Baekhyun awoke to the pitter pattering of rain on his window. He groaned and rolled over, reaching out blindly for his phone on his bedside table. He snatched the device off of the table and flicked the button to illuminate the screen. He squinted as the harsh light of his phone bathes his face in an unnatural glow. It was 6:59am. His alarm would go off in one minute. He sighed and waited for Gee to fill his room with music before shutting it off and heaving himself out of bed. Even though he was still stiff he felt a remarkable improvement in regards to the pain in his side. He glanced down at his bare stomach and hip to find that even though the bruises were still dark and harsh, they had the colour he recognised from bruises that were beginning to recover. He grinned in relief as he loped his way into the bathroom. He unwound his clean white bandage to find minimal amounts of blood soaked through the inner layers of the bandage. He ran a pale finger across the jagged gash on his hand, it had begun to scab and pucker. Even though the sight was hideous he knew it was a good sign. Luckily, having been brought up by two doctors, he was not one to gag or become nauseated at the mere sight of a wound.

Injuries tended to and his appearance vamped he bounded his way down the stairs to the kitchen. The rain was still falling in thick sheets outside, turning the normally bright view into a dull, grey wall of water. He flicked on the kettle, filling the kitchen with the sounds of hissing and bubbling, while he simultaneously flung open the fridge. He frowned at the lack of edible food and settled for an apple. He sank his pearly whites into the apple and closed the fridge door with a garbled grumble. He was about to turn back to the now, almost rattling, kettle before he noticed something. The normally immaculate and clear front of the fridge had an anomaly. A small piece of paper had been pinned to it, front and centre. He grabbed the paper and smiled as he recognised the untidy scrawl.

Hey Baek!

Sorry that I can’t walk you to school this morning but I am going to visit my mum before school starts. I am sure you’ll understand. I left the key on the mat again (and always will in the future btw) so don’t worry. I will see you at school! If you have any problems call me right away. Can’t wait to see you Hyunnie,

Love, your Chanyeol x

P.S. Operation Kaisoo happening after school right? Ne? Good ;) x

Baekhyun smiled warmly at the note, laughing at the silly drawing at the bottom. He carefully folded it in half and tucked it into his pocket. Realising that his teeth were still fastened around his apple and he was now dribbling down his chin a little, he bit down hard, breaking off some of the crunchy apple. He poured his coffee quickly and in no time had munched his apple down to only the core. Flicking the remnants of his breakfast into the bin he hurried up stairs for his school bag and his umbrella. He made sure to leave his steaming coffee far enough away from the edge of the counter that he wouldn’t be able to knock it off on his way down. Bag packed and slung over his good side, umbrella dripping and ready in his hand, coffee scolding hot in the other, he was ready to go.

Just as he was about to step out of his front door his phone buzzed violently in his pocket letting him know that he had a text. He stood for a moment, considering leaving the text and setting of for school but he couldn’t do it. He grumbled as he placed his coffee back on the counter and let the wet umbrella fall sloppily to the floor. He delved into his jeans pocket and withdrew his phone. He clicked it on and slid a delicate finger across the screen to unlock it. He tapped the screen several times and the message appeared on the rectangle.

From: Suho

Time: 8:00am

Hey Baekhyun, I came to school early to work on the soundtrack so I won’t see you until break. Just so you know. See you later! x

Baekhyun couldn’t help but chuckle to himself at the text. Well, not so much at the text but at how he imagined Chanyeol’s reaction to when he found out that Suho had been ‘working on’ the soundtrack. He giggled again as he pictured Chanyeol’s wide, crazy eyes and his gaping mouth. He felt warm, inside at the thought of the overgrown child that belonged to him and only him. Chanyeol had said he loved him, and he had said it back. The memory was faint and clouded from his drowsy state at the time, but none the less, he remembered. And the memory filled him with a feeling so joyous he felt as though he might burst with happiness. Though he didn’t of course. Grabbing his items he pushed out of the front door. He was forced to balance the waterlogged umbrella, being abused by even more rain, and his poor coffee cup in one hand as he locked up the front door. He slid his coffee back into its rightful hand and headed off for school, water already sloshing in his shoes and soaking his socks.

By the time he stepped inside he found that his entire body below his elbows was drenched with water. He was relieved that none of the harsh water had reached his hair or his face, both of which he took great pride in. He shook himself off, like a dog just out of the sea, and stuffed his umbrella into a plastic bag, his coffee cup already stuffed into a nearby bin. He walked down the warm corridors, slowing slightly as he passed heaters, making his way to his lockers. He had only made it about ten steps when a flustered maknae sprinted past him, air puffing in and out of his mouth at a phenomenal speed.

“Thorry hyung, gotta go, thee you at lunch!” He practically yelled as he whirled past a rather befuddled Baekhyun. Baekhyun really had no idea what was going on until a slightly slower gramps came hurtling round the corner, panting heavily from exertion.

“Suho, what…?” Baekhyun started but Suho either didn’t hear him, or chose not to as he continued to sprint after Sehun.

“Ya! Come back with those headphones Sehun!” Suho half panted, half yelled after the maknae.

“Ani! Chanyeol hyung thaid not to let you get them!” Baekhyun heard Sehun yell back, his voice quieted by the distance.

Baekhyun stood there for a moment, eyes popping from his skull before laughter bubbled up from his chest and erupted from him in loud hacking chuckles. He was nearly doubled over in hysterics when two familiar voices sounded behind him.

“What the hell happened? You sound like a strangled pig that has been deprived of food for ages and has just been rolled off of a cliff.” Kai said, snorting rather unattractively at Baekhyun. Baekhyun was just about to straighten up when he felt a stinging pain on his bum and heard a slapping sound. He squealed and leapt upward, turning towards his two friends.

“Ya!” He yelled as he rubbed his sore bum. Kyungsoo was grinning profusely.

“You can’t be angry Baek, that was such an easy shot, you’d judge me if I didn’t take it.” Baekhyun just frowned before rolling his eyes as Kyungsoo stuck out his tongue.

“Ya.” Kai protested, “You can’t slap him on the bum.” He stuck out his large lips in an adorable pout and made his eyes wide and puppy like.

“Wae? You jealous?” Kyungsoo asked, raising an eyebrow and taking a step closer to Kai.

“May be I am.” Kai replied, stepping even closer.

“Oh really? Well I need to slap someone’s , and if it isn’t Baek’s…” Kyungsoo trailed off suggestively.

“I know someone perfect for the job.” Kai stalked closer to his prey.

“And who might that be? Do I know them?” Kyungsoo asked, eyes gleaming.

“Oh, you know them very well.” Kai replied with a smirk.

The two of them were now only inches apart and Kyungsoo was pressed up against someone’s locker.

“Maybe I should give him an interview.” Kyungsoo said, eyebrows wiggling.

“He’s free right now.” Kai breathed. The space between the two then became non-existent as Kai pushed himself against Kyungsoo and the two locked mouths in a fierce battle of tongues. Baekhyun stood, staring at the two boys with his mouth hanging wide open and his eyes threatening to pop out of their sockets. He found it ironic that he was displaying the almost exact same expression that he had pictured on Chanyeol’s face not an hour before. He was frozen in a state of shock as the two boys kiss became more heated. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t process what he was seeing. Kyungsoo and Kai, together? He snapped back to reality when he heard Kyungsoo pant out the words “Trial run.” And saw as his best friend’s hand crept down to Kai’s , ready to slap it.

“Uhh, g-guys…still here you know!” Baekhyun spluttered frantically, trying to get them to stop their canoodling. He glanced around and sighed with relief when he found the corridor to be empty. They looked away from each other towards Baekhyun, almost identical grins smothering their faces. They did not however step away from each other.

“You two are….I mean are you…? What I mean is…What the ?” Baekhyun asked, clueless. Why the hell were they acting like that? Were they together or were they just , y teenage guys. Whether the former was true or not Baekhyun realised that it didn’t matter, the latter was still true no matter what. Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and Baekhyun pouted in confusion.

“We’re together you dummy.” Kyungsoo said before turning his body so that it looked in the same direction as his face and was no longer pressed against Kai.

They both smiled at each other and Baekhyun flung himself, squealing between his two friends, locking each of them in a headlock under an arm each.

“I’m so happy for you two!” He giggled as he ruffled their hair when he had released them. They both tended to their hair before grinning back at Baekhyun.

“Thank you Baek, it’s all because of you…” The two boys began to say simultaneously. They turned to each other looking confused and once again spoke in synchronisation, “Wait, why are you saying thank you?” Baekhyun raised an unseen eyebrow at the two of them, wondering how it was possible that they seemed to even share the same brain waves.

“Did you know that he liked me?” Kyungsoo asked Baekhyun, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Did you know that he liked me?” Asked Kai, certain words to show that he was asking a different question.

“You knew and you didn’t tell us?” They asked together, clearly angry.

 Baekhyun’s eyes widened to the size of saucers, no, even larger than that, to the size of Kyungsoo’s eyes as his gaze flicked between the two now suspicious teens. “.” He breathed as he his heel and ran from the two angry boys. He sprinted down the corridor, trying to get as far from the clamorous noise of Kai and Kyungsoo’s pursuit behind him. He whizzed past shocked and confused students, barely able to yell out apologies as he slammed into some of them. The corridor cleared and he had a straight shot. He glanced behind him to see Kai and Kyungsoo hot on his trail. As he whipped his head back around to face forward he saw Sehun sprinting toward him from the other direction, extremely red in the face and puffing with exertion. It seemed that even through grandpa Suho wasn’t as fast, his stamina was pretty darn good. Speak of the devil, the eldest hurtled around the corner after Sehun. Baekhyun and Sehun were getting closer. They would reach each other in 3…2…1….

Baekhyun crashed into Sehun and they spun each other around so that they were back to back and facing the other’s rival. Suho stopped, huffing and puffing before him, bent over and clutching at his chest.

“Ya Sehun, don’t hide behind Baek!”

Baekhyun heard Kai and Kyungsoo come to a stop, equally out of breath.

“Ya Baek! You better not hide behind our maknae.” Kai warned.

Baekhyun and Sehun backed up against each other, grasping each other’s hands. For once Baekhyun was glad that Sehun towered over him because it meant that he was able to hide behind his lanky body better.

“I think we’re in trouble hyung.” Sehun whispered.

“Oh Sehun! Byun Baekhyun! No running in the corridors, my office. Now!” Roared Mr Yang from his doorway. His race was red and scrunched up in anger. The two boys didn’t need to be told twice.

“I think we’re in a little more trouble now Sehunnie.” Baekhyun whispered back.

“Why aren’t the others going to get told off?” Sehun breathed, so quietly that Baekhyun had to lean closer to him to hear what he had said.

“No talking and stop dawdling! Get in here, the both of you!” Mr Yang roared. They both sighed and rolled their eyes as they walked to their punishment. Baekhyun expected it to be a detention and didn’t like the idea of not seeing Chanyeol until lunch. He shrugged lightly and dismissed his annoyance as he and Sehun sat on the uncomfortable chairs behind their teacher’s desk. Mr Yang looked mad, really mad; there would be a lot of shouting.