“You know, you’re not so bad at mandarin Jongdae. Are you sure you really need me anymore? You’re not just keeping me around to avoid hurting my feelings, are you?” Kim Minseok elbowed the transfer student in the ribs and batted his eyes. The brunette laughed and flashed him an award winning smile. “Ever stopped to consider that I genuinely like you Minseok? You’re such a fun little to tease.” Reaching over to pinch Minseok’s cheek, his smile faltered for a second.

“You don’t look so well, bud. Have you been sleeping enough? You’re not staying up too late jacking it to some weird underground , are you?” His grin was as cheeky as could be, but his eyes flashed real signs of concern.

“What? God no, you’re so obscene!” Minseok snorted and swatted away the fingers pinching his cheek. “I’ve just been up a lot lately trying my best, you know? The music industry is really harsh, you know! I want to make sure I’m not just, you know, dicking around. You know?”

“You know, you know, you know.” Jongdae mimicked in a nasally tone. “You’re supposed to be my korean-to-mandarin translator, but I’m beginning to think there’s only one phrase you actually know.” Minseok grinned a little and drug his shoes across the pavement.

He met Jongdae a few months ago at the start of the semester, being politely asked to monitor the freshman and assist him in overcoming any lingual barriers. The flawless Korean transfer student, singing notes higher than the range of god himself and never missing a beat, stealing girl’s hearts and making Minseok’s life resemble a drama. A real musical genius, some called him, making Minseok’s spirits drop a little. That never stopped him from liking the kid, though. He had a natural charm about him. A bit obscene, a bit cocky sometimes, but Minseok thought he was a good guy. He might even go so far as to call him his best friend at this point.

Jongdae stopped at the crosswalk and pressed the button to cross. “I’m going back to campus to study for a bit. You, on the other hand-” he pointed a very stern finger at him, attempting to convey how oh-so-very serious he was ”-are going back to the dorm to get some rest. Or get laid. You need one of the two, Minnie.”

Minseok rolled his eyes and dismissed Jongdae with a smile and wave of his hand. What an . With a light sigh, he tilted his face upwards towards the sky. It was a clear, sparkling blue that brimmed with hidden possibilities. Hidden possibilities he would unearth back at Lil Wormies’ Bookstore, cringing at the thought of returning after he embarrassed himself so much.  

Minseok opened the door to Lil Wormies’ cautiously, afraid that the doe-eyed clerk would scurry off edit: run away?) if he moved too quickly. “Hello!” he called out, noticing the familiar bony figure lazily strewn across the desk.

The head of sandy brown hair snapped up at the sound. “Oh, hello! You’re back.” Minseok could detect a hint of pain in his voice, probably reminiscing on the stacks of books he had to reorganize. “Can I help you?”

Minseok smiled and held up two containers of fresh coffee. “I’ve come with gifts, an apology, and the intent to actually purchase books.” The clerk offered up a dazzling smile and eagerly accepted the coffee.

“I’m really sorry about last week.” he chuckled, nibbling on his lower lip. “Kim Minseok.” he said, and extended his hand to the other boy.

“Luhan” he responded softly, lightly shaking his hand. Minseok noted how apprehensive he seemed, and offered up a bright grin. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Would you mind helping me look for some material on composers? Preferably classical, I’ve got a paper due and I haven’t even decided who I want to write about.”

Luhan visibly perked up as soon as the words slipped from Minseok’s mouth. “Are you… a music major? At the university?” His dark eyes desperately searched Minseok’s for answers. “Yeah! Music theory major, in fact!” The boy practically jumped out his chair at that.

“Me too!! I mean, um. Yeah, same. I haven’t seen you around campus though- uh. Well- maybe I have- I don’t really pay much attention to the other students. Um.” He cleared his throat, obviously anxious.  “I can recommend a few of my favorite composers if you’d like.”

“That’d be fantastic!” Luhan’s shoulders seemed to relax, and a beautiful smile graced his features.

They spent the next few hours browsing the bookstore, Luhan expertly thumbing through page after page of text, and Minseok watching him in awe. He watched Luhan’s shy demeanor slowly thaw, leaving bright, bubbly flowers in it’s wake. There was something about the boy that Minseok just couldn’t place, something that made him want to know him better, to be the one eliciting those melodic laughs from him. When he finally left the store, a bag full of books in one hand and the other one furiously waving goodbye, he promised that he’d be back.

Over the next few weeks, Minseok had visited Lil Wormies’ at any given chance. He’d always pop in with a coffee for Luhan and himself (who appeared to be the only clerk actually employed there), and a funny story to tell about Jongdae. Luhan would always smile over his coffee, sweetly laughing and crinkling his nose. Minseok really enjoyed being there, and as time went on, he found himself growing fonder and fonder of the little deer boy.

It was a Friday night, and Luhan was just about to close up shop, when he turned to Minseok and sheepishly grinned. “You know, I’m in this band… We’re not all that great but everyone’s friendly, and I was wondering if maybe you’d like to come to our practice tonight?” Minseok blinked up at the boy, astounded that he actually invited him to be a part of his life.

“Of course! I’d love to.” He couldn’t stop himself from grinning, he had been wanting to spend time with him outside of the bookstore for a while now. The other boy let out a sigh of relief.

“I was kind of worried you’d say no.” he chuckled to himself. “Come on, it’s not too far down the block here!” Minseok followed Luhan out the door, watching the other lock up the shop behind him. He noticed Luhan hesitating a bit. Minseok offered out his arm and gestured towards him.

“Shall we?” Luhan smiled and linked arms with him, and led him to a worn down looking white house. He opened the door, a syntho beat vibrating through the walls. Minseok followed him through the dark hallways, narrowly avoiding crashing into corners and furniture. Luhan opened a door, and Minseok followed him into what was presumably a garage. 3 guys were seated around the room, instruments strewn about and the lazy scent of weed lingering in the air.

“Hannie, who’s that?” a dirty blonde man with an undercut and narrow eyes pointed at him. His fingers were dainty and adorned with rings of various sizes and shapes, looking as if they would break under the weight at any minute.

“I’m Kim Minseok!” he said, waving happily at all of the guys. “I’m a music major at SM University, nice to meet you!” Luhan coughed and gestured around the room.

“Angry eyebrows over there is Kris, the skinny one is Yixing, and that’s Tao.” Tao waved happily at the new friend he had just made, and Minseok returned the gesture with just as much enthusiasm.  

“Welcome to the galaxy.” Kris said, lifting a joint back up to his lips. “This is the other side of the rainbow.” The hazy, pungent smoke filled the room, and Luhan waved it out of his face as he bent over to pick up a bass guitar. Minseok laid his bag down on the floor and watched him with great curiosity.

“Are we going to practice or just get high?” Luhan laughed nervously, glancing back over at Minseok. “Least we can do is play a song or two for our guest, right Kris? Come on. The weed will still be here when we’re finished, I promise.” Yixing said, snatching the spliff from Kris’ hand. Kris grunted and peeled himself off of his arm chair. “Fine. No. 3, from the start guys.”

Minseok listened to them play song after song, Kris and Zitao getting into a heated rap battle halfway through with Yixing beatboxing in the background. Drinks were passed around after the performance and everyone returned to just lounging around.

“Y’know,” Yixing slurred out “Luhan has the prettiest in voice of all time. It’s just likeeeee, wow. Luhulu, sing for us pleaseeeee.”

Luhan drunkenly giggled and stood up with the mic. “Okay, okay.” He bent down to giggle again. “This one…… THIS one…. is for tha fans.” He sloppily winked at Yixing and raised the mic to his lips.

Minseok stared at Luhan while he sang, completely enamored. The notes wafted off of his tongue like a sweet summer breeze, every note was heaven itself. His voice wrapped around Minseok, curling around his veins and coursing into his bloodstream. Chills wracked through his small frame and tears strung dangerously at the back of his eyes, threatening to spill. When Luhan finished his song and took a lazy bow, Minseok couldn’t help but clap.

“Luhan, that was…. that was incredible.” Luhan plopped down on the floor next to him. His cheeks had turned bright red and he nervously mussed his hair. Kris had passed out long ago, and Yixing fell asleep during Luhan’s performance. Tao was playing video games, a cigarette perched between his thin lips, leaving Minseok and Luhan the only two left coherent enough for conversation.

“Have you ever seen the edge of the world, Minseok?” Luhan’s eyes closed, his lips slightly parted in thought. “I think I’d like to. I’d like to stand at the edge of it all, knowing that everything that has ever been is at my back.” He slowly let out his breath, eyelashes kissing his cheeks. “And right there, on the edge of the world, I’d like to dive off.” Minseok slowly intertwined his fingers with Luhan’s. They sat in a comfortable silence for a while before he stood up.

“You live in the dorms too, right? Let’s go home.” Minseok led Luhan off of his feet, and they carefully stumbled their way back to SM University’s dorms.

Luhan stopped in front of his dorm, accidentally stumbling a bit and using Minseok as his support. “Well, this is my stop.” He exclaimed, the pleasant buzz of alcohol taining his vision.

He shuffled a bit in place, nervously glancing to the side and picking at his nails. “Do you…. do you mind staying the night with me?”

“What? What for?” Minseok asked, genuinely a bit puzzled at his friend's question.

“No one’s ever home here really. It gets lonely.”

Minseok nodded his head in complete and absolute drunken understanding, and watched Luhan unlock the door to his dorm. With a magnificent flourish of his arm, he opened the door for Minseok.

“Mi casa, es tu casa.” He broadly grinned at the other, and they both went inside.

Minseok stripped down to his boxers, and gestured to a bed that looked practically abandoned. “May I?”

Luhan laughed a little. “Don’t worry, he’s never here.” Luhan removed his jeans and slipped into his own bed.

A few minutes of silence passed before Luhan shifted in his bed.

“Thank you for staying here. It means a lot to me.” Minseok laughed from his bed and turned to face Luhan’s bunk. “I’m glad to be here, Luhan. I’m glad I met you.”

And with that, both boys fell into a quiet sleep, the only noises in the room being synchronized breaths escaping drunk lips.