Chapter Text
“Her name will be Cat,” Seungcheol says proudly, hands on his hips as he beams at the newest addition to the family.
“It’s a pinball machine. For your ice cream parlour. It’s 2016, Seungcheol. And Cat isn’t even an interesting name??”
“You’re always full of criticism, Jihoon. I know better than to listen to you by now.” Seungcheol practically radiates sunshine as he brushes a hand over the Hello Kitty logo on the side of the machine.
Jihoon just rolls his eyes. “Can I at least get a milkshake while you’re admiring your new girlfriend?”
Seungcheol doesn’t even stop smiling as he strides back behind the counter, happily scooping the mint chocolate chip ice cream he knows Jihoon likes.
“Seungcheol has a girlfriend?” Jeonghan flops down next to Jihoon, stretching out an arm on the counter and resting his head on it as he looks up at the two of them in confusion. “I thought you were gay, though? Like super gay? Like made-out-with-Seungkwan-to-get-out-of-talking-to-a-girl gay?”
“Oh shut up, Jeonghan,” Seungcheol says, sliding Jihoon his milkshake. “You’re both ridiculous. He’s talking about my new pinball machine, though. Her name’s Cat!”
“You’ve always had a talent for inventive nomenclature,” Jeonghan says, yawning. Jihoon reaches over and pushes the hair out of his face.
Jeonghan smiles up at him. “Thanks, bud.”
“Ew gross you’re going to scare away my customers,” Seungcheol says, wrinkling his nose. Jeonghan cackles and sits up to give Jihoon a proper kiss, hand gently cradling Jihoon’s jaw. When he pulls back, Jihoon is pink and Seungcheol is rolling his eyes.
“What?” Jeonghan asks innocently. “You always say love is part of your mission statement, and whose love is more wholesome than ours.” He smiles sweetly, and Jihoon hides his smile by taking a sip of his milkshake.
“My mission statement doesn’t refer to my friends smooching at the counter in front of all my customers,” Seungcheol says with an exhaustion that suggests this is not nearly the first time he’s had to say this to Jeonghan.
“You’re just bitter because neither of us is enthused about your pinball machine,” Jeonghan sniffs, and he lays his head back down to gaze up at Jihoon again. “I didn’t even call him something gross like ‘cuddle bum.’” He glances over at Seungcheol, visibly satisfied by the redness in Seungcheol’s ears.
Seungcheol ignores them after this, choosing instead to very pointedly move to the other end of the counter to restock the sprinkles.
Jihoon grins and gently pokes Jeonghan’s cheek. “Do you want any? It’s mint chocolate chip.”
“Of course it is,” Jeonghan laughs. He opens his mouth, and Jihoon sighs and rolls his eyes, but he holds the drink lower so Jeonghan can sip through the straw without lifting his head.
“Thanks, snuggle blossom,” Jeonghan calls, happily looking down the counter to see Seungcheol cringe.
“One day he’s actually going to kick us out,” Jihoon says with a grin.
“Nah, he loves us. And doesn’t have any other friends.” Jeonghan laughs and pats Jihoon’s knee, leaving his hand resting on Jihoon’s thigh. Jihoon manages to school his lips back into a straight line, but he doodles happily with his finger on the counter.
Still smiling, Jeonghan closes his eyes and a few minutes later, Seungkwan and Seokmin bound into the shop.
“Is the pinball machine here, cuddle bum?” Seungkwan leans over the counter to kiss Seungcheol’s cheek, and Jihoon mimes throwing up. Jeonghan pretends to take care of a deathly ill Jihoon and Seokmin giggles, but Seungcheol, given the opportunity to brag about his new friend again, ignores them all.
***
The next day, Jeonghan enters the ice cream parlour to see Jihoon sitting at the counter checking his phone and to hear shouting from the back corner. He looks over, and ah yes, of course. Soonyoung, Seungkwan, and Seokmin are huddled around Cat, and as he watches them, they let out a wail of despair.
“How long have they been at it?” Jeonghan asks, wrapping his arms around Jihoon’s waist and leaning over his shoulder to take a sip of his milkshake. Cake batter today, he notes with satisfaction.
Jeonghan pouts as Jihoon pushes him onto a stool. “At least an hour. Apparently there’s someone who already set a pretty high score and they’re trying to beat it.”
“Wow, that was fast.” Jeonghan tries to not yawn. He really does. But it’s Tuesday, for god’s sake.
“Want to move to a booth?” Jihoon asks.
“Have I ever told you how much I love you?”
“Too often.”
Jeonghan chuckles and lets himself be led to a nearby booth, happily draping himself all over Jihoon as soon as they’ve sat down. Jihoon keeps checking his phone, and Jeonghan is content to quietly watch over his shoulder.
After a few minutes, he asks, “Do you know if Minghao is coming today? I haven’t seen my child in a while.”
“I don’t know, but I think they mentioned to Seokmin they’d be dropping by sometime soon.”
Jeonghan sighs. “Ever since they joined debate team, it’s like they have better things to do than take care of their ageing parents.”
Jihoon snickers. “You’re twenty-one.”
“Yeah, and Minghao’s eighteen. They’re a senior in high school! Who even gives a shit about extracurriculars when it’s March of senior year.” Jeonghan rolls his eyes.
“True. But Minghao’s always ready to fight so they probably actually enjoy debate team.” Jihoon’s words are greeted with silence, and when he looks down, he sees Jeonghan sulking and drinking Jihoon’s milkshake. Jihoon just pats his shoulder and grins to himself.
After half an hour filled by Seungcheol’s questionable music choices and shouting around the pinball machine, the door opens, and Minghao steps through. With them is a taller person, shoulder-length dark brown hair framing their face.
Jeonghan perks up immediately. “Minghao!”
Minghao looks over and waves. When they and their friend have ordered their ice cream, they slide into the booth opposite Jeonghan and Jihoon.
“My child, it’s been so long,” Jeonghan says, faking tears and reaching across the table to grasp Minghao’s hand.
Minghao laughs and pats Jeonghan’s hand. “Mom, dad, this is Junhui. They’re Chinese and on the debate team too.”
Jeonghan wiggles his eyebrows, and Jihoon reaches up a hand to cover Jeonghan’s face, accidentally smushing his nose in the process.
“It’s nice to meet you, Junhui,” he says, trying not to laugh when Jeonghan yelps and tears his hand away. “I’m Jihoon, and this loser is Jeonghan.”
“I’m much too wonderful to be a loser, but even if I was, hypothetically, you’re the one who decided to date me,” Jeonghan says, clearly not as miffed as he would like to seem.
Junhui grins and tucks some hair behind their ear. “Josh mentioned he knew you two and if I saw you guys, I should say hi for him.”
“Josh, that bastard,” Jeonghan laughs. “We haven’t seen him in ages either. How do you know him?”
“Well he turns up to debate team sometimes,” Junhui says.
Jeonghan wrinkles his nose. “Why? Isn’t he already class president and going to Princeton or something?”
“UPenn,” Jihoon corrects, raising an eyebrow playfully when Jeonghan narrows his eyes.
“Who cares, he’s moving away and abandoning us, and that’s what matters.”
“Well yes he’s going to UPenn, but he comes by sometimes and I think he’s just trying to mess everyone up for fun? Like someone will be talking about why it’s super important for birth control to be covered by basic health insurance, and he’ll just say something like ‘Well, just make sure you’re still considering the effects of deforestation on the American economy.’”
Minghao sighs. “He’s definitely messing with us, but nobody’s said anything because he’s the class president and going to UPenn. Also, he sounds so sincere, and I don’t think the underclassmen know what to do with themselves.”
Jeonghan cackles. “This sounds just like Josh. We’ve got to get him back before he leaves.”
Jihoon just slumps onto the table a little. “You two together are terrifying.”
Jeonghan gleefully pulls Jihoon into his side. “We are, aren’t we?”
Jihoon just groans.