“Suho, I’m really sorry about yesterday,” You say as soon as the door closes. You bring his hand up to your cheek. “You must think I’m a horrible person. One day I’m asking you to sleep with me and then the next day I’m kissing the guy I asked you to save me from.”

“Jaemi, I could never think you’re a horrible person,” Suho smiles sadly and takes his hand away from you. He leans up against the railing outside of the apartment. “I only want what’s best for you.”

You step up beside Suho, looking at him sideways “And what is best for me? Do you think it includes you?” You had a sinking feeling it didn’t.

Suho picked at the peeling paint from the rail. “After Kai kissing you yesterday, I realized something. What Kai feels for you... I’ve never seen him like that before.”

“But what about... I mean, Suho... this wasn’t just...” You didn’t know how explain to Suho that the two of you hadn’t been a fling. You may be confused about which boy you wanted, but you weren’t confused on your feelings for each of them. You were just unsure as how they felt for you.

Suho let out some air “I know, but Kai is one of my best friends. I think we should...”

You felt your chest constrict. Was Suho saying that he was giving you up for Kai? Part of you felt heart-broken. However, another part of you felt free.

“We can, we can still hang right?” You try to hold in a sob. Suho really was such a good guy. And a good friend. What was wrong with you?

Suho smiles that beautiful, breath-taking smile that had thrown you back when you first met him. “You know I’ll always be here for you. But as a friend. I also think we should probably not talk for a bit. I’ll give you and Kai some space to figure things out.”

This time, there’s nothing to say. You nod and the two of you walk back into the apartment. Suho gives Yuna a wave and head towards the kitchen.

“Jaemi?” Yuna poses your name as a question, sending an inquiring look, “You okay?”

“Yeah… he just told me that…”

Kai comes out of no where’s and starts to drag you down the hallway. “Kai what are you—”

Kai gives you a small shove and you find yourself trapped in the bathroom with him.

“Look, don’t make me repeat myself,” you immediately start to scold Kai.

“Did you not say that you liked me?” Kai says bluntly, eyes blazing.

You gulp at his intensity “I think I faintly remember saying something like that.”

Kai takes a step closer. The bathroom was small enough as it was without him invading your space. “Did you like me kissing you?”

“I didn’t really have time to judge it—”

Kai takes a final step towards you, bringing his face extremely close to yours. “Did you or did you not feel something when I kissed you,” he presses. But this time, he’s not intimidating. The look in his eyes is unlike any emotion you’ve even seen Kai express.

You find that you can’t drag your eyes away from Kai. “I,” You pause to let out a sigh. It was time for this to come all out. “Yes. When you kissed me it was like fireworks were going off in my chest.”

Relief flashed over Kai’s face, quickly replaced by a kernel of happiness. Did your answer really mean that much to him? “Kai, what’s going on?”

“This,” Kai says and brings his lips down on yours. You weren’t sure if it was because you were still an emotional wreck from Suho telling you you couldn’t be with him or your true feelings were actually coming out for Kai, but you kissed Kai back this time. This time it was you who grabbed the back of his neck to deepen the kiss. Kai had both his hands holding your head in place, kissing you. It was like the answer to both your problems was coming out in one hell of a kiss.

All of a sudden, the door to the bathroom blew open and you shrieked before you could help yourself. Chen stood in the doorway, eyes wide at what he had just barged into.

“Chen, it’s not what it looks like,” You say, embarrassed at being caught furiously making out with Kai. Where had your head gone?!

A small satisfied smile tugged Kai’s even-poutier lips, “Actually, it’s exactly as it looks like.”

Chen doesn’t even say anything. He just immediately spins around and dashes back towards the living room.

“Great,” You mutter to yourself. How were you going to explain that?

Kai’s eyes focused back on you, twinkling merrily. “I think you can find a better adjective to describe that kiss.”

You feel your face warm up, “Stop surprise attacking me with kisses! I don’t even understand where we stand now! We’re not friends, that’s for damn sure.”

Kai freezes, obviously not prepared for that. “I thought the kiss would explain it all.”

You roll your eyes, “You should know better than I that a kiss does not mean you’re in love with that person. I’m going to catch Chen before he blabs to everyone that you and I were practically having in the bathroom.”

Kai follows you as you rush to the living room. “Chen, I’m really sorry, you can, um, go ahead and use the bathroom now if you’d like. We’re finished with it.” You felt like your face couldn’t get any redder.

“Don’t be sorry,” Kai says airily. “He should know better than to barge in without knocking.”

Yuna looks at you and then Kai and her eyes widen at the realization at what you and Kai had been up to. At the same time Xiumin says what Yuna was thinking “Wait are you saying he barged in on the two of you—”

Kyungsoo bursts into laughter and gets everyone laughing. Poor Chen looks even more humiliated at what he had just experienced. “It’s not funny!”

“You’re right, it’s not funny,” Kyungsoo says, grinning. “It’s hilarious.” 

You turn to shoot a glare at Kai. “This is all your fault.”

Kai puts his hands in his front pockets, looking pretty content. “I didn’t hear you complaining.”

You can’t help but stamp your foot in frustration. “You want to put your ego away for a second and be real with me?”

The living room goes quiet from your outbursts. You giggle nervously. “I mean, Kai and I don’t want to interrupt your movie. Excuse us,” You say and drag out Kai in the same way you had previously made Suho leave with you. This time you weren’t stopping at the apartment entrance. You had a feeling there were going to be a lot of ears trying to listen in on your conversation.

Kai surprisingly allows you to pull him until you find yourself tiring. You glance around and see where you are. You had let your anger get the best of you and you had gotten yourself lost. Oh lovely, more ammo for Kai to use against you.

“Okay, so I may not know where I am anymore, but this is a good of place as any. It’s time for you to spill. I don’t want any snide comments or ual innuendos. I don’t want to see a smirk or a hint of bad joke. I want you to straight up tell me what the hell is going on between the two of us.”

Kai scratches the back of his head distractingly. “I’ve never been the one to confess.”

You cross your arms stubbornly. “Either you start talking, or I tell Suho he was wrong about what he thinks you feel for me.”

Kai narrows his eyes at you “You’re not going anywhere’s near Suho.”

I lean back against a fence, “Care to explain why?”

Kai starts to pace back and forth before you. You were afraid he was going to start to dig himself a whole and then he stops. “I don’t know how this happened. I banged into you at the airport and I was so surprised. I was trying to find Chanyeol after I parked the car and I was pissed off because it took me so long to find a spot, I guess I just snapped at you. Then you pop up and it turns out you know Yuna and suddenly I felt like I had to defend myself from you,” Kai breaks off from his pacing to give you a look, “You’ve got an awful foul mouth for a girl.”

You fight a smile trying to surface on your face. You had called him every name that you knew and maybe a few more.

“And then, it turned out you had this intellect. Like you could go toe to toe with me for everything I said. I’ve never met a girl who could keep up with my quick wit.”

“Probably because you didn’t bother to talk to them first,” You add and Kai sends you very nice smile.

“See? That’s what I’m talking about,” Kai took a step towards but stopped when he started on the next train of thought “I saw you dancing with Suho. You were laughing with him like he delighted you down to your core. That’s when I found myself getting scared. I know Suho. He’s gentle and kind and romantic and just the kind of guy a girl would fall in love with. How was I supposed to compete with that?” You didn’t think that Kai knew he began to smirk. “I figured there was one quality I knew Suho wouldn’t be able to cap me with. If I know how to do anything, it’s seducing a girl.”

You blush faintly as you remember Kai turning up his charm in the kitchen. “I knew you weren’t just interested in cookies.”

Kai finished his disrupted step and closed the space between you. “There are so many things I wanted to tell you when you came to our place, drunk. Especially when you broke down... those tears, they made me feel like I was breaking your heart with every word I spoke. I knew I had to talk to you, but Suho was always getting in the way and then you were avoiding me at the swimming pool. I felt like I was losing.”

“And then I pretended to drown,” it was all starting to make sense to you. Kai probably never had to convince a girl once in his life to pick him. He had been in such an odd situation; he didn’t know how to handle it except to fall back to his standard sharp remarks or smirks. No wonder you had been so confused; Kai himself hadn’t known what to do.

Kai looked at you seriously in the eyes. “You’re never allowed again to make me that worried. Ever.”

You rake your fingers through your hair. “So that leaves us where exactly?”

Kai looked at you hopefully, “Should we maybe start over?” Kai steps back a couple spaces, twirls, and walks back towards you “Hi, my name is Kai. I’m Yuna’s boyfriend’s best friend. You know the tall one who looks like the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland?”

You snicker at Kai’s reference, “Oh that’s perfect! His grin is exactly like that cat’s!”

Kai smiles wistfully, “Look at us, getting along.”

“I guess miracles can happen,” You find yourself smiling back at him.

Lovey Dovey Dovey oh oh oh oh  “That would be Yuna checking up on us.”

“Better reassure her that you haven’t killed me,” Kai nods knowingly.

“Hello?”

“Please tell me you are not currently trying to find some where’s to dump Kai’s body?” Yuna sounds worried.

“There’s no way she could lift Kai up without help,” says Chanyeol in the background. Chanyeol lets out an ‘omph’ as Yuna must have hit him.

“Kai is fine. I’m fine. We are fine,” you try to stress the ‘we’ part.

“I demand proof,” Yuna says gruffly.

“Why Yuna, why would I have to lie to you?” You try to sound wounded while fighting a giggle.

“Help Yuna! Jaemi’s got me tied up and I think she’s going to—” You cover Kai’s mouth with your hand.

You frown at him when you feel his tongue on your fingers. “Kai’s in an oddly good mood.”

“If she’s got him tied up, maybe you should hang up,” brings up Chanyeol.

“She doesn’t have him—please tell me that was a joke,” Yuna begs.

You quirk your eyebrow at Kai. You take your hand over your mouth and Kai talks into your phone, “Don’t worry Yuna, I’ve got Jaemi wrapped around my finger.”

“See? Kai’s fine—wait, what do you mean you’ve got me wrapped around your finger? Look Yuna, I’ve got to school Kai in the art of keeping his mouth shut.” You hang up on Yuna.

Kai raises his hands to defend himself as you stalk towards him. “I said you could keep up with me, I didn’t say I would stop teasing you.”

“Should we go back to the dorm?” You suggest, not knowing really what to do. Well, you certainly weren’t able to navigate home from this unknown place.

“Everyone by now knows we were getting hot and heavy in the bathroom. Think you can handle that heated discussion?” asks Kai.

“Okay, no to the dorms,” You chew your lip while thinking.

Kai starts to steer you down the road with an arm around your shoulder. “Didn’t you say you had to teach me the art of keeping my mouth shut? I think I know a couple of techniques.”

You look up at Kai and stop biting your lip. “I thought we were starting over again. That would mean a blank slate; like we haven’t even met; like we haven’t even kissed.”

“Then now would be a perfect time for a first kiss. You’re aunt is at work, isn’t she? That house is going to be awfully empty.” Kai’s offer was freaking tempting. But you didn’t want to rush into anything. You knew Kai and you still had a bumpy road to climb before anything went smoothly.

You look around and can’t see any familiar landmarks. “If you can find your way to my aunt’s house, I’ll invite you in.” Kai smiles triumphantly, “But no kissing! You wouldn’t want me to think that’s all your with me for, would you?”

Kai shakes his head cutely, unable to completely remove his smile. “The kisses are the consolation prize. This is what I’m really after,” Kai taps your head.

“Well, start acting like it then,” you complain.

Kai amazingly guides you to your aunt’s house after about 2 left’s turn and one fork in the road. You look at him, impressed. Kai grins back at you. You open the door with your keys and Kai follows you in.

“This is it,” you say, throwing your keys on the counter.

“And your room is...” Kai trails off, waiting for you to answer.

“Only after my brains, huh?”

Kai smiles cheekily. “I’m a guy,” and starts to head towards the stairs.

“Hey wait!” you call after him. “You can’t just go snooping around people’s houses!”

Kai taps his lips thoughtfully. “You seem like a girl who likes to sleep, so I’m going to go with the dark room.” Kai turns left to your room.

“Are you calling me lazy?” You ask, following him into your room. You’re so glad you cleaned up before you left to sleep over at Yuna’s place.

Kai flicks the light on and studies your room. He pauses before your L. Joe poster. “This is going to have to go. Can’t have you pining after other guys. Wait, I think I know this guy...”

You step in front of Kai, with your arms out to defend L. Joe. “He was here before you,” You look over your shoulder, “And he’s got nicer lips than you.”

“Really?” says Kai, backing you up against the wall. “So that means, either I have to get a picture of me blown up for you or I’ll have to personally show you how much nicer my lips are.”

Kai puts two hands by your head and his lips, moving closer and closer to your face. “You can threaten me all you want, but L. Joe—”

The Ost to the latest drama Kai was watching started to play and Kai yelled in frustration. “What do you want?” he snapped, answering the phone.

He wandered around your bedroom, and you sat down on your bed in relief. Saved by the ringtone. You had no idea where that was going but it definitely felt dangerous.

“No Sehun, we are not getting you the new coffee drink you just saw on TV,” Kai says exasperatedly. You watch as Kai plays with a barrette on your vanity table. “No, I’m not getting you a curly straw for your Mulan cup either. Where do you get these ideas? Look, I’m kind of busy at the—no Sehun, stay out of my room. What do you mean you’re going through my tapes? I haven’t even watched that!!!” Kai starts to sound desperate.

You figured, since you and Kai had made nice, you would help him this one time. You pluck Kai’s phone from his hands and you hear Sehun say, “This one’s labled bikini models, I wonder if Jaemi knows about this.”

“Sehun, put down the tape,” You coax through the phone.

“Jaemi?” squeaks Sehun.

“It’s not very nice to manipulate your elders,” You scold.

You could practically hear the pout in Sehun’s voice “All I wanted was a drink. You’ll get it for me, won’t you, Noona?”

Sehun was pulling out the big guns. He really wanted that drink. “Is there a reason why you’re legs aren’t working?”

“No one will go with me!” Sehun whines.

“Where’s Yuna? Or Luhan?”

“Yuna and Chanyeol disappeared after you left and Luhan is out with Xiumin,” Sehun says childishly.

“Alright, we’ll get you your drink. But you owe me Oh Sehun. I think I deserve something pretty impressive in return. I think a big ol’—”

Kai yanks his phone back before you can finish your sentence. “We’ll see you in a bit,” he says tersely and hangs up.

Now it’s your turn to grin cockily. “So, it’s not just drama’s you watch after all.”

Kai turns a faint pinkish color, “Those aren’t mine. Kyungsoo watches stuff in my room all the time.”

“If they were Kyungsoo’s, why were you so worried about Sehun ruining them?”

Kai decided it was time to turn the tables. He lifted his chin defiantly “I’ll get rid of those tapes if you get rid of bad-dye job over there.”

“Hey!” you say, sticking up for L. Joe. “I happen to think blonde is L. Joe’s best look.”

Kai rolls his eyes “And I’m the aegyo king.”

You push Kai out of your room so that the two of you can get a head start on getting Sehun’s drink. “You’re just jealous that you can’t pull off blonde as awesomely as L. Joe.”

“I can pull off any look,” Kai says.

“Yeah?” You consider humoring Kai and his ego. The two of you head out of the house. “So if I come to your house tomorrow, with a box of blonde dye, you wouldn’t say no?”

Kai pats his head, “No one is dying my hair. It’ll fall out if I do that.”

“Too bad,” You say wistfully, “I guess L. Joe is staying up on my wall.”

Kai eyes you sideways “I guess I’m keeping all my tapes.”

“I guess we’re at an impasse then,” You say, strolling up to a convenience store. “What was the drink called that Sehun wanted?”

Kai doesn’t look like he wants to be talking about Sehun. “You’re going to take that poster down.”

“Ah, there it is. God, look at the caffeine percentage. There is no way he’ll drink this without bouncing off the walls.”

“I don’t know why you would need to keep it anyways,” grumbles Kai. “You can see my face any day of the week.”

“Are you seriously comparing yourself to a Kpop idol? Wow, you really do think you’re something else, don’t you?” You smile at the cashier as she rings through the drink and you impulsively add some chocolate bars. Kai puts a hand on your arm when you reach for your purse. “I’ve got it,” he says, pulling out his wallet.

You try to keep your squealing inside your head. You didn’t know Kai had it in himself to be gentlemanly. “So you do know how to treat a lady properly.”

Kai takes his change from the cashier and grabs the plastic bag. “I am both good looking and well mannered. I’m sure that puts me way above L. Joe,” Kai says L. Joe’s name in a derogatory tone.

You snicker at Kai’s stubborn contest with the idol on your wall. “I don't know L. Joe personally but you said you might know him. Maybe you should introduce us and I could compare you two.”

“I just barely won you over from Suho. You think I’m dumb enough to introduce you to a Kpop idol? Especially one that you’ve got on your wall? I don’t think so,” Kai says swinging the bag.

Your heart takes a hit at the mention of Suho. You had been having so much fun simply hanging out with Kai, you hadn’t spared a thought for the guy. Wow, you really were a horrible person. Kai notices your depressed look. “Are you going to be okay?”

You shrugged your shoulders “I did care for Suho, you know. That wasn’t very nice of you to kiss me in front of him. I think he really liked me.”

“It’s not like I planned it. I just got caught up in the moment,” Kai admits.

“Well, I think you should talk to Suho. At least apologize and then make some stupid joke about how you can’t resist a girl with smarts. You know, to show Suho there are no hard feelings. And maybe make him feel better about the whole thing. He said he was going to give us some breathing room so we could figure things out. You’ve got a really good friend in Suho, I hope you know that.”

Kai patted my head, “If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll do it.”

You find yourself leaning into that hand “It would.”

Kai and you make it the boy’s dorm. Sehun barely skids to a full stop in front of the two of you. “Took you long enough,” he says, snatching the plastic bag from Kai’s hands.

“A thanks would be appreciated!” Kai yells as Sehun runs away back to his room. “That one needs a lesson on manners.”

“Don’t eat all those chocolate bars,” You yell, moving to join Kyungsoo on the couch. “I haven’t had my sweet fix yet today.”

“Kai’s lips not sweet enough for you,” teases Kyungsoo. He cries out in pain as Kai smacks him and plops down beside you.

“Girls can’t survive on kisses alone,” Kai says, putting an arm around your shoulder. “You would know that if you ever kissed one.”

“I have too kissed a girl before!” Kyungsoo argues, ears turning red.

“Kissing your Jessica poster does not count,” counters Kai.

You look at Kai’s hand on your shoulder and then you fix a stare on Kai. Kai pretends the variety show is extremely amusing to him. “And who said you could get all possessive?”

Kai gives you a look, “You think they don’t already know you belong to me?”

“Uh oh,” says Kyungsoo, trying to bury himself in the couch.

“Belong to you? I do not belong to anyone, Kim Jongin,” You promptly pick up Kai’s hand and drop it on the other side of you, removing it from around your shoulder.

Kai takes this as a challenge. He grabs the back of your neck and brings his face so close that your noses are touching “How much do you want to bet I can convince you otherwise?”

“Can’t you guys do that in another room?” complains Kyungsoo.

“Shut up Kyungsoo,” both you and Kai say at the same time.

Baekhyun comes into the living room, “Synchronizing your words already?” Baekhyun stopped in front of Kyungsoo and put his hand out, “You owe me a hundred bucks. I told you they’d be the next couple.”

“We are not a couple, Baekhyun,” you insist immediately. Kyungsoo looks relieved that he doesn’t have to fork out any money.

“That’s it,” Kai says and pulls you up from the couch. “I clearly didn’t kiss you good enough to leave you dazzled. If you had been dazzled, you wouldn’t be saying we weren’t a couple.”

You dig your heels in, “I am not going into your room!”

“Betchya that’s the first time a girl has ever said that to Kai,” Kyungsoo snickers.

Kai and you snap at Kyungsoo again and exchange glares. You feel a smile creep on your face, which morphs into a grin and then you snort, unable to hold your laughter in. Kai starts to mirror your smile and suddenly the two of you are laughing hysterically.

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun exchanged looks. “When did they get so chummy?” Baekhyun whispers to Kyungsoo.

“I have no idea,” Kyungsoo whispers back.

You cross your arms “You guys are worse than old ladies gossiping.”

“And they get as much action as old ladies,” adds Kai.

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo’s backs stiffen at the insult.

“Awfully cocky, isn’t he?” sniffs Kyungsoo.

“Maybe we should take him down a peg,” suggests Baekhyun.

The two troublemakers turn around on the couch at the same time. “Jaemi, I’ve got some baby photo’s of Kai. You want to see them?” offers Kyungsoo.

“Really?”

“Let’s go ask Sehun if he wants to play Clue,” Kai suggests, dragging you away. Kyungsoo and Baekhyun high-five each other.

“You’d rather play a board game with Sehun who’s probably got the attention span of a fly with that energy drink now?”

“I’d rather be making out on my bed, but that’s not my decision to make,” says Kai.

You feel a delicious shiver go through your body. Kai was making it really hard for you to take it slow. “You need to tone down your flirtation level. If Sehun sees one more person making out in front of him, we’re going to have a very dangerous maknae on our hands.”

The two of you are close enough to hear a large bang come from Sehun’s room and then “I’m okay!”

You and Kai exchange an uneasy glance “Maybe Clue isn’t such a good idea...”

“DID SOMEONE JUST SAY CLUE!? I WANNA BE COLONEL MUSTARD. NO WAIT MISS SCARLET!”

You hear Baekhyun and Kyungsoo groan from the living room “Not this again.”