Luhan P.O.V

I enter the hotel when my phone goes off. I take it out of my pocket, a little bit unsure. Who would text me? I don’t think it’s Sehun, we’ve just seen each other half an hour ago. Maybe it’s my parents? My hands are shaking a bit but when I unlock it I see that the message is from Sehun. Maybe he is texting me he got home?

Sehun

22.45

"Hi... Sorry to bother you but, I need your help. Would you mind if I could stay over at your's today?"

Did something happen? Is he alright? My hands start shaking as I move to the receptionist lady.

“Ummm excuse me, but um is it okay if one of my friends sleeps over?” I ask hoping that she says yes.

‘Oh, of course, it’s no problem sweetheart.” She says with a gentle smile. I smile back at her feeling relief wash over me.

“Thank you, I appreciate this.” I bow low before running back outside. My hands still shake as I send the reply.

To: Sehun

22:47

You can, it’s no problem. I am not sure which street this is, can you meet me in front of SM again?

Before I can start walking I receive another message.

Sehun

22:47

Okay.

I feel a twist in my stomach at the one word reply. I am worried. What if something bad happened to him. With these thoughts in my mind, I break out into a run.

I don’t stop running, not even when my lungs start to burn and my legs start to ache. I keep running until I found myself in front of SM. I look around but Sehun isn’t there. I feel panic flood me and my lungs can’t get enough air. Is it from the running or from Sehun not being there, I don’t know. I crouch down, my forehead pressed against my knees, trying to calm down.

Soon I feel a hand touch my shoulder accompanied by a quiet voice.

“Luhan?”

I look up and Sehun is crouching next to me. He looks disheveled, his eyes are red and swollen and I am sure he’s been crying.

“Are you okay?” he asks and I realise that I was acting stupid and selfish. Here I am panicking and worrying Sehun when he probably has more important things to worry about without me causing even more problems. I suddenly give him a hug and he falls down, now sitting on the ground, a little bit startled.

He slowly returns the hug and we sit there hugging each other awkwardly on the floor for a good five minutes. Luckily it’s late so there is no one to see us.

When I calm down enough, I pull back and sit on the ground in front of him.

“I am sorry Sehun, I was just really worried and when I couldn’t see you here I started panicking and well, you saw.” I give a small laugh but even I can hear how fake it sounds.

“It’s okay, I am sorry for making you worry, I shouldn’t have asked this from you.”

“No, no it’s fine really Sehun, I don’t mind! You can sleep at my room. It’s completely fine I was just being stupid, there is nothing to worry about. Really nothing to worry about, I asked at the hotel and they said it was okay so nothing to worry about. Absolutely nothing. Nothing at all.”

“But is there anything to worry about?”

“No, no, nothing at all, I asked and they said and-” I stop when I notice he is trying not to laugh.

“Are you making fun of me Oh Sehun?” I ask mock glaring at him, but I also want to laugh when I realise just how bad I’ve been rambling.

“Me mocking you? No, no where did you get that?” He asks with an innocent expression on his face. Innocent my .

“You better not be, or I might release my wrath upon you.” I say trying to sound all scary. But it gets him to laugh and I feel good for managing to get it out of him, especially now.

He stops laughing quickly, too quickly for my liking but I know that he must be thinking about whatever that happened. I will have to ask him later.

“Come on, evil little kid, let’s get to the hotel. It’s getting really late and I am tired.”

I say standing up and brushing my pants from the dirt I must have picked up while sitting on the ground. I really should stop doing that. Sehun does the same so I turn to start back to the hotel, but his hand stops me from doing so.

“Sehun?” I ask turning around to look at him. His face is scrunched up and he is wearing a frown.

“I-really-just umm thank you. For-for everything.” he says looking down to the ground.

“It is fine I told you. I want to help. And even if you didn’t want my help, you wouldn’t be able  to refuse it. My persuasion powers are incredible.” He shrugs and stays quiet.

“Okay mister grumpy pants, stop frowning, you don’t want to get old man wrinkles already, do you?” It is my way of telling him: We will talk about whatever is troubling you in the hotel, and I will try and help as much as I can, okay? I think he might not understand this.

“You mean like yours?” Okay, we will talk later, thank you. He does understand and I feel a strange rush of happiness at this. But I choose to ignore it for now as I keep hitting him in the shoulder playfully..

“Are you calling me old, Oh Sehun?” I ask in between hits.

“No, you are the youngest person I have ever met, really. Ouch stop hitting me!” He whines and I laugh.

“I hope you learned your lesson, don’t mess with me.”

“I will never ever think of messing with the scariest most youngest man with the strongest punch I have ever met.”

“Good. Let’s go now.” I turn to leave again and this time Sehun follows, easily catching up with his freakishly long legs,

We walk in silence until I remember something.

“That wasn’t strong.”

“What?” he looks at me confused.

“My punching. It was quite weak and gentle if you ask me.”

“Gentle?! That was gentle? I will get a bruise tomorrow from your gentle, my perfect skin will be ruined.” he says dramatically. I laugh but play along.

“Oh dear, really? I am so so sorry, I did not realise this, what can I do to make you forgive me for giving you a bruise?” My voice sounds regretful but all I want is to laugh.

“Buy me bubble tea?”

“Deal.” We slip into a comfortable silence and soon we are in front of the hotel. I enter and I notice Sehun hesitating a little, but he gets over it soon and follows me in. I go to the reception but there is no one there. On the table is a key and I see it’s the one for my room. I take it before turning back to Sehun who was fidgeting behind me.

“Are you coming?” I ask with a small smile.

“Y-yeah.”

We are in my room in no time. Sehun is unsure again and he stands awkwardly at the door.

“Well, it’s not much. I hope it will be okay.”

“I-it’s perfect, thank you.” he says but he still doesn’t move away from the door.

I sigh before walking over to him and pulling him more into the room. I push him down on the ground before sitting down as well. He looks at me with wide eyes and for a long time neither of us speak. It looks like he won’t be the first to start talking, so I decide to do it.

“Sehun, do you want to tell me what happened?” He stays quiet for a few more moments, like he is thinking over what to say.

“I ummm once I got home from the bubble tea shop I heard yelling. When I went in, my father was yelling at my mom. When I entered he started yelling at me, asking me where I was. I couldn’t tell him that I was at the audition because I knew he wouldn’t like that, so I told him I was at the library. But a letter from SM arrived so he knew where I really was and started yelling at me again. I didn’t want to put up with his crap any longer and I told him that. He-he slapped me, before telling me to get lost. My mom begged him to let me stay but I didn’t want to. I left the house before I realised I had nothing with me. I didn’t know who else to ask for help. I know you have a lot of problems yourself and if you want me to leave I will. I just don’t have any friends other than you so you were the first one that I remembered.” By the end, tears were freely falling down Sehun’s cheeks and without even thinking I pull him in another hug.

Sobs wrack his frame and I feel him the front of my shirt tightly. I rock us back and forth, humming a lullaby I remember my mom singing to me when I was younger and when I had a nightmare. It would always calm me down and I am hoping it will have the same effect and the boy.

Soon enough, his body stops shaking and his breathing calms but his grip is still tight on my shirt.

“Sehun, I am glad you called me. You helped me by giving me your friendship and I will do anything to help you. Trust me everything is fine.”

“I have nothing to worry about?” A small voice asks.

“Yes you have nothing to worry about.” I answer smiling before gently pushing him away.

“If we stay like this we will both catch a cold. Go into the bathroom and wash up, you can have a shower if you want, and then we will go sleep.”

“Could I have a shower in the morning? I-I am too tired now.”

“Of course. Just go wash your face while I find something that you can wear to sleep.

After Sehun is done washing up and wearing the pajamas that were a bit big for me but which I always liked, I turn off the lights and get into bed. It takes me a while to realise that I don’t feel the bed shift. I look up from my pillow and see Sehun sitting down on the ground.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?” I yell and he flinches.

“I was- I was gonna sleep?”

“On the floor?”

“Well umm yes.”

“If you don’t get your scrawny in this bed in five seconds I am getting up and forcing you in it.”

“But-”

“No buts, there is enough room for the both of us.” I say finally lying back on the bed.

This time I feel the bed shift under Sehun’s weight. He moves about a little before finally finding a comfortable position, his back pressed against mine. This comforts me and I feel myself drifting off.

“Goodnight.” Sehun’s voice breaks through the first images of my dream.

“Goodnight.”

I soon drift off to the soft lullaby of Sehun’s even breathing.