#62 Muggle the Way (To Your Heart)
Sep. 1st, 2016 04:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
exolliarmus
‘Sehun! You surprised me. Hi.’ Yixing Zhang smiles sweetly, catching the sight of the younger student leaning against the wall right next to the entrance to the Hufflepuff Basment. The deeper the dimple on the shorter boy’s right cheek becomes, the more out of breath the Slytherin is - but he would, of course, never admit it out loud. He gets enough teasing for his infatuation as it is.
Sehun straightens out his robe and approaches Yixing bashfully.
‘I was just passing by…’ He trails away, the rest of the words eventually stuck in his throat. Because there is no reason why Sehun Oh, a regular sixth year Slytherin, would be lurking around that particular area at 8.40 o’clock in the morning on a Tuesday.
Yixing doesn’t mind in the slightest, though, seeing how his expression brightens even more, if that’s humanely possibly. Unlike Sehun’s fellow housemate Baekhyun, the seventh year student from Hufflepuff doesn’t possess even an ounce of Veela blood in his veins; yet, he manages to charm Sehun into a state of complete daze all the same. Yixing reaches for the younger’s hand, squeezing it warmly.
‘Ah, you must be here for my cell?’
‘Your..?‘ Sehun repeats dumbly, not fully comprehending the situation beyond the touch of the other’s soft skin in which he just chooses to relish for as long as he is entitled to. He frowns, not understanding what Yixing is talking about.
‘You know, my cell phone? Mobile phone? The communication device that you were so interested in the other day?’ The older fumbles with the folds of his robe before taking out the small object from his pocket and that’s when the Slytherin finally recognises it. ‘I was going to give it to you during lunch, but I guess you must be really impatient, aren’t you? So cute.’ Yixing smiles good naturedly and pinches the younger’s left cheek with his right hand - it feels more like a light caresses, really, although it might just be Sehun’s mind playing tricks on him - before withdrawing his hand and passing the cell to the other boy. ‘Come, walk me to class.’
For Yixing, the whole situation lasts seconds and is promptly forgotten in favour of the friendly, albeit obviously one sided conversation that he prompts right after (‘So how are you today?’) - he makes sure that his bag sits well on his shoulder and leads the way to the classroom. Sehun, however, barely remembers anything that happens once their fingers have interwoven. It feels both amazing and tragic, really – tragic, because Yixing Zhang and Sehun Oh are most definitely not in any sort of romantic relationship, but at the same time amazing, because the latter can just imagine how that would go.
Nonetheless, it is simply in the Hufflepuff’s nature to be friendly and considerate towards everyone, and excessive, amicable skin ship is also nothing out of ordinary. Sehun sighs deeply, but allows himself to be led by the hand with a smile on his lips for just a while longer. Because he is hopelessly in love like that.
‘You are so hopeless, Sehun Oh, that I would start laughing if I weren’t already.’ Jongin throws his bag on the floor carelessly, taking a place across the table from his best friend. It’s still too early for lunch, but both have agreed to meet in the Great Hall to study before their afternoon period. Charms are getting progressively more difficult with each passing year and the last thing that they want is to fall behind with the material. ‘And what on Merlin’s beard are you doing?’
‘This is not the time to be laughing, Jongin, this is serious. I think I broke it! Yixing is going to be here any minute and I broke his-his- this.’ In the moment of desperation, Sehun completely forgets the name of the device that he has spent the past week learning about.
Yixing has generously offered to meet Sehun after the former’s Divination class and further explain the functions of the object. There is only so much that can be done, of course, considering that the device cannot be properly used in Hogwarts, but that’s not what’s important right now. What’s important is that the Hufflepuff lent it to Sehun in good faith, but he will find it in pieces, instead.
‘Oh my God.’ The Slytherin continues lamenting, seeing that the little rectangular disc just won’t go back in to where the boy thinks that it should. ‘Yixing told me to try and open the message that he had placed inside for me to see. I thought he meant that it was literally inside. But I think I’ve misunderstood him. Again.’
Sehun Oh doesn’t often lose his cool, but when he does, it’s always a complete meltdown in the presence of his oldest friend.
‘I can’t believe that you’ve decided to continue taking Muggle Studies. Haven’t you agonised over the subject enough already?’ Jongin asks incredulously, taking a closer look at the mess that the other has created on the table, but he himself has to admit that he has no idea what to do. He’s still amused at the frustration oozing off his usually disturbingly composed friend, though.
‘I’ve already come this far, it would be a waste to throw the knowledge away. I might as well keep doing what I’m good at.’ Sehun shrugs, but he knows that he’s not fooling Jongin Kim. The said boy immediately bursts out laughing.
‘What in the world are you talking about? You? Good at Muggle Studies? Every second of the past three years has been a torture for you - and I, if I might add, due to your constant complaints. Jongin, I hate this. Jongin, I forgot what to do with that. Jongin, I’ll fail this exam so badly.’ The blond teases Sehun with his own high pitched imitation of his friend’s voice.
Sehun sends him an unamused glance.
‘Professor Bae told me that I was doing all right.’ He insists, provoking another fit of laughter from across the table.
‘Please, you had to literally beg her to let you take the class. Have you already forgotten about that pathetic A that you received on your OWLs? You suck at the subject, my friend, but you still insist on taking it. And for what? All for the cute-’ Jongin never gets to finish his sentence, because Sehun interrupts him impatiently.
‘Oh, shut up, Jongin, and help me put this cell phone back together. Yixing’s parents bought it as a gift for his seventeenth birthday. Not even a month has passed and it’s already destroyed due to my carelessness.’
‘Well, if that’s the case, my friend, it certainly won’t help you win his favour. The Yule Ball is coming up and you’re still sitting here, doing nothing about it.’ Jongin remarks, his lips twisting in the familiar expression of sympathy.
‘Easy for you to say.’ Sehun looks away from the disaster in front of him and to his friend. ‘You have a girlfriend. You’ll always have a partner for those things, you don’t even have to try.’
‘Earth to Sehun. I tried, remember? Where were you again, when I was sweating at the sole mention of Soojeong’s name? When I stuttered every time she passed me by?’ The blond gives his best friend a pointed look.
‘It’s different. She’d liked you all along.’ The brunette stubbornly replies.
‘No, the only difference is that I had the guts to do something about my crush. And you should, too.’
‘Yixing probably already has a partner, anyway…’ Sehun mumbles dejectedly. The offensive pieces of the cell phone in his hands remind him of the utter failure that he is. For a brief second he wishes that he had never taken interest in it. In any of it. Maybe then he would have been spared this continuous heartbreak.
But in all honesty, Sehun Oh doesn’t really hate Muggle Studies. Quite on the contrary. He chose the class willingly as an elective in his third year and continued on until OWLs in year five. Since childhood, he’s had what his friend Jongin labelled an abnormal interest in all things Muggle, going as far as picking up random rubbish on the street whenever his parents weren’t watching, and stashing it all in the abandoned barn behind his house. Having never had any real connection with the realm outside of the wizarding world, he had been understandably curious – very curious about the usage of the objects that he had gathered and merely looked at over the years. Muggle Studies had seemed heaven-sent at the time.
Unfortunately, Sehun’s apparent inability to adapt to Muggle life had soon proved to nearly match his eagerness to learn about it. Having interest in something and being able to pass a difficult exam from it turned out to be two completely different matters, and just like Jongin observed, not a day passed when Sehun hadn’t struggled with the subject. After having received their OWL results over the summer, the blond was convinced that his childhood friend had learnt his lesson and would finally drop the troublesome Muggle Studies. He did, after all, nearly fail the module.
However, Jongin has severely underestimated the power of that one spell which has always been more powerful than any magic known to wizards and witches, and which Sehun has been under for more than a year now. The spell that has made him apply for the elective yet again, despite his initial reluctance to continue the class. Jongin has really underestimated the power of love. And since Sehun is hopelessly in love with a Muggle born, there was really no sure way of convincing him that the forthcoming suffering just wasn’t worth it.
‘Jongin, Sehun.’ Sehun visibly stiffens at the voice coming from behind his back. He guesses that the butterflies in his stomach must have made themselves comfortable there, and that it’s probably high time that he himself became accustomed to the tension that he feels whenever Yixing is around.
Too bad that the older student treats everyone with equal friendliness and that the younger Slytherin doesn’t seem to stand a chance.
Sehun’s facial expressions are universally known to be few and very stoic regardless of the emotion that he’s experiencing at the moment, but Jongin isn’t his best friend for nothing. He immediately notices the nervousness that overcomes the brunette seated across from him. By the time Yixing Zhang appears in sight, Sehun is in pieces. Internally, of course. On the outside, he just appears to be subtly trying to cover the mess on the table under the left sleeve of his robe. And he’s failing.
‘Hey.’ Jongin easily replies, sending the older a genuine smile. The Hufflepuff student approaches Jongin and out of habit, pecks him on the temple – a simple act between sibling-like friends - at the sight of which Sehun immediately turns white with envy. He doesn’t have to wait long, however, for Yixing to do the same to him, and that’s when Sehun’s face immediately turns five shades darker. The older looks at him, as if expecting something, but the former refuses to meet his eye, so Yixing gives up with an almost inaudible sigh.
‘What are you up to?’ The eldest asks instead, smiling at them.
‘Nothing much. Studying.’ Jongin replies once Yixing has sat down on Sehun’s right hand side. The Gryffindor knows that he cannot really count on his best friend making small talk – the Slytherin is already quiet enough as it is, but with Yixing around, he turns completely mute.
Jongin really needs to help his best friend, and he needs to help him now.
‘Say, Yixing. Have you already found a partner for the Yule Ball?’ The blond changes the topic of conversation, steering it in a more desirable direction. With the Triwizard Tournament taking place in Hogwarts this year, the Ball is a perfect opportunity for Sehun to finally make his move – for better or for worse.
‘Er, no. Not really.’ A bashful smile makes its way to the Hufflepuff’s lips. ‘I mean, I’ve been asked, but… nobody has caught my fancy yet, I guess.’
Yixing doesn’t add that he has been asked out an awful lot, but it goes without saying.
It’s actually really, really, really hard not to like Yixing and Jongin completely understands how Sehun has fallen for him - just like many before his friend, mind you. But seeing how the same many were actually rejected by the older student, it proves to be a bit tricky to try and encourage Sehun to just go for it. Yixing isn’t cruel, oh no; on the contrary, he usually rejects his suitors in the gentlest way possible. But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t still going to hurt like a punch to the eye and that Jongin won’t have to spend long weeks, coaxing his best friend out of his shell again.
If there is one thing that anyone should know about Yixing Zhang, though, is that he certainly deserves all the affection that he is the recipient of. Jongin personally doesn’t know of a person that would harbour ill feelings towards the Hufflepuff and if he ever did learn about such a student, he would probably fight them to death about it. Yixing is Jongin’s older brother Junmyeon’s best friend – the two have been close since year one, when Junmyeon kindly helped the clueless Muggle born Hufflepuff with the other’s Owl post problems - and seeing how Sehun has always lingered around the Kim brothers, it was inevitable that the four of them establish a truly brotherly relationship. Yixing still treats both of the younger boys as his blood siblings, but that’s exactly the problem.
Sehun’s been seriously in love with him for the past thirteen months and no matter what he does, he cannot seem to stop the affection. It’s actually pretty sad to watch. Well, sometimes it’s also funny, depending on Jongin’s mood. But mostly pretty sad.
‘The lunch is about to be served. Stay with us?’ The younger Kim prompts, before the temporary silence enveloping them has a chance to sink in for good. Yixing briefly turns around to look at his own table, but his mind seems to be already made up.
‘Why not. Junmyeon and Yifan are supposed to meet me here later on.’ The elders sends Jongin one more smile, before he looks to Sehun.
The truth is that the latter has stopped listening to their conversation some time ago. In fact, he looks close to panicking and Yixing’s expression turns alarmed.
‘What’s wrong, Hun-ah? You’re worried, I can tell. Has something happened?’ That’s another thing that Yixing does – he babies both Sehun and Jongin too much, and the Slytherin has come to hate it. One, because Sehun is not a kid anymore, and he doesn’t want Yixing to perceive him as such. And two, Yixing’s Hun-ah, as sweet as it sounds, is actually not that special at all. It can’t be when everyone else around Sehun also gets their Nini and Jun-ah and Fanfan.
‘I’m so sorry, Yixing.’ The brunette whispers eventually, finally rising his head, following the apprehensive voice. The older boy frowns. ‘I tried to be as delicate as I could, but I think I broke it. Y-your cell phone, I mean.’ When his companion’s expression remains unmoving, Sehun starts blubbering to fill the void, his pitch higher and higher. ‘You said that the message you sent me was inside, so I tried to take it apart, but now it just won’t work. The parts refuse to be put back together. I was afraid to use the Repairing Charm, because what if I had damaged it further? I’m so, so sorry. I’ll pay you back. How many Galleons is a pound? How many pounds did it-‘
‘Let me see.’ Yixing interrupts the nervous chatter, his smile turning gentle. Sehun reluctantly removes his arm to uncover the parts splayed underneath it. The older student blinks a few times, taking in the sight, before breaking out in a soft chuckle. It takes him merely a few seconds to piece everything back together and have the screen light back up.
Both Sehun and Jongin, who has abandoned his textbook altogether in favour of this particular Muggle kind of magic, merely watch intensely. Yixing smiles and hands the cell phone back to the brunette.
‘You didn’t damage it. You slid out the memory card that was inside. The one that stores information that allows you to do different things, remember?’ Sehun’s nodding goes from confused to firm, the textbook explanations suddenly flooding his mind. ‘Here’s how you put it back in. You need to make sure that the battery, the little electric bank, is placed correctly and then you close the lid. And it works again.’
‘Blimey. Muggles are the strangest creatures I have ever encountered.’ Jongin notes off handedly, the fascination still evident on his face. To him, that right there is the real black magic, the legends about Voldemort be damned.
‘So you haven’t seen the message that I left you?’ Yixing makes sure and Sehun shakes his head guiltily. ‘How about.. how about you read it now?’ He prompts timidly. ‘The little envelope icon, remember? You have to touch it to open.’
Yixing lowers his gaze, nervously fumbling with his robes but when after a few moments, there is still no sign of comprehension from Sehun, he has no choice but to look back up. The younger boy is frowning.
‘Am I being silly again, or is there something else that I need to do in order to uncover the text? Is it hidden by another electronic spell? It just says that the folder is empty.’ Yixing gingerly looks over the taller boy’s shoulder only to confirm his suspicions.
‘Oh. You must have lost all data when you took the cell apart.’ Is the verdict, and Sehun detects a trace of disappointment in his companion’s tone. Did he, perhaps, send Sehun something that he really wanted the latter to see?
‘I’m so sorry. I’m so clumsy.’ He adds quickly, a rare blush making its way to his cheeks. ‘Was it something of great importance?’ Yixing recovers then, shaking his head as he smiles again.
‘Not really. Plus, we can always try again later.’
There is a small, advanced student restricted room attached to the Muggle Studies classroom situated on the first floor. It is full of Muggle artefacts and devices, which are kept there for the sole purpose of research and study of Muggle habits and behaviour.
Sehun loves it.
He’s been there a few times before, sure – always cautiously taking a peek around, before quickly withdrawing in fear of getting caught. Starting this year, however, he has been officially allowed to spend time in there at his own convenience, not only looking at the props, but also touching them, opening them, pushing their buttons and lighting up little laps.
The only problems is, the operation of most of those objects extends beyond clicking on just one icon on the screen. In fact, it’s far more complex than that, and requires studies and knowledge that Sehun cannot even begin to hope to possess. That’s when Yixing comes in.
The Slytherin has sat in the room for the past twenty minutes when he hears his crush enter the showroom with Muggle artefacts that leads to their classroom. A few more steps and their eyes meet – Yixing’s are shining with delight, Sehun’s are full of hardly concealed nervousness and admiration. It’s after dinner and both have some spare time for their weekly tutoring sessions, before they have to return to their respective houses for the night.
Sehun is always looking forward to learning about Muggles – and especially the one particular Muggle that has captured his attention. There is really no limit to his curiosity about Yixing’s life outside of Hogwarts. He hangs on to every word that comes out of the older’s mouth, be it the Hufflepuff’s favourite sports, music or food. Additionally, this year he has been invited for the first time, alongside Junmyeon and Jongin, to spend Christmas at Yixing’s family house in the country and honestly, December cannot come fast enough for him.
However, it would be so much nicer to go to the Yule Ball together first. Sehun almost sighs at the thought.
‘I’m so glad that Professor McGonagall has lifted the charms surrounding the castle in this room. I honestly cannot imagine serious Muggle culture studies without the ability to use Internet. It really is such a vital part of our everyday lives.’ Yixing sits down next to Sehun – not terribly close, but enough to let their thighs touch. The younger’s first instinct is to jerk away, but then he remembers that it was the Hufflepuff that initiated the contact, so he relaxes, still trying to make himself look inconspicuous nonetheless.
As long as the older gets close first, Sehun is allowed to enjoy the touch. That’s his one golden rule.
‘What are we doing today?’ Sehun clears his throat and instead, voices out the question. Yixing smiles wider, taking Sehun by the hand and guiding it to the mouse pad.
‘I’m glad that you asked. Yesterday after my own lecture, I took the liberty of sending you an email. I know that it’s only covered in the seventh year curriculum, but I’ve been trying to explain the concept to you for the past few weeks and I was thinking that perhaps it would be good to see if you could manage to open it yourself.’ Sehun nods, although he can’t confidently say that he shares the Hufflepuff’s faith in himself.
The first and last time that the two of them put the theoretical idea of a Wide World Web into practice – or of the existence of a personal computer in general – Sehun ended up being fascinated with the mouse icon moving around the screen. He kept moving it back and forth, intrigued by both its pointlessness and usefulness, and forgot about the task at hand altogether. It was Yixing who helped the younger create a proper email account and explained the steps to enter and send a message to another connected person.
It starts innocently enough. He merely has to push the button to turn the computer on and waits for it to load. The next step would already be a problem, had he not memorised the name of the icon he is supposed to click on. Google, Google, Google, Sehun chants to himself as his eyes dart around the desktop, trying to locate the colourful circle. There it is.
It takes another half a minute for Sehun to remember where (and what) Gmail actually is, but Yixing is nothing if not patient. When the Slytherin turns to him hesitantly, the older offers an encouraging nod and a warm, dimpled smile. The Hufflepuff surely cannot be aware that this particular dimple is Sehun’s greatest weakness - otherwise he surely wouldn’t be taunting the younger like that.
The brunette gulps inaudibly and quickly turns back to the screen.
Sehun is almost there. Almost. Except the screen flashes with two empty boxes that demand to be filled with personal data, and Sehun has happened to completely forget that information. And simply chanting Alohomora with his wand pointed at the device won’t do the trick.
‘Oh. You’ve forgotten your password?’ Yixing looks so disappointed that Sehun wants to cry. ‘Your login was just your name, but the password..? You’ve created it by yourself, haven’t you?’ The older looks deep in thought, before sighing. ‘There is an option of recovering the password, but you don’t have any additional email address to fall back on, and you probably don’t remember any of the security questions… Am I right?’
Sehun is too confused to understand any of Yixing’s mumbling, but he nods in misery, nonetheless. It all comes down to the fact that he doesn’t remember what he is supposed to remember.
‘Think about it, perhaps you can trace back the way that you created it?’
Sehun could probably do that, expect that there is only so far that this little brain exercise would go. The secret password was one hundred and ten percent related to Yixing, because that’s all that Sehun is able to think about whenever the older student appears in his close proximity. It might have been Yixing’s date of birth or the name of his hometown… or the colour of his dreamy eyes… or the way that one side of his smile curls a little higher than the other…
Well, Sehun guesses that some of those things probably do not qualify as a password, anyway. But still, they are not something that he would ever admit out loud.
‘Are you mad at me?’ He asks after a moment, sadness lingering in his voice. ‘It never occurred to me that I would need to use it again. I’m a total idiot, aren’t I? I’ve written it all down, but that piece of parchment must have disappeared somewhere. Of course Muggle technology wouldn’t magically open itself for me, what was I thinking-’
‘Oh, no. Don’t say that.’ Yixing immediately cuts in, alarm in his eyes. His palm lingers on Sehun’s shoulder soothingly, as he continues. ‘I should have made sure that you understood everything. I mean, this is advanced material and until recently, you didn’t even know that something like Google existed. It’s my fault.’
‘I’m so sorry…’ Sehun tries again, but Yixing shakes his head firmly.
‘You have nothing to apologise for. We can easily create another account and I’ll send a short message again for you to try and open.’
‘If you say so…’
The younger is still not entirely convinced, but the Hufflepuff student doesn’t seem to blame him in the slightest. He merely proceeds to explaining the whole process from the beginning, and this time, Sehun is diligently taking notes – starting from the name of the website to the last detail of its layout. He also puts his new password on top of the parchment in bold. After a while, he even manages not to get distracted and successfully open the message that Yixing has sent to his account from another computer across the room.
‘Is this the same message that you’ve sent me before?’ Sehun asks, suddenly taking interest in the little hi ^^ that he sees in front of himself. He turns around to where the older sits, back to Sehun.
‘No.’ The Hufflepuff says, quieter than before, before straightening his posture and meeting Sehun’s eyes. ‘The last one was the same as the message that you erased on my cell phone.’ He adds, his eyes smiling. The younger frowns.
‘What was the message?’ Sehun stands up to join his companion at the other table, now curious. Yixing shrugs innocently, but his expression is full of mirth and Sehun just knows that his friend is in that rare mood when he will tease the brunette and chuckle at his whining. He might eventually indulge Sehun – he usually does – but he will first make the latter work for it.
The Slytherin lets out an indignant groan and it has Yixing smile wider.
‘Oh, come on. What did you write? You didn’t make fun of me, did you?’
‘I guess you will never know. Seeing how your first email account has been lost forever…’
‘Tell me. Now I really want to know.’ Sehun insists, taking one step further towards the other boy.
‘Too bad that we can’t always get what we want.’ Yixing’s smile is still innocent, but the mischievous glint in his eyes immediately gives him away. He stands up from his own chair and backs away towards the other corner of the room, putting up his hands in a recognised gesture of surrender; except that it is way too late for that.
Because it is also one of those rare moments, when Sehun – the normally stoic and reserved Sehun – feels bold enough to charge straight at the older boy, a mischievous grin on his lips.
‘Tell me, tell me, tell me.’ The Slytherin repeats childishly, aiming for the other boy’s sides, and even Yixing pressing his arms tightly to his body won’t save him from Sehun’s long fingers poking his ribs and stomach. He lets out a hopeless, hysterical laugh.
Because Yixing is, after all, horrible ticklish – it’s a fact universally known among his close friends. And those slightly juvenile tricks are the only way that allow Sehun to approach his older companion without feeling terribly awkward right after.
‘Enough… enough.’ Yixing heaves a laugh after laugh, quickly becoming breathless. Their innocent chase around the room eventually leads them up against the wall. The Hufflepuff’s back softly hits the brown tapestry, preventing him from any further run. ‘Enough, I beg you.’ He trashes against the firm embrace that Sehun has caged him in, the taller’s fingers relentlessly attacking Yixing’s sides, which the thin robe does little to protect him from. ‘Fine, fine! I’ll tell you!’
The Slytherin drops the act at the words, smiling down in victory at the victim of his sudden outburst of playfulness. Yixing takes a few deep breaths, sweat marring his forehead. When he looks up, his fringe still partially obscuring the view, the Hufflepuff suddenly becomes aware of the position that they have found themselves in. And judging from Sehun’s stiffness that follows right after, so does the latter.
Yixing’s eyes still sparkle with joy and there is a delicate smile dancing on his lips, as if his body didn’t quite catch up with how quickly the air around them has changed. It would be so wonderful to be able to just brush the bothersome hair away from the other boy’s face and look into those dark eyes. It would be so easy to just lean in and capture the slightly parted lips. To place a chaste kiss on them and probably withdraw right after, laughing together in embarrassment. To grab Yixing’s hand like it’s the most normal thing in the world and walk him back to his house.
Perhaps to steal another sweet goodbye as they part ways for the night.
All of those warm thoughts go through Sehun’s head in the few seconds that the two boys share an uncertain look. Yixing’s mouth opens wider, murmuring something intangible. The Slytherin really wants to know what it is – to be honest, he would probably listen to anything that spilled from the older’s lips, even if he were just to recite genealogy trees of goblins – but the insecurity gets to him. It always does in the end.
Never mind the curiosity and the invitation to the Yule Ball. Never mind the kisses that Sehun will never have the chance to taste.
The moment is broken when Sehun looks away and takes a step back, giving Yixing space and at the same time, an easy way out. Except that the Hufflepuff remains quiet, still looking in the brunette’s direction, until neither can take the tension anymore. Sehun clears his throat awkwardly and strengthens out his robe; anything to rid himself of the feeling of distress that overcomes him. Anything to go back to where they were five minutes ago, working hand in hand on the mystery that is personal computer.
Too bad that nothing ever works out the way that Sehun wants it to, and even having Time-Turner probably wouldn’t help the boy forget the embarrassment of what has just happened.
Is that expectation in Yixing’s eyes?, Sehun briefly muses, stealing a nervous glance at the other. Expectation. He surely expects Sehun to explain himself, but the younger’s head is blank. There is nothing that he can say to defend himself, except for perhaps I love you and My hormones are all over the place, which he suspects would be highly inappropriate, considering the situation.
The Slytherin steps further away.
‘It’s getting late. I should probably go.’ He voice comes out high pitched, like he hasn’t used it in ages. ‘Thanks for the help tonight.’ He grabs his bag and is out of the door sooner than he can spell Muggle.
‘Anytime…’ Yixing whispers long after Sehun is gone, looking down. They are not tears threatening to spill from his eyes. They are not.
Three painfully awkward days pass before the Slytherin is ready to face the world again.
When Sehun came back to the dormitory that night, Tao and Kyungsoo immediately noticed his faulty mood and there was no backing out of telling his roommates the whole truth. Since then, the brunette has been avoiding places where he could encounter the bright Hufflepuff.
‘You’re making it terribly obvious, even more so than usual.’ Kyungsoo tsks for the tenth time when it’s his turn to bring Sehun some food from the Great Hall. The brunette refuses to leave the Dungeon - unless for class, of course, he can’t do much about that - and face the source of his embarrassment once and for all, so it’s either that or letting him starve. But his wide-eyed companion is slowly getting irritated by the ridiculousness of the predicament. ‘Seriously, Sehun. Is this the way you want Yixing to see you? Because with all due respect, you’re not making yourself particularly desirable.’
‘I’m just a miserable sixteen year old with an impossible crush. Can’t you at least respect that and let me die in peace?’ Sehun laments, rolling around on his bed.
‘You’re ridiculous, that’s what you are. This is the last meal I’m bringing you down here. You’re going to man up and ask him out. What’s the worst that can happen?’
‘He can reject me.’ Sehun’s mumbles into the pillow, which effectively muffles his voice.
‘So what? You’re already behaving like a mad person anyway. Go and talk to him first, so that at least you have something real to mourn.’
‘I really can’t. You weren’t there. It was so embarrassing.’ Sehun hangs his head low, closing his eyes in distress. But the time for Do Kyungsoo to by sympathetic has long passed.
‘Well then, starve yourself to death. Your choice. I don’t care, as long as I don’t have to personally move your rotting corpse later.’
Sehun groans loudly yet again as the other boy shuts the door with a bang.
Two more days and ten packs of old crackers from his trunk later, Sehun cannot take the tension anymore. He barges into the Great Hall just as the lunch is about to begin and, before any of his companions can voice out their surprise, he hastily takes a place at the Gryffindor table and wolves down half of the meat lasagne along with a plate of fried potatoes.
‘Someone is hungry.’ Yifan observes, amusement clear in his voice. Junmyeon puts a hand on his forearm, lightly shaking his head. Let’s not even go there.
There is no need, though, because it’s Sehun who willingly starts the conversation. Once he’s eaten his three days’ worth share of mashed peas, that is.
‘I’ve found a way to approach Yixing. I’ve had plenty of time to think about it and everything seems crystal clear now. Kyungsoo was right – I cannot dwell in misery forever. If I make a move and end up being turned down, at least I know something for sure.’
The gathered party immediately looks to Kyungsoo, their gaze full of judgement. It is never a good idea to give Sehun ideas. Kyungsoo swallows his pure and merely shrugs, taking no responsibility for the ordeal whatsoever.
‘What exactly are you planning to do? Maybe you should first run it through us, mate, before you go out there and bury any chance that you ever had with him.’ Jongin supplies, worrying his lower lip. The rest nods. Only Soojeong’s expression stays the same – she’s always thought that Sehun is a royal idiot when it comes to love.
‘No need. I will ask him out the only way that is appropriate – the Muggle way.’ The determined reply earns him a collective groan. Even without knowing all the details, everyone at the table is already certain that Sehun’s method of confessing cannot go down well – but they also know that once he’s made up his mind, nothing can stop the Slytherin.
Sehun disregards their protests, because his thoughts are already with the electric machine that he’s planning on using for that – and… is that a pumpkin pie in front of Taemin?
‘I’m just going to ask you one last time – are you absolutely, one hundred percent certain of this? Like, you are aware of the consequences and all that, right?’ Jongin clutches Sehun’s bag that the latter has shoved at him. The Gryffindor’s expression oscillates between incredulous and worried.
‘Yes.’ His Slytherin friend firmly replies, although his hands are visibly shaking, along with the single sheet of paper that he carries in them. But he has thought it over and having made sure of year seven’s Muggle Studies curriculum, he can only hope that everything will go the way it is meant to.
Because technically, Sehun had no time for any rehearsals.
‘That’s impossible.’ Jongin argues, exasperated. ‘Give yourself a few more days. Do it confidently – and preferably, without disrupting the entire class in the process. There are so many things that can go wrong.’
‘I can’t wait anymore.’ Sehun turns to his best friend, quickly turning somber. ‘You were right – Kyungsoo was right. The more I wait, the more apparent it becomes that I’ll always be insecure. It’s kind of like with ripping the band-aid off, isn’t it? Better to just get it over with, even if I’m not very confident in the result. I may never gather enough courage to ask him out, Jongin, and then what? Does it mean that I just shouldn’t?’
Jongin sighs, resigned.
‘I hate when you’re right. I admit that your method is a bit… unconventional, but by all means, go for it. There is no shame in admitting your feelings out loud.’ Sehun nods and firmly knocks on the door to the Muggle Studies classroom, before nodding once again – this time more to himself – and entering. ‘I’ll be here to pick up the pieces.’ Jongin mumbles, torn before frustration and amazement at his best friend’s audacity.
Sehun doesn’t really feel particularly brave. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. He’s still the shy student, who has been unsuccessfully trying to relay his admiration for his crush of thirteen months; the slightly childish boy throwing random tantrums, who was ready to die of embarrassment in his own bedroom; the awkward fellow, whom Yixing probably perceives as nothing more than a younger brother.
Which is precisely why, when Sehun finally decides to take matters into his own hands, he feels the need for a grand gesture. Only real winners are willing to take risks. And if by any chance he’s meant to go down, he might as well sink the entire ship with him.
By the time he’s crossed the classroom to stand at its centre, he’s ready to puke his guts out – he’s this nervous. This was such a bad idea, is the only thought that he can concentrate on, but there is no turning back now. Everything in the room is set up just the way that was predicted in the class curriculum: seventh year students are investigating the proper use of a fax machine, with two identical devices situated on the opposite corners of the room.
Professor Bae interrupts her lecture, frowning at the unannounced presence.
‘Sehun Oh. What is it?’ More than thirty pairs of eyes are now directed at the brunette, confusion written all over their faces. The Slytherin gulps, briefly looking at the teacher, before turning to the student body in front of him. ‘Did you come here with a note?’
Yixing is seated right there, in the second row, his round glasses adorning his pale features – the younger knows that his crush needs them to see the board better. The latter’s lips form a little o; he’s clearly as perplexed about Sehun’s behaviour as the rest of his year.
‘I-I..’ The Slytherin takes a deep breath. ‘I have something to say to Yixing Zhang.’ Both boys look at each other for a moment, before Sehun breaks the eye contact and fumbles with the paper in his hand. ‘Or rather, I’ll let this page do the talking.’ He adds quietly, his voice shaking. Wasting no more time, he approaches the fax machine that is on his left. He fails to notice the way Yixing stands up from his seat – there is a certain tension to his posture, as well as inexplicable hopefulness in his eyes.
You can do it, Sehun reassures himself as he places the sheet on the little tray attached to the machine. He needs two attempts before it finally goes in smoothly, because the boy is trembling too much. The machine will swallow the paper, and it will appear in the other corner of the room. It’s like apparition. That’s right.
‘Mister Oh. Can I know the reason for-‘
‘Professor.’ Sehun cuts the elder, his eyes pleading. ‘Please, let me just do this one thing. I swear I will take any punishment you decide on. Just… please.’ Professor Bae squints her eyes, the lack of comprehension clear in her brown orbs, but she ultimately gestures for the Slytherin to continue.
So Sehun does. He presses the power button, and begin to panic at the realisation that nothing is happening. He pushes the round knob harder, his palms getting sweatier by the second. The room is deathly quiet, watching his every move.
Suddenly, he realises that the cord of the device is not plugged. You need electricity to make most of the Muggle equipment work, the warm tone of Yixing’s voice rings in his head, a reminisce of one of their countless tutoring sessions. Sehun exhales and bends down to attach the wire to one of the two sockets available in the room. He thanks all deities above that he is well acquainted with their locations – after all, he’s spent many hours simply admiring the plugs. Now his lunacy is finally paying off.
The machine switches on then, making a few short piercing sounds and the Slytherin nearly jumps away, because he has not been informed about that. What he has been informed about, though, was the number sequence necessary for the desired page to appear on the little tray across the room - Luhan, an upperclassman from his house took pity on Sehun and lent him his own notes from the lecture, which contained everything that the brunette needed to know, including that particular piece of data.
Wiping his hands against his robe, the boy unsurely punches in the series of digits marking the only other machine in the classroom, double checking his choices. That’s it. You need the number and then… He presses start.
The longest five seconds of Sehun Oh’s life pass before he realises that it does not work. He stares at the apparatus in disbelief, before he decides to press the switch again, albeit to no avail. He begins pushing the button, this time with more urgency and still, it produces no results. Sehun’s heart sinks to his stomach.
‘Oh, no-‘ He whispers to himself, when out of a sudden, a warm hand covers his own, shaking him out of his stupor. The brunette raises his head, only now taking notice of Yixing’s close proximity. The former opens and closes his mouth a few times, wanting to say something, but ultimately, nothing comes out.
He’s back to being his idiotic self that can’t even properly function around the sweet Hufflepuff student.
‘Why don’t you just tell me what you wanted me to hear?’ Yixing nods in encouragement, his own little smile strangely unsure. ‘Please, I would really like to know. Really.’ His voice turns to whisper.
All blood drains from Sehun’s face as he stumbles through words.
‘I just wanted to say that… that… I think you are the loveliest person I’ve ever met, and that I’d be honoured to take you to the Ball - if you let me, of course. I’m sure that y-you must have received a lot of more tempting offers by now, and if you reject me that’s absolutely fine, too, but… I’ve liked you for so long that my heart feels like it’s about to burst if I don’t finally let you know.’ He lowers his head self consciously. ‘In my head, it was supposed to sound way more amorous. God, I’m an idiot.’ He mumbles to himself. Unable to take the tension, he looks up – Yixing is still gaping at him, completely frozen. Sehun is about to ditch it all behind and just run for it, but then something unpredicted happens.
The fax machine chooses that precise silent moment to swallow the page that the Slytherin has provided, and the other device releases a few strangled sounds right after, spitting an identical copy of the message. Sehun stills, suddenly terrified.
Yixing shakes off his own astonishment, approaching the second machine and taking out the printed result. Yes, even though Sehun’s hand was shaking as he wrote the text, it still came out a lot smoother than anything he is able to say off the top of his head. Another prolonged moment of silence follows, with Sehun wishing that the ground could just swallow him whole and the older Hufflepuff just raking his eyes over the page in his hands.
‘And I’d be honoured to be your date to the Yule Ball.’ Yixing smiles shyly, turning to the younger. ‘And I’ll keep this, if that’s all right. I’ve never realised that sending notes through the fax machine could be considered so romantic.’ When their eyes meet again, both Yixing and Sehun blush madly.
‘Mr. Oh.’ It takes Professor Bae’s remark for the Slytherin to realise that yes, he was still standing in front of dozens of other, older students and that yes, they were all snickering at his clumsy confession, albeit not in a condescending way. ‘This is all very noble of you, to be courting Mr. Zhang so openly and in such a… well, peculiar manner. However, we are still in the middle of the lecture here and your prolonged presence is neither necessary nor welcome. I’m afraid I will have to take away ten points from your house.’
Sehun nods in understanding, although he can’t exactly feel apologetic, either. He feels that his soul may leave his body any moment, he’s this delighted at Yixing’s words.
‘However,’ the teacher adds, her voice appreciative. ‘you did manage to make the fax machine work – how, I don’t know, but you did. And since it’s advanced material, I suppose you’ve earned a few extra points on your upcoming midterm. Although for future reference, this is an old model – it takes a moment to warm up.’
Sehun’s head snaps upwards that the comment, his eyes threatening to pop out in astonishment. He hears Yixing’s soft laughter behind him.
‘Now scoot.’ Professor Bae urges, when she sees the younger student still rooted to his spot. Sehun quickly bows, nearly running to the door.
I’ll find you after class, this much he manages to catch Yixing mouth in his direction.
A few hours later Sehun learns that yes, Yixing is definitely not opposed to going to the Ball with him and no, he did not agree just to spare the younger the embarrassment in front of everyone, if the latter’s I like you, too and I guess we were both just too shy about it are any indication.
‘Of course I would treat everyone the same way, I was afraid of being too obvious…’ Yixing stubbornly refutes Sehun’s childish accusations of indifference.
That same evening, they share their first unsure kiss in front of the main door to the Hufflepuff Common Room.
Three days later, those exchanges are definitely not so cautious anymore, because sure, the dimpled smiles that his now boyfriend sends him are still as dazzling as ever, but pressing him against the wall of an empty fourth floor corridor and kissing the life out of him feel even better. Everyone is teasing Sehun about the cow eyes that you make at him and can you, please, stop, because I’m eating here?, but the brunette doesn’t mind their mocking, nor does he really notice it. Suddenly, even Yixing’s Hun-ah sounds like the most special endearment in the world.
Five weeks later, while packing his trunk for the Christmas break, he finds a crumpled piece of parchment on the bottom of his school bag. It’s the fateful password to the email account that Sehun’s lost almost as soon as he had created it. On a whim, he grabs it and sprints out of the Slytherin Dungeon and to the first floor, disregarding the late hour and Tao’s alarmed calling for him.
It’s been some time since the brunette mastered the art of Gmail, and feeling more confident, he takes a seat in front of the computer and switches it on. He clicks on the appropriate icon and meticulously presses letter after letter on the keyboard provided. He knows that the matter at hand is old and long forgotten, and probably silly too, but he just needs to know.
The screen lights up and Sehun is logged in. There is only one unread message in his inbox – after all this time, it’s still there - and so the Slytherin opens it.
From: y.zhang@gmail.com
Topic: Yule Ball
This might come out as a bit of a surprise, but I’d love to take you to the Yule Ball if you haven’t arranged to go with anyone else yet. I don’t know if I’m too late – or if you even see me as more than just a close friend - but I’ll be waiting for your reply.
Either way, you must absolutely write me back. You know, in the name of practice.
Yixing
Sehun breaks into a low chuckle, suddenly feeling himself becoming even more enamoured with his boyfriend. He clicks the reply arrow and slowly types the long overdue message.
From: sehun.oh@gmail.com
Re: Yule Ball
That Ball was definitely one of the best evenings of my life. That’s because I got to spend it with you.
Love you, Sehun
The Slytherin proceeds to sending the email before he can talk himself out of it. There it goes, he said it. He switches the computer off, deep red still dusting his cheeks at the thought of the confession, but he can’t bring himself to regret it.
Walking back to his Common Room, he bashfully smiles to himself. He doesn’t know when Yixing will check his account next, but he will just let his boyfriend find the message on his own. It’s all right.
Because Sehun can wait.
ne;
