was younger. Staring into the elbow macaroni, he considered his chat with Dongho earlier that day. He was sure Aaron wouldn’t do anything about his feelings for Minki, but he was afraid that he couldn’t be too sure about anything. Maybe Dongho misunderstood what he was trying to say. Yeah, that would have been the safest bet.

What if it was true, then? Minhyun was glad that he was the only one that knew of Jonghyun and Ren’s relationship. Otherwise, his head would be spinning even faster than it was now.

He let the pasta drain as he prepared the rest of the pot, tearing open the cheese packet and squeezing it in. Since Aaron had first introduced him to this delicacy, Minhyun could not get enough of it. Those Americans sure did know their snack foods. Stirring the cheese into the macaroni, he his lips.