Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Absolutely not.”

“Pretty please? I’ll do anything.”

“Mark Lee.” Haechan glares, his arms crossed over his chest. “There is nothing you can offer me that would change my mind.”

“Free food?” His best friend is persistent, not willing to go down without a fight. Mark crawls closer to Haechan on the couch, laying his head on his lap and looking up at him with a pout on his face. Haechan rolls his eyes.

“That’s so lame! I don’t think you realize what you’re asking me to do here.” Haechan looks down at him, his glare intensifying. When Mark’s pout deepens, Haechan decides to remove his glasses and avoid his gaze.

(He’s only doing this to send a message. In reality, he can see adequately without them.)

Mark sits up, and Haechan thinks he’s finally managed to get through his thick skull, until he feels a pair of arms around him.

“Listen,” Mark’s voice is low as he talks right next to Haechan’s face. It sends small chills down his spine (in a very normal way, thank you very much.)

“I know that asking you to accompany me and Renjun on our date is kinda crazy—”

“You mean, completely unreasonable!”

“— but I really need the favor, man.” Mark squeezes him, clearly trying to appeal to the embarrassingly obvious touch starved part of Haechan (it’s half working.)

“You’re asking me to third wheel! Do you think I want to watch you two smooch it out while I try to eat?” Now it’s Haechan’s turn to pout. He moves his head towards Mark and almost blushes at the proximity between their faces (he’s, like, really touch starved, okay?)

“It’s not my fault the others bailed on us!” Mark sighs and Haechan does too.

Haechan’s fatal flaw is that Mark is his ultimate weakness.

His soft spot, his kryptonite, if you will. He can’t help himself; if Mark asks for something, he can rarely resist him.

On the one hand, he feels bad and wants to help. Mark and Renjun had a whole date planned at this fancy restaurant, along with another couple, some friends of theirs that Haechan isn’t really familiar with. They’d made a reservation for tomorrow, at 6 on the dot.

However, the couple had to cancel last minute for reasons unbeknownst to Haechan, so now Mark is stuck with a reserved table meant for four people and only two people to fill it. He’s worried that the restaurant won’t let him keep it, and is hoping that having a third person there might compensate. Hence why he’s now begging Haechan to string along on their date.

On the other hand though, Haechan’s history with Mark is complicated. He used to have a huge crush on him back in the day (aka a very VERY long time ago, might he add) and while that’s definitely gone now, there’s still something a little embarrassing about watching him suck face with his other best friend Renjun (aka the guy he’s hooked up with once while drunk … he definitely has issues).

It’s not that he’s pathetic or anything. He’s perfectly content with his single status, despite all the whining he does on a regular basis. He just doesn’t want to be a third wheel on his best friend and ex love of his life’s date (which is a reasonable request, if you asked him.)

“How about this,” Haechan sighs again, almost exasperated. Mark is relentless. “What if I offer you free food for the next two Fridays.” Suddenly, Haechan’s attention is grabbed.

Friday nights are sacred. It’s the day of the week where their little friend group gets together for their weekly hangout.

It’s something they started doing back in college, as a way to catch up with each other and an excuse to spend more time together. It was expected that this would stop by the time they graduated, but they’ve surprisingly been able to keep up the tradition.

It’s not always the seven of them every week but they’re all perfectly okay with that. The simple fact that it’s still a thing at all proves that they’re still willing to make time for each other, even as they’re all slowly starting to do their own thing.

Getting free food on a Friday would be a big deal. It’d mean that Mark would pay for both his and Haechan’s meal in front of everyone, and that Haechan will be able to brag about for two Fridays in a row.

“Tempting…”

“And,” Mark continues, putting Haechan’s glasses back on his face. “You can invite someone. Making you third wheel would be, like, a bit evil, y’know? So it’ll be like a double date! Except, instead of two romantic ones, it’s gonna be one romantic and one platonic.”

“A platonic date?” Haechan snorts, amused at the idea.

“Yes, a platonic date! ‘cause you’ll be in a romantic setting with someone who’s not your boyfriend.”

“Okay, okay, alright,” Haechan groans, hanging his head in resignation. “I’ll go on the stupid date with you. But I am bringing someone.” He squints and Mark smiles innocently at him.

“Thank you so much dude, you’re literally the best.” Mark throws himself at him to engulf him in a hug and Haechan whines, scrunching his nose as he accepts defeat.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I’m doing this for the free food.” He feigns nonchalance, but there’s a small smile on his lips at the sight of Mark’s relief. (He really couldn’t resist him. It’s a problem.)

It shouldn’t be so bad, right? It’s not like it’s an actual date. He just has to sit opposite of Mark and Renjun and kill time. Easy enough, right? Now, all he has to do is find someone willing to do that with him.

The whole thing still sits on Haechan’s mind by the time he gets home. The more he thinks about it, while sitting on his couch, the more he starts to dread it. Why did I agree to this again?

His brain can’t help but imagine every scenario possible. Mark and Renjun, sitting on the other side of the table, looking lovingly into each other’s eyes while he’s forced to watch, feeling lonelier than ever. He hasn’t been on a date in so long it’s starting to ache. Just thinking about it fills him with a sick feeling of jealousy that he desperately tries to push down.

He’s startled when his phone suddenly rings, nearly dropping it on the floor. He quickly recovers and answers without looking at the name.

“I need your help.” Is the first thing Haechan hears when he picks up. He can’t help but click his tongue.

“Not even a hello? Damn, where are your manners?” He giggles when that earns him a groan on the other side.

“Hello, Haechanie, my beautiful amazing best friend that I love so much. How are you today?” The fit of giggles continues. Haechan can practically feel the eye roll from here.

Even without recognizing the voice, he would have no trouble knowing who’s on the other side of the line. Jaemin has a way of speaking that’s so distinctive it’s hard to miss.

“Much better.” Haechan approves. “And I’m doing great, thank you for asking.”

Despite the fact that they couldn’t see each other, Haechan can perfectly picture Jaemin’s body language. His face is so expressive that Haechan is basically fluent in Jaeminese by now.

He knows that he’s probably either scoffing or pouting, his face scrunched up in annoyance, but a smile gracing his lips anyway, in a “I can’t believe I still entertain this idiot” kind of way (he’s sure this is something that crosses Jaemin’s mind every day.) Haechan thrives on getting on his nerves because he knows Jaemin never pushes him away.

“Anyway, I’m sorry for interrupting you, you were saying?” Haechan’s voice sounds so innocent that he knows Jaemin is grimacing on the other side. When Jaemin switches to video call a few seconds later, Haechan’s guesses are immediately confirmed.

“I need fashion advice.” Jaemin starts, backing away from the camera a bit so his entire upper body is showing. Haechan’s eyes slightly widen once he fully takes in the sight in front of him.

Jaemin has always been the better dressed out of the two. Shiny jewelry, frills, expressive motifs, he likes his clothes loud. While Haechan is perfectly content with blending in with his fashion (after all, he already stands out so much with his personality), Jaemin likes to stick out. His outfits are always meticulously planned, and he just looks so good all the time (not that he’d ever admit that to him.)

This time is different, though.

His forehead, usually hidden behind a curtain of bangs, is exposed, framed by his now pushed back hair and he’s wearing a long sleeved shirt, where he’s rolled up the sleeves. He’s holding two ties in his hands, but Haechan is momentarily not even preoccupied by their presence.

“So,” Jaemin starts, which immediately snaps Haechan back. “Blue tie or black tie? I like the blue one, but the black one screams more professional.” He brings them both in front of him one by one to show how they look on him.

“Depends,” Haechan responds while rolling on his back and holding his phone up. “Whatcha all dolled up for?”

“Work meeting.” Jaemin grimaces. “Unfortunately probably not as exciting as you were expecting.”

“It’s okay. I like you boring.”

“Fuck you.”

“So, work meeting. What kind? Is it like a party? Or is it an actual boring meeting with, like, analytics and shit.”

The question lingers as Jaemin thinks. Haechan can tell because he can see him frowning. (Jaemin always frowns when he thinks. Haechan thinks it’s cute.)

“Both and neither at the same time.” Jaemin muses while he walks over to sit on his bed. “We’ve been invited to a restaurant to presumably talk about the future of the company, but I doubt that’s all we’ll do.”

“I see.” Haechan nods, his glasses flopping on the top of his nose as he does. “In that case, blue. A splash of colour is always appreciated.”

“Hm.” Jaemin puts the blue one on and walks over to his long oval mirror. He considers the look, quietly humming to himself. “You’re right. I’m glad you agree with my initial assessment, thank you.” Jaemin nods at his reflection, clearly satisfied, before he starts cleaning up the remainder of his clothes sprawled across his room (presumably with one hand, since the other is holding the phone.)

“Did you just call me to ask me about your tie?” Haechan giggles to himself, clearly amused.

“Maybe I did,” Jaemin shrugs, unashamed. “I was uncharacteristically overthinking this and needed a second opinion. You were the first person I thought of.”

“Over Jeno?” Haechan raises an eyebrow. While he likes to consider himself to be Jaemin’s best (and favourite!) friend, Jeno has a slight edge because they live in the same apartment building. It just makes sense for Jaemin to go to him for a lot of things.

(Though, he can’t lie, Jaemin admitting he thought of him first makes Haechan’s selfish side very happy.)

“Dude, fuck Jeno.”

“Hey, don’t be mean to Jeno!” Haechan retorts but he quickly erupts in laughter

“I will stop being mean to him when he stops having the worst fashion takes of all time. I still haven’t forgiven him for showing up to my birthday party in fucking khakis.”

“Oh my god.” Haechan laughs so hard he accidentally drops his phone on his face. He can hear Jaemin chuckle lightly.

“It was literally two years ago!”

“And yet it is the most offensive thing I’ve ever been a victim of. I will never listen to a single fashion-related opinion he has ever again.” Jaemin’s tone is completely serious because he is being completely serious. Haechan still hasn’t stopped laughing.

“You’re crazy.”

“And yet I never lack fashion sense!”

Haechan rolls back on his stomach, propping his phone on the armrest while he catches his breath. Jaemin truly has a skill to make him laugh like nobody can. An idea starts sprouting in his scheming brain, but for the first time, he’s hesitant.

“Hey Jaeminie?” Haechan calls out. Jaemin hums, his way of showing he’s listening.

“Crazy idea, but would you go on a platonic date with me?” Jaemin stops in his tracks.

“What?” The dumbfounded expression on his face is almost adorable.

“A platonic date.”

“Like, hanging out? If you want us to hang out, you can just ask.”

“No!” Haechan pouts. “I mean a platonic date. Like, it’s a date but we’re not dating.”

“I think you’ve lost me. Are you asking me out?”

“It’s Mark.” Haechan continues, now sounding more whiny. “He wants me to accompany him and Renjun on their date to a fancy restaurant because the other couple on their reservation bailed on them.”

“Ah!”

“But I don’t want to third wheel so I’m inviting you. So yes I’m asking you out.”

“I see.” Jaemin nods as he thinks, the frown back on his face. By this point, it’s clear that he’s left his room and has stepped into the elevator. “Then, okay.”

“Wait, just like that?” Haechan’s eyes widen. “I thought I was gonna have to convince you.”

“Third wheeling Renjun and Mark sound like anyone’s personal hell. I’m okay with sharing the trauma.” Jaemin shrugs. Well, that was easy. Haechan spent the afternoon stressing for nothing. Maybe he was Jaemin’s kryptonite.

“Thank you so much. You have no idea how much you’re saving my life right now.” At that, Jaemin lifts his phone to show a full view of his face and smiles. Haechan can’t help but smile back.

“Of course, cutie.”

(Jaemin calls him cutie sometimes. He can’t exactly remember when it started but the nickname likes to make an appearance every once in a while. Haechan feels like it’s reserved for him, since he’s never heard him refer to anyone else that way. Haechan: 1, Jeno: 0)

“Now, I have to drive so I’m gonna go. But I’ll talk to you later, yeah?”

“Okay.” Haechan nods, lifting his screen to make his own face more visible too. “Good luck with your meeting!”

“Thank you.”

Jaemin smiles at him one last time, his finger hovering above the hang up button when:

“Wait!” Haechan suddenly exclaims. “One last thing.”

“Hm?”

“What would you have done if I was actually asking you out?”

“Goodbye, Haechan.” Jaemin hangs up to the sound of Haechan’s giggles.

~~

The next day, Haechan immediately starts regretting every decision he’s ever made.

This isn’t an actual proper date, yet he’s freaking out as if it is one.

Half of his clothes are sprawled on his bed, organized by outfits, his makeup kit is opened on his drawer (does he even need makeup?) and he’s standing there half naked, wondering where it all went wrong.

It’s not like he has anyone he needs to impress or keep appearances for, so why does he feel this way?

Maybe it’s because he seriously hasn’t gone on a date in months, even as a joke. He’s forgotten how these things function, or even how he used to act. It’s honestly quite embarrassing.

He startles when his phone rings, and he scrambles to reach for it, tripping on his pants that he hadn’t completely removed.

“What?”

“Why, that’s not a way to talk to your lovely date, now is it?” Jaemin. Haechan finds himself standing a bit straighter.

“Oh. Sorry, I didn’t realize it was you.” Haechan huffs, slightly out of breath all of a sudden. The reality of it all is finally starting to hit him.

“I wasn’t initially gonna call you, but I just realized we haven’t established our meeting spot.” Jaemin is his calm self, as usual, which only makes Haechan feel more embarrassed.

“Oh.” That thought hasn’t even occurred to him. “Uh, I guess you can come to my place? I am…” Haechan trails off, looking around his room. “… not ready yet. Do you think I should shower?”

“Hm. I mean, it’s up to you.”

“No, but I’m unsure, that’s why I’m asking. Would this be considered date etiquette?”

“Haechan.” Jaemin deadpans. “This isn’t a real date. Who cares about etiquette.”

“I’m gonna shower.” Haechan decides. He hears Jaemin laughing on the other side of the line and suddenly feels completely ridiculous.

“Okay, whatever makes you feel comfortable. I’ll be there in 15.”

“Okay. See you then.” Haechan hangs up before he can embarrass himself further. He finishes removing his clothes and slips in the bathroom with only his towel. He’ll figure out the outfit situation later.

The shower water is scorching hot. He lets it slide down his skin, wrapping him in a blanket of warmth like a comforting hug.

All of this is completely stupid. So he’s going on a double date with Mark. Why does it matter?

Maybe it’s because he used to imagine himself on the other side of that table. Sitting next to Mark, his arm around his shoulders, around his waist, on his thighs, on his face, his name on his lips, romantic words ushered in his ear, a look of adoration on his face. Maybe he’s dreading watching it all happen in real time because it’s gonna remind him of what he could’ve had. Or maybe it’s gonna remind him of what he does want but has never gotten. Haechan is now realizing he’s never been looked at that way, never been talked to that way, never been touched that way.

He’s been on dates before, yes, but he hasn’t properly dated in ages. Even so, he barely considered high school relationships as being real and authentic depictions of true romantic relationships. He’s definitely fucked a few times, but that’s different. None of his hookups wanted to date him. None of them ever looked at him like that.

Maybe he’s just jealous that Renjun ended up getting what younger him always wanted.

(Apparently, he’s alive and well, quietly living and lurking inside of him, existing simply to hold a grudge and making his current self miserable. Haechan hates him.)

Haechan allows himself to fully enjoy the feeling of the hot water against his body, letting his growing concerns suddenly evaporate. He takes his time, delicately cleaning his hair and caressing over his skin. At this point, he’s doing it for the relief of it all rather than to actually clean himself. He doesn't even realize that over ten minutes have passed by the time he gets out of the shower.

Haechan makes his way back to his room with only a towel around his waist. He doesn’t realize that something’s wrong until he’s stepped back into his room and spots a shadow from the corner of his eye. He shrieks, nearly dropping his towel.

“Haechan! Haechan, it’s me!” The sound of Jaemin’s voice instantly lowers his blood pressure back to normal. Haechan grabs onto the door frame to hold himself up.

“Are you crazy?! What made you think you could just barge into my room like this?”

“I told you I’d be there in 15! Granted, I’m slightly early, but I thought you’d expect my arrival.” Has it really already been that long? Haechan is losing track of time. His face grows hot in embarrassment as he lets go of the wall and timidly enters his room.

“You’re.. right, I’m sorry. I forgot.” Jaemin pouts, highlighting his eyes, now big and round. Haechan turns around to avoid looking at him.

He completely forgot that Jaemin has a key to this place (the opposite is also true.) He probably let himself in while Haechan was in the shower.

He suddenly feels very naked with his towel around his waist.

It’s not like Jaemin seeing his dick would be, like, the end of the world or anything but it’s still kind of embarrassing to think that this single towel is the only thing preventing him from flashing his best friend. He’s a bit more reserved when it comes to these things.

Haechan hears the footsteps behind him of Jaemin walking closer. His breath slightly hitches.

“You seem kind of flustered .. is everything okay?” Jaemin asks softly, putting a delicate hand on his shoulder. Haechan almost flinches away at the contact. There’s something so intimate about touches on bare skin.

“Uh, yeah.. yeah, no I’m fine, just..” he trails off, feeling the embarrassment rush to his chest. He turns around and Jaemin is smiling sweetly at him.

The outfit he’s wearing is similar to the one he showed Haechan the day prior but it somehow looks even better in person. His forehead is still exposed (Haechan remembers telling him he liked his hair like that once and now Jaemin has started wearing it like that more often on purpose. He isn’t complaining though.) and he swears he spots some eyeliner. It’s distracting, which is honestly kind of sick considering they are gonna sit next to each other for an extended period of time.

“This is a little embarrassing but can you turn around while I at least put my boxers on?” Haechan’s face goes from pink to red and Jaemin laughs in a way that seems weirdly fond.

“If you wanted me to leave the room you could’ve just asked.” Jaemin turns his back to him and Haechan quickly grabs his boxers and a pair of random shorts for good measure.

“No, no, it’s fine, I just thought it’d be a little intense if I stripped for you before our first date.” Jaemin erupts in laughter and it helps alleviate Haechan’s stress levels. When he turns back around, after Haechan has given him permission to, he looks like he’s glowing.

“Such a bummer. Would’ve loved to see that.” Haechan blushes furiously and pushes a laughing Jaemin away. He chooses to not acknowledge him, instead shifting his attention to the outfits on his bed. He considers his options, weighing the pros and cons in his head.

“Need help?” Jaemin comes up behind him. Haechan is tempted to ignore him, but he does need help.

“I think I’m overthinking this again. It’s a problem.”

Haechan glances over as Jaemin walks closer to the bed and looks over at his clothes, meticulously studying them. Jaemin ultimately chooses an outfit similar to the one he’s wearing but in full black, accompanied a black hoodie.

“A hoodie, really?” Haechan questions, an eyebrow raised. Jaemin turns to him.

“It’s maybe not the most.. appropriate attire but it’s personal bias, entirely independent of fashion. You just look so adorable in a hoodie.” He shrugs, but a cheeky smile grows on his face when Haechan’s eyes widen in shock.

“Oh.”

“You don’t have to have to wear it, it’s just an idea.” An idea, he says. Jaemin just flat out admitted that he thinks Haechan looks cute in a hoodie. A hoodie. Maybe he hit his head on the way here.

Haechan shrugs, trying to act nonchalant while his face turns an ugly shade of crimson. He’s not even dressed and he’s already a complete mess. He’s doomed.

Refusing to acknowledge Jaemin’s last comment out loud, he chooses to simply go with the clothes he’s picked out without another word.

Once he’s dressed, he takes a good look at himself in the mirror, admiring the outfit.

“See,” Jaemin walks up behind him and puts the hood over Haechan’s head. “You look adorable. Like a cute baby bear.” The way Jaemin speaks about him sometimes reminds Haechan of how a mother talks about her youngest child: filled with adoration and fondness. It makes his stomach twist in a way he can’t explain.

“Yeah, yeah, I know, I’m fucking cute. Don’t inflate my ego too much.” Haechan walks to his drawer as Jaemin giggles behind him. He adds the finishing touches to his look, the faintest of makeup and a bunch of decorative rings on his fingers, before coming back.

“You gonna put these back on?” Jaemin questions, glancing over to Haechan’s glasses, left on his shelf. Haechan briefly considers before shaking his head.

“I’ll pass. I don’t typically wear them on dates anyway.”

“Why not?” Jaemin tilts his head to the side, his eyebrows furrowed.

“‘Cus it’s fancier that way.”

“Ah, ah!” Jaemin shakes his head. “I respectfully disagree with that. I hate this narrative perpetrated by Hollywood that makes people think that glasses are uncool. It’s not unsexy to see, you know.” Haechan laughs, a lot more than he expected.

“But—”

“No buts. I’m not letting you omit the thing that helps you see better to appear fancier. That’s bullshit.” Jaemin crosses his arms and Haechan finds himself mirroring him.

“Fine. Will you allow it if it’s because I want you to see my eyes better?” Jaemin snorts.

“Don’t laugh, I even put on eyeliner and everything!” Haechan pouts. Jaemin walks closer and slowly scans Haechan’s face with his eyes in a way that tugs at his heartstrings. A smile grows on his face.

“So you did. It looks good so I’ll allow this time.” Jaemin nods, seeming satisfied. Haechan suddenly feels like he got the air knocked out of him so he steps aside so he can grab his keys. He’ll fix his mess of a room later.

They finally leave, only slightly behind schedule. Haechan estimates that they can still make it in time if there isn’t too much traffic.

Jaemin has decided to wrap an arm around Haechan’s shoulders as they walk and it weirdly feels nice. His embrace feels warm, similar to the shower he’d taken earlier and it somehow manages to partially soothe Haechan’s anxiety. He finds himself leaning into him.

Once they’re in the car, the stress hits him all at once and he starts shifting uncomfortably in his seat (thankfully, Jaemin chose to drive, even though they’re in Haechan’s car.) Jaemin has clearly taken notice, but hasn’t brought attention to it yet.

This is where he differs from Mark. While Mark confronts him head on, Jaemin’s approach is more subtle. He tends to simply make himself available, giving Haechan knowing looks and waiting for him to make the first move instead.

Both approaches were necessary to him: sometimes, he needs someone to directly call him out on his bullshit (which Jaemin is also capable of doing and has done in the past) but sometimes he also just needs a reassuring presence waiting for him to be ready.

“I think I’m a little nervous.” Haechan finally admits after a long moment of nothing but the background music blasting from the speakers. Jaemin lowers the volume from the radio.

“Why are you nervous?”

“I don’t know.” Haechan sighs, looking out the window. “I guess it’s .. did you know I haven’t gone on a date in a really long time? Like, I know it’s not a real date but it’s still the .. it’s still like a simulation? Plus there’s probably gonna be a bunch of sickeningly sweet couples around and I don’t know if I can handle that.”

“Ah, slow down a little.” Jaemin says lightheartedly, laughing quietly.

“Sorry. I just started rambling.”

“Hm.” Jaemin doesn’t say anything else and Haechan starts to regret opening up.

“So this has nothing to do with your past crush on Mark, right?”

“My wh—” Haechan’s heart drops to his ass and he abruptly turns towards Jaemin. “You knew?!”

“Of course I knew, you big dummy. You were like the most obvious person ever. You looked at him like he hung the stars.”

“Oh my God.” Haechan buries his head in his hands, his face burning like it never has before. “That’s so fucking embarrassing.”

“It’s adorable. You were so in love.”

“I was not in l—”

“Honestly, I kinda get it. Mark in college? Dude was irresistible.”

“Aren’t you the guy who had a crush on Renjun?” Haechan lifts his head to squint at him. The car is stopped at a red light so Jaemin meets his gaze.

“I did not. I was merely attracted to him. I mean, have you seen the guy?”

“You liked him!”

“I wanted him. There’s a nuance.” Haechan huffs.

“It’s funny you think I liked him back then though, because didn’t you sleep with him during that same time period?”

“I was drunk!” Haechan protests. “You know I was! You even cleaned up my vomit the next day.”

“I did. It was repulsive.”

“Fuck you.” Jaemin laughs, a genuine full laugh that comes from his heart. Haechan struggles to keep the pout on his face.

“Ah, Haechan. You really do make me laugh.” Jaemin pats his thigh and Haechan’s heart swells at the compliment.

“I do get it, though.” Jaemin adds, his tone sincere. “It’s definitely an unconventional situation. Don’t worry, though, I’ll be sure to make this as memorable as possible for you.”

“How?” Haechan asks, glancing back at him.

“I haven’t decided yet.” Jaemin muses, his eyes on the road. “Maybe I should truly play into the whole simulation aspect of it all. Give you a true date, y’know? That way, you won’t have to think about the nauseating couple in front of us.”

“Oh, that’s .. uh, I don’t know if that’ll be necessary.” Haechan sputters, suddenly flustered. “I think we should just act normal. I do appreciate the thought, though.”

“Alright.” Jaemin nods. “Just let me know if there’s something I can do, okay?” He briefly glances over and smiles, squeezing Haechan’s thigh that he’s still holding. Haechan nods and smiles back, ignoring the warm feeling growing at the pit of his stomach.

Renjun and Mark are waiting for them when they arrive at the restaurant. They all greet each other with hugs before walking back inside. They’re assigned to their designated table in no time.

“This place is absolutely stunning,” Haechan compliments as he looks around. He’s sitting across from Mark and next to Jaemin, close enough for their thighs to touch. “I understand why you were so desperate to keep your reservation.”

“Yeah,” Mark breathes out, taking a look around too. “Thanks again for that, by the way.” Haechan simply smiles.

As they order their food and make themselves comfortable, Mark moves closer to Renjun, wrapping his arms around his shoulders, similar to how Jaemin had done to Haechan earlier but somehow worse. The touch makes Renjun look at him and they lovingly stare at each other, smiles plastered on their faces. Haechan feels himself grimacing.

For an instant, he imagines himself in Renjun’s place. He pictures it so well: the look he’d have in his eyes, the weird feeling he’d get in his entire body, the stupid fucking smile he would probably have on his face. The illusion stops and the image of himself fades. The jealousy hits him a lot stronger than he thought.

“Hey Haechan,” Jaemin calls out, finally pulling his attention away from the couple. “Wanna see something?”

Haechan turns to him, now giving him his full attention (Renjun and Mark deserved their privacy, plus staring for too long would just be weird, right?). Jaemin grabs a ketchup pack that was laying on the table and makes it disappear.

“Where did it go?” Haechan’s eyes widen as he grabs Jaemin’s arm to inspect it. “What the .. how the fuck did you do that?” Jaemin simply shrugs.

“Magic.”

“Jaeminie, come on! Now bring it back.”

Jaemin promptly does as he’s told and the ketchup pack returns in his hands.

“That’s .. what the fuck.” Haechan marvels, frowning in complete bewilderment. “You have to tell me how you did that.”

“Magicians never reveal their secrets.” Jaemin hushes, smiling cryptically in a way only he does. Haechan narrows his eyes.

“Not even to me? Your best friend?”

“Nope.”

“But you love me!”

“Haechan, I wouldn’t even tell you if we were married with kids.” Haechan gasps, both taken aback by the random scenario but also incredibly offended.

“How dare you! You wouldn’t even tell your loving and loyal wife and the mother of your kids?”

“I would not.”

“.. Would you tell the kids?” Haechan asks after a few moments of silence. Jaemin’s smile only grows.

“I’d consider it.”

“Oh my God, fuck you.” Haechan pushes him before grabbing his phone to look it up himself. As he’s typing, Jaemin takes his phone away.

“Hey, bitch, give it back!”

“Why do you need to know so bad?”

“I am not listening to my liar of a husband. This is a breach of trust and a betrayal of our marriage. Now give me my phone back so I can look up the information you’re withholding from me.” Jaemin laughs so hard he leans back against the booth. Renjun and Mark glance over but Haechan is too busy glaring at Jaemin to notice.

“You’re ridiculous.” Jaemin moves back closer to him, patting his thigh again.

“Why won’t you tell me?”

“Do you need to know everything?” Jaemin meets his gaze. “Haven’t you ever heard of childlike wonder? You know, the thing that makes kids believe that a fat old man is delivering presents down their chimney and flying all across the world within a single night on magical reindeers? You need to tap into your inner child, cutie. Let some questions remain unanswered.”

“Is this, like, a secret life lesson or something?” Haechan scrunches his nose in disgust.

“Nah. I just think magic loses its charm when you know how the tricks are done. I’m doing you a favour.”

“Fine.” Haechan relents, sighing deeply. “Can I get another one, then?”

Jaemin does another one and Haechan is just as amazed. He knows there’s science behind it, a logical explanation for its execution, but he’s allowing himself to pretend that this is magic, à la Harry Potter, just this once. Jaemin smiles to himself, content.

“Where did you learn how to do magic like that, anyway?” Haechan asks, curious. Jaemin leans back against the booth, deliberately this time.

“My niece’s 4th birthday party.”

“That’s incredibly specific.” Haechan laughs.

“It’s true, though. They had invited a magician for her party and I, being 16 and the oldest guest there by far, ended up befriending the magician.” Jaemin recalls, letting his fingers drum against Haechan’s leg as he talks. “I could’ve left sooner but I was the host’s brother and my niece is maybe my favourite person in this world so I pushed through for her.”

“That’s adorable.” Haechan coos, nudging him. It only makes Jaemin smile more.

“Honestly, the dude was pretty nice. We talked for a bit, then he showed me a few tricks. I practiced them, then once I got home, I learned a few others online so I could surprise my niece.” Jaemin’s smile gets fonder. “You should’ve seen her face every time I performed a magic trick for her. She was so ecstatic.”

“Oh my god, Jaemin, you’re so fucking soft.”

“Shut up.”

“No, but you are. That’s so cute. I didn’t think you were soft like that.” He obnoxiously nudges him again and now it’s Jaemin’s turn to push him. Haechan giggles.

“No, but it makes sense, though. I’ve always known you had girl dad energy.” Jaemin looks over at him, visibly baffled and Haechan bites back yet another laugh.

“You think so?”

“Oh, without a doubt.”

“Care to elaborate on that? I’m curious.” Jaemin turns his body ever so slightly so he can face Haechan more.

“Well,” Haechan thinks, trying to bring his vision to life in his head. “I see you as a father. A father of ..” he pauses to think more. “Four girls. Yeah. So four daughters. Perhaps a set of twins?” Jaemin raises an eyebrow and Haechan bites on his lip to keep his composure.

“I imagine that they’re, like, basically your entire world and that you spoil them rotten. They adore you and you adore them and you’ll kill anyone who even looks at them wrong. That’s the image I have of you.”

“Interesting.” Jaemin muses, seemingly trying to picture it himself. “I actually think this is a pretty good read of me. Well played.” He lets out a small laugh and Haechan smiles proudly. Like magnets, they both unknowingly move closer to each other.

“Don’t I know you so well?” Haechan leans the back of his head against the front of Jaemin’s shoulder, lifting his head to look up at him. When their eyes meet, Jaemin is smiling fondly at him.

“You do. It’s scary.”

“Yet somehow I know so little about you. Like, how come you never talk about your brother?”

“Brothers. I have two. Plus a sister.”

“Exactly!” Haechan shifts so he’s leaning against the booth too. “Why don’t you tell me more about your family?”

“It’s honestly not even anything deep.” Jaemin admits, shrugging. His hand has officially made a home on Haechan’s leg, now simply resting on it (though his thumb occasionally mindlessly strokes the area near Haechan’s knee. It gives him slight chills.)

“So?”

“They’re not super interesting to talk about. There isn’t much to say so I don’t talk about them.”

“They’re pretty normal folks,” Jaemin continues. “Like, I’m weird but they’re just regular people living regular lives, so I don’t feel the need to constantly bring them up. My niece, though? I adore her.”

“Like your four daughters!” Haechan pats his shoulder and Jaemin snorts.

“Precisely. I think she’d actually love you.”

“Really?” Haechan’s voice softens at that. “Even if I’m loud and obnoxious?”

“Let me remind you that I am her favourite uncle. It’s precisely for that reason that she’d like you.”

“You know what,” Haechan snorts. “That’s fair. You’re right. And considering she clearly means so much to you, I appreciate it.” He smiles brightly at Jaemin, who returns his smile.

“I can’t believe we’re talking about potentially meeting family on the first date. Are you trying to scare me?” Haechan teases, leaning his side onto Jaemin.

“Quite the opposite, actually. I’m making sure you stick around by giving you something to look forward to.” Haechan’s chest feels light in a way it rarely has, probably due to how much he’s been (and is still currently) laughing. It’s a nice feeling, and Jaemin’s sweet smile only makes it better.

“Such a charmer.”

“What can I say, it just comes naturally to me.” Jaemin bats his eyes at him and Haechan giggles so much he has to cover his mouth.

“What’s your secret?” He plays along.

“Hm.” Jaemin thinks. “Authenticity. I always thrive to be my true self at all times, even on first dates. That way, I know from the jump if they truly like me or not.” Jaemin’s words seem so logical yet unexpectedly speak to Haechan. He purses his lips.

“I always thought you needed to wait a bit before showing your true self.” He thinks out loud.

“Some people do that.” Jaemin shrugs. “I don’t see the point, though. How will your date know if you’re right for them if they don’t know how you are? I don’t necessarily think you need to be at your most true self at the beginning— personally, I do but I can understand why others wouldn’t— but you should at least be to an extent.” A realization hits Haechan like a ton of bricks.

“I think you just found the root of all my failed dates. I wasn’t authentic enough. I’m always quiet and sweet at first and then boom, obnoxious and never shuts up. Oh my God, maybe I’m ever scaring them away.”

“I disagree.” Jaemin replies and Haechan raises an eyebrow. “You may lack authenticity but these guys only leave because they’re cowards.”

“Jaemin, be serious.”

“I am serious. Don’t let your lack of recent dating experience make you believe that you’re anything less than a goddamn catch.” Haechan can feel his face flushing again.

“And what makes you think that?”

“Oh, come on.” Jaemin whines. “You’re pretty and you’re funny!”

“But every guy thinks that! I want something more!”

“Fine.” Jaemin huffs. “Well, you can cook and you’re loyal and you give really good hugs. Basically the whole boyfriend package.” Haechan rolls his eyes and nudges him but he’s fighting back a smile.

“But really, though,” Jaemin’s voice gets quieter, as if he doesn’t want anyone else to hear. Haechan instinctively moves his head closer. “You’re the baddest bitch and my best friend. You deserve to be taken on a proper date because I know that you’d make a great boyfriend.”

Jaemin pokes the middle of Haechan’s chest. “Don’t you dare forget that. And if you do, it’s okay. I’ll remind you.” Jaemin is smiling at him so sweetly, so fondly, so sincerely that Haechan’s heart starts to ache. He doesn’t notice the quickening pace of his pulse because he’s focusing on how much he loves Jaemin’s smile.

The exposed forehead is truly doing wonders right now. It’s only when Haechan turns his head to look at Jaemin better that he realizes he never took the hood off his head.

“Thank you.” Haechan breathes out, feeling his heart in his throat. “That’s .. honestly super sweet and I’ll .. I’ll take all of that into consideration the next time I go on a date.” He promises, which makes Jaemin’s sweet sweet smile just grow wider. Haechan finds himself leaning into him more.

It’s only when the food finally arrives that Haechan remembers Renjun and Mark are here. Jaemin has a gift of being so distracting that the world around them disappears. Whatever his plan was is clearly working because when Haechan turns back towards the couple, he smiles at them, absent of any jealousy.

Almost as soon as they get their plates, Haechan steals some of Jaemin’s fries.

“Hey!”

“Sorry, this is just me being my authentic self.”

“Oh, fuck off.” Jaemin rolls his eyes. Haechan’s lips stretch into a cheeky smile.

“You knew what you were getting into when you agreed to go on a date with me.” Haechan nags in a singsong voice, obnoxiously leaning his face close to Jaemin’s. They hold eye contact, in which Jaemin glares at him but he ultimately softens up when Haechan’s smile gets bigger. He simply shakes his head and goes back to eating.

The food is absolutely exquisite. Haechan keeps complimenting it over and over to Mark, as if he’s the one who cooked it, much to everyone’s amusement. Jaemin’s hand is still resting on Haechan’s leg under the table, his fingers absentmindedly drawing circles on his knee. Somehow, it feels almost intimate.

“Thanks again to you two for agreeing to come.” Mark says once they’re done eating and have ordered desert. He and Renjun still are tangled up in each other but Haechan finds himself not minding this time. “You guys have no idea how hard I had to hustle to get this table.”

“It’s nothing, really. All we had to do was tune you guys out.” Haechan laughs and Mark does too.

“Honestly, that’s super fair.” Mark agrees and Renjun giggles beside him. “Though, I gotta say, I think you guys look super cute together. Like, it was entertaining to watch you two.” Haechan stills, his eyes widening a bit. He glances at Jaemin to gauge his reaction, but he seems completely calm, as usual.

“I mean, duh. We’re like the cutest people ever, naturally we look cute together.” Who is Haechan if not someone who deflects with jokes? Mark snorts while Renjun groans.

“Thank you. What he means to say is thank you.” Jaemin jumps in, wrapping an arm around Haechan closer and glaring at him. Haechan can only smile sheepishly.

“Ah, this guy never changes. One compliment and he’s flying off the handle.” Renjun accuses, narrowing his eyes at Haechan.

“Hey, don’t be mean to my date.”

“Your date drives me crazy.”

“But that’s precisely his charm!” Jaemin retorts, not missing a beat. Renjun opens his mouth to clap back but instead just settles and pouts while Mark laughs and brings him closer. Jaemin glances at Haechan with a satisfied smile before settling, not removing his arm from around him. Somehow he sounded so sincere and Haechan starts to feel tingly.

Things get quieter as they wait for dessert. At one point, Haechan makes eye contact with Mark, who questions him with his eyes, kind of like a quiet Are you okay? Haechan extends his foot to touch Mark’s as a silent response. They both exchange a knowing but sweet smile.

The restaurant is full today; the comfortable silence around the table causes Haechan to notice for the first time. As he initially suspected before coming here, there are couples everywhere. They’re all sitting across from each other, an optimal position to stare into each other’s eyes (gross). He spots a couple a few tables away, feeding each other a chocolate strawberry (even more gross). Haechan finds himself grimacing in disgust.

“Jaeminie.”

“Hm?” Jaemin looks up from his phone to look at him.

“Look at this couple feeding each other a strawberry. They’re so gross.” Haechan whispers, trying his best not to stare.

“Yeah, you’re right, chocolate strawberries are gross, this feels like a violation.”

“That’s not what I meant!” Haechan whines, lightly nudging Jaemin’s sides. Jaemin giggles and lowers his arm from his shoulder to his waist.

“Ah, okay, my bad.” He nods his head apologetically. “In that case, how dare they be so coupley in such a public space? Truly nauseating.”

“Thank you!” Haechan exclaims, dramatically flaring his arms around. “Like, get a room or something.”

“No public consideration whatsoever.” Jaemin clicks his tongue and shakes his head. Haechan laughs it off, pleased that Jaemin agreed to indulge him, but he can’t help the slight wave of sadness that washes over him.

“It doesn’t matter, though.” Jaemin adds, a bit more quietly.

“My eyes beg to differ.” Haechan mumbles. Jaemin laughs.

“I’m serious, though.” Jaemin insists. His hand slowly starts trailing along Haechan’s side and he swears he gets chills so strong he feels like he’s gonna combust. “You may not have a cute, loving, sexy boyfriend…”

“Jaemin.”

“But you know what you do have?” He brings Haechan closer. “A loud, obnoxious, annoying, magic-making best friend who agreed to go on a not-date with you. Isn’t that just as good?” Haechan scoffs, practically rolling his eyes while Jaemin quietly laughs. When he glances over and Jaemin is already smiling at him, he feels a tug on his heart, strong but weirdly comfortable. He decides that for now, maybe this is enough.

Haechan feels a lot lighter by the time the date ends. When Mark comes his way and thanks him for the millionth time, he hugs him so tightly, feeling overwhelmed by a newfound emotion. Mark hugs him back just as tightly.

Once the couple leave, Haechan and Jaemin get in the car (Haechan is driving this time.) Despite the silence, Haechan feels weirdly fluttery.

“By the way… thank you for agreeing to come with me. You managed to make this technical third wheeling not insufferable.” Haechan laughs lightly and briefly glances over at Jaemin, whose face is illuminated by the sunset glow. It makes both his eyes appear different colours and his smile look even brighter, to the point where Haechan momentarily gets distracted (thank god they’re stopped at a red light.)

“It was my pleasure. I’m glad I could help.” Jaemin flicks his chin and Haechan bites his lip, looking back at the road with a furious blush on his face. His tongue feels heavy all of a sudden.

“I feel like I owe you something.”

“Nah, you don’t.” Jaemin shakes his head. “I don’t need anything in return.”

“Are you sure? Because Mark offered me free food for me to agree.”

“Yeah, but that’s different.” Jaemin argues. “There’s honestly only one thing I wanted. Did you have fun?”

“I did.” Haechan answers truthfully after a moment. He doesn’t even notice that he started smiling. “I really did.”

“Then my job here is done.” Jaemin pats his thigh. Haechan hadn’t realized how cold his leg felt until now.

“Besides… I don’t need to be bribed to hang out with you.” Haechan swears his heart flutters for the first time. He holds onto the steering wheel a little tighter as they pull up in the driveway.

Once the car stops, he can’t even bring himself to look at Jaemin. His face is hot, his legs feel weak and his entire body is fuzzy. Oh my God, I think I’m going crazy.

“Well,” Jaemin’s voice practically sounds like a whisper. “Thanks for the ride. I had a good time too, for the record.” Haechan finally brings himself to look at him. His hair is a bit of a mess now but it doesn’t make him any less stunning (quite the contrary). His gaze lingers a few seconds too long. The words escape him so he smiles and hopes it’s able to convey his thoughts.

Jaemin smiles back, and goes to leave when he abruptly stops.

“Wait,” he turns back towards Haechan. “One last thing.”

“What?”

“Well,” Jaemin moves closer to him and Haechan’s heart starts beating furiously in his chest. “I told you I’d maybe play into the simulation aspect of it all so..” and with that, Jaemin leans in and leaves a kiss on Haechan’s jaw.

It’s soft, it’s gentle, and it lingers for a bit too long. Jaemin pulls back, a fond smile on his face, and moves away to leave again.

“Hold on,” Haechan stops him. “That’s it?”

“What?” Jaemin turns back toward him, laughing slightly.

“Come on, you can’t tell me that you’re gonna give me the real date experience and not go all the way.” Haechan accuses, offended.

“Hm.” Jaemin considers, his lips pursed. “Good point.”

He scoots closer again and Haechan feels his heart racing. For a second, he wonders if he’s thought this through.

Jaemin stares at him, analyzing every corner of his face. Haechan blushes again and catches himself anticipating. Oh fuck.

They hold eye contact until Jaemin decides to lean in and kiss him properly this time.

It only lasts a few seconds but once Jaemin pulls back, Haechan feels something snap inside of him. He grabs Jaemin’s face and brings him back in for more.

He almost panics once his brain realizes what he’s done, afraid that he just made things weird, but Jaemin kisses back so scarily fast Haechan wonders if he wanted to kiss him this entire time.

He hasn’t kissed anyone in so long and he’s forgotten how good it feels. Jaemin is gentle yet passionate at the same time, moving himself as close as he can in the limited space they have. Haechan’s brain is going haywire, unable to fully process what’s happening but loving it far too much to even think of doing anything about it. He wants more, he craves more proximity but there’s so much they can do with the cup holder in between them. He settles for what he has, enjoying the feeling of Jaemin’s lips against his.

And when Jaemin pulls back again after what feels like a while, it’s to go back in again, as if he can’t stop, won’t stop, doesn’t want to stop. Haechan is getting drunk on greed, only wanting more and more.

It takes even longer for the both of them to finally be able to pull away from each other. Haechan feels breathless, both literally and figuratively. Jaemin’s chest is rising quickly but he’s smiling so big Haechan finds himself avoiding his gaze, overwhelmed.

“I think .. I think I’m gonna go now.” Jaemin pants, visibly catching his breath. Haechan’s entire body feels hot and his brain is in a perpetual state of what the fuck, what the fuck.

“I’ll walk you out.” Haechan says without thinking before they both get out. They walk to Jaemin’s car, avoiding each other’s gaze and keeping a distance between them (granted, it’s small but it’s a distance nonetheless.)

Once Jaemin gets in, Haechan stands next to his door, weirdly unsure of how to act. It doesn’t feel awkward per say, but they both know they’ve crossed a line they shouldn’t. No friends make out with each other like that.

Haechan dares to glance at Jaemin, who’s already staring at him. The tension is so thick he finds himself swallowing nervously.

“C’mere,” Jaemin tugs on his sleeve. “I want a hug.” Haechan obeys, getting in the car and sitting on his lap while facing him. They do embrace, warm and comforting, but once they pull back, Haechan quickly becomes aware of the proximity between them. There’s no cup holders holding them back anymore, and Jaemin’s face is so close he can feel his breath on his cheeks. They barely last a second before they lean back in all over again.

Jaemin uses one of his arms, that was lazily wrapped around Haechan’s waist, to try and blindly shut the car door. Once he does, their kiss becomes more passionate. Jaemin is pressing against Haechan so much that Haechan’s back is leaning against the steering wheel, even activating the horn at one point. It startles Haechan and makes Jaemin giggle, but they quickly resume. Haechan extends his hand to adjust the seat so Jaemin is fully laying back, then shifts his position so he’s properly on top of him. Jaemin’s hands move from his waist to his face to pull him closer and the contact nearly makes Haechan combust.

It all feels strange and almost out of left field, but it oddly also makes a lot of sense.

Jaemin is his friend, his best friend. The one who’s always been there for him, the one who’s supported him no matter what. He calls him pet names, drives all the way to his place in the middle of the night whenever Haechan calls, and looks at him with all the fondness in the world. He agrees to go on fake dates with him, bears with him every single day and gives him a special kind of attention and affection he doesn’t give anyone else. It all suddenly hits Haechan like a ton of bricks.

You looked at him like he hung the stars. Turns out, there was someone looking at him like that too.

Haechan truly feels everything for the first time. Every violent heartbeat, every flutter in his chest, every stroke of Jaemin’s thumb against his jaw. It all feels so right. Suddenly, he feels giddy like he never has before.

Jaemin was right. A loud, obnoxious, annoying, magic-making best friend is just as good as a cute, loving, sexy boyfriend.

Haechan gets so overwhelmed he starts pressing his body against Jaemin’s. Jaemin grunts right into his mouth, which only riles his poor brain up even more.

“Haechan,” Jaemin is so out of breath he nearly gags, pulling away from Haechan’s tempting lips. Haechan pants and doesn’t respond, too flustered. He can feel Jaemin’s chest rising quickly against his as he stares at him with stars in his eyes.

“God, you .. have no idea how badly I wanted to do this the entire day.” Jaemin admits quietly, his hands moving back down to Haechan’s waist to rest slightly under his shirt. Wait, what?

“Really?” What the fuck.

“Yeah,” Jaemin breathes out. “That’s not why I initially agreed, though. I really did say yes for your sake rather than mine. But then you just looked … so cute and you kept giggling all night and it got slightly overwhelming.”

“Oh my God,” Haechan blurts out, genuinely bewildered. “So that means that you .. like me?” There’s a few beats of silence that follow, and he starts to fear he’s asked too much.

“Yeah,” the answer finally comes, almost like a whisper. “I really do.” Haechan’s heart nearly bursts through his rib cage.

He thinks of all the times he’s talked Jaemin’s ear off about the most insignificant subjects. All the times he’d endlessly teased him, kicked him under the table at restaurants, called him at ungodly hours when he was sad and overwhelmed him with probably more affection than he usually takes. He’s always wondered if one day, Jaemin would start resenting him for it. Turns out, it was the complete opposite. And maybe Haechan felt this way too.

It’d explain his obsession with being Jaemin’s ultimate best friend. Or the smile that would unknowingly grow on his face every time he’d hear his voice for the first time on the phone. Or why Jaemin’s smile was often on his mind, or why his compliments always hit differently and flustered him more easily.

But most importantly, it’d explain why he always complained about being single, yet never seemed to consider doing anything about it. It was because he had a best friend who let him rest his head between his thighs and cling to him as much as he wanted. A best friend who’s mysteriously been single for a pretty long while.

Haechan gets overcome with so many emotions that he kisses Jaemin again, but briefly this time. Jaemin laughs, slightly confused but oh so delighted.

“God, Jaemin, I just..” the words escape him again so he leans back in and they lose all their senses all over again. This time, though, it’s different. It’s more desperate but it’s genuine. And Haechan starts to get drunk on a feeling he never wants to let go.

(They do end up stopping, eventually. By then, the sun has set so Haechan sheepishly invites Jaemin to stay over. They don’t end up doing anything too crazy, but they’re basically tied to the hip for the rest of the day — and night apparently, since they also cuddled each other to sleep. God, Haechan didn’t realize how hard it was to keep his lips off of Jaemin until now.)

(Also, as it turns out, the whole platonic date thing was a set up by their friends to get them together. Apparently, they were convinced that all these two needed was to be thrust into a romantic setting for sparks to fly. Haechan would get mad, but their plan actually worked and he has to admit, it was also quite smart so he’ll let it slide this time. At least he has Jaemin now.)