The Secrets We Keep - Taekai

the one with the boundaries

Jongin was trying hard - extremely hard - to not get jealous about Taemin gushing over Ten. Ten seemed to be all Taemin could talk about at dinner. How good he draw, how good he was at English and learning other languages. Ten, Ten, Ten.

Nothing but Ten.

It finally pushed Jongin over the edge when Taemin asked Ten to draw him anything and he'd put it up on his wall at home. Jongin could draw just as well and Taemin had never asked him for anything to put up. Hell Jongin drew things for Kamong Cafe all the time and Taemin had never done anything more than chuckle at the little drawings.

Worst part was Jongin knew if he said anything, he'd be overstepping the boundary line significantly. He was just Taemin's ex boyfriend. Nothing more. So of course he wasn't allowed to be this jealous and envious of Ten.

"So you want to tell me what's wrong?"

Jongin turned his head around, finding Taemin standing in his and Baekhyun's doorway. "Nothing is."

"You're practically pouting." Taemin said, walking into the room. "Been pouting all day long."

Jongin sighed, sitting down on his bed. He knew this conversation would end one of two ways - and neither were good. Either things would just be awkward again or Taemin would straight up just never talk to him again.

"I just - I don't know. Can you like not flirt with Ten that much in front of me please?"

A look of shock passed over Taemin's face, turning into an amused look. "Wait - you're jealous?"

Jongin looked away from Taemin, which in turn unleashed a loud laughter from Taemin. "I can't believe you - Kim Jongin - is jealous because I was talking with another guy."

"You weren't just talking with him, Taem. You were practically all over him - Ten can draw so well, Ten was studying languages so hard - it was such obvious flirting."

Taemin scoffed, shaking his head as he walked closer to Jongin - coming to a stop right in front of him. "First off I don't sound like that."

Jongin cracked a small smile at Taemin's retort to his impersonation of the older man's voice. "You do a little bit."

Taemin pushed Jongin gently on his shoulder. "I don't think I've ever actually witnessed you jealous before." He said, smirk on his face. "Not gonna lie, it's kinda hot Jongin."

Jongin's eyebrows shot up, "Taem - just a little less flirting right in front of my face. Please."

"I don't know - I might have to keep flirting with some of the guys in front of you. See what happens." Taemin replied, his eyes burning into Jongin's.

The words felt like a challenge to Jongin and he knew that's exactly where they were. Taemin was going to push the boundaries of whatever they were so much that Jongin would eventually break. Jongin could tell right then and there how screwed he was for even bringing up the fact that he maybe had gotten a little jealous.

■

Jongin was dreading even leaving his and Baekhyun's room. He knew Taemin was going to be trying some shit every chance he got. And Jongin wasn't ready for whatever this morning would bring.

They had their debut showcase in a few days and Jongin really only wanted to focus on that. He didn't want to focus on whatever Taemin was trying to pull in order to make him jealous - yet he knew he wouldn't be able to ignore whatever would be going on.

So he took his time getting dressed, walked slower than usual down to the living room and kitchen area. Taemin immediately caught his eye, on the couch right beside Ten - laughing at something with a teasing smile on his face as he glanced over at Jongin.

Jongin sighed and walked past them and into the kitchen. He was greeted by a grin from Baekhyun, "You look thrilled."

"I don't like whatever game he's playing."

Baekhyun grinned wider, laughing and shaking his head. "Must be hard being in a group with your ex."

"It is. I wouldn't recommend it."

"Yeah especially not for two people as blind as you both are." Baekhyun said quietly, washing out the bowl he had been eating from. "I swear I'm not sure if Taemin would even let Taemin know if he was into you again."

Jongin glanced over at Baekhyun as he opened the fridge, grabbing out a drink. "He's clearly into Ten."

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, "Lord - you're even more blind than I thought."

"No I'm really not. He found out I was jealous of how much he was gushing over Ten and is now doing all this to put me through hell."

Baekhyun laughed loudly, causing the living room to go completely silent. "Oh you hopeless idiot!" He said, shaking his head. He walked out of the kitchen, Jongin following him. "You're absolutely hopeless, Jongin."

Jongin watched as Baekhyun collapsed onto the couch, flashing Jongin a thousand watt smile as the rest of their bandmates watched on.

Jongin's as confused as the rest of their bandmates look because he knows as well as everyone else in the room does that Baekhyun reserves his wider, brighter smiles - the ones that actually reach his eyes - for people that he's interested in or thinks are hot. They had all noticed it plenty of times at SM's building or at restaurants.

And suddenly he's staring at Jongin with one of those smiles. And Jongin isn't sure what exactly he's done to cause that - all he knows is Taemin's hand is froze on Ten's shoulder as he looks over at Jongin with a questioning look in his eyes.

Jongin takes a seat in the closest open chair as Baekhyun throws himself into a conversation with Lucas and Taeyong and the room begins to come back to life.

And Jongin is trying so hard to ignore two things now. The first one is how Taemin and Ten keep almost giggling with each other as Ten is trying to help Taemin with English. And the second is how Baekhyun keeps glancing over at him.

And really then there's a third thing that he's trying to ignore and that's how Taemin keeps looking at Baekhyun and then over at Jongin.

And Jongin thinks he sees a small bit of heart break in Taemin's gaze and that's definitely not exactly what he wanted to see although Taemin always seems to recover within a couple seconds as he laughs at Ten again.

■

"So what's been up with you all day since we talked in the kitchen?" Jongin asked as soon as both him and Baekhyun were in their individual beds for the night.

Jongin could practically hear the shrug in Baekhyun's words when he spoke. "Nothing - seriously if you're thinking I suddenly have the hots for you, you're so wrong. I just decided to have my own bit of fun. You know, you seemed to be having issues playing the same game as Taemin is so - player three has entered the game in other words."

"Baekhyun."

"What? It won't hurt Taemin to be a little jealous over someone else staring at you like you're what the world revolves around. God knows I've watched Taemin stare at you like that enough to be able to pull it off myself. You'll thank me for it eventually."

Jongin sighed, shaking his head. Baekhyun continued, "We just may have to get very comfortable with each other. Extremely comfortable with each other."

Jongin really wasn't looking forward to whatever game he had found himself in the middle of. With Baekhyun having decided to insert himself in to the situation, he didn't know how to behave in general around the group. Taemin was probably trying to kill him with jealousy by being as touchy as he could be with Ten - and now Baekhyun was trying to help Jongin make Taemin jealous.

And fuck was Jongin screwed.