A/N: Jayuro means freedom highway!

If Sehun is completely honest with himself, he knows next to nothing about his rival: the golden boy of the national track and field team. There are a lot of rumors floating around about the other boy, starting from the common ones about him being a brat to more incredulous ones about his father being the chairman of the sports committee, which would explain the preferential treatment he gets. Sehun doesn’t believe in the latter, knowing how fast his rival is on the track, but he thinks that Kim Jongin may really be a brat seeing how he only scowls when the press requests for a photo. The two of them should only meet in the yearly Seoul high school track and field meet and are definitely not supposed to friends, but being friends with Kyungsoo gives him little to no choice in making decisions regarding his social life.

At the start of their final year in high school, Kyungsoo starts attending a hakwon in Gangnam that is rumored to be the best in Seoul. Sehun has always found his best friend smart; being able to pronounce all the English words taught in class perfectly as well as recite all the historical facts off the top of his head. There is a long running joke in their class that if Kyungsoo doesn't make it into any of the SKY universities, the rest of them should consider setting up a roadside stall and sell ddeokbokki for the rest of their lives. But apparently, that isn't enough.

"I wouldn’t be able to get special admission," Kyungsoo states as a matter of fact when Sehun asks during their lunch break, "so I’ll have to study harder to make sure that I'll get into K-ARTS."

Sehun knows that Kyungsoo has never resented him, but he couldn't help feeling slightly guilty as he thinks of those acceptance letters lying on his table, especially the one that secures him a spot in Yonsei.

This is how Kyungsoo meets Junmyeon as they both study in order to fulfill their dreams of being the best artists in their own fields.

He gets invited to their study sessions in expensive coffee shops and the occasional outings making him feel like he's the new friend that they ask along simply because they don't want to make him feel left out. This is also how he gets to know Kim Jongin, Junmyeon's room mate and become acquaintances close enough to share short conversations and yet unfamiliar enough that they feel awkward when left alone.

He has no idea what was on Jongin's mind when he asked Sehun along for the road trip, nor does he understand why he accepts the offer and hides the truth from Kyungsoo.




Sehun rubs at his eyes wearily as he carries his luggage down the narrow staircase. He had been unable to sleep the entire night; worries about their awkward relationship as well as the incredulity of this situation plagued his mind whenever he shut his eyes. They will travel around the entire Korean peninsula before marking the end of their journey at Jeju, and, the morning of their departure, he still has no idea what the plans are beyond that.

"Morning," Jongin mumbles when he exits the apartment building, coming forward to help Sehun with his belongings. The other boy looks half-awake, eyes squinted into slits as he maneuvers around the car to open the boot. He has overpacked for a two week road trip Sehun realizes when he sees the little duffel bag next to his 15kg luggage.

Jongin gestures for him to get in the car once everything is properly stowed, rolling down the front windows. With summer in full swing, the humid air latches onto their skin, causing a thin sheen of perspiration to form despite the sun not having risen.

"Will you be able to drive like this?" Sehun asks, trying to gauge if it is safe for Jongin to drive in his sleepy state. He is not the most safe-conscious person around, and he might have acted recklessly when he agreed to go on a trip together, but he definitely doesn't want to joke around when lives are at stake.

"Mmm," Jongin hums noncommittally. "The wind will keep me awake."

Jongin doesn't turn on the radio, something that Sehun has been itching to do ever since he got in and simply turns the car out of the alley, heading straight towards the closest highway that will lead them out of Seoul.

The way Jongin drives, Sehun realizes, is reminiscent of the way he runs. When he runs, nothing seems to be able to restrain him, similar to a panther that finally had an opportunity to experience wilderness after being locked up for days. Jongin should be considered a hazardous driver, making sharp turns in the middle of the road when he realizes that they are heading towards the wrong direction, and overtaking cars without a care for the speed limit. Sehun is glad that there are few vehicles on the roads at 5AM in the morning, reducing their chances of getting into a car accident, yet he thinks that Jongin will be in his element even when the roads are overcrowded with commuters rushing to work.

"Where are we going?" Sehun asks belatedly, when he realizes that they are at the outskirts of Seoul, and he is starting to find the roads unfamiliar.

"Goyang."

"Goyang?" Sehun sputters in disbelief. "Why are we going somewhere that is accessible by subway?"

"Doesn't it make sense that we start the journey that marks the end of our high school life on Jayuro?" Jongin inquires, breaking out into a self-satisfied laughter as Sehun looks at him dumbfounded.

The rest of the journey is once again shrouded in silence with Sehun tapping his fingers against the glass panels restlessly as he racks his mind for an interesting topic to break the awkward atmosphere. He gives up after 5 minutes, mentally berating himself for continuously making bad decisions in his life when Jongin stops abruptly.

They are in the middle of a car park, the air in the mountain areas a fresh change from what he has been exposed to. Jongin gets down the car excitedly, energy thrumming through his veins, a vast difference from his earlier self.

Maybe if Sehun is better friends with his rival, his coach's know thy enemy plan would have worked out better last semester, and he would have a higher chance of outrunning Kim Jongin. But he isn’t, which is why he agreed to a trip that will require him to climb Bukhansan first thing in the morning.

Sehun wouldn't call himself a fan of sports. He simply loves the feeling of being free that running brings him. This is the reason for the scowl on his face when Jongin challenges him to the Obong course, all traces of fatigue erased as he greets the elderlies that recognizes him politely while waiting for a reply.

"Come on," Jongin laughs, slinging an arm over Sehun as he drags him along the route. "Keeping in shape is important, especially since it's summer." Sehun is momentarily stunned by the rich laughter emitted by the other boy, having only heard it once - when Junmyeon tripped on a random book - that he neglects to notice the hand over his shoulder.

It is not until Jongin lets go, the sweat that formed pulling on his skin uncomfortably, that he takes notice of the arm. A deep flush dusts his cheeks, not used to being in such close proximity with someone he isn't close with. Sehun takes a deep breath, willing his face to remain stoic as he shuffles away quickly.




They manage to get a small room in a popular guest house tucked in a corner of Ilsan later that night. There is barely enough space to walk with the two beds taking up the majority of the room, and Sehun decides to leave his luggage in the car, cradling his necessary belongings in his arms.

Jongin is out of the bathroom by the time he returns from the car, lounging on the bed as he plays with his phone.

"Junmyeon has been texting me non-stop," Jongin informs him when Sehun steps out of the shower later, "he is curious about who I'm with."

"You didn't tell him?"

"Nope. You didn't tell Kyungsoo either, right?" Sehun shakes his head, both in answer and an attempt to rid his mind of the implication that they are sharing a secret.

Jongin climbs over to his bed, wet hair dripping onto his thighs as he invades Sehun's personal space. "Let's take a photo together," Jongin suggests, positioning his phone at their feet. "Junmyeon can try guessing who I'm with, if he's so curious." A playful smile curls at the corner of his lips as he constantly changes angles, trying to ensure that he will not give away too many hints.

Sehun watches as Jongin throws his entire body back to his own bed after he is done sending the photo to his best friend, plotting ways to trick Junmyeon into wrong guesses for the next few days.

It is only the first night, but it seems that there are a lot of things he has to re-learn about Kim Jongin.




Jongin drives down the national highway the next day, keeping the windows rolled down like usual. Sehun supposes it would be enjoyable, if they didn't spend half the time on highways breathing in exhaust fumes from other cars.

The trip to Yongin is a mess: all the places on Jongin’s to-visit list have either moved or are no longer in operation. This, coupled with his insomnia puts Sehun in the worst mood he has been in since he was beaten by Kyungsoo in mathematics. Mathematics – his only joy and pride when it comes to academics.

“I remember that there was a bowling rink here,” Jongin swears when they go to another location he suggested only to find an empty lot.

Sehun knows that they should have probably planned the trip together in advance instead of him expecting Jongin to take care of everything. “It’s okay,” he says, pushing down the rising frustration with a curt smile, “maybe we should stop somewhere and plan for the remaining trip.”

Jongin agrees, pulling over at the next coffee shop he sees. Sehun would prefer chocolate bubble tea, salivating at the thought of chewy tapioca pearls, but he settles for a green tea latte; the incredibly sweet drink lifting his mood.

“Let’s plan for the remaining days and decide what we are going to do this afternoon.” Sehun takes charge, spreading a napkin open, tapping the pen he borrowed from the staff on his cheek thoughtfully.

His rival takes out a book that he has not noticed, laying the map of South Korea on the table. There are numerous markings on the map, with certain places being circled multiple times as well as annotations of possible activities scribbled all over the paper. Sehun thinks he catches a glimpse of his name on one of the many yellow Post-its decorating the map, but, before he can take a better look at it, Jongin rips it off, crumpling it up rapidly.

“This was my original plan,” Jongin traces one of the highlighted routes. “We’ll spend two days exploring Chungbuk, then move to Andong and Cheongsong. By Sunday, we’ll be at Daegu, and if everything goes well, we will be staying in Busan that night.

From Busan, I plan to go Jinju, Yeosu and Jindo before we leave for Jeju.” He explains, looking up at Sehun expectantly as he twirls the straw of his drink.

“Sounds pretty good to be honest.” Sehun nods his head in acknowledgement, reading the messy handwriting beside each destination carefully. “Good job,” he praises before realizing that Jongin might be upset with his lack of contribution. The other boy isn’t, flashing him one of those rare smile that is probably more effective than the Expelliarmus in stunning a person.

He will have loved to sit in the air-conditioned room longer rather than go back under the sun. However, they quickly leave the café when two teenagers recognize Jongin, even with his snapback pulled low, and, as they clear the table, Sehun sees Jongin shoving the crumpled piece of paper into his back pocket.




“Can we close the windows?”

“Okay.”

“Can I turn on the radio?”

“Yeah, go ahead.”




They visit way too many places on the third day, travelling through two cities and eating more ice-cream than Sehun would have in a lifetime and he realizes that Jongin has a sweet tooth.

By the time they reach the hotel, Sehun feels his body threatening to fall apart. He foregoes showering, deciding that sleep is more important than cleanliness since Kyungsoo isn't around to nag at him.

“Lend me your hand.” Jongin climbs down the bunk bed when Sehun is about to lose himself to sleep. “I’m going to send Junmyeon another proof shot.”

He pulls the blanket off Sehun unceremoniously, sitting on the edge of the bed without permission. Even in his sleepy state, Sehun can feel the heat emitting from Jongin due to their close proximity.

The flash that goes off in the dark room is too bright, blinding the drowsy boy temporarily as Jongin presses the button without a warning.

“Not bad,” Jongin declares in satisfaction even though only half of Sehun’s hand is visible, and the picture is clearly overexposed.

“Good night.” His voice is a little too cheerful for midnight, and Sehun is unable to go back to sleep even after the dim light from the top bunk turns off.

How did he get close with Kim Jongin so quickly?




By the fourth night, Sehun is starting to feel homesick missing his queen-sized bed and bath tub at home.

Jongin has been a pleasant companion, being a dichotomy of sorts. While the frown on his face deters people from starting conversations with him, Jongin is actually someone relatively chatty; having random outbursts of excitement whenever something catches his eye and doing things that confuses Sehun to no end. Just yesterday, he chased after a random poodle on the street, calling it his baby when the dog allowed him to scratch its belly.
.
"Why did you invite me on this trip?" Sehun asks when they are comfortably seated on the wooden bench outside their room for the night.

Jongin takes a large sip of his beer, lying on the flat surface. His answer comes moments later, after the silence stretches long enough to make Sehun feel uncomfortable. "Isn't it interesting how we are always pitted against each other on the track and yet we don't know much about each other?

I didn't want to third-wheel Junmyeon and Kyungsoo's grad trip and I've always been intrigued by you," he confesses. "I didn't think you would agree to it though." He lets out a nervous laugh, fingers fiddling with the tab of the can.

"I don't know why I came either." The sloshing liquid provides Sehun with some form of comfort as he formulates his reply. He can feel Jongin's gaze, heavy on his back and somewhat reproachful as he waits for him to continue.

"Sehun, you know. You knew the answer before you asked me the question." Sehun keeps his eyes trained on the floor, the cracks on the cement floor proving to be an interesting distraction as he attempts to ignore the other's existence.

Jongin pushes himself up and bids Sehun goodnight when the other doesn't respond, resignation laced in his voice.

With the click of their shared room door, he lets out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. The respite doesn't last for long, as Jongin's accusation gets locked in his mind, forcing him to unearth the reason he had tried to hide from himself.

Jongin's right; Sehun knew the answer right from the start.




Sehun meets Jongin when he is thirteen, with a dream that is too heavy for his tiny frame. His father gifts him with running shoes when he enrolls into middle school, leading him into the world of competitive running. He has always been the best runner in his district, a skill developed while having to escape after pulling pranks on the older children in the area.

The first time he loses an event, he throws a tantrum, thrashing in his older brother's arms as he complains about the shorter boy who outran everyone earlier on. Sehun is not used to losing, and that makes Jongin the first person he wants to defeat with every fiber of his being.

The passion soon fades away to resignation as he realizes that he can never win.




"I'm going to a university in Busan," Sehun starts without preamble when they're on their way to Daegu. He is starting to think that it is a waste of money to drive when they spend most of their time getting stuck on highways, but the enclosed space they're in makes it easier for him to make his confession.

He doesn't wait for any reaction from Jongin before he continues, "I've always resented you on some level. I used to dream of being known as the best runner in Seoul, but you are always steps in front of me, putting so much distance between us that I can never surpass you.

I decided to leave Seoul a few months back so that I can stop comparing myself to you." The lady at the toll gate comes into view, her customary smile and wave becoming clearer as they inch their way up the queue. "But treating you as my rival has become some sort of anchor in the past few years - a motivation for me to carry on. And with me leaving it feels like a bad breakup where I'm left pining alone, so I jumped on this chance when you invited me." He scrunches his face in distaste at his explanation, brows furrowed with frustration.

Jongin fishes around for his wallet and pays the fee, getting way too much crackers in return. "I'm sorry - " he says, passing all the food to Sehun.

"I don't need your pity," Sehun hisses, lightly punching the tidbits that seem to be mocking his incompetence.

"You need to learn to let other people finish their sentences." Jongin sighs dramatically, a smirk creeping onto his face. "I was going to say that I'm sorry, but you have to work harder if you want to win against me."

He is supposed to get angry over his efforts being undermined, but instead relieved laughter bubbles from within him. It would have been really pathetic if Jongin decided to pity him. "Don't be so cocky," he mocks, "complacency will be your downfall." But he knows that it will be a long long time before anyone in their year can catch up to Jongin. The other boy is in no way a genius runner, but Sehun has on more than one occasion seen him training in the park when the sun is about to rise and he has no doubt that Jongin's determination is the source of his talent.




Somewhere between their expensive hotel stay and pretending to be normal high school students whenever someone recognizes Jongin, they've become friends Sehun supposes.

"Morning," Jongin greets him cheerfully.

“You are way too happy this early in the morning,” Sehun groans, hiding his face in the pillow as the salty seawater assualtshis senses from their open hotel window. “Can I have the grouchy Kim Jongin back?”

Jongin acts affronted, an obnoxious pout appearing. “You don’t know how many would kill to see me like this.”

“Then why are you always scowling in front of the press?” Sehun forces himself to get up, the desire to remain in bed disappearing.

Jongin closes the distance between them, and Sehun feels the other’s breath tickling his ears as he whispers conspiratorially, “Because I like you better than those reporters.”

The tips of Sehun’s ears burn long after Jongin moves away, and he might have to visit a doctor to check his erratic heartbeat after they go home.




Jongin doesn't give him enough time to pack the necessities, rushing him to the lift once he finishes washing up.

“The last one to reach the beach will have to buy dinner.” Jongin challenges him to a match once they step out of the hotel’s lobby. He didn’t wait for Sehun to react, breaking out into a sprint immediately, ignoring the loud shouts of protests from the other boy.

“This is unfair,” Sehun complains when he finally catches up with Jongin.

“Life is never fair,” Jongin retorts, earning a shove into the sea as revenge.

He lets out an undignified yelp as he flails his arms around, trying to regain his balance. He fails horribly, falling face down into the water.




“Are you feeling better?” Jongin asks as he rubs the aloe vera gel onto Sehun’s sunburnt skin that night. Sehun recalls how he ends up in this compromising position with Jongin hovering over him with his shirt bunched at his armpits. He was in the toilet, cursing at the sun and his arms when his roommate stepped in and decides that he needed some help.

“Yeah,” Sehun answers with a shrug. He knows that Jongin is not asking about his reddened skin or the itch that is creeping around the peeling edges but he settles for the safest reply.

He doesn’t think that he is ready to scrutinize the implications of his previous confession.





It is counterintuitive to travel back to Jeonju when they're already at Busan, but Sehun complained about his random bibimbap craving for the entire night, rationalizing it as a desire to taste one of the most traditional Korean foods at least once during the trip.

"We have to try the raw beef bibimbap." Sehun googles for the most famous restaurant as they embark on a journey up north. He offered to drive earlier on, guilty that Jongin had been driving for the past 8 days, but, Jongin assures him that it is fine, claiming that he values his life and car, which earns him a punch.

He picks an expensive restaurant which Jongin ends up paying for despite his vehement effort to split the bill. “It’s okay,” Jongin reassures him with easy smile while they’re waiting for their food. “You can pay for all our expenses in Jeju.”

Sehun scowls, a whine creeping into his voice. “I don’t want to. I’ll be broke after that.”

“You’ll have to find some other way to repay me then.” Jongin winks flirtatiously. “There are no free lunches in the world.”

Sehun ducks his head, stirring the bowl of rice in front of him rapidly. “You’re weird.” He is so preoccupied with trying to avoid eye contact that he doesn’t see Jongin picking out all the raw beef from his bibimbap.

“You’ve something here.” Jongin points to his mouth when they’re heading to the car.

Sehum sticks out his tongue, at the corners of his mouth in an attempt to get rid of the residual sauce.

“No. Here.” A warm thumb brushes beneath his lips rapidly.

“Thanks.” Sehun mumbles. His face may be rid of any weird sauces, but there’s this unfamiliar warmth constricting his heart, and he is unsure of whether he likes it or not.




Jongin drives their car into the ship that will take them to Jeju, and for a moment Sehun feels like Alice, travelling down his very own rabbit hole.




Sehun winds the window down, resting his palm on the edge of the window pane, letting the passing wind dance around his fingertips. He thinks he might like Jeju best out of all the locations. The serene environment is a stark contrast from what he experiences in Seoul. There is nothing but lush green plantations decorating this stretch of road, with the occasional buses carrying tourists passing by them.

“This is where you should keep your windows open.” He informs Jongin, turning up the volume of the radio lest it gets drowned out by the wind. “At least the worst smell we’ll experience here is cow dung.”

“I’m not sure if that’s any better.” Jongin gives him a pointed stare.

“You might have shortened a few years of my life by making me inhale those exhaust fumes on the first two days.”

Jongin lets out a short laugh, a little too loud for Sehun’s liking, but he finds himself relaxing into the seat, a subtle smile sneaking onto his face. Hanging out with the other boy for too long has certainly befuddled his mind.




If there is one thing he hates about the trip, it will be the road trip feeling more like an extremely long nature trek with more than eighty percent of their agenda being trekking all sorts of mountains.

“Must we do this again?” Sehun complains when they are seated in the pavilion at the middle of the mountain. Despite the cool weather, the perspiration from all the excessive climbing flattens his hair and the strands stick to his face uncomfortably.

Jongin pulls out a towel from his drawstring bag, dropping it onto Sehun’s head. “There’s nothing much to do. Unless you want to visit all the tourists spots?”

“But this is a road trip. Road trip.” He stresses the two words. “We are supposed to spend most of our time on the road looking at the scenery and doing nothing that will overly exert ourselves.”

“In essence, bum around while wasting petrol.”

“We’re seeing the world, or rather seeing what South Korea can offer us.”

“Come on,” Jongin holds out his hand. “You’ll be grateful that I forced you to continue climbing once we reach the summit.”

Sehun hits his hand away and stands up rapidly, heading to the flight of stairs before Jongin has any chance to react. “I’m not a kid.” He says quietly, cheeks flaming.

“You’re not, but I still want to hold your hand.” Jongin inches closer, pressing his palm onto Sehun’s hand before lacing their fingers together.

Sehun gives a light tug, attempting to retrieve his abducted hand, but Jongin merely tightens his grip and drags him up the steps without a backward look.




The view at the top of the mountain is breathtaking, Sehun will give him that. The crater lake is half-filled with water glimmering under the bright sunlight, and the light wind blows at his hair lightly, tickling the nape of his neck.

“It’s pretty,” Sehun breathes, pulling out his phone to record the view so that he can send it to Kyungsoo later.

“You’re prettier.” He sees Jongin’s expression out of the corner of his eye, and there’s too much affection and unidentified emotions in it.

Sehun pulls his hand out of Jongin’s grip, flattening his fringe before looking away. “I’m handsome, not pretty.”




“Can you stop saying these kind of weird things?” The younger boy requests when they’re eating lunch.

“Do you really want me to stop?” Jongin pushes the bowl of onions towards him.

“Why do you do it?”

“Because I like you,” Jongin answers unabashedly, staring right into Sehun’s eyes.




The atmosphere gets awkward rapidly after that, with Sehun being overly sensitive to everything Jongin is doing. He has noticed that the other boy is incredibly touchy for a casual friend, but everything seems to fall into place now that he knows the reason behind it. The subtle touches and lingering smiles as well as Jongin’s tendency to give in to him finally makes sense.

He tries to avoid the other boy for the remaining day, shying away from any interactions.

“If it makes you feel uncomfortable, you can forget what I said,” Jongin informs him when they’re moving the bags into the hostel. It is the first time they’ll be staying in a place for more than one night, and Sehun is looking forward to not having to pack all his stuff at light speed in the morning and praying that he leaves nothing behind.

“Do I have an eraser in my brain?” Sehun retorts angrily, throwing his bag onto the bed. “And who are you to tell me what to remember and what to forget?”

“Does this mean you want to remember what I said?!”

“No. This means that I hate you, and I don’t want to talk to you anymore.” He scowls, the lines between his brows deepening when he sees Jongin’s knowing smile.




Jongin secretly takes a photo of Sehun’s rear view that night when he is bundled in multiple layers of blanket and sends it to Junmyeon along with the caption of someone who’s 100 times cuter than your kyungsoo.

Junmyeon takes his revenge by replying with multiple photos of him and Kyungsoo in cheesy poses which Jongin deletes without hesitation.




Sehun figures that it is a daily routine for Jongin to wake him up when the sun is barely up, destroying any chance of him catching up on beauty sleep on this getaway.

“Let’s go run this morning,” Jongin pulls away the blankets. The aircon hits him, causing a thin layer of goose bumps to form.

This is the first time there’s any mention of anything track related other than the conversation they had on their way to Deagu, and Sehun finds himself oddly intrigued as he dressed up, forgetting the awkwardness from yesterday.

Jongin runs like how he remembers, mouth pulled tight in concentration, and keeping a constant speed until the end of his routine, even if he starts feeling breathless halfway through.

They stop a few kilometers away from their hostel, standing in the middle of nowhere as they wait for the sun to leave the sea’s embrace completely. The waves crash onto the rocks harshly, splattering water in all directions and threatening to wash away any intruders that dare to go near it.

“I really like the way you run,” Jongin starts, sitting precariously on the ledge that separates the sea from the pavement. “I’m not consoling you or anything,” he continues immediately, afraid that Sehun will get the wrong idea even for a minute. “Even my coach says that your form is a lot more precise than mine.”

“Yeah, but nobody trains as much as you do.” Sehun walks closer, still keeping a safe distance from the edge.

“You do. I’ve seen you practice in the morning and, I know that you reach school in advance for track practice every day.”

A bitter smile washes over Sehun’s features, and he lets a small sigh escape. “I know. It’s not enough though, since I’m still not the best.”

“Huang Zitao from Qingdao claims that he likes to stroll along the beach, but I suspect that he’s so fast because he trains by running on sand. Maybe you should try that when you’re at Busan.” Jongin mentions randomly, although the seriousness in his eyes shows the numerous times he’d considered this particular advice.

“You’re really weird, you know that?

You’re so cold to everyone, and yet you want to get to know me. Then, you do all sort of ridiculous stuff and say things that make my stomach flip, yet you seemingly remember that we are rivals on the track, and I’m so confused since I was trying to run away from you, but I want to spend more time with you.” He huffs in frustration, the customary frown wrinkling the contours of his face.

“Then don’t think. You just have to know that I like you no matter what we are.” His voice speaks of promises that are waiting to be fulfilled, and Sehun finds himself wanting to give in inexplicably.

Sehun holds out his hand, staring intently at the sea as he says, “Let’s go back. You’re treating me to breakfast.”




Nothing changes on the surface. High school girls still dance around Jongin, trying to get his signature while they pretend to be normal students on a vacation. Sehun is still hesitant about showing affection, choosing to turn away whenever Jongin invades his personal space. That is in public though. When it is just the two of them, Sehun lets Jongin entwine their fingers together as they banter over the menu or make plans for their remaining summer in Seoul.

They take a picture, one with their faces on the last day. The sun rays create a shadow on their faces, hiding half of their features, and the lopsided smiles they’re sporting is fairly unattractive, but Sehun secretly sets it as his home screen on his phone, letting his entire being immerse in the happiness the two in the photo are feeling.




“Are you still going to stay in Busan?” Jongin asks when he drops Sehun at his doorstep.

Sehun nods firmly.

“Don’t you want to surpass me one day?” He baits out of desperation, not wanting Sehun to leave him so soon.

“Do you really think I’ll give up that easily, Kim Jongin?” Sehun crosses his arms. “I’ve spent close to half my life running after you. I might have chosen the easy way out this time round, but I will defeat you one day.”

“I’ll be waiting for you .” Jongin pulls him into a hug, running his hands through the long strands of Sehun’s hair, effectively messing up the neatly styled hair.

“Don’t touch my hair,” Sehun swats at the other boy’s hand with no real heat. "And don’t you dare lose to anyone else.” He threatens, hands circling Jongin’s waist loosely.

Jongin smiles indulgently, pressing a light kiss to the crown of Sehun's head. “I’ll save that spot for you, so come back quickly.”




He finds a crumpled piece of post-it in his luggage that night, something that he swiped from Jongin while he was sleeping a few days ago. Sehun promptly laughs at it for five minutes, before pulling out his phone to tease Jongin about it.

Things Oh Sehun might be interested in ♥
1. Puppies, no one hates them (What if he’s allergic?)
2. Exercise -> Mountain climbing (he won’t be running if he hates sports right?)
3. Wind
4. Being lazy (he needs to be pampered)
5. Me