Jongdae loves and hates living in the small house him and 5 other boys currently reside in. It's in the suburbs of Beijing but not really too far from the city. Him and Minseok are exchange students while the other 4 have been friends for so long and decided to all live together in one house. When they arrived in Beijing for the student program, the 4 Chinese welcomed the both of them in the airport with glittery banners just to show how much they are welcomed. Jongdae almost flies back to Seoul but Minseok assured them that the 4 males - one who looks like a doll, one who looks like he's perpetually high, one who looks like a ninja assassin and the giant who has a chronic face - are totally harmless, what with Luhan being his host brother when Luhan went to Seoul to study too. Jongdae thinks he trusts too easily when during that time for the program's orientation, he agreed to live with Minseok in the suburbs and not in the city just because the older boy knows a place they can stay for cheaper without host parents and curfews and whatnots and now he has ended up here.

The house isn't really huge since it's an old house of the Wus before Yifan's family migrated to Canada. Yifan decided to stay and finish university in China so his parents left the house in his care - in his care meaning asking his 3 best friends to live with him and then having beds for rent. The house has 3 rooms - the master's, Yifan's old room, and a guest room. Yifan's moved to the master's and Zitao becomes his roommate. Luhan and Yixing decided to take a room for each just because during that time, they could. 3 months later since the 4 Chinese boys all moved in together, Jongdae and Minseok turns up. If the house isn't a little Victorian, some might think these boys have started a frat house that throws parties every night, but nope. They're even fortunate enough to have a small frontyard and right now he's watching Minseok and Yixing tend to the small patch of flower garden they've tried growing one Saturday morning.

"If you keep staring maybe he'll notice you, Jongdae."

"I... I'm not staring." Jongdae frowns at Luhan and the doe-eyed boy laughs, "Right. You do know he's one of my best friends and if you wanna go out on a date with him, I can be your wingman."

"I DONT NEED A WINGMAN! Besides, I dont have any idea what you're talking about." He jumps from his seat away from the window from where he's watching his two other housemates and stands in the middle of the living room to browse the channels on TV. Luhan wraps an arm around Jongdae, "Awww Chenchen... we've been living what? 3 months now and you think I won't notice? I notice a lot of things just so you know."

"I dont know what you're talking about! And stop calling me Chenchen! My Chinese name is Chen and just Chen."

"What are you two arguing about? Aww... is it your awfully cute little crush on Minseok-hyung, Jongdae-hyung?" Tao asks when he walks into the living room from the kitchen. Yifan comes walking after the younger and leans closer to whisper though it's loud enough for everyone to hear, "Remember Taozi, he doesn't have a crush on Minseok."

"At least he understands me." Jongdae smiles at Yifan, the tallest of them crosses his arms and nods at Jongdae, "He's just got a massive every time Minseok walks by."

"Our friendship is over!!!" Jongdae yells and imitates tearing up pieces of paper in the air.

"Whose friendship?"

Jongdae turns around to find Minseok and Yixing behind him who have just returned from the front yard. Jongdae chuckles nervously and points at Yifan, "His and mine."

"What happened, Chenchen?" Minseok asks and places a hand over his shoulder. Jongdae's breath hitches and it doesn't go unnoticed by the 4 Chinese. "Pffft.... Oh, Minseok, he doesn't like being called Chenchen." Luhan tells his bestfriend and Minseok retracts his hand and looks at the other Korean, "Really? I think it's cute."

"I.. I really don't mind." Jongdae stutters and Yifan starts to laugh. Tao follows suit and Luhan looks like he's having a heart attack while laughing his head out. Yixing just walks to the cupboard under the stairs to get his tools for gardening because he's been used to the crazy plaguing their home.

"Why don't you join us in the garden? The flowers we planted are almost blooming."

"I'll come later." Jongdae smiles and Minseok ruffles his hair, "Okay, Chenchen!" Minseok runs out of the house and follows Yixing out. Jondae glares at the other 3 immediately before any of them can start, "Don't you even dare say anything!"

"Hyung, it's okay. I mean, even Yixing-ge told us you called out Minseok-hyung's name when you were sleeping!" Tao smiles at Jongdae and sits on the couch. Yifan sits next to the younger and glares at him, "Is Yixing telling you about Jongdae's wet dreams?! I told him not to corrupt you!"

"Please, Yifan. You have corrupted baby Zitao for a while now. The walls are thin, you know? Like, how do you even have the courage to have on your parents' bed?!"

Yifan rolls his eyes and flips Luhan the bird, "If I know, you when we get it on."

"Gege! Manners!" Tao exclaims and Yifan shrugs his shoulders. He plants a kiss on Tao's cheek before the couple continues to watch TV.

"YOU TWO GIVE ME CANCER." Jongdae exclaims and Tao pouts, "Jongdae-hyung, if you just admit that you like Minseok-hyung, you wont have to be mad at Yifan and I. We can help you!"

Yixing suddenly walks inside the house casually to walk to the cupboard again to get a spade shovel. He puts a soil-stained hand on Jongdae's shoulder and smiles, "Jongdae-shii, Minseokkie said he's hungry. You can cook lunch for him, right? And you dont want to be obvious so you'll cook lunch for everyone."

"Now you're just bullying me."

"Okay. And Minseokkie just said he's craving for your special grilled beef."

"He didn't say that!"

Yixing is about to retort when Minseok enters the house again, "God, I am starving. Hey, Chenchen, when are we getting a taste of that special grilled beef again?"

"Today! I'm just gonna step out to buy the ingredients!"

"Awww!!! You're the best!"

Jongdae slumps his shoulders defeatedly because he can never win against his housemates. Such is the reason why he hates living together with them.





"You know, I've been wondering when you started to like him, Jongdae-shii."

Jongdae turns to his roommate who's currently reading a book on his bed. "Yixing!"

Yixing puts down his book and glares at Jongdae, "Are you gonna be satisfied with just your wet dreams? Don't you wanna touch and maybe the real thing?"

"You know sometimes it still amazes me how your innocent face doesn't match your dirty mouth."

"Details, details. Come on, answer the question."

Jongdae sighs and lies his back flat on his bed, "Maybe I've liked him the moment he first talked to me when we first met during the exchange students' program here. I mean, by the end of that orientation, I've agreed to live here with him, I think that says a bit too much already."

"Wanna change rooms? I mean, Luhan and Minseok's been complaining to me how loud Tao can be at night and how embarrassing it is to hear Yifan ask Tao who his daddy is and..."

"TOO MUCH INFORMATION!"

"What I'm saying is, maybe if you swap with Luhan, you can get and just the out of Minseok."

Jongdae deadpans and thinks for a second of what kind of response he will give Yixing because he thinks his brain just melted with his roommate's suggestion. He releases a sharp breath through his nose before turning his poker face to Yixing, "I'm fine here, thank you. And I hope you forget whatever you said tomorrow because I think I need to bleach my brain."

-----

Of course, Jongdae's little confession to Yixing spreads like wildfire to the other 3. Luhan insists he called it the moment Jongdae and Minseok landed from Incheon. Yifan and Tao congratulates Jongdae, they tell him that admitting to yourself is one step into admitting it to the other person. Yixing still tries to insist Jongdae to switch rooms with Luhan but Jongdae tells his roommate that he will murder him in his sleep if he even opens his suggestion to his other housemates.

Minseok steps out of the bedroom with his wild hair and scratches his eyes as he zombie-walks to the living room, "What is going on? It's a Sunday morning and what is with all this noise?"

"JONGDAE-HYUNG IS IN LOVE!" Tao exclaims and Minseok stops rubbing his eyes. He looks at Jongdae for a second and smiles at the other, "Who's the lucky person?"

"It's.... ueorudnksjfjls!!!" Tao's mouth is covered by Yifan and the tallest drags him to the kitchen. Minseok watches the couple in confusion and then turns his attention back to Jongdae, "Do I know him?"

"Uh..." Jongdae rubs the back of his neck and Minseok pats his shoulder, "You don't have to tell me right now. But don't keep me out of the loop, okay?"

"Okay..."

"Mannn, I am hungry!" Minseok turns from Jongdae and follows the couple to the kitchen, "YIFAN!!! FOR CHRIST'S SAKE! WE EAT HERE!"

Jongdae sighs and then looks at Luhan and Yixing, "Remind me that I need to get back on Tao for his little outburst."

"And have Yifan commit murder in this house? Hmn. Nope." Luhan shakes his head. Yixing agrees with Luhan then follows his housemates to the kitchen to eat. Luhan wraps an arm around Jongdae and whispers, "Tell you what. You have a pop quiz on your Mandarin classes tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah. What of it?"

"Tell him you lost your notes and share with him while you study. I'll even step out of the room when you review for your quizzes. Get close. This is your chance!"

Jongdae bites his lower lip then nods, "I guess your plan won't hurt."

Except it does when he gets a B- on the pop quiz the next day.

He knows that Minseok isn't as dilligent as him when it comes to studying but when Jongdae saw Minseok's notes, he is horrified. When Minseok is too lazy to listen, he doodles like any normal bored student would but Jongdae finds 20% of notes and 80% doodles. With the lack of guidelines, Minseok verbally explains to Jongdae what the lesson has been and that isn't good for Jongdae too since he likes Minseok's voice.

"I am never listening to your advice, Luhan. I have been maintaining A's in that subject and your plan gave me a B-!" He tells his housemate when they see each other in the cafeteria that day.

"Hey. It isn't my fault Minseok with taking down notes. What score did he get?"

"He got a B+."

"Wow. The fault isn't in Minseok, either!"

"Shut up." Jongdae slumps his shoulders on the table and just feels too defeated to eat. Luhan leaves him on the table so he can fall in line for food and Jongdae just waves him away.

"Hey, Jongdae?"

Jongdae immediately sits up and finds Minseok sitting next to him, "I'm so sorry that I fail as a study buddy. I mean, we've studied before and I saw how thorough you are when it comes to your lectures and..."

"It's alright, hyung! It's my fault since I wasn't listening well to you."

"Why...?"

"Uh... I was just thinking of something else?"

"Somebody else?" Minseok teases him with a grin and Jongdae kinda melts inside. He breathes out a short, "Yeah..." before Minseok is smiling at him genuinely.

"Anyway, as compensation for being a bad study buddy, I bought us lunch!"

Jongdae gapes for a second before a smile draws on his face, "Thank you, hyung!"

Luhan sits across them moments later and he has the biggest grin on his face, "Awwww look how cute you two are."

"I think my face makes up all the cuteness." Minseok smiles at Luhan and nudges Jongdae playfully, "Right?"

"Yeah. You're really cute, hyung..."

"Please stop flirting!" Luhan yells and Minseok laughs heartily. The older wraps an arm around Jongdae and pulls the younger closer, "Jongdae's more handsome than cute."

"I just said stop flirting, both of you." Luhan tells them with a smile and then winks at Jongdae. The younger Korean kinda wants to die right at that moment, pronto.