(a/n) Please read the author's note at the end! Thanks, chu~

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Chapter 6: Baby Steps

 

~10th Grade, Fall, First Semester~

 

“So baby don’t cry, cry. My love will protect you,” Minseok ended the song with a gentle note. The sound lingered softly, as it echoed through his acoustic guitar. The three other boys opened their eyes to see a speechless Tao.

 

“Wow- that was, wow.” The panda boy was suddenly tongue tied as he tried to speak to the flower boys who seemed like they fell from heaven. Somehow he was able to find the words. “That was seriously some of the most amazing music I’ve ever heard. Are you guys in choir or do private vocal lessons, or something like that? You should audition at an entertainment as a band because that talent should definitely not be wasted.”

 

“Nah, it’s just a hobby. We’ve discussed it a lot before, and we decided we didn’t want something that we love so much to become work. Singing is really special to us and it’s something that we can bond over to make our relationship stronger.” Baekhyun took a deep breath before signaling for Minseok to continue. The boazi boy looked up from his guitar case.

 

“And…”

 

“And?” Tao repeated.

 

“And we want you to join us. The moment we met you, we all knew you were going to be a special friend of ours. We, as in Kyung, Lu, Baek, and I, we want you to join us.”

 

“How do you guys even know if I can sing? This is huge, asking me to intrude on something special that you guys have.”

 

“You’re not intruding. We want you to join with us. Also, I sorta thought that you seemed like a rapper guy and we desperately need one. That, and we had Lu Han look you up and found out you were in a band that did underground rapping in China. There’s no escape now, we’ve got you trapped,” Kyungsoo said sadistically.

 

“Kyung, stop scaring the poor boy. You see, this is why we sometimes call him Satan Soo. Don’t you think it fits him really well?” Baekhyun smiled warmly at Tao as if he was letting him in on a big secret. The former just wanted the latter to feel like he belonged with them, like the others felt with the latter.

 

“I… I don’t know what to say.” Zi Tao looked around the room to see hopeful, expectant faces. “I guess, well, I’ll be honoured to be part of your group.” Cheers could be heard from the 4 petite boys until Lu Han frowned.

 

“That’s no fair. He’s the youngest, yet he’s the tallest! Tao, why couldn't you be short and old like Minseok?” Lu Han’s face said hello to a small book that had flown across the room. It’s origin, the boazi's hand.

 

“Shut up.”

 

“Fight me.” Both boys wasted no time running across the room before they both stood in front of each other having an over dramatic, intense stare down.

 

“Yo, guys, can we join too?” Baekhyun and Kyungsoo moved over, next to the other pair of boys so that they now formed a half-circle.

 

“Not me, I’m the lowest.” Kyungsoo scooted over a little so that he looked more like a bystander than a participant. Tao bent down to whisper to the short male.

 

“Aren’t they supposed to fight or something by now?” Confusion laced the tall boy’s voice.

 

“No, definitely not. We’re not like that. We love each other too much to harm one another, no matter how cheesy it sounds. Whenever we say, ‘fight me’ to each other, it usually means that we play some sort of ridiculous game. It’s like we have telepathy though, because we always choose the game without saying it out loud. One day, you’ll learn how to that too. This time, we’re playing a high note battle.” Lu Han, Baekhyun, and Minseok were warming up their voices with exercises.

 

“OK, ready when you guys are.” Baekhyun walked towards the middle of the room again, followed by the other two. “I’ll start. Do~” He started with an easy low note in the high range.

 

“Re~” Lu Han calmly continued going up the scale.

 

“Mi~” Minseok’s voice bounced off the walls of the room.

 

“Fa~” They were back to Baekhyun again.

 

“Sol~”

 

“La~” The contest went on until it came to a point where Minseok needed to cover his ears and shut his eyes to reach the extremely high note. Lu Han failed to do the next note on his first try but was allowed a second. Min was asked to sing the note again but Baekhyun claimed it was getting higher. After Lu Han could not make it, Baekhyun tried. Each time Minseok was told to repeat the note, it seemed like he was getting higher and high as they went.

 

“Obviously Minseok wins. Let’s eat ice cream after school.” Lu Han said. After he was ousted. he spent his attention day dreaming about creamy chocolate ice cream.

 

“Sure. I think we all need it to soothe our throats. I know that mine hurts.” Minseok said his goodbyes to his friends, grabbed his lunch box, and abruptly exited out the door to head back to his homeroom. As his back seemed to get further away from the four other boys, Tao spoke up.

 

“Is it just me or does he look happier? Who gets happy from the thought of going to class?” Lu Han chuckled before getting his lunch box as well and patting Tao on his shoulder.

 

“I know I do. In time, you will know. It’s not often you find such an odd group of friends like us.” Baekhyun and Kyungsoo soon followed him, but not before leaving their own witty and confusing remarks to a dumbfounded kung-fu panda.

 

-    -    -    -

 

Tao finally understood what Minseok and Lu Han meant the next day. It started as an ordinary day, unlike no other. Baekhyun was drooling over Chanyeol and babbling about his “perfection” to the unfortunate boy who had to listen to his hyung’s every word.

 

Although Tao was outgoing and friendly, the only real friend he had in his class was Baekhyun. He hadn’t even bothered trying to talk to the other people, as they all only seemed to be interested in his looks. All of that changed when the door slid open at 8:10, revealing a flawless angel. He had a trickle of sweat running down from his temple to his chiseled jawline and was panting violently. His hair was wind blown to perfection, from what Tao assumed was running.

 

“Yi Fan, why are you late, again? One more time, and you’ll have to go to the principal’s office.” So that’s what his name is, Yi Fan… Chinese, my style. Zi Tao unknowingly smirked, earning a perplexed glance from Baekhyun.

 

“I’m sorry, teacher. I had to drop my sister off to school today. I’m sorry for being late.” The tall male bowed multiple times before he walked to his seat, which was conveniently located behind Tao. The latter wrote something down on the paper before passing it to his seatmate, Baekhyun.

 

Who’s he? Baekhyun furrowed his eyebrows, earning a glare from his younger friend to reply.

 

Wu Yi Fan. Why? Tao rolled his eyes at his hyung’s obliviousness.

 

Well isn’t it obvious?!

 

No. Tao glared at his elder before furiously scribbling his retort on the paper and ing it into Baekhyun’s side of the desk.

 

I’m obviously interested in him. Don’t you think he’s hot? Like, dude, Chinese AND y. How is he even real? It was Baekhyun’s turn to roll his eyes.

 

Wu Yi Fan. He’s captain of the basketball team. Total jock but he keeps good grades too. What else do you need to know? Tao chewed his bottom lip, pondering if he should ask the question on his mind.

 

Is he gay?

 

Straightforward much? How am I supposed to know that? Do you think I’m a psychic or something?

 

Well jeez, I’m sorry if I want to know if I have somewhat of a chance with my newfound crush!

 

Awww, is the maknae ually frustrated? Or in love?

 

Ew, hyung! By the time homeroom ended, one full page was filled with notes. The bell for first period rang and Baekhyun left his seat to throw out the paper in the recycling bin.

 

-    -    -    -

 

The instructor pointed to the chalkboard and wrote down each part of the equation, explaining how to solve it. Every single student was writing notes or talking quietly with their seat mates, except for one. That one exception was Wu Yi Fan, or as his friends call him, Kris. He was too busy wondering why he had never seen the cute, panda-like boy standing in front of him before. The tall male wondered if the latter had only come to this school yesterday, when he had the task of taking care of his sick little sister. Sighing tiredly, Kris rested his head on the palm of his hand and pretended to give his attention to the teacher. He had already went over the material with his private tutor so it wasn’t necessary for him to listen to the teacher’s monotone voice. Soon, a genius idea popped into his head. Yi Fan smirked at the thought of his genius idea.

 

“Oops.” Kris dropped his pencil on the floor. It coincidently landed next to Tao’s seat. Yi Fan tapped the latter’s shoulder and was slightly surprised by the hard muscle he felt under the school uniform. He shook the thought of the other boy’s possible toned body out of his head as he smiled gently at Tao, who had just turned around. “Hey, could you pick that up,” Kris whispered quietly to the other boy, making sure not to disturb the class. While the latter was reaching down to pick up his pencil, Kris mentally fangirled over Tao’s good looks.

 

“Here.” Tao smiled warmly at Kris as he handed back him his pencil. The latter tried to retain his explosion of feels when their hands slightly brushed against each others.

 

“Thanks…” Kris furrowed his eyebrows when he realized he didn’t know the other’s name.

 

“Zi Tao. Huang Zi Tao, but you can just call me Tao.”

 

“Wu Yi Fan, but you can call me Kris.” Yi Fan smiled back before repeating his thanks. For the remainder of the day, Kris stared at the other’s neck and broad shoulders, admiring his voice when he sometimes spoke in class or when he was bent over, diligently taking notes.

 

-    -    -    -

 

Sighing, Tao stared at the instructor giving a lesson on a subject in math that he didn’t care about. He was far too occupied with the thoughts swirling around in his mind. Possibilities of confession and romantic scenarios played in his head as he day dreamed about a certain Chinese male. As if the gods could hear his thoughts, he heard the person behind him mutter something.

 

“Oops.” Tao saw a pencil roll next to his chair as he doodled on his notebook. He felt a tap on his shoulder so he turned around and was shocked to see his crush’s milky brown orbs. “Hey, could you pick that up?” Silently, Zi Tao bent down and picked up the pencil in one swift move.

 

“Here.” He smiled softly at Kris before handing the pencil. Although his exterior was calm and collected, he was dying on the inside from the small skinship they had.

 

“Thanks…” The panda boy tried not to die a second time when Kris adorably furrowed his eyebrows.

 

“Zi Tao. Huang Zi Tao, but you can just call me Tao.” After introducing himself, Yi Fan repeated his thanks and introduced himself, ending the conversation. Slightly disappointed, Tao returned his attention back to the board and began to sullenly take notes. Throughout the rest of the day, he felt a tingle on the back of his neck as if someone was watching him.

 

-    -    -    -

 

From: Sehunnie

To: Lu hyung

8:03 p.m.

 

Hey, this is Sehun, just in case you haven’t added my number yet. I wanted to officially start the project tomorrow and see if we could meet up around 2:00. If you want to change the time, we can do that too.

 

Trying not to mess up his newly made bed, Lu Han rolled around on it, flailing his arms everywhere and squealing in delight. Finally tired from rolling around too much, he collapsed on his bed and grabbed a pillow for him to hold up against his mouth. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and produced a manly scream. Lu retrieved his phone from his bedside table where he had placed it so that he could fangirl.

 

From: Lu hyung

To: Sehunnie

8:05 p.m

 

Sure. Where do you want to meet up?

 

With a huge grin plastered across his face, Sehun replied back to his crush.

 

From: Sehunnie

To: Lu hyung

8:05 p.m

 

You know that bubble tea shop near the school? Let’s meet up there.

 

From: Lu hyung

To: Sehunnie

8:06 p.m

 

That’s great! It’s a date then!

 

Lu Han mentally face palmed at what he just wrote. Both males had no idea how much the other wanted it to be one.

 

-    -    -    -

 

“Honey, where are you going?” Lu Han was bent over tying his shoelaces.

 

“I’m going to the bubble tea shop near my school to meet up with my Language Arts project partner.” Finally done, he stood up to make sure they looked fine and he wouldn’t make a fool of himself later by tripping on them.

 

“Okay, be back by dinner time, alright?” Lu Han’s mom kissed him on the cheek, saying her goodbyes.

 

“Okay, I will, mom. Love you!” He returned the kiss before yelling a goodbye to his little sister, Luna, who was in her room. Pocketing his phone, he left the house, softly humming a bright tune as he walked to the bubble tea shop.

 

With a light heart and a spring in his step, he grew closer and closer to his destination. Walking among the busy streets of Seoul, Lu Han began noticing many things he never would’ve noticed before. There was a bakery within 5 minute’s walking distance from his house where mouth-watering pastries were baked and displayed. A playground was being used for toddlers who were smiling with no burden following them. Birds chirped in harmony, their song ringing in his ears. White puff balls of fluffy clouds rolled through the baby blue sky. Sighing happily, Lu Han smiled genuinely like the children he had seen earlier, carefree and at peace. Reaching the end of his journey, Lu Han pulled open the glass door to the corner shop, triggering the wind chimes on the door that signalled his arrival. Searching through the seats, he finally found the brunnette he was looking for. Gathering up all of his courage, Lu Han walked confidently towards his crush. When he sat down, Sehun finally looked up from his paper and smiled gently, oblivious to the fact that he sent Lu Han’s stomach into cartwheels.

 

“Hey, Lu. I was just going over the requirements. Here, I ordered this for you. I remember saying that you were addicted to taro.” Slender fingers pushed over the sweet drink to an extremely happy boy.

 

“Thank you. How much did it cost? I actually didn’t bring my wallet with me today but I’ll pay you back for sure next time!” Lu Han blushed at the thought of letting his crush pay for him.

 

“No, it’s alright, really. There’s no need.”

 

“But-”

 

“No buts. Now, we need to plan this story and fill out this planner first before we do anything else.” Both boys worked diligently on the organizer they were given while stealing glances at the other when they were sure they weren’t looking.

 

“Okay, so here’s what we have. Penguins originally live in Chile and are all black, including their beaks and stomachs. They can also fly. One penguin, named Tegua, is a misfit because he has a white stomach. He’s a really big outcast. His mother, Penguina, is the only one that understands him. She has an older brother whom is also Tegua’s uncle, named Plonquo. He’s the chief. When the fish run out, the whole colony flies South.” Sehun recited from their notes.

 

Picking up where Sehun left off, Lu Han continued. “During their flight, the sun burns their feet and the water pulls down their wings. They can’t fly anymore but they can swim a lot better. When they find Antarctica, they slide down the snow and ice, making their bellies white. Tegua is no longer a misfit.” Smiling at their own childish story, Sehun looked up from his paper to see the sparkle in the older boy’s eyes that he loved and cherished with all of his heart.

 

“It’s perfect.” Both males failed to realize that the sun had set, their drinks were left barely touched, and it was nearing dinner time.

 

-    -    -    -

 

Lu Han stared at the planner in his hands. Laying on his back, in his bed, the doe-eyed boy thanked the gods above and his Language Arts teacher for pairing him up with Sehun. An uncomfortable thought soon crossed him mind, as his brain was wandering to any place it could. He realized that Sehun hadn’t really shown any sign of interest in him, although he didn’t show any signs of discomfort or hatred either. Wondering whether or not Sehun liked him back, the small male curled up on his bed with his blanket wrapped around him and started falling asleep with a certain brunette occupying his thoughts and dreams. Just as he was about to close his heavy eyelids, a small smile graced his face as thought about how much progress they’ve had in their relationship in the past few days.

 

Baby steps, Lu Han. Baby steps.

 

-    -    -    -

 

Sehun sighed as he was greeted, yet again, with silence as he entered his house. After showering and changing his clothes, he made himself a light dinner that consisted of a ham and cheese sandwich. While eating, he stared at his phone’s background picture. It was of himself between his parents, all three of them smiling brightly with joy lighting up their faces. Sighing again, he closed his phone, reminiscing the last time his parents came to visit.

 

Sehun opened the door to his house, expecting a lonely silence to greet him in his dark house. Instead, he was greeted with a brightly lit room filled with balloons and a confetti. In the center were his parents smiling warmly at him.

 

“Happy birthday, son.” His dad patted him on the back. His mother pulled the now crying boy into her arms, telling him not to cry and that they were there for him. Over his mother’s shoulder, he could see a small cake with the words, “Happy 14th Birthday Sehun,” covering it in colorful frosting.

 

“We’re sorry we are never here to celebrate your birthday. Thank you for being the most understanding and loving son a parent could have.” Kissing him on the cheek, his mom turned off the lights after his dad lit the candles. Singing the song while holding in his tears of happiness, Sehun blew out the candles with a hopeful wish.

 

After the unexpected party, the family had happily spent the rest of the night watching a comedy film, cuddling on the couch in front of the TV. Laughing and spending time together, Sehun tried to memorize the situation, hoping that he could always remember how happy he was at that moment.

 

When the movie ended, the parents ordered the teenager to take a shower and then go to bed since it was a school night. Tucking him in, both parents kissed him on his forehead, assuring him that they would be there the next morning.

 

“You’re not going to save the world tomorrow?” They laughed at the inside joke before turning solemn.

 

“No, but the day after. We’re sorry we can’t stay for long this time but we’ll just have to stuff everything into tomorrow, okay?” Understanding that he shouldn’t be selfish and that other people needed his parents more than he did, the young male nodded although he was a little disappointed.

 

“We love you so much, Sehun. Always know that. Good night.”

 

“I love you, too. Good night, Mom and Dad.” After his parents left the room, Sehun turned his body towards the window to stare at the star filled night.

 

I wish we would always be a happy family and that my parents will always come back home safely to me every time.

 

A lone tear splattered onto his empty plate. Sighing again, he trudged up the stairs to finish his homework and go to bed, only to wake up to a lonely morning by himself. It was the same thing for about 358 days of the year. Alone and sad, the young male woke up every morning to a deafening silence and fell asleep to the same darkness he was greeted with when he came home.

 

Falling asleep, Sehun had kicked off his blanket but had no one to pull it back up for him and kiss him goodnight.