“When you said ‘my noona’s cafe’, I didn’t think it was Jessica noona’s cafe.”

“Jessica noona is my older brother’s wife. I’m Heechul hyung’s younger brother,” Baekhyun explained to Chanyeol.

They were on their way to the cafe when Chanyeol asked about which cafe Baekhyun had referred to earlier and they were heading to right now.

Chanyeol nodded, “Yeah, I forgot that you’re Heechul’s hyung brother.”

It perked Baekhyun’s ears that Chanyeol addressed his brother by ‘hyung’ while he never once called Baekhyun by ‘hyung’ since the beginning. “You called my brother by Hyung. Why didn’t you call me Hyung, too? I’m your hyung, too,” Baekhyun as they were getting closer to the cafe. The cafe looked fascinating even from outside.

Chanyeol only shrugged non-chalantly, “You’re only eight years older than me.”

“Eight years are huge, Kid.”

“Well, I don’t think so. And I’m not a kid.”

Baekhyun laughed, “Alright, alright. I don’t like it when people call me Hyung anyway.”

Baekhyun lied. If it wasn’t Chanyeol, he would be offended. But he thought he would be more offended if Chanyeol called him Hyung. Baekhyun never wanted to be younger so bad more than this moment.

They arrived at the cafe. Baekhyun opened the glass door of Jessica’s cafe, Chanyeol followed right behind him. The sound of grinding machine and the smell of roasted beans welcomed them.

Jessica owned a coffee shop. It was a small cafe in between a Korean traditional food restaurant and organic fruit shop. Baekhyun remembered two years ago he helped his sister-in-law to decorate the cafe before it was opened. Now that he visited the first time after one year, Baekhyun realized there was some changing in the decoration. It was only a plain ivory and green colours before, but now there were some woods decoration. It would be a total lie if someone said this cafe wasn’t a great place.

“Baekhyun?” Jessica called him from behind the counter. “You came,” the blonde woman shouted in glee as she came out from behind counter. She was wearing white blouse along with black and white polcadote skirt, and also a grey apron with the words ‘Heebum Cafe’ planted on its chest area.

“I was around the town so I decided to pay a visit,” Baekhyun said as he hugged her lightly.

Jessica folded her arms on her chest, “If I knew you’re coming, I would make you a welcoming cake.”

“You know I don’t like cake, Noona.”

Jessica giggled, “Just in case you’ve changed in a spare of one year.” Jessica looked behind Baekhyun and noticed the tall boy. “Oh, Chanyeol’s here too? Sit down. Be my guess, boys,” She gestured for them to sit at the nearest chairs. There were only some customers in the shop so most of the seats were unoccupied. “What could I get for you guys?” she asked.

Chanyeol took a seat first, and Baekhyun was left in daze for where he should sit, beside the boy or across of him. In the end, he settled at the seat across from him. Sitting beside Chanyeol for now would be too much for him to handle.

“I would take ice americano, Noona,” Chanyeol answered first, grinning excitedly to her.

Jessica nodded, “and you little Byun?”

The said Byung chuckled. Jessica used to call him that in the past. “I’ll just go with latte. And not too—“

“Not too bitter. I know,” Jessica winked at him, before she went to the counter, saying the two boys’ orders to her baristas before she came back and sat beside Baekhyun. “So, it’s one year since you’ve set foot in this town. I want to hear every story.”

“Noona,” Baekhyun sighed. “Can we not?”

Jessica gave him a look, “You’re lucky Chanyeol’s here or else I would choke you right now.”

Chanyeol let out an awkward laugh, “Should I go so you two can talk?”

“No, stay,” Baekhyun said quickly and threw the boy a pleading eyes. Somehow, Baekhyun could see Chanyeol’s eyes shifted into a very soft ones.

They were interrupted by their coming orders for a moment. After the young waiter put down the americano and latte they had ordered, he muttered a friendly ‘enjoy your coffee’ to them before he went back.

Jessica turned to look at two boys again, “You guys seemed close. I didn’t know that you know each other.”

“We’re not close...yet,” Baekhyun said. He gulped ice latte and threw Chanyeol a shy glance. The younger boy was also currently drinking his americano. “Chanyeol helped Mom to fetch me yesterday and we met again earlier this morning.”

Jessica only needed. She seemed not interested in that topic. None of them said anything for a while, just enjoying their coffees when finally Jessica continued, “Baekhyun,” she said.

Baekhyun looked up at her and met the infamous look of hers. He knew...Baekhyun knew that Jessica was speaking to him through her stare. They had a strong bond until the point Baekhyun can read her expression, asking for Baekhyun explanation about the thing she had asked earlier.

“Noona—“

“Uhm...” Chanyeol cut him off. “I think I better off,” he said as he got up from his seat, bringing his americano along with him.

Baekhyun’s lips curved downward, “Where are you going?” He didn’t know why he felt the need for Chanyeol to be here with him.

Chanyeol smiled, “I’ll be right outside, okay? Sica Noona, thank you for the coffee.” He smiled again, this time reassuringly, to Baekhyun, implying that he will wait for him and ready if Baekhyun needed anything.

Baekhyun trailed his eyes on Chanyeol’s back as he walked out of the cafe, oblivious at Jessica staring at him and laughing inside as she saw his little brother -in-law look so lovestruck.

“Ehem,” Jessica cleared , drawing Baekhyun’s attention back to her.

Baekhyun was so drowned by Chanyeol’s leaving that he forgot that he had a more serious matter right beside him right now. He jerked his head to Jessica and couldn’t help thinking that it was mistake for him to come here in the first place.

“Explain,” Jessica demanded, her palm supporting her chin. “Why you didn’t come back for more than a year. And all of a sudden you were back and said you weren’t happy in the city.”

Baekhyun didn’t immediately answer, trying to grasp the right words to tell his sister-in-law. Baekhyun wondered where was his ability to talk comfortably with her had gone to.

There was no the easy way to say this. So, Baekhyun just in his breath and hoped that his story wouldn’t make him too patethic. “Last year, I was being promoted to become a senior journalist,” he began, and saw Jessica put her full concentration on him. He sighed and continued, “it made me really busy, Noona. I barely had enough sleep and eat. My time mostly spent in my desk, in front of my computer, if not I would be somewhere else, scattered around the city, reporting some news. Not to mention I needed to take care the ty interns and juniors, editors, and demanding deadlines.”

“But, wasn’t it your dream to work there?” Jessica asked with her eyebrows knotted in the middle. “You should’ve known in the first place that being senior journalist would make you busy as hell.”

Baekhyun kept silent. Dream, he thought. Working as journalist of some newspaper wasn’t his dream. Besides, being busy with his work wasn’t his issue right here. He didn’t mind to be busy. He just...felt like he had fallen into a bottomless hole.

Baekhyun shook his head, “My life in the city...I realized that it wasn’t the reality I wanted. It wasn’t a life that I wanted to build. I was lonely. I mean...I was always surrounded with people, I met people every time, I interviewed people every day. But...I felt like I’m alone. Isn’t that the worst thing, Noona? The time I looked into the mirror and saw myself in it, I barely knew myself anymore. It was like I stared at someone I didn’t know.”

Jessica kept quiet and only looked at him with a little bewilderment in her eyes, as if she never thought that was the explanation Baekhyun will say to her.

Baekhyun washed his face with his palm, and he continued, because he can’t seem to stop when he had them all out. “I was so afraid that I’ll gone mad. I’ve been thinking for a while to come back here but I was unsure if it was a good decision or even worse. But when I saw Daehyun, my boyfriend, kissed another boy, that was my last straw and I knew that I really needed to go home or else I’ll lose myself.”

By the time he finished his sentence, Baekhyun felt a bream of tears in his eyes. He bit his lips, trying to stop it. “I didn’t really have anyone there,” he continued, choking. “I had Daehyun, sure. But we only dated for merely two months. I accepted his confession because I thought I need someone to hold me, reminding me to keep breathing. But...” Baekhyun stopped and only lowered his head, his grip on his cup tightened.

“I didn’t know that it was really difficult for you,” Jessica finally spoke up. Baekhyun heard her voice wavered. “You should’ve told me, you should’ve called me, or Heechul, your mom, anyone.”

Baekhyun shook his head lightly, and looked up again. He saw Jessica’s eyes watered, “I don’t think it could solve my problem. You know...by only talking about it. I really need to let it go.”

Jessica nodded understandingly. She put her hand on top of Baekhyun’s and held it, “So what are you going to do now? Resting here?”

“Yesterday I said I’m going to live here again, right?”

“Are you sure? You’re really serious about that?”

Baekhyun shrugged and nodded, “I came back here for good. Also, Noona, I wanted to ask you if I could work here.”

~

He felt a little lighter as he stepped out of the cafe. Baekhyun waved his hand to his noona through the glass door before he turned around again and saw a car in front of him. He gasped in surprise when he saw Chanyeol get out from it.

“Chanyeol?” Baekhyun said in shock, not really because Chanyeol got out from the car, but more because he didn’t expect Chanyeol would wait for him. He talked to his sister a lot inside the cafe, and his sister introduced him to her baristas as Baekhyun would start working there soon. So Baekhyun didn’t really put his hope high to see Chanyeol still there. “How...”

“I figured it’ll take awhile until you finish talking with noona, so earlier I came back to my house, took my car here, so I could drive you home,” Chanyeol explained with a smile on his face, as if it wasn’t a big deal.

Meanwhile, Baekhyun’s eyes almost popped out from its sockets, mouth wide opened, “you walked back to your home, and came back here again?”

Chanyeol smiled wider, happy that Baekhyun seemed touched by his action. He approached Baekhyun and took his hand. Baekhyun let himself being led by the younger inside the car. “I promised you I’ll wait for you. But I was afraid you’ll be tired if you walk to your house at the of the village. So I took my car.”

Baekhyun cannot really say anything at this moment and just obliged to get inside the car. He looked up at Chanyeol who was holding the car door, wanting to close it, but Baekhyun beat him first before he could close it, “You don’t have to do this, Chanyeol. But thank you,” he said, and smiled. The first time he smiled since he talked to Jessica earlier. “Thank you so much.”

Chanyeol didn’t hesitate to response his smile with an even wider smile. He closed the door of Baekhyun’s side and walked to the other side. Baekhyun’s eyes didn’t leave the younger boy. But through his peripheral vision, he still could observe the car he sat in. It was an old sedan, just like his family’s, but this one looked cleaner.

The car slightly tilted to Chanyeol’s side when he was already inside, and Baekhyun watched him starting the car. It was weird how being in Chanyeol’s side again made him calm.

“So this is your car?” Baekhyun asked as he pulled the seatbelt on his side and buckled it.

Chanyeol was staring at him for a second, watching him move, before he finally followed Baekhyun, wearing the seatbelt also. “Family’s car,” he answered. “But I use it the most.”

Baekhyun tried to hide his smile as he realized Chanyeol following his action. He remembered his dad this morning didn’t even bother to wear it even though his father saw his son did. Not many people in this village would do what Chanyeol  had done. And Baekhyun wondered would Chanyeol still did it that if it wasn’t Baekhyun.

Baekhyun cleared his throat to control himself. He needed to stop being a retard and being strangely happy just because a simple thing Chanyeol did. “You didn’t bring your car because you thought I was too old to walk far, right? Because for your information, I still have so much energy in me.”

Chanyeol laughed at that, “you’re not old, Baekhyun.”

And there he was again, feeling abnormally happy for Chanyeol’s simple words. While the latter cooly steadied himself and started driving. Baekhyun forced himself to look away from the admirable sight beside him and decided to watch the scenery outside instead.

They were leaving the town, and slowly, the little shops replaced by the green meadow. Baekhyun’s mind wandered to the moment when Jessica hesitantly accepted him to work for her. It was an apparent climbdown from his previous job, sure. The money was far below his standard, yes. But it wasn’t really the issue right now. He just needed to do something here, to take his mind off of his problem. Besides, he knew he could do good at that. When he was in high school, he did a part-time job at a coffee shop as a cashier, but once in a while he had tried to make simple latte and cappucino.

It took some times to assure Jessica that he was alright with that job, that he won’t regret it later. Baekhyun wasn’t sure either, but he needed to at least convince Jessica that he did. His sister-in-law would certainly tell about what had happened today to her husband, and without avail, his brother will throw him a wrath too, but he could worry about that later. Right now, Baekhyun only wanted to enjoy his peaceful moment.

Baekhyun closed his eyes for a full minute, enjoying the mild wind combed his thick black hair. And for a moment, he felt  like he could breathe normally, like he knew that everything was going to be okay, eventually. He didn’t need to be worried about his life and future. Just living in the now, savor the moment he had with the younger boy sitting beside him, and hummed his favorite song softly.

He opened his eyes again, and returned his attention to Chanyeol. The younger was looking upfront, but occasionally took glances on Baekhyun.

“Do you want to go somewhere else before we touchdown your house?” Chanyeol asked, his baritone voice muffled a little with the wind.

Baekhyun shook his head, knowing that Chanyeol still could see his doing through the corner of his eyes. “Chanyeol,” he called him out, and the said boy turned his head to him momentarily, waiting for Baekhyun to continue. “Starting from tomorrow, I’m working at my Noona’s cafe.”

Baekhyun was surprised that the piece of information blurted out from his mouth. He didn’t really plan to tell Chanyeol, or anyone, about that. People would eventually know anyway. But his body begged for sharing it to someone at least.

“Do you think that’s the right decision?” Baekhyun asked in a really low voice.

Chanyeol seemed more surprised to hear the question rather than hearing what Baekhyun had told him earlier. Baekhyun himself didn’t know why, but he needed someone to tell him that what he had done was right. And if Chanyeol said yes, then Baekhyun didn’t need anyone else’s opinion.

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol bit his lower lip, “I can’t say if it’s right or wro—“

“Just tell me, do you think it’s right?” Baekhyun urged him.

Chanyeol looked at him again, with his intense stare. And Baekhyun’s eyes settled on his, waiting for his answer. Chanyeol returned his vision back to the road before he answered, “I don’t really know, Baekhyun. But you gotta do what you wanna do, I guess. If that’s what you want for yourself, it’s right.”

“I don’t know what I want right now,” Baekhyun said quietly. He looked out of the window again, and realized that they had entered their street. “What do you want to do after you graduate, Chanyeol?”

“I want to get out of here,” Chanyeol answered.

Baekhyun stared at him, confused, “Why? What are you gonna do?”

“Going to the city, catching my dream.”

It almost felt like a deja vu, watching Chanyeol talked about reaching his dream. Baekhyun almost forgot the day he actually had something to reach particulary. “Dream. I don’t have a dream,” Baekhyun said absent-mindedly.

They pulled into Baekhyun’s house, finally. Chanyeol stopped his car and pulled the brake before he really looked at Baekhyun right now, not only throwing him side glances like before.

Baekhyun probably should’ve gotten off of the car since they’ve arrived at his house, but he remained in his position, could not even move as Chanyeol was giving him a keen look with his deep eyes. “Everyone has a dream, Baekhyun.”

“Not me,” Baekhyun shook his head. “At least not anymore.”

“Isn’t that the thing that makes us keep going? Dream?” the younger said, his tone was so evidential as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Dream keeps us on track.”

Baekhyun tried his best to keep his gaze settled, not darting everywhere like he wanted to. “Maybe that’s why I couldn’t keep going anymore, and just walk in place, or even backwards.”

He couldn’t really hear anything. It was so silent that at the time like this, Baekhyun hoped the term saved by the ring could really save him. But being in the stillness and quietness with Chanyeol was nice. Their atmosphere wasn’t the best one, but Baekhyun was so drown into Chanyeol’s eyes that he forgot everything.

“Is that how you usually look at people?” Baekhyun asked him.

Surprisingly, Chanyeol’s gaze faltered, but he didn’t break it. “What do you mean?”

“Like the way you look at me right now,” Baekhyun said. “And when the first time we met yestereday. You know, you stared really deep and hard...You look like you want to me up.”

“Was my stare bugging you?”

“No, no, I like it. It’s...,” magical, Baekhyun thought. “It’s nice.”

Chanyeol smiled, “So it’s okay if I continue to look at you?”

Baekhyun’s lips curled up, and he felt like his stomach was squeezed and his chest was going to burst. “I guess,” he said. With that, Baekhyun looked away and turned around, “I think I’m going inside.” He got out of the car and waved at the younger boy, “thank you so much, Chanyeol, for everything today.”

But before Chanyeol could reply, Baekhyun ran toward his house, body hanging onto the door as soon as he closed it. He didn’t really know how to begin processing everything had been going on today.

It still wasn’t that great, but it was definitely something better than his old life. And he thought 95% of it was because of Chanyeol.

A/N:

I'm sorry I can't get my hands on my laptop recently as I've started a new job.

Thank you for your comments and support, readers! I love you <333