It is a Tuesday afternoon and you’re in the cafeteria eating lunch again although you previously reminded yourself not to do so. Baekhyun can show up anytime soon. That aside, it is just the second day after your parents’ funeral service but your emotions and your heart are recovering quite fast.

It’s quite amazing, you must admit.

Pulling the spoon out of your mouth, you can’t help but think about Kai or Jongin or whatever his name is. You continue chewing while trying to remember his stare; it left such a big impression on you. You even remember describing about his stare in your diary. You shake that thought out of your head and sigh disappointedly at yourself. No, Eli, you can’t think about him like that, you say inwardly. You can’t afford to feel so for anyone at all. Then, you put another spoonful of rice into your mouth, not pulling it out completely after that but have the tip of the spoon pressed between your lips while you chew empty-mindedly.

You snap the fingers of your free hand. He’s an intern-nurse, you reason silently to yourself, that’s why his name keeps lingering in my mind. You convince yourself that he’s still in your head mainly because he has a job that isn’t quite what the society would expect a man to do. Yeah, that’s right, because he’s a freaking nurse, you tell yourself.

A tray slides across the canteen table and stops in front of you precisely. You heave out a sigh, annoyed, and patiently wait for… “Good afternoon!” that. Baekhyun’s voice.

Your eyes flutter in annoyance and you take another bite of your rice from the spoon. You pull the spoon out forcefully and hold the spoon up to his face while he stares at it with his eyes crossed. Slowly pulling your arm back, you slide the tip of the spoon across your pursed lips, as if to zip your mouth, gesturing him to keep quiet.

Baekhyun eyes follow the spoon as you place it down onto your plate. He then looks up to you, smiling widely, “So how was your day?”

You give him a look and throw your hands up. “Doesn’t anyone understand simple body languages these days?” you groan. Baekhyun is as dumb as Chanyeol, you think. But at least Chanyeol is in a hospital.

He giggles, probably thinking how cute you look when you’re fuming again. “No, this is a proper body language.” He winks and you eye him weirdly.

“The hell was that?”

“I don’t know, you figure it out yourself,” he replies, taking a sip from his glass. “You know, since you’re the master of reading body languages.”

You roll your eyes and think how he is an idiot again. It’s your daily routine; repeating how Baekhyun is an idiot is what you will do every single day. “Whatever, I’m out of here,” you announce, standing up and grabbing onto your tray.

He stands up immediately after you and pulls onto your wrist. You snap your head back to him while trying to pull your arm away from his grip. “Yah!” Baekhyun exclaims, earning a roomful of stares, even from you. You gulp as you stare into his eyes; his stare, so strong and almost scary. This is the first time he’s raising his voice at you. “Why do you have to do that all the time?”

You break away from his stare. “I’m sorry,” you mutter and look back to him. “But it’s my right to do anything I want, no? So let go of me,” you order, trying to release yourself from his grip again but he tightens his grip that it almost hurts.

“Then I can also do anything I want, no?” he asks you back.

You narrow your eyebrows and heave out a breath of annoyance. “You’re unbelievable. Let go of me!” you say sternly.

“I like you,” he repeats those familiar words softly and you stop struggling. “I like you!” he declares aloud now, and gasps, along with whispers, echoes through the room. You stare at him, disbelieved and stunned. “I. Like. You!”

“I can hear you!” you hiss, shooting him a glare. The whole room can hear you. “Look, you’re making a fool of yourself,” you begin and put your tray down. His hand still not letting go of your wrist. “Because no matter how many times you’re going to tell me that you like me, I’m not going to just fall into your arms and be your girlfriend. You hear me? I’ll never be your girlfriend!” You pause and take a deep breath; the both of you still looking into each other’s’ eyes. The crowd goes silent, feeling the tension. “Is this really worth it?” you continue. “Risking your status, ripping off your gangster image for me? Can you imagine how people would make a joke out of this? Out of you? Do you know how they will see you if you, the guy everyone fears, gets rejected by me? Me!”

He narrows his eyes and you have a feeling that he’s going to go all hell on you. Byun Baekhyun always gets what he wants and you’re not letting him. Byun Baekhyun never gets talked back like this but you just did. You’re plainly digging your own grave; you’re going against the norm of this school.

Just when you thought you’re going to get a warning from him, his lips curl into an undefeated smile. “You’re not going to reject me.”

You roll your eyes and scoff, “I just did, Byun Baekhyun.”

He lets out a chuckle and releases his grip. “You’re going to change your mind.”

“How so?” you ask out of curiosity, crossing your arms. “Really, you’re not going to succeed. Just saying,” you inform.

“Watch me.”

“Why are we doing this?”

Chanyeol ignores your question again for the tenth time and continues pushing the food cart down the hallway, occasionally waving to some patients in the hospital. They smile at the sight of Chanyeol and you can’t help but feel jealous. Yes, you are the one who decided to live your life alone and distant yourself from others but that doesn’t mean you never longed for people to smile to you like you’re somebody. I want to be the reason people smile too, you sigh inwardly.

Chanyeol stops in front of a room and turns to you. “Are you going to pass again this time?” he asks and you nod. “Suit yourself,” he says and grabs a tray of food, then letting himself into the room.

Pulling the cart closer to the side, just in case so it will not block people’s way, you then peep inside the room. You see an old lady smiling and cupping Chanyeol’s face. You then see the words ‘Thank you’ and she gives Chanyeol’s forehead a peck after that. Everyone really likes Chanyeol, you mutter to yourself. Chanyeol says something but you couldn’t make out what he said and he bids her goodbye before leaving the room.

“Stay beautiful!” he giggles and th