Tao close his apartment door, laying his back against the door, still panting and catching his breath, his phone has been ringing for a while now, and it didn’t stop till now either, he is too busy running not even bothered with the ringing voice. He grabs his phone and sees the caller’s name, Kris Gege. He thinks fast, should he answer it? Yes, Tao, answer it, you are being so rude leaving him like that, and now ignoring his call, he thought. Tapping the answer button “Ye-Yes, Ge?”

“What the hell were you doing, Tao? What’s wrong?” Kris holds his anger and lower his voice, he sits on his car.

“Nothing, Ge. I’m just tired, that’s all” Tao trying to control his breathe

“Tired? You could just say that to me, why are you suddenly running away from me? Leaving me dumbfounded, and what’s with your statement that I should bring those girl this weekend? Tao, I’m not forcing you to go out with me, if you don’t want it, just say it.”

“NO!” Tao eyes widened, he shocked with his immediate response to the older’s question and quickly continue to speaks “I mean, yeah, I want to go with you, I just thought maybe you like to go with a girl better”

Kris suddenly chuckled as he confirmed that Tao is jealous with those girls yet the younger is too naïve to realized it. “What are you saying, Tao? Of course I’ll choose to go out with you instead of them; hell those girls are nothing close to your cuteness, I would rather do my thesis than spending my time with them. Happy now?” Kris can’t help but smiling while being cheesy, it’s been such a long time since he frankly flirting to others.

Tao’s heart is pounding hearing the attempting flirt from Kris “But I never got you anything, I always disturb you. But they didn’t know you and they already give you lots of thing”

“You gave your time spending time with me, and your trust, I respected that, Taozi, I got to go to work now, get some rest, and I’ll contact you tonight, bye Taozi”

“Bye, Ge”

Tao sighed as he hangs up the phone, why being friends with Kris kind of complicated? He thought, we barely know each other, yet I’m getting too attached to him, in a different way with Amber or even Sehun. What is happening? Well, he admit that part of him really admire Kris, starting from his appearance, handsome face, his voice, his smells, his maturity, the way Kris treated him, he feels so special. Well, you are complete , Tao, he mentally scoffed, you admire him from head to toe, and that’s all of it. Well, at least Amber is right, Kris has great personality, and yes I will be glad to know more about him.

----

Sehun work as usual in his bubble tea shop, he secretly took a glance at the man who sits at the same seat almost every day in his shop, and they made eye contact for couple of times today. Until the man finally take his step out to the door. Sehun immediately clear the table and notice that the man’s car key is left behind on the table. He took the key and running to the door to catch up with the man.

“Mister, you forgot your key!” The man with black hoodie stop and turning his body and looking at Sehun who is running towards him. His heart is pouding, damn, is it destiny? Thank God I’m not the one who is the one who start the talk between us. Sehun standing right in front of him, giving away Luhan’s car key with his right hand.

“Mister, you forget your key” Luhan took the key and Sehun quickly bow and turn his body away to go back to the shop

“Wait! Thank you very much. Here” Luhan shoved $20 in front of Sehun

“No, with all due respect, you don’t have to; you are one of our loyal customers. I should get back to work now” Sehun refusing the money given to him by the man in the black hoodie and start walking fast toward the bubble-tea shop.

This is it Luhan, you have to call him, ask for his name, ! he is turning away, now Luhan, there’s a battle in his head and yet his mouth decided to follow his brain instruction.

“Wait!”

“Yes?”

“Thank you again; may I know your name? Just call me Luhan, please” It feels like years for Luhan to wait for the man in front of him answer his question, his heart is racing, he does not even care anymore if the guy in front of him already in a relationship, there’s no harm knowing his name right? WELL, he’s wrong, exchanging their name is the most unpredicted & yet shocking thing for both of them. Sehun stiffen, his eyes also widened, gulping, and finally back to the reality and open his mouth.

“I-, just call me Sehun, I gotta go, bye, Lu-han” Sehun bows formally and walking away fast like he is being chased by ghost, leaving Luhan who is still standing there, with his mouth open, and his eyes widened. Sehun? He reminded him to someone from his past, is it the same person? No, it is not coincident, there are lots of people named Sehun in this city, he thought. The guy who was standing in front of him before are nothing like that someone, he is handsome, have a cold gaze with pale skin, and it is impossible that someone is working at small bubble-tea shop like this, he tilt his head, still thinking hard, Sehun he knew is someone born from rich family, and he is not that skinny, or pale. He shook his head and start walking toward his car, still thinking about the possibilities that Sehun he knew is the same guy with the one who makes Luhan addicted to him.

----

Luhan surfing the internet in his laptop, without turning on the lamp, he sat in the darkness. It’s been a while since he is doing this, looking for his old friend’s news, Oh Sehun. He’ll be lying if he hadn’t miss him, it’s just that, not that easy as it seems to looking and searching for someone who are already moved to different place, without any people knowing it. Where is he? He thought. The best conclusion he had ever been satisfied with, is that his childhood friend is already living abroad, with his whole family. Of course he will not remember anything about Luhan, they are childhood friend for God’s sake, Luhan thought, calming himself down. They both separated at the age of 8 and 10 years old, and then it’s been 13 years since that day. The day when Luhan’s family moving to the other city. While the technology is not too advanced, they don’t have any mobile phone to contact each other, Luhan is already busying himself with his school in the new town, getting a lot of friends, easier than ever, learning their traditional language, and blending comfortably, and forgot to contact his friend, Sehun, until it’s too late, the letter he sent to the Sehun’s address coming back to him, said that the address is no longer occupied. He didn’t give up that easily though, he try to surf the internet, since it is easier now, to find something, yet there are nothing to be found, nothing at all and he’s done trying. Just let it slipped into his past, and give up finding his precious childhood friend, until slowly, Oh Sehun is forgotten.

Is it fate? Is it a sign? That I should not give up finding you, Sehun? Billions of name and there, the bubble-tea shop boy named like you. Luhan sighed. He hears the door in his apartment closed and locked. Kris is home. He look at his watch, 9 PM, he shutting down his laptop, turning on his room lamp and going to the living room to greet Kris.

“You work til this hour?”

Kris startled and realized that Luhan is home, “Damn, you scared me, Luhan! I thought nobody’s home”

Luhan chuckled and open his fridge to take a soft drink and drinking it immediately, still standing in front of the fridge, looking at Kris “Sorry, I forgot to turning on the lamp in this whole apartment, too busy with my notebook”

“Were you too busy watching , young man?” Kris smirks and walks to his room

“Tsk, no! dammit!”

Kris walks out from his room, wearing his basket pants and topless, with his white big towel around his neck, revealing his tattoo in his left arm.

“So, how is your progress with the boy you talked before?” Luhan asked him, he consciously bringing up the topic, because he wants to talk to Kris about the bubble-tea boy.

“Good, good. I think he likes me too, actually he really got jealous because bunch of girls giving me lots of gifts today, he’s cute!” Kris answer him excitedly

“I thought you said that you want to be friend with him.”

Damn, he’s right, Kris sighed, knowing that he is falling into Luhan’s trap. “Yeah, I mean, sure we are friends now, but if the progress leads to something more, I don’t mind”

“Are you sure, he is into a guy too?”

“Not yet, I don’t want to rush things up, he is too naïve, I don’t want him to feel pressured, maybe it is better to make him comfortable with me being with him first” Kris sat down at the couch and Luhan follows him. He knew that Luhan wants to talk, but about what?

“You should introduce me to him, sooner the better; you know I’m good at analyzing people’s gestures”

“Nah, you don’t have to, what were you doing today? Still sitting quietly at the bubble-tea shop of yours? If you like it so much maybe you should buy the place, Lu!”

“Yeah, um- do you believe in fate, Kris?” Luhan suddenly lower his voice, he is being serious, Kris thought.

“Well, that depends, what is wrong, Lu?” Kris raised his eyebrows, looking at his roommate

Luhan let out a deep breath, Kris is a good friend, he always listen to his story, without any teasing, and always giving him the best advice, it’s time for him to tell him about the guy at the bubble-tea shop, and his childhood friend. He told him about everything, from the start, it took 20 minutes until he finishes. While Kris listens carefully, eating some tortilla chips and nodding his head frequently.

“So what do you think? Is it a fate? I mean, he is not the same person with the one I’ve been looking for, right?”

“I don’t know it for sure, Luhan. But from what you’ve told me, yeah it’s quite less likely a different person with the same name. When you say your name, did he look like he remembers you or something?”

“I don’t recall anything; because I was too busy shocking my self-out after hearing his name.”

“Well, that does not matter, maybe you should talk to him more, instead of sitting there silently, it is creepy, you know?”

“I like him, he is my biggest crush, yet, he is different from any other boy or girl that I’ve been interested with. I mean, he is mysterious, cold, yet I can see his warm heart in his eyes sometimes. But, I think he is already has a girlfriend or something”

“How do you know?”

“Well, there’s one day when he sit in the bubble-tea shop in his day-off, sitting in front of me, on the phone with someone. That’s when the first time I saw him smiling, Kris. Smiling! I bet he really loves that person”

“Tsk, don’t overthink about it, Lu. You don’t know anything about it yet; just keep your positive thought. Promise me that you’ll start greeting him, talk to him, ok?”

“Maybe”

“Yeah whatever, Luhan! I just trying to support you with something you believe in. Never give up on something without even trying it, look at me; I’m your perfect example. And It makes me happy” Kris giving him his charming smiles and start walking to the bathroom to take a bath.

“Right, Mister. I wish you luck with your crush, oops I mean ‘friend’” Luhan teasing Kris while giving Kris big grin when Kris turning his head around and giving him his death glare.

----

On the other hand, Sehun terribly quiet after that incident, he continues to work without talking. He is thinking about the hoodie guy, his heart ache, he’s hand is numb, and trying to get a grip on the cashier counter. He is broken hearted. So, he is right all along, the guy in the hoodie is his childhood friend, crush of his lifetime. Standing there, not even remember him. He wants to deny it, he wants to think that it’s plain coincidence. No, he’s right about him from the start. It hurts so much he can’t even feel the pain from the hot water he pours to the glass leaks in his hands. Jongin shooks him hard until he back to reality.

“Sehun! Are you sick? Damn, let me take care of your hand, it must be burning!” He keeps his silence while Jongin taking care of him, and asking the manager to give his permit to let Sehun comes back home early and He’ll take care of Sehun’s shift. He walks back home, keeps his silence, even forgot to say thanks to his workmate, Jongin, for his great help. He even forgets how cold is the weather he forgot to wear his coat he left in the shop. He continues to walk, silently, he wish he can cry, yet, there’s not even a single tear leaving his eyes. He wish he is dreaming right now, and hears Tao’s voice waking him up, banging his room door, nope, still waking up perfectly. His hand starting to feel burnt, he takes a look at his right hand, covered with bandage, he wish that the pain becoming even more painful, so he can’t feel the ache in his heart. How long have you forgotten about me? Luhan? He thought.

He’s sitting at the park bench not far from his bubble-tea shop, sitting there, looking at the fountain, he did not ready yet to comes back to his apartment, not with Tao who will pestering him and worrying about him when he notice Sehun’s hand in bandage. Lowering his head, closing his eyes, feeling the breeze caressed his hair. It is too hard for him, his life is falling apart starting from his parent’s bankruptcy, his family ashamed of the sudden and leaving the town without any neighbor and friends notice it. His parents didn’t give so much explanation to Sehun who are still in his junior high school. It’s been years since Luhan left, there’s no sign of him, not even a single letter, yet Sehun never give up on him, still running happily to his house mailbox every day, looking for the letter with his name on the envelope. 

He start his hard life with his parents, stopped being spoiled with lot of fancy things, stop being dropped at the school with fancy car either. There are no more expensive gifts for his birthday or Christmas. He cried for the two weeks in new town, crying for Luhan. What if the letter arrived and no one received it? He thought. Starting to work his part time job after school and helping his mom with her small grocery store. Big enough to keep their stomach filled every day.

He’s changed. His cheerful personality, his smile, slowly fading away, with this kind of life, the one that he regrets the most, not being able to contact Luhan. He loves Luhan with all his heart, he is too young to understand love, but his love growing even bigger every time he wakes up in the morning, even without seeing the person, not after years of his disappearance. How are you? Do you have a boyfriend? Do you still like to drink bubble-tea? Do you remember me? All unanswered questions filled his head.

Back to reality, Sehun open his eyes, thinking about Tao, Tao is similar to him, before all of this, his cheerful personality, wide smile, not thinking about anything, just live happily. He is really happy to know Tao, Tao keeps his sane, keeps him realized that the old him is still live, inside of him, waiting to be woken up. He did not want Tao to be hurt, that’s why he always act protectively towards Tao. He sees himself when he is looking at Tao. The old him, of course.

He feels like want to punch the guy who are sleeping next to Tao, throwing all out of his years of anger, towards Luhan. Yes, he is wrong and selfish when he acts around Tao, but it’s for the best, he did not want to see Tao cry. It is painful to see. He did not want to see that hoodie guy again, maybe he’ll try to punch him right in the face when he see him again. Damn it, I’ve been waiting for nothing, waiting for too long, hoping for something that never even bothers the hoodie guy. He lives happily, why shouldn’t I? Because Luhan’s life is easier, with all the money and everything. Right. The reason for him to wake up spirited in the morning is now gone. There’s nothing left for him, only going to finish his college, getting a degree, working at the big company, making his parents proud and stop working since they are getting too old to work and worrying about their food and bills. Only to see Tao’s smile every morning, with his whining voice, yeah, I still have Tao, maybe I’m to possessive, but I’m sure he doesn’t mind.

He walks back to his apartment, let out a deep breath, ready to face Tao who will be pestering him all night, worrying about him. But it’s not happening. Tao is not home yet. Sehun immediately going to his bed, trying to sleep, sleeping with a broken heart, amazingly, the first time ever, even though it’s been years he doesn’t even know about Luhan’s whereabouts, he still have his hopes for the boy, this whole time.

He wokes up, hearing voices outside his room, he heard Tao’s talking to somebody, still trying to make himself fully awake, waiting for Tao to stop talking, obviously on the phone. He gets up and open his door. Looking at Tao, who are leaning his back against the door, panting.

“What are you doing there, Tao?”

Tao startled, going to answer the older, yet his eyes widened, notice that the older’s hand is covered by bandages. “Oh my God, Sehunna! What is happening with you? Are you okay?!!”

Here come the worrying Tao, he will never stop pestering Sehun from now on, maybe even trying to sleep with Sehun, coz he is worry too much, but Sehun is happy, because he is not feeling so lonely anymore.