He almost asks to drive, but in the end he winds up sliding into the passenger seat of Yunho’s car instead. 

While the car is sleek and nice and screams money it is subtle as such a thing can be. It’s all smooth lines and polished darkness instead of something bright and loud. 

There is something in the air between them, it feels electric and leaves him feeling as though he’s both floating and off balance. Itching to touch and hold and keep. 

Which is why there is probably nobody more confused than Jaejoong when... 

“Camping,” he blurts out before he can stop himself, and though he keeps his eyes trained forward he can feel the alpha staring at him, so instead of continuing his train of thought he says, “eyes on the road.” 

“Eyes are on the road,” the alpha hums, he sounds both amused and slightly exasperated, “So... camping?” 

Yunho says it as though he isn’t sure if the word is supposed to be some sort of euphemism, general word vomit or a sudden interest in the outdoors. 

He feels a bit foolish now, shooting his mouth off instead of keeping quiet, “just... have you ever gone camping? There are tons of places to get away from the city and just... be. You know? Out of the concrete jungle, or something.” 

It’s not something that he tends to gravitate towards himself, too often, not the camping part exactly. The idea that he can flee? Run off somewhere and hide? Certainly, but escaping to nature? Well, he is probably just a little bit too soft for that. 

Still, the idea strikes him every now and then. What if he could live out in a forest in a cozy mud hut dug under a tree stump covered in toad stools? 

As a child, he was particularly attached to the first book in the Boxcar Children series. 

But what did a rich kid know about any of that? Clearly nothing, besides romanticizing one set of struggles in exchange for different ones with a side of peace and solitude. And you know, loving family members. 

And yet, in a world where he can openly pretend to be the other Mr. Jung, why couldn’t he enjoy camping under the stars, listening to raindrops splattering the tent overhead? He wouldn’t be the up afraid of a little thunder, of water droplets. What if it was snowing instead and the world around them slowly went quiet as the snowflakes isolated them from the rest of the world? Rain, but safer, quiet. 

“We used to go on family camping trips, sometimes. Appreciate nature, take away the electronics and all,” Yunho offers instead of immediately calling him out on his apparent mental deficiency, “May I ask what brought on the sudden thought?” 

No, Jaejoong nearly snaps, at his suddenly dry mouth. It will sound even more ridiculous if he says it out loud, he knows.  

As a child he loved being outside, if nothing else the gardens at his family’s estate were beautiful, and completely maintained by people less toxic than his parents. They had fountains and a lovely koi pond under a blossom tree that he would spend time under, doodling pictures of the fish with his crayons and markers. 

Until the day he had fallen (been pushed) into said koi pond when his sister was playing tag with (hunting) him. Their mother had been so angry that Hwayoung had ruined her nice dress because she had to jump into the water to (hold him down) save him from a mere two feet of water, and that he would not stop crying after.  

“Be quiet or it’s the belt for you again, you sniveling brat,” Jaejoong recites obediently as his mind runs away from him. 

The car jerks suddenly, as though someone slams on the breaks too hard too suddenly, and thank god there isn’t anyone behind them. 

“What?” It is crazy, because Yunho’s voice hitches up more octaves than one would think it could, it’s funny, even, “what did you say?” 

“Hm?” the blonde murmurs, blinking a few times to focus his eyes as they begin to move again, “Oh. Camping, it’s just... embarrassing? I guess.” 

“That’s not-” the alpha begins, he sounds irritated, and it causes the omega to shrink in on himself just a little, maybe that is why Yunho sighs, “I’m sure it isn’t embarrassing. Why camping?” 

“It’s just... For a second right, I could have been anyone, right? As Mr. Jung,” it sounds ridiculous to say aloud, like some world of fantasy, “And I thought, yeah that’s right. And that we could just... do anything. And I thought of just... camping. Just, you and I and our tent in the rain, cuddling by a fire and just...” 

Just being content, happy, safe, together... 

It’s mortifying, he thinks sharing some sort of ual fantasy might have felt less humiliating. 

Imagine yourself as anything, anywhere in the world with money and power and fame.... 

And all Jung Jaejoong wants is to spend a night in the middle of nowhere in the rain. 

The issue? Of course, is that Jung Jaejoong doesn’t exist, and Kim Jaejoong could never do something like go camping, much less in the rain. 

“I’m stupid,” the omega laughs, dragging a hand against the side of his face, “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have said anything- can't we just...” 

---- 

So much had just happened in a short time. 

He’s not quite sure why he’s surprised, but Jaejoong is nothing if completely unpredictable, but it isn’t always the fun unpredi