"Why did you want to meet me here?" Luhan asked when he arrived at the rooftop of their college building.

"I have a favor to ask." Baekhyun replied.

"What is it?"

"I want to prepare a surprise event for Minseok. It's our first monthsary next week.. And I want to ask for your help since you're his best friend and you know him really well. You know what he likes and what would make him happy."

Luhan was speechless for a long moment as he blankly stared at Baekhyun. He definitely wouldn't want to help Baekhyun, but what excuse would he give him? 

"Luhan? Is something wrong?"

Luhan took a deep breath as he impulsively decided to confront Baekhyun out of desperation. "Can you really make him happy? You don't even know the simple things that he likes. You still have to ask me about it."

Baekhyun was taken aback. "We're.. We're still at the stage of getting to know each other. I understand you're worried about your bestfriend, but I assure you, I can make him happy."

"I can make him happier." Luhan blurted out.

Baekhyun froze. "I'm sorry?" 

"Baekhyun, I know Minseok likes you. I know you like him. But you're still at the early stage of your relationship. If you end it now, the pain wouldn't be so devastating."

Baekhyun looked at Luhan in utter confusion. "Luhan, what are you talking about?"

"Let him go."

"What?!"

Luhan stepped closer to Baekhyun and held his forearm as he began to plead desperately. "Set him free, Baekhyun. Just give him to me. Please. Let me be with him."

Baekhyun furrowed his brows in bewilderment. "I don't understand, Luhan. Why are you doing this?"

Tears filled Luhan's eyes as he looked at Baekhyun in despair. "You can never love him as much I do. So please, just give him up."

Baekhyun fell silent for a moment as realization dawned on him. "You.. You love him?"

"More than you can imagine."

"Since when?"

"Way before you met him."

"But.. You like Sehun, right?"

"It's not me. It's Kai. He just asked me to put those things in Sehun's locker while he was out of the country."

Baekhyun removed Luhan's desperate grasp on his forearm before he stepped back and began to pace back and forth, shocked and disoriented.

"What can I do to make you give him up? Do you want me to beg on my knees?" Luhan asked and dropped to his knees.

Baekhyun gaped at Luhan in disbelief. "Luhan! What are you doing? Get up!" 

Luhan firmly remained on his spot as his tears began to fall down his cheeks. "I love him so much, Baekhyun. You have no idea how much it hurts everytime I see you with him. Please, I'm begging you.. Let him go. I should be the one who's in your place. We've known each other for almost two decades. We have a history that you'll never be able to replace. He belongs with me, Baekhyun."

Baekhyun angrily yanked Luhan to stand up. "You're so selfish, Luhan. You said you know he likes me but you want me to break up with him? Okay, you love him, you can make him happy, you think he belongs with you. Then why didn't you make any move during those almost two decades you've known each other? Now that I'm here, you're suddenly in a desperate state that you're even begging on your knees just to make me give him up? Luhan, he's not a toy that I can pass along to you just because you're desperately begging for it. I like him. I like him so much. If I knew that he likes you too, of course I would set him free. But he likes me, Luhan. I can see it, you can see it. He likes me and he's happy with me so I'm not giving him up. I know you have a history that I can never replace, but I'm not even trying to compete with you. I'm not trying to replace you in his life. I respect the friendship you two have. So I hope you could also learn to respect our relationship. If you really love him, you'll let him be with the person who makes him happy. You had your chance, when I wasn't in the picture yet. But you didn't do anything. So face the consequences. Then move on." 

Luhan wasn't able to utter any word as he just stood there with tears streaming down his face, and Baekhyun walked out of the rooftop as he didn't want to see Luhan's crestfallen state anymore. 

------

"Why didn't you tell me?" Minseok angrily asked as he suddenly got inside the passenger seat of Luhan's car while Luhan was about to pull out of the university's parking lot.

Luhan looked at Minseok in surprise. "Tell you what?"

Minseok huffed out an impatient sigh. "Why didn't you tell me that you love me?"

Luhan froze. "How did you.. Did Baekhyun tell you?"

"No. I heard it straight from your mouth. I saw you two heading to the rooftop and I was curious so I followed you there."

Luhan kept mum as he nervously averted his eyes to avoid Minseok's piercing gaze.

"For 's sake, Luhan! Answer me! Why didn't you tell me that you've been in love with me for a long time now?!"

"If I told you that I love you, would you also tell me that you love me too?!" Luhan spat in frustration. 

Minseok froze, not able to utter any reply.

Luhan smiled bitterly. "See? That's what I was scared of. I was scared you didn't feel the same way. I was scared you wouldn't say those three words back. If I confessed and you rejected me, it could affect our friendship. Things will change and we might not be able to bring it back to the way it was before. I was scared that I might lose you. I can't lose you, Minseok. I'd rather keep my feelings to myself and suffer alone than take the risk and possibly ruin our friendship."

"If that's the case, then why were you begging for Baekhyun to give me up so you could be with me?"

"I.. I was desperate. I was hurting. I didn't know what else to do just to have you by my side."

"I understand you must have been scared, but you should have still told me so we could talk about it. Luhan, we've been friends since we were what? 6? We grew up together, we've been there for each other through ups and downs. Just like what you said to Baekhyun, we have a history th