Jongin adjusted his tie for the umpteenth time, he wanted to make sure it was perfect. Kyungsoo had invited him to a fancy restaurant for dinner. He had clearly stated that it was for work, something about doing research and comparing books with other chefs, but Jongin wondered whether he was just too shy to ask him out, so he was using work as an excuse. Not a very good excuse, mind you. But Jongin went along with it, not letting on that he knew.

“I'm ready.” Jongin presented himself in a ta-da manner. He cleaned up pretty nice, even if he said so himself. A shocked expression visited Kyungsoo's face for all of one second, before the forever poker face returned.

“Okay, let's go.” Kyungsoo said like he hadn't noticed how dashing Jongin looked tonight. He was so convincing, that Jongin starting doubting himself, whether it had just been wishful thinking that had made him imagine Kyungsoo's surprised face. Or maybe Kyungsoo had been surprised for some other reason. Maybe Kyungsoo had accidentally farted and had looked so shocked at Jongin to see whether he had noticed it.

“Aigoo, Monggu-ya, you have to stay with your nice dog-sitter, hmm?” Jongin bent down and gave the tiny, fluffy Monggu a pat on the head, already feeling guilty for leaving him for a whole evening.

But silly Monggu followed him all the way to the front door.

“Omo-ya, our cute little baby.” he said in a baby-voice, Monggu's bright little eyes staring into his soul, making his heart break to have to leave him behind.

“Can't we just take him with us?” Jongin scrunched his nose at Kyungsoo.

“No.” Kyungsoo shook his head, checking his phone to see what time it was. They were running late.

“Aww, are you the best puppy in the world, yes you are, yes yes you are.” Jongin patted Monggu enthusiastically one last time. “Daddy will bring you a treat when he comes home, okay?” he promised.

But Monggu stuck to Jongin's heals, determined to come with them.

“Monggu. STAY.” Kyungsoo sternly pointed at the floor. Monggu sat down, looking at them with sad eyes.

Kyungsoo closed the door.

Jongin didn't know whether to swoon over how handsome and commanding Kyungsoo had looked, or cry over how bad his heart ached at abandoning that poor bundle of fluff all alone. Or he wasn't alone, they had hired a dog-sitter to stay with him for the entire evening, but still. Both his daddies were leaving and Monggu had no idea why. What if he thought he had done something wrong?

“Wow, he totally obeyed you... like... right away!” Jongin chuckled with stars in his eyes.

“Hang on.” Kyungsoo told Jongin, and jumped out of the car.

Then he came around Jongin's side and opened the door. Jongin's jaw dropped, bouncing up and down on the edge of the car seat. That was so unexpected, he wasn't sure how to react.

Shy, Jongin stepped out of the car. This was hands down the most romantic moment of his life. So it was all a ruse, as he had suspected. Work smork! It was totally a date. He swallowed ten thousand giggles.

Kyungsoo closed the door, straightened out his back and offered Jongin his arm. Jongin was so surprised and impressed, that his legs turned into dough and refused to support his weight any longer. He was forced to take Kyungsoo up on his offer, sliding his arm through Kyungsoo's.

And then they walked into the restaurant, unashamed and with their heads held high, like a million dollar couple.

Until the moment they got the food that they had ordered, or that Kyungsoo had ordered for them, it was the perfect date. Kyungsoo was super attentive and sweet and was cutely excited over all the food on the menu, and the setup of the tables and the entire restaurant. His eyes were burning with passion, and like an idiot, Jongin had thought that passion was pointed at him.

Boy, was he wrong.

After taking one careful bite out of each and every dish, Kyungsoo disappeared into the kitchen and didn't come back for a whole hour. AN HOUR! He left him alone at a fancy restaurant for an entire hour. It had felt like a year. Every time the door to the kitchen budged, Jongin's heart leapt. And every single time it was only a waiter, and his heart sank deeper and deeper each time.

At first he had decided to wait to eat until Kyungsoo came back, but by the time he realized Kyungsoo was maybe never coming back, the food was already cold and he had lost his appetite. He had considered just getting up and leaving, but there were already a lot of curious eyes on him. He didn't want to give them the satisfaction of watching him do the walk of shame, without even getting the chance to do anything shameful first. Ah, life was unfair sometimes.

When Kyungsoo finally did return, Jongin just stared at him with the biggest pout he could muster up.

“What's wrong?” Kyungsoo's eyes widened, like he had no idea what this was about.

Jongin looked away, his pout growing even bigger.

“Was the food not to your liking? You hardly ate anything.” Kyungsoo noted, worried. Now he was worried? He was probably more worried about the food going to waste than Jongin's feelings. Ugh, he was the worst!

“Would you be able to eat when the whole restaurant is feeling sorry for you because your husband abandoned you mid-date and never came back!” Jongin huffed.

Kyungsoo smirked. He seriously, actually smirked! Right in Jongin's face! The nerve!

“Mid....Date?” Kyungsoo repeated.

“Ugh! I meant... that was how it looked to everyone else!!” Jongin objected, petrified, trying to cover up his idiotic slip of the tongue.

“I'm pretty sure no one in here thinks we're on a date. If you see two men in suits having dinner, your first thought is not a date. More like a business meeting over dinner maybe?” Kyungsoo pointed out. And the most frustrating thing was that he was probably right.

“Whatever, you still left me alone for an hour.” Jongin pouted, crossing his arms.

“It's my job. I was just doing my job. I told you this was for work, didn't I? The invitation was for two, so I just thought you might want to try some amazing food for free.” Kyungsoo said, making it sound like Jongin was the unreasonable one. Agh, even more annoying! And heartbreaking. So it wasn't a date at all, it was just a work function, and Jongin was just another mouth to feed, nothing more.

Jongin said nothing. He was too hurt and sad, disappointed and embarrassed.

“Did you... think this was a date?” Kyungsoo used his eyes to X-ray his thoughts.

Jongin coughed. “NO! Why would I think this was a date?! That's ridiculous!” he protested, a bit too strongly.

“You know.. you don't really have the right to be pissed at me, unless you thought it was a date. If we're just two housemates having a casual meal, then it's no big deal if I leave the table briefly.” Kyungsoo smirked evilly.

“BRIEFLY?!?! You call an HOUR brief?!?!?” Jongin couldn't hold back, growling.

“So you're pissed?” Kyungsoo peered his eyes.

“Yeah, I'm pissed!! You ignored me the whole friggin' evening!” he pursed his lips, finally getting the upper hand in this argument they were having.

“So you thought it was a date then?” Kyungsoo grinned victoriously.

“Ehh... ehmmm...” Jongin panicked.

“You're crazy!” he finally said, and kind of slapped the side of Kyungsoo's shoulder. It was weird, but it was the only thing he could come up with, apparently.

“You've been sulking for three days.” Kyungsoo chuckled, like he was enjoying being in the doghouse. Well, he did like dogs, and sharing a house with Monggu didn't sound that bad, so...

“So?!” Jongin crossed his arms and looked away. He was not going to give in just because Kyungsoo looked adorable when he chuckled.

“Come on, I'll make it up to you. I'll invite you out to dinner tonight.” Kyungsoo offered, the smile reaching his eyes.

Jongin snuck a peek at him, unsure.

“Are you going to spend the whole evening in the kitchen, talking to the cook and not me?” he frowned.

“Not the whole evening, but maybe a small part of it. It is my job, you know.” Kyungsoo explained slowly.

“Then I'm not going.” Jongin turned away in a huff.

“No more than a half an hour, and then I'm all yours.” Kyungsoo smirked. It was insanely annoying how much Kyungsoo was enjoying the fact that he was upset. He was supposed to feel bad about it!

“Twenty minutes.” Jongin clenched his teeth, unwilling to budge.

“Twenty five and we go see a movie after.” Kyungsoo grinned, sweetening the deal.

“Okay.” Jongin mumbled, fleeing the scene as soon as he had, embarrassed at how easily he had caved.

This restaurant was more cozy and intimate than the first one. Kyungsoo made sure they were seated at a corner table, away from the hustle and bustle, so when Kyungsoo slipped away into the kitchen, it was less awkward for Jongin to sit there all alone.

Jongin counted the minutes that crawled by. He was starting to regret having agreed to this. He had decided that if Kyungsoo was even a second late, he would get up and leave. He was not going to wait around for him like a pathetic, lovesick looser.

With two seconds to spare, Kyungsoo approached their table. That signature dorky smile of his transformed his face as their eyes met and he waved energetically to him. Jongin couldn't help but smile back, his stomach in a twist. His heart was skipping every third beat. He was not used to seeing Kyungsoo so dressed up. He looked like a tiny movie star. Drop dead gorgeous on the outside, and the cutest, intense little weirdo dork on the inside.

“The chef made us a special dessert.” Kyungsoo grinned proudly, putting a plate of something chocolaty on the table between them. It looked really scrumptious, some kind of chocolate sauce covering the whole thing.

Kyungsoo cut out a small bite with the dessert fork. Jongin watched him closely, waiting to see what reaction he made when he tasted it. But instead of eating it himself, he stretched out his hand so that the fork stopped right outside Jongin's mouth. Jongin could feel his face turn red. He didn't know what to do, so he just opened his mouth and let Kyungsoo feed him a piece of this chocolate dessert, which tasted like a little piece of paradise. Kyungsoo seemed pleased with his reaction, and took a bite himself, using the same fork. Indirect kiss. Jongin's red face turned purple.

At the movies, Kyungsoo went to the ticket machine and bought tickets and snacks for the both of them. Jongin kind of liked the feeling of having Kyungsoo take care of him, like he was his girlfriend. Jongin had an inward giggle fit at the word girlfriend, but strangely, he didn't hate the idea.

“I didn't bring my glasses.” Kyungsoo told him apologetically as he led them to the second row from the front.

“I didn't know you wore glasses? Why didn't you bring them?” Jongin asked surprised, trying to remember whether he had ever seen him with his glasses on, coming up empty. He would definitely look cute in glasses.

“They don't suit me.” Kyungsoo scratched his head awkwardly. Jongin had no idea Kyungsoo cared so much about appearances, he didn't really seem like the type who was all too bothered what other people thought.

“Why don't you wear lenses, then?” he asked out of curiosity.

“I do sometimes, but it's uncomfortable.” Kyungsoo scrunched up his nose, agitating a flock of butterflies in Jongin's gut.

“Wait. You're a chef and you still eat this crap?” Jongin reached for the nachos Kyungsoo was holding.

“Don't call my precious nachos crap!! They're so delicious! Now you're not getting any..” Kyungsoo swiftly stretched his arm far away from Jongin, so he wouldn't be able to reach the nachos.

“Oh no?” Jongin giggled.

Challenge accepted!

He shifted in his seat, stretching as far as he possibly could. Luckily Kyungsoo's arms were as petite as the rest of him, so they were no match for Jongin's limber arms. The tips of his fingers managed to snatch a nacho that was sticking out of the edge of the box, and he triumphantly looked at Kyungsoo, wanting to gloat, but instead getting a mini heart attack. Their faces were only inches apart, their bodies closer, Kyungsoo's surprised eyes looking right into his. Jongin stifled a gasp. In order to reach the nachos, Jongin had, in the heat of the moment, without further thought, climbed right over Kyungsoo's seat since Kyungsoo held the box in his stretched out left hand, and Jongin was sitting on his right side, so now he was practically lying in Kyungsoo's lap, sprawled over him, a very small percentage of him still in his own seat.

He coughed awkwardly, crawling back into his seat.

As the movie started, Jongin quietly ate the nacho he stole, pushing himself down into his seat in the hopes that it would swallow him, his heart pounding so loudly that he worried whether the other guests in the theater would be able to hear the movie.

Mid-movie, when Jongin had finally gathered enough courage, he stole a glance at Kyungsoo. He was only going to catch a glimpse of him and then focus on the movie, but his eyes got stuck, they were glued to the image of Kyungsoo's intense stare at the screen. It was like he was trying to murder the characters in the movie with only his eyes. Kyungsoo looked so fierce, Jongin almost felt scared. He reminded himself never to get on Kyungsoo's bad side. But at the same time, he was fascinated. There was this charming, intense energy about him, luring him in. Kyungsoo was so savagely handsome, it was nearly impossible to hold back. Jongin was attracted to him like a moth to a flame.

Kyungsoo suddenly turned his murderous stare towards Jongin, but his eyes softened at once. He had probably felt how Jongin's eyes were lingering on him for an awkwardly long time.

Kyungsoo raised his eyebrows, silently asking what was up.

“Do you hate the movie?” Jongin leaned in and asked in a whisper.

“No? Why?” Kyungsoo had no idea what he was talking about.

“You just looked really mad.” he mumbled, kind of embarrassed.

“Ah. I've got really bad eyesight and I don't have my glasses. People say that when I squint, I look really scary.” Kyungsoo snorted so dorkily that it was almost unbelievable that he was the same guy from a minute ago. He had gone from dangerously charming psycho serial killer to the lovable boy next door.

Kyungsoo turned his attention back to the movie, leisurely resting his arm on the armrest. The armrest that was next to Jongin's armrest. Jongin's insides fluttered. This was it. The scene that was in every romantic movie. All he had to do, was to casually lay his arm down on the armrest, and then slowly but surely move his hand closer to Kyungsoo's, and softly grab it. Kyungsoo would be taken aback, but only for a moment. And then they would be holding hands, just the two of them in the dark, bathing in the freshness of their newly discovered feelings for each other.

Jongin took a sharp breath, trying to gather courage.

A thousand thoughts went through his mind as he indecisively lifted his arm and planted it way too obviously on the armrest. What if Kyungsoo didn't have any feelings for him back? What if the moment he grabbed Kyungsoo's hand, he would reject it flat out, throwing it away and storming out of the theater? How was he going to face him after that, let alone live with him?

Jongin edged his hand closer to Kyungsoo's, one nanometer at a time. Each movement sent a shock wave through his nervous system, making his hand stop in its tracks, only to have to muster up the courage all over again to move it closer still.

Quite a while later, Jongin's and Kyungsoo's hands were so close, that Jongin could almost feel the presence of Kyungsoo's pinky next to his. Almost.

Not daring to take the last step, Jongin stared at the screen. He had been so preoccupied, he had no idea what was going on in the movie. Ah, he was so close. All he had to do was bridge that tiny gap between them, but it could just as well have been a wide canyon. He needed to make a leap of faith to get to the other side, but he was scared. What if it wasn't enough? What if he jumped, and then fell to his gruesome death?

Jongin was taking too long. At this rate, the movie was going to end before he managed to hold hands with Kyungsoo. But then, Kyungsoo's arm twitched. It was a small, barely noticeable twitch, but with epic consequences. The edge of Kyungsoo's pinky gently touched the edge of Jongin's little finger. The moment Jongin felt Kyungsoo's finger graze his, it set off a wave of electricity that nearly shorted his heart out.

Jongin held his breath. He didn't dare move. He couldn't figure out whether Kyungsoo's arm had twitched on purpose or involuntarily. He was afraid that if Kyungsoo detected the slightest movement of his body, that he would become aware of the situation and claim his hand back. Jongin couldn't let that happen. Even though they were barely touching, it was a precious moment to him. He didn't want it to end. And so he held his breath, until he was blue in face.

Thankfully, the movie ended before the lack of oxygen killed him. It pained him to be the one to break the contact between them, but he also couldn't face Kyungsoo realizing that they had been touching this whole time. So the moment the credit list started rolling, he jumped up, leaving Kyungsoo's hand behind.

But then, out of the blue, Kyungsoo's hand shot up and grabbed his wrist, pulling Jongin back into his seat. It knocked the air right out of him, the precious air his lungs had been waiting for so long to receive. Before Jongin even had the chance to figure out what was going on, Kyungsoo's hand burrowed itself into his, weaving their fingers tightly together.

It was warm.

It was so soft.

It was heaven.

As the other guests exited the theater one by one, they just sat there, hand in hand, not daring to look in each other's direction, listening to their synchronized heartbeats in the darkness.

And when the last person disappeared through the door, Kyungsoo leaned in and gave him a tender kiss.