It hadn’t been just any other day for Kibum, though he wished it was. He had woken up tired and lifeless, dragged himself through all his morning routines. He dreaded school, and his prayers must have been answered because as soon as he left his apartment, someone grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards a parked car. By the time he realized he was being kidnapped by his own best friend, Kibum was too stunned to speak properly.

Once they were in the safety of an old car that smelled like…decay, Kibum narrowed his eyes.

“What’s this?”

“I borrowed it from my neighbor! We need an adventure, you and I.” Jonghyun cheered loudly after his speech, paused, then added, “And Minho and Taemin.”

“We’re skipping school?”

“Yes. How else will we have our adventure? And before you say no, think about the teachers, the whole student population who are just waiting for you so they lend their comfort. They’ll smother you with pity and ask questions about haelmonie, and…”

“Okay, okay!” Kibum sighed. “I give. Just shut up.”

They pulled up in front of Taemin’s apartment, and both he and Minho climbed into the backseats, shouting out greetings. Minho settled himself before helping Taemin with his seat belt. Jonghyun glowerd at the sight he saw from his rearview mirror.

“Oh by the way, what’s with Jinki hyung yesterday?” Taemin asked. “He seemed unhappy.”

Kibum shrugged, “I don’t know. He wanted to talk about something but I had to go.”

“Did you tell him?” This from Minho.

“No. I haven’t talked to him since.”

“That’s really cute, hyung! He had a bad day so he came to you!” Taemin practically squealed. “You guys are for real for real!”

“Maybe he found out about our fan club,” Jonghyun joked. “Jongkey Is Real.”

“Oh God,” both Kibum and Minho muttered at the same time while Taemin laughed.

--

Kibum watched as the sunlight danced across the river, ripples moved away from each other with every pebble he threw into the water. He could hear Taemin’s chuckle and screams as Minho bullied him. Jonghyun was sitting next to him, attention focused on the two youngest. 

“Are you ever going to tell him?” Kibum asked suddenly.

Jonghyun’s head whipped back to look at his best friend, “Tell who what?”

“Come on. You can’t be that stupid. Haven’t you noticed how Taemin is special to you?”

“Mm,” Kibum frowned at the non-commitment answer, but Jonghyun simply looked straight, mind wandered elsewhere. “Am I a creep?”

“What? Why?”

“Taemin isn’t even legal,” Jonghyun said in a small whisper.

That reminded him of when he first kissed Jinki and the elder had freaked out about his age. He had been and was the one who made the first move. The memory made him smile, lifting away some of the worries that gnawed at him. 

“He’s only two years younger than us.”

“Yeah, so that means he won’t be legal for another two years.”

“If you wait, you’ll lose him.”

“You waited and it worked,” Jonghyun pointed out.

Kibum shrugged, “Yeah, well, Jinki isn’t normal.”

Then he remembered the threat and clenched his fist. That girl.

“What’s wrong?” Jonghyun asked. “You look like you want to kill someone all of the sudden.”

So Kibum told him about the girl that had threatened him and about Minho’s visit at his place. Jonghyun listened without comment, nodded his head occasionally. When Kibum was done, Jonghyun rolled onto the ground and started laughing.

“What? What’s so funny?” Kibum demanded.

“I just…never…Jinki hyung!?” 

“Hey! He’s good looking and nice, why not?”

“Okay, don’t get so offended. It’s just funny.” It took a few minutes and several gulps of breath, but Jonghyun finally sobered. “So, Minho’s cousin is dangerous, huh?”

“Not her, but the people she knows.”

 

“I’ve got your back, Kimchi.”

Kibum smiled, feeling like a weight had been lifted. No matter what happened, just knowing that his friends are behind him was enough. 

--

“Wow.”

Joon muttered when Jinki showed him the text and the pictures. It was Kibum on a couch sitting in some guy’s lap. There was another of them kissing. And another – he pushed the pictures away from him - of them in a pretty compromising position.

“So…” He trailed off, unsure of what to say.

“Yeah. It doesn’t make sense and it isn’t like Kibum. I didn’t believe it but I saw him yesterday and he all but ran away from me,” Jinki said. He was on the floor, on his back, staring at the ceiling fan as it spun around and around…and around.

“Maybe he was in a hurry.”

And around. “To get away.”

“You don’t know that.”

And around.

Joon gave an impatience noise, “Stop! What are you doing? Just go talk to him.”

“I don’t know where he is,” Jinki admitted. “I waited at the school’s gate this morning. And I asked around. No Kibum.”

“I thought Kibum was pathetic before,” Joon said dryly. “Looks like you switched roles.”

“Funny, isn’t it?”

--


“What are you hoping to get out of this?” 

She shrugged in a simple movement that seemed as graceful as a cat’s. There was something about the way her eyes gleamed; the way she glided across his room. He knew the moment he entered his room and saw her that something wasn’t right. It took a few minutes for him to notice her holding the pictures. It was just supposed to be harmless. It was the night when Kibum and Jonghyun had slept over, and they were just messing around with his newly found camera (or newly given back since Taemin had borrowed and lost it). Kibum did some crazy pose that he saw from a movie, some borderline suggestive, to make them laugh. Minho couldn’t even remember the pictures clearly, but he had hidden them because they were simply embarrassing. He knew they weren’t anything anyone would take seriously, unless someone knew what to do with them. And his cousin was someone who knew what to do with them.

“Why you do want Jinki hyung?” He asked again.

Nicole regarded him as if he was a slow child, “Minho. I don’t want the nerd, heir to some little convenience store. Are you that slow?”

“Kibum?” Minho’s mouth dropped open. “You’re after Kibum!? He’s a bit…taken and gay, Nicole.”

She shrugged, “he’s young. I’ve seen this happens a lot in America, I am sure he is simply experimenting.”

Minho wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or cry, “Kibum has been sure since he was seven. How do you even know him?”

“We studied together abroad when my dad sent me to America. He was there, and we really hit it off. Then he came back over here and all he ever had eyes for was that stupid cashier. So I am going to use your pictures to help move things along since the threat didn’t work. I even paid that stupid girl money to go and threaten him.

“No matter, once Jinki sees the pictures, there is no way they’d be together,” Nicole stretched on the couch and gave him a lazy smile. “Or I could always ask Jinwoon’s help. I am sure things will go my way once Jinki is dead.”

“Don’t do it,” it almost came out as a growl. 

She simply smiled at him. “Poor Minho, you really must have loved me, didn’t you? When I was first adopted into the family because my mom married your uncle, you were the first person to really be kind to me, weren’t you? 

“You’re not going to mess things up for me, will you?”

“No,” he lied. Nicole had always underestimated him. He had stopped loving her the moment she stopped being innocent.


Minho looked over at where Key and Jonghyun sat, laughing quietly to themselves. I’m sorry, was he all could think. He had to tell Key. But he didn’t know where to start. He could betray his cousin, but the less Key knew, the better. Nicole won’t stop. But how was he going to keep Key away from Jinki? 

“Hey, Key hyung’s phone is ringing.” Taemin pointed to the picnic blanket where they lay out their stuff. 

Minho nodded and grinned, “I’ll bring it to him.”

He took the phone and jogged over to where Key and Jonghyun were, still talking between themselves. He waited until Jonghyun noticed him.

“Where’s Taemin?”

“Over there,” Minho pointed. “He’s still playing.”

“I’ll join him,” Jonghyun got up and dusted off his . “TAEMIN!”

“What’s up?” Key asked when he sat down. 

Minho shook his head. “Just wanted to see how you were.”

“Good. Better. Jonghyun was right, but don’t tell him that,” Key said, laughing. 

Minho nodded, the phone vibrated continuously inside his pocket. He gripped it hard enough to hurt, silently praying Key wouldn’t notice. It was wrong. It was so wrong. But he had no choice. Nicole already had some gang behind her, helping her. He battled with his conscience all the while Key was distracted. Then Taemin and Jonghyun joined them, and he threw Key’s phone into the river, during the middle of the commotion.

--

“Still nothing?” Joon asked, disbelief colored his tone.

“Nope,” Jinki replied, stuffing another whole donut into his mouth.

He tried calling and texts, but Kibum still didn’t reply. He had been by the school again and still the same answers, no one had seen Kibum. Someone told him about Kibum’s grandma, though, so he went to the hospital with flowers. He talked to Kibum’s parents, and felt guilty that they trusted him so much as Kibum’s tutor, not knowing that he was also dating their son. Jinki didn’t leave until Kibum’s parents insisted, and when questions about Kibum’s whereabouts came up, he had lied and told them something about the younger being with Jonghyun after school to study. 

Now he was back at the store watching over it as Joon lingered by the counter, curiosity had him questioning Jinki every five minutes. Questions Jinki didn’t have answers for.

Something was wrong. It wasn’t the pictures or even the break-up text. But something was definitely wrong.

 

---

“Are you going to let me in?” Kibum asked, pushing him aside.

Jinki almost fell backward and laughed. Wasn’t it just like Kibum to make him worry by disappearing for two whole days, then stand there and demand to be let in? He remembered once when they were little and Kibum demanded ice cream after screaming at him for a full ten minutes about…something. And like an idiot, he went and got the ice cream. He was always giving in. Why was he always giving in? Why was Kibum so important?

“Jinki, are you okay?”

“Kibum’s here,” Jinki announced to his cat. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

Kibum sniffed the air, “Are you…drunk? I smell alcohol!”

“Nope. I’m functional.”

“You mean dysfunctional.”

“Nope.”

The younger rolled his eyes, “Why did you drink?”

He dragged Jinki to the living room and pushed the older boy onto the couch. Kibum went back to the kitchen and sighed, there was nothing aside from ramen in Jinki’s pantry. It was better than nothing, he supposed, so he got out a pot and went to work.

From his place on the couch, Jinki watched his boyfriend’s side profile. Kibum had a good jaw line. He chuckled. There was something he had to do, to say to Kibum but he couldn’t remember what it was. He yawned. Why was he so sleepy? Maybe he will remember after a nap.

--

Kibum sliced through the egg, and smiled as he placed the half egg on top of the ramen. It looked almost restaurant-made. He grinned, proud of himself, he had never cooked for another person before.

“It’s done!” Kibum whistled as he made his way around the counter to the living room. He rolled his eyes again. Jinki was sprawled out on the couch, deep asleep. Since there was nothing to do, Kibum lay down and went to sleep, too. He thought briefly about the ramen in the kitchen, but dismissed the thought.

--

Jinki groaned; his head was killing him. There was something heavy on top of him, pressing him to the couch. He thought about being held down by a ghost and got excited. He had always wanted to experience being pressed down by a ghost. Jinki reached out his hand and touched someone’s head. Could you touch a ghost? Slowly he opened his eyes and almost screamed.

Kibum was curled up on top of him, a blanket separating them, deep asleep. From the time Lee Joon dragged him to the bar to the time he woke up, he must have missed something. How did Kibum get into his apartment? The boy above him shifted and he knew Kibum was waking up. Part of him was disappointed because he rather liked their position.

“Jinki?” Kibum mumbled and snuggled more into him. “Time is it?”

“I don’t know.”

“I made food.”

“Hm?”

“In the kitchen. It’s cold now.”

Jinki wrapped his arms around the younger boy, “Let’s just sleep.”

--

Kibum yawned as he got up. His stomach growled but he didn’t feel like eating cold ramen. What time was it? He probably should be heading home. He looked around the untidy living room and shook his head. Maybe he will clean up. Kibum frowned at the beige envelope shoved in between some books on the coffee table. It was addressed to Jinki but it had his name bolded across the front. Why did someone send Jinki something with his name on it?

The blood drained away from his face as the pictures poured out. He recognized them. They were pictures Minho had taken of him, except in the real pictures he was alone and in Minho’s room, not with some guy on some ugly couch. He wanted to kick Jinki awake and demand an explanation but he knew – Minho had warned him. His cousin, that girl, Minho said she was dangerous. She wasn’t kidding when she said to stay away from Jinki. And that day in front of the school when Jinki had approached him, the day his grandma was in the hospital. Had Jinki known? Was that why he was angry? Did he believe it? Was that why he got drunk?

Did Jinki believe the pictures?

At the end of the day, that was all that mattered, wasn’t it?

No. It wasn’t. If that girl was willing to do this far, how much further would she take it? And if Jinki already started believing something so little like this, where would they be if she decided to do something else – something more? And how could Jinki believe something as stupid as those pictures? Kibum glared at the sleeping boy on the couch and without thinking, extended his leg to kick him.

“Get up!” Kibum growled. He kicked the useless lump again. “Get up!!”

--

Once they were awake, sitting across from each other in Jinki’s living room, Kibum asked the obvious question of “what’s the hell is this?”, then asked again when the other guy just looked at him. He racked his brain for any sort of patience but could not find it in him. He blinked as a furious Jinki glared at him from across the room, eyes unwavering.

Kibum crossed his legs, eyes stared straight back, “When did you get this?”

“The other day.” Jinki raked a hand through his hair, then exhaled. “That’s not important. We need to talk about the breakup.”

“Break up,” Kibum repeated, his voice cool and hollow. “I see.”

“Yes,”

Whatever it was, he wouldn’t crumple, Kibum promised himself. “You want to break up.”

“No.” Jinki frowned. “But apparently you do.”

“What the hell are you talking about!?”

“I got a text, from you, saying we should break up.”

“I don’t even know where my phone is!”

“What’s this?” Jinki sneered, shoving a phone in his face.

He looked at the text, and blinked. Kibum felt nothing but bafflement. Was this what Jinki wanted? After all that has happened, Jinki didn’t hesitate to even consider the situation. He just sat and demanded an explanation, as if he truly believed Kibum did do something wrong.

“What does it look like?” Kibum countered, keeping his voice calm.

“You know what it looks like.”

“Yeah, but do you?”

Jinki blinked, “what? What are you talking about?”

“I know what it looks like, Jinki. And those pictures, too. What compromising positions, right?” It wasn’t supposed to happen. But the tears came before he could stop it. “Your little boyfriend is a little , poor you, right?

“No. Don’t interrupt me.” Kibum stomped his foot in frustration. “I can’t believe you. Has it occurred to you that I would never do that? I don’t know what you want me to say, because, honestly, I’ve never seen that ugly guy or that stupid-no-taste-of-a-couch in my whole life!”

Jinki coughed, and then covered his mouth to hide his smile. And nothing could have caught Kibum more off guard. He stopped to consider the situation, no, Jinki wasn’t blaming him for the picture. But he was mad.

“You believe me.”

“Of course,” Jinki lifted Kibum’s chin so that their eyes met. He knew the moment he saw the pictures that they couldn’t be true, albeit he had his doubts when Kibum suddenly disappeared, but no cheating boyfriend would make cold ramen and snuggled to him, even if he couldn’t remember ever letting Kibum in. But he also knew that there was something bothering Kibum, something that the younger hadn’t told him, something beside his grandma. It didn’t take much for things to click into place. The only question was who and why. “I’m not stupid!” Jinki looked at the pictures again. “It’s not the stupid pictures.”

“Then what is it?” Kibum asked, his voice softened slightly from confusion. What did Jinki mean it wasn’t the pictures?

To his surprise, Jinki scoffed, “I can tell. I told you, I’ve been taking I.T and computer programming classes.”

The relief that ran through him was instant and draining. Without his rage, Kibum didn’t have anything to hide behind. He sagged against the couch and covered his face, the full force of the situation smacking him in the face. Whoever that girl was, she really meant what she said, what Minho said. He really was in trouble.

“Then why are you so mad?”

“Because this is bullying!” Jinki pointed to the pictures, his brows snapped together in frustration. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me sooner. I knew something’s been bothering you but you didn’t even come to me.”

“That’s not…” Kibum trailed off. Now was probably not a good time to bring up news about his grandmother. Especially since Jinki’s gotten things all wrong. “They are not bullying me, stupid. Well, they are…but it’s because of you!”

“Me?”

“The girl who is doing this,” Kibum gestured with a sweep of his hands. “Everything. It’s because she wants you.”

Jinki blinked, “me?”

“Don’t be so surprise. You’re good looking and nice. Of course she likes you.”

“You think I’m good looking?” Jinki teased. “Awe, Kibum.”

“Shut up.”

--

There were endless speculations. In the end, they couldn’t come up with anything concrete.

“What are we going to do?” Jinki asked.

“We’re going to break up.”

“Kibum, we’re not going to break up over something this stupid.”

“I know. But we are going to act like we break up.”

Jinki grinned, “Are you sure you can part from someone so good looking and nice?”

“Shut up!”