A/N: This is the second last chapter! Just wanting to notify my lovely readers. Now...read on!

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A few weeks have passed and Xiumin is beginning to feel okay with having Chen back in his life again. However, he keeps Chen in the dark of the reason why he left and the real feelings he holds towards the younger male…

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“Boo!” Chen jumps behind the maknae and Sehun jumps

“Y-ya! Chennie hyung that wasn’t funny” Sehun says pouting

The others crack up laughing “See Sehun not so funny when someone does it to you huh?” Tao says giggling beside Kris

“Ngaw don’t pout maknae-ah!” Chen ruffles his hair and sits beside the giggling Lay. “Hey where’s Minseok?” Chen asks looking for the said male

“Uh his still at photography class, he should be here soon though” Lu Han explains

“Oh”

Oh yeah and Chen is starting to hang around the boys more!

“There he is and-oh ” Kris says looking worriedly to the panda. Tao looks up and the smile that he had on before is instantly wiped off as he glares at the person beside his beloved gege

Chen also turns around and he seethes too at the person

Lee Joon.

Lee Joon has been stuck with Xiumin as well, following him anywhere and everywhere.

“Hey guys!” Xiumin happily calls, stealing a seat next to Lu Han “Mind if Joonie sits with us?” Xiumin asks cutely. Tao instantly looks away and Lu Han takes it upon himself to answer “Not at all”

Lee Joon smiles at them and sits beside Xiumin as they happily chat

Chen steers his attention from the two happily chatting and decides to start a conversation with his hyung

“Hey Kris”

“Mmm?”

“You know how you rap? Why don’t we write a collab together?” Chen asks

Kris smiles “Sure! That’d be awesome hey”

Xiumin hears their convo “Collab? That’d sound awesome” Xiumin says holding his thumbs up to the two. Chen instantly smiles at him, happy that his hyung’s attention is now on him “You reckon Minnie?” he asks cutely

Xiumin blushes and Lee Joon tries to hide his evident anger that Tao easily spots “Y-Yeah sure. It’d sound cool Jongdae”

Chen smiles “Thanks Minseok”

The two usually refer to each other with their real names because they’re so used to it

Tao is dead silent and Sehun pouts, wanting to play with his hyung. “Tao-ah. Tao” he whispers so the boy across from him can listen. Everyone is aware, besides Chen, that Tao has a huge problem with Lee Joon. The reason why, no one knows besides Tao…and Lee Joon.

‘Are you alright?’ Sehun mouths

Tao shakes his head and continues to eat silently

“Hey guys have you heard of the party the seniors are holding?” Lay asks

“Party? Oh Yeah Kikwang told me about it” Lu Han says thoughtfully

“Oh why don’t we go? It’d be cool” Sehun says beside his boyfriend

“Sounds fun. What’d you say Jongdae would you go?” Xiumin asks the said male. Lee Joon feels invisible whenever it comes to Xiumin and Chen. He knows they share a history…it makes his more jealous and furious

“If you’d go then hell I’ll be there” Chen says grinning. The sight takes Xiumin’s breath away and he feels himself heat up…but then his attention is taken away

“Hey Xiumin can I ask you something” Lee Joon says

Chen decides that he is very annoyed with Lee Joon now

“U-uh yeah sure” Xiumin says. Tao’s ears perk up now

“You want to go to the party with me?”

The table falls quiet…

“As in a-

“Date” Lee Joon says happily

Chen holds his breath

“I-uh” Xiumin stutters

Lee Joon’s eyes are twinkling so bright and he seems so happy that Xiumin can’t break that happiness. Lee Joon is always willing to do anything for him so despite the inner voice screaming NO at him-

“Yes. I’d like that” Xiumin answers

Lee Joon grins happily and Chen’s eyes darken as he looks down at his plate. Suddenly a loud screech comes from a chair and everyone looks up to see Tao stiffly stand up. His eyes are beyond dark now and his face is so cold and stoic

“Tao?’ Xiumin asks worried for his dongsaeng

“Don’t” is the only thing Tao says before turning around and walking off

“Wait!” Xiumin stands up but Kris is up before him

“If you know what’s good for Tao stay here and let me go after him”

Kris is off and running as Xiumin stands there dumbly

God Tao what is your problem with Joonie?

Lu Han shares a look with Sehun

“Sorry but I think we should go too” Sehun bows and pulls Lu Han along with him. Lay doesn’t say a word but smiles an apology to them, running off behind the two

Chen sits there confused, but knows he needs to go after Tao. Tao was the one that gave him confidence, the one that made him feel comfortable when Kyungsoo and Jongin wasn’t there to give him that push he so badly needed. Although he hasn’t known Tao for that long, Tao is still a friend he treasures

“I’ll see you guys” Chen says, standing up and turning to walk away

“Jongdae!” Xiumin screams out from behind him

“Ne?”

“Can you wait for me after my dance class?”

Chen smiles “Sure”

And Lee Joon is once again left seething

The boys are at a park where Tao is meditating to calm down. The rest sit around him quietly whilst they wait for Tao

Soon enough, Tao slowly opens his eyes, letting a slow and long breath out

“Baby?” Kris whispers

“Hi” Tao says back, smiling

Kris leans in to peck Tao lightly on the lips and Tao softens up as he looks at his boyfriend with so much affection. Tao looks to his cicle of friends and hangs his head low "Sorry" 

Everyone shakes their head “Please tell us what’s going on” Lu Han pleads. “Maybe if you’d tell us the problem then we can convince Xiumin properly to stay away from Joon. But because your so quiet about it, Xiumin doesn’t take it so seriously” Lu Han explains

Chen nods “Please Tao tell us. I want to know so I can protect Minseok”

Tao breaths “I’ll tell you”

Chen waits outside of Xiumin’s classroom until the older boy appears “Oh Jongdae-ah

“We need to go” Chen hurriedly grabs Xiumin’s hand and pulls him away from the classroom, running

“W-what Jongdae!” Xiumin screams but Chen continues to pull him away…and their off running

“W-why did we run so crazily like that?” Xiumin asks, plopping himself down on Chen’s couch and sighing. Their in Chen’s shared house with Kyungsoo and Jongin, however, the two are out.

“Listen. We need to talk” Chen says sitting beside the older

Xiumin gulps

“About what?”

“Lee Joon”

Now Xiumin is just confused. Here he was, thinking Jongdae was going to confront him finally of the reason why he left. But here he is, asking him about Lee Joon.

“What about Joon?” Xiumin asks

“His not good Xiumin. Look, please understand. Stay away from him” Chen says desperately

Yep Xiumin is hell confused

“W-what?! Have you been talking to Zitao? Look Chen he is Lee Joon, my hyung so don’t talk about him like that!” Xiumin scolds

“Xiumin please understand and just keep away from him! I-we are trying to protect you! Lee Joon isn’t what you think he is-

“WHAT?! You don’t even know him!” Xiumin is up from his seat

Chen stands up as well “I know what he is Minseok!” he screams angrily

“What’s wrong with you? Are you jealous-

“Yes I am!”

Xiumin’s face changes from one of complete surprise to utter rage “You want me to stay away from him because you’re jealous?!”

“NO! Okay so I’m jealous but I’m telling you the truth. Please believe me Minseok” Chen pleads desperately

“No. No you won’t even tell me why! Just leave me alone Kim Jongdae!”

And like that, Xiumin has ran out

“! You won’t even let me explain!” Chen screams, punching the wall out of pure anger and rage. “Why won’t you believe me?” Chen cries, sliding down the wall and hugging his knees to his chest “When you’ve known me practically your whole life…”

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Since the incident weeks have passed, turning into months. And Xiumin has taken to avoid Chen…but not just Chen, his whole group of friends.

Today is the day of the awaiting party, and the friends know that they need to protect Xiumin

Tao watches pissed as Xiumin sits far away from them, chatting happily with Lee Joon.

“Tao why can’t we just tell him the reason?” Sehun asks from Lu Han’s side

“Because Hunnie I promised I wouldn’t say anything and knowing Xiumin he’d just ask Lee Joon and that bastard would lie. If Lee Joon found out that Mir told someone…it wouldn’t be good. And I can’t do that to my hyung” Tao explains

Chen shakes his head “He won’t even look at me. Everything was going fine” Chen says sadly

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault” Tao says

“No its not. It’s that es” Kris says pissed off

“Look, its not doing us any good by watching from afar” and Lay is up and stalking his way to Xiumin and Lee Joon’s table.

“Oh what do we do!” Lu Han mutters from under his breath

“I go with him” Chen says completely pissed off, running towards Lay to walk side by side with him

“Oi! Xiumin!”

Xiumin looks up from his happy conversation with Lee Joon and stares at the two boys before him, well, ignores Jongdae and looks at his friend Lay

“Ne Lay?”

“Don’t start Minseok, cut the bull!” Lay raises his voice and everyone in the cafeteria turns to stare at him. “Come, now” Lay grips Xiumin’s wrist hard, making the older yelp “A-ah Lay stop-“

“What the !” Joon stands up and pulls Xiumin hard to his side

“Let him go” Jongdae growls under his breath

Xiumin blinks, completely confused as to why this is happening

“No. Get lost Kim Jongdae”

“Don’t ing talk to him like that prick!” Lay shouts

“J-Joon just tell me why they’re acting this way-

“I DON’T ING KNOW XIUMIN! They never liked me Minnie, ever” Lee Joon says pleadingly “Minnie believe me I didn’t do anything wrong”

“Minseok”

Jongdae’s voice cuts Xiumin hard “Minseok you know me. I would never act like this unless I had a reason and you know Lay more than I do, and Lay would never raise his voice or swear. Minseok-ah, trust me”

Xiumin looks at Jongdae and sees nothing but truth in his eyes…but Lee Joon is someone Xiumin has always counted on and in his rough times, Lee Joon was there for him.

“Xiumin-

Lay tries again but Xiumin cuts him off “Stop. Both of you. Joonie-ah let’s go”

“If you walk away now, it’s over. Don’t even think about approaching me, Wu Fan, Sehun, Lu Han and Zitao. And don’t ever think of coming near Jongdae-ah”

Xiumin’s eyes widen “W-what, that’s ridiculous Lay”

“Make your choice” Lay says completely standing his ground

Xiumin looks at Jongdae who just stares back. Finally he looks at Lee Joon.

“This is ridiculous. You are all overreacting. Joon-ah let’s go”

Jongdae’s heart breaks as Xiumin grabs Joon’s hand, pulling him along with him and walking away, not even bothering to give them one last glance.

Lay sighs “I’m sorry Chennie”

“Hey, were not giving up on Minnie”

Both Lay and Chen hear from behind them. The two turn around to see Tao, Kris, Sehun and Lu Han standing behind them. “He doesn’t understand what’s going on; we can’t turn away from him. Until he figures out our real intentions and who Joon really is, he’ll understand” Kris explains

“We got a party to get ready for, now let’s go and get ready. As well as keeping an eye on Xiumin” Tao says winking

“Oh by the way we invited Kyungsoo and Jongin” Sehun says happily

“What?! Really?” Chen says surprised

“Well yeah, we need all the help we can get” Kris responds

“Alright, now let’s do this!” Lu Han shouts

Despite the feeling deep inside of Chen, he suppresses it, determined to watch over Minseok and of course…get him back