“Then my hyungs flushed it down the toilet.” Zelo finished talking and covered his face with his arm, and pretended to sob. You raised an eyebrow at his overdramatic antics and poked him on the arm.

            “Did they really flush the frog down the toilet?”

            “At first Jongup-Hyung told me that it hopped out my open window. But its jar was nowhere near the window. And then I heard Yongguk-Hyung talking about whether it would clog the toilet.”

            You nodded in sympathy. “I have bad luck with pets too. Once, I forgot to feed my fish and she jumped out. There were only small slits in the lid and she managed to fly herself out. It broke my heart. I came home and found the tank empty. I found her when I was walking to the bathroom. She landed by the door.”

            Zelo patted your shoulder in a show of camaraderie. “I think we have bad luck with the bathroom and pets.”

            You sighed. “Oh, what are we going to do?”

            Youngjae walked by and raised his eyebrows. “We’re supposed to be digging for clams guys, why are the two of you sitting here doing nothing?”

            You scowled at your older brother. He needed to learn to do that thing called go away and leave you alone. Youngjae shook the bucket and shovel in your faces. “Come on. Up and at them.”

            Zelo hopped up and started digging. “Who’s going to make them?”

            From a few feet across, Daehyun waved his arms in the air. “I am!”

            You snorted and squatted next to Zelo. “If Daehyun is making the food, we’re going to end up with nothing left.”

            The two of you started vigorously digging, sifting through the sand and going deeper. It had been Yongguk’s idea to take the entire group out to look for clams. You wiped the sweat away from your forehead and Zelo looked up.

            He placed his shovel down and bent down into a squat. He started walking sideways clacking his fingers together in the imitation of a crab. “Snap, snap snap,” he said, coming towards you. “I see yummy girly meat, snap, snap, snap!”

            You picked up your shovelful of sand and threw it in his direction. “Ya, get to work! If Youngjae picks more clams than we do, I’m going to be so mad.”

            He stopped his silliness and started to dig vigorously. But after a few more minutes, Zelo threw away the shovel and started pawing at it with his hands. Sand flew everywhere and you complained. “What are you doing?”

            “Woof, ruu, woof, oof,” he started making very realistic barking sounds. Zelo shook his head back and forth and wiggled his . “I am puppy, watch me dig!”

            You laughed behind your hand and rolled your eyes. “No wonder you’re always chosen as the one that causes the most trouble. You’re getting sand everywhere on me!”

            He stopped digging and looked at you, panting quickly. You burst into laughter. His face was streaked with mud and sand. “Himchan’s going to yell at you if you don’t clean up!”

            Zelo came towards you with his arms outstretched. Then he started flopping his arms and dancing in a loose, limp fashion. “I’m an octopus, going to wrap my tentacles around you.” He rolled his eyes back into his head and lolled out his tongue. “Meerrrrr,” he moaned.

            You shrieked and ducked, running away. He didn’t give up his antics and only chased after you with pounding feet and crazy arms. “Help meeee!”

            You bumped into a strong chest and looked up into Yongguk’s amused face. “Children,” he shook his head. He hoisted his bucket under his arm and stepped out of your way. “Junhong! If you want to eat, get your share too.”

            Zelo immediately stopped and saluted. “Yes sir!”

            But it was only a matter of time when boredom struck him again. He got down on the sand and started to do ths caterpillar dance he had in “One Shot.” But halfway through, he winced and shot up. You saw a small stain of blood on his shoulders.

            “What happened?”

            “I think I cut myself on a piece of shell,” he hissed as you gently touched the cut.

            You made him sit on the blanket. “Take off your shirt.”

            His mouth fell open and he hugged his legs to his chest. “No!”

            You rolled your eyes. “Youngjae walks around shirtless in the house all the time. I’ve seen things before. There’s no need to be shy. I need to apply medicine.”

            “Get the hyungs to do it.”

            “They’re busy! Come on!” You tugged on his shirt. Zelo reluctantly raised his arms and the moment his shirt was off, he curled into a ball.      

            “Hurry please.” His ears were slowly turning red.

            You gently applied medication and slapped a band aid over the cut. “What were you doing anyway?”

            He buried his head into his knees. “Living vicariously as an animal since I can’t have pets.”

            You rolled your eyes and shook your head. This kid. You handed him his shirt and pulled him up. “Come on, we have more clams to get. Race you!” Naturally, that was stupid. Even with a few seconds head start, he beat you easily and when you got to him, found that he was imitating a starfish, limbs splayed on the ground.

requested by monsterbingle