Chapter Three

Painfully Sweet

“Jonghyun… I dare you to kiss Minho!”

 

*  *  *

 

A few weeks after Amber’s birthday party, she decided to hold another drunken party at her house while her parents’ were on vacation in Japan.

 

A bunch of Amber’s classmates heard the rumor about the supposedly raging drunk party, and to Amber’s surprise and delight, some of them showed up to her door bearing alcohol and snacks, including Jonghyun and Minho.

 

Amber asked Minho to come first, but he refused until she brought up his favorite hyung: Jonghyun.

 

“Come on... Jonghyun is going. You do remember what happens when he gets wasted, don’t you?” Amber led on, trying to convince Minho to come to party three days before it actually happened.

 

Minho sighed, looking up from his calculus homework. He quickly glanced his eyes around the almost empty library then to Amber, who was sitting across from him.“Yes, I remember.”

 

The girl leaned forward, getting closer to her victim. “You don’t want him touching random people… What if they get the wrong idea about him?” she whispered under a smirk she was trying to hide.

 

The male slouched back into the uncomfortable wooden chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You want me to come just so I can babysit him?”

 

Amber was now the one to lean back in her seat. She folded her arms across her chest because of how stubborn Minho was being. “No, but think about it… He gets touchy-feely and if he starts to touch someone who don’t know him well, how do you think he will be viewed?”

 

Minho dropped his hand down from his nose and into his calculus book, tapping a finger lightly on the pages in thought. “He’d seem like a ert.”

 

“Exactly,” Amber concluded.

 

“You want me there so he feels me up instead of someone else?”

 

Amber squinted her eyes at Minho in annoyance. “Not exactly… I just want you to protect his image. You know how everyone views him as that cute, little innocent music boy. His image could easily be corrupted if he were to cling onto someone other than Kibum-oppa or you.”

 

“And what will Kibum be doing?” Minho asked flatly.

 

The girl smirked evilly, a low chuckle rumbling in . “Let’s just say, he’ll be with me…”

 

Minho’s face contorted into an ugly expression. “O-kay…” he said awkwardly.  “I guess I will go for him then.”

 

“Wonderful!”

 

And here Minho was; at Amber’s drunken party with his hyung. The two boys entered her house once she answered the door, she led them down to the basement, but unlike her birthday party, Minho was shocked to see many of their classmates.

 

“Jonghyun,” Minho shouted over the blaring music and various conversations that were scattered throughout the basement, “I’m going to go talk to Sulli!”

 

“Okay!” Jonghyun shouted back, turning away to the bar area. “Have fun! I’m going to drink so much I won’t remember a thing!”

 

The boy started to walk away until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He glanced down at the hand, spinning back around to see Minho’s hold on him.

 

“Be careful, hyung!” Minho said, his tone coated in concern, “Don’t drink too much!”

 

Jonghyun huffed and rolled his eyes before grabbing Minho’s hand with his own, throwing it off his shoulder. “I can do what I want!” And he began his journey back to the bar.

 

Minho sighed. “You’re so stupid… Why do you do this to yourself?” he mumbled under his breath in disapproval at Jonghyun’s actions.

 

Little to Minho’s knowledge, Jonghyun wasn’t actually here to get drunk, he was here only because Amber told him Minho was coming. He didn’t care about the fact that Amber or Kibum was going to be there, he just wanted to see Minho. But judging by Minho’s actions, the younger obviously didn’t want to speak to him. Minho expected him to get wasted and so “drunk” he would get…

 

The music continued to blast, teens continued to laugh, different alcoholic beverages were passed around, yet here Jonghyun was, an hour later, still 100% sober.

 

Jonghyun had his cup, full of ginger ale, in hand as he glared over at the corner Minho was standing in. Minho was smiling and laughing at whatever Sulli was saying… Like anything she said was actually funny or worth mentioning.

 

Over the last hour, the boy had planned out a way to steal Minho away from Sulli. He really wanted to march over to their corner, give her a piece of his mind for angering Minho - which she wasn’t at all -, and take Minho away, but that wouldn’t work for multiple reasons.

 

For one, Jonghyun didn’t have any proof of the girl making Minho mad; he actually looked happy talking to the girl…

 

Minho was happy with her. Thinking about Minho enjoying someone else’s presence - besides his own - sickened Jonghyun, causing his blood to course through his veins in anger. Minho was his best friend, not anyone else’s.

 

Secondly, if he did go over to Sulli and confront her for whatever lame excuse he could think of to replace angering Minho, he would seem like the gigantic douche. She clearly wasn’t doing anything wrong; nothing outspoken or inappropriate, but he still wanted to confront her for daring to speak to Minho.

 

After evaluating the reasons why his first plan wouldn’t work out in any way possible, he came up with spilling his drink. Originally, he wanted to ‘accidentally’ stumble into Sulli and spill a drink on her, but once again, decided against it because he would seem like a douche, so he decided to just spill it on the floor.

 

“Action,” he whispered under his breath as he smirked over at the group. He quickly poured soju into a new cup, filling it to the brim purposefully. He dropped his smirk and replaced it with a goofy, lop-sided smile.

 

He grabbed his cup of soju as he stood up from the bar stool, fake stumbling as he managed his way over to the corner that Minho was in, some of the soju spilling out of the flimsy cup.

 

“Hello, Minho-ah!” Jonghyun shouted clumsily as he dropped his drink onto the floor causing Sulli to gasp in surprise

 

“Oh ! Sh-! I’m sorry!” Jonghyun apologized blandly.

 

Sulli glanced down at the floor. “It’s fine… I’m going to go get a towel to clean this up.”

 

The girl carefully stepped around the puddle of alcohol and trotted away.

 

“Hyung, look what you did!” Minho lectured as he pointed at the floor.

 

Said boy examined the floor then looked at Minho to stare into his eyes. “I said… sorry! I didn’t want to do this!”

 

Minho exhaled deeply. “It’s fine, just watch yourself… please.”

 

“Minho-ah!” Jonghyun shouted cutely while the younger’s  arm gently with his fingertips. “I heard they’re playing game in the bedroom! Let’s go play!”

 

The younger frowned. “Why?”

 

“Games are fun!” Jonghyun said as he took hold of Minho’s arm, carefully pulling it towards the guestroom.

 

“Jonghyun… I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Minho said.

 

The older stuck out his bottom lip, looking up at Minho sweetly. “Why… Why isn’t it good?”

 

“It’s…” the younger began. “Nevermind, let’s go.” He felt the tug on his arm yank him with more force, so he stopped refusing Jonghyun’s demanding pulling and let the older drag him into the guestroom.

 

Upon entering, the two boys saw Amber, Kibum, Taemin, Jinki, and Krystal  all sitting in a circle.

 

Amber turned to the entryway and saw a smiling Jonghyun and a seemingly not very happy Minho. “Hey!”

 

The younger curled his lips up into a fake smile, pretending like he actually wanted to join in on their drunken games. “Have room for two more?”

 

“Of course!” Amber shouted as she patted the empty space next to her. “Come!”

 

Jonghyun looked up at Minho and smiled as he extracted Minho away from the doorway.  He quickly led them to the floor right next to Amber, plopping his body down and crossing his legs right before Minho did the same thing, but with much more grace.

 

“We’re playing truth or dare and it’s Jinki’s turn to ask someone,” Amber said at the two boys.

 

“Alright,” Jinki began to say as he look around the circle of teenagers. “Kibum! You’re deciding this for the entire group, so truth or dare?”

 

Kibum shifted up onto his knees from his previous sitting position as he eyed Jinki. “Truth.”

 

“Okay… Everyone has to answer, okay?” Jinki cautiously warned rather than questioned. “Are you a ? Kibum?”

 

Kibum smirked as he took a quick peek at Amber. “Isn’t it obvious?” he sassily asked as he smirked. “I’m not.”

 

“Amber?”

 

She leaned towards her boyfriend and gently pecked him on the cheek. “Nope.”

 

“Jonghyun?”

 

Jonghyun saw how everyone stared at him as Jinki questioned him. He felt their eyes staring at him, almost stripping away his skin, especially Minho’s.

 

Jonghyun wasn’t one to talk about his lovers nor his life much. Whenever his friends would bring up the subject of relationships and ual experiences, he tended to stay rather quiet, so whatever he was about to say would be news to everyone except himself.

 

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before opening them. “I… Um… No…”

 

“WHAT?!” Kibum squawked bewildered. He quickly crawled over to Jonghyun and grabbed hold of his hands, placing them against his own chest.

 

Minho widened his eyes and he stared at his hyung in utter shock.

 

“WHO?!” Kibum yelled horrified. “WHO DEFLOWERED MY PRECIOUS JJONGIE?!”

 

Jonghyun looked down at his lap and gulped heavily, feeling guilt coil in his stomach. “It doesn’t matter who…”

 

“SOMEONE VIOLATED YOU!” Kibum continued to yell, “WHO THE DECIDED TO SIT ON YOUR ?!”

 

Minho quickly regained his senses, blinking a few times, still obviously surprised. “Who…?”

 

Jonghyun removed his eyes from his lap and looked over at Minho, biting his bottom lip as he furrowed his eyebrows. He gulped again. “That’s not… I… I’m sorry…”

 

Jinki cleared his throat loudly, grabbing everyone’s attention besides Minho’s and Jonghyun’s. “Kibum, leave him alone. It’s enough that he had to admit it.”

 

Said boy sighed, dropping Jonghyun’s hands and crawling slowly back over to where he was originally seated.

 

“Minho?”

 

He turned back to the group, blushing slightly out of embarrassment. “Yes.”

 

“Oh…” Jonghyun mouthed wordlessly.

 

“Taemin?”

 

“I am,” Taemin said.

 

Jinki smiled a little when he realized it was his turn. “I’m not… so Krystal?”

 

Her face went flush red as he softly whispered out, “yes.”

 

“Okay, Kibum, it’s your turn to ask truth or dare,” Amber reminded quickly after Krystal’s confession.

 

Kibum brought his pointer finger up to his chin, tapping lightly as he scanned around the circle. “Uh… Taemin! Truth or dare?”

 

Said boy perked up at the sound of his name being called. “Dare!”

 

Kibum squinted his eyes, evilly. “I dare you… to kiss Jinki.”

 

Taemin and Jinki looked at each other, causing Taemin to shrug. “Sure.” Taemin had always been an open-minded person, so why not?

 

He scooted his way over to Jinki sitting in front of him. “Okay… so…”

 

“How do we…?” Jinki asked, trailing off as he stared at Taemin’s nonchalant face.

 

“I’ll do everything, just close your eyes and look pretty for me.”

 

The older of the two followed the youngers order and closed his eyes.

 

Taemin slowly brought his face closer to the elder’s while watching his lips until he felt their lips touch and he quickly pulled away.

 

“That was the worst kiss I’ve ever seen!” Kibum complained after Taemin crawled back over to his spot in the circle while Jinki wiped his lips with his fingers.

 

“Deal with it,” was Taemin’s sassy response.

 

The teens played the game for another good hour and a half, they were laughing and having a grand time, but Amber noticed the time: 2:48 AM. “Guys, I think we should wrap this up! The party has died out, almost everyone has went home or has passed out. Plus, it’s almost three in the morning.”

 

The group agreed with her. “Okay… one final truth or dare… Jonghyun, truth or dare?”

 

“Dare!” Jonghyun shouted, Minho’s leg with his fingers.

 

“Jonghyun… I dare you to kiss Minho!” Amber said excitedly.

 

Jonghyun suddenly halted his motion on Minho’s leg and stiffened.

 

“But not like Taemin and Jinki’s kiss, that was pathetic,” she muttered.

 

Jonghyun mentally started to panic. He would have to kiss Minho. Him. Minho. Kiss. “Why Minho? Why not Taemin? He’s pretty like a girl!”

 

“Hyung, it’s just a kiss,” Minho reassured the older. “I can’t be that repulsive, can I?”

 

Jonghyun let out a shallow puff of air. “Of course not…”

 

Minho was indeed attractive, with his large eyes, sharp jawbone, and rather athletic build and Jonghyun was more than well-aware of that. He envied the younger sometimes because no matter what he was doing or wearing, he always looked handsome or cute.

 

“Okay… Let’s meet halfway…” Minho suggested.

 

Jonghyun quickly nodded his head as he gripped onto Minho’s thigh, turning towards the younger male.

 

Minho faced Jonghyun as well, bringing his hand up to the older’s cheek, gently rubbing the soft skin. “Ready, hyung?”

 

Gulping some of his nerves down his throat, Jonghyun nodded again. He saw Minho staring down at his lips and beginning to close the gap between them. He felt his heart pick up speed, his blood course throughout his body, and Minho’s warm breath against his face.

 

He hesitantly closed his eyelids, parting his lips slightly as he steadily closed the gap between their lips.

 

Jonghyun’s breath hitched as he felt Minho’s lips collide ever-so softly with his own. Their lips pressed together felt so deliciously good, so right to the elder that he unconsciously squeezed Minho’s thigh tighter.

 

The two boys caressed each other’s lips passionately, Minho soon wrapping his free hand and arm firmly around the older’s thin waist causing his back to bend slightly inward, towards the younger, bringing the two closer together.

 

Jonghyun gently removed his hold on Minho’s thigh, bringing his hand up around the younger’s nape.

 

The older felt as if neither of them were breathing, but as if they were existing as one. The cheers and whistles that filled the air were completely blocked out of his conscience because right then, in that moment, they were connected.

 

But that moment passed, the benevolent silence vanished as he gradually began to comprehend why there was a low roar surrounding them. This kiss… This connection wasn’t real - it was fake, only a mere dare just to please and entertain their peers.

 

“They’re getting so into it!” he hear a voice shout out, but it sounded more like an unpleasant screech of an alarm clock, like he had to wake up from his dream.

 

Jonghyun slowly opened his eyes, blinking a couple of time before he saw Minho’s eyelids. The older felt panic begin to rush through his veins. He rapidly threw his head back, away from Minho, disconnecting their lips.

 

The younger quickly opened his eyes, furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as to why Jonghyun randomly pulled away. He looked at his hyung, taking note of how breathless he seemed and... frightened?

 

Jonghyun removed his hands from Minho’s nape as Minho just stared at him, dropping his hand from the other’s cheek.

 

Jonghyun felt appalled. That connect was artificial, it was only created for his friends' entertainment. Not to mention that Minho probably only got into it as much as he did because of how he never backs away from a challenge. That stupid lanky freak of nature, but in reality Jonghyun knew he was the stupid freak of nature.

 

He was stupid for believing in the ‘performance’ he and Minho presented and he was a freak for enjoying it.

 

“That was a great show for the last dare!” Amber commented after the noise died down a bit.

 

Kibum nodded intensely. “Hell yeah it was!”

 

“Uh… thank you… I guess…” Minho replied awkwardly.

 

The room soon fell quiet until Jinki yawned as he stretched his arms over his head. “Well, I’m going to upstairs and see if there’s room to sleep on the couch.”

 

“I’ll join you!” Taemin shouted as he stood up from his seated position.

 

“Oppa and I will go upstairs to my bedroom. Krystal, you’re welcome to crash with us. We won’t do anything freaky, promise,” Amber informed the group as he also stood up.

 

Krystal watched as Taemin, Jinki, Kibum, and Amber all exit the room and she followed suit. “See you guys later, good night!”

 

Minho and Jonghyun remained seated, with Minho’s arm still wrapped around the older’s waist, on the floor.

 

Minho began to speak, “So-”

 

“-I want to go home,” Jonghyun interrupted rudely.

 

“What? Why?” Minho asked.

 

“I said I want to go home,” Jonghyun repeated snappily.

 

Glancing at the clock on the wall, the younger furrowed his eyebrows. “Hyung, it’s already past three in the morning, so I’m sure your parents and noona wouldn’t want to hear you coming home at this hour and not to mention you’re drunk, so getting you home would be hard.”

 

“Minho! For God’s sake, I just want to ing go home!” Jonghyun yelled out in frustration.

 

“I just want to go home…”

 

“I… I just want to go home…” the words slipped out of Jonghyun’s lips as frustrated, quiet sobs.

 

“Hyung…” Minho enveloped the shorter into a caring embrace. “Hyung… It’s okay… Everything is okay…”

 

Jonghyun wrapped his arms gently around Minho’s waist, burying his face into the taller’s chest. “No… Nothing is okay, Minho-ah… Nothing is fine…”

 

“What’s wrong?” Minho asked sweetly. “Why are you crying?”

 

The older squeezed Minho tighter. “I hate this... Being so close to somebody, yet… very… so far away… And this feeling of betrayal… It hurts…”

 

“Sh…” the younger hushed, “It’s okay… I’m here… It’s okay…”

 

They remained in that position for a couple of minutes until Jonghyun collected himself and pulled away. “God… I’m a mess… I need to get my together.”

 

Minho backed away and wiped a stray tear off of Jonghyun’s face with his thumb. “You’re not a mess, you’re just going through a rough time… It’s okay to cry sometimes. ”

 

“You don’t understand, Minho… My grandma was the last person I kissed… Well, now it’s you, but that’s not the point. I valued that a lot… It’s one of the last things I’ll ever remember her by,” Jonghyun confessed shaking his head back and forth.

 

“Actually, no. I lied. I would much rather remember how I bawled in the corner of the room while she was right in front of me dying because I was too ing scared - too weak - to go up to her and tell her I loved her with all my heart!” Jonghyun spat out violently. His chest raising and falling unevenly in fed up anger. “I was too scared to say that I love her and I was afraid to kiss her when she was alive, so she could remember me for being her brave and loving grandson. But now I’m just a burden for only being able to do those things after it was too late.”

 

“Jonghyun… I-I had no idea… it went that deep…” Minho stuttered out shocked. “I-I’m sorry it happened that way…”

 

Jonghyun scoffed under his breath. “Why should you be sorry? You weren’t the coward, it was my fault it ended like that.”

 

“I’m always here for you, hyung. I know… that’s probably what you don’t want to hear, but I… I care a lot about you and… it’s just that seeing you go through such pain… I want to comfort you and cheer you up because it hurts me too… I want you to be happy,” Minho said messily, tripping over his own words.

 

“You know,” Jonghyun began, “you really with using your words. I know you have good intentions, but damn… you sounded creepy as hell saying that.”

 

A chuckle rippled over Minho’s body. “It did, didn’t it?”

 

“Very.”

 

“Well, I’m ready for bed. What about you?” the younger asked as he slowly stood up, offering out his hand towards Jonghyun.

 

Jonghyun took the offer and Minho helped pull him up. “Yes…”

 

The older quickly ed, ped, and pulled his jeans off as Minho crawled into the bed. He turned the light off and slowly approached the bed, climbing into the comforter. “Hey, Minho, can we cu-”

 

“If it means you’ll fall asleep faster,” said boy interrupted, already knowing what the question was going to be, “then sure.”

 

Jonghyun scooted closer to the younger male, laying his head on Minho’s solid chest while reaching down with one hand to lace their fingers together.

 

“You’re the best. I love you.”

 

Minho chuckled quietly as he leaned down, gently kissing the top of Jonghyun’s head. “Good night, Jonghyun.”


“Night, Minho.”

 

______________

 

Hello, this is your author typing. 7/24/2014. ING , MAN! ---> This chapter is 3,496 words long, so I hope you enjoy that. Since I'm lazy, I don't edit well before posting, so if you see an error or if a sentence doesn't make sense, please tell me. Also, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!^^

This chapter's theme was: "Jonghyun... I dare you to kiss Minho!"

I am open to any thoughts, opinons, observations, corrections, concerns, or anything else you say! Upvote, subscribe, share, but most importantly:  PLEASE COMMENT!

 

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moxnshinee #1
Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Minho being a cutie pie is the best thing in the world. I can see all the love that he had for Jjong, how consent everything that Jjong wants <3
oas2310 #2
Chapter 5: Hi. Thanks for continuing this story. I'll wait for the next chapter. :)
JongHolic #3
Chapter 5: ohw you're back! i had to read chapter 4 again to be able to remember this fic, but i'm so happy cuz you decided to continue this fic!
I feel soo sorry for jonghyun but it's a relief that he told minho the truth.
Please update soon! I'll be waiting for it
loveyfan95
#4
Chapter 5: Authornim thanks för coming back and updating hope too see more of this amazing story ♡♡♡♡
rose_girl
#5
Chapter 5: I forgot that I subscribed two years ago lol~
Thanks for updating and I'm really happy for you ^_^
jong040890hyun #6
Chapter 4: oh my gosh!!! author-nim!!! i just started to read this and wow!!! it's so cute T^T jonghyun cries a lot so i feel sad for him but oh you can see his feeling growing stronger with every chapter!! and minho is always there for him... i kinda get a sense of their relationship being very close... like no matter what happens, theyre there for each other... maybe minho secretly likes jonghyun back but doesnt act upon it because it will ruin their "bromance" kekeke
keydelkitty
#7
Chapter 4: minho actually kissing him when jjong invited him over was so cute that dense little potato lol. this chapter was short but sweet and honestly i was too excited that it was actually updated to feel like it wasn't enough. it was perfect. this fic is perfect. you're perfect for writing it, ah~ i'm really glad minho kissed him back but also noticed the 'nor did he feel any sort of pleasure' bit so i'm still a bit weary. i hope the kiss haunts him later tbh mwahaha
blinkzclouds
#8
Chapter 4: YESSSSH!! /too happy and can't say much