There’s this thing about happiness. The moment you truly has it in the safety of your palm, it begins to emaciate and fade until there is nothing left. It’s satisfying, but it never lasts long. Junmyun never meant his life to be such a sob story slash melodrama, but there was no denying it, his life . The addition of Sehun was the only thing that kept him alive and kicking.

It’s been five years, Junmyun notes as he runs into the living room with a tape measure in his hand. Junmyun has spent five years running, hiding, changing jobs on a daily basis. Junmyun has lived five years under constant fear of being found, exposed, discovered. But that bastard, the devil by the name of Wu Yi Fan, Junmyun knows nothing is impossible for him. One snap of a finger and Sehun could be taken away and Junmyun, being the poor low-classed-clubhouse barista he is, could be having five to twenty five years in jail for kidnapping in store for him. Words need not be said. Explanations need not be made.

“Junma and Dyoma, I love you!” Sehun exclaims cheerfully, pulling Junmyun out of his reverie. Ever since some kids at school began to tease Sehun about calling a fully-grown man by the term exclusively for female, Sehun stopped calling him Omma altogether. It didn’t bother Junmyun too much, but Appa sounded alien to his ears, so they settled down with “Junma” instead. They live together in a cozy apartment in the heart of Seoul, their host being a kind fashion designer by the name of Do Kyung Soo, who cooks good ramen and brews good coffee. Sehun likes having two Ommas who love him and spoil him, so he never questions the presence of another fatherly figure in his life. Junmyun is glad.

“Sehunnie! Come here! I have to measure your height!” Junmyun flashes a genuine smile, mirroring Sehun’s ear-to-ear one. Sehun smiles like an angel. Junmyun can’t help dying a little bit inside at the resemblance Sehun has to a certain someone. It pains him a lot.

“Oh my, look how much you have grown! Five centimeters in one month! At this rate you will soon outgrow Dyoma,” Junmyun says jokingly. In his mind he’s picturing two short men with a boy 4 inches taller than them, pulling them into a choking bear hug while calling them “Omma”. The more he thinks about it, the more his heart flutters.

“Suho-hyung. You and I are about the same height,” Kyungsoo says, his eyes growing wide like they always do. Junmyun chuckles lightly, scratching his head. Kyungsoo is sweet and nice (and cooks good food and brews good coffee) and everything he sees in his ideal type, but Junmyun’s heart says yes while his brain says no. No, Suho, No, it says, you fall in love too easily and breaks your heart too fast. And then there’s Sehun...

“Say cheese, Sehunnie,” Kyungsoo beams, a polaroid camera in his hands. (Limited-edition Hello Kitty polaroid with the red bow and the front mirror for selcas). Sehun puts two V signs on the top of his head in his imitation of a rabbit (a very cute, cuddly, fluffy white rabbit), while Suho kneels right next to him at the younger’s height, holding his waist.

“Cheese? I’ll take you in one mouthful like CHEESE,” Sehun begins to chant in a mock low voice. Junmyun and Kyungsoo stares at each other in horror.

“Wait, where did I hear it before...” Kyungsoo gasps, eyes the size of saucers again. Junmyun is flabbergasted before he lets out a loud, “Oh my god. Kim Jong Dae, would you stop corrupting my child??”

“Hyung, would you stop acting like a woman?”

Speaking of the devil. Kim Jong Dae bursts through the door with his usual troll composure and no grace to speak of. Jongdae is the son of Kyungsoo’s mother’s sister, which makes them cousins who apparently live in the same household. Fact is, Jongdae is a cool housemate. He’s a little on the erted side, but he’s never going over the edge and that’s good enough for Junmyun. They always need a good laugh or two once in a while. Jongdae’s little obsession for that idol group, on the other hand - what’s the name, Eksa, Ekse, Ekso? - is a little overboard sometimes. (Dude probably wants to sing as good as that lead singer Chinchin)

“What are you feeding my child’s brain with, you rascal,” Junmyun shouts jokingly, hands shooting up to cover Sehun’s ears. Sehun might be dyslexic but he’s smart and he picks up little things as fast as a normal kid could. Jongdae’s unceasing listening of music may or may not be the end of Sehun’s innocence.

As all of them break into a series of laughter, Junmyun just wishes nothing will ever change. It’s not much of a life, but he’s happy and Sehun’s happy and that’s all that matters.

But then again, Junmyun tends to forget that happiness is not real.

It’s sort of a blur really. Junmyun can’t see it coming. There’s a lot of shouting, door slamming, and a hoard of burly men with intimidating sticks storming in. It takes a while for realization to seep in, and Junmyun freezes as the face of the man he despises shows up at his doorsteps.

Wu Yi Fan. That frown, Junmyun can’t mistake it for anything else in this world.

“What are you doing? Let me go! Sehunnie!” Junmyun screams as he is held down by a guy twice his size. He looks to the left, Kyunsoo and Jongdae are also struggling. His heart throbs at the sight of his used to be lover, holding Sehun by the arm. Their resemblance is so striking it’s insane.

“Junma! Dyoma! Who is this person? Hey, let Junma go!” Sehun is crying. Yifan is smirking. Junmyun’s world is spinning, spinning, spinning. He feels sick, his arms feel like jelly. He’s thrashing and yelling, his voice becoming coarse. But he can’t break free.

“Let me go! You bastard! you! What the are you doing here? You don’t have the right to be here! You sick bastards. you...” Junmyun shrieks, not aware that tears are pricking at his eyes. There’s a weight on his chest. He can’t breathe. Yifan’s smirk blurs into blothces of colors, his vision is spinning, and Sehun is fading away. Junmyun tries to stay sane, to keep his consciousness, but the air, it’s leaving his lungs and he can’t breathe in, out, in, out. It’s suffocating. It really is.

Sehun, don’t leave. Sorry this weak old man cannot protect you...

Junmyun jolts awake. The weight on his chest did not subside.Looking at the calendar on his bedside table, Junmyun sighs so see the number 2013 staring back at him mockingly.

Thank god it was just a nightmare. But it’s been twelve years. Twelve years of running, hiding, being chased, being hunted...

“Sehun-ah, I can’t breathe.” Junmyun slurs himself awake as the lump of unruly brown hair pricks the crook of his neck. Sehun’s weight is crushing his ribs in a very painful, fatal position.

“Junma...wake up!” Sehun shakes his shoulders violently and Junmyun can’t help wondering when Sehun started growing to be such a strong sixteen-year-old with big bones. But the most lethal weapon has to be his eyes. “Junma-ah...I’m hungry~ Make me breakfast.”

Puppy eyes, however, fail to melt Junmyun this time round.

“Go tell Dyoma to make you something. I’m tired, Sehunnie,” Junmyun groans before pulling his pillow over his eyes, trying to get back to sleep. What he sees behind his eyelids still bothers him greatly.

“Come on, Jongin-hyung is here. Make me breakfast juseyo~” Sehun is making those cutesy sounds he must have seen idol girl group members do on TV. It kills Junmyun immediately. Five minutes and ten buing-buings later Junmyun is already having his in the kitchen, making waffles for the two boys. Junmyun stumbles upon a very excited Sehun and a very hungry Jongin on his way to the living room. Jongin has Sehun reading song lyrics from a CD booklet (Junmyun’s guessing it’s EXO again), and he’s getting there.

“It’s not going to be easy I know. Because we’re as far as the time that has fallen. The unfamiliar face makes me sad. Why do you make my eyes shine like this. Why do you make my heart beat this crazily. Although I become breathless. You are so precious to me. Don’t forget.”

It takes Sehun a while to say all the words. Progress matters more, though. Junmyun is happy Sehun has Jongin to take care of him and be his friend.

“Sehunnie is so good today! Here’s a candy~” Jongin smiles cheekily. Junmyun sees the way Sehun looks more at Jongin with adulation and adoration, and thinks it must mean something more than just friendship. There is something blooming in the young teenage boy’s heart, something sweet and innocent, but Junmyun doesn’t know if he should allow it or stop it. He was young once, after all. It just didn’t end well for both Junmyun and... and that person.

“Oh! Ahjussi! Looky here, ahjussi! Sehun can read the whole passage without needing my help!”

“Kim Jong In, how many times do I have to tell you to call me hyung? You make me feel old.. Hmph.”

Jongin is Jongdae’s precocious nephew who graduates medical school at the age of twenty, now working part-time as Sehun’s all-subject teacher, free of charge. He refuses to be called prodigy, but he helps rid of Sehun’s lisp and that’s an accomplishment amazing enough for Junmyun. Maybe in the next life Junmyun might wish to be half as smart as Jongin, the Psychiatrist-Superkid Extraordinaire.

“But..Junma...If Jongin calls you hyung, then should I call Jongin ahjussi?”

Junmyun facepalms. His son is just too cute it hurts.

“Sehunnie, are you ready for your first day of school today?” Junmyun looks intently as he puts down the tray of fresh waffles, topped with almond and strawberry ice-cream, and  two glasses of chocolate milk. Sehun looks confused.

“Cheongmalyo? For real?” Sheun’s eyes widens, and next to him Jongin chuckles.

“Jongin hasn’t told you? Jongin, you haven’t told Sehun?”

Sehun shakes his head, still not believing it.

Junmyun can’t believe it himself either. A few days ago Jongin nails a job as a Social studies teacher at Seoul Elite Academy after quitting his job at the local hospital. After hearing of the program they have for “special kids” like Sehun, Jongin runs to Junmyun immediately. There is still hope. There is still a reason to keep going.

“Actually, Sehun.” Junmyun says as he glimpses at the clock on the wall. “You have 20 minutes before school starts. Jongin, don’t you have a class to teach as well?”

“Alright, almost forgot. Thank you for the breakfast, ahjussi.”

“Stop calling me ahjussi!” Junmyun yells as two boys begin to gather their stuff with great enthusiasm. “And Sehun, don’t forget to pack your inhaler!”

---

“Okay kids, before we start, I would like to ask you, very nicely, to treat our new friend nicely, okay? Can you do that favor for me?”

The class suddenly falls into deafening silence. Everyone stops what they are doing to look at the teacher, amused.

“What’s in it for us, Ms. Jung?” A girl sitting in the back row says, raising an eyebrow. Mr. Jung rolls her eyes at the hint.

“Perhaps some extra credit?”She says with daggers in her eyes. The rest of the class begins to murmur among themselves.

“Your new classmate, he’s very pitiful. He has been homeschooled for the past twelve years. He has dyslexia, so he will be having Mr. Kim from your Social studies class to help him with the reading when he doesn’t have a class, but more often than not, you should be able to help him. too, right?”

The class nods. Mr Jung smiles.

“Alright, COME IN, SEHUNNIE!”

The door opens. There is a lot of squealing, murmuring and gasps as a tall, lean boy walks in, his brown hair shining in the artificial light. Sehun fidgets awkwardly in his spot in front of the class, not used to be scrutinized so closely. It tickles his senses. The uniform tickles his skin.

“Don’t be shy, introduce yourself.”

“Annyong-haseyo, Sehun-imnida.” Sehun flashes his billion-dollar smile, one he has practiced a billion times before in front of the mirror. This is an opportunity waited lifetimes. He couldn’t risk that first impression, even though he might faint immediately.

“Alright Sehun. You can sit at that empty seat right there,” Mr. Jung gestures him one of the seats in the middle of the room, and Sehun sees a tanned boy who darkens his eyes.

“But, songsaengnim, that’s Luhan’s seat!” he wails while glaring at the nervous boy standing in front of the class.

“Be nice, Zitao!” Mr. Jung scolds, and “Zitao” backs down.

Sehun can still feel Zitao’s eyes on him moments after he has settled down on the assigned seat. They are bearing holes into the back of his neck. It’s uncomfortable and makes his heart pick up its pace. Sehun feels the walls closing in on him.

Stop looking at me stop looking at me stop looking at me

Oh how he wishes Jongin- hyung is with him right now. He would shoo the evil away, like he always does. He would protect Sehun. But Jongin-hyung has a class to teach and Sehun has to learn that his prince charming would not always be there for him. Sigh. Sehun dejectedly removes his pencils from his backpack and opens the book. Not until he turns to the left and sees a mass of unruly black hair smiling back at him does Sehun almost die of a heart attack.

Park Chan Yeol. As in, EXO’s Park Chan Yeol. He is smiling at me. Cannot. Breathe. Squeeee~

And then when Sehun rummages through his backpack, eyes wide open at the sight of Park Chan Yeol’s ear-to-ear grin, he soon realizes that he has left his inhaler at home.

---

“Today we have a special customer. He basically rents the whole club for the night. Treat him well, Suho-ssi.”

Junmyun mumbles a nonchalant “Yes, sir”, before reaching up for another glass to wipe dry. It is another seven hours until he’s off his shift. It is another seven hours until he sees Sehun again, just to have the younger up and going to school.

He hates his night job, but it helps put the food on the table. It’s not like Junmyun has any other choice, providing his lack of a college degree and determination to finish vocational school. It doesn’t help his case that Junmyun’s famous flaming lamborghini is the only thing that’s keeping him from losing this crappy job.

I wish I have a real lamborghini. And not just a tacky name for a tacky shot of cocktail, Junmyun sighs as the silence consumes him, Then I would sell it and buy Sehun a proper house.

The club is quiet tonight. There is nobody besides him except for that guy who plays the piano in the corner. The guy speaks neither Korean nor Mandarin. He’s from Japan. So it’s just Junmyun, alone, waiting for that special guest to arrive. Junmyun doesn’t mind chilling out with a glass of lemonade.

“A glass of Bellini, please.”

Junmyun turns around and finds himself staring back at an effeminate boy - pale white skin and reddish hair, complete with a devilish smirk.

“Are you even old enough to drink?” Junmyun thinks out loud. The boy’s smirk grows wider. He’s wearing a black suit which makes him look more rich and handsome, but his young looking face is betraying him. Junmyun resorts to calling him deer-faced, because he looks like a deer. Sehun likes deers.

“Do you want to lose your job?” Deer-faced says mockingly. Junmyun doesn’t retort before it’s too late to turn back. The bottle of wine feels heavy in his hand.

But, why Bellini, though?

“Well certainly no, young master. I have other plans for tonight,” Junmyun returns the smirk. He’s not serving a twelve-year-old brat alcohol just because the kid has the money. He usually doesn’t. But the threat hanging at the tip of the other’s tongue, it doesn’t seem like it’s empty and Junmyun can’t risk losing another job.

The boy’s cellphone rings once, twice, thrice, before he glances at the caller’s ID and throws the device into his freshly served glass of Bellini. It rings through the silence of the club, eerie and deafening, before the battery died. Junmyun stays stuck in his spot awkwardly like finding the right words to say. The boy is fuming like a volcano and Junmyun knows better than to step right into it.

“You’re pretty cute for someone your age, Suho-ssi,” The boy coos, lips pursed.

Junmyun is used to a lot of flirting. Thirty-four-going-thirty-five with a baby face and a killer smile, who wouldn’t like him? But from a twelve-year-old? He doesn’t know how he should feel about this...sorcery.

“My age? As in your father’s age, Mr...”

“Luhan.” The boy says, eyes not leaving the older man behind the counter. Junmyun scoffs.

“Mr. Lu.”

“No, just Luhan.”

a/n: why is sehun so shippable tho? im trying to stay on track with the pairings but...its not working too well sigh...

still want hunhan to end up together tho XD 

Also, as for the age in this chapter...

Luhan: 17

Sehun: 16

Suho: 35

Kris 36

Tao 15