“Tell me right now.” Luna demanded at the school rooftop during lunch.

Only she and Hana were up there as the boys were somewhere else. This was what she, Xiumin and Lay had planned: to individually talk some sense into the two friends who made the atmosphere sour since morning.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Hana casually said, lying. She didn’t feel like talking about it; in fact, she didn’t want to talk about it to anyone. And, if she were, she’d be embarrassed.

Luna stomped, “Tell me or I’ll make you tell me.”

“Make me?” Hana questioned. With herself in the state of depression, she had forgotten what kind of horrific friend Luna was and could be.

“I will spread rumors about you and some fake guy!”

“Luna.” Hana giggled.

Luna’s threat wasn’t that bad. It was actually the weakest she ever came up with.

Luna pouted, “Tell me!” She held Hana’s hand, “You two haven’t been like this since…um…I think seventh or eighth grade.”

“See, nothing’s changed.” Hana tried to persuade. “We’re just back to normal.”

“Normal?” Luna inquired. “How is that normal? You were only annoyed because Luhan was the only guy who kept following you while you were trying to avoid being caught seeing around with boys so you wouldn’t have to move!” She squeezed her hand, “This is your guys’ normal relationship. You guys bicker, fight, argue, tease, and joke. There’s not a day that goes by without you two getting mad at each other without understanding first.” She added a scoff, “Although, it is always you who understands him first. That son of a devil is never decent.”

Decent eh? He was never decent in the first place. Hana quietly thought. “Luna, I’m really fine.”

“If you’re fine, make up with Luhan.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because we’re only back to the way we were.”

“As much as I would like you to stop hanging out with the stupidest, jerkiest, and lady-killer, I can’t say that.”

Hana waited. She hadn’t expected Luna to take Luhan’s side. It was almost always a rare thing. Luna was friends longer with Hana than with Luhan, so Hana assumed Luna would at least be on her side, but based on what Luna was saying now, it seemed that Luna wasn’t.

Luna explained with pauses, “He’s the only one…who…well…”

“…Well…?” Hana blinked. Waiting for Luna’s hesitant answer, she decided to answer Luna’s question mentally. He’s the only one who makes me angry, mad, irritated, annoyed, sad, stupid and—

“…as hard as it is for me to accept it…Luhan’s the only one who has the stupidity to make you…you, Hana.”

“Make me…me…?”

Luna nodded. “You know, throughout middle school when you were having a rough time thanks to your parents, I had briefly forgotten how beautiful you were when you smiled or how excited you can get. You were so focused on babysitting and proving them otherwise that you…” She glanced at Hana before continuing.

“…What’s wrong?” Hana asked, taken aback.

“…Don’t get me wrong, but…those days…when you weren’t…you…I was really scared of losing you.”

Hana felt Luna’s hands trembled on her hands. She didn’t know Luna held this in for years. She thought they told each other everything—well—at least almost everything.

Luna smiled, “But, that Luhan…he came along and…soon, he was like your ray of sun and helped you grow like the pot of flower you were supposed to be.” She stopped and scowled. She placed a hand at , “Oh dear, did I just say that?”

“Yeah, yeah you did.”

The two girls laughed at their comments.

Luna gave Hana a wishful look, “Please, Hana, make up with Luhan.”

Hana paused. After a few breaths, she removed her hands from Luna. “I’m sorry. I can’t forgive Luhan.”

*

“You what?” Xiumin shrieked in the class room.

The boys were in their classroom, sitting at Hana’s desk again mainly because it had the sunlight and it was the usual lunch spot if not at top of the roof. It was just a habit.

“I told you, nothing happened.” Luhan repeated. “We didn’t do it. Nothing. Nadda. Zit. None.” Luhan emphasized with much of his nonexistent vocabularies to make things clear to an ecstatic Xiumin.

Xiumin, with two hands out, shook Luhan, “How could you not have done anything with a busty girl like Hyuna sunbae? It’s a lie, I say! It’s a sin!” He gasped, “Are you really the Luhan I know?”

Luhan managed to laugh at Xiumin’s joke, “Of course I am. I’m…Rolling Luhan.”

“Ah.” Xiumin and Lay commented.

Rolling Luhan was the nickname, or better yet, his womanizer nickname in regards to the “fact” that he was always “rolling” with women. That name had ceased to exist sometime around Middle School when Luhan stopped flocking with girls and “decided” to stay with the group of friends—his current friends.

Luhan became bashful, “Gosh, hearing it now makes me—”

“—want to puke.” Xiumin interjected.

The two friends looked at Xiumin.

Xiumin shrugged, “What? It’s a stupid nickname, don’t you think?” He leaned in closer, “Now that I think about it, your nickname should’ve been more legendary, ya know.”

“Legendary?”

He nodded, “Yeah! I mean, once we’re out of high school, don’t you want your underclassmen to spread your wonderful legend of how you—”

“—those days are done and over with, Xiumin.” Luhan said. “…I’m a high school student now. It’s the time of my life where I’m supposed to be serious and not be fooling around, ya know.”

Xiumin and Lay were shocked. Luhan was rarely life-seeking and was usually always for the fun of the moment, but to hear Luhan confess that he had thought that far in life already, it really wasn’t the Luhan they knew.

Lay sighed, “Is that why you came in the morning and barged into my room?”

“Huh?” Xiumin turned to Lay. “He…barged into your room?”

“I just told you that Hyuna sunbae and I didn’t do anything.” Luhan repeated.

“I heard that, but what’s this about sleeping at Lay’s? You didn’t go back to Hana and Taeyang?”

Luhan shook his head. “No, I didn’t.”

“Is that why she’s angry?” Xiumin quietly muttered.

Luhan glared at Xiumin, “Why would she be angry about that? She doesn’t need to wait up for me.” And I don’t really need to be home at all anyway. We’re not really married. We’re just…a virtual family.

“Then, why is she?”

“I don’t know, either.” Luhan instantly whined.

Xiumin’s eyes widened, “I know this can’t be, but…maybe, just maybe…she got mad because you were at her seat?” He pointed to Luhan, “Look, you’re in her seat again!”

Luhan tried to find an answer to his habit of sitting at Hana’s spot, “Th-the sun hits this seat so it’s warm here, you know. It-it’s not like I want to sit here and wait for her.”

“We didn’t say anything about waiting for her.” Xiumin blankly said.

Lay tapped on the desk, “How long do you think you two will be like this?”

“Maybe not long.” Xiumin answered for Luhan. “They’ll make up sooner or later anyway. It always ends up like that.”

Luhan seeped deep into the seat and quietly mumbled, “I don’t know. This time…I think it’s a real fight.”

*

“Why do you need to be embarrassed?” Luna asked, letting out a laugh.

The girls were still on the rooftop talking to one another about what happened this early morning.

Hana timorously looked down, “Because…I’m angry at myself, not at Luhan.”

“Ha?” Luna exclaimed. “But, didn’t you just say that you can’t forgive Luhan?”

Hana nodded. “I can’t forgive him because there’s nothing to forgive about. The one I’m mad and angry at is me. I’m just…” She bit her lower lip, “…venting it out on him, that’s all.”

“Really?” Luna asked with an ‘I don’t believe you’ expression.

“Really.” Hana lamented. She looked down at her empty lap and then breathed out. “Yesterday…” She finally decided to talk it out with Luna. Maybe this would help her a bit. Even though it had been a while since she had a girl talk with Luna, it was better than keeping it in. “Yesterday…I found myself…” Her cheeks flushed with a scarlet color and she melted with sweat. Ugh, that Luhan! He’s getting what he deserved for making me like this!

“Hana?” Luna interrupted. “You were saying…?”

Hana cleared . “…I-I found myself…wanting Luhan.”

Luna blinked. She stayed frozen. She observed her friend’s honest expression with a hint of discomfort about the confession. She finally broke the silence. “YOU WHAT?”

*

“Luhan.” It was Hana.

Luhan turned around from out of the bathroom after washing his hands since he just had lunch. He hardly came here during lunch to do so because Hana always did it for him—wetting the napkins and washing his hand or giving him hand sanitizer—but it didn’t happened since they ate lunch separately.

“C-Can we talk?” She asked.

He formed a smile, happy that she was willing to talk to him again. “Yeah.”

They walked to a secluded place in outside of the classrooms and stayed there. Luhan knew to stay silent and let Hana speak first. From how she looked to him, he had a feeling that she took this “fight” much harder than he did.

Hana bowed, appalling Luhan. “I’m sorry.”

“Why-why are you apologizing?” He pulled her up. “You didn’t do anything wrong!”

She brushed her hair back and still didn’t bothered to look at him. She was too ashamed to do so. “No one did anything wrong. Not even you.”

“So…you’re not mad at me?”

She shook her head. “I-I wasn’t mad at anyone.”

Relief overfilled Luhan. He grinned so wide that his mouth started to hurt. Seconds later, he pretended to get angry at her. Crossing his hands on his chest, turning away, and closing his eyes, he said, “Then, Why did you yelled at me in the morning? Why were you being so mean to me? Did you not know how much that hurt me?”

He thought she would retaliate back.

“I’m sorry.”

Another apology? He opened his eyes, glanced at her, and put his arms back down. “H-Hana?” He looked at her carefully. This entire time, she hadn’t properly locked eyes with him. “What’s wrong? You can tell me.”

Luna said that it’s nothing I should worry about…but, I think it’s something I should. I’ve never felt that way before… Hana sighed to herself, forgetting that Luhan was still there with her. Maybe it is like what she said, I’m just getting used to the live-in life with Luhan.

“YOU WHAT?”

“I know, right? I mean, why would I want Luhan when he’s just a friend?” Hana emphasized as she find herself lost at words again.

Luna scoot closer to her friend, put her arms on Hana’s shoulders and glared right into her eyes, “You-you’ve fallen for that player turned dude?”

Hana shook her head violently, not even hesitating or thinking about her answer. A reflex answer. “No-no, I don’t like him at all.” At least, I don’t think I do. But, how can I? We are friends and friends we are going to stay.

Her friend sighed and slouched. “That’s good then.”

Interested and curious, Hana asked, “You don’t want us two to go out?”

Luna scoffed, “Don’t’ joke with me, Hana.” Whipping her hair back, she explained, “Although you two are great friends and are my great friends, I can’t see it happening, you know. You guys didn’t like each other from the start and BAM—one day – you guys just became friends. I…I just kind of prefer it that way.” She arched a brow at her, “Why, do you want to go out with him?”

Hana giggled, “No.” Feeling comfortable about the situation, she said, “I believe we won’t ever date. I think…we’re two best friends…who will always stay as friends…because our relationship is too great to become anything more.” She looked down on the ground, “Besides, I don’t think we’ll ever see each other that way. To me, Luhan will always be my friend.” There's nothing else better than that kind of relationship with him. Sighing, she brought the conversation back to her worries, "So, it's okay to think that way about Luhan?"

Luna shrugged. "I think so. It's only natural to think or at least feel some sort of 'wantings' you know? It's just weird that you had it for him when you two aren't even dating at all."

Hana weakly smiled in response. That wasn't quite a helpful answer.

"Just yesterday, right?"

Hana perked up.

"You felt that way only yesterday, right?" Luna questioned. "Or has it been longer than that?"

Hana shook her head. "No. Just yesterday."

Luna laughed. "Ah, then I'm sure it'll fly by you like the wind. Maybe it’s because you guys have become roommates and so seeing each other more than the usual day-to-day basis made you think you like him."

"Ah, it could be that!"

"I think it is. There's no other explanation, right?"

Agreeing, Hana happily concluded, "Yep, there's no other explanation!" I can't absolutely think of actually wanting Luhan. That'd be too...not friend-like of me.

“Luhan.” Hana began after her quick flashback ended. Although she ended hers and Luna's conversation regarding the worry she had, she was still curious about Luhan's end, because if she had experienced that while living with Luhan, he must had felt the same, too.

Flinching, Luhan uttered, “Y-yeah?”

“Answer me seriously, okay?”

He nodded.

“H-h-have you ever…um…” She cowered away, too shy to ask what was next.

He leaned in closer, making her tilt back. “Have I what?”

She pressed him back, “Too close.” Clearing , she warned him, “Listen, I’m only saying it once. Got it?”

He nodded. “Got it.

Breathing in, she ran out the words as fast as she could, “Haveyoueverwantedme?” She gave him a moment to take that in while analyzing his facial expressions to know when he had caught on. When she saw him slowing arching his brows and widening his eyes and the forming muscles at his jawline, she silently gasped with a bit of joy in her. He…he had?

Due to this abrupt question, Luhan thought she had found out that he had once viewed her as when she was cooking in the kitchen, or that day when she turned around and she looked amazingly gorgeous. He hadn’t told anyone but concluded that she could’ve found out due to his actions of avoiding her after those short revelations. He took a step back, not wanting to relive or confront it.

“…Luhan?” Hana said.

Luhan glanced away, not wanting to look at her in the eyes. He was too shy of her. Is…is this why she was angry to me in the morning? Because she felt uncomfortable that I saw her that way? Thinking that it was the cause for what happened between them, he immediately bowed and apologized, “I’m sorry.”

“Huh?” Hana blinked.

Standing up, Luhan mustered bravery to confess, but his voice was low and his face showed discomfort. “…I…I had thought…of…you…” He looked down and slowly lowered his voice, “…in that way.”

“Ehh…” That was all she could say. She really hadn’t expected this change of event. All she wanted was to explain and apologize to Luhan for venting out her frustrations of yesterday night to him and absolutely did not expect a weird confession from a friend. “Why…why did you apologized?”

“Because…you must’ve felt uncomfortable, right?”

She shook her head. She honestly answered, “No. I didn’t notice anything.” She instantly questioned, “Wait—you didn’t see me in any other way, right?”

He also rapidly answered, “No way! I-I only wanted you—and just for that stupid moment—but I have never ever liked you.”

“NEVER WILL I!” Both friends shouted together.

Seeing how their relationship had mended and came to an understanding again, they laughed.

Exhaling, Hana asked, “Ne…”

“Hm?”

“C-can I hug you?”

Luhan smiled. “No.” Hana almost felt dejected but hear him say, “I want to hug you.” Before she could smile, he already pulled her into his chest, wrapped his arms around her, and squeezed her like they had been missing each other since forever.

While he grinned and rested his chin on her shoulder and smelled the aroma of her natural scent like he always had been whenever they hugged, Hana peacefully rested her head on his chest because it was the second most securing place for her after their home.

*

“What’s this, what’s this?” Xiumin asked, smirking and pointing fingers at Luhan and Hana as the gang head to the baseball field afterschool. “I knew you guys were going to make up by the end of the day!”

“We made up at lunch.” Luhan cleared. He added a tease, “This man-girl pulled me to the side and started tearing up so bad I had to hug her to st—”

Hana pinched his cheek and he stopped talking. “Stop telling them lies.” Letting his cheek go, she said, “It was him who cried and wouldn’t let me come back to class. He kept holding onto my ankle—”

This time, it was Luhan who got her back the same way. “Oi, you stop spouting nonsense, too.”

“Here you go.” Lay and Xiumin said to Luna, handing her ten dollars.

Luhan and Hana caught the scene and asked their friends, “What’s that?”

Luna casually answered, “I won a bet, so it’s my prize.”

“What bet?” Luhan asked. “How come we didn’t know of it?”

“Because it was about you guys.” Xiumin said. “We betted to see how long your fight would last. I said a week.”

“I said a day.” Lay inserted, raising a hand.

Luna sneered and victoriously showed off her two ten dollar bills, “And I said half a day.”

Hana gaped opened, “Luna, is that why you wanted me and Luhan to patch up quickly before the end of the day?”

Luna nodded shamelessly.

Xiumin frowned and put out his hand, “Cheater! You had ‘stupid’ on your side, so you—”

Luhan and Hana nudged Xiumin, “Oi, who are you calling stupid?”

“You two!” Xiumin shouted, pointing at them.

The two friends pointed at one another and in sync, they said, “S/He’s the stupid one, not me!”

Still frowning, Xiumin asked, “Oi, what did you two fight about?”

Luhan and Hana froze because they wanted to keep their embarrassing confessions to themselves. It was already embarrassing enough to tell one another, let alone confronting and experiencing it.

“What?” Xiumin and Lay questioned.

Luna got a clue about what the conversation could be about based on how silent and awkward-looking her friends were. “Ah, was it about—”

Hana and Luhan instantaneously ran over to and covered , not letting her say it out. They exclaimed, “Something stupid!”

“Doesn’t seem like it.” Lay said as he saved his girlfriend from Hana and Luhan.

Hana smiled, “It really was something stupid.” She nudged Luhan, “Stupid like him.”

Luhan sarcastically smiled back, “No, stupid like you.”

“Like you!”

“Like you!”

“No, like—”

“YES!” The trio who were left out s