There was an excited bounce to Kyungsoo's steps as he headed for work that day. At the company, he had greeted everyone with a smile; even the ones that he didn't know personally. For Kyungsoo, it felt like he was walking on the clouds after his talk with Jongin.

After discovering that Jongin wasn't interested in girls.

But Kyungsoo's little bubble of happiness bursted when Jongin suddenly dropped a bomb on him. When Kyungsoo entered the office, the first thing Jongin said was that he was going on a business trip to Japan. He also would be going alone. And the trip would last for two weeks or more, depending on the success of the project.

Kyungsoo felt a tiny pang of disappointment that Jongin didn't invite him to come. But he shook off that feeling quickly because it was beyond ridiculous. He and Jongin couldn't possibly be together twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year. They weren't glued to the hip.

Jongin had cracked a joke that Kyungsoo should be left behind to keep an eye on things in the company, and see to it that no one steals his millions. It was rare for Jongin to go on business trips, much less overseas, that for a foolish instant Kyungsoo thought that Jongin was avoiding him. Another ridiculous idea, because what reason could Jongin have to avoid Kyungsoo? Jongin might have said - or more like slipped out of his mouth - that he wasn't interested in girls. But then he also didn't say if he was interested in anyone. It was needless to say that Jongin didn't mention if he like Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo had no choice but to follow Jongin's orders. He couldn't disobey the owner of the company, his boss.

While Jongin's away, the one in charge would be Chanyeol. His second-in-command. Chanyeol was more than happy to fill in for the job. He was getting tired of being sent away (by Jongin) on business trips. It would be a pleasant change for him to stay at the company for more than a week.

Kyungsoo temporarily moved to a desk outside Chanyeol's office. He had been used to a desk inside Jongin's office, that on the first day of the transfer, Kyungsoo had barged in on Chanyeol's own office. Chanyeol politely directed Kyungsoo to his proper place; a cubicle right behind Chanyeol's secretary. 

The temporary transfer was kind of a relief for Kyungsoo. He didn't want to stay at Jongin's office all alone. It would only make him miss Jongin's presence even more. But it was the first time that Kyungsoo wasn't too enthusiastic to go to work. Because Jongin wasn't there to welcome him.

+

"It's only for two weeks. He won't be gone forever," Baekhyun said, as they ate lunch that day. They weren't in the company's cafeteria but at a restaurant that Baekhyun had recommended. Baekhyun figured that Kyungsoo needed to be out of the company so he wouldn't mope around while his boss was away.

Kyungsoo sighed deeply. "I know. But it's...lonely without him." He was absently stirring the straw on his tall glass of strawberry milkshake.

Baekhyun looked at Kyungsoo sympathetically. The way Kyungsoo was heavily affected by Jongin leaving, for a business trip, was an unspoken confession that he did like Jongin, a lot. "Come on, Kyungsoo, cheer up," he said. Then a sudden idea popped into Baekhyun's gorgeous little head. "Do you want to have a sleepover at my house? Until Jongin comes back?"

"What?" Kyungsoo stared at Baekhyun, confused.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. Kyungsoo wasn't even listening to him. "I said, do you want to have a sleep---"

"I heard you the first time." Kyungsoo cut off Baekhyun's speech. "But why that long? Isn't a sleepover only for like, a day or something?"

"There's no rule that says sleepovers are limited for just a day, you know. So, what's your answer? Yes, or a yes?" Baekhyun grinned.

"But won't your family mind if I'm there?" Kyungsoo asked with hesitancy.

Baekhyun brushed a hand in the air. "No, they won't. I live alone."

"Oh."

They had been friends for quite some time now, but this was the first time that Baekhyun had revealed that he lived by himself. Well, not everyone was like Kyungsoo who was still living with his mother. Kyungsoo pondered about Baekhyun's offer. Should he go for it or not? His mom, who was still working as Jongin's housekeeper, would be staying in that big house while Jongin was away. She would be safe there because Jongin had hired a security guard. During that time, Kyungsoo was planning to stay at home after work, all by his lonesome. But he might as well spend some quality time with Baekhyun. In his twenty-five years of life, this would be Kyungsoo's first sleepover at a friend's house.

+

On the first night of the sleepover, Baekhyun decided to throw a 'cheering up party' for Kyungsoo. A little party for just the two of them. The party included: eating three kinds of pizza, a chick flicks marathon, and a pampering session. The two of them were currently lounging on the couch, with an aloe vera face mask on their faces, while watching Mean Girls (the third movie Baekhyun had chosen). The food they ordered (three boxes of pizza, a box of fried chicken wings, two big rolls of kimbap, and two large bottles of soda) were splayed out on the table in front of them.

Kyungsoo was delighted from it all. They weren't really focused on the movie they were watching. They were just chatting and laughing from the stories they shared. Kyungsoo had never experienced something like this before so he was happy to have Baekhyun by his side. Baekhyun surely knew how to cheer up someone.

When the movie ended, and the face mask was off their faces, Kyungsoo stepped out into the balcony while he waited for Baekhyun to finish preparing the bath. Baekhyun said that he had bought bath bombs, flower petals, and candles, that were good for relaxation. Kyungsoo had never even heard of bath bombs before. He thought they were literally bombs.

Kyungsoo was carefully leaning on the metal balustrade while he gazed up at the night sky. It was almost ten in the evening, and the sky was full of stars that night. Baekhyun's apartment complex was located in a quiet neighborhood. Kyungsoo initially thought that Baekhyun's apartment was as extravagant as his personality. But then it was the opposite. Baekhyun's apartment was a large studio type with a minimalistic interior. The color theme was just black and white. It was the opposite of Baekhyun's colorful persona.

The silence of the night was interrupted when Kyungsoo's cell phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket, and when he saw who was calling, he could only stare at the screen, with his mouth hanging open.

Why was Jongin calling him at this time?

Kyungsoo cleared his throat before answering, "Hello?"

"Hey, Kyungsoo. How are things in the office?" Jongin asked. It was quiet on the other end of the line. All Kyungsoo could hear was Jongin's steady breathing.

Kyungsoo couldn't help but smile. It had only been three days since Jongin went to Japan, but Kyungsoo already missed hearing his voice. "Everything's fine at the office. So far, no one's attempting to steal any of your millions. And I'm making sure that nobody gets to," Kyungsoo joked.

Jongin laughed. "I'm glad to hear that you're doing your job well, Kyungsoo."

"Well, that's what I'm paid for." Kyungsoo replied as casually as he could. Even though deep inside his chest welled up with longing, just from hearing Jongin's sweet laughter again.

There was a pause. For a second, Kyungsoo thought the line already went dead. But then Jongin cleared his throat and asked, "Uhm, how about you? Are you okay? Is Chanyeol treating you right?"

But before Kyungsoo could answer, Baekhyun barged in on the balcony. "Hey, Soo. The bath's ready. Do you want to go in first? Or we could just go take a bath together. To conserve wat---"

Baekhyun halted when Kyungsoo abruptly turned around, frantically pointing a finger at the cell phone on his ear. Then Kyungsoo mouthed the words, 'it's Jongin!'. Baekhyun gasped, and covered his mouth with his hands.

"Oh, ." Baekhyun muttered under his breath. Without second thought, Baekhyun snatched the phone from Kyungsoo's hands. "Hello. Jongin? Hey, it's Baekhyun here. Kyungsoo's having a sleepover at my house and just so you know, I didn't mean anything from what I said. We're only friends, and besides Kyungsoo's not---hello? Hellooo? Jongin?"

"What? What happened?" Kyungsoo asked anxiously.

Baekhyun glanced nervously from the phone on his hand to Kyungsoo. "Jongin just hung up on me."

Kyungsoo grabbed the phone back, then he tried calling Jongin. But all he had reached was the voicemail. "He's not answering. I need to explain it to him." He was biting his nails while he waited for the call to connect again. But it was to no avail.

"I think I just ruined your chances with Jongin, Soo." Baekhyun said, dispirited.

Kyungsoo prayed that it wasn't the case at all. He just needed to explain things properly to Jongin. Surely, Jongin would understand. Right? But then why did Jongin suddenly hang up when he heard Baekhyun? That was the real question.

+