When Sehun was born, Kris loathed him.

 

Kris's mother was a very beautiful woman, soft-spoken and had a level head atop her shoulders. She was tall, and Kris inherited most of his mother's good genes. Even their personality was similar. 

 

When his mother divorced his birth father, Kris was only a child. He barely remembered the man. The custody went to his young mother and they moved to Canada where the two of them started on with their new lives. It was a blissful period for Kris. His mother, by luck, became a successful model and they were grateful for having more than enough money. Yet, Kris and his mother preferred to live modestly. 

 

When he reached his early teen years, his mother told him of the man she was seeing. Kris met him the few times his mother brought the man home for dinner. The man was Korean and only a year younger than his mother who was at that time in her early 30s. Seeing his mother happy with the kind man made Kris gave his blessings. 

 

His mother deserved happiness, more than that even, after all the pain and hardship she had suffered to raise him. And finally, she was happy. 

 

It wasn't long before his mother with that glowing happiness adorning her elegant features broke the news to him. They were finally getting married and Kris was happy for her. It was around that time that Kris decided to change his name. After his mother remarried, he took in a new name with his mother's maiden name. He politely declined his stepfather's offer to share his surname, Oh. 

 

Kris had always been the sentimental type of person. 

 

When they moved to Korea, Kris didn't think of anything unnecessary except for a sole thought. This was his life now. And truly, he was happy - content.

 

Almost 2 years after that, his mother told him a shocking news. She was expecting. And Kris thought his mother could never looked any happier. She really wanted the baby. And slowly, Kris welcomed the idea of having a sibling after all the time he was alone. 

 

However, the happiness was short-lived. Kris didn't expect something to go wrong. And something did go wrong.

 

In her 7th month of pregnancy, Kris's mother got into a little accident. She was rushed into the hospital, losing blood and Kris was terrified. She almost lost the baby too if not for the quick operation conducted on his mother. That day was Kris's darkest memory.

 

And that was the day, Oh Sehun was born prematurely. 

 

That day was also the day Kris's mother went into a coma. 

 

 

~~

 

Seoul National University, cafeteria

 

 

"Oho, so you were here all along!"

 

With that sudden voice, Chanyeol gripped onto the lunch table, startled. He even accidentally clamped his teeth onto the steel spoon. He was eating, for Pete's sake! So much for his peace and the state of his mental health.

 

Slowly, Park Chanyeol tilted his head and caught the smirk on the newcomer's face who was standing right in front of him, clothes neat and the trademark eyeliner adorning the other's eyes. 

 

Byun Baekhyun. The bane of his existence.  

 

"Oh...hi, Baekhyun ah..." Chanyeol greeted weakly. He diverted his eyes from the other, instead eyeing his food and placing his spoon onto his tray - as calmly as possible. He didn't know where his appetite had dashed off to. 

 

Chanyeol heard Baekhyun purposely clearing his throat before dragging the empty chair in front of him, settling himself down nicely. Chanyeol mentally scolded himself for not hiding well enough. I know I should've go to the rooftop instead, he thought. 

 

"So..." The 21-year-old double major heard his best friend said.

 

Oh. Chanyeol dreaded this. He could even feel an incoming migraine. If he ran now, would he able to run past Baekhyun, who was strategically placed in between him and the cafeteria's entrance? 

 

"I know what you're thinking, Yeollie ah. Save it, it's pointless."

 

Damn it.

 

Reluctantly, Chanyeol stared at his friend. His eyes narrowed. But Baekhyun only grinned brightly at him.

 

"What do you want?" Chanyeol asked. He could hear the bite in his own voice. 

 

"Well..." Baekhyun hummed, unfurling his crossed arms on the table then bringing his finger up to tap his chin in a mock thoughtfulness. If Chanyeol was a comic character, he was sure there would be a big throbbing nerve on his temple. He exhaled harshly. He knew the other was baiting his anger and Chanyeol wasn't going to let Baekhyun see it. 

 

"Well?" Chanyeol prompted. 

 

Baekhyun, with calculated slowness, trailed his gaze towards Chanyeol's agitated expression. 

 

"A little birdie told me that you are dating the school's most popular boy. What is this about, Chanyeol? Tell me."

 

Damn damn it. 

 

 

~~

 

 

Even before he saw him, Kris felt his presence. And it was strange indeed. Chanyeol's presence was troubled and Kris frowned. What was the younger man up to? What was wrong with him?

 

Without really thinking, Kris threw open the cafeteria door and rushingly scanned the sea of faces for that one particular person. And as if there was a magnetic force, his eyes immediately glued onto the younger one's form as soon as his eyes landed on the cross dressing Drama student. 

 

As if there was an alarm that announced his presence, Chanyeol looked up and Kris could see the abrupt relief washing over the younger's face. It was also at that time that Kris realised the situation. So, the eyeliner guy finally managed to corner his mate. This is interesting, Kris thought as he strode purposely towards Chanyeol, a smirk blooming on his face with Chanyeol's eyes still connected to his.

 

 

~~

 

 

"Come on now, Chanyeol. Spill. Details!"

 

Park Chanyeol was already buzzing in his seat. Baekhyun was not making this any easier on him. His friend didn't seem to notice that another person (Chanyeol didn't know whether to feel relieved or annoyed) was approaching their table. 

 

All this while, Chanyeol couldn't tear his gaze from the other. Even when Kris Wu gracefully placed himself on the chair next to Chanyeol's uninvited and pecked the corner of Chanyeol's mouth.

 

Chanyeol could feel the stupidity of his situation and his head began to hurt with all the bombarding thoughts and confusing threads of thoughts that needed untangling. Fast.

 

"Hey, babe." Chanyeol could hear the smirk in that smug voice.

 

And Kris wasn't making the bad into good - not even into an okay. Instinctively, Chanyeol closed his eyes tight.

 

Why couldn't his life be normal? For once?

 

 

~~

 

 

Kris smiled politely at the person in front of him. He could faintly feel the depression coming off Chanyeol's thin body. Or maybe he was imagining it. The effeminate man, whom he only knew as Chanyeol's best friend and the one Chanyeol was trying hard to avoid, looked at Chanyeol with a soft surprise and only once he glanced at Kris. His mouth was slightly open as he stared at Chanyeol. Casually, Kris addressed him.

 

"Hello, I'm Kris," he said. All nice and friendly, Wu.

 

The other who appeared to be shell-shocked turned to Kris. He didn't expect to be regarded by Kris. And Kris could see that. The basketball captain couldn't help it but his mouth already broke into a crooked, barely visible smirk. 

 

Yes, this is going to be interesting indeed, he thought.