"Stop it, Sehun," Baekhyun says as he leans over and grabs Sehun by the belt loop and pulls him closer. Sehun isn't usually this nervous when he hangs out with Kai but this time is different. "You look great," Baekhyun reassures him. "Stop worrying."

"Stop worrying?" Sehun huffs. "I never confront anyone about anything!"

Chanyeol gets up from Sehun's bed to join them. "Well, you have to; I convinced my boss to let you occupy that room for however long you need," He puts in. "And if Tao shows his face, he's going to eat my fist."

Sehun smiles at him. The guy isn't particularly threatening unless he's working or defending his friends. It's charming, considering he's normally very goofy and friendly. "Kai already punched him."

"Kai punched Tao?!" Baekhyun shouts. "And we weren't there to see it?!"

Sehun shakes his head as he fixes his shirt. He was going to wear the jacket Kai bought him, but he feels it'll be too awkward if things go south. "Before he took me to the movies the day before yesterday, Tao showed up outside of the apartment," He begins to explain. "He wanted to get back together..." He rubs his arm, remembering Tao's abnormally tight grip. "When he started to shake me, Kai got mad and pushed him away. That's really when Tao started to shout."

"What'd...he say?" Chanyeol asks with a frown.

"Well," Sehun sighs as he pulls one of his other jackets on. "He said Kai doesn't give a about me and was only doing it for the money. Which is ridiculous, considering he stopped receiving any money at all."

Baekhyun raises his brows, pausing as he fixes Sehun's hair. "What? Kyungsoo isn't paying him anymore?"

"No," Sehun shakes his head. "Anyway, Kai was just going to walk away but...well, Tao started to yell at me then; saying if I paid Kai enough, h-he'd..." Sehun blushes as looks down at his feet. "Uhm..."

"Oh, that he'd you," Baekhyun continues, and Sehun grumbles at his forwardness.

"Yeah...Kai got mad that he was turning his anger on me I guess, so he punched him."

"I wish I was there," Chanyeol sighs. "It sounded awesome."

"People getting hurt isn't awesome, Chanyeol," Sehun sighs. As much as he hates seeing anyone get hurt, it did feel good. His anxiety rocks through the roof when he hears the front door open and close.

"Yo, Sehun," Kai calls out. Sehun looks at Baekhyun, who just smiles and nods. He gets up and leads Sehun out as he twirls his car keys.

"What's up, K?" Baekhyun asks nonchalantly. "Say, we're all going to the club; let's just all drive in my car."

"I've got no problems with that," Kai shrugs. "Do you, soft spot?"

Sehun slowly shakes his head, shyly grabbing onto Chanyeol's arm. Kai raises a brow but seems to let it go; probably assuming it has something to do with Sehun disliking for the club. He clings to his giant friend even as they get into the car. And Chanyeol so graciously sits in the back seat with him and gives Kai his usual passenger seat. "What's wrong with you?" Kai asks, looking back at Sehun with concern.

"Oh, you know him," Baekhyun responds for him. "The poor boy hates crowds and loud music." Kai smiles and leans over, gently squeezing Sehun's knee.

"Hey, you're alright," Kai reassures him. "We'll be in one of those rooms like you texted."

Sehun smiles too now, but he still feels shy and nervous. "R-right..." Chanyeol glances down at Kai's hand, raising his brow but he stays quiet. Sehun shakes his head up at Chanyeol as they share a quiet conversation. Sehun is confused, and Chanyeol nods in agreement, that it really is weird. Once parked, Sehun begrudgingly leaves Chanyeol's side to go to Kai's. He doesn't dislike being by Kai. He's just scared.

 "So, you want anything to drink?" Kai asks as he leads Sehun up the stairs and into the same room as before. He slowly shrugs his coat off, forcing a smile. 

"Just some water," He responds, watching as Kai nods and exits. 

"Hey, we'll just be right outside, okay?" Baekhyun says after poking his head in. When Sehun gives him a nervous nod, he gives him a quick wink before closing the door again. He needs to relax. It's just Kai; he's never uncomfortable around him. He tries to stop himself from shaking as he sits on one of the couches, deciding to just fold his hands on his lap tightly. He jumps when Kai comes back in.

"Man, what's got you so on edge?" Kai huffs as he sets the drinks down. He smiles at the absence of alcohol from either of their beverages. But then he frowns. Kai always drinks at the club. Unless there's a reason behind not drinking; like having a serious conversation. 

"You already know we're not...just hanging out, huh?"

"I'm not stupid, Sehun," Kai sighs as he takes a spot beside Sehun. "First of all, you hate the club," he points out. "Second, you have Chanyeol and Baekhyun outside of the room, and it's their day off. THIRD, you're all tense." Sehun glares at him, really hating how observant he was. "So what's this about? Your parents?" He pauses when seeing Sehun's expression. "No, it's me."

"I-I don't-"

"You've barely even looked at me since the theater, Sehun," Kai interrupts. "And you ALWAYS look at me."

Sehun blushes at that. "I don't...ALWAYS look at you."

"Yes, you do. Whenever we talk, or I talk, you look at me," Kai says. He gently touches Sehun's shoulder. "Come on, what's bugging you?" Something pushes Sehun, and he suddenly smacks Kai off of his shoulder and quickly stands. He paces around the room, all of his anxiety hitting him again. "Whoa, Sehun! What's-"

"I don't know!" Sehun interrupts as he circles the room. He fiddles with his shirt as he tries to think. "I'm so confused, Kai. I told you that before b-but It's confusion about you. Not anyone else," He spits out. "I know how I feel about Tao, I'm SUPER angry at him, and I never want to see his stupid face again," he explains. "I know how I feel about Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Luhan, and Kyungsoo; they're the best friends I've ever had, and I absolutely love them. I know they'd do anything for me." He stops and lets out a shaky sigh. "I don't...I don't know about you, Kai."

Kai stares at him oddly. "About me?"

Sehun stares at him for a moment before forcing himself to go on; beginning to pace again. "You say that you're straight and yet y-you go around doing all this stuff," he goes on. "Like paying for everything for me out of your own wallet, when you could have used Kyungsoo's. Stopping your payments and yet not stopping all that you do for me. Holding my hand, when you don't even need to, or even that mall trip," He says. "The way you get mad for me and even punched Tao when he bad mouthed me; and don't you even try telling me that was because he -talked you. You only started to really get mad when he spoke badly of me." Kai remains silent as he speaks, only slowly leans back in his seat and observing him. "If you're straight, fine! B-but stop confusing me! Because I like-" He swallows hard and looks at his feet. He closes his eyes briefly before shaking his head.

"N-nevermind, I can't do this..."

"Wait, no," Kai stands up, stopping Sehun before he can reach the door. "What were you going to say?"

Sehun lets out a soft groan. "Kai, I...I don't know what I'm talking about, okay? I'm confused."

"Tell me," He instructs. "Just..." He sighs. "Just say it."

"I can't!" Sehun begins to shout. He doesn't know why he's yelling now. Kai doesn't deserve it. 

"Yes, you can- you said all of that without any problem!"

"It's not the same!" Sehun shrugs his hands off his arms. "Confessing your feelings for someone isn't as simple as just spitting it out!"

They stare at each other, silences replacing the previous shouting. "What?" Kai finally speaks up. "Your...your feelings?"

Sehun closes his eyes and covers his face with his hands. He lets out a moan and suddenly wants to dig himself a grave and bury himself in it. His heart drops into his stomach, and his chest tightens. Everything tightens. He can feel himself begin to cry and he wants to kick himself for it. "Sehun, you..." Kai clears his throat. "You like me, don't you?" When Sehun says nothing, Kai sighs. "Since when?"

"I..." Sehun swallows hard. "I don't know.." His voice is soft and almost a whisper. "I think...I think after the club incident..."

"Ah, ," Kai mumbles. But Sehun doesn't dare look at him. He doesn't even want to open his eyes. "I uh...I need..." There's sudden silence. "I need to think for... a few days," He finally says, his voice isn't as confident as it normally is. "I'll text you." There's a hesitant squeeze to his shoulder before the sound the door beside him opens and shuts. Sehun doesn't open his eyes until a few minutes later. He stares at the room with blurry eyes, even more confused. Did he make a mistake? What if he was being a complete idiot and reading too much into things? What if all of those things Kai did for him is just things he does for his friends and there's absolutely nothing romantic there? He might have just ruined a perfectly good friendship over absolutely nothing.

Sehun slowly stands when his two friends enter. He wipes his eyes and shakes his head when they try to talk to him. He sighs as he tiredly makes his way out of the club, glad to be rid of the loud music and lights. While it might not have gone as well as he hoped, it's over. He said everything, surprisingly easily, and that's what matters. Sehun bites his lip once he gets into the back of Baekhyun's car. He pulls his phone out and looks at it. He scrolls down to Kai's number.

Sehun: Can we just forget I said any of that?"

Sehun waits a few minutes. No response.

Sehun: I'm going to tell my parents the truth tomorrow. I'm sorry, Kai

He waits a little longer. Still nothing. He mumbles a goodbye to his two friends before slowly going back into his apartment and entering the living room. Sehun keeps his eyes on his phone the entire time, almost ignoring Luhan when he greets him. He mumbles a quiet hello before he goes to his room and shuts the door behind him; when he does that, his roommate knows he wants to be left alone. After waiting a few more minutes, Sehun just tosses his phone, cringing when it misses his bed and lands on the floor. 

"God," He groans, falling back onto his bed and stares up at the ceiling. He shouldn't have even brought it up in the first place. As usual, he's probably just looking too deeply into things. They're friends and Kai's straight. That's all there is to it.  Grabbing a pillow, he covers his face. "I'm so ing dumb."

Sehun stares at his parents, and they look back, in concern. He shakingly accepts the tea when Minseok sets it down. He had called his parents yesterday in hopes they'd meet up. The sooner he gets all of this out, the better. He feels bad enough for doing this to them.

"Thanks," He says with a smile. 

"Will Jongin be joining us?" Sehun's father asks. "We haven't seen him much lately."

Sehun clears his throat. He isn't quite sure how to start, but he knows he needs to say it. "I um..." He laughs nervously. "I don't think...you two will be seeing much more of him."

"Oh no," Sehun's mother gasps. "Baby, did you two break up?"

"No," Sehun sighs. "Mom, dad...Kai and I were never dating." They both stare at him with wide eyes, as if he had just told them he grew a third arm. When they remain silent, he goes on. "I got...so frustrated by all the dates you guys were trying to set me up on a-and I just wanted some peace."

"Oh, Sehun..."

"So Baekhyun came up with this DUMB plan to pay some guy to pretend to date me," Sehun spills. "I...It all went wrong though. Kai's straight and I fell in love with him like a damn idiot!"

"Sehun!" Sehun's mother gasps at the curse and Sehun looks apologetic.

"Sorry, mom."

Sehun's father sips his coffee before sighing. "You fell for a straight man?"

Sehun messes his hair up before leaning against the glass window. "Yes, and trust me, I tried not to. But he's so..." He blushes, not wanting to go into it without his parents. But by the look on their faces, they want him to go on. "He's as charming as you guys think he is."

Sehun's mother nods slowly. "He is very charming, it's true," She smiles weakly. "Oh, darling. We didn't...mean to push you so hard. We just want you to be happy!"

"But I WAS happy," Sehun argues. "I was okay with my job and art; I was comfortable at the place I was in my life."

"And...you're not anymore?"

"No!" Sehun sits up. "I still want to focus on my job and hobby b-but now I want to do it with Kai, but I can't because he..." he looks down at his hands, fiddling with them. "I ruined our friendship by....by expressing my emotions."

"Oh, baby," Sehun's mother quickly gets up and slides in beside her son, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "There's nothing wrong with expressing yourself, alright? Even if it didn't turn out the way you wanted, you were strong and said what needed to be said."

"Even to us," Sehun's father puts it. "It's not an easy thing to do."

"Of course. And if you didn't go and say those things to him, it'd just sit right in you and eat you up from the inside out; you'd feel terrible!"

Sehun sighs as his mother squeezes him reassuringly. He absolutely hates that his parents have good points. He knows he'd just go on with these dumb feelings. These stupid feelings. He leans into his mom and frowns. "Love is hard."

"That's true, darling," Sehun's mother laughs as she gently pets Sehun's head. "That's very true, my dear."