---

 

Baekhyun woke up with a mile headache and a painful nape. And he doesn’t really normally wake up with a mild headache and a painful nape so from the moment he opened his eyes, the whole world started to irritate him. He sat up slowly, brushing his nape, while wondering how he got into Chanyeol’s clothes again. Talking to himself wouldn’t answer the question though. He dropped his feet on the floor and searched for the slippers. When he found them under the bed, he quickly put them on and walked to the door after hearing voices. As soon as he opened the door and the voices became clearer, it occurred to him that Chanyeol’s not alone in the living room and that the person he’s talking to is none other than Zhang Yixing. He amazed himself at how he can still recognize that voice even after three years. Then again, he’s known Yixing for more than that. He slammed the door shut and quickly regretted doing that.

 

“What’s that?”

 

“Oh, it’s Baekhee. She must have woken up already,”

 

“I see. Do you want to call her down?”

 

 

Please say no please say no please say no

 

 

“Nah. She’ll come down when she wants to.”

 

 

Thank you!

 

 

Baekhyun sighed in relief. The two continued talking so he took it as a sign to start…escaping. He ran and opened the door in Chanyeol’s balcony. He stared down the ground to see how high it is. He cursed when he noticed the living room’s window under the balcony. So he had no choice but to climb down from the side or else he’ll be seen.

 

“Alright Baekhyun,” Baekhyun breathed. “You can do this. You like living dangerously, right?” He stretched his arms and hopped lightly. When he felt like he’s ready to climb down, he threw his slippers on the ground first and then pushed himself carefully to the other side of the balcony while holding on tightly on the railings. He tried to avoid looking down even though it wasn’t that high but how the hell is he gonna do that when looking down is the only way of knowing how far he still has to go? Anyway, he needs to be careful and quiet or else his life will definitely end on that moment.

 

He hasn’t done this before know so he’s not so sure about the outcome.

 

Anyway, he started climbing down slowly, holding on to whatever he can hold on to every step so he doesn’t land and fall and—

 

His feet landed on a wet surface and he ended up falling to the bushes with a loud thud and a very painful ‘Aw!’.

 

“What’s that?”

 

“I don’t know.” He can hear Chanyeol’s footsteps getting closer to the window so he rolled deeper into the bushes. A pause. “I see nothing. Must be the neighbor’s dog,”

 

I CURSE EVERYONE ON THIS PLANET!

 

Baekhyun whimpered silently while holding his due to the pain. He slowly sat up. Figuring it would take at least an hour of him lying down before he can fully move around without his hurting, he just started crawling to his house’ back door, the entrance to the laundry room. He crawled and crawled and crawled and snobbed Brad Pitt who was judging him from afar before standing up when he was close to the door and rushed inside, surprising a Luhan who was doing laundry.

 

“Hi,”

 

“What happened to you?!”

 

“Shh!” Baekhyun walked to the window. From his view, he can see that Chanyeol was opening the door and that Yixing was walking out. So, Baekhyun ran out of the laundry room, ran back to call Luhan to come, and ran to the living room.

 

“What is it?” Luhan asked, a pile of clothes still hung on his arm, while following Baekhyun to the living room.

 

Baekhyun was hiding himself behind the curtains while peeking on the small hole he made in between the curtains. “Look here,” He moved aside to give Luhan space.

 

Luhan made a bigger hole to see clearer. He can see Chanyeol conversing with someone in front of his house and he wasn’t sure if that’s what he was supposed to see so he turned to Baekhyun who was now sitting on the couch. “What am I supposed to be looking at?”

 

“The guy Chanyeol’s talking to,”

 

Luhan looked back. “Uh…he’s cute? And familiar. Definitely familiar. I feel like I’ve seen him before,”

 

“It’s Yixing,”

 

“Yixing—what?!” Luhan gasped. “What is he doing here?”

 

“Van der Gilt deal and all,”

 

“Oh right,” Luhan closed the curtains and walked to the other couch to sit. “Wow, you’re in some deep trouble if he finds you here.”

 

“He won’t find me here. He probably doesn’t even care anymore,”

 

Luhan smirked. “Are you alright with this?” Baekhyun glanced at him. “With Chanyeol and the Van der Gilt deal and all? If he gets that deal, there’s going to be more connection between the Park Industries and your father’s company. It won’t be long until Chanyeol finds out who you really are,”

 

To be honest, I haven’t thought about that.

 

Because I never really imagined this day would come.

 

The day I’d be stuck between my feelings and other people’s.

 

Like,

 

Can’t I atleast get a warning?

 

Damn.

 

Baekhyun sighed. “I have to tell him the truth, don’t I?”

 

“Unless we have another option,” Luhan shrugged. “That’s your only choice,”

 

Baekhyun pressed his fingers on his forehead. “Oh god. I don’t like making decisions early in the morning,”

 

Luhan chuckled and stood up to pull Baekhyun up. “Come on. There’s breakfast on the table,” He pulled Baekhyun with him to the kitchen. “And it’s already 10 AM by the way. This is the second time you slept in,”

 

“I had a headache when I woke up,”

 

“Aww. Good for you,”

 

“You’re impossible,”

 

After Baekhyun started eating, Luhan went out when he heard a car pass by their house. He saw Chanyeol walking back to his house so he immediately called him to come. Chanyeol was hesitating but after Luhan mouthed that Baekhyun’s inside, he immediately walked towards him.

 

Chanyeol found Baekhyun on a chair, his legs folded on his chest, while slowly eating his cereal.

 

“Baekhyun?”

 

Baekhyun turned to him.

 

“How did you get here?”

 

“I crawled down your balcony?”

 

“You crawled down my balcony?” Chanyeol repeated. “Why?”

 

Baekhyun shrugged. “I felt like imitating Frodo,”

 

“Chanyeol, you want some cereal too?” Luhan asked while opening he fridge.

 

Something was odd. Chanyeol was the first to notice. But he convinced himself that a lot of odd things happen in the morning. “Cereals?”

 

Baekhyun smirked. “Luhan can’t cook,”

 

“Shut up,” Luhan said while pouring Chanyeol a bowl of cereal and milk. He pushed the bowl to Chanyeol and a glass of water followed. “Here you go,” He immediately left to take care of the laundry he almost forgot.

 

“Thanks,” Chanyeol watched Baekhyun eat lifelessly until he noticed the faint scratches on Baekhyun’s hand. “Where did you get those scratches?”

 

Baekhyun dropped the spoon and raised his hand a little higher. He shrugged. “Probably when I was climbing down your balcony,”

 

Luhan came back and placed the first-aid kit on the table.

 

“Let me see,” Chanyeol leaned closer.

 

Baekhyun hid his hand. “It’s fine,”

 

Luhan can feel the atmosphere starting to get awkward. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and proceeded to sit on the chair in between Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s. “So, how was the party last night?”

 

Chanyeol quickly leaned back on his chair. “It was great. Though it felt weird going without Kai and Sehun. Normally, we would start getting crazy. Last year, we were so drunk, we ended up sleeping on the fountain,”

 

Luhan chuckled in amusement. “No way! Even Sehun?!”

 

“Hihi, yeah. Gyuri made him drink.”

 

“Okay, now I know why he’s like that,” Luhan continued chuckling.

 

Baekhyun cleared his throat.

 

“Are you done?” Luhan asked.

 

“This cereal tastes awful,” Baekhyun stated while snarling. “Is it already outdated?”

 

“I just bought it yesterday when we were in Gangnam!”

 

“You went to Gangnam?” Baekhyun and Chanyeol asked in unison.

 

“With Sehun,”

 

“You went to Gangnam with Sehun?!”

 

“W-why are you guys so surprised?”

 

Chanyeol grinned. “Oh so that’s why he skipped the party. He was on a date with you,”

 

“It wasn’t a date!” Luhan argued.

 

Baekhyun was laughing. “Luhan you’re blushing! Are you imagining something?”

 

“Shut up! You’re supposed to be on my side!”

 

“Not in this one,” Baekhyun continued laughing. Chanyeol actually felt relieved to see him laugh. It’s his most favorite sight in the world. “So how was it?”

 

“I told you it wasn’t a date!” Luhan shrieked.

 

“Whoa, calm down soldier,” Chanyeol said with a slight chuckle.

 

Before Luhan can even speak, the phone rang and seeing as it was a perfect time to avoid further talking about the topic, he immediately stood up to answer. 

 

“Wah,” Baekhyun watched him go. “He avoided the subject,”

 

“Huh, then that means he’s guilty,” They look at each other and started laughing out of the blue.

 

It feels really good to laugh with you.

 

Baekhyun turned to the doorway when he saw Luhan walk back in. “Who was it?”

 

“Huh? Oh nothing,” Luhan smiled awkwardly.

 

“Oh! By the way Baek,” All heads turned to Chanyeol then who sounded really excited about something. “I talked to the representative earlier—the whole deal kind of slipped off my mind—and realized the banquet is four days from now. So, we have to leave for London as soon as…tomorrow,”

 

Baekhyun paused.

 

Huh?

 

WE?

 

LONDON?!

 

TOMORROW?!

 

Baekhyun felt like his head is about to explode with all the unexpected events coming all at once. “Wait—what do you mean by we?”

 

Chanyeol shrugged. “You’re my fiancé, of course you have to come. And it’s not just because of that, Baekhyun, I need you there. You make me stay on focus.”

 

Baekhyun gulped. “I…I can’t come,”

 

“What? Why not?”

 

“Because I…” Baekhyun glanced at Luhan to seek help.

 

Luhan thought for a moment before finally coming up with a legit excuse. “He’s got motion sickness!” Chanyeol turned to him. “In airplanes.”

 

“Motion sickness?”

 

“Yeah…I throw up, a lot,” Baekhyun added. “Like, a lot,”

 

“Well, you can just sleep throughout the travel,”

 

“I can’t. Chanyeol, it happened before. Even though I want to sleep, I’ll just wake up because my stomach will feel weird then I’ll throw up non-stop,” Baekhyun was almost surprised at how straight he can say the words even though they were a complete lie. Then he remembered for three years, he’s been living his life everyday by lying to other people.

 

“But I need you there,” Chanyeol was close to pleading. Baekhyun knew this type of conversation always gets him into trouble, he doesn’t remember any time he said to someone who was asking for his presence like what Chanyeol is doing. But every damn time he doesn’t, he always ends up in big trouble. “With me,” Chanyeol added.

 

“I’m sorry, Yeol. I can’t come. Besides, I wouldn’t want to embarrass you in front of the other passengers. You have a reputation,” Chanyeol frowned. “Hey,” Baekhyun leaned closer and pinched his cheeks. “I’ll still support you from here. I’ll watch the banquet on TV. It will be broadcasted live, right?” Chanyeol nodded.

 

Luhan smiled and decided to leave quietly.

 

“But still…”

 

“Stop acting like a baby,” Baekhyun poked his lips. “Smile, idiot.”

 

“You’re mean,”

 

“You’re one to talk,” Baekhyun slapped Chanyeol’s cheek softly. And Chanyeol responded with a laugh.

 

--

 

“Sorry about your car, man,” Kai apologizes with a painful groan. Apparently, after his confrontation with Luhan last night, he got kicked out just before dawn. He ended up in a 24/7 café just near the subdivision with a ing headache and found Sehun chilling out, waiting for that cleaning shop nearby to finish cleaning his car. Guess he’s pretty lucky too. “I am ing not drinking again…damn this ,”

 

Sehun smirked. “Serves you right. When was the last time you drank beer, anyway?”

 

“I don’t know. Last year? During Gyuri’s party. Man, it was so embarrassing.”

 

“If you were embarrassed, then what about me?!”

 

“We were the same age that time, ,”

 

“Hey! Is that how you treat the owner of the car you threw up in?!”

 

Kai rolled his eyes. “I apologize, your highness,” He placed his head on the cold table and closed his eyes, hoping for the pain to go away. It ing like hell.

 

“I think you need medicine,”

 

Kai turned his head to him. “Ya think?”

 

“Whoa, chillax man.” Sehun held his hands up. “I’m the one who’s sober enough to walk to the pharmacy and buy you a medicine. Be nice,”

 

Kai glared. “Please, your highness,”

 

“Wow, I’m nice today,” Sehun stood up.

 

“I feel like it’s only today,” Kai murmured. He heard the café’s door chime ring and figured Sehun already left so he buried his face in between his arms whilst still placing them on top of the table. The sun was starting to hurt his eyes. He had a sudden flashback and finally remembered why he stopped drinking beer after that unfortunate aftermath at Gyuri’s party. He had the same massive headache afterwards he actually thought of replacing his head with a horse’ just because.

 

He has to go and apologize to Luhan somehow. And probably explain himself too. He’s not so keen about surprises so maybe he kind of overreacted when he found out about Baekhyun’s family history. Though he doesn’t remember much about the things he told Luhan last night, he can still remember talking about Baekhyun.

 

But first, this headache has to go.

 

“Kai?”

 

Oh great.

 

Kai turned his head slightly and saw Yixing walking over the table so he immediately sat up, though squinting a bit because of the light.

 

“What are you doing here? Are you okay? You don’t look so good.”

 

“Hangover,” Kai replied. “Sorry you had to see me like this. I don’t usually drink,”

 

“No need to explain,” Yixing assured. “Have you taken some medicine?”

 

“Not yet but my brother already went to buy one,”

 

“You have a brother?”

 

“Yeah, remember that kid who picked you up at the airport?”

 

“Oh that’s right! I almost forgot about him!”

 

As if on cue, the door chime rang and Kai saw Sehun walk in with a bag from a nearby pharmacy. “He’s here,”

 

Yixing turned to see. “Hi,”

 

“Uh, hi there?” Sehun replied awkwardly.

 

Kai cleared his throat. “Sehun, you remember him right?”

 

Sehun nodded. “Uh, yeah, Yixing, if I’m not wrong?”

 

“And Sehun, if my memory still serves me right,” Yixing said with a smile while holding out his hand. Sehun nodded and sat down on the chair next to Kai.

 

“You’re still a student right?” Yixing asked while watching him take out the medicine from the bag.

 

“Yep. Engineering,”

 

“Cool! I know someone who also aspires to be an Engineer back in England. What year are you in?”

 

“Oh, I’m graduating this year,”

 

“What a coincidence! He’s also graduating this year!”

 

“Really? I know a lot of people graduating this year,” Sehun murmured and of course, received a kick from Kai under the table and a warning stare.

 

“Anyway, Yixing, what are you doing here?” Kai asked, switching the topic.

 

“Oh, I had a meeting with Mr. Park Chanyeol,”

 

“So you finally met him, huh?”

 

Sehun leaned closer to the table. “How was it? Did he accidentally throw a knife at you?” A snicker followed.

 

“Not really, no knife, but close,” Yixing grinned. “It was a remote control,”

 

“No way!”

 

“Yeah, it landed on my head. Kai warned me about him being clumsy though. Said I have to take precautionary measures when I meet him,”

 

Sehun turned to Kai. “You warned him?”

 

Kai sighed. “Dude, the first time I met Chanyeol, I fell on a manhole,”

 

“Oh that’s right,” Sehun nodded. “The first time I met him, he was painting something on the school’s corridor—don’t even ask why he was painting— he accidentally hit the paint bucket, and it landed on me. I walked around the school spreading colorful rainbow dusts everywhere for one day.”

 

Yixing snorted. “You guys serious?”

 

“We don’t joke about these things,” Sehun said while chuckling. “Man, I’m hungry. Waiter!”

 

Kai snickered. After drinking the medicine, Kai sat back up and massaged his neck. “Damn, this really ,”

 

“I have a tip for you,” Yixing put his arm on the table and placed his chin on his hand to support his head and leaned closer. “Never drink again,”

 

“Got it,” Kai stretched his arms. “Do you always go around places making friends with Vice Presidents or what?”

 

“This has nothing to do with my job. I like making friends too. It’s better than making enemies,” Yixing smiled. “Besides, I’m wearing normal clothes today. You can’t talk about work to someone who’s dressed up normally.”

 

“Really? Is that a requirement now?” Kai chuckled. “So you make friends with Wu Industries too?”

 

“Nah, I’ve dealt with their CEO before.” Yixing nodded. “Yeah, you people are more interesting,”

 

“Are we now?”

 

“Hey guys, you wanna order something too?”

 

Kai and Yixing turned to the waiter who had already arrived beside their table. Kai, on the other hand, was a bit surprised. “You again?”

 

Sehun squinted at the waiter. “Oh right! You were at that coffee shop too! The one who poured a bucket of water to Baekhyun!”

 

“You were at the club last night too!”

 

“And that Exotic Restaurant!”

 

“Are you like in every shop here in Korea?”

 

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes. “Are you going to order or not?”

 

“Uh, I’ll have a cheesecake,” Kai said.

 

“You’re hangover and you’re eating a cheesecake,” Sehun asked in a mocking tone. “I’ll have hot coffee,”

 

“How about you?” Kai turned to Yixing.

 

“No, I’m fine, I already ate,”

 

Kai turned back to Kyungsoo. “That’s all,” Kyungsoo nodded and walked back to the counter to punch their orders.

 

“Can you excuse me? I have to check on my car’s condition nearby,” Sehun stood up. He walked away as soon as Kai reassured him it’s fine.

 

Kai sighed heavily. “So, Yixing, I hope I’m not crossing any line here but I just want to ask,”

 

“What is it?”

 

“About Elliot,”

 

Yixing stared down blankly as soon as the name was mentioned. Kai doesn’t really have any idea of the relationship the two has but it’s hard to stop being curious when he knows something. He at least has to know where to stand or which side to take because first of all, it’s not his problem, hell he doesn’t even have anything to do with it. But he knows these people and he knows something important about these people, it’s hard keeping a blind eye.

 

Yixing smiled at him. “What about him?”

 

Kai cleared his throat. “I’m just wondering if…what if you find him here?”

 

Yixing fiddled with his fingers. “Uh, I don’t know? It’s been more or less three years. I’m not going to keep my hopes up. It’s good if he’s alive but I doubt he’ll be more than happy to see me.”

 

“What was your relationship exactly? If it’s okay, I mean, it doesn’t really concern me.”

 

“He’s a friend,” Yixing answered with a genuine smile.

 

“Well, won’t you want to see him again?”

 

“Kai,” Yixing said sternly. “We’re tired. I’m tired of searching and he’s probably getting tired of hiding. We already did everything we can. It’s his choice if he wants to come back. It’s not like it’s going to make a difference anyway. Even if we do find him, there won’t be any difference. He’s not coming back. That’s it.”

 

In all honesty, Kai wasn’t ready to hear that kind of answer.

 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have,”

 

“It’s okay, been here, done that,” Yixing chuckled. “Also, I have to go.”

 

Kai smiled at him. “Sure, busy guy,”

 

“See you when I see you,” He stood up and waved slightly before walking to the door.

 

--

 

“Wait,” Baekhyun stopped in the middle of helping Luhan fold his clothes. “What do you mean Anastasia is not from Disney?”

 

Luhan sighed, still preoccupied in making sure his clothes are folded right. “I mean, Anastasia is not from Disney.”

 

“But she’s a princess!”

 

“B, not all princesses are from Disney.”

 

“Really? Name one except for Anastasia then.” Baekhyun crossed his arms and started waiting.

 

“Well…” Luhan walked around the couch for a moment, secretly praying that a name will appear in his mind, because in all honesty, he doesn’t know any other princess that is not from Disney except for Anastasia and he ing hates it whenever Baekhyun’s right. “There’s Jennifer Lawrence.”

 

Baekhyun snickered. “Oh right. Yeah. Congratulations!” Sarcasm at its best. Baekhyun shook his head and continued folding until he took hold of an unfamiliar shirt lying around Luhan’s clothes.

 

“Well, she could be a princess,” Luhan argued while organizing the whites from the colored ones. The couch was immediately occupied with all of Luhan’s clothes.

 

“Hey, Lulu?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Remember when we promised to tell everyone each other everything?”

 

“Of course. 4^th of July. Wow, I even remembered the date.” Luhan chuckled softly. Baekhyun hid the shirt behind him and walked closer to Luhan who was still busy organizing his clothes. “Why? What’s wrong?” Luhan glanced at Baekhyun and finally stopped with what he was doing when he noticed Baekhyun is looking at him suspiciously. Then again, almost everything Baekhyun does is suspicious so he has to think outside the box and….there it is. “What’s behind your back?”

 

“Nothing,” Baekhyun answered simply. “Or maybe something.”

 

“Baekhyun,”

 

“It could be a…jar. A vase. A pillow?” Baekhyun said. “Or a t-shirt.”

 

Luhan stared.

 

And…

 

Wait for it.

 

Wait for it…

 

And Luhan jumped on Baekhyun who immediately backed way. “GIVE IT TO ME!”

 

“NO!”

 

Luhan grabbed Baekhyun forcefully, causing Baekhyun to trip and fall and they just fall down altogether with a loud thud while their bodies twist around each other while one grabs and the other avoids. “BAEKHYUN!” Of course Baekhyun wouldn’t let Luhan touch the shirt no matter what so he just keeps on pushing Luhan away.

 

“WHY DO YOU HAVE SEHUN’S SHIRT?!” Baekhyun yelled.

 

“THAT’S NOT SEHUN’S SHIRT!” Luhan yelled back and pulled Baekhyun’s hair.

 

Baekhyun kicked Luhan on the face and climbed up the couch. “YOU’RE HIDING SOMETHING!”

 

“I AM NOT HIDING SOMETHING!” Luhan immediately jumped on the couch in attempt to snatch the shirt. He grabbed Baekhyun’s shirt and pulled him while Baekhyun kept on pushing his hands away. “BAEKHYUN!”

 

“GET OFF!”

 

And now they’re just randomly clawing each other.

 

Like cats.

 

Pretty harmless cats.

 

And the couch gave up and they fell down again. “AHH!”

 

A loud thud but not a painful one. Obviously because they landed on the couch.

 

Chanyeol and Sehun barged in then, looking very alarmed.

 

“What happened?”

 

“Are you guys alright?”

 

Baekhyun and Luhan looked at them from the ground, panting. “He has Sehun’s shirt.”

 

“That’s not Sehun’s!”

 

Baekhyun lifted his hand and showed him a torn cloth from the shirt that says OH SEHUN 12.

 

Chanyeol looked at Sehun.

 

“It’s my departmental shirt. For intramurals.”

 

Luhan groaned in defeat.

 

“You had a catfight because of his shirt?” Chanyeol asked. He helped Baekhyun stand up by pulling him up from the ground carefully.

 

“No, someone wasn’t saying anything to someone.” Baekhyun stated with a hint of anger while limping to the kitchen.

 

“You’re limping?” Luhan asked.

 

Baekhyun stopped on the doorway and turned to Luhan. “No, I’m running.” He started walking to the kitchen again. “Running, running, running,” Chanyeol immediately followed him inside.

 

Sehun knelt down beside Luhan and grabbed his now torn shirt. “You tore my shirt,”

 

Luhan rolled his eyes. Feeling something painful, he looked down on his forearm and…le gasp.

 

“YOU SCRATCHED MY FOREARM!!!”

 

“YOU PULLED MY HAIR!!!” Baekhyun yelled back from the kitchen,

 

Sehun looked around. There’s not much to describe what happened to the living room to be honest. Except that there’s a hole on their couch and Luhan’s clothes are scattered all around the place, including the floor, on top of the TV, and on the windows. “Wow,” Sehun breathed. He’s seen worse but not in this place.

 

Luhan finally sat up then leaned on the couch. “Oh great,” He sighed. “Now I have to start all over again,”

 

Sehun decided to help him this time.

 

--

 

“You alright?” Chanyeol asked, leaning on the doorframe.

 

“Yeah,” Baekhyun moved his foot in a circular pattern after sitting down on a chair. “What’re you guys doing here?”

 

Chanyeol snapped a finger. “Oh right. Sehun and I are going to the mall. He needs some materials for a project. I need to buy formal clothes. We were going to invite you guys. Maybe you want to come.”

 

“I want to but I can’t.”

 

“Why not?”

 

Baekhyun raised his foot. “I’m injured.”

 

“HEY BAEK!” Luhan suddenly popped out from the doorway. “YOU COMING?”

 

“I’m injured.”

 

Sehun peeked behind him. “Baekhyunnie hyung, are you coming?”

 

Baekhyun smirked.

 

“What?”

 

--

 

“For the record, I’m an engineering student, not a masseur.” Sehun said.

 

“Ever thought about changing course? You’re doing a great job.”

 

“No, I’m graduating,”

 

“What if you’re not?” Baekhyun said seriously that Sehun stopped massaging his foot because mmixed scenarios started playing on his head like tomorrow he’ll find out he failed and then he’s going to have to change courses but he doesn’t want to so he won’t and then the next thing he knows he’s in McDonald’s greeting people from behind the counter. Baekhyun slapped his arm playfully. “Oh relax! I’m only joking.”

 

Sehun gasped. “Hyung!”

 

“Well, aren’t you cute?” Baekhyun smiled.

 

Yeah, due to unexplained circumstances, from Baekhyun’s boredom to Sehun being a tad bit gullible, Baekhyun ended up coming and Sehun ended up forced to massage Baekhyun’s foot on the way to the mall.

 

Poor Sehun.

 

But this is Baekhyun we’re talking about.

 

Besides, Sehun doesn’t call anyone hyung except for Baekhyun.

 

Which made him a perfect victim for Baekhyun.

 

So in a way, he brought it to himself.

 

Hohohohoho.

 

Luhan opened one lollipop he found on Chanyeol’s compartment and placed it inside his mouth. “Wow, you have a lot of sweets here. Lollipops, candies, bubblegums…”

 

“It’s for the kids,” Chanyeol answered, eyes remained on the road.

 

“Why are they hidden here?”

 

“Because…”

 

“BECAUSE THEY’RE BAD FOR CHILDREN!” Baekhyun finished for him and Chanyeol just nodded. Well, not that it’s worth arguing about that now. They almost got into an accident because of that. It wasn’t really one of their fondest memories during their travel with Yuan to the ski resort.

 

Luhan turned to them from the front seat. “Not when they like it.”

 

“That’s what Jiyoung said,” Baekhyun retorted. “And she loooooves Disney,”

 

Luhan rolled his eyes and turned back to the front.

 

“Hey Baekhyun, are you sure you don’t want to come to London?” Chanyeol asked out of the blue. “With me?”

 

“I knew you invited us to come so you could keep asking.”

 

“They have castles?” Chanyeol tried again, though it was futile given that he was never really one to convince Baekhyun anything.

 

“That statement would be more relevant if you were actually talking to Luhan,”

 

“Hey!”

 

Sehun looked up with a confused face. “Wait, why don’t you want to come to London? With Chanyeol?”

 

“He has motion sickness,” Chanyeol answered with a sigh.

 

“Do…the castles move?”

 

Baekhyun and Luhan turned to him, flabbergasted. The thing about Sehun is all though his age is not that far from them, he acts like it is, and he puts it into action, and so the misconception of young Oh Sehun who’s graduating is that he’s dumb and that everything he says doesn’t make sense. At all.

 

“What?” Sehun asked, blinking.

 

“We’re talking about the airplane!”

 

Sehun hissed. “Right. I missed that point,”

 

“You miss every point,” Luhan commented.

 

“Well, Baekhyun hyung, if you have motion sickness, I don’t think it’s going to be a problem in airplanes. An airplane doesn’t really move that much, its speed and direction always remain constant…except when it has to turn of course, so yeah.”

 

Chanyeol clicked his tongue. “He said it already happened before,”

 

Baekhyun just stared at him. It took a few seconds before Sehun actually noticed the awkward silence.

 

“We kind of studied about it last year…the relativity of the machine and the person operating or riding it. It was pretty cool.”

 

“You actually listen to class?” Luhan asked close to laughing.

 

Baekhyun shooed him away. “Anyway, what’s your point?”

 

Sehun went back to massaging Baekhyun’s feet. “My point is if you have motion sickness,” He slowly looked back up. “Why aren’t you throwing up now?”

 

And there was what they call an it-kinda-makes-sense moment where everyone’s eyebrows are crooked while their minds play on their own. Baekhyun likes Sehun better when he doesn’t talk. At all.

 

“It’s just airplanes,” Of course, Baekhyun was fast to answer.

 

“Oh, you have to be more specific hyung. Motion sickness has several types, car sickness, sea sickness,” Sehun shrugged. “Airplanes…so it’s airsickness huh.”

 

“Why does this concern you?”

 

“Nothing,” Sehun grinned.

 

“Alright, we’re here,” Chanyeol announced while slowly parking the car.

 

Baekhyun carefully lifted his foot up to the ground, nodding when he only felt a slight pain until it was nothing at all and gave Sehun a pat of gratitude. “You should really reconsider being a masseur,”

 

Sehun gasped. “I’m graduating!”

 

Luhan hopped off the front seat and opened the door for them. “Your foot’s fine?”

 

Baekhyun walked out of the car and started hopping. “Yep, very,”

 

The mall wasn’t fancy and huge which is great because Baekhyun’s actually getting tired of seeing tall buildings and large infrastructures. Given his height, he doesn’t feel really proud, especially when walking around with these people who are a lot taller than him. Especially Chanyeol the giant noodle-head.

 

“ARCADE!” Sehun yelled as soon as they were inside. “BAEKHYUN HYUNG LET’S GO!” Without a warning, he grabbed Baekhyun’s hand and ran to the arcade, leaving Chanyeol and Luhan to stare at them dumbfounded.

 

“Are you okay with that?” Luhan asked Chanyeol.

 

“Yeah, I told him to do that,”

 

Luhan stared in confusion. “Huh?”

 

“Come on,”

 

--

 

It turns out that the reason why Chanyeol asked Sehun to snatch Baekhyun and separate from them is because Chanyeol brought a camera with him and they’re in a film-developing shop and he developed all the photos he took during his trip with Baekhyun at the Skii Resort. Luhan was more than happy to have the honor to browse through the photos without Baekhyun to stop him and claw at him.

 

“Wow, these are cute,” Luhan commented while looking through the photos where Baekhyun is dressed up. The next photos he saw are photos of Baekhyun with Yuan. He was starting to feel a little sad since there were no photos of Baekhyun and Chanyeol taken together. They just kept on walking, with Chanyeol eating some kind of street food he found at the mall and Luhan looking at the photos. He likes it. He likes seeing Baekhyun smile. He won’t admit it to anyone because it’s embarrassing but he really like Baekhyun’s smile. And he’s sure he’s not the only one who feels that way given the amount of candid and stolen photos of Baekhyun Chanyeol took. “A lot of candid huh,”

 

“Yeah, I couldn’t help it,” Chanyeol admitted. “He gets mad when I take a photo of him when he’s not dressed up or something.”

 

Luhan chuckled. “He doesn’t like that.”

 

“But he’s a model?”

 

“He’s only comfortable in front of the camera when he has make-up on and is dressed up.” Luhan placed the photos back inside the folder. “It might not be obvious but he’s really…how do I say this? Conscious. Yeah. He’s conscious about his appearance.”

 

Chanyeol snorted. “That’s absurd.”

 

“I know. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to say this but…it’s kind of because of what happened after his mom died.” Luhan sighed heavily. “It’s something his uncle said. He was still a kid back then. He’s really cute and pretty. He got his mom’s looks. It was during the funeral. It was the first time he met his mother’s brother and it wasn’t really the fondest of his memories. His uncle was a jerk.”

 

Chanyeol looked at Luhan this time. “Why?”

 

“Yeah, well, everyone’s saying something like ‘aww what a cute kid’ or ‘you got your mother’s looks’ or even ‘you’re very pretty like your mother’ and then here comes the uncle who said ‘you may be pretty but you can’t save your mother’s life’ and…there it is.”

 

Chanyeol gaped. “What an .”

 

Luhan shrugged. “Well, it happened. He feels the need to cover up himself all the time.”

 

They stop on the railings and decided to hang around. They’re at the second floor so they can see the ground floor and see Baekhyun and Sehun walking out of the arcade area. Luhan can feel Chanyeol staring at Baekhyun but there’s nothing much he can say. They watch as Sehun pull Baekhyun to a candy store and then a minute later they walk out with two bags of sweets. Then afterwards Baekhyun pulled Baekhyun to a CD store and then they come out with a bag full of Girls’ Generation merchandise.

 

“You really love him, don’t you?”

 

Chanyeol huffed. “How can you tell?”

 

“Because you can last an hour just staring at him,”

 

Yes, it’s been nearly an hour. Sehun and Baekhyun are sitting on a bench now. It’s funny how they didn’t think about visiting the second floor but it’s understandable with all the sweets they bought. There was even a little girl who joined them at one time. Then her mother came and scolded the two of them and Baekhyun pointed at Sehun and then the mother scolded Sehun even more. Oh poor kid. It actually looked like Sehun was a e and that Baekhyun is just another one of his victims.

 

Chanyeol snickered. “You’re one to talk.”

 

Luhan turned to him. “What?”

 

“Come on,” Chanyeol started walking and Luhan immediately followed.

 

--

 

 

“You guys actually like these things?” Baekhyun said as soon they set foot inside a shop that sells the world’s best formal suits and whatnot. “Tuxedos and suits and stuff? They’re boring.”

 

“Here we go.” Luhan murmured.

 

“I mean, for example when you attend a seminar or something and you have to wear a suit and then everyone’s wearing a suit, I don’t even know how they differ to each other, they all look the same, and then the speaker will be like talk talk talk yadda yadda yadda and then you fall asleep and then the speaker will be like ‘you are very disrespectful! If you didn’t want to listen then you should’ve gone outside!’ but if you do that’ll be very disrespectful too and how are you going to keep yourself awake then? The speech is boring and the clothes are even more boring!”

 

Chanyeol, Sehun and Luhan sighed in unison. They’re kind of used to Baekhyun’s complaints every now and then but complaining about the suits inside a shop that sells them and yelling it loud is not okay in so many levels. Sehun decided to walk to another direction to avoid more of Baekhyun’s nonsense arguments with himself (or maybe the air, nobody really gives a ). Luhan just stayed on the same place and waited for Baekhyun and Chanyeol to walk away—because Baekhyun also doesn’t give a about everyone and just randomly follows anyone in front of him while talking.

 

“Another example is in the Church! During mass! I mean it’s supposed to be a celebration and we’re not supposed to clap nor make noise! I mean, hello?” Baekhyun threw his hands on the air.

 

Chanyeol paused from looking through the suits hung on one rack. “Baekhyun, all I’m asking for today is your opinion about the suits I’m going to wear in London, can you manage that?”

 

“Of course I can,” Baekhyun smirked. “But I won’t.”

 

Chanyeol groaned and started praying to the gods.

 

“I mean, what opinion? They all look the same.”

 

“They don’t look the same.” Chanyeol argued and went back to looking.

 

“Why don’t you just wear something different from what the CEO of Wu Industries will be wearing?”

 

“What Kris will be wearing?”

 

“Kris, right, that’s his name, Wu Kris, I didn’t know that…until now…his name.” Baekhyun cleared his throat. He looked around and…immediately regretted even mentioning the name because speak of the devil. “Nevermind.”

 

“What?”

 

Baekhyun immediately turned around.

 

“Well, well, well…”

 

Chanyeol paused. Oh boy, that is one familiar voice, too familiar his blood is starting to boil of hatred. He turned around and alas! Son of the devil. “Kris.”

 

“Chanyeol.” Kris smirked and looked at the brunette hiding behind Chanyeol. “And Baekhyun.”

 

Chanyeol glances to Baekhyun then to Kris and repeat in confusion while Baekhyun slowly turns. “Hi.”

 

“Fancy seeing the both of you here, what are you buying suits for?” Kris asked in a mocking tone, possibly trying to offense Chanyeol, which is futile, because Chanyeol is already boiling with hatred. “Oh! That’s right. The Van der Gilt deal! Tsk tsk tsk. I forgot you exist.”

 

Kris has this reputation everywhere. Even though he’s just standing there, looking at you, he looks like he’s picking a fight with you, which is not unlucky altogether since if you do pick a fight with him, one look on those eyes and poof, you’re gone. The thing is, Kris’ eyebrows make him look like some angry bastard who doesn’t get any form of satisfaction just by living that even when he smiles he looks like he’s plotting something evil to end your life. So even in this instance where he’s just talking, it’s ing annoying as hell.

 

“Shut up,”

 

“Whatever tiger,” Kris held his hands up and walked a few steps back. “Anyway I don’t have time to feed your…jealousy so…I don’t know? The best of luck.” And…he winked at Baekhyun. “Bye Baekhyun.”

 

Baekhyun glared at him. SS.

 

“What was that?” Chanyeol asked him in disbelief and…he’s obviously pissed.

 

“What?”

 

“You’re friends now?”

 

“We’re not friends…we’re mutual friends. I know someone he knows,” Baekhyun chewed on his lip. “You?”

 

Chanyeol rolled his eyes and walked away, leaving a dumbfounded Baekhyun. “Wait, Chanyeol! Where are you going?” Chanyeol acted like he didn’t hear him and instead continued walking. Baekhyun had no choice but to run after him. “Chanyeol! Wait!” But as soon as he was out of the shop, two men approached him.

 

“You in need of a job?”

 

“No!”

 

“But you look like you could use some.”

 

“I don’t need a job! Get out of my way!”

 

However, two other men appeared beside him and gripped his hands tightly, to the point where resistance is futile.

 

“What are you doing?! Let go of me!”

 

“Just come with us. This will only take a moment.”

 

“NO! LET ME GO!”

 

It all happened so fast. One minute hwas being dragged by a few hands and the next Chanyeol appeared out of the blue and punched the man in front of Baekhyun, shakening the others who witnessed, causing their grips on Baekhyun’s hands to loosen. Chanyeol immediately pulled Baekhyun to his side and stepped forward to provoke the others who in turn decided to run away.

 

Baekhyun’s face was flustered and his breathing was unstable due to the shock, but none of it mattered. He held Chanyeol’s hand and softly caressed the wounds. His hand was shaking. It seems like those men aren’t the only who’s scared. Chanyeol is starting to scare him.

 

--

 

In the end, the two of them went back to the car first while Sehun and Luhan continued to shop. Luckily for them, Baekhyun left a few Band-Aids and disinfectant on the compartment in case Yuan got injured during their trip. They kept the door open for some air since they decided not to turn on the engine yet. Baekhyun is standing in front of Chanyeol, cleaning the wounds. There was an unfamiliar silence, something Chanyeol couldn’t recognize if good or bad.

 

“Say something,” He finally said, eyes still fixed on Baekhyun’s auburn hair as his head was lowered.

 

“You’re an idiot,” Baekhyun murmured. He grabbed the Band-aid to put on Chanyeol’s wounds. “Does it hurt?”

 

“No, not when you’re treating it,” Chanyeol continued to stare at Baekhyun, as if he’s trying to familiarize his beauty, and he’s not even sure to what purpose. He just felt like he needed to and he can’t help it but stare. He lifted Baekhyun’s chin up and there he saw it—the fear, the worry, lingering around Baekhyun’s eyes. “Are you scared?”

 

Baekhyun pushed his hand away and lowered his head.

 

“Baekhyun—“

 

“I’m sorry. I don’t know….you were mad and then that happened and you got even more mad…” Chanyeol hears Baekhyun sniff then, and he felt like a knife was cutting through him. “I’ve never seen you that mad. It’s…scary. I’m sorry.”

 

“Hey, it’s not your fault.” Chanyeol touched his cheek. “You know they said that if a person keeps on crying, the tears will wash the skin away and that person will end up faceless.”

 

Baekhyun chuckled. “Idiot.”

 

“There you go.” Chanyeol grinned and pinched Baekhyun;s cheeks.

 

“Park Chanyeol!”

 

--

 

They ended up going back first and they never really bothered texting Sehun or Luhan until they arrived at the subdivision which was a little careless of them. Anyway, since Luhan was the one who brought the keys, Baekhyun couldn’t go inside his house and grab his clothes so stayed inside Chanyeol’s, wearing his shirt, where Chanyeol was more than happy to lend. It wasn’t something new anyway. The house felt a little quieter without the kids so to fill in the silence, Chanyeol started singing random songs while packing his things.

 

“SHUT UP!” Baekhyun yelled from the bathroom. After Chanyeol saved him from the s, he can only repay him by helping him pack his other necessities.

 

“Oh come on, you like my voice,”

 

Baekhyun walked out of the bathroom with a bag full of Chanyeol’s bathroom necessities and threw it on him. “I would be lying if I said so,”

 

Chanyeol attacked Baekhyun with a hug and threw him on the bed. “YA!” Before Baekhyun can even stand back up, Chanyeol started tickling him. “HAHAHAHAHA—CHANYEOL—HAHAHAHA—STOP—HAHAHAHAHAHA! PARK CHANYEOL!”

 

Baekhyun’s laugh was music to his ears.

 

“Say you like my voice first!” Chanyeol said while grinning evilly.

 

“NO—HAHAHAH—IT’S UGLY—HAHAHAHAHA! CHANYEOL STOP!” Baekhyun kicked Chanyeol’s stomach and pushed him to the edge of the bed but Chanyeol grabbed him at the last minute so they still fall together on the floor. “AW!” Baekhyun opened his eyes and realized he was sitting on top of Chanyeol and Chanyeol’s just lying there, staring deeply at him. His breath hitched, like he wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come out. He was doing the same; staring back at him. It was then that Baekhyun started to appreciate Chanyeol’s face, his little twitches, his goofy smile, those round eyes, his everything. That one thing that will always make him smile no matter what.

 

“Baekhyun, listen, last night…I told you something…but you were asleep,” Baekhyun watched as Chanyeol lips move on its own. “I just wanted to—“

 

And it was like slow motion, when Baekhyun pushed himself up and pressed his lips on Chanyeol’s. In a moment Chanyeol could feel his breath disappear, his heart was pounding and he felt as if it was going to explode. Because he’s right there, and it’s happening, Baekhyun is kissing him. Kissing him. It didn’t feel like how he imagined it to be, it felt more than that. It felt like the sun and the moon rose together, and the world was covered with blue and yellow lights and it felt so majestic, so out of this world. His heart felt like it was shooting fireworks everywhere, pretty fireworks, the kind Baekhyun likes. Baekhyun’s lips are soft, like cotton candies and marshmallows.

 

When Baekhyun pulled away, he buried his face on Chanyeol’s neck, his spine bending down a little and his hands rested on Chanyeol’s chest where he felt the taller’s hearbeat pounding as fast as his. “I heard…” He murmured in hot breath. “Last night…”

 

Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile, so wide, as he rests his hand on Baekhyun’s back, the other on the shorter’s torso, hugging him, and never letting go. He would never let go. Never.

 

And that was the moment Baekhyun knew.

 

--

 

When Luhan walked inside the kitchen the next day at mid-noon and found Baekhyun still on Chanyeol’s clothes, staring outside, on the sky, while sitting near the sink, he didn’t know what to feel. “You sure it’s okay with you not going to the airport to send him off?”

 

Baekhyun nodded but his eyes remained outside. “Yixing’s there,”

 

Luhan sighed. He grabbed a cup of coffee and walked to the sink. “Here. Maybe it can help clear your mind.” He left Baekhyun alone then and walked to the bathroom.

 

The sky was beautiful.

 

Until the plane passed and he can only lean closer to the window.

 

It felt so close yet so far.

 

And Chanyeol’s gone.

 

He sighed to himself. He doesn’t have any idea what will happen in London, maybe something will happen that’ll change both of their lives forever.

 

Is it selfish for me…

 

To wish for no change?

 

For everything to stay the way it is?

 

Because in all honesty, if given a choice, he’ll choose this life than the other.

 

Because in this life, he’s actually happy. Really happy.

 

 

The doorbell rings then. He expected Luhan to answer but seeing as he was still in the bathroom, he didn’t have any choice. He jumped off the sink, carrying the cup of coffee carefully on his hands and opened the door.

 

His eyes widened.

 

His cup slipped from his hand, causing it to fall and break into pieces, the sound piercing his ears.

 

He gaped.

 

“Long time no see,” The person greeted with that same smile, that familiar smile. “Elliot.”

 

Luhan peeked from the door. “Baekhyun? Who is it—oh crap.”

 

 

Is it selfish for me…

 

To want to disappear?

 

 

---

 

 

A/N:

because you guys wanted a kiss

WHO DO YOU LOVE NOW

LMAO

okay

WHO WANTs TO KNOW WHY I CHOSE ELLIOT AS BAEKHYUN'S OTHER NAME?

:3

-gelie