The only reason why Lay stuck with Kris was because they were kissing partners. They were friends who did not care about making out publicly (at first) as long as they were satisfied to have their lips locked forever. Only Lay did not really expect his heart to betray him.

It all started out the night Luhan threw a wild birthday party at his apartment.

"Lay, meet Minseok's friend," Luhan said, his face flushed and his eyes wandering from one person to another. He was already tipsy. "This is Kris."

"Hi," the tall male greeted immediately. Lay assessed him from head to toe and, of course, Kris' height was something. But his face was something else. He, too, was drunk.

"I'm Lay," said Lay.

"Go have fun without me!" Luhan shouted over the loud booming music and left them alone at the counter.

"Want some shots?" Kris asked Lay, offering a shot glass of tequila.

Lay gladly took it from his hand and gulped everything down in one go. "Ahhhh~ I love tequila."

"I'm sorry I crashed into your best friend's party even though I wasn't really invited. I had to go in place of Tao actually. He's Minseok's real friend," Kris suddenly said, confusing Lay but he acted like he was all ears to him even though he couldn't really understand why a stranger like Kris was telling him all this. "Guess what? I just got dumped."

That caught Lay's attention. By this time, he was already playing with the nearly empty bottle of Johnny Walker. "Really? I wanna hear your story."

"This Tao guy, he's the one who dumped me. He told me he no longer needed me and left me. I think he went back to China already."

"Aww~ So you really loved this guy?"

"Crazily! I bought him all the branded items he liked. But, he always stuck to Gucci. We did things together. And, it's just hard that he's no longer by my side."

"Want me to kiss you?"

Kris looked up at Lay. Even during his dejected state, someone wanted to kiss him? But there it was. In Lay's eyes. He was being sincere. Not because Lay loved him already. It was more like Lay just really wanted to kiss him. Kris decided against it but as he looked at Lay, the eagerness the other boy had was just difficult to push away. 

So Kris leaned towards Lay, their eyes not leaving each other's and then, the wet sensation filled their senses. What started out as mere contact of their lips became a heavy one, deeper, more playful, and hungrier. Not long after, they were tugging at each other's hair, hands rummaging at their clothes. They were not surprised when they found themselves in a room, Luhan's room to be exact, with Kris pinning Lay on the bed.

"Luhan's going to kill me if he finds out we used his bed," Lay said, knowing full well that his friend never liked having anyone else on his bed. Even if it was Minseok.

Kris read the hesitation in Lay's eyes. "I won't do it if you don't want me to."

"But you seem like you need it," Lay replied firmly, looking back to meet Kris' powerful gaze. "I thought you needed a release and if it was in my power to help you, then I will," said Lay.

Kris pursed his lips together. Who on earth was like this man? They were already reaching that point. They barely knew each other and this guy was just willing to do it with him? Somehow, it felt wrong to Kris.

"You're the one who's hesitating," Lay remarked, catching Kris off guard.

Kris nodded in agreement. "Look, I'm not doing this with you. We aren't even friends." Kris turned to lie down beside Lay.

"Then, we can be friends. Kissing friends if you like," Lay offered, which surprises Kris nonetheless.

"Wow, you're really something, you know that?"

"I'm an excellent kisser," Lay proclaimed proudly.

"Hell yeah, I can testify to that."

"So?"

"So?" Kris asked curiously, turning his head to the other side to gaze at Lay's pearlescent skin under the moonlight that entered the room through those windows. He looked beautiful.

"What are we now?" Lay asked him, sidelying so he could fully face Kris.

"I guess we're friends then."

"Kissing friends?"

"Yeah, kissing friends, we are," Kris laughed. Lay laughed.

And that was how their friendship began. But Kris presented terms and conditions, which made Lay roll his eyes dramatically. They were at Kris' high-class apartment, and Kris was sitting at the head of the table while Lay was busy munching on a piece of apple by the counter.

"I want to be clear that: One, we only kiss when we need real consolation," Kris said.

"So no kissing unnecessarily."

"Strictly no. Let's preserve our lips, please, and of course, to remain decency. Two, if ever I find a guy or girl I'd like to go out with, definitely no hard feelings, okay?"

"O.K." Lay gave Kris two thumbs up, making Kris smile.

"Three, no public display of affections. No holding hands, winking, whatsoever. Just friends with no skinship."

"Yep."

"Four!"

"Wait, Kris, just how many are there?"

"Just a bunch. So, four, no  involved. No French kiss, no hogging."

"You're the one!" Lay complained. Kris blushed.

"I'm. Not. Okay, and lastly--"

"Finally!"

"Shut up, Lay! Okay, so lastly, NO FALLING IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER."

Lay stared at him nonchalantly. "What nonsense is that?"

"As what you have heard. Or, do you imply that you've already fallen in love with me?"

Lay raised an eyebrow and threw his apple at him. "Your !"

"Okay, fine! So, basically, this is everything. Now, I need you to sign this paper."

"OMG, Kris, I can't believe you're this formal! Seriously? A contract?"

"So that if anything goes awry between the two of us, we can just see each other in court with our lawyers."

"You're painstakingly beautiful and...meticulous. I hate you!"

"I never suggested this thing in the first place."

"Aye, aye, Captain!"

With just a flick of his wrist, Lay signed over his printed name. Kris did the same. And their contract was sealed and made solid. Kris even framed his own copy of it and hung it on the wall to remind him of his deal with Lay.

Everything went well during the first three weeks but everything also started to fall apart when neither of them could control their hormones and their contract was breached and their kissing sessions became a hobby. It was like a drug to both of them they couldn't live without. Unable to sustain themselves without each other, Lay merrily moved to Kris' apartment where they continued kissing and proceeded on to the next phase of teetering and flirtation. 

Yes, they always ended up in bed and sleeping together.

When Kris woke up one morning, he was shocked to find Lay out of bed already. He quickly got out of his room and searched for the other man, only to feel relief wash over him like a giant wave when he spotted him in the kitchen.

"I told you, you should do actual grocery shopping not just grabbing all the ramen from the grocery racks!" Lay scolded him, but a soft smile was peering out from his face, making those dimples pop out.

Kris wanted to poke at them but No, thanks! He scratched the back of his head and in his usual deep, husky morning voice, he said, "I thought you left me."

Lay stopped whatever he was doing and looked at Kris apologetically. "We're friends, remember?"

"A-ha~" Kris chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, we're friends."

"Or, are you starting to fall in love with me?" Lay asked with a smirk.

Kris pouted at him, but not for cutely effects. Kris looked annoyed and ugly. "Who are you trying to kid?!"

"Myself maybe?" Lay laughed at his own corny joke. "Now, go take a shower. Breakfast will be ready soon."

They had a harmonius relationship for a year. Until one day, Lay got sick while Kris was busy working abroad. Luhan went to visit him at Kris' apartment and took care of him.

"So you're practically together now?" Luhan asked, feeding Luhan the awful porridge he cooked.

Lay cringed at the taste, but it was the thought that had to count. He forced himself to eat the inedible food, at least. "We're not. We're just kissing friends."

"And friends?" Luhan asked with eyebrows raised exaggeratedly. He already had a hunch about the two's relationship but he needed confirmation.

Lay blushed fervently. Luhan's jaw dropped as his eyes became bigger than an owl's. He almost dropped the bowl of porridge onto the floor but got a grip of himself. "Oh my god! No! Lay, you are?"

"I don't know." Lay answered shyly. All he wanted to do was to make Luhan go away and hide under those thick blanket of his. Which had Kris's scent, by the way.

"What do you mean you don't know?!"

"Because I already love him and he doesn't feel the same. I'm just a friend."

Luhan let out an exasperated sigh. "You live together. You kiss and sleep together. You take care of each other. You're almost husband and wife. And you say that you're just friends?!"

Luhan almost laughed. Lay coughed. "Go to the dining room. The contract's hung on the wall."

"Oh, yeah, I've read everything right after I entered and honestly, Rule #5 is perhaps the only thing you haven't broken yet."

"I already did."

"But Kris doesn't know," Luhan argued passionately. "Look, Lay, this can't go on forever. There's no such thing as friends when you have this kind of relationship with him already."

"Luhan~" Lay sounded tired. "Just let me figure things out on my own, okay?"

"But--"

"I swear I'll do something about it when he comes back."

That night, Kris did come back from work. The moment he found that Lay was sick, he hurried to fly back home in an instant. Luhan was already gone (at Lay's humble request) when Kris arrived. His apartment was dark. He turned the lights on and hurried to Lay's room.

"Oh, Lay, I'm so sorry," Kris said anxiously, as he knelt down beside Lay's bed to caress his hair and touch his forehead. Lay was still literally on fire and was sweating heavily.

"Kris..." Lay mumbled. He seemed to be dreaming.

"Don't worry, Lay, I'm here," Kris took Lay's hand into his and thumbed it soothingly. "I'll take care of you now."

"Don't leave me..."

Kris gave Lay's hand a firm press and kissed it.

"I love you, Kris," Lay mumbled.

Kris' grip on Lay softened a little. A smile was starting to make its way across his face as tears threatened to fall from his eyes.

The next day, Lay woke up feeling a little bit better but he was still slightly sick. He got out of bed, complete in his pyjamas, then went after the source of that really, really good smell. It made his tummy growl. Aww, Luhan's porridge was just disastrous and he was craving for better food.

To his surprise, he found Kris in the kitchen. The man who knew how to cook nothing but ramen.

"What is that?" Lay asked curiously as he weakly took a seat by the table in the living room.

"Stew. You're gonna love this!" Kris exclaimed excitedly.

"Please make sure it's edible. Unlike Luhan's porridge. Ewww~"

"Hey, he's your friend. Don't go backbiting him like that," Kris reprimanded him.

"Ha! If you were the one who ate that whole bowl of porridge, I really do wonder if you'd be able to say that."

"At least I'm a good-hearted person," Kris says happily.

"Says the person who doesn't know what he's really saying," Lay pouted at him and stuck his tongue out.

Kris just shook his head. Lay propped his head on his arms on the table when he saw torn pieces of paper. He grabbed one and was shocked to see that it was from their contract. Suddenly, he felt a gust of energy seize through his insides. Less than a second later, he was on his feet and was standing by the counter, his hand stretched out to show Kris that piece of paper he found on the table.

Lay asked, his brows drawn together, "What is the meaning of this?"

"I'd like to end our contract."

"What?!" Lay asked incredulously. End the contract? But why? "Does this mean our friendship is over?"

Kris frowned and pursed his lips together. "Sadly, yes. I'd like to end our friendship."

"But why?!" Lay's eyes were already welling up with tears. With just a few long strides, Kris walked over to him and cupped Lay's face delicately.

"Ssshh," Kris cooed. Lay fell into sobs.

"I could deal with you finding someone else as long as I--"

"I already found someone. That's why I no longer need the contract."

Lay lost his voice so when it came out again, he only managed a forced whisper, "So you're throwing me away now, like I'm just some scumbag you happened to take under your wing?"

But Kris did not reply. Instead, he let his lips crash lightly into Lay's. Lay stood still for a while but after Kris attempted to deepen it, the younger boy let himself be guided. It didn't turn out to be fiercer, unlike their usual ones. It was a sweet kiss. Simple brushing of lips against lips. No tongue whatsoever. When Lay opened his eyes and they saw Kris' own luminous eyes, his pupils clearly dilated, Lay said, "Is this goodbye?"

Kris smiled, pinched Lay's nose, saying playfully, "It really is fun to troll you, Zhang Yixing!"

"My real name..." Lay said absent-mindedly.

"Of course, I knew about it. I no longer need the contract because I found the one person I wanna be with for the rest of my life, hoping and praying and wishing that that person would never ever leave my side. Are you willing to do that, Zhang Yixing?"

"W-What?" Lay asked, totally confused.

Kris chuckled. "I love you, Zhang Yixing. You love me too, don't you?"

"I-I do..." Lay said, his voice trailing, creases adorning his forehead. "I...uh, WHAT?!"

Kris kissed Lay's forehead, held the younger's face in his hands, and said to him slowly, "I love you, Lay. I want to be with you.  Stay with me and I'll make you happy always. Will you be mine?"

Lay's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Hey, Lay, do you understand?"

Lay nodded. 

"Just kiss each other already!" a voice suddenly shouted.

Then, Lay gave Kris another kiss on the lips. He only broke away when he felt his breath running away. "Yes, Kris! I'll be with you. I'm all yours!"

They hugged each other tight and when they let go of each other, Kris ily told Lay, "Be ready for tonigh~."

They heard gasps from the room. Both Kris and Lay turned around, only to find Luhan and Minseok sprawled together on the sofa.

"What are you doing here?" Lay asked.

"Um, stalking, I guess?" Minseok replied with an awkward shrug.

Lay and Kris stared at each for a while and smiled.

"Welcome then!" Kris announced.

"And you didn't tell me you did some making out in my room!" Luhan screamed at them.

But Kris and Lay didn't mind. If it hadn't been for Luhan, they wouldn't have found happiness with each other anyway.