11th Grade – Spring Semester

After entering the gates that separated the tennis court from the track field, Kyungsoo immediately scanned the crowd for Luhan.

“Ov-Over here!” said boy shouted, standing up from his spot on the bleachers when he spotted Kyungsoo and Yixing.

“He sounds nervous,” Yixing noted curiously.

“You're right,” Kyungsoo murmured as they climbed the steps to reach Luhan, who was decked out in the school's colors. It was obvious that Luhan was there to support the home team – or rather one player in particular.

Kyungsoo thought the words GO SEHUN! painted on the side of Luhan's cheeks were a dead giveaway.

“Well you look supportive,” said Kyungsoo as he sat down next to Luhan.

“You don't think it's too much?” Luhan asked, biting his lower lip anxiously, his hands fidgeting.

Yixing sat down beside Kyungsoo and chuckled. “Nah. I think you look cute actually.”

“Really?” Luhan smiled shyly at the compliment though his hands continue to tremble.

“Why are you so nervous?” Kyungsoo asked, though he had a hint as to why.

Luhan sighed. “It's my first time watching Sehun play since we started dating....” he mumbled, averting eye contact.

“Ah.” Yixing smiled. “First day as the supportive boyfriend rather than the obsessive fan.”

Luhan looked up, his eyes wide. “Yah! I was never an obsessive fan!”

Yixing shrugged. “If you think so.”

“Yixinggg,” Luhan whined, causing his two friends to laugh.

“So cute,” Yixing cooed as he reached across Kyungsoo to pinch a pouting Luhan in the cheek.

“Careful, Yixing, you don't want a certain star player to aim the tennis ball at you,” Kyungsoo warned jokingly (though it could happen).

Luhan slapped Yixing's hand away. “Sehun's not the jealous type,” he argued.

Yixing and Kyungsoo stared at Luhan for a second before bursting out in laughter.

“Are you kidding? Sehun's not the jealous type?” Yixing cackled. “Are we talking about the same Sehun?”

“He's not!” Luhan insisted, bewildered at his friends' reactions.

Yixing shook his head in amusement. “Tell that to the guy from the ice cream shop who wouldn't stop staring at you.”

“And that guy from the amusement park who gave you free cotton candy,” Kyungsoo added.

Luhan blinked. “What? What happened to them?”

Kyungsoo and Yixing looked at each other before turning to answer Luhan simultaneously, “We are forbidden to disclose that.”

Luhan crinkled his eyebrows in confusion. “Why?”

“It's for your own good,” Kyungsoo said firmly.

Someone scoffed, and Kyungsoo turned to look at the person. His eyes met Jongin's dark ones, and unknowingly, he sat up straight, his posture perfect.

“Don't paint our friend as some crazed killer boyfriend,” Jongin stated with an annoyed eye roll. He walked over to where they were sitting, and sat down next to Yixing.

“You know you should stop eavesdropping on people,” Kyungsoo accused, glaring at Jongin. “And what we said was true.”

“Uh no. It's not. And Luhan, don't listen to your amigos,” Jongin said, ignoring Kyungsoo's glares.

“Yeah, they don't know what they're talking about,” Tao added, appearing from nowhere. He took a seat in front of the group, and twisted his body around to face Luhan. “Sehun didn't kill anybody.”

“He simply told those idiots to stop drooling at you,” Jongin explained with a proud smile. Kyungsoo wanted to slap that irritating smile off his chiseled face.

“With his fist?” Yixing questioned with his eyebrows raised. “I don't think that's how you talk to somebody.”

Luhan's eyes widened even more. “Wait! Sehun got in a fight!?”

“It was more like a scuffle,” Tao corrected. “It didn't last long.”

“What?! Where was I?!”

“Eating something,” Yixing answered.

Before Luhan could say something else, Jongin held up his hand to stop him. “It doesn't matter anymore. Sehun handled it well, so nothing to worry about.”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes. “I guess people like you think that fighting solves everything huh? How uncivilized.”

Jongin looked him directly in the eyes. “Sometimes you gotta let others know what's yours, and sadly, some people need a beating in order to understand.”

“That's very mature,” Kyungsoo said sarcastically.

“Are you sure you're not envious?” Jongin asked.

“What?” Kyungsoo balled up his right fist, already predicting that Jongin will no doubt insult him in some way.

Noticing Kyungsoo's fist, Jongin smiled. “If it makes you feel any better, I promise I'll beat up the person who's checking you out, but of course for that to happen, you have to be attractive enough to capture someone's attention in the first place.”

“Burn,” Yixing whispered with an amused look on his face.

Tao, on the other hand, shook his head in disapproval. “Jongin, that's not how you flirt with someone.”

“Shut up, Tao!” Jongin lifted his foot to give Tao a swift kick, but the other boy merely rolled his eyes and dodged the kick by turning his body around.

“Flirt?” Kyungsoo questioned, taken aback by Tao's statement.

Jongin growled at Tao's back. “Tao doesn't know what he's talking about,” he answered through gritted teeth.

“Good,” Kyungsoo remarked, regaining his composure.

Jongin turned to look at him, eyes questioning. “What?”

“I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of your flirting.”

Jongin blinked. The moment of awkward silence between the two was quickly interrupted when Yixing coughed. Jongin shook his head, as if he was shaking himself out of hypnosis. “Don't worry your little head about me flirting with you,” Jongin snarled. “It's never going to happen. Like I said, you're not exactly great in the looks department.”

Kyungsoo couldn't believe his ears. Who did Kim Jongin think he is? Did Jongin think he could just talk to him like that? Like he didn't have feelings? Kyungsoo clenched his jaw, unable to mask his annoyance with the boy who's been driving him crazy for the past year.

Realizing that Kyungsoo was slowly flaring up, Luhan reached over to grasp his slightly shaky hand, but Kyungsoo paid him no attention. His eyes were fixed on Jongin – whom he wished would magically combust on the spot.

“You know what, Jongin?” he started, voice low.

“What?” the boy asked, unfazed.

“You wouldn't know attractive if it hits you in the balls,” Kyungsoo said matter-of-factly. “Also, I'm flattered that you want to offer your services, but no thanks. You should be someone else's knight in shining armor – maybe someone who's willing to put up with your giant empty head.”

“Double burn,” Yixing murmured with a satisfied grin while Luhan looked on worriedly, his eyes darting back and forth between the two who were giving each other dirty looks.

Instead of arguing like Kyungsoo had expected he would, Jongin simply stared at him. He didn't look angry, but he didn't look pleased either. Kyungsoo had no idea how he should categorize Jongin's expression, and that bothered him a lot more than it should.

After another minute of silent tension between Jongin and Kyungsoo, Yixing decided that it was enough, and he cleared his throat. “Well, I'm going to get some hot dogs. Do you guys want any? Kyungsoo?”

“No,” Kyungsoo answered. He turned around to face the front, somewhat irritatedly – his mind still swirling with countless explanations for Jongin's unreadable expression.

“Alright then..I'll be back.” Yixing got up, leaving space between Kyungsoo and Jongin.

“When is the game going to start?” Jongin asked, directing his question to no one in particular.

“Soon,” Luhan quickly replied, somewhat enthusiastically though he tried to hide it.

“Good because I don't want to be stuck here forever,” Jongin said.

“Yeah, the is unbearable,” Tao mumbled. Luckily, no one heard him.

“I'm back!” Yixing announced cheerfully, holding two hot dogs in his hands. Instead of taking his original spot beside Kyungsoo, Yixing opted to sit on the other side of Jongin.

“Mind scooting over, Jongin?” Yixing asked with an innocent smile. Kyungsoo furrowed his eyebrows at his friend. What was Yixing trying to do?

“Uhh. Whatever,” Jongin murmured as he scooted over, closing the distance between him and Kyungsoo.

“More,” Yixing demanded, practically bumping his thigh against Jongin's.

“Fine. What about now?” Jongin asked when he was right next to Kyungsoo, their legs almost touching. Kyungsoo could feel his face warming up for some odd reason.

“Should I scoot over to make more room?” Luhan offered.

“No! Luhan, don't!” Yixing shouted, nearly choking on his saliva and surprising everyone (even Tao turned around). Yixing coughed. “This is fine,” he said rather awkwardly before focusing his attention on his hot dogs.

Kyungsoo knew Yixing long enough to know that Yixing was up to something, but what exactly...

“Oh!” Luhan squeaked, bringing Kyungsoo's attention back to him. “Sehun's about to come on the court.”

Luhan stood up and was about to cheer for his boyfriend, who was now stepping out on the court, when a loud cheer from their right interrupted him.

“OH SE! OH SE! OH SE!”

The group turned to find that sitting a few feet away from them were a group of girls – all holding glittery banners with Sehun's face on them.

“OH SE! OH SE! FIGHTING!” they cheered as they flapped their banners and posters.

With his shoulders slumped, Luhan quietly sat back down.

“What's wrong?” Kyungsoo asked.

“I should have made a poster,” Luhan replied, disappointment in his voice.

Kyungsoo wrapped his arm around Luhan's shoulders to comfort him. However, before he could give Luhan some reassurance, Jongin spoke.

“Sehun hates flashy banners. It ruins his concentration.”

Luhan's eyes brightened immediately. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Jongin flashed Luhan a tiny smile, which the other boy happily returned.

Suddenly, Yixing leaned over and whispered, “For real?”

“No idea,” Jongin whispered back.

“Ah.” Yixing smiled, impressed with Jongin for some reason, and though Kyungsoo hated to admit it, he was too. Just a little.

“Someone's looking for you,” Tao announced, and surely enough, Kyungsoo could see that Sehun was looking in their direction, eyes trained to find Luhan in a sea of people.

“Oh! Sehun!” Luhan shot back up and waved at his boyfriend. “Sehun, FIGHTING!” he shouted with a wide grin on his face.

He was about to make a heart with his arms when the girls from earlier started chanting Sehun's name.

“Well, aren't they thirsty,” Tao remarked with a haughty expression. Yixing nodded in agreement.

As the girls got louder, Luhan frowned and sat back down. Yixing extended his arm over Jongin and Kyungsoo, forcing them even closer together as he handed Luhan his other hot dog. Luhan gladly accepted the hot dog, and began munching on it, all while staring at Sehun and occasionally at the group of girls.

And though Kyungsoo wanted to help Luhan, he didn't think getting in an argument with a bunch of fangirls would be a good idea. Plus, he was still trying to figure out why he suddenly felt so hot and uncomfortable.

Unfortunately for Luhan, the girls' behavior lasted throughout the game. Every time Sehun scored a point, the girls would clap and shout, completely drowning out Luhan's cheers.

Eventually, it got too frustrating for the other boys to sit and watch, so they too joined in. Jongin wolf-whistled, Yixing and Kyungsoo shouted till their voices cracked, and Tao started screaming like one of the girls.

By the time Sehun won his match, the gang was beyond exhausted. Luhan quickly thanked them for helping before he ran down the steps to get to Sehun, who was being swarmed by his fans.

“Luhan isn't very subtle, is he?” Jongin asked as they watched the boy struggle through the human barricade surrounding Sehun. They could also hear him angrily telling the girls to Back off! Sehun's mine!

“No. He's pretty transparent,” Kyungsoo said absentmindedly, trying his best not to smile. Luhan's ability to wear his heart on his sleeve was one of the many things he admired about his friend.

“I always thought Sehun would go for someone more mysterious,” confessed Tao.

“Hey, Luhan can be mysterious if he wanted to,” Yixing argued in defense of their friend.

Right after he said that, they saw Luhan finally getting past the girls, and when he got in front of Sehun, he threw himself into his boyfriend's arms, and crashed their lips together.

Tao chuckled. “Yeah. He's such a complicated puzzle.”

Kyungsoo cleared his throat when Luhan continued to kiss Sehun in front of the others. “Luhan's always been affectionate. I don't think that's ever going to change.”

“I don't think he has to,” Jongin spoke. “Sehun doesn't seem to mind.”

And true enough, Sehun didn't. From where they were sitting, they could see the appreciative smile etched on Sehun's face as Luhan kissed him.

“As cute as they are together, I think I might throw up,” Tao exclaimed with a frown.

Yixing shoved his hand inside his pocket and pulled out a brown bag. “Here you go.”

Tao gave him a weird look. “Why do you carry that around?”

“In case someone throws up,” Yixing answered nonchalantly as he threw the bag at Tao, who caught it. “Duh.”

“Why --”

“Don't,” Kyungsoo interjected. “We don't understand it either, but that's Yixing. He's the real question mark of the group.”

“The loco amigo,” Jongin joked, causing Tao and Kyungsoo to laugh.

“Ha ha very funny,” said Yixing with a bored expression. He stood up and pointed at Jongin. “I suggest you stop making fun of this amigo or else I won't grant you your wish.”

And with that, he skipped away, heading towards Luhan and Sehun.

“What wish?” Kyungsoo asked, despite his desire to avoid talking to Jongin.

“No idea,” Jongin replied, eyes on the back of Yixing's head.

“You two are hopeless,” Tao announced as he got up and followed Yixing.

“What?” Kyungsoo and Jongin said at the same time, both puzzled.

They looked at each other.

“Jinx,” Jongin mumbled. Kyungsoo blinked.

Before Kyungsoo could call him out for being childish, Jongin broke eye contact and without saying anything, he walked away.

All Kyungsoo could do was stare at Jongin's back, wondering why his face felt so warm all of a sudden.

Several weeks later, the group was eating lunch at their usual table in the middle of the cafeteria. Sehun and Luhan were fussing about something, and though Kyungsoo was curious as to what they were talking about, the boy sitting on his right was proving to be somewhat of a distraction.

Jongin was eating fried chicken like it was the best thing ever made. Occasionally, he would moan (rather inappropriately) after a bite, and Kyungsoo would look at him like he was possessed by a cave man from the stone age.

Too busy staring at Jongin in mild disgust, Kyungsoo doesn't see the knowing smile on Yixing's face as he watched the two of them.

“That's unsanitary. Use a napkin,” Kyungsoo ordered when Jongin started his greasy fingers.

“Don't tell me what to do,” said Jongin, though he reached for a napkin.

Kyungsoo always failed to understand why Jongin says one thing and does something else entirely different. Sometimes he wanted to figure Jongin out, but other times, he wanted nothing to do with the other boy. It's a mystery, one Kyungsoo isn't so sure he wants solved.

Catching Kyungsoo staring at him, Jongin blinked and asked, “What?”

“Forget it.” Kyungsoo turned to face the couple in front of him, and for the first time, he heard what they were fussing over.

Sehun and Luhan were actually on the verge of starting another argument – something that has been occurring a lot lately.

“Do you really have to go?” Luhan asked, stabbing his mashed potatoes with his spoon.

“I already told them I was going,” Sehun replied. Kyungsoo could sense his impatience, which was never good.

“Can't you cancel? It's not like you won't see them again. The fundraiser is only happening tomorrow.”

Sehun sighed. “I can't just cancel on my team, Luhan. It'll make me look bad. Besides, what would I be doing at the fundraiser anyway?”

Luhan shrugged. “I don't know. I was going to bake cookies, so I was hoping you would help out?”

“You should have told me sooner. You can't just spring this on me and expect me to cancel everything. Regionals are next week, and the team really needs me to do well in order for us to advance in our division, and for me to do that, I have to go with them to check out the competition.”

“And that is going to take the whole afternoon?”

“Yes, but if it's worth anything, I'll make sure to pick you up after the fundraiser, and we can go somewhere after that.”

Although he didn't look too happy with Sehun's conclusion, Luhan agreed, and the couple stopped discussing the topic any further.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Yixing whispered so only Kyungsoo could hear.

Kyungsoo nodded. He watched as Luhan continued to play with his food – apparently he had lost his appetite.

He could tell that Luhan was trying hard not to frown in front of everybody. And like countless other times, Kyungsoo wanted to give him a long, comforting hug.

It was wrong of him to think pessimistically about Luhan's relationship, but Kyungsoo couldn't help but feel that the couple's first big argument was long overdue.

The argument.

Every couple must experience this particular argument once in their relationship. And although, some argue more often than others, the fact remains – couples fight. It was inevitable.

Kyungsoo could only hope that for Luhan's (and Sehun's) sake, their big argument will end with them having a better understanding of one another. He shuddered at the other possibility. The thought of them resenting one another frightened him.

It can't possibly happen, right? Not with Luhan and Sehun. But then again, anything is possible...

Kyungsoo chased the dark thought out of his head. No. Luhan and Sehun will be fine. They have to be.

*******

Spotting Luhan sitting alone on one of the steps in front of the school, Sehun could tell he was in trouble as he drove his car up to the curb. Instead of honking the horn, Sehun stepped out of the car, and called out, “Luhan!”

Said boy looked up, and instead of smiling, he gave Sehun a blank expression.

Sehun gulped. An expressionless Luhan was definitely scarier than an angry Luhan.

He was definitely going to get it now.

Sehun quietly watched Luhan get up and make his way over to the car. He was holding a white box in his hands, and normally, Sehun would have offered to carry it, but sensing the invisible dark clouds surrounding Luhan, he opted not to.

Without so much as a hey, Luhan opened the front passenger door and got in. Sehun quickly followed his example.

“Hey, I'm really sorry for being late,” Sehun promptly explained as Luhan buckled himself in. “I didn't consider traffic when I left, which was dumb of me, but I honestly thought I was going to make it in time. I know you're mad, and you have the right to be, but I just wanted you to --”

“Let's just go,” Luhan said softly before turning his head the other way to look outside his window.

Surprised by Luhan's reply, Sehun could only stare at him. After seconds of Luhan not saying anything else, Sehun cleared his throat. “Uhh right. Let's go.”

A few minutes into the ride, Sehun thought he was going to suffocate. The atmosphere was downright stifling. He has been in the car with Luhan many times, but he doesn't recall ever being this uncomfortable.

It didn't help that whenever he tried to talk to Luhan when they were at a stop light, the other boy would simply sit there, seemingly uninterested in holding a conversation, which wasn't good for Sehun.

“What's in the box?” Sehun asked, refusing to give up.

“Cookies.”

“Really? They smell great.”

“They're for you,” Luhan uttered, refusing to look at Sehun.

“Oh....Thanks,” Sehun said rather dumbly.

They got quiet again after that. And while Luhan continued to stare out the window, Sehun's mind was filled with questions like what could Luhan be thinking about? Should he try to start another conversation? Would Luhan let him hold his hand if he reached for it?

Deciding to just go for it, Sehun extended his hand, but before he could touch him, Luhan retracted his left hand, moving it further away.

Well, that didn't go too well, Sehun thought as he placed his right hand back on the steering wheel. He mentally cursed himself.

A few seconds later, when Sehun could no longer take the silence, he asked, “Do you want to go to your favorite frozen yogurt place? Or should we go eat pizza? How about street snacks?”

Luhan leaned his head against the window. “I just want to go home.”

Shocked at Luhan's rejection of food, Sehun stuttered, “O-Okay..”

When they finally arrived in front of Luhan's house, Sehun turned off the engine.

“Hey, I really am sorry --”

Luhan doesn't wait for him to finish. He got out the car, closed the door behind him, and walked to his front door – leaving Sehun completely speechless.

Sehun could only watch hopelessly as Luhan opened the front door and got inside.

The seriousness of the situation finally hitting him when he noticed the white box of cookies sitting where Luhan was a moment ago.

Sehun groaned. “I'm most definitely screwed.”

The rest of Sehun's night was spent trying to call Luhan, and not surprisingly, he failed. The other boy refused to answer his calls.

During school the next day, Luhan did his best to avoid Sehun in the halls, but that changed when lunch came around. Tao had unwittingly forced Luhan to sit next t