“Ahhh, the weather feels good!” Chanyeol exclaims as he slumps down on the couch beside Sehun. The other was peacefully playing a game on his phone. They got the dorm to themselves.

“Yeah, it is.” He replies quietly, eyes still locked on the screen.

“Just like before?” Chanyeol muses as he peek to get a look on the younger’s face.

Sehun looks up, meeting eyes with him. “Just like before.”

♣

“Yah! I got it first!!” Sehun screeches as he tries to grab back the Nintendo from the other’s grasp.

“But we had a fixed schedule Sehunnie. You see, it’s Thursday and on Thursdays I get to go first.” Chanyeol says, with a finger high up in the air.

“But I still got it first!” Sehun scowls and stomps toward the far end of the couch.

“Yah Sehunnie! Don’t you want to sit beside hyung anymore?” Chanyeol frowns. He feels quite lonely sitting alone on that side of the couch.

“No.” Sehun says, folding his arms across his chest and huffs.

Sehun busied himself with anything else but Chanyeol and the evil Nintendo. He really did want to play it that bad. The only time he was allowed to do so is during his time with Chanyeol. Other than that, it’s academics and dancing.

“Here.” Sehun peers from his bangs. Chanyeol is standing in front of him holding out the game, smiling shyly.

“Really?” He asks, having realized how immature he acted.

“Of course. All for my favorite person in the world.”  Chanyeol beams a blinding grin. He then proceeds to sit beside Sehun, slinging an arm over the younger’s shoulders.

♣

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Sehun asks all of sudden. He sits lazily on a couch of their favorite café.

“I want to be an idol.” Chanyeol answers, stirring the frappe to mix in the cream. “You?”

“I want to be a dancer.” He says in a small voice. He nibbles on his waffle, he weighs down his dream. He wonders if it is a nice dream.

“It is.” Chanyeol affirms, as if he had just heard Sehun’s thoughts. The other raises an eyebrow.

“It’s a good dream. I think it really suits you. So do your best to reach it, okay?” He raises a hand, gives a thumbs-up and then proceeds to sip on his frappe.

Sehun nods. He never really thought about it. It was just plastered on his mind for as long as he could remember. But hearing Chanyeol mutter out that it suits him, it sinks in. It crawls down under his skin, branding the dream in every muscle fiber.

“You know what, we should reach it together!” Chanyeol pounds on the table, rattling the contents. “I mean, you know, what we aim isn’t really that far from each other.”

Sehun chuckles, “Yeah, yeah hyung.”

“No! I’m serious here, you brat!” He gently taps on Sehun’s cheek, as if slapping. “Come on, we can reach for our dreams together! We’ll help each other!”

Sehun smiles, wider this time. “Okay, hyung. We will.”

♣

“Good.. afternoon, Mrs… Oh.” Chanyeol says very slowly as he stands by the door, holding his breath firmly and quite painfully, for a proper greeting.

“You look out of breath.” Chanyeol just smiles. He’s trying his best to look decent without gasping for air like a fish out of water.

 “Can.. I-“

“Oh don’t be silly. Come on in, Sehun’s in his room.” The woman smiles, having been fully accustomed to Chanyeol’s everyday afterschool visits. He bows and mutters a thank you.

“You’re late, hyung.” Sehun deadpans. He watches as Chanyeol (finally!) gasps to catch his breath.

“I…had…band practice…remember?” He defends. Sehun’s starting to wonder how much more air he needs.

“You sure you’re from band practice and not an Olympic marathon?”

Chanyeol then slumps beside Sehun and leans on his shoulder. He was still catching his breath and Sehun feels like he was just about to do the same.

“Yah, hyung! You’re full of sweat!” Sehun pushes him off and looks the other way. His cheeks feel like they’re burning and his heart beats faster.

“No, I’m not. Now, don’t be like that to hyung.” Chanyeol feigns hurt and leans back to his shoulder. Sehun stills, yet his heartbeat quicken some more.

“So what’s up for today?”

“Singing.” Sehun says stiffly.

“The one we memorized together?”

“Yeah, that one. We haven’t really tried it out without the copies”

By the end of the day, after so many repetitions, the memorized words weighed so much more. And Sehun thinks he just found their theme song.

♣

Chanyeol is sprawled on the floor of the Tv room. Sehun sits by the couch, a bowl of chips cradled in his lap.

“You know, this show’s really good.” Chanyeol says, propping himself up by the elbows.

“You say that all the time, hyung!” Sehun comments. He continues to munch on the chips, watching the show intently.

“Oh really?” Chanyeol’s brows furrows. “Well, it is really good y’know.”

“I know. Why would it be our favorite if it weren’t?” Sehun grins.

They continue to watch and eventually nap afterwards. Their habit quite not fit for their age, but they do it anyway. Simple joys in simple acts of living as Chanyeol would always insist.

Just as how they fell asleep, they wake up in sync. It was as if an invisible alarm clock rings for them at the same time.

“Hey, sleepy head.” Chanyeol says, grinning as he cracks an eye open.

“Hey.”

Sehun feels at ease, being like this – spending the afternoon lazily with him, watching their favorite show, naps and afternoon snacks. He could get used to this, he believes.

And each time by the end of the day, he knows. He would love to spend every afternoon of his life like it.

♣

 They play all sorts of games, using all sorts of materials they gather around them. From playing tag to soldiers to tree climbing and even royalties! Name it and surely they’ve tried it.

“Your highness.” Chanyeol bows in front of Sehun. He’s currently sitting on a low branch of a tree, eating a sandwich.

“Hyung, what are you doing?”

“What? You’re the Queen remember?”

Sehun scoffs, “Queen? Excuse me.”

“Just play along, will you? Come on, Queen. I’m your King!” Chanyeol says with a hint of wickedness. Sehun raises an eyebrow. Chanyeol just winks.

Their shrill laughter resonates, eyes tearing up and clutching their stomachs in defeat. More often than not, they also bicker which usually ends up shouting at each other as they battle like born enemies.  

But then, they didn’t really care who wins or lose anyway. It is each other’s company and the genuine happiness it brings that’s really important.

♣

They fight like archenemies yet the sweetest friends. One is always there for the other. Literally. They always appear with each other, side by side, inseparable. Even if that meant being stuck together in the worst and most embarrassing moments their young life offers.

“God why do you even watch these, hyung?” Sehun groans as he shifts on his position. He props himself up to get a better look at the screen.

“Shut up! I know you love them anyway.” Chanyeol slaps his shoulders lightly, eyes glued to the television.

Sehun pretends to vomit. He then mumbles no and some other words that Chanyeol doesn’t quite understand. The watch silently, too engrossed to annoy each other.

After a while, just as the drama intensifies, Chanyeol sniffs “Can you…pass me the tissues, Sehunnie?”

There’s no answer so he repeats, even pushing on the younger for a bit. Still, he didn’t get any of those tissue to wipe his tears.

“Yah!! Sehu-“ He turns and sees a crying Sehun.

“Hey.” He says with gentleness and warmt, “What’s wrong?”

Sehun shakes his head and wipes his tears off with the back of his hand. Chanyeol scoots closer, drapping an arm over him.

“Hmm?”

“Well, they’re so unfair to him, hyung! They’re so mean!” Sehun is upset for the main character, Chanyeol observes.

“It’s just drama, Sehunnie. It’s okay.” He makes circles on the younger’s shoulder with his thumb.

“Right, says the one who kept on asking for tissues.” He says in half laugh, half sob.

♣

There was a loud knock on his room. Sehun groans and check his clock. 6 am sharp, just in time. He shuffles out of the bed and opens the door.

“GOOD MORNING, MY SEHUNNIE!!” Chanyeol screams. Sehun wonders where in the world does he get the energy at such time of the day.

“Hyuuuuunnnnnggggg.” He nods sleepily.

“Now now, you gotta shower first and then we’ll have to eat breakfast. Faster brat or we’ll be late.” Chanyeol shoves him towards the bathroom.

“Yah, hyung!!” Sehun pounds on the door. He’s demanding to be let out.

“No. Shower now. We’ll be late!” Chanyeol says casually as he sits on the chair he used to lock Sehun in the bathroom.

“Ugh. Fine! But at least give me my towel!”

♣

Sehun has always been a pretty boy. Often he gets admirers and stalkers. Chanyeol isn’t that bad himself. He gets a load more though. It’s one of the bittersweet aftermaths of being part of a band.

 “They called you what?!” Chanyeol is flabbergasted. He’s been subjected to numerous issues here and there from both haters and admirers but never this one.

“Princess.” Sehun says in a small voice.

“Really?” He got his mouth hanging in mid-air. He knows Sehun is attractive but then labelling him such is quite too much. It says more than just looks.

“Princess Oh.” Sehun mutters. It’s barely a whisper but enough for Chanyeol to hear.

Chanyeol puffs his cheeks and exhales. “Okay, let them.”

“What?” Sehun can’t believe Chanyeol just dismissed it. He’s usually all about kicking .

“Let them.”

“Seriously?” Now it’s Sehun’s turn to gape at him.

Chanyeol smiles and ruffles his hair. “Yeah. Don’t worry.”

“Hyung, how can I not worry? I was labelled to be a pink girly princess.”

“Because I’ll be your Prince. I’ll always be here to save you.”

“Hyung, what?” Stunned is definitely an understatement. He knows he should laugh but there’s something by the way Chanyeol looks that Sehun knows he’s not kidding.

Chanyeol inches his face closer, “Always. So don’t worry, okay princess?”

Sehun nods with wide eyes, yet somehow a peaceful heart.

♣

It’s been a long time, Sehun concludes. There’s a glint of happiness remembering but at the same time his heart clenches. He’s been staring into space with his face twisted into an unidentifiable expression.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Chanyeol asks. He tilts his head to the side. Curious wide eyes are fixated on Sehun.

“Just thinking.” He says flatly. He tries to get back to his game when Chanyeol grabs his phone from him and settle it on the coffee table to his side.

“About what?” He inquires further. Sehun wanted to roll his eyes. Since when did he start caring…again?

“Things.”

“Yeah. What things?” He presses on. Sehun wants to answer ‘how we are before’ but then forces it back down on his throat.

“Nevermind.” He deadpans. Chanyeol pouts at him and slumps even lower on the couch.

♣

Sehun watches as Chanyeol lies lazily on the floor late that afternoon. He was switching the channel to an old rerun. Sehun sits on couch cradling a bowl of chips. Just like old times.

He feels nostalgic. It’s been years and true to his words, Chanyeol was with him. They did reach their dreams together. They even end up in the same idol group.

But there’s just so much that has changed. There’s just so much that has happened.

There’s a gap which can’t be filled anymore. There’s thick haze that clouds up everything. Almost everything is different.

Sehun could only then whisper into thin air the feelings he had for the other.

It is still the same.

Just like before.

--

A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope you guys like it? Yes? 

I already fixed it! Due to my crappy internet, it got pasted twice. Sorry!