“Meet me in the shopping districts tomorrow afternoon. I’ll be in front of the corner store located by the intersection,” she stated clearly before turning and walking off in the opposite direction.

Wu Fan only grimaces. His mind feels jumbled with endless thoughts as he spends the whole day trying to decipher Sae Rin’s malice intents. The scowl does not leave his face, even in front of Chanyeol as they walk home together after school dismissal.  Chanyeol takes notice instantly when Wu Fan remains silent for ten whole minutes. “Are you alright, Wu Fan?” he questions, tugging on Wu Fan’s sleeve timidly.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Wu Fan reassures.

“You haven’t said anything for the entire walk back,” Chanyeol mumbles when they reach the house patio. “And you didn’t talk at lunch or when we had class together. It worries me…”

Wu Fan flashes an awkward and tight smile as he fumbles with the house key. He swings the door open and motions Chanyeol to step inside first. Chanyeol doesn’t budge. He stands with folded arms and a skeptic expression. “Tell me what is wrong,” he demands.

Wu Fan scratches his head nervously, looking at anything but Chanyeol. “It’s nothing, really. I just have somewhere to be tomorrow. And I’m sad because I don’t want to leave you alone at home.”

“Oh,” Chanyeol answers, following Wu Fan into the house. “Where are you going?”

Wu Fan rests himself on the living room sofa and immediately starts flipping through the channels on his wide screen television. In this way, his eyes did not have to meet with Chanyeol’s. Wu Fan has always prided himself as an honest person. So it strikes at his heart strings when he lies. “Job interview,” he mumbles beneath his breath.

“…oh.” Chanyeol sits down with his head and body facing him as a sign of attentiveness. Wu Fan continues to stare at the television screen, paying no mind to Chanyeol’s focus on him. There is a gap in between them and Chanyeol’s pulse grows unstable. Wu Fan has always been the one to initiate the intimacy in between them. But with Wu Fan’s distanced eyes, Chanyeol feels nonexistent…he feels inferior. “Why do you want a job?” he continued to question.

“…money.”

“But you have money,” Chanyeol squeaks. He gradually brings his arms to link with Wu Fan’s and he holds on tightly.

Wu Fan has no choice but to make eye contact with him. As soon as Wu Fan turns his head, Chanyeol kisses him on the lips. Wu Fan is caught off guard and doesn’t reciprocate when Chanyeol kisses him harder. Chanyeol pulls away with fluttering eyes and smiles. “Are you mad because I didn’t kiss you properly today? I’m sorry.”

Wu Fan chuckles, flashing his gummy smile and pats Chanyeol’s cheek gently. “Kiss me now and I’ll forgive you.”

Wu Fan grabs Chanyeol by the collar and pulls him in for another kiss. Wu Fan grazes the opening of Chanyeol’s pout with his tongue until Chanyeol parts his lips slightly. Wu Fan forces in his tongue, and kissing him roughly and passionately. Chanyeol starts giggling out of relief.

Wu Fan still wants to kiss him. Wu Fan still loved him. Perhaps he is just too paranoid.

The following day, Chanyeol sits with Wu Fan and Luhan during lunch as they usually do. Wu Fan is rambling on and on about the merits of eating a well-balanced diet. “If you don’t eat healthier, your body will rot due to malnutrition, Luhan.”

Luhan reciprocates with “Invalid statement. I get all my nutrients from Flintstones gummy bears so in your face.”

“…I’m never going to convince you so please excuse me. I’m going to the restroom.”

“I WIN!” Luhan reciprocates and Wu Fan rolls his eyes while Chanyeol laughs, almost snorting out the banana milk he is currently drinking.

Luhan eyes Wu Fan’s back as he walks away. He suddenly puts full attention onto Chanyeol, making him feel awfully intimidated by Luhan’s stern expression. The atmosphere became somber when Luhan leans in and whispers. “Something’s up with Wu Fan.”

Chanyeol laughs, feeling relief in Luhan’s outburst. “Nothing is up with him,” he assures.

Luhan motions him closer with two wiggling fingers and Chanyeol follows suit. “I saw him texting in class today. He was so absorbed into the conversation that he didn’t even notice me looking at him. Was he texting you?”

“N-no. Wu Fan understands I don’t like to text during class,” he mumbles in response.

“Well, whoever he was texting to, he’s meeting that person at the shops today.”

Chanyeol’s jaw and carton of banana milk both drop. “I-IS HE CHEATING ON ME?” Chanyeol concludes.

Luhan hushes him nervously when Chanyeol’s outcry gainers some attention. “Now, now, Chanyeol. Do not overreact. It is not best to assume the worse.”

Chanyeol’s heart beats uncontrollably and he can feel his eyes tearing up. “He told me he had a job interview. I don’t think job interviews occur in public like that…why would Wu Fan lie to me?”

“There must be a legitimate reason why Wu Fan lied to you.”

Chanyeol buries his face into his palms as he mumbles inaudible words of grief. Luhan frowns and pats Chanyeol’s shoulder out of empathy. It saddens him even more when Wu Fan comes back from the restroom and Chanyeol forces an elusive smile in front of him. Chanyeol succeeds in maintaining it the rest of the day.

“Bye Chanyeol. Going to the job interview now,” Wu Fan states when they arrive home after school. “I called Luhan to keep you company so you won’t be alone today.”

Wu Fan is putting on his shoes as Chanyeol watches nervously. “Do you really need a job? I-I don’t want you to work. I’ll work for you if you need money.”

Wu Fan stands up and chuckles. “Like I’d make you work. I want to be the one to take care of you.”

He is halfway out the door without an embrace or even a wave of his hand as a proper farewell. “B-bye Wu Fan,” he calls out desperately.

Wu Fan pushes his head through the door and flashes a quick upturn of the mouth. “Bye Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol can’t help himself and he collapses onto the sofa in dismay. He knows that he shouldn’t be over-reacting. Chanyeol knows that there is no one he trusts more than the person he so dearly loved. But he truly cannot control his thought process. After all, Wu Fan is the only person who can stir up all these unwanted emotions in him.

Another five minutes goes by with Chanyeol sighing and suppressing his cries when Luhan barges through the door looking suspiciously cheery.

“Hi Luhan,” Chanyeol forces a smile and Luhan runs up to him enthusiastically. “I hatched a plan, Chanyeol!”

Chanyeol raises an eyebrow when he surveys the large duffle bag Luhan has with him. “What are you talking about?”

Luhan he rummages through his duffle bag as quickly as possible and Chanyeol’s eyes widen when Luhan pulls out two coarse-looking wigs. Chanyeol leans forward to peer inside the bag to see a wide assortment of gawky accessories and costumes. “WE’RE GOING UNDERCOVER,” Luhan giggles.

Chanyeol stands up in disbelief. “H-hold up! Don’t tell me you want us to spy on Wu Fan!”

“That’s exactly want I’m saying. How else are we going to find up what’s up with him?”

Chanyeol cups his face and screams eternally. “I can’t believe this…”

Despite his reaction, Chanyeol is desperate. Wu Fan is being too secretive and he feels the anxiety eat up inside of him.

“So…are you in?” Luhan asks coyly, wiggling the wigs in front of Chanyeol.

Chanyeol sighs, biting his lip nervously before nodding. “I’m in.”

Luhan throws a wig into Chanyeol’s grasp and chuckles. “Great! Now, get dressed, Chanyeol!”

Chanyeol looks down at the flung wig and shakes him head immediately. The wig is heavy in his hand due to the long, brown hairs that weigh it down. There is no mistaking it. “This is a girl’s wig!”

“The only wigs I have are these two. Mine’s an afro, as you can tell,” Luhan laughs, trying to fit a wig cap over his small head.

Chanyeol pouts and tries to get a hold of the afro. “Let’s trade.”

Luhan pulls the wig close and bats Chanyeol’s hands away. “NO! It makes more sense for you to dress as the girl rather than me, Chanyeol.”

“…what?”

Luhan nods his head as a matter of fact. “Yeah, I’m too manly. There’s no way I’d be convincing in drag.”

Chanyeol trails Luhan down the shops after twenty minutes of staring at the embarrassing, drag version of himself in the mirror. His head is faced down in humiliation as he holds onto his mid-length skirt that flies through the breeze and he tries not to the sticky lip gloss Luhan forced him to wear.

Even if Chanyeol is tall in stature, he’s a bit more convincing than Luhan can ever be. Luhan has on a bushy and ridiculous mustache perched on his upper lip, sunglasses that practically consume his entire face, and -less chaps that Chanyeol questions how Luhan ever got a hold of. Even with that grotesque afro and that outfit to top it off, Luhan struts confidently. “I think we look good,” Luhan snorts and Chanyeol groans as a response.

He trips over the cement pavement because his white stockings are far too tight. A 20-year something male helps him up and winks. “Careful, little lady,” he flirts and Chanyeol pulls that obscene mustache off of Luhan’s pretty face when he laughs.

Out of nowhere, Luhan pulls him behind a nearby bike rack and points frantically. “Look! It’s Wu Fan!” he hollers, directioning Chanyeol to the right of him.

Chanyeol follows his directions to see Wu Fan is in front of the convenient store with three girls. And out of the three girls, one just so happened to be Sae Rin. Chanyeol is left speechless as Luhan did not make any effort to keep quiet whatsoever. “What the hell is he doing with Sae Rin?!” 

Without any signal, Chanyeol leaves the bike racks and marches towards Wu Fan. “Chanyeol! No!” Luhan tries to stop him, but it is far too late.

Even if he’s aware that he is being impulsive, Chanyeol couldn’t care less when he marches over and calls out to him. "WU FAN!"

Wu Fan jolts when he sees Chanyeol walking towards him. Not because he is caught for lying, but because Chanyeol is decked out as a full-fletched woman.  “Chanyeol?!” Sae Rin gasps and Luhan runs after him breathlessly. “LUHAN?!”

“Present,” Luhan jokes before looking at the two school girls beside Sae Rin. Her friends were obviously not from Labyrinth Academy, and Luhan takes off his wig and bows courteously. “Hello ladies,” Luhan greasily states and they both giggle simultaneously.

“Sae Rin! I thought we were only going to meet your boyfriend, but we had no idea he brought some friends!”

Sae Rin shakes her head. “N-no! This is a misunderstanding! I-!”

“YES!” Wu Fan interrupts. “This is a triple date. I brought my friends, see?”

“But…that’s a girl,” one points, observing Chanyeol’s androgynous getup and Wu Fan pulls off his wig and rubs off Chanyeol’s lip gloss with his palm. “No, no. He’s a boy. He can be so silly sometimes. HA HA HA…now, if you will excuse me.”

Wu Fan pulls Chanyeol by the arm to the other side of the convenient store. “Why are you wearing that ridiculous skirt?!” he interrogates, pulling on the hem and making Chanyeol hit Wu Fan’s hand instinctually.

“I think the question is why you are with Sae Rin?!”

Chanyeol nose flushes pink and his eyes start to water. “W-w-w-why?!” he whimpers.

“Oh NO. Baby, baby, baby! Don’t cry!” Wu Fan hugs him so tight that many pedestrians stare. Wu Fan hisses them away and wipes away Chanyeol’s tears. “I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you to worry.”

“TOO LATE!” Chanyeol cries louder and Wu Fan rubs his back in anguish. He wants to kiss him, but they were in public, and Chanyeol’s wig is inconveniently placed in Wu Fan’s hands.

“I’m regretful you found out this way, but I will be honest with you right now.” Wu Fan sighs before continuing. “Sae Rin has a picture of us kissing.”

Chanyeol is about to gasp when Wu Fan covers his mouth and hushes him. “She’s blackmailing me.  I’m not sure what she wants from me, but for the time being, she just wants me to pretend to be her boyfriend in front of her friends. I am just following her request in hopes that she drops this whole thing.”

Wu Fan takes away his hand from Chanyeol’s mouth and Chanyeol hollers out instantly. “I told you so! I told you we shouldn’t have kissed in public!”

“I know, I know. I feel so bad!”

“You don’t listen to me! You’re so stupid! I want to hit you!”

“Yes, yes. I’m sorry. I’m just sort of relieved that you know now because lying to you really hurts me.”

“You should have just told me in the first place!”

“I didn’t want you to do anything crazy-”

Chanyeol raises an eyebrow and points to the frilly, yellow shirt he currently has on.

“Well, my bad,” Wu Fan tries hard not to laugh. “But since you know now, don’t do anything too crazy, okay? I’m afraid that Sae Rin might do something rash with that photo.”

“I promise. I’ll follow your lead, Wu Fan.”

“Good,” Wu Fan smirks. He takes a quick look to the left and right of him before sneaking a kiss on Chanyeol’s cheek. “Let’s go.”

Chanyeol is star struck, swaying behind Wu Fan as they walk back towards Luhan and the girls. Sae Rin looks hopelessly confused and Luhan shoots Wu Fan a look of murder intent because they left him alone so rudely. “So,” Wu Fan chuckles. “Shall we go?”

Sae Rin eyes him skeptically, but she eventually nods. “Al…right.”

One of the girls whispers into her other friend’s ear. “You get the one in the dress.”

EVERY CHAPTER GETS LONGER AND LONGER. I AM SORRY ( UNLESS YOU LIKE IT ლ(́◉◞౪◟◉‵ლ) HA HA! )

I love all of your predictions so thank you for leaving them! Did it all turn out the way you expected? :3 

And yes, math has been the only thing keeping me from writing. UGH. I finally finished this chapter after many re-writes and proofreads at 2:30 in the morning so if there are many mistakes, I'll fix it later! I just wanted to publish this so I don't keep you all waiting. OH  & A&A Hit 20 Chapters! I cannot believe ittttttt ~ ! Bye until Chapter 21! Thank you for everything! <3 

Why I'm probably failing math...I keep doodling in class. UGH. I did a quick sketch of OC designs for the females of A & A. This is what I think of when I write these characters. Sorry the picture is bad quality. I only scanned it and used a dumb pencil because I forgot my pens at home HAHAHA. Have a good day ~~ !