When he completed the final question, Taekwoon was 85% sure he had at least passed. He hoped he did, spending all that time studying couldn't have gone to waste.

After sitting for the better part of two hours while his eyes scanned problem after problem, he wanted nothing more than to stand up and stretch. Unfortunately, if he caused a disturbance, his teacher was probably just looking for a reason to scold him.

Instead, his head laid down and he sighed. It was all worth it. Yixing was coming tomorrow.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Seungho asked.

On the counter, Taekwoon sat and bounced his leg while counting the minutes until Yixing was supposed to come in his head. "A few years maybe?" he replied, stomach flipping. "We've been so busy, school and getting ready for university and all . . . He's studying to become a medical student, so his parents are really strict."

This is the most I've heard you talk at once. Seungho smiled to himself, stirring the meat in the pot.

Taekwoon's heart palpated in his chest. He was . . . He was nervous. It'd been so long since he'd seen Yixing, what if things were different? What if they were different? His sisters always talked about how friends grew apart, even if they were the best of friends since childhood. Even though he didn't pay much attention to it back then, the idea sat in the back of his head forever.

The last few months were enough to adjust to living here, but it wasn't home . . . Yixing meant home to him, the only constant throughout his life. He didn't want to lose that.

He sighed.

Seungho heard and rubbed his shoulder with a sympathetic smile. "Relax, you'll be fine."

Taekwoon watched him go back to cooking, nibbling on the inside of his bottom lip. He forced relaxation into his shoulders. Seungho was right. He'd be fi—

There was a knock on the door.

No I won't be fine no I won't be fine no I wo—

Seungho chuckled. "Do you want me to get that?"

Taekwoon rapidly shook his head, stumbling off the counter. His heart pounded. He wobbled over to his door and took a deep breath, lungs expanding uncomfortably.

"Don't keep him waiting," Seungho chided, waving his spatula. Taekwoon had the urge to tell him to shut up, but he was right.

He finally opened the door.

"Taekwoon!"

Taekwoon's shoulders dropped. "Jongdae, what the hell—"

Jongdae knit his eyebrows together and clutched his chest. "You wound me. Why aren't you happy to see me?" He leaned around to peek in since the smell of delicious food caught his nose. "Hi Seungho-hyung!" he waved, and Taekwoon pushed him back. Jongdae frowned.

Taekwoon looked away, sighing. He felt silly. "I'm waiting for someone, go home."

"Who're you waiting on, your secret lover?" Jongdae teased, though his grin didn't reach his eyes. Taekwoon didn't comment on it.

"Why are you so annoying?" he sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Let him in, Taekwoon." Seungho berated, and Taekwoon slumped, defeated. At least he didn't feel as nervous anymore.

"Thank you Seungho-hyuuuung!" Jongdae chanted, hopping into the apartment.

Taekwoon was about to slam the door closed when he heard a confused voice.

". . . Taekwoon?"

He froze, gaze changing from Seungho to Jongdae, who both stared at the open doorway. His heart was about to pop out of his chest again. From over the kitchen counter, Seungho made motions to breathe in and out.

"Your hair, it's blonde." was the first thing blurted from Taekwoon's mouth when he saw Yixing in the door, his one dimple popping out.

Yixing snorted. "Should I just stand out here?"

"If you want to." And Taekwoon smiled.

They both busted into laughter. Taekwoon easily threw his arms around Yixing's neck and pat his back. Yixing hugged him just as tight—it was real. Yixing was here. His throat was closing up with the need to cry.

"When the heck did you get so tall?" Yixing teased, pinching his cheek as he pulled away.

Taekwoon slapped his hand off with a scowl, crossing his arms childishly. "You can't pick on my height anymore now, can you?"

Yixing laughed and warmth spread through Taekwoon's chest at the sound. "You'll always be short to me."

From the kitchen, Jongdae and Seungho watched. Jongdae leaned into Seungho. "Have you ever seen him like this?" he asked, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.

Seungho shook his head. "I guess they really are best friends." he smiled, watching the two laugh and talk easily.

Jongdae bit the inside of his lip. "Yeah, guess so . . ."

There was so much Taekwoon wanted to talk to Yixing about, things that had been piling up over months and weeks and were threatening to spill—but Seungho and Jongdae were still around, and Seungho was insistent off to the side that he shouldn't neglect Jongdae. He had scowled to himself then, He sees me all the time, he can wait . . .

Despite that though, of course Yixing was happy to get to know both of them as they sat around Taekwoon's dining table. As he talked to Jongdae and Seungho, Taekwoon couldn't help feeling like he was in a dream; watching Yixing talk and laugh and make the same terrible jokes he always did, but it was right in front of him. He could see him, not through some screen, not hear him through a phone, but actually see him. It was probably a little more emotional than it should be.

". . . and we were banned so we wouldn't be near the lady's cat ever again."

He popped back into reality with Jongdae cracking up, looking around the table to catch whatever story from their childhood Yixing told.

"You can't just take other people's pets, Woonie!" Jongdae cackled, making cat ears with his hands.

Oh, it was that one. "We were kids," he defended with a scowl, wanting to jab his chopsticks into Jongdae's arm. Yixing smiled at him, clearly pleased with himself and having fun at Taekwoon's expense.

"This is rich though," Jongdae continued, clutching his stomach, "do you know how much blackmail material I can get out of this guy? Yixing, you're a real blessing in disguise!"

Taekwoon threw his best friend the most threatening glare he could muster, but he deflected it with a wave of his hand, long since immune to Taekwoon's thundercloud. He leaned forward on the table. "I can tell you whatever you'd like to know." he smiled.

Taekwoon crossed his arms, digging his chin into his collarbones. He might look angelic, but Yixing could be a little demon when he wanted.

The rest of lunch went like that: Yixing spilling story after story, Jongdae perpetually howling with laughter, and Taekwoon threatening to maim them both. Seungho looked on with amusement, pleased to see Taekwoon so animated after a long time.

Early afternoon was coming to an end and Seungho eventually dismissed himself, saying he had work and telling them to behave. Taekwoon was glad to see him go, there were finally things he could talk about with Yixing—only, Jongdae was still there. It's not that he wanted him to leave, it was just . . . Well, he wanted him to leave, so he could spend time with Yixing and get a load off his chest.

Jongdae was no idiot though and suggested video games when Taekwoon tried easing him away. Yixing agreed of course, which was how Taekwoon found himself wedged between both of them while playing a football game. Maybe he was a little annoyed, but they were laughing and having fun on either side of him . . . He couldn't help joining in.

One close call with a broken controller and four bags of chips later, Jongdae's mom called him home. He went along, whining and making both of them promise to hang out later today or tomorrow, or every single day until Yixing went back to China. Yixing just got here though, Taekwoon didn't want to think about him leaving already.

"I like him." Yixing laughed, lounging on the couch.

Taekwoon rolled his eyes. "You would."

"I do." he confirmed, almost snorting. "You're so dramatic, he's really not that bad. None of them are probably that bad."

"That's because you're used to it," Taekwoon practically whined, rolling over.

They looked at each other for a long moment before busting into laughs. Taekwoon covered his face and sat up, trying to free his tightening stomach, and Yixing threw a pillow at him. It smacked another controller off the coffee table and they busted up into new laughter. It was a wonder neither of them fell to the floor.

Settling down, Taekwoon flopped back and stared at the ceiling, arm hanging off the couch. Yixing started humming to himself but stopped to ask, "What are you thinking about?"

Taekwoon thought, and thought again. ". . . I feel good." he responded, smile inevitably growing. "I missed you a lot."

Yixing cooed a bit, knowing he was serious. "Ah, I missed you too." he crawled to the edge of his seat. "Sorry I couldn't come sooner."

"s'Not your fault." Taekwoon cut, closing his eyes. His chest started tightening. "I move around so much, school gets in the way . . . There's always just a lot going on." He tilted his head back to look at Yixing upside-down. "But it feels good when I'm with you."

It was like that for a moment; serious and heavy and Taekwoon felt like he might start spilling his heart right there, but Yixing smiled cheekily and broke it. "Just can't get enough of me," he sang, and a pillow sailed for his face.

Taekwoon rolled over again. "Now that you're here, what would you like to do?"

Sure, Yixing was staying a while, but Taekwoon wanted to stuff everything they could possibly do together into a single day. He knew he was unusually animated because Yixing kept telling him, Slow down, We have time, There aren't enough hours in the day, and Taekwoon that doesn't even sound legal.

Being with him was really something else; he wasn't worried about anyone else, or trying to please everyone. It was the way it used to be for him: him and Yixing, playing around, being happy together . . . He didn't know how much he needed it until he was here.

"Why are you laughing?" Taekwoon nudged him in the arm.

Yixing waved his hand. "No it's—I mean, the way you made it sound, your friends could pop up any time now, but I've only met Jongdae so far."

Taekwoon concealed a pout. "They're trying to make me look bad . . ." he weakly argued, looking over the stand of food. "What do you what? My treat."

"Tell yourself that, Taekwoonie," Yixing teased, and joined him in looking over the street food.

With savory meat on a stick, they walked together, talking about everything from a cute stray dog they'd seen to Yixing's future plans and what he'd be doing when he went back home. They walked down the street together, staying close and weaving through the crowds since the late day rush was around and people were shopping.

After clearing the market, they settled at a small park surrounded by buildings, green and pretty.

"So," Yixing began as they ate their ice cream-filled fish cakes. "when are you going to tell me about these mysterious outsiders that never seem to leave you alone?"

Taekwoon almost choked on a bite and swallowed thickly. He had . . . eventually planned to sit down and tell Yixing everything, but he wasn't expecting him to bring it up so casually. He meant—it wasn't like Ravi and those guys were a serious topic, but the truth was that he hadn't sorted all of his thoughts about them (and Ravi especially) yet. He suddenly didn't want to finish the rest of his cold treat.

"Taekwoon . . . ?"

"They're . . ." he began, trying to force it all out of his mouth. ". . . really something else." he finished lamely.

Yixing laughed, aware of his confusion and discomfort. "That bad, are they?"

Taekwoon deliberately shook his head. "I . . . They're not . . . Not bad . . . They're just . . . a lot to deal with, I think." he tried, pinching the breading of his fish and looking at the imprints of his fingers. "I still don't know why people don't like them. I keep wondering, Yixing, are they bad? Delinquent kids? Why are they so interested in me?"

He could tell Yixing was trying to hold back more laughter and he shoved an elbow into his side, making him cough out and his laughter break through.

"Are they some kind of monsters? From a book or a movie?" Yixing teased. Taekwoon glared at him, breaking the breading of his ice cream this time. "Okay, okay, I get it . . . It's just a little funny to me, that's all. You've hung out with them, haven't you?"

Taekwoon nodded. "Only a few times . . ."

"What kind of feel did you get off them then?"

He squeezed some of the melting vanilla from the breading. It dripped onto his fingers. "They're close. Like a family? Not just close, closed off too. They're not the horrible people everyone tried to make me believe, at least . . . I don't think so. I really can't be sure yet? They're nice to me . . ."

Yixing patted his shoulder. "It sounds like it will come all in good time."

Taekwoon slumped. "I hope so. I'm a little tired of not knowing what's up with them." Not that it's my business, but . . . "I just kind of want to be left alone by everyone."

Yixing cooed, teasingly, "Aww, no you don't. Little baby Taekwoonie just gets worn out easily." He tried to pinch his cheek again, but Taekwoon swatted it away. "But they sound interesting, so I think it would be cool to meet them once while I'm here."

Taekwoon scowled at the thought; of Ken terrorizing Yixing or Hongbin warping him somehow. Yixing, his pure, only good friend, Yixing, turned against him by some punks he couldn't (couldn't, he swore) stand to be around. "Absolutely not." he pouted.

And Yixing laughed some more.

The park eventually became a little too crowded for Taekwoon's tastes and so they left, but he filed the location away for later since he liked how it was nestled between so much of modern society.

Going back the way they came with the setting sun, they eventually passed the tea shop Taekwoon frequented and he remembered the one from the first night he came. While they were passing it, he looked over and it seemed just like perfect timing—he spotted Hyuk poking his head out of the door and they locked eyes. Taekwoon almost stopped, but Yixing was telling a ridiculously awful joke, and he was making himself laugh so much that he leaned on Taekwoon to stay standing.

His heart thumped as Hyuk's eyes went wide, and he knew this might be a recipe for disaster. He would probably have to text Hongbin later to clear this up, because he couldn't stop walking—he didn't want to stop walking, and have to risk introducing Yixing to his five little problems already. He just hoped his small, apologetic smile would appease Hyuk for now, but they were passed the store by then.

Any hope of a peaceful and enjoyable visit with Yixing might have just gone out the window.