Remarks: Happy Kaisoo Day! ❤️ I haven't published a story in over a year… pls go easy on me hehe ^^ This plot actually developed from Jongin's Love Shot teaser, but it's more domestic fluff and romance than y now. Hope that some parts of this story will make you guys smile!

 

He’s late.

 

Seeing the 8:10am on his bedside alarm displayed in obnoxious neon pink (it was an unfortunate birthday gift bestowed upon him by his best friend years ago) makes for quite a rude awakening especially since Kyungsoo realises he now has less than half an hour to clock in at work.

 

Their human resources department can be quite uptight on things others consider trivial like filling in timesheets, and Kyungsoo very much prefers not to give them more excuses to lower his end-of-year performance grade.

 

He tumbles out of bed in a heartbeat and makes a dash for the bathroom, cursing out loud when he stubs his big toe against the door. What a start to his day indeed.

 

RIP toe, he utters a silent prayer to the numb appendage. But there isn’t time to whine about his bad luck so he power hops his way over to the sink. The reflection staring back at him makes him wince — the unkempt hair sticking out at all different kinds of angles and also those eye bags. He looks like he belongs in an episode of the Walking Dead.

 

He should have been up more than an hour ago. Now it’s a race against time to get Sehun ready and get to the office at least before his weekly catch-up meeting with middle management at 9am. He figures he can at least force someone to help clock in earlier on his behalf just this once? (Ahem… that’s what best friends are for right?)

 

The odds aren’t exactly stacked in his favour what with rush hour traffic added to the picture now. Kyungsoo knew rushing out spreadsheets and a deck of slides last night was a big mistake. Now he’s going to be late for said meeting he was preparing for. What luck. But that’s the thing about working in corporate right — the effort one puts in often might (does) not pay off?

 

“Hunnie. Baby, wake up.” Kyungsoo limps into the five-year old’s room after the quickest he has ever washed up and touches the boy’s face gently. “Come on, daddy’s going to be late for work,” he coaxes. Even in a rush, he does not have the heart to wake his son up abruptly.

 

Sehun starts to stir and eventually peels his eyes open, not without first letting out a disgruntled whine. Kyungsoo smiles, regardless, and leans down to peck his forehead. There is crust by the corner of the boy’s eyes and also a trail of dried up drool stemming from the corner of his lips, but he thinks there is no prettier sight.

 

“Good morning, baby.” At least the affectionate greeting coaxes a bout of giggles from Sehun who hugs his father’s arm to his chest. “We’re late, come on. Be a good boy for me and go brush your teeth, okay?” He wipes away the mess on the boy’s face.

 

At this, Sehun whines again and tries to get away by burying his face in his pillow. “No! Don’t wanna! Hunnie wanna sleep more.” Kyungsoo tries to persuade the boy to wake up again, but he gets a kick to his thighs the moment he tries.  

 

Oh dear, it’s one of those days — when the five-year old, who is typically very obedient, just doesn’t want to cooperate for some reason. Kyungsoo sighs.

 

On good days, which is more often than not, Sehun will be up and about with only a single call of his name and a kiss to his cheeks. It’s tough knowing what to do on bad days like this. If only he had someone else around to help him, perhaps he would know better.

 

But alas, Kyungsoo has never complained about nor hated being a single father so he is not going to start now.

 

“I know, baby. Daddy wants to sleep more too. Let’s forget about going to childcare and work and sleep all day, okay?” Kyungsoo eventually resorts to playing along and flops down, burying his face in Sehun’s tummy and excessively rubbing against the exposed soft skin as his pajama shirt rides up. One thing he had picked up from Naver (don’t ask why Naver) is the wonders of reverse psychology in child care. The warm puffs of air he blows against the boy’s tummy makes the latter wriggle in an attempt to get away from his playful father.

 

“Stop! No tickles, daddy,” Sehun shrieks and grabs onto Kyungsoo’s hair, tugging on it. But it’s all harmless.

 

“You want me to stop?” Kyungsoo asks, not in any way slowing down his affectionate attacks yet. He knows he has almost gotten his way when the boy giggles and pushes at his head once more.

 

“Hunnie needs pee pee.”

 

“Okay, okay. Let’s get you to the washroom. Because you’re such a good boy, I’ll make you a sandwich for breakfast, okay?” Kyungsoo figures what’s another minute or two lost on breakfast. He smiles in victory when Sehun finally sits up and asks “hmm okay… with egg, yes daddy?” before rubbing at his eyes with the balls of his fists.

 

“No, sandwiches with broccoli, not eggs,” Kyungsoo cannot resist teasing his son, and when the five-year old stills and gives him a wide-eyed look, he cannot hold in his laugher any longer. That joke had definitely woken the boy up.

 

“B-Broccoli?” Sehun looks on the verge of actual tears at his diet suggestion.

 

“I was just kidding!” Kyungsoo rushes out. He himself hates broccoli so he will never do that to his baby. “With eggs it is!” He pats Sehun on the and sets the boy down on the floor before making his way out of the room, chuckling to himself when he hears Sehun grumbling and dragging his feet all the way into the bathroom. The boy already knows how to pee and brush his teeth by himself so that’s one less thing for Kyungsoo to worry about.

 

A quick glance at the clock on the wall tells him it’s almost 8:20am and Kyungsoo picks up his pace. He swings open the refrigerator doors and surveys its contents to see what else he can add in their sandwiches besides eggs. From then on, it’s going through the motions as he tries to get them ready to leave the house, except everything he does today is fast forwarded two times.

 

Baekhyun calls when he is just about done frying omelettes, and even though Kyungsoo is tempted to let the call go unanswered, he knows his best friend well enough to know he will just keep calling till he gets what he wants anyways, so…

 

“What’s up, nerd? Can’t talk now. Bye—”

 

“Don’t you dare hang up on me!” Baekhyun screeches, cutting him off and almost making him lose his hearing. “Where are you now? I thought you said we could grab breakfast at Macs today? It’s almost 8:20am now. If I don’t see your pretty face in five minutes, I’m revoking our friendship rights!” Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. His best friend can be such a diva.

 

But two can play a game. “I didn’t want to be friends with you in kindergarten anyways. You were the one who insisted, need I remind you?” he says cheerily. “Your loss… Bye~”  

 

“Wait! No, you take that back!” Baekhyun screams in his ear in panic.  

 

“Oh god, why are you so loud?” Kyungsoo groans. “Sehun and I woke up late, okay? Don’t worry I’ll come in as soon as I can. Can you at least be helpful and help me clock—”

 

“Daddy!” Sehun’s horrified scream from the second floor startles him.

 

“Ooh… is that my precious godson I hear?” Baekhyun coos.

 

Contrary to the other, Kyungsoo reacts to the boy’s scream very differently.

 

“What! Oh my god, what?” He ignores his best friend and starts to panic, already fearing the worst. Maybe Sehun fell and hit his head? Maybe he peed all over the floor again, slipped and then hit his head? The possibilities are many and he only has that one son; he will die if he loses him. Kyungsoo slaps down the slice of bread he was holding to complete the egg sandwich. “I’m coming, Sehun! Don’t move,” he yells again. “I love you!” he adds for good measure, you know… (just in case it was the last).

 

“Hunnie dropped Vivi in toilet bowl!” His son yells next, sounding absolutely distraught.

 

“What—” It has Kyungsoo coming to an abrupt stop at the foot of the stairs and he blinks dumbly as the words Vivi and toilet bowl register in his mind. Okay, maybe he was overrunning his imagination back there.

 

“Save him!”

 

Vivi is Sehun’s beloved stuffed toy and he must have accidentally dropped him in the toilet bowl before he got to pee. Kyungsoo prays it is before and not after he peed.  

 

“Is he crying?” The sudden gasp and Baekhyun’s voice in Kyungsoo’s ear makes him jump. He had forgotten the other was still on the line. “Save him!” This time, it is his best friend screaming at him using the exact words Sehun had used. “Don’t worry, Hunnie! Your favourite Uncle Baekkie is coming to save you!” This one he directs to Sehun, even though Baekhyun is clearly not on speaker mode so the only victim his loudness claims are Kyungsoo’s ears.

 

God, Kyungsoo thinks he should really reconsider who he is friends with.

 

“I’m going, I’m going… okay?!” He hisses into his phone before yelling to Sehun, “I’m coming!” He sighs and trudges up the stairs with less urgency this time. “Just so you know, you’re no longer his favourite uncle. He demoted you to second favourite after you refused to sing him the baby shark song last week. Remember?”  

 

He puts his phone on speaker mode just in time for Sehun to hear Baekhyun’s dramatic gasp and “ing Jongdae!”, and likewise, for Baekhyun to hear Sehun calling out to Kyungsoo in between tears. Kyungsoo winces and hopes his son doesn’t pick up on the vulgarities.

 

“There there… he’s fine,” he plucks Vivi out of the toilet bowl and holds his hand out to Sehun who sniffles before grabbing it. Together, they make their way over to the laundry room as he and Baekhyun try to comfort the five-year old, but to no avail.

 

“I don’t think I’ll be able to make it in time for the meeting, Baek. Will you at least clock in for me? My record has been pretty bad these past couple of weeks, and I know Minseok from HR is just waiting for me to slip up again.”  

 

“But you have to make it in for the meeting!” He can make out Baekhyun’s frustration in his voice. “This is finally your chance to share your proposal for the lakeside redevelopment project. You know the bosses are going to love it and you will finally get the promotion and raise you deserve. That bastard, Junmyeon, is going to snatch your account again if you’re not there. You know this right?”

 

Kyungsoo sighs while stuffing Vivi into the washing machine and starting it up, all under the close supervision of Sehun, of course, who he has no doubt will kick up a fuss if any harm befalls his precious Vivi.

 

“Yeah, but he’s family with the big boss anyways. We all know how this will end. Minseok is also waiting for me to slip up again to put in a good word for Junmyeon. I might not even get the chance to present. Besides, there’s no way I can drop off Sehun at his childcare centre and make it in by 9am.”

 

He watches as the said boy walks up to the washing machine and presses his palm against the glass where he can see Vivi spinning around and around in circles. The sight is equal part sweet and equal part hilarious, so he whispers a “hold on” to Baekhyun to quickly snap a picture on his phone.

 

“You’ll never know if you don’t try. How about this… Don’t bring Sehun to the childcare centre, bring him in and I’ll watch him. My morning schedule looks pretty clear today and my manager is on leave. That should save you some time to get here right?”

 

“Yeah, definitely.”

 

But that is if he can somehow persuade Sehun to leave the house without Vivi within the next five minutes. He can probably make it if he breaks a couple of speed traps on the way. The quick wash timer on the washing machine reflects a countdown from half an hour, and with the dryer still necessary after that, there’s no way he can afford to wait for Vivi to recover from his unfortunate toilet bowl visit.

 

“Then, that’s settled!”

 

“But are you sure it’s not too much trouble?” Kyungsoo hesitates.

 

“Of course not! Anything for my precious Sehunnie, right?”

 

The five-year old turns around when he hears Baekhyun calling his name, but he doesn’t move an inch away from the washing machine.

 

“Say hi to Uncle Baekhyun, Hunnie,” Kyungsoo coaxes, but he gets ignored by Sehun who turns back around in favour of the toy in the washing machine.

 

“Vivi…” The boy almost whimpers, and Kyungsoo sighs. There goes his hopes of making it out of the house within the next five minutes. Sehun has always been too attached to the dog. Kyungsoo has read enough parenting resources online to know physically forcing the boy to leave now when he clearly doesn’t want to is not the right way to go.

 

“I don’t think I can make it in by 9am, Baek. Sehun clearly doesn’t want to leave Vivi yet.” He sits down on the floor beside the said boy.

 

“Kyungsoo…” Baekhyun says softly, recognising and accepting his resignation. “Is there anything I can do to help? Maybe I can persuade the bosses to postpone the meeting by an hour or to another date?”

 

“The client gave a pretty tight timeline so that’s practically impossible.”

 

“Dumbo,” the other curses. (They had previously established Dumbo and Fruitcake as replacements for the words Damn and in Sehun’s presence.) “I’m sorry, Kyungsoo. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know. Fruitcake! Things shouldn’t have to be like this.”

 

“Well…” Kyungsoo trails off, “I suppose there is one thing we can try to persuade Sehun to leave Vivi behind, kinda…?” It’s a bait he often puts out, and as usual, Baekhyun falls for it every time.

 

“What is it? I’ll do anything,” the other declares.

 

Bingo. Kyungsoo smirks.

 

“Hunnie,” he picks up the said boy who, of course, struggles in his arms. “Do you want Uncle Baekkie to sing you the baby shark song?” He smiles when Sehun stills instantly, Vivi all but forgotten as he peers up at Kyungsoo and nods excitedly. Because he knows Sehun loves the (annoying) baby shark song as much as, or even a teeny tiny bit more, than Vivi. It’s the best shot he has. The stuffed toy can drown in the washing machine for all it wants now. “Awww Baek… he wants you to sing! Right, Hunnie?”  

 

“Uncle Baekkie, shark doo doo doo?”

 

“Fruitcake you, Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun says between gritted teeth. His best friend hates this song as much as he does.

 

“Come on, it’s almost 8:30am. We need to leave if we want to make it on time,” he chuckles.  

 

“Fine! But you have to sing along with me.”

 

Kyungsoo makes a face at once. He rather die, that’s why he had been pushing off this responsibility to Jongdae and now Baekhyun. But he realises he has no choice when Sehun looks up at him with nothing but hope in his eyes. Those eyes! He can never say no.  

 

“B-Baby shark doo doo doo doo—” he follows along in his deep voice reluctantly, stuttering a little, only feeling better for himself when Sehun squeals and claps along. He knows this is probably the best behaviour he’s going to get from the boy so he walks right out of the laundry room and starts to grab their stuff to leave.

 

The second he steps out of their front door and locks up, he crashes into someone he assumes is the postman dropping off a delivery. Thank god he has a tight hold on Sehun in his arms so he doesn’t drop his son. (Also, Sehun has a tight hold on his hair so… ouch.)

 

“Hello, I just moved in next—”

 

“Sorry, can’t talk right now. I’m late! You can leave the delivery at the door,” Kyungsoo rushes off without even casting a glance at his new neighbour, missing out on the bemused expression on the other’s face.

 

“Wait, I’m not the—”

 

“Bye bye, ahjusshi!” He feels Sehun adjusting his position to look back over his shoulders, and he thinks his son is probably cutely flapping his hands too in a resemblance of wave. All he manages to hear next is the affronted gasp and a “Hey! I’m not an ahjusshi, kid” before he buckles Sehun in and slams his car door shut before driving away.

 

There’s an outline of a tall man Kyungsoo sees through the rearview mirror, but he’s too far away now to see the stranger’s face, even with all his squinting. All that registers in his mind is the full red suit the other is wearing — a unique choice of clothing, especially for his neighbourhood. Hmmm… did the Post Office change their uniform recently?

 

“Turn on baby shark doo doo, daddy?” Sehun’s expectant voice draws away his attention.

 

Oh for fruitcake sake! Kyungsoo holds in his groan and pops the only CD he has in his car into the drive. He knows he probably looks like Gru in Despicable Me with the way he hunches over the wheel and tries to concentrate on driving while Sehun sings along enthusiastically in the backseat, but he doesn't care.

 

=

 

“Daddy?”

 

Kyungsoo furrows his eyebrows at the sudden interruption. He had been so close to arriving at an idea, but before he can put pen to paper, Sehun’s voice had instantly robbed him of the thought. He tries not to sigh.

 

He knows he can’t ignore his baby so he turns to Sehun with a patient smile. The pen clutched in his hands almost breaks when he catches sight of the five-year old holding up a yellow uncapped highlighter to his forehead.

 

“Colour! Okay?” Sehun chirps. “Or red colour? Daddy, choose!” The boy pushes a bunch of stationery towards Kyungsoo and asks him to pick.

 

“Oh my god. No! Put that down please!” He yelps and jumps forward to snatch the highlighter out of the boy’s small hand. He quickly puts it away on the ledge above his work desk, way out of Sehun’s reach, and the latter juts his bottom lip out in a pout when he realizes his short arms aren’t ever going to make it.

 

“But Hunnie wants to do colouring, Daddy,” the five-year old whines and jumps off the small stool he was perched on before tottering to his father’s side. He clearly knows if he pouts hard enough, his father will yield.

 

Kyungsoo, who had already switched back to focus on refining his deck of slides, sighs, places down his own pen and picks Sehun up to sit on his knee when the other nudges at his thigh. “You have a colouring book in your bag, honey. Why do you want to colour your face?” He pinches the little one’s cheeks teasingly and smiles when Sehun pushes his hand away with a frown.

 

Despite the half-empty powerpoint slide staring back at him, and despite his awareness of the tight timeline he is working on, Kyungsoo figures he can take a momentary break. It’s almost time for lunch anyways.

 

“Because Hunnie wants cool hair like cool ahjusshi!” Sehun declares. The boy flicks his eyes up to stare at his short fringe and runs his fingers through them, making a mess for Kyungsoo to comb through later. “Why Hunnie hair black? Hunnie no like black,” he pouts.

 

Oh god, his baby isn’t even at the age to think about dying his hair!

 

“Which cool ahjusshi?” Kyungsoo shifts Sehun around so that he is properly seated on his lap, facing him. He dismisses the thought of cool ahjusshi being Baekhyun at once, because in no way is his best friend considered cool. “Did Uncle Baekkie let you watch more anime again?” He asks in a stern voice. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the other had indeed indulged his son in one or two episodes of Slam Dunk — arguably the best anime ever made, in the words of Baekhyun, arguably the biggest anime fan, himself.

 

Kyungsoo had to stay late in office a couple of days ago, and his best friend had offered to babysit. He recalls specifically reminding the other of Sehun’s bedtime and not to let the boy watch any TV, but clearly Baekhyun does not adhere to instructions very well.

 

Sehun shakes his head. “No, cool ahjusshi outside our house this morning. Remember, daddy?”

 

To be honest, Kyungsoo has no idea who the boy is talking about. Is he referring to the postman from this morning? His confusion must be obvious in his face for Sehun proceeds to narrow his eyes and fold his arms against his chest to look like he is scolding his father for his bad memory. The boy fails miserably though, since he just looks adorable in Kyungsoo’s eyes.

 

“Cool ahjusshi in red and he has bling bling in his ears,” the five-year old twiddles with his fingers distractedly.

 

Kyungsoo hides his face in Sehun’s hair. “Sorry, baby. Daddy didn’t see cool ahjusshi because I was in a rush.” Sehun starts squirming just then, a clear sign that he wants to be let down from Kyungsoo’s lap.

 

There’s a timely knock on the glass door of Kyungsoo’s office and they look over to see Baekhyun and Seulgi, both doing their best impersonations of a clown by having their faces pressed annoyingly against his glass.

 

One of Baekhyun’s nostrils looks amusingly large at this angle, so Kyungsoo does not pass up the opportunity to snap a quick photo. The second the other realises what he had done, he pulls away from the glass and makes a sound of protest, but it’s all too late.

 

“Delete that, Soo!” Baekhyun demands and strides into his office.

 

“Wait, send it to me first. I’ll put it on Facebook,” Seulgi says, just in time before Sehun launches himself at her knees. “Hello, buddy! It feels like I haven’t seen you in a long time. You look taller!”

 

“Uh-huh! Hunnie grew taller. This much!” The boy emphasises by using his small hands, holding them shoulder-width apart, and giggles when Seulgi picks him up. Sehun must miss her because of her extended stay abroad supervising a development project for he wraps his arms around her neck to give her a hug; he hasn’t seen his favourite aunt who’s constantly spoiling him in weeks.

 

At the sign of affection, Seulgi squeals and kisses the boy’s forehead.

 

Seulgi is only Kyungsoo’s other close friend, besides Baekhyun and Jongdae, in his small social circle. They had first met in college, both students with different aspirations but both heeding to their parents’ wishes of getting a generic business degree for it supposedly gives one more prospects for the future. (Bull!) In a lot of ways, Seulgi is a lot like a female version of Baekhyun — both headstrong, energetic and plain crazy at times. It’s no surprise their friendship just works.

 

(Or not.)

 

Kyungsoo notices that they bicker a lot, sometimes even on the daily. But it’s all sunshine after the rain. He rolls his eyes as he watches the drama unfold in his office while wiping at his glass door to remove any possible germs his friends might have left from their earlier antics.

 

“No hogging Sehun,” Baekhyun says loudly and holds his hands out to the said boy. “Come to Uncle Baekkie.” He claps his hands together invitingly and makes funny faces to appeal to Sehun, but he lets out a surprised gasp when the five-year old all but sticks his nose up in the air in outright rejection.

 

“You had your fill this morning looking after him. It’s my turn now, right Hunnie?” Seulgi coos and squeezes Sehun to herself tightly. She had been in the same meeting with Kyungsoo earlier.

 

“No Uncle Baekkie,” the boy gives the affirmative and giggles at the way he makes Baekhyun whine pathetically. Sehun literally has both Seulgi and Baekhyun eating out of his small palms, and Kyungsoo smiles to himself proudly. His son will go far in life.

 

“You ungrateful brat!” Baekhyun props his hands on his hips and gives Sehun a stern look. “To think I spent all morning singing you the baby shark song when your daddy was in his meeting,” he tsks. “How did that go, by the way?” This he asks of Kyungsoo, turning away from Seulgi who was busy entertaining the five-year old by telling him stories of her travels.  

 

“I guess it went alright?” Kyungsoo shrugs. “Come on, I’ll tell you more later… Let’s go for lunch? I’m starving.”

 

=

 

“All I had was ten minutes left for the last agenda item, but some of the senior managers seemed to be considering my proposal favourably. Junmyeon’s presentation wasn’t even that impressive… so fingers crossed?” he tells Baekhyun on the way down to the staff canteen, with Seulgi and Sehun walking up ahead.

 

Kyungsoo knows he shouldn’t be hopeful at this stage, but how can he not expect good returns after all the hard work he has put into developing his proposal these past few months? He had sacrificed sleep, he had sacrificed family time with Sehun, and he had sacrificed hanging out with his friends. How can all these be for naught?

 

Sensing his worries, Baekhyun wraps an arm around his shoulders and gives him a squeeze. “Fingers crossed! Everything will work out well, Soo. I’ll always root for you, no matter what.” And it’s moments like this that reminds Kyungsoo why he is best friends with Baekhyun; why even though he always jokes about ending their friendship, he never really means it.

 

Because Baekhyun has always been his most loyal supporter, and even though they share not an ounce of blood in their veins, they’re practically brothers, family, over friends.

 

“I know,” Kyungsoo’s lips curl up into a wide, warm smile. “Thank you.” And he means it sincerely.  

 

“Daddy!” Sehun screams for his attention just then, drawing looks from all over the canteen, and Kyungsoo quickly goes to shush him lest some of his bosses are in the vicinity and they chase them out. “Hunnie needs pee pee!” A couple of his female colleagues seated by the entrance fawns over the five-year old at once, while others stifle their laughs, but Sehun skips away from the scary outstretched hands looking to pinch his cheeks and grabs onto Kyungsoo’s trousers to hide behind his legs.

 

“Okay, honey. Let’s go,” Kyungsoo sighs. If he wasn’t already used to it, he would have made a fuss out of it because they just went to the washroom a little over an hour ago, and now they have to make a visit again. “Sorry guys,” he tells his friends.

 

“No worries, we’ll grab food for you two and find a seat by the windows,” Seulgi ruffles Sehun’s hair before going to join the start of the lunch queue.

 

Baekhyun crouches down till he’s eye level with Sehun and smiles. “Uncle Baekkie will get banana milk for you, okay? Come back fast.” The smile the five-year old gives Baekhyun, like the latter has just offered him the best gift, can only be described as dazzling. And Kyungsoo usually tells his best friend off for spoiling his son, but he can’t find it in himself to do the same this time.

 

“What should you say?” He prompts Sehun, who practically throws himself forward to hug Baekhyun.

 

“Thank you!”

 

“We’ll be right back,” Kyungsoo smiles at Baekhyun before leading Sehun away.

 

He certainly wasn’t expecting to bump into the two persons he least wanted to see after they finish up in the washroom.

 

“Hello, Doh-sshi.”

 

Kyungsoo looks up in the mirror and gives a terse nod to Junmyeon and Minseok who had just entered the washroom, before busying himself again with wiping dry Sehun’s hands. For some reason, the boy was being playful and avoiding the paper towels in favour of drying his hands on Kyungsoo’s trousers instead.

 

“Interesting presentation earlier,” Junmyeon stops in front of a cubicle and says with a lilt at the end, almost as if he wants to say more but has reconsidered. “Your concept is novel, yes, but it’s a little too unrealistic… you’re asking the company to spend millions on resources, but we both know my stingy Uncle and the Board will never agree to it,” he scoffs.

 

Seriously? Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. He has plenty to say about the other’s proposal too, but this is neither the time nor place to drag each other. Sehun’s here, staring up at all of them innocently, for goodness sake.

 

“Don’t you need to take a dump, Junmyeon-sshi?” Kyungsoo doesn’t regret his choice of words. Piece of , he adds in his mind, hoping that somehow the other can hear him. “Let’s go, Sehun,” he throws the used paper towels in the bin and grabs onto Sehun’s hand tightly, trying to usher the boy out of the washroom as soon as he can. Anything to get away from the growing stifling atmosphere.

 

“If I were you, I wouldn’t bring my son to work that often.” It was Minseok who had passed the comment, and somehow, the tone the other used did not sit right with Kyungsoo.

 

Do you have a problem with that? he wants to snap back at the pair of cousins, but instead he settles for a clipped, “Why can’t I when HR policies say I’m allowed to? Shouldn’t you know this better than anyone?” Kyungsoo hugs Sehun closer to himself, the boy’s presence helping to inject some calm in his growing agitation.

 

By now, Sehun has already gathered that these two strangers are making his father upset so he gives them the best glare he can muster. (Although, Kyungsoo will probably argue that he still looks cute — like a puppy whose sleep has been disrupted.)

 

“Bad ahjusshi!” the five year old scolds. “Let’s go, daddy. Hunnie wants banana milk,” Sehun quickly takes his hand and tugs on it. Kyungsoo almost bursts out in laughter when on the way out his son trods on not just Junmyeon’s, but also Minseok’s feet, causing them both to wince and scowl. It was definitely deliberate on the boy’s part, and Kyungsoo cannot be more amused (and proud). Well, it’s not like the pair can do anything to retaliate against a child either.

 

“Did you save daddy from the bad ahjusshi just now?” Kyungsoo asks, patting Sehun’s head affectionately, as they make their way back to the staff canteen.

 

The boy nods his head vigorously and looks up with hopeful eyes, as if expecting to get praised, so of course Kyungsoo picks him up and kisses his cheeks.

 

“Stop, daddy,” Sehun giggles and tries to lean away when he continues on. At this point, Kyungsoo doesn’t really care if he’s attracting the attention of his colleagues anymore. He spots Baekhyun and Seulgi waving them over from their usual booth so he makes his way to them. “Don’t be angry anymore, okay? Hunnie can give you a bit of banana milk.” The boy even emphasises how much by squeezing his thumb and index finger together. Just a bit it is.

 

Kyungsoo laughs and sits Sehun down in front of Baekhyun who immediately lifts a spoonful of soup to the boy’s mouth.

 

“Ahhhh… open up,” the other coaxes. “What took you guys so long?” Baekhyun turns to face Kyungsoo after Sehun swallows and asks for more. “The food is already cooling.”

 

“Here, I got you guys kimchi stew and pork chops.” Seulgi slides him a tray.

 

“Bumped into the Kim terrors in the washroom.” Kyungsoo shudders and takes a sip of the stew. The surprised and apprehensive looks on Seulgi and Baekhyun’s faces respectively do not go unnoticed. “Junmyeon tried to take a dig at my proposal again, and Minseok didn’t really have nice words to say too… but it’s alright. You should have seen the way Sehun stomped on their feet,” he chuckles to himself.

 

“Hunnie punished bad ahjusshi!”

 

Baekhyun snorts and the boy’s head, almost as if he was telling him “job well done!”

 

“Their attitudes are really getting from bad to worst in recent weeks, huh?” Seulgi frowns.

 

They look up from their food when they hear a commotion at the entrance to the canteen, and sure enough, there were Junmyeon and Minseok striding in like they own the place — staff making way for them to reach the food stations first, and even some greeting them warmly to gain favour for the future.

 

Granted, they are related to the current CEO of the company who is their uncle, so perhaps they do have some rights to put on airs. But it’s precisely this that Kyungsoo detests them. He had worked so hard to get to his position as Team Lead currently. What did they do apart from taking the back door to climb as high as him?

 

“I think there’s going to be some changes upstairs, that’s why they’re being insufferable now,” Baekhyun says. “Rumor has it that the old man Kim is going to retire soon so there will definitely be leadership changes — a new CEO, new promotions and the likes.”

 

“Oh god, please don’t tell me they’re considering Junmyeon to take over as the new CEO,” Kyungsoo makes a face. Baekhyun and Seulgi exchange glances before the latter leans closer to Kyungsoo.

 

“Well, Yerim, the old man’s PA, kinda spilled over tea last week that he’s not really in favour of Junmyeon. Something about wanting his own children to take over the helms of the conglomerate he has built rather than leave it in the hands of his extended family.”

 

“But that’s the thing — he doesn’t have any children of his own, right?” Kyungsoo says. “I will quit first thing the day they announce Junmyeon as the new CEO. Watch me. The senior management is already profit-driven enough, not really caring about the welfare of staff so long as they reap in their monies. Junmyeon fits their mold perfectly. We shouldn’t tolerate a CEO like that… we need a complete change of the system!”  

 

“Did you not hear the word is old man Kim has a bastard son?” It is Baekhyun who speaks this time. “He’s probably around our age, but no one has ever seen him in person. Seems like their father-son relationship isn’t the best, but who knows? Maybe he’ll end up the next CEO. That’s how it always is in animes.”

 

“In dramas too,” Seulgi supplies.

 

Ever the pessimist, Kyungsoo can only roll his eyes. He doesn’t see how the current organisational structure is ever going to improve, especially in the hands of an enigma like old man Kim’s illegitimate child.

 

“Water,” Sehun demands, tugging at his sleeves, and Kyungsoo quickly offers the boy a sip from his cup.

 

“Eat your veggies,” he chides.

 

“Enough of all these talk. Lunch time is too precious to be wasted on gossiping about the Kim family,” Baekhyun brandishes his spoon in the air and a clump of rice goes flying. Thank god Kyungsoo’s reflexes are not too shabby for he manages to duck out of the way in time. “Let’s talk about tonight! I’m so excited!!” His best friend claps his hands together excitedly, staring at both him and Seulgi with an unusual gleam in his eyes.

 

“Tonight?” He frowns. “What’s happening tonight?” He turns to Seulgi, but to his surprise, she only gives him a secretive smile before looking over at Baekhyun.

 

“Don’t you know what day it is, Soo? I can’t believe you!”

 

Kyungsoo actually stares at Baekhyun with a blank look on his face. Well, it is Friday (that he knows)… so is the other asking to get drinks tonight? He doesn’t want to say the word beer in Sehun’s presence so he makes a drinking gesture and mouths the word. His son is too busy chewing on his pork chop to see.

 

“Seriously?” His best friend deadpans. “It’s your birthday, my dear friend. How can you forget your own birthday? Why did you think I asked you to grab Macs in the morning?”

 

“Wait, you were going to treat me to Mcdonalds for my birthday?” Kyungsoo asks in disbelief.

 

“That is beside the point,” Baekhyun says unabashedly.

 

“We’re going out tonight,” Seulgi tells him. “Baek made a reservation for us at the Elyxion… the Elyxion. I can’t even believe how he managed that… that place is usually full every day. I can’t wait!”   

 

=

 

Baekhyun strides into his office at six sharp in the evening to inform that their Uber was here and they had to leave now because he didn’t want to be cancelled on. Apparently it messes with the waiting time to get his next ride, not like Kyungsoo cares, but whatever.

 

“You do know I have a car, right? I can drive us,” he says.

 

“Nonsense!” Baekhyun dismisses his offer at once. “It’s your birthday and we’re going to make you drink. Come on, Soo! Have a good time for once. I’m not letting you leave the club sober.”

 

“Wait— you’re actually serious? We’re going to a strip club?!” The last two words he whispers because parental guidance only. Kyungsoo stands and watches helplessly as his best friend starts to pack up on his behalf, going around the room in a blitz and throwing random items into his bag without asking if he needed it later at home.

 

Sehun stands up from where he was crouched in a corner colouring and looks at them expectantly. “We go home now?” he asks. The boy must have felt bored and wanted to go home, but Kyungsoo hadn’t realised because the five-year old didn’t give any indication of it. He actually feels a little bad now looking at his son’s happy smile.

 

“Oh, he’s serious all right.” Seulgi strides into his office this time and tosses something at him while giving him a wink. Unraveling the package, Kyungsoo sees it’s a button up shirt and a pair of black jeans. He frowns and gives his friends an enquiring look. “Baekhyun picked you an outfit.”

 

“Got to look hot to score your birthday gift, honey.” Baekhyun smirks.

 

“Baekhyun!” He exclaims. Not in front of Sehun! Besides, there’s not going to be any scoring of any kind, what the hell is the other on about? His jaw drops the more he stares at the pair of jeans Baekhyun had picked out for him because is this in kids size or what? How the hell am I supposed to squeeze into this?

 

Well Kyungsoo is touched his friends had planned to celebrate his birthday, them not informing him prior of these plans means it’s hard for him to join in. Who’s going to take care of Sehun if they’re out? Who’s going to make dinner for the boy? Also, he was planning to cook them the leftover chicken he had from yesterday, but guess that’s going into the trash now. Damn, he was really looking forward to cooking dakgalbi too.

 

“Guys, look… I appreciate your kind thoughts, really, I do,” he says. “But I won’t be able to join you guys tonight, alright?” Baekhyun and Seulgi exchange glances for some reason, and perhaps he should have taken it as a sign of warning for what they had in mind for him later. Too bad Kyungsoo chooses to dismiss it. “I’m bringing Sehun home. Come Hunnie, let’s go.” The said boy takes hold of his hand the second he offers it, hoping on the spot lightly to right the position of his small bag pack on his shoulders.

 

“If you’re concerned about who’s going to take care of Sehun, don’t worry, I’ve already made arrangements,” Baekhyun gives him a small smile and a clap on the shoulders before crouching in front of the said boy. “Hunnie…” Sehun his head and blinks. “Your grandma is waiting downstairs for you and she says she misses you so much! Do you want to see grandma? Let’s not let her wait any longer, ok?”

 

The boy’s face literally lights up when he hears his grandma is here. “Grandmama is here to see Hunnie?” Sehun screeches and looks up at Kyungsoo excitedly. “Hunnie miss Grandmama a lot a lot…” he starts drawing big circles in the air with his arms, supposedly to demonstrate just how much a lot was. “We go to Grandmama now?” The five-year old looks up and gives him an expectant look again.

 

“Please don’t tell me you told my mother we’re going to a strip club,” Kyungsoo deadpans.

 

“What’s a strip club?” An innocent voice asks.

 

“Oh honey, a strip club is a— Ow!” Baekhyun gives him a death stare for jabbing at his ribs, but Kyungsoo ignores him and crouches down to look at Sehun at eye-level. It was a slip of the tongue he regrets.

 

“Hunnie, a strip club is a very very very (he cannot stress this enough) bad place that you should never never visit, and you shouldn’t even talk about it… ever—” The boy actually looks a bit scared now — because of his reaction or because of his over-emphasis on the word very, he does not know — but Kyungsoo counts it as a success nonetheless. Hopefully Sehun will forget what he had heard. “—if not, you’ll never get to see daddy again. Do you understand?” His son’s eyes are opened so wide now Kyungsoo actually worries if he will make his son cry. “Do you want to see daddy again?”

 

Sehun bites down on his bottom lip and nods his head with fervour.

 

“Then forget about what you heard, alright?”

 

Again, another nod.

 

“Have you heard about a strip club before, honey,” Kyungsoo decides to test.

 

Sehun, ever the innocent, starts to nod, only to catch himself at the very last second and changes direction at once so he looks like he is shaking his head. The boy also looks like he almost twisted his head off, and Kyungsoo’s heart may have skipped a little.

 

“N-No, no daddy,” Sehun says timidly, sounding as if he was worried his father would call him out for the initial nod, and gives his best pleading look. Of course he looks adorable doing so. The three adults in the room almost squeal.

 

“Good boy, come here.” The boy walks right into Kyungsoo’s open arms and he gives him a kiss on the head. Eventually, he releases Sehun and the boy skips over to Seulgi when she calls out to him, the pair leading them out of his office and in the direction of the lifts.

 

“Wow, way to put your son off the fun of strip clubs for life,” Baekhyun sniggers. “Imagine him as a grown-up telling his friends he can’t go because his daddy said no once upon a time—”

 

“Speak about strip clubs in front of him again and I’ll end you.”

 

True enough, Kyungsoo finds his mother waiting for them at the lobby of the building.

 

“Grandmama!” Sehun yells and sprints towards his grandmother at once. The woman, who Kyungsoo bets was looking up the Toys “R” Us online store for more toys for Sehun, looks up at the boy’s voice and squeals, stepping forward to meet them halfway.

 

“My baby,” she pecks Sehun’s cheeks and picks him up, a little too easily for a woman nearing her 60s, he dare says. “Hi son,” she greets him cheerily, like an afterthought when she realises they weren’t alone, but Kyungsoo still bends forward, albeit a little begrudgingly, to kiss her on the cheek. Once upon a time, she used to call him her baby too, but ever since Sehun came into their lives, it was “baby” for the boy and he got demoted to plainly just “son”. Kyungsoo can’t say he’s not a little salty.

 

Baekhyun and Seulgi greet her too and she smiles at them warmly before Sehun’s hands on her cheeks steal all her attention.

 

“I stay with Grandmama today?” he asks, before turning his head to look at Kyungsoo.

 

“Yes, baby.” She nuzzles against Sehun’s cheeks before looking over at Kyungsoo too. “Your daddy has a busy night out with his friends later. You’ll follow me and we can watch cartoons and eat ice cream after dinner, sounds good?”

 

“Good!” Sehun beams and buries his face in her neck. “Bye bye, daddy,” he mumbles. Not even a wave or a look over at him. Kyungsoo scoffs. Ungrateful brat. The boy used to kick up a fuss whenever Kyungsoo had to leave him to sleep over at his grandparents’ place because he had to pull an all-nighter at work, but guess a promise of cartoons and ice cream was all the trick needed. He should learn from his mother.

 

“You can pick him up from our place in the morning,” his mother tells him. His jaw also drops when she adds, “have fun at the club.” With a wink. A slow wink, as if she knows what he would be up to later. Kyungsoo claps his hands over his face and drags them down.

 

“I can’t believe you told my mother we’re going to a strip club,” he groans in sheer embarrassment when his mother and Sehun are finally out of hearing range.

 

“Oh but I didn’t,” Baekhyun says.

 

“Then how?”

 

“She must have inferred I would bring you to one. I’m proud… it shows how much faith your mother has in me as your friend who’s a bad influence. Now, don’t give me that look, mister, you and I both know—”

 

“Baek, is that your driver? He’s pulling out of the drive,” Seulgi interrupts.

 

“!” Baekhyun starts running, them following after him at once, but it’s too little too late. L-1458 manages to join in the wave of incoming traffic and soon they lose sight of the Honda. “Dammit I even used up my credits to book that!”

 

“So does that mean I can go home and sleep now?” Kyungsoo asks when he deems it safe to — when Baekhyun stops typing on his phone furiously, and when Seulgi stops laughing at the other.

 

“Shut up, grandpa. We’re celebrating your birthday, deal with it,” his best friend snaps and waves irritatedly in the general direction of the office lobby. “Go change into the clothes I got you. Shoo!” Kyungsoo pouts. He’s not a grandpa, okay? “Tell Jongdae we’ll be slightly late, Seulgi. I’m getting us another ride.”

 

=

 

“I can’t believe we’re really here.” The lack of enthusiasm in his voice is obvious. Kyungsoo looks up at the signboard of “the Elyxion” and the tacky tagline beneath it “where all your fantasies come true”. He rolls his eyes at Baekhyun. How apt for a strip club, he thinks. “I’m out of here,” he says. Surely sleep or a relaxing movie night at his parents’ place with his son is a better way to end his birthday? Just imagine hot chocolate and a snuggle party on the couch. Sounds perfect. Afterall, he’s too old to do birthdays. (He’s 29.)

 

Unfortunately, his best friend catches him by the arm and drags him back to his side the second he tries to step away. “Nope, you’re not going anywhere except through those curtains and into the club with me.” Baekhyun tuts.

 

Baekhyun’s small in build like him, so Kyungsoo thinks he has a chance if he wrestles his way out of the other’s grip. Besides, he knows his best friend’s weak spot – a quick jab to his sides will be good enough. But the second Seulgi links her arm with his free one, he dismisses the thought at once. He wouldn’t want to mess with Seulgi. The girl is tough, and as stubborn as Baekhyun. He’s pretty sure her long nails will draw blood if he so much as tries to shirk her off.

 

“Yeah, come on, Soo,” Seulgi says, nothing in her smile giving away how hard she’s actually squeezing his arm. She’s the devil. “Live a little! Who knows, maybe you’ll really hit it off with someone tonight?”

 

“The perfect gift for the birthday boy!” Baekhyun crows.

 

Kyungsoo can only stare at his two friends with a judgy look when they both wink and bat their eyelashes at him. It’s true he hasn’t had a relationship in a really long time. Wait, scratch that. He hasn’t had a relationship ever – Sehun was the product of a drunk one-night stand in college, and after his mother handed him over to Kyungsoo’s care, they had not kept in contact with each other.

 

He does get lonely sometimes, and he has tried his hand at dating others along the way. But all prospects had failed to materialise after his dates learnt that he was already a father, which meant he came with both a physical and emotional baggage. He loves Sehun a whole bunch, so there was simply no option of leaving him out of the equation. Those that didn’t mind Sehun, often times, there was simply no chemistry for them to carry on pursuing a romantic relationship.  

 

Above finding a one-night stand again to satisfy his occasional urges, he prefers someone who will stick around in the long-term — someone who Sehun is comfortable around, who wouldn’t mind waking up in the middle of the night to comfort the boy when he gets nightmares, and who wouldn’t mind bringing him breakfast in bed on lazy mornings. You get the drift.

 

Essentially, Kyungsoo wants someone he knows he will never find in a strip club.

 

“As if I can find anyone decent in a strip club,” he scoffs in reply to his friends.

 

“Oh, you’ll be surprised,” Seulgi says at the same time Baekhyun claims, “actually, you’re right… because everyone in the club will be indecent, if you get my drift?” His best friend gives him another wink and lewd smile. Indecent — as in, most of the staff will be dressed indecently and partaking in indecent activities into the night… Yes, he gets Baekhyun’s drift indeed.

 

“You’re impossible,” Kyungsoo groans, to which, Baekhyun and Seulgi then team up to laugh at him before marching him forward. The direction they walk in takes him by surprise. “Wait, don’t we need to join the back of the queue?” He looks between his friends confusedly and gestures at the long line of people snaking all the way to the end of the block.

 

When his friends had first suggested they visit the “hottest club in town” this morning, he wasn’t expecting this. But then again, he doesn’t really have much experience with clubs so who is he to know what to expect right?

 

“Nope, Baek has connections,” Seulgi pats his arm reassuringly, while the said guy smirks and walks ahead of them, strutting cockily. “Oh there’s Jongdae! Perfect timing, as always.” Kyungsoo doesn’t like it that he has to crane his neck all the way to look up at the guards they stop in front of.

 

“Hey, Soo! Happy birthday,” Jongdae greets him with fist bump. “Excited?”

 

“Very,” he deadpans. “Can’t you tell from my face.”

 

His old friend bursts out in laughter. “Come on! It’s really nice inside, I swear. You’ll see!”

 

“Byun Baekhyun and friends,” Baekhyun greets the bulky man towering over them with a sickeningly sweet voice that has Kyungsoo staring at him in disbelief (and disgust), before gesturing at them, “or colleagues, or underlings, or minions, whatever you want to call them– OW!” Kyungsoo wants to thank Seulgi for promptly pinching Baekhyun’s because he was this close to kicking him in the nuts himself.

 

(He wasn’t sure if sacrificing his favourite pair of dad shoes to come in contact with his best friend’s nuts was worth it so he had hesitated.)

 

“We’re secretly his parents,” Seulgi jokes, but the guard doesn’t even give an indication that he had heard her as he looks for Baekhyun’s name in his list. The said guy hisses and rubs at his behind while glaring at Seulgi.

 

“I believe we are registered under–”  

 

“Ah yes, under Mr Park’s name. Here you are, Mr Byun,” the guard cuts him off and holds up the clipboard to the side of Baekhyun’s face. “You kinda look different in this picture.” The suspicion layered in his voice is hard to ignore, but so too is Baekhyun’s unimpressed scowl.

 

“I keep telling him to use a better photo, but he just doesn’t listen,” the latter grumbles softly to himself. Of course this incites the curiosity of Kyungsoo, Jongdae and Seulgi who lean forward to peer at the list in search of potential blackmail material on their friend. What they see causes them to burst out in riotous laughter.

 

“Oh that’s him, alright,” Jongdae chuckles and points at the picture where they can see a drunk Baekhyun cradled to someone’s bare chest. Who, they do not know, but they have a feeling they will find out soon. As his friends of many years, they know of Baekhyun’s weird habit of sleeping with his eyes slightly open, but seeing it in this context cracks them up for some reason.

 

“Yeah, that’s how he looks before waking up on good days,” Kyungsoo supplies. “Quick, make the same face,” he nudges Baekhyun on the arm and snorts when the other actually humours him and makes a face at the guard.

 

“Very funny, guys,” Baekhyun rolls his eyes before turning to the guard. “Look, if you need me to call and verify my identity, I can also do that.” He whips out his phone and dangles it in front of the guard’s face. “But I’m sure Mr Park won’t be happy to hear I was held back at the entrance?” He raises an eyebrow that has them exchanging glances because who is this Mr Park and how does Baekhyun know him?

 

“No, there’s no need!” The guard actually looks less intimidating now as he drops his head in a stiff nod and beckons them past the doors quickly. “Sorry for the delay, Mr Byun. I hope you have a pleasant time tonight at the Elyxion with your guests.” Then with a drop of the curtains, Kyungsoo loses sight of the guard and finds himself in a dim but classy-looking hallway with paintings lining both sets of walls.

 

“So you want to tell me who’s Mr Park and why that guard back there almost peed his pants when you threatened to call him?” He asks as Baekhyun steers him further into the establishment. “I didn’t know you’re a regular at a strip club.”

 

The sound of jazzy tunes and the voices of many descend upon them once they enter what Kyungsoo deems is the main part of the club. But instead of a dance floor in the middle, like regular clubs would have, he sees a huge bar right smack in the middle of things and poles. Many, many poles sticking out of high tables and even in private booths, extended to the ceiling.

 

There are currently spotlights on two poles to the side of the bar, and Kyungsoo’s jaw drops when he sees the pair of scantily-clad men drop it like it’s hot, for lack of a better phrase. There are both men and women seated at the high tables below the two stripers? dancers? performers? (Kyungsoo doesn’t know what to call them) hooting and screaming in excitement, even some extending their arms and making grabby actions, desperate to touch skin. But it must be an unspoken rule — not to touch or be touched, only to tease intimacy as the pair always retreats up the pole and away from hands right before any contact.

 

“Stop drooling,” Baekhyun pokes him on the side, giving him a teasing smile and ignoring his outburst of denial when he jolts out of his daze. “Come, we have a private booth at the back.”

 

“I’ll catch you guys later, okay? It’s almost time for Joohyun’s set.” A voice says in his ear, and even before Kyungsoo can ask Seulgi who she was referring to, she had already disappeared into the crowd.

 

“Wait, guys! Seulgi went that way,” he hopes his voice can be heard over the noise, but Baekhyun was still pulling him in the other direction of where Seulgi went so he figures not.  

 

“That’s Baekhyun’s Mr Park,” Jongdae tells him then, pointing at the tall man on the left who has finally abandoned his suit jacket, leaving him decked only in multiple cross-body harnesses and a pair of too-tight briefs. “Don’t be fooled to think he’s just a dancer. He’s actually the co-owner of the Elyxion.”

 

Co-owner? Kyungsoo gulps. He was just wondering what kind of sleazy, cash-rich and old millionaire owns a series of strip clubs but Chanyeol? He’s the co-owner? He looks too young and y to own a business, and those abs (!!!) … Kyungsoo runs a hand over his tummy and sighs, recognising a lost cause early when he knows it.

 

“Wow, he’s on fire tonight, isn’t he?” Jongdae whistles and looks over at Baekhyun who has not stopped staring at the man ever since they got in. “Yo, control your man before he drops even more of those women’s .”

 

Your man? Kyungsoo looks between his friends. He has a lot of questions.

 

Baekhyun smirks but walks on until he finally stops them in front of a private booth, pushing Kyungsoo down onto the smooth leather. They have a pretty good view of the whole club from here, but apparently not good enough a view of the dancers (Kyungsoo decides to call them dancers to leave them some dignity even though he knows they are essentially strippers) because Baekhyun was cupping his hands over his mouth and yelling out loud the next second.

 

“Chanyeol! Get your pretty over here!”

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t even complain when Jongdae squeezes in beside him, shoving him to move in a bit so he has more space, because he was too busy gawking at how the man they were just looking at — Mr Park, or just Chanyeol, he supposes — looks up at Baekhyun’s voice, gives him a bright smile in recognition and leaps over each of the high tables and all outstretched hands to land in their booth. Another dancer takes his previous place almost at once, and soon all the attention on Chanyeol dies down as he starts to dance for only them instead.

 

“Hello, my love. I see you brought your friends again… ‘Sup Jongdude and, oh, who’s the new guy? He’s cute,” Chanyeol says as he wraps one long leg around the pole at their booth and swings himself around, curious eyes not once leaving Kyungsoo’s shocked ones.

 

“This is Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun says, looking almost proud he has rendered his best friend speechless. “I talk about him all the time, remember? He’s my best friend… the one with a kid.”

 

“Ahh… the birthday boy!” Chanyeol comes to an immediate stop on top of Kyungsoo and claps his hands together excitedly. By now, Kyungsoo fears his cheeks are painted in obvious red because he was staring up at the dancer’s bulge, oh my god. He averts his eyes shyly and scoots back in the seat a little, ignoring Jongdae and Baekhyun’s sniggers. “Should I give him a ?” Chanyeol looks back over his shoulders at Baekhyun questioningly, but the latter pouts almost immediately.

 

“Do you want to make me jealous?” Baekhyun lifts an eyebrow and pats his thighs. “Besides, he will have his present later. How about you come and give me a instead?” he asks.

 

And oh, now Kyungsoo gets it. He looks between the pair staring at each other with hungry eyes, the between them sharp enough to cut, and he gasps loudly. “Wait, you’re gay and dating a stripper and you didn’t think to tell me — your best friend of twenty-five years??” Kyungsoo blurts out, looking at Baekhyun in disbelief.

 

“Surprise?” The other sing-songs. “It’s not my fault you always decline when I ask you to come with me to the Elyxion. You would have known earlier if you accepted once.” At least his best friend looks sheepish at having kept this secret from him for god knows how long. Well, he always had the feeling Baekhyun prefers men, but Kyungsoo always imagined his ideal type to be someone soft-spoken and gentle, not at all someone like Chanyeol. He looks the man up and down and averts his eyes again when they threaten to stray south. “Are you mad?” Baekhyun asks in a softer voice than before.

 

“Not really. I’m just surprised… pleasantly surprised, don’t get me wrong. I’m happy you’re dating,” Kyungsoo looks back at Baekhyun and looks away almost at once when Chanyeol plops himself down to sit on the other’s lap. His best friend lets out a pained grunt and grips onto the dancer’s bare hips to steady him. Their position is far too intimate for others’ eyes, especially at the glint in Chanyeol’s eyes and the way he swivels his hips to ru