As the cab whizzes away, Chanyeol can see Baekhyun’s pained face through the mirror.

Chanyeol looks away, unable to bear the cold fingers of sorrow and regret clutching at his heart. Baekhyun is, after all, only a burden to Chanyeol. Baekhyun was a person Chanyeol regretted meeting; a person he didn’t want to drag along.

Right?

Then why did Chanyeol feel like he was missing a train? Why did he feel like he was leaving a major part of him behind? The cab pulls up in front of the bus station and Chanyeol pulls out his wallet, only then realizing that he has no cash to pay with.

“There’s an ATM here, sir,” the driver says, pointing behind Chanyeol. “It’s the only ATM in town.”

Chanyeol thanks him, and runs to the ATM.

Baekhyun watches Chanyeol’s cab speed away with confusion and pain battling in his heart. 

Why would he leave?

“Don’t go…” he begs into the air, tears prickling his eyes. “You haven’t seen the beach yet…”

“Baekhyun-ah!” his mother says, confused. “What’s wrong?”

“H-he left, umma,” Baekhyun says. “He left…”

“Go get him, then! Baby, what are you waiting for?” His mother says, and Baekhyun feels a wash of love for her warm him. He smiles at her, and runs as fast as he can, slipping through every shortcut he can think of; climbing over walls and ducking under fences.

This, he thinks, is the only advantage of having lived in the same town for his whole life.

Chanyeol is just about to pull out the money from the slot when his heart stops.

He turns around, and finds himself looking into Baekhyun’s eyes.

They stare at each other from opposite sides of the fibreglass barrier. Chanyeol pulls the door open, and Baekhyun is in his arms, hugging him like nobody ever had.

“Wh-why did you leave?” Baekhyun is gasping into his shoulder. “I wanted to show you the beach, I wanted to introduce you to Taeyeon and to my brother and my mother and all my friends and I wanted to take you to the fair tomorrow and-”

“Baekhyun.” Chanyeol says sharply. “Stop it. I brought you home, didn’t I? I kept my promise. Now you keep yours, and leave me alone.”

“B-but-”

“Go. Leave. Marry Taeyeon and be happy.” Chanyeol steps away from Baekhyun, whose eyes are blurring with tears. “Goodbye.”

“No.” Baekhyun holds Chanyeol’s wrist, tight enough for it to hurt just that little bit. “No.”

“Stop it, Baekhyun. Stop behaving like a child. Let me go.” Chanyeol says, and pries his hand out of Baekhyun’s grip.

“D-do you really hate me that much?” Baekhyun asks, voice cracking. “Have I been that much of a burden to you?”

Chanyeol sighs. “I have to leave, Baekhyun. I have too much work to do.”

And he turns away from Baekhyun, heart shattering into a million pieces for the second time in his life.

Chanyeol climbs on the bus to Seoul, and sits at the very end. He sighs, trying to ease the lump in his throat.

I promise to take you to a beach and have you stand in the waves and smell the beautiful salt and watch the sea fade into sky.

He closes his eyes and grits his teeth. The harder he tries to stop thinking about Baekhyun, the more difficult it becomes.

how about you seduce Baekbeom, and you both join me and Tae and all four of us run away?

A smile tugs at Chanyeol’s lips, and despite the lump in his throat and the pain in his heart, he smiles.

What makes me happy?

Chanyeol thinks of Baekhyun’s ince