Generally when things go bad for Yixing, it normally happens one thing after the next. Yixing’s an optimistic person, he’s bright and lovely but when things start to go wrong it’s like a dark cloud makes its way over his head, and keeps him down for most of the day.

They had a comprehension quiz on Romeo and Juliet and a few selected poems based on the play and he’d gotten a 55%. Now at the end of the day a few of the kids at school were making a fuss, and as Yixing unwittingly got close he was able to see why.

Standing in front of the school in skirts that stop just above their knees are three girls, two of which he’d seen before, one he’d seen twice. Yixing pauses in his steps, from the corner of his eyes he can see Junmyeon approaching them, but he’s thinking of a way to avoid the girl with the short brunette hair.

Yixing’s not stupid, he knows how to get from A to Z without any help, and he knows that she’s there because of Kris, because she’s Kai friend and she’s out to either threaten to tell Kai or threaten Yixing into leaving him. He doesn’t know the full intent of her visit but he’s 100 per cent sure it’s about him when she grins widely and starts walking into his direction.

“Hi,” She says suddenly. “Do you remember me?”

“You’re the girl that was at Kai’s place.”

“I was also at the mall,” She tells him. “I’m Jinri but everyone calls me Sulli.”

“Lay,” he states, already used to using that nickname he was given.  Her eyes drop to his nametag but she doesn’t say much afterwards.

“Do you know why I’m here Oppa?”

“To threaten me to stay away from Kai,” Yixing guesses. Sulli grins, her plush pink lips stretching into a bright smile as she shakes her head from side to side her hair swaying as she does it.

“Nope,” Sulli answers with a laugh. “I’m not some evil woman from a drama. I do think Kai spends way too much time with you, he’s ignoring everyone because of you but I’m not going to threaten you to stop being with him. He knows what he’s doing. I’m here because I wanted to see you personally; I wanted to know what was so desirable about you that you have two guys tripping over themselves to be with you.”

“What are you talking about,” Yixing asks.

“I was watching you,” Sulli says. “I couldn’t remember where I saw you from but then it kind of clicked, that’s when I was going to come over. Anyway I watched you long enough to know that the guy that was with you was just pretending to date you.”

“I told him to help me avoid you.”

“He’s cute,” Sulli tells Yixing. “You should date him instead of paying attention to Kai, you fit him better. Kai only likes you because you’re a new toy devoting all your attention to him. Once you start choosing this life instead of him he’s going to hurt you. Kai is cruel that way; he likes everyone but wants everyone to like only him. He’s been deprived of attention all his life and now he can’t get enough of it.”

“I’m confused,” Yixing states, “what exactly do you want again?”

“I’m not here to threaten you,” Sulli states again. “I’m here to warn you, and see you again. I figured you might have been worried I’d tell some farfetched lie to Kai but I’m not. Your relationship is not of my concern, Kai is my friend, and since you’re seeing him I figured that I should talk to you before you get too deep. The others wouldn’t tell you because you’re Kai’s guy before you’re their friend. I've warned you about what might happen to you, it’s your choice about how you react. We should be friends though, you're pretty cute.”

“So you’re here because you want to be my friend,” Yixing asks.

“Okay you have really selective hearing,” she says with a laugh, “but yes I want to be your friend. So tell Kai to stop hiding you from the rest of the world.”

“I’ll be your friend if you don’t come to my school to see me anymore,” Yixing tells her.

“Deal,” she says with a grin. “Bye Oppa.”

“Who was that,” Zitao says when Sulli walks away.

“Her name is Jinri,” Yixing states.

“I think I know her,” Jongdae adds.

“You know girls from Shin-Jae high school,” Amber asks. “I heard that they’re bad, most of them at least.”

“I don’t know them personally; I just thought I saw her around before.”

“What did she want with you,” Zitao asks with a frown.

“She saw me yesterday when I was shopping with Kris-ge. Kris-ge said that she looked into me.”

“So she stalked you all the way back to school,” Zitao asks.

“No,” Yixing states, “you saw them talking to Junmyeon. They’re probably friends with him.”

“Oh,” Zitao says. “I guess it’s a good thing you’re gay. You don’t have to worry about girls like that.”

Yixing gets home he  feels his cellphone vibrate in his pocket, and when he takes it out he can’t help but grin as he reads his newest message:

From: Suho
Whatever Sulli told u was a lie!

To: Suho
She said that I occupy too much of Kai’s time.

From: Suho
Lie! Sleeps occupies too much of Kai’s time.

To: Suho
She said that she’s a nice person

From: Suho
Lie! Don’t let that cute innocent face fool u. She’s evil!

To: Suho
She said Kai likes everyone

From: Suho
He likes u most. Trust me I know ^_^

To: Suho
She also said he’ll hurt me or get bored of me…She wants to be my friend

Yixing stares at his cellphone waiting for Junmyeon to respond but it takes longer and he tosses the phone on his bed so that he can start his homework. Five minutes later the vibration of his phone is loud in his silent room, and he breaks from his science homework to check the new message.

From: Suho
That’s why I say don’t believe her. He won’t hurt u intentionally.
Kai doesn’t hurt a person unless they hurt him first.
Don’t be Sulli’s friend, she’ll corrupt u!

Yixing doesn’t feel as reassured as he should be by Junmyeon’s words but he thinks he understands.

Lying is an addiction that Yixing must have fallen to. It’s only explainable in that way. It’s not something bought on by Kai in the others that’s for sure, he’s always told white lies for that bit of privacy and freedom it gave him. He’d be lying though if he said the group hadn’t caused his lying to venture from once and a while to frequently, not that he had any problems with it.

On Wednesday in the early afternoon warmth, Yixing’s out strolling through the neighborhood streets, unsure about what he should do for the day. He’d lied his way out of school for the day feigning the stomach flu to convince his mother who was already running late for the day.

When he got home later he’d be in big trouble but at the moment he didn’t care, there wasn’t much his mother could do to him anyway.

“Lay-hyung,” he hears, and turns his head in the direction of the voice, grinning slightly when he catches sight of Sehun.

“What are you doing out alone,” Yixing asks him as the younger boy approaches him.

“Kai told you that huh,” Sehun asks with a small frown. “Luhan’s at work, he’s filling in for a coworker and I was with Chanyeol but he went to see his girlfriend so I left them alone.”

“Chanyeol has a girlfriend,” Yixing asks tilting his head slightly.

“Chanyeol has girlfriends,” Sehun corrects. “He’s really popular with girls and he’s not the type to say no to a girl. They know though that he’s not faithful to them so there’s no problem there. Hyung what are you doing out of school?”

“I told my mom I was sick so I didn’t have to go,” Yixing tells Sehun with a tiny grin.

“If you’re sick why are–you faked it?”

“Correct,” Yixing teases. “Sehun are you hungry? Do you want me to buy you a meal?”

“Okay,” Sehun grins, following Yixing as they eat to a nearby restaurant.

“Where were you going,” Yixing asks as they sit together at a booth seat near the window. “This is the complete opposite direction of your house.”

“I was bored,” Sehun admits. “I barely walk around this part of the neighborhood just because nothing’s here. Sulli used to live around here though. Do you remember her?”

“I remember her well,” Yixing admits, his mind already going back to his meeting with Sulli in front of the school.

“Isn’t her school far though,” Yixing asks.

“Yeah her family moved closer to it and since it’s closer to her brother’s university it was like a double move, she lives in an apartment building with Krystal.”

“That’s nice,” Yixing muses.

“Hyung is school fun,” Sehun asks, tilting his head slightly. “You know I’m an orphan right? We went to elementary school at an actual school and then for middle school it was homeschooled. I didn’t stay long though, I moved in with Suho-hyung when I was 12.”

“You moved in with Suho at 12,” Yixing repeats, tilting his head slightly. “All of you?”

“Yeah,” Sehun nods. “Kai and I were the same age, and Chanyeol-hyung was 14 and Luhan like sixteen or something. I don’t remember everyone’s ages.”

“Suho lived on his own then,” Yixing asks. “How’d you live?”

“We were all kind of orphaned at a young age,” Sehun explains. “Suho-hyung has relatives though and an inheritance. His aunt is in charge of his inheritance until he graduates high school but that doesn’t matter. They wanted to move and Suho-hyung wanted to stay and they let him. We then all moved in with him. Chanyeol-hyung, Kai and I had to run away from the orphanage but it’s okay it’s not like they’re looking for us or anything. That place was overcrowded anyway.”

“I’m happy you all became close,” Yixing says with a small grin. Sehun grins back at him, and Yixing wants to ask more but he doesn’t.

“Hyung do you like Kai,” Sehun asks. “Like do you really like Kai or is this…”

“I like Kai,” Yixing says. “I really really like Kai. I’m not confused or anything like that I like him.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know yet about Kai,” Sehun says. “He’s a pretty reserve person so he can sometimes go without talking about himself and things in general so you’ll have to work a little harder to get close to him.”

“I won’t give up,” Yixing tells him. “How long have you and Luhan been together?” Sehun grins brightly at the question.

“It’ll be one full year in a few more weeks,” Sehun admits. “We started dating a week after my birthday.”

“You’re birthday’s coming,” Yixing asks. “When?”

“April 12th,” Sehun answers. “Luhan’s birthday is April 20^th, and Suho’s is May 22^nd.Chanyeol’s birthday isn’t until November. You missed Kai’s.”

“He said it was in January,” Yixing recalls. “What day is it?”

“The fourteenth,” Sehun answers with a grin. Yixing’s always thought of Sehun as someone really quiet but even after their food came, Sehun seemed to want to continue speaking and Yixing figured it was because he was new and willing to answer all the questions the younger one asked him.

Their food comes and the talking slows down as they focus on eating. They’re about halfway through the meal when Sehun’s cellphone starts to ring and Yixing lifts his head to watch the younger male take the call.

“Hello,” Sehun says into the phone. “…I’m at that family restaurant near Sulli’s old house…No I’m not alone Lay-hyung is with me…He was sick so he didn’t go to school–“

“Fake sick,” Yixing interrupts Sehun.

“No No,” Sehun says into the phone. “I wasn’t bothering him, he faked being sick and we ran into each other. He offered to buy me lunch.” Sehun pulls the phone away from his ear and offers it to Yixing. “He wants to talk to you.”

Yixing throws Sehun a questioning look, unsure about who exactly Sehun was talking to but he takes the cellphone anyway.

“Hello,” he says cautiously, going back to eating.

“So faking sick,” he hears and a grin automatically spreads across his lips. “Is that something I inspired or…”

“Unfortunately that’s something I’ve been doing since way before I met you,” Yixing answers, “every other month I get the need for a day away from everyone at school.”

“I knew you were bad,” Kai says with a laugh. “My hyungs always warned me about guys like you.”

“Are we roleplaying now,” Yixing asks trying to muffle his laughter, “I should have known you were into weird things like that.”

“Zhang Yixing,” Kai manages to say between his laughter. “I swear I like you more with each day.”

Yixing bites his lip at the confession feeling his cheeks warm up, as he tries not to smile stupidly. “Kai,” he huffs out his voice sound more like a whine than anything else.

“When you’re done eating, be careful on your way home okay,” Kai tells him.

“What did I tell you,” Yixing says voice taking on a playful tone. “My cousin knows Wushu and I know a few things by extension. I’ll make sure that Sehun gets home safely though.”

“You stay safe too,” Kai tells him.

“I promise I will extremely careful,” Yixing tells him before bidding the younger male goodbye.

“I don’t know what to think,” Sehun says starting to eat again. “I’m pretty sure I’m overwhelmed from listening to the two of you talk. I’m mildly grossed out because never did I ever want to hear about Kai’s kinks but I’m really happy for him too. You really like him right hyung?”

“Sehun shut up,” Yixing says, throwing a bit of his food at the blond haired boy.

“Hyung I’m just really happy, it’s like you’re my brother-in-law or something. It’s awesome.”

“So home or Luhan’s work,” Yixing asks as they stand outside of the restaurant they just had their lunch.

“Home,” Sehun answers. “Luhan is walking home with a coworker so I don’t have to pick him up, besides he won’t be off until a lot later anyway.”

“I’ll walk you then,” Yixing states.

“You really don’t have to,” Sehun tells him. “You live over here and I live in the opposite direction. I can take care of myself just fine anyway.”

“Yeah well Kai has got me paranoid,” Yixing says. “Besides I don’t have to be home for another few hours so we can continue this bonding.”

“Are you slowly picking us off,” Sehun asks, as he starts walking, Yixing beside him.

“What,” Yixing asks in return a small laugh escaping pass his lips.

“Are you trying to get on our good side one by one? I know we had our moments but this is our first time really bonding one on one and you kind did this with everyone else already.”

“I’m not trying to bribe you to like me or something,” Yixing replies, “I wasn’t even aware I was doing that. I just want to be everyone’s friend not just Kai’s. We all kind of have something in common I just act on those things.”

“Oh,” Sehun says. “Okay, but even if you were trying to do that you wouldn’t have to, we talk about you nearly every time you leave our house. We all tease Kai and talk about just how much we like you.”

“I feel flattered,” Yixing says with a grin.

They watch a cable move when they head back to Sehun’s place. Even though they had already ate they still get popcorn and drinks before settling on the sofa, watching the movie that had started at least twenty minutes before they stumbled upon it.

Yixing’s still trying to figure out if it’s a romantic comedy or a tragedy by the time Luhan walks in with another boy trailing behind him.

“What are you watching,” the eldest asks the pair on the sofa, and both Sehun and him shrug their shoulders eyes still focused on a movie that neither really understood.

“It’s cable,” Sehun states, finally tearing his eyes away to look at his boyfriend and his companion. “Hey Minseok-hyung.”

“Hey Sehun,” the boy greets in return and Yixing turns to face him, the boy with Luhan is shorter than the latter. He has short brown hair and a boyish smile on his lips that made his cheeks appear round.

“Minne this is Yixing,” Luhan says introducing the boy, and Yixing bows politely at the boy as he does the same. “Yixing this is my coworker Kim Minseok,” Luhan says introducing the boy lazily as he pushes his way into Sehun to make room for himself and Minseok.

“Nice to meet you,” Yixing mutters, excusing himself. If Luhan was home that meant it was time for him to go home himself unless he wanted to get caught faking sick by his mother or Zitao.

When he’s walking home, he thinks about what his life has started to become. He’s been accepted by Kai and his friends and even if he was somewhat accepted at the very beginning, he really felt a part of them now. It’s funny when he thinks about it, not too long ago he had wanted nothing to do with them, feared them, and now he was risking so much just to spend time with them.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Everyone thought I was going to write angst and drama but that won't be till the next chapter. I'm updating again tomorrow to thank you guys! I already have upvotes and nearly 100 subscribers and this is only the eleventh chapter. You guys are all awesome!