When they finished cleaning the class, Luhan wondered why Kai was so rushed.

"I’m going to Sehun’s home. He’ll get off work soon, so I need to hurry."

Luhan tilted his head. “Work? He’s working?”

"Yeah, he got a job to pay his appartment and school supplies," Kai said while arranging his bag. "He didn’t tell you?"

Luhan shook his head. He thought about last time, when Sehun told him the school helps him pay the appartment. So Sehun’s working…

"So, you sure you don’t want to come with me? Since I’m going to Sehun’s, I can walk you home."

"No, thanks, I’ll stay here."

"Okay. Well, I’ll go now or Sehun will kill me. See you Luhan!"

Luhan closed the class and head towards the library. He sat at their usual table at the back, not studying like he wanted to, but thinking. About how Sehun is alone and has to go to school and work at the same time. It must be so hard… but Sehun never complain.

"Luhan?"

Taehyun broke Luhan from his daydream. "Oh, Taehyun."

"What are you still doing here? It’s late."

"Studying.. but I was about to go now."

"Me too. I’ll go with you then." He smiled.

"..Okay."

It was quite cold outside. The sky was dark, that was when Luhan realized he stayed a long time thinking about Sehun..

"Sehun is a great person."

Luhan blinked at Taehyun, not understanding why he told him this all of a sudden. "..He is.."

"I love him."

Luhan stopped in his tracks. “What?” he turned his body to fully face Taehyun. He looked at him intently, hoping that what he just heard was his imagination. But the hope fade away when he saw his serious face.

"I love him." he repeated, "I met him at a cafe three weeks ago, he's working there. I never stopped thinking about him since. I went to see him whenever I had time. I think he doesn't remember me because I always sat at the far back to watch him silently. Never I thought I’ll be lucky enough to be in the same school as him."

Luhan was looking at Taehyun blankly. He lost all power in his body. He couldn’t move, he didn’t understand why it was affecting him this much. It shouldn’t, so why,

"You like him too?"

Luhan never ceased looking at Taehyun who was fixing something ahead. What should he say? ‘Yes, I like him too’? or ‘No, I love him’? But, why was Taehyun telling and asking him this?

"I think you don’t love him."

And it came out.

Luhan said something he himself never expect would get out his mouth. Taehyun turned to him, surprised. Luhan looked down. He didn’t know why he continued, but he needed to, so he did. “That’s what I thought too, the first time I saw him. But it wasn’t love, I needed to know him better to confirm my feelings and only now I can say… yes, I love him.”

It was more an answer to himself than a reply to Taehyun's question.

There was long a silence. But Taehyun broke it.

"And you think I don’t know him?" Luhan looked up, Taehyun’s voice was cold and distant.

”..No, I– ow!” Luhan was roughly pushed against a wall.

"Who are you to tell me if I like or love a person?!" he hollered, and Luhan could just stare at him, shocked.

"If you’re trying to dissuade me to love him, so you can have him.. you’re really selfish."

Luhan's eyes widened. “It’s not–”

"Why?" Luhan saw Taehyun’s eyes going from anger to sad and tired. "Why it has to be like this? Why my luck always has to turn out like this?"

"Why it has to be you?”

What?

Taehyun was crying at him again and again, and Luhan was startled. He tried to move but Taehyun's hold on his shoulders was too strong. He looked around, but there was no one, he panicked.

"Taehyun, please, you’re hurting me! Tae–"

"Luhan!"

"Icehun I’m tired of playing... let’s do something else..."

"You’re tired because I win everytime."

"No, I’m just too tired to beat you, that’s all."

"…"

"Icehun!"

"Kai, if you’re tired, leave."

Kai gasped. “How can you treat your best friend like that?!”

Sehun kept on playing the video game alone while Kai was frowning deeply, arms crossed, mumbling some curses.

"Icehun, I’m hungry.."

Sehun stopped what he was doing, posed the game, got up and put his jacket on.

"What are you doing?" Kai asked as he put his hoodie. Sehun decided to suddenly got out, he didn’t know why but he was aware that his friend was weird sometimes so he just followed him.

After putting their shoes and closing the door, it was when they were out that Sehun finally replied, "I forgot to buy something to eat."

Kai gasped again. “What?!! You invited me and you forgot you have nothing to eat in your damn house?!”

Sehun was looking straight ahead, heading to the convenience store. “You invited yourself, Kai.”

"And?" Kai huffed. "You knew I was coming, I’m your best friend, you could have make an effort! I’m sure if it was Luhan, you wouldn’t have forgotten."

"Of course not."

Kai was about to roll his eyes at him, but Sehun abruptly stopped walking, his face shocked.

"What’s wron–"

"Luhan!"

Luhan barely had time to turn his head that Taehyun was taken away from him. Sehun shoved him against the wall. Luhan was shaking, he was about to tell Sehun to stop, when he saw Kai take Sehun’s trembling hand, the one that was ready to punch Taehyun.

"Don’t." Sehun didn’t replied, punch still in the air. "Sehun! Stop!"

After some seconds, Sehun dropped his hand, but he didn’t let go of Taehyun who looked agitated.

Kai seeing that Sehun needed a good reason to move away, said, “Luhan is here.”

And it was like Sehun wasn’t here the whole time. The name of Luhan made him come back. He turned his head to look at the boy. Luhan was frightened, looking at him with eyes wide. He took a deep breath and went to him.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked while looking at Luhan anxiously.

Luhan was surprised by Sehun’s soft tone. “I’m fine.” He cracked a little smile. He knew he was lying, but just partially. He was definitely not ‘fine’, but Sehun asked him if he was hurt while searching for any mark of harm on his body.

Not his heart.

The last thing he wanted was to see Sehun angry again. Worry was already too much, but it was too late.

Kai came to them. "Are you okay?"

Luhan nodded, Kai patted his head with an apologetic smile. Luhan didn’t want to see him like this, he opened his mouth, but Kai cut him off. “You two should go.”

Sehun who was looking at Luhan the whole time, turned to Kai, confused, but then he saw the look on his face and understood. “I.. sorry Kai...”

Kai shook his head. “No problem, I understand.” He smiled.

"You should leave them alone."

Taehyun didn't replied, he was looking at something in the distance. It was Sehun helping Luhan; he had an arm around his waist, it seemed like Luhan had trouble staying up so they stopped. When he was ready, Sehun took his hand and they started again, carefully.

Taehyun was watching the scene with a mixed of disgust and pain.

Kai sighed. "You should leave them alone.." Taehyun didn't move, still looking ahead, even if Sehun and Luhan were now out of sight. "It's better for them, and... for you.."

Even if he knew Taehyun wasn't going to reply, he said what he thought need to be said. He had an impression Taehyun wasn't going to follow his words... He hope he was wrong.

Kai didn't know what happened, but it was surely due to Taehyun liking Sehun more than just friendly. He hated how he just acted toward Luhan, but still, he tried to think how he would feel if he was at his place.

With a symphathetic pat on the shoulder, Kai left.

Taehyun was not moving, looking blankly at the place where he last saw Sehun and Luhan.

Hand in hand.

Kai left minutes ago but his words were still here, stuck on his head.

"You should leave them alone."

"And why exactly? Why should I be the one to leave? Why can't I just love someone and have him this time?"

"It's better for them, and... for you.."

Taehyun frowned. "Better for them? Surely... But for me? No I don't think so."

He turned away and started walking.

"I really don't think so..."