"So", Baekhyun began.

Sehun raised an eyebrow at him, the rest of his features were expressionless.

Baekhyun laughed awkwardly, he didn't expect to have to face Sehun so soon after his prank. "I suppose I should give you a tour of the rest of the house?".

Sehun remained silent, but nodded.

Before they set off, Baekhyun said something to a nearby server in volumes too quiet for Sehun to hear.

Is he afraid to be alone with me? Is he warning the server to keep an eye on me? I wonder what they're talking about.

"Right", Baekhyun clapped his hands together far too enthusiastically, "Let's go!".

The remainder of the tour could be summarised as a one-sided conversation. Baekhyun supplied details about each room, while Sehun merely nodded in response. Baekhyun's room was saved for last.

"So, this is my room. This is my door. It's closed at the moment".

Sehun's expressionless mask cracked and a smile broke through, "I can see that".

After finally getting a response, Baekhyun's face lit up in relief, "I'm glad, I was worried I'd have to explain to you what a closed door looks like".

"I've seen many closed doors in my time, but thank you for worrying".

Baekhyun tipped an imaginary hat, "Glad I could please you. So that's the tour over, let's go back to the living room".

Sehun held up a hand in pause, "Wait, aren't you going to give me a room tour?".

Baekhyun looked at his closed door and pretended to be confused, "It's got four walls, a floor and a ceiling".

"No bed?".

"It also has a bed".

"Windows?".

"Maybe".

"Maybe? Well I need you to be certain about this, it's very important information".

Baekhyun shrugged, "I guess I'll just have to open the door and show you".

"That sounds like a good idea".

The handle was turned and Sehun had the honour of seeing an open door. Baekhyun lead the way into his room.

"Well, you weren't wrong", Sehun told him as his eyes searched every corner the moment he entered.

"Four walls, a ceiling, a floor and a bed?".

"Don't forget the windows. You've got those too".

"Of course, how could I forget".

"It's..."

"Boring?", Baekhyun offered.

Sehun looked away from his exploration and shook his head, "I was going to say minimalistic. It's nice. My room is a mess most of the time".

Baekhyun hummed quietly in what could have been thanks, or perhaps a simple acknowledgement. The conversation dipped for a moment while Sehun continued with his exploration. A desk, a bowl, a mirror, drawers, books, a bed, more books, a lamp. It was all very standard, and Sehun had a hard time figuring out what kind of person Baekhyun was from his room.

"So", Sehun started once he'd finished his search, "Chilli powder?".

Baekhyun's muscles tensed, he knew that this conversation was unavoidable, as much as he wanted to avoid it. He looked at Sehun with a trace amount of an apology in his eyes before nodding.

"What if I was deathly allergic to chilli?".

"I did my research", Baekhyun's expression of guilt turned to a more uplifted one, "On that note, there's ice cream on that desk over there. I asked someone to bring it up".

"Is it for me?".

"Who else?"

Sehun walked over to the desk and picked up the bowl. He had an unreadable expression on his face, "Thank you... I think. Has this got more chilli powder in it?".

Baekhyun's smile widened into a grin, "Probably not".

Sehun raised the spoon to his mouth cautiously. And then he ate it.

It was just normal vanilla ice cream. Sehun couldn't tell if he was shocked.

"You're a strange one, Byun Baekhyun".

Baekhyun's brow furrowed, "How so?".

"You finally pull your first successful prank in ages, and you apologise for it with treats".

Baekhyun shrugged in response then watched as Sehun slowly consumed the ice cream. He looked like a man that'd never eaten ice cream before, what with the way the spoon lingered in his mouth for a second too long, the way his eyes closed as the cool, frozen desert made its way down his sore throat. Baekhyun found himself fixating on the way he ate.

It wasn't long before the bowl was empty and Sehun's eyes were on Baekhyun. He wanted to know more about him, his likes, his dislikes, what kind of music he listened to and his favourite memory. All of the little things that'd slipped through their previous conversations.

"Why are you looking at me like that?", Baekhyun's voice hitched  the most unnoticeable amount.

"I'm just curious. Why a black and white room?"

Baekhyun lowered himself into a nearby chair and shrugged, "I didn't have a favourite colour at the time. Black and white seemed as good as anything else".

"Do you have a favourite colour now?"

Baekhyun's face screwed up in thought, "I think... maybe, blue?".

"Like Kyungsoo's hair blue?".

Baekhyun laughed in embarrassment, "Maybe not quite that blue. More like... the blue of a morning sky. Is that cliché?".

"If it's cliché then it's only because it's a good colour".

Baekhyun smiled gently, "Maybe. What about you? What's your favourite colour?".

Sehun took a seat at Baekhyun's desk chair and thought about his answer, "You know, I think I'm beginning to like the colour pink a little more". He smiled at Baekhyun and Baekhyun smiled back, except Sehun's gaze was focused on the pink tinge of Baekhyun's cheeks. Pink was certainly growing on him.

While their fathers spoke business in the study below, they continued on like that. Sehun learned that Baekhyun didn't really have a favourite music genre. He liked lots of things from lots of genres, apparently. Jongdae had introduced him to a group called OXE and for now they were his favourite group. That was something he and Sehun had in common.

"They've got a concert coming up soon, did you- did you want to go?".

A sad sigh left Baekhyun's mouth and he shook his head, "Like I'd be allowed to do that".

Sehun kept quiet for a moment, before his lips curved into a smirk, "So sneak out".

If Sehun's alarmed eyes at the dinner table earlier were wide, then Baekhyun's blew the competition out of the park.

"Sneak out? Are you mad?"

"What? You say that like you've never done it before".

"That's because I haven't"

"But I thought you-"

"I lie about where I'm going, I don't just go. That's even more dangerous".

"Where's that daring Baekhyun that tipped an entire pot of chilli powder on my food?"

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, "It wasn't an entire pot".

"It certainly tasted like it. Don't avoid the question".

Baekhyun shook his head, "Chilli powder's one thing, sneaking out without anyone realising is another. It's just not an option for me".

"Then why don't you sleep over at my place? You can tell your father that you're going to help me study. Better yet, why don't you mention it and let him suggest it?"

Baekhyun mulled over the idea for a moment, it wasn't an awful idea. In fact, it was rather smart. Baekhyun's father wanted to impress Sehun's, and this was probably the only time he'd get this opportunity.

"But that's only if you want to", Sehun hastened to add, "If you don't want to that's okay. I'm just saying, the option's there".

"Thank you", Baekhyun smiled yet again, "I'll think about it".

And so Baekhyun thought about it. He thought about how much fun he had when he was with Sehun, and how much he enjoyed listening to OXE. This opportunity was a rare one, he knew. He wasn't sure if he was scared of his father finding out, as he usually was, or whether he was scared to be totally alone with Sehun. But then Baekhyun realised, he didn't care. He could figure out his feelings while he was experiencing them, he didn't want to be held back by his own cowardice any longer.

"Actually, sure".

Sehun's mouth dropped open in shock, "Really?".

"Really".

"This isn't another prank is it? Because I'm pretty sure it's my turn to do something".

Baekhyun took a moment before he replied, the fact that Sehun wasn't expecting him to agree made him want to all the more.

"This isn't another prank-".

"You'd say that even if it was another prank, wouldn't you?".

"I would. But I'd like to see OXE live, I'm sure I could tolerate your company to do that".

Leaning back in the chair, Sehun tried to mask his smile, but Baekhyun saw it anyway, "Well then, I suppose I should tidy my room. Are you going to speak to your father?".

Baekhyun nodded, "I'll speak to him once you leave. Would you need to speak to yours?".

Sehun shook his head, "No. He's not bothered by what I do in my spare time... well, verbally at least. It'll be fine. How will I know if it's a yes from your father?".

"I'll call you", Baekhyun told him.

And this time, he did.