Everything in gray is English~ ('cause it's totally in Korean now :P)

Monday Afternoon

The sound of the doorbell ringing rang throughout the Kim household. The maids all stopped what they were doing, looking at eachother to determine which one would have to walk all the way to the front door and open it. They all turned towards one of the newest maids, hired only the day before, who they used as a sort of target. She sighed, wiping her hands on her handkerchief. She had just dusted and her palms were covered in muck.

She approached the front door, suddenly feeling uneasy. Whoever was on the front porch was ringing the doorbell continuously. It must be something urgent. Dire news? A special delivery, perhaps? She scrunched her face. She didn't recall Mr. Kim warning the maids that he was expecting something important in the mail.

She grasped the door knob, jerking when rough knocks began to pound against the door. All the maids behind her huddled together, watching as she slowly twisted the knob and started to pull the door open. Heart pounding, she peaked through the small opening between the wall and the door, only to see two young men standing on the porch. A third was with them , draped over the taller of the two boys shoulders. She blinked.

"Is Kim Jongin home?" 

The maid looked at the young man who had spoken. She had seen his face before; she was sure of it! She just had to think hard enough to remember where. She studied his cherubic features, dazzling smile, and young, vibrant eyes. Where had she seen him before? Just as she was about to answer his question, one of the other maids pulled her back, glaring at her.

"Are you deaf and dumb?!" the maid yelled at the newest one. "Don't you see that this is Lee Taemin?!" She turned towards Taemin and his two companions. "Please, Mr. Lee. Come in! The master's son will be with you shortly. And you can put the, er, boy down, if you'd like, sir."

Minho did as the maid advised, dumping Jongdae onto the floor as if he were a sack of potatoes. He landed on his back and glared up at the former criminal. Well, that wasn't really nice! The butler scrambled up onto his two feet and dusted his ward's uniform off, a habit he still stuck to when he'd dust off his butler suit. 

Some of the maids gasped when he straightened himself. It was him! The missing butler! The young man their boss' son had been trying to find for the past few days now! And, if I may add, the one whose presence they missed very much. They rushed at Jongdae, engulfing him in a huge hug and throwing so many questions at him that he could barely hear himself think.

He turned his head towards the staircase when he heard the sound of footsteps bounding down them. At the maid's news, both Kai and Kyungsoo had fled from Kai's bedroom and made for the living room. Kai was halfway down the stairs when he caught sight of Jongdae in the turmoil of maids, and his hands flew to his face from shock. Kyungsoo's eyes widened right behind him.

"Jongdae!" the boss' son screamed. He then turned his attention towards the maids around the butler. "Out! All of you! Get out of the house! Go home!" He slid down the railing and, jumping off at the end, rushed over towards the butler with open arms. 

"Jongin!" Jongdae screeched, holding his arms out as he awaited impact. "Wait! Stop! Don't you da--OOF!"

Kai and Jongdae both ended up on the floor with Kai on top. The boss' son started rolling them both around on the floor. "I've missed you so much, you son of a ! Don't you ever try to kill yourself again, you moron! If you get into that hospital again, I will personally explode that damn place with dynamite! Say, when did they let you out?" He stopped rolling, staring at Jongdae with a confused expression. "Why didn't you call us? I would have had Baekhyun come get you instead of," he glared at Taemin and Minho, "them."

"If it weren't for them," Jongdae started, pushing Kai off of himself, "I would have still been in there. They got me out. It's a very long story, Jongin, and I really don't want to get into it." He smiled at Kyungsoo as the doll ran over to give him a hug too.

Kai blinked. His gaze lifted towards the two young men standing near the door, each staring at the floor as if they were guilty about something. There was no way that Lee Taemin (Minho, maybe, but Taemin?) actually helped someone in their time of need. Especially if that someone was one of Kai's best friends.

And yet, here Jongdae was, telling him that both Minho and, surprisingly, Taemin had rescued him from the psychiatric ward. It was unbelievable yet apparently true. Kai slowly got up from where he had landed after Jongdae had pushed him away and approached Taemin and Minho cautiously. He found himself holding his hand out to them for a handshake.

Minho was the first to grasp it. There was no tension between him and Kai, as if they were long lost friends instead of recent acquaintances. The former criminal gave him a large but nervous smile before dropping his gaze back down to the floor. He glanced at Taemin, only to see the younger glaring at Minho's and Kai's hands entwined together. Jealous, much.

Kai held his hand out then to Taemin. "Thanks, hyung."

Taemin looked at Kai's hand as if it were the most disgusting thing he had seen in the whole entire world. He had no intention on touching Kai in any way. Handshakes with Kim Jongin were forbidden. But alas, he was forced to grasp Kai's hand when Minho jabbed his elbow into Mr. Lee's son's ribcage. Taemin scowled in repulsion as he and Kai shook hands. When they let go of one another, both boys wiped their hands on their shirts.

Kyungsoo found himself hiding behind Jongdae during the entire process. He was extremely uncomfortable with having Taemin in the room after everything he had done to the Kim family and the temporary affair. The butler sensed the boy's discomfort and tried to hide him as best as he could from Taemin's wandering eyes. They stopped on Kyungsoo once, making Taemin blush treamendously as he remembered the park bench, before flickering back onto the floor.

"Well," Kai started, clapping once, "you can get the hell out now!" He gestured towards the door, showing the two their own way out.

"Kai..." Kyungsoo whispered. "That's not very nice. I mean, they did help Jongdae out. They should stay at least 'til after dinner if they want to." Jongdae nodded in agreement.

Taemin began to shake his head furiously. Stay with Kim Jongin in the same house? Ew. Just no. No, no, no, no, no. However, it seemed as though Minho and Kyungsoo were up to something, for the ex conman placed his hands on Taemin's shoulders and started pushing him deeper into the Kims' house. Kyungsoo waved them over into the dining room.

"I guess they're staying," Jongdae chuckled to Kai when the boss' son walked up to stand beside him. "You and Taemin should really fix this whole crap you have going on. I mean, he's already done enough damage to you, and I think that if you're at least on good terms with him, he'll stop."

Kai shrugged then smirked wickedly. "Do you know what you missed while you were away?"

"A lot?"

"No , Sherlock." Kai ran a hand through his hair and leaned in to whisper something in the butler's ear. "My and Kyungsoo's engagement."

"HOLY !" Jongdae screamed, causing every maid around them to stare at him. He held his heart and stumbled backwards. "OH GOD. OH. MY FREAKING. FLYING. ING. GOD."

"Sh!" Kai pleaded, placing an index finger onto his own lips. "Calm down, aish! You'll make Taemin suspicious!"

"Then why'd the hell you tell me now?!" Jongdae demanded, smacking Kai upside the head. "But seriously! Oh my baby Jesus! When did this happen?! When did I miss this?!"

"Yesterday." Kai narrowed his eyes. "Baekhyun and Chanyeol managed to ruin it for me."

"Those two."

"Tell me about it."

The boss' assistant and the butler walked into the dining room. Kyungsoo was eagerly chatting with Minho about who the hell knows what while Taemin sat beside them at the table, pursing his lips. Kai studied the older's behavior, his movements. And being very experienced with love, Kai came to a final conclusion fairly quickly.

Taemin was desperately in love with Minho.

Jealous, nervous, and fidgety. All characteristics of a person with overwhelming feelings for another. And the fact that Minho was seemingly not paying those feelings back while in the Kims' house was only fueling them. Kai judged it as a plan of 'hard to get.' Whatever it was, it was definitely driving Taemin insane. He was tapping his foot under the table as if he were about to burst.

Kai smirked again. It was fun to watch Taemin suffer as the person he loved talked more enthusiastically with someone else rather than him. Kyungsoo didn't seem to notice the death glares Taemin was sending him and continued to talk on and on with Minho. Kai knew then that the affair between Taemin and Kyungsoo had officially turned into a fresh hatred. At least he wouldn't have to worry about his doll sleeping with Taemin anymore.

Taemin tapped his fingers on the table and gritted his teeth as Minho started talking about his travel to China. Kyungsoo listened attentively as the former criminal spoke about rooming with Lay and Minseok for a while and the places he went to. He even pulled out his phone to show the doll some photos, and when he got up and sat beside Kyungsoo so the boy could see the screen better, Taemin almost ripped his own hair out.

He had just almost gotten . Stuck in a psychiatric ward. Almost died from an overdose. Was in a coma. Confessed his feelings like a raving mad drunk on love lunatic. And yet, Minho was acting as if none of that mattered. Just a second ago, back in the ward, he was acting like Taemin's Superman. And now, he wasn't even paying him any attention.

Mr. Lee's son furrowed his eyebrows and instead stared at the Kims' dining table. Angry, he clawed at the wood, trying to indent a mark of his fingernails. Aha! Take that, Jongin's furniture! That should teach your owner a lesson for letting his boyfriend talk to Minho that way. Minho should be talking to him, not the replacement doll!

Taemin glared at Kyungsoo again. It was then, as his eyes were piercing through the older, that he saw the little glint on Kyungsoo's finger. He cocked his head to the side to see it better. A ring. Like, a wedding band. Wait a second. Why would Kyungsoo be wearing a wedding ring? Unless... No, it couldn't be!

Oh but yes, it could be. After all, Minho had proposed to Taemin, hadn't he? If it could happen to Taemin, it could happen to Kyungsoo too. And why wouldn't it happen to Kyungsoo? The kid was a great guy! And it looked like Kyungsoo was smart enough not to laugh in his boyfriend's face like Taemin had done in Minho's. The boy's shoulders slumped at the memory.

As Taemin was  revisiting the pain in his past, Kai and Jongdae sat down at either side of him. Caught in between, Taemin jerked in his seat when he realized he was at such a close proximity to Kai. Mr. Kim's son flashed him a dazzling, forced smile which he easly returned. Both were used to that by now.

"So, hyung," Kai began, flinching when he addressed Taemin that way, "how you been?" He glanced at Jongdae at the other side of Taemin who motioned for him to go on. "I heard things have been rough for you lately. Are you alright?"

"I could be better," Taemin mumbled. Get your of a fiancé away from Minho. Wait...I'm the ...

"Can I help you in some way?" Kai asked in spite of himself. "Like, pay for therapy? Physical and emotional? Maybe just emotional? I think you need it..."

Taemin glared at him with eyes ablaze with fury. "Just because I was in the ward, doesn't mean I'm a crazy person. And I," he shuddered, "apologize for everything I did to you."

Kai seemed surprised. "Really? Or are you just saying that to be on my good side?"

Taemin sighed, his expression softening. "I mean it, ok? I really do. I did so much to you; I can't even count it on my fingers. And I really am sorry." He held his hand out, shocked as much as Kai that he was behaving so friendly. "Friends?"

Kai arched an eyebrow and took Taemin's hand. "...Friends...."

Taemin smiled warmly and let go. "By the way, congratulations on your engagement." He gestured towards Kyungsoo's ring. Hearing this, the doll slid his hand into his lap, trying to hide what was already revealed.

Kai's eye twitched. "What? Gonna go tell the press now?"

"Jongin," Jongdae hissed in a warning tone. "Enough. We're all men here. Seriously, all of you, grow up." He stood up from the table. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must dress myself in my proper attire if I plan on resuming my job as the butler." He exited the dining room. 

Kai could see that Jongdae had changed a lot. Besides the fact that he was more frail and thinner than before being in the hospital, his personality had hardened. As if he viewed everything as it was and didn't want to dig any deeper. The meaning of life didn't seem to interest Jongdae anymore. His life had died with Joonmyun.

Kai watched Jongdae shuffle towards the staircase and make his way up the steps. He knew the butler would go change into his suit in the servant's quarters, probably spilling a few hundred tears as he clothed himself. It tore at Kai's heart to know that one of his friends was hurting so much. He was about to go after Jongdae, but then decided against it. The butler would probably want to be alone.

Minho coughed into a clenched fist. "We can go if you want us to. We just wanted to drop Jongdae off. You might want to...hide him...for a while, by the way." He picked at his fingernails.

Kai shook his head. "Stay. We can use this as a way to get to know eachother better." He glanced at Taemin and then Kyungsoo. "Shall we go outside? Onto the patio?"

Taemin and Minho nodded simutaneously. They stood up at the same time, Kai and Kyungsoo soon following their example. Kai gestured towards the back door and waited a bit for the two house guests to go first. He lagged behind, pulling Kyungsoo back to him. They walked out after Taemin and Minho together, side by side and hands linked together.

For Minho, it was awkward. Seeing people happier than him made his jealousy rage. But it was a sad kind of jealousy. He wanted that kind of love between him and Taemin. After everything they went through, he still wasn't sure if he loved Mr. Lee's son the way he did before. Watching Kai and Kyungsoo made him think deeply about that.

Was he going to love Taemin for the younger's sake or for his own? Surely if he refused Taemin again the boy would try to hurt himself for the millionth time. And Minho was afraid that the next time would be Taemin's last attempt. The final solution. He wouldn't be able to live himself if something like that happened.

But he couldn't pretend to love Taemin, could he? This wasn't some children's dress up game. Relationships are a serious thing, and Minho was a serious type of guy. If Taemin wanted to play more of tricks on Minho, the younger could just haul his out the door right now. And yet, Minho really didn't want him to.

He felt a hand on his back and turned around to see Kai. The boss' son could see everything that was going on. He had a keen sight when it came to relationships and gossip. Biting his lip, he motioned for Minho to follow him onto the basketball court, leaving Kyungsoo and Taemin behind. The two abandoned boys blinked at eachother, both too embarassed to speak to one another.

Kai reached behind the side bleachers and pulled out a basket of basketballs. Extracting a good bouncy one, he tossed it to Minho. The former criminal stripped himself of his hoodie after catching it. He dribbled the ball as he made his way onto the court. Kai waited for him to pass it back, watching intently as the other solemnly played around with it.

"Is something bothering you? Did he do something else to you?" Kai asked.

Minho passed the ball and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Kai dunked the ball into the basket while he sulked. Satisfied, the boss' son threw the ball back to Minho afterwards, getting into a ready position to block Minho's shot. The ex conman didn't even catch the ball. He let it roll to his feet and stared at it as if this was the first time he had ever seen a basketball.

"No." Minho scratched his head, causing his tousled hair to fly in countless directions in the back. "I'm just tired."

Kai knew he was lying. About the first part at least. Taemin was too traumatized to do something to Minho. But there was a problem clawing away at the dark boy. He was shrouded in mystery as it was. But now that Kai had to figure out another thing about him, this thing that was pestering Minho, the former criminal became that much more of a puzzle.

Kai walked up to Minho. He kicked the basketball up and caught it. "You sure? You can talk to me about it. It won't end up in the papers, you know."

Minho's eyes turned gloomy. By natural instinct, he decided to change the subject. "You and Kyungsoo are getting married? Congratulations. I'm truly happy for you."

"You and Taemin should get married," Kai suggested. He immediately bashed himself for saying it. Minho's face had warped into a heartbroken expression at the statement. 

"My thoughts exactly," Minho whispered. His voice quivered. "He didn't think the same way." He rummaged around in his pocket and grasped the small box inside without taking it out. "He laughed at me. Like I was some clown."

"What do you expect?" Kai asked, snapping. "It's Taemin. Seriously, Minho, you could do better." Kai turned around and shot the ball, missing the basket by the tiniest of margins. "Besides, Taemin's not your typical good partner, you know."

"What do you mean?" Minho sounded tense. Kai smirked at that, not turning so the former criminal wouldn't see his face.

"You wouldn't be able to handle him if you two took your relationship to the next level. He's unattainable." Kai ran a hand through his hair. "Fate won't let you have him."

Minho's eye twitched. The older was a very competitive person, as well as stubborn. That was what had made him come back to Taemin time and time again. And being told he can't have something only fueled both of those aspects. How dare Kai tell him that he couldn't have Taemin for his own? Who did he think he was?

And Kai knew that as soon as he'd say it, Minho would become angry. He'd want Taemin back immediately. Taemin was like a forbidden object that Minho kept trying to steal for his own. Someone telling him that object was unattainable would only make him work harder to get it and prove them wrong. Kai hoped his plan, which he had made on a whim, would work.

It looked like it did. A glint resembling flames burst in Minho's eyes. It hadn't been there before. The gloominess was gone, dissipated. The old Minho was back. Kai was sure of it. And his suspicions were confirmed when Minho, with the speed of light, stole the basketball from him and dunked it like a champion into the basket. He looked like he had flown to it.

"Oh, you're on now, bozo!" Kai challenged. As if to prove how serious he was, he took his shirt off and swung it to the floor. "One on one! Right now! Come on!"

Taemin and Kyungsoo edged towards the court. They placed themselves onto the bleachers, keeping a foot or two between them. Seeing Kai shirtless was eye candy for Kyungsoo. Glistening with sweat, the boss' son was something very delicious to look at. And the eye candy only increased when Minho's shirt joined Kai's on the court's floor.

It was the first time in a while that Taemin had seen Minho shirtless. The older had always appeared before him in his hoodie, face shadowed and body covered. Taemin's eyes widened at the former criminal's perfect chest, skin tight over the muscle Minho had acquired from years of sports and fitness workouts. Kyungsoo's eyes were wide open too. Double eye candy.

Naturally, the two on the bleachers cheered his own lover on. Kyungsoo and Taemin soon ended up sitting side by side together. They hooted and hollered, jumping up and down on the bleachers when one of the players scored or epically failed. Taemin turned out to have good sportsmanship, complimenting Kai when the latter made a nice shot.

In the end, Minho ended up winning. Kai was exhausted. Never had he played against someone like this. It had taken him every single ounce of strength he had just to keep up with Minho on the court. The kid had wings on his feet like Hermes! He was the fastest damn thing Kai had ever seen! 

Kai collapsed onto the court onto his back. His sweat pooled around him, drenching his pants as it spilled downwards. He lifted his head from the ground and shook his head. Droplets flew from his hair. They scattered all over the ground, hitting his skin too. His legs felt sore. God, he didn't think he'd ever be able to use them again after a game like that.

A shadow stood over him. Kai expected it to be Minho, sneering over him at the loss. But instead he saw Kyungsoo, smiling down at him with the same expression as a mother does when her child did the best they could at something. It was the effort that counted. Kyungsoo held a hand out to help Kai up. The boss' son was too weak to accept it. 

"You did a great job," Kyungsoo told Kai. He sat down beside the younger. He felt his own bum growing wet as the sweat on the ground from Kai soaked into his jeans.

Kai's bare chest heaved up and down. "Yeah but....I still...lost."

"You won in my book," Kyungsoo cooed, planting a sappy kiss on Kai's cheek. "Besides, the difference in score wasn't that bad. Just 98 to 43. No biggie."

Kai arched an eyebrow. Wow, Kyungsoo at making him feel better right now. The boss' son tried to sit up but his back gave away and he fell back onto the ground. This. . He turned his head to the sound of Taemin and Minho laughing on the bleachers. They. . But, Minho's win had seemingly brought them back together. The more Taemin boasted about Minho's play, the more the former criminal appeared to warm up to him again. And when Taemin put his hand on Minho's bare chest, Kai saw the older melt.

"You fixed them," Kyungsoo whispered. "You're a wizard, Kai. Not at basketball but definitely at everything else. By the way, I'm sure Minho's no match for you at pool."

"Minho's a match for me at everything," Kai said, eyes still fixated on the couple on the bleachers. "You know, I'm really glad they stayed. Maybe they should just sleep over tonight." He turned to look at Kyungsoo then. "And tomorrow, we're leaving. I booked the flights. And with Jongdae back, now we can seriously get the hell outta here."

"What will happen if your father finds out we're gone?" Kyungsoo asked, shuddering. "Won't he be mad?"

"He was mad when we fled from China. So what? The worst that can happen is another blow to my face. On a higher note," he laced his fingers with Kyungsoo's, "I'll come back a married man."

Kyungsoo smirked. "Is it too late to say no?"

"Yah!" Kai threatened. He managed to somehow lift himself up just enough so he could shove Kyungsoo onto the court's ground. "Don't you dare!" He tickled the older's neck. "Mine! You're mine and the paper's going to make it official!" He hugged Kyungsoo, forcing the boy's head into his sweaty chest. "And then you'll be stuck with me! Forever and ever and ever a--"

"Ew!" Kyungsoo laughed. "Your sweat's getting onto my face!" He tried pushing himself away but Kai was holding on tight. "Kai! I'm going to have to take three hundred and sixty five showers because of you!"

"One for everyday of the year I'm going to love you," Kai breathed, lifting Kyungsoo's face from his chest. He wiped the sweat away from the doll's fair skin and smothered it with kisses. "And if anyone needs a shower, it's me and Minho. Speaking of which--TAEMIN! MINHO! GET YOUR ASSES INTO MY HOUSE!"

~*~*~

Monday Evening

"Thanks for letting me use your shower. And inviting us to dinner."

Kai smiled at Minho. "No problem. Please, sit."

The four boys sat down at the dinner table. Kai instinctevly sat down beside Kyungsoo. He ended up across from Taemin with Minho directly in front of Kyungsoo. But by this time, all four boys had let their guard down. They were like four best friends sitting down for a reunion, cracking jokes and laughing as the maids brought them the first course of their meal.

It reminded Minho of the times before he got arrested. He used to have meals of this quality and with more than one course before he was sent off to prison. He sighed and downed a spoonful of the bean soup placed before him. It was excellent. And you wouldn't expect anything less from Mr. Kim's chefs. They were the best there was in Korea.

Kai watched as Minho swallowed the soup the head chef had made. The former criminal's face broke into a small smile. Kai had to grin in spite of himself too. They always said that the quickest way to a man's heart was through his stomach. And if the soup would keep Minho on good terms with the Kims, Kai was more than ready to fall on his knees before the soup and worship it.

Now, there was only Taemin. And as soon as Kai saw Mr. Lee's son eating the soup like it was the greatest thing on this planet, Kai knew that he and Taemin were friends again. it wasn't going to be like old times, but it could be close. A 'play date' couldn't be too far away between the two boys. Maybe they could even play soccer again.

Jongdae stood near the wall surveying all four gentlemen. Ah, it was great to be back. He felt like his old self again. Well, if he ignored the vacancy in his heart, he felt like the old Jongdae. And that was extremely difficult for him to do. Nevertheless, the butler stood with perfect posture, hand cricked at a ninety degree angle as a napkin hung over it, head held high. He looked like a king rather than a servant.

But that hole in his heart was growing larger. It was eating him alive. His heart was shattering into halves and thirds and quarters, and he had no idea how to put it back together. His ability to feel died along with Joonmyun. His emotions were washing out of him as if they had never existed in the first place. All there was was hurt. Lots of hurt.

Jongdae shut his eyes when Kyungsoo leaned on