The Three Worst Secrets

Dinner With The Kims

It seemed like the whole world slowed around them.

Minho stared at him until he glanced over and then he looked down at his hands. "What uh... what do you mean?"

"Because you guys are hanging out a lot. And he's bisexual."

"I know."

"Are you?"

"Well actually I'm... I think I might be gay?"

They pulled into a burger place, and he turned off the car. "Cool. So am I."

The elder started to laugh, completely unprepared for the blasé way he'd reacted.

"What?"

"You're so normal about it."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess so."

"Do your parents know?"

"Yeah, they only really care about my brother since he's the business mogul of the family. I mean they love me, but they don't really care what I do. How about yours?"

Minho squeezed his arms just thinking about them finding out. He was going to need to add more bruises soon, the soreness was going away. "Nuh-no. No God, I'd be buried in the yard."

"What?!"

"My dad. He might actually kill me to save himself the embarrassment of having a gay son."

"Jesus Min. Are you serious? Like, you really think he would?"

He noticed how stressed the dancer seemed and laughed to relax him. "No... no maybe not. I don't know."

"He wouldn't like it though?"

"No way. I wouldn't ever want him finding out."

"I hear you. So... you think you and Seungmin might start secretly dating?"

"Why?"

"Because I want to stop you."

Minho checked his expression. "Why?"

"He's not going to be good for you. In the long run."

"Oh-kay?"

"I am."

They stared at each other.

Somewhere he gained the courage to ask the question he'd been thinking since the end of the weekend. "You kissed me on the boat, didn't you? That was real?"

Hyunjin scratched his head, looking slightly less confident. "Yeah... I'm sorry about that. I... I like you hyung. A lot. I couldn't stop myself."

"Oh."

"Right? I mean, this wasn't supposed to happen. Seungmin is totally great and all that. I AM his best friend after all, but he's kind of in a dark place right now. He's been in a dark place."

Minho pictured the younger's heavy gaze in his mind and suppressed a shiver. "What do you mean?"

"His mom died... when he was young. And his dad could've helped her, but he was too busy going to parties, building his reputation for the future. He came home late one night, and she'd died in the house. Seungmin was trapped in there with the body all day and night."

The elder looked absolutely horrified. "Oh my God..."

"Yeah... pretty bad. But ever since then he's been trying to get back at him. They fight. Take stuff out on each other. It's kind of crazy but he won't stop."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Because I think you might just be another way for him to get back at his dad. I mean, I'm almost positive you are, without quoting him directly- because I am still very loyal to Seungmin, even if I don't agree with his actions."