“Chen I have something to ask you.” Soohee states retaking her place beside him at your crowded table. Chen unwilling leaves his conversation with his friends, who all snicker at his distress, and turn to her with a blank expression. The others glance at her indifferently, expecting a stupid question along the lines of “oppa why aren’t you dating me instead?”

“What is it?” he replies, his mouth a thin line as he waits.

“Why are you in a fake relationship with her?” Her accusation catches the other boys’ attention, Xiumin and Luhan in particular. Their eyes shift between you and Chen, awaiting his retaliation.

“Why are you in one with me?” he responds voice level.

He’s hitting all kinds of low blows today…

Soohee visibly shrinks at his words, a much lower blow than you first thought it to be. “I-I’m not! Oppa, don’t avoid my question!” she whines shaking his arm.

“I’m not avoiding it. I’m not in a fake relationship so there’s nothing to answer.” His voice is unusually flat, void of an emotion as he speaks and pulls his arm out of her grasp.

Something really, really pissed him off.

Maybe he just got fed up with Soohee and he’s venting his frustration out on her? No, that’s not how Chen is. Then again, he’s not as considerate as he normally is when he’s angry. He’s not one to get angry easily either.

Whatever or whoever it was that infuriated him is not in for a pleasant time.

It’s not that he gets physically angry and throws a fit. He gets silent and fumes inwardly to himself and verbally attacks anyone that bothers him. Soohee picked the wrong time to bring this up.

So much for not minding…

“You don’t even act like a couple! I’ve never seen you two even—” Before she gets a chance to finish her complaint Chen rises with his jaw set. You watch perplexed as he blatantly ignores Soohee and grabs your wrist. Pulling you along behind him you bid a hurried farewell to everyone, apologizing for Chen’s sudden change of behavior.

“Chen, are you alright?”

He doesn’t reply, his pace brisk as the two of you journey deeper into the dark city.

“At least tell me where we’re going.”

No reply.

Getting frustrated you dig your heels into the sidewalk and force him to stop. Keeping his back to you he drops your wrist and lets out a loud haggard sigh.

“I don’t like this. I really don’t like this. I can’t deal with this.” he mutters rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms.

You frown, confused. “What? Being stalked by Soohee or being a fake couple? If it’s being a fake couple that’s messing you up than we can just—”

“No, no. It’s not that, I just…” he faces you with a thousand emotions running through his eyes. There it is. The weird feeling is back. It’s making your heart stutter and your eyes fall to your shoes.

Right now really isn’t the time for this.

“I got frustrated with her… I don’t normally get mad at people, even if they do bother me but, she’s never let up on me. Not once. Especially not after this, she’s been calling and texting me nonstop. I just-just snapped I after she asked about us guess…” he mumbles wringing his hands restlessly.

“Asked about us..?”

What does he mean by that..?

He groans and buries his face into his hands. “That’s what she kept bothering me about. It’s always ‘oppa why are you with her’ or ‘oppa are you sure she’s the one’ or ‘oppa I’m so much better than her’ and I’ve been thinking about throwing my phone out the window. I’ve just kept it off during the day but, she still found me. Why can’t she just move on and leave me alone? I don’t enjoy turning her down every five minutes.”

Oh…

“If it’s really bothering you that much why don’t you just ignore her?” That’s the simplest solution you can think of.

“I’d feel bad…” he mumbles looking at the ground with a slight frown.

“Think about it, which one would you feel worse about, ignoring her or replying and getting her hopes up just to say no?”

He scuffs his shoe on the sidewalk, dejected.

“I just don’t like having to make that decision in the first place… Why can’t I just stay locked in my house forever with a storm to keep everyone away?” he grumbles, kicking at the sidewalk again.

“If there’s a storm there’s no way I’d be able to see you, dork. Try thinking your isolation plans to accommodate me next time.” you joke pushing his shoulder.

He cracks a small grin, grateful for your attempt to cheer him up.

“I didn’t realize isolation became a two person thing.”

“Of course it is, with either of us it is. We’re like a package deal. If one of us is alone the other is alone with them. And yes, that logic makes perfect sense.” you explain smiling.

“You’re a real idiot sometimes you know that?”

“Says the dork that ran out on his friends and left them to pay.”

“Shut up! Its Luhan hyung’s place anyway, they won’t be paying too much… I think.”

“Who’s the idiot now?” you challenge.

“Oh, you still are. Nothing’s changing that.” Chen retorts without missing a beat.

“Dork.”

“Idiot.”

“Heart breaker.”

“Coward.”

“Show off.”

“Push over.”

“Rude.”

“Loser.”

“Jerk.”

“Idiot.”

“Dork.”

The two of you grin at one another. The two of you being stupid and making fun of each other, that’s what the rest of the evening should’ve consisted of. The two of you just being the dork and idiot you are. That’s how it should always be.

But not necessarily how you want it to be.

***

Since the incident at the restaurant a little over a week ago Soohee, thankfully for Chen, hasn’t been bothering the two of you, specifically Chen, as often. There is the occasional, somewhat awkward, encounter at the university café but she doesn’t pester him too incessantly.

You are, however, happy to say just the opposite about Xiumin and Luhan. The childish pair have made it habit to find the time in their busy upperclassmen (Luhan apparently just as old as Xiumin, another twenty-two year old you forget is your elder) schedules to fool around with you and Chen. They’re an absolute joy, their bubbly personalities brightening your mood considerably whenever they come by. Occasionally they’ll bring an indifferent Lay with them or, and very rarely, a stoic Kris who’s intimidating as ever.

Keeping up the relationship façade has gotten a lot easier to deal with now that the hype has died down, for the most part. There still are some murmurs about the two of you, from the majority of the student body, but, nothing unmanageable. No unpleasant situations with clingy girls since Soohee.

Sometimes you wonder how she’s doing but, not enough to go out of your way to find out.

On an entirely different note, there have only been a few storms, roughly six, which is highly unusual for the area. You’re not complaining, only six storms in the past ten days are great. They don’t bother you as much either. Now that Chen knows about your fear (you really don’t like calling it that…) he’s been a lot more supportive and helpful during those stormy nights. As per usual he’ll sing but now he makes sure his voice is clear and loud over the ongoing storm. He’ll pause occasionally to ask how you’re doing, if you need him to come over, or just to say something stupid to make you smile. Definitely a lot nicer than you’d first thought having him know would be.

Basically, everything’s going really well.

Except your muddled feelings.

As time goes on they seem to get more and more out of control. Being around Chen all the time and acting like a couple isn’t helpful in the least. As much as you try to suppress them it’s all a fruitless effort.

Making you think maybe you’ve felt this way about him all along. Maybe this is the push that made them surface.

That’s ridiculous. The last time you felt this way about him you were too young to even realize what those feelings meant. You got over it regardless. Besides, you’re pretty sure you’d know if you’ve always felt this way about Chen.

Wouldn’t you..?