ME: Hey it’s Lu Han, I-

I erased the entire message and began again.

ME: Hi Sehun, it’s Minseok’s friend, Lu Han-

No.

7:43PM ME: Hey Sehun! It’s Lu Han, Minseok’s friend. So, when do you think we could meet up?

I tossed my phone on the bed after hitting ‘send’, curling my fingers and toes in anxiety. I returned to my English homework essay, attempting to blur out all other thoughts. I nearly leapt out of my chair, though, when my phone let out a pealing ring, announcing the arrival of a text. I was determined to continue grappling with my work when I glanced at my phone and saw a longer-than-expected reply.

Unable to resist the temptation, I unlocked my phone.

8:01PM SEHUN: Hi Lu Han! How are you? I’m free Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons, from about 4. We could meet up in the library? What do you think? I might need you to bring some things to the first session, though.

I hesitated, fingers hovering over the screen as I considered whether I should reply immediately or just wait for a bit. My finger landed on a key accidentally and so I began typing my reply anyway, seeing as he probably would have seen that I had been typing.

I repeatedly uttered, “ugh, why is this my life?” under my breath as I could have imploded from the awkwardness I was experiencing at that moment. Death’s sweet kiss would have been welcomed upon my skin.

8:04PM ME: I’m fine, Sehun, how are you? Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the library, sounds great! Some things?! What are these things exactly…?

8:06PM SEHUN: I’m good, thanks for asking ^^ Okay, I’ll see you there, then :) Oh, it’s just some of your past exams and essays, Minseok-hyung said you should have them anyway, but just to be sure ^^

8:09PM ME: Minseok’s your hyung? How old are you?? And yeah I’ll bring my stuff on Friday, don’t worry.

8:10PM SEHUN: Yeah, he’s a 3 years older, I’m a 94-liner ^^

A 94-liner. Really, Minseok? Really?! I could feel the kid looking down on me already…

8:12PM ME: Oh… you’re younger than me, too, then. I’m the same age as Minseok.

8:!3PM SEHUN: Oh! So, would it be okay if I called you hyung too?

Far out. Why did I even begin on this topic?! Stupid, stupid Lu Han.

8:15PM ME: I’d prefer it if you didn’t call me hyung, thanks. Just Lu Han will do. I’ll see you Friday, with all my stuff. Gotta go now, I’m busy.

I myself winced at the cold, rude tone but shrugged, putting my phone on my desk and getting back to work.

8:19PM SEHUN: Oh, okay Lu Han. I’ll see you Friday, then! ^_^

I felt sorry for the kid, seeing as he hadn’t even done anything wrong. Shrugging it off, I trudged on with my homework.

Having finished my work for the night, I decided to text Minseok.

9:37PM ME: HE’S A 94-LINER!!!! WHY ARE YOU SENDING ME TO A KID?!? ARE YOU SURE HE KNOWS WHAT HE’S DOING??

9:40PM BAOZI: Calm down, drama queen. He’s really bright for his age, like I told you earlier. Don’t blow this out of proportion when it’s nothing, really.

9:41PM ME: Minseok, you knew how hesitant I was about this, how could you send me to a kid? Ugh, I can’t believe this. I can feel him just looking down on me already. He’s brilliant for his age and I’m anything but…

9:41PM ME: I don’t want to do this anymore. Tell him it’s okay, I’ve found someone else.

9:42PM BAOZI: I told you not to blow this out of proportion, Lu Han. I promised there’d be no judgement from him, does that mean nothing to you? Anyway, it’s either Sehun or look for someone else.

 I’d offended Minseok but he knew I’d want to know there was such a difference in age! How could someone 3 years younger than me know the content I need to?? Unless he’s one of those advanced kids… Ugh, no. No, no, no. Never. How degrading! I’d rather fail.

I headed to the lounge room, collapsing onto the couch with a loud sigh.

“Oh my,” Kris began from where he sat beside me on the couch, watching a sit-com, his tone screaming sarcasm. “The winds have suddenly changed! Oh, great worrier, what is on your mind?”

“Your sarcasm is usually why I love you but right now it’s why I want to strangle you.” I snapped, closing my eyes. “Guess how old the tutor Minseok’s sent me to is.”

“How old?” He asked in reply, not bothering to guess, as I had expected.

My eyelids flew open again. “Nineteen!” I flailed my hands to exaggerate the great monstrosity of the situation Minseok had built up and sweet-talked me into.

“Woah, okay. Well, Minseok’s a smart guy, right?” I grunted in reply. “So he knows what he’s doing. Why don’t you just trust him? I’m sure this is not even a big deal.”

“I don’t want to.” I replied, crossing my arms.

“Study on your own, then.” Kris shrugged and got up from the couch, tossing the remote control in my direction. “I’m off to Yixing’s place,” he paused with one arm in his leather jacket sleeve, his voice becoming soft and gentle. “You should come, he misses you.”

Yixing. A face I hadn’t seen in months.

I shook my head. “I can’t, you know that.”

Kris nodded, heading out the door after having put his jacket on fully. I frowned as I watched him leave, thinking.

Yixing and I had been through a lot together. We went from foolish childhood enemies to best friends to (following a painfully awkward and lengthy confrontation and confession of feelings on both our parts) boyfriends (no matter how much the word made me cringe) to strangers. The sharp drop into the last phase had shaken the both of us and made it too hard and daunting to pick ourselves up and have things return to the way they had been. It was better that he lived his life and I lived mine, separately. For the best.

Opening my eyes, I shook my head, as though to shake all my thoughts away, to scatter and scramble them so as to ensure they wouldn’t find each other and return to me again.

After finishing my before-bed routine, I picked up my phone from where it sat on my bed, placing it on the bedside table, climbing into bed. I thought about Minseok and this tutor crap. I was determined to do well in my exams but I couldn’t face the shame of such a young tutor, could I?

The most plausible situation was that he was an advanced student. He’d jumped a few grades in high school or even in college, he’d been deemed capable of learning and understanding to a standard far beyond that of the kids his own age. Great. Just wonderful.

This wasn’t such a bad thing, though. Like Minseok insisted, he’d be brilliant for his age and he didn’t seem so bad when I’d texted him.

I decided I’d sleep on it, letting Minseok know for sure tomorrow what I’d do. Until then, it was time to get some rest.

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A/N: thank you one and all for reading and showing this lil' ol' fic some lovin', much much much appreciated!! <3

^apparently that's a heart... looks more like a hamburger to me <.<

not my gif