Archive of Our Own

He stares at the old photograph in his hands. His mother handed it to him earlier - "This is the only photo we have of him right now," - and it kind of burns in between his thumb and index finger. The baby boy on the left, that's him alright, he would surely recognise with the numerous albums he has in the living room courtesy to his mum. But the other boy on the right.... That's who he's more curious about. He closes his eyes, leans back against the headboard of his bed - and replays everything that had happened earlier today.

"Baekhyun-ah, you're already reaching your 25th.. I.. I have something I must tell you."

That was the first thing his mother greeted him with, just as soon as he stepped into the house ready to leave his weariness from work at the doorstep. Luck didn't seem to be on his side at that moment. Baekhyun looked at his mother carefully. She was fiddling with her fingers and later bit on her lip, unsure of how to begin.
It got him really curious. In hindsight, Baekhyun wishes he wasn't and wishes he didn't ask, because after all it was curiosity which killed the cat. But it's too late for that now.

"What is it? Calm down and tell me," he soothed his fidgety mother, a look so unlike her confident self.
"Wait here," she said instead.
Baekhyun took a seat in the living room, removing his socks and stretching his legs and toes. The long day in the office always leaves his whole body aching but there's never much time to take a walk around given all his impending deadlines. A while later his mother comes back out, a small black box in her hand.

He wanted to ask so badly, but he left it to his mum and waited patiently for her to open and unload the contents. That was where the photograph he's holding now came from. That black box Baekhyun wishes he never saw.

"What's this? It's a photo of me and another baby..? Is this someone we know?"

"You probably don't remember but the boy was around alot. When you were both younger. He was..." his mother swallowed and corrected herself before continuing, "Is. Is your grandpa's best friend's grandson. This is the only photo we have of him right now.”

There was a long quiet pause. Baekhyun was pretty sure the words that are coming next and currently unsaid are more important than who the boy was.

"Your grandfather and his best friend, they both promised that their grandchildren would get married. That means....you. And Chanyeol."

He didn't know how to take that in. Still doesn't know how to at all. Baekhyun merely stared at the photograph still in his mother's hands then.

"Before he died, your grandpa... he told me again, as if reminding me and making sure I wouldn't forget... It was.... his last wish." His mother took a deep breath in. Baekhyun can hear all her worries in that one sigh - the love for and hope to fulfill her father's wishes yet at the same time can't bear to force it on her own son. "Your grandpa's best friend - he was there too at your grandpa's funeral. He said he was ready to fulfill your grandpa's last wish, and that you're welcome whene- If. If you're ready and you want to."

"Even though we're both guys?"

Baekhyun's mother knows of his sexuality so that's not a problem, but he didn't expect that the other party would still want him considering the grandchild expected didn't turn out to be the bride they wanted.

She merely nodded her head.

"I... I need s-some time," Baekhyun made to get up and grabbed his bag as well as his socks which he left lying across the floor.

"Baekhyun-ah," his mother called gently, holding out the photo to him. With heavy hands he reached out for it.

"I'm sorry," his mother whispered holding his hand in between both of hers.

That's how he finds himself here now, on his bed and feeling like the world just turned against him today. If his mother didn't want him to, she wouldn't have shown him this picture or told him of a story of a long old promise that transcended generations. He knows his mother is just as conflicted. He loved his grandpa dearly too.

Chanyeol. He hasn't even met this guy before. How is he supposed to get married to someone he doesn't know?

He puts the photo on the bedside table and turns on his side towards the window. The moon is full tonight and Baekhyun inhales deeply before closing his eyes, a single tear of confusion and uncertainty dripping down onto his warm pillow.

♣

"That's it? Just say ok and you'll be married to someone else?" Jongdae, Baekhyun's best friend sits opposite him as they talk over coffee. Or more of Jongdae talking. Baekhyun's still too lost in thoughts to say anything. "I didn't know arranged marriages was still a thing in this century."

Baekhyun holds the warm cup of caramel macchiato and rubs his hands up and down feeling the warmth.

"Baek."

"Yeah, I'm listening."

"You know you can say no right? This isn't your grandpa's era. And for God's sakes you don't even know what this guy is like." Jongdae throws his hands in the air exasperatedly.

"I know. I know that, but -"

"But he's your beloved grandpa and it was his dying wish?"

"...And that I know my mum is silently hoping that I would agree."

Baekhyun hears Jongdae's frustration more than he sees it. He knows the other is now sighing and closing his eyes. They know each other like the back of their hands.

Which also means that even though Jongdae himself is frustrated at how this whole situation is turning out, he also understands why Baekhyun might actually go for it..

"Baek." It's more of a reassurance than a reprimand. An I'll be here no matter what you choose to do.

"What harm could it do right? It's not... it's not like there's anyone else who wants to marry me -"

"That's not true, you like -"

"Shh. Don't mention it. It's not gonna happen and you know it."

"That's cause you haven't -"

Baekhyun looks up and slightly glowers at his friend to drop the topic. "Jongdae."

"Okay. Okay fine. But are you sure about this Baek?"

"Yeah. What's the worst that could happen? We might eventually fall in love with each other who knows," Baekhyun laughs, airy and hollow.

Jongdae hears and knows how lifeless that laugh is, how void of emotions, how much of a lie that laughter really is. He leans forward and pats Baekhyun's shoulder. The latter looks up and gives him a tight smile. He brings the coffee to his lips, his eyes looking faraway out of the cafe's window.

What's the worst that could happen?

Baekhyun should've thought of everything including the fact that the person he's getting married to might not want to get married to him at all. He's in a neatly pressed white suit sitting nervously in the room where their 'union' would take place. His eyes follow Mrs Park, pacing up and down the room with a phone to her year.

"Pick up... pick up..." Once every few seconds she would turn to look at Baekhyun and mouth an apology. Baekhyun merely shakes his head. He looks at his mother who gives the only assuring smile in this room as he feels his whole body almost breaking out in cold sweat.

Everything is pricking at his skin, his suit - it's too hot, his pants - it's much too long in this heated building, his shoes - why did anyone decide to make covered leather shoes?? The temperature in the room is set at 21°C but it feels like 31. It's too hot, too hot and he wants nothing but to step out of this room and change into something comfy and catch his favourite Saturday afternoon show. He's about 70% made up his mind to say "sorry, I think should leave" when -

"Chanyeol? Chanyeol dear, where are you?? We're all waiting here. Baekhyun is here too," Mrs Park rushes through her words, expressing all of her anxiety.

Baekhyun can't make out the words, but he hears the shouting over the phone, especially obvious with the way she places the phone a slight distance away from her ear.

"You promised," Mrs Park lowers her tone, a sound of finality in her voice. A few seconds later, she lets out a breath and her shoulder lowers. Baekhyun isn’t sure whether to read that as relief or giving up, though.

“Chanyeol says he’ll be here soon,” Mrs Park speaks up, after some hushed words with her father. Now, Baekhyun knows, it was relief.

Baekhyun turns to see Mrs Park’s father, Chanyeol’s grandfather, getting up from where he was sitting and walking towards him. Baekhyun gives a small smile, which was gently returned by the old man. “Your grandfather would be so proud of you, my son. Thank you for living out his promise.”

The words do not reassure him, but he takes comfort in Grandpa Park’s soothing voice and hopes that he isn’t making a wrong turn. He leans his head back on the sofa, closes his eyes, and waits.

♣

“You got to go.”

“No.”

“You told your mum you’d be there!”

“So what Kyungsoo? So what if I did? I’m about to sign my life over to someone I’ve never even met! And I only know his name!”

“At least you know his name? Better than not knowing anything at all,” Kyungsoo suggests although knowing it would be futile.

“I’m 25! Couldn’t they wait till I find someone to get married to? It’s all because of that stupid pact our grandfathers made when we weren’t even born. Who the hell does this sort of matchmaking today anyway?”

Chanyeol hadn’t realised he had gotten so exasperated his voice had gradually filled up the entire cafe. Heads were turning to look, and harsh whispers heard in the background.

“Congrats on telling the world your tragic life story,” Kyungsoo chuckles.

“Shut up Soo. I hope you step in a… muddy puddle on your way back,” Chanyeol retorts ending it with sticking his tongue out.

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and takes a small sip from his coffee cup. “Ha-ha. Very mature. Anyway don’t you have somewhere you need to be?”

“I’m not going,” Chanyeol stubbornly refuses - crossing his legs and folding his arms. This has got to be a nightmare, Chanyeol thinks. When he half-heartedly agreed after his mother’s endless pestering, he didn’t think of how much he would lose out. Now that the day is here, he keeps thinking of things that he wouldn’t be able to do if he gets married, new responsibilities to keep and essentially having to marry someone he. Doesnt. Even. Love.

Chanyeol’s not exactly the kind who cares about love and marriage. He’s a very go with the flow person - dating will happen when it happens, and so will marriage. He’s never thought too deep into it at all. Working as a music producer doesn’t leave him time for this as he constantly has to meet deadlines for the idol groups he works with. Sure, he meets all the good looking and beautiful idols but he’s always directing music with them, that there’s never anything beyond the professional. Kyungsoo calls him a workaholic but Chanyeol disagrees. He thinks workaholic sounds like he doesn’t enjoy his job, when on the contrary he really loves it despite the busy schedule.

Now though, the table has turned and this marriage with the person he doesn’t know has caused him to do a double take - he’s never even thought about living and sharing a space with someone else nor does he know what being in a marriage would truly mean for him. All he can think of right now, is how much that marriage will inconvenience his daily life, and how much of a pain it would be to have to deal with someone new.

He pinches his nose bridge and furrows his eyebrows. He did after all say yes to his mother, and he’s still a person and has a conscience and it doesn’t feel good to leave so many people including those he loves waiting for him.

He could always deal with the marriage problem later, it could always be nulled, while an angry Grandpa and an angry mother is not something he really wants to deal with. Chanyeol takes a deep breath.

“Okay.”

“Hmm?” Kyungsoo looks up. “Okay what?”

Chanyeol picks up his bag and begins striding towards the cafe door, “Text you later!”

The registration office looks like a prison - maybe not to most people, but right now it does to Chanyeol. He steps in and looks for familiar faces. He doesn’t have to look for too long as his ears greets the sound of familiarity before his eyes.

“Chanyeol!” Mrs Park shrieks, “What are you wearing??”

He’s in a grey hoodie and his favourite old worn-out jeans, headphones around his neck and doesn’t find a problem in that, except that there’s someone else on the couch in a suit. Something you’d get married in. Chanyeol can’t believe this. They’re just here to sign papers and that would be it. What is with all the extra effort? From the corner of his eye, he sees his Grandpa shaking his head.

“All I have to do is sign the marriage registration form isn’t it?”

“Dressed like that?”

“What’s wrong? It’s not like I’m walking down some aisle or something,” Chanyeol laughs, which slowly turns hollow as he realises he’s the only one laughing in the room. “Well, did you expect me to dress like that?” he points to the suited guy now standing from the couch. The latter looks away from his pointed gaze.

Something hard hits his head. “Ouch!”

He looks up to see his grandpa waving his cane around. “At least he’s made the effort for someone he doesn’t even know. Look at you - what a disgrace.”

“Well, harabeoji, it’s all your fault anyway, I wouldn’t be -”

“Don’t be rude,” Mrs Park scolds him and cuts him short while beckoning Baekhyun over with her hand, “come, Baekhyun.” She holds the envelope that she’s been holding under her arms in her hands and takes a white form out, gently laying it out on the table. “The particulars have all been filled out, all both of you need to do is to sign right here,” she explains, pointing to the two blanks sitting side by side at the bottom right hand corner of the form.

Baekhyun takes the pen and turns the form towards him. He takes a quick glance at the man opposite him - since he entered he hasn’t rubbed off Baekhyun well at all - the attitude, the dressing - it makes him feel like he’s the only one who’s weighed the consequences of the entire scene happening in this room right now. The man - Chanyeol - doesn’t look like he knows what marriage between the two of them would mean.

Baekhyun doesn’t know how he is going to put up living with Chanyeol.

But he feels the gaze of everyone in the room on him, picks up the pen, and signs his name (and possibly his life) away. At the last dot, he drops the pen and his shoulders drop too, unsure if a burden was released, or if he’s just created more burden for himself.

Chanyeol however, very quickly picks up the pen and signs away.

Baekhyun blinks. He blinks again. And again. He looks at their two signatures side by side. It’s real. At least in the eyes of the public they’re now a married couple.

“Good. Now that that’s done, I brought something because I knew the both of you wouldn’t be prepared. I hope they fit,” Chanyeol’s mother takes out a black velvety box, and opens it up to reveal two identical rings.

“What the - Umma!” Chanyeol shouts. His deep and loud voice resonates through the room and Baekhyun fears at the thought of hearing this directed right at him.

“Mrs Park, you shouldn’t have,” he tries to speak up. Wearing the ring feels like a bigger burden, a bigger responsibility than merely signing on a piece of paper.

Mrs Park makes no heed to what either of them were saying, forcefully placing a ring into each of their palms. “I can’t possibly see my son get married just like that. Quick! Put it on for each other.”

Baekhyun feels his hands so harshly grabbed by Chanyeol, and the ring was on him in seconds. Baekhyun does the same, with less hurry, but he can tell how quickly Chanyeol wanted it to be over.

“Ok. We’ll make our leave now, you can bring Baekhyun to your apartment. He’s brought some of his stuff along too.”

It’s awfully quiet when everyone else leaves, leaving only Baekhyun and his now.. husband (this will take some getting used to) standing in the room. Baekhyun by far isn’t the quietest person, and prefers a lively atmosphere but Chanyeol has been grouchy since he stepped in and he feels like he’s stepping on eggshells. Which, he thinks, he should be anyway if he wants to live with this guy. He’s got an inkling their personalities are not going to match at all.

“So…” He tries holding his hand out for a handshake in an attempt to start a conversation and break the awkward air around them.

It goes unreceived. “Grab your stuff, we’re leaving.”

To say Chanyeol’s apartment is a mess would be an understatement. It is beyond a mess. It looks like to Baekhyun it hasn’t been cleaned in centuries and there are things lying everywhere they do not belong. He carefully crosses over the open folder of music sheets at his feet.

“Just leave your stuff in the living room,” if only Baekhyun could see it amidst everything, “there are more important things we need to settle.”

He drops his small duffel bag in what he thinks is the living room, takes of his coat and rolls up the sleeves of his white shirt.

“So now that we’re staying together, there are rules we have to make and follow. I don’t like people invading into my personal space.” Chanyeol has a pen and a white piece of paper laid out on the table - the header “RULES IN CHANYEOL’S APT” already written out boldly at the top. Baekhyun takes a deep breath. He was prepared for this, yet it doesn’t feel like he’s prepared himself enough.

“First, we’re sleeping in separate places, of course. I’m not giving up my bed, so you can have the couch. Pretty sure it’s long enough for you.” Baekhyun makes a face at the subtle diss to his height.

“Second, no unnecessary communication. I’ll talk to you when I need to, and you the same. So we don’t have to talk to each other much and I don’t have to deal with extra noise in my apartment. Got it?”

“Third,” Chanyeol continues without waiting for Baekhyun’s response, “this ends in 6 months. Or should I give it a year? Nah, 6 months will do.”

Baekhyun laughs at the face Chanyeol gives while thinking to himself.

“What’s so funny? Something on my face?” he drops his pen and starts rubbing his cheeks. It only makes Baekhyun laugh even more.

“Nothing, nothing. So why 6 months? 6 months for what?”

“Well, ending this should be as easy as how it started out right? I know you’re doing this for your mum and granddad, and me the same, so I’m just putting up with it to appease them. But by the end of 6 months, we’ll just call it off. It’s as easy as getting into it anyway.”

Baekhyun thinks 6 months isn’t that long to put up with another stranger and so he agrees. Especially since his heart isn’t here to stay anyway.

“Okay that’s it.”

“That’s it? Just 3?” Three shouldn’t be so hard to live with.

“Yeah. You can add stuff along the way if you want, I’ll just leave it on the fridge. Let’s leave the rules as to whatever we want and are comfortable with.” Chanyeol turns around to pin the paper on the fridge with a magnet in the shape of the Eiffel Tower. He then swiftly turns around on his heel, looks at Baekhyun and reaches out his hand.

“I think I missed this a while ago. I’m Chanyeol, and welcome to my home.”

Baekhyun grabs the hand and with a firm handshake, he starts to think that maybe it might not be so bad after all.

♣

Baekhyun awakes with half his body off the couch and an ache in his back and a strange pulled feeling in his neck. He turns his head to the left and right repeatedly hoping to get rid of the tightness. He laughs pathetically at the idea that this is going to be how it’s going to be for a while - an uncomfortable sleep from the lack of space on the narrow couch. But this, he can deal. It’s not life or death, it’s just a matter of getting used to. Or so he hopes.

He grabs his phone on the coffee table that is still singing away its alarm. ‘Touch My Body’ used to totally be his jam, until he turned it into his alarm and now it’s the last thing he ever wants to hear played on his iPod. He sits up and stretches his arms. The living room clock reads 7, and he has to be at work by 8. Thankfully, Chanyeol’s place is near his office too.

Thinking of Chanyeol has him leaning his neck back against the couch, closing his eyes as he stares at the ceiling. Yesterday… didn’t end too well. At least not for Baekhyun. The silence in the house was too deafening and every time he wanted to speak, Chanyeol was just whizzing past doing his own things in the house, and he would suddenly be reminded of the no unnecessary speaking rule. What a pain. He can take the couch, no problem, but he doesn’t know what it’s going to be like living in a house where no one speaks to each other. Chanyeol too doesn’t seem to have the time to stop and speak to him anyway. Too busy going around the house or locking himself in the room doing God knows what.

“You should lower your alarm volume. I really don’t need to be woken up along with you in the wee hours of the morning.”

Chanyeol’s deep voice jolts him from his thinking and he turns to see the other in a white tank and black shorts. His muscular arms revealed in that tank makes Baekhyun swallow. Uncharacteristically, he slaps his own forehead.

“What were you doing.” Chanyeol asks (without an asking tone in his voice, Baekhyun cannot understand how anyone does this shouldn’t a question be tilted in tone?)

“You slapped your own forehead. Who does that.”

Baekhyun rubs his own forehead the stinging pain from hitting himself finally making itself apparent. “Well, whatever happened to unnecessary talking?” he retorts.

Chanyeol seems to belatedly realise this, and his eyes widen for a quick second before he schools his face back into an emotionless expression. Baekhyun kind of hates that. Chanyeol quickly turns towards the kitchen, leaving Baekhyun’s question as the last of that conversation.

Baekhyun watches as Chanyeol grabs a pan and places it on the stove. He opens the cupboard and grabs some sauces, and reaches for the refrigerator for some sausages and vegetables.

“Are you going to cook?” Baekhyun rushes over to the kitchen counter placing his elbows on it and his cheeks in his palms.

As expected however, there is no response that comes from the other man. Baekhyun is just watching his back move here and there around the kitchen.

When the lovely smell finally reaches Baekhyun’s nose, Chanyeol turns off the stove and puts his food in a bowl. He takes a bowl of rice, and brings it to the counter on the opposite end of Baekhyun.

Baekhyun can’t resist it - he grabs a pair of chopsticks from the box on the counter and inches slowly towards the other. He’s reaching his chopsticks into the bowl….

And his hand gets swatted away by Chanyeol.

“Ugh, you suck. What a selfish brat. Will one less sausage kill you? I should go to work. Ugh, you really suck why did I even try!” Baekhyun mumbles to himself as he drags his feet to his still unpacked luggage and looks for his towel and clothes to wear.

He misses the sound of Chanyeol chuckling at the pissed off Baekhyun stomping around the house.

“It was hilarious! You should’ve seen his face at not being able to eat. Must’ve made him drool so much over the smell of my food,” Chanyeol laughs heartily his nose bridge crinkling together as his expression follows after his laughter, “He looked just like a puppy really, with that uncombed hair and pout.”

Kyungsoo sitting opposite him just smiles. “It’s only been a day and you guys are acting like a married couple already.”

Chanyeol spits out the drink he just took a sip of. “Nooooo, no no no no. I don’t even look at him that way. I don’t swing that way remember?”

“Chanyeol. We have been best friends since you were a tiny, less annoying being. You’ve only ever dated one girl seriously. One!!!” Kyungsoo emphasises with his finger, while cleaning away the droplets of spit Chanyeol had managed to get on his arm with his other hand, “And don’t think I don’t know your eyes have been travelling way too much on Jongin’s ass lately, every time he comes into the recording studio.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widen like a deer caught in headlights and quickly shakes his head. “I don’t, okay!” The lifted corner of Kyungsoo’s lips tells him that nothing he says is going to convince him otherwise, so he slumps his shoulders and sinks back in his seat. “Well, he does have a nice ass.”

Kyungsoo laughs. He stands up, pats Chanyeol’s shoulders and turns to leave the studio. “Anyway,” he chips in before leaving, “don’t blame me for rooting for you and the Baekhyun guy. I think it’s time you do something other than stay holed up in this… studio. Even if it doesn’t turn out into.. anything, at least you’re not coming home to an empty, messy apartment after a whole day.”

Chanyeol only waves Kyungsoo out the door. It’s not his fault he’s been busy and has had no time to see anyone. Working as a music producer isn’t easy especially if he’s taken it upon himself to do the composing as well as the writing of lyrics and even directing the singers who sing his pieces. Chanyeol’s quite a perfectionist in his music so he can’t help it. Sure, he gets help from other professionals here and there, but the main touch has to be from him and so does the whole progress of the song production.

That’s what he agreed to when he signed up to work with the SM label anyway. His own studio, own music and own direction, unless he specifically asks otherwise.

Amidst the production for singles and side tracks for the comebacks of some idols he works with, there’s barely any time for relaxing or meeting anyone new. When he’s not chasing a comeback, he’s producing something else on his own, constantly improving and bettering himself, and hoping that there’s something new he can find and create before his next deadline.

Baekhyun… is an annoyance to have in his house. But also a little bit like fresh air. He was annoyed at having to wake up so early this morning thanks to his alarm, but the rest of the morning… hadn’t been too bad. It got him laughing all the way to the office today. Not to mention his living room had been cleaned out, and even though he hates it when people touches his things, the rare sight of his clean living room somewhat relieves a burden off his shoulders that he never knew was there.

Chanyeol lightly shakes his head. It’s too early to think of Baekhyun as anyone but just someone living in his house, somewhat uninvited. The change is welcoming, it’s something different from the everyday mundane, but the fact is that he’s not used to living with someone else. It’s been 7 years since he moved out of his parents’ home and lived in his own apartment. He rubs his nose bridge with his thumb and index finger. He sincerely hopes Baekhyun will be easy to live with.

“Thinking of your husband already?”

Chanyeol looks up to see Jongin waving a music sheet in his face.

“Word gets around so fast in here,” Chanyeol rolls his eyes. He’s sure the only person who knows is Kyungsoo. Was.

“Well, I also know for a fact that you think I have a nice ass.” Jongin laughs grabbing a pencil and making markings on his sheets.

“Oh my god. I’m so gonna kill Kyungsoo.”

“Don’t blame him, he doesn’t tell everyone. Just me. Sometimes,” Chanyeol swears there was a sort of fondness in Jongin’s eyes as he talks about Kyungsoo, “so are we recording this or not?”

Chanyeol pushes the buttons on the recording set, turning on the microphone in the recording studio. He plays with a few of the buttons, hands moving swiftly with familiarity. Jongin’s already in the booth, headphones on.

“Alright, we’re all set. Ready, Kai?”

When Chanyeol gets a thumbs up, he plays the music, the energy from doing what he loves infiltrates through his entire body, forgetting everything and immersing himself fully into completing his aim for the day.

♣

Baekhyun gets back to an empty house.

Work in the office today had been tough, the uppers had demanded so many things within such a short period of time, and the Director demanded a presentation of the current research and everything was just hectic. He barely had any lunch in a chase to finish the slides for his presentation.

He works for a narcotics bureau, and as random as it sounds, it’s not exactly something he grew up dreaming he would do. But somewhere along the way, things got a little twisted and the wind blew him this way. And so here he is.

But he doesn’t complain. Without the job he wouldn’t have met Minseok. Minseok who unlike his soft, gentle exterior is tough on the inside, and has the kindest soul a person could ever have. Without Minseok, Baekhyun wouldn’t have gotten this far along in his job. And even though the former had no obligations to help Baekhyun at all considering the different levels within the administration that they were in, he was always so patient to listen and help. MInseok who was so good at his job, liked what he did and was dedicated to do so much for his research. Minseok in all his confidence became someone Baekhyun wanted to be, and wanted to be with. Somewhere along the way, Baekhyun thinks he lost a piece of his heart. He doesn’t know where it started but he’s been harbouring these feelings for Minseok since he started working in Seoul.

He makes a quick dinner of instant noodles, since Chanyeol’s fridge is relatively empty. After washing the dishes, he turns back towards the living room intending to get a shower and change out. Curiosity, however, got the better of him as he finds himself standing just in front of Chanyeol’s room.

It is probably the only part of the house that Baekhyun has not yet seen or explored at all.

He turns the doorknob open and turns on the light. The first thing he sees right across the room, is a digital keyboard on a stand, and a dark blue acoustic guitar leaning against it. Ignoring his first intention of looking around the room, his feet leads him straight towards the keyboard, and he caresses the keys gently with his fingers.

It’s been so long.

He flicks the switch on and presses a key. He closes his eyes and presses on another key. Before long, he finds himself playing - and he is so close, so close to feeling his feet lifting and -

“What. Are you doing. In my room.”

The melodious music that filled the room is halted as his fingers fell off the keyboard.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to -”

“Wait, are you crying?” Baekhyun can’t bring himself to look up, but he does feel a drop of wetness fall to his feet.

“I’m not! Your room… it’s dusty,” Baekhyun rubs at his eyes before finally meeting the eyes of the other, “my eyes are sensitive to dust. You need to clean your room out.”

“No it’s not! And don’t change the subject. What were you doing in the room?”

Baekhyun laughs ironically to himself, finally he’s hearing some intonation in a question. It was too strange to not only see Chanyeol always school the expression on his face but hear it in his voice as well. Right now though, it’s his turn to have to not express too much.

“Well, I said I’m sorry. You won’t find me in here again.” Baekhyun makes his way past Chanyeol shoving the other while squeezing his way out between Chanyeol and the doorway.

“Baekhyun!”

He’s not in the mood to hear Chanyeol talk. Just a moment ago, he was brought back to past memories he had forgotten he even remembered, and that keyboard. That stupid keyboard. He shouldn’t have entered and shouldn’t have played.

He grabs his pyjamas and makes to turn for the toilet. Somehow, he realises, it became the only room left in the house where he does get any privacy. His tracks are stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

“Are.. are you okay?”

Inside, Baekhyun feels like laughing. How long has it been since anyone genuinely asked him if he was okay? Is he okay with what he’s doing? Is he okay with his job, with his life? Is he okay with living here with another stranger? Is he okay?

Baekhyun doesn’t know. So he doesn’t turn around, but chooses instead to merely shrug his shoulders, and removes the hand that was holding on to it.

“I’ll be fine.”

♣

Baekhyun’s mini (embarrassing) breakdown seemed to be understood by the two of them as a breaking of the no unnecessary talking rule. Baekhyun assumes Chanyeol too realises it’s hard to live with someone without talking to each other.

It’s into the third week already, and though he doesn’t know much about Chanyeol, he’s noticed some of the other’s habits, and they’re also communicating comfortably. It’s superficial, but at least Baekhyun doesn’t feel too out of place in the house. He doesn’t know what Chanyeol does, but the guy definitely doesn’t hold an office job with the time he leaves for work and the time he gets back. Baekhyun’s always up earlier, and comes back sometimes to an empty house, and sometimes to an already sleeping Chanyeol. On weekends they spend time watching the television, sometimes either one of them goes out and sometimes they order takeout.

Chanyeol still spends most time in his room though, and Baekhyun wonders what’s going on in there. After the last time he stepped into Chanyeol’s room, he just isn’t as curious anymore and doesn’t try to ask or to pry. Chanyeol seems happy with that anyway. He just gets a little curious when he hears tunes start to play from the room, and wonder what the other is doing behind the door.

But anyway, they fit in, somehow, and Baekhyun finds himself dreading less and less coming back every day. Neither of them asks too much of the other, and when the conversation seems to steer in a heavier direction, someone will just stop and laugh it off. It’s easy and comfortable and Baekhyun doesn’t mind doing this for the next few months.

It’s lunch break at the office and he really doesn’t want to overtime at work today so he hangs around at the pantry for a bit to grab some snacks.

“Not hungry?” Minseok peeks from the corner, flashing a smile to Baekhyun before entering.

Baekhyun’s heart does a little flip.

“Too much work,” he manages, amidst the effort to calm all the tingles he’s feeling in his body right now. Minseok is handsome, Baekhyun can’t help himself. “Snickers?”

Minseok nods and Baekhyun lightly throws the extra bar on the pantry over to him.

“Hey Baekhyun,” Minseok mumbles with a bite of the chocolate bar in his mouth, “Have you watched The Force Awakens?”

Baekhyun laughs. He certainly did not pin Minseok as someone who would watch Star Wars, but he answers anyway, “No, why?”

“Do you like it? Do you want to watch it with me? I’ve been wanting to watch with someone but I don’t know why the people around me hate Star Wars?”

If Baekhyun was a comic, there’d probably be exclamation marks all over him to express his internal panicking. Minseok is basically asking him out, right? He knows Minseok has a preference for guys, and Minseok knows that about Baekhyun too, so this… it’s definitely like, a date isn’t it?

“Erm.. sure! This weekend..?”

Minseok gives him a thumbs up, and pats Baekhyun’s arms twice. “I’ll fetch you on Saturday evening! Text you when I’ve booked the tickets.”

The second Minseok left the pantry, Baekhyun feels his legs shake and puts his hand on the counter to balance himself. He sends a text to Jongdae who buzzes in less than a minute after.

OHMYGOD CONGRATS!!!!!! Dress nicely tmr ;) See you on Sunday tell me all about it!!!!

“You sure are… skippy.”

Chanyeol watches as Baekhyun moves around the house with a skip in his steps - something he thought he would only see on television or in a cartoon, at least definitely not in real life. Baekhyun was humming too.

“Something good?” Chanyeol asks as he puts another spoon of rice into his mouth. It’s 4 in the afternoon and he just woke up after a long night at the studio. Baekhyun skipping around isn’t doing much to the grogginess he’s still feeling in his head.

Baekhyun rushes over to the counter right infront of Chanyeol and loudly whispers, “I. Scored. A. Date.” and giggles off like an infatuated teenager in love for the very first time.

Something in Chanyeol boils a little. Not out of anger but out of … unfamiliarity. Baekhyun certainly doesn’t belong to him - just on paper, and really, he’s happy for Baekhyun, but a part of him, for some reason or another, wants to claim his place as Baekhyun’s husband. He certainly hasn’t been behaving like one, and they certainly haven’t been living like a married couple, so he tries his hardest to push that thought down into his guts with another gulp of his chicken soup.

But it only gets worse when Baekhyun takes off the ring and places it onto the counter.

“Why..?”

Baekhyun stares at him like he should know the answer. Chanyeol knows it, doesn’t really want to hear it, but feigns ignorance anyway.

“Chanyeol, did you not hear what I said just now? I’m going. On. A date. Obviously he can’t know I’m married! Anyway I should’ve taken that off weeks ago, your mum doesn’t even come to visit,” Baekhyun laments, subconsciously rubbing with his thumb the spot where the ring used to be.

“But you’re my husband.”

“... Excuse me?”

Chanyeol hopes Baekhyun didn’t catch the look in his eyes as he caught himself and quickly mumbles a quiet nevermind, before picking up his bowls and bringing them to the sink. He truly wants to smack himself for even thinking such a thing.

It’s some weird sense of possessiveness he didn’t even know he had for Baekhyun.

“Lock the door when you leave,” he says loudly enough for Baekhyun to hear before making quick large steps to his bedroom and locking the door behind him.

Soo. Emergency. Ring me when you’re free :C

Chanyeol lies on his bed facing the ceiling with his arm over his forehead. As expected of his one true friend, the phone rings just less than five minutes later.

“This better be something worth my time.”

“There’s something wrong with me, Kyungsoooooooooo,” Chanyeol wails, trying his hardest to express his exasperation and to relay how serious this problem is.

“Huh,” Kyungsoo merely responds and even though Chanyeol can’t see him, he’s pretty sure the other guy is rolling his eyes at him right now. He would jokingly think that he’d go as far as to say he should reconsider his friend choices, but Kyungsoo’s truly been the only one who’s stuck with him through all these years.

He wipes over his face with is palm. “Really, there’s something wrong with me. Baekhyun is going on a date,” he licks his lips at the slight distaste of that word, “and … I may or may have not been slightly over possessive. But I swear!!! I don’t know what came over me.”

Now he is kind of pissed off because why is Kyungsoo laughing? He is definitely demoting the guy from best friend status after this.

“Maybe you like him?”

It makes Chanyeol jolt up on his bed and sit upright. “What? No! Are you crazy? Why would I like that guy?”

“Because you see him all the time now and admit it. You’re a little jealous. That’s the only reason I can think of.”

Chanyeol rests his back against the headboard of the bed and sighs. “Maybe I shouldn’t have even called. You’re reeaaaaalllllllyyy not helping,” he groans out.

“Okay fine. I won’t say you like him. Maybe you’re just so used to the idea of him being around that it’s weird for you to think he has an actual life. You know, outside your house. Besides work,” Kyungsoo reasons.

He can’t even find it in himself to deny Kyungsoo’s reasoning. “Stop rolling your eyes at me. I can hear it.”

A short laughter from across the line is heard. “I can’t help it, it’s an automatic-reaction to you thing.”

“Ugh I hate you,” Chanyeol mumbles in before ending the call.

Chanyeol lets his phone drop to the floor from his hand, closes his eyes and tries not to think about Baekhyun’s look of excitement at having a date for the day. It’s just a weird day, he thinks, it’ll be gone by tomorrow.

Amidst all of that determination, Chanyeol eventually falls asleep to the thought of Baekhyun on a date with someone else.

♣

“That.. was really great, Minseok. I really enjoyed the movie.”

Baekhyun beams up at Minseok as they were walking out of the theatre, the empty popcorn box still in his hand. He takes a deep breath and braves, “Let’s do this again some time…?”

“Sure,” Minseok smiles back at him, all gums and teeth showing, making Baekhyun’s heart threaten to jump out of his chest, then, “Luhan just doesn’t like sci-fi movies.”

Baekhyun’s heart beats even faster at the sound of an unfamiliar name.

“Luhan…?”

Baekhyun stills and Minseok places his hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder. “Oh! I forgot that you both haven’t met each other yet. Luhan’s my boyfriend,” Baekhyun swears he can hear the sound of his heart shattering onto the cold hard pavement beneath his feet, “You should come over to my place to meet him! He’ll love you just as much as I -”

“I… I gotta go.” Baekhyun wriggles out of the hold Minseok has on him and makes quick long strides in the direction of the subway entrance for as fast as his short legs could carry.

“Baekhyun!”

He tries so hard to ignore the calling of his name in a voice he so longed wished to hear close to him for a long time. But that wish is now shattered, and Baekhyun has no right to that wish. So he keeps walking, knowing that Minseok won’t walk up to him since they both came in his car.

Minseok also wouldn’t walk up to him, because he’s not Luhan.

Because Minseok loves this Luhan, and Baekhyun isn’t Luhan, and not good, not perfect enough for Minseok. Is this what heartbreak feels like? he wonders as he takes in a deep shuddering breath in an attempt to make sure the tears slowly gathering in his eyes don’t spill over. He still has his pride.

After all, it’s all his fault for allowing himself to fall deeper and deeper into something he wasn’t sure of, and heck, Minseok didn’t even know how he felt (feels) no matter how much he tries to delude himself. Yes, that’s what this is. A delusion. The ‘date’ was a delusion on Baekhyun’s part too.

His feet just finds himself back home without much thought and he honestly can’t wait to throw himself onto the couch and go to sleep. Thank goodness he still has Sunday to mull over this. If he had work tomorrow how would he ever face Minseok? He doesn’t think he can even look at Minseok without hearing the sound of his heart break all over again.

When he finally lets himself in with his keys he throws his bag on the floor and lies flat onto the couch. He just wants to forget, he wants to go back to when he wasn’t even feeling like this for Minseok. But then another part of him wants to be Luhan, wants to take Luhan’s place, and wants to be next to Minseok.

He hears Chanyeol’s door creak open.

“Baekhyun, is that you? You’re home?”

He lifts his face from the couch so Chanyeol can hear him. “Yeah, it’s me.”

“So how’s the -”

“Don’t ask.”

“Ok, I bought some chicken for dinner, I left some for -”

“Not hungry.”

“Ok then I’ll just heat it up and -”

“Chanyeol! Will you just leave me alone?” Right as those words leave his mouth, he feels bad for his raised tone when Chanyeol didn’t even do anything. The guy stood frozen for a good two seconds with his back facing Baekhyun while he was on the way to the kitchen.

But then he turns, gives a slight nod to Baekhyun - an expression on his face Baekhyun can’t seem to read at all - and then closes the door behind him.

Baekhyun sits up on his couch and starts messing up his hair in frustration. Great. Now he’s pissed Chanyeol off too. He gets up and brings his feet towards Chanyeol’s room door and knocks twice before opening. The guy’s under his quilt and looks just about ready to go back to sleep but he sits up as he sees the door open. Baekhyun feels even sorrier.

“Hey, I really didn’t mean to -”

“It’s okay, I asked too many questions anyway.”

“No!” He lowers his tone, “I mean no, it’s not too many, and it’s not your fault. I.. I just didn’t exactly have a good day. I didn’t mean to shout.”

There’s an awkward silence in the air as Chanyeol stays quiet as well.

“So, erm, thank you. For saving some food for me. I’ll.. eat them if I’m hungry. Goodnight,” he quickly says to change the silent mood in the air and makes to close the door. He’s just about to close the door fully when he hears Chanyeol speak.

“Hey.”

Baekhyun opens the door wide again. “Hmm?”

“Do you wanna sleep here tonight? On the bed? I can sleep on the couch. You look like you need a good sleep,” he offers, standing up and grabbing his pillows with the intention of sleeping outside.

Honestly, Baekhyun would have rejected out of courtesy, but it hasn’t been a good day and this is finally something good, so it’s ok for him to be selfish, right?

“Really?” he tries.

Chanyeol only nods. Baekhyun walks in and sits on the bed, watching Chanyeol pick up his phone and earphones to bring out. He looks at the bed, then looks at Chanyeol. Before the latter could walk out, he grabs his arm.

“Just sleep here, the bed’s big enough,” he suggests.

“What? No, it’s okay. I’ll be fine on the couch.” Chanyeol mumbles out scratching at his neck.

Are Chanyeol’s cheeks turning pink or is the night light playing a trick on him?

“It’s not fine. I know for a fact that it’s not the most comfortable place to sleep. Also I’m pretty sure I’ve drooled all over it,” Baekhyun grins.

That seems to change Chanyeol’s expression from uncertainty to disgust, and he quickly shoves Baekhyun over to the other end of the queen sized bed, laying his pillows back in its place. Baekhyun laughs and settles himself under the quilt.
Silence ensues.

Now it’s awkward and Baekhyun turns to face the wall. “So, err, goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

It’s slightly more comfortable after the exchange of goodnights, and Baekhyun takes a deep breath. He stares at the wall, and his mind unwillingly goes back to retrace everything that happened today. He truly feels like such a mess - it started so well and then it went to amazing, and just that one sentence from Minseok crashed everything and Baekhyun honestly feels so pathetic. He feels so terribly pathetic that he hasn’t even texted his best friend about everything though he knows his phone is probably filled with messages from the other. He’s just not yet in the mood to come to terms with how he feels.

Oddly, he’s heartbroken, upset, but he doesn’t feel at loss. It doesn’t make sense to him and he’s not sure what it’s supposed to mean. He loves Minseok, and he wants to be with Minseok, heck, he loves him but at the same time, it doesn’t make him feel like he lost a part of him. It just, makes him feel…unwanted, in a way.

Something similar to what he felt all those years ago when he couldn’t play the piano anymore.

He takes another heavy sigh. The similarity of these feelings weighs in his heart, but he feels like he’s run out of tears for it already.

He hears a shuffle of sheets behind him and closes his eyes.

“Can’t sleep?” Chanyeol’s deep voice resonates in the room from behind him. Baekhyun chooses to shut his eyes even tighter and stays quiet.

“Don’t pretend, I’ve heard you sigh for the.. I don’t know how many times already.”

Baekhyun bites back his grin, “What if I sigh in my sleep? How would you know?”

“Well, I know that’s the sound of a sigh with too many thoughts running through the mind.”

Somehow that makes Baekhyun turn to his other side, but he meets Chanyeol’s eyes who’s lying on his side as well. Baekhyun blinks. Once. Twice. Thrice. It’s a little awkward but the way Chanyeol’s looking at him like he reads through Baekhyun makes his heart skip. Baekhyun shakes his head against the pillow.

As quick as their eye contact had been, Chanyeol makes to turn to face the ceiling, and Baekhyun lets out a breath he didn’t even realise he was holding. He licks his lips that had turned dry.

“So, you want to talk about it? Maybe you can stop sighing so much.”

Baekhyun lets out a loud tsk and rolls his eyes. He shouldn’t be telling so much of himself to someone he’s going to be away from in another few months, but Chanyeol’s no longer a stranger, and Baekhyun could do with some comfort. It doesn’t take too long before he finds himself telling the entire story.

When Baekhyun’s done they’re somehow facing each other again on the bed, Chanyeol lying with his cheeks on the back of his palm against the pillow, and Baekhyun mirroring him. He doesn’t even remember when they got back into this position.

For the month that he’s stayed here, Baekhyun realises, he’s never looked at Chanyeol this close. He’s handsome, Baekhyun would say. Big attractive eyes that contrary to how scary they should be only feels soft as he looks into them, lips that reveal so much of his teeth when he smiles and yet somehow sits so well on his face. Chanyeol is attractive, Baekhyun would give that to him.

“Baekhyun?”

“Hmm?” Baekhyun’s eyes go back up to meet Chanyeol’s belatedly realising they had been trailing down the latter’s face all the way to his lips.

“You didn’t catch what I was saying?”

“No, sorry, I… I got distracted.” Right as he answers he gives a big yawn earning a chuckle from Chanyeol.

“Nevermind, go to sleep. You’ve talked yourself to sleep it seems,” Chanyeol laughs and Baekhyun’s eyes go back to his mouth. This is no good.

Baekhyun turns towards the ceiling.

“Y-yeah. I didn’t mean to keep you awake, sorry,” he mumbles, throwing his arm across his forehead and closing his eyes.

“That’s fine. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Baekhyun feels himself being pulled into sleep slowly. The day’s events sure has tired him out emotionally.

“Baekhyun?”

“Hmm?”

“For the record, I think you deserve someone who’s better than Minseok. Someone who’ll love you for who you are. And I don’t think you’re pathetic or useless or unwanted.”

Baekhyun hums and gives a slight smile as Chanyeol’s deep voice manages to pull him deeper into sleep.

“I’m not sure yet what it is yet, but I might want you,” he misses Chanyeol’s last words as he stamps in his passport to the land of dreams.

Chanyeol watches from the side as Baekhyun falls deeper into sleep, his mouth gradually falling open. He doesn’t want to give in to Kyungsoo, but what if Kyungsoo was right? What if he was really jealous?

What is this feeling now then?

Chanyeol wants to reach out for Baekhyun, trace his fingers down the middle of his face, from his forehead, to his nose to his lips. Too afraid of waking the other up, he settles instead to play with Baekhyun’s hair that was falling a mess against the pillow.

He should get a haircut.

All of a sudden that gives Chanyeol an idea, and he sends a few texts to Kyungsoo. He sets his alarm before falling asleep.

Won’t be coming in tomorrow~

Date with your hubby? Kekeke

NO

Ok I’ll tell Jongin you won’t be in

Thanks :-)

The sunlight reaches through Chanyeol’s half drawn blinds waking him up before his alarm even sounds. Chanyeol’s got plans for the day though, so he somehow unusually finds it himself to bring himself out of bed.

After washing up he heads to the kitchen and takes out some ingredients. Bread, eggs, lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup…. He claps his hands together glad that everything he needs is here. The noise of everything in the kitchen must’ve woken Baekhyun up as Chanyeol hears the sound of his room door open.

Chanyeol turns to find…. a puppy. Baekhyun looks like a puppy and it takes all of him not to squish Baekhyun so tightly in his arms. His nose is twitching at the smell of the egg in the pan, and his hair… is fluffy. Chanyeol chuckles, watching as Baekhyun walks himself to the kitchen counter with his eyes still half-lidded. The moment he plonks himself down on the seat, he puts his head down pressing his cheeks against the counter table.

“Breakfast is served, sleepyhead,” Chanyeol pokes at the crown of his head and places the sandwich plate right at Baekhyun’s nose. It’s hilarious to see Baekhyun’s nose react by sniffing first before he actually opens his eyes.

Such a puppy.

He stretches his arms and yawns without bothering to close his mouth.

“Wah.. what’s with the special treatment? You always just give me whatever leftover you had for breakfast,” Baekhyun pouts giving Chanyeol the side eye.

Chanyeol feels a little guilty, he didn’t think Baekhyun would feel sensitive about that - he just isn’t used to having to make breakfast for more than one person. And if he didn’t feel like having breakfast he wouldn’t make any, and he doesn’t want to think as to what that means for Baekhyun. He’s sure the other gets a good breakfast when he was home. Chanyeol internally promises to get more meals for Baekhyun.

At Chanyeol’s silence, Baekhyun pipes, “Hey, if this is about last night, I really don’t need your pity like this,” pushing the plate towards Chanyeol.

“Just eat,” Chanyeol pushes the plate back, but gets another eye from Baekhyun before the other takes in the plate.

“Not with pity? Because I really don’t like it when -”

Chanyeol shuts him up by picking up Baekhyun’s sandwich and stuffing it in his mouth.

“No, I don’t pity you ok? I’m making a sandwich out of goodwill. Happy now?”

Baekhyun shrugs his shoulders and chews anyway. But everything changes as he slowly savours the taste of the sandwich.

His eyes widen almost comically, and Chanyeol chuckles.

With his mouth still full, Baekhyun exclaims, “This is wonderful!!! What did you put in this sandwich?”

Chanyeol does have a recipe of a secret sauce he added into the sandwich but he’s definitely not telling any of that to Baekhyun, so he shrugs his shoulders and lists down the main ingredients.

“Liar,” Baekhyun points to the sandwich, “There’s something else in this, I’m sure of it.”

“Just eat.”

Baekhyun hums and continues on to the sandwich. They lapse into a somewhat comfortable silence, and Chanyeol thinks it’s a first since they’ve actually made this much effort at contact with one another as opposed to being merely two people living in the same house. It’s also a first for Chanyeol to not feel awkward with the silence that’s falling around them.

Usually when Chanyeol heads home from work and Baekhyun’s still awake, their eyes meet as Chanyeol enters the door, and they greet and smile, but that was it. And the air would hang awkwardly as the two of them shift about the apartment doing their own things.

This is nice though, this is good, and it makes him want to get to know Baekhyun more.

“Are you free for today?” Chanyeol tries.

“I guess, why? It’s Sunday, I don’t have work or plans. Well I should be meeting Jongdae, but I.. don’t really feel like it right now.”

“Wanna hang out with me? Maybe to Hongdae or something.” Throughout the question Chanyeol avoids eye contact with Baekhyun. But what he gets is silence, and so he looks up to find Baekhyun just looking at him.

“It’s not… out of pity! Or anything like that. Just -”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah,” Baekhyun shrugs, “it’s not like I have anything to do. And I know you’re not pitying me,” though as he says this Baekhyun gives the eye and Chanyeol shakes his head to show definitely.

They take the subway down to Myeongdong randomly walking along the streets and stopping by the roadstalls. It’s definitely livelier at night, but Chanyeol’s still glad for the food in the stalls because those are what he enjoys most, especially the hotteok in this cold weather.

And right now, it’s at winter’s end but still cool enough for a hotteok.

He grabs Baekhyun’s wrist. “Come on!”

Baekhyun runs after with a gasp at the sudden tug. When Chanyeol finds the stall and lets go of Baekhyun’s wrist, he gets a punch from the other.

“Your legs are too long, you idiot, don’t walk so fast,” he pants while catching his breath. “What’s this?”

“Just the best hotteok around,” Chanyeol hands one over as he pays the man for the two hotteoks, “Try it!”

Chanyeol waits as Baekhyun bites into the snack.

“This is so good!” It’s not the first time he’s eaten a hotteok but this one somehow tastes better than any of those he’s ever tried.

“Have you never had their hotteok before?” Chanyeol asks as they walk away from the stall and deeper into the crazy shop-lined alleys of Myeongdong.

“Nope, I’ve never been around much, not even deep into Myeongdong, really,” Baekhyun mumbles, almost embarrassed as he takes a bite of his hotteok. “I’m not from Seoul actually.”

“Really?” Chanyeol’s quite surprised, he wouldn’t have guessed since Baekhyun sounds almost natural in his Seoul accent. Or maybe where he’s from didn’t really make much of a difference to the way he speaks. “Where were you from then?”

“Not too far from here. My family is in Bucheon. I came up to Seoul to get a job, and here I am. My mum comes over quite a bit when she can, I’m still the baby of the family,” Baekhyun laughs as he says this, “so she always thinks she has to come over and take care of me.”

A pang of guilt hits Chanyeol’s chest - Baekhyun hasn’t seen his mother for some time, and that probably means she trusts Baekhyun enough with someone else. Though Chanyeol isn’t entirely sure why that is, it makes him want to make sure he doesn’t disappoint her.

Wait, what is he thinking?

Chanyeol angrily takes another bite off his hotteok.

“Dude, eat slowly!” Chanyeol freezes as Baekhyun uses his thumb to wipe off the mess on the corner of his lips. Baekhyun walks ahead and Chanyeol’s left behind frozen watching Baekhyun’s back for a few seconds, before he stills his heart and follows with.

“So you haven’t been around Seoul much?”

“Nope, it’s been almost two years here? But I’m at the office, or just around my neighbourhood. Sometimes Jongdae takes me around to places but I haven’t had that much time and we usually chill at cafes.”

“Jongdae?”

“My childhood best friend!” Baekhyun fiddles in his pocket and takes out his handphone. He starts scrolling through his gallery and shows Chanyeol a picture of the two of them grinning with their heads together. Chanyeol thinks Baekhyun looks most beautiful smiling.

“He moved up to Seoul with his whole family when we were in high school though, so it’s home to him now. I still feel like a tourist sometimes,” Baekhyun laughs.

“I’ll be your tour guide for today then,” Chanyeol volunteers putting his palm in the air next to his face, “I promise to bring you around to the best places!”

Baekhyun beams, and Chanyeol thinks it could light up the entire world.

Somewhere after lunch, both of them find themselves tapping out at another station.

“This is Hongdae!”

Baekhyun looks around as they step out of the subway exit. It.. looks like Myeongdong. Or at least the way the streets are lined with shops. There’s a somewhat young and vibrant atmosphere from the place though, as compared to Myeongdong.

As they walk further in, there’s music playing, and Baekhyun pulls Chanyeol towards the musicians playing.

The singer is playing an acoustic version of Gangnam Style, and it sounds so much nicer than the original version, he has to admit. The song had been so overhyped it annoyed him, but this is good and fresh and he finds himself nodding his head to the music. Beside him, Chanyeol gets so into it that he couldn’t help watching the other.

He’s jumping up and down with his hands in the air, and he joins in the crowd singing as the guitarist prompts them to sing. Baekhyun remembers the guitar and piano in his room, and realises that this must be what makes Chanyeol so alive. Music and being surrounded by people who appreciate it. He was like that once, too.

He feels the corners of his mouth lifting just watching Chanyeol, and joins in as the other turns towards him and yells “Come on!”

When the music’s done, they send a wave to the guitarist who flashes a smile, before heading down the road. The energy that heated up their bodies before is now gone and it’s chilly again. Baekhyun rubs his hands together.

Chanyeol must’ve noticed as he suggests getting coffee for a break.

Baekhyun honestly thought they would be stopping by a nearby cafe, but Chanyeol seems adamant on going towards a specific one deeper in the streets of Hongdae. He turns into a side alley and finally stops.

It’s a piano cafe.

There’s no customers inside and Baekhyun takes a seat as Chanyeol gets some drinks for the two of them. There’s a piano right in the middle of the cafe, and teddy bears in the comfy seats.

One of the workers must have noticed Baekhyun’s eyes lingering on the piano as she approaches him and tells him that he’s allowed to play on it. The Piano Cafe, of course, that’s the whole idea of it. He smiles politely and nods his head in thanks. His eyes though keeps taking glances at the sleek black grand piano.

At this time, Chanyeol comes back with a tray of their drinks. “You can you know, play that piano.” Baekhyun turns to look at Chanyeol. “I’ve heard you before. In my room. It was good.”

“I .. can’t, I haven’t in a long while,” he admits, shaking his head. It’s tempting, but he can’t. He misses his fingers playing the piano keys, but it’s hard to get his head back to where he is now if he touches it again.

But Chanyeol’s words seems to give him that push he didn’t realise it could have. “Go ahead, play it.” And Baekhyun finds himself on the black seat of the piano, both hands on the keys as he takes a deep breath. He looks up at Chanyeol once who gives him a nod, and he starts playing.

Oh, how he misses this. His fingers move with so much familiarity as he plays to the tune of Moon of Seoul. When he’s deep enough into the song, he finds it in himself to sing along to the lyrics. It’s not a difficult song to play or sing, but Baekhyun hasn’t felt this freedom in such a long while. In this moment he’s free and so light he almost feels like he could lift himself off the ground.

When he’s done, the entire cafe is silent, and Chanyeol’s looking at him with his jaw hanging open.

“I’m sorry, was that bad? I haven’t played in so -”

“What are you talking about? That was amazing!”

The two girls standing behind the cashier also claps for him, to which he just gives a shy wave.

“I didn’t know you could sing Baekhyun! That was beautiful.” Chanyeol’s throwing his hands everywhere in his expression as Baekhyun heads back to the seat. He’s never played and sang for anyone aside from his piano teacher and his family before. Chanyeol’s a first, and he doesn’t really know what gave him the courage to play aside from the other’s compelling words.
“I.. don’t really sing, I just - I just play - I don’t know,” Baekhyun shrugs nervously taking a sip of his coffee.

Chanyeol mellows his excitement down a little. “Can I ask why? You don’t sing or play anymore? You’re so good Baekhyun, it’s such a waste for you to be sitting in a 9 to 5 government job,” he gently asks.

“Because I’m just not … meant for for it.”

Baekhyun takes a deep breath and leans against the backrest of his seat, his mind going back to memories he had put aside for a long time.

It’s been his lifelong dream to play the piano and sing. He was good at it, played for recitals, and his piano teacher loved him, but his father didn’t. His father hated him being constantly on the piano, and hated when he sang. He didn’t come for any of his recitals.

And one day, as his father lay on the hospital bed losing a fight with the last stage of colon cancer, all he wished for Baekhyun was for him to please have a stable job, because “Music, Baekhyun, it brings you joy temporarily. It won’t give you the money to live.”

Baekhyun dropped his love for it so quickly, covering the piano up with a large white cloth. He’s been a disappointment enough to his father while he was alive, grades average at best, and only doing things his father disapproves, so he doesn’t want to be a disappointment even after his father’s death. His mother tried so many times to encourage him to do what he wants, but the guilty conscience he had ate him up from inside, and soon he became a hollow man, the Baekhyun he is now, living an average life with an average job he couldn’t seem to put his neck above to see where it is going.

And as he relates all this to Chanyeol, the latter pays careful attention, nodding where appropriate and occasionally laying a comforting hand on his shoulder.

It’s only Chanyeol’s last words to the conversation that sets him thinking.

“But Baekhyun, how long are you going to keep living for somebody else?”

It stumps him, as he puts his coffee cup on the table. “I .. don’t know.”

“You know, when I started working in music, my parents didn’t approve of it either,” Chanyeol offers.

“You work in music?” Of course, Baekhyun should have guessed with all the instruments in his room. Although he honestly believed they were just a hobby and interest and not part of his job.

“Yeah, I’m a music producer with SM,” Chanyeol grins baring all of his upper and lower teeth.

“Holy smokes. That’s cool.”

“Yeah, I know it is,” Baekhyun rolls his eyes at this, “But that’s not the point. I’m loving what I do now, and if I didn’t go ahead with it just because my parents told me not to, I wouldn’t be doing what I love right now, and doing one hell of a good job at it too.”

“It’s not that easy -”

“It really is,” Chanyeol cuts him off, “You don’t know it before you try. If it doesn’t work out when you try it, then no one’s going to stop you from going back to your.. government job or something. But if you don’t try it how would you know?”

Baekhyun really hates how Chanyeol says things so simplistically considering he’s achieved what he wants, but he can’t deny the truth in Chanyeol’s words. He’s never tried. It stopped when his father passed, but he’s never tried since then. Now it just seems like a too far fetched idea.

“By the way, your ringtone is KAI isn’t it? I made that song,” Chanyeol wiggles his eyebrows and Baekhyun almost spits his coffee.

“YOU WORK WITH KAI?”

“Yeah I personally produce his music, it’s part of my contract with the label. He isn’t that great a singer, but it kind of makes songs easier to produce - smaller range of notes, just more smooth beats and fun for his style.”

Baekhyun can’t believe this. He’s been living a month with someone who produces songs for KAI? Not just any KAI, the hottest South Korean idol right now who has such a handsome face and a cute ass. Only, he doesn’t realise he’s said it all out loud.

“His ass is not that cute,” Chanyeol rolls his eyes, forcefully slamming his coffee cup on the table.

“So you’ve checked out his ass.” Baekhyun giggles, as he pushes Chanyeol into the corner, watching as the other fumbles his words out. “aww, don’t be jealous, I think you have a cuter ass,” sending Chanyeol another wide grin.

Chanyeol almost fountain spits out his coffee. With blushed cheeks, he fake punches Baekhyun through the air only making him laugh even louder.

They’re about to head home into the subway entrance, when Chanyeol holds Baekhyun back by the wrist.

“I forgot! The reason why I brought you out in the first place!” Chanyeol starts walking fast and Baekhyun is panting behind again as he’s being pulled. How many times did he have to tell Chanyeol his legs aren’t as long? The guy isn’t running - just walking fast - but Baekhyun finds himself in a jog to catch up with the hand pulling him.

When they finally stop, Baekhyun bends over to catch his breath. He looks up and finds himself standing in front of a barber shop.

“Are you serious right now? We ran to get your hair cut?”

“Not my hair,” Chanyeol pushes Baekhyun into the shop and closes the door behind them, “Your hair!”

“What? No, we are not cutting any of my hair here, let’s go,” Baekhyun makes to stand but is pulled back by Chanyeol. It’s not that he doesn’t want to get his hair cut, but the suddenness of it all is making him annoyed that Chanyeol would do this without asking him.

“Ok, I’m sorry I didn’t ask you earlier,” Chanyeol pleads looking at Baekhyun with big sorry eyes that Baekhyun finds so hard to look away from, “But hey, new hair new you? I just wanted you to start afresh, and feel better about yourself.”

Baekhyun swears Chanyeol has some kind of magic in his words. First the piano, and now this, he grumbles as he finds himself sitting on the barber chair. It feels good, to get his hair finally cut though, he has to admit.

“New hair, new me,” he mumbles, a little too loud as he sees Chanyeol grinning at him with all of his teeth and two thumbs up through the mirror.

What an idiot.

♣

With the end of winter comes spring and Chanyeol’s schedule is busy with the preparation for KAI’s summer comeback. He tries his best to be home as quickly as he can though, because the two of them have lapsed into a routine where Chanyeol’s in charge of the kitchen. That means the later he’s home, the later Baekhyun gets to eat dinner. When he can’t help it, he’ll text Baekhyun to buy some dinner for himself, but Chanyeol much prefers cooking anyway.

“That’s probably the hundredth time you’re looking at your watch,” Jongin pipes through the microphone from inside the recording booth. “Do you want to stop here?”

Chanyeol shakes his head, takes another look at his watch that flashes 8:30pm digitally. “One more time,” he quips, pressing on the buttons again, “sing the second verse again.”

“Chanyeol, if you want to leave that’s fine? I have dance practice later anyway, we can still continue this tomorrow,” Jongin assures as he steps out of the booth and gives a pat on Chanyeol’s shoulder. “Your mind is everywhere but here, and I’m not going to let my summer comeback drown because of your romantic tendencies.”

Chanyeol coughs. “Romantic tendencies? What are you -”

“You’ve been going home a lot earlier lately Chanyeol, both Kyungsoo and I noticed,” Jongin smirks raising his left eyebrow at Chanyeol who only responds with more sputtering, “And both of us agree it’s because of a certain someone called Baekhyun,” he ends, giving Chanyeol a wink.

“I just cook dinner, that’s all. He doesn’t really eat properly if I don’t get home -”

Jongin gives a little dance in the air with his hands, and then brings it to his chest before he dramatically sing-songs, “Oh, how romantic.”

Chanyeol rolls his eyes and uses the sheets in his hand to smack the back of Jongin’s head. “Both Kyungsoo and you need to stop talking about me behind my back,” he mutters as he starts packing his duffel bag up anyway.

Jongin sits on the couch watching Chanyeol. “Well, it’s not that it’s a bad thing. You’re smiling more and doing things outside of just being holed up in this studio. I like it, it’s healthier for you.”

The way Jongin speaks so positively about it makes him sigh, and lands himself on the couch next to Jongin. He rests his neck against the backrest and stares at the ceiling.

“Honestly, I don’t know what this is. I don’t want to be stepping into something I’m not sure of, but I can’t help but feel like I want to take care of him, does that make sense? Plus, he’s only just getting out of a one-sided thingy himself and I don’t want to rush in,” He turns towards Jongin. The other only gives him a smile and pats his thighs.

“Love doesn’t make sense, Chanyeol. But if you don’t give it a shot, you’ll never know what it would turn out into.”

Their conversation ends abruptly as the studio door is pushed open. “Jongin? Chanyeol? Are you guys done already?”

“Kyungsoo! Great timing, come here, our lover boy has a problem,” Jongin pulls Kyungsoo by the arm and leads him to the empty seat next to him on the long couch.

“Lover boy?”

“Chanyeol here has finally admitted his love for his husband,” Jongin smiles smacking Chanyeol’s thigh hard. Chanyeol winces then shoves his hand aside, not appreciating the teasing from the other.

“No! Jongin’s being an idiot,” Chanyeol rolls his eyes, getting ready to grab his duffel bag and leave. He’s not ready to talk about this, and he’s not sure if he ever is.

“Hey, come on, we’re all friends right? Whatever you say stays within these four walls.” Somehow, maybe because of Kyungsoo’s natural personality of a listener, it gives Chanyeol more assurance and he finds himself talking about Baekhyun more than he thought he would.

How Baekhyun looks so cute and like a puppy when he wakes, but absolutely attractive when he showers and then dresses in a suit for work. How Baekhyun cutely burns things when he tries to cook, and chops chilis and onions in all the wrong ways. How Baekhyun hates the cold and his nose and ears turn red when it’s too chilly for him. How Baekhyun subtly makes sure Chanyeol’s laundry is done too as he does his, and that his favourite sweater is always ready to wear. How Baekhyun has the most beautiful smile and the most beautiful voice, and plays the piano beautifully even when he thinks he’s lowered the key on it enough to not wake Chanyeol up. And how Chanyeol wishes he could make Baekhyun feel whole, feel like himself again and to have that courage in him to do what he loves without having to hide.

They’ve gone from couch and bed to comfortably sleeping on the same bed, sometimes waking up with a million sorrys to each other as someone gets tangled up in someone else’s limbs. Sometimes Chanyeol finds it hard to sleep with Baekhyun whimpering like a puppy in his sleep, but it is oddly comforting, and he falls asleep anyway after a few minutes. He doesn’t realise how much they’ve lapped into each other’s lives until now that he’s thinking about it. The two of them fall into place and Chanyeol who wasn’t so comfortable with having someone else in the house before, now can’t imagine what it would be like if he has to be alone in the apartment again.

Saying it all out loud to Jongin and Kyungsoo makes Chanyeol realise how deep he’s fallen into it, even though he didn’t intend to in the first place. They’ve been married for just over 3 months now, and Chanyeol’s too afraid to think of what would happen when they reach the 6th month. Is he the only one afraid of what would happen then?

“You know, Chanyeol, you don’t even know how he feels,” Kyungsoo slowly inputs, “and you’re already assuming he’d be happy to leave once the six months are up.”

“Not to mention,” Jongin pipes in, “The idiot who came up with the 6 months thing was you.”

Chanyeol gives a punch to Jongin’s arm who winces in pain and bends over to Kyungsoo for comfort. Kyungsoo merely laughs and soothes the punched arm.

Chanyeol takes another glance at his watch.

“Shit! It’s 9:15, I gotta go,” he panics, giving a knuckle to Jongin’s head before leaving, “It’s all your fault.”

“Have a great dinner with your hubby, lover boy!”

Chanyeol only slams the door behind him to express his dissatisfaction. The resounding laughter he hears from inside though does not make him feel any better at all.

♣

Baekhyun can’t believe it.

He knows Chanyeol asked him to come along, and he knows he got dressed and came out of the house on the weekend but he still can’t believe it. He’s in the SM recording studio.

“Chanyeol.”

“Yes, it’s cool, I know. You’ve said that about a 100 times in the past ten minutes.”

“So Kai used this booth to record…” Baekhyun looks around with stars almost glistening in his eyes. This is amazing he’s never been in a recording booth - what more a recording booth Kai recorded his music in.

“Yes, he did…”

Baekhyun’s so amazed by all the gadgets in the recording booth he didn’t realise Chanyeol closed the door and locked it from outside. It’s only when he hears the click of the lock that he turns around and sees Chanyeol grinning through the glass window.

“Chanyeol! Let me out! This is not funny!” He tries to shout, only realising that well, it’s a recording booth, and it’s soundproof. Chanyeol points towards the headphone and signals for him to put it on. Baekhyun’s annoyed but he does it anyway - there’s no other option if he’s already stuck inside. Chanyeol’s voice booms through the headphones.

“Sing,” he says. One word that makes Baekhyun panic. He can’t. He shakes his head so hard the headphones almost falls off. He holds it in place and looks at Chanyeol pleadingly. The other merely repeats the same thing.

“W-what.. do I sing? I can’t.. I don’t know..”

“Just sing Moon of Seoul,” Chanyeol suggests, “I’ll play the music through your headphones. All you have to do is sing it.” Before Baekhyun can say anything to retaliate the music starts playing through the headphones, silencing anything Baekhyun would’ve said.

He listens to the intro… and the music slowly goes into the first verse.. Baekhyun bites on his lower lip. He turns to look at Chanyeol outside who gestures with his two hands to sing.

Baekhyun stands nearer to the mic, and lets himself go.

The first chorus is a little more difficult as his voice warms up, but he goes through the second verse and the bridge so flawlessly, lyrics still fresh in his mind for a song he hasn’t sung in a long time. His heart is beating so fast in his chest as he sings and sings and sings, and behind his closed eyelids, he sees himself play on the piano, he sees himself singing for a crowd of people cheering, and finally he sees Chanyeol standing up in the crowd gearing for him to sing on.

When the last bit of the instrumental is done, he breathes in deep and lets out a long breath. Outside, Baekhyun turns to see, Chanyeol is standing up, giving him the standing ovation Baekhyun had imagined.

He hasn’t felt like this in a long while, he feels like he’s finally found his feet, finally found the him he lost so long ago. And it’s all thanks to the man standing on the other side of the glass window, grinning from ear to ear.

“I told you, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol says as he opens the booth door, “I told you you could -oh.”

The second Chanyeol had opened the door Baekhyun ran forward to put his arms around the other’s waist. “Thank you, Chanyeol, thank you,” he cries into Chanyeol’s chest, words smothered by the thick hoodie Chanyeol is wearing.

“You don’t know how much this means to me,” mumbling some more. Only he doesn’t realise he’s mumbling.

“You know, I can’t hear a word you’re saying?”

With the arms still around Chanyeol’s waist, Baekhyun looks up with the intention of repeating his words, only to freeze as he realises how close their faces are. They’re pretty much chest to chest too, and it’s an awkward silence of just looking into each other’s eyes as Chanyeol looks down at him. It feels like a long few seconds before Baekhyun realises it’s him who’s holding on to the other. He lets go quickly bringing his gaze to the floor, as his hand subconsciously go around his neck feeling awkward.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to -”

Chanyeol’s palm resting on his shoulder only causes his heart to beat against his chest even faster, just as he was trying to calm it. “Hey, it’s okay, really.”

When Baekhyun finally braves himself to look into Chanyeol’s eyes, he feels the sincerity in them and wonders how he’s been missing such a wonderful person in front of him for so long. Chanyeol is not Minseok. Chanyeol is Chanyeol but that’s what Baekhyun likes about him. Chanyeol understands him, and lets him be who he is, instead of chasing him to be what he’s not.

Chanyeol is gentle and kind and he’s got a lot of patience for putting up with someone like Baekhyun, especially when he’s the one who crashed into his apartment all of a sudden and turned his whole life upside down.

All he can say as he looks at the other is a soft thank you, again, where the other only merely replies with a smile. Baekhyun wonders to himself when exactly in the past 3 months had Chanyeol managed to worm his way into his heart.

♣

With work getting heavier and the weather entering the summer heat, Baekhyun can tell it weighs on Chanyeol. His job is easy, he leaves and comes back at pretty much the same time every weekday, but Chanyeol’s job isn’t as standard as his is. He tries to come back for dinner as much as he can but the fatigue and all the thoughts running through his head is so clearly written all over his face

Usually Baekhyun wouldn’t disturb Chanyeol if he’s still asleep when he readies himself to leave for work, but as Baekhyun wakes on the left side of the bed today, there’s an uncharacteristically warm heat coming from the other side of the bed. When his eyes finally adjust to the bright sunny Tuesday morning, he looks at Chanyeol only to find the other up to his neck under the blanket, whimpering as beads of perspiration drip down his forehead.

He lifts a hand to Chanyeol’s forehead.

“Oh God,” Baekhyun jumps out of the bed, “it’s a goddamn fever. Stupid stupid guy.”

He takes quick steps to the kitchen, grabs a bowl and fills it with water from the tap. He throws a generous amount of ice in, and stirs it for a bit before looking for a clean fresh face towel to use. When he finds one in the kitchen drawer, he goes back to the room, where Chanyeol is still shivering from the cold sweat.

Gingerly he wrings the cold towel and dabs his face and neck before leaving it on his forehead. He looks at Chanyeol for a bit tucking him in as the shivers go down, when he suddenly realises the time.

He sends in a quick text to Minseok to say he wouldn’t be coming in for work, then goes for a Chanyeol’s phone to look for a familiar name before dialing.

“‘Sup?” the voice on the other side greets.

“Erm.. Kyungsoo…? Is that Kyungsoo?”

There’s a short silence before Kyungsoo responds.

“Yes, this is Kyungsoo. You’re not Chanyeol though, who is it? Is everything alright?” Baekhyun has trust in his intuition and hearing the worry in Kyungsoo’s voice already tells him that Kyungsoo’s a good friend to Chanyeol.

“I’m .. erm.. I’m Baekhyun? Uh.. Chanyeol’s.. uhh.. husband…I think?” Baekhyun facepalms himself as he utters all of this. He sounds so stupid and all he wants to do is dig a hole and bury himself in. But that’s the least of his worries right now.

Thankfully Kyungsoo responds knowingly.

“Ah, Baekhyun, yes. Is something wrong?”

“Chanyeol.. He’s running a really high fever right now. I’m taking care of him, but I just wanted to call in to say he can’t come to work today, in case he has anything he’s supposed to do or anyone he’s supposed to meet today?”

Baekhyun hears a sigh from the other end.

“I told him to take care of himself especially with the terrible weather,” Kyungsoo speaks, almost as if he was just talking to himself then adds, “But anyway thanks Baekhyun. I’m glad you’re there with him. I’ll drop by later in the afternoon.”

The call ends as quickly as it began, and Baekhyun makes his way to the kitchen to get some fever pills and water.

“Chanyeol, wake up,” Baekhyun gently shakes the other’s shoulder, “Eat some medicine, then you can go back to sleep.” Baekhyun snakes his hand under Chanyeol’s neck reaching for the other shoulder as he tries to sit him up.

Chanyeol groans as his eyes open slowly.

“Hey, take this first okay? Then you can get back to sleep.” Baekhyun puts the pills into Chanyeol’s cold hands and prompts the other to put it into his mouth before handing over the cup of water.

Chanyeol makes to lie back down, but as Baekhyun gets up to fill the cup with more water, he feels his arm being held back.

“B-Baekhyun,” Chanyeol croaks, his voice hoarse from that virus in his throat and body, “Stay,” his other hand pats the empty space on the bed beside him.

Looking at Chanyeol’s half-lidded eyes and the effort he’s put in just to say two simple words, Baekhyun places the cup back down on the bedside table and climbs over to the other side.

Uncharacteristically, Chanyeol leans in closer and snuggles into his chest, stunning him for a moment as the other squirms until he is comfortable. Chanyeol’s nest of brown hair is tucked right under his chin, and his arm around Baekhyun’s waist. When Chanyeol stops moving and starts breathing at a regular pace again, Baekhyun’s unsure, but he slowly places his arm around Chanyeol and pats his back lightly.

Somehow this seems to soothe him as Baekhyun hears him breathe out a sigh filled with relief and comfort. Baekhyun pats a little more, occasionally soothing his back, and in that moment without realising himself, he leans forward and gives Chanyeol’s crown a kiss.

And aside from the warmth that Chanyeol himself is emitting with his fever, there’s another kind of warmth that is wrapping itself slowly around Baekhyun’s heart as he feels the steady breathing of Chanyeol against him in deep sleep.

When Kyungsoo comes with chicken porridge a while later, Baekhyun had to gently wriggle himself out of Chanyeol’s hold to open the door for him. Chanyeol was sleeping so peacefully that he didn’t want to wake him, hoping that the sleep would give him the rest he so badly needed. Leading Kyungsoo to the couch, he asks the other to sit, and then goes to microwave the porridge a little so that Chanyeol can eat it warm later.

“You want something to drink?” Baekhyun hollers from the kitchen, as he grabs a cup from the shelf for himself.

“No thank you,” Kyungsoo takes a look at his watch, “I need to leave soon anyway. Jongin has an interview later today.”

Everyone around him - okay just Chanyeol and Kyungsoo - keeps calling KAI by his real name, it makes Baekhyun so frustrated that Chanyeol hasn’t brought him to meet the famous idol yet. He mentally makes a note to ask for it later.

Baekhyun makes for the living room while drinking from the cup in his hand.

“So do you like Chanyeol?”

He spits the water back into the cup at Kyungsoo’s question, and the water that actually manages to go down his throat, goes down to quickly. Baekhyun coughs so hard that he quickly puts down the cup in fear that he might drop it from the way his body was convulsing.

Choking on water is so not the way he imagined having a conversation with one of Chanyeol’s friends.

Kyungsoo’s holding his arms in a hurry, getting him to drink a little more once the coughing fit stopped. Baekhyun drinks and wipes his lips with the back of his hand. He turns to look at Kyungsoo.

“Oh, ah.. You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to,” Kyungsoo laughs sheepishly,

“Well,” Baekhyun walks towards the couch, takes a seat and gestures Kyungsoo to do the same, “I’m kinda more curious as to why you asked in the first place?”

As if afraid Chanyeol was listening, Kyungsoo turns behind towards the room and turns to look at Baekhyun again, whose eyes are filled with curiosity.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Chanyeol has been making a point to come home earlier for a while now.”

“He cooks dinner, and it’s sort of our agreement so I guess.. Yeah?”

Kyungsoo merely gives a small smile. “Chanyeol never does that. He’s a workaholic to the bone. And especially when it comes to his music, if he needs to perfect it, he can stay in that cave of his for as long as he needs to until it’s perfect. Going back home isn’t a priority for him at all, it’s just a place with a bed and a TV.

Of course, that is, until you came along.”

Baekhyun tries to push the warmth that’s enveloping his chest down, but he’s finding it hard to as it wraps around his heart and mind and fills him with a kind of feeling he’s never felt in the time he thought he loved Minseok.

This is different.

Still, he schools his expression to a T.

“Until me…?”

“He’s alive, Baekhyun!” Kyungsoo answers with such vigor that it makes Baekhyun happy that Chanyeol has a friend like him. “He does things out of the studio, cooks often, goes out to the city…. What I can tell you is he’s not someone who opens himself to others easily, but when he does, he’ll do all these things that doesn’t seem like him, but it’s really just the Chanyeol sitting behind that workaholic facade. I think he’s been wanting a reason to get out of doing only work for so long, but hasn’t found it and ironically does more work to forget it.

What I’m trying to say, Baekhyun, is that arranged marriage or not, I think somewhere along the way, he’s made a space for you in his life,” Kyungsoo pats Baekhyun’s knees. “That’s why I’m asking, if you like him. Because if you don’t, I don’t want him to be led on. He may not look the part, but he’s really just a giant softie.”

Baekhyun sees the knowing twinkle in Kyungsoo’s eyes, as if knowing his answers before he’s even said it.

“I.. don’t know. I’ve never thought about it,” he manages to squeeze out, amidst the way his heart has been thundering against his chest since Kyungsoo started talking.

“Well, think about it,” Kyungsoo makes to stand to leave. “I better get going, make sure Chanyeol eats the porridge!”

Baekhyun mindlessly stirs the light soy sauce into the porridge, finding himself staring into blank space.

Think about it.

Those words keep swirling around in his mind. Somewhere deep down, he knows what’s been causing the constant thumping in his chest, but he’s afraid. Not of himself, but of the possibility that Chanyeol might not want him, and as much as the way he feels for Chanyeol is much stronger, he’s not ready to be rejected twice in such a short period of time.

And what happens if he confesses and Chanyeol rejects? Where does he go, and what would happen? The atmosphere in the house is going to be so awkward, and Baekhyun is not ready to let go of this comfort he’s been feeling in the house that fast. But … but if he doesn’t… what happens when the 6 months are up?

Will he then regret not saying anything? As he thinks about it, Kyungsoo did mention something about Chanyeol being a changed man because of him.

His mind goes back to the past 4 months that he’s spent with Chanyeol. He’s lived for 25 years, and yet the time when he felt most alive was in those 4 months. Maybe not in the beginning, but it gradually got better, and Baekhyun could see and feel himself happier too. There’s something about Chanyeol that sees right through him, lets him be who he is, and doesn’t make him feel like he has to be somebody else to be accepted. Baekhyun has never felt like himself more than he did in the past few months.

The thing with Minseok is that - though he tries so hard not to think about it anymore - he always felt like he had to be somebody to impress the other, especially since Minseok is the living definition of everything he was ever expected to be. But with Chanyeol there’s none of that. Chanyeol loves seeing him do what he loves, encourages it even, and doesn’t expect anything from him, except...him, just the way he is.

Baekhyun also loves the way Chanyeol’s grin fills up his entire face; his two rows of teeth both showing, the wrinkles on the corner of his eyes when he smiles, and that deep velvety voice that more often than not sends shivers down his bones. Eyes that listen and pay attention to him, and a heart so gentle he wouldn’t even harm a fly. Not to mention Chanyeol looks extremely attractive when he has his legs folded on the bed, a guitar on his lap, and the pencil he uses to mark his scores between his lips.

At that image, Baekhyun catches himself as he finds the heat rising in his body. When did he even start noticing all of that?

“B..Baekhyun,” a hoarse voice calls out from behind him, contrary to the healthy deep voice Baekhyun knows. It still manages to snap Baekhyun out of his mindless stirring of the porridge that has probably turned cold again as he so swiftly turns around.

“Chanyeol! What are you doing out of bed, you should go lie down,” he sighs as he walks towards the other. Looking at Chanyeol now, even though his lips are pale with sickness, it brings Baekhyun to everything he was just thinking about, along with Chanyeol’s bed hair now - the brown strands sticking out in every corner.

Chanyeol holds himself up with a hand on the wall.

“It was warmer with you there.”

Chanyeol is sick, Chanyeol is sick, Baekhyun chants repeatedly to himself in his head, in an attempt to not let those words get to his head.

As Baekhyun nears the other, he feels arms grabbing him by the waist, and Chanyeol bends forward resting his chin on his shoulder. He hears the other release a deep sigh of relief, his breath so warm and so close to his ear. Lightly shaking his head to will all his previous thoughts away, he grabs a hold of Chanyeol’s arm and wraps his own arm around Chanyeol.

“Come on, you giant puppy, let’s get you back to bed.”

Somehow Baekhyun manages to get the sick Chanyeol back under the covers and he lifts the quilt all the way up to Chanyeol’s neck, just below his chin. He tucks the corners in over his shoulder, making sure he’s kept warm. Chanyeol’s eyes are still closed, and Baekhyun figures the porridge can be eaten later.

“Baekhyun.”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

Baekhyun merely hummed in response, as he tilts his head and looks at Chanyeol’s face that is still as every bit as good looking as when he’s well.

“Baekhyun.”

“Hmm?”

He jumps a little as he feels a cold hand hold on to his tightly. Chanyeol had managed to take his arm out from the covers on the sides and reached for Baekhyun’s.

“Don’t go.”

He very gently pries Chanyeol’s hands off his wrist, and tucks it back under the covers.

“Okay.”

♣

It’s late in the evening when Baekhyun wakes up in the position he was in before, Chanyeol’s head on his arm, tucked right under Baekhyun’s chin. He didn’t even realise he fell asleep after watching Chanyeol so peacefully. His hand is numb now though so gently he pulls it out from underneath the other, so as to not wake him.

He puts his palm against Chanyeol’s forehead and sighs in relief. It’s still a fever warm, but not as burning to the touch as it was before. He should get up and have the porridge now, it’s getting late and almost dinner. The guy hasn’t eaten anything the entire day too.

“Chanyeol.” Baekhyun shook his shoulders gently, “Hey, hey, get up, let’s go eat. Kyungsoo left you porridge.”

“Hmm….” Chanyeol mumbles, his cheek still pressed against the pillow.

Baekhyun gently shook him again. At the second nudge, Chanyeol rolled over to face the ceiling, his eyes still closed, and only a mumble coming from his lips.

Baekhyun’s shoulders shake a little in light laughter. Chanyeol may be tall, broad, and with proportions to die for, but here on the bed, and sick even, makes Baekhyun want only to ruffle his hair and pinch his cheeks. It makes him want to kiss Chanyeol awake.

And so he does.

Before he could help himself.

Only as he pulls back, Chanyeol was wide awake, his eyes probably the opened the widest Baekhyun has ever seen. But there is no response, so Baekhyun closes his eyes and takes another chance.

Instead he feels two large hands holding him by the shoulder. The pang he feels in his heart is unmistakeable; he doesn’t think he’s felt anything close to that before, not even when he found out about Minseok.

He feels heavy movements on the bed and looks up to see Chanyeol sitting upright, something like panic? Written all over his face. He’s already kissed Chanyeol anyway so he might as well just jump into it.

“I… kinda like you. Maybe.”

“B-Baek…”

“I don’t know when it happened but I guess you’ve been really nice to me and everything and I just,” Baekhyun’s fiddling with the hem of his t-shirt, “ ...yeah.”

Chanyeol is silent and just stares at Baekhyun. If Baekhyun was confident earlier in just biting the bullet and going for it, the silent stare Chanyeol was giving him was making him increasingly nervous by the second.

“Chanyeol… say something?”

The considerably long silence continues before Chanyeol pipes in, “You’re gonna get sick.”

“What. That’s all you have to say to me?”

“B-Baek… I.. Let’s take this slow? You’ve just gotten over Minseok, and from what you’ve told me, I’m definitely nothing like him, and .. what if.. what if you’re just confused?” Chanyeol’s gaze stays on the bed.

“I know what I’m feeling. I know you’re not Minseok. And I know we didn’t exactly start on the right foot. But I also know that this isn’t remotely similar to what I felt for him. And I also know that I’m not confused about whatever I’m feeling,” Baekhyun tries, going for Chanyeol’s hand only to have him flinching away.

“I..I don’t know... What if it’s me who’s confused?”

Baekhyun only furrows his eyebrows. What in the world is Chanyeol talking about? This is definitely not how he pictured a confession would go.

“So… you like me?”

“Maybe.”

“But you’re confused.”

“....Yeah”

“So you like me, but you’re not sure if you like me?”

Chanyeol puts his face in his palms and mumbles into his hands, “Yeah, something like that.”

“And you think I don’t really like you and that I’m confused too.” Baekhyun is getting kind of frustrated.

Chanyeol looks up from his hands, “Aren’t you…? I mean I think we’ve just seen each other too much and … and you .. you just got over Minseok -”

That’s when Baekhyun blows over.

“A rebound. That’s what you think you are, don’t you?” Baekhyun almost feels pity at the look Chanyeol throws over. He doesn’t doubt the confusion the other feels, but it doesn’t make him feel good that his own feelings are doubted as not genuine, that he’s taking Chanyeol as a rebound. “Well, you know what. Too bad you’re not special enough to be my rebound. Ugh, why did I even kiss you, I thought it was going to go well, Kyungsoo even said -,” At Kyungsoo’s name Chanyeol’s eyes widen and Baekhyun bites back his words.

“Nevermind. I’m going to get some fresh air. You do whatever you want, think whatever you want. Don’t wait up for me.” Baekhyun picks up his sweater and walks out of the house, slamming the door behind him with full intent.

Maybe, Chanyeol needs that time to think - which Baekhyun admits it was all too sudden anyway - so he’s going to give Chanyeol that time.

Chanyeol watches as Baekhyun turns his back to leave, and then sinks into his bed. He throws the quilt over his head and shakes his entire body in frustration.

It’s not that he’s never thought about it, he definitely did, but all this while, he hasn’t been expecting Baekhyun to reciprocate his feelings, considering the fact that he just got over a one-sided thing himself. Having Baekhyun like him back, even though the latter has been more touchy as of late, wasn’t something that really went across his mind. Chanyeol all along had been thinking that he’d be the one to suffer from the one-sidedness of the relationship if he allowed himself to like Baekhyun any more than he already did.

But now, he’s only just made Baekhyun mad. It’s 7pm, and he doesn’t even know where he would be outside.

Still, a part of him thinks it’s the right thing to do. Maybe they both need time to think about things. He nods to himself, and only just a few seconds later finds his face getting hotter as his mind goes back to the kiss they shared just a while ago.

God, he would do anything to have those soft thin lips on his again.

He heaves a sigh and messes his own hair, pulling his cheeks down with his palms as he groans. There is a truth that he has to admit to himself. That amidst the fear of Baekhyun being unsure, he’s afraid too.

The only relationship he was in that ever lasted for a pretty long time was in high school, and they broke off before heading to college. Their interests ended up being too different, and she wanted him to pursue his studies in the same college when he had dreams elsewhere. Now that he thinks back to it, it had only ever been a game in high school - to tell the world he had a girlfriend - and never about being serious. It was a wonder it ever lasted that long.

But in college, he found himself attracted to the student union president, Kim Joonmyun, who liked to speak too formally, and dressed too formally for school lectures. At that time though, Chanyeol has never thought about the idea of liking boys, much less thought about whether it was okay to at all. The only person who knows of this is Kyungsoo.

And that’s it. That’s how short and pathetic Chanyeol’s relationship (or just a crush) history was. He doesn’t know what to expect in one. Does it come with compromises? Are there rules? And the worst part, Chanyeol thinks, is that dating comes with the possibility of breaking up, and he’s not sure he wants to put himself in something like that.

The only thing he knows however is that he’s never felt this strongly for anyone the way he feels for Baekhyun.

The way Baekhyun fills up his monotonous life that only involved work, more work, and a tiny bit of rest. The way he actually makes Chanyeol look forward to coming home, look forward to having someone to talk to about his day. The way Baekhyun listens attentively when he speaks, even when he’s too tired himself. And also the way Baekhyun sings and hums softly on the other side of his bed when he thinks the other is already asleep.

The missing vibrance in his life was so easily found in Baekhyun and the more he thinks about it the more he realises that they’ve lapped into a routine where they fit into each other’s lives so easily.

His stomach growls, disrupting the train of thoughts that was chugging deeper and deeper into his mind. He throws the quilt over and makes for the kitchen, remembering the porridge Baekhyun mentioned earlier.

Unknowingly he’s gulping down the porridge quickly thoughts preoccupied with Baekhyun, but this time with worry at not knowing where he is. He’s considered ringing Kyungsoo to ask, since the other was here earlier, but he’s sure he’s only going to get a earful from him. He would call any of Baekhyun’s friends - if he knew any of them. He only knows about Jongdae through pictures and stories Baekhyun tells.

Chanyeol flips through the cable channels. The clock ticks half past ten.

Chanyeol somehow finds himself on a documentary about dolphins that he’s sure Baekhyun would love to watch. The clock chimes at 12 midnight.

Baekhyun is still not home.

Chanyeol’s called his handphone a number of times after finishing up with his porridge but the line didn’t get connected. He’s shaking his leg subconsciously out of worry and grabs his phone to try again. Just as he is about to click the bright green call button, the sound of the door unlocking has him throwing his phone on the couch and taking large steps towards the door.

The same person he’s been waiting for walks in, solemn, no expression on his face.

“Baekhyun! Where have you been, it’s midnight!’

“Okay.”

Baekhyun heads towards the kitchen, grabs a cup, pours in the water and drinks it down. Chanyeol watches as Baekhyun does all this without saying a single word.

“Are.. are you hungry? Did you eat already?”

“No.”

Chanyeol tails behind Baekhyun who was heading towards the bedroom. “Wait, no to being hungry? Or no to eating?” He’s answered with silence.

Panic starts settling in as he sees Baekhyun grab a pillow from his side of the bed, as well as the smaller blanket that’s folded neatly in the corner - the one Baekhyun keeps by his side because Chanyeol has the tendency to pull over most of the quilt.

“Baekhyun?? Baekhyun!”

Chanyeol grabs Baekhyun’s arms. The latter turns around with his arms full and a look that says he’s not willing to give Chanyeol any longer than 10seconds.

“Where are you going?”

“To the couch.”

“Why?”

“To sleep.”

“But -”

“Goodnight, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun’s words bite, and it causes Chanyeol to instantly release the hold he has on Baekhyun’s arm and stand there dumbfounded as Baekhyun turns the couch into his makeshift bed, much like the first few weeks he was here. He watches as Baekhyun lays on his side on the couch, curls himself up small enough to fit under the small blanket, and turns his back towards Chanyeol.

The air hanging in between the two of them is silent and awkward and it reminds Chanyeol so much of when Baekhyun first moved in, the way he had talked to Baekhyun too. Chanyeol slowly walks back into his bedroom and lies on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

He clenches his eyes shut. Go to sleep, it will be fine tomorrow. Baekhyun will be fine tomorrow.

Chanyeol wills his mind with all his might to sleep, but the entire happening has been keeping him much too awake to head to bed. If he was feverish a while ago, he’s sure all of it is gone now, he doesn’t feel a single bit of sickness left in him - but a lot of confusion as to why the person outside is behaving the way he is.

Chanyeol turns to the face the wall. In hindsight he should’ve thought about how bad a decision that is. Baekhyun’s usually on the side nearer to the wall, and now that he turns to face the other side, what used to be just his bed, now feels like a huge empty space. A space that was meant for someone to be sleeping in. It makes Chanyeol laugh a little to himself as he stretches his arm and places his palm on the other half of his bed. It had become such a habit for him to sleep on the right side, that he had almost forgotten how the entire bed, is really..his bed. The space where he used to roll around as much as he wanted to thanks to it being big. But now Chanyeol finds it weird to even inch towards the center, too used to having ‘his’ side of the bed.

Since when he cared so much for someone else’s comfort in sleep, he doesn’t even remember. Since when he was okay with someone else invading his personal space, he doesn’t remember either. All he remembers is how willing he is to give that space to Baekhyun, how willing he is to let Baekhyun step in all of his personal boundaries.

Chanyeol huffs again and sits upright on the bed. The past 4 months flashes so quickly across his mind, in fast forward, and he sees himself, the way he’s fallen for Baekhyun so quickly in the little things, in his pure heartedness of living his life for someone else, in his slowly but surely gain of courage as he finds his voice again. And through the quick flashbacks, he sees the little things Baekhyun has been doing, trying so hard to wait up for Chanyeol to get back from work that he’s sleeping upright on the couch, little touches here and there as he opens up to the other, and most of all - Chanyeol realises - in the simple way Baekhyun could have left him alone to recover but chose to take an unpaid leave from work instead.

He pulls the cover away and stands up. Maybe he’s not sure where this will go and where it will end if it ever will, but one thing is for sure, as he recollects what just happened a while ago, he doesn’t want Baekhyun to become a stranger to him ever again.

He stands right over Baekhyun, and looks at the other sleeping peacefully.

He runs his fingers through Baekhyun’s hair, pushing back the fringe that was falling across his face. And as he looks at Baekhyun’s chest rising up and down in his sleep, Chanyeol thinks that he probably wants all of it, wants everything too much, and takes that leap of faith.

Just like how Baekhyun kissed him, Chanyeol sits on the edge of the couch, and places his lips softly on Baekhyun’s.

Only to find arms around his neck, and a pair of lips that are insistent on kissing him deeper. Chanyeol’s eyes snap open, grabbing a hold of Baekhyun’s shoulders.

“You weren’t asleep?!”

“Seriously do you think I can sleep? This couch hurts my back so much, ugh,” he winces as he lets go of an arm around Chanyeol to press his palm against his back. Chanyeol pushes his hand away and starts pressing it for him. “Also, I couldn’t stop thinking about what you could be thinking about.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Well, like whether you want me or not, whether I was too quick to -”

Chanyeol leaves a peck on Baekhyun’s cheek, “Does that answer your question enough?’

“I know but if you need more time -”

“And have you behave so coldly towards me for another day? No thanks,” Chanyeol expresses while pulling Baekhyun in towards his chest.

Baekhyun sighs, breathing in the smell of Chanyeol that had already become so familiar to him.

“I’m so glad I didn’t have to do that for a long time, it was hard.”

“So why did you?”

Baekhyun turns to look at him, “Jongdae’s suggestion. Said it would help you sort your mind out.”

Chanyeol returns the gaze Baekhyun is giving so deeply, and he thinks he sees the stars and all of the deepest oceans in the latter’s eyes. He’s sure now that he won’t regret this.

“Well, it certainly did,” he whispers against Baekhyun’s lips as he presses in harder this time, feeling Baekhyun pushing back against him as their lips fit squarely against each other. Chanyeol tries to change his position on the couch a little maneuvering Baekhyun till the other was leaning against the armrest, their lips still connected. While fixing his position to kiss Baekhyun better, his hips brushes against Baekhyun’s, causing the latter to moan slightly and Chanyeol takes the opportunity to slip his tongue into his mouth. That causes him to make a little surprised puppy noise which only serves to turn Chanyeol on even more.

“Ch-Chanyeol…”

“Hmm?” Chanyeol stretches his elbows from either side of Baekhyun’s head. They’ve gotten from leaning against the armrest to completely lying down on the couch.

“I like you but,” Baekhyun places both his palms on Chanyeol’s cheeks, “If you’re gonna make us do this on the couch I’m going to kill you because it’s so bloody uncomfortable.” Chanyeol only laughs at the pout Baekhyun gives and places another kiss on his nose.

Baekhyun rolls out from underneath Chanyeol, causing him to drop onto the couch. Baekhyun reaches out his hand.

“Come on,” Baekhyun teases, a smirk on his lips and his eyebrows raised teasingly. Chanyeol returns it with a huge grin and grabs his hand, with Baekhyun grabbing it tightly and pulling him all the way to the bedroom.

“Well, aren’t you one for cuddling,” Baekhyun chuckles as he kisses the crown of Chanyeol’s head. Chanyeol responses by nuzzling his nose further into Baekhyun’s now sweaty bare chest. Their legs are entangled with each other’s beneath the quilt. The night is cold, but in here, both of them are warm next to each other.

Baekhyun’s honestly not one for the mushy romantic talk, but this moment, he thinks, if he doesn’t grab it, he might not get to say it ever.

“I like you, you know,” he starts out softly, hand still holding on to Chanyeol’s, “A lot.”

Chanyeol tilts his head up to look at him, eyes prompting him to say more. “I said it before, and I’m saying it again - you’re not Minseok. You’re Chanyeol. And I like you, Chanyeol, because I think you like me for who I am, and you don’t make me feel like I have to be somebody else.”

Chanyeol smiles and with his elbow props himself up to give Baekhyun a sweet peck on the lips.

“I think I might more than just like you.”

Baekhyun beams and Chanyeol promises to himself that there would never come a day that that smile would disappear from Baekhyun’s face. It’s too beautiful for Chanyeol to ever live a day without seeing it.

“And I promise, all you have to be, is you, and with me.”

Baekhyun scrunches up his nose and presses his index finger to Chanyeol’s forehead. “Too cheesy!” Though inside the fuzziness he’s feeling is running through his entire body, but he’s definitely not going to admit that.

Beneath him, Chanyeol starts walking his fingers on Baekhyun’s belly making him squirm.

“Stop that, it tickles,” pushing away Chanyeol’s hand but only in vain as it returns.

“Why? I like it, it’s not too hard not too soft. Just nice,” he bends and places a kiss just beneath Baekhyun’s chest and right above his stomach. “I’m going to learn to love every bit of you, a little bit at a time, because we have all the time in the world.”

He turns quickly over, and hovers over Baekhyun, supported by his arms on either side of the man beneath him. “I want you Baekhyun, for a long time. And I -” He sighs, and flips his head downwards, avoiding Baekhyun’s gaze, his hair falling over his forehead. Baekhyun tilts his chin up with his fingers.

“I don’t know when this will end. I don’t know when you’d become a stranger to me again. But I want you, for a long time. You make me feel,” Chanyeol pauses, searching for the words in Baekhyun’s eyes that beckons him to spill more. But he realises one word sums it all up - “Happy.”

Baekhyun’s wide smile turns his eyes into little crescents, and he stretches his arms, looping them around Chanyeol’s neck above him. “You can have me, for a long time.”

It is strange how just Baekhyun’s words alone feel like a promise of an eternity, and he lets himself be pulled down by the other back onto the bed and into his now lover’s chest again. He puts his arm around Baekhyun’s waist and breathes in the sweaty scent of the other, the smell of himself just as distinct.

“I’ve got something to give you.” Chanyeol reaches out over Baekhyun to the side table, pulling open the drawer. He hands Baekhyun a very familiar looking ring.

“You kept this all the while?” Baekhyun’s eyes widen, quickly slipping it back on to his ring finger, “I thought I lost it.”

“Well I was honestly really upset you took it off at all,” Chanyeol playfully pouts. Baekhyun only laughs placing a kiss on his forehead.

He lifts his hand and looks at the ring that’s now back on his finger. He glances over at Chanyeol’s on his hand too.

“We got it all in the wrong order, didn’t we?”

Chanyeol has to process it a while before he realises what Baekhyun means.

“Well if you want, we can get married again?”

Baekhyun laughs lightly and gives a light smack to his arms. Chanyeol pulls Baekhyun in closer and tighter, and soon falls asleep with the echo of Baekhyun’s laughter and the picture of his smile behind his closed eyelids.

♣

Baekhyun marks the calendar on the fridge and chuckles a little. If he remembers it right, today marks the day of their 6th month of marriage, and things are alot different now than it was back then. For one, Baekhyun definitely doesn’t have to worry about the 6 months being up, seeing as to how Chanyeol more often than not finds it a must to get a hug and a kiss every day as he comes home from work (and to be honest, any other time he manages to catch one while Baekhyun is talking to him).

6 months ago, he wouldn’t have thought that waking up next to Chanyeol is something he would want to live without. 6 months ago, he wouldn’t have thought that he’d want to stay for as long as he can in Chanyeol’s … their apartment. And 6 months ago he definitely wouldn’t have thought that he’d quit his office job, and sing demos for Chanyeol’s tracks.

The day after he confessed to Chanyeol 2 months ago, Baekhyun went to the office and talked to Minseok. The two of them had been skirting around each other in the office - back to formal talk, and Minseok always careful like he was stepping on ice around Baekhyun.That day, Baekhyun told him everything without leaving anything out - about how long he had been harboring a crush for Minseok, about why he ran off after their movie, and finally told him that he doesn’t feel the same way anymore. Minseok kept apologising, blaming himself for unintentionally giving the wrong signals. Baekhyun shook his head assuring the other. On the last day of work in the office, Minseok wished him well, and Baekhyun found himself feeling more relieved than sad, though the parting with familiar faces made his eyes a little hazy.

Honestly, singing demo tracks for Chanyeol’s music and SM artists isn’t as regular as his previous job, and the pay doesn’t quite match what he used to be able to earn in a year, but he’s never felt happier. It also meant working with Chanyeol, and watching him in his element only makes Baekhyun fall a little more for him. Besides, Chanyeol makes more than enough money for the both of them to live on.

The past 2 months after had been quite a ride for Chanyeol and himself, they love, they argue, they fight, and then they love again. But as much as their arguments are a pain to get through, in hindsight he doesn’t mind as much because they end up learning more of each other, and making more considerations for the other. And fighting only means that Chanyeol also cares to make things work. What Baekhyun looks most forward to though is all the loving that comes after, whether he’s showering Chanyeol with it or vice versa.

“Babe….,” Chanyeol calls in his croaky sleepy voice.

Baekhyun turns from the kitchen and lightly skips towards him, tilting his head up to meet Chanyeol’s lips. He frowns.

“Go brush your teeth, gross.”

Chanyeol only makes a small whine in his throat as Baekhyun turns back around towards the kitchen. He feels two arms wrap around his waist, and Chanyeol’s chin on his shoulder, walking awkwardly behind Baekhyun as he follows him to the kitchen.

“What were you doing with the calendar,” Chanyeol whispers into his ear, knowing how it tickles and how weak it makes him. Baekhyun pulls his head away and smacks his palm over Chanyeol’s face who only goes -oof in return.

“Do you know what day it is?”

“Saturday.”

“No silly,” Baekhyun turns around in Chanyeol’s arms. With this close proximity he can really feel how Chanyeol towers over him. “It’s our 6th month anniversary.”

He sees the features on Chanyeol’s face stiffen, and as if his eyes aren’t already big, it widens more as he panics at not knowing what to say.

Baekhyun pokes his cheeks. “Calm down, I’m not going anywhere, see?” He lifts his arms up and leans back slightly, his waist still so strongly supported by Chanyeol’s arms. “I was just thinking of how far we’ve come.”

Chanyeol’s eyes soften and he pulls in Baekhyun closer to him. Baekhyun leans his cheek against Chanyeol’s sturdy chest, his arms also going around the other’s waist. This is where he feels most wanted, and where he wants to be, always. He feels Chanyeol’s hand on his head, as the latter places a kiss.

“I panicked for a while there, why would you even remember to mark that down?”

“Just because,” Baekhyun sighs at the warmth he’s in and snuggles further into Chanyeol’s chest and closes his eyes.

“If you keep snuggling this way, I’m going to have to bring you back to bed,” Chanyeol laughs though much to the contrary, he tightens his arms around Baekhyun.

Baekhyun only makes a small puppy noise in return, which causes Chanyeol to sigh and Baekhyun feels him rest his chin on the crown of his head.

“I love you.”

Baekhyun looks up and brings his arms up around Chanyeol, crossing his fingers behind Chanyeol’s neck. “Say it again.”

“I love you, I love you, I love you.” Chanyeol punctuates each phrase with a kiss on Baekhyun’s forehead, nose, and cheek. Baekhyun’s smiling as his eyes clenches shut, feeling every kiss the taller one leaves on his face.

“So are you excited for tonight?” Chanyeol asks, breaking the romantic bliss Baekhyun felt like he was in just a while ago. Nevertheless, he is excited for tonight, causing him to jump out of Chanyeol’s arms with excitement.

“Of course!!!” He takes the magnet off the calendar from the fridge showing the marked date as well. Beneath the 6 months Baekhyun just marked a while ago, is “KAI’S SOLO CONCERT!” Marked in red and bold and decorated with hearts. Going with Chanyeol means VIP access, which means he gets to go backstage as well and finally meet the idol. “I can’t believe it took you this long to finally introduce me to him.”

“So what- you can fall in love with him and run away?”

Knowing the effect talking about Kai has on Chanyeol, he puts on his best thinking face, “now that you mention it… it would be quite a perfect Cinderella story wouldn’t it?”

“Baekhyun….”

“He also has a nice butt…..”

“Baekhyun…”

“Handsome to boot….”

Too used to Chanyeol’s reactions, Baekhyun quickly evades the hand that was coming up to pinch his butt, and he playfully sticks his tongue out at the other, making to run for the bedroom. Baekhyun knows that Chanyeol would run after, before he actually hears the quick heavy sounds of footsteps chasing after him.

He lands on the bed, giggling, while Chanyeol cages his body with arms landing beside his shoulders.

Baekhyun pinches Chanyeol’s nose.

“You’re so cute jealous,” he laughs, causing Chanyeol to pout.

He pulls Chanyeol down by his shoulders so that their faces are much closer now. “But I only want you most,” he whispers, pressing his lips against Chanyeol’s.

They spend the morning making a mess of the bed again and Baekhyun thinks, as he lays next to Chanyeol falling back asleep on a Saturday morning, that everyday should be as beautiful as today, and that he’s sure with Chanyeol that it will be.