Note: the time in Taemin’s POV is different compared to the ones in Jonghyun and Key’s POV. Barely an hour has passed in Taemin’s POV whereas in Jonghyun and Key’s POV, a few hours had gone by. Sorry if its confusing. TT

Taemin’s POV

I moved away from the windowsill to sit at my desk and opened the pages of the thick album that was always sitting on my table. My fingers lingered on the first picture showing Kibum hyung’s arm around my shoulders while I hugged his waist. We were both laughing into the camera that hyung was holding in his other free hand. What I would do to go back to those carefree times when it was just the two of us in our own private world.

Back in flashback

(Recap: Key left Taemin and enrolled in Jonghyun’s school. The two of them became a couple while Taemin went back to being lonely and isolated)

It wasn’t until much later that I finally realized that I had to see him…that I cannot hold out any longer or my heart was going to explode with the pain. I had to have his face in my line of sight or living wouldn’t feel the same. It doesn’t matter even if it hurts seeing him smiling to someone else. It doesn’t matter even if he were to ignore me and pretended I did not exist. So long as I see him, I think I could breathe again, my heart would beat again…and so that was how I got myself transferred out of my school into Kibum and Jonghyun’s one.

When I finally stood in front of the school, I was scared. I was afraid he would reject me. I fear that he would be mad at me and I will ruin our friendship even more (does he still see me as a friend?). My hands were trembling so badly I had to keep them behind my back. My breathing came out forced and laboured.

I should turn back. I should not have come here. Taemin, you have to go back. Turn around before –

“Taemin? Is that you?”

My breathing stopped altogether at the sound of that voice.

Don’t look up. I can’t look up or he’ll know it’s me. Just stay still and I’ll be fine.

I can hear his footsteps approaching. He’s getting closer. He’ll see me and then, he’ll get angry.

Taemin, you have to run now. You have to flee now. Stop trembling and make a run for it.

I was just about to get my legs to move when a pair of arms wrapped around my back and squeezed me tight. “Oh my god! Taemin, it really is you!” the excited words were accompanied with a laugh so beautiful, it melted my frozen heart.

“Ki-Kibum hyung?” I stammered uncertainly, my shaking hands coming up slowly to reach his back. Does this mean he was happy to see me? Did I do the right thing? He isn’t going to kick me out of his life?

“Taemin, you have no idea how much I missed you!”

My eyes widened and my hands fell limp to my sides. What did Kibum hyung just said? Were my ears deceiving me? Did I hear the correct words? “Ki-Kibum hyung,” I breathed. “Wha- what did you just- what did you just say?”

The one person I love in my life pulled away to look at me and I saw the moisture welling up in his eyes. His lips though were turned up in a soft smile. “I missed you so much, Taemin! So so much! You cannot even begin to imagine how much!”

My jaw went slack. I don’t understand. I must be dreaming. I have to be. “B-but you left me,” my voice barely above a whisper. “Y-you left me to come here.”

Kibum hyung’s face fell and I immediately regretted saying those things to him.

“No, hyung! I mean- I was just saying-,” I tried to make up an excuse but Kibum hyung put a finger to my lips and shook his head at me.

“No, Taemin. You were right. I did abandon you. I did leave you behind,” he said with a sad expression on his face.

My heart gave a faltered beat. A drop of cold sweat dripped from my chin to the grass below my feet. Kibum hyung...he really…he really doesn’t want me anymore…

“But I did it for a reason! I had to, Taemin! I had to do it even though it killed me to leave you behind. It killed me knowing how much I’ve hurt you,” he explained in a hurry. “I’m sorry, Taemin. I honestly am. I’m sorry I can’t tell you why. I’m sorry for being such a terrible friend.”

I blinked at him; his words took time to seep into my brain. “You…you had to? It’s not because you want to?”

Kibum inhaled a gasp, aghast. “Of course not! Why would I ever want to leave you? Taemin, you’re the one friend that really mattered to me and you still do.”

A smile twitched in the corner of my lips. “R-really? We’re still friends?”

He gave me another soft smile as he opened up his arms. “We will always be friends, Taemin. Always and forever.”

The twitching smile now filled my face completely as I stepped into his arms and he wrapped me in his embrace. I buried my head in his chest, inhaling deeply to remember his smell. My body began to relax and I snuggled into him even more. The feeling of his protective arms hasn’t changed at all. And suddenly, I didn’t need to hear his explanation anymore. I don’t need to know why he left. I don’t need to understand why he couldn’t tell me even if I were to ask. All I need to know is that he still wants me in his life.

Jonghyun’s POV

I looked at the amount of dishes in front of me with raised eyebrows.

“Are you sure you made this?”

Key rolled her eyes. “No. You did.”

“Aww…really? I must be such a good cook, then!” I played along but stopped when Key sliced a glare across to me.

“Do you want another bump on your head?”

My hand reflexively shot up to touch the mountain on the top of my skull. “It’s bad enough that I could hardly pass my exam papers and now, you have to go and make me even more stupid,” I said with a pout.

Key shrugged. “Don’t blame me if you already lack brain cells the moment you were born.”

It was my turn to glare at her. “How did such a pretty face end up with such a terrible personality?”

“Excuse me? What do you mean by terr-,” her angry words halted and she tilted her head sideways at me. “Did you just say I’m pretty?”

I could feel the heat rising to the roots of my hair. God, Jonghyun! Why did you have to go and dig your own grave? Where did that random compliment come from, anyway?

“N-No, I didn’t! You must have heard me wrongly!”

“Oh, come on!” she folded her arms arrogantly. “I know you have fallen in love with me the very first time we met.”

I think steam is now pouring out of my ears. “Th-that’s not true! You’re so full of yourself!”

Key laughed. “Then, why are you sweating and stammering and your face is beet red by the way.”

If only I can melt through the floor and disappear now, I would have given anything to be able to. “I- I’m feeling hot, that’s why!”

“Uh-huh,” she said with a teasing bob of her head.

Damn it! How can I lose to her? Me, Kim Jonghyun reduced to a stuttering mess in front of this girl? I would be a laughing stock if people were to find out about this! Say something, Jonghyun! Fight back!

“I know you love me too!” I blurted out. Right after I said it, I had to resist slapping a hand to my face and dragging it down in frustration but really, what a great argument. Even a five year old could do better.

Key avoided my eyes as she looked up at the ceiling and her face started turning red too. “Y-You must be kidding me! Who would ever like a stupid ugly dino like you?”

My forehead creased as I evaluated her reaction. She was blushing and stammering. Key was blushing and stammering. A grin slowly lit up my face.

“Look who’s all gaga now?” I back.

The red tinge to her cheeks brightened up further. “I- I- You're retarded!"

My grin went up higher.

"I- I- I’m so not having this conversation with you!” her voice rose to a shout as she rose from her chair and stormed off.

"Don't get lost!" I reminded her as I sat up straight in my chair and took the bowl of rice into my hand. 

"SHUT UP!"

I chuckled heartily to myself as I picked up my chopsticks and caught hold of a ddukbukki. I have just realized that my stomach was in a terrible need for food. The weird tingling feeling in the pits of it wouldn't go away. I was just about to put the yummy looking ddukbukki into my open mouth when my name vibrated around the dining room, threatening to bring the place down.

“JOOOOOOOONGHYUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!”

“What?” I hollered back. "Are you lost already?"

“Let me out of this house!” she shouted.

I thought about it for a second before another grin lit up my face. “Not until I’ve finished breakfast!”

"KIM JOOOOOOOOOONGYUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!"

"You should come join me, you know?" I sent her an innocent invitation, trying hard to suppress the laughter that was threatening to break out of my voice box. 

There was no reply but I almost spit out a mouthful of rice when I heard her scream in frustration. I doubled over clutching my stomach when I hear a yelp of pain after a small *bang* in which I could tell was her attempt to kick open the door. 

Why does it feel like I will be having so much fun for these few days to come?

Minho’s POV

I inhaled a deep breath as I stood outside the meeting room. The time has come. This is it. If I win this battle, the company will be safe and Jonghyun will inherit the ownership from Mr.Kim but if I lose here, then this is the end and we will lose everything.

“Representative Choi,” my assistant appeared beside me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “You can do it! You’re the smartest person I’ve ever met! You will definitely skin all of them alive!”

I chuckled with a light shake of my head in amusement. “Thank you. Now, let us begin the drama,” I smirked as I pushed open the door that seemed like the gateway to war. 

As soon as I stepped into the room, the quiet murmurs went dead.

“Good morning, gentlemen,” I addressed them.

I expected no reply as I took a seat at the head of the table. My personal assistant stood behind me. I took one look around the table to assess their expressions of seeing me here. It showed very clearly on their faces that they were unhappy and resentful. Some even showed signs of fear and nervousness. Hmm…I wonder what their sources of information have told them about me.

I clapped my hands together. “Well, then. Since we are all here already, let us begin the meeting.”

A hand rose into the air and I motioned for him to speak. “I believe that Mr.Kim once said this company is built in the foundation that those whose heart is truly for the welfare of this company has every right to take over his position.”

Immediately after his little speech, there was a general murmur of agreement around the table and the man’s chest swelled with pride.

I raised my eyebrows at him. So we’re going to play a direct game? This is going to be a lot easier than I thought.

“Mr. Kang, am I right?” I asked as I leaned forward to rest my clasped hands on the table.

“Yes, you are right,” he answered with quite an arrogant nod.

“I wonder…,” I added a hint of hesitation to my voice. “You are the head of the marketing department, are you not?”

He gave me another nod of his head as a confirmation.

“Well, then. I have a question for you,” I smiled innocently. “Can you tell me what exactly happened to our latest products’ sale?” I watched with satisfaction as his grinning face turned dark. “I was under the impression that there were more models lost than the profit coming in.”

“Are you trying to say that I swallowed the money?” he demanded in a shaky imitation of an indignant voice.

“With all due respect, I did not say anything about money swindling, sir,” I kept my face straight. “But I do wonder if that could be the reason why we’re losing money.”

“You!” he pointed a finger at me but did not manage to say anything as a few men cleared their throats warningly.

“Representative Choi, you are obviously a student in high school, barely able to take care of yourself when you’re looking after this company which isn’t yours to look after in the first place. Don’t you think this is laughable?” another opinion sounded and once again, the room agreed unanimously.

I let a smirk grace my face for a brief second. Really, I couldn’t help it. These people are just too amusing.

“Humour me, Mr. Lee but could you please tell me the difference in profit rise from year 2008 when Mr.Kim passed away up to this month?”

His face flushed scarlet. “You must have an inside help that we don’t know of!”

“Oh? Why don’t we check the security camera then? I’m sure that will answer your doubt.”

“You could bring him the documents, can you not?” another one sounded.

“And he happened to know my signature?” I was getting tired of this game.

The man opened his mouth stupidly without any words coming out before closing them again.

“You still do not have the rights to step up to the late President Kim’s place when it is rightfully any of ours before his son is capable of handling this company!” yet another shouted his argument.

I sighed. It would seem that I was fighting a meaningless tedious battle with whiny little babies. “I believe all of you were there when the lawyer read out his will to the room. It was stated there saying:

Should there be any incident, should I be unable to care for my company anymore and should my son, Kim Jonghyun still be too young to take after my place, I would like my stepson, Choi Minho, to hold the company together, to take over my role as the president until Jonghyun is strong enough to handle it. There is no one else I would trust more than I trust him and with this, I give my full permission that in case Minho is below the legal age when this will comes to power, he will still be the one to sit behind my desk.

I quoted the paragraph out of the will word for word. I looked around once more at the faces showing discomfort at their losing battle. “Is it not clear enough to you? Shall we get the lawyer to read it again for all of us present here?”

“Are you implying that we’re trying to snatch this company away for our own benefits?” shouted a new voice.

I met his eyes dead on. “Again, with all due respect to you, I was merely stating a fact, I’m sorry if it sounded offensive to you but I do hope that none of you are trying to snatch away the company for your own benefits. I believe that all of you wonderful gentlemen are no such scum. Am I right?” I had to hold in a laugh when I saw the general shift of discomfort around the room.

I waited for a few minutes but there was only silence in the room as all of them tried to find a spot in the room to look at without making an eye contact with anyone else.

I cleared my throat. “Well, then. I think that is it for today. You are all dismissed,” I said as I got out of the chair and walked out. No one dared to stop me at all. I have never felt more satisfied with myself than I did today. 

Jonghyun, we have won the war.

author's note:

I managed to update early this time because I have a day off tomorrow!

by the way, I really enjoyed writing the Jongkey scenes so I hope all of you enjoy reading them too!

and as for the Minho's scene, I was smiling so much when I worte that! I personally think that MInho is very cool! lol~

anyway, keep the comments & criticsisms coming~ ^^