There are many things that I

Would like to say to you but I don't know how

Because maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me

And after all,

you're my Wonderwall

Wonderwall- Oasis

Chanyeol arrived at school with a few minutes to spare. He refreshed his brain by leafing through the book one more time as he sat on one of the benches outside. He didn’t want to embarrass himself and possibly lose Baekhyun’s impression of him.

“I’m a cool guy who reads. I’m a cool guy who reads.” Chanyeol muttered to himself, pressing his lips together in concentration.

“You’re a cool guy who reads?”

Baekhyun’s voice startled Chanyeol, and he nearly dropped the book as he turned around, grasping his chest as if he had just had a minor heart attack.

Baekhyun stood behind him, wearing a knitted sweater that fit his body perfectly, holding two cups of coffee. He beamed at Chanyeol, and Chanyeol lost feeling in his tongue.

“I mean I wouldn’t argue, but…”

Baekhyun handed Chanyeol a cup of coffee. “Here, I bought it for you on my way here. It’s a Monday, I figured you’d need it as much as I do.”

Chanyeol took the warm cup into his hands gratefully, bowing his head. “A-Ah thank you! You didn’t need to.” Flustered, he took a sip of the coffee. Chanyeol hummed in pleasure. Of course, it was delicious. Figured.

“Yeol, your face is a bit red. Are you coming down with something? It is a bit chilly out. Do you want to go inside?” Baekhyun asked, his face a mirror of concern.

Chanyeol averted his eyes, his face growing into a harsher shade of red. Was Baekhyun teasing him now…?

Baekhyun disregarded Chanyeol’s inability to answer and instead leaned over to see the spine of the book he was holding in his hand.

“The Tell-Tale Heart?” Baekhyun clapped his hands together, face overloaded in joy. Chanyeol felt his heart swell unbearably happy at the sight.  “Oh my goodness! That’s one of my favorite short stories by Edgar Allan Poe!”

“Really?” Chanyeol played it off coolly, acting as if he hadn’t planned this out at all. “I find Poe’s works really dark, but that is considering that he had a very unfortunate life himself.”

Baekhyun nodded in agreement. “It’s very upsetting that they never really knew how he died. I find the story so interesting. The narrator is obviously mad, though he insists he is not. How he spent so much time during the night to fit his head through the door to stare at the man while he slept; fascinating! It really delves into the psychological part of a person that we don’t often get to see in any modern works!”

“Yes, it is very interesting. Though he tells the story claiming he is not mad, anyone who kills a person has to be crazy!” Chanyeol added.

Baekhyun was silent a moment. “You’re right.” He said, casting his glance to the ground.

Baekhyun lifted his face and stared at Chanyeol, deep into his eyes. Chanyeol gulped, unable to divert his eyes; he was trapped in Baekhyun’s spell. “U-Um, is there something on my face?”

Baekhyun laughed - music to Chanyeol’s ears. “Totally.”

Chanyeol patted his face. “Where! Oh my god, this is so embarrassing. Where? On my cheeks - wait, or on my lips?”

“Definitely between your eyes.”

“Between my eyes? Are you serious?”

The bell rang and Baekhyun swung his backpack over his shoulder and stood up.

“Hey, get back here! Is it gone now?” Chanyeol called after Baekhyun.

“I was kidding,” Baekhyun snorted. “I’ll see you later during lunch!”

Chanyeol scoffed, pouting.

He watched Baekhyun walk away solemnly.

Even though Baekhyun had just gone, Chanyeol missed him.

*

Baekhyun let Chanyeol’s words sink in. He thought for a moment, smiling softly. “If I’m crazy for being a murderer," Baekhyun thought, staring at Chanyeol.” “Then maybe I’m crazy for being in love with you.”

Baekhyun let Chanyeol’s image sink in, memorizing every plane of his face, from the small mole on his nose to the curl of his soft, brown eyelashes. Baekhyun couldn’t tear his eyes away, and he let his body sink into the bench beneath him, perfectly comfortable with staring at Chanyeol’s face all day, wistfully.

“If I’m crazy for being in love with you, then maybe I don’t mind being crazy at all.”

*

It was windy outside, and the tree’s branches swayed harshly, acorns spilling on to the ground along with leaves.

The three sat on the roof, sitting uncomfortably as small amounts of dust flew into their faces.

Kyungsoo was having a difficult time studying. His textbook’s pages were flipping wildly and he had a hard time trying to write on his notebooks when its pages only did the same.

“Here.” Chanyeol took off his shoe and placed it on the edges of Kyungsoo’s textbook and notebook.

Kyungsoo smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Chanyeol.”

“Let’s go out this Friday!” Jongdae exclaimed. “I’ve got some money! Why don’t we hang or something?”

“Hang?” Baekhyun asked, confused.

“Yeah!” Chanyeol said, sitting up straight. “Let’s get together!”

Kyungsoo sighed, lifting his glasses farther up his nose. “I’m sorry, I can’t. I have to go to a stupid banquet with my parents.”

“I’m sorry, Soo.” Chanyeol said. “Is it okay if we go without you?”

Kyungsoo nodded fervently. “Yes, you know I don’t like what you guys like to do anyways.”

Jongdae cackled. “Yeah! I haven’t enjoyed myself in a long time!” Jongdae and Chanyeol high fived excitedly.

Baekhyun scrunched his eyebrows. “What are you guys planning on doing…?”

Chanyeol turned to Baekhyun. “Don’t worry, it’ll be fun. I promise!” He winked, and that sent a shiver down Baekhyun’s spine. “You’re free this Friday, aren’t you?”

Baekhyun nodded. “Yeah, I will be, bu-“

CHanyeol clapped his hands. “Then it’s settled! Let’s meet on the corner of Broadway. Is that a good place?”

Jongdae nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be there then. With our equipment”

“E-Equipment?” Baekhyun stuttered.

“You’ll be there, right Baek?” Chanyeol asked, sticking his lip out persuasively. “I want you to, please.”

Baekhyun couldn’t say no to that. “Fine.” He said, absentmindedly fixing his hair, embarrassed. “This Friday then.”

Chanyeol grinned. “This Friday then!”

*

Jongdae and Chanyeol chattered about Friday’s plans excitedly as they walked down the stairs and into the hallway. Baekhyun followed them, completely lost in thought.

A swarm of students swallowed them up, and Baekhyun was trapped in between the moving bodies. Baekhyun could pick Chanyeol out in the crowd by his height, but no matter how hard he pushed, he couldn’t get to him.

Baekhyun frustrated, stood still, letting the crowd weave about him.

It was at that moment that the hairs on the back of Baekhyun’s neck stood up. His senses were alert, all of his nerves frazzled. An alarm rang in Baekhyun’s ear, his conditioned instincts screaming. Eyes wide and arms taut, Baekhyun swiveled around slowly, eyes trained on the students passing by, adrenaline spiked.

A shadow passed by Baekhyun, and he felt a cold wave wash over him. Baekhyun spun in its direction, but it had already turned the corner. As quickly as it had come, it vanished.

Baekhyun, panicked, glared into the crowds, tiptoeing to get a better view.

“What had just happened…?” He thought to himself, narrowing his eyes as his head pounded.

Who was here?

“Baekhyun.”

Chanyeol’s voice broke through to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun was brought back to reality. The crowds had thinned now, and Chanyeol stood in front of him, waiting. “Huh? Oh um-“

Chanyeol smiled. “Still with me, Baek?”

Baekhyun nodded, letting Chanyeol distract him from the odd incident. He let his smile overtake him, drowning out the discomfort he had felt earlier.

Always.

*

It’s been a week working with Suho, and Kris wonders how much of this he can take.

The guy is insane. He never sleeps.

Suho is a follower of Da Vinci, and believes in his philosophy of sleeping 15 minutes every 2 hours. He never takes a break other than that, and he is always talking. Either to Kris or to himself, it doesn’t matter. Suho never shuts up. Ever.

As Kris thought this, Suho’s voice popped up from under three towers of books. “Do you think chickens have feelings?”

Kris rolled his eyes. “I don’t know,” He snapped. “Do you think they do?”

“Well, they surely have a maternal instinct. Do you think they’re heartbroken when we take away their eggs? If only they knew. We’re basically supporting a Chick Holocaust, discriminating against shelled babies. Do you think we should make protests and make people aware of this notion? Would you sign the petition, Kris? Are you the type of person to eat eggs in the morning? Do you think about how you’re eating the cooked bodies of dead baby chickens? Do you support this, Kris-“

Kris slammed his pen on the table. “If I buy you a damn chicken will you shut up?”

Suho poked his head out from the mess he was submerged in. “Would you, Kris?”

Kris nodded. “Whatever it takes.”

The door opened. A handsome male entered the room, with tan skin, an incredibly handsome face, dark brown hair and a blue sweater. “Yo, Suho, do you have my file ready for this weekend-“

The boy’s eyes met Kris. “Ah, hello!” The boy approached him and stuck out his hand. “My name’s Kai. Do you work here in the Research Lab now?”

Kris shook Kai’s hand hesitantly. “Yes, my name is Kris. You’re…an employee, right?”

Kai smiled and nodded. “Yes, I work for Mr. Lee. You’re his son aren’t you?”

Kris scowled and Kai laughed. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how these father and son relationships work. Did I say something wrong?”

Kris’s face softened. “No, that’s not it. It’s just…my father and I aren’t on very good terms at the moment.”

“I understand,” Kai said. “How are you liking it around here?”

“I’m not used to this.” Kris laughed. “I’ve never worked a copy machine in my life. It’s proving to be quite difficult. It is also very boring.”

“That is an insult.” Suho grasped at this chest as if he had been wounded. “I am offended.”

“Shut up.” Kris scoffed. “I said I would buy you a chicken!”

“A chicken doesn’t erase hurt feelings!”

Kai laughed awkwardly. “Okay, then. I am completely lost. Can I just get my file and go…?”

“Ah, yes of course!” Suho grabbed a manila folder from a nearby table and stalked up to Kai, motioning for Kris to follow. “Listen and learn, Kris, my dear apprentice.”

“Your next mission is scheduled for this Friday. It’s close by here in Gangnam, so you don’t have to worry about any travel expenses. Your target’s name is Hoo Chaewon, owner of the Hoo Electronics conglomerate.” Suho explained, showing Kai the information in the folder. “Your mission will be taking place at a lavish banquet to celebrate the anniversary of the company. Every A list celebrity will be there, along with a lot of security. This man has been targeted before, so the key is to act very inconspicuously You will be posing as Noon Seonho, son of someone in new money in the fashion industry. Since there is bound to be a lot of people around, I advise you slip something into his drink, sniping would take too much attention and would cause a panic.”

Suho closed the folder and handed it to Kai. “I suggest something odorless, like arsenic or antifreeze, if you’re feeling it.”

Kai flipped through the pages. “Okay, I think I got it. Normal appearance is fine, right?”

“If you haven’t interacted with any big names lately, then I’d say no.”

Kai shook Suho’s hand. “Thank you. I’ll be heading out to prepare then!”

“Nice meeting you, Kris! See you later, Suho!” Kai waved goodbye and left.

As Kai left, Suho turned around to face Kris. “I’m naming the chicken Peckles.”

“Oh my God, shut up.”

lmao ya'll in the comment section of this chapter on AO3 my editor fought one of my readers. if you wanna read the tea then click the link.