The months fly past. Between practicing for their first showcase of the year, piles of schoolwork, countless time spent recording songs in the studio, various paintings being created, and hours of business meetings, everyone who had been at Sehun’s house for the party becomes closer and better friends with each other. Hanging out at Sehun and Junmyeon’s house becomes a weekly event for their group.

Life goes on. School ends for the seventeen and eighteen-year-olds, much to their delight. The older members of the group attend the graduation ceremonies for both the public school that Jongin, Tao, and Kyungsoo went to and for Sehun, Chanyeol, Jongdae, and Baekhyun’s private school. They celebrate several birthdays together - Kris turns twenty-one, Yixing turns twenty, and Tao, Jongin, and Sehun all turn eighteen.

Sehun eventually works up the courage to ask Jongin to accompany him to one of his father’s business parties (not that he was afraid of Jongin saying no; he was actually afraid of his parents’ reactions). Jongin agrees readily, excitedly informing Sehun that he’s always wanted to attend an event where he could wear a tuxedo.

Now that they’re here, standing in the lobby of the venue, Sehun doesn’t know whether he should regret his decision to ask Jongin to come with him or whether he should be be grateful, because if Jongin looks good on a regular basis, he looks scorching in a tux. His pink hair is styled more neatly than Sehun has ever seen it; the look suits him well. Instead of the numerous rings that normally decorate his ears, Jongin has settled for a simple black stud in each ear. Sehun has to consciously force himself to stop staring at his boyfriend.

“This is so exciting!” Jongin tells Sehun. “I’ve never gotten to dress up like this before!”

“I hope you won’t be disappointed when it turns out to be really boring,” Sehun warns Jongin, straightening his bowtie for him as he speaks.

“It could never be boring if you’re there,” Jongin replies. He’s grinning cheekily, but he sounds entirely sincere. Sehun doesn’t know what to say in reply, so he risks pressing a fleeting kiss to the corner of Jongin’s mouth instead before linking their arms together. “Just look at that dog!” Jongin says suddenly a few moments later, and Sehun is momentarily distracted by the delighted smile lighting up Jongin’s face. Forcing himself to look away, he turns to see that in fact, there is a small, fluffy dog sitting a short distance away from them.

“What’s a dog doing here?” Sehun asks, surprised.

“I have no idea, but I love that dog,” Jongin informs him, his eyes wide as he watches the dog.

Sehun can’t help himself as he blurts out, “I love you.” They’ve known each other for ten months and been together for nearly eight now, but neither of them have ever said those words aloud before, although Sehun has thought about it a lot, recently with increasing frequency. Still, Sehun feels a little panicked as he waits for Jongin’s reaction.

He shouldn’t have worried, evidently, because Jongin doesn’t even look slightly surprised. Instead, he beams at him with a dazzling smile that, as usual, leaves Sehun breathless. “I love you too, Sehunnie.” He pauses for a moment as they gaze at each other, soft smiles on their faces. “Can we go pet the dog though? Please?”

Sehun can’t stop himself from giggling at his boyfriend’s insistence. He’s just like a puppy himself, he thinks fondly. “Of course, Jonginnie. Let’s go pet the dog.” They spend nearly ten minutes cooing over the little dog together. “I wonder who just left their dog here like this,” Sehun comments. “It seems really irresponsible.”

“I wish I could keep him,” Jongin sighs wistfully. “I’ve always wanted a dog.”

“Some day, we’ll get a dog,” Sehun promises without really thinking about it. A moment later, he actually registers his words, the implication that he and Jongin will be together long enough to consider adopting pets together. They’re still young, Sehun knows, way too young for it to be anything more than a vague idea for their future, but it’s a very appealing thought all the same.

Jongin looks at him with wide eyes. “I’ll hold you to that,” he warns, but there’s a tiny smile on his face.

They reluctantly part with the dog when his owners appear and apologetically explain that he slipped away from them while they were trying to put his leash on. Jongin keeps longingly glancing back to where the dog was, so Sehun takes his hand and squeezes it reassuringly. It’s a tiny action, but it puts a smile back on Jongin’s face, and Sehun feels a sense of accomplishment.

They go sit down at a table together and begin looking around, observing the other attendees. “Is that Kris-hyung?” Jongin asks suddenly.

Sehun looks in the direction he’s pointing and immediately cracks up. “Yeah, that’s him.”

“What is he wearing?” Jongin demands, and he has a point. Kris is dressed in a shiny, deep purple suit with a silver shirt and a bright electric green bowtie. Next to him, Junmyeon looks immaculate as always in his classic black and white tuxedo, observing his boyfriend’s attire with amusement. Behind them, Sehun can see his parents’ horrified expressions and has to stifle his laughter.

“Junmyeon-hyung has been inviting him to these things as his plus-one for years,” Sehun explains, “but they both know Kris-hyung hates them. So he tries to dress as hideously as possible every time to annoy people. My parents actually tried to ban him once, but he was somehow able to get in anyway.”

“How’d he do it?” Jongin inquires curiously.

“Junmyeon-hyung let him in through the window,” Sehun snorts.

“Your brother is amazing,” Jongin declares admiringly. “And so is Kris-hyung. They deserve each other.”

They continue conversing just between the two of them, staying at their secluded table by themselves and occasionally eating snacks out the of platters being carried around by the waiters. “Feeling bored yet?” Sehun asks a while later.

“No,” Jongin says, smiling softly. “I like sitting here with you.”

“You’re so cute,” Sehun tells him, which draws out a blush from Jongin. “How are you the same Jongin who throws around seductive smirks and owns the room with his dancing?”

“It’s a secret,” Jongin winks. “Hey, speaking of dancing, are we allowed to dance together?”

“Probably not,” Sehun admits. “But who cares?” He holds out his hand for Jongin to take. “May I have this dance?”

“Of course,” Jongin giggles. He allows Sehun to pull him up and take him to the middle of the dance floor. “Are you going to lead?”

“If you’ll let me,” Sehun grins. “I am taller, after all.”

“By like, a centimeter!” Jongin protests indignantly. Sehun just sticks his tongue out at Jongin playfully as he takes Jongin’s hand with one of his own and settles the other on Jongin’s waist.

After so many hours of dance practice, it’s easy for them to slip into a rhythm in time with the music. They quickly get caught up in their own little world; Sehun is blissfully unaware of everything except Jongin’s dazzling smile as Sehun spins him and pulls him closer. And he’s so oblivious to the world around them that he forgets where he is, forgets all the eyes that are on them, and kisses Jongin right there in the middle of the dance floor.

For a few seconds, it’s pure bliss, just the sensation of Jongin’s lips on his, but then he’s cruelly ripped away from Jongin and back into reality. Suddenly, Sehun can only see his father’s furious face in front of him, and the weight of the situation suddenly crashes down on Sehun’s shoulders.

Sehun catches a glimpse of a very worried-looking Jongin as he’s dragged away by his parents; Junmyeon and Kris both have comforting arms around Jongin’s shoulders, and Sehun feels a fleeting sense of relief that Jongin, at least, is in good hands.

His parents bring him to a deserted hallway, and for a few moments, they all just stare at each other. “You know, Sehun, you really are the most ungrateful child I’ve ever encountered,” Sehun’s father finally says, his voice angry but controlled. “Your mother and I have gone far beyond what we strictly needed to in order to accommodate your whimsical dreams and desires.”

“It’s funny that you consider barely allowing me to attend a dance class that Iearned my place in as going ‘far beyond’ what you needed to,” Sehun retorts, unable to refrain from speaking even though he knows he messed up.

“Be quiet!” his mother snaps. “Your father is right. We’ve willingly sacrificed our image to let you play out your little fantasy of being a dancer. You should be filled with gratitude that we would even consider doing that.”

“And this is how you repay us? Publically humiliating our family by bringing some - some delinquent as your date?” Sehun’s father spits the words out distastefully. “And then having the audacity to not only dance with him, but kisshim in front of the whole world? Have you forgotten that you’re already set to marry someone else?”

Sehun flushes angrily. “Don’t you dare call Jongin names like that.”

“Your rebellious actions show that we’ve let you have far too much freedom,” Sehun’s mother continues smoothly, ignoring Sehun completely. “Which is why you are absolutely forbidden from attending that silly dance class ever again.”

Sehun’s jaw drops. “You can’t do that! Our showcase is in two weeks!”

Sehun’s father offers him nothing but a cold smile. “Then I suppose you should inform your classmates that you won’t be participating in that either.”