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When you are part of the small Asian population of the prestigious all-boys St. Andrew’s Academy located in The Middle of Nowhere New England, you tend to stick together. All of them came from the same filthy rich background so at least they had that in common.
From their group of friends, Yifan and Minseok had joined first starting 5th grade together. During the middle of the same year Junmyeon joined. “You look too small to be in 5th grade!” a young Yifan had interjected back then. At the time Junmyeon did indeed look really small, shorter than Minseok even. It turned out the kid was too smart, skipping the rest of 4th grade and going straight to St Andrews.
When the three entered 6th grade, they welcomed to their group Luhan and Yixing who started in the year below them and quickly connected with Yifan for being fellow countrymen. Both were the same age as Junmyeon and that had allowed them to tease the other constantly despite him being an upperclassman. The year after that, Chanyeol, Jongdae, Baekhyun and Kyungsoo or “The Beagles” as they were dearly called joined; all four of them having known each other since they were little kids. Kyungsoo was part of their group but looked more like he wanted the other three dead most of the time.
The last to join were Jongin, who was was Junmyeon’s little cousin, Sehun and Zitao, the only one who hadn’t been raised in the US thus struggling with the language at first but later catching up with Yifan and Yixing’s help. The boys were all of different ages but they all got along well and there was nothing better than their boarding school shenanigans.
Today they were all grown. By chance, they had all decided to establish themselves in New York City after their respective Ivy League careers and there wasn’t a day when one didn’t have to deal with the bullshit of another. They were all present at their bi-weekly gathering at Yifan’s restaurant except for one of them.
“Where’s Tao?” Chanyeol asked after noticing that the resident diva wasn’t present.
“Paris.” Yifan answered as he poured out wine for everyone.
“What do you mean Paris? He promised that he would be at my store opening tomorrow!” Baekhyun exclaimed affronted. He needed all of his bros (and sis) there.
“He is, but apparently he needed something to wear...” Yixing answered munching on the hors d'oeuvres the waitress had brought in earlier. He had been the one who had received the other’s text that same morning.
“And went shopping in Paris. Why am I not surprised.” Kyungsoo deadpanned taking a sip of off his tall wine glass.
“Tao is such a spoiled rich fuck. Who the hell does that?” Sehun asked from his seat at the other end of the table as he furiously tapped on his phone screen; probably typing a new article for the sex column he wrote for Cosmopolitan.
“You do! You were in Milan with him for a day last month.” Luhua chipped in looking at her freshly manicured nails.
“Shut up no one asked you anything Han.” The youngest rebutted. He knew that was the only way he could rile her up.
“Hey! I’m a woman now but you know I can still kick your twink ass!” the blonde woman sneered. Sehun was being a little shit as always, what was new. Minseok and Jongin automatically held on to each of her arms to prevent her from possibly jumping over the table and having her way with the younger one while Jongdae cackled loudly.
“Kids...play nice!” Junmyeon intervened. Despite the call for a truce the bantering between both friends continued. Kyungsoo already felt an incoming headache like every time he agreed to meet with his childhood friends. They were fully grown adults with just as important careers but they still behaved like rowdy children whenever they got together.
Kyungsoo would constantly complain about the noise and the immaturity but if he was really, truely and ‘would-only-reveal-this-in-his-deathbed’ honest, he wouldn’t have it any other way.