PART ONE
"I  R E G R E T  Y O U"
I : VII

Chanyeol couldn't study profficiently.

Scratch that, he couldn't do anything profficiently.

Ever since Baekhyun had walked away after kissing him three days ago, Chanyeol found himself in a daze more often than not.

He knew that he'd have to snap out of it sometime, because come on, this was his last year in high school and was he really going to let a boy bring his grades down? But even though he knew that he shouldn't have Baekhyun on his mind 24/7, he couldn't help it.

He kept remembering the way that Baekhyun would blush whenever Chanyeol complimented him, or the way his hands would instinctively tighten when Chanyeol held them, or how his eyes brightened up whenever he figured out that they were drawing dumb pictures during lunch.

Chanyeol felt silly, because it had only been a little more than 60 days and he couldn't even keep himself together when Baekhyun had walked away.

He didn't know where their relationship stood—he was always confused about their relationship, to be honest. There were times where Baekhyun seemed as if he was holding back, and other times where he would unconsciously hug Chanyeol whenever he saw him.

Chanyeol found all of his habits and denying incredibly endearing, and it always amused him the most when Baekhyun would pout, objecting to what Chanyeol said stubbornly.

Chanyeol's favourite habit of Baekhyun's would probably be the one where whenever Baekhyun was shopping, he'd hum to a song that always seemed vaguely familiar, picking out an array of foods before putting them back a minute later. He spent nearly an hour only at the produce section, and another half hour just looking at things that interested him.

The lone figure at the table shook his head, realizing that he was thinking about his boyfriend again (were they even boyfriends anymore?).

He looked up from his lunch and he stared at the back of Baekhyun's head, watching as it tipped back as Baekhyun laughed, the sound not reaching Chanyeol's ears but playing in his mind anyways.

As Baekhyun laughed, Chanyeol's gaze went to his friends that were sitting there, and he was surprised when he saw Jongdae staring back at him from the opposite side of Baekhyun's table.

He was raising an eyebrow, and when Chanyeol replied with a questioning look, Jongdae smirked, looking away from Chanyeol and focusing back on Baekhyun in front of him.

Chanyeol knew that Jongdae knew that he was still staring at him, watching as the cat-like friend handed Baekhyun a small slip of paper, his mouth pronouncing the words "Oh Sehun" a little too clearly. He felt a pang of jealousy as he figured that it was probably Oh Sehun's number, and the moment Jongdae stared at him with a degrading look, he knew that he was right.

Chanyeol waited for Baekhyun to throw it in the trash or give it back to Jongdae, but the moment Baekhyun slipped it into his pocket, Chanyeol finally understood that whatever he had done to Baekhyun had ended whatever they had formed.

He felt his heart clenching as he packed up his stuff, deciding that he didn't want to be in the same room with Baekhyun anymore.

~

"So, Baekhyun, whatever happened to your lover boy?" Minseok asked as Baekhyun sat down with his friends at lunch, the third time in a row.

"Nothing really," Baekhyun answered as nonchalantly as he could.

"But you're sitting with us again, which is something you stopped doing..." Junmyeon pointed out and Baekhyun nodded.

"Yeah, I was thinking about what Jongdae had said a few days ago and he was right, I was hanging out with Chanyeol a little too much..." Baekhyun paused as he remembered the sad eyes Chanyeol had given him in the hallway this morning, which had nearly made him want to choke himself. "I guess the whole 'dating experience' thing got to my head and I thought I'd have to hang out with him a ton. I was wrong." Baekhyun shrugged, suddenly finding it hard to swallow.

"I knew you'd come back to us one day," Jongdae stated as he poked at his rabbit food, "But not this early... What happened?"

Baekhyun tried not to stutter or trip on his words, finding it hard to say a couple of words that shouldn't bother him at all. "Chanyeol kissed me."

His three friends gave each other shocking looks and after a period of silence, Minseok whistled.

"Wow, he's got the guts... I'm so sorry Baekhyun, I can't imagine what it would be like to kiss someone with braces," Minseok shook his head, pitying Baekhyun already.

"Yeah, it was definitely weird," Baekhyun lied straight through his teeth, making sure not to mention how he hadn't even noticed Chanyeol's braces, nor his overly large glasses or his supposedly awkward movements.

All he remembered was the feeling of how Chanyeol had steadily kissed Baekhyun breathless, the warmth of his arms encasing him, and the way he had pulled Baekhyun closer when the breeze blew a little stronger.

He felt his heart battle itself, wanting to bask in the feelings of the memories but remembering right away that Baekhyun had left Chanyeol there, without an explanation whatsoever.

"Well, cheer up," Minseok began, "Because we have some great news for you." He nudged Jongdae who had been staring at something behind Baekhyun, and the ravenette wasn't an idiot. He knew that Jongdae was staring at Chanyeol, and for some reason, his gut knew that Chanyeol was staring straight at their table too. "Sehun finally broke up with Jongin," Minseok announced as he clapped over excitedly, the words having to filter in Baekhyun's mind.

When he finally realized what Minseok was talking about, it took him a moment to react, his eyes widening in shock.

"...Really?" Baekhyun questioned.

He wasn't shocked because the person he was pining after for years was finally single again, no, he was shocked because he couldn't find it in himself to care.

"Yes, and because we all know that he's the person you've basically been worshipping, we got his number for you," Jongdae suddenly said, and Baekhyun nodded, not feeling even a quarter as excited as he would have been two months ago. "Here," Jongdae began, fishing something out of his pocket.

When his suspicious friend got the piece of paper in his hand, Jongdae's gaze went to whatever it was behind Baekhyun again (Chanyeol, no doubt,) and Baekhyun suddenly realized what this was all about.

"Oh Sehun's number. For you," Jongdae said with a sly grin, pronouncing Sehun's name so obviously that it could be seen from space. He held out the paper, as if daring Baekhyun to take it.

Baekhyun's hands balled up into a fist under the table and he resisted the urge to grab Jongdae's collar and flip him over his back, knowing that Jongdae was planning all of this.

Baekhyun couldn't waste anymore time just staring at Jongdae, so he grabbed the slip of paper as gracefully as he could, giving Jongdae a sweet smile.

"Thanks guys, I really appreciate it," he finished as he put the piece of paper in his pocket, trying his hardest not to crumple it and throw it straight into Jongdae's face.

What is done, is done.

Chanyeol probably already hates me anyways.

Baekhyun knew that he wouldn't even be using Sehun's number, ever, but knowing that Chanyeol saw him take it was making his mind spin.

"What time is it, anyways?" Baekhyun asked, making up a lame excuse to turn around and see if Chanyeol was still in the cafeteria.

He turned and stared at the clock on the other side, his gaze sweeping the cafeteria and spotting Chanyeol's table.

It was empty.

~

When Baekhyun's classes were finished, he made his way over to Junmyeon's locker (something he never did, because that's where all the preppy girls hung out) since he forgot his textbook and he didn't do the homework assigned for the next day.

The halls were relatively empty and Baekhyun could hear the footsteps of random students in the hall, all in a rush to escape and enjoy the weekend that Friday was offering.

He was just about to turn the corner when he heard his friend's familiar voices.

"Can you ing believe Byun Baekhyun?" It was Jongdae speaking first.

"We've known him for two years, of course I can believe him," Minseok snorted, "But how can he believe in himself? I'd be too embarrassed to show my face during school if I were him; so desperately trying for Sehun."

"God, I agree. He thinks he's hot stuff because he can use eyeliner," Jongdae said and Baekhyun bit his lip, waiting for Junmyeon, the reasonable one, to cut in.

He did, just not how Baekhyun expected him to.

"Guys, come on, give him a break," Junmyeon paused, "I feel a little bad for him, because we all know no one's ever going to love him for who he is."

Now that one hurts.

Baekhyun hugged his binder closer to his chest as he listened to what Jongdae said next.

"In the end, he's still going to be the nerd that he was back in elementary school. Did he really expect everyone to forget just because he had some glowup?"

Minseok and Junmyeon's laughter filled the hall, each condescending sound stabbing Baekhyun right through his heart.

Baekhyun hadn't expected to need to use his waterproof eyeliner that day.

"He'll get what he deserves one day."

"I hope he dies alone."

"Maybe in the future someone will break his heart for us."

"Let's just get Sehun—"

Baekhyun suddenly felt two hands on his shoulders, turning him around and pushing him into a classroom.

The door shut behind them as Baekhyun kept his gaze cast to the ground, knowing exactly who was standing in front of him. It was embarrassing; letting someone see the effect of people's words on you.

They stood in silence for not more than a minute, and when Baekhyun let out a shaky breath, he didn't expect to be engulfed into a warm embrace, his binder slipping out of his hands and landing painfully on his own feet, tipping and falling to the ground next to their shoes.

The hand carding through his hair was comforting him enough for him to melt in Chanyeol's embrace, his head resting on his shoulder as he let his tears slip out quietly, sniffling every now and then.

It was quiet for a couple of minutes, Chanyeol allowing the smaller to calm down a little before he started speaking.

"Baekhyun, please don't talk to them ever again."

Baekhyun shook his head.

"Baekhyun, you heard what they were saying about you, I don't want you hearing that kind of stuff."

When Baekhyun heard the way Chanyeol had said each word with care for him, he felt himself panicking, wondering why Chanyeol still even bothered with him after he had so ruthlessly ignored him.

"I can take care of myself," Baekhyun said as he tried to pull away, as if proving a point, only to have one of Chanyeol's arms tighten his grip on Baekhyun's torso.

"Doesn't seem like that's the case here."

Baekhyun scowled and pushed away from Chanyeol, trying not to think about how he probably looked hideous at the moment.

"Why do you care so much?" Baekhyun questioned, picking up his binder as he prepared to leave. "I'm a good for nothing ."

"Baek, no—"

"I ing accepted Oh Sehun's number, okay?" Baekhyun said, wiping at his tears with the sleeve of his sweater. He suddenly realized that he wasn't angry at Chanyeol, rather, he was angry at himself and his friends... and he was only proving their words from earlier. "I'm a terrible person who's going to die alone because I can't seem to do anything right. And you know that," Baekhyun paused, staring at Chanyeol who was giving him a look that made him feel miserable. "Everyone knows that. I'm not a nice or amazing person, and people lie to me every day even when they know I can see through it."

"But me, being the stupid person I am... I let them continue lying to me, I let them pretend to be my friends, because I'm pathetic and I'd rather go through high school known as an than alone..." Baekhyun took in a deep breath, his eyes finally showing how truly tired he was with everything he dealt with, "So please, stop caring about someone like me."

Baekhyun his heel and left the room, noticing that it was his second time leaving Chanyeol after he had done nothing but act kind to him.

He had to distract himself somehow, to help him forget how Chanyeol had looked at him with that look, the one where it looked like he was staring at a helpless puppy on the side of the street that no one bothered to help.

Baekhyun took out his phone, clicking on the contact that he had already saved from this afternoon, texting the person that had started it all.

Oh Sehun wasn't even worth it anymore, but Baekhyun didn't know what else he could do.

He had denied Chanyeol twice now, and he knew he wouldn't come back a third time.

yAY! 

I updated again lmao

Did you guys like it?? Idk man there's like nobody reading this hahahaha