Kris brings his friend up from the ground into his arms, having the feel of Chanyeol's cold skin and trembling body.

"You should have entered since you know my passcode." The other boy looks so timid to response right now. "I know you're not going to steal anything from me. Let's go."

Setting Chanyeol free from his warmth but not his hand, Kris pushes the passcode (0627) to the keypad and they enter the unit hand-in-hand once the door opened.

While walking the way together, Chanyeol softly talks that Kris can hardly hear or understand. But, he captures the word fever. Chanyeol must be talking about the time Kris is ill.

"I'm okay now." He assures, guiding the other boy to the sofa then dashes to his room. "Wait for me here."

After few seconds, Kris returns with three fluffy and thick comforters and wraps them all to the now sitting boy. Chanyeol protests weakly, spreading his hand wide to get rid of them.

"I'm not sick." Kris simply scoffs at the other teen's reaction and stares at his bruised hands which lands to his lap.

"I know but I could see how vulnerable you look and this." Kris grabs his hand that instantly makes the other boy to wince in pain, forcing him to lose the grip. "Sorry but, what exactly happened to you?"

Chanyeol, who has eyes on the floor, does not move an inch nor opens his mouth neither.

"Chanyeol," Kris sits beside him, "tell me everything.” Getting nothing from the other boy, the taller loses his patience and controls the face of his childhood friend to look at him by grabbing it with both hands and squeezes it together. Chanyeol looks like a fish — but a cute-looking fish. “Tell me!”

With glass eyes, the brunet sniffs and ready to cry. “Krease?”

✿✿✿

Chanyeol tells the incidents he had, securing his family’s profile won’t slip and saying that he had a little argument with his parents causing him to be forbidden to stay with the Shens (he pretends they are his relative). After that, he was greeted by fiascos like the rejections from applying for a job and when he found one, trauma was given to him.

✿✿✿

With the small information Chanyeol provided, Kris has so many questions to ask. But since the other boy seems not prepared to disclose more, he calls it a day.

“It’s obvious that you’re lack of rest.” Yawning, he pets Chanyeol’s head. “Have a wash and let’s go to sleep.”

When he stands, facing Chanyeol with his back. He hears the boy scrambling on his seat. "Wait, why did you return to New York by the way?"

"It’s because my parents wanted to have a reunion with their children."

"Children? You never told me you have siblings." Kris turns his head back to the other boy.

"It's not necessary anyway." Chanyeol's face scrunches up and Kris does not know if it's because of his answer or Chanyeol's mannerism attacks him.

With his friend's nod, he uses that as a sign of his leave. He also wants to cure his jet lag which he got from his travel. But before he continues going away, Chanyeol seems to have another concern.

“Umm… can I borrow your undies too?”

Kris cleans Chanyeol’s wounded hands before getting to bed. The boy is there beside him... again, hugging his own torso and shivering. Kris will not get his sleep unless he checks what’s wrong with the other teen.

"Chanyeol, do you want me to turn the AC off?" The brunet, who's lying at his side, curled up and shakes his head. Kris sighs. "Then, can you come closer? You’re almost falling from the edge. If you don't want me to ask more about your adventure, don't act like that."

Chanyeol slowly turns around with a pout and wriggles his way of moving forward to Kris. He seems reluctant to wrap his arms to the taller so the other boy does the honor for him by pulling him to his warmth and they end up hugging each other.

"You just want a body pillow." Chanyeol mutters.

"What?" Blinking once, the brunet shakes his head with still the same expression.

Kris tightens the hug, putting one hand on Chanyeol's nape and the other is around his tiny hips. The other teen's head snuggles to his chest. It is ticklish but somewhat comfortable. The blond president’s hand that was at the back of other boy’s neck moves to his thin arm and rubs it.

“Hey.” Chanyeol’s voice is muffled since his face buries to Kris’ chest that cause him to feel vibration. “Stop the touchiness. I thought you want to sleep.”

“Yes, but, I can’t help to wonder why you’re skinnier after only a few days of not seeing each other.” Chanyeol glances up on him with a flushed face and Kris feels something tingle inside him viewing that adorable look. He holds the boy securely in his arms.

Chanyeol mildly squirms but he seems really tired and not to mind it anymore, returning his face to Kris’ chest.

“If we wake up in the afternoon, let’s stroll at the park and breathe some fresh air.” Chanyeol is almost drifting off but hums in agreement — Although Kris is not sure if Chanyeol really agrees, he still considers that as his agreement.

And luckily, they did wake up in the afternoon. Kris brings Chanyeol to a fast food near the park since both of them are hungry when they left the bed.

Everyone is looking at their direction while they are sitting at one of the tables and Kris notices those stares when a couple passes them. The boyfriend almost drops his jaw on the floor if his girlfriend does not elbow his stomach. Kris snorts at the show.

“What’s funny?” Kris shifts his focus back to the person, who is wearing a dark gray beanie, eating across him. There is Chanyeol’s charming way of eating again.

The other boy holds his sandwich dearly as he gives small chew on it like a hamster or rabbit (Kris thinks he’s really cute), his shoulders rise, making one side reveal his skin. Kris’ t-shirt is too big for him.

“Nothing.” Kris says, pulling the scoop-neck up to Chanyeol’s shoulder again. “You should hurry up. We are still going to stroll.”

Chanyeol nods swallowing as much as he could that makes him choke. The taller boy laughs while giving a glass of juice and makes him drink it to save his life. After everything that he consumes, Chanyeol still manages to be so well mannered and adorable.

“Bad sandwich.” Chanyeol glares at the remaining bite of bread on his plate as he wipes his mouth with the towel.

“Don’t blame the food. I didn’t tell you to kill yourself.” Kris, who is already standing, helps the sulking boy to rise from his seat.

They leave the restaurant and everyone continuously stare at them. Kris can sense it even in his exit with his friend.

And in the streets too, people they pass through look at them with unexplainable amazement or whatever expression they are doing with their faces. He wonders why.

“My eyes look so dreadful that’s why they are staring at us.” Kris turns his head to the person beside him with surprise, learning Chanyeol has noticed it as well. Does it really have to do with his eyes? Chanyeol, who is watching himself on the mirror of the store they walk by, face him. The other male has a little bag under his eyes and a bit tired-looking but it is roughly unnoticeable.

Kris smirks realizing Chanyeol’s self-centeredness is activated again.

Before Chanyeol could react to him, in time they stop to an eyewear store. “Want to hide that with specs?”

No matter what Kris do Chanyeol looks more different than when they are younger. The non-graded-wayfarer-glasses he bought for him does not bring his childhood friend back, especially now that his hair is longer and brown and not the black-grade-school-cut he used to have. The rosy flush on his face looks the same though and his pouty pink lips too. Why Kris has ignored those good qualities Chanyeol always have?

The other teen looks so shy right now — maybe because Kris bought the glasses for him. He looks so weak that you will never think he owns a black belt.

“Why did you bring me here rather than a girlfriend?” Kris snaps with all the thinking as Chanyeol speaks and looks at him. That’s a weird question but when he scans his surroundings, Chanyeol has a point.

It seems today is bad day to go to the park.

Walking the stretch of the vicinity, the taller boy just discover couples are everywhere around them. There are young and old lovey-dovey twosomes, who are some acted decently and some inappropriately. This is the reason why Summer’s Brigade scared these kind of people back in the days — because they are disturbing in a view of an innocent kid. One of the pairs is even making out on the bench that flashes the memory of Chanyeol and Min’s infamous activities to Kris’ mind.

Shaking his head, he hears his company laughing softly. “This is pretty awkward.” Chanyeol comments.

“Just don’t mind them.” Kris says. “I brought you here because I want you to talk more of your previous days when I’m not here. You told me a little about the incidents.”

“Really? In public?” Chanyeol skeptically looks at him.

“I’m kidding.” Kris pats his shoulder. “But, I hope you can open that up to me very soon. For now, I want you to forget all your problems and appreciate this nature.”

“Nature you say.” He scoffs. “How could I clear my mind if this is what I’m seeing?”

Kris glances to his surrounding and sees the crowd of couples once more. “Yeah, your right, but... I have an idea.” He says folding his arms and both of them stops the moving. “Let’s play a game.”

“A game?” Kris nods.

“I know there are still young and single ladies in here if we basically roam this area. What we’ll do is to display our handsomeness and whoever has a gorgeous girl approach him first wins. How’s that?”

“A girl huh? How did you come out with such thought?"

Kris does not want to look and sound cocky but he is already exerting too much confidence without his knowledge.

“You’ve known perhaps that it’s been a while since I had a relationship. And, this is a good opportunity to find a new partner. You need one too.” Chanyeol is dazed and Kris can barely see the shake of head his doing. “Come on. I know you have a complicated love story with Min right now and this is a good way to forget him.”

“I don’t want to forget him.”

“But, this will make him jealous for sure. Meeting a girl and show you become straight when he left, sounds fun… right?” Chanyeol completely turns into a jpg. “Buddy, you used to like Summer. She has XX chromosome too. Show me that the famous Park Chanyeol can beat my popularity with girls.”

With all the convincing, Kris can see from Chanyeol's face that he is going to give in. "What's the prize by the way?"

"Umm... the winner will have the privilege to have the loser do whatever he wants."

"Fine, let's do this."

The peaceful life of couples who chose to spend their time in the park was interrupted by two teens standing at the center. They are like having a duel, furiously staring at each other.

"Are you ready, buddy?"

"I'm not your buddy, okay? It just happens that I don't have a place to go."

"Hm, still rejecting me? Let's see if you can keep acting like that if I win."

"Yeah, we'll see about that."

Chanyeol and Kris split, hunting the perfect candidate.

And...

Fate seems not with them.

Kris has been wandering on loop but he hasn't seen any prospect yet. There are girls, yes, but they don't meet the quality he's looking for. He doesn’t want to be mean but he is only honest to himself. Each girl he sees is included to the worst class of females. There are fat and so thin, has blemishes, geeky, loud and any mutation Kris can call ugly. Some can still be fixed but some are beyond repair.

Among the unpleasant appearances he has seen, there is a pretty one walking straight to his way — even with glasses on, covering the eyes — the other remaining features are marvelous. That person seems jaded and irritated but in Kris' view, the said being is smoking hot. He may be putting a lot of compliments for that person but he deserves it, especially in this kind of scenario. Chanyeol is a boy — but honestly speaking — he is prettier than a real woman.

Kris must have found his chosen one.

Like doing a cat walk, Chanyeol draws near him and sighs. It looks like he also cannot find a suited person that will help him win their game. Before checking each other's stats, Kris signals Chanyeol to sit with him on the empty bench nearby.

"I never thought your game will be difficult in this place. If we do this at school, I'm sure one of us can be a winner." Chanyeol says, taking off his glasses and puts it into his pocket. He is all sweaty but Kris can still smell something intoxicating scent coming from him.

"I'm so done." His head falls back to bench and he puffs the air off from his mouth.

Kris smirks. "But, I'm not quitting yet." Chanyeol lifts his head in surprise to his statement.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, and if your giving up, that means I win." Kris says with a smug. "You won't like what I'll ask you to do."

Chanyeol looks tense, glaring at him. He seems to think it twice with his silence.

"Let's continue but — can we have a break?" Kris nods.

"I'll get us some ice cream." Kris will stand from his seat when the other teen stops him from doing so by grabbing his wrist. "What?"

"Don't buy one for me." Chanyeol shyly gazes at him, his pink cheeks blends with the sunset perfectly. Kris feels a tingle again as he views that expression, thinking to tease the boy more.

"Buy you two then?"

"No!" He exclaims and can be compared to a little creature caught in a trap. How can a giant-teen-boy look this cute? "I don't want anything anymore because it will just increase my debts to you."

"What are you talking about? We're friends, Chanyeol." The boy looks at Kris with wild shining eyes.

"You really think of me that way?" Chanyeol says his words slow like he is eating something sweet.

"Of course." Kris snorts. "We've known each other since we're kids, you wet my shirt when you cry about your boyfriend, you take care of me when I'm sick, spent the night together in one bed thrice, don't you think that's not enough to consider us friends?"

Chanyeol is simply quiet from all the words Kris has said, his face is getting redder and the standing boy expects the one who is sitting will turn into an apple.

"Thank you for treating me as a friend." A sudden nostalgia flashes back to Kris with Chanyeol's bashful smiling face.

The blond shakes his head and smirks. "That's nothing. I'll really buy you two flavors so what would you want?"

"Strawberry and chocolate."

"As you wish," Kris says, "we'll just play for an hour more. If we're really unlucky, let's announce it game over."

Honestly, Kris wants to end this now because he can feel Chanyeol is ready to open up some things about him, what's bothering him and his feelings inside.

Passing the playground, Kris remembers the time when he and Chanyeol were the only ones in the park one afternoon of their childhood.

Chanyeol was sitting on the swing with a sad face. Although back in that days, Kris did not like the boy being with him and Summer, because he saw him as a third wheel. He could not take that gloomy expression on him more especially if Summer would see him like that. The girl would not be in ease and Kris was unsure why she gave Chanyeol so much importance.

"Where's Summer?" Kris asked. The boy looked at him in an instance then his eyes on the ground again.

“Their maid said that she went out of town with her parents.” Chanyeol replied.

“Then, what are you doing here? You should have gone home.”

Chanyeol glanced up on him again like he was going to cry. Kris was fully aware that the other boy had the same situation with him, regretting his statement. They were the forgotten children and only Summer had happy times with her family. And if Kris left Chanyeol alone there at the park, he was sure his chubby buddy would get victimized by bullies.

“Want to come home with me?” Kris did not know to himself why he did such offer but his heart felt lighter when Chanyeol’s eyes brightened.

Kris stays in the same apartment that he has today but previously painted in pastel colors because he used to live with a woman. She is named Park Gyuri, has brown wavy hair and pretty. This woman always wears Lolita dresses.

“Oh Kris, we have a visitor today.” Wearing baby blue themed outfit, she welcomed the boys with a beam and a little astound that could see in her eyes. She bends a little because Kris and Chanyeol were fifth graders at that time. “Mind introducing him?”

“He is my classmate Park Chanyeol, Noona.” Kris didn’t really want to do this formality. “Chanyeol, call her Gyuri-Noona.”

“Oh, you’re a Park too. We must be relatives.” The woman giggled but abruptly stopped seeing Kris glaring at her. “I should bring you some treat. Feel at home, Chanyeol.”

As she went to the kitchen, Kris headed with Chanyeol to their living room and prepared the console for them to play.

“What do you usually play? I have heaps of games so I guess we can easily find your favorite one.” Shuffling the disc cases, Kris sat on the couch while Chanyeol remained standing. The blond kid wondered why he was still standing and discovered the fatty had an oblivious expression on his face.

Noticing Kris was looking at him, Chanyeol startled a bit. “Sorry, but, I never played this kind-of-thing once before.”

“Are you serious?” Embarrassed, the stout boy nodded. Kris thought Chanyeol was a couch-potato who either played videogames or watched tv all day and caused his laziness in terms of studying. However, why would Chanyeol be out of their house if they have consoles?

Shrugging his silliness on the side, Kris patted the space beside him for Chanyeol to sit on.

“This is my favorite.” Kris showed a disc of ‘NBA Live XX’ to Chanyeol. “Trust me. Playing this is a piece of cake.”

Chanyeol nodded eagerly and let the other boy taught him the controls. Moments passed, their playtime was so fun. Both children squealed from the hype and their fair matches and Kris’ babysitter cheered for both of them.

“Take a break, kids.” Gyuri-Noona presented a tub of ice cream and two tiny bowls and spoons in a tray.

Although Kris known Chanyeol was a clean eater, he did not miss the smudge on the corner of chubby’s lips. He wiped it with his thumb that formed a blush on the black-haired boy. Kris senses the upcoming tease from his babysitter behind him so he shooed her away.

“Thank you for inviting me.” Chanyeol vowed like a noble man and Kris could not help chuckling.

“No problem. You can go here anytime.” Chanyeol smiled, revealing a dimple on his cheek. It was the first time Kris saw that from him.

Since then, whenever Summer went somewhere with her parent, Kris spent time with Chanyeol in his unit. It only halted when the girl of the group took a leave from their lives and Chanyeol grew distant. And now, Chanyeol is occupying his personal space again.

Remembering the past, Kris appreciates Chanyeol’s comment for himself weeks ago. He smirks as he admits his childhood friend is absolutely cute even with a weighty physique.  Other than that, there’s an enigma in Chanyeol’s being, ever since the beginning that he only acknowledges right at this moment.

Kris is so interested that he wants to dig Chanyeol’s origin.

✿✿✿

“Hello, may I know your order?”

“Give me a scoop of strawberry and chocolate in one cone and vanilla for the other cone please.” Kris says to the lady in the pink ice cream truck.

The vendor nods, biting her lower lip. “Waffle cone?”

“Yes.” The girl tucks her hair behind her ear and Kris is very familiar with her gesture. She is flirting with him.

As she prepares Kris’ order, she never takes her eyes off of him. Kris is simply accepting the contact since she is considerably gorgeous.

“You’re Kris Wu of Four Seasons Academy, right?”

Kris chuckles. “How’d you know?”

Although the girl’s hair is already kept behind her ear, she still tucks it. “I’m an alumni and now in my freshmen college. You’re already famous since I was there.”

“Really?” Kris awkwardly smiles at the senior, rubbing his nape. “Why are you working here?”

“Summer break is not only for high school you know.” And, they both laugh. The girl gives the ice creams to Kris. “Don’t bother to pay. It’s seldom to see a celebrity wandering around here so it’s my treat.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“I’m serious. By the way, you’re not going to eat this all by yourself, are you? Who is this lucky girl? I’m sure I know her.”

“No,” Kris laughs, “I’m just here with a friend.”

And all of a sudden, their conversation is interrupted by a commotion. The girl stares to the direction of the howling noise and Kris follows. The lovers in the park are wiped out possibly because of the unexpected appearance of delinquent-looking-guy there. They are circled in one spot and that is in the bench where he and his company sat earlier.

“Chanyeol!” Kris hurriedly goes there, unconsciously dropping the ice cream in his hands and steps on it. As he moves forward the lump of men, he is worried Chanyeol must be bullied by this type of people like in the past.

He sees Chanyeol remains sitting there, sassily staring at the ground with his folded arms and crossed legs. He is in between two boys who look at him like a fresh meat.

“Come on, princess, join us to Hongdae. You’ll love the clubs there.” The man at his left says.

“Drag someone else, I’m underage.”

“Age doesn't matter,” says the man at his right, “you see a lot of adults surrounding you.” He sways his hand presenting the tugs to Chanyeol. They all look someone that will commit a crime. “Do you think they will notice?”

“I can’t, okay?” Chanyeol firmly says and Kris is proud watching his responses.

“We promise you’ll have fun, princess.”

“Don’t call me princess! Can’t you see that I’m a guy?”

“No, baby, you’re lying.” The man at his left touches the tips of his shoulder length hair. Kris becomes aware that Chanyeol’s hair grew longer and it became wavy giving him more of the feminine feel. It’s probably what causing the stares from everyone earlier, other than his girlish figure.

Chanyeol flinches from his seat. “Don’t touch me! My voice is so deep, how can you mistake me to a girl?”

“You are evidently pretending, princess. You must be model in disguise.”

“I don’t have a , look!” Chanyeol desperately convinces the boys but they are grinning like hungry wolves at him.

“Exactly.” The man at his right smugly says. “Models usually have no bumps just like you.”

“If you want us to believe, you better strip in front of us, princess.”

“STRIP! STRIP! STRIP! STRIP! STRIP! STRIP! STRIP!” The guys everywhere start cheering.

Both men beside him start caressing his limbs, one on his leg and one on his arm. Chanyeol is melting in shame and Kris, who is silently observing, cannot take the harassment.

Initiating his friend’s freedom from the malicious gang, the blond pulls Chanyeol into his arms and makes everyone stun. The two men stand from the bench glaring at Kris as if they want to kill him, but they seem to learn that Kris is the tallest among them.

Kris’ lips slant seeing their reactions to him.

“If you’re in thirst of a young lamb, find someone else and not someone owned like this nymph here.” The blond controls the brunet’s face by cupping it and kisses him on his temple. “This one is MINE!”

With Kris’ growl, the tugs cowardly and hastily run away from that place. In less than a minute, the park is cleared with people.

It is way better if not a single person is around.

“Krease?” The blond tilts his focus down to the person he is embracing in his arms. Chanyeol’s eyes are glassy and shaky as he gazes at him, obviously at the verge of crying. That adorable face softens the protective beast inside Kris.

He pets his hair and kisses him on top of it, assuring. “It’s okay, they’re gone now, Yeol.”

“Tha—”

“Kris?”

✿✿✿

Chanyeol is cut off by the instance he heard a girl behind Kris. They turn around and reveal a beautiful lady, who tucks her hair behind her ear. The brunet is puzzled of who this girl is.

Kris automatically separates himself from Chanyeol like he is caught in his misconduct. His eyes widen and lips stretch creepily. Chanyeol misses Kris’ warmth to his body in that swift movement and adding to it is…

“It’s not what you’re thinking, he is not my girlfriend.” Kris denies in panic.

The girl giggles, hiding in her delicate hand. “Don’t worry. Park Chanyeol is famous in our school too. I know both of you are too manly to be homo.”

“You’re right. Hahaha.” Kris laughs forcedly and Chanyeol joins him.

“Too bad you drop the ice cream on the floor but I have something for you instead.” The girl takes a piece of paper from her pocket and secretly gives it to Kris.

She then walks away but before going further she mouths ‘call me’ with matching hand gesture to Kris. The girl flaunts her black hair and leaves the two in daze.

After a minute, the two boys look at each other, Kris boastfully showing the small paper in his fingers.

“We have a winner.”

To be continued…

Sorry guys for the SO~ late update. D.O.'s birthday is done and so as Kai. EXO won the major awards earlier this year and I wish them to win more. 'Sigh' I'm really sorry. This is a back-to-back update so I hope you comment on each chapter. These parts are the most difficult to write because...   Umm (#*___*#)

I hope it does not appear boring for you and leave this T_T. I'm cheering myself on too because I want to finish this fic smoothy. See ya in the next chap!