Fair warning: 6k words of idk and my tendency to change tenses because I can never make up my mind. 

song in mind: boys like you - anna clending 

This world is far too big for seven billion something people to be remembered. Everyday everyone struggles to do something significant, something that would—even a sliver of those seven billion people—remember that at some point, they were alive and did something to be worthy of remembering.

Everyone struggles to be someone.

Everyone always struggles to not be forgotten even after their deaths.

But Minseok isn't like that.

While everyone is out there making their name known, he prefers to be alone and hide behind the shadows. He do not wish to be known. He do not wish to conquer the world nor do he want to travel it and have everyone recognize who he was or what he did.

Those are his little brother's thing.

Jongin is the risk taker, the rebel, the black sheep of the family who prefers to go against their parents wishes because he want his name to be known. He's the one who got his first tattoo at the age of twelve even though it hurt like a and cried to Minseok at one in the morning. He's the one who the bullies left alone because he is cool and loves the lime light. He's the one who instantly made friends because he isn't the awkward and quiet Kim who everyone got tired of befriending.

He isn't Kim Minseok but the elder is fine with that.

See, people may not understand, but there's a certain beauty with just—just...

Being alone.

He knows Baekhyun would laugh at him if he tells him that. That strange sophomore who approached him when he was eating his lunch under a tree, silently munching on a bread, and said "hey, I don't know if you noticed but you look like a hamster. Your teeth just kind of like—yeah, but I like hamsters." then smiled the most dazzling smile he had ever seen. Maybe not a normal way to start a friendship but it worked because it's Byun Baekhyun.

Maybe Baekhyun is one of those people who want to make a name for themselves.

He's always running around and doing strange things, like lighting up fireworks on the school rooftop in the middle of the night, or drawing es on bathroom walls, or when he feel like it, on his test papers. Or those sort of things that are not socially acceptable. Baekhyun does things that normal people wont and Minseok never question him for it. Maybe that's why Baekhyun sticks with him. Who knows? Sometimes Minseok finds it strange that people chooses to stay or befriend him and not Jongin.

Ah, but we're straying from the main topic here.

Where were we?

Right.

There's certain beauty to just being alone.

Not that he isn't grateful with the friends he has—even though there's only three, wait, four—it's just that when you're alone, you appreciate the small things people who are too busy to look at. Like how a bird carries a twig to make a nest for its eggs. Or how a mother cat her kitten and keeps them safe on a rainy day. Or those old couple who sits by their porch holding each other's hands and reminisce about life. Things this generation doesn't appreciate because they are too busy running around and chasing these ambiguous dreams. 

Point is, you tend to appreciate things when you're alone.

Like right now.

With a notebook in hand and a cup of Americano he bought from the coffee shop just down the streets on the floor beside the worn out sofa the older tenants possibly left when they moved away to a better more advance and state of the art apartment, Minseok close his eyes and inhaled deep. He took in the sounds that's coming from below their apartment building and the smell of city air around him. He let the wind brush his already unruly hair and then, he thinks—as he drowned in the sounds of cars and generally the city and the blinking of the colorful Christmas lights his little sister and her friends decorated the gloomy rooftop with to make it 'Instagram worthy'—it's nice like this.

It's like being at peace but minus the dying. You get where this is coming from?

He could feel his body relax and all the stress he acquired back at school disappear into the thin air.

See, he like it here.

Here is where he can be at peace because back at their unit, things are possibly in a mess. He knows maybe ten minutes or more, Minseo would come barging in from the door with a heavy pout on her face and slump on the spot next to him. She then would start ranting about how Jongin's an and why can't he just chill for once because whatever it is he want to do is getting their parents even more stressed. That he's not even that good at dancing or singing and he shouldn't make their mom cry or something thus successfully destroying Minseok's peace. 

Maybe—it's sort of stupid and mindless wish because Minseo always finds her peace under her oldest brother's presence—she will choose to go to their cousin Soohee at unit 10 instead of disturbing Minseok. Perhaps he's just wishing that Minseo will find an alternative in the form of Soohee since people kind of states that they look alike. Actually, the three of them look alike so much and people would probably believe that Soohee is their other sibling and not Jongin. Jongin kind of look like their dad with his plump lips and tan skin wherein Minseok and Minseo got their looks from their mom who is the sister of Soohee's dad who—you get the drill.

But point is, Minseok want to keep this tranquility that he's in.

Exhaling, Minseok open his eyes and flip the notebook he's been holding open. He took a pencil he always kept inside his pocket, or what's left since it had undergone a lot of sharpening, and did his usual routine.

On the beige paper he draws and sometimes writes the thing that catches his attention. Like the skyscrapers that surrounds their apartment building, or some deep stuffs Jongdae quoted which he finds on tumblr, stuffs like "finding refugees in my own lies"  or "so dark the con of man" whatever, anything that's worthy of remembering, or a flower field, or if he feels like it, he sometimes sketches his siblings. And after he finishes a piece, he leans back on the back rest and smile, satisfied with what he'd drawn or written.

See, he wouldn't be able to draw or write something so beautiful if he wasn't alone. If he was around the world's noises or even surrounded by a chaotic hurricane that is people's dream, he doubt he could draw or maybe capture because he loves taking pictures as well, the beauty that is when everything's at peace—the beauty that people often times overlooked.

Jongin calls him poetic.

Minseo thinks he could help her with her Instagram feed. To make it more 'aesthetic-ish' and or so she says.

Baekhyun compliments him from time to time.

Jongdae suggest him some places.

Kyungsoo likes to watch him sketch or take pictures and mostly stays quiet then falls asleep.

And Dongwoo?

He used to say that such hobbies suits Minseok more than anything. 'Used to' because he moved away a year ago and they eventually grew apart.

(He guess he really do only have three friends. His siblings and cousin doesn't count.)

And then, eventually, just as he predicted, the tranquility doesn't last.

True to his words, Minseo came barging in nearly fifteen minutes later and ranted how why she was even related to a good-for-nothing Jongin who only knows how to piss their parents.

Perhaps, Minseok thought as Minseo continued to rant about Jongin and eventually diverting to other problems kids her age face, that the silence and tranquility that he loves maybe comes along with chaos that he so dislike.

Because, maybe? (he's not so sure) That maybe, tranquility could not be acquired without chaos. Like, chaos creates peace, and so as peace creates chaos.

Whatever that means.

"A Rebel with a Cause." If one were to ask him to describe his younger brother with one sentence, he'd probably say that. Although technically he don't know what that means, it simply just sound so fancy and he thinks the quote or sentence suits Kim Jongin. Even though, again, he don't know what it means.

For sure, Jongin fits the image of a rebel or what an image of a rebel is from the perspective of the current generation, widely popularized by the social media. If he's not wearing their schools' designated uniform, he'd be wearing a black v-neck shirt, ripped pants, a lip piercing that made their mother nearly had an heart attack, and the tattoo of a rose that's on his bicep. And he also does tons of that makes their parents wanna rip their hair off and the school counselor grow tired of seeing his face every other day. To Jongin rules are that binds and stop him from what he's supposed to be.

Thus, the label 'rebel' suit him on so many levels. 

Even now, when Minseok is packing his stuffs because he's about to explore places and take pictures with his Polaroid, Jongin makes it known that he's a rebel by entering his room and lying on his stomach on his bed. Minseok's number rule is no one is allowed to enter his room because they usually messes things up (trust him, he don't like when his usually tidy room is being turned upside down) and he do not like when things are messed up.

Jongin is flipping through the pages of one of his full notebooks and is humming a tune he doesn't recognize.

"Hey bro," Jongin started. "You can make a living out of this, you know." he said as he flip through the pages with his fingers. Minseok on the other hand simply rechecked his things and gave his brother an uninterested hum as a response to his statement. "Like, seriously. These are good. The sketches, I mean. You could be an architect. Or a painter. You could be the next Leonardo Da Vinci or something."

Rolling his eyes because he already lost count of the number of times people told him that, Minseok swung his backpack on his shoulder and snatch the notebook out of the younger boy's hands. "I'll think about it." Is what he say before returning it to its rightful place—on the shelf beside his night stand.

"You always say that but we both know you will not." Jongin, now lying on his side with his elbow propped on the mattress and placed his head on his open palm, gave his older brother a look. When Minseok didn't respond and simply pushed his thick glasses further to his nose, the younger sighed deeply and sat.

"I don't get it." Jongin once again said with a frown. "You're so talented and yet you don't do anything with your talent. You're simply letting it rot."

"No, I don't." Minseok defended. "I mean, I nurture my gifts... That's why I do this." The boy murmured the last part and played with the straps of his backpack.

"Yeah, you do 'nurture your gifts', that's why you go to places and take pictures, and maybe draw them, without letting people see them." The younger rolled his eyes and made air quotation on the sentence. It didn't need a genius to guess that Jongin thinks he's lame for using those words but Minseok is used to such looks and simply shrugged it off.

"... I'm happy doing this." The elder said with a soft voice and looked down on his socked feet. "Isn't that what really matters?"

With the last statement, Jongin's expression softened and then he let out a resigned sigh. He stood up from Minseok's bed and went to where his brother stood. The younger smiled gently and wrapped an arm around the elder's shoulder. "Okay, you win." He said as he gave it a squeeze. "I guess that's what really matters."

Looking up from his feet, Minseok reciprocated his brother's smile and placed a hand on top of Jongin's. It was sort of amazing how his skin contrasted his younger brother's like it was a reminder of how Kim Minseok himself was the exact contrast of Kim Jongin.

It sort of reminded him of the thing Changmin from the convenience store down the road said to him once when he did an errand for his mom. The boy who was older than him was studying Radiologic Technology at a nearby University and randomly stated while he was punching Minseok's orders: "Did you know that you can't have contrast without density? But then you can have density without contrast. That's like a clear reminder that the world is unfair." Whatever he meant by the terms, really.

He likes Changmin though. He sneaks him some licorice and ruffle his hair. He thinks the elder thinks Minseok's a middle schooler but then again who doesn't?

Also, Radiologic Technology terms aside, his statement actually reminded Minseok of something even more personal. In this case, Minseok is the contrast and Jongin is the density.

Like the only thing that makes people know he even existed is because he is related to the great Kim Jongin. His brother is like the only thing that's telling the world that there's a Kim Minseok who lived. That you can't have a Kim Minseok existing without the help of a Kim Jongin.

Maybe if Jongin really did become successful and achieved his dream of becoming a music icon, he'd be known as the great idol's big brother. Doesn't have that much of a significance but hey, at least his fans will acknowledge is existent at some point. In contrary to it though like what Changmin had said "you can have density without contrast" like how Jongin can exist and make a name for himself even without Minseok.

It's sad but he is fine with that.

He is happy that his brother has something that he want to do.

Even if it drives people mad but that's one of Jongin's charm.

He support Jongin with his dreams. In fact he's the only one who do that's probably why the younger prefers to tell him his secrets instead of telling them to their parents.

"Nini, I know you're worried about me." Minseok started, using his younger brother's nickname. "But I'll be fine. I know what I'm doing and I swear I'm not letting my talents rot or something." He assured and wearing his gummy smile that he knows Jongin likes.

Knowing that the argument has reached its end, Jongin simply sighed and nodded before pulling Minseok into a bone crushing hug. The older laughed at his antics and reciprocated his hug.

Maybe Jongin is indeed a rebel because like how rebels are depicted in books of fiction, he's also a huge softie towards the people he truly cares for.

Sometimes when Minseok trudge his way to the old train station, he thinks of words—maybe a full sentence—to describe a person he know. They don't necessarily needs to be his friends. Sometimes he thinks of descriptive words to define the lady who he always sees whenever he goes to the art shop. He thinks that her red coat is obnoxious and strange as well her wearing a huge sunglasses despite the sun not being present. Minseok thinks that she hides some stuffs in them. Be it behind her dark sunglasses or the red coat that reaches just above her knees. 

With that, he thinks of her as "mysterious" or at least she tries to be. Minseok also thinks she's only trying to so that she could catch the handsome cashier's attention. (He sees her sending strange looks—tipping her sunglasses lower to the tip of her nose—to the man whenever he's not looking.) "Desperate" could be good too.

Sometimes he also likes to describe his friends to no one in particular.

Starting off with Baekhyun. He's "that loud boy who makes a mess like a beagle puppy on sugar high". Jongdae's the "other equally loud beagle pup who whines too much" and Kyungsoo, he's the "the boy with the owl-like eyes who is easily angered."

There are times wherein he would suddenly snicker thus earning weird looks from strangers.

But if you were to ask him to describe a certain someone, perhaps someone who goes by the name of "Lu Han", Minseok will probably fidget on his spot and bite his lower lip. He'd probably do his unconscious habit of twisting the hem of his shirt and eyes shifting anywhere. Then, he'd probably sigh and weakly say "he's the boy my mother warned me about." 

Now he'll admit that he don't know the boy well enough. But he didn't need to know him to learn that he's not exactly the type of person he should be with.

Minseok know Lu Han since they were in middle school. One could even say that they're acquaintance because the latter wasn't exactly snobbish. But with all the times Minseok spent standing on the sidelines and watching people live by, he saw Lu Han change.

He witnessed when the boy stopped wearing glasses then started to dye his hair in different color. He saw him kissing people in the hallways, he saw that half picture of him with an equally half girl at the back seat of a car. He's updated with the people he slept with because news about the popular kids spread like wild fire. And he'd seen a good number of people who cried after Lu Han dropped the bomb and say "I just don't see you that way."

He have nothing against Lu Han, really.

He's kind of nice to him if he must say. Lu Han is one of those popular kids who bother to send him smiles and generally not be an to Minseok. But Lu Han's simply trouble that's why he stay away from him.

Lu Han is like this chaos that have every power to destroy Minseok's peace and break him into pieces.

And he wasn't dumb to not know that he was Lu Han's latest target. He blames Baekhyun for it and his dire need to intervene with his nonexistent life because apparently being a is bad nowadays. Which was kind of ironic because far as he know, Baekhyun's a himself. Yet he probably never expected for Lu Han to be that thirsty for s. Nor did he ever really expected to take him seriously and go after Minseok of all people.

Being on the sideline taught Minseok a lot of things.

Things like Lu Han simply would only spare him a glance and a friendly smile then goes on with his life. He does nothing more. He doesn't converse with him unless necessary. He doesn't bother eating his lunch with the pale boy sitting by the window who wears thick glasses and doesn't bother combing his ridiculous bed head. He doesn't bother knowing Kim Minseok more than he already do. He doesn't bother asking what he likes and what he don't.

Lu Han simply doesn't bother Kim Minseok. (And the pale boy was more than fine with that)

So when Lu Han came up to him at lunch time three weeks ago and pulled a chair and placed it in front of Minseok's table, he know something was up. When he started conversing about how ty their homeroom teacher was for pulling a pop-up quiz and saying "wow, your lunch looks delicious! Did you cook it? Maybe you could cook for me sometimes.", it didn't need a genius to guess that he was up to something. Especially when it didn't just ended there. Things then shifted to more obvious stuffs like Lu Han offering to carry his things, or asking him to study together, or watch him practice, or throwing compliments that Minseok knows were empty, that he didn't mean any of them.

See, if there's another thing Minseok learned upon being on the sideline is there are two types of fu—vulgar boys (excuse him, he's taught not to swear or say the 'f' word).

One is the straight to the point type.

The type that goes up to you and says "hey, I like your . Can I you tonight?" then smiles in a way like he's simply ordering some sort of food.

Most of the times, these boys are the ones who goes home with a red slap mark on their face or goes home with a person wrapped around their arms.

(Maybe, Minseok likes them more because they don't play around and are straight to the point.)

Two is the type who takes things slow.

The type who carefully plans their strategies and takes their time. The type who goes to great lengths wooing their victims, making them believe that they're different or say things like "you're not like the rest. You're simply... Special", downright luring their victims with pretty lies and when they falls straight to their trap? They leave them there broken and hating themselves for being so stupid.

Lu Han falls on the second category.

The boy is notorious for making people fall deeply in love before breaking them to countless pieces. Lu Han hides his dark and malignant side behind his pretty face, pretty smile, and pretty words. He's like a siren who draw sailors into their doom.

That's why Lu Han perfectly fits the category of the boys his mom had told him to stay away from.

So with all chances he gets, he hides away from Lu Han. Or tries to hide at least.

Like right now.

Minseok swore his blood drained from his face as he took in the sight of Lu Han hunched in front of a display glass, his guitar case hanging from his shoulder, and face contorted in deep concentration. Yet, possibly noticing that someone was looking at him, the boy blinked a couple of times before tilting his head to the direction of where Minseok is standing. Minseok cursed the heavens above—as Lu Han's eyes twinkled with recognition—that of all days for him to take a short cut, he just had see the boy today.

"Minseok!" The boy exclaimed and Minseok is honestly contemplating if he should turn around and run as fast as he could (it sounds like a good plan, really). Yet before he could do so, Lu Han is already jogging to his direction with a grin plastered on his pretty face. "Hey," He greeted as he disregard all of Minseok's need for personal space and stopped directly in front of him. "Never thought I'd see you here."

'I was honestly hoping I'd never see you today.' Is what Minseok wanted to say but then simply settled down with a quiet "same."

Examining his face, Lu Han shifted his eyes from Minseok's form to the big back pack on his back. "So..." he started as he rearrange the guitar case hanging by its straps on his shoulder. "Are you going somewhere near or are you running away?"

Minseok then looked up from the ground and gave Lu Han a questioning look. Head to the side and eyebrows slightly furrowed, the boy asked the Chinese boy a "what are you talking about?" to which Lu Han responded by a manly giggle before pointing at his heavy looking bag.

"Your bag." He said. "It looks like you shoved all your belongings in there."

The shorter boy blinked a couple of times then wrap his pale fingers on the straps of his bag. "No... Not really. I was just... Just... Going for a walk and all, to, um, take pictures and draw." He explained and diverted his eyes away from Lu Han. Yet maybe he probably should because at the mention of the last four words Lu Han's expression lightened and his grin turned wider.

"No —" Minseok flinched at the profanity. "You can draw? That's amazing!" He exclaimed which made the boy wonder what's so amazing with being able to draw? He's not even sure if he's good at it. For all Lu Han know, Minseok could be a beginner who only knows how to make stick figures.

"You're not even sure if I'm good at it." Minseok voiced out to which Lu Han responded with a hum.

"Well... Why don't you show me?" The boy asked and leaned even closer, much to Minseok's distaste.

"Umm..." Minseok started as he took a step back. "I don't—I mean, I'm not really good at it. It's—it's sort of mediocre and..." He trailed off upon noticing the look he was getting from Lu Han. Needless to say that the boy blushed from the uncomfortable feeling of being scrutinized and embarrassment from the amusement that he sees in those eyes. Sighing, and knowing that if he'd deny him even more, Lu Han would bother him for the rest of the day, Minseok swung his bag and took his prized notebook out.

He gave it to the boy wordlessly and watched as Lu Han flipped through the pages with an unreadable expression.

Minseok is definitely fidgeting on his spot while Lu Han observed his so called "creation" now with a smile. Upon reaching the blank pages, the taller looked up from the notebook and smiled a dazzling smile that put Baekhyun's into shame.

"These are really good!" he said as his eyes glimmered with amazement. "They are so detailed and you're really good with words. Man, I wish I could do that, being good with words and drawing and all." He added and Minseok continued to blush even darker.

And he knows he shouldn't because Lu Han's a liar. He lied about not being good with words when in reality Lu Han's a master of words. It's not like it's a secret that he's the one who writes the lyrics of their band's songs. And their songs are really good.

But he know that saying so will only prolong this conversation so he simply settled down with a small "thanks" and takes the notebook back. He quietly put his note back to his bag and focused his eyes down the pavement.

"Umm..." He started. "I need to go—I have somewhere to umm... I just... Yeah. Bye, Lu Han." He murmured and turned around, mind set on going to the old train station. Yet, about three meters into his walk, Minseok noticed the sound of extra set of foot following him close behind. Closing his and silently prayed to God that it's not who he's thinking, the boy pushed his eyeglass further to his nose bridge and gingerly turned around.

And sure enough Lu Han is there and standing not more than half a meter from Minseok. The boy is actually asking himself if the other heard his small whimper when he broke out into a full grin. "What are you doing?" He asked.

Instead of answering, Lu Han closed their distance and choose to stand beside Minseok. He shifted the weight of his guitar on his shoulder and smiled. "Can I come with you?" He asked as he wrapped an arm around the shorter boy's shoulder. And with Lu Han wearing a sleeveless black shirt topped by a white sleeveless hoodie, needless to say the action made Minseok flush red (again) because he could feel the other boy's skin from the exposed skin of his neck. He silently cursed himself for wearing the lose maroon v-neck shirt he took from Jongin's closet.

"D-don't you have somewhere to go to?" He stuttered and gingerly removed the arm on his shoulder.

If Lu Han took offence from the action, he didn't show it. Instead he grinned wider and tucked his hands in his jean's pockets. "I'm pretty sure they'll survive without me for a day." He said and gave Minseok a wink.

Minseok wanted to retort how could a band function without their lead singer but then choose to close his mouth. He realized—maybe he should have the moment Lu Han asked him to show him his works—that the boy is doing this on purpose. That he'd prolong the conversation and then, Minseok would fell right through his trap and bam! He loses his ity!

The small gasp that left the shorter boy's lips at the realization made Lu Han's pupils dilate a little but Minseok is far too concerned to even notice it. Blinking rapidly, he thought of things his mom and dad told him to do upon facing such situation.

And yet as he continue to stand there while having a mini stare off with Lu Han, he realized.

There's none...

... So he ran.

But of course he should've known better than to runaway from Lu Han, slash formal football team striker before he was kicked out of the team, slash lead singer of an indie band.

"Never thought this old rickety thing still works!" Lu Han exclaimed as he gaze out of the window of the old train. He looked like a five years old kid who just rode a train for the first time. If Minseok doesn't know better, he would go as far as saying he's adorable.

Probably noticing that Minseok hasn't said a word since he chased him four blocks down the train station—to his defense, the boy shouldn't have sprinted away—, Lu Han transferred his gaze to the boy who's sitting on the seat in front of him. And he had to control the laughter that's bubbling in his throat with the pout that's on his face.

He's kinda cute.

"Relax." He said, in hope that it would loosen up the boy a little. When Minseok finally looked up from his lap, Lu Han then decided that yep, he's cute. "God, you're adorable." He voiced out which made the other flush red and return his attention on his lap.

"But I swear I'm not gonna bite you, so chill." The taller boy said. "Well, unless you want to. I mean, who am I to say no to that?" He winked and waggled his eyebrow suggestively. Which raised Minseok's anxiety on a whole new level.

"Seriously, relax." He laughed and rummaged through his pocket. "I'm not gonna do anything to you. I'm just doing this to get away from Yifan and everything. You know? Just to get back. We were not supposed to have a practice today but he was ing around 'cause this girl stood him up for a date... So joke's on him. If he can do what he want, so can I. Right?" Lu Han explained as he extended a hand that's holding a candy bar to the still distressed boy as a peace offering.

When Minseok still looked at him like Lu Han's gonna eat him alive, the other rolled his eyes and stood up from his seat to give Minseok the candy bar himself. Or more like placed it on the boy's open palm because he looked like a scared hamster who would runaway with the littlest touch.

But even doing so, the boy still looked apprehensive with the entire ordeal.

And it actually made Lu Han question if going after this boy was even worth it.

He's not dumb. Maybe he's sort of academically dumb but that's only towards calculus and science but common sense speaking, he's not. Usually his targets would give in after a week or so, but all Minseok did was make his plan harder than it should. He's highly aware that he's avoiding him whenever he gets the chance, be it making up obvious excuses or straight up running away like he did earlier.

Lu Han's a simple person.

And a simple doesn't like that much hardship in his life.

But Minseok's really cute and shy s are always worth it base from his experiences themselves.

Sighing because Minseok's being difficult (and smart), Lu Han slumped on his seat and pouted. The other boy still refused to look at him and he obviously doesn't appreciate it that much. He looked up to the ceiling of the old train and thought of any ideas to make the other at ease under his presence.

When an idea crossed his mind, he perked up.

"Say," he started this time successfully getting Minseok to look at him. "Can I sing you a song?" Lu Han asked with a grin.

Only to be turned down by a firm shake of the head courtesy of the bespectacled boy. While Lu Han pouted, it disappeared the moment the train entered a tunnel. The boy then instead let out a huge tired sigh and frowned on his reflection on the window. But he's stubborn which meant he is not about to give up.

Yet.

"Fine, I will not sing." He said and faced the still silent boy. Then an idea crossed his mind. One: because he's getting desperate and two: he noticed that Minseok hasn't said a word ever since they boarded the train. "But how about you do." He bargained.

When Minseok gave him an incredulous look, Lu Han raised a hand in the air as a sign that he's not finished yet.

"Before you say no, let me finish." He said. "If you sing me a song, I promise I'll leave you alone. I'd let you get off this train and I'll buy my ticket and return back to the city. How about that?" He bargained and wore the most helpless look he could.

Blinking a couple of times, Minseok traced the candy bar with his fingers with his eyes still on Lu Han's face. He contemplated the legitimacy of the boy's words and if he really do leave him alone if he spare him a song.

"How will you know if you don't try?" A part of him said. With that, he eyed the boy and opened his mouth. "How will I know that you're not lying?" He questioned with a small voice and just the action itself made the smile return to Lu Han's lips.

"How will you know if you don't try?" He retorted, giving life to Minseok's question.

Although a little creeped out because how did even Lu Han know what's on his mind, Minseok returned his eyes back down on the candy bar on his lap. He bit his lower lip and thought of a song to sing just so Lu Han would finally leave him alone. He contemplated on singing a Disney song just so the boy would be turn off and leave him alone for good but his timid side got the best of him and crossed that idea out. Letting his abused lips go, he looked up and stared at the waiting Lu Han.

"T-the sad song of the wind fills the space between you and I..." He started softly, remembering the song Minseo had been singing a lot lately. Sure his English pronunciation is not the best but it's one of the few songs he like and can sing confidently. "Where did it find the sorrow that it's held for all this time?" He continued but now choose to return his attention back to his lap so that he wouldn't see Lu Han's expression of mock or any sort of degrading expression.

"Looking up to the sky, it's hard to focus through the tears." Minseok resumed singing and putting his heart through the lyrics that sort of speaks to him. "But when I wipe them away, I find the world has become so clear."

By this time, the train had finally exited the tunnel and the light from the sun illuminated the astonished expression on Lu Han's face. An expression Minseok failed to see because he had his head bowed down.

"Thinking back to my father's words they always seemed so cold." Minseok had to smile then because those lines are accurate and so as the next that comes after. "But I remember them fondly now maybe I'm getting old." He sang with a hint of laugh in his voice.

"I never learned how to smile or say what's really on my mind. So I look at you and I follow your lead every time." He sang the words almost like as a confession. And as he looked up and directly focused his gaze on Lu Han's, the taller of the two had never seen someone so beautiful.

"Just a little longer please." Maybe it's the sun that illuminated Minseok's face in a very surreal manner that made him think so.

"Only a little longer please." Or maybe the way his skin glowed and the fact that the entire ordeal reminded him so much of a movie scene is the reason why his breath is completely taken away.

"Stay a little longer." Or maybe the sincerity of his voice as he sang the words is to be blamed. "with me." Or maybe the way he sang 'with me' held so much emotion that made Lu Han's brain forget to think of anything or anyone but the boy before him.

"Just a little longer please... Only a little longer please..." Or maybe generally it's just Minseok and his inability to see just how much he affects Lu Han that very moment.

"Please stay with me..." Or how he shyly looked down, a red tint painting his cheeks, as he realized that he had been staring at Lu Han and has been directing the words to the boy that tug the taller boy's heart on a strange manner.

"A little longer."

Yeah.

Maybe it's just Kim Minseok.

And maybe that day was where it all started. How Lu Han's breath was taken away with a fraction of his heart. That, that day marked the day wherein, slowly, he started to change and how...

Just maybe...

How he got tangled to knots in his own little game.

Or "the beginning of the end" as what people say.

(YAS 20 AGAIN LU HAN IS THE LU HAN IN THIS FIC LOL.)

I'M ALIVE!!1!1!1!

Lmao this took me a week or so to finish because I have an attention span of a squirrel. Or maybe worse. Idk. And I got carried away with the first and second part. Sorry.

The song Minseok sang is this English cover of Nandemonaiya from the Anime movie Your Name because i let my weab side win.