When summer ended and Jimin had to return to school his foster parents and the slew of professionals responsible for him hoped that having Hoseok's friendship would open him up to other relationships. It didn't. Hoseok was Hoseok and school was school. Hoseok being awesome didn't suddenly make Jimin like anyone else more.

Hoseok spent his eighteenth birthday alone in a hotel room. Well, not alone, or so Hoseok said. He had his webcam and his chat client and through them he had Jimin. Jimin still thought Hoseok would have had more fun out with some of his more exciting friends, but Hoseok didn't seem in much of a partying mood. He hadn't planned to leave his dad's house quite so suddenly, but a fight had reminded him that he could leave any time, that he didn't have to put up with any shit from his dad ever again.

Still, it wasn't long before Jimin had him smiling and laughing. Jimin wasn't sure how he always managed to do that. He didn't really know how to be intentionally funny or cute or seductive, but somehow he always seemed to manage it through Hoseok's eyes.

Though it was Hoseok's birthday, he was still the one who put on a show. Jimin felt a little bad about that like he should be doing what he could to make the day special for Hoseok, but he'd decided he wanted to hold off on doing anything new until Hoseok came to visit. It wouldn't be long, just as soon as Hoseok got his life back under control. Besides, the amount of grinning Hoseok did suggest he didn't mind at all.

As days passed, though, Jimin started to worry. Hoseok had bought a car, and it was only a few hours drive each way between where they lived. Couldn't he have spared a day?

That was selfish, though. Jimin knew that. Hoseok had his own life, his own things he needed to get sorted. Hoseok seemed more tired these days and went to bed earlier.

~

Wherever Hoseok was right now, it wasn't a hotel room. He was on his old bed with his fluffy white cat curled up next to his head. When Jimin had asked Hoseok had just smiled.

"I know you don't like things happening on short notice," Hoseok said, "but I'm coming to visit you tomorrow. If that's okay."

Hoseok was right, Jimin didn't like surprises, but he was fairly sure he could deal with this one. What time? Jimin asked.

Hoseok laughed. "Hmm. I'm tired, so not before, say, ten? Wait, fuck, it's Friday, isn't it? Downside of dating a schoolboy is all that school."

I get home at three thirty, Jimin typed.

"I could pick you up from school."

But I have to take a shower after school.

"I have a shower here."

Jimin twisted his lips in contemplation. Hoseok, or a well preserved schedule. Okay, but I have to ask if I'm allowed.

Jimin dashed out of his room, then dashed back in with his foster mum in tow when she said she wanted to speak to Hoseok. As soon as Hoseok saw her through Jimin's webcam he grabbed his shirt and pulled it on.

"Hot wherever you are, is it?" she asked.

"Yes, that's absolutely why I wasn't wearing a shirt. Jimin hates it, but you know, gotta take care of my own comfort."

"Of course. Now, I hear you want to borrow Jimin tomorrow night?"

Hoseok's cat, deciding she wasn't get enough attention, head butted Hoseok's shoulder. He scratched her ear before she became any more demanding. "Yup. Though it pains me, I promise to give him back."

"I'll need your contact information and the addresses of any places you'll be visiting. You'll also need to have him back here by ten."

"Yes ma'am," Hoseok said, and then got a paw poked at his face because he'd stopped stroking his cat and that was just unacceptable.

"No, seriously, by ten. I'm legally obligated to call the police if he's not back by curfew."

"Ten's his bedtime," Hoseok said like that was important, because it was and Hoseok understood.

"Good. We'll see you tomorrow."

Hoseok let out a deep breath. "Give me some warning next time so I can maybe not be half naked."

I think it would have been more suspicious if I'd done that, Jimin typed. Better to act like it's nothing that needs to be hidden.

"Smart," Hoseok said around a yawn. "Tomorrow, then?"

Jimin nodded. Tomorrow.

"See you then."

~

Jimin didn't get much work done at school the next day, but that was okay. He frequently had bad days, and as long as everything averaged out to good grades his teachers had learnt it was easier for everyone not to make a fuss when he struggled more than usual.

It was nice, for once, to be worked up and fidgety over something good. It was a little kid at Christmas feeling he usually only got when someone was going to buy him something he really wanted. He couldn't remember ever feeling this way for another person before.

When school finally let out Jimin's foster mum was waiting outside the school gates for him because that was where she always waited. The difference today was that Hoseok was waiting with her.

Jimin wanted to leap into Hoseok's arms and kiss him and... and all kinds of things. That would have been unwise, though, in front of the other students, so Jimin settled for a tap of his fingers to the back of Hoseok's hand and a, "Hi."

Hoseok gave Jimin a grin in return but seemed to understand the need for discretion. Jimin was vulnerable enough to bullying as it was.

They said goodbye to Jimin's foster mum and then walked to where Hoseok's car was parked down the street from the school. The car wasn't anything flash as far as Jimin could tell from the little he knew about cars, but it was bright green and shiny and new.

"Okay," Hoseok said once they were both inside the car, "I have a surprise for you, but I know how you feel about surprises. So I'll tell you now if you want or you can wait and have it be a proper surprise."

Jimin reached out for Hoseok's hand and squeezed it as he contemplated. "Is it a good surprise?"

"Why would I—" Hoseok shook his head. "Yes, it's a good surprise."

"Okay. I trust you."

Hoseok took his hand back so that he could start the car. "Safe and consensual surprises. It's important."

"Of course."

"You're adorable as hell in your school uniform, by the way."

"Bleh," Jimin said as he tugged off his tie. "I hate it. It's uncomfortable."

"I'll give you some of my clothes to change into after your shower," Hoseok said as he pulled out onto the road.

"You're bigger than me, Jimin pointed out.

"That's where the wonders of sweatpants with drawstrings and you looking cute in baggy clothes come in."

"I like sweatpants."

Jimin watched out the window as Hoseok drove. Though he didn't know exactly where they were going, it became clear fairly quickly that they were headed in the direction of the beach. Jimin frowned. They weren't going to the beach, were they? Jimin hadn't brought his beach shoes.

They got within sight of the ocean before turning off down a side road. Jimin assumed they were going to one of the Oceanside hotels, but the sign next to the driveway they pulled into said, 'Welcome to Sea-view Apartments'.

"It's an ocean, not a sea," Jimin said as Hoseok eased his car into a parking spot. 

Hoseok smiled at Jimin and shook his head. "I'll put in a strongly worded letter, shall I? Come on."

Jimin got out of the car and took hold of Hoseok's hand as they walked towards the entrance of the apartment building. "Why are you staying here?"

Hoseok stopped them just inside the doors. "I have to be more direct, don't I? Sorry. I'm renting an apartment here. I've always wanted to live near the beach, and it's close to you, so... surprise?"

Someone better at expressing their emotions might have put on more of a display, but Jimin didn't really know how to so he had to rely on words alone to express his feelings. "That's a very good surprise."

Most people took Jimin's underwhelming responses to things personally, assumed he didn't care as much as he should, but by now Hoseok knew him well enough to understand. He swung Jimin's arm as he led them towards the elevator. "You want pizza for dinner? I'd cook you something, but I haven't really been food shopping yet and all my cooking shit's still packed."

"I like pizza. But I don't want pineapple on it. Or olives. Or—"

"You can have your own pizza with whatever you want on it."

The elevator doors slid closed and Jimin lean his body against Hoseok's, making a happy humming sound. Pizza was good and Hoseok was warm. He moved away only reluctantly when the doors to the elevator slid open on Hoseok's floor.

Hoseok tried to build up tension before opening the door to his apartment, but Jimin just stared at him blankly and swayed from side to side until he gave up and opened the door.