Because Ryukai's cheese has been making me emotional since yesterday. So this is poorly thought out revenge by fluff

Donghae frowned at his earphones. Minah had just passed by and she hadn't even looked at him, being plagued by Baekhyun. He frowned more. Out of all of Sooyeon's boyfriends in the past, Baekhyun was the one he liked the least. The hyper puppy was always around Minah. Always! Donghae had the urge to resist punching the boy all the time. First his sister and then his best friend. Baekhyun had it coming.

"Oppa!" Sooyeon sang, taking the seat in front of him. "I thought you had class now" Donghae said, surprised at her sudden presence. "I do. But I am bunking it because I have to submit my project report in the afternoon. Why are you here and not with Minah?" she asked with a frown. "Why would I be with Minah?" Donghae asked consciously. "Because she invited you to come along to her film class because they were going to watch short films?" Sooyeon reminded him. "Well she didn't ask him. she didn't even talk to me because she was busy with Baekhyun" he said looking at her accusingly. "Baekhyun?" Sooyeon asked surprised. She blushed as she blinked in confusion. Why would Minah ask Baekhyun?? She quickly texted Minah.

Hey! Oppa wants to know where your film class is.

Hi! I was looking for him! Tell him to come to D-102. I've saved a seat for him. You can come along too. Baek's waiting for you :P

Yeah no. I don't like the boy despite what you say :P Oppa will be there in 5.

"See. she's waiting for you. Go quickly. Run" Sooyeon told, pushing him off the chair. "I am going to punch the livin daylight out of Baek" he said with a frown. "Yeah please do. But get there first oppa!" Sooyeon reminded him. "Yeah yeah I'm going. Also don't lie. We all know you like Baekhyun" he told her grumpily. "I do not! Such lies! Off with you now" Sooyeon said, pushing him out of the corridor the cafe lay in.

-x-

"What are we watching?" Donghae asked Minah as he sat next to her. Baekhyun grinned at him and got a glare in reply. Donghae focused on Minah instead. "Short films! We're supposed to write an assignment on how length and medium are used to tell stories effectively and our professor wants us to focus on short films. So we'll be watching some that were nominated for Oscars as an example. The class was open so I thought you guys might like it too. Where's Sooyeon though?" Minah asked. "She had a project report to submit so she's working on that" Donghae told her.

She pouted and then sat up straight and put her hand on Baekhyun's shoulder. "Don't you worry Baek! I know you are feeling heartbroken she isn't here but you can still enjoy with us" she teased with a straight face. "Shut up. I'm not heartbroken. You must be overjoyed because - ow!!!!" he yelled. Donghae raised an eyebrow when he realized that Minah had kicked Baekhyun to shut him up. She smiled at Donghae and moved further away from Baekhyun much to his relief. Baekhyun rolled his eyes and decided to rest his head on the thick stack of notes that he had been carrying since morning. The seminar hall had seats laid out on a series of levels so he didn't have to worry about not being able to see the screen.

"This one sounds cute" Minah said, pointing out to the description of Oktapodi. "It's about octopuses?" Donghae asked in surprise. "Yup. You would love it, wouldn't you Fishy?" she teased. He pouted at her and she laughed. "It's a short film set in Greece. Two octopuses fight for their love against a mean restaurant cook who tries to separate them" she read. "So it's a romance adventure" Donghae decided. Minah nodded. "That's the first one. The second one is Paperman but all it says is that it's black and white computer animation. Kiwi sounds cute. A bird trying to live its dream" she said thoughtfully. "Kiwis can't fly, can they?"  Donghae asked her. She shook her head. "One of the five that can't."

The professor called for silence in the seminar hall and the lights were turned off, save the projector. It took a few minutes for the students to set things up and then the professor began by explaining the purpose of the class and warning them against any funny business in the hall. He gave a one line introduction to Oktapodi and started the film straight away. It started with two octopuses hugging each other and Minah grinned and Donghae cooed. but all of a sudden, the purple octopus was taken away and that caused the two to get alarmed. This was quick.They held their breathe as they watched the purple octopus being taken away and the orange one going after the car, managing to latch onto it just in time. At some point through the chase in the stone cobbled streets of Greece, Minah's hand had slipped into Donghae's and had been holding on tightly, praying for the octopuses. They were left staring when the clip ended with a plot twist.

"Did that just..." Minah asked Donghae. "Yeah..." he confirmed. they realized they had been holding hands and they pulled away awkwardly. "That's so sad" Baekhyun added and the other two nodded along. The second one was Paperman. Minah leaned forward, kind of interested in the next one. It started with a simple scene. A man waiting for something at a train station? Yes it was a train station. Here came the lady. Aww they were awkward with each other. Also really cute, she thought as she shared a smile with Donghae. Their eyes widened when the form flew in her face but the lipstick mark formed caused Minah to giggle. He took the opportunity to move closer and she unconsciously responDed by moving closer to him and leaning against his chest, feeling sad when the two had to part.

"There is hope in the world!" Baekhyun exclaimed causing everyone in the class to glare at him. Minah laughed because she knew that he always got involved in romantic movies (that wuss) and short films apparently were no different. Donghae frowned and hugged her protectively with his arm. She rolled her eyes and continued to concentrate on the film. The paper planes continued to guide the two and Minah sighed with content. She liked happy endings. The same mood continued over the third film where the kiwi built a forest for itself and tried to fly through. The lights were switched on after that and she had to move away from Donghae and it was only then that she realized how close they had been. She blushed, fighting the longing for the warmth of his body near hers and she knew Donghae was frowning at her reaction but chose not to say anything.

"Holy you guys the kiwi committed suicide" Baekhyun said, staring at the screen with wide eyes. He had a paper plane in his hand, Minah noticed and scoffed. "You guys the bird killed itself. Romantically" he said, panicked at the ending. "You know none of us had thought of it till you mentioned it. Geez. Thanks Baekhyun" a third guy in the class said. Baekhyun shrunk back sheepishly but he could swear it seemed that way. He turned to Minah for support but she was too busy with Donghae. Where was Sooyeon when you needed her? He mentally promised never to be a third wheel ever again

-x-

"Sooyeon! I am scarred" Baekhyun whined. He flung his arms around a shocked Sooyeon. "Hey!" she protested as he hugged her tightly. "I am emotionally scarred. I will never be the same again. I just saw a kiwi commit suicide. It was inspirational but also tragic" he ranted, burying his head in her shoulder. Sooyeon awkwardly comforted him while pleading to her brother for help. Minah stuck her tongue out at the two before dragging Donghae away.

"Hey! We can't leave Sooyeon there like that!" Donghae protested. "Yes we can and we definitely will. And if Baekhyun does not make use of this opportunity to make a move on her then so help me god, that little will get it from me!" Minah exclaimed, dragging Donghae away. "You just called Baekhyun a little " Donghae pointed out. "He deserves worse" she grumbled. "And also I am hungry and seriously craving coffee. I want to get some coffee at the Nescafe shop. Let's go there" she decided. "Okay" Donghae said with a smile. Minah didn't like Baekhyun. that was a relief. Now only if Sooyeon could stop liking him too thank you very much.

"Did you meet Eunhyuk oppa recently?" Minah asked him. "Yeah I did! He had come home during the same weekend that I went home and we managed to go bowling for an hour or two. He seems to be having fun without me" he added the last bit with a pout. "Aww. there there. I am sure that oppa misses you too" Minah told him, rubbing circles in his palm. "He very clearly stated that he doesn't. So I told him that I didn't either" Donghae said crossly. "You are such a child" Minah laughed. "I am not! I am older than you! Also, how come you only call Eunhyuk oppa and not me? How is this fair! You should call me oppa too!" he protested. 

"Because... just because" Minah said turning away from him to hide her blush. There was a very obvious reason why she couldn't call him oppa and the longer he remained oblivious the better it was for her heart. She could swear that the abnormal fast beatings would cause a heart condition someday. And him being a lovely cute man-child most definitely did not help. So for now she would deflect the request and focus on getting a coffee. And coffee for Donghae because he liked that too. It was one of the main reasons she liked him. That and football and his silly antics in general and the strry eyes and...

"Minah?" 

...and that voice, she concluded. She turned red in embarrassment. She had drifted off to daydream about him right in front of him. Where was her head today? "Coffee!" she exclaimed excitedly and walked even faster. He chuckled because he found her love for coffee highly amusing. But he didn't mind being pulled along because this gave her a reason to hold his hand. Something which he wished would happen more often.

-x-

"I am jealous of you" Minah told Sooyeon. "Why? Do you want to be saddled by assignments in every course you do?" Sooyeon asked sticking her tongue out. "Not jealous of that part no thank you" Minah said immediately. "Is it because you like Baekhyun? I thought you liked oppa!" Sooyeon exclaimed, dropping her pen. "I do not like that unattractive beagle no thank you" Minah shuddered. "Me neither" Sooyeon added indignantly. "Puh-lease. Gull. Just stahp with the denial" Minah told her in broken words causing Sooyeon to laugh. 

"Don't look now but oppa is looking at you" Sooyeon told her. Despite the warning, Minah turned without thinking and Donghae waved at her as he ran around the field. She waved back but he got the ball and couldn't respond. "You know, sitting here in freshman year and looking at your brother play football, I didn't think I would ever be friends with him" Minah told her. "More than friends" Sooyeon reminded her. "I don't know anymore. I like him, I really do but I don't even know what the next step should be" she confessed to the other girl. "As much as I want to tell you to go kiss him and make babies, I see the wisdom in wanting to take it slow" Sooyeon agreed.

"Maybe you should take baby steps. take time to smell the roses and do other things with each other. Learn to love being together instead of rushing in. Because that's the funny thing about baby steps. You never realize how far you've come till you make the journey and once you've reached there you dont even remember where the intermediate steps went." Minah nodded as she looked at Donghae score a goal. She smiled. They had come a long way.All with baby steps. A common happy everyday love of sorts. she didn't need fancy gifts or moments or showy declarations.

"I think... I think I should tell him" Minah decided. She didn't know where she got this spurt of courage but while she had it she was going to use it. "Really?" Sooyeon asked surprised. "No" Minah groaned burying her head in her hands. There it went. "No! Don't back out now! If you want to tell him then you should. I am very sure he likes you but one of you needs to take the first step!" Sooyeon protested. "Then let him do it!" Minah argued. "But he's shy!" Sooyeon cried. "I am shy too!" Minah reminded her. "Honestly. you are braver of the two" Sooyeon said sticking her tongue out.

"How about this? Just a hug? a hug would do" Sooyeon said with a nod. 'Are you crazy woman? Do you want me to die?" Minah asked her incredulously. "No! I mean you both already hold hands and give one arm hugs so the next logical step would be to give him a hug" Sooyeon explained. "I can't do it" Minah said giving up without trying. "You can! If you can hug Baekhyun then you can definitely hug oppa!" Sooyeon told her. "Baekhyun is a beagle. He is different. I can't hug Donghae! Can you hug Baekhyun?" she asked narrowing her eyes. "Not at all" Sooyeon admitted with a frown.

"Okay then, a bet. If you hug Baekhyun then I will hug Donghae" Minah told her. "I've seen too many romcoms and I know that bets never end well so no" Sooyeon said defensively. "But you want to hug him!" Minah teased. "This isn't about me! You wanted to hug oppa!" Sooyeon protested. "You suggested it! And also, I wont do it if you don't do it" Minah said firmly. Sooyeon glared and then started whining because Minah wouldn't relent. "Fine! Geez! I'll hug the beagle!" she promised crossly with a royal pout. Minah smirked knowing she had saved herself for now. 

However she was proven wrong fifteen minutes later when Sooyeon stomped down the steps and hugged Baekhyun leaving him and Donghae staring before she ran away. Minah laughed as she descended the steps as well because of Baekhyun's slack jaw. "Go after her!" she said, pushing Baekhyun in the general direction that she had gone in, laughing all the while. Donghae raised a questioning eyebrow and she shook her head, choosing to hug him instead. Maybe this wasn't a bad idea. Not a baby step but definitely not a bad idea.

Donghae pouted because he was confused by the entire ordeal but decided not to think at all when Minah hugged him. He hugged her back, her hair in the process. He would go after Sooyeon a little bit later he decided. For now he would stay in the moment with the woman he loved.

A/N - I cry