A/N: chapter 20 already?! Omo, didn’t expect to write such a long story ^_^ Thank you for supporting me, my dear subbies and silent readers. I hope you enjoyed the story so far and are looking forward to the next chapters. Don’t forget to comment, those sweet words always brightens up my day J

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- Key POV –

After consoling our crying maknae, I make my way to our leader’s bedroom to have a talk with the cause of Taemin’s tears. As expected, I don’t get an answer when I knock on the door several times. So I open the door and switch on the light, earning a growl from the elder. Onew is sitting next to the bed, his legs curled up against his chest, his back against the bed’s side, his arms hugging his knees.

“Why did you snap at Taemin?” I ask.

The elder only shrugs his shoulders. How I hate this kind of silent treatment! This way it always takes a lot more effort to figure out what’s wrong. Although I told Taemin I know what is wrong with our leader, I’m still not entirely sure.

“Hyung, what’s wrong? Why did you lose your temper and growl at Taemin?” I ask again.

This time my voice is clearly filled with bitterness and irritation. I tap my foot impatiently on the wooden floor as I cross my arms in front of my chest and lean my back against the white wall next to the door. Onew ignores me completely and keeps on staring at some interesting point in front of him.

“Lee Jinki, I asked you a question!”

Our leader looks up in surprise when he hears his full name.

“You know how fragile and easily upset Taemin is. Do you realise you made him cry?”

“He cried?” Onew finally opens his mouth.

“Your growl surprised him,” I nod. “And he’s worried about you.”

“Worried? Why?”

“Because you’re not the goofy Onew we’re all used to,” I explain as I sit down next to the elder. “The last few days you’ve been so moody and irritated. You only come out your room when we’ve schedules or when you’re hungry. It’s no wonder Tae is worried about you, we are all.”

“All of you? Yeah, I don’t think so,” the leader scoffs.

“So I was right, that is the problem.”

“That?”

“You miss Soo Min, don’t you? She’s working so hard on the photographs that she hasn’t spend much time with you recently, right?”

Onew stares at me, like a deer staring into two headlights. He doesn’t utter a single word as his emotions get the better of him. Tears start streaming down his cheeks, falling from his eyes. I feel extremely awkward as I don’t know how to console him. With Taemin it’s easy, some sweet words or some banana milk can do miracles to the maknae. But with our leader, I honestly don’t have a clue what will bring the smile on his lips back, because it doesn’t disappear that easily.

“Let’s call it a day,” I whisper as I wrap my arms around his shoulders, trying to soothe the crying man next to me.

“What do you mean?” he mumbles confused.

“Let’s tell her she has to stop. Let’s tell her how horrible you feel. Besides I’m tired of being constantly reminded of that freaking red-haired devil. Every time I see those pictures, I’m reminded of the danger I’m putting you all in, especially Jonghyun-hyung. I’m sick of it. As long as she doesn’t show up again, I don’t want to think of that devil again.”

“You think Soo Min will listen? You know how stubborn she can be. And Jonghyun will defend her.”

“Why do you believe Jonghyun-hyung will defend her?”

“Haven’t you noticed how much time they’re spending together?”

“Don’t tell me your jealous of Jong, Onew-hyung?!” I gasp.

Redness tinges his cheeks as he casts his eyes on the floor.

“Stupid hyung!” I nudge the other in the ribs, laughing loudly. “Where on earth did you get that idea?!”

“I know… It’s a crazy idea,” Onew sighs, giggling softly.

We both crack up. A smile spreads across my face when I hear the elder’s typical laughter.

“Let’s go,” I say as I stand up and help my hyung back on his feet.

- Minho POV - (because I  haven’t used him in the entire story yet ;-))

Together with Taemin, I am cleaning up the kitchen after our dinner, talking about everything and nothing just to distract him from whatever is bothering him, when Key calls us to the living room.

Ten or fifteen minutes ago, when I was silently eating my dinner with Jonghyun and Soo Min – for some reason the remaining three members were not showing up –, Taemin entered the kitchen without uttering a single word. I didn’t fail to notice the maknae’s red-stained cheeks, but I also knew it was of no avail to try to talk to him. He wouldn’t spill what’s on his mind to me. Figuring that out was Key’s task.

We both put our towels down and follow our hyung to the living room. It feels as if we’re heading towards an official band meeting with our managers, except the absence of our managers and the presence of our choreographer and good friend Soo Min. We all sit down on the couch or the floor, as Key immediately comes to the point of the ‘meeting’.

“This has to stop, Soo Min. Stop your research, we’re not getting anywhere.”

“What do you mean with ‘we’re not getting anywhere’?” Soo Min sets up her defence instantly. “It takes some time, Key, even with the right material. Be patient.”

“I’m tired of being constantly reminded of that freaking red-haired devil and you shouldn’t neglect your boyfriend like that.”

“I’m not neglecting Onew at all. And you should be thankful I’m doing this for you, Key.”

“I am thankful, noona,” Key practically begs. “But you have so little free time to spend together with Onew-hyung, so please use it wisely.”

“Did I really neglect you, Onew?”

Soo Min looks at her boyfriend the first time today. The said boy casts his eyes down to the floor, giving an almost imperceptible nod of his head.

“So it’s all my fault, isn’t it?!” the girl yells, obviously irritated.

She gets up her feet, grabs all her stuff and runs for the door. Both Key and Onew call her name, but to no avail, the girl has left. Our leader drops down to the floor as he sees the love of his life leave the apartment.

“That went well, Key,” the eldest mumbles.

“I’m sorry, hyung,” the rapper apologises. “I’ll fix it, don’t worry.”