The next day, Baekhyun rises up, albeit in a very groggy state. The party with bananas and potatoes lasted until midnight, rendering Baekhyun absolutely exhausted. He remembers how the minions, when they were humans, floated about like zombies and they could barely muster smiles on their faces. How is it that in just one day, everything has changed?

It must be Chanyeol. It must be Park Chanyeol. He brainwashed all the minions...

When Baekhyun stands up, he realises that the minions are still in their merry states. Even as they clean up the remnants of mess, they continue to hum the Banana song like they've been cursed. That brings more questions in Baekhyun's minion head.

Why're they so enthusiastic? Chanyeol's powers never last for more than a day... Well, usually.

Actually, Baekhyun himself isn't sure how long Chanyeol's powers last exactly. Even Chanyeol himself isn't sure, despite having been born with such a tremendous gift. But from experience, the happiness Chanyeol gives has somewhat of a 'hypnotic' effect. His iconic laughter compels people to feel happy and laugh along with him. However, the effects are temporary, and it's possible to resist against such hypnosis...

Baekhyun realised that when he no longer smiled at Chanyeol's jokes.

He realised that when he escaped from that horrendous experiment room.

Of course. How can I feel happy after experiencing all that? It's only human nature. I'm still a human inside me. I let my guard down. I was probably hypnotised yesterday night. There's no way I will let these humans off after how they've treated me.

The minions casually greet Baekhyun as they run about, picking up the trash. One minion, seeing that he's still standing there like a frozen ice sculpture, jogs ahead to approach the stunned minion.

"Hey hey hey Baekhyun! You're the lucky minion who sat on the laughing human's shoulder! Teach me how you do it, please," the minion pleads. Baekhyun shifts uncomfortably, emitting a forced, high-pitched laugh. 

"How... Well, I don't know what you mean," he attempts to dismiss the minion. He wonders how the minion has managed to differentiate him out of all the other minions, because they... totally look the same.

Eventually he gives in to his own curiosity.

He asks, "How do you know I'm Baekhyun, anyway?" 

"Because you're the shortest among all of us," the minion blurts. Baekhyun stares at him with disbelief.

Really? It can't be. Sure, he's short, but not that short. He's pretty tall for a guy... 

Then, he notices how he has always been looking up at that minion, and not down. Upon realisation, his vision swiftly sweeps the room around him. All of the minions... They're all taller than him!

What is this ill luck? I was the shortest guy in my class, but surely not the shortest guy in the whole world. Now, I'm just... the shortest in the whole minion species! What happened to the ratios that I learnt in Math?!

Amidst his dismay, he comes into a strange conclusion. He knows it's far-fetched to link all his misfortune to one guy, but he simply can't help it. The only guy who remains a human... His best friend...

...Park Chanyeol, I hate you. You must be leeching off from my height! You dumb giant!

A Cheshire-like smile graces on the minion's petite face as he chortles, "It's okay, Baekhyun. Want some bananas? We still have plenty."

All the seething Baekhyun can think about is how that stupid Park Chanyeol has stolen his height. He shakes his head, refusing the minion's kind offer, though his heart subconsciously swells at the warmth displayed by the kind minion.

This may sound ridiculous, but Baekhyun has never been given bananas from a stranger in his whole life. What has happened to humanity- or minionity, in fact? Baekhyun doesn't know, and despite his anger towards Park Chanyeol, the roots of all evils, he can't help but grin like a silly fool at the momentum affection shown by the minion.

"Oh, it's Baekhyun!"

As Baekhyun wanders about the streets, he has been greeted by countless of minions. Somehow, he has gained popularity for being that one minion who sat on the only human's shoulder. He doesn't know how to feel about this newfound popularity.

It seems that he only ever gets noticed whenever he's linked to Chanyeol. Maybe because he's the less gifted one who managed to befriend a gifted guy.

Just that thought alone is enough to stir up the anger in Baekhyun's heart. Why did he even hesitate? He should continue the battle. Life is unfair. The whole concept of 'survival of the fittest' is unfair. So, in order to emerge as the strongest minion out of them all, Baekhyun has to continue on with his plan. 

Speaking about that human, Chanyeol is already nowhere to be seen. Baekhyun wonders where exactly the tall guy has disappeared to. He always appears in the most unnecessary moments and disappears in the moments when he needs him. Stupid giant.

Just then, a random minion darts to him and shrieks, "Hey, you seem familiar!" Baekhyun blinks as he gives the stranger a questioning stare. Everyone looks the same. Either this minion is especially perceptive (and Baekhyun is sure he doesn't know anyone so observant around him), or he is... crazy. Frankly speaking, Baekhyun thinks it's the latter.

Baekhyun turns and walks away from the lunatic. Sadly, the minion is as persistent as ever, and catches up to him.

"Oh! You're that Byun Baekhyun who pranked the whole class and ended up getting hit by dusters, no?" the minion asks. Baekhyun blinks yet again.

"Uh... Who are you? Are you my classmate?"

The minion's jaw becomes wide agape.

Clutching his heart dramatically, he introduces himself to the confused Baekhyun, "I'm Jongdae! Kim Jongdae! How can you forget me?"

"Oh."

He does remember someone by that name. Kim Jongdae...

Wait, who is that?

"Chen! Does that ring a bell now?" the minion growls, as if done with Baekhyun's nonsense.

"Oh... Chen! That dinosaur guy!" Baekhyun finally exclaims.

He scans the minion in front of him again. Despite having the same body and facial features as normal minions, he does have that characteristic dinosaur growl, which he always makes whenever he's frustrated. Other than that, Jongdae himself likes to call himself 'Chen', since he has an uncanny obsession with China. Don't ask Baekhyun why. He doesn't know, and he doesn't think he wants to know.

"Well, if I'm a dinosaur guy, you're a bacon," Jongdae huffs and puffs.

"But it's surprising, you know. I couldn't believe it was you at first because you seemed so grumpy these days. I thought now that everyone has become minions, you would start thinking of some weird tricks to play on everyone."

Baekhyun freezes. Perturb flashes across his face, remembering the times when he used to prank everyone like a little kid. Everyone would return him with death glares, then start throwing stuff at him. Of course, he laughed it off, though the aching in his heart had never ceased.

Chen is also one of them, but he is more of a troll than a prankster. He would start asking people rhetorical questions and upon seeing how stunned his victims were, he would cackle and come up with a clever answer. Almost everyone hated him because he is so annoyingly... smart.

Baekhyun doesn't really like him. He is way too much like Baekhyun, yet not really at the same time. But one thing Baekhyun is sure of, is that Chen is never as insecure as Baekhyun was. And that... makes Baekhyun really jealous.

Gosh, I feel like I have the mentality of a 3-year-old kid. I'm so pathetic.

"I've changed," Baekhyun states simply, but he knows he had always been like that. He only managed to conceal his insecurities with a cheerful facade. Only when he turned into a minion did he finally unleash his true colours.

"Changed? Oh well yeah, no surprise. Everyone has changed since we've become shorties. I guess it's because we don't have to go to school or work anymore, since we can just feed on the bananas lying on the city. And since we all take minion-like bites, that makes everything all the more easier! But still, majority of us become happier, and not the other way round. What's wrong, Baek? Sad that you're the shortest again?" Chen chirps brightly, seemingly unaware of the turmoil inside Baekhyun's head. 

Baekhyun sighs dramatically. He didn't expect that things would change because of his plan. When he wanted everyone to be nice to him, they all disregarded him. But now, everyone is acting like they've been best friends since forever, when a few days ago, society was still as apathetic as ever. Such hypocrisy.

"...You're annoying. I'm leaving," Baekhyun mutters, and goes off his way, ignoring the inquisitive questions of the other minion.

Baekhyun continues to observe the minions.  It has been days since the 'minion attack', and Baekhyun is still stuck in a strange dilemma. Even without Chanyeol, the minions' laughter has never ceased, and Baekhyun wonders why that is so, especially when they used to complain about being minions. Every time, they try to include the sole lonely minion, Baekhyun. Even his parents bring him into the conversation.

Why are they doing this to him now? 

He really doesn't know, especially when he's now staying with his parents again. The smell of home makes him feel nostalgic, but at the back of his heart, something is still tugging at him. Something is still not right.

Then, he squats down, a sudden sense of insecurity overwhelming him like a flood. This happiness... What if this happiness disappears again? He

At this point, he doesn't know who to rely on. Should he confess to his parents, the two people who were once his pillars of support? Or should he turn to Chanyeol, his idiotic best friend?  Should he proceed on with his original plan or not? 

As he wonders this, a giant suddenly glomps him. He jumps in shock, and comes face to face with none other than...

...Park Chanyeol. Of course. He always comes during the handy times.

"So Baek, have you given up that ridiculous plan of yours?" Chanyeol casually asks with a triumphant grin on his face. That grin snaps Baekhyun from his momentum daze. To think he almost wanted to confide in this stupid giant!

Stupid. Park Chanyeol has already won a lot of things. He doesn't need to win in convincing me too!

His ego is surprisingly big in comparison to his body.

He scoffs at the giant, shakes his head and curtly replies, "No."

"Huh? But why? Everyone is so happy! Your plan to make them suffer has failed, at the first place!" Chanyeol laments.

All Baekhyun can do is clench his fists tightly. What makes this giant think he knows what's up? How can he ever forgive these wretched humans for ever causing harm to him? 

"You don't know anything. You don't know the pain of being looked down on, nor do you know the pain of being abandoned. You... You're just a brainless giant!" the minion flaredsup, exploding like an erupting volcano. After the outburst, he pants, his eyebrow twitching upon realisation of what he just said and the blank expression on Chanyeol's face. The giant's eyes normally glinted with an intense fire burning inside them, but all that remain in his eyes are dark, grey ashes.

What had he done?

"Baek..."

Baekhyun is about to stomp off, but Chanyeol casually carries him on his shoulder.

"Hey! Let me down, you huge, idiotic giant!" shrieks the minion as he attempts to squirm out of the giant's clutches with futile effort.

"No, you small, little idiot! I can't believe you've held this in all along without telling me. You need to see that you're wrong, and I'll prove it to you!"

Chanyeol has managed to drag him to some party. Although the past Baekhyun would join in the fun and bask in the (negative) attention he received, the current Baekhyun just feels like retreating to a corner and blocking all these shrill noises out from his minion ears.

All the minions have gathered around a campfire, some of them singing the Banana song, others munching down on bananas and potatoes. They all seem relieved from all the burdens and responsibilities they used to shoulder as humans. They all seem to be in bliss.

Suddenly, an ominous thought dawns on Baekhyun. What if... they are to become humans again? Will this momentum happiness fade to obscurity? What if the bananas on the city eventually run out? Will the minions fight over the limited food resources and shatter this temporary peace? What if all along, they've been manipulated by Chanyeol, and he just doesn't know it? What if... What if?

Happiness is too fleeting to be true. He doesn't know what to believe in. Not in this crackling laughter, and not in this evanescent unity.

"Why did you bring me here? Nothing you do or say will change what I think," Baekhyun stubbornly insists. His experiences have proved him right, and Chanyeol will not sway him. He's just a stupid, naive giant after all.

"Stop saying nonsense for today, at least! C'mon, go and dance, Baek! Show them your power!" Chanyeol bellows, pushing the minion forward in front of the campfire. The light shines upon him, and everyone cheers for the lone minion in the light.

Baekhyun groans, knowing that the giant won't listen to him. When has he ever, anyway? He has always been so self-opinionated. Then again, so is Baekhyun himself. They're really similar polar opposites.

"Yeah! Show us what you got, lad!" an elderly minion shouts, his wrinkly lips curling up to a crescent grin. 

"Woohoo! Do your thing... Go do your thing!" an aunt yells along, jumping up and about with fervent energy.

Echoing them, the rest of the minions holler words of encouragement, their voices reverbrating in the night air. Baekhyun grunts. This is all Park Chanyeol's fault. What if he declares that he's the one who turned them into minions? Maybe they'll finally stop bugging him and confirm his worst suspicions that the world is really just a terrible place. At least this way, he won't feel any guilt.

"Look. I'm Bacon, the minion you hate you so much," he spits out.

Everyone stays still. Some of them scratch their heads, staring at him like he is some alien species. Chanyeol, on the other hand, is gawking at him, his face practically screaming 'what are you doing you idiot'.

"Uh. Isn't that obvious?" one of them finally asks.

Now it is Baekhyun's turn to stare at them.

What is wrong with them? They are the ones who condemned him at first, and now they act like it isn't a big deal! What hypocrites! 

"You guys hate me, don't you? If I didn't turn you all into minions, then... then..." Baekhyun stumbles on and on, the overwhelming confusion bubbling in him like he is a cauldron. He can't understand. Why is it that they all defy his assumptions?

A minion stands up from the bunch. He recognises it to be that dinosaur, Chen.

"You see, Baekhyun. It's true all of us started to hate you. Well, not me because I see the wiseness of your actions beforehand. But after a while, everyone has come to realise that you've given something very precious to us. That is... freedom," Chen declares in the most dramatic voice he has ever mustered, but nobody seems to particularly mind this time. In fact, they all nod with conviction, signaling him to continue. 

"The freedom of not having to go to school... The freedom of not being buried with tons of work... The freedom of just talking to one another, and appreciating the other's presence. You made us realise these things, Baekhyun."

The fire crackles, as if to echo the resounding thumps of Baekhyun's heartbeat. He surveys the scene in front of him once more. They may be small in size, but their smiles still shine in the darkness, illuminated by the orange glow of the campfire.

He thinks of the times when he walked past anonymous faces on the streets, all blank and devoid with emotion. Did they all wish for the same thing as he did?

Happiness? Hope?

Freedom?

"Oh right, we haven't thanked you properly, have we?" one of the minions spoke up. In unison, the minions crowded around Baekhyun, with mischievous glints in their eyes.

"THANK YOU!"

Baekhyun didn't see it coming. All of them charge towards him, like soldiers about to embark on a battle, and they start hugging him. Unfortunately, this thank you gift has also ended up in a huge mess, as all the minions start squeezing and nudging one another about. From afar, they would probably look like some compressed sponge. Whimpers of pain echo in the air, but the burst of laughter afterwards clearly shows that everyone, right now, is living in the moment of happiness.

The hatred inside Baekhyun's heart starts to dissolve. He sees the faces of the minions so clearly amidst the light, and then, he sees Chanyeol's. The human only watches them, an infectious grin plastered on his face.

That giant... He has planned all of this, hasn't he?

Baekhyun curses under his breath, but at the same time, he smiles. He doesn't know what's going to happen from here on. Perhaps the government will finally get off their lazy asses and start embarking on a development project. Perhaps the past human society would be now be revamped to a minion society. Perhaps all of this happiness he is feeling is a mere, fleeting illusion.

But at the same time, there are so many minions with him, all having the same wish as he does. And with this, he knows he's not alone. He has strength.

"Thank you..." he mutters.

Ever since that day, Baekhyun, well... has changed. Sort of. It's still not easy to fully let go of the contempt he had for the minions, but at least, he's back to his prankster self. Most minions don't mind. They usually just laugh, and some even return him with new pranks as a payback. He has also gotten closer with Chen, and now Chanyeol, Chen and Baekhyun are renowned in the minion world as the 'beagle line'.

Just as he expected, the government wanted to set some order in this minion society by announcing plans for employees to go back to their companies, but they are immediately overpowered by the overwhelming rejection of the other minions. He still doesn't know if this lifestyle of feeding on bananas and potatoes will last, but it'll probably take some time before the food stocks are depleted. Perhaps they'll witness 'minion evolution' then.

Chanyeol is now seen as the only hope for the minions to turn back to humans, and the government has made active attempts to capture him. Unfortunately, now that they're minions, their strength does not have a candle against the giant.

Every time this happens, Chanyeol would lament, "I wish I am a minion now, Baek! Ah, this is so annoying..."

"Now you feel my pain, Yeol," Baekhyun would reply back, grinning cheekily when Chanyeol shoots him a death glare. Then, his expression relaxes, and a contented smile surfaces on his face.

"You're back, Baek."

Baekhyun nods, and then he scrutinises the human in front of him. Park Chanyeol, the guy he both hates and adores, has never ceased to support him even when he tries to push him away. No matter how much he tries to run away, Chanyeol will always be the Tom that catches him back.

"I've always been here, Yeol."

THE AUTHOR'S CORNER.
No, this is not the end lol. The next chapter is the last one, which will have zero plot and just lots of fluff. Anyway, sorry for disappearing for so long! Even though this started out as a crack fic, I somehow made it more serious with Baekhyun's angst, but I think it's good to think about the meaning of happiness. For the context of this story, happiness may be freedom for the minions, but there are still many doubts ahead for the minion society. Who knows? Maybe after 10 years, there'll be a minion war going on and minions will start fighting for bananas, as ridiculous as that sounds lol. But sometimes, maybe what happiness really means is living in the moment and not worrying about the 'what-ifs' that will happen. Maybe happiness is about letting go of the grudges you have for others and embrace them. This may be subjective, however, but I guess that's the wonder of fiction. :D Anyway, thank you to everyone who've been reading this ridiculous story until now! Enjoy the next fluffy update as well~
 

❤

panda ri.