Next morning, Chanyeol woke up pretty early to gather all of his bandmates in the living room, or at least the ones who were in the dorm, since Kyungsoo, Jongdae and Yixing had left already due to their schedules.

They had come down, stumbling and groaning, tripping on the carpet and begging for a hot cup of coffee, even if they weren’t a fan of coffee like Minseok. He had explained briefly that he wanted them all together to apologize to Baekhyun for their awful behavior as soon as the other came down.

Looking around, Chanyeol fought the urge to smile; Tao was snoring away leaning on Junmyeon’s shoulder, drool darkening the older’s shirt, Junmyeon was checking the news on his phone, fingers trailing up and down on Tao’s neck, Sehun and Minseok, on the other hand, stood away from each other as physically possible. Sehun was a little bit pale and seemed troubled while Minseok looked as cool as he could be. Sometimes, the younger would look at the older and scowled. If the older noticed he didn’t say anything.

Jongin was the only one who escaped since he hadn’t done anything wrong in the first place, Chanyeol let him sleep; he actually had checked on them first thing in the morning and found him and Baekhyun sleeping soundly, cuddled up to each other, mouths slightly open. He cooed at the sight for a good two minutes before heading out.

They were all waiting for Baekhyun when the man came down the stairs, dragging his feet and rubbing his eyes. He stopped when he noticed the eyes looking at him; even Tao’s since Junmyeon had elbowed him awake. He looked like a deer caught in headlights and was ready to bolt from there but Chanyeol was faster and gently grabbed the other and pushed him to the living room.

“Don’t worry, we just want to talk to you.” he whispered the smallest ear.

He led the other man to sit on the comfy chair and promptly sat on the coffee table next to him. Baekhyun sat down and immediately brought his knees up, hugging his legs to his chest with his chin resting upon his knees.

“Good, now that everyone is here, we’ll start.”

“Start what?” asked Baekhyun suddenly afraid of whatever they were going to say.

“We’ll start apologizing Baekhyun.” answered Minseok “We came to the conclusion, after you left yesterday, that we acted like a bunch of idiots. This was a private matter and we pushed you too far, making you reveal something about yourself that you didn’t want to. It was wrong of us and we apologize for that. However, I have to say, and I think that everyone will agree with me, that this is a serious thing and we worry for you, not only because we think it’s detrimental for your health, and before you say anything, I mean the lack of sleep, but also because we know that this upsets you and it pains us to see you get hurt in any shape or form. We understand your motives completely but don’t shy away from us, we are your friends and we want you safe.”

“That being said” added Chanyeol “I would also like to apologize for the stupid scene you saw yesterday between me and Sehun, it was childish an unnecessary and I’m really sorry. Also, I understand that you are feeling that we might treat you differently because of everything that is happening and because we know about your secret and I guess that you are right, we are going to treat you differently but just because we are afraid that this whole matter is more than just a simple prank because, let’s be frank, it’s really weird that someone is taking an effort just to pull a prank on you, using a secret that it has been very well hidden for ages. So yes, we will worry for you but just because we want to be assured that you are safe, nothing more, nothing less.”

Baekhyun stood where he was seated, inhaling and exhaling slowly, gazing at them.

“It’s okay…”

“It’s not though, Baekhyun. He shouldn’t have reacted the way we did nor should we have discussed this matter when you were not present. It wasn’t fair of us.” stated Junmyeon.

“It’s really okay guys, I get that you were worried and I’m sorry for reacting the way I did…it was just too overwhelming.”

“It’s all forgiven and forgotten” smiled Junmyeon understanding the need of reassurance on Baekhyun’s part.

Baekhyun smiled at stood up from the chair, ready to prepare breakfast, but Chanyeol quickly dismissed it.

“I woke them all up early this morning so, obviously, Tao is going to get us some breakfast.”

The humorous tirade made everyone laugh out loud and Tao even agreed to get them all breakfast, climbing up the stair to change really quickly before hitting the streets, taking Junmyeon with him.

“Is Jongin still sleeping?” asked Chanyeol.

“No, he isn’t. He’s in the shower.”

At Baekhyun’s reply, Chanyeol gave a little absentminded nod and snuggled in the couch. From the corner of his eyes, Chanyeol noticed Sehun sliding along the couch, making a little space between himself and Chanyeol which, coincidentally, would be perfect for a Baekhyun sized person. Baekhyun noticed the spot and moved towards it but Minseok’s voice stopped him from doing so.

“Baekhyunnie, come and sit with me. Hyung is very tired and in need of a good cuddle provided by the most awesome cuddler ever: you!”

Chanyeol almost choked on his own spit at how cute Minseok was being, making grabby motions at the younger man and pouting, Sehun, on the other hand, was absolutely livid, he didn’t think that Minseok was going to act upon his feelings for Baekhyun, he had thought that the older was bluffing.

“But hyung, won’t it be a tight fit for us on the armchair?” asked Baekhyun, the perfect picture of adorable, with his head tilted to the side and a finger resting on his lower lip.

“Of course not, I want to cuddle, there’s not supposed to be space. Come on Baekhyunnie, don’t leave me here alone. Please? ”

Sehun was kind of praying that Baekhyun refused the offer; that he would say something about not wanting to disturb the elder, but he wasn’t lucky because Baekhyun had chirped a bright ‘sure’ before skipping to throw himself at the other’s lap, who immediately wrapped his arms around the younger waist and pulled him closer to his chest, cooing at Baekhyun. He shot a little smirk at Sehun, behind Baekhyun’s back who was too happy snuggling into Minseok’s neck, perfectly comfortable in the other’s arm.

Chanyeol was watching the scene unfold and he seriously would laugh if not by the fear he had of setting the youngest off, he didn’t want to act as a mediator in another fight. Sehun was staring hard at the cuddling pair, white knuckles gripping the material of the couch with more strength than Chanyeol actually thing he had. If looks could kill, Minseok would be ten feet under by now. Thankfully, he didn’t say a thing but it didn’t really matter because at that moment, Jongin entered the room and all of Chanyeol’s noble plans of separating Sehun and Minseok in case of a fight, flew from him.

After a tasty breakfast, everyone went on showering and getting ready for another day, Sehun and Jongin had dance practice, Tao, Minseok and Chanyeol had to meet their vocal teacher, Junmyeon had a meeting with his manager and Baekhyun had an appointment with his therapist, freeing him from any schedule until midafternoon.

Sehun had been staring at the kitchen door for about ten minutes and Jongin was actually afraid that he wasn’t blinking.

Ever since Minseok had dragged Baekhyun with him for a talk, as the older called it, Sehun had been gloomier than ever, even if his blank expression didn’t give it away.

“Is he blinking?” whispered Tao to him and Chanyeol.

“I don’t really know. It doesn’t look like he is.” whispered Chanyeol back, throwing a bread crumb in Junmyeon’s direction, which landed on the leader’s hair and made Junmyeon turn away from cleaning the dishes to glare at him. “Do you think Minseok is going to confess to Baekhyun?”

“Minseok likes Baekhyun?” asked Tao, absolutely surprised at the news.

“Yes, he actually made his intentions pretty clear yesterday.”

“Where was I?” he asked indignantly, voice rising up a little.

“Sleeping…”

“Oh…” muttered Tao before adding “Sehun doesn’t look happy with the news.”

“I bet he doesn’t but hey, you snooze you lose, I guess. Baekhyun deserves to have someone to love him properly, Sehun could have been that person but he, himself, said that he wasn’t interested so…”

“I don’t get it. It’s clear that Sehun likes him too; he even talks about Baekhyun in his sleep!”

“He does?” at Tao’s nod, Chanyeol snorted a bit. “He has a really weird way of showing it.”

“And since when did Sehun master the ability of showing his emotions to everyone? He’s a guarded person.” Replied Jongin casually, slapping Chanyeol’s hands from throwing another crumb in Junmyeon’s direction.

“True. But he likes him, he’s just really confused.”

“He talked about it with you?” asked Jongin raising his eyebrows.

“He did. He says that he likes Baekhyun; that he finds him attractive and a good person, but he doesn’t know if there is more to it than just that. He doesn’t really has any pleasure in hurting Baekhyun, is that he’s not that good at expressing himself. And above all that Sehun is a really prideful person and he hates to admit to others he was wrong so, naturally, even if he likes Baekhyun, he doesn’t admit it, not even to himself, because that is a screaming statement that he was mistaken.”

Jongin hummed in response; Tao was absolutely right. It really helped that he was the maknae’s best friend and was very skilled in the art of understanding Oh Sehun.

“What do you think that it would happen if Minseok confessed and Baekhyun did have a change of heart?”

“I don’t know.” shrugged Tao “Maybe it’ll be an eye opener and he gets his shift into gear. If he doesn’t than it is his own damn fault. I warned him about this many times.”

Words of wisdom by one of the maknaes, who would’ve thought?

Baekhyun and Minseok chose that moment, where everyone was lost in thought, to step into the room, laughing like maniacs.

“You’re in a good mood.” commented Junmeyon.

“I am most certainly am.” answered Minseok. “I just confessed to Baekhyun how I felt for him.”

Jongin could actually feel the temperature in the kitchen drop a few degrees. He looked from an ecstatic Minseok, to a flustered Baekhyun, stopping on a rigid Sehun; the maknae’s back was absolutely straight and stiff.

“Are you dating now?” asked a shocked Junmyeon.

“No, we are not. Baekhyun is not ready to date someone, due to reasons, but he didn’t oppose to me wooing him.”

Minseok had answered the question looking straightly ahead but everyone could tell that the jab in his words where directed at Sehun.

“So, you are dating but at same time you aren’t?” asked Tao slowly, clearly confused.

“Something like that. It is more of a ‘friends who can turn to something more if Minseok does his job’!” agreed Minseok planting a kiss on Baekhyun’s cheek, making him giggle softly.

“Can I have a word with you Baekhyun?” asked the maknae suddenly.

Baekhyun’s eyes darted to Sehun’s face and, to everyone surprise, he kept it there for a while, assessing the other, before calmly giving him an ‘okay’. He approached Sehun after reciprocating Minseok’s kiss.

“Shall we?”

Sehun had led Baekhyun to the small office they had upstairs and closed the door behind himself. He watched as Baekhyun sat on the wedge of a table and kept staring at him for a while before Baekhyun’s patience vanished.

“Are you going to say anything or can I leave?”

“You are dating Minseok?”

Baekhyun sighed; of course this is what the maknae wanted to talk about.

“No, I am not. As he explained I agree to give him a chance but it doesn’t mean that we are dating.”

“I thought you liked me.”

“And I do Sehun, I really do.”

“Why then? Are you doing this just to spite me?”

Baekhyun snorted at that

“Not everything is about you. I gave him a chance because I think he deserves it.”

“Like the chance you gave Kris?”

Baekhyun looked to the maknae. His relationship with Kris was something that he hadn’t been too keen on letting Sehun know but apparently the cat was out of the bag. He leveled Sehun with a hard stare before answering.

“Exactly like Kris.”

Sehun felt like someone had smacked him hard on the face with a pole. He was not sure if he was more shocked at Baekhyun’s admittance or the fact that the other didn’t stuttered while answering. He was quiet for a few minutes before regaining composure.

“But you liked me. You dated Kris while liking me.”

“I did. Kris was aware of that.”

“And he still dated you?”

“He still dated me. He dated me because Kris liked me enough to still love me even if my heart wasn’t completely his and I was very grateful for him, he made me happy and, sometimes, I would actually forget that I felt something for you. He is a wonderful person and, in a way, I loved him too.”

“Why did you break up?”

“When he told me he wanted out of EXO. I was angry at first, the person who loved me the most was turning away from me but then I thought about it and came to the conclusion that it was very selfish of me to ask him to stay. He wanted do to other things, he wanted to fly high and felt like he was being caged, so I let him go.”

Sehun pondered the other’s words. He could feel that Baekhyun had indeed loved Kris, maybe not the way the older wanted, but in his own way. Baekhyun had a selfless way of loving, no doubt about that.

He was snapped out of his reverie when he heard Baekhyun sigh before he started talking.

“Look Sehun, I don’t really get the point of this conversation. It’s like you are digging up my private life just to make me feel guilty or something. Yes, I dated Kris and yes, I am letting Minseok have a chance and I don’t see why this would concern you because, as you referred multiple times, you don’t like me. I told myself, over and over again that I would wait for you to come around but let’s face it up, that was just me wishing for it, because I realized it’s never gonna happen, and I am tired; I am so tired of chasing after you for scraps of affection just to get them thrown back in my face at some point. It’s like you care one second and in the next you don’t and that hurts so badly, that I can’t even put in words. I’ve spent years loving you and, honestly, I still do. My heart still jumps whenever I see you, my palms get sweaty and my throat gets dry but I’m done. I’m done waiting to be loved. Those people downstairs made me realize that I don’t have to beg and wait to feel loved, they made me realize I deserved to be loved, so that’s exactly what I am going to do: I’m going to be loved. I have someone who is willing to love me and I’m going to take the opportunity, if it goes well, it goes well; if it goes wrong, he’s still willing to be my friends, so it’s a win/win situation for me.”

“Baekhyun…”

Sehun tried to interrupt Baekhyun but the other was having none of that. He had come to decision of having this talk with him and, until he was done saying what he had to say, the maknae wasn’t allowed to speak.

“Let me finish Sehun” he asked softly not giving the other time to reply as he continued “This is me letting go of you because I don’t want to give you any more burdens, if you did have them in the first place. I sincerely wish you the best and I hope that you wish me the same. And most importantly, I wish that you are well loved by someone of your choice one day and that you’re happy.”

Sehun was paralyzed; he had much to say but he was simply incapable of talking. He felt cold all of a sudden, the words had stricken him with a massive force and he wasn’t ready for this conversation. And he was torn, his mind told him that it didn’t matter because Baekhyun was only his friend, his hyung, but at the same time there was a little muffled echo telling him to not let Baekhyun go.

He didn’t know if it was luck or not but the door suddenly opened and Tao burst in looking panicked.

“Tao?” asked Baekhyun “What’s the matter?”

“Another delivery came for you hyung, Chanyeol opened it and…”

Tao didn’t manage to finish the sentence because Baekhyun bolted out of the office, with Sehun and Tao following close.

When Baekhyun reached the kitchen, all eyes turned to him. He could he see the worry and the seriousness in them. He advanced shakily to the open box and pulled the items inside out.

He felt himself freeze when he was met with a picture of himself, taken on the day we went with Minseok to get coffee. Attached to the photo was a little note:

“Don’t try to run, don’t try to hide. I’m coming for you precious.”

Baekhyun felt his limbs grow heavier and his head pound. Then, everything turned black.