Sorry in advance for any mistakes.

When Kyungsoo comes back to the living room, he finds his boyfriend sitting on his seat. Jongin’s sporting a smile that unsettles him, the younger man gesturing for Kyungsoo to sit next to him.

“Why do you look like that?”

“I’m just happy.”

“Well, stop it. It’s creeping me out.”

“But I’m happy.” Jongin states simply, eyes never leaving Kyungsoo.

“Why?”

“Because you love me.”  

There’s a fuse that goes off in Kyungsoo’s head, one that brings Kyungsoo to race towards Baekhyun, fangs bared. But before he could physically rip every piece of skin off of his idiot of a best friend, a strong pair of arms trap him in place.

“So cute.”

Baekhyun observes in horror as what looks like a raging koala convulses within Jongin’s grasp, and all the man had to say was that it was cute. True love, Baekhyun sighs. True love.

“Soo.” Jongin whispers while the smaller man continues to pry himself out his grasp.

“Tell me you love me.” The boy suddenly stops and freezes, slowly training his gaze at his boyfriend with an unreadable expression.

Baekhyun raises his eyebrow at the peculiar gesture. He then sees Kyungsoo start to look flustered and, dare he say, bashful. There’s a low murmuring that Baekhyun just catches.

“Not in front of Baekhyun.” There’s a tenderness lingering in his voice as well as the apparent embarrassment. It’s a sight to behold, one that Baekhyun permanently imprints into his brain.

There’s another soft whispers that sounded close to, “Come on, just this once.” Then Kyungsoo bows his head very near Jongin’s ear and whispers something very, very softly. But Baekhyun doesn’t need to hear to know what it is.

Bile. So much bile.

Baekhyun grunts as a means to get their attention. the two look over at him, one with embarrassment and the other with spiteful glare.

Ah, the many faces of Kyungsoo.

“That’s sweet,” Yixing coos beside Baekhyun, the Chinese man the image of comfortable right now. Yixing had taken to imprinting his entire body into the couch, the man now looking like a dimpled throw pillow with the way his limbs are splayed over the sofa.

“Anyway, since you’re here, maybe you can help me as well.” Baekhyun tells Yixing.

Yixing gives him a questioning look, to which Kyungsoo responds, “He doesn’t know if he loves his oaf.”

Jongin pipes up with a soft chuckle and looks over at Baekhyun, “Not to be mean or anything, but hasn’t the ship sailed like ages ago?”

“The ship circumnavigated the globe at this point.” Kyungsoo murmurs offhandedly. Baekhyun ignores this.

 “No, he’s confessed to me, but I haven’t been able to say it back to him, mostly because I don’t know if I truly am in love. That’s why I was asking lover boy what it feels like.”

Jongin nods, “But love is different with everyone.”

“Exactly. That’s why I’m asking this newly engaged man what he thinks love is.” Baekhyun says pointing at Yixing, who’s still embedded into the couch.

“You wanna know how I am with Junnie?”

“Yes, because this one,” Baekhyun says gesturing to Kyungsoo, “will not help me anymore.”

Jongin laughs again, still holding his demonic partner on his lap, and Baekhyun has noticed that his best friend had settled in quite nicely, tucking himself to contour the body of his partner. Odd and quite disturbing in Baekhyun’s opinion.

“Ask away, then.” Yixing chirps.

Baekhyun thumbs his chin in contemplation, “Actually, my first question is why?”

Yixing looks at him confused, his head lulling to the side of the couch from where he’s contorted his body, “Why what?”

“Why Junmyeon. I mean, he’s nice, I guess, but like you know. He’’s--”

“Boring? Humorless? Takes things too seriously?” Yixing provides, smile still etched on his face.

“--Y-yeah.”

Baekhyun flushes in embarrassment, but Yixing’s just smiling unbothered.

“It’s true, Junnie’s quite dull, his has the humor of an Ajhusshi born in the 1970’s, he’s a horrible control freak, and he gets competitive with anything even though he at it . But I wouldn’t have him any other way.”

Baekhyun thinks that there should be some warmth settling in his heart, but he can’t really take anything seriously when Yixing looks like he’s playing twister by himself on the sofa.

“Beyond his neurotic personality is a man who is patient, kind, and oh so sweet.” Yixing smiles fondly from where he’s contorted on the sofa, lips curling in a heartwarming grin.

“I mean sure he sometimes goes on about money and says things like annualized premium and behavioral segmentation. I just ignore him,” Yixing explains.

“And is jokes have its own charm,” Yixing tries to reason, “I laugh at them.”

Kyungsoo raises his eyebrow, “Don’t lie. Baekhyun’s face is funnier than all of Junmyeon’s jokes combined.”

“My face is not funny!”

“Don’t blame me, blame god.”

“Who hurt you?”

“Your face.”

Baekhyun dismisses Kyungsoo and directs his attention to Yixing.

“Ignore him.”

Yixing just smiles, again.

“It’s also hard to watch him cry.”

Baekhyun coos, “Is it because it hurts your heart?”

“No.”

Baekhyun deflates, “Then why is it hard?”

“He’s so ugly when he cries, it’s hard not to laugh.”

“Ugliest crier ever,” Jongin hums in agreement, “One time hyung had this minor breakdown about school and mom had to take breaks in between comforting him cause she found it hard keep a straight face.”

Baekhyun has seen him cry once. But he thought that was a onetime thing.

“So his face after the proposal, that’s his face whenever he cries.”

Jongin nods, “Tragic isn’t it.”

“It is.”

“Don’t worry Baekhyun, nothing’s as tragic as your life,” Kyungsoo adds, smirking oh so smugly in is Jongin shaped throne.

“I didn’t know marsupials talked, Jongin you’ve trained your pet well.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes flare up.

“He’s cute and savage, he’s the best,” Jongin coos pinching Kyungsoo’s cheeks.

“Jongiiiiin!” Kyungsoo whines still trying to get out his boyfriend’s grasp, with Jongin choosing to ignore his please and tighten his grip.

“They’re very cute aren’t they,” Yixing murmurs.

“If you find a twenty-three-year-old man having with the son of Satan cute, then sure.”

Yixing snickers, “Jongin’s really sweet, just like Junnie.”

Jongin loosens his grip on his struggling boyfriend to give Yixing a perplexed look.

“Junmyeon’s sweet? Really? I’ve only ever seen him cuddle his math book.”

“He just doesn’t show it,” Yixing says, “He gets embarrassed around other people, but when we’re alone he becomes the cuddle monster.”

“Really can’t imagine hyung being cuddly,” Jongin scoffs.

“You’d be surprised with his other talents,” Yixing replies with a wink.

Jongin face goes sour, his eyebrows crinkling and his nose scrunching. It makes him look like a disgruntled teddy bear.

“Ew, hyung! I didn’t want to know that.”

Yixing snickers, “But really, sometimes people just see Junnie for his job, his title and his mannerism without trying to go in deeper.”

“Jongin just sees Junnie nag, but he just cares a lot. Sometimes people don’t want to see beyond what he’s like and it hurts him, even though he doesn’t say it.”

Baekhyun frowns, he didn’t mean to offend Junmyeon. In fact, he highly respected Junmyeon for his dedication to his work and his willingness to go beyond the call of duty. Baekhyun remembers the time he asked Junmyeon to help him scour for potential clients at an economic forum, and the man did not only guide Baekhyun with the forum, he actually knew some of the people there and recommended Baekhyun’s company for their new campaigns. He remains grateful to him until now.

“He gets caught up with trying to fix everything and please everyone that he forgets to think of himself.”

“When he first started tutoring me, I insisted that I pay,” Yixing said, “He refused then told me, ‘I like to teach, it gives me purpose.’”

“He smiled so much when he taught me, his eye’s would sparkle with so much glee.”

Yixing fiddles with his hands, his voice elated as he narrates their story.

“Even though he taught me with this distance, his smile whenever I got his lessons was otherworldly.”

“Which is why I sometimes ask him if he’s happy where he is,” Yixing sighs “But really, he’s known as the genius of the family, he doesn’t want to downplay it, doesn’t want to make just a modest living. He’s scared to let your parents down and you two down that he’s forgotten what he truly loves.”

“Then why don’t you try to convince him?”

“Because he needs to make that choice himself.”

Baekhyun sees the way Yixing says it with so much affirmation, with so much affection that he’s convinced that this has been on Yixing’s mind for quite a while.

“He doesn’t want to be forced into anything, he’ll resent me if I do that.”

There’s sadness in Yixing’s voice, a yearning to solve something he knew he had no control over. Haplessness.

“You know I’m not the most attentive person out there. I get lost in my own head, I say things without filtering anything, and I just kind of float.”

Baekhyun can’t think of any word that can describe Yixing. He truly floats about like a cloud, seemingly there, but somewhere and something else entirely. Yixing is fleeting moments that move without recourse, no worry, no regret. Yixing does not abide by the gravity, he moves in his own atmosphere.

“Sometimes, I float too far; stray away from the world. But Junnie brings me down, like a big, dull rock,” Yixing smiles, “But sometimes I just want him to fly.”

Baekhyun’s heart warms at Yixing words. It’s hard, what Yixing is facing is hard, because while he is enjoying his dream, his fiancé is trying to love his.

Yixing wants Junmyeon to live his life with a genuine smile, maybe that’s what love is.

“That’s so sweet.” Jongin pouts from behind Kyungsoo, the shorter boy still very much an image of frustration and death as he bores holes into Baekhyun’s head.

“I suddenly miss my Junnie.” Yixing coos from his contortion performance on the couch.

And on cue, Jongin’s phone starts blaring. The owner of the phone stares at Yixing, “I swear you guys are telepathic or something.” Jongin answers the phone and puts it on loudspeaker.

Jongin! Jongin! Hello!

“Yeah, hyung?”

Did you get back safely? Xing isn’t answering his phone. I think he put it on silent again.

Yixing takes out his phone from his back pocket and true enough, his iPhone is on silent, the switch at the side of the phone shines dark orange.

“Sorry, Junnnie! Hurry up and come here, Baekhyun’s here too!”

“Hey, Junmyeon! Yixing called you a rock.” Yixing blurts out happily to Jongin’s outstretched arm. Kyungsoo grabbing the phone after being perturbed his boyfriend’s obtrusive limb.

Xing! I keep on telling you to switch the ringer back on after rehearsals. And…ugh thanks Baek, I think.

“I forgot to do it. When are you coming over?”

I’m heading there right now. I just finished some reports.

“Okay, come quick!”

Okay, I will. love you.

“love you too! See you”

The phone dies and Yixing snickers a bit.

“He does remind me all the time. The thing is I don’t forget, I choose to forget.” Yixing smiles.

“Why?”

“Junmyeon likes being in control. If he thinks that things aren’t going according to his plan, he goes crazy. So I need to lay back a little.” Yixing explains, “Give him a sense that he’s in control just to ease his mind.”

“It’s a win-win situation.”

“I don’t thin—”

Yixing interrupts Baekhyun, “It’s a win-win situation, right Baekhyun?” Yixing smiles, eyes crinkling.

Baekhyun gulps.

“Y-yes.”

“Jesus, can you two be any more disgusting?” Kyungsoo scoffs while still nestled on Jongin like a very frustrated koala.

“Says you,” Baekhyun scoffs, eyes rolling at Kyungsoo perched so daintily on Jongin’s lap, “You look like a hemorrhaging limb.”

“You’ll look like a hemorrhaging limb if you don’t shut up.”

Baekhyun rolls his eyes and directs his attention back at Yixing.

“How do your dates even go? I can’t imagine Junmyeon being romantic, you know what I mean.” Baekhyun remarks eyes trained on Yixing, who had thankfully gone to a more conventional position on the couch.

“Oh, Junnie’s a total sap.”

“What?” Baekhyun gasps, he can’t imagine Junmyeon in his too big glasses and perpetually creased forehead serenading Yixing with a string quartet.

Yixing nods at Baekhyun’s surprised expression, “I mean he’s absolutely dreadful at romancing, but he makes the sweetest poems.”

Jongin shoots up, “poems?”

“Yeah, he writes me loads of poems. Some are even in Chinese,” Yixing smiles, dimples making another appearance, “I have some in my phone. Do you want to hear?”

There’s a flurry of movement as both Jongin and Baekhyun shoot out of their chair. Jongin dropping his boyfriend on the carpeted floor in the process.

“YES!” the two scream in unison, eyes blown up in pure excitement. Kyungsoo stands up from where his boyfriend dropped him and smacks Jongin upside the head.

“I’m going to shove your head down the toilet if you pull something like that again.” Jongin shoots his boyfriend an apologetic look as the smaller of the two settles himself back in the armchair, completely ignoring the enthusiasm b from the other two.

Yixing fiddles with his phone, looking for the poem Junmyeon gave him for one of their anniversaries.

“Ah, here it is. He titled this one, ‘My Beautiful Chinese Flower.’”

“This will not end well,” Kyungsoo grimaces from his seat.

Baekhyun and Jongin are two seconds away from passing out in glee.

“The title promises so much,” Baekhyun coos.

“Soo, when I die, I want you to read this at my funeral,” He places his hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder, “Your best friend serves as witness. Kyungsoo, you will read My Beautiful Chinese Flower at my funeral.”

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, “Jongin you’re really pretty, but you get super stupid sometimes.”

“Kyungsoo shut it, Yixing is going to read.” Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, resigning himself watching the travesty that’s about to unfold.

You are my Chinese flower, my dear

Unlike flowers that die after a few weeks

Your beauty does not

You don’t need a vase to be beautiful

Not the sun to produce food

You photosynthesize by your own light

Not the rain to keep you colorful

You’re colorful on your own

My Chinese flower

Blooming, blooming

I love you.

“Is that even a poem?” Kyungsoo says from his seat, face contorted into a mix of a grimace and a frown.

Jongin is on the floor cackling at every word that came up out of Yixing’s mouth. Beside him, in a similar fit of laughter is Baekhyun bright red in glee.

“Hey, it’s really sweet.” Yixing protests, grasping his phone as he stomps at the laughing bodies below him.

“At least we know Junmyeon wrote it.” Kyungsoo sighs.

Jongin composes himself enough for him to stand up, crawling up the coffee table, still grasping his stomach.

“It’s a Junmyeon poem, pathetic and pitiful.”

“Aw, Kyungsoo you’re mean. Just because you’re emotionally constipated doesn’t mean you have to let your frustrations out on someone who isn’t afraid to show affection,” Yixing pouts, “That’s just being pathetic.”

Fun fact: There are times when Baekhyun is more afraid of Yixing than Kyungsoo.

“Junnie’s sensitive, he tries.”

Kyungsoo just rolls his eyes.

“You guys dated on and off for a while, right?” Baekhyun says trying to move the interview forward before Yixing and Kyungsoo take their shade throwing into a professional sport.

Yixing still has his smile, unwavering in the face of diversity, unflinching in the presence of the king of hell.

“Oh, yeah. I had to move back to China for a while, it got hard.”

Baekhyun hums, “What made you choose to stay with him?”

Yixing goes silent, slowly fixing his position so that he’s seated properly.

“We fought, Junnie and I. We fought a lot when I was in China,” Yixing says, voice subdued, “But when we did fight, he never talked down to me.”

Baekhyun looks at Yixing and he can see the fondness glistening through his eyes.

“Junnie’s smart. He knows he’s smart, so he tends to have a superiority complex,” Yixing explains.

From his periphery Baekhyun sees Jongin nod with furious assent. Being the youngest, Jongin gets the brunt of Junmyeon’s sermons. 

“And it’s easy for him to go there—to be condescending and disrespectful. He does that a lot without meaning to, but there are times when he does do it on purpose.” Yixing chuckles tom himself, “I would know.”

Yixing looks at Baekhyun with a soft smile, “But when it came to the relationship, he never did that, even when he thought he was right. Junnie knew that what we have, we have together.”

“Baekhyun, the reason I chose to stay is because Junmyeon respects my choices, he respects my dreams, he respects my opinions, and most of all, he respects me.”

Yixing’s smile is back in its fullness.

“I’m his fiancé because we respect each other despite our differences.”

Baekhyun frowns, “Does that mean I have to stop calling Chanyeol an idiot?”

Yixing bends over and rest his head on Baekhyun’s shoulder, “No. I call Junnie an idiot all the time,” Yixing murmurs settling himself into Baekhyun, “Junnie needs to be taken down a peg or two from time to time.”

Baekhyun and Jongin chuckle at this, the two knowing full well how arrogant Junmyeon the great gets from time to time.

Baekhyun settles into Yixing, letting his body fold into him as well.

Kyungsoo looks at the two

 “You two look like Siamese idiots.”

“You look like a demented koala.”

Kyungsoo makes a grab at Baekhyun, but is stopped once again by Jongin’s strong arms.

Kyungsoo’s about to complain about something again, but is stopped by a knock on the door.

“Ooh, that should be Junnie.” Yixing says getting up and heading to the door. He excitedly wedges the door open but is surprised at who is there.

It is true, Junmyeon is there, but it is Junmyeon propped between Kim Minseok and Kim Jongdae.

“Junnie, what happened?” Yixing approaches his hunched fiancé and relieves Jongdae of his burden, much to the latter’s relief.

“Dae and I were getting coffee when we found this guy power walking in his stupid sneakers before slipped on ice and landed on his ,” Minseok says with a genial smile, large cheeks making a full performance in front of everyone.

Minseok is the eldest Kim brother—though his appearance says otherwise. He’s all chubby cheeks, gummy smiles, and sparkling eyes, and doesn’t look a year past 15. But he’s also a pint size pack of pure muscle. He’s also the sweetest hyung anyone can ever ask for.

A clean freak at birth, Minseok would frequently visit Jongin’s apartment to check if everything was up to his standards of orderly, which led to a lot of scolding and color coding, much to Jongin’s chagrin. Kyungsoo, on the other hand, appreciated Minseok’s visits, the two bonding over their shared affinity to cleanliness. Jongin says the two go on dates to talk about their preference for bleach.

“Did you hurt anything?” Yixing asks bringing him in with Minseok. Jongin and Kyungsoo have disengaged from their odd mating ritual and were assisting the two with leading Junmyeon into the couch.

“I think I dislocated my hip,” Junmyeon says with grunt, settling himself on the couch.

“If he thinks he’s dislocated a hip, why is he on my couch and not in an emergency room.” Kyungsoo asks.

“That’s because, my dear Kyungsoo, he is overreacting,” Jongdae says in singsong, resting himself beside a disgruntled Junmyeon and putting an arm around him.

“Junnie here likes playing WebMd,” Jongdae smirks.

Kim Jongdae, Kim Minseok’s boyfriend. A rather loud and whiny man around Baekhyun’s age. Unlike his rather calm and collected partner, Kim Jongdae is all loud laughs and sinister pranks, which often involved Kyungsoo and Junmyeon. He laughs a lot and annoys people with jibe here and there. He’s a good friend of Baekhyun, but a better annoyance of Kyungsoo.

“Yah, Kim Junmyeon how many times do I have to tell you to stop thinking you’re a doctor just because you read all those medical journals,” Yixing snaps slapping Junmyeon on the shoulder.

“Ack, yeah, yeah, I’ll stop! I’ll stop!”

“You’d better,” Yixing smirks satisfied, “Now, why were you power walking during a snow storm.”

Junmyeon goes quiet, his eyes tracing the laces of his shoes rather than Yixing’s face.

“I needed steps.”

Yixing rolls his eyes, “For someone so brilliant, you sure do have your moments.”

“I love you.”

Yixing rolls his eyes and asks Kyungsoo if he can borrow the bed in the guestroom to take a closer look at Junmyeon.

Once the two leave, Jongin moves to sit beside Junmyeon his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“So, hyung, can you write me a poem for my birthday?”

Junmyeon looks at Jongin with a lost look, thick eyebrows clenched into a burly line.

“Why would I make you a poem, I don’t even write poems,” Junymeon says plainly, ignoring Jongin’s excessively sweet face.

“That’s not what your Chinese flower told us.”

A few things happen at once:

Jongin starts cackling

Junmyeon starts screaming

And Jongdae starts jeering.

The collective noise obviously irritates Kyungsoo.

He marches out the door in a grimace, Yixing waddling behind.

“Ya, what’s with all the shouting?”

Junmyeon looks at Yixing, “Xing! Why did you show them?”

Yixing looks perplexed, but the sight of Jongin and Baekhyun laughing like idiots on the floor was a clear sign of what his fiancé meant.

Yixing just shrugs, “It was cute, I just wanted to share it.”

“Xiiing,” Junmyeon whines childishly, “It was our secret.”

Kyungsoo walks out of the room in sheer disgust.

Yixing moves to lift Junmyeon off the couch and lead him into the room.

“Now, let’s discuss that later, right now we’ll treat your bruise.”

The two disappear into the room, Junmyeon whining all the way there.

Jongin and Baekhyun high five before they start snickering again, before a very annoyed looking Kyungsoo goes into the living room again, “Jongin! Get in here to shut Junmyeon up!”

Jongin snaps and follows Kyungsoo into the room, at the same time Minseok jumps from his seat and heads into the kitchen claiming he was going to check something, leaving Baekhyun with Jongdae.

“looks like the cool one are left,” Jongae smirks.

Baekhyun is quite fond of Jongdae. The guy was always smiling, giving mischievous smirks here and there. A foil to his calm partner. But come to think of it, he’s only ever known Jongdae as Minseok’s boyfriend. And the same held true with Minseok.He’s always known Minseok and Jongdae. And though Yixing and Junmyeon are the ones heading down the aisle, it’s Minseok and Jongdae who’ve been together the longest. And Baekhyun can’t imagine them as just Jongdae and just Minseok no matter how he put it.

Jongin mentioned before that the two met during one of coffee making class. Minseok saved Jongdae from almost destroying an espresso machine, and the two became fast friends after that.

According to Jongin, it was Jongdae who made the first move.

And by made the first move, Jongin means Jongdae tackled Minseok and made out with him on the floor. Yeah, Jongdae’s sweet like that.

And though it’s Junmyeon and Yixing who’re heading down the aisle, it’s Jongdae and Minseok who’ve acted like a married couple. Because even thoug Jongdae acts like a five-year-old on a sugar rush half the time and Minseok acts like an perturbed old man, the two act so put together and so in synch. It’s shocking.

And as Jongdae plops himself where Yixing once sat and Baekhyun gets curious about their weird dynamics.

“Jongdae?”

“Ya?”

“When did you realize that you were in love with Minseok?”

“Well, you’re not pulling any punches,” Jongdae says amused.

“It’s for…research.”

“You’re probably doing something stupid,” Jongdae muses, “So, I’ll help you.”

Baekhyun wants to pry further, but is interrupted by a commotion happening from the kitchen.

“Yah! Kim Jongin, get in here!”

Jongdae shakes his head as he hears Minseok’s shrill voice emanate from the small kitchen, “Full names are never good.”

Baekhyun can do nothing but nod. He knows that terse tone so well, it’s something his mother employs when she wants to strike the fear of god into Baekhyun’s heart. Jongin’s committed a grave sin in the ten commandments of Kim Minseok, and he was there to witness the punishment it afforded.

Jongdae instantaneously stands up, dusting himself and moves to where his fuming boyfriend is.

Baekhyun, left alone, follows.

Minseok stands in the center with Jongdae pinching his cheeks, “What did your brother do this time?”

“I keep on telling Jongin to fix his gas range, but the idiot won’t listen. The man’s going to start a raging inferno if he doesn’t get this checked.” Minseok fumes pointing to something by the stove.

Jongdae shakes his head and sits on the counter, leading Minseok to stand in between his legs.

“Min, you’re going hysteric again.”

Minseok huffs, visibly flushed. Jongdae starts fiddling with Minseok’s fingers, rubbing small circles on his boyfriend’s palms—the only way to soothe a fuming Minseok.

“I’m not.”

“I was here the last time you did your checkup, remember,” Jongdae says giving Minseok a look. It’s indescribably tender, the way he looks at Minseok. Baekhyun often sees Jongdae being a little most of the time, that this tenderness towards his boyfriend disarms him. It’s so not the Jongdae that Baekhyun knows. Jongdae sounds of maniacal cackling and high pitched whining. So to hear a melody, a softness, in his voice is disarming. 

“You never mentioned anything about the gas range.”

Minseok shuts his eyes and groans as he rests his head on Jongdae’s shoulder.

“I’m turning into an ahjusshi.”

“A very cute Ajhusshi.”

“I resent that.”

Jongdae chuckles, raising Minseok’s head and giving him another look.

“This is about something else entirely isn’t it.”

Minseok bites his lower lip looking like a teenager who just got caught sneaking out of the house. It’s hard to imagine the man’s closing on thirty.

“I just need to make sure that everywhere is nice and secure.” Minseok murmurs.

Jongdae shakes his head, “You’ll be great,” he pauses looking at his boyfriend straight in the eyes, “We’ll be great.”

Baekhyun feels like he’s intruding.

“We can start by helping out Baekhyun here with his problem.”

Minseok turns around, not aware of Baekhyun’s presence. Baekhyun knows Minseok for his calmness and composure, and given that he’s dating Jongdae he should have a lot, but he gets riled up from time to time, like today.

 “I guess I was loud?” Minseok says repositioning himself so that he was now facing Baekhyun. His face is sheepish and just a tad apologetic, and Baekhyun still wonders how he’s the eldest out of all of them. The guy was still full cheeks and gummy smile, soft and rounded at the edges. But maybe it’s because, unlike his Junmyeon and even Jongin, Minseok never looked stress, never.

Maybe it has to do with his job. While Junmyeon is stressed about financial matters at his job, and Jongin becomes a bundle of nerves during performances, Minseok dealt with coffee beans.

Minseok grows and cultivates coffee beans in different parts of Southern America and supplies local cafes around the Seoul. It seems like a big job, but Minseok makes sure to keep things small and intimate all the time. It was hard at the beginning, but now that everything’s up and running, Minseok’s enjoying most of his time visiting coffee shops and drinking coffee.

“Yeah, but Suho screaming about his broken hip drowned it out,” Chen says, ridding Baekhyun out of his reverie to notice that Minseok had settled himself in between Jongdae’s legs, the younger man threading his fingers through Minseok’s hair.

Minseok shakes his head, “Aish, that guy thinks a paper cut could cause internal bleeding. I swear, for someone so intelligent he can be a class-A idiot.”

“Anyway, what can I help you with?”

Baekhyun fiddles with his fingers, “Yeah, it’s kind of personal.”

“How personal?”

Jongdae moves his head so that it now rests on Minseok’s shoulder, “He wants to know our kinks in bed.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widen in shock. He’s just seen Minseok go full on hulk because of a gas range, he was not planning to die tonight.

He’s about to protest wildly, but Minseok is smirking at him with mischief playing at the corners of his eyes, “Oh, really? Are you sure you’re ready to know what goes on in the Kim-Kim bedroom?”

Baekhyun’s face freezes at the low rumble coming from Minseok. He can’t move, can’t utter a word. The reserved and uptight Minseok with his keenness with cleanliness getting full on nasty in bed is just unthinkable. Minseok cute cheeks would never.

“I’m warning you, it involves whips,” Minseok continues, voice heavy and eyes half lidded with hidden meaning. Apparently Minseok cute cheeks likes whips. Who knew.

Baekhyun pales at the idea.

Minseok notices the forlorn look Baekhyun’s sporting and slowly turns his attention to Jongdae who has his head hidden behind his boyfriend’s neck.

“I think that’s enough, babe. The poor thing looks like he’s gonna himself.”

Jongdae all but cackles at Baekhyun. He takes a deep intake of air and tries to rid the image of Minseok in leather pants whipping Jongdae.

“You’re evil.”

Minseok gives him a sympathetic look.

“I didn’t think you’d fall for it that easily.”

“I’m starting to understand why you and you’re annoying boyfriend are together,”  huffs out frustrated.

“Hey.” Jongdae whines.

“You can’t deny that, babe.”

“I know,” Jongdae huffs, resting his head on Minseok’s fluffy head “But am I not the most charming, annoying boyfriend ever?”

“Debatable.”

Jongdae raises his head up his nest and looks at Minseok pointedly with a fake aghast.

“Tell me I’m cute.”

“No.”

“Do it.”

“I’m cute.”

“I know you’re cute. Tell me I’m cute.”

“You’re loud.”

“Miiiiiiin”

Baekhyun grunts to get the squabbling pair’s attention. Minseok ignores Jongdae and directs his attention to Baekhyun, Jongdae huffing in disappointment, but resting his head on Minseok’s head again.

“Yes?”

“Can I get on to asking my questions?”

“Sorry, Baekhyun,” Minseok says, eyes softening, “Go on.”

“I asked Jongdae this already, but how did you know that you loved Jongdae.”

Minseok looks pensive, then he looks up at his boyfriend, “Yah, do you remember the first time I told you that I loved you?”

Jongdae gives him a quizzical look, “Was it the time we went to Busan?”

Minseok shakes his head, “No, not that. I don’t remember it being at a beach.”

“But what happened at Busan…” Jongdae ponders for a bit, pearching his head on Minseok’s own, “Ah, Busan’s where we had on the beach.”

“Wow, Jongdae. Thanks.”

Minseok ignores Baekhyun, still in deep thought.

“Was it after our big fight?”

“No, that was me,” Jongdae says shaking his head, “You said it after me. I remember, you took your sweet time responding with ‘thank you.’”

“Sorry, babe. Why did we fight again?”

“You started meeting up with luhan again. Little git.”

Minseok smacks Jongdae’s head, “Way to be a mature person, Jongdae.”

“Hey, I don’t attempt to maim him whenever he visits. If that isn’t maturity, I don’t know what is.”

“You two have to stop talking to each other, I’m confused.”

Minseok apologizes again, “luhan’s my ex. I was dating him when I met this idiot.”

“He’s a little demon child. Looks like he’s some innocent little kid but he’s actually a sneaky little snake.”

“You used little a lot.”

“He’s small.”

“Jongdae, I’m small.”

“Min, you’re a pint-sized package of warmth and cute, luhan is a package of condensed evil.”

Minseok ignores Jongdae to direct his attention to Baekhyun, shaking his head.

“luhan’s a dear friend.”

“More like a deer friend”

Baekhyun looks at him confused, not getting the jibe Jongdae was getting at. Jongdae, noticing Baekhyun’s confused face stands to clarify things.

“The looks like a deer, the animal.”

“How?”

“Really nice doe eyes,” Minseok supplies.

“Kim Minseok, did you just compliment that face?”

Minseok rolls his eyes, “It’s true Jongdae, his eyes are really nice.”

Jongdae, though visibly peeved, has not let go of Minseok, his legs still dangle around his boyfriend’s torso and head still resting on the other’s hair.

“Sure whatever.”

Minseok goes back to talking to Baekhyun, ignoring the way his boyfriend deflates around his body.

“I met him when I spent a semester in China, we clicked because he’s the only one who knew Korean. I come back to Korea, then few months in I find out he’s here as well. He migrated with his family and was studying at the same University. I don’t know, something clicked then we started dating.”

“Hey, I thought we were supposed to talk about our love story, not you and your ex’s.”

“I’m just giving Baekhyun context.”

“Why did you break up with luhan.”

“Baekhyun, I loathe you.” Jongdae glares at Baekhyun from his perch, his glower partially obscured by Minseok’s messy hair.

“He was moving back to China. I didn’t want to do long distance, we broke up.”

“Just like that? You ended your relationship because of something so simple?”

“Yes and no.”

“What a non-answer,” Baekhyun huffs moving so that his back rested on the doorway. 

“Yes, because the lack of physical proximity takes a toll on you. And no because I found someone I happened to like more than luhan,” Minseok replies, “Though I question if I made the right decision.” Minseok looks up to Jongdae’s temporary nesting ground.

“No you don’t. You relish in your decision every day. You thank God, Buddha, and Allah for my existence in your life. You’ve even created a shrine dedicated to my cheekbones.”

 “Do you ever stop talking?”

“Do you ever stop breathing, Baekhyun?” Jongdae retorts finally lifting his head from Minseok’s hair, a few strands sticking to his sharp chin.

“W-wait. Stop getting sidetracked, when did you realize?”

“Yeah, Jongdae does that.”

“Hey, I don’t.”

“Remember when we last saw mom?” Minseok says raising his eyebrow at his boyfriend, “You said ‘Hey, Minnie, I’ll just ask your mom how to make this dish. Five minutes max. You were there the entire afternoon.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault mom loves me more than you.”

“You also did it yesterday.”

“When?”

“You were supposed to help me paint. You said you’d run to the store. You came back after two hours because you chatted up the old woman you helped cross the street.”

“What were you painting?”

“The nursery.” Minseok says not looking at Baekhyun, his attention solely on chastising his boyfriend.

“The nursery?” Baekhyun asks his face looking rather confused. He notices how Jongdae’s face goes from amused to slightly dumbstruck, suddenly aware after the words that came out of Minseok’s mouth.

“Yeah, for the baby. That’s what nurseries are for,Bae—” Minseok pauses, “Oh, .”

“Wait, why is there a nursery in your home?”

Minseok slowly turns around to look over at Baekhyun with a sheepish expression, like he got caught. Minseok tries to glance over and Jongdae and starts a very noisy non-verbal conversation. Baekhyun watches as Minseok huffs and Jongdae grunts in return, eyes trying to convey messages in this weird Kim-Kim language. After another bout of glaring and huffing, Minseok looks back at Baekhyun.

“Um, ya, About that.” Minseok attempts a forlorn expression “Jongdae how do I explain this?”

“I don’t know with you. You’re the idiot who blurted it out. Deal with it by yourself.”

“Explain to stupid Baekhyun, please.”

Baekhyun whines pathetically. The way the two Kims communicated was giving him a headache. He can never get their attention from each other for more than a minute, then they naturally gravitate back to squabbling with each other like they old married couple that they are.

“Ugh, well Jongdae and I are kind of…” Minseok looks a bit unsure “Um, yeah. Like, we’re adopting kids and we’re married.”

“Wait. What!?”

“Surprise”

“When? How? Why?”

“We’ll save that for when the festival of weird finishes with Junnie the dying.”

“Not even a hint?”

“let’s just say we needed to take a step forward.”

“But—”

“Baek, there’s a lot to explain. I’d like to do it just once, please be patient. let’s just go back to your question.”

How can they even ask that Baekhyun return to his question when they just dropped a nuclear bomb sized surprise on him. But Jongdae ignores Baekhyun’s shell shocked face to continue drabbling on about how he confessed.

“Yeah, when I first told this one that I loved him was after I got really jealous about him meeting with luhan.”

“I don’t even know why he got jealous. I told him luhan was visiting, it’s not like I deliberately went behind his back. I even sent him selfies.” Minseok pauses, “Which, in hindsight, was probably a stupid idea.”

“You think.”

“I’ve even had to hide luhan’s presents from this guy.”

Minseok’s face goes blank once more. Clearly the revelation about the nursery opened the floodgates of idiot.

“HE SENDS PRESENTS!”

“Jongdae, stop screaming into my ear, you’re going supersonic again.”

“YOU LIAR! Why won’t you tell me about this?”

“Because you go supersonic.”

“I DO NOT!”

“Your denial is on another dimension, babe.”

Minseok is attempting to act cool, but Baekhyun notices the single drop of sweat that was racing down his face. Baekhyun notices how the older Kim is slowly trying to shimmy his way out of Jongdae’s legs, which have gone on permanent lock around Minseok’s waist.

“Give me everything he’s given you. I will burn them and send him pictures.”

“Are you sure about that. You’ll have to burn the crib you love so much.”

“What!?”

“He sent it as soon as I told him about the adoption.” Minseok explains, “He even sent in a handwritten letter with it,” Minseok takes out his phone and starts swiping and tapping at it. When smirks at the display, he shows the screen to Baekhyun’s face.

The picture is of a small card over an envelope, in big scratchy text read, “So your baby’ sleep in peace. And, hopefully, Jongdae as well.”

“That -kissing devil spawn.”

“How do you manage him?” Baekhyun asks looking as Minseok desperately attempts to get out of Jongdae’s leg lock.

“You learn to drown out the noise.”

“Yah, are you telling me you don’t listen to me?”

“I love you, honey.”

“No, you love that half-breed.”

“Jongdae! What have you been jogging with boulders on your feet, Jesus your legs are going to give me bruises.”

“I have talked to the two of you for half an hour and the only thing I’ve learned is that Jongdae is loud and that he’s got strong legs. Which is not a big surprise, let me tell you.”  

“I don’t know you anymore,” Jongdae seethes.

“Shut up, Jongdae. Just go tell Baekhyun what happened.”

“Yeah, so when Min got home, I went ballistic, then he went ballistic, then he said ‘why don’t you trust me?’ then I go ‘I trust you. I don’t trust that snake.’ Then he goes, ‘you’re acting so mature right now’ then I went ‘I’m not mature, deal with it,’ then he goes, ‘ but I don’t want to deal with it,’ then I go ‘why? Do you want to go back to your demented deer thing?’ then he goes something like luhan’s my friend or something like that, I don’t remember.”

Jongdae rolls his eyes.

“Anyway, I go, ‘Well do you like your friend like you like me? Or do you like him more.’ Then it goes all tense cause he wasn’t prepared for that, and because I’m dramatic, and have impeccable timing, I go for the finisher, “Do you even love me as much as I love you.”

“He mauled me after. Best ever.”

“Jesus, Jongdae, no need for the last part.”

“But it’s the best part.”

“It was though.”

“Minseok!”

“What? He was great that night.”

“You’ve rubbed off of him.”

“I know, it’s great.”

“Does this mean I’m forgiven?” Minseok asks sweetly as he presses his back to Jongdae’s chest.

“You’re sleeping on the couch tonight.”

“We’re sleeping here, Jongdae.”

“Exactly.”

Minseok turns to face Jongdae inside his boy-husband’s limb prison, “Dae, I’m sorry I hid it from you, but you know how talking about him makes you. You just started at the time, it was just stress that should have never been there.” Baekhyun doesn’t really understand what Minseok is referring to, but by the tenderness and seriousness in the lilt of Minseok’s whisper was any indication, then it was something Baekhyun doesn’t have to know.

Jongdae looks at Minseok, giving him an unreadable expression, “Fine. But we’re going to discuss that blasted crib later.”

Minseok snickers, “Sure, babe.”

Baekhyun takes this as the time to interrupt, “Again, not getting any help over here.”

“Ya, what do you want to know?” Jongdae says annoyed. His arms circle aroun Minseok once again, his legs going slack, releasing the elder’s torso from constant strain.

“What made you say it?”

“Said what?” Jongdae asks confused.

“That you love him.”

“I just knew it.”

“How?”

“He stayed.”

“Stayed?”

Jongdae responds with an exasperated huff.

“He stayed when everyone else left. It’s a whole lot of self-esteem bull that I don’t want to get into. But long story short is, he stayed.”

“You’re sweet when you want to.”

“It’s disgusting, really.”

“Cute.”

“Okay, let’s move on to you Minseok.”

“Yeah, Minseok what took you so long to admit that you couldn’t live without this work of art?”

“Well—”

“Excuse me, but can you not get your fluids on my kitchen counter? Thank you very much.” Kyungsoo suddenly appears by the door way, his face more displeased than usual.

“Soo, you’re interrupting!” Baekhyun screams trying to shove Kyungsoo out of the kitchen.

“Byun Baekhyun are you honestly trying to shove me out of my own kitchen?” Kyungsoo asks, eyes dangerous.

Baekhyun gulps.

“No. Sorry, don’t kill me,” he says in a hurry letting go of Kyungsoo and scurrying towards the other two.

“Just get out, I’ll start on dinner.” Kyungsoo brushes the other boy out the way, heading straight for the fridge and taking out a hunk of meat.

“Good thing I just went to the supermarket. Now I have to feed a battalion of Kims and mentally deranged midget.”

“I’ll help you, Soo” Minseok chuckles untangling himself from the mess of Jongdae’s limbs.

“Shoo away your enlarged Chihuahua too.”

 He then motions to Jongdae, “You, get out. You’re just going to cause trouble.”

Jongdae starts to whine, but Kyungsoo sends him one of his tribal spear stares. And before you know it he’s grabbing Baekhyun by the shoulder and guiding him into the living room where Junmyeon and Yixing were sitting. The Chinese man pressing an ice pack on the hip of his injured fiancé.

“Hey Junmyeon Ahjusshi, how you holding up.”

Junmyeon shoots him a glare.

“It’s fine Jongdae, my hip’s just swo—uagh!” Junmyeon shoots up clutching his hip as he doubles over in pain.

“Sorry. Sorry.” Yixing mumbles, “Stop fussing about.” 

Junmyeon just grumbles as he fixes his position so that he’s leaning on Yixing.

“It’s sad seeing senior citizens hurt,” Jongdae smirks situating himself across the couple, “Xing, I think you’ll have to send him to a nursing home soon.”

Yixing dismisses Jongdae’s comment to nuzzle into Junmyeon’s hair, “Don’t worry my poor ahjusshi, I won’t leave you ever.”

Baekhyun and Jongdae chorus in laughter as Junmyeon grumbles.

That’s when an incessant knocking comes sounds from the front door.

That’s also when Kyungsoo screams, “Kim Jongin! If that’s your long lost brother you lost at sea tell him to take a hike!”

Jongin comes rushing out of their guestroom, a stray pillowcase still hanging of his shoulder.

The rapping doesn’t cease, the speed and strength of the knocks increasing each second the door isn’t being opened. When Jongin finally gets to sprint to the door there stands a tall, rather slender man with a fluffy peach duvet hugging his body and a laptop on one hand. The man is the same height as Jongin, but while Jongin is tan skin, full lips and soft gaze, the other is sharp corners, bleach white skin, and angled eyebrows.

“Yah. Sehun what are you doing here?”

“Can I sleep over?”

The man, Sehun, speaks in a deadpan manner, and sports a slight lisp that rounds at the end of his words. His face is etched into a scowl that could rival Kyungsoo’s, but it seems that it’s not because he’s peeved, but because it’s the natural orientation of his face.

“What? Why?” Jongin asks surprised.

“I forgot to pay my electric bill.”

“Again?”

It seems that the visitor frequented the apartment often. Well often enough for Jongin to know that this is not the first time this Sehun has forgotten to pay his bills.

“I also have to skype with Lulu. Please!” Sehun pleads in his monotone voice. It’s an attempt at sounding pitiful, but ends up sounding robotic.

Jongin huffs and shakes his head, “Okay, but it’s a full house. You’ll have to squeeze in with my brothers, their boyfriends, Kyungsoo’s friend and maybe his boyfriend.”

Sehun looks shocked for a moment, his eyes going wide before his passive face returns.

“Thanks.”

“Now, go see Kyungsoo and see if he doesn’t kill you.”  

And as if on cue, “JONGIN! Why hasn’t the door closed? You did tell whoever arrived that this is a private residence and not a homeless shelter, right!?”

Jongin looks at Sehun apprehensively, “lose the duvet.” Jongin grabs the atrocious peach duvet of off Sehun’s shoulders and pries the laptop out of his arm, “And pout. Pout like you’ve never pouted before,” he says putting a reassuring hand over Sehun’s shoulder, “God be with you.”

Sehun nods vigorously before he’s heading into the kitchen, taking a deep intake of breath before he pushes past the doorway and into the fray.

“Yah, Oh Sehun what are you doing in my kitchen! Get out of my apartment!”

“This is better than primetime dramas.” Jongdae says from beside Baekhyun, “The only thing that could make this better is if Kyungsoo starts hurling plates at the kid.”

Just then, Minseok scuttles out of the kitchen, his face a mixture of fear and amusement.

“Jongin, Kyungsoo’s got a knife and he’s threatening to kill the guy that looks like he was scorned when he was a child.”

Jongin face goes dark as he darts past Minseok and enters the kitchen.

“KYUNGSOO I WANT STAB WOUNDS!” Jongdae screams from his position on the couch.

“Why is this apartment always on the verge becoming the opening scean a really bad episode of law and Order.” Junmyeon groans.

“That’s because Kyungsoo’s always angry, and for some reason your parents keep gifting Jongin sharp objects.” Yixing provides.

At the same time, they hear the muffled scream of Kyungsoo going, “Sehun, when they send you a notice of disconnection, it’s not a gentle reminder, you have to actually pay your bill!”

The people in the living room ignore the screaming, all too used to Kyungsoo’s bouts of anger.

“Yeah, mom did say that she got Kyungsoo that spear because he reminded her of an ancient African headhunter.” Junmyeon answers, getting more comfortable on the couch as he settles closer to his fiancé.

“Didn’t mom also get him that katana Jongdae nicked?” Minseok adds, “She said Kyungsoo looked like a little samurai and the katana completed the look’.” He air quotes the last line, rolling his eyes at his mother’s weird fascination with Kyungsoo.

“Your mother’s been gearing Kyungsoo to become a mass murder ever since he and Jongin got together.” Jongdae commented, “It’s amusing how you only realized now.”

“That explains why the apartment always smells like death,” Minseok says off-handedly moving to sit beside Jongdae.

Baekhyun can’t help but agree in silence as the screaming in the kitchen begins to get heated.

“Do you think we should intervene?” Baekhyun asks somewhat concerned for the fragile life of Sehun and his peach blanket.

Jongdae shakes his head, “Kyungsoo has a full set of knives. Mother made sure of that.”

Baekhyun hums in agreement, he knew full well that if Sehun dies, he was the next one on Kyungsoo’s kill list. He’d rather not die right now.

But his fears of dying by the pudgy hands of his best friend were quashed as a very alive, but visibly shaken Sehun walks out of the kitchen unscathed. Jongin trailing behind the visitor, carrying a big butcher’s knife.

No traces of blood. That’s good.

Jongin moves to the living room and stands before the little audience, “Hey, this is Oh Sehun, our neighbor. He’s going to be staying overnight as well because he’s an idiot and forgot to pay his electric bills.”

Sehun bows to them, his lanky form looking like a bent ruler rather than a human body.

“Sorry for the intrusion.”

“I don’t mind, it’s nice not be at the receiving end of Kyungsoo’s tirades.” Jongdae answers cheerily, “Now that he’s pissed off at you the most, we’ll get less flack, right Baek!” Jongdae nudges Baekhyun who nods vigorously.

“I’ll go help out now that there’s no threat of murder.” Minseok says standing up, “Nice meeting you Sehun.” The eldest disappears into the kitchen once again, leaving the rest to their own.

“Sehun, you can’t use the guest room, I’m still cleaning it. And you can’t go into our room because you know, Kyungsoo will murder you. You’ll have to do your video chat in here.”

Sehun shakes his head, “It’s okay,” he looks over the rest, “Do you mind, I have to video chat with my boyfriend.”

The group shakes their head is dismissal, “Go ahead,” Yixing chirps.

Sehun hums his thanks before he starts fiddling with his laptop and the telltale tune of a Skype call is heard.

“So, where’s your boyfriend?” Jongdae asks.

“China.” Sehun replies as he waits for the call to get answered.

“Oh is he Chinese? Yixing’s Chinese too. How’d you meet him?” Junmyeon blurts, eyes going wide.

“Yeah, he’s Chinese. He was staying in Korea when we met, but moved back to China after a while,” Sehun provides, eyes trained on the computer screen.

“Kinda like us, babe.” Yixing chirps placing a kiss on Junmyeon’s cheek, “How’s it been?”

Sehun’s eyes light up, “It’s been hard, but we’ve managed.”

“How many times do you have Skype ?”

“Xing! Don’t ask something that private.”

“What? We did it all the time, that’s why you’re my fiancé.”

Baekhyun and Jongdae let out a collective, “Ew.”

“We do it often, it does help,” Sehun says flustering a bit as a shade of pink rose from his cheeks to the tips of his ears.

“See, it helps,” Yixing says with a triumphant smirk, while Junmyeon resigns himself to covering his face in utter embarrassment.

“What’s his name?” Yixing asks sidling up a bit, eyes lighting up whenever he gets interested in a conversation.

Not looking up from the screen Sehun says, “Luhan.”

There’s a beat of silence, the only sound coming from Sehun’s laptop.

“Luhan.” Jongdae whispers slowly.

“Isn’t that the name of Minseok-hyung’s—” Yixing tries to whisper in Junmyeon’s ear, but the Kim shushes him with a hand to his lips.

All eyes, with the exception of Sehun, are trained at Jongdae, whose face has become unreadable, eyes hollow and lips slightly parted.

“Does luhan look like a deer, eyes really big and bright?” Jongdae asks.

This gets Sehun’s attention, eyes parting from the screen and looking straight at Jongdae, “Yeah! Do you know each other?” Sehun asks with the most enthusiasm and joy that he has mustered the short time they’ve spent together.

“You could say that.” Jongdae grits through his teeth in a smile so fake, a blind person could see right through it.

Sadly, love has made Sehun so blissfully ignorant that it prevents him from catching venomous crack in Jongdae’s voice

The ringing stops as the call is answered.

The next events happen quickly and in a rush of pure rage.

Jongdae flies of his seat, and in a blink of an eye has managed to shove Sehun away from his laptop and invaded the space captured by the camera of the laptop.

“Sehun?” comes a soft voice from the speakers.

“HUSBAND STEAlER!” Jongdae screeches into the screen.

Again, no subtlety. None at all.

Jongdae!?  Baekhyun presume to be luhan asks in disbelief, “Why are you on my boyfriend’s laptop?”

“Why are sending gifts to my husband!? Husband stealer!?” Jongdae screams pathetically into the screen, saliva raining all over the keys.

Sehun is still in a state of shock, his body not reacting appropriately to the verbal assault the stranger was unleashing on his boyfriend.

“Jongdae, for the millionth time, I’m not stealing your husband.” Luhan tries to explain.

Baekhyun has not seen his face, but he does notice a rather soft and very calm voice coming from the speakers.

“Then why are sending him presents behind my back? Hm!? You even sent him that really beautiful crib that I have to burn!” Jongdae says in hysterics, “You knew that I would find out and you knew I would have to burn it!” He continues, his voice getting louder and louder as he goes on, “Stop playing this psychological games with me, luhan! Think of the baby!”

Well, that’s a way to keep a secret.

I sent it because I’m happy for the two of you. Minseok always wanted kids and I’m so happy he found someone to share it with.

 “Jongdae, what are you talking about?” Junmyeon asks, finally getting over the initial shock, “And why are you calling Minseok your husband?”

But Jongdae, in his fit of rage, ignores his brother-in-law, choosing to attack the screen once more

“Oh, shut up! You never wanted my happiness. You always wanted Minseok back, you always wanted him back. He chose me, get it in your head. He chose me!”

Jongdae, I swear I’m not attempting to get your husband. I wish you and Minseok the most happiness.

“Whatever. Why can’t you leave us alone? Why can’t you let me live my life?”

Minseok is my best friend. I understand what you’re going through. I know it’s hard, Minseok told me.

Jongdae’s face goes rigid, his eyes sinking, his glower going straight.

“So that’s why? You feel sorry for Jongdae. Jongdae the charity case is that it? Jongdae the unstable nutcase that no one loves is that it?

Baekhyun notices the change in Jongdae’s voice, how it goes from hysteric to pleading in a flash. And the words that he was saying felt like it wasn’t directed at luhan, rather it felt like a reassurance, words to convince himself rather than the person on the screen.

“Stop trying to steal the only happiness I’ve ever known.”

Everything goes quiet as Jongdae slips into silence, his face turning from outraged to stoic, eyes looking down, lips curling downward into a frown.

Jongdae, you’re right. He chose you, he always chose you. Even when we were still dating, he chose you. So get it into your head. Minseok loves you.”

Sehun has moved to sit, not interrupting the exchange, choosing to watch as it pans out. Yixing and Junmyeon are out of there seats, slowly moving towards Jongdae. And Baekhyun is stilled to his.

Jongdae looks lost. His body tense as he looks at nothing in particular.

“Dinner’s ser—” Minseok’s dies in his throat, his face shifting from cheery to confused as he survey the scene before him, the bowl of soup he’s carrying looking less appealing as notices his husband’s hunched figure.

“Minseok?”

The voice catches Minseok’s attention as he looks at the opened screen to see luhan’s concerned face on the other side. That’s when he realizes why Jongdae’s slumped on the ground like that.

With a poised and rehearsed motion, Minseok drops the soup on to the table and calmly moves to his husband’s side, body folding easily into Jongdae’s own.

With practiced steps, Minseok envelopes Jongdae in his arms and starts talking to him in hushed tones, “I’m here. I’m here.” He chants with a tone that suggests this isn’t the first time it has happened.

“You’re alright. We’re alright. I love you.” Minseok continues, words said with authority and firmness.

At the same time Kyungsoo and Jongin come out of the kitchen and the guest bedroom, respectively. Kyungsoo is about to say something snarky at the scene, but stops himself as he gives Jongdae a cursory glance. Face going neutral in understanding as he watches the scene unfold.

Baekhyun looks over at Junmyeon and Yixing, and find that they too look calm as well. Junmyeon had his head leaning on Yixing, while the Chinese man sports a concerned look.

This isn’t their first rodeo either.

Jongdae’s stiff form starts to soften at Minseok’s ministrations, the boy slowly falling into his husband’s body the longer the oldest Kim cradles him.

Minseok, realizing this, moves to Sehun, “I’m sorry about whatever he did to get you there. I can only ask for your understanding.” Minseok says bowing.

Sehun shrugs, “Um, it’s okay.”

Minseok gives him a thankful nod as he turns his attention back to the screen, “Sorry for that, lu. You know how he gets.”

I know. I understand.

“Thanks.”

Minseok then looks down at Jongdae, “You okay there?”

Jongdae nods silently into Minseok’s chest.

“Do you want to stay here, or do you want to move?”

Jongdae just buries his face into Minseok’s chest, “I’m sorry.”

Minseok shakes his head at the sight, “No need. I’m here, just remember that I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I’m such a bad person,” Jongdae murmurs shaking his head, “such a bad person.”

“No. You’re strong, and smart, and witty, and kind, and funny, and courageous, you’re everything. You’re everything to me.” Minseok says tenderly, words coming out so soft and sincere. And you can see it in the way Jongdae nestles into his husband, eyes going softer, body lightening at each word. Minseok’s words like a blanket warming Jongdae against the cold.  

Baekhyun tries to help, “Yah, cheer up Jongdae, smile.”

Baekhyun doesn’t expect Minseok to frown at him.

“Uh, sorry?” He thinks it’s because he’s interrupting their moment, and for the moment he thinks that it’s just that.

But Minseok clarifies.

“Baekhyun, I know you’re trying to help, but please don’t say that.”

Baekhyun is confused, that’s what his mother and father would tell him when he was sad. They would try to cheer him up, tell him that he should be happy. Good, strong boys don’t frown.

“Just let him be down.”

It hits Baekhyun harder than he thought it would. It was always smile and be happy. laughter and a smile would always make people feel better, make them more get out of their stupor. He doesn’t understand.

And Minseok sees the confusion in his eyes, “We’re programmed to think that the way out of sadness is happiness. We think sadness is a momentary lapse in our otherwise happy lives.  But I’ve learned that sometimes sadness helps us more than happiness can.” Minseok looks at Jongdae’s slumped figure, “Sadness helps us realize things, makes us aware of the problems we’re facing, helps us cope with things. When we’re sad, we come to face ourselves, sometimes we need that.”

It never dawned on Baekhyun to think that way. To accept sadness so openly, to regard it as something positive. And maybe, just maybe Baekhyun knows what Jongdae meant when he said Minseok stayed. Because while the others asked him to smile, to cheer up, to be happy, Minseok told him to be sad, told him that it’s okay, told him that he was there no matter what.

Maybe that’s what love is.

“Don’t rush, let it happen. Let it wash over you. There’s no shame in that.” Minseok coos into Jongdae’s ear. Jongdae responding by grasping into Minseok’s shirt and nuzzling deeper into his chest.

“Min, you have to explain some things,” Junmyeon says, his face questioning and somewhat hurt.

“Did you blurt it out in your rage?”

Jongdae nods meekly.

“We’re even now.”

Jongdae edges a smile, nodding.

Minseok looked over the crowd, “Well, first things first, Jongdae is now officially part of the family. We got married a month ago.”

“What!?” Jongin screams his bugging out of his face, “Why didn’t you tell us? When were you even—” Jongin pauses, “W-what, were you eve-” Jongin cards his hands through his hair, “What?”

Yixing and Junmyeon look surprised, but not as exasperated as Jongin. Then there’s Kyungsoo who isn’t even phased, like it wasn’t even news.

Like he knew.

“You know,” Baekhyun blurts pointing at Kyungsoo. The people around move their heads to look at him in surprise.

Kyungsoo doesn’t even deny, “I was their witness.”

“Why you?”

“Because he doesn’t sound like a dying whale when we told him. He just said asked when and where,” Jongdae supplies from Minseok’s chest.

“But why the secrecy?” Junmyeon asks, “It’s not like we wouldn’t approve. Jongdae visits mom more than we do.”

“We didn’t want to steal your thunder,” Minseok replies.

“As if,” Yixing scoffs, “We’re happy for you.”

“I know, it’s just that we didn’t want to get married necessarily, it was just a means to an end.” Minseok explains.

“And that end would be?” Jongin asks.

“Adoption.” Junmyeon says in realization

Minseok nods, “It’s easier to adopt when you’re married. Eases up the paperwork. And it’s not like we aren’t married already.”

“You got that right.” Jongdae adds, “Partners till death. You’re never leaving this piece of .”

Minseok shakes his head, “Always the charmer, my husband.”

“I’m going to be an uncle?” Jongin blurts, “Kyungsoo! We’re going to spoil that child with so much food.”

Junmyeon ever the worry wart, “Have you told mom and dad? Have you made preparations for the arrival? How’s your paperwork? I have connections to good lawyers if no one gets you because you two are gay.”

Yixing, the most accustomed to Junmyeon’s ramblings, shushes him with a finger, “Junnie, I think they have all of it figured out.”

“She’s coming next month,” Minseok says. He takes out his phone and shows a picture of a small, bundled baby with impossibly chubby cheeks.

“We haven’t decided on a name yet.” Minseok says while passing the phone around.

“You should name her Vivi,” Sehun says suddenly from his position.

Jongin and Kyungsoo smack him on the head, “Yah, Oh Sehun!” they scream in unison.

“Hyung isn’t going to name their daughter after your dog.”

The rest of the room laughs at the scene, even Jongdae.

Jongdae stands up and looks to the screen, “I’m sorry luhan. I didn’t mean to be like that. I know Minseok loves me, but it gets hard.”

Baekhyun, tired of not being able to put a face on this mysterious deer like human being, crosses the room and stands behind the two.

There in the screen is a youthful looking guy with large, doe eyes as mentioned. And Baekhyun can’t describe how glossy and shining they look shimmering against the faint light of the table lamp of the boy’s desk, it makes him look young, like Minseok.

“Jesus, you’re cute.”

Luhan glances up at the foreign human onscreen with a quizzical look unsure of what to say.

“Uh, thanks.”

“Wow you and Minseok-hyung would have made the cutest couple ever,” Baekhyun says aloud.

“Baekhyun, I’m going to stab you,” Jongdae seethes.

Baekhyun gives a sheepish smile before plopping himself beside Junmyeon on the couch, “Hyung, protect me.”

That’s when the door starts sounding again.

Kyungsoo looks at Jongin, “You know the drill. Private residence, not a homeless shelter.”

Jongin nods and proceeds to open the door. Sehun then moves to take the laptop away from Minseok and Jongdae.

Oh Sehun why are you with Minseok and his family?

“Jongin and Kyungsoo are my neighbors, how would I know that he’s related to your ex.”

And why are you over there in the first place.

Sehun pauses and flashes a sheepish smile while scratching the back of his head, “Uh, I forgot to pay my bills.”

Yah! Oh Sehun! Someone twist this idiot’s ear!

Kyungsoo obliged in a heartbeat.

“Sehun, I like your boyfriend more than I like you.”

“Hyung!” Sehun whines as his ears are tugged by a very satisfied Kyungsoo.

Baekhyun is amused, but the opening of the front door catches his attention as the cold wind enters the room carrying with it a very pleasant surprise.

There stands a tall man with a dopey smile that shows too much teeth with a jacket as horribly purple as Baekhyuns and ears that protrude out of the prescribed parameters of his face. There stood Park Chanyeol, Baekhyun’s boyfriend and his current dilemma.

“Yeol,” Baekhyun screams standing up and racing to envelope his giant in a hug.

“Hey, Baek!” he chirps.

“Ugh, Jongin why did you let that idiot in?” Kyungsoo barks from where he is still pulling Sehun’s ear.

“I reckoned we needed more produce,” Jongin snickers.

Baekhyun observes his awfully tall boyfriend and notices that he too is wearing an obnoxiously purple jacket like Baekhyun. Chanyeol looks confused at the comment, but Baekhyun distracts him with a kiss.

“Did you brave the storm for me?” He says once they separate.

Chanyeol flashes him a tender smile, “Anything for you.”

Baekhyun rolls his eyes but buries head in Chanyeol’s chest all the same.

“Agh! Hyung!” Sehun cries catching the attention of the couple by the threshold. Kyungsoo is standing over Sehun his hand clasping tightly on Sehun’s ear.

“Soo, let the poor man go, he’s pitiful as it is.” Jongin reasons.

“His boyfriend asked me to do this,” Kyungsoo snaps, “You know how the saying goes, hell hath no fury than a Kyungsoo scorned.”

“That’s not a sayng!” Baekhyun screams.

“Byun, shut it.” Kyungsoo reprimands.

Chanyeol ignoring the petty argument brings Baekhyun to the couch, the two seating comfortably in each other’s space.

“Hey,” he says placing peck on Baekhyun’s forehead.

“Hey.”

From Baekhyun’s peripheral he can see Yixing snickering into Junmyeon’s shoulder.

“looks like everyone’s having their fun.”

And as Baekhyun looks around:

Sehun being manhandled by Kyungsoo as the younger pathetically attempts to apologize to his Chinese boyfriend.

Jongin pleading Kyungsoo to let their poor neighbor go before he actually tears his ear out.

Yixing coaxing Junmyeon to a more comfortable positions, and Jongdae looking up from Minseok’s hold to make fun of the injured man.

Yeah, they did have their fun.

After everything had settled and everyone headed to their corresponding rooms—Sehun and his peach blanket occupying Kyungsoo and Jongin’s floor, the elder Kims residing in the guest bedroom, and the Park-Byun couple taking up the couch—silence, finally, enshrouded the two-bedroom apartment.

Baekhyun was currently nestled within Chanyeols arms, sleep slowly taking over his body.

“Baek, will you ever tell me what’s got you coming here at 4 AM in the morning during a snow storm?”

Baekhyun stills for a second, the events of today slowly coming over him.

In the way that Kyungsoo chose kimchi jjage.

In the way Yixing looked beyond Junymeon’s dull exterior

In the way Minseok stayed.

And in the way luhan still stayed with Sehun in spite of the distance and the stupidity.

And maybe in the way he went through all the trouble to find an answer that should have been clear at 4 AM in the morning in the middle of a snow storm.

Maybe, he doesn’t have to feel excited.

Maybe, his heart doesn’t have to race.

Maybe, their weird, obnoxious lives are enough reason for Baekhyun to say that he loves Chanyeol.

Or, choose to love Chanyeol.

Baekhyun doesn’t need Chanyeol in his life. He can survive without Chanyeol. He has a stable job, a good friend (sort of), a passion to follow, and a roof over his head.

Baekhyun realizes that Chanyeol was never a necessity. Baekhyun just made him into one.

Because Baekhyun wakes up every morning to make Chanyeol his tea because he can’t function without it. Baekhyun drives Chanyeol to the hospitals and leaves him there because he gets worried and starts crying over stupid diarrhea.

Baekhyun makes sure that when he says he loves Chanyeol, it’s because he Chanyeol feel it with every fiber in his body.

Because Byun Baekhyun knew that when he said those three words, he would mean them every day after that.

“Because I didn’t know if I loved you.”

“Oh? And?” Chanyeol asks. There’s not tension in his voice, seeming so at ease about the entire situation.

“I love you, irrevocably.”

“Same. Good night.”

Then there’ silence.

Baekhyun is in disbelief, he just said the hardest words in his small dictionary and Chanyeol says is ‘same.’

Baekhyun bolts from his position and takes a hard look at his boyfriend, “Yah! Wake up.”

Chanyeol who has his eyes closed doesn’t budge.

“Yeol, hey get u—” Baekhyun stops as his fingers come into contact with Chanyeol’s skin. It’s faint in the darkness, but Baekhyun notices that his boyfriend’s skin is flushed and warm.

Baekhyun smirk is so wide.

“Oh, are you trying to act cool?” Baekhyun says poking at Chanyeol’s ribs.

“Are you honestly trying to be aloof right now?” Baekhyun prods, “You’ve been the largest dork ever, you have no escape.”

A strong of Baekhyun’s fingers against Chanyeol’s rib finally edges the taller man up.

“Yeah. Yeah. Stop!” Chanyeol squeals as Baekhyun stops his onslaught.

Baekhyun puts his hands on his hips while tilting his head at his boyfriend.

Chanyeol looks up and is silenced at the sight. Baekhyun bathed by the moonlight, hair tousled, face slightly puffy, and a pout on his face looked absolutely adorable, like a puppy that had just woken up.

Chanyeol just gathers Baekhyun into his arms and brings him down into the couch again,

“So cute.”

Baekhyun grumbles against the taller man’s hold, his head bobbing as it hits the couch.

“I adore you, Baek,” Chanyeol murmurs against the other’s ear, voice husky from the long silence, “Absolutely adore you.” It’s soft and tender, the rumble of his gruff voice against his skin. His tone going soft around the edges, the deepness making way for little cracks and squeaks of tiredness.

Baekhyun blushes.

“I say I love you every day, that should be an indication into how I feel.”

“But it’s different when I say it to you, you should say that you love me too,” Baekhyun huffs as he snuggles deeper into Chanyeol’s hold.

“Fine,” Chanyeol sighs, “I love you, Byun Baekhyun. I love you. I love you. I love you.” Chanyeol punctuates each iteration with wet kiss on Baekhyun’s face.

Baekhyun thinks that he should ask for more, demand something more heartfelt, something more heart stomping.

But he thinks, he has tomorrow, the day after that, and the day after that to declare his love. Baekhyun thought,

I have time.

They settle again into silence, darkness, and the familiar scent of cinnamon and death as they lull themselves to sleep.

Before Chanyeol murmurs, “Do you think Kyungsoo will find out if we have ?”

Baekhyun attempts to after, but the calm atmosphere is broken by a booming voice from the master bedroom.

“IF ANY OF YOU -CRAZED FREAKS HAVE IN MY APARTMENT YOU WILL DIE!”

There’s a collective groan from the guest bedroom and what sounds like a Chinese swear word.

“I think that answers your question.”

“Loud and clear, babe. Loud and clear.”

Author’s note:
 

So here it is! I hope you guys liked it.

At first this was just supposed to be Baekhyun asking Kyungsoo and Jongin about their love life, but then I came to thinking that love exists in many varied forms that I couldn’t just include one ship. So I decided, let’s just throw everyone in.

I wanted to illustrate everyone in different stages of love, with CB being the beginnings of it. Jongin and Kyungsoo are in a more stable, more mature relationship. On the other hand, Yixing and Junmyeon are at a stage in life where they want to settle down and start a life together, while Minseok and Jongdae are thinking of starting a family. (Sehun and Luhan are at the same stage as Baekhyun and Chanyeol, but are in a more precarious situation.)

Anyway, if you’ve noticed there are problems within some of the relationships that seem to be there but were never directly tackled, there’s a reason for that.

I’ve come to really love the characters and the dynamics in this fic that I’ve chosen to expand it.

Thus the beginning of: Stages of Love Universe

I’m pretty excited to start this, with the first two one shots being Xiuchen’s baby and Sulay’s wedding.  (I know this had very little Chanbaek, but I promise they’ll have another oneshot, this time in Chanyeol’s POV)

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this! And I hope you guys support the next fics!

Till next time!

P.S.

Which couple had your favorite dynamic?