The weekend ends too fast in Yixing’s mind and by Monday afternoon he realizes that something has happened. He doesn’t know how to describe that something, it’s just a gut feeling that he gets when he visits the brick house.  There’s a palpable tension that has Yixing on the edge of his seat throughout the day.

Tuesday it’s just as bad, and when Yixing asks Kai about it, the younger male pretends like he doesn’t know what’s going on. Yixing figures it has to be something with Kai though, it only makes sense that it would have to do with Kai, since Sehun and Luhan only treat him oddly in it involves Kai.

Whatever it is that has the others treating him like he’s the plague seems serious because even Chanyeol and Junmyeon, the more reasonable ones of the group, look at him as if he’s some freak of nature. He hates not being in the loop though. Zitao does it, and apparently so does Jongdae, and he hates when people treat him differently without telling him why. If they’re mad then they should tell him that, or else how will he know how to fix it.

Yixing doesn’t go to lunch on Wednesday, after nearly three days of brand new drama in his soap opera life Yixing decides to figure out what’s really going on. Yixing instead goes to the library, because Junmyeon’s in the library and Junmyeon tends to give him answers when he needs them most.

Yixing doesn’t know how long he’ll have to wait, five minutes have gone by and Yixing can’t find it in himself to concentrate on the book that he’d pulled out of one of the shelves in the art section. Ten more minutes pass and Junmyeon appears, Yixing watches as the slightly older male scans the room before letting his eyes stop momentarily at Yixing’s table. Yixing smiles brightly not caring in the least if someone saw him and what they could possibly say.

“So what did I do this time,” Yixing asks, when he corners Junmyeon in between the book stacks.

“What are you talking about,” Junmyeon questions in return, turning away from the Chinese male to look through the shelves of books.

“Everyone’s acting weird towards me,” Yixing explains. “First it was Luhan and Sehun and now it’s everyone else including you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Junmyeon states. “I’m just a little anxious because graduation’s approaching.”

Yixing hums a little in response. “You know,” he starts off, voice light as if he’s joking even though he’s actually extremely upset. “I used to think you’d be a great actor but you at lying.”

“It’s not something you did,” Junmyeon tells him after a short silence.

“But it has something to do with me? The thing that’s making everyone treat me like a stranger, it indirectly involves me right?”

“I–Do you ever get tired of keeping secrets,” Junmyeon wonders aloud.

“All the time,” Yixing admits, leaning precariously against one of the book shelves.

“Then why do you do it,” Junmyeon asks.

Yixing shrugs a little bit, he knows why he keeps secrets, but it’s strange being suddenly asked about it. “Because it keeps everyone happy.”

“Including yourself?”

“Of course not,” Yixing retorts. “It makes me constantly anxious that I’ll get caught or worse, someone will get hurt.”

“But you continue to do it,” Junmyeon states. The bell rings, signifying that lunch is over but Yixing doesn’t move. He wonders if Junmyeon has a secret that involves him. Maybe it has to do with how they're treating him.

“Only for a little while longer,” Yixing explains. “You still have to tell me why everyone’s acting so strangely. You may have been able to change the subject but I haven’t forgotten.”

Thirty minutes before school lets out Yixing gets a text from Kai, reading Don’t come over. That makes him feel even more anxious and he can barely concentrate as his teacher explains what’s the homework because he’s too busy worrying over his relationship and the friendships he made inside of the brick house. They wouldn’t just turn their backs on him right? At least not without hearing his side of the story, whatever that might be.

Once the teacher exits the classroom, Yixing can’t stop himself from pulling out his cellphone and calling a familiar number.

“Why don’t you want me to come over,” Yixing asks, the moment Kai says hello. There’s silence and Yixing would think that the younger had hung up upon hearing his voice but he can still hear faint noise from the other boy’s end.

“I didn’t want you to be bored,” Kai explains with a small laugh. “We’re not doing anything entertaining, just a family meeting of sorts, and things like that.”

“What if I want to come anyway,” Yixing asks. “What if I just do my homework in your room while you do your family thing?”

There’s silence again and Yixing realizes that Kai is thinking of the perfect answer, the proper way to defuse the situation without causing them another fight and Yixing speaks up before he does.

“I was just curious,” Yixing states, “I’m already on my way home as we speak. I just–you never told me to not come over and I was worried.”

“You’re overthinking things,” Kai tells him, laughing slightly less fake this time around. “Zhang Yixing, you trust me don’t you.”

“I trust you,” Yixing states, a light pink hue coating his cheeks as he realizes he’s still in his classroom. He begins to quickly pack his things while trying to talk to Kai, so no one will hear their conversation. “Just… you would tell me if I’m being too clingy right? If I’m overstepping my boundaries?”

“I don’t know what clingy is,” Kai tells him, “or boundaries. You’re safe. I told you, I liked you more than everyone I know right?”

“Yeah,” Yixing says albeit a bit reluctantly. “I know. I’ll see you tomorrow okay?”

“Okay,” Kai replies before ending the call.

Yixing can’t help but to stare helplessly down at his cellphone when he ends the call.

“Did you and your boyfriend get into a fight,” he hears Jongdae’s voice ask.

“Something like that,” Yixing mumbles.

“Did you apologize,” Jongdae asks him, pushing into his shoulder to make Yixing look up.

“Why do you think I did something,” Yixing asks, glaring at his friend.

“That was me trying not to let my obvious bias show,” Jongdae states. “What did you fight about? If it’s not your fault then that makes it his fault right?”

“I don’t know,” Yixing admits. “I don’t even think we fought. I haven’t done anything wrong recently.”

“Then why do you think he’s acting the way he is,” Jongdae asks.

“I don’t know,” Yixing says again, sulking as he leans against the wall outside of the classroom. He’s frustrated, and angry that his concerns are being ignored. “If I could see him today than I would be able to see if he was angry with me or not.”

“And you can’t see him,” Jongdae asks.

“He said not to come over today,” Yixing admits.

“Maybe that’s a good thing,” Jongdae says. “Maybe he isn’t upset with you, just something else and he’s worried that he might take it out on you. Besides, don’t you think that you’re being too obvious for a secret relationship?”

“It won’t be a secret for long so I don’t see the point in overexerting myself just to hide my conversations.”

“You’re introducing him to the family soon,” Jongdae asks. “Are you sure Tao’s ready?”

“Rather he’s ready or not he’s going to it up and be a grown up about this.”

“Assertive Yixing,” Jongdae jokes. “I want to see you telling that to Taozi. He won’t be happy.”

Jongdae pats his shoulder in comforting manner before bidding the older male goodbye. Yixing huffs a little because he’s honestly getting a bit frustrated with needing to think about how Zitao or anyone else will react to the things going on his personal life.

“You’re hiding something from me,” Yixing accuses softly. It’s Thursday and Yixing’s at Kai’s house, inside the kitchen with the younger male. Kai’s lips draw into a deep frown as he eyes Yixing wearily.

“Aren’t you the one hiding things from me,” Kai questions in return.

“Like what,” Yixing asks. “You’re hiding things, everyone is, I can tell.”

“It’s called projection,” Kai states drily. “The things you’re feeling, your accusations, it’s because you don’t have a clear conscience.”

“What do I have to be guilty of,” Yixing huffs.

“I don’t know, why don’t you tell me,” Kai asks.

Yixing goes to retort, but he pauses and draws back. He takes a deep breath and looks at the kitchen counter. “Why are we always fighting nowadays? Kai, I always worry about what I’ll say because I’m afraid it’ll start a fight.”

“That’s what happens to people,” Kai tells him, his eyes are on the ground and he’s  “Everything’s not always sunshine and roses, especially when it comes to people like us. We hit a snag and this is what happens.”

“What’s wrong with people like us,” Yixing asks.

“We’re the wrong type of people to be together. You’re good and I’m bad. Your family loves you, mine is only a myth. You’re better off with someone like Suho. You love me but I don’t believe in love.”

“What’s the difference between what I feel and what you feel,” Yixing asks. “If you don’t believe in love than what do you feel for Chanyeol and the others?”

“What I mean is,” Kai starts. “You believe that love is an exclusive thing, that we’ll devote ourselves to one another and live happily ever after, but I can’t devote myself to you in that way. I don’t believe in that type of love.” Yixing remains quiet, eyes down casted to the ground as his mind grips to understand the words Kai has just told him.

He wonders why he’s even trying if their feelings weren’t the same. If Yixing was the only one risking things and devoting him why did he even bother? Arms wrap around him from behind, and a ticklish sensation runs down his spine as Kai’s chin rests on his shoulder blade.

“Don’t look like that,” Kai tells him. “You’re my first choice remember.”

“People can believe in things if they really want to. It’s hard but if you have reason to you could. You could believe in love if you really wanted to Kai. Why don’t you want to?”

“I don’t have a reason,” Kai mutters. “The idea of love makes people weak, us orphans, the ones thrown away, don’t exactly like the idea of something making us weak. I’m sorry for accusing you of hiding things. I think I’m getting paranoid.”

Yixing finds flaws in Kai’s statement about orphans but since he doesn’t know many orphans he doesn’t think he can go off of the few people he met. He still didn’t know Sehun’s life story, the younger could just be special or his parents could be dead. Not every orphan was abandoned, especially as cruelly as Kai had been.

“It’s my fault,” Yixing mumbles. “My secrets are the cause of this. I’ll tell my cousin soon, real soon.  Maybe…afterwards we can all go to the arcade or something.”

“Does it mean that you’re not leaving anytime soon, ”Kai asks.

“Leaving,” Yixing repeats. “Where would I…” he trails off, as foreign steps interrupting his words. He looks up and catches Sehun’s cold gaze. The blonde haired boy’s brown eyes shift from Yixing’s confused ones to Kai’s arms around his shoulders.

“He’s staying,” Kai tells Sehun, removing his arms from around Yixing. Yixing squirms uncomfortably as Sehun’s eyes narrow. “He’ll tell his cousin about us really soon.”

“Make sure I’m not around when he does,” Sehun states coldly, turning on his heels and leaving the kitchen. Yixing frowns at the comment and the boy’s cold behavior. Yixing doesn’t like it, it doesn’t sit well knowing that now there’s hostility on both sides, and Yixing doesn’t know how to fix it.

“It’s okay,” Kai tells him, squeezing his shoulders comfortingly. “Sehun’s just been a little upset recently. Luhan and him were confronted by some jerk about them being orphans.”

Yixing nods his head as a sign of understanding but he can’t stop the shaky breath that he takes in. Maybe tomorrow he’ll feel better about everything.