Chapter One

     Byun Baekhyun had experienced very few things in his life as singularly exhausting as school.  Even thinking of the word school, he found to be an irritant, and yet it was quite possibly the most important thing for him - and nearly everyone else his age - to be doing with their time.  Do not misunderstand here.  Byun Baekhyun was not an inadequate student by any stretch of the imagination.  He did not smoke.  He did not drink.  He never blew off studying, and he never disrespected his teachers.  He was the model of perfection, of discipline.  He was exceptional at his studies, at music and athletics.   Frankly, at all of it.  At nineteen-years-old, Byun Baekhyun was the revered idol of every single hormonal teenage girl (and occasional boy) at Seoul's infamous Joowon International Academy.

     Everyone admired his flawless grades, which no doubt placed him first at the beginning of each term.  They coveted his perfect features, that were rumored to to have been blessed by the gods, themselves.  The unblemished, milky white skin, the silky locks of rich, brown hair, and the adorable, puppy-like eyes that almost seemed to sparkle in the light.  And most of all, everyone looked up to his family.

     It was impossible not to, really, especially when the Byun family name had all but taken over the modest country in the late eighties, later finding its own place in the competitive Western market.   Clothing stores, amusement parks, hospitals.  Everywhere you looked, everything you saw, it was at least half theirs.  Baekhyun's father, much like his father before him, was one of the most important and influential businessmen in South Korea, making up for an astonishing percentage of the conglomerate's success over the past two decades or so.  His mother played the part of the busy working mom and dutiful housewife that, miraculously, didn't look a day over thirty, and Baekhyun's older brother, only a few years older than himself, resided on a golden pedestal.   He was esteemed for his charm, for his untouchable performance throughout his school years, and now, his remarkable progress in the business world.  They were the world's happiest, most picture perfect family.

     Sure, it all looked quite impressive on paper, but there was a lot more than the plastic fake front that the public chose to believe in.

     It had been like this for his entire life, Baekhyun thought fleetingly, his pace steady as he entered through the tall, wrought iron gates of Joowon.  Thinking back now, he couldn't even remember a time when his peers looked at him like he was just another student.  Baekhyun had always emitted this special type of personality.  It was warm and welcoming and almost everyone embraced it openly, but even so, Baekhyun had always felt that few people ever actually got close to him.  Or rather, ever made the effort to get close to him.   There was always this invisible barrier between him and the others his age, intangible, unbreakable, and all together isolating, all because he was different.   While Baekhyun appreciated their admiration, which he often considered entirely unprovoked, it had a way of leaving him feeling lonely, cold.

     That was where Baekhyun's frustration with school began and - being who he was - ended.

     Accustomed to, or possibly just jaded of the attention, Baekhyun forced a cordial smile on his face as he advanced, taking the remaining steps towards the academy's main entrance in stride.   Being that there were only a few minutes left before their first classes started, most of the student body circulated in through the wide, open air corridors, some on their way to their first period rooms, some wasting time with their friends outside of them, and others just shamelessly gawking, as if his presence was, on its own, a major event.   Lurking by the rows of lockers waiting for class were the usual groups of girls, or "Byun Enthusiasts," as most referred to them as.  They generally knew more about Baekhyun that he did.  He offered them a small smile that made them swoon as he continued quickly down the hallway.

     Baekhyun's locker was situated at the very end of the hall, and maneuvering his way carefully through the crowds had become somewhat of a routine for him ever since freshman year.  He reached it quickly, spinning the lock with a decided skill before stowing away his bag and pulling out all of the textbooks that he would need for his morning classes.  He shut it with a click, smiling softly at the familiarity of the sound.   He really didn't dislike school.   Actually, he rather enjoyed it.   It was just everything that came with it that was perhaps a little... trying.

     Baekhyun set off down the hall again, weaving through the dense crowds of people, when he felt a slender arm come around and grasp his shoulder with nimble fingers.  Baekhyun turned, meeting his best friend's knowing gaze warmly.

     Lu Han was one of the only other students that he had ever felt a real connection with over his past three years at Joowon.  He had been a new student to the academy's private system, not unlike the other scholarship students, when they met as first years.  There was something different in him, something that kept him from treating Baekhyun like some kind of celebrity, no matter what the other students said.  Something that kept him from ever being able to maintain friendships with many of the other students, too, regardless of his status as a scholarship kid.  Something that made Baekhyun want to take him under his wing right then and there, knowing what it would mean for the both of them.  No one ever messed with Lu Han after that, and even though the two were possibly as different as night and day, they somehow still bonded in spite of it.  They had a comfortable relationship, one that was easy going and easily maintained, and Baekhyun could not for the life of him remember the time before Lu Han was there.

  "What's going on at the student council meeting today, Mr. President?" Lu Han asked, a cocky smirk tugging at his lips and a glint of mischief dancing behind his false serious demeanor.  He reached up with the hand wrapped around Baekhyun's back and ruffled at his hair while they continued to walk, eventually leaving the fingers to rest there casually.

     Baekhyun had always thought that Lu Han was beautiful, with his large, deeply creased eyes and long eyelashes.  Unlike Baekhyun, who was fuller in his hips and thighs than anywhere else, Lu Han had the thin, lean figure of an athlete.  Baekhyun had never quite liked how feminine it made him seem in comparison, but while Lu Han may have not been the most traditional kind of beautiful to others - and if anyone even dared to call him pretty instead of handsome or manly, he would probably kick their for it - it was damn near undeniable like this, with Lu Han's straight, white smile and carefree air.  Baekhyun understood why Lu Han had his own handful of admirers.

     Pushing those thoughts aside, Baekhyun let out a small sigh.  He had nearly forgotten about the council meeting amidst the mass of students and the simple distractions that always seemed to plague him on a morning like this.   The council was only one of the activities or groups that he had been forced to join while at Joowon.  Originally by his parents, who thought Baekhyun could be just like his older brother if he applied himself a little more, and then by the school board, who had been so impressed at the work he did the first time around that they couldn't fathom why he might not want to repeat the experience.  He could never turn down the offer, anyway.  Lu Han knew that as well as he did.

  "Well," Baekhyun began, prodding away Lu Han's hand to fix a few disarrayed strands of hair.  "We have to go over the faculty concerns for the week, continue with the event and athletic schedule for the next three months to make sure that nothing overlaps, and finish our part of the upcoming school trip."  Baekhyun replied as he ran the same hand lightly down his face, hopefully taking with it the leftover drowsiness he felt from his lack of sleep.

  "Which is the faculty's job," Lu Han scoffed, always the first to voice his displeasure.  He adjusted another piece of hair for him, then detangled himself from Baekhyun's side.

  "Not when there's a student council," Baekhyun chuckled shortly at Lu Han's hostile expression.

  "That's-" Luhan was cut off suddenly when Baekhyun, evidently distracted by their conversation, ran face first into a wall sized object, plummeting to the floor with a harsh thunk of bones against stone.  The boy groaned as his head and back made contact with cold, unyielding floor, and something much larger and heavier than himself crushed his body from above.  He fought his eyes for a moment, having closed immediately and finding that now they didn't want to refocus on any one thing, and when they did, it was the weight on top of him.  But upon closer inspection, Baekhyun realized that it wasn't a something so much as a someone.  Baekhyun shifted his now throbbing head, looking up at the stranger innocently through the fringe of his dark bangs.  His eyes were met with a shocked, yet handsomely soft, concerned gaze.  Contrary to their position, it was not in the least bit unappealing.

     Although, once Baekhyun chanced a better look at the tall boy, he figured that any expression would seem appealing on him.  To say he was attractive would be an understatement, he thought, with his glossy black hair and cute little ears, comparable to those of a cartoon character, protruding at the sides.  His wide eyes held a bright, lively kind of look that made him seem younger than his overall appearance gave off, and his lips looked so pink and just completely-

     Lu Han attempted to hide a sarcastic smirk with the back of his hand, watching as Baekhyun was sprawled out underneath the stranger, eyebrows raised, cheeks flushed, and a complete look of embarrassment painted across his face.  In a feeble attempt to save his best friend from further humiliation, he abruptly cleared his throat, drawing the attention of Baekhyun, the boy on top of a Baekhyun, and a great number of onlookers.  He coughed a few times for good measure.

     The boy self-consciously scuttled to a standing position a moment later, before politely offering a hand to help Baekhyun up.  The class president gazed thoughtfully at the student's face from the floor, taking in his sincerely regretful expression, and the red hue to his cheeks.  Baekhyun reached up and gingerly slipped his long, graceful fingers into the other's grasp.

  "Thanks," he whispered airily, pulling himself upright.  The attractive boy released his grip, and Baekhyun fleetingly hoped he would have kept his hand on him longer.

     Baekhyun glanced around abruptly, noticing for himself just how many students had begun to pile around for the spectacle.  You'd think there was a brawl in the hallway from their drama hungry expressions and quiet gossiping, as if it wasn't all just an accident, anyway.  He could practically hear the enthusiasts starting rumors already, if the catty glares directed at their joined hands was any indication at all.  Turning his head back, Baekhyun suddenly locked eyes with the taller student.  And he almost immediately regretted it.

     You could get lost in those eyes, Baekhyun considered briefly.  Eyes that beautiful shouldn't even be possible.

  "I-I'm sorry.  I totally wasn't paying attention, and I guess I got distracted and then... well, I guess you know. Are you okay?"  From manly god to complete dork in seconds.  Baekhyun thought it looked good on him.

     Baekhyun chuckled lightheartedly.  "Oh, don't worry about it.  I'm alright.  It was my fault, anyways.  Are you okay?"  Baekhyun asked genuinely, brushing the dust off of his pants in an attempt to keep his nervous hands busy.  He was beginning to feel the other student's stares burning into his back.

     The other's eyes widened as a flustered laugh escaped his throat.  "Oh, yeah!  Completely.  Definitely okay here."  The student assured, cheeks maintaining their blush.   He rubbed at the back of his neck awkwardly.   "I really am sorry, though."

     A violent snicker erupted from the gaggle of students right behind him.  Another tall boy leaned up against the metal lockers, his arms crossed, his hair styled messily around his face, and a cool grin on his lips.  Baekhyun remembered him from their few shared classes together, one Kim Jongin, who was almost like the school's resident bad boy in image, though Baekhyun suspected that it was pretty far from the truth.

  "Your name, dummy."  Jongin whispered smugly, nudging Chanyeol in the side with a playful glimmer.

  "Oh yeah," he laughed.  "My name is Park Chanyeol."  He said as he stuck out his hand again.  Appreciative for the gesture, Baekhyun returned it, slipping his hand back into Chanyeol's with a warm smile.

  "It's nice to meet you.  I'm Byun Baekhyun," the smaller added.  He pulled his hand away from the light shake, his fingers lingering for a second or two longer than they probably should have. 

  "I know."  Chanyeol grinned.  Not a second later, he swooped down and diligently began collecting their books off of the ground.  Baekhyun followed, cocking his head to the side in confusion.  He had to admit.  The boy certainly intrigued him.

     The two separated out their books quietly, Baekhyun risking a glimpse only seconds later to trace over Chanyeol's prominent features in an almost tangible way.  When he looked up again, he could have sworn that he had seen Chanyeol doing the same thing.  In no time, the final book sat discarded between the two of them.  Just a lone black and white notebook that they reached for at the same time.

     The school bell sounded throughout the hallway - once, twice, three times - just as their fingers met.  It was just a shy brush, barely even considered contact after the tumble they had just taken together, but it was enough to spark electricity between the two of them.  Baekhyun would never have been able to describe it, if asked, but it was something warm inside of him.  A flutter, a pounding, foreign and familiar all at the same time.  Hectic, but all at once calming, soothing.

     The other students began to relocate at the sound, reluctantly sparing the blushing boys one last glance before walking towards their first period classrooms.  Baekhyun and Chanyeol paused, their gazes caught and their hands stilled against one another.  Crimson bloomed in their cheeks as they watched, so close that they were practically sharing the same breath.  There was something in the way Chanyeol looked at him, like he was just as interested as he was, like Baekhyun wasn't the only one feeling whatever this was.  Like Chanyeol only saw him.

     Lu Han and Jongin both stood beside them, looking carefully at their best friends, only to exchange blatantly questioning glances with each other.  After another few seconds, perhaps a few too many, Baekhyun jerked his hand back, startling them both.

  "Uh, it's yours.  Er, thanks.  I have to get to class."  Baekhyun stood abruptly, nearly tripping over himself in the process, and yanked Lu Han after him by the sleeve.

  "It was nice to meet you!" he added, pulling his best friend further down the hallway.

     Chanyeol sat silently next to Jongin in the back of their third period class, lazily tapping his pen against the empty notebook pages on his desk and allowing his mind to mull over his impression of the mysterious class president.  It happened to be the same thing he'd been doing since their first encounter earlier that morning, already several hours ago.  As their seventy-something-year-old teacher droned on and on about linear approximation in the most monotone voice he figured the man could muster, Chanyeol couldn't help but let his mind wander back to the alluring Byun Baekhyun.

     He had caught several fleeting glances of Baekhyun ever since he transferred to Joowon at the beginning of the school year.  He had heard all of the star struck stories, all of the exaggerated tales of the Byun family's wealth and prestige.  He listened patiently as the girls in his class explained, in grave detail, all of their favorite things about the boy, and all of the reasons that they wished it were them he looked at as something special.  Chanyeol hadn't known what to make of it at the time as anything other than the disillusioned ravings of teenage fangirls, because he had never met anyone that important before.  And it wasn't until he had actually met Baekhyun, until the boy was physically under him, pressing up against him and looking up with those beautiful, hooded eyes, that he could truly say all of the rumors were true.

     There was no denying it.  Baekhyun's flawless porcelain skin, his oh so velvety hair, and his absolutely breathtaking smile.  The way his slight touch could make Chanyeol's entire body tingle.   The way he felt underneath him.  The way his delicate fingers could wrap so perfectly around his-

  "Dude, control your hormones," Jongin whispered hastily, giving a rough kick to the underside of the boy's chair with the toe of his sneaker.  He glanced down towards Chanyeol's lap, firmly acknowledging the uncomfortable pressure that had grown beneath his waist.  Chanyeol snapped up, shifting uneasily in his seat.  He crossed his legs, folded them neatly, decided it didn't help in the least, then crossed them again.  It was better than nothing.

     Luckily, no one in their class seemed to notice the student's increasingly embarrassing dilemma.  No one but Jongin, that is, who was now sitting back in the wooden desk chair with his arms crossed casually across his chest, a thoroughly pleased expression on his pompous face.  Why were they friends, anyway?

  "Still thinking about Byun?" Jongin snorted, already knowing the answer to his own question.

  "No, I-"

  "Don't even try and lie to me, Park.  I saw the way you looked at him this morning.  I thought you were about to jump him right there in the hallway."  His eyes opened wide in horror, a hand clutching at his chest dramatically.  "I was just a bystander.  You could have ruined my innocence."  His voice dipped with seriousness of it all.

  "Oh please, innocence.  Tell me, how is Kyungsoo lately?  Because from what I walked in on at that party a few weeks ago, I can say for certain that neither of you are as innocent as you pretend."  He smirked, his teeth flashing with an evil glimmer.  Jongin glowered.

  "Just because you're lonely as hell, does not-"

  "Boys," an unamused voice chimed in from the front of the classroom.  Turning, they watched as the old bat pointed a piece of chalk in their direction with a petulant scowl.

  "Is there a problem back there?" the teacher questioned irritably, effectively interrupting Jongin's protests.  They both turned away from each other with wide eyes.  All of their classmates were now twisted around in their seats, gawking and snickering at the two jocks.

  "No, sir," they replied in unison.

     The man narrowed his beady eyes disapprovingly, swiping the chalk in their direction again, as if to make a point.  "If there's no problem, then I suppose you wouldn't mind kneeling in the hall for the rest of the period.  Take your seats.  You can hold them above your heads."

     The pair gaped.  "Seonsaengnim, really?" Jongin began futily.

  "Now."  He clicked his tongue scornfully, muttering something about how much more respectful his generation was, before slowly turning back towards the chalkboard.  Resigned, the boys made their way out the door.

  "As I was saying before the interruption."

     After spending a painfully long hour and a half in a cramped conference room on the upper floor, the student council had finally exhausted every possible situation that needed their attention.  The other students seriously had no idea how much they did for them.  No clue at all.  Granted, their daily meetings were almost never this long - today being an especially frustrating kind of day in which they addressed everything that they couldn't get to in the prior weeks - but they were just as tedious.

  With a relieved smile, Baekhyun drew the meeting to a close.  He watched the others' enthusiastic expressions contently.  He really didn't like to take up so much of their free time with useless matters like when the next pep rally would be or the student body's preference in lunch foods or even what their upcoming school trip would entail, but it wasn't like he could choose to make the decisions on his own, even if they would be more than happy to hand it all over to him.  He sighed quietly and stood up, offering polite goodbyes to the other council members as they walked through the door.  Park Choa, one of his most competent fellow council members, stopped short as she tucked away a piece of platinum blonde hair behind her ear with a smile.

  "You did well, Baekhyun-ssi.  Go get some rest, okay?"  She patted his shoulder with a flourish before continuing on her way, the shortened plaid skirt flouncing behind her.

  "What was up with that?" Lu Han questioned, coming up behind Baekhyun to peer over his shoulder at Choa's retreating figure.

     Already sensing Lu Han's speculation and imagining all of the possible scenarios his best friend might possibly be concocting, he chuckled uneasily.  "It's not what you think."

     Leering, Lu Han slitted his gaze suspiciously, then, after another a moment, shrugged.  "Whatever you say, Casanova."

     He waited behind patiently as Baekhyun made to collect his things.  He wasn't as meticulous or as organized as his VP, Junmyeon, but he was close enough and managed to make quick work of slipping the mountain of papers on the table into their pre-assigned manila folders.

  "So," Lu Han began again as they started towards the cafeteria, Baekhyun locking the door behind them.  "Are you going on this school trip then?  You might as well, since you did most of the work."  He fell into step beside Baekhyun as they made their way down the extensive and wholly empty corridor.  The sound of their footsteps echoed after them.

  "Yeah.  Well, I sort of have to go to represent the council.  I don't really have a choice in the matter," Baekhyun deadpanned.  "My parents want me to go, anyway."

     Stepping through the door at the top of the east stairwell, Lu Han scowled haughtily.  "Why don't you just do what you want for once?  They never give you any credit for all the you put up with."

  "You know why."  Baekhyun sighed, absentmindedly twirling a loose thread of his uniform blazer around his index finger.  He adjusted the bag on his shoulder.

  "Yeah, I know."  He paused.  "Are they home this week?"  Lu Han asked, attempting to shift the conversation even just slightly.  If he were completely honest though, he was mostly curious at the possibility of dragging Baekhyun out of the house for the weekend.  He wasn't the best party animal out there, or the most enthusiastic, but Lu Han knew that with some liquid courage, he made for a decent enough companion.

  "I don't know.  They've been home for a couple of days.  We haven't really talked, but I think they're flying out to Japan either today or tomorrow," Baekhyun added, dropping his voice into a hushed tone as they neared the cafeteria.  Few people were still there, really only a couple given how late it was, but the other council members would be there at least.  These things, they were private.  As much as he liked the others or generally trusted them, he needed that distinction.  School life and home life.  Lu Han was a rare exception to that rule.

  "If you want, I could come over.  We could go to that party tonight, get a few drinks in you."  Lu Han bared his teeth in a wide smile, but Baekhyun could see the weariness in it, the hopefulness.

  "Lu Han-"

  "Not wasted," he corrected automatically, "pleasantly buzzed.  You're kind of a when you're drunk."

  "Lu Han."  This time, Baekhyun managed to gain his attention, the surprising firmness in his voice an obvious flag that something was wrong.  Lu Han stopped in his tracks, eyes bright with confusion while he glanced over at the younger.

  "Yejun, he said we're hanging out this weekend.  I guess he's staying over."  His face was carefully neutral when he spoke of his older brother.  It always was.  It was a skill he'd acquired from years of practice.  Lu Han's pace stuttered, a frown deepening on his lips.

     Over the years, Baekhyun and his brother had rarely ever seen each other, even when they had been living together.  Now that Yejun was moved out and building his own career at their parents' company, he only ever came around when he had no other choice.  Likewise, he only spent time with his younger brother when their mother forced the issue.  Baekhyun was a role model to many, a shining star of perfection that the whole student body worshipped, but in his family's eyes, there was always something that the he wasn't doing, something that Yejun had already long since accomplished.  Even when the two were constantly being compared, there was really no comparison at all.  The Byuns had always and would always choose their eldest son.

  "Well," Lu Han said, shaking the frown away and replacing it with a gentle smile just as quickly.  "He just needs to pull that stick right out of his and leave you alone, don't you think?"

  "Doesn't work like that," Baekhyun laughed lightly at his best friend's adamancy, his casual remarks towards one of the most powerful and influential people in the entire country.

     Granted, Baekhyun was a Byun, himself, but he had never felt like one.  He was too different.  He didn't want the power.  He didn't want the recognition, and even if he was a Byun, he was still very much afraid of them in many ways.  Lu Han, though, never missed a beat when it came to standing up for Baekhyun.  He wasn't afraid of Yejun's wrath, or even their father's for that matter.  It was one of the things that Baekhyun liked the most about being around Lu Han.  There were no false pretenses between them, no need to put up a front to save his family's reputation.

  "Whatever.  If you escape before the party or even after and you want someone to cure your boredom, call me.  Now, what happened this morning?"

  "What are you talking about?"

  "I'm talking about the legendary Byun Baekhyun, melted into a puddle of blushing madness beneath the new guy.   Plus, you've been out of it all day.  I know it's because you're thinking about him."  They grabbed their lunch trays, filling them with an arrangement of foods before moving towards a table in the far corner of the cafeteria.

  "I'm certain that I don't know what you're talking about."

  "Spare me. I can see the lies written all over your face."  Lu Han replied teasingly, reaching out and jabbing the brunette's cheek playfully.

  "You like that guy, don't you?" Lu Han patiently waited for a response but was instead met with silence. Baekhyun picked up his utensils, slowly poking around at the steamed rice on his tray while he continued to ignore the other.

  "He's a basketball player, got recruited with a scholarship for it.  All the talk in the athletic department right now.  I always knew you liked tall guys."  He chuckled while Baekhyun remained quiet.

  "I don't think that he's dated any girls here since he transferred, and by the way he was looking at you, I'd say that he's as straight as a curly fry."

  "Mmmm," Baekhyun hummed nonchalantly around the spoon in his mouth.

  "Come on!  You never date.  You could give it a try.  Baekhyun, give it a try.  Give him a try."  Lu Han whined, sounding almost as if he was pleading, which was ridiculous in and of itself.  Of course, he knew that Baekhyun wasn't exactly keen on new relationships with anyone, let alone of the romantic variety.  But he knew that if Baekhyun would just give this Chanyeol guy a chance, it could only help to melt the ice cold barrier of protection that he kept around his heart.  Not that he'd ever admit to it openly, but he could stand to see his best friend happy for once.

     Baekhyun stared levelly at Lu Han, gently setting the spoon down next to the chopsticks and pile of rice.  "I really don't see a point in getting involved with anyone.  I know how I feel and what I'd like to do, but we're already third years.  Graduating next year, remember?  I need to focus.  That is what I need to do.  In a few years, I will get a job at the company, and a few years after that, my parents will arrange a marriage to benefit the company.  That's how it works.  That's my life.  It's set."

  "Yes, Baekhyun, you will go into some bull business world that you secretly want nothing to do with, work with a bunch of people that you won't give two s about, and marry a girl that, might I remind you, you will have no interest in because she's not a guy.  That's what you're waiting for."  His tone was incredulous, but not at all shocked.  He knew all of this, just like Baekhyun did.

  "Of course."  Baekhyun added.

     Lu Han sighed and rubbed at his temples in an exaggerated motion.  "Fine, but just think about what I told you.   You know, if you ever want to give happiness a go."

     Happiness.  Baekhyun could almost laugh at the thought.  He liked to think that some people weren't cut out for it.  That some people had bigger obligations out there that kept them satisfied, and that was just fine, when Baekhyun thought about it.  Everyone had a role to play in life. But maybe he did want to try it, or always had.  Maybe he just needed something, or someone, to help him figure it all out.

(Edited July 14, 2017)