Sometimes Sweetly, Sometimes Achingly

Chapter 7

"Spill," Ten ordered, his eyes focused very intensely on his best friend.

Taeyong, resigned to his fate, let out a long and regretful sigh. In his next life, he swore, he would never befriend anyone named Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul. He would go find a white collar job in a considerably less crazy workspace than D&E Studios.

"Yes, it's true," he mumbled. "Jaehyunnie and I are together now."

The staffroom burst into raucous applause and high pitched wolf whistles. Taeyeon reached over and pinched his cheeks while Sunyoung ruffled his hair. Jongdae, Kyungoo, and Baekhyun all cheered. Even Taemin and Jongin were clapping.

Ten wiped away a fake tear. "You're so grown up now, Taeyongie. Where have the times gone?" He bawled, throwing his arms around his best friend and shaking him violently.

"I'm older than you, Tennie," Taeyong muttered to no avail.

Yuta placed a hand over his heart. "I can't believe this day has come. Just the other day you still had a crush on me," Yuta sighed.

Jungwoo grabbed Taeyong's hand and shook it excitedly. "Hyung, will you go on double dates with me and Xuxi? You have to! Promise me, hyung."

"How about triple dates with me and Johnny too?" Ten suggested.

"Quadruple date!" Yuta interjected. "Actually, make that five because Dons needs to come too!"

Doyoung facepalmed. "There is no way in hell I'm letting Sejeong meet you guys. She'll turn against me."

"Het problems," Yuta snorted.

Taeyong just smiled. D&E was loud and rambunctious and overall a strange place, but who was he kidding? He loved everything about it.

All of a sudden, the door to the staffroom opened with a loud bang. Taemin and Jongin, who were still perched by the door, jumped in shock as a crazy-eyed Yunho burst in.

"Did you hear that Taeyong and my brother are a thing now?" He demanded.

Taeyeon rolled her eyes. "You're late to the party, oppa," she remarked dryly.

"Oh," Yunho, who'd just noticed the crowd and Taeyong in the center of it, saluted awkwardly. "Well, congratulations, Taeyongie. Treat Jaehyun well."

Being with Jaehyun was all about firsts.

Taeyong technically had his first kiss that night at the club, but he counted his first real kiss as the one they'd shared in Jaehyun's apartment as they both cried. That night also marked the first time Taeyong's feelings had been reciprocated, and his first boyfriend.

Well, he thought, maybe it was a little too early to officially call Jaehyun his boyfriend, but he supposed that with the way Jaehyun drove him everywhere and let Taeyong invade his apartment, it was probably okay.

Another important part of being with Jaehyun was the little things. He still wasn't quite comfortable with affection or relationships in general. Taeyong, being naturally clingy (his brothers were Donghae and Jeno, of course he was also going to be clingy), initially felt disappointed with the lack of skinship and close contact.

But then he started noticing the seemingly small gestures that secretly spoke much louder. Like when he'd spent the night one time and woke up to a cold bed, but once he stepped into the kitchen he found Jaehyun setting out an array of cakes and sweets on the kitchen table.

("What's this?" Taeyong asked in surprise. Didn't Jaehyun hate sweets?

Jaehyun cleared his throat. "I just thought I'd stock the apartment with sweeter stuff. Because you're here a lot now," he explained.