Another drabble request that grew in the telling. Unlearned asked for: "Yunho, Jaejoong, Yoochun. Initiation rites." Eliza egged me on.

"So," Yoochun says, elbow on Yunho's shoulder as they both watch Jaejoong declare his undying love to Stephanie, "when do you think he's going to wise up that there is no 'club?'"

"We tried to tell him--" Yunho begins.

"Yunho-oppa!" Stephanie bellows, interrupting him in a tone the exact opposite of sweet and demure. "Collect your band member before I kill him. I haven't had enough coffee yet for this shit."

"That explains why Super Junior are keeping a wide berth," Yunho says, grimacing as he stands. He had a feeling Stephanie was a bad choice. Maybe they should have gone with Heechul. He raises his voice. "Jaejoongah, come help me find Changmin."

Jaejoong bounces up from his knees, makes a finger heart at Stephanie with a singsong "Saranghae," then runs away, streaking past Yunho and Yoochun while he shouts, "Changmin! My beautiful Changminnie, come out!"

"Sorry," Yunho says to Stephanie, grimacing again as Yoochun makes good his own escape. Almost, he offers to get Stephanie more coffee, but the look in her eyes warns him off, and he follows after Jaejoong and Yoochun.

"I don't think she believed you," Yoochun says when they're safely across the studio and have all caught their breath. Jaejoong immediately protests.

"That's not my fault! I wasn't even lying!"

Technically, this is true. Jaejoong loves all of Cheon Sang Ji Hee, as he loves every one of his sisters. The dare, however, had been to convince Stephanie of another kind of love.

"You didn't lie, but--"

"And I fulfilled the dare." Jaejoong raises his chin. "You said to tell her I love her and ask her out. You didn't say she had to agree to go."

Yunho looks at Yoochun, who shrugs. They hadn't, though they hadn't expected Jaejoong to remember exact phrasing either.

Yunho sighs, stops just short of running his hand through painstakingly styled hair. "Look, Jaejoongie, there really isn't--"

"You shouted, hyung?" Changmin, of course, picks just that moment to reappear, Junsu in tow and voice as dry as chalk dust.

"Where were you?" Jaejoong doesn't wait for an answer before he latches onto Changmin and pulls. "Come on, let's go see where the director wants us."

Changmin can resist just Jaejoong, but Junsu's managed to turn around the grip Changmin had on him so he can push from behind, and the three of them make lurching, squabbling progress toward the set. Yunho watches his chance to maybe sort out this whole mess vaporize once again.

Beside him, Yoochun laughs, a low, warm chuckle. Yunho scowls. "You know, you're not being very helpful."

"You're the one who doesn't want to come clean about what we were really doing, hyung."

"It's supposed to be a surprise!"

"So we string this out until it's time to reveal the surprise. It's not really hurting Jaejoongie any, and it's certainly keeping the rest of us entertained. Stephanie will probably laugh about it once she's fully caffeinated."

"Yeah, but it means we have to come up with something else in the meantime, and I'm running out of ideas."

Again, Yoochun shrugs. "We can always tell him he has to compliment Heechul's wardrobe."

Yunho swallows startled laughter and nearly chokes. Yoochun pats his back, gives him a sly, innocent smile.

"You're evil," he manages at last, and the smile widens.

"Nah, just his best friend. Shall we go?"

~END~