Just when Hongki thought Jonghun couldn't get any crazier, he turns around and slaps him with a brand new piece of incomprehensible absurdity. At first, Hongki thought he was hallucinating. Maybe even dreaming. But as he stood outside the car, with the sun shining brightly in his face and Jonghun at his side, Hongki could only stare across the crowded parking lot, mouth agape.

Never mind the fact this was a rural area, a very small town where the population couldn't have exceeded more than a mere thousand, what didn't make sense to him was not the shockingly large amount of people here, but the fact that this was where Jonghun decided to bring him. Choi Jonghun, the fussy brat who demanded sparkling water in a wine glass and then threw a tantrum over strawberries, brought him to a farmers market.

Really.

A farmers market.

Jonghun took him to a farmers market.

Of all the things Hongki expected from him, this had to be the farthest from his mind. Had Jonghun suffered a recent blow to the head? Had Hongki whacked him too hard and jostle his brain too much? Head trauma had to be the only explanation for this, because since when did Jonghun have any interest in supporting rural communities or their agriculture?

“You have got to be kidding me,” Hongki finally muttered as his gaze flicked over to Jonghun's face. “You dragged me out of work... to help you with your produce shopping?!”

The words broke off into nearly a shriek, causing Jonghun to wince as he hoisted that bag of his farther up his shoulder. Those dark sunglasses he sported completely obscured his eyes, reflecting only Hongki's face in both lenses and leaving him to wonder what the hell he was thinking.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Hongki could only purse his lips, wondering what the hell went through Jonghun's head every day. Of all things, why a farmers market? It didn't make sense. Nothing Jonghun did made any sense at all. Stealing a car, fleeing the city and driving all the way out here just to buy some fresh vegetables? Jonghun wasn't just unpredictable, he was completely out of his mind.

“It's not just a market,” mumbled Jonghun, running a hand through his dark locks as a sigh escaped his lips. “It's more than that. I can't really explain it, just come and see it for yourself.”

Jonghun shifted a bit on his feet, the movement a tad bit awkward, and for a brief moment Hongki felt the slightest bit unnerved by the fact he couldn't see Jonghun's eyes. Not being able to see which flurry of emotions burned in that dark gaze of his made Hongki uneasy, restless even, and as Jonghun continued to shift his weight from foot to foot, fidgeting with the strap of his bag, Hongki couldn't deny the sudden wave of suspicion.

Hongki narrowed his eyes.

What was Jonghun so antsy about all of a sudden?

Hongki barked out a sarcastic laugh. “Oh, I get it now. You're going to sell me to the farmers, who will probably turn me into mulch and then spread my remains across all their farmlands. That's great. I'm going to be fertilizer."

“Will you stop?!” Jonghun snapped, gathering the attention of a few passing strangers. Ignoring the odd looks he received, Jonghun stepped closer, leaning forward and lowering his voice. “Just stop it already. I'm trying, Hongki. I'm really trying. Just stop giving me attitude for five minutes, and let me do this one thing for you, okay?”

As soon as the words left his lips, Hongki could only stare at him for a moment, a proper response failing to form. He supposed he should have ignored the faint sting of guilt and snapped a snarky remark back at him, because arguing with each other was what they were best at, but as Jonghun merely stared right back at him, brow furrowed and lips pressed into a firm line, Hongki felt the last of his resolve begin to crumble.

Jonghun wanted to do this one thing, huh?

Fine. Hongki would humor him. Whatever grand adventure Jonghun thought he had planned inside a farmers market that was tucked away in the middle of nowhere, Hongki would go along with it. Besides, it's not like he had much of an option anyway, so he merely bit back his pride and followed alongside Jonghun.

“You do realize our boss is going to kill us when we get back, right?” Hongki finally piped up a moment later.

Jonghun sighed. “Worry about that later. Come on, we've got things to do.”

Without even waiting for a response, Jonghun reached out and grabbed Hongki's hand. Hongki made a face at him, but when he tried to tug his hand out Jonghun's grasp, he was met with a firmer hold from a warm palm and callused fingertips. Grimacing, Hongki pursed his lips and fiddled with one of his piercings. With a quick glance at Jonghun, who determinedly kept his gaze forward and refused to look at him, Hongki blew a puff of air through his lips.

Oh, to hell with it.

Alongside Jonghun, underneath the warm golden rays of the sun, Hongki tossed aside his damned pride for the time being and let Jonghun intertwine their fingers. Hongki probably would have kicked him for it had it been any other day, but now, as he looked at Jonghun, all Hongki could think about were the ornery brunette's previous words.

“I'm trying, Hongki. I'm really trying.”

Hongki suddenly swiped Jonghun's sunglasses off his face.

Jonghun snapped his head at him. “Hey, what are you doing? Those are mine.”

“The sun hurts my eyes,” Hongki mumbled as he positioned the sunglasses over his own eyes, ignoring the smug little smile that tugged at the corners of Jonghun's lips. Yep, Hongki was insane. He was officially going insane.

><><><><

When Jonghun had said this wasn't just a market, Hongki wasn't quite sure what to expect. He'd never been to a farmers market before, and he had most certainly never thought of traveling this far out of the city just to visit one. He thought it'd be no different than a visit to the produce section at the supermarket. He never expected a place like this to be so... lively.

It was strange to him, how bright eyed and friendly and welcoming everyone was here. Growing up in the city, Hongki had learned that there were but two reasons why anyone would bother to approach with a smile: either they were trying to sell something, or act as a distraction so their buddy could swipe something off your person. Perhaps he had become too cynical, he realized, when he found himself doubting the sincerity of all the smiles and warm hello's from complete strangers.

An endless multitude of people surrounded him at all sides, laughing alongside their companions and checking out all the different stalls spread across an open grassy field. However, instead of simply selling produce and freshly baked homemade treats, there were also games, music, jewelry stalls, clothing stands, students trying to raise money for their schools, and a hell of a lot of food at every turn.

It was almost like a festival.

In a place tucked away in the middle of nowhere, so far away from the city—and any semblance of civilization for that matter—Hongki wondered how Jonghun knew this even existed. It was so far out of the way, and so far from the freeway, it was exactly the kind of place that was very difficult to just stumble upon unless you were specifically looking for it.

“So, tell me something, your royal highness,” Hongki finally said after they had wandered around for a good hour or two. Jonghun rolled his eyes at the nickname, but when he opted not to respond with anything else, Hongki had to fight with himself not to badger a response out of him.

The midday sun hung high in the sky, and as Hongki sat perched atop a picnic table, casually munching on a honey glazed pastry so delicious he would probably sell his soul for it, he leant back to rest on one of his elbows. Still wearing Jonghun's sunglasses, Hongki cocked his head to the side.

“How do you even know about this place?” asked Hongki. “You don't really strike me as the country boy type.” More like the spoiled city boy type, but perhaps Hongki had no room to criticize. He was born and raised a city boy himself. The closest he'd ever been to the country was a backyard camping trip he had with Wonbin back when they were eight years old.

Hongki still remembered the horrified look Wonbin's parents had given them after they pitched the tent in the living room and tried to roast marshmallows over a candle. Even though they'd been banished to the backyard for all future camping trips, Hongki fondly looked back on those memories, remembering all the times they talked about everything and laughed about nothing at all.

“I used to come here a lot during the summer,” Jonghun murmured in response to Hongki's question. A sigh escaped his lips, and Hongki could have sworn there was something melancholic in the way he spoke, a sense of nostalgia b in that dark gaze of his. “All the time, actually.”

Hongki hummed.

“Your parents bring you?” Jonghun nodded, and Hongki rested his head in the palm of his hand. “Are they still around, or...?”

The question lingered between them for a moment, a strange, unsettling silence descending upon them. Finally, Jonghun shook his head, gritting his teeth before he opened his mouth and said, “I don't know.”

Hongki's eyebrows pulled together. “You don't know? What do you mean you don't know?”

“How many different meanings are there to the words I don't know?!” Jonghun snapped, dark gaze flickering with the spark of wildfire. “I don't know where they are, okay? That's it. End of story. Just drop it.”

“Okay then.” Obviously Hongki had hit a sore spot. Looking back at his mostly-eaten pastry, he frowned, gaze flicking up for a brief moment to find Jonghun's face had darkened with a grim seriousness. Hongki sighed, fingers absentmindedly tapping against the table. “My dad took off when I was six.”

Jonghun's gaze flicked up to Hongki's face, eyes narrowing. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“No. Just thought I'd share,” muttered Hongki, suddenly feeling like an idiot for trying to empathize with him. No matter what, Jonghun would always be obnoxious. Still, Hongki continued anyway, unsettled by how dangerously personal this conversation was getting. “He wasn't really interested in the whole raising a family thing. Would have been nice if he figured that out before he got married and had two kids, but hey, what do I know?”

Jonghun blinked at him. “You have a sibling?”

“Little brother. Mir,” Hongki nearly smiled, but the urge disappeared just as quickly as it came. He shook his head, ignoring the painful sting in his chest that accompanied his next words. “He doesn't really talk to me anymore.”

“Why?”

Hongki scrunched his nose, looking everywhere but at Jonghun. “I don't know. Because I'm a horrible human being and looking at me makes him sick? He's not the first person to hate me.”

“Hongki—”

“I'm hungry,” Hongki announced all of a sudden as he jumped to his feet, interrupting whatever thought was about to slip through Jonghun's lips. “I'm gonna go get some food. Want something?”

Jonghun's brow knit together. “You've done nothing but eat since we got here.”

“Yeah, well, I'm still hungry. You coming or not?”

Hongki didn't even wait for an answer before turning on his heel in search of something to eat. It was beginning to get dangerous, Hongki thought once again. It was getting too personal, too far into forbidden territory. He'd sworn up and down that Jonghun wouldn't know, that he couldn't know everything that had eaten away at him and made him into the miserable son of a he was, but here he was, sharing things he hadn't talked about with anyone but his best friend.

Hongki's eyes burned all of a sudden, and he viciously blinked away the feeling. No. He wouldn't do this here. He couldn't do this here. He wouldn't start crying. Not here, not now. Not in front of Jonghun. God, why did Jonghun have to be the one to tug at the darkest corners of his heart?

“You don't have to do that,” Jonghun mumbled once he'd caught up with him.

Hongki grimaced. “Do what?”

“Tell me how much your life so I won't feel bad about mine.”

Hongki turned to face him properly, an incredulous look flashing across his face. “Okay, first of all, that's not what I was doing, and it kinda pisses me off that you would even say that. Second of all, I was just trying to say that I get it.” Lowering his voice, Hongki sighed before he opened his mouth again, speaking softly this time. “It's not just you, okay?”

Jonghun stared at him. “What are you talking about?”

Hongki blew a puff of air through his lips, wishing for this conversation to just be over already.

“You're not the only one who's been abandoned. I know what that's like too.” As soon as the words left his lips, Hongki grimaced and spun around to a nearby food stall, ignoring the dark gaze boring so intensely into the back of his head. “God, I am really ing hungry. Can I just have everything you've got?”

The elderly lady working at the stall blinked at him, but then smiled at him anyway. “Um... sure?”

“Hongki,” Jonghun mumbled, and suddenly a hand had found its way around his own. Surprised, Hongki's gaze flicked down at their connected hands, then immediately came to rest on Jonghun's face. “Thanks,” was the quiet word of appreciation Hongki received, and he couldn't deny the fact he was the slightest bit taken aback.

Choi Jonghun... was thanking him?

Did he have a sudden personality change? Was the end of the world coming? Since when did Jonghun thank anybody? Hongki hadn't thought the word was even in his vocabulary. Hongki thought maybe he'd heard him wrong, but when Jonghun said nothing else and merely stared at him, dark eyes penetrating right into his soul, Hongki shifted a bit on his feet.

“Thanks for what?”

Jonghun squeezed his hand. “For not pushing it.”

><><><><

A/N

It's been too long since I've updated this story, and I wish I could have written more, but I just don't have it in me to churn out 4,000+ word chapters every time. 
I'm sorry, I hope you understand :(
Not to worry, their outing isn't quite finished yet. I have a bit more to write, but I'll save it for the next update, since I feel you all deserve a chapter sooner rather than later. 


As you can see, there is a teeny tiny bit of JongKi progression here. 
They will continue to move forward with the upcoming chapters, which I'm super excited for. 
Also, I'm so glad to see so many of you love Seunghyun's character here as much as I do.
He is so fun to write, as are the rest of the characters, and I can't wait to write the next update.

Thank you for reading.
I'll see you again soon :)