Kim Kibum thought that he had everything he could ever wish for. A full-ride scholarship to Seoul Art University, the country’s best design college majoring in fashion design, an amazing best friend, a supportive family despite his ual preferences, an internship lined up with one of the most famous and prestigious designers in the industry after graduation, and the thing that was the most important to him, his successful, loving boyfriend. Or at least, that’s what he thought, until a string of unfortunate events causes him to met the man that would turn his world upside down, bring chaos into his mundane life, but most importantly, this man would become the one person that he loves more than life itself.

Kibum, or Key as he preferred to be called, was always known as a bit of a diva, he could be sassy, y, and slightly self-centered but he was also one of the kindest, sweetest, most caring people a person could ever meet, a trait that he only showed to people that he was concerned and cared about, the people closest to him.

So his sudden need to take care of this random, seriously-injured, shady-looking man that he found lying face down on the sidewalk was a mystery to Key. Especially if he knew how drastically his life would change when he did help him, Key would have just ignored him. On that life-changing day, Key was walking to his cerulean-blue compact car, which was parked around the corner from the dance studio he took classes at on Fridays (the only day he didn’t have to go to his university courses), at around 10:30 pm since he stayed three hours after class ended to perfect the steps that he lacked in. Key turned the corner and walked past the alley between his favorite noodle shop on the corner and the rare, used bookstore to see a dark-haired man on the ground, a small pool of blood surrounding his torso.   

Noticing that the man was not moving, Key’s first thought that he was dead but as he slowly moved closer to the body before him, he could see that his back was rising and lowering slightly with every shaky, shallow breathe he took, so much so that it was almost unnoticeable. Key then ran to the person’s body and collapsed to his knees to roll the person over, examine his wounds and hopefully help him regain consciousness enough to ask him his name. He grabbed the man’s right arm and pulled it to him resulting in the man’s head resting on his denim-clad thighs.

Looking at this man’s face, Key could tell that he was only about three or four years older than he was and as an afterthought he noticed that he was attractive, very attractive, and even more handsome than his own boyfriend. The fashion design student in Key automatically looked at his clothes, an expensive, black Georgio Armani suit from his most recent fall collection, needless to say he was impressed by his impeccable taste and knew immediately that he was loaded to be so young (Key thought he was most likely a rich, trust fund baby).

Key’s eyes then scanned further down his body and saw the big, gaping hole in his stomach that was gushing blood profusely, eyes growing wide, he panicked. Key grabbed his duffle bag, which he abandoned next to him, ping the small side compartment and extracted his pink iPhone and dialed for an ambulance. As he waited for the phone to connect, he started to gently slap the man’s cheeks trying to wake him, “Hey, open your eyes, are you alright? I’m calling an ambulance for you, they’ll help you. ”

“This is 911, what’s your emergency?” the female emergency operator’s voice bellowed through the other end of the phone.

“There’s a man between,” Key looked left then right at the street signs, “First Boulevard and Hudson Street that-” Key was unable to finish his explanation because the mysterious man snatched the phone from his hand and hung up.

Key looked down at the man, whose head was placed comfortably in his lap, with a confused, angry expression on his face. “What are you doing?! I’m trying to help you!!”

The man who was still bleeding rapidly, breathed in and out heavily as if he was struggling to stay conscious, finally looked up at Key, “No, you’re not helping me, the only thing you’re doing is trying to get me arrested. I can’t go to a hospital.”

“What?! Why wouldn’t you go to the hospital?! You’re about to bleed out if you don’t, are you trying to kill yourself?!” Key yelled angrily to the injured man.

“I have to go somewhere else. Anywhere but the hospital, will you help me?” the attractive stranger asked Key, seeming to make puppy-dog eyes, pleading with him to take him somewhere that wouldn’t get him found out.

‘Why do these things always have to happen to me,’ Key thought, looking up at the darkened, cloudless sky that ominously overlooked the precarious situation that he put himself into by being a good Samaritan.

Key rolled his eyes and sighed, “Fine, I’ll take you to my apartment, is that alright? Can you stand?” Key cursed his sympathy for those who were hurt, ‘This is all because of that damn adorable, blue bird with the broken wing when I was six,’ he said reprimanding himself for his good – yet potentially dangerous – decision.

The man solemnly nodded his head. Key then raised him from his lap into a sitting position while raising himself to his feet in order to pull the other man up from the ground. Key walked around, standing in front of the guy, and yanked him up, tossing an arm around his shoulder and supporting him with an arm wrapped around his waist. The man instinctively put his hand on his aching, bleeding wound, applying pressure to help stop or – at least – slow the rapid bleeding.

“Uh, do you have a towel or something that I could put on this?” he asked, gesturing to his bullet wound.

“Oh, yeah, I’m sorry I didn’t think about that before, here,” Key gave the man his duffel bag, “I think I still have some first aid materials in there too. Like some gauze and antibiotics, hopefully that will help until I take you home.” Key replied with a nervous expression. “Do you really think going to my apartment will be better than going to a hospital with professionals that could help you properly because I’m not very good with medicine?”

The guy nodded again, “Yeah, it’ll be fine. I’m going to call my friend when we get there. He’s a surgeon at the main hospital in Seoul.”

“Good idea, because if I took care of it, you’d probably get an infection and die,” Key stated, in a completely serious tone, as they began the slow walk to Key’s car, careful not to cause the man any more pain than he was already feeling.

The man chucked at what Key said and asked the question he had been eager to ask since he looked into Key’s mesmerizing, feline eyes, “Hey, what’s your name?”

Key opened his passenger side door and helped him to sit, “Why do you need to know? And if you get blood on my leather interior there will be hell to pay, got it?” Key accentuated his statement by slamming the door and walking around to the driver’s side and started driving the short distance to his loft’s apartment complex.

‘I like this guy, he’s feisty and has an enticing body, just my type,’ the bleeding man thought while staring at Key’s profile. Key could sense the man’s intense gaze directed at him and looked at him pointedly with an angry expression when they stopped at a red light.

“What exactly are you looking at?!” Key snapped impatiently.

“I’m looking at the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen, who also happens to be my savior. Don’t look at me like that, baby, you’ll get wrinkles on that pretty face of yours.” The man said plainly with a – admittedly y – smirk on his face, Key grimaced, while pulling away from the intersection, at his own thoughts about this man’s undeniable appeal, he felt like he was cheating on his boyfriend by just looking at the hot piece of man candy sitting next to him.

Key scoffed to cover his suddenly heavily beating heart and warm cheeks, “The man who might bleed to death is trying to flirt with me right now? I could just dump you out on the street and leave you here, would you prefer that?” Key said, with a sly, deadly look on his face.

The man’s face grew a hard expression, eyes narrowing and turning darker than their chocolate brown color. “If you did that to me, you would greatly regret your decision,” he stated, with a cold, low voice that radiated authority.

The complete change from his playful personality to speaking in a threatening tone, startled Key and he recoiled from the subtle threat, “Okay, okay, I get it. I was just kidding anyway, no need to take it so seriously.” Key tried to play off his nervousness, while keeping his eyes on the road, suddenly afraid to look at the man in his car.

As they pulled into the complex parking lot, the injured man broke the fifteen minute silence, when Key parked in his assigned space. “So, you never answered my question.”

“And what question was that?” Key said.

“What’s your name, cutie?” The man approached it from a less upfront angle than the first time he asked the question.

“It’s Key,” Key said to his new companion, turning off the ignition, getting out of the car and walking around to the man’s side to help him out.

“Key, huh? That isn’t a Korean name, what’s your real name?” he asked in his suave, playful voice again. Key supported his weight, as they walked towards his building’s elevator to go to his seventh floor apartment that overlooked the Han River. Key noticed for the first time that the man was rather short but when he held his waist, he could tell that he made up for his small stature with his fit, muscular body, feeling the taut muscles underneath his thin, black shirt.

“I don’t tell my real name, especially to someone who has a suspicious gunshot wound, okay?” Key said, as he dug his apartment key out of the side pocket of his gray skinny jeans (that he designed himself as a course project).

“Ah, I get it, that’s alright I’ll find out one way or another, sweetie,” the man said confidently and snickered at Key’s constant defiance, sealing his statement with a suggestive wink to Key.

Key ignored his flirting and unlocked the door; bring the wounded man to his dark brown sofa to lie down on while he searched for more first aid supplies.

When Key rummaged through the cabinets and drawers in his bathroom and bedroom, the man took the time to look around Key’s rather spacious living room. The walls were painted a warm tan color, soft off-white carpeting, a unique natural wood coffee table on top of a Persian rug in the middle of the floor, two side tables with wood-based lamps at either end of his comfortable dark brown sofa, a magazine rack that mostly consisted of fashion, interior decorating, dancing, and art magazines, a black, flat screen television mounted on the opposite wall with two flower paintings on both sides of the television; everything coincided with the earth tone theme throughout.

He also noticed a rather nice-sized home office, further to the right, in front of the sliding, glass doors that lead to Key’s immaculate, plant-filled balcony, complete with large, floor to ceiling bookshelves (home to his entire collection of reading materials) and sliding ladder. As he looked towards the ceiling, he noticed just how high they were and the huge, intricate, antique, crystal chandelier that hung just low enough to provide sufficient lighting for the living room. He saw the second floor hallway that was visible from the living room, only being guarded by a beautifully-carved wood railing, creating the effect of a loft. The man’s eyes followed the elaborate railing to the spiral staircase that was trimmed with the same wood banister. The whole apartment, being accented by all of the wood furniture, gave off a somewhat vintage-Victorian feel and seemed to match the refined, cocky personality of the feline-eyed man perfectly.

Key finally came back with his box of first aid supplies and sat next to the man on the sofa, directing his gaze to the man’s face, “Did you call your friend yet?”

“No, I kinda got distracted by your place. It’s very sophisticated for someone so young. How do you afford it?” He said, genuinely interested in how someone he assumed was younger than him was able to afford such a nice place.  

“My grandmother left it to me when she passed away and most of the built in furniture was already here, I just added some extra furniture and accessories. Interior decorating is my second hobby after dancing.” Key shrugged after he answered. “I could ask you the same thing about how you’re able to afford that expensive Armani suit,” Key said with his left eyebrow raised.

The man chuckled and smiled – almost stopping Key’s heart at the wonderful sight –, displaying all his pearly, white teeth and pulled out his phone to call his doctor friend, then he waited till his friend answered.

“Jinki, bring your supplies to -,” the man looked at Key, “uh… what’s your address? I didn’t pay attention on our way here.” He asked.

“It’s 1583 West Park Avenue, seventh floor, apartment 7D,” Key told him. The man repeated the address to his friend, Jinki, and hung up.

“He’ll be here in ten minutes,” the man assured Key.

“Good, because I have no clue what to do except to disinfect your wound so you won’t get an infection. That’s all I can do right now till he gets here.” Key told the man, who was still convulsing from the pain in his gut, although he hadn’t noticed it before since the man covered his discomfort so well. 

Key reached his hands out and gripped his biceps to pull him into a sitting position, “Sit up, so I can clean your wound.”

The man sat up and let out a strained breathe; cracking his famous, flirty smirk, “Are you sure you could handle seeing my ripped body without drooling?” the man asked.

“I’ll be fine, especially since it won’t be very appealing, what with all the blood and the hole this bullet made in your stomach staring right at me.” Key said resolutely, ing the man’s shirt, revealing the wound.

The man’s smirk died a little when Key made a valid point, that all his efforts in the gym would not impress the pretty feline in this situation. As soon as Key finished wiping the blood from his skin and cleaning the wound, the door bell rang.

Key stood from his spot and headed to his wooden, front door, opening it to a man – taller than the injured one – with long, light-brown hair hanging over his eyes, who also had a charming face with striking features. ‘Good Lord, is everyone this man knows gorgeous?’ Key thought staring somewhat amazed at yet another good-looking man in his apartment.

“Where’s the boss?” Jinki asked Key quickly, urgency in his voice.

“Boss? Whose boss? Boss of what? What are you talking about?” Key asked him quizzically.

“I’m in here, Jinki,” the man called to Jinki from the sofa, being in too much pain to move to Jinki inside, and cutting Key off from getting answers to his questions.

Jinki passed Key without asking to come in and went to the man on the sofa, “What happened? Did the Kang brothers’ men do this to you?” Jinki asked, putting on surgical gloves and getting a pair of tweezers to remove the bullet from his stomach. ‘The Kang brothers? That name, Kang, sounds familiar for some reason…’

“No, the Kangs’ actually came to meet me themselves, can you believe that? That’s why they wanted me there alone and not bring anyone with me. I should have known they were planning a set up.” The man said, breathing rapidly to keep himself from screaming as Jinki tried to get the bullet out that was lodged deep in his flesh. Key stood in the background cringing at the sight.

“How did you meet him?” Jinki asked, tilting his head in Key’s direction, still working on pulling the bullet out without causing anymore pain to the man.

“He was walking by the alley I was lying in when Gun Woo shot me after I killed Sang Woo, and he brought me back to his place to help me,” the man said, smiling at Key with an appreciative glint in his adorable puppy eyes, making Key blush unintentionally.

Jinki nodded in understanding while glancing at his friend’s affectionate expression and Key’s blushing cheeks. Jinki successfully removed the bullet and put it in a tiny, plastic, Ziploc bag (S/A/N: about the size of the bags that extra buttons are put in for clothing), stitching up the man’s wound, and putting a gauze pad over the slightly bleeding wound, securing it with white, surgical tape.

Jinki examined the bullet for a minute, “Looks like the Kangs upgraded to .9 millimeters, I wonder where they got the money for those? No wonder why the hole in your torso is so big.” The man on the sofa just nodded tiredly. Key stood in shock wondering what he had just gotten himself into, ‘who are these people?! Don’t tell me I took in a criminal. Great!! Now I’ll go to jail for aiding and abetting’ Key’s thoughts were going into overdrive, jumping to as many ridiculous conclusion as he could come up with. For some reason, a small part of him still wanted to help this stranger no matter how much trouble he could potentially get into, he felt a sort of obligation or need to help him.

“Okay, the bullet luckily did not sever any major organs or nerves but if Gun Woo was a better shot… he would have gotten you in the kidney. If you change the bandage regularly, keep the wound clean and free of infection, you shouldn’t have any problems and make a full recovery. I’m going to give you antibiotics to put on it every day for about a month and painkillers you should take whenever you feel any pain in your abdomen. Take two of the painkillers now, sleep for a while, and eat something light,” Jinki told him, hoisting him from the sofa and supporting his weight.

“Key-ssi, do you have a spare room where he could sleep for a while?” Jinki asked.

“Yeah, down that hall, first door on the right,” Key said, pointing to the room right across from his own bedroom (which was the largest bedroom in the house, of course).

After Jinki took the man into the bedroom that Key pointed out, he came back out and bowed 90 degrees to Key, “I’m sorry to just barge into your home like this but I really appreciate you helping our boss, so thank you.”

“Who exactly is he anyway? He never told me his name, and why do you call him boss?” Key asked his questions from earlier again.

Jinki looked back at the closed door where his friend was sleeping, “I can’t answer that and he probably wouldn’t want you to know anyway since I can tell that he likes you.”

“Wait, what? He likes me? He hasn’t even known me for five hours?!” Key said to Jinki, exasperated and shocked, he was really embarrassed with how fast his heart was beating because of a man whose name he didn’t even know. ‘I have a boyfriend for Christ’s sake!!’

“The boss moves rather fast when he thinks someone is a good person. Usually he is a great judge of character and a good person, just not all that trusting in people,” Jinki explained to an astonished Key, who still couldn’t get over that the man in his guest room thought he was a good person after only spending four hours with him.

“I’ll come and pick him up tomorrow afternoon, if that’s okay with you?” Jinki said, looking into his medical bag and handed Key his card from the hospital that had his personal cell phone number written neatly in blue pen on the back. Key simply nodded in the affirmative, showing Jinki out, then closing the door behind him.

Key headed to his modern kitchen the next room over, getting a glass from the cabinet above the counter; he poured a cold glass of water for the man to drink if he was thirsty after he woke up. Key walked into his pastel blue guest room and put the glass of water on the nightstand next to the bed and watched the man sleep.

Now that he was not freaking out from the stranger’s gunshot wound, he was able to analyze this man’s facial features thoroughly. He had a head full of soft, silky dark-brown hair that tempted Key to run his fingers through, a strong jaw line, high cheekbones, plump kissable lips, and Key had to admit that looking at his abs made him a little flustered earlier. If he were taller Key would have thought that he was a fashion model, his appearance was just that eye-catching.

Deciding that he had had enough excitement for today, Key exited his guest room to walk across the hall to his own bedroom  that was decorated in black and pink, his favorite color combination (S/A/N: also my favorite color combination, pink is my favorite color like Key’s xD). Too tired to put on pajamas, Key pulled back the comforter, slipped off his jeans and laid under the sheets with only his big t-shirt and boxers on.

The next morning, Key was greeted with the sun’s bright light directly on his face, coming through his shear, hot pink curtains. Key blinked away his sleepiness and stretched like a cat does after its afternoon nap and sat up to take in the familiar surroundings. He decided to lounge in bed for about ten minutes, before he got up and made himself breakfast, since it was only 7 am. Once he lay back down in his bed’s welcoming warmth, he all of a sudden remembered yesterday’s unusual turn of events and the man that was currently sleeping across the hall in his guest room.

Key forced himself, after only three minutes of his ‘me time’, to go check on the wounded puppy. When he entered the room, the man was sitting up in bed sipping the now room temperature water and taking his painkillers. Key walked closer and sat at the edge of the bed and looked at the mysterious stranger, “Are you ever going to tell me your name?”

“Not until you tell me yours first, princess.” The man smirked at Key and finished off the rest of his water, buttoning up his shirt afterwards. “Jinki is supposed to be here soon to take me back to my house.”

Key sighed and nodded, still a little upset about his questions constantly being ignored. “Do you want anything to eat for breakfast?” he asked. Something Key learned from his grandmother was to always be a good host no matter who was in your house and his own motherly instinct that is always active around his adorable, younger best friend, Taemin, who actually calls him Umma.

“No, I’m okay. Drinking the water was difficult for me because of the pain in my stomach. I’ll eat when the pills kick in,” was the mysterious man’s response before he got off of the bed, wobbling slowly to the door. Key quickly stood up and went to help the man to walk down the hall, holding him up by the waist, and put on his shoes. As soon as they reached the front door, Jinki rang the door bell, signaling that it was time for the injured man to go home and rest.

Key went to open the door and Jinki stepped inside moving to take Key’s place supporting the man standing at the entrance. “Thank you again, Key-ssi,” Jinki said seriously and sincerely, “for helping our boss.”

Key smiled at Jinki, “It was no problem, I’m glad I could help him.”

“Yes, thank you, gorgeous. I won’t forget your hospitality or kindness.” The man said, looking Key up and down, an almost predator-like glint in his eyes, while his lips.

“Fine, you’re welcome! Now, can you please get him out of here, Jinki!! He’s looking at me like he wants to eat me!” Key exclaimed, pushing the two out the front door.

“You read my mind, sweetness!!!” the man shouted as Jinki dragged him down the seventh floor hallway. Key rolled his eyes and closed the door, locking it, then he released a relieved breath when he leaned against the door, closing his eyes, savoring having his apartment to himself again.

Key couldn’t believe everything that had happened to him in less than twenty-four hours. Seeing that man on the ground bleeding, thinking he was dead, finding out he was alive, trying to take him to the hospital but instead bringing him to his apartment, meeting the man’s friend, Jinki the surgeon, watching him get patched up, the man staying the night in his guest room and leaving the next morning. So much happened that Key’s head spun so much he felt dizzy, he wasn’t used to anything happening that was not in his regular routine, nothing out of the ordinary at least.

Key walked over to his cushy sofa and plopped down on it getting ready to watch one of his favorite cooking shows (Key loved to practice his cooking techniques and make new dishes for Taeminnie and his boyfriend). But before he could navigate to the right channel, a story on the news caught his immediate attention:

“A warrant for the arrest of infamous mafia boss of the Omegas, Kim Jonghyun, has been issued by the Chief of Police in the Seoul District under the counts of first degree murder, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, tax evasion, racketeering, and suspected drug distribution. Last night at 9:50, the body of drug lord Kang Sang Woo washed up on the shore of the Han River with two gunshot wounds, one to the heart and the other to the head. Undisclosed witnesses say that they saw crime boss, Kim Jonghyun shot Kang in cold blood. This issue was brought to the attention of authorities after the body was found along with the murder weapon and a warrant for Kim’s arrest was issued immediately. If anyone has information on the whereabouts on Kim Jonghyun, please contact the police department or the federal agents that are working with local police.” The male news anchor prattled off his lines with his monotone voice, while staring intently at the teleprompter and checking the notes placed in front of him.

Key stared at the television in horror, jaw slack and eyes wide, because along with the report was a dashing photo of the same gorgeous man that stayed in his guest room, the same man who had that gruesome gunshot wound to his stomach. Key knew something was fishy with that situation but he wanted to give him the benefit of doubt but then when Jonghyun and Jinki mentioned Kang Gun Woo and Kang Sang Woo, he remembered their names when they were put on trial for selling illegal drugs to underage, high school students. All of the dots alligned and connected but he still denied the unsettling feeling in his gut.

He couldn’t believe that the man who slept so angelically in his guest room and shamelessly flirted with him was……… THE Kim Jonghyun.

Key was unsettled, if anyone ever found out he helped the top mafia boss in Seoul, he would end up being collateral damage when Jonghyun was arrested. But, overall, Key was irritated with himself because despite this major revelation that could most likely make him a felon, he felt an unquestionable attraction to the bad boy. And everyone knows that having feelings for someone dangerous always leads to trouble.

****      ****      ****      ****      ****

Ever since their unfortunate meeting, where his first impression was not as polished as he would have liked it to be, Jonghyun had developed an obsession for his y, feline savior. Jonghyun had tried for several weeks after leaving Key’s apartment to find Key’s phone number, something he knew he should have asked for while he was there. Not knowing that Jinki already had it since Key called to check up on the reptilian patient the week before.

“Why can’t I find his number anywhere?! He’s like a ghost!! He’s not even in the phone book!!” Jonghyun exclaimed, furiously pacing his office after utilizing all of his computer resources to find any trace of Key’s personal information.

“Well, that’s because he’s not listed.” Jinki replied blandly to his immature outburst. Sometimes he wondered how Jonghyun could be the most feared crime lord in Seoul, or Korea for that matter, when he was subjected to his severe overreacting and childish behavior.

“Well, I know that now, smart !!!” Jonghyun yelled exasperatedly to his best friend, who did not respond to the insult, he instead flipped the page of his medical journal lackadaisically with his feet propped up on the arm of the sofa in Jonghyun’s office, used to his diaper buddy’s tantrums.

“Alright already, calm down will you, you’re going to give me a migraine with all of the yelling your doing. I’ll tell you where you can get Key’s number” Jinki told Jonghyun.

“REALLY?!?! How?! Tell Me!! Where is it?!” Jonghyun pounced on the sofa next to him, startling Jinki causing him to drop his magazine on the floor, behaving like a puppy whose favorite treat was waved in front of his face.

Jinki sighed, staring at his friend and boss unbelievingly, dropping his hands onto his lap, “Fine… it’s in my phone,” Jinki said, with a self-satisfied smirk crossing his face.

“WHAT?!?! You mean to tell me that I was about to pop a blood vesicle about not finding Key’s number, and YOU HAD IT THE WHOLE TIME?!?!?!” this time Jonghyun’s response was almost a scream that could put a few cracks in his windows.

Jinki shook his head and chuckled, “Yep, and it was entertaining too. There’s nothing like watching His Majesty getting all worked up over a pretty kitty.” 

“Give. Me. Key’s. Number. Right. NOW!!” Jonghyun said, slapping Jinki’s head after each word.

“YAH!!! Don’t forget I’m still your hyung, ARASSO!!!” Jinki exclaimed, finally losing his temper with the overly-excited dinosaur’s outrageous antics. ‘Man, he must REALLY like this guy; I’ve never seen him act this crazy over anybody, not even his only long-term girlfriend, SeKyung’ Jinki thought, happy that his favorite dongsaeng was finally falling hard for someone again.

Jonghyun held up his hands in defeat – well, mock defeat because he knew that if he didn’t, Jinki wouldn’t hand over Key’s number – breathing deeply to get his speeding heart rate under control. “Alright, alright, I’ll chill out, hyung. You know I’m still your boss even if you are older than me, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, take the number, you psycho,” Jinki told Jonghyun playfully, handing the eager man his white iPhone. Jonghyun scrolled through Jinki’s contacts and found Key’s cell phone number in the K section.

“Finally, I can call my cutie now,” Jonghyun said, with a cheesy smile on his face, immediately saving Key’s number into his black iPhone under the contact name ‘Keybaby <3’, and calling the boy right after.

Jonghyun waited for five rings, his face lighting up when Key finally answered the phone, but frowning when he heard another man’s voice in the background.

“Yeobosayo,” Key’s melodic voice sang into his cell phone’s receiver, the chattering continuing in the background.

“Key?” Jonghyun said, feeling a little sad as it seemed that his crush was not alone.

“Yes? Who is this?” Key replied to Jonghyun’s solemn voice.

“The man with the gunshot wound.” Jonghyun stated to identify himself.

“Jonghyun? How did you get this number?” Key said, taken aback by the unexpected phone call from the mobster.

“Ah, I see you know my name now. I got it from Jinki, he said you called to check up on how I was doing. Is that true, Key?” Jonghyun asked hopefully, his happy mood returning just thinking about Key being worried about him.

“Yeah, it is. But don’t take it the wrong way,” Key told him sternly, “anybody with a conscience that found a person almost bleeding to death in an alley would want to know if they survived.” Jonghyun’s mood dampened again, when Key denied doing it for any other reason than being a good Samaritan.

“UMMA!!!! When are the cookies going to be ready, the movie’s about to start!!” an unfamiliar male voice called from the background on Key’s end of the line.

“Just five more minutes, Tae!!! Then we can eat them, I’m coming after I get off the phone!!” Key yelled back to the other person.

“Do you have a kid? Why did he call you, umma?” Jonghyun asked with his eyes narrowed; confused with the short conversation he overheard.

“No, I don’t have any kids, dummy!! What makes you think that? He’s just my best friend; I protect him and take care of him like an umma. Now, I have to go my cookies are about to come out of the oven. Bye-bye, Jonghyun-ssi!!” Key replied, in a sarcastic, slightly annoyed tone, trying to rush the gangster off the phone.

“WAIT!! Key, uh, I wanted to ask if you’d like to go out with me to dinner on Saturday.” Jonghyun said nervously, surprising himself with his timid voice but he was just glad that he didn’t stutter.

“Kim Jonghyun, the crime lord, is asking me out on a date?” he said with disbelief riddled in his tone, “Sorry Jonghyun-ssi but I have a boyfriend. Goodbye now.” Key brought the phone away from his ear to press the ‘end call’ button when he heard Jonghyun’s urgent voice yell ‘wait’ again. Key sighed for third time and put his ear to the speaker.

“Now what, Kim Jonghyun,” Key said blandly, more worried about his cookies burning and Taemin getting impatient waiting for him than he was about what else Jonghyun had to say to him.

“I know you probably don’t like me because of what you heard about me on the news but if you’d just give me a chance to explain everything over dinner, you won’t regret it. And the dinner will just be as friends, it won’t be a date if you don’t want it to be. What do you say, huh?” Jonghyun pleaded, hoping that Key could hear the sincerity in his voice because he had never been this serious about getting to know anyone.

In the short time that Jonghyun has known Key, his personality has changed drastically, he’s gotten softer and more compassionate towards others because of the genuine kindness Key showed him the night that he almost died from excessive blood loss. Before Key, the entire concept of being a good-natured person was completely foreign to him because ever since childhood he was taught that there was no such thing as compassion and love. That same detached mindset lead him to be a deadly, widely-feared mafia leader who displayed only apathy for others, but thanks to Key, all of that changed.

On the other line, Key listened to Jonghyun’s proposition, thinking about how honest he sounded. So Key let his curiosity and desire to see Jonghyun’s addictive body again decide over his brain and common sense, “Okay, one dinner, as just friends. Call me with the details, bye Jonghyun-ssi.”

“Call me oppa, baby,” Jonghyun said, his flirty voice back in action and signature cocky smirk plastered on his face.

“Goodbye, Jonghyun-ssi.” Key said; not – or trying not to be – amused by Jonghyun’s pick-up lines.

Jonghyun’s face softened into a love struck smile at Key’s stubborn attitude, “Goodbye, Key-ssi.” He said, using honorifics for the first time to anyone, therefore showing just how much Key means to him.

Meanwhile, Jinki was watching his childish friend with a small smile on his face, happy to see Jonghyun so infatuated with someone. ‘Jonghyun has it so bad for Key, his affection is oozing out of his pores’ Jinki thought in satisfaction, knowing that Key felt the same way about Jonghyun.

When Key hung up the phone, he couldn’t keep the giddy smile from spreading across his lips. Even though Key acted uninterested in seeing the dinosaur man again, that couldn’t be further from the truth. He pressed his pink iPhone to his chest, closed his eyes and sighed dreamily. The dinging of the oven timer snapped Key out of his blissful trance and alerted him to the freshly-baked cookies for his and Taemin’s weekly movie night/sleepover. Key scampered over to the oven and removed the cookie sheet that held ten of his famous chocolate chip cookies (another recipe he learned on his favorite cooking show), plating them with the first batch and taking the full plate over to the sofa, where Taemin sat cross-legged with a beige pillow perched on his lap serving as support for his arms to prop up his head.

“These smell so good, Umma!! Thank you~!!!” Taemin said cutely, aegyo on overdrive, while he munched on a warm cookie that left smudges of chocolate all over his mouth.

Key chuckled and smiled affectionately at his sheer adorableness, handing him a napkin to wipe his mouth with, “You’re welcome, sweetie. Here, wipe your face with this; you’ve got chocolate all over your mouth.”

Key could not believe that someone so innocent and adorable was nineteen (only two years younger that himself), he still remembered meeting the shy, six year old, Taemin like it was yesterday. Taemin and Kibum had been friends since elementary school because their mothers were colleagues and took them to all of their office parties as children. One particular Christmas Eve party, the boys hit it off (this being only the third time they had seen each other), dancing and singing along to the music blasting through the speakers, forming a lasting bond that made them inseparable ever since. Key loved to reminisce about the fond memories of his best friend and he treasured the day that he got to know and spend time with such a beautiful person.

Taemin looked at Key with an innocent, sheepish smile “Mianhaeyo, Umma. By the way, who was that on the phone?” Taemin asked suddenly, wiping his mouth after.

Key, not expecting the sudden inquiry, choked a little on his chamomile tea, “No one, Minnie. Don’t worry about it.” He replied; trying to brush of the abrupt warmth that spread through his chest while he thought back to Jonghyun’s adorable attempt to ask him out on a date.

“Umma, you know I know when you’re lying to me and I’m going to get the truth out of you whether you like it or not,” Taemin stood firm, desperately wanting to know what could make his almighty umma so bashful.

“Okay, fine. Jeez, you become more and more like me every day. Stubborn as an ox and as determined as a bull. Do you remember when I told you that I met Kim Jonghyun?” Key asked; trying to refresh the younger’s memory.

“Yeah, isn’t he the mob boss that got shot and you let him stay with you for the night?” Taemin tilted his head to the side, waiting to see if he was right and biting into another one of Key’s delicious cookies.

Key blinked in surprise, expecting Taemin to have forgotten that piece of information the way he does when he misplaces his electronics, “He called me… and asked me out… on a date.” Key said unsurely, slowly, gauging Taemin’s reaction.

“You’re going to go out on a date… with Seoul’s most wanted crime boss?” Taemin asked staring at Key, shock displayed on his feminine face.

“Well he told me that it wasn’t really a date… it’s more like a dinner… just… between friends. Jonghyun said that he would explain what happened when he got shot and that it was different than what the news reported. He probably wants to thank me for helping him too, I’m not really sure what I should do… but I really want to see him again.” Key quickly told Taemin because he was nervous about his reaction.

“Do you like him, Key-Umma?” Taemin asked, noticing the visible blush and shyness that Key exhibited whenever he talked about Jonghyun. Key nodded, somewhat ashamedly.

“What about your boyfriend though?” Taemin asked while popping the last piece of cookie in his mouth, thinking about Key’s biggest obstacle in his relationship with Jonghyun, he was still attached to someone else.

“I don’t really know what’s going on with him anymore. Whenever we’re supposed to go on a date or just spend time together he always cancels on me. He doesn’t just pop over to the university to surprise me or pick me up like he used to, it’s gotten to the point that I hardly ever see him. He doesn’t buy me gifts or flowers spontaneously nor does he really answer any of my calls regularly. But the thing that hurts the most…… is that he never tells me that he loves me anymore.” Key said, getting chocked up on the last sentence while trying to hold back the tears that were pricking the corner of his pretty, feline eyes.

“Key-Umma,” Taemin said in a soft, sympathetic voice. He moved closer to Key on the sofa and pulled him close to him so Key could cry on his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, Umma, I didn’t know that he was being that way to you. I wish you would tell me stuff like this more often so that I can help you, you shouldn’t have to keep the burden on yourself. Do you want me to send Minho after him, because I will, anyone who hurts my Umma deserves a good beating,” Taemin said to Key, trying to lighten the mood a little, smiling at his victory when Key giggled.

“I didn’t want to burden you with my issues either, that’s why I didn’t tell you but I will from now on, I promise,” Key laughed and smiled at Taemin, who returned an equally as bright grin to the older man, “But, enough about my depressing life, how are things going with you and Minho?”

Taemin looked down at his lap with his usual crimson blush; that just screamed ‘I am so in love with my boyfriend I get flustered just thinking about him’. Minho and Taemin’s relationship frustrated Key and made him jealous of the special love they shared. But even though he was envious, he was extremely happy that his Taeminnie (who is more deserving of love than anyone he’s known) was able to know the true meaning of finding one’s soulmate, Key just wanted that kind of love for himself too. 

Minho is five years older than Taemin and when they met Taemin was only sixteen – being the overprotective Umma that he is, Key disliked Minho immediately since Taemin was underage – and Taemin had a major crush on the intelligent man with the beautifully sculpted body, who worked as the substitute teacher for his history class in high school.

They began to spend a lot more time together when Taemin’s teacher left the school on pregnancy leave and Minho took her place as the world history class’ permanent teacher. Taemin was not very good in history so he attended the afterschool tutoring diligently – mostly to see Minho, but he would never tell anyone that – that just happened to be taught by none other than the object of his affection, Choi Minho.

Over time the two got closer while spending most of their afternoons together and both of their feelings grew so strongly for each other that Minho asked Taemin out – despite potentially being fired for dating a student or arrested because Taemin wasn’t an adult – and Taemin accepted. Now, the couple’s love for each other is still going strong.  

“We’re great, I still love him more than anything and he always tells me that he loves and adores me,” Taemin replied, trying not to make Key feel even worse about his own crumbling relationship.

“That’s great, Taeminnie,” Key said with a soft smile on his lips, “you know I’m really, truly happy for you two, don’t you?”

“Yes, Umma, I know but I want you to find someone who will cherish you the way you deserve to be too,” Taemin’s face suddenly formed a scheming smirk, “You know what?”

“What?” Key asked in a low voice, looking down at the dark brown fabric of his sofa.

“I think you should go out with Jonghyun,” Taemin said in an enthusiastic tone, “not as friends… but on a real date. He couldn’t possibly be any worse than your deadbeat boyfriend, and Jonghyun is really good-looking too” Taemin wiggled his eyebrows.

Key laughed loudly, “You think Jonghyun is good-looking? Don’t let Minho hear you say that, you remember how possessive that alien frog is of you.”

“YAH!!! Don’t call my boyfriend an alien frog!! Besides, I don’t think anyone is more attractive than my flaming charisma” Taemin said with a definite expression.

“Whatever you say, Minnie. But I think I’ll listen to your suggestion, I might… take Jonghyun up on his offer… and go on that date with him,” Key said embarrassed, but secretly happy that he just might give finding his true love a chance.

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A/N: The final part to this one-shot should be up by early next week at the latest. Thank you and look forward to Part Two!! <3 

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