(adj.) idyllically innocent; simple and untroubled

by fear or worry

Word Count : 3533 | not yet edited

The word ‘date’ hadn’t really integrated itself in Baekhyun’s personal dictionary until he was just a mere teenager, going through the mental, physical, and emotional roller coasters bound to happen at his age; or at least that’s what he likes to believe. From what Baekhyun remembers, he didn’t realize that almost every girl had a crush on him in kindergarten. It’s not like he could’ve possibly know what if really meant to have a bunch of girls give you brand new crayons, the ones that smell like absolutely nothing with a pinch of happiness, the ones packed perfectly sharpened and neatly into their brand new boxes. Little Baekhyun had simply seen it as a simple gesture of generosity, not a way to proclaim their undying admiration and, some would even call it, ‘obsession’ towards him. He didn’t know that it’d hurt them if he were to just say “thank you” and carry on with the rest of his day. It wasn’t his intention. Maybe it had been his lack of knowledge, and soon, lack of interest towards women. Nevertheless, his turn to finally realize the secrets behind these gestures, to experience it firsthand, had quickly arrived.

Two months into high school, a certain boy became the apple of his eye. At the time, Baekhyun wasn’t sure if it was just the desire to be more like the boy, if it was just because Baekhyun perceived this boy to be the epitome of the “perfect” being. All he was sure of, though, was that he would do everything and anything to see the boy. That included waking up earlier than what he had been accustomed to, just so he could be early to school and greet the other. Baekhyun had also rerouted all his paths between navigating to each class, just so their paths may intertwine at a few points; this obviously took two hours out of what could’ve been studying time. If those aren’t embarrassing enough, he even told his friends to talk about him around the other, specifically telling them to remember to emphasize his name.

Eventually, all of that had become a routine and soon when days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, Baekhyun had finally worked up the courage to ask the boy out on a date. Hearing the other accept his “proposal” had finally given him the understanding of what those girls in kindergarten had wanted; their feelings reciprocated and the pure happiness and excitement from such. However, when the day of their date had arrived, Baekhyun had found out that the boy completely misunderstood the situation to be a sort-of “double-date.”

On that day, not only did Baekhyun understand what those girls in kindergarten had not wanted; their feelings not reciprocated and the pure embarrassment and dejection from such… he had also met the boy’s girlfriend.

Ever since then, Baekhyun figured out that a “date” should consist of two people, who each have an equal understanding of the situation and their possible feelings for each other; or rather “a romantic appointment or arrangement.” Which is exactly why Baekhyun isn’t quite sure as to what he should call the arrangement Chanyeol set up with him… the exact arrangement Baekhyun’s experiencing right now. Strangely enough, he thinks that maybe it would be nice to experience a real “date,” as he hasn’t since the last person he gave his all to…

“So how does ice cream sound to you?” he hears Chanyeol ask as they wander off and away from the cafe.

This night, Baekhyun notes, is awfully cold and he wonders why the other wouldn’t take this into account when asking for possible date locations, but alas, he replies, “In this weather?”

Chanyeol, still with his signature smile, shrugs his shoulders and nods, “In this weather.”

“Don’t get me wrong, i-ice cream’s great b-but isn’t it more of a ‘eat in heat’ kind of food?” Baekhyun looks up to the other in confusion, whilst trusting his feet to not need his eyes as some sort of guide across the slippery streets coated with stubborn ice.

“But it isn’t that cold.”

“Yo-you’re kidding, right?” Last time Baekhyun had checked, tonight’s temperature had dropped into the single-digit range. So is the other trying to be humourous? Or is he really, genuinely being serious?

The smaller gathers it’s the latter when Chanyeol shakes his head, lips formed into a slight pout. Rather strange, he thinks it is, that two people can be standing and living in the same place and time, yet one could be reacting to their surroundings differently. Although he also thinks that tolerance levels could play a part in that whole fiasco, and Chanyeol must have a great tolerance level when it comes to the extremes of weather. Is that why he just keeps giving me his jackets? He lightly snickers at the thought.

“Maybe.” He suddenly hears Chanyeol say sing-songly as they stop in front of diner.

“Huh?”

“Maybe that’s why I just keep giving you my jackets.”

Baekhyun needs a minute or two to register what Chanyeol said. However, it only takes him about a split second, after, to realize that what he had meant to keep in his thoughts, had unconsciously became spoken words.  

And instead of going on a rampage to try and apologize, Baekhyun lets out a light laugh and shakes his head whilst looking at the ground. He likes this feeling, this airy feeling of comfort and joy, this feeling of not having any second thoughts about laughing or being a bit sassy. It’s a rather unfamiliar feeling, though, given the fact he hasn’t felt this way in a particularly long time, but he doesn’t let this unfamiliarity hold him back.

So when Chanyeol holds the diner’s door open for him, he walks in even though he knows the weather is frightening, even though he knows he hadn’t given the other an answer to the question of ice cream, even though he knows what he feels around him is unfamiliar, and even though he doesn’t know what he wants to feel.

The diner looks amazingly comfortable, set with red leather couches and seats accompanied with tables, not to forget the napkin containers next to the ketchup and mustard bottles. It’s quite difficult to find such an eatery in this city, let alone this country; as Korean restaurants are rather more traditional to the Korean culture.

Inside this diner are many customers, most of them being couples; some hunched over the table sharing a milkshake, others sitting close and cozily… almost cuddling. The owners don’t seem to mind, as the waiters and waitresses happily serve them.

“Welcome to Kim's Diner! Today, to celebrate the occasion, our couple’s special is the ‘Double for the Price of One’ if you order any of our desserts…” The duo are now sitting down, facing each other, as they listen to the waiter with sun-kissed skin, “I am Jongin, and I will be serving you today. Let me know when you guys are ready to order.” And with a warm smile and a slight bow, the waiter walks away, leaving Baekhyun to wonder what he had meant by “the occasion.”

But knowing that today isn’t a crazy special day, since Christmas is only a few days away, Baekhyun brushes it off and picks up the menu in front of him. Instead of actually looking at the menu though, he just stares it as he slowly, slowly, lifts it up to cover his face; not forgetting to steal glances at the other to see if he hasn’t noticed. Each and every time he slightly looks up from the menu he, fortunately, only sees Chanyeol searching through his menu.

Baekhyun’s luck, though, runs out when he looks up for, what feels like, the nth time to see Chanyeol looking right at him.

Baekhyun gasps and quickly looks pulls his menu back to its previous position; heart racing to the point of feeling like it might just jump out his chest. Stupidstupidstupidstupid. Do you really have to act like this? What’re you even doing? Oh god, help me.

“Baekhyun?”

“Yes!” He abruptly places his menu down on the table, almost making his glass of water shake and spill, eyes wide open and alert, “I-I mean... yes?”

Chanyeol chuckles and then continues on to reply, “You do know that there are only four flavors of ice cream, right?”

“Wha-,” Baekhyun didn’t look at the ice cream section of the menu and when he does, he realizes the other is right, “Oh-oh yeah. I know. Aha. I just don’t know what to get. One out of four is just 25% of the fun…” He lets out a long held sigh and nervously laughs, looks up at Chanyeol just to see him looking again, then the next second he shifts his eyes quickly back to the menu.

A silence follows and it’s definitely not an awkward silence, nor is it a fully comforting silence… is it a tense silence? Baekhyun doesn’t know.

The silence lingers for a few seconds until Chanyeol smiles, shakes his head and speaks up, “Cute.”

It’s Chanyeol’s turn to look back down to his menu, although he does such rather calmly, as Baekhyun looks right back up to the other and abruptly asks, “C-cute? Huh? W-what’s cute?”

Before Chanyeol could answer, Baekhyun sees a young girl running towards their table with open arms. She’s quite an adorable little child, hair tied up in two pigtails and dressed in a light rose tutu.

“Oppa! Oppa! Oppa!” The same young girl, who appears to be no less five years of age now that Baekhyun has heard her voice, stops in front of their table and faces Chanyeol. She seems to be bubbling with immense happiness right now, Baekhyun also concludes, as her eyes shine with admiration and smile is genuine and wide, almost as if her cheeks might just hurt if she smiles any longer.

Nevertheless, she waves her arms towards the taller as she repeats the same word over and over again. In response, Chanyeol gets up, his smile equating to the genuinity of hers, and picks up the little girl so that she can wrap her arms around his neck while he carries her. Baekhyun notices that the other also adds in a grunt, presumably to add humour.

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