Kyungsoo leaned back in his chair with a sigh of contentment, letting his eyes fluttered closed. It was the height of summer and he was on vacation. What’s more, the library where he worked was closed for the holidays as well, which meant he had a glorious two weeks to do nothing but relax. He had never been more grateful for a break in his life.

He was currently out on the little deck at the back of his and Jongin’s apartment. The deck was tiny, but it got a good bit of sun in the mornings and he’d managed to squeeze a chair out onto it and was basking in the mid-morning sun.

The only thing that would’ve made the day better is if Jongin had been there with him. The chair was small but they had managed to squeeze in together before; in fact, Kyungsoo was fairly certain that Jongin preferred it that way anyway. But Jongin wasn’t as lucky as Kyungsoo and his job wasn’t closed down simply because of summer vacation. The studio where he taught dance was actually offering more classes because of the holidays, and so Jongin was teaching three times as many classes now as usual. It had been his choice to, as he liked the idea of saving up money so they could go on vacation or go out to a nice dinner or splurge on some new clothes. Kyungsoo had assured him that he didn’t need any of those things, but Jongin had simply kissed him with a little smile and headed off to work. At least he loved his job.

Kyungsoo stretched his legs out and opened his book. He’d been reading so much for his classes lately that he hadn’t had any time to read for pleasure; he was looking forward to losing himself within the pages.

He’d only gotten a chapter or two into the book before his cell phone, wedged into the tight pocket of his shorts, began to ring. It was so loud in the silence of the morning that he jumped and nearly fell out of his chair. With a great bit of difficulty, he pried his phone out of his too-tight shorts and checked the caller ID. It was Junmyeon.

“Hi, hyung,” he answered, holding his place in his book with his finger. “What’s up? Are you having a good vacation so far?”

Junmyeon chuckled bitterly, which answered Kyungsoo’s question pretty adequately.

“That bad, huh?” Kyungsoo asked sympathetically. “What happened?”

“Nothing really happened,” Junmyeon admitted. “I guess that’s sort of the point, actually.”

Kyungsoo closed his book, realizing that he wasn’t going to get any more reading done anytime soon. “What do you mean? Is it Jungsoo?” he asked with intuitiveness.

“Yeah, I guess it is,” Junmyeon sighed.

Kyungsoo was pretty good friends with Junmyeon’s boyfriend, Jungsoo. Despite the fact that Jungsoo was quite a bit older, he was friends with Kyungsoo’s brother, Sunho. He’d always seemed like a pretty good guy, and it was obvious to anyone that he was head over heels for Junmyeon.

“He’s just so…sophisticated…” Junmyeon complained.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Kyungsoo demanded. “Would you rather he ate with his hands instead of silverware when you go out to eat?”

Junmyeon laughed even though he was obviously distressed. “That’s not what I mean, Kyunggie, and you know it.” He sighed again. “He’s just so much older than me.”

“He’s not a grandfather, Junmyeon,” Kyungsoo chuckled. “He’s only three years older than you. Three years isn’t a lot.”

“It’s not just the age, though,” Junmyeon wailed. “I feel like such a child compared to him. He likes drinking and listening to live music and reading political magazines. I like watching Pororo.” He hesitated, and it was then that he voiced his real fears. “I-I think he’s going to get embarrassed by me.”

Kyungsoo shook his head quickly even though he knew his friend couldn’t see him. “Don’t be ridiculous, hyung. Jungsoo is head over heels for you. Even my brother said so last time I talked to him, and that’s saying something because pretty much all he talks about these days is his and Dahae’s baby.”

Junmyeon sighed, sounding not all reassured. “I just feel that I should get some more adult tastes. Don’t you think?”

Kyungsoo hesitated. “Adult tastes? Like what?” About the only thing that came to mind when Junmyeon said adult tastes was .

Junmyeon seemed completely unaware of the images Kyungsoo’s mind had brought up. “I don’t know. Like politics or world affairs or something.” He hesitated. “I was thinking about maybe learning to ride a motorcycle.”

Kyungsoo nearly choked at that. “A-a motorcycle?” he spluttered, so loudly that the downstairs neighbor, who was watering the flowers on her own patio, quickly went back inside. “Don’t be too rash, hyung! Think of how dangerous that is! Think of the hospital bills! Think of how crazy that is!”

But Kyungsoo’s arguments only seemed to fuel Junmyeon’s drive to act out. “It’s perfect,” he decided. “I’m going to go look at models today. Will you come with me?”

Kyungsoo wanted to refuse. It was his day off and he was really enjoying his book in the sun. He also didn’t approve of Junmyeon’s newfound desire to be more mature and thus more desirable to his boyfriend. But Junmyeon was his best friend and he figured he needed to come along and keep Junmyeon from doing anything too ridiculous.

“Fine,” he grumbled.

“Great.” He could practically hear Junmyeon beaming. “I’ll pick you up at your apartment in half an hour.”

True to his word, Junmyeon pulled up in front of the building thirty minutes later. He was driving his new car – a birthday present from his parents – and wearing a pair of sunglasses that would’ve looked phenomenal on Jongin but looked downright silly on the more reserved Junmyeon.

“Hi hyung,” Kyungsoo said flatly, climbing into the front passenger seat. The new car smell enveloped him pleasantly.

Junmyeon, excited by his decision to be more mature, only grinned, oblivious to his friend’s reservations. “I did some research before I came to get you,” he said. “I’ve decided that I want an MV Augusta. It’s really fast and really flashy. It’ll be perfect. Can you imagine Jungsoo’s face when I show up on that thing?”

Kyungsoo flashed him a weak smile. He’d had a cousin who died in a motorcycle accident a decade before, so he’d been afraid of the things for roughly half his life.

It took them nearly an hour to get to the motorcycle dealership, and once they got there Junmyeon was quite insistent that he have an MV Augusta. The salesman tried to explain that it was a racing bike and quite impractical in the city, but Junmyeon didn’t want to hear any of it. He demanded to see the motorcycle.

The salesman’s smile was a little forced, but he showed them to the back of the lot, where the expensive motorcycles were parked. He never once questioned whether Junmyeon would be able to afford such a pricy vehicle – apparently he gave off a rich aura that was easy to pick up on – but he did suggest that perhaps Junmyeon’s parents wouldn’t approve of a bike like that.

“I’ll be paying for this with my own money,” Junmyeon told the salesman icily – very unlike his usual friendly demeanor. “Their approval or disapproval does not concern you.”

After that, the salesman decided to keep his opinions to himself.

“Are you really sure you want to buy this monstrosity?” Kyungsoo demanded when the hassled salesman had gone into the office to print off the correct paperwork.

But Junmyeon was lovingly running his fingers over the bright red body, a far-off dream in his eyes. “Of course I do. This is what I want.”

“But do you maybe want it for all the wrong reasons?” Kyungsoo suggested. He gestured at the motorcycle. “This isn’t you, Junmyeon.”

But his friend’s face was set. “This is the new me. Just wait and see.” His grin was fierce. “The world better get ready for the new, vastly more mature, Kim Junmyeon.”

Because Jungsoo was busy with his work at the recording studio, Junmyeon had to wait until the weekend to show off how grown up and mature he had suddenly become. Jungsoo had invited him to a bar near the university’s campus to see a local group play. It usually wasn’t really Junmyeon’s scene, but now he jumped on the chance to go. And he insisted that Kyungsoo came along.

“You know those types of bars aren’t really my thing,” Kyungsoo complained when Junmyeon called to beg him to come. “The cigarette smoke makes my voice hurt and I don’t even like to drink.”

“Please!” Junmyeon wheedled in that voice that he knew Kyungsoo wouldn’t – and couldn’t – refuse.

Kyungsoo groaned. He hated being backed into a corner like this, but he knew Junmyeon wanted him to come for moral support and, after all the times Junmyeon had supported him, Kyungsoo couldn’t very well not step up to the plate now. “But Jongin is off and we were planning on going out to dinner…”

“So come after you go to dinner,” Junmyeon said. “The band doesn’t start playing until ten. That’s plenty of time.”

So Kyungsoo reluctantly gave in.

Jongin was all for it. He liked live music, drinking, and dancing quite a lot more than Kyungsoo did. “It’ll be fun,” he assured his boyfriend when Kyungsoo expressed how much he didn’t want to go.

“I’m just worried about Junmyeon,” Kyungsoo said, shaking his head. “He’s beign all weird for no reason.”

“Hey, he’s got to learn his lessons for himself,” Jongin said, wrapping an arm around the shorter male’s shoulders. “Just like we both did. Now let’s get to dinner already. I’m starving.”

They had found a new favorite restaurant since moving towns and, although they’d only been frequenting it for six months, the entire staff knew them and their order by heart already. They liked the place because it was delicious and – most importantly – cheap.

When they finished eating, they took the train a few stops over to the little club where they were set to meet Junmyeon. They were about fifteen minutes early, but they found Jungsoo, Sunho, and Dahae standing out front of the building, Jungsoo smoking a cigarette downwind from the pregnant Dahae, who didn’t like the smell of smoke.

“Hyung!” Kyungsoo exclaimed in some surprise, hugging his older brother. “I didn’t know you were going to be here!”

Sunho shrugged. “Jungsoo invited us and we’ve been so busy lately preparing for the baby that we haven’t had much time to go out and have fun, so we thought it would be nice to get out for a night.”

Kyungsoo nodded politely to Dahae. “How are you feeling? How’s the baby?”

Dahae smiled prettily. She was about seven months along by now, her petite little belly swollen. She rested a hand on her extended abdomen. “As well as can be expected. She’s kicking around like crazy in there. I think she’s going to be a dancer when she gets a little older.” She beamed at Jongin. “You’ll have to teach her everything you know.”

“It would be my honor,” Jongin replied solemnly.

At that moment, the loud roar of an engine sounded from the end of the street, revving over and over again obnoxiously. Kyungsoo groaned and resisted the urge to facepalm.

Jungsoo frowned, blowing smoke away from the group through pursed lips. “Man, I hate people like that. They think they’re all big and bad, when really they’re just annoying.”

Kyungsoo felt his heart sink even lower. He’d told Junmyeon that this was a stupid plan; sometimes he hated being right.

“He’s probably just some in too-tight pants with gel in his hair who thinks people actually like the douchebag thing,” Sunho laughed, one of his arms wrapped automatically around his girlfriend’s waist.

Jongin leaned down and whispered in his boyfriend’s ear, “That’s Junmyeon, isn’t it?”

“Yep,” Kyungsoo sighed.

The person in question zoomed into sight then and, just like Sunho had predicted, he was wearing pants that were so tight they were practically painted on. They were made out of some kind of faux leather and they clung to every curve. The hair, also like Sunho had predicted, was gelled up in a strange sort of hairstyle. And then, when the man climbed off the bike, they finally put it together that this was their friend.

Jungsoo stared at him like he was a total stranger, mouth slightly open.

Kyungsoo could tell that Junmyeon was infinitely nervous, but he tried his best not to let it show. He ran his fingers through his hair – or at least tried to, as there was too much gel in his hair to get his fingers through – and sauntered over, waggling his hips a little too much. A group of girls nearby giggled not-so-secretly, and one of them even snapped a photo on her handphone.

“What’s up?” Junmyeon said as casually as he could manage, leaning against the wall and pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pocket – where he’d been keeping them was any guess, as the pants were really too tight to fit anything in the pockets.

Before he could even light the cigarette, Jungsoo had snatched it from his hand and tossed it to the ground. Kyungsoo was surprised to see just how angry his friend’s boyfriend was.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jungsoo demanded, crushing the unlit cigarette under his boot.

Junmyeon faltered. “Well I was going to smoke until you wasted a perfectly good cigarette.”

Jungsoo was not placated in the least. If anything, Junmyeon’s answer only served to anger him more. “Since when do you smoke?”

“Since now,” Junmyeon shot back, trying to maintain the tough-guy façade he’d worked so hard on. “You clearly don’t know everything about me.”

“Apparently I don’t,” Jungsoo said, but he said it with disgust rather than admiration. Things were going south and fast. If Kyungsoo didn’t do something quickly, Jungsoo and Junmyeon’s relationship wasn’t going to last much longer.

“Let’s go to the bathroom,” he said quickly, grabbing Junmyeon by the arm. “We’ll be back in a minute.”

Junmyeon seemed to be in shock as Kyungsoo pushed and shoved his way through the dense crowd inside, dragging his friend behind him. The bathroom was crowded, but they managed to find a spot near the sinks.

“What on earth are you doing, hyung?” Kyungsoo shouted over the blasting music. “You look like an idiot!”

“This is the way all the guys in the magazines dress!” Junmyeon shot back defensively. “Besides, isn’t this what Jungsoo likes? Older, more mature guys?”

Kyungsoo sighed. “You’re such an idiot. Come here and let me wash that stuff out of your hair. It’ll be a miracle if we don’t have to shave your head.”

Slightly alarmed at the thought of having to shave his head, Junmyeon complied and let Kyungsoo try and rinse out the copious amounts of gel he’d used. Some of the other patrons grumbled at their monopoly of the sinks, but Kyungsoo politely told them to off. Surprisingly, they did as asked.  

Eventually Junmyeon was able to actually run his fingers through his hair, and they dried his hair the best they could under the automatic hand drier. The result was a little messy but soft but and much more natural.

“Much better,” Kyungsoo said approvingly.

Junmyeon looked at himself in the mirror. “I’ve made a mess of things, haven’t I?”

“A bit,” Kyungsoo conceded. “But I don’t think it’s too late to make amends. Just be yourself, dummy. That’s why Jungsoo likes you. If he wanted to date some riding a motorcycle and wearing pleather pants, don’t you think he would?”

Junmyeon didn’t seem entirely convinced, but he did follow when Kyungsoo headed back outside.

They found their friends waiting in the same place, Jungsoo still looking furious and Sunho and Dahae looking terribly uncomfortable.

“You thought I wanted to date some douchebag?” Jungsoo exploded as soon as they arrived. “You thought I would like you better if you bought a motorcycle and started smoking and acted like an ?”

Junmyeon glared at Kyungsoo, hurt. “You told him!”

But Kyungsoo held up his hands defensively. “How could I possibly have told him? I was in the bathroom with you!”

“I told him,” Jongin interrupted smoothly, his voice stern.

This didn’t seem to please Junmyeon anymore. “You told Jongin?”

“I tell him everything,” Kyungsoo mumbled, feeling a little ashamed.

“That’s the way a relationship is supposed to be,” Jungsoo spoke up, and he sounded hurt now more than angry. “I can’t believe you wouldn’t come and talk to me if you felt that there was something wrong in our relationship!”

“The only thing wrong in our relationship is me!” Junmyeon explained, and his lower lip was trembling with the threat of tears. “I’m such a child! You must be so embarrassed by me when we go out!”

“Well I’m embarrassed now,” Jungsoo said, gesturing to what his boyfriend was wearing, but his tone was not unkind. “I sure as hell wasn’t before. That’s why I always invite you out. Because I like going out with you. With the real you, not this douchebag that you’ve dressed up as.”

Junmyeon hung his head. “But you’re so cool, hyung. I always feel like I’m dragging you down.”

Jungsoo’s next words made everyone stop. “Do you want to break up then?”

Junmyeon jerked his head up, horrified. “B-break up? N-no, I don’t want that!”

Jungsoo’s arms were around him in a second. “I don’t want that either. I want you to be yourself. That’s who I fell in love with, dummy. That’s who I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

Junmyeon hesitantly hugged him back. “R-really? But I’m just…me.”

“Just you is exactly what I want,” Jungsoo assured him, tilting his face up so he could claim his boyfriend’s lips.

“I think this is our cue to get out of here,” Sunho whispered to his brother. “You and Jongin want to go get some ice cream with Dahae and me?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Kyungsoo agreed quickly, ready to get away from the awkward scene.

When the four of them escaped to Sunho’s beat up old car, Jungsoo and Junmyeon were still making out in front of the club. 

Okay guys, I'm really sorry that I disappeared for like a month. I'm not usually that bad at updating, but things have been really hectic because of the holidays. At school we had a Christmas concert, so I was super busy preparing for that. Then it was actual Christmas. And then we had winter vacation, so Jacky and I went to Thailand - which was SUPER fun btw. 

So I apologize and give you some vacation pictures to appease you. 

Also, 1 year, 4 months, 1 week, and 4 days until I get married! It's getting closer!