Despite the darkness that enveloped the small living space, indicating the late hour, Kibum could hear sounds from the noisy street below. Inside Jonghyun’s apartment, the refrigerator hummed lowly, harmonizing with the AC unit. He rolled from his back position onto his side, cringing when the spring mattress made squeaky noises. From his new position, he could see Jonghyun’s profile perfectly, asleep on the floor next to him. Since it was dark, Kibum couldn’t make out any details, but he thought he could see Jonghyun sleeping with his eyes slightly opened.

Slowly, he rolled onto his back again. The act of watching someone sleep was a bit too intimate and Kibum felt like a creep for doing so; in the end, he had to force his mind back to the task of trying to fall asleep. It was only one night. Tomorrow he would be back in his office, surrounded by his paperwork, his mind too busy for any thoughts of Jonghyun. It was disconcerting that he should be giving his employee any thoughts at all, much less spending the night in said employee’s home. If he were ever found out, his family would disown and kill him…quietly, of course. 

Kibum gave up sleeping when he saw the windows’ blinds brightened from the morning light. Rays from the sun seeped in through the opened slits of the blinds, animating the once darkened room. Birds sung outside, high chirping sounds. For the first time in his life, Kibum listened. He was usually up around this time, preparing for the day, but he had never paid any attention to how the sun liven everything with its appearance, or how the birds greeted the day. He was always too busy with his day.

He glanced down at Jonghyun, who was shifting around on the floor, on the brink of waking up. Kibum’s breath hitched inside his throat as a slow smile formed on Jonghyun’s face, his eyes fluttered opened.

“Good morning.”

The light casted an almost ethereal effect on Jonghyun’s skin and hair, making him glow in a way that had got to be unnatural. Kibum couldn’t find his voice.

“Want coffee? I know a place near here.” Jonghyun stretched as he spoke, rubbing away sleep from his eyes. “Kibum?”

“I…”

“I want to show you something.” It was abruptly said, much like the hand that grabbed his, dragging him out of bed. 

Before Kibum could respond, Jonghyun already had him outside, the door slammed shut behind them. They climbed up several flights of stairs, which made Kibum grumbled in discontentment. He hated morning exercises. When they reached a dead-end, a metal door, Jonghyun turned to give him one last grin before pushing it opened. Kibum realized they were on the roof.

The sun was now fully up, its beams reached out like hands to encompass the land in a golden embrace. The air quality was different somehow, it was almost sweet. Buildings reflected light from the windows, bouncing the beams in different directions around the city. Trees colored the otherwise dull landscape, flowers bloomed in dots from where he stood. Kibum took everything in with a childlike enthusiasm he hadn’t known he was capable of.

“Wow,” He breathed, “Just wow.”

“Exactly, you could exist on this Earth without ever really living,” Jonghyun commented. “The difference is how you choose to greet every day.”

“I…” Kibum turned away from the sight to look at the guy standing beside him. “I envy you. I didn’t know what it was that bothered me about you before, but I’m actually jealous of you.”

“You don’t have to sound so surprised.”

“No, well…yes, I do. I have never been jealous of someone else.”

Jonghyun scoffed, “Of course. Why would you be?”

“I wondered what it was like to be so…free,” Kibum ticked away the points on his fingers, “Free from responsibility, from commitment, from stress…”

“Yes, the rest of us never have to worry about bills or jobs. We just float on by without a care in the world,” Jonghyun rolled his eyes, sarcasm dripped heavily with every word. 

“I didn’t mean it like that…”

“It’s all perception, Kibum. You can choose to enjoy what’s given or you can always wish for something on the other side. In the end, all you’re doing is wishing and being bitter about life.”

Kibum didn’t answer, he lapsed silence instead, pondering over this new life lesson. No one had ever told him to enjoy himself. There were lists and agendas, things to be done, satisfaction came from accomplishments. But no one ever told him to “enjoy.” He wasn’t sure if he had ever truly enjoyed something for the sake of enjoyment before. 

“I…” He wasn’t sure what to say. Just a moment before when Jonghyun was talking, he sounded serious. It was something different for Kibum. “You said something about coffee?”

Jonghyun grinned, “Let’s go. Do you need to…borrow clothes?”

“Ah,” Kibum looked down at himself. His clothes were wrinkled from sleep and the train. He had discarded his jacket in the limo on his way to the station, so he was only in dress pants and a white button up shirt, which wasn’t tucked in. He wasn’t very sure about what happened to his tie. 

“I’ll take that as a yes.” 



As soon as he stepped into the quaint coffee shop, the strong smell was the first thing that smashed into his senses. Second was the noise level, there were bodies everywhere waiting or talking at tables. The line was impossibly long; Kibum frowned, fussing with Jonghyun’s simple T-shirt. How was he ever going to get coffee? He was even more confused when Jonghyun disappeared behind the counter. A blonde attendant pushed him, trying to get him out, but Jonghyun simply patted the boy’s head and continued what he was doing. 

Jonghyun guarded the two iced coffee with his life, while trying to reach for the lids. They were so busy that the employees didn’t notice his presence; they were simply trying to grab at his coffee so they could fulfill orders from the customers. Taemin glared at him from the cash register.

“I’m so going to kill you one day!” The lanky boy threatened from his post. “You can’t just do that!”

“I’m going to pay for them,” Jonghyun grinned. “Thanks, Taem.”

“That’s not the point!” Taemin hissed between gritted teeth, “Wait until I’m off work. I’m going to trash your apartment, hyung.”

“I changed the lock and you know it.”

“I got a copy of the key and you know it.”

Jonghyun didn’t have time to respond before his large iced coffee was yanked out of his hand and given to someone waiting in line. “HEY!” But his protest went unheard as bodies moved past him to grab something or other. Sulkily, he poured himself another iced coffee before sneaking away from behind the counter. 

“Thanks Taemin!” He called over his shoulder.

He rejoined Kibum who was still standing in the front of the store amid the people looking frazzled and confused. There was something cute about Kibum in his T-shirt looking like a lost child; Jonghyun shook his head to clear away the thought. It wasn’t safe to think that way of an employer…right?

“Here you go.”

Kibum blinked, attention once again focused on him, “How did you do that?”

“I know someone.”

“Well, that was impressive, I must say.”

“If you must,” Jonghyun grinned. “And thank you.”

“You’re so…” Kibum paused, a smile spreading across his face, “weird.” He sipped his coffee thoughtfully, following Jonghyun outside to look for a table. “But really, I don’t know how to thank you.”

Jonghyun pulled out a chair for himself, shrugging. “Consider it a good deed.”

“Good deeds shouldn’t go unrewarded.”

“True, then consider yourself indebted to me,” Jonghyun grinned. “You owe me, Kibum.”

“Mr. Kim.”

“God. Let’s start with that. Call me Jonghyun.”

“I can’t.”

“You won’t, there is a difference.”

Kibum sighed, “Fine. Jonghyun, then, thank you. I do owe you.”

“Good,” Jonghyun held up his hand, “You know, you owe me a lot. Carrying you home drunk, letting you crash at my place, getting you morning coffee…”

“You sound like Hana.”

“Sounds to me like I’m doing more than I need to as your maid, I should get a promotion.”

Kibum fixed him a stare so intense Jonghyun almost whimpered and held up a white flag. But he held his ground and stared back. Finally Kibum laughed, “To what?”

“What’s beyond a maid?”

“A steward, but I don’t see what difference it makes since you’re my only employee. You really don’t need to manage a staff.”

Jonghyun smirked, “Since we are on first name basis anyways, let’s be friends.”

“Jonghyun.”

“What? Am I too good for you?”

Kibum sighed again in resignation. “Fine.” It seemed like Jonghyun was determined to push him out of his comfort zone, which should have been frightening. But Kibum found that it wasn’t that bad; which, he guessed, should be the most frightening thing of all.

“OH CRAP!” Jonghyun shot up from his chair, knocking it over in the process. “Hana! We have to give that speech to your grandma today!”

Suddenly the world wasn’t such a sunny and beautiful place anymore as Kibum groaned, a sudden dark mood descended upon him. Oh crap indeed, he forgot all about it. 


“This is a car?” Kibum gasped as he took in the rusting box of metal Jonghyun proudly claimed as his. It was an old Honda, probably older than both of them and it was definitely in the worst shape possible. One of the windows was missing, at first Kibum thought it had been rolled down but upon closer inspection he noticed the jagged pieces of glass sticking out. “What happened?”

Jonghyun shrugged, “Some punk threw a rock at my window.”

“And you didn’t get compensation?”

“He’s ten. I doubt he has any compensation to give me.” Jonghyun laughed, opening the door to the driver’s side. “Get in.”

“I’m not going to contract any diseases, right?”

At Kibum’s question, Jonghyun rolled his eyes. “No, Your Royal Highness. Get in.”

For a car that looked like it had been beaten and mistreated, it ran pretty smoothly. Kibum thought he would keep that comment to himself, no need to raise Jonghyun’s hopes; this car wasn’t going to last much longer. Even if the engine did work, it was falling apart at the seams. The air vents blew out hot air despite their attempts to crank it to the coldest level. The radio played some old song through staticy speakers - a song which Jonghyun apparently knew and was jamming to, singing as loud as he could.

“I didn’t know you could sing,” He yelled over the speakers and Jonghyun’s voice. “You sound decent.”

“You’re always so nice,” Jonghyun replied teasingly, grinning. “Actually, I’m somewhat a musician.”

“Somewhat?”

“Yeah, I’ve got all of the skill but none of the recognition.”

“Is music what you want to do?” Kibum asked. Friends asked friends things like this, right?

“Hm, I just want to do what will bring in the most money. Music unfortunately isn’t an option.”

“Why is money so important?”

Jonghyun tightened his hold on the steering wheel, “It’s the answer.”

“Whatever happened to all that hippy things you were telling me before?” Kibum pressed on. “When we were on the roof and you said to just appreciate life.”

“I do,” Jonghyun grinned, “But there are just things I need to do and appreciation doesn’t pay rent.”



It was his first time coming home with someone, though they knew they weren’t living together. But the feeling was still there as Jonghyun opened the door and waited for him to step in first. The warmth spread throughout his body starting from his cheeks, Kibum was temporarily taken back but Jonhyung’s cocky grin got his legs moving and he found his footing again.

“Watch it, I might think you’re falling for me,” Jonghyun laughed. 

“You shouldn’t joke about something like that,” Kibum countered, “especially to someone who is so obviously out of your league.”

With that, Kibum sauntered upstairs with all the swag he could muster in a polyester T-shirt and wrinkled pants, leaving Jonghyun sputtering nonsense after him. It felt good to put his employee - Kibum had to constantly repeat this in his mind so he doesn’t forget – in his place. 

“You’re no Prince Charming,” Jonghyun called out when he made his way back downstairs, dressed in his usual dress shirt and perfectly ironed slacks.

“Excuse me?”

“Prince Charming, like from Disney.”

“Well you are no damsel in distress, now are you?”

Before Jonghyun could conjure an intelligent reply, the front door busted open. The force of the door alone made a horrifying sound and for one second, neither breathed. Jonghyun froze, wide-eyed, as Kibum’s grandma entered the spacious living room. Her presence was so great it seemed like she filled up the whole room. She barely spared him a glance as she marched up to Kibum, newspaper in hand.

“What’s this?” She demanded evenly, perfectly composed despite her dramatic entrance.

“I…”

“Kim Kibum’s Night Out! Questionable Partner?” was printed boldly across the page. Kibum’s face drained of all color as his eyes met Jonghyun’s. There was something frightening about the way Kibum’s eyes hardened.

“,” Jonghyun breathed out before he even realized what he said. “!”