“Where are we going?” Baekhyun asked the moment he opened his apartment door. He had stretched his arm across the door, preventing Chanyeol from entering.

Chanyeol shook his head. “It’s a surprise. Grab your coat and let’s go.”

Baekhyun shook his head and shrugged. “Nope. I don’t do surprises. You must be looking for someone else to take on a date.” He playfully began to close the door.

Chanyeol reached out to prevent the door from closing. “What do you mean, you “don’t do surprises”? You’re the king of surprises,” he said.

“On the ice, yes. When I’m doing the surprising, yes. Not when I’m on the other side of the surprise. Last time someone surprised me, Jongdae and my choreographer brought lunch to the rink for my birthday. It turned out to be chocolate covered sushi. Never again.”

Chanyeol burst into laughter. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh. When was that?”

“Five years ago.”

“Well, I promise this surprise won’t include chocolate covered sushi. I think you’ll like this,” Chanyeol, holding out his arm for Baekhyun to take.

“Fine. But, if I hate it we’re doing something else,” Baekhyun said, disappearing into the apartment quickly before reemerging with a light brown jacket casually slung over his arm.

“It’s a deal,” Chanyeol said. He held out his arm and Baekhyun took hold of it as they descended the stairs of the apartment complex. Chanyeol helped Baekhyun into his old pick-up truck and then they were on their way.

Club FF was busy, as per usual on a Saturday night, but it wasn’t entirely full yet. Chanyeol parked the car a few blocks away and then they had walked down to the club. When they arrived at the door, Chanyeol briefly chatted with the bouncer and he allowed them inside.

Chanyeol escorted Baekhyun through the crowd, hand perched just above Baekhyun’s hips, and over to the bar. “What would you like to drink?” Chanyeol asked.

“Surprise me, you’ve done a good job so far, ” Baekhyun replied, taking a seat at the bar, but turning away to face the stage.

“Alright then,” Chanyeol said, smirking and flagging down the bartender.

“Chanyeol!” The girl behind the counter called out when she reached him. “How’s it going? What can I get for you?”

“Hey, Amber! Doing ok. Can I get a rum and coke for me and a cranberry vodka for my date?”

“Oh, a date?” She teased, working on their drinks.

“Yes, a date,” Chanyeol responded.

“You finally get your skater boy?” She teased, sliding a rum and coke across the bartop.

Chanyeol blushed. “As a matter of fact--”

“Shut up! No! You did not!” She finished pouring the cranberry juice into the glass with the vodka, and then quickly passed it across the bar.

“I did,” Chanyeol replied, he started reaching for his wallet before Amber glared at him.

“Come on. You know better than that,” she said. “Now introduce me. Quickly before I have to go make more drinks.”

Chanyeol laughed and slid the cranberry vodka in front of Baekhyun, who turned away from the stage, smiling.

“Got you a vodka cranberry,” Chanyeol said. “And I’d like to introduce you to a friend of mine, Amber. Amber, this is Baekhyun.”

Before Baekhyun could speak, Amber had launched herself partially over the bar, hand extended. “Nice to meet you,” she said.

“It’s nice to meet you as well,” Baekhyun replied, his reporter-friendly smile instantly on his face. He returned her handshake.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from this guy,” she said, slapping Chanyeol on the back hard enough to make him hunch over.

Chanyeol turned red and Baekhyun laughed. “Have you? Like what?” The reporter-friendly smile vanished from his face, replaced by a mischievous grin.

“I’m starting to think this date was a mistake,” Chanyeol muttered.

“Hush you,” she said, rolling her eyes at Chanyeol before turning her attention back to Baekhyun. “Let’s see. What hasn’t he told me? He says your thighs --”

“Amber, don’t you have some other customers to tend to,” Chanyeol interrupted.

“No,” she replied. “You just don’t want me to tell him about the dream --”

“Tell me about what?” Baekhyun asked, his eyes lighting up.

She winked at him. “About the time he dreamt he was in a and --” She started, but was interrupted by another customer. “Sorry, duty calls. Remind me and I’ll tell you later. Just do me a favor and don’t break him like the others.”

Baekhyun watched as Amber quickly darted to the other side of the bar and began mixing another drink. His smile faltered, and he fiddled with the straw in his drink, playing with the ice. “She’s interesting. I like her,” he said, giving Chanyeol a once over, and then returning his gaze to his drink.

“I thought you might,” Chanyeol said.

Baekhyun chuckled and tapped his finger on the bar, then picked up his glass for a sip. “You know the staff here really well it seems. The security guard, Amber...”

Chanyeol nodded. He looked out over the sea of people that had flooded into the club and then over to the band that had taken the stage. “That I do,” he said.

“Bring all your dates here?”

“What?” He turned his attention to Baekhyun, caught off guard.

“The others. Your other dates...boyfriends…girlfriends...whatever...”

“I...I don’t have any other dates. I haven’t for a long time…”

“Then what about what Amber said?”

Chanyeol scoffed. “Ah. No. It’s not like that.”

“So what is it like?” Baekhyun asked. When Chanyeol turned back around to meet Baekhyun, he was met with an expression he could only read one way. Jealousy.

“It’s only boyfriends...ex-boyfriends...from five years ago. I work here. Part-time. I’m mostly the entertainment manager, but sometimes I tend bar. That’s how I know everyone. When I’m not working at the studio or at practice with my own band,” Chanyeol responded. He sighed.

“Oh, I...I feel like a jackass..” Baekhyun said, reaching for his drink to quickly down it.

“It’s ok. One of my favorite bands is playing tonight. That’s why I brought you here. That is if you want to stay...I’ll take you home...”

“No, no. I’m sorry...I...I think I’d like to hear what your favorite band sounds like.”

Chanyeol smiled. “Alright....They’re playing near the end of the show, so we’ll be here for a while. Why don’t we grab a table?”

“Sounds good.”

They made their way across the much more crowded club and found a small table. Baekhyun hoisted himself up to sit on the bar stool, while Chanyeol leaned against the table. The band on the stage had finally finished tuning and began with their first song of the night. Chanyeol had heard them before, so instead he focused his attention on watching Baekhyun as he swayed to the music. He seemed to be enjoying himself and that thought alone brought a smile to Chanyeol’s face.

The first band quickly turned into the second band and then the third, and before he was aware of it, Chanyeol’s favorite band had taken the stage. They hit their first chord, and a smile couldn’t resist pulling at his mouth. His foot tapped along to the rhythm and without consciously realizing it, Chanyeol played the air guitar along with the band.

Baekhyun laughed. “They really are your favorite band,” he yelled over the band, tapping Chanyeol on the shoulder to get his attention.

“Yeah,” Chanyeol replied. “I do like them a lot. I know all of their songs and I’ve been working with their manager to help them record an album. And their bass player, Sehun, also plays in my band.”

Baekhyun laughed. “That’s really cool.”

“It’ll be even cooler when the album’s finished,” Chanyeol said.

“So...your band….” Baekhyun began.

“Yeah?” Chanyeol asked his attention still focused on the stage.

“What do you play?”

Chanyeol turned to Baekhyun. “Oh, I’m the guitarist and I co-write some of the songs.”

“I see,” Baekhyun said. “What kinds of music?”

“Rock mostly, but it varies.”

“You said you also worked at a studio?”

“Yeah, I’m a music producer mainly. I studied audio engineering and I found a job pretty quick after I graduated. My parents were happy. They were worried I was going to try and make a living as a musician. When I was a kid, I wanted to. But, I like what I do now so I’m not complaining. I work with music all day. Eventually, I’ll produce my own.”

The band finished playing and soon Chanyeol could see the image of Sehun heading toward him, bass in hand. Chanyeol thought for a brief moment about grabbing Baekhyun’s hand and pulling him toward the exit, but he didn’t act quick enough.

“Chanyeol!” Sehun yelled, setting his bass down and pulling Chanyeol into a hug. “You made it!”

“Yeah. I’d like to introduce you to Byun Baekhyun. Baekhyun, this is a good friend of mine, Sehun.

“Nice to meet you,” Baekhyun said.

“It is so nice to meet you too,” Sehun said, reaching out to shake Baekhyun’s hand waiting for Baekhyun to acknowledge him. Baekhyun reached out and returned the gesture, his professional demeanor returning. “I saw you skate when the idiot here threw the jacket. I’m also the one who texted you back when he wouldn’t. He talks about you so much, I feel like I already know you personally.”

Baekhyun chuckled. “So you’re who I have to thank for the wonderful time I’ve been having.”

“You’re welcome,” Sehun responded.

Chanyeol sighed and ran his hands through his hair before glaring over at Sehun. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

“Ah. Yeah. Just wanted to stop by and say hi when I saw you in the crowd. Couldn’t help myself,” Sehun said.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you later this week, ok?”

“Definitely. Catch you later!” Sehun said, picking up his bass and heading toward the backstage area.

Once he was safely out of sight, Baekhyun broke into a laugh. “Apparently, I’m very well known amongst your friends.”

Chanyeol blushed. “You may be. I may have ruined an entire sport for them because of you.”

“Did you now?” Baekhyun smirked. “Care to show me how much you appreciate me back at my place? I promise Jongdae’s out of town.”

“Of-of course,” Chanyeol stammered. He grabbed hold of Baekhyun’s hand and pulled him toward the exit.