Baekhyun felt his chest tighten as they approached the school gate, fear gripping at his heart that he would be jeered at and ridiculed upon his arrival. Kyungsoo gave him a sharp pat on his shoulder and left his arm slung there as they continued to the entrance of their school. Normally this would just be seen as friendly skinship but Baekhyun knew that Kyungsoo had ulterior motives to the seemingly normal action. If people were to give them weird looks then that could imply that they knew Baekhyun’s secret and at the same time it was an act of defiance and pride. It was to show anyone who did know and who judged Baekhyun that it doesn’t matter, that it makes him no less of a person. Baekhyun internally thanked his friend and a small smile spread across his face. His worry, though still there, retreated ever so slightly at the action.

They strode through the tedious school corridors seeing the same scenes as usual. Some students merely milling about their lockers whilst others were rushing frantically. There were huddled groups that everyone knew to avoid if you didn’t want to end up going to your next class stoned on weed, that’s if you’d make it there at all. There was other bubble of girls so covered in make-up that you couldn’t be sure of their real skin colour, unless they really were part of the orange family. Perhaps they were distantly related to tangerines or maybe even clementines. There were people moving in twos or threes, laden with books and papers, some clearly had the sheer volume of work under control whilst others were being swamped by it. Everything was there. Everything was normal, or at least expected. Everything but one thing which was not there and by it’s absence was not expected. There were no strange looks, no jibes about his uality, no outright cruelties. Nothing.

That meant one of three things; either everyone in the school was really good at acting, no one cared that he was gay or that Kai had not told anyone. He knew the first couldn’t be true because his drama class a few years ago was proof agains that. He shivered at the memory of the dull, monotonous way in which a short, frumpy boy had delivered the line, “Shall I compare thee to a summers day…” It had forever ruined the play Romeo and Juliet for him, how could it be a tragic love story if the characters didn’t seem to be in love. He knew that it wasn’t the second, not because the school detested homouals as a whole so mauch as that it feasted on gossip. A girl had gotten a tattoo the year before and the school had been in an uproar about it for well over a month. That was the students, not the teachers who couldn’t have cared less what any of the students did as long as their grades were good. This lead him to the last reason for why no one was taking any notice of him. Well that wasn’t quite true he rethought, they weren’t taking any more notice of him than usual. He didn’t like to adimit it but he had often turned to find girls staring at him hungrily, there was even one or two cases of getting the eyelash batting looks from boys. He had rejected all of these hinting looks, even when the eyes looking at him belonged to some, admittedly, very attractive guys, because his heart was for one and one only. Chanyeol.

No matter, he thought whether these people around him didn’t know his secret, he knew someone who did. The only person whom it really mattered to him whether they held that knowledge of him or not. Chanyeol knew, and Baekhyun couldn’t change that. You can’t change it he said to himself as he, Kyungsoo and Suho arrived at their lockers. Realising that he had no control over how Chanyeol would react to this new information, he surprisingly relaxed. Knowing that things could not be changed took a weight off of his shoulders as he tuned back into the conversation that Suho and Kyungsoo were having. He had been completely blanking them before without even realising it.

“They can’t hold out on us for too long can they?” Suho practically whined at Kyungsoo.

“They had better not.” Kyungsoo replied, “I want to know now.” Baekhyun furrowed his brow in confusion as he tried to figure out what they were talking about, nothing came to mind so he interjected.

“Guys, what’re you talking about?” Suho raised one eyebrow, slightly mocking the fact that Baekhyun’s mind had clearly been elsewhere.

“The competition results.” Said Kyungsoo, bubbling with excitement, “I can’t wait!”

What they had been saying made sense to him now, he was also concerned about having to wait a long time for the competition results. He would have been entirely confident in there performance were it not for the late start and everything before they had actually performed.

“How did you two do? I heard some of it but I couldn’t really get a feel of it from backstage.” Baekhyun asked, looking at his two friends, sure that they had both performed brilliantly. He felt he needed to ask even though he was confident of that fact.

“Mine went well I think.” Suho said, grinning, “Kyungsoo was of course outstanding.” At that Kyungsoo put his hand on his chest and tilted his head back in a prestigious stance, flicking his hair back, “But of course.” He said, “I am a god.” Baekhyun chuckled and aimed a well timed jab into his stomach whick made him flop out of his position looking like a bedraggled puppy with a very unmanly pout on his face. Shaking off the pout he smiled heartily.

“But seriously, it went well. Kai was awesome, his stage presence, his face….” Kyungsoo’s own face took on a look of far off wonderment as he seemed to recall the afternoon’s events.

As Baekhyun was giggling with Suho at the ridiculous spectacle that Kyungsoo was making of himself in front of them, he noticed something over Kyungsoo’s shoulder. As he glancd up he saw Kai and Sehun round the corner at the end of the corridor, walking in their dirention. The two seemed to be deep in conversation about something so had not noticed Baekhyun yet. Baekhyun grabbed Kyungsoo’s arm and shook him slightly, pulling him out of whatever scene he had been fantasizing about with him and Kai.

“I am just going to go talk to Kai a sec guys.” Baekhyun said, “I should be back in a moment but if not I’ll see you at lunch.” As he said this he looked over at Kyungsoo, searching his face for any sign that him speaking to Kai would be a problem. However Kyungsoo’s face was one of total understanding which was supported by the reassuring slap on the shoulder he gave him as he walked away.

He strode down the corridor to reach the two boys heading his way.They were both still enthralled in their conversation so didn’t noticed Baekhyun until he gave Kai a tap on the arm. Baekhyun spoke before Kai had a chance to. “Hey Kai, can I talk to you for a minute?” He asked. “It wont take long.” He was glad to see that Kai’s expression wasn’t one of repulsion, anger or even mild dislike. In face his face held it’s usual half smile and warm eyes.

“Sure.” He grinned. He looked over to his friend who had been walking with him up until tht point. “Sehun, I’ll meet you in Chemistry.”

“Okay.” Sehun said with a slight nod, seeming indifferent to his rejection. He walked away down the corridor waving behind him over his shoulder. “Thee you thoon Kai, bye Baekhyun.” Baekhyun watched as he noticed Suho and made his way over. He saw a faint blush creep up Suho’s cheeks as Sehun began chatting to him.

Kai looked back to Baekhyun with his warm, if ever so slightly cocky smile. “So you wanted to talk hyung?” He asked.

“Yeah I…” Baekhyun looked around them at the bustling students. “Could we talk somewhere more private?” He saw understanding dawn on Kai’s face as he turned, smiling, and started down the corridor. Baekhyun was just thinking about how much Kai must like to smile when said smiley boy turned and beckoned him to follow quicker. He beckoned with a smile. Baekhyun chuckled internally as he followed, before realising that he wasn’t all that much different. Kai led him into an empty dance studio. Mirrors lined three of he four walls, the fourth wall had doors to changing rooms and showers. The door into the room was mirror on the other side, so if you weren’t sure where it was or didn’t have a keen sight for door handles, it was ddifficult to spot from the inside. It wasn’t a surpriseto Baekhyun that the studio was empty as most dance classes took place in the afternoon and Baekhyun knew that definitely all dance groups came together after school. He was sure that it was because the other teachers didn’t want tired and sweaty children in their classrooms, who couldn’t focus after having had dance class.

“What did you want to talk about hyung?” Kai asked as he flopped down onto the waxed wooden floor. He had one knee bent while the other leg was straight, toe pointed, the clear act of a dancer. One arm rested on his rased knee while the other supported him from behind as he looked up at Baekhyun with a shock of dark hair dangling over one eye. He looked totally at home here, and he really was. Baekhyun sat down opposite him with his legs crossed and one hand supporting him as Kai was doing. The other hand was lying loosely in his lap. He had to admit that even though singing was what he loved most and frankly, was best at, he also felt at home in this room. He loved to dance as well as to sing, so he had spent a fair few hours in this practice room. That was nothing compared to the amount of time Kai spent here though.

“Look, about yesterday…” Baekhyun started with a sigh.  

“I’m sorry.” Kai cut him off hurriedly. Baekhyun was about to carry on with what he was saying before he realised what Kai had said. What? Baekhyun couldn’t seem to process his confusion any further so all that came out was, “What?”

“I…” Kai looked into Baekhyun’s eyes, his chocolate brown eyes were earnest. “I’m sorry if yesterday you got the wrong impression from me. I really didn’t know that you’re gay so I was really shocked and I thought that it might have come across that I judged you in some way because you left so suddenly. I am really sorry if it did because I have no problem with it, in fact…”

“Seriously? You’re sorry?” Baekhyun laughed and saw Kai’s eyebrows furrow in confusion. “I was going to thank you. So, thank you.” Baekhyun beamed at Kai who still looked muddled.

“Thank me? Why would you thank me?” Asked Kai.

“Why wouldn’t I thank you?” Baekhyun laughed. Kai looked really confused and a little exasperated and Baekhyun thought that if he didn’t unknit his eyebrows soon then they would stay toether forever so he contined. “You didn’t tell anyone.” Baekhyun said simply.

“Of course I didn’t tell anyone.” Kai sounded outraged by the idea but was smiling now. “Why would I tell anyone when it’s clear that no one ever knew before this for a reason. You obviously didn’t want people to know, and…” Kai hesitated. “and I would never tell because I would hate it if anyone ever told about me.” Kai looked down at his feet as he said that. It was Baekhyun’s turn to furrow his eyebrows now.

“What about you?” Kai looked up into Baekhyun’s unsure eyes with his own honest ones.

“I am gay too.” Kai admitted. Baekhyun’s mouth slacked as his jaw hung open in shock. Kai was gay? But he seemed so, well, straight. Kyungsoo was going to have an absolute fit when he found out. Kyungsoo had never tried anything with Kai because he thought that he was a straight as a rod. Seems that he was wrong. Baekhyun was just picturing Kyungsoo’s face when he would tell him when Kai continued to say. “You won’t tell anyone will you?” Kai asked, his eyes pleading. In that look Baekhyun knew that he wouldn’t tell, he wouldn’t even tell his best friend whom he trusted the most in the world. Not only because Kai had not told his secret but because he knew what it was like to trust your secrets to someone. He could not betray that trust. A sly thought entered Baekhyun’s mind, just because he couldn’t tell Kyungsoo didn’t mean that he couldn’t help him find out by himself.

“I won’t tell anyone. No one.” Baekhyun smiled reassuringly. Suddenly a thought struck him, “Wait, you didn’t tell me this because you thought that I…” Kai saw what he was about to say and waved his hands frantically.

“No no no, I know you don’t like me.” He hesitated just a fraction of a second before saying, “You like Chanyeol, don’t you?” He posed it as a question but Baekhyun knew that Kai was only  trying to confirm something which he was certain of. Baekhyun sighed and looked at his shoes.

“Is it that obvious?” Kai seemed to nod to himself slightly as he took Baekhyun’s reply as confirmation.

“Not at all.” Baekyun was uncertain that this was the truth. “No really, it isn’t.”

“Then how did you know?” Baekhyun asked, his cheeks tinted with red at Kai’s correct assumptions.

“That, right there.” Kai pointed at Baekhyun’s face. “Your blush. Whenever you’re with him I notice it. And you are a confident person, you must be to have all those girls trailing after you, but when you’re near him you’re more shy. And also…you wrote that song for him didn’t you?” Baekhyun’s eyes were wide, Kai had seen straight through him and out the other side.

“Yeah I did.”

Baekhyun cleared his throat, embarrassed, and attempted to change the subject. “So do you like anyone?” He asked. Immediately he saw s blush tint Kai’s cheeks as the younger boy looked down. “C’mon spill. You know who I love, who is it?” Kai looked up sharply.

“Love?” His eyes pierced into Baekhyun and he groaned at his slip.

“Just, just tell me.” He said, waving off Kai’s enquiry.

“I don’t know if I should tell you. I mean I am pretty sure he is straight and totally not into me. He’s just so kind and handsome, I mean his eyes. His voice is so wonderful, it makes me melt inside” Kai gazed upwards smiling then sighed, “I bet he didn’t even know I existed until the competition…”

 “Kai.” Baekhyun stopped him, a hand light on his arm. Kai looked up at him as though he’d forgotten he was there. “It’s Kyungsoo, isn’t it?” Kai opened his mouth as though he was about to protest before he closed it again and nodded, looking back to the ground.

Just then the speakers that run throughout nearly every class room in the school crackled into life. The muffled voice of the head teacher ringing statically from the bedraggled, old speaker on the wall above the tall mirrors. The voice said, “All those who took part in the competition are to meet tomorrow, first lesson, in the main hall. There the competition results and the next stage will both be revealed simultaneously. Make sure not to be late and have a good day.” The short speech ended along with the hum of the speaker. The silence was thick and heavy as it ended. This silence was penetrated seconds later as the shrill bell signalling the start of first lesson rang throughout the school, startling the two boys still slouched and relaxed on the dance studio floor.They both stood up to leave and gathered their stuff.

Before Baekhyun could leave Kai grabbed his arm and pulled him so that Baekihyun was forced to look back at him. “Baek, I don’t know if you meant it when you said you loved him and that is for you to tell me when your ready or want to, but…please just think about telling Chanyeol about this.” Baekhyun started shaking his head at the idea of the stone cold rejection which would mean that he couldn’t even be near him as a friend. “Just think about it. For me. You never know, he might like you back.”Baekhyun looked exasperated at this.

“Kai, he’s straight! It’s never going to happen.” Kai seemed to muse this for a moment.

“Well he knows that I am gay but he never minded, he always supported me with my decision, so maybe he isn’t as straight as he seems.”

The second bell rang out telling them that they should be sat in their classrooms right now and the two boys sprinted from the dance studio. As the neared the corner that turned witheer to the labs where Kai was going or over to humanities where Baekhyun was going, Baekhyun slowed Kai to a walk. He looked right into his chocolate eyes and said, “Maybe you should try taking your own advice.” He gave him ne last sincere look before speeding off around the corner towards his inevitable detention. He was almost glad for the idea of detention because it would give him time to mull over all of the many things that he had discovered that morning.