The first time I met him, I was nothing. I was just that boy in the corner of the room, staring out the window. And no, he didn't come up to me nor did he speak to me, but as I looked out the window, I watched as a boy in my class was getting bullied by older kids. I didn't know the details, but I wanted to help him so badly. I couldn't due to my distance and my lack of courage. However, he showed no weakness.

  Luhan stopped the bullies somehow just by saying words. There was no arm swinging or leg kicking. The bullying ended in a flash and at that same moment, I fell in love. Maybe I'm being a bit brash, but my admiration added on over junior high as I noticed his doe eyes and cute face, and including with those appearances, he had a kind heart. It was something that attracted me the most and I knew I had to have him.

  I tried talking to him and that's when my whole world changed.

  "H-Hi, Luhan," I stuttered as he was sitting on his desk doing absolutely nothing.

  He looked up and smiled brightly at me. "Hey, Xiumin."

  I blushed. He even knew my name! "Uhm, I'm just wondering if you would like to study with me." I don't know what's going on in my mind, but I couldn't think of any other excuse to get close to him.

  He stared at me for a moment before grinning. "Sure. Do you want to meet at the library after school?"

  I nodded my head vigorously. "I'll see you then?"

  He did a single nod. "Yeah."

  I bowed my head and went back to my seat, smiling like an idiot

  After school, I headed to the library and waited patiently for him. He was talking to a couple of friends, so I understood that he would be late. As I took out stuff to study with, I heard Luhan's voice above me, "I hope you don't mind, but I brought a friend over."

  I looked up to see that same boy that was being bullied on the first week of school. He smiled at me and bowed. "I'm Jongdae, but please call me Chen. It's nice to meet you."

  I bowed my head and greeted, "I'm Minseok, but you can call me Xiumin like everyone else. It's nice to meet you Chen."

  Then everything after that was a blur to me. All we did was study and talk. That was how all three of us became friends and I became someone they could rely on.

  Now that we're in high school, sophomore year, I feel so much closer to my friends. Chen wasn't who I expected. He was like a cheerful elementary school kid. I wonder why in the world people would bully this kid.

  "Baozi! Good morning!" Luhan exclaims while running up to me at the front gates of the school.

  My heart skips a beat seeing his whole hearted smile.

  "Good morning!" I call back. Off in the distance behind Luhan, I see Chen sluggishly trailing behind.

  When he finally catches up, he takes a huge gulp of air and starts complaining, "Luhan! Did we really have to run from my house to school? We weren't that late!”

  Right, Luhan and Chen walk together to and from school. It's because Luhan passes by Chen's place while heading to school. I'm jealous but there's nothing I can do about it.

  "You're alive right? You'll be fine. All you have to do is inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth."

  Chen follows what Luhan tells him and grins. "Hey, Xiumin, what are you planning on doing during summer?"

  "I don't know. Why?"

  Luhan finishes what Chen started, "Because we were thinking about going to my parents’ beach house for the first few weeks. It's going to be fun!"

  Wait, so it's going to be Luhan and me at a beach house? Well, plus Chen, but I'll actually be with Luhan in that same house for a week? What a miracle! But... "I'll have to ask my parents first."

  "That's alright."

  Suddenly the bell rings.

  "Time to go!" Chen exclaims and takes our arms before dragging us inside.

  School's school. There's not much I can say but this; there are so many people after Luhan, girls and boys. Most have a better chance than others like Sehun. He's rich and popular and handsome while I'm just this regular boy with an average wealth and a decent amount of friends and plain looks. But on the bright side, Luhan knows me more than Sehun.

  As I'm walking out of the school building, I hear someone calling out my name. I turn around to see Sehun striding towards me, hands in his pocket and a playful smirk on his lips.

  "Hey, Xiumin," he greets once he's right in front of me. I guess he's a friend of mine, but there are some aspects that I disagree about.

  "What's up, Sehun?"

  "Luhan invited me to the beach house during summer. I'm coming. Are you?"

  Sometimes I just want to rip that smirk off his face. "Yeah, I'm definitely coming."

  "Cool." He turns to leave but stops and asks, "You know, I've always been wondering if you had any sort of feelings towards Luhan. You two seem really close."

  I stiffen. Is it obvious that I like Luhan? I don't want other people to think that. I do like him, but I don't want anyone to know especially Luhan. I'm not ready for a confession. "What makes you think that?" Okay, all I have to do is keep my composure and stall a bit while I think of an excuse.

  "Like I said, you guys seem close. You two hang out a lot with Chen, too. Or maybe you like both of them?" Sehun gets close while his eyes stare deep into mind.

  Crap, I can't think of an excuse! Wait a minute, he mentions Chen. "Well, we're a trio. We're like the Three Musketeers. We have this bond. Wherever one goes, the others do, too." I feel like I'm a bit stiff right now. Hopefully Sehun doesn't notice.

  He simply nods his head. "Makes sense. I guess I'll see you later then."

  "Yeah."

  Sehun grins and walks pass me.

  I hold my breath the whole time and let out a puff of air when he's gone. Just being near him makes me nervous, but he's not that bad of a guy; that's why I consider him as a friend at some points.

  The first time I met him, he was the first person to speak to me on the first day of middle school. Moving from a different city, I knew no one. I'm not the social type, so I say at my desk, minding my own business while listening to people create rumors about me. Most were about how cold I was even though I'm not. They only created those rumors due to my gaze when I'm thinking. I don't know exactly what I look like, but people say it's cold like frost.

  Sehun was the first who didn’t judge me right away. He was the only one who actually spoke to me despite all the rumors that were passed around, but then when Luhan came into my life, Sehun began to change. It seemed that he was aiming to be better than me since I hung out with Luhan more than I did with him. I didn’t mean it that way, but Luhan was the one who came up to me and started talking to me. He was the one who confronted me. Of course I had to introduce them at one point.

  When I did, I guess it was love at first sight for him also. Sehun couldn’t stop looking at him. Luhan didn’t notice since he was busy talking to Chen and I, but when he did turn to Sehun, he would look away. But ever since I introduced Luhan to him, he changed and always wanted to compete with me.

  I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to see Chen smiling brightly at me with his hands behind his back and rocking back and forth.

  “Hey, Xiumin!”

  “Hey, Chen. Aren’t you going to walk with Luhan today?”

  He shook his head. “He’s busy with rehearsals for the play.”

  “I see.”

  Yeah, Luhan is in a play and he’s one of the main leads. The good thing is, he’s not the protagonist of the story or else he would have to kiss another character. I can’t bear to see that if it ever does happen.

  “W-would you like to f-follow me?” Chen stutters. This isn’t the first time I hear him stutter. Whenever he gets nervous, he stutters real badly, but what is he so nervous about right now?

  “Sure.”

  Chen takes my arm and drags me to the back of the school where our school garden is at. He stops in the middle of the garden and faces me, cheeks flush red and eyes on the ground. His grip on my arm gets tighter each second.

  I look around to see the flowers in full bloom. It’s almost summer time, meaning no more school for a couple of months and time for the heat to kick in. A slight breeze blows by and I couldn’t help but stare at Chen. This was the first time I hear him so quiet. Why did he bring me here?

  All of a sudden, he shoots his head up, causing me to jump. “Xiumin!” He exclaims.

  I don’t know why but my heart is pounding in my chest and I can hardly breathe.

  Chen bites his bottom lip. His eyes grow wide as his mouth opens, but no words come out.

  “A-are you o-okay, Chen?”

  He flinches but his eyes never leave mine. Again, he opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. I notice him advancing towards me, but I can’t move. I’m stuck in place as I watch him getting closer, eyes slowly closing and lips slightly puckering. Before I know it, I feel his lips on mine.