As planned and was expected, the group headed out for lunch, instead of having it in the beach house. It didn’t mean, however, that they were able to leave and search for a restaurant straight away. Given their sheer number and the varied tastes and preferences in food, it was to no one’s surprise when suggestion after suggestion piled on top of the either. But as it was Taemin’s birthday, the group eventually settled for a local steak restaurant, the girls easily going on with the idea despite knowing that there was meat – and lots of it – in the menu for his birthday dinner. Once the restaurant was chosen, everyone filed out of the beach house, Nichkhun, Tiffany, Taecyeon, and Yuri taking the Tucson with Nichkhun at the wheel and Tiffany riding shotgun. Jaejoong and Changmin were appointed driver and navigator of the twelve-seater Starex, taking Taemin, Naeun, Minho, Amber, and Kai with them, while Leeteuk, Sooyoung, and Donghae followed behind, the eldest of the trio taking on the driving duties for the Lexus. Taeyeon, Sulli, Heechul, and Jessica made up the rear, Heechul driving the Infiniti with Jessica in the passenger’s seat  

Lunch was slightly uneventful due in part to the fact that Changmin, Kyuhyun, and Minho had been seated away from each other, though Minho managed to inform their server that it was Taemin’s birthday, the unsuspecting celebrant eventually finding himself at the receiving end of a short birthday song from the servers and a complementary dessert, Naeuen going rather snap happy with her camera through it all.

Once lunch had been squared away, those cooking Taemin’s birthday dinner opted to head back straight to the beach house, Nichkhun handing the keys to the Tucson to Donghae when it was decided that the group was to take only the Starex back with them. For everyone else, it meant that it was time to head to the Jeju Teddy Bear Museum; Kyuhyun, Leeteuk, and Donghae grumbling under their breath about not wanting to spend their afternoon cooing a teddy bear displays, the boys having more than enough sense, fortunately, to make sure that none of the girls heard them. With promises to call once dinner was ready, the group split and headed for their respective destinations.

“I just need to say it one more time – this is a load amount of food.” Jaejoong commented, the dark haired man looking down at the recipe sheets that was laid out on the island counter. “There are ten of us so I think it’s best if we work in pairs. Soo, you’re taking the desserts?”

“Yup. The banana nutella smores, coffee fudge brownies, and the birthday cake.” Sooyoung nodded affirmatively. “Who wants to work with me?”

Yoona’s hand shoots up. “Me!”

“Right… Those are three things out of the way.” Jaejoong paused, eyes scanning the remaining recipes. “The next pair should work on the kalbi, the chicken and beef bulgogi, the coconut-curry grilled chicken, and the grilled chicken s with lemon and thyme.”

Taecyeon exchanged a look with Nichkhun. “Sounds like a job for us.”

“A pair should take all the sides… so that means the potato salad, grilled vegetables, corn on the cob, and Thai beef salad–”

“That’s Tiffany’s doing, isn’t it?”

Yoona grinned at Nichkhun. “Jackpot.”

“– and the drinks too; lemonade, iced tea, berry smoothie, and Thai-basil sangria.” Jaejoong looked up to shoot Kai and Minho a questioning look. “Are you two up for it?”

“Sure.”

“No problem.”

Another questioning look was sent to Taeyeon and Sulli. “I assume you two are partnering up?”

The two women nodded. “What do you want us to do?” Taeyeon asked.

“Grilled glazed salmon, Carribean jerk pork chops, and the grilled miso shrimp.”

Sulli exchanged a look with her partner. “Sounds good.”

“That leaves the spicy buffalo burger, the honey-glazed baby back ribs with whiskey marinade, grilled skirt steak with salsa verde, and the chilli hotdogs to us.” Jaejoong turned to Changmin then before addressing everyone as a whole once more. “We should be done by 7 pm at the latest. If anyone needs help, don’t forget to ask, alright? We can always as one or two from the teddy bear contingent to head back to help.”

Changmin snickered at that. “Right. Let’s get started.

“Hey Soo, Taec.” Nichkhun called out before they could really move. “Can I talk to you guys for a second?”

Sooyoung and Tae