[fic] Minho/Key – SHINee – High Maintenance - Chapter 8/10

[rabenhorst]

Title: High Maintenance; Chapter 8/10
Author: fonulyn
Rating: NC17 (overall)
Pairing: Minho/girl!Key (Minho/Gwiboon)
Other characters: Jonghyun, Onew, Zhou Mi, Boa, girl!Taemin (some are around more than others)
Warnings: --
Wordcount: 47 200 (overall); 4652 for this part
Disclaimer: I own no one, only my dirty imagination.
Summary: When Gwiboon's car breaks down she expects the repairs to be an annoying hassle. Not in her wildest dreams had she hoped for an illegally hot mechanic to be there to ease her hardships.
Comments: Previous parts: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7

Turns out, Minho is even more tired than he thought he was, as he doesn’t wake up when he’s left in bed alone. He doesn’t wake up to the sound of the shower running, or to the litany of curses from the kitchen. He doesn’t wake up when the front door opens and closes for the first time, and not when it happens again half an hour later. He does, however, wake up when he’s pounced, Gwiboon landing on top of him, pinning him down with her full weight. All air escapes his lungs and for a second he struggles, before his brain catches up with what’s going on and he tries to turn it into a tickle-revenge instead. “Are you trying to kill me!?” he asks, breathless, as he finally manages to wrestle Gwiboon off him and pin her into the mattress. She’s laughing, her head thrown back, and squirms feebly when he aims for her ticklish sides again. “No! I just thought it’s time to wake up the sleeping beauty!” She’s wheezing when he finally relents and sits up straighter. “I got us breakfast,” she says, still giggling, “from the cafeteria down the street. And I’ve got your favourite bagels. Now tell me, do you want to go back to sleep?” No, Minho really doesn’t. Yet the reason isn’t as much the admittedly very tempting offer of breakfast, as the way Gwiboon looks absolutely breathtaking. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes alight with giddiness, and the silly grin on her lips makes her look even more beautiful in his eyes. So instead of answering, he leans in and captures her lips in a slow, sensual kiss, which makes her forget all about the question anyway. This time when he slips his hands underneath her blouse it’s not with the intention to tickle so he lets the touch be more firm, revels in the way it makes her shudder as if on command. The kiss breaks on its own, leaving them just looking at one another, until Gwiboon melts into another smile. “I fucking love your hands.” She’s said it before, but it still always somehow surprises Minho. He knows his hands are calloused from work, big and warm, but he never quite understood how she can be so addicted to such a detail. “Let me make you love them even more,” he says instead of anything else, smirking in a way he knows will make her want to slap the cockiness right off his face. She does huff, but lifts her hands when urged anyway, and allows him to slip the blouse off. It leaves her hair more tousled than before, but Minho thinks it’s definitely an improvement. Thankfully the clasp of her bra is in the front, he thinks as he kisses her and aims for getting rid of that piece of clothing as well. Either he’s too distracted by the kiss, or it’s simply easier said than done, since he keeps fumbling and doesn’t manage to undo the hook no matter what. Finally he has to withdraw from the kiss, as the laughter bursts out of him. “I swear, I’ll never learn to open a bra.” Gwiboon laughs, too, giving his shoulders a slight playful push. “Does that mean I need to stop wearing them?” “No,” Minho hums, and places his palms on her ribcage. He slides them up, until he can slip his fingers underneath the annoying garment to cop a feel. She shivers, her eyes slipping shut, and shifts on her place, easily trapping him between her legs. “You could just leave them on,” he goes on, and leans down to press his lips on the soft skin between her breasts. He catches the clasp of the bra between his teeth, tugging a little. “Or I could rip them off with my teeth?” The suggestion makes way for another peal of laughter from Gwiboon, who swats at his head to make him stop goofing around. “Okay, Tarzan, just let me get out of this so we can get it on.” A little reluctantly he retreats, but the frown can barely form on his forehead before he’s lost staring again. Gwiboon undoes the clasp in one twist of her fingers, so easily it almost feels mocking, and then arches her back to wriggle out of the garment. It’s not Minho’s fault if he stares, any man would – no, scratch that, any living human being would. At least he’s convinced of it. “Now come back here,” Gwiboon purrs as soon as she’s topless, sliding her fingers up Minho’s chest in a feathery light touch. She’s obviously enjoying the sight as much as he is, and even makes a happy little sigh as he leans closer and she gets to touch him without having to reach too far. It’s like she knows all the right ways to tease him further, and vice versa. They take their time removing the rest of their clothing, exploring and enjoying, rolling over in the thankfully very wide bed more than once in their playful struggle for control. Eventually she wins, even if she knows it’s only because he allows her to, and she ends up on top of him, straddling his waist. He’s so hard he wants to just grab her and have his way with her but he doesn’t, instead reaching for the headboard to cling on to it. It’s the only way he can stop himself from breaking his resolve. Gwiboon seems to enjoy it, more than that, and she rewards Minho with dirty, languid kisses, and with shameless rolls of her hips. Even when she finally rides him she keeps it slow, gives them both the chance to focus on the moment with all of their senses. Only when she’s trembling in his arms he takes initiative again and flips them over, revelling in each soft sigh, each shudder, each sign of pleasure he can emit from her. It’s like they’ve grown to know each other so thoroughly that they’ve learned all the dirty little tricks that drive the other out of their mind. Or maybe it’s something deeper, something more profound. Not that either of them has any presence of mind to waste a thought on that, not when they slowly come down from the high, exchanging lazy kisses as they keep grinning into each other’s mouths. They can both be cuddly when the occasion calls for it, but he’s definitely the cuddlier one, and even now he’s the first one who moves to get them more comfortable. He noses the sweaty patch of skin under her jaw, pressing a line of kisses right there, and she can’t help but squirm and laugh. “That tickles,” she announces, still breathless. “And now the coffee is cold. I walked two blocks to get it and now it’s cold.” “I’ll still drink it,” Minho promises, amusement dancing in his voice. He’s not going to be bothered by something as trivial as cold coffee, not right now. “Now shut up and let me enjoy this.” Gwiboon huffs, but already the next second she snuggles closer, even though they’re both sweaty and gross and in desperate need of a shower. Maybe that’ll be their next stop. The coffee can’t get any colder. It’s nothing new that Gwiboon doesn’t hear from her parents in ages so she doesn’t think anything of it when the next two weeks are complete radio silence. Until suddenly she gets a call from her mother, asking for her to come over for tea. She agrees, knowing her mother and the dire consequences disagreeing would result in. It’s much easier to have the tea with her willingly, she knows. Besides, sometimes they do end up having fun. Even if those times are getting scarce. This time isn’t one of those fun times. Gwiboon can barely take a seat and thank the maid for the tea and the tray of pastries set carefully in the centre of the table, before her mother already opens the line of conversation. “So, Gwiboon. You haven’t been spending much time with Jinki lately?” Gwiboon stops midway reaching for a delicious looking muffin, but then shrugs and takes it anyway. It’s not like questioning of this sort hasn’t happened before. “He’s been busy. You do know he works full time. While I study, if you’ve forgotten, so it’s no wonder we don’t spend so much time together now.” “Yet you’ve been seeing this…” Mrs Kim scrunches up her nose. “Whoever you brought with you for your father’s birthday.” She’s clearly disapproving of that, as if she hadn’t made it clear already before. Her posture is stiff, her hands in her lap, and she’s not even making a move to take any of the table’s offerings. If Gwiboon didn’t have her mouth full of the muffin she would’ve exploded instantly. Now she actually has to chew first, and it gives her time to think, and time to calm down. Even if it is only seconds. “Yes. I told you that it’s serious. I wouldn’t have brought him here otherwise.” “Why do you insist on doing this?” Mrs Kim asks, as if it truly baffles her why her daughter is being so difficult. “Jinki is a perfectly handsome and polite young man. You obviously care deeply for him, and he cares deeply for you. I don’t see where the problem lies. If you reject him only to disappoint your parents…” “Mother!” Gwiboon cuts in, scandalized. “I’m not rejecting him! There’s nothing there to reject! I love him like a brother, and one doesn’t marry their brother. You’ll just have to accept that! Jinki and I will never, ever, end up married with half a dozen beautiful grandbabies for you.” “You’re so harsh in your judgement, dear.” That’s when Gwiboon knows her mother is furious. She never uses terms of endearment unless she’s angry. “Maybe you will change your mind, in a couple of years. You’re still young, you still have your whole life ahead of you. Don’t make this mistake.” “It’s not a mistake,” Gwiboon counters. She knows she sounds like a petulant child, but she has no idea how to get through to her mother properly. The muffin starts tasting ashen in her mouth and she drops the rest of it in the plate, trying to wash the bitter taste of the conversation down with a large sip of tea. “At least choose more wisely,” her mother goes on, “there is a number of handsome young men working in your father’s corporation, you could…” All it takes is a headshake from Gwiboon to make Mrs Kim’s features harden even more. “Why are you so stubborn, dear? And why this… commoner? He’s so below you.” Gwiboon doesn’t even think. She just replies. “No, actually, he’s usually the one on top.” “Gwiboon!” The scandalized look on her mother’s face is actually so worth it, as she stares at Gwiboon like she can’t believe what just came out of her little daughter’s mouth, and like she is going to be haunted by the mental images from that statement forever. It makes Gwiboon grin. The smile drops off soon though, and she’s completely serious as she looks straight at her mother. “He’s not below anyone. And you would know that if you’d given a second to actually get to know him instead of being a vindictive witch. He loves me, mother. Shouldn’t that be what relationships are about? There’s nothing you can say that’d make me change my mind.” She stands to leave, but Mrs Kim hurries to grab her wrist to stop her from marching off. “Your father isn’t happy, either. He might see it fit to… re-evaluate the funding he’s investing in you.” Angrily Gwiboon yanks her arm out of her mother’s grip. “Then let him re-evaluate all he wants.” She doesn’t stay for anything more. She’s heard enough. Angry beyond belief Gwiboon storms out of her parents’ apartment, but when she gets into her car she has no idea where to go. She can’t go home, she’d only get more and more frustrated, thinking of the discussion and the situation. Yet she doesn’t have class to distract herself from all this either. Minho is working, and Gwiboon would rather bite off her tongue than tell him what kind of shit her mother was saying about him again. It doesn’t leave her with many options so she dials Jinki’s number. He answers after the fourth beep. “Hey, what’s up? I’m late for a meeting, is it something serious or can I call you back?” “I really, really need someone to talk to,” Gwiboon bursts out, already feeling a little better at admitting that out loud. “Can you call me as soon as you’re free? We could go for late lunch or something?” She knows they could easily get a reservation somewhere, even in a private cabinet, or they could just grab some takeout and head back to either one’s apartment to eat it. Jinki proves yet again why he’s the best friend anyone could wish for. “Of course. I’ll clear my schedule so we have enough time. This should only take less than an hour. Are you okay?” “I’ll be fine,” Gwiboon smiles. “Just call me. I’m going to make a reservation somewhere.” With that it’s agreed, and she hangs up at his goodbyes. For a good moment she sits still in the car, with her head propped back against the headrest, but then finally decides to get a grip. She makes the reservations, manages to get them a private room, drives back to her apartment and busies herself with random bursts of cleaning before her phone finally rings and she can get going. They get to their table, order their food, and only when they’ve been left securely alone to enjoy their meal in peace Gwiboon strikes up the conversation that’s been burning in the pit of her stomach for the past couple of hours. “I don’t know what to do with my parents anymore. Mother, mostly, but I know she has father’s support in everything she does.” “What is she doing now?” Jinki asks, frowning. Gwiboon looks up at him, and well, there’s no other way to say it so she blurts it all out. “She keeps insisting I marry you. You’re perfect, you’re all she wants in a son-in-law, and she isn’t going to rest until it happens.” She sighs. She knows they’ve been through this before but she’s never felt this stressed by her parents. Not even when she was eight and realized that the only way to gain their approval was to be the perfect doll that represents their family like a little adult and charms everyone with it. “You know,” Jinki looks hesitant, but reaches out anyway and grabs her hand to still her, to make her stop fidgeting. “Maybe I should tell them? That as flattered as I am they consider me worthy of their daughter, I have no intention of marrying her, or any woman for that matter.” “No,” Gwiboon answers quickly, squeezing his hand. “No, you shouldn’t. It’s your decision who you tell, and you shouldn’t do it just because she’s being a stubborn idiot. It’s not the first time I’ve fought with her!” “But –” “No, Jinki. I don’t want to be the reason you were pressured to out yourself.” Gwiboon says it like it’s the end of discussion, and for her it is. If Jinki wants to shout it at the world, she’ll be the first one to support him, but the decision should never be forced upon him. Definitely not by her petty little problems. “Nothing should make you to that if it’s not right for you. I’ll deal. Just, if they ask, keep telling them we are so not getting married, okay?” He smiles at her, genuinely, a smile that reaches all the way to his eyes. “You know I will. It’d feel too much like incest anyway,” he finishes, and it’s just enough to make her crack a smile too. She knew calling Jinki was the best possible decision she could’ve made. Already being allowed to rant to him, to complain about the situation, makes her feel considerably better. Eventually Gwiboon manages to push the whole parents-issue out of her mind. Partly it’s thanks to her amazing friends who listen to her complaining willingly, partly it’s thanks to her increasingly hectic schedule. The exams and deadlines for papers start to pop up one after another and Gwiboon finds herself stuck with her nose in a book or with her laptop on her knees more often than not. She also keeps losing sleep over it – too much to do and too few hours in the day. So basically there’s no time to angst over her parents being gigantic douchebags. She even has to abandon the garage and all the needed paperwork for the worst week when she has an exam basically every day, and needs all of her awake-time for revising. For all her life, she’s wanted to achieve the best results to please her parents, but surprisingly, now they couldn’t be further from her mind. She studies because she wants to know these things. Because she has a garage to keep running, goddamnit, and she’s going to be the best underpaid secretary with a way too impressive degree. She says as much to Minho once, in a burst of frustration when she just can’t seem to remember anything important for the next day. Minho has taken to come over to her apartment every day after work, fixing her something to eat while she struggles through the books and handouts. It’s so domestic and nice that it makes her feel all fuzzy and warm inside. It’s something she hadn’t realized she wanted, but now can’t imagine going without. Even Jonghyun pops up on a Friday, much to Gwiboon’s dismay since she was looking forward to a slight study break in form of locking Minho in the bedroom and losing the key. Yet it turns out to be surprisingly much fun. They order takeout, then have a few beers, until the whole world is buzzing around them in a pleasant haze. At first they’re sitting on Gwiboon’s plush couch but eventually Jonghyun manages to stain the white fabric with salsa. Gwiboon looks like she’s going to kill him, or kick him out, but eventually just orders him to sit on the floor. Which he has no objection to. “Don’t you have a wife and children at home waiting for you?” Gwiboon asks at one point. It’s not even to chase him out, not anymore. She’s perfectly comfortable right where she is, sprawled on the floor with her head pillowed on Minho’s thighs and Minho’s long fingers tangled in her hair. “You should’ve brought Taeyeon over,” she goes on, and Minho exchanges a surprised look with Jonghyun, “I would like to actually meet her without screaming right in her face.” “Next time,” Jonghyun promises easily, his grin absolutely sunny as he takes a sip of his beer. “She’s at her parents’ place with the kiddos. But I think we can convince them to babysit sometime so that she gets to join our excellent company.” “Damn straight we’re excellent company!” Gwiboon announces, her eyes closed. The world is spinning a little too much to her liking, but the gentle stroking of her hair soothes her down and makes her want to purr. “You can tell her I promise not to scream. Unless she deserves it somehow, gotta leave a loophole in there somewhere.” Minho laughs. “Are you sure you didn’t have one beer too many, Gwiboon? You should probably head to bed.” “No. Don’t want to. If I go to bed, it means I’m going to have to get up, and then it means I need to tackle all of those accountings you’ve probably done all wrong these past weeks.” She’s a little proud of how she manages to string together such a long sentence without any difficulty. Or, without much difficulty. “I haven’t touched them,” Minho says, amused. Jonghyun hurries to add he hasn’t either, before Minho has the chance to go on. “You told us to keep away so we did. It’s not like being a couple of weeks behind will kill us.” “Good.” She nods. “Have you found someone to hire yet?” There’d been a lot of talk about hiring someone to work at least part-time with the cars, especially since they don’t need to pay Gwiboon anything as things are now. They had an argument about it, since Minho would want to pay her just on principle, but she put her foot down and said she has enough income as it is. “No,” Jonghyun shakes his head, even though she’s not looking. “I put ads up in almost all the local grocery stores but no one has called us about it yet. At least no one who was serious about it.” He shudders as he remembers the idiotic prank calls he had to deal with earlier this week. “It seems like there’s not much interest,” Minho agrees, frowning. Gwiboon just huffs. “You should put an ad to the paper. And online! We live in the 21st century! C’mon, if you just want someone who lives within three blocks of the garage you’re going to be gravely disappointed. Have you no sense at all?” The words hold certain warmth to them, though, enough for them to lose the edge of an insult. “We’ll put up an ad,” Minho promises, mostly to make her shut up about it. Then again there is sense in it too, and he feels a little bit dumb for not realizing that himself. She says that much out loud, even if not in as coherent sentences as before. That’s when Minho decides that it’s time to put her to bed, and far too easily hoists her up from the floor. “Thanks for inviting me,” Jonghyun says, and if Gwiboon wasn’t so tired she’d point out that he technically invited himself and she had nothing to do with it. Jonghyun is spared now, though, and he waves his goodbyes, along with promising to bring Taeyeon along next time. Minho carries Gwiboon to bed, tucks her in, and stays the night. Even though none of the evening went as Gwiboon planned, she is still ready to call it a success. As soon as things calm down enough, Gwiboon easily slips back to the old routine. She doesn’t really have class anymore, but it doesn’t mean all the work is done yet. So she tries to get as much of that done as soon as she gets up, and heads to the garage after two or three in the afternoon to go through all the necessary paperwork there. Usually she stops at a café down the street on her way, to get some coffee to go, now that the coffeemaker at the garage is helplessly broken and no one has yet replaced it. She’s flipping through her phone as she slips into the cafeteria following someone who is polite enough to hold the door open for her long enough. There’s a line, so she has to wait, and she busies herself by harassing both of her friends living in China with rapid text messages. She tried to text Jinki too, at first, but he didn’t answer so she gave up. Zhou Mi answers scarcely, but apparently Boa is as bored as Gwiboon is as she keeps answering as quickly as Gwiboon manages to type the messages out. Gwiboon is just in the middle of typing about the horrible sweater the man in front of her in line is wearing, when she happens to glance up. It’s completely by chance that she even looks towards one of the tables close to the window, but when she does she nearly drops her phone. It’s Jinki, sitting right there although he should have nothing to do in this part of town. He lives and works in about the furthest corner possible from here. And he’s not alone. He’s laughing at something, like he laughs when he’s completely at ease with his companion, and that makes Gwiboon more and more curious. Silently, she steps out of the line and approaches the table, trying to keep her heels from clicking on the floor too much. She does get a good look at the man Jinki’s with, and she can’t say she disapproves. Obviously nothing can compare to her own good taste in men, but there can only be so many Minhos in the world. At least this one is attractive, has big sparkling eyes and a contagious smile. What’s best is that they both seem to be completely smitten. It satisfies Gwiboon’s curiosity enough, and she now knows no one is trying to take advantage of her best friend, so she makes her presence known. It doesn’t take more than the sound of her steps to make the both men look up, Jinki’s expression a comically surprised one. “Gwiboon! What are you doing here!?” He scrambles to get up, but Gwiboon just waves a dismissive hand at him. “Sweetie, I work right around the block,” she reminds him, an amused grin dancing on her lips. She’s enjoying this perhaps a little too much, but that can’t be helped. It’s not every day you get to meet your friend’s mystery boyfriend. “I dropped in to get some coffee on the way. What are you doing here?” She gives a pointed glance at the man across the table, who seems slightly embarrassed if the light dusting of a blush on his cheeks is anything to go by. It pulls Jinki from his daze though, and the surprised expression melts back to the goofy grin from before. “Oh. Kyuhyun lives around here too, so we sometimes meet up for coffee or …other things.” He’s blushing too, now, and that makes Gwiboon want to hug him tight. She doesn’t, though, but instead turns to Kyuhyun and offers her hand in greeting. “Nice to meet you. I’m Gwiboon.” “I’ve heard a lot about you.” Kyuhyun offers a smile in return, even if it’s slightly wary. “Nice to meet you too.” He seems like a genuinely nice person, says Gwiboon’s first instinct, and she decides to go with that. “I, on the other hand, haven’t heard anything about you.” She purses her lips, giving Jinki a judging look. It turns back into a grin soon enough, and she reaches to pat Jinki’s shoulder to keep him from having an aneurysm. “We need to get together once and have dinner, the whole bunch of us. I believe some proper introductions are in order.” “Yeah,” Jinki agrees, and as he looks at Kyuhyun for confirmation he gains a nod as an answer. “But please, Gwiboon, go. Let me survive this mortification first.” She laughs. “Sure thing! We’ll set up a date some other time.” She says her goodbyes, and as soon as she turns around she whips her phone out again and starts texting the big news to both of her friends in China. She immediately receives six answering messages in rapid succession, ranging from is he cute to more detailed questions she doesn’t know how she should have answers for. This reminds her of high school, of how they would text back and forth and then quickly meet up somewhere for more gossip, and somehow the thought of that makes a pang of melancholy shoot through her. Now, they meet barely twice a year, and she misses the way they were a tight-knit group back then. Yet there’s nothing she can do about it now, unless she’ll move all the way to China like her friends suggested, so she tries to drown the unwanted feelings by texting even more rapidly. In her haste, she completely forgets the coffee.

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asdfgnkj I probably missed some corrections but be gentle with me ok! I’m posting this instead of grading exams so tomorrow shall be full of work and annoying anjsdkfgnh