Luhan had never been so happy to be at school on a monday morning. No one could take off his grin and he certainly didn’t care about the weird or envious looks he was receiving.
Admiring the person next to him, Luhan didn’t notice that they were climbing stairs but what was important was that, because his mind was full of ’How can you be so perfect?’ he wasn’t aware anymore that stairs had steps and that you should look in front of you in order not to miss the last one which can prevent you from, well, fall?
But unfortunately, it was exactly what Luhan did.
A chance that Sehun was holding his hand or else, his face would have meet the hard floor and just the thought made him wince from pain.
He looked up and smiled at his savior. His perfect savior who was also the cause of his accident but it was okay because he was perfect.
The same perfect person he spent the sunday before with. Luhan had been a baby koala the whole day. It could have been annoying how clingy he was acting but Luhan didn’t care; he had wanted to catch up all the time they wasted the past week so, if this time had to be recuperate by 24 hours of Luhan holding Sehun as if his life depended on it, so be it. If Sehun was irritated by Luhan’s comportment, he didn’t show it once and even if he did, Luhan wouldn’t have stop anyway.
"Should I walk in front of you?"
Even his voice is perfect... "What?"
"Should I walk in front of you?" Sehun asked again while getting out his book for maths class. "Like this you won’t fall since you’re always staring at me."
"What?! I was not staring at you!"
Sehun closed his locker and turned around to see a deeply frowning Luhan. Sehun’s lips twitched because he could feel the embarrassment radiating from his boyfriend, but he somehow managed to keep a composed expression when he said, “You were staring at my face if you prefer.”
"Hey! This is not–"
Stopping Luhan from talking and most importantly, lying, appeared to be an easy task. The way he was responding implied that he didn’t mind Sehun’s surprise kiss. No actually, he was thankful. Luhan was quick to pull Sehun closer to him and forgot that they were in a public place.
Because being pushed against a locker with both arms wrapped messily around your boyfriend, holding him really close, and by close it meant lips locked in a hot kiss. If someone passed by, he would surely say,
"God. Please, guys, no. Not here."
Maybe not everyone, but Kai would.
Kai opened his locker angrily, showing his disgusted face at the couple who had now thankfully broke apart before rolling his eyes and turning his attention back at his locker because Sehun was throwing him a death glare while Luhan was hiding his face on his boyfriend’s chest – to muffle his whines.
"Being at school is already a nightmare so please, don’t make it worse," Kai said tiredly while getting some papers out of his locker. "Keep your love for each other, the world doesn’t need to know about it, thank you very mu– Y-yah! Stop!!"
But Baekhyun didn’t stop. If anything, he kept on hitting Kai, each blow hurting more than the last one. “I was able to film only 7 freaking seconds because of you!” Kai yelped when Baekhyun’s fists reached his face. Luhan gasped and tried to stop his best friend but Sehun halted him from stepping further by grasping his arm. The sight of Kai being beaten up was amusing him greatly.
"It was perfect! I could have win an award with this video, but of course you had to stop everything! My dreams included!" Baekhyun carried on slapping Kai, ignoring the latter’s protests until someone screamed his name.
Recognizing the voice, Baekhyun turned around and saw Kyungsoo running towards them.
The latter inspected Kai’s face with worry and, upon seeing him bitting his lower lip to not think about the painful injuries Baekhyun injected on him, Kyungsoo reached over and cupped his face. “Are you okay?!”
Kai winced and didn’t open his eyes when he replied, “..Yes..I hope yes..”
Narrowing his eyes, Baekhyun asked, “Why are you so worried about him?” He was not annoyed because Kyungsoo stopped him nor because Kai didn’t deserve help, no, even if the last two statements were accurate, Baekhyun was highly interested in Kyungsoo's sudden change of behavior towards Kai; how he would not make any bad comments about him anymore, how they would be seen together lately, how Kyungsoo looked a lot more relaxed and how Kai was smiling way too often for Baekhyun’s liking. It was odd.
And the way Kyungsoo hastily removed his hands from Kai’s face and muttered a rushed “See you later” before running to his first class was even more odd.
"Well, hum." After watching Kyungsoo disappearing upstairs, Baekhyun turned around to Kai who was rubbing his neck, all bruises forgotten behind a bashful smile. "I uh, well, I’m going too. See you –"
Before he get to utter another word, Baekhyun fisted his collar and shoved him against his locker's door. A loud sound resonated on the lifeless hallway and it muffled Kai’s loud yelp, Luhan’s gasp and even Sehun’s laughter.
Pressing Kai harder on the hard metallic, Baekhyun threatened lowly, “Now, you tell me what’s going on between you and Kyungsoo.” kai gulped nervously. When he opened his mouth shakily, Baekhyun presented his clenched hand and Kai blinked at it. “You see this? Try to lie to me and it’ll meet your face.”
Kai opened his eyes wide. Baekhyun was definitely too scary. Strong also, but really scary. That was why he didn’t wait a second before stuttering, “I– we– Yes! We’re together!” He shut his eyes lest of Baekhyun not believing him and breaking some bones here and there.
Three prayers later, nothing came in contact with his face.
But Baekhyun didn’t let go of his collar, he actually tightened his grip and Kai knew he was going to die by strangulation so he opened his eyes one last time to say goodbye to his best friend but, after noticing his amused face, Kai decided that someone looking delighted by his death didn’t deserve any, so he drifted his gaze towards Luhan, but the blond boy was staring at him with wide eyes. Kai didn’t understand why Luhan was not trying to help him until Baekhyun let out a loud gasp and reminded him of what he just said.
"You two are finally together?!"
"Yeah.." Kyungsoo’s so going to kill me. "Yeah… Please don’t tell–"
"Oh my God! How far did you two go?"
"–him, he’s not–" Kai looked up and frowned at Baekhyun’s beaming face. "What?"
"Is Kyungsoo submisive? He looks like the submisive type."
Kai blinked. "Wha–"
"He’s vocal too, right? I’m sure he is. His voice is so beautiful.. It must be a pleasure for your ears... You’re so lucky…"
Kai couldn’t believe that Baekhyun said all this with a solemn face. He looked at Luhan who was getting his things out of his locker. “Is that the kind of questions he asks you? Daily?!”
Luhan could only smile at Kai’s appaled expression.
Baekhyun sure had weird interests…
***
Luhan knew he must listen the teacher. He was, kind of. His eyes couldn’t leave the student sitting three tables and two rows behind him. He looked so serious while taking notes and intently listening the lesson. He would frown slightly sometimes and help a classmate asking him a question other times, not forgetting to give them a gentle smile at the end.
With his palm supporting his hand, Luhan sighed blissfully whenever that happened. Even while knowing fully that the persons asking for help were girls and that those girls were doing this solely because they were interested in him, Luhan was not jealous. Surprisingly. His boyfriend was just so kind and handsome and perfect.
And Luhan could last the whole period watching him; that’s what he had been doing the two first classes of the morning.
But, what Luhan didn't expect was to get caught.
When Sehun suddenly faced him, the blond boy knew something was wrong. And that was when he heard the teacher calling his name, again, since Luhan didn’t hear him the first time. He flinched, slowly turning around, feeling the numerous gazes on him before meeting the eyes of his annoyed english teacher.
Luhan gulped. “…Y-yes?”
"I don’t know what is so special about Sehun but I would appreciate it if you pay attention to me instead."
Red filled Luhan’s cheeks as he slumped on his chair. It didn’t help that most of the gazes transformed into glares as his classmates were annoyed already by the fact that Sehun was taken. The slightest interaction between them irritated them to no end.
A silent – aside from Baekhyun’s chuckle – minute passed, which was the time Luhan needed to take his book out of his bag, pose it on his table and peek at the black board to open it at the right page under his teacher’s hard stare.
Embarrassment had been Luhan’s friend for a long time now, and, even if he didn't have a lot, Luhan wished this friend could disappear.
When his friend did vanish by the end of the class, his another friend, Baekhyun, was kind to recall him the little accident by bursting out in laughter as soon as they got out, tapping Luhan’s arm and gaining back some stares Luhan had been so happy to finally lose.
"Oh God," Baekhyun exhaled when he was done laughing, resting his hand on Luhan’s shoulder by exhaustion. "It was hilarious.." He straightened up and wiped tears out of his eyes.
"Baek, please…" Luhan was feeling really uncomfortable so he refused to look up. He did that a second ago and saw Sehun’s amused face so no, he won’t try again. His black shoes looked nice anyway. A great contrast with the tile floor he was marching on.
"It’s okay, it was cute," Baekhyun chirped, enjoying how Luhan’s face was an adorable pink. He gave his friend a gentle pat on the back before taking his usual seat at the cafeteria next to a grumpy looking Kyungsoo. He took his basket lunch out of his bag and posed it on the table. "So," he began as he got his fork and plunged it on sliced tomatoes. "How’s things with your boyfriend?" Baekhyun smirked, liking how his new pray was shooting him daggers.
"Don’t call him that."
"But Kyungsoo!" Baekhyun cried out like a child. "That’s what he is! Kai is your boyfriend. Right, Kai?"
"W-w-huh–?" Kai sparred a swift glance at his.. well, boyfriend, but he was not sure if he could expose it now. And by the way Kyungsoo was eyeing his food as if he was going to attack it on justice for not being appetizing was a confirmation for him to gulp down the meat he had in his mouth and choke out a "No."
Completely dismissing Kai's reply, Baekhyun asked, "Okay, so who top?" with great interest, not noticing Kyungsoo’s blank face and Kai’s wide eyes as his own eyes were on the fish fillet he was cutting. "Kai?" he guessed but, receiving no answers, he gasped while whirling his head towards the two boys at his left. "I knew it!" he exclaimed, pointing his knife at Kai’s dismayed face. "You must have learned a lot from Sehun, am I right?"
It was Luhan turn to gasp. “Baek!” he cried but it was useless as his best friend payed no attention to him and blinked innocently at Kai.
"He must have taught you well since him and Luhan have been doing this activity for a little while now."
With his eyes and mouth wide open, Luhan started breathing unevenly, his spoon threatened to fall off his shaking hand. Moments like this made him question his friendship with Baekhyun. His another amazing friend, embarrassment, was unwelcomely climbing up his face, settling itself down on his cheeks, burning them and Luhan bit his lips at the sight of Kai and Kyungsoo in front of him, both red in the face, both avoiding Luhan’s eyes.
Luhan wished the floor could swallow him.
Receiving, again, no answers, Baekhyun shrugged and went back on eating as if nothing happened. Sehun was eating as well, as if he didn’t care – and he didn’t. Luhan couldn’t understand his boyfriend; either it was his skill of hiding his emotions showing on his uninterested face, or he was not bothered by the fact that Baekhyun was openly telling their friends about what they do when they're alone and –
Luhan turned back to his plate and groaned inwardly. He gulped down the remaining of his glass of water and then took a spooful of rice and chewed on it furiously while imaginning his best friend falling from a skyscraper.
"I’m not really sure…"
"Don’t worry, it’ll be fine. Right, Sehun?"
"I don’t know, just get off the counter."
Sehun was annoyed already by the fact that Jongdae suddenly left him and Kyungsoo to close the cafe so, Kai and Luhan sitting on the counter, slowing the process of cleaning and thus, leaving early was even more annoying.
And despite telling them more than a dozen times, his best friend and boyfriend were ignoring him, pursuing their discussion on how Kai could finish his first date perfectly.
Sehun rolled his eyes and carried on cleaning the tables. They were no one in the cafe and at least twenty tables. Why couldn’t Kai and Luhan just take a seat at one of them like two normal persons?
"I don’t know if he’s going to like it, I mean.. "
Luhan patted Kai’s shoulder. “Kyungsoo will like anything you’ll do for him.”
"Maybe, but… Restaurant?" Kai mumbled the last word as if he was ashamed to say it out loud.
"What’s the problem? Sehun treated me to a restaurant on our first date."
"Yes but–"
"Not a cheap one."
After seeing Kai slumping his shoulder, Luhan turned his head and frowned at Sehun while mouthing him a ‘You are not helping’. Sehun shrugged in reply, earning an eyeroll from Luhan.
Kai sighed. “He’s right…”
Feeling that Luhan was going to kill him with his glare alone, Sehun sighed and walked to them. “Luhan’s right, Kyungsoo will like wherever he goes as long as you’re with him.”
Kai’s dejected face transformed into one of confusion as he looked up at Sehun. “Do you watch dramas lately or is it just the ‘Luhan effect’?”
Sehun hid his want to choke Kai with his towel behind a blank face. “Whatever, man up and be confident. Stop moping and trying to get some encouragements from us, you don’t need them.”
Kai blinked at his best friend. Strangely, his words gave him some sort of strength. He opened his mouth to thank him when Kyungsoo stepped out of the kitchen.
"What..? Why are you all looking at me like this?"
Because nobody moved nor replied to Kyungsoo’s question, Sehun gave a panicked-looking Kai a harsh slap on the back. “Kai here was waiting for you,” Sehun said quickly to muffle Kai’s cry of pain. “He’s really excited about your date today.”
Kyungsoo blinked, a hint of pink on his face as he threw a swift glance at Kai before diverting his gaze to Luhan’s sweet reassuring smile. “Yes, um, about that,” He marched towards Kai all while looking at anything but his face. “Do you mind if we go to the convenience store first? I need to do some errands for my mother.”
"Of course, of course!" Kai answered quickly as he hoped off the counter. "Well.. if you’re done, we can go now?"
Kyungsoo nodded and looked at Sehun apologetically, “Sorry for leaving you.. everything’s done, you just have to close the ca-“
"Don’t worry for that," Sehun cut off quickly with a smile. "It’s fine."
After watching Kai and Kyungsoo leaving the cafe, Luhan waited for Sehun to come back from the changing room to say, “They’re cute.”
Buttoning up his coat, Sehun hummed.
"And lucky to go to the restaurant."
Sehun glanced up at his boyfriend still sitting on the counter and looking at his swaying legs before humming again.
"…Maybe, we too could eat out toni–"
"No."
"Why?!" Luhan whined as he get off the counter and crossed his arms in front of Sehun.
“Because last time I checked, exams are next week." Sehun said while tying his scarf around his boyfriend's neck.
"And?"
"And I need to study."
Luhan huffed. “We barely spend time together lately..”
After arranging the scarf, Sehun hugged his frowning boyfriend and burried his face on his hair. “Promise we’ll catch it up after the exams.” At the sound of another huff, Sehun pulled away, tilted Luhan's face up with a finger on his chin and planted a soft kiss on his pouting lips. One that crumbled down Luhan's anxiety, one that warmed Luhan’s inside with nothing but pure love.
"Your promise, you have to keep it." Luhan said, giving Sehun a pointed look. He wanted to sound serious but it came out as a plea.
Sehun laughed. "Don't worry for that."
Luhan smiled and leaned in, ready to show his contentment by giving his boyfriend another kiss but the latter suddenly removed his arms from around Luhan's waist and walked away, leaving Luhan to blink at him curiously. “What are you doing?”
"I can finally clean the counter."
Luhan blinked again.
Then groaned.
“Sehuuun…”
Junmin was making his way towards the cafe at a slow pace. He wasn’t sure of what he should say if Luhan was there.
He knew that he was at fault, that apologizing would certainly not be enough to gain his friendship with Luhan back. He didn’t talk to him since the day he confessed and, even if he was not awaiting for Luhan to ask him how he was doing after what he had done, he couldn’t help but feel upset about it.
He couldn’t help but feel perturbed that Luhan was fine without him.
It was hard to grasp as Junmin had been Luhan’s confidant for most years of his youth. Knowing that he had been remplaced by someone else was difficult to accept. Knowing that Luhan was taking a path where Junmin wasn’t need felt like a hammer blow on the dreams of Luhan and him ending their life together. Dreams that Junmin had tried to fulfill.
Dreams that were now shattered and Luhan was breaking them in tinier pieces.
That was what it felt like when Junmin saw from outside the transparent doors of the cafe, Sehun circling a scarf around the neck of a pouting Luhan.
Leaving was what Junmin should have done, but he couldn't move; his feet were like rooted in the sidewalk. Witnessing Luhan being scooped in Sehun’s arms was his punishment for even thinking of breaking them apart. Luhan wrapping his arms around Sehun’s neck to pull him closer was what he deserved to see for not thinking about the happiness of the person he’s supposed to love, hurting him instead and using malicious ways to create his own.
"Hey, Junmin!"
The latter looked tiredly at his left and saw Kai and Kyungsoo coming from the convenience store across the cafe.
“‘We didn’t see you today, are you okay?”
Considering how Kyungsoo sounded genuinely concerned about Junmin’s absence from school today meant that he had no idea of what happened between him, Luhan and Sehun a day ago.
“Yeah.” From the corner of his eye, Junmin could see that the two boys in the cafe didn’t let go of each other's embrace. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Good!" Kai said as he freed Kyungsoo from his plastic bag. The latter rolled his eyes but let him took it. "Well, we have to go so..." Kai took the errands in one hand to clasp his free one with Kyungsoo's. Despite looking like he was about to punch Kai square in the face, after seeing Kai's sheepish smile, Kyungsoo ended up frowning and mumbling something under his breath. Junmin saw Kyungsoo throwing a peek at their linked hands then ducking his head even more on his coat's collar – to hide the embarrassing red color spreading on his whole face.
Junmin smiled at their interaction, glad that their relationship took a new turn since it was not hard to tell that they had liked each other for a good time now. He wished them a good night then walked away with a wave.
Junmin needed to think about what he was going to do now so he let his feet guide him aimlessly on the cold winter…
Luhan was reading a book in bed as he waited for Sehun to get out the shower.
His gaze was following the words without understanding the meaning which led him to read the same sentence again and again. He sighed and eventually posed his book back on the nightstand.
It had been a few weeks now and he still had a few pages to read.
He took his phone and scrolled through his contact list. He thought about sending Junmin a message, he didn't know if he should; it was like something was blocking him from doing so.
"You should sleep."
Luhan jumped slightly at the voice cutting his thoughts. He didn’t hear Sehun getting out of the bathroom nor felt him sliding under the sheets. Posing his phone next to his pillow, he hummed and leaned down on the bed.
With his eyes on the ceiling, Luhan called softly, "Sehun?" He waited a moment before asking, “Are you… upset?”
The lights were turned off and the room was darker than usual, but Luhan was sure he saw Sehun frowning slightly. ”Upset?”
“Yes..” Luhan affirmed, his voice slightly above a whisper. He diverted his eyes towards the ceiling again and fiddled with the blanket. “About… anything. Are you upset about something?”
There was a pause in which Luhan bit his lips, wishing that Sehun would be honest with him. When his boyfriend answered him a simple, "I’m not", Luhan was not sure if he should be pleased by the reply or not.
Luhan let out a little, “Oh..” It was good that Sehun was fine, Luhan just hoped he really was. “Okay..” He smiled in Sehun’s direction even if his boyfriend couldn’t see it. But it was not necessary because, he heard a shuffle and a second after, warm lips were pressed on his.
Althought Luhan’s smile was gone by surprise, it came back just after, bigger so that Sehun could feel it.
Luhan just wished Sehun wasn't kissing him to distance him from his real thoughts...
Thank you and see you!
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