It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, a beautiful bride was sitting on a bench by the park surrounded by lovely flowers and rose bushes. She was sitting there while waiting for her prince charming to sweep her off her feet.

“Thank you! That is a wrap everybody!”

The couple moved over to shake hands with the photographer. The person that had the ability to capture beautiful and timeless moments, freezing that beauty in pictures that will last a long time.

“Just go, I can manage it from here.”

Mino smiles knowingly at Jihoon, he then another thumbs up to the two other guys before he hurried to his car. He drove like a madman to the airport and haphazardly parked the car outside the arrival hall before rushing in. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his watch that he still had five minutes to spare.

“Mino!”

Mino would recognize that particular voice from anywhere. Turning, he came face to face with the owner of the voice. He could not help but stare at that familiar pair of eyes that would twinkle along with the cute droopy eyebrows whenever he smiled or laughed.

“Nam Taehyun! I thought you are due to land at 6pm?”

“I arrived earlier than scheduled.”

“You should have called me then…”

“It is okay, Mino”

Taehyun stepped forward to give him a hug.

“So what’s for dinner?”

“Yah! Is food all you care about? You little greedy minx.”

Taehyun cutely pouted his lips making Mino laughed.

“We are meeting the others at The Assembly.”

Taehyun hooked his arms around Mino as they made their way to Mino’s car together.

“Mino, you got a ticket.”

“Shoots!”

This was Mino whenever he is with Taehyun. He forgets everything else and sees Taehyun only. The cheerful ringtone of Taehyun’s mobile brought Mino out from his reverie.

“Hello, Yup I have reached Seoul already, Jinwoo hyung.  Sure, I will see you later then!”

Mino started the car slowly. They were cruising along slowly while Taehyun fiddled with the radio channel dial.

“Mino, it is ok if you dropped my off at Hongdae instead?”

“Why? I thought we are going to meet the rest at The Assembly?”

“There is a change of plans. I am meeting Jinwoo hyung instead.”

Mino silently drove on without saying anything.

“I am so sorry. Promise I will make it up to you. Pretty please?” Taehyun leaned over to rest his chin on Mino’s shoulder.

Silence

“Please do not be mad with me?”

Silence

“Mino, please?”

Mino sighed in disappointment but could not help to adhere to Taehyun’s request. Mino later dropped Taehyun off in front of the Hello Kitty café in Hongdae.

“Thank you! You are the best!” Taehyun  happily gave a quick peck on his cheek.

“Could you help me drop off my luggage? Thanks! I will see you tomorrow ok!” Taehyun said as he got out of the car.

“Bye.” The door was already closed by then.

From the rearview mirror, Mino could see Taehyun happily greeting a very good looking doe-eyed guy who was waiting for him. Mino could not help but let out a sigh.

“Way to go, Song Minho.”

 When Mino entered the restaurant, no one was surprised that he was alone.  It was a common occurrence whenever Mino goes to the airport to pick him up. Jihoon wanted to say something but Hyeri tapped him arm gently, her eyes softly telling him not to say anything.

“Where is Taehyunie?” Jungshin asked when he popped his head out from the kitchen.  

Everyone turned to give the evil eye while Mino pointedly ignored his question.

“So what’s the menu for tonight?” Mino asked skipping over Jungshin question totally.

“Well, I created a new item so you all are my guinea pigs. If it tastes good then it goes into the main menu.”

“What is it called? It is tacos right?” Hyeri asked as she looked at the plate that was placed in the middle of their table.

“Yup, I created a new kind of tacos. I call them JS-Tacos.” Jungshin nodded.

“Yah! What kind of a stupid name is that?” Yonghwa whacked his brother lightly on the head.

“Hyung, I never understood why you always need to hit my head every single time.”

Everyone seated around the table laughed loudly.

“Guys, can you just imagine the pleasure of biting into spicy pork, tofu marinated in red chilli flakes vinaigrette, ribs doused in sesame oil and these lovely meats wrapped in a soft taco wrap.”

Jonghyun felt his mouth began to water, Yonghwa’s stomach loudly growled, Mino swallowed heavily, Jihoon was drooling and Hyeri her lips. The tinkle of the bell broke everyone out of their own little daydream.

“What are you all staring at? Why isn’t anyone outside taking care of the customers?”

“Hyunnie…” Yonghwa immediately got up to his feet and greeted his very pregnant wife.

Seohyun rubbed her huge tummy and shot a lovely smile at her husband. She had always been very gentle but when she got pregnant, her bossy side showed much to everyone’s amusement. Her hormones seem to go haywire these days. They all know that she is pretty harmless until you stepped on her tail. She could really knocked someone out with her polite anger.

“Mino, where is Tae? I thought you were supposed to pick him up?”

“Ermmm, he went to meet a friend.”

Mino avoided looking at Seohyun and looked at the floor instead. Yonghwa softly and gently shushed his wife by putting a hand over , she gave her husband the oh- look.

“Oh come on, why are we mulling about here? Let’s eat before the food gets cold.” Jonghyun attempted to brighten up the mood again.

The food tasted even better than how Jungshin described.

The Assembly was opened by Yonghwa, but it was for Jungshin who graduated from culinary school. Jungshin was good at what he does and does not mind the crazy hours of slogging away in an extremely hot kitchen. The restaurant was a small cozy place but on the weekends, it will be packed to the brim. There was a table right at the corner near to the kitchen that was always reserved for them and they would make a point to get together once a week for dinner. Other times it would just be one or two of them dropping by after work or for a drink or two.

Mino sighed as he stepped out onto the balcony looking into darkened street. He felt something cold touched his arm and immediately grabbed the ice cold beer from Jihoon who came out to stand beside him.

“The star is out to play tonight ya?”

“It is just one of those nights.” Mino was grateful for his friend’s understanding.

Mino’s phone beeped indicated that he had a new message.

Mino, can you come over to pick me up please? I am at vertigo…

Mino badly wanted to ignore the message and ignore him but for what? Doomed was what he will always be as Mino typed his reply.

Sure.

“Where to?”

Mino smiled.

“Vertigo.”

“Drive safely.”

“I know!” Mino answered as he rushed off.

Jihoon watched his best friend leave after saying a quick goodbye to everyone. Mino has been very good with his head for everything except when it comes to Taehyun. A pair of hands encircled him from behind. He pulled his fiancée around to the front so that he could hug her from behind instead. They spent a few moments in silence just looking up a the starry night.

“Taehyun?”

Jihoon nodded silently.

Jihoon and Mino have been best friends since forever. They met Jiho and Yonghwa when both of them were in high school. At first they each hated each other’s guts until the four of them had a go at one another in a fight. As they sat down on the ground with bloody noses and red stained uniforms, they could not help but to start laughing and laughing. From then on, the four of them became best friends who went through thick and thin together. There was not a single thing that they did not know about each other.

Jungshin and Jonghyun were Yonghwa and Mino’s younger brothers respectively. Those two were completely and total opposites. Jungshin was always very vocal and says everything that came to his mind while Jonghyun was shy and keeps everything within him. Jungshin took an interest in culinary while Jonghyun took up interior designing. Both of them naturally became best friends since they practically grew up together.

Since all of them became how they were not without any form of parental guidance. That was one of the reasons why they became so tight knit and close.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hihi, chapter 1... more like an introduction... hope you enjoy...