The group patched things up with Kyungsoo before he headed off to Gwangju for filming. Sure they didn’t all agree with the whole homouality part, but they will not let it get in the way of friendship. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo weren’t forced to hide their relationship anymore, but of course in public they will stay far away from each other.

It helps now because Kyungsoo is getting involved with the film industry.

During the long car ride to Gwangju, Kyungsoo’s manager sits beside him and ruffles his long locks. Kyungsoo pulls out his earphone, “W-What is it hyung?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to talk to you. I feel like you been very sad lately, far different than the predebut Kyungsoo. I know a lot of stuffs happened recently but Soo, don’t beat yourself up over anything.”

“Thank you hyung.”

Kyungsoo looks outside the window and thinks of Chanyeol.

-----

Meanwhile with Chanyeol, he got involved in a reality show called Roommate. He tried to talk to Kyungsoo about it but each time he called Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo was too busy to pick up the phone. Naturally, it felt like the two drifted apart, even if it was unintentional.

“Chanyeol, I noticed you hold the phone to your face all night. Who are you messaging?”

Park Bom sits besides him that morning while the camera was trying to capture other people. Chanyeol laughs and shakes his head, “it was no one noona. I was watching funny videos and playing games.”

Park Bom also laughs at the cute tall boy besides her. “Oh a fan told me that you really like Sandara. Sandara also asked me about you, told me that I should introduce the both of you. So when we are not filming here, let’s all hangout.”

Chanyeol eyes lights up, he was always a fan of Sandara, like how Baekhyun likes Taeyeon, so this type of news is like great news in the morning. “Thank you noona. That would be fun!”

When Chanyeol left the roommates dorm, he sees that Kyungsoo tried to call him but the call failed. He tries to call Kyungsoo back but Kyungsoo didn’t pick up.

Why is it so hard to contact each other when they are in the same country? Sometimes it felt like fate was trying to play games with them.

-----

A week later, Kyungsoo arrives back at Exo’s dorm. He was greeted by happy members all asking him how filming went. “Everything went smoothly this time and the director was very kind. I’m now happy that filming is over because I know we have a comeback soon. Filming is fun but I really miss being in Exo.”

“Wow” Sehun says making everyone to look at him, wondering why he is so random. “That is the most I have heard you say hyung. You hardly talk.” Sehun finishes, causing everyone to laugh.

Kyungsoo laughs a little and then looks around.

“Looking for Chanyeol hyung? He went to hangout with a friend. Didn’t tell us who but he looked very happy. He dressed so nice.” Jongin says.

“He did dress nice” Jongdae added, “I made fun of him saying he looked nicer than during Exo comeback and he laughed.”

Kyungsoo feels a bit disappointed because he was expecting his boyfriend to greet him since he came back from filming. He moves his things back to the room, with the help of Junmyeon and Minseok.

While he was folding his clothes, he looked at his cell phone to see no messages from Chanyeol. Out of curiosity, he decides to message Chanyeol first.

To: 내 사랑 찬열<3

Chanyeol~ I just got back to our dorm. I heard you went out.

When will you be back? Should I stay up and wait for you?

I miss you lots TT

From: Kyungsoo

Kyungsoo waits and even when he noticed the rest of the members went to sleep, Chanyeol still hasn’t messaged him back. He wanders around in the kitchen and then sits on the sofa. The week of filming was long and he was very tired, but that’s why he wanted to see Chanyeol’s face. Chanyeol is a happy virus, looking at him makes Kyungsoo happy.

At 2AM he hears the front door open. Chanyeol walks in quietly and also closes the door quietly. Kyungsoo moves from the sofa and runs towards Chanyeol, wrapping his arm around the taller neck.

“Soo, oh my god” Chanyeol picks Kyungsoo up and swings the smaller around. “I miss you!” he kisses Kyungsoo’s lips.

They settle down on the sofa together with Kyungsoo leaning on Chanyeol’s shoulder. “Who were you with? You didn’t reply to my text messages…”

“I was with Park Bom noona and Sandara noona. We were drinking too much so I didn’t pay attention to my phone. I’m sorry…”

“Oh…did you have fun?”

“Yes, I did. Park Bom noona actually introduced me to Sandara noona. She’s very kind and well you know she used to be my ideal type during trainee days, it felt like meeting an idol that you admire so much.”

“W-Was she pretty?”

“Yes, very pretty. Goddess level.”

Something in the pit of Kyungsoo’s stomach didn’t feel right. He knows that Chanyeol is his boyfriend and there is nothing to worry about but why didn’t he feel contempt? Is it because Baekhyun is dating Taeyeon his ideal type, which makes Kyungsoo also worry about Chanyeol? Kyungsoo already has low self-esteem and he knows that he is incomparable to Sandara so even though Chanyeol doesn’t know it, his words hurt.

Kyungsoo stands up and turns to Chanyeol, “It’s late…we should go to sleep.”

“Okay. I’m exhausted. Tomorrow we have to wake up early to practice for our comeback.”

-----

During practice break, Baekhyun runs to Chanyeol and puts his arm around Chanyeol’s neck, “Yo I didn’t know you went out with Dara sunbae last night. I remember you used to have a picture of her hanging in your room, and now you are hanging out with her. It’s fascinating.”

“Like you and Taeyeon. You were her biggest fan and now you two are dating.”

“Dreams come true” Baekhyun jokes, “But seriously I think a lot of fans will support you if you and Dara sunbae happen to be together, while with Taeyeon and I…we will get a lot of hate.”

“I’m with Kyungsoo…if anyone will get hate it is us. Relationship with Kyungsoo will be a secret till the day we die. My family isn’t fond of same couple and South Korea is so conservative, the future problems haunts me everyday.”

Baekhyun lets go of Chanyeol’s shoulder and shrugs, “I mean it depends on you two. Do you see him in your future? Or is it just fun for now? If he’s just a fling and you can’t picture any future, I don’t see the point of you both wasting time.”

Baekhyun is known as a jokester and hard to ever have a serious conversation with, but now that he sounds serious, that means it is something for Chanyeol to think about.

It’s just hard to think of the future when the present is just as blurry.

-----

Kyungsoo scrolls through online comments during his free time to see what people are saying about his acting. He likes to monitor hate comments to see where he could improve, but instead the hate comments doesn’t directly relate to his acting.

Chanbaek couple is real. I ing hate Chansoo. Chansoo and Kyungsoo. He’s so boring!

Chanbaek couple has great chemistry. Kyungsoo is so up in the clouds because he thinks he is the best now that he is an actor, but truth is director’s only sleep with him. That’s why he has acting offers kekekekkee.

Kyungsoo gets upset and scrolls down to see other news but stops when he sees a Dispatch picture of Chanyeol and the two 2ne1 members.

Park Chanyeol caught drinking with Park Bom and Sandara Park. It seems like they are very close friends.

Oh my god!!! ChanyeolxDara ship is real!!

Chanyeol is so handsome. Dara is beautiful. Thank you Bommie for getting them together.

Oppa I am sad TT but you two really are a good couple. But I’m still sad TT

Wow, welcome the visual couple! Make way for the queen and king.

What about Chanbaek? TT Baekhyun will be sad.

The supportive messages left on the article makes Kyungsoo feel envious. That kind of thing would never happen if it were Chanyeol and him together. He slumps himself in a corner and hears the members all running up to Chanyeol asking him about the article.

Chanyeol looks surprised until Yixing shoves his phone to Chanyeol’s face. Chanyeol’s eyes widen seeing the pictures. “Wow, Dispatch is crazy. We were all in a private area.”

“The comment is so supportive. I knew it would be like this.” Baekhyun did sound a bit bitter. Why are people so different with support when it comes to certain people?

“It’s crazy because you are her fan and now people think you two are together.” Minseok says, “Like Baekhyun said, you two have a lot of positive comments compared to other idols dating scandals.”

Chanyeol laughs as he zooms in to see the photo. “Wow I have to contact noona and see her response. This is so funny.”

He disappears outside the practice room to call Sandara leaving the other members shaking their heads. Kyungsoo is so quiet in the corner that everyone forgot he was even here. He slowly looks at the photo again and feels his heart hurting. Did Chanyeol forget about him too?

He gets up and walks outside to find Chanyeol. It’s not hard because he can hear a loud voice from the recording room. No one was there except Chanyeol anyways. Kyungsoo stands outside waiting for Chanyeol to finish talking on the phone.

“Yes that article. It’s so funny right noona? Dispatch is so fast!”

Chanyeol laughs again, “No I didn’t look good in the photo. I think I looked too drunk. Noona you and Park Bom noona looked nice, it was like you two knew the paparazzi was taking a photo of you two.”

Kyungsoo waits a couple more minutes to hear Chanyeol’s happy voice. “No, I don’t have plans tonight. Did you want to go noraebang then? I’ll come pick you up. See you later then. Bye noona.”

After he shuts the phone, he walks outside to see Kyungsoo standing there. “Soo?”

Kyungsoo doesn’t even know what to say, like all the oxygen has left his body and he couldn’t even breathe. “I-I just wanted to check up on you.” Kyungsoo finally finds his voice.

“Oh I was just on the phone with Dara noona. She thought the Dispatch article is funny too because it was only our first hangout and dispatch already released an article. They’re so desperate.”

“Chanyeol-ah, I just got back last night. W-We haven’t really spent any time together, did you want to get some lunch with me now?” Kyungsoo thinks it’s best to change the topic, if he talks about Sandara, he knows he will get jealous and they will probably end up arguing. Arguing is really the last thing he wants.

“Minseok hyung said he’s ordering Chinese food so it will arrive soon. We can’t really leave the group to have lunch on our own, fans are waiting outside SM building and they will follow us.”

It was difficult but Kyungsoo tries to hide the disappointment look on his face. “Oh yeah I forgot haha. W-We should get back to the dance practice room.”

Kyungsoo walks in front and when he and Chanyeol enter the practice room, everyone was looking at them.

Junmyeon clears his throat before making a blunt statement, “Just because we are okay with you two being together doesn’t mean you can sneak out together. We can’t let other people know about you two. Just keep it in the dorms ok?”

‘”We didn’t even do anything though-” Chanyeol says only to get cut off by Minseok.

“You might not be doing anything but people around SM building can misunderstand. You know even we felt strange to see you to together at first, imagine other people here, or worse if words get out to our CEO. Just be careful ok? We just worry for you.”

“Yes hyung. Got it” Chanyeol sits down but besides Sehun while Kyungsoo sits beside Jongdae.

People say that distance makes the heart grow fonder but why does it feel like after Kyungsoo’s movie filming, distance just meant out of sight, out of mind.

-----

Sometimes Kyungsoo wish he was born a female, then he wouldn’t have to worry about the harassment he would get just because he fell for his own team member. While he cleans the dorm, he sees Chanyeol dressed up and ready to go out.

“Chanyeol” Kyungsoo stops him.

“Oh yeah Soo, I almost forgot to tell you. Tonight just sleep first and don’t stay up late to wait for me.”

“You will be back late?” Kyungsoo asks, “Can you try to come back home early? Tomorrow we have a lot of schedule and I don’t want you to be tired.”

“I won’t be tired. I have a lot of energy so don’t worry about me. Just head to bed early ok? I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
 

While Chanyeol turns to open the door, Kyungsoo holds his hand to stop him. It catches Chanyeol by surprise as he turns to see the sad look on Kyungsoo’s face. “You should wear a hoodie or something so they can’t take pictures of you. Or else more rumors will be posted on the Internet and people will go crazy…” more like he will go crazy knowing how much people ‘ship’ Chanyeol with Dara.

“It’s ok Soo. We aren’t dating so there’s nothing to really fear. We will just be in a noraebang, singing and maybe drinking. Trust me ok?”

Kyungsoo finally lets Chanyeol’s hand go. “Okay…I trust you.”

When Chanyeol leaves and closes the door, Kyungsoo thinks to himself why did their physical contact decrease? Did Chanyeol suddenly realize Kyungsoo is unattractive? He remembered Chanyeol saying, “But you know, at first I thought I was straight because of Sandara noona and all, but after touching you and kissing you, I realized I am probably gay. You changed me.”

Unconsciously a tear runs down his face. Chanyeol probably only said that before because he never talked to Sandara. With Sandara, they can be a normal straight couple, with everyone supporting them. Chanyeol has nothing to hide and can get support from his family, and probably SM himself.

Kyungsoo looks on the floor and feels saddened by the thought that fate is way too cruel to him.