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Sehun’s aware of it, the whispers about him that float amongst the other Hogwarts students.
He knows about how they take one look at him, and wonder the same thing; just how in the world did the Sorting Hat place him into Hufflepuff when he’s got ‘the world’s most stern-looking face’?
(Or, a ‘serious case of resting bitch face,’ as others not so lightly put it.)
They call him cold, and intimating, and there seems to be a mutual agreement that he should’ve been placed into Slytherin instead.
But Sehun knows who he is, and he knows that the Sorting Hat didn’t make a mistake. He’s right where he belongs. And with that in mind, he’s learned to ignore their whispers. They don’t bother him in the slightest.
Jongin, Sehun’s best friend and fellow Hufflepuff, on the other hand, can’t stand them.
Maybe it’s because he’s known Sehun for practically his whole life, and, thus, has come to know what Sehun’s like underneath that indifferent mask he puts up. Whatever the reason, the compelling urge to show everyone just how wrong they are has been nagging at him constantly. He wants to make everyone eat their words. He wants to prove to them that not everything is as it seems.
He’s not entirely sure how to go about doing this, or if Sehun would even approve of it. But he has to do something. He can’t stand by as students murmur behind Sehun’s back any longer.
He decides to put his plan into motion during their second period Charms class. Professor Flitwick has asked them to pair up and practice their Tickling Charm on one another. So that’s how Sehun and Jongin find themselves facing each other, wands flicking as they attempt to cast the charm.
And that’s also when Jongin gets an idea.
If he wants to prove to everyone wrong, and show them that Sehun’s actually a gentle soul, then the best way to do that is by getting Sehun to let his guard down.
With his resolve firm, he smiles and calls out, “Hey, Sehun?”
“Yeah?” Sehun tilts his head curiously when Jongin places his wand down on his desk.
“I bet you ten Sickles that I can tickle you without even having to use my wand.” Jongin says, taking a few steps closer, the smile on his face growing.
Sehun looks puzzled for a moment, but his eyes widen when Jongin’s words finally click in his mind. He opens his mouth, ready to tell Jongin to stop, but the only thing that comes out is a small gasp when Jongin suddenly closes the distance between them, his fingers attacking Sehun’s sides, tickling him relentlessly.
“J-Jongin! S-Stop!!” Sehun blurts out, his arms and feet moving wildly in an attempt to push the other off. But Jongin is persistent, and Sehun can’t hold in his mirth any longer, a gleeful laugh managing to escape before his hands come up to clamp over his mouth.
The entire room goes silent at the sound.
“Did... Sehun just giggle?” A student hesitantly asks.
“Yup!” Jongin replies, a goofy grin playing on his lips as he moves away to let Sehun catch his breath.
There’s a murmur of disbelief around the classroom, and Flitwick claps his hands together loudly, “Everyone, get back to practicing!” He orders, and everyone slowly picks up from where they left off after sending curious looks over at the pair.
Sehun refuses to remove his hands from his mouth, but his eyes send a pointed glare to his best friend.
Jongin merely shrugs. “You owe me ten Sickles.”
-
Jongin’s plan goes on for about three weeks.
He uses his hard earned money to purchase chocolate frogs from the sweet shop, because he knows they’re Sehun’s favorite, and will undoubtedly make the other happy. He waits until they’re in class to gift them to Sehun, and the younger always smiles brightly at him in appreciation. The other studens watch the exchange in amusement.
He also sends jokes to Sehun by Owl Post during breakfast in The Great Hall. They’re dumb, and cheesy, but they never fail to have Sehun in stitches, because, apparently, they share the same terrible sense of humor. Sehun giggling into his meal is certainly a sight for everyone gathered around.
He does this, and he does that. Jongin basically does everything in his power to showcase Sehun’s softer side to everyone.
But, as time passes, Jongin begins to lose sight of this purpose. Though he had originally started this mission to prove their classmates wrong, he was now doing things to make Sehun laugh and smile, just... because. There was no end goal anymore. He just really, really likes seeing the way Sehun’s eyes crinkle up whenever he smiles, and he likes hearing Sehun’s laugh, the sound becoming like sweet music to his ears.
Sehun showing these kinds of emotional reactions had always been rare, the younger opting to remain composed. But now that Jongin’s gotten a taste, he wanted to see more of it. Call him greedy; because, honestly, that’s what he is.
-
It’s a nice day out, and Sehun and Jongin are sitting in the courtyard, basking in the warm sunlight, and discussing their Potions homework together.
That is, until Sehun turns to Jongin and fixes the elder with a hard look.
Jongin feels himself sweating under the other’s gaze, “Wha-” He begins, but Sehun swiftly cuts him off.
“I know what you’ve been doing.”
The statement is vague, and Jongin is lost. “What are you talking about?”
Sehun runs a hand through his hair, “The chocolates, the jokes, that time you tickled me in Charms class. Everything. I know you’ve been doing it because you want to show everyone I’m not some ice prince or whatever.”
Jongin winces, “Oh.” He’d been caught.
“You don’t have to prove to them anything.” Sehun sighs, “You know I don’t care about what they think.” His voice suddenly becomes soft, “The only person I care to show my true self to... is you.” He admits, eyes adverting to his hands.
Jongin blinks. And then there’s a wide grin on his face, and he’s leaning in to plant a wet kiss on Sehun’s cheek, which causes the latter to turn a pretty shade of pink. (Sehun blushing quickly becomes Jongin’s favorite reaction, right above Sehun laughing and Sehun smiling.)
“Good, because lately, I’ve been doing it because I want to, not because I want to prove something to everyone.” Jongin confesses.
Sehun looks shocked, but then he’s smiling, and yes, Jongin’s addicted.
(The students of Hogwarts no longer whisper about Sehun not belonging in Hufflepuff, but rather, they whisper about Jongin and Sehun being sweet on one another. Neither Jongin or Sehun feel the need to prove them wrong, because, for once, the whispers are right.)