Everyone was calmly (read as loudly) having lunch at their usual table, the twelve of them crowding around the small table with various trays belonging to different people, although no-one really cared whose plate they were eating off of. Kai and Sehun were fighting for the last few fries on a plate, whilst Lay and Suho were in their own world, feeding each other salad.

“Kyungsoo!” Sehun turns to the boyfriend of the person that he was currently engaged in a tug-of-war match with, over the very last fry. “Tell your boyfriend to let go,” he whines, glaring at his best friend. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who found the whole situation rather baffling, since Kyungsoo swiveled round only to whack Kai over the head.

“Soo!” exclaims Kai in shock, his hand letting go of the fry to rub the soreness on his head. “What was that for? I’m your boyfriend.” Sehun pumped his fist in the air, celebrating with a content sigh as he swallowed down the last fry, smirking at Kai.

“Maybe your boyfriend likes me more,” he sings, reaching over to hug Kyungsoo. Kai looked absolutely scandalized, jaws wide open.

“My Soo!” he shouts, pulling the smaller away from his best friend, so that Kyungsoo was now sat on his lap. Everyone laughs at the two maknaes’ childish behaviour, and I laugh along, happy at how well all the boys are getting along with each other.

When everyone left for classes, Xiumin and Chen stayed behind, both having a free period as their last. I decided to stay with them, since it’d probably be more interesting compared to sitting in any of the classes that the other’s had to attend. I mean, I just graduated! There’s no need for me to attend classes anymore, and I certainly didn’t miss it to be quite honest.

Anyways, back to Xiumin and Chen. The latter was taking out a plastic container from his bag, handing it to the eldest’s hands.

“My mum said thanks for the food, it was delicious as usual,” he says with a smile. Xiumin takes the container, leaning under the table to stuff it in his own bag.

“Why didn’t you just give it to me later? It’s going to make my bag heavier...” the eldest pouts (although his looks place him younger than Sehun even).

“What do you mean? And you’re such a big baby, that thing barely weighs anything! It’s empty.” Chen follows Xiumin’s movements, leaning underneath the table to speak to him.

“Aren’t you coming over for dinner today? Since your mum is out of town,” Xiumin asks when he sits back up. Chen looks surprised, eyes widening at his best friend.

“Yeah-- How did you know?” he splutters.

“My mum mentioned it this morning.” Xiumin shrugs, bumping shoulders with the younger. “You know how they are.”

“Haha, I should have known my mum would try to get you guys to babysit me,” laughs Chen, his cheeks lifting.

“My mum loves it when you come anyway,” adds Xiumin.

“And you don’t?” challenges Chen, raising an eyebrow and lips pulling at a smirk.

“I didn’t say that, you cheeky little brat.” Xiumin retaliates by reaching across the table to flick the other’s forehead.

“I’m your cheeky little brat.” Chen’s laughing, sticking out his tongue until Xiumin joins in.

After a while, they decide to head home, stomachs settled down after lunch. I follow closely behind, the wind gently carrying me along.

“Carry my bag home,” Xiumin says out of nowhere, extending his arms with the bag on it towards Chen.

‘What? Why?” Chen takes it anyway though, not really minding the small bag that didn’t exactly weigh too much.

“Because I’m older, duh,” deadpans Xiumin, grinning when Chen’s jaw falls slack.

“How many times are you going to use that excuse?” he asks, flabbergasted.

“It’s not an excuse,” Xiumin refutes, shaking his head. “It’s for all the times I let you sleep on the bed, instead of the cold hard floor when you stay over,” he says with a grin, “including tonight.”

“Right, whatever,” Chen chuckles at Xiumin’s behaviour. I smile, knowing just how much Chen would do anything for Xiumin; but it’s also true the other way round. It’s just that Xiumin is less… open? Sharing his bed, he just needed an excuse for it, I’m sure.

Soon enough, they reached Xiumin’s home, both boys calling out ‘Hello mother, we’re home.” See? Neither of them found it weird that they were calling the same woman ‘Mother’.

“Hello, my boys.” Xiumin’s mother turns the corner, wiping powdered hands on her apron and at that moment, it was so easy to tell that she was in fact Xiumin’s mother. They had the same baby face that seemed to age backwards, only a few wrinkles revealing her wisdom. “I’m baking some pie, it’ll be done in a bit,” she sing-songs, turning back to kitchen. “You boys go on ahead and relax up in Minnie’s room.” Chen snickered at Xiumin’s nickname, but managed to hold it back.

“Of course, mum, I’m sure Minnie-hyung wants to rest after a long day at school,” teases Chen, pulling the other upstairs. He probably knew the house almost as well as he knew his own, what with being childhood friends. Xiumin grips especially tight on Chen’s shoulders, leading him to his room.

“Yes, I’m so tired… and I’m gonna lie down on your fat and make sure you never get up,” hisses Xiumin, glaring at the younger.

“Mum! Minnie-hyung is threatening me--” Chen’s complaint was muffled by Xiumin’s hand, which was now clamped over his mouth.

“Let’s just go,” huffs Xiumin, dragging a hyper Chen down the corridor to his room.

Just as we enter the (very) neat room, Xiumin let’s out a squeal which had me backing against the wall in fright. It turns out that Chen decided that he had enough of being dragged around, and chose to the hand covering his lips.

“Serves you right,” he giggles, flopping down onto Xiumin’s queen-sized bed. The older just rolls his eyes, taking a seat beside Chen.

“Should you be acting so cheeky with the person who holds the authority over the very bed you’re lying on?” he replies with a twinkle in his eyes, hands positioned and ready to push Chen off.

“You mean your mum?” Chen retorts wittily, squeaking when a pillow gets thrown at his face.

“And you totally deserved that,” chuckles Xiumin.

The two continued to play like that for the rest of the afternoon, the relaxation that comes with a free during last period sending their moods sky high. There was one moment that I thought would send things in a completely different direction though…

With the first pillow thrown signalling the beginning of an epic pillow fight, the two had taken it upon themselves to take the game very seriously. So seriously, that Xiumin had ended up on top of Chen, straddling his hips as he held the younger’s wrists above his head.

“Hah! I win!” he cheers, not letting his grip on the younger loosen.

“Uhm-- hyung?” mumbles Chen, face going red.

“Yes?” Xiumin looks confused at the younger’s sudden behavious change. Just moments ago, they had both been play wrestling as always, and now he looked like an embarrassed kid? But then again, if I was in Chen’s position, with his secret crush (well, more like he didn’t know he had a crush on the young hyung) sitting on top of him, I’d be the same.

“You’re… you’re kind of on top of me,” he manages to stutter, face reddening even more as he let his eyes trail downwards to his lower half.

“Oh. Oh!” Xiumin’s eyes nearly pop out of their sockets when he realizes, and he jumps up, scrambling off of the younger boy.

I was about to intervene, to try and smooth the situation, but just then, Xiumin’s mum called them for dinner, her voice saving the two boys from further embarrassment. Shaking my head, I follow them down, chuckling at their obliviousness to, not only their own feelings, but to the other’s as well. Luckily for me, Xiumin’s mum seemed to have the same sentiments, voicing out her thoughts during dinner.

“So, ChenChen,” the boy looked up at the mention of his name, “when are you going to officially ask my Minnie out?” she asks with a smile, calmly looking between the two boys. Xiumin and Chen however, don’t react as calmly. They both start choking and I flutter between them, trying to help but not being able to do much because, well, no solid body. Once they had stopped, after gulping down cup after cup of water, Xiumin finally speaks up.

“Mum! He’s my best friend…” he mumbles, face as red as a tomato (a match to Chen’s face to be quite honest).

“So? Your dad was my best friend ever since we were tiny little toddlers,” says his mum with a laugh. “How about it, ChenChen?” She turns her attention to the younger, who was just about to take a sip of water, but put down the cup when he saw that the spotlight was him.

“W-- Well-- I-- I don’t have anything against it,” he shyly admits, face blazing a bright red. There was a small silence, before Xiumin’s mum (and I) started making dolphin squeal noises, excited by Chen’s confession (well, not really, but it wasn’t a rejection).

The two of them refused to look at each other for the rest of the night, but it wasn’t out of anger (I hope). It was more like a sense of realization, or at the very least, an awkward air of thinking. The silence stayed until that night, when the darkness had fallen and they were lying side by side.

“Chen?” Xiumin called out in a small whisper.

“Hmm?” grunted the younger.

“I-- You can ignore what my mum said you know,” he says, turning to face the younger. “She probably wasn’t serious--”

“But what if I said I was?” interjected Chen, his voice serious. I’m sure his face showed the same thing, but the shadows of the night hid his expression from Xiumin.

“She’s always joking and-- Huh?” The sudden declaration had Xiumin flustered.

“I said, what if I was serious?” repeats the younger, reaching out to brush his finger along Xiumin’s cheek.

“But--”

“Whatever, just forget it.” And just like that, the hand reaching for Xiumin was gone, pulled back to his side.

There was a few minutes of silence, their breaths evening out. I had thought that they had fallen asleep, but Xiumin’s voice pierced through the silence once more.
“Tell me.” He sounded determined this time, as if he had made up his mind.
“No,” refused Chen, his back to the older.

“You have to,” insists Xiumin, pulling on the younger’s shoulder so that they were both facing each other.

“Why?”
“Because I’m older,” sighs Xiumin, trying to lighten the atmosphere. But it seemed to backfire, Chen narrowing his eyes.

“Isn’t it always,” he mutters bitterly, about to turn again.

“Wait, no!”

“What is it?” asks Chen, unable to ignore the urgency in Xiumin’s words.

“It’s because I need to know,” admits Xiumin, looking down at his hands.

“Need to know what?”
“If what you said was really true.”

“I said it is, didn’t I? Of course I’m sure.”
“Even if I’m that chubby kid that no-one likes and makes fun of?”

Chen paused, and Xiumin shrank under the scrutinizing stare being sent his way.
“Xiumin, have you looked at yourself?” he whispers quietly.

“Obviously--”

“Not.” Chen’s voice was sharp, feeling strong emotions at Xiumin’s apparent lack of confidence. “You’re the baby-faced Minnie that loves playing soccer and is definitely not chubby.” When Xiumin looked as if he was about to protest, Chen circles his hands around the older’s waist, hands easily wrapping around it. “Look, your waist is smaller than mine.”

“And even if you were chubby, which you’re not, I would still like you.” There were no words said after Chen’s confession, only their light breathing filling the empty silence. I held my breath, anticipating what was to come. I could’ve probably intervened, but that would’ve ruined the special moment between them, and I didn’t think that it was necessary. Chen’s got this under control.

“Aren’t I your best friend?” muttered Xiumin, hesitation in his voice.

“Yes, but I like you in a way that even the feelings between best friends can’t compare.” Woah, Chen sounded so calm, and so articulate, I guess the silence helped him to gather his thoughts and feelings.

“But you said that you didn’t like anyone,” accuses Xiumin.

“I guess I didn’t realize. I had always thought that I was jealous whenever anyone got too close to you, especially during football and they’d slap your , because I was your best friend… But when your mum said it the way she did, it kind of just clicked,” explains Chen, reaching out to interlock their hands.

“I see…” says Xiumin absentmindedly.

“So hyung, do you like me?” Chen sounded so insecure, but he persevered, his determination hopefully reaching Xiumin. And the next sentence that left his lips most likely sent Chen’s heart (and mine) soaring.

“I-- I do.’