Obvious and Oblivious for everyone 2/3

[feixing]

August blurs into September and October blurs into November, and suddenly, Minseok doesn’t have much time on his hands anymore. Minseok’s soccer practices replace their break meetings. Sehun’s grades drop in his English class, but only slightly, because he keeps forgetting the heading formats.

Sehun doesn’t see Minseok daily, but he still manages to make lunch every Wednesday. They get Chinese food, it’s their thing by now. Sehun shivers at the thought of them having a thing.

"So there’s the twelve of us right?” Jongdae asks to confirm, taking the cases of beer out of his car trunk.

There are only eight people at the house right now, so Sehun shoots Lu Han a glare. He hadn’t told him that there would be this many people. Sehun thinks about bolting it, but Lu han’s hand on his shoulder calms him down.

"Joonmyeon will be here,” Lu Han reassures him. "You know everyone who’s going to be here so it’ll be okay.”

Sehun didn’t even know that he knows eleven people.

"Oh,” this time, Lu Han says it distantly, as if he’s just remembered something. "Minseok will be here too.”

"...okay,” Sehun shifts, trying to act casual. The idea that he’s so blatant about his feelings makes him nervous, a little uncomfortable.

Minseok tends to glue himself to people’s sides often; as soon as Yixing and Minseok arrive, Minseok makes his way to Lu Han and Sehun. Lu Han asks him how the soccer practices are going, and immediately Minseok’s attached to Lu Han at the hip.

When Sehun really thinks about it, he knows it’s odd-this thing with Minseok, which really isn’t a thing in the first place, just like with the thing with Joonmyeon. He’s oddly jealous of any interaction the boy has with any other person, which hadn’t been the case with Joonmyeon. He often stops himself from thinking about Minseok sexually but-well Sehun can’t really deny it when Minseok has that foam on his lips from that latte the other day and Sehun really wanted to lick it off his lips, among other places.

It's getting too much out of hand, Sehun realizes. He already knew that his feelings for Minseok were growing, but he's been too reluctant and infatuated from stopping them from going further. Wanting Minseok to touch his dick and wanting Minseok to go on dates with him are two different matters, and Sehun's terrified to admit that he wants both. Honestly, Sehun can make ways with the whole unrequited, friend zone thing. He's done it before, albeit not very well, but nevertheless he’s never been actually jealous like this. Before, when Joonmyeon would be with other people, Sehun would just accept it as a part of the whole ‘I’m-just-not-likable-thing’ that he assumed was reason for him to be rejected.

Sehun knows what he's like; he's a brat to his hyungs, and Minseok, in some way, must also think that because Sehun simply can't help it when it comes to older brothers. Sehun has this awful lisp that comes out when he's nervous, and that is often around Minseok. He's one of those mediocre kids, the ones who never stand out-and really, he must be nothing compared to the rest of his group of friends. Nothing, compared to Joonmyeon's intelligence, Lu Han's personality, Jongdae's voice. Surely he knows what kind of worth he has to the world-nearly none-and he's honestly pretty fine at the moment, as long as he's got a place in Minseok's life. That idea, though, that he does want to be special to someone, is scary.

Sehun snaps out of his thoughts when a can of beer is shoved under his nose via Jongdae, impatient to hand them out.

Sehun grins carelessly, and gulps it down. He winces, hating the taste, but decides to get a little buzzed, but not so much that he's too shit-faced to walk home by himself (that will actually be Yixing). Sehun's a lot more touchy when a drink's in his system, and he ends up hanging quite literally onto Joonmyeon's shoulder, slobbering on him.

Minseok's frown is directed at Sehun's touching, but Sehun doesn't notice much.

Half-way through the semester, Sehun’s incredibly tired. He’s almost caught up on his school-work, but as soon as he finishes one assignment, a different professor assigns another. It makes Sehun growl in frustration late at night, in his apartment. When spring break comes, Sehun locks himself in his room. He feels incredibly lonely, jealous of his his friends who go back home on breaks. The only comfort he lets himself, though, is his texts.

Lu Han
›› do u want me to buy another for u?
›› *anything
‹‹ gimme the candies you got last time :D

He gets another text a few minutes later.

Minseok
›› you done with the essay yet? I havent seen you all week and I have a coupon for that new viet restaurant!
‹‹ uh gimme a few hours ^^

Sehun really is almost done with the paper he’s currently working on, finally making the rest of the corrections on his final draft. He amps up his work pace and is done in the next hour.

Minseok
‹‹ I’m done :D you wanna go today? its dinner time~
›› yup, i’ll pick you up in 20 minutes

Much to Sehun’s amusement, the Vietnamese restaurant is called UnPhoGettable. The waiter leads them to a table for two and sets down a the menus. Minseok asks if he’s ever had Pho before and completely blanches with Sehun shakes his head no. Minseok’s mirroring grin and bark of laughter gets Sehun’s heart pumping, realizing that this is yet another one of his supposed dinner dates that aren’t really dates. It’s nice though, to be out of the house and away from studying. Minseok’s laughter is addictive and it distracts him from his homework perfectly.

"You are totally getting the beef Pho, then!” Minseok grins, and Sehun knows that he can’t possibly bring himself to say no. Plus, it sounds good. He loves the smell of the restaurant, the Vietnamese spices different than what he is used to. "Lets get a small for you, the portions at these restaurants are pretty big.”

Sehun almost protests, but then a waiter comes by with the entree’s for the table next to them. Minseok points, "That one’s the small.” Sehun’s eyes widen before nodding at Minseok, consenting for the small order of Vietnamese noodles.

As the restaurants prepare their orders, Sehun finds himself with a plenty of things to talk about. He talks of the paper he’s writing, which is for a class that’s required for his major. Minseok seems pretty interested, judging by his iddle fingers drumming on the table. Sehun’s gotten used to it, deeming it as background noise for whenever Minseok is around.

Minseok reveals that the soccer season is starting and asks him to come to a few of his games. Sehun accepts graciously, incredibly enthusiastic.

The waiter for their table finally comes by with the tray; Sehun’s already amused by how balanced the guy is (he surely would drop the bowls). Sehun’s impressed by the size of his order; it’s bigger than his head.

Minseok only grins from across the table at him before he starts to dig in, loudly praising the cooks.

Sehun’s chopsticks dip into the soup, pushing the beef down and separating the noodles just as Minseok tells him to. He watches in wonder as the beef start to turn a light brown. As promised, the Pho tastes delicious. The boys eat their bowls without words, mostly because they can’t bring themselves to say anything other than let out groans of satisfaction.

"Was it delicious or not?” Minseok asks as he rubs both hands over his tummy, his cheeks pink from the hot noodle soup. Sehun grins back at him, satisfied. He feels a little lightheaded from the big meal and the heat. He feels like falling asleep.

"Very,” he says. The happy smile on Minseok’s cheeks make him feel even warmer.

As the university starts a new semester, Sehun decides that the class he thought he’d like wasn’t as interesting as he’d thought. He drops the class and looks through the list of classes his adviser hands him.

ENG 191: The N-Word
It shows up in childhood rhymes and ditties, in minstrel songs and commercial advertisements. It is euphemized, buried in mock funerals, and bleeped from video and audio public broadcast. Responding to one critic’s change "to create a word described as ‘easily the most inflammatory, shocking, and historic word in the English language.’” Our examination will consider the word’s "continually shifting use” through the discourse of race relations.

Sehun merely blinks at it before moving on.

AFR: 191: Africa’s Diasporas and Transformations
This course will expose students to a general overview of the continent of Africa and its variegated Diasporas. To do this, Africa’s historical currents of dispersions, both forced and voluntary, will be examined. The transformations caused by Africa’s dispersed Diasporas, both inside and outside of Africa, will be subsequently explored.

Sehun has absolutely no idea what ‘diasporas’ are.

HST 191: Deep History of Food
The "Deep History of Food” course will cover topics ranging from wild foods to domesticated ones to the modern modifications of food products. Students will learn how the history of food has impacted our global food choices. Topics will include the food eaten by early hunters and gatherers, the domestication of wild plants and animals, fermented foods and drinks, ritual foods, and the ethics of food.

Since Sehun likes food, Sehun chooses the latter.

When Sehun enters the classroom, which is in one of the older buildings of the campus, his hair is messy and ruffled from the gust of wind outside. He frowns fiercely, setting his books down on one of the desks and pats his hair down, hoping that it looks at least acceptable.

When he bends down to get his books again, he feels a hand snake up to ruffle Sehun’s hair up once again. His eyes narrow, about to snap at the person when he realizes that it’s Minseok.

"Hyung-Don’t do that.” He fixes his hair; it’s even messier than usual.

Minseok laughs, "Sorry. You’re in here too? Good, sit next to me!” He shuffles over and moves Sehun’s books swiftly, before Sehun can even manage a ‘yes.’

Class, as expected, ends up being complete torture.

Not only does Minseok smell nice, he’s also really touchy, and he smiles way too often and makes Sehun’s toes curl in his shoes as his breath ghosts over his skin when he’s checking if they’re on the same page of their book.

It’s only normal that Sehun comes home frustrated in more ways than one. He’d be embarrassed but, honestly, as he unbuckles his belt and plops onto his bed, Minseok’s smell hanging around him like perfume, he can’t really bring himself to care.

His hand’s already reaching down towards his thighs, and he’s surprised because at this point, he should still be in foreplay mode, or as much as ‘foreplay’ could be when he’s by himself. Still, his hand reaches down to cup his cock, and he gasps, surprised even though he’s done this many, many times before.

His breath comes out sharp, eyes squeezed shut. He pictures girls, guys-that hot guy down the street-and fuck, speaking of hot guys down the street, copper hair and bright eyes come to mind. He sighs harshly, trying to push the images out of his mind but it doesn’t work. He finds that instead he’s actually now picturing nimble fingers unzipping his fly, slipping Sehun’s pants down with force. Sehun does this, his pants bunching around his knees. His eyes slip open slightly and his vision is blurry but he can still spot the tent in his briefs. Sehun lets his fingers glide over the place where the tip of his cock would be under the underwear and feels the wet spot.

At this point, Sehun slips his hand under the elastic of the underwear, pulling it down to rest against where his pants are; his cock is most definitely hard, and Sehun groans at the contact between his dick and his hand.

"M-Minseok...” He whimpers when he pictures Minseok’s hands on him; they’re a little small, so Minseok uses both hands, holding his cock gently at first. Before Sehun can stop himself, he imagines Minseok’s little, pink mouth. Minseok bends down, his lips close to Sehun’s dick, before wrapping around it. Sehun’s breath stutters, closing his hands around his dick. Minseok, in his mind, still has all of his clothes on-and fuck, that’s kind of hot-though Sehun would give anything to take them off.

Sehun’s hands work faster as he goes on until he finally feels it-the inevitable climax, when he imagines Minseok’s hands would grip tightly at his hips, scratching lightly with his blunt nails.

When Sehun comes, he groans Minseok’s name; he can just see Minseok swallowing it down. He can see Minseok gently palming his cock, licking the come off until he’s clean.

It’s a Tuesday-not a day that Sehun usually bumps into Minseok, and that’s a good thing because he’s still quite shaken up about yesterday night.

Of the entire time Sehun had been crushing on Joonmyeon, he had never imagined Joonmyeon...touching him. The thought makes him blush, embarrassed and a little horrified.

Sehun is even more horrified when Joonmyeon saunters up to him during lunch and sits down. Joonmyeon’s already launched into some monologue about the choir, how Kyungsoo’s been acting weird lately. Sehun thinks its cute, the confusion on his face.

"So...” Joonmyeon’s clearly moving onto a new subject, lips curving into a mischievous smile, "How’s Minseok?”

At the mention of Minseok’s name, Sehun’s head snaps up, "What do you mean?”

Joonmyeon’s smile turns into a grin, "You know,” he nudges Sehun from across the table, "Have you gotten anywhere with him yet?”

Sehun feigns confusion, dreading the idea that Joonmyeon can already tell that he has feelings for Minseok, especially when he himself could not realize Sehun’s feelings for Joonmyeon in the first place. "What do you-We went places, to restaurants and stuff, if that’s what you mean. That’s what friends do.”

The grin on Joonmyeon’s face grows bigger, "You know what I mean-your little crush on Minseok.”

Sehun can’t really say he’s surprised by the response, given the amount of hints he’s been given since the beginning of the meal. He presses his hands to his face until he is sure that there will be an imprint of red.

Joonmyeon absolutely beams. "It’s not hard to tell-in fact, everyone pretty much knows. It’s just like when you had a crush on me.”

Now that is the bombshell-it shocks Sehun to the core, face turning beet red; he’s pretty sure that he’s never been this embarrassed, angry, horrified before. "You-you knew.” It’s not a question.

At the response, Joonmyeon turns solemn. "I did.”

"And you didn’t tell me?”

Joonmyeon leans back on his chair, "Sehunnie-" He stops himself when he faces Sehun’s glare. "Sehun ah, you were like my little brother. I didn’t realize until it was too late, and I tried to tell you-"

Sehun almost leaps out of the chair but Joonmyeon goes on, "-I tried to tell you, Sehun ah, I did. You never listened. And I wasn’t-”

"You weren’t supposed to know,” Sehun groans into his hands, more embarrassed than anything else.

Joonmyeon pats Sehun’s shoulder. "I know,” he sighs. "But you know, I don’t think Minseok knows.”

Sehun’s hands remain on his face, so his next words are muffled and quiet. "He doesn’t?”

"I don’t think so; if he did, he would’ve made a move by now.”

"Made a...move?”

Joonmyeon nods, "Yeah. He seems pretty into you, too. I don’t think he’s the type to confess or anything so you should probably...” He trails off when he realizes who he’s talking to. Oh Sehun, the boy who has trouble looking into anybody’s eyes, especially when in a crush. (Joonmyeon had had the hardest time trying to get their eyes to meet when they had first met.) Oh Sehun, confessing-disaster.

"I should probably what...?”

"I was going to say tell him, but-"

"What!” Sehun yelps, "Hyung! I don’t! What are you! I couldn’t-"

"I know, that’s why I didn’t finish my sentence,” Joonmyeon sighs.

Sehun starts to whine, "When I was in high school, it was girls that always came to me. I am an expert in rejection! Who-wha-" He continues to make unintelligible words.

Joonmyeon runs his hands through his hair, exasperated, "Sehun, he’s either not interested or he’s just as oblivious as you, so you better figure out which one you think it is.”

"I don’t-"

Frazzled, Joonmyeon gets off his seat, making his way towards Sehun. He grabs Sehun’s shoulders, not roughly but enough to gain his attention, and says right into his face, "You are going to go over to his apartment with some Chinese food, and tell him that you like him, okay. Hyung’s orders.”

Sehun is quiet.

The next day, Sehun is on the step of Minseok’s apartment, Chinese food in hand. He doesn’t have much to say, really-just expects to shove Minseok the food, say that he likes him, and go into hiding.

Minseok doesn’t let this happen.

Minseok answers the door on the third ring, obviously a little surprised; nevertheless, he pulls Sehun into his apartment, despite how Sehun refuses, flustered. He notices the Chinese food in his hand immediately and takes it from him, settling Sehun on the couch.

"Wanna watch a movie? Or did you come here with something specific in mind?” Minseok asks.

Sehun shuffles, "Well, kind of...”

"Then what is it?”

"Um I-" Sehun’s eyes look anywhere but him. He chickens out, which is to be expected. "Um, nevermind. We can just...movie.”

Minseok blinks at him, amused. "Sure, then! What do you wanna watch?”

The older boy lets Sehun browse through the collection of movies he has. Sehun’s in awe of the amount of Disney movies, and Minseok blushes a little at that. He’s flipping through them-The Lion King,Aladdin,Dumbo,Cinderella,Bambi,Pinocchio,Mulan-

"Mulan!”

Minseok giggles at how enthusiastic Sehun is. "Yeah, okay,” he agrees, and puts the DVD in.

Sehun hasn’t watched Mulan in a long time so his excitement shows. The two boys settle down on the couch, next to each other with popcorn in hand. Sehun watches in amusement as Minseok sings along to "I’ll Make a Man Out of You,” noting that he has a nice singing voice. Minseok is flustered when Sehun tells him.

As the movie drags on, and it gets later and later, their excitement dies down a bit.

Sehun notices that Minseok’s eyes are drooping again, the tell-tale signs of the boy starting to fall asleep-Minseok yawns very cutely, distracting Sehun from his thoughts.

Would it be so bad if Minseok fell asleep again? he wonders, and decides, No. Minseok’s yawns get louder and louder, but his apologies become softer, more drowsy. His voice is low and slow.

Minseok’s already in optimum position to rest on Sehun’s shoulder, and Sehun doesn’t move. It’s a little more comfortable on the couch than in the subway.

Minseok’s head begins to bob, and finally, plops onto Sehun’s shoulder. It feels similar to the position months before, only now it’s more comfortable-this is not a stranger, this is Minseok. They are friends.

And it hurts.

Sehun’s shoulder is warm from the touch. When Sehun’s sure that Minseok is completely asleep, his eyes drift to Minseok’s face. He stares at Minseok for a few minutes, watching the eyelashes rest on his cheek, occasionally fluttering when Minseok draws a soft breath.

Minseok is pretty. He has soft cheeks and a strong jaw and perfect, pink lips. Sehun wants to touch him, graze the lobes of his ears, press his finger pads onto Minseok’s cheek, kiss those pretty lips. Minseok is sweet, like those lollipops Sehun likes to suck on, he is chirpy, voice as light as the birds outside, and he is responsible, and really-that balances Sehun out in more ways than one. He’s quite literally the opposite of Sehun, who is often sarcastic and bland and bratty.

Minseok might just be Sehun’s crush, even though they’re supposed to be friends, and he’s sleeping on Sehun’s shoulder without knowing.

When Yixing comes home, he finds his roomate resting on Sehun and quirks an eyebrow at him. Sehun smiles something that is a mixture of awkward, polite, and friendly, and moves to let Minseok lay on the couch. Sehun covers him up and leaves, but not before looking back at the boy and smiling.

part three