A MONTH AGO

"Don't you think that you've been glaring daggers at Haylee for too long Baekhyun?" Taeyeon walks over to the male casually seated in one of the theater's seats, with his arms crossed and character feigning interest in the act in front of him as he glares at two figures in the middle of the stage. 

"I hardly think I'm glaring daggers noona," Baekhyun replies as she sits beside him. "I'm just watching Chanyeol. He's surprisingly very good at this acting and singing stuff..."

"Well, I think a month and a half of glaring at Haylee is enough for people, even you," Taeyeon reciprocates. "You glaring daggers and being a jealous boyfriend isn't going to help Chanyeol Baekhyun."

"I just don't see why Haylee has to be Gabriella, I mean seriously, our teacher could've given her Sharpay's part. Then me being Ryan would have a bigger purpose than just being a sidekick twin brother, if you know what I mean," Baekhyun frowns when he sees Haylee cling to her boyfriend's arm. Must she always do that?

"Oh god Baekhyun, at least you don't have to act as Sharpay," Taeyeon complains. "I have to act like I want your ugly boyfriend and that's a big no no," she laughs jokingly, successfully getting a reaction from Baekhyun by making him laugh. 

"He is ugly isn't he?" Baekhyun asks with a look of adoration as he smiles at the way Chanyeol takes a break and pauses to wave to him. Baekhyun waves back and shakes his head when Chanyeol winks to him before practicing his part. "But he's my type of ugly."

"Ugh you're so weird Baek. So are you two getting along well? You know, since this whole choir musical thing's been going on."

Baekhyun continues watching and tries to pretend that he hadn't heard the question, but it lingers and as the scene comes where Gabriella and Troy have to dance on the rooftop with Troy having asked her out to prom, everything comes crashing down.

Baekhyun thinks about the lunches dates that Chanyeol was (forced) to take a rain check on because of Haylee wanting to "practice their parts" for the musical -which baffles Baekhyun because they weren't even going to perform it in the first place!- their choir teacher had placed upon them. Or the dates and whatever little time they have in between choir and basketball to hang out.

As much as they are neighbors, Baekhyun feels deprived of his time with his boyfriend. While he could be over cuddling with Chanyeol, he's grumbling to himself about stupid too nice boyfriends and coniving exes. Baekhyun knows there's an ulterior motive behind her sneaking Chanyeol away, an arm around his elbow as if she claimed he was hers again. Chanyeol didn't even want to be Troy the basketball boy, but seeing as though he is the co-captain of the varsity basketball team and was dubbed handsome by everyone, who else could it have been?

Kyungsoo, that's who it could've been...Okay, so maybe not. Maybe Jongin, or Luhan, Chen, Sehun! It's free to join after school anyways, just anyone but Baekhyun's boyfriend.

The sight of it completely boils Baekhyun's insides because he knows it's happening all over again.

"I'm working on it noona." 

 ********** 

Present Time: Friday, March 20, 2015

"Baekhyun wait! Please!!"

Baekhyun weaves through bodies in the dimly lit living room as quickly as he can without looking back to the familiar husky voice calling for him to stop.

He'd just walked back to Chanyeol with two cups of beer and found his boyfriend's ex girlfriend, Haylee, sitting in the lap of a drunk and sensitively blinded by the darkness Chanyeol, with her hands cupping Chanyeol's cheeks and pulling him forward to meet her lips smack dab on his. He could tell by the way Chanyeol was moving his arms around that he was surprised and was attempting to get her off and the sight was enough for Baekhyun to know that Chanyeol had been the victim. A part of him wanted to be the bigger person and walk over there, grab Chanyeol and leave the damned place like a calm and civilized person. But the look on her face after the short kiss ended was enough to infuritate Baekhyun, who wanted to wipe the smirk off. He watches Haylee trying to seduce Chanyeol by grinding on his lap and holding on to him like he's her property. Baekhyun sees how Haylee leans forward to whisper into Chanyeol's ears.

Despite his growing anger, Baekhyun was frozen in his spot, with Jongin and Sehun equally shocked beside him. He doesn't know what to think. The sudden movement of Chanyeol turning on the lamp beside the couch, shoving Haylee off of him and angrily yelling at her, only then snaps Baekhyun out of his furious daze.

"I'm not ing break up with Baekhyun! Nor am I getting back with you! Ever!" he hears Chanyeol yell, and suddenly Baekhyun was walking to Haylee, two cups of alcohol in his hand. What he does next doesn't only surprise the rest who could now see, but Baekhyun himself.

In his anger, he squeezes the red plastic cups in his hands and throws the liquid straight to Haylee's face, the alcohol slapping skin and dripping on to clothing.

"What the you ing ugly !!! Go ing die! This is an expensive dress you !" She shrieks and the name stings and Baekhyun just knows he utterly ed up in being the bigger person.

He seethes at Haylee, who had the audacity to try and cling on to Chanyeol, the latter moving away before she could.

"Go to hell Park Chanyeol! Once you see that ugly boyfriend of yours isn't good enough, you're going to come right back to me, ya hear!?" The gasping sounds of people nearby and from what Baekhyun can see as Kyungsoo and Luhan stunned, Baekhyun just knows he should've been the better person. He should have and in embarrassment, he runs.

Baekhyun runs out of Kris' house, runs out of another one of their senior parties on Friday nights, and on another one of those nights Baekhyun wished he wasn't dating an overly kind Park Chanyeol. He wishes that it was before, where he could have as much fun at parties. He wishes he wasn't the jealous type and that Chanyeol's ex girlfriend wasn't such a home wrecker who was itching to steal guys that wasn't even hers to begin with. 

" you, her, the world! this party and the whole world for making that little piece of ," Baekhyun runs and runs until-

"Baekhyun!" 

Baekhyun feels a strong hand grab on to his wrist and he's pulled backwards, turned to confront Chanyeol who'd been chasing him the whole time. They're gasping in the front of Kris's house, just fifteen minutes away from their own homes and Baekhyun can't bear to look at Chanyeol's face. 

"Baekhyun please, look at me." Chanyeol pleads but the elder doesn't budge from his downward stare. Chanyeol notices a wet dot fall to the ground and rushes over to embrace Baekhyun. He tries to calm his heartbeat with Baekhyun in his arms and tries to soothingly speak.

"Baekhyun, look at me," Chanyeol  asks. "Baek, please trust me when I say I didn't even know she was there. I-I didn't even know she was invited! I swear Baek, I didn't kiss her back either and I'm so sorry you had to see that," Chanyeol frantically eases his and Baekhyun's adrenaline. "I'm so sorry that I didn't see it coming Baek. Really, I am. God, why does she have to ruin everything!?!"

Baekhyun flinches at the rise in Chanyeol's voice and steps back when he looks up to find Chanyeol has punched the stop sign's metal post. An angry Chanyeol is a rare sight and something breaks a little in Baekhyun. Baekhyun can still feel the effects of the alcohol, his mind swirling and his emotions possibly out on his sleeves. Maybe it's the alcohol or the fact that he'd just been called distasteful names but Baekhyun's suddenly filled with the courage to say things he's been holding in for the past two and a half months.

"! And she called you a ing ! For someone who I thought would've at least tried to change, at least tried to be a nicer person after all these years, she ends up destroying any of the kind impressions I'd built up about her!" Baekhyun watches Chanyeol ease his fingers through his black hair, the act the Baekhyun normally finds attractive but now just makes him sad.

He can't believe he's about to do this. Is he sane enough? 

Baekhyun laughs and Chanyeol's head jolts up in surprise.

"Baekhyun this isn't the time to be laughing, my ex girlfr-"

"Now see isn't that just it Chanyeol? Isn't she just supposed to be your ex?" Baekhyun's fiery eyes shock Chanyeol. Something breaks in Baekhyun again and tears well up in his eyes.

"Baek,"

"Isn't she?! So why do I get the feeling like these past few months she's been treating you like as if you were her boyfriend again? Why does she get to be the one spending her lunch time with my boyfriend, who should instead be spending time with me because we're busy enough as it is? Because as much as I hate to admit it, I have my own insecurities too and your ex coming back is one of them!"

"What are you talking about? Baek please, let's just go home and talk about it there," Chanyeol worried, reaches over but Baekhyun steps back. The sound of sneakers scratching on cement fills the air. It's quiet outside, chilly, and Baekhyun begins to wonder just why he chose outside to have this talk with Chanyeol.

"No. I'm walking home by myself, take your ing ex girlfriend home or something."

"Baek, I don't give a flying about her! Can't you see that?!"

"Can't you see that this is your fault!?" This shocks Baekhyun and Chanyeol and quite suddenly, the void between them just grew bigger.

"Baekhyun, I don't understand!" 

The two are yelling and too engrossed in their argument to notice that their group of friends were there watching the whole scene. What happened inside had been a surprise and the guys had left Xiumin and Chen to help Kris keep everyone from gossiping. A part of the guys was awed by what Baekhyun had done back inside but Kyungsoo and Luhan knew that despite how much Baekhyun didn't like Haylee, he still wasn't the type of person to do those type of things. They've been standing there for quite some time now, worried about whether they should intervene if something bad were to happen. Like a break up. Because that would just mean Haylee won and their friends wouldn't be so...happy.

"But that wouldn't happen right Lu?" Sehun asks his boyfriend.

"I'm sure they'll fix it Hun," the Chinese male replied. "I just hope Baekhyun gets to voice out his thoughts and Chanyeol gets it through his brain."

"Get what hyung?" Jongin asks.

"That he's been giving Baekhyun receipts for rain checks since this whole damn High School Musical began."

"I think Chanyeol hyung just didn't know he was unintentionally leaving Baekhyun behind," Kyungsoo slowly adds. The four men quietly go back to listening to their friends, wondering when it would end and whether it'd end happily.

"I can't believe you! You don't understand?!" 

"No Baekhyun, please give me the god damn details as to why you're acting like as if I even give a about my ex!"

"Because that's all you've been doing! God Chanyeol, can't you see? She's not really asking you to practice your lines, she's asking you so she could have you to herself! You're too kindhearted and hopeful in people that you don't see she's stabbing you in the back and repeating what she did before! And instead of ruining our friendship, she's ruining our relationship!"

"What's wrong with being too hopeful in thinking that people you haven't seen in two years could actually change!? What are you trying to say? That I'm too naive? That I let people push me around?"

"Isn't her saying that I'm not worth it for you, enough evidence for you to get into your skull that she's been trying to ruin our relationship ever since you two got your parts? Ha! Troy and Gabriella?" Baekhyun motions, walking forward to stab Chanyeol on the chest with his index finger and Chanyeol grabbing it until the shorter male pulls away.

"As if I ing care about this stupid play when all I can think of is how my boyfriend is spending too much time with his ex, on what he presumes as only friends hanging out, and that he's too ing oblivious that he hasn't once really checked up on me to see if I was alright or if I wanted to hangout. Don't you notice the looks she gives me when we pass by the hall? How she acts!? You're so ing blind!"

Chanyeol stares at Baekhyun as if he's hearing Baekhyun speak to him for the first time. He realizes that he wronged his boyfriend but maybe it's the alcoholic effect or the way Baekhyun jabs at him but instead of apologizing, he jabs even harder.

"No, I didn't notice how she acts because apparently I'm a too hopeful guy who lets the little bit of hope blind me from what's really there in front of me. But what about you Baek? Not once did I hear you ask if we could hang out, you never complained when I asked if anything was wrong. So isn't partially this your fault? You didn't tell me that you felt this way so how am I supposed to ing know that you were feeling insecure over some dumb like me giving attention to my ex?! You're always calling me out on my insecurities and jealousy when you can't even handle your own when it comes to! And what about you? Instead of you pulling me aside like I would've gladly let you, you stuck around watching me act and giggling with Taeyeon like as if I wasn't even there! She's your ex, so I guess we both have a little baggage of our own huh?" Chanyeol adds exasperatedly.

"But did you hear me inside? Is that enough evidence for your insecurities to disappear?," Chanyeol mocks. "Because I'd just told her that I wasn't ever going to get back with her. Don't you trust me? Did you ever trust me?" the sadness in Chanyeol's eyes breaks Baekhyun's heart.

"Haylee was right," Baekhyun whispers. Chanyeol frowns even deeper and sighs in frustration.

"What the hell are you talking about now?"

"That I'm not worth it and you should go back to her..."

"Baek...no babe," Chanyeol swiftly walks forward and pulls Baekhyun in for a hug. "Don't say that. You're completely worth it and, and I'm sorry for what I said. , I'm just so pissed and I hate seeing you cry like this. I'm sorry for being an oblivious boyfriend and I swear, you're everything for me. You're worth it."

Baekhyun's stiff and warm tears are pouring down his face. He's still cold but he listens to the way Chanyeol soothingly whispers apologies and warm words into his ears and how the giant's embrace makes him feel safe. Once Chanyeol feels like as if everything between them was calmer, he slackens his embrace and stares into Baekhyun's eyes, promising that they would fix it and hoping that Baekhyun understood. Taking a step back and knowing Chanyeol, Baekhyun understands the meaning behind those eyes but he's drunk and he's tired and he wants to sleep. 

"Look Baek, I would never get back wi-"

Baekhyun looks at Chanyeol and kisses his lips before looking him straight in the eye and saying, "Let's break up Chanyeol."

Silence dances between them and the group of friends watching them fall anxious at what seems to be something gone wrong. 

"Baekhyun what are you saying?" Chanyeol's eyes grow wide and his heart breaks at his bestfriend's words. "You can't be serious..."

"I want to break up," Baekhyun says, his mouth betraying him as he stands in front of Chanyeol, committing another one of those stupid mistakes. "I've realized dating you is too much of a hassle and this? This fighting? It's too big of a package that I don't want to settle with. I-," Baekhyun bites his lips from crying because if the tears in Chanyeol's eyes weren't enough, the feeling of his heart breaking was.

"I don't love you anymore Chanyeol," he lies. And with a teary smile, Baekhyun squeezes one of Chanyeol's hands and he says, "Maybe Haylee was right... I get insecure and you're oblivious, equally to blame for this fall out. I'm sorry...Let's end our thirteen years and two and a half months here," Baekhyun laughs, albeit forced as it sounds like a sob instead. Chanyeol's grip on his hand and that pleading the giant's eyes are about to enough for Baekhyun to take back what he said, but he's done and since he's already made a fool of himself, why not go with a bang. He is one of the top male performers in school.

"Let's, let's pretend we never happened and let's just act like classmates and neighbors okay?" 

"Wait, no Baekhyun, please," Chanyeol desperately tries to hold on to his best friend. "Please Baekhyun," Chanyeol sobs as Baekhyun pinches and wrenches his hand free. "Please!" The giant watches Baekhyun run away and Chanyeol falls to the ground, resolving to punching the cement with his fists instead of tearing his heart out. "Baekhyun!" 

"What.the..just.happened," Kyungsoo stumbles.

"Oh my god," Luhan gasps.