Jongdae: Taeyeon told me she saw you today

Baekhyun: She was not lying 
Jongdae: You told her we went out?

Baekhyun: was i not supposed to? Also she blackmailed me.

Jongdae; No lol that was fine. I’m glad you told her it was probably best coming from you.

Baekhyun: she quite literally forced it out of me.

Jongdae: Poor baby :( are you okay?

Baekhyun: are you making fun of me?

Baekhyun jumped and almost dropped his phone as Luhan opened the car door he had been leaning on, causing him to fall out of the car onto the snow.

“You were in the car for like, twenty minutes after we got home. Minseok was getting worried.” Luhan explained as Baekhyun threw snow at him.

“You could have knocked on the window!” He said, brushing himself off. Luhan shrugged.

“I need the car anyway so you had to get out.”

“Where are you going?”

“Nowhere” Luhan said defensively. Baekhyun stared at him and leaned against the car, “Fine. I’m going Christmas shopping. Would you like to join me?” He asked with resignation. Baekhyun smiled moved to sit in the front seat, being sure to drag as much snow into Luhan’s car as possible.

“So are you going to tell me about this school thing?” Luhan asked as he perused the cards in the Chinese section of the international store.

“No.” Baekhyun was still texting Jongdae, he was trying to convince Jongdae to help him convince Luhan to propose to Minseok. Luhan picked up a card, muttered something in Mandarin, and put it back.

“You would think me being their son would be gift enough but no, my parents expect an actual card every single year.” He said,

“I’m just going to give my mom a gift card to sephora.” Baekhyun said,

“Does your mom know you want to go back to school?”

“No. No one knows except D.O. and now you and MInseok. Minseok probably would have figured it out though.”

“Why are you hiding it?” Luhan set another card down. Baekhyun remained silent. He wasn’t sure why he was being such an about this but he had already gone pretty far so it was too late to back down. “Fine, how about a trade. If you tell me about school I’ll tell you about how I plan on proposing”

Baekhyun almost dropped his phone. “Okay wait you cannot back out of this” He grabbed Luhan by the shoulders, “You first”

“Nope that’s not how this works. You know me, I’m good on my word though.” He pushed Baekhyun away, “does this card look good?”

“You know I can’t read it.” Baekhyun said, not even looking. Luhan nodded.

“I agree, it is very sentimental but I think they will love it.” He grabbed the envelope and pulled out his hand written shopping list.

“Did you write it in Chinese so I wouldn’t try and read it?” Baekhyun asked, looking over Luhan’s shoulder.

“Yes and it worked because you just tried to read it.” He smiled and patted Baekhyun's cheek.

“Fine,” Baekhyun finally said as they were checking out and leaving a department store, both with arms full of bags.. “I’m thinking of going back to trade school to get a certificate or something.”

“What kind? You already have a degree in piano.”

“I want to go to cosmetology school” Baekhyun said quietly. He hadn’t shared his secret dream with anyone, “than I could work at like, a MAC counter or cut hair or something” Luhan didn’t say anything, “It would be pretty cheap and I could take out some more loans I just...piano and the coffee shop aren’t going to stable enough to support myself and-” he drifted off

“Yourself and...” Luhan prompted

Baekhyun shrugged and pretended to be very interested in a window display they were passing.

“Come into this store I want to get Jongsu something” He said, turning abruptly into a toy store.

“Oh. That’s who” Luhan said,

“What do you mean.” Baekhyun went directly to the remote control race cars.

“You said you wanted to be able to support yourself and someone else- I know who else it is now” Luhan said, his expression was weird, it was soft, full of something Baekhyun couldn’t identify. He sometimes would look at Minseok like that when he was getting passionate about coffee or football.

“What are you talking about” Baekhyun said, focusing on deciding between two cars, or pretending to decide. He knew he was going to get the one that could do flips.

“I’m proud of you Baek” Luhan said seriously. Baekhyun felt something weird, affection? He pushed it aside.

“I’m going to get this one” He pulled out the coolest one they had. It could do flips and lit up and had a range that should reach through Jongdae’s whole house.

“I’m sure he will love it.” Luhan said, still staring at Baekhyun with that weird look.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Baekhyun pushed past him to get to the register.

“I already have a ring.” Luhan said, “I’ve had it for awhile.” Baekhyun froze and stared at him.

“Um, sir,” The teenager behind the register said, “is this all for you today?”

“My best friends are going to get engaged” Baekhyun told her. She glanced at Luhan and then back at Baekhyun.

“That’s great. Would you like a bag? It’s ten cents extra.”

“I told him that he would propose first.” Baekhyun continued telling her, even though she obviously didn’t care, “I knew they were going to get married since the first time they met.”

“Please slide your card and follow the instructions on the screen.”

“High School sweethearts. Isn’t that the sweetest thing you’ve ever heard?” Baekhyun continued.

“God will you shut up and buy your ing car?” Luhan asked, “you are annoying the poor sales rep.”

“I just want her to know that I called this. I knew this would happen from the start.”

“You did not! You were so in love with him when we started dating.” Luhan said, the girl rolled her eyes visibly and Luhan dragged Baekhyun away with the car in tow.

“I was not!”

“You so were. You hated me when I moved to Korea because Minseok and I became friends-”

“When did you get the ring?” Baekhyun stopped outside the store. Luhan turned pink, “oh my god, how long have you had it?”

“Since last time I went to visit my family” He mumbled.

“Wait when was that? That was like, three years ago wasn’t it?”

“Yeah” Luhan said, “It was my grandpas. My dad gave it to me after I told them about Minseok.”

“Oh my god and you’ve just been sitting on it for three years!! Where have you kept it?”

“I’ll show you when we get home. I have to get it anyways.” Luhan said, “Now can we change the subject.”

“How are you going to propose?”

“I don’t know I haven’t thought about it? Normally?”

“You can’t just do it normally!” Baekhyun said dramatically. Luhan rolled his eyes and walked faster.