“Why is Romeo and Juliet called the greatest love story of all,” Yixing asks out loud to Zitao. They’re lounging in his bedroom, Zitao lying on the floor half watching a movie, half falling asleep, and Yixing’s lounging on his bed, attempting to complete the readings for class.

“Because they killed themselves because they couldn’t live without the other,” Zitao states, “I haven’t read it, but if you’re worried about someone being alone even in the afterlife than you must be in pretty deep.”

“But they’re so young and they don’t even really know each other except for like their last names and that kind of stuff. It’s kind of stupid to kill yourself for someone you just got to know. They don’t even know their hobbies or anything; it’s like if two people proclaim they’re madly in love just because they have compatible zodiac signs.”

“Juliet likes to do things rich girls of her time do, like sit around and make herself exceptionally beautiful in hopes that she’ll meet a good and wealthy man and Romeo likes do things rich guys of his time do like pay attention to women and make himself seem either educated or cultured. They were young and stupidly in love and that’s the point...I guess”

It’s stupid,” Yixing says again.

“It’s something you’ll never be able to understand because you’ve never been stupidly in love. You’ve never been in love at all.”

“And you have,” Yixing asks his cousin, peering at the younger male in honest curiosity.

“I’m a romantic,” Zitao states. “I’m in love every day. I’m in love with the concept and idea of love.”

“You’re crazy,” Yixing tells him, leaning back against his bed. “I can’t with you or this god forsaken book.”

“Are you going through your rebellious period,” Zitao asks him, changing the topic.

“What,” Yixing asks.

“You always seem more irritated, and you barely do your homework, and you hate being home or with Kris. Are you finally rebelling?”

“I’m not rebelling,” Yixing tells him. “I’m just growing up.”

“That’s another word for rebelling Ge,” Zitao tells him. “I rebelled before, I know all the signs.”

“Huang Zitao the rebel with a love of shopping,” Yixing teases.

“Huang Zitao the rebel that thought he was a man at 13,” Zitao corrects. “Have fun rebelling just don’t make Auntie cry okay, that’s probably the worst thing you can do while rebelling because when you finally snap out of your ego trip or whatever, you just feel like a jackass. Kris-ge too, if you ruin your friendship with him you’re going to hate yourself.”

“Thank you for the advice even though I’m pretty sure I won’t need it. I’m not rebelling I’m growing up,” Yixing makes it a point to explain once more.

“Sure,” Zitao mutters. “I’m going to my room so you can focus on your homework.”

“If you’re using me as an excuse to leave and probably watch you don’t have to,” Yixing teases. “We’re growing boys; I understand that sometimes there are certain urges that can’t be contained.”

“I really hate when you do that with your face,” Zitao tells him, standing up and looking over at Yixing. “It’s really hard to tell if you’re attempting to be funny or if you’re dead serious.”

“Do what,” Yixing asks.

“Nothing,” Zitao tells him.

“You can’t help being a hopeless romantic, and I can’t help but have a blank face,” Yixing tells him, opening his book and letting his eyes skim the words.

“Have fun studying,” Zitao tells him leaving his bedroom and closing the door behind him. Yixing lets a sigh escape pass his lips as he rests the book on his face. The lingering smell the book pages have that is unique to nearly all slightly old books makes him internally gag. Yixing doesn’t dislike books, he actually adores reading and William Shakespeare is an amazing writer in his opinion but if has to sit and read the book out of class he was going to scream.

 “I’m going to the park,” he tells him mother, hours later when he downstairs putting on his shoes, he’s not sure if his mother has heard him or if she’s okay with him leaving but he does anyway, stepping outside of the warmth of his house into the cool evening of the March night.

The weather was getting warmer as the days passed and pretty soon spring would arrive. He’d never really liked spring, sure it was nice seeing the colors of new flowers and trees, but he tended to suffer from sinus allergies.

He thought about Kai’s house, and a brittle laugh nearly escaped passed his lips. He hadn’t seen the group of five in three days, and even if he did somehow gain his way into the group he wouldn’t hang out with them at their home.

It didn’t fit, Yixing couldn’t imagine treating the place like a second home of some sort, spending his time there with a constantly frowning group of teens, and Kai grinning as he kicked Yixing’s at every video game he owned.

Yixing doesn’t really want to spend the rest ofwinter indoors with them, he’s still really curious but he doesn’t like the idea of everyone being in such a closed off space where Yixing is constantly struck by being overly self-conscious and insecure.

Two days later, five days in total, Yixing sees a member, two members of that group again, not including Junmyeon who he would occasionally see in school. Yixing had dubbed them the misfits in his head, because that was what Zitao called them, and that’s kind of what they were, a group of misfits with seemingly mismatched personalities that worked together.

It’s a Saturday afternoon, and Yixing’s made up some lie about meeting a classmate for a science project and he doesn’t have to be home until later in the day for dinner. He’s walking through the park near the school when he sees Luhan and Sehun.

Yixing’s first thought is to turn away and pretend like he doesn’t see them but Luhan notices him as soon as he notices them so he lets the pair come over to him.

“Yixing,” Luhan breathes like they’re close friends that haven’t seen each other in a while.

“Hey,” Yixing greets. Sehun nods his greetings, and turns his attention away Yixing, his arm wrapping around Luhan’s shoulder as he looks around the park.

“Where have you been,” Luhan asks him.

“Home,” Yixing answers in confusion.

“Home,” Sehun repeats, he looks like he’s trying to hold in a laugh and Yixing wants to groan. He hates being the of someone’s joke. “You’ve been home? Why?”

“Why not,” Yixing asks with a frown.

“How come you haven’t come to see us,” Luhan says speaking up. “You didn’t even come to the arcade that day.”

“Because he was home alone with Kai,” Sehun reminds Luhan, with a grin and an eyebrow wiggle, the cheesiness of it all makes Yixing shuffle uncomfortably. “Why do you always carry a backpack?”

“Stop trying to distract him,” Luhan tells Sehun with a sigh. “Answer my question first,” he directs at Yixing. Yixing’s at a lost, it’s like he’s dealing with two Zitaos or something. They weren’t like Amber and Jongdae, they were like two twins vying for a parent’s attention.

“I didn’t think you wanted me to come around again,” Yixing admits, eyes straying pass the pair to look as a little girl with her hair done up in two pigtails pull her father along. Her shrill childlike voice could be heard even from where Yixing was standing even though he couldn’t make her words. She was probably talking about the playground that was the direction she was walking in.

“Didn’t Kai tell you I liked you,” he hears Luhan ask, when he snaps his attention back to the pair in front of him.

“You like him more than me,” Sehun asks, a frown on his lips. Yixing’s eyes are now caught on Sehun. He’s frowning with his whole face, his eyes narrow, and his lips down turn and his cheeks puff just slightly like a child that hasn’t fully grown yet.

“Yeah it feels like it,” Luhan says, his voice lifting in an obvious teasing manner and a laugh ripples through him as Sehun nudges him hard with his shoulder. Yixing notices the way the skin around his eyes wrinkle just slightly. “Anyway Yixing, you should come with us now. We’re heading back and it’s going to rain soon.”

Yixing’s eyes now look towards the sky, and the clouds are darker, they’re a pale grey and seem heavier than the normal everyday clouds. He bites his lip, trying to think of a way out of going to their house but gives in. “Ok,” he mutters.

Walking with Sehun and Luhan was a lot different than walking with Kai, there weren’t any awkward silences but there was the feeling of being a third wheel as Yixing followed behind the pair as they walked side by side together, their fingers brushing against each other a lot and occasionally locking.

Yixing kind of figured that they were a couple but neither said anything and Yixing had never really seen a gay couple before so he didn’t think it was appropriate to ask them about it. The walk to their house seems shorter through and when they get pass the black gate, Yixing can see the difference between being there with Kai, and being there with everyone else.

There’s noise, music and the sounds of the television and voices. The lights are on, and there’s tons of shoes at the door. Luhan’s the first with his shoes off, running towards the living room while loudly announcing that he brought Yixing.

Then it’s Sehun and Yixing. Yixing follows behind the younger male into the living room where Junmyeon and Chanyeol are playing a video game.

“Hey Yixing,” Chanyeol greets, and Yixing lifts his hand in an awkward wave.

“Where’s Kai,” He hears Sehun ask.

“In his room,” Junmyeon answers, eyes on the television.

“I’ll go get him,” Sehun tells the group. Yixing watches him go, and then lets Luhan lead him over to the empty loveseat.

“Suho’s losing,” Luhan tells him. “Suho always loses, he at video games.”

“I do not hyung,” Junmyeon yells out with indignation, a low whimper escaping pass his lips as his health bar drops low. The game tells Chanyeol to finish him in a deep ominous voice, and Chanyeol uses one of the grotesque finishing moves, eyes not leaving the television screen as his fingers work the buttons.

“You jinxed me,” Junmyeon tells Luhan.

“Whatever you lost I’m playing,” Luhan tells Junmyeon squeezing in between the pair on the sofa, and stealing the controller from Junmyeon. “I can’t believe Chanyeol beat you with Sonya Blade.”

“Sonya Blade’s strong,” Junmyeon retorts, a frown on his lips. “I’m going to get water. Have fun losing to Chanyeol.” Yixing watches and listens to the conversation with much confusion. He doesn’t know much about video games especially Mortal Kombat, but that’s not his main focus. It’s the fact that once again they’re going against every statement ever made by anyone about them.

People treat them like they’re the spawns of the devil but they’re playing video games, and childishly insulting each other like any other teenager.

“Zhang Yixing,” he hears and his eyes are straying from the trash talking pair that remain on the sofa, and towards the living room entrance where Kai is standing looking at him with his grin. “It’s great to see you again.” Yixing doesn’t answer, and Kai doesn’t seem bothered as he steps inside the room and walks over to sit beside Yixing.

“We can do the tour later,” Kai tells him, when he’s sitting on the loveseat, close enough that his thigh brushes Yixing’s.

I'm still slightly dazed from finals and coming back home! I didn't even get to read most of your comments till today >.<

Merry Christmas to all that celebrate it and Happy Holidays! I might update sooner because the next chapter is one of my favorties (I have a lot of favorite chapters in this story) and it's the holidays!