Chapter 9 : The First Step

The day for examination had finally reached students of Jeguk High School. Baekhyun forcefully dragged his feet towards the gate, keeping his head low and watched on his black high top sneakers. He couldn't describe how nervous he was from the very right moment he woke up this morning, wishing the day would never come. As far as he could recall, that was basically the first time he ever felt that way. Since when did Byun Baekhyun ever concern about his grades?  The image of the tall, not dark and handsome Park Chanyeol came across his messed up mind. He remembered, out of being over-emotional, he promised to show him an A for Maths. What if I failed to get it? How can I face him?? Speak of the devil..

 

 

"So today's the day, huh?" Chanyeol reminded, sliding hands into the pockets of his pants as he walked right beside the smaller. He was watching Baekhyun from the moment he got off the bus. The smaller didn't even realize his existence in the same bus as him. Uneasiness were written all over him.

 

 

 

"Yeah.." Baekhyun murmured. Almost shocked that Chanyeol appeared beside him right when he thought of him, like magic.

 

 

 

"All the best then. Don't forget what you promised" Chanyeol added, giving a double tap on the other's shoulder before speeding up.

 

 

 

"What if I managed to get it?" Baekhyun asked, causing Chanyeol to stop on his tracks and turn around to face him.

 

 

 

"Then, I'll be proud of you"

 

 

 

"Psh who wants that? You'd have to be my servant for a day" Baekhyun smirked. He thought of the punishment for Chanyeol for days and finally he came out with that.

 

 

 

"Servant? That's ridiculous. You have enough housekeepers!"

 

 

 

"Come on.. are you scared? At least I won't ask you to do household works"

 

 

 

"Scared? Tch. Not even a tiny bit"

 

 

 

"Is that means, it's a deal?"

 

 

 

"Maybe" Chanyeol shrugged before continuing on his tracks again. He couldn't help but to think of it. What if he asked me to do weird things? He can't be that bad, can he?

 

 

 

"Yo, Chanchan!" Sehun greeted, coming from behind and casually rested a hand on the taller's broad shoulder.

 

 

 

"Hey, Hunhun" Chanyeol replied, plainly.

 

 

 

"What was that just now?"

 

 

 

"What?"

 

 

 

"You and that Baek boy. I can smell something fishy~" Sehun squinted eyes doubtfully, playfully (ually) running a finger down the chest of the taller.

 

 

 

"What fishy.. my " Chanyeol replied, giving a nudge to the flat tummy of the latter.

 

 

 

"Tell me what happened! I thought I'm your best buddy.." Sehun lowered down his voice, pouting.

 

 

 

"Urh fine.. I challenged him to get an A for Maths, and in return, he asked for me to be his servant for a day"

 

 

 

"Servant?? Woahhh. Then this will be the first time, The Parkchan lowered down by a junior" Sehun grinned, avoiding another nudge from the latter.

 

 

 

"I know. Can you believe that??"

 

 

 

"If he asked you that, accept it but.. don't fool yourself. Make sure you play along and let him falls into his own trap" Sehun wiggled eyebrows.

 

 

 

"What do you mean by that?"

 

 

 

"Ohh yeahhh.. You'll know what it means" Sehun smiled smugly, having dirty thoughts all over his mind. As expected from Thehun, he knew very well how to mess around with others. The Bookworm Chanyeol learned much from him.

 

 

 

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

Two weeks later, the moment a typed result slip reached his trembling hands, Baekhyun could not restrain himself from jumping delightfully that he thought he almost reached the roof. Seemed like his one month efforts paid off. He had been staying up until 2 a.m every single night, doing something he never thought he would, studying. Mrs Jaekyung gave a proud smile to him, hardly wondering what changed the once lazy kid that his result drastically rose up especially for Mathematics.

 

 

"Kyungie, I made it! A for Maths!" Baekhyun went back to his place, skipping, thoughtless on how not cool he might looked at that moment. The girls still thought he looked extremely adorable anyway. 

 

 

 

"Omg that's superb! I'm proud of you buddy!" Kyungsoo almost screamed and his eyes waiting for time to pop out its sockets, giving the other a tight hug.

 

 

 

"I can't wait to show this to Chanyeol!" He could show it to him proudly now, even though he only got one A. 

 

 

 

"Chanyeol? I thought it should be your mom.." Kyungsoo immediately pulled away and faced the other, raising an eyebrow. A curious sensation overwhelmed him.

 

 

 

"Er.. of course I'm going to show this to mom. Who else? Oops my tongue slipped" Baekhyun showed a silly grin, but failed to wash away the curiosity that hit Kyungsoo. This is bad.. Baekhyun knew well, once a curiosity came to the boy, he would disguise himself into a FBI, until he resolved the case.

 

 

 

"Baek.. you like him, don't you?" Kyungsoo gave a meaningful smile to the other who looked uneasy on his seat.

 

 

 

"Huh? What are you talking about? Why would I like that cocky guy?" Baekhyun turned around, escaping his eyes from meeting the penetrating D.O eyes.

 

 

 

"Eyes don't lie, Baekhyunnie.. I know you for long enough. You should see your own face the second you mentioned his name" Kyungsoo added, trying to dig into the hard-as-rock heart of the other.

 

 

 

"Ughhh I don't know.." Baekhyun face palmed himself onto the table, giving up.

 

 

 

"Then, we shall find out through only two simple questions. First, do you feel something when he smiled at you?"

 

 

 

Baekhyun nodded.

 

 

 

"Second, do you miss him when you don't see him?" 

 

 

 

He nodded again, shyly. Kyungsoo observed while caressing his own chin and pursed his plump lips.

 

 

 

"The answer is YES. You do like him, Baekhyun ssi" Kyungsoo added, clapping on his hands that he settled down the easy case.

 

 

 

"Maybe I do.."

 

 

 

"Then, what are you waiting for? Fight for it!" Kyungsoo was pleased that finally somebody managed to open up the heart of the stubborn boy. Indeed, only love can overcome hatred.

 

 

 

"How?.."

 

 

 

"Ever heard of.. If you love somebody, set them on fire?" Kyungsoo laughed to his own quote.

 

 

 

"W-what?! You want me to burn him? You're retarded" 

 

 

 

"Don't interpret it literally, dumbo. I meant by melting him down"

 

 

 

 

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

Baekhyun spotted Chanyeol sitting right beside the window on the third last row, as usual, staring out without even bother on other people climbing on the bus. His jumbo ears were plugged with earphones, avoiding any other unpleasant noise from hitting on his eardrum. He knew the tall guy hated crowded and noisy places (How? He accidentally stalked him). Baekhyun purposely grabbed the seat next to him before a boy could reach it and awarded him a mocking smile. Baekhyun hugged on his sling bag before taking out a paper and hung it on the air before Chanyeol's face. The taller frowned before finally turning his face to the person next to him and realized it was Baekhyun. 

 

 

"What's this?" Chanyeol asked, taking the paper from him while pulling the earphones off his ears. He strolled his eyes over the typed paper.

 

 

 

"Results" Baekhyun leaned back against the seat, keeping an I-am-fab face on.

 

 

 

"Wow. You made it! Good job" Chanyeol smiled, ruffling on the boy's head. It was not something odd anymore since he often did that now, though Baekhyun disliked it, maybe.

 

 

 

“Aish. Stop messing up my hair!” Baekhyun scowled, fixing on his scruffy hair. Well, of course he actually liked it, experiencing a mini heart attack each time.

 

 

 

“Surely I’m a part of your excellent result. You are very welcome!" Chanyeol added, sarcastically. 

 

 

 

"Thank you, Chanyeol sunbae. You know what this means right?" Baekhyun shifted eyes to the other.

 

 

 

"I don't know, and I refuse to know"

 

 

 

"Sure you do. You lost the bet, so you must pay for it"

 

 

 

"I've never bet on anything"

 

 

 

"True guy sticks to his words"

 

 

 

"You're such an annoying little creature. Alright I'll do it, or else you'll keep on making big fuss over this. Just a day anyway. What do you want me to do?

 

 

 

"Simple. Take me out and follow me around. I'm bored staying at home that I thought I would die anytime"

 

 

 

"Are you asking me to go out on a date with you?" Chanyeol lifted up an eyebrow.

 

 

 

"Hfff. No I'm not! You're supposed to watch on my back. It's not safe for a kid like me to go out alone. I'm too cute that bad people might want to kidnap me and probably worse, me!"

 

 

 

"I want to puke out a toilet. It's not a servant then. It's bodyguard, dummy"

 

 

 

"Whatsoever.. so, are you in?" Baekhyun questioned, giving his hand to Chanyeol.

 

 

 

"Deal" Chanyeol reached out for a handshake with the pretty hand. Surprised by how small it was in his rough hands. Just hanging out, it would be fine.. He expected.

 

 

 

Kyungie, I made my first step! Baekhyun whispered innerly.