Jongdae can’t count how many beers he’s had so far. He regrets agreeing with Baekhyun, when he’d suggested that they forgo dinner for ahnjoo with their drinks instead. While his friends liked to go drinking, they were all pretty much lightweights.

Only Kyungsoo is still relatively normal.

“Yah, is your hyung made of gold or somethinggg?” Baekhyun asks, drawing out the ends of his sentences. “Why won’t you let us meet himmm?”

“We promise we’ll keep quiet about you being lame at school” adds Chanyeol with a hiccup.

Chanyeol grins sloppily and takes another sip of his beer.

“Or maybe you’re scared that your hyung will expose how lame you are at home?” Chanyeol deduces. “Don’t worry Jongdae-yah” Chanyeol says, draping a heavy arm on Jongdae’s shoulders. “We already know you’re lame.”

Jongdae shrugs Chanyeol’s arm off in irritation as Baekhyun laughs into his beer mug.  Thoughtfully, Kyungsoo chews on a piece of dried squid as he says, "Why don't we all go over this weekend?"

All Jongdae can do is gawk while both Baekhyun and Chanyeol cheer loudly.

"That's Kyungsoo for you!  Our smart little Kyungsoo!" Chanyeol shouts, moving his cup to quickly as he locks an affectionate arm around Kyungsoo's neck.

Beer sloshes onto Baekhyun's arm, but he doesn't seem to mind.

"To Kyungsoo!" Baekhyun shouts, raising his glass.

"To Kyungsoo!" Chanyeol reciprocates.

Kyungsoo's lips break out into a mischievous smile and Jongdae thinks that maybe Kyungsoo is a little bit drunk because there's no permission asked of Jongdae at all.

"What time should we drop by?" Baekhyun asks in mock innocence.

"How about 1 o'clock?" suggests Chanyeol.  "So we have time to wake up and buy gifts?"

"1 o'clock it is" agrees Kyungsoo.

They bump glasses again, except for Jongdae, who is still shell-shocked.  And the conversation naturally flows to what they should bring when they visit Jongdae's house.  Jongdae snaps out it, laughing nervously along because they can't be serious, right?!  But when Kyungsoo, with a serious expression on his face, starts explaining the reason why toilet paper is a more practical house visiting present than laundry detergent, Jongdae puts on a crying face.  What was he going to tell his hyungs?!

&&&

When Baekhyun's head hits the table and when Chanyeol starts to cry over his childhood pets in succession, Jongdae knows it's time to go home.  They stumble out of the pub and huddle in an isolated alleyway as they wait for Kyungsoo, who is still the least drunk, to come back from the convenience store with anti-hangover drinks.  Chanyeol's sniffling into Jongdae's shoulder while Jongdae tries his best not to let Baekhyun fall over.

Even though it's past midnight, Jongdae's pretty proud of himself for keeping his promise to Minseok.  He didn't drink that much tonight, at least not that much in comparison to his other friends.  Not one drop of soju had entered his mouth.

After they force feed Baekhyun the anti-hangover drink, it's pretty easy to send Chanyeol and Baekhyun home.  They live in the same direction, pretty close to one another, so they write their addresses on a piece of paper and send them packing in one taxi cab.  Kyungsoo doesn't live too far from the college, so he walks home after waving good bye to Jongdae.

The night air is a little chilly and Jongdae bunches up his shoulders as he heads for the subway station.  His home is only two stops away, so he's thankful when he gets down to the platform just in time for one of the trains.  On the way, there's a beep from his phone and he looks down to see a message from Junmyeon.

[I'm going to sleep now, but Minseok hyung
is still on the couch.  Just a warning.]

Jongdae snorts affectionately as he quickly types a reply back.

[Not surprised at all.  Was expecting it.
Good night hyung.]

He tucks his phone back into his pant pocket and shoulders his backpack.  The first stop comes and goes and Jongdae taps his foot in expectation for the second stop, which is where he gets off.  The doors open and he steps of the subway with a whistle.  There's a song that's been stuck his head called "Not you, but your sister".  It's a song about a boy that falls in love with the sister of the girl who he originally liked and it has a funny music video that goes along with the ridiculous lyrics.  He's humming the tune as he punches in the password on the keypad to the front door.  The light sensor activates and the bulb turns on.  Taking off his shoes, he instinctively breathes out and tries to smell if his breath smells like alcohol.

"You're back" comes Minseok hyung's sleepy voice.

It brings a smile to Jongdae's face at the familiarity and maybe it's because he's just a little drunk, but he feels an overwhelming affection for his hyung.

"Hyung~!" he cries as he plops into Minseok's lap on the couch.

"Oof" Minseok says with a laugh.  "You're not eight anymore Kim Jongdae."

Sighing and nuzzling Minseok's neck, Jongdae closes his eyes.  He's sleepy now and thoughts of their younger days makes him feel a little more vulnerable.  He seeks comfort in the way Minseok pats his back and his hair.

"Next time" Minseok is saying, "try to make it in before midnight."

"Ah, hyung~" Jongdae whines.  "It's... yawn... not my fault... my friends, they..."

And it's then that Jongdae remembers about his friends visiting this weekend.  His eyelids fly open and he's about to tell Minseok when Jongdae senses an ominous presence behind him.

"Hyung" comes Jongin's low voice.

'Oh no' Jongdae thinks because Jongin's voice sounds pouty and sleepy.  And when he's like this, Jongin has a tendency to-

A heavy, strong hand shoves Jongdae off of Minseok's lap.  Jongdae rolls unceremoniously to one side of the couch, then up and over onto the ground.

"Ouch."

There's a creak and another "Oof" out of Minseok.  When Jongdae looks over, Jongin's half sitting on the couch and half sitting on Minseok, leg draped over Minseok's lap.

"I'm the youngest" Jongin says petulantly.  "Don't forget."

Jongdae gets up, scratching his head.  "Yeah, yeah, yeah.  This middle child will go to sleep now."

He makes his voice sulky on purpose, walking super slow to his own room and closing it with a resounding click.  After sending Jongin off to bed, Minseok will come quietly to Jongdae's room.  Jongdae knows this.  Minseok will his hair and whisper, "You're not sulking, right?" even when he knows Jongdae really is being childish.  Jongdae knows this because it's a familiar course of action and secretly, he smiles as he climbs into his bed.  Some people say that familiarity is boring, but to Jongdae, it will always be a comfort.