~Chapter 11 – Unsettling Truths~

            The training grounds were completely bare as Sehun, Luhan, Kai and Kyungsoo arrived early that morning.

            "Alright we have the place to ourselves for once!" grinned Kai.

            Kyungsoo gave an appreciative hum, "It probably won't be for long though, everyone usually comes to train around the later afternoon."

            "Oh right, we should probably get started as soon as we can then."

            "Yeah, let's have a warm-up and spar with one another for a little while."

            "Then let's pair off," suggests Sehun as he looks at Luhan, his usual training partner.

            Luhan however is not looking at Sehun at all, he's avoiding eye contact with the younger but it's clear Luhan hears everything Sehun said as he suddenly grabs Kyungsoo's arm and gives a nervous smile, "I call Kyungsoo as my training partner for today! Let's go Kyungsoo we can warm up with a quick lap around the training grounds, a few stretches, and then spar."

            Before a word could be spoken by anyone else, Luhan was already dragging off Kyungsoo to start up their lap.

            "Hey! Wait! Kyungsoo is my training partner!" protests Kai far too late as the two oldest begin their run and disappear out of the two younger's sight. Kai pouts unhappily and turns towards Sehun, "What was that about?"

            "I don't even know, Luhan's been acting weird since yesterday after I got back to the room to give him medicine," mumbled Sehun in reply, his brow crinkled in confusion and slight frustration.

            "You went home with Luhan yesterday?"

            "Yeah, we went to my house and I told Luhan to sleep on my bed."

            "Oh, so you two finally slept together? That explains a lot," stated Kai so conversationally Sehun almost thought the other was simply discussing weaponry rather than explicit things.

            Sehun punched Kai on the arm.

            The older yelped as he glared at Sehun and rubbed at his new injury, "That's gonna leave a bruise!"

            "Good," replied Sehun bluntly.

            The two glower at each other menacingly before Kai relents with a roll of his eyes, "Seriously though, did something happen? It's really weird that Luhan would be the one choosing to leave you behind."

            "Luhan isn't leaving me behind maybe he just wants to try something new and spar with Kyungsoo for today," says Sehun simply, although inside his feelings are giving a mix reaction to his words as if they're trying to physically tell him he's not being entirely truthful with his words.

            Kai shoots Sehun an incredulous look, "Right and out of all the times that you and Luhan insisted on sticking to each other like glue, Luhan chooses today of all days to train with Kyungsoo."

            Sehun doesn’t look at Kai knowing the other probably now has a smug look on his face.

            "So what happened anyways? Something had to have happened, I'm not that big of a moron to not figure that much out," nudged Kai seriously, "We're a team you can trust me, tell me anything."

            Turning back to Kai, who has (what Sehun assumes is supposed to be) a sincere look on his face, Sehun sighs in exasperation.

            "Come on, come on, come on, tell me, tell me, Sehun tell meeeeee," whines Kai as he consistently pokes Sehun repeatedly on the arm, each jab becoming more forceful as if to emphasize his impatience.

            Sehun's eye twitched in annoyance, "Oh for 's sake, fine!"

            "Okay," Kai immediately stopped as he grinned with success and awaited Sehun's following words.

            Grimacing, Sehun explained, "You know how Luhan can't handle any form of alcohol right?"

            Kai nodded and gestured for Sehun to continue.

            Sehun grimaces but continues regardless, "Usually when he wakes up the next day he doesn't remember anything but this time I think Luhan might possibly have remembered what happened when he was drunk."

            "Okay…" Kai waved his hand about to signal Sehun to further explain, "Why would that make things awkward?"

            There was a silence between them as Sehun contemplated his response to Kai, "Luhan… says things when he's drunk…"

            Kai snorted, "I already knew that, what'd he say?"

            Sehun pressed his lips together as he watched Kai find amusement in his predicament.

            Kai gave an exaggerated laugh and patted Sehun's back roughly, "What, did Luhan confess to you out loud or something?"

            As Kai let his laughter ring out, Sehun merely watched with a blank expression finding Kai's joke not all that funny since it hit the target practically right on. It was only when Kai realized Sehun was being a little too quiet did he stop his laughter and look at the younger seriously.

            "Luhan confessed to you?" Kai gasped in disbelief.

            Sehun grimaced once more at Kai's reaction, "Not exactly… I mean I stopped him before he could get the words out but I knew what he meant nonetheless…"

            Kai's jaw dropped in shock, "You did what!? Why?! Wait how does this even link to why Luhan's awkward with you now, he was drunk right!?"

            "Because I just did!" hissed Sehun, "And this all links up because I think he might have remembered what happened despite being drunk…"

            "Okay wait," Kai raises a hand before looking at Sehun seriously, "You're telling me that you stopped, Luhan, the one your head over heels for, deliberately from confessing to you!?"

            Sehun slowly nods his head in answer.

            Kai mirrors the nod and places his hands tightly on Sehun's shoulders, "Okay I see. Now please let me say a few words to you that I really need to get off my chest."

            Sehun raises an eyebrow at Kai as the other takes in a gulp of air.

            "ARE YOU STUPID!? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?"

            "Will you shut the hell up!" hisses Sehun as he shrugs off Kai's arms and glares at the other, the yell was loud and he did not need others hearing their private conversation especially not their two other teammates who were running somewhere around the training area.

            "NO!" responds Kai but withers a bit at Sehun's darkened glare, Kai knows this isn't the time to push Sehun's buttons so he turns his volume down begrudgingly, "Why would you do that though!? Isn't it what you have been waiting for? The one you love reciprocates your feelings!"

            "I've never said that I like Luhan that way!" denies Sehun vehemently, but he feels his heart pick up speed at the lie leaving his mouth. It leaves a bad after taste on his tongue.

            "Sehun, anyone can see it. You're protective of Luhan, your eyes are always on the lookout for him, whenever he's around you two are stuck together like glue, hell Luhan's the only one that can convince your stubborn about anything! No matter what you always have his back first and foremost, you care for him with your everything! If that's not you being in love with him then I clearly don't know what love is!" shoots back Kai in frustration.

            "You're the last person I would talk about love with! What about you and Kyungsoo!" retaliates Sehun, "It's clear enough that you've fallen for him, you're not in a place to be giving advice either! You're always trying to get as close as you can to Kyungsoo but you never admit it to him seriously, what about that!?"

            Kai's face heats up immensely and turns red as Sehun calls him out, "That's not the point! We're talking about you Sehun and your stupidness in all this! How can you not see what is obviously in front of your own face?" Kai pauses and looks away for a moment to hide his expression, "Kyungsoo… hasn't admitted anything to me as what Luhan has admitted to you, Kyungsoo isn't as upfront about his feelings, they're more unreadable. But you had the perfect opportunity and you completely blew it!"

            "Luhan was drunk! Besides I told you already it's not like that between me and Luhan!"

            "Are you kidding me!? You still insist on that crappy lie? Why in the hell are you so stubbornly annoying!?" grits out Kai frustratingly.

            Sehun huffs out his own frustrated breath as he says seriously, "Kai, practically everyday we're risking our lives! Practically everyday we have a chance of losing not only ourselves but the people we hold close to us! Can you imagine that?! When you hold someone close to your heart and you strengthen that bond but only end up fearing that one day you will possibly lose them while out on the line! What do you expect me to do Kai!?"

            "Own up to everything and accept the way things are! Make the most of what you have now, that's what I expect you to do Sehun! Stop being stupid!" retaliates Kai strongly.

            Sehun drags his hand down his face before releasing a tired sigh, his expression reflects that he's tired of this as he looks at Kai. Sehun doesn't even seem to have the energy to argue anymore as he says quietly under his breath, "I'm in denial not stupid. I know what I feel for Luhan. I just don't want to admit it."

            Kai catches each word though and his reply is instant, "You're still stupid."

            "So are you, Kai."

            "To be honest, we're both stupid."

            "I know, I know."

            The two share an understanding look.

            Things aren't going to work o