(a/n) Sorry that it took so long to update. I forgot to update this weeks ago. I really apologize. heehee. btw. I decided to make this a multi-shot. Please be guided accordingly :>

It was yet another fine morning at the school. The sun was up but the dry, humid weather made everyone uncomfortable. Being wet due to perspiration was the least concern of Byun Baekhyun, a typical teenager who’s often type casted as nerd, since he has nothing but books—yes, I meant school textbooks.

He was at the rush upon entering the gates, successively running through the skimpy hallways and racing towards the stairs up to the 3^rd floor of the building. Finally, he reached the classroom, panting heavily as he clasped the door knob, slightly pushing the door forward and intentionally entered.

“Byun Baekhyun!” A voice came in as he was inside the room.

A well-statured, formally-dressed man greeted him with a call for attendance. Fortunately, he stood there, present, and gestured that he was in fact—present. The teacher’s façade was beaming disappointment, but nonetheless turned away from looking at him and proceeded with the roll call. Baekhyun gritted his teeth as he strode to the direction of his desk. Along the way, feisty stares of his classmates were observed as he heaved exhalations due to all that running. As one may have guessed, he was a loner, but not a complete isolation.

“Baek, walk faster will you?!” Kyungsoo, his adorable, but cheeky best friend called him out with an irritated face.

“You’ve been the center of attention since last week. What’s up?” He added a discreet nag as soon as he came near.

“I’m busy doing my research. You wanna know my progress? I just finished searching for the chemical synthesis of—“

“Shush! The word chemical itself is making my head crack! Stop making me look like an idiot with all these.” The former interrupted the latter before he’s in into the subject he knows nothing of.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! It’s just that—“

“I got it, yeah? You’ve done well! Applauses for you, Baek.” The chic-boy turned in a sarcasm statement since he knows too well that his best friend won’t stop talking when he’s that excited.

“But—“

“No more ‘buts’, Baek. Look The class about is about to start, and Sir Kris wouldn’t like if you’re talking otherwise during his subject.” For the last time, Kyungsoo quickly interjected Baekhyun’s attention while he gave a wry smile towards the boy in front of him.

“Class, today we shall talk about Demography. My first question would that of population. What’s your stand about overpopulation?” The teacher, Kris, threw out a boring question which made a lot of students to doze off.

Baekhyun, turned his stare away from their teacher in exasperation and glanced towards the windows where a large football field lay. He never did like the Social Sciences, more ever, he resented that dreary subject. He noticed a bunch of well-built, healthy men who were obviously athletes. They were tall and seamlessly enthusiastic about what they were doing, in short—he admired them for their dreams but hated them for something else.

“Psst.” An elusive sound came from the back.

The auburn-haired guy already knew that it was his best friend who was wooing him.

“What?” He inquired warily.

“Our football team’s amazing, don’t you agree?” Kyungsoo stated boldly.

“Yeah, I guess so. They got the championships last year.” Lifeless, he told his opinion to his friend.

“But I believe they’ll win again this year! Now that Chanyeol is back.” The smile of Baekhyun’s best friend darted sheepishly at him.

“Wait wha—” . His eyes widened at the statement.

“Who’s that?” Baekhyun counter-reacted after gathering his wits.

Baekhyun had never felt liking someone before—nor he did not consider that relationships were possible. It was just he could vividly remember Chanyeol from the moment he saw him at the field. It was just a typical day, but he decided to skip his club duties to read his newly purchased books while trying to catch a fresher air to breathe. The excited young boy was so engrossed with his reading that he did not realize that he was already walking straight past the field. He heard a certain chant—this was not a normal chant since it was only from one source. Confused, he deliberately wanted to know who it was.

Peeking from the right side of the field which nested the benches, he saw a tall, young man beaming with energy, practising football on his own while loudly screaming his chants. He was that kind of a character who can be hyperactive. Baekhyun was just observing—he does not play bad (instead he had a good footwork), he did look like he enjoyed what we was doing and in the last sense—he  was that good looking. The awestricken boy could only stare blankly in all that he had witnessed and how much appeal the athlete exudes. Even at the extent where the sportsman was perspiring profusely, he was still dashing.

Baekhyun did not know that he was gawking dauntlessly. One of the members of the team—probably one of the athlete’s teammate called him to have a break. As the nerdy teenager was listening earnestly, he already knew that this guy was Chanyeol. He was not sure if he really admired the kid as he denies it himself—but one thing’s for sure, he wanted to know more all about him.

He never told exactly how he came so interested with that guy to the point that even his bestfriend, Kyungsoo, doesn’t know. He wanted to keep it to himself, let alone being embarrassed into liking someone whom he thought was impossible to reach.

“What? You don’t know Chanyeol? I have feeling that you’ve been missing half of your life. He’s the ace player of the team!” Kyungsoo exclaimed at the most possible calm manner as to not disrupt the class.

“That’s cool. Another dumb one.” Baekhyun led out an indirect jeer. He shuddered at what he just said, but he had no choice but to go unnoticed and it seemed real.

“Oh gosh, Baek. You seriously need to fix your eyeglasses to see how attractive that person is.” His best friend raised a brow, went in silence and focused on the lecture in disbelief.

Soon after, the day went by so fast. The sophomore’s class started with Social Studies where they learned about the demographics of the different countries, and dismissed the day by solving word problems in Mathematics. Baekhyun’s thoughts were circling about the news he had just heard. The boy just kept popping inside his head like bubbles endlessly. He needed an escape—the only way was to continue his proposed research.

---

As Baekhyun exchanged goodbyes with his best friend, he knew for a fact that he needed to go along with his research. This time, he got an overnight permit to use the library. He believed that the searches he made using the worldwide web was not enough basis to his study. While others considered the library a graveyard for the misfits or a bedroom extension; Baekhyun considered it as haven for those who wanted authentic facts.

He got a table at the far edge of the room where the ventilation is at its best; finally he found a good spot and left all his resources there. He instantaneously began roaming around the humungous book shelves that enveloped him. Past the narrow passages in between the large shelves, he skimmed through the titles until such time that he found books of similar concepts in contrast that of what he’s searching. Like a boss, he settled in and half-heartedly sat on the soft, carpeted floor to make re-runs of the pages.

All in all, he decided to use ten books as far as his overnight was concerned and began the thorough reading. Baekhyun was such a nerd up to the extent that he looked stunningly addicted to what he was doing. It was already 7:00 in the evening when he realized that he had already finished researching with 3 books and that the main lights of the library went off—only his desk lamp, notebook and air-conditioned units were consuming the school electricity. The night had just started, and looking beyond the glass windows near him, he noticed that rain was pouring so hard. The once clear, starry night sky turned grey and was blanketed with visible fog. Thundering claps and sounds made it much worse. Continuous heavy rains such as this could cause flash floods at worst case scenarios.

‘Not my priority’, he thought, since he got until tomorrow to settle down inside the library. He then pushed through with his reading ignoring the furiousness of the skies. Simultaneously, he was eating his packed dinner as he was browsing. Surreptitiously, he took some notes, wrote them down and studied carefully the points he might have missed.

A sudden rattle stopped the teenager from continuing on his work. The sound became distinct rather than occasional which made it more obvious that there’s someone inside the library besides him. He was of course, curious as to whom this fellow could be. But to his horror, there’s one thing Baekhyun was afraid of, that is—ghosts. It might sound funny and all, but at the irony of it all, he’s much more frightened of the unseen rather the seen. Temperature felt like it dropped, which in turn, made him shiver at the fear.

Baekhyun was in deliberate dilemma on how to deal with the stranger who was creeping him out inside the library. Subtle footsteps proved that he was not alone.

“I know I should be alone at this hour.” He thought to himself.

He quickly slid out of his seat to come across the source of the rattling sound, holding a huge dictionary, if in case he needed some self-defense-- he was ready to throw it like a mad-man.

As Baekhyun was carefully prancing on tip-toes to avoid making noticeable sounds made him look comical as he was striding to the other end where the sound was believed to be heard.

When he got to the spot, he saw a person lying down the hard-pressed floor of the room; half-masked with an open book to his face and to his relief— it’s not a ghost. As much as he doesn’t have any idea what to do he gawked for like 5 minutes. Without nothing much to do, the body twitched enormously. At the scene, the stranger took notice of Baekhyun and immediately got up to his feet.

Surprisingly, a familiar figure registered before him. It was surreal as it was impossible to happen—but there he was, standing in front of him; grinning with his charming, oval-shaped eyes. Literally whimpering at the sight, but still dignified, Baekhyun was facing the great Chanyeol.