"I'm just saying, Soo. If you have a boyfriend, just tell me instead of dodging the question. I'm thrilled that you're in a relationship." She smiled through a forkful of food. This had been the umpteenth time she brought up the topic of a boyfriend. Maybe it was just Kyungsoo's subconscious telling him he wanted to tell his mother about Jongin, or maybe it was just his mother's persistence. Either way, it all went back to his roommate.

"But Eomeoni-" it was is as if on cue, his roommate unlocked the door to the apartment with a groan.

"Soo, you're right. I do need a break. Come cuddle with me. I'm exhaus- oh. I apologize for interrupting. Should I come back?" Jongin looked between a shockingly nervous-looking Kyungsoo and an older looking woman with a smirk in her face and bowed.

"So you're dating him? Jesus, hon, why wouldn't you tell me you had a boyfriend when I asked you all those times? He's so handsome." she smiled at Jongin. When the tall male turned to look at Kyungsoo's completely shocked expression, a devious smile crept onto his face.

"Yeah, Soo. Why didn't you tell your mother about us?" Kyungsoo's eyes were now widened comically and his mouth practically fell to the ground. That visage only lasted a second before he regained his composure.

"Pardon me, Eomeoni, I need to have a conversation with my- um- boyfriend," He quickly excused himself and pulled Jongin out of the apartment before slamming the door closed. "What are you doing?! Don't egg her on! She's been like this all evening!" He whisper screamed.

Jongin gave the shorter a look of amusement. "Really? She can't be that bad, Soo." Kyungsoo scoffed and stromped his foot- a move Jongin found adorable.

"All she's been going on about is my dating life, Jongin. I couldn't tell her I was in a relationship because that's not true. But I couldn't tell her I was single because then she'd set me up with some guy that I barely knew. Those things never worked out. So I just stayed silent in hopes that she'd dismiss the topic. Instead, it only made things worse." He explained with a deep sigh.

"You could've just lied." Jongin shrugged.

"And I was considering it, but then I thought, 'how am I to come up with a fake relationship so suddenly? Who would I be in a pretend relationship with?' You know? It was a lot to conjure up. But then you showed up early and went ahead and agreed with the conclusion my mother came up with." Jongin's expression softened as he pulled the sullen Kyungsoo into his embrace.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt this way about the topic."

Kyungsoo sniffled into Jongin's shirt and mumbled. "It's ok. Not like you had a chance to know." Kyungsoo looked up at Jongin with a wavering smile and glassy eyes.

"Is that why you you were so awkward last night?" Kyungsoo nodded. "Is that also why you didn't tell me the truth?" Another nod. Jongin breathed a slight sigh in relief. At least he knew for sure that it wasn't about the leg grab. And he also knew Kyungsoo was positively available. "You know, when we go back in there, we have two options. Either we tell your mother the truth, or we act like a convincing couple." Kyungsoo pondered for a minute before speaking up.

"C-can we go ahead and act as a couple? I'm really not in the mood for another blind date." Jongin chuckled and planted a friendly kiss on Kyungsoo's forehead. The smaller of the two smiled and stood on his tiptoes to hug around Jongin's neck.

"Thank you. I owe you big time for this." He breathed out a giggle.

"Don't worry about it, Soo. I guess I did bring this upon the both of us. We'll survive this night together." And that's what he and Jongin did.

~

"Nice of you both to finally join me." Kyungsoo's mother smirked as they entered their apartment.

"We had some things we needed to discuss. They're all resolved now," Kyungsoo explained as he and Jongin sat down. "So, Eomeonim, this is Jongin."

"Nice to meet you, sweetheart. Kyungsoo actually did not mention you, however. Of course, I saw a few of your pictures. So I just figured he'd bring it up at some point. He never did." Kyungsoo inwardly groaned. His mother was already planning to start a division in his own home. Just what Kyungsoo needed.

Kyungsoo forced a smile and turned to Jongin for help. "Kyungsoo- uh- is a little shy about our relationship?" And there went the help.

But miraculously, his mother fell for it. "Oh, I understand. He's rather introverted. Maybe you can get him to open up a bit more?" What Kyungsoo's mother didn't know was that he was extremely open to his emotions compared to when he still lived with her as a teenager.

"Of course," Jongin nodded and then turned to Kyungsoo with a questionable look. Kyungsoo only shook his head in dismissal. "So, tell me about yourself." Jongin didn't really know how to continue the awkward conversation at this point.

~

"How did you two meet?" There it was. The dreaded question Kyungsoo was hoping to avoid. Of course, he never got what he hoped for when it came to situations like these.

"We originally started off as roommates. Then after a couple of months of getting to know each other, it just sort of happened. And it didn't help that Baekhyun and Chanyeol- my friend- would tell us we should be together. They influenced us a bit. But we would do things like cuddling and watching Pororo together, taking the kids on their walks, making food together- he did most of the cooking- and we'd visit each other at work. Things just fell into place." Jongin was smiling after explaining their relationship. He turned to find Kyungsoo giving him the same expression.

Kyungsoo's mother cooed and clutched her chest. "That is so cute. And Baekhyun and this Chanyeol fellow even shipped you guys. How sweet," Kyungsoo blushed at the realization and outstretched his arm to reach Jongin's hand. He placed his smaller one on Jongin's larger hand in appreciation, resulting in Jongin lacing their fingers together and giving the hand a gentle squeeze. "I've already met Baekhyun. Will I be meeting Chanyeol as well?"

"I'm sure we can arrange that?" He turned to Kyungsoo with a questioning look as the elder shrugged.

"M-maybe. We'll have to find a day where he isn't busy." If Chanyeol and Baekhyun were brought into this little white lie, all hell would break loose.

"Why don't you call him? And while your at it, call Baekhyun, too." .

"S-Soo, why don't you go ahead and call Baekhyun while I call Chanyeol." Jongin winked. Kyungsoo seemed to understand his plan as he began nodding with a smile.

"Great, you can even put them on speaker." Well, so much for the plan. They could no longer escape this now.

"Um, um, uh..." Jongin was at a loss for words. They had come so far in this lie, and now it was coming to an end.

"That can be arranged." Kyungsoo smiled and pulled out his phone. When Jongin cast him a panicked expression he gave him a look in return that somehow gained his trust in the situation.

As the phone rang, Kyungsoo sent Baekhyun a quick text.

Omma thinks Jongin and I are a couple and she wants you and Chanyeol to come over. Please just go with it so I don't have to go on a blind date. And send this to Chanyeol so he knows what's going on.

When Baekhyun answered, Kyungsoo put the phone on speaker and got a message from the older at the same time.

Seriously, Kyungsoo? This is just getting sad. Just date him already.

And then another.

But I will help you because I know how much you hate those dates. And because I think the only one you should be with is Jongin.

~"Hi, Soo. What do you want?"~ Baekhyun's sassy-toned voice blared through the speaker.

"Um, you know how I told you Omma was coming sometime this week?" There was a gasp and some rustling drone the other line.

~"Omma's there?! Hi, Omma! Kyungsoo, put it on speaker-"~

"It's on speaker. Get over here. And bring Chanyeol, too. And don't get like this when you get here." He interrupted. To this day, it still surprises Kyungsoo how great Baekhyun's improv is.

~"Ok! I'll see you in a bit. Don't have too much fun while I'm not there!"~ the line went dead once Baekhyun hung up. Blinking, Kyungsoo pocketed his phone and turned to face his mother.

"Baekhyun will be here shortly." He deadpanned to no one in particular. She and Jongin gave him two completely different smiles in return.

~

Kyungsoo dreaded the moment a dainty knock reverberated throughout the house. He opened the door and had the air knocked out of him as Baekhyun latched himself onto his best friend.

"Where's Omma?" Baekhyun looked around the apartment and squealed when she saw her, pushing Kyungsoo out of his way.

"I'm right here, Baekhyunnie." She held her arms open for Baekhyun to embrace.

"Can you explain this?" Jongin asked Kyungsoo in a whisper after closing the door and pointing to the hugging pair.

"We've been friends since primary school. We used to have sleepovers all the time. He's her third son after my brother and I." When Jongin nodded in understanding, Kyungsoo's mother released Baekhyun and turned to face Chanyeol.

"It's nice to meet you. You're Jongin's friend?" Chanyeol nodded and reached his hand towards the woman's.

"So do you have any embarrassing stories of Kyungsoo and Baekhyun from their childhood?" Kyungsoo and Baekhyun wacked him upside the head for that.

~

"You think this is just an excuse for them to be close together?"

"No, they're always like that. They're just more cutesy this time 'round." Baekhyun answered as he and Chanyeol stared at the 'couple' on the sofa.

This time, because Baekhyun told them they didn't look convincing enough to be a couple, Kyungsoo was sat right at Jongin's hip with the younger's arm wrapped over his small frame. Kyungsoo was absentmindedly playing with Jongin's fingers as they had an animated conversation with his mother.

"When will they stop denying their feelings for each other, Yeol? They're clearly made for each other." The smaller boy huffed when Jongin whispered something in Kyungsoo's ear.

"They're doing this to us on purpose. They're making us want to believe even more." Chanyeol was practically burning holes in Jongin's head at this point. The maknae of their group had the nerve to peck the underside of Kyungsoo's ear.

"Did you see that?! Did you see that?! What is this blasphemy?!" Baekhyun whisper-shouted loud enough for only Chanyeol to hear. "It's all just a bunch of teasing and playing innocent. Everyone knows those two tease each other to the extent!"

"You think we should get out of the kitchen now? I'm pretty sure it's been too long since Jongin asked for the alcohol." Baekhyun shrugged and fumbled through the wine cabinet that Kyungsoo prided more than almost anything else.

"Dark rum." Baekhyun hummed as he pulled out a bottle.

"Don't use that. Soo needs it for the bananas foster he's making on Tuesday." Jongin spoke from the other room. Rolling his eyes, Baekhyun pulled out another bottle. This time: champagne.

"You don't need the champagne for anything, do you?" Chanyeol furrowed his eyebrows while reading the label of the precious bottle.

"No, go ahead and pop that open." Kyungsoo responded. Baekhyun took the champagne flutes out of the cupboards as Chanyeol poured.

"Have they heard us the entire time?" Baekhyun asked thoughtfully.

"Eh, maybe just you. You're loud, you know." Chanyeol chuckled while he left the kitchen with three champagne flutes in his hands as Baekhyun scoffed.

~

It was almost eleven thirty and it was time for Mrs. Do to hit the road. Baekhyun was undoubtedly the most disappointed with the departure, but Jongin was a close second.

He was going to miss the skinship. Sure, he and Kyungsoo cuddled every day, but that wasn't enough. It was nowhere near enough as opposed to the soft kisses and the handholding. Jongin kind of wanted to pretend to be Kyungsoo's boyfriend for a little longer, but at the same time, he didn't want to just go pretend.

"Thank you so much for having me, Soo. It was great meeting you, Jongin. Treat my son well. And Baekhyunnie, you be good and call me every once in a while. And Mr. Chanyeol, I'll have to tell you some of those stories some other time." She winked after hugging everyone.

"I'm happy you were able to come by and see everyone. Have a safe trip, ok?" Kyungsoo smiled as she exited the house. "You two. Out. And thank you so much for playing along." He whispered to Baekhyun and Chanyeol as he pushed them out of the apartment.

"Do Kyungsoo, you need to get your feelings straight with that man, and you need to do it soon. You will regret it if you don't." Baekhyun grumbled during the shoving.

"I'll do it whenever I feel like it. Now shoo. I need to clean the place up and get ready for bed."

"Today would be great. It's about time you two got together." Chanyeol crossed his arms over his chest pointedly.

"I still think you guys are delusional. Now leave. It's getting late." With that, Kyungsoo closed the door before the two could say more and he sighed.

"What took them so long to leave?" Jongin asked as he came out of his bedroom dressed in basketball shorts and a blanket over his bare shoulders. It had been accustomed to a few months back as Kyungsoo learned Jongin didn't sleep with a shirt- about the same time Jongin discovered Kyungsoo's dislike for pants during the night.

"Just talking about Omma," Kyungsoo lied. "I'm gonna get the living room cleaned up and the flutes washed." He then announced and got to work.

I want to start off by saying Happy Thanksgiving to those who are in America celebrating! And to those who are a day ahead of America, Happy Chanyeol Day. I will say the same for Americans for tomorrow as well! Also, I want to shoot a quick thank you to those of you who were concerned of my health. I am still slightly sick, but my throat is no longer swollen, so that's a huge plus! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Do not forget to comment because I will reply. Take care!😘

-Chencing_Machine