Sehun returned again the next night. Still in his same black over-coat and red scarf, he silently trudged up the hill and found Luhan leaning against the tree with his eyes closed.

He looked tired yet peaceful, different from his usual cheery self. His pale face was slightly covered by his messy ash brown hair, and Sehun had the sudden urge to reach out and brush his fallen fringe away.

No, Sehun, what are you thinking? That's just wrong, not to mention weird!

Sehun shook his head clear of his queer thoughts and approached Luhan quietly. He crouched in front of the older boy and stared at his feminine face.

Luhan really was pale compared to most people. He was pale to the point that he was doll-like with his porcelain skin and big bright eyes. Luhan had long lashes, lashes that were as long as what most girls would have. Luhan had thin lips, lips that were chapped and pink.

Sehun found himself reaching forward to cup his cheek. It was soft, soft yet so cold.

“Are you the type to take advantage of sleeping people?”

Sehun quickly pulled back his hands and looked away with a blush. He didn't know Luhan was awake, and he most definitely didn't expect that he would be caught in whatever he was doing. 

It's not like I was doing a crime that I should be caught though.

He heard Luhan chuckle and turned to face the boy again. He watched as Luhan slowly opened his eyes and smiled at him.

“How are you, Sehun?” he asked with a soft smile.

“I-I'm fine.”

Luhan chuckled once more and leaned back against the tree, brown hair ruffled gently by the wind.

“Why are you stuttering?”

Sehun could feel his cheeks grow slightly warmer, and he cursed himself mentally again for stuttering. Why was he feeling this way? Sehun really didn't know. He didn't know why there was butterflies in his stomach. He didn't know what made Luhan seem so different from other people. He didn't know, and Sehun didn't like not knowing.

He looked away and crossed his arms, hiding his flushed face from the older boy.

“I'm not.”

“Sure, you're not.” Luhan said with a teasing tone as he poked Sehun's side.

“I'm not, Lu-hyung. I'm not!” the younger boy softly whined.

The older relented with another chuckle and shrugged his shoulders.

“If you say so.”

Sehun pouted, "I really am not."

Luhan poked his cheeks and turned Sehun to face him, but Sehun immediately turned his blushing face away.

"Hey, Sehun-ah, look at me."

“I don't want to. You're making fun of me!”

Luhan stopped and smiled to himself as Sehun whined like a kid beside him. He didn't think Sehun was the type to be all childish and stubborn. Sehun was surprising him more and more each day.

Luhan faked a sigh and dropped his hands to his side with a small pout.

“If that's how you see my efforts of being friendly. . .”                                                                                     

Sehun quickly turned to face him, a scowl clear in his face.

“You really are!”

“Hehe, maybe I am.”

Sehun huffed in exasperation and leaned against the tree, frown etching deeper in his face.

“I don't like you.”

Luhan's smile didn't leave his face as he turned to face the frowning boy with a laugh.

“Well, I like you a lot.” 

Sehun's eyes widened and quickly turned to face Luhan.

“Wha--”

“You're not like other people, Sehun. I don't know. I mean—I know we just met and all, and maybe it's just me, but I really like you. It's just really easier to talk to you unlike the other people I've met so far. I feel like you understand me.”

Sehun pursed his lips and looked down. 

But I don't, Luhan. I don't understand you at all. In fact, you're probably even the most confusing thing in my life, and you probably don't know either how much you're affecting me with those words.

Luhan didn’t wait for an answer and continued speaking, “Sehun-ah, do you know how it feels like to live your life just waiting for the day you would die?”

Yes.

Sehun suppressed a sad smile and shrugged his shoulders with an innocent look on his face.

“I don't know, Hyung. Why do you ask that?”

Luhan chuckled.

“Well, I do because that's how I live my life every day, Hun.”

Sehun furrowed his brows adn tilted his head in confusion.

“What do you mean, hyung?”

He watched as Luhan slowly closed his eyes.

“It means what it means, Hun. I'll leave it to you to figure that out.”

Sehun frowned. 

I really don't understand you, Luhan.

He watched from the corner of his eyes as Luhan looked up and raised his right hand to the sky.

“Sehun-ah, the stars are really pretty.”

“I can't even see them.”

“That's because you're not even looking.”

Sehun exhaled a small breath and followed Luhan's line of sight. Sure enough, the stars were shining brightly, almost as bright as the night he first met Luhan, and Sehun found himself catching his breath.

Luhan turned to face Sehun once more with his usual smile on his face.

“They're nice, aren't they?”

Sehun hated to admit it, but they were. For the first time in his life, he actually found the stars nice.

Maybe it's because I'm with you, Luhan.

Sehun smiled.

“Y-yeah, they are."