SSS 2011: For mumuja

Dec 27, 2011 23:51

For: mumuja
From: Your Secret Santa

Title: A Lesson to Learn
Pairing: Onew/Key, (extra)Het!2min
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 3712wc
Summary: Of Kibum’s and jinki’s stubborn silence despite their relationship, the awkwardness, their friends’ confusion, and the most unlikely experience in a dream-like garden.



The three men, who stood by the van that was parked at the curb in front of the student dorm they lived in, stopped their conversation and looked in a certain direction when they heard a call. From the distance, they watched as Minho came closer to them in a hurry. Both of his hands were occupied by luggage, while someone-a special guest he had invited as well as the reason why they had gathered this morning-followed a couple steps behind him.

The guest was a girl of early twenty and could easily pass as a teenager; she was lean and attractive in a delicate way. Her every move looked like a dance step, and the way she was donned in simple clothes could give a misleading impression if people did not bother to look into her bratty child-like eyes. She was Taeyeon, Minho's girlfriend, the one he had been dating since high school back at his hometown. They were getting married soon despite the fact that Minho hadn't finished his study, for she was 2-months pregnant with his kid. Hence Minho took her to meet his best friends in university.

“Sorry guys,” Minho apologized as they reached the van. “We overslept.”

“Yeah, we figured,” Kibum replied, his tone knowing. The others laughed while the couple blushed.

“This is Taeyeon.” Minho introduced; the girl bowed politely to the older men.

Jinki and Jonghyun helped Minho storing their baggage into the compartment on the van and soon they were ready to leave, heading for a hot springs resort at Gangwon-do.

“Now this is what I call vacation. It’s a good thing you suggest for us to come here, Minho.”

Jonghyun, sounding almost like an old man, sighed in satisfaction. He was sitting on the massage chair, sipping a can of cold beer after a hot water bath. He, as well as the others, looked very comfortable. The place was indeed very nice; it offered the best service for a slightly higher price, which wasn’t a problem for the boys.

“Well, this place was recommended by Jinki, actually. We should thank him instead.

“Jinki-oppa seems to really know a lot of things,” Taeyeon said wonderingly.

“You have no idea, Taeyeonnie,” Minho assured her. “This is nothing. You’d be surprised if you knew just how much he had done to save our ass from trouble.”

“I can imagine. He's also a funny guy-made some really funny jokes during the trip while everyone else was sleeping, right, Kibum-oppa?”

It seemed to be a very harmless, well-meant question. The poor girl’s expression was one of surprise as she perceived that the impact of her question was completely opposite of what she had expected. Kibum straightened his long legs, stood up, and replied to her coldly.

“I was too busy concentrating on the traffic to get us here safe, so I don’t recall any joke that was worth laughing,” he said, as he left the recreation lounge.

Beaten by the sarcasm in his tone, the girl glanced speechlessly at Jinki, who had turned his back to the group and was gazing out into the garden, with a very decided flush on the angle of his neck and cheek.

Taeyeon felt herself turning an uncomfortable shade of red. What internal affairs had she unwittingly trespassed? She started to think she might have completely ruined the chance to mingle with his fiancé's assumed brothers. She turned to her boyfriend, seeking for refuge, and saw that Minho and Jonghyun were regarding her with the sympathetic amusement they might have displayed in front of a blundering child.

Later that night, Taeyeon could hardly swallow any of the delicious meal that was being served. The atmosphere at the table was rather awkward. The embarrassing flashback of her wrongdoing along with her curiosity over the unexpected reaction of two people who had been friends for years, had completely banished her appetite. It wasn't before Minho intervened, telling his fiancee that she was supposed to take care of their baby, that Taeyeon agreed to have some bite-which either way she still hardly swallowed.

Soon after dinner, Jinki excused himself and went out to make some call. Kibum followed his example of premature leave a second later, muttering that he was tired and sleepy. Taeyeon saw it as a chance to find out what happened, so while they were setting the table for a poker game, she dared to ask.

“Oppa...” She was tugging on Minho's shirt, “Do Jinki-oppa and Kibum-oppa hate each other?”

Jonghyun indulged in a laugh that shook his body violently and turned his face red, while Minho-taking his girlfriend's feeling into account-settled with a smile.

“Now Tae, That was one hell of a situation you’ve caused.” Minho said.

“But why?” the girl became more worried, resenting the strange way in which the guys laughed. “What did I say wrong? What’s so funny? How come you’re laughing when two of your friends hate each other?” she persisted, stubbornly demanding an answer.

“Hasn't Minho told you?” Jonghyun raised his eyebrows questioningly.

“No,” she said irritably, sending a scowling look toward his boyfriend. “Minho-oppa has told me many things about all of you; your odds and habits, but he obviously must have forgotten to mention this special case of Jinki-oppa and Kibum-oppa.”

Minho smiled guiltily and glanced at his bestfriend, and received a nod of approval.

“I think Minho is simply being considerate.” Jonghyun said, “However, since you’re about to become a family member, I think it’s safe to tell you. You see...Jinki and Kibum is our family romance. They are a coupe-”

“A couple? Really?” The girl gave off a suprised look.

Jonghyun nodded. “They’ve been in a relationship for the longer while through our friendship. Anyway, the problem with them is that recently they stoépped talking to, even altogether ignoring each other.”

“But...that’s so strange!” she murmured, puzzled. “I mean... if they’re going out, why aren’t they talking?”

“I remember, they had a huge quarrel somewhere around the beginning of winter. I wasn't there. We were together, you know, putting this baby to existence-” explained Minho, his left arm found its way around Taeyeon's waist, causing her face to flush deep red.

Jonghyun picked the part where Minho left the story hanging, “Nobody knows how it started or what it was about, and neither of them was willing to explain. But Kibum ended up telling Jinki that he would never speak to him again before Jinki apologized. And Jinki said he would never apologize or even talk to Kibum until he speaks first, because he claimed that Kibum was the first who sow the seed of their feud. And they have never spoken since.”

“Both of us have taken turns trying to reconcile them, but nobody has succeeded yet,” Jonghyun continued. “Which I don't actually mind since they're hillarious!"

“Umm...do you suppose one of them had changed their mind about their feeling for each other after the quarrel? I mean, I wonder if they're still together at all...”

Minho shook his head. “I don't believe that Jinki has ever thought of any other man or woman but Kibum in his whole life, and we’re quite sure Kibum is the same. If you’re looking closely, you will have noticed that the ring Kibum wears is the same as the one that is hung on Jinki's neck chain. They're practically going out still. And-this is something I learned when Jinki was drunk-he said that if Kibum would just say one word, no matter what it was, even if it was something rude or insulting, he would speak, too, and beg for Kibum’s forgiveness for something he mentioned as ‘whatever had made Kibum angry’.”

Jonghyun snorted. “Jinki can wait until the hell freezes before Kibum will talk. The point is, Tae, they’re as much in love with each other as they ever were. Jinki is always hanging around where Kibum is-he can’t seem to breathe without him. Hell, jinki spends more time at Kibum's dorm than the frat house he's a member of!”

“What a stubborn couple...they actually have no anger or resentment left for each other. If only Kibum would just talk...Jinki will throw himself on Kibum's feet.”

“Do you think he will?” Taeyeon asked.

Minho shook his head. “We don’t know. Pride and ego overcome their feelings; they keep Kibum from talking and Jinki from apologizing. We used to hope they would forget it somehow, or accidentally talk to each other-we used to set traps, you know, as silly as it sounds-but they were all useless. What a pity...they were made for each other.”

“What a strange couple they are,” she murmured before turning to Minho. “I don't think I couldn’t last a week not talking to you, Minho-oppa.”

And then it was Minho’s turn, who his friends rarely caught to be moved over sentimental words, to become red in his face as he pulled his girlfriend closer and kissed her cheek.

”It’s a day for me, Taeyeonnie...”

Meanwhile, Kibum was lying awake on the bed inside the dim room. The interior partition of the traditional-styled cottage was mostly made of paper and panels, and they weren’t thick enough to prevent the noise from seeping in. And it wasn’t likely he wouldn’t know that his friends were talking about him and Jinki. It was pretty predictable after he displayed such a scene before.

At one point, since his friends weren’t being considerate enough to keep their voices low while mouthing over his love story, Kibum became annoyed. He got up, searched for his coat, and put it on to ward off the late winter night’s chill. Kibum was lucky that each of the rooms at the traditional cottage was made as authentic as possible, with an access door that led straight outside.

Indeed, even with the clear and starry sky, the temperature was still bone-chilling cold. Kibum felt shiver run along his spine and he wrapped his coat tighter around his body. But he kept walking along the deserted path, finding that the cold weather gave his disorderly mood a calming effect.

As he came to the garden at the end of the yard, he saw a figure leaning against a huge tree. Kibum recognized him with a great deal of annoyance, but he was also slightly relieved to find out where Jinki had been. As Kibum reached the tree where Jinki stood-he couldn’t turn around because it made him look scared to meet the older man, and he couldn’t choose another path since there was none-the older man straightened his back, and joined to walk with him on the same path, walking behind him. Kibum looked away helplessly. He could not forbid Jinki from following him since they were going in the same direction, but he was feeling more awkward than usual due to his harsh words earlier.

They went into a small garden, where the unlikely scent of freshly mown grass hung nicely in the frosty winter air. Far away in the sky above laid a haze of moonshine and mist from the hot springs that transformed the plain garden into the setting of a dream.

As for Jinki, he too, was annoyed by the mischievous trick Fate had played. He hated to be caught in an awkward situation just like Kibum did; and certainly to walk on the same moonlit path at one o'clock in the morning with the man he had celebrated a relationship with, but wasn’t speaking to was the irony of fate with a vengeance. Jinki had wanted to go back to the cottage as well, but how could Kibum tell? Would he think Jinki had done this on purpose? And why on earth was Kibum walking outside in the middle of the night by himself anyway?

By the time they had crossed the garden and reached the lane beyond it, Kibum’s anger had been mastered by his otherwise-reserved romanticism. The lane was a place of charm-a long, snake-like pathway of flat black stones. The moonshine fell through the arching boughs and made a mosaic of silver light and clear-cut shadows for the unfriendly lovers to walk through.

A little ways down the lane, Kibum suddenly gained a sentimental recollection. He thought of the last time they had shared a walk together during a night like this. It had been a cold moonlit night as well-Kibum sighed at the memory-and they had walked hand in hand, keeping their bodies as close as possible to shun away the cold. Kibum recalled that they had passed a huge tree, and Jinki had stopped and kissed him. He wondered if Jinki was thinking of it too, and stole a look at him from the corner of his eye. But Jinki was striding coolly, his eyes concealed by the falling strands of his hair. Kibum emitted another sigh, shaking his head in dismay and began to walk faster.

Then there was the catastrophe. Passing an area where the surrounding was particularly dark, Jinki tripped on a round stone-an adornment of a small pool, apparently-and right before he fell, his hand caught Kibum’s wrist. There was a tremendous splash as the couple fell into the water-Kibum landed first and Jinki fell right on top of him in the middle of the small pond.

Kibum was the first to regain on his feet. He pushed Jinki away from him and climbed out of the pond. The soft and warm ensemble of coat and pajamas had turned sopping wet and cold, and clung heavily to his body. The memory of all what had occurred, either that day or before ,rushed into him. Kibum had never been so angry in his life.

“YOU I-IDIOT!” he yelled, in a voice that literally shook with rage.

Jinki meekly scrambled up the pond after him.

“Sorry, Kibummie,” he said, trying his best with uncertain success to keep a suspicious amusement out of his tone in order to sound sincere. “I must have been born with two left foot, but I swear to god I didn’t see that stone. You know this place is pitch dark. Please forgive me-for that-and for other things.”

Kibum refused to answer. He stood a couple feet away from the pond, as if worried that Jinki might drag him in once again, while wringing the water from his ruined clothes. Jinki stared at him carefully.

“Let’s go back, Kibummie,” he implored. “You will catch cold if you stay any second longer outside wearing that wet pajamas in this temperature.”

“Whose fault would it be, then?” answered Jinki with chattering teeth; his tone was still offensive. But he started to walk to their cottage nonetheless. Jinki followed behind him.

When a rather chilly spring night wind swept over them, Kibum started producing a series of sneezes. Jinki came closed, mustered up his courage and circle his arm around Kibum’s shoulder, shielding the younger man from another gale of wind. For a while longer they walked along in silence. Then Kibum began to shake with held-back laughter. He laughed silently for the rest of the walk to the cottage; then, next to the stone lamp upon which the sign of their cottage hung; he stopped and looked at Jinki defiantly.

“I was so mad at you, I seriously thought I’d never talk to you again. I mean--just how could you go around and kissed a girl at a party, only because she wore the same helloween costume as me?”

“I swear I didn't know it wasn't you. I mean, who would have thought there would be two identical catwomen in the frat party?”

“Next time you might want to check if the person wearing costume has boobs or not!”

Jinki nodded in total surrender. “I'm sorry Kibum, I really am. I was totally plastered that night, anxious because you were ignoring me.”

“Were you trying to say that it's my fault?”

“NO!” Jinki shook his head vigorously. “I wasn't implying anything at all.”

“I was indeed mad at you. The thing is-” Kibum's tone was slightly heavier as he continued. “Sometimes you seem to forget that you're dating me, a guy, Lee Jinki. Or did it hurt your pride to admit that you're gay? Either way, I just hate it when you think of me as a 'woman' no matter how feminine I present myself at times. There are boundaries as to what you can or cannot expect from me. As much as I love you, I won't go around playing the wife in the relationship-even if by chance we get married one day.”

“I've learned my lesson Kibum, please forgive me. I'd die if you ignore me any seconds longer.” Jinki's hand tentatively moved to stroke Kibum's frozen cheek.

“Let's go inside Kibummie, I don't want you to get sick. And-god, do I crave to sleep in your arms tonight.”

Kibum couldn't help but chuckled, heartily, as he allowed himself the luxury of a lover's long-lost caress.

“We would go on, thinking of it as a life lesson or something. But if you ever once more refer me as your woman just because I let you fuck my ass, question my masculinity, and refer me as my pretty bitch in front of your frat jerks once again. I swear I'll bite off your dick off, Lee Jinki!”

That time, Jinki was more than willing to do whatever Kibum asked him to do. Nothing seemed comparable with the fact that Kibum had finally started to talk to him again.

“I never will,” he promised. There was more than a hint of laughter in Jinki’s voice this time, but Kibum chose to turn a deaf ear.

They did not speak again until they reached the cottage. It was then that Kibum suddenly turned to his lover, grabbed a handful of the wet Pajamas collar and kissed Jinki full on the lips. Jinki kissed back with equal fervor, adoration and passion that they had kept the whole time their mouths had been shut to one another.

At the cottage, the atmosphere was still lively. Engaged into poker and beer, Jonghyun, Minho and Taeyon had not realized that the other two had gone missing. Jonghyun had almost run out of matchsticks, which they used as a token to represent a thousand won, while Taeyeon, to everyone’s surprise, had won a heap. Jonghyun was doing a transaction with Minho who neither won nor lost, and exchanging real money with the matchsticks, when the sliding door opened. And Kibum-wet wobbling with the heavy water and mud-soaked pajamas and coat, and shivering from cold-appeared, with a damp, tired-but-happy-and-slightly-bedazzled-looking Jinki behind him.

“Kibum!” they all said in unison. But it was all they managed to say. They were either too dumbfounded or too drunk-except for Taeyeon, who had not drank anything-to come up with something to ask. Taking advantage of the situation, before his friends could come up with a question he didn’t want to answer, Kibum started to explain.

“I couldn’t sleep,” said Kibum cooly. “So I went for a walk and met Jinki. It was getting cold and I decided to return, and he was following me. We passed a small pond, and since the place was very dark, Jinki tripped on a decorating stone. When he was about to fall into the pond, he grabbed my hand for balance, so we both fell into the pond. He wasn’t soaked as thoroughly because he fell right on top of me. That is all.”

An expression of understanding, mingled with the same hint of amusement Jinki had worn previously, was creeping into their faces. They exchanged the ‘aha!’ glances furtively, but did not dare to express it openly for the threat of Kibum's wrath was scarier than anything they could endure.

Kibum continued, “Since I feel cold and dirty, I’m going to take a hot bath and go to bed right away. Can someone please help order me some hot drink to warm my inside?”

Taeyeon nodded and reached out for the phone to contact the room service. After rewarding the only girl in the group with a smile as a silent thank-you, Kibum turned to his lover. As a remnant of his long-bore anger, he still insisted on talking with cold voice toward Jinki.

“Jinki-hyung, even though I’ve taken your share of the wetness and dirt, please be considerate and take a bath as well. God knows how long since that pool was being cleaned and what’s inside of it, and I’m not sharing my room with those germs still on you. Come on!”

The older man nodded clumsily and followed him behind, fully aware that his friends’ gazes were fixed upon him. Minho made a questioning face, signaling ‘what are you going to do?’ to him, and he just rolled his eyes and shrugged as if to gesture ‘whatever will be, will be...’, but with obvious expectation inside his eyes.

When the door closed after them, the three now-confounded people stared at each other. Jonghyun, who could not seem to believe the scene that happened before him, said.

“I'm dreaming-or drunk like fuck. Someone must have spiked something into the beer.“

“Shut up, Jong. They've made up, your source of twisted amusement had gone. Suck it up.” Minho smiled contently. He positively thought that there wouldn't be any awkwardness in the line up of best men on his wedding day, or irrational jealousy if later their baby turned out to be a boy and a godfather must be chosen.

“I thought-I thought....” Taeyeon mumbled in confusion.

“That’s what I thought myself.” Jonghyun said, marveling.

“Who did you think speak first?”

“Judging by their state, I'd say it's Kibum-probaly out of his control, most likely a curse.”

“Well, thank god those silly, juvenile days of their quarrel are over,” said Minho, sighing in relief. “Kibum spoke to Jinki, at last.”

“I want to know just what Kibum-oppa had said to Jinki-oppa...” Said Taeyeon curiously.

Minho laughed and ruffled his lover’s hair lovingly.

“That is, my love,” he said, “something we will never know.”

And they never did.

-Fin-

*2011, rating: pg, pairing: onew/key

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