The next morning Baekhyun wakes up and is ready to face the day. He has come to the conclusion that whatever happens today, he would act like it did not bother him. He was going to hide how ty he truly felt. After a quick shower, Baekhyun gets dressed and rolls his sleeves up in order to make the best breakfast for his mother and sister. He makes the pancakes first, making sure to make them small just the way Yejin likes them. He uses small pieces of strawberry to make eyes and places a few grapes to add a smiley to her pancake. He can already imagine how excited she will be when she sees her own special pancake. Baekhyun thinks that it’s also time to buy her a present for being such a good girl at the hospital and adjusting quickly and patiently to her recovering eyesight. In half an hour, he has the full table set and ready for his two favourite girls.

“I didn’t think I’d see you make an amazing breakfast so soon after the other one,” his mom teases when she enters the kitchen and Baekhyun grins, throwing her a childish peace sign.

She leans up to give him a kiss on the cheek and takes a spot at the table, eyeing all the food. “Thank you, Baekhyun. You’ve really outdone yourself,” she says, in awe.

Baekhyun smiles then, feeling warmth bloom in his chest. His mother often has a quick breakfast; she swallows down her food before running to her first job. Baekhyun knows she’s barely coherent in the morning to make an actual breakfast that can sustain her for the day.

“I woke up early and felt like making breakfast,” he explains. “Only special people get to have a taste of my amazing cooking skills.” His mother laughs then, the exhaustion vanishing from her face for that little moment.

Yejin comes strolling in soon after, humming a nursing song under her breath. Baekhyun and his mother watch in amusement as she looks at her plate and pauses in mid-hum. She squeals and takes a seat next to her mother.

“Oppa! Did you make this? It’s so cute!” she squeals and claps excitedly.

“Let me cut it into small pieces so that you can eat it,” his mother says, grabbing her knife and fork but Yejin stops her.

“No! You can’t cut it! It’s going to be a sad face then,” she says conspiratorially.

Baekhyun shakes his head at his younger sister. When he looks at the time and realizes he has to leave in ten minutes, his mind wanders. It’s possible that Chanyeol called in sick today as well. Maybe having a day away from him would be nice this time around; it would help him get mentally ready.

He walks to school with a steady heartbeat and tries not to think too much.

“Baekhyun! My man!” Yixing yells as soon as he sees Baekhyun. Baekhyun sees all his friends around their usual bench, having a little group meeting before class. “Minah was so ually deprived after Jongin that she jumped me,” Yixing announces and taps Baekhyun on the back in thanks. Suho mumbles something about being the only one ‘with no game’ and takes another drag from his cigarette.

Baekhyun just grins and taunts, “my plan from the beginning.”

“Yeah, right,” Jongin says, and scowls. A small shudder escapes him at the thought of Minah but Baekhyun thinks it’s better if he doesn’t know. Kyungsoo sees it though, so he turns to glare at Baekhyun. Of course, his best friend would not let it go after screaming his lungs out the night before.

“Sorry,” Baekhyun utters, glancing away from the powerful glare. If Kyungsoo could shoot lasers he would be fried right now.

“Minah cornered me one day when I was still new,” pipes a hushed voice and everyone turns to stare at Luhan. The conversation shifts quickly, the boys turning their attention to Luhan and hollering at him in glee. And the boy looks pleased even though they are mocking him; Sehun’s hold on him never wavering. Luhan probably views this as a milestone, it’s finally set in stone that he is part of the crew.

When everyone is distracted, Kyungsoo takes Baekhyun aside and whispers, “how are you feeling today?”

“Great!” Baekhyun says, throwing on a fake grin as well. Kyungsoo just looks at him, one eyebrow raised, clearly he sees through the façade. Baekhyun sighs when Kyungsoo nods understandingly but does not say anything. He knows that Kyungsoo will not remain quiet for long though, he’s probably just giving him the space he needs right now.

“Bell goes in two minutes,” Sehun pipes in, when it is clear that no one is relenting from the teasing, and Luhan has a nice shade of pink coloring his cheeks.

They all grab their bags, but Suho and Yixing stay behind in order to finish their cigarettes. “We’ll see you in class.”

“Don’t skip!” Kyungsoo yells behind but it’s futile, the boys will probably skip the first class anyway. They make it in class just in time for the bell to ring, and to Baekhyun’s horror, Chanyeol walks in.

“Good morning class! I apologize for missing the last couple of days but I’m sure you’ve all been on your best behaviour regardless,” the teacher says and laughs when everyone yells ‘Yes’s and ‘of course’s.

He tak