Walking out of the restaurant, Kyungsoo’s wits started to come about him again. He was about to go on a date with a man he had never met before, which seemed wrong to him. He supposed that a blind date would have gone similarly, and so he shrugged off the thoughts. Kyungsoo was following Kai, close behind him like a shadow. Kai looked so at ease that Kyungsoo wondered if he simply stopped walking if Kai would even notice or turn around to get him. Kyungsoo decided to test his theory. Standing still, people on the street began to run into him, and Kai walked a few steps before stopping. A smile pulled at Kyungsoo’s lips as he noticed how Kai looked like a dog when they had picked up a confusing scent. Kai turned around and looked at Kyungsoo.

            “Chickening out?” He asked. It didn’t appear that he meant any malice with the statement, but as though he was actually giving Kyungsoo the chance to flee if he so wished.

            “No, just admiring… the city.” Kyungsoo paused awkwardly. He had hoped that the more flirtatious “just admiring the view” would come out of his mouth but his brain refused his efforts. Kai simply chuckled at him, and grabbed his wrist to pull him forward.

            The silence was not awkward, nor was it heavy. It felt suspiciously comfortable for two people who had only heard of each other that day. They arrived to Kai’s destination rather quickly, not a far walk from the café. It was a park.

            The park was named after some old historical figure of whom there was a statue sitting in the middle of the park. The trees were green with the fervor of spring, and there was bustling life in the area.

            “I’ve never seen this place before.” Kyungsoo remarked. Kai looked at him quizzically.

            “Really? My mom used to take me here all the time as a kid! They’ve got some of the best food trucks and street food you can find.” Kai smiled blindingly. Kyungsoo did his best to control his features not to wince at the brightness.

            “My parents were always scared that street food was not clean, I never had the pleasure as a kid.” Kyungsoo laughed, remembering the times his parents would shuffle him quickly away from the tantalizing scents of food while walking down the street as a child.

            “Well allow me to help you experience childhood again.” Kai bowed formally, as though serving royalty. Kyungsoo blushed at the gesture, and quickly straightened Kai back up, placing his hand on his shoulders to lift his chest up from his bowing position.

            “No bowing, no no.” Kyungsoo was determined to be friends at least, and didn’t want to be unequal in any way. He did not deserve the bow.

            “Understood!” Kai said in a soldier-like way, winking at Kyungsoo. The thought crossed through Kyungsoo’s mind that Kai was almost as hard to manage as Baekhyun. He wondered if they would get along, or if Kai would like Chanyeol. He supposed Chanyeol would admire the boy for his dancing talent since Chanyeol was such a fan of art.

            “Um,” Kai’s voice interrupted Kyungsoo’s thoughts, “I don’t really mind, but your hands are still on my shoulders, and you’re staring through me a little bit.” He laughed nervously. Kyungsoo rightened himself, blushing furiously at his mistake.

            “Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts.”

            “Cute.” Kai said almost under his breath, but Kyungsoo caught it, his blush increasing.

            “Now, you want a hot dog? What about some rice cakes? Or there’s some special taco truck here today, I saw a flier for it the other day.” Kai his lips in anticipation of all the great food there was to eat.

            “Whatever that is over there looks good.” Kyungsoo said, pointing to a shop on the edge of the park.

            “Street pancakes!” Kai yelled excitedly, obviously content with that Kyungsoo had chosen.

            Kyungsoo relished the taste of the sweet pancake on his tongue. His mind could only focus on this treat that had been off limits to him for most of his life. It felt delectably unhealthy and warmed his soul. It wasn’t until about his fourth or fifth bite that he noticed Kai looking at him intently.

            “You’re enjoying this almost too much.” Kai sighed, realizing he had been caught staring. Kyungsoo smiled brightly at him.

            “It’s delicious! This was a great idea, Kai. Thank you for bringing me.”

            “If you give me your number than I could show you all kinds of new food.” Kai offered smoothly. Kyungsoo blushed, but reached to take out his phone. It was then that he noticed several missed calls from Baekhyun and a couple text messages with threats telling him to answer.

            “Woah, who blew up your phone?” Kai asked, looking over at his screen.

            “That guy who was supposed to answer me like 3 hours ago. I’m not gonna answer him now, see how it feels.” Kyungsoo pouted angrily for a moment before remembering why he had gotten out his phone. He opened up a new contact, and handed it over to Kai. Kai eagerly typed his number in, but thought a moment before typing a name. Kyungsoo looked at the screen and laughed at what he saw.

The Hot Blind Date Replacement (Kai<3)

            “I’m changing it.” Kyungsoo said determinedly, still smiling. Kai gave him really great puppy dog eyes and a pout.

            “Aw c’mon~ Keep it for at least a little while.” Kai pleaded. Kyungsoo wondered if this is what he looked like when he tried puppy dog eyes, because he was starting to wonder how anyone with a heart could turn him down.

            “I’ll leave it for a week.” Kyungsoo finalized. Kai smirked at the response, pleased.  A phone rang, but this time it wasn’t Kyungsoo’s. Kai looked at the caller ID and ignored it.

            “If you’re ignoring the guy who set you up with a faulty blind date, then I’ll do the same.” Kai huffed. Kyungsoo laughed and then held his hand out to Kai. With a confused look, Kai put his hand it Kyungsoo’s. Kyungsoo blushed furiously.

            “Well… I meant to put my number in your phone, but I mean this isn’t bad I guess, like-“ Kyungsoo interrupted himself  “Can I just see your phone for a second?”

            Kai’s laugh twinkled inside Kyungsoo’s ears warmly, and set him at ease despite his nervousness. Kai removed his hand and placed his phone on Kyungsoo’s open palm. Quick fingers typed in his number, but he hesitated at the name. Once he had decided, he handed the phone back to Kai.

Kyungsoo (D.O<3)

            “Aw you put a heart!” Kai exclaimed, reminding Kyungsoo of a child at Christmas. Kyungsoo immediately felt embarrassed and wished he hadn’t done it.

            “Well you put a heart on mine, I just did what you did.” Kyungsoo mumbled as an excuse.

            “What is D.O?” Kai asked, looking confusedly at his screen.

            “Ah yes, that was my nickname in high school, a lot of people called me D.O since my last name is Do. I just figured it would be a good nickname to add into the ‘nickname’ section of your phone.” Kyungsoo shrugged. Kai smiled at the name.

            “I like Kyungsoo better. Kyung~Soo~” He played with the name on his tongue, saying it a few other times before checking Kyungsoo’s reaction. Kyungsoo was embarrassed for sure, hands neatly folded in his laps, blushing per usual, and staring ahead blankly.

            “Okay okay, I’ll stop, now stop looking like a puppy who got no treat.” Kai laughed. Kyungsoo simply shook his head at the comparison.

            The boys chatted for a little while longer, discussing other foods they might want to try out, and discussing how bad their friends were (mostly just regarding the blind date fail incidents), and talked most about music. They didn’t realize they both had such an interest in it. Each loved to express themselves through music, one by embodying it and the other by attempted to produce it vocally. The sun set over the trees, and the boys didn’t notice the hour until Kyungsoo got a call.

            “Oh, I guess that’s Baekhyun. I guess I’ll show him mercy now.” Kyungsoo sighed, leaving Kai wrinkling his nose at the suggestion.

            “Mercy?” He questioned. Kyungsoo answered the phone.

            “Hello?”

            “WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!” Baekhyun screamed into the phone, loud enough for Kai to overhear, and give a shocked expression to Kyungsoo.

            “I’m in the park, why? You done with Chanyeol already?” He asked bitterly.

            “Kris called in to say that he ended up not going to the café, and so I called to tell you to come home several times but you ignored me! I thought you had been kidnapped or worse!” Baekhyun’s voice did sound concerned but Kyungsoo didn’t think it was fair.

            “I tried calling you! You were busy with Chanyeol! So then I got busy and now you’re mad at me? That’s no fair Baek.”

            Baekhyun sighed loudly on the phone, “Just come back soon, I wanna watch a movie or something and get you some ice cream so you can cope with your emotions like a real man.”

            “I’m fine Baek really, and I’ve got a lot to tell you once I’m home.” Kyungsoo couldn’t help but giggle a little bit when he thought of the great story he had for Baekhyun.

            “Get home quick then!” Baekhyun said excitedly before hanging up.

            “Do you live close to here?” Kai asked, having picked up that Kyungsoo had to get back to his dorm.

            “Yeah, not to far, it’s within walking distance, so I’ll be okay.” Kyungsoo said, motioning somewhere behind him in a vague direction to his dormitory.

            “Oh good!” Kai’s face lit up. “Then I’ll walk you home.” Kyungsoo blushed.

            “That’s unnecessary! Don’t feel burdened just because I got stood up today.”

            “I got stood up too! We’re equal, I just wanna walk you home, I kinda wanna meet that Baekhyun fellow because he sounds like an interesting guy.” Kai admitted.

            “Oh he is, and his boyfriend is so tall.”

            “That’s it? Just tall?”

            “I just notice tall, I guess.” Kyungsoo laughed, starting to get up and lead Kai to his dorm.

            “Am I tall?”

            “Not as tall as Chanyeol, but you are tall enough.”

            “Tall enough for what?” Kai asked curiously. Kyungsoo meant that he was just tall enough for Kyungsoo to have to tiptop just slightly in order to get their lips to touch, and that Kai was just tall enough to wrap his arms perfectly around Kyungsoo’s shoulders while walking, but he couldn’t say that.

            “I’ll tell you later if you earn it.” Kyungsoo decided to say, the other stuff might scare him off, and for some reason Kyungsoo really didn’t want that.

            The walk to Kyungsoo’s dorm felt shorter than usual, but he supposed it was because he had company this time. He fiddled with his key in the lock, before opening the door, saying a quick prayer hoping their dorm wasn’t a complete mess.

            “I’m home! And I’ve got a guest! So get your out here Byun and come say hello.” Kyungsoo yelled into the dorm, putting some of his stuff on the counter. Kai looked nervous, and when he spared a quick look at Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo flashed a smile in his direction to convey that he shouldn’t be nervous.

            “Guest?” Kyungsoo heard Chanyeol’s deep sleepy voice say. Their dorm was more like an apartment, having several rooms connected to one. They always referenced it as a dorm, but it was really more like an apartment complex affiliated with their school.

            Chanyeol and Baekhyun came slowly out of Baekhyun’s room, eager to see this guest, but also nervous because they assumed Kyungsoo would be in a bad mood after being stood up. Kai waved nervously to his audience.