"Lu Han?"

Junmyeon's pen flies out of his hand. He grabs another one and writes "here" next to Luhan's name.

"All right then, I guess you're here. Byun Baekhyun?"

The lights go off. Junmyeon lets out a sigh.

"Ooookay, so you're here too. Kim Jongin?"

Silence.

"Kim Jongin?" When no response comes, he throws his attendance book down with a sigh. "Dammit, Jongin, where are you this time?"

There's a poof and a figure appears by the door, black mist dissipating behind his back. The boy points to Junmyeon and winks. "Haha, gotcha."

As Jongin walks back to his seat, Junmyeon marks his name as "unfortunately still here" whilst he mutters, "God in' dammit...."

"What was that?" Jongdae grins in the front row.

"Stop making omelets."

"Ah, of course."

Baekhyun snickers in the back.

"Well, everyone's here," Junmyeon says as he plops down on his chair. "So let's get-- wait, is Sehun asleep?" He raises an eyebrow. "Already?"

Eleven heads turn to stare at the brunette in the back, his forehead on his desk, and a light snore is heard from his slightly agape lips. 

Junmyeon rolls his eyes and slowly stands. Simultaneously, ten heads turn back to him. Their teacher uncaps his water bottle and, with a flick of his wrist, flings the water out. His other finger whirls as he directs the string of liquid to hover over Sehun's sleeping form. Twenty eyes follow the floating water. He brings his hand down and the water copies the movement, splashing onto Sehun's hair. 

Sehun sits up with a jolt, his mouth in an "o" as he shakes his head. The three boys unfortunate enough to be placed in front of him and to his left and right (Zitao in front, Jongin to his left, and Kyungsoo to his right) yelp and jump when the droplets fly from Sehun's hair and onto them. Junmyeon smiles.

"Glad to see you're alive, Sehun."

Sehun gives him a look of disbelief and flings back a loose strand of hair. "I think I hate you."

"The feeling's mutual. Like, I was saying, let's get started." He flips open the teacher book for the first class of the day: math. His eyes flicker to one of his students. "Yifan, you're actually trustworthy. Can you get me a new water bottle from the teachers' lounge?" 

Yifan, nonchalant as ever, says, "Sure." He stands to leave and Baekhyun raises his hand when he reaches the doorway.

"Yes, Baekhyun?" Junmyeon finally gets to the right page.

"You don't trust the rest of us?"

"No. Any other questions?" Chanyeol raises his hand. Junmyeon ignores him. "No? Okay, moving on. Everyone get out their homework. Zitao, what's the answer to question one?"

There's a shuffle of papers as everyone pulls out their math homework in various states of completion. Junmyeon looks up at Zitao expectantly, but sees that he's facing Sehun. 

"Zitao?" He says again, trying to get the boy's attention.

Zitao turns back ahead with a smirk. "I think you should ask Sehun instead."

Junmyeon sighs. "Sehun, what the hell did you write?"

Sehun, hair still dripping, says, "Uhhh... Seven?"

"To a true or false question?"

"...Yes?"

Junmyeon sighs again, marking something in his grade book. "I seriously hate you all."









Zitao feels something small and round poke his back and he scowls. Indiscreetly, he raises his paper up to eye level and leans back. "What do you want, Sehun?"

"Zitao, hey, rewind the time for me."

"What?" He whispers through gritted teeth. "Why the hell would I do that?"

"Just a few minutes, I swear."

"Why?" 

"Okay, okay, fine. To redo the math homework. And maybe English too. And possibly study for the history quiz." He sees Zitao shoot him a glare and he raises a hand to his heart. "I'll owe you for this. Honest to God."

Zitao hesitates before asking, "Anything?"

"Um, depends on what we're talking about here?"

"Well, I guess you don't want those missing homework points then, hm? Heard your grade was dropping too..." He's already returning to his usual slouch, and, seeing this, Sehun rapidly pokes him again.

"Okay! Okay, okay, anything."

"Really?"

"Really."

Zitao flashes him a smile before snapping his fingers. Everything around them stops. Not a breath, not a blink, not a single pin drop. Just. Stops.

They're in their own little bubble and Zitao hands Sehun his homework answers. "Keep to your promises, yeah?" Everything around them rewinds itself as he works.

Sehun's mouth hardens into a line. "You better not make me do anything weird."

"What's your definition of weird?"

"Shut up, Huang Zitao. I stick to my promises as long as you stick to the law."









"I think you should ask Sehun instead."

"Sehun, what the hell did you write?"

"Uh, false."

There's a pause fueled by the combined disbelief of nine people.

Junmyeon nods, pursing his lips. "Very good."

Sehun tips a corner of his mouth in a half-smile. "Did you expect something else?" Zitao sends daggers his way with his eyes.

"Let's be honest here, Sehun. Who didn't expect something else."

"Goddammit, I hate you guys."









"All right, we finally finished with the homework." Junmyeon looks as relieved as he sounds. "Let's move on to the lesson. We're going to learn a new theorem that involves a three-step process..."









Three days pass.

And it's not like Sehun is internally freaking out or anything, but he is. As in fingernail chewing, foot tapping, lip biting nervous. Because the longer it takes to think of a plan, the more evil it must be, right?

So then what the is Zitao planning?

It must be something terrifying, absolutely horrific. Maybe it's torture. Maybe it's rope and chains and handcuffs and whips and.... The list goes on and on in his head.

Sehun shivers.

"They say every time you shiver, it's because you're thinking of ," Jongin oh so casually says across the table between consuming noodles, his arms reaching around Kyungsoo's body to get to the lunch box on his desk.

Sehun shoots him a glare. "I'm pretty sure that's not a saying, that's a given."

"Well I don't see you denying it."

Moving on. "Um, Kyungsoo, there's a chair right next to you."

"Hm?" Kyungsoo looks up from his novel and Sehun holds back the urge to furrow his eyebrows. This is honestly a mental image Sehun is sure he'll never be able to get out of his head.

Do Kyungsoo, class secretary, is sitting upon the lap of Kim Jongin, class slack-, and reading Shakespeare as if he does this all the time. Which he does, but that's even weirder never mind the empty chairs on either side of him. 

"No, it's okay," Kyungsoo shakes his head. "I'm fine right now."

"Yeah," Sehun says absentmindedly. "I'm sure you are...."

"Hey Sehun!"

Sehun jumps three feet into the air at the sound of that innocent (yet anything but) voice. He turns to see Zitao standing behind him, smiling.

"Hi," he drawls, a questioning tone in his voice.

"So I was thinking about that small favor you owe me."

Jongin catcalls behind him and Sehun aims blindly with his fist, managing to slam it down onto Jongin's unsuspecting fingers.

Jongin yelps. Sehun shakes his fingers loose.

"I bet you were," Sehun finally replies to Zitao. "And I'm guessing you came up with something."

That smile on Zitao's face grows wider. "Yeah, kinda. See," he lowers his volume down to an almost-whisper. "Using powers that affect the entire building in school is against rules and all."

Sehun thinks he might have to call a lawyer to write up his will after school today. "I'll, uh, live up to it then."

Zitao beams. "Great! Anyway, are you free Saturday night? Plus Sunday morning?"

Sehun clamps a hand over Jongin's mouth before he can say anything again. 

"Yes. I am."

"Good to hear. Then I'll text you details later," Zitao says, already walking away.

"You do that," Sehun mutters to Zitao's back, his voice fading along with his hopes and dreams.

He feels a warm, wet feeling against his palm and he quickly pulls back his hand.

"Oh, what the hell!" He exclaims, wiping his hand on Jongin's desk. Kyungsoo seems unaffected by the commotion.

Jongin, mouth already stuffed with noodles once more, points at Sehun with his chopsticks. He swallows, gives Kyungsoo's cheek a kiss, and says, "That's what you get for thinking about ."

Sehun decides he'll tell that lawyer to write Jongin's will too.









The best way, he finally figures out, is to obviously book plans with someone else for Saturday night and fake that he merely forgot in the heat of the moment whilst being asked if he was free. Yes, of course. It's genius.

He knows Kyungsoo and Jongin go out every Saturday for "date night" or something, and he really doesn't want to be third-wheeling nor witness whatever it is they do in their private time.

"Hey, Baekhyun, are you doing anything Saturday night?"

Baekhyun nods in an apologetic way. "Sorry, Sehun! Chanyeol and I are watching that new movie called, uh...." He turns his head back to face the taller boy, packing his bag at his seat. "What are we watching again?"

"Guardians of the Galaxy!" Chanyeol answers.

"Wait, that's not new. That came out, like, a month ago. Or something."

"I still want to see it."

Sehun leaves them to their little dispute, unnoticed, and slinks off to find his next target. No matter. 

"Jongdae," Sehun calls out, waving to him before he could leave the room. "What're you doing Saturday night?"

"Going out of town with Minseok. Why?"

"Like, a date?" Sehun's eyes widen.

Minseok, who happens to have been walking towards them, stops next to Jongdae. "You told someone about our date?" He says, throwing an arm around Jongdae's shoulders.

Sehun slowly backs away. "You two... have fun."

He hears Jongdae say "thanks" behind him but he's already headed towards Lu Han, who's chatting with Yixing by the window. "Luhan, please tell me you're free on Saturday."

"Nope!" Lu Han answers rather happily. "Gonna be with this kid here." He jabs Yixing on his waist and Yixing jerks back, clutching at his side looking as though he's just been traumatized.

"Joy buzzer! You're a joy buzzer!" Yixing accuses. He stands normally again, shaking his head and frowning. "Don't joy buzz me, man. That's middle school stuff."

Lu Han giggles. He says to Sehun, "Cute right? He's cute, right? It's a lot of fun teasing him. Try it."

"No thaaaanks...." Sehun refuses. "See you guys later then."

"Yup!"

Is everyone dating or something? When the did this happen? There's only one option left.

Rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, he approaches the last man left. "Yo, Yifan. What are you doing on Saturday?"

Yifan, oddly still sitting in his desk, deadpans, "Extra tutoring lessons with Junmyeon."

Sehun drops his hand and stares blankly at Yifan as if he's just seen a ghost. "You. Extra tutoring lessons."

"Yes."

"With Junmyeon."

"Yes."

"You. A straight-A student."

"Yes."

"With Junmyeon."

Yifan scowls. "Anything new to say?"

Sehun's heart drops to his stomach. "Nope, nope. Well you have fun with that." 

Okay. He has to hang out with Zitao on Saturday night. And Sunday morning. That's all right. Perfectly okay. Both night and morning. A sleepover? A favor-sleepover?

Everything sounds so wrong in his brain. He drops his head into his hands and groans.

Someone walking by pats his back in a pitiful way. And Sehun recognizes it as--

"See you Saturday, Sehun."









Sehun's ringtone has never been more obnoxious.

Huang Zitao: subway station @ 7pm :)

He doesn't know it, but Sehun makes the sound of a dying cow before responding.

Oh Sehun: mhm yep okay...

He briefly wonders if Zitao can sense sarcasm in pixels.









Because meeting Zitao one-on-one at a travelling destination in the evening is most definitely not a date, Sehun doesn't bother scrounging through his closet for anything "special."

Graphic tee, comfortable hoodie, his favorite jeans, and best sneakers are nothing special. Honestly. It's not like Zitao wears graphic tees too, and it's not like hoodies make him feel warm and fuzzy, and it's not like his jeans totally make his legs look long and thin, and it's definitely not like his best sneakers are brand new and match his outfit one-hundred percent.

Seriously. Not special at all.

It's also not as if he gets to the station ten minutes early.

(He does.)

(But in his defense, Zitao comes five minutes early.)

Zitao smiles and waves when their eyes meet, speeding up to a jog to meet Sehun at his spot. 

"Hey, nice to see you came," Zitao says.

Sehun gives him a hard look. "I told you I keep to my promises." And thank goodness this isn't a life-debt.

They walk side by side down the dirty stairs into the subway station, using passes to get into the platform, and see that they still have another minute before the train gets there.

Twenty seconds of silence is way too much to bear.

"So just tell me what it is," Sehun blurts out.

Zitao looks up from the ground. "Hm? What?"

"Just tell me what the damn favor is," he demands, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Zitao breaks out in a toothy grin. "All right, if you say so. Ready? To hear what it is?"

"Uh yeah. That's why I asked."

"Really? Ready-ready? You sure?"

"What the... yeah, didn't I just say that?"

"Read-"

"JUST SAY IT ALREADY."

Zitao laughs. "Your favor is... drumroll please."

"I swear to god, Zitao, I'm gonna-"

"You have to fall in love with me by Sunday," he interrupts.

Sehun blinks, dumbfounded.

Zitao waits for him to say something.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Why does Zitao look completely unfazed? "Yep, you heard right."

"So you're saying, for using your powers once to help me with my math homework-"

"And English," Zitao reminds.

"And English," Sehun adds. "You deduced that this would be the equivalent of me falling in... in lo... falling in lo...." He scrunches his face up.

Zitao chuckles, ruffling Sehun's hair with a hand. He flinches back from the touch. "Aw, that's cute. You can't even say it. Okay, after me. Luh."

Sehun has no idea why he plays along. "Luh."

"Uhv."

"Uhv."

"Now put it together. Luhve. Love."

"Love...." The train roars next to them as it slowly comes to a stop

"Good job! Now get on the train." He gestures for Sehun to get on first and Sehun feels a little like he's boarding the boat to Hades.

"Are you serious?" Sehun harshly whispers into Zitao's ear, too abashed to say it any louder. There are people nearby.

"Obviously. In case you haven't noticed, I've kind of liked you this whole year." When Sehun's expression turns confused, Zitao clicks his tongue. "I mean, I knew you were slow, but not this slow. Or oblivious."

Sehun had had no idea.

"Like, the whole reason why I sat in front of you in the beginning of the year was so you would be forced to stare at my beautifully toned back," Zitao smirks all hautily.

Sehun had noticed Zitao's back was rather muscular. Especially on the days he buttoned his button-down all the way and the fabric would stretch across his muscles in the most irritatingly revealing way. But he would never admit that.

"Doesn't it make more sense if you sat next to me so you could find a reason to talk to me, or behind me so you could stare at me?"

"Are you actually, like literally right now, telling me how to have a crush on you?" Sehun can hear the are-you-serious tone in his voice. 

"Um. No."

"Well, anyhow. The point of today, or rather, tonight, is to make you like me." Zitao's cat lips curl up. "Brilliant, right? I'm bringing you out on a date. You can thank me later."

Sehun swallows down the thought that he might have already started liking him back the second he saw that smile up close. "Whatever you say."

And again, he would never admit that.









Zitao pulls him off the train at some random stop, into what seems to be the inner city, though Sehun has no clue where they are. 

With one hand grasping at Sehun's, Zitao uses his other to take out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket.

"Okay," he starts. "First off is the courting phase."

So captivated is he with the feeling of Zitao's hand over his that he doesn't even comprehend his words until a few seconds have passed.

"Wait, I'm sorry, you actually have a list?"

"Duh."

"And you just said... 'courting.' Really."

"Yes. Now let me come court you." And with that, he starts off in a sprint, dragging a stumbling Sehun behind him.

The sun has just set, residue rays of orange waning behind the horizon, as the city comes alive at night. With every meter they run, Sehun gets an onslaught of senses -- smells of food, sights of blaring lights, sounds of store music. The muted echoes of their feet slapping against the concrete ground even matches the beating of his heart, the rush of flying through crowds with this boy leading him to an unknown.

But the unknown turns out to be quite known.

"This is pretty cliché," comments Sehun, looking at the sign for the coffee shop.

"Yeah, but I like it," Zitao grins. "And you know, some of Junmyeon's relatives work here. Cousins or whatever. So we can snag discounts."

"But Junmyeon doesn't like us."

"...Well, we can say we're... uh.... That's... that's true. Maybe we shouldn't mention ourselves at all, huh?"

"Good idea."

Zitao opens the door for him, and Sehun steps in, breathing in the deep autumn scents of bitter coffee and sugar syrups. There's a man behind the counter, stringing hot water in the air with his fingers, and a girl directing steam away into a vent with a wave of her hand.

Sehun stands by the doorway for a second or two before he feels fingers grasping lightly at his and he realizes it's Zitao, taking his hand again.

"Clingy," he teases.

"Courting," Zitao corrects. "I'm showing you how affectionate I am."

"Right...."

They walk up to the man at the register, and Sehun does see a slight resemblance to Junmyeon. But then the man says-

"Wait, are you two in Junmyeon's class?"

Zitao and Sehun blink, turn to each other, and turn back. 

"No...." Zitao says, somewhat convincingly. "No. No, we are not."

"Definitely not," Sehun adds.

The guy nods his head very slowly. "Right, right.... So what can I get you two?"

"I'll have the pumpkin latte, extra shot of espresso please," Zitao orders.

Sehun always has a moment of hesitation before he can say what he wants. "Uh, caramel macchiato please?"

The man nods. He rings up the orders on the register, and despite all of Sehun's protests, Zitao's bills are the ones that go in the machine. 

"Are you sure you two aren't his students? I swear he mentioned two that looked exactly like-"

"Nope!" Zitao waves him off, still grinning. 

Some minutes later, the two leave the coffee shop, drinks in hand and a curious look trailing after them as the man stares at their backs with confused thoughts.

"So was that courting?" Sehun asks, lips still circled around his drink straw. He mixes the macchiato a little before taking another sip.

"Oh no, no. Not at all. We have to sit down for that." He winks. "I'm going to woo you.'

"Oh god."

"No escaping now. This is all part of the favor."

Hand-in-hand, Zitao walks him to a nearby park, the sky almost completely dark. But streetlamps and the light from small shops keep their surroundings visible as Zitao beckons him to sit down on a wooden bench.

Unlike what he'd expected, Zitao remains standing in front of him, taking Sehun's hand in both of his. Sehun keeps on sipping his drinking, waiting for him to take a seat next to him.

Instead, Zitao kneels down on one knee.

And Sehun swears he's going to die of embarrassment if any single living soul walks by them in this moment.

"Oh Sehun," Zitao starts.

Sehun's face turns a bright red. He'd almost spat out his drink. "Oh no. No, no, no. Don't you dare, Huang Zitao."

Zitao's lips curl up humorously. "Oh Sehun," he tries again. "I want to tell you how much I adore you."

Sehun had opened his mouth to stop him again, but upon hearing this, quickly shuts himself up. What?

"Sehun, I don't think you understand how wonderful I think you are."

"Um," Sehun intellectually says, unable to find words. Zitao, seeing his speechlessness, continues.

"Sehun, the first time I saw you, you were staring out the window on the first day of school, already looking bored out of your wits. Your blond hair was absolute bed hair and you looked like you got two hours of sleep. In essence, you were a mess."

"Wow, thanks a lo-"

"Wait, let me finish. You looked like an absolute mess, but you were the most beautiful person I'd ever seen. I felt an urge to talk to you, to say hi. And I did."

Sehun remembers that. He'd thought it was weird how this strange boy walked right up to him.

"Your voice became the soundtrack of my heart."

Sehun snorts. Zitao tries not to laugh too. 

"I know, that sounds really cheesy. But let me finish, I had this all planned out, all right?"

Sehun nods.

"Your smile was the best part of my entire day. Even when you bugged me in the middle of class, I was the happiest I could be. That day you asked me to use your powers for you? The only reason I didn't immediately agree was because I knew I could get this out of you."

"Wow, Zitao." He uses the jest to make himself seem calmer than he really is. In reality, his heart is threatening to jump out of his chest.

"Shhh, I can hear your sarcasm bleeding through. I'm almost done, I promise."

Sehun gulps, and waits. 

"Every bit of you is beautiful. Your eyes, your hair, your lips, your arms and hands and fingers. Even when you're such a brat, you're cute, you know that? I like you so much and, given the opportunity, I would love to love you too."

Sehun stares at him with wide eyes, but Zitao has no more to say.

"Well, what do you say?" Zitao asks softly.

Sehun stutters and flounders for words, his mouth metaphorically drying up and his heart in his throat.

"I- I," he spits out. Because no one's said this kind of thing to him. Not even remotely close. And anyways, when does this sort of thing happen? 

But then, out of the corner of his eyes, he sees a couple of little kids pointing at them and whispering, and he snaps out of the little bubble he'd drawn around them in their moment. 

"Wha... what's phase two?" He asks, instead of answering. 

Zitao lets out a breath, still smiling. He can sense the discomfort in Sehun's aura, how he's struggling to respond correctly.

He comes to a stand and sees a flash of disappoint run across Sehun's face, but waves it off as a lapse of his imagination. 

"Phase two," Zitao says in a breath, "is courage."

Sehun, managing to slow his heart palpitations, mutters, "Huh?"

"Courage," Zitao says, putting out his hand for Sehun's other one to take. He pulls the boy up and tells him they're taking the subway again. "Not far," he mentions. "Just to a special place. And I'm paying. No buts."

Sehun doesn't really feel like he's paying back a favor at all, but at this point, he doesn't know how to object.

Sehun once again allows Zitao blindly lead him to their next destination, Zitao letting him take the seat on the subway and standing over him, Zitao taking his hand to lead him out at their stop, Zitao telling him to only look at him so the "surprise won't be ruined!"

Zitao bringing him to a carnival.

Zitao buying them tickets. 

Sehun gaping quietly.

"Phase two is courage," Zitao repeats, looking like a little kid at a birthday party. "You good at roller coasters?"

"I'm... okay."

"Then let's go!"









It's late at night and the lines are mostly occupied by young couples, displaying their bits of affection here and there around Sehun and Zitao. The fair is loud and boisterous, but has a festive atmosphere all in all.

They ride roller coasters until Sehun feels sick, and then Zitao buys him cotton candy and drags him to the arcade. It's like they're in elementary school again, excited by the simple games and letting go of cares. They get tickets, trade in for prizes, and laugh and smile their whole way through until it's almost midnight.

Zitao leans over and takes a bite at Sehun's cotton candy.

Sehun flicks Zitao's forehead, and Zitao chuckles.

"Sehun, let's go there," he says, raising a finger.

Sehun looks at where's he pointing.

"The ferris wheel?" He asks.

"Yeah." Zitao's fingers slip next to his again and the movement feels natural at this point, as if second nature.

Sehun follows Zitao towards the ferris wheel. The girl who takes their tickets waves her hand and the ride machinery clicks and whirs as her powers go to work.

They head into the line, into a cart.

Into the sky, into the stars, into the night.

They sit across from each other, enjoying the sights of looking over the city at some high vantage point. The cart stops occasionally as people from below climb in and out of their own carts.

"Sehun."

"Yes?" He looks over.

"The second phase is courage," says Zitao, pulling something out of his pocket.

He stands in front of Sehun, placing his other hand over Sehun's eyes.

"Wha-" He tries, but is interrupted when Zitao shushes him.

"Keep your eyes closed."

He opens his mouth to object, but decides against it and obeys.

Something cold touches his wrist. Actually, many cold things. There's some fumbling and jingling of some sort and Zitao finally says, "Open."

So he does.

It's a bracelet.

And as Zitao raises his hand, Sehun sees that they have matching ones. One black, one white. Beads. Leather string.

"Courage?" Sehun questions.

"Yeah," Zitao looks proud of himself. "The courage to bind you with me with something materialistic and replaceable."

Sehun furrows his brows. "But then I could just take it off."

"That's the thing!" Zitao says. "That's the courage part. On my half. That I give you something like this, and it's your decision as to whether or not you keep it on."

"I see," his voice fades. Sehun looks down at the bracelet, unsure as to why he feels somewhat giddy, why his heart is so loud in his head. "Is that the last step?" Is there disappointment in his own voice? He can't tell.

"Nope, it's a three step process."

"Then what's step three?" He follows Zitao with his eyes as the latter takes a seat next to him. The ferris wheel cart reaches the top and stops.

"Phase three is completion," Zitao says, and then he's leaning.

Their lips meet in an almost angelic way, as Sehun blinks to catch his breath, unable to comprehend what's happening. And then instinct takes over, and he kisses back the tiniest bit, feeling the smile Zitao presses to his own.

Zitao pulls back all too soon, flushed.

"Will you be mine?" Zitao asks, and Sehun feels fireworks in his stomach.

But his voice. His voice won't escape his throat, won't reply to Zitao's honest question, won't let him say anything in return.

He stumbles for the right sounds, but nothing comes out.

Is it shock? Is it indecisiveness?

He's not sure.

But it isn't working. 

So he closes his mouth.

And Zitao's smile turns slightly... sad.

"It's getting late, yeah?" Zitao says, letting go of Sehun's hand and staring out the window. 

His fingers suddenly feel so cold. "Yeah."

"I'll take you home after this."

Sehun frowns. "Yeah."

They get off at the bottom, leave out the carnival, take the subway, switch trains, travel home, and Zitao walks Sehun home. In silence. Comfortable to neither.

"Favor paid," Zitao says once Sehun's at his doorstep.

Sehun turns back at him and, mind blank, raises his wrist.

"I like it," he says. "Really."

Zitao nods, looking mildly satisfied. "I'm glad."

"Bye, Zitao. See you Monday."

"Good night, Sehun."

Sehun watches Zitao's back as he leaves.









Sunday brings coughs and headaches. He's sick. Had he not worn enough yesterday?

But when he thinks back to Saturday night, he doesn't remember it being so cold.









He has a plastic bag of cough drops the next day, sporting a miniature migraine and a growing fever.

Junmyeon does his usual rollcall, everyone playing their power pranks like they always do. But Sehun doesn't blow his papers off his desk, and, he notices, Zitao doesn't rewind the clock on the wall.

In fact, Zitao looks paler than usual, coughing every few minutes like he's hacking up blood. He's not, but it sounds like it.

Sehun feels an ache in his chest.

At the end of the day, he watches as Zitao sluggishly packs up his things. But before he's out the door, Sehun catches up to him and holds him back by the sleeve.

Zitao whips around, surprised, and Sehun sees that as he'd tugged on the sleeve fabric, he'd pulled it up, revealing Zitao's bracelet. And in sight is Sehun's own matching one, right next to his.

He takes something out of the side pocket of his jeans and puts his hand out for Zitao to accept the object.

In his hand is one of his cough drops.

Zitao points at it, then to himself.

Sehun nods.

"The," Sehun says, then clears his throat. "The first phase," he tries again. "Is courting, r- right?"

Zitao grins, taking the cough drop and, after a second's breath, kisses Sehun's cheek. "Yeah. It is."

Sehun can sense the feeling of happiness bubbling up inside him in a way he'd never experienced. It's airy and sparkling and wonderful, and he wants Zitao to kiss him again.

Somewhere behind them, Jongin catcalls.

Sehun kicks back his foot randomly and hits something solid.

Jongin yelps. Sehun takes Zitao's hand.

And Zitao, with a snap of his fingers, freezes the time to kiss Sehun smack on the lips. Even without the power, he thinks it would've felt like a moment frozen in time anyway.

They're staring into each other's eyes like a lovestricken couple (the description isn't far from the truth) when the time starts up again.

"Oh no," Zitao says without much emotion. "Looks like I used my powers for you again. Well, guess you owe me, huh?"

Sehun punches his arm. "Saturday night," he grumbles.

Zitao laughs, taking his hand. "Come on," he says, pecking Sehun's cheek. "I'll walk you home."