The sound of the paper slamming against the coffee table took his attention from watching Dora the Explorer in the screen. He wiggled his toe fingers as he lazily turned his head to the figure before him and raised a brow with a muffled ‘What?’

“What?!” the girl echoed disbelievingly, “WHAT YOU SAY?! For freaking sakes, Byun Baekhyun get your off the couch and get out of this apartment to see the world! Look at that! Look!!” she pointed at the rolled school newspaper. Grunting, Baekhyun pulled the plastic spoon from his mouth and placed it on the one gallon container of ice cream. He leaned forward and took the said thing with his index finger and thumb only. L Lawliet style, he would remind someone if they look at him weirdly when he does this.

His eyes scanned the headlines before his lips parted, “Ah,” now he knew why this one is being hysterical. “Your prince charming is coming in Korea?”

“And he’s going to transfer in our school this second semester! A sophomore university student like us! Do you think of the possibility of him being our classmate? I’ll let him sign all of his posters and albums.” She squealed and went to the kitchen. “And for the last time! Stop eating too much sweets will you?!”

“He’s not that good though,” he muttered lowly before the other could hear him and pull his sideburns.

Putting the gallon of ice cream back on his lap, Baekhyun rested his back on the comfort of the sofa. He only shook his head while listening to his best friend slash roommate slash self-declared twin sister, Son Semi. He could hear her ranting about his lazy , which is true, and his monstrous appetite for sweets and his overuse of eyeliner in which he didn’t know how it got to the topic though.

Semi was the only family and friend he has. No, really, Semi was the only one who came and stayed. She’s the only one who sincerely helped him when he needed help when he was all alone.

 She had imprinted a very important role in Baekhyun’s life. Even she’s like this every day, scold him and rant like was a ing megaphone, Baekhyun wouldn’t be Baekhyun without her. And no one—he repeats—no one would be able to understand what kind of bond they had.

“Are you even listening—goddammit! Why is there so many ants in the kitchen Byun!!”

“Ah, I forgot to do the dishes. Sorry.” He said, casually shoving another spoon of ice cream in his mouth.

“And you ate all the cake I bought yesterday?!”

“Yuuuup…”

“ing glutton.” He heard her say.

Nonetheless, Baekhyun started hearing the gush of water from the tap.

Fifteen minutes later, he felt the sofa dipped beside him followed by a weight on his shoulder. “How’s your trip?”

“It’s fine. I’ve enrolled us already and you know what?” He could hear her sigh before she continued, “Don’t up this time okay?”

Baekhyun might look like he was disinterested in the things Semi was saying that time but deep inside he was taking them seriously. Nobody cares for him like Semi does, and he wasn’t a jackass to ignore that fact.

Semi was talking about his previous failure in one major subject that caused the avalanche of his other subjects. He was a year ahead of Semi before but because of this, everything came crashing down—he had to repeat his sophomore year.

Everyone was talking about this when he started his second sophomore year the first semester. They thought he couldn’t hear them buzzing like bees behind his back. The funny thing was, he hasn’t found anyone who was brave enough to laugh on his face. They were all bunch of cowards and jerks.

If he thought things wouldn’t get as complicated as it was, he was wrong. Because the cause of his repetition would still be his professor this year—in both semester.

“I thought everything would be fine now that I could monitor you since we became classmates, but who would have thought that right after Mr. Cho gave you an almost failing grade this finals, you’d punch him.”

Baekhyun sighed and pulled himself off the sofa, placing the gallon of ice cream on the coffee table before leaning back on the comfort, this time wrapping an arm around Semi and placed her head on his shoulder, rubbing her arm.

“It’s not about the grade. It’s about what he said.” he muttered.

“What did he say?”

“Nothing you should worry about.”

Semi turned her head to him and rested her chin on his shoulders. Baekhyun looked at her too, if one didn’t know any better they would think he and Semi were a couple but no, there’s nothing like that in between them.

“You always put the burden in your shoulders, Byun.”

“Because you have enough on yours, brat.”

“I’m not a brat.”

“Oh yes you are.”

“Not a brat!”

Baekhyun flicked her forehead, “OW!” then he chuckled on how red it became. “Come on let’s just watch Death Note.”

“I don’t even know why you like that anime.” She sighed but watched with him anyway.

Half way through their fifth episode, Semi found Baekhyun already asleep with his head resting on hers. With a small smile on her lips, she carefully lifted her head from the other’s shoulders and caught his on her hands. “Aigoo, you’re so heavy when you sleep.” She shook her head and carefully laid down the man on the sofa.

After she turned off the player she stood up and gave the man a kiss on cheeks. “I’ll wake you later for dinner.”

Then she went in the kitchen to prepare the foods.

~------

There it was again, the dull gray ceilings and the familiar feeling of soft fabric on his skin. He groaned, feeling the ache on his neck and the strained muscles of his limbs. Rolling to his right he reached out for his phone on the night stand, checking the time. It was still early, but he had no urge to go back to sleep.

Slowly he sat up, the soft fabric of his duvet sliding from his chest down to his lap. He tousled his bed hair as he leaned back on the headboard with a sigh.

He thought he’d gotten used to this empty feeling every morning. He thought he’d gradually move on from the past but obviously, he was wrong.

He was still living in the past. And nothing would make the time roll back for him.

A knock disturbed him suddenly, “Young master David, the breakfast is ready.” Groaning, he tossed his blanket aside and stood up from his bed, striding towards the door and opened it rather harder than he’s supposed to.

Cold sweat beads formed on the butler’s forehead as he met the dark gaze of his master. His deep, scary voice sounded like a growl when he said, “It’s Young master Chanyeol. Call me David one more time and I wouldn’t care how long have you been serving this family, I will fire you the next second after you utter the last syllable of that disgusting name.”

“Y-Yes Young Master D—Ch—Chanyeol.” He bowed.

Chanyeol slammed the door shut on his face.

People call him the Prince of Muse, his popularity that spreads from West to East became a sensation in music industry. It started with a single song he made and sang in a competition and when he won, recording and producing companies raced to get him into the music industry.

It didn’t matter for him that time. It was his parents who agreed and he just went with the flow. It didn’t matter if he’d be popular or not, recognized or set aside—he just wanted to make music, that’s all.

Now he was known all over the globe.

He should be happy with this.

But he wasn’t.

Due to his personal reasons, he had come back to Korea, his mother’s home land. He was half English, half Korean. But for him, he was never close with his father, and he hated the fact that they gave him two names.

When he was in London, his name was David, but in Korea, he’s Chanyeol. Every girl dreams to be his, as they say. His gray eyes were very attractive, and his natural curly golden brown hair the perfect sculpture of his face. His height, his posture, his voice, his talent, he was every girl’s dreams.

But they only know his mask. They don’t know him, the real man off the camera.

Chanyeol had glanced on the mirror of his room, glaring at his own reflection; he looked away and strode to the bathroom.

When he arrived in the kitchen half an hour later, he saw his mother helping the maids put the foods on the table. When she saw him, she gave him a gentle smile before wiping her hands on her apron to cup his cheeks and kiss it, “Good morning Chan…”

A small smile stretched on his lips because he really loved how gentle his mother was. “Morning mom… what’s for breakfast?” He wrapped an arm around her slim waist and glanced at the freshly toasted breads, eggs and bacon with orange juice on the table.

“You didn’t have to cook so much,” Chanyeol said and pulled a chair so the woman could sit first, then he followed on the chair across her.

“And why not? This is our first breakfast together after six years. Give your mother some credits, young man.” She playfully said as she took once piece of different dishes to her plate.

With a laugh, Chanyeol took a toast and cut a piece of egg, shoving it in the folded bread then to his mouth. While he chewed, he saw his mother put down the fork she used and sighed, interlacing his fingers together.

“How have you been? I’m sorry I didn’t make it last night. There’s a company meeting and—“

“It’s okay mom. I’m an adult now, really. I know you’re busy and you don’t have to explain. The airport was somewhere I’ve been to a lot of times. I won’t get lost there.”

“But you are my baby boy—“

“Mom!” he groaned.

She laughed and reached out, patting his hand who reached a bacon strip from the plate. Then she looked worriedly at him, something Chanyeol never liked from the woman. She always managed to read him—even when he never shares anything to his parents.

“I’ve heard from your father about what happened.”

He knew where this was going, and he kind of expected it. But still, she’s his mother.

“Yeah…” his tone slightly softens.

His mother inhaled deeply, “I can help you with anything just tell me, okay?”

Chanyeol nodded, smiling a bit forcefully this time. The woman rubbed circles on his hand, “I knew that what happened made you into a lonely boy, Chan, but you should move on, and if ever, I know your music is doing its job sending the message.”

“How—“

“I know you Chanyeol. You’re my son. Whenever I hear your songs, I always feel every single thing that you are trying to hide. Everyone does, that’s why you became this famous. You’re the Prince of Muse, and I am so proud of you.”

“Thank you…but I don’t think I can move on mom.”

As he went back in his room, he took the guitar from its case and slowly strummed the strings. In beat, he changed the chords, continuously picking the strings. Then he hummed a tune, the tune that got him where he was right now, the tune that he had created with all his heart.

Then he opened his mouth to utter the words he should’ve back then.

I love the way it feels when you touch my hand

Don’t wanna let you go

I love the way you say that I am your man

Don’t understand why we can’t go on and go on

Don’t understand why you don’t belong in my arms

-------

As expected, students would begin buzzing right after they laid their eyes on him. Yet none of these mattered to him. They’re not significant persons in his life, and what they were saying, what they were thinking was nothing but a smoke that comes and passes by.

“He’s back… Baekhyun’s back!”

“What? Seriously?!”

“Wasn’t he the one who punched Mr. Cho? He’s really a rebel isn’t he?”

“I heard Mr. Cho failed him in Music Class last year. He went on rampage and rarely went to school.”

“So that’s the reason why he failed his sophomore year?”

“Yeah, that’s also the reason why he was repeating this year.”

Baekhyun scoffed once they reached their lockers, “Have they got a slumbook of my life? They literally know every ing thing.” Shaking his head he unlocked his locker and opened his backpack.

“Well, technically, you are popular Byun, in your own little way.”

“Just because I always were black, had my bangs cover half of my kohl lined eyes and the fun fact that Kyuhyun always picks on me and my music.”

“It’s not that. You’re awesome you know. You wrote beautiful music and you have a very beautiful voice—“

“Please, don’t. It’s not gonna work on me Son.”

Smirking, Semi patted his shoulder. “Okay, move fast we’re going to be late in our first class on our first day, Byun.”

“Like I care.”

“Please, I know you do.”

When they arrived in the class, girls were squealing already. Baekhyun noticed his friend bit her lower lips in excitement, and he knew where this is going. “Oh great, the prince is here.” He mockingly said to no one.

He made a beeline to his seat, where everyone knows he had claimed already in each of his class in his past years.

But surprisingly, a tall blonde man was there, crossed legged and flipping the pages of a newly bought book. And it was obvious that every pair of eyes were on him.

Admiring him from afar, praising him like a “royalty” that he was.

Well he’s different.

Poker faced, he walked past Semi and straight to the man on his seat.

“Hey you.”

The room went silent. The man looked up at him with his gray eyes and blinked. “What do you want?” he asked in his deep voice, making the girls squirm again.

“I want my seat. Get out of there.”

The man raised his brows, “I didn’t see your name on the table though.”

Baekhyun smirked, shaking his head, he took an object from his pocket—a sign pen. He uncapped it and wrote his name on the desk, “Now you do. Get out of my seat.”

Sighing, the man took his book and stood up. Everyone in the room gasped and Baekhyun felt satisfied that they still know their place.

When he was about to sit though, a large hand suddenly pulled him by the bend of his arm. Then the same deep voice rang dangerously in his ears, “You don’t own this place, don’t order me around.”

“Then I’m surprised you complied.”

“Because I don’t want to cause trouble on my first day of school here. It took me years to finally be able to come here, and I wouldn’t let someone who only knows how to bark ruin the reason why I came to Korea.”

Baekhyun sneered, turning his head to the celebrity. “I see that you’re a two faced demon.”

Smirking, the tall man let go of his arm. “I know.”

Before Chanyeol made his way out of the room, Baekhyun turned and called for him.

“Remember this day, giant. You’re no prince to me.”

~~~~~~~

“You do realize that you’re increasing the number of people who could murder you when you’re not looking, right?” Semi told him when they were on their way to the cafeteria, the same day, lunch break.

Baekhyun chuckled, shaking his head while putting his hands inside his front pocket, “I didn’t think of that.”

“You made a scene in our room; do you think it won’t go viral? I’m one of the prince’s fans and I know how wild his fan club could be. Wait for it and I’m sure it will be over the internet this evening.”

They ordered their meal combo, but before they could go to their table, Semi asked if they could go to the “prince” for a while so she could ask him to sign his latest album.  He didn’t see any problem with it, so carried her paper bag full of food as she took the album out of her bag.

Chanyeol was quietly eating his lunch on one of the two seater tables when a figure came closer to him. He looked up and found a girl with layered brunette hair in ripped jeans and sweatshirt holding on what it looked like his album.

“C-Can I have your autograph?” she stuttered and Chanyeol chewed lazily, looking disinterested at her.

“You know, I came to school to study, not for a fan service.”

“J-Just this one, please? I really,  really like your songs—“

“Do I give a ?”

Everyone was looking, and Semi was embarrassed she wanted to melt into a puddle of goo right now. This morning, they were all excited for the first day of prince in their school and many girls squealed whenever he passes by.

They thought they would have a chance with the prince but they were so wrong. Chanyeol was a very distant guy in person. He doesn’t smile but he smirks or sneer, he doesn’t please anyone when the camera was off. And his aura alone made his fans realize not to mess with him.

So the squealing stopped, but not the gazes and whispers whenever he passes by.

He was handsome, talented and all, but he was also scary as hell.

“You know miss, if I were you I would just leave and eat my lunch rather than waste my time here.” He said, turning back to his food and pick an eggroll.

Just then, two heavy paper bags were put on the table, making him look up. There he was again, the guy from this morning who was so full of himself. Chanyeol admits that he couldn’t grasp what his problem was, but he was sure that this guy wasn’t the same as others. And that made him curious about him.

“I’m right, Son, ain’t I?” he sneered while his eyes, which were barely visible from his bangs turned to him, narrowed at him “Celebrities like him were full of themselves. I don’t know why you even liked this guy.”

“I didn’t ask them to like me or my songs.” Chanyeol fought back.

Raising a brow Baekhyun let out a dry laugh, “I don’t give a about you and your career, but my friend here idolizes you since you started your career, and you just acted like an that you are instead of at least being humane and give a scribble of your disgusting name on that pathetic excuse of your album.”

Smirking, Chanyeol put down his chopsticks, “Now you’re begging for an autograph because of a friend?”

“I’m not begging. I’m letting the crowd see how an their prince could be.”

With clenching jaws, Chanyeol stood up and towered over Baekhyun. The latter could sense the change of atmosphere. The next thing he knew, a hand was on his jaws, and the other lifted his chin up so they could look in each other in the eyes.

“If you think that I care for my image, you’re wrong. If they see me as a prince charming or an like you said, it’s none of my concern. I don’t know what would you get from doing all these but whatever your reason was, it’s pathetic. I could conclude you’re jealous, or envious, but sorry, I’m not sorry that they tossed a bickering er like you aside because I think you deserve it.”

A little taken a back, Baekhyun blinked at the man who slowly released his jaws. Students and even the faculty had held their breaths the whole time. They waited for Baekhyun’s comeback which came a few seconds later.

“I’m not jealous from their attention you got from them, giant. Don’t you compare me and you. They know you because in their eyes you do good things, but you are purposely ruining your image to them. They know me because in their eyes I do stupid and evil things.”

Chanyeol’s brows furrowed, Baekhyun smirked.

“How sad, giant. I know all about you cause of your popularity, but you don’t even know the man whom you’re colliding with.”

With that, Baekhyun took the paper bag and grabbed Semi’s hands, going to their table.

~~~~~--

The moment he arrived home, Chanyeol tossed his bag on the bed, sighing loudly as he dropped himself on the mattress. His head hurts from all the classes, and it was doubled by someone with raven hair, pink lips and sharp little tongue.

If it wasn’t for that someone, he wouldn’t have endured staying in this place. If it wasn’t for that sole reason why he’s here, he would never even try.

Chanyeol took something from his bag, flipping his wallet open and he gazed on a lone picture inside it. His finger traces the beautiful lips of the person in the photograph that stretched into a bright smile, then to the emerald eyes that smiled with it, his fluffy and curly milk blonde hair.

“How are you...? Are you eating well? Are you sleeping eight hours a day? Remember not to eat prawns okay? You’re allergic to it… a-and be sure to drink your vitamins and let someone clean your room every week. You easily get runny nose from dust,” he whispered, looking at the bright eyes of the man.

It was taken in London, the guy was in front of a fountain, wearing beanie, scarf and brown coat.

Tears streaked down from his eyes as he rolled to his side, hugging the photograph.

“I’m so sorry… Earl…I’m so sorry…”

~~~-~~~

Things were the same for the past few days. And today, their only class that they have to finish in six hours was music, their major. Baekhyun’s face was dark when a tall handsome man went inside the room. Their eyes met and the latter smirked at him.

“Get to your seats, we’re starting”

That—my dear, was his worst nightmare. Cho Kyuhyun. The man who thinks he knew it all. The man who was responsible why he’d be spending another year in sophomore line. His blood was boiling, but he had to keep himself calm. Baekhyun propped his chin on his hand, starting to fill the last page of his notebook with doodles when his surname was called for the attendance.

He pretends not hearing it.

“I’ll mark you absent today if you don’t answer me, Baekhyun.”

Smirking, Baekhyun put down his pencil, aware of all the gazes on him. “Are we on first name basis now Mr. Cho? That’s so unprofessional of you.”

“If you want to be respected, shouldn’t you respect others first?” the professor raised a brow at him.

“I lost my respect to you a long time ago, Kyuhyun.”

The professor couldn’t help but smile. “Is that so?” he said while marking him present on his class list. “In that case we might be able to see each other again next year if you keep it up.”

Baekhyun narrowed his eyes at the man, “I’ll like to see you gawking when that didn’t happen.”

All the while, Chanyeol kept his ears and eyes open. He observed Baekhyun from his seat, which was not that far. He was intrigued of this man, Byun Baekhyun.

What lies behind his wall? What made him like this?

There’s something similar between them but he was not going to make this similarity the reason to judge the person he barely knew. Baekhyun was haunted by his past. He could see it in his eyes. Every despicable word that escaped his mouth came from something unseen, unheard… unfelt to the outside world.

No matter how sharp that weapon he was stabbing that someone with, the pain was also inflicted to him.

A double edged blade, as they say.

~~~~~~~

The following days approached a bit faster than he thought. It was the same, day after day. Classes with major subjects were lesser fun than how he enjoyed his classes with Mr. Cho. He was a great instructor; he wondered why everyone was so afraid of him.

Well except Baekhyun who didn’t spend the class with him without leaving snarky comments whenever the professor would call him in recitation. He found out that Baekhyun was like that to everyone. The only friend he had was the girl who asked for his autograph a couple of weeks ago, Son Semi, was her name.

No one really knows how that girl became Baekhyun’s friend. They were already close the moment Baekhyun enrolled in the school while Semi was still in senior high.

He only chose to watch the object of his curiosity from afar. He was even adamant of admitting that himself. But yes, he was fond of watching that certain someone whose hair was black as ebony, partially seen eyes lined with kohl, and the only one who makes sugar his snack every single day.

Sometimes it’s a pack of marshmallow he got, shoving pieces in his mouth lazily even in class.

Sometimes it’s a chocolate bar he’s munching in the middle of quizzes and that cracking sound disturbs a lot more of students than it should.

Sometimes he’s a freaking lollipop even when Kyuhyun had instructed him play a piece of piano for a lesson.

But even with the distance he drew between them, there would always come a time when their paths would collide. And it never ends well.

One time he was in a hurry to eat his lunch so he could finish one of his essays he forgot to do at home for History, when he had bumped into someone and accidentally, the tray he had been carrying slipped off of his hands and the contents spilled to both of them.

Them, meaning him and Baekhyun.

“What the !?” Baekhyun doesn’t care if he gets the whole cafeteria’s attention. Semi behind him only bit her lips and watched them.

Sighing, Chanyeol crouched down to pick the bowl and plate from the floor which were luckily, didn’t break into pieces. “It’s my fault, I’m sorry.” He said casually.

“Sorry?! Sorry?!! That’s all?! Freaking giant, look what have you done to my clothes! You spilled your goddamned food on it!”

“I’m not blind, I can see that. And if it makes you feel better, mine was worse.”

“And you’re only going to give me your sorry?!”

“Would you prefer me laughing at you then?” Chanyeol stood up, holding the tray. He could barely see the man’s eyes through the curtains of his bangs.

“Do it and you’re dead.”

Chanyeol shook his head, placing the wasted lunch on one of the counters, before dragging the fuming Baekhyun elsewhere.

He had called back home, asked for new clothes that was delivered to him personally in the bathroom where he had taken themselves.

“Here, take this. This should fit you, since your built is nearly same as the owner of that.”

Baekhyun took the paper bag and took the clothes inside. It’s a cotton gray sweatshirt, with a print of bold white letters in front saying ‘Fab and Famous’. Frowning, Baekhyun sighed and ed his polo shirt.

“How come you have a sweatshirt like this when it’s not even your size?”

“I didn’t say it’s mine. Were you even listening to me?” Chanyeol started working on his own clothes.

Scoffing, Baekhyun put on the sweatshirt with a smirk, “Is this from your ex or something that you keep because you can’t move on like all the cliché drama that existed shows?”

Baekhyun noticed that Chanyeol paused on putting on his new clothes for a second before he said, “What if it was?”

Baekhyun for the first time was lost of words.

~~~~~~

It was yet again another exam in their Music class and Baekhyun wasn’t pleased that he had to do this again. He should be a third year student now, and because of a certain man named Cho Kyuhyun, he had to repeat bull again.

Being Kyuhyun’s student before had its perks too. He knew how he prepares exams, and it was never written. It was either on the spot singing, or composing. Right now, it was the latter.

He had given them two weeks to prepare a song for their prelim exams. Today was their performance. Baekhyun, before was confident that he’d have the highest grade. Since he wasn’t accepted in this university if it wasn’t for his talent in music. But when his prelim exams happened with Kyuhyun, he wondered if he hated the subject already or is it just their instructor.

He could still remember that day was given a ‘3’ in his result, ‘5’ being the lowest, and ‘1’ being the highest. He was never given a 3, it was always 1.

When he approached the man, he complained and asked what was wrong with his composed song that he deserved that kind of grade. Kyuhyun showed his tail and horns to him with a smirk.

“If you pass your music subject in freshmen year, it’s because your instructor treats music as a subject, not an art. I’m different Baekhyun-ssi. I see things differently, I hear things differently. Your melody is good, the rhythm, the lyrics, they are perfect, don’t get me wrong.”

“Then why give me a ing 3?!”

“Because your songs have no heart.”

Since then, he never got a grade higher than 3. To his frustrations, in their final exam, he messed up his song that he got a failing grade. He had created a crap, he was honest with that. But for him, why would he even give a on doing his best when all his instructor would give him was a disgusting 3 and a crap reason that his songs had no heart?

He refused to go to school then.

He repeated his sophomore year, and same happened. Kyuhyun would still be his professor on both semesters.

Baekhyun thought this time he’d be able to make it right. But Kyuhyun, on their finals in their first semester had still given him a 3. It was a passing grade, but the lowest one. He had asked again why he deserved that when he did his best. Kyuhyun cut the last strings of his patience.

“Don’t even try making another piece of crap you call your music and expect me to give you 1, Baekhyun-ssi. Even if you form the most complicated type of song, it would always be the same—empty, void of emotions, meaningless.”

“So you’re saying that my music is crap? That it has no meaning?”

“Yes. Music is the reflection of its composer, and you don’t reflect your works. You’re not a composer Baekhyun. You’re no better than a greenhorn.”

And he punched him.

Kyuhyun said it’s alright and didn’t fail him that semester, although the order and discipline office had suspended him for the last week of school before their vacation.

“Byun Baekhyun, it’s your turn now.” Kyuhyun called his name and he sighed, walking to the front and sit down in front of the piano. Kyuhyun doesn’t look like he’s anticipating but he doesn’t care. He softly pressed his fingers on the keys and sang his song.

When it ended, the class clapped, mesmerized and awed with his performance. A tiny hope ignites inside him but as he got his grade in a slip of paper, he should have known not to let his hopes up.

Sighing, he went to his seat and watched the rest of the performers. When Park Chanyeol was announced, he straightened his back and watched the giant go to the piano. His voice rang at the same time he pressed the keys.

Baekhyun listened.

In my head, I’m going back to all the little stupid things I said

And try to figure out the moment I lost my head…

Chanyeol sang with his eyes closed, but that doesn’t what caught him right that moment. It was how he sang his song, and how meaningful his song seemed to be. He continued …

If I only had a time machine

I would take it back to the moment that you fell in love with me.

You stay there forever

Don’t you know that I’d do anything?

To make you understand, understand that you are everything to me.

If I only had a time machine.

Throughout the song, Baekhyun stared at the man who sang a song that pulled the strings of his numb heart. He clenched his fist, his jaws, as he heard Kyuhyun announced that he had given him a perfect grade.

At the same time, he grabbed his bag, left the room with a loud slam from the door.

~~~~~~~

It was Friday, and Baekhyun didn’t go to school after the exam for a couple of days. Chanyeol was asking himself what happened and why Kyuhyun was being so hard on him. He had listened to his song, and it was beautiful. Why was he still giving the other a low grade?

He felt sympathy, but he never shows it, and he never admits it.

To his surprise though, Baekhyun appeared today. Though at first he was still as the same as ever, gloomy, scary and intimidating for most, but today something was off, and he could see that his friend Semi was having a hard time too.

At lunch, he didn’t see him, but Semi was there. Chanyeol wanted to ask about her friend but decided against it.

But after school though, he saw her walking and she almost got hit by a motorbike for she was walking on the main rode while spacing out, lucky he got her back on the sidewalk.

“Watch it, you almost died back there.”

She seemed to be surprise but her strained smile reminded him that she might have been worried about Baekhyun. “Thank you…”

“It’s nothing.”

There was silence between them before Semi sighed and ran a hand on her layered hair. “I wanted to apologize for his behavior towards you…” she started, startling him a bit. “He was… I don’t know…complicated.”

“That…is an understatement.”

It was followed with a soft chuckle, making Chanyeol’s lips twitch to the corner for a bit. They started walking somewhere as Chanyeol put a mask on to hide himself from public.

“He was a good man…I don’t know why he was always like this in school, but for me, he’s a big brother, even when we don’t share the same blood.”

“You’re the only one who could put up with him.”

This made Semi smile, “Because I think he’s afraid of opening up to someone else.”

“How did you…make him open up to you then?”

Semi shrugged, slinging her bag on her other shoulder, “I think it has to do with my parents. You see, he was homeless when we found him, mom and dad took him in. I also had a hard time understanding him, but he got close with my parents in a short time. They treated him as their own, and I see him as my older brother.

But it was all a dream until that time, we got into accident. We were in a ship after our vacation trip, and it sank. Mom and Dad didn’t survive, but he was there to save me. He was supposed to be rescued already, but he came back, swimming to the sinking ship to get me out of there. I remembered it was freezing cold, I thought I am going to die, but then he came… and he took me out of there.”

Chanyeol listened, and even though he didn’t know why Semi started talking about her past, he thinks she didn’t have anyone else to talk to about this.

“I woke up in a hospital, and broke down when the news of my parent’s death came to me. Baekhyun was there, and he told me he got me, and he’d never leave me.”

Semi sniffed and brushed the back of her hand on her wet cheeks, “I’m sorry, I …I suddenly blabbered about my life…”

“It’s okay. It helped me understand that your friend wasn’t as evil as he seemed.”

The girl laughed and shook his head, “He’s just like that. Anyway… I’ll be turning to this block, see you around the school…”

“Yeah…”

“And Chanyeol?” she called before he could leave, he turned to her and she smiled, “You’re not as jerk as I thought you’d be.”

With a salute, Semi ran to the other direction.

~~~~~~

Sitting on the bed, he stared at the hanged sweatshirt on the back of his room’s door. Then his thoughts were on a certain giant with lanky limbs who never fails to irritate him every single day. The way he walks around the campus was as if he expected everyone to bow down at him. He hates it- he hates everything about Park Chanyeol, the Prince of Muse.

Muse was a name of the goddess of music in some culture ages ago, and to be given this title to a young bachelor like Chanyeol was indeed enviable. Baekhyun ponders if he was envious of this giant that’s why his blood boils everytime, or is it just his frustrations that made him like this.

Frustration like how Chanyeol could sing with that ‘heart’ Kyuhyun was talking about.

Months passed, and nothing changes in between them. They were approaching their midterms where Kyuhyun asked for a collaboration performance. They were asked to pick their partner, and when he was about to choose Semi, Chanyeol declared that he wants Baekhyun to be his partner.

This silenced their room, and Kyuhyun was clearly taken a back to such extent but managed to clear his throat.

“Well that’s surprising,” he broke the silence.

Baekhyun gawked at the giant, “Are you out of your mind?”

“No. And my decision is final.”

“Who said I agree?”

“Okay, Park and Byun. Next pair?” Kyuhyun interrupted taking Baekhyun’s attention to him. “WHAT?!”

~~~~~~

The loud sound of the organ made Chanyeol sigh as Baekhyun’s hands slammed on it. “I can’t do this.” He hissed and stood up.

“Well I gave you the notes, the lyrics and all you have to do is to play the goddamned organ and sing along with me.”

“I wasn’t supposed to be here with you in the first place.”

Chanyeol smirked, “Well, news flash, midget because we’re in my room right now.”

Baekhyun’s eyes narrowed underneath his bangs which were hidden from the giant. He growled, “Don’t call me midget, freaking giant.”

“Why not? You call me giant and I call you a midget—“ Chanyeol was caught in the middle of his comeback when he felt like this had happened before.

“You’re so cute with that midget!”

He smiled at the pout on those cherry lips before it said, “Don’t call me midget! How many times do I have to remind you that, giant Dave!”

It was his turn to pout, “How many times do I have to remind you to call me Chan?”

“Please, you’re in London, your name is David, I nicknamed you Dave. So I call you giant Dave!” he laughed as he ran, taking the kite they’re playing with and he ran and chased him,

“Earl! Wait!”

“Now are you spacing out on me?” Baekhyun huffed, “This is ridiculous.”

Chanyeol gazed at the man. “Really,” his voice low and soft, “What is your problem, Baekhyun?”

“You.” He spat, standing up and taking his jacket.

Chanyeol shook his head, “You’re not leaving. Not until we’re finished here.”

“I hate your guts, Park. Go do that yourself.”

Chanyeol stood up in time and grabbed the smaller male’s elbows before he could take another step forward. He yanked him back and held him in the shoulders. “You know what, your ego has always been the reason why everyone was distant of you. That’s why you don’t have friends other than your adoptive sister. And maybe because of that you don’t know anything about love—which was the main emotion in music.”

“How dare you.” Baekhyun hissed and yanked back his arm. “How dare you judge me, Park. What do you know about my life? What do you know about me before I met Semi? How could you say that I don’t know anything about that ty thing you called love? Are you any better? What do you know about love, Park? I bet you only know how to receive it, not give it.”

“What is with you?!” Chanyeol snapped, “Why do you hate me so much?! I’m trying to work things out between us, Baekhyun!”

“And why would you even try?!” he screamed back. Chanyeol stopped breathing. “Why would you want to ‘work things out’ between us? Between our non-existent friendship?”

Chanyeol wished he could see his eyes clearly, but all he could have was a glimpse of the dark brown eyes beneath it. Nonetheless, he looked at them, honestly answered him without thinking twice. But the moment he said it, it was also the moment he realized that yes, what he told Baekhyun was true.

“You remind me of someone I lost long ago.”

Baekhyun didn’t know why Chanyeol could tie his tongue up. Because that time he had nothing to say again. He was just there, standing and looking at the man before him who continued.

“You remind me of him, my best friend, my brother…my…” Chanyeol’s voice cracked, “My first and last love.” His vision blurred from the salty water that threatens to spill, “But I couldn’t say that he was my lover. Because all along I was fooling myself and making myself believe that I love someone else when he’s there every ing time! When he’s there… loving me silently, unconditionally. And you know what happened after that. I ed up, I ed up Baekhyun and I lost him. And somehow, I am hoping that through my songs he could hear how much I regret what happened and how much I want to see him again.”

Chanyeol huffed with a bitter smile, tears dropping from his chin as his brows furrowed. “And you who reminded me of him made me want to understand you, and be a friend to you at least. Because you’re like me who was haunted by the past, and the only help I could offer you is to teach you, at least, to let that pain out through your passion, through your music. You’re like this because you can’t control it, you don’t have an outlet. I wanted to help you, that maybe, why I’m ing trying.”

A thick moment of silence that couldn’t be cut by a knife passed. Chanyeol had dried up his face, even out his breathing when Baekhyun spoke.

“Sometimes, you need to stop being so kind hearted so no one could fall for you like how he did.” Chanyeol looked at him, but he turned away. “That way, you couldn’t have hurt him.”

Sighing, Baekhyun turned to the organ, grabbing the piece of paper near it.

“If you chose me as your partner to teach me that you’re talking about, let me write the lyrics, I might as well try to take your offer Park.”

~~~~~~

In the end they recorded the arranged instrumentals so they could sing it together. Chanyeol initially wanted a solemn song, a ballad, but when he let Baekhyun took over the lyrics, they rearranged it into something powerful, and he was going to showcase his other talent that Baekhyun gave a way for him to do.

He stood in front of the class, and Baekhyun just placed the CD in the player, then he hit the play button.

The intro played, he and Baekhyun shared a glance. He nodded at him and Baekhyun smirked, shaking his head and hovered over the mic on his lips.

During the practice, he had heard Baekhyun sang the song. He thought he’s a hopeless case when he could feel nothing from his voice. But when he opened his lips to sing today, he now know felt his pain.

He had stopped in his first part and Chanyeol started.

I don’t know why I still remember,
All our memories that were like a living hell.
I’ll remember our past. You were playing around with me.
Thanks to you, everything’s changed for me.
The side of me that used to be able to laugh, doesn’t exist anymore.
Love is a joke to me now; my crushed heart.
I tried everything to forget you,
I became better before anyone else.
I hoped that you would regret it all when you saw me.
Yeah, all of my music that you ignored,
Will be blasting on the streets of Seoul. (Rock on)
Our old habits are holding onto us,
You’re often unconsciously falling into a nightmare-like world.
But still, because I was in love with you,
I won’t ever forget you. Yes, I remember.

Baekhyun sang the chorus in time, eyes closed, hands making gestures that he hadn’t done before.

Even if I close my eyes, I still see us.
There’s still a light there.
I’ll deeply retain the times we had together.
Even if pain comes over time,
The promise I made for the rest of my life,
I won’t ever forget that moment until the end.
I Remember

Everyone was amazed how Chanyeol rapped the verses. They didn’t even know he was this good at rapping. He didn’t even know how Baekhyun came up with this style of music. But it was good.

And Chanyeol, didn’t know why he was also stabbed with the words Baekhyun put into the song.

I Don’t Know What You’ve Done to me
Just Like That
Forget it. I won’t deal with love. I came back, yeah.
Throw it all away. I don’t need it anymore.
Now, I can finally sleep without you around.
There’s a spotlight lit in your empty space.
I don’t believe in the significance of the dream I dreamed.
I’m going crazy in the reality of being thrown away.
I’m hot stuff. People like you want to go out with you,
The scars you get from pleading; I’ll live my life in a corrupt way.
Even long after our farewell,
In the end, all I had left was the promise we made, which doesn’t exist now.
That was often the reason to why I’m where I am now.
I let that day slip through my hands,
Don’t ever look at me again.
I’ll believe that you feel the same way I do.
I won’t ever forget. Yes, I remember.

Baekhyun sang the chorus again and this time went straight to the bridge. Though this time, he faced Chanyeol who sang with him till the end of the song.

Making a promise together,
Forever (I’ll keep it here)
Even if I have to walk this road alone, temporarily,
I’ll show you everything I’ve got.

Even if I close my eyes, I still see us.
There’s still a light there.
I’ll deeply retain the times we had together.
Even if pain comes over time,
The promise I made for the rest of my life,
I won’t ever forget that moment until the end.
(Yes I remember) I Remember

Needless to say that time, that the music room had a standing ovation and Kyuhyun was one of them.

~~~~~~

At the end of the day, the rain started pouring and Semi still had her dance practice. Baekhyun had to go home alone. He doesn’t have an umbrella but he decided to walk anyway.

He was halfway to the gate of the school when a shadow loomed over him. When he looked up, he saw a black umbrella. “You should bring umbrella at all times, who knows when it’s going to rain.”

Snorting, Baekhyun shook his head and continued walking. “What do you want Park, you got your 1, don’t bother me again.”

“Yes, I got one… with you. Kyuhyun couldn’t believe that it was you who wrote the lyrics. He thought I did all the work.”

“I saw that coming though. No hard feelings.”

“Congratulations.”

“Should I feel happy that you congratulate me or be offended because it sounded like you’re mocking me?”

“Why would I mock you?”

“Because this is the first time I got a 1 with that spawn of Satan.”

What Baekhyun heard was a deep, charming laugh that had him looking at the man who was now walking side by side with him. Chanyeol looked at him with a smile in his eyes he hasn’t seen from him since he met him in the school.

“Because we got the highest grade, and you did a good job back there, I won’t tell Mr. Cho that you called him a spawn of Satan.”

“I wouldn’t have cared if you would though—“

“And I’ll treat you somewhere. Come with me.” Chanyeol grabbed his wrist and walked to passed Baekhyun’s block.

“Hey—wait Chan—Hey!”

The man turned around and looked at him, wide eyed. Then his lips formed a genuine smile, before he linked his fingers with Baekhyun. “You know, not even my best friend call me Chan.” He pulled the flustered smaller male again.

~~~~~~

He hasn’t finished his cone of ice cream yet but Baekhyun has eaten one fourth of his one litre of cookies and cream already. Not only that but he still had a line of desserts to eat—donut, cheesecake, another slice of cake, and the last one was a milk chocolate bar.

Chanyeol bought everything Baekhyun pointed the moment they entered the pastry shop, and he was smiling to himself whenever he sees the other biting his lower lip in excitement.

It was funny to think that they were in each other’s throat a couple of months ago, and now, they are eating across from each other in a table beside the glass walls of the shop, rain splattering all over it.

Chanyeol saw the small cookie left on the corner of his mouth and he reached out, brushing his thumb on it, making the other pause. He brought it in his lips and his thumb. “You eat like a baby.”

Baekhyun give him a shrug and spoon the dessert again.

Half an hour passed when he gave out a loud burp, “Man I was stuffed.”

Chuckling, Chanyeol leaned over the table, “Don’t ask for money when you’re diagnosed with diabetes.”

“All the sugar I ate turns into brain energy so its fine. Anyway… I’ve been wanting to ask you this… but can I ask what happened to your…best friend?”

“Interested now, are we?”

“It’s fine if you want to keep your mouth shu—“

“I stole his song.” Chanyeol suddenly said, halting Baekhyun. They held gazes, or so he thought he was meeting the others’, and continued, “I stole his music.”

Baekhyun remained silent, and it was his cue to go on. “I was in love with one of our classmates back then, we were senior high school. I was in love; that was what I made myself believe. Earl was always there, supporting me, helping me make moves to court her. I was a fool, I was ignorant, I was a jerk.”

Chanyeol looked outside, to the dark gray sky as if picturing what happened in the past.

And in my birthday, he had given me a present. I thought it was one of his ideas for me to court the girl I was in love with. He had given me a song. It was a love song, declaring how much someone love a person from afar, but never got a chance to tell. A song that says how much he was longing, how much he was hurting. That was what I felt back then towards Dara. She loved someone else, and whenever I was trying to confess, I always fail.

I thought, maybe Earl made this for me to sing to her… so I could finally tell her I love her. I was happy, and the next day, I cornered Dara, took her in a music room and sang the song to her. I was too ecstatic that finally I delivered my unspoken message through a song. But she rejected me, and told me I was a good friend, but she doesn’t feel the same.”

Chanyeol pressed the inner corners of his eyes with his fingers, preventing his tears to fall again.

“When she opened the door, there stood him, Earl, crying and his eyes were so red and he was looking at me… he was looking at me like I was the most detestable person in his life. I remember him screaming at me that I was a cruel man before he ran.

“I forgot Dara, I forgot everything about her when I saw him cry for the first time since I knew him. I followed him, in the rain just like this. I grabbed him and he slapped me. I couldn’t forget everything that he said.

“I made the song for you David. I made it for you because I…I couldn’t t-tell you I love you. I knew you’d never feel the same. But you didn’t have to sing it to her…” he cried… “Don’t you know how much it hurts, hearing the words spill from your mouth that I tried so hard to convey with my melody, only for her to hear? Do you understand how hurt I was?! DAVID YOU DIDN’T JUST STOLE MY HEART AND CRUSH IT! YOU TOOK MY SONG, YOU STOLE IT AND GAVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE!”

“Those were his last words. The next day I didn’t see him again. His brother Kris told me that he went out of the country. They didn’t tell me where he went, until this year, I found out that he’s in Korea.”

Baekhyun nodded, pursing his lips while Chanyeol inhaled, “So he was … the reason why you’re here?”

“I want to find him. I want to apologize. I want to tell him how his absence made me realize that…it was him I was in love with…I wanted to make things right…I wanted to go back time…”

Baekhyun now understood why Chanyeol had a heart in his music. He pours his feelings in it. Because he remembered his song back in prelims, and the lyrics of the song was conveyed to Earl.

~~~~~~~

The next days were unexpected for all. Not only that the news of Baekhyun and Chanyeol got a high score with Kyuhyun, but the fact that after the midterm exams the two had become closer.

No more scary verbal fights in the cafeteria, instead, they sat on the same table together with Semi who introduced her friend Yixing from her dance class with them. Baekhyun knew the two had passed this friendship state by the way they look at each other.

It was rare for the people to see the Prince of Muse smile, but it was even impossible for them to see Baekhyun do that. That’s why one time a couple of days since the exam in cafeteria everyone was shocked at what they saw.

It was Chanyeol who came with Baekhyun and Semi, like the other days before. He fall in line while the other two reserved seats. Then Chanyeol called for Baekhyun,

“Baek come here what do you want to order?”

No one calls Baekhyun, Baek—not even Semi.

Baekhyun jogged towards him and they talked like normal beings which both true and false for them. The smaller male went back to Semi and waited for Chanyeol to take their foods.

“I said bacon and eggs, Park if they don’t have Meal C! Not hotdog and eggs!”

“They don’t have bacon anymore!” the giant stifled a laugh.

“Don’t start Park! There are still others than hotdog— why hotdog of all the food!” he exclaimed, grimacing at the plate. Then he saw that Chanyeol was holding his plate, it was rice and tuna. Baekhyun took it and switched their plates that made Chanyeol laugh out loud.

“You’re so green minded Baek!”

“Shut up you wouldn’t laugh if you didn’t do it purposely—y-yah! Don’t even—dang it Park! Eat outside!!” Baekhyun laughed and whined at the same time when Chanyeol placed the two hard boiled eggs on both sides of his hotdog.

~~~~~~~

In their final term, Baekhyun and Chanyeol spent weekends together in both houses, depends on their trip. One time though, Chanyeol had to sleep over when a strong storm came and couldn’t come home in such weather.

He just went out of the shower when he went inside the smaller male’s room, spotted him dropping something in his eyes before he closed them turning his head down again.

“What’s that?” he asked. The other looked at him, bangs covering his eyes, “Eyes gets stressed too, it’s my med.” He simply stated.

“I’ll just sleep on the floor then—“

“It’s too cold for that Park, you can share the bed with me. I’ll just take the side near the wall.”

Chanyeol agreed, and slipped beside the smaller male after Baekhyun lied down. It didn’t take fifteen minutes before the smaller male fell asleep.

From the faint light of the lamp which Baekhyun refused to turn off, he studied his face. He had long wanted to see his face, and Chanyeol took the chance to part his bangs.

What made him froze that time, he couldn’t even say it out loud.

~~~~~~

The next morning Chanyeol was awakened by the smell of eggrolls and toast. When he went outside of Baekhyun’s room the latter was washing the dishes already. “Oh, you’re up. I made breakfast. Do you mind an eggroll?”

“It’s good, it’s my favorite.”

“Glad to know that.”

He ate in silence, watching the smaller male’s back. His thoughts were too deep but Baekhyun had brought him back to reality when he said.

“You’re not that bad Park…I bet if your best friend meets you again, he’d be able to forgive you.”

He couldn’t sleep much after that night. His thoughts keep coming back to the face of that black haired man. And then his words… his words that held something… something different and meaningful.

Chanyeol reminisced his times with Baekhyun—he remembered giving him one of Earl’s favorite sweatshirt, and how come he didn’t notice how Baekhyun’s tease back then held the same hidden meaning?

He remembered how hard Baekhyun’s face was when he told him his past with Earl when they fought for midterm project—and then how he told him he shouldn’t have been so kind hearted so Earl wouldn’t have fallen to him but got hurt in the end.

He remembered how he told Baekhyun that the latter reminds him of Earl.

Everything came crashing down that night of his sleep over. And he wanted to break down, he wanted to cry, he wanted to scream.

That night when Baekhyun slept, he had pulled him against his body, chest to his back. That night Chanyeol wept like a child, holding on to the petite male, afraid of letting him go.

By the morning when Baekhyun told him his best friend might forgive him when they meet again, Chanyeol’s eyes watered once again.

~~~~~~~

It was their finals today, Monday, two days after Chanyeol’s sleep over. He hadn’t seen Baekhyun after that and he was worried of their huge performance today. Kyuhyun reserved the audio visual room and invited all other music majors to watch, together with the other faculty for the sophomore’s final exam.

The room was jammed pack, given that Chanyeol was there, they all wanted to watch.

When Kyuhyun started the event, Chanyeol still couldn’t find Baekhyun, he couldn’t even reach his phone.

Baekhyun was next in line when the other picked up.

“The Baek?! Where are you?! You’re next!”

“I’m here, but hey…I am purposely hiding because I have a surprise for you. I would be there when they call me. Be sure to watch from your seat, I can see you. Park. I made this song for you. Listen carefully, watch me carefully. Don’t be a jerk this time.”

And he hung up.

Chanyeol blinked once, twice…when Baekhyun told him, Don’t be a jerk this time… he had shed tears even before Baekhyun was called.

“Now, let’s call our next performer, Byun Baekhyun!”

The AVR rang with applause and the lights were turned off, except a blue light in the back that gives a silhouette effect when Baekhyun walked from the back stage. Chanyeol was in the front line and he could watch him clearly.

The best thing about tonight is that we’re not fighting

Could be that we have been this way before?

I know you don’t think that I am trying

I know you’re wearing thin down to the core

But hold your breath

Chanyeol did for when Baekhyun sang the chorus,  the light opened and he saw a pair of emerald eyes looking back at him and what once a raven hair was now blonde and trimmed, forming waves like how Chanyeol remembered him years ago.

Because tonight would be the night that I will fall for you over again

Don’t make me change my mind

I won’t live to see another day, I swear its true…

Because a man like you is impossible to find, you’re impossible to find.

Baekhyun kept singing the song, eyes only directed at him. And he could feel the love he had poured in the sad song, his pleading with it, asking for another chance, asking for him not to break his heart this time.

So breathe in so deep, breathe me in, I’m yours to keep.

And hold on to your words cause talk is cheap

And remember me tonight when you’re asleep.

At the end of the song, everyone praised how good his performance was, and many were shock at his new appearance. What’s more surprising is how Kyuhyun smiled.

Chanyeol sniffed, nodded at Baekhyun who smiled knowingly at him and took the wireless mic from when he was called and went on the stage. No one was prepared when Chanyeol sang the song he used in a contest, the song he refused to be recorded and sell. When he was a rookie and got an interview, he told them that he’d only sing it when the person he was looking for was found again.

And he would sing it to him, live.

I love the way it feels when you touch my hand

Don’t wanna let you go

I love the way you say that I am your man

Don’t understand why we can’t go on and go on

Don’t understand why you don’t belong in my arms

And even if I cry a thousand tears, would you come back to me?

And even if I walk on the water would you come out to sea

Now I can't spend my life standing by
Cause even when I miss you
You're still not missing me

It's funny how my heart just won't let it go
I just don't understand
It's crazy how the pain seems to overflow
The memories of you here with me by my side
I can't deny that you are the love of my life

Ohh

And even if I cried a thousand tears tonight
Would you come back to me
And even if I walked on the water
Would you come out to sea
Now I can't spend my life standing by
Cause even when I miss you
You're still not missing me

And I still cry for you
And I would die for you
I can't believe all the words I heard you say
And I still long for you
And I was strong for you
I can't believe that you'd throw it all away

Chanyeol continued his song, crying and eyes only looking at one person. Baekhyun was nodding at him, as if he was saying that yes, he could hear him through his song. Chanyeol smiled in the song even if he looked like an idiot, crying and smiling at the same time.

Now I can't spend my life standing by
Cause even when I miss you
You're still not missing me

People left the auditorium after the event, Chanyeol couldn’t find Baekhyun. He was looking for a short man with blonde hair with his height. He was nowhere to be found.

~~~~~~~

That night, when Chanyeol slept over in his house, he didn’t tell the taller male that he was awake when he parted his bangs, when he had pulled him against his body and cried out on his shoulder, while his arms were around his waist, Baekhyun’s back against his chest.

Chanyeol had a grip of a metal hand that time but he didn’t make a move. He listened to him.

“You…All this time…it was you. Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you hide from me?”

“I’m sorry…Please…please forgive me. I won’t ask you tomorrow if you’re doing this on purpose, but I know you know how I feel for you… I told you that remember? I will wait until you said you have forgiven me.”

As much as he hated Chanyeol from the past, the way he was now, the way he cried, the way he trembled had pulled the strings of his heart. Was he really sorry for hurting him? Was he really…in love with him?

That morning, when he woke facing the man’s chest, he looked at him and cupped his cheeks, rubbing circles on it with his thumb.

“I forgive you…”

Then he went out to prepare breakfast, and when Chanyeol really did pretend like nothing happened last night, Baekhyun decided that Chanyeol deserved a chance.

He dyed his hair, similar to his natural hair he had always tried to cover. He composed a song in just one day, inspired by what he felt, by what he wanted to say.

And when he was there on the stage, pouring his heart out in every note, he saw how Chanyeol felt the message he was trying to convey with his music.

Here, outside the school, somewhere in the park, Baekhyun stood under the rain. Did he do the right thing? After everything that he’d been through because of him, he’d just forgive him like that? But he couldn’t just let him hang on like that when Chanyeol finally knew who he was.

Before everything happened, they were still friends.

~~~~~~~

When he left London, he told his brother not to tell anyone where he would be going. He was so broken he couldn’t even find himself to eat anything. When he arrived in Korea, he was adamant of getting a place to stay, and he thought that maybe if he let himself drown in the rain he’d catch fever and die in the process.

It was a bit too much, a bit immature to take your life for something like love, or was it really love back then? He was just a teenager.

However he knew what he felt for his friend was real. They’ve been attached to each other’s hips since they started crawling, and they were together when they learned to walk, to talk, their first words were not even mom or dad—but rather, each other’s name with a slight dysfunctional pronunciation.

When they reached puberty, it was him who was more aware of the changes between them—especially him who just developed feelings that he shouldn’t have. Afraid that it would ruin their friendship, he just kept mum and get on with it.

He was wrong though.

And he was the one who got hurt in the end. He saw this coming, whether he confessed or not. But he didn’t expect that it would hurt this much. He didn’t expect he’d be this weak.

He shouldn’t have run, he shouldn’t have left.

He should have faced it like a man.

He was such a coward.

“Earl! Earl!” he heard from distant. It was nice to hear that Chanyeol started calling his name again. But he also loved it whenever Chanyeol would call him Baekhyun—after all they were both half English and half Korean.

As he turned around, he found Chanyeol, drenched in the rain, catching his breath, hands on his knees.

“How come you always find me wherever I go?” he asked with a small smile.

It took a moment before Chanyeol could breathe evenly again to speak. “Because…” he exhaled, “Because whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with me.”

“Who said I was?”

“I did.” Chanyeol walked towards him, both of them ignoring the rain. It’s funny because it was also raining before they parted ways, when they fought. “Because from the start, you and I… you and I were meant to be together. Can’t you see how the invisible spring that attached us together snapped and it brought me here to you, where our lives collided with major disaster to everyone around us. But that wouldn’t have happen if you didn’t leave me…”

“Maybe…” Baekhyun looked up at the man who was now less than a foot closer to him, “Maybe I shouldn’t have left, maybe I shouldn’t have chicken out—but don’t you think that it happened so you would realize how big of an idiot you were, David Park?”

Chanyeol cringed at his name.

“Yeah… I…” he nodded, “I am an idiot. I am an insensitive er, Earl—“

“Baek…just call me Baekhyun. We’re in Korea.” He reminded.

Chanyeol nodded, chuckling, “And… I am sorry.”

“I know. I’ve… I’ve been watching you since you transferred, and I was irritated by the fact that you’re here. But when you… when we fought for the midterm exam and blurted out the past, I wavered. I started thinking of the possibilities if I forgive you, if we could go back time like how you wanted and just forget our teenage stupidity and start again. I started considering of letting the past go, since life wouldn’t be life if we don’t get hurt from time to time… if our knees don’t hit the ground once in a while.

“Chanyeol I was hurt, don’t forget that. But we learn from our mistakes, we learn to be strong when we get wounded, to stand up when we fall. I am not a god who has to judge you because you made a mistake, I am also a man and I am not perfect…” Baekhyun reached out and cupped the male’s cheeks.

“Before you became the man I love, you are my best friend, my brother…” Chanyeol was crying, trembling in the smaller male’s hands, “And I realized, when I saw you cry, when I heard your songs, that I couldn’t let this get worse. I should stop my façade. I should stop pretending…should stop hating…”

Chanyeol wrapped his arms around the petite male, “Thank you Baekhyun…Thanks… thank you for being you…and you know what? I think this is just one of the infinite things I love from you. You’re half-half of everything. Sometimes you’re childish, sometimes you’re mature, sometimes you’re quiet, sometimes you’re noisy. There were times that you’re hyper, sometimes you’re lazy—and I couldn’t get enough of rest from laughing whenever I’m with you. I really… really am sorry for ruining our friendship—“

“No…silly,” Baekhyun laughed, burying his face on the giant’s chest. “You didn’t ruin it, we just got stronger.”

Chanyeol sighed after a minute of silence, “I…I think I might like the rain after this…”

“Why?” Baekhyun propped his chin on the man’s chest to look up at him, while Chanyeol still holds him by the waist, “Because,”

“Because...” Baekhyun echoed.

“We’re okay now?” Chanyeol asked as the rain slowly turning into drizzle.

“More or less…”

“But we’re not friends anymore alright?” Chanyeol grinned with a hint in his eyes.

“Nope. Because we’re more than that.”

“That my dear—is the answer I’ve been longing to hear”

“You didn’t even court me why would you—“

Baekhyun didn’t have the chance to complete his sentence when his lips were sealed with Chanyeol’s. And he was more than glad to answer him with an equal (or even more) love with it.

“Love you midget.”

Baekhyun flicked the taller male’s ears, “I love you too giant.”

~~~~~~~

“Achoo!!”

Semi rolled his eyes and turned the t.v off. “CAN’T YOU STOP SNEEZING! MY GOSH!”

“Mi, don’t shout we’re in the same house. Here, Baekhyun just drink this and you’re good. Sleep more and next time, don’t stay too long under the rain.”

“Please, Yixing. Byun rarely gets cold from the rain. If he’d get it that bad, then it was passed to him.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, “shut up, Semi. If you heard us last night, I heard you two the other night.”

Yixing blushed and Baekhyun’s phone buzzed. He answered it and put it in speakers.

“Chanyeol I’m just in the living room don’t waste credits.”

“Baekhyun come back, I need round five.”

“DON’T IN THIS HOUSE PLEASE!”

“Mi! Language!”

END