fact me; [minho/jonghyun]
FACT ME
minho/jonghyun, pg-13
5,409 words
Summary: 11 facts about Kim Jonghyun. In which there is jealousy, bitching and hyung-obsessions, oh my. um. please excuse my brilliant attempt at a decent title i don't even :|
Fact number one: Jonghyun liked Donghae a lot. In fact, out of all the Super Junior sunbaenim, he was the one all of SHINee can claim they're closest to and mean it. When Super Junior and SHINee appeared on the same program, he took the time to hug each of them good luck before they performed. As mere trainees passing by the Super Junior rehearsal room, he would pop out with a bright smile and a jovial wave, wishing them good luck with their lessons. At a company party celebrating their debut, he had approached their table and passionately declared that he'd be the first one in line to buy tickets should they have a concert in Seoul's biggest stadium.
Fact number two: Jonghyun liked Donghae a lot, except for when he hung off Minho's arm like it was nobody's business. He tended to do it a lot recently, and for some reason it bothered Jonghyun. It wasn't like they didn't all receive their fair share of touches from Donghae, but he reserved extra special attention for Minho.
An incident that stood out in Jonghyun's memory was the one during a company meeting, where their managers had met with those of other groups' to discuss the set list for the upcoming SM TOWN Concert. Being leader, Jinki opted to go while Jonghyun and Minho tagged along. As Jinki was inside with the leaders of other groups, he and Minho were left to idly converse in the hallway. So far, all he had received were monosyllabic replies, stiff nods and affirmative grunts. He had just about had enough and was about to forego the pleasant talk in favor of tickling Minho to death, when who else but Donghae materialized around the corner.
"Hyung!" Jonghyun exclaimed, lowering his hands from where they were poised at Minho's side. They'd only seen Leeteuk with Yunho and none of their group mates. "Are you stalking Leeteuk-hyung?"
Donghae only laughed, but not loud enough to disturb the goings-on in the next room. "No, he let me come with him. Kangin too, but he's in the cafeteria with Jaejoong, so it's just me for now."
Make no mistake, he was happy to have Donghae with them. Only Minho seemed happier, the way his eyes suddely crinkled in a mixture of amusement and relief. Jonghyun felt indignant at that - it wasn't as if Minho had to put up with him. He would totally understand if Minho told him to shut up.
... Okay, maybe he wouldn't, and maybe it would take a few days of grovelling on hands and feet for him to forgive Minho. Right now, though, that was beside the point because Donghae suddenly latched on to Minho and propped his chin on his shoulder.
"Minho-yah," Donghae drew out, all wide eyes and grabby hands, "don't look so down. Come drink with your hyungs!"
"Hyung," Minho said, eyes bright and not looking as down as he did just a minute ago to Jonghyun. Donghae twined an arm around his waist, familiar and intimate, "The press will have a field day if they catch me drinking."
Donghae grinned slyly as he squeezed Minho's hip. "We'll do it in the dorms, dongsaeng. And if the others don't wanna join in, then I'll have you all to myself."
Just as Donghae finished, Kangin appeared from behind with a chuckling Jaejoong in tow and thwacked Donghae squarely on the head. "Don't be a bad influence!"
To Jonghyun's amazement, Minho laughed, long and full, as Donghae's whines rang through the hallway. Jonghyun's right eye twitched involuntarily as he had the sudden urge to grab Minho by the wrist and run away. Instead, he settled for bowing respectfully as Minho did the same, thankful that he could hide his crossness.
"That's okay," Jaejoong was saying, melodious voice colored with a tint of mischief. "I started drinking when I was sixteen. If Kangin-shii doesn't want you in their dorms, you can always come to ours."
Kangin scowled and one-touched Jaejoong. "And you're even worse than Donghae!"
Donghae, for his part, only held on tighter to an ever-willing Minho and stuck his tongue out at the two seniors.
Fact number three: Jonghyun liked Minho. He was also aware that the feeling didn't seem to be mutual. Minho tended to go soft and gooey whenever in the presence of any senior (while he was stony with his own groupmates, Jonghyun thought bitterly). It was also obvious to him that out of all the hyungdeul it was Donghae whom Minho lavished with special attention.
Now if only he knew why.
Fact number four: Jonghyun liked to gossip (and on certain occasions, being the subject of gossip - he got a kick out of reading fan speculations on his "relationship" with Kibum, Jinki or even Jessica). Contrary to fan belief, he didn't pick it up only upon joining SHINee or interacting with Kibum; it was mostly his sister's fault. As adolescents they fought so often that Jonghyun had to dig up dirt to bribe her with on a weekly basis.
Living in a dorm with four other boys, most people would think that it granted everyone access into each other's lives. Instead, the reverse was true - each member tended to guard their deepest secrets even more closely. Sure, they all laughed and joked around and whispered to each other at night, but Jonghyun knew that the ones never said (and there were many) were the ones worth finding out at all costs.
He had an arsenal of 'data-gathering methods' up his sleeve, but his favorite one was so simple that almost anyone with half a brain could think of it: cellphone snatching. Sometimes he'd sneak up behind Taemin while the other was seated in front of the computer and snatch his phone from his back pocket, only to find that the most interesting text read, "umma misses her baby so much." He scrolled down with an impish grin, expecting to find Kibum's name as sender. His face fell when it was Taemin's actual mother.
Jinki, whose phone didn't need actual stealing (he'd even hand it over with a genial smile), didn't save messages in his inbox or outbox. It was probably why he was so confident letting Jonghyun browse through it.
So far, Kibum's was the most interesting, but was also the hardest to obtain. His head always whipped around just in time to see him on the prowl, or a hand would reflexively swat at him when he was only mere inches away. So one night, after making sure everybody was fast asleep (Jinki snoring lightly, Taemin curled up into a fetal position with his head under the comforter, Minho's arm draped over the bedside), he tiptoed his way around Jinki's bed to Kibum's bunk, and slowly pulled out the phone under Kibum's pillow.
"My baby baby baby ♥ how are you? Is Taeminnie doing okay with homework?" read the first text in Kibum's inbox. Jonghyun rolled his eyes as he scrolled down to find 'Jinki' as sender.
God, why do I even bother, he thought as he moved further down.
"Not now. I want it to be special. When we make lo --" Jonghyun abruptly glanced away, pulling a face.
He didn't go around stealing cellphones for a long time after that. Being a gossip did have its inevitable consequences.
Today, however, was different. For close to a week now, Minho had been tapping and texting away incessantly during rehearsal and recording breaks, between tapings for shows, during meals. Even Jinki had taken to reprimanding him at dinner time when he paused every minute to text. Minho had only nodded his apology, and curled up on the couch with his phone after washing the dishes.
Amazingly, it didn't take that much to steal Minho's phone, and he cursed himself for not noticing it sooner. Minho tended to leave his cellphone where he had last been using it whenever he occupied himself with something else, like soccer drills or tutoring Taemin.
It was on one such lucky stroke of circumstance that he found himself leaning against the bathroom door from the inside as he scrolled through text after text after text.
sungminnie and hyuk ate the last of my favorite bananas T_T
buy a new bunch?
i tried but the lady down the street selling them had no more stock. i only like that one kind T____T ;___; (~A~)
try another kind?
There was a long time interval between the previous text and the next, which read:
can i try your banana? :Db :Db :Db \(*u*)/
:)) hyung
"Hey!" Kibum yelled from the other side, banging his fist on the door. "It's my turn to shower, open up!"
Jonghyun wrenched the door open so fast Kibum almost tripped.
"What the hell - wait, you're not wet," Kibum pointed out after he composed himself, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
He wanted to tell Kibum that just the experience of reading Minho and Donghae's ping-pong exchange of messages was enough to make him feel like he swam thousands of leagues into the ocean deep while holding his breath. In the end, he decided not to, because being on the receiving end of a pitying look was never his thing.
Fact number five: Jonghyun liked to listen. He listened to everything he could get his hands on - soulful jazz he could sway to, soaring, tearful ballads, house music with monotonous, stuttering voices filtered through vocorders - in a multitude of languages. A music snob he was not, because he believed music was universal. The other members haven't told interviewers (he suspects they will soon), but they'd caught him half-singing, half-muttering a Spanish ballad and a Japanese bubblegum pop song in his sleep.
He also liked to listen to what he called 'invisible music' from people. It was not so much what people said as how they said it. The way Jinki's voice rose a notch higher when he was frustrated but didn't want to show it, or the way Taemin timed his breaths as he moved to try that bit of choreography yet again - these told him when the right time was to lay off the teasing or give out his best 'everything's going to be okay' smile.
There were times, however, when he wished he wasn't able to read 'invisible music' so well.
"I don't know, hyung," whispered Minho into his phone, soft and low, as he leaned both elbows on the counter. "How do you want me to say it?"
Jonghyun, who was on his way to the pantry to smuggle cupcakes out for himself and Taemin - diet be damned - promptly halted in his step. He peeked inside for a second, and was relieved to see that Minho didn't notice.
"Okay," said Minho. Jonghyun can hear his feet shuffling on the tiles. "Okay. I like you. I don't know how to say it better than that so - I like you."
Jonghyun felt a lump in his throat, appetite suddenly abated. He had almost walked into a confession!
But wait. He always pictured Minho to operate smoothly on all things romantic - he was their resident charismatic man, after all, their charm point. Confessing by phone hardly measured up to sunsets and long walks on the beach.
Minho was chuckling, this time sweet and tender. "Don't make fun of me, hyung. I'm just saying how I really feel. And I don't sound that bad."
Jonghyun really couldn't take any more of it - it was like white noise had suddenly replaced all the pleasantries of the day. He did an about-face and padded back to the bedroom, ready with an apology for Taemin. If he still wanted those cupcakes, he'd have to get it himself.
Fact number six: Jonghyun was stubborn to a fault. If he didn't believe in something, then no amount of convincing changed his view. This is why he got into so many debates and trivial arguments with Kibum, neither of them willing to cave in or see the other's point.
On a rare day-off, he and Kibum were lying side by side on Jinki's bed, Kibum clad only in pajama bottoms and him in boxer shorts.
"Jjong," Kibum murmured, eyes up at the ceiling.
"What?" He replied, an arm under his head.
"Why do you like Minho?"
Alarm sirens blared in his head. "Why not? I like all my group mates. You and Jinki and Taemin and Minho. I like you all."
Kibum snorted, turning onto his side so he was facing him. "Cut that out. You like Minho way more than you ever liked me. Or Jinki and Taemin."
He then said sharply as his head twisted around to look Kibum in the eye, "I'm not the one calling and texting Minho all day and night. Whatever you're thinking, Kim Kibum, that's not it."
Kibum met the challenge head-on and stared back, unflinching. "Jealous much?"
He glared for all he was worth. "I am not --"
"If you think about it," Kibum cut in mercilessly, "you have the advantage. You live with him, you sleep within a five-foot radius of each other, you eat together. Hell, you could even shower together if you wanted to!"
He sat up and glanced down at Kibum, who was looking at him with something akin to sympathy. "I don't want to shower with him and I don't have an advantage over anyone!" He swung his legs over the edge, stood straight, and crossed the room so fast he was almost running. Yanking the door open, who else would be on the other side but -
"Minho?" Jonghyun said, stunned after almost crashing into said boy's chest.
"Jjong-hyung," Minho said evenly, calmly peering at him through impossibly thick lashes. "We have a radio show in an two hours." He was looking at his boxer shorts pointedly like it would have been scared enough to drop itself down his knees with a single look.
"Oh. That. Right." So it wasn't a day-off, after all, at least not for him. He huffed and ran a hand through his hair, unable to look Minho in the eye. "I'll be ready in thirty minutes."
"Make it ten," Minho said, still slanting a pointed glance at his shorts. "Stylist-noona and the make-up artist are on their way."
Jonghyun frowned, feeling self-conscious. "Stop looking at my underwear!" When he dared to turn his full gaze at Minho's face, an amused little smile was pulling at his lips. "Look, Minho. I'm just gonna shower and put some decent clothes on, 'cos I stink. The noonadeul can wait a little --"
Before he could react, Minho tipped forward until his breath tickled Jonghyun's neck. "Minho -- what --"
And just like that, the moment was over. He pulled the door open behind them and spared a sideways glance at Jonghyun. "You smell fine," he said with a small smile as he closed the door to Kibum's confused whining.
Two hours later, he and Minho were seated across each other on Shindong's radio show. So far everything was going well - they were asked to do a song-and-rap duet (which they killed at, of course, despite Jonghyun's lack of vocalization), talk about their new "Romeo" mini-album and answer some fan questions.
Jonghyun sat back, stretching out his legs from under the desk. He could do this radio show with his eyes closed.
"First off, PD, please give me some background music," Minho was saying.
Shindong pressed a button and some ridiculous tinkling sound began to play in the background. "This kind?"
Jonghyun could tell Minho was trying to fight a smile. "No, not that kind."
Shindong nodded, and suddenly a romantic song was playing behind their heads. Jonghyun had to comment - "Our Minho is so wild-hearted, he even wants background music!" What was Minho about to say, anyway? A cheesy shout-out to the rest of the guys back home?
"Though I am really close with the other hyungs," Minho started, sounding uncharacteristically shy. "In Super Junior, the one I like the most is Donghae-hyung..."
Jonghyun was staring at him, mouth slightly open in an ungraceful imitation of a goldfish. He couldn't believe Minho was confessing (again! apparently this was his grand show of love that made up for the abysmal romantic gesture that was confessing by phone) on national radio.
"Donghae-hyung, I love you." Minho tilted his head to the side, smiling wide before bursting into low laughter with the rest of the studio.
Then he realized with a start that Minho was actually, truly, really confessing to Donghae.
For lack of anything better to say, he settled for "Why ask for background music?" directed at everyone. Shindong blinked at him, then reached over the desk and squeezed his hand.
He loves you, too, Shindong mouthed with a wink.
It was only later that night, as he lay in his bed staring up at the dark ceiling, that he realized he must have sounded more hurt that he intended. He turned on his side and buried his nose into his pillow. He needed to stop earning these looks from people or else it was going to drive him insane.
Fact number seven: Jonghyun was impulsive. He didn't hold back. It was why he reached for that high note even if he wasn't a hundred percent sure he'd hit it. It was why he tended to have random bursts of emotion at the most inopportune of times.
So when the impulse to grab Minho's phone again latched onto him, he gave in almost immediately. The opportunity presented itself when their stylist ushered Minho to a different wardrobe room an hour before another Inkigayo performance, complaining that he'd grown again since the last time she'd seen him and that he needed to try on a lengthier pairs.
"That's Minho-hyung's phone," Taemin stated, blinking up at him from his position on the couch.
"I know, Taeminnie," he replied, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. If only their youngest wasn't so cute.
"Um," Taemin pressed on nervously, then looked down at his hands. "I just thought you were getting the wrong phone, since your phone's in your bag."
"What's going on over there?" Kibum called out sternly, cracking open an eye and ignoring the make-up artist scolding him for smudging the subtle shadow she'd been patting on his lid.
"None of your business," he said curtly, pushing past a sputtering, wide-eyed Jinki and making his way down the far end of the corridor. He would have been content to stay just outside their door, but 2PM was in the adjacent room, probably horsing around and being extremely loud in the process.
He can practically feel the horns ready to grow on his head as he pressed 'call.' A few short rings, then --
"Hello?"
... This didn't sound like the the person he was expecting at all. "Err. Hello?"
"Who is this?" The person on the other line demanded. "How did you get this number?"
What the fuck. "It's --" He was going to say 'Minho' but ultimately decided against it. He could never pass his voice for Minho's low bass. "Jonghyun."
"Jonghyun?" The other person repeated incredulously. "As in that kid from SHINee?"
"C-can I please speak to Donghae-hyung?"
"I don't think so," the other person said, pleasant tone barely masking the caustic inflection. "He's --"
"Kyuhyunnie, gimme my phone!" A voice not too far off yelled. Jonghyun heard slight shuffling, a low exchange of murmurs and static before Donghae's rasp filtered through the speaker.
"Hello?"
Jonghyun swallowed. "Hi, Donghae-hyung." Compared to the suave speech he worked out in his head mere minutes ago, it's a weak effort.
"Minho-yah? You don't sound like yourself today, do you have a cold?"
He fingered the hem of his vest. "I-it's Jonghyun. Hi."
"Oh." Donghae fell silent for a moment, and only light tittering in the background - presumably Kyuhyun - was heard. "Hi, Jonghyun-ah. Anything you need help with? And why didn't you call me on your phone? You have my number, right?"
"I do," he managed to reply after yet another uncomfortable silence. "I... just left it on for too long and I left my charger back at the dorm."
"Oh, that's okay." Donghae chuckled. "That happens to me, too. Anyway, why'd you call?"
Are you or are you not with Minho? Are you good to him? Do you take him out on dinner dates? I've never seen you two out together. I don't see pictures on Minho's phone, I only see texts. Why only text and call when you can bring him to your dorm? Why don't you visit our dorm so we can all fall over ourselves over Minho's handsome guy? Do you want us to cook and clean our dorm so it'll look presentable when you sit on the couch playing Fifa Cup with Minho? Why did it have to be Minho?
Why did it have to be you?
"Hyung, I just -" he paused, and took a deep breath. "Take care of Minho, okay?"
"What?" Donghae asked, sounding genuinely bewildered. "Jonghyun-ah, I don't think --"
"Hyung," he interrupted. It was rude, he knew, but there was nothing else he could think of to say. Everything just flew out the window. "I have to go. We're on in a few." And just like that, he hung up. He would apologize later, because he and Donghae would inevitably meet again soon. Right now, he tried to focus his energies on the performance.
When they won their second mutizen for 'Juliette,' Jonghyun stepped away from the rest of SHINee, away from the bright hot lights and sobbed into his hands. He was dimly aware of the camera flashes and So Nyeo Shi Dae's loud teasing from the sides, but he really didn't care.
He didn't stop even as he felt Minho embracing him, gently pulling him towards the center. "It's alright, hyung," Minho had said into his hair, heavy against his forehead and matted with sweat. "It's alright."
Fact number eight: Jonghyun valued trust. He knew that no matter what happened, his members will always stand by him, through the highs and lows of their career, through the wild cheers, low ratings, sky-high album sales, almost wins. The importance of trust and teamwork was drilled into their heads as trainees, and again as a formally debuted group. By extension, he also trusted and held the highest respect for his label-mates, his sunbae, because without their paving the way they would have been groping in the dark.
That was how he found himself looking for Minho a mere fifteen minutes before all the groups were to go onstage for the Dream Concert dress rehearsal.
"Go be useful and look for Minho, he's late," Kibum had told him, practically shoving him backstage. "And I trust you to find him in less than five minutes!" He was going to give Kibum a piece of his mind later - as if he was any more useful to Jinki. All he did was sit on his lap and coddle him.
"Minho?" he called out, popping his head inside 2PM's empty dressing room. Knowing how much Nichkhun liked Minho, it wouldn't be too farfetched a thought for Minho to come visit his favorite Thai senior.
"Are you in here?" he said, knocking on So Nyeo Shi Dae's two dressing rooms in turn. Sometimes Yuri and Sooyoung liked to clown around with Minho (not to mention trade make-up secrets with Kibum and braid Taemin's hair, but that was a story for another time), but he wasn't there either.
"Minho, you're --" he paused as he took a look inside one of Super Junior's two dressing rooms. There were two people behind the wardrobe rack whose faces were completely obscured by a line of neatly-labelled suit jackets. Their legs were aligned against each other's. They were obviously making out.
He was about to open his mouth to sharply call out Minho, when he heard an unexpected voice.
"Hae, we're not supposed to --" A slight muffling sound as clothes rustled.
"Don't be a killjoy, Kyuhyunnie," Donghae said, low and slightly petulant. "We don't have time back at home. Everyone's always barging in on us --"
"And that kid's always calling you up," Kyuhyun said, an acerbic edge to his normally cool tone. "What the hell does he still need your advice for? It's been months. Months."
There was a brief silence before the resonant sound of lips smacking was heard. "He's in love, Kyu. It's not his fault the guy's so dense."
Kyuhyun scoffed. Jonghyun imagined him rolling his eyes the way he always did when he thought his Super Junior hyungdeul weren't looking. "I don't recall you being any better last year."
Donghae laughed. Jonghyun saw an arm wrap around Kyuhyun's slightly thinner waist. "You're too cute when you're being all sarcastic and pouting like that."
"Who said I was pouting --"
"Jjong-ah?" Someone tapped on the shoulder, sending him leaping in surprise. He twisted around and found a curious-looking Minho staring at him intently.
"Y-yeah?" He breathed, trying to still the abnormally fast beating of his heart.
"Rehearsal's in five."
"Oh, damn," he muttered under his breath, averting his gaze from Minho's. "Kibum sent me to look for you."
He saw Minho shrug from the corner of his eye. "I was back as soon as you left."
As it turned out, Donghae and Kyuhyun were spectacularly late to rehearsal. Jonghyun spied Leeteuk giving them a firm verbal beating during the water break. Give it to them good, Jonghyun thought, relishing the slight rush of sadistic pleasure that was seeing Donghae looking so apologetic. Jinki, who was beside him at the time, looked on at the display wistfully, probably wishing that one day he'd be able to wield the same kind of power over his members.
Jonghyun urged the coming snort to go down, and glanced instead at Minho, who was practicing a step with Taemin. As his group mate and friend, he'd have to tell him how his most important person was a no-good cheater, and it didn't feel good at all.
Fact number nine: Jonghyun liked to kid, but didn't take too well to jokes made at his expense. This was why after his and Jinki's infamous appearance on Star Golden Bell, where Jinki imitated his singing, he didn't talk to Jinki for two whole days. It was only after Kibum threatened him with barrels of unwashed laundry, and after Jinki gave him the most adorable puppy eyes that should have been illegal for a guy his age that he forgave.
So when he came to Minho that evening with a deep frown and a heavy heart and told him of Donghae's indiscretions, he wasn't prepared for what came next.
"Knew it," Minho said, laughing out loud. He tended to laugh a lot these days, Jonghyun noted. He was slowly opening up more under their noses, and he wondered if the others had noticed it before him. "Donghae-hyung kept on texting me about the hyungdeul not caring enough to give them privacy. I guess he finally went over the edge."
"What the fuck," Jonghyun began carefully, "are you talking about?"
"Well, Kyuhyun-hyung and Donghae-hyung have been together since last year," Minho said slowly, motioning for him to sit beside him. "It's not really a secret, but I guess they're still trying to keep it under wraps. Management and all."
"Wait - you mean --" Jonghyun stammered. "You... and Donghae-hyung... aren't together?"
"No." Minho's tone turned serious, and he fixed Jonghyun a look. "You really thought -?"
"Yes!" Jonghyun exclaimed, startling Minho who jerked back. "Who texts and calls you everyday? Who do you talk to all the time, anywhere? We're not idiots, Minho. We can see. We know."
"Jonghyun-ah," Minho said, dropping the honorific after he's calm enough to breath normally again. "I don't like Donghae-hyung, not like that."
"Then who?" Jonghyun demanded, voice on the verge of rising up a pitch.
Minho closed his eyes and exhaled. When his eyes opened, they bore straight into Jonghyun's own. "You still don't know?"
"It's one of the other hyungs, isn't it?" Jonghyun's voice turned quiet. His self-control was unparalleled and awesome and he will not say anything else after this. He wanted the conversation to end so badly; he felt his fight-or-flight nerves strung like crazy.
"It's you, hyung." Minho was no longer smiling as he studied Jonghyun's face, but his eyes told a different story. "It's always been you."
"Don't fucking toy with me," Jonghyun snarled on instinct, got up and left.
Fact number ten: Among SHINee, Jonghyun prided himself in being the earliest riser. He had a record of five alarm clocks on top on his bedside wall, not including his cellphone alarm. Jinki objected to having so many alarm clocks, as it was 'creepy' or whatever, but Jonghyun thought it was a necessity especially for him as he was the last to wake up. Kibum bitched about the clocks when they'd first moved in together, but after it saved them from many a late rehearsal or meeting, he didn't hear any more complaints from his best friend.
So he was frankly more than a little bit shocked when he wakes up to find the mid-day sun seeping through the blinds and Minho sitting over the edge of his bed.
"You'll fall, you idiot," he mumbled as he sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. His abdomen came in contact with a hard, inanimate object - a tray with a plate of eggs and sausages was sitting cozily on his thighs. "You cook?"
"I try," Minho said, edging closer and rearranging the slightly crooked tray. "You should eat that before it gets cold."
He was about to retort acidly when the loud grumbling of his stomach disrupted his thoughts. Minho's lips quirked up into a smile as he sighed and began picking at the food.
"This apology is delicious," he remarked after tentatively chewing on a piece of sausage. "But don't think this makes me forgive you."
Minho shrugged. "Wasn't expecting you to." And Minho does know him well, despite all his assumptions.
"Why were you texting Donghae-hyung so much, anyway?" he said after he'd finished off the eggs, looking at Minho expectantly.
"He's very sensible even when he acts like a kid sometimes," Minho said. "He knows how to get what - or who - he wants. I think you can guess where it goes from there."
Jonghyun crossed his arms. "You should have asked Kyuhyun-hyung instead. He made the first move."
Minho raised an eyebrow, and snickered. "Maybe I should have."
Jonghyun ate in comfortable silence with Minho observing him, and strangely enough, he didn't mind. When he was done, he handed Minho the tray after he climbed down the bunk.
"Are we okay now?" Minho asked as he pushed the door open, tray in hand and a hopeful smile on his lips.
Jonghyun made a show of tapping his finger on his chin, appearing deep in thought, before beaming at Minho. "Maybe another breakfast in bed will do the trick."
"Okay," Minho said, and his smile was so wide that it made Jonghyun's chest ache.
Fact number eleven: If Jonghyun was a sucker for anything, it would definitely have to be Minho's smile. In the subsequent days (weeks, months, years) that followed, it was that smile that drove him up the wall. He'd never admit to it, but when Minho held his hand after their photoshoot for their new concept, eyes lighting up, he thought he just might one day.
END
Comments are love!
notes: could not resist adding my suju pairing bias. also onkey *_* at the inkigayo thing, jjong did bawl and minho was the one to pull him back in d'aaw. of course the radio show with minho declaring his love for hae and jjong being butthurt is infamous.
minho/jonghyun, pg-13
5,409 words
Summary: 11 facts about Kim Jonghyun. In which there is jealousy, bitching and hyung-obsessions, oh my. um. please excuse my brilliant attempt at a decent title i don't even :|
Fact number one: Jonghyun liked Donghae a lot. In fact, out of all the Super Junior sunbaenim, he was the one all of SHINee can claim they're closest to and mean it. When Super Junior and SHINee appeared on the same program, he took the time to hug each of them good luck before they performed. As mere trainees passing by the Super Junior rehearsal room, he would pop out with a bright smile and a jovial wave, wishing them good luck with their lessons. At a company party celebrating their debut, he had approached their table and passionately declared that he'd be the first one in line to buy tickets should they have a concert in Seoul's biggest stadium.
Fact number two: Jonghyun liked Donghae a lot, except for when he hung off Minho's arm like it was nobody's business. He tended to do it a lot recently, and for some reason it bothered Jonghyun. It wasn't like they didn't all receive their fair share of touches from Donghae, but he reserved extra special attention for Minho.
An incident that stood out in Jonghyun's memory was the one during a company meeting, where their managers had met with those of other groups' to discuss the set list for the upcoming SM TOWN Concert. Being leader, Jinki opted to go while Jonghyun and Minho tagged along. As Jinki was inside with the leaders of other groups, he and Minho were left to idly converse in the hallway. So far, all he had received were monosyllabic replies, stiff nods and affirmative grunts. He had just about had enough and was about to forego the pleasant talk in favor of tickling Minho to death, when who else but Donghae materialized around the corner.
"Hyung!" Jonghyun exclaimed, lowering his hands from where they were poised at Minho's side. They'd only seen Leeteuk with Yunho and none of their group mates. "Are you stalking Leeteuk-hyung?"
Donghae only laughed, but not loud enough to disturb the goings-on in the next room. "No, he let me come with him. Kangin too, but he's in the cafeteria with Jaejoong, so it's just me for now."
Make no mistake, he was happy to have Donghae with them. Only Minho seemed happier, the way his eyes suddely crinkled in a mixture of amusement and relief. Jonghyun felt indignant at that - it wasn't as if Minho had to put up with him. He would totally understand if Minho told him to shut up.
... Okay, maybe he wouldn't, and maybe it would take a few days of grovelling on hands and feet for him to forgive Minho. Right now, though, that was beside the point because Donghae suddenly latched on to Minho and propped his chin on his shoulder.
"Minho-yah," Donghae drew out, all wide eyes and grabby hands, "don't look so down. Come drink with your hyungs!"
"Hyung," Minho said, eyes bright and not looking as down as he did just a minute ago to Jonghyun. Donghae twined an arm around his waist, familiar and intimate, "The press will have a field day if they catch me drinking."
Donghae grinned slyly as he squeezed Minho's hip. "We'll do it in the dorms, dongsaeng. And if the others don't wanna join in, then I'll have you all to myself."
Just as Donghae finished, Kangin appeared from behind with a chuckling Jaejoong in tow and thwacked Donghae squarely on the head. "Don't be a bad influence!"
To Jonghyun's amazement, Minho laughed, long and full, as Donghae's whines rang through the hallway. Jonghyun's right eye twitched involuntarily as he had the sudden urge to grab Minho by the wrist and run away. Instead, he settled for bowing respectfully as Minho did the same, thankful that he could hide his crossness.
"That's okay," Jaejoong was saying, melodious voice colored with a tint of mischief. "I started drinking when I was sixteen. If Kangin-shii doesn't want you in their dorms, you can always come to ours."
Kangin scowled and one-touched Jaejoong. "And you're even worse than Donghae!"
Donghae, for his part, only held on tighter to an ever-willing Minho and stuck his tongue out at the two seniors.
Fact number three: Jonghyun liked Minho. He was also aware that the feeling didn't seem to be mutual. Minho tended to go soft and gooey whenever in the presence of any senior (while he was stony with his own groupmates, Jonghyun thought bitterly). It was also obvious to him that out of all the hyungdeul it was Donghae whom Minho lavished with special attention.
Now if only he knew why.
Fact number four: Jonghyun liked to gossip (and on certain occasions, being the subject of gossip - he got a kick out of reading fan speculations on his "relationship" with Kibum, Jinki or even Jessica). Contrary to fan belief, he didn't pick it up only upon joining SHINee or interacting with Kibum; it was mostly his sister's fault. As adolescents they fought so often that Jonghyun had to dig up dirt to bribe her with on a weekly basis.
Living in a dorm with four other boys, most people would think that it granted everyone access into each other's lives. Instead, the reverse was true - each member tended to guard their deepest secrets even more closely. Sure, they all laughed and joked around and whispered to each other at night, but Jonghyun knew that the ones never said (and there were many) were the ones worth finding out at all costs.
He had an arsenal of 'data-gathering methods' up his sleeve, but his favorite one was so simple that almost anyone with half a brain could think of it: cellphone snatching. Sometimes he'd sneak up behind Taemin while the other was seated in front of the computer and snatch his phone from his back pocket, only to find that the most interesting text read, "umma misses her baby so much." He scrolled down with an impish grin, expecting to find Kibum's name as sender. His face fell when it was Taemin's actual mother.
Jinki, whose phone didn't need actual stealing (he'd even hand it over with a genial smile), didn't save messages in his inbox or outbox. It was probably why he was so confident letting Jonghyun browse through it.
So far, Kibum's was the most interesting, but was also the hardest to obtain. His head always whipped around just in time to see him on the prowl, or a hand would reflexively swat at him when he was only mere inches away. So one night, after making sure everybody was fast asleep (Jinki snoring lightly, Taemin curled up into a fetal position with his head under the comforter, Minho's arm draped over the bedside), he tiptoed his way around Jinki's bed to Kibum's bunk, and slowly pulled out the phone under Kibum's pillow.
"My baby baby baby ♥ how are you? Is Taeminnie doing okay with homework?" read the first text in Kibum's inbox. Jonghyun rolled his eyes as he scrolled down to find 'Jinki' as sender.
God, why do I even bother, he thought as he moved further down.
"Not now. I want it to be special. When we make lo --" Jonghyun abruptly glanced away, pulling a face.
He didn't go around stealing cellphones for a long time after that. Being a gossip did have its inevitable consequences.
Today, however, was different. For close to a week now, Minho had been tapping and texting away incessantly during rehearsal and recording breaks, between tapings for shows, during meals. Even Jinki had taken to reprimanding him at dinner time when he paused every minute to text. Minho had only nodded his apology, and curled up on the couch with his phone after washing the dishes.
Amazingly, it didn't take that much to steal Minho's phone, and he cursed himself for not noticing it sooner. Minho tended to leave his cellphone where he had last been using it whenever he occupied himself with something else, like soccer drills or tutoring Taemin.
It was on one such lucky stroke of circumstance that he found himself leaning against the bathroom door from the inside as he scrolled through text after text after text.
sungminnie and hyuk ate the last of my favorite bananas T_T
buy a new bunch?
i tried but the lady down the street selling them had no more stock. i only like that one kind T____T ;___; (~A~)
try another kind?
There was a long time interval between the previous text and the next, which read:
can i try your banana? :Db :Db :Db \(*u*)/
:)) hyung
"Hey!" Kibum yelled from the other side, banging his fist on the door. "It's my turn to shower, open up!"
Jonghyun wrenched the door open so fast Kibum almost tripped.
"What the hell - wait, you're not wet," Kibum pointed out after he composed himself, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
He wanted to tell Kibum that just the experience of reading Minho and Donghae's ping-pong exchange of messages was enough to make him feel like he swam thousands of leagues into the ocean deep while holding his breath. In the end, he decided not to, because being on the receiving end of a pitying look was never his thing.
Fact number five: Jonghyun liked to listen. He listened to everything he could get his hands on - soulful jazz he could sway to, soaring, tearful ballads, house music with monotonous, stuttering voices filtered through vocorders - in a multitude of languages. A music snob he was not, because he believed music was universal. The other members haven't told interviewers (he suspects they will soon), but they'd caught him half-singing, half-muttering a Spanish ballad and a Japanese bubblegum pop song in his sleep.
He also liked to listen to what he called 'invisible music' from people. It was not so much what people said as how they said it. The way Jinki's voice rose a notch higher when he was frustrated but didn't want to show it, or the way Taemin timed his breaths as he moved to try that bit of choreography yet again - these told him when the right time was to lay off the teasing or give out his best 'everything's going to be okay' smile.
There were times, however, when he wished he wasn't able to read 'invisible music' so well.
"I don't know, hyung," whispered Minho into his phone, soft and low, as he leaned both elbows on the counter. "How do you want me to say it?"
Jonghyun, who was on his way to the pantry to smuggle cupcakes out for himself and Taemin - diet be damned - promptly halted in his step. He peeked inside for a second, and was relieved to see that Minho didn't notice.
"Okay," said Minho. Jonghyun can hear his feet shuffling on the tiles. "Okay. I like you. I don't know how to say it better than that so - I like you."
Jonghyun felt a lump in his throat, appetite suddenly abated. He had almost walked into a confession!
But wait. He always pictured Minho to operate smoothly on all things romantic - he was their resident charismatic man, after all, their charm point. Confessing by phone hardly measured up to sunsets and long walks on the beach.
Minho was chuckling, this time sweet and tender. "Don't make fun of me, hyung. I'm just saying how I really feel. And I don't sound that bad."
Jonghyun really couldn't take any more of it - it was like white noise had suddenly replaced all the pleasantries of the day. He did an about-face and padded back to the bedroom, ready with an apology for Taemin. If he still wanted those cupcakes, he'd have to get it himself.
Fact number six: Jonghyun was stubborn to a fault. If he didn't believe in something, then no amount of convincing changed his view. This is why he got into so many debates and trivial arguments with Kibum, neither of them willing to cave in or see the other's point.
On a rare day-off, he and Kibum were lying side by side on Jinki's bed, Kibum clad only in pajama bottoms and him in boxer shorts.
"Jjong," Kibum murmured, eyes up at the ceiling.
"What?" He replied, an arm under his head.
"Why do you like Minho?"
Alarm sirens blared in his head. "Why not? I like all my group mates. You and Jinki and Taemin and Minho. I like you all."
Kibum snorted, turning onto his side so he was facing him. "Cut that out. You like Minho way more than you ever liked me. Or Jinki and Taemin."
He then said sharply as his head twisted around to look Kibum in the eye, "I'm not the one calling and texting Minho all day and night. Whatever you're thinking, Kim Kibum, that's not it."
Kibum met the challenge head-on and stared back, unflinching. "Jealous much?"
He glared for all he was worth. "I am not --"
"If you think about it," Kibum cut in mercilessly, "you have the advantage. You live with him, you sleep within a five-foot radius of each other, you eat together. Hell, you could even shower together if you wanted to!"
He sat up and glanced down at Kibum, who was looking at him with something akin to sympathy. "I don't want to shower with him and I don't have an advantage over anyone!" He swung his legs over the edge, stood straight, and crossed the room so fast he was almost running. Yanking the door open, who else would be on the other side but -
"Minho?" Jonghyun said, stunned after almost crashing into said boy's chest.
"Jjong-hyung," Minho said evenly, calmly peering at him through impossibly thick lashes. "We have a radio show in an two hours." He was looking at his boxer shorts pointedly like it would have been scared enough to drop itself down his knees with a single look.
"Oh. That. Right." So it wasn't a day-off, after all, at least not for him. He huffed and ran a hand through his hair, unable to look Minho in the eye. "I'll be ready in thirty minutes."
"Make it ten," Minho said, still slanting a pointed glance at his shorts. "Stylist-noona and the make-up artist are on their way."
Jonghyun frowned, feeling self-conscious. "Stop looking at my underwear!" When he dared to turn his full gaze at Minho's face, an amused little smile was pulling at his lips. "Look, Minho. I'm just gonna shower and put some decent clothes on, 'cos I stink. The noonadeul can wait a little --"
Before he could react, Minho tipped forward until his breath tickled Jonghyun's neck. "Minho -- what --"
And just like that, the moment was over. He pulled the door open behind them and spared a sideways glance at Jonghyun. "You smell fine," he said with a small smile as he closed the door to Kibum's confused whining.
Two hours later, he and Minho were seated across each other on Shindong's radio show. So far everything was going well - they were asked to do a song-and-rap duet (which they killed at, of course, despite Jonghyun's lack of vocalization), talk about their new "Romeo" mini-album and answer some fan questions.
Jonghyun sat back, stretching out his legs from under the desk. He could do this radio show with his eyes closed.
"First off, PD, please give me some background music," Minho was saying.
Shindong pressed a button and some ridiculous tinkling sound began to play in the background. "This kind?"
Jonghyun could tell Minho was trying to fight a smile. "No, not that kind."
Shindong nodded, and suddenly a romantic song was playing behind their heads. Jonghyun had to comment - "Our Minho is so wild-hearted, he even wants background music!" What was Minho about to say, anyway? A cheesy shout-out to the rest of the guys back home?
"Though I am really close with the other hyungs," Minho started, sounding uncharacteristically shy. "In Super Junior, the one I like the most is Donghae-hyung..."
Jonghyun was staring at him, mouth slightly open in an ungraceful imitation of a goldfish. He couldn't believe Minho was confessing (again! apparently this was his grand show of love that made up for the abysmal romantic gesture that was confessing by phone) on national radio.
"Donghae-hyung, I love you." Minho tilted his head to the side, smiling wide before bursting into low laughter with the rest of the studio.
Then he realized with a start that Minho was actually, truly, really confessing to Donghae.
For lack of anything better to say, he settled for "Why ask for background music?" directed at everyone. Shindong blinked at him, then reached over the desk and squeezed his hand.
He loves you, too, Shindong mouthed with a wink.
It was only later that night, as he lay in his bed staring up at the dark ceiling, that he realized he must have sounded more hurt that he intended. He turned on his side and buried his nose into his pillow. He needed to stop earning these looks from people or else it was going to drive him insane.
Fact number seven: Jonghyun was impulsive. He didn't hold back. It was why he reached for that high note even if he wasn't a hundred percent sure he'd hit it. It was why he tended to have random bursts of emotion at the most inopportune of times.
So when the impulse to grab Minho's phone again latched onto him, he gave in almost immediately. The opportunity presented itself when their stylist ushered Minho to a different wardrobe room an hour before another Inkigayo performance, complaining that he'd grown again since the last time she'd seen him and that he needed to try on a lengthier pairs.
"That's Minho-hyung's phone," Taemin stated, blinking up at him from his position on the couch.
"I know, Taeminnie," he replied, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. If only their youngest wasn't so cute.
"Um," Taemin pressed on nervously, then looked down at his hands. "I just thought you were getting the wrong phone, since your phone's in your bag."
"What's going on over there?" Kibum called out sternly, cracking open an eye and ignoring the make-up artist scolding him for smudging the subtle shadow she'd been patting on his lid.
"None of your business," he said curtly, pushing past a sputtering, wide-eyed Jinki and making his way down the far end of the corridor. He would have been content to stay just outside their door, but 2PM was in the adjacent room, probably horsing around and being extremely loud in the process.
He can practically feel the horns ready to grow on his head as he pressed 'call.' A few short rings, then --
"Hello?"
... This didn't sound like the the person he was expecting at all. "Err. Hello?"
"Who is this?" The person on the other line demanded. "How did you get this number?"
What the fuck. "It's --" He was going to say 'Minho' but ultimately decided against it. He could never pass his voice for Minho's low bass. "Jonghyun."
"Jonghyun?" The other person repeated incredulously. "As in that kid from SHINee?"
"C-can I please speak to Donghae-hyung?"
"I don't think so," the other person said, pleasant tone barely masking the caustic inflection. "He's --"
"Kyuhyunnie, gimme my phone!" A voice not too far off yelled. Jonghyun heard slight shuffling, a low exchange of murmurs and static before Donghae's rasp filtered through the speaker.
"Hello?"
Jonghyun swallowed. "Hi, Donghae-hyung." Compared to the suave speech he worked out in his head mere minutes ago, it's a weak effort.
"Minho-yah? You don't sound like yourself today, do you have a cold?"
He fingered the hem of his vest. "I-it's Jonghyun. Hi."
"Oh." Donghae fell silent for a moment, and only light tittering in the background - presumably Kyuhyun - was heard. "Hi, Jonghyun-ah. Anything you need help with? And why didn't you call me on your phone? You have my number, right?"
"I do," he managed to reply after yet another uncomfortable silence. "I... just left it on for too long and I left my charger back at the dorm."
"Oh, that's okay." Donghae chuckled. "That happens to me, too. Anyway, why'd you call?"
Are you or are you not with Minho? Are you good to him? Do you take him out on dinner dates? I've never seen you two out together. I don't see pictures on Minho's phone, I only see texts. Why only text and call when you can bring him to your dorm? Why don't you visit our dorm so we can all fall over ourselves over Minho's handsome guy? Do you want us to cook and clean our dorm so it'll look presentable when you sit on the couch playing Fifa Cup with Minho? Why did it have to be Minho?
Why did it have to be you?
"Hyung, I just -" he paused, and took a deep breath. "Take care of Minho, okay?"
"What?" Donghae asked, sounding genuinely bewildered. "Jonghyun-ah, I don't think --"
"Hyung," he interrupted. It was rude, he knew, but there was nothing else he could think of to say. Everything just flew out the window. "I have to go. We're on in a few." And just like that, he hung up. He would apologize later, because he and Donghae would inevitably meet again soon. Right now, he tried to focus his energies on the performance.
When they won their second mutizen for 'Juliette,' Jonghyun stepped away from the rest of SHINee, away from the bright hot lights and sobbed into his hands. He was dimly aware of the camera flashes and So Nyeo Shi Dae's loud teasing from the sides, but he really didn't care.
He didn't stop even as he felt Minho embracing him, gently pulling him towards the center. "It's alright, hyung," Minho had said into his hair, heavy against his forehead and matted with sweat. "It's alright."
Fact number eight: Jonghyun valued trust. He knew that no matter what happened, his members will always stand by him, through the highs and lows of their career, through the wild cheers, low ratings, sky-high album sales, almost wins. The importance of trust and teamwork was drilled into their heads as trainees, and again as a formally debuted group. By extension, he also trusted and held the highest respect for his label-mates, his sunbae, because without their paving the way they would have been groping in the dark.
That was how he found himself looking for Minho a mere fifteen minutes before all the groups were to go onstage for the Dream Concert dress rehearsal.
"Go be useful and look for Minho, he's late," Kibum had told him, practically shoving him backstage. "And I trust you to find him in less than five minutes!" He was going to give Kibum a piece of his mind later - as if he was any more useful to Jinki. All he did was sit on his lap and coddle him.
"Minho?" he called out, popping his head inside 2PM's empty dressing room. Knowing how much Nichkhun liked Minho, it wouldn't be too farfetched a thought for Minho to come visit his favorite Thai senior.
"Are you in here?" he said, knocking on So Nyeo Shi Dae's two dressing rooms in turn. Sometimes Yuri and Sooyoung liked to clown around with Minho (not to mention trade make-up secrets with Kibum and braid Taemin's hair, but that was a story for another time), but he wasn't there either.
"Minho, you're --" he paused as he took a look inside one of Super Junior's two dressing rooms. There were two people behind the wardrobe rack whose faces were completely obscured by a line of neatly-labelled suit jackets. Their legs were aligned against each other's. They were obviously making out.
He was about to open his mouth to sharply call out Minho, when he heard an unexpected voice.
"Hae, we're not supposed to --" A slight muffling sound as clothes rustled.
"Don't be a killjoy, Kyuhyunnie," Donghae said, low and slightly petulant. "We don't have time back at home. Everyone's always barging in on us --"
"And that kid's always calling you up," Kyuhyun said, an acerbic edge to his normally cool tone. "What the hell does he still need your advice for? It's been months. Months."
There was a brief silence before the resonant sound of lips smacking was heard. "He's in love, Kyu. It's not his fault the guy's so dense."
Kyuhyun scoffed. Jonghyun imagined him rolling his eyes the way he always did when he thought his Super Junior hyungdeul weren't looking. "I don't recall you being any better last year."
Donghae laughed. Jonghyun saw an arm wrap around Kyuhyun's slightly thinner waist. "You're too cute when you're being all sarcastic and pouting like that."
"Who said I was pouting --"
"Jjong-ah?" Someone tapped on the shoulder, sending him leaping in surprise. He twisted around and found a curious-looking Minho staring at him intently.
"Y-yeah?" He breathed, trying to still the abnormally fast beating of his heart.
"Rehearsal's in five."
"Oh, damn," he muttered under his breath, averting his gaze from Minho's. "Kibum sent me to look for you."
He saw Minho shrug from the corner of his eye. "I was back as soon as you left."
As it turned out, Donghae and Kyuhyun were spectacularly late to rehearsal. Jonghyun spied Leeteuk giving them a firm verbal beating during the water break. Give it to them good, Jonghyun thought, relishing the slight rush of sadistic pleasure that was seeing Donghae looking so apologetic. Jinki, who was beside him at the time, looked on at the display wistfully, probably wishing that one day he'd be able to wield the same kind of power over his members.
Jonghyun urged the coming snort to go down, and glanced instead at Minho, who was practicing a step with Taemin. As his group mate and friend, he'd have to tell him how his most important person was a no-good cheater, and it didn't feel good at all.
Fact number nine: Jonghyun liked to kid, but didn't take too well to jokes made at his expense. This was why after his and Jinki's infamous appearance on Star Golden Bell, where Jinki imitated his singing, he didn't talk to Jinki for two whole days. It was only after Kibum threatened him with barrels of unwashed laundry, and after Jinki gave him the most adorable puppy eyes that should have been illegal for a guy his age that he forgave.
So when he came to Minho that evening with a deep frown and a heavy heart and told him of Donghae's indiscretions, he wasn't prepared for what came next.
"Knew it," Minho said, laughing out loud. He tended to laugh a lot these days, Jonghyun noted. He was slowly opening up more under their noses, and he wondered if the others had noticed it before him. "Donghae-hyung kept on texting me about the hyungdeul not caring enough to give them privacy. I guess he finally went over the edge."
"What the fuck," Jonghyun began carefully, "are you talking about?"
"Well, Kyuhyun-hyung and Donghae-hyung have been together since last year," Minho said slowly, motioning for him to sit beside him. "It's not really a secret, but I guess they're still trying to keep it under wraps. Management and all."
"Wait - you mean --" Jonghyun stammered. "You... and Donghae-hyung... aren't together?"
"No." Minho's tone turned serious, and he fixed Jonghyun a look. "You really thought -?"
"Yes!" Jonghyun exclaimed, startling Minho who jerked back. "Who texts and calls you everyday? Who do you talk to all the time, anywhere? We're not idiots, Minho. We can see. We know."
"Jonghyun-ah," Minho said, dropping the honorific after he's calm enough to breath normally again. "I don't like Donghae-hyung, not like that."
"Then who?" Jonghyun demanded, voice on the verge of rising up a pitch.
Minho closed his eyes and exhaled. When his eyes opened, they bore straight into Jonghyun's own. "You still don't know?"
"It's one of the other hyungs, isn't it?" Jonghyun's voice turned quiet. His self-control was unparalleled and awesome and he will not say anything else after this. He wanted the conversation to end so badly; he felt his fight-or-flight nerves strung like crazy.
"It's you, hyung." Minho was no longer smiling as he studied Jonghyun's face, but his eyes told a different story. "It's always been you."
"Don't fucking toy with me," Jonghyun snarled on instinct, got up and left.
Fact number ten: Among SHINee, Jonghyun prided himself in being the earliest riser. He had a record of five alarm clocks on top on his bedside wall, not including his cellphone alarm. Jinki objected to having so many alarm clocks, as it was 'creepy' or whatever, but Jonghyun thought it was a necessity especially for him as he was the last to wake up. Kibum bitched about the clocks when they'd first moved in together, but after it saved them from many a late rehearsal or meeting, he didn't hear any more complaints from his best friend.
So he was frankly more than a little bit shocked when he wakes up to find the mid-day sun seeping through the blinds and Minho sitting over the edge of his bed.
"You'll fall, you idiot," he mumbled as he sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. His abdomen came in contact with a hard, inanimate object - a tray with a plate of eggs and sausages was sitting cozily on his thighs. "You cook?"
"I try," Minho said, edging closer and rearranging the slightly crooked tray. "You should eat that before it gets cold."
He was about to retort acidly when the loud grumbling of his stomach disrupted his thoughts. Minho's lips quirked up into a smile as he sighed and began picking at the food.
"This apology is delicious," he remarked after tentatively chewing on a piece of sausage. "But don't think this makes me forgive you."
Minho shrugged. "Wasn't expecting you to." And Minho does know him well, despite all his assumptions.
"Why were you texting Donghae-hyung so much, anyway?" he said after he'd finished off the eggs, looking at Minho expectantly.
"He's very sensible even when he acts like a kid sometimes," Minho said. "He knows how to get what - or who - he wants. I think you can guess where it goes from there."
Jonghyun crossed his arms. "You should have asked Kyuhyun-hyung instead. He made the first move."
Minho raised an eyebrow, and snickered. "Maybe I should have."
Jonghyun ate in comfortable silence with Minho observing him, and strangely enough, he didn't mind. When he was done, he handed Minho the tray after he climbed down the bunk.
"Are we okay now?" Minho asked as he pushed the door open, tray in hand and a hopeful smile on his lips.
Jonghyun made a show of tapping his finger on his chin, appearing deep in thought, before beaming at Minho. "Maybe another breakfast in bed will do the trick."
"Okay," Minho said, and his smile was so wide that it made Jonghyun's chest ache.
Fact number eleven: If Jonghyun was a sucker for anything, it would definitely have to be Minho's smile. In the subsequent days (weeks, months, years) that followed, it was that smile that drove him up the wall. He'd never admit to it, but when Minho held his hand after their photoshoot for their new concept, eyes lighting up, he thought he just might one day.
END
Comments are love!
notes: could not resist adding my suju pairing bias. also onkey *_* at the inkigayo thing, jjong did bawl and minho was the one to pull him back in d'aaw. of course the radio show with minho declaring his love for hae and jjong being butthurt is infamous.