Sehun woke up to the knock on his door. He rubbed his eyes and got up lazily from his bed. He scratched his bare chest before noticing some red spots began appearing on his right chest. Sehun grunted. His allergic reactions came back. Was he having peanuts last night? Maybe he was too drunk to notice. His short brain-storming sessions were disturbed by another loud bang on his door. Sehun hastily walks to the door to open it to stop the annoyance the person behind it has caused him. He was about to burst into anger only to find a familiar old lady greeted him. “Oh, Aunty, it’s you!” Sehun exclaimed as his anger faded away. The elderly woman hit his head lightly before saying, “Of course it is me! Who else would you think your father dares to send in to check you up every time you had all of this-this-blasphemous activity?” Sehun defended, “It’s not that bad, I was just drinking a little bit. And a few friends came over. Is it that blasphemous?” “Well I didn’t know that. But all I knew is that you drank too much that you didn’t even realize that you took peanuts. Look at your rashes! You know what will happen after you have that right? Aishh after those years, you still haven’t learnt your lesson. This boy is still so stubborn.” said the old lady while hitting Sehun again and finally decided to walk around his bedroom to make sure his things are tidy and in place. Sehun smiled as he watched her. He missed those nags and scolding she gave him.

After his mother’s death, people would always be sympathetic with him and would try their best to look after his feelings. Even if he did something wrong, they would say it is okay and covered up for him. Even though a lot of people think that it is appropriate to do so, Sehun hates it. He wanted to be treated like other people instead of being babied. But his nanny, Mrs. Kim, was quite the opposite. When other people would scamper around and bow their heads with respect to ‘the’ Oh Sehun, his nanny would pull his ears for not finishing his dinner or skipping classes. Only she would scold him for hours if his grades went downhill or punishes him for telling lies. That’s why Mrs. Kim had gained his respect and he had grew fond of her; even more than his father. She was more than just any a nanny for him, but a friend and a counselor. And he trusts her more than anyone else.

“Had you had your breakfast Sehun-ah?” Mrs. Kim asked politely after finishing her military style check-up on Sehun’s room neatness. “I just woke up, remember?” Sehun replied quickly. His cheek went hot from her quick slap. “After years I stopped being your nanny, and your manner had gone off the track? Is that the proper way to reply your elderly Oh Sehun? You didn’t even answered my question right. Oh young man, I am truly disappointed by you! They teach this in that business school? Then your father wasted a lot of money paying all of those fees, because his child turned out to be like this. What is the use of being good in business if you had no respect for the other people around you? Aishh!” she said in one breath. Sehun rubs his now red puffy cheeks lightly and smiled. “Mianhe aunty,” Sehun finally said. “I haven’t had my breakfast. But I am hungry at this point, ma’am. Would you kindly spare me some food dear ma’am?” he later added with a little bit of chuckle. Huge mistake he thought to himself. “That’s better.” She muttered under her smile. “I bought some pastries on my way here. There were all downstairs. Get yourself clean and wake that silly Jongin on the couch. I’ll prepare some tea later and we’ll have breakfast together. Is that understood young man?” She added while knitting her brows. Sehun nodded and replied, “Yes ma’am” And with that he went to the shower.

                                                                                ***

Kyungsoo woke up and glared at his alarm clock. 5. 08 Am. Thank you biological clock! He’s a little bit late than usual but he will make it to the bakery in time and would be able to get things in sync. Not bad he thought. And as usual he yanks himself up from the bed. In a daily Kyungsoo routine, this would be a great way for him to get in the cheerful mood. But today he was sort of stuck and just can’t get up.

What?

And just then that he realized that a pair of sturdy arms was wrapped neatly around his waist. Kyungsoo grunted. When did Lay got in to his room? He is so sneaky nowadays. He tried to release himself but nothing works. He hugged him that tight all night long? How could he did not notice or feel anything?

And yet strangely enough Kyungsoo had to admit that last night was the only time in the past few months that he had a good sleep. Kyungsoo struggled again but still nothing works. Kyungsoo grit his teeth and slap Lay’s shoulder, “Hey! Would you let me go? I don’t have much time to play with you Zhang Yi Xing! Cut it out. I need to get up and work!” And after that, Lay opened his right eye and let out a smile before saying, “Well good morning to you too sweet angel.” Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “Now let me go. I have a bakery to run and I am late enough. Lay, I don’t have time for this. So can you let me go now?” he finally added with a tone of impatience.

Lay hugged him tighter before he playfully whispered, “Sure. But first, what’s the magic word?” Kyungsoo smacked him on the head. “Zhang Yi Xing, now!” he added with a hint of annoyance in his voice. Lay finally agreed and let Kyungsoo go off his arms. He smiled as he watched Kyungsoo move to the dressing table and repositioned himself. He plans to proceed back into his sleep and he puts both of his hands under his head.

Just when he was about to doze back into his sleep, Kyungsoo hit his arms. “Yah,” Kyungsoo snorted. Lay took a peek and manage to forge a sweet smile before replying, “What? Do I need to help you shower?” Kyungsoo hissed, “Eish, how do you get in here? And aren’t you supposed to run some business or something? And why are you in my bed?” Kyungsoo added while emphasizing on the last question. Lay sat on the edge of the bed, while slowly correcting his boxers.

Kyungsoo’s eyes grew wider. What? What? WHAT? Zhang Yi Xing was almost on his bed? He was on his bed for the whole night with only that thing on? Oh. My. LORD! Oh my goodness. He felt molested. He felt dirty. This is too much. This is wrong. But this young man’s physique, he is so…so divine! Wait. Concentrate on something more important now, he reminded himself. This man was sleeping next to him with a piece of cloth barely able to cover his crotch. Totally irrational! So barbaric!

After much silence, Kyungsoo blurted out, “And you wore ONLY that? Oh my goodness, what is wrong with you?” Lay smiled. He looks at Kyungsoo straight into his eyes before lazily answered, “You see that?” He pointed to his door. “Try locking that next time.” He stands up and began walking towards Kyungsoo. For every step he marched forward, Kyungsoo took the same step back. “I’m sort of the boss and I’ll get to my business mode when I want to. It is my say, so you don’t really have to worry” He said while he continues to move forward that now Kyungsoo was pressed to the corner of the room. Lay puts his hands on either side of the wall and stares at Kyungsoo. And then he cheekily whispers, “I got too stuffy in the living room, so I figured out that your room might be comfy” He stares stops at Kyungsoo’s lips before returning his gaze back to his eyes. “Things got too warm so I took all of my things off,” He chuckled before adding, “Except for these of course.” He pointed out to his boxers. Kyungsoo rolled his eyes in disgust.

Lay inhaled before continuing, “But I got cold and you are the only in this room that has a comforter; so I snuggled right in. Is that wrong?” Kyungsoo reluctantly shook his head. “Good. I guess you should get going. You are late, remember?” Lay added. Kyungsoo quickly push him aside and rush to the bathroom. But Lay quickly catches his arms and gaze into his eyes. “Don’t worry. I’m a good boy last night. Nothing happened. I think.” And with that being said, he winked. Kyungsoo somehow blushed and frees his hands from Lay’s hold and went to the bathroom quickly.

                                                                                        ***

Sehun puts on his cashmere sweater and fix his hair a little bit. Now satisfied with his looks on the mirror, he went down the stairs and went straight to the penthouse’s kitchen. Mrs. Kim was already busy preparing tea when he arrived. Jongin, who was clearly having a bad hangover, was somehow forced to be in the kitchen’s dining table and now is slumping helplessly with occasional mumbling about food. Sehun smiled. No has ever succeeded in talking Jongin out of his sleep. Must be one of Mrs. Kim’s major accomplishment, he thought.

He carefully sat on the tall stool and watch Mrs. Kim finishing her tea preparation. Mrs. Kim poured out the tea carefully into small porcelain tea cups and smile, “Breakfast is served!” She exclaimed, beaming with smile. And with that she pulled Jongin’s ear and said “It’s rude to sleep when people are serving food you know” Jongin weakly nodded and stood up straight slowly.” Good boy.” She muttered. Seeing that, Sehun quickly fix his posture and began eating. Mrs. Kim bought some muffins and it has been his personal favorite. There is something about muffins that he likes. But he can’t really explain why.

It was after he was about to ask for another piece of muffin that Sehun noticed something. “Err, Mrs. Kim,” he asked. “Where do you, um, buy all these?” he later added. Mrs. Kim wipes of the crumbles on the corner of Sehun’s mouth and answered,” On a bakery I frequent. It is a few blocks away from the bus station. Why?” Sehun smiles and shakes his head. ” Oh, I am just curious. So,” Sehun took the muffin’s packaging and points it to her. ”This is the name of the place?” He finally added. “Yes.” She answered briefly and continues to enjoy her cake. Mrs. Kim stares at Sehun with a puzzled look. “Oh Sehun,” she sternly called. “Why are you so interested so suddenly? Are the muffins that good? I never saw you devour food in such way before.” She added.

Sehun stopped nibbling. Now that she mentioned it, the muffins do taste good. Divine to be exact. He had known to be a very picky eater when he was young, it took weeks for him to be accustomed to some diet, and yet here he is, having these muffins from a bakery he barely knew, and even having second round of it? This baker had to be a genius. “Oh, yeah, I guess I liked this. They are good. Who’s the baker?” He prompted. Mrs. Kim replied, “The shop was once own by a kind woman. But she passed away. I guess her children took over.” Sehun nodded and then smiled.

He drank his tea in one go and took his car keys. “Where are you going?” Mrs. Kim asked. Sehun gave her a quick peck on the cheek and quickly exited the kitchen. “I had some place I need to go. Maybe I’ll bring some more muffins home” He replied while opening the main entrance door with a slight tone of deceit.

                                                                             ***

Kyungsoo was glad he could make it on time. All of his pastries were on the place they should be and business shall begin like it should. When he came out of the bathroom this morning, Lay was nowhere to be found and he left a note on his bed thanking Kyungsoo for the hospitality and at the same time apologizing for the trouble he had caused. Kyungsoo sigh. It was the typical Lay. He charmed his way in, and he vanished as fast as he can fit in to your life. Only this time, Kyungsoo wasn’t sure how long Lay would take to disappear.

None of it really matters anyway, but the feeling of having someone to protect and guide him actually feels good. He folded the note and keeps it the in drawer of his room.

As much as he would hate to admit it, he actually missed him. And he couldn’t believe that they would still be close as they were a few years ago despite they have lost connection for quite a long time. They met when they were young, somewhere around elementary. Their mothers are friends; best friends to be exact, and so they expect their children to be one too. Kyungsoo wasn’t interested at first; shy actually, in being acquainted to some Zhang Yi Xing. He had heard of the Zhang family background from his mother. He knew of the vast business empire and their influence in the nation’s economy. He felt so small.

It was devastating for Yi Xing at first, when his attempts to be nice failed. He was constantly ignored. His introduction of expensive and branded toys to Kyungsoo seems like a big brag for Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo wasn’t attracted at all to his wealth and that bothers Yi Xing a lot, because that’s the only way he knew how to make friends.

It was when Yi Xing brought his astrological kit along that something was ignited between him and Kyungsoo. “Can I touch it?” was the first sentence Kyungsoo said to him when he presented them to him. For Yi Xing, it was a huge success. A challenge he had finally passed. Kyungsoo was often fascinated by the night skies, and upon given a chance to have a close look on the stars with the help of Yi Xing’s telescope in the astrological kit, he was really excited. He would gaze the night skies through the telescope and rant excitedly about the beauty of the things that he sees to Yi Xing. Yi Xing would sit next to him and cling on to his every word. He was somehow mesmerized by his pure innocence and talkativeness. Yi Xing would never think that the silent boy he knew weeks earlier would be such a nag. Charming indeed, he thought.

And Kyungsoo realized that he never had a real friend before Yi Xing. And he was charmed too by his humbleness and manners. He was somehow captured by his determination to woo him. And so they became friends, just like they should. Their mothers are more than happy.

Kyungsoo was taken back to the reality when the chimes he hung on the door rings; indicating the presence of the customers. He turned to the door and made a slight bow. “Welcome to the bakery” he said sweetly. But then Kyungsoo’s smile faded as he saw the customer. Dressed in nice cashmere and expensive looking khakis; the customer smiled. Oh . It’s Oh Sehun.