With U // YunGi

Party Tension

Outside the main entrance of With U, Yeosang stuck a temporary sign onto the double doors.

CLOSED FOR THE REST OF THE DAY FOR PERSONAL REASONS
WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE CAUSED :)

Yeosang checked the time on his phone as he walked back into the common area. There was a text message from Jongho saying that he was coming with Yunho and the birthday cake.

In the kitchen, Wooyoung was preparing dinner and seaweed soup. San was hugging him from behind, his head leaning into Wooyoung's back, while they swayed to some slow music with their eyes closed.

Yeosang shook his head at the couple as he climbed back up the step ladder to continue putting up the party decor, balloons, and birthday banner onto the walls. They had just a little over one hour before Hongjoong came back with Seonghwa from a distracting date to the cinemas, yet they were far from ready.

"Wooyoung, you've been stirring a pot of water for the past ten minutes. With the stove turned off!" Yeosang admonished. "And San, you were supposed to sweep the floor and lay out the gifts." He gestured to the wrapped bags and boxes abandoned around the entrance. "Do you want Seonghwa-hyung to trip over those? Pile them up nicely onto the coffee table!"

San and Wooyoung opened their eyes and snickered, but didn't separate.

"Relax, if today's going to be like any other day for the past three years, then they will definitely be late, because Hongjoong-hyung will refuse to take the subway and they will end up getting stuck in the rush-hour traffic," Wooyoung said, earning a supportive nod from San.

Yeosang rolled his eyes and continued to shake his head disapprovingly. "Doesn't justify the fact that you're taking forever to cook something that usually takes half an hour. You guys are just slacking off."

The couple looked at each other and giggled again. San finally let go of Wooyoung and wriggled his eyebrows at Yeosang. "Are you acting all cranky today 'cause you haven't seen Jongho in a while?"

Instantly Yeosang's cheeks flushed red with both embarrassment and exasperation. San laughed evilly and got ready to run away. Yeosang dropped the banner in his hands and started chase San, but he lost his balance and would've fallen if it weren't for a pair of hands that stabilized the step ladder for him.

"Be careful."

"W-when did you come?" Yeosang faltered at the sight of Jongho, who reached a hand out to help him down.

Yunho was standing by the side holding the cake and the gifts that Jongho had passed to him unceremoniously when they first walked into the common area and saw Yeosang in a precarious position.

San came back from his hiding spot looking like nothing untoward had happened and went back to Wooyoung's side. Now that Jongho was here, Yeosang wouldn't do anything.

"Let me help you with the gifts," Yeosang said. "Do we split the cost of the cake?"

Yunho chuckled at Yeosang's worried expression when he saw the expensive brand on the box. "Don't worry, Jongho takes care of the cake every year. He basically gets whatever he wants for free from any bakery under Nebula anyway."

"Put it in the freezer, it's an ice-cream cake," Jongho added. "By the way, Hongjoong-hyung called me and said they're arriving in ten minutes."

At that, Yeosang, San, and Wooyoung scrambled back to work.

Jongho was about to help Yeosang with the decorations when the door opened again, and he peeked out to the antechamber. "Oh, Mingi-hyung, you're here just in time!"