"minseok." joonmyeon said, plopping himself down onto the couch next to the younger, who was busy doing his homework.

 

"hm?" he hummed in response, barely looking up. 

 

"don't you think you're spending a little too much time with luhan?" joonmyeon asked, eyeing the younger. on the mention of luhan's name, minseok's head immediately lifted up, eyes blinking in confusion.

 

"no, not really. i mean, he is my friend." he muttered softly, biting his bottom lip as he averted his eyes for a moment.

 

"yeah, just your friend, right?" joonmyeon pushed further, tilting his head slightly as a smile played on his lips.

 

"i--well, of course just my friend." minseok said, eyebrows furrowing as he stared at joonmyeon's face. "why are you asking me all of these questions?" he said softly, eyeing him for a moment before going back to his homework.

 

"good, because i wouldn't want your feelings to get hurt if you weren't just friends." joonmyeon said simply, stretching his arms out as he noticed the way the younger stiffened visibly.

 

"w-why would my feelings get hurt?" minseok asked blankly, not looking up from his homework as his grip on his pencil tightened slightly.

 

"oh, you are aware that luhan's only your friend because he pities you, right? seeing you didn't have much friends and you had copd, i guess he just wanted you to be happy and not lonely." joonmyeon said, shrugging as he slowly got up. "but there's nothing wrong with that, seeing as he's just a friend. nothing more." joonmyeon let out a small chuckle, his smile radiating a bit. "i'll go make us dinner!" 

 

joonmyeon could hear the slight thud of the pencil hitting against minseok's notebook, followed by a loud ring coming from minseok's phone. joonmyeon watched as minseok picked up his phone, staring at the text message that must've been from luhan, and deleting it right on the spot.

 

"i'm sorry minseok, it's for your own good." joonmyeon muttered to himself, turning around to prepare dinner.

 

--

 

minseok's been ignoring all of luhan's calls and text messages. normally the two would meet up on the rooftop and eat lunch, but luhan's growing suspicious as he ate his lunch alone for these past couple of days. 

 

he frowned, shoving some rice into his mouth as he proceeded to call minseok again. he nibbled on a piece of chicken, his fork hanging lazily in his mouth as he was sent to voicemail.

 

"aish, minseok." luhan muttered, glaring at the contact photo of minseok wearing a koala hat. it had been a dare between the two, and minseok was too cute in that hat that luhan had to take a picture of it. 

 

he checked the time on his phone and realized he had about 30 minutes of lunch time to kill, he figured he would go find his other friends to play some soccer.

 

it had been awhile luhan's really hung out with them, and he misses them. but he's been so caught up around minseok and spending every minute together he completely forgot about everything before he met the orange headed boy.

 

but it's not like they haven't been in contact at all. luhan texts everyone of them, and they always joke around in class. so luhan isn't revolving his life around minseok, right?

 

luhan gathered his lunch box and backpack, shoving his phone into his pocket as he started his way for the soccer field. there he found his friends already playing a round of soccer, all sweaty and laughing. luhan quickly jogged over, tossing his backpack onto the piles of bags off to the side.

 

"hey guys! any room for one more?" he called out, waving his arms out frantically as they all turned to luhan.

 

"hey! look who decided to show up here for once." yixing teased, kicking the ball towards luhan. he went over to the older, throwing his arm over his shoulder. "we missed your amazing soccer skills."

 

luhan laughed happily, leaning into the embrace of his best friend that he missed so much.

 

yixing had been his best friend ever since they were little soccer players, and it hasn't changed since then. 

 

"well of course you did, but i'm pretty sure you didn't miss me kicking your butts, huh?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows as a smirk grew onto his face.

 

"yah, luhan. let's just play and stop talking so much!" kris yelled, rolling his eyes as the younger kicked the ball over to the taller dragon-like boy.

 

"always as bitter, huh?" he said, a sly smile on his lips. "alright alright, let the games begin!"

 

--

 

luhan felt so free, so happy and his heartracing against his chest as he tried to catch his breathe, his bangs slick with sweat as they stuck onto his forehead. he was bouncing all over the place, yelling for people to pass him the ball and waving hs arms frantically, everyone around him laughing at how animated luhan got when it came to soccer.

 

"yixing, over here!" luhan called, as the younger quickly side-stepped kris and passed the ball over to luhan, he shot it accurately into the goal.

 

"woooo!" he cheered out, high-fiving yixing as he stuck his tongue out in a playful way at kris. he was about to catch his breathe and get into the game once more until he saw a bright orange from the corner of his head, and he felt a strong deja vu moment hit him in the back of the head. 

 

he turned around towards the bleacher, his eyes locking on none other than minseok. and he wasn't alone.

 

luhan didn't know what he was; angry, upset, confused. was minseok really ignoring him?

 

luhan frowned, telling yixing he'd be back as he jogged over to the bleachers where minseok was happily talking to a fellow classmate of luhan's. chen.

 

"minseok-ah." luhan called out, slowly coming to a stop as he reached the bleachers, glancing up at the two of them talking. he noticed the way minseok visibly tensed up, his smile falling as he turned to luhan.

 

"you've been ignoring me?" he said, blinking slightly as his eyes shifted from minseok to chen. 

 

"ignoring?" minseok said, tilting his head slightly as his voice dripped with pure venom. "just because i don't want to talk to you, luhan, doesn't mean i'm ignoring you." he scoffed, shrugging his shoulders.

 

luhan was left slightly stunned, taken aback as he was at a loss for words. 

 

"i mean, look. i'm not someone you could pity anymore. i'm capable of making friends without you always around me." minseok said, the sound of the final bell ringing loudly throughout the school field.

 

"c'mon chen, we should get back to class." minseok muttered, gathering his things and quickly moving past luhan, who was still standing there rather shocked.

 

"luhan, luhan!" a faint voice from behind called out to him, snapping luhan back to reality as he turned around to find yixing running to him with his backpack. "c'mon, we're going to be late!"

 

--

 

days turned into weeks as luhan watched the way minseok busied himself with chen. something inside luhan made him want to just hide in a corner and cry away all these mixed feelings brewing a storm inside of him. he didn't know why he was acting like this. minseok was a friend, right? and friend that he never pitied once in his life, so why in the world would minseok think that? and luhan knew he could come off clingy but constantly texting and calling the older, but he always assumed minseok never minded. 

 

luhan was lost in a sea of his own emotions, not wanting to spend another day of school being ignored by minseok and having to watch him get closer and closer to chen. luhan could slowly feel minseok slipping away from his grip, and it was soon after that luhan just let go. 

 

luhan didn't know why he felt this way, felt this sort of bitter feeling in the pit of his stomach that made him light-headed and palms growing sweaty whenever he notices minseok laughing happily at what chen said, or watches minseok pass him in the hallways without a care in the world. it pained him deeply, and he didn't know why.

 

--

 

"minseok, how was school today?" joonmyeon called out, heading out of the kitchen and sitting next to minseok in the dining room. minseok shrugged, lifting his head from his book and letting out a short sigh. 

 

"it was okay." he muttered, frowning slightly as he turned back to his homework. "how was university?" 

 

joonmyeon shrugged. "same as always, boring professors and a bunch of annoying classmates."

 

minseok let out a short, stiff laugh as he nodded his head. "sounds like fun." he muttered bitterly, not looking up from his homework.

 

"hey, you okay?" joonmyeon asked, nudging minseok softly with his elbow.

 

"oh, yeah. i'm fine." he mumbled, "i just--i need to finish homework." 

 

the joonmyeon nodded, frowning as he slowly got up and headed off to the living room. minseok lifted his head up slowly, watching as joonmyeon leave as he let out a groan in frustration, rubbing his eyes as small tears threatened to break loose.

 

"stupid luhan." he whispered under his breathe, shaking his head and picking his pencil up once again.

 

--

 

("hey, everything okay?" yixing asked, frowning as they walked to school in the chilly november weather. luhan shrugged, kicking rocks from underneath his feet.

 

"yeah, everything's fine." luhan muttered, staring down at the concrete floor. 

 

"liar." yixing said, nudging his shoulder against luhan's. "i know it's about minseok."

 

luhan let out a bitter laugh, shoving his hands into his pocket. "is it that obvious?"

 

yixing shrugged, wrapping his arms around luhan's shoulder. "pretty obvious.")

 

it was a rainy day out, which meant outdoor activities were cancelled and they had to stay in the cafeteria. luhan stuck close to yixing and his group of friends, choosing to play card games during their break. the room was filled with the noises of people talking and laughter filling the walls. it all came to an abrupt stop when there was a loud crash, and the room filled with gasps.

 

curious, luhan stood up along with his friends, peering around to see what caused the mass explosion of laughter.

 

oh, jongin. and he looks like he chose his target for today's bullying.

 

", i feel bad for whoever it must be this time." luhan muttered, turning back to eat his lunch. he hated jongin and he hated how he always bullied people. it made him sick.

 

"dude, that's minseok!" yixing yelled, pointing towards whoever jongin had a tight grip on. and dammit, he was right.

 

luhan's eyes widen, standing up and turning around to look. "." luhan muttered, quickly running over to the mess, pushing past the crowd of people expecting a show. 

 

he was behind a couple of people but he still managed to see where the mess was played out.

 

jongin had knocked minseok's lunch out of his hands, and was laughing at something he must've said. he was sitting in a table with chen, and a couple of other luhan never really spoke to before. he recognized one of them to be a wushu instructor, and one was chen, while the other had insanely big eyes and had a great voice. who knows how they ended up as friends.

 

"hey, minseok right?" jongin let out a loud, obnoxious laugh. "sorry about your lunch." he shrugged, glancing over at the food that was spilt all over the floor. "i'm pretty sure it's still edible, go eat." and before luhan could react, jongin practically shoved minseok on the floor, leaving him to land in the pile of food. the only laughter being heard was jongin's and his group of friends.

 

"are you ing crazy?" luhan blurted, anger building up in him as he quickly pushed past the people so he was out into the middle; into the ring of hell.

 

jongin slowly turned to him, eyebrows raised as he glanced over at his friends. "excuse me?" he said, letting out a roar of laughter escape his lips.

 

"i said, are you ing crazy? why the would you even do that to someone!" luhan yelled, glaring daggers into jongin as he started over to help minseok, only to have jongin come inbetween and shove him away. luhan stumbled back, catchingg his balance before he fell.

 

"l-luhan, stop!" minseok yelled, trying to get up and defend the younger, only to be held back by chen.

 

jongin snickered, cracking his hands as he stared at luhan. "you're right, listen to your boyfriend." 

 

luhan froze, eyes widening. "h-he's not my boyfriend!" 

 

jongin let out a bitter chuckle. "really? so you wouldn't mind if i spilt this chocolate milk all over him? he's not your boyfriend, he's not anyone special. so why do you care?" jongin proceeded to open the milk carton. luhan felt himself shaking, hands in fists as he clenched his teeth together.

 

"he's my friend, and you better ing stop jongin!" luhan yelled, watching as jongin started to tilt the carton ever so slightly, before luhan broke.

 

before he even knew it himself, he punched jongin square in the face, letting the milk carton drop underneath them, and leaving jongin disoriented. he laughed, shaking his head as he spat out some blood.

 

"oh, you asked for it." jongin said, and that was when luhan was carried out against his will into the rain.

 

"luhan!" minseok yelled, and that was the last thing luhan saw before doors closed behind him and were barricaded shut by jongin's two friends. 

 

luhan was roughly shoved against the concrete, screaming out in pain as his body hit against the floor. everything was a blur, the rain beating down against him as the evident feeling of pain ran through his whole body. he didn't remember much, rather he didn't want to remember as he felt various kicks against his stomach, and punches against his face was enough to make him lose sight of his own thoughts. it wasn't long when jongin and his friends were finished, through with their beatings as they headed on back, leaving luhan on the floor, bloody and covered in dirt.

 

"luhan, luhan!" he heard a faint voice crying out for him, feeling someone kneel next to him as their warm hand slowly carressed his bloody cheek.

 

luhan, eyes opening faintly, saw minseok with teary eyes (or was that just the rain?) staring down at luhan.

 

"l-luhan, you're awake!" minseok stuttered, his sobs causing him to choke up slightly. luhan frowned, pushing away minseok as he attempted to stand up as he tried to walk away from minseok, the boy who made his heart swell up despite all the pain inflicted on his body because of him.

 

and before luhan could walk another step, he fell and out.

 

--

 

luhan groaned, eyes opening slowly as he looked around the room, his room. how in the hell did i get back home? he thought, groaning as he tried to sit up slightly.

 

"don't move, you're still sore." a voice spoke, the door opening as luhan saw minseok step through, a small smile on his lips. luhan blinked, turning away from minseok as he closed his eyes.

 

"how'd you find my house?" luhan muttered, not wanting to look at minseok.

 

"yixing told me." minseok said, placing down a cup of water onto the side table and kneeling next to luhan's bed. "he's outside in the living room."

 

luhan felt minseok tilting his head slightly, and luhan's eyes fluttered open to look into minseok's. minseok gave a gentle smile, cupping luhan's chin gently as he dabbed the towel against luhan's swollen and cut up face. luhan winced, trying to move away.

 

"why are you treating me so nicely?" luhan muttered, biting his lip to let out a yelp from the pain he felt in his body.

 

"i just realized i was wrong." minseok said, continued to dab the towel around luhan's face. "and that i was stupid."

 

luhan snorted a bit. "you think?"

 

minseok pouted, poking luhan's head. "yah!"

 

luhan let out a small laugh, sticking his tongue out at minseok. "i'm kidding, you know."

 

and as luhan looked at minseok's face, so determined and concerning as he helped clean up luhan's bruises, all he wanted to do was push the older away. push him away just like what he did, but the way minseok's warm hand felt against luhan's face eased all the pain away, and all he wanted was minseok's touch to ease away the pain from his body and from his heart.

 

minseok nodded his head, chuckling softly as he slowly started to help luhan sit up, who was groaning in the excruciating pain that ran through his veins. luhan took in deep breathes, glancing over at minseok who was staring at the floor.

 

"t-thank you, luhan." minseok mumbled quietly under his breathe, "if it wasn't for you, jongin would've beaten me to a pulp."

 

luhan took a small breathe, shaking his head. "i couldn't just stand there and watch him do that to you."

 

minseok nodded his head, slowly getting up before luhan quickly reached out for minseok's wrist.

 

"w-wait." luhan said, clearing his throat as he let go of the older's wrist. "why did you push me away?" 

 

minseok sighed, kneeling back down as he rested his head on luhan's bed. "i was mad. i-i thought you only hung out with me because you pitied me and this stupid disease i have. i was hurt that you weren't actually my friend, you just stuck around because you felt like you had too. not because you wanted too."

 

"but i realized i was wrong when you stepped up to jongin for me today, and then punched him for me. and then yixing talked to me about how miserable you were, and it all made sense that i was wrong. wrong wrong wrong. and i'm so sorry. for pushing you away, for being so rude. and i'm sorry you had to get hurt for me." minseok said, a frown on his lips as he lifted his head up. 

 

luhan just let out a small, strained laugh, shaking his head. "babo, why would you even think that? hey, you're my friend. one of my closest friends that i practically do everthing with. i don't pity you because of your disease, but it does make me slightly overprotective of you."

 

minseok grinned, eyes shifting over to luhan's hand as he took into his hand, lacing them together.

 

they sat there in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds of the rain hitting against the window and the few voices of yixing and kris in the living room watching some television show. they stayed like that for a moment, before minseok slowly got up.

 

"y-you should rest now." he said, clearing his throat, his cheeks a bright pink as he nodded his head and slipping out of the room.

 

luhan tilted his head a bit, suddenly missing the warmth from minseok's hand a bit more than he really should.

 

 

 

 

 

--

a/n: hello guys! here's another update for you! hehe. i don't know why i made jongin as the bully. idk i just choose someone random, and i picked jongin. i really hope you guys like this update! so far i'm really proud of what i've written, and i reeaally hope you guys like it too! anyway, leave comments, criticism, or say hi! thank you to my 51 subscribers <3

 

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