Morning broke. Everyone heard the "Wake up!" call from Tao. He would then march into everyone else's room, after a signature rhythmic knock, of course, open the blinds, and promptly leave; after doing so to the other two rooms^[1], he occupied the bathroom in the hallway.

 

Xiumin instinctly faced away from the window so that the light exposure wouldn't disturb him too much. After a few bouts of tossing and turning, he opened his eyes, and laid there. He glanced over to the messy bed next to his. Empty. It was Tao's. He got up and did stretch exercises, then walked out of the room, scratching his head, yawning.

 

In the hallway, he bumped into Chen, with Kris following behind, his shoulders drooping in fatigue with a head of hair dressed wild like a lion's mane; his bedhead hair was no joke. It looked like Chen drug Kris straight out of bed. They were heading to the kitchen to make some breakfast. Xiu was heading to the front where the couch and television stood, to watch an early show as the other two prepared breakfast. They exchanged "good morning"s and went about their ways.

 

Xiumin rounded the corner, about to flop onto the couch when he stopped himself. He saw Lay already sitting there, reaching for the remote. Xiu shrugged and sat down next to him.

 

The morning passes uneventfully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That day, all the members went out to play. They didn't have to go together, just had to be in a group of at least two, at the caution of their manager.

 

"I know rumors spread and all, but it's not like they weren't going to already. Stay with another member, always. Even if girls approach you and stupidly ask if you're dating. Pfft."

 

They all laughed. Not really because it was funny, but because it was true.

 

The manager left them and the members congregated together. They told each other how they were feeling that day: stomach hurts, hungry, headache, tired, and sore. Lu Han, the latest to get up this morning, sprang up and said, "Let's go to the mall! Gate City!"

 

"Mall?"

 

"I want some new shirts," Lu Han clarified.

 

"I want to watch a movie . . ." someone else chimed.

 

"Anywhere else?" Kris asked, but only awkward silence followed.

 

After a while, they all began to laugh.

 

"We've decided, then," Kris concluded, and called up their chauffeur to take them in an hour and a half.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kris always took ages in the bathroom. There was more than one, but he always took the one with the good mirror, which the others liked to use as well. But he was the leader--what could they do?

 

They all fixed themselves up, and put on their casual clothes. In the wash room stood Xiumin and Lu Han together. They were the oldest, so naturally, after Kris-duizhang, they called first dibs. Both were in second wash room styling their hair to their liking. Xiumin always spiked the front, but Lu Han on the other hand was experimenting with weird styles, until he just left it in a usual fluff.

 

In the corner of his eye, Xiumin caught Lu Han stealing glances at his face. When Lu Han realized that he was discovered, he would try to play it off by shifting his gaze to the opposite direction in a roundabout way until it settled on Xiumin's cheeks again. Finally, Xiumin set down his comb and turned to Lu Han.

 

"Okay, what?!" he asked, vexed. Lu Han backed up sarcastically, smiling, and regained stance. He took a step closer to the angry bun, cupping his hands around Xiu's cheeks, and pushed them together, forcing Xiumin to make a fish face. Lu Han smiled brightly. He entertained the thought of Xiumin's head as a steamed bun, envisioning the steam rising from his head (because he was irritated at Lu Han).

 

"You. are. so. cute. baozi~" he laughed, and pinched Xiumin's cheeks, to which he protested, saying, "Don't call me that!" Then the younger caressed the left side of the older man's face, gazing at the milky white, soft cheek.

 

"You're so fair, and beautiful, like snow. . . what's your secret?"

 

Xiumin blushed. Lu Han always did this, almost every day. And every day he was given the same answer, but he still asked. Probably to frustrate Xiumin, but the poor guy still fell for it every time, taking the bait like a fool. That mischevous sweet-talker knew how to turn him inside out and then brush it off, like nothing ever happened, like he didn't understand how enchantingly charming his actions were. No, it was more like, he did know, and he used his magic to bewitch Xiumin's innocence and turn it into a more fierce naivety. Or maybe it was too much fun to tease his little baozi, knowing he would react predictably, and adorably, each time.

 

Looking down, Xiumin pushed Lu Han's hands away and turned to storm out the door. 

 

"Argh, everyday, you ask. You know there isn't any!" 

 

Lu Han caught Xiumin's sweater sleeve as he attempted to stomp out, exasperated with Lu Han, pouting all the while. He kept walking briskly, with Lu Han still holding on, trying to shake him off the whole time. He wouldn't budge.

 

Finally, he came to a stop down the second hallway, close to the rear exit of their building. Xiumin felt his eyes burn, and tense up, like a weight had sunken into the depths of his eye sockets. A tear welled up and streamed down a cheek. He didn't make a sound, not a whimper. He couldn't let Lu Han see. Oblivious, Lu Han let go of the sleeve then pressed himself up against Xiumin's back, and wrapped his arms around Xiu's waist.

 

"Aww, hey. . . don't be mad. You know I'm just playing with you," he spoke gently into the other's right ear, and rocked both of their bodies gently side to side.

 

Quickly, Xiumin dried the tear and blinked many times to try to stop the tears. He didn't dare sniffle. Lu Han would know.

 

Avoiding eye contact, Xiumin swiftly turned and pressed himself against Lu Han's chest, hugging him back tightly. Lu Han kept rocking side to side, and rested his head on top of the other's. This embrace gave Xiumin time to suppress his urge to cry and hide the sound of his sniffles into Lu Han's shirt. 

 

"It's so soft~" mumbled Lu Han as he played a little with Xiumin's hair, which caused Xiu to let go and push him away again. He quickly paced away, heading back into his room.

 

Then, Lu Han felt a dab of coldness on his chest, and pinched it out in front of him to examine it clearly. It was a wet spot, and then he realized. 

 

"Wait, hey! Baozi. You were crying?" he shouted incredulously as he began to follow him down the hall. In a flash, he saw Xiumin rush in and slam the door to his room, locked it, and slid down to the floor, back against the door.

 

"Why don't you ever like my compliments~^[1]" Lu Han whined as he knocked on the door.

 

"Jerk. . .^[2]" was all Xiumin could think as he sat there, and he buried his face in his hands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A/N: I'd like to take some time to clarify some stuff.

 

1. [. . .other two rooms.] Tao rooms with Xiumin. Kris with Chen. Lu Han with Lay. This is for real, by the way.

 

2. ["Why don't you ever like my compliments~"] He means the compliments from earlier, which were ill-received by Xiumin, like, "You are so cute," "You're so fair, and beautiful, like snow," and, "It's so soft~"

 

3. ["Jerk. . ."] He hates how Lu Han teases him, and even though Lu Han is actually saying sweet things, Xiumin thinks he's saying it sarcastically, so as to make fun of him. He doesn't actually think Lu Han is saying that he, himself, is cute (but that's really what Lu Han's saying).

 

This kind of explains the 2nd footnote as well. Lu Han doesn't really understand why his "compliments" upset and frustrate Xiumin so much--he just says them because he finds it absolutely adorable when his little baozi gets upset. These "compliments" really hurt Xiumin, because he finds them as insults.

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully these footnotes helped you understand the story and characters a little better.

 

P.S. Lu Han is going to be preeeetty twisted in this fic. BE WARNED. NVM, I CHANGED IT. He's just a naughty boy now. 8D