Lunch breaks usually consist of Kibum meeting up with his boyfriend and three of their close friends at their usual round table in the cafeteria. Today is no different… except for the fact that Jonghyun is looking like a joke with a sticker the size of his forehead on his black sweater. It doesn’t help that Jinki and Taemin are doing nothing to stop Jonghyun from embarrassing himself.

“I don’t need a lover?” Kibum raises his eyebrow as he sits across Jonghyun and reads out the words printed on the large sticker, “Seriously, hyung?”

“I mean every word.” Jonghyun nods and repeats out loud as he points at the sticker, “I. Don’t. Need. A. Lover.”

Kibum sighs dramatically and looks pointedly at his other two friends who are sitting on either side of Jonghyun and sniggering among themselves.

“Can one of you just date him already? I don’t care who, just anyone of you, or better yet, the both of you, please just save Jjong before his loneliness drives him even crazier.”

While Taemin laughs harder, Jinki at least has the decency to blush but Jonghyun isn’t having any of it. His face hardens and he gives Kibum a stare.

“This is me protesting against Valentine’s Day.” Jonghyun explains rather proudly.

“You can try to match make us all you like, Kibum hyung, but Jjong loves being single.” Taemin butts in, “He’s enjoying life like this.”

“Exactly.” Jonghyun grins at the maknae, thankful that at least someone in their group understands him.

“But enough about me.” Jonghyun turns the attention away from himself and places the focus on his best friend, “Where’s your favourite accessory, Kibummie?”

Instinctively, Kibum anxiously looks at his left hand and checks if his promise ring is still on his finger. He heaves a little sigh of relief when he sees that it’s still there before glaring at Jonghyun in the next second.

“Not funny.” Kibum says sternly, “Don’t do that again.”

“I wasn’t referring to that…” Jonghyun replies, “I meant the one that breathes.”

When a look of confusion appears on Kibum’s face, the oldest among them comes to his rescue.

“He’s asking about Minho…” Jinki explains before he points somewhere behind Kibum, “But you don’t have to answer that, I see- well, I can’t exactly see him but… yeah.”

As if Jinki doesn’t already sound like he’s making any sense, the amused smile on the eldest’s face makes Kibum even more puzzled. It doesn’t help when Jonghyun and Taemin suddenly catch on and immediately burst out laughing, both of their eyes now looking past Kibum.

Curious, Kibum turns back and unexpectedly finds himself looking at a giant teddy bear whose face is even bigger than his.

“What the hell is-”

“Happy Valentine’s, Kibummie!”

Kibum’s eyes travel up the bear’s face, past a long slender neck with two Adam’s apples before he meets his boyfriend’s eyes.

“I love you beary much?” Minho attempts to say but ends up laughing as he then magically pulls a box of what is obviously chocolates out of nowhere and gives it to Kibum, “So much that I got you your favourite chocolates as well.”

Completely surprised, Kibum stares at the chocolates in his hands, then at the teddy bear before finally looking at Minho again.

“Don’t tell me there’s more.”

There’s a sudden twinkle in Minho’s eyes.

“How did you know?” Minho acts surprised, “I bought your favourite flowers too but I didn’t have enough hands so they’re still in my car.”

“Oh my god, Choi Minho.”

Kibum doesn’t have to turn back to know his three friends are having the time of their lives watching them.

“I know, I know. You love me, don’t you?” Minho winks.

“I do,” Kibum breathes out, “But-”

“You can thank me later,” Not needing to hear the rest of Kibum’s sentence, Minho interrupts with a grin as he sits beside his Valentine, pushing the teddy bear into Kibum’s lap before whispering in his ear, “When we’re back in your room.”

Happy but embarrassed, Kibum finds himself absolutely defeated by Minho. Rendered speechless, he decides to hide his face behind the teddy bear until lunch is over and let his thick-skinned boyfriend deal with their friends.

“Urgh, get a room.” Jonghyun teases with mock disgust.

“We will,” Minho happily answers, “After we’re done with class.”

“Ew, gross, the images!” Taemin pretends to gag, “Thanks hyung, I just lost my appetite.”

Of course, it isn’t complete until Jinki says something as well.

“Kibum, don’t you find it beary hard to breathe?”

Just like that, everyone including Kibum ends up laughing.

As he finally looks up and takes in the smiling faces of the people he loves, Kibum thinks that maybe this is what Valentine’s Day is all about.