“Jonghyun, you and Minho take the bags to the car.” Key said, stopping suddenly in front of a salon as they made their way towards the exit. “In fact, take the girls and head back to the dorm. Taemin and I will meet you back there later.”

“Why do we have to leave?” Sulli pouted, ignoring the way Jonghyun rolled his eyes and hitched up the bags in his arms.

“Because you’re cramping my style and I need space to let perfection run.” Key said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Or because he wants to make it a surprise.” Amber said rolling her eyes. “Come on guys, lets not piss off the diva.” Linking her arm with Sulli’s, Amber strolled off not looking back.

Ignoring Jonghyun and Minho’s presence, Key place his hand on Taemin’s elbow and guided the younger towards the salon’s entrance.

Thoughts swirled around in Taemin’s head, worries about what Yunho would do if he came back primped and styled.

“Stop worrying about what everyone will think.” Key hissed as he flashed a smile to the attending beautician. “You’re going to look amazing when we’re through here, I promise.” Turning his attention to the woman at the counter, Key gestured for Taemin to sit down.

Taemin sent a pleading look to Minho who still stood outside the salon entrance looking helplessly in at his roommate. Jonghyun said something to the taller boy and admitting defeat Minho gave Taemin a sympathetic look before following Jonghyun off.

A thump in the chair beside him drew Taemin’s attention. “It will be about 10 minutes before someone can take you. I ordered a colour, cut and style.” Key paused biting his lip as he caught sight of a magazine. Picking it up, he flipped to the main spread.

Taemin was able to see the thoughts moving about in Key’s head as the older muttered to himself, glancing at Taemin and squinting his eyes as if in thought. Then he nodded as if agreeing to the thoughts in his head.

“On second thought, maybe extensions.”

Taemin’s eyes were wide as he caught a glimpse of the pictures Key was looking at. “But that’s a girl.”

“And the style will suit you so much better than her. Copper with extensions, bangs but long in the back. Perfect.” He ripped the picture out, smoothing it out. “Just perfect.”

It took three separate stylists and over four hours to create the look Key had decided on. Key had chattered on the entire time, commenting on how Taemin’s new look would help him fit in more and how much confidence a good hair cut could bring.

Taemin was skeptical, but kept his doubts to himself. No amount of hair dye would change who he was and how he was treated.

The dye felt like it was burning his skull as he waited for the colour to set and the first time he whined, Key had told him that if he thought that was bad, next time they’d go blonde and then he could see what pain really was.

Taemin had shut up after that.

They had to trim off the dead ends of Taemin’s hair before they added the extensions, little tuffs of hair floating around in the air. Taemin sneezed when some landed on his nose.

By the time he was seated under the dryer, Taemin was exhausted. It was well after dinner time and he could feel his eye lids drooping.

Somewhere far away sounding a bell dinged. Taemin’s head jerked up in surprise, not realizing he had drifted off to sleep.

In his dazed state, Taemin didn’t recognize himself in the mirror. Key had been right, strangely enough the long hair, slightly red in colour, did look good on him.

He wondered briefly if it would give Yunho another reason to punish him.

Taemin never saw Key pay for the expensive make over, barely managing to keep his eyes open as the older steered him from the mall and to his car. The sky was dark and before Key was able to make it to his side of the car, Taemin had rested his cheek against the window and fallen asleep.

He briefly thought about how disconcerting it was for him to be comfortable enough to fall asleep almost anywhere, but the sounds of Key’s chatter lulled him back into a pleasant sleep.

Perhaps it was the last few years and the lack of sleep he got that made him so tired now, or maybe he really had found the place he belonged and subconsciously his body just knew it.

The ride back to the school was much quieter than the ride to the mall. Key left the radio off, listening to the sound of Taemin’s breathing. The younger seemed so peaceful while he was sleeping.

It reminded him so much of Jinki.

Something fierce flowed through Key’s veins and he vowed to never let things get as bad as they did with his oldest friend.
Never again would he have to see what he saw that day only months before.

He wasn’t going to let another friend suffer like that too.

His musings brought him back to the parking lot where he pulled out his phone and demanded Minho come and help bring sleeping Taemin in.

While he wasn’t the prickly diva everyone made him out to be, he could out muscle half the guys in school if he wanted to. He just simply didn’t want to, why be bothered with the dirty work when he could convince one of his more athletic friends to do it for him.

Not to mention he could tell when something was up with his friends and something was certainly up with Minho where Taemin was concerned. The tall boy may look like he had nothing going on upstairs but his silence was only a cover for the speed in which his mind worked.

Unlike him and Jonghyun, Minho played the guess my uality game quite well. No one would ever guess that Minho preferred to bat for the same team, even though he wouldn’t pass up a chance at switch hitting.

Minho appeared five minutes after the phone call, ignoring Key in favour of staring at Taemin.

“You like him don’t you.”

Key’s words made Minho turn to him. “He’s my roommate.”

“And you look at him like you don’t look at anyone else.” Key intoned, moving closer to Minho. “You connected with him right away, you never do that.” Having known Minho for years, Key knew when something was up with the younger.

“What do you mean?” Minho opened the passenger door carefully so to not let Taemin fall to the ground. Carefully he picked up the younger boy, cradling him gently in his arms.

Taemin grumbled, lips forming a pout as his body was shifted around.

“I mean, Mr. I don’t talk outside what’s necessary, didn’t you say that should the committee decide you need a roommate you would cause a stink and get rid of the person.” Key led the way, feet crunching light snow.

“I changed my mind.”

Key snorted, “You don’t change your mind.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t.” He gestured for Key to swipe his card at the door with a flick of his head.

Sighing dramatically, Key swiped then opened the door, holding it open for Minho to carry Taemin through.

They walked in silence until they reached Minho’s door. Nodding to his friend, Key pushed the unlocked door open.

Minho pushed ahead, ignoring Key’s presence. Moving through the dimly lit dorm room, the tall boy deposited the boy in his arms on the younger’s bed. Instantly he rolled over, curling in on himself and hugging his legs to his chest.

Gently and carefully, Minho untied shoes and set them haphazardly on the floor. The jacket was harder and Minho only managed one arm before giving up. Moving to his own bed, Minho pulled his comforter off and used it to cover Taemin.

With his hair covering his face and his breath puffing out in soft bursts, Minho stared, thinking about the last boy to lay in that bed.

“Reminds you of Jinki doesn’t he?” Key said from the doorway.

Minho ignored Key, instead turning to remove his clothing.

“I didn’t ask for the strip show.”

“Then get out of my room.” A white t-shirt was drawn over his head as Minho stepped out of his jeans.

Key snarled, anger at being dismissed evident on his face as he stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him. The dim light cast from the hallway was extinguished leaving the room in almost complete darkness.

Smirking in triumph, Minho shucked his pants and dropped onto his bed. Taemin snored softly from the bed beside him, causing Minho to turn his head to stare into the blackness.

Taemin wasn't Jinki, no matter how much the younger reminded him of his older friend and Minho sure wasn't going to let the same thing happen twice.

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I'm back!!! Sorry about the wait, but at long last an update!

Comments are love!! Let me know what you think, big or small commets I love them all!!!

Loves Kat