"What am I even doing?" Sol groaned, throwing the dress she was holding onto her bed. "Can you stop looking at me like that?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips as she glared at Jongin. 

He laughed, "It's just funny seeing you stress about what to wear. Especially since it's not like you like Sehun or anything..." He trailed off, giving her a suggestive look. 

"You're right, I don't. I just like looking nice, Jongin." She said as she walked up to her closet and grabbed a cropped, black thermal. It would look nice with the jeans she was already wearing. 

"So that crease between your eyebrows has nothing to do with Mr. Oh?" He wiggled his eyebrows and Sol had to take a deep breath to stay calm. As much as she loves Jongin, she also hates having people pry into her life. Simply because she never had as much going on as they liked to act like she did. Like when she broke up with Kyungsoo and Yubi couldn't understand why, and legitimately started looking up signs of depression because she thought that was the only thing that would make the break up make sense. But Sol's always been the kind of person to keep her things close to her chest, "It has to do with looking nice, Jongin--and for the record, even if it did have anything to do with Sehun, I probably wouldn't tell you." Why should her life choices have to make complete sense to everyone around her? It was hard enough to live with her own ever-changing opinions of what is right and wrong, what's smart and what is utterly stupid. 

"Am I not your best friend?" He asked, offended. 

"You are. But some things aren't worth talking about...like things that will never happen, for example." Things like her and Sehun being more than friends. 

Jongin looked at her for a second before clasping his hands together. "Justin Bieber said to never say never, and I've lived by that ever since." He stood up, "So, Sol, maybe you should just try being open to things." 

"Aren't I open to being friends with him by going tonight?" She asked, backing away a little as he got closer. 

Her effort to avoid him didn't work. Jongin clasped his right hand on her shoulder, "Open to all the possibilities, Sol." He panted her shoulder twice before heading toward the door, "I'll call you later!" He said as he walked out without looking back. Sol scoffed. How would he know what she was open towards? It's not even like she wants to date Oh Sehun, so she really didn't have any reason to even think about being opposed towards it. She sighed, turning back to her mirror. 

~~~

"I'll be home late!?" Sol yelled, not waiting for a response from her mother or brother--she honestly wasn't even sure if they were home. She quickly locked the front door, then almost jumped out of her skin as soon as she turned around. "Holy crap!" She yelled, putting her hand over her heart. "You need a bell or something." 

Sehun smiled his dazzling smile, "I told you I was here." He said, sounding a little distracted towards the end as he looked her up and down.

Jinsol tried to ignore that, though. "Yeah, usually people send that when they want to meet in the car, not on the front porch." 

"It's rude to make someone come to the car." He said it like a boy who'd just been through an etiquette class. 

"It's rude if you honk, or if it's a first date. But, I don't think it really matters between old friends." Draw the line. 

Sehun shrugged, "Are you ready?" He asked, pointing towards his running car. Sol nodded. 

​​​​​​The car ride was silent for the most part. Sol couldn't even begin to guess what was on his mind, and she was too busy trying to pick the best songs to play to worry too much about it. Sehun didn't really say anything of note until they were pulling into the Zoo's parking lot. "Do you remember the first time we came here?" He asked, looking at her so intently that she couldn't help but squirm. 

"Do you mean when my mom took us and Baek, or when we went just us that day we ditched school?" Jinsol asked, laughing a little to play down the fact that she remembered both. Why was it so embarrassing to remember little things about people? 

"The time it was just us," he said as he pulled into a parking spot and turned his car off. "I'd always hated the zoo before that day, but you already know that." He matched her laugh as they both got out of the car. 

She did know that. The time that her mom took them, a little Sehun had spent the entire day with his arms crossed and a too-big-hat pulled low on his face so no one could see his pout. Sol had had to practically beg Sehun to go with her on the day they played hooky. Even after he'd agreed, he'd spent half the time scowling, until finally warming up as they got to the aquarium section and a Dolphin kept following him back and forth behind the glass. He loved attention, no matter how much he'd like to deny it; she knew he did. 
They made their way inside, a comfortable silence around them. Christmas lights hung