VII

When Dinner Makes Things Breader

Somi had just left because of her curfew while Kai decided to stay the night with Kyungsoo.

"She's a nice girl." 

Kai adjusted himself on top of the bed he made on the sofa. Kyungsoo had a huge room placed on the highest floor — the Super VIP room. Kai assumed his parents were very rich. Although Kyungsoo didn't talk about his family, Kai could understand some things about Kyungsoo that his silence had told him.

"Yeah, I guess. Hyung... You know what's really weird?"

"That you're staying here tonight? Most likely trying to take advantage of me."

Kai laughed. "Why does everyone think I'm a ert. But no, that's completely normal. You know... Somi called me Jongin."

Kyungsoo's face lit up. "SCANDALOUS." 

"I didn't know her before. How does she know me?" 

"GASP."

"No. I'm serious, hyung. I mean she even saw me dancing."

"I knew it! You want to dance, Jongin. He's behind bars. What's stopping you?" 

Kai honestly didn't know why he didn't dance anymore. It brought too many bad memories. "I'll dance again when you leave."

Kyungsoo remained silent for a while and finally said, "...Then find out what Somi knows. She's your friend." 

Of course, Kyungsoo would change the subject. Kai mentally sighed, but decided to let it go because he knew it was a sensitive topic. "I really don't know. I'm not sure if I want her to be friends with Kai or Jongin." 

"It doesn't matter if you're Kai or Jongin. No matter what you try to become and destroy, they're still you. Even if you're pretending, there's some truth beneath the lies. She's your friend now. Isn't that all that matters?" 

"Yeah..." 

A pillow was thrown at Kai. "By the way, why the hell are you staying? You have school tomorrow!" 

Kai contemplated about whether or not he wanted to go and decided he didn't. "I don't want to go. Why do you always suggest I leave? You know you love me."

Kai had never thought Kyungsoo had it easy, but he was still envious of him. Kyungsoo had over 20 private tutors to come to his room and teach him. All of the finest quality. He also had a bunch of personal chefs that prepped him food anytime he wanted. His parents were very well off. If Kai's parents had been well off, maybe things would have been different. What bothered Kai the most was that Kyungsoo's parents never visited him. Never once had he ever seen them and he was in the hospital any chance he got. 

"Actually... Thanks for staying." It wasn't Kyungsoo to get so sentimental. "Because then the hospital will kick you out later and I won't have to."

Kai pretended he got struck to the heart with a knife and pulled it out. "Ouch hyung. That hurts." 

A nurse came in and set Kyungsoo in his bed and gave Kai a strange face before leaving. "Good night, Jongin." A clap of his hand and the lights turned off.

"Good night, hyung. I loooove you~" 

What was the difference between Kai and Jongin? He had thought that Kai was the person he always wanted to be. That one cool kid that you envy because they were everything you wanted. Jongin, however was everything he wanted to change. They were both apart of him. Whatever, let's just go to sleep.

Seyoung had texted Somi to join her for dinner and she would be coming soon. Maybe she was pushing it a little too much. Then, she realized she was only inviting her to dinner. It was her choice to come or not. She really wanted to open up to people.

"Seyoung, my oh so precious dear. Look at the way Ji Hoon moves!" Mr. Ohsaid flailing. They had been watching Hot9's new music video and Mr. Oh was completely mezmorized by the adorable boys. Mr. Oh was he vice-president of the Hot9 club and enforced his love for the group onto Seyoung, since Sehun seemed to be completely uninterested.

Sehun popped his head into the room and sighed. Hot9 again... "Sehunnnnnnnnnnieeeeeee."

"What is it, dad?"

Mr. Oh came over and rubbed his cheek against his son's. "Sehunnnnieeeeeee my love. I love you sooooo much! Sehunnnnn-aaaaahh. You're so cute!"

"Yes, dad. I love you too." Sehun mumbled as he detached himself from his over-affectionate father. Sehun got a slap on the booty from his dad and his father made the face:

 DOINK!

His mom, Mai came over and scolded her husband. Mai, also known as Mrs. Oh always had a poker face and never shown too much affection. Many of her co-workers feared her because of her stern and emotionless face, but deep down she was kinda different than what she portrayed as her exterior.

Sehun was even scared of his own mother. Mai looked her son and said, "Get ready for dinner. A friend of Seyoung's is coming." But inside she was thinking... OHHHHH MY SOOOOON. HE'S SUCH A PERFECT ROM-COM MALE PROTAGONIST. HE'S SOOO GOOD LOOKING AND HE LOVES HIS MOM SO MUCH. MY SON IS BEST MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. I SHOULD BE THE ONLY ONE SLAPPING THE SE-BOOTY. I WILL PINCH HIS CHEEKS AND SMOTHER HIM WITH MY HUGS KEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEKE. However, on the outside, it looked like she was getting mad at Sehun for not setting up the table. 

Sehun, with the help of Seyoung quickly prepared the table being scared of what his mother could do to him. Mai quickly went to the master bedroom and changed. Some may think she takes ready really slow, but she is actually reading manhwas... HOHOHOHO!

"Seyoung..."

"Yeah?" Sehun and Seyoung's relationship had really changed after Seyoung's parents passed away. Sehun had a hard time talking to her and it wasn't like those times where they were best friends. They were not real siblings, but he cared for Seyoung like she was his own family. She was probably one of the most important people to him. Watching her experience hell and not being able to do anything about it put him through hell as well. Even now, that they were closer than ever, under the same roof, they felt further away than ever.  

Sehun didn't say anything.

"What, Sehun?"

"Nothing." Sehun couldn't say it. He was too scared to confront his problems.

"Okay then."

Somi came exactly on time. She was really shy at first because she never ate dinner at a friend's house before. Then she saw Mr. Oh...

"VICE-PRESIDENT!" Somi screamed.

Somi and Mr. Oh embraced leaving a very confused Sehun, Mrs. Oh, and Seyoung.

"Somi is the president of the Hot9 fanclub and I am her humble vice-president!"

At that second, Kai opened the door of the Oh's residence to the scene of Mr. Oh and Somi hugging, Seyoung's estatic face, Sehun's dreaded fate of this new discovery, and Mrs. Oh's usual deadpan expression.

"Uh... I left my bag here."

Prior to his strange encounter at Sehun's house, Kai decided to read the letter. He was still angry about what that man had done to his mother, but he still felt like he needed to read the letter. Why? He didn't care what that man had to say but maybe he had to read the letter for his mother. She couldn't bring to do it herself so it was his responsibility to take that burden away for her. 

However, when Kai searched for the letter, it was no where to be found.

. I think I left it in my bag. Ugh. Where's my bag? Kai rewinded his thoughts back to when Sehun and him were studying for a biology test. SHOOT! He had left the letter in the bag and the bag at Sehun's house. How troublesome.

But somehow, Kai ended up sitting at the Oh's dinner table across from Somi. This was awkward.

Kai couldn't escape Mr. Oh's affectionate advances and Mrs. Oh's intimidating gaze. Both of the parents only wanted the good-looking companion for dinner, thinking at the same time: KYAH! IT'S KAI! HE'S SO HANDSOME AND COOL AND CUTE AND AMAZING AND PERFECT AND AHHHHHHHH.

"So, Kai and Somi, you know each other?" Mrs. Oh casually spoke in her lifeless and cold tone.

"Nah. At least Kai doesn't know Somi, right dude?" Sehun blurted out, earning a kick underneath the table from both Seyoung and Kai. "What? What did I do?"

Kai cleared his throat and looked up at Somi. Even through the thick forest of hair, Kai can tell that Somi was a little hurt by Sehun's loudmouthed comment.

"No. Somi and I are friends." Kai casually picked at his food, chuckling a little because of the switch in Somi's gloomy aura to a delighted spirit.

"Yep! Yep! Kai and I are friends now! I like Kai very much!" Although Kai knew Somi meant that statement in a friendly way, he couldn't help but to turn a little red.

Tch. Somi, you weirdo.

The expressionless Mrs. Oh and the hawk-eyed Seyoung noticed Kai's blood rush to his face.

I SHIP IT. NEW OTP. THEY MUST LOVE EACH OTHER. HEUHEUHEUHAHAHA.

The introductions continued as the dinner progressed.

"So, let me get this straight," Sehun halted the commotion, clearly still confused, "Somi and dad know each other through Not8-"

"HOT9!"

"Whatever. Somi and Seyoung became friends from... that group too. Does that mean that Kai and Somi became friends through-?" Sehun started cracking up. 

"Of course not. We met through... some stuff." Kai really needed to save that cool guy reputation of his. He can't like a boyband. That's un-cool and Kai needed to stay cool in order to be cool with Sehun, whose cool.

"Mhm. Sure."

Mrs. Oh cleared and excused herself from the table only to go up to her room and skim through her secret stash of manhwas, searching for a scheming of a way to bring Somi and Kai together. Oh! While she's at it, she might as well have Sehun and Seyoung bond too. Mrs. Oh peaked at the corner of her eye and saw the gateway to her plot. Hot9.

Mrs. Oh shuffled back to the dinner table.

"October 2nd. Hot9 will be performing at the Seoul Plaza. Why don't we all go together." Mrs. Oh slammed the tickets onto the table, attempting a smile which turned out making her look like a psychopath.

"What a great idea, my love! I can't wait to see Ji Hoon! Speaking of idols, don't you think Kai and Sehun look like idol material?" Mr. Oh cheered with delight.

"Yeah! Kai even da- I mean, yes. I can't wait to watch Ji Hoon tomorrow." Somi caught herself right before exposing Kai's secret talent. "You should come too Kai."

"Um... I guess... If you ask... I mean... Okay." Kai picked at the piece of rice left on his plate. 

Sehun snickered, "Yeah, Kai would LOVE to go see his favorite idols." Sehun made kissing noises, earning another kick from Kai.

"Ugh. I'm gonna grab my stuff and go. Thanks for the dinner." 

"Wait. I was just kidding dude," Sehun shouted, scurrying after Kai. "C'mon, man. What's the hurry? Haha. By the way, you and Somi? That's a strange pair. I mean, she doesn't seem like the type of girl you'd hang out with."

Kai raised his eyebrows and mumbled, "Yeah. She isn't." He picked up his black school bag, not noticing that something had fell out.

The rest of the family finished dinner. While Seyoung and Mr. Oh were cleaning up the table, Mrs. Oh went upstairs to read more manhwa.

Sehun, once again, followed Kai downstairs. Kai noticed Somi rolling around in the living room.

What is she doing?

She noticed Kai's  presence and crawled up to him. She raised her finger, E.T. style. "Touch my finger, Kai."

ZAP! 

"Ow! You're gonna pay for this." Kai wrapped his arms around Somi's neck, messing up her hair with his knuckles. "Ha! Take this."

They continued to chase each other for a good few minutes as Sehun watched them skeptically. Kai dusted off his clothes and was about to set off again.

"Are you sure you don't wanna come with me, Somi?"

Somi shook her head, rejecting his offer, "Nope. I'm okay. My brother can come pick me up later."

"Hm. Okay, then. Make sure she gets home safely," Kai called out to the Oh parents, who nodded in response.

"Babe, don't be like this and stay with me." Sehun grabbed Kai and jokingly nuzzled his head against Kai's neck.

"Then come to the concert tomorrow and we can be together then." Kai winked at Sehun and they both started laughing until they heard Somi's shout.

"STOOOOOOPPPPP!!!" She sprinted around the house to wrap up her belongings in her arms. Through gritted teeth, Somi huffed, "I changed my mind. I need to have a few words with you... Kai."

Sehun gave Kai an elbow nudge before Mrs. Oh pushed Kai and Somi out of the house.

"So... Uh... What's up?"

Somi halted her stomping and stood in front of Kai with her arms crossed. They stared at each other for a few moments before she blew up her fringe, letting Kai get a glimpse of that luscious, plump nose of hers.

"I don't like the way you and Sehun flirt with each other."

Kai's mind blanked out for a few seconds.

Is this a confession? I gotta act cool. What should I say? I mean, she's a nice girl, but I don't even know her that well and she's not really the kind of girl I d- Wait. 

"F-Flirt?"

"Yes, Kai," Somi sighed and shook her head, " As your friend, I advise you to stop two-timing. I don't want Kyungsoo or Sehun to be hurt by you."

Oh. My. God. This girl. She can't be serious... Right?

"Somi..."

"Hm?"

No, it can't be. Ugh. But it's Somi.

"D-do," Kai paused, hoping that his assumption was wrong, "Do you think I'm g-gay?"

"Huh? Aren't you?"

To be continued...

Ugh. Sorry guys. I had difficulties saving my work. ;u; Also, sorry about that title... Blame Yin.

Anyways! Thank you for reading and subscribing! <3

- Yang