Chapter 8

The next few days, Min and Kikwang had been very preoccupied with their individual schedules and group schedules with miss A and Beast. They would text but they hardly had time to personally meet with each other. A few weeks before Min proposed to date exclusively for a month, she was able to see Kikwang regularly during music shows because miss A and Beast were promoting songs at the same time. Coincidently, the title of their songs were similar as Beast sang “Breath” and miss A performed “Breathe”. However, both their promotions have ended already and now they had to work around their activities to find when they can spend time with each other.

The times they would meet were usually late such as around 3am when their schedules were finished and when they would meet, they would take walks or watch movies. Min usually wanted to watch a horror movie but would end up gasping the whole movie, yelling things at the screen, and cringing while hitting Kikwang's arm. By the end of the movie, Kikwang would have no idea what the movie they came to see was about because he was too busy watching Min and being entertained by her reactions.

On their walks back, Min requested Kikwang to take her back home on piggy back like in movies. Kikwang would ask her how old she was when Min suggested it but Min said her legs were tired from practices. Kikwang joked once that Min needs to grow more muscles and recommended for her to try to carry him instead. He playfully wrapped himself around Min's back but Min immediately toppled over because of Kikwang's bulky weight. Kikwang apologized and asked Min if she was okay but Min was busy laughing hysterically to answer. She tried to get herself to stop by biting but she kept laughing. Kikwang smiled and crouched down. He took Min's arms and wrapped them around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist as he rose from his position. Once Min knew what Kikwang was doing, she stopped laughing but had a simple smile on her face as he carried her on his back in the chilly, fall night.

These happy moments with Min were part of the reason Kikwang would lie in his bed sleepless. Kikwang hasn't been able to sleep at all for four nights now because his thoughts kept him awake. He would turn and toss under his comforters and close his eyes again, but two hours later, he was still awake. So he would quietly leave the dorm room each late night to early morning and search for Junhyung's pack of cigarettes and take a stick to smoke. He'd pick one out from the middle of the box and find Junhyung's lighter as well. Kikwang took both and went to the balcony of their apartment to sit in a corner of the floor and he quietly lit his cigarette. It was freezing , making Kikwang shiver but the inhales and exhales of the cigarette smoke from his mouth helped to warm him a bit.

As he sat there on the balcony on the cold middle of a night, he thought about all the things he would have to do for the rest of the week like photo shoots, recordings, interviews,practice and he had his MC activities as well. Then his mind turned to Min and the last few dates with her. Kikwang was growing to care more for Min after each night with her. It worried him because he did not want either Min or him to develop particularly deep feelings for each other, especially Min for him, because he felt he didn't deserve her intimate feelings. She was open and honest while he had a mysterious past filled with mistakes and girls who despised him after being with him.

That's why the night of their first date when Min was running around him in the rain and he grabbed her in the moment, Min's face was right next to his and he wanted desperately to kiss her on the lips but he didn't. If it was any other girl, he would have but Min wasn't any other girl for Kikwang. He didn't want to be careless with her.

The night Kikwang carried Min on his back as they headed back from the movies, they told embarrassing stories about the members of both of their groups swearing that they wouldn't tell each other's group members they said anything about them. Min told Kikwang how Jia gets so starstruck when she meets really handsome stars like Daniel Henney and Won Bin that she starts rambling to them in Chinese and she even accidentally cursed at Daniel Henney in Chinese. Meanwhile, Kikwang told Min stories like about how Yoseob sometimes registers fake accounts on sites so he can comment on articles and videos about him, pretending to be a fan. He would write things like “Yoseob Oppa is so handsome” in the sites and sees how many likes his comments would get.

Min and Kikwang laughed as they talked about their members and discussed how great it was to get along with their groups. Kikwang asked Min if she was happy she debuted in miss A instead of debuting by herself in America. Min told him a part of her would always wonder what it would have been like to have actually debuted in America but she was glad to have her girls with her now and be in miss A. Kikwang told her he feels the same about Beast . He never mentioned it but Kikwang had admired Min for trying to debut solo in the states. He had felt really lonely when he was promoting solo himself when he was AJ. In performances, if he made a mistake , all eyes were on him, and, on shows, Kikwang had the habit of stuttering but he couldn't lean on another person to speak for him.

However, Jo Kwon mentioned in an online message to him once about how Min had said she was depressed and overwhelmed as well when she was trying to debut alone in the states. Min had to learn a new language and sing in it all by herself. If Min was to fail, the blame would rest entirely on her. Ultimately, a solo career for her didn't pan out. Kikwang realized Min had the same struggles as him as his solo career was hardly successful as well and it comforted him to know they shared these experiences. It gave him a feeling that Min probably understands him more than most girls, or most people, in general.

Kikwang put out his cigarette on a bottom brick on the wall of the building and threw it below the balcony. He began to scratch his head when raindrops started hitting his hand. All of a sudden, another face popped outside on the balcony in the form of Beast's leader Doojoon. He asked Kikwang what he was doing out there in the rain and told him to come inside.

Kikwang went inside and headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth. After he finished brushing his teeth, he went to the living room to find Doojoon talking on his smartphone while sitting on the couch.

“Oh, okay. Thanks, hyung. I will tell the others,” Doojoon said before hanging up. Kikwang asked him what was going on when Dong Woon and Hyunseung stumbled from the dorm room half awake and plopped themselves on the couch as well. Doojoon told them that their photo shoot that morning was postponed because the director had a personal emergency. The organizers just notified JiYong hyung, their manager, a while ago.

“ That means our morning schedule is cancelled? Wooohooo. Let's go back to sleep,” Hyunseung said raising his arms up and waving them. He trudged his feet across the floor to make his way back to the dorm room. The behavior was expected from the member dubbed as the 4D prince. Dong Woon laughed as his hyung left and said that maybe he will invite Min over since they have time before their next schedule. Kikwang panicked when he heard Dong Woon say this. Min and him have not told their group members about their dating yet so he wasn't sure about the idea.

“ You want to invite Min over? Why?,” Kikwang asked with his voice squeaking off.

“ I haven't seen her since we both ended promotions and she promised that she would come over and make banana pancakes with us one day. Should I not text her to come over?, “ Dong Woon asked.

Doojoon stared at Kikwang and squinted his eyes saying, “ I know why he doesn't want you to invite Min.”

“You do?, ” Kikwang squeaked again. Does Doojoon know I'm dating Min and that I'm out with her when I'm not in the dorm at night?

“ Yea. You're afraid she read that article where you talked about her and she'll be mad when she sees you. Babo..,” He responds, hitting Kikwang on the side of his head with a couch pillow. Kikwang rubbed the spot that Doojoon hit. All the members agree he's a good leader but he could be a little violent. Doojoon told Dong Woon to go ahead and text Min to stop by. Seconds after he did what Doojoon said, Kikwang received a text from Min asking him if it was all right if she came there. Kikwang texted back saying that he guesses it would be fine. Another few seconds and Dong Woon received a text from Min saying she'll drop by. Dong Woon looked at Kikwang thinking it strange that Kikwang received a text after he texted Min and Min texted Dong Woon back after Kikwang sent out a text. Doojoon looked at the younger Beast member as well. Kikwang said he was writing to one of the girls he's seeing and shrugged.

Kikwang paced back and forth in the space between the living room and kitchen. Just act natural. Just greet Min like how you usually did before. But...maybe, we should just say we're together? We were planning to tell them so we might as well do it now.

Doojoon's eyes were glued to the television set as he watched a college soccer game that was on. Yoseob had now joined them and was playing a game with Dong Woon on Dong Woon's Ipad. They asked each other what was wrong with Kikwang but could not answer and continued on with their game.

After about forty-five minutes, the doorbell rang and Kikwang shouted that he would open it and that the other boys should not get up. He opened it and tried to greet Min as casually as possible.

“ Hi Min, I haven't seen you in a while. It's been a long time, hasn't it? It's not like we meet each other regularly or alone on dates or anything,” Kikwang said loudly while laughing nervously. Min looked at him and sighed at his unsophistication. She whispered to him to try to be cool. Then, she smiled and said hello to Kikwang out loud as she entered the dorm apartment. She was about to greet the others that were on the couch when Junhyung and Hyunseung appeared from the dorm room all groggy.

“ Hey don't we have a schedule we're suppose to attend a couple of hours ago? Oh... Hello, Minyoungie,” Junhyung said, half-conscious as he sat down on a chair in the living room.

“ Min? You're here. Hi,” Hyunseung said as he sat down on another chair.

Doojoon turned his attention from the soccer game on TV to greet Min, “ Hey Min. Did you read the article with Kikwang that was about you?,” Doojoon said and then pointing his finger at Kikwang, continues, “ Babo...”

“ Were you extremely pissed off?,” Hyunseung asked curiously.

“ Haha...well, I was pissed. But I don't care anymore, ” Min said, trying to act nonchalantly. Dong Woon saw Min still standing with grocery bags in her hands and told Kikwang to help him bring them inside the kitchen. Kikwang did what Dong Woon said and took one of the bags filled with eggs from Min's hand while Dong Woon took the other bag which carried flour,baking soda, and bananas. Min thanked them and asked if Doojoon will watch the soccer game the whole time she's there because she brought her Call of Duty games if the other boys want to play. Dong Woon said that Doojoon probably will want to watch the whole game but said that Min could leave the Call of Duty video games on the living room table just in case.

Min walked to the living room to place the games on the table when Junhyung called Kikwang to come to the living room too. He had his laptop in front of him and he asked Kikwang once he appeared if he keeps in touch with Shin Se Kyung who he worked with from “ High Kick Through the Roof”. Kikwang told him he didn't. Junhyung showed him the article on his screen which said she and Jonghyun announced they were dating. Yoseob and Hyunseung were talking about how they couldn't believe it. Yoseob called them brave to announce their relationship, considering how popular Shinee members were , especially Jonghyun.  Their fans could be quite possessive.

Just then, Kikwang looked at Min and Min looked back at Kikwang.

“...What if I were to say Min and I are dating as well?,” Kikwang said and took hold of Min's hand. He waited for the members' reactions. Well, it's better I told them now and then never.

author's note:  long chapter : /. yea, no real big conflicts as of yet.  maybe in the next chapter but haven't decided yet. still thinking about what new characters to add as well to come between minkwang : /.  For now, I just want to develop their relationship and have them have some happy,cute moments while trying this dating each other thing out before things turn to sh*t ( temporarily, of course).  I'm also trying to make this fanfic story long lol.  But you can see Kikwang has his worries already and doesn't want to get too close to Min. He thought he'd just have fun with her but he is gradually falling more and more for her without fully realizing it.  and oh yeah, I put a Kiwoon picture for this chapter : D. I do ship Min and Kikwang a lot but I also like kiwoon : ).