Kris and Jongdae are sat uncomfortably next to each other in the canteen, during one of the rare times they're alone without their best friends to talk with. Jongdae could be sat at a different table, with people he actually knows, and it's not that he doesn't think Kris is a nice girl - she is!- she's just not really the type of person he can see himself being close with. Not long term anyway.

But between them they need to sort out this thing going on with Baekhyun and Chanyeol. Both of them are sick to the teeth of hearing their friends whine and moan about how the other won't notice them, when in reality they are both equally unobservant. While it's fun to tease Baekhyun, it does worry him that his self-esteem is so low that he thinks Chanyeol will never notice him like that. He's really not even that short, and the height difference isn't so big, so he doesn't understand why Baekhyun is so fixated on it. 

"You got any ideas?" Kris asks, inspecting her nails, which appear to have some kind of pattern painted on them, in bright colours. Jongdae can't see properly from here, and he doesn't know her well enough to ask to see them, he thinks. He grins manaically, and delves into his bag, pulling out a thouroughly crumpled peice of paper. Kris wrinkles her nose at it,

"What's that?" 

"It's a permission form thingy. For a museum trip this week. It's was originally just for history students, but they didn't want to have leftover seats on the coach, so they're extending it out to anyone who wants to come. All we need to do is sign up, and persuade them to join us, and then we can ditch them together when we're there and we're set!" Jongdae exclaims. Kris looks impressed,

"I'll admit, that might actually work," she even cracks half a smirk. Jongdae feels accomplished. 

"See you friday then?" 

"I guess so."

-

Jongdae has been annoying all day. For the past few days in fact. First it was the smug smile and the raised eyebrows, then he'd nudged Baekhyun's side everytime they saw Chanyeol in the corridor or in the canteen. He totally regrets telling him about the other night, when they'd stayed back after school for the drawing thing.

Baekhyun's eye twitches as Jongdae repeats, in the middle of class, for what must surely be the thousandth time, how funny he thinks Baekhyun's situation is. What makes it worse, he supposes, is that even if he hadn't told Jongdae, he'd be going over that night over and over in his mind anyway. 

She'd been right there. Mere inches away, he'd been less than a hand's distance away from her s. They're not huge but they're Definitely There and Baekhyun is ashamed to say he can't stop thinking about them, and the rest of the body they're attached to. He knows it's wrong, but he just can't help it, and it's making him feel terrible: he knows she's a person, a wonderful and talented one at that, just a person that happens to have assets he can't get out of his mind. 

He hopes that this is just a phase and he'll get over the recent close encounter with her chest, and soon because it's driving him crazy.

Jongdae nudges him again, as if he knows exactly what he's thinking about, so Baekhyun kicks him in retaliation, a sharp hiss of " off!" follows shortly after. He tries to get on with his work, but that just doesn't seem like it's going to happen with not one, but two, massive distractions plaguing him. Needless to say, he doesn't get much learning done that period.

Just as they're packing up to leave for lunch, Jongdae brandishes a sorry looking sheet of paper in his face, far too close for him to actually be able to read anything on it. The paper flaps loudly in front of his eyes, and he makes a less than attractive face flinching back from it,

"What?" He complains, swiping at Jongdae's arm, "you're so annoying!"

"School trip! I'm going, so you have to go with me,"  Jongdae announces,

"In what universe does that make sense?" Baekhyun retorts peevishly.

"My one. Here take the form. It's free and everything, why would you say no?"

"Because museums are boring as hell?" Jongdae lets the hand holding the paper drop to his side with a fwip, and scowls at his best friend. 

"One, that's not true and you know it. Two, a little birdy told me that a certain someone is coming along too..." he trails off suggestively and Baekhyun freezes, side-eyeing him. He can't mean Chanyeol, can he? 

He pivots on his left foot, swipes the form out of Jongdae's hand and scarpers out of the classroom, Jongdae hot on his heels and cackling like a hyenat. 

The form is simple, it just needs a parental guardian's signature- easily obtainable, even if his mum is likely to about it- and for him to fill out a few questions about allergies and health requirements, just in case the worst happens. 

Jongdae is still laughing at his sudden change of heart, so he socks him in the side, the 'oof' sounds Jongdae makes is very satisfying. 

-

The next morning, before lessons begin, Baekhyun delivers his fully filled-out form to the finances office at the school reception, and is pleased to find the names Chanyeol, Kris and Jongdae already there on the list. There's only two more spaces free after he's added his name, so he really couldn't have done it any later.

-

On the day of the trip, Baekhyun has nervous butterflies. They meet up to get the coach early- Baekhyun has to beg his mum for a lift- and he and the rest of the people coming congregate in the carpark to wait for everyone to arrive. Chanyeol and Kris turn up before Jongdae does, so he has to face them on his own. He nods politely to Kris, and smiles awkwardly at Chanyeol, who beams back at him. How she manages to look so radiant at this time in the morning, he will never understand. 

"Hey," he breathes, flicking his hand up in an uncomfortable rendition of a wave. Chanyeol giggles, the sound music to his ears. 

Suddenly a hand clamps down on his shoulder, making him yelp in shock. He turns around to defend himself against the assailant, but its only Jongdae, so he lets it slide with only a grumbled complaint. 

Kris yawns loudly, stretching her arms above her head, and Baekhyun notices Jongdae noticing the small sliver of her stomach that is revealed in the process.

"You know she doesn't swing that way, right?" Baekhyun hisses as they all file onto the coach a few minutes later. By his face, it is clear Jongdae did not know. He pats his shoulder sympathetically. He knows all too well what unrequited feelings are like.

Somehow the seating is arranged so that Baekhyun and Chanyeol are sat next to each other, on either side of the walkway. This means more unavoidable eye-contact every time they turn around, but Baekhyun finds he doesn't mind that much.

 -

When they arrive at the museum nearly an hour later, Baekhyun is immediately ditched by his best friend for Kris of all people, and is left standing bewildered with Chanyeol, who looks a little surprised. 

In all honesty, Baekhyun had suspected they'd pull something like this- had hoped for it even. Now he can play the fantasy that they're on a date together.  Even though he's terrified, hes still thrilled to get to spend all day with her. They walk into a darkened hall with the huge skeleton of a whale hanging from the ceiling. 

"Did you- um- did you finish that picture?" He asks, both trying to start conversation and genuinely curious. That picture has caused him mental strife for days, after all.

"Ahh yeah," replies Chanyeol, pulling down her skirt self-consciously.

"Oh. Cool." Cool. Cool. He's so stupid, why can't he say anything more interesting? He feigns fascination with a display of shark teeth.

 He clears his throat quietly, pretending to read the information, but he can't take anything in.

The silence isnt uncomfortable exactly, but he wishes he were a better conversationalist, so he could actually speak to his dream girl without messing up. Luckily for him, Chanyeol's chatterbox tendencies save the day.

"Yeah. It was a little difficult because the photo of you I took didn't quite match the rest of the drawing, but overall it looks alright.  I've got a picture on my phone, you wanna see?" She's already getting her phone out of her bag so he couldn't say no even if he wanted to. Which he doesn't.

The drawing looks stunning, even though it's of him. 

"Can you send me it? Like, text me the photo?" 

"Yeah, why not, one second," she presses a few buttons, and a minute and a half later the picture shows up in his inbox, so he can save it.

"Thanks," now he has proof of the time they spent together, as mushy as that sounds.

"You're welcome,"

-

The dark atmosphere of the museum with huge, barely lit halls isn't exactly a romantic setting, but Chanyeol seems to be enjoying herself, flitting around and poring over glass displays, beckoning Baekhyun over to see interesting things she's found. Baekhyun watches on indulgently, and wishes he had the courage to say something to her. But he's satisfie with just this. To be honest, he never thought he'd ever even be her acquaintance, let alone friend.

"Baek, Baek! Take a photo of me with this!" Chanyeol all but throws her phone at him and skips over to stand by a model of a mammoth. Like the rest of the rooms, the lighting in here isn't very good, but he does the best he can under the circumstances. He snaps three photos, each with her in different poses (one where she was kissing it he never thought he'd be jealous of a fake mammoth.)

Right as he's about to give it back, her phone vibrates and a message pops up, and because it's virtually impossible to block these things out, he manages to read some of the content:

From Kris:

have u kissed yet? lol

He pretends that he hasn't seen it, but inside he's running around in circles, trying to make sense of that message. Chanyeol and kissing? Kris teasing Chanyeol about kissing him? Possible feelings Chanyeol might have for him? A sudden thrill is buzzing though his system. Not a moment later, he receives a text too,

From Chen;

ASK HER OUT U COLLOSSAL IDIOT

Baekhyun quickly locks the screen and shoves it away into his pocket. Chanyeol is looking a little uncomfortable as well, sending fleeting glances his way and quickly retracting her hand every time they accidentally brush past each other. 

The message stays imprinted in the forefront of his brain for the next half hour, and he can barely concentrate on any of the information, too busy fretting about what to do about the message, whether he even has the courage to do anything about it. Could he handle the rejection? Maybe Kris is just making fun of her, or being sarcastic. Perhaps they know about his crush on her and they're making fun of him together. The thought gives him anxious chills.

"Baekhyun." Chanyeol says, sounding serious, and stopping short in front of a machine which demonstrates how wind works in a tornado. 

"Yeah?" Can she hear his heart?

"Do you l-like me?" Her face is pink, but he doesn't think she's as flushed as he is. How did she know? Did jongdae tell her? He opens his mouth then closes it again, unable to formulate a proper response, staring at the ground so Chanyeol can't see the truth in his face.

"I-I-I-" he stutters. There's no other option, she must be making fun of him. Cool fingertips curl around his wrist, and he looks up sharply, seeing the earnest intensity in Chanyeol's eyes. He feels like he's haveng a meltdown: What should he do? Deny it? It's a bit late for him to do that and be believed, he thinks. And if he says yes, then what?

He wants to run away. Hide somewhere. Oh god what should he do?

"Baekhyun, it's ok," she whispers, though he can hardly hear over the sound of blood pulsing in his ears.

"What?" He chokes out. Her slender fingers travel down his hand until they encase Baekhyun's perfectly, and squeeze gently,

"I asked if you like me. Because I," her eyes dart to the side then recapture his, mesmerising in their potency, "because I like you, too,"

Baekhyun's brain shuts down. He releases a kind of strangled whine, his voice cracking in the middle- the kind of noise a cornered animal might make. He feels separated from reality, because this can't be real, can it? This is something he has literally dreamed about, certainly not something he ever thought might ever occur. Not to him, anyway. This can't be happening to him.

Light pressure on his forehead snaps his head back from the clouds of shock like an elastic band pulled taut, and suddenly his line of sight is filled with Chanyeol Chanyeol Chanyeol. He jerks his head back in shock, and covers his face with his free hand, and mumbles and affirmative noise. 

"You do?" She laces their fingers together, which feels simultaneously like it was destined and like he should snatch it away, never look at her ever again because he's not good enough for her.

"I don't- I don't understand..?" Baekhyun implores. Chanyeol laughs breathily, exasperated,

"I like you, you like me. What's there to understand?" She grins, a genuinely beautiful smile that dazzles him into submission. Baekhyun gapes like a fish, stressing himself out trying to find something to say in return. His face must be redder than a tomato right now, he probably looks like a complete moron, why is he like this? He's so uncool, he should have been the one to confess first. 

Chanyeol places her fingertip on Baekhyun's lower lip, and shushes him.

"Stop worrying. I can see it in your eyes, just take a few breaths and we can deal with this slowly, alright? Kris has been hanging out with Jongdae lately, and they said I should treat you gently, so let's just keep going like we were for now, ok?" 

"Ok," Baekhyun finally says, in a very small voice. Biting his lip, he turns around to read about tornado winds, but he finds once again himself unable to concentrate on anything that isn't Chanyeol's skin on to his. Chanyeol treats him so delicately, so patiently, it almost feels condescending, although he knows she's just trying to be nice, it makes him feel worse about himself. He should have been braver- should be braver in general. Ugh. He's so pathetic.

"Let's look over there," Chanyeol indicates with her head, then leads him over to a display about how water erodes rocks. 

Chanyeol spends all afternoon dragging him around the museum, looking at taxidermy birds, and butterflies and insects. It's much the same as this morning, actually, the only difference is this time she's doing it all while holding tightly onto Baekhyun's hand. It doesn't take long for him to start breathing properly again, and to think more coherently. By the time they need to congregate with the rest of the class by the main door he's smiling and laughing like they were always like this. It's elating.

As they descend the main stairs together, Baekhyun remembers that the whole class is going to be there, and his hands start sweating, and he can feel himself clamming up. He worms himself out of Chanyeol's grip and wipes his hand on his jeans, looking at the floor as they approach the crowd, their chatter echoing off the high ceiling.

He worries once again at what Chanyeol will think, about his inexplicable fear of being seen, and cringes. He wishes he could just be normal.

"Baekhyun! Chanyeol! We were wondering where you two got to!" Jongdae immediately pounces on him, drawing unwanted attention to the fact that they were together all day. 

"Uhh, yeah." Baekhun puts his hands in his pockets, hunching in on himself and angling away from the class of people he doesn't really know.

"We learned a lot about science and, um, natural history," Chanyeol pipes up, nudging Baekhyun with her elbow. 

"Oh, did you see that earthquake simulator?" Kris asks, interrupting whatever obnoxious thing Jongdae was about to say, and setting the conversation in a much more comfortable direction. Baekhyun actually manages to relax, talking about cavemen tools and weaponry with everyone. 

When the teacher arrives, they all follow her out in a haphazard line, and file onto the coach. Chanyeol makes sure to sit next to Baekhyun, so she pushes him on first and ushers him up to the very back row, where there are five seats. Baekhyun goes into the corner, and Chanyeol next to him, then Jongdae and Kris next to them. Chanyeol's knee is touching him, and when she shifts a second later, her whole side is touching his. He rests his head on the window and hides his face, biting his lip to try and stop the smile. He shifts too, but is careful not to move away from her.

Him. She likes him. She likes Baekhyun. 

It's been an emotional day for him, and Baekhyun isn't very good at dealing with emotions.

They begin to drive off, and soon the motion of the coach lulls him into a half sleeping state. But the roads are riddled with potholes and it makes the ride a bumpy one, his head keeps hitting the window. 

"Baekhyun," Chanyeol whispers, making him jump because he hadn't realised she was that close, "you can lean on my shoulder if you want. It'll be more comfortable," 

He waits a few moments, talking himself into actually doing something for once, but takes her up on her offer, tilting his head to the other side so his cheek rests on Chanyeol's shoulder. She's the perfect height for him to do this, he realises with a jolt. Maybe she doesn't mind that's he's shorter than her. She smells nice, something floral.  

A shutter noise above him wakes him up, and he blinks away the drowsiness, groaning. Chanyeol is taking a selfie with him sleeping on her shoulder. He whines indignantly, turning his face into Chanyeol's arm to hide. 

"Hey, Baek," she murmurs, coaxing him into sitting up a bit more by shaking his arm. He looks up at her and is startled to find her so close, all he can see is her face. He's too slow to jerk back, so it comes as even more of a surprise when she places her lips gently on his. She stays there long enough to take another photo of both of them, then pulls away, not allowing any time for anything more than that. 

Baekhyun's face blooms red, and he avoids her eyes. She just keeps throwing new things at him- he still hadn't quite grasped the concept of them having mutual feelings, and now she's just kissed him? He can't explain what's going on anymore.

Someone to his left starts clapping, and he looks over to find out who it is: naturally it's Jongdae. But then, to his utter mortification, everyone starts clapping, the whole coach. People were leaning over the backs of their seats watching them. Every single person on this coach saw them kiss. He covers his burning face with his jumper, and ducks down behind the seat. Oh god.

yep

alternative chapter title: Baekhyun Gets Embarrassed And Makes Weird Noises

please comment ill love you forever 

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