forever • sekai

three

⠀⠀ Jongin knew that something was really off when Sehun suddenly closed him out.

⠀⠀ He was confused, and tired from worrying about Sehun. Why would his best friend slash lover suddenly cut him off? It simply didn't comprehend in Jongin's mind. The Oh Sehun he was familiar with was generally an open book, if not snarky or noisy.

⠀⠀ Jongin began to wonder if he did anything wrong to cause one of the most important people in his life to drift away from him. He makes sure to text Sehun at least once a night to make sure he goes to sleep well, he remembers every single significant event such as birthdays or anniversaries, and he takes Sehun out on plenty of dates. What did he forget to do? The whole ordeal was frustrating, to be completely honest. Jongin didn't like it when he didn't know what was going on.

⠀⠀ Jongin decided to go over to Sehun's house, armed with another bouquet of azaleas like the ones he confessed with a year ago. He wrung his hands anxiously as he stood in front of the front door he had been through hundreds, even thousands of times. Jongin felt his heart thump in his chest as he gulped nervously and readjusted the black turtleneck he was wearing. It was a late fall night; why was he feeling so warm and clammy?

⠀⠀ He held the flowers behind his back and knocked once, then again, before stepping back and waiting patiently for someone to open the door for him. Jongin shivered slightly as a sudden gust of the chilly wind blew from the night. Ah, there's the cold, Jongin thought glumly to himself as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

⠀⠀ He heard a click, then the door swung open to reveal Oh Jinhun--Sehun's older brother by seven years. Jongin smiled and looked over Jinhun's shoulder into the house briefly before saying, "Hello, Hyung-nim. Is Hunnie here?"

⠀⠀ Jinhun opened his mouth before he closed it again as if rethinking about something. Then after a few moments, he shook his head and forced on a smile that even Jongin could tell was fake.

⠀⠀ "Nope! He, uh, is doing a project with, um, Soojung!" Jinhun said, nodding furiously and taking the door handle. "Well, I'll see you, Nini! Bye--"

⠀⠀ "Wait, Hyung!" Jongin stuck his foot in the doorway to prevent it from closing and stared at Jinhun intently. "You're absolutely horrible at lying, you know. What's wrong?" he tilted his head and looked at the older man worriedly. Jinhun glanced around briefly and sighed.

⠀⠀ "Look, Jong, I want to tell you. Really, I do, but there are. . . Certain people that don't want me to," he explained gently while brushing his black fringe to the side. Jinhun examined Jongin's falling face and small oh before cracking the tiniest of smiles and holding out his arms. "Don't be sad. Let's hug it out, my little man."

⠀⠀ Jongin went into Jinhun's lanky arms slowly and smothered himself in the older's black sweater. He dropped the flowers onto the ground and began to cry salty tears that he didn't even notice until Jinhun quietly pointed it out to him.

⠀⠀ "You're crying, Nini." he had said bluntly, using his thumb to wipe the trails of wetness on the younger brunette's face. Jongin had only continued to sob in frustration, confusion, and an unmeasurable amount of loneliness into Jinhun's sweater. Jinhun had done nothing but hold Jongin tightly and rock him gently back and forth, just as they did when Jongin was younger.

⠀⠀ "I-I just--hic!--don't k-know what I did wrong," he whimpered softly as his fingers gripped Jinhun's sweater tightly. "He started ignoring me all of a sudden--hic!--and I don't know what to do, Hyung!" Jongin weeped like there was no tomorrow, and his fist did nothing but tighten it's hold. Jinhun had hummed lightly into Jongin's ear, but otherwise stayed silent until the younger was quiet as well, and his body was no longer shaking and wracked with sobs.