Pen Pals {MXTX}

14- Dinner (Part 2)

Shen Qingqiu took a deep breath. He slowly exhaled.

Okay.

He stood in front of a closed-door with the rest of the group behind him. Nie Huaisang was evidently confused.

Shen Qingqiu turned to face the group and then he said, "Now, I want all of you to be quiet, don't make a noise."

The boys vigorously nodded their heads. Shen Qingqiu took another deep breath and raised his hand to knock on the door.

The door swung open. Shen Qingqiu blinked. His hand was raised in midair still.

A Lan Wangji lookalike stood on the other side of the door, their hand still on the knob. The guy also blinked.

It was Lan Xichen. Lan Xichen is Lan Wangji's brother. It was remarkable how the two brothers look alike although a few years apart. They might as well be called twins that only look slightly different.

Not that anyone ever got them mixed up. Lan Xichen was a happy sunshine boy whose presence can light up a whole room. He can make the shyest people talk and make the most awkward situation disappear with a couple of words. He was a peacemaker, someone who can make two people who were at each other's throats laugh together a moment later, calling each other bros over tea.

Hey. Shen Qingqiu had seen it happen. Although it only lasted as long as Lan Xichen was in the room. Then they were back at each other's throats.

Lan Xichen looked at the group of kids in front of his door. He looked over Shen Qingqiu's shoulder and recognized Xie Lian.

"Ah! You guys must be Wangji's friends! He's in his room right now, come in!" Lan Xichen smiled, "I'm glad Wangji has so many friends!"

Lan Xichen ushered them in. "Unfortunately I can't stay, I have dorm monitor duty, but Wangji's in the room to the left! There are snacks in the pantry if you find yourself hungry!" he pointed to the bedroom and then to the pantry. Which wasn't necessary because all dorms have the same interior structure.

"Alright, have fun then! Just make sure to not open the balcony window! We are having some rough weather these days, aren't we? Goodbye now!" with a cheerily wave, Lan Xichen left the room.

"..." the four boys stood in the middle of the room.

"Why do I feel like we just broke into someone's dorm?"

"That's just you, Nie-xiong."

They looked around. It was neat. And clean. There was a bunny origami on a shelf next to a photo of little Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji with their late parents. The room was also spacious and even the air was crisp with that fresh linen smell.

It makes their dorm look like a dump.

"Alright, let's do it guys."

"After you, Shen-xiong!"

...

Lan Wangji was in his room, reading a book when there was a knock on the door. He turned to see Shen Qingqiu's head poking in from the doorway.

Lan Wangji: "...."

Shen Qingqiu: "Heyyyyyyyyy, um Wangji-xiong!"

Lan Wangji: "...what is it."

Lan Wangji watched as Shen Qingqiu awkwardly stepped into the room with Xie Lian poking his head in before clumsily following Shen Qingqiu's moves.

"Hey, Wangji-xiong!" Xie Lian said cheerfully.

Lan Wangji: "..."

Then Shi Qingxuan and Nie Huaisang also shuffled in.