THE BOOK OF EXO SHIPS

HUNHAN

Luhan is a cheery, popular student, who's always surrounded by friends. He is well known and loved; everyone wants to know him, to be him. He always has a smile on his face, has the best grades in his year, and is amazing at soccer and basketball. He's shy and nice, he's caring and perfect. Yes, perfect is just the right word to describe him. He is the Prince. If anything, he's also childish and maybe even girly sometimes too. Little Lu and Princess Lulu aren't uncommon nicknames for him. His newly-dyed bubblegum pink hair even works on him, and no one said otherwise since just about anything looked good on him. And he is in his last year of high school.  Yes, this childish kid is a senior. 

See, Luhan has a secret.

Oh Sehun is known as the Ice Prince. The Cold Prince. His dashing looks, shy attitude, and serious stare made it hard to approach him. He has a best friend, by the name of Huang Zi Tao. Tao and Sehun are very close, but Sehun is the more popular one. Girls love him, he's the center of all their hearts. He captures their attention and reels them in. They adore him. He's good at studies and sports, and has his playful side. His smile is rare, but beautiful. But see, Sehun is only in his sophomore year.

Sehun and Luhan are very distant relatives. Very, very, very, very distant. They surprisingly met each other at a family reunion party a year ago, and recognized each other as students at the same school. They chatted a for a little, but Luhan was doing most of the talking. He was trying to get Sehun to open up to him. And when he finally let out that little laugh, that one little chuckle that Luhan was aiming for, Luhan had broken out in his little kid smile. 

"You laughed!" He had exclaimed, laughing.

"I.." Sehun looked almost embarrassed. "I... I always laugh!"

"Well this is the first time I've made you laugh!" Luhan had patted him on the shoulder. Sehun turned his head, blushing, and muttered something.

At school now, Luhan did see Sehun every once in a while. Except that, after that one family gathering, Luhan earned to see Sehun smile again. Yes, that was Luhan's secret. In this elite school where Luhan was looked up to as something a little more godly than "normal", in truth, he has a massive crush on Oh Sehun, another male student, two years younger than him. And he had the fullest intention to take that secret to the grave.

But it was his graduation day now and he was smiling and laughing with all his friends. But on the inside, he is cringing. Thinking painfull thoughts.

He would not get to see Sehun ever again.

He is leaving this school before Sehun ever will.

He will never get to see his smile again.

His laugh.

He will never get to talk to him again.

But there was one thought even he never expected to think: he would never get to let Sehun know how he felt. This whole time, he had wanted no one -- including Sehun -- to know about his love. But it hurt him to know that Sehun would keep walking through his day to day life without ever realizing that Luhan could only ever look at him. It was a maddening thought. 

Someone gave Luhan a bouquet of flowers, snapping him out of his daze. He smiled politely, bowed, and thanked the person. He could see his parents sitting with the audience, clapping and waving at him. He waves back. He's feels guilty; his parents don't know about him.

He is about to leave. To step out of this room and never return. He walks off the stage, still smiling. He reaches the final step. He takes a breath. He steps down and heads for the door, head hanging low. When he walks by, his fellow classmates ask if he's okay, he just raises his head with a grin, rubs his eye, and claims that he is simply "tired".

But someone steps out in front of him. Someone three centimeters taller him, a perfect poker face, an intense stare. Luhan looks up at the man in front of him but before he can take a look at his face, the man takes his wrist and starts dragging Luhan away. Luhan's friends behind him start shouting "hey! Where are you going!?" but Luhan doesn't stop him. Even from the back, he knows who this is.

His Ice Prince, Oh Sehun.

He drags him out to the empty corridor, and stops. "Luhan," he sighs his name out. Sehun is panting from having finally escaped the crowds. He knows that he will get in trouble later for this. "Luhan. I... I, uh. I realize that you're going to...leave today."

Luhan's expression falls. "Yes. I know."

"And I won't ever be able to see you again."

"What...what are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is...ahh...." Sehun looks irritated for a second, as if he doesn't know what to say.   Then, as if on impulse, he grabs Luhan's tie, part of his school uniform, and pulls his face close.

And kisses him.

"What I'm saying is, hyung. I love you."

Luhan freezes. His first initial reaction is to believe that this is all just a big joke. But his lips are still warm from his first kiss and his tie still in the hands of the man he loves. Then he breaks out in a smile and puts his head down. His head is still hanging, and he still smiling as he hugs Sehun tightly and whispers,

"Sehun, I love you too."