Luhan keeps his promise, and visits every weekend, even though his college is ninety minutes away. He’s away so much, in fact, that his friends at school notice.

            “You always miss out on parties,” Jongdae complains.

            “Is it a girl?” Minseok pokes Luhan. “You have a girlfriend, don’t you?”

            “You look like you’re in love,” Baekhyun mutters, looking closely at Luhan.

            In love. Is that what the world calls their brotherly skinship that’s grown over time, developing into longing touches that eventually escalates into a shy kiss in the alleys?

            Luhan had staggered back, touching a hand to his mouth, staring wide-eyed at Sehun. What had just happened?

            “What do you think of me?” Sehun asked quietly, after a long silence.

            Luhan cleared his throat, trying to dispel the tension. “An annoying little kid.”

            Sehun laughed. “Watch it. I’m taller than you are now. You’re going to have to call me hyung soon.”

            Luhan smiled, relaxing as Sehun pulled him into a warm hung. “When’d you stop calling me hyung?”

            “Since I started liking you.”

            In another world, they would have talked out their feelings and discussed the kiss. But this was a small city in the middle of Korea, where whatever they felt beyond basic platonic feelings was just wrong.

            So they pushed it into the back of their minds, believing that a motorcycle ride back home would erase their problems and feelings.

            Time flies by, and it’s not long before Sehun’s taking his last high school exam for entering university, and Luhan is graduating from college. Luhan only manages to visit one weekend that month, since they are both caught up in their studies. As always, Luhan takes Sehun for a ride on his motorcycle, enjoying the cool night breeze and Sehun’s warm body against his.

            “When are you ever going to get your own motorcycle?” Luhan asks, pulling his helmet off as he locks his motorcycle.

            Sehun laughs. “Why would I need a motorcycle when I have you?”

            They walk outside, sitting on the steps of their apartment, the place they grew up and shared so many memories together.

            “Studying for your exams?” Luhan tries to make casual conversation while glancing at his watch. It was almost eleven in the evening.

            “Mm-hmm.” Sehun places his hand on Luhan’s knees, the rough fabric of the jeans absently.

            “Exams in less than two weeks,” Luhan mumbles, running his fingers through Sehun’s hair. Sehun leans his head on Luhan’s shoulder. “I won’t be visiting often.”

            There’s a comfortable silence that follows, one that can only be gained through long hours spent together, silence that can often speak louder than words.

            “Han.” Sehun suddenly sits upright, and Luhan’s fingers slip from his hair.

            “Yes?” Luhan smiles lazily.

            “My parents want me to apply for college in America.”

            Luhan freezes for a second, smile straining on his face. “Good luck.”

            “Will you go with me?” When Luhan doesn’t respond, Sehun hurriedly adds, “I’m sure my parents would agree. And…in America, maybe we could try…” Sehun hesitates, then blurts out in a rush, “We could try to be more than friends.”

            Luhan blinks, a blank look crossing his face. “I…”

            Sehun lets out an exasperated breath. “Never mind. Just…”

            “Maybe later.”

            Sehun frowns. “Huh?”

            “We’ll talk about it once you get in.”

            There’s a chance. Sehun grins, hugging Luhan excitedly. “Thank you! It’ll be so cool out there, and—”

            Luhan chuckles softly. “Focus on your entrance exams.” Then he leans over and allows his lips to skim over Sehun’s forehead, a taunting smile on his lips, leaving a teaser of the times to come.

            Sehun passes his entrance exams, scoring near the top of his class, and is successfully admitted, under partial scholarship, into a college in America. When he boards the plane, Luhan goes with him, having been accepted to work in an American branch of a Korean company. (He was fluent in both Chinese and Korean, and had been studying English for over a decade.) They sat in adjacent seats, waiting for the plane to take off and head into the bright future before them.