It was pretty awkward between Taemin, Jonghyun, and Key over the next few days. Taemin didn’t know why Key wasn’t talking to him and he didn’t know why every time Taemin said hi to Jonghyun, Key felt the need to get up and leave. Key was trying not to be angry at Jonghyun or jealous of his and Taemin’s slight and awkward interactions. Jonghyun sort of knew why Taemin was still awkward around him, considering their incident with the zipper and Taemin running away, but he could not be more clueless about why Key was mad at him, because usually, Key had no qualms about expressing his anger about something to anyone. 

The awkwardness eased a tiny bit after about a week and a half, when it seemed that all three guys decided to take approaches to get rid of the tension. Jonghyun and Key both wanted to win over Taemin’s heart effortlessly and naturally and Taemin, wanted to get to know his feelings for Jonghyun as well as why Key was upset with him. 

Meanwhile, the truth had come out. Onew, by a complete slip of words, revealed that he liked Minho to Taemin who squealed. Not that he didn’t like Minho, but Taemin really never saw Minho as his type in reality. People shipped 2min like there was no tomorrow and while no actual romantic feelings developed between Minho and Taemin, Taemin did consider himself close to Minho and he definitely wanted to help Onew. 

“So you want to know more about him, eh?” Taemin asked feeling powerful and important, like he was the sunbae needing to teach his hoobae about life. 

“Neh. I like everything about him, but I want to be closer. Be friends first.” Onew replied, a smile dancing on his lips. 

“Ah. I see. Hold on a second.” Taemin replied. Taemin walked to the bedroom door of the room they were talking in and began to call out to Jonghyun, who, like usual, had absolutely nothing to do. 

“Hyung!” Taemin called. 

“Neh?” Minho yelled back. 

“Not you, Minho hyung! You’re the last person I need right now.” Taemin replied teasing, but also being serious at the same time. 

Onew chuckled. 

“Wow. Okay. I’m feeling the love Lee Taemin, thanks!” Minho yelled back, sarcastically. 

“I was calling for Jonghyun hyung. Where is he?” Taemin asked. 

“He’s in the shower and his music is up loud and the base down low, he can’t hear you!” Minho replied, making Taemin blush at the thought of Jonghyun showering. Taemin shook it off quickly. 

“Just tell him to come here when he’s done, I guess.” Taemin said. “Are you going somewhere tonight?” Taemin asked, hoping that Minho would say yes. 

“Key is dragging me somewhere.” Minho replied. 

“YES!!!!!” Taemin said, loud enough for Minho to hear him. 

“Is me being absent from the dorm that much of a blessing?” Minho asked, jokingly sounding offended. 

“The greatest blessing of all, Choi Minho.” Taemin said as he closed the bedroom door. 

A few minutes later, a wet-haired and red-faced newly showered Jonghyun appeared, flopping down on the bed. Taemin blushed when his and Jonghyun’s hands brushed together. Jonghyun smirked at Taemin’s flustered actions. Taemin got up and closed the door to the bedroom. 

“So, Magic Hands, why was I called here?” Jonghyun asked. 

“You need to help me help Onew hyung.” Taemin replied, glad some of the awkwardness was out of the way, but slightly annoyed by the stupid nickname. 

“With what? Choi?” Jonghyun asked smiling. 

“Neh.” Taemin replied. 

“What seems to be the problem?” Jonghyun asked, feeling cocky as if he was the romance expert in SHINee. 

“Well you know how people seem to love Minho...and me...” Taemin began. 

“2min! Sweet maknae with tall silent rapper. Yeah.” Jonghyun replied. 

“And people seem to love when Key or you do fanservice with Minho hyung...” Taemin continued, trying to get Jonghyun to understand where he was headed. 

“Bickering age twins and a kick- bromance...” Jonghyun replied, reaffirming why Minkey and Jongho were appealing to Shawols. 

“With a really cute and rather large height difference!” Minho said loudly from outside the bedroom door. 

Onew froze. Please don’t let him come in. Please don’t let him come in. 

Jonghyun flung a pillow at the door. “Yah! Bastard frog! Go shower and get ready for your date with Key! Have you been evesdropping?!” 

“Ani! I haven't been dropping no eves! I was walking to my room and heard you talking about our bromance and I decided to comment on how short you are, that’s it. Are you going to confess to me, Jonghyun hyung?” Minho asked with his best cutesy voice. 

“The hell, Choi! Go away! I’m busy and you’re giving me a headache!” Jonghyun shouted back. 

 “God you’re turning into Key!” Minho remarked as he angry-old-man shuffled to his room. 

Onew was blushing, glad that Minho had not come in or heard anything else. Since when had Minho become so...hilarious?!

“Hyung, snap out of it. Me and Jjong hyung are here to educate you about Minho so you all can progress, because you’re cute together and you know it.” Taemin said, not mincing words. Jonghyun nodded. 

“Okay. Well tell me what I need to know then.” Onew sighed, nervous at how much he really didn’t know about Minho. 

“I’ll be back in about an hour.” Jonghyun said. “I’ll make a thing for this Minho education session.” 

Taemin and Onew exited the room and since Minho was now gone, the two watched TV and played with Key’s fluffy little toy poodle. 

About an hour and a half later, Jonghyun barged through the door of the dorm, cheeks red from being outside in the cold, with a laminated poster. 

“Where the hell did you get that?! And when did you leave the dorm?” Taemin asked surprised. 

“I went to that fancy copy store and made this chart to help hyunggie!” Jonghyun said excitedly, proud of his chart. 

Jonghyun set up the chart leaning on the couch. He made Onew and Taemin sit on the floor. He and Taemin would take turns educating Onew about Minho to the best of their ability, because they all knew that Key knew the most about Minho, however this would create sort of an awkward situation regarding Jonghyun and Taemin. 

On the chart was a picture of Minho smiling and waving. Next to it was an extensive spread sheet of categories and lists of information within the categories. Jonghyun began with the lecture. 

“Choi Minho. A seemingly uncomplicated person. Football, eating food, and eating the dreams of those who compete in athletic competitions against him. But he’s more than that. We’re gonna teach you more about Minho because I think you really only know what most of our fans know, to be really honest, and the fans can sense it, this is why Onho is nonexistent both in the SHINee World and the real world.” Jonghyun stated. 

After a long lesson lasting about two hours, Jonghyun, who was really into it, decided to quiz Onew. 

“Pop quiz hyunggie!” Jonghyun chirped, satisfied with his chart and his lesson. Both Taemin and Onew, groaned, Taemin because he was bored and hungry and Jonghyun wouldn’t let him leave the room, and Onew because he was worried he would forget all the random facts about Minho he had just learned. 

“What is Minho’s favorite video game?” Jonghyun began. 

“Mortal Kombat.” Onew replied. 

“His favorite smartphone game?” 

“Windrunner.” 

"His riding pet AND his summon pets on Windrunner?" 

"Alpaca, golden slime, and wolf." 

"Nailed it!" Taemin praised. 

“His favorite element on the periodic table?”

“Was that actually a thing I learned or ever need to know?” Onew asked in disbelief. 

“No. I was testing you. And you passed!” Jonghyun sang. 

“It’s gold.” Taemin said. “Cause...wait for it wait for it...he always wins first place!” Taemin laughed at his own terrible joke and Jonghyun cleared his throat. 

“Maknae sangtae aside, what is his preferred meal?”

“A meal made by his mum.” 

“How many siblings?” 

“One. Older brother.” 

“His favorite street food?”

“Fried hot dog.” 

“Is he left or right handed?” 

“Right.” 

“What is his favorite time of day and why?”

“Nighttime because he gets to sleep.”

“What band did he love to listen to back in his school days?”

“Boys II Men.” 

“His favorite hairstyle he had?”

“During Romeo era. Long but not too long.” 

“His best friend in SHINee?” 

“Everyone knows this. It’s Key.” 

“How old is he going to turn...internationally?”

“22.”

“What fruit does Minho dislike?” 

“Strawberries.” 

“What are Minho’s least favorite things to do?”

“Wake up and practice Japanese.” 

“What is his life motto?” 

“To fight like it is your last fight.”

“Who is he paired with the most out of SHINee?” 

“Easy. Taemin.”

“How tall his Minho?” 

“184 cm”

“His closest hyungs?”

“Changmin hyung and Donghae hyung.”

“All of his night clothes have what character on them?
“Sargent Keroro!” 

“What impression can Minho do the best?”

“Squirtle.” 

“How old was Minho when we debuted?”

“17.”

“What is something that annoys him the most?” 

“Key coming home drunk and acting all cute.” 

“What does he do when he does well in a competition or a performance?” 

“He kisses his two fingers and points them.”

“Who is he closest to in SNSD?”

“Taeyeon noona.” 

“True or false, Minho has the biggest feet in SHINee.” 

“False. Key does.” 

“True or false, Minho’s favorite color is red.” 

“False. He loves blue.” 

“What do you like about Minho?” 

“Everything.” 

Onew blushed madly after his last answer. 

“You’re ready, hyung.” Taemin said beaming at Onew. 

“Go sweep that frog off his feet.” Jonghyun said smiling. 

Onew called Key and asked if he could meet them, he hoped that Key would have other people with him so he wouldn’t get offended when Onew asked Minho to go get coffee with him, as sort of a half-way first date, just so he could connect with Minho again. 

“Key!” Onew yelled into the phone. 

“Onew hyung?” Key asked not expecting the call. 

“Yeah it’s me! I was wondering if I could meet you and Minho...it’s boring at home.” Onew said pouting. 

“Aw so cute!” Key squealed into the phone. 

“What is?” Onew asked. 

“You and M...ah. Nothing. I was actually gonna get going to meet someone else, so you’ll be alone with Minho.” Key said trying to contain his excitement. 

“REALLY?! I mean...oh okay. Who are you meeting?” Onew stumbled, trying not to offend Key. 

“Tae...no one you know!” Key said trying to not let anyone know who he planned on asking to meet him. Onew didn’t know why Key wanted to hide the fact he was seeing Taemin later, but he didn’t question it. 

“Ah. I see. Ok. Text me directions and I’ll be there soon.” 

Onew said goodbye to Jonghyun and Taemin and headed out, excited to see Minho. 

Meanwhile, Jonghyun was just about to ask Taemin to do something with him when Taemin’s phone rang. 

“Key hyung?” Taemin asked confused, it had been a while since Key talked to Taemin so comfortably. 

“Taeminnie! Hi!” Key replied, blushing at Taemin’s voice. 

“Need something?”

“I was wondering if you were busy.” 

“Aren’t you with Minho?” 

“Onew is coming along and I figured we haven’t hung out in a while...so...maybe we could go to that late night mall? Shop and maybe ice-cream?” Key asked. 

“Is this a date hyung?” Taemin asked, laughing. 

Yes. Yes it is. Lee Taemin you’re mine. “You’re so weird! I thought it would be fun!” Key chuckled nervously. 

“Okay. I’ll meet you there I guess. It’s walking distance, right?” Taemin said smiling. 

“Yeah it is. I’ll meet you. Bye bye!” Key said cheerfully, praising himself after the call was over. 

Taemin turned to Jonghyun. “Key hyung and I are going somewhere. You wanna come along?”

Jonghyun’s heart sank immediately. . Key likes Tae, doesn't he. Well, he’s winning. He’ll win Taemin’s heart. 

“Um, I have plans...” Jonghyun chuckled, trying to hide his sadness. 

Don’t lie hyung, I know you don’t have plans. 

“Ok, well just make sure you get out of the dorm and do something fun.” Taemin said, sad that Jonghyun would probably not take his advice whether or not he actually had plans. 

“Yeah I will. Me and Jonghyun from CNBlue are gonna hang later.” Jonghyun said reassuring Taemin. 

“Ok hyung. I’ll see you later. If Minho and Onew hyung come home before I do, get some details. I wanna know how it went.” Taemin smiled at his hyung, patting his head as he walked out the door. 

Jonghyun just sat there after Taemin left. “Maybe I should have someone educate me how to win Taemin’s heart.” Jonghyun thought aloud. 

A/N: Poor Jjong :( I hope you guys like it so far! I don't wanna sound like I'm complimenting myself, but I have a lot of fun writing Jonghyun vs. Key for a love interest cause usually they're either together or people are fighting over Key so it's fun^^ Sorry for the long wait but I have so many stories and stuff to update and I thank you a thousand rainbows for reading and subscribing!!! I love you guys! 

Comment with things you want to happen/things you like/blah blah blah 

<3 ~CrossYourFingers~