Baekhyun burrows his face even further into his muffler. It's getting cold and he can see winter is coming. The trees are almost leaves-empty, they are ready for a long sleep before spring comes.

He rubs his hands to warm them up, mumbles a little bit about the cold weather.

"Baek?" A reluctant voice calls his name.

Baekhyun mockingly pouts, "Way to make me frozen, Lu."

The figure in front of him breaks into a wide grin, mirroring the exact expression on Baekhyun's face now. The two bestfriends hug each other tightly.

"I missed you so much" Luhan whispers, still won't let go of Baekhyun.

Baekhyun laughs, "I missed you too, Lu, but you're about to kill me here."

Luhan quickly pulls off from Baekhyun, he sheepishly smiles, "It's just hard to believe. You've been in London for a year, but now you're back here."

Baekhyun beams, "My dad's birthday is coming up! I can't miss it, you know how much he means to me."

He is the only one I have left.

Luhan teasingly smiles, "So, I take it as you remember dates now?"

The latter pouts, "Hey! I'm trying, okay?"

They both laugh as they make their way to the café they used to meet up when they were in high school.

"So, how's medical school treating you?" Baekhyun asks, he sips his hot Americano slowly.

"Tough. But I'm fine with it, nothing I can't handle. It's only the beginning." Luhan answers. He still drinks bubble tea in weather like this.

Luhan frowns, "I thought you don't like Americano."

"Minseok drinks them all the time, can't help but get contagious." Baekhyun shrugs his shoulder.

"Minseok as in Kim Minseok?" Luhan looks taken aback.

Baekhyun smiles, "Oh, I haven't told you about him? He's my senior in uni, we're in the same dorm building, even. What a coincidence, right?"

Luhan stiffens, he doesn't know how to react, "Well, it's not like it's easy to contact you, Baek. For you to reply my email is like wow"

Baekhyun pouts.

"It surprised me that you even bother to tell me that you were coming back, I thought you forgot about me already."

Baekhyun's bottom lip juts out a little bit more, "I'm sorry. I promise I contact you more from now on."

Luhan smiles, he understands that Baekhyun has his reason to stay out from all of his social media accounts.

Luhan's eyes widen in realization, he really wants to say something to Baekhyun but his bestfriend is lost in his own talk about Minseok and his life in London.

"Minseok is really nice, Lu! He takes me out to tour around London--"

"Baek--"

"--One day after class, he brought me to--"

"Byun Baekhyun." Luhan calls Baekhyun's name sternly.

The latter looks down and bites his lower lip, "Please don't tell me."

"Baek--"

"Whatever it is, please don't tell me. Please don't say his name." Baekhyun takes a shuddering breath.

Luhan sighs.

"So... You know?" Luhan carefully asks.

"That he was back to Korea last year?" Baekhyun looks up to see Luhan.

It was your one year anniversary with him, Luhan doesn't say it out loud.

"I knew." Baekhyun sips his coffee, "He didn't say anything to me, though."

It was supposed to be a surprise for you.

"Maybe he wanted to see his bestfriends? Jongin and Kyungsoo, right? How are they doing anyway?" Baekhyun asks, smiling.

Luhan looks into Baekhyun's eyes, he sees nothing genuine in it. Even though he's smiling, his lips quivering.

Luhan sighs, "Kyungsoo is in Colorado, he got accepted in the university there. Jongin is still here, majoring in dance."

Baekhyun blinks, "Oh. That's... Great." He traces the lines of the wooden table with his finger.

"He's here." Luhan says.

Baekhyun snaps his head up as he hears Luhan speaks. His heart beats erratically.

He puts a smile to cover his shock, the ends of his lips twitching, "O-oh? R-really?"

"Listen Baek--"

Baekhyun abruptly stands up, he chuckles awkwardly, "I... I need to go to the restroom."

Luhan is about to stand up to go with him but Baekhyun gestures him to stop with his hand, "I'll be right back."

And that's the cue for Luhan to let Baekhyun has his time alone.

Luhan sighs for the umpteenth times that day. For him, Baekhyun has the most complicated relationship ever. Baekhyun doesn't even want to hear his name.

Park Chanyeol. Luhan remembers how Chanyeol and Baekhyun were a high school sweetheart. They were in a relationship that envied by students in the school. Chanyeol was affectionate, he fell in love for Baekhyun at the first sight. But the couple had to face a long distance relationship a week after they just got official. Chanyeol's family moved away to California. At first, everything was fine. They always made sure to contact each other. But as the time passed by, they were too caught up with their own life. Luhan is not sure how long they have been losing contact of each other. Baekhyun practically learned to forget his social media accounts.

His insecurities make everything even worse, Luhan thinks.

Luhan snaps out of his reveries when he hears the ring of the café door, signaling new customers come in. It's not the rush hour, the costumers don't usually come during this time. So he frowns and turns his head to see who's coming.

He stops breathing for a second, quickly regretting that he looks up to see the persons who come in.

It's Jongin. With Chanyeol.

Park ing Chanyeol.

Mr. Please-Don't-Say-His-Name.

Luhan ducks his head but too late, Jongin already saw him.

Jongin walks towards his table, grinning, "Hey, Luhan, haven't seen you in awhile. How are you?" He casually takes a chair across Luhan but he realizes there's a cup of coffee and handphone in the table.

"Oh? You're here with someone? Sehun?" Jongin asks again, taking a seat beside the chair that he supposed is not empty. Chanyeol takes a seat across of Jongin, beside Luhan.

Luhan and Chanyeol greet each other awkwardly.

"So, are you having a date with Sehun? Are we bothering you guys now?" Jongin asks, but showing no sign of leaving.

Luhan bites his inside cheek, mentally cursing Baekhyun for not bringing his phone with him.

"Well..." Luhan trails off.

"Lu, look! I got us cakes and--" Baekhyun stops before he reaches the table. His smile dies. His eyes red and there's no need to be smart to know that Baekhyun cried in the restroom.

Three pairs of eyes look at him. Luhan's pretty face has panic and worries drawn on it. Jongin looks genuinely surprised. Chanyeol...

Luhan averts his eyes to see Chanyeol but the tall boy quickly stands up.

"Baek...?" He calls up.

Luhan is half-wishing that Baekhyun would drop the tray and runs away. Then Chanyeol would chase him and after some drama, they would fix everything that is not spoken between them, just like in movies.

But no, Baekhyun and Chanyeol just stand there for a few seconds, staring at each other before Baekhyun breaks the contact. He clears his throat, "I got us cakes and muffins. I'm sorry I don't  know we got more people on the table."

He smiles, but it's quivering and Luhan knows Baekhyun is faking it.

Baekhyun takes the seat beside Jongin, he puts the tray on the center of the table.

Chanyeol sits back. The atmosphere is really thick between them, nobody dares to speak.

Luhan clears his throat, "Jongin, I think we need to--"

"Don't." Baekhyun quickly says through his gritted teeth.

"Don't you dare to go, Lu." He continues.

Luhan heaves out loudly, as much as he cares about Baekhyun and truly awares of how uncomfortable this situation for Baekhyun, he knows what to do. He stands up from his seat and drags Jongin with him.

"Nope. We're out of here. And you guys-" Luhan accusingly points at Chanyeol and Baekhyun, "-you need to talk about whatever it is left unspoken between you."

"Let's go Jongin, I can't stand this atmosphere."

Luhan and Jongin are out of sight in instant.

Baekhyun darts his eyes elsewhere, anything but Chanyeol. His hands curled into tight fists on his lap.

"Tell me to go, then I'll go." Chanyeol suddenly says.

Baekhyun turns his head to see Chanyeol right in the eyes. It's the same eyes that look into him last year, the same emotions.

"If you don't want me here, I'll go." Chanyeol says again.

Baekhyun stares at Chanyeol. He still looks the same as Baekhyun can remember, except the fact that he looks mature with his new hair cut.

"Why?" Baekhyun manages to whisper.

Chanyeol still looks at him, "You've been ignoring me for all this time, Baek. I came back last year only to find out that you were in London."

Baekhyun lowers his head, buries his face even more in his muffler.

"Now, can I ask you the same question?"

Baekhyun slowly raises his head.

"Why?" Chanyeol asks.

"Why did you ignore me? Why didn't you tell me anything? Baek, I was so devastated that I couldn't find you that time, nobody knew where you were, nobody knew how to contact you. Heck, I went to your house but your dad wouldn't tell me anything." Chanyeol sounds more desperate now.

"Tell me what I did wrong, I'll fix it for you" Chanyeol pleads.

Baekhyun runs his hand over his face, he takes a deep breath, "I'm afraid."

"Wha--"

"You are so far away, Chanyeol, I'm afraid. We have our own lives, you start to catch up with your life there, I can't take that away from you."

Baekhyun sweeps one fallen tear with the back of his hand.

"Baek..."

"I'm scared of long distance relationship. I don't know what you're doing there, I don't know who your friends are, I don't know anything. Somehow I feel like you've been away for too long that it feels like you've never been here to begin with."

It feels like you are not mine anymore.

Baekhyun chuckles bitterly, "Sometimes I just wonder, how would it feel to have you here by my side, what would it feel like to have you in the class, to eat lunch with you, studying with you. Sometimes I just wonder how it feels to hold your hand because mine has been empty for too long. Sometimes I just wonder how different it would be if you didn't move away."

Baekhyun smiles but his tears keep streaming down his cheek, "But you were not here. Where were you when I had nobody to talk to in the class? Where were you when people kept comparing me with Kyungsoo? Where were you when I really wanted to graduate with you? Where were you when my mom passed away and I cried myself to sleep? Where were you when I need you the most?"

Chanyeol looks so lost. He doesn't know that Baekhyun didn't have anybody to talk to in the class. He heard from Jongin long time ago that there was some problems in the class, but not to this extent. And Jongin didn't say anything about people compared Baekhyun to Kyungsoo.

The news about Baekhyun's mom hits him like a thunder. Chanyeol doesn't know that Baekhyun's mom passed away. He feels like the worst boyfriend ever.

Baekhyun takes a shuddering breath, "I... I can't be in a relationship where it only makes me insecure."

Chanyeol stands up so Baekhyun thinks that he's about to go, to leave him for good. But he's wrong. Chanyeol takes a seat beside him and hugs him tightly. Baekhyun sobs uncontrollably in his chest. His hand holds Chanyeol's shirt, shivering.

"I missed you, Chan... I missed you so bad..." Baekhyun cries muffled in his shirt.

Chanyeol buries his face into Baekhyun's hair, "I missed you too, Baek. And I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Chanyeol lets Baekhyun cries in his chest. He ignores a pair of eyes, or two, from other costumers in the café. Good thing it's not crowd in the café now.

In all honesty, Chanyeol feels like crying too. But he needs to be strong for Baekhyun. The small boy in his arms has been bottled up everything for too long. He needs to let it out.

Chanyeol gently caresses Baekhyun's back, hopefully it makes the said boy calmer. He kisses Baekhyun's hair every now and then while whispering soothing words to the crying boy.

"I'm here, Baek... I'm here."

When Baekhyun cries subside into small sniffs and hiccups, Chanyeol pulls away slightly. He erases the tears from Baekhyun's eyes with his thumb.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." He manages to let out.

Baekhyun nods.

"I regret every moments, I really do."

Baekhyun nods again, he bites his lower lip to prevent the tears that threatening to come again.

"Will you forgive me?" Chanyeol asks in whisper.

Baekhyun looks straight into Chanyeol's eyes, he nods.

Chanyeol looks like he's about to break down so he pulls Baekhyun back into his arms, "Please don't break up with me, Baek. Please..."

Chanyeol's voice sounds so husky and broken.

"I can't imagine my life without you. I know I can't always be by your side, but you can always call me whenever you need me. I'll forever be on Skype if that's what you want. I promise I'll visit you during break. Please Baek, put your trust in me..."

Baekhyun holds back a choke sob, he nods his head couple times, can't trust himself to talk.

Maybe that's all what they both need for all this time. Maybe this is what Baekhyun truly needs ; talk to each other. Maybe Baekhyun needs to learn to put aside his insecurities and starts to trust his boyfriend. He needs to talk everything out instead of making assumption and runs away.

Chanyeol slowly lets go of the smaller one, he stares at Baekhyun's glassy eyes and he feels a pang in his heart, because he is the reason for Baekhyun's tears.

He kisses Baekhyun's forehead, it's a subtle touch of skins but Baekhyun feels everything will be okay. Chanyeol offers his hand to Baekhyun, the latter looks at him in confusion. So Chanyeol takes Baekhyun's hand into his.

"This is how it feels to hold my hand." Chanyeol says, he gives a squeeze to Baekhyun's hand before bringing the hand to his lips. He kisses every knuckles.

Baekhyun blushes furiously that Chanyeol chuckles a little bit. He studies Baekhyun's face long before he braces himself to ask, "Are we okay now?"

Baekhyun takes a deep breath, "Yeah" He answers in whisper.

They don't know from across the street, in the Baskin's Robbins, Luhan and Jongin watch everything.

 

---

 

"Do you think they're okay now?" Jongin asks Luhan. At the same time he also starts questioning himself for agreeing to eat ice cream with Luhan in cold weather like this. He really needs to ask Baekhyun's reason to make Luhan his bestfriend.

Luhan scoops his chocolate mint ice cream, "Yeah, I think they're fine now. They smile at each other like crazy."

Jongin shrugs, "I'm glad. You have no idea how wrecking mess Chanyeol was without Baekhyun."

Luhan scoffs, "Poor boy, he's lucky Baekhyun forgave him."

Jongin frowns, "You are mean."

"He's the one who moved away to another continent and left Baekhyun."

"It's not like he had any choice, Luhan." Jongin sighs.

"Hmm yeah whatever. At least they're fine now. You have no idea how insecure Baekhyun is. I hope Chanyeol treats him better now." Luhan finally opts to say.

Jongin smiles, watching his bestfriend wins his love back.

But they're both frozen when they see Chanyeol is leaning closer to Baekhyun. Luhan's eyes look like they about to pop out from its socket.

"Don't they dare to kiss in public, that just--" Luhan gasps loudly.

"PARK ING CHANYEOL!!!" Luhan immediately runs away from Baskin Robbins to the café across the street. Jongin follows after him with laughter.

 

---

 

Baekhyun is surprised to see his bestfriend barges into the café frantically.

"What did you do?" Luhan sends him stink eyes.

Baekhyun blinks innocently, "Nothing? Chan helps me to clean the crumbs on my cheek earlier." He answers cheerfully. Chanyeol smiles beside him, his arm loops around Baekhyun's waist.

Luhan blinks once, twice, before he takes a seat across Baekhyun.

"I thought Chanyeol kissed you. You know how many times I told you that people shouldn't be allowed to show PDA in public." Luhan starts rambling. Baekhyun squirms beside Chanyeol because well, Chanyeol did kiss him, but not the lips.

Luhan throws dagger at Chanyeol, his doe eyes turn into wicked slits, "And you Park Chanyeol, I know you've been in America but it doesn't mean you can kiss Baekhyun whenever and wherever you like, think about what people would feel. They might get jealous and kill themselves out of jealousy--"

Baekhyun buries his face shamefully  into his muffler because he can't handle his bestfriend giving an awkward lecture about PDA and safe procedure to his boyfriend.

 

---

 

Later that night, Baekhyun calls his dad to ask if it's okay for Chanyeol to come to their house because Baekhyun is home alone and his dad won't come home until midnight. His dad gives his permission, he's glad that Baekhyun and Chanyeol fixed whatever that was wrong between them.

That's how Baekhyun and Chanyeol sit on the couch together, Chanyeol's back on the arm rest and Baekhyun nestles between his legs. Laptop on Baekhyun's lap.

Chanyeol shows Baekhyun all of his friends in California, the ones from high school and college through his Facebook photo albums. He wants Baekhyun to know his life.

Baekhyun puts the laptop on the coffee table when it shows a picture of Chanyeol and a girl.

"That's Sulli, right?" Baekhyun asks. He pouts.

Chanyeol ruffles Baekhyun's hair, he hums,"She's a friend."

Baekhyun still pouts, "I remember one time when we chat, you told me that you were talking with her and it was past midnight."

Chanyeol looks at Baekhyun in awe, wondering how his boyfriend remembers things like that.

"Are you jealous?" He teasingly asks, half-wishing that Baekhyun would blush and deny it.

Nope.

Baekhyun juts his lower lip out furthermore, "What do you expect me to do? You were out of my sight, you could whatever you want and I would know nothing about it."

Chanyeol smiles, his hand around Baekhyun's waist tightens.

"I won't talk to her anymore if you don't like it." Chanyeol responds.

Baekhyun can feel Chanyeol's breath on his ear, it makes him giddy.

So he turns his head around to see Chanyeol directly. The giant stares at his eyes and Baekhyun can see all affections in it.

Chanyeol turns Baekhyun around so they face each other, Baekhyun on his lap.

"Baek?" Chanyeol breaths out.

Baekhyun hums, his heart beats faster.

He can see Chanyeol stares at his lip before going back up to look at him in the eyes.

"Can I kiss you?" Chanyeol asks.

Baekhyun holds his breath for a second.

"Yes."

So Chanyeol leans forward, Baekhyun flutters his eyes close. He can feel Chanyeol's breath on his face, and then soft lips touching his.

Baekhyun can feel butterflies dancing in his stomach.

He thinks Chanyeol's kiss would be like his first kiss with Kris, only a simple brush of lips. So when Chanyeol pulls off slightly, he thinks it's over.

But Chanyeol only pulls off slightly, their lips still touching. He angles his head so he can kiss Baekhyun deeply. He nibbles Baekhyun's lower lips, making Baekhyun gasps. He kisses Baekhyun open-mouthed. Baekhyun's hand flies to Chanyeol's back shirt, clutching it dearly as Chanyeol keeps kissing him in a way he never experienced before.

They keep kissing when Baekhyun finally realizes that his back touching the soft couch. He lays down on the couch as Chanyeol hovers him.

He breaks the kiss when he feels lightheaded and breathless. Chanyeol trails kisses to his corner lips, his jaw.

His chest heaves up and down. Chanyeol softly on the side of his neck, causing him to weakly moan.
He can feel Chanyeol the area around his collarbone too, apologetically as Baekhyun whimpers.

Chanyeol pulls off to see his boyfriend; messy hair, pink glistening lips from his abuse, his cheeks tainted in beautiful pink blush, his eyes glassy and dazed.

Baekhyun breaths heavily, "Chan... Where... How..."

Chanyeol pecks Baekhyun once again, he runs his fingers through Baekhyun's hair.

"How did you know to kiss like that?" Baekhyun manages to ask in whisper between his pantings. He tries to calm down but everything Chanyeol did to him only makes him even more breathless.

Chanyeol smiles, he kiss Baekhyun lightly, once, twice, and the third time on the small sweet mole above Baekhyun's upper lip.

"From tv. HBO taught me well."

He puts his forehead on Baekhyun's, staring right into his eyes.

"I want my first kiss perfect with you." Chanyeol whispers between his gentle smile.

Baekhyun looks surprised, "It was your first kiss?"

Chanyeol chuckles, he kisses Baekhyun's forehead softly before pulling the small boy into sitting position on his lap.

He hums, "Yes, it was. I want to make it special because I want you to be my first, and my last one"

Baekhyun's speechless. He doesn't know Chanyeol is such a romantic.

He hugs Chanyeol tightly, doesn't want to let go.

"I love you, Chan."

It's the very first time ever that Chanyeol hears Baekhyun says "I love you"

He feels so happy that his chest is about to burst. He tightens the hugs and nuzzles into Baekhyun, causing Baekhyun to laugh because it's ticklish.

"I love you too, Baek. I love you."

Chanyeol swears Baekhyun looks really beautiful even though he smiles while tears streaming down his face.

That night, they catch up in everything they missed this past year. Baekhyun told him all of problems, his mother, his life. Chanyeol listens to every single details carefully, he kisses Baekhyun's temple when the latter starts to get emotional.

They have each other, they will be fine.

 

---

 

Baekhyun's dad come back home from work a little bit past midnight. The house is quiet except for the sound of piano lulls from somewhere.

He enters the living room to see the laptop on the coffee table with the music keeps playing. Two figures sleeping on the couch, limbs tangled together.

He smiles.

Chanyeol and Baekhyun both laying down on the couch, sleeping. Chanyeol's arm draps protectively around Baekhyun's body. While Baekhyun hands tugs securely on Chanyeol's chest, clutching on the latter's shirt tightly.

They both look serene, they both look content.

Baekhyun hasn't been looking like this for a long time, his dad noticed.

He needs to thank Chanyeol tomorrow.

Baekhyun's dad goes to the closet to retrieve a blanket for a couple on the couch.

He covers both Baekhyun and Chanyeol. But he stops when he sees two particular red love bites around Baekhyun's neck.

He frowns.

He'll make sure to have a man talk with Chanyeol tomorrow.

 

End

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luhan checks his mail box only to find an invitation inside it. He reads the envelope and sigh.

"I knew it's coming." He mutters under his breath.

He walks into the house.

"Sehun, come here!" Luhan calls his boyfriend loudly.

"What?" Sehun's face peeks from the kitchen.

Luhan motions Sehun to come to the living room with him hand, so Sehun does.

He hands him the envelope.

Sehun frowns, it's clearly a wedding invitation with cursive writing of "You are invited" on the envelope.

He opens the envelope only to read;

Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhyun

Sehun smiles, "They made it."

Luhan rolls his eyes but he smiles nevertheless, "I know right. Distance is not a problem afterall."