There Chanyeol stood, tiny box holding two silver rings in his hands. Baekhyun was late. He knew he shouldn't worry, but he couldn't help it. Baekhyun wasn't one to be late, in fact, usually Chanyeol was. He wondered if this was how Baekhyun felt whenever he was late, worry rumbling in the pit of his stomach.

 

Everything Baekhyun did, he had done for him. A person as selfless as Baekhyun was, Chanyeol had never met before. When he had a fever Baekhyun sat by his side throughout the whole night, placing wet cloths on Chanyeol's forehead.

 

When it was raining he gave him his umbrella, lying that he had another one somewhere. The next day Chanyeol would see his soaked clothes draped over his little heater, and he would not know whether to scold or hug the other man.

 

When he would knock on Baekhyun's door at 4a.m. surrounded by the stench of alcohol, the smaller man would calmly let him in and serve him some of the leftover soup he would have saved for breakfast that morning. Chanyeol was selfish back then, but even so, Baekhyun would tilt Chanyeol's head up to look him in the eyes and the taller one's puffy red eyes easily gave away that he had been crying. He would gather the mess Chanyeol was in his arms and whisper sweet nothings in his ear.

 

Chanyeol was used to people doing things for him, his parents paid people to do so all the time. But sometimes, when Chanyeol went out to look for him in the evening he would watch him from a distance. Baekhyun, who did not come from a wealthy household like he did, spent his evenings as a street musician. The keyboard was kind of heavy, but Baekhyun would laugh in his face and shake his head when he offered to help him carry it. When he finished a song, people would applaud, whistle, and drop coins into the hat on the ground next to his feet.

 

He could not fathom how Baekhyun sat there singing in the cold and freezing off his fingers for hours and hours, just to go home with whatever misery he had gathered in that hat.

 

Yet when he would walk up to Baekhyun who was gathering his things, he would tap him on the shoulder, catching him by surprise but always flashing him a bright smile, Chanyeol realized it didn't matter to him, because he was doing what he loved. "Chanyeol-ah," his name would so beautifully roll off his tongue, and there was a sparkle in his eyes Chanyeol came to fall in love with.

 

Even when he accidentally ran into him during the day, when Baekhyun would be delivering mail around the area Chanyeol studied, he would wear that same bright smile.

 

Technically, Baekhyun had absolutely nothing and Chanyeol had everything. But when Baekhyun smiled at him like that, slipping his fingers in between his and pulling him towards that tiny ramyeon place they always went, he learned Baekhyun had everything. Baekhyun was everything. Without Baekhyun, Chanyeol had nothing.

 

It was admiration and genuine curiosity that attracted him to Baekhyun at first, five winters ago. Telling his elder sister to go ahead of him, he stopped in his tracks and listened to the same-aged boy play. He stayed until the end, ignoring the texts from his sister urging him to come, telling him never mind, that she left, and he had to find a way to go home himself.

 

"You've been here the whole evening. Thank you."

 

Chanyeol was the last person to linger around even when Baekhyun packed up his stuff. He took his time to answer. Chanyeol, a man of many words, was not ready for conversation with this guy. Nonetheless, he approached him. He realized that he was a whole head taller than the other one; they would be cute together, he thought to himself.

 

"You're amazing."

 

Chanyeol obviously still wasn't ready for conversation but he was speaking before his brain could process anything properly.

 

That was when Baekhyun laughed, and it was the most beautiful sound Chanyeol ever heard. His eyes shaped like crescent moons, slim, chapped lips surrounding two rows of healthy white teeth and a cute button nose just to make Chanyeol's heart skip another beat.

 

"Thank you, really. But I'm pretty average."

 

Chanyeol's mouth fell open a little in astonishment, he was kidding, right?

 

"You're kidding, right?"

 

Baekhyun squinted his eyes at him quietly, carefully running his eyes up and down him, as if judging whether he should continue talking to this awfully tall but handsome stranger. He tilted his head cutely, holding his keyboard bag firmly over his shoulder. Chanyeol realized he was waiting for him to continue talking.

 

"I mean, I, what I mean is, what I was just listening to was far from average. That was truly... amazing."

 

His slight stuttering and red cheeks caused another smile to break out on his face again, but this time Baekhyun brought up his hand to cover his mouth.

 

"You shouldn't do that..." Chanyeol immediately said, without thinking.

 

"Do what?"

 

"That," Chanyeol cleared his throat, "Covering your smile."

 

Baekhyun brought down his hand slowly, not sure what to say. He his dry lips.

 

"What did you say your name was?"

 

"I didn't," Chanyeol corrected, "but it's Chanyeol. Park Chanyeol."

 

"Right, Chanyeol, I'm starving so I'm going to grab something to eat. Wanna join me?"

 

Before Chanyeol could answer anything Baekhyun was already walking off, and Chanyeol quickly followed him and caught up with him.

 

"You didn't tell me your name, though."

 

If anything, Chanyeol needs a name to take home tonight. Baekhyun did not turn to look at him, but smiled. "I know."

 

That was all he said, and Chanyeol was confused until he suddenly stopped in front of a tiny ramyeon shop.

 

"I'll tell you if you eat with me," was what he said before he stepped in, and Chanyeol followed him with a tiny grin.

 

Byun Baekhyun, he turned out to be. Street musician by night, mailman by day. Byun Baekhyun. Little did Chanyeol know what he would get himself into by following him inside the ramyeon shop, but looking back, it was the best decision he made in his life.

 

He looked at his watch again; still no Baekhyun. He looked around, not sure whether he should go and look for the man. The other could arrive while he could be looking for him. He decides to wait a little longer.

 

He takes the tiny box out of his pocket again, opening it and observing the silver rings. He chose a simple design, he knew Baekhyun wasn't fond of too fancy stuff. He took out the rings and slipped his own onto his ring finger, and the smaller ring onto his pinky; it didn't go all the way down, though.

 

He thought of Baekhyun's beautiful, slim fingers. His hands screamed delicate, but Baekhyun was incredibly skilled with his hands. His fingers would glide over the piano keys as if they belonged there. But one of his favorite things was when those fingers were intertwined with his. Or when those fingertips brushed over his face. Or when they ran through his hair and travelled down his neck.

 

"Park Chanyeol!"

 

He heard that familiar voice yell his name from a distance as he put the rings back into the box quickly and put it back in his pocket. A wide smile automatically painted his face as Baekhyun came closer.

 

"I'm sorry I'm late," Baekhyun was breathing heavily, apparently he ran the way over here. He pulled Chanyeol down for a sweet peck on his lips; as a greeting, as an apology.

 

Chanyeol looked at Baekhyun suspiciously, "You went to the orphanage again, didn't you?" He pointed at the splatters of blue and yellow paint on Baekhyun's pants and hands.

 

Baekhyun smiled, "Yeah," he brought his hands up to examine them, "If I took the time to get the paint off I would be even later. Sorry again."

 

Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun's hands and leaned down to steal a longer kiss.

 

"Didn't you say you were bringing me too if you went again?" Chanyeol said with a pout. When Baekhyun told him he started volunteering at an orphanage, Chanyeol was not surprised and immediately wanted in. He had always admired everything Baekhyun did and figured he should learn to be a little more selfless as well.

 

"I know, I'm sorry! But they called me last minute saying that another volunteer got sick and the kids really liked me, so—"

 

"Just stop apologizing, Baek," Chanyeol interrupted Baekhyun's rambling and just stared into his eyes without saying a word.

 

"What?" Baekhyun asked him warily, Chanyeol was suspiciously quiet.

 

"You know, sometimes, I look at you and wonder what I did to deserve you."

 

Baekhyun opened his mouth but nothing came out, he didn't quite know what to respond when Chanyeol said such straight-forward things.

 

"What I do know, is that I don't ever want to lose you."

 

"Chanyeol, what are you saying—"

 

Baekhyun gasped loudly when the taller one took the little box out of his pocket.

 

"Byun Baekhyun,"

 

Chanyeol started as he took out the smaller ring and slipped it onto Baekhyun's ring finger, fitting perfectly. He didn't get to finish his sentence as Baekhyun wrapped his arms around Chanyeol, murmuring "Yes, yes, yes, you idiot, yes," into his neck.

 

Chanyeol just laughed heartily and hugged the smaller man tighter, pulling him in impossibly closer. He tucked Baekhyun's head under his chin, Baekhyun murmuring more things about how Chanyeol is too much and he does not deserve this—but Chanyeol wouldn't have any of it and shushed him, whispering into his ear how perfect he is, asking if he feels it too, how they fit into each other so perfectly.

 

He felt Baekhyun shiver in his hold, and he grinned, because he knew exactly how to use his voice in such a way that made Baekhyun's knees succumb under him. He pressed a kiss into his hair before intertwining their fingers and dragging him away, towards the little ramyeon shop where they spent so many precious hours together. Where they could go now and show off their rings to the sweet auntie who owned the place; and everyone else who crossed their paths on the way.