"May you go out with me?" The fragment of the moment that Choi Min, the taekwondo club captain, had asked him is as clear as crystal when Chanyeol recollects to it.

The falling of petals from the cherry blossom trees, the swaying of Min's black hair due to the brushing wind, the curving of the said boy's lips into a smile  — everything was in slow motion.

Chanyeol answered yes even with the criticizing look Shen was giving to Min. It's only the three of them behind the northernmost school building.

The taller boy showed how happy he was with Chanyeol's acceptance, grabbing both of his hands together while Shen in the background is yelling in protest.

"Don't worry, Chanyeol." Min said. "From now on, I'll always be right beside you and take care of you."

The knocking on the door drags him back to the present, lifting his face from his hands and seen the eyeliner's stain on his palms. He finds himself curled at the corner of a storage room that is full of different types of ball and chairs. The place is so dark and only the rays of light can be found from the small windows at the uppermost part of the wall.

"I know someone's there." Chanyeol automatically puts his hand to cover his mouth when he heard that muffled voice outside and behind the wooden double door. "If you won't response back, you'll be locked inside there."

Truthfully, Chanyeol does not care at all. If he'll be stuck in that room forever, then so be it.

✿✿✿

Two or three minutes later, Kris does not receive any sign of the person inside. As one of the people who needs to secure the safety of the students, he knocks, hoping someone will answer.

“Stubborn brat.” Without further ado, the president kicks the door down.

The entrance opens and Kris sees no human is in there at first, but his hawk eyes capture a movement behind a rack of basketball. Someone is hiding there in a curled position proving his speculation is right. He hears faint sniffs from the person as he slowly comes closer.

His back looks familiar. Kris reaches for his shoulder but the person jerks away.

“Are you really this nosy?” Chanyeol reveals himself by turning his head to the other male, with puffy eyes and red and wet face. He looks horrible.

Dazed, Kris cannot move his mouth initially. Nostalgia attacks him once again, because the crybaby Chanyeol is back and live-in-action in front of him.

“Are you glad seeing me this defeated?” Chanyeol asked in his pain. “If you are, go ahead and spread to the whole school that I’m not as perfect as they think!”

Kris already knew that Chanyeol is imperfect but he is not that mean to push this poor boy to shame.

He his lips. “Chanyeol.”

“What?” Chanyeol’s voice cracks. “Leave me alone!”

“I can’t, you’re my best friend!” The other boy is shocked of what he says giving him the opportunity to pull him into a hug. Chanyeol stiffs in his warmth. “I don’t know what makes you hate me and you’re not this cold before. Even if you don’t consider me as your friend, please let me comfort you this once.”

“Krease?” The boy’s face looks pitiful as they look at each other. This is really the Chanyeol who he used to know.

Kris smiles slightly driving the other male to embrace him again. He pats his back and smells his scent. This is the same boy he hugs after beating the bullies, just that the scent of sweat is replaced by a sweet minty fragrance right now.

✿✿✿

Kris guides Chanyeol to the path where no one will see their exit. Being a president gives advantage for Kris to know a secret passage out to their school and after a few walks, they are able to ride a cab in one piece.

At the back of the car, where both of them sit, the blond stares at Chanyeol who still looks messy. He is stuck gazing at the phone in both hands, a picture of the annoying girl named Shen appears and the fragile boy simply swipes his hand to the screen to reject her call.

Kris glances outside and gets his attention. “Chanyeol, you’re home.”

“I don’t want to go home.” The sad-looking boy softly says, nose scrunching up.

“Where do you want to go then?” He follows the tone of his voice.

“Somewhere farther and throw me there.” Chanyeol is really wasted right now saying such emotionless words. Kris can only shake his head.

“Don’t be silly.” Kris sighs, thinking deeply and deciding to… “I’ll take you home.”

“What?” The taller can see how surprised the other boy is, with his widened eyes and slightly dropped jaw.

“After all, if you go home, people there may ask what happened to you so it will be better to stay with me for now.” Chanyeol nods and gets back to his position before.

Smirking, Kris gestures the driver to go forward.

✿✿✿

Kris lives in a studio flat apartment since he lives alone for most of the years of his existence. The place is neat and contemporary, mostly everything painted in black and white. Leading the way, Kris turns around to his company, whom occupied of scanning his place.

“You seem tired.” Chanyeol snaps and looks at him. “The bathroom is that way so clean yourself and get some rest after. I’ll lend you something you can wear and leave it there outside the door.”

The boy smiles and bows his head as the sign of his gratitude, proceeding where Kris has pointed. The president then goes to his bedroom to get the clothes that he mentions and thinking about getting some extra pillows and blanket from the closet. He changes into his casual clothes as well.

When done preparing the things for Chanyeol, he sits on the couch in the living room and dials his phone for pizza delivery.

“Is Gyuri-noona still living with you?” With dripping wet hair and his worn uniform on hand, Chanyeol appears in the scene. Although they almost have the same height, Kris’ clothes looks baggy for him. Kris simply shakes his head since he is busy talking to the operator. The other boy remains silent, drying his hair with the towel as Kris continues speaking with someone on the phone.

“She got married when I turned thirteen and besides, I’m too old for a babysitter.” Chanyeol slowly nods, understanding the situation.

“We’re always the same,” Chanyeol says, “Both of us are disregarded by our parents.”

Kris agrees. “But, you’re living with that Shen girl now, right?”

“Yes, but, I guess that I need to leave alone too. Their house is too crowded. Do you know she got three older brothers and one younger brother?” Kris has no response, making the conversation awkward. “Umm… where’s your washer?”

“Let me guide you.” Kris stands and Chanyeol follows suit.

Chanyeol crouches putting his clothes inside the washer. Unconsciously, Kris reaches his hand to the other male’s wet hair that cause for that person to glance up on him with stun expression.

“Umm…” Kris gulps, putting his hand away and scratches his nape instead. “Sorry.”

Chanyeol shifts his eyes staring at the machine instead. “Shen is the one to blame why my hair gets curled and brown.” He blurts out all of a sudden.

“It suits you though.” Chanyeol looks at him again and scoffs as he stands and rests his bottoms at the machine.

They become quiet once more and stare at the white wall in front of them. After two minutes, Kris cannot take it and speaks. “What happen to you?”

“Huh?”

Kris finds out Chanyeol’s eyes are locked at him when he tilts his head. “Why are you crying? What are you doing at the storage room? What’s wrong?”

Chanyeol’s eyes become small, his lips slant, and he breathes shortly. “It’s none of your business, sir.”

“Does it have to do with Choi Min?” Chanyeol freezes making his guess right. Too bad, the doorbell rings meaning the pizza order has arrived.

Kris sighs in dismay, “Wait for me at the table.”

The blond opens the box and sets the pizza on the coffee table in front of them. Chanyeol does not take any second thought when he grabs a slice of it. He seems so hungry.

In the middle of chewing the food in his mouth, he pauses and later laughs out of the blue. Kris sits beside him, wondering.

“Why do you even think that it has to do with Min?” Chanyeol snorts as he continues devouring the pizza.

“Because I know you and he are item. Look, I took a pic that you’re kissi— ”

“STOP!” Chanyeol holds the hand that is inside his pocket. Kris is not serious about the picture that he mentions since he has not had the luck to get one. He smirks because the boy finally falls on his trap to spill the truth regarding him and Min’s.

“Other than that, Chanyeol, I know that he is invited to join the Olympics.”

✿✿✿

Chanyeol figures out that he gets that info since he is one of the officials in their school. He hopes Kris does not diss his (ex?) boyfriend about the field where Min will compete.

“Don’t worry, okay, I’m not going to mock you if you’ve changed preferences. I’m your best friend.”

“Used to.” Chanyeol mumbles and Kris simply chuckles.

“This is already out of my pride when I let you stay here and you’re still rejecting me?” Chanyeol does not speak, just eating the remaining pizza into his mouth. “Fine, don’t bother to answer and keep eating, sir.”

“You can have your bed because I’ll be sleeping in the couch.”

Kris grimaces. “Who says I’m going to offer you my bed? Yeah, sleep on the couch. And, when you’re done putting all the pizza inside your mouth, if there is any left over, miraculously, please put it in the fridge. I’ll prepare a spare of unused toothbrush at the side of the sink. Good night.”

Kris slams his bedroom door and Chanyeol can only blink.

✿✿✿

An hour later, Kris goes out of his room, seeing the unconscious Chanyeol lying on the couch. The boy does what he said earlier as he views the clean coffee table.

Chanyeol is curled under the blanket that Kris prepared for him, peacefully succumbs to his slumber. Kris chuckles because his curly head has popped out of the blanket. He cannot help again himself touching those brown locks that are so soft to his hand. His fingers run more into Chanyeol’s forehead, nose, chubby cheeks that don’t escape from Kris pinching and his pink parted lips. Every part of his face is subtle specially his plump chops. And with all those touches, Chanyeol reacts a little but does not wake up.

Kris will not let this poor boy sleep outside so he carefully lifts him out of there and takes him to a proper place. He puts him on the left side of the bed. After brushing his teeth and do some other preparations before snooze, Kris lies on right side of the bed, eyes still fixated to the other.

Chanyeol smells like him because he used his soap earlier. The milky scent suits him. He wraps the boy with the blanket, making the boy squirm underneath it. Kris bites his lip in his cuteness.

He is not aware how wide the smile he is doing with his lips, not also aware that he is suffocating the boy in his arms. He is only informed when he wakes up with a yellow sticky note pasted on his forehead saying:

Thanks for your hospitality in letting me stay for a night. I’ll return the clothes you lent me and just a suggestion… please buy yourself a body pillow next time.

:P,

Chanyeol

✿✿✿

Chanyeol is grinning foolishly as he looks at the wallpaper of his phone.

Before leaving Kris on the bed, he took a selca with the president’s arms wrapped on him while he posed with a v sign, an eye between his two fingers. Chanyeol playfully kicks his feet in the air as he sits on top of the table, swiping his finger on the screen excitedly. It seems that he was not involved in a breakup yesterday, he only realizes the real deal when he presses the button to lock his phone. Min’s pic is his lock screen.

He asks himself why he fell to such person like Choi Min. Does it have to do with his thick brows? His small face? His big eyes? His flaming charisma? Is it because Choi Min has a hidden talent in rapping? And introduces himself whenever he does that, ‘My name is Choi Min.’ Thinking of it, he looks like shin—

“I can’t believe he has a dream to be in the Iwatobi Swimming Club.” Chanyeol’s focus goes to Shen, when the said girl breaks the chalk she is using on the black board. She is writing their agenda for the next meeting.

“If I see him again, I’ll smack his face to the floor and do this.” She demonstrates it by tossing the small piece of chalk to the ground and crashes it to dust with her shoes, as if she angrily steps on an insect.

“I don’t think he’ll be back.” Chanyeol solemnly shakes his head.

“Well, if he doesn’t, maybe I’m done killing him.” Shen comes closer and hops sitting beside him. “By the way, I talked to coach and the team about Min’s departure last night via group chat.” Lucky for Chanyeol that Shen does not ask him about where he went at the said time. Shen may be obsessively protective to him but the girl respects some of his privacy. “They decided to pick you as the next captain for the team.”

“No,” Chanyeol politely says it straight, “give it to someone else because…” he pulls a white envelope that has a black resignation word written on it, “… I don’t want to be somewhere that I’ll remember him.”

He gives it to Shen but the girl is shaking, tightly holding the letter in her hand. “If you’re leaving, I’ll leave to.”

“Shen Yeorum, stay for me, the team needs you.” Chanyeol says, putting his hand on the side of her face. “You’ve been with me for five years as my taekwondo instructor, bodyguard, babysitter, coordi, manager and best friend. Now, I guess we need a little space between us two.”

“But, your parents.” Chanyeol nods as he closes his eyes.

“I’ll talk to them, don’t worry.” Chanyeol hops off the table and bit-by-bit walks away.

“We’re still best of friends, right?” Chanyeol stops and looks at the teary-eyes girl.

“Of course.”

Honestly, it is difficult for him to be separated from Shen. Chanyeol is born as the only child and meeting Shen is like having his own sibling. Without Shen Yeorum, he is not going to obtain the confidence he has right now.

✿✿✿

“Hey fatty, are you going to cry there all day?” Chanyeol met Shen when he was five years old. Under the willow tree, he was hugging his knees crying while that girl in the twin-tail shadowed over him. She was mean but, hand in hand, she managed to return him to the main building of the palace.

Chanyeol later found out that she was the daughter of one of the guards. They never met again only until he nearly turned eleven and crying again under the same tree. It was unbelievable as well that the girl remembered him after all those years that passed. She was still in her twin-tail but the color of her hair was weird.

“You’re crying again, fatty?” The smirk on her lips was menacing but Chanyeol didn’t bother to response.

“It’s none of your business.” Chanyeol spat and the girl lifted him up by his collar. The boy was already trembling in fear.

“Really, fatty? Did a girl dump you?”

“No, but you should not care!” The girl pushed him to the bark of three. It was so strong that he coughed with blood and he became dizzy.

“Show me that I really shouldn’t care by beating me, fatty boy.” When he got himself together, the girl was already on the position to fight him. She was like Bruce Lee gesturing him to come closer.

Chanyeol launched himself to the girl but the only thing that was kept in his memory was the ending of it which was him lying on the ground with mud all over his body. The girl had beaten her.

“You need more practice.” The girl squatted, patting her hand to his cheeks then stood up. “I’ll pick you up on Monday, fatty.”

Their blossoming friendship started when Shen appeared in front of him in the Principals office on the said day. Pride was emanating all over her as she slouch on the chair waiting for him and seemed not to care she was wearing her uniform’s skirt.

Chanyeol looked at the gray-haired principal who was reading a letter with an official seal.

“Maam, Mr. Park Chanyeol can leave his class now.” The principal nervously said.

“Good.” She stood, straightening up her blazer. “I’m planning to enroll here in the next school year by the way.”

The shaking principal fixed his glasses. “I-I hope you can fix the color of your hair though when you do that.”

“What if I say no? What will you do?”

“Umm…” He could only gulp.

“This is part of my religion as a devoted follower. So, I hope you respect that.” Folding her arms to her chest, she exhaled heavily with a brow raised at the principal. “Unless, you want me to call the attention of Mr. Park’s mother and tell this discrimination.”

“No, Maam, I-I-I… indeed-indeed, respect your religion.”

“That nice to hear.”

Chanyeol silently listened to their conversation, cannot help asking himself what was really going on. Who gave this girl with the teal hair the right to act like that in front of the highest person in their school?

“Now, Chanyeol.” The girl pulled him from his bewilderment by holding his hand. “Let’s work on to what we’ve talked about yesterday.”

Shen might be a rude girl but the fight they had was erased because she took care of him well after that. Living with her family gave him a picture too of what a normal family looked like. Since the girl’s first name was Yeorum, the Korean of summer, he chose to call her Shen, although whenever he called her, seven people responded in the house. 

✿✿✿

Reminiscing the past brings the tears out from Chanyeol’s eyes. He wipes it as he leaves the club room. He really needs time alone to think heaps of stuffs.

Going out of the gate, a group of boys surround him.

“Look who we have here.”

 To be continued… 

A/N:

Let me give you guys a preview:

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Nothing.

I'll think about it first. See ya!