Chapter 6

"Sehun, come on, help me out here, man," Chen gave an uncharacteristic whine.

"What now?"

"Irene. She's just refusing to meet up with me. I've been texting her the whole week, asking her to do the games thingy with me. Asking her to say yes."

Sehun was busy calculating the takings for the day, when again Chen showed up at the CD store.

"Just go and find her, dude. It's not that difficult," Sehun snorted. "You go to the same school, you even know where she lives."

"Huh?" Chen said in wonder, never really thinking of the option. "Will it be appropriate, you think. She just broke up with Kai and all that."

Sehun spread his hands impatiently.

“Hey, you're not asking for her hand in marriage, ok. Not even for a date. You just wanna create a game together, as weird as it may sound.”

“But I haven't talked to her since grade 2.”

“Chen,” Sehun took him by the shoulders. “You talk to her almost every night, man. For the last two to three years. You probably talk to her more than you talk to me. Just meet her dude!”

“I’m goning to get tongue tied, man,” Chen shook his head. “I just know it.”

“Then talk to her as if it's that alter ego of yours talking to his best bud, Caspian. The only difference now, is that you do it in real life. You're both chummy enough,” Sehun said, while shaking his head. “Never did figure your online relationships. Just so weird.”

“They're not weird. We all just have robust meetings of minds, that's all,” Chen protested.

“Yeah, but you and Caspian,” Sehun shook his head at his friend. “I've listen to your con-calls with him. You guys talk like aliens.”

“Sehun, you're still my real life best bud,” Chen grinned, cupping his friend’s face with his hands. “No need to get jealous. You and I, we have different interest, that’s all. But I still love you the most, bud.”

“Urrghh ... Get out of my face,” Sehun groaned and pushed Chen away. “Speaking of which, how did she get her voice like that, like all robotic and manly like that.”

Chen sniggered.

“Man, you're so IT illiterate sometimes. They need IT in Civil Engineering too, you know,” Chen laughed. “She just used a voice diffuser, that's all. Pretty smart, huh? My Irene.”

“You're hopeless dude,” Sehun smiled reluctantly. “Just go and see her already. Bring some chocolates or something. Make it neutral. Like man to man.”

“Ya! Man don’t give another man, chocolates, ok”.

“Yeah, well whatever. You go figure out what to give her then.”

“I thought you would give me better advise than this,” Chen laughed. “You're after all the ladies’ man.”

“Hey, can't help it if they decided to throw themselves at me, ok,” Sehun grimaced. “It has never been the other way around.”

“I know, man. Relax.”

The two boys stayed in a comfortable silence as Sehun finished his work at the cash register, until Chen suddenly asked.

“Why is that, huh?”

“Why, what?”

“Why are you not dating or something?”

“Do I have to?”

“Not really, but you're all packaged the right way.”

“So, if you're packaged like me, you'd be out on the streets, hitting out at all the girls out there, is that it?”

“Well, maybe not all the girls, just one,” Chen mumbled to himself.

Sehun grinned, knowing Chen meant his Irene.

“Hey, you may not be buffed like Kai, or ultra handsome like me, but you have your charms, man,” Sehun reassured his friend. “Don't short sell yourself, ok. Just go for it.”

“Yeah,” Chen said with resolute nod. “I will. But I want you to start dating too.”

“Not the right time, yet, bud. The day will come soon,” Sehun said, giving Chen an enigmatic smile. “You'll know when it does.”