“Well, this is nice,” Baekhyun said as he walked up to Luhan and Jinho with Chanyeol right behind him, his voice uncharacteristically pleasant given the circumstances. “Hey hyung.”
 

Luhan smiled at him and he returned the gesture. Jinho, on the other hand, looked like he was trying to control his facial expression – to hide how he really felt about seeing Baekhyun and Chanyeol. Judging from the way his eyes darkened, it wasn't positive.

The feeling's mutual, Baekhyun thought as he gazed at Jinho.

“What are you two doing here?” Luhan asked, unaware of the subtle glares Baekhyun and Jinho were throwing at each other.

Chanyeol cleared his throat and nudged Baekhyun, silently telling him to behave.

Understanding his boyfriend's message, Baekhyun eventually turned his attention towards Luhan. “We brought you something.”

Chanyeol lifted the plastic bag that had the lunch set to show Luhan. “Since you didn't come to lunch,” Chanyeol added.

Luhan gave the two of them an apologetic smile. “Oh, thanks guys. That's really nice of you, but I already ate with Jinho.”

Baekhyun's eyes darted back to Jinho. Of course.

“Oh. That's good. We wouldn't want you skipping meals,” Chanyeol said, hand slowly reaching out for Baekhyun's. The taller boy could sense the tension between Jinho and Baekhyun that was threatening to boil over any second, so he figured he needed to keep Baekhyun in his grasp to maybe calm the smaller boy down.

“Did you two eat with...” Luhan didn't finish asking his question, instead he fiddled with his fingers, his eyes blinking faster than normal – all indications of his anxiousness.

Baekhyun stopped cursing at Jinho in his head to look at the boy. It was obvious Luhan was asking about Sehun, but judging from the way he was acting fidgety, Baekhyun assumed Luhan couldn't decide on whether asking that was a good idea or not. On one hand, he gets to find out whether Sehun has eaten, which would probably give him relief since he's always been naturally worried toward his boyfriend.

But on the other, he gets to find out that Sehun did in fact have lunch without him, which couldn't possibly make him feel better about their rift – it'd probably sting.

Baekhyun felt really bad for the older boy. He wanted to just give Luhan a big hug, and from the way Jinho was looking at Luhan, Baekhyun could tell he wasn't the only one.

“Yeah, we did,” Chanyeol answered softly, also aware of Luhan's inner dilemma.

Luhan blinked, and for a millisecond, Baekhyun caught sight of his lips twitching downwards, but Luhan somehow managed not to frown. “Oh,” he said in voice that didn't quite hide his disappointment as well as his expression did.

Quickly, Luhan turned to face Jinho. “I have to go to my next class. I'll see you later.”

Jinho smiled, and Baekhyun swore he has never wanted to slap a person as much as he does now. “Yeah, hyung. Later.”

Luhan half-smiled at Baekhyun and Chanyeol. “Later guys.”

Before Baekhyun could say something, Luhan had walked off, shoulders down and head hung low.

With his eyes on Luhan, Baekhyun sighed. Sehun, I hope you know what you're doing.

“Are you going to tell me to back off again?” Jinho asked, his icy voice causing Baekhyun to turn back to look at him. “Come on. Let's get this over with.”

Baekhyun scoffed. “You got balls.”

Jinho crossed his arms. “Is that it?” he asked, face unamused.

Baekhyun took a step forward, fists clenched. Chanyeol quickly snatched his hand. “Baek.”

“It's fine,” Baekhyun assured, wiggling his hand out of Chanyeol's grasp. He took another step forward so that he was standing just a foot away from Jinho.

“You seem to have gotten more bold since the last time we spoke,” Baekhyun said, his eyes looking right through Jinho, telling him that he didn't find the boy's new found courage to his liking. Not at all.

“Maybe because I actually have a reason to be this time,” Jinho replied.

Baekhyun quirked his eyebrow. “Oh really? And what is that exactly? Last time I checked, Sehun and Luhan hyung are still together, so I can't see how you can possibly have a reason to act like you are now.”

“Last time I checked, Sehun ignored Luhan hyung, not even bothering to ask him out for lunch. Why exactly? Because I took him out to meet one of his idols? I don't know about you, but I don't see how he can treat Luhan hyung like that over something so petty. Not exactly a good boyfriend is he?”

“Hey,” Chanyeol said, voice stern. “You don't know why Sehun's upset, so don't go saying he's mad over something petty.”

“And don't even question what kind of boyfriend Sehun is to Luhan hyung,” Baekhyun sneered.

Jinho looked at Chanyeol. Without blinking, he said, “You're right. I don't know why he's mad, but whatever it is, it's not something that justifies him treating Luhan hyung like that.”

Jinho turned his attention back to Baekhyun. “And can I ask you something? Is it so bad for me to step up and take Luhan hyung to lunch? Surely, that is what a good friend would do. So why are you two giving me such looks? Like I did something wrong.”

“Being a good friend and treating him to lunch when he's feeling sad is one thing, but being one of the reasons why he's like that in the first place is another,” Baekhyun said.

Jinho let out a dry laugh. “How is this my fault? I'm not responsible for Sehun's behavior. Only he should be held accountable. Honestly, he can be mad at me for taking Luhan hyung out. I'll gladly accept that. But taking it out on Luhan hyung is low.”

“I thought he was your friend? Shouldn't you know how Sehun is when he's upset? I would assume that getting to know the reason why he's mad is more important.” Baekhyun tilted his head slightly. “Or is Sehun's behavior working out in your favor, so you don't see the point in trying to understand how he feels?”

The corner of Jinho's lips twitched at the accusatory statement Baekhyun had thrown at him. “Are you suggesting --”

“That's exactly what I'm suggesting,” Baekhyun interjected. “I think we all know what you were doing when you took Luhan hyung to meet that photographer. Sure, a large part of it was to cheer him up. I won't say you're horrible for doing that because as someone who cares about Luhan hyung, I can see why you felt the need to do that. Sehun messed up. Yes. But let's be completely honest here.”

Baekhyun took a small step forward to get even closer to Jinho. A few of the passing students were starting to stare at them, but Baekhyun couldn't bring himself to care. He never does.

He looked at Jinho directly, his eyes piercing, but his expression remained calm as he spoke. “There was a small part of you that celebrated the fact that Sehun messed up. You saw it as your chance to get closer to Luhan hyung, to show him something Sehun can't. Sehun screwing up is your sliver of hope of ever being next to Luhan hyung.”

Baekhyun took a step back and crossed his arms. “I find that despicable,” he said through gritted teeth.

Silently, they stood there, eyes focused on one another. Baekhyun could tell that what he said had hit the nail on the head when Jinho couldn't immediately respond. In Baekhyun's mind, Jinho could say anything he want, but nothing could hide the fact that he did indeed prove to them that he saw what happened the other day as his chance.

Then Jinho suddenly smiled, and that irked Baekhyun immensely. “Can I be honest?”

Baekhyun scoffed. “I didn't know you were even capable of being honest, but yeah, go ahead.”

“Okay. Well, frankly, I don't care if you find me despicable. It doesn't matter to me. Why? Because like you said, I have hope on my side.”

Chanyeol made a surprise noise from where he stood. Baekhyun, however, remained unfazed. He even started to slowly clap. “You're just one step closer to winning Best Friend of the Year,” Baekhyun said, voice almost comical if not for the underlying sarcasm behind those words.

He stopped clapping. “So let me get this straight. You would kick your friendship with Sehun to the curb because of this unrealistic hope that you could take Luhan hyung? That Luhan hyung would fall for you instead? I don't know whether to be scared or to laugh at you.”

“Like I said, how you see me or react towards me doesn't matter. What does matter is how I treat Luhan hyung. If Sehun continues to act the way he is now, I won't be regretful when I do pick Luhan hyung over our friendship. I can't stand here and do nothing when Luhan hyung is feeling like he's been forgotten. You didn't see how miserable he looked during class. You didn't see the way his eyes lost their sparkle whenever the name Sehun is mentioned. I refuse to see him frown at the thought of Sehun ignoring him. I'm not like Sehun. I'm going to do whatever I can to make it up to him --”

“But it's not YOUR PLACE to make it up to him,” Baekhyun snapped, his face fast becoming red, his anger slowly taking over. “What makes you think that Sehun wouldn't try to cheer Luhan hyung up?! You didn't give him the chance dammit!”

“HE SHOULDN'T HAVE MESSED UP IN THE FIRST PLACE!” Jinho shouted back, causing the students to stop walking to gawk at the two. They would have stood around and observed if it weren't for Chanyeol clearing his throat and shooting them looks that meant Get the hell out of here. Pretty soon the hallway was empty, leaving just the three of them standing there. Neither Baekhyun and Jinho noticed though.

“HE'S NOT PERFECT!” Baekhyun countered. “HE'S ONLY HUMAN! YOU CAN'T CALL HIM OUT ON ONE MISTAKE!”

“WHY ISN'T HE FIXING IT THEN?! HE HAS A PHONE – JUST ONE CALL. A SIMPLE CALL IS ALL HE WANTS!”

“YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! YOU'RE NOT SEHUN,” Baekhyun hollered, his face livid.

The two of them kept their eyes on each other before finally Jinho shook his head. He took a deep breath. “You're right. I'm not Sehun – I wouldn't understand. But I do understand that if Sehun keeps reacting like this every time something goes wrong, their relationship will slowly fall apart. It's only a matter of time.”

Baekhyun clenched his jaw. “You're not in their relationship, so who are you to make such statements.”

“I think I have more of a right than you. I'm the one in love with Luhan hyung. And you? You're just their housemate who has nothing better to do than to get his nose in someone else's business --”

It happened so fast, Baekhyun didn't even catch it. One second, Chanyeol was beside him and the next, he was standing right in front of Jinho, his fists gripping the collar of Jinho's shirt.

“No one talks to Baekhyun like that,” Chanyeol growled as he tighten his grip on Jinho. Baekhyun knew that he was fully capable of lifting Jinho up just from gripping his collar. Unlike before when he stood quietly and allowed the two to speak their minds, Chanyeol's eyes were now dangerously serious. Furious even.

Baekhyun could sense the alarm in Jinho at his boyfriend's reaction.

“Chanyeol, don't.” Baekhyun reached out to loosen Chanyeol's fist. “He's not worth it.”

It was honestly a pity that they were at school because if they weren't, Jinho would have already been punched in the face – not by Chanyeol, but by him.

Chanyeol eventually released a still-in-shock Jinho, but not before he warned the other not to push it. Chanyeol took a step back, his eyes trained on Jinho as if any sudden movement from the other boy could spark him into action again. Baekhyun immediately intertwined his fingers with Chanyeol's. He gave his boyfriend's hand a quick squeeze, to show him his appreciation. If their current situation wasn't so serious, Baekhyun would have given him a kiss because Chanyeol looked incredibly hot when he's intimidating.

But back to the matter...

“You can say whatever you want,” Baekhyun started, sneaking a glance at Chanyeol to see if he had calmed down. “But at the end of the day, Luhan hyung and Sehun are still together. If you're in love with Luhan hyung and if you're willing to throw friendship aside, why don't you act on it?” he asked, surprising both Chanyeol and Jinho.

“Don't be mistaken – I will never support you taking away Luhan hyung from Sehun. But since telling you to stop and to let go clearly didn't work, this is the only other option,” he explained. “I think you need to face rejection first hand before you could understand what Chanyeol and I told you in the beginning. Experience for yourself just how much Luhan hyung loves Sehun. Maybe then you'll move on.”

He gave Jinho an empty smile, neither warm nor menacing. “How about it? Why don't you go to Luhan hyung right now and tell him how you feel. Pour your heart out. Tell him how much you've been pining after him. Just forget about Sehun's feelings. Shouldn't be so hard because you've been doing it so well.”

Jinho stayed silent for a moment, contemplating over what Baekhyun had said. Suddenly, he shot Baekhyun a reproachful look.

“You're trying to make me look like the bad guy,” Jinho accused, voice dry.

“You are the bad guy,” Baekhyun corrected. “I'm just letting you have your moment – you know the moment that certifies your role as the villain.”

“I'm not the bad guy,” Jinho argued, voice firm. “Liking someone is not a crime.”

“It's not,” Baekhyun agreed. “But again, I'm curious as to why you haven't told Luhan hyung..If liking someone isn't a crime, and you don't see yourself as the bad guy, why have you never told him?”

“I --”

“You were waiting for the perfect time? Like maybe when they're going through a rough patch? Or maybe when Luhan hyung feels lonely and needs comfort? Well, I'm pretty sure both of those conditions are happening right now, so why don't you go for it?”

Jinho doesn't respond, instead he kept his eyes on Baekhyun, obviously trying to figure out what Baekhyun was planning by telling him such things.

But Baekhyun wasn't planning anything. He was being honest.

“After you confess to Luhan hyung, don't forget to tell Sehun,” Baekhyun continued when Jinho still hasn't said anything. “As your friend since childhood, I think he at least deserves that.”

Baekhyun turned to look at Chanyeol. “Let's go, Yeollie.”

The couple turned to leave, but then Baekhyun turned around to add, “Oh yeah, Jinho, I hope you're aware that this might be your only chance. You can take my advice or leave it, it's up to you, but do know that when something happens is just as important, if not more, as how something happens.”

“Timing is everything,” Baekhyun said before walking away with Chanyeol.

******

Luhan was pacing back and forth in the hallway in front of his classroom. Earlier he was sitting in class, waiting for it to start, when he received the text that was now the cause of his headache. From the moment he read it, he didn't understand what it meant.

Now here he was, clutching his phone, constantly re-reading the words from the text he received from Sehun.

I need to see you.

What does that mean? Does he mean now? Or later? At home or after class? Ughhh!

After failing to figure out Sehun's text, Luhan resorted to mentally cursing his boyfriend for giving him so much stress.

First, he doesn't talk to me. He doesn't text or call to ask me how I'm doing. He doesn't ask me where I am when I don't show up for lunch. And now when he finally does talk to me, he sends me something I don't freaking understand!

Who is he to think he can get away with treating me like this?! Oh yeah wait. He's Oh Sehun – the guy I'm hopelessly in love with.

Luhan looked at the message again and groaned. That jerk! I'm going to smack him once I see him. Let him know exactly how I feel! Oh Sehun, you better be ready –

Zzzzzzzzzzzz. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Another text from Sehun.

I'm coming now.

Luhan's eyes widened. Now?! He's coming now?! While I'm about to have class?! Now?!

Quickly deciding that he rather see Sehun (to curse at him) than stay for class, Luhan stalked over to the classroom door with the intention of taking his belongings out. With eyes still on his phone screen, Luhan wasn't paying attention when another student from inside the classroom opened the door and –

BAM!

The door smacked him hard in the face and he fell backwards from the impact.

Crack.

He doesn't even have time to think about the pain because when he looked over and found his phone on the floor, cracked and in two pieces........NO!! My phone!!

“Hyung!”

Jinho rushed over  and bent down to pull him up. “Are you okay?”

Luhan shook his head. “My phone broke,” he said, voice devastated. He didn't even wonder why Jinho had suddenly appeared next to him. All that mattered was the fact that his phone was in no condition to receive calls - calls from Sehun.

He was unaware of the warm fluid slowly oozing out of his nose, not until Jinho gasped, and let out a panicked, “Hyung, you're bleeding!”

Luhan blinked at Jinho before lifting his right hand to touch the area above his lip, and sure enough there was blood. Luhan immediately squeezed his eyes shut, suddenly feeling woozy. He was never comfortable with seeing blood.

“Hyung?” Jinho asked, concern in his voice. Before Luhan could answer, he heard the other boy ping his backpack. “Never mind. Hold still, hyung.”

With his eyes closed, Luhan could feel Jinho pressing a cloth – handkerchief? – under his nose. Naturally, Luhan tilted his head back, but Jinho quickly stopped him, placing his hand around the back of Luhan's neck.

“Hyung, you're not supposed to lean back. You have to lean forward,” Jinho said, carefully guiding Luhan's head forward.

“Hm?”

“Trust me,” Jinho said with a low chuckle. “It's better that way.”

Jinho then started wiping the blood off. “You have to be more careful, hyung. I've never heard of someone in college getting a bloody nose from hitting a door.”

“Hmph! It can happen,” Luhan protested, voice slightly muffled because Jinho's handkerchief was in the way.

Jinho smiled, or at least Luhan assumed he was – he still had his eyes closed. “Only to you,” Jinho teased.

He was about to say something else when suddenly a voice from his left called out, “Lu.”

Luhan's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes snapped open. That wasn't Jinho. It sounded like.....

He turned his head. Sehun?

Indeed, standing five feet away from him was an expressionless Sehun.

Luhan felt his heart beating insanely fast at the sight of Sehun standing there with a plastic bag in his hand and his face glistening with sweat. Wait, why is he sweaty? Did he run here?

“S-Sehun?” Luhan stuttered, completely forgetting the fact that Jinho still had a handkerchief pressed against his nose.

Sehun calmly made his way over to where Luhan and Jinho were standing. With an unreadable expression, he grabbed Luhan's wrist with one hand and snatched Jinho's handkerchief with the other.

Not giving any sort of explanation, Sehun led him away, his hand firm around Luhan's wrist.

“Sehun?” Luhan asked, taken aback by Sehun's actions.

The boy doesn't say anything as he led Luhan towards the nearest bathroom.

~~~~~~ CLIFFHANGER!! SORTA. Lol. It was supposed to be longer, but I decided that I was going to stop here and finish the rest in another chapter. Didn't want you guys to wait too long. WHAT AN INTENSE CHAPTER! OMG. That Baekyeol-Jinho part was insane. Like dang. I can't even talk about it. But do let me know how you felt about the chapter! :D For the next chapter, I'm sure you're all waiting for Hunhan to kiss and make up, but idk.....maybe....not....lol. I will tell you that Luhan's phone breaking will affect what happens next. There's a reason for everything! Anyways, thanks for reading and subscribing! ♥ 

p.s. WHO ELSE LOVES EXO'S NEW ALBUM?!?! OMG. ASDFGHJKL! IT'S PERFECT! I can't wait till my album comes in the mail! :D