Jinki was all for enjoying a win, but it kind of frightened him how into the idea Passeri and Jackson became when they got wind of Kibum’s success. He was there when Kibum made the call to let them know and even though he couldn’t hear their response, Kibum’s body language was enough to know what they were thinking. The elated first year couldn’t stand still to save his life, pacing and bouncing on the balls of his feet and stopping to grin at Jinki every other step. It would have been maddening if it wasn’t so endearingly entertaining at the same time.

                 “I don’t know when I can promise yet. Hajoon’s got matches coming up soon for the grav jumping competitions and Siwoo has low grav gymnast trials around the corner and Doyun’s got something too, but-“ He paused when they interrupted him on the other side and wrinkled his nose. In the next instance, his brows rose in thoughtful contemplation and his jaw fell open shortly after.

                 Jinki would have been slightly nervous anyway except he noticed Kibum’s eyes dart towards him in the barest hints of movement. That was trouble. Wary, he continued to observe, watching Kibum’s sharp flawless features school into an otherwise unreadable mask. Double trouble. The tells were still there: the too firm set to his jaw; the way in which it was impossible for him to fully control his all too expressive eyebrows; how his free hand clung gently to his clothes to keep from moving about; in the way he expressly looked at every place but Jinki. Oh, he’d mastered the art of looking in the direction of someone, but that didn’t mean he was looking at them.

                 He’d used it many times, to very good effect, on students like Kieran and Crawven especially. Having it used on him though, was not an experience Jinki relished. Despite that, he patiently waited for Kibum to finish so he could tell him what he wanted, probably in as little detail as he could get away with.

                With an excited yip, Kibum ended the call and threw himself onto the bed beside Jinki. “Garum wants me to come back!” he grinned, hands flailing in front of him in his excitement.

                “That’s good,” Jinki encouraged, knowing more would be following that announcement. He wasn’t wrong.

                “He also wants to help me… us celebrate.” His smile was elated, straight white teeth gleaming in the softly curved spaces left open by his lips. “It’ll take him a little time to organize a semi-reserved night. Or a private one if he can manage it!” he gasped, hands falling to rest on the top of his thigh, fingers curled like it was the only way to keep them from wandering closer.

                Jinki reached out a hand to bridge the distance between them, placing his palm against Kibum’s back. “When you say semi-reserved or private…?” he trailed off, leaving the open-ended question hanging in the air.

                “Eh… maybe some valued regulars and whoever else we want to invite,” he winked back, b with preemptive energy. “Come on though!” he couldn’t help but add, grabbing Jinki’s wrist and yanking him up.

                “Whoa!” Jinki yelped, stumbling along in the other man’s wake. “Where we going?”

                “To talk to your sisters.”

                “Now?”

                “Now!” Kibum announced, drawing Jinki along for the ride.

                And that was how Jinki found himself sitting amidst his siblings, Daejung included though that was mostly by happenstance, coordinating schedules with a bargaining intensity that was slightly intimidating. Kibum had a calendar pulled up on his personal screen so everyone could see and he was pointing to days in the week for possibilities.

                “That’s a practice match day,” Hajoon said for one of the days.

                “Can’t do that weekend. Effectively boot camp training,” Doyun commented with a shake of her head.

                “That’s a competition day!” Hajoon grumbled, raising her hand like she wanted to smack Kibum for ‘forgetting,’ even though they all knew well and good he wouldn’t have.

                “Jinki already booked the room for that day. It’s just before the solo trials,” Siwoo huffed, arms crossed as she looked at her brother, daring him to say something about not going.

                He held his hands up in instant surrender and then looked at Kibum with a helpless shrug. “I go where they tell me,” he admitted, lips curling into his usual smile.

                Kibum made a face at him and exhaled loudly before glaring at the calendar of x’s. “I swear,” he grumbled plenty loudly. “When do you have time for you?!” He didn’t look at anybody but Jinki knew the comment was for all of them. Him specifically, of course, but he noticed his siblings exchange uncertain looks in his periphery.

                Jinki took a small breath and stood up, moving close enough to place a hand on Kibum’s shoulder while he looked over the calendar up close. It was a little surprising to see how claimed his time was so clearly. Usually, he just did what he said he would and made it work somehow. It wasn’t like he minded, so long as he managed to fit everything in. And he did but… this… was a lot. Biting his bottom lip and nodding, he shrugged. “Looks like this day, this day, and this day are okay in the shorter term,” he pointed out, glancing at Kibum from the corner of his eye.

                By his response, it was obvious Kibum didn’t like the days he chose. His nose wrinkled and he frowned in Jinki’s direction. “Those are hardly busy days for work,” he grumbled before pressing his lips together, the corners of his mouth still turning down.

                The comment made Jinki laugh. “Isn’t that a good thing though?” At Kibum’s curiously raised brow, he explained, “Since Garum is going to make it an invitation only day, less normal clientele would be a good thing, wouldn’t it? Fewer people to potentially offend and it could still be a day event for us while he opens at night if he wants to.”

                Kibum’s frown lessened and he exhaled with a soft sigh. “That’s not bad logic,” he admitted after a pause, looking him up and down once. “It would give you time to go to bed early too. You do need your beauty sleep,” he teased, leaning closer with a playful gleam in his eyes.

                “I do, don’t I?” Jinki asked back, nodding along in agreement with an unphased slow blink.

                It was not the answer Kibum had been expecting and his silent, open-mouthed gasp proved it. “Jinki is perfect!” Daejung spoke up for the first time, pointing an accusatory finger at Kibum while he stationed himself beside his older brother in defense.

                Siwoo was quick to shadow her younger brother, building on his defense while she pointed at Kibum too, much to the other man’s surprise. “And if he looks like he needs more sleep, you should give him back his bed. Bed stealer,” she mumbled, her tone sounding very much like there was something else she was frustrated about.

                “Okay, okay,” Jinki crooned, turning around and placing a hand on both Daejung and Siwoo’s heads before ruffling their hair.

                “Hey!” they yelped in unison, brushing at his hands in new offense.

                “What would I do without such strong defenders?” he questioned, making sure he placed himself between them and Kibum. The other man looked a little taken aback by the combined offense against him and Jinki couldn’t blame him. Those two could get quite jealous under the right circumstances. “And besides, I’ll get my bed back soon,” he promised, nudging Siwoo under the chin with his finger while he winked at her.

                “Right,” Hajoon nodded along to the comment, shaking her finger in their direction. “Kibum will be moving to the university dorms soon.”

                “Aw! Why?” Doyun complained, turning to pout at Kibum, her bottom lip sticking out and her brown eyes wide and innocent. “Now Jinki’ll be sad!”

                In Jinki’s periphery, Kibum flinched in surprise, eyes darting in his direction for just a second. But then Hajoon snorted and threw her arm around Doyun’s shoulders. “Are you sure you won’t be the sad one? Maybe I should tell Henry you have a new crush,” she teased, whispering behind her hand in a voice that was clearly meant to carry.

                “You’re one to talk!” Doyun shot back, an all-too-knowing grin on her face. “I could tell him about- Ah!” she yelped, suddenly interrupted when Hajoon yanked her into a headlock.

                “Hajoon!” Jinki called, reaching out like he wanted to stop her. But Doyun slipped free with relative ease, years of sibling rivalry and grav jumping making it look far simpler than it was. She fled behind Kibum, using him as a shield. Jinki watched the tension in his body skyrocket as she slipped into his blind spot. “Doyun!” he called out, unsure how to stop the situation.

                “Nyah!” Doyun spit her tongue at her older sister, giggling all the while.

                “You little-” Hajoon grumbled, lunging after her.

                Jinki grabbed Kibum’s arm and yanked him close, leaving Doyun stranded. She yelped in panicked surprise and then backpedaled quickly, fleeing from her older sister’s attack. “Go make sure your sisters don’t kill each other,” Jinki murmured to Siwoo and Daejung as he leaned close, giving them little nudges to start moving.

                “On it!” Siwoo said with a raised hand. Daejung nodded with a grunt of agreement and they both raced off after the other two.

                “You okay?” he asked, straightening up to make sure Kibum wasn’t too overwhelmed by the whole situation.

                For his part, Kibum had one hand pressed against his chest and a furrow between his brows that clearly said he wasn’t, but he quickly schooled his features to better reflect a calmer composure. “I don’t know how you do it,” he spoke, forcing a quick laugh that didn’t ring true in Jinki’s ears.

                “Years of practice,” he explained, patting Kibum’s shoulder with a calming hand before he rested his palm against his upper arm, letting it stay as an anchor if he needed. “But seriously. Sorry about all that.”

                Kibum shook his head, letting the mask slip a bit as he suddenly seemed a little more tired than usual. “I think I brought that mostly on myself,” he admitted, a weak laugh escaping that at least sounded more natural this time.

                Jinki tilted his head in mute agreement, but softened it by adding, “Siblings are… complicated. I’m sure you know about that,” he chuckled, recalling some of the stories about Moon and Young. Kibum nodded without a word. “And Doyun has been crushing on you recently,” he confirmed, curious how Kibum would react to the statement.

                The first year pursed his lips and fought a smile before a single breathy laugh escaped through his nose. “And you?” It was a flippant question tossed out too freely and Jinki saw the blank look on Kibum’s face when he realized what he’d asked. “Have you been crushing on anyone lately?” he asked, scrambling to shift the direction while he looked down. And then back up furtively. And down once more when Jinki was still looking at him.

                He’d be lying if he said his heart didn’t skip a beat at the flustered display. “I have,” he offered with a noncommittal smile.

                Kibum’s head shot up with a surprised gasp as he looked at Jinki, a confusing mix of emotions flashing across his face in the blink of an eye. At least until he schooled his expression again, smoothing over the knee-jerk reactions with a cool smirk Jinki knew he often used to hide his true thoughts. “Oh?” he teased, leaning close with a keenly interested look. “Who?”

                “Guess,” Jinki smiled back, drawing his hand back since it seemed he was in control of his emotions once more.

                “Tsk. It’s more fun if you just tell me,” Kibum whined, wriggling in place not unlike a child.

                “Maybe next time,” he laughed, nudging at Kibum’s arm to nod at the calendar that was still hanging in the air nearby, waiting for the final confirmation.

                “Ugh! You’re no fun at all,” he scowled, subdued outrage the most obvious sound in his voice.

                “So you say,” Jinki snorted, pointing at a date on the calendar. “This one?” he wondered aloud, glancing at the rising second year.

                Kibum gave him an annoyed grimace and sighed noisily. “Fine!” he conceded, tossing his hands up in defeat and circling the date quickly. “I’ll let Garum know so he can set it up accordingly,” he mumbled, settling down quickly enough, though it was more subdued than Jinki expected.

                The date was far enough out that it would give them plenty of time to prepare. Whatever trick Kibum had up his sleeve, or surprise considering he was obviously planning something with Passeri and Jackson, Jinki would have to try and be ready for. In the meantime though, he really did have plenty to keep him distracted. Just because his exams were over didn’t mean he was off the hook. As his siblings had adequately demonstrated, they were very much engaged in their activities and as their big brother, he was practically mandated to be there for them.

                It didn’t hurt that their parents weren’t usually able to attend. Their mother worked nights as a local maintenance tech, making sure the machinery that took care of the city was clean and ran smoothly. She did her best to take time off for the big events for her kids and she did have a day or two off in a week, but she took as many shifts as she could and needed the downtime to rest and run errands otherwise. Their father worked at the scrap yard during most days. It was typically easier for him to stay in the out of dome housing and then come home on the weekends for family time and supper when he could.

                Jinki didn’t know if they relied on him to help take care of his siblings or if they worked the jobs they did because they knew he would take care of his siblings, but as the eldest… he’d long since accepted his role. As Kibum had pointed out though, it did not give him much time to himself. Especially since his helpful tendencies bled over into school. It almost felt wrong not to help when asked. Or he sometimes felt guilty if he wasn’t doing something to help someone else… It wasn’t like he did things in half measures either, as his stint with Kibum had proven yet again.

                Though he felt slightly guilty about it, he was glad that Kibum would be moving into the second-year dorms soon. It would give Jinki the perfect opportunity to grab some time with Henry. He needed… a sounding board. Badly. And as one of his oldest friends, Henry was his usual go-to when things were a little more confusing than he wanted them to be. Finding time to hang out with him was significantly easier though, even if he was worn out by the barrage of his sibling’s schedule demands on him.

                “Wow. Nice room,” Jinki complimented, checking out the third-year dorm room with keen eyes.

                “Yeah. Bigger than the last one, with better food options and a nicer bed!” Henry grinned, running around the space and gesturing wildly with his hands at each point he described. “Not a bad thing considering our little group seems to have developed a likely permanent plus one for the time being,” he laughed, propping his arm on Jinki’s shoulder and looking at him knowingly.

                “Jealous much?” Jinki teased, though he patted Henry’s head in a friendly gesture.

                Henry sighed and snagged Jinki’s arm to yank him around to the bed. “Sit down before you make me feel guilty for standing.”

                “Yes sir!” he responded, gladly taking a load off as he laid back on Henry’s bed, arms splayed out wide.

                 The surface dipped slightly when Henry settled into place, leaning over to look at Jinki with a baleful eye. “You never take care of yourself like you should. Hungry? Thirsty? Should I give you a massage for any impossible to reach knots you’ve probably gained from any number of your sisters’ practices?” he asked, only half-joking.

                “If you’re offering…” Jinki chuckled with an easy grin, feeling every bit of tension he typically carried just start to bleed out. Henry had almost zero expectations from him beyond being friends and that was far more freeing than it had any right to be for something so simple.

                Henry snorted and smacked him on the chest. “What do you want?” he asked, hopping up and heading for the food processor.

                “The usual,” he laughed in response, taking a deep breath as he threaded his fingers together over his stomach and just stared at the ceiling in the room. It was lighter than the previous one had been. Newer probably. These ones had more constant renovations and nanotech come through to scrub them clean.

                “Only you would come here and ask for the usual every single time,” Henry scoffed, typing in the food order and returning when the processor spit out the request. Henry plopped back down on the bed and tossed the warm, wrapped goodie on Jinki’s stomach.

                “Ah hah!” he beamed, sitting up to hold the synthesized chicken leg in his hands. “You know this is the only place I can safely eat this,” he reminded Henry as he carefully opened the dissipating wrapper. Once exposed to oxygen, it would rapidly age and decompose, becoming little more than microparticles in a matter of minutes. But the chicken on the other hand… He happily took a bite and savored the slightly greasy and a little heavy taste on his tongue. “My sisters would kill me if they saw me eating this,” he added, sighing in contentment when the delectably crisp skin crunched in such a satisfying manner.

                “At least I know I’ll always have blackmail material,” Henry laughed, setting a bottle of water next to Jinki and opening his own junk food snack: the equivalent of dried lychees.

                “I could just not help you with homework anymore,” Jinki laughed with a shrug, knowing it was an empty threat.

                “Well, I could go to Ercite…” he hinted, cheek rounding out from the piece of fruit in his mouth when he smiled.

                “You know Larad wouldn’t mind feeding me chicken either.” His grin was pure amusement when their eyes met, as if sharing an open secret between them.

                “Except it’s almost impossible to find those two alone.”

                “And Ercite really would keep it as blackmail material to hold against me,” Jinki laughed, taking another bite while looking at the rest of it wistfully.

                 Henry made a face and nodded in silent agreement. “Finish that, then drink your water, and then I can play doctor to whatever ails you today,” he winked, threading his fingers together and stretching them out in front of him.

                “Oh come on. I’m not that bad,” Jinki groaned as he stifled a laugh.

                “Oh, but you are sir,” his friend shrugged, the conclusion foregone already. Jinki leaned over and nudged him with his shoulder but didn’t say anything after the fact. Henry returned the favor, chuckling when they started leaning harder like it was some sort of wrestling match. But then Jinki was basically finished and Henry suddenly shifted, allowing the other Terran to fall into his lap with a surprised yelp.

                Shuffling onto his back lazily, Jinki looked up with a dry expression. “You said to drink my water first.”

                “Eh,” Henry shrugged, wrinkling his nose before tapping on Jinki’s forehead with one finger. “You can drink after. For now… the doctor is in!”

                “Dummy,” Jinki chuckled, reaching up to pretend like he was going to smack Henry in the face, but he stopped several centimeters short and made an empty flicking gesture instead.

                “Seriously though. Talk. You don’t really come here by yourself unless you’ve got something going on,” he explained, tapping on Jinki’s head lightly with a moderately serious expression on his face.

                Jinki grimaced at the expression. “When you put it that way, it sounds like I’m just using you.”

                A gentle shake of his head made Jinki flinch. “I’ll let you know if it becomes a problem,” Henry promised, the accompanying wink taking any sting out of the words.

                “You better,” he grumbled, closing his eyes and taking another breath as the sated feel of eating settled in. “I’m tired,” he finally admitted after a short delay.

                Fingertips traced through the edges of his short locks and Henry took a noticeable breath. “When are you not?” Jinki cracked one eye to look up and Henry’s mouth pulled up into a closed smile, though it was slightly sad.

                He closed his eyes again. “More than usual. I think it’s probably because of Kibum,” he hesitantly offered without beating around the bush too long.

                “You think?” Again, Jinki cracked an eye and he saw a raised brow on the other man’s face. It was a very clear ‘Duh’ statement. “When you become a mentor, you put your everything into it.” Jinki nodded in silent agreement. “I know you haven’t told me everything, but the fact that Kibum has been staying in your room this whole time means he’s definitely different. Or the situation is different. Or both.” Jinki nodded again, not even bothering to hide it. That could be the understatement of the year. “Is this the part where I demand the full story?” Henry teased, poking Jinki in the cheek.

                “Nope,” Jinki responded with a shake of his head, swatting Henry’s hand lightly.

                “Okay. So usual problem but more complicated then, right?” he continued, unbothered by the slap and the denial of further answers. As before, Jinki nodded to confirm. “You like him.” Nod. “As more than a mentee.” Nod again. “But you’re worried he’ll be like most of the others.” Nod once more but then he opened his eyes to look up at Henry. “Use you for help when they need it and then move on to someone else when they’re back on track.”

                “Yeah…” he admitted with a heavy sigh, the corner of his mouth pulling up into a slight grimace. That had been especially true in high school, and he’d been better about it at the university level, but it still stung.

                “Ah,” Henry exhaled, patting Jinki on the head playfully, almost condescending but not quite. “You goody-goodies are always such easy targets.”

                “Henry…” Jinki pouted, looking up at the other man with forlorn eyes.

                “Ack! And brutal with the pitiful expressions,” he wailed, clutching his chest with one hand and leaning backwards.

                Jinki’s response was slightly bitter. “Lots of source material to pull from.”

                “Hey. None of that,” Henry chided, turning serious again as he sat up straighter and looked down at Jinki directly. “Just do what you’ve been doing. It’s pretty clear he likes you,” he explained, smiling when Jinki narrowed his eyes at him, “so if this pattern holds after the celebration party… who knows?”

                “If it holds…” Jinki trailed off, trepidatious about what that probably meant.

                “Then be happy, dummy,” Henry snorted, grabbing both sides of Jinki’s head and pretending like he was going to shake it. “If you like him and he legitimately likes you, then give it a try and see what happens,” he explained, letting go to gesture with one hand above Jinki.

                “Ugh…” he groaned, leaning his head back and scrunching up his face. “This would be so much simpler if I could just date you. You always understand me,” he grumbled, wagging a finger at his best friend.

                “Yeah. We tried that,” Henry reminded him with an equally scrunched up face. “Jinki. I love you, but dudes just don’t do it for me,” he laughed, shaking his head.

                Jinki reached up like he was going to grab Henry’s face. “We should probably try it again, just in case,” he teased, letting his friend bat his hands away with ease.

                “No,” Henry stated firmly, pointing his finger at Jinki. “One kiss was enough for me to know.” There was no denying his certainty in that statement.

                “I know,” Jinki responded with a quiet exhale. Groaning softly, he levered himself up and reached for the bottle of water. He took a sip before he swung around to better face Henry, crossing his legs on the bed. “And what about you? Any relationship news on the horizon I should dash Doyun’s hopes with?”

                “Doyun?” Henry asked incredulously, giving Jinki a side-eyed look. “Come on.” It made Jinki laugh. “Now Hajoon…” he trailed off with a suggestive tone.

                “Don’t,” Jinki warned with laughter in his tone.

                Henry fell apart at the single word, giggling in amusement. He waved his hands in front of him and looked down. “Not really. Though there might be this Varium…” he offered hesitantly.

                “Oh?” Jinki beamed, leaning forward attentively. With Henry’s words, his head and heart were mostly settled, and now that the other man might have an interest on the horizon as well, he was all ears. “Do I know her?”

                The look Henry gave him said it all. “You know everybody.”

                “Almost.”

                “Whatever.”

                In their usual fashion they bickered back and forth, trading tidbits of info like cards in a game. There was no winner. It was just a fun way to exchange stories. And by the time Jinki left, he felt better than he had in ages. By mutual agreement, they figured he should wait until after the celebration at The Stars Align to really make any firm decisions, and by then, Henry could possibly make a better introduction of the female Varium he was interested in and who might be interested in him too.

 

(a/n: As always, thank you guys for being patient. I hope you've enjoyed the latest update and I will try to get the next one out in a timely manner. Gotta admit, my creativity has taken a huge hit lately with the situation in Ukraine (I currently live in Poland so it's right next door), but I think my muse is trying to come back lately so fingers crossed. I'm not trying to force anything but it really is better when I can write something. Helps keep my focus elsewhere. XD But thank you again and please look forward to the next chapter!)