Baekhyun strolls past the fireplace where the group sat on their first night, past the place where he and Chanyeol first shared a kiss and past the small beach bar in which the boys worked. He sighs and takes place on one of the logs before the fireplace. “Baek.” A deep voice booms from behind him. It makes Baekhyun chuckle. “Go away, Chanyeol.” It sounded harsher than he intended it to be, but he’s satisfied with the angry tone in his voice. He’s angry, isn’t he?

“Please hear me out, Baek, I did something really really stupid, I know exactly what you feel right now and-“Baekhyun stands up and faces the taller male in front of him. “You know what I feel? Please, don’t make me laugh Chanyeol.” “But I-“

“You have absolutely no idea what it’s like for me, right in this moment, to look you in the eye and to not break down crying. I lost you at the ing party, which you invited me to! Then I get to hear from this guy that you took off with someone else, someone that is not me. But I didn’t believe him, so I went to your house and when I get in I hear the following things;” Baekhyun took a deep breath and moaned in a high pitched voice. “Oh Chanyeol, harder, oh, oh Chanyeol!”

Said male bend his head, staring at the ground. “I’m sorry, Baekhyun. I’m so, so sorry. I got drunk, I didn’t know what I was doing, I- I never meant to hurt you like this, we were supposed to go home together and we-“ “Just stop.” Baekhyun says. When Chanyeol looks up he sees the elder with tears rolling across his perfect cheeks. “Just leave me alone.”He whispers. “No, please, just hear me out.” “YOU TOLD ME THAT I WAS DIFFERENT, CHANYEOL!” Baekhyun suddenly yells, his hands balled into fists and his teeth clenched. “I actually believed you, I should’ve known, after all everyone warned me for you.” Baekhyun manages to chuckle to himself and shrug his shoulders. “You have to keep up your reputation, don’t you?” The elder starts to walk back to the street but Chanyeol grabs his wrist and pulls him back. “Don’t leave me, please don’t do this to me.” “Let go.” “I love you.” AT those words, Baekhyun turns his face and stares at the younger one. “ off.” He hisses, yanking his wrist from the other’s grasp and makes a run for it.

Chanyeol was scared that Baekhyun would break his heart, but right now. It was the other way around.

--

Chanyeol got back to his place sooner than he’d hoped; he explained everything to Kyungsoo and Jongin. “I’ll go and talk to him.” Kyungsoo said, heading out the door with hurried steps. “Want me to come with you?” “No stay here with Chanyeol, Just don’t punch him in the face again, okay?” Jongin nods. When the door slams shut, he turns to his best friend and places a hand on his shoulder. “It will be okay, we know that you need a little help regaining your old life. Especially since what you know who pulled on you.” Chanyeol nods and smiles at his friend. “I told him that I love him and he told me to off, does that sound familiar to you?” Jongin chuckles and walks towards the living room and turns the television on. “You said the exact same thing to her back then.

They kill time by watching a random chick flick on the television until Jongin receives a text. “.” He curses. “What is it?” “Chanyeol- I- Baekhyun is gone.” Jongin says, his face pale and eyes wide in shock. “What do you mean?” Chanyeol looks confused, his mind not really grasping the words that just came out of Jongin his mouth. “He went home.” The younger one says.

Before they know it, Chanyeol grabs his car keys again and both of the boys run outside. Chanyeol’s pretty sure that he broke every traffic law in the world as he speeds down the high way towards the airport. “Kyungsoo’s already there, he can’t find him.” “Tell him to look for the ticket service, he needs to get a new flight home since it’s not the return date yet.” He hears Jongin type something on his phone before he pushes it back into his pocket. “We’re almost there.” The oldest growls as he takes the turn towards the departure halls.

“The lady behind the ticket desk told me that Baekhyun went through customs a few minutes ago, I’m sorry Chanyeol.” Kyungsoo is panting and Chanyeol knows that he tried everything in his power to stop the other male from leaving, without success.

“Thank you, Kyungsoo.” He places a hand on the other’s shoulder and squeezes it slightly. “Let me drive you guys back.”

--

Baekhyun takes place onto his seat and switches his phone off, he leans against the small window, watching how the country gets smaller and smaller with every kilometre that they go up into the sky. He feels tears b at his eyes again. Sniffing and rubbing his eyes, he feels something soft against his wrist, when he looks up, he notices the little girl next to him with a napkin in her hand. “Please don’t be sad, I’m sure that one day you’ll go back!” She chirps, it makes Baekhyun smile again.

When he arrives at home again, the apartment is quiet and empty, he has 8 missed calls from Kyungsoo, 3 from Sehun, 5 from Tao, 10 from Joonmyun 4 from Yixing and 10+ from Chanyeol, he unlocks the screen and hovers his finger over the ‘delete contact’  button, which he eventually clicks with a sigh. “I love you.” I love you to. “ off” “I hate you, park Chanyeol, I HATE YOU!” He yells, falling onto the couch as he starts crying again.

Days go by and when his friends return, it’s almost the end of their summer holiday, so Baekhyun focuses on school, no one brings up the Chanyeol subject and Kyungsoo told Baekhyun that he and Jongin are official. He’s happy for his friend, he truly is, he just wishes that happiness would come to him and stay by his side.

Days turn into months and months turn into years, Baekhyun and his friends all graduate high school and Baekhyun totally forgot about Chanyeol. He never found someone else though, he was content with his single life and his friends support him all the way. He’s reminded of the taller male however, when Jongin suddenly shows up at their doorstep, bouquet of flowers in his hand and 4 cards in the other and 4 other males standing right behind him. “Congratulations, you guys.” They say, Jongin hands Baekhyun his card. “Kyungsoo, your boyfriend is here.” The elder yells, watching at Kyungsoo emerges from the kitchen with a confused expression. “Oh god, Jongin!”He cheers when he sees the tanned teenager. “Congratulations baby.” Jongin whispers before kissing the elder on the lips.

Baekhyun can’t help but smile at the scene and the other scenes playing all over the living room, apparently, everyone stuck with they’re summer crush from 2 years ago except for him. He turns to the still open door and finds the hallway empty. A wave of disappointment hits him as he closes the door.

“He wanted to come, He didn’t have time to.” Jongin says with a small smile. “What do you mean?” Baekhyun gives him a blank expression and doesn’t miss the way Kyungsoo pokes Jongin into his ribs. “Never mind.”

Baekhyun opens the envelope in his hand and fishes the card out. It’s a homemade postcard with a picture of all of them on the beach. He can’t exactly remember when this picture was made, and he notices why when he sees himself staring lovingly at the tall brunette next to him, the two of them holding each onto each other closely. He smiles and opens the card.

“Congratulations, Baekhyun! Let’s rock society from now on!

Lots of love, Xiumin, Chen, Kris, Luhan, Jongin and Chanyeol.”

Jongin doesn’t miss the tear that escapes Baekhyun’s eye neither the way he clutches the card into his hands and presses it against his chest.