~Sehun~

My little blonde angel floats gracefully across the room, his small perfectly shaped legs carrying him towards the bar, where he stops and rests his cheek upon his palm much like a princess would in a fairy tale.

He stays there talking a little with Jiyong, and I can't help the small bit of jealousy that bubbles up in my chest. I know Jiyong has absolutely no interest in my little deer, (the guy can't stand to be around anyone who's prettier than himself for more than a couple of minutes. It's one of the reasons why he's so short with Baekhyun all the time.) but I still feel territorial over the way Jiyong's leaning so close to Luhan.

I try think of a way to separate them without looking like a crazy overly possessive boyfriend, when suddenly I get and idea and snicker, bounding across the room quickly, making my way towards the bar. Jiyong glances over at me when I am a couple feet away from them and rolls his eyes, saying something to Luhan, then scurrying to the other side of the bar.

I pay no mind to the pissy little diva and continue in my pursuit. I'm glad Ji's left my angel alone, but I still decide to have a little fun with him.

"What can i help you with Sehun?" Luhan says with an exasperated sigh just before my hand makes contact with his shoulder.

I drop my arm back to my side and take a step back, pouting at my attempt to startle the boy being foiled. "Nothing, i just wanted to see what you were up to, and why do you always say my name like that?"

Luhan breaths out a large breath and turns around, eyeing me intently. "Like what, Sehun?"

"See, you did it again." I point out. "You always say my name like it's exhausting to pronounce, like the thought of saying it makes you want to give up on your day"

Luhan clears his throat and straightens his posture. "It's not like that Sehun-ah... i just... I've been tired and really busy lately."

It's a lie, i'm not an idiot, it's written all over his face. "Is that why you've also been avoiding me?"

"I-i haven't been avoiding you, Sehun." He says stuttering through his words, his eyes shifting all over the place, but refusing to focus on me.

I sigh, disappointed. "I don't know why you insist on lying to me, when we both know i see right through you."

Luhan huffs. "I'm not lying and i'm not avoiding you, now drop it and leave me alone, i have to work."

He turns on his heel in a graceful spin and nearly stomps away, leaving me standing there feeling dejected and a bit depressed. I turn away from the beautiful little pixie, and head to find Yixing, knowing he'll give me what i need right now.

>>>>>>

~Luhan~

An exasperated sigh leaves my lips as I glance over to find Sehun cuddled up to Yixing across the club in the lounge area. The younger boy sits on the older's lap, Sehun's face buried in Yixing's neck as he strokes the blondes hair affectionately, whispering seemingly sweet and calming words to the boy.

I roll my eyes at the girls surrounding them, cooing at the display and refuse to recognize the stirring in my chest as anything close to jealousy. I don't care what Sehun does or who he does it with, it's none of my business. The boys isn't mine, even though he follows me around like a lost puppy, I take no claim in him.

Still though, it's a little weird and slightly annoying how he always runs off to find Yixing at the slightest hint of distress. I understand wanting some comfort from a friend, but they just take it too far. It's not like Yixing is Sehun's mother or... his lover. And the fact that everyone just falls all over those two when Yixing starts in on his coddling, it's sickening. Sehun is an adult, he should be treated like one.

"Well don't you just look like a fucking ray of sunshine." The voice I've come to associate with nails on a chalkboard, forces me out of my thoughts.

"What do you want, Baekhyun?" I ask turning around, already way too exhausted to deal with this.

Baekhyun snorts and shakes his head. "Oh sweetie, it's not what I want, it's what you want... And clearly, acting like you don't want it, isn't fooling anyone."

I blink at him, setting my shoulders in an attempt to convey that i'm not in the mood. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Baekhyun glances over my shoulder and smirks. "Don't I?"

I follow his gaze all the way across the club to find that Yixing is now rocking Sehun back and forth on his lap. I fight the urge to lock my jaw and turn back to Baekhyun with a nonchalant smile.

"It's cute isn't it, how Yixing ...'babies' Sehun like that." I say, my words just slightly too tense and forced to be believable.

Baekhyun snorts again and reaches up, placing a hand on my arm. "There's nothing wrong in admitting you're jealous, not that there is anything to be jealous about, really."

My jaw does lock this time and I fix Baekhyun with my best 'don't push me' stare. "I'm not jealous, I just don't think it's appropriate."

Baekhyun seems to drop the smug look of his face in the matter of seconds. "Why would it not be appropriate? The customers love it." He says pointing to the crowd circled around the two boys.

I roll my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest, shrugging in a way that even i think is bitchy. "It's just that Sehun is a grown man, he doesn't need to be coddled like that."

"How the fuck do you know what he needs?" Baekhyun barks at me and I have to take a step back because of how defensive he sounds.

I put my hands up in my own defense. "I'm just saying not everyone has that kind of freedom; that kind of ease to be like that and some people might not see it the way others do... It's just not appropriate."

Baekhyun laughs bitterly and takes a step forward, his face inches from my own. "You think that's what Sehun has? Freedom? Ease? You know nothing about him if that's what you think, and therefor you also have no right to make that kind of judgment... Try to get to know him first, then come and tell me just how easy he has it." Baekhyun shakes his head and starts to walk away, but then stops, calling over his shoulder. "And quit avoiding him, whether you want to see it or not, the kid's more fragile than you think."

I groan and rub my hands through my hair in frustration. "I'm not avoiding him."

........

~Sehun~

"He's totally avoiding you." Jongin says as we watch Luhan hurriedly walk the opposite direction from us, as well as his next class.

I sigh, hugging my books against my chest a little harder, hoping maybe the pressure will make the ache disappear as fast as Luhan is. "I know, he's not even denying it anymore, he just sighs and shakes his head at me, then walks away... i'm not even sure what to do."

"You have to gain his trust, get on the inside. Make him feel safe and not threatened, then you strike and make him yours before he even knows you're setting the trap." Jongin says making a motion with his hands that quite frankly worries me.

I stop and blink at the boy next to me, debating whether I should try to get him to see a therapist or not. "He's not a wild animal, Jongin."

Jongin smirks and lifts an eyebrow. "Isn't he?"

I roll my eyes and throw a fist at his shoulder, which results, as it always does, in the both of us rolling around on the ground like children.

In the time it takes us to break apart and head to class which we are late for... again, i decided to seek a second opinion, with someone who actually has success in the relationship area.

......

"I'm sorry to break it to you babe, but Jongin's actually kind of right." Tao says setting a cup of hot cocoa on the table in front of me.

I groan and throw myself back in my chair. "That's not possible, and what do you mean?"

"Well, you have to start somewhere sweetie, and the best place for two people to start is friends, it'll help you get to know him and form a bond with him, make him see you on a deeper level. Whatever the reason he's running from you is, he'll get over it once he realizes he loves the person you are." Tao explains running his fingers through my hair. He's lucky I wore it down today or I would have thrown hands.

I chuckle darkly, lowering my head to stare into the chocolate brown liquid swirling in my cup. "What makes you think he'll love me?"

"How could he not Sehunnie? You're beautiful, inside and out." Tao says lifting my chin up with his finger. "Don't let them take anything else from you, Sehun. Be selfish for once."

I smile lightly and nod my head, blushing under Tao's piercing catlike eyes. "Do you really think he'll want to be my friend?"

Tao snorts. "Well there's only one way to find out." I lift and eyebrow in question and he smiles. "Just ask him, Sehunnie."

......

I've been stressing myself out all week, trying to figure out how I can possibly approach Luhan with the figurative white flag and hope he excepts my friendship plea. I've had an entire week to figure something out, to figure some sort of gesture to signify my want to be friends, and I've managed to come up with absolutely nothing.

So here i stand, waiting outside, in front of Luhan's dorm, freezing my ass off, drenched to the bone because the sky decided it felt like flooding the earth just for the hell of it. And in my hand sits two cups of bubble tea, a peace offering for Luhan and a hopeful sign of the beginning of a lasting friendship.

The sky above me looks grey and ominous. A foreboding feeling sinks into my bones and i don't know what to be more depressed about, the fact that i probably look completely pathetic right now, or the fact that i'm more than willing to do so.

Not many things phase me, usually things just pass over my head while i do my own thing. But Luhan's under my skin and i can't dig the little bastard out. I've tried to let go of this stupid notion of him and i together, I've tried to simply cast it out of my mind and not try. But i fucking can't and the little blonde shit being around every place i am only proves to make this even harder.

Luhan's at my job, with his tiny little shorts showing off those delicious milky thighs, he's on my soccer team where his skills are so damn impressive i'm developing a hero complex for him, and then we even have a couple classes together where i can do nothing but constantly glance at him all hour and twitch relentlessly to keep from full on staring.

It's truly bittersweet having Luhan around and i just wish he'd either give in or that i'd give up, but apparently we're both stubborn pain in the asses who are clearly made for one another.

I'm still angrilly muttering to myself when a small melodic voice pulls me out of my internal rant. "Sehun?"

My head snaps up and i blink at a bundled up Luhan, holding a yellow umbrella, and for a second i smile at the thought that yellow suits him. "Sehun... what are you doing out here? Are you trying to freeze to death?"

I shiver a bit and hold out the cup that I've resisted the urge to drink out of, to him and smile lightly. "I wanted to give you this, a symbol of truce... and maybe friendship?"

His eyebrows knit together and he shakes his head staring at the cup i'm holding out. "I don't understand."

I bite at my lip. "i...i don't know why you keep ignoring me or avoiding me when you can, but i'd really like for us to be friends. I mean w-we have to see each other for a good portion of time everyday, so it would just be nice to be able to say your name and you don't say mine back like i'm a constant plague on your day."

Luhan sighs, still giving me that concerned expression. "Sehun.. I..."

I hold up the hand with the drink in it more aggressively. "Please Luhan, even if it's forced politeness, can you at least do it for me? Just pretend you like me... I'm not sure i can take this feeling of you hating me anymore."

Luhan's eyes widen and he steps forward. "I don't hate you, Sehun."

I shift my legs and rub the tip of my shoe over the concrete. "That's not what it felt like... i don't know... what i did... but I..." emotions that i didn't even know i was harboring start to take me over and soon i'm blinking away a slight blurriness from my eyes. "I just want to be close to you. hyung. I just want to be your friend."

Suddenly a light, warm weight crashes into me, making me stagger back, but luckily i hold onto our drinks. "I'm so sorry, Sehun." Luhan says squeezing my shoulders where his arms are wrapped around. "I didn't mean to make you feel like i hated you, please don't ever think that."

I breath in a lungful of luhan and hug him as close as one can with my hands full. "So, we can be friends, hyung?"

A small sigh exits his lips. "Yeah. Sehunnie. We can be friends." He pulls back all took soon, his posture tight and ridged for some reason.

I beam at him and hold up the bubble tea which he thankfully takes this time. "Thank you, Luhan. You don't know how much this means to me."

Luhan smiles lightly and grabs my arm. "Come on, lets go get you dry."

I shake my head and step back. "I'll be okay. I'm just going straight home."

"You're going to get sick if you walk back to the fraternity like this, i'll give you a change of cloths and get you dry, then you can go home."

I chuckle and pull my arm out of his grasp. "I'll be fine. I have the warmth of friendship to keep me toasty all the way home."

Luhan lifts an eyebrow, but i succeed in the smile i was aiming for from him. "Well, at least take this. I know it won't keep you dry but at least it'll keep it from making this worse." He says motioning towards my appearance, while handing over his umbrella.

I laugh and accept his offer, walking him to the door and waving goodbye till he disappears up the stairs.

I don't know how long i wait outside his dorm, watching his window, but when the light finally goes off, i have a new sense of hope brewing deep in my chest. 'You will be mine, Luhan. Just wait, you'll never even see the trap coming.'

>>>>

~Luhan~

I'm laying in bed cursing myself for what i just did. The one person i was trying to keep out, the one person that could ruin everything, i just gave an open invitation to get close to me.

I don't really know what came over me, but the minute i saw Sehun standing in the rain, probably getting hypothermia, just so he could give me a watered down bubble tea. I couldn't help but feel guilty and really worried for the boy.

Then i saw his real feelings etched all over his face. I saw how he really felt about me ignoring and avoiding him... something pulled in me and the thought that i was hurting the boy cut deep into me. The last thing i want to do it hurt Sehun, actually that's the one thing i'm trying to prevent.

I groan and shift onto my side, staring out my window, watching the rain pour down thicker than it did before. I sigh and find myself worried if Sehun got home okay.

I stand up and whisper to myself. "I wonder how long he had been standing out there before I got here."

I walk over to my window and look out, my eyes taking in the depressive weather, but immediately freeze when I see a small dot of yellow standing outside in front of my dorm.

I watch the dot for a second, watching it sway every once in a while, like it's dancing slightly. I reach over with a shaky hand, having a concerning hunch in the pit of my stomach and click off my lamp, darkness abruptly clouding my room.

I watch the small dot for a second, then it starts to walk away confirming my concerns to be true. Sehun was waiting for me to go to bed, even soaked to the bone, probably getting sicker by the second and he still waits.

I groan and shake my head, lowering my gaze to the floor. "What are you doing, Sehun? Don't you know I'm trying to protect you."

I look back up watching the yellow disappearing into the distance. "You stupid boy, you're going to ruin everything, aren't you?"

>>>>>

It's been almost a full week since I agreed to try a friendship with Sehun and I haven't seen him once. I keep telling myself that this is a good thing that the more distance between us, the better off we will both be, but my mind keeps swirling back to concern.

I've found myself so worried over Sehun that I've let myself become distracted at school and work, and I've even lost some sleep over that little monster.

I knew I shouldn't have let that boy walk home like that the other night, but he's so damn stubborn.

I sigh heavily, watching a couple of Sehun's fraternity brothers eat and chat happily across the cafe i finally took Coach Minseok up on coming to. He's been trying to get me to come here since I joined the soccer team, but much like how I feel on the team and at work, I just kind of don't fit in here.

I know how important Sehun is to all of them and a part of me feels guilty for turning the boy's advances away. Sehun is a great kid, it's easy to understand why they're so protective over him, but it's also easy to see why they have every right to hate me.

I sigh, about to stand and just leave when the entrance door jingles merrily from the bells hung on it and in walks the subject of my constant stress for the past week. Sehun's nose is a little pink and his full lips are chapped like he, as I had feared, is getting over a cold. I sigh as guilt tugs at my chest and I curse Sehun under my breath, sinking down into my seat.

"You know, it seems kind of counter productive to obsessively worry over someone all week then try to hide the second you see them again." Minseok says sitting down in the seat across from me, scaring the crap out of me and making me jump.

He smirks slightly and pats my hand. "Seriously though, I'm sure he'd appreciate your concern. Just go talk to him."

I shake my head and sip at my coffee. "He's with his friends." I say motioning to the way Sehun's being surrounded by his brothers, who are hugging and petting at him like the child they constantly treat him like.

Minseok chuckles, forcing me to pull my eyes away from the blond haired boy across the cafe. "Lu, have you even thought about the possibility that they can be your friends too? Those guys are great guys. I've known them all for a while now and they're like my little brothers and you work, go to school with, and are on the same team as them... What's stopping you?"

"They probably hate me. I'm not exactly as nice to Sehun as I should be and that's the one person they are overly protective of." I say wrapping a fidgety hand around my coffee cup.

Minseok chuckles. "Ah, yes, I've heard about this. The guys make it a common topic at our weekly get togethers."

My lips pull down into a deep frown. "You guys talk about me?"

Minseok shrugs. "A ittle bit, but nothing bad, actually the guys really like you, they're just confused about you're behavior." He reaches across the table again and taps the top of my hand. "Maybe if you explained things, I'd be different, Lu. Maybe if you told them your side, they'd understand... Trust me kid, you're missing out if you don't have those guys as your friends."

I shake my head and lower my gaze. "They wouldn't understand, Hyung, they've never had to understand."

Minseok sighs, glancing over at Sehun's table and I follow his gaze the boy currently leaning on a tall guy with large ears. "Are you sure about that?"

I raise an eyebrow bringing my attention once again away from the boy. "Everyone keeps insiuating that there's something I don't know about Sehun, what is it? What am I missing?"

Minseok smiles and takes a sip of his own coffee. "Maybe you should ask him."

A long defeated sigh flows from between my lips. "I've been told that."

Minseok grins, rolling his eyes. "Well, when you have multiple people giving you the same advice, it's usually a good idea to take it."

I groan and run a hand through my hair. "Do you think I should give this friendship thing an actual shot then?"

Minseok's already nodding even before I finish my sentence. "It's ok to let yourself be happy, Lu, and I have a good feeling that giving in and letting yourself get close to Sehun will be good... For both of you."

I smile wistfully. "Maybe... But not today."

I stand up and Minseok gives me a look like he wants to protest, or hold me down till I submit to what he wants, or maybe both, knowing the older.

I grin harder and pat his shoulder. "I have some shopping to do, hyung. I'll see you later, okay?"

Minseok sighs and nods, giving up before an attempt is even made to stop me and for that I'm grateful. It's one of the things I love about Minseok, that no matter how bad he wants to intervene, he still respects my wishes.

Grabbing my coat and my coffee, I give Minseok one last wave and exit the coffee shop, slipping out seemingly undetected by Sehun and his friends.

Heavily weighted steps take me to the subway, my mind a barrage of jumbled up thoughts. This is the last thing I wanted when I came to Korea, to have such complications was not in my plans and I hate when things don't go according to my schedules. I came here to escape the problems, not to find more.

I groan as I enter a subway car and lean my head against the glass on the wall opposite the doors, frustrated, but above all confused about how I ended up here.

"I thought you were going to stop ignoring me, hyung?" A voice slithers into my ear, nearly sounding seductive.

I spin around quickly, coming eye to eye with those chocolate brown irises I've come so accustomed to subconsciously searching for every time I enter a room. I shake away that thought and blink up at the boy standing in front of me.

"I-I wasn't ignoring you. It's j-just that you were with your friends and I didn't want to bother you." I say glancing down at the ground, my cheeks heating up at the unnecessarily small distance between us.

Sehun hums thoughtfully and lifts my chin up with his pointer finger, looking deep into my eyes, like he's searching for a lie that doesn't exist.

"They're your friends too, hyung. We actually talk about that sometimes, about why you never hang out with us... It's one of the reasons i want to be friends, because I'd hate to think that you're staying away from them because of me." He says, his eyebrows creasing in a distressed expression.

I quickly shake my head and reach out a hand placing it on his chest before I realize what I'm doing, then yank it away as if the boy had just burst it I flames. My gaze falters and I find myself looking anywhere but at him.

"It's not that, I just..."

What am I suppose to tell him? That it's not him? Because that is the exact reason I was keeping my distance. I hate lying to Sehun and every time I do I feel like I'm betraying a part of myself. I close my eyes briefly and release a large breath.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't think they were too fond of me after how I've treated you... I know I was being a child and I was acting weird, but I can see the way you look at me and I know you like me and even though I don't see you like that at all..." I hear an indignant huff and peek my eyes open, to find the stone faced, guarded expression plastered across Sehun's face.

I blink at this because Sehun's never done this with me, he's always been very open and honest with me, but this feels like I've broke him, like I've said something I shouldn't have.

"I mean...I-"

"No, it's ok Luhan. I understand, you don't have to explain... I get it, I shouldn't have pushed so hard." He goes to take a step back.

A part of me tells myself to just let him go, that this is what should have happened from the beginning, but another part of me can't stand the coldness, can't stand the thought of what's going on inside his head.

I reach out and grab a handful of his shirt, pulling him back towards me, breaking the unemotional facade he has on, making his eyes widen and lips part in surprise.

"I-I didn't mean it like that." I stutter out. "I was just afraid you were setting yourself up for something I couldn't give you, that you were getting some ideas about us that couldn't happen."

His emotions shine through his eyes unfiltered this time and I notice the hurt there, but I can also see something else sparkling there that I'm unsure of how to process.

"Was? Couldn't? These are in past tense? So does that mean you're coming around to me?" He smirks playfully. "Does that mean I just need to keep wearing you down?"

I roll my eyes and open my mouth to disagree but at the same moment the subway stops and when the doors open, a small army of people start to pile in.

Almost instantly I'm forced against the wall, with my back pressed against the windows and in turn Sehun pressed against my front. His arms shoot up, bracing against either side of my head on the wall I'm pressed to, creating an almost cage like barrier between me and anyone around us. I bite my lip, my cheeks set to flame, and my breath comes out labored.

I suck in my stomach, pressing myself as hard as I can to the wall, trying to put as much distance between myself and Sehun as possible. To my relief, with the way his arms are straining to hold against the assault of people pressing against him, the boy is trying to do the same.

The train starts moving once again, jostling us a little and I glance over noticing the tremble of Sehun's arms and then the way his eyes shift in labored concentration.

I sigh, finally just giving up in attempt to keep the distance from Sehun and let myself give in, sinking forward into his warmth. I lean in pressing my head lightly against his chest, breathing in the light but wonderful smell of the boy in front of me.

My heart beat kicks up by the proximity, and judging by the gasp Sehun releases and the slight tensing of his muscles, he's just as affected by the contact. I reach behind me, pulling his arms down from where they were anchored and guide them around my waist.

I hear him swallow thickly and chuckle. "Don't get any ideas, this is just better than watching you struggle to hold yourself up."

His arms tighten and I feel his chest moving from his own laughter. "Come on, hyung. Don't act like you hate this."

I shrug knowing he can feel it. "Just a prolonged hug between friends, nothing more."

He leans down and buries his face in the crook of my neck, forcing a gasp of my own from my lips and my pounding heart to skip a beat or two.

"You'll give in eventually, hyung. But don't worry I'll wait for you, I'll wait as long as it takes." He says, his breath tickling my neck, forcing my eyes to close and my breath to shallow.

I roll my eyes and just let myself surrender for this moment; let myself give in to the addictive feeling of being locked into Sehun's arms, pressed up against his chest, breathing in his delicate but intoxicating sent.

But as the train knocks us around and people press us closer together I find myself wondering how easy it would be to surrender completely to this boy.

>>>>

My chickens!!

Hello my darlings, I hope you guys like this chapter, and I hope you aren't to upset with the wait for it.

Try not to be too upset with Luhan, he's a precious little soul who is just a little lost right now and Sehun's knocking him all off balance, but they'll figure it out. You guys know how Author-nim is a huge sucker for happy endings. 😜

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the update, I'll see you next chappie!! Xiuchen's up next!!

사랑해💕

~M~