The first time they meet was through pizza.

They order it all the time for Baekhyun was lazier than determined to cooking meals for him and his roommate Sehun. Besides, it was much safer, what with living in a dormitory complex housing dozens of hormonal and easily irritable university students triggered whenever one so much knocked at their door (what, in heavens, would these students be then when the fire alarm goes off from the smoke wafting up Baekhyun’s burnt toast?). Baekhyun can cook, he would never deny, but his cooking skills were generally limited to eggs, bacon, pancakes and the like. Sehun would snort whenever he found the older toying with the pans in the kitchen but Baekhyun could only scoff back. Sehun should be thankful, rather. If it weren’t for him, Sehun would’ve probably died from the wax found in instant ramen a long time ago.

And as any Domino’s delivery goes, the pizza came with special instructions for the delivery boy to do before or after a transaction. This time, Baekhyun instructed a chicken dance once the pizza arrives.

Jongin wouldn't dare refuse, if it meant being reported for poor customer satisfaction from Baekhyun himself, and suffering the long reprimanding from the branch supervisor afterwards. Besides, if losing a tip was the heavy price to pay for disobeying the instructions, then it was a heavy crime for a struggling broke college student like Jongin to do so.

When the doorbell buzzes and Baekhyun rushes to the door however, the usual delivery boy he’s come to be acquainted with is not who greets him. Instead, the delivery boy this time is a foot taller and looming over him with a grin, gorgeous and with a timbred voice that tug at his weak heart.
 

He's ordered what Sehun and he order from Domino’s all the time. Pepperoni and cheese oozing and even melting down the crusts. Baekhyun likes to count them, the pepperoni. Sometimes there are nine, sometimes there's one more addition. It bothers Sehun but he's soon grown accustomed to the older’s unusual ways. He's dismissed it with the assumption that Baekhyun must have fallen on his head when he was still a baby. Anyone else would describe him as someone paying too much attention to details.

He's still groggy from his nap when the doorbell jolts him awake and he trudges towards the door, one hand attempting to rub the sleep off his eyes. He blinks trying to regain his blurred eyesight when he receives no usual greeting from Jongin, the delivery boy, but when he looks and opens his mouth, he is cut short by long lanky legs before him and a beaming smile directed towards him. His mouth opens and closes like a gaping fish’s, Baekhyun a loss for words for this person in front of him looked too glamorous to be a delivery boy, too well put to be doing such a job; he belongs to the runway under the limelight, damn it, and not wearing service uniforms stained with tomato sauce.

With the beaming smile still in place, the delivery boy offers the pizza box forward while flapping his arms on both sides and bending up and down repeatedly, doing the chicken dance Baekhyun's indicated on his online order. The delivery boy soon stops and with his smile still plastered on his face asks in a surprisingly deep voice, “Was it good?”

Baekhyun’s eyes widen and his whole frame unconsciously shivers from the vibration present in the voice. The boy’s smile grows wider showing more gleaming pearly whites and lets out a chuckle. “Cute.” Baekhyun’s cheeks warm at the sudden intense gaze from the delivery boy. He was sure he looked completely the opposite with his hair probably standing at all ends and eyeliner removed from the edges of his eyes. When he realizes the current state he’s in, his eyes grow wider than possible and a look of horror fleets across his face.

“I—wrong door!” A squeak comes out his throat and he slams the door shut, heart beating fast and head feeling light. Sehun looks up from his game in the living room with a questioning expression.

“Where's the pizza?”

“No pizza!”

“What? Then who was that at the door—” The doorbell buzzes again and Baekhyun locks himself in his room, shouting “Go away!”

He throws himself onto his bed, the volume of his massive squealing masked by his face buried in pillows and his tattered Rilakkuma doll. He was totally being out of character right now and even when he met the new gorgeous delivery boy who simply rendered him speechless. He was like an angel, the stuffy hallway lights creating a halo over the tall boy’s brown locks. His cheeks warm up again as he pictures the stranger in his mind, too flawless and perfect, like someone he’d only meet in his dreams.

Baekhyun decides to ignore Sehun’s wailing as he turns and lies on his back, sighing for if he could rewind time, he would just to meet the boy again.
 

But it seems Baekhyun doesn’t need to possess unworldly capabilities to have the tall boy by his front door the very next chance he’s got.

“Hyung, I’m hungry.” Sehun whines on the other side of the door despite Baekhyun’s strict orders at this time of the day. It was 8 pm, a time when Baekhyun would lock himself in and focus on memorizing the countless technical terms brought about by majoring in Dentistry. He’s still in his second year and yet he was completely exhausted. He figures it’s due to balancing his studies with managing the overgrown baby he had to deal with everyday.

Said overgrown baby whines again, banging helplessly on Baekhyun’s door. Baekhyun’s eye twitch at the raspy, thin vocal disturbing his train of thought and so he shouts back, “then eat, you idiot!”

“But you told me not to go in the kitchen!” Sehun squeaks, the banging slowing down.

“Then order take out! Or do I still have to teach you how to make a phone call, Oh Sehun?”

“You’re awfully mean today, hyung.” Sehun grumbles gloomily, a thump heard from outside Baekhyun’s door.

“And you’re being awfully annoying today.” Baekhyun retorts back. He hears a harrumph and the sound of footsteps leaving his door. Baekhyun sighs in relief, going back to whatever he’s doing before his stomach grumbles just in time for him to start on a new handout to read.

He growls and makes his way to the kitchen, ignoring Sehun’s judging stares by the telephone. When he opens the fridge, it’s barely full and he lets out a pained cry. He forgot to do the grocery today. He mentally scolds himself for forgetting. He’ll have Sehun do it tomorrow but then he thinks he shouldn’t.

The last time he had Sehun do the groceries, the first year Architecture student spent all of their monthly budget on chips, Dr. Pepper, and a crate of canned cucumber lemonade. Baekhyun wistfully recalls that memory of him emptying every can of that hateful lemonade drink possible into Sehun’s mouth when he found out.

“You don’t get to have even one slice from me, hyung.” Sehun tells him, a wicked grin on his face. “Serves you right for being so neglecting of your flatmate and above all, dongsaeng.”

“‘Neglecting’?” Baekhyun cries out in a shrill voice, his eyes trained towards the grinning boy. All he sees is red as he seethes for the boy who was mocking him right now, face contorting into different expressions as Sehun continues to make fun of him. Baekhyun feels something snap inside of him and with a battle cry, lunges towards Sehun bringing them both down on the floor. “You’re 21, for god’s sake! You’re way past potty training!”

While Baekhyun was too invested on pulling at Sehun’s newly dyed hair and Sehun too busy getting the former off of him, the doorbell rings. Too absorbed in their ruckus, the doorbell buzzes again and soon enough repeatedly, as if demanding the two boys to hurry up. Baekhyun gets off a wheezing Sehun and reluctantly opens the door to a small slit and anticipating the tall delivery boy standing on the other side.

“Is this,” The delivery boy trails off and looks at a piece of paper in his hand, Baekhyun internally sighing over the baritone he’s missed hearing. “number 614?”

Baekhyun absently nods, eyes unconsciously running over long long legs and torso defined and muscular under the tight uniform.

“Funny ‘cause I made a delivery here last week but the owner told me it was the wrong door.” The boy chuckles, Baekhyun’s cheeks warming up at the thought of their first meeting.

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that.” Baekhyun apologizes, hand scratching at the nape of his neck. “I don’t know what happened or what came over me—”

“It’s fine.” The boy interrupts him, his smile seemingly permanent. “I mean I got a free box of pizza which is a rarity among us employees and I got to see you again so everything’s just really great, you know?”

Baekhyun’s eyes widen as the delivery boy leans his head to the side to look at him with an apologetic look. He supposes he must’ve come off quite rude but Baekhyun wasn’t really just used to seeing someone else deliver their food—it was always Jongin, or Jongdae for Chinese takeout. Rather, Baekhyun was not used to seeing someone so gorgeous and handsome holding out his pizza for him to take.

The delivery boy smiles, his eyes marred with guilt to which Baekhyun frowns at, confused. The delivery boy clears his throat and with one hand, scratches the nape of his neck sheepishly. “Hey, listen. I’m sorry for the other day. I guess I scared you off with the chicken dance?” The delivery boy chuckles. “I’m really not known for my dancing but the instructions said so and I just had to, you know? As my duty as a delivery boy so… I’m sorry.”

Baekhyun opens the door wide this time, smiling shyly at him. “No, no. You have nothing to be sorry about, really. I should be the one saying sorry.” Baekhyun tells him, looking down in shame. “You didn’t deserve that.”

The delivery boy shakes his head. “If it were any other else, I’m sure they would’ve done the same. My dancing is ing weird, anyway. I used to have little girls scream at me whenever I do. I told my supervisor not to give me deliveries with dancing as instructions but she wouldn’t listen.” Baekhyun chuckles and smiles again.

“I think it was wonderful.”

The delivery boy’s face lightens up in relief and happiness. “Really?”

“Really.” Baekhyun meekly says, suddenly too conscious of himself from the soft gazes directed towards him. He feels his cheeks warm up and before risking the image of him all pink and flustered, Baekhyun reaches for the pizza. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you.” The delivery boy emphasizes. “And enjoy your pizza, by the way.” Baekhyun looks at him puzzled.

“You weren’t given special instructions?”

“None but I had something for you. It’s in the box.” The delivery boy smiles and with a tip of his hat, waves a goodbye.

And when Baekhyun opens the box, there inked on the lid is a drawing of a dinosaur wearing a hat and a cane, his expression sad and a speech bubble above it saying ‘I’m sorry’. Baekhyun laughs at the sweet but thoughtful gesture, eyes taking in the cute wiggles and sloppy curves that make up the adorable drawing. There was nothing to be sorry about, is what he muses. For Baekhyun, it was rather endearing seeing someone so tall move in awkward angles in an attempt to execute an equally awkward dance. He was soon feeling very good and thankful for the sincerity poured into it but when he takes full notice of the Hawaiian pizza Sehun ordered, he makes a gurgling noise and screams, Sehun’s cackles following after.
 

The next time comes with a new spice of both delight and horror.

“I ordered buffalo wings and pizza today,” Baekhyun blurts out. It was the weekend after their midterms. Most students were probably all over the activity plaza just blocks away from their apartment but the flatmates decided to de-stress by playing a game of After Dawn on their console. Both of them weren’t so keen on spending their well deserved weekend at a crowded place and getting wasted anyway. “I’m not feeling up to cooking. And the fridge is still damn empty.”

Sehun gives him that sly look of his from being seated on the beanbag to Baekhyun’s far right, Baekhyun simply giving him a stoic expression bordering irritation.

“Pizza again?” Sehun slyly hums. “You seem to have taken a liking to pizza these days, hyung.”

“I’ve always loved pizza.” Baekhyun says, his female character barely hanging onto the fallen tower. “This day is no different than the rest.”

“You ‘love’ pizza?” Sehun cackles, hands a blur on the controller. “Or is it the guy that brings it to you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Huh and the cheese won’t go to your thunder thighs.” Sehun retorts, cackling afterwards as Baekhyun’s character falls and his own survives the drop. Baekhyun sits quietly, plotting Sehun’s demise in his head.

Sehun is out cold on the living room floor when the doorbell buzzes and Baekhyun happily skips to open the front door only for his mood to reduce into shy giddy as the delivery boy smiles down at him.

“How were your exams?”

“They went well, thanks to your message.” Baekhyun tells him. “It sure gave me the motivation I needed.”

“That’s good.” The handsome delivery boy muses. Baekhyun bites his lips as he bows his head down and internally berates himself for being so unfit for social interaction, as what he describes himself. The air shifts into awkwardness and the delivery boy merely stands there, confused but a swell of endearment fills his heart as he watches the smaller boy fidget in front of him. “So,” Baekhyun jumps startled. “are you gonna claim this oozing mozzarella or do I get another free pizza?”

“Can he claim you too?” Baekhyun squeaks as Sehun creeps behind him, a smug expression on his face.

The delivery boy lets out loud laughter much to Baekhyun’s confusion but horror, Sehun’s remark echoing repeatedly in his head. “Unfortunately, I’m not on the menu.”

“But we could totally hang out, right?” Sehun asks, Baekhyun’s throat dry and at a loss for words. “You’ve been delivering our pizza for so many times already, we shouldn’t all be strangers by now.”

“You got a point,” he replies. “I’ve only started this job last month but I find myself around this neighborhood more than I could remember. You boys seem to have a big appetite for pizza.”

“Well, someone’s gotten a bigger appetite for something or rather,” Sehun trails off, waggling his eyebrows in tease, Baekhyun baffled at the sight of it. “someone new so I’ll take that pizza for myself. Keep the change, mister…?”

“Chanyeol, Park Chanyeol.” Chanyeol says with a grin and a tip of his hat that looks newly washed.

“Nice to meet you, Chanyeol hyung. I’m Sehun and this midget here is Baekhyun. I gotta devour this pizza before it gets too cold. Gotta eat up for that extra workout later.” Sehun leaves but stops abruptly only to call out, “Oh and Baekhyun, my honey bunch sugar plum! Didn’t you say you wanted to spice things up in the bedroom a bit? Maybe Chanyeol might be interested in joining us for a today?”

Baekhyun makes an unattractive sound before slamming the door, forgoing to tell Chanyeol what he wanted to tell him in favor of chasing his thin roommate around the apartment, the anger fueling his very soul to finally bring Sehun to his resting place.

Chanyeol stays rooted outside the apartment, grinning and chuckling as he listens to the chaos happening on the other side. It’s a shame he couldn’t talk more with the petite boy in front of him just minutes ago, but he’ll take what he can get. He’ll get his chance someday. Maybe even tomorrow, with a fresh batch of pizza and possibly an invitation to the movies too, now that he’s got a name to that beautiful face he would like to see everyday.
 

Baekhyun orders Domino’s more frequently than ever, much to Sehun’s suspicions. And every time the pizza came, it was always the same delivery boy who came with it. It was like nothing changed at all—having one delivery boy bring over their pizza for most of their orders—except it wasn’t Jongin but a much rather more handsome boy who always made Baekhyun’s heart race.

With every order, Baekhyun listed interesting instructions for the delivery boy to do, some going as far as singing or telling him one fact of himself. Baekhyun’s learned more and more about the boy with every meeting, learning his name was Park Chanyeol, that he was an Animation student at the university just meters away from Domino’s (he loves the movie Zootopia and suggests Baekhyun watch it too), and that he loved playing the guitar with the occasional rap and lyrics if he felt vivacious enough in composing.

In turn Park Chanyeol learned so much about the small customer as well, that he was Byun Baekhyun, that he was a Dentistry student at the same university, that he loved singing (and hence told him he should sing one of his compositions someday), and that he was single and above all, swung his way.

Park Chanyeol was delighted and it showed in his intense gazes and Baekhyun reveled in them, enjoying the attention and the sparks it brought that tingled his veins in thrill.

What they didn’t know was that something much fiercer and deeper was growing between them, lying oblivious over innocent beginnings and waiting to be nurtured from the seed that already sprouted between them, of a newfound friendship and hopefully, of a newly sought out romance as sweet as mozzarella and as red as the tomato sauce on pizza.
 

Sehun was growing more and more suspicious with each order, noticing how his hyung lingered far too longer by the door, hearing him chat up a storm with Jongin outside. Sehun frowned. For all he knew, Baekhyun never talked too long with Jongin, opting to teasing him every time they met. Baekhyun wouldn’t go for him as well, knowing perfectly well Jongin had his eyes on Kyungsoo, their naive friend who lived one floor above them. Maybe they were trying to devise a plan to get Kyungsoo to fall for him, he thought. Maybe Baekhyun was advising him out.

But then, he hears Baekhyun’s tinkering laugh overshadowed by a deep timbred laugh, too deep and too unrecognizable to be Jongin’s. Abruptly, Sehun pauses his game from the living room and listens to the muffled conversation down the hallway. Letting curiosity take over, Sehun quietly walks over to his hyung, eyebrows flying up on his forehead as he catches sight of the delivery boy. Sehun gapes as he realizes the reason why Baekhyun took far too long to complete a simple transaction for pizza. Soon, he realizes why Baekhyun seemed starry eyed the past few weeks, and soon he smirks as he continues to listen.

“Thanks as always, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun says in a small voice, a big difference to his robust and loud personality Sehun’s seen and known. “Quick as ever. See you soon!”

“Bye, cutie.” Chanyeol bids, chuckling afterwards as Baekhyun struggles to find words to say. Sehun’s smirk only grows wider.

“Stop that.” Baekhyun whines.

“But you are a cutie, though.” Chanyeol reasons, earning him a low inaudible gasp and an oh my from Sehun. Baekhyun must’ve heard because he turns to look back at him quick and his eyes bulge out of their sockets as Sehun wiggles his eyebrows knowingly. “With your oversized shirts and eyeliner. Do you wear eyeliner all the time even at home?”

“Chanyeol, I gotta go.” Baekhyun hastily says, distracted by Sehun’s snickers. “See you around!” And with a slam of the door, his eyebrows furrow and he lets out a cautious snarl, Sehun taking the slightly crushed pizza box from Baekhyun’s death grip before backing away in amusement.

“So…” Sehun starts and Baekhyun growls. Sehun inwardly snorts, the pink tinting Baekhyun’s cheeks creating a contrast to Baekhyun’s defensive nature. “This is why you’ve been taking so long to get the pizza, you cutie you.”

With a grunt, Baekhyun ignores him and strides over to the kitchen, Sehun following behind with a skip to his steps. When Sehun opens the pizza, Baekhyun gasps. For there written with M&M’s on the center of the pepperoni pizza were the words “Fighting!” in light of the upcoming finals all three of them had to face next week. Baekhyun fondly smiles as Sehun watches in slight disgust but he smiles too in the end, anyway.

Baekhyun munches on his slice with a swelling in his heart and the sleepiness in his eyes worn off.
 

Sehun hears the doorbell buzz amidst the booming noise reverberating from his session of Overwatch in the living room, hearing as well the irritated thumping on the wall coming from their neighbors but he couldn’t find himself to care less. He was close to winning and he was not going to let a few stoned idiots next door ruin those chances for him. That doesn’t stop him from hearing Chanyeol’s distinct deep voice and Baekhyun’s unusual meek greeting to him, however. He pauses his session (receiving a relieved ‘thank you, kind stranger’ from the other side of their wall) and listens in on the conversation slowly unfolding.

“So, I prepared a pizza pun as you instructed.” Chanyeol excitedly tells Baekhyun, his eyes sparkling with the same intensity as he sways on the heels of his feet.

“Then tell me the pizza pun.” Baekhyun says.

“Are you pizza? ‘Cause I kinda crust you.” Sehun’s jaw drops at the stale pun and nearly slaps a hand to his face before Baekhyun bursts into guffaws.

“That wasn’t even a pun, Chanyeol. That was more of a pick up line. Is that how you get the girls to fall for you Park Chanyeol?”

“I think it worked perfectly well. Don’t you think so?”

Baekhyun smiles and Sehun shakes his head, dismayed. Something obviously had to be done. His hyung was moving forward too slow; he’ll need a little bit of pushing or rather pulling, like he was about to do the very next chance he gets.
 

“Where are we going?” Baekhyun asks as Sehun tugs him to wherever he was taking them both, Baekhyun confused as they have just passed their dormitory complex and was appearing to head towards the end of the block. They’ve passed a few more establishments before a red domino on a bright blue backdrop greets them and Baekhyun lets out a shriek, Sehun hissing and covering his mouth afterwards.

“We’re paying Chanyeol a visit.” Sehun tells him, smirk teasing and mischievous. Baekhyun huffs as he glares at him.

“Sehun, you have a design due tomorrow. You should be working on it by now.”

“Not until I get my dinner. Now come on, let’s go.”

“We can’t!” Baekhyun exclaims quite desperately, pulling on Sehun’s t-square peeking out of his backpack and nearly breaking it in half.

“Why not?” Sehun barks.

“Because… look at what I’m wearing!” Baekhyun reasons, gesturing to his all blue ensemble, his dental scrubs still pristine clean and white Converse unblemished. Sehun raises an eyebrow at him, not understanding how this could be a problem. “And I smell like someone else’s saliva!”

Baekhyun whines as Sehun pulls them both in the store, dozens of university students flocking the area and conversations filling the air. Sehun pushes Baekhyun down in a booth by the glass windows giving them full view of the counter and the workplace behind it. Baekhyun orders them refreshments while Sehun makes himself comfortable and hums as he taps his fingers on the table, keeping his eyes locked to the counter areas, as if the intensity of his stare could summon the person he dragged Baekhyun here for.

Just before Baekhyun could make a remark on Sehun’s spontaneous behavior, Sehun makes a satisfied noise at the back of his throat and gestures to the counter. There by the cashier is a familiar looking delivery boy wearing the usual blue and black service uniform with an apron tied around his waist, black hair pushed back with a lone lock of hair settled wavy on his forehead, and signature smile on his face.

“Look! Chanyeol’s here. Quick! Go say hi!” Sehun says.

Baekhyun gasps. “No!”

“Why the not?”

“He’s already working! I can’t bother him!”

“You won’t be a bother, trust me.” Sehun assures him.

“No.” Baekhyun says with stubborn finality, taking a sip of his iced tea and browsing through the menu lying on their table.

“But you gotta!”

“Why?”

“To get his number!”

Baekhyun’s mouth opens in disbelief. “What! Is that why you brought me here?”

“Honestly hyung, I can’t stand the thought of you guys flirting with each other every time the pizza comes. We’re not in some cliched romantic chick flick like those John Green movies you watch and it was sickening enough to go on and on so I thought it was best you get his number and move on to the next stage in life.” Sehun explains, rolling his eyes.

“Next stage in life?” Baekhyun asks, frowning.

“Of course! The dating stage! Come on, you’re not exactly idiot enough to not know!”

“But—”

“Oh, look he saw us!”

“—I don’t know how!” Baekhyun almost cries out in exasperation but then Sehun gasps and kicks his legs with his own, flapping his arms to the side.

“Chanyeol! Chanyeol’s coming! He saw us!”

When Baekhyun turns to look wide-eyed, Chanyeol was already standing in front of their booth, looking down on him with a beautiful smile that makes Baekhyun’s knees weak and melt into jelly.

“Hello,” He greets softly, making Baekhyun blush and feel flustered. Sehun greets him back happily, launching into a conversation with Chanyeol on food. Chanyeol tells him everything he knows about Domino’s menu with fervent enthusiasm, eyes twinkling everytime he mentions a favorite on the menu. Baekhyun finds himself staring and falling for the boy in the process, the plump lips and beautiful wide eyes drawing him deeper and deeper into something like his fascination for Game of Thrones or better yet, a natural phenomenon even science had difficulty understanding or explaining.

He remembers what the famous Jaime Lannister the Kingslayer said, we don’t get to choose who we love, pertaining to his illegitimate relationship with his sister, the queen and mother to his three children, all who perished in the hands of love. Love is powerful, love can kill, and yet, it can give spirit to a body needy and deserving of it.

As he continues to stare up at Chanyeol, he’s come to realize love returned not to lash out on him like the previous times, but love returned to give him another chance. And this time, he won’t shy away from it. He’ll gladly take it.

“Chanyeol,” And with all the courage mustered up he asks, “Would you like to go out sometime?” He swears he heard Sehun’s jaw hit the floor from his sudden question but Baekhyun could only gauge Chanyeol’s reaction for any slight negative response to it. All he received was a blinding smile, a nod, and a number written on tissue before Chanyeol excused himself to do server duties.

“I’ll be waiting for your text.” Chanyeol tells him, that beautiful smile still adorning his face. “And the next time we meet, I promise it’ll be more than just pizza.”

Baekhyun could have sworn his heart ceased beating the moment Chanyeol sent a wink his way before leaving and his cheeks warm up again from the thought of it, his plastic cup crushing from being locked into his grasp so tightly. Sehun notices and lets out a shrill as more and more iced tea squirt out of the cup, completely spilling all over the table and dripping at the edges.

Baekhyun could only squeal and stretch his arms out toward Sehun, the giddiness he feels still so hot and rushing through his veins he could feel like dying again anytime soon.

Valar morghulis, Baekhyun thinks. All men must die anyway. And Baekhyun died remarkably so, from the sharp blades of young love that's yet to come.
 

Baekhyun finds himself in the next city a week after, finally having the guts to text Chanyeol and invite him out for a ‘date’. It took several text composing and deleting, even going as far as chanyeol i love you let's adopt children and chanyeol bed me ;) courtesy of Sehun and his ‘mad’ skills at wooing before settling with a casual let's hang? and receiving an address after.

He clutches the hem of his sweater in nervousness, the unfamiliarity of his surroundings intimidating him. Several students from the nearby university flock the area, some even looking his way in curiosity for Baekhyun looked too uncomfortable, too stiff and wary for someone local to the area. And when one of them gets the nerve to go near him—enough for Baekhyun to narrow his eyes at the suggestive expression on the guy’s face—he is pulled back against a lean broad chest and strong arms wrap themselves around his waist pulling him further in.

Baekhyun gasps when he hears the chuckle in his ear and gasps more when the arms tighten. “Don't look so surprised now or they won't think us convincing enough.”

“Chanyeol—”

“Let's get out of here, hm?” And suddenly, the wind blows against his face and his legs stutter but catch up in tune afterwards, Baekhyun letting Chanyeol pull him farther and farther. They stop once they reach the nearby shopping district, out of breath and body shaking but Chanyeol brings a hand on Baekhyun’s head, shocking the smaller boy.

“Are you all right?” Chanyeol asks, worry laced in his thick voice. Baekhyun nods, still short of breath. “I’m so sorry. They looked like they would devour you and even if I wanted to smash their faces in, I can't, not when we had something planned. I really did look forward to today.”

“Really?” Baekhyun asks, blood ringing in his ear but he smiles.

Chanyeol nods all serious. “I really do look forward—”

“No. Would you really bash their faces in for me?”

“Of course. A beauty like you is worth the pain in the knuckles.” Baekhyun gives out a sheepish smile, feeling too exposed when Chanyeol gives him that look, a look heavy and lidded, something Baekhyun finds he enjoys. Such a look puts contrast to what Chanyeol's wearing, a baby blue pullover, the collars of his dress shirt underneath crisp, paired with black skinny jeans that accentuate his long legs.

Chanyeol gives him a grin, his eyes sparkling. “We match.”

Baekhyun feels his cheeks warm up as he remembers his outfit, the same dental scrubs stark blue and Converse white as ever. He gives out a nervous laugh. “Yeah, we do.”

“Cute, don’t you think so?” Chanyeol asks, that sparkle in his eyes never fading. Now this time, Baekhyun knew he was teasing but that doesn’t stop him from heating up. “I’m joking, but you look great. The color suits you well. You’re like a cloud in the sky.”

Baekhyun blushes, playing nervously with the straps of his backpack, a long internal monologue full of screaming flooding his mind. “You don’t look so bad yourself.” They easily go into the conversation, not noticing the sky darkening and the streetlights illuminating the rain-kissed streets of Gangnam. Not when the spark growing between them glows brighter each passing minute and each shared glance.

When the rain pours and the two sprint towards the nearest bus shed after a hearty dinner, Chanyeol takes off his pullover and helps Baekhyun wear it before he could even protest. Chanyeol steps back to look at Baekhyun, looking smaller than he was and more adorable with a pullover on him twice his size and length. Chanyeol feels his heart flutter and skip a beat at the scene of Baekhyun fidgeting with the hems of the pullover, as they were too long and entirely hid Baekhyun’s slender fingers.

“Chanyeol? I can’t take your pullover—”

“Take it.” Chanyeol cuts him off. “You’re shaking. The pullover will warm you up.”

“But what about you? You’re wet and freezing too.”

Chanyeol shakes his head. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be better knowing you’re feeling all right.”

Baekhyun eyes him with endearing awe and meekly nods, feeling a blush come again. “Thank you, Chanyeol.” Chanyeol smiles.

“Besides, you look so adorable in it.”
 

Baekhyun finds himself at Domino’s the very next free day, excitedly skimming through the menu. The pizza parlor is abuzz with customers and the smell of freshly baked dough waft through the air. Sehun glares at him across the table, hands folded on the table and fingers tapping against it. He came by to return the pullover Chanyeol lent him on the previous date, washed and pressed in his backpack but both he and Sehun knew his reason to visit was much more than that.

Baekhyun spots said giant behind the counter, watching him. When their eyes meet, Chanyeol sends him a toothy grin and Baekhyun shyly smiles back before he realizes Chanyeol was making his way towards him with a plate of breadsticks on one hand.

“Hey, decided on something you like? It’s on me today.” Chanyeol asks, gesturing to the menu Baekhyun’s holding. “The calzone’s delicious if you’re not up for the pasta.”

“Hmm… I don’t know.” Baekhyun replies. “They all look delicious to me.”

“Well, then. Order everything you want. I don’t want you starving under my watch.”

Baekhyun looks up from the menu to pout at him. “I’m not that of a glutton to eat that much.” Chanyeol chuckles and brings a hand to ruffle Baekhyun’s hair.

“No, you aren’t. But I knead you to eat right now because it’s nearing dinner time.”

Baekhyun looks at him incredulously. “Did you just make a pun?”

Chanyeol grins. “If it bakes you really happy, then yes.” Baekhyun giggles, hiding his face behind the menu and Chanyeol nearly lets out a loud coo at the sight of it. Sehun’s disgusting vomiting noises in the background are ignored as Baekhyun’s eyes shrink into crescents and his whole face glows in laughter, something Chanyeol adores seeing ever since they started spending time with each other.

“Go and leave me, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun tells him. “Or else, that horrible disease is gonna rub off on me.” Chanyeol pouts back this time, feigning hurt at Baekhyun’s words.

“But it’s butter with you!” Baekhyun laughs again and Chanyeol finds himself falling more and more for the angel before him.

“I’ll be here, Chanyeol. I’ll be waiting for you.” Baekhyun says, eyes looking straight at Chanyeol’s, the finality and the sincerity ringing true in his words. Chanyeol nods for he knows Baekhyun would wait until Chanyeol himself tells him to leave but this time, Chanyeol could only hope Baekhyun would stay patient as long as he finally decides to tell him his feelings.
 

Baekhyun and Sehun find themselves in Domino’s once more, with Kyungsoo in tow. Kyungsoo honestly didn’t want to tag along—considering he was more of a vegetable type of person—but he was curious about Baekhyun’s new love interest and Jongin begged him to come with anyway.

Kyungsoo wanted to ask Baekhyun about this mystery guy but the latter was too engrossed with his phone, face lit up with the occasional soft giggles coming out of his mouth. Kyungsoo, curious, starts to ask but Sehun beats him to it with a tired groan.

“Hyung, are you seriously playing that game?”

Baekhyun nods, never tearing his eyes away from his phone. “Why not?”

“That’s an otome game.” Sehun says with all flat seriousness. With no response from the other, Sehun adds scornfully, “It’s a female-oriented mobile game, hyung. Designed for females. Girls.”

“So?” Baekhyun asks. “I happen to like boys and this game has a lot of them.”

Jongin chortles from Sehun’s side. “It’s practically an oasis for lonely girls in this cruel world. Didn’t know you were that lonely, hyung. It’s kinda making me sad.” Baekhyun answers with a grunt.

“I will not let my actions be dictated by your stupid perceptions of societal norms for men.” He haughtily answers. “Besides, Jumin’s almost gonna confess his undying love for me! I can’t miss out on that.”

“Who’s Jumin?” Baekhyun gasps as he looks up from his phone and sees Chanyeol before their booth, with a pan of pizza on one hand and a tray of pasta and drinks on the other. Chanyeol smiles down at him and asks again, “Who’s Jumin? Should I be worried?”

“Don’t you worry your pretty little mind, hyung.” Sehun assures him as Chanyeol lays out all their orders on their table. “It’s just a character from Baekhyun hyung’s new game. You’re the one hyung really likes.”

Baekhyun almost chokes on his saliva but Chanyeol only chuckles. “I hope so. Don’t completely fall for this Jumin guy, okay Baek?” Chanyeol chides him with a mock stern expression, one eyebrow raised. “I don’t want you being addicted to games when you already lack so much sleep from studying.”

Baekhyun nods, touched from Chanyeol’s concern for him. And as Chanyeol leaves farther and farther away from him, he looks at Jumin’s avatar on his phone and can’t help but think how similar both of them looked and how he only liked playing this game because he longed for the sort of attention Jumin would give him, for the words he would receive and for the words he deeply wanted to hear from Chanyeol himself.
 

Baekhyun eyes the laptop screen, the online order page of Domino’s popped open and waiting to be sent, except for the special instructions part which was still blank and asking to be filled. He bites his lips as Baekhyun thinks of what to write, knowing perfectly well Chanyeol would see it and be the one to deliver their pizza, as the taller always did. In fact, the taller took it to himself to ask his supervisor to have him deliver all pizzas to Baekhyun’s dormitory complex, which he got without difficulty. Chanyeol was well liked, a problem Baekhyun hasn’t realized until now.

Of course he would be adored by everyone. Who wouldn’t like him? Someone as tall and gorgeous as him would’ve received tons of love notes or confessions everyday. Baekhyun saw it for himself one particular day at the university. He was strolling around the open grounds waiting for Sehun to finish classes when he spotted the taller sitting under one of the study huts with his laptop open and hands busy with his digital drawing tablet. He was ecstatic to finally see the boy in university—as the university was huge and so, acquaintances or friends rarely met unless planned prior—and was making his way to him when a group of three girls approached him, being so touchy and intimate with Chanyeol that Baekhyun stops mid-stride and watches in disbelief.

Chanyeol paid the girls no heed but that didn’t stop Baekhyun from feeling irritated and from something he couldn’t put his finger on. He soon realizes it was jealousy that urged him to leave the place in haste, texting Sehun to meet him by the university gates instead.

And so, Baekhyun decides it was time to put matters into his own hands. Chanyeol has yet to tell him his feelings but he’s made it clear he feels the same attraction Baekhyun feels towards him and deduced Chanyeol must’ve been too scared to admit it out loud, thinking of the rejection that was possible to come. Baekhyun was not the type to be so straightforward—he was always at the receiving end and look where that got him, socially awkward, emotionally fragile, and three heartbreaks later—but he liked Chanyeol.

He liked him so much, he was willing to do something stupid, and something as equally reckless to prove his point… just like he was about to do now, typing furiously on his keyboard the words he cannot express verbally yet but he hopes Chanyeol would take it.

Chanyeol, if you’re getting this then I ask of you one thing: if you like me, tell me you do. Because I like you and I hope you do too.
 

The doorbell buzzes startling Baekhyun who was lying nervously on the couch, hugging a pillow to his chest. He hesitates to open the door but eventually, he goes to open it and sees Chanyeol with the pizza he ordered. His heart leaps at the unrecognizable expression on his face and his body goes numb and cold as he could only assume it was the blatant rejection that would come after, his appetite for pizza gone, not like it was there in the first place anyway.

“Hi.” Baekhyun meekly greets but Chanyeol doesn’t look up from reading the paper in his hand, face scrunched up in deep thought. Baekhyun stands by the doorway awkwardly, bracing himself for the rejection when Chanyeol looks up with mute eyes.

“Hello. Here’s your pizza. I hope you enjoy it.”

“Thank you.” Baekhyun tells him. That was probably it. Chanyeol wasn’t saying anything about his special instructions so he inwardly sighs, feeling the tears bubbling up at the edges of his eyes as he walks backward and closes the door with a subtle ‘goodbye, Chanyeol’ but a foot wedges in between the door and the doorway, stopping Baekhyun from fully closing it.

“Chanyeol?” Baekhyun asks, confused. He pulls back the door and is surprised when Chanyeol smiles so softly at him, eyes glinting with intense caress and fondness.

“I haven’t done your special instructions yet.”

Baekhyun swallows a huge gulp, nodding nervously as he anticipates himself for the next. “Then go on.”

“You wrote quite a long piece.” Chanyeol comments, gesturing to the paper still in his hand. “It took me a minute to read everything and more than that to take it all in. You demand so much of me, Baekhyun.” He says, eyeing the smaller with determination. “And yet, I am willing to do it for you.”

Baekhyun gasps as Chanyeol goes nearer to him and towers over him, he could feel his warm breath against his forehead and his hands wrapping around his waist pulling him closer towards him, the pizza dropped on the floor with a lame sound. Baekhyun’s heart races and his breathing ceases stopping when Chanyeol drags his lips across Baekhyun’s forehead and then down to his jaw and up again to his ear. “You tell me you like me in your instructions but why are you so quick to close the door on me? I haven’t fulfilled your instructions yet. I would be such a bad delivery boy if I didn’t. Well, here it is Byun Baekhyun. So listen carefully.”

Chanyeol’s arms tighten until Baekhyun feels like breathing no more and whispers so lovingly in his ear, “I like you. More than you do.”
 

Sehun groans as Baekhyun happily skips to the door, the doorbell buzzing uncontrollably. Sehun peeks up from his game and narrows his eyes as his hyung practically dashes the remaining distance to the door.

“The pizza’s here!” Baekhyun calls out to him and Sehun rolls his eyes, resuming his paused game, heightening the volume to max to drown out any other noise and ignoring his hyung. He should be delighted, shouldn’t he? It was all thanks to him that two of his friends got together. But no. He did not foresee the intensity of intimacy he was subject to seeing as soon as they sorted out their mutual attraction. In fact, it was more irritating than having to see them during their flirting stages. Sehun sighs gloomily under his thick blanket.

“Oh, it’s you Chanyeol.” Baekhyun exclaims, taking the pizza from the delivery boy. “Why is it always you who brings our order?”

Chanyeol grins as he plays along. “You know I usually start my shift by the time you order. And I guess I just wanted to see you.”

“You guess?” Baekhyun asks teasingly, cocking his hip to one side.

Chanyeol shakes his head. “No. I think it’s because I definitely really truly wanted to see you.” Baekhyun giggles.

“Have you prepared a pun for me, as instructed?”

Chanyeol’s face lights up as he excitedly nods and then reverts to seriousness as he says in an accusatory tone, “Baekhyun, you took a pizza my heart and I expect a huge tip for it.”

“Okay.” Baekhyun nonchalantly tells him, shrugging. “In cash…” He trails off and smirks as if challenging the taller, “or in kind?”