The clock strikes ten, reminding the boys how late it was and how explanations were long overdue. Neither spoke, words floating in their heads and mouths which stayed shut, for fear of saying the wrong things. Chanyeol and Baekhyun remain separated, sitting on opposite sides of the couch. No sound could be heard except for the TV and Mrs. Byun who'd entered the living room. By this time, the Parks had said their goodbyes and Jongin took Kyungsoo home. They were long gone but the silence between the red haired giant and the small brunette stayed.  

"Chanyeol, your mother suggested you stay here for the night, just in case you and Baekhyun need more time to you know," Mrs. Byun breaks the silence and observes the two boys. She checks her watch. "You two should start catching up because school's tomorrow and it's almost twelve." She walks up the stairs and sees the boys haven't moved. "Remember what I always say boys. No sense in being afraid to take things on. It's now or never," and with that she left with a sigh. 

The sound of a door closing upstairs could be heard. The TV was still on. 2NE1 was performing their hit single "Come Back Home". The words could be heard loud and clear and boy was Chanyeol thinking of how ironically relevant the song was at the moment. Chanyeol looks at the TV and back at Baekhyun, whose situated himself just like Chanyeol. Feet up on the couch and body scrunched up into a ball, the boy holding onto his legs. Chanyeol couldn't help but chuckle at his bestfriend who was looking at him and strangely, was looking very cute. He gulps down whatever worries he has and coughs. Opening his mouth, Chanyeol prepares to explain to Baekhyun, but the brunette speaks up.   

"I think you should just go home. But if it's too late and you're lazy as usual, just sleep in the guest bedroom. It's across from mine," he says with a not so subtle rough tone. 'Those brown eyes are not gonna fool me now,' Baekhyun thought as he looked onto his bestfriend's face. Chanyeol remains still, so Baekhyun decides to get up and was about to leave the room when Chanyeol replies.   

"Byun Baekhyun, come back here," the deep voice rang in Baekhyun's ears. He could sense the frustration in the voice but with his back already turned, he'd no energy to look at the guy. And so with that, Baekhyun walks towards the staircase, ignoring whatever the giant had said. 'What are you doing?! Let him explain you idiot!' Baekhyun's mind tells for him to stop.   

"YA! Baekhyun!" Chanyeol yells. Baekhyun winces at his giant's voice but with a slip of courage he runs to his bedroom like a coward and quickly shuts the door. Gasping out of breath, he sits down at the edge of his bed, not bothering to turn on his light. On the wall he can barely make out pictures of Chanyeol and him as they grew up. The red crossed calendar hung next to them. He really doesn't know why he's acting like this. Meanwhile, Chanyeol was downstairs, searching his head for answers as to how to react to his bestfriend's actions. Finally, with a rush of adrenaline, he runs up the stairs and arrives in front of Baekhyun's door. He holds onto the door knob, ready to open it. Chanyeol takes a deep breath and twists the handle. Inside, Baekhyun hears the door being opened. He was happy he didn't turn on the light, the moonlight as the only source of brightness. Thanking his laziness, Baekhyun was relieved that at least Chanyeol wouldn't be able to see his just as confused and sad face. He readies himself for the confrontation, but the giant never enters the room.  

Chanyeol holds the door handle and readily opens the door, only to pause and close it. Standing in the lit hallway, he looks around and spots a picture of Baekhyun on the wall.  'I remember he fell running down the stairs towards me during our middle school graduation,' Chanyeol smiles.   

Baekhyun's eyebrows are crunched together and he wonders why his bestfriend didn't go in. He's just about to open the door when he hears a deep voice. Standing in front of the door, he holds his breath.   

"Uhm.. Hey Baek! Remember me? Your bestfriend?" the giant starts. "Well, I'm only guessing I'm still your bestfriend."  

'You are! Always will be idiot,' Baekhyun replies in his head.   

The giant continues. "So, you're probably wondering why I didn't talk to you those five months I was gone. And...I know I promised to contact you no matter what but I...." Baekhyun hears a sigh. "Anyways, I'm sorry for not being a good bestfriend. But I promise I missed you and thought of you everyday!" Chanyeol attempts to brighten the mood. "Every time I'd go out to eat with my dad at a Korean restaurant in America, I'd think about your favorite foods and how I would take you to random places to eat. Oh, and the story about my red hair? I really just wanted to bug my dad, see how he'd react. Hehe," Chanyeol laughs. Baekhyun relaxes and smiles at his bestfriend's stupidity.  

"Oh yeah. There was this one time when I plugged in my phone to play my music in the car? And I swear, 'I Got A Boy' started playing and I cracked up just thinking about you." Chanyeol pauses when he hears Baekhyun's laughter on the other side of the door. When the laughter calms down, he speaks again.   "I don't want you to think that I replaced you while I was gone. I hope you didn't either because boy did I meet a lot of people! But none could compare to my bestfriend here at home... I'll explain why I wasn't talking to you while I was gone now. W-w-when," Chanyeol stutters. "When you came with us to the airport before I left, I was so happy that you came. I was nervous but you made me forget about worrying about whether I was gonna do okay or if my English sounded alright. And then when I was about to board...you ran up and, and..."   

Baekhyun's breath hitches as he remembers the day. He holds the door knob. 'Please, let's not talk about this today.'   

"And I was very happy actually," Chanyeol rubs his neck out of embarrassment and Baekhyun could hear the shyness. "I mean you kissed me on the cheek! Not like you haven't before! And I heard you say that you love me! It felt like I was going away forever but you made it seem like I'd see you again very soon." Chanyeol laughs. "Well, I meaaaan, I'm sure you only meant it as friends right?" he quickly adds. He pauses.  

'Should I be asking why he did that so suddenly? No...What if he gets the wrong idea??? That I like him? I don't even know my own feelings! What if he'll hate me? Reject me?' Deciding to change the topic, he begins talking again. "Okay seriously though Baek. It's awkward talking to a door and your mom came out and saw me. I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm weird now," Chanyeol jokes. He smiles as the door slowly opens and reveals the tiny brunette. Baekhyun walks up to Chanyeol and hugs him.   

'Gosh, you fit so perfectly into my arms,' Chanyeol lets out a relieved sigh. 

"Silly giant. You've always been weird. In fact, you couldn't get any weirder than you are now," Baekhyun laughs into Chanyeol's chest.   

Chanyeol on the other hand was having a mind battle. 'He's hugging me so tight. Jeez, I hope he can't hear my heart beat,' he stresses. "I'm sorry for being such a wad of a best friend Baekkie. You saw those instagram updates right? Hahah that was my indirect way of keeping you updated. Gosh please. The next time my dad asks me to go on a business trip with him, tie me to my bed and burn all my clothes so that I can't go," Chanyeol uses his right hand to go through his hair and laughs, the vibrations going through his body and reaching the small brunette's ears. The tiny brunette hugs him tighter.  He loves the warmth the male gives him, no matter how cold it was. He could hear Chanyeol's fast heart beat, his own heart beat picking up too. Baekhyun starts freaking out over the same thing because god this hug is long but I'm so comfortable. The kiss and 'I love you' were technically talked about, but Baekhyun was glad the giant didn't question him further about why he did it so randomly.

"Ya, Park Chanyeol."

"Yeah Baek?"

"I've missed you ."

"I missed you too shorty."