Baekho’s POV

I don’t know why I even mentioned this to Minki. This is probably my worst idea ever. And I know the other is just smirking with that ‘I told you so’ smirk of his. I knew I should have just stopped and dropped the conversation. But damn my manly pride! I wanted to be right, to prove the other wrong. Why? Why did I care about a gay or biual person’s relationship? I’m not gay; I don’t care if a guy hooks up with a guy.

I can still remember the conversation.

~*~*~

“What happened to not meddling in their affairs?” Minki asked, glaring at me. I didn’t like the idea any better, but it was obvious to us, to Minhyun and probably JR and Aron that this whole situation was detrimental to our group. If one person couldn’t function properly, we might as well just call it quits now. Something had to be done.

“Yeah I know, but face it, if we don’t do something this isn’t going to get better.” I said.

“You don’t know that. You’re just like me, completely clueless in this situation. What the hell are we going to do? Lock them in the bathroom together?” I thought on that for a moment. That was a good idea. Maybe even a y idea…no that wasn’t y! Two men locked in a bathroom together to start making out was not y! “You ! That wasn’t an idea!” Minki nearly shouted, smacking my arm. So damn violent that boy!

“Why not? Maybe it’ll work?” I asked and sighed as I received nothing but a glare. “Minhyun’s your friend right? And you want to see him happy right?” I asked. He hesitated for a moment before nodding his head slowly. “Okay then. Aron-hyung is my friend. He likes Minhyun. Getting them together will solve this problem with Minhyun suffering a broken heart or whatever and Aron-hyung’s longing to be with Minhyun. There’s no way it won’t fail.”

“I don’t believe that.” Minki said and walked away from me. Moving to the sink, he stood there, staring at his reflection. I had no idea what he could have been possibly thinking, but he seemed so lost, so unsure. It was cute.

Walking over to him, I slipped my arms around his shoulders, holding him against my chest. “Minki.” I whispered, staring at him through the mirror. “Have I steered your wrong yet?” I asked. I felt him tense at the question before he slowly relaxed. I hadn’t. I had been there for the other, encouraging him, caring for him. We were just as close friends as he was with Minhyun, maybe even closer, I’d like to think. “Trust me?”

He leaned back further against me and I rested my head on top of his. This was such a wonderful position. His warmth was so welcoming. There had always been something about Minki that was almost irresistible. That wasn’t gay, to think that about my friend, to hold him like this, was it? It couldn’t be. Doing gay things…it would just be wrong, it would feel wrong. And this didn’t feel wrong, so it must be alright.

“I trust you.” He said finally, his dark eyes locking with my brown ones. “But if this backfires, you’re the one taking the blame for it alright?”

“It’s not going to backfire.” I said.

“Alright?” he asked against. “You’re the one to blame.” He said. Sighing, I nodded, agreeing to his terms. Sometimes the only time you could get him to do anything was to agree to his terms. But I still loved Minki to death. Especially when he decided he wanted to be funny and make us laugh.

“Thank you.”

~*~*~

I should have just dropped the conversation the moment those words about meddling left his lips. He had been right; this was so wrong and stupid!  I felt him push me a bit and I glared at him as he looked around the door, spying on the two who were left alone. Well they weren’t left alone; they just thought the rest of us had already left the studio.

They were talking quietly, but there was still so much distance between them. They looked so awkward together.

“This isn’t working.” Minki whispered and finally moved back, arms crossed. “You can’t force two people to be together when they haven’t even spent that much time together as friends.” He said.

Damn it, he’s right again. I stepped back and crossed my arms over my chest, staring at the wall. “Yeah, so?”

“So?”  I hissed as he smacked my head. Rubbing the spot and moved and punched his arm, smirking with satisfaction as he rubbed it in pain. “Don’t hit me!” he whined.

“You hit me first!”

“Because you deserved it with your oh so brilliant plan!”

“Look! I was just trying to help!” I shouted. It wasn’t like me to get mad, but damn it, I was getting tired of Minki acting like he was holier than me. Ever since his image change to Ren, he had changed a lot. I missed my old Minki. Now I regret even giving him encouragement. “I was just trying to help our friends. Instead of pointing out all my damn flaws, you could be a little bit more encouraging! Is it so much to ask for you to just agree and help me no matter how stupid it is? Damn it! How many times have I followed you endlessly and given you encouragement? Is it too much to ask for you to return the damn favor?” I growled. I regretted those words the moment they left my mouth. Seeing his crestfallen face, I wanted to kick myself. I felt like such an .

“Minki.” I whispered, moving to him. He took a step back and turned away from me.

“Don’t.”

“Minki please.” I whispered again. Moving again, I reached out, grabbing his arm before he could run off. Pulling him back, I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close. “I’m such a bad hyung; I didn’t mean to yell at you.” I said. “I’m just…frustrated.”

He didn’t say anything for a while and I thought I was being given the silent treatment now. I know I ed up, and I hurt his feelings. Minki wasn’t as sensitive as everyone made him out to be because he looked like a girl. But he was human; his feelings could be as easily hurt as the next person.

“I know.” He finally said. “I’m sorry hyung.” He apologized. “You’re right. I haven’t been very encouraging have I?” he asked, looking back at me over his shoulder.

“No not really.” I said and laughed softly. “I’m sorry for yelling.” I said again.

“I’m sorry for being an-“

“?”  He elbowed me and I grunted, but didn’t loosen my hold.

“Yeah.” He said and sighed, laughing gently. “I just don’t want to force Minhyun into something where he’ll be hurt again. I know JR-hyung didn’t mean to hurt him, but he did and I just want to make things right so he’ll be his old self again.”

I nodded. It’s been a few weeks since that interview and it’s been crazy, especially at home. The tension in the air when Minhyun and JR were around each other, it was so thick. And the bad thing is that JR could feel it, but had no clue why it was there. He kept asking me if he had done something to piss Minhyun off. How could I tell him he broke the other’s heart when he hadn’t even known Minhyun liked him to begin with?

“I know. And I guess I wasn’t thinking about that. I was just thinking about putting Aron-hyung with him. I guess it wouldn’t work if they can’t be close friends like us huh?” I asked.

“Duh.”

I rolled my eyes. He was such a smart . “So playing matchmaker, not my thing?” I asked.

“Nope.” He said and laughed. “So let’s not do this again okay?” he asked as he stared at me.

“Fine. But I still think locking them in the bathroom would have been better.” I said. I felt him start to struggle and I fought to keep my grip, but somehow the little blond managed to not only get an arm free, but to turn in my grasp to face me. He smacked my head again and I groaned. Reaching up, I rubbed my head and whined. “So mean Minki!”

He laughed and his laughter was so light that I couldn’t help myself, I laughed too. His arms slipped around me and I returned the hug, holding him close.

“Wow. If you wanted some privacy, you should have gone back to the dorm.”

Pulling back, we turned and stared at Minhyun and Aron. They stood in the doorway, wearing equally amused faces.

“Hyung, I didn’t know you were gay.” Minhyun said and smiled at me.

“Eh?” I looked back at Minki and stared down at him, at our arms still wrapped around each other. This…was gay? I pulled away as he did. Minki was bright red and I could feel my own face on fire. “I’m not!” I said.

“Really? You two looked really close there for a minute.” Aron said and grinned. “Thought you might start making out.”

“Yah! I’m not gay!” I said.

“Sure right.” Minhyun said and smirked before moving to Minki. “Can we leave now?” he asked.

“Uh…yeah.” Minki said, voice soft, but laced heavily with embarrassment.

Minhyun laughed and ruffled his head as he walked with him. I looked back at Aron and the other gave me this strange look before following after them. I didn’t know what that look meant, but I didn’t like it none the less. Huffing, I followed the lot of them, shaking my head. I wasn’t gay, that I knew. And I was going to get Aron back for even saying that to me.  As we walked out of the studio, Aron turned suddenly.

“Where’s our fearless leader?” he asked.

Minki and I stopped in our tracks.

“!”