"You're okay, you're alright." He lulled the smaller boy in his arms anxiously. The smaller boy who had been hurt too much. His skin so cold and pale as if he was lifeless. Tao attempted to carry him but the smaller boy only turned him down with a grateful but faint smile.

"I can get up," Luhan said but the taller boy only hugged him tighter. He knew Luhan wasn't okay, even though he didn't know the reason behind it, he could see it. He'd been crying. He had no right to ask him why, they weren't even the best of friends to share secrets with and he's evidently nothing special to Luhan. Most importantly, he's still the son of the monster who hurt Luhan the last few days.

Guilt still rushed into his veins, recalling that time when he had found Luhan locked inside a locker wounded and unconscious. All because of his father. 

"Tao, I can't breathe. You're hugging me too tight-"

"I'm sorry." Tao said, but not letting go of the frail body.

"Eh? Why are you sorry?"

"I'm just sorry."

For a moment, they stayed on the same position as Tao hesitated on letting go of the smaller boy. Afraid he's going to leave him again, and go to Sehun. He wanted to know how they got together, or what actually happened after he sent him back to his apartment up a hill a week ago. And, why didn't he call him instead? Tao was enraged by the thought of Sehun taking Luhan without even knowing, but if Luhan followed the celebrity on his own will, then there must be a reason. Hopefully, a good reason. 

Shortly, Tao brought Luhan to the shelter where his manager stayed. His manager oddly observed the smaller boy upon noticing Tao's jacket around him. As if on cue, Tao explained to the manager. "This is Luhan. He's my friend. He was so cold so I lend him my jacket." Tao gave his manager a brief impassive expression before handing a box of lunch to Luhan; who suddenly shook his head repeatedly. "I know you didn't eat. Stop turning me down already."

"I-I'm sorry. I'm not hungry." Luhan looked up to the taller boy with big doe eyes. "Thank you for your concern."

"Lu-" Tao was cut off by a snarling man pacing behind the smaller boy before he yanked Luhan's arm forcefully. "Sehun! Let him go!" Tao raised his voice at his fellow actor, seizing Luhan's other arm with his hand.

"You let go of him." Sehun said sardonically, brows twitching lividly.

"No. Who do you think you are?" Tao asked possessively.

The blonde boy opened his mouth dumbly, unable to find a good excuse. What was he supposed to say anyway? That he claims Luhan as his own now? Or that he's simply jealous and doesn't want the two together- misconceiving that Tao and Luhan might be in love with each other and runaway together. Or be honest and confront Tao that his nose flares up with unexplainable anger more than it does every time Kris mocks him. 

"I have businesses with him." Sehun finally replied, disregarding the relationship of the two possible lovers. "Now let go of him."

"No."

"Luhan." Sehun turned to the innocent small boy intently, as if expecting a consent to leave with him which was somehow effective. Luhan nodded his head knowingly, followed by his arm slipping from Tao's grip.

"Luhan? Don't tell me you're coming with him?" Tao wanted to know why.  What was with him and Sehun? Why do they seem like they've known each other longer than Tao knew Luhan? Luhan just looked on the ground sadly, returning Tao's jacket hanging from his shoulders. The strange questions that raced on Tao's mind stopped the moment Kris stood beside Tao with his hands tucked in his pocket.

"Who do we have here?" Kris scrunched his eyebrows at Luhan and then to his adoptive brother. "Sehun, do you have any idea who you brought here?" 

Sehun was not in the mood to argue with his brother, even if he wanted to. He doesn't have anything to taunt him about anyway, Sehun knew all the bad luck was coming to him. One of that would be Luhan. There was no doubt Kris would mock him about hanging around with the dirty little dog. Sehun just had to escape before it begins. "I'm in a hurry, so leave me alone. Let's go Luhan." He released Luhan's arm deliberately, allowing him to just follow behind.

Sehun stormed at the back seat while Luhan stared in awe at the infuriated man. It took Luhan a lot of courage to eventually join the taller boy in the back seat. Soon Sehun ordered his driver to drive them home, but another voice (definitely not his driver's) answered him perkily.

"Aye sir!" Suho said excitedly, smiling so wide that it made him look creepy in the front rear-view mirror. His sudden bounciness startled both Sehun and Luhan.

"Manager hyung!" Sehun whined. "What are you doing here?!"

"I'm driving you guys, why?" Suho started the engine and drove off.

"Then where's my driver?" 

"I drove him away."

"Hyung! How could you do that?"

"What's wrong Sehun? Are you hiding something from your manager hyung?" Suho squinted his eyes at Sehun, noticing him flinched at his question. It made the manager only more intrigued than he already was. "Be honest. What are you two hiding from me? Luhan?" Suho's gaze was now focused on the road, but his voice was so serious and eager. Even Luhan didn't know what to say.

"This is our business, manager hyung." Sehun attempted to keep his manager out of their problem. Suho might have accepted that when he let out a sigh of defeat if only Luhan didn't speak up. 

"Sehun, I'm sorry I couldn't find your keys." He blurted out.

"Keys?" Suho raised an eyebrow. "What keys?"

"I-I don't know... B-but I really couldn't find it. And...I-I got a little lost too." 

It wasn't a bad excuse for Sehun though, although he could sense a little trouble at Suho's sudden hiss.

"I already found it." Sehun said and then there's another hiss from the front seat. "Stop hissing already, it's annoying aish." Sehun sighed and crossed his arms, scooting farther away from Luhan to make sure that there's enough distance and since didn't want even a little inch of his skin touching the other's skin.

"Why not? You say Luhan was looking for your keys for hours and then I see that there are keys here hanging around your rear-view mirror? Didn't you check your car earlier? You never carry your keys in your pocket or your hands anyway, you always leave it in the car on purpose and then your driver would always hang it here so you wouldn't forget and that has always been your daily routine for the past year! How could you forget about that? Of course all your keys would be here! Apartment key, car key, your girlfriend's apartment key-"

"Okay okay I get it. I forgot okay? That's why I said I already found it." Sehun sighed, embarrassed as he tried not to meet Luhan's gaze.

"You should apologize to Luhan."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Apologize Sehun! He's a fan, remember? And he looks like an honest person, right Luhan? What if a reporter interviews him and ask him about you? What do you expect him to say?" Suho started blabbering too much- for Sehun. It was annoying. Too many questions, demands and Sehun just hated the parent-like side of his brother-like manager. Sehun frowned in frustration, putting his palm on his forehead whilst closing his eyes. "What if he says bad things about you in public? He'd tell everyone that you were toying with him by making him search for your keys and then-"

"Mister...You don't have to be mad at Sehun."

A brief silence.

"Also, I'm not that kind of person." Luhan mumbled slowly, staring at his hands lying on his lap shamefully.

"Uh it's not that. I'm not trying to say it that way." Suho regretted what he had said then, the brown haired boy looked so upright and didn't even deserve Suho's despicable 'what ifs' on him. "I-I'm sorry. I know you're not that kind of person." But it was already too late when Suho looked at the boy in the mirror. Luhan was lowering his head already, he stopped talking and began restraining his sniffles unsuccessfully. Sehun ignored this.

“H-Hey,” Suho stammered. “Um, you know I bought you guys chicken, beef and vegetables for dinner. You can cook whichever you want and however you want it to. Sehun wouldn’t mind if you use his kitchen. Do you want to cook it tonight?”

Sehun finally tilted his head to the side where Luhan was sitting with his head and body bent down. Sehun didn’t want to feel bad but part of him wanted to touch the smaller boy or at least pat his head and pretend to congratulate him for trying so hard to look for his keys even though it was all a lie. It sounded so easy and yet Sehun couldn’t do it.

“O-Okay…I will.” Luhan said quietly.

Upon arriving to the apartment, Sehun went straight to his room to change and Luhan did as he was told by Sehun’s manager: to cook (although he wasn’t really good at that).

After changing his clothes, Sehun his flat-screen TV in the living room to watch his favorite show. He turned up the volume louder so he wouldn’t be disturbed by the silence engulfing his entire apartment.

Meanwhile, Luhan prepared the frying pan on the heated stove and put some oil on it. He stared at the oil blankly, but his mind was clearly somewhere else.

Kim Jongin.

Kai's real name.

That person just brought back memories on how horrible summer was like to Luhan. And to find him again in the place where Sehun would probably be for the rest of his life was something he least expected.

Luhan was never the kind of person who loved