Sweet Pea: Thank you for a lovely time

Oh Soo Yun knew that out of her two children, Jung Hee was the one to give her more heart attacks than not. Compared to Sehun's calm nature, her eldest son was the one to give her more surprises (both pleasant and unpleasant) due to his extrovert personality.

However, she was caught off guard on the morning after the birthday celebration her youngest son was invited to.

Since she was most likely asleep when Sehun returned, she obviously didn't see him arrive. She woke up early just like every other day to have time for herself and her family before she opened her flower shop. Soo Yun had remembered what had happened last night, and just like any mother would do in this case, she decided to check Sehun's room to make sure he was there, safe and sound. Soo Yun opened her son's door without making any noise and peeked inside. What she saw had shocked her.

Sehun was in his room alright, but he wasn't alone. He was sleeping with another person in his bed.

She watched as her son slept peacefully with his arms around the stranger whose face was hidden from sight. The only thing Soo Yun could see was the person's petite body and their reddish brown hair. This was a really big surprise because not only had Sehun brought a person home without her or Young Soo's permission, he was hugging that same person.

Sehun, the youngest son who was never one to tolerate affection and physical contact, was cuddling someone.

Soo Yun was conflicted between waking Sehun up and demand answers from him or just watch this cute and peaceful moment that may never be witnessed ever again; she chose the second option.

"Eumma, what are you-?" Soo Yun heard Jung Hee say as he stopped next to her. Jung Hee had also taken a peek and his eyes widened, just like his mother's a few minutes back. "What?! Sehun brought a gi-" She shushed her son. "Let them sleep. They must be exhausted from yesterday. Help me make breakfast instead," Soo Yun closed Sehun's door, leaving Sehun and the 'stranger' sleep in silence.

---

It's so warm...

As he felt his consciousness return in small bits, Sehun was pretty sure that he slept better than other days. This fact made him want to continue sleeping. However, the slight weight on his chest wasn't letting this happen. He touched his chest but felt nothing. He tried again and the feeling of nothingness was repeated.

What's going on?! I can't feel anything!

"Ngh," he heard someone moan on top of him.

What?!!

Sehun opened his eyes and saw a mop of reddish brown hair laying on his chest. Suddenly, everything from last night crashed down on him.

---

Last Night:

"What?" Luhan stared at him as if he grew two heads in the last minute or two that passed.

"I asked you if you wanted to stay at my house for the night, since it's late and I don't want you going home by yourself," Sehun elaborated without jumbling his words together.

"Um, that's so nice for you to ask, but what will your parents say? Do you think they'd mind the intrusion?" Luhan didn't want to cause Sehun any problems with his family just because he would arrive unannounced. That, and Sehun had done a lot for him already in one night.

"They won't mind. In fact, I think they wouldn't even notice you since it's late. They're probably asleep by now," Sehun hoped that would be the case because he didn't want to lose this small discussion just because Luhan is being selfless again. Besides, he only brought Luhan. It's not like Luhan would cause any wrecks inside his home like certain people they knew. "Please Luhan? If you accept, I can get you the book that you wanted."

"Are you really desperate for me to sleep over at your place to the point of bribery? I swear, the guys are rubbing off on you," Luhan commented before thinking about it. Finally, he came up with a decision. "Fine, I will accept your offer," Luhan opted to comply to Sehun's wish. He stood up from the swing and waited for the younger to follow him on their way to retrieve the Vespa from its spot so they could head to Sehun's house. The two crossed the bridge and headed to Wangsimini-ro; once they arrived around the neighborhood, it took them a few minutes to reach the younger's apartment. Luhan stopped in front of the Baedal Flower Shop then Sehun got off the bike. After opening the apartment's front entrance, the two boys managed to place the bike inside without blocking the way.

Once they got up to Sehun's floor, the boys made a whole fuzz to avoid being detected inside the younger's home to the point of muting their phones. When they reached Sehun's room, the two sighed in relief.

"Well, that was nerve-wrecking," Luhan whispered. He looked around the bedroom with interest; it was so different from his own room. Although Sehun's room was smaller and seemed more crowded, it was organized and had this warm feeling that made him feel relaxed. Sehun's bed was decorated with white-and-navy blue covers and there was a dark maple shelf headboard behind it. The amount of books and photographs of different cities made the shelves alive and on the other side of the room there was dark maple desk were a silver laptop laid. Luhan got closer to it and looked at another set of photographs that decorated the desk; this time, the photographs were of his family or flowers.

"...for you to wear, I hope they're not too big on you," Luhan turned around to see Sehun holding a gray t-shirt and black pajama pants. Realizing the clothes are meant for him, he thanked Sehun before the latter told him he was going to take a quick shower. Luhan took this time to change into the clothes given to him. After he was done, he sat patiently on the edge of the bed as he carefully folded his suit. When he heard the door open once more, he saw a pajama-wearing Sehun grin at him as he was drying his hair with a towel.

"Did I take long?" Sehun asked him. Luhan grinned as he shook his head in response. He watched as Sehun started pulling the covers and arranging the pillows. "Which side do you sleep on?"

"I usually sleep in the left side," Luhan answered. It was always the left side, no matter where he was at. "You don't mind sharing?"

"Of course not. Why? Do you not like sharing your bed?"

"Not really... I could share a lot of things but not the bed. Call me weird but when I do share my bed, it has to be someone who makes me comfortable to the point where I'm okay with their presence without really realizing they're there."

"I guess that's a valid reason. I mean, I could always give you the bed while I stay in the couch, but it's not really comfortable to sleep there after a few hours," Sehun told Luhan as he started getting under the sheets. Luhan left his suit on Sehun's chair before going to the doorway to turn the lights off.

"It's alright," Luhan followed Sehun's lead, "I don't want your back to hurt tomorrow if that's the case."

After the two were settled in the bed with their backs facing each other, they bid each other good night before they allowed Morpheus to lead them to the land of unconciousness.

---

"What time is it?"

Sehun returned to reality when he heard Luhan's sleepy voice. He squinted to look at the numbers on the wall clock; it read seven-thirty.

"Seven-thirty... It's still early. Go back to sleep," Sehun whispered as he started caressing the boy's reddish brown hair for no special reason. Luhan only nodded, not minding Sehun's touch, and went back to sleep in less than a minute.

Sehun took this time to observe Luhan's features as the older boy slept. He never denied that his friend was very pretty; everyone in their group acknoledged that fact. But it seemed that Luhan could be -what's the word? Adorable, maybe?- in his sleep. The disheveled hair, closed eyes showing off long eyelashes, and parted lips made Luhan look younger than he already did. His unblemished soft skin contributed to the beauty that amazed many people of both genders at their school. Maybe that's why Luhan was very sought after; he was the closest to the image of perfection. Luhan had both outer and inner beauty.

I never thought you would ever sound like Mom's romance novels, but you just did

Shut up, you know it's true...

I didn't say it wasn't, but... forget I said anything. One thing, though, you should probably stop your observations before anyone catches you creeping on Luhan

I wasn't creeping on him...

Sure you weren't.... Just go back to sleep, kid

I'm not a kid!

The brunette abandoned his mental debate and adjusted himself slightly to go back to sleep without disturbing Luhan from his slumber.

---

About an hour and a half later, Sehun began to wake up again. He was going to adjust Luhan to sleep on the bed but then he realized the weight on his chest was gone. He sat up faster than the speed of light and saw that Luhan was nowhere to be seen in his room. His first guess was that Luhan was in the bathroom but he was proven wrong when he saw the bathroom door open with the lights off. He got off his bed and rushed to the door before swinging it open.

"Luhan?" he whispered. "Where are you?"

Laughter erupted from the kitchen and his prayers were answered when he heard Luhan's voice in between whatever ruckus had happened in the room. When Sehun had reached the kitchen's doorway, he was surprised when he saw his brother backhugging Luhan, who was grasping Jung Hee's Rubik's cube. No one was aware of his presence since Soo Yun was busy cutting some vegetables.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" Jung Hee gushed. "You have no idea how many years it took me to solve that thing."

"No problem," Luhan replied, looking up at his hyung. Jung Hee then pinched the younger's cheeks.

"Eumma, can we adopt him? He is so adorable! He will be the best little brother in the world!"

Since when does Jung Hee have a brother complex?! And I'll get him back for that last part!

Sehun cleared his throat to make his presence known. "Morning," he greeted.

"Good Morning!" Luhan smiled at him. "Did you sleep well?"

The younger nodded in response. "That's good. I wanted you to rest after yesterday," Luhan told him.

"You have such a sweet friend," Soo Yun gestured at the hazel brown-eyed boy. Luhan blushed slightly at this and then thanked her.

"I can't believe you have kept him away from us for a long time, little brother," Jung Hee scolded him in a mocking manner. He still had his arms around Luhan.

"Pfft, of course I would. He's my friend," Sehun walked up to him, "and get your hands off him. You're invading his personal space."

"Your possessiveness hurts me," the older sibling placed a hand over his heart playfully. Sehun began to splutter when Luhan let out a small laugh.

"Alright boys," Soo Yun intervened, "I get that Luhan is a charming boy, but he is not a toy for you to fight over. Besides, he had offered to help me with the food and you two are distracting him."

After this, the matriarch and the three boys began to work dilligently on making breakfast and part of lunch. Sehun was impressed at Luhan's culinary skills; he knew no one could beat Kyungsoo's meals (or, surprisingly, the twins' pastries) but his hyung had made decent-looking gimbap that put Jung Hee's to shame. When they were done, the Oh family (with the exception of Young Soo, who had to go to his workplace earlier than usual to cover for another employee) and Luhan ate while having a small conversation.

"This gimbap is really good," Sehun told Luhan after a few bites.

"I'm glad you think so," Luhan replied happily in a humble manner, "I haven't cooked Korean cuisine since I was thirteen."

"Really? I'm surprised because it seems like you have been making this forever," Sehun said truthfully. "By the way, where did you learn how to cook Korean food?"

"When I used to live in China, I had a friend from Korea who taught me a lot of things, amongst them were cooking," Luhan said with a fond look in his eyes as he softly smiled. "He was such a good teacher."

"You miss him, right?"

"Of course I do," Luhan's eyes started to look glassy. "He was my best friend."

Sehun didn't miss this and began wondering about Luhan's life before moving to Korea. Sure, he learned a lot about him over the past weeks, but he only got the topping of the cake and he knew there was more beneath the surface. They have gone through a lot and Sehun was able to make it far with Luhan's help. He wanted to know Luhan more in depth so he could also fullfill his duty as the knight in shining armor that Luhan deserved. After all, friends looked after each other no matter what, right?

"If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be able to make friends and I wouldn't have met you if that was the case," Luhan placed a hand on Sehun's shoulder.

The two of them began to stare into each others eyes, forgetting about the others until Soo Yun commented on how "beautiful your friendship is." The breakfast continued until they couldn't fit anything else into their stomachs. When Soo Yun began cleaning the table, Luhan insisted that he wanted to help; as a result, Sehun and him were in charge of the dishes while Sehun's mother began putting everything away. There was a peaceful silence that occupied the kitchen as Luhan washed the dishes and Sehun dried them. Before they knew it, they were done with the small chore.

"We make a good team," Sehun commented as he raised his palm. Luhan grinned as he high-fived the palm before their fingers intertwined.

"Sehun," Soo Yun's voice interrupted their moment, "I'm going to go change and go downstairs with your brother to open the store. I suggest you do the same."

"Okay," he replied before turning his focus back to Luhan, "come on. We need to get changed."

"Is it alright if you lend me some clothes again? I don't want to wear my suit once more," Luhan told him as they walked back to Sehun's room.

"Sure," Sehun walked in and towards his drawers. When he saw his clothes, he started feeling self-conscious; he realized he had never seen Luhan wear anything casual-looking (aside from the set of clothes from last night). What if he doesn't like the clothes? he thought but then discarded it because he knew Luhan wasn't too concerned with what he wears (unlike three certain people they knew). Shrugging his doubts away, Sehun pulled out a black tee with the X-Men comics on it along with some dark jeans. "Will this do?" Sehun asked

"Yeah," Luhan replied sheepishly, "I'm going to go change in the bathroom."

"Alright."

Sehun watched as Luhan walked inside the bathroom and releases a small chuckle when he heard the door lock.

He's so timid at times, it's adorable, Sehun grinned inwardly as he started changing out of his clothes.

Tell me something I don't know.

Remind me again as to why I keep having mental debates with my conscience.

I don't know? You tell me.

"Sehun," he heard his mother knock. "Are you decent?"

"No, not really," he replied as he started putting on a white tee. "Hold on," he rushed putting up his pants before he told Soo Yun to enter. She came in with a small plastic box containing a toothbrush and a bag containing black socks.

"I found some essentials for Luhan," Soo Yun then signaled for her son to get closer to her. "Do you know if he's going to stay longer?"

That was a good question that hadn't entered Sehun's mind until now. For all he knew, Luhan might actually want to go to his own home and do something other than helping out downstairs at the shop.

"I'm not sure," Sehun whispered as he grabbed the items . "I will ask him."

After that, Soo Yun left the room. Sehun walked up to the bathroom door and knocked. The door became unlocked.

"Come in," he heard Luhan quiet voice.

When he opened the door, he saw Luhan fumbling with the top part of the jeans. From what it looked like in his point of view, the pants were a bit big for Luhan's hips. It was slightly comical seeing him struggling with Sehun's clothes.

"Do you need help?" Sehun asked in an amused manner. He tried to hide his smirk when he saw his friend sighing in defeat. "Yeah, I do," the doe-eyed boy answered.

"Come here," Sehun told Luhan as he walked to his drawers again. He took out a black belt and handed it to Luhan who has still grasping the pants. Luhan thanked him before adjusting it on the clothing piece.

"So," Sehun started as he placed a hand behind his back and twisted two fingers together, "um, I'm going to be helping Eumma downstairs. I was wondering if you were going to stay a bit longer, or if you wanted to go elsewhere." Sehun berated himself for sounding so awkward.

You sound like you're asking him out on a date.

Shut up, you're not helping.

"I don't have anything to do today... but do you want me to stay? I mean, it's fine if you don't; after all, I would be intruding if I did. But I hope it's not a big deal if I do. I've always wanted to see your mother's shop before, so I hope that you say-." At this point, Luhan was babbling and Sehun placed his palm on the older's mouth.

"Yes, I want you to stay," Sehun replied nonchalantly and removed his hand from its place only for it to shuffle Luhan's hair. Luhan laughed at this and as some sort of 'fun' revenge, he placed both of his hands and placed them on each side of Sehun's face; he made Sehun look like he was smiling in a painfully comical way. They continued like this until they heard the door open, revealing Jung Hee with a Chesire Cat grin.

"I'm sorry to interrupt this fun moment, but Eumma has opened the shop. So the presence of you two lovebirds is requested now."

---

Sehun had never seen the Baedal Flower Shop so busy before. Sure, they had more customers when it was Valentine's Day or some spring festivity. But it was mid-November and it was usually amongst the slowest months for the shop. The first few hours had proved otherwise, and somehow, it was all thanks to Luhan.

When the two had arrived at the shop, Sehun gave Luhan a small tour. After that, the two were put in charge of the cashier post since it was the easiest thing to do in the shop. At first, business was being slow so Sehun had the chance to teach Luhan a few of the basics on how to recognize a flower from another. Then, there were two little girls who entered the shop. In Sehun's opinion, it was hilarious to see the two girls get flustered when they asked Luhan for a flower crown for their mother since it was the woman's birthday. His amusement turned into pride when Luhan offered to make the crown himself; not only had he realized Luhan was a fast learner when he used red chrysanthemums, since that flower represented love and it was also the birth flower for November, but he made the crown with such grace and care. Then, Luhan's (unintentional) charm had increased when more customers, mainly women, had entered the shop and started buying whatever flower they liked just to catch a glimpse of the reddish brown-haired boy that became the topic of those who were walking by the shop and were conveniently single. Although some of the ladies were openly flirting with him (much to Sehun's hidden annoyance towards such interruption), Luhan managed to keep a small conversation without being a victim of man-eating ladies.

It was around noon when Soo Yun received a call from a customer; the person wanted a bouquet to be brought to their workplace at Majang-dong . Since that person had ordered beforehand, the job only required for the bouquet to be delivered. Soo Yun decided that Sehun should deliver the bouquet. Then Luhan said he wanted to go with his friend. At first, Sehun wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of Luhan in a local train, but his hyung insisted that not only did they not have the choice to ride Luhan's Vespa since the bouquet would get ruined, but he wouldn't mind taking the train.

"Please, Sehun," Luhan begged after Sehun had declined half-heartedly. "Please. I promise to pay for my ticket."

"This isn't even about the money," Sehun muttered, "What if you get lost?"

"I won't because I'm going to be with you. You always protect me and I don't see no reason as to why that would change anytime soon," Luhan said truthfully. "Please accept. I honestly don't want to resort to Kai's methods when he's trying to convince me."

"What does he do?" Sehun as

"He glomps me until I say yes."

"Oh, so you don't want to glomp me?"

"Aiya! That's not what I meant... But since you haven't made up your mind in my favor," Luhan then attached himself on Sehun.

"Wha-?"

"Please Sehun-ah," Luhan begged some more. This time, his pout was present. "Please say yes."

At that moment, Jung Hee was walking in with an order of lilies. "Stop being a jerk and say yes," Jung Hee hissed quietly near Sehun's ear after he saw the small bicker between the two boys.

A few seconds passed. "I sometimes wonder who the real hyung in this friendship is... Fine, you can come with me."

"Yay!" Luhan squeezed Sehun tighter. "Thank you! You have no idea how much I've wanted to take a train! Wait until I tell Chanyeol on Monday...," he started rambling excitedly.

He's getting excited over a train ride?

Sehun found this really odd; there was nothing special about a train, especially the local ones. Then again, he takes the train almost every day, so that explains his indifference. But at times, he forgets that Luhan is at a higher economic position than he is thanks to the boy's down-to-earth nature. Unlike him, Luhan doesn't have to take a local train every day, or any day for that fact.

"So, this is going to be your first train ride?" Sehun asked even though it was most likely he knew the answer to that question. Luhan, whose childish demeanor had disappeared for the time being, nodded gently. "I've always wanted to ride the train, but I've never had the chance until now."

Sehun backed away from Luhan and grasped the older's hand. "Well, in that case, let's get some jackets before we leave." They were about to head to the apartment, but Soo Yun called Sehun's name. When her son approached her, she pulled him closer.

"If you want, you can take the whole day off after the delivery," Soo Yun told her son, leaving him perplexed.

"Eumma, but the shop-"

"The shop can be supported by Jung Hee and I alone. Besides, you seem really happy with Luhan. You two should enjoy the day outside a flower shop."

"But where are we-"

"You'll figure it out eventually. After all, from what I've observed, Luhan is pretty easy to please. Just show him around, take him to the park, I don't know. Do something you youngsters do nowadays, have fun... but not too much fun. Just make sure to come back before dark, and to tell me everything."

"Why?"

"Because this is the first time I see you enjoying yourself as the boy you're supposed to be and not some middle aged man with a stick up his arse."

"Ma!"

"Hush, now go," Soo Yun softly pushed Sehun towards Luhan who was talking to Jung Hee. She waved at them as she saw the two boys leave with the small bouquet towards the apartment. Jung Hee approached her.

"Little brother finally found someone, didn't he?" Jung Hee said asked as he placed a hand on his mom's shoulder. Soo Yun nodded. "It's the first time I see him show interest and affection towards a person," she sighed, "my little boy has finally found his first true friend."

---

Sehun wasn't going to lie if someone asked him if his train ride experience changed after that day; seeing Luhan's wondrous expressions made his day. Sure, Luhan seemed happy and smiled a lot, but he had never seen the look of awe on his hyung's face until now. That awe-strick expression made Luhan's smile the more brighter. It made the train ride more relaxing and pleasant than it has ever been before.

After reaching Majang-dong, the two boys walked together, along with the bouquet, to the nicer and more modern part of the neighborhood. Once they found their location, which was a small clothing uni boutique, they roamed around the shop because Luhan became interested in some jewelry.  More specifically, a simple black pendant with the letter H on it.

"I really like this one," Luhan commented on it. "Should I buy it?"

"It would look good on you," Sehun replied. "If you like it, buy it. Don't forget to buy me one too, though."

"Okay," Luhan grabbed two pendants along with a leather bracelet. "Is that all?"

"I don't know. You should be asking yourself that one, not me."

"So you only want the pendant?"

"Wait, what? I was joking about the necklace. You don't have to buy it if you don't want to. I don't want to burden you."

"It's no trouble. Do you want something else?"

"Um, no, the pendant is fine, thank you."

They bought the jewelry and walked out. Before they walked any further, Sehun spotted a shop that contained his guilty pleasure: bubble tea.

"Have you ever tasted bubble tea?" Sehun asked Luhan.

"Only a few times," Luhan revealed. The older of the two noticed a excited glint in Sehun's eyes. "Do you want to go there?" he asked Sehun. Before he even got a verbal response from Sehun, Luhan felt himself being pulled towards the bubble tea-slash-bakery shop. When they went inside, they were greeted by baby blue walls and a neat room filled with small white tables and cobalt blue chairs. They walked up to the cashier register and waited until it was their turn to order; Sehun asked for a chocolate milk tea, the taro milk tea that Luhan wanted, and a slice of strawberry shortcake and chocolate mousse. Luhan was about to take his wallet out, but Sehun beat him to it. Luhan was about to protest if it wasn't for Sehun placed his hand on Luhan's mouth.

"You paid for my pendant. Let me pay for our food," Sehun said as he handed the money to the cashier girl.

"Fine," Luhan sighed and then grinned. Sehun led Luhan to sit down on one of the tables. While they were waiting for their order, they stared out the window and around the shop. It seemed there weren't a lot of people aside from the employees.

"Do you like it here?" Sehun asked Luhan, who was spacing out. Luhan nodded in response.

"It's different from the shops I go to," the red head replied. "It feels nice to not get recognized right away every time I get out of my house."

"What do you mean?"

"Since I live near the outskirts of Incheon and Seoul, I don't really have the chance to go out in the city unless I drive out to Incheon or stay over at Yixing's house. And when I do go out, people recognize me for being the heir of a business."

That's when Sehun realized that the talk about Luhan's family business has not been brought up a lot, neither by Luhan or Yixing. He knew what the families of the other guys dedicated themselves to, whether he was close to them or not. Aside from the easy ones like the Kim family, who juggled back and forth between industries, and the Byun family, Sehun had learned that Tao's parents focused solely on the fashion industry, and Kyungsoo's family owned a business within the music industry along with Chanyeol's family. The Wu family was involved in the car industry and Yixing's was within the medical industry. He wasn't as close to the others like he was with Luhan, so why didn't he know this specific fact about his friend?

"Um, I never really knew what your family business was," Sehun told him truthfully and sheepishly.

"Father owns the Orion Group, which is a conglomerate like Kai's, but it's different. Unlike Kim Enterprise, Orion is more dedicated to the transportation, airline, and real estate industries," Luhan explained as he stared at the moving cars outside the shop, "we don't really speak too much about this topic because Father is not here most of the times. I wouldn't be lying if I said it would be a miracle to see him at home and not at the office and events. Unlike the others, he doesn't really live at our house; he has his own apartment in Incheon."

Sehun began regretting ever asking him this because it was clear that Luhan wasn't happy talking about his father or the business, if the sudden sadness in his eyes didn't give it away. But he also started feeling a bit of anger towards a man he has never met. How can Luhan's dad pay more attention to business matters than his own blood? He was pretty sure Luhan was the only family member alive after his hyung told him about the family's tragedy, so that made things even worst.

"Number 175," they heard the cashier girl call out, "two milk teas and two slices of cake." Sehun remembered it was their order when he heard Luhan tell him he'd pick up the food. A few seconds later, Luhan returned with the flowery food tray. The two started eating in silence but Sehun couldn't help thinking about their early conversation. It wasn't until he saw a strawberry on his chocolate mousse that he got out of his train of thought. He looked at Luhan in a surprised manner.

"You have been staring intently at the strawberries on my pastry. I assumed you wanted some," Luhan explained nonchalantly.

"Oh, t-thank you," Sehun said, his earlier thoughts somewhat forgotten.

"Don't thank me yet," Luhan told him before grabbing a small piece of chocolate mousse. Sehun was gaping when Luhan placed the piece inside his mouth and directed a small teasing smile at him. "What? You have my piece, I have yours. Now we're even."

"Oh, so this is about getting even, huh?" Sehun asked playfully. Seeing the playful glint in Luhan's eyes, Sehun proceeded to take a piece from Luhan's strawberry shortcake. After this, the two proceeded to take pieces from each other's cakes until they were gone. Since the only things left were their drinks, Luhan and Sehun traded their drinks with each other.

"Hm, I haven't tasted taro in a while," Sehun commented before sipping the drink and chewing the pearls. "It's good."

"Your choice isn't that bad, either," Luhan replied.

"I guess Jung Hee is right," Sehun told him, "there's nothing better than stealing a bite from your friends' food."

Luhan nodded. "We should do this again some other time. It's comforting to not follow a strict etiquette every day."

After they finished the drinks, the two threw discarded the leftover items at the garbage bin before heading towards the exit. Sehun was about to meet Luhan out the door when suddenly, a girl bumped into Sehun.

"I'm sorry," Sehun apologized. He was about to leave the shop, but a hand was placed on his chest. He stepped back in surprise.

"I never thought I would bump into you again, Sehun-oppa," he heard a familiar voice.

Sehun stared at the girl for a moment, trying to find out who it was. The attractive girl had dyed-blond hair, blue eye contacts, and tinted red lips that smirked at him suggestively. He didn't recognize the girl, but it bothered him that she knew him.

"Um, I'm sorry. I don't recall who you are," Sehun told her. He planned on walking around her, but she stepped in front of him again.

"It's me, Seo Ji-woo," the girl said. "I go to your former school."

That's when Sehun remembered who Seo Ji-woo was. Ji-woo was one of the popular girls at Sangwamsimni High; she was also, unfortunately, one of the many girls who have tried taking advantage of him by pretending to have romantic interest in him during assigned group projects. Luckily, he always knew better than to let others take the credit for his intellect over some supposed love.

"Oh, I remember now," he replied with no enthusiasm. "Well, I'm sorry for bumping into you." Although you were the one that bumped into me, he thought. "Have a nice day."

"Thank you," Ji-woo wasn't letting him go easily, "but I think I can have a nice day with your company."

Huh?

"Why don't you stay and chat with me for a bit? We could catch up since it's been a while we've seen each other," Ji-woo insisted.

“I can’t,” Sehun tried to not get frustrated, “I have to go.”

“Where are you going? I’ll come with you; I want to find out what have you been up to after you transferred out to attend SM Academy."

"Wait, how do you know that?"

"Everyone knows that, honey. It's not everyday that an underdog goes up to the big leagues."

"Oh."

"If you want, we can talk about-

“Sehun? Is everything alright,” Luhan looked at him with a bit of concern. Ji-woo acknowledged Luhan’s presence and walked towards him (much to Sehun’s chagrin).

“Aw, who is this cutie? Is he your younger brother?” Ji-woo started caressing Luhan’s face.

“No, we're not related," Luhan started becoming flustered.

"Oh. Did Sehun find you at SM? Because I've never seen you around here."

"That's none of your concern," Sehun said, walking towards them and as soon as he did, he placed his arm around Luhan, “and I would appreciate if you respected his personal space. You're making him uncomfortable.”

Ji-woo stared at them for a while before returning her hand to her side. She showed them a strained smile.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude,” Ji-woo said, “I couldn’t help it. Your boyfriend is cute.”

B-B-Boyfriend?!

“Uh, you got it wrong!”

“We’re not a couple!”

“Psh, don’t deny it,” Ji-woo told them. Her face was becoming red. “Sehun-oppa has never take any interest in someone. Why should he start now if you guys weren’t dating?”

Before any of them could say anything, Ji-woo bid them goodbye and walked away from where they were standing. Seconds passed before they could understand what was going on.

"Did she really-?" Luhan began.

"Yeah," Sehun replied.

Neither of them could help but laugh at how ridiculous the situation was.

"We're boyfriends now!" Sehun almost dropped to the floor when he heard himself say this. He felt Luhan's back against his before hearing his hyung snort.

"Next thing you know, people will say we're getting married," Luhan said, "so you better get that ring, mister!"

The younger of the two grabbed Luhan's hand before stepping away from him. "I thought you'd never ask," Sehun twirled Luhan around.

"Where do you want the wedding to take place?" Luhan asked him. Although the question would throw some bystanders off, the two boys knew exactly what they were talking about.

"How about the park?"

"Good idea, darling."

Sehun offered his arm to Luhan. "Come on, my bride."

"I thought I was the groom," Luhan held on to Sehun's arm.

"Maybe next time," Sehun told him jokingly as they headed towards the train station.

---

Xiao Lu?

Hm?

If you had to give up every possession you had for a moment like this, would you do it?

Thunk!

Luhan opened his eyes and looked around the space where Sehun and him laid down on the park's lawn. He saw a football near his foot.

"I'm so sorry," he heard a little boy's voice next to him. Luhan turned to look at the owner of the voice; it was a dark haired boy who looked no older than ten. He was wearing a red-and-black shirt and shorts that resembled the FC Seoul football uniform.

"Don't worry about it," Luhan smiled, hoping that would calm the boy down a bit.

The boy was about to say something to Luhan, but then he saw Sehun sit up. "Sehun-hyung!" he called out to Sehun.

"Dae Hee? What are you doing here?" Sehun asked as he passed the ball to the boy.

"I'm playing football by myself. I need to practice for the Future of Seoul tryouts," Dae Hee said. "What about you?"

"Just hanging around with my friend," Sehun replied nonchalantly. "By the way, Luhan, this Dae Hee, my neighbor. Dae Hee, this is Luhan."

"Nice to meet you," Luhan greeted him.

"So, Dae Hee, do you want some help with football?" Sehun asked Dae Hee.

Dae Hee pouted. "But you're no good at football. Don't think I haven't forgotten about our last match with Jung Hee-hyung. You like hell."

Luhan couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Sehun's reddening cheeks. The times when Sehun would be flustered were pretty rare and it made him want to poke Sehun's cheeks. That, and Dae Hee's comment reminded him of Yi Fan's siblings.

"Well, now that you revealed my terrible football skills to the whole world, why don't we get Luhan to play with us to make the game more exciting?"

What?

"Is he any good?" Dae Hee asked, quite unsure about Sehun's judgement. From what Luhan heard, Dae Hee doubted Sehun's instincts when it comes to football.

Luckily, I'm a decent player.

"I think you wouldn't stand a chance against him," Sehun looked at Luhan when he said this.

He says this with so much confidence. Sehun is such a good friend.

"Alright then," Dae Hee's doubt still faltered, but Luhan could see it was less than before. "Are you up for it?" Dae Hee looked at Luhan.

"Sure," Luhan stood up. "Lead the way."

The dark-haired boy took them to the football field that was near the place Sehun and Luhan had been previously occupying. It wasn't as big as the one at SM Academy, but it was more than enough for the three of them. Luhan started feeling giddy the moment he stepped foot into the field. He knew that once he started playing football, Luhan would go into full athlete mode.

"Okay, which position do you guys usually take?" Luhan asked.

"I usually play goalie, but when Sehun-hyung and I are playing, I switch to striker," Dae Hee told Luhan.

"I'm a midfielder, so I think we can manage a small game so you can practice playing this position. Are you alright if Sehun and I play against you?" Luhan looked at Dae Hee, who was considering it. Dae Hee nodded with determination.

After flipping the coin that Dae Hee had at hand, the match began. Luhan tried to go a bit easy on Dae Hee, but after realizing that the kid didn't want that, the hazel-eyed boy began to play like he normally did. Luhan was very impressed; for someone as young as Dae Hee, the boy was a good strategist. However, Luhan had an advantage of his own. He may not look the part, but he could be a ruthless trickster on the field; he could fool the opponent into thinking one thing and Luhan could surprise them by doing the opposite. The ball was passed back and forth for the next half an hour or so and a few goals had been scored throughout this time. By the time Dae Hee managed to score his fifth goal, the boy called time out.

"Sehun-hyung was right," Dae Hee told Luhan, "you are good."

"Thank you," Luhan sat down on the grass, "you're not bad yourself."

"Well, I have to be more than good if I want to go past those tryouts. I really want to play for FC Seoul when I grow up, so I must work hard to get this," Dae Hee said excitedly.

 

You're so lucky, Minseok

Why is that?

You weren't born out of wealth... you get the sense of accomplishment out of your hard work... I don't have that because I never had to work a day in my life... I wish I did

You honestly don't, Xiao Lu... I'm not saying hard work is bad, but there are more obstacles in the way for those who aren't rich... I know Mama had to go through some struggles after Baba passed away just to make ends meet... Be grateful for what you have and try to make the best out of it, promise?

I promise...

 

"That's a good goal," Luhan smiled. "If that's what you want to do, you must really work hard for it and always make the best out of it."

"Yeah," Dae Hee sighed before checking his watch. "It's 15:35; I only have half an hour left before I get called back home."

"Do you want to keep practicing?"

Dae Hee nodded. "But I want to take over the goalie position."

"Alright," Luhan then turned to the direction where Sehun was at. "Sehun! You're switching with Dae Hee!"

Luhan remained seated as he watched the two boys switch places. Sehun offered his hand to Luhan.

“Will you go easy on me?”

The hazel-eyed boy grinned as he grabbed Sehun’s hand. “I’ll try.”

A few seconds later, the game between Sehun and Luhan started. Luhan began smirking when he saw Sehun getting frustrated at the fact that he couldn’t go around him.

“You said you would go easy on me,” Sehun glared at him. Luhan smiled, knowing Sehun’s glare didn’t really mean anything against him.

“I said I would try,” Luhan looked down at the ball that was under Sehun’s shoe.

“Don’t you dare think about it,” Sehun said when he noticed Luhan’s intentions.

“Pray tell what exactly was I thinking?” Luhan said playfully, although he gave off this aura that made him seem more like a predator than the prey everyone saw.

“You plan on tricking me,” Sehun stated, trying to maintain a poker face.

Luhan smirked. “I was planning no such thing. And even if I were,” the hazel-eyed boy pulled a maneuver and now he was in possession of the ball, “you must always keep your eyes on the prize, pretty boy.”

“Speak for yourself,” Sehun scoffed.

“Why, thanks for admitting it,” Luhan stuck his tongue out. He then ran before aiming at the net and scored a goal.

“You’re so full of yourself,” Sehun told him as he got closer to where Luhan was standing.

The two boys waited for Dae Hee to throw the ball. Luhan was waiting  for the ball to get closer to him so he could take possession of it. However, that moment never came when he felt arms around his waist. Before he could utter a protest, Luhan felt as he was raised from the floor and twirled to the opposite side.

“Wha-?!”

“You must keep your eyes on the prize,” he heard Sehun whisper near his ear, “but you must always watch out for your opponents.”

Then, Luhan was dropped unceremoniously. Unfortunately for Luhan, he stumbled to the floor with an "Oof!" He watched as Sehun ran to the ball and kicked it. After the ball hit the net, Sehun started jumping around excitedly.

"Whoo!" Sehun cheered, "Take that, Dae Hee!"

Luhan got up as quickly as possible and ran as stealthily as possible towards Sehun. He then pounced on top of the boy before giving Sehun the opportunity ot turn around. Both of them fell to the floor.

"Gah!" Sehun exclaimed when he felt Luhan straddle his hips. Luhan grinned when Sehun faced him.

"What was that for?!"

"I wanted to make sure your words backfired on you," Luhan replied before getting off him. He held out his hand for Sehun to take. "Don't pull any tricks."

"I won't," Sehun replied as he truned on his back and held on to the hand.

"Guys!" the two boys jumped when they realized Dae Hee was still with them, "I have to go!"

The boys waved good bye as they watched the young boy walk towards a young woman who Luhan assumed was his mother. Then, Sehun turned to Luhan. "Do you want to go back home or stay for a bit?"

"Can we go to the swings?"

"Alright."

The boys grabbed their belongings before heading to the swings. When they reached the playground, Luhan was relieved that they were empty. Both of them sat and started swinging back and forth, content with the calm silence between them.

 

Do I really have to go to sleep?

Yes, you do... If not, you won't be able to wake up tomorrow for our trip to Germany... Do you not want to go to Germany?

I do...But I was having such a fun day with you, Minnie... does the day really have to end so soon?

Unfortunately... but don't worry, we can have fun on our trip tomorrow, just like we always do...

 

Ring Ring

Luhan stopped swinging when he heard his phone ringing. He found it odd because nobody ever called Luhan on a Saturday and he was pretty sure he left his volume at mute. He took the phone out and realized it was Yixing who was calling him.

"Yoboseyo," Luhan greeted him calmly but he made some space between his ear and his phone after listening to Yixing's exasperated Mandarin.

"Xing, calm down. I can't understand what you're saying," Luhan told his cousin. He heard Yixing let out a heavy sigh.

"Luhan, where are you at?" Yixing sounded a bit nervous.

"I'm at a park near Sehun's house."

"Wait, you're with Sehun? I thought you were with K- Argh! Focus Yixing! Luhan, you have to go your house, now!"

"What? Why?"

"Dad had a meeting with Uncle Lu... He said that Uncle Lu will stay at your house for dinner tonight!"

"What?! At what time?!"

"Around the nineteenth hour or so... Luhan, I'll pick you up... just give me the address."

Once Luhan gave him the address, he recalled that his Vespa was still at Sehun's place. "Wait, I have my bike here! Wha-?"

"I'll tell one of the employees to take the truck. They can follow us on our way to your house."

"Alright, I'll see you then," Luhan said before he hung up the call.

He jumped when felt Sehun grab his hands. Luhan didn't notice when Sehun had gotten closer to him.

"Luhan, what's wrong? Your hands are shaking," Sehun gave him a concerned look. He stood up but he almost fell down; luckily, Sehun was there to catch him.

"I have to go," Luhan had finally found his voice, but it sounded cracked for some reason. Was he sad that he had to go?

Yes

I want to see Father... but I don't want to go

"Okay,"  Sehun said with a tone that Luhan couldn't describe. "Let's go."

Sehun offered his hand and Luhan held on to it as if that would keep him from disappearing on the spot.

 

Xiao Lu?

Hm?

If you had to give up every possession you had for a moment like this, would you do it?

 

Yes, I would... because it's the first time in years that I have truly felt alive

---

“It’s such a shame that you have to leave.”

Sehun stood in front of his apartment along Luhan as they faced each other, trying to ignore two of Yixing’s employees loading Luhan’s bike with the utmost care into a gray Cadillac Escalade EXT.

“I know, but I can’t miss this dinner,” Luhan replied gloomily. “I wish I could stay.”

Sehun also felt the same way. He had so much fun that day, he only wanted the moment to last longer. Although that was not possible anymore, he knew he had to cheer Luhan up.

“You can come back some other time this week,” Sehun shook Luhan’s hair.

“I guess so,” Luhan sighed. He turned to look at Yixing, who was sitting on the driver’s seat of a white Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid. “I know I thanked your family when we were inside, but can you thank them once more for their hospitality? Your family is really kind,” Luhan told Sehun.

Sehun nodded. “I guess this is a good-bye for now?”

Luhan nodded in response. “I’ll see you on Monday. I’ll bring your clothes along.”

“You can keep them,” Sehun told him. “After all, you need commoner clothes when you come back,” he joked.

“Thanks,” Luhan said. “Bye.”

“Bye.”

Sehun watched as Luhan walked up to Yixing’s car before stopping in front of the passenger door. The brunette thought that he was going to get one the car at that moment. However, he was proven wrong when he saw Luhan turn around and run towards him. Sehun was caught off guard when Luhan hugged him.

“Thank you,” Luhan looked up at him, “for today.”

If it was another person, Sehun would’ve pushed the person away. But Luhan wasn’t ‘another person;’ he was a dear friend. Sehun returned the hug, not really caring if he looked odd as he crushed Luhan with his arms.

When the hug ended, Sehun didn’t know why he felt empty after Luhan was gone.

“Did he leave?” he heard his mother’s voice next to him. Sehun turned to look at Soo Yun and nodded. Soo Yun was about to go inside the flower shop but stopped when she felt arms around her shoulders.

“Luhan told me to thank you for your hospitality,” Soo Yun’s eyes widened when she realized it was Sehun who was hugging her.

A few seconds after her son let go and walked inside the shop, Soo Yun remained outside, still surprised because of what had happened right now. Sehun had hugged her; her son never hugged anyone on his own will. Someone usually had to ask for a hug, and even then it was not guaranteed that he will do so.

She stared at the path where Luhan had left to before a smile spread on her face.

“Luhan,” Soo Yun spoke to herself, “what is your magic?”

---

The weekend had passed in a blur and Sehun was grateful for that. The remainder of Saturday and Sunday, his mind was occupied by the possible events that had taken place at Luhan’s house. He wanted to call his friend so badly so he could find out what happened, but he didn’t want to seem too intrusive in a private matter. Regardless of how curious Sehun was, he knew it wasn’t really his concern to know about such things.

Currently, he was walking towards the entrance of the high school building when he heard Luhan’s voice behind him.

“Wait up!” Luhan called out to him.

Sehun stopped walking and stood there until Luhan was there in front of him.

“Hi,” Luhan greeted with a giant smile.

“Hey,” Sehun said, giving his friend a lopsided grin. “You’re all smiles today. Is there any specific reason for that?”

“Well, do I have to have a reason to be happy today?” Luhan asked jokingly.

“Not really,” Sehun checked his watch, “we still have fifteen minutes before class start. Do you want me to your highness to his classroom?”

“Yes, please,” Luhan held on to Sehun’s arm and the two of them began walking towards the second floor.

“So, how was yesterday?” Sehun asked, trying to make a conversation.

“It was alright,” Luhan replied, his smile faltering a bit, “I didn’t really do much because Father overstayed his visit ‘til noon. How about you?”

I was getting worried about you… I still am

“Another day at work,” Sehun said, “it was busy because we had to take care of new inventory and all that ‘fun’ stuff.”

“That seems more fun than what I did,” Luhan pursed his lips as he began roaming around his thoughts. “Do you mind if I come over to your house again?”

“I don’t mind,” Sehun replied truthfully, “I don’t think my family will mind either. It seems like they enjoy your company.”

“Thanks,” Luhan blushed a bit, “I’m really glad you said yes.”

That caught Sehun off guard (but not necessarily in a bad way). “Why?”

“Because I fel-”

“Luhan!”

The two boys froze near the second floor entrance when they heard Reinette’s voice.

Oh gosh, NO!

“Reinette,” Luhan greeted the female halfer with a strained smile. It was clear to Sehun that his friend was uncomfortable around the girl’s presence, considering the stunt they pulled on her birthday celebration.

“Can I talk to you in private? Both of you?” Reinette looked at both Sehun and Luhan. Unlike the other times when she saw them together, she seemed more calm and less angry.

“Uh, sure,” Luhan looked at Sehun with wide eyes, “should we head to my classroom? I don’t think the guys are there yet.” Reinette just nodded and followed the two boys as they made their way through the hallway until they reached Luhan’s classroom.

Just like Luhan had said a few seconds ago, the classroom was being occupied by a white board and white desks with really expensive computers on it. Sehun closed the door behind him and walked towards Reinette and Luhan. The older of the three settled down on what Sehun had assumed was his desk. Not wanting to stand next to Reinette, Sehun decided to stand behind Luhan’s seat.

“What did you want to talk about?” Luhan asked Reinette. Sehun gripped Luhan’s seat, expecting the French girl to radiate anger against them.

“I wanted to apologize to the two of you for my behavior,” Reinette said with a poker face. The two boys spluttered after hearing this.

“What?!”

“I’m sorry,” Reinette closed her eyes, “I realized I had been pestering both of you with my delusional and control-freak self. I had believed in some false illusion involving Luhan for a long time to the point where I was no longer giving him true care.”

That’s it?!

Shut up, she’s apologizing!

“And I acted like a complete b**** towards Sehun for those same reasons.”

“Reinette! Don’t say that about yourself!”

“It’s true!” Reinette opened her eyes, revealing a few stray tears. “I was so horrible! I should just go back to France and never bother you again!”

Luhan got off his seat and walked towards Reinette before engulfing her with his arms.

“It’s alright,” Luhan told her in a gentle tone, “you acknowledged your mistake. You don’t need to go through drastic measures if you don’t want to.”

“Really?”

Luhan nodded. “Besides… Sehun and I were also at fault.”

What?! No, we weren’t

Yes, we were…

“The way we abandoned you on Friday was really disrespectful… nobody should go through such things on their special day. We’re both sorry, right Sehun?”

“Y-Yeah,” Sehun placed his hand behind his neck, “We’re really sorry.”

“I accept your apologies if you accept mine,” Reinette said, pulling out of the hug, “and stay as friends.”

“Deal,” the two boys said at the same time.

Reinette then proceeded to pull Sehun towards where they were at and pulled Sehun and Luhan into a hug.

What did you just agree to?

Well, she is sorry!

Yeah? Then you gotta start getting used to hugs, buddy!

“I’m so glad you two have forgiven me,” Reinette said as she hugged them. “If you hadn’t, I would have gone back home and I wouldn’t be able to pursue Jong In.”

Wait a sec! KAI?!

Well, she moved on fast…

Sehun and Luhan managed to look at each other from each side of Reinette’s shoulders, both of them hoping nothing too crazy would occur from that moment on.

---

Author’s Note: [Disclaimer: Don’t own FC Seoul, Future of Seoul, or any of the car models mentioned above.]

School work, college deadlines, getting sick, and writer’s block are a real pain (Meh)

I’m supposed to be doing my break homework, but I’ve delayed this one for a while, so here we are on Wednesday morning (freaking 2:13 in the morning to be exact… insomnia is a real Сука).

I hope you guys enjoy this HunHan-filled chapter (with some XiuHan thoughts). It was challenging (probably because, you know, I’m not a dude living in South Korea… and Ulyana tries to be as accurate and realistic as possible), but I really liked the part where that Seo Ji-woo chick thought Hun was dating Han because I could (sort of) relate to this moment. Trust me, it’s not all that fun when one gets confused for a relative who looks NOTHING like you! Sorry xelly14x :D

I know I’ve barely had time to update… the problem is that I have so many ideas for that story (and others *cough* KaiLu/KrisHan *cough* XiuHan/HunHan *cough*). But I was wondering if you guys would like to have a soundtrack list for this romance, maybe add some fan-art in the mix (I can do the fan-art for this story but I really want to see what you guys have to offer).

I think that’s all. Don’t forget to comment (please do so, I really want to know what you think about this chapter), subscribe (I’m near 50 subs! Yay!), and upvote.

Thank you for your support and stay awesome!

~Ulyana ^J^