word count: 3289

The Best Friend

mercy.

     Pride 

     After two months of living with Byun Baekhyun, Kim Jongin had eventually come to hate the said word. Not only would his best friend shove a computer to his face now and then, proving the meaning of the word but the older boy also frequently lectures him about what the word means to him. But despite the speeches that Baekhyun gives, Jongin couldn't help but not listen. The word was too much and Jongin would give anything for his friend to forget about the word. Because even god knows that Jongin would do everything for the better benefit of Baekhyun.

     Ever since Baekhyun moved in with him, Jongin took up two jobs for the sake of keeping himself and Baekhyun alive. He would rarely get rest or even eat and it was all for Baekhyun. After all that is roommate has been through, he was willing to do everything he can for his best friend to get better, that is, if Baekhyun would drop down the act of having pride and actually go to psychiatric group sessions that Jongin had already paid for. For those two months, Jongin never asked anything from Baekhyun. He even forced the younger boy to stay home. And the one thing that Jongin wanted for the older boy to do couldn't even be granted.

     Baekhyun was trapped—or at least he felt like he was. Despite liking his position on living with Jongin, he didn't feel like anything was going the way he wanted. But then again, none of the things that occurred were of his desire. He didn't like moving to another country. He didn't like being away from Jongin. He didn't like the person he was without Jongin. And he didn't like how Jongin treated him like someone who could fall down any minute. He didn't need the pity. He lost his parents, yes, but he's very well alive and as long as that's true, he can handle himself with or without help.

     Like every day, Byun Baekhyun shouldn't have been awake at seven o' three in the morning nor should his roommate, Kim Jongin. So when the both of them faced each other in front of the bathroom at the exact time, both were equally surprised and amused. While Jongin smiled to himself at how his best friend's hair was dishevelled and how the older boy's shirt was placed backwards, Baekhyun was confused and wondered why Jongin was chuckling—creepily at that—and  why Jongin was wearing a button down shirt which he didn't even know the boy had.

     "What the hell are you doing with ty clothes on?" Baekhyun asked. He's one to talk, he's only wearing boxers and that shirt is over-sized... and stolen... from me. The older boy stood in front of him, and he couldn't help but have his heart beat faster than usual. And his problem is, he doesn't even know why nor does he have a reason to. "Oh my god, the last time you wore that kind of shirt is when you were going on a date. Who the hell is he, Jonginnie?" Even though Jongin had wanted a nice comment coming from the one person that an opinion matters, he didn't quite expect for Baekhyun to give a good remark. Judging from how he dresses now, I don't think I should call him someone who has a good fashion sense.

     "Relax Baek. His name is Kyungsoo, and I would be very glad if you don't start stalking him and interrogate him. I don't need you going through my relationship; I'm fine on my own." But despite what said, Baekhyun took it and laughed. It was the same laugh that made Jongin wonder why he's still friends with Baekhyun. It's low and creepy and it gives him nightmares. Baekhyun walks towards the younger boy, his face directly in front of Jongin with only a few inches apart. He places both of his hands on either of Jongin's cheeks, lightly slapping him, having Jongin flinch.

     "You know I'm not going to follow you. And by the way, I'm just going to help. You haven't dated anyone for five years, I'm sure you're going to need it." You didn't date anyone for five years too, you know. "And you can't be late for your first date, so you better go away now. And where are you going to meet up with him anyways?" I would have gone out of that door half an hour ago, but you stopped me from doing so. There was a twinkle in Baekhyun's eyes, assuring that Baekhyun was interested in whatever was happening to Jongin's life. While others might be happy about that, Jongin wasn't. He was too familiar with Baekhyun's personality that he knows that something terrible would be soon happening if he lets Baekhyun 'intervene' in his love life. But he lets him anyways.

     "Well, he lives not too far from us and we decided to walk together to this small diner every morning. It's good actually, I've been wanting to ask him for quite some time now..." Jongin trailed off, his voice softening and faltering, to the point that even Baekhyun who stood close to him, couldn't even understand.

     "Wait. Did he imply for this so-called 'date' to be placed every day?" Baekhyun's eyebrow was raised, both of his hands placed on his hip, and Jongin already knows that Baekhyun was about to either say something incredibly stupid or say something that made sense.

     "Yes, why?"

     "Okay, so he implied that it was going to be a date, right? And by the look on your face right now, I don't think he did. So, no, it's not a date." And even if Baekhyun smiled and even if Jongin wasn't still quite sure if what Baekhyun said was worthwhile, the nervous smile on Jongin was replaced by a frown.

     "."

     Unlike every morning, Do Kyungsoo woke up at thirty-three minutes past the usual. At normal days, he would've been awake at exactly six fifty-nine in the morning, a minute before the alarm clock goes off. When he finally got the damn covers that were tangled on his whole body, he didn't think twice before moving to his roommate's bedroom as a routine to wake the other up. But before he could even get there, the younger boy had already called him to the kitchen as he was preparing him a hot steamy cup of cocoa. 

     "What got you waking up late?" The older boy asked as he poured the beverage into a large baby blue mug with the words 'Pororo' that clearly belonged to Kyungsoo. The said boy immediately took the mug right after his best friend, Chanyeol, walked towards the sink, to make his own drink. Although Chanyeol didn't see the point of eating or drinking—or even going to psychiatry sessions—he does those things anyways, knowing that it pleasures Kyungsoo seeing him do anything at all. While making his own cup of cocoa on a mug that had the words 'King of Derps', Kyungsoo answered.

     "Some dream," and Kyungsoo wasn't even lying. It was indeed because of 'some dream' that got him to wake up thirty-three minutes past the supposed time. But it wasn't the kind of dream in where it require for you to sleep. Instead, it was a dream—or a goal—which he long wanted to achieve and would now be able to live. Of course, Chanyeol knows what will happen today. Kyungsoo wasn't the type of person to not share this kind of things, because even if he wanted to stay quiet about his personal life around Chanyeol, he wouldn't be able to help himself from telling anyways even if the older boy didn't do anything to provoke him from saying anything.

     "Are you nervous?" Chanyeol asked again, taking a long sip from his own mug, not minding the hot temperature that the beverage has. He stared at his roommate intently waiting for the answer. Chanyeol knew for a fact that Kyungsoo had spent the whole night yesterday, pacing around his small room, and mumbling words to himself. Chanyeol saw it himself when Kyungsoo emptied his closet, throwing shirts, jeans, shoes, and even underwear to the floor and rummaging through them afterwards. The older boy couldn't even believe the sight, because the first thing you will notice when you enter Do Kyungsoo's room, is how everything was clean and in order. For god's sakes, Kyungsoo has label maker and he labels everything in his room and if not for Chanyeol's disapproval, he would have done the same thing to the rest of the apartment.

     "Kind of, I already settled on what to wear, so that's something to be proud of, I guess." Kyungsoo gave him a small smile as he downed his drink and left the room without another word. He headed towards the bathroom, taking a towel with his name on it along the way and entered. Every passing second, Kyungsoo only became even more anxious. And right after he finished taking a shower with a towel around his waist, he walked towards his room and stopped in front of his closet, and stared at his clothes for the day that hung on the door. He was contemplating over his decision with his choice of clothes once again. 

     It was a simple white shirt partnered with black skinny jeans and a red plaid button down over his shirt. It was his decision last night to not try so hard with dressing up for a breakfast with his co-worker, Jongin. Because Kyungsoo swears the younger boy had once wore sweat pants to work, it wouldn't be so hard to impress him, right?

     Baekhyun watches as his best friend run out of the apartment building from his bedroom window. The younger boy started running towards the left; soon enough out of Baekhyun's vision. A sigh escaped from his lips as he walked into the living room, pulling a baby blue sweater over his collared shirt. Soon after Jongin started panicking on his failed attempt to ask someone on a date, Baekhyun took a shower and ate breakfast. He was somehow grateful for Jongin's nervousness for his roommate ignored the way he dressed properly instead of the usual shirt—that he stole from Jongin—and boxers—which he questioned and wondered if it's Jongin's property as well.

     Soon after tying his shoelaces, Baekhyun placed his phone and keys in his pocket, locking the apartment behind him. He was already sure where the center would be and while knowing that he's close to being late, he decided to make a run for it. He made a bet with himself that he'll be faster than the cab the he should've taken anyways. He took the opposite direction that Jongin went to, and started stomping his feet against the concrete floor, occasionally bumping to someone and yelling a 'sorry' towards them while he's already too far away from them. 

     His destination was ten blocks away from where he lives. And after a few minutes of running and sweating, he stopped at the building's parking lot. Baekhyun didn't think much of having the decision to sprint through the doors and he surely didn't bother asking anyone along the way for directions. He ran towards the first way that he had in mind and eventually arrived to the third floor of the building. Due to his nervousness and lack of thought, he fell in the middle of the hallway, all in while having a rather tall boy on top of him. 

     The boy seemed as surprised as Baekhyun was and immediately got off of him. Baekhyun couldn't help but stare as the taller boy did as well. And the question that followed from the boy had quite astonished him.

     "Y-You can s-see me?" The boy asked, cocking his head to the side. It was a ridiculous question, and Baekhyun didn't need to think twice about considering it. 

     "Is there a reason for me not to?" He smiled adorably at the boy. And he didn't quite expect for him to run away much like Baekhyun did earlier. He watched as the boy disappeared further into the hallway, taking a turn to be completely gone of Baekhyun's sight. And now that Baekhyun thought about it, he was definitely late to his sessions. It will only be a matter of luck and miracle if he wasn't.

     He proceeded down the hallway and finally came across the end of it. By then, there was a feeling inside Baekhyun that assured him that he was about to enter the right room. He opened the door quietly, hearing the door creak as he peeked inside. As Jongin had told him countless times before, there were five people inside—five other people with mental disorders that may or may not be in worse condition that he is in. Baekhyun entered, observing the other people that he will be going to spend two hours with. As far as he had observed in the meanwhile, there were two boys beside each other—the boy with raven black hair with his arms around the blonde's shoulder who looked quite annoyed—there was a boy looking out the window, and two others conversing. They all seemed to ignore Baekhyun's presence and in more ways than one, Baekhyun felt a sign of relief course through him.

     "Hey, you must be Byun Baekhyun, right?" The said boy jumped at the sound of the voice from behind him, staring at the other who stood with a smile with a hand holding out to him and the other gripping the strap of his grey body bag. Baekhyun was somehow intimidated by the newcomer. He wasn't entirely used to seeing people that resembles an angel. The boy in front of him had skin that was as white as snow and he could be easily mistaken as a realistic doll more than a human. He was just plainly beautiful. 

     Baekhyun nodded absent-mindedly, not entirely aware of what was happening around him. Ever since the other boy surprised him and entered the room, closing the door behind him, everyone else had their attention to the both of them. It was exactly what Baekhyun hated—having people's attention on him—but now; he doesn't entirely care since he doesn't even know of it. 

     "I'm Kim Junmyeon. I'm kind of the one in charged here. It's weird, Jongin didn't tell me that you're coming today, I guess I just forgot or missed his call. I'll have a chat with him later after this session, regarding this matter." Junmyeon rambled in a way that was too fast that Baekhyun—or anyone else that watched them—didn't understand. 

     "P-Please don't tell Jongin-ah. I came here without letting him know about it, and it would be very much appreciated if he never finds out." Baekhyun held onto Junmyeon's hand, the elder smiling at him before nodding. Through the years of being with and guiding emotionally unstable people, having a few misunderstandings with them from time to time, Junmyeon had come upon a plan on never interfering with them when it comes to their requests. Some of the people that he treated who had a poor quality when it comes to handling their emotions or the way the do things, sometimes also had defective reactions upon learning things that weren't entirely good as it sounds. Junmyeon had come to an agreement with himself to just go along to whatever his patient wants. With what happened at times before, he certainly didn't want for any of the occurring to repeat. 

     "You could sit beside Yixing and this will start soon. You could also help yourself on the food over there if you'd like." Baekhyun nodded, taking a muffin from one of the plates along his way towards his seat between two other boys. He observed both of the people that surrounded him, the one towards his left, he noticed, resembled one of Jongin's friends from a selca on Jongin's phone. He stared for a few minutes before turning back to Junmyeon and giving all his attention to the blueberry muffin that tasted heavenly.

     Jongin wanted a date. He was supposed to have a date and not until this morning did his roommate and best friend ruined his dreams for him. Of course he wasn't entirely blaming the older boy since Jongin was the one who even bothered to have a conversation with Baekhyun. For the time that remained before both individuals would arrive to their workplace, Jongin had the chance to pretend that his 'date' was going well since it really was. And that was until Kyungsoo's roommate ran into them as they were leaving their meeting place. Jongin thought it would have been a great chance for him to make a good impression with the older boy. Getting along with Kyungsoo's friends would surely increase the way that Kyungsoo would look at him, right? But, no. 

     Jongin only felt intimidated by Kyungsoo’s friend as the boy was taller and—not to mention—stared at him with those big eyes of his. It was fine when Kyungsoo did it. When your crush looks at you, you better feel flattered, but when Kyungsoo’s friend looks at him, he only felt insecure about himself. The boy only looked at him with wide eyes and Jongin could almost swear that the boy may or may not be reading whatever is on his mind. And all Jongin could think of was the phrase, ‘staring is rude’ being repeated in his head over and over again. He felt irritated and he felt scared.

     Every second that passed with the three of them walking on the sidewalk, only made Jongin even more uncomfortable. He swears he tries to listen to Kyungsoo, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so when the said boy’s best friend has a possibility of judging him right now. While everything happened, it seemed that nobody was listening to Kyungsoo at all. Ever since Kyungsoo’s friend bumped into them as they were exiting the diner, Jongin’s mind was occupied with something else that he even forgot the name of Kyungsoo’s friend that was earlier mentioned.

     When Kyungsoo and his friend finally stopped in front of a building did Jongin only became aware of what was happening. Beside him, Kyungsoo stood, waving at the tall boy with a huge smile on his face as his best friend walked away. And when they both entered the double doors, they were met with flashes of a camera that could only mean one thing. It was quite some time after their mutual friend; Oh Sehun became obsessed with taking photographs and would often take their pictures. They had gotten used to it, but of course when someone would take your pictures all the time, it would get irritating eventually. And that might be the case here.

     "Yah, would you stop that?" Jongin asked, trying to cover his eyes with the back of his hand—but in no doubt, failed. It seemed like he was the only one having the problem of being blind 

     "You already did that with Chanyeol and me, aren't six pictures enough?" Sehun mumbled words that may or may not be ‘not really’. Like always, Jongin and Kyungsoo ignored the younger, knowing perfectly well that whatever command or plea that they say would be disregarded anyways. And Kyungsoo swears that as they were walking away, he saw a wink that Sehun sent towards his friend.

     And for some odd reason, Kyungsoo had a suspicion to what was happening. Though it was only a hunch, the eldest already became serious about the matter that only he was thinking of. He should really think deep enough for his premonitions to make sense. 

chapter finished on: 5/26/14
chapter started on: i don't know. i seriously don't. i need to keep track of time. i really should.