A/N: How can a guy look so fine in a PINK sweater...?? Oh Sehun you are illegal... -_-

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Sehun slams his book shut, realising that he won't be able to study any more. He looks at his table clock which says "12:45 AM". Even though it's late and he's tired, Sehun doesn't have even a wink of sleep in his eyes. He leans back in his chair, his head hanging from it. Closing his weary eyes, he hums his favorite song, the one that always manages to bring a smile to his lips.

Just then, a knocking sound reaches his ears and he realises that someone is outside his dorm room. He slowly stands up and stretches his tired arms. Yawning, he says,' Coming.' and sluggishly drags his feet towards the door. He unlocks it and swings it open to see his friend, Tao, standing outside. Sehun notices Tao's face light up slightly as he waves.

'Thank God, Sehunnie! I was tired of knocking on doors and finding out everyone has dozed off while I'm making my precious body run on coffee in order to prevent myself from falling asleep! But I knew you would be up, my little insomniac!' Tao speaks in a single breath and trudges inside the room. He flops down on Sehun's bed and sighs noisily. Sehun closes the door behind him and sits on the edge of the bed across Tao. He’s pretty sure Tao hadn’t knocked on any doors but his.

Tao is the closest thing he has to a friend. Even if they go way back, Sehun doesn’t always hang out with him. He prefers his solitude.The only thing is, he feels very less uncomfortable around him as compared to how suffocated he feels around others. He doesn't believe in socializing and meeting new people scares him. He recalls Tao once calling him a 'social cripple' ,with which he agrees. Often people have come up to him, to the silent guy roaming around alone, seeking friendship. But Sehun would brush everyone off politely, not even looking them in the eye. At first, he was perceived as the weird, silent and arrogant guy but with time people realised that he was unusually awkward around new people. Or just people, in general.

'So, what were you up to?' Tao asks him and Sehun points tilts his head towards his now-closed books. Tao's eyes roll to the back of his skull and he says in an angry tone,' I swear I will wushu-kick these books into outer space! There's coffee running in my vessels instead of blood! Moreover, all this staying up at night would make my dark circles even more prominent. As if that's not already a problem!'

Tao sulks and kicks his feet in the air while pouting. A small chuckle leaves Sehun's lips and he pats Tao's hand in order to calm him down.

'It's okay, Taozi. You are and always will be very handsome. Despite those panda eyes.' he says and smiles.

'Can't surpass your beauty though! You look like a Greek God, man! I'd kill to be you!' Tao exclaims, cradling Sehun's face in his palms and playfully slapping his cheeks. Sehun's eyes droop and his smile withers. He doesn't want to go down that road. Not now. Not ever. Tao notices the change in Sehun's expressions and regrets his words. His hands drop to his sides and he begins fidgeting with the sheets on Sehun's bed.

'I'm r-really s-sorry, Sehunnie. I-i forgot...'

'Leave it. Don't bother yourself. It's fine.' Sehun replies in a low voice, not meeting Tao's eyes. He knows that Tao didn't say any of that on purpose but it's really painful for him. He hopes Tao would leave him alone for the night. Leave him in the silence that has been his companion which is comforting yet hurtful. He has not always been this way. He had a nice childhood. Peaceful and happy. Or so he thought. Because little did he know, it was the calm before the storm that wrecked his life.

@_@ @_@ @_@

Sehun wakes up the next morning with a headache. He owes it to his habit of 'crying himself to sleep'. Every other night, he lies down in his bed, pulls the quilt up to his chin and tries to sleep. But in vain. The thoughts clouding his mind give rise to new ones that end up seeming scarier than the previous ones.

After his little slip of tongue, Tao had uncertainly asked Sehun if he wanted to talk about it and that it was not good to bottle up feelings that were troublesome. Sehun had shook his head and tried to contain his tears while inwardly praying for Tao to somehow understand that he wanted to be left alone. Tao knows him and everything about him. The good and the bad stuff. Mostly, the bad ones. And since he never pushed Sehun too much to open up and talk about it, he rea