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Saying no to Kai was never Taehyun’s strong suit. He was gone for the brunette, losing resolve the second Kai looked at him with those large puppy dog eyes of his — something Yeonjun took great joy in teasing him about. So of course, when Kai pleaded with him to purchase Minecraft so that he could play on his friend’s server with him, it had ended with an overjoyed Kai in his arms, a 40k won shaped dent in his wallet, and his heart beating just a little too hard against his rib cage.
A week later, Taehyun successfully gets added onto the server.
nyangtyun joined the game
huepengkai joined the game
Kai gives Taehyun a quick crash course on how to work with the mechanics in the game, and begins giving Taehyun a small tour. The spawn area is lovely, Taehyun nods appreciatively at the cute decorations put up — Beomgyu must’ve taken great care while building.
Kai’s directing him to an area of chests, telling him how excited Yeonjun was, during his tour around the server, when he was told that he could take some things from them, when someone else joins the server.
pagesoobin joined the game
< huepengkai > omg
< huepengkai > hiii!!!!!!
< pagesoobin > hi kaikai :)
Kaikai? With a smiley face? Who does this guy think he is? Taehyun sulks quietly, kicking himself for not having the idea of coming up with such a cute nickname for Kai before. He stares blankly at the computer screen, watching the two talk to each other. Kai had told him about Soobin before, how him, Soobin, and Beomgyu came in a set of three.
< huepengkai >hyung
< huepengkai > come meet my good friend!!!
Teleported pagesoobin to huepengkai
Soobin teleported himself to them. Teleported. Choi Beomgyu must’ve given him some special admin powers on the server. Okay. Whatever, show-off, Taehyun rolls his eyes at his screen.
hiii taehyun!! its nice to finally meet you
im soobin
pagesoobin whispers to you your username is so cute
pagesoobin whispers to you it fits your skin lmao
Feeling a pang of embarrassment and regret for allowing Yeonjun to persuade him into having matching cat skins, Taehyun watches Soobin's avatar spam crouch at him — of course, he has a Gojo skin on. Kai has told him about their shared love for Jujutsu Kaisen before — and sucks in a breath, trying to bury down the ugly feeling brewing in the pit of his stomach at the comment on his username and skin, before quickly typing out his reply.
You whisper to pagesoobin im not sure if thats supposed to be a compliment.
< nyangtyun > im taehyun
< nyangtyun > hyuka’s best friend
It doesn't take long for Soobin to respond.
< pagesoobin > oh
< pagesoobin > thats crazy because ive always had the impression that IM his best friend
< pagesoobin > but i guess we can share him right?
< pagesoobin > im sure theres enough hueningie to go around :)
There was a brief moment of silence.
pagesoobin whispers to you of course its a compliment, it is in fact really cute haha
—
It felt as if he was third wheeling a date. After Soobin joined their Discord call, the two of them spent more time chatting than actually playing the game. When Soobin finally logged off, claiming that he had to meet up with some schoolmates to work on a project, all Taehyun had was a mediocre dirt house and stick from punching a dead bush. He didn’t even have a door to attach to his house.
Taehyun wanted to dislike Soobin. Maybe things would be easier, Taehyun thought, if Soobin were rude, or patronising, instead of being so kind to him. Soobin tried his best in including him in his and Kai’s earlier conversation, even going to the extent of explaining the game mechanics of another game — League of Legends, was it? — when it was brought up during the conversation.
Soobin kept asking about Taehyun’s life too. He asked to exchange Instagram account handles almost immediately, cooing at pictures of his cat, Hobak, and letting out a surprised “Oh, you do boxing?” after looking through one of his highlight reels. Kai had a laughing fit retelling Soobin an anecdote from when he tried boxing with Taehyun once, and Taehyun could feel adoration and affection drip from Soobin’s tone whenever he replied to Kai. He tries to ignore how full his heart felt, when he listened to their banter, it had to be due to jealousy over Soobin for being so close with his best friend, Taehyun decided. Nothing more. Of course, Kai wouldn’t like him in that way, Taehyun sighs, listening to Kai laugh loudly at yet another joke the older made. Choi Soobin was the perfect guy.
Kang Taehyun made two vows that day. He makes a promise to himself to never play Minecraft ever again, and secondly, most importantly, to get over Huening Kai as soon as possible.
—
Taehyun quickly realises that trying to avoid his best friend was easier than he anticipated, despite living in the same house. They usually don’t see each other in the mornings, and when they do, they only have time to give a quick greeting before one or the other has to rush to leave. While Taehyun has morning classes four days of the week, Kai is busy with having the morning shift at a local cafe down the street. Taehyun uses the excuse of being too busy with schoolwork — which was partially true — to turn down any proposals Kai gives of hanging out together after they were done for the day with school and work.
The pang in his heart at turning Kai down doesn’t get any better as the weeks fly by, however. Taehyun is not used to saying no to him, and he is certainly not used to not having Kai by his side. He misses his company, and doesn’t think he can go any longer, trying to ignore him for the sake of their friendship.
Until Soobin started messaging him on Discord out of the blue a week after they met.
soob Today at 17:22
hey
hey
hey
taehyunnnn
can we play minecraft plz beomgyu is busy on the phone with your other roommate
and kais not answering my texts
tyun Today at 17:42
oh wow
im your last choice huh?
wait
since when did beomgyu hyung and yeonjun hyung know each other?
soob Today at 17:43
-_-
just get on the game
and tell ur roommate that he cant hog my best friend
i miss him :’(
tyun Today at 17:51
tell him that urself
you literally live with him
and cant you play the game by yourself?
soob Today at 17:51
yeah but
i wanna play with you
Taehyun’s eyes linger at Soobin’s last text. He sighs to himself, before starting up his laptop again, joining the server for the second time ever.
pagesoobin joined the game
k_taehyun joined the game
“Why did you change your username and skin?” Soobin whines the moment Taehyun joins the Discord call Soobin started.
“You literally teased me about it when we first met.” the younger deadpans.
Soobin goes quiet. “Taehyun-ah, i wasn't joking around. I genuinely meant it. I thought it was really cute! In fact…” Soobin pauses for a moment, like he's trying to find the proper words to fully express his thoughts.
“In fact..?” Taehyun prods.
“You know what? Nevermind.” Soobin replies, quickly changing the subject, poking fun at Taehyun’s dirt house.
Soobin helped distract him, but nothing could really fill the Kai-shaped hole in his heart.
—
Blonde. Huening Kai was blonde.
Taehyun had come home from his morning classes to his roommates on the couch, watching TV, and nearly drops his bag at the sight of his best friend’s hair being a shade of ash blonde, instead of the black he was used to seeing.
“You’re blonde?” Taehyun blurts out. The two on the couch turn their attention to Taehyun, who’s walking over to the couch. Yeonjun flashes him a shit eating grin.
“Yeonjun hyung dyed mine and Beomgyu’s hair earlier today!” Kai explains, showing Taehyun a picture of Beomgyu’s newly dyed bright red hair on his phone. “Do you like it, Taehyunnie?”
“Y- yeah.” Taehyun stutters, avoiding eye contact. “It suits you, Kai-yah.” Ignoring Yeonjun’s teasing chuckle, he makes a beeline to his room, and whips out his phone as soon as he shuts his door.
taehyun
hyung.
soobin hyung.
its a national emergency.
soobin
?
i just woke up
whats going on
taehyun
…
its 3pm.
anyway
HES BLONDE
HUENING KAI IS BLONDE
soobin
no way
ur kidding
taehyun
wait
gimme a sec
[pic]
i dunno how on earth did he not notice me taking that
or yeonjun hyung for that matter
soobin
aww he looks so cute
like a golden retriever
like how you’re a black cat
taehyun
THATS NOT THE POINT?!?!?!
I CANT LOOK AT HIM IN THE EYE ILL START DROOLING
soobin
for real
you and me both
taehyun
???
—
As of late, Soobin had been frequently visiting their apartment, claiming that Beomgyu had chased him out to hang out with Yeonjun. Kai was ecstatic having his best friend over more frequently, and Taehyun liked it whenever he came over. Soobin was always nice company, and listening to Soobin and Kai bickering over how much garlic they should be adding to their fried rice made Taehyun feel right at home.
They’re watching an animal documentary on the TV. Taehyun doesn’t remember when they started inching closer together. Soobin’s large hands snake across his back, resting firmly on his waist, and it was so easy for Taehyun to let go and simply bask in the older’s warm embrace.
“You’re so cute. You know that?” Soobin whispers to him, moving a stray hair away from Taehyun’s face with his free arm. “Can I kiss you?”
Heat rushes to Taehyun’s cheeks, and he gives the older a small, shy nod. Soobin smiles, and leans in, closing the gap between them, lips meeting in a tender kiss.
When they finally break apart for air, Soobin stares at him with wide eyes. “Fuck.” He mutters. “I- I have to go.”
Soobin gets up abruptly, and Taehyun watches him gather his things and exit his apartment. He stares at the front door while it closes, left alone in the house once again.
As he lays in bed that night, all Taehyun could feel was anger and shame. He tried getting over his best friend, only to fall for the person who was responsible for him making that decision in the first place. How pathetic, Taehyun laments. His fingers find their way back to his lower lip, still feeling the lingering touch of Soobin’s plush lips on his, and slowly drifts off into a fitful sleep.
He wakes up to a string of messages from Soobin.
soobin
are you free later today?
we need to talk.
—
Taehyun doesn’t think that he’s ever gotten ready as fast as he did that day.
“Where are you going?” Kai asks, looking up from the game of Mario Kart he, Beomgyu and Yeonjun were playing.
“Soobin hyung asked me out for coffee at that cafe Yeonjun hyung works at,” Taehyun explains, hopping on one foot while putting on a shoe. “I’ll bring you some of those egg tarts that you like.”
“Oh. Alright. Have fun…” Kai waves him goodbye, and as Taehyun exits their shared apartment, he swears that he sees a hint of disappointment cross his best friend’s eyes, and tries to brush off the odd look Yeonjun threw at him.
He brisk walks to the cafe, footsteps in tandem with how fast his heart beats. Soobin is already at a table, tucked away in a quiet corner of the cafe, when he arrives, gratefully accepting the caramel macchiato Soobin had bought for him before he arrived.
“Taehyun,” Soobin starts to speak. His hands are tightly clasped together, his legs shaking underneath the table. “I need you to promise not to walk out on me and hear me out, alright?”
“Firstly, I want to apologise for leaving after kissing you yesterday. It was shitty of me to do that.” Soobin continues. “It’s because- It’s because I’m in love with you, Taehyun-ah. And after we kissed, I freaked out and ran away. I’m sorry.”
Taehyun’s breath hitched, heart pounding in his chest. Soobin was in love with him?
“Another thing I wanted to tell you was — I’m in love with Kai as well.” By now, Soobin’s cheeks are dusted with the prettiest shade of pink. “It doesn’t feel real, loving two people. B-but i swear, I really like the both of you so much. Getting to know you for these past few weeks has been wonderful, and I- I just wanted to tell you, personally, before letting Kai know too.”
Before Taehyun could utter a single response, Soobin cuts him off again. “You don’t have to tell me how you feel right now. I know this is too much to think about, but I’ve seen and listened to how you look at and talk about him, Taehyun-ah.. Promise me that you’ll give me, us, including Kai, a chance?”
Taehyun can barely hear himself over how loudly his heart thumps in his chest. “I’ll let you know soon, hyung.” he croaks.
—
He gets his answer to Soobin’s question as soon as he gets home. He watches Kai’s eyes light up as he greets him from the front door. He watches Kai split an egg tart into two uneven pieces, passing the larger one back to him. He watches Kai’s cheeks puff up after taking a too-big bite of egg tart. He lets Kai’s broad body envelop him in a warm hug for the first time in weeks, and realisation dawns on him.
He’s in love with Huening Kai, and despite his best efforts, he has never stopped loving Huening Kai.
taehyun
hyung
i love him too
dont think i ever stopped ngl
and i think i love you too.
—
The two decide to take it slow, before deciding on an appropriate moment to confess their shared feelings to Huening Kai. It's an unfortunate coincidence when Kai asks to spend time with Taehyun on the day of their first date as a couple.
hueningie
tae
im at work rn but
do u wanna go to that arcade we saw the other day after my shift is over?
its ending in a few minutes
it feels like we havent hung out in ages
taehyun
oh
im already out with soobin right now :(
maybe the three of us can do something together afterwards?
we have something we need to tell you too
Read 18:25
kai?
Read 18.49
—
The two are confronted by a very pissed off Kai the moment they step foot into the apartment.
“I knew it!” Kai angrily yells, pointing his index finger at the two of them, glaring at their interlaced hands. “The two of you are dating, aren’t you?”
“Hyuka, please, calm down, can explain-” Soobin steps forward.
“Don’t come near me!” Kai flinches himself away from the elder. “Did you think I’m stupid and wouldn’t notice? Did you think I wouldn’t notice how you’ve been avoiding me to hang out with Soobin hyung, Taehyun?” Kai’s voice cracks as tears of pent up frustration prick at his eyes.
“If I had known-” Kai sniffles, “ If I had known that introducing my crushes would lead to them forgetting about me, then I would’ve never done it. I miss spending time with the both of you so much.”
Crushes. Crushes. Crushes. All this time, Kai had liked him back. Kai liked both of them back.
“Crushes..?” Taehyun mutters, looking directly into Kai’s lovely brown eyes, now red from the crying, which dart nervously between Taehyun’s and Soobin’s. “Kai.. do you like hyung and I?”
Kai’s lips quiver for a moment. “I do.” His voice comes out no louder than a whisper, eyes permanently glued to the ground, head hung in shame.
“Kaikai. Can you look at us, please?” Soobin whispers. He brings his hand to cup Kai’s cheek, stroking it gently.
“Taehyun and I like you back,” Soobin continues. “We want to date you too.”
“You’re not trying to pull a prank on me, are you? You’re serious?”
“Why would we ever do that to you, baby?” Soobin brings Kai and Taehyun in for a hug. “We’ll figure it out together, alright?”
Kai’s eyes tear up again, this time, out of hope. A small smile spreads across his face. “Kiss me, please?”
He laughs at the way his new boyfriends bicker over who gets to kiss him first.