Kyungsoo

Kyungsoo walks down the stairs early the next morning, or should he say, he drags himself downstairs? He needs some caffeine in his system before he decides what to do next. The day before was eventful, and he still needs some time to process that this is really happening.

That he really is in the Love House.

He starts the coffee machine, and as soon as the smell reaches his nostril, he feels better. He turns to look through the immense glass windows. He can see the pool, the hot tub the others didn’t hesitate to use the day before and the beach beyond all of that. Kyungsoo takes a deep breath when the image of that desirable piece of human infiltrates his thoughts.

He thinks he almost dreamed about him.

Kyungsoo didn’t think it would be this interesting, yet damn.

There’re footsteps coming down the stairs and he looks up as he fills his mug with glorious coffee. Baekhyun is the next one down and somehow, he looks like he just woke up in some sort of drama. His hair looks perfect and there’s not a single wrinkle on his clothes, however he looks sleepy as he walks towards the kitchen.

How?

“Oh, hey. Good morning.” Baekhyun smiles at him, his eyes scanning the scene. “Oh, you made coffee, great!”

Kyungsoo nods. “I’ll serve you some if you want.”

Baekhyun smiles. “I can do it, don’t worry. Thanks though.” He walks over, grabbing a mug for himself and pouring the coffee into it. He seems a lot more relaxed right out of bed.

They stand in silence for a while as they both take a moment to let the caffeine awake their systems. The sound of the waves in the distance and the small sips they take fill the room, and yet it’s comfortable. Kyungsoo can probably get used to this. He glances at the other and finds him staring. Kyungsoo blinks, surprised.

“I’m going out today for work, so I won’t be here most of the morning, but do you want to go grab some coffee later?” Baekhyun asks and Kyungsoo’s braincells are a bit too slow to process what’s happening.

Is he asking him out?

He’s asking him out.

“Oh, yeah, sure… I’ll be here all day, so let me know.” Kyungsoo nods.

“You don’t have work?”

“I can work from home a few days a week… usually I have to be present, but considering the circumstances, I’m just handling the things that I can do in the distance and go in less than I’m used to.” Kyungsoo says. He’s trying to not be specific since he can’t reveal much about his work yet.

“Sounds good,” Baekhyun smiles behind his mug slightly. “I’ll go get ready then.”

Kyungsoo nods, and he clears his throat. Somehow, he was nervous throughout that conversation. He didn’t expect an invitation to go out this early.

Is this something like a date?

He’s not sure.

Baekhyun disappears up the stairs after cleaning his mug and, once again, Kyungsoo finds himself all alone. He washes his own mug before he ponders on what he should do next. He could work out a bit or maybe just get ready to start work right away.

Or he could surprise everyone with breakfast.

That sounds good.

He opens the fridge, quickly planning a breakfast that everyone would enjoy. The night before, he learned a lot about what the others like or dislike for food, so he made a mental note of everything for whenever he had to make a meal for the group. He pulls out a few ingredients, opening and closing cabinet doors until he found the pots and pans. Taking the ones he needed.

Suddenly, the glass door slides open and Jongin walks in from the outside, which surprises Kyungsoo. He thought he had been the first one up, but it seems like he was wrong. The other is sweating and wearing sports clothes, which probably means he was working out. Jongin gazes at Kyungsoo with wide eyes, observing. He probably didn’t expect to find anyone, either.

“Morning!” Kyungsoo smiles at him. “Working out?” He can’t help but follow a sweat drop that slides down Jongin’s neck and disappears behind his t-shirt. He can’t forget what’s behind the fabric. His blood is boiling just thinking about it.

Jongin nods and he glances at all the food over the counter. “Need help?”

Kyungsoo shakes his head. “It’s okay, I got it.”

Jongin doesn’t seem happy about it, but then notices his own state and he sighs. “I’ll be right back.” He runs upstairs then. Kyungsoo watches, maybe too intensely, as he leaves. He really needs to keep his body under control. Yes, the guy is hot, but he doesn’t think they’ll be compatible at all.

Kyungsoo is halfway done when Jongin comes back downstairs, now freshly showered and wet hair falling over his forehead. He walks into the kitchen, looking at what Kyungsoo had made so far and easily looking for something to help with. Kyungsoo is surprised, but he lets him be. It’s nice of him to help.

They work in a comfortable silence for a few minutes. Kyungsoo glances at the other occasionally. He seems so focused with the task at hands that he feels bad breaking that concentration. It’s kind of cute.

“So, Jongin…” Kyungsoo clears his throat. “What’s your ideal type?”

Jongin stops cutting the avocado he has been focusing on and blinks at the question. He frowns and it almost feels like Kyungsoo can read his thoughts. His expressions give everything away. Looks like Jongin never had to think about this before.

“Uh, well.” He sighs and tilts his head slightly. “Someone different from me.”

Kyungsoo hums. “To complement you?”

Jongin shakes his head. “There are a lot of things I hate…”

“About yourself?” Kyungsoo frowns.

Jongin nods. “So, I want someone different.”

Kyungsoo chuckles. “You know that’s not the best advertisement for yourself, right?”

Jongin blinks, once again, like the thought never crossed his mind. “Well… I don’t want to lie to anyone either.”

There’s a moment of silence as they move around the kitchen.

“I want to be honest about my flaws… and have someone that will take me even then.”

This is probably the most Kyungsoo has heard him speak since they met the previous day. However, first impressions are not always the most accurate. Somehow, this makes Kyungsoo want to know him more. See what else he hides behind the tattoos. He’s curious.

“I see… I think that’s a good approach.” Kyungsoo nods.

Jongin looks at him for a moment, and Kyungsoo smiles when their eyes meet for half a second. He doesn’t know if he saw it right, or if it’s his mind tricking him, but he thinks he saw the slightest blush on Jongin’s face.

Cute.

He’s very curious indeed.

…

Kyungsoo hasn’t dated anyone in a while, even counting the blind dates his parents have set up for him. Not that he thinks this is a date, it’s more than likely just hanging out and getting to know each other a bit more. He won’t get his hopes up. He has to admit he’s curious about Baekhyun and how he’ll behave in a date like environment. Kyungsoo quickly picks something to wear, a simple dress shirt and jeans since they’re just grabbing some coffee in the middle of the afternoon.

He glances at his reflection in the mirror.

It’s… acceptable.

With a sigh, he exits his bedroom walking towards the living room. The other guys are already sitting down on the couch and there’s something playing on the TV. A quick glance at Baekhyun confirms he’s ready to go out. He’s scrolling down his phone, so Kyungsoo clears his throat to get his attention.

All three of them look up.

“Uh… I’m ready.” Kyungsoo smiles.

Baekhyun scans his figure once again with a smile and he stands up, shoving his phone into his pocket. “Let’s go then.”

“You guys are going out?” Sehun glances between the two.

“We’re grabbing some coffee,” Kyungsoo nods. “We’ll be back before dinner.”

Baekhyun smirks. “Maybe.”

Kyungsoo shoots him a look and chuckles. He grabs his keys and waves at the other two, and they return the gesture.

They take a car, driving to the city. Kyungsoo notices Baekhyun doesn’t like silences that much. He talks a lot, which is okay because the guy is funny and charismatic, regardless. Kyungsoo answers all of his questions and asks a few back.

He finds out Baekhyun has siblings, a dog and he almost became an idol once.

It’s entertaining to talk to him.

Once they get to the place, they sit at a table near the window and order their drinks. There are cameramen around, yet Kyungsoo doesn’t feel intimidated or weird. Baekhyun’s aura makes him feel like there’s nobody around.

“So, what do you think about the others?” Baekhyun asks as he takes a sip of his iced coffee.

Kyungsoo hums. “I haven’t talked to them enough to make a judgment.” He shrugs. “I talked to Jongin a bit this morning.”

“Ah, the rockstar.” Baekhyun nods.

“He seems a lot shyer than he looks, but he’s kind of cute.” Kyungsoo takes a sip of his drink as well. “At least that’s the impression I got.”

“I’ll have to talk to him more… Sehun is also a mystery,” Baekhyun says.

“It’s only the beginning. I’m sure we’ll have time to get to know everybody.”

Baekhyun rests his chin on his palm. “What about you?”

“What about me?” Kyungsoo blinks.

“I don’t know. I’m interested in you.” Baekhyun chuckles. “I feel like all my assumptions about you are completely wrong.”

“What do you assume about me? I’ll tell you if they’re right or wrong unless they give too much away.” Kyungsoo smiles.

“Hmm, well, I feel like you work for some kind of big corporation, probably an only child, divorced.” Baekhyun tilts his head as he thinks. “And a momma’s boy, too.”

Kyungsoo laughs. “I won’t confirm nor deny the first one, but I have an older brother… never been married, and I’d say is the other way around with my mother.” He chuckles.

“See? I was wrong. Probably wrong about the first one, too.” Baekhyun leans forward. “But that’s fun. I’m even more curious now.”

Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow. “About me?”

Baekhyun nods. “About you.”

• - -

“Oh! Things are getting interesting!” Jongdae says as he glances at his co-hosts. The other two nod.

“Baekhyun and Kyungsoo are getting along well.” Minseok adds.

“They are flirting with each other. It surprised me when Baekhyun invited him out.” Jongdae smiles.

“They make a cute couple, that’s for sure.” Minseok says.

Yixing sighs. “Does that mean I’m the only one that’s stuck in that kitchen moment with Kyungsoo and Jongin?”

The other two laugh.

“Kitchen Moment?” Jongdae questions.

“Yeah, when Jongin talked about his ideal type. I thought it was a cute moment, and Kyungsoo looked interested.” Yixing points at the screen.

“Could be, but it seems his relationship with Baekhyun is taking over.” Minseok says.

Yixing pouts. “I wouldn’t call it a relationship yet.”

Jongdae laughs. “Yixing Hyung is upset. He wants his ship to sail.”

“I’m rooting for those two somehow.” Yixing chuckles.

Minseok shakes his head. “Just out of that single moment?”

“I saw the chemistry alright!”

“I think Jongin is going to have to put in a bigger effort if he wants to go against Baekhyun.” Jongdae smiles.

“That’s going to be hard to do, but we’ll see.” Minseok leans back in his chair.

“It’s only their first full day at the house. A lot of things can change when they go to the Love Villa.” Jongdae says. “I’m sure they have plenty of obstacles ahead of them.”

• - -

When Kyungsoo and Baekhyun walk back into the house, they’re both greeted with the sight of Jongin and Sehun sitting in front of the TV still. Kyungsoo chuckles as he walks over to see what they’re watching, and it appears to be the previous season of Love House. They watch as the previous contestants choose each other for the Love Villa.

“What are you guys doing?” Kyungsoo asks.

“Research.” Sehun replies. Of course, that would be something they would go through, probably towards the end of the week. Kyungsoo doesn’t know who he’ll choose. So far, the only person who seemed to be interested in him was Baekhyun, so he guessed that would have to be his choice.

“Did you guys eat anything?” Kyungsoo smiles as they both look up at him, shaking their heads. “I’ll make dinner. What do you guys want?”

“There’s a grill outside. Let’s do a barbecue.” Sehun says and Baekhyun’s face lights up.

“And let’s jump into the pool.” Baekhyun says enthusiastically.

“At night?” Kyungsoo isn’t all that sure about this.

“Why not?” Baekhyun shrugs. “Pool party.”

Jongin sighs, standing up. “I’ll get the fire started.”

Kyungsoo watches as Sehun and Baekhyun run outside too, towards the pool. Well, looks like that’s the plan. He walks to the kitchen to get everything they need. It doesn’t sound as bad if he thinks about it well. They can sit by the pool and talk and maybe he’ll learn more about the others.

He sighs, and then he hears footsteps coming back inside. He turns to see Jongin standing there.

“I’m in trouble.” He says, blinking.

Kyungsoo frowns. “Why?”

“It’s on fire.” He then points at the grill and the tall flames coming out of it. With the way he said it and the look on his face, it would seem like he’s just discussing the weather. Kyungsoo’s eyes widen as he runs outside to put everything under control.

Note to self: Never let Jongin near the grill again.

Once everything is under control and the meat is out, Kyungsoo lets himself breathe again. Sehun and Baekhyun are playing around in the pool and Jongin looks anxious as he tries to help.

“Jongin, it’s fine… I can handle this.” Kyungsoo gestures at the other two. “Go have fun.”

“But it’s not fair that you’re doing all the work.” Jongin frowns.

“I don’t mind,” Kyungsoo smiles. “But thanks anyway.”

Jongin doesn’t look convinced, but he attempts to get in the water with the rest. He succeeds for a few minutes before he’s back out, trying to help with other things. Kyungsoo lets him because he looks like the type who needs to be doing something at all times. Jongin bites his bottom lip as he focuses on serving what they have grilled so far.

Sehun and Baekhyun eat sitting at the edge of the pool and Jongin and Kyungsoo sit on the outdoor table nearby to eat as well. He might not jump into the pool, but the hot tub doesn’t look so bad. There’s some music playing from the speakers, and he can’t help but smile at Sehun and Baekhyun’s playful energy.

He sits in the hot tub and lets out a sigh as soon as the warm water touches his skin. It’s quite nice, not that he would attempt to jump in , but definitely something he would repeat whenever he got the chance. He watches as Jongin walks over, glancing at the hot tub and then at him, going back and forth quite a few times.

He’s cute.

“Want to join me?” Kyungsoo leans back and smiles at the other man. Jongin hesitates for a bit. His tattoos are visible and even though it’s dark, Kyungsoo can still notice the caramel skin. Glorious caramel skin. It’s probably not the best idea to be in such a small space together, but he already asked.

Jongin eventually nods, carefully making his way inside, letting out a sigh, just like Kyungsoo did.

There’s a moment of silence between them.

“You never told me.” Jongin says, confusing Kyungsoo a bit.

“I never told you what?”

“Your ideal type.” Jongin’s voice is very low, like he doesn’t want the others to listen to their conversation.

Kyungsoo blinks. “Oh! Well… I guess someone who’s considerate with me and other people. Funny, and easy to talk to.” He shrugs. “Someone, I can tell how my day went every single day and they’ll be interested in hearing what I have to say, even when it’s boring.”

Jongin frowns. “You’re not boring.”

Kyungsoo chuckles. “You think?”

“Yeah,” Jongin nods enthusiastically. “You look like someone who would have interesting things to say.”

“You think I’m interesting?” Kyungsoo smiles. He doesn’t know if it’s because of the warm water, or if it’s just his eyes fooling him, but he sees the hint of a blush covering Jongin’s cheeks.

The other clears his throat.

“Did you have fun today?” Jongin then asks, it’s obvious he’s trying to deflect.

Kyungsoo nods. “I did. We had some coffee and talked. It was nice.”

“I didn’t know we could ask people to go out.” Jongin scratches the back of his head with a sigh.

“Oh yeah, that’s a nice one-on-one way to get closer.” Kyungsoo nods. “Is there someone you want to invite?”

Jongin nods.

“Then go for it. Matching sessions will be soon, and you want to have a clear image of who you might like.” Kyungsoo says. “Don’t hesitate.”

A pause.

Jongin gazes at Kyungsoo and then at the water. “Would you… like to go out?”

Kyungsoo surely did not see that coming.

“Me?” He’s surprised. Out of everyone, Kyungsoo thought Jongin might’ve asked Sehun out since they’ve been spending the most time together. However, maybe that’s the reason he was asking him out. Trying to get to know someone else and see his options.

Kyungsoo glances at Baekhyun for a moment. Maybe it was a good idea. He shouldn’t focus on just one person.

“If you don’t want to-”

“Sure, let’s do it.” Kyungsoo smiles. “Let me know when you’re free.”

Jongin blinks like he didn’t expect it, but he smiles a bit and nods as well. Kyungsoo can’t help but return the gesture.

Suddenly, the glass door slides open, and a random man walks into the backyard. The four of them stare at him with eyes wide open as he stands there with a smirk. He’s tall, dark hair, and to say he looks like he works out would be an understatement. The guy is big.

“Hey! Sorry, I came in but since nobody was inside, so I came out here to say hi.” The guy waves at them. “I’m Park Chanyeol. Nice to meet you. I’m the new guy.”

Kyungsoo takes a deep breath when he fully processes these words.

The new guy.

There was a new guy.

Well… damn.