Crush
Title: Crush
Author: Monami
Fandom: SHINee
Pairing: Jongkey
Word count: 4,270
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Maybe it wasn't such a harmless crush after all.
A/N: Ahem. I'm posting here for the first, and probably last, time right now. xP Ahaha, I just wanted to share this with someone.
Mood:
CRAZY
Work was rough, but what else was new? Key wasn’t going to complain, he needed the money. How else would he afford the name brands that filled his small bedroom closet and the front closet that he designated for his shoes? Leather, expensive, lined the shelves he set up in that closet. Italian imports, very expensive, remained unworn for a special occasion. Ha, right, special. He wasn’t exactly sure what inspired him to buy them, but he knew they’d look good with his suit. A suit he’d never wear, because face it… like he was ever going to get a date. Key was gay, and he loved his best friend. Naturally, his best friend was heterosexual, had a sexy girlfriend with dark hair and pretty eyes. No way in hell was Key getting a date.
He flipped the light switch when he unlocked his apartment door, and nothing happened. This was typical, sometimes, when he forgot to pay a bill. Well, he never really forgot, he just didn’t have money at the time, and somehow just never got around to getting business taken care of when he actually did have the money, since he usually spent it on a leather briefcase for work, even though he’d already bought one the week before. After all, Key was a diva, and this was his lifestyle.
He placed his briefcase down, ran a hand through his dark hair and pulled out his cell phone. Jonghyun was on his speed dial, why wouldn’t his best friend be in that number one spot? Even if, for some reason, Jonghyun kept him at number two. Key laughed quietly to himself- who else would be number one other than Jonghyun’s mother? Key pressed the two buttons that allowed him to dial Jonghyun’s number and put the phone to his ear. Jonghyun answered after the first ring, voice breathless.
“I’m not interrupting something, am I?” Key questioned, laughing as he kicked his shoes off and reached for the light again; still nothing. Maybe he had hopped it was just some fluke in the wiring, but the second attempt really hit it home. Key had no power for the seventh time in that year. And it was only May!
“I’m just at the gym,” Jonghyun replied, and Key could hear the smile in his voice. “Come down, I’ll pay for today. Maybe we can get some dinner. Soonyi is out of town for business, and I figure we haven’t really hung out that much since she got that job transfer.”
Of course not, Soonyi constantly needed Jonghyun to work on her social life while she ran her office and their condo. Their expensive, penthouse condo. Key scratched at the back of his head, already feeling guilty about the question he was about to ask.
“Hey, I know you can pay for things,” he said, laughing. “You know I can’t afford much right now…”
“Key, is your power out again?” Jonghyun questioned, and although his voice was whiney it wasn’t annoying. In fact, it made Key blush slightly, and he was thankful this came up over the phone and not at the gym, because Key couldn’t let a free workout session go to waste and he’d surely run away if he were there. He loosened his tie, running a hand through his hair again and removing his glasses. “Key, just be honest. You know I don’t mind paying your bills when you need help; you just have to tell me. You’re not making much with that fashion magazine. Why not transfer to some business paper. You’re a great editor, I can get you the job, no questions ask-“
“Jong, I can’t do that to you!” Key exclaimed, dropping into his chaise. His 1500 dollar chaise. Key sighed. “Okay, well maybe I can, but I promise to pay you back. Soonyi doesn’t like when I borrow money.”
“Forget it,” Jonghyun said, and his voice was back to normal. He was probably taking a break out of his personal training time just for Key… it made his heart ache, knowing that. “She won’t find out. I’ll use my own money, not the house money.”
“Now that makes it even worse,” Key mumbled, shaking his head. “Jonghyun, just treat me to dinner and the gym.”
“If you won’t let me pay the bill, just stay at my place until you can afford it.”
“Jonghyun-“
“No, Kibum. You’re like a brother to me, and I don’t let family flounder around. Pack a bag for a couple nights, and we’ll see what happens from there.
“Jonghyun, a ‘couple of nights’?” Key asked, nearly snorting. Yeah, like he’d pack for a couple of nights. If he ended up staying there for a few days extra, he’d go crazy. He was not going to wear the same outfit twice in one week- that was blasphemous. Jonghyun laughed on the other side of the phone.
“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll take you shopping if you need it.”
“You spoil me, Hyung,” Key mumbled, looking out the small window of his apartment, across the city to one of the taller buildings, ones like the one Jonghyun lived in.
“You’re welcome, Key,” Jonghyun said, teasing. “Get down here before I change my mind.”
“You won’t.”
“Yeah, I know. Bye Key.”
“Bye Jonghyun,” Key mumbled, but Jonghyun had already hung up.
Key let the phone drop into his lap and he leaned back in the chaise, staring at the ceiling. Gym and dinner with Jonghyun, and he’d be spending a few days with him… well, at least until Soonyi came home the day after the next. Alone. With Jonghyun. Key sat up quickly, holding his head in his hands. What in the world had he gotten himself into?
Key showed up late, but he was a diva, after all, and divas were allowed to do that. Jonghyun wasn’t going to complain, he hadn’t seen his friend in over two weeks, had only been able to send him emails on the phone and give him a few calls every once in a while to make sure he had enough money to buy food. When he received the call from Key about his lights, he had to make sure the younger male had something to eat and somewhere to stay until one of them could pay the bill. Of course, Jonghyun could easily pay the bill, he had the money, but Key’s dignity was something he refused to mess with. You do not get a diva mad.
“We don’t have to go to the gym,” Key explained, panting as he leaned against Jonghyun’s sleek silver car. “I ran most of the way here…”
“I can tell,” Jonghyun said, reaching out an arm to help Key stand straight. “Are you all right?”
“Perfect,” Key replied, smiling his dazzling smile.
Jonghyun’s hand dropped back to his side. Surely Key must know the effect he had on him… surely… He was probably oblivious, as always. He’d been so oblivious since high school, since Jonghyun first realized how smart Key was, how strong and brave and how absolutely sexy the younger teenager was. Now they were both grown men… grown in the sense that while Key was younger, he was drastically taller. Really, Key did have to be oblivious…
“Hey, isn’t that the shirt I got you on Valentine’s Day?” Jonghyun noticed, staring intently at the brown shirt that Key was wearing. He’d grown into it nicely; it hugged him in all the right places to show that even though Key never went to the gym that often, he still had a nice body. “The joke present…”
It hadn’t really been a joke, but Key, oblivious Key, just rode it off as one, since Jonghyun had gotten himself a matching shirt. They wore them both proudly under their uniform jackets, arms wrapped around the other’s shoulders, laughing at how many stares they got. They went out later that night, got drunk, and… Jonghyun really didn’t remember, he was a lightweight, but Key said nothing had happened. Sweet, oblivious Key would never lie to Jonghyun.
“Oh, yeah it is. I can’t afford dry cleaning so I just threw it on. It’s weird, huh? I mean, high school was like what… eight years ago?”
“And to think we’ve been friends since elementary school,” Jonghyun said, laughing. “Time flies, doesn’t it?”
Key nodded as Jonghyun stepped away from the passenger’s door, opening it for the younger male. Key slid into the car, falling against the leather seat, and so Jonghyun shut the door. He was in the driver’s seat in no time, buckled in and starting the car.
“Where do you want to go out for dinner?” he questioned, looking at Key before tilting his head back further to back out of his reserved parking space. Jonghyun was a regular at the gym, and since he had so much status, he bought a space just for himself. He knew there was one somewhere in the garage for Soonyi, but she had purchased it before they even met… since they happened to meet at the gym. “Anything you want, we can even fly out to Busan if you want.”
“Busan is too far, Jonghyun,” Key mumbled, and when Jonghyun looked at him the younger male was staring out the window. “I’m fine with anything local. Cheap and local.”
“Why not go out for some fried pork then? Remember that place we went to in high school? I think it’s still open. If not, we can just order in or something.”
“Let’s try that place first,” Key said, turning to look at Jonghyun and grinning. Jonghyun had to look away to prevent from crashing the car suddenly. “If not, there’s this place that has really good food for cheap. I get stuff from there when I’m at the office late.”
“On it,” Jonghyun said, and stepped on the gas. “This’ll be fun. Just like high school again.”
“Yeah,” he heard Key mumbled. “Just like high school…”
“I can’t believe that place was still open!” Jonghyun slurred, wrapping his arm around Key’s shoulders as they stumbled down the streets.
The waiter had been kind enough to take Jonghyun’s keys to give them to Key, who, of course, didn’t have his license, and since Key had no money and Jonghyun was completely drunk, Key decided they’d just walk to Jonghyun’s place. It was only a few blocks, and it gave them time to reminisce more about the past. After all, they had stumbled home drunk during high school many times, both obviously underage but not caring at all if people called the cops on them. They would either go to Key’s house (back before his parents were divorced and the money just seemed to disappear) or to Jonghyun’s house, where they had maids and a private cook.
Key couldn’t help but remember that one Valentine’s Day night, when Jonghyun confessed to him. He had been drunk, as he was now, so Key shoved it to the back of his mind, went on being friends with the older male. Jonghyun had girlfriends after that, Key had… a few relationships, but they never lasted long. Jonghyun’s relationships always flourished until Key needed something, and Jonghyun would drop the girl for his best friend. They were family, he kept saying. Jonghyun didn’t abandon his family.
“I mean, oh my God, Key, it’s been so long since we went there!” Jonghyun was going on, laughing and shaking Key’s shoulders. “God, Key, last time we went there was like… that Valentine’s Day. I don’t know why you kept refusing to go back, that place has great food!” Jonghyun laughed again, bent over this time from the effort and Key had to sink low with him until he recovered. “Damn, Key, and you’re wearing that shirt again! Why?!” Key wasn’t exactly sure if that was an accusation or something good, so he just shrugged and nodded. Jonghyun was laughing to the point where he was crying, or maybe he was crying. Again, Key wasn’t exactly sure, so he just raised his hand and wiped a tear away. “Damn it, Key, stop touching me!”
Jonghyun finally shoved away from Key, and the younger male frowned. Jonghyun was glaring up at him now, and Key’s semi-drunken mind couldn’t form a reason for that, either. Jonghyun stuck a finger in his chest, shoving him back and stepping after him.
“You have to wear that shirt tonight, Kibum?” he shouted, jabbing him in the chest again. “Are you mocking me? Are you trying to make me feel bad about high school?”
“What does high school have to do with this God damn shirt, Jonghyun,” Key shot back, grabbing the hem of his own shirt and tugging on it. He loved this shirt and had wished Jonghyun hadn’t toyed with his feelings like that freaking Valentine’s Day. “You’re the one that invited me over. Christ, Jonghyun, I didn’t have power and you invited me out, I wasn’t going to wear something fancy. We’re friends.”
“Maybe that’s the problem!” Jonghyun grumbled, crossing his arms and looking away.
Key watched him silently, thinking Jonghyun looked more like the little puppy dog he resembled in middle school than the smart, chic man in front of him. Jonghyun glared at him out of the corner of his eyes, turning to jab him again.
“Jong, you’re fucking drunk right now,” Key mumbled, running a hand through his hair. “Christ, I’m drunk too, abut at least I can man up and fucking admit it instead of being a damn hormonal teenage girl.”
“Is that what it is?!”
“What?!” Key shouted back, throwing his hands up.
“You think I’m some… some girl right? I get it, okay! Fine, I’ll give up. I’ve been trying to, dating girls. Fuck, Kibum, I’ve been having sex with them.”
“Jonghyun, I didn’t need to-“
“Didn’t need to know that? Yes you did, Kibum, because you don’t fucking get it. You stupid, oblivious moron!”
“Oblivious!” Key glared at Jonghyun, actually shocked he’d be called oblivious by this man who went had girlfriends and… ‘had sex with them’. Key shoved Jonghyun, and the younger man went tumbling to the ground. Key didn’t care that his best friend was glaring up at him, or that he was glaring back at him. He was pissed. “Jonghyun, you’re the oblivious one!”
“High school, Key! Fucking high school!” Jonghyun shouted back as he scrambled to his feet. “Go home, just fucking go home! I’ll pay the fucking bill for you, so just fucking go home!”
Key couldn’t find his voice as Jonghyun stormed away, shoulders hunched and fists jammed into his pockets. He’d screwed up, then. That was it. It was just another drunk fight, Jonghyun would forget in the morning. Maybe if Key went back to a bar he’d get drunk enough to forget, too. So, Key turned on his heel and did just that.
Jonghyun woke up with a headache. It was to be expected, sure, but he didn’t expect it to hurt so God damn much. He shouldn’t have gone out with Key. Key! He sat up quickly, which made his head spin further and he barely had enough time to reach for the bucket trash can by his bed before he emptied the contents of his stomach into it.
“Damn it… Key,” Jonghyun grumbled, sitting cross-legged on his bed and curling his head into his arms. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
He reached for his phone, then stopped. Would Key want to talk to him after last night? Jonghyun pulled his hand away from his phone, then reached out and snatched it up. Before he could think about it again he dialed Key’s number and put the phone to his ear, chewing on his bottom lip. It rang once before the line picked up.
“Key, look, I’m really sorry about last night I-“
“Who is this?” a male voice asked.
“… Who is this?” Jonghyun repeated the question, eyes narrowing as he dragged his feet over the side of the bed. “I’m looking for Kim Kibum, who is this?”
The male on the other end of the phone laughed, and then muttered something in the background. Jonghyun waited silently, listening to the hushed tones on the other side of the line.
“Who’s calling?” the male asked. “He wants to know.”
“It’s Jonghyun…”
He listened as the male repeated the name, wincing when he heard Key screech on the other end of the phone. So he hated him then? Was that it? Jonghyun sighed, about to hang up.
“Jjong! Wait, I’m sorry!”
“You’re sorry?!” Jonghyun couldn’t help the shock in his voice, and he laughed. Key was apologizing? For what? “Because you had a one night stand because we had a fight? God, Key, I thought you hated me.”
“We didn’t do anything,” Key mumbled on the phone, and Jonghyun could hear the mysterious man in the background, saying good bye and then leaving. “Really, I passed out right after he got my shirt off…”
“Are you blushing?” Jonghyun muttered, quietly. Key stammered on the other end, and Jonghyun laughed. “Key, come stay at my place.”
“How long should I pack for?”
Jonghyun glanced at the bed, Soonyi’s side of the bed made up neatly. It had remained untouched for the past week, and probably would stay untouched by her for the rest of the time Jonghyun decided to keep the bed. He sighed, pushing his hand through his hair and laughing.
“What is it? Come on, Jong, how long should I pack for?”
“How about… you pack everything?”
Key remained silent on the other end, and Jonghyun suspected his phone was finally shut off by the company, but then he could hear him sighing on the other end of the line. He still remained silent, though, and Jonghyun opened his mouth to speak.
“We’ll talk about this, Jonghyun,” Key said. “You’re hungover right now… Hell, I’m hungover right now. You’re not thinking right.”
“Key-“
“I’ll talk to you later, Jonghyun.”
The line went dead.
Key stared blankly at his closet, overfull with his brand name clothes and bags. The floor was decorated with his cheap shoes, the ones he used when he knew he was going to get dirty. Back before he worked for the magazine, back when he was still in college, he had worn them almost faithfully. Now they were abandoned to the shoes in the front closet. Key got down on his knees and pulled out a pair of dirty white sneakers, setting them aside before crawling over to his dresser. He used it for his undergarments and folded business shirts, all except the bottom drawer. In there he kept ripped jeans from his college days and other shirts from his past. He pulled the drawer open, yanked out a pair of jeans and an old graphic tee that he would be caught dead wearing around the office.
He took a shower and got dressed quickly, leaving his hair in a mess, and almost forgetting to grab his glasses from the table where he left them the day before. His head ached, his body hurt, but he had to meet with Jonghyun. He had texted him where to meet, and he expected him to be there. Key was actually surprised when he did find Jonghyun waiting for him at Starbucks, and was even more shocked to see his favorite drink on the table waiting for him. Nothing cleared his mind like a good iced coffee. He sat slowly, making sure his legs wouldn’t touch Jonghyun’s.
“So what’s the problem, Key?” Jonghyun asked, getting down to business so fast Key hadn’t even had time to take a sip of his coffee. “I mean, we shared a room in college, sometimes even the same bed, and now you don’t want to move into my condo because you can’t afford your own apartment?”
“Soonyi wouldn’t appreciate it, Jonghyun, you know that,” Key sighed, taking a sip of the coffee and shivering. He took another sip and watched Jonghyun over the rim of his glasses. “I don’t think you could support the three of us.”
“I’m not planning to,” Jonghyun whispered, looking at his own cup of coffee. “I mean, Soonyi’s never around anyway, we really don’t talk much. We’re growing distant. When I pick her up from the airport I’m taking her to a hotel and paying for a room for her to stay until she can find a place of her own.”
“Don’t do that because of me.”
Key looked at Jonghyun again, frowning. Jonghyun and Soonyi were so perfect for each other. They had great genes, were both very attractive (and Key was coming from a stylists point of view), and they were both good, working people. They’d have a great family, and Jonghyun was going to throw that away for him.
“Kibum.”
Jonghyun looked at him in the eye.
“Kibum, I don’t know if you haven’t realized, but I’ve loved you since high school.”
“I get it, Jonghyun, I understand. But you can’t do this. You’re with Soonyi.”
Key stood up, leaving his coffee on the table. He couldn’t stand seeing Jonghyun with those puppy eyes, so he turned away and headed for the door. He could hear Jonghyun standing up, so it wasn’t a surprise when the older male was suddenly in front of him. Key stared down at him blankly, frowning.
“Then why are you wearing your old clothes?” Jonghyun wondered. “Why did you tell me to meet you? Huh, Key? What the hell’s going on? Tell me! Tell me now, or else…”
“Or else what, Jonghyun?” Key mumbled, putting his hand on Jonghyun’s shoulder and turning him aside. He walked by him, finally going out the door. “I love you, okay? I get jealous when I see you with Soonyi, or any of your other girls, but face it. You’re not ready for this. You weren’t ready in high school, and you aren’t ready now.”
Key left Jonghyun in the middle of Starbucks, not caring that when he closed the door the older male fell to the ground and started crying.
“Look, Key, I know you still have your phone. I mean, it rang before going to voicemail. Give me a call, Key. Please.”
“Come on, Key, I know you’re getting my messages. Call me, please? You can’t avoid me forever. Just answer a phone call, Key. I just want to talk. I just need to know you’re all right… please…?”
“Okay, so you turned your phone off. That’s cool, Key, real cool. You won’t answer your door and now you turned your phone off. Unless the company turned it off… Damn, Key, let me take care of you.”
“Your apartment is empty, Key. What’s going on?”
Key stared at his phone, frowning when he noticed that Jonghyun had left him three more messages in the past hour. He hated listening to his friend’s pleading voice, but he couldn’t delete them until he did. So he dialed up voicemail and sat back, wondering exactly what his friend was going on about now. Yeah, Key still considered Jonghyun his friend, and still loved him. He was doing this for him, anyway. He was moving back home with his parents to protect Jonghyun from a horrible relationship. They were best friends, and Key, though he really did want more, was going to keep it that way for Jonghyun’s sake. He pressed the button to delete the first message, and listened to the next message, wincing when he heard Jonghyun’s voice, muffled by tears. He hung up his phone, not caring about the messages now. He looked out the train window, frowning when he noticed he was almost at the station. He stood from his seat and removed his suitcase from overhead, setting it on the seat he had been sitting in and remaining standing, peering out the window blankly.
When the train slowed to a stop he got off quickly, heading towards the parking lot where he knew his mother would be waiting for him. But he didn’t get that far, since Jonghyun stepped in front of him as he neared the stairs that led to the parking lot. Key stared at him for a moment, and then took a step back, frowning.
“What are you doing here, Jonghyun?” Key asked, shifting on his feet slightly.
“I called your mom, Kibum. You think I was stupid enough not to?” Jonghyun stomped his foot, and Key almost laughed, but then he remembered this was a very serious matter. “Damn, Key, you’re running away from me, and I don’t get why. What’s wrong with you? I know you love me, and I love you, too, so what’s going on?!”
“Look, I’m just afraid of what’ll happen if it doesn’t work out,” Key mumbled, looking at the ground. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, glancing at Jonghyun again. He felt like that awkward high school student again, the one that, for some reason, Jonghyun fell in love with. “It’s just… not going to work.”
“Fuck that. We can make it work, you don’t even realize how much I want it to work.”
“Jong-“
“No, I’m done with your excuses, Key.”
Jonghyun stepped up to Key, looking up into his eyes. Key remained silent, tilting his head to the side. Jonghyun grabbed the back of his neck and lowered Key’s face to his, and their lips met. Key dropped his bag instantly, and without realizing it he was kissing Jonghyun back.
“You’re moving in,” Jonghyun grumbled against Key’s lips.
“Hmmmm, yeah,” Key replied, and went back to kissing Jonghyun.
Author: Monami
Fandom: SHINee
Pairing: Jongkey
Word count: 4,270
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Maybe it wasn't such a harmless crush after all.
A/N: Ahem. I'm posting here for the first, and probably last, time right now. xP Ahaha, I just wanted to share this with someone.
Mood:
CRAZY
Work was rough, but what else was new? Key wasn’t going to complain, he needed the money. How else would he afford the name brands that filled his small bedroom closet and the front closet that he designated for his shoes? Leather, expensive, lined the shelves he set up in that closet. Italian imports, very expensive, remained unworn for a special occasion. Ha, right, special. He wasn’t exactly sure what inspired him to buy them, but he knew they’d look good with his suit. A suit he’d never wear, because face it… like he was ever going to get a date. Key was gay, and he loved his best friend. Naturally, his best friend was heterosexual, had a sexy girlfriend with dark hair and pretty eyes. No way in hell was Key getting a date.
He flipped the light switch when he unlocked his apartment door, and nothing happened. This was typical, sometimes, when he forgot to pay a bill. Well, he never really forgot, he just didn’t have money at the time, and somehow just never got around to getting business taken care of when he actually did have the money, since he usually spent it on a leather briefcase for work, even though he’d already bought one the week before. After all, Key was a diva, and this was his lifestyle.
He placed his briefcase down, ran a hand through his dark hair and pulled out his cell phone. Jonghyun was on his speed dial, why wouldn’t his best friend be in that number one spot? Even if, for some reason, Jonghyun kept him at number two. Key laughed quietly to himself- who else would be number one other than Jonghyun’s mother? Key pressed the two buttons that allowed him to dial Jonghyun’s number and put the phone to his ear. Jonghyun answered after the first ring, voice breathless.
“I’m not interrupting something, am I?” Key questioned, laughing as he kicked his shoes off and reached for the light again; still nothing. Maybe he had hopped it was just some fluke in the wiring, but the second attempt really hit it home. Key had no power for the seventh time in that year. And it was only May!
“I’m just at the gym,” Jonghyun replied, and Key could hear the smile in his voice. “Come down, I’ll pay for today. Maybe we can get some dinner. Soonyi is out of town for business, and I figure we haven’t really hung out that much since she got that job transfer.”
Of course not, Soonyi constantly needed Jonghyun to work on her social life while she ran her office and their condo. Their expensive, penthouse condo. Key scratched at the back of his head, already feeling guilty about the question he was about to ask.
“Hey, I know you can pay for things,” he said, laughing. “You know I can’t afford much right now…”
“Key, is your power out again?” Jonghyun questioned, and although his voice was whiney it wasn’t annoying. In fact, it made Key blush slightly, and he was thankful this came up over the phone and not at the gym, because Key couldn’t let a free workout session go to waste and he’d surely run away if he were there. He loosened his tie, running a hand through his hair again and removing his glasses. “Key, just be honest. You know I don’t mind paying your bills when you need help; you just have to tell me. You’re not making much with that fashion magazine. Why not transfer to some business paper. You’re a great editor, I can get you the job, no questions ask-“
“Jong, I can’t do that to you!” Key exclaimed, dropping into his chaise. His 1500 dollar chaise. Key sighed. “Okay, well maybe I can, but I promise to pay you back. Soonyi doesn’t like when I borrow money.”
“Forget it,” Jonghyun said, and his voice was back to normal. He was probably taking a break out of his personal training time just for Key… it made his heart ache, knowing that. “She won’t find out. I’ll use my own money, not the house money.”
“Now that makes it even worse,” Key mumbled, shaking his head. “Jonghyun, just treat me to dinner and the gym.”
“If you won’t let me pay the bill, just stay at my place until you can afford it.”
“Jonghyun-“
“No, Kibum. You’re like a brother to me, and I don’t let family flounder around. Pack a bag for a couple nights, and we’ll see what happens from there.
“Jonghyun, a ‘couple of nights’?” Key asked, nearly snorting. Yeah, like he’d pack for a couple of nights. If he ended up staying there for a few days extra, he’d go crazy. He was not going to wear the same outfit twice in one week- that was blasphemous. Jonghyun laughed on the other side of the phone.
“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll take you shopping if you need it.”
“You spoil me, Hyung,” Key mumbled, looking out the small window of his apartment, across the city to one of the taller buildings, ones like the one Jonghyun lived in.
“You’re welcome, Key,” Jonghyun said, teasing. “Get down here before I change my mind.”
“You won’t.”
“Yeah, I know. Bye Key.”
“Bye Jonghyun,” Key mumbled, but Jonghyun had already hung up.
Key let the phone drop into his lap and he leaned back in the chaise, staring at the ceiling. Gym and dinner with Jonghyun, and he’d be spending a few days with him… well, at least until Soonyi came home the day after the next. Alone. With Jonghyun. Key sat up quickly, holding his head in his hands. What in the world had he gotten himself into?
Key showed up late, but he was a diva, after all, and divas were allowed to do that. Jonghyun wasn’t going to complain, he hadn’t seen his friend in over two weeks, had only been able to send him emails on the phone and give him a few calls every once in a while to make sure he had enough money to buy food. When he received the call from Key about his lights, he had to make sure the younger male had something to eat and somewhere to stay until one of them could pay the bill. Of course, Jonghyun could easily pay the bill, he had the money, but Key’s dignity was something he refused to mess with. You do not get a diva mad.
“We don’t have to go to the gym,” Key explained, panting as he leaned against Jonghyun’s sleek silver car. “I ran most of the way here…”
“I can tell,” Jonghyun said, reaching out an arm to help Key stand straight. “Are you all right?”
“Perfect,” Key replied, smiling his dazzling smile.
Jonghyun’s hand dropped back to his side. Surely Key must know the effect he had on him… surely… He was probably oblivious, as always. He’d been so oblivious since high school, since Jonghyun first realized how smart Key was, how strong and brave and how absolutely sexy the younger teenager was. Now they were both grown men… grown in the sense that while Key was younger, he was drastically taller. Really, Key did have to be oblivious…
“Hey, isn’t that the shirt I got you on Valentine’s Day?” Jonghyun noticed, staring intently at the brown shirt that Key was wearing. He’d grown into it nicely; it hugged him in all the right places to show that even though Key never went to the gym that often, he still had a nice body. “The joke present…”
It hadn’t really been a joke, but Key, oblivious Key, just rode it off as one, since Jonghyun had gotten himself a matching shirt. They wore them both proudly under their uniform jackets, arms wrapped around the other’s shoulders, laughing at how many stares they got. They went out later that night, got drunk, and… Jonghyun really didn’t remember, he was a lightweight, but Key said nothing had happened. Sweet, oblivious Key would never lie to Jonghyun.
“Oh, yeah it is. I can’t afford dry cleaning so I just threw it on. It’s weird, huh? I mean, high school was like what… eight years ago?”
“And to think we’ve been friends since elementary school,” Jonghyun said, laughing. “Time flies, doesn’t it?”
Key nodded as Jonghyun stepped away from the passenger’s door, opening it for the younger male. Key slid into the car, falling against the leather seat, and so Jonghyun shut the door. He was in the driver’s seat in no time, buckled in and starting the car.
“Where do you want to go out for dinner?” he questioned, looking at Key before tilting his head back further to back out of his reserved parking space. Jonghyun was a regular at the gym, and since he had so much status, he bought a space just for himself. He knew there was one somewhere in the garage for Soonyi, but she had purchased it before they even met… since they happened to meet at the gym. “Anything you want, we can even fly out to Busan if you want.”
“Busan is too far, Jonghyun,” Key mumbled, and when Jonghyun looked at him the younger male was staring out the window. “I’m fine with anything local. Cheap and local.”
“Why not go out for some fried pork then? Remember that place we went to in high school? I think it’s still open. If not, we can just order in or something.”
“Let’s try that place first,” Key said, turning to look at Jonghyun and grinning. Jonghyun had to look away to prevent from crashing the car suddenly. “If not, there’s this place that has really good food for cheap. I get stuff from there when I’m at the office late.”
“On it,” Jonghyun said, and stepped on the gas. “This’ll be fun. Just like high school again.”
“Yeah,” he heard Key mumbled. “Just like high school…”
“I can’t believe that place was still open!” Jonghyun slurred, wrapping his arm around Key’s shoulders as they stumbled down the streets.
The waiter had been kind enough to take Jonghyun’s keys to give them to Key, who, of course, didn’t have his license, and since Key had no money and Jonghyun was completely drunk, Key decided they’d just walk to Jonghyun’s place. It was only a few blocks, and it gave them time to reminisce more about the past. After all, they had stumbled home drunk during high school many times, both obviously underage but not caring at all if people called the cops on them. They would either go to Key’s house (back before his parents were divorced and the money just seemed to disappear) or to Jonghyun’s house, where they had maids and a private cook.
Key couldn’t help but remember that one Valentine’s Day night, when Jonghyun confessed to him. He had been drunk, as he was now, so Key shoved it to the back of his mind, went on being friends with the older male. Jonghyun had girlfriends after that, Key had… a few relationships, but they never lasted long. Jonghyun’s relationships always flourished until Key needed something, and Jonghyun would drop the girl for his best friend. They were family, he kept saying. Jonghyun didn’t abandon his family.
“I mean, oh my God, Key, it’s been so long since we went there!” Jonghyun was going on, laughing and shaking Key’s shoulders. “God, Key, last time we went there was like… that Valentine’s Day. I don’t know why you kept refusing to go back, that place has great food!” Jonghyun laughed again, bent over this time from the effort and Key had to sink low with him until he recovered. “Damn, Key, and you’re wearing that shirt again! Why?!” Key wasn’t exactly sure if that was an accusation or something good, so he just shrugged and nodded. Jonghyun was laughing to the point where he was crying, or maybe he was crying. Again, Key wasn’t exactly sure, so he just raised his hand and wiped a tear away. “Damn it, Key, stop touching me!”
Jonghyun finally shoved away from Key, and the younger male frowned. Jonghyun was glaring up at him now, and Key’s semi-drunken mind couldn’t form a reason for that, either. Jonghyun stuck a finger in his chest, shoving him back and stepping after him.
“You have to wear that shirt tonight, Kibum?” he shouted, jabbing him in the chest again. “Are you mocking me? Are you trying to make me feel bad about high school?”
“What does high school have to do with this God damn shirt, Jonghyun,” Key shot back, grabbing the hem of his own shirt and tugging on it. He loved this shirt and had wished Jonghyun hadn’t toyed with his feelings like that freaking Valentine’s Day. “You’re the one that invited me over. Christ, Jonghyun, I didn’t have power and you invited me out, I wasn’t going to wear something fancy. We’re friends.”
“Maybe that’s the problem!” Jonghyun grumbled, crossing his arms and looking away.
Key watched him silently, thinking Jonghyun looked more like the little puppy dog he resembled in middle school than the smart, chic man in front of him. Jonghyun glared at him out of the corner of his eyes, turning to jab him again.
“Jong, you’re fucking drunk right now,” Key mumbled, running a hand through his hair. “Christ, I’m drunk too, abut at least I can man up and fucking admit it instead of being a damn hormonal teenage girl.”
“Is that what it is?!”
“What?!” Key shouted back, throwing his hands up.
“You think I’m some… some girl right? I get it, okay! Fine, I’ll give up. I’ve been trying to, dating girls. Fuck, Kibum, I’ve been having sex with them.”
“Jonghyun, I didn’t need to-“
“Didn’t need to know that? Yes you did, Kibum, because you don’t fucking get it. You stupid, oblivious moron!”
“Oblivious!” Key glared at Jonghyun, actually shocked he’d be called oblivious by this man who went had girlfriends and… ‘had sex with them’. Key shoved Jonghyun, and the younger man went tumbling to the ground. Key didn’t care that his best friend was glaring up at him, or that he was glaring back at him. He was pissed. “Jonghyun, you’re the oblivious one!”
“High school, Key! Fucking high school!” Jonghyun shouted back as he scrambled to his feet. “Go home, just fucking go home! I’ll pay the fucking bill for you, so just fucking go home!”
Key couldn’t find his voice as Jonghyun stormed away, shoulders hunched and fists jammed into his pockets. He’d screwed up, then. That was it. It was just another drunk fight, Jonghyun would forget in the morning. Maybe if Key went back to a bar he’d get drunk enough to forget, too. So, Key turned on his heel and did just that.
Jonghyun woke up with a headache. It was to be expected, sure, but he didn’t expect it to hurt so God damn much. He shouldn’t have gone out with Key. Key! He sat up quickly, which made his head spin further and he barely had enough time to reach for the bucket trash can by his bed before he emptied the contents of his stomach into it.
“Damn it… Key,” Jonghyun grumbled, sitting cross-legged on his bed and curling his head into his arms. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
He reached for his phone, then stopped. Would Key want to talk to him after last night? Jonghyun pulled his hand away from his phone, then reached out and snatched it up. Before he could think about it again he dialed Key’s number and put the phone to his ear, chewing on his bottom lip. It rang once before the line picked up.
“Key, look, I’m really sorry about last night I-“
“Who is this?” a male voice asked.
“… Who is this?” Jonghyun repeated the question, eyes narrowing as he dragged his feet over the side of the bed. “I’m looking for Kim Kibum, who is this?”
The male on the other end of the phone laughed, and then muttered something in the background. Jonghyun waited silently, listening to the hushed tones on the other side of the line.
“Who’s calling?” the male asked. “He wants to know.”
“It’s Jonghyun…”
He listened as the male repeated the name, wincing when he heard Key screech on the other end of the phone. So he hated him then? Was that it? Jonghyun sighed, about to hang up.
“Jjong! Wait, I’m sorry!”
“You’re sorry?!” Jonghyun couldn’t help the shock in his voice, and he laughed. Key was apologizing? For what? “Because you had a one night stand because we had a fight? God, Key, I thought you hated me.”
“We didn’t do anything,” Key mumbled on the phone, and Jonghyun could hear the mysterious man in the background, saying good bye and then leaving. “Really, I passed out right after he got my shirt off…”
“Are you blushing?” Jonghyun muttered, quietly. Key stammered on the other end, and Jonghyun laughed. “Key, come stay at my place.”
“How long should I pack for?”
Jonghyun glanced at the bed, Soonyi’s side of the bed made up neatly. It had remained untouched for the past week, and probably would stay untouched by her for the rest of the time Jonghyun decided to keep the bed. He sighed, pushing his hand through his hair and laughing.
“What is it? Come on, Jong, how long should I pack for?”
“How about… you pack everything?”
Key remained silent on the other end, and Jonghyun suspected his phone was finally shut off by the company, but then he could hear him sighing on the other end of the line. He still remained silent, though, and Jonghyun opened his mouth to speak.
“We’ll talk about this, Jonghyun,” Key said. “You’re hungover right now… Hell, I’m hungover right now. You’re not thinking right.”
“Key-“
“I’ll talk to you later, Jonghyun.”
The line went dead.
Key stared blankly at his closet, overfull with his brand name clothes and bags. The floor was decorated with his cheap shoes, the ones he used when he knew he was going to get dirty. Back before he worked for the magazine, back when he was still in college, he had worn them almost faithfully. Now they were abandoned to the shoes in the front closet. Key got down on his knees and pulled out a pair of dirty white sneakers, setting them aside before crawling over to his dresser. He used it for his undergarments and folded business shirts, all except the bottom drawer. In there he kept ripped jeans from his college days and other shirts from his past. He pulled the drawer open, yanked out a pair of jeans and an old graphic tee that he would be caught dead wearing around the office.
He took a shower and got dressed quickly, leaving his hair in a mess, and almost forgetting to grab his glasses from the table where he left them the day before. His head ached, his body hurt, but he had to meet with Jonghyun. He had texted him where to meet, and he expected him to be there. Key was actually surprised when he did find Jonghyun waiting for him at Starbucks, and was even more shocked to see his favorite drink on the table waiting for him. Nothing cleared his mind like a good iced coffee. He sat slowly, making sure his legs wouldn’t touch Jonghyun’s.
“So what’s the problem, Key?” Jonghyun asked, getting down to business so fast Key hadn’t even had time to take a sip of his coffee. “I mean, we shared a room in college, sometimes even the same bed, and now you don’t want to move into my condo because you can’t afford your own apartment?”
“Soonyi wouldn’t appreciate it, Jonghyun, you know that,” Key sighed, taking a sip of the coffee and shivering. He took another sip and watched Jonghyun over the rim of his glasses. “I don’t think you could support the three of us.”
“I’m not planning to,” Jonghyun whispered, looking at his own cup of coffee. “I mean, Soonyi’s never around anyway, we really don’t talk much. We’re growing distant. When I pick her up from the airport I’m taking her to a hotel and paying for a room for her to stay until she can find a place of her own.”
“Don’t do that because of me.”
Key looked at Jonghyun again, frowning. Jonghyun and Soonyi were so perfect for each other. They had great genes, were both very attractive (and Key was coming from a stylists point of view), and they were both good, working people. They’d have a great family, and Jonghyun was going to throw that away for him.
“Kibum.”
Jonghyun looked at him in the eye.
“Kibum, I don’t know if you haven’t realized, but I’ve loved you since high school.”
“I get it, Jonghyun, I understand. But you can’t do this. You’re with Soonyi.”
Key stood up, leaving his coffee on the table. He couldn’t stand seeing Jonghyun with those puppy eyes, so he turned away and headed for the door. He could hear Jonghyun standing up, so it wasn’t a surprise when the older male was suddenly in front of him. Key stared down at him blankly, frowning.
“Then why are you wearing your old clothes?” Jonghyun wondered. “Why did you tell me to meet you? Huh, Key? What the hell’s going on? Tell me! Tell me now, or else…”
“Or else what, Jonghyun?” Key mumbled, putting his hand on Jonghyun’s shoulder and turning him aside. He walked by him, finally going out the door. “I love you, okay? I get jealous when I see you with Soonyi, or any of your other girls, but face it. You’re not ready for this. You weren’t ready in high school, and you aren’t ready now.”
Key left Jonghyun in the middle of Starbucks, not caring that when he closed the door the older male fell to the ground and started crying.
“Look, Key, I know you still have your phone. I mean, it rang before going to voicemail. Give me a call, Key. Please.”
“Come on, Key, I know you’re getting my messages. Call me, please? You can’t avoid me forever. Just answer a phone call, Key. I just want to talk. I just need to know you’re all right… please…?”
“Okay, so you turned your phone off. That’s cool, Key, real cool. You won’t answer your door and now you turned your phone off. Unless the company turned it off… Damn, Key, let me take care of you.”
“Your apartment is empty, Key. What’s going on?”
Key stared at his phone, frowning when he noticed that Jonghyun had left him three more messages in the past hour. He hated listening to his friend’s pleading voice, but he couldn’t delete them until he did. So he dialed up voicemail and sat back, wondering exactly what his friend was going on about now. Yeah, Key still considered Jonghyun his friend, and still loved him. He was doing this for him, anyway. He was moving back home with his parents to protect Jonghyun from a horrible relationship. They were best friends, and Key, though he really did want more, was going to keep it that way for Jonghyun’s sake. He pressed the button to delete the first message, and listened to the next message, wincing when he heard Jonghyun’s voice, muffled by tears. He hung up his phone, not caring about the messages now. He looked out the train window, frowning when he noticed he was almost at the station. He stood from his seat and removed his suitcase from overhead, setting it on the seat he had been sitting in and remaining standing, peering out the window blankly.
When the train slowed to a stop he got off quickly, heading towards the parking lot where he knew his mother would be waiting for him. But he didn’t get that far, since Jonghyun stepped in front of him as he neared the stairs that led to the parking lot. Key stared at him for a moment, and then took a step back, frowning.
“What are you doing here, Jonghyun?” Key asked, shifting on his feet slightly.
“I called your mom, Kibum. You think I was stupid enough not to?” Jonghyun stomped his foot, and Key almost laughed, but then he remembered this was a very serious matter. “Damn, Key, you’re running away from me, and I don’t get why. What’s wrong with you? I know you love me, and I love you, too, so what’s going on?!”
“Look, I’m just afraid of what’ll happen if it doesn’t work out,” Key mumbled, looking at the ground. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, glancing at Jonghyun again. He felt like that awkward high school student again, the one that, for some reason, Jonghyun fell in love with. “It’s just… not going to work.”
“Fuck that. We can make it work, you don’t even realize how much I want it to work.”
“Jong-“
“No, I’m done with your excuses, Key.”
Jonghyun stepped up to Key, looking up into his eyes. Key remained silent, tilting his head to the side. Jonghyun grabbed the back of his neck and lowered Key’s face to his, and their lips met. Key dropped his bag instantly, and without realizing it he was kissing Jonghyun back.
“You’re moving in,” Jonghyun grumbled against Key’s lips.
“Hmmmm, yeah,” Key replied, and went back to kissing Jonghyun.