He locked his phone and laid back on the roof top. He'd been up there since he came home. He couldn't stand his parents lectures of keeping safe and looking after his belongings. His wrist was starting to hurt again as he tried to get into a more comfortable position. The rain had let off for the few hours he'd been up on the roof, his wet uniform was hanging in the bathroom drying off (that was the first and last time he'd ever leave the house without an umbrella). As the first drop of rain fell on his face, he scrambled to gather all his papers and books and headed back down, not ready to face even more yelling about how he was useless and a klutz. He'd found his spare glasses in a small dusty box, but he'd rather be seen dead than in those. He had no choice but to wear the contact lenses he hated wearing, he always complained he looked like an alien without his glasses ("But Dae honey, a handsome alien" his mother would always say)  

Opening the door to his room, he walked in and promptly collapsed on his bed. A faint beeping noise indicated he had a message and went to dig it out of his pocket.  

From: Xiumin 21:02 9/9/14 

I'm so bored, my dumb friend won't stop yapping about his even more dumb crush, help! T__T 

To: Xiumin 21:04 9/9/14 

What are you doing now?  

From: Xiumin 21:06 9/9/14 

I'm in this really cute café, near school, the bus is taking ages to come  

To: Xiumin 21:09 9/9/14 

I'd come out and meet with you but I'm exhausted, I'm gonna go to bed now, hope your bus comes quickly  

And thus, Jongdae fell sound asleep, ignoring the throbbing pain in his wrist. 

The next three school days went as Jongdae expected: cold, raining and Minseok slipping in as many snarky comments as he could whenever they passed each other.  

"Where's your glasses Jongdae?" 

"You look like an alien," 

"Nerd," 

"Jongdae," 

"When's your spaceship coming to take you back?" 

"What planet are you from Jongdae?" 

"Jongdae," 

" you." 

The weekend came and Jongdae couldn't be happier. The boys had invited him out to "do manly things", Chanyeol had called it. In real fact, they just sat in their usual seat in the little café causing a ruckus.  

"So guys, did you hear?" Baekhyun started, as they finally settled down, 

"Luhan, in year 12, is like totally in love with Sehun from year 10, he keeps dying his hair ridiculous colours to attract the kid." 

"But isn't Sehun, like, 15?"  

"Yeah, but people are saying that they hooked up at this party, and now Luhan's in love, but Sehun gives no s about that kid"  

"Baekhyun, you shouldn't be listening to all the dumb rumours. Just because you don't like Luhan, doesn't mean you should spread them more," said Kyungsoo, the voice of reason. 

The bell on the door behind them tingled and they all turned to see who came in. 

"Luhan! What a pleasant surprise!" exclaimed Baekhyun, clapping his hands and looking as if he was about to hug the pink haired boy standing at the doorstep. 

"Oh shut the up, we both know it isn't," Luhan sneered, moving out of Baekhyun's way. 

"True, but someone has to be happy to see you, I hear not even your mum is happy to see your ugly face," Baekhyun bit back. 

Minseok smirked at the two continuously goading each other before scanning the shop for a table. He found an empty table, dragging Luhan away, who was still screaming profanities at the purple haired boy. Not noticing Jongdae at the table beside him, he sat down, threatening to strap Luhan down if he didn't stop and sit down, he looked up and locked eyes with Jongdae, wide eyed and mouth slightly agape.  

"What a pleasant surprise, Jongdae," said Minseok, "Funny running in to you here, please tell me why you happen to be sitting next to me?" 

Jongdae snorted in disbelief. "Huh please, you're the one who sat next to me, rather me, I think you're the one who needs glasses here." 

"At least I’d look hot in glasses, you just look like a giant nerd," 

"Excuse you Kim Minseok, all the ladies dig the nerd look now," 

"When's the last time you even had contact with a lady, nerd?" 

"When's the last time YOU had contact with a lady?" 

The two boys fell silent and looked away from each other. Neither spoke for a while, Luhan prodding Minseok in the back slyly every second as if to say 'Look he knows your secret now'. 

Laughing nervously, Jongdae turned to Kyungsoo, 

"Hey, how about we get out of here...now...please...?"  

Nodding, the boys left the café, leaving Chanyeol behind to keep Baekhyun from pouncing onto the grinning Luhan every so often.  

"You're gay, Jongdae?" Kyungsoo said, as he watched the other scuff the ground with his shoe as they walked.  

"Not really, I like women too..." he answered slowly.  

He was afraid of what his only friends would say about his ual orientation- he wasn't open about it at all, and when people had found out, they'd leave him days after without a single word. He was afraid of losing his friends, he couldn't help being attracted to men and women alike, he tried to get over what his mum would call "a phase", but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't. His best friend had left him bleeding on the ground after a few troublemakers had found out about him, telling him he was filth for even looking at men in that way, causing him to go through years of depression, he couldn't go through that again with his new friends, no way he was not ready for that yet.  

"That's okay Jongdae, please don't cry. I accept you for who you are." Kyungsoo said, wiping Jongdae's tears away. He blinked in surprise, he didn't even know he was crying, and at how easily Kyungsoo had accepted him. Noticing the boy's surprise, he comforted him with a hug. 

"Chanyeol and Baekhyun will accept you too, there's nothing to be ashamed of okay? We like you for who you are, not who you like." 

"How can you be so sure about Chanyeol and Baekhyun?" mumbled Jongdae into Kyungsoo shoulder. 

"Have you not noticed? They're a couple, Dae, they have been for a while now,"  

"WHAT."  

Kyungsoo laughed, "Yeah, it's been oh I think 3 years now, not many people know about them, but they definitely are a couple. You should've seen their honeymoon phase." Kyungsoo made a face which made Jongdae laugh out loud. 

"I can't begin to imagine," 

A pair of arms wrapped around Jongdae suddenly, and he turned, only to see Baekhyun smiling at him.  

"Hey Hey Dae Dae! So you came out huh? Good on you, I had a feeling about you," he teased. 

"Well I hear you and elf boy over there are a couple? Would you like to explain why I didn't know about this?"  

"Weeeeell...."  

The boys laughed together, getting louder and louder as they walked down the path towards Jongdae's house.  

Finally. He was no longer alone.