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“Okay. I’ve got it all. I think.”
“You think?” Minho laughs, poking at the side of an overstuffed backpack. “I’m pretty sure you packed the whole fridge there. We’ll be fine.”
“I just want to do this right,” Jisung pouts. Minho thinks he’s being a little ridiculous, getting all worked up about such a simple thing as a picnic, but he also thinks Jisung is a whole lot adorable, so, of course, he indulges him anyway.
“I promise, everything will be okay. Let’s leave before it starts to rain.”
“Don’t jinx it!” Jisung exclaims, scandalized, and whips his head towards the window. Minho chuckles and rolls his eyes. As if the clouds would start rolling in on Minho’s cue; no, the sky is still perfectly clear all the way to the horizon and so blue it looks almost fake, the sun slowly climbing towards midday—it’s the perfect day to spend outside.
Jisung sighs, leaning back to the counter and zipping the bag up.
“If I forgot something, it’s on you,” he grumbles a little, but Minho can tell by the twinkle in his eyes he’s not serious at all.
“I think you forgot your gorgeous smile,” he whispers into Jisung’s ear, and cups his face so he can kiss the blushing boy.
“C’mon!” Minho giggles, pulling back and heading towards the door. He grabs the keys and keeps the door open as Jisung waddles out, holding the backpack with both of his hands.
“Awh, is it too heavy?” Minho teases and locks the door, laughing when Jisung headbutts his back.
“It’s not,” Jisung scoffs. “Besides, I’ve been working out, you know?”
“Oh, trust me,” Minho shuffles in closer as they wait for the elevator and then slides his fingers around Jisung’s tensed bicep. “I’ve noticed,” he whispers into Jisung’s ear and squeezes the muscle. Jisung shivers so hard, Minho is pretty sure he’s already forming the offer to stay home, so he quickly kisses the back of his neck and slips his palm down Jisung’s arm.
“Let me help you out anyway,” he says, tugging on the one of the straps.
“Minho,” Jisung whines and rolls his eyes and doesn’t let go, so neither does Minho. Which means they have to shuffle into the elevator sideways with the bag hanging between them. “You’re just gonna complain it’s too heavy.”
“Are you saying you won’t?” Minho shoots back. Jisung presses the first floor button with his elbow and then leans forward to kiss Minho.
His lips are soft and extra sweet, which has Minho wondering how many snacks got packed inside his stomach instead. They’re also the perfect distraction, as Minho instinctively lifts both of his hands to tighten them around Jisung’s shoulders.
He realizes his mistake the moment Jisung pulls back with a celebratory grin.
“No, I’m saying,” Jisung continues, sounding every bit as smug as he looks. He hoists the backpack up, hooking his thumbs under the straps. “Let me do my—”
“Do not say it,” Minho warns. The elevator dings open and Jisung steps out first, turning around as he goes.
“—thing, baby boy,” Jisung finishes with the worst smirk humanity has seen and a horribly failed wink. Minho groans, hand already reaching towards the sixth floor button, but Jisung swiftly grabs it and pulls him forward.
“Weren’t you in a hurry?” Jisung teases, intertwining their fingers. He turns around again, barely missing a passing young mom with the bulky bag. Minho just chuckles, watching with a half-horrified expression, as Jisung pulls them outside and towards the bus stop. He’s like a stray bowling ball, lost but still determined to take something—or someone—down.
“Be careful,” Minho pulls Jisung to the side once they get there, further from the benches. He’s pretty sure the elderly ladies sitting on them wouldn’t have approved of Jisung swiping his backpack over them in all of his hyperactive glory.
“I am,” Jisung counters and then stumbles a little. Minho tightens his hold. “But it is heavy!” he pouts in complaint when Minho raises a questioning eyebrow.
Minho makes sure Jisung can very clearly see him lifting his free hand and bending one finger.
They get to the park without Jisung knocking anyone out, magically, and Minho sighs, taking in a deep breath. The air isn’t much different—yet, since they’re standing right at the gate—but he already feels energized by just looking at all the greenery in front of them.
“Do you wanna go to the pond or maybe the orchard?” he asks Jisung, swinging their joined hands just a little as they walk down the paved path.
“Whichever’s closer,” Jisung tilts his head and squints into the distance. “I’m getting tired.”
Minho scoffs and lifts his hand up, bending the second finger.
“Give it to me then,” he demands and this time Jisung gives in without a fight.
“Okay, it’s heavy,” Minho frowns, adjusting the straps, and Jisung grins, raising his left hand and bending the thumb before shoving it closer to Minho’s face. Minho scoffs and wraps his fingers around Jisung’s wrist. “ You’re not allowed to do that, you packed this!”
“Whatever,” Jisung rolls his eyes, but his grin doesn’t fade, even after he plants a kiss on Minho’s cheek. “You look a little schoolboy-ish.”
“Did you know I almost became a school uniform model?” Minho muses, looking around to find the perfect spot. Despite the gorgeous weather, there’s only a sparse sprinkle of people. It would be a little strange, if not for the fact that both of them took a Tuesday off and it’s not even noon yet.
“You did?” Jisung chuckles and Minho turns back with a wide grin, steering them towards one of the smaller ponds.
“Yeah, me and my friend got scouted on the street when we were,” he huffs and squints a little, the memory already fuzzy. “I dunno, sometime in middle school.”
“Why ‘almost’ then?” Jisung asks. He almost trips when they step onto grass and Minho laughs a little, pulling him closer until their shoulders touch.
“My mom thought it was a scam. My friend’s mom didn’t though,” he sighs. “And that’s why I spent the whole end of the summer unable to look at most magazines out of jealousy.”
“Oh no,” Jisung lamented, almost too dramatically, and so earned a playful nudge from Minho. “We could have gotten so many cute pictures! And yet…”
“I’m sure if you ask my mom, she’ll give you plenty,” Minho laughs and then stops, realising his mistake.
“What?” Jisung asks and Minho can see him biting back a smile.
“No,” he threatens with a pointed finger and then continues walking.
“What?” Jisung exclaims, looking at Minho all wide-eyed and innocent looking. “I don’t understand what’s wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong,” Minho smiles back at him and Jisung bats his eyelashes and then they both burst into laughter. “That looks perfect, no?”
He points their joined hands towards a willow tree by a decently sized pond in the shape on an eight, with bridge rising over the thinnest part. There are a few ducks leisurely floating in the pond and that side of the park is empty, for now.
“That looks so pretty!” Jisung wails and leaps into a sprint. Minho splutters but quickly catches up, the backpack swinging a little uncomfortably before he gets used to it.
They fall more than sit down in the shade of the leafy branches; Minho smiles down at Jisung from above, quickly throwing one leg over his abdomen.
“Gotcha,” he whispers and leans down to kiss the grin off Jisung’s lips. The backpack wants him to tilt sideways, so Minho rids of if as fast as he can.
“Careful,” Jisung squeaks out, watching it bounce on the ground. Minho just rolls his eyes and peppers his cheeks with quick kisses.
“It’s fine,” he calms Jisung and then kisses him again, this time slower and more purposeful. Jisung sighs into his mouth, wraps his arms around Minho’s neck and pulls him in as close as he can. Minho smiles softly into his lips and slips one hand into Jisung’s hair.
Before either of them can get too worked up—they are in a very public place, after all—Minho sits back up. Jisung is looking up at him, cheeks a little flushed and lips parted in a quiet pant.
“Time to show off your picnicking skills, huh?” Minho smirks and boops Jisung’s nose before climbing off. The grass is cool when he stretches his arms over it and Minho sighs in content.
He’s sprawling out like a starfish, watching Jisung pull out various bundles and boxes and bottles from the backpack, when the younger nudges his thigh with his knee.
“Get up,” he says, holding out a baby blue plaid blanket. “Or move away, or something.”
Minho groans but complies, getting up on all fours and crawling towards the almost empty backpack. “So, what did you take?” he asks, peering inside.
“Mostly food,” Jisung answers, straining to straighten the blanket. “A couple of beers. That book you asked for.”
“Oh,” Minho looks up at Jisung and the butterflies in his stomach, the ones he thought he’d gotten used to, go just as wild as they did the first time they kissed.
“What?” Jisung turns to look at him. They’re blanketed by the tree’s shade and yet his eyes sparkle with a million stars. His hair’s messy and unruly and yet somehow perfect and the neck of his t-shirt is all askew and he looks like the most beautiful person Minho’s ever seen.
“Nothing,” Minho whispers and takes in a shaky breath. “Did you know I love you?”
“I love you too,” Jisung smiles, the same way he always does whenever Minho catches him off guard: his lips pressed tightly together, eyes squinting with giddiness. “So so much. But I’d love you even more if you got on the blanket.”
Minho rolls his eyes and crawls forward, placing his hands on either side of Jisung’s thighs.
“Is this good?” he asks and Jisung bites his lip, shaking his head the slightest bit.
“A little closer,” he whispers, and Minho moves a couple more inches, their noses still just bit too far. His knees are barely grazing the edge of the blanket.
“Better?” Minho murmurs, watching as Jisung lowers his eyelashes until his eyes are barely visible.
“More,” Jisung demands. Minho shuffles closer.
Jisung licks his lips, seemingly deciding Minho isn’t moving fast enough, so he takes the matter in his own hands. He puts one hand on the back of Minho’s neck and pulls him in until their breaths ghost against each other’s lips.
“Good enough,” Jisung whispers then and lets them connect.
A crow caws loudly from the willow, making Jisung jump and sending Minho into giggles.
“It’s right,” he says, pointing vaguely upwards. “We should eat.”
Jisung pouts a little when Minho moves away to sit cross-legged besides him, but it doesn’t last long.
“Shall we toast first?” he asks, turning with two cans of beer in his hands. Minho takes one and hits it, gently, against Jisung’s.
“To a perfect day off?” he offers and Jisung grins.
“To a perfect day off!”
“That was way too much food,” Minho complains, staring up at the swaying leaves. A sun ray or two escape through every once in a while, and the breeze is barely enough to cool his skin in the quickly heating up air. It’s humid too, but that could be just the pond nearby.
“It wasn’t,” Jisung protests weakly. He’s sprawled out next to Minho, holding Minho’s hand in both of his, softly drawing invisible patterns on his skin. “We just ate it a little too quick.”
“I wasn’t the one worried about the freaking fruit going off,” Minho scoffs, but he’s not actually upset. Sure, he feels heavy and a little too warm, but it’s not bad.
In fact, this is the most relaxed he’s felt in weeks.
They should do this more often, Minho decides even though he knows it’s hard with their unpredictable schedules.
“Whatever,” Jisung mumbles, interrupted by a yawn. “I’m sleepy.”
“Take a nap,” Minho offers softly and turns to his side. He uses his free hand to brush the hair off Jisung’s face, intertwines their fingers with the one Jisung’s holding. “I’ll watch out.”
“You’ll get to distracted by me,” Jisung smirks at him weakly and closes his eyes in content when Minho brushes the backs of his fingers across his cheek. “And someone will steal all of our stuff.”
“As long as they don’t steal you,” Minho grins and laughs when Jisung smacks his shoulder.
“If my phone is gone by the time I wake up, I will be going straight to your mother,” Jisung threatens, voice going quiet as he snuggles in closer to Minho.
“Oh, really?” Minho asks and rests his hand on Jisung’s jaw. “My mom isn’t the police though.”
“I know,” Jisung giggles. “But I’m sure you’ll find the thief real soon when faced with the embarrassment of me seeing your baby pictures.”
“You wouldn’t!” Minho gasps in fake outrage, then places a kiss on Jisung’s nose. He can’t resist, not when the younger looks so soft and warm and sleepy.
“I one-hundred-percent would,” Jisung smiles at him with half-closed eyes then pouts a little, asking for a real kiss. Minho grants it to him easily, and then another one, free of charge.
And then Jisung is asleep, an almost smile on his face, one knee nudged between Minho’s legs.
Minho watches the shadows play on Jisung’s face for a while. A family passes by the ponds, the kids begging to feed the ducks. Minho listens as both the children and the birds squawk and chatter, until the parents pull them away. It doesn’t get much hotter, just a pleasant warmth under the shade, perfect to slumber in. Minho almost regrets not grabbing his book for a moment, but then Jisung stirs a little in his sleep, his eyebrows furrowing and smoothing out again, and Minho decides he’d much rather read the lines on his boyfriend’s face. It’s a sight he could never get bored of, despite the fact he’s been waking up to it for close to year already.
“Wake up,” Minho whispers after another half an hour, when he starts feeling a little drowsy himself. He’s pretty sure one of his legs has fallen asleep, but that’s something to deal with a little later.
“Jus’ a lil’ more,” Jisung mumbles, turning his head towards Minho and pushing in even closer. Minho rolls his eyes, a soft smile spreading on his lips, and then places a kiss on Jisung’s forehead.
“I’m getting bored,” he whispers into the smooth skin. “I’ll leave you alone if you don’t wake up.”
“Noo,” Jisung whines. “No leaving!”
“Then you have to get up,” Minho urges again, ignoring the way his heart goes wild when Jisung nuzzles into his neck.
“Fine,” he sighs and the breath brushes across Minho’s skin, raising goosebumps in its wake. “But you’ll have to make it up for me.”
“You’re the one who fell asleep,” Minho laughs and it’s cut short by Jisung’s slow, lazy lips on his own. They kiss for a minute or so and Minho melts even more with the way Jisung desperately grabs at his shirt. He tastes like beer they had and the sandwiches and the apples, but that’s okay, since Minho does too.
Then Jisung pulls away and sits up, yawning widely as he stretches his arms. Minho watches him for a moment and then gets up himself. He winces at the pins and needles and shakes his legs a little to get rid of them.
“Cute,” Jisung laughs then yawns again.
“Cuter,” Minho smirks. Jisung sticks his tongue out and then jumps up.
“What shall we do now?” He asks, tilting his head and blinking down at Minho.
“I dunno,” Minho shrugs. “Wasn’t this your idea?”
Jisung sticks his tongue out again and then looks around. Minho sits there, waiting, content to just watch Jisung examine his surroundings until his eyes light up.
“Ice-cream! Let’s go get some?” he grins and stretches a hand out. Minho takes it, unfolding his body.
“Sounds amazing,” he plants a kiss on Jisung’s cheek. “Should we pack up?”
“Yeah,” Jisung nods enthusiastically. “Then we could go to the orchard.”
“Good plan,” Minho agrees and wraps his arms around Jisung for one last kiss.
The backpack is much lighter now that it’s just the blanket and empty containers, but Minho carries it again anyway as Jisung joyfully struts beside him.
“You look far too happy for someone who insisted on carrying it,” Minho notes, smirking at Jisung.
“Oh, shut up, I could handle it,” Jisung rolls his eyes. “I just needed to get used to the weight.”
Minho slowly raises a hand. Jisung reaches over and pulls it down.
They get tropical fruit popsicles, as walking in the sun quickly reminds them how lucky they were to stay in the shade.
“I thought it was supposed to cool down,” Jisung complains, trying to flick his hair away from his forehead without using his hands, already sticky from the melting sweet.
“It did,” Minho says and helps him out, because he has managed to keep one hand clean.
Not for long, since Jisung intertwines their fingers as soon as they’re back on the path.
“Not enough,” Jisung whines through the ice in his mouth and Minho silently agrees.
The orchard—it’s not particularly cultivated, just apple trees slowly losing their domesticity, but they like referring to it in that way—proves to be heaven in the sweltering heat. It’s shade after shade and they easily find a spot further from the main path.
Jisung pulls out the blanket again and this time they settle as close to the tree as possible. Minho leans on it as he sits and Jisung’s head finds its place in Minho’s lap.
“What a throwback to our third date,” Minho mumbles, looking down and running his fingers over Jisung’s eyebrow. His extra preparedness came in handy in the form of wet tissues, and Minho would have said something about that, but Jisung’s smile seemed just a tad too smug for it already.
“Those were good times,” Jisung sighs, closing his eyes.
“Are you saying it’s not good now?” Minho asks, pouting a little as he pokes Jisung’s cheek.
“No,” Jisung opens his eyes. “It’s even better.”
“Good to know,” Minho chuckles a little. Silence sets over them for a moment. One of Jisung’s arms stretches out to knead Minho’s calf.
“You know,” Jisung starts conversationally and Minho hums in answer. “I was really nervous back then.”
“Like, the date itself, or—”
“The date itself.” Jisung giggles a little, fondness softening his edges as he recalls the memory. “It was apple season, and, for some reason, I was so anxious about an apple falling onto your head. Or mine.”
“I mean, that’s understandable,” Minho hums. “No one wants to get concussed on their third date.”
“An apple wouldn’t give you a concussion,” Jisung scoffs. “Or, like, could it? Theoretically?”
“Huh, I dunno,” Minho shrugs and looks up at the tree. It’s just green now—green leaves, green beginnings of apples. “I guess depends on its size and height.”
“How windy it is too, right?”
“You know I didn’t take physics,” Minho laughs. “Don’t ask me these things!”
“But you’re so smart,” Jisung pouts at him. “And besides, I’m just wondering out loud.”
“I bet MythBusters probably did an episode on this or something,” Minho tries to brush right past the compliment, but it’s a little hard when he can already feel his cheeks heating up. “You should look it up. Later.”
“Maybe I will,” Jisung smiles and reaches up to brush his fingertips against Minho’s jaw. “Lean down for a moment.”
“For what?” Minho asks, grinning, as he does as told.
“Just wanted to see you from up close,” Jisung shrugs and then kisses Minho.
“And how is it?” Minho asks, a little breathless, when Jisung lays back down again.
“Perfect.”
Jisung smiles at him, wide and open, his eyes squeezed in joy. Minho responds with a laugh, slapping his shoulder gently.
“Wasn’t that super smooth?” Jisung raises an eyebrow and Minho laughs just a little harder.
“You just ruined the moment completely,” he rolls his eyes and then plants another kiss on Jisung’s lips. “But it was cute.”
“Cute,” Jisung huffs, rolling his eyes. “I’ll take it, I guess.”
Minho scoffs and leans against the tree, closing his eyes and feeling the wind brush against his skin. Jisung shuffles a little, but Minho doesn’t mind, just settles his hands on his head.
Minho’s not sure when exactly he fell asleep, but he wakes up with a start, eyes snapping open. Jisung’s still heavy on his lap, one hand intertwined with Minho as he thumbs through his phone with the other. He doesn’t notice Minho’s awake at first, giggling softly as he looks at the screen.
A yawn escapes Minho, making him shake and Jisung looks up.
“Hey,” he whispers softly, letting go of Minho’s hand to brush his fingers against Minho’s cheek.
“Hi,” Minho blinks at him. “Miss me?”
“Very,” Jisung pouts a little and Minho turns his head to kiss his palm. “Oh, look!” he turns the phone towards Minho. A small black kitten is running in circles in the video he was watching.
“That's you after five cups of coffee,” he giggles and Jisung sticks his tongue out.
“Coffee is important in my line of work,” he says, very seriously, and then they both crack up.
“Doesn’t mean you can steal mine,” Minho comments. Jisung just shrugs, used to his complaints by now. They’re quiet for a little longer. Jisung scrolls through his Twitter feed, turning his screen towards Minho every once in a while, while Minho works through the fog in his mind, watching thin, wispy clouds roll onto the sky.
“Actually, let’s go get some? Coffee, I mean,” he offers, remembering the outside cafe on the other side of the park.
“Yeah!” Jisung grins and jumps up, then helps Minho up as well. “You look like you need it,” he says, kissing him swiftly and then hurrying to pack up.
They get two iced coffees and a vanilla cheesecake to share and sit under an umbrella on the patio. It’s a lot busier here, with another entrance nearby and a big playground full of children.
Minho rests his head on his palm, the single fork in his control as he feeds both Jisung and himself. Their legs are tangled under the table and Minho can feel Jisung wiggle his feet occasionally.
“Did you have fun today?” Jisung asks suddenly, looking at Minho with a hopeful look in his eyes.
Minho hums around the fork. “Yeah,” he answers truthfully and stretches a bite towards Jisung. “I really needed this, I think.”
“Me too,” Jisung grins and takes a long slurp from his cup. “See,” he says once he’s done. “I’m a genius.”
Minho rolls his eyes. “Weren’t you the one incredibly nervous about this?” he teases. “Besides, the day isn’t over yet.”
“Minho,” Jisung lowers his eyebrows at him. “One of these times you’ll jinx us.”
“Maybe you’re jinxing us back by expecting I will or something,” he offers and takes a long slurp himself. Jisung frowns a little.
“I have no clue how this works, to be honest,” he laughs and opens his mouth in a silent request for cheesecake. Minho snorts and complies.
They buy a bag of seeds to feed the ducks and then walk around some more until the sun starts setting. Jisung leans heavily on Minho in the bus, and on the walk home too. Minho hugs him tight once the elevator doors close, littering kisses all over one side of his face and then his neck too, until Jisung giggles, complaining about it tickling.
They fall on the bed together, just laying for a moment with all their clothes still on.
“We should shower,” Jisung offers quietly and yawns. Minho hums in agreement, but his limbs feel full of lead.
Jisung nudges pushes their shoulders together and Minho realizes with a start he fell asleep for a second or two.
“Let’s do that tomorrow,” he mumbles, struggling to sit up so he can undress.
“And yet you call me dirty,” Jisung giggles. Minho flicks his nose once they’re both under covers.
“I’ll smother you in your sleep if you don’t shut up,” he says and then yawns wide and loud. Jisung laughs soundlessly and Minho grumbles, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him close.
“Go to sleep, loser,” he mutters into Jisung’s hair. Jisung slips his hands under Minho’s shirt, splaying his fingers on his back.
“Goodnight,” he whispers into Minho’s neck. There’s a moment of silence, then Minho plants a kiss on Jisung’s hair.
“Thank you for today,” he whispers and smiles when Jisung’s lips move on his neck.
“Love you too,” they whisper against his skin.
That night, Minho dreams of warm wind, soft grass and sweet lips.