Jongin is pulled from the edge of sleep by the sound of pattering paws and happy barking. Minutes later his brother is stepping into the living room for the first time in months, a duffle bag of dirty clothes hanging off his shoulder and three excited pups chasing after him.

“Make room,” Jongdae huffs, dropping his bag and shoving gently at Jongin’s legs to take a seat on the sofa. Jongin does as he’s told with a tired groan, sitting up and rubbing sleepily at his eyes. “Are you back because you finally ran out of clean clothes, or did mom’s threats actually work?”

Jongdae ignores him and snatches up the remote from beside Jongin. “Shouldn’t you be outside enjoying your summer, not watching bad daytime TV?” He switches from channel to channel before settling on a music channel and sits back in his seat. “Baekhyun watched that crap all semester, loudly.”

“Does Baekhyun do anything quietly?”

Jongdae’s silent, eyes trained on the television as a girl group music video plays. “Nope,” he says finally with a shake of his head. “Not since I’ve known him. I think he’s just louder around me because he knows I can’t block him out as easily as Kyungsoo and Chanyeol can.”

Jongin doesn’t bother reminding his brother that he can be just as loud as Baekhyun on any given day. The neighborhood always knew when the pair of them were back home from school because any semblance of quiet was lost.

Hours later Jongin finds himself back in his bedroom, bored and restless. He looks to the blue covered notebook on his desk, flipping pages until he gets to the most recent. There's a drawing of a window and nothing more. The drawing isn't well done, it's a quick sketch Jongin found himself creating in the middle of the night when he just couldn’t fall asleep. He looks away from it towards his actual window and nearly jumps out of his skin. Sehun's standing at his own window, hands in his pocket and furrowed brows smoothing out as he grins at Jongin.

Jongin closes the notebook with haste and glares at the boy in the house across from him.

"Are you avoiding me again," Sehun asks him, removing his hands from his pockets and stepping closer to the window.

"No," Jongin answers with a glare. "I've been busy." Sehun raises a brow, the grin still there. "I have," Jongin stresses because he can easily read Sehun’s look.

Sehun nods even though Jongin's sure he still doesn't believe him and turns away from the window. "Where are you going," Jongin finds himself asking, internally cursing his curiosity.

"Out," Sehun says, turning back towards the window with a tilt of his head.

******

It's a coincidence, really. His dogs had begun to whine for their routine evening walk, and Jongin was the one that usually did it. Jongdae had left as quickly as he'd come after being seen hugged and affectionately yelled at by their mom, so he wasn’t an option. Honestly, he'd been planning to walk them before he'd even entered his bedroom and talked to Sehun, so it was a coincidence and nothing more that causes them to cross paths. He even gives Sehun enough time to leave without it looking like Jongin's following him.

Jongin's plans never work the way they want.

Sehun is there leaning against the neighboring gate, his phone in hand. The dogs pull at their leashes in excitement at the sight of the boy, tugging forward in order to crowd around Sehun. Sehun crouches down basking in the attention of the excited pups and talking to them in friendly tones. The pups soak it up, like the over-affectionate attention-seekers they are. Traitors.

Sehun looks up, his eyes traveling from the slides on his feet to his track pants and Jongin tries not to fidget at the stare. He refuses to be made uncomfortable by a boy from Seoul for choosing comfort over fashion. Besides, Jongin’s sure it’s the blond hair that makes Sehun’s outfits seem more fashionable than they probably are.

Jongin's not sure how he ends up handing Monggu's leash to Sehun or how they end up walking to the park together, but it happens.

"I have a dog named Vivi," Sehun says beside Jongin. This smile, this expression is different than others. His smile is soft, melting the hard lines of his face that usually causes him to look cold and standoff-ish. He looks younger this way, more childlike. "He's staying with a friend for now. My aunt's not fond of dogs and leaving him with my parents would have been considered animal abuse. I've been the only one to take care of him since we'd got him."

Jongin asks him more about Vivi because he loves dogs and not because the smile grows as Sehun divulges more about bichon he’d left back in Seoul.

"So, your brother's back," Sehun asks in conversation when they get to the park. They're in the grass with the dogs, and the sun has started to set.

"You've seen him," Jongin asks.

"Did you steal all his height," Sehun asks. Jongin hits him, it's a soft closed hand tap against his bicep and it causes Sehun to crackle with laughter. "Are you really close?"

"Yeah," Jongin says. "Hyung’s the type to take care of everyone. I don't think it's possible for people to not feel close to him."

"I'm jealous," Sehun says. "It must be nice."

"Friends can be just as nice," Jongin tells him. "I've got Jinri and Soojung, and I can't stand them most of the time, but I wouldn't trade them for anything, and Baekhyun–hyung's childhood friend–has been around so often he feels like another brother."

"I don't really have that either," Sehun admits. "I've had friends of course," he says, "I just never had that close bond with anyone."

"Just because you haven't had it yet, it doesn't mean you never will," Jongin says. He shrugs then and decides to try and change the subject. "Will you be here for the entire summer?"

Sehun nods. "We thought it would be best for me to have a change of pace." Jongin doesn't know who Sehun means by we, and he doesn't know what he means by change of pace, but he still nods as if he understands.

Their friendship is unlike any other that Jongin has ever had. Oh Sehun is still the devil. He's just persistent as well.  He wins over Jongin's mother with a puppy like smile that nearly has her cooing with affection. He wins over Jongin's brother with feigned interest in his nonexistent love life. Sehun barges into Jongin's life without hesitation and Jongin finds himself too flustered to remember to push him right back out, and then he realizes that he doesn’t actually want to.

******

"Why can't I ever go to your house," Jongin asks. He's lying on his bed and Sehun's at his desk playing on the laptop he'd brought over.

"My aunt doesn't like you," Sehun says.

"What," Jongin exclaims. "Yes, she does, I think. She doesn’t hate me.”

"She doesn't hate you," Sehun agrees. "She just doesn't like you as my friend. She's not particularly mean, but I think she expects me to live quietly and out of her way, which means no annoying friends over."

"I'm not annoying," Jongin says.

"Are you pouting," Sehun questions, he doesn't bother to turn away from the laptop screen to see. Jongin stops pouting anyway.

"No," Jongin answers.

"I meant annoying in a general way," Sehun says. "No single woman wants a bunch of teenaged boys in her home, eating her food and doing this." He gestures vaguely with one hand and then proceeds to swear under his breath. Jongdae passes by his room and stops. Jongin almost regrets not closing his bedroom door beforehand.

“Why are you always here,” he asks leaning against the doorframe, as he grins at the pair of them. “You’d think a new friend would keep you away from home more. Do kids nowadays just refuse to go outside?”

"Aren't you only two years older than us," Sehun asks.

"And doesn’t your definition of going outside consist of you harassing Kyungsoo at work or meeting with Baekhyun in PC cafes," Jongin adds. "You hardly ever go out either. Besides doing stuff requires money I don’t have." He’s pouting again, and he can hear the small huffs of Sehun’s laughter.

"It's still out," Jongdae replies, with a weak glare. He pulls out a few bills and tosses them onto Jongin’s bed. “At least eat out tonight. I'll be home late."

"Have fun," Jongin says, as he begins counting the bills given to him. “Thanks, Hyung!”

"He's right you know," Sehun says, moving away from the computer and sitting on Jongin's bed. "We should get up to some mischief, we're young." He tries to peer at Jongin's current sketch, but Jongin pulls it away and tosses the book onto his bedside table.

"What do you have in mind," Jongin asks, looking towards Sehun with a frown of suspicion. Sehun grins and shrugs.

"Nothing," he admits, "but I'm open to ideas."

Mischief is put on hold for a later day, neither boy can think of anything to do, so they go back to what they were doing before. Jongin sketches vague drawings, and Sehun loses at games he plays.

******

On an early day at the end of July, Jongin wakes to the sound of something hitting his window. He walks over to it and sees Sehun there wide awake and an eraser in his hand ready to toss it the short distance from his window to Jongin's window.

"Why are you throwing erasers at my window," He asks. The cicadas are loud this early and he has to speak over their hum without shouting and disturbing everyone else.

"Let's go on an adventure," Sehun says, ignoring his question and grinning. He drops the eraser in his hand and puts both hands on his windowsill, leaning till he's half out of it. "Come on Jongin, it'll be fun."

"Why are you throwing erasers at my window," Jongin repeats again. He tries to keep his amusement at bay, He should be annoyed at having been roused from sleep so early, but Sehun looks like he'd just woken up himself. HIs hair is ruffled and he's still wearing his sleepwear, but his eyes are bright with anticipation.

"I didn't have any pebbles," Sehun states, the look of eager melting away to give Jongin the look that seems to mean that Jongin is an idiot. "Jongin," he says, tilting his head and sighing in exasperation. He pushes himself even further out of the room. "Let's go on an adventure." He says each word slowly. Jongin stares at the eager look on the boy's face and walks back over to his bed. Ten minutes later, his phone is vibrating loudly on his bedside table.

[06:45] Oh Sehun: That was rude.

[06:45]: When?

[06:48] Oh Sehun: I'll give you an hour. We’re going swimming!

"Can you swim," Sehun asks him when he exits his house. Sehun is sitting on the bench outside their homes, sunglasses resting low on his nose and backpack beside him.

"Yes," Jongin replies, rubbing sleepily at his eyes. “Swimming?"

"The sea," Sehun clarifies, standing up and stretching. "It's hot, it’s summer, and there are always pretty girls at the sea."

The last statement throws Jongin for a loop. He follows Sehun to the train station, finding himself wondering about a whole new aspect of the boy's mysterious Seoul life.

"You've dated before," Jongin asks suddenly. They're sitting across from each other on the train, Jongin faced towards the back and Sehun facing the front. The look the question brings is abrupt, the quirk of Sehun's eyebrows would have given it away if Jongin didn't realize it. It makes him wonder about Sehun’s secrets a bit more.

"Yes," Sehun says, he eyes drop towards the ground, but he doesn’t smile as he speaks. He brings his gaze back up to look at Jongin. "Most people our age have dated before. Haven't you?"

No, Jongin has never dated before, has never kissed a girl before even though he had come close to kissing Jinri years ago just to see what it was felt like. It was after Soojung had come home from LA talking about suntans and first kisses but they'd both chickened out at the last moment. It wasn't that Jongin wasn't interested in girls. He was. It was just that he had higher standards than most. Being best friends with two of the prettiest girls in his year meant that looks wouldn't cut it alone, and he had yet to meet the girl that had the perfect combination of looks and personality.

"You haven't, have you," Sehun presses at his silence.

"No," Jongin answers, glaring at Sehun in anticipation of his teasing.

"I'm not surprised," Sehun says, leaning back in his seat and grinning at Jongin. "You get flustered talking to me, you're probably worse around the girls you like."

"I do not get flustered talking to you,” Jongin retorts. Sehun raises a teasing eyebrow and Jongin glares, grateful that he doesn’t feel the flush of warmth that usually comes with Sehun’s mocking.

“You probably have impossible standards,” Sehun adds sitting back in his seat. “She has to be sweet, and kind, but not boring, and needs to cook like your mom or something, right?”

“No,” Jongin answers, “my mom doesn’t even cook that well.”

They eventually fall into a deep silence, Sehun rests his head in his palm and stares at the passing scenery. Jongin finds himself staring at the boy across from him. He’s been vibrating with excitement from the moment Jongin had met him outside. There’s a small smile on his lips now, soft yet sincere.

“I’m taking a nap,” Jongin says suddenly shutting his eyes abruptly.

******

“What did you want to do now that we’re here,” Jongin asks. They’re at a small beach side diner, eating an early lunch before starting whatever Sehun has in mind.

“Play,” Sehun says with a grin.

They make sandcastles. Sehun’s crumples in on itself and Jongin has to start over after clumsily tripping over his own. Maybe they’re too old, racing in the sand and splashing each other in the ocean, but Sehun’s smile is the brightest yet, and it’s fun.

There are tons of pretty girls there just as Sehun predicted, but Sehun makes no other mention of them or shows any sign of noticing them even though Jongin notices the way a few of their eyes seem to linger on the blond.

Jongin’s eyes are on the sight before him, his ice-cream cone is beginning to melt, and his mind is definitely not on the boy beside him. It’s hours later and people still linger around on the beach, watching the sunset and enjoying the cooling air of the late evening.

“I knew you’d enjoy it,” Sehun mutters low. They’re so close Jongin’s able to hear him over the chatter of the crowds and the rushing waves.

“Of course, I would,” Jongin replies, turning to frown at Sehun. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because you’re lazy,” Sehun teases. He shuffles closer, pressing into Jongin, elbow purposely jabbing into Jongin’s gut, a brilliant smile on his lips. “You would have never gone if I asked you like a normal person would.” Jongin thinks he’s wrong about that, there’s something tempting about going on adventures with Oh Sehun but he doesn’t know what it is.

Sehun pushes away from him, the space between them growing bigger causing Jongin to shiver at the sudden loss of the extra body. The vanilla ice-cream has dripped onto his fingers calling for his attention.

It’s dark when they board the train back. They’re sitting across from each other more, Sehun’s calmer. The smile is still there, small and lighting up his face, but the excitement’s gone now.

“Tell me about your friends,” Sehun says as the conductor leaves them alone.

“Soojung and Jinri,” Jongin asks. Sehun nods and smiles a little wider and so Jongin does. He tells Sehun how he met each of them, and the shenanigans he was unwittingly dragged into. He spends the entire train ride this way, Sehun’s muffled laughter encouraging him on.