"Soo, who's here?" Yixing repeated his question as he held up a largish brown paper bag for Kyungsoo's inspection.

 

"Yixing, this is Jongin." Kyungsoo introduced Jongin who nodded shyly and shook Yixing's proffered hand.

 

"Hi Jongin." To Yixing's credit, he did not give Jongin or Kyungsoo appraising looks as he noticed the 'math geeks do it better' slogan on the t-shirt Jongin was currently wearing. Kyungsoo and Yixing had been high school classmates so the latter had seen that shirt on Kyungsoo more times than Kyungsoo wanted to contemplate. He must have been dying to ask how Kyungsoo's favorite shirt had ended up on Jongin's back but of course he didn't. That was the difference between cool Yixing and brash Jongdae, and Kyungsoo was grateful to his longtime friend for not interrogating Jongin.

 

"Hey, kiddo." Junmyeon finally came through the door and gave Jongin a warm smile, "Let me guess - you guys did a Star Wars marathon? I got as far as Luke getting lost in the snowstorm, I think. Woke up in a pool of drool at nine this morning."

 

"Waitaminute! You guys know each other?" Yixing sounded intrigued and Jongin shoved his hands in his pockets nervously.

 

"You remember my colleague Kris Wu, right? Well Jongin's his next door neighbor so we've been friends for a couple of years now."

 

"Ah." Yixing's 'ah' was neutral - not loaded with innuendo like Jongdae's would've been, had he been here.

 

"So! Bagels, anyone?" Junmyeon offered up a second paper bag printed simply with the words: Betta Bagels in teal-colored cursive script.

 

Yixing turned towards Jongin, "We brought our own cream cheese and butter and jam because Kyungsoo is an insane health nut. There is no way I'm having my bagels with low fat everything and sugar free everything else."

 

"Hey!" Kyungsoo protested indignantly, "I have condiments."

 

"We know you do, Soo. We just don't want to have anything to do with them, no offense." Junmyeon chuckled lazily.

 

"Speaking of condiments, they're with Baek and HOLY COW! BAEK! Did you bring the cream cheese into the crapper? Dammit, Baek!"

 

"Zhang Yixing, I know you know I'm not that dumb." Baekhyun strolled out nonchalantly from the hall toilet, "Left them on the kitchen table before I hit the crapper." 

 

Jongin couldn't help smiling at their sassy exchange and Kyungsoo squeezed his shoulder. "They're always like this. Wait till you meet Jongdae."

 

"Oh you don't want to meet Jongdae," Yixing stated firmly, "He's a bad influence. And he'll try to make you drink sambuca. You don't need to meet him. Trust me."

 

"Hi, I'm Baek. We met the other day?"

 

"Jongin." He shook Baek's hand and looked reasonably comfortable doing it - much to Kyungsoo's relief.

 

"Okay, food." Junmyeon announced and everyone busied themselves setting the table and spreading cream cheese on their bagels - even Kyungsoo, as his friends watched in shock and disbelief. 

 

"You're actually having cream cheese with that?" Yixing pointed skeptically at Kyungsoo's bagel, which Kyungsoo had just slathered generously with the creamy white spread.

 

"I just wanted to see what I was missing out on. You guys always make such a big deal about it. I'm sure low fat cream cheese is just as delicious -"

 

Four pairs of eyes stared at him incredulously.

 

"You have got to be joking." Baekhyun looked at him sadly, shaking his head.

 

"Did he try to give you grain snacks to eat during Star Wars?" Yixing asked Jongin scornfully.

 

"Erm, no?"

 

"Carrot sticks? Celery sticks? Unsalted raw cashews?" Baekhyun reeled off the options one by one, slight distaste on his face. 

 

"We had salt and vinegar chips, ok? Lay's." Kyungsoo bit out a little forcefully.

 

"You had what?!" Yixing's mouth hung open, a little exaggeratedly, Kyungsoo felt.

 

"Chips. We had chips." Kyungsoo rolled his eyes.

 

"We heard that part, Soo. It's the Do Kyungsoo eating chips part we're all struggling with a bit." Junmyeon commented reasonably.

 

"Jongin refused to eat grain snacks." Kyungsoo admitted reluctantly.

 

His three friends burst into laughter and Junmyeon patted Jongin on the back, "I'm proud of you, Jongin. You have officially achieved the impossible. Do Kyungsoo eating potato chips. I never thought I'd see the day. How'd you even do it?" 

 

Kyungsoo sighed with relief when Baekhyun grinned at him but didn't mention the fact that Jongin had also convinced him to eat gelato earlier in the week. Not that he was really worried - it wouldn't go beyond good natured teasing with these three. And he knew that they wouldn't tell Jongdae what had conspired here today.

 

"Sneak attack." Jongin smiled shyly.

 

"Define sneak attack." Yixing eyed him curiously. 

 

"I erm ... I ... I don't think -" Jongin looked like he wanted to die and Kyungsoo found both his shyness and his reluctance to embarrass him deeply endearing. 

 

"He stuffed a chip in my mouth while I was talking, ok? Can we change the topic now? I accede, I accede - not all junk food is evil. Now can I eat my bagel in peace without anyone casting any more aspersions on my dietary preferences? Thank you very much." 

 

Everyone laughed and started eating - except Jongin. He just stared at his bagel, mortified. Kyungsoo whispered into his ear, "It's ok, Jongin, you didn't do anything wrong."

 

Unconvinced, Jongin whispered back, "I'm sorry hyung, I shouldn't have said anything." 

 

"I would have told them myself, anyway. Seriously, it's ok. Now eat." Kyungsoo squeezed his hand under the table and Jongin gave an answering squeeze. But he still looked distressed.

 

"It's just these three. They're cool, don't worry. If Jongdae had been here I would have had to kill you, though." Kyungsoo grinned and only then did Jongin chuckle and relax.

 

"Jongin, do I need to bring any gear this afternoon or do I just show up? I should probably get your friend Luhan's number from you too." Junmyeon smoothly changed the topic.

 

"You don't want Luhan's number, hyung. I'll give you Chanyeol's instead because he's like ... normal. I mean he's human at least." Jongin's response made everyone laugh and to Kyungsoo's surprise, he wasn't freaked out when everyone found what he said funny. Progress.

 

"Actually Jun, we'll both be going too."

 

"I thought I was substituting for Jongin because he couldn't make it?"

 

"Luhan called last night and asked us both to go and I agreed. It's been years since I played and I used to love paintball."

 

"Ooh, can we go watch? We'll be your 'whaiting' squad," Yixing sounded worryingly keen. Baekhyun just chuckled quietly as Yixing stared at Jongin expectantly.

 

"Sure." Jongin agreed, looking a little like he'd just been hit by a bulldozer.

 

"Are you sure it's ok?" Kyungsoo nudged him. 

 

"Yes, hyung. I'm sure," Jongin smiled, "You guys are more than welcome. You can play too - we'll just field bigger teams. Luhan won't mind. He's always happy to have more moving targets to shoot." 

 

Just then, Jongin's phone vibrated.

 

Message from Troll Luhan:

 

 

Jongin let Kyungsoo read Luhan's message and the latter chuckled, "Can I reply that?" Jongin nodded and passed him the phone.

 

Message from Kim Jongin:

 

 

Troll Luhan:

 

 

Kim Jongin:

 

 

"Okay, 'whaiting' squad, you guys are cleared." Kyungsoo gave Yixing and Baekhyun a thumbs up.

 

* * * 

 

Junmyeon, Yixing and Baekhyun had left Kyungsoo's apartment twenty minutes earlier to go and grab their gear and Jongin had settled down on the couch to read the papers. Meanwhile, Kyungsoo had had a quick shower and changed into a faded, old black t-shirt and black gym shorts for the paintball game - he wouldn't have to worry too much about stains that way. Grabbing a small navy blue carry-all, Kyungsoo neatly packed a casual sky blue t-shirt and khaki cargo shorts for after the game, so he wouldn't have to go around in public looking like road kill.

 

He emerged from his room to find Jongin dressed in his wrinkled clothing from last night. He must have removed them from the drying rack in his laundry area.

 

"Jongin! I was going to launder those and give them back to you later." 

 

Jongin shrugged, saying it was fine -but he had a huge smile on his face as he said it. Maybe he liked the idea of Kyungsoo doing his laundry as much as Kyungsoo liked the idea of doing it. Not ready to let it go, Kyungsoo scolded him for wearing the rain-soiled clothes as they were leaving his apartment, saying he could have lent him a set of clothes. Jongin just chuckled and said he was really cute when he nagged and Kyungsoo attempted to glare at him. Jongin just chuckled again, saying nothing and draping his arm around Kyungsoo's shoulder instead. Then they drove to Jongin's place together so the younger man could shower and change and get his supplies. 

 

"Sorry my apartment's kinda messy. Just help yourself to anything, ok hyung? There are some drinks in the fridge - erm drinks with sugar, I mean. And there are tea bags in the jar on the kitchen counter. I won't be long!" Jongin kissed him on the cheek a little shyly before disappearing into his room. 

 

While Jongin showered, Kyungsoo wandered slowly around his cosy apartment, which was decorated mostly in warm shades of tan and red. There was a wooden bookshelf filled with fantasy novels and horticulture books. It was no wonder he knew so much about plant care, Kyungsoo thought.

 

Then he moved to the living room and laughed as he saw a copy of the same Malazan novel he'd been trying to read earlier on in the week. It lay on the coffee table, tilted at a jaunty angle - unlike Kyungsoo's own which lay in straight angles, put away neatly in the drawer of his coffee table. He smiled as he considered the fact that they both enjoyed grunge music and fantasy novels and were even reading the same book by coincidence. How was it that they had only met just 8 days ago? It felt sometimes to Kyungsoo like they'd known each other always. 

 

Kyungsoo's eyes scanned the area and his gaze settled on the corner table to his left, which was made from the same honey-colored teak as the coffee table. There were three large photographs framed in what looked like cherry wood. The first one to catch his eye was a photograph of Jongin, laughing as he balanced a young boy and girl on each thigh. The kids - who looked around age 8 and 6 respectively -had cheesy grins and victory signs.

 

The second photograph was taken in front of a bed of vivid purple tulips. Kyungsoo recognized a teenage Jongin standing with a slim, pretty woman in her 40s and a young couple whom he guessed must be Jongin's brother and sister-in-law. Both women were petite with delicate features and the younger one was carrying a child who looked about one to two years old. Jongin's mom had an ethereal look about her and she seemed to radiate a kind of gentle calmness. Kyungsoo could see and appreciate those same qualities in her son. 

 

The third photograph on the table was a beautiful shot of mother and son. Jongin looked around 16 years old and he was looking straight at his mom and laughing at something she'd said.  His eyes were radiant with life and affection and Kyungsoo felt something catch in his chest for he'd been on the receiving end of that same laugh several times this week. Jongin's mom was smiling at him, her features suffused with pride and love as she brushed Jongin's overlong fringe out of his eyes. 

 

A tide of bittersweet emotion washed over Kyungsoo at the sight of the two figures in the portrait. On the one hand, he was glad that Jongin and his mom had clearly shared such a close bond with each other - but on the other, his heart fractured more than a little as he tried to imagine the pain Jongin must have gone through when she had passed away.

 

"Hyung? Why do you look so sad?" Jongin suddenly appeared beside Kyungsoo, his hair slightly wet and uncombed and endearingly messy.

 

"I ... I was looking at this picture of you and your mom."

 

"But we were so happy in this picture, hyung. It was spring and the purple tulips we'd planted in autumn started flowering that morning. There were just a few buds but it gave us such a high. My brother Jongho took that photo. He was home for Spring break so Mom was happy he was home too. Why would this picture make you sad though, hyung?" Jongin reached for Kyungsoo's hand and pulled him to the sofa so they could sit down and talk.

 

"Just being an idiot," Kyungsoo said sheepishly.

 

"Tell me?" Jongin asked as he played thoughtfully with Kyungsoo's fingers.

 

"You and your mom look so happy in that photo ... You guys look like you were close and it makes me sad that you know, she's not ... you don't have her with you anymore. Sorry, I'm being such a sap. I'm not usually. In fact, I'm never a sap. I don't even know what's wrong with me." Kyungsoo laughed, ducking his head in embarrassment.

 

Jongin's forehead touched his gently, "I'm okay now, hyung. Really. It's been so many years. I mean I still miss her and I always will but it's something that doesn't make me sad anymore - so don't be sad, please? C'mon, I wanna show you something." Jongin braced Kyungsoo's shoulders with his hands and guided him towards the large sunlight-pierced window at the far end of his living room. 

 

A row of large white ceramic pots - about six of them - were arrayed at the foot of the window. Standing tall and graceful in the pots were clusters of beautiful and intensely purple tulips.

 

"Are these ...?"

 

"Yeah, hyung, these are all that's left of the purple tulips my mom and I planted together when I was 16. We moved to an apartment in the city when she found out she had cancer. My dad got us an apartment near the hospital and we had to leave our big garden behind. But my mom really really loved these tulips so I transplanted what I could. There were ten pots in total and tulips - if you look after them well, they can live as long as 17 years - or at least that's what they say. I've tried my best to keep my mom's tulips alive, but some of them didn't make it over the years." 

 

"That's ... I just ..." Kyungsoo had never been one for expressing his emotions - numbers and mathematical symbols were what he was good with, not words. And as the words failed him, he did the only thing he knew how to and that was to turn around and hug Jongin. Precious, precious Jongin who so loved the mother he'd lost. 

 

"I'm okay, hyung, really." Jongin whispered into his hair and Kyungsoo tightened his hold on the younger man's waist.

 

"I know, Jongin. I know." Kyungsoo's words were muffled by Jongin's broad chest.

 

"Are you ok now?" Jongin asked him tentatively.

 

"Yeah, I'm fine now. Sorry I went a bit stupid there."

 

"Thanks for caring, hyung." Jongin whispered just before he reached down to cover Kyungsoo's lips with his own in a kiss that was tender and passionate and healing ...

 

* * *

 

Wispy puffs of white floated swiftly across the the azure sky. It was warm and breezy - perfect weather for a bloodbath, Jongin had observed aloud and Kyungsoo had poked his waist, making him laugh. 

 

"Promise you won't listen to what Luhan says about me, okay?" Jongin pleaded as they approached the field where several male figures had already gathered. Half of them were jogging in place and stretching while the other half were pointing at things in the distance. Junmyeon, Baekhyun and Yixing would be arriving soon, and even Jongdae. He had insisted on coming once he'd realized what was up.

 

"Which one is Luhan?" Kyungsoo asked but Jongin didn't answer - merely shaking his head and muttering as he signaled to Kyungsoo to follow him.

 

"Jongin!" A wiry, blonde haired Chinese guy with beautiful, angelic features bounded energetically towards them. "You must be Accountant Guy."

 

"Luhan, shut it!" Jongin groaned loudly at Luhan's utter tactlessness.

 

"What? That's what you call him." Luhan remarked innocently as Jongin made spluttering noises.

 

"Hi, I'm Kyungsoo. You must be Troll Luhan?" Kyungsoo responded just as innocently and Jongin chuckled openly. Luhan hooted with laughter.

 

"Oh I like this guy, Jongin! You should keep him." Luhan patted Kyungsoo on the back approvingly. 

 

"If you could resist the urge to humiliate me every time you open your mouth, I'd be deeply grateful, Luhan." Jongin glared at his friend balefully.

 

Luhan just gave him a cryptic smile which did nothing to placate Jongin. Just then Junmyeon, Baekhyun and Yixing arrived and introductions were made and handshakes exchanged. Then they were brought over to the area where the other players had congregated.

 

"Junmyeon hyung, I didn't expect to see you here." A tall, gangly young man with a riot of red curls came over to greet Junmyeon, smiling openly.

 

"Hi Chanyeol," Junmyeon was practically beaming as he explained that he was here as a substitute for Jongin and asked how Chanyeol had been in the two months since they'd last met.

 

Kyungsoo could see that his friend was happy and it made him glad. Junmyeon deserved to have someone who made him happy. As he turned towards Jongin, a tall, thin and slightly frenetic young man with brown hair sidled up next to Jongin, hanging on to his arm.

 

"Hyung, who's that?" he hissed, pointing rather indiscreetly at ... Baekhyun?

 

"So is everyone here? Are we ready to start divvying up into teams?" Luhan's voice projected loud and clear across the field and everyone started making their way towards where he stood. 

 

"Tao and Kris are on the way. They'll be joining us too. They asked me to play basketball and I asked them for paintball instead." Jongin raised his hand to update Luhan.

 

"Cool! More people to shoot. But they don't get to be on the same team! I'm not agreeing to that cos whichever team gets both of them on it will massacre the other side. They're too good. We made that mistake three times before - no more. We're splitting them up, ok? No arguments! Ok, Tao and Kris. Is that it? We're done?"

 

Kim Jongdae chose that exact moment to amble onto the field, looking around curiously at his surroundings.

 

"Who's that?" Luhan pointed at him, eyebrows raised inquisitively.

 

"Erm that is ... " Jongin began awkwardly - not sure quite how to explain.

 

"That there ... is trouble." Yixing announced matter-of-factly.

 

"My favorite kind of people!" Luhan clapped his hands with glee as Jongin and Kyungsoo covered their faces warily with their hands ... It really was going to be a bloodbath.