three shopping bags swing from minseok's hands as he walks home with jongin.  they're aiming to catch the subway because jongin wants to walk for a bit.  in jongin's hand is the shopping bag that holds the shoes.  

minseok had tried to insist on carrying all the bags, but jongin had held on to the shoes.  minseok could see that it wasn't one hundred percent because jongin was trying to lessen minseok's load.  part of the reason minseok had acquiesced was because minseok could see how much the shoes were prized, reflected in jongin's eyes.  there's a satisfied smile playing on minseok's lips as they join the bustle of people walking down the stairs to the subway station.  one of jongin's hands hang on to minseok's arm because there are a lot of people entering this station and he doesn't want to get separated; it's an old habit from since they were young.

they walk a bit because the subway line to get home isn't quite close to this station.  they pass little shops situated underground at the connection between stations and they have fun commenting and laughing at the items as they window shop.  they pass a commonplace accessory shop and the outside displays are filled with little cellphone accessories.  jongin slows then stops at a particular rotating display and gestures at minseok.  when minseok takes a look, jongin's pointing to a tiny squirrel figurine on a thread.

"hyung, this looks like you."

"you little... are you making fun of your hyung?"

jongin's eyes crinkle in that special way as he shakes his head.

"no, i'm serious!  this looks exactly like you."

minseok spies a sleepy looking black leopard figurine and takes it off the hook.

"and this one looks like you, kim jongin" minseok laughs.

jongin squints at it for a few seconds before grabbing it from minseok's fingers.  before minseok can stop him, jongin's entering the shop and paying for the two accessories.

"here, hyung" jongin tells minseok as he grabs minseok's phone.  "the sleepy cat is for you.  to remind you of me.  and the chubby cheeked squirrel is for me.  because it reminds me of hyung."

minseok snorts, but looks on fondly as jongin laces the accessory to minseok's phone.  it's not really minseok's style to hang anything on there because he doesn't really like things getting in the way.  but jongin looks proud as he makes a big deal out of buying it with his allowance.

"this is my gift to you, so you can't give it to anyone okay?  not even the other hyungs.  promise?"

minseok laughs because jongin is so adorable, before saying, "promise."

going on the subway, jongin picks the first car to sit in.

"so we can walk a bit more" jongin explains.

and it's nice because not many people are in the first car, so there's plenty of space to sit.  jongin guides minseok to a seat in the corner and sits right next to his hyung.  they have a few stations to go, so jongin slumps in the seat, getting comfortable.  he swings a leg over minseok's and though it's much heavier than when jongin was young, minseok is used to it now - another habit from when jongin was little.  even in the subway, jongin's able to nod off, but minseok's soon poking him awake as they near their stop.

"come on, jongin.  time to get off."

and jongin rubs his eyes, waddling off the subway train after minseok.  unconsciously, jongin clings to the back of minseok's sweater because his eyes are still half heavy with sleep.  minseok takes jongin's hands as they climb the stairs, not wanting jongin to trip.  

as they near the top, minseok's already looking around.  there's a pizza store somewhere near the station.  and though minseok doesn't frequent the place, he knows that his brothers enjoy the pizza there.  he finally finds it as jongin completely wakes.  it's only a few hundred feet from the station.  minseok enters the establishment with jongin, now arm in arm.  as soon as they step inside, minseok's busy searching for the menu but at his side, jongin goes, "hup!" in surprise.

+++

jongin's bleary eyes barely registers where minseok is headed.  they've had a long and fun day and jongin's had a half dream half fantasy about dragging minseok into a cheap clothing store to get matching hoodies to commemorate their day.  but once they step inside, something is all too familiar.  the fluorescent lights, the smell of sweet potatoes and pizza sauce, and not to mention the familiarly bored sounding greeting of, "welcome to chicky chick pizza" come crashing into jongin for a sensory overload.  and there, at the counter, wearing the standard red apron and visor bearing the chicky chick pizza logo, is none other than his friend oh sehun.

he stops himself before he can blurt out "hey!" too loudly in front of his hyung in a public place.  so what comes out is an awkward "hup!"  the outburst only makes minseok look at him curiously and sehun stare at him in wonder.

but of course, minseok isn't an idiot.  his hyung obviously sees jongin staring at oh sehun, so minseok makes the connection, chuckling.

"isn't that your friend?" minseok asks.  "what was his name again....kim sehyung?  lee taehun?"

"...h...n..." jongin mumbles, looking down at the floor.

"hmm?"

"hello" comes a voice and minseok looks up to see a pale pizza store worker, taller than jongin, staring down at him.  "my name is oh sehun.  it's been a long time, minseok hyung."

dashed hopes of extending their day weigh jongin down as they come back home.  in minseok's arms are three boxes of pizzas they'd ordered at chicky chick pizza.   the store, being famous for making fresh pizzas hot from the oven, had been the one place where jongin would have liked to avoid.  not only did they meet oh sehun, whom jongin had successfully prevented from visiting his home or meeting his hyungs since elementary school, but they had also had about thirty minutes of down time waiting for the pizzas to get ready.

"oh don't worry, hyung" sehun had said with smiling eyes.  "i'll use my employee discount for you.  not for jongin but for you, minseok hyung."

jongin had been horrified to see minseok smiling back, preening with obvious pleasure.  

"that's so sweet of you, sehun-ah.  next time, this hyung will treat you okay?  you can come visit our home any time."

and when minseok's looking down at his wallet, jongin hadn't missed the smirk of victory that sehun had tossed in his direction.  jongin had swallowed a groan, trying not to be bratty in front of his hyung.  and by the time they had left the pizza store, oh sehun not only had had a full conversation with minseok (while jongin had went to the restroom) as well as a dinner invite to their house, but oh sehun had managed to get minseok hyung's phone number.

"gonna delete it from his phone when i get to school" jongin mumbles under his breath as he's helping minseok set the table.

"hmm? what'd you say jongin-ah?"

"nothing" jongin returns quickly.

he doesn't want another reason for minseok hyung to think of oh sehun.

junmyeon comes home late after jongdae and jongin polish off most of the pizzas.  as was the natural order of a weekend dinner, jongin migrates to the living room to watch television with jongdae, when junmyeon comes in, tired from a day of studying at the library.

"there's pizza" minseok says, having just finished washing the plates, turning to junmyeon.

junmyeon hesitates before, "nah, it's late, i don't want to be bloated the next day."

minseok frowns.  "but dinner..."

"pizza late at night will make me fat" junmyeon adds as he takes off his suit jacket.

"ah, hyung! just eat it! minseok bought it especially for us!" calls jongdae from the living room.

"you don't know what we went through to get those" jongin tacks on, darkly.

"what are you guys watching?" junmyeon asks, ignoring their comments. 

"but you have to eat, right?" minseok presses.

"let me get changed first" junmyeon replies, disappearing into his room.

minseok lightly reheats a few slices of pizza, regardless of junmyeon's rejection, and sets a place at the table.  when junmyeon comes out, he smiles awkwardly and scratches the back of his head.

"i don't know if i should..." junmyeon starts saying, but minseok cuts him off.

"don't worry.  i've got just the thing."  minseok puts a finger up, indicating junmyeon should wait a second.

from the fridge, minseok pulls out a shiny green bottle with a sly smile and junmyeon throws his head back to laugh.

"of course with pizza, it's..."

"soju!" junmyeon finishes.

and without another word, junmyeon takes a seat at the table.  jongin clicks his tongue in disapproval while jongdae rushes to the table to ask for some alcohol as well.  but jongdae is firmly denied as minseok says, "nope.  it's hyung time.  the little ones should go to bed now."

jongin's day ends with being ushered off to bed.  jongdae hyun whines the whole way to his room, but jongin complies quietly.  jongin doesn't exactly like the fact that minseok and junmyeon are drinking soju together alone because who knows how much they'll end up drinking and for how long!?  but he decides not to make a big fuss tonight.  he revels in the memories of a day well spent with his hyung and quietly the little squirrel doll that he'd purchased to remind himself of minseok hyung. 

just before jongin falls asleep, his phone beeps.

[oh sehun:
just messaged minseok-ee hyung on 
kakao talk.
i'm invited to come over next week.
ha!]

that night, jongin dreams of smashing sehun's phone to smithereens.