The drops of rain bounced gently on his windshield as his wipers swiped to and fro. A familiar tune rang out. Jonghyun smiled—he knew who that ringtone was. He pressed the button on his dash to answer.

“Yeah.”

“Jonghyun, are you coming?”

No “hello” or anything. No “it’s been ages—how are you?” Taemin just cut to the chase.

Jonghyun chuckled. “Yes, I’m coming. I’m on my way.”

“You know we’re all waiting.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, hurry up. We’ve been here for hours already!”

“Okay!” he agreed. “Did you guys get very drunk?” Jonghyun laughed. He already knew the answer to that one by the slight slur in his friend’s voice.

“We started drinking at 10. Where have you been? I thought you’d be here by now.”

“No, I finish at 2:00. What can I do about it?”

“2:00! Why do you always have to work so late?!” Taemin complained, knowing full well that Jonghyun’s radio shift always ended at 2:00.

“I’ll be there soon,” Jonghyun assured him, putting on his signal and pulling into the right lane.

“I haven’t seen you in months. Hurry up, OK?”

“Yeah, I got it. Don’t drink too much.”

“I’m not promising anything.” Taemin clicked off.

“Bye,” Jonghyun chuckled to the empty phone line.

~

Five minutes later, Jonghyun pulled his new grey Lamborghini into the driveway of Jinki and Sohee’s house. As he put it in park and turned off the ignition, the front door opened revealing a smiling Jinki, bathed in the welcoming light of his home. The car door lifted up and Jonghyun grabbed a paper bag off the seat beside him and ducked underneath the door, pressing a button to lower it and lock the car as he wandered up the steps to the house. Jinki stepped out onto the porch in his socked feet and threw his arms around Jonghyun, enveloping him in a warm embrace.

“Jonghyun,” he said, eventually letting him go and gently ushering him into the house. “It’s so great to see you. How have you been?”

Before Jonghyun could answer, Minho came striding down the hall. “Jonghyun!” he bellowed, arms wide open.

At the noise, Jonghyun gave Jinki a concerned look. “Is Sohee asleep?”

“Nah, she’s still up. She wasn’t going to bed without seeing you.”

Their conversation was cut short by Minho’s long arms engulfing Jonghyun, pulling the smaller man toward him. Jonghyun leaned up on his toes and Minho bent down for the embrace.

“How are you? What have you been up to?” asked Minho, as he stepped back to have a good look at his friend.

“Guys, guys, let him get in the house,” sang out a higher voice. Jinki’s tiny wife made an appearance, shooing Minho and Jinki back down the hall so that Jonghyun could slip off his runners. “It’s lovely to see you, Jonghyun,” she said, taking his jacket from him and reaching up to give him a peck on the cheek.

“You too, beautiful.” He kissed her back and then handed her the paper bag.

“Thanks!” she said. “Come in, come in.” She took his arm and walked with him down the hallway. “The others are in the dining room,” she said as they approached the entrance.

Wonderful smells of food greeted Jonghyun as he rounded the corner into the dining room. Bumkey was playing softly in the background.

“Jonghyun!” A perfectly coiffed Kibum stood up from the table and moved forward to greet him. His hair was buzzed short and had been dyed silver. His cheeks glowed with highlight as he moved forward to throw his arms around Jonghyun, who pulled him close.

As Kibum released him, Jonghyun spotted Taemin standing a couple of feet back. His hair was black and long, reminiscent of his “Danger” days. He was wearing a loose, long-sleeved grey T with a wide-scooped neck, revealing his sharp collarbones.

“Come here, Taemin.” Jonghyun gestured with his hand as Taemin stepped forward past Kibum and let Jonghyun wrap his arms around him. As Taemin curled his arms around Jonghyun’s small waist, Jonghyun tilted his head and sniffed Taemin’s neck. Mmm, Taemin always smelled great.

“Have a seat,” Kibum said, pulling out the chair beside his. Jonghyun and Kibum took their seats, and Taemin wandered to the end of the small oval table, beside Kibum. Minho and Jinki sat across from Jonghyun and Kibum.

“How have you been?” Taemin asked.

“I’m fine,” answered Jonghyun. “Busy, as always, but I enjoy it.”

“How long have you been on that radio show now?” Minho asked.

“Let’s see, I went back on the radio in February 2020 ... so five years!” Jonghyun answered, surprised that so much time had passed already.

Aromas of garlic and sesame oil filled the room as Sohee came in carrying a platter of bulgogi. Jinki got up and began moving beer bottles and small pottery cups out of the way so she could put it down. Then he followed her back into the kitchen, and the two returned with rice, dumplings, and plates, filling the now-crowded table.

“Mmm, this smells great!” exclaimed Taemin, helping himself to a dumpling. ‟Thanks Sohee.”

“Don’t thank me,” she answered. “Jinki made the food yesterday. All I did was heat it up.” She wandered around behind him. “You’re the chef in the family, aren’t you, babe?” she said, kissing him on the top of his head.

He reached up and took her hand. “I have the cutest sous-chef,” he replied, tilting his head up toward her to kiss her back.

She slipped back into the kitchen for a moment and returned with a bottle of soju.

“Oooh, more soju,” Taemin said, rubbing his hands together and then handing her his cup.

“Jonghyun brought it,” she answered. “Almost makes up for the fact that you turned up empty-handed,” she teased, filling his cup.

Minho’s cackle filled the air. “Haha, the dreaded Sohee burn! A burn from someone as sweet as Sohee stings forever, Taemin.”

Sohee giggled and winked at Taemin. “It’s OK, baby.”

“What baby?” exclaimed Kibum. “He’s 32!”

“He’s always our baby,” Sohee replied.

“Hey, I meant to bring something,” Taemin protested. “But I was excited to get here, and I forgot,” Taemin explained, a yes-I’m-sorry-but-you’re-going-to-forgive-me-as-always expression on his face.

“‘Meant to’ is not the same as actually bringing something,” Kibum scolded fondly.

“Are you going to join us, Sohee?” Minho asked, grabbing a plate and helping himself to some rice.

“And listen to the five of you tell the same old stories? No thanks!” she laughed.

“I thought you liked our stories,” countered Jonghyun, smiling.

“I do,” she confessed. “But I have work at noon tomorrow, and it’s already so late. But it’s so good to see you all together,” she said, going around the table, giving each a back hug. “Don’t leave it so long next time.” Sohee gave a small wave and exited the room.

“If Taemin weren’t such a superstar, we wouldn’t have to,” Kibum called after her. “He’s never in the country.”

Taemin shoved his shoulder.

Kibum turned to him. “What? Am I wrong?”

Taemin laughed shyly. “No, but I’m back now and we have a comeback in three months, so you’re all going to see plenty of me.”

“We’ll be begging you to leave again,” kidded Kibum, grabbing a plate and serving Taemin some bulgogi.

Jonghyun laughed and tapped Taemin’s foot under the table. “Never, Taemin. We’d never tire of you.”

Taemin gave him an awkward smile and began fiddling with his napkin.

“Hmmph, speak for yourself,” said Kibum, passing Taemin the plate and then taking a swig of his beer before grabbing a plate for himself.

Jinki picked up the bottle of soju and filled a cup for Jonghyun.

“Thanks,” said Jonghyun, accepting the cup. “I’ve finished a bunch of songs for our album,” he said. “Mostly R&B.”

“Nice, back to our roots,” said Jinki, reaching across the table to clink Jonghyun’s cup. They downed their drinks and Jinki picked up the bottle and refilled both their cups.

“Minho, do you want to get together this week to work on the raps?” asked Jonghyun as Kibum passed him the rice.

“You bet,” Minho responded. “You wanna join us, Kibum?”

“Can’t,” Kibum answered, swallowing a mouthful of food. “Nobuyuki is back from Paris on Sunday. I’m headed to Japan for a few days before he flies out to Milan for fashion week.”

“His schedule’s pretty busy, huh?” asked Jonghyun, piling bulgogi on top of his rice.

“Ridiculous,” Kibum answered. “Worse than mine. It’s a good thing he’s gorgeous, or I’d never put up with it,” Kibum snorted.

“Ah, you love him,” Jonghyun grinned, picking up his chopsticks.

Kibum smirked knowingly. “He’s OK. Plus, he does justice to my designs.”

Taemin nodded, cheeks full of food.

Jonghyun drained his cup and nodded at Minho. “How’s the fam?”

Minho gave him a just-a-minute signal and worked on finishing the food in his mouth while searching through his phone.

In the meantime, Jinki reached over and refilled Jonghyun’s cup. “Hey!” Jonghyun exclaimed, laughing.

“You’ve got some catching up to do!” his friend insisted.

“Here’s a good one of the three of them,” Minho said, passing over his phone.

“Wow, look at them!”

Jinki scooted closer to Jonghyun to see too. “How old is Bora now?”

“Five,” beamed Minho. “She just started soccer. She’s got a gift,” he said proudly.

“Such cute outfits,” said Jonghyun.

Kibum leaned over to see. “Of course they are,” he stated. “I bought them.”

“Yeah? All of them?” Jonghyun asked.

Kibum nodded, finishing a bite of dumpling. “That’s a godfather’s job. You don’t think Minho is going to keep the girls in fashion, do you?”

Minho chuckled. “Nope. It’s my job to teach them to dribble a ball.”

“What about Jieun?” Taemin asked. “What does she get to do?”

“She shows them how to be good people,” Minho answered, fondness in his voice. “And ... speaking of outfits,” Minho began, “we’re going to need some more soon, Kibum.”

“I just bought them new clothes!” Kibum answered. “Are they hitting growth spurts?”

“Not exactly,” said Minho, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “We’re going to need some little outfits.”

Congratulations spilled out from Jinki, Kibum, and Jonghyun, with smiles and high-fives from across the table and a hug from Jinki.

Taemin looked confused, until Minho helped him out. “Jieun’s expecting.”

Taemin’s eyebrows shot up. “A fourth?! Minho, that’s great! Congratulations!” he said, clapping him on the back. “Wow, sometimes I envy you.”

Minho smiled. “Really?”

“Yeah, I think it would be fun to be a dad. I’d be pretty great at it.”

The guys laughed. Minho pointed a finger at Taemin. “Really? Remember that time when you thought Yoogeun walked to the set alone?”

“I didn’t really think that!” Taemin protested, his cheeks going pink.

“You totally did,” said Minho, stuffing more rice into his mouth.

“A toast!” said Jonghyun, refilling Taemin’s and Jinki’s cups and then raising his. Minho and Kibum raised their beer bottles. “To Minho, Jieun, and their ever-expanding family,” said Jonghyun.

“Here, here!” the guys agreed and downed their drinks.

“So, who’s the godfather this time?” Taemin asked, like they didn’t all know already.

“You’re all lousy with kids,” said Kibum. “It’s obviously me.”

“I thought it was because you wouldn’t let any of the rest of us be godfather, Kibum,” winked Jinki.

“OK, that too. But they’re better off with me. I’m their role model.”

“He does treat them well,” Minho agreed. “They adore you, Kibum.”

“The feeling’s mutual,” said Kibum, reaching for Minho’s phone to get a better look at his photos. “Besides, I have to keep an eye on you. You can’t be trusted—you’re too much of a prankster.”

“Wha—? When have I been a prankster?”

Jonghyun jumped in. “What about that time I came in the dressing room krumping, and you sprayed the floor with water?!”

Minho cackled loudly. “And you wiped out and Kibum posted it online!” Minho leaned back in his chair laughing and holding his sides. His laugh was infectious, and soon they were all losing it.

Jonghyun was on a roll now. “And you’re just as bad!” he said, gesturing at Kibum.

Kibum waved him off. “You’re imagining things,” he protested.

“All those pictures of me sleeping, with you and Minho piling things on my chest or posing with me?”

Kibum hooted. “Those were priceless! I’m an artist—I had to.”

Everyone was in tears by now. “You’re as bad as each other,” Jonghyun said, pointing at Minho and Kibum.

“And then you posted all those memes of Minho in retaliation,” Taemin reminded him.

“Yeah,” agreed Minho. “Why didn’t you get Kibum back?”

“Watch out, babe,” warned Kibum.

“Oh, that’s too dangerous,” Jonghyun shook his head. “No one in his right mind would dare get revenge on Kibum.”

“Good boy,” said Kibum, approvingly.

Minho grabbed a couple more beers out of a small cooler within arm’s reach and handed one to Kibum, while Taemin got up, grabbing the soju and refilling the other’s cups.

“Ya! Don’t fill it up so much! It’s overflowing,” cried Jonghyun.

“Whoops,” said Taemin, grabbing a napkin and putting it under Jonghyun’s cup, spilling a little more in the process. “You haven’t had enough,” Taemin insisted.

“I’ve had several cups since I got here,” Jonghyun protested. “Tonight is special. I can’t get so drunk I can’t remember it. And you shouldn’t either,” he scolded.

The five sat through the night, trading embarrassing stories and reminiscing about the old days. “We were so young. We knew nothing,” said Jonghyun, with a fond shake of the head. “Looking back, I don’t know how we managed.”

“We always had each other,” stated Kibum, getting up, a little unsteady on his feet. “We still do. But I think that’s it for tonight,” he said, yawning. “I’ll call some cabs. Minho, you’re headed my way. You want to split one?”

“Good idea,” agreed Minho, getting up and piling the dishes. He and Jinki began taking them to the kitchen.

“Taemin, need a cab?” Kibum asked.

“I’ll share one with Jonghyun,” Taemin replied, bringing a smile to Jonghyun’s face.

The dishes cleared up, the group headed to the front hallway and began putting on their coats and shoes. As a cab pulled up to the house, Kibum and Minho gave everyone a round of hugs and said their goodbyes. Jonghyun could feel himself getting teary; it was so wonderful to see them all again. They really shouldn’t have left it so long.

Minho and Kibum headed out the front door and down the stairs, waving as they got into the cab. The others watched as it pulled away down the street.

“We’ll wait outside, Jinki,” said Jonghyun. “Go curl up with that lovely wife of yours.” Taemin and Jonghyun each hugged Jinki, thanking him for his hospitality. They headed outside and down the steps. “Take care of my baby, Jinki,” Jonghyun said, patting the hood of his car.

“Don’t worry, I’ll treat her well,” called out Jinki as he closed the front door.

A cool breeze blew past them. Taemin pulled his jacket around himself and shoved his hands in his pockets.

“So, your worldwide tour—that was really something, huh?” said Jonghyun.

Taemin nodded. “It was quite a tour. My last stops were in Canada—Toronto and Montreal.”

“I know where you were,” Jonghyun nodded.

Taemin grinned. “Still my biggest fan, huh?”

“Always,” Jonghyun said. “I even have all your merch again!”

“Get out!” replied Taemin. “You didn’t buy merch for this tour too.”

“I did!” Jonghyun assured him. “I should have worn it all tonight to prove it.”

Taemin chuckled.

A cab came down the street and pulled over to the curb beside them. Jonghyun waved and gestured for the driver to please wait.

He turned and faced Taemin, stepping forward to sweep Taemin’s hair out of his eyes. “Don’t go back to your place yet,” he said. “Come home with me.”

Taemin tipped his chin down and looked up at Jonghyun through his bangs. “You just want to take advantage of me because I’m drunk,” he teased.

Jonghyun laughed. “Tell you what. How about I let you take advantage of me, instead?”

Taemin stumbled closer. For a moment, the silliness of the evening was gone. Then Taemin reached up, gently cupping Jonghyun’s cheek with his hand. He gazed into the man’s warm brown eyes.

“Take me home, Jonghyun.”