SCENE 1: First Impressions ARE

 

Starts off with Kyungsoo scurrying around backstage. It's his very first showcase as a designer with SM Apparel and he wants to make sure his lines go well. His models are: Oh Sehun, Park Chanyeol, Wu Yifan, Huang Zitao and Kai. The bunch of them also model for the other lines. Even though Kai's the shortest out of them all (not by much), he's the most popular since he was a professional dancer with a large online following before making the partial transition to modelling. The rest of the backstage staff are buzzing around, helping the models out and doing admin . Kai complains about how it's quite warm backstage and it'll ruin his hair and makeup and god, can someone get him a bottle of water? He doesn't really know who his models are - after all, the company chose them - and so doesn't really care, but when Kai keeps on bugging him like a childish brat he finally puts his foot down and scolds Kai in front of everyone. Then he suddenly realises that he's a nobody compared to the model, throws a fake (but uneasy) glare and storms off to oversee the fittings.

 

The show goes well. In spite of being scolded, Kai was able to pull the clothes off well and Kyungsoo is relieved. He was afraid that his outburst would have hurt the guy. At night, they're all invited to the after-party as the day-long SM Showcase is finally over. Kyungsoo's line is called D.O. and he is on good terms with the other designers: Baekhyun (ByunBaek), Junmyeon ($UHO), Luhan (Oh!Deer) and Yixing (Unicorn), as well as the fashion interns Jongdae and Minseok. He's talking to them about the collection when the topic veers toward the models and Kyungsoo's outburst, since he's known for being the level-headed one. Baekhyun and Luhan especially tease Kyungsoo. The bunch of them later leave and find others to talk to, leaving Kyungsoo alone who worries too much and is afraid his superiors will come and hound him for his unprofessional display earlier. He drinks and gets a little tipsy. 

 

D.O. - think trenchcoats, leather jackets, sweaters (Pathcode teasers style)

Oh!Deer - sort of like if A&F and Salvatore Ferragamo had a lovechild; formal prep

Unicorn - known for their pastels and Brooks Brothers style

ByunBaek - eclectic, always changes

$ - bling bling bling, occasionally ostentatious and weird prints

 

He does some people watching. Kyungsoo reminisces about the time he used to be a Fine Arts major for the first two years in college before being talent-spotted for his voice and eventually branching out to fashion design with his parent agency, SM Industries. That was four years ago; he is now twenty-three, with nary a year of fashion experience under his belt. He used to people watch, and he does the same now. Sehun and Luhan are interacting; he knows the two are close, they have a senpai-kouhai relationship and Sehun is like the annoying older brother, Luhan, the pacifying elder. Chanyeol and Baekhyun are doing shots with Jongdae and Minseok, Zitao and Yifan at the side. Junmyeon is networking and Yixing, blanking out into space while being by Junmyeon's side. 

 

Someone sits down next to him and he realises it's Kai. He isn't drunk enough to not notice. Kyungsoo stiffens abruptly and tries to put on a hostile face, asks what he wants. Conversation goes something like this:

 

KAI: I had a rough day, that's why.

 

SOO: *stiffens* (wasn't he going to apologise? BRAT!!!!!!) So you're not apologising?

 

KAI: *shrugs* I had a rough day.

 

SOO: Oh my god. We all have rough days but I am the ing designer, not your slave.

 

KAI: Doesn't mean I didn't have a rough day.

 

SOO: Well I'm pretty sure my ty day was ing rougher than yours.

 

He's very vulgar when drunk. They banter along for a bit and Kai is clearly not as tipsy as Kyungsoo, since he actually seems amused by the designer. Kyungsoo can feel himself getting riled up and his face getting red but he doesn't have the self-control to give up the argument. Luhan comes over and tells the two of them to 'play it safe', at which point Kyungsoo gets fed up and gets up to leave. He's kind of wobbly though, so Kai offers to bring him up to the hotel room. Just in case, you know. Of course, Kyungsoo adamantly refuses and Kai adamantly follows him. Kyungsoo tries to punch him but because he is drunk + smaller, it doesn't work and he just gives up.

 

They reach his room (finally) and Soo's all 'NOW can you go?????' and Kai is like 'alright, alright. also, sorry.' but Kyungsoo is too caught up in the fact that Kai's staying in the room right opposite his.

 

 

SCENE 2

 

Kyungsoo wakes up in the morning with a hangover and very fuzzy recollections of the night before. He finds messages from Jongdae, Luhan, Minseok and Yixing on his phone:

 

From: Kim Jongdae 

DUDE I hope u got some a$$

 

From: Luhan

Did you play safe??? Remember you don't get love till you get the glove!!!!!!!

 

From: Zhang Yixing

sorry can't find ur sweater

 

From: Zhang Yixing

sorry wrong person. also junmyeon asks if u've got his folio he's freaking out

 

From: Kim Minseok

careful when you come back to the office jongdae luhan and baek are going to HOUND you

 

Someone knocks on his door and he groans loudly. When the knocking doesn't stop, he opens the door and is tackled to the ground by his squad; namely, Luhan, Jongdae and Baek. Minseok apologises for not being able to stop them, Junmyeon is trying to pull them off and Yixing has an amused smile on his face. 

 

SOO: You have three seconds to get off me.

 

BAEK: You're shorter than Luhan, I don't think you can do much.

 

SOO: Three...

 

He ends up putting Baekhyun into a headlock anyway. They start teasing him about his banter with Kai but when he denies it fervently and they notice that yes, his room is very empty, they have a very obvious disappointed look on their faces. Someone then reminds the rest that they have a meeting to get to in the afternoon, at which they will be assigned the 'face' for each of their collections, which gets the rest talking. Kai then walks in through the open door with bleary eyes.

 

KAI: Kyungsoo? Are you alright?

 

LU: Kyungsoo? No hyung?

 

KAI: Well, I don't use 'hyung' to call people that I've -

 

LU: Had with? 

 

SOO: *puts Luhan in a headlock, glares at Kai, who slowly backs away*

 

 

SCENE 3

 

They're at the meeting. Along with the five models from last night are some others, including females; however, the five designers are in charge of menswear, and so the face for each of their collections is a guy. Jongdae and Minseok, in charge of casting, get right down to business. Allocations:

 

ByunBaek - Park Chanyeol

Oh!Deer - Oh Sehun

$ - Wu Yifan

Unicorn - Huang Zitao

D.O. - Kai

 

Kyungsoo reluctantly admits that the allocations fit the image of each collection quite well, grudgingly accepts the fact that out of the five models, Kai is probably the best fit for his clothes. Jongdae says that they will need to get to know their models quite well over the next month or so, after which they will need to fly out for a shoot and get ready for the promotion campaign. D.O.'s concept will be something similar to Burberry, except a lot darker, so there's a lot of fashion fused with nature and lots of monochrome. 

 

They then break off into their pairings. Kyungsoo explains what kind of image he wants for Kai, someone a bit mysterious and detached rather than approachable. Kai plays along, until the end when he says they should get to know each other better over coffee. Kyungsoo's very wary and thinks Kai is either trying to a) pick him up, or b) screw him over. He picks b). When his supervisor, Ryewook-hyung, overhears, he reluctantly agrees.

 

The 'get to know each other' session is much less professional and a lot more informal. Kyungsoo guesses that it is a lot more effective. Kai gets an espresso and Kyungsoo, a frappuccino. Kai says that Soo doesn't look like the kind of person to drink sweet things, and he rebuts saying Kai doesn't know about much other than himself. He then immediately feels bad and apologises.

 

KAI: How long more are you staying at the hotel?

 

SOO: Designers stay at the SM dorms. (smth along these lines)

 

KAI: Hm. Interesting.

 

(The faces also have to stay at the dorms. HAHAHAHAHARRRR I did say this was fluff!!!!!)

 

They have a surprisingly enjoyable conversation and Kyungsoo is like 'woah, I misjudged this guy' until Kai says something totally stupid again like 'Yeah my world pretty much revolves around me; 'cause it's my world, hurhur' and 'My dog is the most precious thing in the world LOOK' and he thinks, this boy is an idiot.

 

 

SCENE 4

 

Late night shenanigans! All twelve boys attend a karaoke session. Baekhyun, Jongdae and (ofc) Kyungsoo are surprisingly good. Sehun, Luhan and Kai can dance very well too. Bonding sessions!!!!!

 

 

SCENE 5

 

Reminiscing about getting to know each other better? LIFE? ? 

 

Kyungsoo wants to bake a pie for Baek's birthday but has no clue how to and as he is dumbly standing in his too-clean kitchen with an apron, Kai pops in and offers to help. Both of them end up big-time (they used salt instead of sugar the poops).

 

 

SCENE 6

 

 

 

SCENE 7

 

Baek's birthday, es. Soo and Kai are a lot closer. It's only a small gathering with the usual gang + some other people from SM, because none of them have much of a life outside of work tbh. Sehun approaches Soo when Kai's off somewhere and they have a conversation where Kyungsoo is very oblivious and vehemently denies any romantic feelings.

 

Because Kai and Soo's shoot is the first and the next day, they head back to the dorms first. Kai chills around in Soo's apartment for a bit and they bond and and he tells Soo to call him Jongin, not Kai. 

 

 

SCENE 8

 

Kai and Soo agreed to head to the studio together the next day, but Kai isn't answering his door BOO. Soo picks the lock (he is apt at useless things) and sees that the boy is fast asleep - not dead or incapacitated - and so he grabs a pillow on the ground and throws it at the sleeping Kai, who in his sleep reaches out blindly and pulls Soo down. Fluff, blushing, touching oooooho

 

At the shoot it's a bit awkward but Soo is the master of pretending is okay, so he just sort of instructs Kai how to pose and whatnot. The photographer tells Soo to go take a celebratory photo with Kai and he does so, acutely aware of the hand resting on his hip. He watches as Kai talks a bit with his friend, Taemin, who is also a dancer--model and realises a churning feeling THAT IS JEALOUSY. He is uncharacteristically prickly and brushes off Kai's attempts to be friendly with his lovely hyung. 

 

They reach the dorms in a blur. He then starts stalking Kai on not just his dance page, but Internet as well, and fina-ing-lly realises the churning feeling he's been getting is jealousy. He is possessive. He texts Baekhyun:

 

SOO: I think I like Jongin.

 

BAEK: who's jongin

 

SOO: Kai.

 

BAEK: bout ing time

 

He marches over to the dorm and confesses in assertive!Soo style. 

 

SOO: Kim Jongin, I like you.

 

KAI: Yeah, I like me too - wait, what?

 

SOO: Unfortunately, I think I like you in a more-than-platonic sense.

 

KAI: *still in shock*

 

SOO: Alright, that's what I had to say. Also, sorry for the rude behaviour on the way back just now. *leaves, shuts the door*

 

*door opens again, Soo walks in again, a little flustered*

 

SOO: Oh, right, I almost forgot - what's your answer?

 

KAI: /flustered/ uh I like you too.

 

SOO: Oh. Good. /turns to leave

 

KAI: *grabs Soo and kisses him*

 

 

EPILOGUE

 

They're at the second showcase for the season, this time one that is open to more people and that comes with the official promotional photos, that feature the face of each brand. Soo watches as his model (and now, boyfriend! He still can't believe it) walks down the runway in a sweater, then closing it in a leather jacket. 

 

When the show's ended, Jongin flies into his arms and hugs him, to which Baekhyun and Chanyeol pull a face, but not before Soo notices their interlocked hands. 

 

JONGDAE: After-party, guys!

 

EVERYONE: *cheers loudly*

 

Jongin and Soo lag behind a bit, and Jongin sneaks a quick peck when everyone's backs are turned. 

 

 

Jongin's eyes dart around for a bit, scanning their surroundings. When the coast is officially clear, a smirk - one of those deliciously confident ones that are more Kai than Jongin - appears on his face and he plants a quick one on Kyungsoo, who lets out a noise of surprise and frustration. (The latter is of the ual kind, of course. Not that he'd ever admit it.)

 

"Sometimes I really wonder why I'm stuck with you," Kyungsoo mutters, speeding up his footsteps to get ahead of the model, but not before catching the crimson that spreads across the younger's cheeks. 

 

It's not much help. Jongin's legs are much longer and he is right beside Kyungsoo within seconds.

 

"Yeah, this isn't quite what you expected, is it?"

 

Kyungsoo watches Sehun and Luhan playfully bump into each other with their skinny hipbones, Chanyeol and Baekhyun flanking a frightened Minseok with a little too much strength. Jongdae is laughing boisterously at the trio, arms clutching his stomach and almost pushing Minseok over. Kris leads the way and Tao is at his side, as usual. Yixing is immersed in his headphones and Suho, well, he's desperately trying to settle everyone down.

 

He tilts his head up to look at his blushing boyfriend, who's running a hand through his own hair. His own hands reach up on instinct and pull the larger ones into his own; he interlocks their fingers, feels the longer but smoother digits rest perfectly against his own shorter, stubbier ones.

 

He smiles at Kim Jongin, the boy he never really wanted and definitely didn't deserve.

 

"But it's all I need."

 

 

 

A/N: holy .

 

ok first, i'm really really sorry to have pulled this on you guys. every single one of you who've subscribed is amazing and deserve better than a subpar author. it's just... i lost the exo bug. though i am still invested in kaisoo, i don't feel the same pull to write about them and don't feel comfortable doing so any longer, because having been out of touch with the exo fandom for this long means that i don't think i can do justice to their characterisation. it's like when you write something halfway, and then stop, and try to go back to it - it just doesn't flow the same way, you know?

 

anyway, from the overview you can tell this was going to be one LONG one shot and what's written barely even skims the plot, if at all. it was going to be pretty cool with kyungsoo becoming someone more open with himself and with others and with jongin being a really key factor in that character development. i'm sad that i can't bring myself to finish it but i feel like if i'd tried to push out the rest of the story, it wouldn't do justice to their characters and their stories; and for that, i apologise.

 

i hope the measly few paragraphs that were written and the overview were enough because trust me, i know how it feels to be left hanging. i hope the outline has at least given a sense of closure and let you know that YES they do get a happy ending!!!! happy endings are important and good!!!! (not that you would know from paramnesia and 1.5 hearts...) so yes, every one does get a happy ending and yes they went through but they come out all the more better for it

 

wrt where i am now: i am still writing on ao3 under the penname sassyneki. it is unlikely i'll be writing any more exo fics (paramnesia, when nights are cold and days unyielding and 1.5 hearts are all posted there tho) but i am still writing for bts and will continue to do so, at least in the near future. so if you're keen, do look for me on ao3. i am also on tumblr at verydaebak. if you guys have any questions (wrt this fic, my exo fics, bts fics, or ANYTHING ELSE) do drop me an ask! if you want to be friends, drop me an ask too!!! (i like friends)

 

again, i'd really like to apologise if i left any of you hanging for what has literally been months. though i am no longer as into the exo fandom as i once was, the boys are still my children and i am still unreasonably invested in kaisoo for reasons unknown, and i do continue to support exo. i simply won't be writing fics for the fandom any more, since inspiration seems to have waned. i will leave my fics up on aff and ao3, and please, if you have any questions or feedback or comments, do drop a message. i also have an extended note on my leaving aff on my profile blog page. you're all amazing.