"Do you believe in love?" Lu Han asks.

Sehun laughs and hugs him from behind. They are sitting on the couch, with Lu Han sandwiched between Sehun's legs. "You know I don't believe in that nonsense. Why, do you?"

He forces out a laugh and says, "Of course not." But he does. He curses himself for even asking when he knows the answer the boy will give.

Sehun nibbles his ears and trails hot kisses down his neck. "Nothing good ever comes out of it. It only makes the world a tier place."

He knows why Sehun doesn't believe in love. The boy, who is four years younger than him, has stopped believing when his parents divorced when he was young; when he was left in his aunt's care because neither his father nor mother wanted him.

"I was conceived because of that love," Sehun continues. "But I was left alone to fend for myself because of love."

"But I'm thankful for that," Lu Han intervenes. "I wouldn't have met you."

Sehun laughs again. He resumes kissing Lu Han's neck and breathing in his fragrant smell.

He doesn't tell the younger boy that he believes in love because he knows that he will only distance himself if he does. The boy, although he speaks nonchalantly about his parents, has been deeply wounded. It has been ten years since his parents abandoned him, but the wounds are still fresh. So Lu Han pretends that he doesn't believe in love.

Lu Han pretends that he doesn't love him.

~~~

Sehun lies easily when Lu Han asks him if he believes in love. The truth is, he does. But he has put up a barrier to protect himself. He tells everyone that he doesn't believe in love.

He doesn't want to get hurt anymore.

He knows Lu Han doesn't believe in love. The Chinese boy has never told him otherwise.

He also knows that he has never had a long lasting relationship. He assumes it's because his previous partners were romantics. So he's careful not to make the mistake Lu Han's exes has made.

If Lu Han doesn't believe in love, then he doesn't either.

~~~

Sehun wraps a strong arm around Lu Han. "Good morning, beautiful," he greets him.

Lu Han blushes and tugs the arm away. He holds his hand and they walk to university together.

He's a senior and Sehun is a freshman. They spend all their free time with each other because they know that after Lu Han graduates, they may never see each other again anymore.

Their relationship, after all, is not something built on love. It's just a small fling because they don't believe in love.

That's what they try to believe.

"So what are you going to do after graduation?" Sehun asks as he plays with Lu Han's hand with his thumb.

"Probably go back to China and get a job there," Lu Han answers.

He feels Sehun stiffen for a minute and the boy tries to stir the conversation to another direction. "There's a new movie showing tomorrow. Do you want to see it?"

But he's not going to let him off that easily. "What are we going to do afterwards?" he asks in a soft voice. He tightens his grip on his hand.

Sehun has stopped playing with his hand and answers exasperatedly, "To be honest, I really don't know."

He stops walking and pulls him to a stop. He looks at him in the eyes and asks, "Do you want to talk?"

~~~

They end up skipping their first class. They sit under a cherry blossom tree. Sehun nervously looks from side to side. He knows what will happen. Lu Han will tell him that things aren't working out. He'll tell him that they have to stop it. And he'll leave him hanging, like his parents did before.

He silently curses himself for opening his heart just when the wounds of the past have finally healed. Now he needs to wait until the pain subsides and the wounds close. But he vows that after this, he won't open his heart to anyone anymore. He's already taken chances to last even his lifetime after this.

He is snapped out of his reverie when a gentle hand cradles his own. He swallows hard and looks at Lu Han.

"Do you believe in love?" Lu Han asks him slowly.

This is it. He has probably noticed Sehun's lies. But he still chooses to lie again, rather than to lose Lu Han. "You've asked me that already. You know that I-"

"I know you don't," the older man says calmly. "But do you believe in me?"

He is stunned, but he manages to nod.

Lu Han smiles genuinely. "That's good enough for me. So please, don't leave me."

Sehun blinks his eyes a couple of times. "But you're the one who's leaving," he accuses him.

"If you want me to stay, then I will stay," Lu Han says. He smiles at him warmly, making his insides burst.

"Why are you doing this?" he asks warily.

"Because you believe in me and I in you. Because you trust me and I do you. And because I love you."

~~~

Sehun stares at him in shock so he quickly adds, "I won't force you to love me back because I know you-"

His rambling is stopped when Sehun tackles him to the ground with a hug. "I love you too," the younger boy says.

"What?" he sputters.

"I love you," Sehun says, "I love you so much. But I was afraid that you would turn away when I told you that because I thought you didn't believe in love. I thought you only liked flings."

He laughs and gently pushes himself to a sitting position. He holds his boyfriend's hand again. "I guess we're both stupid, huh? I can't believe we didn't notice that we were lying to each other."

Sehun laughs too. "I guess we still don't know each other that much."

"Mhm. But now we have all the time in the world. No more secrets?"

The younger boy smiles widely. "No more secrets and lies."

"I'm really happy."

Sehun squeezes his hand. "Me too." And then he remembers the more pressing matter. He still hasn't received a straight reply. "So are you still going back to China?"

He shakes his head. "No. You gave me a reason to stay."