(AN: this is it.....it's the end of an era....the last chapter of the fake boyfriend theory.... *sniffs and tries not to cry* thank you guys for staying with this till the end, i really appreciate all the love you've given this fic!! again, comment if you loved it, comment if you hated it, but let me know what you thought, and don't forget to vote on the poll~)

There was a knock on his door. And because Kyungsoo was an idiot, he opened the door without checking who it as. And it was Baekhyun.

“Oh .”

“Oh is right, Do Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun hissed. “Why have you been avoiding us?”

Kyungsoo sputtered a protest when Baekhyun pushed his way into the room, but Baekhyun was already taking off his shoes and shrugging off his jacket. He’d have no choice but to deal with this.

“I haven’t been-” Kyungsoo started weakly.

“Don’t give me that bull,” Baekhyun snapped.

Kyungsoo sputtered again. Baekhyun didn’t get angry often; it was always unsettling to see him like this, seething and glaring. When their eyes met, he swore he saw hurt in Baekhyun’s eyes, so he turned to close the door, swallowing hard.

“I’m sorry, hyung,” he said softly.

“I’m sorry isn’t going to cut it,” said Baekhyun, crossing his arms across his chest.

Kyungsoo turned to face him, adjusting his glasses and his lips.

“I needed time to myself,” he mumbled, sitting on the edge of his bed.

“Because of the break up?” Baekhyun asked.

“It wasn’t-”

“We’re not doing this anymore, Kyungsoo. You can tell yourself it was fake as much as you want, but you know this was real for you,” said Baekhyun. “And for him.”

Kyungsoo sniffled, shaking his head.

“And that’s no excuse for avoiding your friends,” Baekhyun continued, hands on hips. “We were worried about you. I was worried about you. I kept thinking you were going to hurt yourself or something, but then I see you hanging out with those other morons after you hadn’t answered my texts for a week and a half-” Baekhyun stopped, sniffling.

Kyungsoo’s heart sank. Perhaps he’d been selfish, in shutting them out. And perhaps he’d been too quick to judge. Baekhyun was a goofball, sure, and sometimes obnoxious, but also a great friend. It was Baekhyun who comforted Kyungsoo, who gave him good advice (usually followed by highly questionable advice, if only to make Kyungsoo laugh). It was Baekhyun who always made sure Kyungsoo had a smile on his face. He sniffled again, standing to face Baekhyun.

“I’m really sorry,” he whispered, hugging him.

Baekhyun returned the hug; they stood for a while in the embrace until Baekhyun squeezed him, giggling at Kyungsoo’s oof.

“Don’t ever do that again,” said Baekhyun, smiling when Kyungsoo extricated himself from the hug.

He tweaked Kyungsoo’s nose for good measure, laughing when Kyungsoo huffed.

“So why did you break up with Jongin,” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kyungsoo groaned, sitting on the bed again.

“Baekhyun please-”

“Come on, fess up. I need you to be honest with me and with yourself,” said Baekhyun, wagging a finger in Kyungsoo’s face. Kyungsoo swatted his hand away, scowling up at him, his stomach roiling with anxiety again.

“Because three months is enough time,” Kyungsoo said bluntly.

Baekhyun only blinked, his teeth.

“And the real reason is?”

Kyungsoo threw himself onto the bed, avoiding the weight of Baekhyun’s gaze. He stared at the bathroom door, sighing. Right. He’d have to be honest. Baekhyun wouldn’t accept any other answer.

“Because I love him. And because he doesn’t love me back, not that way,” Kyungsoo sighed again. “And because I was getting too caught up in it and I didn’t want to be blindsided the day he decided this was no longer going to be a thing.” His voice cracked and he winced, curling his fist into the comforter.

Baekhyun scoffed, sitting beside him.

“And how do you know he doesn’t love you back that way?” Baekhyun asked, poking Kyungsoo’s stomach when Kyungsoo ignored him.

“Because he would’ve asked me to be his actual boyfriend instead- stop poking me!” Kyungsoo growled, sitting up to shove him.

Baekhyun only giggled, giving him a brilliant smile.

“Or maybe,” he said in a sing song voice, “he’s as much of an idiot as you are and he’s secretly been pining over you for years.”

Kyungsoo gave him a flat look, scowling when Baekhyun gave him a pointed look. His heart did a hopeful little flip, but he tamped it down immediately.

“That sounds stupid,” Kyungsoo said in a small voice.

“Just because it’s stupid doesn’t mean it’s not true,” said Baekhyun. “Wow, I should get that on a shirt.”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, throwing himself into the pillows.

“Has he ever told you outright that he likes me?” Kyungsoo asked.

“Yes.”

“Bull,” Kyungsoo grumbled; Baekhyun smacked his , which made Kyungsoo yelp and turn, fist raised.

“You asked and I answered. Honestly,” said Baekhyun, “It was freshman year, that halloween you dressed up as a demon with booty shorts and fishnets and fell asleep on Jongin’s bed. He told me he had the biggest crush on you, but he was scared to ask you out because he thought you only saw him as a friend.”

Kyungsoo blushed, remembering how bold he’d been that night (sans alcohol) (he’d gotten Jongin to his for a bit, and he’d definitely sat on Jongin’s lap once he noticed Jongin’s bulge). That little spark of hope flared again, but he cleared his throat and shook off the memories, hugging a pillow to his chest.

“That was two years ago,” he said pointedly, but he didn’t believe his own dumb excuse (because he still nursed his crush on Jongin, five years later).

“And he told me,” Baekhyun continued, “He’d had a crush on you since sophomore year of high school. So clearly that crush is here to stay.”

“That’s just a kid crush-”

“You still like him,” said Baekhyun. “Besides, didn’t you tell me Jongin was kissing you when you guys were alone. And grabbing your . And cuddling. But most importantly kissing.”

Kyungsoo swore under his breath, and not for the first time regretted telling Baekhyun everything.

“So what?”

“Well, you were also initiating some of those kisses, right? Because you wanted to take advantage of this,” said Baekhyun.

Which meant? Which meant Jongin was also kissing him because he wanted to kiss him. Oh. Kyungsoo gulped, hugging the pillow closer.

“Mmm, yeah. Go to his room,” said Baekhyun.

Kyungsoo jumped and gave Baekhyun a bug eyed look, mouth open.

“I-I- what? No!” he squeaked.

“I didn’t say his , I said go to his room. To talk,” said Baekhyun. “Although you should probably his while you’re at it.” He added pensively.

“Absolutely not!” Kyungsoo spluttered, throwing a pillow at Baekhyun, who caught it with a giggle. His heart was racing at the thought of seeing Jongin again.

“Come on, Kyungsoo. Go confess,” Baekhyun said, but Kyungsoo kept shaking his head.

“You can’t make me,” he said softly.

“Oh fine,” said Baekhyun, throwing the pillow back. “I’ll see you later.”

“Wait, you’re leaving?” Kyungsoo asked, scrambling to sit upright.

Baekhyun gave him a knowing smile and winked.

“Do you miss me already?” he asked, fluttering his eyelashes.

“Oh, get out,” Kyungsoo said with a scowl, and threw a pillow at him.

Baekhyun ducked, giggling.

“I’ll see you for dinner,” he chirped, and left.

Dinner? He hadn’t agreed to that…

Kyungsoo groaned. If Baekhyun had already made plans, it meant he would drag Kyungsoo out of his room, whether Kyungsoo was willing to go out or not. Yet, he wasn’t entirely upset, not quite. He did miss Baekhyun and Junmyeon, so with a sigh, he shuffled to the bathroom to get ready.

-

He should’ve known better. He really, truly, definitely should’ve known better. But there he was, sitting in his frumpy pajamas, rubbing days of sleep off his face with Sehun and Baekhyun on his bed.

“Confess,” said Baekhyun (for the fifth time, not that Jongin was keeping count).

“No,” Jongin snapped.

“Dude, you’ve both been super miserable, and it’s making us miserable,” said Sehun.

Jongin was too tired to roll his eyes, so he settled for giving Sehun an exhausted glare.

“I just told you he likes you,” said Baekhyun. “There’s no room for doubt here. All you have to do is go up to him and say,” and for this Baekhyun grabbed him by the shoulders, “Kyungsoo, love of my life, shining star in my night sky, sweet summer peach , let me eat you out for eternity. And then voila, you guys go off to his room and have sweet reconciliatory . Or rough reconciliatory , I won’t judge.”

Sehun dissolved in giggles, slapping the bed and finally keeling over. Jongin glared at them both, jaw tight.

“And what will he think of me then, huh? I’m going to look like a whole creep for having asked him to pretend to be my boyfriend,” Jongin hissed.

“And that’s because you are,” said Baekhyun, patting Jongin’s knee. “But that’s fine, because that doesn’t negate the fact that he desperately wants you to nut in his as you guys watch a romantic sunset in the Maldives.”

Jongin pushed Baekhyun’s hand off with a snarl.

“I am not going to confess,” he hissed. “Now leave me alone.”

Baekhyun sighed, tugging the blankets off of him. He tried to tug them back, but Sehun joined Baekhyun, both of them gripping the blankets so Jongin wouldn’t take them back.

“Go out for dinner with us,” said Baekhyun.

Jongin paused in his blanket pulling; he didn’t want to go, but his stomach was tired of cup noodles and chips, so it growled before he could refuse.

“Where to?” he asked, eyeing Baekhyun’s proud grin.

“KBBQ,” he chirruped. “Junmyeon’s treat. I promised him-”

“We don’t need to know what you promised him,” Sehun said, closing his eyes and shivering.

Baekhyun pouted, and despite his insistence that he stay angry, Jongin couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up.

“Okay fine, I won’t tell you, but I know you won’t say no to that,” said Baekhyun, looking back at the smile forming on Jongin’s lips.

“Fine, let me shower,” he grumbled, finally letting go of the blankets.

“Please do,” said Sehun, laughing when Jongin gave him a dirty look.

It was early evening now, and they were at the KBBQ place. Baekhyun, Sehun, and Jongin, huddled against the cold as Baekhyun tapped his phone screen madly. At last, the screen lit up, a picture of Junmyeon half popping up above the name *~myeonnie baby~*.

“Oh gross, I could’ve lived without seeing that,” Sehun groaned.

Baekhyun stuck his tongue out at him and picked up.

“Hey guys,” Chanyeol’s deep voice boomed from behind them.

“Don’t scare me like that,” Jongin hissed, glaring at Chanyeol, but Chanyeol only rolled his eyes and gave Sehun a kiss. “I didn’t realize you’d be here too.”

“Ouch,” said Chanyeol, hand on his chest. “You thought I’d miss out on this? No in way.”

“Didn’t realize you were a bbq enthusiast now,” Jongin grumbled.

Chanyeol gave him a cryptic smile and shared a knowing look with Sehun, both of them giggling. Jongin gave them a confused look, but…well… they were kind of odd, so he didn’t question it. Not much.

“He’s already inside,” said Baekhyun, pulling them in. The warmth of the restaurant was a welcome relief, and Jongin sighed, pulling off his hat.

“Oh you actually came,” Junmyeon cheered, getting up to hug him.

Jongin returned the hug, ready to smile, but then-

Oh.

.

Kyungsoo was behind Junmyeon, as