a/n: Luhan is/was in Seoul and if the fan accnt is true, Xiuhan met in a restaurant in Apugujeong.. Yeee :D

ps: Can't miss the fact that Luhan turned up alone (without manager). Hehe *totally delighted with the coincidence*

Luhan wakes up gasping.. He feels like tons of brick has replaced his brain and cradles his head with his hands. Before he registers what is happening, he is kicked off from wherever he is and falls on the ground with a loud thud. If he had previously thought his head was aching, now his back was paining and head screaming. He scrambled onto his knees quickly. The shock had cleared the fogginess in his mind. He had fallen off a bed all thanks to Chen who was sound asleep kicking his limbs in the air. Deciding that the Korean boy needed one too, he pushed him off the bed with a lot of force. Said alpha woke up groaning but, only after he had one nice landing. Luhan snickered.

 “ Hyung?”

“ Good Morning, Jongdae-ah”, he said chirpily.

“ That wasn’t funny.” Chen grumbled and slowly got back on the bed and then proceeded to lay himself cautiously on the mattress. Copying his movements, Luhan laid down on his back and closed his eyes. With the severe headache that he had, he deserved his sleep. “ Last night was fun. Wasn’t it?”

“ Sure, hyung. But, I’d show a little more concern than that.”

“What do you mean?” Nothing was worth his concern right now. Except, for his sleep. He nuzzled his head into the pillow.

“Do you know where Suho hyung and Yixing hyung are?”

Luhan immediately sat up, his eyes flying open. “.”

“Thought so.” The younger of the two snorted but, made no effort in moving.

“Let’s go.” Luhan got down the bed, jumping on his feet.

“Relax, hyung. We’d be too late already.”

“But-”

“At least, get dressed”, Chen said yawning while Luhan shuffled on his feet on the floor. “My relatives don’t like shabbily dressed people. You are our guest.”

Luhan just glared at the un-moving figure and then looked around. It was a room that looked like people of their stature would live in. Nothing special. He shrugged. He was bored of seeing such houses. He’d be interested in seeing one where the house wasn’t just a house but, a real home with it’s warmth and love. Everyone spent so much money in showing off what they had and could do with the money, they didn’t stop to notice that the house no longer looked like a house. May be, more like a museum? Gallery? Some sort of an exhibition? He had heard of Kim mansion during his University days from Sehun, Chen and Chanyeol. This was his first time though in there. He left the room, his bare feet making no noise on the marble flooring. Their room had been the last one in the hallway. The entire hallway had been adorned with beautiful paintings just like he had guessed. He didn’t know where to go. Which room had the highest possibility of having Suho? Or, Yixing? Or, the rest? He saw a maid coming. But, he immediately dropped the idea of asking her when she looked at him and laughed. On realising what she had done, she clapped her hand on and scurried away. He hovered near the other doors. Should he knock? Should he not? He didn’t have any plan. If Yixing was in this house, wouldn’t Suho’s parents not know about it already?

But, before he could decide one of the doors had opened and a very furious looking Chanyeol stormed out and ran down the stairways which was at the other end of the hallway. Luhan stood their blinking his eyes. What .. ? Then, Baekhyun came out, all pale and shaking, on the verge of tears, running behind Chanyeol asking him to stop. The shorter alpha was practically shouting but, the big-eared alpha didn’t stop. Luhan had always thought Chanyeol was an arse when it came to Baekhyun. He had never treated the petit alpha properly. Though right now the Chinese alpha couldn’t be bothered much about it and just frowned in annoyance. That maid had come back and she was giving him funny looks. He could tell he had gotten up pretty late. Was that why she was giving him those looks, or, he touched his hair which was all mussed up? He didn’t have his watch on him so, he couldn’t tell what time it was exactly. That thought brought him up short and he paused on the staircase landing. Where did his watch go?

He looked at himself horrified. It wasn’t just his watch missing. He wasn’t in any of the gear he had been in last night. His phone, bag, passport, where were they? In fact, he was in a red t-shirt whose collar was too wide for him and too worn out. He didn’t recall changing. Plus, his cotton white pajamas had dumplings printed all over it. What the Hell. When had he changed his clothes? Whose clothes had he pinched? Is this why he had dreamed of his Baozi? Luhan stood their with his mouth hanging open.

 *****

When Baekhyun woke up, he hadn’t expected Chanyeol to have been awake let alone be sitting by the window side and be in a pensive mood.

“Want to be a poet, do we?”

He stretched his arms and yawned. The room was really nice with the whole large four-poster bed, silk sheets, marble flooring, attached bathroom (he guessed that where the other door in the room led to), paintings and a fireplace. Everyone had known Suho hyung’s family had been loaded. But, he hadn’t seen it first hand until now. The whole scene looked so serene. It was just like one of his dreams.

“Chanyeol?”

The icy-blond haired alpha was sitting still, showing no signs of having heard his best friend. The shorter furrowed his eyebrows. “This isn’t funny. Yah! Am talking to you.”

He could just barely make out his friend stiffening but, that was all the movement he made. He looked frozen solid. Baekhyun tried to recall what could have possibly happened that was making the taller alpha behave this way. He knew his friend wasn’t trying to troll or, prank him or, whatever. Their relationship wasn’t like that anymore. In fact, he had been so surprised when the popular idol had turned up at his doorstep saying he had come to pick him up. He had been worried initially. The atmosphere around them had been a little tense of late. So, he had been pleased when it hadn’t been liked that the day before. In fact, it had been just like the old days. They had joked and laughed so much; watched some movies, played with his neighbour’s kids. Even the whole day yesterday, at the stag party, everything had been so nice. Then, why.. ?

He got down the bed and walked closer to the alpha who was determined on not replying, his heart picking up a faster rate for beating and he couldn’t tell why. Had something happened the night before? Had he opened his damned stupid mouth and said something? He could feel the tensed aura surrounding his best friend. Something must have had happened. He stopped right behind Chanyeol and took in the sight. His best friend wasn’t in the clothes that he had been wearing the previous night, his hair was combed. He must have woken up earlier. He could see his profile in a large mirror on the wall and in the reflection on the window glass. Chanyeol was sitting rigid, his eyes unblinking with a far away look. Baekhyun looked downright shabby next to him what with his hair sticking out in all angles and his eyeliner smudged. He could smell vomit on himself. He needed to change but, he couldn’t step away from his unresponsive friend. “Chanyeol-”  He began again but, only to be cut short this time.

“ Why?” the word had been uttered so softly that he could have missed it. If his heart had been beating fast, now it had gone into overdrive. Baekhyun’s slant eyes widened with horror because, , Chanyeol had finally come to know. That must be it.

Whywhywhywhywhywhywhyhowhowhownonononono

“I must really be dumb. Aren’t I?” Chanyeol whispered. He was still looking outside but, Baekhyun noticed how the nerves on his fists were straining, how the muscles of his jaws were flexing, his mouth clamped shut. The latter couldn’t bring himself to reply or, move. He couldn’t believe this was happening to him, now, after all these years. He didn’t want to lose his friendship after all these years of struggling to save it. He couldn’t, he couldn’t. He had to do something. But, he couldn’t think what. His mind was drawing a complete blank.

Chanyeol got up slowly from his seat. He didn’t want to scare the shorter alpha any further who looked ready to bolt. Baekhyun was giving off the scents that would tell anybody he was scared and how much Chanyeol had wanted to protect this fragile looking alpha. How much he had wished. But, he couldn’t. He took a deep breath trying to cool himself but, that was a mistake. The sandy-blond alpha’s scents had always been were alluring; the type every alpha would like to prey on. Alphas were like predators. Had he not taught Baekhyun that? Even Chanyeol wasn’t safe for his friend even though he too was an alpha. He tilted Baekhyun’s chin up with his forefinger and looked at those puppy-like eyes. Everything about him drew Chanyeol closer to him and how much he had always tried to resist. “Why?” He didn’t want to know the answer. He knew it’d be something he was better off not knowing. He was trying to control the rage that was building in him and Baekhyun standing there in front of him all teary eyed wasn’t helping. He was feeling frustrated. He wanted to know why his best friend had lied to him. He wanted to hit himself for making him cry. He wanted to protect him. He wanted to tear his own hair out.

“I said TELL ME!!” He finally snapped. “Why had you lied to me? You told me you liked Taeyeon! You told me she was your choice! You told me you loved her. Why did you lie? She had been your parents choice. Not yours. Why did you lie, Baek, WHY?!”

Baekhyun did the only thing that he could think of. He turned around and started to run but, Chanyeol having guessed his reaction or, may be by just having quick reflexes, stopped him. “Don’t run away before you answer me.” He snarled. Chanyeol was breathing rapidly, gripping his arms. The shorter alpha squirmed, trying to push his hand away but, Chanyeol’s hold was too strong for him.

“Don’t lie to me, Baek. Please.”

Baekhyun had imagined the many ways he could say this- either by his own choice or, when Chanyeol would find out and force him into confessing. But, he had not thought it’d be this fast; this way when he was finally finding some semblance in their friendship again. This was too fast, too soon. But, he couldn’t stop himself.

“I didn’t lie to you. You assumed it.”

“Baek, don’t-”

“No.” Baekhyun couldn’t bear to look into those big eyes. He looked at his toes instead. “You assumed so, and, when I realised that you had misunderstood, I.. I let it be.”

“But, why?”

Chanyeol knew what the answer was going to be. He wasn’t ready for it. He wasn’t. He’d never be. He wiped the tear that leaked from his friend’s eye who flinched with his touch. He shouldn’t have come to the party. He knew the last two days had been too good to last. He and Baekhyun had avoided each other for a reason. He should have just continued to do so.

“Because then, we couldn’t have been together.”

“I never stopped you from being with Taeyeon”, disbelief colouring his voice.

Baekhyun laughed bitterly. “Yes, you never did. But, no, we - You and me.”

“What do you mean?” Chanyeol felt his stomach drop. He wasn’t ready, he wasn’t ready, he wasn’t-

“If I had not been engaged to her, you would have never let us be together. Us, be close. You would have never allowed it, wanted it.”

Chanyeol had been wrong. He’d never be ready for the answer. It was so much worse than he could have imagined. It was all kinds of wrong. He had- because of him- that was so disgusting. He dropped his hands feeling repulsed. He couldn’t believe it. He had never thought he would have led somebody into such a situation and Baekhyun of all people. Baekhyun was his best friend. They had been friends since the moment they had met. They had loved each other and looked out for each other. But, he had misunderstood. He had misunderstood Baekhyun. He had misunderstood their friendship, Baekhyun’s feeling; his own standing in the friendship. He had.. used his friend. He felt revolted. How could he have? How could he have been so blind? He felt sick.

Baekhyun didn’t know what Chanyeol was thinking. He could just feel the revulsion coiling off him. He could just interpret the silence. And, when he looked up to see his best friend looking at him like he was disgusted, Baekhyun thought he had not been prepared enough for his heart to break again and this time into million million more pieces. Like, Chanyeol had personally stamped on each of those shards this time and crushed them.

“Chanyeol, it’s not- I- I- It’s just.. Why does it matter?” He was shaking. “Please. It’s not what you think. I had thought I-I’d say it to you. I’d confess. But, I couldn’t because when I had made up my mind - But then, you said it was just experimenting and all that.. Chanyeol.. Am sorry. I just loved you and I didn’t want you to hate me. Am really sorry. I didn’t want you to think I had other intentions, so, I never - Chanyeol! Chanyeol!”

Chanyeol couldn’t bear to hear it anymore. So, he left. He walked fast and then began running away. He wasn’t necessarily a coward but, right now he couldn’t stay anymore. He couldn’t. He heard Baekhyun calling him but, he couldn’t stop. He had to leave.

 *****

Kai was feeling pissed. He had woken up with not only a nasty hangover but, several bruises. His face was swollen with a lump on his forehead. His knees and elbows were scraped. He had probably also sprained his left ankle. According to the security guard at the gate, he’d been dumped out of a car early in the morning, all drunk and passed out as soon as he had reached his room. He had created a huge ruckus all the way up to the room because of which his parents had woken up. He had barely managed to catch up on some sleep when his father had sent a maid to wake him up. His father started yelling the moment he stepped into the older alpha’s chamber. Kai didn’t bother to hide his scowl and pressed his hands on his ears. His mother too reprimanded him with things like why both the brothers were so irresponsible. Why they didn’t stop to think about their image. He frowned at his parents and reminded them not so gently that Kim Joonmyun was the most responsible son any parent could ask for. To which his mother replied curtly “just cause he didn’t make an entrance like you doesn’t make it any different”.

His father after that swiftly changed the topic reminding him that Uncle Lee Soo Man was coming over in a few hours (a little before the wedding), so, he needed to brush up and present himself well. To which he scoffed and his mother glared at him in warning. His father just cleared his throat and asked if he had made himself clear; If he had then they youngest Kim could leave. So, Jongin gladly left the room. He had met “Uncle” Lee Soo Man so many times and knew that man was a greedy business man like every one else. He had also been informed that his youngest son Taemin would be coming. His father was relying on him to strike a rapport with a person he had not met in years. Taemin and he used to be best friends in elementary school but, then he had been sent to the States. It was going to be even more awkward than him having never known him. Because of the previous status of their relation, he was sure Uncle Lee Soo Man and his parents would try to use it in some way to their advantage. That’s what they did all the time. He just hoped Taemin hadn’t presented as an omega. It’d be even more better if he was a Beta. Then, he could downright ignore him.

When he was walking back to his room, his precious bed calling him, he heard Baekhyun from some other corner of the house. He wondered what it was that Chanyeol had done this time. He had been surprised when both of them had turned up together. As far as he had observed, both of them managed to be never there in the same parties. At least, in the last one year. He had at first thought it was just some real good coincidence till Sehun pointed out otherwise. Kai had always thought himself to be a jerk till he had met Chanyeol. Chanyeol was a very nice, lively, cheery guy till it didn’t involve a Byun Baekhyun because then he became a real prized jerk. He couldn’t believe the obliviousness the two alphas let themselves be shrouded in. He’d totally kick Chanyeol’s arse if he were Baekhyun hyung and let himself be happy. He had almost reached his room when he noticed a figure disappearing into Chen’s room. Had Chen brought with himself an omega? Their parents would have a fit. He mused what his parents would do if they found out he had been brought home by none other than their butler’s nephew Do Kyungsoo and Suho hyung’s mate Lay. They would have had more than just a fit.

He didn’t understand why his hyung was trying his luck so much. May be, he chuckled, he had already done the unthinkable so, he wasn’t worried too much of the repercussions? He was worried for his hyung. His steps slowed. If he were being honest with himself (which he wasn’t most of the time) it wasn’t his hyung he was worried about at the moment. No, it was for his little heart which was galloping. He held the doorknob with one hand and rested his forehead gingerly against the door. It was acting up again. He didn’t understand why it always chose to betray him. No matter how much he tried to control himself, it always acted like that when he saw Kyungsoo, when he thought about him. What was wrong with him? Did he like betraying himself that much for that short heighted alpha who always threatened to disrupt everything in his life? The black-haired alpha always came back when he wasn’t looking, catching him unawares. Suho hyung had told him he wouldn’t be coming but, then, Kai had chanced upon his phone and had read the text. It had been a simple “Am trying to convince hyung. Hopefully.” He had known immediately what that had meant. The only person not willing to come to the stag night had been Xiumin hyung and the only other person who had the chance of persuading him was the Wide-Eyed alpha he had broken up with three years back.

a/n #2: I might change the "regularly updating on Monday thing" to putting longer gap between two updates. Not sure though.