Chapter Text
Luhan 1
A loud crunching sound makes Luhan pause as he leaves his apartment Friday morning and look down. It’s not entirely common for him to be greeted with the sound of something crumpling beneath his clean shoes upon his departure in the God-awful early morning hours he has taken to leave his apartment at. Usually he isn’t victim to any sort of unnatural things until he sees Tao, which is typically around noon when the head designer shows up on occasion and demands they eat lunch.
At these times, Luhan is subjected to either Tao quietly eating and staring at nothing in particular or dramatically recounting his life with varying degrees of volume, facial expressions, and potential death threats.
Tao says it keeps Luhan young.
Luhan says it gives him wrinkles.
Tao says no one gives him more wrinkles than Kris.
Tao is correct.
Frowning, Luhan bends down, moving his foot away from whatever he’s stepped on and sees an envelope with his name and address printed on it in very messy ink. He picks it up and flips it over.
It’s from his landlord.
Luhan doesn’t really think about it. His watch tells him he’s late anyway and so he tucks the envelope into his briefcase and walks downstairs, waving to the nice old lady across the street as she puts out food for the stray cats that seem to swarm the neighborhood like flies.
Luhan doesn’t think about the envelope because he doesn’t really have the energy, the patience, nor the time to. It has been a long week of being the head secretary of EXO M, where he usually takes care of Kris but can’t this week because Kris is being such an ass hole and Luhan really just lost all of his patience for the already impossible man on Monday when Kris had told Luhan that Luhan was a good for nothing pretty face and empty words.
Despite how Luhan essentially is married to Kris with all the work he does for the other man.
Despite how Luhan’s life is EXO M and his friends and coworkers.
Despite how Luhan has been putting up with Kris and his stubborn denial of emotions for the past five years with patience and grace and understanding.
And it was the last straw.
What had started with Luhan chucking a stapler at Kris’ head had ended with two chairs broken, a table cracked, and a lot of broken glass everywhere before Luhan had punched Kris in the stomach and stormed from the office, refusing any and all contact unless it was life or death important or business, instead punching the number of the furniture warehouse he got his living room from viciously. They didn’t question much and Kris’ office was restored by lunch.
But Luhan was still pissed.
The week hadn’t really gotten much better, though Luhan had managed to calm the uncharacteristic urge to boil everyone’s liver if they talked to him about something unnecessary. He had nearly screamed in frustration when Ryeowook from Super Shiny Speed Dating had called and told him that they had accidentally mixed up papers and wondered if Kris wanted a man named Chanyeol’s number before slamming his office phone down and then slammed it a few more times for good measure.
Now, Friday, Luhan has been able to get himself under control. Though he is extremely tired. But tired is better than infuriated, and Luhan has never been able to stay angry for long. In fact, he’s pretty sure this week is his personal record.
And being angry is exhausting.
Luhan arrives at EXO M and smiles weakly at the front secretaries, who look mildly shaken as usual before boarding the elevator to the top floor and making for his desk. There is another giant stack of papers sitting by his phone and he sighs before setting his briefcase down and booting up his computer.
Just another morning at EXO M with its work and models and drama and Luhan holds together everything with tired fingers and in desperate need of a break.
Vaguely, in the back of his mind, Luhan remembers how he used to be such a free spirited young and bright person.
Luhan doesn’t check to see if Kris is already at work. He knows the CEO is here because he can hear him, practically sense him, pacing in his office and sending out energetic vibrations of foul temper and angst.
Luhan would pity him if he wasn’t too busy trying to keep the company from collapsing as the CEO has a hissy fit over a relationship he messed up. He’s halfway through progress reports and proposals from Effects Designs when the elevator dings and he looks up, eyes widening slightly as Tao walks out, looking slightly exasperated.
“This is new,” Luhan says, putting down his papers and watching as Tao approaches his desk.
“Kris needs someone to punch him into reality,” Tao says.
“And you’re going to punch Kris?” Luhan inquires up at the dark designer, eyebrows raising.
“Do all metaphors and pulchritudes of speech evade you?” Tao asks, looking at Luhan with severe skepticism. “Buzz him.”
Luhan looks at Tao for a moment as Tao stares steadily at him before sighing and pressing the intercom button. Kris voice comes through terse and agitated. “What?”
“Tao wishes to see you,” Luhan says, keeping his voice even, his eyes on Tao as the designer watches him with calculating eyes. He wonders if Tao can tell he forgot to brush his teeth this morning.
There is a pause.
“Tell him I don’t need his drama,” Kris’ intercom hazed voice says and Tao sniffs.
Luhan doesn’t object when Tao leans over his desk and presses an elegant finger against the intercom button, voice serious as he speaks into the microphone. “Open this door, you overgrown child.”
Luhan would open the door if Tao spoke to him like that. Therefore, Luhan is not surprised when the automatic lock on Kris’ office clicks and Tao stands, walking to the door with purpose as Luhan watches him stride into the CEO’s inner chambers without the slightest hesitation or fear.
Luhan, not for the first time, admires him. He also thinks that Tao is probably the craziest person he knows, despite his incredible sanity. If that makes any sense.
Luhan doesn’t eavesdrop. Well, not too much. Just enough so that he will know if he has to call the police.
It’s surprisingly quiet. Something that is rare when Kris and Tao are ever together, the combination usually ending in a cacophony of sound and waving arms with a lot of scowling and smirks. Luhan turns back to his reports.
The door opens a few minutes later and Kris walks out with a very determined look on his face and Luhan stares as he is followed by a slightly smirking Tao, who barely glances at Luhan but it’s enough that Luhan knows Tao has been successful in… whatever it is he is doing. He’s just amazed that neither of them seems to be ruffled or annoyed (well, annoyed is used very flexibly here) and there appears to be no bodily harm done.
They board the elevator and leave Luhan in silence with his reports and the beginning of a headache and a strong urge to drown himself in Vanilla Cinnamon Soy Lattes for the rest of the day. Instead, he finishes the reports before finally unpacking his briefcase and looking in slight surprise and confusion at the envelope that drops onto his desk before he remembers this morning.
The letter looks very innocent. It sits and looks at Luhan while he stares at it with his curious eyes and wonders why his landlord is putting his mail on his doorstep rather than his mailbox.
Then again, Shindong has always been a bit odd.
The letter, as it turns out, is not innocent. It is very not innocent. Luhan feels his features turning into a frown and then a scowl and then a grimace as he reads the contents of the letter typed with a few incorrectly placed commas and is slamming down the paper before he’s finished because this is absolutely ridiculous. He punches in the number for his landlord, office phone pressed to his ear as he scowls at his desk and waits for the asshole to pick up.
“Yo,” Shindong’s voice says and Luhan remembers that, even if he dislikes this man, he should be polite.
“Hello, Shindong?” Luhan says and his voice is sweet and perfect and very much his secretary voice.
“Yeah,” Shindong says and Luhan remembers the man’s complete lack of eloquence. “Who’s this?”
“This is Luhan,” Luhan says. “The resident of apartment 405 C in your building. I am calling because I received a letter this morning that must be a mistake because-“
“There’s not a mistake,” Shindong says, cutting him off and Luhan’s mouth snaps closed. “Well, it was supposed to get to you Friday, but I forgot.”
“No, there has to be a mistake,” Luhan says, and frowns. “It says I’m being evicted.”
“Yeah, that’s pretty much correct,” Shindong says and Luhan gapes at his screen saver. It’s of tropical fish swimming across the screen. Luhan always calls the clown fish Nemo and Marvin. Right now he feels a little like Nemo, gaping at reality. “You’re being evicted.”
“Why?” Luhan says, feeling like someone is pushing all of the air from his lungs. It’s not a pleasant sensation.
“Because you’re behind on rent,” Shindong says and Luhan closes his mouth with a snap.
“I am not,” Luhan says, feeling undignified. “I know for a fact that my billing is impeccable. I am not behind on rent.” Luhan can hear Shindong shifting over the phone.
There is a scoff. “No, you’re behind, have been the past three months.”
“I pay my rent,” Luhan says and glares as Marvin changes direction. “On time. And you have no right to evict me.”
“Fine,” Shindong says, and Luhan grins to himself in satisfaction. “I’m kicking you out.” Luhan’s face falls.
“What?” Luhan snaps at his phone, already tight patience slipping drastically. Oh, he really doesn’t need this to end his week. “Why?”
“Because I don’t like you,” Shindong drawls and Luhan closes his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Look, the records I’m looking at all tell me that you’ve been consistently late on rent. Actually, according to these accounts, you never even paid last month.”
Luhan looks around his desk, feeling extremely lost. He can’t really be getting kicked out his apartment. This can’t be happening. “I don’t know why my payments haven’t been –“
“Look, I’m not arguing with you anymore on this,” Shindong says, cutting him off again and Luhan wonders how he has tolerated his landlord thus far. “You have a week to get yourself out. Deal with it.” There is a pause where Luhan just breathes heavily at his keyboard. “Oh, any you owe utilities for August.”
The line clicks and Luhan doesn’t even bother placing the phone on the cradle before slumping face first onto the desk.
Minutes later Luhan is being jolted from his misery by the elevator door opening and releasing Jongin who essentially impales himself on Luhan’s desk and demands to be fired as he seems to digress into abject panic. Luhan is appropriately shocked and disconcerted. So is Yixing a few moments later as Jongin essentially proclaims his desire to have the other in bed before turning a very interesting color and sprinting down the emergency stairs.
Luhan looks at Yixing for a moment as the other man seems to be in relative shock, mouth hanging slightly open. Luhan swallows. “Well, now you know he likes you back,” Luhan says, giving a chocked combination of a laugh and sob and Yixing turns to him.
“Did that really just happen?” Yixing asks, and still looks dazed.
“I can punch you to prove you’re not dreaming,” Luhan suggests and Yixing seems to ground himself a little more. “Or you could punch me. I’d love to wake up from this nightmare.”
Yixing seems to pause in his inability to actually comprehend the past ten minutes. “Bad day?” he asks finally and Luhan sighs, leaning over his desk and trying to sort through this mess.
“You have no idea,” Luhan sighs, picking up the phone and effectively cutting of more inquiry on Yixing’s part. Yixing seems to understand, as a moment later he gets back into the elevator with a rare contemplative expression.
After dismissing Yixing, Luhan had called his accountant. Then called the man who he had hired to do some of his billing because he was busy being married to his work and, by default, Kris. He finds out both of these men are incompetent and spends a good thirty minutes gulping at himself in the bathroom mirror before he accepts that he’s surrounded by horrible and leaves, his desk full of unfinished work, and walks to the design levels, setting himself down in Tao’s chairs and just staring into nothing until Tao once more reminds him of his deceased mother. Luhan snaps and Tao actually shows a significant degree of emotional response. Usually, this would be worthy of Luhan literally patting himself on the back. Instead, he just feels even more tired.
Luhan stays at a hotel that night because everything is too exhausting after this whole week and, though the dinner Tao had invited him out to had been comforting, Luhan isn’t quite ready to return home and face the fact that he has to move out in less than a week.
Saturday morning, Luhan wakes up with crazy hair and a nasty taste in his mouth and blearily picks up his cell phone, dialing Minseok’s number and rubbing at his face as the line rings at him.
Minseok picks up by fumbling for a few seconds and then dropping his phone. Luhan can hear this and Minseok grumbling before the other man’s voice comes through the line. “It is 7 in the morning on a Saturday,” Minseok says, and his voice is cracked with tired. “Why in Hell are you awake? Or, more importantly, why are you calling me and thus making me awake?”
“I’m being evicted,” Luhan says, rubbing at his eye and wondering if he looks as childish as he feels. “Baozi~” he moans into the phone and flops back onto the bed.
“You’re being what?” Minseok says and, as always, ignores the nickname he hates and Luhan loves. “Why the hell are you being evicted?”
“Because Shindong is an evil bear.” He sighs into his phone and turns his head to the side, pouting at the wall.
“But how can he evict you?” Minseok asks. “I mean, you’re you. Usually people at least give a warning before they kick you out.”
Luhan groans and rolls over, the hotel robe tangling in his long thin legs. “Shindong has no soul. Plus, my billing boy has the intelligence of clams. Minseok, I’m going to be homeless,” Luhan moans and he can hear Minseok huff at his antics over the phone.
There are two sides to Luhan.
Professional Luhan who is calm and collected and cool and perfectly beautiful at work and who most of the world knows as the best secretary ever.
Then there’s real Luhan, who makes many expressions besides polite smiling and rolls around on his bed when he’s upset and likes to annoy Minseok to the point of insanity and tease Yixing mercilessly about his inability to remember anything. The real Luhan who jokes with Kris as the other man looks at him in perplexed amusement. The real Luhan who is basically a child looking at everything with varying degrees of amusement and wonder.
Real Luhan has been greatly overshadowed by Professional Luhan lately. And Real Luhan doesn’t like that, so he pouts a lot and rolls on the bed.
“Are you rolling around on your bed again?” Minseok asks and Luhan stills, face pressed into a pillow, hair sticking up everywhere.
“No,” Luhan mumbles into fabric and cotton.
“Oh.”
“I’m rolling around on a hotel bed.”
Silence. “Why are you in a hotel?” Minseok asks, and technically it is a valid question.
“I’m allowed to step away from the current shit storm that is my life every now and then, aren’t I?” Luhan asks, rolling onto his back before sitting up with a huff, feeling the weight from the past few weeks climb up onto his shoulders and loom there with gargoyle eyes. “Anyway, I need your help. What are you doing today?”
“Sticking orange slices to the wall out of boredom,” Minseok retorts dryly and Luhan snorts.
“Do you think you might have time to help me go apartment hunting and start packing up my house?” Luhan asks and stares at his black work slacks lying carefully over the hotel chair.
“You’re not even going to fight this?” Minseok asks and sounds legitimately disbelieving.
“I don’t know if I can,” Luhan says, and feels tired. He’s been feeling that a lot lately.
“You don’t know if you can or if you want to?” Minseok asks, searching for clarification.
“Is there an option c?” Luhan asks and Minseok sighs.
“What time do you need me to come over, Bambi?” Minseok asks and Luhan frowns.
“You know I hate that name,” Luhan says.
“You call me ‘meat bun’ in Mandarin on a daily basis,” Minseok points out.
Luhan laughs lightly to himself and it’s quiet. “Fair enough.”
The next week is a blur of phone calls to everyone imaginable and Luhan is stressed as he searches for apartments, moves all of his home into storage, and marvels at how a dating Kris is basically the epitome of ‘honeymoon phase.’ He’s never seen Kris smile so much in his life. And that includes that really weird night they had in Macau where Kris accidentally got high off of mushrooms and Luhan had to take over the business conference while Kris hallucinated butterflies and singing crabs invading their hotel suite.
That week, as Luhan goes home to his almost bare apartment and eats dinner, he looks at the walls, stripped bare and thinks about himself. He wonders if maybe moving will be good for him. Getting out of the current rut he’s seemed to have dug into his life, where he rarely smiles genuinely and Professional Luhan shows up more than Real Luhan does and he is in a constant state of exhaustion, covering it with coffee and BB cream.
Over the weekend, Luhan spends his time touring apartments and making phone calls and trying to find somewhere to call his new home. It’s exhausting and he tries to keep up morale as he goes from apartment to apartment and knocks on doors and asks for rent details. He rents the hotel room for the next week.
Luhan’s one moment of lightness is when they go and visit 2NE1 the next week and Kris drags him along for Tao’s sanity, though Luhan knows that it’s secretly because Kris personally can’t handle Tao on his own for extended periods of time. Tao brought Chen though, which doesn’t entirely surprise Luhan, though it does surprise Kris. Tao seems to have taken a bizarre warmth to Luhan and this is comforting at the same time it is extremely weird.
Tao hates CL. Luhan would hate her too if he didn’t have the strange habit of liking pretty much everyone and giving them far too many chances to redeem themselves. Plus, CL doesn’t seem too interested in him, aside from his face, which she took no time in informing him that he was ‘prettier than most women she knew’ before turning to stare at Kris with the intensity of a hunting lioness.
Luhan watches closely because, though Kris may not notice or realize this, it is not appropriate.
Kris is the CEO of EXO M.
Kris is dating Park Chanyeol of Planet Records and finally in a relationship which is a fucking miracle.
Luhan hasn’t really met Chanyeol yet. All he knows is that his voice is deep and he makes Kris happy, which, in turn, makes him better at work, which makes Luhan’s job a little easier and the company run better than is has in a long while.
Luhan doesn’t really know CL. But he does know that if CL’s tampering causes problems, Luhan won’t look so pretty anymore.
Bom seems to share his sentiments, and they exchange a lot of looks over the day while Tao smirks at Kris and Kris maybe realizes CL is a vamp.
Friday night once more finds Luhan in a hotel, paperwork spread over the bed as he tries to organize for the next week. Though EXO M working with 2NE1 is a good call, will allow EXO M to branch out and grow, it is also a shit ton of work. As if Luhan’s plate isn’t already full enough. He’s had no positive offers for an apartment and he feels weary. Which he shouldn’t be feeling, considering he’s not even thirty yet.
On Thursday, Luhan finds Minseok during lunch and asks him if he would mind a houseguest. Minseok asks why him. Luhan tells him his other options.
Yixing. Currently dating and having lots of sex with Jongin.
Kris. Currently dating and probably having lots of sex with a goofy man named Park Chanyeol.
Minseok is surprisingly understanding. Luhan feels relief for the first time since he walked out of his apartment and onto an eviction notice. Luhan stays with Minseok and marvels at how clean the smaller man’s apartment is and spends most of the weekend either pouring over work or poking Minseok in the face with a finger while the other man frowns at him and threatens to throw him out on the streets. Luhan feels a little bit less professional, but not much. Though it is hard to feel professional when your only sleeping options are an ottoman and the floor.
“Why don't you have a couch?” Luhan asks, frowning at Minseok’s unique choice in living room furniture.
“Because I don’t need a couch,” Minseok says. “I like my chairs. Why would I need a couch?”
“I don’t know, so your guests could sleep somewhere else than on the floor or your ottoman,” Luhan says. Rolling about a makeshift blanket-mattress is not the same as rolling around on a bed. Luhan misses his bed. Or a bed in general. Floors are hard.
Minseok puffs out his cheeks and Luhan pokes them, grinning widely. Minseok just frowns at him even more before grumbling about cheerful assholes in the morning. Luhan makes breakfast and Minseok helps him look for apartments.
Tuesday hits with a lot of force. Force in the form of Chen’s official resignation and Luhan going to try to console Tao seeing as the other man had stormed in looking like murder and demanded to see Chen immediately. Luhan learns that Professional Luhan is very kind and sweet when he wants to be and that Tao and Chen may not verbally communicate well despite their ability to communicate eerily without words.
Luhan is glad to know he’s not the only one with problems.
Unfortunately, Chen’s resignation sends Tao into a downward spiral of moody depression and no number of Vanilla Cinnamon Soy Lattes will cure the wounded pride and heart of the designer. Luhan convinces himself that at least he tried while he resists smacking Kris over the head as the CEO once more lapses into epithets about Chanyeol’s inability to make proper facial expressions without his face exploding.
Luhan imagines a bobble head doll with fluffy hair smiling so wide that it consumes half his face.
“As I was saying, about-“ Luhan tries again as Kris stares in repulsively happy silence at nothing in particular over Luhan’s shoulder.
“You would like him,” Kris muses, and his mouth flashes gums. Luhan stares for a moment. Kris never smiles his gummy smile. Never.
Except that one time when Luhan and Yixing convinced him to watch Anchorman with them and Kris basically found everything Ron Burgundy did absolutely hysterical.
“Honestly, am I even here?” Luhan asks, dropping his hands to his sides and just staring at Kris helplessly.
“Did you know that he used to be in a band?” Kris comments and is still smiling. “He can play the guitar and drums. He wanted to be a rock star before he and Suho started Planet Records together.”
“Fuck it, I’ll just run the company,” Luhan grumbles, turning from Kris as the other man continues to look dreamily out the window, and looks over his papers.
“Hey, wait,” Kris says, suddenly sitting up. Luhan turns and gives Kris a withering look. “Where are you going?”
“To resign,” Luhan says, cocking a hip and leveling a look at his CEO. “If I have to listen to you moon for another ten minutes over face-exploding Chanyeol-“
“His face doesn’t explode,” Kris interjects, looking slightly bemused.
Luhan rolls his eyes. “You just said-“
“What do we have on the 2NE1 work?” Kris interrupts and Luhan hates sometimes how Kris can switch on his professionalism like a light. “Did Bom get back to you on the details of the joint show for next month or is CL still giving her problems on that end?”
Luhan raises an eyebrow at Kris, watching the taller man’s face carefully. “You’re going to work now?” he asks, and knows his voice has a bite to it.
“I always work,” Kris says, and Luhan sighs, setting the reports he’s been trying to get Kris to look at for over an hour on the desk before the CEO. “I just happen to be a little distracted at the moment.”
“Really?” Luhan says, with exaggerated facial expressions and intonations and Kris raises his eyebrows slightly. “I would have never guessed.” He face drops and Kris snorts a laugh through his nose.
“Now who’s the one who needs to loosen up,” Kris comments, and Luhan resists the urge to pull out his hair. Because honestly, Kris now lecturing him on professionalism and stress is the last thing he needs right now.
Luhan has just finished up the day, tired beyond reason but satisfied. He hadn’t slept well the night before, having been woken up three times as Minseok stumbled around in a half inebriated coma most of the night trying to grip the reality that Eunhyuk had been slipping him shots most of the evening so he could try to see if Minseok would admit to any homosexual urges.
It hadn’t worked to Eunhyuk’s disappointment and Minseok had stumbled home grumbling and fallen immediately over Luhan as the other had lain sprawled on the floor in his pajamas.
It had not been a pleasant night.
However, Luhan doesn’t comment when Jongin suddenly strides out from the elevator, his eyes glinting in mischief and followed by Yixing, who is watching his boyfriend with a fondness Luhan envies. “Hey, Luhan,” Jongin says as he comes level with the desk, sticking his hands into his pockets and rocking on his feet, seeming anxious to spill whatever it is he came here for.
“Hey, Kai,” Luhan greets, smiling slightly up at the younger as the tan boy grins and rubs at the back of his head, hair flying everywhere. “What can I do for you?”
“Well, it’s not so much for me, but for Tao,” Jongin says and Luhan’s eyebrows lift. This should be interesting. “We want to cheer him up, see, because he’s been really down since Chen left and I feel like he could use a break, get out, meet people, see the world and stuff.”
“What Kai is saying,” Yixing says, coming to stand next to Jongin and brushing shoulders with the younger, causing Jongin to turn to look at him and basically glow. “Is that he is inviting you to come with us because he think’s you’re adorable and knows you’re also close with Tao.”
“I wouldn’t say we’re close,” Luhan starts but Yixing’s laugh cuts him off.
“C’mon, you two have panic parties with ridiculously fancy café drinks,” Yixing says and Luhan smiles faintly to himself. Marvin and Nemo swim across his screen lazily. “And Tao seriously needs some sort of intervention. Chen did not look like he’d been productive when he left this afternoon.”
“So, we’re instigating ‘Operation Tao Cheer Up Alpha’,” Jongin finishes and smiles like he’s a genius and Luhan secretly thinks that perhaps it’s a very good thing he and Yixing are dating. Because they’re mostly both idiots. “Help us?”
Luhan has never been good with people pouting at him. And Jongin, as it turns out, is very good at being cute and pouty when he wants to. Luhan doesn’t have plans anyway, he rationalizes. His sleeping date with Minseok’s floor isn’t that important.
Why Jongin thought bringing Tao to a goddamn fort café is a good idea escapes Luhan the second he watches Tao walk into the door. However, it becomes very clear after about thirty seconds when a man introduced as Baekhyun shows a clear familiarity with Jongin as Luhan sees a whole different side of Jongin and is surprisingly not surprised.
Baekhyun is very sassy, and Luhan respects that. He also has a tendency to wave whatever is in his hands a lot and Luhan is very thankful he seems to have no knives in his café. He really doesn’t want to know what Baekhyun may look like holding a knife, especially with the way his eyes occasionally glint.
He introduces himself. “Luhan,” he says, feeling Professional Luhan slip easily into place when Baekhyun turns to him. “I’m Kris’ secretary. I’m guessing you’re the one who beat Kris with the pillows.”
Baekhyun smiles, eyes glinting as he looks at Luhan. “That would be correct. Though at the time I wished it could have been something more violent but I couldn’t find my meat tenderizer.”
“You can’t kill people,” Luhan says, feeling like this conversation is very familiar and starts, realizing he’s not the only who has spoken and looks swiftly to the side at the other man in the café. He is tall, thin and his dark hair falls into his eyes as he stares back at Luhan in shock. His eyes are dark, set under long elegant eyebrows, and he has a nice face. Or, as Eunhyuk would say, 'a good face' with a suggestive nod and Luhan finds his head cocking to the side slightly as he watches the other boy, Sehun, he remembers, look away quickly and poke determinately at what appears to be bubble tea.
Baekhyun is saying something and Sehun is shooting comments back at him and Luhan finally looks away, feeling tired again and settling with looking at his hands. He vaguely registers the sound of the coffee machine Baekhyun turns on before Tao is snapping him out of his relative comatose state.
“You’re more tired than usual,” Tao remarks and Luhan blinks before running a hand down his face. He forgets he is wearing BB cream today until he feels it smear under his fingertips and grimaces.
“Minseok came home late last night after drinking and tripped over me.” Glaring understatement. He has bruised ribs. “I appreciate his hospitality, but would prefer if he didn’t step on me every time he walks in too late at night.”
Tao actually almost gapes at him and Luhan marvels at the sight. “Are you sleeping on the floor?” the designer asks and Luhan fights down the sarcastic retort bubbling in his throat.
“Minseok’s version of a couch is an ottoman,” Luhan says instead and allows his chin to prop on his hand. “Eviction sucks.”
“You’ve been evicted?” Jongin pipes up, and Luhan turns to look at the younger, sitting with Yixing amid blankets and pillows. “Why didn’t you say something?”
Luhan’s eyes roll on their own volition. “Because unlike you I like to keep personal and professional private.” Professional Luhan. Real Luhan. Both Luhan, but just different aspects. Jongin’s mouth turns downward and doesn’t look away, even as Yixing’s hands creep around his waist.
“Sehun, didn’t you say an apartment had just vacated in your building the other day?” Baekhyun says suddenly and Luhan’s head is whipping towards the other man. Apparently he’s developed a twitch whenever potential housing is involved.
“No,” Sehun says, his eyes flashing to Luhan, making Luhan’s forehead crease slightly. “I said my brother moved out because he decided moving in with his girlfriend was cooler than living with me.” His voice has a slightly resentful edge to it and Luhan vaguely wonders if he’s pouting though the slight lisp on his tongue.
“Same difference,” Baekhyun says before coming over and placing a large Vanilla Cinnamon Soy Latte in front of Luhan. There is big smiley face on top of the foam and Luhan resists sticking his pinky into it and giving it minute whiskers.
“It’s not the same,” Sehun says and Luhan’s eyes once more travel over to the other, watching as he scowls and jabs an over large straw at tapioca balls viciously.
Luhan’s pretty sure that Jongin’s ‘cheer up Tao’ mission may not really be working, seeing as Tao doesn’t really seem any happier, though he is clearly intrigued by Baekhyun and his apparent serial killer habits.
“Are you staying with Baozi tonight?” Tao suddenly asks him and Luhan looks up, startled from his latte. Tao is watching him closely. He relaxes slightly, shoulders dropping just a bit.
“I don’t know,” Luhan says finally, and his fingers wrap around the drink in front of him. “I’m still trying to figure out –“
The door to the café opens.
Chen walks in.
Luhan can feel Tao stiffed beside him. Luhan feels his own hands seize up around his mug and hopes to God that no one’s serial killer instincts are ignited at the moment. He’d heard about the pillow-beating incident and seen Tao in action. And he has enough to deal with as it is.
Chen barely looks at Tao, his eyes flashing to the taller man once as he walks into the café. Baekhyun thankfully isn’t holding a meat tenderizer when he walks to Chen and drops a familiar hand on his shoulder, smiling brightly.
“Chen!” Baekhyun says brightly and his smile has a lot of volts. Luhan watches Tao scowl into his espresso. Luhan feels it would probably be safer to watch Tao for any signs of immediate danger as Chen drops into a seat next to Sehun, forcing the younger to scoot slightly. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”
Luhan doesn’t entirely pay attention to conversation. He’s more intent on watching Tao and Chen warily. He listens to their awkward conversation and wonders if he is the only one in the café feeling so goddamn uncomfortable. Probably, considering Jongin and Yixing are oblivious as rabbits.
Then Tao asks for alcohol and Luhan just stares. Because Tao never drinks. At least not really. Luhan knows this because he’s tried on multiple occasion, mostly when he is drunk himself because he’d never try to coax Tao to do anything sober. Every time he is met with a wall of refusal.
Luhan isn’t entirely sure what happens, but suddenly Chen and Tao are gone, Chen practically scampering after the designer when Tao makes to leave dramatically and with a lot of attitude and Luhan is left staring at Baekhyun and Sehun (who seems really interested in his bubble tea) while Jongin and Yixing meld into each other and stare at the door.
“Am I the only one who thought that was fucking weird?” Sehun finally says and Luhan could hug him.
“I found it entertaining,” Baekhyun says, smiling slightly. “It’s nice not to be the one everyone comes to for their horrifically dramatic issues for once.”
“You make it seem like it’s such a burden,” Jongin says, and pouts at Baekhyun while Yixing nuzzles into the side of his neck. Jongin barely flinches, instead pressing back and a smile spreads over Yixing’s face. Luhan has to look away because he may vomit. He ends up looking at Sehun.
Who is looking at him.
Sehun looks away really fast and Luhan wonders if maybe he has whiplash.
“You and Chanyeol are the epitome of burden,” Baekhyun says and Sehun snorts.
“You are Chanyeol’s best friend,” Sehun says, grinning at Baekhyun.
“He’s still a burden,” Baekhyun grumbles, eyes flitting around the café meticulously. They’re sitting in the front area, where most of the open seating is. Luhan really does have to give Baekhyun credit. His café is incredible. Aside from where they are, the room sprawls back, expanding out into cubbies and corners and areas where various other customers are scattered. The ceiling is high with beams and wires running throughout, blankets and other such fort-aiding equipment easily accessible.
A couple in the back is systematically putting milk foam on each other’s noses and Luhan finds it annoying as much as he finds it adorable.
“You’re such a dramatic,” Yixing says as Jongin runs fingers through his hair.
“I’m just amazing that way,” Baekhyun says, before turning to a girl as she approaches the counter and smiling warmly at her. “What can I get you, sweetheart?” He flashes a brilliant smile at her and she blushes profusely.
Luhan watches as Sehun rolls his eyes. Finally, Sehun turns to Luhan, and for once it seems intentional.
“Don’t mind Baekhyun,” Sehun says and leans over the table slightly. “He loves us all much more than he’d ever like to admit.”
“You all seem to know him pretty well,” Luhan observes, his eyes flashing to Jongin, who is now preoccupied.
“Well, I work with Jongin at Planet Records, and we both work under Chanyeol,” Sehun explains, his hands fidgeting with his bubble tea. “And Chanyeol- do you know Chanyeol?”
“I know he’s dating my CEO,” Luhan says by way of explanation and Sehun’s eyes widen slightly. They’re very nice eyes. “But not personally, no.”
“Oh, well,” Sehun coughs slightly. “Chanyeol drags everyone he knows here because he and Baekhyun are basically soul mates. It just kind of became the place everyone goes.” He pauses and purses his lips. “Well, everyone except Suho.”
“That man could afford to lie down in a fort,” Baekhyun says from behind the counter and Sehun looks over at him. “Maybe then he’d stop smiling all the time like it’s painful and actually relax.”
“I don’t think Suho knows how to relax,” Sehun says before sucking a tapioca ball up the straw. “I think he forgot when he started Planet Records with Yeollie.”
“I always forget you know Suho so well,” Baekhyun says, handing the girl her drinks with a smile and wink that has her blushing again.
“Only because of hyung,” Sehun mumbles into his tea and Baekhyun rolls his eyes.
“Honestly, your brother has a name,” Baekhyun says, looking exasperated but there is a definite warmth beneath his eyes.
“No, he doesn’t,” Sehun retorts, glowering at the table. “Hyung’s lose their name status when they abandon you for their girlfriend.”
“Sehun! You’re being a child again!” Jongin yells from his fort of Yixing and blankets. “Why don’t you just find a new roommate?”
Sehun swallows and Baekhyun looks villainous. “Yes!” Baekhyun chirps, practically skipping around the bar counter to plop in the seat Tao vacated next to Luhan and swinging an arm around the head secretary, who jolts slightly at the contact. “Luhan seems to be in need of a place to stay.” He turns that brilliant smile on Luhan as Sehun’s mouth drops open.
Oh.
Oh.
‘Oh’ forms Luhan’s mouth as realization hits him in the face and he jerks back slightly, hands up in front of him in a clear ‘please no more cake’ gesture. Except he’s not refusing cake. He would never refuse cake. That’s just crazy. “No, no, don't be absurd,” Luhan says, laughing slightly and it sounds a bit hysterical.
“What? What’s so absurd about moving in with Sehun?” Baekhyun asks lightly, and he definitely has a very villainous glint in his eyes.
“Well, firstly, I’d have to be okay with the idea,” Sehun says and Luhan’s eyes flash to him. Sehun seems to realize what he’s said and snaps his mouth closed, a faint tint creeping over his features as he looks back at Luhan.
Baekhyun scowls at Sehun. “You are a heartless person,” he snaps and drags Luhan into his side forcefully, making the other grunt slightly and feel horrifically uncomfortable. “How dare you. Apologize now and tell Luhan to move in with you.”
“Um, sorry but-“ Luhan talking apparently isn’t acceptable.
“I just met him!” Sehun says, looking between Baekhyun and Luhan frantically. Jongin snorts in the corner and the sound is muffled as Yixing presses his hand over his mouth.
“So, it’ll be like college!” Baekhyun says, grinning widely. “Freshman roommates and fun times!”
Luhan thinks that he could kill Baekhyun if the smaller man didn’t have him smushed against his side. “I already went to college,” Luhan says, trying to squirm out of the hold Baekhyun has him in. Baekhyun, as it turns out, is incredibly strong despite his slight size and figure. “I don’t really-“
“I’m in college now!” Sehun snaps and Luhan stares at him. 'Wow, unexpected age revelations' is all that passes through his brain and he’s pretty sure his eyes are mostly large.
“Well, there then!” Baekhyun says, looking triumphant and throwing his arms up. Luhan, grabbing the opportunity, pulls away as fast as he can and sits firmly in his chair, hands gripping the table in front of him harshly. “It’s perfect!”
“Baekhyun-“ Sehun starts to say but Luhan interrupts him.
“That’s very nice of you but I’m really okay thank you!” Luhan says very loudly and stretches his mouth in an impossibly wide grin and tries to shake off the really awkward feeling that has crept into his skin as Baekhyun and Sehun both turn to him with wide eyes. He continues to smile and feels like a crazy person.
“Dude, I think you broke Luhan,” Jongin stage whispers from his fort and Sehun shoots him a frown.
Luhan shakes himself slightly. Professional Luhan is really uncomfortable. Real Luhan is probably brain dead somewhere. He really needs to sleep tonight. “No,” he says, rearranging his smile so it’s less like a crazed clown. “Honestly, it’s fine. I can get a place on my own.” He smiles at Baekhyun and Sehun. Sehun’s face is frowning slightly. “Though it was nice of you to offer up Sehun’s place for him,” he adds to Baekhyun, who grins.
“I’m the best for a reason,” Baekhyun says and his eyes flash around his café briefly before he gets up and heads back to the counter, passing by the drinks self-service area and picking at a few things.
Luhan looks at Sehun. Sehun looks back and appears awkward.
“Sorry,” Sehun and Luhan blurt out at the same time and then stare at each other. Luhan coughs after a moment and Sehun’s tongue slides out to wet his lips.
Luhan decides to try again. “Sorry for saying no so strongly, but-“
“It’s fine!” Sehun says, cutting him off and smiling widely. His eyes all but disappear as perfectly straight small teeth flash at him and Luhan just stares at him. He looks young and alive and adorable and Luhan wonders when he got so old and boring. “Really, I’m sorry for not actually offering up my place, it’s just…” He trails off.
“I just met you,” Luhan finishes for him and Sehun gives a nervous chuckle.
“If I’d just met you and had an open apartment space, I’d ask you to live with me,” Baekhyun says at the counter and Sehun’s eye twitches slightly as he looks at the shorter man. Baekhyun grins at him and Luhan wonders just how close those two are. He also ignores the suggestive note in Baekhyun’s tone. Because no.
“Baekhyun, are you being suggestive?!” Jongin says, scrambling upright and Yixing lets out a groan.
“Go back to your snuggles, child,” Baekhyun tells Jongin and the tan boy frowns at him, shoulders slumping slightly. Luhan wonders where Kai went and how Jongin has never shown up on his radar before.
“Stop sounding like Tao,” Jongin grumbles. “It’s creepy.”
“I am not Tao,” Baekhyun says, and he seems to muse for a moment. “Though he certainly is an interesting character.”
“Think he and Chen will make up and finally actually date?” Sehun asks and Luhan stares. Didn’t Sehun just meet Tao?
“You are creepy when you’re observant,” Jongin tells the other and Sehun shrugs. “Honestly, it’s like some sort of weird quirk of yours.”
“I’d like to think it’s useful,” Sehun says and his eyes flash to Luhan again. Sehun smiles a small smile and Luhan finds his own mouth turning up brightly at the other.
The next week, as Luhan is drowning in work for 2NE1 and Tao actually smiles around the design levels (which sends Eunhyuk into a panic attack when he first encounters him) his phone rings and Luhan takes two deep breaths before picking it up.
“Hello?” Luhan says, and his voice is professional even as he cracks slightly at the seams.
“Hello, is this Luhan?” says an unfamiliar voice on the other line.
“Speaking,” Luhan says and frowns as Nemo and Marvin swim in opposite directions on his screen.
“Hi, this is Yoochun. I think that you called and left a message about being interested in an apartment last week?” the voice on the other end of the phone says and Luhan’s suddenly very rapt with attention.
“Yes, that would be me,” Luhan says and sits up just a bit straighter, phone cradled to his ear with one hand as he scrambles for a pen and paper with the other.
“Well, we just had someone move out this week, kind of sudden like, and I had your name so I thought I’d let you know if you want to swing by and take a look-“
“Yes! “ Luhan blurts out and then bites his lip, trying to keep from exploding because finally something may be going right. There is silence on the other end. “Sorry,” Luhan says quickly, and fiddles with the pen in his hand. “When would be a good time for me to come over and check out the apartment?”
“Well, if you are free today, I could let you in after work or something,” Yoochun says and Luhan can detect an amused note in his voice. “I mean, it can wait until the weekend if you’re busy but…” He trails off.
“I can come by today,” Luhan says and tries not to let the words rush. “Where are you located?”
Yoochun tells Luhan the address and there is a definite glint of amusement in his voice as he speaks, as if he can tell Luhan is a bit desperate and finds it exceedingly amusing.
At six pm, Luhan ignores Kris and his startled expression as he sprints from the office with a rushed “I never leave early, shut up!" He takes a cab to the apartment building and is pleased to see that it is actually in the neighborhood he had been hoping for. Clean, pleasant, and relatively friendly. Though he will miss being neighbors with Yixing and crashing the other man’s apartment when he’s too lazy to cook for himself.
Luhan blinks rapidly in the brilliant afternoon sunlight and the man walking out of the brick apartment building, raises an eyebrow at him, flashing an amused grin. “Hey, you must be Luhan.”
It’s not a question. This must be Yoochun.
Luhan smiles, bright and feels like this is genuine. “I am, indeed.”
Yoochun’s eyes shrink as his smile increases. “Awesome,” he says and sticks his hands really forcefully into his pockets as he rocks on his feet. Luhan wonders if he ever combs his hair. “Want to see the place?”
“Please,” Luhan says, and makes an ‘after you’ gesture with the hand not gripping his briefcase tightly.
The apartment is nice. Clean, large enough, and most of the amenities are new and of good quality. Luhan takes it all in with rising hope in his chest and, after a good almost hour of poking about and shooting questions at Yoochun as he walks around the unit carefully, he finally settles in the kitchen, leaning over the gas stove and clicking it on and off.
Yoochun seems amused. Either that or extremely high. “So, do you like it?” he asks, and Luhan jerks away from the stove.
“Yeah, I do,” Luhan admits, looking around and smiling at the unit. It is definitely a change from his previous place but Luhan figures that’s probably a good thing. “You said rent was close to three thousand a month, right?”
“Not including utilities and other fees, yeah,” Yoochun says and smiles sideways. “Are you interested?”
Luhan grins widely, feeling lighter than he has in almost a month. “When can I move in?”
Luhan, with Minseok and Yixing’s help, moves in that very weekend. Moving in mostly consists of Minseok and Luhan arguing a lot over Luhan’s furniture choices (“Who has a chaise?” “It’s antique!” “It’s a chaise!” “You think ottomans are couches!”) while Yixing grins in amusement from where he’s sprawled on the couch. Luhan allows this. He does not, however, allow Yixing to sprawl on his bed when they move it in.
“Off,” Luhan says sternly, literally kicking Yixing off his bed as the other man lets out a series of undignified grunts before finally being propelled off the edge of the bed. “No one on the bed except me.”
“What is it with you and your bed, geeze,” Yixing grumbles while Minseok watches, entertained. “It’s not your wife or something.”
“I’d like you to know Beatrice is very offended right now,” Luhan says, patting his Queen sized bed and giving Yixing a pointed look.
Yixing gives him a very patronizing look. “You named your bed?”
“I remember you naming your penis once,” Luhan says and Yixing flushes bright red as Luhan grins in triumph.
“I’m glad I don’t know these stories,” Minseok says, though he is grinning. “I prefer to remain unscarred.”
Luhan and Yixing beat him with pillows.
Yixing goes home first, grinning like an idiot as he rushed from the apartment, explaining briefly that he’s got to meet Jongin for something or other. Luhan doesn’t entirely pay attention. Judging from the grin on Yixing’s face, it is something the two will enjoy immensely and Luhan would probably not like to hear about. Minseok stays and orders them a pizza, which they eat on the floor despite the fact that they moved the table into the living area around 4:30.
Minseok tells him it’s a christening.
Luhan says they need alcohol for a christening.
Minseok says he expects too much. Luhan smiles with his mouth full of cheese.
When Minseok leaves, Luhan cleans up. Somehow, and he’s never really been able to figure out why, when you move into a new place you always manage to accumulate a ridiculous amount of first day trash. In this case, a giant bag of papers, used paper towels, the pizza box and a few other random things they had found lying around the apartment.
Luhan doesn’t entirely mind though. At least he has a place to live now.
Humming softly to himself, Luhan hops down the stairs of the apartment complex, garbage and recyclables in his hands as he makes for the trash bins by the side of the street. He doesn’t really look around. It’s night anyway, and he’s always preferred looking at things in the sunlight, the brightness of day keeping things bright in his mind.
Still humming, Luhan lifts the lid off of one of the bins and is about to throw the bag in his hand into the dark recesses of the container when a voice says just to his left “That’s for glass, not trash” and he nearly drops everything. Instead, he keeps some of his composure and spins to the potential assailant, eyes wide as he tries to make out the figure in the dark.
It’s a really familiar figure and it takes Luhan approximately 1.7 seconds before his mind clicks and supplies him with a name. “Sehun?”
The tall boy blinks at him, dark eyebrows furrowing for a moment before suddenly shooting up, his almond eyes widening significantly as he takes a small step back. “Oh, hi!” Sehun says, grinning and laughing slightly. Luhan also grins and doesn’t entirely know why. “Sorry, I didn’t recognize you for a second. It’s Luhan, right?”
Luhan’s smile sinks further into his face as he nods. “Yeah, I met you at RumbleMuffins when Jongin decided to initiate ‘Mission Cheer Up Tao’ or whatever it was. “
“Right,” Sehun says, still smiling before he seems to remember something and his forehead creases. “So, what are you doing here?”
Luhan glances up at his new apartment complex. “I just moved in,” Luhan says, turning back to Sehun and he’s still smiling as Sehun’s face looks slightly surprised.
“Really?” Sehun says, looking up at the apartment complex as well, mouth open slightly. “Wow, that’s great!” And he beams at Luhan and there’s so much light around him Luhan blinks repeatedly. “It looks like your apartment hunting is finally at and end then. Congratulations.”
Luhan smiles a warm genuine smile. Real Luhan smiles a real smile. “Thanks,” he says, and means it. “So, got and tips for the new guy on the block?”
“Well, firstly,” Sehun says and steps closer, Luhan’s eyes widening slightly as the other moves towards him. Sehun takes the garbage bag Luhan is holding with a curious look. “Trash doesn’t got in the glass bin. It goes in the yellow bin at the end.”
“That's helpful to know,” Luhan says and cranes to look over behind him towards the bin mentioned. “I’ll try to remember that. Anything else?”
“Yeah, don’t ever go to the Chinese place across the street,” Sehun says, and gestures towards the establishment glowing with eerie red lights, the sign flickering slightly. “I’m pretty sure they catch stray cats and cook them instead of chicken. Yoochun has started rescuing all the strays lately and hoarding them in his place.” Sehun pauses. “Yeah, also, don’t ever try to visit Yoochun aside from legitimate apartment reasons. He’s a little unique.”
Luhan suddenly feels an unexpected jolt in his stomach. “Wait, do you live here too?” he asks, and Sehun eyes crease in a smile.
“I live a few buildings down, actually,” Sehun says, and points down the lamp-lit street vaguely to indicate the direction of his home. “But everyone knows Yoochun. He’s just everywhere.” He flashes Luhan another smile and Luhan feels his pulse quicken. “This is kind of weird,” Sehun continues, running a hand through his hair and laughing, his tongue sticking out of his mouth slightly and Luhan can’t help but stare.
“Well, we are talking next to trash cans,” Luhan points out and finds himself grinning as Sehun laughs again.
“True,” Sehun says. “But I was more referring to you suddenly being here in general. I feel like I should do something to welcome you to the neighborhood or something.”
Luhan’s eyebrows raise. “Welcome me to the neighborhood?” he repeats and Sehun shrugs.
“You know, it’s what nice neighbors do,” Sehun says and Luhan thinks back to when he moved into his last apartment. He had tried to greet his neighbors. He distinctly remembers Taecyeon and WooYoung slamming the door in his face. Nice neighbors are an interesting concept.
“You could make me a cake,” Luhan says, suddenly grinning widely as he moves to drop his garbage in the proper bins, thanks to Sehun’s guidance. “No one dislikes cake. Unless, perhaps, they have no soul.”
Sehun is frowning slightly and Luhan briefly wonders if he’s said something wrong before the other says, “I’m no good at making cakes. What about a fruit basket? Fruit is good.”
And Luhan is laughing. Actually laughing and Sehun is grinning and shoving him lightly on the shoulder and Luhan doesn’t protest because he’s too amused to care.
“Hey, you just wait,” Sehun says, voice laughing and eyes disappearing into crescents. “It’ll be the best damn welcome basket of fruit you’ve ever seen in your entire life.” Luhan just bursts out laughing again, shoving the pizza box in and among the cardboard. “You will feel so welcome you won’t know what to do with yourself.”
“Okay, okay,” Luhan says, finally calming his laughter enough to look at Sehun and just smile. “You give me that fruit basket then and I’ll be officially welcomed to the neighborhood. Sound good, Sehun?”
Sehun smiles and it’s cute, somehow significantly softening those dark and intense eyebrows Luhan had first noticed. They chat for a few more minutes before Luhan bids Sehun goodnight, feeling some of the exhaustion from moving all day settling into his bones and he gives a small wave to Sehun as he climbs the steps of his building. Sehun waves back and is smiling. He seems to glow in the darkness.
Luhan spends Sunday mostly fixing up things around his apartment and putting things into his refrigerator only to take them out again later to put into his stomach. He is not ashamed to say he spent about an hour this morning just lolling about on his bed, wrapped up in blankets and staring at his ceiling, feeling immense relief that he is finally not homeless and sleeping on Minseok’s floor.
On Monday, Luhan opens his door to go to work and luckily looks down before he walks out.
Lucky, because if Luhan hadn’t looked down he would have stepped on something again, though this time it’s far less threatening and a whole lot more surprising and adorable.
On the doorstep sits a very nicely wrapped basket, filled with fruits, a few crackers, a box of tea, and some jam. There is a letter suck in the ribbon and Luhan bends to pick it up, smile on his face as he does so. It just says his name on the envelope, so he opens it and reads the message scrawled inside.
Dear Luhan,
Welcome to the neighborhood! I hope you like it here and that you like your new apartment and feel like this can be your home. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll make something up. ^v ^*
I hope you enjoy the fruit basket. I’m sorry it’s not a cake, but the last time I tried to make a cake I set my moms oven on fire. So you’ll have to be happy with peaches and apples I guess.
See you around!
Sehun.
The letter is signed with a sort of squiggly smiley face in the letters of Sehun’s name and Luhan stares at it, smile almost hurting as it grows impossibly wide and he stares laughing without realizing it. He doesn’t bother checking his watch to see if he’s late as he picks up the basket and brings it back inside, setting it on his dining table and pausing for a moment before dropping the letter in his briefcase.
Over the course of the day, Luhan glances up from his paperwork to his computer, where Sehun’s letter sits just under the power button and Nemo swims by every now and then.
And Luhan smiles a genuine smile.
-