Taemin began to awake, immediately noticing the thick layer of sweat on his body. He recalled having an dream but thankfully, he didn’t remember much of it.

                He felt something tickling his ear and smiled, raising his shoulder to cover it.

                Giggling as it persisted; he heard a deep, hoarse chuckle melodically flow from somewhere close.

                A hand cupped his cheek softly, causing him to just barely peek through his heavy eyelids. Jongin’s face was there, only centimeters away. He was humming a soft tune, watching Taemin’s lips while his thumb ran over them, parting them.

                Pulling Taemin’s face closer, he placed slow kisses along the blonde’s jawline, stopping at his chin where he kissed upwards.

                Taemin placed his hand between their lips, being the only thing that separated their kiss. The younger boy went on to kissing his fingertips and palm, interlocking their fingers and easily moving Taemin’s hand out of the way.

                “Jongin-ah…” Taemin mumbled, still in a haze.

                He leaned in for a kiss, his lower lip nipping the corner of Taemin’s upper one.

                “Good morning.” Jongin whispered with a smile, guiding loose strands of Taemin’s hair behind his ear.

                “It’s so early…” Taemin whined, shuffling closer as he wrapped his thin arms around Jongin’s chest, hiding his face in the younger boy’s neck.

                “It is pretty early, Hyung.” Jongin laughed, tightly holding him close.

                “I have to make breakfast, don’t I? Getting up today seems so unnecessary…”

                “Hyung, I can make lunch for today.”

                “Why are you so nice from the morning? What do you want?” Taemin asked, suspicious.

                “Nothing, I just want to pamper you.”

                Sighing, the older boy sat up, hair tossed and clothes messy.

                His hand slid below Jongin’s shirt, rubbing a few circles on his stomach before patting it. “What do you want to eat?”

                Jongin took Taemin’s hand, adjusting his position among the sheets. “I want you to marry me.”

                “Alright, where’s the ring?”

                “It’s hidden under my clothes. Undress me to find it.”

                “Nice try.” Taemin rolled his eyes with a growing smirk.

                “At least tell me you love me.” Jongin said as he sat up, pulling Taemin into his lap.

                “Just because I say it doesn’t make it true.”

                “That’s fine.”

                He raised a brow. “Okay,” Taemin began, pressing his chest against Jongin’s as he got teasingly close, voice low. “Jongin-ah, I love you. Never leave my side or I’ll be really, really upset. You understand?”

When Jongin avoided his eyes, intimidated, Taemin just nudged his view back up, staring straight into him. “Eyes up here, Jongin. I need to know you’re paying attention to me and only me.”

                The way the blonde over his lips made Jongin on edge. “Taemin, are you sure you’re just acting here?”

                “Do you want me to be?”

                “No.”

                “Then I am.” Taemin said, sticking out his tongue before stumbling out of bed and into the kitchen, starting his day.

                “I hate you.”

                “Alright, hate me while you get yourself dressed and pack your bag.”

                “Hyung, don’t baby me…”

                “I’m not babying you. Look, come here. Do you want to help with breakfast, honey? You can hold me while I cut apple slices for you.” He joked, grabbing an apple as he began to cut it. It was juicy and made his fingers sticky. He popped a piece into his mouth, holding it between his teeth.

                Spinning around, he met Jongin’s smile. The younger boy pressed him against the counter, taking a large bite out of the slice. He around Taemin’s mouth, cleaning it of the juice.

                “What? Are you a dog now?” Taemin laughed, leaning back while he tried to push Jongin away.

                “Woof.”

                “I’m not into , go away!”

                “Woof, woof~” The younger boy continued, trapping Taemin.

                He lifted the blonde off the floor, sitting him down on the countertop.

                “Jongin, go away.” Taemin giggled, grabbing the apple as a whole and placing it in between Jongin’s teeth.

                He leaned in, giving it back to the elder via his mouth.

                “I’ll choke if I eat that whole. You have to cut it up into pieces.”

                “How demanding. Go get dressed.”

                They continued with their playful morning, Jongin sticking to Taemin like glue even after they left their house, holding hands all the way to school.

                Splitting up, they each went to their lockers. When Taemin assumed that Jongin was already at his neck class, seeing as it started in a few minutes, he showed up at his door, confidently walking in and taking the empty seat beside him.

                “Jongin, what are you doing here?”

                “I’m sitting, uh, breathing…”

                “Oh, screw you.”

                “I came to visit you. What do you think?”

                “Class starts in, like, soon.”

                “I can be late, I don’t really care. It’s worth it for you.”

                Taemin rolled his eyes, pulling out his pencil case.

                Jongin reached over, rummaging through it and pulling out a pen. Taking Taemin’s hand, he pulled it over and rolled up his sleeve, doodling on it.

                “Jongin-ah I’ll get in trouble…”

                Jongin ignored him, writing his name along with some other things in bubble letters and shading them in, drawing hearts around each one.

                “Really? ‘Property of Jongin’? I don’t belong to you.”

                “Sure you do. You’re one hundred and ten percent mine.”

                He popped the cap back on as the first announcement began playing over the PA. “Well, I guess I have to go now. Walk me to the door?”

                Without giving Taemin a chance to reply, he took the boy’s hand, taking him along on his way to the hall.

                “What’s wrong with you? You haven’t left me alone since I woke up.”

                “Because like I said, I made up my mind. You’re mine and that’s it.”

                Taemin tried shaking Jongin off but failed, easily being dragged to the door.

                “I’m not yours.” Taemin mumbled with a pout.

                “Alright, well I’ll see you later, Darling~” Jongin chimed, kissing Taemin’s cheek and stepping back fast enough to avoid the incoming fist.

                “Jongin!” Taemin scolded in a quieter tone, “What’s wrong with you?”

                The younger boy leaned in closely, whispering. “They don’t seem to mind.” He said, referring to a group of blushing girls watching them.

                “Oh, grow up. Get to class.” He groaned, pushing the boy out.

                He heard an ‘I love you’ echo from outside.

Hurrying back to his seat, he was pulled aside by one of the girls.

                “Um, excuse me…”

                “…Yes?” Taemin responded, confused.

                “I just- we were wondering… you two are really close, huh?”

                “I guess. I mean… we live together so I don’t really have a choice.”

                They all gasped simultaneously, eyes widening. “Are you two possibly lovers?”

                Taemin’s face reddened as he shook his head. “No, we’re not! Um-” without being able to think of a way to complete his sentence, he bowed his head and left.

                Jongin needs to stop being so drastic, he thought to himself, looking at the writing on his arm.

                He tried rubbing it off desperately but it only created a dark smudge. Sighing, he rolled his sleeve down, concealing the text.

                Why is he being like this all of a sudden?

                It wasn’t until he was on his hands and knees with Minho inside him that the elder pointed it out.

                “What’s this?” Minho asked.

                Taemin lifted his head from the sheets to answer but got interrupted by a moan. “What’s… what’s what?” He mumbled, answering questions being the last thing on his mind.

                “This. I didn’t put this here.”

                The blonde felt the elder’s finger run across the back of one of his shoulders. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Hyung…”

                “It looks like a hickey.” He pointed out, staring at the dark patch.

                “I don’t know… it must be a bruise. I mean, if you didn’t make it then why else would I have a hickey there?”

                Minho nodded, agreeing. “Yeah, I must have gotten really into it and not noticed. Sorry, forget I said anything.”

                “Minho… stop talking…” The younger boy pleaded, pressing himself back onto .

                “I got it, kitten. I’ll be quiet now. But you won’t be.” He smirked, going on to making Taemin come all over the bed, flipping him over and making him come again.

                “Don’t go home yet.” Minho whined, still half .

                “I have to. Kai is going to get suspicious if I come home from studying in the middle of the night with wrinkly clothes and your smell all over me. You know we sleep in the same bed. He’ll be close enough to tell.”

                “Then stay a bit longer. I can iron your uniform for you, it’s no big deal.”

                “No, I have to go…”

                There was a moment of silence before Minho grabbed the zipper on Taemin’s sweater, ping it and pulling it off his shoulder.

                When Taemin didn’t stop him, he began ing the blonde’s shirt, hearing the younger boy whimper.

                “Hyung…”

                The boy’s shirt and sweater fell to his feet, leaving him topless once again.

                He sighed, draping his arms around Minho’s neck. “Okay… just one more time.” Taemin pouted, feeling himself pulled into an embrace. “Thanks kitten. You’re the best.”

                He ended up doing exactly what he didn’t want to.

                Sneaking back inside, he was surprised to see the television still on at such a late hour. Jongin was across the room, looking through the fridge.

                “Hey.” Taemin awkwardly greeted.

                “You were studying this long?” Jongin questioned, looking over.

                “Uh, yeah. I have an upcoming test.”

                “In what?”

                “Science…”

                “You had one on Friday.”

                Taemin didn’t correct him nor did he deny it. Dropping his school bag off, he headed to the bathroom to change.  

                Before he could close the door, Jongin walked in behind him.

                He watched through the mirror as the younger boy hugged him from behind, nuzzling into the back of his head.

                “Why’s your hair wet? You smell like Minho… did you take a shower at his house?”

                “I-I did, yeah.”

                “Why?”

                Because I didn’t want to come home covered in bodily fluids?

                “Jongin, go away.”

                The younger boy shook his head, hands landing on Taemin’s waist with what looked like the intention of feeling him up. Panicked, Taemin grabbed his wrists. If he were to see his skin, he’d know that him and Minho were doing something a bit more intimate than studying.

                “No, Jongin, please, not tonight. Just, no, not right now.”

                He wasn’t too marked up but there was more than enough convincing evidence on his waist and thighs ranging from bite marks to bruises from Minho’s tight hold.

                “Fine.” He pulled away, leaning against the wall.

                “Don’t watch me…”

                The younger boy continued for a bit, grunted, and walked out. “I’m going to bed.”         

                “Alright… I’ll be there in a second.”

                “Take your time.”

                From then on, Jongin’s attitude seemed to persist. He would stay close when he was with Taemin and even closer when Minho was there. He became a lot more physically close to Taemin as well, holding the boy and walking him everywhere. Most of the girls started referring to them as a couple around the school, an image that Taemin had trouble shaking off.

                More importantly, Jongin started to push the limits further every night. When Taemin fell asleep was when he felt the most awake. He went as far as using the recent bags under his eyes as an excuse for Taemin to buy him a small box of sleeping pills.

                He never used one though. He wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt had he done anything drastic. Still, each time Jongin finished touching the sleeping boy’s body, he’d imagine the face of horror Taemin would make if he knew.

                One night, just barely managing to clean up, he felt it the most. He was so scared of having to keep this secret that he became distracted, walking into a shelf and causing a huge racket in the early hours of the morning. Trying to tidy that as well, he knew Taemin had woken up.

                The blonde soon stood at the entrance of the bathroom, eyes opened with shock as he watched Jongin, in tears, picking up the bottles surrounding him on the floor.

                He crouched down beside him immediately, smacking the things out of his hands before examining him for any cuts or scratches. “Jongin, are you okay? Did you get hurt? Is anything wrong? Why are you crying? Jongin, where did you hurt yourself?”

                Watching the blonde panic over him after he’d just ually assaulted him minutes earlier made his throat tighten even more. His sobs grew louder and he wanted to hold Taemin and apologize but he was too disgusting to even deserve to look in his general direction.

                “Jongin, you have to tell me what’s wrong so I can get something!” Taemin instructed, watching the boy fall into a deeper sadness.

                When all he got was tears and a pair of shaking hands, Taemin gave up.

                “Idiot… how hard is it to go pee at night…” He whispered, pulling Jongin in close, holding him. “Don’t touch me… I’m sick…” Jongin mumbled through the tears.

                “Is it a fever?”

                Jongin shook his head.

                “Is it your stomach?”

“No… it’s my brain. I’m a horrible person, I’m sorry… I’m so sorry Taemin… Why did I have to become like this? I’m so sorry…”

                The younger boy continued to express his disgust until his words were no longer processing in his own head and came out as slurs.

                “I’ll stop… I promise I’ll stop… I hate myself, I should go die…”

                Taemin pulled back, sending Jongin a stern look. “Don’t say that. You just knocked some stuff over. It’s fine. It wasn’t anything important anyways, just shampoos. Don’t cry over it.”

                They sat on the bathroom floor for a few hours, Taemin accepting that that was all the sleep he was going to get for the night.

                Once Jongin had calmed down, he laid his head down in Taemin’s offering lap, getting petted gently.

                “Taemin, one day I’ll disappear from your life completely, okay? I promise. So please bear with me for now…” He whispered, hugging Taemin’s thigh.

                “Don’t ever do that. If you just pack up and leave one day, I’ll be crying just like this except I won’t have anyone to comfort me.”

                “You have Minho.”

                “Yeah, but Minho doesn’t know about the time when I ripped a giant hole in my pants and sat in a puddle of dirty rainwater and mud so that no one would see my purple underwear until a certain someone went to get my parents.”

                Jongin laughed, half asleep. “They weren’t purple, they were pink.”

                “That’s even worse. See? Who would I be able to laugh about that with without you here?”

                There was a growing silence after that.

                Slowly, Jongin sat up, looking in Taemin’s direction. Keeping their gazes locked, he leaned closer. He watched as the blonde his lip, his head undoubtedly tilting to the side. Taemin’s eyes closed while his hand cupped Jongin’s cheek. Instead of it stopping him like he expected, it only pulled him closer.

                Jongin got so close that he felt Taemin’s breath ghosting over his lips. He was so close that he basically tasted him. Yet he couldn’t go any further. Sighing, he took Taemin’s hand, lowering it as he pulled back, looking away.

                “Stop… You’re just doing this because you feel bad; you’re just doing this because you’re really nice. Me, though, I’m doing this because I’m in love with you and I want to. I promise though, I won’t act drastically anymore until you return my feelings.”

                Taemin wasn’t too sure what he was talking about, but he took Jongin’s promise.

                “Okay.”

                From then on, Jongin never touched Taemin in his sleep again.

                Everything seemed to be going good now. He noticed a change in Jongin’s personality. He was less touchy-feely but far more cheerful. There was a little less possessiveness on his part although he still seemed a bit upset when he was suspicious of Taemin and Minho doing something. His suspicions were usually correct either way.

                Minho also seemed happier recently. He’d begun treating Taemin like a princess every time he saw him just because he wanted to. The whole situation just seemed at its best.

                But when you’ve hit the top, there’s nowhere to go but down, Taemin would gloomily joke to himself.

                Wandering through the halls at school, Taemin was on his way back from the bathroom. The sun was shining, the rays bouncing off the floors and walls tinting the atmosphere in a caramel orange.

                Passing by a large window, he leaned against the sill, relaxing as he watched cars drive by. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he checked the time.

                11:04 A.M.

                Putting it away, he gave one final stretch and yawn, shoving his hands into his pockets as he turned to make his way back to class.

                The halls were generally quiet, especially on this floor since it had the least classes, consisting mainly of the gymnasium and cafeteria along with offices and storage rooms.

                He heard footsteps behind him which stood out in contrast with the quiet.

                Turning to the left, he went towards one of the stairwells.

                The footsteps seemed to be getting louder and faster but they were still insignificant enough for him to ignore them.

                It wasn’t until he was nearing the next set of doors that the anonymous person spoke up.

                “Hey, .”

                Naturally, Taemin turned around.

                Who he spotted was a tall, built boy with a sharp glare.

                Stiffening, his heart stopped.

                “How’s it going? I haven’t run into you for a while, huh? Last time you got away too. You’re a lucky little piece of , you know that, right?”

                Taemin’s legs felt like noodles as he mentally urged himself to run, the command not translating into physical actions.

                “Seunghyun, I’m not looking for any trouble…” He tried, stuttering several times as he managed to step back. The boy met his step with a larger one, coming closer.

                “Oh, that’s a shame isn’t it? Seems like trouble is looking for you. I suggest you give up right now. It’ll be easier this way.”

                Taemin began shaking his head over and over.

                When Seunghyun took another step forward, he managed to break free of his mental dilemma, making a run for it.

                “Fine, I guess that’s a no. Don’t blame me for anything bad that happens now. I gave you a chance and you turned me down.”

                Terrified, Taemin begged his legs not to give in, of all times, for him not to trip now. The door was so close and he figured that if he made it there, he’d have more of a chance.

                Of course Seunghyun also thought about that. Why would he call out to Taemin if he didn’t have a 99% chance of catching him?

                The thumping grew louder until it felt like he was only inches away. Taemin stretched his hand out prematurely, getting ready to grab the door knobs.

                He was getting closer, if he could keep up the pace, he’d be fine.

                Putting in all his energy, he sprinted, grabbing the handle.

                The cool metal felt so calming against his sweaty palms as he grabbed onto it.

                That might have been his downfall though.

                Before he could turn and get it open, he heard another door swing on its hinges nearby.

                Getting grabbed by the collar, he flew back and through a totally different doorway than which he intended, falling onto the cold, concrete floor of a pitch black room.

                His back was sore and his heart was beating at least five times faster than its natural pace.

The last thing he saw before the door closed shut was Seunghyun’s devious smirk, and then darkness.

A/N: Super early update because I'm going to be gone all day. I'm going to my first Kpop concert OUO~