The bell for lunch echoed around in the school and soon, students were packing their things, getting ready to leave the class. Luhan grabbed his books and approached Chen, whom was waiting outside the class. They turned their back on the class and started walking towards their lockers. Luhan then thought back about the phone call the day before, in which Chen claimed that Lay had called him, asking for Luhan's favourite food. 

"Hey. Look, I know you may think it's unbelievable and all but, I swear he called me! Should I show you my phone?" Chen ruffled his own hair. Seriously, why wouldn't Luhan believe him? 

Luhan opened his locker door and threw his books in. Just as he was about to close his locker door, he felt someone tap on his shoulder. However, from the corner of his eyes, Luhan saw that Chen turned around, too. Luhan raised a brow and directed his attention to whoever tapped him on the shoulder. 

"Hey. Uh, just wondering if I could... borrow Luhan for lunch?" Lay asked like a little kid. Chen turned to Luhan, then back to Lay, and smiled. Nervously, Luhan turned to Chen. Luhan's mind was going to explode. 

"Sure. Why not? I'll have lunch with that new kid. See you around!" Chen smiled and tapped Luhan on the back before strolling off, whistling a happy tune which same out of nowhere.  

Lay shoved his hands into his pockets and stared at Luhan. Luhan was wearing a T-shirt with jeans and sneakers. Typical and cute. Lay's eyes widened a little and shook the thought away. He watched as Luhan slammed his locker door shut. 

Honestly, Luhan was going to explode anytime. However, he just took a deep breath and faced reality. Well, since Lay asked Luhan to eat lunch with him (indirectly, that is), why not? 

Luhan then turned to Lay. "Where should we have lunch?" 

There was a fluttering feeling in Lay's heart. 

--- 

They ended up sitting in the middle of a staircase near the fire escape. For a moment, Luhan thought that that was the best place because he was really shy about eating lunch with Lay. What was more, if anyone saw him having lunch with anyone except Chen, people would've ridiculed him. 

Because Luhan didn't really have friends. Except Chen, that is. 

"Here." Lay handed Luhan a bread and a sealed plastic cup filled with bubbletea. After that, Lay took a straw and stabbed it into the sealed plastic cover for Luhan. 

"Thanks." Luhan said shyly and took a sip from the cup in his hands. 

"You're welcome. Anyway, I should thank you for yesterday. And you even paid for my cab fare. I feel... bad." Lay looked guilty somehow and Luhan noticed it. 

"It's okay, you know. Really." Luhan sunk his teeth into the bread. Lay, whom was looking at his feet, was about to turn to Luhan when he noticed that Luhan's forearm was filled with what seemed like cane . Without thinking, Lay slowly reached his fingers towards Luhan's forearm until they finally touched it. Lay could feel Luhan stiffen. 

Luhan bit his lower lip and mentally scolded himself for not wearing a long-sleeved sweater to cover up the bruises. Of all the peopel int eh school, Lay had to see this. 

"Is it... your dad? Or your mother?" Lay swallowed. 

"She died." Luhan answered plainly, feeling some water rushing to his eyes. It was his dad, obviously. The events from the day before replayed in his mind. Luhan shuddered just by remembering it. 

"Does anyone notice this? Except for Chen and myself?" Lay asked, pulling his hand back to himself. Luhan shook his head. 

"No one. You know, you and Chen are my only friends, if you're my friend, that is. I mean, I know some other people from other classes that are sitting with me but we don't talk that often." Luhan stopped chewing the bread and looked down at his own feet. He controlled his breathing and he told himself that he would not cry. 

It then dawned upon Lay that it was Luhan's father all along. Luhan's father was the reason Luhan got these cane . He was the reason Luhan had to get a job and work to pay his way through school. He was also the reason Luhan felt lonely, because Luhan didn't receive any of his dad's love since young. 

Lay reached out his hand and Luhan's cheek. Luhan almost gasped and turned to Lay, with wide eyes. What Lay said next robbed Luhan of his speech. 

"Don't worry. I'll be there for you. And there's also Chen." 

--- 

Luhan touched his cheek. Was it real? Did what happened at lunch really happened? Something at the back of his mind told him that it was a yes. But why? Did Lay like him? 

Chen elbowed Luhan. "What are you thinking about? You seem troubled since, lunch?" 

Luhan snapped back into reality. He shook his head. "N-Nothing happened. He just bought me lunch, that's all." 

Chen rolled his eyes. "Like I would believe it. You even stuttered a little. Speaking, have you ever thought about writing a letter and putting it into Lay's locker or something? Like that time in sixth grade when you decided to break open my locker and throw letters of apolagies into it after you gave me a cockroach as a birthday present?" 

The both of them laughed. "Like I didn't enjoy your reaction," Luhan said.

Chen rolled his eyes. 

--- 

At Joonmyun's Office