Later that night as Baekhyun walked into the room, Kyungsoo turned in his bed to face the wall and pretended that he was asleep, so that he wouldn't have to face Baekhyun lest the other tries to talk to him.

 

He could hear Baekhyun's soft footsteps threading through the floorboard, and he stopped by his bed. Kyungsoo swore he could hear Baekhyun's breathing, and it only signified how close the other was to him.

 

"Could we be friends?" Kyungsoo heard Baekhyun asks softly. He wasn't sure if Baekhyun knew that he was awake and was waiting for his reply, or if Baekhyun was asking a rhetorical question that expects no replies. However, Kyungsoo laid completely still, with his eyes closed, hoping that Baekhyun would walk away soon. But no, instead, Kyungsoo felt a dip on his bed as Baekhyun sat down on it.

 

Kyungsoo almost jerked away when he felt Baekhyun's finger smoothing his brows. It felt weird, but calming to him in a sense, as the action somehow gave Kyungsoo the slightest warmth which he hasn’t really felt in a while.

 

"So much sadness, that you even frown in your sleep," Baekhyun said softly. Kyungsoo's heart was thundering by now. This foreign feeling, it scared him that Baekhyun is so close to him; scared that his heavily beating heart would give him away.

 

"Sleep tight," Baekhyun said as he stood up from Kyungsoo's bed. All these while, Kyungsoo wasn't sure if the other knew that he was awake or not. He heard Baekhyun walking further and further away, until he was in the bathroom.

 

It wasn't until when Kyungsoo heard the familiar spray of water from their showers, before he let out a breath he hadn't realized that he was holding.

 

---

 

The following morning was weird.

 

Kyungsoo could not shake off the weird feeling from the night before. Baekhyun on the other hand, however, became completely normal again. He goes on his usual jokes and stuff, then put on his outfit of the day and just left for classes with the bunch of textbooks in his arm, as if whatever happened last night never happened.

 

Kyungsoo flustered as he trudged behind Baekhyun, keeping a safe distance away from him, huffing as he struggled with his textbooks and the cello on his back. He secretly cursed Baekhyun as the other majors in the piano, so he didn't have to carry a huge instrument to classes like he did.

 

As soon as they reached the school, Kyungsoo lost sight of Baekhyun. It's not like he cared anyway. It was good riddance, he thought.

 

Then, the day went by, and Kyungsoo soon threw all that ever happened to the very back of his mind.

 

---

 

"Kyungsoo!"

 

Kyungsoo turned towards the voice that was calling out to him and saw Jongdae squeezing through the crowd towards him. He raised his arm to wave, but then stopped short as he quickly turned around and leave. He wasn't ready to face Jongdae just yet. And he was lucky that they had the exact opposite timetable where they have no lectures and tutorial classes together.

 

"Kyungsoo!" He heard Jongdae's whiny voice as the other finally caught up to him. "Hey! Did you not hear me call you or anything?" Jongdae said as he grabbed Kyungsoo's wrist and tugged him back.

 

"Oh hey Jongdae, what are you doing here?" Kyungsoo feigned surprise.

 

"Are you avoiding me?" Jongdae asked.

 

"M-me?" Kyungsoo stammered eyes wide. "No way, why would I even avoid you? It's just that- I've got to go, I have to find Professor Kim to ask him for help on a portfolio which I have yet to send to Juilliard-"

 

"Nonsense! I've watched you mail your portfolio a month ago Soo," Jongdae interjected. "And Professor Kim is on a course trip to New York with the sophomores. So now tell me, why are you avoiding me?"

 

Kyungsoo bit his lips as he looked away. He hugged his textbooks tighter to his chest as he tried not to cry. Jongdae used his thumbs and lifted Kyungsoo by his cheeks to look him in the eye. His gaze softened as he pulled Kyungsoo along the hallway.

 

"Come on, we need a less hectic place to talk," Jongdae said.

 

Jongdae squeezed through the crowd of students while holding Kyungsoo's hand, and all the while the latter just looks to the ground and said nothing. They made their way out of the hallway and into the courtyard where the warm sun is out, and the cooling breeze swept by their faces. The transition between Spring to Summer is always the best for students to hang around in the courtyard. This was where the two of them would always go when either of them lack in inspiration for their work, or when they were feeling down.

 

"What's wrong Kyungsoo?" Jongdae asked softly as he sat the both of them down on their usual stone bench underneath a tree. "Talk to me."

 

Kyungsoo in a deep breath. It feels like high school all over again, where Kyungsoo found out that Jongdae didn't like him like a boy should love a girl. Kyungsoo once had a crush on the other (grave mistake), and when Jongdae found out, Kyungsoo avoided him for weeks, only to be hunted down by the troll and had a serious talk. Like the talk they were going to have next. Jongdae has always been there when Kyungsoo needed someone. Jongdae was the only person who could see past his smiles and saw his frown. It feels like Jongdae knows every single detail about him and yet he doesn't know anything about the other.

 

"It's nothing, really."

 

"Soo... If it is about that night, I am terribly sorry," Jongdae said. "Liyin-noona said that she felt terrible too. She didn't mean to call you a third-wheel. It just slipped out."

 

"You don't have to be sorry, because I was indeed as you've said; a third wheel," Kyungsoo said, tears rising.

 

"But Soo, you shouldn't feel that way."

 

"I can't help it, okay?" Kyungsoo said, raising voices. "You don't get what it feels like to be second best all the time. It's like, I'm always the next-in-line and I'll never be in anyone's first place. I'll always be one step behind others, and I'll never be good enough. Even for you, as a friend, because you'll always have Liyin first instead of me."

 

Jongdae went quiet, and Kyungsoo took the chance to continue.

 

"And Chanyeol? I mean, he cheated on me. That just shows how bad I am," Kyungsoo said, tears flowing. "And Juilliard hasn't even confirmed my placement yet. They always give priority to high school students and you know that. And after graduation this year, I would have nowhere to go, no future to look forward to."

 

"But Kyungsoo, you still have other choices! Getting a Bachelor degree could still get you a decent job with a decent pay," Jongdae said, trying his best to calm Kyungsoo down.

 

"But it just feels like I'm never going to be good enough for anyone," Kyungsoo cried. "You can't shatter this illusion. You can never understand the echoic accusations of not good enough, never good enough. Have you ever felt so hurt and contained and so numb that it hurts?"

 

"Oh Soo," Jongdae sighed as he pulled Kyungsoo into his embrace and let him cry all over his shoulder. It indeed feels like high school all over again.

 

"And I always ends up with my head between my knees because the safest place on earth is where I crawl up against my skin," Kyungsoo sniffled. "I don't know what to do other than that!"

 

"Soo, listen to me," Jongdae said as he pulled back and hold Kyungsoo's face between his hands. "You are good enough, and you know that. I didn't mean to let you feel like a second best. I'm sorry for not being a good friend towards you. I know that you have just broke up with some jerks, and I haven't really been there for you to cry on, but listen to me. I care about you. You know that right?"

 

Kyungsoo wiped his tears with his forearms clumsily as he nodded.

 

"And you have to stop thinking about that C-jerk! Starting from now!" Jongdae said seriously. "You have to wipe those tears away and show him that you could live without him."

 

"But how...?" Kyungsoo croaked weakly as his throat felt sore.

 

"We will figure that out. But I'm glad that you've finally opened up to me," Jongdae cooed as he pinches Kyungsoo's cheeks.

 

"I always open up to you."

 

"Before Chanyeol came around."

 

Kyungsoo frowned as Jongdae stared back. "What? After he came around, you were so love struck. You can't blame me for feeling closed off."

 

"I-I didn't mean to, it's just...just..."

 

"I was kidding Soo. Don't sweat it!" Jongdae slapped him on his back causing him to splutter.

 

Kyungsoo sighed. "I just feel... Lonely..."

 

"You have Baekhyun. I mean, he's literally your roommate," Jongdae jested.

 

"He's annoying," Kyungsoo commented.

 

"At least he brings colour to your life," Jongdae laughed as he avoided a punch threw from Kyungsoo. "Maybe you should date him."

 

"Yeah right," Kyungsoo scoffed.

 

"Or make him your fake boyfriend. To piss Chanyeol off. You know how much Chanyeol hates Baekhyun for always stealing attention from the freshmen that enters the frat club with his slender fingers on the ivories. It would definitely piss him off if you really date him," Jongdae winked.

 

"I'm not dating him! Ever," Kyungsoo exclaimed. "But that fake boyfriend idea sounds not too bad."

 

They burst out into fits of laughter.

 

"I hated not talking to you too," Kyungsoo said between hiccups as they came down from their laughing fits. "You are my oldest friend."

 

"I am your only friend, silly," Jongdae smiled. "Now let's get you cleaned up before we head to class. You look like crap from all that crying."

 

"You say the nicest things," Kyungsoo said.

 

Jongdae chuckled. "It's my pleasure."

 

---

 

TUTORIAL CANCELLED

 

Kyungsoo stared at the huge sign that was stuck onto the music room's door. It was supposed to be one of the most interesting tutorials where the Dr. Hwang had promised that she will help all the students in tidying up their musical composition portfolio. Feeling a tad disappointed, Kyungsoo opened the music room door anyway, and walked in.

 

It was empty, as most of the student probably took the chance to go home early as this was supposed to be their last lesson of the day, not that Kyungsoo minded. He needed peace. He went to the side and dragged a chair to the centre of the room where the music stand is, and placed a clean sheet of five-lined score on it, alongside with a pencil. Beside the score, he places an audio recorder which all composing students have.

 

He then takes the cello out, and sat it on his shoulder gently while the bottom tip touches the small holder he brought. Seasoning his bow with the wax, clearing his throat. His right hand tightens around the bow and he pulled it over the D string. There was no need to tune the instrument as he had already done it in the morning, to four hundred and forty plus five.

 

Closing his eyes, his hand controls the touch of the bow on the strings of his cello lightly. Trying to find what drives inside him, delivering it out through sounds. Kyungsoo felt as though he was leaping off a cliff and straight into a deep, dark lake. Drowning, not accidentally, but on purpose. He pulled a legato, follow soon by a pissicato.

 

Pouring everything he has into the song. The deep tenor sound from the cello reflecting his every thought.

 

Alone. Where he is all alone in the dark, lonely and morose.

 

Dark. Even when he opens his eyes, he could only see black.

 

Numb.  As the dark surrounds him and wraps him in a cold blanket.

 

Legato, staccato, pissicato, accelerando, then he switches to the high D and then a low A then a ritard, and a diminuendo. All the different and clashing techniques blended into perfection with his emotions. Artistry flowing out of the instrument as his heartache fueled his passion. A single tear began to slip by but he ignored it as he continued playing.

 

He keeps on sinking deeper and deeper into the music like it’s bottomless. Effortless, yet tedious, as he tries to stay afloat, and at the same time not move so as to not cause the ripple effect of hurt to resonate out to the world.

 

“That sounds sad,” a voice cut Kyungsoo off suddenly, and his bow went with a twang as he released it from his hold in surprise. Snapping around, he saw Baekhyun leaning against the door with his bag slung lazily behind him.

 

"Why are you here? Haven't you heard that classes got cancelled?" Kyungsoo asked as he bent down to pick up his bow, wiping away his tear so that the other wouldn't see. Baekhyun just shrugged as he closed the door after him.

 

"I know, I just wanted to get some work done and then I heard the beautiful intonation of a sad piece," Baekhyun said. "I didn't expect you to be here at all."

 

"Well, I need to build up my portfolio, and I've figured that I couldn't work back in the guesthouse as you would be there to disturb me," Kyungsoo said.

 

"It's an honor that you considered me as a distraction," Baekhyun grinned cheekily.

 

"It was meant to be an insult," Kyungsoo rolled his eyes.

 

Baekhyun grew silent, and his expression turned from the cheeky ones to the sombre ones quickly. The silence is scaring Kyungsoo. Memories from what happened the night before came flooding back to his mind.

 

"I didn't mean to annoy you, you know?" Baekhyun said softly. But Kyungsoo just stared at him dumbly, unable to formulate a reply.

 

"I mean, if I do annoy you, just know that you could always work in the guesthouse. I won't be home till late at night though. I often chill at the frat clubhouse and do my work there. The piano there could be used twenty-four seven. So... Am I talking too much?" Baekhyun suddenly stopped. "Because I can...stop talking... I mean, if you want silence."

 

Kyungsoo looked at Baekhyun, and the other looked back. Their eyes met for a moment, and their breath hitched at the same time. This isn't awkward at all.

 

"M-maybe I should just...go. So you can continue with whatever you were doing," Baekhyun scratched his head awkwardly.

 

"Y-yeah," Kyungsoo stammered.

 

"See you tonight," Baekhyun smiled to Kyungsoo as he ran out of the room quickly before either of them says another word.

 

And once again, Do Kyungsoo was left alone in the silence.

 

---

 

That night, Kyungsoo replayed the recording of the song he played earlier that day. It was a song he composed out of the agony of his heart. He felt like he was sinking deeper and deeper and then suddenly -

 

"That sounds sad."

 

Kyungsoo was dragged back to the surface by the voice. He felt like he could breathe once more.

 

He sketches a minim followed by a quaver onto his empty sheet music and frowned, as he erased it again as it sounded like croquet with a legato instead. Then he added a ritard which he erased as it seems more like a diminuendo instead of the slowing of tempo.

 

Everything about the music isn't right. It was supposed to feel like the sinking into a deep abyss, not finding hope at the end of the tunnel. He purposefully took on the topic "Bleak" which no one dares to take for a reason.

 

Tearing out the sheet of music which he was supposed to compose, he crumpled it into a ball and threw it into the corner of the dark room. Huffing, he turned off his audio recorder from playing his sad composition on repeat and decided to retire for the night.

 

---

 

"Music isn't all about croquets and minims, rhythms and articulations. It is also about emotions. Also, today's lecture will be on how a musician should act or do when he or she meets with difficulties."

 

The lecturer, Dr Kim, niece of Professor Kim droned on and on as Kyungsoo began chewing the end of his pencil. He was preoccupied. His composition assignment was due the next Monday and he still could not get anything. He wrote and rewrote the music he recorded that day, but he always ended up with it being hopeful, which is the total opposite of bleak. Kyungsoo was really frustrated with himself because he never stucks at one assignment for more than three days. His eyes automatically shift to a certain ball of distraction across the room.

 

Baekhyun.

 

Everything about Baekhyun is light. He is just so colourful sometimes that Kyungsoo fears him. He's so full of life, and he kicks away all sorts of darkness; as if he is trying to exhaust all the energy spectrums within his body. Kyungsoo bit harder on his pencil. And just as Baekhyun turned, they met gazes for a few awkward seconds.

 

"–and here today we shall have two volunteers that shall sight read, also known as prima vista, this piece for us, a duet. What about you? Mr Do?"

 

Kyungsoo blinked twice.

 

What?

 

"Mr Do, you seem preoccupied. Do you want to volunteer to show the class what does sight reading means?" Dr Kim smiled at him.

 

"O-okay," Kyungsoo replied, totally not understanding her at all.

 

"Great! If you don't mind, please join me here with your instrument please," Dr Kim smiled as Kyungsoo stood up slowly with his cello and sat on the chair beside her. She placed a score onto the stand; one that he has never seen before. "Familiar with this score?" She asked.

 

Kyungsoo eyed the title.The Path of Wind by Joe Hisaishi.

 

"I've heard it once, in Sir Joe Hisaishi's recital. But I have never played this before," Kyungsoo answered as his brain decides to take in all that is in front of him.

 

"Perfect. So I hope you do know how to sight read this piece. Next, I need a pianist volunteer... Baekhyun! Since you're not listening, why don't you accompany Mr Do here instead of just staring at him?" Dr Kim said.

 

"W-what?!" Baekhyun flustered as he tore his gaze away from Kyungsoo. "B-but Dr Kim, I am terrible at sight reading!"

 

"All the more you should practice," Dr Kim said. "Now hop your to the piano."

 

Baekhyun reluctantly moved to sit on the black chair in front of the piano. Kyungsoo bit back a laugh as he sees Baekhyun gulp at the amount of ritard and the amount of controls to decrescendo to pianississimo. Unlike Baekhyun, Kyungsoo was rather confident in sight reading. He has trained himself to do so ever since that one time in highschool where he took the wrong music sheet up his school stage for a performance which ended badly.

 

"You may start whenever you want," Dr Kim said as the class quiets down.

 

Baekhyun eyed Kyungsoo hopelessly, who just smirks back at him. He took a deep breath before placing his fingers on the ivories and tickled it. Kyungsoo was singing the rhythm in his heart as Baekhyun slowly plays. His rhythm and chords were a little off, but still, he hit the notes correctly.

 

Kyungsoo mouths the rhythm, semiquaver semiquaver quaver quaver semiquaver semiquaver, wordlessly to Baekhyun to aid him in the rhythm, but Baekhyun was too nervous to look at him. Slowly, Kyungsoo raised his bow at position to wait for his entrance. Baekhyun was taking his time, but he didn't really mind.

 

As Baekhyun reaches the fermata, he paused at the note and watched Kyungsoo, who cued them both into the melody where Kyungsoo took over, and Baekhyun just played background chords with him for the first eight bars. The next eight, Baekhyun flustered a little, rushing into the counter melody, before Kyungsoo diminuendo to let him take over the melody, which Baekhyun did with more confidence in the entrance after listening to Kyungsoo's rhythm and articulations. After sixteen bars, Kyungsoo joins him playing the counter melody with the piano still on the melody, which was soon overtaken by the cello.

 

Then, they came to yet another fermata. Kyungsoo cued Baekhyun in with two legato notes as the rhythm speeds up and goes into a series of accents and heavy notes. Baekhyun's fingers danced across the piano as he slams hard down on the chords creating the extra accents to cover Kyungsoo's weak ones.

 

Kyungsoo looked at Baekhyun who gained much more confidence as he began to play louder. Baekhyun snucked a glance at Kyungsoo, flashing a cheesy grin as he goes into an accelerando, as if daring for Kyungsoo to keep up with his grace notes and counter melody, which Kyungsoo grins back and went faster. The piano took a left turn at the crescendo and went into the melody, while Kyungsoo on the cello went into a diminuendo leading to a series of running notes that would be too fast for any sight-readers. But it didn't affect Kyungsoo at all, he was having fun. They both went into similar rhythms and articulations as they enters the last few bars. Then the ending note came, Baekhyun ended with a three note chord and Kyungsoo decrescendo and faded off.

 

The moment the beat drops, the class erupted into a series of applause and Baekhyun grins happily at Kyungsoo who shrugged in return.

 

"Excellent pour of emotions! Baekhyun, that was a four flat, you played three only. Also boys, the accelerando was unnecessary, but it was still okay. But nonetheless, well done, the both of you. Your teamwork is incredible!" Dr Kim sings nothing but praises.

 

"Well~ Kyungie is my roommate after all! We have certain chemistry there, though he doesn't admit it," Baekhyun chirps. Just as Baekhyun was about to go into more gory details, Kyungsoo was saved by the bell.

 

Kyungsoo ran out of the classroom with his instrument and scores in hand. Heart thundering as he genuinely smiles happily for the first time in days.

 

---

 

The room door slammed open, disrupting Kyungsoo from strings of thoughts.

 

"A-yo roomie!" Baekhyun greeted. Kyungsoo just ignored him as he went back to his pensive thinking. Baekhyun pouted. "You're ignoring me again? After today at the music room where we literally slayed the prima vista assignment?"

 

"I'm not ignoring you. You're just talking to me at the wrong time," Kyungsoo mumbled as he scribbled some notes onto his blank music sheet. He was so close to getting his "Bleak" assignment done.

 

"When will it ever be a right time then?" Baekhyun asked.

 

"Not now," Kyungsoo replied curtly.

 

"Alright then," Baekhyun grumbled. "I've brought jajangmyeon home by the way. I’ve got your share too."

 

"Just leave it," Kyungsoo said.

 

"Okay~" Baekhyun sang as he sets a plate down on Kyungsoo's table and proceeded to attack his own. Kyungsoo looked very serious right now, as he was thinking about many things at a go. He suddenly turned around and stares hard at Baekhyun, who doesn't seems to notice as he was busy demolishing his noodles.

 

"Can I ask you a question?" Kyungsoo said with all seriousness in the world.

 

"What is it?" Baekhyun asked as he slurped on his noodles noisily.

 

Kyungsoo cleared his throat. "Will you be my boyfriend?"

 

Baekhyun choked. It was impossible for him not to. He coughed and spluttered ungracefully all over the floor, and Kyungsoo shot him a look of disgust. He made in mind to force Baekhyun to clean up the mess later.

 

"What?!" Baekhyun gasped as soon as his coughing fit stopped.

 

Kyungsoo retained his stoic expression. "Well, I've thought about it. Jongdae did say that dating you would piss Chanyeol off. And so I thought, why not? I mean, have you as a fake boyfriend to show him that I'm living well without him."

 

Okay. Fake boyfriend. What?

 

"I'm sorry, I'm confused," Baekhyun said, slowly setting his plate down.

 

"Well," Kyungsoo said. "Take it as an investment. Since you're my roommate, and I don't usually let people into my life, you are the best candidate to be my fake boyfriend to make my ex-boyfriend jealous."

 

"What's in it for me then? What benefits does it give me?" Baekhyun asked.

 

"I could do your assignments for you. I heard that you've been failing Arts History, and there's a final submission constituting sixty percent of your GPA for that module that's worth five credits. I could easily pull your E up to a B-plus. I'm sure that you would not want an E that could drag your near perfect 3.86 cumulative GPA down to a 3.4 on your final year because of that module," Kyungsoo said slyly.

 

The deal is tempting. Baekhyun bites his lower lip in frustration. For someone that doesn't socialize, Do Kyungsoo sure knows a lot about the gossips around him.

 

"Fine, I'll do it."

 

"Do what?"

 

"Be your fake boyfriend," Baekhyun said. The word boyfriend sounds weird on Baekhyun's tongue. But Kyungsoo have to just deal with it and let others think that Baekhyun is his boyfriend for the next six months, and voila.

 

"Great, we will go to school together tomorrow and have lunch together then," Kyungsoo said, turning back to his assignment.

 

"Okay," Baekhyun said softly before breaking into a -eating grin. "So, for someone who doesn't let people into your life, you're letting me into your life huh? Is that the privilege of being your roommate?" Baekhyun teased.

 

"Don't push it, Byun."

 

Baekhyun shuts up for the rest of the day.

 

---

 

The following morning, Kyungsoo had to splash a bucket of water over Baekhyun to wake the other up as the other refused to get out of bed. If it was the usual, Kyungsoo would not have given a damn about Baekhyun. But they have to go to school together. They have to be seen together. Or else it would have defeated the purpose of them being fake boyfriends.

 

Kyungsoo left a wet (and dazed) Baekhyun cold and awake in his bed as he stalked off to change into a black inner wear with a black cardigan over it, and a brown khaki pants as he deems that it was warm enough not to wear long pants. Dressing up, he sprayed his usual cologne once more, before turning around to face Baekhyun who was still in his bed with drool by the corner of his mouth.

 

"Hurry get dressed," Kyungsoo urged as he packs his bag for the day.

 

"But Kyungsoo, it is Arts History, and I don't intend to attend the lecture. It is boring," Baekhyun whined.

 

"You are already failing the class. Attendance constitutes bonus marks, and first step to pulling up your grades is to attend the boring lecture even if it starts at 8 in the morning. Besides, Chanyeol is having that module together with our class, so I thought it would be good if he catches us together then," Kyungsoo eyed the clock. "And we only have forty-three minutes before the start of lecture."

 

"And you have to be ultra-specific about the numbers," Baekhyun grumbled. "It's way too early for this. I didn't sign up for this."

 

"Quit complaining already!"

 

Through all the whining and groaning, Baekhyun still got dressed in no time, and manages to look decent enough to attend school for the day. Kyungsoo strutted out of the room with Baekhyun following behind him like a lost puppy.

 

"We still have twenty-one minutes before start of class. We could grab a donut or something at the basement," Kyungsoo commented as they stepped into the elevator. Baekhyun only yawned as he nodded, grateful at the mention of food.

 

Inside the Dunkin' Donut store at the basement of their guesthouse's building, Kyungsoo got them both donuts, black coffee for himself, and sweet potato latte for Baekhyun, as the other whined and said something about hating coffee. Kyungsoo just rolled his eyes as he passed the cup of disgusting sweetness to Baekhyun and sipped on his bitter drink.

 

"How much–"

 

"You don't have to pay me," Kyungsoo said as he took a big bite on his donut.

 

"But–"

 

"To repay you for the jajangmyeon last night," Kyungsoo said, cutting Baekhyun off. "I don't like to owe people anything." Baekhyun decided to keep quiet then and continues eating quietly.

 

The pair made their way through the crowded morning traffic and walked all the way to school. The transition between spring and summer that year was really pleasant, and the breeze was beautiful. As they walked under a tree, a single leaf fell and landed on Kyungsoo's head. Baekhyun chuckled as he reached out and brushed away the leaf.

 

"Say, if a leaf falls, do you blame the wind that took it away, the branch that let it go, or the leaf that was too tired from hanging on for way too long?" Baekhyun asked.

 

"Neither," Kyungsoo replied. "Because it is only natural for beauty to fade, for leaves to die, and even if it continues hanging on the trees, it would only be a bunch of dead cells that couldn't photosynthesize to save a soul."

 

"You really are a boring person aren't you?"

 

"I take that as a compliment."

 

They came to a stop as the traffic lights turned red. Baekhyun side glanced Kyungsoo, as the other boy struggled with his huge instrument. Stuffing his textbooks into his bag, ignoring the fact that it was already very heavy and risking the straps breaking, he took the instrument from Kyungsoo's back and slung the strap of the black instrument bag over his shoulder.

 

"What are you doing?" Kyungsoo asked, shocked as he tries to get back his instrument.

 

"What do you think?" Baekhyun winked. "I'm just helping my boyfriend carry his cello because my adorable little boyfriend seems too weak to carry it."

 

"S-stop that!" Kyungsoo squeaked. "And I'm not weak, you should know that!"

 

Just then, the green light flashed on, and Baekhyun ignored Kyungsoo and started crossing the road with Kyungsoo stumbling behind him. Kyungsoo just tightened his grip around his textbooks and meekly walks behind Baekhyun. As they reach the school, everyone was staring at the two of them. Baekhyun's hand shifted towards Kyungsoo's slightly, and held his hand. Kyungsoo was surprised, but said nothing. Together, they made their way into the first lecture hall, and Baekhyun made Kyungsoo sit beside him. They were early by two minutes, and the lecture hall was already half-filled. So they picked a seat at the third row from the front, and took out their books.

 

As the lecture starts, the lightings dimmed as the slides played out at the front. Kyungsoo was diligently copying notes while Baekhyun watched him. Kyungsoo's was trying hard to ignore the fact that Baekhyun is staring at him while he work. It was weird. Having the person you dislike so much staring at you. Then, slowly, Baekhyun leaned towards him. His breath fanning his cheeks, as Kyungsoo's grip on the pencil tightened.

 

"I think Chanyeol is watching us," Baekhyun whispered. As Kyungsoo looked up from his notes, sure enough from across the room at the other end of the lecture hall, there is a pair of eyes eyeing them through the dimmed lighting. As soon as Kyungsoo caught his gaze, the pair of eyes flashed back to the screen.

 

"Should we spice up the show for him?" Baekhyun nudged Kyungsoo's side cheekily.

 

"How?" Kyungsoo whispered back. Baekhyun said nothing but smirks as he slants his head in front of Kyungsoo. In the dimmed lighting and thanks to the effect of angles, it would have looked as if they were making out in the dark.

 

"What are you doing?" Kyungsoo whispered harshly as he dropped his pencil. He could feel a blush creeping up his neck as no one had ever been so close to him before, other than Chanyeol.

 

"I'm giving him a show. Hurry, grab my head and pretend to pull me in," Baekhyun giggled softly. Reluctantly, Kyungsoo did. And almost as soon as he did so, they were interrupted by a loud "harrumph!" which causes them to jump apart.

 

"I know that it is early for some of you, and believe me, it is early for me too. So why don't we all be a dear and not do other...distracting things during my lecture? Thank you for your consideration," the lecturer said, pointedly looking at the directions of Baekhyun and Kyungsoo.

 

Baekhyun shrugged as he grinned cheekily to the class while Kyungsoo blushes as he tries to hide his face. After a few catcalls and laughters, the class resumes as the lecturer continued on with the boring lecture. A few seconds later, Baekhyun leaned towards Kyungsoo once more.

 

"Told you it would work," Baekhyun said, nodding towards Chanyeol's direction. When Kyungsoo looked over, he could see that Chanyeol was boring his eyes through him, as if he was almost angry.

 

"Yeah it did," Kyungsoo whispered back. He turns towards Baekhyun and smiled sweetly. "But please never ever do it again or I will skin you alive and use your fats to wax my bow while your blood to polish my cello."

 

Baekhyun gulped and slinks away from the devil as far as he could.

 

---

 

"Kyungsoo!"

 

Kyungsoo looks up as he sketches a last diminuendo on his assignment. He sees Jongdae stumbling into the music room, eyes looking wild and hair looking out of place.

 

"Hey Jongdae! Look! I've finally finished my composition assignment for submission! Do you wanna hear it?" Kyungsoo asked.

 

"No time," Jongdae panted. "Prof Kim... Looking for you... Hurry!" He said between breaths.

 

Kyungsoo's eyes widened as he slides the assignment into his folder and into his bag and ran after Jongdae, towards the direction of the office. Opening the door to the professor's office, Professor Kim turned around and smiled at Kyungsoo.

 

"Kyungsoo, Juilliard has sent us a reply!" He exclaims, handing Kyungsoo the letter. Kyungsoo's eyes widened as his hand shook while taking the letter.

 

"What did they say?" Kyungsoo said, nervous.

 

"I haven't read it yet, because I want you to be the one to open it," Professor Kim said. "Go on, open it!"

 

Trembling hands, with his future literally in his hands, Kyungsoo tore open the seal and took out the piece of letter. The huge insignia of Juilliard printed on it was beautiful. Kyungsoo had to tear his gaze away from it to read its content.

 

Kyungsoo's heart pounded in his chest as he read. Tears formed around the corner of his eyes as he could not believe it. He read and reread the letter over and over again just focusing on the certain words on the letter.

 

–you have an interesting profile, and a perfect résumé written. We have listened to your pre-screening No.1 and No.2 and we are keen to have you audition live for us so as to confirm your placement in our Specialist Masters Scholarship Programme (SMSP).

 

"Oh my god," Kyungsoo said, tears of joy streaming. "They want me to go for auditions."

 

"Oh my god!" Jongdae screamed. "Congratulations Kyungsoo! This was just like all you've ever wanted!"

 

Kyungsoo was hopping with joy as Professor Kim and Jongdae showered him with ecstasy and excitement. He was giddy from the hyperventilation and it suddenly registered in his head that he is really going to live the life he had always wanted.

 

It is a brand new start.

 

---

 

Kyungsoo hummed a happy tune as he skipped his way back to the guesthouse. He had previously stopped by a roadside store to buy some spicy rice cakes to bring home to his solitude for a private celebration. Typing in the pass code, he entered the room with a skip in his step.

 

"Someone looks awfully chirpy," Baekhyun commented as he looked up from the textbook in front of him. Kyungsoo took in a deep breath, in and out. He's not going to let Baekhyun ruin his mood. Saying nothing, Kyungsoo shoved his Juilliard letter into Baekhyun's face. Baekhyun read it a said nothing but raises his brows.

 

"Audition?" Baekhyun asked.

 

Kyungsoo sighed dreamily. "It was all that I've ever asked for."

 

"What if you fail the audition?"

 

"One more sentence, Byun. I'm allowing you to speak one more sentence. Before I make up my mind on whether or not to pull your tongue out," Kyungsoo smiled.

 

"So I guess this calls for a celebration huh?" Baekhyun asked, changing the topic while chuckling nervously.

 

"Yeap!"

 

"Let's head out then."

 

"What?"

 

"Well, I'm your fake boyfriend, aren't I? So I say, let's head out!" Baekhyun grinned.

 

"B-but, I've got some-"

 

"I take that as a yes!"

 

Baekhyun laughed as he dragged Kyungsoo out of the room with the shorter male protesting. The packet of spicy rice cake forgotten and turning cold on his table. Who needs spicy rice cake when you have Baekhyun?

 

---

 

"Really? The Fault in Our Stars?" Kyungsoo said judgmentally at the tickets in Baekhyun's hand.

 

"Oh come on Soo, live a little!" Baekhyun grinned. "I've been dying to watch this movie!"

 

"But I hate movies," Kyungsoo groaned.

 

"Ooh popcorn!" Baekhyun dashed off, dragging Kyungsoo along with him.

 

Baekhyun got popcorn for them to share and two drinks for them, claiming that it's his treat for Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo said nothing as he took over his cup from Baekhyun. When they made their way into the cinema, Baekhyun was squealing so much that Kyungsoo pretends that he didn't know the other.

 

Sitting inside the theatre was horrifying. Kyungsoo wants nothing but to stick his head into a hole (no ual pun intended) and hide. There were literally couples everywhere. Kyungsoo shrank into his seat as he tries to enjoy the pre-movie commercials. Suddenly, Kyungsoo felt Baekhyun's face nearing his.

 

"What?" Kyungsoo said harshly, swatting Baekhyun's face away.

 

"Eleven o'clock, the ex and the ex's current boy toy," Baekhyun whispered in a sing-song manner.

 

"Where?" Kyungsoo strained his neck and looked, and sure enough, there is Chanyeol with his blonde hair boyfriend making out in the dark. Kyungsoo winced as he turned back and saw Baekhyun wriggling his brows suggestively.

 

"Shut up and watch the movie," Kyungsoo rolled his eyes.

 

The movie soon started, and the cinema grew dark. Kyungsoo found the clip boring. The beginning dragged too long and some parts were way too mushy. And heck, which teenager would still speak such Shakespeare-ish language in the modern world? It was insane. He advert his gaze to spy on his ex, and found out that the two were still in the midst of a hot make-out session. Suddenly Kyungsoo felt glad that he and Chanyeol broke up. Turning away in disgust, he snuck a glance towards Baekhyun.

 

It was intriguing. The way Baekhyun's eyes crinkles into cute ("no, it's more of annoying" Kyungsoo scolds himself. Baekhyun is never cute.) crescents, and the way he stuffs the popcorn into his mouth obnoxiously. Well at least one of them is enjoying the evening; Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and turned his attention back to the screen.

 

Baekhyun was thoroughly enjoying himself. He squeals at almost every cheesy thing Augustus Waters said to Hazel Grace. He literally awwww-ed out loudly when they shares their kiss in the Anne Frank house.

 

Kyungsoo felt like it was a total nightmare watching the movie with Baekhyun, who soon started bawling his eyes out when the male lead told the female lead that he's gonna die because of something like a cancer relapse. Cliché~ Kyungsoo thought. Out of a sudden, Baekhyun latches himself onto Kyungsoo's arm and cried like a baby into his shoulder. Kyungsoo wanted to barf, but being the kind soul he was, Kyungsoo said nothing as he just let Baekhyun do whatever the hell he wants because he doesn't wants to make a scene in the cinema.

 

And then, when it reaches the fake funeral scene, Baekhyun had his head between Kyungsoo's thighs. Kyungsoo could feel his jeans becoming wet from the incessant articial rain that Baekhyun is causing, but he did nothing as he threads his fingers through Baekhyun's scalp to calm him down as he was really attracting a lot of unwanted attention by crying like a baby.

 

Finally, after a torturous hundred and twenty-seven minutes later, the film rolled to an end. The lights in the cinema turned up and reveal a red-eyed and stuffy nose Baekhyun. Kyungsoo held back a laugh as he quickly took out his phone and snapped a few pictures of the shagged Baekhyun.

 

("Delete it!"

 

"Nah~"

 

"What are you gonna do with it? e to my picture?"

 

"Nope, it's gonna serve as a reminder on how ugly you look when you cry. Or whenever I need to remind you how the hopeless you looked like when you get too cocky."

 

"You're a bully!"

 

"I take that as a compliment.")

 

They both exited the cinema with Baekhyun trying to snatch Kyungsoo's phone away and Kyungsoo threatening to punch Baekhyun if he doesn't stops.

 

"I swear it looks ugly!" Baekhyun whined.

 

"Well, it's because you're ugly!" Kyungsoo laughed.

 

"If it goes online, I swear I'll kill you!" Baekhyun crossed his arms.

 

"Tempting, but I'd rather save it for my own entertainment purposes," Kyungsoo grinned.

 

"You are really weird, you know that?" Baekhyun said, gaze trailing behind Kyungsoo before turning quickly back to him. "Ex and ex's current boy toy, incoming."

 

Kyungsoo turned and looked and saw Chanyeol and Jongin walking hand in hand towards them. He turned back quickly and faced Baekhyun. "Oh my god. They are really coming this way. Act normal!"

 

"That's what I said you hobbit and how the hell are you even acting natural looking like- Hey Chanyeol! Sup!" As Chanyeol neared them, Baekhyun cuts off what he was about to say and smiled widely at the giant as he held out a bro fist. Baekhyun grins as Chanyeol's fist connects with him in the style of the fraternity club.

 

"Hey Baekhyun! Nothing much, just walking around," Chanyeol said while eyeing the other figure who had his back turned towards him. "Hey Kyungsoo." He said softly.

 

"H-hi Chanyeol." Crap Kyungsoo scolded himself for stuttering.

 

"What are you guys up to?" Chanyeol asked, directing towards Kyungsoo.

 

"W-well, we...we..." Kyungsoo trailed off. Baekhyun sees it and intervenes.

 

"We just caught a movie! Kyungsoo has been bugging for me to go watch 'The Fault in Our Stars' with him for weeks. Isn't that right, baby?" Baekhyun said with ease as he slid an arm around Kyungsoo's waist and pulled the shorter's body against his.

 

"Really? Oh my gosh, we just caught it too! Were we in the same theatre?" Jongin asked, latching himself onto Chanyeol's arm.

 

"M-maybe," Kyungsoo stammered once more.

 

"But Kyungsoo doesn't like movies..." Chanyeol said slowly, with a slight tone of bewilderedness. Shaking his head as if clearing his thoughts, he looked back and forth from Baekhyun to Kyungsoo. "So... You guys... Are you guys dating now?"

 

"Yes!" Baekhyun said with much enthusiasm. "Well, it's not like we haven't had it coming. Isn't that right, honey boo?" He rubbed his nose against Kyungsoo's cheek.

 

"Stop that!" Kyungsoo half-shrieks and pushed Baekhyun away.

 

"So shy on showing publicly display of affection eh? Don't be shy my baby boy," Baekhyun teased, almost bursting out laughing as Kyungsoo choked it down. Baekhyun is so gonna pay later.

 

They were disturbed by clearing of throat. Kyungsoo turned and saw Chanyeol with an unreadable expression on his face.

 

"Well, anyway, it's been nice seeing you two. Especially you, Kyungsoo. I mean, after all-"

 

"No worries Chanyeol," Baekhyun effectively cuts him off. "I will take extra good care of him. Didn't I already?" Baekhyun cooed, pinching Kyungsoo's cheeks to which he rolls his eyes. "He's such a cute little thing. Won't wanna let anything else hurt him." He ruffles Kyungsoo's hair.

 

"Channie, we have to get going. We are meeting my parents, remember?" Jongin interjected with a voice with sickening aegyo.

 

"Oh. Right. Parents," Chanyeol laughed awkwardly. "Bye, you two. Have a nice evening ahead."

 

"B-bye..." Kyungsoo said as he watches the two retreating backs. As soon as the couple turned around the corner, Kyungsoo faced Baekhyun, hands on his hip with his aggro face that's filled with unintentional cuteness. "What. The. Hell. Were. You. Thinking?!"

 

Baekhyun shrugged as he smirked cheekily. "Well, you wanted to make your ex jealous by having a fake boyfriend. I was just holding up the end of my bargain."

 

"Don't ever do that again," Kyungsoo growled.

 

"Do what?" Baekhyun feigned ignorance.

 

"You k-know! T-those... publicly displays of affection!" Kyungsoo gritted his teeth. "And you were the one who begged me to watch The Fault in Our Stars with you! I didn't want to watch that! It's so...overrated! And you almost blew our cover because Chanyeol knows that I hate movies!"

 

"Why? Are you scared that Chanyeol found out that we weren't together or were you scared that you'll fall in love with me if I kept up with these romantic-movie-dates antics?" Baekhyun teased.

 

"Definitely more of fearing that we got busted. Definitely not gonna be scared of falling for you. Who the hell would even fall for you?"

 

"You?"

 

"No way."

 

"Really?" Baekhyun asked.

 

"Really." Kyungsoo confirmed it, nodding his head stiffly.

 

"I guess 'Really' will be our 'Always'," Baekhyun all but grinned creepily at Kyungsoo.

 

"Did you really just..."

 

"Quoted Augustus Waters? Well yeah my Hazel Grace," Baekhyun winked as he poked Kyungsoo's cute button nose.

 

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes before really punching Baekhyun this time in the stomach.

 

Hard.

 

---

 

Upon reaching the guesthouse, Kyungsoo hopped into the showers while Baekhyun walked and sat in front of his study desk. Just what the hell was he thinking? Saying all those things to Kyungsoo. Watching romance movies. And hell, acting all possessive in front of Chanyeol. Baekhyun laughed. Who is he to be all possessive towards Kyungsoo? To Kyungsoo, Baekhyun was just a fake boyfriend to piss his ex off. Keyword of the day: FAKE.

 

Baekhyun had no idea how long he had sat there, but the moment Kyungsoo got out of the bathroom, all clean and fresh and ready for bed, he turned and faced his back as Kyungsoo pulled a fresh, black, oversized modal shirt over his head. Baekhyun gulps as the shirt went slightly above Kyungsoo's knees, completely covering the boxers that he was wearing.

 

Ignoring Baekhyun, Kyungsoo slid underneath his warm blanket and sighed sleepily. The boy must have been tired; school and all. Within seconds, Kyungsoo fell into a series of soft snores. When Baekhyun was sure that Kyungsoo fell asleep, he started to speak, but his voice felt small somehow; as if afraid to wake Kyungsoo up.

 

"So...today was a total disaster wasn't it?" Baekhyun asked softly.

 

"Nope," Kyungsoo suddenly said, with his back towards Baekhyun. Baekhyun jumped as he did not expect Kyungsoo to reply at all. Brushing off his surprise (not that Kyungsoo noticed) with a choked laugh, he decides to turn down to Teaseville once more.

 

"So it was a good date then?" Baekhyun asked, threading the boundaries of Kyungsoo's comfort zone once more. He has always been doing this; testing the waters of Kyungsoo's submerged Atlantis. One slip and it's all the way down to the abyss, but hey, Napoleon didn't know about The New World until he risked everything and ventured there.

 

"It wasn't a good date either," Kyungsoo droned sleepily.

 

Oh.

 

"But I was just saying that going out with you tonight wasn't exactly the worst thing that I've done in my life," Kyungsoo continued and Baekhyun smiled. Answers like these were Kyungsoo's subtle way of saying "I've thoroughly enjoyed myself, thank you" and Baekhyun takes whatever he could get.

 

"Really?" Baekhyun asked.

 

"Really."

 

"So 'Really' is really going to be our 'Always' huh?"

 

"Shut up Baekhyun, I want to sleep," Kyungsoo grumbled softly, clearly on the edge of nodding off.

 

"Alright then," Baekhyun chuckled. "Goodnight Kyungsoo."

 

"Night."

 

Baekhyun will take what he could get.

 

He always does.