Eversince Oh Sehun struck his life ingenuously like that of asteroids annihilating the preexisting peace and harmony on Earth, Luhan’s mundane life was never the same. He should have known the moment he saw his colorful tresses that he's a trouble.

“I’m going to kill that son of a !” Luhan said in gritted teeth while wiping the marks on his face. His youthful face is now littered by dark ink. To annoy him further, the brat’s name engraved on his forehead clung stubbornly. Can you believe him? He used a ing permanent pen! What is he? A five-year-old child? Even the children under his care will never do that to him. Luhan thought that he's better than that. They even made out last night and this is what he did to him! He mentally cursed when unnecessary and unwanted thought passed through his mind. He’s fuming right now. It’s not time to think of what happened last night. He rubbed the wet wipes on his face harder in attempt to disperse those thoughts. Does he think that he will be absolved just because he's the chairman’s grandson? He swore to his forefather’s grave, he’s going to get back to that son of a .

“Hey, careful little Lu.”

The infuriated fawn jumped on his feet when a larger, yet gentler hand got the wipes away from his grip. His doe eyes met Chanyeol’s warm cerulean one. How did he get here? He didn’t even hear the door opened.

‘Oh yeah, you just ran like a headless chicken earlier, Luhan.’

Unlike what he did, his childhood bestfriend rubbed his cheeks tenderly, very careful not to irritate the skin. The area tingled under his touch and with his neck craned, he could only stare at Chanyeol. It’s been years yet the familiar and tireless thrumming of his heart whenever Chanyeol’s near never ceased. It took a lot of effort not to hug the giant when he saw him again and now that he’s just a hairbreadth away from him, it is even harder to resist. No, he shouldn’t. He unconsciously bites his bottom lip as a sign of repulsion.

Both of them changed so much. Chanyeol’s features became sharper, coal as dark tresses are now swept, exposing his forehead, muscles became more prominent even under his white coat and the last time he saw him, his childhood bestfriend is just a few centimeters taller than him. Now, the doe has to crane his neck just to have a good look of him. Luhan on the other hand isn’t the same timid and helpless person who needs someone to save him. But there’s one thing that never changed, his heart that still stubbornly beats for him despite of a decade that has passed mundanely. The insane yearning intensifies as he gets a glimpse of the reason why he fell hard for him. Chanyeol’s forehead creased in cautious concentration as he dabbed the white cloth on his face. He's always been like this, gentle, kindhearted, considerable, and very passionate, exactly his ideal type of a man. He is perfect, too perfect for Luhan’s eyes and unfortunately the embodiment of perfection will never be his.

Luhan internally recoiled. Yeah, Chanyeol only treated him as a brother, a senior, a confidant platonically, never romantically. And the truth ing hurts like he got butchered multiple times. Just when he thought that those feelings finally went dull and diminished but he was proven wrong when he saw him again.

“So who is Sehun, Lu?” Chanyeol asked in his smooth, deep voice while still rubbing the wet patch on his forehead.

Luhan lets out a displeased grunt. “Please, refrain from ever mentioning that name, Chanyeol-ah. It totally ruins my day.” But he’s thankful that he mentioned him. He needs some leverage to get a hold of him back to reality. “And call me hyung, you cheeky rascal.” He pushed the taller subtly to get an intake of oxygen that will supply his palpitating chest.

Chanyeol chuckles at the cuteness that Luhan currently displays. The traces of ink were finally gone and what’s left is Luhan’s flawless and unblemished skin. He is turning thirty, yet he still looks so young, as though he gobbled a fountain of youth. He’s even older than Chanyeol himself yet he really looks much younger than the latter. The doe's beautiful face scrunched when some of the thin fibers of the wipes went to his nostrils. He tried to remove it but clearly failed so Chanyeol went closer to him again then removed the offensive intruder. The blue-eyed giant smiled at the surprise expression on the smaller’s face. No matter what his facial expressions are, he still looks so cute and adorable. Definitely a baby… his baby. He knew it is impolite, but he couldn’t help himself but to encase the beauty’s small face on his large palms. He’s been waiting for so long to have this opportunity, to finally have Luhan in this proximity, opportunity that’s been thwarted and stolen from him countless times.

The unexpected gesture caught Luhan completely offguard. The watery orbs blinked several times at Chanyeol’s handsome face before it dawned to him what is happening. Damn, he’s entering the danger zone again.

“You’ll tease me again that I haven’t grown that much huh?” Luhan laughed, feigning that he doesn’t feel anything but platonic longing for his friend to ease the tension. “I am still growing, you giant but if you say otherwise, I will gladly beat you up.” He attempts to remove the large palm on his face but it's as though it is stuck permanently because no matter how much he wants to distance himself, it seems impossible to slip away. When did he ever succeed to do that?

“My little Luhan grown some spine. I’m so proud of you.” Chanyeol chuckled. “But nah, your height just fits you perfectly, my bambi.” The taller murmurs while still caressing the apple of his cheeks, deep ocean eyes stares earnestly at the smaller making the latter’s face turn into a breathtaking rose hue.

Luhan’s mind has gone haywire, totally malfunctioned now. It is too unfair that after all these years, Chanyeol still has that great effect over him and he could easily maneuver him into thinking that they have a chance when in reality, what he feels was unrequited. He’s afraid that he will find himself going crazy over him again, which made him wonder if he moved even an inch. He should be pulling away or push the taller off him for he knew that Chanyeol will never be his. He shouldn’t let himself fall on that pit again, but he can’t. He can’t control his heart to stop beating for someone it loved for it embedded on its nature to be stubborn and persistent. How much he hates himself for still expecting for more and that he’s been single for so long because he’s still hoping for Chanyeol to finally respond to his affection. Luhan can’t do anything for his heart dedicated itself gingerly for Chanyeol in this lifetime. It would be Park Chanyeol or no one else.

“I’ve been looking for you. I have attempted to contact you. I've waited for you but why didn’t you—"

The question served as Luhan’s catalyst, a warning bell to break the illusion that his mind created just to satiate his yearning that he deeply buried down his unconsciousness. He begrudgingly pushed his childhood bestfriend off him while laughing hollowly, eyes are too careful not to graze on those astonishing eyes because he knew, he will never be able to escape if he will get a glimpse of those cerulean irises again.

“I-I forgot that I still need to attend some patient. I have to go now. Thank you for helping me, Chanyeol.” He said frantically. The last thing he wanted to happen is for the unnecessary old wounds to open once again. If he has to slap himself the truth that Chanyeol will never be his then he will do so. He couldn’t bear himself entering that painful zone again. Loving him secretly, without any expectation, without hoping for more is enough of a heartbreak because it is almost impossible. The moment you love someone, your heart will inevitably seek for a return of affection.

Just when he thought that he’s already safe, a large hand suddenly encased his thin wrist then pulled him back to the addicting warmth. In just a snap, he found himself with his forehead pressed against the giant. The beauty gasped in surprise. He once dreamed and imagined numerous scenarios of how they will meet again, enacting how he will respond on whatever he will say and do but Luhan still ended up petrified. He opened his mouth to talk but nothing came out. It seems impossible for him to generate coherent sentence, not when Chanyeol’s caressing his cheeks like he’s the one he cherished the most.

“I missed you, bambi.”

Both Chanyeol and Sehun are calling him that nickname but only the former can make him tremble everytime he calls him that. Red warning blared on his mind, trying to warn him to stay away but he can’t control his unrelenting heart from leaning toward his object of affection. Not when Chanyeol’s eyes are screaming of something he couldn’t quite comprehend and gravitates every atom and molecule in his body toward him. He knows Chanyeol misses him but only platonically. And he knows he badly needs to snap out of this delusion now, but the heart wants what it wants. If only he could stop the time. He knew that this moment will never last so instead of pushing and resisting, he let himself indulge the temporary happiness he could get. In fleeting time, he wants to pretend that this act is more than lovers, basking himself with familiar warmth that he’s been craving to be his for so long.

‘I missed you too, Chanyeol-ah.’ He wanted to respond so bad but all he can do is to stare at him with trembling lips. He can’t say it because there is no guarantee that the dam will not break. The exasperation he felt toward a certain blonde brat completely vanished and was replaced by overwhelming feeling of nostalgia, accompanied by waves of pain soaking his entirety. Several scenes flashed on his mind, scenarios where he always finds himself trying to grasp Chanyeol’s hand, trying to make him stay with him but someone always pulls his bestfriend harder. And Chanyeol never failed to slip through his fingers, leaving Luhan to deal in agonizing pain and with gaping wounds. But despite of that, Luhan still finds himself pulling harder everytime, even how much it hurts. The moments that were Chanyeol’s best but Luhan’s worst. That’s the consequence of loving a friend, more than he should. The sudden thought made Luhan recoil back to his comfort zone.

“Hey, are you alright? Did you perhaps consume excessive cheese again? You know that it always makes you weird.” Luhan stuttered, trying to avert the topic and gather his scattered thoughts simultaneously. He mentally flinched at the disappointment apparently plastered on Chanyeol’s face. He’s well aware how Chanyeol hates him feigning but he shouldn’t waver. If he had to slap himself just for him to wake up, he will do it. Chanyeol has a freaking girlfriend, that’s for certain. The last time he heard, they’re going stronger than ever so he shouldn’t let his hopes up again as though he's still a besotted teenager. Chanyeol is just so damn affectionate to his friends that’s why he’s doing this. He is not a teenager anymore for pete’s sake! He needs to ing control his goddamn emotion and stop assuming.

“We can talk later, alright? You can bring Yura with you if you want.” Luhan forcefully uttered the name that’s been choking him for more than a decade. “But for now, I have to tend my patient.” He continued in a shallow laugh. He pats Chanyeol’s shoulders then grasp the taller's hand to remove it.

Luhan thought that he escaped his clutch, Chanyeol sustained his grip on the doe’s wrist. It’s as though someone punch him straight on the chest, constraining his air tract. He can’t understand why Chanyeol’