Normally the clatter and chatter of the local coffee shop would be the perfect background noise for Baekhyun to get some work done, but today it was more than distracting. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair and gave up on the article he was trying to write. The article was for a midterm, a huge percentage of his class grade. An hour earlier, his university classes had finished and the rest of the afternoon was open for Baekhyun to do his homework or be a couch potato back at his dorm. He would rather partake in the latter.

However, most days after class Baekhyun made his way to A La Bean, the closest coffee shop off campus. Not only did the long walk give him the exercise needed to burn off the junk food he loved to eat, but it also ensured that Baekhyun was unlikely to see any of his fellow university students. It wasn’t that he hated them or anything, he just wanted to be alone and unbothered. And normally he was.

Baekhyun packed his laptop into his bag, finished up his mug of coffee, left a tip and went on his way. On his walk back to his dorm, a breeze fluttered by. Spring was his favorite season out of all. The sun shines, the flowers bloom, and the weather is perfect. Not too hot and not too cold. The leaves agreed with him, rustling in the wind and sending blossoms sailing through the air. It was 3:00 PM and the campus was pretty empty at the moment. This was the time when people were either in the middle of class or back in their dorms napping.

Baekhyun knew his best friend and roommate finished up with class and would be walking back to their dorm by now, part of the reason why Baekhyun decided to leave A La Bean at that particular time. Baekhyun turned the corner and saw him a little ways up the sidewalk, walking in the same direction as himself.

“Sehun!” Baekhyun called.

Sehun whipped his head around, a huge smile appearing on his face. He stood still and waited for Baekhyun to catch up. Once he did, they started walking together. Baekhyun had to set his pace a little faster to keep up with Sehun and his long legs. “Spider Legs” as he likes to call them.

“How’s the article you’re writing for that journaly class going?” Sehun asked. Sehun wasn’t a journalism major like Baekhyun, so he didn’t know exactly what he was talking about, but it was the thought that counted.

“I wouldn’t say it’s going… per se,” Baekhyun replied, “more like crawling or dragging.”

Sehun bounced back fast, not one to be easily discouraged. “Well no worries, I’m sure it’ll come to you soon enough.”

“Yeah maybe…” Baekhyun said desolately. “It just seems like writing comes so easily to all the other journalism majors, it’s just not that simple for me. Maybe I’m thinking too hard.” He picked at his fingernail.

Sehun had to think fast. At this rate Baekhyun would fall into another one of his moods and then nobody would get any work done. “You know, Baekhyun, all writers have different styles and ways they write. Maybe what comes to others doesn’t come as easily to you because you’re trying too hard to write like them. Maybe just sit down and write what comes easiest to you, not what you would want other people want to read.”

Baekhyun raised his eyes to look at Sehun, “That might have been the smartest thing I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth.”

Sehun scoffed and hit playfully hit Baekhyun's head with his backpack, “Don’t over exaggerate you monkey.”

When they reached their dorm, Baekhyun unlocked the door and they both flopped on their beds. Sehun chattered on about his art classes while Baekhyun stared at the ceiling, still thinking about his midterm journalism piece due the next day.

 

ʊ ʊ ʊ

 

Baekhyun walked into his public relations and writing class, his legs slightly shaking. After Sehun’s piece of surprisingly helpful advice, he decided to write it on the relations between countries in close proximities. Sehun said the topic sounded dumb but Baekhyun like to think of it as Sehun’s way of trying to be funny/supportive.

What set this particular class off from his other journalism classes was that Public Relations prompted Baekhyun to think outside of the box, to write his articles with the purpose to sway the reader’s mind, instead of just to merely inform them.

Baekhyun had been working on this piece for the last few days for hours on end, and he hoped that his effort would shine through. He put in an exorbitant effort to write with his own voice and not to think of what his fellow classmates would be writing.

He sat down in his usual seat, at the end of the back row where he could make a quick escape at the end of the class. The class slowly started to fill up and a couple minutes passed before a hand landed on Baekhyun’s shoulder, scaring him out of his day-dreaming.

“Hey Baekhyun!” his friend, Minseok chirped.

“Minseok! Come sit by me.” Baekhyun said smiling.

Minseok happily complied. Baekhyun met Minseok through his major, they’d had quite a few classes together since they had the same class requirements.

“So, this mid-term paper, huh.” Minseok said.

“Did you finish yours?” Baekhyun asked.

“Of course, I had to unless I wanted to retake the course. Not that what I wrote is any good… but I did write something.” he replied.

“Fingers crossed we get a good grade,” Baekhyun said, smiling and waving his crossed fingers.

“I’ll need crossed fingers, toes, ears, eyes, anything for me to not have to retake this class. Bob would be on my twice as hard if I walked in here second semester.”

Bob Jenkins was our course professor, and never seemed to be happy with anything anyone did. They found his hard- antics pretty amusing from the back of the classroom, but felt bad for the students in the front. The ones trying to be teachers pets and overachievers… or over-achieving teacher’s pets. Who knows.

Minseok was one of the people Baekhyun could come out of his shell around, especially when they were sitting where Baekhyun didn’t feel like everyone’s eyes were on him.

They giggled and chatted in the back for a while until they heard a loud clearing of the throat. Unsurprisingly it was Professor Jenkins, trying to get everyone’s attention.

“I’m surprised he didn’t yell like he usually does,” Minseok whispered into Baekhyun’s ear.

“Maybe he’s in a good mood because he gets to fail some of us today, the sadistic monster,” Baekhyun whispered back.

A louder throat clearing sounded out followed by Professor Jenkins shouting, “Quiet in the back you talentless lobsters.”

Minseok made a snorting noise beside him, but they stayed silent and looked forward.

The class passed by sluggishly slow, Bob seemed to enjoy letting his students wait until the end of class to turn in any assignment. Baekhyun could see some students in front of him furiously typing to finish their article. Poor souls. He didn't think his heart would hold up if he had that kind of stress on his shoulders.
Finally the time came to submit their articles, Bob allowed the class the submit them either electronically or on paper. Baekhyun did both just to be careful and so Bob wouldn’t have an excuse to fail him.

Funny thing about Bob was that he seemed to enjoy causing his students pain by failing them, but hated when he saw  the failer in his class for a second time. Baekhyun wasn’t sure what his deal was.

Walking down the aisle in line with his classmates, Baekhyun could see the worry on their faces and knew it was painted on his own as well. He took a deep breath and told himself that whatever he wrote, he wrote and it was too late to change any of it.

As he sat back down in his seat, Minseok gave him a smile and patted him on his back, as if he was sensing his inner troubles.

After Bob dismissed them from class, Baekhyun and Minseok decided to walk back to Minseok’s dorm together. The walk there was a little long since the dorm was at the edge of campus. Their university laid at the edge of the city, but also close to the coast so there were plenty of activities for the students to do.

That particular night, Minseok and his buddies wanted to go to a bar and Minseok invited Baekhyun to come with them.

“Come on, it’ll be chill with a couple of my friends!” Minseok pleaded.

“I don’t know… I was kind of looking forward to going back to my dorm and sleeping for the rest of my life after this midterm.” Baekhyun replied.

“This’ll be a good way for you to relax and still get out, come onnnn,” Minseok continued to plead.

Baekhyun sighed, he knew Minseok wouldn’t give up until he gave in. So he just gave in.

“Fine I guess I’ll come this one time,” Baekhyun sighed.

Minseok’s face stretched wide with a smile, “You won’t regret it I promise!” It usually took much more convincing than that to get Baekhyun to come out to the social scene.

 

ʊ ʊ ʊ

 

Baekhyun checked his reflection in the pristine glass window of the local bar, Curdy’s Corner. The sun was already set but the glow of a streetlamp allowed him to make sure (for the tenth time) that his appearance was presentable. He straightened the already-straight collar of his button-down shirt and promptly turned around to stand beside Minseok.

Minseok’s and -Baekhyun guessed- his own friends were arriving to the bar a little late.

That didn’t make a difference as Minseok greeted everyone with a blinding smile and bro-hug no matter how many minutes pass since the agreed meeting time. Baekhyun grudgingly reminded himself that not all people had the same sense of timeliness as he did.

Sehun unfortunately couldn’t make it, saying he “had a ton of work to do” or something like that when Baekhyun brought it up.

Soon enough, Onew jogged up to the duo, panting and apologizing for the wait. Baekhyun figured he seemed apologetic enough so he gave Onew a smile. The last member of their party turned the corner and walked into view, producing a cheer from Minseok and Onew. It was Chanyeol, a sheepish grin painted on his face.

The group seated themselves in the back corner, where they could be their boisterous selves and have less a chance of being kicked out. Minseok and Chanyeol’s hyper energy bounced off one another. And alcohol didn’t help the matter in the least, Baekhyun mused.

Baekhyun decided on a soda instead of alcohol, inducing groans of protest from the group.

“Come on, you gotta drink something,” Chanyeol pleaded. “We’re celebrating!”

Minseok and Onew nodded their heads wildly in agreement.

“This is a chance to kick back, come on man.” Onew added on with a grin on his face.

Baekhyun grinned in return, “You know guys, this is peer pressure,” he joked. “I appreciate your interest in seeing me -faced drunk but it’s not gonna happen.”

Minseok busted out laughing and consented, leaving him to his pepsi cola.

Before Baekhyun came, he expected the night to drag on, but in reality it passed disappointingly fast. Against his expectations he was having a delightful time and got to know Chanyeol and Onew better.

He even has a class with Chanyeol, one of his lecture classes with 100+ students. Chanyeol thought it was the funniest thing in the world that Baekhyun didn’t even know, his loud and vivacious laughter rolling through the pub.

Onew was recounting his recent vacation to Mongolia and his encounter with a herd of sheep when Baekhyun’s phone rang. It was a number he didn’t recognize. His heart leaped and he jumped out the booth, throwing “I’ll be right back, I gotta take this,” over his shoulder.

Baekhyun stepped outside and after hitting the call button, he pressed his phone to his ear.

“Hello?” He asked with a gulp.

 

a/n hello friends! this chapter is unedited and i am by no means a professional writer so please enjoy it and excuse any mistakes! what do you guys think about baekhyun? who do you think is on the phone? 

♡ alaska