Sehun’s not ugly… Right?  His baba and omma are pretty people.  Sehun’s got a good face, towering height, defined muscles.  He plays more sports he can keep track of, and speaks a number languages.  There’s bound to be at least one person that finds him attractive.

But no.

No one in History High School.

“Come on, Baby Bro,” Baekhyun sighs, slapping the back of his head.  It’s one of the rarer times his older siblings came home. “You’re an attractive kid.  Finding a date to senior prom is no biggie.”

“Easy for you to say,” Sehun grumbles, crossing his arms. “You had boys throwing themselves at your feet every year.”

“And she ended up picking a dorky one with gigantic ears in the very end to keep,” Jongdae snorts. “What a pity.”

“Funny that you would say that,” Baekhyun retorts. “You went alone.”

“And he ended up hooking up with some cheerleader during it,” Sehun points out. “I might as well stay home.”

“You stayed home junior year,” Baekhyun groans. “Honestly, just pick a girl.  Any girl. They’ll be happy to have a date to go with. Your face is a plus.”

Sehun throws his head back with a loud whine.  He doesn’t want just any girl. He has one in mind.  Not that she’ll ever consider him as an option. Unfortunately.

“Whatever, Brat,” Baekhyun says with an eye roll and another head slap. “Go to school.”

“Yeah, go to school,” Jongdae echos mischievously.

Sehun lets out long whine as he leaves, grabbing his keys and phone from the kitchen table.

Jongin has a date.

This means that his best friend is going to prom… And as logic goes, Sehun has to go with him too.

“What kind of logic is that?” Sehun asks, slamming his locker shut. “No way in hell I’m going.”

“You’re the swim captain,” Jongin deadpans. “All captains go.  This isn’t a choice. This is History High tradition. Tradition!  And I am your best friend!  You can’t do this to me!”

Sehun rolls his eyes.  He supposes that’s why Jongdae even went instead of dragging his friends to go laser tagging.

“Look, just come,” Jongin begs. “I’ll even buy the stupid ticket for you.  Just don’t leave me alone with Kyungsoo for five and a half hours. It’ll be awkward.”

Sehun huffs, hitting his head onto his locker. “Fine.”

“Great, find a date before then.  See you, Se-loser!” Jongin punches his arm, running off to Government as the bell rings.

Sehun groans, eyes shifting down when he catches silvery pink hair across the courtyard.  Yeah, date… Right.

“Wu Sehun, please get a date for prom,” his omma tells him, hugging his head as he sits at his desk doing his AP Calculus homework. “I didn’t raise you to be lonely in life.”

Sehun lets out a sound that’s mixed between a groan and whine.  “Omma!”

“I’m serious, Sehun,” his omma scolds, letting him go.

“Junmyeon, leave the boy alone!” his father shouts from another room down the hall. “He’s having a mid-life crisis.”

“I’m not having a crisis!” Sehun yells back.  “And I’m only turning eighteen!”

“Chen left without anyone and came back with a girl,” Baba mentions, earning another goran from Sehun as he makes his way to Sehun’s door frame. “Maybe Shixun will be the same.”

“The two aren’t the same,” Omma lectures. “Jongdae is shameless and is more bold than he realizes.  Sehun’s more on the introverted side, Yifan. The boy will never get married!”

“Married!” Sehun echos in horror.

“See?  Now look at what you’ve done.  You’ve scared him,” Baba sighs.

“Baby Bro’s getting married off already?” Baekhyun asks in disbelief, poking her head in from the doorway.  Jongdae comes running over to Sehun’s doorway as well. Sehun groans, of course they would come home now.

“No!” Sehun screams.

“Wow, Maknae.  How did you drug her?” Jongdae sniggers, slowly backing away behind Baba when Sehun sends him an icy glare.

“Sehun-ah,” Omma call gently, brushing his light brown hair out of his face. “Just please?”

Sehun hums, biting his bottom lip.  Omma gives up, heading out the door, muttering, “If he doesn’t married in the future, it’s your fault.”

“How is it my fault?” Baba demands with wide eyes.

“Did you hear?” Jongin tackles him into the red lockers.  Stpuid football players.  “Zhang Han rejected Jung Yunho!”

Jung Yunho, dance club president, handsome, charming, admired by the whole school.  If Zhang Han rejected someone like that then Sehun has no chance.

“He made posters and bought expensive treats too!” Jongin laughs. “Sad life.”

Sehun ends up moping in AP Government, keeping his head down as the classroom fills up.  Jung Yunho isn’t Zhang Han’s first rejection. She’s been cornered and asked several times by a load of other students, received gifts big and small.  Yet, the answer is always the same - no.

“You’re having a great day,” a voice comments.

It’s Jongin’s date, and Sehun’s childhood best friend, Do Kyungsoo.  The little redhead takes a seat next to him. Sehun grunts, carelessly spinning his mechanical pencil between his fingers.

“Wonderful,” Sehun deadpans as the teacher begins the class.  The girl gives him a smirk and a head shake before turning her attention to the front.

Sehun groans at the news of an end-of-the-year project.  A group project.

“Be in my group?” Kyungsoo turns to him immediately when the teacher lets them off to form groups of fours.

Sehun cheers cheerlessly, high fiving the girl.  Kyungsoo sighs loudly, looking around. “Who else is there I trust?”

“I don’t know,” Sehun moans, burying his face into his arms. “I don’t care.  Just find people. I’ll do the work if they don’t.”

Sehun thinks he’s ready to throw himself off of a cliff when Kyungsoo comes back with Kim Minhee and Zhang Han behind her.

Friday has another rejection to some poor er.  And Jongin doesn’t have to tell Sehun, because Sehun is there when it happens.  

Like always, Han doesn’t accept anything, only offering a hug and comes quickly over to Sehun when she spots him in front of his car.  They’re meeting up today for the Government project, and both Kyungsoo and Minhee are officially late.

“Are you even going to prom?” Sehun questions, clicking his phone off.

“At this rate, probably not,” Han sighs, following Sehun’s example and leaning onto the black car.

“Oh, so you have someone in mind already,” Sehun assumes, stuffing his hands into his jean pockets.  Screw my life.  No one had a chance.  Everyone was on the same level… All but one lucky bastard.

“Yeah, but we’re not really friends,” Han chuckles bitterly. “So it’s kind of impossible for him to ask.”

“Ah, but those guys who asked aren’t friends either… Why can’t you ask then?” Sehun shrugs, finally deciding Forget tradition.  Forget Jongin. I’m not going to go and see Han with someone else. “There’s no way you’ll get rejected.  Unless he already has a date."

Han sighs loudly, throwing her head back, and then finally looks up at him. “How did you ask your date then?  Give me some ideas.”

“I’m not going,” Sehun deadpans, holding back his smile when a cute shocked look comes onto her face.

“But you’re a captain, aren’t you?” Han gasps. “You have to go.  It’s tradition!”

“I’m not a traditionalist,” Sehun scoffs. “I break them, not follow them.  It’s in my blood… Literally. I’m a half-and-half baby.”

Han gives him a heart stopping smile, and looks back down. “So you’re just going to stay home?”

“And watch movies in my bed with a bunch of snacks that Coach would disapprove of,” Sehun finishes.

Han laughs, and Sehun thinks it’s best thing he’s heard in years.

The month comes and goes, and it’s Sehun’s birthday.  April 12th; he’s eighteen. Finally.

Of course he gets attacked with kisses from his older siblings and mother.  Baba hugs him tightly with a smile before rubbing his head until there’s a hole.  Baekhyun and Jongdae came home at four in the morning, and Sehun thinks that the older boy is still a little drunk.  Both Jongin and Kyungsoo invade breakfast, showering him with confetti. Sehun eventually has enough and holds Jongin in a headlock, using the fact that his best friend spammed him at midnight as an excuse.

“I love Wu birthday breakfasts,” Jongin sighs happily once they get to school.

Sehun rolls his eyes.  At least Jongin’s no longer mad at him for the not-going-to-prom news.  Only Jongdae took it well.

“Yeah, yeah,” Sehun waves him off. “If we don’t get to AP Calculus now, we’ll be marked as late and ruin Kyungsoo’s flawless record.”

“I’ll have you know, it has been tainted before!”

“Yeah, sure, Squishy.”

“Wu Sehun.  Run.”

The day is full of balloons, sweets, off-key singing, video recordings, and too many poster boards.  Being swim captain only means that everyone knows his birthday around school. He even gets little treats from people he has never seen in his life before.

“Wow, aren’t you popular?” a teasing voice asks as Sehun closes his locker.

He looks down, finding Zhang Han leaning on lockers with arms crossed behind her back.  There’s smug look in her face, and Sehun can’t help the smile that comes onto his face.

“Hey,” he greets simply. “Unfortunately.  I can’t drive Jongin home today because of it.  Want some cupcakes? I’ve got seven trays, even after feeding every class and the whole swim team.”

“No, thanks,” Han replies, mischief glowing in her pretty doe eyes. “But here, have some bubble tea to wash them down.”

Sehun stares at the cup in her hands, and lets his head hit the locker, , “Not you too.”

“Happy birthday, Sehunnie,” Han giggles, and he takes it with thanks.

He hopes his cheeks aren’t pink as they feel.  “Where’s Minhee? Do you need a ride home?”

“Yeah, she abandoned me after dropping me off here,” Han chuckles sheepishly. “She’s mad because I kicked her shin at practice.”

“You’re a violent woman,” Sehun jokes, leading her to the parking lot.

Han’s birthday is eight days after his on the 20th.  Usually Sehun would just hand her a small toy and tell her happy birthday at school without a thought.  But… they’re more than acquaintances now, and not yet friends.

And it seems that Minhee knows that he has a crush on her (curse observant people), because the girls’ soccer captain texts Sehun an extensive coffee order at four in the morning.  Sehun doesn’t even bother to say it when he finally finds the cafe, handing his phone over to the poor barista to deal with.

Paired up with the usual little stuffed bear, Sehun heads to school.  Despite prom being in two days, Sehun finds Han being asked again. The girl brightens up when she sees him, skipping over with a relieved greeting, leaving the group that surrounds her.

“Sehunnie!” Han waves and pulls him into a hug. “Guess what today is!”

Sehun tilts his head, faking a confused look on his face. “Thursday… Right?  Unless I slept through all of yesterday and it’s Friday now.”

Han’s face falls, eyes going downcast and Sehun laughs, holding out the iced drink and stuff toy. “Happy birthday, Han.”

“You’re a jerk!” Han yells, smacking his arm with full force.

Sehun only chuckles, having not felt a thing.  Soccer players only have strength in their legs, and none for upper body.

“Han?” Sehun asks in disbelief. “What are you… Prom starts in half an hour.  Why are you here in jeans?”

“Because I’m not going,” Han laughs, coming in, eyes wandering around the large house. “You said that you were watching movies.  It sounds better than having my ears blasted.”

“But-”

“Plus, I already went junior year,” Han adds with a shrug. “It was boring.  So what are we watching?”

They end up on Sehun’s bed, surrounded by junk food Sehun recently bought (And stole from Baekhyun’s room, but no has to know.), eyes glued onto the screen.

“Are you crying?” Sehun laughs, pointing to her face.

“He just died, Sehunnie!  Are you that heartless?” Han sobs, hugging Sehun’s pillow tightly.

“The baby lion will be just fine without him,” Sehun insists, taking a sip of his bubble tea. “Honestly, it’s like you’ve never watched this movie before.”

“He was betrayed by his own brother!” Han shoots back angrily. “What if your brother betrayed you like that?”

“Then my noona will deal with him for me,” Sehun answers without hesitation. “She likes me better.”

“You’re unbelievable, Wu Sehun,” Han scoffs, wiping away her tears, and hits him with the pillow.

Sehun picks one up and hits her back, slightly harder than she had done.  The hitting goes back and forth, a little more strength than the one before.  And they don’t stop until Han full on smacks Sehun in the face, making him drop the pillow with a groan, hands flying up cover to his face.

“Sehunnie!” Han yelps, tiny hands gripping on his as she tries to see his face.

Sehun’s hands fall into his lap, pouting and fussing when she grabs his face.  He doesn’t need another girl treating him like a little brother. Especially Zhang Ha-

Han places a kiss on his lips; giggling as shock runs up his lengthy body, shooting up his spine and straight to his head.  “Better Sehunnie?”

Better.  Oh so very much better.