It had been 3 months since Minseok had heard any news of Luhan.

 

But from Minseoks perspective it felt like 2 years!

It’s better this way, Sehun thought.

 

He knew he was lying to himself though. Every time the poor bun would lighten up just a bit or at least make a slight attempt  at even a cheerful facade, some news or reminder -anything even minimally reminiscent of his precious deer would surface and he would shut himself out again.

 

“Pathetic.” Minseok hugged his pillow tightly. “So Pathetic!” He muttered, every breath escaping him venomously and heavily laced with self loathing.

 

‘Does my life really revolve around some boy I met a few months ago? Do I really have to see him smile every day to feel at ease? Or watch the way his eyes would crinkle at the ends when he laughs? When he laughs...

 

Are you laughing Luhan?

What about you Yoogeun?’

 

Minseok released a sigh of pure anguish and despair. He let his eyelids shut and eventually his breath steadied.

 

“Sleep, Minseok. Sleep.” He ordered himself.

 

Months of restless sleep had forced him to acquired this habit of chanting himself to sleep. Slowly, he felt his consciousness ebbing away with each rise and fall of his chest.

 

No emotions. No space to wallow in his memories.  Time stands still as the young mind blocks out the loneliness that he lives out each and everyday.

 

“It’s better this way” the lovesick fool sighed once again before succumbing into the darkness.

 

That night, he dreamed of painted blue tulips, extra whip cream, and the most beautiful doe like eyes.

 

.....

In the middle of the night something sparked inside the bun’s dream.

A voice as soft as silk, tender and loving like a sing song siren- flowing and almost hauntingly gentle.

 

That same voice that was deeply engraved in his head from the very start.

 

Luhan’s voice rung with sadness.

 

Yet despite it’s sadness, it sung for him.

 

Despite it’s sadness, it gave him hope.

...

 

....

 

That same day, Sehun and Baekhyun agreed to throw out anything that could remind Minseok of Luhan.

 

Sehun placed the last batch of old newspapers of the Lu company in the bin and smiled proudly.

 

“You’re going a bit too far for this kid again Sehun-ah” Baekhyun teased.

 

“I’m trying to make it easier for him Baekhyun!” Sehun assured him, trying to hide his blush. “Sides, it’s just a simple token of appreciation for not trying to run away.”

 

“Umm, he tries to escape every night....” Baekhyun some more since he’s not stupid enough to not notice his best friends little blush.

 

The younger scowled at his heavily eye linered friend.

“Yeah, well,  at least he doesn't try to break the automated locks on the windows”, Sehun tried again.

 

“He did that twice....”

 

Sehun was about to try again until he was cut off by his friend.

 

“You can’t just force him to forget him, you know” the diva rolled his eyes at the obviousness of it all and handed him the old radio.

 

Sehun’s smug attitude shrunk to plain guilt. He hated that Baekhyun was right. It’s not like he’s trying to make the little one forget Luhan completely, he was just following orders. That’s all.  

 

Just orders.

 

“Shut up and just open the door for me!” he commanded indignantly. Baekhyun took this as another win on his part.

 

“Open it yourself!” he snarled. “And why are you throwing away a perfectly good radio? Minseok-shii loves it and I like watching that cutie dance around.”

 

“Don’t call him that! You’re starting to get too close to someone who Is only here temporarily!” Sehun growled.

 

“Oh and you’re not? Who cares anyways! He is a cutie! Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed that fine little ?” Baekhyun winked.

 

"No! Ok, I  haven't! I'm not some ert who stares at somebody's all day!"

 

"Ah, so why are you drooling?"

Baekhyun smirked.

 

“Please open the door. This stupid radio is heavy!” Sehun all but shrieked.

 

Baekhyun stood pondering in place for a little while longer before finally giving him a hand. He punched in the numbers in the digital lock and opened the door.

 

“Fine you stupid brat.”

 

.......

 

The two were running out of ideas to make Minseok come out of his room. Or at least to come out other than to eat or piss.

 

Sehun flopped down onto the couch, letting out a huge sigh.

 

“Giving up already?” Baekhyun smiled at the younger then focused his attention back to his cooking.

 

“No! He’s just so stubborn! He won’t even look at me anymore” he complained whilst pouting.

 

“Well, you are keeping him hostage.” The shorter reached for the spices on the top shelf almost knocking down the whole row.

 

“You are part of this too..” Sehun muttered, clearly offended.

 

“Not really, if it weren't for your little infatuation with the kid, I would have just sent him off to Master Luhan so he can live happily ever after.”

 

The younger groaned and sank even lower into the couch, trying to drown out whatever noise his eyeliner friend was making.

 

“We can’t do that Baekhyun, Master Luhan’s mother specifially told us to not let Minseok anywhere close to him.”

 

“Yeah but for how long Sehun-ah?”

 

Baekhyun shut off the stove and placed the bits of meat on the silver platter.

 

“Here, go give this to him. He must be hungry.” Baekhyun ordered while chewing a mouthful of meat.

 

“Will do~” Sehun cooed, immediately jumping off the couch with a foolish grin to retrieve the plate.

 

“Someone’s excited.” Baekhyun teased and roughly pulled on the latter’s cheeks.

 

Sehun only rolled his eyes, muttering something along the lines of ‘your eyeliner is smearing you ’ before bolting up the stairs and into the room.

 

Sehun’s point of view.

 

There I stood, hesitating to knock, but then I figured why not just barge right in?  It’s not like he’s going to answer me anyway.

 

I took a deep breath as if I was going into battle with some four tailed dragon and turned the knob lightly.

 

“You can do this”, I repeated about 100 times in my head.

 

Without another thought I pushed the door open with unnecessary force and a forced carefree smile....

 

You know those moments where you catch something that should be unbearably awkward, but is instead something so beautiful that it leaves you mesmerized and breathless.

 

The moments where you forget everything that you’ve ever learned and the only thing you do remember is how to panic.

 

Yeah, I think I'm getting whatever that's called.

 

My fake carefree smiled vanished as quickly as it was summoned and I’m pretty sure my eyes looked like they were going to come out of their sockets promptly.  

 

With my overly sized eyeballs, I gaped at this stunningly beautiful white boy in nothing but a small towel covering his...lower region- and that’s when my heart began to mimic the sound of a helicopter flying in.

 

He held a smaller towel over his wet and now bright orange hair; his body glowing with droplets of water that looked like they were enjoying their stay as they each trickled down his toned arms and flat flawless stomach...trickling lower and lower until they disappeared into the fabric of his lower towel.

I gulped. He was a lot thinner than they'd first abducted him, he was stupid to think that his refusal to eat well wouldn't affected.... Regardless his form remained as sensuously attractive as he'd always been. The plate in my hands beginning to shake violently.

 

An earthquake? Oh no, this is much worse.

 

I thought the bad part was over, but the second those glazed eyes met mine, every emotion I was feeling in those very short moments heightened.

They intensified to the point where I had to tightly grip the edge of the knob to keep my balance.

 

I couldn't find any words. So I just settled for- “OMG I’M SO ING SORRY!!!”

 

With my eyes tightly shut, I slammed the door behind me.

 

In that same instant, Baekhyun appeared from the stairs, glancing at me oddly and inserting his small and nosy little head in the opening without giving me a chance to warn him. “What’s going o- Oops”

 

Baekhyun shut the door gently and shortly afterwards got a long look at my flushed and mortified face before bursting into laughter.

 

I wanted to scream at him but my mind was a bit preoccupied with a certain y and wet boy in a short, white towel.

 

“OMG YOUR FACE!”  Baekhyun laughed so hard, that I’m pretty sure his laughter could be heard throughout the entire neighborhood.  His knees buckled, taking him to the floor; he clutched his abdomen with one hand and pointed a finger at me with the other.

 

“HE WASN’T EVEN AND LOOK AT YOU!! ARE YOU 5!!?”

 

I stood there panting awkwardly against the wall. One hand clutching the fabric over my heart in an attempt to control it’s treacherous and obnoxious beating.

 

The creak of the door made Baekhyun finally hold back his laughter.

 

In the threshold, an orange haired boy came out with a pair of black sweatpants that hugged his waist and a plain white t-shirt that stuck to his still wet chest.

 

Better. But definitely not helping!

 

"Hey nice hair! Where did you get the hair dye?"  Baekhyun chirped petting his soft locks like everything was perfectly normal.

 

"I found it in the bottom cabinet. Do you like it?" He smiled sheepishly.

 

"Hell yeah! Looks good! Do mine next time okay, I want it blonde!"

 

"Deh, Baekkie.”

 

BAEKKIE!? Baekkie!? HE CALLED HIM BAEKKIE!?

 

I don’t even care if this is jealousy or not, but why the hell don’t I get a nick name?! I live in the same room with him too!

 

I cleared my throat and coughed “Hunnie” simultaneously, hoping, he would get some sort of hint.

 

Still with his towel draped around his neck, he pulled the plate from my still trembling hands.

“This is why you should knock” he said with a mouthful of meat before closing the door- leaving me to dwell in my own embarrassment.

 

Baekhyun was just about to start torturing me but stopped abruptly when an orange haired boy stuck his cute little head out the door.

 

“Thank you for the meat Beakkie, it tastes great!”

 

I WILL ING KILL YOU BEAKKKKIIIIEEEE!!!!

 

The sight of my murderous face only made Baekhyun start his hysteria again.

 

...

 

A few obnoxious spurts of giggles and slower, more regular heartbeats later (on my part), Baekhyun composed himself; wiping away any smudge of eyeliner that could have smeared during his outburst.

 

I remained seated on the cold hard floor staring blankly and pathetically at the wall in front of me. Baekhyun crouched down to my level and gently placed a sympathetic hand on my shoulder. “At least he spoked more than 3 words to you” he addressed while smiling, before he disappeared from my sight.

 

But if you close your eyes and concentrate, and I mean really concentrate, you can hear the faint sound of this hyena laughing.

 

(--)

 

"Sehun-ah! Stop sitting there like that! You're gonna catch a cold!" my hyung hollers from the floor under.

How did he even know I was still here?!

 

My and legs are starting to get numb, so I might as well take it as a sign to get the hell up already and stop being pathetic.

 

“C'mon! Sehun! You're better than this!” I chanted to myself like a broken record. Before I conjured up the courage and open the door into MY room, Minseok beat me to it, aggressively opening the door and staring me dead in the eyes.

 

"No, you're really not. and stop sitting by our room like some pitiful cat you Freak."  Minseok walked off, spitefully bumping his shoulder into mine as he passed me. I blushed a deep tint of red and flopped down on my bed.

 

I buried my flushed face in my pillow and gave out a long sigh.

 

He said ‘Our room.’

 

I groans were muffled by the cotton filled pillow.

Why is keeping someone hostage so hard?! Why is he so mad! I’m only keeping him captive it’s not like I’m torturing him!

 

----

A letter arrived in the mail that day.

It was from the hospital and addressed to Kim Minseok and almost instantly I got a dreaded feeling as I read the fine print of the sender.

 

At first Baekhyun and I thought it was just some bill he needed to pay. They did tell us about his mother's illness, but I thought the company was paying that for the time being.

 

It wasn’t.

 

Baekhyun didn’t want to read it, let alone give it to him. Something about taking responsibility for my own things.

 

So I did, and I never thought it reading it in front of him would be so heartbreakingly difficult.

 

"To: Kim Minseok,

The condition of the patient Kim Yeo-Jin has worsened to the point of exhaustion. I'm sorry to inform you that as of October 16 of 2013, Mrs. Jung has passed away. She didn't have any belongings besides her glasses and collection of books which we will send to this address shortly: 2214 Yeosan Street, Apartment 42. Her funeral has been taken care of with your previous request to be placed at the Jeju grave next to Mr. Kim Min Sook. Thank you for choosing the Lu Hospital. We are deeply sorry for your loss.”

 

I waited for his reaction. Anything. I didn't know what to expect.... Aren’t people supposed to break down when their mothers die?

 

Why was I the only one shedding tears? She's not even my mom. I haven't even met the woman.

 

I waited for some sort of sign. Or an order from him to leave. But Minseok’s face was blank. His eyes showed no emotion or sign of impending tears.

 

Yet I still stood like a statue waiting for a simple reaction. When I saw his quivering hands...I realized he didn't have to...

 

I bit my lip, closed the door behind me and ran my way downstairs taking two steps at a time. I entered the code with frantic fingers and slammed the front door. I didn't know where I was running to, but I knew this: I wasn't fast enough.

 

I couldn't outrun the piercing and agonized screams or the horrid sound of furniture being thrown around the room.

 

My hands covering my ears and my mouth yelling "STOP STOP" wouldn't even make the glass stop shattering.

 

And even when I thought I finally escaped the sound of those heartbreaking cries of despair, my deep guilt reminded me that I couldn't.

 

I sat myself down on the nearest bench. My head in my hands attempting to block all these mixed feelings.

 

"You too, huh?” Baekhyun sighed. It wasn’t a question, so I stayed quiet.

 

"Let him go Sehun-ah.”

 

“When did you get here?” I questioned him; desperately trying to avoid what was coming.

 

“The second you went upstairs to read it to him.”

 

“You couldn't wait for me?” I muttered through heavy tears.

 

“Just let him go Sehun-ah, this isn't good for him and you know it."

 

I do know. Hell, I know it better than the palm of my hand. What kind of moron would think that keeping someone captive in an old worn out building, away from his family friends and loved one is good for him? It's only cruel.

 

"A little longer. Just a little longer." I whimpered.

 

Baekhyun placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a gentle, but knowingly pitiful squeeze. He's disappointed, but I don't care.

 

Besides, I'm already selfish enough as it is. A little more won't hurt.

 

----

 

The longest 2 weeks have passed ever since Minseok got the letter. At least that's what Sehun and Baekhyun thought, watching the naturally cute and cheerful bun sink into an intensely melancholy and depressing state darkened the apartment into the morbid pit it was. When he once made it a lively and interesting place- even being held against his will; and the excruciating burden and guilt that came from witnessing the transition, they thought might have rivaled the pain Minseok himself was bearing. Of course, that could never be true, the poor boy had sustained more pain in his life than 5 lives combined. Nevertheless, it lengthened the days by what seemed like eons.

 

Minseok didn't say a word within those days. He'd gotten even thinner than before, it was scary at this point. Nothing more than the necessary. It was torture for the youngest, but what could he do?

 

"How could you possibly comfort someone who just lost their mother as well as their lover, brother, mother and home! He's practically an orphan!" Sehun wondered out loud, propping himself on the kitchen sink.

 

"Here's a thought: how about you let him go and let him reunite with his family?... or what's left of them?” Baekhyun shrugs.

 

"Shut up and cook” the younger of the two barked right after launching a strawberry at the brunettes head.

 

Sehun curses under his breath when he catches a glimpse of Minseok eyeing the rain drops that were racing each other down the window; his cheek on his hands and his head resting on the cluttered table.

 

All he wants to do is pull his own hair out of its skull like mad! How could anyone stand watching this poor bun wither away like that!?

 

Then...out of nowhere, the same bun who was probably the cause of this weeks rainstorm suddenly stood up and looked the other straight in the eye.

 

"These walls are hideous. We have to paint them! Who the hell wants to live in a grey haunted house?"

 

Sehun widened his eyes in astonishment and Baekhyun’s reaction was no different.

 

"....did he just say more than 3 words?"

Baekhyun whispered to his speechless friend.

 

"I think he just did."

 

"Has he finally lost it?"

 

"I'm no-"

 

Minseok scoffs, giving out a light chuckle. "I can hear you!"

 

Sehun and Baekhyun looking at one another- searching for answers but each of them simply shrugged.

 

"I guess I'll go get paint?" Baekhyun questioned. His voice doubtful and utterly confused.

 

"You're going to leave me alone with him? But what if he kills me?” Sehun whimpers, shaking the others arm vigorously like the brat that he is.

 

"Oh, stop being such a baby. I'll be back in like 20 minutes!"

 

Sehun has his best puppy dog face and even Minseok cringes at the weirdness of it all.

 

Baekhyun makes some repulsive sound of disgust and quickly makes his escape out the door.

 

Minseok an eyebrow at the pitiful scene. "When you’re done, come help me move the furniture out of our room."

 

Our room?

 

Sehun couldn't hear anything else. His mind drifting off to absurd fantasies.

Our room? Like me and him... No no stop!

 

"No." Sehun refused.

 

"Too bad." Minseok says boldly, dragging Sehun to the upstairs bedroom.

------

 

After a solid 30 minutes of moving around ancient, rusty, worn out furniture that is probably growing mold from the inside out, I flopped down on the mattress feeling like I was going to pass out from exhaustion. I glanced around for Minseok, since he appeared to have left the room. He expended as much energy as I had, he should be just as wasted and resting here with me. What could he be doing?

 

Then I heard his light footsteps running down the stairs, even through the walls I could hear the enthusiasm in his step.

 

It’s strange, I know I should be relieved that he’s no longer moping around and impersonating an empty shell, but I feel as though something is off.  Minseok seemed to be genuinely un-distressed, but that wasn't right for someone whose despondent mother had passed while he was being held against his will. I wondered if he was really dealing with the circumstances, but then again why would he want to? Everything about this situation was almost pathetically tragic. I knew how I could help, but I wasn't ready to let him go just yet. I still had hope that I could change him...

 

I rested my forearm over my eyes, enjoying the way the cold breeze from the window cooled my skin. Despite being indoors, the heat was just as suffocating. "Aish.... How bothersome."

 

I can hear Minseok’s eager bounds up the stairs... How could he possibly still have so much energy?

 

Any reservations I had about his uncannily cheerful demeanor disappeared when he poked his head through the door, his animated grin stretching from ear to ear and his pearly white teeth expressing a sweet and pure contentment that warmed every inch of me from head to toe.

 

His smile conspired with his eyes to form a dazzling eye smile that could make the coldest of hearts 'awww' in admiration.

 

All I wanted was his happiness, and I guess for him to want it with me. As if my heart wasn't beating loudly enough already, he took a few broad steps until he was standing right in front of my legs where they were hanging of the edge of the bed, the smile never faltering on his soft pink lips. Awed by his charisma, I'd frozen in my flopped position on the mattress.

 

Oh no, what if I looked ugly from this angle? In my panic, I didn't notice that he was speaking to me.

 

"What?!" I squeaked embarrassingly, bolting upright and blinking in attempt to dispel the  love sickness that usually possessed me when Minseok was involved. He was standing directly over me and I was level with his stomach; the contours of his torso were barely concealed under the thin white shirt. I could see his tight biceps and sharp collar bones, but also his the dips of his ribs. I resisted the temptation to hug him closely and bury my face in his thin but comforting stomach.

 

"YA! Stop looking at me like that!”

 

“I can’t” the words fell from my mouth boldly.

 

“And why is that?” Minseok questioned innocently, covering his exposed collarbone with his hands.

 

“Hmm, I don’t know. I just can’t.”

 

Minseok frowned as he tried to read my expression, which as per usual, was blank. Or so I thought it was. I smiled internally at the confusion that his face displayed so prettily.

 

“You’re weird”, he stated with eyebrows furrowed.

 

“I guess I am.” I smiled cheekily, god could I be any more cheesy?!?!

 

His brilliant smile resurfaced and some old lyrics resonated in my mind. When you smile, sunshine...

Aish he was so beautiful, I could really stare at him forever.

 

“Here. Drink some water.” There was a cold pressure on my cheek, and I had to look down to hide the blush that quickly overtook my cheeks at Minseoks expression of care.

 

“Thanks!” I smiled gratefully, finally looking up and taking the bottle- chugging the bottle without hesitation, even letting it drip down my neck. Ah I really needed that!

 

“Try not to drown or anything.”

 

“What?! I’m hot! Minseokkie try it, it’s really refreshing!”

 

“No, thanks, but I can help you out a bit.” He smirked and wow it was cute! I was still reveling in how he managed to make every possible facial expression a new level of cute, when he splashed me! He had calmly pull the top the top off his bottle and didn’t delay even a second in drenching my face and the top of my shirt. Oh no, what if my BB cream comes off? Or I just look like some drenched cat! He will never think I’m attractive!

 

“Are you refreshed completely yet?” he laughed loudly, his eyes closing in amusement.

 

“Yeah, what about you, hyung?” I taunted.

Well it’s not like he didn’t expect me to retaliate, right? Willing to waste my precious water, I splashed the cute boy. Might have been a mistake on my part considering he was now sporting an immensely attractive wet hair look along with his shirt being almost see-through, but whatever, I’d deal with myself later.

 

I could see he was about to try and get my back but I dodged quickly and ran to the other side of the room. “I’m faster than you thought, huh Minnie!?!”

 

We ended chasing each other good ten minutes and completely soaked, making a happy atmosphere that I hadn’t felt in a long time. From the looks of It, I’m obviously winning, I stuck my tongue at him between hearty laughs.

 

He was down to the last inch of water in his bottle- mine was completely empty. I ducked behind the bed as a last resort and lifted the mattress partly to cover me, I knew he’d just come around so I closed my eyes and braced for impact. Bracing, bracing, bracing..... YA! What’s taking him so long?! Even his laughter had stopped. Did he leave the room?

 

Eventually he came around, but slowly, he looked a little... panicked? Scratch that, really panicked. “Minseok, what’s wrong?”

I followed his horror stricken stare to what I hadn’t noticed in my elation- littering the entire bottom of the bed was newspaper clippings. "What is this?” From just one glance I noticed a recurring face on all the clippings. I thought I’d escaped him. Lu Han, why are you doing this to me even now?!

I looked up in shock, and my eyes met a fist flying rapidly at my face.

 

 

 

 

---------

PinkSelfie Author's note-

Suprise! I finally updated! *laughs nervously.*  I'm truly sorry for making you guys wait so long, but on the plus side I found a solution for this to never happen again:

Meet my new co-author and best friend!!! Soohas!

from now on we will both be working on 10 Million Baozi so treat her well! :) again, thankyou for sticking by me for so long I really don't know how you guys do it. I love you all and I am really grateful.

I changed my username by the way :D! hope you guys didn't get confused

oh! and thank you to baby-bunny-minseok, if I didn't see your post about my fic in the xiuhan tag I would have taken longer to update. ^ ^. 

anyway, I hope you like this chapter even though there was no xiuhan. and I really really hope you didn't forget the plot.

Leave comments please! there is also my tumblr PinkSelfie

I love you annyeong!

 

And now, here are some special words from our new Co-author Soohas:

 

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Hi everyone!!! I'm Soohas or pinkselca on tumblr ^^ I'll work hard to keep us updating regularly. Please take care of me!