“Not much of a double date.” Xiumin mutters playing with the ice in his cup. After heading off to find and strangle his notes out of Luhan Lay (Yixing) never reappeared, Xiumin claiming his abandoned seat as his own.

“It’s not like we all got together and decided to do this, Soohee just dragged Lay oppa, apparently, out here and asked us to join them on this ‘double date’ that dork was too stupidly polite to turn down.” you mumble back with a bored sigh.

The day was going great until Soohee showed up and stole Chen away. Not necessarily from you but from being a dork with you. You just wanted to hang out with your friend. Is that really too much to ask?

“Ah, Baozi!” a rather pretty boy says startled, stopping halfway between your table and another.

Xiumin instantly perks up with an enthusiastic grin. “Luhan, you’re here! Oh, by the way Yixing is pissed. Make sure he doesn’t find you. Oh, this is Chennie’s girlfriend.”

Wow, thanks for the intro.

You wave awkwardly at the boy with a hesitant smile. Unlike you he has enough grace to give you a proper smile in return.

“So you’re the girl! Ah, I’ve heard quite a lot about you. Anyway I’ll be right back to get all your orders.” his eyes flicker to Soohee and Chen, who reluctantly listens to each word she spews out, “Even taken Chen still reels in all the crazy girls. He’s like a magnet for crazy. It only makes sense since he’s crazy too. Does that make me crazy too because I’m his friend?” he looks at Xiumin with a completely straight face and asks in all seriousness, “Baozi, am I crazy?”

You choke on your water and cough out broken laugh that doesn’t stop for a solid minute. It’s not even that funny but with the added ridiculousness of Soohee’s random “double date” and actions it just bursts out of you and suddenly everything is hilarious.

Looking pleased with your reaction Luhan wanders off to wherever he meant to go before getting distracted. That left you laughing like a deranged moron, that breaks even Soohee’s rapt focus on Chen, at nothing. She gives you a judgmental once over and toss of her head only to see the others at the table have joined your absurd laughter.

This is nice, laughing like weirdoes with your friends and not caring if people like Soohee give you all strange looks. It’s refreshing. It’s fun.

This is how you want the rest of the evening to go.

“Good lord, I’m gone for ten minutes and I come back to a table of hysterics. What did I miss, exactly?” Lay (you’re just going to stick with calling him Lay, Yixing seeming to be more of a privilege for close friends) sighs pulling over another chair after shooting Xiumin an annoyed look.

“Luhan.” Xiumin replies, grinning when his lips draw shut into a tight line.

“Yes?” the delicate boy answers, going unnoticed by a peeved Lay. Realizing this Luhan grins and sets his notepad on his head and readies his pen. “So, what do you guys want?”

Swatting him off Lay gives him a pointed glare and snaps at him about his notes. The other boy doesn’t listen, eyes moving between you, Soohee, and Chen intently.

“Why aren’t you two sitting together? This is some kind of date isn’t it?” he asks honestly confused.

“Its fine, Soohee can just sit with Chen. It’s really not a big deal.” you say with a shrug.

“I’ll have baozi!” Xiumin pipes in with a grin. Luhan’s puzzlement is quickly forgotten, his joke with the older boy redirecting his attention.

After finally managing to settle down, Lay being the one to instigate the calming, the five of you order your food. Sitting rather uncomfortably in front of the mess of Soohee throwing herself at Chen you want nothing more than to go home. Unfortunately dinner inches by, even after your food comes it just doesn’t seem to disappear fast enough.

“I’m going to go out for some air.” you mumble, done with your half-empty plate.

“I’ll come with you!” Soohee says, giving you a sweet enough smile.

You fight the urge to do or say something sarcastic and allow the small girl to join you.

Once outside a brisk evening air that blows past you, making you wish you stole Chen’s jacket. You should ask for it when you get back inside. Is that too awkward under your new circumstances? No, if anything he’d have to give you his jacket now. You grin to yourself and make a mental note to exploit that perk of your “relationship.”

When Soohee joins you she comes straight up to you with a poisonous look. The malice in her dark irises compensate for the lack of intimidation her short form holds. Taken aback you take a small step back confused by her forward hostility.

“What are you playing at?” she demands, glaring up viciously at you.

“What do you mean..?” you ask, not sure what her question means.

“You know what I mean! Chen oppa. What is he really to you?”

This time you let out an incredulous snort. This is ridiculous. “He’s my best friend and-boyfriend. We’ve known each other for years and nothing can separate us. Not much else to it.” Despite your dismissive demeanor your voice hitches at the word boyfriend, an uneasy feeling settling itself in your stomach.

“Xiu-Xiu-whatever-Kris oppa said you’ve been ‘together’ for four years. You two don’t even act like a couple, not even after publically announcing it.” she challenges waiting for you to slip up.

She really doesn’t want to give up.

Fine. If she’s going to be difficult you can be just as difficult as her.

“I told you we’ve been best friends forever; we just act natural around each other. Besides, we’ve been together for four years we don’t need to act like a couple to feel like a couple. We’re just more comfortable with one another than your average couple, that’s all.” you reply feeling like Chen. He always answers these questions with a lengthy spiel that’s been stretched and exaggerated to his liking. It’s actually kind of fun. You finally understand why he enjoys this so much.

“I don’t believe you. I don’t think you’re even a real couple.”

Her words stop your entertainment cold. Trying not to let your alarm show you shrug with an airy laugh.

“Ah, that’s not the first time I’ve heard that.” And if we could convince Kris we can convince her. “Anyway, is that the only reason you followed me out? We could’ve had this conversation inside-”

“Okay, let’s have it inside.”

Crap.

You’re digging yourself a really big hole right now.

“Fine, I’m sure Chen won’t mind. After you.” you say with more confidence than you feel, pulling open the door.

With a sniff she reenters the restaurant and you hesitate at the door. You’re such an idiot for trying to one up her. You just wanted to get her off your back by playing Chen’s game.

Looks like you lost.