Chapter Text
Galing sa isang all boys Catholic school since preschool sina Baekhyun. He had friends, but it was only in fourth grade where he publicly claimed Jongdae as his best friend. They were clubmates back then, the so called "Friendship" club under the supervision of the Guidance office. It was one of those teamwork/getting to know you game where you throw the yarn to the person in the group dearest to you and you explain why. Baekhyun, as an Aries, craved for drama. So when he got the yarn from his former Dance clubmate the year before, he started his short but very pang awards night speech. "Out of everyone here, I would like to thank this boy because he's been with me for four years now" (magka-service kasi sila, so technically, wala naman talagang choice si Jongdae diba), "and he never left me, when I needed him the most" (note: sa mga beses na nagccrush sighting si Baekhyun sa gym kaya naiwan siya ng first trip ng school service pauwi, pero inaantay siya ni Jongdae para di sila maiwan ng second trip), hingang malalim at nachoke up pa ng slight, "he's actually my best friend. So Jongdae… catch!"
Ayun, hindi nakuha ni Jongdae ang hint na siya pala yun kaya tumama sa noo niya ang yarn (buti nalang talaga yarn lang yon!) at nahulog sa lap niya.
Since then, they have been inseparable.
Jongdae was an only child and he considered Baekhyun as his own brother. Baekhyun on the other hand was the youngest in his family, yung age gap niya tipong pwede niyang maging parents ang mga kapatid niya. So he didn't have someone he can share his feelings with that would understand without judgment.
Jongdae was a year older than Baekhyun but he was a few inches taller so mukang mas matanda si B. And again, as an Aries, B always takes the lead. Jongdae was happy to be the best friend (and supporting actor in this story).
Back then di pa uso ang term na halaman but looking back, Baekhyun thought that Jongdae was that. E kasi naman at 10 years old when you're feeling so much and up to exploring things you also can't help but admire people (in other words, crush/es). Not that Baekhyun's crushing on too many people, pero sayang naman kasi kung hindi natin i-appreciate ang beautiful creations ni God diba?
A year later, Baekhyun went back to Dance club (and will remain there until he finishes high school, since it solidies his status sa batch nila) and Jongdae found his own barkada from his batch. Baekhyun still continued liking people but hello as an 11 year old ano ba namang alam niya but to stop and stare (and kiligin???)
Jongdae knows Baekhyun well. He knows that B studies hard in the first to third quarter per year tapos tatamarin na yan ng last quarter bec ramdam na niya ang summer (aka his birth season) so eme na sa grades para kahit i-average he still gets a fairly great final grade. He knows that he's the most determined person he knows pero he pushes too hard that in the end (semi) sumasablay ito.
When Baekhyun reached 6th grade, Jongdae kinda felt na may type ang kanyang bestfriend. The Mel C. Sporty spice type. Manly (kahit boys palang sila okkk), sporty, and may talent… at higit sa lahat, mas bata sa kanila. Baekhyun for the first time (since he publicly announced na BFFs na sila ni Jongdae) had a crush for almost 2 years now. More like, great crush bec he still had other crushes naman pero itong isang to, they'd literally wait outside this boy Jeonghan's classroom. Iipunin ni B yung baon nya for the week so he can treat Jongdae while they wait for this boy to go to the parking lot and go home. Jeonghan was on top of his batch, he was the responsible type. Student council vice president and next president. He can play the guitar, sing, dance and best in Math sa buong Philippines lang naman??? He had bright eyes and a sweet smile na ikatutunaw talaga ni B pag nakikita niya.
Jeonghan had an older brother who was Jongdae's classmate and one time they had a project and B practically begged para lang makasama siya. Hello??? Bahay yun ni Jeonghan!!! Baekhyun as a confident aartistahin asked permission from his family, ang kaso sabi niya sa house ni Jongdae. Nung nalaman na hindi pa doon, he was grounded and was "shipped" to LA for the entire summer to be with his eldest sister. Turns out, Jongdae will be there too, so it wasn't so bad after all. Mas nang inggit lang sila sa schoolmates nila that they were together for the summer in another country.
Kahit na lumipat na sa kabilang building si Jongdae as a freshman, they still hang out after classes for B's silay moments and for his free food from the canteen. Since B was one of the popular dancers of the school, he was casted as one of the chosen dancers for the school's foundation day with the other great dancers of their school. There he met Mingyu, which was four years younger than him, who he will eventually (and publicly announce) as his first and great love. Yes, Baekhyun at 13 already knew that it was love. But it's a whole different story for another day (or maybe another fic since deserve nya talaga.) Remember when I mentioned that he goes all out and eventually falters in the end? Well, this was one of those times. He was so *in love* that he got cut off the honor role, in his graduating year. But kebs. Masaya siya eh
Naging si Mingyu and Baekhyun that summer and it was all over when B moved up to high school. Let's just say they tried to work it out for 3 more times in (in high school, in college and as working adults), they had it, but decided na it's not just love.
Going back to Jongdae, he has been the most loyal friend of B. Sanay na siya pag tinext siya ni B nang "magkasama tayo today ha" since hobby ni B ang tumakas. Growing up with relatively old people, he would rather lie than explain what he really plans to do. Jongdae was the master wingman and best kachika ng ready nang mangsermon na parents (ni B pag nahuli sa takas niya).
A day after high school graduation, bumaha ng luha (ni Baekhyun) kila Jongdae bec his mom decided to have him try studying in LA. Two weeks later, Baekhyun was also there since may ginawa na naman siyang kalokohan and his parents wanted a timeout from him.
It didn't work out for Jongdae's family, so he went back home and eventually took up Nursing, (like his mom para they can eventually go to the US and work there permanently) at San Beda. Now they're batchmates since he had a gap year. And hindi na rin siya nagpapatawag na Jongdae. GUYS. He's JD now, okay?
Now we move on to Kyungsoo. How do I begin without feeling so much pain? (Char not char).
Kyungsoo apparently was Baekhyun's classmate in Kinder 1. They found out about it one time when Mama (Kyungsoo's mom) was fixing photo albums sa bagong lipat nilang bahay. Kyungsoo with his glasses at a young age, and a very bungisngis B na dapat ata palitan ang B for bungal.
They were the "hi, hello" type of friends, they were batchmates, and Kyungsoo's childhood best friend Ten was the other half of the best dance team in their batch (Baekhyun being the other one). They were close classmates in Grade 7 since both of them loved volleyball but it never progressed to best friend levels until Year 2 of high school. They were like twins, sa sobrang pagkaparehas ng wavelength nila napagbabaligtad sila ng teachers nila, but they don't even look alike! Same daw ng aura and intelligence, so okay, sana kagandahan din diba?
Sophomore year was life changing for the both of them. Baekhyun finally got back with Mingyu and sobrang in love nila, the whole dance community at school knew about it. Kyungsoo, the ever quiet, masungit and nerdy looking boy was the perfect definition of the term "silent waters run deep". B learned how Kyungsoo wrote everything in his journals, the things he couldn't say out loud. (So I guess dapat pala si Kyungsoo ang magshare ng mga naisulat niya no? But then again, IRL f/o na kami.)
They called each other "Sweet", at sa tuwing may magtatanong na "bakit hindi nalang maging kayo?" Tatawa nalang sila ng malakas. Di talaga guys. Platonic ito.
One afternoon, while Baekhyun was waiting for Mingyu to end his practice, Kyungsoo blurted out that he was dating someone. WHAT. THE. HELL. Sobrang gulat ni B, but he was really happy, knowing that his friend finally found his person. It was Sehun his busmate, who was 3 years younger than them. (Mas bata pa rin ng 1 year si Mingyu). They were together for more or else 6 years since then.
Baekhyun grew up without a father but received so much love from his siblings. Still, as a teenager, he was yearning for love and affection from a dad, so Kyungsoo, the real best friend that he is, welcomed Baekhyun as his brother and his parents treated him as their own.
Last year in high school, Baekhyun was single but never naubusan ng crushes. Apparently, one of the friends ng nililigawan nya, may crush sa kanya. So bye crush and sinagot nalang niya yung friend. Sabi nga nila, go for the one who loves you, not the one you love. Eme.
Suho was the son of the owners of a big pharmaceutical company in the Philippines. (Kaya sa tuwing nagkakasakit si B, libre lahat ng gamot niya). Di pa agad narealize ni B but he was getting spoiled. He loved the attention so much that ayun, nalaglag na naman po siya sa honor roll. After an intervention in a form of inuman sa bahay ni JD, kulang nalang ipukpok ni Kyungsoo sa ulo ni B yung bote ng alak dahil hindi nga healthy ang relationship nila (not in a sexual way ok???) Sabihin nalang nating gifts ang love language ni Suho and masaya namang tinatanggap ni Baekhyun lahat ito. They eventually broke up before B ended his freshman year at UST kasi nagka pregnancy scare si Suho with someone na nakasoiree niya. Shocking.
Baekhyun, Kyungsoo and three of their kabarkadas all decided to study in UST. B taking Psych, Kyungsoo taking Chemistry, the others in the College of Fine Arts and Design. Kyungsoo's family would even pick them up after class and they'd go to Divisoria to shop around. B felt like a legit son of his Mama and Papa (Kyungsoo's parents), since they would give him pocket money for shopping too.
It took 3 semesters for Kyungsoo to realize that he only likes Chemistry but he doesn't love it enough to be his profession in the future. Lumayas pa yan and went to B's house, pero dahil nagjeep siya, naunahan pa siya ng kotse nila doon sa bahay. He left UST and transferred to Ateneo for a communications degree. Mas gugustuhin daw nya magsulat than mix solutions and all. WHY SO MUCH MATH NAMAN KASI, UST Science???
They were growing up together, lahat ng hirap as teenage boys transitioning to young adulthood was tough. Baekhyun almost stopped schooling after Year 2 din, since his mom secretly sold his educational plan and wala pang enough ipon ang mga kapatid nya to pay for his tuition. Luckily, with his high grades, he became a working scholar. Baekhyun calls Kyungsoo and Sehun his parents kasi enjoy siyang makithird wheel sa kanila. Lilibre kumain, kasama sa date, but he was always welcome to join them. He's that spoiled.
Baekhyun again was trying to get back with Mingyu kasi feel niyang kaya pa naman. So they did, but had to end because B met a violinist from an up and coming band and he wanted to see where things would go.
Once you start studying at UST, you will be with the same set of classmates since block sectioning sa Science. B always had a happy crush on this matangkad na sporty guy named Minho. Laging mukang malinis at mabango, marunong makipaglokohon at higit sa lahat, gwapo. He's part of the basketball team at sabihin nalang natin na pag humingi ng volunteers ang prof to cheer the Science basketball team, nagmamadaling magtaas ng kamay si Baekhyun. Hindi nakakasawa tignan si Minho. Junior year they became close kasi nga napansin ni Minho ang pagka avid fan ni B ng basketball. Small talks turned into bonding sessions and late night telebabads. Hindi naman judger si B, pero sa tingin niya Minho swings his way, pero kahit anong paramdam niya, this gwapo blockmate just doesn't get it.
The sem ended with the prof saying that the last internship they need to do should be in the hospital or any mental health facility. Half of the class already found a place to do their OJT, but Baekhyun and his barkada all wanted to intern at the National Mental Health Center.
Minho included, all 15 of them came to Mandaluyong for their orientation. The supervisor who got them was a PhD student at UST kaya kinuha sila. Lucky for them since sobrang strict daw nang ibang OJT supervisors. Apparently, hindi lang pala sila ang mga taga UST Psych, may tatlo pa, si Chanyeol, Jongin and Kasper.
November 6
7:59 PM
Baekhyun to Mingyu:
Gyu, I may have found the one for me today.
November 6
8:02 PM
Baekhyun to JD:
Shet. Hindi pala si Minho ang para sakin. I found his twin, ata? Hopefully hindi siya straight. Sana araw araw na ang OJT ko!!!
December 27
10:46 PM
Baekhyun to Kyungsoo:
Akala ko ba wala kang feelings sa kanya, Kyungsoo?
December 27
11:30 PM
Kyungsoo to Baekhyun:
Sorry Sweet, pero huli na, may pinagsamahan na kami.