True to his word, Minseok and his family came over to Jongin’s home for dinner that night. He was met with warm hugs and welcome back’s since everyone loved him. He was the responsible and forever likeable and pleasant cousin that everyone loved and admired.

“Hyung!” Jongin exclaimed when he came running down the stairs to meet Minseok who was at the door in midst of hugging and greeting their Nana who was responsible for taking care of the both of them ever since they were children.

“Minseok, darling! Have you been eating well? Have you been taking your vitamins? You know you need them, dear,” their Nana fussed over the said boy, slapping his cheeks and embracing him repeatedly. Minseok merely smiled and hugged his Nana back.

“Yes, Nana. Don’t worry about me; you know I can take care of myself.”

“I know, I know. But it’s still nice to have you back,” she replied then pulled back, allowing him to go towards Jongin and give him a hug.

“Yo little bro!” he greeted as he gave his cousin a hug who returned it with the same amount of enthusiasm. “Let’s get this show on the road!”

Soon after, Minseok’s dad barged through the door in all of his glory. “ALOHA MY DEAR RELATIVES, MY SON IS BACK IN DA HOUSEE!” he exclaimed loudly. Clad in a ridiculously bright pink Hawaiian shirt, a matching pair of shorts and brown Crocs, he was definitely as lively and eccentric as Jongin remembered. Which was good. No really. “Is everybody ready for a party?!”

Minseok who had stopped dead in his tracks when he heard his dad come in and exclaim with that booming deep voice of his, face palmed. He turned back to face his dad only to be met with the sight of the said man twirling his Nana as if they were dancing the Tango. Why.

“OH MY GOD DAD WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING. SHE’S GONNA HAVE A HEART ATTACK CALM DOWN OH MY GOD.” Minseok ran over to his dad in hopes of getting his Nana who strangely enough seemed to be having fun away from his dad’s evil grasp.

Somehow, Minseok succeeded and ran away to the living room, towing Jongin and Nana behind him. Echoes of warm laughter of their family as a whole echoed throughout the Kim household. It had been a long time since the two families had dinner together. And that was somewhat strange considering that the two families’ fathers were the closest pair of brothers anyone would probably ever meet.

Needless to say, Minseok’s dad was the life of the party while Jongin’s was the slightly more responsible one who toned down the former’s naturally chaotic and lively personality. The perfect combination.

“Minkyung! Hyung, I haven’t seen you in a while. How are you?” Jongin’s dad’s voice halted the said man’s chase of the trio. Minkyung turned to his side and spread his arms wide, engulfing his brother in a warm embrace.

“Taewon! Nice to see you brother! I’m good, just been travelling a lot while this little runt’s been gone,” he gestured to Minseok who had then stopped running away. “Guess where I’d just been?”

Pulling himself away from the embrace, Taewon scanned his brother’s appearance, his nose scrunching at Minkyung’s eccentric fashion sense. Where the hell did he even manage to buy a matching set of nauseatingly neon pink Hawaiian shirt and shorts? “Hmm. Judging from the Hawaiian shirt, the matching shorts and the Crocs… Not to mention the fact that you screamed aloha when you came in… I’m guessing Hawaii?”

Minkyung’s eyes brightened. “That’s my smart little bro!”

Minseok walked slowly and warily up to his and Jongin’s dad, the other two – Jongin and Nana – still in tow. Then, deciding they were safe from his father’s strange antics, he let go of Jongin and Nana hesitantly.

“Hey Uncle!” Jongin greeted before proceeding to bro handshake with the said uncle, topping it all off with a last slap from each other.

“I swear you two are way too brolike for comfort,” Minseok sighed. “It’s almost disturbing.”

By then, all members of both families had gathered – save for Jongin’s mum and Jihyun who were in the kitchen preparing the food – and were exchanging nonfatal greetings cheerfully. Laughter once again filled the house and everything felt like how it should be.

In midst of their shenanigans, Jongin’s mum’s voice rang from the dining room.

“Dinner’s ready!”

At the mention of dinner, the males’ eyes turned bright in anticipation. Because of course dinner meant eating, and eating for the love of all things wonderful and fluffy, mean food.

The males came charging through the house to the dining room with Nana following behind them amused and chuckling.

The sight that greeted the group (the males, really) made their mouths water and stomachs rumble loudly, unable to hold their excitement in. The large table was covered completely in food, leaving only enough space for the plates they would eat from – a whole leg of ham marinated in honey soy sauce, a whole roasted turkey complete with stuffing, salad, side dishes, gravy and other food that Jongin couldn’t really name. Oh and of course the rice, how could rice ever be forgotten? The delicious aroma of the food lingered in the air and boy did that make them even more ravenous.

What can Jongin say? His mother was an exceptional chef and they all knew it.

“Is it Western style tonight, mum?” Jongin asked as she laid the last few glasses on the table and took off her apron. Jihyun came back after her holding one glass of wine in one hand and a jug of water in the other.

“That’s right! Since this is the first time we’ve had dinner as a big family – minus Jiyung of course but what can you do – in a while and of course since this is a welcome back party for your cousin, I figured we should make it special,” she replied, pulling out a chair from underneath the table and gracefully sitting on it. “Got your sister to help me too.”

Minseok’s eyes widened, “Jihyun noona can cook?” The last time he had eaten anything by Jihyun was when both he and Jongin were young kids. She had baked a cake for no reason and she had made him and Jongin try it. Needless to say, they ended up with explosive diarrhoea for the next week and a bit. “Like, food that won’t make you start having explosive diarrhoea? Wow.”

“YAH!”

The house erupted in laughter and the rest of the night continued with light hearted talks and a cosy atmosphere, leaving them content and pleased to be with their closest family and friends once again.

----

Meanwhile…

Baekhyun’s phone beeped, indicating he had a message. He pulled out his phone from his back pocket, still walking alongside Kyungsoo. He squinted at the little red sign on the corner of the calling message icon that really annoyed the crap out of him every time it appeared. It just seemed so… out of place. Tapping the icon, he read the message.

From: Park Derpyeol

To: Byun Bacon

6:35pm

Hey (hyung?)! Wanna hang out tomorrow?

It’s okay if ur busy (y)

Baekhyun squealed internally, the corners of his lips tugging upwards into a grin. Kyungsoo being the nosy child he was, peered over Baekhyun’s shoulder to try and see who had texted him.

“Ayy! What do you know, my Bacon’s gonna get laid!” he exclaimed as he saw who the ‘mystery’ text messenger was. Still though, if that tree hurts Baekhyun in any way I will personally kill the guy and castrate him, he thought.

Baekhyun’s face visibly became a rosy shade of pink. “Wha-! I am not going to get laid. We’re just hanging out, alright?” he exclaimed back indignantly, stamping his foot for effect.

This situation is sadly too familiar, Kyungsoo thought to himself, shaking his head. “Well do you like him?”

“Yeah, well he’s nice and all-“

“Are you entirely sure of your uality?”

“I don’t know, I haven’t had a girlfriend or boyfriend yet. What are you trying to sa-“

“I’m saying give Chanyeol a chance, alright? Jongin says he’s a pretty good guy and plus, this is a good way to figure out your uality for sure, no? I mean, Sehun and Luhan’s gayness could be rubbing on you. No offense to them intended.”

Baekhyun pursed his lips, unsure of what to do next. If he was being completely honest with himself, he really did quite like Chanyeol, the gigantic tree that he was. He had thought that it was just a normal man-crush – like how you would have man-crushes on those American actors like Brad Pitt or Tom Hiddleston. Now, he wasn’t quite sure anymore.

Besides, there’s nothing wrong in trying right? As far as Baekhyun seemed to be concerned, Chanyeol liked him enough. His parents were extremely understanding and supportive. If he did turn out to be gay, well, he had nothing to lose, did he? He would have his best friend, other friends, his parents and Chanyeol (maybe) by his side. He would be happy.

“I-I guess…”

Kyungsoo smiled warmly at his shy best friend. Love like what seemed to be blossoming between the two idiots was rare to find, and Kyungsoo wanted his Bacon strip to experience the love that he himself had – except with a happy ending. “Good. Now go and text that giant back, alright?” he said, slapping Baekhyun’s jiggly .

“My god, your is really jiggly.”

“Yah! Just no!”

“Whatever you say…” he leaned his face closer to the other boy, a pedo-like expression on his face and whispered, “Jiggly .” He burst out laughing, suddenly ululating and then running off with his hands flailing around in the air.

“YAH! STOP RIGHT THERE YOU MIDGET PIECE OF EXCREMENT!” Baekhyun yelled, trying not to start chortling himself while running after the other boy because yes he knows he has a jiggly and also because wow that was some really sick ululating.

Catching up after Kyungsoo, Baekhyun slapped the other boy’s as well. “Not so bad yourself… wiggly ,” and the two boys couldn’t help but snigger at each other’s strange antics.

“I know I’m too y for you,” Kyungsoo winked. “Now get on with it!” he said, gesturing towards Baekhyun’s phone.

Taking a deep breath—that really wasn’t necessary because come on he was just texting the dude back—he began typing the reply.

To: Park Derpyeol

From: Byun Bacon

6:43pm

Yeah sure! I should be free tomorrow :D

“There. Happy?” Baekhyun asked Kyungsoo, shoving his phone at the boy’s face. The latter beamed creepily.

“That’s my jiggly Bacon.”

“Are we really not gonna drop this?”

“Nope.”

Another beep.

From: Park Derpyeol

To: Byun Bacon

6:45pm

Cool :D Do u wanna meet in front of

ur university? At say, 12?

To: Park Derpyeol

From: Byun Bacon

6:46pm

That would be great (y) See you tomorrow!

From: Park Derpyeol

To: Byun Bacon

6:45pm

C u tomorrow too, cutie ;D

Baekhyun’s face lit up a bright red to the very tips of his ears and his eyes widened at Chanyeol’s much too obvious flirting. Or was it just a joke? Or was it actual flirting?

Kyungsoo saw Baekhyun’s reaction in his peripheral vision and was curious as to what could make him so… flustered. Shuffling over to his right where Baekhyun was, he saw the text message and hooted.

“Whoah, this guy is bold. He so digs you, Baek!” Kyungsoo chuckled, making Baekhyun even more flustered than he already was.

“Stop it!”

“Lolno,” said Kyungsoo before sticking his tongue out at the poor boy.

“Why are we even friends,” Baekhyun muttered to himself as he shook his head in both amusement and disbelief.

Hey guys! I'm back! HuehUEhuE

Sorry for being late again /sobs but here you go. I've just been really working hard on another story I'm planning to post. It's called Vanish and yeah. /totallynotshamelessadvertising so I'm really sorry :(

Anyway, hope you like it!