"Kyungsoo? Erm ... hi. So who are you here with?" Jongdae looked visibly nervous and almost shifty even. Also, Jongdae never said things like 'erm', which further convinced Kyungsoo that he had something to hide.

 

"I'm here with Jongin and his next door neighbors. And Junmyeon and Chanyeol should be arriving any minute now." Kyungsoo tried to sound as normal as he could considering how utterly shocked he actually was at the under-the-table ankle drama he'd just witnessed. Normal friends did not do ankle nookie. Just. No. And when it was these two guys, it was even more improbable. Among them all, Yixing was the most committed when it came to teasing Jongdae - always the first to use his sly humor and sarcasm to put Jongdae firmly in place when he got unbearable. No matter how he looked at it, it just did not make sense to him. Kyungsoo waited for Jongdae to about not being asked to join Kyungsoo and Junmyeon for brunch but Jongdae just sat there, reticent and distracted.

 

Yixing, who had been quiet up till now, sounded like his usual cool self as he announced casually, "So the two of us ended up bar hopping when the rest of you couldn't make it."

 

"Was it bad? And most importantly, was there Sambuca involved?" Kyungsoo tried his best to act natural too.

 

"When Jongdae is involved, Sambuca is always involved. As you well know, Do Kyungsoo." Yixing said dryly.

 

"Not really funny, Yixing." Jongdae glared and kicked Yixing's ankle more than a little viciously.

 

Yixing raised a sardonic eyebrow, "What are you, eight?" And Jongdae replied by giving him the finger. Kyungsoo all but sighed with relief because this was status quo - this he could deal with.

 

"That drink is pure evil. I keep trying to tell you." Kyungsoo shook his head unsympathetically.

 

"No mountain is insurmountable." Jongdae grimaced stubbornly.

 

"But after last night, I think Jongdae has finally admitted defeat and won't be flirting with Sambuca for a while." Yixing rolled his eyes as he made the announcement. Kyungsoo found it more comforting than he should have that Yixing was still giving Jongdae like he normally did.

 

"You guys don't look real hung over though." Kyungsoo said speculatively.

 

"We didn't really have that much in the end because I managed to convince Jongdae not to be a complete . Three Sambuca hangovers in 5 days definitely qualifies as -ery." Yixing's answer was rational as always.

 

"I am never a !" Jongdae protested while the other two said of course he was and all the time too. 

 

"So Junmyeon and Chanyeol, huh?" Jongdae finally asked after some more fruitless haranguing over whether he was a or not. He didn't sound as aggressively curious as he usually did but at least things were being restored to their natural order. If he'd just sat there without trying to get to the bottom of why Kyungsoo and the others were at the restaurant - well that would really have been just plain weird and unnerving.  And after accidentally seeing the ankle nookie, Kyungsoo really needed things to be normal.

 

"Yeah," Kyungsoo smiled. 

 

"I am totally dropping by to give old hyung a heart attack - since he was mean and didn't invite Yixing and me to brunch." Jongdae announced mischievously.

 

"Well, he didn't invite Baek and me either. I'm only here because he asked Jongin to come - because Chanyeol. Ok and while we're on the subject, how come you guys didn't invite the rest of us for dim sum?" Kyungsoo wasn't one to get into other people's business so he couldn't even explain why he was putting Jongdae on the spot except ... Ankle nookie, what the hell? Jongdae and Yixing both needed to pay for shattering his Sunday zen, Goddammit.

 

"You guys didn't go through the Sambuca Ring of Fire. This brunch is exclusively reserved for its survivors." Yixing's answer was consummate and smooth as always. Brilliant save, Kyungsoo thought admiringly.

 

Then he felt the comforting heat from two warm hands settle gently on his shoulders. Jongin was here.

 

"Hyung, Chanyeol and Junmyeon hyung - they just arrived ... Hi." He waved shyly at Yixing and even more shyly at Jongdae whom he'd had almost no interaction with.

 

"Hey." Yixing gave him a warm smile.

 

"So Junmyeon and Chanyeol huh?" Jongdae repeated - directing his question at Jongin this time.

 

"Um ... They're having brunch, yeah." Jongin replied evasively.

 

"That's it? Just here to eat?"

 

"Stop trying to intimidate him." Kyungsoo frowned at Jongdae, "Ok, we'd better get back before Jun sends Tao and Kris to find us."

 

"Tell old hyung I'll drop by to say hello and I promise I won't embarrass him." Jongdae's eyes were rife with mischief. Some things at least hadn't changed, Kyungsoo observed.

 

"Don't worry guys, I'll keep him on a leash." Yixing sighed and added as an afterthought, "A tight one." He yelped as Jongdae delivered another sharp kick to his ankle.

 

"." Yixing said calmly as he kicked Jongdae's ankle in retaliation. Then he turned to say goodbye to Kyungsoo and Jongin, ignoring Jongdae completely.

 

"I don't even know what to say." Kyungsoo said quietly as he held on to Jongin's elbow unconsciously on the trek back to their own table.

 

"What happened?"

 

"I saw Jongdae and Yixing playing ... footsie. They didn't realize I was there and oh man, I don't even know how I feel about this."

 

"But Yixing was just giving Jongdae about Luhan yesterday - about them being meant for each other." Jongin scratched his head expressively.

 

"That's it! That's my point exactly! Yixing gives Jongdae . That's what he does. Like all the time so how did this ...? Why are they even ... I seem to have lost all powers of speech. That never even happens to me. Ugh." Kyungsoo made a noise of frustration and Jongin chuckled, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

 

"Well, it happens to me alllll the time." Jongin said patiently, "Don't worry hyung, I'm sure Yixing will explain later."

 

"I don't know if I even want to hear his explanation! Their ankles! My eyeballs! My eyeballs are still burning! And they're messing with the status quo. Friends do not do ankle nookie. Nononono." Kyungsoo had started gesticulating although he kept his voice low and discreet. This was as explosive and overexcited as Jongin had ever seen Kyungsoo and he couldn't help chuckling. He moved behind the older man and placed his hands on both his shoulders, massaging them soothingly as he let him rant. And just like that, Kyungsoo felt the edges wear off his agitation, before it gradually dissipated in waves. He inhaled and poured his breath out in a drawn out exhale - already feeling calmer. Jongin was here.

 

* * *

 

Chanyeol was still on the quiet side but he didn't look anywhere near as moody as he usually did, and Jongin was glad. Jongin had texted him and Sehun the evening before to warn them that Kyungsoo thought he was a delivery guy at IN BLOOM and that they weren't to mention otherwise in front of Kyungsoo and Baek. To his relief, both agreed unquestioningly. He'd known Yeol would agree because that was the kind of guy he was.

 

But surprisingly, Sehun hadn't quizzed him on why he was keeping the truth from Kyungsoo. He did, however, call him back to pepper him with a whole string of questions about Baekhyun - did he think it was a bad idea for Sehun to have mints when he was out on a date (hell yes, it's a bad bad idea); could he ask Kyungsoo what Baekhyun's favourite food was (Korean of course); what kind of music did Baekhyun listen to (R&B) and so on and so forth. Punk rocker Sehun had made gagging noises when he heard that R&B was Baekhyun's preferred genre. Jongin had dutifully obtained the answers for Sehun so that his unpredictable cousin wouldn't threaten to reveal his secret before he was ready to tell Kyungsoo himself. 

 

"So how was last night's barbecue?" Junmyeon tried to ask as casually as he could - although Jongin could tell he was a bit anxious. 

 

"It wasn't too bad." Chanyeol answered briefly, dragging a hand down the back of his head -honey-colored curls springing back up energetically in the wake of his hand. He then added, almost smiling,"There were way too many relatives but the barbecued ribs and buffalo wings made up for it. And there was Sangria, which is always good."

 

"You like Sangria? Do you like tapas too?" Junmyeon's voice had instantly gotten more animated as he was a big fan of Spanish cuisine.

 

"Yeah, I really like Spanish food." 

 

"We should suggest they go for Spanish coffee together and ditch them so they can be alone." Kyungsoo whispered in Jongin's ear as Junmyeon and Chanyeol got carried away with their own getting-to-know-you conversation yet again. Tao and Kris had left ten minutes earlier as the latter had claimed he needed to pick up some stuff and pack for his business trip the following day. 

 

Between Kyungsoo's chocolatey voice sending muted electric pulses up and down his right earlobe, and the pent up sensations from Kyungsoo's fingers caressing the inside of his right forearm under the bright red tablecloth, Jongin was more than ready to leave. 

 

Maybe it was the jasmine tea. Maybe it was all that earlier talk of ankle nookie. Maybe it was all the seafood in the dim sum. Or maybe it was a fiery combination of all these things which had Jongin fired up enough to whisper provocatively into Kyungsoo's ear, deliberately blowing small puffs of air as he enunciated sotto voce, "If you don't stop touching my arm like that I may lose control and kiss you right here right now. Either way we need to get alone. Hurry, hyung." 

 

Stunned by Jongin's uncharacteristic assertiveness, Kyungsoo's fingers abruptly halted their leisurely progress across the smooth golden expanse of Jongin's arm.

 

"Jun! Jongin and I ... we have to be somewhere. Like more or less now. You guys take your time and ..."

 

And right on cue, Kim Jongdae arrived, grinning manically, "Jun hyung! Fancy meeting you here," 

 

"Hyung? When have you ever called me hyung?" Junmyeon asked bemusedly.

 

Kyungsoo and Jongin looked at each other, groaning inside at Jongdae's uncanny ability to appear at the worst possible time. Jongin gripped Kyungsoo's thigh under the table cloth. It looked like their alone time would have to wait a bit. And Jongin was not happy about it, not one bit. Kyungsoo's hand slid over his own and they both sighed frustratedly.

 

 

A/N: Hi guys! Sorry you had to wait 5 days for this update and it's a really lame one at that. Less fluff today and more on other pairings - I've been working on this for days but I am still not impressed with how things have panned out. And we weren't supposed to be trapped in the restaurant for one whole chapter, otl. As always, don't hate me. For those who are wondering why Chanyeol and Sehun only got brief mentions here, it's because they'll get more time in the next or maybe the next next chapter - at work. 

 

The next chapter will be Kaisoo fluff with a touch of sad Jongin and I hope you'll stay tuned in spite of today's update orzzzzzz. Idek where all those views are coming from but thank you and I hope you'll hang around for a bit.

 

Thanks to all the beautiful people who are reading this fic - those who have commented as well as my silent readers ;)). I love you all! And I hope you'll let me know how you feel about my fic at some point. If you're shy you can message me here or on tumblr (lattelotus) instead of leaving a comment publicly. All opinions are welcome! And votes too lolz. So click that arrow if you love IB ...

 

I now leave you with a gif of my beloved Jongin - because I cannot stop staring at my DP fml!

 

(Cr: chanyeolsvoice)

 

PS: hi to my QQ Maya @shamespiral who doesn't have an AFF account but is reading this fic too. I love you the most, bb!

 

PPS: anbaachan, that thing I told you about will be in the next chapter so be patient! Things got out of control in this chapter. Hwaiting!

 

PPPS: Long A/N is long , I am so sorry omg