33. BIRTHDAY WISHES

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Idk how it happened but this chapter is majorly long (16K??? - I almost split it into 2), hence the time it took to come. Please enjoy it ^^

Warning: underage drinking

 

 

You’re still free at lunch today, yes?

Kyungsoo receives the text whilst he’s eating breakfast on the morning of his eighteenth birthday, and it pulls a stupid giggle from his throat and right into his cereal bowl. Jongin had asked him, more than a week ago now, if Kyungsoo could save part of his day for him - looking so hopeful yet timid when he’d asked, that it had taken all of Kyungsoo’s self-control to not coddle Jongin’s cheeks and accept without hesitation.

Kyungsoo sets his spoon down, and types back a response, trying to seem nonchalant.

I am

Great

You’re making me curious, Kyungsoo texts back, grinning a stupid grin to himself.

Good :)

Kyungsoo smiles.

---

Jongin ends up texting him an address, asking that Kyungsoo meet him at this mysterious place for half noon. He apologises profusely about not being able to take Kyungsoo there personally.

‘There are some things I have to sort out...’ he’d texted ominously, not budging even with Kyungsoo’s countless attempts to pry more information from him.

He doesn’t tell Kyungsoo where it is he is going, and he asks too that Kyungsoo doesn’t search it up, so Kyungsoo doesn’t. Instead, he types the postcode in bare on his Maps app, smiles at the ten-minute-walk that displays there, and sets off with time to spare - too excited to wait, and with a spring in his step as he goes.

It’s a cold day out: Kyungsoo has bundled up in a scarf and glove set, his nicer winter coat retrieved from the back of his wardrobe and wrapped around his form. The wind has him walking at a slightly faster pace then usual, an attempt to warm up, but it’s also just the buzz, the jitters he gets as he thinks about how Jongin will be spending nearly his entire birthday with him, and how it makes today feel far more special than it has felt in the past years.

In this moment, Kyungsoo thinks of last year, on his last birthday. Back then, he hadn’t felt excited by this day; even if he had had Eun-Seo to share it with, and (he suspects) his parents by Eun-Seo’s command, it had always been a lonely time for him, and a severe reminder that he has no true friends. Kyungsoo used to secretly long for a birthday party with schoolmates - he remembers how he, on his fifteenth and sixteenth birthday after the bullying began, had wished for friends to share his day with. Last year though, he had asked for nothing, had blown out his candles before he could even begin to want - the lustre of making a birthday wish lost by the years of seeing them never come true. It feels so different today though - to have plans, his whole day booked up for the first time ever. Even if it‘s taken a couple of years longer than he’d expected, his birthday wish has finally come true.

It doesn’t take long for Kyungsoo to approach the secret location. When he’s less than a minute away by his phone’s instructions, he looks about himself, and towards the building Jongin has asked to meet him at. From afar, it appears to be some sort of a studio, though Kyungsoo can’t be sure. He wonders suddenly if Jongin might be dancing for him as a present? The idea makes him flushed to even consider, but privately happy - it would feel so sweet and personal if Jongin had thought up such a thing.

It’s only when he’s a short several metres from the building’s entrance though that he notices a figure stood directly outside, waiting, and it’s another metre after that - when the person turns -, that he sees it’s Jongin. He halts immediately in place, though he isn’t sure why: he knew he’d be seeing the boy now. But Kyungsoo lingers anyway, feeling that there is something to the image of Jongin whilst he’s waiting for Kyungsoo that makes his pulse stutter.

He hasn’t spotted Kyungsoo just yet, so Kyungsoo has a chance to admire the taller from afar: he’s bundled up in a winter coat as Kyungsoo is, his hair mussed softly by the wind and face upturned to the grey skies, lips slightly-parted and eyes shining even from this distance. He looks so normal, and yet so devastatingly handsome; Kyungsoo can’t help but to sigh at what he sees.

It’s then that Jongin finally turns and spots him, and Kyungsoo feels like he stops breathing altogether as he watches the way Jongin’s vague expression transforms into a wide, beaming smile, his eyes crinkling into sweet crescents. If there’s anything Kyungsoo has learnt about himself these past months, it’s that a smiling Jongin is definitely one of his weaknesses; Kyungsoo cant help but to straighten naturally in place, unable to tear his gaze away. His hesitation must go unnoticed though, for Jongin only waits a short second longer before moving to approach him - steps swift and assured, beautiful smile not quivering even in the slightest.

He stops right before Kyungsoo, close enough now that Kyungsoo has to turn his head up to keep their eye contact, and his expression turns soft. “Happy birthday,” he speaks gently, “Kyungsoo...”

“Jongin.” Kyungsoo says back, lips finally stretching into a matching wide smile. Jongin laughs to himself - a sweet lull of a sound, and this is when he raises his hands, stretching a dark slip of cloth out between his fingers for Kyungsoo to see.

“Are you ready for your surprise?” He grins.

---

Kyungsoo has never been blindfolded before, and he voices this thought aloud now as Jongin guides him carefully to his ‘surprise’.

“Trust me?” Jongin says, and Kyungsoo can hear the smile in his voice.

He blinks against the fabric over his lids, huffing in faux annoyance, but he smiles anyway.

“There are steps here,” Jongin pre-warns. “Actually, this might be easier if...” He trails off, and Kyungsoo is about to ask him to go on, when he feels Jongin grasp a tight hold of his hand, now stood by his side. The unexpected move has Kyungsoo’s heart doing a little flip in his chest, and it’s only worsened by how Jongin, ever-so-gently, interlocks their fingers together. “Much better,” he hears the taller murmur, and even if he feels his cheeks heating up, he can only follow dutifully as Jongin guides him forwards.

The air around them suddenly changes, enough for Kyungsoo to know that they’ve reached somewhere inside, and Kyungsoo finds himself perking his ears for clues as to where they are. But Jongin either must’ve dropped a hint before, or everyone around them is surprisingly quiet - maybe, too, they’re the only ones there.

“Okay, this way.” Jongin says, moving forward, Kyungsoo following blindly (literally) on. At first, he tries to keep track of the changes in direction, and the turns they go through, but Kyungsoo gives up quite quickly when the journey goes on in an increasingly complex fashion. He doesn’t know how long it takes exactly until Jongin finally slows to a halt, hesitating for a moment, as if checking about himself, before speaking aloud.

“Okay, this is it,” he says, and then he carefully slips Kyungsoo’s hand out from his grip. “You wait here. Count to 30, and then you can take your blindfold off - okay?” He instructs.

But Kyungsoo can’t help but to reach out - quickly, to where he feels the warmth of Jongin stood before him - and he ends up latching onto the edge of Jongin’s winter coat. “Jongin, wait,” he speaks softly; even though he has no reason to, the blindfold is making him suddenly a little nervous.

Jongin though, perhaps sensing his tone, only rests his hand reassuringly atop Kyungsoo’s own, and Kyungsoo hears his words back. “It’s okay, we’re the only one’s here, and I’m not going anywhere far. Just, trust me?” He implores.

Kyungsoo swallows, but he nods his head anyway, trying not to frown too hard when Jongin slowly moves back once more. “To 30, okay?” Jongin reminds.

Kyungsoo nods again, and this time he actually starts to count down. He listens to Jongin’s instructions, waiting only until the half-a-minute mark before reaching up to the fabric over his eyes. With fumbling fingers, he peels the blindfold off, blinking a few times to adjust to the light, and to the sudden lack of pressure against his lashes. When his vision returns to normal, he looks around himself, and finds that Jongin is nowhere in sight.

“Jongin?” He calls, feeling the same nerves from before return once more, heart rate speeding palpably up. He’s just about to move forward to look about, when he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. He tugs the device out, and the slight fret he’d felt from being alone dissipates when he sees Jongin’s face staring back at him - that same beautiful picture from the support group session. The nerves flitter, and he finds himself laughing easily, picking up without a moment’s hesitation and bringing the device to his ear. “Jongin, what-“ he starts, but he’s interrupted.

“Hide and seek, Kyungsoo.” Is what he hears, Jongin speaking in a strange, hushed tone; even through the line, Kyungsoo can hear his smile. “The closer you get, the louder I’ll speak.” He explains.

Without help, Kyungsoo laughs again, shaking his head fondly. “You’re dumb,” he says, but the softness to his words make it clear that he doesn’t mean it, and Jongin only laughs a chuckling laugh on the other side of the line.

“I know you want to find me,” he says back in that same hushed tone, and Kyungsoo would try to dispute it if not for how those words make something flutter tellingly in his chest. “If not for me, for your present?”

Kyungsoo wants to say back, I don’t need the present - I’d do it just for you, for you alone, any day. But he bites his lip, shaking his head once more. “I’m coming,” he assures instead.

Kyungsoo starts to move, treading forward slowly and looking about himself as he goes. He proceeds carefully, his phone held up close by his face.

“Warm,” Jongin speaks suddenly, no longer hushed, and it’s fitting then that he sounds so warm too - like how Kyungsoo imagines sunrise would sound. Kyungsoo smiles at that tone, and moves more assuredly forward from it, steps less careful than before. “WARMER,” after only a few more metres, louder than before, almost a yell.

Kyungsoo laughs without help, but he frowns too. “How can I be warmer, I don’t hear you-“ he tries to ask, but Jongin interrupts again-

“WARMER!” His loudest exclamation yet, and the absurdity of it sends Kyungsoo off again. He starts laughing hysterically, tears forming quickly in his eyes, and it’s just as he makes to quicken his pace again that a door to Kyungsoo’s left, that he’d just been about to wander past, is flung open, and Kyungsoo is struck by a loud, boisterous, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

In that moment, Kyungsoo at last realises where it is they are, where it is Jongin is stood as he beams handsomely Kyungsoo’s way, and he feels his smile falter. His brain short-circuits, and he asks before he really registers the situation. “I- what is this?”

Jongin’s eyes crinkle into little crescents like they do when he’s especially happy, his excitement palpable. “Well, it’s... it’s a soundproof booth,” he explains softly, smile so wide across his face that Kyungsoo can only blink wildly back - even though he’d already recognised the room for what it is.

“Okay,” Kyungsoo agrees, even as he still feels his heart - pounding hard and heavy in his chest -, with his mind conversely blanked out, “um...”

“No, Kyungsoo, wait!” Jongin cuts in, eyes sparkling with ill-contained excitement. “It’s a booth which I have booked for you to have for two whole hours where no one can hear you,” he emphasises, cocking his head down and scrutinising every nuance in Kyungsoo’s expression as he speaks. “A soundproof booth where you don’t have to worry about anyone hearing you.”

Something clicks. Kyungsoo stops, and it feels suddenly as if he can’t breathe.

“I know it isn't much,” Jongin starts, something bashful in the tone of his voice and demure shape of his smile, “but I remember you mentioning how you want to get into singing again, but you aren't confident enough to sing in front of people yet because you’re so out of practice, and are scared of them hearing, and so I just sort of thought this up and- and-...” But his words fizzle out, eyes turning less and less sure with each passing second that Kyungsoo just stares motionlessly back at him, remaining deadly silent.

Jongin swipes his tongue over what must be dry lips, and looks alarmed. “Oh, well, um, I know it might have been a silly idea and all but-“ he starts to try and explain, but his babble of words are cut swiftly off when Kyungsoo steps forwards, curls his arms around Jongin’s back and sinks into his chest.

Kyungsoo hears Jongin’s reaction before he feels it - the short, surprised exhalation of air right by his ear. He feels how Jongin’s hands hover unsurely by his back for a moment, like he doesn’t know quite what to do with himself, but Kyungsoo feels like his heart might just explode, the back of his eyes burning with a suggestion of tears.

“Thank you,” he whispers into Jongin’s shirt, hiding his face, scared what it might show. “Really I- thank you so much, Jongin.” He breathes, unsure of how he can even begin to show the gratitude he feels right now.

When he’d told Jongin about this - his lack of confidence in a vocation in which he was once, many years ago, so assured - he’d tried to be nonchalant about it, tried to sound lighthearted, even if it was a worry and a fear that had been plaguing him ever since he said yes to Ryeowook about the showcase all those days ago now. That Jongin had realised what he’d been doing, and that he’d heard those words and thought up such a wonderful, faultless present for him - Kyungsoo doesn’t know how to handle himself; just when he thought he couldn’t possibly like the boy more.

Finally- finally, Kyungsoo feels Jongin’s hands move, pressing firmly to his back, pulling him closer if it were possible.

“I’m glad you like it,” Jongin responds, voice lowered to match the level of softness Kyungsoo’s own has taken on.

Kyungsoo pulls just his head back, neck cocked up to meet Jongin’s eyes. He can’t possibly know how he looks right then - with sweetly tearful eyes and cheeks blossoming red from the force of his hug -, but for whatever Jongin sees, he feels how the arms around him tighten, and watches Jongin’s eyes as they flitter over his face, unable to settle on one place, one point. And when his gaze finally does find a place to halt, steady on Kyungsoo’s lips, Kyungsoo forgets to breathe. For a second - one that feels a lot longer than a second -, Kyungsoo thinks that he might be kissed. He finds himself turning very still, eyes fixated to Jongin’s, not wanting to make a wrong move.

But, in the next second, the moment seems to pass - Jongin’s gaze moves again, back to the flittering, and Kyungsoo watches the boy’s Adam’s Apple as it bobs up and down his throat, and his face as it scrunches with his own thoughts.

Kyungsoo doesn’t want to be disappointed, doesn’t want to ruin this, so he tells himself he didn’t see anything. Instead, he stretches his neck up even more and ends up breathing in place, “I love it, Jongin,” sure by now that his heart is pounding against Jongin’s chest, and that the taller must be able to feel it. It’s that thought that has him burrowing his head back into the crook of Jongin’s shoulder, so he can’t see the taller’s face, can’t gage what he could possibly be thinking, but he does feel it when Jongin’s own head nudges softly against Kyungsoo’s like a child nuzzling into warmth.

“That’s all that matters...” Jongin croons warmly back.

And in that moment, more than any other in Kyungsoo’s life, he wishes for time to stop - he wishes to be able to stay like this forever, wrapped up in Jongin’s arms with his pounding heart and blushing face and the feel of Jongin’s breath dancing over the hairs on his head. He thinks, if this was all life could be, he’d be entirely content with it.

---

Kyungsoo is at home, bumbling about his living room, getting things ready for his guests tonight. Whilst both of his parents are already out of the house (even with it being a weekend), Eun-Seo has lingered to help - assuring Kyungsoo that she’ll leave when all the guests have arrived, and stay at a friend’s until it’s an okay time to come back. Kyungsoo is grateful for her presence; he’d had no idea what preparations for a party entailed until Eun-Seo had outlined it for him, this being the first he has ever hosted. He wants everything to be perfect.

Kyungsoo’s mood has been ever-lifted since Jongin’s birthday present to him this morning. The boy had left him after they’d talked awhile, giving him privacy to practice, and it had felt so wonderful to be able to sing freely like he hasn’t felt able to at home for a long while. His voice is definitely out of practice, and will need a lot of honing before the showcase, but it’s nothing Kyungsoo feels he can’t do with enough work. It’s another huge reason he had been so reluctant to sing in the first place: if Kyungsoo had tried it, and had found his voice to be incapable of ever reaching the same level of his past, he isn’t sure he’d have been able to cope. But the session in the booth has, instead, given Kyungsoo something like a confidence boost - with enough effort, and enough practice, his showcase performance could really be something special.

The time in the booth has also helped Kyungsoo remember, in vivid detail, why he had fallen for singing in the first place. He hasn’t sung so seriously and sincerely in a long while, and had forgotten the lustre of the pastime, the enjoyability of it.

“Kyungsoo, how many people is it again?” Eun-Seo calls out now as she stalks back into the living room, two beanbags (from her own room) bundled into her arms.

“It’s ten - including me,” he answers, moving forward to take a beanbag from her; Yixing and Suho has declined the invitation. “I don’t want to have to stop the underage drinking that I suspect is bound to happen,” Yixing had said. Kyungsoo had assured him that he wouldn’t be offering any of that, but Yixing had only looked wearily Jongdae’s way, “it’s not you I’m worried about...”

Whilst slightly disappointing to not have the whole cohort coming, Kyungsoo is excited enough by the 9 who had been able to accept.

Eun-Seo drops her beanbag in the place Kyungsoo has made, and twists around where she is stood to count the available places. “That should be enough, now,” she smiles eventually, before collapsing with a long sigh onto the sofa behind her.

Kyungsoo copies her with a short laugh, settling by her side. “You know, we wouldn’t have minded sitting on the ground, Eun-Seo,” he assures again, something he’s been saying over and over for the past hour.

“I had the seats, anyway,” Eun-Seo brushes off, eyes falling closed as she rests her head back on the cushion behind her.

“Is it... do you think I should’ve invited less people? Is this too much?” He asks fretfully, nibbling at his lower lip.

“No, no,” Eun-Seo immediately denies, eyes reopening as she shakes her head back and forth. “Kyungsoo, you deserve to have everyone you want to have with you for your birthday,” she assures. “This isn’t too much, okay?”

Kyungsoo meets her gaze, and he can’t help but to smile at her, and the warmth her presence always exudes. The day feels less nerve-wracking with her by his side to help prepare everything well.

“Where will you go again?” He inquires, head resting on his own arm as he peers Eun-Seo’s way.

“A friend’s,” she assures without hesitation. “A friend who won’t mind me staying with them a long while,” she tacks on with a laugh, sensing Kyungsoo’s next question. “I know you said you wouldn’t have minded me being here, but I wanted you to have the house for yourself. I want you to have fun with just your friends tonight, Kyungsoo.” She continues, her voice gentle and crooning.

Kyungsoo smiles at the sentiment. “I will,” he assures, eyes shining from where he’s lounging.

“When are the first two coming, again?” Eun-Seo asks, lids peeling closed from where she lies.

“Oh,” Kyungsoo checks his watch. “Maybe half an hour? They said they’d be here an hour early...”

The ‘first two’ are in reference to Tao and Kris, who have vowed to come early to, as Tao put it, ‘help you look so smoking hot Jongin won’t even be able to function.’ Kyungsoo would’ve declined on the basis of that godawful sentence alone, but (honestly) he wants to look good for Jongin. He never really understands it when people say it is wrong to want to dress up for someone, that you are only supposed to want to dress up for yourself - at the end of the day, Jongin is the guy Kyungsoo likes, and of course he wants to look his best before him.

Eun-Seo hums in acknowledgement, absentminded. “Are you excited?”

“About being made up, or about the party?”

“The party? Both? I don’t know,” she blinks her eyes open, peering Kyungsoo’s way. “Is there a reason you’d be excited about being made up?” There’s an ill-suppressed smile in her eyes as she asks it.

Kyungsoo grumbles, and this time it’s his eyes falling shut. “You already know the answer to that,” he accuses. “Stop making me suffer.”

Eun-Seo laughs a loud, highly-pleased laugh. “Right, Jongin - must’ve slipped my mind,” she says, as if she’s only just thought of it. “Are you nervous?”

Kyungsoo swallows, his Adam’s Apple bobbing down his throat. “Super nervous,” he agrees quietly, unable to muster up any effort to hide it. “Why am I so nervous?” He raises his hand, pressing it over the left side of his chest, and feels the tumultuous beat of his heart against his palm.

“Why are you so nervous?” Eun-Seo inquires, and something about her tone makes Kyungsoo open his eyes, meeting her gaze from across the sofa. Her question has his mind in a rush; even if he’d asked, he knows why he’s nervous. He knows that he’s not been able to stop thinking about his and Jongin’s almost-kiss at the studio this morning, knows that it feels like they’re on the precipice of something at last, and it’s all entirely terrifying to consider.

“I just... want everything to be perfect,” he settles on; it’s not a lie, but it’s not the full truth. He does want everything to be perfect, he wants tonight to be something special, he just also knows that he wants something between himself and Jongin to change - and to change for the better.

Eun-Seo’s voice is a croon, and her eyes are sincere in ways Kyungsoo has always been envious of. “It will be perfect,” she assures. “It will be.”

---

Kyungsoo finds himself opening his front door for Tao and Kris a whole hour before everyone else is due to arrive, ready for what they have in store. The both of them look amazing when he allows them in, tall and handsome and like some super-attractive model couple when stood together like that.

“You guys look amazing,” Kyungsoo vocalises as they wander in, trying to figure out how everyone from the support group seems to have such great genes.

“No, it is you who shall look amazing, little Soo,” Tao announces. “Where can we work?”

Kyungsoo ends up guiding the pair to his room, and it’s not long before he is manhandled onto his desk chair and Tao begins taking out a few large bags and stacking them all over his desk. “Hair is me!” He coos, and gets to work with ill-contained excitement.

Whilst Tao works, Kris lounges on Kyungsoo’s bed, eyes intent on the younger boy and lips pulled imperceptibly up into a resting smile. Though Tao hasn’t ever gone into detail, solely for the fact that it is not his story to tell, Kyungsoo knows that Kris has some anger issues, and tends to thrash out quicker than most people in the same situation would. It feels so strange though to think that right now, for the boy sat staring attentively Tao’s way - as if missing even a second would be a crime - looks so far from anger that it feels wrong to put such a descriptor to him. Kyungsoo smiles at the display, and how comfortable Kris is in showing it. It makes him wonder over how many times Tao might’ve missed it before.

“When did you guys meet?” Kyungsoo asks, suddenly curious - he’s sure that it’s a story he hasn’t been told.

“Us?” Tao asks, his hands not hesitating in their professional work, even as Kyungsoo hums an affirmative. Kyungsoo watches Kris’ gaze turn more fixative still, and he’s sure the two must be looking at one another. “Well, it was at the support group, I guess. That was our proper introduction.”

“You guess?” Kyungsoo catches onto, frowning. “What do you mean, ‘you guess’?”

Tao moves forward to fix a part of Kyungsoo’s hair, now stood before him and turned away from Kris, and Kyungsoo can see the way his cheeks have blossomed a hue of red. “Well, erm... I guess...because...well-“

“We met before then,” Kris explains instead, relieving the hesitating boy. “Though we didn’t ever get to exchange names.”

“Okay,” Kyungsoo agrees slowly, and then he looks to Tao, “why is that embarrassing?”

“It’s not embarrassing!” Tao ripostes immediately, his hand fluttering involuntarily with the ferocity of his words. He curses straight after though, moving Kyungsoo’s hair back a different way. From across the room, Kris laughs - a low, rare sound -, and Kyungsoo peers to see the boy smiling a wide, gummy smile; Kyungsoo is sure he has never seen Kris’ gums stick out so much before.

“Don’t worry, Kyungsoo,” Kris’ smile has lessened now, more under control, so that it is only a line tugged up gently at one side. “Tao’s just shy because the first time we met he decided to kiss me.”

“He what?”

Tao’s hands abruptly leave Kyungsoo’s head and he whips sharply around to Kris with a yell of, “HEY!”. Kyungsoo on the other hand, is shocked by the revelation, even as he finds himself laughing disbelievingly too.

“No way,” Kyungsoo breathes, unable to mask his joy at this great piece of information.

Kris seems highly amused by the situation and Tao’s reaction, even more so when Tao seems to only redden further by his words, one of his thick brows raising in a tease.

“Am I wrong?” Kris asks, cocking his head gently to a side.

“Yes, you are very wrong,” Tao huffs instantly, Kyungsoo’s hair momentarily forgotten. “It wasn’t a decision - it was an accident. And it was barely a kiss!” He exclaims.

“Lips touched lips,” Kris says here. “Is that not what a kiss is?”

Tao doesn’t seem to be able to muster a response to this, so he only grumbles childishly and finally turns back to Kyungsoo. “Well, it was still an accident,” is all he says eventually.

“Okay, I have to know this story,” Kyungsoo announces, laughing happily from where he is sat, able to stare between the two. “What even happened?”

“What happened is, Tao is a suspiciously clumsy guy for some secret Wushu master, and he quite literally fell into my arms and onto my lips the very first time we crossed paths.” Kris explains with an uncharacteristically cheery tone.

Tao rolls his eyes nonchalantly, as if the story is inconsequential, but Kyungsoo can see how he bites nervily at his lips and his cheeks still hold that ferocity of colour.

“You’re telling me you guys had a cheesy kdrama moment as your first meeting?” Kyungsoo confirms, now absolutely beaming from this newfound information, internally praising himself for even thinking to ask.

“The cheesiest,” Kris agrees in a faux solemn tone. “Tao even did the whole dramatic, trying-to-avoid-me thing when we met again at the support group centre.”

“Ohmygod,” Kyungsoo is now utterly delighted, even as Tao mopes in place. “That’s amazing. You guys should share this story more.”

“No, thanks,” Tao cuts in grumpily, still as flushed as before. “You’re the only one who knows it, and it shall be kept that way. Like you said, it’s cheesy.”

“Cheesy is great,” Kyungsoo smiles. “So, how was the kiss?”

“I have the ability right now to cut off all of your pretty hair,” Tao ripostes menacingly, “do not test me, Do.”

Kyungsoo laughs at the empty threat, but he stays silent regardless, sharing a short, amused look with Kris from beneath Tao’s outstretched arm.

It doesn’t take too long after that for Tao to be done, pulling back abruptly to tilt his head from side-to-side in soundless assessment whilst Kyungsoo stays awkwardly in place. “Okay,” he says eventually, lips stretching up into a wide smile, “that’s perfect.” He decides. “Now wait right there - and don’t look yet, we’re not even halfdone!” He instructs, suddenly moving towards Kris to grab a bag Kyungsoo hadn’t noticed the boy was holding. Whilst he goes, he also tugs Kris up with him, before rushing back to Kyungsoo and offering the bag with ill-contained excitement - Kris stood, with a small smile, by his side.

“It’s your birthday present - from us,” Tao announces, pride in his tone as he enunciates that last word. “And we implore that you must wear it, for we would be utterly devastated otherwise,” he proclaims dramatically.

Kyungsoo laughs at the statement, shaking his head gently. He does take the bag though, peeling it open with deft fingers and peeking at what is within. When all he sees are folds of silky fabric, he reaches in and pulls the gift out to inspect it further.

It’s a cream-coloured buttoned shirt, the material soft and silky to touch in the way something expensive usually is. Even with the way the shirt flows, it appears fitted, with a short and crisp collar and cuffs at the end of the sleeves.

“I like it,” Kyungsoo announces honestly, smiling without help. He doesn’t think he owns anything even half as nice as this single item of clothing.

“‘Knew you would,” Tao grins back, eyes twinkling happily at the praise. “Now, put it on! Oh, and the jeans, please.” Tao chuckles.

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes but listens anyway, tugging the mentioned jeans out from his set of drawers. Tao and Kris turn to give him some privacy to change, and when he’s done, he can’t help but to shy slightly at their matching litany of compliments.

“You look amazing,” Tao insists, Kris smiling in agreement by his side. “This is going to be so fun.”

“Can I look now then?” Kyungsoo asks, anxious to see for himself, but Tao shakes his head adamantly in a no.

“Not yet, no, Kris needs to do your makeup, I’ve picked out the perfect look-“

“Kris needs to do my what?”

At this moment, Kris shuffles forward, looking a little sheepish as he approaches, and Kyungsoo can’t help but to voice his shock.

“You can do makeup?” He asks plainly, trying to picture it in his head: Kris with a makeup palette in his hand, or a beauty blender in tow.

Tao answers for him, “he can’t just do makeup, Kyungsoo - he can do makeup well. Super well.” He beams, to which Kris only appears even more awkward, even as he starts artfully setting the supplies out on Kyungsoo’s desk in a specific and apparent order.

“You’re exaggerating,” he mutters modestly, his brows falling into their natural, resting furrow.

“I’m really not, but you can stay modest,” Tao smiles, and Kyungsoo watches the way he dances his fingers against Kris’ arm before walking to the bed that is now vacated, sprawling himself across it with ease.

“Where did you learn to do makeup?” Kyungsoo asks, suddenly curious as he watches Kris.

The boy only shrugs. “I used to do my mother’s, for a while, before she passed away. She was in hospital for a lot of her last year, and she always wanted to look nice, even if she was just on the wards,” Kris says, a rare suggestion of a smile prickling over his lips. “I guess I got good then.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo says automatically; it’s the most Kris has ever personally revealed to him about his personal life, though Kyungsoo also reckons that Kris isn’t particularly the type to fret over hiding things.

It’s fitting then when Kris only stands before Kyungsoo, and shakes his head shortly. “Not something to apologise for.” Is all he ends up saying on the matter. “Can you take off your glasses?”

“Ooh, yes!” Tao suddenly calls out. “Do you have contacts? Glasses are fine and all but they can be a little obstructive when you’re making out-“

“-Tao!-“

“-and the makeup shows up better without them, so it would be great if you wore contacts for today, okay?”

Kyungsoo glares, but he does still stand up and go to his set of drawers to retrieve his contacts. Honestly, he can do without them and his glasses quite easily - Kyungsoo’s eyes have never been too bad. But, it’s something he grew accustomed to doing - wearing his glasses. It used to be his way of hiding his face in the school corridors, back in the early days of the bullying; now, it’s simply a habit he hasn’t been able to grow out of.

He puts the contacts on, trying not to think on it too deeply, and settles back in his seat for Kris to work.

Somewhere in the process, Tao stands from the bed and starts to hover by Kris’ side, staring at Kyungsoo with excited eyes and a wide smile stretched across his face.

“You seem way too happy about this,” Kyungsoo comments idly, trying not to fret too much over what may or may not be happening to his face.

“It’s not even done and it already looks amazing,” Tao grins widely as he speaks, unable to tear his gaze away. “You should definitely do my make-up one time, Kris,” he suggests then. Kris hesitates for just a split second, but a split second that Kyungsoo does not miss, and when Kyungsoo peers up at the boy and sees his scrunched-up face, he can see that the taller is flustered - most definitely imagining what Tao has proposed.

“Sounds good,” he says, sounding as nonchalant as he always does, and making Tao do a short celebratory clap.

“You seem to be in an especially good mood today, Tao,” Kyungsoo comments then before Tao can say anything else to fluster the boy, taking pity. It’s true anyway - he’s sure he’s never seen the boy so exuberant before.

Tao laughs at this, and his smile briefly falls into the soft line Kyungsoo is more familiar with. “I’ve never actually been to a party, it’s all quite exciting for me,” he admits honestly - an admittance that makes Kyungsoo blink in surprise. It’s just that, Tao to him is so easy to get along with - he can’t understand how he wouldn’t be drowning in party invites.

“You know, me neither,” Kris joins in blankly. “I never really noticed that before.” He mutters.

The revelation hits Kyungsoo hard right then. It’s the first time in a long while that he’s reminded of how severely someone’s uality can affect their lives: the support group members are all amazing people, people you’d be lucky to be friends with, and it’s a sad truth that there are others who don’t allow them a chance to show this, who judge them before they even know them.

Kris doesn’t seem to dwell on the fact though, instead pulling out a tube of something that sufficiently distracts Kyungsoo; he’s seen enough of Eun-Seo’s make-up to know what that is.

“What... is that?” He asks anyway, eyes turning shrewd.

“This? It’s a lip tint,” Kris states simply.

Kyungsoo balks at his suspicion’s confirmed - even more so when Tao reaches forward and clicks off the lid whilst the tint is still in Kris’ hand, revealing a deep, red colour. “Oh, nu uh,” Kyungsoo shakes his head. “Not in a million years.”

Kris starts to move his hand back in easy compliance, but Tao quickly holds him in place and pouts, his eyes seeming to grow in size tenfold. “Oh, pleaseeeeeeeeeee!” He whines petulantly, fluttering his lashes and making Kyungsoo scoff. Kyungsoo laughs again too when he notices how Kris, behind where Tao can see, is frozen in place with his eyes transfixed to the contact between the two of them - Tao’s fingers wrapped over his. Tao though is oblivious to it, focused instead on Kyungsoo, his face turning woeful as he changes his tactic up. “Come on, Kyungsoo, guys can have y coloured-lips just as much as girls can! DO NOT BE PART OF THE PROBLEM, KYUNGSOO, DO NOT STOOP TO SUCH A LEVEL AND-“

“Okay, fine, fine, put the lip tint on!” Kyungsoo concedes, trying to hold back a smile when Tao does a little whoop, dropping his hand from the tint all whilst still not noticing Kris’ flustered expression.

It takes Kris a second to start functioning, and even then it’s only by Tao calling out to him. He applies the tint carefully, like its a paintbrush instead, and Kyungsoo tries not to overthink about what he must look like.

When he’s done, the two boys stand back and just stare Kyungsoo’s way for a long, weighted moment. Kyungsoo shuffles in place, watching them stare.

“Kris, if you were Jongin, would this attract you?” Tao asks first, and Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at the younger’s expression, seeing the mischief in them as he speaks the question aloud.

Kris, perhaps not realising he’s being teased, looks only alarmed. “I... can’t answer that,” he stutters out, openly perplexed, at a loss for what to say.

Tao only pouts, not letting up. “What? Why not?” He asks.

“I- because I’m not Jongin?”

“No, I know, I know!” Tao waves off, “I mean theoretically.”

“But, I still don’t know what Jongin would-“

“Okay, fine,” Tao cuts in, “what do you think then?”

For the first time in this conversation, Kris’ confusion dissipates and his shoulders sag. His gaze is deep as he turns to meet Tao’s.

“I think I only find one person in this room attractive, and it’s not Kyungsoo,” he admits easily, glancing shortly Kyungsoo’s way, “-no offence.”

Kyungsoo is not offended. Instead, Kyungsoo is grinning from ear-to-ear, amused at how Tao’s teasing has backfired and it is now the younger who has gone bright red in the face. “Oh, don’t worry, absolutely none taken.” Kyungsoo coos, trying to suppress a laugh when Tao shoots him a sharp, reproving look.

“You’re feeling brave today,” Tao grumbles back as the only thing, voice low as he looks accusingly Kris’ way.

“I guess I’m not that fun to tease, huh?” Kris smiles suddenly, and Kyungsoo bursts out laughing, even more so at the shock that flickers across Tao’s face at the words.

“ANYWAY,” Tao exclaims in a loud voice, “Kyungsoo, you can finally see yourself!” he changes the subject with a grin, though his still-red cheeks are telling enough of his residual fluster.

Kyungsoo takes pity on him this once, letting the conversation move forward, and he lets Tao guide him towards his bedroom mirror with ill-contained excitement. He asks Kyungsoo to close his eyes just before the reveal, and Kyungsoo does with a small laugh and a fond shake of his head. Tao makes quick work of settling him properly before the mirror, and then, “okay, you can look!”

Kyungsoo opens his eyes, and his breath actually catches.

“Kris, what the .” He deadpans, staring at his reflection in mild horror. With the ruffled hair, tinted-red lips and smudgy, kohl-lined eyes, Kyungsoo looks like he’s just been debauched. “This is a birthday party. Not a strip club,” he stutters out, feeling his cheeks turn hot as he continues to stare - in awe of the change.

Once more, before Kris can even start to respond, Tao cuts in. “Oh, come on,” he mopes, “all the idols wear this!” He insists, jutting his lower lip out at Kyungsoo’s negative reaction.

“Tao, I’m not an idol.” Kyungsoo ripostes.

“Yes, but-“

“Can we please just lose the eyeliner at least?” He says, directed to Kris this time.

“AWH, but-“ Tao starts to complain instead.

“Please!”

“Fine, fine,” Tao concedes with another exaggerated pout. “We’ll lose the eye make-up. Too bad as well, I was so looking forward to seeing Jongin’s reaction...”

Kyungsoo swallows, cheeks heating up even more at the thought of Jongin seeing him like this for even a second. Nope. Definitely not something he wants to envisage right now.

Kris’ skilled hands make quick work of removing the kohl from Kyungsoo’s eyes, and when Kyungsoo looks to his reflection this time, he is glad to see that the stripper-vibe has gone. Instead, with his styled hair and softly-lined heart-shaped lips, his new shirt and black jeans, even he can admit that they have done a greatjob - he looks pretty good, better than he ever remembers looking, and he can’t help but to smile at what he sees.

“Do Kyungsoo...” Tao announces, moving to Kyungsoo’s side and leaning on his shoulder with a feline-like stretch of his lips; they’re both reflected in the mirror, but Tao’s eyes are fixed to him. “...I think it’s officially time to get your man.”

Kyungsoo’s smile stretches.

 

---

 

Yixing had been right.

Jongdae prances in with a large backpack on that he immediately shows to be filled to the brim with bottles of cheap soju. “Don’t worry, I’ll take the empty ones away before your parents get back,” he winks when Kyungsoo only gapes openly at him following the reveal.

It doesn’t take long for everyone else to trail in after that, and the house to start coming alive with noise. When Jongin arrives, Sehun flanked by his side, Kyungsoo is pleased with the obvious double-take he does when his gaze finally rests on Kyungsoo. Sehun enters first, moving steadfastly aside, and towards the living room where everyone else is gathered, so that Kyungsoo and Jongin get a moment of privacy straightaway.

Jongin steps into the hallway, his eyes not deviating the slightest from Kyungsoo’s form as he smiles in greeting.

“Hi,” he breathes, “you look amazing.” The compliment easily peels from his lips.

“You do too,” Kyungsoo says back, lips stretching into a matching smile. It’s true. In an all-black ensemble (which seems to be the boy’s favourite), fluffy hair and those deep caramel eyes, Jongin is devastatingly handsome; Kyungsoo would sigh outwardly about it if everyone in the group who has already arrived wasn’t so obviously staring at their exchange from the living room doorway, just in his periphery.

“Thanks,” Jongin says with sparkling eyes, and they end up staring quietly at one another, as if they can’t look away, perhaps remembering when they’d last been together and how the atmosphere had changed when Kyungsoo had bundled into Jongin’s arms. It’s only when someone blatantly coughs (Jongdae), that they both seem to remember themselves, and stutter through the formalities of Kyungsoo being a host and guiding them inside.

By the time everyone has finally arrived, conversation is rife and boisterous; Kyungsoo is sure he has never seen so many people in his house before. It feels surreal to have the members of the group there, but surreal in the best possible way - he finds himself blinking soundlessly around at them all, unable to wipe the smile from his face.

Pretty soon after everyone’s settled, the ordered pizza and chicken arrives, and Jongdae starts handing the bottles of soju around the group with a pleased little smirk on his face. It’s only when he’s sure that everyone is ‘stocked up’ as he puts it, that he stands in the centre of the room and announces, “I think it’s time to play the game that trumps all games.” With a sparkle in his eye that makes Kyungsoo suddenly nervous. “And if you haven’t already guessed, I shall enlighten you. Truth or dare, anyone?”

The reactions of the members to this is raucous but varied.

“No way-“

“LET’S DO IT!-“

“Of all games you chose the one for twelve year olds-“

“Who put you in charge, Jongdae?”

“My providing the alcohol puts me in charge,” Jongdae cuts in.

“Actually, Kyungsoo being the birthday boy puts him in charge,” is what Jongin says in response, and it makes the group coo immediately. Kyungsoo only pinks a little, looking up to meet Jongin’s eyes from across the room, and Jongin is already staring intently back, the same look he’d given him as he’d entered the house and laid eyes on how he had looked.

“Truth or dare is fine by me,” Kyungsoo says, not tearing his gaze away from Jongin’s own. He mopes suddenly over their being so distantly seated, wishing the boy to be closer, but he can’t bring himself to ask, and he instead breaks the contact with a drop of his eyes.

“Alright!” Jongdae exclaims happily, holding his alcohol merrily up to the air in a small celebration. “Before we start, we’ll go over ground rules. One, anyone can do the asking in any round (except their own of course), with the first best one anyone makes up being picked. Two, we shall decide the victim with the traditional and almighty spin of a bottle! And three, rejection of a truth or a dare leads to a forfeit of a much, much worse calibre. Is that all clear to everyone?” Jongdae announces, smiling at the affirmations from across the room. “Now, I guess all we need is a bottle!” And without further adieu, he binds his lips around the opening of his bottle, tips his head back, and downs the whole thing in just a few seconds flat. Kyungsoo actually gapes at the display, fingers twitching around his own bottle as a few members of the group holler and laugh. “Let the game’s begin!” Jongdae shouts, settling the bottle in the centre of their circle with a flourish and a smile, seemingly unaffected by his act.

The game starts off quite slowly, everyone laughing and joking, sipping at their respective drinks and letting the buzz go to their heads. Kyungsoo has never drunk significant amounts before, only a sip or two of wine on special occasions. For that reason, he has no idea what his limit is, and so he is keeping his sips fair and few.

The first time it lands on Kyungsoo, he opts for a truth, believing it to be the safer option. He regrets it immediately though when Jongdae suddenly straightens up with shining eyes, as if he’s had a question stored away a long while.

“Definitely me!” He calls before anyone else can, looking Kyungsoo’s way with a wide and beaming smile. “Kyungsoo, true or false - you have a crush on someone in this room?”

Kyungsoo balks, and the room becomes suddenly static with noise, ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ sounding in a litany from everyone’s lips. “Someone isn’t holding back,” Kyungsoo accuses. He’s suddenly very aware of where Jongin is sat across from him on the other side of the room.

“You’re the birthday boy,” Jongdae only grins, looking stupidly pleased with himself. “I’m sure the people want to know.”

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, and even though his heart is beating stupidly fast, he says it with nonchalance, “True”, trying to appear unaffected even as the group around him coo even louder at the admission, and the ease of it.

“Interesting, very interesting,” Jongdae nods. Kyungsoo is sure it’s a question he and most people here already knows the answer too, but when he finally musters up the courage to glance Jongin’s way, and sees the boy’s eyes already fixed brazenly and unapologetically towards him, a slight smile on his face, he understands why Jongdae had asked; though Kyungsoo and Jongin have been dancing around their apparently-mutual feelings for each other for what must be weeks now, Jongdae’s question has brought those unsaid words directly to the surface. Kyungsoo is sure that before now Jongin has never heard a more explicit clue to what Kyungsoo feels for him, and the sudden admission of it seems to have caught him off-guard - the boy looking as if he is thinking at one hundred miles an hour. Not for the first time, he wishes he could read the boy’s thoughts; the one trait Jongin has unfailingly retained since their first proper meeting is that mystery behind his eyes, swimming there for all the times he’s in deep thought. It’s a look Kyungsoo likes on Jongin, though- one he is happy to have evoked in him. He likes to know he might be on the other’s mind.

The game goes on, and they all settle into it. Kyungsoo is particularly interested when the bottle finally lands on Jongin, and, after picking truth, he is asked the exact same question Jongdae had posed to Kyungsoo.

“Yes,” Jongin answers without even the slightest of hesitations, the firmness of his response making the group ooh with exaggerated volume. Kyungsoo is sure it’s the alcohol that has Jongin being so very honest, for he himself is definitely feeling light in the head by now, but he doesn’t focus on that much; instead, he smiles a private smile, and flickers his gaze back and forth Jongin’s way, grinning more broadly still when Jongin only matches his expression. This is something they can talk about in private, he decides, unable to muster up the right response right then and there. It feels surreal though, that their cards are laid out plainly on the table for the first time since Kyungsoo’s feelings had begun to blossom. He must thank Jongdae later on for picking such a game to begin with.

“Kris, truth or dare?” Jongdae asks now, the bottle pointed towards the boy from the latest spin. The whole group turns to stare at the angry bird and his monotonous expression.

“Dare,” Kris answers, looking unbothered by the whole affair.

“I dare you-“ Jongdae starts, but then he stops himself. “No, actually. I dare everyone-... hmm...” he looks about himself, at the group members. “I dare everyone over 1.8m tall to sit next to the person they like best in this group - if they aren’t already, that is.” Jongdae grins, looking extremely proud of himself by his idea.

“What are you, resident wingman?” Luhan accuses, his words now a little slurred and lacking any real heat. Jongdae just winks, and the indicated members rise anyway, without much dispute.

Kyungsoo tries to hide his smile when Jongin stands and moves swiftly his way to settle by his side, gaze not even veering elsewhere.

“Hi,” Kyungsoo’s voice is soft, heart fluttering madly in his chest.

Jongin only smiles back - a private kind of smile. “Hi,” he replies gently back. And then he fixes Kyungsoo with this look - a strange look, one Kyungsoo isn’t sure he’s noticed the boy wear before, and one that makes him feel suddenly as if they’re the only two in the room. Something inexplicable about the expression makes Kyungsoo’s breath hitch in his throat, his lips parting perceptibly as he stares back. But just as soon as the look appears, it’s gone again straight after, leaving Kyungsoo to wonder over what just happened.

The rest of the group have settled in positions that could be easily guessed - Tao and Kris have stayed in place by each other’s sides, Chanyeol had traipsed Baekhyun’s way in an uncharacteristic show of confidence, and it’s only Sehun who remains standing still. He lingers unsurely as if in deep thought, and then Kyungsoo watches as the boy chooses to sit on the other side of Jongin. Something pangs in Kyungsoo’s chest - something he doesn’t remember feeling in a long while. He feels small suddenly, foolish, though he knows he has no reason to: it’s not that he didn’t already know that Jongin is a popular guy who must garner a great deal of attention from both es, but to see this truth displayed before his very own eyes makes him feel miserable. He blanks out without help, staying that way for a while even after the game resumes around him.

“Hey,” he hears, and he blinks out of his reverie to see Jongin fixating him with a sweet, worried look. “Are you okay?” He asks, sounding so gentle and sincere that Kyungsoo’s heart does a little flip. His frets over Sehun’s choice dissipate slightly, and he musters up enough resolve to smile.

“I’m okay,” he whispers, even though it’s not the complete truth; he doesn’t want to spend his birthday being stupid and jealous, and he definitely does not want to work himself up over something as small as a dare in a game. He does his best to forget the moment, re-entering the game and laughing along with the plethora of truths and dares.

When the bottle lands on Jongdae and he picks truth, Kyungsoo pipes up immediately. “Who is the last person you kissed?” He asks, trying to get payback for before.

Jongdae, however, only grins broadly at the question, answering immediately and with utmost confidence. “Minseok.”

The revelation makes the group stir, and Minseok, sat a couple of seats down from Jongdae, looks sheepish.

“-I’m sorry, what!?-“

“-wait, you guys are hooking up!?-“

“-when-“

“-what the fu—”

“You only get one truth,” Jongdae shrugs with a little smirk, his lips only curling further up when the group continue to chatter at the news. Minseok seems a little more controlled now, though he still meets Jongdae’s gaze to roll his eyes the other’s way in faux anger - a moment that everyone else in the group catches onto.

“-what, you’re actually a thing?-“

“-are you just being casual or-“

“-I am so confused-“

“Next spin!” Jongdae declares, interrupting the gossip by leaning forward to give the bottle another whirl.

It lands on Kris again, and, unlike the first time, he opts for truth.

“Okay, Kris,” it’s Chanyeol who asks, “have you and Tao ever actually kissed?” He beams, looking proud of himself.

But, before Kris can even think to respond, Tao is casting Kyungsoo a dangerous, accusatory look. “You already told?” He asks, definitely louder than he had probably intended.

Kyungsoo opens his mouth to protect himself, even though he’s finding it difficult to suppress a laugh, but the group is in an uproar from Tao’s exclamation.

“Told what-“

“It’s true?”

“You guys actually grew the balls to kiss-“

“Yes, we have kissed,” Kris interrupts the cohort. “And, no, I wasn’t the one who instigated it.”

The group goes crazy again, and Tao actually cries aloud. “That was not even part of the question!” He mopes, but everyone is enjoying the situation far too much to grace the words with a response; even Kris, whose smile is rarely evoked, is unable to help the upward twitch of his lips.

“Okay, okay, next spin!” Tao cuts in when he realises he’s in a losing battle, moving forward to do the honours - the tips of his ears tinted red for everyone to see.

This time the bottle lands on Baekhyun, who looks extremely caught off guard.

“Oh, ME!” Luhan pipes in, flourishing his hand up into the air, and then towards where Baekhyun is sat, blinking wildly back at him. Luhan is definitely a lot tipsy by now (ironic with him being the oldest of the group): his cheeks are flushed from the alcohol, and his resting face is stretched taut into a wide, beaming smile.

“Baekhyunnie,” he announces, “I dare you, to kiss...” he pauses, apparently for dramatic flare, but before he can go on Jongdae cuts in with a severe “No!” rising quickly to his feet.

Luhan pouts immediately, and his hand moves to point accusingly Jongdae’s way instead. “What? Why not?” He asks, sounding so seriously heartbroken by the notion of no kissing that it’s actually funny.

“I should’ve said it earlier,” Jongdae admits, “but yes, no kissing. We aren’t doing that. Those are things that shouldn’t happen in a game.”

The uncharacteristically affectionate sentiment makes the other members of the group coo and ‘AWH’ loudly, only drawing their responses out further when Jongdae starts to look sheepish.

“Fine, whatever, but just know that I’m going to dare you all to kiss each other in all the forfeits to come so screw you,” Luhan announces with a flourish of his arms.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be way too drunk to function in five minutes,” Minseok whispers loudly to the group, and he must be right for Luhan is far too out of it to even muster up a response.

“It’s true anyway,” Jongdae insists. “Would anyone here actually want to kiss their crush in a game in front of a bunch of other people?” He poses to the room, but then he cuts himself off with a gasp, before anyone can affirm or deny. “Ooh, I have a truth! - one for everyone.” He decides, his lips curling up into a wide, feline-like smile. Something about that expression is oddly unsettling to Kyungsoo - maybe due to how it always seems to be paired with some underlying mischievous plan of Jongdae’s. Jongdae spins around in place, and Kyungsoo is sure he doesn’t imagine it when he sees the elder’s eyes linger momentarily on him before he finally speaks- “What signs do you give out when you want to kiss someone?”

The expression definitely makes sense now. Kyungsoo is sure he flushes immediately, suddenly turning very still as he once more realises Jongin, and his presence by his side. He swallows, tries to make it not look like he’s avoiding anyone’s gaze as the group around him stir with the posed question.

And, to make matters worse- “Birthday boy?” Jongdae poses, looking brightly Kyungsoo’s way so that all eyes of the group members turn expectantly his way to hear his response.

This time, Kyungsoo feels all the blood drain from his face. “Err...” he stutters, palms suddenly clammy in his lap. “Um, I...”

“It can be anything.” Jongdae insists. “And you have to be honest, yes?” He checks. “It might be easier too if you imagine someone you want to kiss, hm?”

At these words, Jongdae’s lips tug up slightly and his eyes flicker minutely to Kyungsoo’s side, where he knows Jongin to be sat, before going back to fix to Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo shrinks into himself, trying to discreetly glare Jongdae’s way whilst also being completely aware of Jongin’s gaze fixed to the side of his face.

“Hey, come on, Jongdae,” Baekhyun is the one who pipes up. “That’s a tough question, haha, Kyungsoo doesn’t have to answer.”

“It’s not that tough,” Jongdae ripostes. “Anyway, it’s a hypothetical. Something general, you know? I don’t know, I guess I just find it interesting to hear everyone’s ways of handling the same situation.”

“You go first then,” Baekhyun responds, and Kyungsoo would glance his way to show how grateful he is, but he knows Baekhyun is just sat a couple of places from Jongin, and he can’t gather the courage to meet the boy’s eyes - even if only by accident.

“Mine’s easy,” Jongdae shrugs. “I kiss first.” He grins. “I don’t have the patience to give out signs and drag it out. When I want to kiss, I kiss.”

“Minseok, confirm or deny?” Tao is the one to jokily ask, and Jongdae tuts aloud, shooing him with his hands.

“No, nope- we’re going back to Kyungsoo,” he says instead, taking another swig of his drink as he settles back into his original seat with a little flourish. “What do you do?”

“Okay, I’m a little curious now.”

“Me too.”

“It’s an interesting truth...”

The group chatter amongst themselves as they await Kyungsoo’s response, and this time Kyungsoo feels a little less daunted by it. “Um... let me think...” he says eventually.

It’s only as everyone in the group whispers answers to one another whilst awaiting his response that Kyungsoo notices Jongin - or rather, the complete lack of noise coming from Jongin by his side, as if he is a statue rooted in place. The stillness of the boy, the obsolete silence, makes it seem as if he is particularly focused, and that makes Kyungsoo’s heart pound.

Did Jongin want to know? Kyungsoo wonders privately to himself, eyes fixed to the ground before him. Is it... something he’s thought about? Even if Kyungsoo himself has wondered over what it might be like now more times than he can count on his hands, he has never really considered Jongin doing the same back. They’ve had moments in the past - even today, it had felt so close at the studio that Kyungsoo can’t stop thinking of it - but it has yet to happen, and Kyungsoo wonders if Jongin feels as frustrated by that as he does. And if that’s the case, maybe the reason it hasn’t happened is the same reason Kyungsoo hasn’t done it himself - the worry that the feeling of wanting to be kissed isn’t a mutual one.

“I...” Kyungsoo starts carefully. “I guess I start getting nervous around them again. Even if we’re mostly past that stage, I feel nervous like it’s the beginning again,” Kyungsoo says thoughtfully, trying to describe what he’s been feeling when he and Jongin have been together on recent occasions. He still doesn’t dare look Jongin’s way, even if he can feel the boy’s eyes on the side of his face. “And... some moments start feeling incomplete.” He finishes, thinking of the morning, when he’d hugged Jongin and wanted desperately to be kissed. It’s not an easy moment to skip past, to simply forget.

The rest of the support group seems satisfied with his response, going into their own, and it gives Kyungsoo the chance to slip away. With a mutter about ‘refilling the bowl of crisps’, Kyungsoo rises to his feet and moves towards the kitchen.

He hesitates in the doorway though when he sees Sehun already stood there, searching awkwardly through his kitchen cupboards. Kyungsoo hadn’t even noticed the younger slink away, or when it had happened.

He stares at the back of Sehun’s head, frowning softly. “Are you looking for something, Sehun?” He asks, and Sehun whips immediately around, flinching in place as if he’s been caught doing something illegal.

“Errr, sorry,” he stutters out, averting his gaze. Though Kyungsoo has been at the group a long while now, him and Sehun have either never really gotten past their first session together, or have simply never tried to speak since then. It might also be something to do with how Kyungsoo is still sure Sehun must have feelings for Jongin (more than sure after this game), and the ensuing awkwardness that comes from interacting with someone with whom you share a crush. For all these reasons, Sehun must be the single member of the group Kyungsoo knows almost nothing about. Ordinarily, it’s something Kyungsoo doesn’t dwell on, but as he looks to the boy now, he wonders over why.

“It’s fine,” Kyungsoo says, “I’m not about to tell you off, Sehun. I can help you find something?” He offers gently, moving towards the kitchen mantle to set the empty crisp bowel down.

Sehun still looks sheepish, but this time he actually responds. “Oh, well, then - I was just looking for a water glass...” he admits carefully. “I wanted to get some water for Luhan. He seems quite drunk, and I was a little worried...”

Kyungsoo blinks at the unexpected words, mind suddenly gone a little blank. After that short pause though, he finds himself offering the boy a small but real smile. “That’s sweet,” he comments truthfully, unable to hide the slight surprise in his tone. It’s an especially thoughtful thing for someone so young to consider - though (Kyungsoo knows by now that), with Tao as his standard, age doesn’t really always align with maturity.

Sehun shrugs modestly, looking far more adult to Kyungsoo now than he had appeared at their very first meeting, all those months ago. “I don’t want him to have too much of a headache tomorrow.” Is all he offers as further clarification.

Kyungsoo nods, moving soundlessly towards the correct cupboard, facing away from Sehun as he reaches up for a glass. He turns back swiftly with the glass in hand, only to halt in place and stare at Sehun who is stood, twiddling impatiently with his thumbs. Kyungsoo’s gaze travels automatically to the boy’s worried face, and constantly-darting eyes, and something clicks in his head.

“Do you... Sehun, do you like Luhan?” Kyungsoo asks, hesitating with his arm in mid-air.

Perhaps as Kyungsoo should’ve expected the younger to act, Sehun flusters immediately.

“I-what? You- me and Luhan- ha- I- wha-“ but maybe Kyungsoo appears more knowing than he probably is, for Sehun gives up trying to make an excuse very quickly. “Yes, I like him,” he agrees, softly. “But, don’t tell him, okay? I know he doesn’t like me back, so I’m settling my feelings.” He explains, taking the glass from Kyungsoo’s outstretched hand.

Kyungsoo is still stood in minor shock by the revelation as Sehun turns to the kitchen sink and busies himself with filling the glass, a hundred thoughts suddenly circulating in his mind. “But I... thought you liked Jongin?” He hears himself ask, intently watching Sehun’s turned back.

Though he doesn’t see it, he hears it as Sehun scoffs aloud, and turns back Kyungsoo’s way with a smile stretching over his features. “Jongin’s like my brother.” He assures, tone pitched as if the idea itself is something incredulous. Those specific words make Kyungsoo think back to what Jongin had said when he’d asked this same question, and the similarity in their response to it - he feels suddenly silly for not taking them seriously. And really, now that Sehun’s said it aloud, Kyungsoo wonders how he’d ever suspected either of the pair of harbouring feelings that are more than just platonic. He wonders too, thinking back, how he hadn’t noticed Sehun and Luhan - even recalling past sessions, Kyungsoo is sure there were signs, if he had bothered to look for them.

“You... sat next to him, though? In the circle, just then?” Kyungsoo asks anyway as his last resort, frowning to himself.

Sehun’s eyes narrow. “Yes, because... Luhan was on the other side?” He reveals carefully.

Kyungsoo blinks. He hadn’t even looked, hadn’t even thought to check who else Sehun had settled next to.

“Huh,” he mutters, feeling stupid. “Oh...”

“Anyway,” Sehun brushes it off, “everyone in this group is rooting for you and Jong’.” He tells Kyungsoo then, a smile stretching over his features. “Fighting, Kyungsoo.” He cheers, turning around to re-enter the living room.

“Sehun, wait,” Kyungsoo calls out before he registers what he’s doing, stopping the boy in his tracks and meeting his eyes as he turns back to face Kyungsoo once more. “Why do you think it isn’t mutual?” Kyungsoo asks when their gazes meet.

“Errr, what?”

“Between you and Luhan I mean?” Kyungsoo clarifies, feeling strangely as if this might be something important.

“Oh. He... sees me as a kid. I mean, he is the oldest, and I’m one of the youngest, so...”

“But how do you know? Has he said that to you himself?” Kyungsoo implores, unable now to stop himself.

Sehun blinks across from him, and he looks confused. “Well, no. Not explicitly, I guess? Why is this important?”

Kyungsoo bites at his lip - it feels bizarre to be having such a personal conversation with Sehun when Sehun is someone he has barely spoken more than a few sentences to -, but he’s said too much now to stop. “I just think that... maybe, before you write yourself off, you should ask what Luhan thinks, first? That way you won’t have any regrets?” He decides, peering cautiously Sehun’s way as if expecting the boy to lash out at his unsolicited advice. Sehun though only stays quiet, and if his expression is saying something, Kyungsoo doesn’t know him well enough to be able to decipher it.

“That’s just my advice, anyway.” He tried to save the situation, overthinking what he’s said. “You don’t have to take it, I get that I might have gone too far and-“

“Thank you.” Sehun cuts him off abruptly, but now Kyungsoo can read the softness to his eyes. “For the advice.” And then Sehun does something to Kyungsoo that he hasn’t ever done before: on the end of his sentence, he tacks on a word - older brother, in Korean -, and his eyes fill with an honest sincerity. “I... really appreciate it.” He says. It’s the first time he and Sehun have ever had a moment like this, and it makes Kyungsoo wonder over a friendship he might have been missing this whole time.

He smiles, small but heartfelt, something soft careening through his chest. “Anytime, Sehun.” He assures, meaning it. “Anytime.”

---

After the exchange in the kitchen, Kyungsoo’s back and settled into the game for maybe half an hour before it happens.

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you-“ starts up suddenly, and Kyungsoo can only fluster where he’s sat as Baekhyun and Tao come swanning in, a large birthday cake - topped with 18 lit candles - held between them both. Maybe it’s that the game had become so boisterous, but Kyungsoo hadn’t even noticed the two leaving - he too, hadn’t even noticed who had brought the cake in to begin with. It’s why he can’t hide his genuine surprise as the two approach, sure his cheeks must be turning red now with the embarrassment, and his face sore from how hard he’s smiling. The group around him all rise to their feet to clap and sing joyfully, some members changing their voices to drag the song out and make him laugh. He does - hysterically too by the time everyone is actually done and the cake is before him -, his eyes in crescents at the display.

“Make a wish!” Tao insists, the rest of the group hollering their agreement and pounding their fists into the air. Kyungsoo hesitates slightly, thinking of the past years where he’d been so reluctant to do just this: make a wish. He looks about himself, at the crowd of quietly anticipating spectators, and he swallows the lump that starts to build in his throat, touched by everyone’s presence on this day, and by how they are all unknowingly his living proof that birthday wishes come true.

Kyungsoo looks down to the flames the dance before him, and it terrifies him just then how - with his head tilted down and mind buzzing with the infinite possibilities behind this one flame, this one wish - he meets brown, brown orbs from across him: Jongin's eyes, expectant and soft and b with care. He hadn’t realised the boy had moved to stand there, hadn’t noticed him make way for Tao and Baekhyun to approach, and that chance, that truth - that they had met eyes anyway at this exact moment -, is enough for a hesitation, lips poised with no air escaping, for all Kyungsoo could ever wish for is right in front of him, staring at him in such a lovely, lovely way, silently adoring, always, soundlessly gentle and patient and warm and God what else could Kyungsoo want?

In the end, when there are too many eyes watching on with impervious, nervy energy,-

"I wish that you’d kiss me."

- he blows out every candle with a swift and arresting gush of air, staring directly into Jongin's eyes.

“WOOOO!” Luhan’s tipsy scream punctuates the moment, and brings Kyungsoo back to the room, out of Jongin’s deep and beautiful gaze.

Tao corners him on the sofa not even a minute after he’s sat back down, curling a hand into the crook of his arm and cuddling up close. “What did you wish for?” He asks, his eyes shining in a way that tells Kyungsoo plainly that the younger has already guessed correctly.

“It won’t come true if I tell,” Kyungsoo ripostes anyway, smiling a little smile to himself, but his eyes dart tellingly to Jongin who is now seated across the room, and Tao’s own pair brightens at the discovery.

“Don’t worry, I got you.” Tao says ominously, patting Kyungsoo once on the shoulder before rising gracefully to his feet. Kyungsoo blinks rapidly at the younger’s retreating back, a frown peeling over his features at the vague words, but when nothing immediately seems to go amiss following the utterance, Kyungsoo simply relaxes once more, starting up a conversation with Baekhyun by his side.

But Kyungsoo finally understands Tao’s strange and eerie statement when, maybe fifteen minutes later, he hears Jongin suddenly yell out. Kyungsoo looks up as a ruckus of noise erupts within the group, and he sees Jongin stood up from his seat with a now-wet shirt clinging to his chest, staring between himself and Tao - who is innocently holding out a now near-empty soju bottle - with wide, startled eyes.

“Kyungsoo! Help!” Jongdae says in a strange tone, his lips twitching up once in a cheeky flicker of a smile as Tao spills out a litany of apologies Jongin’s way.

“It’s no problem-“ Jongin’s saying, too focused on his state to see the two conniving boys share a thumbs up and a wink. Kyungsoo can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all, the clear and frankly poorly-acted display of coercion.

He steps forward anyway, “come on, you can have one of mine-“ he offers.

“It’s really okay, Kyungsoo, it’s not too wet-“

But Kyungsoo, in an act of confidence that surprises even himself, just grabs a tight hold of Jongin’s hand and tugs him towards the hallway. He refuses to look Tao and Jongdae’s way, even though he is positive that they are making some sort of gesticulations his way, and guides a now-docile Jongin up the stairs.

Well, Kyungsoo thinks, if they really want to be my wingmen...

“Just wait here one moment,” Kyungsoo instructs aloud as they finally reach his room, closing the door gently behind them. He bustles around, leaving Jongin standing in the middle of the room, and tugs out a plain hoodie from his wardrobe and a small towel from his linen drawer. “Here,” he says, bundling the material into Jongin’s arms. “I’ll just-“ he doesn’t finish the sentence, but he does turn decidedly around to give the boy some privacy.

Jongin mumbles a soft thanks, softer than his usual voice, and Kyungsoo gets suddenly nervous.

Something about Jongin’s tone just then feels somehow strange, weighted, like Jongin’s trying to say something - the same thing that’s been on the tip of his tongue all night - but Kyungsoo still can’t understand it. He wonders if he’d done something, or maybe if he should’ve done something, but there’s nothing he can immediately think of to make sense of it. It has a strange, awkward tension manifesting between them as Kyungsoo stands in place, nibbling at his lips and trying not to overthink.

“I’m decent,” Jongin says after a short while, still in that same peculiar tone. Kyungsoo swallows once, and then he turns in place, where - still a metre away from the other boy - their eyes find each other and lock briefly in place.

This time, the tone is supplemented by a look: the same one Jongin had worn when he’d moved to sit by Kyungsoo’s side, earlier in the game. It might’ve been a coincidence before, but Kyungsoo is sure now that it isn’t, and - once more - something about the expression has Kyungsoo feeling oddly flustered.

And it is as Kyungsoo is staring Jongin’s way, dissecting that strange look and what it could mean, that he decides he doesn’t care if his heart explodes, doesn’t care if it might be the craziest thing he’s ever done - he has to kiss Jongin. He doesn’t want the night to end without it.

“Okay!” He says aloud, wincing at the way he sounds. “Okay so, let’s sit down?” Kyungsoo suggests, trying to appear as casual as possible even if he’s sure he‘s coming off more panicked.

Jongin definitely seems to notice his weird state, for, even if he sits, he seems perplexed. “Is- are you good?” He asks from where he is, sounding unsure and confused.

Kyungsoo bites down at his lower lip, his nervous tick, and he takes a deep breath - settling by Jongin’s side and turning his form to face him. “Can I-“ he starts, but it sounds wrong and he gives his head a firm shake. “No- I mean- basically, I just-there’s something I want to try, if that’s okay? And I need you to- I need you to...” But as Kyungsoo looks Jongin’s way, sees his confused yet expectant expression, all his bravado disappears. His heart starts pounding fast, and the nerves hit him all in one go. Kyungsoo has never kissed anyone before; even though it’s Jongin, and he trusts him, he can’t help but to feel nervous about it. He can’t help but to worry that it might not be as special as he envisions it to be, to worry that he might not even be any good at it. Jongin is someone he really cares about, and he doesn’t want to do anything to mess that up.

“Ah, I-“ he sighs, trying to get back control over himself and his spiralling thoughts. “I...” But he feels as if he can’t even breathe. “Ahh,” he mopes in defeat, smushing his fingers over his eyes, palms over his cheeks, to hide from Jongin’s stare, and breathing resignedly out - frustrated by his own cowardice.

And it’s then that he feels hands over his own, peeling them back and away from his face, so that he has no choice but to look at Jongin staring his way.

“You’re nervous.” Jongin says as the only thing, as if he himself is just realising something - the same word Kyungsoo had used in the game just minutes earlier. Kyungsoo doesn’t know what to do with that, is frozen down in place by the way Jongin looks at him - softly, more softly than Kyungsoo ever remembers being looked at before by anyone in his life. And then before he can even muster a response, with Jongin’s hands still holding tight to Kyungsoo’s own, Jongin leans forward and Kyungsoo feels it at last - a pair of plush, plush lips pressing swiftly to his, warm and soft against his own. He startles at the contact, lashes fluttering and fingers twitching in Jongin’s grip, but Kyungsoo soon finds himself pressing naturally back, a jolt of electricity coursing sharply through his body - such a tender first kiss making his heart thunder like it never has before.

It must only be a few seconds though when Jongin pulls back a bit, breath warm against Kyungsoo’s lips.

“I should’ve done that this morning. When you were in my arms...” he speaks so softly, but there’s something thick in his tone that Kyungsoo has never heard there before. Kyungsoo’s eyes peel open the smallest amount, cheeks feeling hotter than he’s felt them be in a while, and he stares as Jongin starts to move further back, “I know I was being awkward, I just- I’ve been beating myself up about it, and-“

But Kyungsoo, acting instinctively from Jongin’s slight retreat, cuts his words off by pressing swiftly forward once more - sighing a gentle sigh at the feeling of their lips meeting all over again. Jongin seems shocked for a second, perhaps by the uncharacteristic confidence of the action, but in the next Kyungsoo can feel an amused smile playing against his own lips, and he reckons the boy must be trying not to laugh. To hide his embarrassment, Kyungsoo presses closer still and - soon enough - the smile fades, and Jongin starts kissing Kyungsoo back in a different way than before: practised and slow against Kyungsoo’s hesitant own pair, with a make of patience - as if he has all the time in the world to kiss him -, that has Kyungsoo’s fingers twitching to touch. Kyungsoo has suddenly never been more aware of his surroundings: of the heat, and the closeness, of the way Jongin's hand trails up, grazes over his collarbone through his shirt and curls around the back of his neck, tugging Kyungsoo just near enough to be able to press a little harder, a deep, indulgent sort of pressure that parts Kyungsoo's lips in a breath of a sigh.

Jongin must have done this before, or maybe it’s just that Kyungsoo is bumbling with his own blatant and daunting inexperience, for he leads the kiss well, Kyungsoo following on gratefully and easing into a natural sort of rhythm. Somewhere in it, Jongin’s hands move again, one curling over Kyungsoo’s cheek and the other resting almost possessively at his back, whilst Kyungsoo’s own stay pressed to Jongin’s chest (which, he can’t help but notice, is hard from his toned dancer muscles) for some sort of grounding. His fingers twitch there, and he feels like he can’t even breathe from the gentle force Jongin kisses with, his mind light and in the clouds.

When their lips part again, this time it is for a mutual break of air, with neither of them moving far away, panting against each other's faces - catching their breaths with their bodies still all wrapped up together. Kyungsoo can feel Jongin’s hot breath over his bottom lip, sure Jongin must feel his own in tandem, and he’s afraid he might sincerely combust on the spot from all that he’s feeling: the flutters of butterflies in his stomach; the harsh pounding of his heart; even the tingle of his lips, probably, most definitely kissed-red by now and plush to touch.

“That was-“ Jongin speaks first, but he hesitates to swallow, eyes falling shortly shut like he’s trying to find the right words but his head is in too much of a jumble to even attempt coherency. Kyungsoo understands him perfectly though, and his fingers twitch in place over Jongin’s chest.

“Yeah,” he whispers, “that was-“

Slam.

“Hey Kyungsoo, there’s a-“

The two spring apart, fast and harried and more instinctively than Kyungsoo has ever moved before so that they’re suddenly on opposite sides of the bed, looking to the door Jongdae has just flung open and at the -eating expression now peeling steadily over his face as he stares between them both.

“Sorry, ‘didn’t mean to interrupt,” Jongdae grins, “I should really lose my habit of not knocking, I know.”

Jongin only sighs a heavy, clearly-disgruntled sigh, but Kyungsoo feels his cheeks burn hotly in embarrassment. Jongdae turns back, shutting the door cheerfully closed behind them and leaving a strange, weighted atmosphere behind himself. However, before either of them can even say anything, through the door they hear Jongdae’s yell-

“LUHAN, PAY THE UP!”

-and the tension dissipates, broken instead by a light and mutual laugh as they meet eyes, visibly shy but happy - most definitely and indisputably, happy.

Birthday wishes do come true. Kyungsoo thinks.

---

The rest of the party goes by as a vague blur. The group spends it catching up, talking amongst themselves and just being together. It’s one of the best night’s Kyungsoo’s had in his life, and that’s only helped by how him and Jongin cannot seem to meet eyes without smiling a strange, private sort of smile, both equally shy, both turning matching shades of red at thoughts of what had happened upstairs.

Though everyone is too polite to say anything aloud or call either of the pair out, it’s clear that they know what had happened (though, with Jongdae’s exclamation, it wasn’t too difficult to make the correct inference). Tao looks mighty pleased with himself, even pulling Kyungsoo aside once with a, “it was definitely the hair, right?” to which Kyungsoo lashes lightly out, cheeks putrid as the boy laughs raucously at him.

Eventually though, the party begins to break up, the group members trickling home one-by-one - a little buzzed and a lot happy. When it’s only Jongin, Tao and Kris as the last remaining people, Kyungsoo feels something bittersweet settle in his stomach: he wishes it wouldn’t end, but also the time has lifted his mood to heights he hasn’t reached in years. The night has truly been perfect.

Tao seems to notice the remaining members as soon as Kyungsoo steps back into the living room after sending Baekhyun off, and something mischievous and determined washes over his eyes.

“Oh hey, Kris, we should go get our things from upstairs,” Tao announces suddenly, turning Kris’ way and grabbing ahold of his shirt sleeve. It’s an obvious, thinly-veiled attempt at leaving them alone, but Kyungsoo doesn’t mind it. He does take a moment to roll his eyes Tao’s way though, but he’s only met with a small smile and nod of a head before Tao drags Kris up the stairs.

Kyungsoo sits on the sofa by Jongin’s side, trying to appear nonchalant as the atmosphere around them turns static and tense. “Hi,” Jongin says when he’s settled down, staring intently Kyungsoo’s way.

“Hi,” Kyungsoo echoes, thinking mildly that they do this a lot - random, intimate hi’s that sounds like a thousand words unspoken. They meet eyes, and there’s so much Kyungsoo wants to say to him, so many of his thoughts from these past weeks that he’s been hoping to divulge; he doesn’t even know where to begin with it all.

His frets on this disappear though when Jongin takes Kyungsoo’s hand in his, a swift and unexpected move, and his thumb starts to brush gently back-and-forth against the skin of Kyungsoo’s palm. Kyungsoo looks to him, and then he stares down at their hands - tingles spreading through his skin there, beneath the weight of Jongin’s warm touch.

“‘Sorry I’m staying a little later,” Jongin speaks with his voice barely above a whisper, and it makes everything feel even more intimate. “I didn’t realise how late my sister meant when she offered the lift...”

“It’s fine, Jongin.” Kyungsoo brushes off. “It’s... nice that you’re staying awhile longer,” he admits, a shy smile on his face as he averts his gaze.

“That’s good then,” Jongin breathes, his thumb moving to brush gently over the side of Kyungsoo’s hand instead. The touch is barely-there and soothing for it - Kyungsoo could fall asleep from just the calming motion of Jongin’s fingers, and it’s only then that he recognises how tired the day has rendered him.

“Your eyes are starting to droop,” Jongin points out gently, a laugh in the tone of his voice.

“Mm,” Kyungsoo hums, and he lets his lids fall completely shut. “Your hand is nice...”

Jongin laughs, and he squeezes briefly. “You can sleep if you want?”

Kyungsoo shakes his head. “No,” he breathes. “‘Just like the feeling,” he assures, and then he pinks slightly at his own honesty, and his eyes open once more. Him and Jongin meet gazes, and the thumb over his skin hesitates for a moment.

But the contact breaks when footsteps sound from the hallway then, from Tao and Kris heading back down. Kyungsoo’s hand twitches at the sound, about to move back, but, before he can, Jongin’s grip tightens just enough to keep him in place. Kyungsoo looks up in shock, but Jongin is only looking at their hands, not offering an explanation.

“Right!” Tao exclaims suddenly as he and Kris appear in the living room doorway, coats now on. “We’re off, we think,” he announces, moving forward to say goodbye. Kyungsoo sees the exact moment that the boy notices his and Jongin’s entwined hands, his eyes darting to the point of contact and lips twitching briefly up before fixing to Kyungsoo, making him blush. “Thank you for having us,” Tao says, politely not pointing anything out.

Kyungsoo stands to hug the boy, and this time Jongin lets their contact break. “Bye, Tao,” he says gently, pulling back from the hug to smile up at the boy. “Thank you for the present,” he looks here to Kris as well, “thank you both.”

Kris only smiles shortly (he’s never been a hugger), and Kyungsoo turns back to Tao. “Text me later, okay?” Tao implores warmly.

Kyungsoo hums in easy agreement, and this time Tao turns to Jongin, pulling him into a hug too to say goodbye.

Eventually, Tao returns to Kris’ side and Kyungsoo sees them dutifully out, waving them off with Jongin by his side.

“So,” Jongin speaks up first after they’ve left, settling back down onto the sofa, “how was your birthday?”

Kyungsoo smiles at the question, and the smile only stretches further, drawing into his characteristic heart-shape, when he thinks of the day and all that’s happened.

“I think this was my best birthday yet,” he decides, eyes curling into crescents as he meets Jongin’s gaze. For whatever he’s said, Kyungsoo watches Jongin’s eyes linger warmly over his face, and then to his lips. His breath catches, and Kyungsoo knows before it happens when Jongin leans forward and kisses him again - slow and purposeful, sighing into it like he had the first time. Kyungsoo’s eyes close, and he melts into it. He lets Jongin’s hand curl over his cheek to cradle his face, lets Jongin part his lips and kiss him deeply. It’s only when he feels like his heart might actually fail from how fast it’s beating, that Jongin pulls back, and when Kyungsoo blinks his eyes open to look at him, he can see the reluctance all over the taller’s face: to leave, or to stop kissing him - Kyungsoo can’t be sure.

“We...” Jongin begins slowly, voice as warm as, but pitched deeper than, before. “Can we meet tomorrow? I... want to see you tomorrow...” He proposes tentatively, eyes searching Kyungsoo’s for a response, hands still resting gently on the side of his face. “Then... we can talk about this properly?” Jongin proposes, staring directly into Kyungsoo’s eyes as he speaks.

Kyungsoo swallows, and nods easily, his own hands coming up to curl just below Jongin’s wrists. “That... sounds good,” he agrees, still feeling a little breathless from the kiss, regardless of how short it had been.

Jongin’s lips curl into a smile - as beautiful and devastating as it always is. Kyungsoo can’t believe any of this is really happening. He knows there’s so much he wants to ask and to know, but he bites his tongue about it then. Tomorrow, he agrees once more in his head.

They end up talking softly for the rest of the time, until the front door sounds and disrupts them. They turn in tandem to see Eun-Seo walk through the living room doorway, only to halt as her eyes rest on then.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought everyone would be gone-“ she starts, but Kyungsoo shakes his head to rush it off, and both him and Jongin rise - Jongin automatically bowing his head in a polite greeting. She smiles at the gesture, opening to speak, but she abruptly stops herself - peering at Kyungsoo strangely, like she’s just noticing something. Kyungsoo feels pinned by the gaze, but it isn’t long before she looks away again - only now with her lips twitching minutely at the sides. Kyungsoo knows this face - has seen this face enough to recognise the danger of it -, but Eun-Seo is already moving forward and toward them before he can say anything to deter it.

“Everyone else is gone?” She asks inquisitively but with wide, innocent eyes - blinking about herself and around the room as if to see for herself.

“Yes...” Kyungsoo admits with great apprehension.

“Hm,” Eun-Seo hums, nodding her head, and then she raises her phone to unlock the screen - an exaggerated motion - and the mischief in her gaze seems to reach its height. “You know, Jongin can stay the night? It is quite late afterall-“

“NO!”

The yell comes from both Kyungsoo and Jongin, matching forms of flustered, and the two automatically meet gazes - cheeks reddening and expressions turning shy at their combined outburst. They look away just as quickly, and Kyungsoo’s face feels like it’s on fire, a conundrum not helped by the very blatant, barely-concealed laughter coming from his sister’s quivering form just before them.

“I mean-“ Jongin starts, addressing Eun-Seo once more. “That’s okay, I just... have to be home tonight, Eun-Seo. My sister is nearly here too...”

Eun-Seo looks like she’s trying her best still to stifle a laugh, but, to give her credit, she only nods and flashes a cordial smile. “That’s fine, you can wait here comfortably,” she offers. “I’m just going to be upstairs, okay?”

Kyungsoo can only nod back, still too flustered to trust himself with verbal communication - something Eun-Seo seems extremely smug about. It’s only when they’re left alone again that Jongin’s phone starts to ring, and the two jump in tandem to stare at the device.

“Ah, that would be my sister,” he mutters, reaching to pick it up. “Sorry, just a second...” He speaks a few words to tell her that he’s just coming out, and hangs up quickly after. The sudden silence washes over the pair then, Kyungsoo’s mind still abuzz from Eun-Seo’s earlier words.

“I... have to go now, then,” Jongin speaks up first, rubbing sheepishly at the back of his neck.

“Right, sure,” Kyungsoo agrees, “let’s...” He trails off and then both walk in silence to the hallway, Jongin gathering his things and Kyungsoo waiting patiently to the side, fiddling with his fingers as he watches Jongin move. When Jongin has everything gathered up, he stops before Kyungsoo, and the residual awkwardness from Eun-Seo’s words seems to alleviate as their eyes meet.

But then, before Kyungsoo knows what he’s doing, he’s tiptoeing up and curling a hand into the front of Jongin’s shirt to land a short peck on his lips. He feels more than hears how the move makes Jongin’s breath hitch, stuttering in his throat. But it’s so quick, and he doesn’t have time to dwell, for next he’s twisting his neck up - the kiss having rendered the distance between them non-existent - and, with red-tinted cheeks, he smiles.

“Tomorrow, yeah?” His voice is softer than he’d intended, but it slips his mind with how Jongin is looking at him - his deep caramel eyes shining and happy, fond without having to say a word.

“Tomorrow,” Jongin agrees, curling a hand up to rest tenderly over Kyungsoo’s cheek.

They only end up moving from that position when Jongin’s phone vibrates beneath his other hand from his sister’s message, a whole ten minutes after he’d ended the initial phone call. Kyungsoo waves them off with flushed cheeks, unable to wipe the smile from his face.

Once he’s shut the door behind himself, he heads upstairs to change into comfortable clothes for party clean-up, hesitating at his door when he looks at his bed and remembers the last time he’d been sat there. He suppresses a highly-embarrassing squeal at the thought, about to close the door behind himself, when suddenly Eun-Seo steps into the doorframe - her eyes sparkling Kyungsoo’s way.

“Wh-what?” He asks sheepishly, expecting the worst even as he tugs the door further open in invitation and takes a seat on his bed.

Eun-Seo only smiles though, “I just wanted to ask you how your birthday went?” She says, moving forward to perch herself on the opposite end.

“Oh,” he breathes. “Err... Yeah, it was a really, really, really good birthday,” he smiles softly, thinking of the kiss(es) and how perfect everything had been. His fingers toy absentmindedly with a pillow by his side, and he’s sure that his face must be dumb with how happy he feels right then, wondering if he’ll ever have a day quite so faultless.

Eun-Seo smiles a soft smile at him, and Kyungsoo can see his own happiness manifesting within her too. “Good,” she speaks softly, lips barely moving with it, and Kyungsoo’s heart feels content.

There’s a moment of silence that follows this, and then-

“What was so wrong about him staying the night again?”

Kyungsoo throws the pillow at her.

 

---

 

A/N:

SO THE KISSSSSSS

it finally happened hehe

I hope it lived up to your guys’ expectations. O.O

(Jongdae is ace wingman in this chapter)