"Kai, are you sure you want to come?" Sehun asks as he gets out of the backseat of Baekhyun's car. "Last time you saw him, you punched him in the face.” 

Kai shrugs as he gets out as well. "And I'll punch him again if he talks about you again," He says quickly.

"We'll be parked here if you need us, Sehun," Baekhyun says from the driver's seat. Chanyeol nods in agreement. Sehun smiles at the two and nods. He waves at them before making his way onto the campus, towards the main building. Once finding the right classroom, Sehun peeks inside the window, sighing when he sees Tao as he practices his kicks and flips alone.

"Wait, Tao knows martial arts?" Kai asks.

Sehun looks at him and raises his brows. "You didn't know? He's been learning since he was like five."

Kai frowns, suddenly not as confident. "Oh, so he could kick my ."

"Probably," Sehun admits. "But I won't let him." He gives Kai a reassuring pat on the arm before opening the door. "Stay here," Sehun instructs.  Kai mumbles something before crossing his arms. As soon as he enters the large room, Tao lets out a long, frustrated sigh; probably not happy with his presence. "Hey...Tao."

"It hurts enough to see you, but must you bring him?" 

Sehun smiles apologetically. "He's protective, I suppose. He didn't want me to come at all."

Tao glances back out the door, towards Kai. "Protective, huh? I didn't get the memo when he punched me."

"I didn't...ask him to do that," Sehun assures him. 

"I know," his old boyfriend sighs as he grabs a towel. Sehun knows old him would be dying over how he looks; muscular and wet, wearing white. But he's over it. And he wonders if it has something to do with Kai. "You hate seeing anything get hurt. I know you.

Sehun scratches the back of his head awkwardly and shrugs. "Yeah, that's why...I came here," he replies. "All of that stuff I did while you were worth Luhan," He begins. "No, actually- before you even got with him. When I entered the apartment and saw you two laughing so close..."

"You got jealous?"

"Of course, I did- how could I not? I have bad self-esteem as it is, and Luhan is...the most charming boy in the world. I feel like he could make anyone love him."

Tao sits on a nearby bench, observing Sehun. "Maybe so but you have your quirks. You're charming in your own, strange way and I imagine that's why Kai fell for you."

Sehun rubs his arms shyly. "Regardless, I shouldn't have done what I did. It was childish and...hurtful. I should have just sat and talked to you like a damn adult," He sighs. "Not only that but that stupid double date at the movies- the way I got all dressed up and got makeup put on my face..."

"You looked very pretty, though."

"Maybe so," Sehun copies Tao's earlier statement. "But we both know that wasn't me." He motions to himself. "This is..." After taking a deep breath, he goes on. "I don't go around purposefully trying to hurt people and break them up..."

"You were trying to break us up?"

Sehun rolls his eyes. "Yeah, kind of. I wanted...no, it doesn't matter. Whatever the reason, I was wrong."

"I...see," Tao says as he stands. Sehun looks up at him, no longer nervous when he approaches. "So why are you here?"

Sehun smiles. "To...say goodbye," He admits.

Tao looks down at him in surprise. "Goodbye?"

"We might see each other at times b-but..." Sehun sighs. "We can't be friends. At least not right now..."

Tao stares at him for a moment before swallowing hard. "I kind of hoped you were here for...a different reason."

Sehun laughs a little, and he feels terrible. But when he motions towards Kai, he can tell Tao already knows. "I'm sorry, Tao..."

"Yeah, well..." Tao puts his hands on his hips. "You can't force love, you know?" Sehun slowly nods in agreement as he slowly walks back to the door. "Sehun, wait," he calls out. When Sehun looks back, his stomach drops. That look in his eyes. The same damn look Baekhyun and Chanyeol give each other; love. "If It turned out differently, do you think we would have...?" Sehun sighs and looks at the floor, kicking his heel a bit. He's not sure he has the right answer to this. Because no matter what he says, it'll hurt him. He supposes the truth would be a good start — no more lies.

"Yes, Tao," Sehun admits. "I think we would have." As he thought, Tao looks crushed. But there's nothing Sehun could say to make him feel better. Not without lying to him and himself. "I hope you...find happiness, Zitao," Sehun whispers before he turns away and walks away. While it's true that he would have gladly stepped into Tao's arms again, it wouldn't have ended well. Sehun probably would have learned about his actual behavior eventually. The problem is that he does love Tao and he isn't sure how long he will. That's why for Sehun's own good, and everyone else's, they can't be friends. Not after all that.

"You alright, soft spot?" Kai asks as he quickly steps up beside Sehun and wraps an arm around his shoulder. 

"I suppose so. I..." Sehun stops to look back at Tao one more time. "I hope he gets better, you know? I want him to be happy."

Kai sighs and pulls Sehun away from the classroom and back down the hall. "You're way too soft, Sehun. The guy made you miserable, and yet you still say this ."

"What?" Sehun huffs as they head for the car. "Maybe but I can still wish him well."

Kai opens the car door for Sehun, smiling at him when he slides in. "Aren't you mad? At all?" 

"Of course but I'm over it, " Sehun argues. "Kyungsoo said I'm being the bigger person but forgiving and it's not healthy to hold onto things..."

"Sorry but that sounds like bull to me," Kai sighs as he leans back in his seat. He rolls his eyes when Sehun forces him to wear his seatbelt. 

"Sounds like someone has a bit of forgiving to do," Chanyeol jokes with a laugh. "Why so angry all the time?"

“I'm not angry. I'm nothing but calm all the time.”

“No you’re not," Baekhyun snorts. "You’re fifteen seconds away from starting a fight at all times.”

Sehun sighs as the three boys bicker. He bites his lip as he reaches over to intertwine his fingers with Kai's. "Kai?" When Kai hums in responses, he goes on. "Let's have dinner with my parents again."

Kai looks down at Sehun oddly. "What? Why?"

"I..." He blushes and looks forward, out the front car window. "I want us...to get together for real, you know?"

"You mean, now that I'm your boyfriend."

Sehun squeezes Kai's hand tightly. "Yes...?" He starts to get uncomfortable when Kai goes quiet for a few moments. 

"Alright," Kai agrees. "Why not?"

"Really?! You mean it?" Sehun sits up excitedly. He knows his parents can be overbearing, but he wants them to like Kai. For the real Kai, not the fake one they met. Kai gives him a lazy smile and shrugs.

"For you? Why the hell not?"

Sehun tries to calm his breathing as he stands outside of his parent's front door. He told them he was bringing his new boyfriend over, but they have no idea it's Kai. He's afraid of their reaction and how negative they'll act towards Kai. Anyone who makes Sehun cry isn't good in their book. Oh, and he HAS cried over Kai.

"Hey, you need to relax," Kai whispers, grabbing Sehun's hand. "They already love me, right?"

"That was before I told them you were straight and weren't actually my boyfriend," Sehun points out, but Kai still seems unfazed. He hums as he leans over and rings the doorbell. He leans over and kisses Sehun's cheek briefly before returning to his regular spot. While his cheeks are still pink, Sehun's father opens the door to greet them.

"Sehun!" His mother greets but stops at Kai. "Oh, Jongin?"

"That's right," Kai laughs a little. "But this time, It's, you know, for real." Sehun feels absolutely mortified when she remains silent, staring at Kai oddly. He feels like he wants to run away when no one speaks up. But when she finally smiles and leans over to touch Kai's arm, he lets out a soft groan.

"It's so lovely to see you, Jongin! Please, come in, you two," She says.

"Thanks," Kai says as he takes a step in, not bothering to correct Sehun's mother this time. Sehun isn't sure why but that makes him absolutely and completely happy. Kai is extremely picky about who calls him Jongin, and this shows that he accepts his new role. 

At the dinner table, Sehun listens to the three of them speak. Kai being honest about how they met; luckily sparing the details about Sehun getting tipsy at the club. He leans his head on Kai's shoulder before pulling his phone out. He stares at all of his texts with Tao. All the ones recently and the ones while he was in China. He even has texts way back when they first started to date. Kyungsoo insists on buying him a new phone, but Sehun never has the heart to let go of all the memories and photos he has stored. Literally, all of his relationship with Tao is stored in this phone. From lonely texts at 3 am, missing each other, to the most recent ones of Tao practically begging to speak. It's so strange. It took so many years to build up all these texts, messages, photos, pictures, feelings, memories. And yet it only takes two minutes to deletes them all, and only a second to remove Tao's phone number. Sehun already knows it'll take about an hour for Kyungsoo to pick him out a new phone, unhappy with any that isn't perfect. And it's kind of strange, that it takes only several weeks for everything Sehun seems to know and feel to change completely. 

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I'll miss writing this adorable fic. I justed wanted something cute and lighthearted. I wasn't planning on it being too long anyway but I hope you guys enjoyed it~