Café Reve

 

Baekhyun doesn’t like change, but sometimes it’s inevitable.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s just another Wednesday for Baekhyun.

 

Not to say he doesn’t enjoy his peaceful afternoons at Café Reve; in fact, he’s grown so accustomed to his four o’clock Americano that he almost doesn’t consider an alternative amusement.

 

But sometimes, sitting alone becomes redundant, and he slightly hopes for a companion, though he’ll never admit it.

 

Nevertheless, Café Reve is perfect for Baekhyun.

 

The atmosphere is more than inviting, and there’s always this light chatter circling the place that is somewhat comforting to him, despite having never once involved himself in conversation. Not to mention, there’s a certain scent that Baekhyun finds alluring, though he cannot, for the life of him, make out what it is.

 

The staff has adapted to Baekhyun’s frequent visits. The seat far in the corner next to the window is pretty much reserved for him, and on many occasions they have a steaming Americano waiting. Baekhyun favors this spot, mainly because he has both a view of the entire café and of the street outside.

 

He’s been known to be a people watcher, but most often finds himself listening to his iPod with his eyes shut, so that on many occasions he’s been assumed to be asleep.

 

 

Today, Café Reve is less chaotic than normal, which is to Baekhyun’s liking. But something has him unnerved.

 

Everything is in order—his Americano, his window, his iPod…but there is definitely something missing.

 

 

 

 

 

Long, lanky legs perambulate the streets of Seoul, searching for nothing. The face that belongs to them is Chanyeol, a tall, laid-back man in his mid twenties whose disheveled hair says the most about his personality.

 

He’s new to the neighborhood, and oftentimes is found wandering down the unfamiliar sidewalks with no destination in mind.

 

 

He usually gets hungry around four p.m. and stops for a bite, but today he continues deeper into the city, merely strolling aimlessly down the roads, his mind somewhere else.

 

There’s a slight chill in the air, and though Chanyeol hates excess clothing, he finds himself wrapped in a scarf. Soon, he winds up in front of a small, cozy café, and he stops, its name catching his attention.

 

“Café Reve,” he says aloud, wrinkling his eyebrows. He leans back, trying to make sense of it.

 

“What is that, Italian?” His eyes wander inside the place, taking note of its homely appearance. He nods, feeling somewhat proud of himself. “Yep. Definitely Italian.”

 

As he turns to go on his way, he notices a well-dressed young man sitting in the corner, his headphones reaching up to his ears, which he covers with his hands. His eyes are closed, and his expression is calm, contained, and so serene Chanyeol can’t help but smile at the sight.

 

He stands there for a couple seconds, admiring the man, then slips his hands into his pockets and walks on.

 

 

Baekhyun’s eyes fly open, and he pulls his headphones from his ears, scanning the room.

 

Something suddenly feels…different. It has him distracted. Normally, change bothers him, to the point of complete annoyance.

 

But this time, it’s intriguing.

 

 

 

 

 

Days pass, and Chanyeol finds himself  passing Café Reve more often than intended. Each day, the same young man sits in the corner, the same tranquil expression on his face that Chanyeol finds so engaging.

 

It has become routine for Chanyeol to stop in front of the window to gaze upon the stranger, then continue on his way without a word, and for some unknown reason, it has also become his favorite part of the day.

 

He once caught the stranger with his eyes open, and for a second, their eyes met, but Chanyeol quickly moved away, not wanting to disturb the stranger’s harmony.

 

Chanyeol knows all too well that his clumsy personality is hardly in favor with people like this.

 

Still, his day isn’t complete until he sets eyes on the stranger, and is, every time, captivated by the perfection of the scene.

 

And every time, Chanyeol walks on, unnoticed, with a slightly larger crooked smile planted on his face.

 

 

 

 

 

On this particular day, Chanyeol is feeling adventurous, and has convinced himself he has enough courage to approach the stranger. He tends to act on impulse, but this time it’s more than that.

 

Something about the stranger is so appealing, so fascinating, so interesting that Chanyeol isn’t just tempted to meet him, he wants to.

 

Badly.

 

He goes in and out of the café a few times before actually deciding on what to say, but it’s useless anyway, because he doesn’t end up saying anything.

 

Baekhyun flutters his eyes open, looking up slowly. “Yes?” he asks.

 

Seeing the stranger up close suddenly feels more daunting than anticipated. Chanyeol gulps. “May I sit here?”

 

Ironically, the café is nearly empty, and Baekhyun notices this and narrows his eyes in suspicion. “Excuse me?” he asks.

 

Chanyeol clears his throat, and grins, a little two eagerly. “Well, on such a nice day, who would want to sit alone?” He invites himself into the seat, and to both their surprise, Baekhyun doesn’t refuse.

 

He doesn’t speak to Chanyeol though; actually, he tries to pretend Chanyeol isn’t there. He just shuts his eyes, retreating back into his own mysterious world, whispering softly to himself, “Ah…that scent…” so he can focus on the things he typically notices while at the café.

 

“Oh that rosemary-type smell?” Chanyeol sniffs, then makes a face. “Ew.”

 

Baekhyun blinks his eyes open. Rosemary. His months of wondering suddenly feel insignificant, like a dream of his has just been crushed in the hands of one very tall, very ungainly man.

 

“I’ve seen you before,” Baekhyun says finally, his eyes so uncomfortably narrow that Chanyeol can’t tell if he’s glaring or just chinky.

 

Chanyeol’s reply is delayed, partly because he doesn’t exactly know how to answer the stranger, but largely because he’s so surprised at the stranger’s voice.

 

It’s smooth. Calm. Just like his appearance.

 

“Have you?”

 

Baekhyun nods. “I must have. You just feel so…familiar.”

 

Chanyeol takes this as a compliment and chuckles, finding his thoughts rather cheeky. “That’s odd. I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

 

There’s an awkward silence, but Chanyeol, being the talkative type, feels the need to break it. “I’m Chanyeol.” He holds a hand out to the stranger.

 

Baekhyun blinks. Stares. Then he reaches forward, gripping Chanyeol’s hand ever so lightly. “Baekhyun.”

 

 

 

 

 

It takes Baekhyun a couple of weeks to get used to having Chanyeol around, but he never objects to it.

 

Chanyeol, though, adapts almost instantly, considering Baekhyun his “bud” on the second day he joins him at Café Reve. He should have become bored with Baekhyun by now, but Baekhyun doesn’t reveal much about himself, which keeps Chanyeol interested.

 

At first Baekhyun tries to continue his normal routine, practically ignoring Chanyeol’s presence completely. However, Chanyeol almost always brings up some futile conversation that Baekhyun, though he pretends disinterest, always pays close attention to, and on some occasions replies back.

 

“You mean,” Chanyeol’s eyebrows twitch in a sort of disapproval, “You listen to the same song everyday? Like, every day?”

 

Baekhyun blinks. “Why is that so hard to believe?” he asks.

 

Chanyeol just shrugs, leaning back in his chair. This has become fascinating. “And you drink the exact same coffee…every day.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You sit in the…exact same spot,” he pauses for emphasis, “every day.”

 

Baekhyun mumbles a confirmation.

 

“And all of this happens at the same time, at the same place. Wow. I’m impressed.”

 

“Impressed?” This is an unusual reaction, Baekhyun thinks.

 

Chanyeol nods. “I would’ve gotten bored of it already.” He shrugs. “Don’t you need some sort of change? You’ll go insane.”

 

“You’re change.”

 

Chanyeol doesn’t exactly register what this means, but before he can ask, Baekhyun is blushing and shifting the conversation, saying something oddly random about the size of the cup he’s drinking from.

 

It’s kind of cute, the way Baekhyun gets embarrassed so quickly, but Chanyeol doesn’t think anything of it.

 

He’s just curious.

 

 

 

 

 

“Are you,” Baekhyun sounds snobbish, “ever going to order something?”

 

It’s raining outside, which puts Baekhyun’s mood off, at least, more than usual. He’s still listening to his iPod, but with only one headphone, so he doesn’t have to stop and ask Chanyeol to repeat himself every few minutes.

 

“There are better places to get my spaghetti,” is Chanyeol’s response, and he’s trying to act more haughty than Baekhyun, just to piss him off. Instead, he just sounds dumb.

 

“Spaghetti? That’s an Italian food.”

 

Chanyeol looks puzzled, and Baekhyun has to fight back a smile because honestly, Chanyeol is best when he’s confused, probably because he gives this little pout and blinks a lot and it’s just really cute.

 

“Isn’t this an Italian place? Café Reve.”

 

Baekhyun scoffs, running his hands down his face. “Reve is French, Chanyeol. It means dream.”

 

“Ah,” Chanyeol says, looking around him. “So like, dream café.” He laughs. “This isn’t really my idea of a ‘dream café’.”

Baekhyun his lips. “It’s good for me.”

 

“But why?”

 

“It has everything I need.”

“What is everything you need, Baekhyun?”

 

The question catches Baekhyun by surprise, not because Chanyeol intended it to, but because Baekhyun has no clue how to answer it.

 

Chanyeol himself didn’t think much of the question, but he notices Baekhyun’s distress and moves on quickly. “Maybe I will order something.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baekhyun never tells Chanyeol why he’s so precise with his routine.

 

Then again, Chanyeol never asks.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s become somewhat of a habit now for both of them, to join each other at Café Reve each afternoon at four, Baekhyun in his special seat with his Americano, Chanyeol across from him with his pointless stories and wonderings that keep their conversations busy.

 

Baekhyun hardly feels like he’s betrayed his tradition; it’s more that he’s added something to it. And he doesn’t mind, surprisingly.

 

They never really talk about their lives, or meet each other outside of Café Reve, but their relationship has definitely grown, and Baekhyun doesn’t feel like such a stranger anymore.

 

Chanyeol still finds Baekhyun’s calm spirit amusing, and he can’t quite understand how someone can be so introverted.

 

Baekhyun says it’s because Chanyeol is too outgoing.

 

“You’re just too comfortable with yourself,” is what he said, and Chanyeol just shrugged, replying that sometimes it isn’t a bad thing.

 

Either way, it seems odd that the two opposite personalities would get along, which may be the very reason that they fit so well together.

 

To what extent, is the question.

 

 

 

 

 

“You know, Baekhyun. I just realized this. We don’t actually know that much about each other.”

 

Baekhyun shrugs. “I know all I need to.”

 

Chanyeol rolls his eyes; Baekhyun’s answers are always like this. “Yeah, yeah. But seriously.” He taps his chin. “Alright, alright. I’ll ask you a question, and you answer.” An innocent game.

 

Baekhyun agrees after a couple minutes of begging, probably just to shut Chanyeol up. Nonetheless he agrees, which pleases Chanyeol. “Alright. I got one. Where do you work?”

 

“I write articles for a magazine.”

 

Chanyeol makes a whistling noise, leaning back in his chair. “Which one?”

 

“Does it matter?” Baekhyun chuckles.

 

“Fine. Where do you live?”

 

Baekhyun raises one eyebrow. “What’s it to you?”

 

“I’m only asking.”

 

There’s a pause. “Do you know where that noodle shop is? The one down the street? There’s this small neighborhood behind it…” He notices Chanyeol’s dazed expression and stops. “Anyway, I live there.”

 

“Any friends?”

 

Baekhyun chuckles. “Define ‘friends’.”

 

He’s so difficult, Chanyeol thinks. “People you talk to. Like me.”

 

“If you’re my friend, Chanyeol, then everyone is.”

 

Baekhyun joking is new. Chanyeol feels proud. “Ouch, that hurts.” He clutches his heart dramatically, but laughs. “Okay. Family? Pets? Relationship?” He’s wanted to ask that last one for some time, but couldn’t find the right chance.

 

Apparently, this wasn’t it.

 

“I think that’s enough questions.” Baekhyun says. He stands, looking bewildered. “I’ll be going first.”

 

Chanyeol watches him leave, a little disappointed, but more surprised, because Baekhyun forgot to order his Americano.

 

 

 

 

 

Chanyeol is a little pushy, so eventually he gets a couple more answers out of Baekhyun, learning that he lives alone, has never owned a pet in his life on account of his terrible allergies, and hasn’t contacted his family in over five years.

 

Baekhyun eventually gets tired of Chanyeol’s questions and starts asking his own, and Chanyeol is more than happy to oblige.

 

The questions are at first quite boring, and Chanyeol continually begs for some questions that “spice things up a bit” but Baekhyun is a bit shy and usually doesn’t listen.

 

Today though, he weather is nice, which means Baekhyun’s mood is “cheery” as Chanyeol puts it, and his questions are a lot more curious.

 

“Why exactly did you sit by me? On that first day we met.”

 

Chanyeol grins because honestly he’s been waiting for this question.

 

“Why are you staring at me like that. Answer the question.”

 

“I thought you were cute,” Chanyeol confesses, not the least bit surprised when Baekhyun blushes and turns away. “There was just something unusual about you. I couldn’t help myself; you just kind of caught my attention. I was fascinated.” He realizes he’s rambling but he really can’t help it.

 

Baekhyun is grinning now, and he tries to stop but it won’t work but now Chanyeol’s laughing at him, pinching his cheeks and calling him adorable so Baekhyun just hits him away, pressing his palms to his cheeks in embarrassment and Chanyeol sits back and then they just stare.

 

It’s one of those movie-like moments where their eyes won’t leave one another and they’re both thinking things they’re too afraid to say. Neither of them want to break the silence but eventually Chanyeol’s curiosity gets the best of him.

 

“But what about you? Why’d you let me?” He laughs.

 

“Let’s not talk about it.”

 

“Why not? You can’t be embarrassed about it after hearing my reas-”

 

“Chanyeol. Please.”

 

It’s confusing. Baekhyun seems completely sensitive every time this kind of subject comes up. He never opens up about anything, and Chanyeol has to practically pry things out of him, hoping eventually he’ll do it voluntarily. But he doesn’t.

 

 It’s so frustrating and annoying and Chanyeol almost can’t stand it, but he lets it go for the sake of what he assumes is now the beginnings of some sort of intimate relationship.

 

“Okay, okay. Fine.” Chanyeol sighs, ruffling his hair. A change of subject is probably a good idea. Or not. “Hey how about tomorrow, we go somewhere else? Like…oh! I know. A real Italian place.”

 

“No.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“I don’t want to. I like it here.”

 

Chanyeol frowns. “You can come back here the next da-”

 

“No.”

 

“Okay we don’t have to do Italian. I’m just saying, it would be a nice change.”

 

“Chanyeol, I don’t want to.” Baekhyun’s voice is unusually harsh.

 

Chanyeol lets out an exasperated sigh. He’s trying so hard to get something out of Baekhyun, to know him as more than just the guy with the Americano, but Baekhyun makes it complicated. “Why?” He doesn’t usually pry things out of Baekhyun, but for some reason he’s lost his patience.

 

“I…can’t.”

 

Chanyeol scoffs. “I don’t get you.” He leans forward. “You’re so confusing, Byun Baekhyun. I’m not asking you to move to Italy with me, I’m just asking you for dinner.”

 

Baekhyun gulps. “You don’t understand - I can’t.”

 

“What don’t I understand?” Chanyeol sounds angry by now, and it’s scary. “You’re so stubborn! Half the time I can’t tell what you’re thinking because you hide everything under your stupid iPod and your stupid coffee and this stupid place. I just want to get closer to you, and I thought that’s what you wanted too.” Chanyeol runs a hair through his tousled hair and sighs. “You make it really ing difficult to understand you, Baekhyun.”

 

Baekhyun looks shaken, and Chanyeol can see the guilt in his eyes, but he doesn’t say anything. Slowly, he rises, picks up his coat, and shakes his head. “No Chanyeol,” he forces a weak smile, “you make it difficult.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Sir, you can’t sit there.”

 

Chanyeol clears his throat, and in a failed attempt to make himself seem more intimidating, he leans back, elbow up on the back of his chair. Only, it looks more awkward than he intended, so he sits back up.

 

“Why? Is someone sitting here?”

 

“No, but-”

 

“Then there’s no problem.”

 

“Sir-”

 

Chanyeol takes in an angry breath, raising the volume of his voice. “Listen, I know what I’m doing. Just let me sit here. You don’t want to see me angry. Also I would like a latte. If you may.” He realizes he sounds rude, but it’s the only way to get what he wants. “Actually, make that two.”

 

 

The truth is Chanyeol has no ing idea what he’s doing, and all he really knows is that today, he’s determined to get some answers out of Baekhyun. He isn’t sure why, but he wants to know everything about him, down to each miniscule detail.

 

 

Baekhyun arrives right on time, but he doesn’t look happy.

 

At first he doesn’t move or even blink, but after what feels like ages, he his lips, and speaks. “Get out of my seat.”

 

“No.”

 

Baekhyun shuts his eyes, taking a very long, deep breath before opening them. “Chanyeol, get out of my seat.” Baekhyun looks lost, and quite afraid, and even though it’s perfectly visible to Chanyeol that this is actually somewhat physically painful to Baekhyun, he doesn’t move.

 

Baekhyun is almost on the verge of tears, and he looks away, a bit shaky. “Why are you doing this to me?” he squeaks.

 

“I’m trying to help you, Baek.” Chanyeol offers, reaching for Baekhyun’s hand. He pulls him down into the chair that usually belongs to Chanyeol and squeezes Baekhyun’s palms in his.

 

Baekhyun squeezes his eyes shut. “You’re not helping me though.”

 

“You’re not letting me.”

 

“I’m trying.”

 

Chanyeol sighs. “No you aren’t, Baekhyun. If you were trying you would answer my questions, let me know about you, and leave Café Reve with me once in awhile.”

 

“I can’t.”

 

“But why?”

 

Baekhyun throws his hands into his hair messily and lets out a groan of agony. “I don’t know! I don’t want to. I just want things to be like they used to be, with you and me together here without any other commitment! Why, why do you need that to change?”

 

“Because I love you,” Chanyeol blurts, half unknowingly.

 

Baekhyun’s eyes widen, but it’s more in fright than anything. Slowly, he shakes his head and buries it in his hands.

 

Chanyeol is frozen at the realization of what he’s said, and also in anticipation for an answer from Baekhyun.

 

Finally, Baekhyun raises his head and smiles weakly. “I love you too, Chanyeol,” he whispers, “Thank you for making it so easy this time.”

 

Chanyeol is beyond confused, and he watches as Baekhyun stands and heads toward the door. Chanyeol immediately jumps up after him, gripping his arm before he can exit. “Where are you going? Did I do something wrong?”

 

Baekhyun shakes his head. “You’ve done nothing wrong, Chanyeol. You’re perfect.”

 

“Then..?”

 

Baekhyun’s glazed eyes stare at Chanyeol cravingly, and he places his fingers around Chanyeol’s face with the softest touch Chanyeol has ever felt.

 

Chanyeol covers Baekhyun’s hands with his own, narrowing his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

 

“You were right,” Baekhyun runs his hands up to Chanyeol’s hair, brushing a few stray locks into place, “I make things difficult for you. I’m sorry.”

 

Chanyeol shakes his head, and Baekhyun smiles sadly, then turns away, disappearing out the door. Completely baffled, Chanyeol stands there, contemplating whether he should go after Baekhyun.

 

He decides against it; he’s too incensed to try and make things better now. But obviously he’s done something wrong, though he still has no idea what.

 

He decides he has a day to figure it all out so he can hopefully fix things.

 

When he returns to Baekhyun’s seat to gather his things, he notices Baekhyun’s jacket laying across the back of the chair. He sighs and lifts it into his hands, pulling it around his body. His hands slip into the pockets, and he blinks, taking Baekhyun’s iPod into his hands.

 

It takes him a couple minutes to decide, but when he finally chooses to listen, it’s done reluctantly. The headphones slip into his ears, and his finger lingers over the play button for quite a while.

Finally, he presses down, shuts his eyes, and listens.

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow comes too slowly, and Chanyeol spends the entire night thinking of a way to apologize for whatever it is he’s done wrong. He has a couple of decent scenarios in mind, but it’s all for naught; Baekhyun isn’t there.

 

It’s the first time since Chanyeol first saw Baekhyun in his window seat in the corner that Baekhyun has been tardy, and it puts Chanyeol’s nerves on edge.

 

 

The afternoon wastes away, and Chanyeol’s eyes keep glued to the door, waiting.

 

He decides to order Baekhyun’s Americano for him, as a sort of repentance, but ends up drinking it, and two more, himself.

 

Baekhyun’s iPod is in his clenched hands, and eventually he pulls the headphones to his ears, filling his head with the same song over and over again until the café closes, and he’s forced to leave, alone.

 

 

 

 

 

The next day, Baekhyun is missing again.

 

And the next day.

 

And the next.

 

 

 

 

 

The weather warmed all too quickly, though Chanyeol barely noticed.

 

But when the days began to feel shorter again, the difference was unmistakable, and he began to feel more wistful than usual, like his vacant brain was suddenly filled with too many thoughts for him to handle.

 

He keeps his sanity by one thought in particular, a certain optimism about the future that he hopes, he dreams will come true.

 

 

 

 

 

“Sir, the usual?”

 

Chanyeol nods indifferently, staring out the windows of Café Reve to the streets of Seoul. He reaches into his pocket, where Baekhyun’s iPod is safely kept, and unwinds the headphones, placing them carefully into his ears. His eyes shut, and after a long, deep breath, he hits the play button, and waits.

 

To Chanyeol, it feels like a dream. Undistinguishable conversations linger in the café’s thick rosemary-scented air behind him, and Chanyeol sits comfortably alone in the corner, not too far from the kitchen, where the sun lightens his skin through the café’s front window.

 

It’s a bit too cold outside for Chanyeol’s liking, and he’s glad he’s kept in the sanctuary of the warm café, even if alone.

 

The nostalgia was the source of his obsession, though he continually blames it on the coffee.

 

…a tall, steaming Americano, foamed at the edges, its scent all too alluring and – reminiscent…

 

 

---

 

A/N lol

ok first let me thank you so much for reading this
secondly, i know it may seem kind of odd like 'why did baekhyun leave?' but i promise you i have a reason

if you get it then <3
if not i can post an explanation ;o;

EDIT; see next chapter for explanation

anyway im working on a krisyeol oneshot rn and also another baekyeol one and a kaisoo one but orz i cant find the inspiration
i da naaa guiseee. but this one i actually finished so im pretty happy wheee~

ok sry ill shut up orz

wowwzz i havent been on aff in so long how are you guise hahahAHhaha

comments are amazing ; u ;