“Oh, hello, Dad.” Baekhyun turned his head from the screen when the door to his room swung opened, revealing his father who just got back from a late meeting. “What brought you here?”

“Son, I need to see some documents, can you help me to find it?” The father came closer to his desk and showed him some other related document to the one he was asking. It didn’t take long for Baekhyun to finally find what his father was looking for because apparently, he was the one who had access through the whole restricted share point.

“I could help with this, though?”

“Yeah? Alright. Bring the copy to my room after you finish it, okay.” Baekhyun curtly nodded. “Oh, I forgot something. Mom and Dad will attend the volunteer event this weekend. You are coming too, right?”

“Yes, of course.” The son raised his eyebrows at the suggestive smile offered by the older. “It’s not like I have ever missed the volunteer event even just once, Dad.” He rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, right. But this time can you bring someone as your plus one to the event?”

“What do you mean ‘plus one’?”

“Oh, son, don’t play dumb, you know what and who I meant.”

Yeah, of course Baekhyun knew it. “Dad, please.” The son whined, earning a laugh from his father.

“Don’t you think it’s time to introduce her to your colleague?”

He could only roll his eyes again at his father’s question. “Dad, we’re not even engaged yet.” The son stated.

“But sooner or later you will,”

“Oh please, Dad. You are using the documents as an excuse to come here and talk about this, aren’t you?” His father raised both his hands up, looking playfully defeated. Baekhyun knew his father would pester him about this so he agreed for now just to make the father leave because hell he’s having too much things on his plate to finish right now. “Alright, I’ll ask her later, now go back to your room because I am really busy Mr. President, and it’s almost time to leave.” The father laughed loudly as he patted his son’s head, seeming satisfied with Baekhyun’s answer before finally going out of the room, leaving Baekhyun flustered at the thought of introducing someone to his colleagues.

Baekhyun pushed the thoughts aside and took the document left by his father to see if he could finish it fast before wrapping up his work and leave for today. He brought his attention back to the screen to find a specific folder when he realised that he has done the same thing before. He smiled to himself because it only meant he would be able to do it faster.

“Stop smiling like an idiot.”

Baekhyun could only groan at the voice barging inside his room. “What do you want? I need to finish this fast because I have an appointment and I don’t want to be late.”

“Oh, wow, chill, Sir.” Jongdae put a pile of folders on his desk before throwing himself on the chair across. “I need those to be signed for tomorrow morning. Already reviewed all of them so you don’t need to do it again. You’re welcome.”

“You’re so useful at times like this.”

Jongdae only smirked, “Got a date tonight? I’ve never seen Byun Baekhyun so eager to go home so early though.”

“Shut up.” Baekhyun retorted, but the other man could see him biting his lips, obviously trying to hold his smile. “It’s not a date. Aerin asked me to go with her to the bookstore.”

“It’s a date, Baek.” Baekhyun only chuckled at his friend’s words. “So, I presume that everything went well? You told me it was hard to get to know her before.” Both of them had been really busy and didn’t even have time to catch up with each other. They met only to talk about some work-related things before going back to their own station.

This time, Baekhyun let a smile bloom before answering Jongdae. “I don’t know. I think it was just my luck. She kind of had a fall out with her boyfriend, and I just happened to be there. But yeah, I have no interest to meddle, I just want to be there for her if she needed companion.”

Jongdae whistled teasingly. “Wow, Byun Baekhyun is playing hero, isn’t he?” Although Baekhyun didn’t see his face, he already knew how smug his friend’s face was. “Smooth, eh?”

The man stopped his fingers from working and turned his head to his friend. Jongdae could see the glint of sadness on his eyes. “You know, on the very first day I met her after she knew about the arrangement, I got my heart slightly broken when she told me she already had someone she loved. At first, I thought she was a tough wall who couldn’t be cracked. I thought I need to accept that everything would never work out between us because although she was friendly to me, I knew she already had someone. But I was wrong. Although she already had someone, she didn’t push me away. She respected the relationship that we have.”

“I don’t know if what I did was right. I have never had any intention to intrude what she had with her lover and be in between them, but I still try to get close to her. I try to be her friend, because that’s the least I could do. If we’re really going to get married, to be her friend is the least I could do for now.” He sighed, but Jongdae saw the smile on his lips as Baekhyun was reminded of certain someone. “I still don’t know much about her, and I think I still need time to fully get her trust. But I know I’m getting there. Every time I met her, I learn different things about her. And the more I know her, the more I want to protect her, the more I want to make her happy.”

“Damn, you’re so whipped, Byun.”

“Yeah, I know I am.”

“Still, I don’t want you to get your heart broken. You know the last time didn’t go really well for you.” Jongdae said, remembering that specific time when his friend turned into a bundle of gloom when his ex-girlfriend cheated on him.

Baekhyun smiled sadly, “But it’s too late. I’m already falling for her, Jongdae.”

“Hey,” Aerin greeted with a wide smile as soon as Chanyeol’s face appeared after she accepted the FaceTime call. “Chanyeol, it must be late there, why aren’t you asleep?”

Chanyeol only chuckled. Yeah, it was indeed late there. It was eight in the morning for the girl, and Seoul was seven hours ahead of his. Chanyeol has been there for almost a month since he came and settle in the new environment, but it was still hard for him to adapt to the new time zone. “Still not sleepy.” He only shrugged, fixing his microphone so that she could hear him better. “And I miss you,” Chanyeol said with a pout. “We haven’t talked in a while.”

The girl gave him a small smile, “I thought you were busy.”

“Yeah, and it not having anyone to run to every time I need one.”

“Indeed, but I’m sure it won’t be difficult for you to make new friends.” Chanyeol smiled at that. “How are you doing?” Aerin asked.

“Still adapting. It isn’t difficult to make new friends, yes, but I’m so used to have you around you know.” Aerin could see his lips pulled up playfully and she only rolled her eyes. “I’m not kidding okay, but yeah, living here is not as bad as I thought it would be. Just, I bet the school’s going to be difficult.” Chanyeol said, earning a laugh from the girl.

“You’re going to be an amazing doctor you know that, right?”

“I know.” Chanyeol smiled smugly. “So, how are you doing? Did the school start already?”

“It hasn’t. It’s going to start in two weeks. I still have a lot of free time.”

“Yeah? That’s good. What do you do on your free time then? You’re usually glued to me.” The girl only rolled her eyes because damn Chanyeol was right.

“Don’t be so full of yourself, Doctor Park.”

“I was only stating the truth.”

She let out a long sigh before answering, “Fine, I admit a defeat.” Chanyeol chuckled at that. “But you know what,”

Then the girl suddenly smiled widely at him, and Chanyeol didn’t miss the s