smultronställe

III.

"What the hell is a wine night?" Doyoung asks in response to your own, quite firm, statement, confusion etched across his features.

"We call wine nights when we need to talk about something objectively - at least, it's objective most of the time - important," You explain, though there's no lack of haste in your tone. You'd forgotten that Doyoung, not being a part of your direct friend group, has never attended one before. You suppose there's a first time for everything. "Everyone isn't invited all of the time - there's plenty that I haven't been asked to go to. It just depends on what the person who called the meeting wants to talk about."

Doyoung internalizes this information with a thoughtful look on his face, although it's softened by the way he chews on his salad. He swallows, neck bobbing, before looking at you for a long, long moment. You scratch an itch behind your ear as you wait for his response.

"Yeah, sure, I'll come," Your Chief says, and you can't help the relieved grin that spreads across your face. "Who else is going?"

"It's just me, you, Renjun, and Jeno by extension, since it'll be at their place. Bring your favorite wine and a snack! This might take a while. I'll see you tonight after work."

Doyoung blinks, processing everything you've just said as you stand up, your tray cleaned of any and all food. The hospital cafeteria is very, very good, and usually you'd savor the break, but you're in a rush today - you have at least two appendectomies to get done today, and you don't want to keep your first patient waiting. Even though Doyoung seems confused and a little behind now, you know that he'll show up to wine night. After all, everyone shows up to wine night.

He's the one who opens the door of Renjun and Jeno's apartment for you when you knock at 8 p.m. sharp, Stella Rosa white wine and salt & vinegar chips in hand. Your boss Doyoung and your friend Doyoung are not far from being the same person, and you're grateful for this as seeing him outside of the hospital is just as comfortable as operating alongside him is.

"Sit down," Renjun says when he catches sight of you, glancing over at the couch as he speaks. You only nod before handing him the things you've brought. He appraises the chips positively, still stinging from the pretzels from last time.

"Why's Jeno invited, again?" Doyoung asks, always ready to tease the surgeon in question. Jeno squawks indignantly from the kitchen, though not before Renjun responds for you.

"Because he happens to live here," Your best friend says, drawing forth another annoyed sound from his roommate. You can't help but laugh as you sit down, though you find yourself disputing the statement for Jeno's sake.

"Nah, Jen's valuable tonight. He's, like, Jaemin's best friend here."

"I'm his best friend in general, dude, he's like a platonic soulmate-" Jeno starts, though he's quickly interrupted by both Renjun and Doyoung, who simultaneously screech out 'This is about Jaemin?'

You heave a sigh, though you can't help the way one of the corners of your mouth upturns of its own volition. Doyoung, with his hawk eyes, notices this immediately as he scrambles to sit down beside you, his own glass of wine already half downed.

"Hey... (Name)?" Renjun's the first one to ask a question, realization dawning in his eyes. You hum in acknowledgment, motivating him to go on. "How did you get home that night I borrowed your car? Like... last Friday?"

"You mean the night you stole my car keys and then fucked off with my car?"

"The night I borrowed your car." Renjun says again, with more conviction, and you can't help but roll your eyes even as you actively choose not to argue with him. Jeno finally comes out of the kitchen, a glass of wine in each hand, and gives one to you before he sits down on the other side of you. Renjun, not one to lose the upper hand of eye contact during a conversation, sets his glass down on top of a coaster on the coffee table before settling down on the floor between the tv and the table itself, facing the three of you on the couch once he's done shifting around.