The next evening, after Jongsu’s lesson, he and Baekhyun were sitting on the floor of Baekhyun’s room doing a puzzle waiting for Jongdae to pick him up. Janggah, one of Jongin’s dogs, was sleeping halfway in Jongsu’s lap, and another one, Monggu, was curled up next to him. It was really cute and Baekhyun could tell Jongsu enjoyed having the dogs near him. He took a picture of the three of them discreetly and sent it to Jongdae.

“Teach”

“Yeah?”

“I’m really glad you and Uncle Jongdae are friends,” Jongsu said quietly and with finality. Baekhyun smiled,

“Me too Jongsu.”

“Teach?”

“Yeah?”

“Are we friends?” He sounded so innocent. Baekhyun laughed,

“Of course we are. I’ll always be your friend Jongsu.”

The boy smiled, “good. I’m glad. Can I call you Hyung?”

Baekhyun’s heart swelled, “Of course you can.” Jongsu smiled.

Jongin knocked on the door and at the sound of his voice both the dogs perked up, “Hey someone is here for Jongsu, some girl?” Baekhyun was suspicious, he hadn’t heard that someone other than Jongdae was going to pick up Jongsu. They made their way to the front of the house.

“Taeyeon!” Jongsu ran up to give her a huge hug. She was still cute. Baekhyun felt very aware of the fact that he was in old jeans and a dirty tee shirt. Taeyeon smiled and hugged him back, she was almost the same height as the 8-year-old.

“Hey bud! Hey Baekhyun!”

“Oh! Hey!” Baekhyun stammered. He could feel Jongin’s eyes on him. “Um, Taeyeon this is one of my roommates Jongin, he teaches dance at a studio near the coffee shop”

“Nice to meet you! I’m Jongdae’s cousin.” Taeyeon smiled. Next to Jongin she was so short it was adorable. “Jongdae is at the hospital and he asked me to pick up Jongsu,” She explained. Baekhyun sighed. Jongdae hadn’t called him the day before, or really talked to him at all He had dropped off Jongsu at the door and was gone before Baekhyun could say anything.

Luhan walked out of the kitchen eating an apple, “It’s my turn to cook so we are ordering pizza.” He announced to no one in particular.

“You still owe me $10,” Baekhyun said as Luhan waived him off with his middle finger. “Anyway, um, do you guys want to stay for dinner?” He turned to Taeyeon and Jongsu, “unless you have other plans.”

“Oh, that would be great actually! I was just gonna heat up some leftovers at home. I’m sure Jongsu would like this much more” She laughed easily. Baekhyun wondered what it would be like to hear Jongdae laugh like that.

“Luhan, Taeyeon and Jongsu are staying for dinner” Baekhyun called out, Luhan made a noise as he started dialing the pizza place, “also while you have your wallet out…” Luhan launched a pillow at him.

“Luhan owes Baekhyun $10. I don’t know why this time. They always make stupid bets.” Jongin explained to Taeyeon. She nodded with understanding. Baekhyun felt sick but he wasn’t sure why.

Dinner was fine, Taeyeon told them she was moving to town partially for work partially to be closer to Jongdae and Jongsu in case they needed her. Baekhyun was glad of that, sure Jongdae would need help in the future. He was unusually quiet and was almost grateful when Taeyeon and Jongsu left.

“You’re overthinking something,” Luhan said.

“What?”

“You get this face whenever you are over thinking something.” He was playing a video game in the living room, focusing more on the screen then on Baekhyun. Baekhyun just went to bed.

He was about to fall asleep when his phone started ringing. It was Jongdae. He considered not answering it but somehow he pressed accept and had the phone to his ear.  

“Hello?”

“Hey, Baekhyun…I…did I wake you up?”

“No no. What’s up?” Baekhyun sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes and looking at the time. It was only like, 8:30.

“I um…sorry for not calling you yesterday. I mean. I was just-”

“Dude don't worry about it I just wanted you to know that it was an option if you wanted too. How is your mom?” Baekhyun felt all bitterness disappear at the sound of Jongdae’s voice.

“She’s fine I guess. I mean, she’s fine. She’s awake.” Baekhyun could tell there was something else Jongdae wasn’t saying “Hey I like, haven’t eaten in like twenty-four hours and all that is at my house is wine and ty hors d’oeuvres. Do you want to get food with me?”

Baekhyun hadn’t really eaten any of the pizza because he was busy throwing a pity party, and at the mention of food, his stomach started to grumble. “Do you need to get back to Jongsu?”

“Taeyeon is with him right now and I really could use some company. If you’re too tired or something though please don’t worry abou-“

“no no, I’m starving. I can get the car and meet you somewhere in like, fifteen?” Baekhyun was already throwing on a sweatshirt and some jeans. He passed himself in the mirror and realized he hadn’t brushed his hair in quite some time.

“That sounds great. Thanks, Baekhyun” Jongdae sounded relieved. Baekhyun put his phone in his pocket and ran his hands through his hair trying to tame it into something manageable. He decided, in the end, a beanie was his only hope.

“Where are you going?” Luhan called from the couch, “and who said you could borrow my car?”

“Out” Baekhyun responded, closing the door before Luhan could ask any other questions. As he drove away he got a text,

The Tall Gay Roommate: you better bring it back before 1 am with no scratches and get over whatever teenage angst bull you’re going through right now before you start getting really annoying.

He ignored the text and found Jongdae at a convenience store. Apparently his idea of dinner was convenience store ramen and triangle kimbap in Luhan’s car with the heater all the way up. Baekhyun didn’t complain, to be honest, it was one of the best meals he had ever had.  He figured it had nothing to do with the warm ramen and everything to do with the boy next to him.  He wasn’t quite sure how to go about conversation, though.

“How is work going?” . How lame could he get? Baekhyun mentally kicked himself.

“Oh it’s great I think I’ll be hired full time soon, like take a couple of classes on or teach at different schools. I also am considering giving private voice lessons maybe for some extra cash or like, get a job at a store or something. I have to like…be responsible for someone other than myself now.” He chuckled.

“I mean that sounds like a good plan. Private lessons are…fun. I couldn’t imagine teaching a whole room full of kids, though.”

“It’s different, half of them don’t pay attention most of the time but that’s fine. Some of the kids are like, crazy though,” Jongdae chuckled, “this one kid came up to me one day and he had shoved an entire glue stick up his nose.” Baekhyun’s jaw dropped, “I’m serious he had to go to the nurse. Another kid like whenever we start singing, she will just scream, for like 3 minutes. Best breathe support I’ve ever seen.”

“Holy ”

“And like the dating lives of these kids are so intense.” Jongdae was smiling now, “This one kid, now keep in mind they are all like, 9 years old, this one kid has like three girlfriends. He like, has pledged to marry one of them and gives the other ones his food and they live some sort of like sister-wives type deal. Nine years old and he has a ing harem.”

“. I didn’t get into a relationship until I was like, 14.” Baekhyun said,

“Me either.” Jongdae laughed. Baekhyun felt his heart swell, it was so good to see him laughing like that, “what was your first date?” he asked, Baekhyun had to think for a second.

“I guess my first official date was to that park I took you and Jongsu too, he like told me all our friends were going to be there and when I got there he said everyone had canceled. Then he pulled out a blanket and had prepared a whole ing picnic. I asked if this was a date and he was a terrible liar and turned bright red.”

“Oh my god that’s actually…really cute.”

“Yeah it was.”

“Was that the guy you told me about? The ex that left?” Jongdae leaned against the seat, his eyes intent on Baekhyun, who had suddenly become very intrigued by the ramen in his hands.

“Yeah, it was. Chanyeol.” He smiled, “What about you?”

“What?”

“What was your first date?” Baekhyun mirrored Jongdae so they were staring at each other.

“Mine was really cliché and not nearly as cute as yours” Jongdae turned slightly pink but it was dark so Baekhyun couldn’t really tell.

“Prom?”

“Worse, homecoming. It was before was out to anyone. She was the smartest girl in school. I went the whole ten yards for her, dressed up, got the ing flower thing, we went to dinner before and took ty pictures.”

“I feel like there is more to this story.”

“About halfway through the night she told me I was a terrible dancer and left to go dance with one of the football players” Jongdae laughed, his eyes sparkling. “The worst part is that her mom was my ride home”

Baekhyun was halfway through a bite of ramen and ended up spluttering and choking, causing Jongdae to laugh really hard, harder than Baekhyun had ever heard him laugh before. The noise was beautiful but the broth coming out of his nose hurt like hell.

“, her mom?”

“Yeah, we were like, thirteen!” Jongdae handed Baekhyun a napkin and continued to laugh. It was honestly probably the most beautiful sound Baekhyun had ever heard. Baekhyun recovered and threw the napkin at Jongdae,

“, that hurt” Baekhyun said but he was smiling. Jongdae was also smiling. He was gorgeous when he smiled. He was beautiful all the time Baekhyun decided, but particularly when he was smiling. Baekhyun wanted him to never stop.

Somehow they ended up talking for like, three hours and the only reason they stopped was because Baekhyun had to return the car before Luhan like gave birth or something. He dropped off Jongdae and honestly it felt like a date. After he got out of the car Baekhyun rolled down his window and Jongdae leaned in.

“Thank you Baekhyun,” He said, “That was…the most fun I’ve had in a long time.” Baekhyun tried not to think about how sad that was and smiled,

“Yah stop thanking me! It’s making me feel weird. I don’t want to hear you say thank you ever again.” Baekhyun tried to look mad. Jongdae laughed. When he laughed his whole face smiled and his eyes got all scrunchy and it was the most adorable thing Baekhyun had ever seen.

“Okay okay. I won’t” Jongdae looked like he wanted to say something else, but he just waved and went into the house.