this is Suchen please don't hate it

Fingers fumbled with the wrapper of a Popsicle stolen from the freezer. It was unbearably hot, and Junmyeon needed both something sweet and something which would help bring his body temperature down.

He damn near dropped the treat, however, upon hearing the voice of an unanticipated visitor.

“I meant what I said back there, Junmyeon.”

Junmyeon shoved the Popsicle past his lips before gradually swiveling around, wide eyes taking in the appearance of none other than Kim Jongdae.

His mouth made a sort of questioning sound around the Popsicle as he blinked rapidly in bewilderment, silently asking what the other male was referring to.

“I don’t want Chanyeol, Myeonnie. I only want one person.” Jongdae sent the older boy a meaningful look, but he completely missed it.

“Huh? Who?” Junmyeon’s nose scrunched up in displeasure, and, after removing the Popsicle from his mouth, he spoke in a tone which was more sullen than usual.

Jongdae figured that he didn’t even realize how strangely he was acting, but if he truly was jealous- as Jongdae both suspected and hoped, although it was a bit ridiculous considering that he was presently alluding to him, of all people- then he somehow managed to be cute at the same time.

“I’ll tell you later…” The corner of Jongdae’s mouth quirked up into the slightest of smirks. “If you come with me somewhere. Alone.”

Once again, Junmyeon was blinking repeatedly at an alarmingly accelerated rate of motion. “U-um—” The Popsicle was on the verge of slipping from his fingers for the second time. “Yes! I mean…” The faintest hint of pink spread across his cheeks as he came to the realization that he had sounded far too eager. “Sure. I guess that would be okay.”

“Right now?” Jongdae urged, his miniscule smirk evolving into a full-fledged grin.

Junmyeon slowly nodded, thoughtlessly dropping his barely touched Popsicle into the trash before shyly accepting the hand that Jongdae offered him.

“Do you want to take a walk along the beach?”

Junmyeon gave another nod, gaze traveling from Jongdae’s bright eyes- which were scrunched up into half-moons- to thin lips also curved upwards in a sign of happiness and revealing two rows of pearly-white teeth, to the tiniest strip of smooth skin on display courtesy of a V-neck tee, and finally resting on the warm hand currently holding his- tightly.

The hardly noticeable flush coloring his cheeks darkened and grew more visible the longer he stared at the fingers wrapped around his own, and due to being distracted, he almost tripped over his own two feet.

Thankfully, Jongdae was there to steady him, already wide grin stretching his lips even further as his free hand grasped onto Junmyeon’s elbow and kept him from tumbling head over heels.

…Except, if Junmyeon were to be a hundred percent honest with himself, he had already fallen head over heels some time ago, for the exact male who was presently smiling directly at him.  

“You good?”

“Y-yeah…”

Jongdae readjusted his grip on Junmyeon’s hand, holding it more firmly as he led the older male out of the house and began their trek towards the beach.

As soon as they were outside, Jongdae picked up the pace, anxious to reach their destination and even more anxious to speak the words he was planning on saying at some point after their arrival.

"W-where are we headed, exactly?" Junmyeon managed to articulate, a bit unused to traveling quickly and thus having trouble matching Jongdae's strides.

As soon as the younger male noticed, however, he decreased his speed to one more easily attainable.

"We're just wandering around, Junmyeon." Jongdae pointedly locked gazes with the other boy, yet another broad grin decorating his entire face. "Looking at all the pretty things there are to see."

"Oh." Junmyeon actually registered that Jongdae's previous comment was directed towards him for once, and he hastily turned his head to keep Jongdae from noticing how his cheeks were heating up just as quickly. "Um... okay."

They soon reached the sand, bare feet sinking into its heated infinitesimal particles and moving rapidly over them to prevent the searing of skin.

Junmyeon's eyes scanned over various stones and broken bits of seashells as well as driftwood, and eventually his gaze landed on the water itself, which seemed to sparkle in result of reflecting the sun's bright beams of light.

"It is very pretty..." He murmured absently, releasing Jongdae's hand in order to go scurrying over to a cluster of rocks, sinking into a crouching position and viewing all of the life that resided in the tidal pool he had found.

"Oh my God!" He suddenly cried, leading Jongdae to break into a sprint to reach him in mere seconds, forehead creased in concern and a hand immediately coming to rest upon Junmyeon's shoulder.

"What is it, Junmyeon!?" Jongdae demanded, peering over the older's shoulder in search of any injury but instead catching sight of a violet starfish held in place underneath the gentle caress of Junmyeon's fingers.

"They're dying out, you know." Junmyeon remarked calmly, entirely ignoring the worry laced into Jongdae's words, his own carrying a sort of awestruck tone as he continued to the surface of the sea creature.

Jongdae remained entirely silent, entranced by the repetitive motion of Junmyeon's digits in addition to the melodious lull of his voice.

"I haven't ever seen one alone, free, in its natural habitat, you know? I was afraid I never would. Starfishes are special, Dae. There aren't many of them now. You can't kno