Author's Note: So this chapter was previously a part of the previous one, however including it would have made chapter 002 even longer and it was just unfeasible! So, think of it as a bonus chapter, I enjoyed writing it very much because Chanyeol finally realises there really is something there! He's a funny fellow who's not very much aware of his own feelings in my mind and in this story, so yeah... Hope you like it! And I'm sorry for being short!

Chapter 003

Two days had gone by.

And when Baekhyun had earnestly suggested to find a way of fixing what had gone wrong that night weeks ago between him and Ji Woo, Chanyeol had never actually thought about making an appearance before her. He had thought about sending her a basket with chocolaty goodies that he remembered Ji Woo liking when he bought stuff from the convenience store near the hospital with a card asking for forgiveness. Or maybe, coming to terms with the idea of coercing one of his female friends to just give him her number and be done with the apology with a text, maybe even a phone call.

But then again, all of those things did not express any sincerity in his apology towards her. And since it kept on bothering him, he had decided to just go on with Baekhyun’s suggestion.

Taking a deep breath, Chanyeol felt suddenly uncomfortable in the large van accompanied only by his best friend and the driving manager hyung. Actually, HyunKyun hyung had apparently sympathized with his cause when he told him about the plan, since his personality (more on the softer, caring type) often crashed with SeungHwan hyung. And, especially, since the quiet soft speaking Ji Woo could, someday, apparently make her way towards stardom with her brilliant piano skills HyunKyun hyung had elaborated on the necessity of not having disrespected someone like that. Baekhyun was navigating through his SNS accounts and wasn’t paying him much attention since he was sitting in the far back.

They had both dressed up. And Chanyeol was suddenly overly aware, more so than usual if that even made any sense, of his looks. Ever since middle school the taller boy had no doubts whatsoever that he was good looking. More than that, he was devilishly handsome. He had the height, the body, the face and the witty personality… in fact he had been confessed to so many times before he even entered SM entertainment, not to mention before he debuted (or after, either, obviously) that confidence in his appearance was something that he had never lacked.

But this was making him so awfully frustrated that he was ready to slit his wrists right now. Groaning and leaning his head back on the headrest of the leather seating his wringed his hands together. He was absolutely sure he did not romantically like this person. But why, oh why was he reacting this way? He was feeling just a little more sweaty than the norm for mid-October when the cold was beginning to push the amenable temperatures away and starting an excruciating winter once again. And he was so freaky nervous that the only occasions he could remember being more nervous than this were ridiculously important events in his life. Debuting. First concert. First broadcast. In his mind he tried to tell himself that it was because he was afraid she would reject his apology or worse, ignore him altogether. He also tried to pep talk himself that the reason he was feeling so agitated it was because of convincing his manager to convince the team leader and director to let him and Baekhyun attend to the Seoul International Piano Competition final round in Seoul Arts Center after finding out that that person had also made it through the semifinal round (though he did not dare to watch the video for that one) with absolutely fantastic reviews for the rendering of the Ravel piece she had played. They would come on the pretense of representing LG who not only sponsored the contest but had an endorsement contract with SM and EXO. His stomach did a queasy turn and he looked back at Baekhyun who was looking straight at him. They were already near the Yangjae subway station and just about to reach their destination.

Baekhyun seemed to mirthfully enjoy the new side of him which lacked a bit of his arrogance and wit and suddenly found itself in anxiety fits more often than not. It moderated his loudness a lot and it had been noticed by all of the members, but Baekhyun also admitted that while it wasn’t so bad if he could keep his personality restrained like he was now, they still preferred overly loud, gag-man and crazy, mischievous beagle Chanyeol – not that he wasn’t anymore, it just had simmered down a lot for the past weeks.

Supposedly, according to Baekhyun logic, meeting the girl and apologize would make him feel better and lift the guilt of his shoulder, allowing him to return to his usual self. Chanyeol used that excuse with himself as well as to why he was in this messy state right now, but he was pretty sure Baekhyun had just told him that to convince him to come here. He was sure that if some of this came to light, Kyungsoo would murder Baekhyun for actually suggesting Chanyeol to recover and get back to his overly-enthusiastic and overly-eager and especially overly-loud self. He had actually been a lot nicer to the taller one lately.

“Are your wiggly nerves calmed down yet? We’ve arrived.” The silvery blonde smiled over the taller one’s shoulder hearing and thanking the older manager, finding about the time they would be picked up. His hushed question remained unanswered as Chanyeol stared out the window and at him again. And then out there at the lights that came from the large circular building filling the night and people out there entering in an unrushed pace even though in about twenty minutes performances would begin. Bakehyun tilted his back to his right in his puppy manners. “What?”

“Should I really do this? Is it really going to be ok for us to just …appear?”

“Well, we do have a sort of alibi and since the company approved, it doesn’t seem to be problematic.” Baekhyun smirked evilly and flicked the taller one’s forehead so harshly a red mark immediately ensued on his skin. Before Chanyeol could even begin grumbling Baekhyun giggled. “You’re just afraid everyone finds out your dirty little secret.”

Feeling teased and provoked to the point of annoyance and worst than that, feeling just the tips of his charming ears heating up, Chanyeol finally felt his fighting witty spirit come back and scoffed.

“And what exactly is my dirty little secret, Baekoong-ah?”

Baekhyun blushed awfully quick and immediately covered his flush with his small hands at the mention of the name Taeyeon noona would use to call him in her especially corny moments which were, pretty much, the majority of their relationship.

“Yah!!!”

Baekhyun’s frown immediately lifted his spirit as he