Vernon was glad when he, Mingyu, and Seungkwan reached the cafe. The walk had been a long one - almost twenty five minutes of Mingyu slapping Seungkwan's and Vernon desperately wishing he could join in. Seungkwan just had a great bum.

Vernon remembered back to their middle school days, when it wasn't uncommon for them to slap each other's butts or otherwise cause pain in greeting.

He shook himself back to the present, and thanked the heavens when he saw Jihoon wasn't working as the trio entered the cafe. Mingyu groaned and directed Vernon's attention to Junghan and Joshua, who were connected at the mouth, sitting at the group's usual table.

Seungkwan bounced over to them, chattering about how cute they were.

They pulled away from each other when Seungkwan reached them. Junghan chuckled nervously and Joshua just grinned.

"Have fun with yourselves last night?" Seungkwan asked teasingly.

Junghan sighed. "I just wanted to some lollipop but Joshua was all 'we should wait until we find our other soulmate.'"

"Wait, so what were you two doing last night, then?" Vernon asked, a little more curious than he should have been.

Joshua smirked. "There are other things you can do with your soulmate than give each other ual pleasure. We watched movies and made out and talked."

Seungkwan sighed wistfully just as Vernon and Mingyu sat down. "Kwannie, we know you wanna meet you're soulmate. Shut up about it," Vernon cut in testily before his friend could begin to wax poetic.

Seungkwan nodded and sat down on Vernon's lap. Vernon felt his cheeks become warm.

Seungkwan was sitting in his lap.

It wasn't anything new, Seungkwan sat in his lap all the time if there weren't available seats, but there were two empty seats right there.

Seungkwan squirmed to get comfortable and leant back, wrapping an arm around Vernon's neck. Seungkwan wriggled again, and the action was doing something to little Vernon.

Vernon saw Joshua quirk an eyebrow and was thankful the elder didn't say anything.

"So, anything interesting happen?" Junghan asked.

Mingyu nodded, a sly grin crossing his features. "Seungkwan and I stayed at Vernon's place last night," Vernon saw Joshua smirk suggestively, "but! Dokyeom wasn't with us and he was somewhere other than his house."

Junghan gasped, looking scandalized. "He hasn't mentioned anything about anyone to me! How did I not know this? I know everyone's gossip."

Joshua put a hand on Junghan's shoulder. "Maybe it's a new development? No one's obligated to tell you anything."

Junghan shook his head, "Seokmin's told me everything since I took him under my wing, Shua. You don't understand."

Joshua tilted his head in confusion. "Seokm-?"

"Dokyeom's real name, Shua!"

Vernon started drumming his fingers upon the table, already bored with the exchange.

"OK, calm down, Junghan. He's leaving the nest, let him have ."

Junghan looked Joshua straight in the eye. "Let him have ! Joshua, you wouldn't even let me you off last night."

"I want to wait until I can experience things with both soulmates," Joshua replied simply.

Mingyu had began to hum to himself, suddenly very interested in the ceiling. Seungkwan was fiddling around on his phone. Vernon wondered how Junghan and Joshua could talk about their life (well, lack of) so openly.

Junghan crossed his arms. "Fine then, I'll let him screw someone for all those who can't."

Joshua poked Junghan's cheek playfully and Junghan cracked a smile. "I understand why you don't want to, I'm just impatient and ." Joshua pressed his lips against Junghan's forehead.

Vernon fake retched, and there was a very pronounced cough from the cafe door. Vernon looked towards the cough to see Dokyeom and Soonyoung.

"Leave them alone, they're adorable!" Dokyeom called as he got closer, Soonyoung following behind him.

Junghan cleared his throat "Is this the one you abandoned your friends' sleepover for last night?"

"One, you aren't my mother. Two, yes. Nobody else wants to play video games."

"Fair point," Junghan conceded. "But, why is he here?"

"I dropped him off," Soonyoung supplied.

"Onto something interesting, I have a date with Jihoon on Sunday," Seungkwan announced.

Everyone but Vernon whooped and hollered. There was a couple congratulations thrown around, and even a few wolf whistles.

All Vernon could do was stay still and quiet, the strange feeling in his belly, the heat coursing through his veins, wouldn't let him do or say anything. Eventually, the din quieted, and Vernon found it within himself to speak.

"Sunday? With Jihoon? Just be careful. What are two doing?" Vernon forced out, voice only passing through his tight throat loud enough for the boy on his lap to hear.

"We're probably going to the movies. I'll be fine." Seungkwan started playing with the baby hairs at Vernon's nape reassuringly.

How did Seungkwan do little things like that so casually? Was that part of the reason Vernon's mum thought they were a couple?

Vernon couldn't find himself caring too much at that moment; he liked the way it felt for him to be able to be so close with Seungkwan.

Dokyeom and Soonyoung sat down in the empty seats left from Seungkwan sitting on Vernon's lap.

"Any idea what movie?" Dokyeom asked, snapping Vernon back to reality. He'd become so focussed on thoughts of Seungkwan he'd forgotten what the group was even talking about.

Seungkwan shook his head. "No clue. We'll just pick when we get there."

The discussion turned to what movies were even playing at the moment. Once that conversation died down, Joshua announced it was time for him to head off to his first class and the high schoolers to get to school, too.

***

Sunday morning Vernon found himself home alone. Joshua had gone to church, and his mum, dad, and little sister had gone out for a morning picnic.

He was singing along to whatever idol group was on the radio as he made himself cereal. When he was halfway through the bowl, he was interrupted by his phone vibrating. He decided to ignore it, but it vibrated another seven times in the next twenty seconds.

It could only be Seungkwan. Vernon spooned another mouthful of cereal into his mouth before picking up the communication device. He had a message with a picture of a bunch of outfits laid out on Seungkwan's bed and "First date! What do I wear?" followed by a "I know you got that", three "Hey!"s, and three empty messages.

Vernon felt his mood sour as he typed back "ask mingyu, i dunno" and shovelled another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

Vernon'd been trying not to think about Seungkwan's date all morning. Why did Seungkwan even ask him? Their whole group (as well as his mum) often joked he looked like he'd picked his clothes with the lights off.

He got up and drained the milk into the sink, scraped the cereal into the bin and rinsed his bowl. He'd lost his appetite.

Vernon sat on the kitchen bench he'd just been eating at and went through his phone contacts. Who could he hang out with that'd take his mind off Seungkwan and Jihoon and their stupid movie date?

Chan. They still hadn't properly arranged a make up date for their failed first date.

He messaged Chan asking if the younger boy was free. It was only a few seconds later he received a reply stating Chan was free, and asking if Vernon wanted to hang out.

He got a messaage suggesting they meet up at the shops and see what happens.

Well, that saved Vernon from trying to think up date-like activities.

They arranged to meet in forty minutes, so Vernon showered, got dressed and headed out, locking the front door when he left.

His date with Chan went well. They spent three hours teasing each other playfully, eating food, holding hands, and wandering in and out of stores they weren't going to buy anything from under the guise of "just looking".

If Vernon were honest with himself, he'd admit he didn't feel anything for Chan romantically. Sure, he liked it when they kissed and stole bites of each other's food and shared a can of Coke. But he liked the idea of it more than actually doing it with Chan.

It didn't help his thoughts kept flickering towards Seungkwan.

Was he on his date yet? What movie were they watching? Was Seungkwan wearing a polo and a cardigan or a jacket? A jumper? Had he even taken something to keep him warm ? It was getting cold these days, was Seungkwan planning on trying to get Jihoon to give him his jacket?

Seungkwan wouldn't do that, would he? Since Vernon had met him Vernon had been the one to take an extra jacket everywhere for Seungkwan, had been the one to give up his warmth when Seungkwan was even slightly chilly.

Vernon didn't know which situation would be worse, Jihoon giving up his jumper for Seungkwan or Jihoon not giving up his jumper. One meant Jihoon doing Vernon's job, the other meant Seungkwan was uncomfortable.

"Hey, Vernon." Chan drew Vernon out of his thoughts. They were sitting on a park bench, sharing an ice cream cone.

'Yeah?" Vernon felt kind of bad for zoning out on Chan.

"I've had a lot of fun today, but my mum messaged me telling me to head home now - I've got dance rehearsals in half an hour. Soonyoung's going to pick me up, do you want a ride?"

"I'm right, I've got money for a bus. I'll wait with you." Chan shot him an appreciative smile

Chan stood up when a car pulled up near them and the window rolled down to reveal Soonyoung, waving enthusiastically.

"Soonyoung drives you around a lot, doesn't he? I'm pretty sure it was him that dropped you off, too."

Chan nodded. "Yeah, he's like a big brother. He used to babysit me a lot because my parents were always at the studio choreographing or learning dances."

"Your parents are dancers? Maybe that's why you're so good."

Chan nodded. "It's in the blood. They actually own the studio Soonyoung works at and I dance at."

They were interrupted by a car horn. "Hurry up, Dino! We've got a place to be!"

The two teenagers chuckled, and Vernon stood up, too. "Well, see you at school tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you at school tomorrow."

The pair stood awkwardly for a few seconds before Soonyoung beeped the car horn again.

Chan leaned in and kissed Vernon, nibbling at Vernon's lip as he pulled away a few seconds later, before quickly retreating to the car.

Vernon waved him off, before heading home himself. He caught himself wondering if Seungkwan would get his first kiss taken that afternoon or not while he was sat down on the bus listening to music.

When he got home the first thing he did was seek out his mum. He found her in his parents ensuite bathroom, applying makeup.

"Big occasion?" he asked.

"Sofia talked your father and I into having a nice date tonight, she even made us a reservation at a Chinese place, but they only had a free table at four and we aren't sure about traffic or how to get there. Did you teach her how to do that?"

Vernon shook his head. "I don't even know how tomake a reservation."

Mrs Chwe sighed. "I'll teach you sometime. What's up?"

Vernon put the toilet lid down and sat on it. "Seungkwan's first date's today."

"Oh, how'd it go?" His mum sounded so happy and genuinely curious.

"I don't know. I don't even know if he's had it yet."

His mum put down the tube she was holding. "Don't take that tone with mister. I don't care if you're moody because your he's got a date and you don't."

"It's not that - I had a date with a friend from school today - I'm worried this guy's going to replace me."

His mum picked up the tube again and squeezed some onto her hand. "You're his best friend, right? A boyfriend won't replace you. He might be distracted with him until the honeymoon period's over, but after a couple weeks he should be right back to your best friend.

"And this friend of yours, is she pretty?"

"He, mum. And I... He's cute, I guess."

"You guess?"

Vernon nodded. "Yeah, it depends. He's pretty hot when he dances. But, is it..." Vernon took a deep breath. His lips were feeling funny again, ever since Chan kissed him.

"There's nothing wrong with thinking someone's hot unless they're too young for you."

"It's not that, it's just. We've kissed - a few times. And my lips feel strange afterwards."

Vernon's mum ahhed. "It's just because he's not your soulmate."

"But I didn't get this feeling when I had a girlfriend."

"You didn't have your mark. If you have any more questions you should ask a soulmate specialist, I can book you an appointment if you want."

Vernon shook his head as he got up. "No thanks, mum. That's all I'm curious about."

Later that evening, Mingyu sent him a picture of Seungkwan. He was beaming, looking happier than Vernon had seen him in a while, maybe ever, wearing a jacket he'd never seen before.

He was being replaced.

(There might've also been a hickey poking out above Seungkwan's collar, but Vernon didn't want to think about that.)

He went to sleep thinking of Seungkwan, and how Jihoon didn't deserve him.

============

A/N:

Not much to say this chapter besides I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you don't mind the slower updates - it's so annoying trying to type on my phone.