Fireflies

Note: Not proof-read.

Chanyeol was falling deeper and deeper in love with Baekhyun with each passing day. He spent his days, reminiscing their conversation from the previous day's phone calls and waiting for the day to end so that he could hear the sweet voice calling out to him.

It had been two weeks since the night Baekhyun had called Kyungsoo's phone which had been answered by Chanyeol.

As promised, Chanyeol had called the following night, blabbering about college and other such things to help Baekhyun go to sleep. Though his efforts failed miserably, it made him happy to know that Baekhyun still liked it when he played him some tunes on his guitar. Eventually, this became a habit for the two of them. Chanyeol now found himself rushing home and tuning his guitar, browsing through his playlist to search for a suitable tune. Kyungsoo was amused at his friend's weird behavior. He had no idea of what was happening with his two best friends. He was also surprised to see an excited Chanyeol. The bright smile that lit up the giant's lips were blinding and was self-explanatory. But Kyungsoo had a hard time figuring out missing links. He knew everything directly involved Baekhyun, but no solid link had h found to comprehend Chanyeol's behavior.

Baekhyun, on the other hand, made progress with each of his therapy sessions. The doctor was amazed at the change she observed. Though she never questioned him, Baekhyun knew she was curious. He also liked how she would subtly drop questions about it. But he kept it to himself. He knew he had to reveal everything to the therapist. But this, his interactions with Chanyeol, were private. Something special that had him on his toes all day long. He wanted to keep it all to himself, his little secret. Their little secret. He would wait for the nightfall eagerly, keeping himself busy with little story books that his sister had brought home. When it got too boring, he would play all the recorded phone calls of Chanyeol. Along with their night talks, he picked up this unusual habit of recording the calls. He would bask in the soft tunes of guitar playing and sometimes laugh aloud listening to Chanyeol’s nonsense rambling. Every little thing about Chanyeol made him happy and his heart skipped a few beats.

They both had grown accustomed to each other. Eventually, they had taken to address each other with short names. Chanyeol never missed a chance to call him 'Baek' or sometimes 'Hyun', whereas, Baekhyun alternated between 'Chan' and 'Yeol'.

Just like any other day, Chanyeol rushed back home the moment the last lecture of the day was done. He drove out of the campus with the lightening speed. He was excited. He had decided to call Baekhyun a bit earlier than the usual time and talk for a bit more. He had not asked Baekhyun about it. But he wanted to do it and try his chance at having a few more minutes of their 'chat time'.

On reaching home, he ran up the steps to his room and threw his backpack on the bed. He hurried to the washroom and took a bath. After coming back, he took his phone and sprawled himself on the bed. Just before calling, he nervously cleared his throat. All said and done, he finally called Baekhyun after about a minute or two. He waited with baited breath for his call to be answered. When his call was answered, though, his face fell hearing a female voice, also scrunching up with confusion.

"Um hello. May I talk to Baekhyun, please?"

"I'm sorry. But he has not come back. He forgot to take his phone. If it's okay with you, I could relay your message to him."

"Uh! No. It's okay. I'll call a bit later."

"Yeol!" Baekhyun hollered as soon as Chanyeol answered.

"Yes, Baek." Chanyeol chuckled, his heart overflowing with love.

"You called?"

"Yeas. I did."

"Why? I mean, um... we usually talk at night..." Baekhyun trailed off.

"Just because."

"Hmm... So?"

"Baek, when are you coming back?" Chanyeol asked. The question had been pounding his mind for a while now. But he had pushed it aside, not willing to seem desperate.

"Soon. Super soon..." Baekhyun whispered.

"I can't wait..." Chanyeol whispered back.

"Me too." A small smile took over Baekhyun's lips.

"Baek?" Chanyeol called.

"Hmm?"

"Um... Can you... Can you sing for me?" Chanyeol stuttered.

"Huh?"

"I mean, I always play for you... So... you know..." Chanyeol trailed off, nervously biting the insides of his cheeks.

An unexpected silence took over. Chanyeol felt his nervousness bordering on anxiousness. Chanyeol's heartbeats sped up with each passing second, forcing him to bite his lower lip hard and his hand gripping the phone with a pressure more than required.

"You want me to sing?" Baekhyun voiced out after a small sigh.

"Yes. It's been a long time since I heard you sing... I miss it..." Chanyeol whispered the last bit, wishing that Baekhyun had not caught on to it somehow!

"I would have happily done that if I hadn't been suffering from a nasty cold. I'm surprised you didn't notice it all this while!" Baekhyun said, more like lied. He was nervous. The context of singing personally for one person and moreover to that one particular person whom he loved had his throat going dry. He wanted to, but his heart thudding in his chest kept him from doing it. So, he chose the easiest way. He lied.

"Oh... I-umm.. I didn't notice. Sorry..." Chanyeol uttered, embarrassedly.

"It's okay, Yeol."

I will sing for you, someday. Just for you...

__

Chanyeol and Baekhyun continued to have such late night little chats for the next four days. On the fifth day, Baekhyun was up early and on his way to college, having successfully finished his therapy sessions with little to no nightmares. Though it seemed like the therapy worked for him, he knew better than to give out all credits to the therapist. Partly, his recovery was supported by Chanyeol, who unknowingly extended an emotional help that he needed at the worst of times. Hana, his little sister, who was by his side, every beck and call. His friends, who proved to be a bit too emotional to be of any help, nonetheless, caring for him and loving him despite his annoying behavior. Baekhyun loved all of them to the bits and pieces.

Baekhyun was a few minutes late to his class, but he was excused. He bowed to the lecturer and turned to walk to his usual seat at the back. His eyes met an eager pair of brown orbs, making his heart beat faster. A soft smile took over his lips when he noticed Chanyeol pointing towards an empty seat by his side. A naughty glint shined in his eyes before he walked by Chanyeol's desk and moved to the back where his friends waited for him. He turned around just in time to witness a small pout gracing the giant's lips and silently laughed at the way Chanyeol scrunched up his nose.

Luhan welcomed him with a bright smile and Chen was smiling like he had been blessed by the good lord himself! Baekhyun laughed at Chen and took his seat before the lecturer would decide to throw him out for laughing.

"Hey, Baek?" Luhan called out. The three friends, along with Minseok were sitting around a small round table in the college canteen, enjoying their lunch. It had been tough for them in the morning to keep all of Baekhyun's fans and admirers from suffocating him while trying to get a good look at him. Having been deprived of their favorite schoolmate's lively presence kept them all on their toes to get closer to him and talk to him. Not everyone was aiming to strangle him while they talked to him, but they decided against taking chances.

You never know who does what, now. Do you? Luhan had said, earning a positive nod from Chen and his supposed boyfriend, Minseok.

"Yeah?" Baekhyun gulped down a sip of his chocolate milkshake and looked down at his lunch.

"What's with Chanyeol?" He asked.

A confused frown came over Baekhyun's face and his hand which was holding the chopsticks ready to dig in halted. Baekhyun blinked confusedly at Luhan.

"What's with him?"

"I don't know! I'm asking you. He has been staring at you for a while now." Luhan said, his gaze directed at a certain giant who was sitting in one of the corners. Baekhyun's breath hitched when he noticed Chanyeol staring at him without blinking. Baekhyun realized Chanyeol was openly staring at him, precisely his hands, and he flushed at the boldness of the boy. He brought down his hands and hid them behind the table. The action seemed to bring Chanyeol out of the trance and he looked up at Baekhyun's face, only to lock his gaze with Baekhyun. He immediately averted his eyes and resumed gobbling down his lunch. Luhan watched their little interaction from the sidelines, sporting an amused smile.

"You want me to feed you, Baekhyunie?" Luhan asked. His voice laced with a hint of naughtiness to it.

"What!?" Baekhyun asked, incredulously.

"No. Now that you're trying to hide your hands from 'someone' for some 'unknown' reason, I thought I might as well help you... You know, feeding you and all... Also, you could always take advantage of the situation and make him a bit jealous or something..." Luhan suggested, wiggling his brows with a naughty glint in his eyes.

Luhan received no reply from the other, only an emotionless stare right back at him. A few seconds passed and before he could decipher the slight change in Baekhyun's gaze, he was attacked by a hard-covered textbook. Luhan screamed with agony as the book hit the floor with a loud thud after slapping him hard on his face. Chan and Minseok cackled on his side while a fuming Baekhyun decided to get back to eating.

"Yah! When would you grab that? Ow! It hurts, you idiot!" Luhan complained.

Baekhyun ignored his complaints and continued emptying the lunch before him.

__

"Oppa, I'm going out for a bit. Call me if something happens and don't sleep without having the dinner. Okay?" Hana looked at him expectantly.

"Okay, little sis. Don't be late and don't drink. I have lots of catching up to do and I can't come searching for you. I know, you never listen to me, going clubbing even before you were eighteen. But, just this once, listen to me, please." Baekhyun looked at her, pleading earnestly.

"Oppa~ I only did that once and you keep bringing that up to embarrass me. And, for your information, I'm not of alcoholic drinks. So, let me off the hook, please~"

Hana's pout earned a giggle from her childish brother, who never let go of an opportunity to .

"Bye!" He shouted, but Hana decided to ignore it and stomped out of the room muttering curses at her brother.

Baekhyun laughed a bit more and got back to the textbook that was spread open on his table.

A chiming sound from his phone pulled him out of his class notes. He frowned lightly and reached over to take the phone. The message was not worth his attention and he decided to ignore it. He was about to get back to taking notes from the textbook when his eyes caught the digital clock flashing the time. It was time for his dinner. He closed his books and pushed the chair to walk out of the room.

Once he was done with the dinner, he hurried back to his room and picked up the phone from the table. He sprawled himself on the bed and dialed Chanyeol's number like he always did.

"I don't wanna talk to you!" He heard Chanyeol whining incoherently on the other end as soon as his call was answered.

"What! Why?" Baekhyun was shocked beyond belief and he did nothing to hide it.

"What do you mean why? You should know it better than anybody else! Even if you don't, I'm not gonna tell you and I'm not gonna talk to you!" Chanyeol's whines sounded more like tantrums and Baekhyun was amused when he guessed the reason why Chanyeol was miffed with him.

"Oh! Okay..." Baekhyun faked sadness his voice and sniffed a bit, trying to trick the giant into talking to him.

"I'll end the call then..." Baekhyun said.

"HEY! Wait. No, Baekhyun. Don't!" Chanyeol half shouted through the phone and Baekhyun fought hard to prevent the laughter from erupting.

"But you said..." Baekhyun continued to act like he was hurt, while Chanyeol bit his lip guilty of saddening Baekhyun.

"I was not serious, Baek! I was just acting and I didn't know you would feel this bad. I'm so sorry, Baek. Please don't end the call..." Chanyeol's words were filled with guilt and Baekhyun did not have the heart to go on and add more burden on Chanyeol.

"I was kidding too..." Baekhyun gigg