It was decided that if Yoongi was paying for seven other people’s meals tonight, that Namjoon could at least drive. He’d explained how Jackson was going to meet them at the barbecue joint and about how Namjoon had already offered Jackson a ride home after they went out. Apparently JB had some late night studying to do and needed to be home afterwards. In reality, he wished he could at least LIE about that - the boys knew him to well to believe it though. You see, his grades weren't suffering in the slightest. In fact, he was one of the best in his classes overall. His GPA was spotless without much fluxuation and he'd never been teetering on a failing grade in his life. He just never picked up a textbook. That was a story for another time, though.

The car ride lasted maybe twenty minutes – Yoongi’s feet hoisted up on the center console while Jimin fixed his hair in the front seat, stammering his way through a song Namjoon had playing. Tae and Hoseok were staying in for the night while Jungkook was already out with a study group from school. It was just going to be Namjoon, Jimin, Jackson, Youngjae, JB, Junior, and Yoongi himself there.

Yoongi’s phone was clutched in his left hand as he followed Namjoon and Jimin up the sidewalk, the smell of barbecue strong from even a block down. Friday nights downtown were busy, of course, so they’d parked further away from all the hustle and bustle. He kept his glances just below eye level to those who passed him on the street and nodded his head slightly whenever Jimin asked him a question he couldn’t exactly hear – he guessed it was in relation to the sour look he was more than likely shooting out of habit.

Thankfully the restaurant was a small and not too well known family joint. It gave the big group enough of a quiet setting to make a get together a bit more relaxed or so he hoped at least. Taking a look around, Yoongi settled down a bit. The worry etched onto his features faded and Jimin noted the shift with a supportive arm draped around his older friend.It felt like home here - lacking the toxic failure of a father, of course. The decorations were very frequent but simple, pictures painted onto canvases and strung up around the room. The soft music was lulling him into a state of comfort with each passing note.

Meanwhile, on the outside, it seemed they had arrived first and Yoongi was the first to suggest an open area towards the back, noting how there wasn’t a crowd that way. It was met without a fuss and the three of them took their seat and began to play the waiting game.

Namjoon was halfway through a funny story about this student in one of his classes when he abruptly cut it short, all to greet someone. Yoongi’s back was to the entrance from where they were sat, so he hadn’t noticed Jackson and company arrive. The three of them stood up, Yoongi running a hand up through his now dried hair to make sure he looked presentable for his friend’s not-quite boyfriend. Turning around to greet the newcomers, he was already half bowed by the time he heard Jackson’s voice give hint that they were close.

Lifting back up, he immediately locked eyes with an unfamiliar pair. It took him a moment to collect a coherent thought, but when he did, he noted that the other was smiling. Yoongi quickly returned a bit of a forced, friendly smile of his own before blurting out a, “nice to meet you.”

“You too! I- are you Suga?”

“Yes.” His mere second response came out sounding a little too forceful. Yoongi clicked his tongue before offering a hand out properly. “Actually, it’s Yoongi. But Suga is fine.”

The smile the other had been sporting quickly became cloaked in a shade of embarrassment – but why?

“Sorry about that – Jackson didn’t exactly tell us much before he dragged us along.”

He must have looked bothered, because the embarrassment turned up another two notches; red cheeks accompanied the jagged smile.

“Not that I didn’t want to meet you – all of you – just that it was last minute. Actually, I’m pretty sure I have you in one of my classes.”

Through all of this, the two of them remained the only ones standing. It was brought to his attention when Jimin leaned across the table to tug on his coat tail, making a disgruntled noise to catch his attention. “Oh, right.” Yoongi’s eyes jerked back from Jimin to the other and he waved his hand towards the cushions as a respectful measure to invite him to sit first.

What luck was it that the only spot available for him was directly across from Yoongi himself?

Taking his seat back, he glanced around the table to each person, stopping longer on Jackson just in time to see heat rise to his cheeks. Namjoon’s hand had clasped his wrist and he was excitedly recalling a debate they’d just won a few weeks ago. He supposed it was sweet – in a way that he didn’t particularly understand.

Love was nonsensical after all.

Silently, he caught JB and Junior’s attention, discerning names by the one Jackson looked at when he’d ask a question or the one he’d nudge when referencing them in his stories. Namjoon and he did most of the talking while Jimin and JB had a side conversation with Junior.

By process of elimination, he knew now that the one with the red cheeks was Youngjae. Of course he didn’t mind that the other had left that detail out (more accurately, he hadn’t asked him) but the flustered look on the other’s face was simply too much fun for him to ruin it.

It was a dickish thing to do, but Yoongi was quite dickish sometimes.

Ten or so minutes had passed and their food was cooking – Yoongi’s stomach actually rumbling now. He couldn’t remember the last thing he ate but it had been long enough ago to leave him starving. He had barely caught on to JB’s amusing story about how Jackson had hurt himself some way or another when out of the corner of his eye, he could see Youngjae staring right at him.

Suppressing a wicked grin at the fact he was probably eating himself up inside over their incomplete conversation, the light haired boy turned to him fully now.

Nothing.

“You need something?”

“—No! I didn’t mean to stare. I guess I blanked out for a minute. I’m sorry.”

He didn’t much care for people in general but sometimes they made him laugh. In situations like this, he should be nicer. It seemed he was the older of them but here he was – acting like a child. He knew the other was bothering himself over something, maybe their introduction, but he was intrigued in just how red the other’s face could get.

Dinner passed to satisfaction and the group of them all cleaned their plates, not one garnish gone untouched on the table. Yoongi was wiping the corner of his mouth off when Namjoon called on him, reviewing what he’d already told him at the house. He and Jackson were going to go visit some store before it closed so he’d need to busy himself for an hour or two until they were done and they’d meet up where they parked.

Jimin had resorted to choosing to take a bus home – he complained about homework he’d needed to get done for weeks and the fact that he hadn’t started was a matter of urgency.

As they gathered to head out, Yoongi fell behind Youngjae on the way out and was startled when they nearly collided on the pavement outside.

“Actually, I did want to say something.” The other’s voice brought his eyes up to meet Youngjae’s again. After a second or two, there was that same smile back, little creases highlighting the other’s eyes. “I’m Youngjae. I forgot to tell you that earlier.”

Yoongi’s mouth pulled tight for a moment before he surprised himself by laughing, something airy and quiet – but a laugh nonetheless.

“I knew that.”

The game he’d been playing with the other’s red cheeks took a turn for the worse – he would have thought Youngjae was feverish if he didn’t know better. His cheeks lit up this time and he tried to hide it by ducking his head in a small bow. Victory.

JB and Junior locked arms around Youngjae’s shoulders as they expressed their thanks for a great meal and Yoongi forced out a cheery nonchalant response before he tucked his hands into his pockets and wished JB luck with his studying. As Youngjae waited through his friends’ conversation, he was watching Yoongi through his lashes, the fire in his cheeks becoming unbearable. It was a blessing when they pulled him along to leave, telling Jackson they’d see him back at home as he, too, escaped with Namjoon.

Yoongi caught one last look at Youngjae before he turned away from him and something inside of him was tickled by it.

“See you in class, Youngjae.”

Brighter than ever, Yoongi was nearly blinded by the red stains on his cheeks.

Youngjae's collar was yanked up quickly after.

Yoongi – 2

Youngjae’s cheeks – 0