Dad,

I left your breakfast in the microwave, I’ll be back from school late. Have a great day at work –Love Baek

Baekhyun smiled as he considered adding a little heart to his note, but decided against it as he put the pad of paper back on the fridge where his father would see it when he woke up later.

He works himself too hard, Baekhyun thought to himself as he lifted his backpack over both of his shoulders before quietly closing the door behind himself. Slipping the key to his house back in his pocket after locking it behind him.

Baekhyun slowly began his normal walk to school, he liked to leave a little earlier than was necessary so that he could quietly sing to himself on the way to school without disturbing too many people on their morning commute.

“Hey Baek” a deep voice said as he felt a lengthy arm drop over his shoulders.

“Chanyeol what are you doing??” Baekhyun said in a sharp questioning voice not too loudly because he didn’t want to draw attention as he pushed the large arm off of his shoulder. “Someone could see us.”

“There is hardly anyone around, are you afraid those old guys drinking coffee and bird watching are going to see us?” Chanyeol asked in a teasing tone as he smiled and waved over towards the older men.

“No you big dummy I’m afraid someone from school will see us or worse someone who knows my dad.” As he finished his sentence a little shiver ran down his spin.

“I’m sorry Baek it won’t happen again I can behave myself just please let me walk with you to school, look I got up early and everything please.” Chanyeol asked.

Don’t look at his eyes, don’t look at his eyes, Baekhyun said to himself with half a mind to send him away knowing that if he looked at those sappy eyes that he would not have the fallow through to do so. In the end however the desire to look at Chanyeol outweighed the anger and fear he felt earlier. “Fine” Baekhyun whispered quietly staring at the sidewalk in front of him. “But no touching, promise?”

“I can do that.” Chanyeol said. Without even looking at him Baekhyun could tell that he was smiling. “So are you ready for this?” Chanyeol asked “Starting another school year I mean.”

“Yep, the trio has a lot of trips planned for competitions and stuff so that should be exciting.” Baekhyun said referring to the singing trio he competed in at school. “Aren’t you guys coming to a lot of them?” he asked directing the question to Chanyeol.

“Yeah, we are going to the same ones I think, you’re not going to be able to get rid of me buddy.” Chanyeol said smiling down towards the smaller of the two.

Baekhyun felt a bigger promise in the words that Chanyeol spoke. He hadn’t known the taller personally till recently when his father had sent him to a music camp over the summer to improve in all areas as he put it. Baekhyun had been a little disappointed having to share a cabin with Chanyeol and a couple other boy over the summer because he recognized Chanyeol from school and didn’t really like him. The previous view that Baekhyun had on Chanyeol could not have been more off, he enjoyed getting to know Chanyeol and letting Chanyeol get to know him over the summer, at camp he could be his true self without fear, but here, back in the real world, things were different and he couldn’t risk anything.

“I know you said that you didn’t want to risk people seeing us together and guessing the truth Baek, but I have been thinking long and hard and I think I have the perfect solution, I can’t tell you yet because I don’t want to get your hopes up too high, but I will find a way for this to work, for us to work, I promise” Chanyeol said with nothing but sincerity in his voice. “I’ll leave now so that nobody sees us walking on campus together, promise to text me at lunch if you can” Chanyeol said as he walk away.

Baekhyun’s head was reeling from what Chanyeol had said. He kept coming back to one very important sentence Chanyeol had said, I will find a way for this to work, for us to work, I promise.

Baekhyun floated on a little cloud of promises, saying hi to all the right people, and conversing with his friends, up until lunch.

“Hey Baek, long time no see” Chen said jokingly as he sat down across from him.

“You are so dumb Chen” Baekhyun replied because he and Chen had just hared their last two classes together.

“I try, I do try” Chen said laughing. “I wonder where D.O. is I haven’t seen him since homeroom”

“He’ll be here” Baekhyun said “Speak of the devil” he added jokingly as D.O. sat down next to Chen

“Can you believe this, it’s an outrage” Baekhyun heard a deep voice boom from across the cafeteria. Baekhyun looked up to see Chanyeol having a conversati