"All right! Let's see how many we have here today."

Sungyeol's head nearly whacks against his ski boots when their instructor for the day walks past and shouts for attention. Currently, the kids and teens from their tour group are all gathered in the ski room at the basement of the resort and are waiting to be taken out onto the mountains. It had taken a lot of time and hassle for everyone to get their ski boots on, and with Woohyun constantly sticking out his foot obnoxiously and jerking it around so that it very nearly slams into Sungyeol's face for a majority of the time, Sungyeol was the last to finally knot his strings together before glaring sharply at Woohyun seated across from him on another bench. 

The instructor starts taking head count as a few other coaches stumble in through the door in their full ski gear, ready to take their designated kids and go. Sungyeol thinks it's pretty damn amazing how they managed to find them some Korean instructors (although he's not all that surprised- there're so many instructors here that he's pretty sure almost half the ethnicities in the world have been covered) and follows orders to sit according to age group. 

Daeyeol doesn't seem to be all that graceful on ski boots either for all the chiding he always gives Sungyeol about clumsiness and uncontrollable limbs (just like Myungsoo), and when he trips over the carpet Sungyeol almost thinks he's going to go down and bad until a jacket-covered arm stretches out and catches him by the front. 

"Careful there," Howon looks up at Daeyeol and grins wolfishly, arm slowly slipping from Daeyeol's stomach. 

Daeyeol colours (red warning signals blare in Sungyeol's head) and mumbles a thank you to Howon before settling down on the bench next to him, and Sungyeol then sits next to his younger brother. He sees a laughing Woohyun and Boohyun coming over and hitches up his leg to block the space next to him and send a clear message to Woohyun that his presence is not wanted, thank you very much, but apparently Woohyun really is that thick because he simply continues his conversation with his brother while absentmindedly shoving Sungyeol's leg off the bench and proceeding to sit. 

Sungyeol's just about to jostle Woohyun's offending elbow away from where it's digging into his side when there's a tap to his back and he turns, face relaxing into a smile when he sees it's just Suji. Even though he knows he likes guys, Sungyeol still thinks Suji looks like an ethereal beauty- long brown hair, almond-shaped eyes, pale smooth skin and cherry pink lips. And her smile is also just the right kind of pretty and adorable. 

"Hello, Sungyeol-ssi," Suji smiles that pretty smile at him. 

Sungyeol grins, "Morning, Suji-ah." 

Suji's smile grows brighter at the familiarity and Sungyeol can't help but think that having a younger sister like Suji would be much nicer and simpler than having the nuisance Daeyeol. 

And then there's that guy from the other night- Wooyoung, if Sungyeol remembers correctly- turning his head slightly to glance between Sungyeol and Suzy, and when Sungyeol offers him a nod he returns it amicably. Suji flashes him one last grin before turning back around and leaning in to whisper something into Wooyoung's ear, and Sungyeol thinks Wooyoung is almost inexplicably charming in his eagerness as he bends his head and shifts toward Suji to hear her better. 

"Again I say, Sungyeol-ah, staring so obnoxiously is actually rather rude." 

Sungyeol really can't be bothered with manners anymore and instead chooses to flash Woohyun the middle finger briefly. Screw age hierarchy and respect, he thinks, I'm only gonna respect those who deserve respect. Nam Woohyun does not.

"All right!" All the older teens in Sungyeol's group look up when a very fit-looking and handsome Korean male instructor claps his hands and approaches them. "My name is Kim Jongkook, and I'll be your ski instructor for the next week. In my class there's really only two simple rules: try not to get lost and do not push each other down or off mountains, be it with your ski poles or with your hands."

The group snickers and Woohyun even has the audacity to smirk in Sungyeol's direction, the bastard. 

"So if you guys are ready, just grab a pair of skis each from that wall and let's head out!" Jongkook claps his hands again and ushers them off, grabbing his own ski poles and skis and trudging towards the exit, holding the door open for them to head up the stairs and out into the snow. 

Sungyeol sees Daeyeol struggle a little with the skis (he might be clumsy but Daeyeol was weak, which was what made him a popular target for the bullies in school), but before he can so much as snag them from his brother, Howon is there again to help him hold onto one as they (Daeyeol) stumble towards the door together, smiling comfortably at his brother. 

"Howon-ah is only this nice to girls or people he's interested in, if you were wondering. Which you were, I'm sure." 

Sungyeol looks over at Woohyun who has somehow caught up to walk beside him, looking kind of (as Sungyeol notes with a little bitterness and jealousy) effortless in his handsomeness as the wind tussles his hair and his cheeks turn slightly ruddy from the cold. 

Woohyun was most probably expecting some snark remark from Sungyeol as a response like usual, but somehow Sungyeol never really has the heart to joke about things pertaining to his brother. "Yeah, I kind of was. Daeyeol doesn't flush, like ever, unless he's really embarrassed or flattered or shy, and I don't really know why I'm telling you this but I'm not sure how to read this situation." 

The laugh that escapes Woohyun's throat is genuine and light, so unlike his typical mocking snorts and boisterous laughter that Sungyeol's lips can't help but quirk a little at the sound. When Woohyun knocks his arm against his as they reach the top of the stairs and come face to face with the mountains and snow, it's in that friendly and joking way that Sungyeol doesn't really know if he should retract his arm like what he normally he does or thump Woohyun back. 

"Don't worry about it. Howon-ah's a good kid, I promise. He's got a mouth on him but he's not a jerk, I think he genuinely wants to know your brother better. You both should be flattered, really, that my exquisite family is showing so much interest in you two." 

And there goes whatever civilised moment Sungyeol thought they were having, burnt to the ground in ruins with Woohyun's ridiculous mouth. But at the same time, Sungyeol knows that Woohyun's being serious about Howon. He can see it in the honesty in his eyes and the straightforwardness of his tone. Somehow, it puts Sungyeol a little more at ease. A little. 

"Well I'm flattered I've managed to capture your attention, Nam. But we really should be moving." 

Sungyeol lets the bottom of his skis drag against the snow as he follows Jongkook and the rest of the group forward to the point where flat ground dips into slope. Woohyun stares after him and shakes his head with a ludicrous snort, more at himself than anything because yeah, somehow, there's something about you that really interests me, Lee Sungyeol. 

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A/N: Hi readers! I'm so sorry for the wait, tests just ended at the end of the last week so I've managed to grab some extra time to write an update! Thanks so much for your patience and support! Also, if you've already noticed, I'm trying to incorporate one or two more couples in this story, so please do let me know what you think all right! Comments and subscribers are loved, as always ♥