“Baek, can you please come over to my house?” Luhan said, with his voice all hoarse on the phone.

“Luhan? What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“Just come over to my house...” and so did Baekhyun as Luhan asked him. Within only ten minutes his best friend appeared at his front door. He rang the bell and Luhan ran downstairs to open the door, but his mom was faster there than he was. And he froze on his spot.

“Hello Baekhyun.”

“Hello miss, can I come in?”

“I’m sorry Baekhyun, but Luhan is not at home.” Luhan was furious, first she keeps away his beloved one and now he’s not even allowed to see his best friend anymore? He stormed through the hallway and screamed, “You’re a liar! BAEKHYUN! I’M HERE!” then the door got slammed right in front of Baekhyun. He heard a hard slap and he cringed. Then he heard a muffled “Go upstairs or you’ll get some more” Baekhyun had never expected this from Luhan’s mother, she always seemed like the perfect mother; sweet, caring and supportive. Although he was scared for Luhan’s mother, he refused to give up just yet. he walked around their house and on the backside of their house there was Luhan’s room. And next to Luhan’s window was a drainpipe and tho he had never climbed one, had no idea on how to even do it, he said to himself “Okay Baek, you can do this. Do it for Lu.” He took a hold of the drainpipe and he took a deep breath. He ran up the wall while holding the pipe. But if he would have thought his strategy through a bit more, he would have realised that that would just not work. Cuz indeed it did not work and he fell down. He tried again but now by clamping himself on the pipe and carefully and slowly climbing up. This too did not work. Then a somewhat better idea came up to him, he texted Luhan that he was outside of his window.

The other now showed up at his window and opened it, “And how are you planning on getting in?” he hissed. Baekhyun saw the red hand print on his friend’s cheek and bit his lip, feeling sorry for him.

“Well, you know Rapunzel right?” Luhan slightly smiled and rolled his eyes. Baekhyun, although he was being serious, was still happy that he at least could cheer his friend up for a bit.

“Dude how are you planning on climbing my hair, it’s not THAT long.”

“No no, I meant like something like that. Maybe you could use your blankets and knot them together?” Luhan walked away from his window and after a few minutes he came back at his window with Baekhyun’s master plan. He threw it out of his window and the shorter took a hold of it, then he climbed up and it finally succeeded.

“We have to be quiet tho.” Luhan whispered.

“Luhan, can you please tell me what is going on? I always thought you had like the perfect mother and now she appears to hit you?”

“I’m gay.”

“wow I totally had not noticed that.” Baekhyun facepalmed. “Tell me something new.”

“My mom knows.”

“Oh I feel trouble coming up. And with trouble I mean TROUBLE.”

“He appears to be my stepbrother.”

“Lu, you must be kidding me right now... right? Please tell me you’re not dating your stepbrother?”

“Well I am, and his dad sent him to boarding school. And that’s not even everything...”

“Lu, what is it?” Luhan bit his lip, and a tear strolled down his cheek.

“Lu?” He looked down and his crying got heavier. Baekhyun pulled him into a hug.

“My mom’s arranging a marriage for me...”

“No.” Luhan tilted up his head and looked his friend in the eyes.

“Yes.”

“She can’t do this.”

“I want you to do something for me, Baek. Can you go to Sehun and tell him I’m getting married. I’m not allowed to go, they’re making sure we’re not able to see each other.”

“Of course, Lu. Isn’t there anything else I can do for you?”

“Not for now. But you have got to go now, before my mom checks up on me again.” Baekhyun hugged him tight once more, then he stood up and climbed out of the window again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Baekhyun texted Luhan for the address information, but Luhan did not know the address either. Luhan did tell him tho, that Sehun was about to start his study at Seoul University and some of his friends lived here. They might be studying there too. So the shorter went to his school to get some information.

“Hello?”

“Hello dear, how can I help you?” An older lady at the reception asked him.

“I’m looking for Huang Zitao and Wu Yifan.”

“I’ll look them up for you, sweetie.” After a few minutes the lady had found them and told him where he could find them. He walked to the classroom they were supposed to be. But he did not find them there.

“Oh damn it, why can’t people just be where they’re supposed to be and NOT SKIP CLASS!” he pulled at his hair, being very frustrated. When someone tapped his shoulder.

“Dude calm down, are you okay?”

“NO I AM NOT OKAY, unless...” his eyes almost popped out of his skull and he let loose of his hair. It must have been a scary sight for the person standing in front of him.

“Should I leave or...”

“YOU LOOK CHINESE!”

“You’re kinda weird you know.” The person was about to walk away when Baekhyun grabbed him by his arm. And the guy looked back at him.

“Are you by any chance, Tao or Kris?” he asked , his eyes piercing through the other’s.

“Uhm, yes I’m Kris. Can I help you or something?”

“I’M A FRIEND OF LUHAN’S”

“YOU MUST BE KIDDING ME! THEN YOU MUST BE BAEKHYUN! SEHUN ASKED ME TO FIND YOU”

“Okay we gotta work together from now on, so-“ he reached out his hand for the other. “partners?” Kris shook his hand and stated, “Partners.”

Kris led him to Sehun’s boarding school, but just as they were about to visit Sehun’s room, Kris saw Sehun’s father walking out of the room. Kris abruptly pulled Baekhyun’s arm and pulled him behind a wall and as he was about to speak up, Kris pressed his hand on the other’s mouth. Baekhyun mumbled for a bit and Kris whispered in his ear, “Shut up, Baekhyun.” The only thing following was a soft “Hmpf” coming from the shorter one’s mouth.

When Kris thought the coast was clear he let go of Baekhyun. “What was that good for?!”

“I saw his dad.”

“Owh that explains a lot.”

They looked around a couple more times and silently sneaked into Sehun’s room. Sehun was about to greet them happily, but Baekhyun laid his finger on his mouth as a sign for him to keep quiet. Then Kris closed the door. Baekhyun walked towards Sehun and greeted him.

“Luhan sent me here.”

“Really?! How is he? Is he a bit okay? Didn’t his mom treat him too harshly?”

“I come with bad news.”

“What is it?” Sehun was scared for what was about to come, but had never expected the thing that was about to come out of the shorter’s mouth.

“He’s getting married.”

“WHAT?!” he instantly started crying. And put his hands in front of his face. While facing the ground. “But he promised he would marry ME, he would wait for me.”

“It’s not like he chose for it, you .” Kris now took a step forward and spoke up, “You don’t mean this is an...” Sehun pulled his hands off his face and now looked up at Baekhyun again with tearstained eyes.“Arranged marriage?”

“Yes and I don’t know if I’m allowed to tell you this, but his mom has been hitting him.” Sehun stood up and balled his fists. To be honest Baekhyun was a bit scared. But he did not show it.

“GOSH, I HATE HER! Why did she have to ruin everything? First she breaks us up, then she arranges a marriage for him and now she’s even hitting him? How can she? How dare she touch MY Lulu?”

“One more thing...”

“What is it Baekhyun?”

“The wedding is next week.”