"So why are you not talking to him?" Kris asks as he leans against a bookcase in the campus library.
 

"Because," Sehun states plainly

"Because?"

"Because."

Kris rolls his eyes. "Come on, you've already been on out once. Call him! Ask him out again."

"Three times," Sehun corrects his friend.

"Excuse me?" Kris asks, leaning closer.

"We've been on three dates."

"Three?" Kris asks and glares at his friend.

"Yes," Sehun explains. "Dinner, lunch and a walk through the park to look at the ice sculptures a few days ago."

Kris closes his eyes and sighs. "And you're not calling him because..?"

"Because."

"You're being childish."

Sehun sigh. He has been wanting to confess about what has been bothering him to his friend for a while, he is just not sure how to phrase it. "There's another guy working there now," Sehun finally admits. "At the coffee shop."

Kris opens his mouth to speak but closes it again. He just snorts and turns his back on Sehun. "You and your problems I swear to god…"

"What?" Sehun stalks after him.

"You think there's something going on between them?" Kris runs his finger along the backs of the books stacked in a neat line, trying to find what he is looking for. "I swear you're just imagining things. You're making stuff up and seeing things that aren't there." He picks up a book and starts turning the pages. "Admit it, you're really just a coward."

Sehun glares at his friend. "I am not!"

"Just text him already."

"What do you want me to say exactly?"

Kris smiles down at him. "Tell him 'Oh the weather's terrible today, wanna come over and watch a movie?'"

Sehun whips out his cellphone and taps away at the keyboard before hitting send. He wants to prove he is definitely not a coward. "There, happy now?"

A menacing smile creeps up over Kris' lips. "Yes," he says and Sehun suddenly realizes what he has done.

His eyes widen and his mouth falls open. "You…"

Kris smiles, slams his book shut and walks passed him with an arrogant wave of his hand. "You're welcome."

A few minutes later Sehun's phone buzzes in his pocket. He rushes out of the library when he sees the number displayed on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Luhan," the voice comes out shy from the other end.

Sehun smiles. "Hi!"

"I just saw your text…" the other starts. "Sorry, I can't today. I promised a friend I would show him around town. He's new here, he just started working at the coffee shop, and we've become  pretty good friends.." Luhan rambles on, but Sehun feels his heart sink slightly. It must be the guy he's seen Luhan hang around so much lately.

It started in the coffee shop. Sehun would drop in as usual at least once a week since he and Luhan started dating. They would smile at each other and say shy hello's as they passed, but recently someone else had taken up most of Luhan's attention; a new employee. He was probably around Sehun's age, with dark hair and full, pouty lips. Sehun had heard Luhan call him Jongin.

Then, one night, as Kris and Sehun were heading home from a party, Sehun had spotted the two baristas waiting at Luhan's bus stop together. They were laughing and clinging to each other like school children. Sehun had to blink twice in the heavy snowfall to make sure it really was Luhan.

"Are you okay?" Kris had asked when he noticed his friend had stopped.

"Yeah," Sehun had answered and had started jumping around, pretending he had something in his shoe. He didn't want to act like a jealous boyfriend because he had no right to. He had only seen Luhan a few times outside the coffee shop on proper dates.

Kris had put his arm around him to try and steady his friend as he shook his foot around, and when Sehun thought he had put on a convincing performance they had walked away together, side by side.

As Sehun had shot the couple at the bus stop one last glance he swears he had caught Luhan's eye. For a second it looked like the blond wanted to call out Sehun's name, like he wanted to wave him over and say hi, but he didn't. He just let Sehun walk away with the stranger and turned back to his happy conversation with his new friend.

Sehun snaps back to the phone conversation. "Oh, I understand," he tries to sound disinterested, not wanting to show his disappointment. "Kris and I were invited to a party anyway so I'll just go with him," he lies. He doesn't know why he just lied, but he felt like he had to.

"Okay," comes the short answer in his ear. "Maybe next time then," Luhan continues and suddenly sounds surprisingly cheerful.

Sehun smiles again. "Yeah, definitely next time."

"Have fun at your party!" Luhan cheers.

"Yeah," Sehun sighs and feels the guilt of lying rise inside him. "You have fun too."

The conversation ends with a quick "talk to you later" and the line dies.

"Maybe next time?" Kris practically screams at him over the loud music in the bar later that night. "That's my line, and it's crap!"

Sehun takes in a mouthful of beer straight from the bottle. "Imagining things, was I?"

Kris looks at his friend with genuine concern on his face. For once he has nothing to say.

Sehun is awaken the next morning by loud music suddenly filling his bed room.

He reaches out and hits the snooze button on his alarm clock aggressively a number of times, but the music doesn't stop. When he comes around to his senses he realizes it's not the alarm clock, but his phone.

He opens his eyes no wider than a squint and reaches for the black device lying on the floor. He groans as the bright light from the screen blinds him for a second. Since he can't make out the name of the caller anyway he presses the green button and holds the phone to his ear.

"mm..'ellow?" he manages and props himself up on his elbows.

"Sehun?" The familiar, sweet voice is clear and vide awake on the other end. "It's me, Luhan!" Sehun immediately sits up and tries to shake some clarity into his head.

"Hi…" Sehun says, still a bit dazed from his deep sleep.

There's a cute chuckle from the other end. "Did I wake you?"

Sehun looks over at the clock. It's 11 am on a Saturday. "No, not at all. What's up?"

There's a hesitant pause. "Do you want to do something today? With me?"

Sehun smiles for no one to see. Yes. Yes he would.

Two hours later he is tagging along behind Luhan in a candle shop. It's not exactly what he had imagined when Luhan had asked to hang out, but at least they finally get to spend some time together.

Even though they still see each other at the coffee shop, the pricey coffee is really starting to leave its mark in Sehun's bank account. Besides, the coffee shop is just not the same anymore since that new guy started working there.

"It's my cousins 18th birthday next week and my entire family is throwing this really big party for her," Luhan explains as he picks up a pink candle and smells it. "I need to find her a gift, any ideas?" he asks and smiles back at Sehun.

Sehun is pulled along through the sop by his coat sleeve "I don't know," he answers. He picks up a blue candle and smells it before making a disgusted face and setting it down. "Shopping for 18 year old girls isn't really my field of expertise," he says as Luhan laughs at his attempt to smell the non scented candle.

"I should have brought Jongin instead," Luhan laughs, but Sehun's face suddenly turns grave. He looks down at the ordainments on a table and tries not to think of the implication of Luhan's statement. He shouldn't feel so jealous of the Jongin-guy. Sehun doesn't even know how serious Luhan is about either of them.

Luhan notices the change in Sehun and grabs onto his arm and leans closer to him. "I just mean he'd be better at this kind of stuff. He told me he'd been out with quite a few girls before he…" he stops when he sees Sehun smiling at him again.

"This one," Sehun says and holds a out a light brown candle for Luhan to smell. Luhan closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath through his nostrils. The smell is both intense and sweet and it fills him with a comfortable warmth.

"It's perfect, " he sighs and leans his head against Sehun's shoulder. "What is it?"

Sehun laughs. "I have no idea." He brings the candle up to his nose. "But it's very familiar."

Luhan sighs. "You're not jealous of Jongin, right? I mean, he and I, we're just..."

The sudden question throws Sehun of guard. "No!" he blurts out, not getting a chance to hear the rest of Luhan's sentence.

"Good," the other smiles and drags Sehun further into the shop. "Because you have no reason to be."

Sehun swallows hard. Luhan was right: Sehun had no reason to be jealous. He had no right to be. Luhan wasn't his; he had no say in who the other hung out with. He suddenly felt a bit bad about ever thinking he had the right to an opinion in the matter at all.

During the day, Sehun learns a few things about Luhan's new friend, Kim Jongin: Jongin is from out of town, but Sehun already knew that; he sometimes works the same shifts as Luhan, but Sehun knew that too; he just started studying at the University this semester; and Luhan thinks he might live in the same area as Sehun. Sehun also learns that the guy loves fried chicken and is, apparently, an amazing dancer.

He doesn't really want to think about how Luhan came to know the last two facts.

"Don't worry, you're the one dating him after all," Kris reminds him as they walk through the back yard of the University campus the following Monday. Sehun has just revealed the entire story of his weekend to his best friend who seems to take a large interest in his friend's dating life. "Unless this guy is actually just a two-faced, backstabbing…"

Sehun shoots him a deadly glare, daring Kris to go on.

Kris seems to shiver. "So when's your next date?" he asks instead.

Sehun shrugs. "He's helping that other guy move some new stuff into his dorm." Sehun doesn't want to say his name. "So we didn't really decide anything."

Kris gives him an annoyed look. "Are you kidding me? You have to step your game up, man," he says and punches Sehun's upper arm playfully.

Sehun is just about to throw a tantrum, when they suddenly hear a noise from behind them.

"Hey guys!" they hear a deep voice call out over the yard. They turn to see a tall, lanky figure running toward them. Sehun recognizes him as the funny guy from their Greek History class.

"Chanyeol!" Kris cheers. "How's it going?"

"Great," the other smiles brightly as he joins the two. Sehun remembers that the guy is one of the most popular kids in their year. He is known to most as the Happy Virus. "How was your weekend?"

"Good!" Sehun and Kris chirp in unison, already feeling the virus take effect.

"Hey Sehun, I saw you with someone down town the other day," Chanyeol points out. "I've never seen him around before, you looked like you had fun."

Kris flings his arm around Sehun's shoulder and leans in, smiling sinisterly . "It's his bo…"

"Best friend!" Sehun interupts. "He's my best friend. Yeah, we're really close," he says and gives Kris a dark glare.

"However," Kris glares back at him. "Sehun is a bit worried, right, because his best friend has started to act a bit weird." Sehun opens his mouth to protest but Kris squeezes his shoulder painfully with his large hands. "You have lots of fiends, Chanyeol, maybe you could give Sehun some advice?"

Chanyeol blinks. "Sure, I can try. What's up?"

Sehun opens his mouth again to say it's really nothing, but thanks anyway, but once again Kris is quicker

"You see, Sehun's friend..." he starts and give Sehun a hard look at the last, over pronounced word. "… has started getting close to his other guy, and Sehun is worried he might be pushed aside." The taller leans down onto Sehun. "And soon he'll be left all alone without any best friends at all," he says condescendingly as he pinches Sehun's cheeks. Sehun aggressively shakes the giant off his shoulders and Kris almost doubles over with laughter.

Chanyeol looks straight ahead with a blank expression. "Well, I always like to know where I stand with my friends. I always want to know if they want to get closer, or if they don't," he says with a shrug. "I guess that goes with old friends too. Either you tell him you feel left out and want to get closer again, or maybe you can find it within yourself to be okay with him getting closer to others too." The words leave both Kris and Sehun gaping, neither of them expecting such a serious answer from the always cheerful student. "You can't deny the fact that you're both going to meet new people all the time, and maybe you'd like to become closer to some of them too."

Sehun sighs. "You're right," he mumbles. At that moment though, he doesn't know which option to go for. Should he tell Luhan he feels threatened by his and Jongin's supposed friendship, or should he just let Luhan go and see what happens? After all, it might be nothing between them, right?

But what there is something between the two? Could he really let Luhan go just like that if there was?

"Naah," Kris interrupts his thoughts. "I still think you should kick the guys and take back what's rightfully yours."

At this, the Happy Virus lets out his roaring laughter.

As Sehun walks home later that same day he can't escape the thoughts that circle in his head about Luhan. He thinks back at all the things that have been said about their relationship and the intrusion by a certain Jongin character.

He hears Luhan's sweet voice from that day in the candle shop. He had asked Sehun very clearly: You're not jealous of Jongin, right? I mean, he and I, we're just…, but that was where the voice broke of.

They're just what? Friends? Sehun sighs. He's not even sure if Luhan and he were ever just friends and now they are dating. Who knows what being just friends with the Jongin-kid could lead to.

I always want to know if they want to get closer, or if they don't, Chanyeol's voice starts to echo in his head. Chanyeol probably had a point; Sehun should just ask Luhan what he wanted, and when he knew, Sehun would comply. Maybe you can find it within yourself you be okay with him getting closer to others.

Maybe he could, but there was something so wrong with that thought it made Sehun slightly sick. He hadn't known Luhan for long, but for once he felt like he had found someone who he could be happy around. He didn't have to go out of his way to make conversation, like with Chanyeol. He didn't occasionally get annoyed and want to erase his contact information, like with Kris. Luhan was different, and Sehun hadn't felt this way in a long time. This was special and he didn't want anyone to come in the way of what he felt.

Sehun climbs the stairs, lost in thought. At the last step he looks up and he freezes. He stares at two figures in front of one of the dorm room doors, arm in arm. They have their backs turned to him, but Sehun would recognize that tuff of blond hair anyway.

Sehun squints, not completely trusting his eyes. "Luhan?"

The two turn quickly in surprise and Sehun's heart sinks to his stomach when he sees their faces. One is a young brunet with plump lips and a sleepy gaze, the other is Luhan.

"Sehun!" Luhan exclaims wide-eyed. "I- I didn't know you lived here." A look of panic crosses his face.

"Yeah, well I do," Sehun answers coldly. He continues to look between the two. He can't help but notice how opposite they are from each other. Brunet versus blond, sleepy gaze versus clear eyes, strong features versus smooth lines. They just don't go together in Sehun's mind.

An awkward silence follows between the three.

Luhan is the first to speak. "We were just moving some of Jongin's stuff. We're pretty much done, right?" Luhan looks up nervously at the other and the brunet shrugs.

Sehun looks over at him for a second and Jongin meets him with a dark, icy glare.

"Oh," Sehun answers. He starts moving towards the door to his own dorm. "I was just about to make dinner, if you're free…" he trails of when he locks eyes with Luhan again. The confused and shocked look on his face makes Sehun feel guilty. "Would you like to come in?"

Sehun knows why he feels guilty: he is making Luhan choose.

"Now?" Luhan asks, but Sehun doesn't answer. He simply turns the key in its lock and places his hand on the door handle.

Sehun knows it's not fair, but he want's to know what Luhan would do if it ever came down to choosing between the two.

"Lu.." Sehun hears Jongin mumble and sees him tugging at Luhan's arm.

Luhan looks back at his dark haired friend. "Uhm.." he hesitates before turning back to Sehun. "Sorry Sehun, I-I can't right now." Sehun feels his world tip sideways. "Maybe some other time?" Luhan ads carefully.

Sehun only stares at the door. "Sure, some other time." He turns the handle and steps through in one swift movement. He lets the door slam behind him, perhaps a little harder than he had intended, and stops in the hall. He leans back against the door and lets his legs give in underneath him.

You're not jealous, right? Because you have no reason to be.

Sehun knows he has no reason to be. Luhan isn't his. Sehun won't even admit to anyone that they're dating.

But as he sinks to the ground, the cold wood of the door sliding against his back, he feels himself crumble to pieces. When he closes his eyes, all he sees is Jongin's dark stare, and a victorious smile.

A/N: *cries* I'm sorry! One more chapter to go though! Will be up in the beginning of week. Please comment and thank you for reading ^^ <3