“Why didn’t you say you were going on a date, Sehun-ah?” Junmyeon asks Sehun, genuine curiosity in his voice. “I wouldn’t have tagged along if I knew.” They’re sitting in Junmyeon’s room, cross-legged on his bed and facing each other as they talk.

“What are you talking about, hyung?” Sehun replies tiredly. “What date?”

Junmyeon looks at him incredulously. “With Jongin, dummy.” He knocks on Sehun’s forehead expectantly.

Sehun tenses as his face floods with color. “It wasn’t a date!”

Junmyeon raises an eyebrow. “You were looking at him like he hung the sun the entire time.”

“No I wasn’t!” Sehun insists, shoving his brother lightly.

“What’s this I hear about Sehunnie going on a date?” Kris interrupts as he casually climbs through Junmyeon’s window. “Who do I have to go threaten?” He saunters over to the bed and lies down, arranging himself so his head rests in Junmyeon’s lap. Sehun is impressed at Junmyeon’s utter lack of any kind of surprise at the unorthodox entrance.

“No one!” Sehun denies immediately, his face still red. “I am not going on dates with anyone.”

“He’s lying,” Junmyeon sing-songs, smirking. “Sehunnie’s got a crush!”

“You should introduce me,” Kris suggests, grinning up at Sehun. “We can go on double dates. It’ll be awesome. And cool.”

“You two are the most embarrassing people in the world,” Sehun groans. “Even if I do ever start dating someone, I never want them to meet you.”

“Well, that’s just not true,” Junymeon says, a knowing smile on his face. “But keep telling yourself that, Sehunnie. Next thing you know, you’ll be trying to convince us that you don’t want your future boyfriend to meet Chanyeol or Baekhyun or Jongdae either.”

“Maybe I don’t,” Sehun grumbles. “They’re just as bad as you guys.”

“Where are the three menaces, by the way?” Kris interjects, switching the focus of the conversation. “I feel like I haven’t seen them in a while. Didn’t they say they were stopping by today?”

“They’ve been outside the door for the past five minutes,” Junmyeon replies nonchalantly, like it’s completely normal that Sehun’s best friends have been loitering outside his room.

“Junmyeon-hyung, you ruined the surprise!” Jongdae complains, pushing open the door and making his way inside, seating himself on Junmyeon’s desk.

“It wouldn’t have been much of a surprise, it’s just you guys,” Sehun points out cheekily. “Aren’t surprises supposed to be, you know, unexpected?”

Baekhyun attacks him playfully, pulling him into a loose headlock. “You little brat!”

“How’d you know, anyway?” Chanyeol asks curiously, plopping himself heavily next to Sehun on the bed and ignoring Baekhyun’s antics altogether. “We actually managed to keep Baekkie quiet this time.”

A period of silence follows his statement as his eyes widen comically. “Baekkie?” Sehun repeats slowly. Chanyeol and Baekhyun both closely resemble deer caught in headlights. “Did you just call him Baekkie?”

“No?” Chanyeol tries hopefully.

“He did,” Jongdae confirms gleefully. “Oh man, this is the best thing I’ve heard all day. Baekkie, seriously, how much more flirtatious can you get without actually being together?”

There’s another pregnant pause before Junmyeon’s eyes narrow suspiciously. “No way. When did this happen?”

“When did what happen?” Kris asks the room at large as realization dawns upon everyone else. “I am so lost right now.”

“Channie and Baekkie finally got together!” Sehun coos, half-mocking, half genuinely happy for them. “How long has it been?”

“A month,” Baekhyun reveals, his face red. “Since that day I called you, Sehun.”

“And you managed to keep it hidden from us for that long? I gotta say, I’m impressed, Baekkie!” Jongdae laughs, even as Baekhyun tries to hit him over the head.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough.” Junmyeon finally intervenes, taking pity on Chanyeol and Baekhyun. “We’re happy you two finally sorted yourselves out. Took you long enough!”

“Thank you, Junmyeon-hyung,” Chanyeol says gratefully, his face still slightly flushed.

“You’re one to talk, though, hyung.” Baekhyun seems to have recovered from his previous embarrassment, his trademark mischievous grin back on his face. “What about you and Kris-hyung?” He raises his eyebrows at the way Kris still has his head in Junmyeon’s lap, Junmyeon’s hands carding through his hair gently. “It’s been decades, practically, and nothing’s happened there yet.”

Sehun struggles to keep a straight face as Junmyeon and Kris glance at each other, clearly considering whether they should break the news to the others or not. “Well,” Kris starts, a wry smile on his face. “I did say we could go on double dates with Sehun.”

“Shut up!” Jongdae exclaims loudly. “You’re messing with us, right?” Baekhyun and Chanyeol look similarly amazed.

“Believe me, they aren’t,” Sehun informs him. “And guess how long it’s been.” Without waiting for anyone to actually guess, he continues, “Five years.”

“How could you lie to us all this time?” Baekhyun cries, dramatically throwing himself onto Chanyeol’s shoulder so he can pretend to weep. “And Sehunnie, you didn’t tell us either! What kind of friendship is this?”

“He only found out a few weeks ago,” Junmyeon tells him, rolling his eyes fondly at Baekhyun’s ridiculous antics.

“Am I really the only person here who isn’t in a relationship?” Jongdae muses aloud, shaking his head.

“I’m not in one,” Sehun reminds him.

“Yeah, but you have your dancer almost-boyfriend,” Chanyeol comments, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. “We were outside the door when you were talking about your crush on him before, remember?”

Sehun blushes furiously. “For the last time, I do not have a crush on him!”

Everyone in the room smiles knowingly at him and Baekhyun detaches himself from Chanyeol’s arm to pat Sehun on the shoulder comfortingly. “Sure you don’t, Sehunnie.”