Cupid

“I hope that I will feel this way forever…. Cupid has done it again.”

“Minho, get do-!” she screamed right before a round of five bullets shot repeatedly through her heart. She was gone, the look of horror that adorned her face as she fell to the ground, gone. Dead.

“Mom! Mom…. Stop you can’t die.” Minho’s shrill voice sliced through the air as the one responsible for the murder of his mother smirked in content. Who could do such a thing to his mother? Why would anyone take a small child’s –

“Don’t die mommy! Breathe, please breathe!” he whispered again and again as he pressed his tiny hands against the small holes in his mother’s chest. He was coated in blood. His mom’s blood. Push. Push. Push.

“That’ll teach you of cheating on me you whore.” Fear finally grabbed a hold of Minho’s senses and he became immobilized, his throat drying up making him incapable of screaming and tears falling silently down his face.

He was next.

“Great job Minho. You have definitely improved. But you look tired I want you to take a breather from practice for a while.”

Minho cringed at his coach’s suggestion. He couldn’t rest. Basketball was the only thing that kept a little bit of sanity that he had left. At that was miniscule.

“I appreciate the concern Coach but I’m fine.”

His coach smirked knowingly at him and Minho tried hard not to roll his eyes.

“Look son, I have some advice for you. Whatever is going on in that head of yours, basketball will not be able to solve it.” His coach offered a seat to Minho who just shook his head. Minho knew where this conversation was headed and he was calculating how far it was between his coach, himself and the door. “Look I’m not trying to be your therapist but maybe whatever is making you upset you should talk to someone-,”

“I’m sorry coach I have to go-,” Minho had to stop him from speaking. He didn’t understand.

“Minho.” He stopped at the door. “I don’t want to see you back here until you have whatever fixed. End of story. And yes that means for games as well.”

Minho balled his fists up and walked out of his high school’s gym. What did his coach know anyway? Seeing his mother brutally killed in front of him was not something anyone can just “fix”.

“Look hear you chink, don’t think you can come in here and own the place. I swear I will fuck you up if I catch you with my girlfriend again.”

***

Kim Kibum was new in this school. Well for that matter new in America and the differences in culture was hard enough but the differences in attitude with guys here was another story. He couldn’t stand assholes who think just because they dribbled, kick or threw a ball that he would kiss their ass. More like kick their ass.

“I’ll see you later Key. It was fun hanging out with you maybe you could teach me some Korean soon.” Lacy smiled and leaned in to kiss Kibum on the cheek when she was pulled back and he was pushed against the lockers.

“What do you think you were doing?” Key grimaced as he noticed exactly who it was. Bret. The school’s “quarterback”. He rolled his eyes at the idea of American’s putting idiots with a ball on a pedestal. What was so special about kicking a ball? He will never know.

“I think I was walking and talking to my friend, Bret.” His tan face turned red at Key’s smart answer. “You know that thing you do with your legs and mouth. I think even you do it sometimes.” Bret slammed him against the lockers, this time making it slightly harder for Kibum to breathe.

“Bret, leave him alone. He didn’t do any-.”

“Shut up. Look hear you chink, don’t think you can come in here and own the place. I swear I will fuck you up if I catch you with my girlfriend again.”

“You don’t own me or her. So I will hang out with whoever I want to.”

“Bret what are you doing?” the three of them that were in the hallway looked up and saw Minho. Flaming Charisma. The star of the basketball team. Great another idiot with a ball.

“Minho back away. This has nothing to do with you.”

Minho has been on Key’s radar for a while. As much as he didn’t want to admit Minho was a handsome guy. He had long wavy brown hair that he mostly kept up in a high ponytail. Eyes that were big for an Asian and if he didn’t know any better he would think he was mixed. But he was also very quiet and kept to himself. So he couldn’t really be sure about that.

“It is my problem now. Let him go I’m pretty sure whatever it looked like Lacy here was the one who initiated it.”

Kibum raised an eyebrow, “Why do you care?” Bret said still holding fast to his grip on Kibum’s neck Exactly, why does Minho want to help him? But at this point Kibum didn’t care he just wanted to start breathing regularly again.

“Doesn’t matter why. Just let him go.” Honestly that look on his face scared the shit out of Kibum but knowing Bret here with his IQ of about nine he wouldn’t know that he was in for an ass-kicking until, well someone kicked his ass.

“Minho, just walk away and I will forget you ever tried to cross me.”

Minho chuckled darkly and yanked Bret by the collar allowing Key to fall to the ground to catch his breath, he fought his wave of dizziness to see what was going to happen next.

“Key!” Lacy ran over to Kibum but he ignored her and focused on the two boys.

***

Minho didn’t know what possessed him to help this boy. But seeing someone in the position that was very similar to mother made something snap. This he could do something about.

Bret’s face turned a deep red at Minho’s action and swung right at his face but Minho ducked swinging his foot over his head kicking Bret in the face and his eyes narrowed on the blood that now covered Bret’s nose and mouth. All of a sudden it seemed as if everything around him morphed back into his mother’s apartment and Bret was the murderer.

“Why did you kill her?” Minho felt himself ask Bret. His face look confused, scared and angry all at the same time and he charged at Minho who took a defensive stance and when Bret ran full speed ahead Minho stepped to the side and smirked as he ran face first into the lockers that were on the other side of him.

“Ouch, shit.”

Minho walked up behind him as he was slightly dazed at what happened and grabbed Bret’s right arm twisting behind his back. Bret whimpered, “You fucking do that again I will break this arm. Understand?”

Bret didn’t say anything and he took the opportunity to twist a little harder. This was for his mom.

“I said do you understand?”

“Ye- yes.”

Minho let go of Bret’s arm and looked over to the two bystanders who watched him with frightened eyes.

***

Kibum watched as Minho walked past him and didn’t say anything. What the hell just happened? He had never seen such hatred and disregard for someone in his life. Obviously Minho here had some deep rooted anger going on. But that wasn’t important right now what was, was that he helped him.

“Hey! Wait up!” Key called as Minho walked through the front doors of the school.

Key could see he tried to ignore him and walked a little faster. “I just want to thank you for helping me back there. Hey, stop.”

Minho turned around with annoyed look on his face. “It’s whatever okay. I just don’t like seeing little defenseless people being pushed around okay.”

Little? Defenseless? Key inhaled and let that one go. “It’s not whatever. Thank you.”

Key rolled his eyes at Minho’s head shake. “Are you okay?”

That question finally made Minho stop. “It’s none of your business.” And with that he ran off to where Key assumed was his house.

What was with him? Key shook it off and began to walk towards his house as well. Why did he have a feeling that he will be seeing a lot more of Minho around more often?

***

It had been a month since Minho had helped him and the both of them had gotten a lot closer and by that Key meant none at all. Minho was a tough person to crack he was secretive, quiet and that annoyed Key to death because he liked to talk.

“So how about that math test? Did you study?” Key asked sitting down at his regular seat by Minho.

Key didn’t know whether he just liked the annoyed look Minho would give him or he felt like this was his assignment to cheer him up and find out things about him.

“What are you, my mom?”

“Apparently you need one. Look at how you dress.”

Whatever Key said sent Minho off and he left his lunch at the table. What did Key say?

***

“Okay class we are going to pair you up in groups for this project. The both of you are responsible for taking care of a child for a week. First group; Minho and Kibum. Sorry guys, there is an odd number of boys and girls. The child you will be taking care of is Yooguen.”

Why was he paired with Kibum? Minho glanced over at Key who was smiling brightly at him and he glared. This should be a fun week. Two guys taking care of a toddler. Minho did his best to avoid this guy. He was annoying and he stuck to him. And although Minho didn’t want to admit he was growing on him. And he started to get weird feelings about this guy.

“Isn’t this going to be fun? I love kids.” Key asked for some reason happy about a child.

“Yeah. Tons.”

So for the project we just have to babysit for a few hours a day right? And then I can leave?”

“Would you cheer up for once? God, you are so depressing. I have never seen a smile on your face. Could you at least pretend for the child?”

Minho smiled and earned a slap on the arm. “What? I smiled.”

“Pabo.”

***

Key and Minho walked up the steps to the address given and was met by a young boy around four or five.

“Are you my mommy and daddy?” Key squealed in delight at the cute boy who closely resembled Minho.

“No, we are your babysitters.” Minho said walking into the home.

Key refrained from hitting him and picked up Yooguen. “Really? But Umma said that I’m going to have two people who are my mom and dad.” He put up too fingers and Key kissed his cheek.

Key glared at Minho who kept giving the child dark looks. “I’m Key Appa and this is Minho Appa.”

Yooguen seemed thrilled about that and wrapped his arms around Key’s neck.

“No.”

Key smirked at Minho, “Well do you want to be Minho Umma?”

Minho blushed and looked away, “No.”

“Okay then it’s settled.” Key excused himself to go to the bathroom and he thought about Minho. There was something strangely gentle about him and something secretive as well. But some reason Kibum liked the challenge of unraveling Minho.

Key walked around the corner of the house and stopped as he saw Minho playing and smiling brightly with Yooguen. He has never seen any expression like this before on this guy’s face and it made Key’s heart flutter.

“Yes that’s right, b-a-t is bat. Good job.”

“I see you’re good with kids.”

Minho looked up startled and blushed. “Yeah. I guess so.”

“’Yeah I guess so,’ Could you at least act like you want to talk to me.”

***

It was the end of the week and Minho felt upset that he wouldn’t be spending any more time with Yooguen, but that’s not what creeped him out. It was the fact the he was upset he wouldn’t be spending any more time with Kibum and that was the problem.

“Okay, please let me take you shopping.”

“No. What’s wrong with my cardigan and t-shirt and jeans?”

“Nothing, it’s just bland.”

“Well I’d rather be bland than look like a rainbow threw up on me.”

Key glared at Minho and looked away upset. “What’s wrong with my fashion sense?”

“Nothing, it’s just too shiny for my taste.”

“Okay flaming charisma. Speaking of which why haven’t you been playing in the last couple of games?”

“Long story.” One that he didn’t feel like explaining.

“Well… I have time.” Key said laying a sleeping Yooguen down in his bed.

“I can’t.” Minho’s voice started to break.

“Look Minho. Whatever it is you can tell me. I want you to trust me.” Minho’s heart stopped at Kibum’s statement. He didn’t know why but he felt like he could tell him.

“My mother was murdered right in front of me when I was a kid.”

Minho expected Key to pity him. To look down on him even. But Minho’s mouth dropped when Kibum embraced him. And he didn’t notice he started crying until he heard Kibum’s soft murmurs to comfort him. He has never shared that with anyone. Pulling back he blushed as Key wiped his tears and began to stroke his face. And as Key tried to move his hands away Minho stopped them and kept them on his face.

“I want to let you know that I’ll always be here for you if you need me to be.”

The words Minho longed to hear.

“Then you’re going to be here for a long time Key. Are you ready for that? It’s going to be hard.”

“I think I can take you, Flaming Charisma.”