“Guys, guys!”  Chanyeol exclaims as he greets Sehun and Minseok at the cafeteria entrance.  The two smile back, hoping that the flowers had the desired effect.

“What’s up, Yeol?”  Minseok asks, taking in the warmth of Chanyeol’s smile.

“Someone sent me flowers!  Anonymously!  Pink and white camellias!  Do you still remember what they mean, Seok?”  Chanyeol asks as they make their way to their usual spot.

“Uhm… ‘Longing for you’ and ‘you’re adorable’.”  Minseok replies, and Chanyeol’s face lights up even more, if that’s even possible.

“Wow, Yeol, you have a secret admirer!”  Sehun replies, Chanyeol’s happiness fueling his own.

“Really?  Wow, that’s nice.”  They hear someone say and they turn to see Jongdae standing near their table, carrying a tray.  “Can I sit with you guys?”

“Jongdae!”  Minseok exclaims before Chanyeol takes Jongdae’s tray and settles it down right beside Sehun so that Minseok can give Jongdae a bear hug.  “Nice to see you!”

Jongdae plops down to the seat between Minseok and Sehun and starts to eat his lunch.  Minseok excuses himself to get some water, and goes to the drinking station.  He lines up and takes his water when it’s his turn, and is about to return to his seat when he sees Luhan, Joonmyeon, and Yixing approaching.  Left with no choice, he just went on, hoping that they won’t notice him.

“Hey, Min.”  He hears Luhan say and he feels like a failure.  I can’t even be invisible.  Am I really that worthless?

“Hey.”  Minseok replies, not looking at the three, and walks faster towards his seat.

“You alright?”  Chanyeol asks once he sees Minseok slightly out of breath.

“Who’s that?”  Luhan asks Baekhyun once he sees the guy in a blue button down walking towards Minseok’s table.

“Dunno.  Why, you think he’s hot?”  Baekhyun replies, a smug smile on his face.

“I think he’s hot.”  Joonmyeon replies sarcastically.

“Wow, Suho.  I bet you think Luhan’s shoes are more interesting than that guy.”  Zitao replies, looking at Luhan’s shoes.

Suddenly, they hear Minseok exclaim “Jongdae!” and Luhan can’t help but look.  He sees Minseok smiling, his arms wide open, and Chanyeol taking the guy’s—Jongdae’s—tray so that Minseok can give him a bear hug.  They cling to each other for some time, and Luhan feels a pang of something bubbling up in his chest, making him feel weird.  The two eventually let go of each other, the guy—Jongdae—sitting down and Minseok going to the drinking station.

“I need a drink.”  Luhan says and gets up, hearing Joonmyeon and Yixing following closely behind.  He makes his way to the drinking station, and sees Minseok getting his drink.  He hears Joonmyeon gasp behind him, and realizes that the other two had already seen the boy.  He hopes that Minseok will start a conversation with them once he sees them approaching, but is disappointed when Minseok just freezes for a second before continuing to walk back, eyes not meeting theirs.

“Hey, Min.”  Luhan greets, hoping that Minseok would look up so that he can see his brown eyes once again.

“Hey.”  Minseok replies, not even meeting his eyes, before he continues to walk back to his table.

“Luhan…”  Yixing says, but Luhan stops him.

“Hey, Min.”  Jinri, a freshman music student, says once she enters the music shop.

“Wow, hey, Jinri!  What can I do for you?”  Minseok asks, surprised by the younger student’s appearance.

“Uhm… actually, I’m looking for Jung gyoh-soo-nim.”  Jinri replies, and Minseok tells her to wait while he calls for his boss from the back.

“She’s probably here for the job.”  Yunho says once Minseok tells him that Jinri’s there.  Yunho had insisted that Minseok call him by his first name on his first day at work, saying that Jung gyoh-soo-nim is too formal for comfort.

“Are you hiring your students to work here, Yunho?”  Minseok asks.

“Just those who really need the job.  I never asked Sehun if he wanted to work here, right?”

“Because he’s family is already very wealthy.  But why?”

“I try to do anything I can to help lessen the financial struggles of my students.”  Yunho replies, and Minseok mentally agrees, thinking that Yunho is a great boss.

“So, you can start tomorrow.  By the way, have you talked to Joohyun and Tiffany already?”  Yunho announces once he sees Jinri.

“Yes, gyoh-soo-nim.  They said they’d go and check this place out tomorrow.”  Jinri replies.

“That’s great!  We really need all the help we can get in here.”  Yunho says, shaking hands with Jinri.

“Thanks, Jung gyoh-soo-nim.  I guess I’ll see the two of you tomorrow, then.”  Jinri says before leaving the shop.  Minseok turns to Yunho with a smug look.

“I would’ve thought that you’re a closet e if I didn’t know better.”  Minseok says.

“Shut up and get back to work.”  Yunho says, punching Minseok playfully on the arm.  Sehun then enters the shop, carrying a box of pizza with him.

“You know, you should just hire Sehun.  He practically works in here, anyway.”  Minseok tells Yunho.

“Don’t want to work here.”  Sehun says, placing the box on the counter.  “Yeol! I brought food!”

“Ouch.  Why not?”  Yunho asks.

“Well, because you’ll have to pay me, then.  I don’t really need the job, I know of a lot of other students who need it more than I do.”  Sehun says, opening the box and taking out a slice.  “Dig in.”

“Thanks man.”  Minseok says as he takes his own slice before Yunho and Yeol do.  “How’s it going with Angel?”

“Who’s Angel?”  Yunho asks.

“Our song.”  Chanyeol replies.

“Oh.  I hope you do well, by the way.  I gotta go back, I still need to finish some paperwork.”  Yunho says, but Sehun doesn’t let him leave until he has another two slices of pizza with him.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur, just a mixture of customers and writing sessions in between cleaning.  Before they even knew it, the day is already over and they’re closing down the shop.  While they’re in the middle of putting away some of the instruments, however, someone goes enters the shop.

“We’re closed.”  Yunho says from the counter as he counts today’s profit, not even looking up at the person who just came in.

“Actually, we’re here for Minseok.”  The person replies and this time, Yunho looks up and sees Luhan and another guy.  “Is he still here?”  Yunho notices that the other man is carrying a big basket, the contents unknown.

“Yeah, he’s by the pianos, I think.”  Yunho replies, tilting his head towards the area where the larger instruments are.  The guy just gives him a thankful nod, and Luhan looks at him as if he’s trying to look through Yunho.

Luhan can’t help but feel concerned for Minseok.  He knows that he shouldn’t, but the other boy’s appearance has sparked Luhan’s concern.  Minseok, Luhan noticed, has become very thin and pale, and looks like he doesn’t really get enough sleep.  Luhan of course tells this to Changmin, who then decides that maybe they should bring Minseok some pastries from Peter Pie, their bakery and pastry shop. 

He takes in the music shop.  He knows that this is the kind of place that Minseok would really belong in, surrounded by music and things that can create it; but, the fact that Minseok is working really hard after class is worrying him, and knows that the small amount of pay the other boy receives isn’t really enough to provide for him even if he already has a scholarship.

He and Changmin enter the adjoining room, and immediately see Minseok sitting on a piano bench.  He’s playing some simple combination of notes on the keys, obviously trying to piece them together.  Changmin clears his throat and Minseok stops, turning around and looking at the two newcomers.

“Oh, hi Changmin, Luhan.”  Minseok greets, trying to focus his eyes properly.  Looking at notes and lyrics and the piano keys for hours had strained his eyes too much.

“Hey, Min.  How’re you doing?”  Changmin asks.

“Fine, really.”  Minseok replies.

“Luhan and I brought you something.  But I think it’s better if Luhan would be the one to give it to you.”  Changmin says, nudging Luhan.

“What?!”  Luhan exclaims, looking at Changmin disbelievingly.

“Yes, you heard me right.  So I’ll leave the two of you alone now, then.”  Changmin says, giving Luhan the big basket before leaving the room.  The two boys just stare at each other, speechless, just like the last time they ended up like this.  Luhan, determined not to let the chance pass, decides to speak first.

“So, we brought you these pastries from the shop.”  He tells Minseok, handing him the huge basket.

“Oh, thanks.”  Minseok replies, taking the basket and peeking at the inside.  He sees cupcakes and muffins and rolls, the stuff that he likes.

“Minseok, have you really been taking care of yourself?”  Luhan finally asks.

“Yes, why does everyone keep on asking me that?”

“Because you don’t look too well, Minseok.  You’re thinner and paler and there are bags under your eyes.  I’m worried about you, Min.”  Luhan replies, looking straight at Minseok’s eyes.

Minseok sighs, he didn’t really think anyone would notice.  Just a little more, he thinks.  He’s nearing his goal anyway, he nearing the piano.  And it’s just a few days before Christmas, he’ll just take his vacation when the day comes.

“I’m really fine, Luhan.  Things have just been hard lately, with all the moving and looking for a job and all.”  Minseok finally replies, hoping that his lie would be strong enough to convince his former boss.

“Okay, but why do you keep on avoiding me at school?”

“It’s just hard, okay?  It still hurts and I don’t really know what to say, I mean, I left you and everyone says I’ve hurt you and I don’t know anymore.”  Minseok replies, palming his face. He feels Luhan sit beside him on the piano bench and put his arms around him.  Minseok leans into the embrace, even though he knows it’s wrong because Luhan is Yixing’s now, because he misses this and he needs this, he really really needs this.

“Then come back, Min.  Come back if it hurts, and I’ll make it better.”  Luhan says.  “I love you.”  Luhan whispers.

Woah, Luhan doesn’t know where that came from.  Is it from too much convincing, too much need of Minseok’s presence back home; or is it what he really feels?  But that’s impossible, he loves Yixing, he knows he does… right?

“You what?”  Minseok asks, hoping that he really heard what he thought he did.

“I… need you.”  Luhan says, forcing himself to lie.  Wait, since when did that previous statement become true, anyway?!  I love Minseok, but not like that!

“You don’t mean it, Luhan.”  Minseok replies.

“I do.”

“I wasn’t talking about your last statement, Han.”  Minseok replies and he feels Luhan tense around him.  “I won’t come back unless you mean it.”  Minseok knows he’s being selfish, but Luhan isn’t his boss anymore, so he can do this.  He’s entitled the right to refuse and be selfish if he wants to.

“Let’s at least be friends, okay?  Can we talk at school or wherever again?”  Luhan asks hopefully.

Minseok knows it will hurt, he knows that seeing and talking to Luhan and Yixing will hurt, but this is Luhan.  And didn’t he say that he’ll do anything for Luhan? 

“Okay.”  Minseok manages to croak out, fearing that his voice will betray him if he decides to say more than that.  Luhan just hugs him tighter as a thank you and Minseok does his best to commit every feeling to memory.  Changmin then comes in, Yunho in tow, forcing Luhan to let go of him.

“I take it that the two of you have fixed whatever it is that is needed to be fixed.”  Changmin says.  Luhan and Minseok just nod, and Minseok can see Yunho smiling at him from behind Changmin.

“Come on, Luhan, we have to go.  It’s getting late.”  Changmin says and Luhan stands, Minseok following soon after.  Minseok and Yunho walk Luhan and Changmin to the door, Luhan taking Minseok’s side.  Changmin steps out first, saying that he’ll start the car.  When he comes back a couple of minutes later, Luhan turns back to Minseok and hugs him once again and kisses him on the cheek.  They then bid each other goodbye before they join their older companions. 

Minseok returns to see Sehun, Yunho, and Chanyeol waiting for them, the three smiling at him.

“Looks like tomorrow’s going to be different, huh?”  Chanyeol says.

“Yeah, definitely.”  Minseok replies.  “Hey, Sehun, can I have that notebook again?”

“Inspired much?”  Sehun asks as he hands Minseok the notebook containing Angel.

Minseok’s lying on his back at the music room, waiting for Chanyeol and Sehun to return from the cafeteria with their lunch.  They decided that they needed a change of scenery a while ago when Hwang Zitao started to throw Sehun some weird looks from their table.  The two arrive carrying some light snacks, a total deviation from their usual lunch.

“Seriously, Ohdult, what the hell was that?”  Chanyeol exclaims upon entering the room.

“What was what?”  Minseok asks.

“Hwang just kept on giving him these looks, it was scary.  Do you even know the reason why he’s doing that?”  Chanyeol replies.

“Nope, and I intend not to know.  I actually need your help to hide from him for the rest of my life; he looks like he’s out to kill me.”  Sehun replies, sitting down beside Minseok.  “So, I texted Jongdae that we’ll eat here and he said that he still has this project to finish with some of his friends.”

“Yeah, he told me when we saw each other a while ago.  So, what’s the thing between you and Hwang?”  Minseok asks Sehun before he takes a bite out of his sandwich.

“I told you, nothing!  He’s practically freaking me out!”  Sehun replies, flailing his arms around, almost spilling his drink.  Just then, someone knocks on the door.  Chanyeol opens it, only to find three mugs of coffee from the cafeteria and a red carnation tied to a eucalyptus.

“Woah, guys, now this is what you call creepy.”  Chanyeol says, stepping aside to let the other two see.  Minseok and Sehun both stand up to take their mugs, smiling at each other as Chanyeol looks at the flowers carefully.

“This person’s heart aches for me… this person really likes me, guys.”  Chanyeol says, looking at the red carnation.

“At least he’s considerate of your friends, we should thank whoever he is.”  Sehun suggests.

“Yeah, but how?  And how do you know it’s a ‘he’?”  Chanyeol asks before sipping some coffee from his mug.  “Goodness gracious!  It’s Arabica!”

“Holy crap, it is!”  Minseok exclaims after he takes a small sip from his drink.  “How about some flowers in return?”

“But how will this person get it?”  Chanyeol asks, taking out the eucalyptus.  “Protection from what, I wonder.”

“The weather, obviously.  There are reports that a blizzard is coming up, and the temperature just dropped once again yesterday.”  Sehun replies.

“Hey, Han.”  Joonmyeon greets as he sits down beside Luhan in their classroom.

“Hey, Suho.  What’s up?”  Luhan asks, closing his book.

“Nothing much, I’m just curious.”  Joonmyeon replies, turning on his seat so that he’s fully facing Luhan.

“About what?”

“Minseok.”

“What about Minseok?”  Luhan asks, truly curious.  This is the first time Joonmyeon has asked about Minseok since ‘the incident’, as Luhan likes to call it.

“How do you really feel towards him?  I mean, I can sense that something’s different between the two of you.”

“Uhm… Suho?  I don’t get it.”

“Stop playing dumb, Luhan.  I’m asking if you like Minseok or not!”

“What?!  I don’t, okay?  How the hell did you end up thinking that, anyway?”  Luhan asks, appalled.  But now that Joonmyeon’s said it, he begins to wonder who Minseok really is for him?  More importantly, why had he said what he did before?

“Because of what’s happening.  Why are you desperately trying to get him back when you already have Yixing?  All this time I thought that you’re after Yixing, and Yixing only, but the way you’re acting is making me doubt that.  And besides, you and Minseok always did act like an old married couple, and everyone else in the gang thought that the two of you were together when they first saw you.”  Joonmyeon replies, shrugging when he finished.

“They what?!  That’s… that’s crazy!”  Luhan replies, hoping that the doubt isn’t obvious in his voice.  What the hell is happening to me?!

“Is it really?  Or are you starting to see everything in a different light now?”  Joonmyeon asks, eyebrows raised.

“Suho, where are you getting with this?”  Luhan asks, but then their professor arrives so they would have to stop their conversation, but not before Joonmyeon manages to whisper back a reply.

Sehun does his best to walk as fast as he can, even with all the stuff that he’s carrying.  All the books and the notebooks that he, Minseok, and Yeol would be needing for their review session later at the music shop is making him go slower, and this is one of those times that he desperately needs to go faster.

He had told the other two to wait for him by the entrance for he had forgotten a book that he was supposed to borrow from the library.  On his way back, though, he noticed that Hwang was already following him, and decided to quicken his pace, failing miserably.  But alas, just as Sehun rounds the corner and is a few steps away from freedom when he feels a hand on his arm and someone pull him into an empty classroom, pushing him inside.  The force causes all of his things to fall from his arms and to scatter on the floor.  He turns around to find Hwang there, staring at him.

“What the f—“ he begins but is cut off by the other’s lips crashing onto his.  Sehun couldn’t really comprehend what was happening at first, the thought of making Chanyeol pissed the only thing occupying his mind, but the feeling of Hwang’s tongue his lips snapped his attention back to the current situation.  He opens his mouth to say something but other just takes it as a permission to slip his tongue past Sehun’s lips.  That’s when Sehun starts kissing back, hands finding their way to Hwang’s back and hair, pulling at the soft black locks.  The two finally separate when the need for air becomes apparent, but they don’t let go of each other.

“What was… uhm… I…” Sehun desperately tries to form sentences, but the other just smiles at him.

“Yeah.  That’s what you think it is.”  Hwang replies, staring at Sehun’s eyes.

“It is?  Then, we… are we.  What are we?”  Sehun asks, still not comprehending anything properly and thinking, I want to kiss him again.

“Whatever you want us to be.  I’ve been waiting for this for so long; I don’t want to mess it up.”  Hwang replies, leaning against the other slightly.

“But I don’t understand… I thought you hated me.”  Sehun says, but deep inside he just wants to say I want us to be dating.  Right now.

“There’s only a thin line between love and hate.  I guess I must’ve read my feelings wrong before, I’m really sorry about that.  I hope we can start over?”  Hwang asks.

“Like… uhm… dating?”  Sehun asks, feeling suddenly very happy.

“Yeah, like that.  Is that okay?”

“Yes, very, yes.”  Sehun replies, blushing after realizing what he just said.  Hwang smiles brighter and Sehun can’t help but smile back, even if he’s unsure of his decision.

“Go now, then.  I think Min and Chanyeol are waiting for you outside.”  Hwang says, escorting the other to the door.  They gather the scattered items first, then Sehun pulls open the door, but not before saying:

“Are you ing crazy?!”  Chanyeol exclaims, causing the other people walking on the sidewalk to turn and look at the three of them.

“Ssh!  Yeol, your voice!  And no, I’m not crazy.”  Sehun replies, looking at Minseok and noticing that the other is shivering.  “Min, you okay?  And where the hell is your winter coat?”

“I’m fine, just cold.  It’s still in the dryer.”  Minseok replies, shivering.

“How long has that winter coat been in the dryer, man?  And how can you not be crazy, Sehun?  You just agreed to date your creepy stalker!”  Chanyeol exclaims, flailing his arms around.

“Dude, your stalker is completely creepier than mine.”  Sehun replies, rolling his eyes at Chanyeol.

“Yeah, whatever.  What are you guys doing this vacation, anyway?”  Chanyeol replies.

“Working.  Whatever, I guess I’ll just stay at home.”  Minseok replies, rubbing his hands together in an effort to generate heat, his shivering have also increased.

“Will you be alright, though?  Do you want us to stop over at your place so you won’t be alone?”  Chanyeol replies, looking at Minseok with concern.

“Yes, Yeol, I’ll be alright.”  Minseok replies, mentally wishing for a cup of hot coffee right now.

“But it’s your first Christmas alone in a long time.”  Sehun counters.

“I’ll just have to deal with it.  I can’t hinder your plans with your families, guys.”  Minseok replies as they finally reach the shop, Chanyeol opening the door for the other two.

Jinri is already in when they arrive, and is making a sale at a middle-aged couple, probably for a Christmas gift.  Minseok sees the calendar at the wall and notes that there are only a couple more days left before vacation.  He also realizes that he still doesn’t have a gift for Luhan, and briefly considers just not getting one, but thinks that it’s a ridiculous idea.  Why would he not buy Luhan a gift?  That was a stupid thought, Minseok thinks.

He watches as the snow continues to fall to the ground, just as how life goes on, despite the painful events that have happened and will happen.

A/N: And the Taohun arrives.