It's hard being an outsider. But it's easier if there's someone to be an outsider with.

Xiumin and Chen are new students, recently joined in an exchange program, the reason why they're in Beijing now. They take a look at their surroundings, the large cities that they're used to, the people walking around them. It's difficult to take in, yet so easy to take the first step.

Even in Korea, Xiumin and Chen didn't really like each other. Xiumin didn't like Chen's tricks, the way he so casually pranked everyone. And Chen just didn't like the fact that Xiumin was to serious to appreciate his pranks. So in essence, they hated each other for nothing. But now in Beijing, the only people they had were each other, so they looked at each other for a second, with determined nods, and walked in through the doors.

There's an invisible wall that separates them from the others. The language barrier. These two have been studying Chinese for at least four years, but they were no match for the others here at this school, who spoke too quickly and too fluently for them to grasp. They had the same classes together, and they thanked the principle for that. At least they'd have someone to talk to.

Chen was doing alright in the school. His Chinese wasn't very smooth, yes, but the girls were attracted to his appearance and his smile. He soaked up the attention and delivered. He constantly smiled and played jokes in the classroom. Yet, even though the target of his constant pranks was the teacher, he manages to get the best grades in class.

The other students marveled at this.

Xiumin wasn't doing half bad himself. He was a polite kid, and very cute too. The girls liked that about him as well. His smile was adorable and many of the others were surprised when they found out that he was older than a lot of them. But while Chen enjoyed bigger crowds and hanging out with fun people, Xiumin was a little quieter. Not that he wanted to be a loner, but none of the people around him seemed to understand that he wanted a little space at times. He loved to have people around him too, but not this.

Xiumin and Chen overcame their once-mutual hatred slowly and became somewhat-mutual friends. But Chen started to drift a little. His popularity spread a little more. Now people wanted to know about Korea. He even sang for them; they said he had an angel voice. Xiumin's voice was just as good, but as mentioned before, he's a little more quiet about it.

Xiumin had noticed, however, that if he and Chen were talking, and one of Chen's "friends" came up, he'd ignore Xiumin and go talk to that person. When this happened, Xiumin would walk away. 

Chen wouldn't notice.

One day, Chen and Xiumin were walking down the hall to their next class. A very pretty girl walked up to Chen and started talking. Xiumin was already prepared. He opened his book, began to read, and walked away. This time though, Chen noticed. 

"Minseok!" Minseok? Xiumin thought to himself. We're in China right now, idiot! Use my Chinese name, not my Korean one!

"What do you want?" Xiumin replied, hostile, speaking Korean too, to match up with Chen's. A small crowd starting forming around these popular foreigners. Chen looked around and saw them, then grabbed Xiumin's arm and started to drag him away. Xiumin dropped his book and yelled, "Hey! HEY! Stop! Where are you going?" 

He walked through the halls endlessly, without even knowing where he was going, and finally stopped and walked straight into a janitor's closet. Xiumin's heart was pounding, whether it was from walking too long too hard or from being in a small cramped space with Chen, he wasn't sure.

"Why do you keep avoiding me?" Chen asks him in a serious whisper. Xiumin suddenly feels very annoyed.

"I'm ignoring you? Have you looked at yourself lately? Who even are all these people you're hanging out with?"

Chen chuckles, but there's an icy glint in his eyes. "Jealous?"

"JEALOUS? What the hell? I used to hate you and you used to hate me, of course I'm no---"

Chen shuts him up. With a kiss.

Xiumin is left speechless. And very, very, very red in the face. "What...the...hell..."

"Idiot. Come on, let's go". Chen grabs onto Xiumin's hand and drags him out of the closet. They're late for class and the halls are empty. But they don't care. They walk right out of school. "I never hated you. Not once. And this? This is stupid." He waves at the school. "No one here knows the real me."

"You mean the annoying you who tricks everyone and intrudes on my personal space?"

Chen laughs. "Yes, that one."

There's a silence as they take a moment to just look at each for once. Chen, with his sculptured face and messy dark hair. And Xiumin with his round cheeks and bright eyes. 

Chen is the first to break the silence. "Hyung."

Korean again? Xiumin thinks to himself. "Ne?"

"Hyung, I love you okay? Let's stick together okay?"

He looks lonely and vulnerable for a second. Xiumin nods with a smile. "Of course."