"Hey, Sehun!" Minseok sprinted to catch up with his friend, who's long legs had allowed him to effortlessly stride ahead.

Sehun chuckled. "Keep up you old man!" Relieved that Sehun had finally stopped to wait for him, Minseok grinned and skidded to a halt, almost running straight into Sehun. They continued to walk into school together, heading towards their first class of the day: Korean History. As they settled into their adjacent seats, Sehun leaned back on his chair and sighed. "I can't believe we have to start our day with this stupid class. I swear if Mr. Wu somehow gets even fractionally more boring, I'm literally going to fall into a coma right here in this seat."

Rolling his eyes, Minseok reprimanded, "You should respect your elders more! First you're rude to me, then Mr. Wu, who is working incredibly hard to teach the history of a country he didn't even grow up in. Just because there were no dragons here, like in some stupid comic books you read, doesn't mean it's not a fascinating subject. Try paying more interest." 

"Jeez, calm dow man, it was just a joke." Sehun was exasperated at his friends response. Since when had Minseok taken school so seriously? Only recently, since- "Oh, I get it now. You're being nice to our teacher to get more points, aren't you? To go to that stupid shop."

Minseok gaped at the boy beside him. "Was it that obvious? Damn, if I don't learn to be more subtle, I might not get the points at all!" Pulling out his notebook, Minseok hurried to scribble down everything that had just happened. 

Sehun shook his head as he leaned over to look at his friends extensive notes. "Do you really need to write all this stuff down? I know you're getting old, but surely you can remember this converstaion." He laughed at Minseok's offended expression and continued, "I think that this point system and that shop are just dumb."

"Only because that shop is the only place you can't afford anything," Minseok retorted. "Rich heir to Oh Corporations can buy anything with money, but when the currency is kindness he's incredibly poor."

"Rude! I bet you lost a point for that."

Sehun's teasing usually would have ellicited a long, articulate argument from his friend, but the arrival of Mr. Wu cut him short. He would have to continue this debate with Sehun at lunch time. Talking in class might mean he would miss opportunities to help his classmates and professor, and he couldn't risk that!

* * * * * * *

One agonising history lecture, one tedious algebra tutorial, and one hour of impossible English translations later, Sehun collapsed into a cafeteria chair opposite Yixing and Jongdae. His dramatic entrance went ignored by the pair, who were very much in their own world. As often happened these days, they were unable to greet their friend, their lips being otherwise engaged, making speech very difficult. Sehun had had enough. "Hey! I know you two think that your life goals are complete and you've found your soulmate and you're hopelessly in love or whatever, but if you could keep your lap sitting and making out to a minimum when I'm here, that would be very much appreciated." Irritation evident on their faces, Yixing and Jongdae paused their favourite activity, and begrudgingly shifted onto separate chairs and faced Sehun. 

"Oh, Hi Sehun! How nice to see my bestest friend! I'm so glad you decided to join us!" Jongdae's falsely cheery tone cause Yixing to giggle and Sehun to aim a flick at his ear. "OW!"

As Jongdae rubbed his sore ear, Yixing stood up, towering over the barbarian who had assaulted his soulmate. "How dare you hurt my Chen! He was simply expressing his gratitude at your presence, albeit not with an ounce of sincerity, but still. Your behaviour is unacceptable! Boy, you are so very fortunate that Minseok is on his way back here with our tray of food and I'm too hungry to kick you both off our table." He sat and hugged 'his Chen', whispering softly, "I'm here Chennie, he won't do it again. Let me heal you; I'll make it all better." Jongdae smiled his thanks while Yixing began to place soft kisses on his red ear.

"Oh, not again!" Sehun couldn't believe what had just occurred. "Chen? What does that even mean? Has he got some ridiculous name for you too? Why does having a soulmate make you act so bizarrely? There's no way that hurt. Not as much as mY FEEINGS WHEN YOU GUYS IGNORE ME!" Crossing his arms, Sehun leaned face down on the table and began sulking. His dramatic behaviours once again went unnoticed.

Minseok arrived to a very familiar scene. Setting down the tray laden with four portions of food, he sat beside Sehun, and started eating.

"You aren't even going to ask me what happened?" Sehun was further angered by his closest friends disregard for him.

Minseok snickered. "Do I need to? Let me guess. Yixing and Jongdae were continuing their frequent PDAs, you were ignored, and now you're sulking." He took another bite while Sehun passive-aggressively took his share of the food. "Why have you always got to be so miserable? When you figure out who your soulmate is, you'll realise how amazing it is, and stop being so bitter." Sehun stubbornly maintained his silence, continually adding food to his mouth in an effort to avoid speaking.

Yixing laughed at this. "While you're finally being quiet, I'll answer your questions Sehun. I call him Chen because he always rings my door bell 5 times in the morning. It means something similar to Jongdae, 'Great Bell'. He calls me Lay for a reason he has yet to explain to me. Also, the behaviour you are calling bizarre, is simply us feeling comfortable enough around someone to be ourselves. That's why soulmates are important, they are the only person who make us truly happy, no matter what."

"I call him Lay because he's the reason I'm getting laid," Chen added.

Sehun couldn't help but smile incredulously. He finally contributed to the discussion, "I was about to throw up after all of the soppy things Yixing was spouting, I'm glad Jongdae has some logic here. And I'm not bitter or miserable, I'm simply being realistic. Soulmates aren't real. Yes, you can love someone. But soulmates? It's ridiculous. It was just something invented by the government so they could start their stupid point system, reducing crime rates and encouraging good citzenship, so people will buy their fake soulmate products from that shop you are so obsessed with, Minseok."

"Always the cynic, Sehun. Speaking of the shop, do you want to some with me tonight? I might be able to prove you wrong, which is something I love, and you'll stop being so pessimistic, which can't be a bad thing." Minseok showed Sehun his puppy eyes, which surely couldn't fail to convince anyone-

"No."

-unless they were heartless.

"But whyyyy Sehun?"

"Minseok, we went yesterday, and you didn't have enough points for anything. I'm not being dragged around for hours to look at the same rubbish, for you to not even buy anything."

Minseok's face split into a wide grin, as he spoke excitedly, "But I think I'll be able to buy things today! At least one thing. anyway. I earned a lot of points today!"

"How? I don't think handing out folders in History, or lending Kyungsoo your pen is going to be enough." Sehun rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time that day, surprised at his friend's naivety and hopeless persistence.

"Those aren't the only things I did today, Sehun. I caried Ms. Choi's box into our Physics class today, I made my mother breakfast before I came to school, I brought Junmyeon back to life, and I bought lunch for you, Jongdae, and Yixing. I think that should be enough, but just in case, I'm going to give the cleaners some hot drinks after school, before they start working."

"Wait, what happened to Junmyeon?!" Sehun coulnd't believe his friend treated life saving as equal to buying lunch. 

Minseok, confused at being asked to clarify this, started to explain, "Junmyeon choked on a Cola Cube, I performed the Heimlich manouveur on him. But I can't afford to lose any points now, so I can't be late to Biology, bye!" And Minseok was gone.