There wasn't much noise in the neighborhood except for the consistent dribble sound in the basketball court near the kid's play ground. Usually many people would occupied the location with their pets and children all day until night but since winter began, no one came out here anymore. Changmin was thankful for it.
 

It was past eleven o'clock at night, but it wasn't consider as late to him as he would usually get off work way later.
 

Today was his day off in a very long time, but he had wasted it all on sleeping and basketball. Well he did have 'homework' afterall. 150 baskets was what he was assigned by coach Jiwon, and while it sounded impossible it was better than training "10 hours a day, early morning, morning, afternoon and night." Changmin had thought the man was crazy at first. He also had thought he was crazy as well for seriously considering the suggestion for just a second. Because he was no sport star. What he needed was 10 hours of dance practice and vocal training as he was beginning to screw up simple choreography.
Yunho had expressed his concern over Changmin's sports-obsessed self and hell even the company wanted to pull him out from Cool Kiz. Sure, he wasn't as good as the other. Sure, he wasn't able to crack joke at everything like his sunbae, Hodong and Sugeun, but how come nobody had stopped to ask what he wanted to do?

 

Changmin dribbled the ball toward the basket from the middle of the court and did a turn around as if he was avoiding an opponent. He jumped up to fake a shot and ducked back down to tossed it in the basket in easily. 'Again' He panted, dissatisfaction tugged in his chest as he picked up the ball. His body was slicked with sweat under his raggedy get up of hoodie and sweat pants. And while his body ached, he didn't want to stop. He dribbled the ball back to the half-line and once again start his training regime.

This. Was what he wanted. Practice hard even in the cold night to win with everyone. They had suffered too many loss that Changmin sometimes was scared of competing.

Though, he liked the teamwork. He liked the similarity to when all five of them was together. Laugh together and cry together. The show reminded him too much of the past and while it hurts sometimes, he still wanted to be remind all over again that what they had together was real.

Yoochun.

His run stopped as the ball slipped from his hand. "Ah.." He quickly ran after it. Why did he suddenly think of the man?

Instead of picking the ball up, he slumped down next to it, propping his arms behind him as he stared up the sky, his pants subsided into steady breaths.

Yoochun was the only one he still kept contact with after the split. It wasn't as if he didn't want to call the other two, it was just that their schedules clashed against each other too much that he settled on reading news about them instead of asking of their well-being directly from the source. "Friends parted, but lovers lingered" they said. And while he hated to admit it, it was true.

Yoochun was his lover.

Was.

They broke it off way too long ago so it didn't make sense for Changmin to still be infatuated with the American. It was just puppy love, he had convinced himself, but it was always Yoochun who he called to have a drink with him, or as of right now, to practice with him.

'He's not coming.' Changmin let out a sigh. Of course not. Who would come out at this time of the night?

'But I texted him a few hours ago'

"Argh," Letting out a frustrated groan, he tousled up his hair and was getting up when a voice rang up from behind him.

"I did not just come out here to see you lazing on your and not practicing."

Changmin whipped his head around, eyes widened when he found Yoochun coming to him with attire similar to his sweat and hoodie. The man had on his usual smile, eyes beamed at Changmin.

"You didn't have to come, you know." Changmin said, turning away to get up knowing he wouldn't be able to stop his grin with Yoochun in sight.

"Nah, I was afraid you'll miss me too much." Changmin scoffed and faced Yoochun with his new made-up stoic face.

"Sure, keep telling yourself that." Changmin lowered his posture as he begin to dribble the ball again.

"I actually do that all the time." Yoochun chuckled, bending his knees and extended his arms to defend the basket. And Changmin charged in, not bothering to retort to Yoochun as he focused on the course of action to take.

He successfully slipped pass Yoochun with a turn around, but before he was able to shoot, the ball was knocked out of his grip from behind.

Clicking his tongue, he quickly chased after Yoochun when the man sped to the basket with the ball and jumped up. Changmin watched in bewilderment as Yoochun forced in a dunk, body dangling from his hold on the ring before he dropped down.

"Show off bastard." Changmin scowled.

Yoochun grinned, English tongue spoke up in a teasing manner "Come at me, baby", earning him an irritated Changmin.

--

"No, your defense is full of hole."

"Wrong, don't use both hand when shooting!"

"Come on! Use your strength, you're not this weak Min!"

"No! Your foul was too obvious."

Changmin gritted his teeth, ducking under Yoochun's defense and ran to the shooting zone. 'I'll score this time and shut you up' And he jumped.

Yoochun also quickly leaped up to block as the ball left Changmin's hands, fingers grazed it before he took notice of Changmin's fall to the ground. Though the younger expression was completely focused on the route of the flying ball.

The ball hit the ring and bounced back, rolling to a corner of the court at the same time Changmin dropped on his back.

Uncaring for the fact that he was lying on dirt, Changmin draped his arm over his eyes. "I'm done. Don't talk to me." He said.

Yoochun chuckled, sinking down next to him. "Anger issue, I see." Changmin lifted his arm to glare at him. Using the chance, he held the arm back before giving a peck to Changmin's frown.

"You just pissed me off even more, hyung." Still laughing to himself, Yoochun adjusted his position, propping himself up with an arm beside Changmin's head before connected their eyes as together.

With their face inches away, warm breaths hitting against each other, Changmin's expression softened before he closed the gap between them. His fingers wounded themselves in Yoochun's hair, acting as leverage for him to lift up his head, deepening their contact.

Yoochun's lips were so familiar yet at the same time so foreign to him. There was the same warm, same feeling, but they've never filled with longing and passion as they are now molding together with his.

Changmin pushed Yoochun off him and switched their position without exchanging a word as he brushed their lips together again. He didn't want all this to stop -- not the way Yoochun's hand gripping his jacket tightly or how the man arched up to press against his body. He was afraid if he hesitate, Yoochun would push him away again...like back then.

He felt Yoochun tilted his head and felt a warm tongue prying his lips apart. Changmin let out a muffled grunt as he parted his mouth, though unwillingly to give the dominant over to the other.

They kissed with tongue, teeth, rubbing and clashing against every second. Changmin's chest was burning from the lack of oxygen but he didn't make any attempt to pull away, convinced that their moment would have end the second he do so.

“Min—stop,” He felt Yoochun pushed gently against his chest, so he added more force to his kiss, grabbing Yoochun's arms and pinned them on the ground beside him. Yoochun squirmed underneath him, straining against his grip before successfully broke away and shove Changmin off him, who now was a panting mess.
 

“The hell, Changmin, I couldn't breath!” Yoochun sat up, drawing in as much breath as he could, not realizing his harsh tone gave a full blown to the maknae's feeling.

“Stop pushing me away, goddamnit!” Changmin screamed, shocking the other with his sudden outburst. Covering his eyes, his lips began to quiver. “Stop pushing me away, Yoochun-hyung... It really hurt... I can't take it, not anymore–”

And it took Yoochun an unusual long time before he finally figure out Changmin was crying. Crying because of him.

“Shh...” Swallowing a lump in his throat, the elder scooted closer and pulled Changmin into his chest. “Don't cry, Min... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to” He mumbled against Changmin's head and pressed a kiss to it. “I won't push you away again, I promise,”

“You promised! And you always did it again!” Changmin screamed into his jacket, but made no movement to pull away and only clung tighter onto Yoochun. “Before our break up, after our break up, you would kiss me, make me feel as if I was your whole world then you would shove me away like I am nothing. You are ing confusing, I didn't know whether you love me or not! I can't even believe you so just don't even promise anything – I just...” A hiccup then sniffle “ ...I'm being stupid... we're not even...”

Yoochun ran his hand through his hair and drew in a breath. “You love me, don't you? I love you, too. You can trust me on that one. But I hate restrain...” Changmin tensed up, he tilted up his head to look at Yoochun. An easy going smile decorated the man's face.

“Although, if I push you away, then you just have to pull me back again. Isn't that how we have always been Min?”