"Taemin-ah, want to take a bath together?" Onew asked innocently.

 

We had recently got together...like exclusively together. 

 

"It's been a long time since we last could, what with all the busy schedules." 

 

It took us three years of waiting, suspecting, flirting and meaningless dating to realise that we wanted each other. 

 

Well, it took me more like six years. I've been infatuated with Onew hyung the day I first met him. I just never thought it was anything more than simple admiration. Until I grew up a little more, began noticing him a little more and until I began dissing the girls around him a little more. 

 

I shook my head frantically before slipping into the shower myself, my heart beating faster. 

 

It was thirty minutes later that I got out, fresh and clean. By then Onew hyung was glaring at me, I guess upset by my rejection.  

 

Before he took over the bathroom walking past me, he hooked my hand and whispered in my ear, "Then, how about sleeping in my room tonight?" 

 

I looked at him wide-eyed, startled. I'd never slept with Onew hyung in a same room. I was always either paired with Jonghyun hyung or Key hyung. Else we never got a room together, Onew had a room to himself. 

 

"A-aniya, I'm tired...I'm going to bed f-first." I lied awkwardly. 

 

"You can go ahead and sleep in my bed, I'll be real quick." He insisted, grinning sheepishly at me. 

 

Once again, I shook my head and bolted to my shared bedroom with Jonghyun. 

 

Truth is, I can't let Onew hyung know my bad sleeping habits. He'll be turned off for sure! I mean, we'll have to share a bed one day...you know. But that's when we're closer, much much closer. Now I'll just be satisfied with what I have. 

 

My lids were droopy when I laid my head down on my soft fluffy pillow. Jonghyun hyung was humming a tune to himself, probably composing a new medley. 

 

I fell asleep to that light lullaby...then I was jolted awake by a smack in the face with Jonghyun hyung's pillow. I yelped in surprised. 

 

"Stop it, Taemin! You're distracting me." He almost yelled in the middle of the night.

 

"Well, it's not like I can help it!" I retorted, irritated with the rude gesture. 

 

"I don't care how you'll do it. Make it stop or I'll kick you out to sleep on the couch!" 

 

"Why don't you go sleep on the couch! This is a room for sleeping, not for your silly composing!"

 

Our angry conversation must've spread through the quiet dorm because Onew and Key hyung came stomping into the room to see what was happening. 

 

"What's going on?" The dorm umma first asked. 

 

Neither of us started talking, still annoyed with the other. 

 

"It's all the maknae's fault. He's disturbing my work and wouldn't admit it." 

 

"No I wasn't! I told you, I wouldn't have done it if I had control over it!" I yelled back, forgetting both intruders. 

 

Jonghyun was about to open his mouth in retaliation when I felt Onew's hand on my shoulder. 

 

"I'll talk to Taemin." The leader said simply and firmly. 

 

"Fine. Great. Take him with you. Take him all night if you can." The second eldest complained. 

 

I could almost break free from Onew's grip if he didn't actually clamp down on my wrist, pulling me to his room right beside mine. 

 

"I told you to sleep with me tonight. You didn't want it, and you'd rather stay and be scolded by Jonghyun?" 

 

I pouted, sitting quietly on his bed. The room smells nice, it smells of Onew hyung. 

 

"It's not the first time we've heard it. I'm not even sure to be angry or jealous of Jjong." He sighed finally. 

 

"Jealous?" I repeated the first question in my mind. 

 

"He gets to sleep in the same room as you every night..." Hyung trailed off, as if I could understand him. 

 

"And that's exactly why we're fighting." I mumbled under my breath. 

 

"So are you going to explain why were the both of you quarreling in the middle of the night?" Onew hyung asked sternly. 

 

"It's really n-nothing..." I sputtered out, "Let's go back to sleep. I'm tired." 

 

I heard Onew hyung uttering something about finding out tomorrow morning when we're all clear in the head and refreshed. 

 

He slipped under the covers beside me, the smell of him teasing my nostrils. Any closer and he would be able to feel the crazy beating of my heart. There was no way I can fall asleep with hyung this close to me. And even though I can't control it, I wouldn't want Onew hyung to kick me out of his room if he hears me snore throughout the night. Or if he kicks me away... 

 

It was painfully difficult to not be able to cuddle and sleep in Onew hyung's embrace. He'd unknowingly wrapped his arms around me in his sleep.

 

"Taemin-ah," Onew spoke suddenly in his sleep. 

 

I would assume he's sleeping, his eyes were closed. 

 

"I thought you said you were tired. Why aren't you asleep yet?"

 

He opened his eyes and looked at me, his palm coming to against my cheek, warm and gentle. Onew hyung pulled me closer into him, kissing me lightly on my right temple. 

 

"Are you still thinking about Jonghyun? Why-" 

 

"No! I wasn't thinking about Jonghyun hyung! Why would I think about him? The only one person that is on my mind and have always been, is you!" I cut him off impatiently, spilling out my thoughts.

 

What the hell? Thinking about that puppy-faced prince? Blergh. 

 

Then I realize my silly confession and blushed hard and red. Onew hyung chuckled softly beside me and enveloped me tighter, showering me with more kisses. 

 

"Are you, by any chance, nervous sleeping beside me?" He asked cheekily, "I won't pounce on you. Unless...you want to, if that's why you're not sleeping yet."

 

He laughed out. 

 

"Contemplating your first move? A kiss would be a good start." Onew hyung said jokingly, unaware of the redness tainted on my cheeks and ears. 

 

"Aniya, ani!" I slapped my hand over his mouth, "Hyung, let's just, let's just sleep." 

 

I shut my eyes firmly, desperately wishing to convince Onew that that was not my intentions. My leader started singing me a sweet childhood song, which lulled me to sleep in the end with my cares thrown to the back of mind. It was impossible to resist his honey-laced voice. 

 

-THE NEXT MORNING- 

 

"So, Onew hyung, how was your night?" Jonghyun asked, his right brow cocked up purposefully. 

 

"It was great, thank you very much!" Onew beamed in the morning sunshine, "It used to be lonely sleeping alone." 

 

He gave a small pretend pout. 

 

"That sure wasn't what you said the last time we shared a room at our last world tour!" Minho pointed out. 

 

"Really? How could you fall asleep with all that snoring Taemin does all night long?" Jonghyun added on, rolling his eyes. 

 

I jumped in my seat at the table, wanting to gag the hell of out of Jonghyun. If that wasn't embarrassing enough, Key hyung added in:

 

"It used to be cute, Onew hyung. Then it gets really irritating when he does it every night." 

 

I shifted uneasily in my seat, face flushing a tomato red. I avoided everyone's else eyes, especially Onew hyung's beside me. 

 

"Hyung I'll-" change was what I wanted to say as I grabbed his hand under the table, swiftly turning to meet his gaze. 

 

Onew intertwined his fingers with mine, giving me a light squeeze, as if understanding my instance of inner turmoil and self-loathing. 

 

"Aniya, it doesn't bother me. Kibum you're right, his snores are soft and cute, but I think I'm getting used to it already!" Onew smiled kindly at me. 

 

"In fact, I don't think I can sleep well tonight if I don't hear it again. Jonghyun ah, mind if I have Taemin sleep in my room?" 

 

My heart has already melted to soup, though the redness on my face hasn't exactly faded. Onew hyung doesn't seem to know the kind of effect he and his words has on me. 

 

On the other hand, Jonghyun hyung seemed to heave a heavy sigh of relief, as if being able to get cash refund for his defected purchase. 

 

"That's not fair, Onew hyung!" Minho growled, to which erupted laughters from all of us. 

 

-AT NIGHT- 

 

"Finally, you're sleeping with me!" Onew hugged me tightly under the thick blanket. 

 

"I hope you're not upset that hyung has made this arrangement on my own..." 

 

"Of course not, Onew hyung!" I quickly answered, "I'm really happy..." 

 

I reciprocated by circling my arms around his waist, tugging myself closer into his chest, inhaling his scent, "Do you really mean what you said this morning? About my snores, that it doesn't bother you?" 

 

"I didn't know I had this bad habit until Key hyung complained to me about it. I've been conscious since then." 

 

"It really doesn't bother me, Minnie. I meant every word I said this morning. You're so precious to me, your whole being is precious to me, even your snores."

 

The next moment I find our lips linked delicately, pressing passionately on each other. 

 

"And...yesterday I didn't want us to take a bath together," I gulped, "was because I didn't want you see my pale unmanly body...and everything." 

 

"Taemin-ah, when are you going to realize that I don't care about all those?"

 

"Do you mind that my eyes are a little too small? Do you mind that I burp a little too loudly each time we drink soda? Do you mind that my fashion is a little out of place sometimes?" 

 

I shook my head furiously, indicating my resistance, "Of course not! Those are what makes you special, and that makes you my Jinki."  

 

"I'm glad you understand, Minnie. Each time you have such insecurities and mindless fears, just remember that," He kissed my forehead. 

 

"I love you very much."

 

That night, I couldn't fall asleep after hearing what Onew hyung has said and well, he said a kiss would be a good start...