CHAPTER 1:


Luhan grins as he sits on his favorite park bench, neon blue lunch box perched on his lap. 

It's a beautiful day he supposes. Not too hot. Not too cold. The blue sky is void of clouds and the sun is high up, but he is shaded by the big old pine tree that is just behind his bench. All is well. 

He opens the bright blue metal container and his grin widens to a goofy smile as surveys its contents: a small water bottle, an apple and a sandwich wrapped in clear plastic with a bright yellow smiley face sticker smack in the middle of it. There is a small black cardboard box tucked at the corner. He carefully plucks it out and fumbles with the cover. When he manages to open it he hums in delight. 

A praline! He spoils me rotten. Luhan smiles at the thought of Yixing, silently thanking the heaven's for such an indulgent best friend. He decides that he will eat the candy once he is done with his sandwich and apple. ("Main course before desert... and then a nice slow walk around the park to burn the calories!", as their roommate Minseok would always remind them.) Luhan replaces the cover and tucks the treat back into his lunch box. 

While chomping on his ham and cheese sandwich he makes a mental note to remind Yixing to pack him sweet tea instead of water tomorrow. That or maybe chocolate milk. He grins cheekily at what Minseok would say about his beverage preferences - the older man being a health buff and all.

Luhan looks up at the clear skies, letting out a grateful sigh at the thought of his two roommates. He's not sure what his first few years in Korea would have been like if he hadn't met them in uni. They anchored him.. and at the same time did not burden him with ridiculous expectations. He's lucky, really.. to have friends that feel like family. 

He shifts his weight to cross a dainty leg over the other and considers the rest of the day's 'things to do'. Luhan can still remember his one on one with Kris an hour earlier at the Korean Herald office. 

*

"Luhan, step up your game. You are good and you know it. Stop writing about the local and obscure and consider writing about, oh, I don't know... China? Our readers have money to burn for Northeast Asian escapades outside of this country!" Kris gestures grandly into the air, almost knocking down a flower vase on his mahogany desk.

He is wearing an all white outfit that makes Luhan wonder if his boss is scheduled for a photoshoot with the Backstreet Boys for a throwback piece on "I want It That Way". But he clamps his mouth shut and lets Kris continue his sanctioned monologue.

"We are tired of the hidden caves in Jeju and the cheap seafood stalls owned by idols in Busan." his boss pauses for effect. "What we need is a Chinese metroual's view of mainland travel. Seoulites are gonna eat that up like sushi from Tsujiki. We need Fresh and Delicious!"
Kris finishes with flourish. 

"Metroual. Really?" Luhan asks, tone half amused, half mortified. 

Kris waves off his question, imperious eyebrows raised, "Want me to call you 'pretty' instead?"

"NO." Damn his boss. If it weren't for.. 

Kris graces him with a gummy smile, "It's settled then. Give me Metroual Fresh and Delicious by the end of this month. Start with Beijing! Or it's back to the obituaries!" He leans back and crosses his arms, "I can only cover for you for so long Xiao Lu."

"Yes, duizhang." he replies quietly. He hangs his head down to avoid Kris' eyes. 

He misses the softening of the Kris' expression as Luhan stares at the polished parquet floor. 

*

He has to come up with something "fresh" for his food and travel column, or he's looking at dealing with the lower rungs of the obituaries section next month. That, or translation services. 

Luhan blinks and stares down at his half-eaten sandwich, appetite suddenly waning at the thought of travelling out of the country. Even the thought Yixing's chocolate surprise fails to stop his mood from souring. 

He stuffs his food back in the lunch box and takes his phone out from his coat pocket. 

Luhan ignores the message notification from an unknown number and hits speed dial 1. 

"Xing? You home? ..... Oh, nothing.... I'll see you before dinner then."


*** *** ***


"Maybe you should take a vacation. Unwind a little?" Yixing offers, as he wipes imaginary dust from their coffee table with a leopard print rag (Tao, their ostentatious landlord, gifted them with a set of kitchen towels as a housewarming present a few months back; Minseok had silently gawked at the present while Luhan patted Yixing's slumped shoulders, "It's the thought that counts?). 

He and Luhan are seated in their living room, contemplating Luhan's situation.

Luhan makes a face. "I don't know, Xing. I need to revamp my column and taking time off from work may not be the best solution." 

Yixing shakes his head. "I don't even get why you're doing what you're doing now. Didn't you love football, once upon a time?" 

Luhan stares at his bubble tea. His current job pays the bills. Football.. could have; but he'd rather not think about it. 

He lets out a frustrated sigh and cards a hand through his chestnut brown hair. Luhan can almost hear his father tsk'ing at him all the way from his obnoxiously over-decorated office penthouse in Beijing.

He gives his friend a cursory glance. Yixing is rearranging the magazines strewn underneath the coffee table. 

"Some things just don't work out.."
he says. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with what I'm doing now. A lot of~" 

"People would kill to be doing what you're doing right now." Yixing finishes for him like he's memorized it from a previous conversation, rolling his eyes slightly. "But what do you want, Lu?"

Luhan feels the room shrinking around him. He doesn't like where this is heading.

"Why not go back and tour China? Your boss is clamoring for a feature on Beijing anyway. You can visit your parents too..." Yixing's voice fades in mild suggestion.

Down. Down is where it's heading. Gravity loves him.

"Luhan?" 

He lifts his head and sees the younger man's concerned expression. He opens his mouth to say No, he doesn't want to, but nothing comes out. He knows he has to get his mainland special done. 

A heavy feeling settles in his stomach when he realizes that he's not sure how he is going to pull off going incognito in his hometown. 

He's bound to run into some acquiantances when he preps for his feature. News spread like wildfire in the Beijing social circles, and that will equate to an encounter of the filial kind. He gulps at the thought. Luhan shuts his mouth and goes back to staring at his drink. 

He knows if he voices his concern over a possible family reunion he would be opening another can of worms - and he is not ready to launch into a drawn out discussion about family, relationships, or anything about the past. Not with Yixing. Not now, anyway. 

"And it's been months, since you and Boa... Gawd. I mean, maybe Beijing smog would do you some good." Yixing finally says with just enough exasperation to get his point across. Luhan appreciates it. He offers his friend a sheepish smile.

He knows Yixing is associating his current rut with him and Boa parting ways.. and curiously enough he doesn't want to correct that perception. Boa understands him, and he's good with that. 

His phone lights up from where he has placed it on the coffee table. He sees the preview box and the name of the sender. He reaches over and presses on the power button to shut it down. There are other things distracting him lately. 

"Xing.. I.." 

"I am home!" A cheerful voice cuts through the sullen atmosphere, interrupting Luhan. 

It's Minseok, back from his team's afternoon football match. They see his silhoutte through the frosted glass that divides their living room from the hallway that leads to the kitchen. 

Before either of them can utter a response, Minseok runs for the kitchen, hands full of paper bags, "Got Kung Pao to celebrate! My girls won today! I'll just pee and then get changed." They hear him shuffling in the kitchen, followed by a door sliding shut moments later. 

Yixing looks at Luhan and his head at general direction of Minseok's room. "He doesn't even know about you cutting it off with noona, does he?"

Luhan shakes his head, although not entirely agreeing with the phrasing 'cutting it off'. Too.. harsh. 

Yixing nods anyway and heads to the kitchen to inspect Minseok's dinner offering. "Congratulations, coach-hyung! I'll set the table!" 

There are a couple of things they don't know about him, Luhan muses. Details he'd rather keep to himself.
But it doesn't mean he cares any less about them. He is simply allowing himself the convenience of not having to defend certain life choices.. It makes ignoring the past a bit easier. 


*** *** *** 


"So," Minseok says in between bites of his chicken, "When is Boa noona coming over for dinner? I haven't seen her in ages!" 

Yixing almost chokes on his rice at the eldest's seemingly innocent question. Luhan plasters on a smile as he kicks Yixing from under the table and answers, "Uh, she's been busy lately. She says hi! though." 

It was Yixing's turn to kick him. Luhan winces when the balls of Yixing's foot connects with his shin. He whimpers quietly. Luckily, Minseok is too busy opening another box of Kung Pao to notice and mumbles something about forgetting to get disposable chopticks from the Kung Pao adjumma. Luhan shoots Yixing an imploring look, as if to say Just this once, let me off the hook. 

Yixings eyes turn into slits. NO. "Minseokie~ maybe we should message noona in Facebook and ask her to visit us, what do you think?" 

Luhan's eyes widen at Yixing's suggestion. He snaps his head at their roommate's direction, but it seems Minseok is quite taken with his chopsticks. They pause from their silent bickering and stare after Minseok as he attempts to pick a grain of rice from his bowl; the young football coach glowers when his chopticks come up empty. 

Minseok still isn't used to this heavier set that Kris had given them as a housewarming gift. Luhan and Yixing exchange an amused look. Luhan recalls the eldest expressing his concern over the practically of it when they first used them ("Kris is sweet... but how can he give us something so heavy? Is this made of lead?"). He and Yixing had laughed off the interrogative commentary, believing he'd eventually get the hang of it ("It's just like weight lifting.. use your strong arms for leverage!")

"Oh!" Minseok drops a chopstick on the floor. Yixing breaks eye contact to help their hyung, but stops himself when Minseok puts up a hand and beats him to it. As their chopsticks guru bends over to retrieve the utensil, with a muffled, "I got it!", Luhan finds Yixing giving the elder a blank look. Or it could be a look of fascination. He's not... sure. Yixing does have a unique ability of schooling his face into this glazed expression that screams "I don't get it and I don't care, I'm not here". 

But what he does know is that a golden opportunity has presented itself. Luhan chortles as he grabs a handful of ice cube from his now empty soda cup and quickly reaches over to Yixing's side. He grabs the collar of the younger man's shirt, and tugs.

Yixing's eyes widen in surprise as a now grinning Luhan mouths Shut up! and shoves the ice cubes down his shirt. 

"YAHHHH!!" Yixing quickly rises from his seat, inadvertently pushing his chair backwards as he retreats from Luhan's hands. 

"Eh? What's happening?" Minseok sits back up with his prodigal chopstick and stares at his friends in utter confusion. 

Luhan seal-claps from his seat, jaws unhinging as he bursts into laughter at the sight of Yixing hastily untucking his shirt to rid himself of the unwelcome cold. Luhan notices Yixing glowering at him, looking very much like a kid betrayed. He ends up laughing more at his friend. 

"I hate you." Luhan hears Yixing say, although there is no heat in his words. 

"No, you don't." 

"Yes, I do." 

"Nu-uh, you don't. You CAN'T." 

"Why you~" 

Luhan laughs as Yixing goes over to his side, grabs him off his chair and pins him down to the floor in one swift motion. He bats his hands at Yixing in an attempt to ward off the others man's hands. "Dude! Get your hands off me!" He twists his torso and tries to get Yixing off of him, but the other man then relaxes his body and drapes over him like gooey lead in response. 

He groans and kicks his legs up petulantly, knowing very well his actions are in vain. Luhan hears muffled laughter against the cloth of his shirt; Yixing has decided to plant his face on his chest.

"Ok, let's... take a break." Luhan lifts an arm and manages to swipe the back of Yixing's head with a hand. "This is tiring." 

"Ow. You're just getting old." Yixing refuses to budge. Luhan groans in defeat and turns his head from side to side, looking for Minseok. 

"Minseok, help." he implores.

"You guys are idiots." Minseok grins at the two of them, but doesn't make a move. 

The doorbell rings. 
Luhan notices the elder jump from his seat reflexively. Minseok shakes his head at them as he slides off his chair and shuffles towards the door, disappearing from Luhan's line of sight. 

Yixing speaks up, "Lu, stop hiding things. Minseok worries about you, y'know." tone serious. 

Yixing's words hit him like cold water. "I.."

"You probably wouldn't have told me either if..." he hears his friend sigh. "We're family, Lu. You hear?"

"I know.. I'm sorry." He means it.

"Fine." Yixing stirs. "Ugh, you smell Lulu. You need to take a shower." 

"Then stop rubbing your face on my chest and get off me, noodle-face." he retorts, relieved that Yixing seems to have accepted his apology.

"Guys... uh.. you have a minute?" 

Luhan cranes his neck and Yixing lifts his head. Minseok isn't alone. Luhan's gaze settle on the person beside him and feels his mouth going dry. 

NO. 

Their guest is a tall young man with blonde hair, wearing a crisp checkered button down shirt neatly tucked into fitted dark jeans. He smiles at them hesitantly, his eyes then focusing on Luhan. "Ge," the young man says, "Hi."

Oh, holy mother of~ 

Luhan's eyes dart the other way. He feels his heart hammering against his ribs. He thinks he's going to hurl Minseok's Kung Pao chicken all over the place. Luhan starts squirming, "Xing. Space."

"I don't think I know you." Yixing blurts out, ignoring his friend momentarily. He takes in the newcomer's amused expression and looks at Luhan's reddening face and something just clicks. 'Ge'. Hmm. 

He scrambles to his feet, tugging Luhan up along with him. "Lu, are you ok?" he whispers.

Luhan nods. He notices Minseok shifting his weight from one leg to the other.. He does that when he's uncomfortable. 

Luhan takes a deep breath. 

"Xing, Min.." he starts, meeting the young blonde's piercing eyes. 

"This is Oh Sehun, my.." 

"Your what?" 

Luhan gulps. The words he'd practiced in his head all these years (in dreaded anticipation of moments very much like this) had crawled back down his parched throat and died. 

This is going to be a long night.

 

*** *** ***

A/N:  Did you guys see the teasers SM has been dropping the past couple of days??? OMGGG. Drunken/Exhausted!Minseok is hot. Cannot wait for their comebaaaack. (tries not to think of the lawsuit thing. T___T, but anywayyyyy moving onnnn) [EDIT: OMG Lay's teaser, did you guys see??? /dies]

*cheers*