Sehun started to warm up his body after playing a song on his phone connected to his portable speakers. His punching bag is in the middle of his living room, ready to receive his wrath. It is held by a steel bar with wheels and he can just pull it out whenever he wants to vent out his frustrations in life. He steadied himself in front of the punching bag and started kicking and punching with all his might.

He just went on with kicking and punching while his thoughts are going back to what Kim Jongin has said. He’s uneasy these past few days. He already did what he wants to do but there is still something that is bothering him that he cannot explain.

He’s frustrated and it was affecting his mood to paint last night. He thought that it will be gone when he slept but it did not. He’s thinking of Jongin’s handsome face that’s why he keeps on punching the poor bag.

“I have been painting since I learned how to pick up a brush and identify colors. And that guy with obviously no knowledge about art will just say that my paintings are nonsense?” Well, Jongin didn’t exactly say those words but the way he said them was enough to irk him. “No one has the right to insult my work!” His every word is equated with punch and kick. “Especially… him!”

Through gritted teeth, he rained punches and kicks on the poor punching bag. Just when he stopped to take a deep breath, the music stopped. When he looked at his speakers, he saw his Baekhyun hyung standing while pointing at the open door. He saw Kim Jongin holding a bunch of flowers.

Sehun looked at Baekhyun.

“I saw him standing in front of your door.” Baekhyun said. “I can hear your music from outside so I went inside and asked him to come with me since I know you cannot hear the doorbell.” Baekhyun knows the passcode of his door. “So, I should leave you two now. Hey, Sehun. `Behave.” Baekhyun winked at him and left.

“What are you doing here?” He asked Jongin. Good thing he’s done venting out. If not, then Jongin will have a taste of his punches and kicks.

“Yeri’s doing a hunger strike.” Jongin said. “She said she’s not planning to stop until I ask you for an apology. So I’m here now.” Jongin took a few steps and gave him the flowers. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not a girl. And do you exactly know what you did wrong?” Sehun hugged the punching bag.

“Does it matter? What’s important is that I was able to apologize to you. I don’t want anything bad happen to my sister.”

Sehun took the towel that is placed on the couch and wiped his sweat. This guy was really an arrogant jerk! He cannot even remember the mortal sin that he did to him. “You are apologizing without even knowing what it is for? Are you crazy?”

“I just came here to apologize for the sake of my sister. If you won’t accept then I cannot do anything about it.”

“Okay, since you cannot remember what you did, I’ll tell you. You insulted my paintings that I worked so hard in doing. I spent time and effort on those paintings. It’s okay for you to do so if you’re an art critic. I can accept that. I’m not narrow-minded. But since you’re neither an art critic nor an art enthusiast, you don’t have any right to judge my works.” Sehun went to Jongin and took the flowers. “I already said what I wanted to say. You can leave now.”

“I’m sorry.” Jongin said. “I will just leave if you’ll go with me. My sister said that she wants to hear it from you that you forgive me.”

Sehun detected sincerity in Jongin’s voice. But it wasn’t enough. “I cannot go with you. I still have a lot of things to do to make my work ‘aesthetically pleasing’”

Jongin doesn’t budge from where he is standing.

Well, he won’t be fazed either. Sehun threw the flowers on the couch and played his music again. But he turned it off again when he noticed a blank canvass on his garden. His gaze shifted from the flowers to the canvass. Then he picked up the flowers and went outside. Dipping the flowers into the array of paints, he smashed the bouquet on the canvass, creating a splash of colors. He repeated the steps, this time using a different color. After a few minutes, he looked at the canvass that is now full with different colors.

“Satisfied?” Jongin asked him.

Sehun just looked at him. Jongin was just watching him while standing at the sliding door of his garden. He didn’t disturbed him even if they still have unfinished business. Jongin respected his privacy and Sehun appreciates that. He just nodded at him.

Jongin fished his phone inside the pocket of his slacks and talked to someone on the other line. “I’m here at his house, Yeri. I also apologized to him. I don’t know if he accepted it or not. But it doesn’t matter. We just agreed on me apologizing to him. You can check if you want.” Jongin wlaked towards him and gave him his phone. “My sister wants to talk to you.”

Sehun raised his hands covered in paint so Jongin was the one who held his phone on his ear. “Hello?”

“Sehun oppa! Is it true that my handsome brother apologized to you already?”

“Huh?” Sehun glanced at Jongin who is just quietly standing beside him. “Y-yes.”

“Did he ask you out for a date? He’s single and available too, so I know he’s up for grabs.”

For someone who is in the middle of a hunger strike, Yeri really seemed like okay. He looked at Jongin again. If ever he hears what his sister is saying, for sure he will fly into a rage. Sehun suddenly remembered what Yeri has said the other day before they said goodbyes to each other. She will find a way to make her brother apologize to him. And pretending to be in a hunger strike is the way that she’s able to come up with?

Sehun had to give credit to the hyperactive teenager for her resourcefulness. But damn! Yeri’s brother looked even better in broad daylight! His brown hair was highlighted under the light of the afternoon sun. His liquid brown eyes were more enticing and seemed to sparkle with all the light around them.

“Obviously I was just pretending to be on a hunger strike so that my brother will have no choice but to talk to you.” Yeri said. “Now he’s with you, don’t accept his apology so that he will follow you around. While I will pretend to be dying so that Jongin oppa will grant my ‘death’ wish.”

“Yeri—”

“Sehun oppa, I know this sounds really dumb. I just want my Jongin oppa to have a decent partner in life. Besides if you actually know him better, you will agree with me that my oppa is a good man.”

“Really?”

“So, do you agree to date my brother?”

Before Sehun can answer, Jongin talked to his sister.

“Hurry up, Yeri. I still have a meeting to attend to.” Jongin placed his phone on Sehun’s ear again.

“Hello, Yeri? I’ll think about it.” Sehun said. He just nodded at Jongin to let him know that he is done talking with his sister. He was surprised because when he removed the phone from his ear, Jongin wiped his thumb on his cheek.

“You have paint smudges on your face.” Jongin said. “I suggest you wash them right away. Your skin might get irritated.”

It’s natural for him to be surprised when Jongin showed him concern. Based on their first meeting, he can’t imagine that he will suddenly act nice to him. He thought Jongin cannot show kindness. Well, Sehun now knows that he can. Sehun softened up to Jongin. He just liked the feeling when Jongin touched his cheek with his gentle hand.

“Okay, I’ll go to Yeri. But I’ll do it next time since I have a lot of things to do today.” Jongin just looked at him doubting if he’s telling the truth. “Don’t worry about your sister. She will eat soon.”

Jongin gently nodded and looked at him then walked towards the door. But before he leaves, he turned around looked at his work. Jongin said nothing. Then he left for real this time.

“Sehun!” Baekhyun called him. He went inside in a hurry. If he’s not mistaken, he watched them from his own backyard from his house. “Wow! He’s so handsome. Why didn’t you tell me that you know a very handsome man? You don’t want me to see that God’s gift to mankind. How dare you! You’re not my friend anymore.” But Baekhyun didn’t leave him and still pestering him. “So, where did you meet that person? Wow, Hunnie. You really hit the jackpot with that one! When he courts you—”

“He’s not courting me.” Sehun took the brush and palette and started to give his recent “flower” art some finishing touches. “He’s just apologizing.”

“But he gave you some flowers…” Baekhyun shrieked when he saw the outcome of the flowers Jongin gave him. “Oh my gosh, Sehun. You never really care what your admirers are giving you.”

“He’s not my admirer.”

“Even if that’s the case, it was still a gift from someone. It hurts his ego when he sees that you ruined his gift that he spent his effort in bringing to you.”

Sehun thought about Jongin’s reaction when he smashed the flowers on his canvass. “Jongin doesn’t seem to mind. It seems like it’s okay for him to use his gift in whatever way I want.”

“Jongin? That handsome creature is Kim Jongin? Yeri’s brother?”

Sehun nodded.

“Oh Sehun! You let go of that yummy guy and you’re really out of your mind!” Then Baekhyun left him.

He just shrugged and continued his work. In just a few minutes, he looked at his work. For the first time, he was able to finish a painting without repeating it. “That Jongin is really a good inspiration.” He smiled as he put on the perfect title for this particular painting.

“What’s this?” Sehun turned the envelope that Kyungsoo gave to him.

“Wedding invitation.” He answered.

“Who’s getting married?”

“Me.” Kyungsoo said and glared at him. “Why? You’re opposed to it?”

“I’m just asking.” Sehun opened the envelope and reads the invitation. “Wow, you’re right. Chanyeol hyung went with your craziness.”

“That’s my charm.”

Sehun playfully smacked Kyungsoo’s head with the invitation.

They laughed together.

“Congratulations, hyung! You’re getting married! Yuck!”

“Thanks.” Kyungsoo gently smiled when he looked around Viva Polo, one of the restaurants that his fiancé Chanyeol owns. The residents in their neighborhood love to go there when they just want to relax and do nothing.

“I really can’t believe it, Sehun. It seems like yesterday when I’m doing everything for Chanyeol to notice me while he has his eyes on you. Now, Chanyeol’s going to be my husband soon.”

“Yeah, I know.” Sehun used the corner of the invitation card to remove the paint that is stucked under his nails. “Good thing that your charm is more effective than mine. If not, then you’re still single until now.”

According to his Kyungsoo hyung, Chanyeol has his eyes on him. But he didn’t believe it since Chanyeol never showed interest in him. In fact, he’s always asking for Kyungsoo whenever they see each other.

Baekhyun arrived. He sat down on a vacant chair in front of him. “Oh, you got Kyungsoo’s wedding invitation  too. This is really happening, huh?” Baekhyun said to Kyungsoo.

“When I let go of Chanyeol, I might have a hard time looking for someone who will love me so much.”

“Yes,” Sehun agreed. “These days it’s really hard to look for someone who will love a crazy man like you. So you really shouldn’t let go of Chanyeol hyung.”

“Yeah, so you two better look for someone who is nice and handsome.”

“I’m going to be the next one, Soo!” Baekhyun said. “I’ll make sure of it!”

“Yeah, sure.” Kyungsoo nonchalantly said. “How about you, Sehun? When will you stop picking your fingernails with my wedding invitation and properly date someone this time?”

“Sehun here has someone handsome as a prospective suitor.” Baekhyun said. “But do you know what he did? He used the flowers that the poor guy gave to him as a paintbrush.”

Sehun wants to disappear when Baekhyun and Kyungsoo started to lecture him. He really doesn’t want to join these two talking about love. He tried to be in love for once but he gains nothing from it. That’s why he likes painting more. With every piece of his paintings, he’s able to gain something from it. He was earning more than enough. If he has a boyfriend, he won’t just lose his job; he will also have a hard time while being in a relationship.

“Sehun?”

Sehun looked up from where he is picking his nails. And Jongin’s handsome face greeted him. Handsome, but obviously irritated.

“I waited for you the whole day today.” Jongin said in a serious voice. “Why didn’t you go to our house?”

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo looked at him, teasing. He cannot do anything because he cannot look away from Jongin’s handsome face. Sehun finished his iced coffee first to clear his mind then he faced Jongin and pulled him outside Viva Polo. They cannot talk properly if his crazy neighbors and his equally crazy friends are listening.

“My sister’s waiting for you today. I gave you our address and I even volunteered to fetch you and bring you back to your home. It was just a simple request yet you can’t even do it.”

Sehun can’t relate with Jongin pitying his sister because he knows that Yeri is just pretending. “I have a job. It’s more important.” Sehun reasoned.

“My sister’s dying!”

He looked at Jongin and burst out laughing. Sehun is amazed with Yeri. She can definitely act better than him. Sehun gradually ceases his laugh when he saw Jongin’s serious face. He cleared his throat. “Hey, dude. Chill. You will easily get old.” He tried to make the situation lighter.

“My sister’s condition is not something you can laugh about.”

Sehun lets out a not-so-manly shriek when Jongin suddenly carried him towards his parked car at the sidewalk. He was surprised because he’s taller than Jongin and as muscular as him yet he still managed to carry him like a rag doll. He was about to ask for help from his neighbors inside Viva Polo when he saw them celebrating to what is happening to him.

Hello everyone! So Kyungsoo finally made his appearance in this story. Expect more appearance of him together with Chanyeol in this story. And yes, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol has another story as well as Baekhyun and Yixing. :) To everyone who subscribed, commented and upvoted. Thank you so much!