Luhan sneezed.

When he felt it was okay to continue on, he sneezed again. Minseok laughed and went back to his papaya. "Sorry about that." He watched as the chef washed the arrangement of vegetables in his bowl and at the same time, eyeing the mango. He sneezed again.

"You were forced back to China?"

Luhan nodded solemnly. "I had no power here, I had no power at home. I was taken back before I could graduate. Really, it didn't even matter anymore at that point. I just want to sing for myself."

Minseok nodded. "Well...after I was fired, I decided to do some snooping around...and found out that your father—well stepbrother and step mother is going in debt."

Luhan looked up quickly. His eyes widened. "They're in debt?"

He nodded. "He's been embezzling funds to stay atop of the pyramid. And I saw a lot of documents denying him of access to some of the assets that your father gave you. There was a lot that he was able to receive as a third party but even more that he couldn’t."

The latter gulped, worry etching into his brows. His whole time in Korea, he wasn't clear on the reason why his stepbrother and step mother needed to exploit the workers in the fashion company and to find scandalous information to expose. Now it was starting to make sense. "Minseok...I'm worried. They're using me to exploit the EXOtic Fashion company."

Minseok wiped his hands on his apron and thought for a while, looking at nothing in particular. Luhan watched as he put a hand under his chin and tilted his head sideways. Though Luhan shouldn't have, he was imagining Sehun in the same position.

"Well, you're in such an icky position. It kind of to be you, honestly."

Luhan bursted out laughing and clutched his chest in humor. Minseok seemed to find it less humorous, though he did chuckle a bit to be polite.

"I know," said Luhan laughter dying. "It does , and it hurts." His smile faded and he let out another sigh. It .

"Luhan, I think you should do something while you're here. I mean instead of just trying to stay afloat, try to swim too. If you stay in one place, you'll eventually die out without having gone far. I will try to help all I can. After all, I'm currently jobless so I've got lots of time to spare." His gummy smile seemed to reassure him. He stood up, bringing over the cup he had drank out of and the faucet to wash it. "I'm also glad that you turned out to be the complete opposite of what I imagined you to be."

"What'd you think I'd be like?"

Luhan put the cup on the rack and leaned against the counter beside Minseok. "I was expecting the—you know, the bratty and arrogant type of person." Luhan gave a funny face and the other was quick to defend himself. "I know, I was stereotyping but it's kind of hard to think otherwise."

Luhan laughed as Minseok rinsed the mango he had been eyeing for a while now.

"I—" Luhan stopped mid-sentence with the ring of the doorbell. Minseok automatically perked up and under his breath, asked for a minute. He went to the door and opened it.

"Good evening Ahjumma."  Luhan turned off the running water that Minseok had absentmindedly left on after hearing him continue conversation the the woman. Staring at the lights on the ceiling, he counted from twenty backwards. He wanted to stop being such a boring person.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you had a guest over. I'll head back now before it gets too late. Talk to you next time."

"It's no problem at all Ahjumma! I'll see you next time; be careful!"

Luhan watched Minseok wave goodbye before he closed the door, returning with a bright smile and a medium sized paper bag in his hands.

"Neighbor?"

"Yup! She's such a nice lovely woman. She always brings me stuff from the bakery she owns."

At the mention of bakery, Luhan's mouth began to salivate. He watched as Minseok opened a cupboard and take out two small plates and putting them in front of Luhan and him. He set the bag on the island counter and took out its contents.

"Luhan, dig in. I'll eat after I conquer this papaya thing!" Luhan giggled, and without hesitation, grabbed the strawberry chocolate cream cheese croissant, his favorite.

"Luhan your phone is ringing."

He looked up from where he was laying his head on the couch, eyes still watering. After eating sweets, he gladly accepted Minseok's first-time papaya. The initial taste was okay, the blend of tapioca and the crunchiness of the papaya was starting to register until the spiciness hit him. His tongue felt like flames had engulfed it, and Minseok hurried to get a glass of milk, only to find that he had no more. With Luhan on the verge of crying, mind you he already was, he the hot water and gave it to Luhan. He drank it, and the pain of the hot water squelching the blazing burn on his tongue sent tears rolling down the curves of his cheeks. It took a while for the both to calm down. As an apology, Minseok ate some of it as well, only for the same situation to repeat.

"Hello?"

"Luhan, did you already return home?"

He gulped. His mouth was watering for many different reasons. "No, I haven't left yet." His speech sounded slurred and he hoped Sehun wouldn't take notice of it, but he did.

"Are you okay? You're speaking as if you're constipated."

Luhan chuckled and Minseok looked over curiously. "No I'm fine. Just ate some spicy stuff, but don't worry about me getting home. I'll be okay."

Minseok smiled sheepishly, guilty for his experiment and gave the hundredth apologetic bow.

"But it's dark already and you never know what could happen. I can come pick you up? Min Jung and I are over at Jummyeon's place."

Luhan contemplated whether he should or shouldn't. He took a quick glance out the window seeing the full moon and the dark night sky. The closest street lamp in view was flickering and it looked deadly silent out. It made the offer tempting. "Um...call back in thirty minutes and we'll see." He laughed nervously.

"Alright. But if you don't pick up, I'm immediately coming to find wherever you are."

Luhan chuckled. "I'll be fine. Talk to you later...I guess?"

He hung up and the scandalous look on Minseok's face was priceless. "Okay, Mr. Luhan. Spill all the papaya to me already." The corners of his lips curled up into a sly grin as the other cringed at the choice of word. He flinched away when Minseok gave him the look.

"It's nothing. He's just my boss!"

"A boss who looks at you more than just an employee." He wriggled his eyebrows in a taunting way and Luhan could feel heat travel to his ears, a tell-tale sign that wasn't hard to miss.

"I-it's nothing like that! I...I don't swing that way!"

"Oh-ho-ho, says the guy gushing over the phone. I knew it from the pitiful look he had on his face when you left him earlier to come with me." He began laughing gently and cooing over Luhan. Luhan shook his head and scooted on the edge of his seat to pinch him in the bicep. But the bicep was too overpowering.

"Honestly, I..."

Minseok waited for him to continue. "Honestly you?"

"Honestly...I don't know. I don't know. I shouldn't. So I don't know."

"Honestly you don't know what? You shouldn't what?"

"I don't even know. This is weird. It feels weird."

"If you're coming out of the closet, don't worry. I don't judge and I don't mind."

"I'm sure you don't, but I don't know. I just don't."

Minseok smiled and patted his shoulder in a knowing way. "Trust me, you'll know sooner or later. It's best not to rush."

Luhan nodded, unsure of what they were even agreeing upon. He only knew that he had to protect Sehun and his group of friends from his step-brother.  

"Minseok, do you think it's okay to try at least? I mean...you understand my situation at...at home but what about the one at work? With him? I don't even know what to do! He makes me happy and I want to stay by his side, but it's not like I'm trying to get with him. I just, I know it's not going to work out. It won't, but I selfishly want it to. What am I even saying? I don't even know what it is I want! I just...I just want to find my mother..."

His breath was shaky and the sudden shift of the atmosphere was alarmingly emotional. Luhan had tears in his eyes again and Minseok knew it wasn't from the papaya from earlier.

"Be selfish Luhan. Don't believe that it won't work. I know I can never understand the situation you're in, but have some faith in yourself. He shines bright doesn't he? And the little girl, she does too right? Don't ever deviate away from that light. As for the darkness at home, don't just live in it, survive and get rid of it. Get rid of it."

Luhan nodded, his face in his palms as tears trickle out the corners of his eyes. It was such a sudden realization. He wasn't ready.

"Luhan, accept his ride. It's late and I would love to drop you home, but I have no car and I'm not trying to walk home in the dark back by myself. Sorry."

Luhan laughed. "It's fine, I completely understand. I don't want to bother him though...it feels awkward. I'm supposed to be his secretary..."

"But you're outside of working hours so now you gotta be in it to win it."

He laughed again. "Minseok, you're a star. A bright star."

The latter blushed shyly and smiled awkwardly. "Aigoo, don't be like that."

Luhan jumped a bit when his phone began ringing, his favorite song blasting through the room. He check the time and nervously stared at the same.

Incoming call from Oh Sehun

"It's only been like...fifteen minutes..." He answered anyways.

"Luhan?"

"Yeah?"

"Nothing...just making sure—stop poking me!" Luhan brought the phone a ways away from his ear when Sehun shouted. He could hear muffled laughter and speaking before Sehun huffed and groaned. Luhan stiffened and gulped.

"S-Sehun, what?"

"Oh, nothing. Junmyeon is being a bug right now. Anyways, still taking my offer?"

"It's only been fifteen minutes..."

"Well, too bad because I'm calling already."

"Sure."

"Address?"

"I'll text it to you. See you." He quickly hung up and breathed. It was suddenly nerve wracking to speak to Sehun.

He handed his phone to Minseok to type his address. "He's really handsome though, and I mean really really handsome," he emphasized, returning the phone.

"Imagine having no sleep the night prior and having to be in the same room as the guy for hours. I thought I wouldn't survive on my first day."

Minseok laughed and laid back against the loveseat he was in. "I should tell you something before you leave." Luhan looked up from his phone and encouraged him to continue. “You should be careful of your step-brother’s trusted security guards. They’re part of a Mafia gang that he’s brought over.”

He gulped.

"Thank you so much for having me over Minseok! I'll make sure to visit whenever I can!" He hugged Minseok and the elder laughed, seeing Sehun's face contort.

"Of course. You better make sure you do! Update me!" He winked at Luhan and the latter felt heat dance across his neck, understanding what he was saying. He waved one last time before Minseok closed the door.

"Ready to go?"

Luhan braced himself to look at Sehun before turning around and actually doing so. "Yeah, thanks again. You didn't have to."

They walked out of the gate and let it close behind them. "Well, I wanted to."

Luhan waited until Sehun got to the otherside before he opened the door and got in. He put on the seatbelt and nervously looked out the window.

"Sorry about earlier, just leaving you and Min Jung unexpectedly like that."

Sehun put his key in and twisted the car alive. "It's okay, you can owe us one on another occasion." Luhan looked at the smirk Sehun sent his way and smiled to himself secretly. Sehun watched as Luhan waved to Minseok from the window and felt a bit weird. The silence overpowered as Sehun concentrated on the road and Luhan busily fidgeted with his fingers. His earlier conversation with Minseok was starting to come back and the sides of his cheeks were beginning to heat up.

"Sehun..."

"Yeah?"

"What are your thoughts on lies? Do you think there is a good lie and a bad lie? Or is a lie still a lie at the end of the day?"

The designer folded his lips in thought while trying to concentrate on the road in the night. "Yeah, a lie is a lie at the end of the day...but if the purpose of the lie is for the good of people, then it wouldn't really be a lie."

Luhan didn't reply and kept it at that. The long droned out silence continued as one focused on the road and the other tried focusing on not focusing. It wasn't until a little rumbling from above before they spoke again.

"Imagine walking home in this weather," Luhan said while chuckling. Knowingly, the other returned the affection.

A/N: This is an ugly, poorly written chapter update just to remind you readers that I am still alive. On another note, Summer is finally here!! Now I can tumblr and catch up on anime and manga and fanfics and everything not outside! YAY!