“What's up? I was almost worried when you asked me over for coffee, that's so not like you. Is something wrong?” Suho furrowed his brow, looking at Kyungsoo with worried eyes.

Jongin silently growled as he pretended to be busy with an imaginary task in the kitchen, since Kyungsoo had asked him to stay out of the way while he brought up the subject of Sehun, claiming that this way he would have a better chance of convincing Suho.

Jongin hadn't liked it one bit. What kind of a special bond did they share that Jongin wasn't privy of? And what gave Suho the right to be worried about Kyungsoo. Suho wasn't Kyungsoo's husband, Jongin was!

And what did Suho think was wrong, did he suspect that Jongin was mistreating Kyungsoo or something? No way. Was he maybe hoping he was, so that Suho could swoop in and take advantage of Kyungsoo's vulnerable state, luring him into his trap and stealing him away under the pretense that he was his superhero. Jongin was not going to give up without a fight.

Mad and feeling left out, he loudly restacked some cups in the cupboard, making sure they were all out of order, so Kyungsoo would hate it. This was his revenge.

“No, no, it's nothing like that.” Kyungsoo chuckled sweetly.

“I just... had a question I wanted to ask you and thought why not use the excuse and meet up, we hardly see each other anymore.” Kyungsoo's face was quickly turning into a strawberry.

Jongin couldn't take it anymore. Kyungsoo was like a totally different guy with Suho.

“Okay, now I'm getting really suspicious.” Suho peered his eyes, looking like he was trying to read Kyungsoo's mind.

That was it! No one was allowed to read Kyungsoo's thoughts except him. Well, Jongin hadn't really mastered the art of mind reading just yet, but he was working hard at it. He slammed the cupboard shut and brought a cup for himself to the table. He was joining them whether they liked it or not.

“The thing is, we think you and Sehun make a really cute couple. Sehun has the biggest crush on you, so we thought, why not go on a double date, the four of us?“ Jongin put extra emphasis on 'we' and put his hand on Kyungsoo's shoulder to show Suho he was his.

Both Kyungsoo and Suho stared at him with open mouths, like he was out of his mind.

“Ehhhh...” Suho failed to find words to say.

Hah! Jongin had punctured Suho's plan to lure Kyungsoo away, and left him speechless.

“Yeah. Double date.” Kyungsoo nodded with a smirk. “I have to do a test run at the restaurant before I open. Why don't we just eat there. I'll make us an amazing meal. Just think of it as helping me out.”.

No.

No, no, no.

What was Kyungsoo promising him that for? This . Jongin couldn't even protest since Suho was there and it would look really weird, and would hurt Sehun's chances. Agh! He clenched his teeth. Taemin was wrong. If Kyungsoo was really into him, shouldn't he want him to be the first guest at his restaurant?

The very first guest should be someone special to your heart, and apparently Suho was that for Kyungsoo. He had already tried to get away with a one on one date with Suho as the sole first customer, but since Jongin shot him down, Kyungsoo was using the double date as an excuse, knowing Jongin couldn't say anything in front of Suho. Rats.

Jongin tried to hide how hard his heart was pouting, but it was near impossible. Every cell in his body was blue.

“I don't know... I mean, sure, Sehun is smoking hot, there's no one who's going to argue with that. Those shoulders... wow...” Suho's eyes widened, his whole body becoming alert as he was clearly picturing Sehun in his mind.

“And it's not that I don't want to help you, of course I do... I mean free gourmet cooking, sign me up! You are already my favorite chef.” Suho said a little too enthusiastically. Jongin secretly scowled at him.

“But he's just too goofy. And clingy. And not that smart... not really my type, guys.” Suho folded his arms with pursed lips, ready to turn them down.

Jongin was conflicted. If Suho declined, Jongin still had a chance at becoming Kyungsoo's one and only first guest at the restaurant, something Kyungsoo would never forget for the rest of his life. But then Jongin would be letting Sehun down. And if Suho and Sehun actually did hook up and become an item, then Suho was out of the picture. It really was Sophie's choice.

Kyungsoo said nothing, but just stared intensely at Suho, starting a staring contest with him. It got eerily quiet while they just stared at each other. The tension was palpable. Suho shifted in his chair. Jongin found himself holding his breath. He didn't know what was going on, but whatever it was, it was extremely intense.

“Fine!” Suho sighed dramatically.

Kyungsoo grinned, his eyes alive and victorious. He clearly didn't hate winning.

“Why did you offer to host it at your restaurant? Then you'll be busy preparing the food and everything, you won't have any time to be on a date.” Jongin complained, a small pout sneaking onto his lips.

“Yeah, but you'll be there to oversee things with them, so I won't be distracted. It's the perfect opportunity to do a test run. It's not like we'll be on a real date, we're helping those two idiots have one.” Kyungsoo explained, satisfied, like he was killing two birds with one stone.

Not a real date. Jongin's heart sank to the bottom of his gut. As he had expected, Taemin had been way off. Kyungsoo wasn't into him at all. For a split second, Jongin had let himself wonder 'what if'. He couldn't believe he had been considering redefining who he was, for a guy that didn't even want him.

Stupid 'what if'.

It was two days before the opening of the restaurant. The night of the fake double date. Or, one of the dates was fake, the other hopefully not, for Sehun's sake.

Fake or not, this was his and Kyungsoo's first official date. Jongin had been looking forward to this night for longer than he cared to admit, but now that it was here, it looked a lot different from the image he had had in his mind. For one, he had hoped it would just be the two of them. And he was also less than enthusiastic about his role as a chaperone for Suho and Sehun, when all he wanted was for this night to be about him. Him and Kyungsoo.

When Kyungsoo exited his room, all dolled up in a tuxedo, with a bow tie and everything, Jongin swallowed a gasp. Kyungsoo looked incredibly handsome and charmingly determined. He cleaned up nice. Jongin got a sharp pain in his gut, as if he had been stabbed through his abdomen with a sword, like skewered meat.

Crap.

Was he really falling for Kyungsoo? Right when he finally knew for sure that Kyungsoo wasn't into him.

Great timing.

But why had Kyungsoo kissed him then? Maybe he had wanted to make sure, testing if there was possibly something between them, or trying to force himself to fall for him since they were married, but failing miserably. Maybe Jongin was just that horrible a kisser, that he had put Kyungsoo off for life with a single kiss.

Or, maybe the pain in his side was just appendicitis. Yes! Or some horrible terminal illness. That could totally be it, Jongin convinced himself. Apparently facing death was easier than facing a one-sided crush on Kyungsoo. So dying it was!

“Oh! You're better at tying bow ties than neckties I see.” Jongin chuckled and pointed at Kyungsoo's perfectly positioned bow tie.

“He he... it came like this, it's just a clip-on.” Kyungsoo let out a nervous laughter and for a brief millisecond his eyes darted up and down as if he was checking him out. Maybe there was a dress code at his restaurant and Kyungsoo was checking whether Jongin was up to par.

“Welcome!” Kyungsoo lit up as he opened the door for Jongin and Sehun. Sehun had already been waiting for them when they arrived, so Jongin couldn't even be the first one to see the place in its finished state. He tried to ignore it, but the feeling of disappointment kept scratching at his heart.

Kyungsoo gave them a quick tour around the place, it was really small, but very cozy. It was the perfect date spot. For those who had actually been asked on a date, a real one, Jongin thought bitterly.

“Wow. Good job.” Sehun told Kyungsoo, like he was complimenting a five year old. But he clearly meant it, his face was struck with awe.

“Thanks, like.. it could be much better of course, but I'm working on it.” Kyungsoo bit his lower lip shyly, retreating into himself. A cute, little babo who couldn't take a compliment.

“So ehm.. I have to start cooking if we're going to eat sometime this decade, so you guys just hang out. I told Suho to be here at 6 o'clock sharp, but he's always late, that idiot!” Kyungsoo shook his head, and hurried and pulled out the chairs for them. He pulled the chair first out for Sehun. Again it was as if a needle had been through Jongin's heart. He was also a bit queasy. Maybe he was actually coming down with something.

Kyungsoo ran to the kitchen, but reappeared in under a minute with a bottle of wine. He first poured Sehun a glass and then Jongin. Jongin had never felt as unimportant in his life. He felt like a second rate person, a stand in, only there to fill a void until Suho showed up.

“Sorry, I'm late!” Suho burst through the door.

“Hyung!!!” Sehun's face turned into a huge, slightly crooked smile. His cheeks were rosy from the wine.

“Hehh... hi...” he said awkwardly to Sehun, and then Jongin. “Where's Kyungsoo?”.

“In the kitchen.” Jongin frowned.

“I'll just ehm...” Suho pointed to the kitchen and made himself disappear.

Jongin was a little bit tipsy already, since he and Sehun had had nothing to do but drink, so he couldn't just sit by and wait for Suho to steal Kyungsoo from him. He followed him to the kitchen. And Sehun tagged along.

“Guys! I'm cooking here! This is a real restaurant, you can't just come back here, there are health regulations.” Kyungsoo said in a quiet and serious voice. He sounded a little unhinged. Trying to get everything right for the opening was probably a lot of pressure for him.

Jongin felt like an idiot. In his weird, probably imaginary, competition with Suho, he had forgot to think about Kyungsoo and what all this meant to him. This was an important night for him, it had to go smoothly or his dream was in danger. Jongin had to help him. He had a duty to help him, as his husband. Even if it was just an empty title.

“Yeah, uhm, come on, let's go, dinner will be ready in just a sec, right?” Jongin sent Kyungsoo a soft, encouraging look.

Kyungsoo nodded appreciatively.

Agh. Jongin felt frustrated that he couldn't do anything more to lighten his burden, but it was not like he was a five star cook, and it seemed like he was more needed out there, keeping those two idiots in check.

The conversation wasn't exactly flowing, so they just kept drinking. All of them becoming quite intoxicated before the first dish was even served.

Sehun kept moving his chair closer and closer to Suho's, but Suho kept moving his away, his chair moving dangerously close to Kyungsoo's. Even though Kyungsoo wasn't sitting in it at the moment, Jongin still took offense and moved it closer to his own.

Kyungsoo interrupted this game of chairs with a table full of food.

“Yum! Hyung you have to try this, oh and this!” Sehun filled Suho's plate with food, but midway Sehun seemed to realize that he was giving Suho all the best bits, so he ignored his own plate and just ate off of Suho's. Suho looked like he was going to object, but then he looked at Sehun, who was busy stuffing his face, and chuckled. Shaking his head, he seemed to decide it was already a lost battle, so they both ate from the same plate, devouring the food in record time.

Kyungsoo watched Suho eat for a while, putting up a satisfied smile before he left again for the kitchen. Jongin poked a piece of meat, just moving it around on his plate. He wanted to eat it, but his stomach didn't agree with him, refusing to accept anything he sent to it, threatening to hurl it right back up at him.

Jongin felt bad, Kyungsoo had gone to all this trouble and he couldn't even finish what was on his plate. He hung his head, feeling a dark, brooding cloud gather above his head. Forecast: Thunder and heavy rain.

Out of the blue, Jongin could feel a refreshingly cold hand on his forehead. He looked up and found Kyungsoo's concerned eyes.

“You're warm. And you look kind of peaky.” Kyungsoo furrowed his brow and fetched his bag, digging up a small pharmacy.

“Whoa, I didn't know you were a drug dealer. You're full of surprises.” Suho chuckled.

“Heh... this one here has a tendency to run a fever for no apparent reason. He was really sick a while back... I don't want that to happen again... It's best to be safe rather than sorry.” Kyungsoo lectured them as he selected two of the many pills and handed them to Jongin.

“I.. ehm... I don't need them...” Jongin knew he wasn't sick, he was just feeling under the weather because he was slowly realizing he had fallen in hopeless, one-sided love and he didn't know what to do about it.

“Take them, else I'll be distracted all night... I still have to finish preparing the dessert.” Kyungsoo insisted, handing him a glass of water. Jongin's resistance melted at once. Kyungsoo being protective and taking care of him was just about the cutest thing in the world. A single butterfly was born inside Jongin's heart, fluttering around like crazy before it withered and died the moment it realized that it would never be released and allowed to fly freely.

Jongin sighed and took the pills.

Kyungsoo joined them for dessert.

Sehun kept insisting that they have one more glass of wine, or one more bite of Kyungsoo's insane chocolate moose, so even Kyungsoo was getting a little inebriated.

The conversation was flowing, and there was laughter all around.

Jongin was a bit groggy from the medication, but he actually did feel a little bit better. His heart was still stuck on not being Kyungsoo's first, but he was actually kind of having fun.

“Oh no! The last train just left. How am I going to get home?!” Sehun said with an overly dramatic gasp.

He didn't get the sympathy he was expecting, since Sehun had been the one to purposefully keep them out this late.

“Taxi?” Kyungsoo suggested cluelessly.

“I live very far away. It would be way too expensive.” Sehun shook his head vigorously.

“Wait, didn't you live...” Kyungsoo started, but Jongin tugged on his arm, stopping him mid-sentence.

“It's not the end of the world. You can just crash at a nearby hotel, there are loads of them around here.” Suho solved his problem in under a second.

“Are you going to crash there with me?” Sehun sent Suho a slightly naughty smirk.

Suho's face dropped to the floor.

“Yeah, get out of here guys, I need to clean up.” Kyungsoo grinned tiredly, catching on to Jongin's plan. “Thanks for coming. Suho, make sure Sehun gets home safely... or, gets.. somewhere.. safely.” .

“Why me?” Suho complained as Kyungsoo almost pushed them out the door.

“Not you, silly.” Kyungsoo grabbed Jongin's hand, stopping him from following them and exiting the restaurant, instead locking the door with only the two of them still on the inside.

A half an hour later, Kyungsoo found Jongin sitting at the corner table, pouting.

“I tried to hurry as much as I could, there was just a lot of stuff... I couldn't really leave it till the morning, it would've... ” Kyungsoo apologized.

“It's not that...” Jongin pouted even harder.

Kyungsoo sat beside him, placing his hand softly on his back, it gently. “Are you still feeling unwell?” he asked warmly, clearly a bit tipsy still.

Jongin shook his head.

“What is it then?” Kyungsoo asked. The concern in his voice made Jongin cave like a house of cards.

“I wanted to be the first guest at your restaurant!” he blurted out all at once, hiding his face in his hands.

There was silence.

“But... you were?” Kyungsoo finally said, surprised and confused.

“No! ...I mean... just me.” Jongin bit his lower lip, not daring to look Kyungsoo in the eyes.

“But I was in the kitchen for most of the evening, then you would have spent the whole night all alone and bored out of your mind. I thought.. if you had company, that would be better...” Kyungsoo said slightly dazed.

They just sat there for a moment, but then Kyungsoo reached for the rose that was in the vase on the middle of the table.

“In my mind, you will always be my first guest.” Kyungsoo mumbled almost inaudibly and gave Jongin the rose.

“Yeah?” Jongin looked at him shyly as he accepted the rose, his insides trying to decide whether to implode or explode.

“Mm.” Kyungsoo nodded firmly and lunged forward, clearly aiming for a short kiss on Jongin's cheek but without really deciding to, Jongin turned his head so that Kyungsoo's lips met his lips instead of his cheek.

And they kissed.

Ah. Kyungsoo's lips were as soft and warm as he had remembered. He wanted to lose himself in the kiss, but since it was a stolen one, he didn't think it was appropriate to push it. Using all his self-constraint, he pulled his head back, holding his breath, scared to face Kyungsoo's reaction.

Kyungsoo swiftly snuck his hand around the back of Jongin's head, stopping it from retreating too far. Their eyes met. Kyungsoo's breathtakingly beautiful eyes were trying to read his thoughts. Jongin got the urge to just confess everything right then and there. That he had no idea why he was feeling like this, that he had never before had much interest in guys, and that he had never ever felt anything like this before. He didn't really understand it himself. No matter how many circles his thoughts went around his head, they never became any clearer. The only thing he did know, was that he wanted Kyungsoo to kiss him again. It was the only thing he could think about. His brain had even put up a neon sign, constantly blinking 'Kiss me', 'Kiss me'.

Jongin was hyper aware of Kyungsoo's fingers, which gently rested on the back of his neck, sending waves of goose bumps down his spine. His whole body trembled. He was having trouble breathing. It felt as if he was on the top of a really high mountain, he was breathing, but there was no oxygen in the air. He was breathing, but yet he felt like he was suffocating.

Extremely slowly, closely monitoring Jongin's reaction, Kyungsoo's hand applied a subtle pressure to the back of his neck, pulling him back towards him. Jongin's heart was pounding so loudly, he was afraid Kyungsoo would hear it.

Kyungsoo's lips got Jongin's attention, as they puckered up, ever so slightly. Kyungsoo had the most insane lips. They were everything you would ever want from lips. They were voluptuous yet delicate, more so than on any woman he had ever seen. They were in the shape of a perfect heart, and the way he moved them when he spoke, or murmured half the time, could drive Jongin crazy. Yet he desperately wanted them, up against his own.

Kyungsoo kept his eyes open until the very moment their lips touched, closing them as his lips enveloped Jongin's. Jongin still had his eyes open, not believing this was actually happening. He was having an out of body experience. He felt as his own lips started participating in the kiss, their lips entwining together in perfect harmony.

They fit.

Jongin felt an overwhelming sense of belonging. He could do this forever. He wanted to do this forever. There was nowhere he would rather be. This was his new favorite place in the universe. Kyungsoo's arms. Kyungsoo's lips.

Kyungsoo.