sorry for being a nuisance with myconstant updates of this >< read the authors note at the bottom if you want to know why though! 

CHAPTER 3 - BUTTERFLIES

One week after his first meeting with Mr Kim, Kyungsoo decides that it is time for him to properly start his mission to find a match. Mr Kim had stated he’d quite like a normal, everyday woman, so Kyungsoo decides it is best to start looking in the cafe where he and Luhan had drunk coffee last week; the same place where Kyungsoo had had the altercation with the grumpy man, and taken his friends jacket.

Kyungsoo frowns at the sky. It was supposed to be sunny again today, but the weather had different ideas. He pulls on his raincoat and dials a number he has saved but never used yet. Wu Yifan, Mr Kim’s bodyguard, answers the call and Kyungsoo asks him to inform Mr Kim’s son of the place where they will be meeting. Yifan says goodbye and wishes him luck, and Kyungsoo feels slightly nervous again.

He hopes the son will be like Mr Kim, because he was welcoming and friendly and easy to get along with. However, Kyungsoo has often overheard Luhan gossiping about him, and he sounded the kind of wild party animal that was the complete opposite of Kyungsoo himself. Kyungsoo was still yet to see a picture of the man as he’d made his staff all but forget about the Mr Kim job so Kyungsoo wouldn’t have to constantly be reminded of it.

As he walks down the rainy streets now, he is beginning to regret the decision to not speak to Mr Kim’s son beforehand. Kyungsoo decides that as he doesn’t even know what the son looks like he’s just going to sit in the cafe for a while and hope the son recognises him. A loud clap of thunder jolts him from his thoughts, and he is momentarily grateful as he would have walked past the cafe otherwise.

He pushes the door open and a bell announces his arrival. The smell of coffee in the air is sweet and gentle and Sooyoung, the regular barista, begins making his usual order as he sits on a sofa by the fogged up window and opens a newspaper to read.

It is fifteen minutes after their arranged meet up time, and there is still no sign of Kim Jongin. Kyungsoo sips his drink and glances as the wall clock, internally complaining about poor time keeping. He goes back to his paper, and his internal tirade continues until it is broken suddenly by a loud cough.

“Are you Do Kyungsoo?” A warm husky voice says.

Kyungsoo puts down his paper on the low coffee table, and his eyes trail up, up past long skinny legs in tight fitting trousers, a narrow waist, broad shoulders, up and up until he is greeted by a young man with pouty lips and caramel coloured skin.

“Yes, yes I am.” He just about manages to reply. The man sits down, shrugging off a coat to reveal a smart, well fitting suit. A very well fitting suit.

 Down boy! Kyungsoo yells mentally at himself.

“I’m Kim Jongin in case you didn’t—hey, it’s you!” Jongin says, eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

 It is only now that Kyungsoo has a proper look at the man. Kim Jongin is the grumpy man from last week who threw coffee over his arm. Damn, I though Oh Sehun was a familiar name Kyungsoo thinks to himself. He must have heard it from Luhan, but not connected it to the fact he was Kim Jongin’s best friend.

“You’re angry coffee guy. I remember.” Kyungsoo says, eyes narrowing and lips forming an annoyed pucker. Jongin at least has the good grace to look slightly sheepish.

“Yeah, look I’m sorry about that... I wasn’t having a great day and I just kinda lost it... I’ll get you a new jacket if you want one—“

“Oh, it’s ok, you’re friend gave me his...” Kyungsoo swallows down his still present bitterness; Jongin is a client’s son after all and it would not serve Kyungsoo well to be causing another scene with him.

“Sehun?”

“Yes, tall cute blondie, Sehun.” Kyungsoo nods, smiling a little at the memory. Jongin’s jaw tightens slightly, but he relaxes and lets a shy smile creep across his face.

Kyungsoo is mildly taken aback because Jongin is really handsome. He must have been so angry and frustrated at their last encounter that he hadn’t quite appreciated Jongin’s features, and he’s slightly ashamed at himself for forgetting a face like his. Sehun has a certain blond angelic cuteness, that’s for sure, but Jongin is different matter. He’s more... tempting.

Jongin’s jaw is strong and sharp, and Kyungsoo traces the line of it with his eyes. His lips are full and pouty, but not quite as pouty as Kyungsoo’s and he has a habit of them occasionally, which Kyungsoo picks up on and then scolds himself for staring at his lips to long. His nose is set and straight, and curves out into two thick eyebrows, that lie above two of the prettiest eyes Kyungsoo has ever seen.

Jongin’s eyes are hooded by eyelids holding thick rows of lashes, and the colour of his irises reminds Kyungsoo of chocolate and honey melted together to form two pools of glowing warmth.  The longer he stares, the more his eyes appear molten like they’re moving in the lights of the cafe, regarding him with amusement. His pupils are black and slightly enlarged, and Kyungsoo feels himself being pulled deeper and deeper until he rights himself, gasping and shuffling back a little in his chair.

Jongin’s chin is tilted downwards, his eyebrows raised, and he is regarding Kyungsoo with a small, knowing smile on his lips. “You ok, there?”

Kyungsoo takes a deep breath and another sip of his coffee. “Yeah, yeah, fine...” He blusters, trying desperately not to trip over his words. The table falls silent then, Kyungsoo staring resolutely at his newspaper, not reading it at all and forcing the blush on his cheeks to go down while Jongin sits with his fingers steepled, observing him. Making people squirm has always been a pleasure of his.

“So... You’re the matchmaker. I take it we’re supposed to be doing something useful rather than you reading over the same sentence forty times. You don’t strike me as a person who has an interest in,” Jongin leans forward and reads the headline on the page Kyungsoo is reading, “the rise in couples attempting... ok wow maybe you are that .” Jongin says as his lips quirk into a full blown grin.

Kyungsoo snaps his head up quickly to look at Jongin’s Cheshire cat expression, before looking down at the newspaper again to discover he was ‘reading’ a page in the women’s gossip section about the rise in couples trying out Fifty Shades of Grey style antics in the bedroom. He splutters and slams the newspaper shut, about ninety five percent certain that his face as turned into a strawberry and that there is no hope for him restoring his dignity.

“Right, yes, well, um... We are here to—today to find a match for your father.” Kyungsoo says surprisingly calmly, although the voice crack in the middle of his sentence gave him away slightly. “Apparently you know your fathers tastes well?” His sentences are still terse but necessarily polite as Kyungsoo is not one for forgiving and forgetting easily. A pretty face can’t erase past memories that well, oh no.

The smile on Jongin’s face turns rueful and he ruffles his hair lightly with a hand (Kyungsoo thinks it looks soft and inviting; he’d quite like to run his fingers through it and smell it and see if it smells like hot chocolate because that’s what it looks like—wait no, be professional Kyungsoo, this is a clients son.) before saying “Look, we got off on the wrong foot.” He throws in a charming smile for good luck, and adding his signature puppy eyes that no one can resist. “If we’re going to work well together, and find a match for my dad, then we need to at least call a truce.”

Kyungsoo can already feel himself breaking because he is a weak human and he knows it. Jongin’s face is so sincere and gentle and his eyes are coaxing Kyungsoo out of his grumpy bunny mood already. All it takes is a simple tilt of the head and a quiet, “Please?” until Kyungsoo sighs and flops back in his seat, running a hand through his quiffed up hair.

“Fine.” He looks at the table, before looking up again and holding his hand out. “Hello, I’m Do Kyungsoo, you must be Kim Jongin, thank you for coming today.” He says, a megawatt smile stitched on his face.

Jongin grins equally as broad, and takes the hand he is offered, squeezing it gently and offering “It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr Do, or can I call you Kyungsoo?”

Once Kyungsoo has pulled himself from his trance of marvelling over how strong and warm Jongin’s palm was, he tongues the inside of his cheek because damn, this boy has nerve.

“Add hyung and I might just think about it.” He adds gruffly, and Jongin’s grin broadens.

“How do you know you’re my hyung?” he asks, daringly.

“I have my sources.” Kyungsoo adds mysteriously, deciding its best not to mention that his ‘source’ is just a Chinese friend by the name of Xi Luhan who enjoys reading gossip magazines instead doing the job Kyungsoo pays him for. He smiles fondly for a moment, before remembering he is mid battle with Jongin.

“So then hyung,” Jongin starts, and Kyungsoo tries not to notice how the honorific sounds so pleasing on Jongin’s tongue. “Where do we begin?”

“We sit and we look out of the window. We look around, see if there is any girl that looks like your dad’s type, then my team can speak to her, ask her about their personality traits and if we think she’ll match we set up a mixer event so they can meet. It’s not as creepy as it sounds, we don’t stalk these poor innocent women unlike some companies, and they’re perfectly within their rights to say no. It’s just like scouting for idols or something, really.”

Jongin looks a little taken aback by the sudden influx of information, but takes it in his stride and nods.

“But the only thing you have to worry about is this bit, and possibly attending the mixer event as I think your father would probably like you there.”

Jongin nods again and leans forward to wipe some of the steam from the cafe window. “My dad likes normal girls I guess... clever, funny and pretty, but not fake. Someone like mum...” The corners of his lips turn down a little, but he drags in a deep breath and Kyungsoo senses that he shouldn’t press the subject.

His tone brightens as he moves on. “So, Kyungsoo hyung, what’s your ideal type?” Jongin looks at Kyungsoo expectantly.

“Hmm,” Kyungsoo thinks for a moment. “Someone that can make me laugh and someone tall so they can reach the high things for me. Someone who gives good hugs because hell I need them sometimes and just someone who’s nice. And charming! I’m a er for a charmer.”  His eyes go dreamy for a moment; until he remembers where he is. “I’m a romantic really.”

He wouldn’t normally tell someone he’d just met all of that information, but Kyungsoo is wise enough to tell that Jongin had revealed some of himself by purely mentioning his mother. He looks up to gauge Jongin’s reaction, and the man is staring at him still.

“Looks?” He asks with his eyebrow quirking. Jongin seems frustrated somehow, but Kyungsoo can’t place his finger on why.

Kyungsoo gulps. “Like I said before, tall... I like all hair colours really... but I especially like pretty eyes. It doesn’t matter what colour, just pretty eyes and pretty eyelashes.”

Jongin is still looking at him expectantly, and Kyungsoo flushes a little under his intense gaze. It’s almost as if Jongin is telling him there’s a point he’s missing out on, something vital.

“I like nice smiles as well?” He offers, sounding unsure. “Oh and if it’s a guy and all, that would be a good start.” He adds as an afterthought with a little laugh.

Jongin’s jaw drops.

Kyungsoo’s eyes widen, and he is long past trying to mask the confusion and the blush flooding his face. “What is it?”

“You like guys? You’re... gay?” Jongin asks, eyebrows drawn together in the middle.

“Is that going to be a problem or something?” Kyungsoo says, raising his eyebrows challengingly. He’s not one for confrontation, but whenever he runs into a homophobic he really does love pulling sassy Kyungsoo out of the bag. He can almost hear Baekhyun’s voice in his head, cheering him on.

Jongin’s cheeks flush and he mumbles out “No... no... My best friend is gay, remember?” He suddenly finds the grain on the table very interesting, and Kyungsoo manages to pull a conversation with Luhan out of his memory where he had mentioned that Oh Sehun was gay.

“Actually I—“ Jongin begins to add, but his cheeks flame and it’s clearly visible even under his dark skin.

“You?” Kyungsoo prompts. He’s curious; Jongin’s reaction was unusual seeing as he wasn’t a homophobic old prune, so Kyungsoo is dying to know why he was so stunned.

“Oh it’s nothing... Doesn’t matter...” Jongin flusters, waving his hands a little shakily, and Kyungsoo raises one eyebrow, before making to drop the subject. He is stopped however when he suddenly hears—

“I’m gay too.”

The words are hurried and slightly jumbled but they’re most definitely there. Jongin slaps his hands over his mouth instantly, his eyes widening above his palms and Kyungsoo can see his chest rising and falling rapidly.

“No, wait, no I’m not I just I like men sometimes but women like I like women as well but I—“

Jongin looks close to tears, and his speech is becoming more and more panicked and fumbled. Kyungsoo stands up as does the only thing he can think of doing: comforting him.

He sits himself beside Jongin on the chair and rubs his back soothingly. Jongin is still breathing fast, and Kyungsoo is briefly worried he’s having a panic attack or something when a couple of tears roll down his face. Jongin has one palm clapped over his mouth, and the other is wrapped in Kyungsoo’s hand as he rocks back and forth gently, eyes wide and fixed on one permanent spot on the table.

After a few minutes, his breathing slows down a little and he takes his hand away from his mouth. Kyungsoo keeps rubbing his back soothingly, and doesn’t let go of the grip on Jongin’s hand, despite the incessant fluttering in his tummy.

“It’s scary when you realise it, eh?” He whispers carefully.

Jongin looks at him, and Kyungsoo is struck by the realisation that their faces are now very close together, and Kyungsoo is still holding Jongin’s hand. He ignores his blush though, as all his thoughts are on ensuring Jongin is ok.

Jongin lets out a small, tired sounding laugh. “Sehun’s been telling me I’m gay for ages.” He adds shakily. “I keep telling him I’m just open-minded or something, but he won’t have it. I know he’s right of course, but you know... I never really... I don’t know?”

“Accepted it?”

“Yeah.” Jongin snuffles a little wipes his face with the back of his hand. “Could you-- not tell anyone? I mean aside from Sehun and my housekeeper, no one else knows. I’m not ready to...”

“My lips are sealed.” Kyungsoo assures, smiling softly in hopes of reassuring Jongin.

“I guess the press can speculate all they like when they see me leaving clubs with girls, so I think it’d probably shock people more... With me taking over dad’s company and everything I don’t—“

“Jongin. Stop. I understand. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, but you need to give yourself time to accept who you are. Don’t force yourself into anything. There are a lot of gay people in this world, believe it or not. Four of my main office staff are gay, two couples that have been dating for years. Hell, my best friend is gay and his boyfriend is like my second mother. Two of my tea girls have been together since they left high school; they’re getting married next year. You’ll find your feet soon enough.”

Jongin calms a little after Kyungsoo’s speech, and they sit in silence for a little while, their hands still entwined on Kyungsoo’s knee.

“I’m sorry; we didn’t get much matchmaking done did we?” Jongin laughs eventually, and Kyungsoo laughs too, relieved that Jongin is fine.

“It doesn’t matter; we’ve got plenty of time...” He says. Jongin checks his watch and makes a small ‘oh!’ sound.

“I’m really sorry, but I have to go now...” He says.

Kyungsoo nods quickly and drops Jongin’s hand, embarrassed to still be holding on to it. “Yeah, I’d better be getting back to the office myself, they’ll be wondering where I’ve got to...”

They gather their things, and Jongin insists on paying for Kyungsoo’s coffee as well. Sooyoung gapes at him when he pays for both, and Jongin throws her a winning smile. Kyungsoo laughs a little; at least Jongin seems to be managing with his newly released uality.

Kyungsoo waves goodbye to Sooyoung as they leave, and she returns it somewhat dazedly, making Kyungsoo giggle again.

“Thank you, hyung.” Jongin says, pulling his coat sleeves down over his hands like a child, and tucking his chin into his collar. “I’m sorry again for last week I—“

“Jongin-ah, I’ve forgotten about it already.” Kyungsoo says, waving his hand dismissively. Jongin’s face lights up and Kyungsoo feels those terrifying butterflies in his stomach start up again. “What?”

“You called me Jongin-ah...” Jongin says giggling. They’re probably in a strange situation, standing facing each other in the street, Jongin giggling like a school girl and Kyungsoo flushing red, but Kyungsoo decides that as an adult, he will not giggle in return. He wants to though, because Jongin’s laugh is infectious, and he’s feeling a little giddy for a reason he pushes to the back of his mind.

“Well we’re... friends now.” He says, looking unsure, but relaxing when Jongin smiles warmly and nods.

“See you later, friend.” Jongin winks. He spends a few more seconds just looking at Kyungsoo’s face, until he realises he’s going to be late and turns around to hurry down the busy streets.

Kyungsoo stands in shock for a while. He shakes his head, turns, and smiles the entire way back to the office.

***

“You see Kyungsoo, when a gay man sees another man that he thinks is really pretty, he decides that he might want the other man to put his wil—“

“Jongdae shut up!” Kyungsoo screeches. It is eight hours since he first met Jongin, and Kyungsoo is panicking.

When he’d got back to the office, he mentioned nothing that happened with Jongin, and only told his staff that they hadn’t found anyone suitable for Mr Kim yet. He’d busied himself with other jobs to stop himself worrying and he’d skipped off home at four in the afternoon to enjoy a nice relaxing evening.

However, being alone for all this time has not done Kyungsoo any good. His mind wandered, and he went back and dissected every last sentence in his conversation with Jongin until he realised that there was those dratted butterflies in his stomach again even just by thinking about Jongin.

Kyungsoo scolded himself repeatedly, telling himself not to be so ridiculously childish; he couldn’t possibly have a crush on someone he’d only just met.

Hence at present he sits in his kitchen with Minseok and Jongdae as his emotional support unit. He’s slightly regretting Jongdae’s presence.

“Oh, Soo...” Minseok says, patting his back. “It’s not that bad... You’ve said yourself you’re not in love with him; you just think you might have a crush.”

“But I don’t know anything about him!” Kyungsoo wails, dramatically, forehead in his palm.

Jongdae rolls his eyes. “You’ve had celebrity crushes before, right? Did you know them personally? No. You just knew that they were hot pieces of that you would very much like to tap.”

Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything, he merely lifts his head and glares at Jongdae, who shrugs his shoulders and the edge of his mouth does a tick.

“I don’t blame you Soo, I mean Kim Jongin is mighty fine I can tell you—“

“Minseok darling I am still here.” Jongdae says, a fake smile on his face.

Minseok returns the action before cooing at Jongdae, who blushes and grumbles when he’s told that “You were being very inconsiderate to poor Kyungie here, who we all know has been much starved of romantic affection for a long time.”

Kyungsoo is past caring about what they say. He’s off rambling about Jongin again, reaching near hysteria. “He’s actually sweet. And charming. And he has the pretty eyes the DAMN PRETTY EYES—“

Minseok and Jongdae share a look, before deciding it’s probably best for them to leave. As they back out of the door, Kyungsoo has his face planted against his kitchen table, quietly mourning over the state of his life.

***

The clock strikes half past eleven and Jongin and Sehun are at last settled in Sehun’s apartment to watch a movie.

Jongin knows he should say that he might have finally come to terms with his uality, and his meeting and Kyungsoo’s reassurances only encourage him more. “Sehun...” He begins. Sehun looks up from across the sofa, bowl of popcorn in hand along with the TV remote, ready to press play.

“Yeah?”

“I’m gay.”

Sehun shoves a handful of popcorn in his mouth and looks at him weirdly. “No , Sherlock.” He turns and presses play on the movie and Jongin smiles.

That was easier than expected.

BASICALLY  i might have to go away for 2 weeks without access to a laptop/internet and i didnt want to leave you all hanging :)

because of that i dont know when the next update will be :( sorry but ill try and make it soon. thank you for all your lovely comments and subscribes and upvotes. they make me smile everytime :)

hopefully this update doesnt disappoint  :) 

unedited, i'll come back when i have chance  edited

see you all next time 

much love, 

Tea xxxxx

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