Another hellish week of exams had come and gone for Kyungsoo. He looked forward to staying in and getting to work on the tall stack of novels in his room just begging to be read. But as it was, Chanyeol was celebrating his birthday and Baekhyun coerced him to party with them.

“Baek, nerds don’t go to clubs. That is not our habitat.”

“I know that, but please trust me on this? And the club I’m inviting you to is not one of those where you can’t walk a yard without someone grabbing your or grinding on you. We’ll just get to talking, have a few drinks, and listen to whatever band is playing that night.”

“I don’t know. I’m just not sure about this. Again, parties are not my thing.”

“You know what? I wholly agree with you. Nerds don’t go to clubs. Their cool friends drag them along. So you can either come freely or with my hand chafing your wrist; either way, you’re going.”

Finding that the younger is still not convinced, Baekhyun plays his trump card and draws his lips to a pout, with pleading eyes to boot. When Kyungsoo gives a long-drawn sigh, he knows he’s won.

“You know Baek; you can’t win future cases by pouting at the judge.”

“I know,” he winks. “So I’ll just sleep with him.”

At this, Kyungsoo’s already large eyes expand in a look of utter mortification.

“Relax, I was just kidding. But hey it worked on you.”

---

So come Friday night, Kyungsoo finds himself grabbing his most casual-looking dress shirt and pairing it with form-fitting black pants and ankle boots. He is not fortunate enough to be blessed with mile-long legs, so he works with what he’s given and chooses pants that accentuate his limbs to make him appear somewhat taller. And then he realizes he’ll be spending the entire night next to Chanyeol, so he’d probably look like a dwarf either way.

He spies Baek and Yeol with their hands intertwined at the entrance of the club. The sight causes him to quirk his lips in a smile before it hits him that he wants that as well. He shakes the wistful feeling off because he knows it’s only natural to want something when it’s right in front of you. But when the stimulus is out of sight, you realize it doesn’t really bother you as much.

He greets Chanyeol a happy birthday and places his present in the boy’s large hands.

“Aww, thanks Soo! You really shouldn’t have.”

He had no clue what to give Chanyeol so he ultimately opted for headphones to block out Baekhyun’s rants, plus a roll of duct tape in case the headphones weren’t enough.

A thoroughly excited-looking Baekhyun then clasps both boys’ wrists and brings them inside. They make their way to the bar where Kyungsoo decides on a bottle of beer for himself. He thinks he’d have to settle for just one or two drinks in case (and they probably will) the lovebirds go full on.

He’s at least thankful that despite being the third wheel and unofficial chaperone on this excursion, Baekhyun and Chanyeol stay with him throughout the night and include him in their conversations. But every now and then they turn to each other and the look of reverence in their eyes tugs at Kyungsoo’s heartstrings. He has to remind himself that it’s only natural to feel envious, but knowing the reason behind the feeling does not make it go away.

---

Friday nights are a routine for Jongin and his band. They consider themselves lucky to have one night on which they’re guaranteed a paying gig. They arrive before the gates open and promptly set up for tonight’s show. He pauses to scan his bandmates, who are also busy tuning their instruments, and the image lightens his mood. This: the music and his friends are what sustain him. As a musician, he thinks it inevitable to have moments when he just feels tired of what they do. They walk into a bar of some sort, set up, and play the same songs that they have all these years: songs they didn’t even write but simply heard over the radio and decided to perform for the crowd. And then he plays a riff on his guitar and the action sends electricity buzzing through his core. He shuts out the world in those glorious seconds and allows his calloused fingers to dance across the strings.

Tonight is no different, only when he ends his riff and turns his face to the crowd, the most beautiful doe eyes are looking at him and he thinks, “The universe came through.”

---

Being that Kyungsoo is not drunk enough for this, there is absolutely no way he’d join his friends as they make their way to the dance floor. There’s no need for anyone to see him awkwardly swaying back and forth to the heavy bass now pounding throughout the room. Instead he settles himself on one of the stools by the bar and is pleasantly surprised that it spins. The bartender eyes him warily but Kyungsoo doesn’t mind if he looks like a puppy chasing after its tail as he continues to rotate on his chair. Dizziness soon washes over and he’s left with no choice but to remain static. He stretches his neck in hopes of finding his friends among the throng of partygoers, but there are just too many bodies pressed together on the dance floor. Oh well, he muses, at least he won’t have to see Baekhyun and Chanyeol friskily rubbing their jeans against each other. That is one image his eyes are still not prepared for. He takes out his phone and entertains himself with a game of Candy Crush, once in a while muttering curses under his breath as he fails to win a level. He’s been playing for quite some time when amidst the reek of alcohol and body sweat perfusing the air, a familiar, sharp, masculine fragrance greets his nostrils. When he looks up he sees long limbs, tan skin, and the most striking face he’s ever come across.

“Hi,” the stranger manages to sputter with a coy smile and a hand scratching at his nape.

“Um, hey there. I’m Kyungsoo.”

As Jongin shakes the hand offered to him, he’s glad to finally put a name to the face that has become a staple of his daydreams. He introduces himself and decides how to next go about this. He considers being honest with Kyungsoo and saying something along the lines of “Hi, I sat next to you on the bus. You slept on my shoulder and I gawked at you the entire time,” but thinks better of it. Instead he waves the bartender over and gets them both drinks.

“Great riff by the way.”

“Oh, thank you.”

At a loss for words, they are quiet for a while. Before the silence drags longer, Jongin decides to resume the conversation and steer it in what he hopes is the right direction. “You don’t come here often, do you?”

“What gave it away?”

“Oh, it’s just that we play here each weekend and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around.”

“So if you did see me, you would have remembered?”

“I’m fairly certain I would.” The confession makes them both blush.

“We’re celebrating my friend’s birthday. Well, we were. Now he and his boyfriend are probably making out somewhere here.”

“Third wheeling then? Designated driver?”

“Not really. I spent the entire night with them but had to beg off when they suggested we danced. And none of us have a car so we’re hailing a cab anyway regardless of our level of intoxication.”

“So this just isn’t your scene? That’s why you don’t frequent the club?”

The petite boy nods his head, wishing that this revelation doesn’t lead to the other branding him as dull and then walking out on him.

“Quite frankly, neither is it mine. I usually go straight home after we finish our set.”

“I only came because my friend seemed to really want me here. But if this were any other Friday, I’d most likely be sitting in bed or at a quaint café with a book between my hands.”

“I think that scenario is still very much a possibility. And you probably don’t lug a book with you to the club, so maybe a conversation could fill up your time?”

Kyungsoo’s jaw decides to slack conspicuously and his cheeks start flushing. He knows that Jongin is interested in him because the guy did approach him, but now he is practically asking him out. “I feel expected to say that I don’t want to ditch my friends, but I do. I’ll just send them a text then we could head out.”

---

Despite his cool façade, Jongin could not have been more nervous as he walked out the bar with Kyungsoo. He makes a mental note to remember this day. Not having frequently gone on dates before, he is unsure how to fill in the awkward silence that once again looms between them. Should he ask Kyungsoo what he did? Where he studied if he was a student? But these just seemed too expected and even impersonal for his liking. An idea for an icebreaker offhandedly materializes.

“Coffee or tea?”

Kyungsoo is slightly taken aback by the spontaneity of the question and the manner with which it was asked, but maybe Jongin was already getting his order for when they reach the café? “Tea. You?”

“Coffee. Your turn.”

“Wait, what am I supposed to do?”

“Ask me a dichotomous question: the first thing that comes to your mind.”

“Uhm, sure.”

“Don’t think too much on it; as random as possible.”

“Wings or thighs?” Kyungsoo spits out in panic.

Well that was random, muses Jongin. “Thighs.”

“Wings.”

“Ok, my turn. French fries or onion rings?”

“This is a tough one. But I’d have to say onion rings.”

“French fries. Your turn again.”

“Oh , I can’t think of anything. Does it have to be about food?”

“Up to you.”

“Coke or Sprite?”

“Coke.”

“Sprite. Wow, we do not agree on anything.”

“Alright: peanut butter or Nutella?”

“Peanut butter. I can’t go a day without it.”

“Nutella.”

Kyungsoo is getting hungry so he veers off gastronomic territory already. “Shorts or pants?”

“Shorts?”

“Bingo. Finally, something we have in common.”

“Ok, this one is pretty important,” Jongin deadpans and stares straight at Kyungsoo. “Cats or dogs?”

Kyungsoo returns the unwavering stare and quips, “Dogs.”

Visibly relieved to know they are both dog people, Jongin launches into a bout of laughter. They continue with this string of random questions until they stumble into the café a few blocks down, and even then the game persists. They order their beverages and seat themselves across each other at a far corner of the building.

“That was pretty fun I have to say. But you don’t expect me to remember all your answers right?” Kyungsoo asks, although he actually does remember all of Jongin’s answers and commits them to memory.

“No. I just couldn’t think of a conversation starter at the time. I’m not particularly an expert at this.” Jongin remembers all of Kyungsoo’s answers too.

“Me neither. So you can relax. I don’t really know what to expect right now.”

Jongin finally decides to ask Kyungsoo what he busies himself with everyday.

“I study chemistry at university. I’m in my third year right now.”

“Ooh, science geek.”

Kyungsoo’s eyebrows furrow. He was not expecting that comment from Jongin, who is only too quick to notice.

“I am so sorry if that offended you. I actually think that’s cool; but why chemistry specifically?”

“Like you said, I’m a massive science geek. I also always dreamt of becoming a doctor, but in case I didn’t continue to medicine, I knew I could bank on my chemistry degree to land a career.”

“And do you still want to be a doctor?”

Kyungsoo pauses for a noticeable while before deciding on an answer. “I actually don’t know. Before, it wasn’t even a question: I didn’t see myself as anything but a doctor someday. And then I just woke up one time and thought I didn’t want that anymore. That really shook me up: how just overnight your entire life’s goal could change.”

“I get that. So have you already set your sights on a new goal?”

Kyungsoo shakes his head. Then they settle into a comfortable silence, which is only broken when the barista walks up to and informs them that the shop would be closing soon. The two rise from their seats and make their leave.

“I’m sorry if the conversation turned serious all of a sudden. I probably shouldn’t have pried into your dreams like that.”

“No, it’s fine.” And you’d probably pry into my dreams tonight anyway. “Um, would you like to go out again sometime?”

In place of an answer, Jongin takes his phone out of his pocket and hands it to Kyungsoo, who is quick to understand and inputs his number on the keyboard. “Text me whenever you like. I really enjoyed talking to you. And I don’t talk a lot, so I guess the words just come out naturally with you around.”

That’s exactly how it’s supposed to feel, thinks Jongin. “Want me to take you back to the club?”

“Oh . Baek and Yeol completely slipped my mind.” It’s only then that Kyungsoo remembers to check his phone, to find text messages and missed calls from Baekhyun glaring at him. “It seems they already left not too long ago. So I’ll just get going I guess.”

“Want me to take you home?”

“No, it’s alright. It’s late; you should probably get going yourself.”

Silence.

“I’ll see you next time, Jongin.” And he doesn’t know what emboldens him but Kyungsoo finds himself pecking the other’s cheek, which succeeds in bringing a blush to both of their faces.

Mentally grasping for any form of response, Jongin simply reciprocates the action before they finally part ways, obvious grins crossing their faces.

---

Kyungsoo brings the collar of his shirt to his nose. And like the first time they crossed paths, Jongin’s scent lingers on his skin.

---

A/N: This is actually over a thousand words longer than the first chapter. I hope you didn’t find the transitions in perspective too confusing. And I haven’t started on the next chapter yet, but hopefully it won’t take long. :)

Also, I have a fic on LJ! Check it out at http://emmandroid.livejournal.com/517.html.