Warning: Implied explicit ual behavior, language, slight angst

High School: Senior Year

They meet before they’re meant to, both boys the victim of a computer glitch that leaves them without a student host during the university’s preview weekend. There’s a bit of minor drama since they’re both young, still only high school students, but the university eventually pulls through. They manage to put Jongdae and Sehun up in a hotel, but there’s no one available to watch over them and the university just has to trust that they’ll behave. They don’t.

With both boys in the same room, and without a chaperone or watchful sunbae around, it’s only a matter of time before the two mutually attractive, mutually teenagers end up in bed, together. The weekend’s a hot blur of and school, but when it’s over that’s it.

Sehun goes back to school that next Monday morning. He’s bragging about the little cutie he managed to bag on his trip. His friends clap him on the back in congratulations, but he can barely walk or sit down for too long, so everyone is pretty much fully aware of what actually happened.

Jongdae just grins when his friends ask him about his weekend away. Minseok, who went for the orientation activities too but was stuck on campus with the curfew, is especially interested in one Oh Sehun.

He masks his curiosity with a complaint. “That tall drink of water took up literally all of your time. We were supposed to stick together, Dae.”

Jongdae is unapologetic. “Tall drink of water?” He snorts. “More like a noodle.”

With a little more prodding from a smirking Minseok, Jongdae caves with a shrug and admits to giving the noodle “the dicking of his life.” Minseok grimaces at how crude Jongdae can be sometimes, but he’s quick to laugh along when Jongdae says how funny it would be if he and Sehun somehow meet again as freshmen in the fall.

“And that,” Minseok continues his teasing, “is what we in the lit department call destiny.”

“You’re not admitted as a literature major yet,” Jongdae is quick to remind him.

But it’s not much longer before college acceptances are released in March. Minseok and Jongdae get in. So does Sehun.

University: Year 1

Jongdae wouldn’t call Minseok his best friend, but they did grow up together. When you’re the only two people from your tiny rural hometown attending a huge public university, that matters. This means that Minseok gets roped into helping Jongdae move in and vice versa, mostly because their mothers conspire over the phone with one another to make sure that neither of their children is truly on his own.

There’s no one there yet when Jongdae and Minseok carry Jongdae’s stuff into his dorm room, but Jongdae manages to run smack into someone when they go to move in Minseok. It’s Minseok’s roommate, of course, but it also happens to be Oh Sehun because, really, who else could it be? Fate indeed, Minseok thinks.

He pokes his head out into the hallway to wonder what’s taking so long, but he’s quick to change his tune when he spots Jongdae staring up at a stoic Sehun in amazement.

“You know,” Minseok ventures, his voice tinged with a teasing lilt, “I’ve gotta run over to the Registrar’s real quick. Jongdae, you think you can manage getting the rest of my stuff in?”

Jongdae opens his mouth to respond but Sehun beats him to it. “We’ll take care of it.”

Minseok takes his time getting back, not on purpose necessarily, but he meets an international student named Luhan who buys him dinner and blushingly accepts when Minseok offers to help move him in too. Luhan, it turns out, is Jongdae’s absent roommate from earlier, and Minseok has no problem staying the night in Jongdae’s room since he’s got no doubt that Jongdae’s doing the same in his.

“Only you’re sleeping tonight,” Luhan points out, his accent thickening as amusement takes him over. “I doubt your friend will be doing the same.”

Surprisingly, Luhan’s only half correct. Jongdae and Sehun don’t immediately sleep together again, but things do get a little frisky when Sehun insists on bending over constantly as he unpacks. Jongdae’s always been an guy and he practically jumps the slightly younger boy, more than happy to press Sehun flat against the mattress so Jongdae can ravish him with his tongue. Both are thoroughly satisfied, and entirely , when they finally do fall asleep. As such neither is particularly bashful or embarrassed when Minseok comes home the next morning, Luhan in tow as emergency back-up, just in case.

This fateful second meeting sets the general tone for the rest of Jongdae and Sehun’s initial relationship. When they’re not in class, they’re falling into bed together; studying ranks after for them both, so it’s no surprise when Sehun’s midterm grades suffer.

He blames his bad scores on Minseok and Luhan’s late night study sessions. “Your incessant chatter kept me awake,” he whines over one of their weekly dinners a month or so after midterms are over. These complaints are all part of Sehun’s grand plan to guilt Minseok into tutoring him for Professor Park’s class; he is unsuccessful. Sehun recalls that the way to Minseok’s heart is through Luhan, but by then it’s too late and he’s already been partnered up for the final project.

Sehun whines about this too, but mostly to Jongdae because he’s really the only one who will listen to Sehun prattle on about how unfair and obvious it is for Professor Park to favor Minseok and Luhan just because Chanyeol thinks they’d be cute together.

“Aren’t we cute together?” Sehun asks, sounding quite put out.

Jongdae’s answering nod is more of an acknowledgment than an agreement. “Personally,” he comments as he closes his textbook and crawls across his bed to meet Sehun’s lips with his, “I think adjectives are more our style.”

Sehun considers this, not just in that moment but for a good while longer, and decides he isn’t sure how to feel about such a description for his and Jongdae’s relationship. He observes his brother’s interactions with his girlfriend over Christmas holidays, and notes the behaviors of other couples in those first few weeks back to school in January. His relationship with Jongdae, Sehun decides, is most definitely . There’s nothing wrong with this fact, in Sehun’s opinion, but he does wonder if maybe he should be expecting more from his boyfriend then just .

He’s pretty sure he and Jongdae are friends, at least, since Jongdae and Minseok are friends and Minseok and Luhan are friends and Sehun usually deigns to hang out with the whole lot of them. But after further consideration Sehun realizes that he and Jongdae are a lot closer to being friends with benefits than they are to being actual boyfriends who go out on dates and look cute together and have teachers ship them together and all that jazz.

These thoughts all come to total fruition right before spring break. Sehun has a whole week back home to figure out how he wants to proceed. He’s hoping the seven days away will give him a little wisdom, but he’s also recently heard a quote from his Classics 101 professor, Byun Baekhyun, that time makes fools of us all. Foolish move or not, Sehun gets back from his holiday and breaks up with Jongdae.

“That is a split I did not see coming,” Luhan confesses to Minseok. With the heat of summer fast approaching they’ve traded their hot mocha for an iced pomegranate green tea, still shared, and they’re studying for finals together at their favorite table in the campus café. Minseok knows that Jongdae was just as surprised when Sehun dumped him as they were to hear about the break up, and he tells Luhan this in a near whisper, just in case anyone nearby can hear him.

Professor Park Chanyeol, sitting with his boyfriend Byun Baekhyun two tables down, hears the words “break up” and nearly has an aneurysm. But then Minseok is handing Luhan their drink to take a sip from the same straw he just used—“Indirect kiss!” Baekhyun cheers under his breath—and Chanyeol assumes with relief that it was some other unfortunate couple who’s time together has come to an end.

“Not Minseok and Luhan,” Baekhyun agrees adamantly. “Those two are meant for each other.”

“Fated,” Chanyeol agrees.

Jongdae once thought the same thing about him and Sehun together; he can even remember the conversation he and Minseok had about the whole thing way back when after preview weekend. He spends the summer wondering what exactly changed between them; not once does he stop to consider how to make things right again.

University: Year 2

Sehun dumped Jongdae too late into the last semester for them to change their sophomore year living arrangements. The ex-boyfriends find themselves sharing a room when school starts back up again; like always, it’s not long before they’re sharing a bed, too. This is a rather dark time for them both, Sehun eaten up with self-loathing for not standing firm in his choices, and Jongdae with confusion for Sehun’s seemingly ever-changing emotions.

They finally break up again, this time for good, right before midterms, and Sehun practically lives in the library for two weeks. He says he’s there to study, that’s what he tells Minseok and Luhan at least, but Jongdae is absolutely positive the younger boy is hiding from him. By this point all four of them have been living in the same suite together for a good two months, so when Jongdae turns to Minseok and confesses, “I just don’t get him,” Minseok is finally able to help him understand.

“Did you ever actually ask him out?” Minseok asks gently. “Have you ever been on a real date?” Jongdae opens his mouth to protest but Minseok cuts him off. “And I don’t mean something that the four of us have done together.” Jongdae’s mouth closes.

Luhan, unsurprisingly seated right next to Minseok and across the table from Jongdae in their suite’s tiny kitchenette, decides it’s time to join the intervention.

“What Minnie’s getting at,” his voice is just as soft as Minseok’s; it’s almost like those two are afraid Jongdae is one crack away from falling apart entirely. “And I think why Sehun ultimately decided not to see you anymore, is that all you two ever do is .”

Jongdae’s been called dirty minded, but he’s never really thought about it that bluntly either. Luhan’s not wrong, though, and Jongdae admits this with obvious surprise. When Luhan shares that Sehun went so far as to call himself and Jongdae “not-quite-friends with benefits,” Jongdae’s surprise turns to sadness.

Sehun said that? How had Jongdae not known that’s how Sehun saw their relationship?

He asks these questions of his friends but they tell him that no one can answer them for him except for Sehun himself. Jongdae supposes that they’re probably right, but Sehun’s still hiding from them all by the middle of November when Kim Jongin, Jongdae’s Poetry 201 professor, offers a special opportunity as an alternative to writing a final paper.

Jongdae’s a psych major who’s always hated writing anything longer than three pages, so he’s quick to take Professor Kim up on the chance to select, memorize, video record, and confess with a Shakespeare sonnet of his choice to the person of his choice. The professor says that the videos will be played on the last day of class and that he hopes everything his students have learned about love over the course of the semester will help some poor lonely soul get lucky. Jongdae is aware that getting lucky is what got him in trouble in the first place, but he still thinks this is the perfect way to make Sehun his again.

“He’s not a possession, you know.” Minseok’s foray into Communications makes him indignant at Jongdae’s poor choice of words, but thankfully Luhan understands what Jongdae’s saying.

“Jia you!” he encourages. “You’ve got this!”

Jongdae’s not so confident, but the closer they get to the end of the term, the more Sehun starts appearing back at the dorm again. For Jongdae, it’s enough.

He and Minseok have lunch and discuss this development. It’s a rare moment when Minseok is without Luhan’s constant presence at his side, so Jongdae tries to pry into his friend’s dating life too. Minseok just smiles demurely, like he’s got a secret, but doesn’t answer when Jongdae asks flat out if he and Luhan are a thing. It’s vaguely infuriating, for Jongdae at least, especially when the mention of Luhan provides an opening for Minseok to change the subject. He takes the opportunity, of course, and the two friends spend the rest of their meal complaining about their school’s strange faculty. There’s a particular focus on Professor Kim since the man’s set to guest lecture for one of Minseok’s spring semester classes; Minseok, drawing his opinion entirely from Luhan’s own, says he doesn’t particularly care for the strange instructor with a doctorate in poetry, but Jongdae reminds his friend of the plan to win back Sehun and practically sings Jongin’s praises all throughout their finals season.

Sehun’s recent absence means he doesn’t understand his ex-boyfriend’s sudden appreciation of the Poetry 201 professor, but he swears he isn’t jealous when Luhan teases him about it.

“We’ve broken up,” Sehun defends himself. “He can date whomever he likes.”

Luhan raises an eyebrow at him, clearly unconvinced. “Oh really?” He takes a moment to look thoughtful. “So you’re saying if I was interested in—”

Sehun surprises himself when he bursts out his disagreement, and quite vehemently too. Luhan, on the other hand, just looks smug, and he makes sure to clarify that, yes, Sehun’s still got feelings for Jongdae.

“I don’t know why,” Sehun sounds sad when he admits this. “It’s not like we did a lot together except…you know. But there’s just something about him and I can’t—” He cuts himself off and takes a deep breath. “I just miss him.”

Luhan gives his friend a hug and pats his back a few times when he hears Sehun try to hide a sniffle.

“I’m sure he feels the same way about you,” Luhan comforts Sehun soothingly. When Sehun pulls away, expression skeptical, Luhan adds, “Who knows, maybe he’ll surprise you!”

Sehun can practically taste the strength of Luhan’s confidence on the air, but he’s got no reason to believe his friends words. He remains entirely unconvinced all the way up until three days before Christmas break when he starts to think differently.

This change in Sehun’s opinions toward Jongdae is a direct result of Professor Kim’s final project assignment. Jongdae gets caught up in making things right. He eventually settles on Elizabeth Barrett Browning's 43^rd sonnet and confesses it to Sehun with all he’s got. Sehun’s a half second away from swooning but he still asks for time to think things over. Minseok and Luhan aren’t too concerned.

Jongdae is a slightly different story, but Sehun doesn’t make him wait too long. To Jongin’s utter delight, Sehun appears in the lecture hall right as Jongdae’s video is finished playing in front of the class. He’s got a sonnet of his own memorized and Jongdae is quick to rush forward, falling into Sehun’s waiting arms when the taller meets him halfway.

“…In it thou art my all,” Sehun completes his recitation in short puffs of air against Jongdae’s lips. Professor Kim points out that Jongdae technically didn't follow the guidlines of the assignment--Jongin had specified a Shakespeare sonnet, after all--but Jongin excuses this, and the public display of affection, with extreme grace. He later calls the moment one of the best in his illustrious career as an educator and doesn't even mark Jongdae down.

Chanyeol teases him after Jongin regales his friends with this story about Jongdae and Sehun’s reunion. “Illustrious? You’re a baby professor!”

They’re at the annual “Hooray, Finals are Over!” party that Chanyeol and Baekhyun always throw for their couple friends at the university, and once Chanyeol has his fun Jongin is forced to spend the rest of his evening convincing his friends that he hasn’t abandoned Minseok and Luhan as his OTP.

“I’m just happy they’re happy,” he tells his husband, Public Speaking 101 Professor Do Kyungsoo, on their drive home from the party. Kyungsoo cares even less about Jongdae and Sehun than he does about Minseok and Luhan, but he’s happy that his husband is happy and silently wishes Jongdae and Sehun continued happiness too.

It's kind of him, butKyungsoo’s good wishes have very little to do with the contented sigh Jongdae releases from his spot in Sehun’s arms and curled up in front of the fireplace of Sehun’s parents’ winter home in the mountains.

“You never told me you were rich,” Jongdae accuses sleepily, not really mad at all. He yawns; Sehun thinks he’s adorable.

“You never asked,” Sehun scolds. He pauses for a moment to pet the top of Jongdae’s head, then asks “Does it matter?”

Jongdae turns his face into Sehun’s chest and yawns again. “I suppose it doesn’t,” he admits.

Sehun is glad to hear this and so kisses the top of Jongdae’s hair in silent gratitude, not only for his easy acceptance of Sehun’s family’s wealth, but really for everything that Jongdae did to fix things between them.

“I think I love you,” Sehun whispers.

Jongdae is two seconds away from falling asleep but he still manages a soft smile. “Of course you do,” he murmurs, lips tickling the base of Sehun’s throat. “Aren’t you a lit major? Haven’t you learned about fate?”

Sehun has learned about fate. Some people call it destiny, and Sehun is starting to think that maybe Jongdae is his.