An ubiquitous noise thronged the room, the smoke of Korean barbecue wandering through. Lighthearted jokes, chatter and laughs. A warm, comfortable sense lingering on every corner.
"Happy birthday, Hyung!" Chen arrived and immediately made his way towards Suho who beamed at him, giving him a brotherly hug. "I got you some home essentials." He handed Suho the paper bag in his hand.
"Home essentials," Suho tittered. "Thanks."
"Yah, Suho Hyung's pretty loaded!" Baekhyun came in after, amazed at the mountain of gifts stored at the corner of the L-shaped sofa. There was a big box which looked like an appliance, other wraps had wines, records, and other things they know Suho is very fond of, inside.
Baekhyun removed his shoes and pattered his feet towards the birthday celebrant, to give him a side hug and his present. It looked rather expensive, to Suho's surprise, as Baekhyun wasn't much to put much effort in gifts.
"What?" Baekhyun stifled a chuckle at the older's disbelieving look. "You don't want it?"
"No, I love it. But are you sure you bought this?"
"What can I say?" A sheepish grin spread across the former's lips. "I got into a little side hustle just to get you that." He winked.
"Lay Hyung said he can't come," Kai announced. "He's busy with some other projects. Ah, you know him."
"Mhm." Suho nodded. "He called me earlier."
"Where's Sehun?" Sat comfortably on the couch as he munched on some appetizer, Minseok pivoted his gaze around to find their youngest absent. "He's late? That's a first."
"Hey." A baritone voice resounded as the door slid open, revealing a towering male.
"Chanyeol-a..." Suho casted his gaze on the younger who handed him his gift. "Thank you. Where's Sehun?"
"He's on his way. He just went and took my phone for me."
"Why? Didn't you bring your phone with you when you left the house?" Kyungsoo perked, curious at the turnout, his hands busy preparing the food for the members with Kai assisting him.
"I did. But I... kinda forgot it at the Song Camp." Chanyeol rubbed his nape, bashful of his clumsiness.
"What?!"
Just then, the door rolled open again.
"Why are you all looking at me like you saw a criminal?"
Baekhyun came to him with a bizarre look on his face, raising a finger at him in slow motion, in the state of shock. "Sehun, you... you went to the Song Camp?"
Sehun quickly caught on the commotion and pursed his lips into a thin line. "Yes." Then he shot Chanyeol a piercing glare. "Because a certain someone just had to be forgetful." Chanyeol gulped as Sehun handed him his lost phone. "So forgetful that he even missed out some very important details."
"What's in the Song Camp?" Minseok innocently quiried.
The older shuddered at the grimace Sehun was giving him. Almost everyone in that reserved, restaurant room know what that very vital detail he was speaking of. And no one dared to give him a hint that they do. No one dared to look back at him, too.
Chen glanced at Suho who's feeling uneasy at the tension arising though that was not what Sehun wanted to happen. "Now, now. Let's not ruin the mood. We're here for Suho Hyung's birthday. Let's talk about that later."
He pushed Sehun away from Chanyeol, giving Chanyeol a disapproving look.
The youngest shook his head off the matter, heading towards his leader to give him the gift he specifically waited for the release just so he could give Suho brand new boast rights.
Astonished by the sparkling signature brand logo of the paper bag, Suho flickered his eyes up at Sehun who had a proud, almost arrogant, grin.
"You like it?"
Suho chuckled at his question. "Of course, silly. Thanks, bud."
"Eh, it's nothing." Sehun shrugged.
"Doesn't look like it's nothing." Suho tried peeking inside the closed paperbag, and he saw a box. "It's a watch, isn't it?"
Sehun playfully swung his upper body to the sides as he shook his head. "You'll see later."
Suho perked. "It is a watch. Can I sell it if I ever go bankrupt?"
Disbelief washed over the younger's face. "That'll never happen."
Laughter erupted from Suho's lips, amused at the change of expression. "Kidding!"
"Okay, everybody, please settle down. We'll be eating in a bit, courtesy to Chef D.O right there." Baekhyun began MC-ing his way, gathering the members to the table as they were scattered around.
Kyungsoo flicked his finger from his forehead as an informal salute, his eyes still trained on the grilling of the meat. Chanyeol chuckled at the gesture and copied it to himself.
Baekhyun marveled at the meat as the door opened and one by one, the other dishes were served. "You know what, let's just all dig in. We'll have your tear-jerking messages later after."
The boys instantly dove in to the festive table, getting their own plates and bowls, dishes and side dishes, utensils and sauces. Anything they could get their hands on.
"We'll eat well!" They all said, some in unison, some following suit on their own mumbly way.
"Ready your bucket, Suho." Minseok winked at the leader who snorted. "You'll definitely bawl this time."
"Hyung, I don't have anything to say to you though," Kai kid with a wince.
Suho simply nodded as he munched, not sparing him a look. "Yeah, I know."
"Put some of this." Some sauce was pushed to Minseok's side of the table, coming from Kyungsoo who noticed something lacking in the older's plate.
Blithe conversations bubbled in the air, stomachs being filled, and questions being set aside. Sehun couldn't wait to get the chance to finally confront Chanyeol of the one thing that's been itching him for the entirety of the night.
The wine that Suho was supposed to open at his home was now the culprit of the cryptic words flying around the table by drunken men.
Baekhyun called for some more alcohol beverages, and soon after, they were unstoppable.
Sehun was totally out, pulling Baekhyun with him to the dance floor—it being the open space next to the table—and throwing their hands up with their wineglasses.
"Partey! Partey!" The wine almost tipped over Sehun's glass, thankfully, it didn't as his hands swung to the other side.
All of a sudden, a dance battle commenced between the members. Kai crying over his niece and nephew not appreciating him enough as a dancer, Kyungsoo suddenly joining Baekhyun and Sehun, Chanyeol laughing like a madman at them, Minseok repeatedly winking at Suho who was the only one who seem to hold out amongst them since he chose not to drink too much for his members' well-being. Meanwhile, Chen was just chilling at the side, eyes on the brink of shutting alongside his body.
"Baekhyun-a, why do you look like a dog?" Kyungsoo slapped the boy giggling like a toddler who had just done something nasty.
"Because I am! Woof!" Then the barking began and suddenly, the place was a zoo.
"Shy, shy, shy..." Chanyeol connected his index fingers, acting some sort of aegyo to nobody.
Suho saw him and snorted at his madness, pulling out his phone to film a historic moment. Until Sehun's figure came into the frame and cupped Chanyeol's face. All the more reason to film it.
"Heh. Heejung-a, you look so pretty... no. You are beautiful." Sehun tucked the older's supposed sideburns behind his ears. Chanyeol was simply unhinged enough to play along.
"Really?" Chanyeol's eyes sparked as his orbs remained on Sehun's adoring ones.
The latter chuckled. "Yes, why would you doubt— wait a minute." His smile turned upside down upon the realization that it was not the girl he unexpectedly saw earlier, in front of him. His eyes widened, rounding both in horror and anger.
"You yoda!" Sehun pushed Chanyeol's forehead to which the latter scowled him at.
"What was that for?!"
"You knew she was gonna be— there! Why didn't you tell me!"
"What the hell— are you saying? Who?"
"Kim Heejung!"
Chanyeol furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, as if it was the first time he encountered the name.
"I'm not Kim Heejung! Kim Heejung is at Gimpo!"
"Exactly, moron." Sehun rolled his eyes at the idiocy, his wiggly finger coming at Chanyeol's face to point on it.
The latter's ears gonged at the name the younger called him. His blood rose up to his face, now fuming. Smoke was practically steaming out of his ears as he glowered down on him.
"Moron, you say?!" He scoffed as pulled his sleeves up to his elbows, jaw clenching. Sehun didn't flinch one bit, boldly returning the deadly gaze.
"Yah, yah! Don't fight!" Suho came between them, holding out his arms on either sides to block them from each other. The tension could be cut with a knife.
That wine was a mistake.
hi!! it's been a while 😵
thanks for being patient with mee
what do u guys think should happen next??