Kris had no idea how he’d gotten on to this train. One moment, he was watching over his bratty cousin and the next, he found himself here, stuck in a very cramped seat, next to a moody and spaced out best friend. Throughout the entire flight, Junmyeon was so absorbed in his own thoughts, that he’d ignored the flight attendants on several occasions.

“You alright?” Kris nudged his friend slightly, who merely nodded, very slowly. Kris rolled his eyes. Junmyeon paused for a moment and started shaking his head in slow motion, eyes never off his phone’s screen.

“He doesn’t know?” Kris probed. He never liked poking his nose into someone else’s business – especially when it came to relationship problems, but he’d never seen Junmyeon so dejected in their 10 over years of friendship.

“He should know, I guess. He should have overheard when I told Baekhyun about it yesterday.” Junmyeon switched his phone off. Looking at the photo only made him feel worse. He’d departed without saying goodbye. The last message Junmyeon’d sent was a meaningless “oh hi” more than 12hours ago. What was he thinking?

Earlier that morning, Junmyeon had thought of sending his usual “Good morning” text, but the message was never sent.

Junmyeon remained silent from then on, until they’d arrived at his vacation house in Busan. His parents left him when he was 4, and he was brought up by his grandparents. He’d spent most parts of his life in this small yet cosy house, which his grandparents had left behind for him when they departed for heaven when Junmyeon was 16. Ever since then, Junmyeon had moved to Seoul, returning to Busan only in times like this, when he needed some time away from everything around him.

Dropping his bag on the ground, Junmyeon wasted no time and went about busying himself with the house. He’d intended to stay for a few days at the least, maybe up to a week, however long it took for him to clear out his thoughts, and feelings. Kris sat around idly, watching as his best friend roamed around the house, looking for things to do even though the house was already sparkling clean – even after three good hours.

Kris grabbed Junmyeon’s wrist and led him to the outside of the house, to the nearby lake. It was Junmyeon’s favourite spot at the vacation house. Everything here’s so tranquil and serene, he could let all his emotions out without a worry. There was no one to judge him here, there was nothing to affect him here. It was just the lake, the trees, the clear night sky, and the stars so bright; or so it used to be.

“Junmyeon, what’s going on? I mean, weren’t the two of you doing fine, why the sudden change?”

Kris did not understand. Ever since Junmyeon’s last break up with Kyungsoo, Yixing was the only person he’s turned to. Junmyeon hardly talked to anyone else, sure he did talk to friends, but he hadn’t shared his thoughts with anyone else. It was just Yixing – the boy so innocent and gullible. Junmyeon’d picked up a sudden interested in Yixing, tried means and ways to make that boy smile more often, encouraging him whenever he’s met with a difficult time at his dance practices. Through some trickery and sly tactics, Kris had somehow came to a conclusion that Yixing had a major crush on his bestfriend.

Sounds perfect right? Apparently, Junmyeon didn’t quite think so. Why? Kris was waiting for the answer too.

“It’s not fair for him, Kris. I know very well that I’m not completely over Kyungsoo yet. Yixing... he’s just a replacement, a rebound, a.. I don’t know.” Junmyeon looked up at the clear sky. There were stars, lots of them. They reminded him of Yixing. Xing, meant stars in Chinese; and stars, were at the top of Yixing’s favourite-list. How life made fun of him. “I don’t know whether there’s feeling for Yixing at all, but it feels like I’m making use of him, a very lowly move of mine. I don’t want to hurt him.”

Kris just sat listening.

“Yixing.. that boy, he’s just too innocent. He doesn’t deserve any of this. He trusts me too much I don’t want to hurt him and-“

A beep came from Junmyeon’s phone.

Message from Yixing:

“Have fun!”

Junmyeon shoved the phone back to his pocket and stood up to leave. Before he walked out of sight, he heard Kris commenting, “You miss him.”

--

It was 4am in the morning. Junmyeon lay on his bed, and found his mind wandering off to a particular someone.  Is he still practising at the dance school? That boy needs to rest. Reaching out for his phone, he switched on his data and checked his whatsapp messenger. Messages flooded in and finally, he saw the one he was expecting to see.

Last seen today at 3:52am.

Knew it. He had the urge to reply, yet he didn’t. Tossing his phone aside, Junmyeon forced Yixing out of his mind and tried to fall asleep.

--

The moment Junmyeon’s eyes peeled open in the morning, he reached out for his phone and groggily typed “Good morning my love”. No, I’m not supposed to text him. He deleted the message and threw his phone to the back of his wardrobe.

--

Kris tried his best not to start interrogating his best friend. He knew the latter needed time to clear everything out, exactly the reason why he was here. Or rather, put it this way: Junmyeon has came back to Busan, as an escape - an escape from his feelings towards Yixing. From Kris’ point of view, Junmyeon likes Yixing, but the usual paranoid self got the better of him. Not forgetting the emotional trauma he’d just experienced less than half a year back during the dramatic breakup with Kyungsoo, Junmyeon is stuck with the thought that he wasn’t ready and will not be ready for yet another relationship.

The day passed slower than the garden snail outside crawled. Kris was getting annoyed. He had already surpassed his one-second-endurance by staying overnight here in Busan when he could be enjoying a good afternoon tea with his beloved Zitao back in Seoul. So, the moment he caught Junmyeon digging for his phone in the wardrobe, he took the phone from him.

“What even, Junmyeon, have you been this cold to Yixing for the past few days?” Kris couldn’t believe it. There were no more habitual “good morning”-s, no more “want to grab some lunch together?”-s, no more “take a break and sleep early”-s. Junmyeon had not been replying. What made his blood boil more, was the very last message Yixing’d sent, just minutes ago.

“Junmyeon, you do know that he likes you, right? And you do realize that no matter how innocent and gullible this boy is, he isn’t dumb. He knows that you’re avoiding him. He knows alright?” Kris pointed out blatantly.

“I’m done with rehearsals, heading home now, do we have dinner at home?”

“Sorry, sent the wrong text.”

“When’re you coming back anyway?”

“Give it back to me, Kris. This is none of your business.” Junmyeon attempted to snatch the phone from Kris, who effortlessly kept it out of his reach. “None of my business? Kim Junmyeon, you dragged my here without telling me anything and made me watch you mope around for two full days and you’re telling me now that this is none of my business?”

“You don’t, and won’t, understand!” Junmyeon gave up trying and dumped himself on the bed.

“Of course I don’t. How am I supposed to understand any of these?  You like him, he loves you, I don’t see what is wrong at all. You said he was innocent. You said you didn’t want him to get hurt. But have you ever thought that right now, at this very second, he could be hurting so bad, because of your changed attitude towards him?”

“Like, Kris, and love are different. I like him, maybe. But it’s different from Kyungsoo, I loved him.”

“What difference is there? You have feelings for him, that’s all I see and that’s all I know. Alright, fine then. The previous time, you told me, he saw you as a close friend, a friend he trusts, so even if you do not want to get involved with him, couldn’t you treat him decently like you would treat any other  friend?” This was ridiculous. For the first time in 10 years, Kris found himself facing someone he couldn’t understand.

“Forget it Kris, my decision is final.”

“You miss him.”

“No I don’t.”

“Yes you do.”

“No.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m no-“

“Prove it! Change your damned wallpaper out and prove it!” Kris tossed the phone back to Junmyeon. All he could do, was to stare at the face he’d…… missed so much.

“You can’t. Face it Junmyeon, he means much more to you than what you think he does.” Picking up the phone, he scrolled to the final message and shoved it into Junmyeon’s face. “Read this, now, and tell me again that you’re escaping and avoiding him for his sake, that you are not hurting him by doing this.”

“Junmyeon, I don’t know if I’d did something wrong, or said anything wrong. Or perhaps, there was something I didn’t say, or do. Maybe I shouldn’t have given in to Kris, admitting that I had feelings for you. Maybe everything would have been better if we stayed as close friends. Maybe nothing would have gone wrong if I hadn’t held any expectations.

Junmyeon, I miss you, I really do.

Have you gotten bored of teasing me? Have I been an annoyance? Jongdae once told me, not to harbour any hopes at all, just in case you were using me as a rebound to get over Kyungsoo. I refused to and still refuse to think that way. But if in any case that’s true, Junmyeon, I didn’t, don’t and won’t mind.

The past few days, I’ve missed you. But it’s time to stop missing you. I’m probably taking up too much of your time, I’m sorry.

And, thank you, my friend.

Goodnight.”

Just what did I do? Yixing, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you this way.

“There’s still chance, Junmyeon.”

Is there? Yixing, is there still a chance for me? There isn’t. I refuse the chance. Blame me for being a selfish jerk because I’ll end up hurting you all over again.

Goodbye, my love.

Hi there! 
Firstly, thanks a mil for enduring through this messy chunk of words that probably made zero sense T-T
I know it's horridly done, been feeling out of norm lately, too much odd feels, resulting in all the messy one shots these days.
Pairing SULAY was chosen by haerinssi (without knowing the plot at all) and Kyungsoo was picked by ikayewings aka Monggu<3
(I'm sorry dears this oneshot is bleh. P.S. Monggu do you spot the princess?)
Anyway! Commenteu puhlease~! >_< Thank you with lots of love, sprinkles and kisses!
Till then, xoxo♥.