I've been updating frequently these days so please just make sure you've read the previous chapters first before moving on to this one. Enjoy!

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Jongin was avoiding Sehun. Everything was just fine until the previous night. And then on the next morning, Jongin was eerily silent on their way back to the camp. The Jongin who was always the first volunteer to sit right next to Sehun was now sitting at the other end of group. And it wasn't like Sehun didn't notice the way he ran off the moment he saw the blonde holding up the number, and when he ran off again after talking to Minseok. If it had stopped there, maybe Sehun would have assumed it was all just a coincidence. But then Minseok told him that Jongin had swapped numbers with him and it didn't take long to put two and two together. Sehun could only assume the other was uncomfortable because of the whole cuddle fest that happened the previous night but it was Jongin himself who told him to stay, anyway. If anything, this was his own fault.

He couldn't even feel happy with the victory of being the first team to reach the top of the hill. And as much as Minseok was great company, clearly one of the smarter and more mature ones of the group, he still couldn't help but feel annoyed with the elder's behavior. But it wasn't like he was gonna run after him for an explanation. If Jongin had something to declare, he was more than welcome to come outright and spit it out.

Sehun glared at the brunette who currently had an arm around Kyungri as he kept whispering things into her ear and laughing with her. They were back at the camp, having a huge barbeque party and everyone was enjoying themselves along with their friends. Sehun was sitting silently next to Minseok, Baekhyun, Chanyeol and Kris, laughing softly whenever any of them said something funny. Jongin's friends were a lot of fun, really, but it just felt like there was something missing without the tan brunette. 

That night, sleep wasn't welcoming Sehun at all and Jongin next to him wasn't moving around as much, so he assumed that he had fallen asleep. But then, a few hours into the night, he felt some shuffling beside him and saw a figure leaving the tent. Turning to his side, Jongin was no longer there.

I swear if he gets himself lost in the woods again...

He couldn't help but peek out from the inside of the tent. And there, he could make out two faint figures heading in between the trees.

Jongin and Kyungri.

Sehun's fists clenched tightly for some reason. If there was something he disliked about Jongin, it was this. His casual flings. Sehun wondered what Jongin's mother would have thought of him if she knew about this. To the blonde, a kiss is supposed to mean something. Bodies aren't something that should just be mindlessly used for pleasure. There should be emotions involved. 

But there was something else that was bugging Sehun, and it wasn't just the fact that he didn't approve of Jongin's bad habit. 

He forced himself to lie down again and tried his best to fall asleep. His muscles were sore from the days activities and all he needed now was rest. Thankfully, after a few hours, his body gave in to the exhaustion and he fell into deep slumber. All he could remember was that Jongin never returned to the tent that night.

* * *

It was the last day of the trip. They were set to leave in the afternoon so all they did was walk around, exploring new places, and taking pictures. They even came across the clearing with the lake where Jongin and Sehun spent the first night and while they were there, the two boys' eyes connected for a few seconds, in what seemed like a meaningful glance. Jongin was quick to look away though, and turned his attention back to Kyungri (who had been sticking a little to close to the brunette for Sehun's liking).

What the is up with you, Kim Jongin?

He was annoyed that Jongin was the one that convinced him to come on this stupid trip, and now he was the one avoiding him. Sehun tried not to let it bother him for the rest of the trip though. Though the whole thing had its ups and downs, he didn't really regret coming. It was something new, something different for Sehun, the boy who hardly went anywhere except for his own house, school, and probably the bubble tea shop. It was a nice change of pace to go out on a trip with friends and classmates to a far away place and experience new things for once. It was refreshing. And he wasn't going to let Jongin ruin in for him. 

* * *

"HEY! WHERE'D YOU GET THAT BODY FROM?" 

Sehun sighed and shook his head as all the students in the bus screamed along to the music obnoxiously loud. Frankly, the music couldn't even be heard over the sound of their voices. Nonetheless, Sehun couldn't help but smile. Everyone was having so much fun, screaming loudly without a care in the world like they were kids on a road trip. It was heart-warming to watch.

"I GOT IT FROM MY DADDY!"

Baekhyun almost ended up karate chopping Sehun's head as he tried to imitate the dance of the song.

"Come on, Hun!" Baekhyun grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him violently, "Loosen up a little!"

Sehun rolled his eyes and laughed. "I'll pass," he shouted over the loud music.

This time it was Baekhyun who rolled his eyes, "Come on, bruh! Have some fun!"

"Yeah, Sehun!" Chanyeol urged him on. Sehun looked at Minseok, silently asking for help but the latter simply shrugged. 

"It's our last year! Life's too short to be 'cool'!"

Sehun flinched from the Baekhyun's piercing voice in his ear. "Alright, alright, I got it."

Sehun briefly looked to where Jongin was sitting and he was also loudly singing along with Kyungri next to him. He didn't even spare Jongin a glance.

Ah, it.

Sehun found himself singing along to PSY's "Daddy" along with everyone else and he couldn't help the huge grin on his face while he did it. Of course he didn't dare attempt the ridiculous dance like Baekhyun and Chanyeol, but there was a certain exhilaration that came with just belting out at the top of your lungs to a ridiculous song without really caring about what other people thought. Sehun wasn't a singer, and neither were a lot of people on that bus, but at that point no one cared because they were just having fun. No one was judging anyone, everyone was simply having fun. As classmates, as friends, as people of the same age who could relate to each other.

Sehun wondered why he'd missed out on all this for so long.

Why he wasted what were supposed to be the best years of his life.

* * *

I think I'm going ing crazy.

Jongin paced around in his room. All he could think about was Sehun Sehun Sehun Sehun Sehun Sehun. He was aware he was avoiding the guy the whole day, and he was also aware that Sehun was aware that he was avoiding him. No matter how much he tried to distract himself with Kyungri during the trip, his eyes would always end up searching for a certain pale-skinned blonde. He couldn't take his eyes off of him in the bus. He couldn't take his eyes off of the big smile he had on his face as he sang in the bus along with everyone else. He looked so happy, and Jongin was completely and utterly mesmerized at the sight.

By a guy.

Just the night before, when he had snuck off into the woods with Kyungri, he had pounded into her roughly as he tried to shake off the thought of Sehun from his head. And it worked, to some extent. But all he had to do was lay his eyes on him the next morning again and there it ing was again. That feeling. The feeling of a thousand butterflies going "THIS IS SPARTA!" in his stomach. And somehow, guilt.

Deep inside all he wanted to do was abandon the girl, sit next to Sehun (and take Baekhyun's karate chops for him any ing day of the week) and sing with him. And feel his warmth. That amazing warmth he felt that night by the lake.

These thoughts were scaring him. Jongin believed he was straight with all his heart and soul for the past eighteen years of his existence on Earth, and he utterly despised gays. He always believed that a guy and a girl meet up, they fall in love, they bang, they get kids, repeat. It was as simple as that. Clear-cut facts. Human nature. Science.

But then this one guy called Oh ing Sehun just waltzed into his life and ed up all that he thought was logic and common sense. All these lines that he drew for himself all these years that were so clear before were now all shaky and hazy. Because , with all the thoughts he'd been getting lately about the younger, he realized he was now about as straight as a donkey's hind leg. What would his friends think? Surely they'd hate him for being such a ing hypocrite, especially after everything that happened with Luhan. 

He couldn't do this.

He needed to stay away.

He need these feelings to go away before they really  him up, if they haven't already.

* * *

Sehun sighed as he stared at his suitcase.

He had been thinking about this all night.

He knew he couldn't stay here forever. He was ready now. Ready to face his parents. Ready to go home. He already knew what he was going to do.

These past few weeks had been like a roller coaster ride for him. He learned a lot about life, about friendship, about liking someone and the jittery feelings that came along with it, but most importantly about dreams and how good it felt it to chase them, to experience them. 

Sehun felt like he may have misjudged a lot of people. Being on the class trip... it was like a change of perspective for him. He could see why these teenagers did the crazy things they did. He even wished he did them too. He realized that the thing that really mattered most in this world... was happiness.

He knew exactly what he was going to do. Something he had never done before, and there was a certain thrill that came along with it.

"Sehun-ah? Breakfast is ready-" Mrs. Kim cut herself off when she saw Sehun stood in the room, all dressed up like he was leaving and a suitcase on the floor. He smiled at her kindly.

"Sehun-ah? Are you...?"

"Yeah... I'm going back home." He picked up the suitcase from the ground and made his way towards her, "I finally decided on what I'm going to do. Besides, I don't wanna stay here and burden you any longer."

The woman scowled, "What nonsense! It was a pleasure having you here. I wished you could stay longer. The house feels a lot less lonely with you around."

Sehun felt his heart swell at her words. Sometimes he really wished she was his own mother.

"It really means a lot to me for you to say that. But... It's about time I faced my parents again."

She smiled sadly, placing her palm on his cheek, "I know... Go do what you have to do."

"Thank you Mrs. Kim. For... everything. For opening the doors of your home for me and welcoming me with open arms. Thank you for treating me like I was your own son."

"Don't thank me, Sehun-ah. And you know you can come back here any time. My home will always be open for you. I already consider you as a son of my own."

He smiled and surprisingly enough, she pulled him in into a tight hug. His eyes widened as he felt her warmth seep into his body.

They say a mother's warmth is comparable to no other...

Now Sehun definitely knew it was true. He wrapped his own arms around her as she tapped his back lightly. He didn't know why, but tears welled in Sehun's eyes. He had never felt a parent's love ever before. Never a meaningful embrace nor an act of affection from who were his own flesh and blood. Yet here she was, a woman, almost a stranger, who welcomed him into her open arms and called him her son. It was just so overwhelming for Sehun.

"Best of luck out there." She lightly pinched his cheek when she pulled away from him. He smiled down at her and all the woman could see was the smile of a child. Inside, Sehun was but a broken child. A child that simply longed for love and affection.

She was glad she could at least grant him some.

Sehun was going to say goodbye to Jongin but the latter was still asleep and he couldn't find it in him to wake him up.

* * *

"Morning mom." Jongin rubbed his eyes as he walked into the living room. He saw his mother sitting on the couch all alone.

"Good morning, Jonginnie." She smiled at her soon.

The boy looked around the room for a second before turning to her, "Where's Sehun?"

Her smiled fell just a little bit, "He went home."

"W-What?" Jongin was now fully alert, "When?"

"He left this morning when you were asleep."

Jongin felt his heart sink in his chest, "O-Oh." The house already felt empty. Even though Sehun wasn't one to talk a lot, the house was awfully silent without him. He was a little disappointed that the blonde didn't tell him anything about his plans of leaving. But then again. he'd been avoiding him for the past two days.

"Come sit down. I'll make you breakfast."

Jongin dragged his feet to the dinner table and slumped down on a chair. 

Maybe it's for the best.

Maybe now that I won't see him around as much, I won't have to face these stupid feelings anymore.

Yeah... It's good that he left...

* * *

The head servant's eyes widened once he opened the door.

"M-Master Sehun... You're back?"

"Hey." The blonde said with a sigh, walking into the house. He looked around. Nothing changed. Still the same obnoxious furniture, the same walls, ceilings and floors. He didn't miss it one bit, "Are mom and dad home?"

"Y-Yeah..." The servant was still trying to shake off the initial shock. The blonde hadn't showed up in weeks, except for when he came once to pick up some clothes and other essentials from his room. "They're in the living room."

"Well... wish me luck, Hyung." Sehun smiled at the servant, who almost gaped back in shock. The young master was so changed, he looked so much brighter, and he was smiling.

"Good luck." He said, taking the suitcase from Sehun, "I'll bring this up to your room."

Sehun simply nodded at him and watched the elder leave with a sigh. Mustering up his courage, he made his way into the living room and there they were. His parents. Sitting on separate couches, his father reading through some newspaper and his mother watching some beauty channel on the television.

Nothing changed.

Sehun cleared his throat to get their attention, and indeed he did. The two looked towards his direction and their eyes widened immediately.

"Well, look who's here." His father snickered.

"Listen..." Sehun sighed, "I'm not here to fight with you guys. I'm here to suggest a truce."

"Truce? We're your parents, Sehun." His mother said while rolling her eyes.

"Sure." He crossed his arms, "Let's call it an agreement then."

The two looked skeptical for a second until his father leaned back in his chair, "We're listening."

"I'll do what you guys want. I'll study hard and I'll get the grades you want. I'll go to medical school. But on one condition," Sehun stated firmly, already having rehearsed his words, "You guys will have to let me go to dance classes. It's just my last year of school, at least me enjoy it. Let me go out with friends and have fun, just for the few months I have left of school. And I will give you guys what you want in return."

His mother looked at her husband, who seemed to be deep in thought. After a second, he spoke up again.

"And how do we know you're gonna stick to your promise?"

Sehun smiled.

"When have I ever lied to you guys?"

Wow a triple update. What's wrong with me? Lol. I hope you guys are happy though ;)

Oh and Jongin's still being a jerk -_- What do you guys think will happen next?