Kyungsoo regretted coming to the party the second his best friend handed him a suspicious cup with an even more questionable dark red liquid sloshing in it. He regretted coming the second the booming sound system decided to grace everyone present with the start of a pounding headache. Well, most people seemed to like the loud music. But Kyungsoo didn’t; Kyungsoo wasn’t like most people.

On a Friday night like today, his usual routine included binging on food while enjoying a movie marathon, usually Star Wars, because he was such a nerd. But today happened to be Park freaking Chanyeol’s pre-birthday party – why is there a need to hold a separate celebration before his actual birthday, Kyungsoo would never know – stupid rich brat he thought. Well, Kyungsoo’s family was rich too, but that is beside the point. In the high society, partying was the bare minimum; networking and expanding one’s social circle was extremely important. That’s why he couldn’t get himself out of this occasion.

His first regret was being born into a family like his; the power and the assets under the Do Family’s name did not allow him to have a normal average life. Kyungsoo’s second regret was befriending a bucktooth Kris at the age of five, the two have been best friends ever since, and it was Kris that had forced Kyungsoo to come today, insisting that he dressed in the ‘cool outfit’ he’d picked out to quote bring out the y in his thunderous thighs unquote.

“No way I’m drinking this, it looks and smells horrible!” Kyungsoo whined and shoved the cup back at Kris, ignoring the unamused look on his giant friend’s face. “You are such a baby…” The other deadpanned, downed the rejected drink in one shot and tugged on Kyungsoo’s arm, dragging him towards tonight’s man of the moment. “Yeol!” Kris grinned and reciprocated the fist bump Chanyeol offered him.

“Whaddup Kris! Oh and hi Kyungsoo, didn’t expect to see you here today…” Chanyeol offered him a handshake but Kyungsoo stepped closer to give the other a hug, inciting a huge smile to spread on Chanyeol’s face. “Happy early birthday, dork.” Kyungsoo sighed and smushed his face on the other’s chest.

“I thought someone said he’d rather die than attend another one of my parties?” Chanyeol teased and ruffled Kyungsoo’s bed of hair before poking at his pouty cheeks, Kris joining in to tease the shorty. “What kind of best friend would I be if I skipped your royal highness’s birthday?” Kyungsoo stuck out his tongue childishly. “Awww… I’m so touched…” Chanyeol cooed and wrapped his long arms around Kris and Kyungsoo, the latter well hidden under the imposing sizes of the two giants. “Besties for life!” Chanyeol crowed. Right when Kyungsoo was about to ask where Baekhyun was, the said man darted in and looped his arm around Chanyeol’s arm, almost as if he was permanently attached to the latter’s side.

“Oh Soo… you came!” The boy waved when he noticed the duo standing with his boyfriend. “Hi Baekie.” Chanyeol whispered before leaning down to smooch the other’s cheek, encouraging loud “ewwws” from both Kris and Kyungsoo, but an equally smitten “hey babe” from the said boy. “Took you long enough…” Chanyeol huffed while Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “I was only gone for five minutes.” He deadpanned, but Chanyeol whined, tugging on the other’s arm incessantly. “Five minutes too long, I thought I was going to die if another second went by without you by my side!” He cried out dramatically. Kyungsoo was feigning vomiting at the gross couple with Kris guffawing at his side.

“I was showing my cousin around actually.” Baekhyun told Kris and Kyungsoo. Oh… Kyungsoo blinked spastically, fingers reaching up to prop his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. I didn’t k- “I didn’t know you have a cousin, Baek.” Kris voiced out, equally clueless. “Cousins actually.” Chanyeol snorted and punched Baekhyun’s arm weakly. “They have been living in London since young because of the family business, you know how it is… They just came back yesterday.”

“Speaking of his cousins…” Chanyeol’s eyes darted to a spot behind Kyungsoo’s shoulder. “Baek! Kai says he’s stuck in traffic that’s why he’ll only reach much later.” A really good-looking guy walked up to the couple, only halting and spinning around to glance at Kyungsoo and Kris when the latter choked out an embarrassing “God damn, you’re so hot”.

“Excuse me?” The guy stared at Kyungsoo with wide eyes, inciting a furious blush on his face. “It wasn’t me who said that!” Kyungsoo waved his hands in front of himself frantically before nudging at Kris furiously. “H-he... He said it, not me!” Kyungsoo scowled when the giant had the decency to deny even though it was true.

But, there was already a teasing smile on the tanned boy’s face. “So you don’t agree with your friend that I’m hot?” Kyungsoo nodded dazedly before gasping and shaking his head again. “No! I-I mean y-yes! I m-mean…” He continued spluttering before his voice died off in a pathetic whine. “Stop playing with BabySoo, Jongin.” Baekhyun chided before gesturing at his cousin.

“This is Jongin, cousin number one.” Baekhyun joked and jerked his head towards Kris and Kyungsoo. “Jongin, the gangly one with the retarded face is Kris.” He ignored the indignant “hey!” from said man. “And the pocket-sized cutie is Kyungsoo.” Kyungsoo blushed a little harder when Jongin smiled at him, ducking to hide behind Kris shyly. “Pleasure to meet you guys.” Jongin inclined his head, eyes still locked on Kyungsoo.

Pleasure indeed, Kyungsoo finally turned away. He didn’t get why Jongin’s stare had coaxed out such a reaction from him – almost as if he had switched bodies with a shy schoolgirl in front of her crush. He also didn’t get why Chanyeol was constantly winking at him while jerking his head in Jongin’s direction. Kyungsoo frowned. Did that idiot contract some form of muscle spasm diso