Chapter 3 : Long Lost Friend

Saturday morning, the cloudless sky was blue with refreshing air, and the sun was shining gloriously, almost blinding, beaming upon the fair face of a young man in his red-striped hoody with a long black pants. Chanyeol went to the grocery store located at a distance of a stone thrown away from home. Unfortunately, he had to face the crowds of women (mostly ahjummas) since he went there during weekend. He pulled out a piece of handwritten note, rolling his eyesballs down, scanning through the to-buy-list in his hand. That’s a lot, he thought, almost dropped his jaw together with slight widening eyes. Chanyeol walked through one by one lane, taking in the soy sauce, sesame oil, spices, (just to name a few). Before long, he stepped out the store with loaded plastic sacks in both hands, striding down the street. 

“Park Chanyeol?” Chanyeol came to a halt, turning around to hear a familiar male voice calling out for his name. His face lightened up right away to see the guy in wide smile, within spitting distance from him.

“Baekbeom is that really you??” He excitedly walked over to the guy in plain white v-neck shirt, giving a tight-loving hug to his long lost best friend (after placing down the sack). They both once went to the same school, not to mention classmates and basketball teammates. They used to stick together like birds of a feather. He hadn't seen Baekbeom since he went to study abroad in California. 

“Oh God.. I haven’t seen you in ages! You look skinny. How have you been?” Baekbeom responded, loosening the hug, sweet smile never left his face.

“I’m better than good. As you can see, as good looking as always” Chanyeol smiled proudly, receiving a light nudge on the tummy by the other.

“You haven’t changed a bit. Especially the ears" Baekbeom snickered, reaching out a hand to pinch on the earlobe of the jumbo ears, his habit since forever. He used to own those ears that he wouldn't let anyone else touch it.

"Aish this kid" Chanyeol scoffed, the hand of the guy in short khaki pants.

"What you got there in your hands?" Baekbeom questioned, only now noticing it.

"Just some groceries. You know.. mom"

"Mrs Park? I missed her soybean paste stew!" Baekbeom mouth watered, just to imagine one of the tastiest meals he'd ever taste. He used to come over to Chanyeol's house frequently, doing homeworks together, or sometimes just playing games.

"Then, do come and drop by some time" Chanyeol grinned, recalling the memories of the youth life they spent together.

"I will. Are you in rush? Why don’t we grab a drink on a cafe down the street?” 

Chanyeol nodded, agreeing.

~ ~ ~

Chanyeol rested a hand on his forehead, staring endlessly to the ceiling of his small cozy room, probably counting on sheeps in his head because he could not get himself to sleep. He immersed in his own thought, thinking of the conversation he had with his friend, Baekbeom this morning. The guy once confessed his love for him, five years back. He was in a total shock back then, as for him, Baekbeom was nothing more than just his best friend. He loved him too, but not in a romantic way. Things went odd between them and it was tearing their friendship apart, little by little. After a while, they sorted everything out, eventually became close again, and even closer. That was not what Chanyeol having his deep thought in actually, but..

* * *

"Do you possibly know anybody's providing a tutor class for students?" Baekbeom questioned.

"I'm not sure.. Why?" Chanyeol raised an eyebrow to the 20 year-old guy sitting right in front of him, taking a sip of the hot chocolate. The soothing music played in the cafeteria, relaxing his mind. He could see the busy life of people outside through the transparent glass. Crowds of pedestrians, shoppers and others can be seen walking along the pavements outside the shops or trying to cross the road.

"I'm looking for one, for my brother" Baekbeom replied, regarding the matter of his younger brother. His mom thought that was the final solution for a lazy kid who refused to study like Baekhyun. He wouldn't mind teaching his dongsaeng himself, but he soon needed to go back to California again.

"Your brother, Baekhyun?" Chanyeol asked, he knew Baekbeom had a brother by that name, but he never met him anyhow.

"Yeah. My only brother. Wait.. I have an idea! Will you do me a favor?" His face lightened up a little, Chanyeol pretty sure that he could see a light bulb popped out from the other's head. He could not be sure if he was hallucinating or not.

"What is it?" Chanyeol inquired, having a slight curiosity about what the latter think of.

"Be the tutor for my brother?"

* * *

Chanyeol shook his head, snapping out of thought, sitting up straight on his bed. The lines kept on ghosting over his mind, and the worst was it had been following him everywhere. He asked for some time to think of it. This was like a gift fell down from heaven for him since he had been searching for a part-time job for days but failed, because most refused to take in students. Plus, he once took the role as a mentor in a Mathematics club in school so this wouldn't be that hard for him. Baekbeom told him that he only needed to tutor his brother twice a week. Something came into Chanyeol's mind, Baekboem did not miss out to warn him about his badly behaved brother, before they separated this morning.

"He's only a kid anyhow. How bad could he be?" Chanyeol thought.

~ ~ ~

"Baekhyun ah~ can I come in?" Low voice of the brother could be heard coming from outside, together with a slight knock onto the door. Baekbeom stepped into the room without waiting for answer from the other. Baekhyun was lying on the comfy king sized bed with a cellphone in his hand and earphones stuffed in his ears.

"What is it?" Baekhyun replied, sitting up to give some space for his brother, placing the earphone next to him.

"I found a tutor for you. He'll be here by Tuesday, maybe" Baekbeom informed, plopping down his body in pajama beside his beloved dongsaeng. He was very pleased when Chanyeol gave him a call just now, telling him that he agreed to the offer.

"What? But hyung~ you know I don't want one!" Baekhyun pouted with a slight frown on his face like a 5 year-old kid protesting over a taken away candy.

"But mom insisted, my baby brother.. Please do this, for me?" Baekbeom soften his voice, at least trying to make Baekhyun agree to this. As far as he could remember, the kid never said no to him. He squeezed on the pudgy cheek of his pamper brother.

"Who's the victim this time?" Baekhyun scoffed, receiving a half ghastly glare from the older.

"He's a good friend of mine. You'd better be nice to him" Baekbeom answered in a menacing tone of voice.

"Don't worry. I'll be nice to him. Really nice.." Baekhyun smiled smugly.

Baekbeom felt uneasy.

ღ ღ ღ

Author's note :

It took me two days to update this but Oh God.. I'm sorry for this crappy chapter. ^^"

[Instagram : @yeolicksbaek ]