“Okay, guys! Let’s wrap up tonight’s practice!”

                All members of the soccer team collapsed onto the ground, heaving deeply as sweat beaded down their foreheads and bodies.  They high-fived each other and acknowledged them, some leaving earlier than others, while others stayed.

                “Make sure all of you eat a good, healthy meal and hydrate tonight!” Their coach advised them seriously. “Tomorrow’s our biggest game of the year, and I want all of you to be at your best.”

                “Yes, sir!” The soccer team agreed in unison, earning a simultaneous chuckle from the team.

                Luhan shook off his exhaustion and went to grab his duffel bag, removing his sweaty soccer practice shirt for a tank top.  The cool night air wrapped around him and helped him relax from the rigorous practice tonight, and behind him he heard someone approach him.

                “Hey, Lu?” Luhan turned his head once he heard a familiar voice and met his best friend’s eyes. “Mind if I spend the night tonight?  I’m too beat to go all the way to my house.”

                Luhan nodded, “Sure.  I’m positive my parents won’t mind.”

                Kim Minseok, his first and only best friend since the day he moved here to Seoul, smiled and bent down to retrieve his duffel bag.  Luhan watched him uncap his Gatorade and chug it, offering some to Luhan who didn’t think twice before letting the cold liquid quench his dry throat.  With their silent departure, they said their goodbyes to their soccer team and began walking off the school’s field and down the dark streets to Luhan’s small house a few blocks down.

                “Aren’t you excited for tomorrow?” Minseok curled his hands into fists with excitement. “We finally got to nationals.  I can’t believe it.”

                Luhan grinned, “I’m more than excited,” he agreed enthusiastically, “When we win, we’re going to a steamed bun shop and—“

                “Dude, it’s been like, ten years since I’ve eaten a steam bun,” Minseok interjected, puffing out his cheeks. “When will you and the others stop thinking that I am obsessed with steamed buns?”

                “Until you and others stop thinking that Sehun and I are obsessed with bubble tea.”

                “But it’s true!”

                Luhan thought for quick second, “Yeah, that’s true, but still.  Until then—“

                “That’ll never happen!”

                “Exactly,” Luhan laughed, slapping Minseok’s shoulder, “you’ll always be our cute, little steamed bun.”

                “Funny, because I’m older than all of you,” Minseok grumbled, hating how tall Luhan is compared to him. “At least I don’t look like a girl.”

                “Hey, that’s uncalled for.”

                Minseok laughed, a memory from their first year in high school coming to mind, “I remember when Mr. Kim thought you were a girl, and questioned why your gender was female in front of the whole class.”

                Luhan’s cheeks flamed with embarrassment, “I’m never growing my hair out that long again.”

                “You better not.  Although, I must say—“

                “—I make a very pretty girl, yes, I got that,” Luhan finished off his sentence with a sigh, unable to keep a smile of his face.

                Minseok shoved him, making him lose his balance and stumble a few steps off onto the streets.  Luhan barked something at him, but Minseok was too busy laughing at Luhan’s surprised expression.  The little deer walked back to Minseok’s side, and they walked down the block in a comfortable silence.

                Minseok grew bored quickly and broke the silence, “Speaking of girls, did you manage to get Lilly?”

                Luhan frowned, “No.  Yi Fan is too protective over his little sister.  He threatened to break my neck.”

                “Well, at least you asked his permission,” Minseok massaged his best friends shoulder gently, “Lilly does like you, right?”

                Luhan shrugged, “I hope she does.  I lost my manhood confessing to her.”

                “Lost your manhood,” Minseok scoffed and this time it was Luhan who shoved him.  Minseok glared at Luhan, but within milliseconds they acted as if it never happened.

                “Imagine if you and Yi Fan become brothers—hey!” Minseok was cut off with Luhan shoving him again, but he managed to catch Luhan’s wide, sweet smile that he inherited from his mother.

                “That thought scares me actually.  He’ll beat me up,” Luhan shivered dramatically, “but at the same time, I find it funny.  I mean, he claims to have birthed an alpaca.”

                “That boy has issues.”

                “Now you know where Zitao gets it from,” this earned them to double over in laughter, holding on to each other for support.  The laughter didn’t last for long because the exhaustion from their soccer practice caught up to them and Luhan felt his eyelids droop the slightest.

                Minseok mentioned that they should hurry because it’s getting darker, and Luhan agreed.  It isn’t quite safe for anyone to be out this late, especially in Seoul.  There are creeps out at this time, and it doesn’t help that Luhan himself knows that he looks like a girl.

                About five minutes later, the two best friends reached the front door of Luhan’s small and cozy home, Minseok watching Luhan searching for his house key, finding it with a shout of victory, and unlocking his door.  Minseok entered it behind him, taking off his shoes and closing the door.

                “Mom! Sehun! I’m home!” Luhan called out to his foster family in the dimly lit house.  He heard Sehun’s faint reply down the hallway, and Luhan guessed his mom had to work late today.  He led the way to his room and both boys dropped their duffel bags in the corner of it.

                “I’m going to run down to the store and grab us something to eat,” Minseok said to Luhan, grabbing his wallet in his bag, “so you could shower first.”

                “Alright.” Luhan gave him a thumb up. “I’ll wash your uniform for you.”

                “Sweet thanks,” waving at Luhan, Minseok quickly left Luhan’s room and made his way to the twenty-four hour store a few minutes away.         

                Forcing himself not to fall asleep, Luhan dug around his and Minseok’s duffel bag and retrieved both sweat covered uniforms, hastily going down the hall and throwing them into the washing machine.  After putting in the detergent and starting it up, he made his way back into his room, grabbing a pair of shorts, and headed into his shower.  Luhan expected Minseok to be back no less than ten minutes considering the store is only a three minute walk from here, but he knows Minseok is picky when it comes to food.

                -

                Feeling more awake than tired, Luhan stepped out of his shower and wrapped a towel around his waist.  He made his way to his sink and unwrapped it, patting his body and hair dry.  He pulled up his shorts and left his bathroom, frowning that Minseok isn’t in his room yet. 

                “It’s been fifteen minutes,” Luhan muttered, exiting his room and noticing that Minseok isn’t in his house whatsoever.  Luhan shrugged and came to the conclusion that either the store is busy or his friend is having a hard time picking out what to eat for dinner.

                Luhan jumped on his bed and went to read fan-fiction on his phone.  Luhan honestly sees nothing wrong with reading this genre, but his friends call it gay.  Surprisingly enough, he figured that out before boasting about it, but Minseok managed to find out that the little deer reads fan-fiction.  Luhan prepared to be teased about it, but his best friend brushed it aside.

                Luhan grinned to himself as he began to space out, thinking of his and Minseok’s long-lasting friendship.  The way they met was incredibly embarrassing, but since then they’ve been the best pair and practically inseparable. 

                “Hey!” A slightly chubby six-year old boy stood wide-eyed as he saw another boy squatting in front of his yard, his pants falling a bit, “My yard isn’t your toilet!”

                The other boy, a bit bigger than him, jumped in surprise.  He didn’t recognize the voice, but he turned around and met round, deer-like eyes.  His face was red with anger and he had his small hands on his waist.

                “S-sorry!” He quickly apologized. “I wasn’t pooping! I swear!”

                “It looked like you were!”

                “But I wasn’t!”

                “You were!”

                “Was not!” He argued back, growing more amused than annoyed.  Is this kid even a boy? He’s a little pretty.

                “You were soooo pooping—“

                “Now, now boys,” an older woman joined the scene and the chubby boy’s face lit up as he recognized her, “Luhan, be nice to Minseok.  He’s Sehun’s friend.”

                “Sorry, Mommy,” the boy named Luhan muttered his apology and Minseok grinned at him. 

Luhan’s mind came back to reality and he checked the time, seeing that thirty minutes have passed since Minseok left.  He instantly grew worried and rushed out his house, grabbing his phone at the same time.  Where the hell could he be?  He couldn’t possibly go to a different store?

                Leaving his house while stomping on his running shoes, Luhan started running down the street and looking in every possible spot his best friend could be.  He can’t be out this late because of their game tomorrow!  He’ll end up being half asleep during the game they’ve dreamed of since they’ve been in grade school.

                “Minseok, where are you?” He grunted, calling him but only being sent to voicemail.  He hasn’t answered five of his calls, and he never goes anywhere without his phone.  Luhan bit his lip as he realized that something is definitely wrong.

                Down the street, Luhan’s foot caught on something while he ran and he fell straight down, catching himself before he landed on his face.  Catching his breath, he turned to see that it was only a person sleeping on the street and quickly apologized, before getting back up and running—

                Wait, nobody sleeps on the streets here.

                Turning around, he unlocked his phone and swept upwards, picking the flashlight option and shining it on the person on the ground.  Panic and sheer horror swept through him as he recognized the person on the ground, his head bleeding with a pool of blood underneath him.

                He was frozen in place, unsure of what to do, but he knew for a fact he could leave his best friend here as he waited for medical attention to come here and help.  Pulling off his shirt, he wrapped it the best he can around Minseok’s head and pressed his ear down to his mouth, making sure that he’s still breathing.  Luhan sighed in relief to hear that Minseok’s breathing was normal, so as carefully as possible, he carried Minseok bridal style and made sure that his neck and head were as stationary as possible.

                Reaching his house, he went straight to his living and shouted for Sehun to call an ambulance.  Luhan was worried that Minseok hasn’t regained consciousness whatsoever, but he’s still breathing.  Luhan bit his lip and listened to Sehun calling the hospital, freaking out at the sight of his foster brother’s best friend.  Luhan hurried to the kitchen and grabbed the wet cloth, walking over to Minseok and cleaning up the blood on his face.

                He was too scared to see the damage inflicted to Minseok.

                But instead, he knew he had to be strong for Minseok.  Luhan knew that he won’t be able to make it to nationals, but winning doesn’t matter anymore.  What matters most to Luhan is that his best friend will wake up again and reassure that they’ll win nationals together.

                No matter how long it’ll take for him to wake up.

________________________________________

Does he die?

                Or does he live?

Who knows? We’ll see next chapter! ^0^

Please comment and vote! Thanks guys!