ONE

It has always been Baekhyun and Chanyeol, Chanyeol and Baekhyun. For six years, the two have been inseparable, since that time in Middle School when Baekhyun suffered a concussion from the basketball that had been thrown by Chanyeol (who has dreadful hand eye coordination). At first meeting, one would often assume them to be together, by the candences of their conversations, and the frequent subtle touches, accompanied by the most adoring of subconscious glances directed at nobody but each other. Even the goodnatured insults they share have a certain degree of affection to them which could only be attained with the sort of comfortableness they feel around each other. There is without doubt that Chanyeol would go to the ends of the earth if it meant keeping his best friend happy.

So, there's this silly notion the both of them share (after all, it's not uncommon for them to sprout the same weird ideas as if they share the same brain). 

One must not still be a by the time he enters college.

No one in the high school they went to had been a good candidate.  It wasn't that nobody was attractive or charming enough, but it was more to the fact that it hadn't felt right, really. By the time they had undergone their convocation, the heat flittered on the wings of the changing season and the invites to pool parties were piling on their time-filled hands. It's cliché,  how adolescents in that transition into young adults celebrate their new found freedom by letting loose at some wild end-of-term party that serves booze as the main course. It was only fit for one to assume that Chanyeol and Baekhyun had been one of the majority, losing their ity at one of those parties.

Chanyeol's and Baekhyun’s first time, however, didn't occur that way. It happened on the beach in the open back of Chanyeol's second hand Jeep as they're watching the sunset, talking softly about the endless possiblities of the seemingly daunting future. They had applied for different colleges, and the prospect of not being able to see each other as often as they had before scared them both. The first time there was protection. They played it by the books, though the emotions were raw and unrehearsed.

It was corny, the way the streaks of orange from the sun setting on the horizon glimmered in the gentle waves that crashed against the shore, but their first time was nothing short of perfect. Lots of sloppy kisses and uncontrollable giggling with the occasional inappropriately timed remark from Chanyeol, but perfect nonetheless.

Their second time happened in Chanyeol's bedroom. The house had been empty, save for them, on one of the days when Chanyeol's mother was away at India for a vacation. It wasn't supposed to happen because it was just a one-time deal relating to the notion, but the compelling urge to kiss Baekhyun had been irresistable as Chanyeol intently gazed at the way his best friend's face lit up at one of his lame jokes, and the shy smile he gave when he was complimented for his adorable nature. This time, though, the kisses were slow and gentle, their lips moving in sync, eager hands discovering each other.

Chanyeol was almost certain there would be a third time, but it never came because Baekhyun began to avoid Chanyeol's calls and visits,  completely shutting his best friend out of his life for whatever reasons Chanyeol could not fathom.  None of their friends knew what was going on with the small brunet. Baekhyun's mother would only offer a sympathetic smile and a "He'll tell you when he's ready" whenever Chanyeol went to his place to look for answers.

Chanyeol was finally put out of his limbo of unanswered questions three weeks later. The brisk text from Baekhyun was unexpected but relieving. Chanyeol was half an hour early, whiling the time away by watching the gradual darkening of the sky as he nervously scratched at his clammy palms. It was ironic, just how a few weeks ago, they were at the same place, but ridden with emotions on the other end of the spectrum. The only constant had to be Chanyeol's erratic heartbeat. Baekhyun arrived a little after seven, clad in a fairly thick sweatshirt beneath a black jacket that looked suspiciously like one Chanyeol owns. Chanyeol concluded that he must have forgotten it at Baekhyun's during one of the many sleepovers they've had.

"Is that mine?" Chanyeol greeted in amusement, disregarding the fact that it was the middle of Summer and they're probably days away from the solstice. And there Baekhyun was, heavily  protected from the virtually non-existent cold. 

"Is it? I just grabbed it without looking." By the way Baekhyun was avoiding Chanyeol's gaze, finding interest in poking at his sleeves instead, Chanyeol knew he was trying to put off the inevitable confession or truth behind his absence for the past few weeks.

"Out with it, Byun Baek. Why have you been avoiding me?" Chanyeol crossed his arms with a slight frown. Baekhyun had spent days before the meet up thinking of ways to break it to his best friend. He played the scene over in his mind, but as he stood in front of the tall boy, the words got stuck in his throat. How could he do this? How could he look into Chanyeol's warm brown eyes and ruin his best friend's future just with a few words?

Baekhyun had done a lot of thinking about it in the days he spent away from Chanyeol. He had convinced himself that he was going to stay strong no matter what happened, even if it meant losing Chanyeol in his life. With a sudden burst of confidence that may or may not have stemmed from the kind and genuinely worried gaze Chanyeol had on him, Baekhyun finally let the truth slip past his lips.

"I'm pregnant."

The severity of the statement caused Chanyeol to stumble backward, mouth gaping and eyes disbelieving. A pregnant (no pun intended) silence fell between them, and for a moment, Baekhyun caught that flash of incredulity and horror in his best friend's face. Baekhyun wished then that he hadn't called for this meeting.

"I-I've talked to my mum about it. She's disappointed but I think she's not as mad because it's yours," Baekhyun continued when Chanyeol didn't say anything, wanting to end this as quickly as possible so it would hurt less. His eyes flittered everywhere, refusing to see the rejection in Chanyeol's eyes.

"I don't know what to say." Chanyeol finally spoke up. The shock was still etched into his features, but he looked much calmer than he had after the initial blow. He rested his hands on either side of his hips from the sudden weight that could well be metaphorical.

"You don't have to say anything," Baekhyun said, voice growing softer with every word. "It's okay if you don't want anything to do with it... with us. I'm keeping it, whatever happens. I just came here to let you know that it's yours."

They stood, insufferably waiting. Chanyeol was having a hard time processing things, and Baekhyun became increasingly anxious awaiting Chanyeol's reply.

"Well, I guess that's that. Thanks for coming," Baekhyun said after another round of silence. There was definitely something off about the way Baekhyun said it. It was too formal, especially for best friends who have been together through thick and thin for the most part of their lives. Chanyeol watched unmoving as Baekhyun his heel to leave. And that was when Chanyeol snapped.

"Baek, wait." He called. "Don't go."

Baekhyun hesitantly turned around once more, his lips pursed to brace himself for whatever was to come.

"Seriously, Byun Baek, what were you thinking, waiting a month to tell me about something as huge as this?"

"I was afraid. I didn't want you to get mad at me, though I think you already are, aren't you?" Baekhyun timidly admitted. Chanyeol took the opportunity to close the distance between them. His gesture of grabbing Baekhyun's hands were uncalled for, and Baekhyun was caught off guard. 

"You're right, I'm mad." Chanyeol began as Baekhyun flinched. "But not because you're pregnant.With... my child." It still proved difficult for him to let the truth sink in. That he was going to be a father.

"Baek, how could you even think that?" Chanyeol chided, though gentler this time. "It's something unplanned, but whatever happens, I promise you, we're in this together. I won't leave you."

Maybe it was the hormones, or the fact that Chanyeol's words were really touching (and somewhat corny, especially coming from Chanyeol), but Baekhyun found himself incessantly sobbing. It wasn't a pleasant sight, but Chanyeol could care less because Baekhyun is his best friend and they were going to do this parenting thing together.

It's been a month since that fateful meet up that completely changed Chanyeol's life. Has it been a walk in the park? Absolutely ing not. It was terrible. Everything was turning out to be horrible. Taking care of Baekhyun was like a living nightmare. Chanyeol could hardly remember to brush his teeth (before he goes to bed) and promising to be there for Baekhyun and his needs meant he had to ensure Baekhyun was satisfied, and well taken care of. 

There's just so many things he has to do. Accompany Baekhyun to his doctor appointments, call Baekhyun up or drop him a text just to remind him to take all his supplements. There's the frequent disagreements they have on the best way to raise their child, and the constant rush to fulfill Baekhyun's crazy and irrational cravings. To top it off, the apparent moodswings that comes with pregnancy has kicked in, which only adds to the work load considering how Chanyeol has been walking around on eggshells whenever Baekhyun's around.

Baekhyun is sweet and adorably naive, but ever since he has a baby in him, he transforms into a tetchy, unforgiving monster who goes around blaming Chanyeol for every single mishappening. Irregardless of if it's Chanyeol's fault. Most of the time it's Baekhyun's, but he pins all the blame on Chanyeol anyway. But Chanyeol takes everything in his stride and musters the kindest smile as he continually serves the boy who's carrying his first child. 

There are times when it makes it all worthwhile, though. Those precious moments when Baekhyun's all pleased and content, making him cling to his best friend like a koala. Moments when Baekhyun rewards Chanyeol's efforts with the breathtaking, eye-crinkling smile Chanyeol loves. When Baekhyun goes out of his way to show his appreciation for his best friend, like that one time he had dropped by after Chanyeol's part-time shift ended at the restaurant he was working at with a wide grin and two containers of ddeobokki in hand. Sure, he had been craving for it, but he had wanted to eat it with his best friend. Chanyeol remembers thinking how adorable that was of Baekhyun.

There was the issue of school. After some discussion, Chanyeol thought it was best if Baekhyun took a break from his education. Baekhyun had been accepted into the University of his choice as an Arts student, and so the Baekhyun then would have thrown a fit over this, but despite having carried the living being in him for only a month, Baekhyun has grown fond of the tiny obscure bump and he's willing to do whatever for its future. Even if it meant putting his dreams of becoming a musician on hold. College was going to start in a few months, and in the mean time, Chanyeol thought it was best if he did some self-sacrificing as well and forgo his own dreams of becoming a doctor. So in the months before school officially began, Chanyeol applied to work as a secretary at the firm managed by a senior of Baekhyun's and his named Kris. He owed his senior a lot, especially for giving him the position without much qualms since he really needs it. Chanyeol was disappointed at having chosen a different career path from his passion and his mother told both Chanyeol and Baekhyun that this was always the most difficult part of an unplanned pregnancy, but it had to be done anyway.

Time flew when they were making the necessary preparations, and before they knew it, Baekhyun had gone into his third trimester and Chanyeol's life grew increasingly hectic, having to juggle between tending to Baekhyun, his part-time job sorting files at Kris' firm, and attending lectures at school when University officially began.

It was a weekend and it was one of those rare days whereby Chanyeol had his day free of any schedule or errand. Chanyeol decides he would drop by Baekhyun's place just because he doesn't have anything better to do. Kris once told him how it's unhealthy, the fact that Chanyeol spends practically all his time sticking to Baekhyun like tar when he should be living the young and single life. But of course Chanyeol counters, reasoning that it's his first child Baekhyun is carrying and that Baekhyun is his best friend after all. He had made a promise to Baekhyun and their child and he wasn't going to forgo it just to have fun.

When Chanyeol arrives, he lets himself in like how he usually does and finds that the house is silent, save for the television that's playing in the background. Chanyeol's lips subconsciously pulls into a smile when his eyes fall upon a curled figure on the sofa, wrapped under a thick blanket. An undefined feeling akin to pride radiates from Chanyeol when he notices the obvious swell somewhere in the middle.

"Hey, Baek." Chanyeol greets with a small hug as Baekhyun scoots over to make a bit of room for Chanyeol. The sofa's too small to fit the both of them, what with Chanyeol having endlessly long limbs and Baekhyun unable to curl into himself anymore than he already has because of his huge baby bump, so Baekhyun ends up letting his legs stretch out over Chanyeol's thighs. 

"Can you massage my feet for me, Yeol? They're hurting so bad," Baekhyun whines, wriggling his toes. Chanyeol shoots him a disapproving glance.

"I can't do that, Baek. I might accidentally trigger you into early labour. It's not good for the baby." 

"But they're so sore." Baekhyun manages a small pout and Chanyeol's first instinct is to vanquish it because he hates it when Baekhyun is upset or hurting. He has known Baekhyun all his life and it's only natural for him to be emotionally in tune with his best friend.

"Have you been doing some unnecessary walking again? Baekhyun, how many times must I tell you to get some help if you need to get something done? You could have fallen and hurt yourself or the baby!" Chanyeol doesn't mean to raise his voice at Baekhyun but he's too caught up in being worried with all the possible scenarios that plays through his mind.

"I wasn't, Yeol." Baekhyun deadpans. "I was on the couch watching Dr. Who the whole morning."

"Oh, I'm sorry, if that's the case. But I really can't do anything for you, Baek." Chanyeol truly means it. He has been going to great lengths just to ensure Baekhyun's comfortable for the past few months but now that they're nearing the due date, they, Baekhyun specifically, had to be really cautious of anything and everything he does. 

"I guess I'll just have to endure it, then." Baekhyun sighs painfully as Chanyeol soothingly rubs at his leg. Right at that moment, the baby gives a sharp kick inside. Baekhyun bites down hard on his lip to keep from crying out loud so that he wouldn't startle Chanyeol but he ends up whimpering anyway. Chanyeol picks up on his best friend's puppy-like yelping that's indicative of Baekhyun being in pain and slowly brings his legs off his lap, adjusting Baekhyun's position such that he could lean back against the couch.

"You okay?" Chanyeol asks with a slight frown, studying the other's agonized expression. Baekhyun's pout deepens dramatically while his hands come up to rest on the top of the swell of his tummy. Baekhyun knows it was only a sign that his pregnancy was coming to an end. On one hand, he wanted it to last, after all those months he's gotten used to the growing baby boy inside him. All those times he would talk to his bump when he was feeling lonely, he would dearly miss. But on the other, Baekhyun absolutely could not wait till it's over so he could be rid of the pain all over. Nine months carrying a child was no easy feat and at times when Chanyeol would joke about it, Baekhyun would mentally bludgeon him with a hammer.

"Your son is having a party in there." Baekhyun laments with a light laugh. 

"Are you sure it's not the fries you had for lunch?" Chanyeol jokes, earning himself a hard smack to his arm. Chanyeol's laugh fades into an affectionate smile as he carefully brings himself up to hover over Baekhyun, bringing his arms on either side of him before lowering himself down on his elbows to rest the side of his head on the top of Baekhyun's bulge of a stomach. Baekhyun's face flushes from the gesture, considering how it was the first time Chanyeol had held his head to his baby bump. Sure, they've been this close before without feeling embarrassed but Baekhyun found it to be a whole lot more intimate this time around. Before, Chanyeol would just place his hand over whenever he wanted to feel the baby, and Baekhyun would almost wish he would do more than just that, wanting to pull him down to listen to their son's heart beating to let him know that the being in there is as much his as it was Baekhyun's.

Baekhyun lifts his shirt up so Chanyeol could hear the baby better before asking in a hushed whisper, "Can you hear him?"

Hesitantly, he uses his hands from the sides to guide Chanyeol's head to where he could feel their boy's heartbeat.

"No," Chanyeol responds a minute later with a tinge of disappointment. He makes to lift his head but Baekhyun keeps it firmly down and directs his head a little bit past his navel. 

"There. I think it's somewhere here." Chanyeol closes his eyes to concentrate on the flow of blood through Baekhyun's veins beneath his skin, and just moments after, he finally picks up on the extremely faint but quick  thud, thud, thud that makes his  own heart swell with unadulterated love. He listens to it for a long while with a silly grin against Baekhyun's warm skin. Baekhyun watches Chanyeol with a smile of his own, glad that Chanyeol finally has the chance to get a feel of his own son. Baekhyun had asked his gynaecologist once if his baby's heartbeat could be heard or felt by someone else and her answer had been no, that whatever they were hearing would most probably just be the baby's hiccupping or kicking. Chanyeol didn't know this but Baekhyun didn't want to tell him either way, for Chanyeol seemed too excited for him to disappoint again. 

They spend the next half an hour in silence as Chanyeol tried to keep his attention peeled for the sound again but after awhile, the pain became too much to bear as Baekhyun's whimpers began again. He moves back into a lying position with his legs curled inwards and starts to sway lightly to ease the kicking inside.

"Hey, I've got an idea. Why don't we do something to get your mind off the pain?" Chanyeol suggests. Baekhyun eyes him warily. As far as ideas are concerned, Chanyeol has never been known to have good ones. If anything, they were pretty bad. Like that one time Baekhyun was hospitalized for a week from food poisoning after consuming the inedible nasty  concoction of kimchi and ddeobokki ice cream. Chanyeol wanted to do something nice for Baekhyun's 15th birthday and he had thought, what better way to surprise him than to mix two of his favourite food and turn it into ice cream? Yeah, that hadn't gone too well.

"If it involves you and the kitchen then count me out because we don't want a repeat of my 15th birthday, Yeol. I'm sure Noodle wouldn't like it." Baekhyun says firmly. Sidetracking, Baekhyun had taken to calling their unnamed baby Noodle because apparently Baekhyun had felt like there were noodles in his tummy when he first felt their baby's movement. Chanyeol caught onto it as well since Baekhyun is forever telling him about his and Noodles' daily adventures -- Noodle was craving for some ice cream, Noodle is tired, and Noodle thinks you're an idiot. Sometimes he teases Chanyeol, saying that the nickname Noodle came about when he thought of Chanyeol's unruly curls (in his defense, it only appears when his hair gets too long and he needs a haircut).

"No, no food this time." Chanyeol excitedly says, bouncing lightly in his seat. "I was thinking, we should go to the mall and do some baby-shopping. I know your mum has bought the crib and all but we could go see some cute baby clothes. Like the onesies those babies in the commercials wear."

Baekhyun sighs again. "It sounds fun, but my feet still hurts. I don't think I can get off the couch. I don't even think I can make it to the bathroom if the situation calls for it."

Chanyeol chuckles, pulling Baekhyun up into a sitting position by the arms. "Maybe I could strap you into one of those baby strollers--"

"--Don't you ing dare, Park Chanyeol." Baekhyun holds his hands on either side of his tummy in an attempt to keep his unborn baby from hearing the foul words that has just spilled from his mouth. Baekhyun glares at Chanyeol who only laughs harder. 

"Relax, Byun Baek, I was only kidding." Chanyeol reaches into his sling bag on the ground and retrieves his iPad. "We could do some online shopping. How about that?"

"Okay." Baekhyun concedes, snatching the iPad from Chanyeol's hands. "Actually, I saw this really awesome looking baby onesie when I was looking through Gymboree online."

Baekhyun pulls up a new tab and types into the search engine as Chanyeol peers from over his shoulder. Chanyeol's eyes widen at the picture of a dad and his baby.

"Please don't tell me what I think you're trying to do." Chanyeol groans with eyes closed, cringing at the picture itself.

"Do you want to be a part of Noodle's life or not?" Baekhyun snaps as he whirls his head around to narrow his eyes at his best friend.

"Of course I do, but must I really--"

"--No buts Park Chanyeol. Noodle is going to grow up with loving and supporting parents and if you can't be that, then I'm sorry but I'm gonna have to reevaluate my decision of letting you into his life." Baekhyun lectures as Chanyeol internally rolls his eyes at yet another one of Baekhyun's melodramatic reasonings. Chanyeol is certain being a supportive parent has absolutely nothing to do with not wanting to wear a freaking monkey onesie. He is a grown man for God's sake. It would look cute on Noodle but on an overgrown man who's the height of a tree? Not so much.

"Fine," Chanyeol grumbles, conceding to Baekhyun's requests, just like all the other times before. His irritation wanes, however, when he accidentally catches that happy aloof grin adorning Baekhyun's face. It's been eight months into this whole pregnancy saga, and Chanyeol has yet to get used to the inexplicable glow to Baekhyun. There were no words to truly describe the rosy blush that's always there.

A full cart and 60000KRW later, Chanyeol had long given up on trying to get Baekhyun to stop trying to match Noodles's clothes to his own. Just as Baekhyun clicks on the button verifying the payment of the items, Baekhyun's house phone rings. Baekhyun moves to get up, cracking out his joints in the process, but Chanyeol isn't having any of that.

"You stay put." Chanyeol gently pushes a petulant Baekhyun back onto the couch by the forehead as he goes to answer the call instead.

"Hello, Byun Residence. This is Park--"

"--Chanyeol-ah!" The booming voice on the other end of the line makes Chanyeol cringe as he holds the receiver an arm length's away, massaging his affected eardrum.

"What the hell, Kris? Why are you calling at my best friend's house?"

"Uh, Baekhyun is my friend," Kris deadpans. "Why you being so protective for?"

The question catches Chanyeol off guard, but before he could come up with an answer for it, Kris changes the topic.

"I need Baekhyun's help, that's why I'm calling him. Both your help, actually. I knew you'd be here on your day off anyway." 

"What is it?" This time, the doorbell rings.

"Open up the door and let us in," Kris demands right as he hangs up the phone. Chanyeol greets the unwanted visitor at the door, only to see that he has brought the whole Wu family along, wushu boy Tao right beside the towering man with a sleeping baby Luhan tucked in the baby carrier in front of him.

"Babysit Luhan for us." Kris gets straight to the point. It wasn't a question, more like a demand like one he usually throws to Chanyeol at work.

"Um, no?" Chanyeol raises an eyebrow.

"Chanyeol," Kris says warningly.

"Why should I?" 

"Because Taozi and I got a call from our realtor that the couple who was going to buy the house we wanted backed out, so he needed us to drop by his office asap." Kris explains.

"Why can't your mum do it?" 

"My mum is all the way across the Yellow Sea in Guangzhou if you forgot."

Tao flashes a smile and a short wave at the pregnant boy who had waddled outside to see what the commotion was.

"Hey, Kris, hey Tao. What are you guys doing here?" Baekhyun turns to hit Chanyeol on the shoulder. "Yeol, why aren't you inviting them inside?"

"They want us to babysit Luhan. But we're busy, aren't we, Baek?" 

"Sure, we'll do it." Baekhyun totally ignores Chanyeol as he holds his arms out. "Oooh, he's asleep. Come here, give him to me."

Tao unfastens the carrier from himself and carefully deposits Luhan into Baekhyun's steady arms. Behind Baekhyun, Chanyeol shoots Kris daggers as the latter laughs. 

"Thanks Baek. We'll try not to take too long." Kris says. Tao hands over the baby bag to Chanyeol who accepts it begrudingly.

"Everything you'll need is in here. If he wakes up and asks for food, just feed him some biscuits." Tao explains.

"Yeah, he likes that ." Kris adds, slipping his hand into his husband's.

"Come on, babe, let's go. Mr. Jung is already waiting for us." 

"Alright." The couple wave goodbye and turn around to leave, but just as they made it to the foot of the steps, Tao whirls around once more.

"Oh! And no sugar right before dinner and bedtime. And if he starts to cry, just--"

"--Taozi!" Baekhyun interrupts him, "Don't worry! Luhan will be fine with Chanyeol and I." The way Baekhyun is cradling the sleeping boy close to his chest makes every worry of Tao's vanish. He's the youngest of them all but sometimes, he certainly looked like the oldest because of his motherly ways. Having a baby really put some maturity on his years, and Baekhyun wonders if he'll be the same once he has Noodle.

"Okay. Thanks again. We'll call to check up, and to let you know once we're done." The married couple got into their car, and the best friend duo continue to wave at them till the car turns the corner. When they could no longer see it, Baekhyun turns around and shoves Chanyeol aside to waddle back inside.

"Come on, Chan. Parenting 101 starts now."

A/N:  So, the first chapter is up! I literally wrote this whole chapter (and the following few) using my phone xD Kudos to me haha! I really wanted to get this first part right so you guys will have an idea on how they're all related and somewhat a gist of the dynamics of their relationship. I didn't want to get too much into the details of Baekhyun's pregnancy since we've seen a lot of that before (though there may be surprises in the later chapters). Just to let everyone know, I don't know how to write comedy (im pretty lameeee) so don't expect too much of it, though I try to make certain scenes light :) 

I recently just started work so things are a little hectic and I don't have much free time now but it's okay cause I've completed a few chapters in advance. Will continue where I left off in a week's time~

On another note, I'm going to briefly state my thoughts on the Exo situation right now. Honestly I don't want to say much because it'll only make us all sad/angry/upset but all I know is that I'm not taking sides and though I know things are not going to be the same anymore, I hope both parties will be okay and happy once this whole thing blows over. Don't take this the wrong way, I love Exo and I may sound like I'm nonchalant about it (as compared to some fans who are truly devastated) but I got over it in a few days and decided to continue to support everyone. That's the best, right? To keep positive and know that everything will somehow work out fine in the end. So I hope everyone will be okay and just accept whatever the outcome. Just be happy that we got to be with Exo as 12, and to a certain extent, they will always be ot12 in our hearts :) Chin up, everyone! Exo will see better days. Kris will be fine. Everything will fall into place. 

EXO SARANGHAJA! 

(¯`v´¯) 
.`•.¸.•´ ★ 
¸.•´.•´¨) ¸.•¨) 
(¸.•´(¸.•´ (¸.•¨¯`* ♥ 

I hope this update cheers up some of you lovely readers. <3