It was Taemin’s idea to drag all of their blankets and pillows outside. The other members went along with it just to appease the makane, as he went on and on about how he and his brother used to do this all the time when they were younger. Taemin was all for sleeping outside like this, on the grass facing the stars outside their little rented house just beyond the big city. Surprisingly, the residence had a large backyard, bigger than the members were used to seeing so close to the bustling urban area. The maknae had said it would be different, fun, to be outside for a change. Minho hadn’t really cared either way, as he had slept outside before, and Jinki was the type to go along with anything that made others happy. However, Key was still highly against the idea, refusing to help the others move their things outside, and forced Jonghyun to follow his lead.

Kibum was still complaining, leaning against the sliding door’s edge, eyes following Minho; who was carrying two blankets and a pillow. “This is stupid. Taeminnie, I know you mean well by your little ideas, but every time we go along with them, something bad happens. The minute we go out here it’ll start to rain or something.”

Taemin looked up from spreading out his blanket on the lawn, a stubborn pout on his lips. “You always doubt me! I just wanted to do something different and you’re shooting down my ideas.”

“It’s not anyone’s fault that you’re walking bad luck, maknae.” Jonghyun called from the back room the three men were re-arranging. He was sitting on the wall that Key was standing near, and Taemin couldn’t see him but he was sure his hyung was grinning.

“I’m not walking bad luck! The weather just hates me!”

“Ah, Taeminnie, ignore them,” Jinki advised, coming out of the room with the rest of the beddings. He and Minho got to work spreading out the blankets and arranging the pillows until they had a large makeshift futon on the ground.

“Besides, Kibum,” Minho murmured, “the sky’s clear, not even clouds are around. You can see all the stars.”

Key snorted, glancing at the dark sky, indeed filled with brilliant constellations. “If we all go out there Taemin will do some rain dance and then we’re all screwed.”

“Now you act like Taemin’s some voodoo chief.” Jinki joked, tumbling down on their improvised bed, appendages spread out everywhere.

“Isn’t voodoo magic used to hurt people?” Taemin asked.

“It doesn’t matter. We go out there and rain will come, I just know it.”

“And Umma knows best, huh?” Minho teased, walking up purposefully slow up the few stairs toward Kibum and the door. 

The singer’s eyes narrowed, easily predicating Minho’s advance.

“Choi Minho you are going to take about ten steps backwards, lie on that crappy bed with Jinki and Taemin while Jonghyun and I stay inside this warm room and watch and laugh when you all get soaked.”

Minho wasn’t intimidated; he was the only one of them all who could never really take Kibum’s threats seriously. He knew the diva was often serious, with things like “Jinki you get your hand out of the food this instant, I don’t care if you are the leader, I’ll slap your hand.” but he wouldn’t abandon or hurt any of them.

“Kim Kibum you are going to come out here and spend some time with your loveable dongsaengs and hyungs, lay under the stars and relax because Taemin’s idea’s not so bad after all.”

Key pushed off the doorframe, backing up with deliberate slowness to match Minho’s. 

“You think I’m gonna sleep out there? We’ll all get soaked and have broken backs.”

“You’ll end up on top of someone, like always, so the poor Umma doesn’t have to sleep on the hard hard ground.” Jonghyun sing-songed from his position still sitting against the wall. He watched with amusement when Key turned to snap at him and Minho pounced.

The older man squealed obnoxiously loud when he realized Minho had the upper hand. Minho was faster, stronger, bigger, and easily overpowered his hyung. Key was up and over his shoulder before he could squirm away. Unfazed by Kibum’s fists pounding into his lower back, Minho rushed back down the stairs and toward their bed. Jinki sat up quickly and got out of the way, pulling Taemin with him before Minho caused Key to crush them. Minho was careful when he leaned over and dropped Key on the futon, making sure his head hit the pillows. Kibum still grunted at the force, huffing loudly at the whole situation. 

Jinki laughed and moved forward to trap Kibum’s legs, half laying on him to keep him down. Minho followed his example, sprawling himself over Key’s chest, making sure not to crush him too much. Kibum realized what was going on easily enough, even though he wasn’t going to move for a while after Minho had tackled him, he tried to struggle under the weight of the boys on top of him.

Taemin’s giggles echoed throughout the backyard. He joined his hyungs on the layers on blankets, grinning playfully down at Kibum before assisting Jinki in trying to keep his legs from kicking the others off. 

Key was trapped, with Minho blocking off his arms and chest, and Jinki and Taemin holding down his legs it was useless as he wriggled from under the members. 

Jonghyun smirked at the group, before going back into the room and grabbed his and Key’s pillows and covers that the other members had left behind. He turned off the light in the big room, before heading outside where said diva was still thrashing about and cursing. 

“Now that’s not very pretty language, Kibum~” he taunted.

“What the hell are you doing, Jonghyun? Help me!”

“Ah ah ah~” he threw the bedding near the pile of the boys. “That’s not a nice way to ask for help.”

“Dammit Jonghyun! Yah! Taemin what do you think you’re touching!?”

The maknae sniggered louder, giving a pathetic apology to his hyung while trying to keep his legs held down.

“If you ask nicely I’ll get these bunch off of you…”

“Please,” Key said through gritted teeth. “Get them off of me. Please?”

The raptor grinned, bringing his hand up to his chin as if considering Key’s request. That made him even more frustrated, screeching and hitting Minho’s thigh as hard as he could to no affect.

Jonghyun laughed, and figured Key had enough of the torture. “Okay okay. Come on guys, off the pretty man. I don’t think it’ll be good if he gets so flustered he passes out.”

Jinki let off first, jumping up quickly to avoid any flailing legs that could be out for revenge. He pulled Taemin up from his position of sitting on Kibum’s legs. Minho was a bit slower to remove himself from his spot. He leaned over, moving so his face was closer to the older male’s under him, one of his arms supporting him so he didn’t topple over.

“You gonna stay out here with us?”

“I don’t really have a choice do I?” 

“No.” Minho smiled, leaning down further just to make Kibum squirm, making kissing noises near his ear until Key got up the strength to pull his arms free and push Minho’s face away. Minho chuckled, lifting himself off his hyung and settling down beside Jinki and Taemin. 

Kibum was being overly dramatic as always, rolling onto his side and covering his ears, curling into a fetal position as he pretending to puke. Jinki crawled over, acting like he was so worried for his dongsaeng. He pulled Key’s head into his lap and brushed his fingers through the hair that was starting to grow out from its Lucifer style.

“I still believe my life is right here with you. So just hold on, and it won’t take long. I hope that you can love me when the pain is gone~”

Key cracked up at their Leaders attempt to comfort him with an English song he had sung many times on the radio. “I can understand most of what you just said; do you even know what you’re singing?”

“I was only trying to help my poor dongsaeng from Minho’s harassment.”

“Thank you, Jinki,” he laughed, sitting up. “Your voice has brought me back to life.”

“I’ll just have to kill you again~” Minho joked, getting up and gestured to Jonghyun to help him arrange the new additions for their bed.

“I’m going to die anyway, being outside with Taemin.”

“Hyung!” The maknae whined, exasperated.

Kibum grinned, ruffling the younger’s hair. “Take a joke, Taeminnie.”

After everything was set up, the members arranged themselves on the futon more comfortably. Key refused to be by either Jonghyun or Minho; despite the fact that Taemin and Jinki had helped, so they arranged it so it was Minho on the edge, Jonghyun, Taemin in the middle, Key beside him, then Jinki on the opposite edge.

Taemin stretched, bringing his arms up to rest behind his head. He looked at the sky, the many shining stars making his eyes a little dizzy. They didn’t see this many stars in Seoul. 

“See it’s not so bad,” he muttered quietly.

“If you say that you’ll jinx it.” Key warned.

“You saying it’ll be jinxed will jinx it more.” Jonghyun chimed in.

“You’re all jinxing it.” Minho argued.

“It’s jinxed,” Jinki declared.

Taemin sighed. “Thanks guys.”

Minho’s arm stretched over Jonghyun’s head, and covered Taemin’s eyes. “Just sleep maknae. It was your idea in the first place.”

Taemin huffed and pushed the hand away. “I didn’t think we would go to sleep so early.”

“What did you expect?” Jonghyun asked. “For us to stay up all night gossiping?”

“No,” Taemin said. “I just thought we’d stay up til twelve though.”

“Why? I’m personally sick of all four of you,” Key teased. Taemin elbowed him lightly.

“Because tomorrow’s our anniversary.”

Silence.

“You sure?” Jonghyun asked, breaking through the sounds of bugs in the distance.

“May 25th.” Minho spoke softly.

“I’m glad someone remembered,” Jinki called from his side.

Key looked over. “You knew too?”

“I am the leader.”

Kibum frowned. “Well now I feel bad for forgetting. I knew it was soon though…”

“It’s not your fault, Kibum.” Jinki reassured. “We’ve been busy lately.”

“But three years,” Jonghyun mused. “Been a while, huh?”

“Three years of you all. How did I survive?” 

“Because you love us all.” Minho answered.

“I suppose that has to be it,” Kibum sighed theatrically.

“But,” the leader cut in, “do we really have to stay up all night? We’re going back to our schedule tomorrow, early. Even if it is the 25th.”

“I guess not,” Taemin dismissed.

They let the silence take over again, though this time it was relaxed. Jinki pulled the corner his blanket u, and over to cover his face as he usually slept. Key adjusted the cloth to make sure their leader could breathe, running his fingers through the dark strands for a few minutes before turning to the side, hand sliding up and under his pillow. Taemin turned too, one leg sprawling backwards and entwining with Kibum’s. Jonghyun was always one to stay stock still when he slept, and Minho rolled onto his stomach to get comfortable, arm thrown over Jonghyun’s waist.

Their night under the stars wasn’t that bad, Kibum agreed the next day. After all the complaining about it, after really sleeping outside he found it wasn’t too different from sleeping on the floor in any other home, maybe even a little better because the grass made it a little softer than wooden floors. Like Jinki said, they had to wake up early the next morning, even though he was the hardest to wake up out of them all. They’d packed up slowly, bringing in all of their blankets and pillows, packing up before heading out.

Their fans sent many good words for their anniversary, each of the members grinning when Jonghyun or Key would read aloud a UFO. 

They spent the day going about their schedules, all together for once. Jonghyun being able to go out now made the group feel complete, like SHINee couldn’t be the same without all five members to shine as one.

The other members may not have realized it, but that was the reason behind Taemin’s idea to sleep out under the stars.