“Oh you have got to be kidding me!” Sehun exclaims, slapping a palm to his forehead.

“Huh?” Jongin replies, not once looking up from the television where he blandly scrolls through the channels.

“Fans. Fans everywhere!” Sehun stands looking out from his apartment block to the pale streets below. Sure enough, there is already a cluster of girls in their school uniforms clutching their phones excitedly.

Jongin snorts derisively from the sofa and still doesn’t look up, his eyes now firmly trained on a football match on the TV and his thoughts most definitely straying to a wide-eyed matchmaker. “They’re bananas. Like, no offence Hun, but you’re kinda boring. And ugly. Why do they care about you so much?”

Sehun frowns disapprovingly at Jongin and rubs his hand across his jaw. “I’m practically an idol, just without the company.”

Jongin snorts again “Or the talent, or the modesty.”

Sehun grins “I’ll have you know that I am in fact very talented, very modest and very handsome it’s just that you wouldn’t notice that because you’re preoccupied chasing people that are clearly way out of your league.”

Sehun just has time to duck before a cushion is being hurled at his head, and when he’s pulled himself upright and rid himself from the laughing fit he glares at a pouting Jongin with a a hopefully threatening look.

“Kyungsoo is not out of my league.”

“He so is.”

“Is not.”

“Is to.”

“I hope you know I hate you!” Jongin grumps folding his arms and staring at the floor, his eyebrows furrowed.

Sehun swallows down another giggle and replies. “I love you too Jongin.”

Jongin throws a lampshade this time.

***

“Just get security to get rid of them!” Jongin whines exasperatedly. He and Sehun hover in Sehun’s apartment, dressed up to the nines in their tuxes and looking mighty fine if Jongin may say so himself. They’re due to be attending the matchmaking mixer event tonight, but they’re already going to be late. Traffic is usually a nightmare at this time of night and they’re due at the Grand Palais in less than twenty minutes.

“I can’t Jongin.”

“Why not? They cleared them out before and I swear if we’re late my dad’s gonna kill me and Kyungsoo is going to—“

“Hush, peasant.” Sehun says, frowning. “Security can’t do anything because they’re not actually in the building. They camped out in the lobby last time so they could throw them out. Technically all they’re doing is standing on a pavement. You can’t just throw them off the streets.”

“But we have to!” Jongin whines as the panic sets in.

Sehun rolls his eyes, patting Jongin lightly on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. Lover boy isn’t going to care that you’re late because he’s just as infatuated as you are, just neither of you have the balls to do anything.”

Jongin opens his mouth to speak but Sehun cuts him off “It’s the truth and you know it. Your dad won’t mind either because he’ll be entertaining everyone in true Kim fashion.” Sehun’s phone beeps and he whips it out of his pocket and unlocks it in one smooth movement. “Tao’s outside the kitchen entrance. We’ll be fine; he’s a pretty decent driver Y’know.”

Jongin sighs as Sehun grabs his arm and tugs him towards the elevator, and worrying sensation in the pit of his stomach. “Kyungsoo and I still haven’t spoken and I really don’t want to mess things up between us—“

“You are actually the most irritating person I have ever met.”

***

Tao’s car is idling illegally on the curb when Jongin and Sehun sneak out of the kitchen door. The wall of cold air makes Jongin in a breath and wish he’d brought a coat as he and Sehun scramble into the back seat.

Tao has mercifully kept the heating on full pelt so the leather doesn’t feel like daggers when they slide in. They fasten their seatbelts quickly before Sehun gives a cheeky smirk to Tao through the rear-view mirror. “’Sup.”

Tao rolls his eyes affectionately and revs the engine lightly. “You ready boys?”

Sehun and Jongin nod, twin grins on their faces as the engine purrs beneath them. Tao flicks the lock and puts his foot down, taking a sharp left at the end of the street into the main flow of Seoul’s traffic.

He weaves in and out of cars, most definitely breaking several traffic laws, before pulling slowing to a crawl as the car hit the bottleneck in the road. “Um, i don’t want to worry you boys but I think we have company.”

Jongin and Sehun turn slowly over their shoulders and groan.

Behind them, there are several cars with teenage girls in the passenger seats. They’re all clutching mobile phones and there are some actually walking between the slow moving traffic to try and reach the car.

“Dammit.” Jongin mutters.

“I think it’s them, I think it’s them!”

“You’re right, I’m sure this is Sehun’s bodyguard’s car... Zitao is it?”

“Oh my gosh, I wonder where they’re going?”

Jongin hears a scattering of conversations from girls surrounding the car. Tao’s windows are darkly tinted so there’s no way they can see inside but it’s disconcerting to know that they’ve been found.

Tao continues to drive the car steadily down the road. Even more girls are now walking behind them and the giggles are starting to increase. Jongin’s massages his temples and nearly cracks his head against the window when he hears the first familiar sound of a camera shutter.

The paps have found them.

The next thing Jongin registers is Sehun cackling like a hyena as what feels like hundreds of lenses press up against the car windows, flashing pouring light inside.

Jongin has no idea whether the pictures will turn out or not, but he props his elbow on the window ledge and holds his hand by his head just in case. Usually he’d take paparazzi in his stride but he’s just not feeling it tonight. He’ll put it down to tiredness although the sneaky part of his brain is waving its arms hysterically and doing a jig whilst screaming Kyungsoo’s name.

Tao rolls his eyes are the paparazzi practically throw themselves on the bonnet, but he never stops the car, only keeps it at a steady crawl in the traffic. The car is almost surrounded now by paparazzi and fan girls alike. “This is kind of your fault Jongin.” Tao huffs dramatically, swinging the car into a right turn and trying not to squash any screaming teenage girls.

“How?” Jongin replies grumpily, folding his arms in front of his chest and pouting. He ignores Sehun’s fake vomiting in the background.

“You’re not cute you—“

“Hush Sehun, I’m trying to speak.” Tao interjects. “You disappeared for ages and they haven’t seen hide nor hair of their precious little Jonginnie and his precious little bezzie mate Sehun so they’re all in riot mode.”

Jongin doesn’t get chance to reply because a loud beeping noise emits from the car dashboard along with a bright flashing light. “Oh. Oh dear.” Tao mutters. They’ve turned down a backstreet with less traffic so Tao puts his foot down, speeding the car up. “Maybe the fuel needs moving round a little mor—oh. Maybe not.”

The car engine stutters and coughs and it lurches forward in big jumps.

Sehun and Jongin share a confused look as the car stops completely.

Tao taps the wheel, his lips pouted confusedly. “Um... I think the car might have broken down.”

Oh crap, Jongin thinks, slapping his palm to his forehead. Sehun drops his head forward to the seat in front and groans into the leather.

Tao smacks him lightly “Don’t you dare slobber all over my seats you disgusting child.” He tries to rev the engine a few times, but succeeds in only making the car jolt a couple of times.

Jongin can already hear the steady hum of press and fans getting louder and louder in the background. They can’t stay here, the car will be entirely surrounded soon and they won’t be able to leave for the whole night. “Hyung, what are we going to do?” asks Jongin unsurely.

Tao glances in his rear-view mirror and takes in the mass of people drawing ever closer. “The only thing you guys can do is run for it. I’ll stay here, call for a recovery truck and sort myself out.” He pulls his phone out of the glove compartment and taps something in quickly. He turns the screen towards Jongin and Sehun and traces his finger across it.”We are here.” He points at a little red dot. “Take the first left of this road, then the first left again. That gets you back to the main street. There’ll be more people, but go any other way and you’ll get yourselves lost. Head straight for the Grand Palais and get yourselves inside as soon as you can. Security is strict but they should know who you are and they’ll stop anyone else getting in. Clear?”

“Crystal.” Sehun nods in confirmation, turning to look at Jongin. “Ready?” They both unclip their seatbelts, one hand on the car door. This is actually quite exciting.

“As I’ll ever be.” Jongin smirks and Sehun grins.

“3...2...” Sehun counts down.

“ONE!” They both shriek getting out of the car in lightning speed.

 The first thing Jongin registers is a voice among the crowd coming towards them yelling “IT’S THEM!”

The crowd screams in unison and breaks into a sprint, cameras flashing.

“Let’s go!” Sehun hollers and he and Jongin tear down the road as fast as they can, skidding as they round the first corner.

“Dammit— fan girls can—run.” Sehun huffs as he and Jongin continue to pelt down the back streets. Jongin chances a look over his shoulder just before they round the second corner and wishes he hadn’t. He doesn’t know what they’re feeding the kids these days, but they seem to have a lot of energy and a lot of speed.

“I don’t wanna worry you Sehun but they’re getting nearer.” Jongin yells as he tries to talk over the wind whipping his voice away.

“Well keep running then!” Sehun laughs and Jongin cackles back.

“I can see the main road!” Sehun hollers as they get closer. “Any idea which way we go?”

“None!” Jongin replies and Sehun rolls his eyes.

The cries of “Jongin oppa!”, “Sehun-ah!” and “Oppa I love youuu!” increase it pitch and volume as Sehun and Jongin finally hit the main road. They’ve got some ground between themselves and the fan girls but it’s a distance that can be easily closed.

They slide to a halt in front of a large tourist sign frantically looking for any sign of the Grand Palais. Jongin is briefly ashamed that this is his home city and he still has to follow tourist information boards, but the thought is quickly forgotten when Sehun jabs his finger at the map and yells “Grand Palais!” before taking off to the right.

Jongin catches up with him and the run in step, laughter ripping out of their lungs as they weave in and out of the crowds on the street. “This is fun!” Sehun laughs. “I feel like I’m in an action movie!”

Jongin tips his head back and looks black sky and the stars. “I know!” He responds, cackling. “WOOOO!” He yells, jumping over a stray cardboard box left in the street.

Both he and Sehun are absolutely exhausted and they have no idea how close they are to being caught by fan girls, but this is the most exhilarated both have them have been in a while so they’re going to enjoy it.

Sehun sings a vaguely recognisable James Bond theme as they continue their journey, suits messy and ties flying over their shoulders. A car horn peeps angrily at them as they sprint across the road and at last the Grand Palais is in sight.

They slow their steps into a trot when they notice that the stream of fan girls and paparazzi is still waiting impatiently to cross the road. Sehun is just about to jog up the stone steps of the grand building when Jongin suddenly stops him. “Sehun-ah. Wait.”

Sehun turns and bends forwards slightly, clutching his sides. “What now?” he asks impatiently.

“We can’t—“ Jongin pants a little, his heart hammering in his chest making it hard to breathe. “We can’t just go in. The fans—the fans will know what’s happening and I... jeez I can’t breathe... I want to keep it private for my dad.”

Sehun looks at Jongin for a second, before pulling himself upright. The fans have just managed to cross the road and started to pick up their stride again, so they need to get moving. “The things I do for you Kim Jongin.” He laughs breathlessly. “Looks like one more mission for famous action heroes Kai and Reo.” He winks, before turning and running down a side street, Jongin hot on his heels.

Jongin laughs at the memory of their childhood nicknames and the games they used to play. His smile dulls somewhat when Sehun stops in front of what appears to be a long line of hedges.

“We’ve got to get in the back way, so that means under these hedges, over a fence and then through a back door.”

Jongin looks over his shoulder again and hears the sound of confused fans getting closer, so he grins before sharing a high five with Sehun and diving under the hedge.

There is a little bit of room between where the leaves start and the ground, but certainly not enough for two six foot something males to be crawling underneath them. Jongin swears he’s nearly inhaled a whole forest floor by the time he gets under the hedge, but he does get a laugh when he sees the way the twigs stick out of Sehun’s perfectly coiffed, blond again hair.

Sehun merely gives him a blank-faced look before turning and grabbing onto the fence behind them.

Jongin chuckles under his breath as they begin to climb.

“Oh , my trouser leg is stuck.” Sehun whines, waggling his leg frantically. They’re about halfway up the fence, which was deceptively tall, and Jongin is having a hard job smothering his cackles.

“Keep your voice down!” He hisses and Sehun glares at him when he detects the snigger in his tone. As much as Jongin would love to leave Sehun stranded there all night he has somewhere he needs to be so does the good thing and goes to rescue his friend. Jongin carefully slides across and leans down to unhook the tiny bit of Sehun’s trouser from the section of the fence. “Ew, you looks huge from this angle.”

“Um rude, my is incredible. I have fan pages dedicated to my .” Sehun adds triumphantly as he and Jongin manage to swing their legs over the top of the fence and jump down with gentle thuds.

They’re both looking incredibly sweaty and messy, but it sure has been fun. They take a second to rearrange themselves as best they can (which isn’t very well at all) before starting a slow walk across the grass.

“SEHUN OPPA!”

Jongin and Sehun turn around only to be greeted with the sight of several fans and several photographers trying to climb up the fence surrounding the grounds of the Grand Palais.

“So much for not letting them know where we’re going.” Sehun groans.

Neither Jongin nor Sehun have to say anything to each other before they’re both breaking into a sprint again and making straight for an open door at the back of the building. The glowing light from inside makes the room stand out in the darkness and Jongin thinks this must be what the golden gates of heaven look like.

He and Sehun thunder up a small slope of perfectly manicured grass just in time to barge into the building and slam the door shut behind them. Phew.

Or not.

The next thing they know is that two pairs of hands have grabbed them by the collars and are pushing them forcefully against the door, and their hands are being tied behind their backs by a piece of large rope. People are yelling at them and Jongin can’t hear a word of what they’re saying, let alone know what he’s supposed to be saying in return.

He and Sehun are then told to sit on the floor, and they find themselves staring up at four very scary looking security guards.

On any other day, Jongin would be up straight away and remonstrating, but tonight of course is different. The adrenaline and the endorphins are still coursing through his system, and the whole situation seems hysterically funny.

He doesn’t laugh out loud, because that might make the guards angrier, but Jongin does bite down a smile.

Jongin hadn’t expected to be beginning his father’s mixer event by sitting tied up on the floor of a washroom with Sehun, but life never does throw up the normal.

He nudges Sehun softly and they share a sneaky smirk. No matter what happens in life, Jongin knows he always has his best friend by his side to go through it with him.