Sehun sat down on the swing. He tried to swing his legs back and forth while waiting for Jongin at their secret spot, as he had always done when he was younger, but he couldn't anymore. His legs were too long. He stretched them out to get a proper look at them, smiling proudly. He was the tallest in their class, perhaps also in the whole school. Granted, he was only one centimeter taller than Jongin, but one centimeter was one centimeter!

Just then, Jongin's silhouette appeared on the horizon. He would recognize him anywhere. Even his outline was handsome, tall and manly. The girls at school all went nuts over Jongin, calling him a manly flower since he managed to be manly and pretty at the same time. He understood why Jongin was so popular, but he didn't get why he was so much more popular than him. Just like Jongin, he was tall and manly! He was even taller than Jongin, and maybe he wasn't a flower, but he was a pretty nice looking cactus. That had to count for something. Flowers were flashy, but they wilted all too fast, cacti were stoic, dependable, and long-lasting. A much better choice.

Maybe it was the gay thing. Jongin's queer charms somehow mesmerizing the girls so that they couldn't see the ruggedly handsome straight guy standing right beside him. Or maybe Sehun was just so tall they didn't see him at all. He chuckled to himself. He was pretty tall. Sehun had never blamed Jongin, though. He just didn't get it, why the girls always went for the most obvious candidate. Didn't they ever get tired of the stereotypical pretty but broodingly mysterious guy? How about giving the lovable oaf a chance once in a while? Either way, since Jongin wasn't interested one bit, the girls had no choice but to settle with Sehun. It was a win, win situation, at least for Sehun.

“So.. how did it go?” Sehun asked with anticipation. Jongin looked as serious as a heart attack. But that was just his face. Jongin had the tendency to disappear into his own mind, his brain forgetting to manage his facial expression, his lips protruding in an upside-down pout. It didn't necessarily have to mean anything.

Jongin sat down next to him, wrinkling his eyebrows.

“I have to tell you something,” he said in an ominously low voice. Sehun didn't know how to act. It reminded him of the time Jongin told him he was gay. Back then he hadn't had a clue. Totally blind-sighted, he had stuck his foot in it, big time, making unfortunate and incredibly inappropriate jokes that had echoed through the silence. But not this time. This time he was going to be ready for whatever news Jongin had to tell him with all the appropriate reactions. No matter what it was, he was going to approach it with a calm and collected attitude.

“I... I... eh...” trying to push the words out, Jongin looked as if he was trying to push a two-ton truck up a steep hill. Impossible.

Sehun's heart sank. He knew what Jongin was going to say. He had been expecting this conversation for a while now.

“Nini-ya, I know,” he said softly. “I've known for a while.” he patted him lightly on the shoulder.

“You've developed feelings for me... Ah! And here was I, trying to take special care not to do anything that could trigger a change in how you see me, but I knew it was useless... it was only a matter of time.” Sehun shook his head dramatically.

“It's completely understandable. I mean, look at me... you never stood a chance!” Sehun said, smirking confidently, but got an instant pang of guilt. He realized he was rubbing it in, parading in front of Jongin what he could never get. He felt bad.

“Believe me, if I was wired that way, you would be my first choice...” Sehun confessed with sincerity. He had sometimes thought about it. What if. What if he was gay and could give Jongin everything he wanted. They would be the ultimate power couple. Jongin had the brains and the brawns, and he had... he had impeccable comedic timing and endearing charm once you got to know him. The perfect team.

“Ugh! No! ...for the hundredth time, I don't like you like that!” Jongin protested, frustrated. Sehun sighed. Poor chap, he was still in denial.

“I'm different from other people.” Jongin started, but Sehun cut him off. He was having a severe case of deja vu.

“Dude! I know you're gay! You told me a long, long time ago, remember? You didn't hit your head and lose all your memories from the last couple of years, right?” he wrinkled his nose, worried. Jongin was acting really weird.

“No, no, no... not that kind of different, but different different,” Jongin said, really frustrated.

“Hmm.. you lost me...” Sehun scratched his head, having no idea where he was going with this.

“I'VE GOT SUPERNATURAL POWERS.” Jongin blurted out all at once in an almost angry tone, nearly shouting.

Oh. So this was another one of Jongin's elaborate jokes that went way above his head. Jongin had a weird sense of humor sometimes, but Sehun just decided to roll with it. Jongin looked like he was having a hard time, so the least he could do was play along with whatever make-believe scenario Jongin had prepared.

“Ooooh, which ones??” Sehun chuckled, feeling himself getting into it, all excited. He loved this game already. He really liked supernatural stuff and there had often been times he wished he had supernatural powers, but this was the first time Jongin showed any interest in the topic.

“Mmm... not sure what it's called, and I can't control it very well yet... or... not at all, actually... but I can like... move stuff... without touching it.” Jongin half mumbled the last part so that it was barely audible.

“Ah! Telekinesis! Oh, that's a good choice!” Sehun said excitedly, not able to stop himself from bouncing up and down.

“Ehm, it wasn't exactly a choice.” Jongin objected, clearly startled by his enthusiastic reaction.

“No, no, you're right. Sometimes the power chooses you,” he said in a dramatic voice. This was fun. He wasn't as good an actor as Jongin, so it was harder for him to maintain a straight face, but he was trying.

“You're taking this awfully well...” Jongin said hesitantly, his voice lined with skepticism.

“Yeah, I mean, it's a cool power, and it doesn't overlap with my power.” Sehun smiled brightly.

“What? You have a power?!” Jongin jumped up, staring him down with an intense, incredulous glare.

“Of course! It's not like you own the exclusive rights to having a power.” Sehun argued, proud of his quick witted-response.

“Uh... no?” Jongin looked confused.

“I chose super strength and agility,” he announced proudly. It was either that or invisibility. Omnilingualism would be cool too. Oh, and flying. And maybe X-ray vision, although that could cause more problems than it solved. There were just too many to choose from.

“Okaaay, strange that I have never ever noticed that... show me.” Jongin smirked with one of his eyebrows raised.

Jongin sat back down, leaning back coolly, much more relaxed than before.

“Uhh, I can't just do it on command,” he complained, trying to think of a way to appear super strong and agile.

“Riiight, of course not. Aha. Mhm.” Jongin shook his head disapprovingly.

“You show me, then.” Sehun threw back at him with the biggest smirk.

“I told you, I don't have control over it. It's not safe.” Jongin insisted, sadness visiting his eyes.

“Fine. I'll do it, then.” Sehun said confidently to try and distract Jongin from whatever depressing thoughts that were clouding his brain at the moment, raining on his happiness. They were probably the reason he started this game in the first place.

Sehun stood up and cleared his throat. Looking around, he saw a medium-sized rock. That should do it, he thought. He positioned himself in front of it, flexing his muscles to look stronger. He bent down to pick it up, but it was heavier than he had expected. When he theatrically pulled on it, it didn't budge.

“See! It moved!” he exclaimed out of breath.

Jongin scowled, unimpressed.

“Now it's your turn!” Sehun smiled encouragingly.

“I told you, it's too dangerous,” Jongin said sullenly, kicking a pebble. It flew up and hit a tree.

“Okay, just look this way then,” Sehun instructed, and the moment he looked at him, Sehun pretended to fall backward.

“Wooooah! You pushed me with your mind! What a power!!” he exclaimed eagerly, acting like Jongin's power had completely knocked him off his feet.

“Knock it off! Not everything is a joke, you know!” Jongin growled.

Sehun, who had just gotten up, was nearly hit by a huge, flying tree branch that appeared to have ripped clean off a nearby tree for no apparent reason and was catapulted in his direction. It was as if the tree had it out for him.

“No!!” Jongin shouted, throwing himself on top of Sehun, way too late to play the hero, but the sentiment was not lost on him. It took Sehun a few moments to realize what had just happened, but between the flying branch, the pen that broke the window, and a myriad of other peculiar things that had a habit of happening around Jongin lately, it dawned on him. Jongin was for real!

“Are you okay?” Jongin whimpered, getting back up. He looked devastated. His eyes looked like those of a puppy that had been caught after unintentionally chewing through his owner's sofa while they were away.

“Okay?!?” Sehun replied incredulously, his jaw stuck to the ground with superglue.

“I'm sorry.” Jongin hung his head.

“I'm not okay, I'm awesome. This is sooooooooooo COOL!” Sehun jumped up, not able to contain his excitement.

“What?” Jongin looked up, puzzled.

“You've got actual superpowers! This is insane! Your life is like... a comic book! A real-life comic book! Wow! I'm so jealous!”

“Although...” Sehun gasped as he got the greatest idea of his life.

“I could be like... the Alfred to you Batman!! Like... help you develop your powers and be in charge of your cave and !” Sehun's mind jumped on the idea like a hungry lion would an antelope, rushing through a thousand scenarios of how he could help Jongin become the greatest superhero ever to be born. Or, well, maybe the only superhero to be born, he wasn't sure what the deal was, if this was an isolated 'bitten by a radioactive insect' incident or if it was more deep-rooted than that, with thousands of superheroes hiding in plain sight. The thought tickled his stomach.

“I don't think there's going to be a cave.” Jongin chuckled, the weight visibly lifted off his shoulders.

On their way home, they discussed their bright future as a superhero and his loyal and indispensable sidekick. Or, Sehun was the one doing most of the talking. Jongin only nodded, throwing in a chuckle or two at the most if he was feeling generous. Sehun had a thousand questions burning on the tip of his tongue, but he decided to leave them for later, Jongin looked a bit tired. They would have plenty of time to hash out all the details. This was going to be epic.