RENDEZVOUS

36 | road trip to nowhere

it didn't take much for one of donghyuck's brilliant ideas to become a reality... and for that reality to become a nightmarish disaster. taeyong didn't know this yet, though, so when donghyuck suggested that they all go on a 'squad beach trip' the following week, taeyong was incredibly enthusiastic.

"we can take a picnic!" he gasped to jaehyun one evening that they were cuddling in jaehyun's bed.

"hm?" jaehyun asked sleepily, confused as to why taeyong was wriggling out of his grasp to sit up, more interested in the idea of a picnic than his own boyfriend.

"to the beach," taeyong told him, very seriously indeed, "i have this outfit that screams picnic bitch so we have to."

"picnic bitch?"

"it's this matching button down shirt and shorts set in black and white gingham," taeyong rambled excitedly, "i know right? i only bought it 'cause i thought i'd wear it around the house to stay cool in the summer, but this is perfect!"

"you're perfect," jaehyun smiled at him, cheeks flushing at how corny the line was.

"well, i wouldn't say i'm perfect," taeyong said bashfully, "but my picnic bitch outfit is going to be on point! we'll have to take my car, right? can i play troye sivan?"

"come back here," jaehyun whined, pulling taeyong back into his arms again, "you can play whatever music you want, honey."

taeyong grinned and wrapped his arms around jaehyun's waist, legs getting tangled under the bedsheets. "i love summer," he sighed.

"and i love you," jaehyun mumbled.

though he wasn't sure whether he was supposed to hear that or not, taeyong's eyes lit up, heart racing. he pressed a kiss to jaehyun's lips, and whispered, "i love you too."

***

it didn't take long for taeyong's infectious excitement to spread to the other boys, and soon everyone was looking forward to the road trip to the beach.

"hyung, can daehwi come?" jaemin asked suddenly a few days before they planned to go.

jaehyun shrugged from where he was folding laundry on the couch. "i don't see why not," he answered, "the more the merrier, right?" he turned to see his younger brother standing hesitantly in the doorway to the living room, phone to hand.

"did someone say daehwi?" taeyong's head appeared around the kitchen door, "i love that kid!"

"you've only met him, like, once," jaemin pointed out.

"so?" taeyong grinned, stepping into the room with a spatula in his hand, "he's adorable and i love him."

"hey, what about me?" jaehyun pouted in his direction, throwing taeyong a look.

"yeah, daehwi's mine anyway," jaemin mumbled, looking back down at his phone.

jaehyun and taeyong exchanged a glance, both of them grinning at each other. they both knew how jaemin was completely head over heels for daehwi, and they were both suddenly determined to make this beach trip the perfect date for everyone involved.

so when the day of the roadtrip arrived and the kids were turning up at the house early in the morning, taeyong had already prepared a large picnic basket, his beach playlist (mostly consisting of troye sivan) and his outfit - the picnic bitch combo. jaehyun was outside checking on his recently purchased car, and the sun was high in the sky.

"donghyuck! don't eat those!" taeyong suddenly slapped donghyuck's hands away from the open picnic basket, where he was obnoxiously snacking on the fruit salad - a strawberry in either cheek. the surprised look on his face was enough to melt taeyong's heart though. "they're for the picnic," he wheedled, pursing his lips.