Nana strides into the living room and plops down on the couch next to a bored looking Jessica. It was two in the afternoon, the earliest hour on a Saturday when all four childhood friends would be awake. The two girls don't exchange words,  just Nana snuggling up to Jessica who busily taps on her phone.

Taecyeon comes out of one of the two bedrooms in the apartment, waist up and a towel draped limply on his head.

"You guys are already here," he says. A statement that does not wait for a response, rightfully ignored by the two females in the room.

Only when Taecyeon says the words, "I'm going to make some putanesca," do Nana and Jessica glance up at him.

"You know, for a chef-in-the-making, your fridge is disappointing. It had no food when I got here," says Jessica. 

Taecyeon rolls his eyes. "I already said I was going to make some. Sheesh." He makes his way to the kitchen, divided from the living room with only a half-wall.

"I want cupcakes. Bake some chocolate cupcakes," Nana adds.

Manners do not exist within long term friendships. 

"Where's Heechul-hyung, anyway?'

"He said he's going to be late. Breaking up with one of his girlfriends or something," replies Nana.

"Hot secretary from that hotel or hot secretary from the law firm?" Taecyeon asks.

"Wait, I thought you were the one who was banging Hot secretary from the law firm?"

Jessica puts down her phone. "Okay, one: Chulie-oppa and Taec-oppa,  you're both disgusting; Two, he's breaking up with cute college teacher; and three,  I'm hungry so hurry up with the pasta."

True friendship is all about honesty and harsh words with good intentions. It's about bad jokes and twisted humor.

After a few moments of silence, Nana reopens the conversation as if it never stopped.

"Speaking of girlfriends, why won't you settle down with anyone Taec-oppa? It's been so long since the last one."

"I told you before,  I don't settle," he says. "It's too much work."

"Why do I smell a liar from the kitchen?" says Nana.

"Wait a sec, don't tell me you're still waiting for Vegas?" asks Jessica,  now completely intrigued. She even puts down her phone and faces Taecyeon.

"Who's Vegas?" asks Nana.

"The girl he slept with when we partied there three summers ago," supplies Jessica. 

"And he's completely smitten?"

"Yeah which is stupid because he couldn't even remember anything from that night."

Taecyeon comes out of the kitchen with a bowl of pasta putanesca, which he settles on the coffee table, and three forks.

"Hey, not true. I remember the part," says Taecyeon while simultaneously slapping off Jessica's feet off the table.

Jessica just smirks, amused. "You don't even know who she is or how she looks like. If she's even a her. For all we know, you could've slept with a guy."

Nana's laugh overlaps with Taecyeon's "Yah!" and Jessica grins, happy with something she can tease Taecyeon with.

The door opens as the three dig in while immersing themselves with the topic at hand and teasing Taecyeon. 

"Hey ooh pasta gimme," says Heechul. He grabs Nana's fork, because it's the closest within reach, and takes a bite. He completely ignores Nana's protest and the accompanying slap. "So, what are we talking about?"

"Nothing much, just Taecyeon being gay," says Jessica.

"I am not! I did not sleep with a guy and that's gross."

Nana scoffs, eyebrows furrowed. "Excuse your homophobic , being gay is not gross."

"That's not what I meant, oh my god. Seriously. And I love Sica and her being gay. I'm just not, one, okay?"

"Fine,  let's drop this issue even though it's fun teasing Taec-oppa," Jessica says.

Nana takes her fork back from Heechul. "So, how did the breakup go?"

"She took it well. I only got a slap on the face this time so it's all good."

"How many girlfriends to breakup with do you still have left?" asks Jessica.

Heechul had to pause a bit and count mentally. "Five," he says. 

"Looks like you cleared more than 90% then," says Nana.

Heechul sighs dejectedly. "Yeah..."

Taecyeon pats him on the shoulder. "Come on,  hyung. Look on the bright side! At least when it's all over, you can finally be with supermodel what's-her-face."

Jessica and Nana beam, glad to have the nickname they created stick.

"I guess," Heechul shrugs. "It just that I can't sleep around as much anymore."

"Ugh,  you are so disgusting," says Nana.

"Shut up, hypocrite. You and Sica sleep around, too."

"Heechul-hyung's right. You always get to go home with someone when we go to bars."

"I'm not denying anything. I get more numbers than you boys get combined," says Jessica. 

Nana chuckles. Then she remembers. 

"Yah," she nudges Taecyeon across the table with her foot. "Where are my cupcakes."

"Oh come on,  I already made pasta!" Taecyeon says. 

"Make me cupcakes."

"No."

"I'll give you my colleague's number. The hot one from last season's fashion show."

"Fine."

Friendship is all about compromises and mutual benefits. It's all about having fun and doing fun things,  like teasing and bargaining.

Taecyeon gets up from his seat to go to the kitchen.

"Taecyeon-goon," Heechul says from mischievous lips. "Vegas dudes,  huh?"