“Are you…really dating someone?” Donghae asked awkwardly, sitting across the room from the first year high school boy.

Henry flicked a paper airplane, watching it circle in the air before landing somewhere near the television in Donghae’s loft. “Maybe…what’s it to you, Mega Squid?”

“I’m being serious,” he sighed, crossing his arms and resting his pouting face on his knees, “Henry, are you going out with that guy, Jiyoung?”

“Why are you being so serious?” he rolled his eyes lazily, “Everything is just fine. Don’t worry and just enjoy life, Haeter. Ha-ha, you see what I did there?”

“Your English isn’t funny right now,” Donghae frowned, “Just answer the question.”

Henry flopped onto his back, feigning sleep.

The older boy groaned, tumbling over and burying his face in a pile of summer blankets. Why couldn’t Henry just spit it out? What was the point in his little tricks and jokes? All Donghae wanted to know was whether or not he was dating someone.

That wasn’t that big of a request right? After all, they were best friends – childhood best friends. Donghae felt entitled to know about the boy’s love life to some extent, especially if he was dating a bad boy like Jiyoung. What would his parents think if they found out he was dating someone with a bad reputation?

Clearly, that was the only reason he cared.

“Why the sour face, Mochi Cheeks?” Eunhyuk teased, wrapping an arm around Henry’s shoulders.

“Hae-baby is being nosy,” he scoffed, frowning and playing with the food on his cafeteria tray.

“Like how?”

Henry sighed, leaning his head on Eunhyuk’s shoulder. “He was being so serious yesterday about the rumor that I’m dating someone. I mean, I’m not dating anyone so I guess that’s why I was getting so irritated with him…but I don’t think it should matter that much.”

The third year suppressed a smirk. “Hae-stack is always like that,” he muttered, “plus, he probably doesn’t wanna see his practically adopted little brother dating someone who’s a bad influence.”

“He’s being an annoying Puffer-Hae and I don’t like it,” Henry deadpanned, “he told me to stop when I just called him Mega Squid.”

Eunhyuk frowned. “He loves that almost as much as Fish Brain.”

“I know!” he exclaimed, “He’s just…ugh.”

“Things will work out, trust me,” he chuckled, “just try talking to him again.”

“Mm…maybe,” Henry mumbled stubbornly, “I feel awkward talking to him like that.”

“Obviously,” he rolled his eyes, “you two don’t even call each other by name. And if you do, it’s just because you’re really sleepy or really tired.”

“Shut up,” Henry frowned, but he was smiling nonetheless.

The bell for classes rang and they parted.

Henry strode down the hallway, whistling a tune and tapping his fingers against the strap of his backpack. Through the haze of people walking ahead of him, he saw Donghae’s backside and lit up immediately. For a moment, he forgot that they were in some strange purgatory of fighting and not fighting.

Speeding up, he caught up and jumped, hooking an arm around Donghae’s shoulders. The older boy stumbled back, confused, but then Henry’s face popped up, chin resting on his shoulder and cheek pressed against his. “Hey, Fish-for-Brains, how was Bio?” Henry grinned.

Donghae smiled at him, holding his arm where it slung across his shoulders. “It was pretty good. How was scavenging for acorns and twigs, Alvin?”

Henry’s grin only widened and he hugged his friend harder, laughing and rubbing his face into Donghae’s shoulder. “It was okay. Eunhyuk-hyung kept me company today. He was giving me advice about how to talk to you about yesterday, because it’s been bothering me.”

The smile faded a bit from Donghae’s face. “Now isn’t the right time to talk about it,” he shook his head, loosening Henry’s arm from around him.

“Why not?” he frowned.

“It isn’t something as casual as small talk in between classes,” the older boy responded, brow furrowing. “So come by after school to the candy shop? I’m in charge of baking sweets for the bake sale tomorrow.”

Henry nodded hesitantly, not liking how serious the atmosphere was getting again. “Hey…Nemo?”

“Yeah?” Donghae cocked an eyebrow.

“Never mind,” he shook his head. His mouth opened again though, as if once again changing his mind. Before he could say anything though, a hand found his shoulder, nudging him in the opposite direction as Donghae. “Ah, Jiyoung-hyung!” Henry flashed a disarming smile.

His friend laughed, nodding down the corridor. “We have examinations for music composition, don’t we?”

“Oh yeah!” Henry’s eyes widened, “Shoot, can I look at your notes?” He grabbed Jiyoung’s arm pleadingly.

“Hmm…I don’t think so,” he teased, trying to pull away from the cute begging. “Failing would be your own fault.”

“Hey! You can’t just ditch me! C’mon,” he dragged the last word out, trying not to laugh as he shook Jiyoung’s arm. The other boy just clicked his tongue and tried to cross his arms.

All the while, Donghae stood awkwardly watching, not knowing whether or not Henry was going to walk away without a goodbye. He stared at the boy, studying him like he always seemed to be doing recently. Henry was his oldest friend and there he was…drifting away. Frowning, Donghae looked down, feeling childish for wanting to stay attached to someone who clearly didn’t feel the same way.

They were just normal friends – not best friends. That’s how Donghae felt, at least.

Henry’s arms suddenly wrapped around Donghae’s waist, his face buried in the latter’s shirt like a child. Donghae’s eyes widened and he looked down in time to see Henry lift his head up and pout. “Hae-Fishy…, Jiyoung is being so stingy.”

“I…,” Donghae looked away, not knowing what to do or say. Pulling away from Henry, he muttered, “I gotta go,” and then he was hurrying down the hallway.

Jiyoung glanced at his friend, confused. “Did you guys get into a fight or something?”

“No…I don’t think so,” Henry sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets awkwardly. “I should probably go talk to him.”

“Do it after class,” Jiyoung grabbed his friend’s arm, leading him away, “There’s no point in doing it right now when your emotions are too high.”

Reluctantly, he trailed along.