It was getting late at the studio and by now Chanyeol was the only member left there.

 

The others had gone home before him, most of them too tired to stand from all the practicing they had done throughout the day.

 

But Chanyeol couldn't go home just yet. He needed an outlet for his feelings.

 

So that’s what he did. He had locked himself into a small cubicle, the room only furnished with a keyboard and seat as well as an iPad with some kind of program on it that would allow him to search up all the notes, for any kind of song.

 

A few days ago, on the way back from one of their schedules, a song had started to play on the radio. Chanyeol had recorded it and had later found out which one it had been. He had instantly been able to identify with the music and the lyrics even though at that time he hadn’t understood quite everything that he had heard.

 

Now that he had looked up the lyrics, he understood why he had been so drawn towards the song from the start. It expressed the conflict he was experiencing in his heart right now. Actually had been for quite some time now.

 

Chanyeol had fallen for the smaller male fast and hard ever since they had first met. The others bubbly and happy personality, the mischief in his eyes and that cute, rectangle like smile. He even found the others obsession with eyeliner adorable.

 

But of course he had no chance. When the boy had gotten himself a girlfriend some time ago, Chanyeol had been devastated. Even though he had been able to keep up the façade fairly well in front of their fans, playing the cheerful and happy Chanyeol, he hadn’t been exactly that.

 

As soon as they would make it home from schedules, Chanyeol would lock himself in his room, not talking to the other members if it wasn’t needed. He stopped being the one cracking jokes whenever they were eating together or just sitting in the living room after a long and tiring day. He had been grateful that they had had an immensely busy time then, being able to excuse himself with saying he was tired or just drained and didn’t feel like joking around.

 

Baekhyun had stopped teasing him with jokes or pinches after a while too, finding a new victim for his jokes. And Chanyeol had been glad that he hadn’t been forced to act like everything was okay around the one person that caused all his hurt.

 

In that time he had drowned himself in music, composing and singing to any kind of sad song that came along. He had been staying in the practice rooms late a lot lately, that’s why the members didn’t think of it as anything weird anymore.

 

Over time, Chanyeol had managed to tell himself that no, he didn’t need the other male anymore. That he was over him. That Baekhyun would never love him back. That he was in love, with a girl on top of that. He had slowly crushed his hopes every day, one bit at a time and it had worked, after months of hard work he had been able to joke around with the said male like before, had been able to crack jokes like all these times before again.

 

Then they had broken up. And even though Chanyeol knew it was stupid, he tried his best not to let it happen and tried to ignore it, his feelings gradually came back. Now he admitted to himself that he had in fact never stopped loving the other, that he had just been better at lying to himself. But the fact that Baekhyun had broken up with her must mean something, right? So back here he was, staring blankly at the keyboard in front of him. He knew he was just fantasizing, which only made it hurt that bit more.

 

Chanyeol shook his head slightly, he had to get rid of these sad thoughts, now.  That’s why he had stayed behind after all. To think about something else than /him/. Alright, it wasn’t really working out, it hadn’t from the very start when he had begun with this but at least he could lie to himself and say that the tears were caused by the song itself, not because of how much he could relate and wished that the male would just finally realize and accept his feelings.

 

He was getting tired of waiting. Everyone had feelings after all. Why crush his feelings so hard, every single day?

 

Chanyeol sighed softly while tapping away on the iPad, searching the lyrics and notes for this one particular song. All of me by John Legend. That was the one.

 

He stretched his arm, cracking his knuckles before playing the first few notes of the song. Yes this was it, the song that had been stuck in his head for ages now.

 

He started to sing softly, his deep and rich voice filling the room with a feeling of sorrow and longing. He hadn’t heard many songs that expressed what he wanted and was feeling at the same time as well as this one did.

 

“… Drawing me in, and you kicking me out. Got my head spinning, no kidding, I can’t pin you down…”

 

He poured all his feelings into the lyrics, making them sound so very true and convincing.

 

“…Give your all to me, I’ll give my all to you...”

 

Chanyeol smiled sadly at these parts, knowing that exactly that was only the one sided love he was feeling and that he’d never have ‘all’ of the other.

 

“… ‘Cause I give you all of me. And you give me all of you, oh…”

 

The longing in his voice was impossible to overhear and he bowed his head further, his fingers automatically finding the keys they had to press down on without him looking at the notes anymore. It was as if his heart and mind knew exactly what he would have to do.

 

The end of the song drew closer and closer, a single tear caught in Chanyeols long eyelashes. He ended the song with a soft, sad last note before just letting his hands slip to his lap while he fought hard to keep his tears in check. Only because he was alone didn’t mean he liked crying just like that. He already hated himself because the song affected him so much, he didn’t need to be the biggest cry baby here too. That had always been Taos job, but now that he was gone EXO needed a new one, huh?

 

Suddenly, Chanyeol heard soft clapping behind himself and he whipped around in shock, not having noticed or known that he was in fact not alone at all. He stared right into those big beautiful eyes that had caused him all this pain and he blinked a few times, only then noticing how Baekhyuns eyes were watery as well.

 

“I… I didn’t know anyone was still here.”

 

Chanyeol spoke with a measured voice, doing his best to not let it crack. Baekhyun was the last person he wanted to cry in front of.

 

The latter rubbed over his eyes with the back of his hand sheepishly before half smiling slightly.

 

“I came back because I noticed that you didn’t come to the dorm with us. I was getting worried that…”

 

He stopped the sentence abruptly, looking down at his feet.

 

Chanyeol nibbled on his bottom lip, standing up slowly.

 

“It’s not the first time I’ve stayed behind. You know I would have come back soon.”

 

Baekhyun nodded slowly, before turning around suddenly, pushing open the door and walking out with quick steps.

 

Chanyeol only blinked in confusion before sprinting after the other male, grabbing his hand.

 

“Baek what’s wrong? Did I say something wrong? If I did I’m really sorry.”

 

The smaller male only looked to the ground, his whole body turned away from the other. Chanyeol was slowly getting worried by the males’ behaviour, leaning down to be able to look him in the eyes that were hidden under his bangs, his hair all fluffy from just being washed.

 

Baekhyun only turned his face away further, doing his best from hiding his eyes from the taller male but not completely succeeding. Chanyeol was shocked to see tears in the other’s eyes, placing his finger under his chin to lift his face up, making Baekhyun look at him.

 

“Baek... Why are you…”

 

He was interrupted by the smaller, his hand getting pushed away from his chin.

 

“Don’t touch me. Just… Leave me alone.”

 

Chanyeol stared at him with wide eyes, completely taken aback by the boy’s reaction. What had he done wrong?

 

“Baek… I- What’s wrong?”

 

“Park Chanyeol, just leave me be. Why did you have to sing such an emotional song? Why didn’t you see that I only went out with her because it would get the rumours away from us? Why don’t you understand that I like you?! Why do you have to be so dense, huh?”

 

Baekhyun was panting by now, glaring up at the taller with tears in his eyes.

 

“Just… Let me go… Oh god.”

 

He turned away, blushing madly when he realized that he had just confessed, and not very charmingly at that.

 

“Forget what I said. It’s just the heat of the moment, I… unffh.”

 

Chanyeol had wrapped his fingers around the others wrist while he had been ranting, pulling him back against his chest, aligning their bodies flush against each other. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. This must be a dream come true. Baekhyun liked him…? It must be a joke. But he wasn’t going to let this chance slip away.

 

Chanyeol cupped the others face between his hands, placing a soft and short peck on the boys lips.

 

“I like you too… That song… It’s how I feel for you. Please don’t say I should forget this… It’s the happiest moment of my life.”

 

He smiled down at the other, his eyes beaming in happiness even though he was getting teary again.

 

Baekhyun just stood there, completely stunned after the kiss and the confession, blinking up at the other like a confused kitten.

 

He then let out a soft squeal, wrapping his arms around Chanyeols neck and pulling him down into a tight hug, pecking his cheek from time to time.   

 

Chanyeol on the other hand wrapped his arms around the smaller’s waist, enveloping him in his warmth and covering him almost completely with his tall frame.

 

Finally he was able to hold that one person close he truly loved.