Avoiding Sehun was cruel, especially due to his transgressions, but he had too much shame to face his friend after what he'd done. Maybe even more concerning was how his pale best friend hadn't reached out to him in that time.

Stretches of going without talking like this were usually very rare between them as they both understood each other really well. His bond with Hun was very strong due to them realizing certain things at the same time, experiencing things for the first time together, and the intimate relationship they'd pursued in later schooling.

His shame was just so damned strong, he didn't know how to handle it. But when Yeol invited him to go to the the gym with he and Sehun, he didn't dare deny the request.

And even though it'd tear him away from Soo, whom he craved more and more each day, it'd be good to get out and stretch his muscles. It'd been a long time since he'd come to the gym and just let loose and had fun doing whatever his body wanted him to do.

"When was the last time you really got to sweat Jongin?" Yeol looked so excited to be here right now, "you haven't become soft have you?"

"I don't think so," the younger stole the ball from him and shot it, missing by just an inch, "... okay well, I'm a little bit rusty."

"Rusty is for robots," Chanyeol chased the basketball down, "you just don't make enough time in your schedule to work out and that's not a good habit to form."

"Hey, speaking of 'working out,' lay off on telling Kyungsoo that he's gained weight or needs to slim down," though the workout itself had been anything but a bad thing, "because unlike I, he doesn't know you well enough to try and ignore your ty sense of humor."

"I make one comment and it continues to haunt me weeks later," the giant shot and actually made it, "it's like I haven't spoken carelessly before when I'm around you two."

"You haven't, especially not around Soo," the younger didn't want to sound imposing, he still had no control over the relationship his boyfriend and Yeol had, but he wanted to avoid hurting the older as much as possible, "and he's sensitive ... he's delicate ... and he takes you very seriously, so lay off any stupid , alright? It's all I'm asking."

Even with the -eating, victorious grin on his face, he seemed to get what Kai was saying and he nodded his head in agreement.

It was his job as a boyfriend to protect Kyungsoo and make him happy, he'd said this from the start. Sharing wasn't his ideal situation, but if he was going to be forced to, he was still going to do his duties and keep the older happy.

It felt awkward to confront Chanyeol over this in the current setting, but it was the giant who brought up the topic that segued into that.

"Did I miss something?" their pale friend finally arrived, dressed in loose clothes and his hair styled differently. Kai could admit that he was paying attention to these little, unimportant things because he didn't want to think about his bigger issue at hand.

"Kai is just lecturing me on how to handle human beings."

"I was not lecturing!"

"Whether he was or wasn't, that's definitely training you need."

The giant glared at them both, "I would have just come alone if I knew I was coming here to get roasted."

"If we wanted to roast you we'd come for those satellites God fixed to the sides of your head," Sehun his heel to go put his duffel bag down.

This was the beauty of having a friend like Sehun ... he could be very gay at all the right times. It was as if shade pumped through his very veins.

"I hate you both," Chanyeol threw the ball down on the ground and stomped away to the bench dramatically.

Kai grabbed it and dribbled a few times and practiced his shot because sadly, he really hadn't done this in a long time. College didn't really allow time to go play and he couldn't afford a gym membership.

He thanked his nice physique to an amazing metabolism and all the sports he'd played in High School. He'd only retained his muscle by all the running he did around campus and the dance classes that he took and taught which in turn kept him ever-so sculpted.

Missing the first few shots was so not him and he knew that he just needed to get out of his own head to make things better. Way too many distractions were using his thoughts as a stomping ground right now and he was having none of it.

He inhaled deeply and then took his shot.

The feeling of pride flooded his senses when he'd finally made it. Jongin caught the ball when it rolled back over to him and shot again, aiming at the little, orange colored lines that formed a square at the back of the net and he fired.

Another one hit it's mark on the backboard and scored.

"Kyungsoo's been rather mum today," Chanyeol commented, still sitting on he bench and checking his phone.

"I've checked my phone less than you have."

"Yeah ..." the giant paused, "but he seems to tell you more."

He shot the ball and felt extra triumphant when it not only made it into the net, but that he'd heard this concession from Yeol.

"He's in town shopping around his resume to a few restaurants so I think he'll be busy for the rest of the afternoon," Jongin smiled, "and then later, I'm taking him to Hommes Seoul headquarters because I finally convinced him to interview for a fashion job too."

The giant frowned, "and how are you planning to get there?"

"Cab."

"You don't have fare for a cab," Chanyeol rolled his eyes, "you barely have cash to cover your meals ... I'll drive you."

"That's really not nec-"

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