“It’s been 3 years…” Chen mumbled closely to Xiumin as they waited for their order on a fancy restaurant.

Yes, it had been 3 years for Chen and Xiumin. 3 years of laughter, of sweetness, of hugs and kisses, of crying and fighting, of memories, of love. For someone like them, who would expect that their relationship would last this long or perhaps longer? Xiumin looked at Chen with those longing eyes of his as he touched Chen’s hand on the table…

“My Chenzi, my cute Chenzi… You know how much I love you right?” Xiumin asked in a sweet smile.

Chen nodded gently, “Of course, because I know your love is as big as mine, or perhaps bigger, I don’t know… But I know you love me and I’m contented with that. As long as we are together, 3 years? Nah, we can last forever.” Chen mumbled softly and oh so sweetly. It was like cherries in Xiumin’s ears. It was so sweet that he could imagine himself already drowning in a pool of chocolates.

“Yeah, if forever could be any longer we can last more than forever. I promise you, whatever people say, nothing and no one can break as apart. I love you Chenzi…” Xiumin replied as he tightened his grip on Chen’s hand as if he did not want to let go.

Chen smiled so sweetly and widely. He moved closer to Xiumin and kissed him. People around them were taken aback; well both boys were kissing in front of them, in a 5 star, classy and fancy restaurant, who would not think disgustingly? All eyes were on the two boys. In their eyes were look of disgust, racism and such.

Xiumin noticed all the people’s stare at them. He moved a little back and scrutinized. He could even hear their words. Their sharp words that hurt more than kinves. When he could feel the air becoming heavy, he could not control himself, he stood up in anger that he almost flipped the table. Chen was surprised.

“ALL OF YOU!” Xiumin started to talk and all the people were surprised, some tried to ignore him but well, they couldn’t. It was such an interesting scene.

“WAS IT YOUR FIRST TIME TO SEE TWO BOYS AS LOVERS?” Xiumin continued with an obvious wrath in his voice.

“Why? Is it wrong for two boys to fall in love? Is it? Is it?” Xiumin continued leaving Chen speechless and frozen in place. He could not understand what was going on but when he looked at the people’s faces, he could understand already what they mean.

“There are a lot of lovers out there, girls and boys, yet they cannot let their relationships last like we do. This man across me, I love him, and I promised him that no one and nothing can tear us apart even those hateful look you’ve been, people, giving us…”

“We are tired… we are tired with those kinds of people like you do who cannot deal and understand a heart’s voice. We are tired of your stares, of your words, of your discriminating movements towards us. Me and this man, we are in love, and yes we are both men, but our hearts beat us one so you… you all… please, stop hating on us! It’s not our fault that we fell in love, if it’s our fault, then we are gladly to take the consequences, because, we are not on any planning to finish what we had started.”

Xiumin pulled Chen up from his seat, “If you don’t want us here, if you feel dirty because we are here, then we are outta here, we don’t need to deal with you people. Come Chenzi, let’s go somewhere else, far from this kind of people.”

Chen just obediently followed as he bowed his head because of hurt but it doesn’t matter, he was happy, Xiumin stood up for their relationship like any real man could. He was glad and proud that he has someone as brave like Xiumin. He held Xiumin’s hands tightly as they exited the restaurant as a sign of promise that yes, I am staying with you, till the end, yet I hope this has no end.

----------

Baekhyun went home late, when he was on their floor he saw someone sitting outside their door, it was Kai and he was crying.

When he saw the familiar shadow, Baekhyun was taken aback but he told himself that there was nothing to worry about because he and Kai were long finished. Yet he feared for his cousin. He feared for him for he did not want Kyungsoo to have a same fate like his but Kai seemed desperate, he hadn’t saw Kai like this even though they used to be lovers. He never was like that to him, he was never desperate for him but now, Kai looked so down and lost. Baekhyun breathed deeply as he walked closer to their door.

Kai looked up and saw Baekhyun, Kai was crying and he felt sorry for him.

“Baekhyun…” Kai mumbled as he stood up, cleaned his clothes and wiped his tears.

“Why are you here? Are you looking for my cousin?” Baekhyun asked as cold as he could.

“No, I’m actually here for you. I want… no, I need to talk to you. I cannot fight this anymore Baekhyun, it’s so hard…” Kai explained as he tried to hold back his tears.

“But… why?” Baekhyun was shocked to learn that It was him that Kai wanted to talk to.

“I looked for you at the office yet you were not there. I waited here, without disturbing Kyungsoo though I wanted, I need to hold him, I need to see him, I need to be with him, Baekhyun, I need Kyungsoo and I wanted to say that to you. Please, give me a chance, I know we are long over but at least, let me love your cousin. I promise that I won’t make the same mistakes, the same mistakes I did to you. Baekhyun, I’m sorry. I was not thinking that time, I was selfish and I let you suffer. My conscience is forever haunting me but Kyungsoo, I don’t know but at first he had the same aura like yours but he is different. At first I saw you to him but he is different, from the moment I became close to him, I feel my heart healing. Baekhyun, I know I don’t have the right to talk to you like this but I’m desperate, I need Kyungsoo, Baekhyun, I need him, to heal me, to make me a better man. Baekhyun I’m sorry if I was numb of what you felt before, I am really sorry but when I looked at it, I think that we are just not meant to be. I mean, I don’t deserve you… You don’t deserve me…” Kai was out of words already, he wanted Kyungsoo so much but he couldn’t find the words to say it especially to his cousin, and ex boyfriend. He knelt. He held Baekhyun’s legs and begged.

“Baekhyun, I am begging you… please…” Kai was already crying.

He could not understand it but his pain, his hatred towards Kai seemed to vanish, maybe because he pity his state but no, there was something in his heart that felt very light. Was it because he already knew what love is like because Chanyeol showed him? He sat down and hugged Kai.

“Dare to hurt him and you will see where you belong. I swear that in the name of an exo planet!” Baekhyun whispered to his ear. He was surprised, Kai hugged him back, even tighter.

“I miss your hugs Baekhyun, thank you so much. You don’t know how much thankful I am to you right now. I owe you so much!” Kai cried on his shoulders.

“Of course you owe me! Pay for it by taking care of my precious cousin.” Baekhyun replied as he freed himself from Kai’s hands.

“If you hurt him,” Baekhyun added, now facing Kai, “I will never ever forgive you. I will curse you and your family tree. I swear that.”

He then stood up; he helped Kai on his feet.

“Come inside for some coffee, I’m sure Kyungsoo is waiting for you as well.”

When they entered, the lights were off, with that, Baekhyun already knew where Kyungsoo was hiding. He opened Kyungsoo’s bedroom door and his light. Kyungsoo was there on the bedside hugging his legs.

“Kyungsoo~a, someone is here for you…” Baekhyun called.

Kyungsoo face the opened door with tears in his eyes, “Who?” he whispered loudly for Baekhyun to hear.

“Someone you also wish to see.” Baekhyun smiled and Kai took it as a cue to show himself to Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo was surprised, he was surprised to see Kai with Baekhyun as if nothing had happened between them, but he was more surprised at the sight of Kai. He looked tired and miserable, but his smile was full of hope.

“I waited for your cousin outside for 10 hours, without food and water… I talked to him to get his approval.” Kai explained and Kyungsoo’s eyes widened with interest.

Kai entered Kyungsoo’s room. He walked towards him and hugged him.

“I’ve been waiting for this day to hug you again…” Kai whispered to his ear.

Baekhyun smiled and left the two. But before he disappeared in the door, Kyungsoo called him.

“Why? Baekhyun, why?” was all Kyungsoo said.

Baekhyun smiled and said, “Because the way he looks at you is different from the way he looked at me. Because the way he smiles to you is different from the way he smiled at me. Because he was desperate for you and not for me. Because, he is in love with you more than he was in love with me.” He then disappeared from Kyungsoo’s bedroom door.

----------

Baekhyun went to the office with a happy smile and a light heart. He never felt like this after 3 years and now, he was loving and cherishing every moment. It was cool to live in a world without hatred. When he entered the office, Lay, Chen, Xiumin and Tao noticed his blissful mood. Even Tao had changed, he wasn’t that shy anymore since Kris and him became lovers. It was a mystery how people could change in the name of love. Even he and his friends couldn’t figure it all out, but there is only one thing, they changed for the better.

“Ayo wasssuuuppp!” Baekhyun greeted everyone.

Lay’s jaw dropped, “Are you sick?” he asked.

Chen widened his eyes, “Woah, you are seem in a mood today!”

“Well, I always am, aren’t I?” He asked with a smile.

Tao gave him a shy and sweet smile before he entered his office and Baekhyun smiled at him back. It was nice seeing Tao smile. He was never like that before. He used to hide in one corner all by himself before, but now, he seemed to moved out from his shell little by little.

When he was about to enter his office, he noticed that there was only one in the room who seemed not in a good mood. Sehun. Well, he didn’t really mean not in a good mood. He was always like that, cold and all. He was the only one who hasn’t changed. Baekhyun could see that he is in love with Luhan, perhaps, he hadn’t realized it yet.

“Ayo wassup, Sehun!” Baekhyun greeted him and Sehun greeted him back with a nod.

Baekhyun just shrugged his shoulders and entered the room. When he closed the door behind him, he was surprised to see Luhan in his office, crying.

“Luhan?” Baekhyun called, when he realized that Luhan was crying, he quickly went to his side, “What happened?” he asked.

“I broke up with Sehun…” Luhan cried.

“What? No way! Why?” Baekhyun was shocked with the news.

But instead of answering the question, Luhan continued with his story, “But he seemed not affected. He did not even stop me!” Then Luhan cried a river.

“What’s the matter? Why did you break up with him?” Baekhyun tried to comfort his friend.

“I am going back to China; I am hurting inside that I need to do it, Baekhyun. My mom needs me back there. But Sehun…” He cried even more.

With that, Baekhyun walked out of his office and went at Sehun’s cubicle.

When he saw Sehun, he punched him on his face. Sehun was surprised, and so were everyone.

Chanyeol just arrived at the office and he was shocked to see that his boyfriend, well, he just saw him punching someone. He quickly ran to them to stop them.

“What is going on here, Baekhyun?” Chanyeol asked in a gasp.

But Baekhyun seemed not to hear him, he was looking at Sehun with fiery eyes.

“What kind of boyfriend are you?!” Baekhyun asked Sehun in anger.

Luhan went out of the office when he heard Baekhyun’s angry voice.

“What? What are you talking about?” Sehun asked in confusion while he touched his swollen face.

“How could you let your boyfriend go?!” Baekhyun’s voice was now higher.

“I am already used to him. We are always like this when we fight…” Sehun explained calmly but another punch landed on his face.

“Did you even fight today? Huh! How could you? How could you?” Baekhyun was out of words, he couldn’t explain what he felt. At first, he was all breezy and now, he was again surrounded by pain. Pain for his best friend. He was about to punch Sehun again but Luhan and Chanyeol called him to halt.

“BAEKHYUN!” Luhan cried and Chanyeol screamed. He looked at the two, Luhan was still crying.

“Baekhyun…” Luhan continued, “He doesn’t know… he doesn’t know…” He put his hands on his face and knelt.

Baekhyun ran beside Luhan to comfort him, “What do you mean?”

“I did not tell him, I can’t… I am afraid that I might not see him again, but I know it might end that way… I am afraid, Baekhyun… I am…” He continued crying.

Baekhyun looked at Sehun’s eyes with anger and sorry. He helped Luhan on his feet and they entered the office.

“He needs to know!” Baekhyun was now annoyed with Luhan. “If he knew, maybe he could stop you!”

“But he can’t!” Luhan cried, “He cannot stop me, Baekhyun. That’s why I can’t tell him because it has no use!”

Baekhyun was speechless, he couldn’t think as well. Luhan helped him and now he needed to help him back. “When are you going back?”