They’re back outside in the vibrant sunlight at lunch, lazing around the silver-glossed steps of the school. Like the other boys in their grade, they lounge in the temporary freedom with content, and although the threat of an exam should dislodge them from this, they defiantly remain in nothingness. It feels still for once in this moment, and the passage of time seems to be delayed just for now.

There aren’t any words being said, but Sehun’s nose slightly scrunches at the mood around the two of them. He squirms around in discomfort, the grass tickling his back like little sharp fingers. His head is propped up against Jongin’s left knee, and it rests on his thigh calmly. His gaze is fixed upwards so that he can’t see the other’s face, but with the way Sehun feels Jongin’s thigh tense and relax constantly (is it even trembling?), it’s hard to picture him with a content expression.

“Is something wrong? You’re not saying anything,” Sehun groggily drags out, slightly lifting his head.

“No, go back to sleep,” Jongin softly says, gently pushing the other’s head back down onto his lap. He has an open textbook perched on his right knee as an excuse for silence, but seeing that he stopped reading as soon as Sehun laid down, there sincerely was no reason for this awkwardness. Other than maybe Jongin’s little crush. But it was miniscule. Nothing that important to make his muscles tighten with anxiety, or his chest shake with nervousness. No, Jongin was in perfect condition.

“I wasn’t even sleeping,” Sehun argues, although he obediently settles back down onto Jongin’s thigh.

“I thought you were,” Jongin replies, and he then feels the need to use his fake excuse. “I’m just busy studying this material for our biology exam,” he assures the other, patting the open pages loudly.

“You can still talk to me, you know. We have the same teacher and the same exam, so there’s no reason to be studying alone,” Sehun states aloud. He finds Jongin’s current behavior to be quite abnormal, as not a day had ever passed without his voice dominating a conversation. It’s pleasant right now, but oddly so.

“It’s okay,” he tells the other in response. “Why don’t we just talk about something else? Anything interesting going on?”

“What the heck is with you today?” Sehun questions out of disbelief, and Jongin peers down to see his eyebrows cutely raised up. “You’re always the first one to talk about anything. Since when does Oh Sehun get to go first before the great Kim Jongin?” he teases the other.

Jongin responds by flicking Sehun’s forehead, although the action is simply met with a soft whine. “Maybe I’m just feeling nice today,” he says with little confidence. He can feel the heat radiating from his cheeks, and he lifts his hand to wipe them as if they’ll cool off from the touch. “So, do you have any interesting news or not?” he follows up quickly, wanting to fill in the void of silence.

Sehun turns his body to his left so that he can glance up at Jongin’s face. He bites his tongue in hesitation, deciding whether he has anything to say. “I’m going to work with Minseok starting next week,” he resolutely lets out, dropping the news as casually as he can.

After an interview with Minseok’s boss, Sehun was hired on the spot for a job at the café, due to his “pleasant” personality and ability to deal with customers. At least, that was what Minseok and his boss told him. Sehun assumed that it was just because he was capable and actually willing to go the distance for this small café job. The mountain wasn’t exactly an ideal work distance for anyone.

“Really?” Jongin asks aloud, eyes opened wide with surprise.

“I mean, he said that they were working and since I come up with you almost every day, why not? I might as well be making money, too.”

“I’m happy for you,” Jongin initially says, but the surprise in his eyes eventually fizzles out. “What about me though? Are you going to leave me back alone in that shop?” he asks Sehun, although the question seemingly comes out as a whining complaint.

Sehun smiles at Jongin’s cute pouting and pats his side with comfort. “We’ll still get to walk together and get drinks together, you know. Besides, I’m sure you can live without me by your side for a few hours.”

Jongin begs to differ at Sehun’s last statement, but he keeps that argument inside his head.

“Whatever,” he ends up saying with a soft chuckle, and he closes his textbook shut. After tossing it into an area of grass, Jongin starts off the ground slowly, using his palms to hoist himself off the ground. Sehun removes himself from his leg and sits up with a yawn, reaching behind him to dust off the green streaks of grass pressed on his back.

“Is it time already? That felt too short,” he finishes at the end of his yawn.

“It’s because you were just laying here doing nothing,” Jongin playfully scolds. He bends down to comb the back of Sehun’s head, aligning the messy strands back into their normal state. Jongin makes a silent realization that he enjoys playing with Sehun’s soft hair, and he remembers to keep that in mind along with other things he likes to do with Sehun.

As they walk back to their respective classes, Jongin feels more refreshed. The pain in his foot has been easing away until it’s barely noticeable, and he attributes his success to Sehun’s constant care (“No, Jongin. I know you like to be cool and walk on your own, but you better hold my hand and use me as support whenever we see stairs”). He smiles at the memories, joking to himself that he should get injured more often so that he gets that special treatment from Sehun.

It’s been just a week since that piggy-back incident with Sehun, so every moment of the event remains fresh in Jongin’s mind. He remembers Sehun’s firm grip