After all those lonely years Lu Han thought he’d love all the noise around him.

And to a certain degree, he does. It’s nice to be surrounded by people during the night too, to hear them chatter before going to bed. The atmosphere in the trainee dorms is a bit more relaxed than in the SM building, and laughter is heard more often.

But people also make a bit too much noise. Especially around Minseok. Now that Lu Han can basically hang around his friend 24/7 he witnesses just how close Minseok is with the other trainees. It’s not just Yixing slapping his , but it’s Zitao demanding cuddles whenever the younger guy feels too lonely, or Baekhyun acting way too friendly with Minseok already despite being a new trainee. Chanyeol really has no right to casually slung his arm around Minseok’s shoulder that many times and what’s with Kyungsoo always wanting to feed things to Minseok with his chopsticks.

And the worst part is, because they are surrounded by other people, Minseok ignores Lu Han every time the ghost objects to someone else touching him.

Actually, no. The worst part is Lu Han trying to get handsy with Minseok too but only receiving a glare and being forced to take his hand off of him. Maybe Lu Han should be happy Minseok at least acknowledges him in some way during evenings, but rather than that, he feels like sulking instead.

Minseok only talks to him when they go to bed. Miraculously he has a single room in the trainee dorm, where no one can bother him and Lu Han.

“Don’t think I didn’t see you almost spilling water on Zitao just now. If you’re not gonna behave I’m going to kick you out of here,” Minseok tells him while changing into his pajamas (Lu Han is forced to keep his eyes on the wall).

“Just trying to protect your chastity…” He mutters. Zitao’s hands had been too wanderous.

“From Taozi?” Minseok snorts. “Frankly, my chastity is in more danger around you…”

Objection already ready on his lips, Lu Han spins around, not caring if Minseok is still half- or not (besides he’s already seen him plenty of times so why can’t he watch him change), but when he faces Minseok he can see a teasing smirk on his face and realises Minseok is only joking again. 

“I haven’t done anything like that.” Lu Han pouts, puffing his cheeks.

“Mmm, I’m not so sure. I can feel your ghostly hand sneaking on my fairly often…” Minseok says, raising his eyebrow. 

His tone isn’t accusing, so he must still be joking, but Lu Han still feels the need to defend himself. “I only touch you because I need to train my powers! You know that…”

“I think you’ve perfected your powers a long time ago already,” Minseok mutters, sitting on his bed and pulling a Chinese textbook on his lap, starting to go over his homework.

Lu Han watches him silently for a moment. Then he can’t stay quiet anymore, a question burning on his mind. “Do you really hate me touching you that much?” He blurts out. 

He doesn’t like how insecure he always is when it comes to the relationship between him and Minseok. But he knows he’ll be left with nothing if Minseok decides he’s done with their friendship. The thought scares him more than he’s willing to admit.

Maybe the uncertainty is obvious in his tone, because Minseok’s eyes stop scanning the textbook, his brows furrowing slightly. However, when he looks at Lu Han, there’s a smile on his face. 

“Trust me, you’d know if I hated it.” 

There’s something pointed in his voice that makes Lu Han silently promise to himself to never test Minseok’s limit in this matter.

For the rest of the night he helps Minseok with his Chinese homework. Lu Han’s happy that he can be useful, but hearing Minseok attempt to speak Chinese also makes him think of home. Briefly, he wonders how his parents are doing. Should he try to contact them through Minseok somehow, or would it be like opening old wounds? Perhaps his parents have moved on from his death already. It’s been five years, a long time not only for ghosts.

He doesn’t realise he’s fallen deep in thought, until  Minseok gently coughs to get his attention. 

“Are you mad?” Minseok asks when Lu Han looks at him.

“No? Why?” Lu Han is puzzled. Was he making weird faces or something?

“Somehow the air got chillier,” Minseok says. “I thought maybe it was you doing something.”

He’s speaking the truth. Lu Han can see the goosebumps on Minseok’s arms.

“I’m not mad. I was just thinking about my parents”, he confesses with a sad smile. “I guess I was feeling a bit gloomy…”

Without a word, Minseok closes his textbook, slinging his arm around Lu Han and pulling the ghost closer until they’re side by side. With the way Minseok’s arm rests on Lu Han’s shoulder, the ghost almost feels solid. He knows Minseok is mostly holding his arm up at where it meets Lu Han’s shoulder and it would probably fall through if he let his arm relax, but it’s the intention that matters to him.

“Hey,” Minseok whispers. “Sorry for always giving you a hard time. You’re always so energetic and… just so alive , that I keep forgetting you’re actually dead.”

“It’s okay,” Lu han says, leaning into Minseok. He concentrates enough so he won’t go through his body. “Sorry for being a nuisance.”

“It would be more worrying if you weren’t,” Minseok whispers, sounding very serious and not joking for once. “You’re perfect the way you are, Luhan. So don’t worry about behaving any other way.” 

Lu Han doesn’t have a heart in his ghost body, but if he did he’s sure it would be on the brink of bursting. Minseok’s words have that effect on him. His sweet smile on those plump lips has that effect on Lu Han. The ghost’s transparent body suddenly throbs with want. He can barely look at Minseok without feeling like he’s about to explode. There’s this sudden raw urge taking over Lu Han’s body, one that he’s never felt before. It’s new and kinda scary, like a typhoon going over him, but instead of leaving chaos and destruction after it, it makes all of his senses focus on Minseok only. 

Lu Han doesn’t know what it is, or why he feels this way. The only thing he knows, when he looks at Minseok, is how much…

“I want to kiss you,” Lu Han whispers, unable to stop the words. The moment he’s said them out loud he feels his body fill with panic instead. He feels like he’s done something unspeakable, unthinkable. Something that will change things forever. Something he shouldn’t have said without thinking it over properly beforehand. The words are quiet, as Lu Han barely moved his lips, but not quiet enough for Minseok to not hear them, because he’s so close. 

Except Minseok doesn’t hear them because at the very same moment a loud crash can be heard coming from next door, accompanied with yelling. It sounds a lot like Chanyeol just accidentally knocked over someone’s Playstation 3. 

But whatever the reason for the noise is, Lu Han is forever grateful for it. His crazy words go unnoticed by Minseok.

Lu Han really does love all the ruckus around them.