"You are not wearing that!" Ten said, scandalized as he saw Kun walk out of his room wearing a simple beige sweater over some pants. "You're supposed to make Johnny jealous so he realizes that he loves me."

Kun patted his sweater and buttoned shirt. "What is wrong with this outfit? Lucas said I look fine."

"You look like someone's aunt, not my hot date," Ten said, beseechingly. "Please wear a choker, at least?"

Kun gave him a look. "First off, I'm not your date and secondly, a choker, really? Ten, you should be grateful I'm coming along on this foolish plan of yours."

Ten nodded. "You're right. I shouldn't complain. This is your aesthetic." He looked him over once again before lunging forward. "But at least let me open some of those buttons. And fix that hair!"

In the end, when the two of them reached the 127 dorm to pick up Johnny, Kun was wearing a denim jacket and his shirt was deprived of three buttons.

"Stop fidgeting," Ten said. "You look hot."

"I feel naked," Kun muttered, "and if I catch a cold because of you—"

"I'll nurse you back to health," Ten said, waving a hand. "Anyway, here's the plan. You flirt with me. I act all aloof in front of Johnny. He goes mad with jealousy. At the end of tonight, Johnny professes his love for me. We get married and you will be our kids' godmother."

"Wild night. But just in case, your first child will be called Kun," Kun added, ringing the bell.

Johnny opened the door within seconds, nearly as if he had been waiting for them to arrive.

Ten couldn't help but smile when he saw Johnny grinning at him. It felt like he hadn't seen him for ages. He could feel his heart constricting with how much it had missed this tall guy with the beautiful, warm smile. He launched himself at Johnny, hugging him. "John, I missed you so much."

Johnny hugged him back, laughing. "You look great."

Kun followed the two of them inside, muttering darkly at Ten's back. "I'll act all aloof, he said. Huh."

Doyoung was nearly dozing on the couch but he gave the newcomers an enthusiastic smile when he saw them. "You're here. Let's go!"

Johnny gestured towards him. "Doyoung is coming with us. He couldn't sleep and needed a night out."

Doyoung hugged Ten and Kun, looking appreciatively at the latter. "Kun got a makeover?"

Kun shoved him, blushing. "Shut up."

Ten said, "Oh right. Uh, that's how Kun usually dresses when we go out."

Kun reddened even more. "Yeah, what he said."

Doyoung looked at his own oversized hoodie over faded jeans, then at Kun and finally at Johnny and Ten who had coincidentally worn flowery shirts and leather jackets, and shrugged. "Let's just go."

"Wait, we wanted to say hi to the others," Ten said. "Where's Taeyong hyung?"

"They're all sleeping like normal people do at this ungodly hour," Doyoung said.

Johnny nudged him with an elbow. "It's just nine-thirty." He smiled at Ten and Kun. "They haven't recovered from jetlag, I guess. Let's go, I can't wait to try out this famed restaurant."

The famed Jaeyong-handpicked restaurant turned out to be a cosy, side-street restaurant that Johnny immediately fell in love with. "You were right, Ten. It's so pretty. I'm going to take a picture." He placed his bag on the table, rummaging in it for his camera.

"Me too," Kun said, taking out his phone.

"And I'm going to look at the menu," Doyoung sighed.

Ten gave Kun a look and the latter hurriedly said, "But first, I'll take a picture of prettiest person in the room. Give me a pose, Ten."

Johnny looked at Ten posing and smiled. "I keep telling you, Ten, you are a total muse. See even Kun agrees. Wait, stand together so I can take a picture of you both. The background is really good here."

Kun looked thoroughly confused as to what to do but the picture was taken with a scowling Ten looking angrily at the camera but soon they were all seated, waiting for their order.

Ten reached for Johnny's bag. "What book are you reading these days?" Sure enough there was a book. He pulled it out and read aloud, "Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev."

"I'm nearly done with it. It's going so well," Johnny said. "I was telling Yuta the story and he liked it too."

"You're still reading Russian Literature?" Ten asked. "I thought you gave up on it months ago. This one is a new one, though. What brought you back to the genre? Man, this brings back memories. Remember how you gifted me Crime and Punishment for my birthday? Dude, what were you thinking?"

Ten flipped through the novel, narrating his shock at seeing his birthday present this year. Opposite him, Johnny's smile had dropped. If someone had asked him, he wouldn't have been able to repeat a word of the conversation happening around him. His eyes were unfocused, signalling that he was somewhere else.

He nodded vaguely when Kun asked him something, pointing at his camera gallery but he only realized that the others were looking through his camera when their food was brought in. He thanked the waiter politely, taking the plates as they made room on their cluttered, small table. His hands shook slightly as he placed the plates in front of him.

"Looks like you had a lot of fun," Ten said. "Plus, I see that someone actually even took pictures of you on your camera. Who did my work there?"

"Hmm?" Johnny peered at the photo he was pointing at. "Oh that was Taeil hyung. His photography has improved a lot."

"Oh. That's nice." Ten nodded slowly. "Your camera roll is filled with his pictures. Red hair suits him."

Johnny hummed.

"Oi, pay attention to me," Ten said. His eyes softened. "Sorry, you must be tired. Let's finish here quickly so you can go catch some sleep."

Johnny looked at Ten's concerned face and shook his head, offering a small smile. "No, no, I'm sorry. What were you saying? Oh yes, Taeil hyung was my unofficial muse there. Though it was mainly because of how cooperative he is. I told him he should straight up model." He laughed. "It was really funny."

Ten nodded again, shaking his head at Kun who was patting his knee sympathetically. Dinner was quickly souring into a silent affair which was saved by Doyoung and Kun gushing over the dreamies.

"Jeno is balancing so many things these days. He's doing really well," Doyoung said, excitedly. "He's going to go far."

Kun agreed and added, "And Chenle, the baby, is not just doing well in practice and everything but you should have seen his gradecard. He's a genius. If he wasn't an idol, he would probably be at Harvard."

"With Renjun because that one is an intellectual," Doyoung said, eyes shining. "I'm so proud of the kids."

Ten caught Johnny's eye and made a face. "You know, I'm the one they should be proud of. I spend all day listening to Jisung's game making those irritating noises, Chenle and Renjun bully me while Jaemin, Jeno and Lucas laugh like hyenas in the background."

"Aww, poor Ten," Johnny said, "but hey, you spend most of your time at our dorm!?"

"I spent a week with the little devils! Kun didn't even protect me. Thank god, I get to sleep at your dorm tonight."

Johnny asked, "You're sleeping over?"

"Of course," Ten said, "where else would I be?"

Doyoung cleared his throat. "Kun, do you want to go and try the sweet potato stall outside with me?"

Kun frowned. "There was a sweet potato stall?"

"Yeah, yeah, I saw one when we were coming in." He grabbed Kun's arm and nearly dragged him outside.

Johnny watched him go out with a bemused expression.

Ten groaned. "They just tricked us into paying their bill, right?"

"It's alright. It was my treat anyway," Johnny said.

"Woah, what's the occasion?"

Johnny rubbed the back of his head, shyly. "Nothing in particular." He rummaged in his bag. "Umm, also, I—uh—brought you a memento. It's nothing great but I...I was passing this shop and I saw it, and I kind of wished then you were there with me, I guess...because you would have liked it." He laughed nervously, pushing a package towards Ten. "You know what, it's getting late. Let's go."

He got up, handing the bill to the manager. "Thank you for the food."

Ten got up slowly, blinking at the package in his hand and following Johnny who was walking quickly, head ducked slightly. He felt stunned, heart warm at the thought that Johnny had remembered him and yet the nagging feeling that Johnny was walking away from him hit him acutely. He wanted to say something but he was out of breath suddenly. He reached for Johnny's jacket sleeve and pulled slightly. "J-Johnny."

Johnny stopped right outside the restaurant door and Ten nearly walked into him. He looked up at him and found himself shy under the taller's gaze. "Thank you."

Johnny smiled a small smile and ruffled Ten's hair. "You haven't even seen it yet."

"No, I meant..." Ten lowered his gaze, cheeks pink. "You thought of me."

"You say that like it's surprising." Johnny put an arm around Ten's shoulder. "Woah, why are shivering? Are you cold?"

Ten let out a breath as he felt Johnny's comforting warmth at his side and he relaxed into a half-embrace. "Okay, now I'm opening it. I'm curious," he mumbled. He opened the package trying to make as less noise as possible on a deserted street at night. "It's a painting," he breathed out, awestruck at its beauty. It was a miniature oil painting of the Hollywood sign in its landscape and Ten knew that he was going to set it right beside the window in his bedroom. It was so beautiful. "I hope it wasn't too expensive because suddenly I feel so guilty I didn't get you anything to celebrate Regular. Shit, you should have just brought me a lousy keychain. I feel so bad now."

Johnny peered over his shoulder. "So, you like it?"

"Like it? I love it," Ten said, winding his arm around Johnny's. "You have a good eye for art."

Johnny looked at him sideways as they began to walk back. "I know I do."

They met a very tired-looking Kun and a satisfied-looking Doyoung as soon as they turned the corner.

"Kun! Look what Johnny brought for me—wait, what happened to your outfit?"

Kun looked away, looking adorably soft in Doyoung's oversized hoodie.

Doyoung said, "Oh we couldn't find the potato stall so we looked for it a bit."

Kun interrupted him, complaining. "I'm pretty sure he dreamt up that stall and then dragged me all over the place to look for it when obviously nobody is around so late."

"He complained all through it, first about me being an idiot and then about you, Ten, being an idiot and then, he sneezed like five times in his flimsy jacket until I took pity on him and lent him my hoodie," Doyoung completed.

"You're an idiot and if you freeze to death, it's not my responsibility," Kun sniffed.

Doyoung rolled his eyes. "Why am I surrounded by overdramatic people?"

"Don't squabble kids." Johnny laughed. "Let's go home."

Kun stopped suddenly on the way back. "Oh wait, I have to go to my dorm."

"C'mon, Kun, Jaemin and Jeno will look after the kids. Let's go have fun," Ten said, his hand still in the crook of Johnny's elbow.

"Actually, Jaemin and Jeno are kids, Ten. I'll see you tomorrow then. Thanks for dinner, Johnny. Bye then." He waved politely.

"Oi, will you be okay going back alone?" Doyoung called after him.

"Yes, Mom," Kun replied.

"The world is not made for kind people," Doyoung muttered as he followed Johnny and Ten. "Wait up, guys, I'm also here."

Ten was talking. "So, can I take your bed?"

"You're taking the couch," Johnny snorted. "My bed is mine."

"Let's decide through rock, paper, scissors," Ten bargained.

"Uh, no? I don't think so."

"I'll ask Taeyong to lend me his bed then."

"Oh my god, Ten, you can't just ask people to lend you their beds."

Doyoung followed them, feeling ignored and forgotten, muttering. "I have become a third-wheel. Fantastic."

[ oooh, did you notice johnny being a bit aloof there for a bit? Any guesses? because i swear, johnten have backstories in this so hang on for a bit as things are unveiled and let us know your theories ;)

as for kun, don't you think there's something up with our cutie?

do leave comments so that we know what you all are feeling as well. thank you so much for reading!

love, positive vibes and sweet potatoes~~]