JongHyun returned that evening giddy. He hummed under his breath, taking care not to be too loud as it was rather late. Onew was already sleeping but he’d left a light on for him so he wouldn’t stumble across the apartment.

            In his room, JongHyun was all the more elated to see that Key had left him another little note in the sparkly pink notebook that had brought them together.

            Hope everything went smoothly. I’ll see you in the morning~

                                                            Good night~

                                                                        -Key

            The short note made his face break out into an ear splitting smile. He couldn’t wait to get up in the morning to tell Key about every little detail. And of course he would hang on to each syllable as if his life depended on it because he was just so great that way.

            This was just… Mind boggling. JongHyun was so content in that moment that he barely remember getting changed for bed. One second he was in fancy attire and the next he was sporting one of his comfiest pairs of sweats and a top. Because he loved the way the material of his bed sheets – or so he liked to tell himself every time he went to bed without a shirt. Either way, after the night he just had, he fell into a very peaceful, and happy slumber.

~

            The following morning JongHyun really only had two things that he wanted to do. The first thing was to tell Key about everything that happened. The second thing was to go to the hospital and tell TaeMin everything that happened. Of course, he had two classes to go to first, but he could manage to squeeze those in.

            “Did things go well last night?” Onew asked as JongHyun helped him open up that morning like he did every morning when he was waiting upon Key to leave for classes.

            “They went great!” JongHyun sang, counting the money in the cash register.

            Onew gave him an adoring smile, happy to see him giddy for once. It’d been a hard road but he’d finally climbed that wall and despite not knowing him for long he couldn’t feel prouder of the boy.

            “Morning!” Key bellowed once he’d walked through the door He barely had time to have his words of greeting returned. JongHyun was suited and ready to leave in a mere few seconds which left the boy standing there a bit stunned.

            “I’ll see you later!” the excited boy called over his shoulder, zipping out of the store.

            Laughs bellowed out of Onew’s stomach as he watched Key get dragged out. The look of surprise on his face was enough to keep him cramped up with laughter for a good while.

            Already halfway down the street were the two students. JongHyun let out a twinkling whoop of joy as he skipped along.

            “Hyung!” Key cried. “You’re doing it again!”

            JongHyun stopped suddenly and embraced his lover in a tender kiss. Their teeth knocked slightly thanks to the mad hatter grin the shorter was sporting and their lips moved clumsily thanks to Key’s laboured breathing. During the whole messy kiss, though, Key couldn’t have enjoyed it more. Even if he had never had such a sloppy kiss. He wouldn’t have tolerated it were it not for it being JongHyun.

            “Sorry,” JongHyun apologized when they broke apart. “I couldn’t help myself.”

            Despite the leaping butterflies starting up an acrobatics show in his stomach, Key let his diva-tude bubble up. His hand rose to smack his boyfriend on the chest while a mock glare danced on his face.

            “You better be sorry! Now we’re going to be late for class!” Key chided. He turned tail and stalked off in the direction of the university. He was assured of JongHyun following him when he heard his chuff of laughter and the padded sound of his footsteps.

            A grin flirted with Key’s lips. He would be getting a mouthful from JongHyun after class, he was sure of that

~

            JongHyun had had quite a tale to recount to Key but he had even more to babble on to TaeMin about. Just like old times the older boy stood in TaeMin’s room and ranted on and on about his evening with his family, working at the shop, living with Onew and more. And like always TaeMin hung onto every word he spoke. The only difference was that it wasn’t TaeMin’s room, but if the two ignored that detail it was just like always.

          “And then I told everything to Key this morning and he’s so great TaeMin! I could just kiss him all day long!” JongHyun was abruptly cut off as TaeMin interrupted.

            “You want to do what to Key?!” he demanded, his mouth falling open.

            From where he perched on his chair MinHo had to stifle a snicker, concealing it with a poorly crafter cough. He’d been doing so well at keeping invisible until that moment. Besides holding TaeMin’s hand while JongHyun shot off on his tangent he’d remained respectfully silent. Especially since he knew that JongHyun was uneasy with him present still. He wasn’t hostile, simply cautious.

            TaeMin didn’t miss out on the distorted noise however. If anything it peaked his curiosity. His brown eyes widened until his retinas looked like marbles and the one hand he had freed of MinHo’s large caressing one was smacking the sheet in excitement.

            “What? What? Is there something you’re not telling me? Hyung! What’s going on with Key?” he wailed childishly.

            “You don’t know?” JongHyun asked incredulously. Hadn’t he told him? Hadn’t even MinHo told him? Surely that tall baboon face knew he and Key were an item…

            He back tracked to a previous time and realized he really hadn’t told TaeMin. Goodness gracious! His best friend since diapers didn’t even know he was in a relationship!

            “Didn’t MinHo tell you?” JongHyun asked in a last ditch effort.

            “Tell me what?” TaeMin begged.

            “I could have sworn…”

            “Hyung…” TaeMin’s voice lowered in the way it did when he was displeased in one way or another. “Why do you want to kiss Key hyung?”

            A cheeky grin spun JongHyun’s lips so that they revealed his pearly whites. On eyebrow arched upwards in a teasing manner as he asked, “Why do you want to kiss MinHo?”

            “Because he’s my boyfriend,” TaeMin answered easily. Realization suddenly dawned on him. His eyes lit up like someone had finally turned the switch on upstairs.

            “You’re dating Key?!” he yelled.

            Embarrassment seeped into JongHyun. To have it exclaimed so boldly and bluntly unnerved him slightly. He couldn’t paw off that feeling that someone could hear them. Even though he was getting more warmed up to the idea of him liking a man.

            “I am…” he mumbled, feeling like a small child being interrogated by his parent.

            “Since when?”

            “It kind of happened while you were in your coma.”

            Flabbergasted, TaeMin could do nothing but gape incredulously at his best friend. It seemed that he’d missed some very important things when he’d been down under in sleepy land.

            “Did anything else happen while I was gone?” he asked, not wanting to stay in the dark any longer.

            JongHyun and MinHo caught each other’s eye, silently speaking to one another. Now was not the time to tell TaeMin about what had happened. It might never be the time to tell him…

            “Nope,” JongHyun quickly answered. “Nothing else happened.”

            “Good! I feel like I missed out on a lot! I want to meet Key!” TaeMin declared.

            “But you’ve already met him…”

            “Yeah, but I haven’t met him as your boyfriend yet!”

            “Tell you this: I’ll bring him by tomorrow after our classes, okay? As long as you rest up and get some sleep.”

            “Aye, aye captain!”

            “You little brat.” JongHyun ruffled TaeMin’s hair playfully and simultaneously grabbed his messenger bag. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He left the hospital content with himself and not the least bit disconcerted about what he’d unveiled to his best friend.

            There was only one more big step to take now…

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I'm sadddddd! I finished writing this story in my notebook! But I started writing The Baby Mill and I'm superrrrr anxious for that story! I've been waiting ot write it forever and I'm hoping that this one I might submit to a publisher. Obviously I'd change the names and what not and if it gets accepted I'd have to take it off Wattpad and AFF, but I'm really excited for this next story of mine!

Please go read the prelude; it's in my stories area and continue reading!