Sometimes Sehun wonders about things he shouldn't be wondering about. Where do tears go after they've been wiped away? Mass cannot be created or destroyed. Why are tires dyed black, when rubber is originally white?

Does Jongin love him? If so, why? And for how long? Nothing lasts forever. Even plastic is becoming biodegradable, as microorganisms are learning how to break it down.

They’re waiting for the car to take them to a photoshoot. Jongin’s reading a book on his phone, leaning against the retaining wall Sehun’s claimed as a perch. No one’s said anything since they left the building. It’s a nice day, sunny and mild. Usually, Sehun wouldn’t mind the quiet, but his brain’s been buzzing too loudly for too long.

He nudges Jongin with his foot.

"Jongin." Jongin hums, upper right canine hooked in the straw of his tea, but he doesn't look up. "Do you love me?"

"Mm-hm."

Sehun reaches for the tea in Jongin’s hand; it’s passed to him without comment. He the boba up the straw and passes the cup back with watered down tea and melting ice cubes.

“Hey!" Jongin whines, looking mournfully at the remains of his drink and then at Sehun. His pout is ridiculously cute, even at his age. "Without the bubbles, it’s just tea...”

Sehun sticks his tongue out, showing the remaining pearl. If they weren’t in public, Jongin might still take it. “You looked content trying to eat the straw,” Sehun remarks. He swallows the boba.

Rolling his eyes, Jongin returns to reading. It’s annoying. Sehun kicks his hip.

"Dude! What’s that for?" Jongin rubs the soreness and dirty footprint away. "What’s with you?"

Sehun shrugs but doesn't elaborate.

He tells himself he can’t help but wonder. They’re already considered veterans in their field, mentoring younger and younger people. People with big hopes and dreams and starry eyes as they listen to their stories of being rookies and facing an unfair, restrictive industry. Gaining worldwide fame, breaking apart, members moving on to other pursuits and commitments. The ones left behind creating sub-units and launching solo careers to stay relevant.

He knows it can’t last forever, and that’s fine. As long as he has Jongin throughout the journey, even if just as a brother and friend, he thinks he can face anything life throws at him.

But he’s noticed the longing looks Jongin wears when he doesn’t know anyone’s watching. Watching young dancers and singers practice until they nearly faint, throwing themselves into routine that just get more complex every year to try and wow crowds and stand out from the dozens of other groups.

Jongin’s also dated some of the most beautiful people in the industry. Gorgeous women with curves and petite statures and soft features.

Sehun couldn’t be more different if he tried. He was incredibly cute as a child, but he grew out of it, stretching to a towering height as a teenager and developing broad shoulders. He’s even taller than Jongin, matching Chanyeol in height.

"Sehun, seriously. What is it?"

He hadn't realized he was staring. “It’s nothing. Forget it.” A couple girls slow as they walk by, nudging one another and gesturing toward them vaguely. They squeal when Jongin notices them and waves.

“It’s something,” he says, looking at Sehun again after the girls scurry away with matching blushes and new photos in their phones. “You’d better not have kicked me over ‘nothing’.”

Sehun bops him again, with his toe this time. "I’m just curious, is all. We’re not getting any younger, and things are always changing. Sometimes I wonder if we’ll change because of life and whatever…" He drifts off, pretending to be casual and nonchalant. The warmer weather has confused the bugs, and he watches a butterfly flutters around a planter of chrysanthemums.

Feelings aren’t anything new to discuss; they’ve all talked about dreams and ambitions and stresses that come with chasing them, but these are a little different. Sehun doesn’t like the vulnerability. He is the youngest of their group, even if just by a few months, but it’s like the moment he expresses his nerves, he’s immediately babied. It’s not what he wants. It’s too important to brush off with affectionate coddling.

Jongin gets it; Sehun knows he does, but he stays quiet long enough Sehun nearly kicks him again.

"You’re wondering if I still love you, because we're getting older? Wondering why I don’t do better?"

Sehun scoffs. "Please. I'm the best you’re ever gonna get."

Jongin shrugs and grins. "There you go."

Bravado deflating again, Sehun gently nudges his toes under Jongin's thigh. "You better not be lying."

Jongin shifts onto his side, pushing Sehun's knees apart to lean on his thigh. His elbow digs into the soft flesh, but Sehun doesn’t care, for now. "You could be balding with liverspots and cataracts," Jongin stresses, holding Sehun's gaze, "and I will still love you, because I actually like your personality, for some reason."

Sehun's face screws up in disgust at the idea of aging so ungracefully and the dig at his character but quickly relaxes into surprise when Jongin kisses his nose.

“I may look at other people," Jongin continues softly, "but that's just me looking, and it's not for the reasons you may think. I'm off the market," he lifts his arm to touch the back of his hand to Sehun’s cheek, hiding the affectionate gesture with the nearly empty tea cup, "because I have you, and I always will, right?"

"You don't have to be so gross about it," Sehun mumbles, ears pink with pleasure. The late butterfly is joined by a second one, settling on a nearby blossom with gently working wings.

Jongin whacks his arms and laughs. It’s boyish and bright and completely unfiltered. A pimple stands out under his bottom lip, the SPF face lotion he put on in the morning wasn’t rubbed in entirely along his jaw, and his messy bedhead is hidden beneath a hat. Sehun’s grateful to experience it all up close and in person, the real human beneath the celebrity.

He doesn't feel that he has to wonder anymore. If it can last forever, Sehun welcomes the future. As long as they’re together.

a/n: I missed my anniversary. orz;;; Back on November 13, 2013, I shared my very first EXO fic. It was a fill for the former EXO prompt meme, influenced by Lana del Rey’s Young and Beautiful.

And here it is. AGAIN! Hopefully better than before.

Originally titled Will You Still Love Me [Tomorrow]? and written for the exopromptmeme. (Prompt: something based off link ?? or where sehun worries that jongin is only with him for his looks)/p>