The night was still young and it looked as if the party wouldn't come to an end till the sun rose at 5:30 in the morning, it was around 11 o'clock and Kim Jongin refused to take straight shots.

"Aw, come on Kai…" a tipsy Baekhyun began, "don't leave the party with just alcohol from cocktails in your system! Have a shot or two!" Baekhyun suggested downing a shot of Tequila.

"Or beer…" Minho suggested, raising his beer bottle and taking a sip from it.

"It's Tao's 19th birthday! Drink to him!" Sehun said raising up his apple martini.

Kai snorted, "That's an apple martini…" he pointed out.

"I've had 3 shots of Tequila and six shots of vodka—two were those flaming ones." Sehun countered.

"I'm fine. I don't want to get a hangover tomorrow." Kai explained.

"We're not doing anything tomorrow." Baekhyun said standing up and ordering a Long Island Iced Tea.

The small group of friends were hanging outside in the patio where Tao had placed the bar he hired. It wasn't far from the inside of the house where the party was going on. From where the group sat, they could see the birthday boy's guests all dancing to the beat. Farther into the house—which couldn't be seen from their position— was where all the tables and chairs had been set and where the food was laid out buffet style for the guests to be able to feast on. The group hanging outside right beside the bar included, Baekhyun, Sehun, Minho, Kai, Chanyeol, Taemin, Amber and Krystal.

When Baekhyun sat back down after like a minute, Amber leaned closer to him and examined his drink, "Which one's that?" she asked Baekhyun.

"Long Island Iced Tea" Baekhyun answered with a smile, "You wanna try it?" he asked as he handed Amber his drink and the tomboy-looking girl took a sip from it. Her face looked as if she tasted something sour, "Ah…" she said after swallowing.

"That's…that's deadly." Amber commented.

"Duh. It's vodka, rum, gin and tequila all in one glass." Kai told them knowingly.

Baekhyun laughed. "It is!?" Chanyeol asked surprised, leaning over to look at the drink Amber and Baekhyun had sipped. Minho, Kai and Taemin nodded confirming it. Surprisingly, Sehun immediately stood up mumbling a, "I gotta get one of those!" and approached the easy access bar just a foot away from him.

Kai took a sip from his more-Coke-than-Rum drink saying that he was happy with the mixed drinks. They were all tasty and poisoned with just enough amount of alcohol. That and he really didn't want to get drunk. Oh how awful he felt when he was severely intoxicated. He remembered the first time he got drunk was at his cousin's party. Kai thought he was going to die that night.

"Guys! Let's all take a !!!" Key announced overly cheerful, skipping out of the house onto the patio towards them with a big grin on his face.

"A WHAT?" Krystal's eyes popped out of their sockets. Everyone else out on the patio stared at Key like he grew two heads.

"A flaming shot, you motherers!" Key sassed them, "Didn't you read the drinks list?" He hissed, putting a hand on his hip.

"…cause we call it a flaming shot like normal people." Taemin shook his head in disapproval.

Key snorted, "Well, excuse me for using social terms." But his mood completely changed into the inviting one he originally had and urged them to take a shot with him. "Come on! It's gonna be fun! We'll all have a go!"

Baekhyun immediately stood up, "I'm up for it!" he cheered.

"Come on, come on!" Key said fast approaching the bar.

Amber, Sehun, and Minho followed him.

"Flaming blow-" Key was about to request, but Amber shot him a look. "A flaming shot, please!!" He happily requested to one of the bartenders.

"So…are we?!" A voice suddenly asked from nowhere. By the bar, stood a red-faced Jessica Jung. Who had just suddenly appeared.

Key nodded. "Yeah! Let me do a head count!" He scanned everyone around, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven…" he counted silently pointing at each and everyone around the table.

"KEY!!!! JESS!!! IT'S LADY GAGA'S JUST DANCE!" Jonghyun yelled from inside.

"!" Jessica said, "uhm…make it a regular vodka shot for me, instead." She told the bartender switching her request.

He put down a shot glass in front of her and she gulped it in seconds. "Ah…" she said after swallowing, "Maybe next time guys!"

Jessica skipped away back into the house, wanting to dance to Lady Gaga's song. "…SPIN THAT RECORD, BABY! DADAROOROO...." The blonde shouted, practically running into the house.

"Well, your sister's drunk…" Kai said turning his face to Krystal. The younger of the Jung's rolled her eyes.

"I bet so are her friends. That's why I'm still sober." She told Kai.

He laughed.

"Well! I'm still drinking the fire!" Key exclaims, "Who's with me?"

"Just us." Baekhyun answers, pointing to himself, Sehun, Amber and Minho.

Key requested 5 flaming shots from the bartender which they all downed skillfully, after yelling a bout of "Happy Birthday Tao!" Even though the birthday boy couldn't hear their cheers, he was still in their thoughts. Of course. He paid for the party.

The four headed back to the table, while Key ran inside, getting his groove on, the louder Lady Gaga's song got as he approached the house.

 

Attention was back on Jongin.

"Come on Kai! HAVE A SHOT!" Sehun continued urging him.

Kai just smiled at him, "Maybe later, Sehun!" he declined politely.

"Okay, okay." Tamin began, drawing the interest of his friends, "How bout this. Let me make you a challenge." Taemin proposed, directing his attention towards Kai. The younger of them raised his eyebrow.

"Let's hear it." Kai said.

"For every one shot you take, I'll take two." Taemin challenged.

Amber and Baekhyun, who were drinking their Iced Tea's covered their mouths and Sehun who was finishing up his Martini choked on his drink. Chanyeol choked on the piece of finger food he had recently acquired, coughing now as he registered Taemin's words. Minho face-palmed, and Kyungsoo's eyes, if possible, grew even wider at the proposition.

"YOU?" Minho and Amber said at the same time.

"You're a sissy when it comes to drinks! A complete wuss!" Amber laughed.

"You can't be serious." Kai stated knowing full well that his close friend didn't have high alcohol tolerance.

"I mean, Llama here drinks harder than you." Baekhyun pointed out, referring to Amber.

Taemin was straight faced, "Hey…! I just choose not to drink." The pretty boy said defensively.

"Are you sure you wanna make that challenge?" Kai asked raising his eyebrow.

"If it gets Baekhyun and Sehun to shut up—"

"HEY!" The boys' voices echoed in the background.

"—and you to drink, then yes." Taemin continued regardless of Sehun and Baekhyun's momentary interruption.

Kai laughed, "Well there's one way to get me to drink." The younger boy admitted, "That's interesting. This'll be fun." He commented.

Taemin smirked.

"What are you smirkin at?" Sehun asked. "Do you even know Kai's shot record?" he asked Taemin. He shook his head.

"15 shots in about an hour…" Chanyeol stated.

"!" Taemin spat.

Everyone around the table started laughing. Taemin stared wide-eyed at Kai.

"The challenge has already been accepted, Taeminnie." Amber pointed out teasingly.

"So, you up for 30 shots, hyung?" Kai said mockingly.

"They might charge me of suicide!" Taemin said in a panicked tone, yet in somewhat a joking manner.

"Or Kai of homicide…" Minho joked. Kai simply laughed at the comments, "Hey! It was Taemin's challenge." he countered, "besides, you'd be dead by then Taeminnie, you wont need to be charged." Kai said passively.

"So you're really going to do this?" Krystal asked.

Kai and Taemin nodded.

"COOL!" Sehun yelled over-excitedly.

"This'll be fun!" Chanyeol added with a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Call Lay! He's got a video camera!" Baekhyun suggested.

"Naw, he's doing Tao's party video, they wouldn't want this…" Minho said.

"Oh, they would!" Sehun said toward Minho's comment.

"Don't worry, I'll use my digital camera right here." Amber said holding out her black Canon G12 Powershot.

"You're going to record this?" Taemin asked in monotone.

"Of course!" Sehun grinned as he scooted closer to Amber.

"This will be one of the greatest memories of our lives!" Baekhyun added dramatically.

"Great." Taemin said sarcastically.

"So how will this work? Should I pick the shot?" Kai asked.

"Yeah…then I'll drink twice what you're having." Taemin said to him.

"Can we pick some?!" Amber asked eagerly.

"Yeah! Can we?!" Sehun butted in.

"Sure!" "No!" Kai and Taemin, respectively, answered at the same time.

"Come on…! Let us…" Baekhyun pleaded.

"It'll be more interesting like that!" Chanyeol added.

"Yeah. It isn't going to hurt, Taemin." Kai said.

"Fine…they can pick a few shots." He gave in.

"Okay!" Kai breathed, "What'll we have first?" he asked their friends.

"Grey Goose!" Amber, Baekhyun and Chanyeol yelled all at the same time. Amber also set her camera on a tall empty glass and clicked record to start taping the night's upcoming event.

"All right, a Grey Goose vodka shot it is…" Kai confirmed.

Krystal did the honors of asking for 3 vodka shots from the bartender and setting it out in front of Taemin and Kai, who were now seated beside each other, with Krystal sitting across from them.

"All right, bottoms up!" Kai said raising his shot glass.

Before the dark-haired boy could stick the glass near his mouth, Taemin yelled something that distracted Kai, and everyone else's attention from the shot.

"Wait! Wait!" Taemin yelled; they turned their attention toward him. "Chasers!" he screamed with the same intensity.

Kai laughed, "Oh…right…" He said as he set his shot glass back down.

It was Minho this time, who took the liberty of getting them chasers. Behind the bar, Tao had bought extra drinks for his party (the Grey Goose wasn't provided by the bar either) and it consisted of 25+ bottles of Soft Drinks. Minho came back with a big bottle of Coke, Sprite and Minute Maid (all were the 'party size' ones). He set them on the table with two plastic cups.

"Here." He said adjusting to his seat, getting comfortable.

Kai and Taemin thanked him and they would resume their contest.

"So, let's get this deal started!" Kai cheered, now more lively than he was half an hour ago.

"Go for it!" Chanyeol encouraged.

Kai downed his Grey Goose then flashed a smile at Taemin. "Your turn." He said with a smirk and pushed the two shots of vodka nearer to him. Taemin gulped and reached out for the shot glass. He downed the first shot quickly, then the second shot right after. During the whole thing, Kai had filled up one whole plastic cup of Sprite for Taemin's chaser.

Kai immediately set the cup in front of Taemin and after he had his second shot, he immediately went for the Sprite and drank the whole thing down as well.

"I cant believe you didn't take a chaser, Kai." Taemin said after he could breathe.

Kai chuckled, he poured himself some Coke and drank a little. He shook his head, "My throat's kinda burning…" Kai admitted.

"Alright!" Baekhyun cheered, "KEEP 'EM COMING!!!!!!!"

 

12 Shots and 30 Minutes later.
Taemin with 8 and Kai with 4 shots makes a total of 12.

"You up for 9 and 10?" Kai asked, his tone not yet slurred.

"Kai…" Taemin breathed, "Have mercy! My throat is burning." He said, panting slightly.

Everyone began laughing—except Minho, he just chuckled. He felt pity for Taemin, but it was really amusing.

"But you have to calm down…" Minho spoke, warning them. "This guy entered a drinking contest, he had like 40 plus shots. He won, but died the next day…" the eldest from circle told the group.

"Alcohol poisoning." Krystal and Kai recited together surely.

"That can happen!?" Sehun said a bit freaked out.

Kai nodded.

"Oh !" the youngest boy there said.

"I-I think, I should s-stop first…" Baekhyun said putting his Margarita down on the table, well attempting to, he had to lean further forward to reach the table, Chanyeol offered to set it down for him.

"Don't worry, we can just throw it up right after…" Sehun suggested.

"That's gluttony." Kyungsoo and Amber both stated.

Sehun backed up in his seat defensively.

"So? What now? I think I'm up for a few more shots." Kai began.

"I have a different kind of respect for you, Kim Jongin." Taemin stated.

Kai laughed, "Bring on Tequila!" he requested. Taemin buried his face in his hands. His whole body was starting to get hot, his cheeks were also so red already. His head was beginning to hurt.

"Kai, the alcohol is sinking in already…" Taemin groaned, raising his head up.

"Hey, you challenged me, babe." He defended in a sassy manner. Taemin buried his face in his hands again.

Three shot glasses were set on the table for the 5th time and their contest was ongoing.

 

Another 9 shots and an hour later.

3 shots for Kai and 6 shots for Taemin.

"Well, your pacing sure slowed down…" Amber commented.

"I'm showing mercy to low-tolerance Taeminnie, here…" Kai shot back.

"Hey! If I'm going to die, I don't want it to be due to alcohol poisoning!" Taemin defended himself, breathing heavily. 14 shots took it's toll on a person.

"I'm surprised you aren't drunk…" Kyungsoo commented looking at Taemin's direction.

"I am! Don't make me stand up and walk in a straight line." Taemin quickly answered.

Amber laughed, "Wow…you're not interesting when you're drunk…"

"Oh yeah…wanna make something of it?!" Taemin taunted popping his knuckles.

"Yah, Taemin-ah! Don't pick a fight with girls," Minho warned, "Even if it is Amber…"

She shot him an amused look.

"Oh…so that's how he gets when he's drunk." Kai leaned back and whispered to Chanyeol's ear, "loud and agitated to fight." Kai continued. Chanyeol laughed.

"Okay, okay. I'll stop. Let's have you sober up, Taemin." Kai announced.

"14 shots should be enough for him…" Jongin added, showing mercy to his hyung.

"I'll say! Poor Taeminnie! He's never even drank three full bottles of beer in one night." Baekhyun told them.

"No?" Kai asked surprised.

"Taemin doesn't love to drink. I mean, we all enjoy drinking—especially together, but Taemin is just so-so with it…" Minho explained. "Not like with, let's say Baekhyun, or Amber, or Sehun..."

"Here, have some water." Kai gave a glass to Taemin when a bartender brought them a glass of water. "When you sober up, we'll have a flaming shot."

"What!?" Taemin immediately jerked out his chair.

Kai chuckled, "Don't worry…just one each. Just the two of us…" Kai told him, "or…" he began looking at everyone around the table, "like what Key said, all of us should do a flaming shot."

"Fine, but that's my last one of the night. I don't wanna die this way." Taemin reiterated his wish of not dying by alcohol poisoning, which made his friends laugh.

"You want me to stick my finger down your throat?" Kai said with an amused tone, toying with Taemin.

"No. He wants you to stick your tongue down his throat." Baekhyun commented.

"That's sick, Baekhyun!" Kai laughed at his comment and threw an empty plastic cup at him. Baekhyun and Amber both started laughing and laughing. Both Krystal and Kyungsoo, well Minho as well, made a face at the comment of Baekhyun. They weren't too fond of the idea of their two friends getting together and 'going at it' right in front of their eyes.

 

Everyone else had also toned down their drinking as another hour had passed, and they went back and forth inside the house to get something to eat. When half the table had gone inside to either get food or use the bathroom, Taemin had asked Kai if he wanted to take a walk to the park.

"But aren't you drunk?" Kai asked his friend.

Taemin shook his head, "I'm tipsy, and my head is definitely spinning, but I know what's going on."

Kai examines his face, "Well, your cheeks are less-flushed." He comments.

"Let's go for a walk, Kai… I need air." Taemin requests again.

Kai gives in this time. The park, conveniently, was located just across Tao's residence. So all Kai and Taemin had to do was cross the street. It took longer than it usually would with the two being intoxicated and all.

Taemin found himself seated on the slide. "C'mere…" He ushered Kai to come closer. When the younger did he pulled him on to his lap. Taemin wrapped his arms around Kai and rested his chin on his shoulders.

Kai chuckled, "I thought you needed to breathe?"

Taemin just shook his head and hugged Kai tighter.

"Hey Taemin," Kai called after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"Hm?"

"Thanks for… that…" He says awkwardly, "I mean, for going through all that just so I'd go and have a shot and not poop the party for everyone else…"

"It's no problem…" Taemin breathed.

"Are you okay? Cause you seem like you're having a hard time breathing. Should I get up, do you want to head back inside? How about--"

But Kai's rambling was cut off when Taemin suddenly cupped the younger's face and pressed his lips on Kai's. After a few seconds, he pulled back slightly. "Shut up." He grins. Kai was stunned. He jolted up from Taemin's lap. He didn't know if Taemin had kissed him cause he was drunk or if he really wanted to. And was it just because he kept rambling? He had a bunch of questions.

Kai decided to test his theory. "Why did you do that?"

Taemin shrugged, "Cause you were talking too much."

"Only cause I was concerned about you." Kai pouted. He was just looking out for his friend's safety and he tells him to shut up? Kai was, even if only just a bit, hurt.

Taemin stared at Kai's full, pouted lips, "Would you stop that?" He suddenly said.

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Stop what?"

"Pouting."

The younger boy smirked. "Make me."

Taemin grinned and quickly sat up from the slide, cradling Kai's face with both his hands, he leaned in closely and pressed his lips gently against Kai's. When Kai was about to kiss back, Taemin pulled back slightly and whispered, "How about for everyone one kiss I give you, you give me two?" He teased, grinning sheepishly.

Kai shook his head as he chuckled.

"No?" Taemin tilted his head, frowning cutely.

Kai pecked Taemin's lips twice before slowly backing away.

"And where are you going?" Taemin raised an eyebrow, he reached forward, grabbing a fistful of Kai's shirt and collided his lips to the younger boy's. Kai kissed Taemin back with just as much fire, reaching his arm around the older boy's waist, now pulling him closer. Slowly, Taemin found his way sitting back down on the slide with Kai hovering over him. None of them daring to break the heated kiss.

Taemin began to on Kai's bottom lip. The younger boy parted his lips slightly, capturing Taemin's lips in an open-mouthed kiss, with colliding teeth and tongue and the exchange of alcohol-tasting saliva.

With their kisses escalating, they pulled back to get some air in.

Kai began trailing kisses down Taemin's jaw and neck. Taemin, enjoying the feeling of Kai's lips on his hot skin, slowly began leaning his back down on to the slide. He encircled his arms around Kai's neck and moaned lowly, when the younger boy began a spot on his neck.

Kai's hands suddenly found themselves inside Taemin's shirt and he was gently caressing the older boy's side.

"Mm… Kai…" Taemin whispered huskily, his body growing more flushed, the more Kai touched him.

He breathed on Taemin's hot skin, "We should stop…" the younger mumbled.

Taemin frowned. He opened his eyes and found Kai looking straight down at him. Slowly, he sat up and stared at Kai, who by now, had backed-up from hovering over Taemin.

"It would be wrong…" He says.

All Taemin did was pull Kai back into a loving kiss. One that expressed all the feelings he felt for the younger boy, without having to utter a word.

"We can head back now. I'm pretty sobered up." Taemin says once they pull away from the kiss.

Kai nods, taking Taemin's hand and pulling him up.

"Should I even ask?" Kai started, as the two of them walked back to Tao's residence.

"I was hoping, if I get us buzzed enough, we would have enough balls to confess to each other tonight." Taemin laughs.

"And how did that work out for you?" Kai teases.

"Pretty well." Taemin grins, squeezing Kai's hand tighter. "So well in fact, that we can celebrate with a ." He teased.

Kai stops in his tracks and stares at Taemin who was already laughing. "…flaming shot." Taemin winks.

The younger boy shakes his head as he laughs and pulls the still wobbly walking Taemin back inside the house. They found their way back to the patio, the group was all back outside.

"Where did you two come from?" Baekhyun questioned.

"Fresh air… sobering up…" Kai answered innocently.

"Ready for a flaming shot?" Taemin asked his friends.

"Only if you are." Amber grinned.

 

Kai requested for them all to have a flaming shot to end the night. The bartender prepared a flaming vodka for 9, since they called the birthday boy to join with them. Another one of the bartenders was given Amber's digital camera, with Lay video-taping the drink-up for Tao's party.

"1, 2, 3…!" Baekhyun counted, then all nine ducked their heads to the straw and began to drink up the flaming shot.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUANG ZI TAO!" they all chanted as they finished their shots.

"Thanks for that, guys!" Tao said hugging everyone who had a drink with him; he hurriedly ran back inside with Lay following him back into the party.

The original eight sat back down in their previous positions and began exchanging stories and reminiscing on their previous years. Man was it a fun night.

Past 3:00am everyone began leaving and there were very few party guests left, still, the people inside rarely hung out outside on the patio, so it was the special spot of the 8 for the night. Not long after, Minho, Krystal and Chanyeol had been part of the guests who had to leave, too.

When it was time for Taemin to leave, he had bid everyone good bye.

"Hey, Taemin. Wait." Kai called as he tugged on his arm.

"Yeah?" he said spinning around, flashing him a smile.

Kai held on to Taemin's hand and laced their fingers together, "I wanna go with you."

Taemin grinned, "Then let's say goodbye to Tao." He suggested.

Kai nods and he turns his head towards the remaining guests left on the table. Which were Amber, Baekhyun, Sehun and Kyungsoo.

"Well, we'll see guys you around." He told them. "We're gonna say bye and thanks to the birthday boy now." Kai gave them a smile and waved. The four waved back and watched their two friends walk out the patio into the house hand in hand.

 

"Pay up." Amber held out her hand with a smirk on her face.

Baekhyun and Sehun groaned, each slapping 10 dollar bills on Amber's palm.

Kyungsoo stared at the 3 of them, his eyes darting to the bills, "Wait. What did I miss?!"

---

AND THE END! :D Lol. I love D.O. as the ending. He's so cute.
I'm sorry I fail at the make-out scene. OTL This originally did not have one,
but I added it in there because I wanted some TaeKai action OTL
So anyway, dear reader, I hope you liked it despite the messiness of the story...
Happy 19th Birthday Taemin!
even though Tao celebrated his birthday in the story. lol.
i gave Taemin a boyfriend as a birthday gift. yeah. ;D
AND! anyone guess who made the bet at the beginning? XD

reviews? comments? reactions? they are all loved and appreciated!~