Sehun doesn't pay attention to any paint that falls from his palette. He grips his paintbrush tightly as he makes angry, long . He doesn't answer his phone when it goes off; several people are trying to contact him. Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, Tao. Luhan has knocked on his door a couple of times, but he never responds. He doesn't blame Luhan for Tao. Of course, why would he? It's only until he finally sets his paintbrush that he finally speaks out to the knock on his door,

"Just come in," Sehun calls out. He's not surprised when Luhan slowly walks in. He smiles weakly and goes over to Sehun with a cup of tea in his hands. When Sehun doesn't take it, he sets it down on a nearby chair.

"Sehun...are you okay?" Luhan asks. "Tao said you felt sick and-"

"Don't listen to anything Tao says" Sehun interrupts, staring at the plop he calls art. "I didn't leave because I felt sick."

Luhan frowns, his eyebrows raised in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Sehun lets out a long sigh before he slowly stands. "I left the club because of Tao, Luhan."

"Why? What happened?"

Sehun thinks about not telling him for a moment. But then he starts to imagine how Luhan will look when Tao breaks his heart. His big, innocent eyes wide, red, and full of tears. No makeup and eating a tub of ice cream. "Luhan, I left because Tao..." he leans against the railing of the balcony and watches as people walk by down below on the street. "He kissed me, Lu."

Luhan stares at him for a moment, his mouth slightly open. He makes a sort noise as if trying to think of what to say.  He clears his throat before speaking. "W-what?" He asks and his voice cracks. 

"Lulu, I...when I went to the bathroom, Tao followed me. He kissed me and then I yelled at him." 

"Tao...also told me that you're not dating Kai."

Sehun closes his eyes. "I'm not. I wasn't going to lie to you but...but then I got mad at Tao; I wanted to make him jealous." he opens his eyes and sighs. "I got all dolled up like that so Tao would...I don't know, want me or something. But...but then I thought about you."

"Me...?"

Sehun nods, smiling at his roommate. "I thought at that moment that Tao might actually like you," He admits. "After Kris and his bull; I want you to be happy..." Sehun feels relieved when Luhan slowly loops their arms together. A clear sign he isn't angry. 

"To be honest," Luhan sighs. "I...I've seen the way Tao looks at you. I just thought maybe..."

"He'd forget about me?" Sehun asks, and Luhan nods. "He doesn't deserve you anyway. Tao...isn't good for anyone right now, I think." His heart aches when he says that.

"I don't know what to think..." Luhan says, his voice quiet.

"You think whatever you want," Sehun responds and smiles. "Kai...reminded me that you're an adult and if you get hurt by not listening to me..."

Luhan nods slowly before he rests his head on Sehun's shoulder. He sighs as he looks at his phone. Sehun frowns when he sees that it's Tao calling. He puts it on silent and slips it back into his pocket. He thought telling Luhan would make his roommate hate him or something. "Sehun?"

"Yeah?"

"What's...it like between Kai and you?" Luhan asks, and Sehun sighs. That's, as much as he wants to fight it, an easier feeling to deal with. Tao makes everything he feels complicated. "Do you...really like him?"

Sehun watches, as if on cue, a motorcycle parks out front. Kai hops off and swings his keys before entering the building. Sehun blushes and leans down, resting his chin on his hands. "Yeah," He finally admits. "I think I do."

"B-but isn't he straight?" When Sehun remains silent, Luhan squeezes his arm tighter. "Maybe there's a chance Kai's not straight!" Luhan says hopefully. The sweet, warm look in his roommate's eyes reminds him of someone — a boy that's quite similar to Luhan. Suddenly getting an idea. Sehun stands up straight as soon as Kai walks in. 

"Luhan, there's someone I want you to meet," He says, grabbing Luhan's phone and creating a new contact. "I...think you two would hit it off. I've known him for a bit now, and he's a nice guy; he even as the same interests as you."

Luhan tilts his head when he looks at the screen. "Minseok? The guy who gave you your job?"

"Yeah, give him a call sometime. He's single too."

Luhan blushes and holds his phone tight against his chest, as if afraid to lose it. He gives a shy goodbye and rushes out the room. Kai looks back at Luhan and then at Sehun, raising a brow.

"I told him about Tao," Sehun says, looking back out the balcony when Kai joins him. 

"I'm still pissed off about that."

"...I hope Luhan listens to me and breaks up with him," Sehun continues, ignoring Kai's comment. "Tao's going to come over soon."

Kai looks at Sehun, a look of concern on his face. "You wanna get outta here before he does?"

Sehun laughs. "Why? Are you worried I'll cry again?"

"Yes," Kai admits. "And then I'll have to punch his face in."

Sehun pushes off the railing and goes back into the room. "Where would we go?"

"I promised you I'd let you seem my home, right?" Kai says, and Sehun nods. Kai shrugs and motions to the door. "Get dressed, and we'll go."  

"At least we don't have to pretend in front of them anymore," Sehun points out as he strips. He's still a little shy undressing in front Kai, but the man has shown no signs of turning away. He decides to get used to it. He stops when he catches Kai slowly checking out his body. He blushes and turns his head away before he's noticed. What if Tao was right? What if Kai isn't straight? If he isn't, does Kai know or is he just in denial?

"What about your parents? Do you think Tao would tell them?"

Sehun shrugs. "I don't know, but if he does, I still have Baekhyun and the others to vouch for us. If that happens, I'll...just tell them he's a jealous ex, trying to hurt me."

"Sehun," Kai sighs. "He IS hurting you, even now."

Sehun stares at the sweater in his hands, gently rubbing the fabric with his thumbs. He pushes back the tightening that threatens to stir in his chest. "I really wanted..."

Kai goes over and pats him gently on the back. His palm feels warm against Sehun's bare skin; it makes his heart flutter. "I know..."

After clearing his throat, Sehun pulls his sweater on and grabs his jacket. "Anyway, it doesn't matter right now. Let's go before he-"

"Tao, you have a lot of explaining to do!" Luhan shouts from the living room.

"...Gets here," Sehun finishes slowly.

"No, what the were you thinking?!"

Sehun cringes. Luhan never curses. "We should go," Kai says, and Sehun agrees. Sehun is nervous as he's led down the hall.  He tries not to look Tao in the eye.

"Sehun, you have to tell him," Tao speaks in Chinese to him. "That kiss meant nothing!"

Sehun looks at Luhan, the boy's eyes are wide and angry. "So, you DID kiss him!" His roommate shouts, also in Chinese now. By the look on his face, Tao didn't know Luhan spoke it; or even that the boy himself is Chinese.

"Good luck," Sehun mumbles in their language. He lets Kai pull him out the door, away from the angry atmosphere of his apartment. The idea that Tao hasn't even sat down to get to know Luhan much makes Sehun mad. How could he not even know something that simple? Kai and Sehun weren't even in a real relationship, and yet they know a lot about each other already. 

Kai wasn't kidding when he said he lives close by. It's barely even a thirty-minute walk to his apartment complex. While used to Kai opening doors and letting him go first, he wasn't expecting the man to let him go through his front door first. But that's what he does after he unlocks the door and pushes it open before motioning Sehun in. Sehun smiles as he enters, looking around the room. He doesn't get the chance to look at anything before someone suddenly jumps out and grabs his arms.

"Kai!" Someone shouts and Sehun screams, falling back and onto the floor. He stares up at a man, his eyes wide. The man who scared him has on a similar jacket to Kai's, with short black hair. "Oh, you're not Kai." 

Sehun groans and grabs his chest, trying to slow his heart rate. "No, I'm not!" He huffs as Kai grabs his arm and helps him up. 

Once Kai finally stops laughing, he goes over and slaps the man's back. "Sehun, meet Taemin," Kai introduces.

"Oh, this is Sehun?" Taemin grins. "Kai told me about you. Sorry about the whole scaring you thing."

Sehun lets out a sigh. "It's alright."

"I already knew you'd try to scare me," Kai says as he sets his keys down.

"You set me up?!" Sehun gasps when Kai smirks. He crosses his arms and sulks. 

"You're right- he IS cute," Taemin puts in. 

Kai shrugs. "Told you." Sehun blushes at the idea of Kai going around telling people he's cute. Maybe not everyone, but his best friend. And that's what matters. "Stay the night, Sehun."

"But..what if Luhan needs me?"

Kai shrugs again. "I'll walk you over there again if he calls, but I don't want Tao around you right now."

"It must be bad if Kai doesn't like 'em," Taemin laughs as he leans against a wall. 

"I told you about him," Kai says. "He's the head that's trying to use Sehun's roommate to hurt him. How much does Kai talk to Taemin? Does he tell him everything or only some things?  "Choose. My bed or the couch."

Sehun blushes as he sits on one of the black couches. "I'm a guest- so it'd be rude of me to choose the bed."

Kai shrugs. "I don't care either way- sometimes I'm more comfortable on the couch." He motions for Sehun to follow him, who does so but hesitantly and shyly. He's lead into a bedroom, and it's nothing like what Sehun thought it would be. The walls are a dark blue color with wooden floors, and barely anything but some photos of friends hung up. His bed is pushed up against the far wall, right underneath windows. It's neatly made, along with everything else in the room. It feels very welcoming, for some reason. "I don't sleep here much anyway."

"Is it...really alright?" Sehun asks, and Kai finally smiles.

"If I needed a place to stay, would you offer up YOUR bed?"

"Of course," Sehun doesn't hesitate.

"Well, there you go. Go on and sleep," Kai intercuts as he pulls his jacket off and tosses it to the side. "You haven't been sleeping well, have you?" Sehun opens his mouth to argue, but he stops. He only now realizes just how tired he is. He stayed up all night painting, but he wonders how Kai knew. Or can he just tell? Sehun is slow to pull his jacket off, smiling when Kai offers to take it. "Just put your shoes wherever. And you can borrow some sweats if you want."

"I'm not sure...I should wear your stuff."

Kai pulls out a pair of black sweats and shrugs as he sets them on the bed. "You've been all tense since the club." As soon as Kai leaves the room, Sehun lets out a sigh and stares at the pants. He bites his lip before taking his shoes off and changing. After getting into the warmth of Kai's bed, He glances at his phone. He's confused by the silence from it. Letting out a sigh, Sehun rolls over and tightly shuts his eyes; deciding he'll call Luhan in the morning.

Sehun knows he woke up an hour ago, but he doesn't remember how long he's just been staring at the wall; stuck in thought. He pushes the overs off and sighs at the darkness that now fills the room. Feeling bad about leaving the bed a mess, he makes it neatly, even in the dark. He can imagine what Kai would think if he saw him. He'd probably slap his hands and tell him to go back to sleep. Sehun maneuvers himself through the door and down the hall, squinting. When seeing Kai sitting on the couch, Sehun slowly goes over.

"Hey," Kai greets without looking up from his phone. The man had changed into a tank top and his own pair of sweats. It revealed more of Kai's tan skin; a massive weakness for Sehun lately. Sehun glances out the window, at the night sky.

"Did Taemin leave?" Sehun asks as he sits beside Kai.

"No," Kai shrugs. "He just got bored and went out drinking."

"You didn't go?"

Kai leans back, setting his phone down now. "I wasn't in the mood." He stares at the blank tv screen for a moment before looking at Sehun. "Now that we don't have to pretend in front of Tao and Luhan..."

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about you," Kai offers. "Nothing I NEED to know. Just, tell me more about you."

"You already-"

"No," Kai interrupts. "I know stories about you that your parents want to hear."

Sehun stares at him for a moment before smiling. "You have to tell me stuff too, okay?"

Kai leans back against the couch and shrugs,  a lazy grin on his face. He honestly looks incredibly handsome, even like this. His hair messy from sleep and his eyes still seeming to wake up. Sehun momentarily wonders how he looks, himself.

"Alright," Sehun hums as Kai props his elbow on the arm of the couch and rests his head in his hand. "The first time I got drunk, I was only fifteen."

Kai raises his brows. "Really?"

Sehun bites his lip, laying his head on the soft fabric of the couch. "Tao convinced me to sneak out, for the first and only time in my life. I uh..." He laughs a little. "I sipped alcohol before but nothing more than that; maybe I'd try Tao's beer, but that's it. After I got drunk, I snuck back into my room, very noisy mind you." He goes on. "I tried to sleep it off but I couldn't. So I just fumbled around and...I painted ALL over my bedroom walls."

Sehun grins when Kai starts to laugh and shakes his head. "YOU did that?"

"Yep," Sehun sighs. "Luckily, I woke up the next morning before my parents could see it. I took the only color we had in the attic and painted my walls to cover it up."

"That's why your walls are blue?"

Sehun nods. "I was able to cover it all up but um..." He stifles a laugh. "You know how I have that rug there?"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't know how to get dried paint off the floor, so I just covered it up with that. My parents just thought I was redecorating and thought nothing of it."

Kai snorts as he laughs, his head falling back. He gently hits Sehun's arm as he does so, causing Sehun to smile now as well. He's never really seen Kai get like this and it makes him happy. "Do they know now?" Kai asks, his laughter finally died down. 

"Of course not!" Sehun huffs. "Do you think I'm going to tell them that their song got drunk at fifteen and painted random stuff on his walls? When they finally take my stuff down, and they find it, I'll lie," He shrugs. "I'll just tell them it's a painting accident."

Kai sighs as he rearranges himself to face Sehun partly. "Have they always been alright with your painting?"

Sehun shrugs and smiles at him. "My hobby could be collecting stamps, and they'd still support me. It's the same thing with me liking boys," he explains. "While it's not what they wanted for me, I'm their son, and they love me."

Kai smiles fondly now. It's a real smile too, not his usual one — the kind that really gets Sehun's heart pounding. Just as his leather jacket comes on, so does his bad boy image. There's a foreign feeling in him now. No, it's not foreign or new. He's felt this once before, back with Tao. In high school, when this bad boy exchange student approached him and asked him on a date out of nowhere. In the hall, in front of some other people. Sehun was just a nerdy, shy guy that clung to his books nervously. He felt this way during his first kiss too. When Sehun nervously begins to rub his chest, where his heart is, Kai looks at him in concern.

"You alright?"

Sehun swallows hard. "Yeah, I just..." He clears his throat. "Fell...hard."

Kai tilts his head as if to look for any injuries on him. "You fell? When?"

Sehun laughs nervously. "I have no idea..." When Kai opens his mouth to say something, he quickly cuts in. "Hey, tell me a story about yourself...Tell me how you met Taemin."
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