"You need your own clothes."

 

Baekhyun popped his head out of his closet and eyed the huge mound of clothes that sat on the floor on Jongdae's right. Those were the clothes he rejected. And the nonexistent pile of clothes on Jongdae's left. Those were the clothes he liked.

Unfortunately Jongdae and Baekhyun didn't share the same taste for clothes. Baekhyun liked sassy loud prints, funky accessories, paint-splattered hoodies and skin-tight jeans. Jongdae crinkled his nose at the prints, flung the hoodies aside like they were poisonous, and wouldn't even go within a metre-radius of his pants.

Baekhyun was at a loss. The only thing Jongdae agreed to wear so far was that same set of extremely baggy Luhan-wear and the set of clothing he came in. Which, wasn't very appropriate for the 21st century.

He contemplated ringing Luhan up and asking him to bring over more of his enormous jumpers, but figured it wasn't very nice. Besides, they were too BIG.

Jongdae needs to show more of his bodily curves...

Wait, I did not just think that.

Nope.

"We're going shopping." Baekhyun stood up with a determined look. He scooped up the clothes and chucked them back into his closet, and held out a hand to Jongdae, who was still seated on the floor. "Come on."

"Go... Where?" His stare was burning holes into Baekhyun's outstretched hand.

"Shopping. Buy things. Clothes. And other stuff." Baekhyun suddenly remembered that Jongdae also needed shoes, a toothbrush, a towel, and his own underwear. Well, he hadn't exactly accepted the idea of wearing underwear yet, and Baekhyun hadn't really plucked up the courage to ask what Jongdae wore underneath his clothes.

Jongdae accepted the hand finally. "Where is a shopping?" He asked.

"No, we are going shopping. Shopping isn't a place, it's an action."

"Action." Jongdae echoed, and nodded hesitantly.

Baekhyun handed Jongdae a set of clothes that he hoped Jongdae would accept. They were his, but not so gaudy - a plain white long-sleeved woollen shirt and straight-cut trousers. Jongdae did accept them, albeit reluctantly, and he left him in the room to change.

Baekhyun rang Luhan up. "Luhan sunbae, wanna go shopping?" He asked the professor cheerfully.

Luhan sounded anything but cheerful. "Baekhyun!! Save me..."

"What?"

There was a long painful sigh, and a defeaning crash in the background. "Minseok told me that he is officially going to start spring-cleaning my house!! It's a terror! I NEVER ever spring-clean! There are years of dust on everything!!"

Baekhyun didn't see anything wrong with that. "That's good for you, hyung."

"Noooooo!! Everything's wrong!! Minseok is turning my apartment upside down!!" He moaned in despair. "He doesn't know how to operate the vacuum cleaner so he's dusting everywhere with a feather duster and he's choking up the house with dust!!" Luhan sneezed loudly to prove it.

Baekhyun shook his head with a laugh. "Alright hyung, I'm going to do you a favour and invite both of you out shopping!!"

There was a silence, and then a loud sneeze. "Oh my god. Really?!"

"Yeah hyung."

There was a whoop of joy. "Thank you Baekhyunnie!!!! Minseokkie please stop creating tornados in my living room and let's get ready to-" The line was abruptly cut. Baekhyun dropped him a text containing their outing details, before turning back to Jongdae. He was currently trying to buckle up his pants.

"How... does this thing fit?" He furrowed his brow in deep concentration.

Baekhyun went over to assist him. "Like this." He slipped the button through the hole and tugged up the remainder of the pants zipper.

His hand hovered.

No!!!!!!

Baekhyun jerked away, and cleared his throat loudly. "Let's- let's go!!"

 

---

 

"Where are we going?" Jongdae quipped, walking alongside Baekhyun too close that their shoulders bumped every three seconds.

Baekhyun wasn't about to complain, but his insides were feeling strangely unsettled. Not like the shoulder-bumping means anything, of course... The train station is just crowded...

"Times Square. It's a really huge shopping district." Baekhyun guided Jongdae round a bend by the wrist before he drifted off in the wrong direction.

"Why?" Jongdae didn't seem to mind Baekhyun's hand on his wrist, and he didn't pull away. Even after five seconds. Even after ten seconds. Even after-

"Line 1: Train departing in 1 minute."

"Runnnnn!!!" Baekhyun broke into a sprint, and yanked Jongdae along. The young Prince didn't have a clue of what's happening, and he didn't seem to understand the meaning of 'run'. But somehow, miraculously, Baekhyun managed to get both of them into the squeezy subway car, milliseconds before the doors closed.

Baekhyun leaned against the doors as the train started to move, huffing breathlessly. Jongdae directed a hurt glare at him, rubbing his cheek from where he accidentally smacked it on the side railing of the cabin.

"When I say run, you run, got it?" Baekhyun hissed under his breath.

"You are NOT to order me around, I am the Prince, you should listen to me!" Jongdae shot back.

Oops, that was way too loud.

Half of the cabin passengers turned to stare at them. Baekhyun blushed furiously and clapped a hand around Jongdae's mouth, laughing nervously. "Heh, Jongdae yah... Shut up." He lowered his voice at the last part, such that it was barely a murmur.

But Jongdae caught it perfectly well. "You do not silence me!!" He insisted angrily, but his words were muffled by Baekhyun's hand. Baekhyun grinned at him brightly and kept his hand firmly clasped on the younger boy's mouth.

At least until Jongdae opened his mouth and clenched his teeth around the skin on Baekhyun's palm.

"Arghh!" He pulled away and inspected the damage. Which was nothing but tiny teeth indentations, of course. "Don't bite me!!"

"I am not biting-"

The train jerked to the left, and everyone leaned towards one side. It caught Jongdae completely off-guard, and he yelped, stumbling forward and straight into Baekhyun's chest. "Ooof!!"

Baekhyun felt the entire cabin spin for a split-second. One hand gripping the overhead handle, he brought his other hand up to grasp the side of Jongdae's waist. His waist is small... It fits well in my hand... His head is leaning against my collarbone... He is not pulling away...

"Hold the damn handle, Jongdae."

Jongdae snapped his head up with a scowl. "Fine!!" He retorted, and reached round Baekhyun to clutch the metal bar, the inside of his upper arm pressed up against the side of Baekhyun's ribcage, the tip of his nose hovering above his shoulder.

No... Too close... He bit his lip and shook his head. "Uh, Jongdae..."

"Not this one?" He looked genuinely confused. "Then..." His eyes travelled up to the overhead handle that Baekhyun was holding.

"This one?" He reached up, his fingers grazing Baekhyun's own before closing them around the handle.

Around Baekhyun's fingers that were around the handle.

 

---

 

"You should've just told him that each handle was meant for one person only..."

Luhan slurped noisily on his milkshake, and dumped it into a trashcan before wiping his damp hands on his jeans. Baekhyun sighed and rubbed his temples. "It's not that easy, you know..."

"Why wouldn't it be?" Luhan snorted at his perturbed expression. "Of course if it was Minseok..." He glanced over gleefully at the scholar who was currently fussing endlessly over 'his Prince', "I would gladly allow him to keep his hand there... But if it's uncomfortable you could've just told him to take his hand off."

It wasn't uncomfortable. Not in that way. I just couldn't really breathe properly for the rest of the journey.

"Besides, it's his first time riding a subway, right? What did he say about it?"

Baekhyun blinked several times, trying to recall... "Actually, he didn't even say anything. He probably didn't even know what it was."

Luhan groaned. "You just pulled him onto a train without him knowing?! Seriously Baekhyun, you should've been a better tour guide. Jongdae ah!!" Addressing the younger boy, Luhan scampered over to him and threw his arm around his shoulder.

"Do you know what is a subway?"

"This!!" Jongdae produced a brochure from his pocket that he picked up from the train station they alighted at. It was a map of the Seoul subway line. "This is a subway." He jabbed the image of the train proudly.

"Do you know that you rode on it just now?"

Jongdae gaped at him incredulously. "What?!"

Minseok took the brochure from Jongdae and carefully opened it up. It kept unfolding and unfolding, lengthwise and widthwise, until the previously palm-sized slip of paper had swelled to ten times its size. Jongdae's and Minseok's eyes bulged from their sockets, and Luhan and Baekhyun exchanged amused glances.

"Is this magic?" Minseok breathed.

"Is that a spider? Actually it looks like Sehun's hair." Jongdae furrowed his brow and poked at the very large subway route map.

"Who is Sehun, my Prince?" Minseok turned to Jongdae, alarmed that someone's hair could actually remotely resemble that mess of... colourful lines.

Jongdae pursed his lips when he realised he actually didn't know.

"Uhh!!" Baekhyun broke into their conversation, prying Luhan's arm off Jongdae's shoulder and replacing it with his own. "Anyway we're here to shop, not to look at maps. I know my way around here, this is my heaven! Come on, let's go!!"

"Heaven?" Jongdae echoed.

"Ah, I mean my favourite place." Baekhyun corrected. I must really stop speaking informally because Jongdae and Minseok process everything so literally that it's kind of scary.

 

---

 

Baekhyun found out that it was difficult shopping with people who have vastly different tastes. In fact, it was almost completely impossible.

"Baekhyun, we are shopping for Minseok's and Jongdae's clothes, not yours..." Luhan heaved an irritated sigh as he entered yet another hipster store.

Baekhyun poked his head out from a rack of jazzy-looking sweatshirts. "Oh, yeah..." He muttered guiltily, as he caught sight of Jongdae shifting from one foot to another, clearly uncomfortable being in a place full of 'toxic-looking' clothing.

"I saw a nice outfit on the display window over there," Minseok tugged on Jongdae's arm and pointed at something afew shops away.

Luhan went out to have a closer look, and he returned with a distraught expression. "Those are hanboks, Minseok..."

Minseok dissed him off. "They look much nicer than what you people are wearing..."

Jongdae hesitated. "Actually I like this." He tugged at Luhan's sweater and grinned.

Minseok gaped in horror. "You like their awkward clothing?!"

"Only some of them. Not those scary ones..." He tilted his head in the hipster store's direction. Baekhyun emerged from the store with a shopping bag, smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry for that holdup, now let's really begin shopping!!" He swung the bag over his shoulder and started down the corridor towards the other shops.

"Then what have we been doing for the past hour..." Minseok murmured.

"I'm hungry..." Jongdae grumbled.

"Food!! Let's go get food." Luhan perked up and gripped them both by the arm. "I'll bring you guys to this coffee shop, they have awesome sandwiches!!"

"Coffee...?" Jongdae looked horrified.

 

---

 

They arrived at the coffeeshop right before the lunch crowd, and managed to grab the coveted corner seats at the back of the shop. Luhan spread open the menu excitedly and started recommending every sandwich on the list.

"The chicken one is good!! No, the tuna one is better! Wait, actually..."

Baekhyun pulled the menu out of his hands impatiently. "Let me do the ordering, alright?"

They ended up with six mega-sandwiches of different fillings, three coffees, and a glass of orange juice. Baekhyun nonchalantly handed the bill slip to Luhan without a word, and Luhan accepted it breezily.

"What is this?" Minseok nudged his cup of coffee with great suspicion.

"Coffee," Luhan replied, which made Jongdae flinch and hide his face in his glass of juice.

"Coffee?" He peered at the milky brown liquid and scrunched his nose. "Why does it smell like this?"

"It tastes awesome, trust me." Baekhyun leaned his elbows on the table and took a long sip.

"No it does not!!" Jongdae protested.

"You haven't tried it before, Jongdae."

"I do not ever intend to!!"

Minseok brought the cup to his lips, and he took a sip. And another. And another. Within minutes, he had downed the entire cup and his lips with a contented sigh.

"It is fabulous!! This.. coff.... coughing tastes good!"

"Coffee." Luhan corrected. He grinned at Minseok toothily. "You like coffee? Well, guess what. I love coffee too!! Yay!" He flung his arms around Minseok's shoulders, and despite being roughly thrown off half a second later, he was still grinning like nobody's business.

 

---

 

Baekhyun and Luhan did manage to find a shop that sold clothes suited to Jongdae's and Minseok's tastes. More specifically, Luhan found it, because it was totally his kind of shop.

"I'm trying to avoid this kind of shops and there you are bringing them here!!" Baekhyun hissed at the professor, tugging him down the aisle of enormous shapeless jumpers.

Luhan shrugged sleepily. "They prefer these kind of clothes to yours. Anyway, your kind of clothes aren't even proper clothes. They are..."

"Art pieces." Baekhyun finished with a triumphant grin.

"Or rather, clothes worn when creating art pieces." Luhan raised an eyebrow.

Baekhyun fumed and released his hold on Luhan's collar. "Much better than these bulky mammoth sweaters, don't you think?"

"Nah, why get tattered jeans and jackets with random splatters and when you can buy warm, woolly jerseys and snuggly beanies for the same price? Or even cheaper."

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. Luhan was just five years older but it felt like he was in a completely different generation. "We're in a thrift store, Luhan. Of course everything is cheaper here."

Jongdae appeared with an armful of soft fabric. "I like these!!" He announced, and even Minseok had a couple of fleece shirts in his hands. Luhan turned to Baekhyun with a told-you-so look.

"I told you this is the best place!!"

Why must Jongdae and Minseok follow Luhan sunbae's lack of fashion sense, whyyyy....

Baekhyun took the pile of clothing from Jongdae's arms and marched over to the nearest shop assistant. He dumped them into her arms purposefully. "Get all these one size smaller for me, thanks."

"Ehh? But Bae hoon..." Jongdae rushed over, looking flabbergasted.

Baekhyun looked at Jongdae through narrowed slits. "Trust me, fitting clothes look better on you, not baggy ones."

Jongdae's expression shifted. "What do you know about how clothes fit my body, anyway?" He snapped.

The sudden outburst echoed around the large store. Luhan's eyes widened dramatically, and the assistant quickly took off towards the back of the shop. Baekhyun swallowed down a lump forming in his throat, and avoided meeting Jongdae's gaze. "I just... know."

Jongdae pouted heavily, and spun on his heel, marching out of the shop. Minseok handed his pile of clothes to Luhan, who took it and headed to the counter. Baekhyun bit his lip, and didn't move from his spot.

"Let's go Baekhyun ah. Jongdae isn't angry with you." Luhan called from over his shoulder.

No... He's angry... I made him angry.

 

---

 

"I'm sorry. Jongdae, I'm sorry. Jongdae, please forgive me. It's my fault, Jongdae. Arghhh-"

Baekhyun dunked his head into the sink in the male washroom, and scrubbed his face vigorously. What am I supposed to do now?!

Luhan poked his head in worriedly. "Hey, what's taking you so long? We're all ready to head home."

Baekhyun shook water droplets off his fringe and sighed. "Coming~~"

"Oh by the way Jongdae's taking great interest in the body creams in the shop next door. Come over when you're done."

Body cream??

When Baekhyun emerged from the washroom a while later, he understood what Luhan meant. Jongdae was fawning over the body butter display, testing every sample on his wrist and smelling them and going absolutely gaga over every different smell.

His smile disappeared, though, the moment Baekhyun entered his line of vision. Jongdae set down the cream jar in his hand and brushed past Baekhyun, tugging on Minseok's hand. "Are we going back now?" He asked Luhan.

Luhan nodded. "Yeah, let's go." He threw Baekhyun a helpless smile, before following them out of the shop.

Baekhyun turned back to look at the body butter display.

 

---

 

It was late evening by the time they arrived back at Baekhyun's apartment. Chanyeol, ever the kind Samaritan, handed out dinner bento sets smilingly to them as they stepped through the door.

"Ahh- what's wrong, Jongdae?" He immediately detected Jongdae's dark expression.

And then he saw Baekhyun's face.

"Wow you guys, did you break up or something?" Chanyeol threw his hands in the air in exasperation. "I mean, I doubt so since Jongdae is still here, but really why are your faces so black!! It's like you went for a charcoal mask spa and forgot to wash off the remnants-"

"Shut up, Chanyeol." Baekhyun elbowed his stomach gently (well, he did buy them dinner after all) and made a beeline towards the bedroom, hot on Jongdae's heels.

He entered the room and shut the door behind him. Jongdae spun around and glared at him. "Now what do you want from me?"

Baekhyun hadn't found his voice at all on the way back, and it had been a terribly awkward journey back. Now that they were home, he was determined to apologise properly.

Baekhyun shuffled forward slowly. "Jongdae ah..." He produced a package from behind his back, smiling sheepishly. "Apology present?"

Jongdae stared at it hesitantly. "What is that?"

"The thing you liked earlier. The body cream. I bought the lavender cherry one for you."

Jongdae's eyes widened for a split second, and he lunged forward happily, all traces of bitterness gone. Baekhyun yelped and whipped the package behind his back again, stumbling back as Jongdae advanced towards him.

"Wait!! Listen to me first!!" Holding out a palm against Jongdae's chest, Baekhyun felt like he was dealing with a five-year-old kid on his birthday. "My apology."

"Oh." Jongdae halted in his tracks and placed his hands by his side solemnly. "Okay, I will listen."

What's up with his mood swings? Gosh. "Umm, there's a reason I chose smaller sizes for you. Well, it's because, umm, you know the weather is cold, and wearing loose clothes isn't good, cold air gets in easily and you'll fall sick, plus fitting clothes look better, on you, I mean...-"

Jongdae cut him off with a giggle and a hug, arms slipping round his waist. "You are so cute, Bae hoon. To be honest, I never really felt angry, I was just pretending, because feigning anger usually gets me apology presents, and I like presents!!"

Wait. Whattttt?!

"So do not fret over it, Bae hoon, I am not angry. Thank you for the clothes and the present!!" Before he knew what was happening, the package was pried away from his hands. Jongdae retracted his arms and immediately started to unwrap the package.

"Oooh there is a popping sheet inside, too!!"

Baekhyun found himself extremely weak in the knees. He caught himself before he crumpled to the floor. What? Pretending? Not angry? C-cute?! WHATTT?!

That jerk...

"It's Baekhyun hyung!!!!!" He yelled after Jongdae, who was probably making his way gleefully to the kitchen to have his bento dinner.

Arghhhhhh....

His phone rang, and rang. Baekhyun peered at the caller ID, and it was Luhan. .

After ignoring eleven of his calls, Luhan finally sent an SMS full of raging emoticons and exclamation marks.

 

(7:42PM) Luhan: What the hell Baekhyun how did our lunch end up costing 65000 bloody won?!?!?!?!?! I'm coming over to murder you nowwww   ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=┌(￣^￣)┘

 

 

Today was definitely, undoubtedly, inarguably NOT a good day for Baekhyun.

 

 

 

 

A/N: Lubaekxiuchen shopping!!
How was the twist? Hahaha. Cheeky Jongdae is cheeky :P
By the way, Chanyeol and Sehun both know Jongdae's real identity, but they still assume Jongdae is Baekhyun's boyfriend. Lol.
This chapter took so long to write gahh, had a mini writers block. But I'm back on track (for the time being) and I will post the next chapter very soon!!
This chapter was kind of filler-ish, it intros some of xiuchen's preferences in the 21st century. I will be making alot of references to this chapter in future.

Seoul subway map in comparison to Sehun's hair...

 

65000 won is about 60 US dollars.

Oh, and thank you to Crimson Twilight Review Shop and World Of Literature for their review!! :D thank you for taking time to read this :):)