“By the way, when did you get so close to Kyungsoo hyung?” Sehun leaned in confidentially, sipping at his bubble tea. 

Kai looked up from his cup, a bit taken aback.  “What do you mean?”

“Well, you’re always smiling at each other like you have this inside joke,” Sehun explained, gesturing to the air.

Jongin frowned.  When did that start?  I mean, it’s not like the looks actually mean anything… “I guess so. It’s just over something funny…” he trailed off. 

“And it’s like we never hang out anymore.  We haven’t done this in ages,” Sehun pouted.

Kai sat up at this, brightening at the chance to get back at him.  “Whoa, hold on a minute.  You started ditching me first to hang out with Luhan!”  He pointed an accusing finger.  “And we came here just last week.”

Sehun opened his mouth to speak, but couldn’t think of a comeback.  “Pfft.  Whatever.”  He slumped back in his chair.  “I only wanted to ask you what you were getting him for his birthday.”

Oh , that’s next week. Two days before mine. “We’re already having the group party.  Am I supposed to get him something?”

Sehun stared, blinking in disbelief.  “Jongin.  You eat his food more often than your mother’s.”

“That’s an exaggeration.”

“Not a very big one,” Sehun snapped. 

His friend had a point.  Kyungsoo was very good to him – he looked out for all the trainees, really, even though he was a hoobae.  He would probably give Kai a gift too, or at least cook something nice.  It was the least he could do in return.  He sighed, biting his finger in contemplation.  Ugh, I hate stuff like this.  What do I even get him?  Some cooking utensil? I don’t know anything about cooking. A game? Does he even play games?  Dance shoes?  No, that’s just something I need…

“I don’t know, I guess I’ll find something.  What were you thinking, Sehun?”

“Oh, I’ll probably get him coupons or a gift card here,” Sehun said lightly, waving his hand at the bubble tea counter.

Kai choked on his sip of taro tea.  “Wha-what?” he sputtered, trying to contain his laughter.  “You can’t be serious.  Not everyone loves bubble tea, you know.”

“He still buys it a lot.”

“For you, yeah.  That’s like getting a gift for yourself.” 

“Yah, at least I’m getting him something.  You wouldn’t have even remembered.”

Jongin smiled, but felt a rush of guilt.  Kyungsoo was important to him, but he always seemed to forget to show people that he cared.  Kyungsoo was the opposite of that, but considering how nice he was to him, he hoped that meant that Kyungsoo understood. 

Kai quickly changed the subject with a funny story about Taemin and Suho, but Kyungsoo’s birthday continued to linger in the back of his mind.

___________________________________

On Sunday, his day off, Kai didn’t have much to do so he decided to go shopping.  He needed to pick up a few things, and he might as well look for something Kyungsoo would like. 

First he visited the shoe store for new practice shoes, hoping to buy him more time to muddle over gift ideas.  That took about 5 minutes.  For the next 20 he wandered aimlessly down the busy street, peering in windows and feeling ridiculous.  I can’t believe I’m resorting to this, he thought, as he took out his phone and dialed his oldest sister.  Noona will never let me forget this, but she does gives the best gifts.

The call kept ringing and ringing, Kai’s foot tapping impatiently.  For once, he got her answering machine.  What the??  The one time I need you, you don’t feel like being a second mother.  Aish!  He stared at his screen, hovering over his other sister’s number, before stuffing his phone back in his pocket.  He wouldn’t go that far. 

He walked into the nearest store, which happened to sell electronics.  Naturally, he gravitated toward the video games.  While he wasn’t an avid gamer, he’d always been good at them.  Everyone likes games, right?  Faced with the wall of games for every genre and game system imaginable, though, he knew it wouldn’t be that easy.  After looking at a few, he gave up and turned from the wall in frustration.

He strayed into the music section, figuring a CD was probably the safest bet.  Running his fingers over the titles, he tried to remember everything he had ever heard Kyungsoo sing.  Half of the songs he didn’t even know.  He checked his phone impatiently, hoping his sister would finally message him back.  You better like it, hyung, whatever it is.

His hand hovered over a familiar name.  Travie McCoy’s Lazarus.  “Billionaire.” I’ve heard him practice this, right? But does that mean he already has it?

“This is so stupid,” he muttered, ruffling his hair in irritation.

Just then, his phone went off.  A text, finally.  He opened it quickly, but was disappointed when he didn't see his sister's name.  It was Luhan. 

{Pickup soccer game at the park? 1hr}

Maybe not so disappointing.  This is pointless as it is.  He turned to go, but at the last moment, he snatched the Travie McCoy album and rushed to the register. 

He hoped he wouldn’t regret it later.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

THANKS NEW READERS!!!  CYBER HUGS FOR ALL SUBSCRIBERS AND COMMENTERS<3

Kai isn't good at being sentimental.  Please bear with him.

I'll probably update again in a few hours because I'm bored.  In the meantime, here's some D.O. and KaiSoo since you didn't get any directly.

(cr: wooyoung, youliah, and fyeahkaisoo @tumblr, respectively) 

XD