"Gege, I think he's dead."

Chen tried to poke Luhan's cheeks just to test his theory, but the older male managed to evade his touch. Although his eyes still looked blank and his face was devoid of color. His eyes were bloodshot with heavy bags underneath, his hair is a huge mess and his shirt is even inside out. The longing stare he always had is now replaced by an empty look on his face. 

"By the way, do you know where Minseok-noona is?" Chen settled himself on his usual seat, followed soon after by Yixing. They saw the shift in Luhan's eyes when he mentioned Minseok's name. Of course, they already know that Minseok is the reason for that miserable look on Luhan's face, there's no one else that can do so much damage on the older male but his best friend. Still, they need to find out from Luhan himself about what happened.

"Minseok..." Luhan said in a daze. "Oh gahd! I want to die!" he suddenly blurted out.

"Hey, Lu-ge. It's not the end of the world if she rejected you." Yixing said, though he couldn't believe that Minseok will reject Luhan. He was quite sure that the two have mutual feelings for each other. He was planning to watch the whole scene yesterday but Chen had to stay a bit longer for extra practice so he didn't get to follow the two. He was expecting to see a lovey-dovey couple today and not this miserable looking guy in front of them.

"No! It's the end of the world!" Luhan buried his face in his hands. The scene from yesterday replayed in his mind and he honestly just wanted to jump off a cliff. "She's avoiding me now! She's not replying to my texts or answering my calls. I didn't see her around the lockers at all. Now look! She's not even here for lunch." he said miserably. If he knew it will turn out this bad, he would've never considered confessing to her. To make matters worse, that was the first time he ever saw her cry. 

"Did she at least look okay, Chen?" he asked the younger. They don't have the same class, since Minseok is in the Music department while he's in the Dance department. He can only ask Chen since they share a few classes. No matter how much she's avoiding him now, his first priority will still be her.

"Actually, I don't know. She's absent today."

"What?" he asked in disbelief. At that moment, his mind raced. A dozen scenario appeared in his mind and none of them looked nice. What if she's sick? Or if she's hurt? Did she get into an accident? Or maybe... maybe... she just doesn't want to see Luhan enough to make her skip school. That did nothing to lift up his mood.

"Does she hate me that much?" Luhan mumbled.

Yixing heard that no matter how soft the older whispered the question. He knew that the two have mutual feelings for each other. No two people could've been more obvious. He knows that Minseok doesn't hate Luhan. The stares she always direct at him is nothing even close to the feeling of hate. Though there is the fact that Luhan got rejected, he has a feeling it's because of an entirely different reason than what the older is thinking.

"Did she say that, Lu-ge?" Yixing asked cautiously. He wanted nothing more than for them to be together, if they needed a little push to get things going, he might as well do it.

"Well... no."

"Then how did you get rejected?" Chen asked in that indiffirent tone of his.

Chen might've sound and looked like he doesn't care but his eyes says it all. He knows what's going on, what happened between their friends, and what kind of help they need. He also knows that his older brother is doing the same thing as him. It's a good thing that they have the same way of thinking. Taking care of a troublesome situation such as this require more than one person and that's what they're here for.

Luhan buried his face on the table and let out a miserable groan. "She just... cried. She kept on apologizing and I feel like I'm the worst person on the planet! That was the first time I've seen her cry..."

Bingo! Yixing and Chen mentally thought.

"So technically..." Chen started.

"....you're not rejected." Yixing finished.

Luhan liftted his head from the table and gave them a hopeful look before the both of them added another word.

"Yet."

"Why am I friends with you guys?" He let out another groan and hit his head on the hard surface of the table. What they said did make sense though; that Minseok didn't actually reject him. Although crying seems like a sharper slap on the face than an outright rejection. Remembering Minseok's face stained with tears and her shaking hands made him guilty all over again. Is it that wrong to confess to your best friend?

~*~

Luhan couldn't focus. Not in the morning class and neither on the first period after lunch. Their dance instructor did nothing but shake his head at him. It's very unlike Luhan to make mistakes and be occupied with something else while dancing. But this time, all he can ever think about is Minseok, her reaction, her tears, his rejection, and the unclear reason about everything. She's hurt, he knows that. But he won't be able to fully accept the situation without a proper explanation about it. Why did she cry? What did she mean about her apology? Why did she run away? Why does she---

"Stop! Stop!" their dance instructor said, cutting the music off. After a heavy sigh, he walked through his small class and approached Luhan. The look in his eyes wasn't anger but worry. He knows that Luhan had been one of the top students in his batch but at this point, he's doing nothing but ruin the entire choreography.

"Luhan, why don't you take a break for today?" he told the young male. All Luhan did was give him a blank stare before silently leaving the dance floor. 

He was about to sit down at the side when Yixing threw him a glance and spoke. "Perfect time to visit your damsel in distress." It didn't make sense to everyone in the room, but it sparked enough life in Luhan's eyes to grab his bag and dash outside. The entire class along with the instructor was left to watch the door shut behind him while Yixing finally managed a smile.

~*~

Minseok lives just a five-minute walk from the school. She lives with her seven-year older cousin who also graduated from their school and is now teaching in the Drama department. It was hard for her being away from her family since the age of seven but it's needed so she can attend the Art School. Like most of the students in the school, they can only go home to their families during the school break.

Standing in front of Minseok's house was like Luhan confessing all over again, only worse. He doesn't know what face to make, or what to say, or if Minseok will even open the door for him. Luhan kept on pacing in front of the door. He'd been trying to knock for the past 10 minutes but his fears will get the better of him and withdraws his hand before it can touch the door. He was pacing again when he heard the sound of footsteps from the inside.

The door swung open and Luhan's heart instantly sunk. Minseok's face quickly registered to his eyes, with those red puffy eyes and equally red nose, her hair in a messy ponytail. Her face had lost its glow. Her shoulders slumped in a very tired droop. The shoulders of her shirt falling loosely in its place. She looked so tired and hurt. It broke Luhan's heart to see her like that.

A second or two after she opened the door, she finally noticed Luhan standing near the side. Her eyes widen in a sort of panic, and Luhan knows he have to stop her before she run away again.

"Minseok!" he called, grabbing her by the shoulders to turn her to him.

"I'm sorry, Lu. I'm sorry." Her voice was on the verge of crying again. Luhan feels like he's the most cruel person right now, but they can't stay like this.

"You don't have to apologize. Please. Please just give me a proper rejection and we can go back to how we were. You don't need to hide away from me." he begged. He knows well enough that he can't go back to how they were because he won't be able to hold back loving her, but if that will give Minseok some comfort, he's willing to do it.

Minseok stopped struggling in Luhan's hold and whispered a soft "I can't." It was so soft, Luhan almost missed it. It's a good thing he had enough practive with her quiet voice that he managed to understand.

"Minseok, calm down. What do you mean by you can't?" he said softly. He didn't want to scare her or match her panic stricken voice. He knows they won't be able to talk about anything if they will both be scared.

"I can't reject you, Lu." She finally looked at him, her eyes full of hurt and pain. Luhan felt a stab in his chest. Is he the reason for her damp eyes?

"Why can't you?" he asked again.

"Because..." Her voice is almost like a whisper by now but Luhan can still here her clearly. He'll hear it even if he has to strain his ears to do so. "Because... I love you, Lu." 

He was frozen. He didn't know what to say. Minseok loves him. So what's the problem? Why does she look so hurt when she said that? Why?

"Then... why Minseok? Why can't you accept me?" He didn't mean it but his voice sounded sharp even to his own ears.

"Because you don't love me!"

"But I do!"

"No, you don't!"

"Stop putting words in my mouth, Minseok! I already told you yesterday that I love you!" 

Their voices raise with each exchange. Each answer loaded with feelings only the two of them know.

At that point, Minseok already broke down and Luhan loosen the grip on her shoulders. She slumped to the floor and let her tears flow. "You only think you do, Lu. But you don't. I'm hateful and you're going to hate me."

"Minseok..."

"I love you, Lu. That's the problem. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"I can't understand any of this. Why is it a problem?" Luhan already kneeled next to her, trying to gather her in his arms but she raised a hand to stop him.

"I'm sorry I was selfish. I just wanted you to touch me like you always do. To hold your hand, and have your arms over my shoulder, and give you comfort when you need it. But I was selfish. I'm sorry, Lu."

Minseok grabbed Luhan's hands and brought them to her chest. Luhan instantly blushed at the action but Minseok looked at him with so much hurt. Her hands are cold and shaking, more so than yesterday.

"Do you understand now, Lu?"

It took him a while to process her question. Understand what? All he can understand is that he needs to get his hands off of her chest before--- Her chest? Her chest? Her---

He pulled away his hands with more force than he intended to and the hurt that crossed Minseok's face was like someone stabbed her with a knife. No. Stabbed him. Luhan abruptly stood up. The hair on his arms standing on ends. A usual reaction he experience whenever a fellow male touches him. That's right. Minseok is no girl. Minseok... Kim Minseok...

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Akira: I'm so sorry TT^TT It's just the second chapter and there's already so much drama! But i did say that it might just be five chapters or less so yeah, the story is a bit fast paced and all. Plus I'm trying to wrap this up quickly. I do hope you're enjoying this new fic. Leave me comments, my dears~ You can also ask me anything and I will answer everything as long as it won't lead to me spoiling you about anything important. Love you all >.<