First off I want to apologize for such a long hiatus. I never expected to be taking so much time between updates for my fics. I put this on a backburner for some reason, but yesterday I was transferring all my fics to AO3 and I reread this. I wondered why I'd abandoned this. I really enjoy writing it. Anyway, here's a new chapter! More to come. It won't be as long as I originally thought! I just need to answer a few questions for Chanyeol and we'll be good. :)

~~~~~~~~

“Go with you to your planet?” Chanyeol repeated blankly, his eyes blinking down at Baekhyun. “How will that solve anything? How will that convince you that I had nothing to do with this? It sounds to me like you just want to make me uncomfortable.”

“Fine,” Baekhyun replied, turning away from Chanyeol abruptly. “Keep your distance from me. Don’t talk to me. Don’t even look at me, and we’ll get along just fine.”

“Baekhyun!” Chanyeol protested. “Come on, don’t be like this.”

“I tried to like you, Chanyeol, I really did. I tried to befriend you. You didn’t like me since the beginning, and you never tried to hide it. You’re the one who said you’d do anything. I said what it would take to earn back my trust, and you refuse to do it.” Baekhyun threw a look over his shoulder. “I get it. You’re afraid. Fine, then, be afraid. But don’t expect me to be okay with living with you after last night.”

“Last night had nothing to do with me!”

“Whatever you say, Chanyeol. It shouldn’t matter to you so much what I believe.”

“It matters because I don’t want to be blamed for something I didn’t do. I was in a closet having accidental with my friend Sehun, how was I supposed to know what happened when I wasn’t even there?” Chanyeol snapped in frustration. “I don’t want to go to your planet and get some crazy alien disease that’ll kill me, or have some human hating alien attack me.”

Baekhyun turned around completely, leaning his against the wall. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” he asked quietly. “You really think those things could happen.”

“It happened in the past! Europeans went to America and got all the Indians sick, and they all died. All of them. There’s no more left,” Chanyeol said.

“That’s bull and you know it. Let’s, just for a second, think about this planet. Think of all the war wages all the time. The millions of people that have been murdered for a single man’s ideas on what the world should be. Exo has had one war in its entire history, and that was because we were enslaved by an alien race and we rose up to fight them, and won. Your DNA is nearly identical to mine. Your scientists have published countless articles about the differences and similarities between our two physiologies. Your DNA is closer to mine than it is to any animal on your planet.” Baekhyun took a few steps toward Chanyeol, a determined, angry look on his face. “Do you know why that is? Because we’ve BEEN here. My people. Thousands of years ago. We came here and visited your planet, and we interacted with your ancestors, and who knows how many of my people decided to stay. They probably mated with your ancestors. You probably have alien in you!” He prodded he center of Chanyeol’s chest, and looked up at him with his clear, ice-blue eyes shining.

“Do not,” Chanyeol said quietly.

“And not to mention that your human doctors have studied humans who have visited Exo and come back and they are perfectly healthy! Our medicine is much better than yours. We can cure and heal things that humans can’t even attempt to cure and heal yet. All I want is to expose you to a different type of world.  Somewhere new. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“And this is the only way you’ll forgive me for something I didn’t even actually do, right?”

“The only way,” Baekhyun replied.

“Fine,” Chanyeol said with a deep, heavy sigh. “Fine, I’ll go.”

Baekhyun smiled brightly, his eyes no longer glowing with anger. They were replaced with a happy light. He practically skipped across the room to his dresser to get pajamas.

“I’m going home this Friday. Pack for a weekend, and we’ll leave after our classes end for the week,” he said.

“What’s the weather like on Exo this time of year?” Chanyeol asked glumly.

“Same as here,” Baekhyun replied. “Do you need to use the bathroom I need a shower.”

“No, I’m good,” Chanyeol replied, and watched as Baekhyun skipped off into their shared bathroom. Somehow, he felt like he’d just lost a battle of wills against Baekhyun. Did aliens have some sort of weird telepathic ability to make people obey them?

The week passed entirely too fast for Chanyeol’s peace of mind. It seemed like one day his alarm clock was waking him up for his Monday classes, and the next his Friday class was coming to a close. It was almost like his professors were conspiring against him, too. They barely assigned any homework for the week. That had been his last hope, that he’d have so much homework Baekhyun would take pity on him and reschedule for a later date.

As it was, when he opened the door of their room, very quietly, it was only to see Baekhyun chattering happily on his phone.

“We’re leaving as soon as he gets back from his classes. Yeah, I have the paperwork ready for him to fill out. He has an ID already issued from the school, so it’ll be fine. Yes, dad, I understand. I’ll make him dress professionally. Of course I’ve been on my best behavior, father.” Baekhyun grabbed his backpack, peeking inside it one last time before he zipped it closed. Chanyeol stepped into the room and cleared his throat. “Oh, he’s back. I’m going to hang up, okay? I’ll be home soon. Yes, father. Goodbye.”

“Your dad knows I’m coming?”

“Yes, he knows. I called ahead and made sure it was okay to bring a friend over. Listen, there’s something I want to tell you. My dad is kind of… Strict. I mean, he’s nice and all, and he’s excited you’re coming because you’re human and he thinks it’ll set a good example for inter-world friendships, I guess. But you’re going to be a little overwhelmed when we get there. Just be ready, okay?”

“Trust me, I’m ready to be overwhelmed,” Chanyeol replied, grabbing a few books and zipping them up in his bag. His duffle bag was already packed, so he slung it over his shoulder. “I’m ready when you are.”

“Okay. There’s just one more thing. Could you fill this form out with your name, birthday, home address, and contact information for your mom, if anything happens?” Chanyeol must have looked terrified, because Baekhyun rolled his eyes and continued. “It’s standard. Everyone has to fill one out, just in case something happens. Like an accidental broken bone or a vehicle accident. Accidents happen on my planet, too. Your injuries would be taken care of on Exo, it would just be best to report the incident to your family.”

“You’re really not making me feel better,” Chanyeol said as he grabbed a pen and scribbled the information down. “How do we even get to your planet? Is a space ship coming?”

Baekhyun looked up from his phone, his eyes dull. “Are you serious? A spaceship? You do realize how stupid that was, right? If we actually flew vessels to your planet from mine it would take like 400 years. We’re using a wormhole.”

“A wormhole? Like in science fiction stories?”

“Sort of. There’s a teleporter set up in most large cities now. We’ll go, give them your paperwork, I’ll show them my ID, and they’ll activate the teleporter. It is powered by wormholes, and it literally takes five or six seconds and we’ll be in the central part of our capital city.”  

“So where are we going?”

“Incheon Airport! Let’s go go go!” Baekhyun grabbed Chanyeol’s sleeve, and pulled him out of the room. It was a short walk to the bus station, and about fifteen minutes later, they were getting off the bus at the airport. Of course Chanyeol had seen the airport before, but since the last time he’d been there they’d added an outdoor line that led to a large, circular platform underneath a crystal arch. The arch was glowing with a faint blue light. The line was pretty long, but the wait time wasn’t. It only took a few moments with each person and they were gone through the arch and the next person was called forward.

Baekhyun had his scarf pulled way up his face, covering his nose, even though it wasn’t particularly cold or windy. The people around them seemed to be mostly human, as far as Chanyeol could see. They were talking about how excited they were to be visiting Exo.

When it was their turn to go through, Chanyeol handed his paperwork to the man at the computer station, and his information was stored in the computer. Baekhyun handed the man his ID and pulled his scarf down. The man peered at Baekhyun with interest before handing the ID back and motioning them to get on the platform.

Chanyeol was shaking as he walked onto the platform, steeling himself under the beautiful arch. Baekhyun stood next to him. He was actually grateful that the arch could transport a few people at once. He’d have hated to make this trip alone.

There was a bright flash of light, a warm, soft light, and suddenly the ground was gone. Light flashed around him like strobes at a party, and he had a very uncomfortable sense of weightlessness that made him feel like he was going to vomit. He clenched his eyes shut, hoping it would pass quickly. After moments, the ground was back. There was the sound of flowing water around him, and the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was a beautiful, clear creek flowing around a small raised hill. There was a bridge leading across the creek. The water was very…. Alien. It was light purple. The rocks shined like pure silver.

“There he is!!” A sudden voice called out. Chanyeol thought for a split second they were talking about him, until he realized that the people gathered on the other side of the bridge were all staring and pointing at Baekhyun. “Baekhyun!!! Baekhyun!!”

Chanyeol glanced down at Baekhyun in confusion. He’d removed his scarf and tousled his hair, and he was smiling happily at the girl waving at him. “Friend of yours?” he asked.

“Sort of,” Baekhyun replied.

“Alright everyone, back up, yes, it’s him, he’s home,” another voice, slightly annoyed, said. “Give him and his friend space.”

A slight-of-frame pretty boy pushed through the crowd and started making his way across the bridge. Baekhyun saw him and squealed happily, practically throwing himself into his arms. Chanyeol figured this was the person he’d been talking on the phone with a few weeks back. They laughed together for a few seconds, making Chanyeol feel very awkward, until Baekhyun turned back to Chanyeol.

“Chanyeol, this is my bodyguard, Luhan. Luhan, my roommate, Chanyeol.”

“Bodyguard?” Chanyeol repeated, accepting the handshake Luhan offered.

“I’m more than a bodyguard, Baekhyun, you wound me. I’m your other half.”

“Yes, of course,” Baekhyun replied with a roll of his eyes. “And I appreciate that you wore your tightest pants for me.”

“Anything for my Baekhyun.” The two laughed again and Chanyeol tightened his backpack straps around his shoulders. “Anyway, the car is waiting, lets head that way. Your father is waiting.”

Luhan led them both across the bridge, and the girls all squealed and cried Baekhyun’s name, reaching for him, but still being respectful enough to keep their distance and not touch him. Baekhyun smiled at them all, taking a few moments to answer quick questions, mostly about how his time on Earth had been so far, and how he was doing. He allowed a few girls to touch him, but they were past the small group rather quickly, and led to a vehicle that looked like nothing Chanyeol had ever seen before.

It was hovering. And made of mostly what looked like glass, but shimmered like crystal. He allowed Luhan to help him put his bags in the trunk of the vehicle mostly because he was too busy staring at all of the sights that he hadn’t noticed before. The sky was an orangeish peach color, and there was a large moon, so big he could make out landmasses on it from where he stood. The trees were swaying in the wind, which seemed to whistle like music. Everything was beautiful and clean.

“I’m surprised there aren’t more people waiting here for you. You should see the crowd at the house. They’ve been gathering outside the gates since this morning,” Luhan said from the front passenger seat. The driver nodded.

“Aw, didn’t anybody tell them when I was coming?”

“Yes, we made sure they knew. They wanted to wait anyway just in case you came early,” the driver said with a laugh. “Hi, by the way, thanks for saying hello to your old friend.”

“Hi, Yixing!!!” Baekhyun reached his arms around the headrest of the seat and hugged the driver tightly. “Did you miss me? I sure missed you, you y er.”

“Yeah, I missed you, and your pretty lips.”

“Jesus, Baekhyun, how many people are you sleeping with?” Chanyeol asked, his eyes going wide. Luhan, Baekhyun, and the driver all started laughing.

“Gross, I would never sleep with either of them. We’ve all known each other since we were very small. Besides, it’s not like it is on Earth here. We don’t really do lovers.”

“Especially not, Baekhyun, he’s a precious little flower.”

“Shut up, Luhan. Oh look at all the people, how sweet.”

Chanyeol peered out the window in front of him, surprised to see gates leading up to an absolutely enormous building. People were everywhere, peering at their car as it approached. They seemed to sense that it was Baekhyun, because they started jumping around and cheering.

“You live here? Oh my god, it’s enormous,” Chanyeol said.

“Well, their house is actually only the east wing. The rest of it is the capitol building,” Luhan replied casually.

“Your family lives in the capitol building?” Chanyeol asked, an eyebrow raised in question.

“Where else would they live? His dad is the president.”

Thunderous silence met Luhan’s words, and Chanyeol stared at Baekhyun, his eyes the size of dinner plates. Baekhyun picked quietly at his fingernails.

“Your father is the president? The president of what exactly?”

“His dad is the president of Exo,” Luhan said, eyeing Baekhyun in disapproval. “He’s actually the most loved president this planet has ever had. Baekhyun, you didn’t tell him? How could you not tell him? No wonder he looked so freaked out by all the fans.”

“It didn’t really come up.”

“Your father is the president of this entire planet and you didn’t think to tell me!?” Chanyeol said, his jaw dropping. “What the hell, Baekhyun!”

“He’s kind of a big deal here, too. Baekhyun single handedly started a charity foundation for orphan children. He got a lot of attention a few years back for his philanthropic work,” Yixing said helpfully from the front seat.

“Can we please stop talking about me, it’s making me uncomfortable,” Baekhyun said. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, it just didn’t ever seem like the time. And you didn’t know anything about me. That’s what I like the most about Earth. Nobody knows who I am. I can pick my nose in public and it won’t end up on the front page of some tabloid.”

Chanyeol couldn’t stop eyeing Baekhyun curiously, wondering what else he didn’t know about the boy. Charity work, huge fanbase of crazy screaming girls, and a father who was a prominent political figure. He had a feeling that this weekend was going to be rather full of surprises.