“Yo, guys, I'm home!” a male – handsome male – with broad shoulders and charming smile stepped into the house, looking very happy that he was finally there, with all the people he loved.

“Jongin!” Jinki ,Minho and Jonghyun called in unision and went to envelop the man in brotherly hug.

Jongin laughed gleefully, just basking in love he received. “Aah, it's so nice to be back home again.”

“I know, right?” Minho grinned and they let go of the man, giving him chance to take off his shoes.

Once Jongin looked up he spotted Taemin and a pretty boy he didn't know. “Wow. Didn't you grow up nicely, Tae?” he grinned and went to hug the boy.

“I could say the same about you, hyung! Look at you. What did people feed you and Minho hyung out there?” Taemin chuckled, swaying from side to side in the hug.

And Kibum couldn't not to notice how attentive Minho has been to this exchange. Actually, the man has been watching Taemin ever since they came. Yeah, he sees you as a kid? As if, he snorted internally. Minho cared about Taemin, it was very obvious by the way he tensed when the hug between Taemin and Jongin lasted longer than he liked.

“Oh, you learned how the flattery works, too!” Jongin laughed and pulled away before he looked at Kibum again, his eyes brightening with something akin mischief. “I don't remember this beauty, though.” he said and Kibum couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes.

This guys was probably a player. Well, he did have killer looks for that, indeed. From his tanned skin, well-built body and smooth looking hair to his plump lips and playful personality traits.

Jongin, who caught his expression, laughed heartily. “Been a while since I've seen satisfying reaction like this. Don't worry, I'm just playful like this. Not saying that you're not pretty, though. You are. I'm just making sure you know I'm not hitting on you.” he explained with chuckle.

“It's okay. Hitting on me wouldn't be that easy anyway.” Kibum's mouth was faster than his brain and he blushed slightly, embarrassed, when he realized he said it aloud.

Everyone in the room laughed at that.

Yeah, I can say it's true, Jonghyun thought before he frowned. What the hell, I haven't hit on him yet............WHAT THE HELL???YET???! He was having an internal conversation with himself but was interrupted by Taemin's voice.

“This is Kibum. My bestfriend. And he's not usually this sassy, he must be nervous.” Taemin said, smirking at his friend who glared at him in return. “Kibum, this is Jongin. Jonghyun hyung's cousin.”

“Nice to meet you.” Kibum said sheepishly with smile (making Jonghyun's heart flutter again).

“Likewise, likewise. I'm glad we got past the awkward part and now, let's have that dinner.” Jongin clapped his hands with grin.

Taemin and Kibum didn't talk much during preparing the dinner because the men had a lot to talk about but once they were sitting at the table and eating they were included in talking.

“Right. You and Minho hyung came back at almost the same time. Did you guys plan it?” Taemin asked curiously but it obviously sounded like teasing to the men because Jongin snorted.

“Please. You forget that I went to just study overseas. This giant here moved there to live there.”

“Yah. You know I couldn't do anything about it. I was underaged, I had to go.” Minho said and looked at Taemin right a way as if the explanation was meant for him.

Kibum saw it. He saw how the tall man looked at his friend almost every two minutes. How he was asking for attention but didn't get it. And not because Taemin wouldn't notice, no. It was because the boy was hlding back, Kibum could see it all. He just couldn't understand why. It was obvious that the man liked him back. Was his friend just denying himself the happiness?

He was interrupted from his thoughts by a poke to his knee. He looked up to see Jinki conversing with Minho and Jongin while Taemin listened, stealing glances at Minho when he wasn't looking.

Then he looked down at the hand that poked him and then up at its owner. Jonghyun smiled at him handsomely. “You seem out of it. Are you uncomfortable here?” he asked in hushed voice, leaning closer to Kibum so they wouldn't interrupt the others.

And Kibum couldn't think straight for a moment. Because Jonghyun was beautiful in that dim light of the kitchen. Because his voice was so soft and just perfect and Kibum wondered for a moment, how it would sound and feel if that voice said his name in a loving way.

The sudden thought surprised him greatly. What the ? He blinked his eyes and fought the blush.

“No, it's not that.” he shook his head, avoiding the eye-contact for a second. “I was just thinking about something, that's all.” he said and finally smiled softly.

“Really? What were you thinking about?” Jonghyung asked curiously and Kibum's eyes involuntary lifted up to look at Minho and his best friend. However, Jonghyun obviously saw it differently because he cleared his throat slightly. “Ah, Minho?” he asked and Kibum could hear that he sounded somewhat sad. Or upset? So he shook his head quickly.

“No. Taemin. And him.” he said and then widened his eyes, turning to Jonghyun.

The man had an ability to make him spill everything.

Jonghyun's eyes brightened and he leaned even closer to Kibum so they were almost whispering. “I see. You mean Taemin's crush on Minho? Or minho's on Taemin?”

Kibum almost gasped as he looked back at Jonghyun. He wanted to say something but his breath got caught in his throaat because damn, Jonghyun's face was just a few inches from his own and he didn't expect it. When did he get so close? He thought in daye and his eyes flickered to Jonghyun's lips before he quickly looked up at equally dayed Jonghyun. They were holding in their breaths and Kibum was first to regain his senses.

“S-so you noticed, too?” he whispered and Jonghyun breathed out, his lips.

“Please. Everyone knew about their crushes even when were were kids. Everyone but them.”Jonghyun chuckled lowly and Kibum smiled at the sound without knowing.

“So they are only being silly about it?” Kibum whispered, looking at Jonghyun who nodded in amusement and then both of them turned to look at the said men.

Only to find everyone looking at them curiously, without a word.

Both of them blinked as if they were caught in some act and when Kibum looked at Taemin, the brat had the nerve to smirk at him.

“What are you two whispering about?” he asked in sly voice and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

In that moment, both of them realied how it might have looked. They were very close to each other and whispering. Unknowingly to them, the other males witnessed their silent staring, too.

They quickly pulled away and straightened on the chairs, blushing slightly.

“Nothing.” they said in unision and Jongin laughed at that.

“Yeah, right. Taht's exactly what your faces say. Yup.”

Kibum groaned in embarrassment and looked down at his food.

“Oh, shut up, Jongin.” Jonghyun said the thing Kibum had in mind but didn't want to be rude to the person he just met. “You were all busy talking to each other so I talked to Kibum. What's so wrong about it?” he huffed adorably.

“Nobody said it was wrong, Jonghyun.” Jinki shook his head, smiling softly.

Ever so soft Jinki, Kibum thought with smile.

“So!” Taemin started, turning everyone's attention to himself. “I heard that you will work in hyung's company?” he said, looking at Jongin.

And Kibum was very thankful for that. He would have felt really embarrassed if they continued to . The worst thing was that he remembered that small moment when he looked at Jonghyun's lips and how he thought that he was beautiful. And he was confused. He didn't like Jonghyun that way, right? He liked his brother.

Yeah, that jerk. Kibum almost frowned when he remembered how Hyunjoong behaved at school. He couldn't believe that he was so blind the whole time. But still, when he thought about how nice and kind the boy looked, he would still like to think that he was nice. Too bad that he won't be able to find out about it.

The boy still couldn't believe that he really confronted his crush. He told him to find a new tutor, for God's sake! And in that moment, he felt better. Unfortunately, now he felt only bitter.

Shaking his head he stopped thinking about it and paid attention to his friends. Because yes, that's what they all were, right? Although he didn't really know Jongin and Minho yet, he had a feeling that they could be good friends later. Jongin was.. crazy. He was shameless and very funny, as Kibum found out during the dinner. The boy was energetic and had many stories to share.

Minho, on the other hand, was calmer but also funny. He was very gentle, almost like Jinki but not enough. And he was very much bewitched by Taemin. The man was paying all his attention to the younger boy and when Taemin looked at him he smiled but looked away right a way and it was almost too painful to watch them circle around each other.

“And what about dating? Have you find yourself any serious.. relationship while being there? It's been years, after all.” It was Jonghyun who asked the question which kind of changed the mood at the table.

Taemin stiffened upon the mention of relationships and Minho did, too, actually. It didn't escape Kibum's watchful eyes. He also noticed the glint in Jonghyun's eyes when he asked that. That puppy was obviously up to something.

“Well, I did, actually.” Jongin started with small grin and looked at Kibum. “You probably think of me as about a player but I'm not, really.” he said and when Kibum lifted up his hands in surrender he chuckled again. “Well, I do like to talk to people and see what reactions I can pull out of them but nothing more. I was a teenager when I went to study there and it wasn't bad. I had two or three flings, of course but I was stupid back then. I wanted to enjoy my life.” he shrugged. “I stopped at three and then found my lovely girlfriend. We were together for one whole year before we broke up. It was a mutual decision because although we had nice nice together and cared for each other, we knew that we will part our ways soon. She was too focused on her dream to throw it away for me and I didn't want that from her. And well, I wanted to come back here, too. So.. yes. But that was my one and only relationship there. We are still friends so I see it as a success.”

The boys were silent for a while before Jinki breathed out. “Wow. That's.. actually nice. Who would have known that you will be the most experienced from us?” he teased his friend with grin. “But I'm actually proud, you know. I was hoping that it would give you something apart from studies.”

“Aww, you softie. Were you worried about me?” Jongin cooed and chuckled along with Kibum and Jonghyun.

Minho and Taemin though, stayed silent. Awaiting what was about to come.

And it did.

“What about you, Minho? Swept any.. people off their feet?” Jonghyun tilted his head in challenge. “Or were you still..” he started but Minho interrupted him right a way.

“I didn't-” he snapped, making Taemin next to him flinch but then he sighed and rubbed his face. “Guys, you know this all. We talked a lot, didn't we?” he almost whined and surprisingly, it was Taemin who spoke next.

“But I don't? You didn't talk to me at all, hyung.” he said in small voice and although he didn't want to make Minho feel guilty, it had that effect.

“Minnie..” Minho almost whispered, biting his lip.

And suddenly, Kibum felt uncomfortable. He didn't like seeing his bestfriend like this. He wanted to say something. Anything. But there was a warm hand on his thigh, squeezing it slightly. When he looked at Jonghyun he saw him shake his head subtly. Twice. As if to tell him that he shouldn't speak and let them talk it out.

So he listened and stayed silent. And maybe somewhere at the back of his head he enjoyed the feeling of the hand on his thigh.

“I'm sorry.” Minho said gently to Taemin before his lips. “I.. I had no relationship while being away. Nor did I have a fling. I was too hung on someone to pursue someone else.” he said honestly and Kib