the ol' razzle dazzle
Title: the ol' razzle dazzle
Author: TBA
Genre: Romance, Fluff, Humor
Rating: PG
Length: ~5,800 words
Summary: Jongin wasn't looking for love- he was looking for a Charizard.
Jongin loves the summer. The hot days give him the perfect excuse to buy as much milk tea as he wants. Flip flops become acceptable and he no longer has to wear the socks he hates so much. All of his housemates are gone, having gone home for the summer. His school's campus is practically empty, meaning he can skateboard without worrying about running into a mob of pedestrians. There are no lines in the cafeteria. The list of reasons why summer is a blessing never ends.
This summer, however, is the best yet. Because this summer, an app comes out that changes Jongin's life. His skin clears up, his muscles become redefined, his hair is as healthy as ever. He is a new person thanks to this app.
A new person who spends all of his free time downtown at the park, where the most number of Pokemon stops are located in his small college town.
"Did you hear that Chanyeol just got to level 19?" Sehun asks as they skate around the park, hitting each stop and racking up kilometers for their eggs.
"Damn, he really doesn't sleep, does he? Wasn't he on level 15 like two days ago?" Jongin snorts, looking at his screen for any nearby Pokemon to appear. Bless random strangers who keep adding lure modules to the stops in the park. Pokèmon Go never fails to reaffirm Jongin's faith in humanity.
"I guess Baekhyun has just been driving him around and helping him hit up all the spots. Those two are unbelievable," Sehun sighs, stopping his skateboard to catch the rattata that just appeared. "Get in the pokè ball," he mutters under his breath, throwing his second ball at it.
"Figured Baekhyun would be the reason," Jongin says as he follows Sehun's lead and gets off his skateboard to catch the rattata. "Oh, sick, this one's 350CP."
"What?! Mine is 80, and I've already wasted like five pokè balls!" Sehun cries, shaking his phone. "Stop escaping! I'm level 21, you aren't even that strong!"
"Sucks to suck, man," Jongin laughs as he finishes capturing the rattata. He's going through his Pokèmon, transferring a few rattatas for candy, when a huge punch to his right arm almost knocks his phone out of his hand. Luckily, thanks to his super quick reflexes (which look like spazzing and fumbling, but Jongin swears it's just his specialized technique), he manages to catch his phone before it hits the ground. "What the hell?!" he yells, turning to glare at Sehun, who is gaping at his phone. "Why the hell did you do that?"
"Th-there's a Charizard nearby," Sehun stammers, eyes wide. Jongin yanks the phone out of Sehun's hand and stares at the Charizard-shaped figure under Sightings.
Before Jongin can even say anything - or make any gurgling sounds - a huge crowd goes surging towards the far end of the park. A man on a bike is yelling, "It's over there!" as a group of young adults on their phones goes running in the same direction. If Jongin wasn't in his state of awe due to the Charizard, he would've found the moment of camaraderie beautiful.
"Let's go, let's go!" Sehun yells, yanking Jongin back to reality. Jongin blinks before realizing Sehun has already started to skate away, and with excitement running through his veins, Jongin hops onto his skateboard and pushes as fast as he can.
Before Pokèmon Go gave him strong walking legs, it was dance that powered Jongin's long limbs. Those movements aren't forgotten, and soon enough Jongin realizes he is skating way too quickly when he finds himself heading straight for a pedestrian walking out of a car.
Jongin can't even get out a "move!" before he's crashing into the man, tumbling over him and dropping his phone in the act. He struggles to get up, his knees scratched up and the palms of his hands bloody, sputtering, "I am so sorry!" the entire time.
"No, it's my bad," the man groans, sitting up. "Should've looked where I was going."
Unable to help himself, Jongin catches a glance at his phone and sees the Charizard is still there, but the crowd is already gone. He knows he can't call Sehun - the man would not choose Jongin over a Charizard - and he also knows he can't skate anymore, not with blood running down his arms and legs.
"We should get you cleaned up," the man says, and Jongin blinks and turns back to notice the stranger staring at his legs in concern. "Come on, I have a friend who lives nearby. I'm sure he won't mind."
Together, they limp across the street to the apartments there. As Jongin waits for the stranger to call his friend, he notices the keychain sticking out of his pocket. "You're Team Valor?" he asks, trying to make conversation and cover up how awkward he feels about this situation. He's bleeding outside of a stranger's apartment with another stranger, with his phone heavy in his pocket as a reminder of the Charizard he missed. Today is a dark day in Jongin's otherwise sunny summer.
"Yeah, you play Pokèmon Go too?" the man, who Jongin learned on the walk over is named Kyungsoo, asks. When Jongin nods, he continues, "What team?"
"Instinct," Jongin answers, a little sheepish. Whenever he tells someone who's not in Team Instinct that he's Team Instinct, he always gets those judging looks. He'll never forget the time he told Baekhyun and the man proceeded to laugh for a solid five minutes.
"Oh cool, my housemate's Team Instinct too. He's like level five though," Kyungsoo laughs, and Jongin shares a smile at that. "What about you? What level are you?
"23," Jongin says, again a little shy. The reactions he gets to telling people his level is either that of (1) respect or (2) mad judgement because no working college student should have that much time on his hands.
"Nice, I'm level 22," Kyungsoo says with a smile, and Jongin's shoulders deflate with relief. "Were you trying to catch that Charizard?" he asks, his smile now a small smirk.
"Yeah," Jongin sighs, reminded once again of his failure. With his eyes downcast on the floor, he doesn't notice the look on Kyungsoo's face.
"Well, do you wanna go get it?" he asks, and Jongin raises his eyebrows at that.
"I would, but I'm bleeding, and I can't skate."
"We can take my car. I'm pretty sure I saw where everyone was going."
Jongin's still unsure. "I'll bleed all over your car..."
And right then, the door opens up and a smiling face welcomes them. "Yixing!" Kyungsoo exclaims. "Right on time! Do you mind real quick helping me clean up and put some bandages on this guy? We have a Charizard to catch."
"I don't know what you mean by 'Charizard to catch,' but sure. Let me grab my first aid kit," Yixing says softly, leaving the door open as he goes to the back.
Five minutes and seven bandages later, Jongin and Kyungsoo are leaving, the former thanking Yixing profusely, who just smiles and reassures him it's alright.
"Yixing's studying to be a vet; he's used to this stuff," Kyungsoo explains as they walk over back to the park together. "Okay, it looks like everyone is heading towards the movie theater. Wanna drive over there?"
"Yeah," Jongin agrees, jumping into a stranger's car without second thought. No Pokèmon trainer like himself could do harm, right?
The next morning, Jongin wakes up with a massive headache and no recollection of how he got where he is.
"That is the last time I'm going to drink with Baekhyun," Jongin groans, sitting up in his bed. Rubbing his head, he reaches over to his phone, where he notices a message from an unknown number.
This is Kyungsoo. I think I left my keys at your place. Text me when you wake up. Hope you aren't too hungover.
Oh right. Kyungsoo was there last night too. After catching the Charizard - which almost caused Jongin to faint, but maybe that was due to the blood loss earlier - Baekhyun called him up to ask if he knew where the Charizard was. When Baekhyun and Chanyeol caught up, they all decided to go out to get drinks and bring them back to Jongin's to celebrate the occasion.
Unfortunately, Jongin is a lightweight, which always slips Baekhyun and Chanyeol's mind. Sehun was there too, but Sehun isn't great at holding his own alcohol either and therefore was more focused on his own drunkenness than Jongin's.
Stumbling out of bed, Jongin walks to his kitchen to grab a cup of water. After downing it, he notices a set of keys on the counter with a Team Valor keychain. Taking out his phone, he texts Kyungsoo back: yea ur keys r in my kitchen. want to meet up at the park to get them?
He gets a reply immediately. No need. I live down the street. I'll come over and get them.
That's convenient, Jongin thinks. He considers taking a quick shower, but doesn't want to miss Kyungsoo and make him wait, so he just settles on throwing on some clothes - because he's only wearing boxers and he doesn't know Kyungsoo like that - and waiting on the couch while reading Pokèmon Go blogs.
Five minutes later, there's a knock on the door. Jongin answers it, and there's Kyungsoo standing in a t-shirt and shorts, looking put together and ready to take on the world, unlike Jongin who feels like crawling back into bed.
"I brought some Advil," Kyungsoo says, handing them over as Jongin gives him his keys. "Figured you'd need them."
Jongin blinks, surprised at the thoughtfulness of this man he just met yesterday. "Thanks."
"No problem." Kyungsoo looks like he's about to leave when his eyes widen. Jongin is reminded of an owl, and is about to coo at how cute it looks before he stops himself. He is not about to coo at another man. That is not mature. "Oh, I was thinking of driving to the beach this Saturday to find water-type Pokèmon. My housemate was going to come, but he wants to study now instead. Do you wanna tag along?"
Car-less Jongin hasn't had many opportunities to play Pokèmon Go outside of the town, because Baekhyun never seems to be free whenever he is, and Sehun never drives his car. "Yeah, that sounds great," he agrees.
"Cool, I was thinking of going in the morning when it's cooler. I'll text you Friday to let you know the time. We'll go on a Saturday," Kyungsoo tells him, making a note on his calendar to do that. "I'll see you around then."
"Yeah, see you!" Jongin says, closing the door as Kyungsoo walks away. He smiles to himself, pleased with how the day has gone so far. Next he should go work out, grab a smoothie after, then go volunteer at the shelter today before coming back, eating a healthy home-cooked meal, and going to bed at a reasonable time.
This optimistic train of thought comes to a halt as Jongin's head continues to pound. He grips the Advil pills in his hand, makes his way to the kitchen to gulp them down with a cup of water, then crawls into bed, watching Pokémon Go YouTube videos before falling asleep only to wake up at noon.
Oh well, he can be productive tomorrow.
"So this boulevard is known for having a lot of Poké stops, but it stretches five miles-"
"Hell yes, I'm going to be hatching so many eggs today!" Jongin exclaims, interrupting Kyungsoo, who laughs at the enthusiasm.
"Great, glad you're not intimidated by the distance, because I wanted to walk the entire five miles and back," Kyungsoo says as he pulls into a parking spot.
"Are you kidding me? I've ran more for less worthy causes," Jongin snorts, opening up his Pokémon app as he takes off his seatbelt.
"Like what?"
"My friend Minseok is really into fitness and whatever, so he signs up for a lot of marathons. I run with him to help train," Jongin explains in an off-handed manner, more interested in scoping out the Poké stops.
"Wow, you must be a great friend," Kyungsoo says, impressed. "My roommate didn't even wake me up to tell me my phone was ringing in the other room."
"Eh, no big deal." Jongin shrugs it off.
Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow at that, but doesn't argue. He doesn't see the point in it. Instead, he grabs his backpack out of the trunk and gives Jongin a nod towards the boulevard. Jongin doesn't need to be told twice, and starts walking in that direction immediately.
"So how old are you, Jongin?" Kyungsoo asks as the two make their way down the boulevard, eyes on their phones, side-by-side.
"I'm 20, you?" comes the reply, along with a side glance.
"21," Kyungsoo replies, side-stepping a seagull eating away at something on the ground. "Third year?"
"Yeah. So you're a fourth year?" Jongin asks, and he's about to comment on how he doesn't look like a fourth year - he looks almost like a freshman - when he notices the tension in Kyungsoo's shoulder. He figures he must hear that a lot, and doesn't like it, so he tries moving the topic along. Jongin hates it when people make assumptions about him and voice them, so out of principle he doesn't do the same to others. "That's cool. What are you majoring in?"
Kyungsoo's shoulders relax as he talks about something he's interested in. Soon enough the topic glides into internships and jobs, during which Jongin learns that Kyungsoo is a chef at a local diner Jongin likes downtown.
"No way! You mean you actually help cook there?" Jongin asks, eyes wide in astonishment. When Kyungsoo nods, Jongin's jaw falls. "You must be an amazing chef! I love the kimchi spaghetti there! That place is one of my go-to's, especially during finals week, when my housemates kick me out for eating all the food and crying on the couch all day."
Kyungsoo blinks.
"I'm kidding," Jongin chuckles, even though he's kind of not. "I cry in my own room."
That earns a smile from the man. "Well, feel free to stop by the diner anytime to cry. I'll let the hostess know to expect you," Kyungsoo teases, and Jongin flushes at that, because he secretly likes the idea of that. He always thought it'd be cool to be known as a regular somewhere, to know all the staff and everyone there. And even though Kyungsoo is just one of many at that diner, he's still someone. And even better, Kyungsoo's a chef.
Kyungsoo goes on to explain how his mom taught him to cook, and how his housemate's dad actually owns the diner which is how he got the job. Compared to Kyungsoo, Jongin feels like such a loser.
"I work at the pet store in the plaza by my apartment," Jongin explains.
"Nice. Do you handle pets too?" Kyungsoo asks.
"I wish," Jongin sighs. "I thought I would, but it's mostly just selling food and accessories to their owners and seeing their pets for the split second before they leave."
Jongin, too caught up in his remorse over the lack of actual pets in his job, doesn't notice the small smile on Kyungsoo's face. "You really like animals, huh?"
"Yeah, I'm a sucker for all creatures cute and fluffy." Jongin grins.
"Cute," Kyungsoo hums, and Jongin's ears go red as he pretends he didn't hear that. He's no good at handling compliments, especially from attractive people. Um, not that Jongin finds Kyungsoo attractive. Well, that attractive. Kyungsoo is attractive, but Jongin is saying that from a general perspective, not his own. Okay, maybe a little of his own. Whatever. What was Jongin thinking about before?
Suddenly a huge swarm of people are passing them, and Jongin is having war flashbacks of the time there was a Charizard. What is it this time? A Vaporeon? he thinks, snorting to himself. There's no way it'd be a-
"It's a Vaporeon!" someone yells, waving over more people who are Pokémon hunting. Jongin and Kyungsoo lock eyes before they both start speed-walking (slow jogging?) in the direction of the crowd.
They eventually find it, and as soon as they both catch it, they escape the mob to grab a bite at a nearby food stop. Jongin orders a lemonade and a hamburger, and waits for Kyungsoo to come back with his food.
They eat together, looking through their list of Pokémon and comparing.
"You know, I've only known you for a week but this is the second time we've gone running after Pokémon together," Kyungsoo notes thoughtfully as he munches on his bite of corn dog.
"And so far we've had a 100% success rate. We should do this more often." Whoa there, Kim Jongin, slow your horses! You almost sound like you're flirting! Jongin smiles to hide his embarrassment.
Kyungsoo doesn't even bat an eyelash though. He smiles, and even leans in closer. "I'm always up for Pokémon hunting. Actually, I wasn't sure if we were going to go because I didn't know if you had the time, but there's a place downtown that has a lot of Pokéstops and there's a lot of Dragonair in the area, so-"
"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Jongin yells, practically running back towards the car already. Kyungsoo laughs and follows behind.
"Glad you feel the same," he jokes, nudging Jongin in the side, and the younger wonders if he's referring to the smile on his face or the butterflies in his stomach.
After that, Jongin and Kyungsoo are inseparable. If they aren't together catching Pokémon, they're at each other’s places looking up Pokémon Go tips and watching old movies (because Kyungsoo is apparently a big movie lover, and Jongin doesn't mind). They text each other funny Pokémon memes, and tag each other on Facebook posts that have captions like "tag someone so they have to open their app and see this picture of an ice cube." Kyungsoo even starts leaving pots and pans at Jongin's place, because Jongin is deficient in kitchenware, so he can cook them meals when they're too lazy to go outside or too cheap to order in.
A month in, and Jongin says it. The 'b f' word.
"You're my best friend," he texts Kyungsoo, palms sweaty as he deletes and retypes the text over and over before finally pressing send because he probably looks dumb for typing such a short phrase for so long.
When the three dots bubble comes up, Jongin throws the phone at the couch and refuses to look at it for what feels like an hour but is actually just five seconds.
Then a buzz comes, and Jongin slowly grabs the phone. His stomach fills with butterflies as he reads: You're my best friend too. Wanna come over and watch old Pokémon episodes again?
Jongin is putting on his shoes as he types 'yes!!!!!'
Now they are a month and a half in - two weeks into their best friendship, and Jongin couldn't be happier. Or so he thinks, until Baekhyun decides to mess things up.
"Oh, Kyungsoo doesn't like his tea too hot."
"This popcorn has just the right ratio of popcorn to butter. Kyungsoo taught me all about that."
"Pretty sure Kyungsoo would hate this movie. Way too much drama."
"Actually hate is a strong word. Kyungsoo believes in 'strongly disliking' things instead. I respect that."
"Kyungsoo told me-"
"ENOUGH," Baekhyun screams. "I've only met Kyungsoo once and I already hate the guy!"
"You're being overdramatic. I'm sure you only strongly dislike him," Jongin corrects, before continuing, "Which is ridiculous because Kyungsoo is a very likeable person."
"I have never felt such a violent urge," Baekhyun whispers as Chanyeol and Sehun eye the man nervously.
"By the way, I can only stay for like half this movie, because I promised Kyungsoo I would go over to his place and watch movies with him, too," Jongin says, throwing another piece of popcorn into his mouth.
"THEN WHY ARE YOU EVEN HERE?!" Baekhyun roars.
Jongin looks up from his phone, where he was texting Kyungsoo, and answers, as if it's obvious, "Because Kyungsoo's in a study group right now, so I have some time to kill."
Chanyeol has to hold Baekhyun back from whacking Jongin with the TV remote. Sehun has half a mind to let the man.
It's 5:30PM. Jongin got off work half an hour ago, and is currently sitting on a park bench, refreshing the nearby Pokémon stop occasionally and battling his Pokémon in the gym nearby. Kyungsoo gets off work soon, and promised to bring Jongin some food when he does.
Another half hour passes, and Jongin finds himself going through his Facebook now, having already taken over the nearby gym. Of course, he's on Kyungsoo's page, going through his old wall posts and photos, laughing at the stuff high school Kyungsoo used to post.
Eventually he lands on Kyungsoo's current profile picture, a photo of Kyungsoo and his older brother in front of a restaurant, arms around each other and grinning. They're wearing suits, and Jongin thinks the color blue looks really good on the older man.
"Are you Facebook stalking me?" comes said man's voice from over his shoulder. A plastic bag is dropped to Jongin's right, and he jumps in surprise.
"Pft, I-I was just admiring your brother's suit. Where did he buy it?" Jongin says, avoiding eye contact.
"I don't know, want me to ask?" Kyungsoo replies, going along with it anyway.
"No, that's okay. I, uh, have a suit anyway." Jongin coughs and plays with the hem of his shirt.
Kyungsoo just smiles. "Right. Well, here's your chicken and fries," he says, pushing the plastic bag of food closer to Jongin as he takes a seat beside him. "Eat up so we can start walking."
Jongin doesn't have to be told twice. He loves eating, and he loves his walks with Kyungsoo. They're a great way to unwind after a long day. Pokémon, great company, and delicious food - Jongin couldn't be luckier.
"So how was work?" Jongin asks through a mouth full of food.
Kyungsoo wipes away the fallen salt on Jongin's jeans (Jongin holds his breath the entire time) and answers, "It was alright. Lunch rush wasn't too bad, and dinner looked like it was going to be even slower." Jongin opens his mouth to ask more, but Kyungsoo cuts him off. "OH! We had two customers come in during lunch, and this guy started singing in the middle of it! Not too loudly, 'cause whoever he was with got embarrassed and threw a napkin at him, but he sounded amazing. It was really cool."
Jongin smiles. "Did you get his number?" he teases.
"Please, I didn't even see his face, but man, if it was anything like how his voice sounded," Kyungsoo hums, and Jongin suppresses an urge to punch a tree. "Oh, and the waitress told me one customer really liked the onion pancakes I made. She even ordered another one to bring home, so that was nice."
Jongin's features soften more and more as Kyungsoo talks about his day, from the customers to the coworkers. Never has restaurant talk been more enchanting.
"You know, when I first started hanging out with you, you used to scarf down everything you ate within five minutes. Now, you take at least ten to finish what I give you," Kyungsoo notes, eyebrow raised. "Are you getting sick of my food?"
"No!" Jongin yells so fast he almost chokes. Truth is, he's just so distracted listening to Kyungsoo talk that food is pushed to the back of his head.
Kyungsoo laughs, taking out a napkin from the bag and giving it to Jongin. "Alright, alright. Try not to die while you eat, please. Who else will I play Pokémon with if that happens?"
"You could always play with Junmyeon," Jongin says, bringing up Kyungsoo's housemate.
"Please. Junmyeon doesn't even know the difference between Meowth and MewTwo," Kyungsoo snorts, and they both share a laugh at that. Kyungsoo's phone buzzes midway, and as he takes his phone out to read the message and text back a reply, Jongin watches and admires the way Kyungsoo's eyes widen as he reads and how they narrow as he types. He wonders what they'd look like after something even more surprising, like a kiss, then he wonders if Kyungsoo has ever been kissed, then he thinks, Of course Kyungsoo has been kissed, who wouldn't want to kiss Kyungsoo, then-
"Oh no," Jongin whispers. He bites his lips as soon as the words come out, along with all the other thoughts that follow that he's trying his best to keep tucked and locked away.
"What's wrong?" Kyungsoo asks, pocketing his phone to look at Jongin, concern etched into his features. Jongin stares back, trying to memorize every line of Kyungsoo's face and-
NO. Nope. Nuh uh. This is not going to happen. Jongin just wants to play Pokémon Go with his best friend, without thinking about how great the sunset casts a warm light over Kyungsoo's soft skin or how he would love to take over gyms with Kyungsoo even though they're on opposite teams and should be 'enemies' in the game.
So that's what he does. He looks down at his phone, walks in the opposite direction, and pretends not to notice Kyungsoo following, confused, behind him.
Over the next week, Jongin finds himself less focused on his phone and more interested in the way Kyungsoo's eyebrows crease when he messes up a throw or how Kyungsoo's lips slightly part whenever he's focused in a gym battle.
"Pokémon Go? More like I-Want-To-Poke-Do," Sehun snorts, and no one laughs - well, Chanyeol may have had to suppress a snicker, because Baekhyun elbowed him and shook his head - because the situation is actually serious.
Jongin may have discovered something much rarer than a Lapras or Vaporeon: feelings. Feelings for another human that go beyond platonic and friendly, feelings that hit Jongin harder than a punch from Hitmonchan, feelings that are awful and destructive and where can Jongin return these feelings because he does not want them!
"Please drown me or push down a hole, because I cannot like Kyungsoo. Not like that," Jongin groans, hitting his head against the sofa. "I'll ruin everything."
"Jeez, you sound like a prepubescent boy having his first crush," Baekhyun snorts, smacking Jongin's arm lightly.
"You know how awful my first crush went," Jongin snaps, glaring at the older man, who indeed does know.
"Well, you don't have to worry about mean girls or douchebags this time, because Kyungsoo seems like a solid guy. I mean, he puts up with you on a daily basis now. He's got to at least tolerate you."
"Thanks," Jongin deadpans.
"I'm being honest," Baekhyun says. "Just ask him out if you really like him. Worst he can say is 'no.'"
"And then I don't have a best friend anymore," Jongin replies, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, no, thank you."
"You don't know that."
"And I don't know that that won't be the case, either."
"What is happening?" Sehun whispers to Chanyeol, who just shrugs, thankful he has Baekhyun and isn't going through what Jongin is experiencing anymore.
"Okay, fine. Go and be miserable with your best friend who you like and won't ask out, then!" Baekhyun yells, frustrated at Jongin's stubborness. "Just remember that had I not asked Chanyeol out, he wouldn't even be here."
"Where would I be then?" Chanyeol asks, eyes wide. Is that some sort of threat?
"You'd be somewhere else, maybe with someone else, because you were too scared to ask me out."
"Nuh uh! I could never date anyone else..." Chanyeol trails off.
"But you wouldn't have asked me out?" Baekhyun pushes.
"I- if you gave me some more time- maybe if- when there's an eclipse- I don't know," Chanyeol sighs. "I was scared. I didn't know if you liked me." His eyes fall, and Baekhyun sighs, throwing an arm around him and kissing the top of his head.
"And I was scared, too," Baekhyun says. "But I did it because I'd rather ask and know - even if it meant being rejected - than never ask and never know and continue overthinking it in my head."
Right as Chanyeol smiles and kisses Baekhyun, Jongin groans and throws a pillow at the two. "I get it, I get it! Now stop being gross! Damn it."
"Glad you saw it my way," Baekhyun replies, smirking. Jongin gets up, flips the bird at Baekhyun, whose eyes are covered by a pseudo-scandalized Chanyeol.
"You two disgust me," Jongin tells them.
"Wait 'til you get a boyfriend. I'm sure you two will be way more cringe-worthy," Baekhyun sings as Jongin's ears turn red and he stomps out of the apartment.
"Go get him, Jongin! Give Kyungsoo the ol' razzle dazzle!" Jongin hears Sehun scream, followed by an 'ow!' and a 'use one more fucking pun, Oh Sehun, and I will kick you out of this apartment' by Baekhyun.
And as awful as a pun that was, it gives Jongin an idea.
Maybe this is not Jongin's best idea, the man thinks as he stands in front of Kyungsoo's door with a container of raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries in one hand and a small, round hackysack in the other in his pocket. He has half a mind to chuck the container into a trash can and run home, calling Kyungsoo to tell him he has a fever and can't meet up anymore. But he won't, because he spent $25 on these damned berries. And there aren't even that many of them.
This is why Jongin spends all of his money on junk food. Fruit and all that healthy stuff are way too expensive for a college student.
He's pulled out of his inner monologue (more like rant) about the prices of food when the door in front of him opens unexpectedly, and Jongin is met face to face with Junmyeon.
"Oh, hello, Jongin! Didn't know you were coming so early today," Junmyeon laughs. "Well, come on in. I was just about to leave for my class, but I'm sure Kyungsoo knows you're coming, so just go over to his room."
Jongin doesn't have the heart to tell Kyungsoo's overwhelmingly friendly housemate that he showed up uninvited like a creep, so he just smiles faintly and walks in. He slowly makes his way down the hallway, towards Kyungsoo's room at the end of the hall, when the door slams open and out comes a groggy Kyungsoo in boxers and a tank top, hair tousled and hands rubbing his eyes.
They almost slam into each other - Kyungsoo too sleepy to notice, and Jongin too busy staring to pay attention - when Kyungsoo stops right in front of him, looks up, and asks, "Jongin?"
"Uhhhh-" Jongin's brain chooses the worst times to disappear.
"What are you doing-"
"There's a rare Pokémon!" Jongin blurts. When Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow, he continues, "It's, um, near here! So I came to catch it!"
"Okay... what is it?" Kyungsoo asks. "Let me go grab my phone-"
Jongin reaches out and grabs his arm. "Wait! First you should, uh, eat something! Raspberry?" Jongin asks, holding out the container and almost hitting Kyungsoo with it. Realizing the lid is still on, he fumbles to take it off, before Kyungsoo, more awake now, sighs and takes it out of his hand to open the lid himself. He hands the container back to the younger one, who meekly takes it back and holds it out again.
Kyungsoo reaches to grab a strawberry when Jongin yanks the container away, startling Kyungsoo. "Wait, no! Sorry, I mean- I just- a raspberry first, okay?"
The older man's eyes narrow at that, but he listens anyway and takes a raspberry. Jongin watches as the man pops the raspberry in between his lips and chews slowly, failing to notice the way Kyungsoo is watching him back. "Uh, okay. Now what is-"
Without warning, Jongin throws a round, beaded ball at Kyungsoo that is roughly colored to look like a Pokéball. It hits Kyungsoo in the arm and falls to the ground with a soft thud. They both stand there staring at each other for a long second, Jongin frozen in fear and Kyungsoo trying to analyze the situation.
"Did you just try to catch me using a Razz Berry and a fake Pokéball?" Kyungsoo finally asks after Jongin feels like he's about to pass out from not breathing.
"I- yes- maybe- I mean, yes," Jongin stammers, feeling his hands shake and the blueberries in the container bounce around. "I just, um, wanted to catch you, the rarest Pokémon of them all."
Kyungsoo just stands there, unblinking. Jongin is ready to dash before Kyungsoo can, because he cannot stand long, awkward pauses full of tension, especially when Jongin is the reason for them.
Finally, just when Jongin is about to take everything back and leave with his berries and shame, Kyungsoo says, in a deep voice, "Kyungsoo has been caught."
Jongin wonders if he is sleep-deprived and imagining things, because there is no way Kyungsoo just said that. But sure enough, Kyungsoo is suddenly much closer than Jongin remembers, and he has his hands in the container of berries, picking up another raspberry. Jongin watches, mesmerized as Kyungsoo lifts the berry and holds it in front of Jongin.
"Well?" Kyungsoo asks, waiting for Jongin to take the berry. But the younger shakes his head.
"No need. You already have me," Jongin says, and it is the smoothest thing he has ever said in his 20 years of living. He almost regrets it when Kyungsoo doesn't react for a solid five seconds, until finally, the man bursts out laughing.
"Oh, so now you're acting cool?" Kyungsoo teases with a smile, popping the raspberry in between his own two lips.
"Hey! I can be cool sometimes!" Jongin defends, sticking his bottom lip out to pout when Kyungsoo swoops in and presses the raspberry against Jongin's lips. The juice melts down Jongin's face, and Kyungsoo pulls back with a mashed raspberry in between his lips and a big grin.
"I-uh- can we try that again?" Jongin finally asks with a meek smile.
Kyungsoo grins. "Of course, cool guy. We can try as many times as you want."
Jongin glances down and counts the number of raspberries he has left. He likes the look of those numbers.