"Jisung, are you free tonight?" Asked Jaemin before Jisung leave the house.
"I am, Hyung. I don't have work later," Jisung answered. "Why?"
"I got a huge deal for the bakeshop. We're thinking of celebrating it. Can you come over to our house for dinner?" Asked Jaemin.
The reason why he was at the bakeshop yesterday was because a big company wanted to get his bakeshop to supply the breads and pastries there every day. The company representative said that the President really liked the bread and pastries at his bakeshop.
Also, Renjun's fever was already gone, so they could celebrate tonight.
"That's nice. It's a big improvement for your shop! Congrats, Hyung," Jisung replied.
"Of course we'll go to your house tonight. We won't miss the celebration. Who can say no to free food?" Jisung kid.
"You can invite anyone you like. It's nice to see new faces aside from yours," Jaemin told him.
"But I don't have anyone to invite though," said Jisung.
"Just anyone. Don't think too much about it, it's still your choice if you want to invite someone or not," said Jaemin, but he's hoping that Jisung would invite someone, specifically Chenle. Jaemin and Jeno had a good long talk yesterday. Jeno told him the reason why Chenle left, which was a question to Jaemin why Jeno knows the reason, and he finally understood why Chenle left Han and Jisung. Jaemin thought that there was another way of fixing the problem than leaving Jisung and Han, but he wasn't in Chenle's shoes to decide, so, he was trying his best to understand the younger. He still hadn't completely forgiven Chenle for leaving the two, but he's willing to give him a chance. But at the end of the day, it's still Chenle's choice whether he would tell the reason why he left to Jisung or not and it was still Jisung's decision whether he'll let Chenle come back into their life or not.
Jaemin didn't want to meddle with Jisung and Chenle's relationship and problem. It's for the two of them to fix.
Jisung just nodded at Jaemin and left the house, then Jaemin started to pack Han's toys and clothes in case he needs to change because he would definitely sweat a lot due to playing hard, as Han would stay at their house for the meantime while Jisung was still at school, and also because Jisung would go straight to their house after school.
Before Jaemin and Han leave the house, they see a familiar car parking in front of it.
"It's Mister Lele!" Said Han as he pointed his finger at Chenle who was smiling as he walked towards their direction.
"Hello, Han," Chenle greeted Han.
"Why are you here?" Jaemin asked.
"I'm here to visit Han," Chenle replied.
"Are you going somewhere?" Chenle asked when he noticed Han's clothes and the bear backpack in his back.
"I'm taking Han to our house. We do this regularly. Sometimes, we also bring him at the café," Jaemin replied. "Do you wanna come with us?"
Chenle was surprised that Jaemin asked him to come with them. The last time he saw Jaemin, which was two days ago, he didn't like him— he heard the conversation of Jeno, Jaemin, and Jisung that night as he was standing near the door— but now it looked like Jaemin was already fine with him.
"Are you sure? Won't Jisung get mad?" Chenle asked.
"I'll talk to him for you," said Jaemin.
"Why would Dada get mad?" Han suddenly asked.
Jaemin and Chenle looked at each other, didn't know what to answer to Han's question.
"JISUNG!DID Han liked the cookies?" Lami asked after they finished their class.
Jisung nodded even though Han hasn't eaten Lami's baked cookies yet, because he's eating the cookies he and Chenle baked yesterday. Jisung didn't want to hurt Lami's feelings once she found out that Han hadn't eaten her cookies.
"Glad to know that," Lami replied. "Are you busy later? Do you wanna have dinner with me? You and Han?"
Lami found a good restaurant and she wanted to invite Jisung over for dinner. If Jisung agreed, that'll be their first date. Even though she's the only one who knows that it's a date.
Jisung looked at Lami, "We'll have dinner at Jaemin Hyung's place. We can just have dinner there."
Lami got disappointed but it's better than not having to eat dinner with Jisung, "Are you sure I can come over?"
Jisung nodded, "They know you. You're not a stranger to them."
It's true that Lami met Jeno, Jaemin, and Renjun from time to time because of Han and Jisung. Every time she came over at Jisung's place she always saw the trio there, there wasn't a single time that she didn't see the three there. Lami talked to them for a bit but she's not that comfortable around the three, but it's okay, she went there to see and spend time with Han and Jisung, not for the three.
She's kinda getting pissed that the three were always there. Like today, she already planned what she'll wear but the three invited Han and Jisung over for dinner. Lami wanted to believe that this wasn't a mere coincidence anymore.
"We can go there together," Jisung said to Lami.
"Really?" Lami's face brightens.
At least I'll have time alone with him. Lami thought.
Jisung nodded, "Han's already there at their house. So..."
"Okay! Let's go there together!" Lami happily replied.
The two parted ways because Lami and Jisung have different classes. They're in the same course, but Jisung was an irregular student— he adjusted his schedule to fit his part-time job and to have time for Han.
Jisung also planned to resign from his part-time job this week since his parents are supporting him and Han financially. After that, he'll enroll as a regular student next semester.
Jisung grabbed his phone and texted Jaemin.
To: Jaemin Hyung 🍓
I asked Lami to come over at dinner, she said yes. We'll go there together.
And after he sent the text, he turned his phone off and slid it inside his pocket.
His next class was Professor Taeil's class. The good thing about this professor was he's strict but he also let them eat in the class, because according to Professor Taeil, eating in the class doesn't affect your performance. Since Jisung's schedule doesn't have any vacant schedule, this class was a big help for him to eat.
While waiting for Professor Taeil's arrival, he gets the cookies from his bag. Han put it in there this morning.
Jisung doesn't really want to eat the cookie because it might be the one baked by Lami and it's too sweet for him, but he's hungry and this was the only food he had. Jisung took a bite from the cookie and he didn't realize that he already finished the whole packet.
Jisung stared at the empty cookie packet and wondered why the cookies were not as sweet as before.
Did she improve at baking? Jisung asked himself. But then he remembered that Han and Chenle baked cookies yesterday.
He didn't want to admit to himself that he liked these cookies more. It was less sweet than Lami's but much more flavorful than the cookies at Jaemin's bakeshop.
After the class, Jisung and Lami meet at the university's gate. They won't change their clothes because they're wearing casual clothes. They didn't have a school uniform.
The two take a taxi on the way to the trio's house and Lami was the only one who's talking in the taxi and Jisung just nodded at everything she said. Jisung doesn't really listen that well at whatever Lami's saying, but he's nodding like he understood everything as a sign of respect.
After almost an hour, the two finally arrived at Jeno, Jaemin, and Renjun's house. Just in time for dinner.
When they entered the house, Han immediately ran towards him.
"Dada, you're here!" Han screamed in joy as he ran towards Jisung.
Jisung immediately hugged Han and carried him. "Did you have fun?"
Han nodded, then he saw his Lami Noona at the back. "Lami Noona is also here!"
"Hi, baby," Lami greeted Han and she pinched his cheeks gently.
Chenle immediately looked in Han's direction when he heard Lami's name.
Why is that girl here? Chenle thought as he examined the girl. She's pretty, she looks nice... But I'm still Han's papa.
Jisung noticed that Chenle was there, but he didn't say anything.
"Oh, Lami, this is Chenle," Jaemin introduced Lami and Chenle to each other. "Chenle, this is Lami."
The two smiled at each other. Lami thought that Chenle's name was familiar, she's sure that she heard it somewhere but she couldn't recall it.
This is not good. Lami and Chenle in the same place. Renjun thought. He could already imagine the chaos at the dinner later. And there's Jeno at the side, he's also worried. He's thinking if Jaemin wanted to see Lami and Chenle fight each other indirectly or he's just too dense to know that he shouldn't introduce the two to each other.
Meanwhile, there's Han and Jisung who doesn't care about what's happening. They didn't notice the tension between Lami and Chenle and also Jeno and Renjun's nervousness.
"Shall we eat now? We're done setting up," Jaemin said happily. He was also like Jisung and Han who didn't notice the tension and nervousness of the people around him.
The seven sat at the table, good thing that the chairs are exact for them. Jeno, Renjun, Han, and Jisung sat on the left side while Jaemin, Chenle, and Lami sat on the right side of the table. Jeno wanted to stop Chenle and Lami from sitting beside each other but he's afraid to say a word. Chenle sat across from Han and Lami sat across from Jisung.
The three started to eat their food quietly while Chenle and Lami kept on offering food to Jisung. They started to compete with each other without saying anything.
"Ji, you like chicken, right?" Said Lami as she placed a piece of chicken at Jisung's plate.
Jisung was about to complain when Chenle started talking.
"I helped with cooking, too. I remember you like the pasta I cooked last night," said Chenle as he put pasta on Jisung's plate. Stating that he's clearly above Lami because he cooked for them yesterday.
While Han kept on glancing worriedly at his Mister Lele and Lami Noona who's acting weird. Jeno and Renjun exchanged worried glances at each other.
"There's also a steak here, do you want it?" Lami offered.
"You like barbeque, right?" Chenle offered.
"Why did you keep on giving Dada food? His tummy will explode if he eats too much," said Han who's uncomfortable at the two adults acting weird.
Jisung silently thanked Han for interrupting.
Chenle and Lami looked at Han and started to offer him food, too.
"Han, you like Mister Lele's pasta, right?" Chenle asked Han. Han wanted to nod but he didn't, because he felt like he shouldn't nod.
"Han, baby, you like chicken, right?" Lami asked.
"Han, do you want orange juice?" Lami continued to ask.
"Han, you prefer apple juice, right?" Chenle asked.
Han kept on looking back and forth at Lami and Chenle. "I don't want my tummy to explode!"
"Can you two stop? I can feed my son," Jisung interrupts as he noticed that Han was uncomfortable. Good thing that the two stopped at what they were doing. Jisung was the one who put food at Han's plate.
Jeno and Renjun breathed in relief because Lami and Chenle finally stopped.
"I'll just get more juice," Chenle excused himself when he noticed that the pitcher was already empty.
"I'll get some juice too," Lami excused herself and followed Chenle to the kitchen.
The juice isn't that heavy though. Jaemin wondered why the two needed to go to the kitchen together.
The two at the kitchen were silently refilling the pitcher with juice.
"Can you stop flirting at Jisung? You know, he's clearly not interested in you," Lami said out of nowhere.
Chenle raised an eyebrow. There are things that he wanted to say to Lami but he chose not to because Jisung would surely get mad.
Jisung was interested in me before. We even had a child! Chenle thought.
"You don't know who I am in Jisung and Han's life," said Chenle. "I met them first."
"I don't care. It's not about how long you know each other. It's about who Jisung Oppa likes," said Lami.
"Really? So, you're telling me he's interested in you? I didn't even see him spare a glance at you since you got here," Chenle was just stating the facts which made Lami pissed.
"Well, let's just see who'll earn his heart first," Lami said before she left the kitchen. "May the best person win."
This girl doesn't know that I already earned Jisung's heart before and I'm sure I can earn it again. Chenle said to himself.
The dinner went successfully peacefully- thankfully. Han is the one who makes the table loud. He keeps on telling stories and the adults are just listening attentively to him.
After the dinner, Jisung and Han had to go home because Han had to sleep before 9:00 PM. Jisung prioritizes that Han should sleep early and complete the eight hours of sleep he needs.
"I can take you home," Chenle offered.
"I can take you home, too," Lami interrupted.
"You don't have a car, I do," said Chenle, who made Lami frown.
"Lami, you literally live two blocks away from here. It's better for Jisung and Han to go with Chenle," said Jeno.
Lami couldn't do anything but to let Jisung and Han go inside Chenle's car. She even saw Chenle smiled at her, clearly teasing her.
When Chenle, Jisung, and Han arrived at the apartment. Han marched inside the apartment, he wanted to sleep already.
"Thanks for the ride," Jisung said before he walked inside the house. But Chenle stopped him by holding his wrist, making him lose his balance. Then before the two had realized, their faces were already a few centimeters away from each other.
Chenle gulped as his face got redder. He forgot what he was supposed to say to Jisung. His heart started to beat faster.
Jisung quickly got back to his senses and fixed his posture. His face also becomes red as his heart skipped a beat.
"I'll go now. Thanks for the ride again," said Jisung, avoiding looking at Chenle.
"Yeah... G-goodnight," Chenle tried not to stutter.
"Goodnight," Jisung replied as he entered the house.
Chenle smiles widely as he goes back inside his car. Finally, after three years, he and Jisung almost kissed each other.