Due to the time of Baekhyun and Chanyeol's date at the Namsan Tower, Baekhyun seemed to be enjoying it. Chanyeol could feel it. If before, Chanyeol did all the talking, smiling and laughing, now they shared it together. They could talk to each other without awkwardness and cracked a joke here and there just like before the whole fiasco. Baekhyun warmed up to Chanyeol. If Chanyeol dare to say, almost completely.

Whenever Chanyeol pointing something funny on the locks that piled on the rails, Baekhyun would laugh without even trying to hide it like before. They even shared their snacks. Chanyeol sensed that maybe Baekhyun will take him back as the lover and maybe marry for real this time. 

Marry, the night that he knew the one he will be married to was Baekhyun always came into his mind. Never once he didn't feel so sad, so broken, so miserable to know that Baekhyun did not want to marry him because of his own stupidity. Maybe, if he took a glance at the picture his mother wanted to show him, they will be a happy married couple by now. 

However, now is not the time to regret anything. He just needed to gain back Baekhyun's trust and mend his own mistakes so that they will be an item again. 

As he watched Baekhyun looking for locks to be locked somewhere at the Namsan Tower, he cannot help but to adore the concentrated Baekhyun. His face would frown just to inspect the lock that he had in his hands. A chuckle escaped his mouth as Baekhyun scrunched his nose at the sight of a girly cliché pink locks. 

At last, they decided for the simple locks in orange color. They purchased it with two black markers. After all the hassle of writing and searching the spot to lock it, they finally threw the keys away, down the tower. 

Chanyeol smiled as he took a glimpse at Baekhyun's locks, B.C not broken. 

Yes, Chanyeol thought, we're not broken. We're just bent. 

The smiled di not fade from his face as he looked at his own locks, I.L.Y B.B.H.

He was sure that Baekhyun saw his own writing but who cares? He really trully believed that they will be back together. He was sure of it. 

As they're done there, they proceeded to have their dinner and Chanyeol, like always, sent Baekhyun back home. 

After that, they went on a few more dates and they could not be more happier than being together. Even if their dates were just in a classic cafe or a park with full of people, they still enjoyed it. But since then, never once Baekhyun mention about their relationship. Chanyeol cannot pinpoint about their situation now. Are they only friends? Are not they enjoyed each other company? 

Without realizing it, it had been a few more dates, the three months chance is almost up and just a week left. 

Chanyeol wanted to say that he was frustrated but he did not want to rush Baekhyun. With their friends situations, it was even harder to say that, hey, let's be boyfriends again and maybe marry? Even if Kyungsoo and Jongin, even Minseok and Jongdae were getting along well, Luhan and Sehun seemed to be so hard to be in the same picture. Sehun kept sulking while Luhan kept being hardheaded. 

One chilly night in November, Chanyeol kept fidgeting and felt something will happen but he did not know what it was. Soon, his mother called him down from his room to have some conversation. As he sat on their leather couch, his mother looked like she had something to say.

"What is it, mom?" He tried to ask with calm voice but his heart did otherwise. 

Do not get him wrong. They're both been so close for the last month. His mother had been patient listening to his rambling about Baekhyun, his supposed to be husband but failed. She knows how in love her son is to Baekhyun. She could feel the love radiated from Chanyeol each time he mentioned the name. 

"Uhm... You know, Chanyeol?" Mrs. Park sat down beside her son. Hands gripped her son's. Chanyeol kept eyeing his mother. "Since your arranged marriage with... The Byun's had been cancelled-..." 

"What do you mean, mom?" Now, furrowed his eyebrows. He did not like how this conversation had lead the way. "We're still together, aren't we?" 

Mrs. Park pursed her lips as she reverted her eyes elsewhere. "What I mean is, I had another arranged marriage request." She said carefully. "For you." It was a whisper but Chanyeol heard it like his mother used a big microphone and a speaker next to his ear to say it. 

He pulled his hands from her grips so quick as if it was burning him. Eyes tried to search for his mother's. "Tell me, it's a joke." He could feel his eyes glistening with tears. 

The answer he got was heartbreaking that a tear made its way down his cheek. "I'm sorry." Mrs. Park reached her hand up to his cheek and wiped the trail of tear with her thumb.

Chanyeol gripped the hand that was on his cheek and sniffed sadly. More tears rolled down his face. "B-but... Mom... I've told you I love Baekhyun, right?" 

"Yes." Mrs. Park said breathlessly, nodded as a wave of sadness filled her heart at the sight of her broken son. Hands busy wiping the tears that rolled down her son's face. 

"So why, mom? Why did you accept it?" Chanyeol whispered, afraid to hurt his mother's heart. His grips on her hands tightened, wanted to feel if it was a dream but the realness of his mother's hands had him sobbing. 

"I'm sorry." Mrs. Park said again. Now, gathered her son in her embrace. Chanting apology endlessly. 

The next morning had Chanyeol on the bed, headache killing him every minutes. He had cried hard the night before with his mother hugging him all night till he fell asleep. He cannot seem to be accepting the reality. 

But... Even so, had Baekhyun forgiving him fully? He needed an answer from Baekhyun. A solid answer so that his heart could be at ease. So that he could strongly, firmly against the marriage proposition. He just wanted an answer so that he will be happy with Baekhyun again.

He reached for his phone on the night stand. Hands trembling so hard as he typed on his phone. One person on the sent list message. 

Let's meet at the cafe. 

변백현 ♡ 박찬열 

Chanyeol stepped in after the door chimed the bell above. Swollen and red eyes wildly searching for the one and only. As his eyes fell onto the said figure, sitting by the window alone, sipping on his cup of coffee, Chanyeol's legs made their way. 

Swallowing the lump in his throat, the chair screeching against the floor as he pull it out opposite of the person occupied. He successfully gain the attention. He sat down and his eyes looked up to the said person. "Baekhyun." He whispered, voice cracked. He did not even try to hide his miserable state. 

"What's wrong, Chanyeol? You seem... Bad?" Baekhyun showed his worry. Voice in confusion. 

"I want to know. I want to know about us. What are we?" Chanyeol questioned. Eyes almost teary.

"Huh? What do you mean?" The smaller furrowed his eyebrows. 

Chanyeol looked down, a perfect resemblance to a kicked puppy. "The-..." He swallowed the saliva that started to gather in the back of his throat. "The three months chance." Looking up back again. "Am I... Am I forgiven?" 

"Oh." Was all Baekhyun could say. Eyes unreadable. The silence was suffocating Chanyeol as his throat clogged up yet again. Baekhyun looked everywhere but Chanyeol. Face void of emotion. He seemed to be in deep thought. 

Chanyeol fidgeting in his seat as Baekhyun prolonged the silence. "Please... I just wanted an answer." He whispered but Baekhyun flinched nonetheless. 

"I... I don't, I mean, we can be friends?" Baekhyun stumbled with his own words.

Chanyeol could feel his own heart dropped to his stomach. "Friends?" Voice lower than whisper. A tear made its way down to his cheek. "I want a solid answer. Is there any chance for us, being us?" A headache started to crawl from the back of his head. The rejection was hard to accept. 

This time tho, Baekhyun looked into his eyes. Deep. "What happened? Why are you so... Desperate?" He frowned as another tears rolled down the taller's face. 

"I... My mom received a marriage proposal for me." Chanyeol looked down to his trembling hands. "If. If there is not us in the near future, I think I should accept it?" Cracked voice is so not cool on Chanyeol's deep voice but it could be damned. He was just desperate to be with Baekhyun again. 

"Oh." Again, Baekhyun gave an unreadable reaction. 

Another round of silence but Chanyeol was determined. He will get Baekhyun back no matter what. He will beg on his knees if he had to. He will cry his heart out for all he care. He will do anything for Baekhyun to accept him again. He will-...

"Just accept it Chanyeol."

Chanyeol snapped his head up to Baekhyun. Eyes wide opened. A nausea filled up his throat. "W-what?" 

"Maybe this is it. The hint for you. For me. For us to end it all. Maybe we're just not meant to b-..."

"What the are you talking about?!" A rage whisper from Chanyeol. Unable to believe whatever Baekhyun had said. "We're not broken, Baek. You and I know that we're just bent because of my stupidity but for you to let me be with someone else and for me to easily let you go, that is the whole new level of stupidity." Chanyeol took a deep breath. "Tell me, weren't you happy with me the last three months?" 

Baekhyun kept in silence as Chanyeol talked. His eyes never leave Chanyeol's. Unreadable. As Chanyeol looked at him, expect an answer, he knows what to say and just hoped he could bear his own regret after this. "Never."

Chanyeol laugh incredulously. "What-..."

"Are you dumb? I've faking it. Just to make you at peace." 

As if struck by lightning, Chanyeol froze. Somehow he could feel a sense of deja vu. "Is this a revenge?" His mind flew to the moment when he rejected Baekhyun. 

"You just realized?" Now, Baekhyun arched his eyebrow with a hint of small smirk on his lips. 

Chanyeol could not bear it. Could not bear the coldness radiated from the smaller. Shortened breath, chest tightened, desperate for air, he stood up. Legs wobbly to the door, he walked away. Leaving a smirking Baekhyun behind.

변백현 ♡ 박찬열

"Mom... I... When do they want to meet me?"

"Who?" 

"The family of marriage proposal."