It was five minutes before their first class but the seat beside Tao remained empty and stood out inside their class. It was evident how the class took notice of the abscence easily as they kept on talking to themselves on how it was weird seeing that seat unoccupied. Tao, on the otherhand, kept on pressing on his phone, sending messages to the owner of the seat. 

"Where are you?"

"YAHHHHH"

"Can't you even answer me for once?!"

"BYUN BAEKHYUN!"

He gave up after the last text and turned around, facing Chaeyeon who was staring beside him. He followed her line of sight and a smirk appeared on his lips. Although it was too early to assume, he could feel something really happened over the weekend. Another reason why he couldn't just seat still not knowing where the boy is.

"Chaeyeon," he called after clearing his throat. Chaeyeon's eyes widened a little, as if caught redhanded, something Tao found amusing.

"S-Sorry. Were you saying something?" She asked and Tao bit back a smile.

Chaeyeon was definitely acting out of herself, he could tell. He didn't want to pressure her though, so he just let it go. "No. I was just about to ask something," he said before raising his phone up, realizing he couldn't straightfowardly ask what he intended to ask. Chaeyeon nodded before grabbing her phone from under her desk. It beeped just in time and a message from the said boy popped up on the screen.

"Do you know where Baek is?" It read. She looked up and found Tao raising both of his eyebrows up, and she shook her head, smiling apologetically. 

"I thought he left before me...seeing he tends to do that," she said, voice sounding disheartened at the end although Tao couldn't really be so sure.

"Ohh..."

Before he could say anything more, the professor entered through the front door and at the back door, a haggard-looking boy came in, panting hard. The professor looked surprised for a second before an amused smile came to his lips and he walked over to the table in front. The students watched as Baekhyun, feeling tired all-over hurried to his seat and sat down. They all seemed to hold their breaths as their professor looked at the said boy but was shocked when he didn't even say anything before starting of his usual introduction. They were more taken aback though at the boy's unusual disoriented state. 

He was wearing his usual pair of denims and printed t-shirt but his hair was messily combed over compared to the usual neaten and smooth looking hair. Sweat trickled down the side of his forehead and his chest heaved up and down from exhaustion. Although he looked haggard, the girls actually drooled over him, staring at him with mouth ajar. They all had the same thoughts in mind: he looked different but the attractive kind of different. His messy look, for the girls, made him look extra attractive.

But one girl stared at him worriedly, different from the other girls' dreamy eyes. Chaeyeon felt somewhat guilty inside. She knew she really didn't intend to do it but seeing how Baekhyun almost ran late and how he looked really tired made her feel bad. If only she tried knocking on his door, if only she checked whether he was still sleeping or not, if only... She bit her lower lip. No matter what, she felt partially at fault and she doesn't know how to really make up for that to rid of that heavy feeling inside her chest. Her heart jumped inside her chest when Baekhyun suddenly looked back around and to her direction, his lips wavering before he turned away and to the front. Is he mad, she thought. Baekhyun almost seemed to be angry at her all the time, except some rare days when he would act civil enough and if there's some miracle, nice, and with what happened today, he probably hated her more. 

Even if she doesn't get why the boy acted the way he is around her, all snobbish and ignorant, she couldn't just push herself from doing the same. Especially living under the same roof with him for more than a month, she knows he really isn't the arrogant type of guy he always try to act like around others. Plus, she wasn't brought up like that, even if she lived more than half of her life without her parents around to guide her but only her grandparents. She's lived with them since she could remember and never really got to be with her own family longer than a week in a year so it was mostly her grandparents who taught her as she grew up. Her grandparents told her how she shouldn't treat others the way she didn't want to be treated and no matter what, even if she's being treated badly by the somebody else, she shouldn't treat them the way they treat her too, "because treating them the other way around would be the better way if ever you feel mistreated by them, because it will be just then that they will realize what wrong they are doing." And she grew up believing and living up to that.

She chewed on her lower lip and almost jumped on her seat as their professor suddenly shouted outfront, trying to get all their attentions.

"Stop staring at Mr. Byun and listen!"

She felt her face turning warm. Was she one of them? Probably.

As soon as the class ended, almost everybody hurriedly left the room, as their professor had ended a little late and they all have to rush to their next classes if they have. Chaeyeon was one of those who have a next class but she felt rooted to her seat as she watched Baekhyun and Tao gather up their things while conversing. She swallowed a lump in as she stood up and found a courage to approach them.

"Uhm..." She murmured, catching the two males' attention. Baekhyun seemed surprised while Tao looked delighted and amused at the same time.

"Chaeyeon! Do you need anything?" Tao asked politely.

She looked down, trying to gather up some courage before looking up and meeting Baekhyun's eyes. He still wore that infamous poker face of his. She opened to say something but Baekhyun suddenly beat her to it.

"I still have a class so I'll go ahead," he said, glancing over at her for a second before looking at Tao.

"But I thought--"

"I forgot that I actually have to meet...Mr. Park today so I'll just see you later," Baekhyun said, giving Tao a pointed look before nodding at Chaeyeon after seconds of hesitation and hurrying out of the room.

Tao watched him go, a little baffled as he pout his lips. The last warning bell suddenly sounded and Tao almost jumped. "Sorry but I need to go. Maybe you should too. See you later, Chaeyeonnie!" Tao said, smiling before running out the room. Chaeyeon gave a small smile in return as she watched him ran out the door where Baekhyun had also ran out from. 

A vibration in her pocket broke her from her trance and her eyes widened in realization that she, too, was running late.

It was finally lunch. Chaeyeon packed her things in her bag a little sullenly. She came fifteen minutes late and her professor gave her a reprimanding look as she entered. She was lucky to be let off with only a warning. Throughout those two hours of class, though, she couldn't concentrate. Her mind kept on flying back to that particular boy and it was just impossible to shrug the thoughts about off, especially as she knows that the said male is mad at her again. 

She frowned. Why should I even feel guilty, she thought, he wouldn't want me waking him up anyway, right? She could already feel herself go mad just thinking of it. She shook her head unconsciously, trying to shake off the thought. Little did she know, a certain male has been watching her from a meter away. 

Yixing worriedly watched her, wondering if something was bothering her, seeing as she wasn't her usual self almost throughout the whole lesson.

"Are you okay?"

Chaeyeon tilted her head to the side and felt herself turn red on the face. Yixing looked at her with a crooked smile and she uneasily smiled. "I-I'm okay. Did you...uh...you know..."

Yixing chuckled. "If it would make you feel better knowing, then yes, I did. But it would make me feel better if you tell me what made the Park Chaeyeon of Seoul University act pretty out of herself this morning?"

Chaeyeon pouted, knowing that Yixing was teasing her and at the same time concerned. "It's nothing. Just..."

"Let me guess. It have something to do with Baekhyun, am I right?" Yixing said, quirking an eyebrow. Chaeyeon grimaced before nodding. "What happened?" He asked seriously that it actually made Chaeyeon a little frightened because a serious Yixing could really be scary at times. "Alright. Let's go grab lunch and you can tell me on the way, okay?" Yixing said when Chaeyeon didn't say anything and the latter smiled gratefully before nodding.

As been agreed on, Chaeyeon, although a little hesitant, told him what was bothering her. Yixing was a good listener and adviser, and moreover, she trusted him. Anyway, there's nobody she could really trust and be comfortable at the same time who is beside her aside from the said male. She told him everything from this morning until before their class and how she felt guilty for it.

Yixing attentively listened, not interrupting her until she finally ended her store, sighing at the end, like how she would always do when she's disturbed. They were already halfway to the cafeteria when Yixing stepped in front of her, making her halt in her step. She looked up at him in surprise and she saw the gentle but stern look on his face. She looked away, knowing what Yixing would be telling her. Yixing cautiously held her on both shoulders, squeezing it in a comforting matter.

"Chae, look at me," he said. By now, some bystanders had already turned their way and whispering with each other. As both of them pretty much have a some sort of status in their university, seeing them in almost an intimate manner catches many of the student body's attention; Chaeyeon is really popular for her simple but gorgeous looks and very kind attitude while Yixing was known for his good looks and talent on both dancing and singing.

Chaeyeon hesitantly obeyed his command. Yixing sighed, his eyes turning soft at her. "Listen. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself just because of this. It's not your fault he ran late this morning, and more importantly, you aren't his alarm clock. It's not your duty to wake him up. So don't feel bad for it," he said thoughtfully. Chaeyeon bit her lower lip, casting her eyes away. She knew Yixing was right but it wasn't easy just to not feel responsible for it as she knew how they live in the same house and go to the same university at the same time.

"I know... It's just that..."

"It's just that it's him, am I right?" Yixing said, not being able to stop himself any further from being straightforward. He had already dropped his hands to his sides, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. Chaeyeon looked at him, eyes widened in surprise. A minute passed and he let out a staggered breath, looking down on the floor for a second before looking her in the eyes. He had placed one hand on her shoulder, trying to maintain his balance. He doesn't know if what he'll be saying next would be any good but he just needed to say it. "Chaeyeon, can you tell me something? Why are you even so concerned about him when he's nothing but a jerk to you?" Chaeyeon felt her heart jump, not knowing exactly why. Yixing was seriously looking at her, although the look in his eyes conveyed nothing but concern and a little bit of curiosity.

Chaeyeon nervously wet her lips. She was too taken aback that she doesn't know what to answer. She didn't expect him to ask such a question as he knew beforehand what relationship she and Baekhyun have. It doesn't make sense how Yixing could come up with such a question. Unless, she was unaware of her own actions that could lead the male before her to think that way he is.

"I..."

"Oh! Hey Yixing and Chaeyeon! Are you two heading of for lunch, too?" The two whipped their heads to the direction of the voice and found the MVP player of the university's soccer varsity team smiling widely at them. Luhan had spotted them on his way for a while already but seeing they were engaged in a serious conversation, he waited by the side. He heard bits of their conversation, enough for him to understand what it was all about. Even though he was curious himself, he wasn't insensitive enough to just approach and ask her that, especially seeing how distressed she looked after Yixing asked her that. Instead, he put up a pretense and greeted them the way he usually would, and luckily, the two didn't seem unconvinced by it.

"Hey. Yeah. I see you are going there too?" Chaeyeon said, forcing a small smile. She had twisted away from Yixing's hold and the latter didn't resist and let his arm drop to his side, smiling back to the new male.

"Where is Minseok and Jongdae?" He asked.

"Oh, they are waiting in the cafeteria for sure. I had to do some stuff so I couldn't come with them," Luhan explained. Yixing nodded in understanding. Luhan smiled. "How about we all go together now? I'm sure they're all looking for us. Let's go," he said and the two didn't argue and followed his lead with the tension still in the air.

They arrived in their usual lunch table after getting food but saw one guy missing. It wasn't hard noticing since that person is usually the person they loved teasing. Jongdae, Minseok, and Tao greeted them lively.

"Where is Baek?" Luhan asked as they all sat down.

"He said he has some work to do so he'll skip up lunch today," Jongdae said shrugging.

"Tch, what work will that even be? He's always punctual with those things," Tao said, pouting. "I'm sure he just didn't want to join us. He's probably in his monthly again, pft." Chaeyeon's spoon stopped midway as she glanced at the empty seat at the other end of the table. Although the other boys had snickered, a small smile curving up on their lips, she displayed a very worried expression and Yixing noticed it and inwardly sighed. He'd done all he could to reassure her but maybe it's not his words that she wanted to hear, but that male's. He glanced at her way once more, seeing her forcing a smile as the other boys talked to her before making a conclusion.

This needs to end. I'm talking to him.

It was her last class for the day. Their professor had already dismissed them. Everyone started packing up their things, excited to get out. It was just the beginning of the week but they felt so tired to go on for another day.

Chaeyeon wasn't apart from them. She was so tired that she just wanted to go home and lie on her bed. But the moment she had thought of that, another thought came in, reminding her of what happened that morning. She had promptly forgot about it half an hour past their class after lunch started as their professor had made them do a lot of things. Now that it came rushing back to her, she felt that burden again and she let out a sigh, leaning over her table and covering her face with her hands. 

A tap on her shoulder made her look up and Yixing smiled down at her. She returned it with a tired smile. 

"Sorry, I'm afraid I can't go home with you today. I have some things to settle so I'll have to go first," Yixing said with a lopsided smile.

Chaeyeon's eyes widened, shaking her head. "No, it's okay! You don't have to say sorry. It's not your responsibility to send me home anyway. I'll be alright so don't worry. I'm a big girl, aren't I?" Chaeyeon grinned and Yixing smiled, ruffling her hair.

"I know you are. I'll go now and see you tomorrow. Message me when you get home, okay?" Yixing said and Chaeyeon nodded.

"I will. Now go before you finish whatever you had to do late. I'll see you tomorrow," Chaeyeon said, smiling. Yixing nodded, stared at her for a few more seconds before turning and walking away. Chaeyeon watched his back, hesitating on calling him but she knew she owed him it and she won't feel at ease unless she'd said it. "Yixing!"

Yixing spun around, quirking an eyebrow in surprise. "Thanks," she said sheepishly, warmly smiling and another small smile curved his lips before he nodded.

"A thank you isn't necessary. I just need you to smile. Genuinely." With that, Yixing waved a hand and walked out the room. Chaeyeon sighed inwardly, a lopsided smile forming on her lips.

What will I do without a friend like Yixing? With that, a small and gentle smile graced her lips as she grabbed her bag and slung it onto her shoulders and walked out. Whatever will happen when she meets Baekhyun later, she'll just think of what she would do when she gets there. 

The sun was just about to set when she reached home. The house was still empty when she reached there so she was sure that Baekhyun was probably still in the university. She walked to the kitchen and placed what she had bought on the table. She stared at the two cups of ice cream, wondering if she did the right thing. She had dropped by Baskin Robbins to buy a cup of ice cream because for some reason, she felt like buying and eating one.

She stared at the different flavors and chose the very berry strawberry flavor for herself as it was her favorite and was debating to buy one for Baekhyun as well but thought against it, thinking that it might anger Baekhyun more if she chose the wrong flavor.

"Do you want anything more, miss?" 

Her eyes flickered from the man behind the counter to the ice creams. Did he just read my mind? "Uh... Yes. I'll get two of that," she said and the man pressed it to his cashier and told her the price. She immediately gave him the payment and waited for her order. She thanked the man when he handed it over to her and left.

Thinking back, she wondered if Baekhyun likes that flavor as well. She answered that in surprise and regretted it later on when she thought of how she should've gotten a chocolate flavored one since it's like a 'universal flavor' and Baekhyun probably likes it. Knowing she didn't have a choice, she grabbed the other cup of ice cream and placed it in the freezer. Once she had closed it and was about to get hers, she thought of leaving a note on the ice cream cup in case Baekhyun misses it. She grabbed a sticky-note from her bag and quickly wrote down his name and hesitated before writing a short note. Afterwards, she opened the freezer again and stick the note on the cup's side and then closed it. Satisfied, she grabbed her ice cream and walked up to her room.

It was already dark when he arrived home. He tried to avoid going home early as much as possible because he knew that she would be home early, especially after seeing Yixing alone. He swallowed when he remembered the encounter with the said boy. It wasn't too surprising but he was a little agitated because, well... He really didn't want to say. They only talked for a few minutes but he had stayed for an hour more, trying to clear his mind as he focused on practicing his piano. 

He stood in front of their door and hesitated. He groaned inwardly, cursing himself for acting the way he is before he finally pushed the door open and entered. Only the dim lights were on in the living room but the kitchen was lit up brightly. He glanced up on the stairs. She's home. A sudden relief rushed through him. He walked to the kitchen and dining area and found the table void of anything. She still hasn't eaten? He looked up at the wall clock which read seven. His eyebrows creased. Usually, when he gets home and she's already home before him, she would've already cooked something and left something for him so it was a surprise when he didn't see any food on the table. Don't tell me she's studying to the point of skipping meals again. He caught himself in surprise when he realized what he had just thought and quickly shook his head. What is happening to me? He groaned. He opened the doors of the refrigerator one after another, trying to search for anything to eat. He was about to close the door he had just opened when something caught his eyes.

Opening the door wider, he found a cup of ice cream with his name written on the sticky-note stuck to it. His eyebrows knitted in the middle before he grabbed the cup of ice cream and closed the door. He pulled the sticky-note and read the short message on it.

Baekhyun

I don't know if you like this flavor but I hope you'll try it.

A small smile unconsciously curved on his lips. He stared at the note seconds longer. He was surprised for the small gift. He didn't expect her to give him anything after everything. Is she just that nice or she's just feeling too bad for this morning like what that guy said? Putting the past behind, he can't help but be happy. How could he possibly hate her when she's so nice to him? It's making him feel bad more than anything. Yixing's right, he thought even if he hated to admit it. He softly shook his head. A voice suddenly startled him, making him slip the note in his pocket in a haste before looking around, only to see his mom looking at him in surprise.

"You just got home?" He nodded. "Have you eaten dinner then? If not, can you kindly call Chaeyeon while I set the table?" His mother said and he nodded again.

"Okay," he replied and his mom was slightly surprised but didn't say anything, and instead smiled. Baekhyun then slightly bowed his head before putting the ice cream back in the freezer and walked back to his room.

Baekhyun stopped at the bottom of the stairs and peeked in to the kitchen and sighed in relief. He was thankful his mother didn't see him or if she did, he was glad she didn't say anything.

He bit his lips, trying to stop himself from smiling but had a hard time. He can't remember when was the last time he smiled like that. The last time he felt like that. 

A/N:

HI! How are you guys doing? I hope you don't kill me for updating too late. I'm really caught up with all the things I have to do. I hope you'll be patient with me. 

I hope this chapter was nice enough to make up for the missed days. I'll update as soon as I could. 

Please leave your opinion or just anything on the comments. I'll really appreciate it! 

Thank you for reading! ^^