“So let me guess, it’s about him again.”

“Who’s him are we talking about here?”

“You’re so dumb Jongin. Of course him, again!”

“Who’s him?”

“Were you even listening everytime Chanyeol delivers his speech of forlornness everyday?”

“Um—“

“If your dumb brain still doesn’t get it, we’re talking about Baekhyun! You understand now, you dip?!”

Jongin gets up from his seat and walks around the table to grab at Jongdae’s collar. “Yah! Who are you calling dip?”

Jongdae rolls his eyes, “Well obviously you, duh.”

“Cut it out guys, aren’t you supposed to be helping me?” Chanyeol resurfaces from under the table, his mop of a noodle hair doing no justice to his already miserable face.

Jongdae brushes Jongin’s hand off his collar and turns to their despondent poodle—friend—and crosses his arms over his chest. “So, what is it this time?”

Chanyeol lets out an exasperated sigh, his shoulders slumping right after. “I heard that Jung Daehyun confessed to Baekhyun earlier today.”

“Jung Daehyun?” Jongin asks as he returns to his seat, well, not before he whacks Jongdae at the back of his head. Hard. “Well that guy’s a total looker, not to mention he’s pretty popular because he’s got a pretty nice voice. Hey, did you hear that he’s going to debut under some popular entertainment some time soon? They say he’s going to be the vocalist of this boy band called BAP.”

“Wow Jongin,” Jongdae rolls his eyes once more before looking over at Chanyeol whose face has turned even more wretched. “You really do know how to comfort a friend.”

Jongin brushes his bangs to the side with his lips tugged in a smirk, “Damn right I do.”

Both Jongdae and Chanyeol looked at their friend whose oozing with dumb self-admiration and can’t help but shake their heads, muttering the same word under their breath: Idiot.

“Anyways, back to the topic. Why won’t you just confess to him? Tell him head on that you like him?” Jongdae asks and Chanyeol’s face turns horrid.

“Are you insane? I can’t just do that!”

“Why not?”

“He’s Byun Baekhyun! Math Club president, cheerleading captain, straight A student and resident Eyeliner Queen!”

“What’s there to be inferior about? You’re Park Chanyeol! Straight C student! President of the Artist Club and editor of the Daily Buzz!”

“And you can be lip gloss queen if you want, to counterpart Baekhyun’s.” Jongin adds.

Chanyeol fights the strong urge to face palm. “Thanks but no thanks Jongin, but I’d like to spare Baekhyun the title.” He rolls his eyes and turns to face Jongdae. There’s no point in letting Jongin join the conversation. “C grades won’t take me any closer to Baekhyun’s As and being Artist Club’s president might be nice if we’re not the only three members of the club. And not to mention we hadn’t able to publish anything for the Daily Buzz for seven months.”

“I think nobody cares to read it anyway.” The idiot quips once again.

Chanyeol never felt any smaller like this in his entire life. He’s 185cm for s sake! But whenever he thinks of the gap between him and Baekhyun, he feels no different from a piece of broccoli. Jongdae feels bad for his friend and he’d do anything to help him get the love of his life, but right now he’s far more disturbed of his other idiotic friend’s supposedly comforting awww-s in the background and he’s left with no option but to shove a whole bagel into Jongin’s mouth, sending him toppling off his seat.

There, all peace and quiet.

“Well if you really want to get him, you have to make a move to get him.” Jongdae slings an arm over Chanyeol’s shoulder.

“What should I do then?”

“Relax, brother.” Jongdae squeezes his right shoulder and escorts him out of his seat (away from some idiot named Jongin). Chanyeol turns quizzically to his friend and finds hope in the mischievous glint in Jongdae’s eyes. “We’ve got this all planned out.”

 

On Tuesday, the three are huddled once again on their isolated spot in the cafeteria, hunched over the table to design their plot for Mission: Breakfast Couple. As much as Jongdae despises it, Jongin is included for the planning committee after considering that the idiot’s actually the only one who’s in a relationship among them three. So, he supposes the idiot might give substantial ideas this time.

“Firstly, it’s a fact that women are easily lured. So, Chanyeol must do everything to lure Baekhyun—“

“Um, we’re missing the point that Baekhyun’s not a girl. He’s actually a guy with a large pe—“

“Too much info please, and besides you’re the one doing the courting so you’re technically the seme here—“

“I was actually going to say pen. You know, it’s well known he brings his big pen with him every—“

“Unless you want to be the uke? Ooh, didn’t know you’re the type to like it up in the .” Jongin says teasingly, poking Chanyeol’s side with his pen.

“UGH.” Jongdae groans as he pulls at his hair desperately. This is just getting unbearable. “It’s like I’m talking with a bunch of monkeys!”

Chanyeol and Jongin chorus with a defensive hey! but Jongdae merely rolls his eyes at them—okay, so now maybe Jongdae could be the Queen of Eye Rolls.

“Can we just go back to the topic?” Eye roll queen says exasperatedly and the two idiots miraculously shut up. “Okay, so, how do we lure women?”

“By magic?”

“You know, I was wrong. You’ll never give anything substantial into this planning. Just shut up, okay Jongin? That way you could be at least useful.”

“Ouch man, you’re stepping on my man pride.” Jongin mocks hurt, his bottom lip jutting, quivering.

“Don’t care.” He turns to Chanyeol and stares at him dead on. “Presents. You lure them with presents. Flowers, chocolates, jewelries, lingerie, anything!”

“So you mean I have to buy Baekhyun all of that?”

“If you really want Baekhyun to notice you, then yes!”

“Okay, I will!”

“First off, we’re going with the flowers. What flowers are you going to give him then?”

Jongin resurrects from his silent protest and shouts “Roses!”

Jongdae scrunches his nose, “Ew no, that’s too mainstream.”

“How about tulips?” Chanyeol asks.

“Tulips sounds good.” Jongdae nods his head approvingly.

“Then tulips they are!”

 

 

The next morning, Baekhyun founds three stems of pink tulip unconventionally stuck on his locker. He eyes the more or less damaged but still beautiful flowers and plucked them out, smiling to himself. At least it’s not the usual roses and daises. He feels the soft petals of the flowers between the pads of his fingers and notices the small card tucked at the center of one of the tulips.

“Roses are red,

Violets are blue.

I picked out three Tulips

‘cause I want to taste your lips.”

It was short but it was more than enough to paint a smile on Baekhyun’s face, but one thing that saddens Baekhyun was that there was no hint who the sender was. He has no clue whose artistic hands who wrote the greeting and what kind of guy was able to guess his favorite flower. Such a shame because whoever it was, he was able to bag a spot in Baekhyun’s delicate heart.

 

 

Chanyeol’s almost sure he cracked a bone when Jongin jumped him on the back. He almost crushes Jongin’s head with his own hands if it wasn’t for Kyungsoo tailing after his idiot of a boyfriend.

Patience, Chanyeol. Patience is a virtue.

“So, did it work? Did it work? Are you and eyeliner queen finally together?”

“Who’s eyeliner queen? Hi Chanyeol.” Kyungsoo asks as he takes the spot beside his hyperactive boyfriend.

“Hey Soo.” Chanyeol responds weakly before returning back in planting his face in the table.

“So I’m guessing it didn’t work.” Jongdae concludes the second he gets to the table. “Why?”

“I kind of forgot to write my name in the card.” Chanyeol mumbles against the table.

“Wow, you’re even more of an idiot than Jongin.”

“Okay, so I’m just gonna let you off the hook that you just called my boyfriend an idiot today, but who’s the one we’re talking about here?” Kyungsoo’s brows are knitted as he asks.

“Apparently, our resident poodle here—“ Jongin taps on Chanyeol’s shoulder, “—is in love with eyeliner queen Byun Baekhyun.” He supplies his boyfriend the answer.

“You’re in love with Baekhyun? Oh .” Kyungsoo says with a hint of surprise and disbelief.

Chanyeol lifts his head upon hearing innocent little Kyungsoo curse for the first time. “What is it Kyungsoo? Is he already committed? Had he already lived happily after with that Daehyun?!”

“Uh—no,” Kyungsoo replies. He has to hold his tongue, oh dear. “He actually rejected Jung Daehyun.”

“What!?” Jongin jumps from his seat, eyes rivaling those of his boyfriend’s, “He rejected the Jung Daehyun?! Soon superstar and vocalist of BAP?!”

“Uh well, seems like that baby.” Kyungsoo swallows a rather hard lump on his throat.

“But why?” Chanyeol says none too excitedly—or must I say the opposite of it—because right now he’s suddenly overactive, already on his feet with his chest burning with newly fueled hope and courage. “So that means I still have a chance!”

“I-I guess so.”

Jongdae slaps his palm against Chanyeol’s mouth as he starts with his happy dance, all long awkward limbs swaying distortedly in all directions, bumping into a few chairs and tables and successfully winning everybody’s attention on them. To tally it up: Overall embarrassment.

“For the love of life, stop it Chanyeol. You’re scaring people away.” Jongdae hisses as he drags a still dancing Chanyeol back to his chair. Luckily the students resume on their own business soon enough. “So okay, now we know Baekhyun’s currently available. So step number two: Chocolates!”

“Do I have to make them myself or I could just buy them?”

“Unless you have the money for repair in case you burn down the whole house while cooking and for hospital charges in case you poison your lovely eyeliner queen and funeral payments when he instantly dies on taking a bite—“

“Okay Jongin, no need to elaborate on the consequences. It’s enough proof I can’t cook.” Chanyeol admits with a puff of his cheeks.

Jongdae laughs and punches Jongin lightly on the arm, “You finally got something right, Jongin. Finally.”

“But wait—“

All eyes turn on Kyungsoo who was almost forgotten in the discourse. Jongin pulls his boyfriend’s hand and drags him in their standing circle of three. “What is it baby?”

“Baekhyun doesn’t eat chocolate.”

Jongdae and Chanyeol’s shoulders immediately slumped. “Whyyy?” Chanyeol whines.

“Remember he’s a cheerleader? He can’t afford taking in so much calories. And they also have an upcoming competition if you must consider.” Kyungsoo says deliberately.

“How come you know so much about this?” Jongdae asks, suddenly aware of Kyungsoo’s knowledge about Baekhyun.

“If it’s not only my best friend were talking about then—“

“WHAT?! HE’S YOUR BEST FRIEND?!”

“How come I never knew about this?” Jongin almost whines, pulling at Kyungsoo’s sleeve.

“Well you never asked—“

“That’s great! That way we can gain information about what Baekhyun likes and not!” Chanyeol claps in glee, looking more or less like a seal who’s about to flip over the water. “Can you help us out, Kyungsoo?”

“I guess—oomf.”

Oxygen’s almost out of Kyungsoo’s system as he’s enveloped in a bone crushing hug by a giant poodle muttering thank you and you’re the best and I’ll feed you cookies forever over and over again. Kyungsoo awkwardly taps his back as a response but Chanyeol doesn’t seem to let go and that’s where an overly protective Jongin comes and grabs a handful of Chanyeol’s noodle hair and—yeah, Chanyeol’s fully disentangled from Kyungsoo in no time. Idiot Jongin grins in satisfaction.

“You keep your hands off my squishy.” Jongin says menacingly.

“Never dream of it.” Chanyeol responds quickly, hands held up in the air. “So Kyungsoo, what does Baekhyun like the most?”

“Well he has a thing for art, that’s for sure.”

“Art?” the three chorused. The two turned to look at Chanyeol who’s already getting the idea, wide grin breaking in his lips.

“So, I guess being Artist Club president has its perks now, yes?” Jongin says as he wiggles his eyebrows. He reaches for his boyfriend’s hand once more and turns to walk away, “I’m pretty sure you’ll hit it up this time. Good luck, prez!”

With a quick wave of his hand, Kyungsoo left being dragged by his humming boyfriend. Jongdae fights the urge to roll his eyes—oh wait, he does rolls his eyes—because he can’t really tell how that idiot managed to get himself a decent boyfriend. How does Kyungsoo even keep up with Jongin’s idiocy?

“Well, got any plan?” Jongdae asks as he turns to Chanyeol.

“Yeah, somehow.”

“Need any help?”

Chanyeol smiles and taps his shoulder, “Thanks Dae, but I think I’ll have to work on this one alone.” He waves his hand and runs for the cafeteria exit.

“See you back at the house!”

 

 

“So let me guess, you got another present from secret admirer?”

Baekhyun giggles and places the (big) sheet of paper down his desk, “Well at least now I got his initials.”

Kyungsoo fakes surprise and interest as he takes a peek at the paper to look at the initials inked in heavy black at the bottom of the paper. “So, C.Y. huh?”

“Yeah.” Baekhyun replies softly, studying his own image beautifully drawn in several shades of black across the white sheet of paper. He lets his fingers glide over the of pens and pencils, admiring the work of art this C.Y. had managed to come up. Even Baekhyun was surprised how the drawing came out, he never once thought he looked as beautiful as this.

“Well he draws well, if I must say.” Kyungsoo says. He thinks this is the best of Chanyeol’s drawings he’s ever seen.

“I think he draws beautiful.” the others says dreamily. “Do you know someone who has C.Y. initials, Kyungsoo?”

“I do—“Kyungsoo bits his tongue before he spills more, “b-but he’s someone you don’t know and.. probably doesn’t know you. So yeah, can’t be him.” he finishes with a nervous laugh and luckily, Baekhyun buys it, too engrossed at the drawing to even notice Kyungsoo’s stumbling.

“I just hope I’ll get to meet this C.Y. guy, he seems nice.”

Kyungsoo clamps his teeth over his bottom lip as he studies his best friend’s face. Baekhyun seems fine but Kyungsoo knows better. “Are you.. are you ready to try again?”

Baekhyun turns to him and smiles softly.

“I’ll never move on if I don’t try, won’t I?”

 

 

“Did it not work again? Goddammit Chanyeol! It’s been two months! Two months and there’s still no progress!” Jongdae walks back and forth in their living room as Chanyeol cowers on his spot on the couch, hugging his backpack close to his chest.

“You had two months to reveal yourself but you still insist on using your initials! You won’t get anywhere with Baekhyun if you do that!”

“I-I think it’s still not the right time!” Chanyeol responds but immediately cowers back as Jongdae stomps towards him.

“I thought you wanted to get him? There’s no right time in love Yeol, everytime is the time! You’re wasting everything you have worked on!”

Chanyeol chose not to respond and that pulls the last thread of Kim Jongdae’s patience. With one last annoyed look and ruffle of his (already) messy hair, he walks out of the door with a loud bang. Chanyeol flinches on his spot. He knows it’s not only his effort he’s wasting here, but also Jongdae’s and even Jongin’s. He straightens his back and throws his backpack across the floor, several items scattering on the floor including numerous sketches of Baekhyun’s smiling face as he left it . He breathes a frustrated sigh and places his arm over his eyes, darkness enveloping his vision.

When will you be man enough Park Chanyeol?

The sound of the door opening pulls Chanyeol upright, apology already hanging at the tip of his tongue—but it’s not Jongdae that comes in, it’s Jongin, with a sickeningly disgusting smile on his face.

“I’m guessing you had a something tonight?”

“Well if you count a five hours make out session with your cute boyfriend as something, then yes, I had something tonight.” Jongin responds all too happily, his lips once more to relieve remnants of Kyungsoo’s sweet taste.

Chanyeol groans as he dives face first on the couch, the rough material scratching his face. “I hate my life.”

“You know, you can just take the easy route to get Baekhyun.”

“Thurs nowr weesy rough to ger baekhyur.”

“What?”

Chanyeol lifts his head and screams “There’s no easy route to get Baekhyun!” making Jongin jump on his spot.

“Geez, don’t scream like that. You’ll wake up the neighbors.” Jongin says responsibly (for the first time) as he runs a palm over his face. “There is an easy way, believe me.”

Chanyeol just prays it’s not one of Jongin’s crazy antics to get into someone else’s pants—

“You can just pin him against a wall and kiss the daylights out of him. That’s easy, right?”

—and Chanyeol’s prayer runs toppling down the hill even before he says amen. It is indeed a hard life to be friends with Kim Jongin.

“What part of that is easy?!” He screams, frustration taking its toll on him. Although it seems like a legit plan to work on and a great chance to finally taste Baekhyun’s lips, Chanyeol doesn’t want to risk on getting slapped hard on the cheek and scarring Baekhyun out of his life.

Ugh, Chanyeol just wants to die.

“Well, just saying. It worked for me and Kyungsoo. Thought it’d work on you too.”

The door shuts close even before Chanyeol gets to respond. It might work but what’s the possibility of getting together after getting kissed by a total stranger out of nowhere? What’s the possibility of Baekhyun kissing back and have a happily ever after?

There’s a possibility.

But there’s also the possibility of being rejected and Chanyeol doesn’t want that. Especially if Baekhyun’s going to be the one to break his heart.

 

 

Chanyeol wakes up to the sound of his phone ringing. He rolls over and reaches for his back pocket and squints at the unregistered number blinking across the screen.

Who the hell calls at six a.m. in the morning?

“Hello?” He answers grumpily. He’s not in the mood for a convo so early in a weekend morning.

“Hey Yeol, this is Kyungsoo.” Apparently yes, Kyungsoo’s obviously the only one who calls in so-ungodly-chanyeol-hours (which encompasses the entire morning in the weekends, he treasures sleep!).

“Hey Soo, what’s up?”

“Um, are you up yet? I kinda need to tell you something.”

Chanyeol’s immediately on his once he notices the shake of uncertainty in Kyungsoo’s voice. “What’s the matter? Did something happen with Jongin?”

“N-no! It’s not about Jongin.”

“Then what’s the matter? Do you need help?” ah yes, Chanyeol can also be sometimes a Good Samaritan.

“Actually it’s about Baekhyun.”

 

 

“Remember when I first learned that you’re in love with Baekhyun?” Kyungsoo’s fingers are cold against the cup of coffee he’s holding. He’s still not sure whether he has the right to tell Chanyeol about this or not, but he thinks the guy’s done enough to deserve his best friend’s heart.

“Uh yeah. The first time I ever heard you curse?” Low laughter bubbles between them, but it dies down just as fast as it came. “What about it?”

“I was just surprised.” Kyungsoo smiled, “the fact is because, at the moment, I wasn’t sure if you had a chance on him.”

Their eyes met on an unwavering stare, Chanyeol’s eyes glinting with confusion and Kyungsoo’s cold and unreadable.

“Baekhyun is not actually as fine as he seems. He’s not as tough as he shows everyone. You see, Baekhyun’s boyfriend..” he stares down at his cup of coffee and traces the rim with his index finger, “died on a car crash summer before we entered college.”

“But that’s..” Chanyeol feels his fingers go numb and his whole body going cold. “that’s just about a year ago.”

“Exactly,” Kyungsoo says after taking a sip from his cup, “that’s why I thought it’ll never work out. I thought nobody will get pass through the wall he built around his heart after his boyfriend died. He was too hurt, so miserable. But then one day I saw him smiling once again and he was looking at the drawing you’ve given him. Chanyeol, that was the first time I saw life in Baekhyun’s eyes again.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes suddenly turned bright, no trace of the coldness that had earlier captured his eyes. Even his lips are now turned into a smile and this somehow ignites a fire in Chanyeol’s heart. This, his conversation with Kyungsoo, might be the last push for him to go finally confess to Baekhyun. This might be the sign in taking the opportunity. This might be the right time.

“Are you telling me that—“

“Oh for the love of God, yes! Chanyeol you should go confess!”

“But I..I- he doesn’t even know me!”

“Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo’s eyes soften as he reaches for Chanyeol’s hand in silent encouragement.

 “The heart will always recognize a love that’s true and sincere.”

 

 

Chanyeol knows he’s not for public display of—confession, but for Baekhyun, he’ll take every chance even when at stake’s here is turning into piece of broccoli because of shame—well maybe having to transfer to another school because of the rejection, that would be more believable. But still, Chanyeol’s heart goes ddoki ddoki abnormally fast against his chest, like it’s gonna rip out of his chest and leap out any second now.

So when the gymnasium’s door opens and Baekhyun’s cheerleading team files out, Chanyeol almost flies out of the scene, his mind tells him to back out when he still has the time but his heart says no, he can do it, he can do this.

So instead of turning away and running for his dear dignity, Chanyeol stay rooted on his spot, knuckles going white as he grips at the side of the boards he’s holding.

“Hey guys, look at that!”

Baekhyun sees one of his teammates point to something on the far right side and notices a tall man, half of his upper body covered by a board with something written on it. As his team goes towards it, Baekhyun’s heart suddenly skips a beat. The handwriting on the board’s awfully familiar.

 

Hello Byun Baekhyun.

 

Baekhyun steps ahead of his team, leaving about five meters from the guy holding the board.

The guy lifts the board and piles it at the back. Baekhyun tried his hardest to take a peek at the stranger’s face but to no avail.

 

I don’t think I had fully introduced myself to you, but you can call me C.Y.

Baekhyun laughs softly against the back of his hand as C.Y. fumbles to bring the next board affront.

I had lost a lot of time because of fear. I thought I had no chance with you.

You’re Byun Baekhyun, straight A student, Math Club president, Cheerleading captain

Eyeliner Queen

 

Baekhyun couldn’t help but laugh a little louder and Chanyeol’s heart melts into the laugh, his shoulders visibly relaxed a little more as he gained more confidence.

 

I thought I was nowhere deserving of you. The gap between us was just too wide for me to close.

But then I realized it wouldn’t hurt to at least try, right?

I might just be an average guy,

but this guy can be the one who will paint endless smile on your lips.

So now, I want to start over and introduce myself properly to you.

 

The board is lowered and Baekhyun comes face to face with an uncertain smile, bright eyes and pale skin, a mop of noodle hair and an overall personification of—in Baekhyun’s vocabulary—adorable.

The boards slip from Chanyeol’s cold fingers and lands on the ground with soft thuds. Baekhyun’s eyes are trained on him and Chanyeol’s very sure it’s not the only eyes judging him right now. Baekhyun’s mouth is slightly parted, lips plush and pink and eyes twinkling of unreadable emotion. Chanyeol takes a deep breath, moves his legs in a mechanical step and extends a hand, palm open for Baekhyun to receive.

“Hi, I’m Park Chanyeol.”

Baekhyun’s eyes fall on Chanyeol’s hand, stares at it a little more and back at Chanyeol’s face. It makes Chanyeol’s lungs constrict in pain.

“C.Y.?”

“Y-Yeah.”

But then Baekhyun breaks into a wide smile and leaps into his arms. Chanyeol, out of surprise, automatically wraps his arms around the smaller male—and it almost makes him melt into a puddle of goo. After years, years and years, Park Chanyeol finally has Byun Baekhyun in his arms. Finally, he got him.

Baekhyun’s fingers curl into the fabric of Chanyeol’s shirt and Chanyeol looks down on him, mind still fluffy from the frenzy of emotions coursing through his veins.

“Thought you’d never reveal yourself.” Baekhyun says in a whisper. The way he looks at Chanyeol makes Chanyeol’s stomach go funny. Guess this is what they call having butterflies in your stomach?

“So.. So you’re o-okay..with me?”

Baekhyun’s brows knit in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“I… It’s okay for you to be with someone as average like me?”

Baekhyun smiles at him, brushes the hair away from his face, leans on his tiptoes and places a chaste yet sweet kiss on his cheek.

“You’re more than enough.”

Chanyeol thinks he could turn into broccoli now or be a poodle or be as stupid as Jongin—as long as Baekhyun’s holding on him tightly, arms wounded on his waist comfortingly and eyes even brighter than the setting sun. The autumn wind is cold but Chanyeol’s sure he’ll do fine, now that he finally got the boy with warmest smile in his arms.

 

 

“See? Sometimes you also have to be impulsive! Take the risk! Live a little more!”

“We get it Jongin, you’re not as stupid as we thought.”

“Now that we have Chanyeol and Baekhyun together, I therefore conclude Mission: Breakfast Couple Complete.”

“So we can open up a new case now?”

“What do you mean? Do we have cases in line?”

“I think we just have one more left.”

“Oh no—please—“

 

“Mission: Suchen! Help Jongdae get into Junmyeon’s pants!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

i really tried to be funny... but.T^T