“Sehunnie, Kris is freaking me out,” Luhan whispers, his hand tugging incessantly on his boyfriend’s sleeve.

Sehun’s gaze flickers lazily from his phone to Kris and back again.

“Hmm yeah he is acting weird. But since when is he not weird,” Sehun hums, shifting to drape his arm across the older boy’s shoulders, pulling him closer. Luhan grins and snuggles into Sehun’s warmth, keeping his eyes on the said boy all the while.

Kris is now staring into space, a dreamy smile etched upon his face and Luhan’s eyebrows furrow as he wonders what has gotten into Kris. He has really been acting weird all day, leaving the dormitory half an hour earlier for dance classes, dragging a whiney Luhan along saying how “it is always good to be punctual” and then having that stupid silly grin on his face the whole day.

It is starting to freak Luhan out. He has never seen his roommate keep a smile on his face for more than five minutes. And the last time it had happened, it was only because he had lost a bet with Kris, making the former one hundred dollars richer.

The door opens and Yixing steps into the dance studio, his bagpack hanging off one shoulder. His eyes scan the room, crinkling into a smile as he spots Luhan. Luhan returns a wave and watches as Yixing’s eyes move to rest on Kris, his gaze lingering on the older. The silly grin on Kris’ face widens even further as Yixing beams at him and Luhan mentally gags at how besotted his roommate looks.

He doesn’t think too much about it until he notices how Yixing seems to be exceptionally happy today as well, not to mention the quick glances thrown in Kris’ way. When he turns to ask Sehun about it, the younger simply shrugs and returns to practicing his dance steps.

By the time the lesson ends, Luhan is panting furiously, thoroughly worked out by the intense dance routine that Yixing has just thought them. Despite this, his mind is whirling with endless questions and a certain nagging suspicion, which he is almost sure that it is true.

 As the rest of the class filters out of the room, Luhan bounces over to Yixing, slinging an arm around him, much to the brunette’s surprise.

“So, how are things between you and Kris?” he asks, a mischievous twinkle in his eye, as he his head at his best friend and questioning look on his face. The tell-tale blush on Yixing’s cheeks confirms his suspicions and before the younger can utter a single word, Luhan has pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.

“Ah ah ah, I knew it! Awwh you two will look adorable together! And then you can have couple dates with me and Sehun. My Xing Xing has grown up already,” Luhan squeals excitedly much to Yixing amusement.

“Get your hands off my boyfriend,” Kris mutters as he shoots a dirty glare at his overexcited roommate, pulling Yixing towards him instead. His heart skips a beat as he feels Yixing lean into his embrace, his head resting on his shoulder. Yixing’s familiar scent surrounds him and he gives a contented sigh, tugging his boyfriend closer.

“Aww, the both of you are really really cute,” Luhan coos, his hands clasped together. But then his expression immediately changes and he steps towards Kris with a glare, shaking a threatening finger in his direction.

“I swear, I will never ever forgive you if you hurt Yixing in any way,” he hisses menacingly, every trace of a smile completely wiped out from his face. There is a pause as Kris takes in his words, almost feeling fear going through his heart, because Luhan looks absolutely serious, with no hint of a smile, his eyes glaring hard.

The tense atmosphere disappears almost immediately as Yixing lets out a peal of laughter, the beautiful sound ringing in the air.

“Ge,” he whines. “I’m not a baby anymore, and Kris won’t hurt me right?” he continues, turning to look at Kris, his dimple dancing lightly on his cheek.

“Right,” Kris utters softly, dropping a kiss on Yixing’s forehead causing Luhan to grimace at his open display of affection, muttering, “it’s only been a day and they are already like that,” But he doesn’t miss the hard look Luhan sends him before leaving the dance studio. Look after Yixing well, or you’ll be sorry.

----

It’s a lovely Saturday morning and Yixing is huddled on Kris’ couch, his English book resting on his knees as he attempts to work his way through the questions. They have increased the number of tutoring sessions given that Yixing’s exam is looming in less than two weeks time, and it is a perfect excuse for Kris to see Yixing, given the crazy amount of classes that his boyfriend teaches, causing them to have lesser time for dates. But Kris cannot complain, if it’s anyone, it would be him who found his way into Yixing’s life. The fact that Yixing still finds time to see him in the midst of his hectic schedule is something that Kris is grateful for.

Kris leans against the kitchen doorway, a cup of coffee warming his hands. A smile tugs at his lips as he sees Yixing scrunch his nose, wrinkling his eyebrows at the book. His pencil hovers in mid-air for a moment before he scribbles something down into the book, his head cocked in question. The sight of how adorable Yixing causes Kris’ heart to swell with happiness and he is unable to keep his smile from widening into a grin.

Sliding onto the couch next to Yixing, Kris drapes an arm around his boyfriend’s waist and tugs him a little closer, their thighs pressed against each other. He leans over Yixing, peering at his work and chuckles at a mistake he finds.

“It’s Jones’. With the apostrophe at the end of his name,” Kris says. “You don’t have to add another ‘s’ after the apostrophe,” he continues as Yixing looks at him questioningly. “If not his name will be pronounced as Jones-ES-ES” he deadpans, emphasizing the ‘s’ on purpose. “You don’t ever hear people calling you, Kris-ES-ES, do you? I think that would be very weird,” he teases and Yixing scowls at him, swatting his arm away when Kris reaches out to pinch his cheeks.

“Make fun of my horrible English why don’t you,”t he younger sniffles in mock hurt, writing the correct answer down. Kris reaches out to pinch his cheeks again and Yixing dodges just in time, sticking out his tongue cheekily. He bends forward and pops a piece of chocolate from the box in front of him, into his mouth.

It’s the box of chocolates which Jongdae gave Yixing. Yixing had kept the box of chocolates Kris had given him claiming how he was saving the best of the last and he couldn’t bear to eat Kris’ present, despite Kris protesting and telling him that they would melt and rot away. But did Yixing listen? Obviously not.

Speaking of Jongdae…

“What did Jongdae tell you the other day?”

“Huh?”

Yixing blinks, surprised. They were talking about his horrible English just seconds ago, how did Jongdae fit in?

“The other day… Valentine’s day. Jongdae whispered something to you after giving you that,” Kris gestures at the box on the table, nose scrunched up in obvious distaste.

“Oh that,” Yixing laughs. “It’s nothing much really, he only told me that a certain tall blonde giant likes me and that I should get together with the giant soon because he is going to get killed from all the death glares the giant has been sending his way,” he continues, looking pointedly at Kris, a knowing smile on his face.

Kris’ mouth forms a round ‘O’ and he tries to hide his embarrassment by grabbing his coffee cup and pretending to be preoccupied with it.  

“Why, are you jealous?” Yixing asks, causing Kris to sputter on his coffee, drops of coffee spraying everywhere. Kris  sets the cup hastily on the table and grabs a tissue, wiping his mouth.

Because Yixing is right, too right in fact. If anything, Kris was jealous of the close contact Jongdae had with Yixing, and especially more so because whatever he said to Yixing had caused the latter to smile and glance at Kris. He wanted, no- needed, to know what Jongdae had said.

“You wish,” Kris rolls his eyes, running a hand through his hair, attempting to look calm and composed even though he was dying of curiousity and jealousy inside.

“Oh yes you are!” Yixing squeals, poking him in the ribs with his pen, eyes twinkling in amusement. Kris squirms out of the way but Yixing continues jabbing him relentlessly with his pen, teasing him all the while.

“Zhang Yixing, stop it! Or I will…” he says in between gasps of laughter.

“Or you will…?” Yixing probes, challenging to continue, an amused smile etched on his face.

“Or I will tickle you!!”

And the tables are turned as Kris tickles Yixing causing Yixing to twist and squirm away from his attack, squealing in laughter as he does so. Soon they become a mess of tears and laughter as they roll about on the couch, avoiding each other’s attacks.

It ends when Yixing rolls off the couch and onto the floor with a soft thump. Kris watches amusedly as his boyfriend continues lying on the floor, making no move to get up, a smile on his face, the dimple indenting his cheek. Kris reaches out to poke the dimple but is distracted by a buzz from his pocket and Yixing rolls away, glad of the distraction.

From: Luhan

To: Kris

Busy ing my best friend? ;)

To: Luhan

From: Kris

_|_

From: Luhan

To: Kris

Sorry im here to stay. Anws, want to meet for dinner?

After you are done ing that is.

“Xing, Luhan wants to meet for dinner,”

“Xing?”

Kris looks up when he receives no response only to find Yixing standing in front of the television console, staring at something. Curious, he gets up from the couch, treading over to his boyfriend while shaking his head, thinking that Yixing must be spacing out yet again.

To his surprise, Yixing is gazing at a photograph that he has placed on the television console. It is a picture of his family, taken last summer when they came to visit him in Korea. Kris can remember how his mother had brought over all the Chinese snacks for him and all the extra winter clothes for him even though it was summer at that time. It seemed ridiculous at that time, but now Kris is grateful for that, seeing how merciless the autumn wind can get.

“Your family seems nice,” Yixing finally says, a wistful smile on his face as his fingers grazes the surface of the glass, outlining the people in the photograph.

“Well yeah, they are. I kinda miss them,” Kris says awkwardly, unsure of where this is going.

There is a lull in the conversation and Kris feels a sense of foreboding, telling him something’s not right.

“So, your family must be nice as well. I bet you miss them a lot,” he says, in an attempt to break the silence.

“Yeah, I wish I had a family to miss. I wish were as lucky as you,” YIxing replies dully, giving a hollow laugh, that sounds nothing like the Yixing Kris knows. His eyes are cloudy, the spark that was there five minutes ago extinguished, now replaced with a sense of emptiness, loneliness and perhaps anguish.

“Yixing, I’m sorry I didn’t mean-”

“It’s okay Yifan, I was going to tell you sooner or later anyway”

“Xing, you don’t have to-”

“My mother left us when I was 9,” Yixing continues quietly as if Kris hasn’t spoken at all. “She thought my father didn’t love her anymore because he was always at work. He was a dancer for a local media company you see, and a very good one too. But she was wrong. Wrong,” the words spill harshly from Yixing’s mouth.

 “The one who stopped loving wasn’t my father. It was my mother. How funny. My father always left notes for my mother, but I think she stopped reading them after a while. He couldn’t be with us always, but he always made sure to spend every minute with us when he could. He was even in the process of creating a dance for my mother. But he never finished it.” Yixing pauses, taking a deep breath, struggling to keep his emotions away. The tears are pooling in his eyes and Kris feels his heart stop at the sight, as he reaches out to rub his shoulder comfortingly.

“After my mother left us, my dad couldn’t concentrate on his work anymore. He was so heartbroken nothing else mattered to him anymore. He died when I was 13. Heart attack they said. Heartbroken more like. Smashed into a million pieces by the woman who he so loved. One parent dead, the other god knows where. It’s no wonder I have a happy family,” Yixing says bitterly.

He blinks and the tears fall rapidly, showing the pain and anguish in his clear brown eyes.

“S-so stupid. Crying over something like this,” he mutters, lifting an arm to wipe them away. He turns away from Kris, hiding his face and the tears that do not seem to stop flowing.

Kris’ heart clenches at the sight. He has never thought that behind Yixing’s happy and cheery demeanor lies a sad and lonely boy, who longs for familial love. He had always thought that Yixing had come from a nice, warm and happy family, which was why Yixing was who he was today.

“Yixing,” Kris says gently, turning his boyfriend around to face him. Yixing rubs his eyes somemore, attempting to compose himself and look alright, but Kris knows better.

“You can be anything around me, you know that right? Just remember that I love you, Yixing. And I will always be here with you. Forever.”

There is silence and then Yixing is in his arms, sobbing brokenly, his hands into Kris’ shirt.

“Yi-yifan, I-I-”

“Ssh, Yixing, ssh, everything is going to be alright, I am here,” Kris whispers gently, pressing a kiss into Yixing’s hair, his arms tightening around the younger.

Don’t cry, because I will always be here.

supersupersuper long update for you guys. yixing oh my god ;~~; sobs anws, sorry for the late update, i was busy preparing for my exams which are going to start in 2 days time aslkjsdgh and so just to let you guys know, i will be going on a hiatus until my exams end, which is on the 1st of april :c i need to concentrate fully on my exams, since its my final year in college and all. so to make it up for you guys, here's this really long update. thanks for being such patient and lovely readers ^^ i'll reply comments after my exams as well! i promise i will update again after my exams! love you all~ <3 ciao~~ ^^