Chanyeol

I didn’t really know what to do about this new problem. I had already started wondering how I’d try and sleep on the two arm chairs that was in the room when I heard Baekhyun sigh.

“We’ll just have to share then.” He said, a bit deflated “It’s not like I haven’t slept in a bed with a guy before. No big deal, right?”

“No big deal.” I said, nodding. Though this felt different than sleeping in the same bed as any of my guy friends. This was the person that science told me was my soul mate and no matter what I felt right now, what if I suddenly started to feel something for this stranger? What if the feelings started just because we’d sleep up close to each other?

“It’s an enormous bed anyway!” Baekhyun said, smiling.

“And there’s two different sets of pillows and duvets.” I continued.

“Right.” Baekhyun said “And it’s totally normal. I guess the other matched have gotten the exact same treatment and they’re different genders!”

“What if they still hasn’t felt anything for each other, just like us!” I said “Not that I’m saying that we will, but you get what I mean!” I hurried to fill in.
 

“Right.” Baekhyun said a bit awkwardly. Then, silence fell and before long, the silence became awkward. I couldn’t help myself from cursing myself. I could’ve just not said that last sentence, he’d understood anyway and I wouldn’t have made this so awkward.

“I-“ I began, pointing to the door back in to the hallway “I’m going to explore for a while.”

“Umh…” Baekhyun said “I’ll unpack my things so you go ahead.”

“Great.” I said “Or, I mean, you can come with me if you’d like, it’s not that I meant that it’s great if you don’t.”

Suddenly, Baekhyun laughed and as if a spell was broken, it became a bit less awkward. I knew I had already embarrassed myself but at least Baekhyun made it less embarrassing with his laughter.  

“I understand.” He smiled and I nodded, smiling back.

“Sorry I’m such a dork right now.” I said, scratching the back of my head “I guess this whole thing is getting to my head and making me seem crazy.”

“Well,” Baekhyun said “I completely understand. It’s a pretty strange situation.”

“Yeah…” I laughed, silence falling once again. “I’m just going to grab my phone and then I’ll be off.” I continued, quickly fishing up my phone from my bag. I really didn’t want to call my dad but I knew I had to so I better get it over with sooner rather than later.

“See you at dinner?” Baekhyun asked, him not being sure if I was going to come back before that or not.

“Yeah.” I said, smiling. “See you later, then.” I said and left.

Baekhyun

God, why did this have to be so awkward!? We made this situation much worse than it had to be and I couldn’t exactly blame Chanyeol for this, I was making it just as awkward with my stupid answers. And why had I laughed? Isn’t laughing kind of like flirting in this situation? Had we been flirting just now?

As soon as Chanyeol had left, I fell back down on to the bed, burying my face in my hands.

“Ugh, get your together, Baekhyun.” I muttered to myself. We were just two guys who both intended to never see each other again after the Bonding was over. We didn’t need to listen to the stupid matching but the fact that science had told us that we’d be a perfect match made everything so much more complicated. If I hadn’t been told that Chanyeol was my true match, then I would have probably made friends with him in any other similar situation. If I’d have to share a bed with some other guy, you usually became friends after a while. But I couldn’t really be friends with Chanyeol, no one would ever believe that we’d stay just friends and I didn’t trust myself that much either.

A terrifying thought suddenly hit me. What if I suddenly realized that Chanyeol truly was the best match for me? What if I… fell in love with him along the way? No, being friends was far too dangerous. I really needed to keep away from him as best as I could.

Chanyeol

I decided to find a place outside the hotel to call my dad. I didn’t want to get interrupted in doing this call.

I found a space excluded in the parking lot where it seemed like no one would disturb me. It was actually quite beautiful out here, especially as the sun was setting. For a short while, I let myself look at the sunset before I gathered my courage and called my dad.

The signal went unanswered and I wondered if I wouldn’t have to talk to him at all. Maybe I could just call this time, have him not answer and then not deal with this thing ever again.

But then, suddenly, a click came and his voice rang out.

“Chanyeol.” He said, his voice a bit strained.

“Hi dad.” I said and then had no idea what to say next. Apparently, he didn’t either because we were quiet for a while before any of us spoke, but when we did, we did it at the same time.

“I didn’t know this would happen!” I said as he said “Why didn’t you tell me anything?”

“What?” My dad said, being the first to recover “How come you didn’t know?”

“I didn’t know.” I answered “And neither did he.”

“He?” My dad asked “Your… match?”

“Yes.” I said “He was just as shocked as I was and we tried to tell them that it was all a mistake but then they said that the science didn’t lie but you have to know that I would never not tell you if I’d known, and me and Baekhyun don’t plan to meet after the Bonding and… everything will go back to how it was before, as if nothing has ever happened that was out of the ordinary.” I knew I was rambling and I wondered if that sentence even had made any sense to him.

“I believe you.” My dad said, sounding like he honestly believed me. “But even though you’ve decided to never see him again after the bonding, nothing will be as if nothing ever happened.”

“W-what?” I asked “Why do you say that?”

“I’m pretty sure that everyone are aware that my son got matched with a guy.” My dad said “And if they didn’t see it live, they will definitely read it in the magazine or on social media.”

“Dad, honestly,” I began “Maybe it’s only you who thinks this will be a big deal. Maybe nobody cares what your son does on his free time.”

“I’VE ALREADY HAD FIFTEEN PEOPLE CALL ME TO GET MY OPINION!” My dad exclaimed, which scared me a bit. He usually didn’t raise his voice “DON’T TELL ME NOBODY WILL NOTICE YOU, BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE.”

“Then…” I began “Just tell them that you son isn’t gay.”

“’Just tell them’!?” I could almost feel my dad’s temper through the phone “I’m pretty sure they won’t believe me, Chanyeol. Sorry to break your bubble.”

“But I really aren’t!” I countered.

“The government thinks so, though.”

“They don’t!” I said “My papers says biual, not homoual. Which means I can be with girls as well as guys.”

“And that’s suppose to make everything better?” My dad asked me, not seeming pleased “Sure, I can tell them, but they will all still be asking me about how I feel about my son being meant for a guy.”

“I’m sorry, okay?” I said, not knowing what else to say “It’s not like I haven’t tried to fix this. I even asked them if we could skip the announcing, but they refused us.”

“What have I said about getting a no for an answer?”

“’If you get a no, then you haven’t tried hard enough’. “ I repeated his words, the same words I had heard over and over again throughout my childhood.

Something happened on the other side of the phone and my dad suddenly seemed busy.

“I have to go.” He said “We’ll talk when you get back home.”

“Okay, bye-“ But the phone cut off and my dad was gone.

Baekhyun

I didn’t really feel like talking to my family if I was being honest, but I decided I would at least send them a text and tell them that I had arrived safely.

I found my phone in my bag quickly and turned it on, having turned it off as to not have my mother call and disturb me when I got to know my future wife. I hadn’t known I wouldn’t even have had to worry about such a thing.

As soon as I turned my phone on, it began buzzing like crazy and I felt my stomach drop in nervousness. Who’d tried to get to me?

I quickly glanced and saw that most were from my mom, but also some from my little brother, one from my father and a few from my aunt. I noticed that more people had tried to get to me through social media but I ignored that for now.

I checked my dad’s message first, thinking that since he’d only sent one, it would be easiest to manage that.

Answer your mother.

Was all it said and I felt even more nervous now. I decided to just get it over with and look at my mother’s message. I had no idea on which side they stood in the whole gay-thing and I didn’t know what to expect. It would probably be negative.

Baekhyun! Why haven’t you told us before!?

Is he nice? Do you like him?

You know that we don’t care who you loves, right? We will all accept you however you are! The only thing I’m disappointed in is you not telling us personally.

This Chanyeol guy really looked stunning, love. Imagine the wedding photos! Oh, it will be lovely!

Do remember to let it take time if you need it to. If you don’t like him yet, I’m sure you will fall for him in the next few days! But if you don’t, there’s a whole lifetime in front of you!

Please call me when you find the time! Lots of love, your mother.

Whatever I had expected my mother’s reaction to be, this was not it. I had expected her to be mad, or at least a bit distressed. But all I had gotten was love.

I quickly checked my brother’s messages.

Bro! Like, whaaaaat!! After I shared my crush on Areum with you, I thought I could trust you and you me! Did you not think you could trust me? I would love you no matter what!

But like seriously, here’s the real question: Does this Chanyeol guy know football?

You’ve always at it and I really would appreciate it if my future brother-in-law would know it. I really need someone to train with, you know!

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. My brother, always thinking a bit too much about himself.

My messages from my aunt and all the social media messages all sounded the same.

Congratulations on your match! Or Why haven’t you told us? Or We’ll love you no matter who you love! It really made me appreciate my family and friends, thank god they were open minded.

Chanyeol had still not come back after I’d answered people, telling my close family a bit more than the others. After that, I had some time to spare, so I decided to spend it on looking at twitter. What I was met with hadn’t been something I could’ve prepared for.

Chanyeol

I decided to go and get another sweater before I went to dinner with the others, the one I had on was a bit dirty after staying out on the parking lot.

Once I got back to mine and Baekhyun’s room, I had expected him to be sleeping again, but it was quite the opposite.

“Chanyeol!” Baekhyun exclaimed when I entered. “Have you seen!?”

“Seen what?” I asked, feeling both tired and a bit down after my father’s out-lash. I knew exactly how he’d be but it still hurt.

“My whole twitter feed is filled with pictures of us!” He said, standing up from the bed and pointing his phone to my face. What I was met with was several news articles, them having used a screen shot of mine and Baekhyun’s announcing earlier.

“Sorry.” I mumbled.

“Sorry?” He asked “I don’t blame you for anything.”

“My dad does.” I sighed. I hadn’t really meant to say it but there it was anyways.

“You talked to him?” Baekhyun asked and when I nodded he continued “And he wasn’t happy, I’m guessing?”

“No he was not.” I answered and to my surprise, I felt a hand at my arm, his hand. He held it there and even though it was small comfort his small gesture to try and comfort me touched me.

“It will be alright.” Baekhyun said, looking up at me. He looked so honest saying it, I almost could believe him.

Then, Baekhyun offered a small smile and I almost smiled back, him smiling somehow being contagious. Something I couldn’t stop was the warm feeling that began spreading at the sight of seeing him try and make me feel better. He smiled in the hopes that it would make me smile and the gesture made me feel a bit dizzy.

“We…” I began “should get down for some food.”

“Of course!” Baekhyun said and dropped his hand, almost as if he’d been awoken up from a trance to find himself in a wrong situation. Maybe he had.

“I’m just going to change shirts.” I told him and he nodded and turned his back to me, wanting to leave me with some privacy. I didn’t really care if he’d seen my bare chest since we were both guys, but I guessed it would be a little awkward anyway.

I quickly pulled my dirtied shirt off and replaced it with a button up. When I was ready, Baekhyun had already put his shoes on and I jumped in to my own before we were off.

Baekhyun

I could tell Chanyeol was down and I couldn’t blame him. I’d be pretty down too if my family wouldn’t have taken this as well as they’d had.

I didn’t know if I’d been of any comfort back then but it had suddenly become awkward. In the beginning, I hadn’t really been thinking when I touched him, I just wanted to comfort him. But then when I’d realized what I had been doing, smiling at him like I had, I quickly came to the conclusion that I had been wrong in doing that. He hadn’t smiled back at all and I knew I’d been awkward, now I wished I hadn’t even tried to comfort him. God, if we hadn’t been told that we were a perfect match, then I would never even have to worry about such a thing as this. If I hadn’t known that science wanted us together, I wouldn’t have thought comforting him like I had strange. Now, all I could think about was the possibility of Chanyeol taking my trying to comfort him as me trying to flirt with him, as if I wanted to get to know him better and get a closer relationship. But that wasn’t the case at all! I had just wanted him to feel better!

Most people were already in the dining hall when we arrived and me and Chanyeol were instructed to sit down opposite each other wherever we wanted. We ended up sitting down on the corner of one of the long tables. I sat down next to a girl who smiled at me and Chanyeol. Chanyeol sat down next to her matched who also smiled at us.

“Hi, I’m Ken.” The guy said “This is Hyolyn.” He gestured to the girl in front of him who smiled broadly at us.

“Hello.” Hyolyn said, making a small wave.

“I’m Baekhyun.” I said, returning their smiles.

“And I’m Chanyeol.” Chanyeol said and it struck me that he’d basically just finished my sentence. Wasn’t that things only soul mates did?

Don’t freak out, don’t freak out. I forcefully thought.

“How are you finding your rooms?” Ken asked “Ours are unfortunately facing the parking lot.”

“We have a view of the ocean actually.” I said “But I think it’s a little strange that we only have one bed.”

“What?” Hyolyn asked, looking a bit shocked “Only one?”

“Yeah…?” I said, feeling a bit uncertain “Don’t you have the same type of room as us?”

“Our room has two beds.” Hyolyn said.

“Also, we have a screen to cover my part of the room from her part of the room.”  Ken continued.

“What?” I said, a bit baffled “Then why does Chanyeol and I have to share?”

“Should I go and make a complaint?” Chanyeol asked and I realized that he’d been speaking directly to me.

“We should, shouldn’t we?” I said “There must have been some kind of mistake.”

“Maybe they just didn’t realize that for you guys, it’s the same thing as it is for us.” Hyolyn said and when she noticed our confusion, she continued “I mean, since me and Ken are a girl and boy, they must be certain we wouldn’t be okay in sleeping in the same bed right away. We don’t really know each other. But you are both guys so maybe they think it’s okay because of that?” She said and then hurriedly added “which it’s not, of course.” I turned to Chanyeol.

“We’ll talk to them after dinner.” I said and he nodded.

Chanyeol

Dinner was pleasant that evening. There was a lot of chatting all around us and me and Baekhyun talked to Ken and Hyolyn for the duration of dinner. They were both very nice people and they didn’t seem to mind mine and Baekhyun’s uncanny match. They didn’t even make a big deal out of it in the beginning. But then we began talking about the matching itself and that’s when troubled begun.

“As soon as I saw her,” Ken began “I knew that we were meant to be.” He looked so happy as he looked in to her eyes and Hyolyn blushed before they both remembered that me and Baekhyun were still there.

“How about you?” Ken asked “Did you have the same reaction?”

“Umh…” Baekhyun began “Not really.”

“Then you surely got closer as soon as you began talking, right?” Hyolyn smiled and me and Baekhyun glanced awkwardly to each other.

“Not really.” I said which made the lovey-dovey couple look surprised.

“The truth is,” Baekhyun said “We’re not really gay.”

“What?” Ken said, almost laughing. It seemed like he didn’t know if he’d take it as a joke or not.

“We believe it’s all just been a huge mistake.” Chanyeol said “and we don’t really plan on continuing seeing each other after the Bonding.”

Ken and Hyolyn glanced between themselves and it was as if they could communicate that way because at the same time, both of them got a secretive smile on to their face.

“Sure.” Ken said while Hyolyn nodded along. “I’m certain you won’t have a problem in cutting all ties after this.”

“We’re for real.” Baekhyun said.

“Mhm.” Hyolyn said, clearly not believing us “If you say so.”

“But the science don’t lie” Ken said “and you will never be able to fight that.”

Baekhyun

It was exactly this that I was afraid of. The science. It was true, the science never lied. Still, I tried to defy it, explain it away as a grand mistake. But I knew it wasn’t, and that scared me more than anything else.

Ken and Hyolyn continued like nothing was wrong but I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d said. I engaged in the conversation but my mind was miles off.

When dinner ended, we decided to eat breakfast with Ken and Hyolyn in the morning at eight, breakfast being served when we felt it appropriate. Activities wouldn’t start until ten so we’d have all the time in the world to eat and talk with them in the morning. They seemed like a nice couple and it would be fun if I could at least get those Bonding-friends everyone had been talking about from this thing when I obviously wasn’t going to get my wife.

Me and Chanyeol found G before we went to our room and told him about our displeasure at having to share a bed.

“We thought it would be no problem.” G said “But if you insist, you can get one of the basement rooms which are vacant. Though I have to tell you that there’s only a small room and much less luxurious. There’s no windows, of course, and it does smell a little.”

“Why does the hotel have such awful rooms?” I asked, a bit angry.

“It’s actually meant for the workers of the hotel but since the hotel hasn’t officially opened this season since it’s a Bonding hotel this year, there’s less staff and therefore a room vacant.”

“and there’s no other room?” Chanyeol asked.

“Afraid not.” G answered and I wondered if he was telling the truth or not. But what could he possibly gain from lying?

I looked to Chanyeol who looked just as displeasured as I felt.

“Can we ask to get a bed brought up to our room, then?” I asked “It doesn’t have to be big.”

“The hotel don’t allow such things, sorry.” G said, looking a bit tired of us “It’s for fire safety, can’t have random furniture placed all over your hotel room.”

“Why couldn’t you have book a room like the others from the beginning, then?” Chanyeol asked, trying to get to the bottom of this.

“We would have,” G said “If it wasn’t for the fact that the whole fifth floor was getting redecorated this week. We usually have the exact same room for everyone but we were short on one this time around.”

“Then why us!?” I exclaimed, my patience running out.

“You two were the best fit.” G said “But I could ask if a pair of matched would like to switch with you.” That did seem mean, though. Both me and Chanyeol knew that. We’d put some other poor people in to this situation and if I was being honest, it was more inappropriate for a girl and a boy to share a bed at their first meeting instead of me and Chanyeol doing such a thing.

“Never mind.” Chanyeol sighed “We’ll do fine.”

“Great.” G said and I wondered if he’d said what he’d said on purpose to get us to feel bad “See you tomorrow then.” And he walked off, leaving me and Chanyeol to our shared bed.

Chanyeol

I couldn’t believe this. Did they really think this was a good idea? Two strangers sharing a bed?  Well, me and Baekhyun wasn’t really strangers anymore, but at least two people who barely knew each other.

“I’m going to take a shower.” Baekhyun announced as we got back to our room, him not being pleased with the arrangements either. I knew it wasn’t really anything against me, in the same way as I didn’t really have anything against him. It just seemed inappropriate to force people to sleep up close to each other when we both obviously wanted our own bed.

“Sure do.” I said, trying to smile. When Baekhyun had locked the door behind him, I fell to the bed in exhaustion. I still couldn’t believe that I’d only found out about me and Baekhyun’s match this morning. It felt like I had always been in this situation. But maybe I had? Maybe the government had known my match ever since I’d been born and I’d always been matched like this, always been in this situation. Sometimes, you couldn’t escape your destiny.

But I would at least try my hardest. Who knew, maybe me and Baekhyun could really leave all this behind us and leave this place in a week as distant acquaintances and never talk again. Something inside me told me otherwise, though. A part of me, buried deep inside, kind of felt like maybe this wasn’t such a horrible thing? Maybe it would be fine if me and Baekhyun became friends and stayed in touch after the Bonding.

I decided to change in to my sleep wear, not liking the feeling of my trousers restricting me from free movement.

I realized pretty quickly that I hadn’t really been preparing to look presentable while I slept, believing that the girl I’d been matched with wouldn’t see me as I slept. I had been picturing two rooms so that I could sleep in my normal sleep wear – which happened to be just my underwear.

Would it be okay to sleep like that with Baekhyun in the bed? We were both guys so it should be fine… but it still felt disrespectful.  

I dug out one of my lesser used T-shirt, a T-shirt I had been thinking of using if we would go bathing, me being okay with sacrificing it to sun-bleaching, salt water and sand.

I shrugged off my current shirt and  put the T-shirt on and after having pulled my socks and trousers off, I tried to figure out what I could have on my bottom part that would cover me up some more. Unfortunately, all I had was the trousers I had come in, a pair of jeans, two pairs of stiff shorts and bathing shorts, none of which were suitable. I wished I’d packed my gym shorts, they’d been perfect, but I hadn’t been thinking that we’d go running or working out during the Bonding. Little had I known that I’d need them for sleeping.

The bathroom door opened and I turned to Baekhyun to tell him about my no-pants situation and ask him if it’d be okay if I slept like I currently was dressed. But then, when he came out from the bathroom, steam curling up behind him, my heart stopped for a second.

Baekhyun was a nice looking guy, no doubt about that, but seeing him as he was now, all wet and glistening, made my brain short circuit.

His hair wasn’t styled as it had been previously, but slightly wet and down to his eyes. His skin was still a bit wet from the steam but it was apparent that he’d wiped off as much water as possible. But that wasn’t even what had shocked me. It was the fact that he was shirtless, only a towel around his hips, that made my whole brain collapse. I hadn’t been expecting muscles on him if I’d been honest with myself but it was apparent that the guy worked out. He didn’t have the puffy muscles like many weight lifters did, but more of a dancer’s muscles, lean and long, sculpting around his natural forms instead of the other way around.

If I was being honest, I hadn’t seen many half guys, not in real life anyway. Besides my closest friends, which I never had found attractive, I hadn’t really had a good look at another man’s body besides my own. I had no idea they could look just as appealing to me as a woman’s.

“Do you want to use the bathroom?” Baekhyun asked, being distracted by something that wasn’t me. He looked up to face me and stopped as abruptly in his track as I had.

“W-what?” I asked, hearing his words but not really registering them.

“Uum---“ Baekhyun said, also having lost an ability as I had, though his must be sentence forming. I realized pretty quickly that he was staring at me lounging across the bed, no pants in sight.

“I-“ I began “I hadn’t really packed a pajamas! I had thought I was going to sleep alone and I usually sleep in my underwear so I found this shirt in my bag but I haven’t found any good pants to sleep in and-“

“It’s fine!” Baekhyun said “I usually only sleep in shorts. But I’ll put on a T-shirt if I find anyone.”

“Y-you can sleep just like you want to!” I hurriedly said, not wanting him to be forced in to something he wasn’t comfortable in.

“As can you!” Baekhyun hurriedly added “Y-you don’t have to wear a shirt if you feel weird sleeping in one… Not that I want you to sleep only in your underwear! Well, I don’t mind! But you know, it’s not like a desire of mine and- I JUST WANT YOU TO BE COMFORTABLE!” Baekhyun sounded breathless as he finished and then, as he looked at my face, he blushed furiously.

“Sorry.” He said “I didn’t mean to scream.”

“No worries.” I said, trying to not think too much about how cute he was right then. I didn’t want to think about a boy as cute, but he was.

“I’ll sleep in my T-shirt.” I said “But you sleep however you want.”

“I will.” Baekhyun said, still looking embarrassed. I decided to go to the bathroom, if only to leave Baekhyun to change on his own. I didn’t shower but I stayed in there as if I had, the time ticking by. I just didn’t want to walk out of the bathroom when Baekhyun wasn’t ready and surprise him in a new awkward situation.

When I finally made my way out, I found the lights out and Baekhyun asleep in the bed.

I noticed that he’d put a shirt on, a T-shirt much like my own, as I passed him on my way to the other side of the bed. I was careful as to not wake him up as I climbed in under my own duvet and after forcing myself to relax for the nth time, I finally joined Baekhyun and fell in to the land of dreams.










A/N
Hello! I hope you all are fine! I just wanted to quickly apologize for any mistakes in this text, I'm pretty tired but I felt like posting this chapter anyways! (Even though it may have errors) 

I have some fun things in store for this story and I can't wait until I get to the 'fun' parts, lol! (I just need to build up some tension first, of course! :P)

Bye~ Love ya! X