So far, Minseok thinks this new school isn't bad. Although he has been getting a bit more attention than he had originally wanted, he found that he didn't dislike it.

He quickly decides that he can lay low and stay out of trouble, while making some new friends.

Kyungsoo was nice enough to talk to him during lunch; and Suho, Chen, and Yixing had asked to work together during group studies. Sehun and Kai had talked to him a bit between subjects and Baekhyun and Chanyeol have been talking to him during subjects. Now Tao and Kris have invited Minseok to play basketball with them during gym class.

The only one who doesn't seem to want to talk to him is Luhan.

And Minseok can't help but feel a bit sad about that.

When Luhan had introduced himself this morning, Minseok had been wary at first (wondering if he needed to be worried about bullies or something at this new school) but Luhan seemed genuinely nice. And now he hasn't talked to Minseok since.

Minseok had had a small thought of becoming friends with Luhan, but it seems the other might not be interested in such an idea.

Minseok thought maybe he hadn't talked loud enough, hadn't smiled wide enough, or said something wrong. He thought maybe that was why Luhan hadn't made much of an effort to be friends, but no one else seemed put off by Minseok's quiet nature.

Minseok had almost, almost, accepted Yifan and Tao's offer to play basketball with them, but then he saw Luhan.

He was dribbling a soccer ball, alone. Minseok decided he wanted to try being friends with the boy, still. So Minseok approached him.

"Luhan?"

Luhan gave a start, kicking the soccer ball wrong and it rolls to a stop at Minseok's feet.

"Can I play with you?" Minseok asks. But when Luhan just stares instead of answering, Minseok starts to feel awkward and unsure. "Do you mind? If you would rather play alone, Yifan and Tao asked--"

"No!" Luhan snaps out of his shocked state at the mention of Minseok leaving. "No, I don't mind. At all. Please, play with me." Luhan ends with a slightly awkward smile.

Minseok gives a soft chuckle at his babbling, and Luhan finds he is slightly in awe of the sound.

Minseok gives a small half smile, hooks his foot under the soccer ball and kicks it up over Luhan's head; it bounces once and then Minseok is there, dribbling it across the field expertly. Luhan stares after him for a second before following.

Minseok has always loved soccer, he loves play it, he loves watching it, he loves everything about the sport. Minseok had practiced for hours on end every night, just to get a little better. Minseok used to play all the time, purely enjoying the feeling of the wind in his hair while he runs, the grass under his feet, the ball always within his sights. He had joined the school soccer team before, and had enjoyed it for a while, but things never seemed to say happy for Minseok. Playing soccer had at some point become something Minseok did alone.

Luhan is much the same, he loves soccer, but it has always been something that he enjoyed alone, none of his friends had taken to the sport quite like he had. Though if he asked, more like pestered enough, sometimes they would play with him. They were all fairly good at the sport, they're all athletic enough to keep up, despite not quite liking it.

Most of them much preferred other athletics. Jongin and Chen preferred to spend their time dancing, Chanyeol and Yifan liked to play basketball, and Tao was something of a martial artist. (Though you would never know it unless you asked, he's a klutz and a scaredy cat.)

Minseok decides that Luhan is a rather good soccer player, and that he enjoys the challenge that he brings.

Minseok scores the last goal against Luhan, officially winning their friendly mock game, and collapses to the ground on his back with a joyful"whoop!" and a huge grin. Minseok hears Luhan laughing from where he had left him in the dust, and his smile somehow widens. He hadn't had so much fun in a long time.

Luhan sits down next to Minseok, wearing a massive grin of his own, and laughing. "That was awesome!"

Minseok laughs lightly, "I haven't had that much fun in a long time."

"You're so fast, I could hardly keep up! And that last goal! How did you do that, it was amazing!"

"Practice."

"I practice all the time, but I'm not that flexible. I could never get my leg up that high."

Luhan pouts slightly, and Minseok answers with a mischievious glint in his eye. "I could help you stretch, if you want."

He says it so innocently that Luhan never even thinks that he said it with any other intention than to be helpful. But the mental image of Minseok helping him stretch sets his face aflame. "N-No thanks, I think I can manage well enough myself."

Minseok bites the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. "Well, if you need any help, all you have to do is ask."

When the red in Luhan's face only gets darker Minseok can't hold it in anymore. He tries to smother the laugh that starts, a small Pfft is hidden behind his hand, but it proves to be too difficult and Minseok is soon laughing in earnest.

Luhan's face blanks at Minseok's sudden laughter, the sound ringing in his ears, musical. But upon realizing that Minseok is laughing at him, he quickly becomes red again. Which only makes Minseok laugh harder.

He's just barely gotten his mirth back under control when Luhan asks, "Why exactly are you laughing at me?"

Minseok forces another round of laughter down, rather painfully, trying to compose himself enough to talk. But as soon as he opens his mouth, he collapses into giggles all over again.

Minseok tries to explain in between gasping, laughing, breaths. "Your face-- Can't-- So funny--"

Luhan is still very confused.

"I was teasing you-- And your face-- So red!" Minseok rolls over onto his stomache, pressing his face into the ground, desperately trying to calm down.

He doesn't want to offend Luhan or make him feel any more uncomfortable than he already has, so he must stop laughing.

But it was so cute!

After a minute, a lot of slow deep breaths, and visualizing things that are so not funny; Minseok manages to compose himself. Luhan surprisingly enough, doesn't look the least bit offended, but rather amused.

"Done now?" Luhan asks with a raised eyebrow.

Minseok clears his throat, sitting up. "Yes."

When Luhan says nothing else and just stares, Minseok starts to get uncomfortable. He casts his eyes elsewhere and finds that they are very much alone, the rest of the boys had been dismissed for the day ages ago.

Minseok turns back to Luhan, ready to suggest that they also leave, but stops short. Luhan had moved closer to him while he had been turned away, and now their faces were only inches apart. Minseok freezes, and color floods his cheeks.

Luhan backs up quickly, laughing and obviously pleased with himself, haven gotten his retribution.

Oh I see what you did there.

Despite Minseok's answering smirk, and rapidly cooling face, he can still feel his heart racing.

They part ways that day as good friends, and later that night, while Minseok lays awake in his bed, he thinks back to the moment when he had turned to find Luhan so close.

He remembers the thought that had him so confused for the rest of the day.

He thought:

He's beautiful.

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OMG GUYS!

I finally finished this chapter! It took me a while because I kept redoing the dialogue.

I like this better than what I had started with, but theres always room for improvement. So if you have any suggestions, or comments in general (Though please be kind) I would GREATLY appreciate it.

Thank you so much for reading!!!

Lots of love~~~

Aya Kay :* <3