TaeKai bonus

Year 2020!

Not many people were on the streets; everyone was either in school or at work. Luckily. But he was still wearing a mask over his mouth and his snapback was pulled down his face, so hopefully not much could be seen of it. Just for safety. Hopefully he didn't reveal himself by that action alone. Other than that, he was wearing a normal black leather jacket and blue skinny jeans. He hoped no one would take notice in that. He blended in, didn't he?

It was late morning and it was hot, but with a bit of a chill since it was in late march. Jongin put his hands into his jacket's pockets as he felt a chilly breeze. Only one to go, he thought, wandering down the streets. Only one.

"Are you serious?!" Sehun's big grin was hard to miss and when Jongin nodded, he pulled his best friend into a tight hug. "Congratulations, man!"

Jongin laughed. "Calm down. Jeez! He hasn't even said 'yes', yet."

"But he will!" Sehun told him with confidence and a somewhat proud look. "I'm sure!"

Jongin laughed again at his friend's enthusiasm. He hadn't even asked him yet, but he was glad that Sehun was on his side. And he was happy that his best friend seemed so confident that he'd say yes. Of course Jongin was also positive that he'd agree... but what if he didn't...?

"When will you ask him, though?" Sehun asked him, noticing the way Jongin felt silent. Jongin's serious face revealed his insecurity and Sehun wanted him to think of something else. Jongin looked back up at him with a small smile.

"I'll ask for the hyungs' opinions, too, first," Jongin said.

Sehun smiled at him. "They'll be just as happy for you as I am. They have to say yes. Of course they do!" Jongin grinned. After a while of silence, Sehun added more serious, "Jongin. He'll say yes. You don't have to worry. You two are meant to be, I just know it. But just in case he doesn't - which he will! - I am always here for you. Okay?"

Jongin smiled at him. "Thank you, Sehun. I know."

Jongin smiled a little under his mask. He knew Sehun would always support him. They would always be there for each other and Jongin was grateful for his best friend. Well, one of his best friends. Taemin was also his best friend, right? Or was he only his boyfriend? Could he be both?

"I want to ask Taemin to marry me."

The older man looked at him from the other side of the table. Joonmyun had agreed to come over on his way home from work, because Jongin had something he wanted to tell him. Something important and he didn't want to just tell it over the phone. Not to Joonmyun. Although they were not in EXO anymore, Joonmyun still functioned as a sort of leader in Jongin's head. He was still a kind of role model and center for the whole group. And even now as a husband and a CEO they could still ask for advice from him.

Joonmyun's before so tired face lightened up. At first his eyes widened in surprise and his body seemed to tense up - also from surprise - but then his lips broke into a smile and he stood from his chair and walked to the other side of the table to hug Jongin.

"Congratulations, Jongin! I'm so happy for you!" he exclaimed.

"You are? You think I should do it?" Jongin asked.

"Of course! You two are like meant to be! Like two pieces of bread in the same toaster!"

"I don't know what that means..." Jongin said. "But Sehun said something alike."

Joonmyun laughed. "I just mean that I'm happy for you guys. You've been through so much together and I'm glad that you decided to pop the question. I'm sure Taemin will say yes."

Jongin smiled. "Thank you, hyung."

Moving on his way Jongin turned a corner. Joonmyun had been really nice towards him. And he was really happy that Joonmyun was that and that he supported him, too. Even though it was Jongin's choice and his choice alone, it was nice to know he had his friends' support and that they were almost just as excited as himself. It made Jongin think he had some of the best friends in the world.

"Minseok hyung?"

"Hey, Jongin!" Minseok greeted on the other end of the phone.

Jongin smiled. Minseok hadn't exactly had time to see him, but that worked for Jongin, too. After all, he knew that Minseok and Lu Han were quite busy with a small child. He could hear a child's laughter and he figured Lu Han was in the middle of entertaining the boy. He unconsciously began smiling more and even though he loved seeing his nephew Ji Yong, it was understandable that his hyungs didn't have the energy today.

"So what's up?" Minseok sounded happy as usual and Jongin only wished that he could fake such energy when he had children of his own.

"I want to tell you something. And I want to know what you think of it. Okay?" Jongin sounded hesitant, but Minseok was always ready with encouragement.

"Sure! What is it?"

"I want to marry Taemin. I'm going to propose to him."

"Are you serious? That's great, Jongin! Congratulations!" Jongin heard someone in the background and Minseok said, "Jongin is going to propose to Taemin", supposedly to the other person in the room with him - well, probably the only other adult in the house. He heard a high pitched something and Minseok added, "Lu Han congratulates you."

"Thank you, hyung," Jongin said. "Can I ask you something else, hyung?"

"Of course."

"How did you propose to Lu Han hyung?"

"I didn't," Minseok just replied and Jongin furrowed his brows a bit. But before he managed to ask further, a wail was heard and someone started crying. "Baby, don't cry. I'm here. Jongin, can I call you back later perhaps? Lu Han went to the bathroom and now Ji Yong is crying."

"Sure, hyung, it's fine. I understand."

"Thank you. And congratulations again; I can't wait to hear Taemin's reply!"

"Thank you, hyung," he said and hung up.

Minseok hadn't called him back yesterday. But Jongin didn't mind. His hyung had probably just forgotten about it, being busy with his husband and kid. He knew that Minseok didn't mean anything with it, and no matter what, he'd call him up on Friday or Saturday to tell him how it had turned out, his proposal.

Jongin had a plan in his head of how he was going to propose; he had had since he realized that he wanted to marry Taemin. He just wanted some other inspiration, too, that's why he had asked Minseok of how he had proposed. What if his own idea wasn't good enough? What if Taemin wanted something bigger? That's just why he had asked him, because Jongin was suddenly feeling insecure. He had planned to propose on Friday - in two days! And it had to be perfect.

Being at Jonghyun and Kibum's house was definitely something. The moment Jongin stepped through the door he noticed his hyungs' tired faces, but yet they were both glowing with happiness - that thing you get when you start a family. And their house was marked with the same wrecked glow too: their usual so clean living room was furnished with a mess of baby blankets, toys and a playpen. Jongin found a pacifier on the floor and was close to stepping on a teddy bear.

"Here." He picked the pacifier up and handed it to Jonghyun before sitting down on the couch with Kibum.

"Oh, thank you!" Jonghyun put it on the table and sat down in the armchair across from them. "I'll wash it later," he said. They were quiet for a short moment. They must have lost their ability to communicate with normal human beings, Jongin thought.

"Um," he then began, breaking the slightly awkward silence. "There was actually a reason why I..."

"Oh my gosh, you have to hear this sound Youngbae are making," Kibum interrupted him when his son was starting to wake up laying in the playpen. He stood from the couch and went over to grab him, walking back to the couch to sit next to Jongin again, now with a child in his arms.

The child grinned at Jongin and made grabby hands towards him.

"Hi, Youngbae," Jongin said, patting his head.

"Okay, so Youngbae has been making a sound these past days. It's the cutest!" Kibum insisted and turned the kid in his lap so he was facing his eomma. "Hey, baby!" Youngbae grabbed Kibum's finger. "Can you make that sound you've been showing me and appa to uncle Jongin? Can you do that for eomma?" Kibum was speaking with a voice specifically used for babies and neither his husband nor Jongin were able to hide a smile. It was actually a quite cute scene - Kibum with a baby - that Jongin was witnessing. Youngbae didn't seem to understand his eomma's request, though. "You know that sound. Blublublu~." Jongin had to guess that Kibum was trying to imitate his son. But he still got no reaction from Youngbae.

"Honey," Jonghyun said from the other side of table. Kibum looked up at him. "Jongin doesn't want to hear that..."

"Sure he will!" Kibum said, turning his attention back to the kid in his lap.

Jonghyun exchanged a look with Jongin, and even though Jongin loved babies and children in general, he was thankful that Jonghyun tried to control his husband; he had an important conversation to carry out!

"I'm sure Jongin would like to hear the sound," Jonghyun said, looking shortly at Jongin who said, "of course!", before continuing. "But there's a reason why he's here. He didn't come to look at Youngbae; he came to talk to us."

Kibum looked up at Jonghyun and then at Jongin before sighing. "Fine." Youngbae stayed on Kibum's lap and Jonghyun threw a teddy bear over so he wasn't bored. The kid picked it up with a smile and started playing with it, keeping himself occupied so Jongin could finally tell the reason he came.

Jonghyun and Kibum looked at the younger man expectantly.

"The reason I came is because I have something to tell you... or ask you..." Jongin began and his hyungs waited for him to continue with patient smiles. "I want to marry... Taemin..." Jongin didn't know why he suddenly felt so nervous. It wasn't that he had been so nervous with the others, yet he found himself insecure right there in front of Jonghyun hyung and Kibum hyung.

"Really?! That's awesome!" Jonghyun exclaimed, jumping up from his seat in excitement to hug Jongin who was taken by surprise. His appa's sudden outburst made Youngbae look up from his teddy, and seeing his appa so happy made him want to join in. Jonghyun lifted the giggling Youngbae up from Kibum's lap.

"Well, it's about time!" Kibum exclaimed. Jongin was sure that he teased when the older smiled big.

Jongin breathed out a sigh of relief, releasing air he didn't realize he'd been holding in. Kibum grinned and Jonghyun put Youngbae down on the floor to his toys.

"So... is it okay with you?" Jongin asked. He didn't know why he felt like he needed Jonghyun and Kibum's approval, but he did.

Jonghyun laughed. "Of course! We couldn't be more happy for you!"

"We've been waiting, seriously! We've always known it's going to be you two. We were counting on you, Jongin," Kibum said.

"Really?" Jongin raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Well... always and always..." Jonghyun admitted. "But we did know that you were going to propose at some time, though. Even when our Taeminnie and Minho were dating, we could tell that he'd never had a bond like the one he's got with you."

Jongin was a bit surprised by that statement. Nonetheless extremely happy and excited. But stunned he was.

Jongin kicked a small rock that was lying on the sidewalk. He was smiling. He couldn't help it. All of his friends were supporting him so much. He couldn't believe that they had all been and were still rooting for him and Taemin. Taemin would probably be so embarrassed and maybe angry at Kibum and Jonghyun if he knew what they'd told him. Nevertheless, Jongin was so glad they did. It meant so much to him. His Taeminnie... He just loved him so much.

His phone call with Yi Fan had been kind of rushed. Yixing was a bit stressed because he needed to go to work soon and Yi Fan also needed to leave for his schedule, but Jongin had managed to get that call from China still. He had told them it was important, and if he didn't do it now, he probably wouldn't get to do it at all before the proposal that he had planned for Friday.

"You want to marry Taemin?!" Yi Fan's voice was loud since he was probably stunned and surprised and Jongin hid a giggle.

"Yes, hyung! I want to marry him. I want to propose on Friday."

"You want to propose on Friday?!" Why did his hyung have to shout? Jongin laughed by himself. He heard someone on the other end and assumed it to be Yixing. "I know! Yeah yeah," Yi Fan said and added presumably to Jongin, "Yixing sends you his congrats."

Jongin smiled. "Tell him thank you, hyung."

"I will. And, Jongin?"

"Yes, hyung?"

"Congratulations. I'm happy for you."

"Thank you so much. It means a lot."

"Anytime."

Jongin turned the final corner and began his way down the last street to his friend's house.

When he told Baekhyun and Chanyeol they both stared at him with wide eyes. They were sitting in Baekhyun and Chanyeol's living room, all three of them in their couch. Jongin didn't know why they had to sit so close to him, one on each side of him; maybe it was one of their pranks. They seemed in shock, but maybe that was also just a prank.

"Um, did you hear what I just sai...?" Jongin said but Baekhyun interrupted him.

"Oh our Jongin! Finally!" He wrapped his arms around Jongin and hugged him tightly, taking Jongin by surprise and all he could do was tense up.

"We were waiting for you to propose!" Chanyeol chimed. Jongin just looked at him for some help, as Baekhyun hadn't let him go yet. Chanyeol laughed and instead of helping him, joined in and hugged Jongin from the other side. Jongin could do nothing but sit between his two friends in a human sandwich and wait for them to let go by themselves.

After a short while they finally let go and Jongin could breathe again.

"So, how are you going to propose? And when?" Baekhyun asked him excitedly, too eager to wait for an answer before asking the next question.

"On Friday," Jongin responded. "I'm going to propose to him at my house when he's coming over."

"How exciting!" Baekhyun said. Chanyeol grinned.

"Baek, go get some glasses and we'll celebrate, okay?" he said and Baekhyun nodded and went to their kitchen. Chanyeol turned to Jongin with a more serious expression. "You know that it's going to be different when you live together, right? I mean, I assume that you will ask him to move in with you, when he says yes?"

Truth be told, Jongin and Taemin didn't live together yet. They'd decided not to, as it seemed more discreet and easier to hide their relationship from the public if they didn't. Jongin and Taemin had considered that it'd be easier to get away with two friends meeting from time to time, rather than two friends (whom were shipped by fans) living together. Of course fans knew that Minseok and Lu Han, Yi Fan and Yixing, Jonghyun and Kibum lived together, but they were married! That was different! And Baekhyun and Chanyeol had already made their relationship public so people knew about them, too! Jongdae and Kyungsoo were living together, too, but somehow they'd managed to hide their relationship for all those years. Jongin wasn't even sure if people knew they were living together... Jongdae and Kyungsoo were both exceptionally good at making themselves invisible...

Also, Jongin and Taemin had been in two different groups. Wouldn't it be weird for people if they suddenly just lived together?

Or maybe Jongin was just being paranoid... But so was Taemin!

"Jongin?" Chanyeol said and gained back Jongin's attention.

"Of course I'll ask him to live with me, hyung. That's all I ever wanted," Jongin finally answered.

"Yes, but it's going to be different. Completely different from what you're used to."

"So you're saying that moving in with Baekhyun completely changed your relationship?"

 "Yes. No. I don't know." Chanyeol sighed. "When me and Baekhyun moved in together something changed. There were things left unsaid between us for a short while, but after a few months we talked and made it through. I probably know Baekhyun better than myself by now..."

"But, hyung, I..."

"Wait, let me finish," Chanyeol interrupted. "For me and Baekhyun it wasn't such a big change as it could have been. After all we've lived together all through EXO and that's for several years. Back then we thought we knew everything about each other, but there were of course also other people to take into account. When two people live together alone, it's different. It changes your relationship."

Jongin sighed. "I know it's going to be different, hyung... but I love Taemin and I want to be together with him as much as I can. He's my best friend and my soul mate. I know we can make it. I will fight for it, no matter what."

Chanyeol smiled at him like he was his younger brother. "That's all I wanted to hear."

Baekhyun came in, three glasses in his hands. "Sorry, we didn't have anything alcoholic, but we did have lemonade."

Chanyeol grinned. "That's fine, Baek." He kissed Baekhyun's cheek, who looked at him a bit stunned by his sudden action but shook it off with a smile.

Jongin smiled and raised his glass with his friends.

A/N: Yay TaeKai! Well... okay I was supposed to write TaeKai, but much of this is going to be from Kai's perspective.. But don't worry, there will be more in the next part!! >//<

Yes, there will obviously be a part 2 because it can't just end here, right, guys? ;) I will upload it tomorrow!

On another note, BTS have had their 1000 days this week! Congratulations to them!! ^_^ And also it was Suga's birthday. Happy birthday to him! And happy birthday to anyone else who was born on this date! :3

As always, thank you for reading, subscribing and commenting. You guys are the reason I'm here ^_^

Thank you.