The first day of high school was beyond patronising for Baekhyun, there was no place else where there were so many people. The masses of judging eyes pressured Baekhyun to lower his head, even thoug almost all of them couldn't care less about the young man. He even wore his reading glasses just to stay 'hidden' from people. He felt more safe behind his glasses somehow, as if it were some kind of shield. 
    
The boy walked amidst the crowd flowing along the wide corridors of the school, in the attempt of 'blending in', they were all gathering to attend the welcome-assembly that takes place right at the begging of every new academic year. The students accumulated in the spacious auditorium, seating themselves according to their year group. It was an echoey room, voices bounced off the walls and ceiling, buzzing in Baekhyun's sensitive ears. 
    
The room sported an open stage, in which the platform extends into the audience and is surrounded by rows of seats on 3 sides. It was quite grand, for a local high school, but despite the fact that the school specialises in performing arts, Baekhyun was surprised.
    
Everyone sat themselves in packs, leaving Baekhyun to sit at the very end of the row of seats, next to an aisle that leads to the stage. The group that sat in front of him laughed like hyenas, boisterous and disturbing. He hoped that they would soon calm down when the assembly begun. And they did. They were told to knock their enthusiasm down a notch or two by one of the staff, which Baekhyun was most certainly glad about. 
    
But Baekhyun could still make out the nasty remarks they said about the head mistress and the student president. 
    
The Head mistress, Mrs. Kwon, simply talked to the students about the school's expectations, rules and regulations, introducing new teachers and staff. The new year group was welcomed warmly and we're each given a small pocket map to know which class rooms they are in for their lessons. 
    
Mr Kwon, the school couselor, was the one who  brought the prolonged assembly to a close.
    
Baekhyun got a bit fidgety in his seat, near the end due to the fact that it was getting awfully warm, he was desperate for some fresh, cool air. His cheeks were reddening, and he could feel the slight dampness behind his knees, he doesn't deal with heat very well. He always has his air conditioning at home, making it a chilly igloo for baekguins.

    
Baekhyun keeps the taller's umbrella cooped up neatly at the very corner of his backpack - unsure why he was treating the inanimate object so dearly. He thought about it at the times during the day when he would just daydream, and not pay attention to what the teacher was talking about. Was is it with this umbrella?
    
Baekhyun doesn't think much of it. Surely it was because he would usually take extra care of the things he borrows. Duh.

    
Boy, he sure needed one of those pocket maps. The teacher had long ran out of them before they could give Baekhyun's row any.
    
He been trying to get to his first period's lesson for the past 15 minutes, but he just cant find the letters 'E3' on any door.
    
"Hey!" someone yelled out from the end of the hallway. 
    
"Are you lost?" A smooth voice asked from behind him. Baekhyun wasn't completely certain if the question was directed at him or at someone else (eventhough he was the only one there) so he just ignored the voice and continued to go about his buisness.
    
"Excuse me." A hand fell upon Baekhyun's shoulder; the boy jerked away from the touch, quickening his pace - trying to get way from the person. Deja vu.
    
"Hey! Come back!" He could hear the others footsteps speeding up, becoming unconfortably closer to him. "You're supposed to be in class!!"
    
"Baekhyun?"
    
The male froze at the sound of his own name, befuddled of how anyone would know it. "You're Baekhyun aren't you?" Baekhyun meekly turned around, facing the person behind him. He gawked at the familiar yet different face.
    
"Its me Jongin!!" 
    
Baekhyun's eyebrows furrowed as he raked through his memories, trying to recall someone named "Jongin".
    
"Kim Jong In? Do you not remember me? Oh, what am i saying, of course you do!" Baekhyun shook his head, merely shrugging his shoulders. Jongin interperated that shrug as a definite 'no' and babbled some more. 
    
"I used to be called Kai? We went middle school together? In Mokpo? Deayeon elementary school? I helped you with that popsicle-stick house you wanted to make in grade 3? Kai??" He rambled on about himself. Baekhyun just stood there stumped at the information at was fed to him. 
    
"I know you remember!! Stop pretending you don't!! I was the blue power ranger and you were the red one!!" Jongin cried, "We were best friends Baekhyun-ah!! You even had a crush on me!!"
    
Baekhyun cheeks glowed a pretty shade of pink as he realised who this teen was. A surge of nostalgia and embarrassment hit him, upon remembering the massive crush he had for the male infront of him when they were 8. However he had also remember how they were the best of friends; how they used to be so close. Thats what convinsed him that Jongin wasn't going to hurt him, therefore giving him the courage to speak.
    
"You dyed your hair." Baekhyun mumbled out, his words just loud enough to be heard by Jongin. "I barely recognised you…" Jongin's hair was a pale shade of blond, completely different to the deep black hair he used to have. He was a lot taller than he had remembered - last time he had seen him they were about the same height.
    
"You do remember!" He exclaimed in relief, "like my new do?" Jongin said, running his hands through his bleached hair.
    
"Of course I like it," Baekhyun reassured him, smiling and giving Jongin a thumbs up. "You're taller than me now," Baekhyun pouted, he found it scarily easy to talk to the taller, he didnt feel worked up nor nervous especially when no one else was round.
    
"I've always been taller than you, silly." Jongin patted his back, steering Baekhyun down the hallway. "We better hurry along, you were supposed to be in my class, now your late." 
    
"How do you know?" Baekhyun asked, now walking side by side. "And why are you out of class."

"Oh, I heard your name in the register, mr. tardy pants." Kai explained, "Miss Goo asked me to get more copies of this work sheet" he said waving the papers infront of Baekhyun.
    
"Oh I see…"
    
"Hey Baek, when did you start wearing glasses?"

    
Its crazy how much Baekhyun's behaviour changes when he's not around strangers. He becomes more lively and charismatic and less shy and timid. Baekhyun found that his best friend hasn't changed in the 8 years that they have spent apart, nor has himself for that matter. Both of them treated each other as if they never parted.
    
Its been a few weeks since the begining of the school year and the two have become close if not closer. They were eating their lunches on the benches next to the empty football field, away from the other students.
    
"Are you still allergic to sunflowers?" Jongin asked out of curiosity, staring intently at Baekhyun. He had been asking these sort of questions for the past 10 minutes.
    
"Jongin, allergies don't just dissapear, of course I'm still allergic," he laughed, munching at his cafeteria bought burger. "Stop asking me questions."
    
"Don't talk when your mouth is full!!" Jongin pointed out, tapping Baekhyun's chin. Baekhyun stuck out his tongue, biting into the burger once more. "Aigoo. You used to be so skinny, Baek. I remember when you would get told off all the time because you didn't eat all of your food. This is like your second burger!!"
    
"Are you calling me fat?" Baekhyun narrowed his eyes at the male, his lips as gulped down the rest of his drink. Jongin became silent, eyes wandering over Baekhyun's body, totally not checking him out. "You think fat!" Baekhyun concluded, mouth forming a frown as he waited for the blonde to disagree.
    
"Chubby," Jongin corrected, laughing as he teasingly pinched Baekhyun's flushed cheeks. Baekhyun whined, rubbing the area of his cheeks in which Jongin squeezed - acting as if he didn't want to be touched. He was clearly offended by the latter's 'insult' and smacked his shoulder not so gently - not that it hurt.

"Jongin!!!" Baekhyun wailed, almost . "Take it back!! Jongin!! Take it back!!!" Amused by the smaller's reaction he chuckled, bringing his hand up to cover his laughing face. "Dont laugh at me!!"
    
"I'm not taking it back Byun," He said as his laughter died down.
    
"Well, why not?!" Baekhyun looked down at himself - checking whether or not he was fat because he had never thought about how his figure looked. That's when he realised - he was a tad bit curvy. He realised how much wider his hips were compared to Jongin's and how thick and plump this thighs were. His head whipped upwards to look at Jongin worriedly. "I am fat!!!" Baekhyun began to quickly hit the blonde non-stop droning about his 'fat-ness'.
    
"Baek-stop hitting me!! Baek- Listen!!" Jongin yelled in a hushed voice. "Baekhyun you're not fat!! I was just kidding!! Okay?!" He grabbed Baekhyun's wrists softly, letting them go as fast as he caught them. "I'm sorry, what I said was totally un-called for." He apologised, "Besides i'd rather you be chubby than thin."
    
"Nini…" Baekhyun mumbled, "I've really really really missed you." Baekhyun looked down at his half eaten cheese burger, instinctively splitting it in half. "Here, you can have half."
    
"Thats a quarter Baek." Jongin pointed out, taking the burger in his hands before eating it in one bite. "Call me that again."
    
"Call you what?" 

"Nini. Like how you used to, okay?" he suggested earning a shy nod from the shorter. "I haven't heard you call me that in years, Baek. " He sighed, ruffling the smaller's hair. "Oh, you've grown so much!!"
    
"I'm not a kid..."

    
"There he is!! Hey!! Jongin! Hey!! Come 'ere!!" a distant voice shouted in anger, the two turned their heads at the source of the voice. There was 3 students quite far away from them, calling out to the blonde, one sticking out like a sore thumb. Though they were too far to be identifiable, Baekhyun was certain that the tallest was Chanyeol. He frequently sees the giant in the school corridors, all chatty and loud, creating a bubbly atmosphere wherever he went. 
    
Baekhyun didnt know if it was because he was nervous or if it was his disorder acting up, but he just couldn't muster up enough balls to aproach him. He still had the yellow umbrella from weeks ago, he assumed that the taller wouldn't want it back since he had kept it for so long. He figured that Chanyeol would have gotten a new one, since it had been raining a lot recently. That he has probably forgotten about his umbrella anyways and if he did want it back he would've asked Baekhyun for it back.
    
These are they type of excuses that Baekhyun kept making up for the past 2 and a half weeks, trying to avoid the fact that he has to talk to him again. He knew stealing was bad, he didn't want to be bad. He had to give his umbrella back someday.
    
"Baekhyun," Jongin said impeding Baekhyun from his troubled reverie. "I've been keeping something from you and I dont want you to get mad at me."
    
"What is it?" Baekhyun questioned, eyes not leaving the three men beginning to walk toward them.
    
"I…" He started, "I've been ditching my friends to hang out with you…" Jongin admitted, recoiling as he waited for Baekhyun outburst.
    
"What?! Jongin - ah!! How can you do that to them!!" Baekhyun scolded, gently pushing Jongin away from him. "They must have been worried sick! You could of just --"
    
"Baek, shush for a moment." He covered Baekhyun mouth with his palm, head quickly turning back to look at the aproaching clowns. "Look I know you aren't comfortable with talking to new people - well people in general, but please please please try to be their friends…they're some of my best friends and I'd like it for all of us to hang around with each other…" Baekhyun wasn't angry or sad, which surprised Jongin, but he wasn't happy either. He slowly and wearily let his hand retreat back from covering Baekhyun's mouth to his side.
    
"So…is this your secret girlfriend?" The curly haired boy teased in a sing song tune, leaning in to inspect Baekhyun's blushing face. "Ha ha. I'm just joking, my name's Jongdae." He smiled widely.
    
"Shut up Chen, stop being mean." Jongin elbowed his friend who yelped at his sudden violence.
    
"I said I was joking…" Jongdae grumbled as he soothed his sore side, groaning at how it hurt.

Baekhyun knew he was as red as a tomato, he could feel his cheeks and ears burn up as Chanyeol and the other guy caught up with Jongdae. It was now or never. The boy was pretty sure that he wouldn't be able to have the opportunity to talk to Chanyeol as he did at that very moment time.
    
"Hello my name is Sehun and I --"
    
"Ch - Chanyeol-ssi…" Baekhyun mumbled quietly, involuntary interupting the stranger in mid sentence. Jongdae and Jongin snickered. Baekhyun turned to face the boy in terror and sincerely apologised "I'm s - sor --"
    
"No, its fine!" Sehun quickly said in embarrassment. "Its okay…" he pouted.
    
"You've met Chanyeol before?" Jongin asked Baekhyun, in complete and utter shock.
    
"Yeah, we've walked to school together." Chanyeol answered for Baekhyun, sending flutters to the smaller's pudge of a belly.
    
"Really??" The giant nodded before looking down at Baekhyun. Baekhyun's heart was literally hammering in his chest, hands jittery as he reached down for his bag. He felt as though he was holding his breath the while time Chanyeol was there, his presence making it difficult for him to function properly. It took him a couple of minutes until he finally got a hold of the yellow umbrella, hesitantly holding it up to Chanyeol.
    
"Ah…my umbrella, you can keep it if you want to.."  Baekhyun gave the taller a nod, stuffing it clumsily back into his bag. "Me and him are neighbours you know?"
    
"What? No way!" Everyone said in unison, apart from Baekhyun who showed a clueless face, mouth agape due to what Chanyeol had said. Neighbours?!
    
"Yes, way." He added, patting Baekhyun back. "Number 34-2 right?" Baekhyun nodded, confused as to how he has not bumped into him in the past weeks. "I live next door: number 36-2." Baekhyun's mouth formed a small o, as he was flustered yet antsy all at the same time. 
    
Baekhyun spent the rest of lunch following the group around, staying beside his best friend awkwardly. He didn't utter a word, the whole time -  Jongin would usually answer for him as he knew how nervous Baekhyun must have felt. 
    
Chanyeol never really said any thing to him. The giant just talked to everybody but him. He seemed to have no interest in the boy. Baekhyun didn't mind - well he did, but it's not like he was going to anything about it. 
    
Jongin, however, practically ignored all of his friends and didn't take part in any of their discussions or arguments, except from when he answered the questions that were ment to be answered by Baekhyun. The blonde kept asking if the smaller was okay, if Baekhyun needed anything. He asked simple yes or no questions, so that the other could nod or shake their head - not needing to talk. It was when lunch was almost over when Baekhyun had to excuse himself.
    
"Nini." Baekhyun mumbled, arm curling around his stomach. "Nini…" he tugged at what he thought was Jongin's sleeve, eventually getting their full attention. Nini? Chanyeol thought. Who's Nini? 
    
"What is it? What's wrong??" He asked anxiously, eyes scanning Baekhyun for any problems. "What's wrong?" He repeated.
 "I don't feel so well," his voice was barely a whisper. "I think…I - I'm gunna…" Baekhyun covered his mouth, making a pre-hurling noise. Chanyeol got the message, but before he could do anything Baekhyun bolted off down the hallway. 
    
The giant didn't know why he was, but he was running after the small boy. He left Jongdae halfway through their conversation, probably seeming quite rude to the other. But that didn't matter at at that time. All that mattered was finding out what was wrong with the raven haired boy. 

    
"Where'd they go?" Jongdae breathed out, eyes darting everywhere in search for the two. 

Chanyeol waited outside of Baekhyun's stall, waiting for the boy to come out. He had been throwing up in there for the last 10 minutes, taking short breathers as he emptied out the contents of his stomach. Chanyeol took the initiative to text Jongin the reason for their 'get away' trying to get him off his back - before he would spam him with texts.
    
"Nini…did you leave me?" Baekhyun's exhausted voice choked out followed by a flush from the toilet.
    
Chanyeol just coughed, reasuring Baekhyun of his presence. It felt so awkward listening to the boy puke without hearing any words of relief from him. He just wanted to hear a simple 'I'm okay, don't worry.' So that he wouldn't have to worry too much, so that he could leave.
    
Baekhyun unlocked the stall door, walking out in slow motion, as he felt a bit dizzy. "Sorry I made you stay with me." Baekhyun apologised, Chanyeol looked at the boy's tired disheveled state and helped him walk up to the sinks.
    
"Its okay. Do you want me to take you to the school nurse?" Chanyeol offered, his deep voice almost starling Baekhyun. He stood frozen, hand hovering over the focet in shock. That was certainly not Jongin. "No?" Chanyeol asked, clearly concerned about Baekhyun.

"N-No, thank you." Baekhyun mumbled politely and quietly washed his mouth with the tap water. His tired heart beating uncontrollably in his ribcage.

"Here." Chanyeol held up a half drunk bottle of water to the boy. Baekhyun accepted the drink gratefully, bowing slightly as he took the bottle. Due to watching too much romantic dramas and romantic comedies, Baekhyun has grown to be aware that in a situation like this, he was going to get an indirect kiss. Therefore he not-so-subtly wiped the end of the bottle where he would've drank from. Chanyeol noticed of course taking little to no offence what so ever, he thought it was cute. Baekhyun used the water to gargle, cleansing his mouth from the sour taste of sick. 

Chanyeol watched the boy walk back to the stall, to retrieve his bag, taking out a blue enhaler. Chanyeol eyed the boy, the corners of his lips twitching upwards when Baekhyun shyly turned around to take two puffs from the enhaler. 

"Come on. I'll walk you to class."

♡♡♡

Oh my god you guys. 22 subs :DDDDD I'm sosososoossoososoooo happy :DD Omgiee :D 
This chapter is way too long D: I'm sorry if you got bored half way D:  

I have an essay to write about Shakespeare's play MACBETH :((((( I still haven't even started D: 

♡♡♡ 140515