008: 그대 한걸음만 다가와요. [7/12]
This chapter includes MinKey and TaeKey interaction (I was hoping to write them in here somewhere...and now I can! *^*) and my interpretation on how & why the boys changed their hairstyles/hair colors for their "Juliette" promotions.
Mind you, I adored their "Juliette" period, so expect next chapter to feature more of their Juliette promotion-related stuff...including poor Onew-bb's falls and how the other members react to them.
Oh, and - as you can see from the subject line - this fic is planned to be 10 chapters...or somewhere around there. But don't worry! I have a sequel planned after this fic is finished, so there will be more of 2Min and SHINee's (mis-)adventures in life & love soon enough (So please wait for it~ >O<;; )
Umm, yeah. And I hope everyone will enjoy this chapter, too. I really love you guys~~ /awkward flailing You've become my inspiration as much as SHINee has, seriously~~
VII. 모든게 아름다워, 난 너무 행복한걸.
[ Everything is so beautiful, I’m so happy. ]
“Okay, half-hour’s up.” Kibum gave Taemin a light shove with his foot from the other end of the couch, effectively interrupting the maknae from his game. “Go get a towel and clean up the tub. I’ll be in there to help you wash off the hair dye in a minute.”
“Yes, Mom.” Taemin groaned and passed his PSP off to Minho, adjusting the burgundy-stained shower cap further up onto his forehead as he stood. “If you beat the level before I get back, make sure you save the game for me?”
“Sure thing.” Minho waved him on, duly pressing button combinations to fend off the monsters invading his screen. “See you when you get back.”
Taemin flashed a dazzling smile, tongue caught between his teeth in an unspoken show of self-consciousness. “Mmm, ‘kay…I hope it came out okay…”
“You’re the one who said you wanted it!” Kibum cried, shooing the younger boy out of the living area. “Now go, goooo~…”
Taemin did insist on getting a new look for his lengthening hair, after all. Minho remembered when it all started, too: about a week ago, just after Kibum came back from the hair salon with a mop of blond hair and tried to explain himself (“We’re having our comeback soon, so I figure we should come back with something a little more different, too.”)
Taemin couldn’t stop talking about how good it looked on him for the rest of the evening, so Kibum offered to help Taemin if he told him what color he wanted. Minho ended up helping him decide, and Taemin decided on a deep shade of reddish-brown.
Apparently, as he told Kibum later, he chose the color because Minho said it would look good on him.
“Honestly.” Kibum sighed, scooting closer to Minho and slumping into the seat where Taemin was before. “Are kids supposed to wear you out like this? I don’t think I ever want to have kids if taking care of them works like this.”
“Well, unless you and Jonghyun-hyung are planning on adopting,” quipped a grinning Minho, done with the level and saving the game, “I don’t think you’ll have to worry too much, right?”
Kibum threw his head forward and fell back against Minho’s shoulder in laughter hearing that much.
“AHAHAHA-seriously!? Like we’d even consider it!” He seemed like he was laughing more to himself than at Minho’s joke now, features slowly growing sober. “Ahh…that was funny…”
It had been awhile since they had sat like this, Minho mused, just him and Kibum.
Out of all of the members, Kibum was the closest to him in age, and they had a sort of kinship that was unlike anything else Minho had ever known.
It wasn’t just because of their shared lifestyle, either. He knew that Kibum was as much of a forthright realist as Minho was a quiet idealist. But as different as they were, they were both mature enough to know their limits, and maybe that was why they had always gotten along.
“Yah.” Sprawled out on the couch with golden curls mussed against his high cheekbones, Kibum looked less tired than he did resigned. “I’m gonna get up now and wash off Taeminnnie’s hair, but I’ve been meaning to ask you.” He suddenly sat upright, grabbing Minho’s hands and (much to the taller boy’s chagrin) met Minho’s discomfited stare until their noses were almost touching. “You’re not hiding anything from me, are you?”
There…has to be a good reason for why he’s bringing this up.
“D-Didn’t you say you’d be washing Taeminnie’s hair?” Minho tried to move from his reclined position to no avail; Kibum held his wrists down to the sofa, a determined flare to his eyes. “And aren’t you worried about what Jonghyun-hyung would say if he came home now and saw us like this?”
“He’s not that insecure about us.” Kibum shook the bangs out of his eyes, lips pursed. “And don’t you DARE try to change the subject on me. I’m gonna get this out of you if it’s the last thing I do.”
“Kibum.” Minho growled, obviously disgruntled. “Just spit it out already - whatever you’re trying to say here - so we can save each other the hassle later?”
“Do you,” breathed Kibum, voice level and gaze frighteningly serious, “or do you not have the world’s biggest crush on my son?”
For a moment, Minho was sure the world had stopped turning.
“What-?” Minho blinked fast, not expecting it to alleviate his spinning thoughts (or Kibum’s grave expression, for that matter). “Why are you asking me this…?”
As quickly as their foreheads were pressed together before, Kibum pulled his face away, letting the cooling air settle between them once more.
“I was just asking.” Kibum smirked as he stood, tossing the pillow that had been perched in his lap at Minho. “But your reaction already said enough, so I’m done here.”
Once Kibum left, Minho rubbed at his burning cheeks and thought long and hard about the dorm umma’s question. He knew he didn’t mishear anything that was said. But he still didn’t know where Kibum had gotten the idea that he had romantic feelings for Taemin.
-Wait. Do I like Taemin like that, or…?
He sat on the couch for a while, going over all the possibilities for where and when Kibum figured it out (if he figured out anything at all, Minho reminded himself, eyelids squeezed shut).
Taemin had been his friend since before they debuted.
From the start, he had felt like Taemin was something like his better half. He was lively and always willing to please, and his dancing and drive was unparalleled for someone his age. And Taemin knew how to act cute in front of the crowd and still retain his mature spirit when the cameras were off.
He wasn’t bad-looking, either, a soft and warm crinkle to those dark and pretty eyes whenever he smiled and a slender build that would make even females jealous. His bright and pure spirit was even more attractive, though, with the way he would fight for the people he cared about no matter what the cost and put others before himself no matter what the situation. And Minho enjoyed being with him, besides.
But if I liked him…then wouldn’t I know? Wouldn’t I figure it out faster than anyone else would? I mean, it’s my own feelings, after all…
“Hyung! Hyung, look at how it came out!” Taemin’s excited voice floated down the hallway, frantic footfalls coming straight toward the living room. “Key-umma did an awesome job with the color…!”
As soon as Minho turned to look, that was when he felt it.
It was just like the moment they met (when they were only hopeful, struggling trainees, so terribly unaware of what the future had in store for them), where Minho couldn’t tear his eyes away from that first smile. Just like back then, Taemin’s smile was bright as he skipped over to Minho’s side, damp auburn tresses framing his cherub-like face and a brilliant smile set into full lips. Just like back then, he sat down next to Minho like it was the most natural thing in the world, but now, their legs were touching and Taemin’s fingertips rested lightly on Minho’s arm, lightly pinching the firm skin of his elbow-
-And boy, was it starting to hurt now. Minho winced, straightening up immediately when he realized Taemin was glowering.
“What’s with the blank look?” Taemin pouted a bit, glancing down for a moment and appearing quite disappointed. “You don’t…you don’t think it came out good, hyung?”
“Are you kidding?” Minho reached out to ruffle the crown of Taemin’s hair, making the maknae scrunch up his nose but lean into his touch, nonetheless. “I was so shocked I didn’t know what to say, that’s all…"
"It looks great on you, Taemin-ah.” He watched as Taemin started, meeting his softened gaze with an owlish stare. “Actually, it looks better than great.” Then, in a hushed murmur, “You look beautiful.”
Taemin smiled even wider now, cheeks rosy as he wriggled his toes and fidgeted restlessly in his seat. Minho had never seen Taemin look so happy before, and seeing him like that made him smile, too, as he pulled Taemin into a tight one-armed hug.
“Hyuuuuuuuuung.” Taemin drew his knees up to his chin in an attempt to hide his still-red cheeks. “You’re so cheesy!”
Minho didn’t answer, poking at the maknae’s sides until he squealed and sent them both tumbling onto the floor in a breathless heap of giggles and bubbling warmth. That is, until they saw a shadow hovering over them and a stern voice spoke above their laughter:
“YAH! Choi Minho!” Kibum scowled, one hand on his hip as he motioned with the other. “You’re up next for a hair dying, in case you forgot. Quit fooling around and meet me in the kitchen pronto.”
“Better go before Key-umma pitches another fit.” Taemin whispered, scrambling to his feet with Minho and offering a sheepish grin to Kibum. “See you when you get back?”
“Yeah,” Minho grinned, ruffling Taemin’s new red hair one last time before following Kibum into the kitchen. “See you when I get back.”
But he knew it then, without a doubt: something stirred inside of him the moment he saw Taemin, just like when they first met. He couldn’t be sure if it was love or brotherly affection, but now he knew for sure that it wasn’t his imagination.
(Now the only thing left for him to do was figure out what it was - before it started to affect their friendship.)
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Part 8