Sehun couldn’t remember a time when he had not been flat broke. Growing up with four smaller siblings had always took its toll on his parents monetary household; Sehun himself had been quite lucky with his position as the eldest of five children—his hand-down clothes had only been worn…well once or twice before he inherited them from his mother’s better situated pals’ sons—while the youngest of his brothers had to bear the questionable honor of wearing a pair of roughly ten-year-old jeans. 

 

At age twenty, two years into his state-sponsored scholarship at Hongik University, Sehun had learned how to hide the fact that he wasn’t exactly a Bill Gates kind-of-guy. He was brillant—yes, at least to a certain extent—but he didn’t manage to radiate off this ungraspable feel of old money. 

 

His friends didn’t know about his background—or, in the best case, they didn’t seem to care. At least Kim Jongin, who had quickly become Sehun’s best friend from the second he stomped into Accounting ten minutes late on the first day of University, falling down with an exasperated sigh next to the tall boy with the thin frame, didn’t do it. Care. 

 

Not a single gaze was wasted on Sehun’s washed-out blue jeans, or the fact how thin the cloth of his shirt had become in the wake of Sehun setting the washing machine a few levels too high for his clothes’ good, (after all he wanted to save money). No, Jongin had only cared about the fact how intent the taller boy’s eyes had studied him and how he had managed to crack a small, thin smile at Jongin’s panting and frantic fanning of himself with the list of attendance. 

 

From this day on, Jongin and Sehun were inseparable. Their bond of friendship only deepened when they discovered that both of them had an insatiable love for dancing—and while Sehun had only theoretically lived up to his secret passion, Jongin had been taking dance classes since the day he could walk. He even gave off the impression of having learnt dancing before walking—for there was a certain kind of unreal elegance to his steps. 

 

At first, Sehun had been insanely jealous; even more so after Jongin had taken him to one of his dance practices one day—and Sehun was forced to watch from the literal bleachers as Jongin performed one perfect pirouette after the other. 

 

It simply wasn’t fair. Jongin didn’t deserve the joys of dancing more than he did; yet there he was—giving in into the music’s movements like a god. And he, Sehun, could only watch in awe. 

 

Jongin, who had noticed Sehun’s discontent with both of their situations, had not wasted time and talked to his teacher—a friendly, yet incredibly short man with the name of Kim Minseok, who had been teaching and tutoring Jongin for the longest time. Minnie, how Jongin would call the thirty-year old Korean when the shorter man wasn’t near, obliged to both of the boys’ pleading wishes to take Sehun in. He was willing to do this to a much lower admission fee as usual, but Sehun would not let Jongin pay the discounted rest. In his stubborn and proud mindset, his best friend was already offering him all kinds of charity and he would not bear to live with this shame.

 

From this day on, Sehun took every job opportunity he could get his hands on, from washing dishes in the university’s canteen, to handing out leaflets and pamphlets for the student association, over to committing his body to the ever hungry needs of science. 

 

He participated in every scientific or sociological experiment the university had to offer; and he was soon known as the “eager boy from Accounting“. The sociologists and biologists loved the tall and boney boy as soon as he had stumbled into their laboratories for the first time, with a torn-off flyer in his hand and even though Sehun studied the “dull and boring matter that is economy“ he was taken in as one of them very, very quickly.

 

Especially Kim Junmyeon, the leader of the sociologist division at Hongik University, had taken him faster into his heart than Sehun would have thought it to be possible. He allowed Sehun the unfair advantage of enrolling first into new experiments by sending him the information and credentials hours before they would be posted on their website.

 

As per usual, Sehun found a new mail in his inbox on Sunday evening. This time, Junmyeon had attached a private message to the documents: Seems like you’ll have to pass this time, Hunnie. xx, Jun.

 

A bit confused—he would never let this opportunity for easy money slip—Sehun opened the file and it took him just a second to silently agree with Jun. SEARCHING FOR COUPLES (romantic/authentic ones, don’t even try to show up with Jongin, read Jun’s comment) WHO HAVE BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP FOR A PERIOD LONGER THAN THREE MONTHS. 

 

“Are they kidding?“ Sehun asked aloud and utterly incredulous. They couldn’t just do that to him, knowing, that he relied on the money! Sehun, the constantly poor and perpetual single. He felt as though his scientist friends had betrayed him and couldn’t help feeling a little gloomy about it. He was already late with payments this month and he wouldn’t allow Jongin to take over his bills. Not again. The last time his best friend had tried to save Sehun from getting kicked out of his apartment by secretly paying his rent, Sehun hadn’t talked to him for a week.

 

He didn’t need charity. He was perfectly capable of sustaining himself, thank you very much. Even if it meant living off ramen noodles until the paycheck from the canteen came in. And faking a relationship.

 

Unfortunately, Sehun had always been very open about his uality. Junmyeon knew that he was gay to the bone (after a disastrous attempt to hook him up with one of his undeniably cute girl colleges, everyone knew) and the chances of finding a gay guy (or biual, he really didn’t care), who was willing to fake a relationship with him… well, they were slim. Extremely slim, to be honest.

 

He had never had a serious relationship, except for a few quick hook-ups, and he wasn’t overly interested in one, too. He needed to be focused if he wanted to keep up his straight A’s, and overall catching up with Jongin in dance class. A relationship had only seemed hindering to him, like something that would just cause trouble. 

 

And his secret crush, Jongin’s elder brother, wouldn’t want to go out with him anyway. At least he imagined that. Not that he had asked him. Not that he had ever spoken to him about something other than Jongin, when they briefly met outside their brother’s/best friend’s hall. He is pissed again, Jongdae would then say, when Sehun knocked on the door to retrieve his best (and moody) bud out of his self-induced misery. And Sehun would answer something along the lines of: Asfghjkl. If he dared to open his month, that is.

 

Either way, Jongdae probably thought Sehun was mentally retarded (or at least very, very, very incompetent) and Sehun was kind of glad about it. The thought of having to keep up a conversation with Kim Jongdae paralyzed him, let alone… kissing him—nah, he always stopped imagining things after that point. Sehun thought of himself as a very realistic person, and daydreaming didn’t really fit the agenda of a brutal realist. 

 

—

 

“I can’t believe you really filled out the damned application.“ Jongin could only but shake his head in disbelief at his friend’s utter insanity. “Do I really need to remind you that you are the single-est dude I know?“

 

“That’s not a word, dufus,“ Kyungsoo objected, without looking up from his book.

 

“And people have stopped saying ’dufus‘ in the eighties, Soo.“ Jongin once again engaged in extensive head-shaking while still managing to gulp down an entire helping of fried chicken. “I can’t believe I hang out with you two. A giant science- and a dude who’s mentally ninety years old. I could have the world. Heck, I could have Park Chanyeol, if I wanted to.“

 

Sehun and Kyungsoo both looked up simultaneously to watch freakishly tall while yet still kind of beautiful Park Chanyeol from the other side of the canteen, engaging in his usual business. Flirting and smiling. “He really does that a lot,“ mused Sehun. 

 

Jongin turned around to look at Chanyeol as well. If the giant decided to look in their direction, he’d see a table of three boys staring at him with curiosity, admiration and in Kyungsoo’s case, bewilderment. “I don’t get you. I really don’t. Sehun, yes maybe, since he’s gay as , but you, Jongin?“

 

“I’m gay for Park Chanyeol,“ said Sehun’s best friend with an unapologetic smile. “I’d smash him.“

 

“Eww, stop it, I’m eating!“ Kyungsoo protested. 

 

“No, you’re reading,“ Sehun corrected him. “While continuously judging us gay boys.“

 

“I’m not gay,“ Jongin objected, but as soon as his gaze was averted in Chanyeol’s direction his determination faded. “Well, not for Sehun anyway, because I know he just wants to ask me to pretend to be his boyfriend.“

 

“What, no!“ Jongin had only been the back-up plan, since Junmyeon would know right on the spot that the two best friends just couldn’t be dating. Let alone for three months. “Kyungsoo, do you want to be my pretend-boyfriend?“

 

“You’d have to kill me first,“ the dark-haired boy growled, without looking up from his book.

 

“No, thanks, I’m not really into necrophilia.“ 

 

“I know someone who might“, Jongin said at this moment, his gaze still lingering on Chanyeol’s high figure, who was towering up against the window frame and blocking most of the sunlight. Heavens, how could someone be this tall?

 

“You know someone who’s into necrophilia?“ Sehun turned around to Jongin. “Dude, I don’t know if that is really, really cool or just deeply disturbing.“

 

Jongin looked like he wanted to hit him. His fingers twitched dangerously but Sehun thought he had maybe mistaken the movement for Jongin’s yearning for chicken, which would never, ever be contained. Rule number one of being friends with Kim Jongin; chicken comes first.

 

“No, you idiot. I know someone who might want to pretend-date you.“

 

At that point, Sehun had given up any hope. He had already accepted the humility of retreating his application for the survey and scrubbing the toilets of the local night club with a toothbrush, like he had before when money really, really ran short. 

 

“No, you don’t.“

 

“Yes, I do. I’ll have to ask him first, though. He is kinda busy at the moment, with thesis papers to hand in and stuff.“

 

Sehun glanced at him warily. Kim Jongin knew a lot of people, as out-spoken and friendly as his best friend was. It might have very well been possible that he knew a guy who wasn’t reluctant to fake a full-scale gay relationship for money. Jongin knew everyone. 

 

“I’ll ask him right away. Tonight. We wanted to hang out anyway.“ 

 

Sehun shot a glare at his best friend who was more than occupied with slurping his chicken down as if it were nothing more than thinned soup. “I love you, Kim Jongin, you know that, right?“

 

“And I love Park Chanyeol. I hope that’s okay.“

 

 

—

 

 

Jongin was incredibly mysterious about the pretend-boyfriend he had handpicked for Sehun’s social experiment, and no matter how hard Sehun pestered him about revealing his identity to him, Jongin had remained adamant. “I still don’t know if he really can make it, Sedumb. And since I don’t want you to be disappointed I cannot tell you anything until the whole matter is home and dry. Capiche?“

 

In return, Sehun had ignored Junmyeon’s continuous emails, which seemed to gain more and more disbelief every single day. While the unilateral conversation started off with an innocent Ha, ha, Sehun, c’mon. Stop joking, Junmyeon became serious quickly when he realized that Sehun wasn't gonna withdraw his application. Don’t tell me you seriously have a boyfriend, Oh Sehun. Junmyeon’s emails flatlined with I will kick your if you show up with Jongin or the evil staring dude. I swear.

 

The fact that Jongin still hadn’t revealed his conman’s identity on Wednesday evening while the experiment was supposed to start the next day, caused Sehun quite some discomfort. Did Jongin’s contact back out? Or had Jongin been fooling him all along? 

 

At ten o’clock in the evening, Sehun started to panic. He began typing an angry text message directed towards Jongin (I swear to God, if you set me up with Byun Baekhyun or that Chinese weirdo, I will personally castrate you), but just when he had artistically packed a whole 140 characters full with passive aggressive remarks and threats, Jongin answered his prayers with a simple: He’ll be there. Tomorrow, 6 pm.

 

Incredibly relieved, Sehun sent back a kissy face emoticon which was very quickly answered with a puking one.

 

“Charming as usual,“ Sehun sighed.

 

When he went to bed that night, utter panic set in at the thought of how he still did not know a single thing about his pretend-boyfriend. If Junmyeon started to ask questions, they’d be ed. Big time.

 

—

 

At 5.50 pm on the next day, Sehun stood in front of the doors to the sociology laboratories. He paced nervously up and down, while simultaneously taking cover whenever Junmyeon or one of his colleagues would shoot a glance out of the glass doors. They shouldn’t see him, not yet, at least. The most important thing was the fact that Sehun met his boyfriend first. At least learn his name. Then he could attempt to expose himself to Junmyeon’s burning questions and doubtful looks. Well, that’s what he hoped.

 

During the next few minutes, when more than a dozen couples/test subjects started pouring through the doors into the laboratories, Sehun grew more and more anxious. The guy wasn’t gonna come. He was gonna be stood up by his pretend-boyfriend. How sad was that?

 

At 5.59 pm, Sehun was ready to throw hands. That was it. He would have to face Junmyeon and tell him the truth about his non-existent boyfriend. As far as Sehun knew the sociologist, he wasn’t gonna be a insensitive about it, but Sehun would rather have that Junmyeon never found out how much he relied on the money. It most certainly would taint their relationship—and Sehun didn’t want that. 

 

That damned money. 

 

At 6 pm exactly, a short boy with wavy, dark hair, chiseled features and an apologetic smile curled into his lips skidded into the sociology corridor. “Sehun, hey. I’m so sorry, I’m late“, he beamed and smiled so beautifully that Sehun believed his heart to stop for an instant. 

 

Then he wanted to curl up into a ball and have a nervous breakdown, right on the spot. It was Jongdae. It was Jongin’s stunning, divine and most-likely straight brother who unleashed the persistent need to make a complete and utter fool out of himself. 

 

Of course. Someone Jongin knew well. Someone he trusted. Busy with finals and thesis papers. It was Kim ing Jongdae. And right at this moment, the prospect for extra cash didn’t seem that welcoming anyway. Sehun would prefer to scrub the damned toiled all over again. He really would.

 

Sehun could not talk to Jongdae. He would stumble over his own tongue, blab complete nonsense, maybe even admit his long-term crush on the older boy if he wasn’t careful. And if Sehun couldn't talk to Jongdae, he could never fake a relationship with him. 

 

“Are you okay?“ Jongdae asked concerned when the taller boy just stared at him blankly. Without warning he put his small hand on Sehun’s arm who suddenly was extremely glad he decided to wear long sleeves today. He couldn't even bear the thought of Jongdae’s soft skin on his own. It would have outed him in an instant.

 

“Y-yes“, Sehun managed to reply faintly. “I’m just… a little beaten up.“

 

“So Jongin didn’t tell you it was gonna be me?“ Jongdae smiled again, softly and incredibly beautiful. “I hope this doesn’t come as a disappointing surprise.“

 

“N-no“, he protested and wished he could stop with his damned stutter. “I’m thankful, actually. You doing this. You shouldn’t…“

 

Jongdae looked at him with a trace of confusion in his dark, musing eyes. “What shouldn't I?“

 

Sehun couldn't get over how his lips seemed to curl up whenever he smiled, which incidentally, Jongdae seemed to do quite often. Friendly, confused, softly. Did he know what that was doing to him?

 

“H-having to fake come-out like t-this. I don’t want you to be given these scrutinizing side-glances just because I need the money and am too damned proud to scrub a toilet with a toothbrush.“

 

On the surface, he knew he wasn't making sense; after all, Jongdae probably didn’t know about the shameful alternative to paying rent and dancing class and Sehun’s stutter probably didn't help getting his message across. 

 

But his best friend’s older brother looked at him, a small smile on his lips. “Oh, you really don’t know, now, do you?“

 

“Know what?“

“That I’m gay, Sehun. Don’t worry, I’m not planning to pretend anything tonight.“

 

While a small part of Sehun was gasping in disbelief about the fact that his long-term crush was, in fact, as gay as he was—another, much bigger part screamed silently at Jongdae’s last words. I’m not planning to pretend anything tonight.

 

What the sweet was he supposed to make out of this? 

 

Before his brain could go into hibernation—it was becoming incredibly numb—Jongdae had slid his arm into Sehun’s and yanked the glass door wide open. Junmyeon, who had been standing at the main desk, looked up when he saw his friend entering the room from the corner of his eye.

 

“Just let me do the talking“, Sehun hissed in Jongdae’s approximate direction without looking at him directly. It was bad enough that Jongdae’s smooth skin was against his own every single second they committed to this embrace.

 

“Happy to oblige“, Jongdae whispered back and Sehun’s heart nearly exploded in his chest when he felt the shorter boy’s hot breath against the soft skin behind his ear. A cute sound followed and Sehun almost fell over his own feet. Was he… chuckling?

 

He did know what he was doing to him, did he? Jongdae never struck him as a particularly suave seducer… but then again, he would never have suspected Jongdae to fancy boys. What was happening to the principles he had established for himself?

 

Don’t talk to Jongdae, he’s painfully straight and not interested in the slightest.

 

But there he was, the older Kim-Jong-brother, perfectly gay and his arm wrapped around his own as though they really were boyfriend and boyfriend. 

 

Sehun didn't even manage to shoot a triumphant glance at Junmyeon who stood behind his desks, giving out the compulsory papers, Sehun had signed many times in the past months, and stared at them disbelievingly.

 

“Is he your ex-boyfriend?“ Jongdae had followed Sehun’s gaze. He sounded curious, and, if Sehun wasn’t completely mistaken, a tiny bit… proprietary. 

 

“N-no. He’s my friend. He just didn’t believe I’d actually be able to get a boyfriend some day soon.“

 

Jongdae shot a disapproving glance at Junmyeon, whose attention had been averted by said female colleague Sehun had supposed to date what now seemed an eternity ago. “What the hell is he about? You’re one of the hottest pieces of man-candy I’ve ever laid my eyes on, excuse my language.“

 

While the dumbfounded part of Sehun looked at him incredulously, a smaller, more rational part was actually amused. He sounds like his little brother. 

 

A hot piece of man-candy? It wouldn't have surprised him if Jongin had dropped these exacts words in the proximity of Park Chanyeol at some point in time. 

 

“I can’t believe I haven’t picked up on how gay you actually are much, much sooner“, he mumbled more to himself, but Jongdae heard him anyway. 

 

“I could slap your , if you wanted further proof.“ The innocent smile that followed his very, very un-innocent offer was of such a brightness that he almost didn’t avert his gaze. 

 

“Later, maybe. But thanks.“ 

 

He was flirting with him. Kim Jongdae was ing putting everything he had into flirting with him. He was utterly shameless and Sehun couldn't help being incredibly, infinitely and utterly . He had been in love with quiet, intelligent, yet self-assured Jongdae for a while now and it took every ounce of self-control in his tall, lean and muscular body not to transform into the pathetic puddle of sweat that he was. This was the worst idea he ever had. 

 

Sehun didn't know what Junmyeon and his colleagues were actually investigating (something about couples probably) and he didn't know how far it involved to actually behave like a couple. Do… couple-things. Like kissing. 

 

He flashed one short glance in Jongdae’s direction who was currently slowly pulling Sehun towards the queue in front of the desk and his breath almost got caught up in his throat when he even considered the possibility of locking lips with the shorter, nearly angelic-looking boy. 

 

I might die today, he thought while Jongdae’s finger teasingly painted small circles on the back of his hand. I might die at age twenty and I might not even be all too gloomy about it.

 

“Hi,“ Jongdae beamed at the sociologists as he tossed his student identification card onto the desk. Sehun followed, although he carefully placed the plastic chip-card on the tabletop and tried not to look at anyone he knew. He was an awfully bad liar. Christina, one of the biologist girls with whom Sehun got along really well, couldn't refrain from asking the painfully obvious question: “Are you… like together?“

 

“Yes,“ lied Sehun and tried to fake a smile. Jongdae glared at her angrily as though he couldn't imagine such a frivolous question being uttered in front of him. 

 

“I’m sorry,“ Christina answered defensively. “We have to ask. It’s part of the procedure. We can’t have someone spoiling the verisimilitude of our findings. You know, Sehunnie. We work in a competitive business.“

 

“Of course,“ he answered softly, while panicking. He felt extremely bad about lying to his friends; the same scientists who had been nothing but friendly and welcoming to him. Damned money, he cursed, once again.

 

“When do we start?“ Jongdae seemed a tad too excited about being stripped to his bone and scrutinized from all angles. 

 

He is a ball of overflowing happiness and optimism, Sehun mused. I never noticed that about him. And his is the tiniest and cutest thing I have ever seen in my life.

 

“Right about now“, said Christina. “If you were so courteous and followed me.“

 

She took a huge stack of printed paper from the desk and while Jongdae strolled behind her without any form of doubt or second thoughts, Sehun looked back at Junmyeon who hadn't refrained from staring at him the past few minutes. 

 

“You will get posed a set of questions,“ Christina explained. “We will closely analyze the way you work together or apart and in that way we hope to be able to cast light on the matter of how romantic relationships work during their tender beginnings.“

 

In the back of the sociologist’s laboratories someone—presumably Junmyeon and his colleagues—had arranged a set of booths, hard plastic, nothing all too fancy, which were all equipped with three seats at the opposite end of a small table (seats for couple-member number one and two, and the interviewer, as Sehun suspected). Christina led them to the farthest booth and Jongdae dragged Sehun into the discreet shade of the niche. “Someone will be with you soon,“ Sehun’s friend promised with a small smile, before she disappeared somewhere behind their booth. 

 

“If we get Junmyeon, we’re ed,“ Sehun announced while scrutinizing his fingers intently, as if they were the most interesting thing in this booth. 

 

They got Junmyeon.

 

An extremely untrusting and wary Junmyeon, to make matters worse, who entered the booth with the sarcastic announcement: “Well then, love birds, let’s see about this.“

 

Jongdae sat in his chair straightly, his dark curls framing the edges of his beautiful, angular face and although Sehun knew he was making a fool out of himself for the nth time today; he couldn't stop staring at him. 

 

“Names?“

 

“Jun, you know my name,“ Sehun objected, but Junmyeon just whipped out his pencil and shot a dark glare at him. 

 

“Names.“ 

 

“Oh Sehun.“

 

“Kim Jongdae.“

 

“How long have you been together?“ Junmyeon raised one of his dark, sharply formed eyebrows which had never struck Sehun as a sort of weapon before. Sehun wanted to glance helplessly at Jongdae’s but the older boy had no intent in admitting to their lie so soon.

 

“Our four month anniversary is next week,“ he smiled and seemed absolutely genuine. Terrifying. Sehun would never understand how people were able to lie so effortlessly. 

 

“Please do tell the story of how you two got together.“ 

 

If Sehun hadn't known Junmyeon for nearly a year now, he would have believed the athletically-built sociologist was truly interested in this form of friendly small-talk. He even seemed benign now, hands folded together and an attentive smile on his lips. 

 

He wants to expose us, Sehun thought helplessly. He probably had to pry our interview out of the hands of some other random sociologist—but he knows he is unto something.

 

Jongdae, however, did not appear to succumb at all. He flashed a grin back at Junmyeon, before he slowly, gradually put his hand unto Sehun’s knee while rubbing against the fabric of his jeans with his palm. “Our story… well. Sehun loves to tell people about it, although we decided to keep our relationship under covers at first, if you know what I mean.“

 

Sehun tried not to faint under Jongdae’s touch and thus wasn't much of a help. He only let out an affirmative moan-like sound which earned him a confused gaze from Junmyeon and an amused one from Jongdae. 

 

“We met through my brother,“ his crush continued. He seemed to have great fun making their story up along the way. “Sehun had always had a little… infatuation with me, and of course I had noticed that. I wanted to make a move on him, but I wasn't sure how my brother was going to react.“

 

Sehun, still hyper-aware of Jongdae’s hand on his leg, looked back at his pretend-boyfriend who strangely enough had suddenly lost all signs of amusement. He looked serious now, musingly watching him—in a way that confused Sehun. Jongdae really must be a better actor than he thought, if he could convey this look of longing astonishment at the flick of a switch. 

 

“So it was actually Sehun, even though he is painfully shy, who moved towards me. He asked me for a favor, which I compiled, of course, and it turned out to be the spark that kindled our relationship. We kept it a secret at first, mainly because of Jongin, but when we told him the truth, just a week ago, he seemed content and gave us his blessing.“

 

Jongdae’s story made complete sense. It was believable, cute, and kind of… normal. Nothing of sorts you would read books about or watch in movies—but it still was perfectly impeccable—something you’d expect to see on a paper about sociological behavioristics. 

 

Junmyeon didn't seem particularly convinced but he also didn't throw them out of their booth right about now—which Sehun saw as a very good sign. Jongdae’s palm still rested on his leg and he knew that there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. Couples liked physical closeness, they were always touching, always intertwining fingers or legs. It was only natural that Jongdae wouldn't stop at emotional acting and if Sehun shifted uncomfortably under his grasp, Junmyeon would notice.

 

“Who would you describe as the driving force in this relationship? Who makes the decisions? Who follows them?“ Junmyeon began to read from his list. 

 

“Do you want to answer that?“, Jongdae asked him with a thin, almost imperceptible smile. 

 

“If you don’t mind,“ he acted out thoroughly badly and tried to recreate that Mona-Lisa-smile, which Jongdae seemed to wear with easiness. He failed miserably. “I think I make more decisions than Jongdae, although he doesn't follow them, if you know what I mean.“

 

The older boy laughed silently. “That is true, jagi. I couldn't have phrased it better.“

 

“Who gets jealous more easily?“

 

“Me,“ said Jongdae without a second of hesitation. “It’s insane, I’m trying to work on it, but I just can’t help it. Whenever someone stares at his when we walk through the city or even over the campus, I lose it almost every single time.“

 

Sehun, of course, could only think: Does he really like my or am I hallucinating right now?

 

Junmyeon looked at his paper with a sudden fit of disdain—his lips forming a silent chain of words while scribbling down an answer, which would probably never reach either Sehun’s nor Jongdae’s ears. The latter, however, seemed to be quite earnest again, his fingers twitching almost angrily against Sehun’s leg. 

 

“Who tops and who bottoms?“

 

“Are you kidding?“ Sehun asked incredulously, staring at Junmyeon who had nothing better to do than to reciprocate his glance arrogantly. “You can’t just ask people that, not even in the name of science.“

 

“We switch all the time,“ Jongdae really didn't seem to be uncomfortable about anything. On the contrary, Sehun suddenly realized that his small smile had returned and he was unbelievably glad about it. “Although Sehun is a natural talent in every position, I can assure you that.“

 

While Sehun blushed into infinity—if Jongdae could stop giving him credit for things he most definitely didn't do/wasn’t, that’d be great—Junmyeon seemed a tad gloomy, as though he had not gotten the answer he hoped. 

 

“What do you like most about your significant other?“ Junmyeon asked again, tapping his survey with the tip of his pen. 

 

“His ,“ said Jongdae without a single second of thinking about it. “That beautiful, round, peachy of his.“

 

Sehun didn't know if Jongdae was actually trying to provoke Junmyeon or if he was just having a little too much fun, but he did a very good job, either way. His friend was looking at both of them with a raised eyebrow before he scribbled down Jongdae’s answer on his sheet of paper. “What about you, Sehunnie?“

 

He flashed a glance back at his crush and while a big part of him wanted to say every single thing, the rational instance he had left uttered the stammering words: “H-his smile.“

 

“How often do you sleep together?“

 

Sehun stared at his nervous hands. “I’d rather not talk—“

 

“Every day, if our schedules allow it.“ Right about now, Sehun couldn’t even look in the approximate direction of his pretend-boyfriend. His cheeks were burning bright, he was about to whimper pathetically as his heart stumbled in his chest. Hearing Jongdae talk about this, about sleeping with him—even hypothetically—it sort of killed him. 

 

Junmyeon wrote down Jongdae’s answer, before throwing his pen unto the table and murmuring something along the lines of “I’ll be back in a minute“ before he fled the booth as fast as he could. Jongdae and Sehun stayed behind and while the latter started to grow more confused with every passing second, Jongdae was having the time of his life. “You do know he has a crush on you, right?“

 

Jongdae’s words seemed to come from afar, they were almost distorted, and didn't make sense to Sehun at first. “Who?? Junmyeon?“

 

“Yep,“ his crush replied with a mysterious smile. 

 

“No way.“

 

“Oh, yes, he does. I almost feel bad about having to like this; but then again, that’s what the jealous boyfriend I am would do.“

 

“I can’t believe this,“ he muttered. Junmyeon had a crush on him? Ever kind, forgiving Junmyeon? How on earth could he lack taste on such a big scale? 

 

“If you want to make a move on him, I’m not holding you back,“ Jongdae laughed, but when Sehun turned to him, he saw a bitter and dark expression in his gleaming eyes. Jongdae looked at him so intently, questioningly and musing, Sehun automatically wished he hadn't turned around.

 

“I-I can’t,“ he stammered, looking at his hands—once again.

 

“Why not?“

 

“I’m in love with someone else.“ There, he had said it. 

 

At that moment, the nature of Jongdae’s expression changed completely. If he had looked unhappy of sorts before, there now was deep discontent in his gaze, as well an all-consuming gloominess, making his eyebrows shape a perfect, isosceles triangle. “You are?“

 

It’s you, idiot. 

 

“Yeah. I’ve been having a crush on him for the longest time now; ever since we met down the hall at his brother’s. I never made a move on him, because, as he perfectly put it, I’m too ing shy, until he decided to turn up at a sociology survey to save my broke .“ Sehun didn't know why he didn't stop talking and was thus making a complete fool out of himself, as usual, whenever Jongdae was near and paying attention to him.

 

“Cool,“ Jongdae said, a bit aggravated. “I have a crush too, and I thought I should tell you, now that we’re confessing.“ He turned around to Sehun and the younger boy gasped at his intense gaze. Jongdae looked so beautiful and petite and perfect—Sehun involuntarily wondered how on earth he could possibly be Jongin’s older brother. His best friend was extremely handsome, lean and muscular… but not as gorgeously pretty as the boy was who sat before him. “I have a crush, too. He’s two years my junior, my brother’s age. They’re best friends. I’ve never once in my life been jealous of Jongin before, until the damned day I met this tall, handsome boy in his hall and he only looked at my little brother, without regarding me for the split of a second. He’s really… something else. Kind of brilliant, but shy. He loves dancing, I’ve heard. So then there comes this unique opportunity: my brother tells me over dinner that his hot friend is looking for a pretend-boyfriend for a day or so. I’m busy with finals, late on some paper work to hand in—but I cannot possibly let this slip.“

 

Sehun knew that Jongdae was still talking; but the words had long stopped making any sense to him. Why on earth did it feel like his crush was telling him about himself, about being infatuated with Sehun?

 

But… not Jongdae. Not his crush; the boy he only admired from afar for as long as he could think of. The older brother of his best friend. He couldn’t have possibly noticed him. 

 

“W-what?“ Yeah, about that. He really had to stop stammering and stumbling over his own words if he wanted Jongdae to take him seriously. 

 

“It’s you, Oh Sehun. I am currently confessing my not-so-little crush on you.“

 

Sehun could have said so much, reciprocation as such, but the only thing he could think of was: “Did Jongin set this up?“

 

Jongdae frowned. “I don’t think he knows—“

 

“Probably not,“ Sehun replied quickly, while focusing on his hands again. What was he supposed to say? Would Jongdae reply something? Or should he?

 

“So…“, the older boy started. “This just happened. What are we supposed to do now?“

 

“I don’t know,“ said Sehun, who dared not to look at the shorter boy. 

 

Jongdae liked him. His crush seriously just confessed his feelings for him and Sehun was absolutely dumbfounded. He didn’t know what to say, his mouth felt dried-out and his tongue was sticking to his palate. Oh, no, this felt like a panic attack waiting to happen. While he tried to keep his fit at bay, his fingers slipped away from under Jongdae’s grasp who still hadn't retrieved his hand from his leg.

 

“I… I need some air,“ he panted, bolting out of the booth, running past Junmyeon who had just come back from the main desk. 

 

“Sehun?“

 

But Sehun didn't stop until he reached the sociology corridor in which he had met Jongdae just half an hour ago. This couldn't be happening. He was running away like a mad-man, and to make matters worse he was running from Jongdae who had just confessed to him. “Why am I like this?“, he asked himself, pleaded more so, and face-palmed himself so hard he almost bruised his knuckles and broke his nose. 

 

“Why are you like what?“ A voice behind him asked and he whirled around, only to see Jongdae coming out of the main laboratory, the exact one Sehun had just fled. He was breathing a tad too heavy, and Sehun thought that he must have sprinted out of the laboratories, just like he did. 

 

“Why can’t I talk to you?“, he half-panted, half-whined while Jongdae was making his way toward him. “Why am I the most arrogant and out-going person I know— but just not when it comes to you?“

 

“I’m the exact opposite. I’m actually kind of shy,“ Jongdae told him, his gaze intense and thoughtful. Sehun noticed how his voice suddenly had become very dark, nearly an octave lower-pitched than usual. “But when Jongin told me about your sudden need for a boyfriend… I just snapped. I knew that it would be the only chance of getting near you. Without one of us panicking, I mean.“

 

“How brutally calculated,“ Sehun managed to joke but Jongdae had only moved closer toward him, placing his long, elegant fingers on his nape. He was shorter than Sehun by almost four inches and he felt the familiar rush of panic set in, once Jongdae’s dark eyes glittered with glistening desire. 

 

“I’m just gonna go ahead and kiss you,“ Jongdae murmured. “Before we let the opportunity slip again and hate ourselves for the next decade.“

 

Although the whole sociology department was probably watching them through the not-so-opaque glass doors, Sehun complied to Jongdae’s announcement; allowing his lips to collide with the ones of the shorter boy who felt exactly as soft and relentless as Sehun had imagined. 

 

Jongdae gasped as soon as he felt the taller boy’s determination and unwillingness to ever let him go again. While their mouths seemed to connect on every physical level possible—Jongdae had started on his lower lip (and Sehun was about to faint)—he pressed his hands against Jongdae’s arms, carefully rounding them and pulling the shorter boy closer to him. 

 

They stumbled across the corridor and crashed against the wall, and even though Sehun quite literally felt a hard sting in his back, he honestly didn't care about this sort of physical pain as long as Jongdae would still moan so beautifully into his mouth. He seemed to enjoy himself in every way possible and while Sehun’s brain had stopped fathoming whatever was going on between them, his intuition began to take over the control of his body.

 

Ironically, intuitive Sehun seemed to know exactly what to do. It now was Jongdae’s turn to transform into a shaking and gasping mess under Sehun’s skillful hands and mouth. He was extremely proud and pleased with himself to see his crush of nearly two years come apart under his touch. Jongdae’s lips on his seemed like a revelation to him; something he had imagined for quite some time now and to have his dreams and wishes fulfilled in this exact way; it was honestly incredible. Sehun still couldn't rely on his brain to transmit the correct reality to him—was this really, truly happening?

 

After a few minutes of shaking epiphanies and nth time of Sehun losing control, they broke apart; staring at each other incredulously, panting, sweating. Jongdae looked adorable in a way like he’d just been run over by a tank and Sehun thought to himself that he probably didn't look much different. 

 

„Well,“ Jongdae said, breathing heavily. „What an interesting sociological survey that has been.“

 

„We should repeat this again some time,“ Sehun agreed, panting as well and leaning against the wall next to Jongdae. 

 

„I’d love to,“ the older one smiled, nearly sweeping Sehun off his feet with that simple grin of his. He’d never ever become accustomed to that. Ever. Jongdae noticed Sehun’s longing gaze and with a small, yet knowing smile he slipped his hand into his, pulling him away from the wall. „But first let’s have some fun and go troll my little brother.“