"Well, good morning guys!"
"Hey..." Kyungsoo said with a tired grin while Chen only nodded, looking like the mess he was before noon(meaning that he looked the way most people did around three in the morning).
"You already want to order? I bet you're hungry. Let me call over the waiter."
While he turned to wave for said waiter, Chen dramatically gestured being blinded by the radiating smile Suho was wearing. Kyungsoo only slapped his shoulder and they both composed themselves the second Suho looked back at them, both smiling far-too-innocently.
"Don't worry, it won't take too long - I've been to this place before with my work colleagues, and the ambience is quite good, don't you think?"
Chen blinked with an openly judging gaze at getting attacked by a french word so early in the morning so Kyungsoo smoothly took over.
"I guess it is? I just look forward to the food at the moment, if I'm honest. Anything you can recommend?"
Suho didn't even have to think as he flipped the pages of the menu.
"Well, I used to order the caesar salad without the cashew nuts and the yogurt dressing, replacing it with the local homemade dressing and a few fresh tomatoes-"
"So basically you ordered a whole different dish."
Suho shot Chen a sharp look before continuing.
"...which is my good right as a customer and tasted amazing, buuut I also ordered the vegetarian wrap once and it was pretty good."
Kyungsoo, who had only been half-listening, was still flipping the pages when the waiter approached the table.

"May I take your order?"
Suho straightened his posture with a friendly smile.
"One glass of orange juice and a vegetarian wrap with more tomatoes instead of onions and no olives, please. Would it be possible to use the homemade dressing? Oh, and could you maybe serve the orange juice without any ice? The closer to room temperature, the better it is for the stomach."
"Yes. Yes that's possible. Of course." The waiter, who had noted everything obediently now looked expectantly at Kyungsoo, whoms brain still hadn't even scanned all the meals on the menu yet(or had already forgotten half of them again, which was very much possible).

"Uhm, I'd like, uhhh-"
"A large iced caramel macchiatto with a double espresso shot, whipped cream and one additional shot of caramel to cover the disgusting bitterness of said espresso aaand a slice of strawberry shortcake. And more extra whipped cream on that one as well."
The waiter wrote Chen's sleepy yet shockingly elaborate order down without a hitch even though one of his eyebrows had clearly lifted and then he turned a page on his little notepad, giving Kyungsoo an almost challenging look, daring him to fill another page with an extraordinary order.

"Uuuuhm. A french toast please. And a sprite."

"-and then they  seriously told me that Aroma USB Sticks are ridiculous - well, am I supposed to light a scented candle with all the papers around?!"
"What... What if you use an air freshener...?" Kyungsoo carefully asked around a mouthful of toast, not entirely sure whether this question was an obviously stupid one.
"You see, our office cables are running along god-knows-where and I don't have a free power outlet near me. If it's not in my sight I bet they'll put it in anywhere as soon as I'm not looking just to make fun of me. Remember the sticky notes - those guys would be the first to set fire on anything as soon as anarchy is announced!"
"I'm not sure anarchy is something that gets officially announced and is then followed. Damn sure that kind of defeats the purpose." Chen threw in while taking a sip of his concoction that hardly resembled a regular cup of coffee anymore.
Suho threw him another dirty glare.
"How can you even eat all of this stuff at this time of the day? Are you aware of all those calories? How are you not getting a sugar-high?"
"A sugar-what? I can't hear you over the sound of all the caramel goodness running through the strawww...~" Chen happily hummed while slurping in an extra-obnoxious way.
Suho only sighed once more.
"You're such a child, Jongdae... Anyway, how are you guys doing? How's this year's collection going along Kyungsoo?"
"Uuuhgood...” Kyungsoo vaguely answered with an even more vaguely gestured dismissal.

I'll neeever ever make it in time and yet I'm sitting here, wasting money on breakfast instead of sleeping or at the very least ordering a huge slice of cake as well.
What am I doing with my life.

"Just the usual stuff. It'll work out somehow. I guess."
"He has been too distracted by hot craftsman guy to function properly-"
"Chen!"
"What?! It's true-" Chen defensively said but was immediately interrupted by a baffled Suho who was staring at him with wide eyes.
"Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean by that?"
Kyungsoo tried to placate him but a wide awake Chen was much more of an hindrance than a sleepy one.
Damn that espresso.
"He hasn't told you? That very taaall guy, rather lanky but with a pretty face and red hair and-"
"Soo, you never told me-"
"Look, Suho. Hyung. It's-"
"And thaaat deep voice, damn, it shoots right down your-"
"CHEN!"
"What?! It's true!"

Suho threw his hands up with high-pitched hysteria lacing his voice.
"You didn't tell me you were GAY?!"
Silence.
Chen stared at him with his mouth forming a guilty little 'o'.
While Kyungsoo shot him a look clearly saying 'Thanks, man. NOT.' and sighed.
"Great, now you checkmated his brain. Congratulations."

Kyungsoo sighed once more, after looking at his phone.
"Is he still texting you about this?"
The evil look he received in turn was saying it all. Chen could basically feel the red-dot of a laser pointer between his eyes.
"Look, I said I'm sorry! How could I know that you never told him?!"

"Never told what?" Luhan airily asked, obviously only tuning in on the conversation now.
"That we obviously don't have a life and choose to spend a precious Saturday in here?" Kyungsoo gave back while not lifting his gaze from the piece of fabric in his hand.
Luhan only rolled his eyes.
"Fiiine, don't tell me then." he said while throwing the measuring tape back over his neck and reaching for the huge ruler specifically made to construct patterns. Not that any type of measuring device would be big enough for the ridiculously large pattern Luhan was currently constructing, taking up three tables at a time. Tables meant for four persons each.

The three boys were currently occupying the largest classroom with the window front. Whenever someone outside passed by the windows to pause and stare, Chen would make ridiculous gestures which effectively scared them away. Obviously the gwiyomi dance was much more unsettling when being performed by someone acting like a zombie.

"Ah, he just told my step brother I'm into guys. Since then he has been sending me texts about how he's totally fine with it non-stop. No matter what I'm telling him, I guess he fears I might have taken his shock the wrong way."
"Haaah. That's kinda sweet though, isn't it?" Luhan casually said before putting a pencil between his lips while re-adjusting the ruler.
"He just sent me a list of historically relevant homoual personalities."
"Uhm. Well... He doesn't have any bad intentions... I guess..." Luhan trailed off hesitantly.
The usual reaction of someone coming in contact with Suho being Suho for the first time.
Kyungsoo sighed and resisted the urge to faceplant right into his box with colorful sewing thread when his phone vibrated again.
"Of course he doesn't... That's the problem."
"So you are here to redeem yourself?" Luhan casually called over to Chen.

Ever since the first semester, the two had once in a while met each other when Chen decided to tag along like he did today. They actually got along quite well, though Luhan got along with everyone if only he wanted to.
If he didn't... Let's just say that you don't want to count Luhan as your enemy.
No one would.
Or rather, those who would were not able to tell the tale anymore.

"Ah, Soo has already forgiven me, don't be fooled. I'm just in need of a change of scenery."
"Huh. So are you two a thing...? Is that why your brother's so startled?" Luhan asked completely nonchalantly.
"What?! Gross, no." Kyungsoo immediately returned with an incredulous look.
Chen sniffed once. Only once.
"I'm hurt, babe."
He went completely ignored though, when a tapping on the window was heard and they turned their heads to find the third beagle of their clique jumping up and down like a hyperactive rabbit instead of a dog.
 

Half an hour later you had the peaceful scenery of four boys occupying a classroom, completely engulfed into their work as Kyungsoo kept stitching patterns and tiny wooden pearls on his garment, Chen was transcribing the lyrics to a future song, Baekhyun was diligently knitting with his ominous-looking neon wool and Luhan was deeply concentrated on the pattern of an even more ominous garment.
Perfect silence enveloped the room...
Oh who am I kidding. I wish.

“Why don't you go to your own school, Baek!”
“Oh off ChenChen! This isn't your school, either!”
"Xian dai yi shu - Contemporary ~ Shen me yi si, Contemporary~" Luhan singsonged while turning up the volume of the speakers meant for school purposes only(and this clearly was a school purpose. At least there was a purpose. At school).

"Man, I knew all along that Kyungsoo's not that picky with music but you too, Baek? Chinese music? I'd never have guessed that one." Chen said, shaking his head at the brunette who kept swaying his body in his seat and was probably already dancing wilder in his chair than Suho ever did on an actual party.
"You don't know anything, ChenChen - Chinese artists know how to partyyy!" Baekhyun happily retorted and Luhan regarded him with a surprised look.
"You like Chinese music?"
Baekhyun shrugged, causing the carefully draped wool around his shoulders to drop a notch.
"I like clubbing, what can I say? I don't know a lot of artist names though. Since well, you know. I don't speak Chinese or anything. The song playing right now, for example – I know it and it's awesome but I have nooo idea who's singing this."
"Ah, that's Contemporary Art by Yen-J."
"IyennJei? How do you spell it?"
Now Luhan looked almost personally offended.
"You don't know Yen-J?! What kind of artists DO you know, then?!"
Baekhyun looked a little sheepish.
"Uh... Jolin Tsai...?"
Luhan blinked. Then he shook his head and patted his shoulder with pity lacing his voice.
"Oh Honey..."
"Now don't you go all How I Met Your Mother on me! How would I know any better?!" Baekhyun whined, flailing his arms in a childish tantrum that caused the wool to further loop around his arms and entangle his limbs.

Meanwhile Kyungsoo sighed, his eyes glued to his phone screen.
"What's up?" Chen quietly asked while Luhan kept correcting Baekhyun's Chinese pronunciation.
"It's about the photoshoot. I've finally found a photographer and he has a studio and all... But I can't seem to find a model." Kyungsoo complained and put his phone away to keep pulling at the thread almost vengefully.
"There's simply no one willing and Jongin doesn't have time that day. Why is NO ONE interested? I already decided on only shooting one outfit instead of all three. Now I can't even find one single male model. How pathetic is that?"
Chen tapped his finger against the table, absently looking at the two dancing males while thinking.
"That . What's their problem? Your stuff looks awesome. I'm sorry but I still don't know any tall, good-looking dudes. Not even tall ones only- Oh. ...Oooooh."
"Not over my dead body." Kyungsoo harshly cut him off.
"You don't even-"
"I will not ask Chanyeol. Period."
"Come on, guys don't-"
"NO period jokes either. Just spare me."
Chen rolled his eyes and lifted his hands to symbolize surrender.
"Why don't you ask Luhan though?"

"Ask me what?" Luhan piped in, obviously sensitive to his name being called, no matter how dubstep-ish the music.
Kyungsoo fidgeted a little.
Asking a senior felt... like cheating, in a way.
After all, Luhan had somehow surely established connections throughout the semesters and just lazily asking him to hand those over seemed disrespectful, in a way. Also, some people didn't like sharing their models and the likes. Those people were the exact same ones that would throw a tantrum over someone wearing the same scarf as them.

Well, Chen obviously didn't share his thoughts on this and just easily went on.
"You have any tall, male friends? Soo is still missing a model."
"It's okay, you don't have to-" Kyungsoo began, but was easily interrupted by a wide-eyed Luhan.
"You're missing a model? Why didn't you just say so, Soo? Just one guy? When do you need him?"
"Huh? Uh... Next week on Friday. Around noon, probably."
Luhan hummed and reached for his phone, tapping away and leaving the room as he made a call.
This time he didn't slap Chen for his preposterous behavior since he was growing immensely hopeful that the shooting could proceed as planned. After all, there really wasn't that much time left anymore.
Luhan's strawberry-blonde head popped back into the room, one hand over the phone's speakers.
"Would 3 PM work as well?"
"I guess. Yeah." Kyungsoo cluelessly retorted.
"And you okay with a brunette? What? Yeah, yeah, whatever. You okay with caramel brown?" Luhan asked him with a playful roll of his eyes.
Kyungsoo helplessly nodded.
Seriously.
As long as the guy has two arms, two legs and is at least taller than average, I'd basically be fine with anyone at this point.

Luhan returned two minutes later with a clap.
"Aaand that's settled. I called up WuFan and he'll do it."
"Wu... Fan? Really? That Chinese model you had at last year's presentation??" Kyungsoo asked in disbelief.
Luhan only laughed brightly at his awed expression.
"Yeah, don't fret him. He's actually a cool dude. It'll be alright."
"O-okay..." he anxiously replied. That guy had been sort of last year's highlight. They did have a few male models but none of them stood a chance against the towering Chinese with the intense aura. On top of that he was an actual, professional model. Lucky Luhan and his 'We Chinese foreigners gotta stick together'-attitude. He still wondered where he even met that guy. Cause if there's a default place for meeting hot Chinese guys, Kyungsoo petitioned to be let in on the secret.
Now that would be a valid reason to learn Chinese.
Not that I'd need a hot guy anymore for any other purpose than modeling.
I got Chanyeol, after all.
If 'got' was in any way an appropriate term.

"Oooh, I really like this guy!" Baekhyun suddenly chirped in, still totally immersed in Luhan's playlist.
He earned himself an appreciative nod.
"Yeah, Show Luo is an essential when it comes to C-Pop. Everyone knows him."
"Oh, really? Wah, we should go clubbing together some time!" Baekhyun suggested, turning around to shoot Kyungsoo his famous puppy-eyes.
"You'll tag along, right? Riiiight~?"
"Chinese clubbing? Uhhhh... Sure? Sounds like an experience? But only after the presentation, yeah? I really don't have time before that-"
Baekhyun already dismissed him, having heard everything he needed to.
"Whatever Hermione. Anyway, how about it? Will you be our Senpai on how to enjoy C-Pop correctly?" he dramatically asked Luhan who agreed easily.
"Sure, why not?"
"Wohoo! Par-ty, par-ty~"
"So, uh, do you want to come along as well?" Luhan suddenly asked Chen in a spur of politeness. Said one didn't even look up from his transcription sheets.
"Yeah, yeah. Sure."
Luhan looked a little quizzical so Kyungsoo hurried to clean up the misunderstanding.
"It's a thing that Chen goes to every party I'm going. Since he does like to dance and stuff, but rarely gets the opportunity to party-"
An accusing cough escaped a certain brunette's lips.
"-without being around Baekhyun only-"
"Hey! That's offensive!"
"-and since I'm rarely in the mood to party, it has become a given thing that Chen will accompany me." Kyungsoo finished without batting an eyelash at Baekhyun's interruptions.
Luhan nodded numbly.
"O... kay then. You guys have a lot of 'things' going on, sure there isn't anything else? You're acting like a married couple."
"WHAT? HAHAHA, no! NEVER! These dudes couldn't even make out with a whole bottle of vodka down their throats!" Baekhyun fell in, laughing hard.
Call him superstitious, but the moment Kyungsoo shot him a glare that could kill, Baekhyun tangled himself in one of the woolen threads and tumbled, causing the whole chair to fall backwards.
Coincidence? I think not.

"Hah! Instant karma!" he said triumphantly while Baekhyun whined and flailed not unlike a fish caught in a net.
Chen cleared his throat subtly and offered him his phone, the screen still showing Ryeowook with a bag of chips and... another message preview.

17:02
Suho
But you're not doing the friends-with-benefits-thing, right? You know I love Chen, but...-

Kyungsoo groaned and went out of his way to actually do faceplant onto the table.

Hey guys~
So it's literally three in the morning right now and this is properly a bunch of confusing stuff here but I refuse to completely lose to my already loose schedule!
I've been having my nose buried in another fic for far-too-long, but that's done for now!
So please be patient - I'll devote myself to this a little more from now on! ò_ó\ *salute*

Now regarding the stuff mentioned in this chapter...
1. Aroma USB sticks actually do exist. though frankly speaking I've never seen anyone using one before.
2. C-Pop DOES know how to club and Yen-J's Contemporary Art is only one of many evidences for that.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x33nqvv
3. Yes, the first mention of Kris - I did in fact NOT forget about him c: Also Lay's gonna appear very soon as well~ *hehe*

Alright, good night everyone~
(Or good morning, or whatever your clock's telling you~)
But in any case - Have a nice Halloween! c:
Love,
Sugar-and-Salt