Carousel (I Miss You)

Chanbaek

Slight Angst, Romance

6000 words

 

 

Hey, i thought of you today

I thought that i should tell you

How much i miss you

Remember what you used to say

"friends forever, i hope that we'll remain this way.. Oh.."

 

All this time, i've been thinkin' bout the promises we made..

You're everywhere i go i can't escape you,

When i close my eyes i see you

Even in my sleep i think of you.. Oh..

I miss you..

 

Can we put the blame on the changing times?

Where have all the years gone by?

So fast, so young,

So sure that this will never end

I'll always stand by you, my friend

But forever was just too long..

 

 

Chanyeol puts down his pencil and looked down at the paper where he scribbled the lyrics of the song he just finished. He exhales loudly, it has been days since memories about a certain someone haunted him and he couldn’t stop thinking about it… all those ‘could have been’ that ended although they never gave it a chance to start. He was restless until he was able to release all those pent up frustration by writing a song.

 

But somehow it was not enough; he still thinks about him…he wonders how his former bestfriend is doing now… he wonders if Baekhyun still remembers him.

 

 

THE FALL

 

 

 

“CHHHHAANNNYYYEEEOOOLLLLLIIIEEEEE!!!!”

 

Chanyeol stops walking and looked behind him, he can see a familiar brunette bypassing the other students.  The brunette’s hand was raised and was waving at him, Chanyeol chuckles at this, of course his bestfriend have to raise his hand or else he won’t notice him amongst the sea of people…his bestfriend was a ‘midget’ after all…well at least compared to him, and if Baekhyun can hear his thoughts right now, he would surely get a couple of hits across the chest.

 

“CHHHHAAANNNYYYEEOOLLIIIEEE!!!” Baekhyun stops in front of his giant bestfriend. He pants heavily, breath hitching from the run he just took and he blames Chanyeol for not waiting for him at the bus stop.

 

“WHAT THE CHANYEOL! I was late for ten minutes and you already left me! What kind of bestfriend are you!!!” he nags the taller male who is already handing him a bottled water.

 

“I told you, I can’t afford to be late for my English class anymore…Mrs. Kim is already threatening to give me a C…”  Chanyeol reasons out, reaching for a towel on his backpack and voluntarily hands it to Baekhyun. “What took you so long anyways…trouble with putting your eyeliner?”

 

“No doofus… I couldn’t sleep so I just stayed all night baking. Here are your cookies…” Baekhyun hands a plastic container full of chocolate chip cookies to his overly tall bestfriend.

 

“Awww you really know my favorite. Thanks Baek…” Chanyeol pulls the smaller one by the shoulders and gave the other a friendly hug.

 

Baekhyun stiffened for a moment, he can vaguely smell Chanyeol’s cologne and god it was heavenly. He unintentionally inhales more of it, only to step back once he realized what he was doing.

 

“We better get going, I thought you don’t want to be late…” Baekhyun awkwardly laughs before speed walking ahead, trying to hide the slight tint of red on his cheeks.

 

“Hey Baek! wait up!” Chanyeol chuckles as he tries to catch up to his bestfriend.

 

 

Chanyeol met Baekhyun in middle school, the smaller one (well back in middle school they almost have the same height) tripped right in front of him and being the kind hearted boy that he is, Chanyeol helped Baekhyun up.

 

“Hey kid, be careful…” Chanyeol picked the fallen backpack on the floor and hands it to the other boy.

 

“T-Thank you…” the other boy meekly bows at Chanyeol then grabs his own bag and hurriedly walks to his original destination.

 

Chanyeol could only gawk at the retreating figure and shakes in head in amusement, did the other boy even realize that he scraped his chin from the fall? Nonetheless, Chanyeol goes back to the bench and grabs his bag to head for his new class.

 

To much of Chanyeol’s surprise, when he entered his classroom, he saw the clumsy kid sitting on the far end of the room and it seems that the other doesn’t really noticed the wound on his chin because the blood was starting to dry. Without hesitation, Chanyeol walks towards him and took the seat next to the boy.

 

“Hi!” Chanyeol greets him then he reached for his handkerchief and brought it closer the kids face.

 

“You scraped your chin, here clean it off…” Chanyeol offered, his smile reaching his insanely huge ears… he was trying to warm up to the kid.

 

The kid took the cloth and wiped his chin with it, true enough his blood was transferred to the cloth indicating that there was really a wound. He turns to the kid who had been helping him since a few minutes ago.

 

“Thanks… I’ll wash this and return it to you tomorrow.” The wounded kid then searched inside his bag and hands a handkerchief to Chanyeol. “Here, you can use mine for the day…”

 

Chanyeol chuckles, “You know you could have just used your own handkerchief to wipe your wound instead of mine right?”

 

“Oh yeah… sorry…it slipped my mind that I have one too…” Baekhyun looked at him embarrassed by the situation.

 

“It’s okay, I don’t mind using your handkerchief for the day. It’s clean right?” Chanyeol teased.

 

“Of course it is!...” The kid answers defensively.

 

“Relax, I was just teasing you…”Chanyeol grins. “I’m Chanyeol, by the way…”

 

“I’m Baekhyun…” the kid introduces himself.

 

“And I’m Mrs. Kim, class it starting and I appreciate if you two turn your attention on me” Their teacher suddenly reprimands them. The two turned their attention on the front, quiet embarrassed by the sudden attention.

 

 

 

That is how Chanyeol met Baekhyun and that is when their friendship started.

 

 

The results to their first exam were given back to them and Chanyeol excitedly asked Baekhyun for his score; however the other just shrugs him off and sulks in his seat.

 

“Hey, c’mon it’s okay if you have got a low score, it’s just the first exam. I just want to see where you got it wrong maybe I can explain it to you…”

 

“No, it’s okay…” Baekhyun simply answers.

 

“I won’t tease you, I promise…”

 

“It’s not about that Chanyeol…” Baekhyun fold his test paper and was about to dump it in his bag but Chanyeol was persistent and snatched the papers off Baekhyun’s hand.

 

Baekhyun wanted to retrieve his papers back but he figured out that Chanyeol will found it sooner or later, so he just let his new friend (which he doubt will still be his friend after his little secret is out) furrow his eyebrows while inspecting his paper.

 

“Baek, were you sick when we took the test? you barely answered half of it.” Chanyeol innocently asks after seeing the papers.

 

“I barely understand a thing…” Baekhyun mumbles.

 

“But you were the one who was explaining the lessons to me…” Chanyeol looked at him confused.

 

“I mean, I barely could read the question much less the choices.” Baekhyun took a deep breath, this was it…this is the truth that will make Chanyeol think about befriending him. “I’m dyslexic, Chanyeol…. I can’t read, it will take me at least a minute for my head to properly process it correctly.”

 

“What?”

 

Baekhyun wasn’t even surprised by the response, he was ready to hear Chanyeol be disgusted on him like all those other kids too.

 

“Why didn’t tell me sooner, I could have read the test for you…I thought we were friends, Baek. Why didn’t you tell me that you needed help…” Chanyeol pouts while Baekhyun was staring at him in surprise.

 

“What? What are you saying Yeol?”

 

“I’m pretty sure Mrs. Kim will make adjustments for you, I can read it to you so you could answer it.”

 

“You want to help me?” Baekhyun still not convinced.

 

“Of course! I’m your friend and that is what friends do…” Chanyeol answered.

 

“You are not disgusted by it?” Baekhyun still asks.

 

“Why would I be disgusted by it?” Chanyeol looks at the other quizzically and that is when he realized something. “Oh my god Baek… is this why you are apprehensive of other kids. You think they will be disgusted that you are dyslexic?”

 

Baekhyun looks down in guilt and pity to himself.

 

“Baek…” Chanyeol moves closer and wrapped his arms around the other. “Don’t think that way… don’t degrade yourself. You just need extra help and I’m more than happy to do it.”

 

Baekhyun raises his head and sees Chanyeol reassuring smile and he thinks that maybe it’s time he could fully trust someone.

 

 

 

That day, Baekhyun found a true friend in Chanyeol and he wished for their friendship to last forever.

 

 

Baekhyun and Chanyeol became really attached to each other. Chanyeol became Baekhyun’s personal tutor and Baekhyun made sure that he is always by his friend’s side whenever Chanyeol needs him.

 

Maybe it’s because of how they are too comfortable with each other or maybe it is because of how Chanyeol shows his affection towards the other that makes Baekhyun yearn to spend more and more time with him and it’s not just that… Baekhyun starts feeling something he shouldn’t be feeling.

 

Baekhyun starts feeling scared about it, he feared how he’s not looking at Chanyeol the way he used to before. He is scared that he is reading his bestfriend’s actions too much and that he is just assuming things. It scares him how Chanyeol’s simple smile makes his heart jumps.

 

He tries… Baekhyun tries to push the new feelings that are flooding his mind and heart. He tries to scold his heart whenever it skips a beat whenever Chanyeol would just innocently hug him. Baekhyun wants to ignore it, he wants to avoid the growing feeling inside but how would Baekhyun stop himself from falling when Chanyeol keeps on treating him more than a friend should.

 

Baekhyun was torn, he wants to avoid it but there is also a part of his heart that wishes that maybe just maybe Chanyeol is having the same sentiment as him.

 

“Baek, are you free today? Can you come with me to the mall; I need to buy new clothes…”

 

Baekhyun’s thoughts were interrupted when his bestfriend sat down beside him.

 

“New clothes? Your closet is literally vomiting clothes…” Baekhyun turns to the other.

 

“I have a date this weekend and of course I need to dress up to impress!” Chanyeol beamed up, excitement evident in his voice.

 

“D-Date? With who?” Baekhyun quirks his eyebrows in shock by the sudden revelation.

 

“Oh, yeah…I forgot to tell you, I asked Soyou out on a date the other day and she said yes…” Chanyeol grins feeling proud of himself.

 

“Uhm…okay…”

 

Baekhyun could only agree and he had to instantly hide his face from his bestfriend because he was scared on how much his glossy eyes can betray him. Of course, Chanyeol wants to date one of the hottest girl in school…what was he thinking…Chanyeol only sees him as his bestfriend…a brother at the most…that and nothing more.

 

Baekhyun turns and looked out of the window, he can hear their teacher starting the lecture, the day had just started but Baekhyun already wants to go home. He glances back at his bestfriend and see the other clearly in a good mood while Baekhyun feels a sting poking at his already confused heart.

 

Confused? Baekhyun realized that he was no longer confused. He is certain now… by the way the sudden dating news is affecting him… he is sure now that his feelings already crossed the line of being best friends with Chanyeol.

 

That day Baekhyun realized that he had fallen for his bestfriend and he prayed that he didn’t wished for their friendship to last forever because he wants something more than that. He wants to be Chanyeol’s special someone.

 

 

For more than three years, Baekhyun had been harboring certain feelings for his bestfriend. He was always been there, when Chanyeol got his first kiss even when Chanyeol had his first heartbreak, he was there everytime his bestfriend would be pursuing girls.

 

Baekhyun kept his own feeling sealed and shut; he kept on telling himself that he is okay with Chanyeol pursuing one girl after the other. He kept on making himself believe that there is nothing wrong with how his heart breaks whenever he sees Chanyeol kissing his current girlfriend. He kept on pretending to smile whenever his bestfriend would introduce his new girl to him. Baekhyun says he’s okay… he always says he’s okay, even though he is crumbling inside.

 

Baekhyun loves Chanyeol no matter how many girls he introduced as his girlfriend to him, he loves him even though his heart keeps on breaking, he is just Chanyeol’s best friend and Baekhyun was trying to be okay with that.

 

…If only Baekhyun knew why Chanyeol kept on chasing one girl after the other.

 

 

‘I am not gay…I am not attracted to him…I am not gay…’ Chanyeol kept on repeating it in his head while prancing back and forth in his room. He was clutching his heart because of the way it is beating so fast as memories of what happened that morning kept on replaying in his head.

 

It was not the first time that they have a sleepover but it was the first that they ended up in one bed. It wasn’t on purpose, Chanyeol’s cousin managed to sneak in some soju and left it with them… exams just finished and both he and Baekhyun thought that it was a good idea to drink to relax their minds. It was fun at first, they were laughing at their heart’s content while watching the movie but four empty bottles later, Baekhyun snooze off on Chanyeol’s bed. Drunk and sleepy too, Chanyeol couldn’t transfer his bestfriend to the guestroom so he just pushed Baekhyun a bit to make enough space for him to squeeze in.

 

What Chanyeol saw when he woke up forever changed the way he looks at his bestfriend. He was the first one to stir from his dreamless sleep and when he opened his eyes, Baekhyun’s face was so close to him that if he leans in just a bit, he would end up kissing his bestfriend. Chanyeol’s eyes grew wide with the proximity and his head automatically moves back.

 

After recovering from the shock, Chanyeol finds himself staring at his bestfriend’s face. He always knew that Baekhyun is good looking but looking at him this close, makes his heart flutter. He doesn’t understand but the more he stares at the other, the more he wants to lean in have a taste of those lips, he wants to touch his nose and kiss those eyelids. Chanyeol doesn’t understand the sudden urge to pull  his bestfriend closer and trapped him in his arms, he doesn’t understand why his heart is frantically beating…he doesn’t understand the sudden rush of intimate feelings and it is sending panic signal to his brains, scaring the hell out of him.

 

Chanyeol scrams off his bed to run to his bathroom and locked himself in. His head is pulsing as the aftereffects of the drinking session last night but what concerns Chanyeol more is the frantic beating of his heart. Chanyeol sat on the empty bathtub and raked his hair in frustration, he doesn’t know why such an innocent morning turned into this, it is Baekhyun… it’s just his bestfriend but why is he being affected this way. This couldn’t be… he is not gay, Chanyeol was sure that he is straight as a stick…but Baekhyun…Baekhyun…

 

“Arghhhhhh!!!!” Chanyeol screams in frustration.

 

“Yeol? Are you okay in there?” Baekhyun knocks on the bathroom door, gravely concerned on what happened to his best friend.

 

“Chanyeol? Did you slipped or something?” the brunette calls out again.

 

“I’m okay…” Chanyeol replies. “It’s just the hangover…”

 

“You sure?” Baek asks against the door.

 

“Positive…”

 

“Okay…just have some aspirin. I have to go though Yeol, mom called and asked me to come home…”

 

“Wait…” Chanyeol opens the door and sees his bestfriend who still looks sleepy but have his gorgeous bed hair (wait what?). “Something wrong with Auntie?”

 

“Nothing big, just being a clingy mother that’s all…” Baekhyun chuckles but rubs his aching head with his thumbs.

 

“Oh…okay…” Chanyeol goes back to the bathroom to get some aspirin at the medicine cabinet. “Here take the aspirin first for the headache…”

 

“Thanks…” Baekhyun smiled sweetly at him. “Bye, see you on Monday…”

 

Baekhyun waves goodbye before disappearing behind his bedroom door, Chanyeol finds himself staring at his window…waiting for Baekhyun to pass by and go through their gates. It was as if Baekhyun knows what Chanyeol was doing because the moment he comes into sight, the brunette lifts up his head towards Chanyeol and waved at him. Chanyeol waved back until Baekhyun was no longer in sight.

 

“This is insane…” Chanyeol clutches his chest as he threw himself back on his bed…his bed that now inhabits Baekhyun’s scent.

 

“This couldn’t be it… I’m not freaking gay!” he whines a bit more but when he close his eyes, it is Baekhyun’s face that he first sees.

 

Chanyeol rolls in his bed to get the unexplainable feeling out of his chest, he wants to think that what he was feeling will pass, it’s just a phase but his bestfriend’s scent haunts him and when he close his eyes, the memory of what happened that morning flashes in his mind. Chanyeol doesn’t know what to do, he doesn’t even understand why his bestfriend suddenly is affecting him this way…he doesn’t know why and he is scared to know the answer.

 

Chanyeol was still rolling in his bed when he hears his phone beep, indicating an incoming message.

 

 

 

Yeollie, I think I left my jacket behind your bedroom door, please bring it on Monday. Thanks! ^_^

 

 

 

Chanyeol instinctively looks at his closed door and indeed there it was, Baekhyun’s jacket hanging at the back of his door. He stood up and grabs the jacket from the hook…Baekhyun’s jacket may had ended near Chanyeol’s pillow the entire day. Chanyeol was trying to ignore the reason why he did that, there is nothing wrong with enjoying the smell of your bestfriend from his jacket right?... right?

 

Chanyeol thought that if given a day or two, his confusion shall pass but what happened is quite the opposite. After that sleepover, Chanyeol saw Baekhyun in a different light, he suddenly became hyper aware of his bestfriend’s reactions, the way the smaller talks or sass out their friend Kyungsoo. Chanyeol finds himself titling his head towards Baekhyun during their classes and he worries easily if the other is having problems reading. Suddenly Baekhyun is all he sees and each day he becomes more confused than ever.

 

Chanyeol knows he have to do something before he loses his mind trying to analyze his feeling so when he saw Soyou in the hallway, he did the next unexpected thing to do… he asks her out. He is young and scared; he doesn’t want to deal with foreign feelings that he doesn’t fully understand. He sticks to the norm…a boy is supposed to date a girl not another boy and that is exactly what he plans to do.

 

It was Chanyeol who fell first and everytime he unconsciously falls deeper for Baekhyun, the more he dates girls, one after the other. He keeps on convincing himself that dating girls are better than potentially dating his bestfriend. Baekhyun is his bestfriend and ‘bestfriends’ doesn’t suddenly turns into boyfriends just because you wake up one day and his face made your heart beat frantically. It is illogical for Chanyeol so he chooses to be blind about it.

 

 

For the next three years or so, Chanyeol and Baekhyun tiptoed around their relationship. They both feels something about each other but they both decided to keep it to themselves. They both became too careful not to break any boundaries; however they couldn’t stop how they genuinely care for each other. More often than not, they tend to forget such boundaries that they look out for until reality hit them like a big red truck and then they are back to denying their feelings.

 

 

If only one of them was brave enough to take that leap of faith and confront the other with their feelings then maybe they don’t have to wait for the reunion to face the reality that their hearts had been telling them.

 

 

The Reunion

 

 

 

Months after he completed the song, Chanyeol received an invitation to their high school reunion and of course Chanyeol was excited to attend it because finally he has a chance to see Baekhyun again.

 

 

 

Chanyeol fixes the knot on his necktie as he enters the grand hall; he already signed his name in the guestbook and even participated in the little event that the organizers prepared. Every guest is invited to write something on post-its and stick it to the wall after so others can read their message.

 

Let this reunion be a way to find things

that were never meant to be lost.

I miss you B…

-C

 

Chanyeol didn’t know how he ended up writing that but didn’t change it none the less. He sticks the post it on side of the wall and somehow he wishes that Baekhyun will see it and think that it was from him.

 

It didn’t take that long until a familiar figure shows up and greets him excitedly.

 

“Hey boss! Glad to finally see you here!” Jongdae wriggles his eyebrows as his smile grew wider. His boyfriend Junmyeon was beside him and was trying to hide a smirk because he knows where Jongdae is getting at.

 

“Hey Jongdae…Junmyeon…” Chanyeol greets them before craning his head around the room, trying to catch a glimpse of a certain someone.

 

“If you are looking for Byun…he is not here yet…” Jongdae grins and Chanyeol quirks his eyebrows because since when did Jongdae knows Baekhyun’s whereabouts.

 

“But don’t worry he will be here, Kyungsoo went into great lengths to make Baekhyun attend this reunion even if it means blackmailing Byun.” Jongdae supplies more.

 

“We all know ever since high school that Kyungsoo is evil, there is no surprise in that, but explain to me how do you know this things? And since when were Kyungsoo and Baekhyun friends?” Chanyeol looked at his assistant curiously.

 

“They’ve been friends since high school…” Jongdae snorts. “They just like bickering around but Kyungsoo is actually Baek’s secret keeper. I know that because Kyungsoo is dating my brother.”

 

“What? Jongin is dating Kyungsoo? Why didn’t you tell me that?” Chanyeol was really surprised by this, he had never seen Kyungsoo after high school and Jongin never mentioned Kyungsoo to him.

 

“Because my brother is an and done a lot of ty things to Kyungsoo. I’m even surprised that the son of satan was able to forgive him, but that is another story. Now, moving on with yours… I know what you are thinking and yes…I have constant communication with Baekhyun…” Jongdae have this mischievous smirk on his face because he knows how much of a shock this revelation to Chanyeol is.

 

“Again…why have you never mention these things to me?!” Chanyeol screeches.

 

“You never asked, besides I’ve been working for you for five years and not once had you mentioned Baek’s name so…”

 

“Oh my god, you knew that he is my bestfriend, why didn’t you tell me about him. Oh my god Jongdae!” Chanyeol rakes his hair in frustration he never thought that all this time his assistant has communication with Baekhyun.

 

“Look Yeol, there is a reason why I never mentioned it to you but the old man’s gone now and so Kyungsoo and I thinks that now is the right time to help you and Baekhyun out. I’ve seen you back in high school Yeol, everyone back then can see how much you and Baekhyun have these secret feeling for each other. Everyone saw it; I don’t know why you two just kept on ignoring it…especially you with all those girls you ‘dated’.” Jongdae rolls his eyes at this.

 

“Anyways, it’s been ten years too long…back in high school, it is okay to do stupid things but now you need to man up… this time you need to fight for Byun. There were a lot of things that happened behind your back Chanyeol, it left Baekhyun no choice but to completely stay away from you.” Jongdae pats his boss’ shoulder.

 

“What do you mean Jongdae?” Chanyeol was now more confused.

 

“That’s for you to find out tonight.” Jongdae winks at him before grabbing his phone to look at the message sent in.

 

“This is it Boss… suit up!” Jongdae happily fixes Chanyeol’s already neat suit. “Kyungsoo just texted and they are already at the lobby...”

 

Chanyeol’s head automatically turns towards the grand hall’s entrance, his hands suddenly felt cold as he catches a sight of Kyungsoo talking to someone who he couldn’t see because of the door but just the thought that it could be Baekhyun makes him shiver from an unexplainable excitement.

 

“Hey breathe…” Jongdae whispers from his side. “Junmyeon and I are just gonna go say hi to them okay…” Jongdae then takes his boyfriend’s hand and head their way towards Kyungsoo.

 

“Hey guys…”

 

Chanyeol can still hear Jongdae’s greeting from a distance. Kyungsoo waves back at Jongdae and their group started entering the grand hall. When Baekhyun finally steps in to his line of sight, Chanyeol felt his heart take a leap then it starts beating so loud its ringing in his head. He never thought that seeing his best friend again after ten long years would have the same effect as that morning after the sleepover. Its making Chanyeol’s heart crazy and it made him realized how much he wants Baekhyun.

 

Chanyeol’s trance was interrupted by his vibrating phone on his suit’s pocket. He reaches for it and saw that a message from an unknown number came.

 

 

I didn’t threatened and dragged Baekhyun here, for you just to stand there and melt him with your stare! You better not make me regret doing this Park Chanyeol!

 

 

He had just finished reading the message when another one comes in.

 

 

I SWEAR TO GOD! PARK CHANYEOL! YOU BETTER GET YOUR FLAT OVER HERE OR I WILL NEVER LET BAEKHYUN BE NEAR YOU AGAIN!!!!!!

 

 

Chanyeol lifted his gaze towards Kyungsoo and there indeed was the smaller one glaring murderously at him while Jongdae was sending an encouraging smile. Chanyeol takes a deep breath, fixes his suit before taking small steps towards Kyungsoo’s group, he mentally screams ‘fighting’ in his head.

 

 

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun were reminiscing about their high school life when Jongdae and his boyfriend shows up and joins them. Junmyeon was in the middle of telling a funny story when Baekhyun noticed  that his friends’ attention were somewhere else, he follow their line of sight and his eyes instantly grew wide because Chanyeol was making his way towards them. He hears Kyungsoo murmurs ‘about freaking time’ by his side but his attention just goes back to the approaching man.

 

He knew that meeting Chanyeol in this reunion is likely to happen but that doesn’t mean that he is mentally and emotionally prepared for it. For ten years, he purposely avoided him and now upon seeing him again… he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to act.

 

“B-Baekhyun…” Chanyeol immediately calls out his bestfriend’s name when he finally reached them.

 

“Hi Yeol…” Baekhyun greets back with an awkward smile.

 

Chanyeol, however upon hearing his nickname could no longer contain himself. He closes the distance between them and wrapped his bestfriend in a warm hug.

 

“Baek, where have you been? Why did you disappear just like that?”

 

“I didn’t disappear… I just didn’t know where to find you…”Baekhyun barely breaths out the words because Chanyeol was hugging him so tightly.

 

“I’ve always been here, Baek. I’m pretty sure you know that I took over dad’s company…”

 

"See that's the problem, you expect me to come look for you but did you put an effort to find me? Why am I the only one who should take the whole nine yards?” Why can’t you meet me halfway? Baekhyun sass out and he instantly feels Chanyeol hold of him loosen.

 

“B-Baek I…. I… I…”

 

“You what Chanyeol?” Kyungsoo butts in. “You were too much of a coward and too blind to notice that ty things that happened behind your back?”

 

“Huh? What?” Chanyeol lets go of his best friend and turns to face Kyungsoo, he is very curious why Jongdae said the same thing a while ago.

 

“Kyungsoo no!” Baekhyun warns his friend but the doe-eyed boy would have none of it.

 

“What Baek? that old homophobic is already dead, it’s time for you to stop suffering from his dirty tricks.” Kyungsoo looked Baekhyun in the eye so that the other could see that he is determined to spill out the truth from ten years ago.

 

“What are you talking about Kyungsoo? and who’s the old man? did he do something to Baekhyun?” He looks at his bestfriend worriedly.

 

“Kyungsoo…please… stop this…” Baekhyun tugs on Kyungsoo’s coat while pleading for the other to just shut his mouth.

 

“Old man is your dad and yes he had done terrible things to Baekhyun…” Kyungsoo speaks up completely ignoring Baekhyun’s pleas.

 

“No!…I said stop it Kyungsoo!” Baekhyun shrieks in fear of the truth finally coming out.

 

“I kept my mouth shut for ten years Baek. For ten years you let that stupid contract hinder your happiness and I’m freaking tired of seeing you so miserable because of something that wasn’t entirely your fault…”

 

“What are you talking about Kyungsoo… I am completely fine…” Baekhyun awkwardly laughs, trying to erase what Kyungsoo said from everyone’s memory.

 

“Oh, really? Tell that to someone who doesn’t hear you cry yourself to sleep when you see something that reminds you of this stupid giant.” Kyungsoo sass out while pointing at Chanyeol’s whole body.

 

“Oh my God! This isn’t happening right now!” Baekhyun freaks out and tries to get away from their group but Chanyeol caught his arms and held on to it.

 

“No, stay! What did my dad do to you?” Chanyeol was borderline angry, irritated and curious about this whole ordeal. He waited for an answer but Baekhyun kept mum about it.

 

“You don’t want to talk? Fine… but you are staying here with me while Kyungsoo tells me the truth.” He tightens his hold on Baekhyun’s arm.

 

“Okay guys before you go into details; I think it is best that we talk it out somewhere more private…” Jongdae then leads the group to a more secluded part of the venue.

 

“So would you tell me now, what happened all these years?” Chanyeol turns to Baekhyun who he was still holding by the arm because the other looked like he was ready to bolt on any given chance.

 

“What if I don’t want to…” Baekhyun challenges.

 

“Then Kyungsoo start talking…” Chanyeol turns to Kyungsoo who was by their side.

 

“Your dad seemed to notice that what Baek feels is no longer platonic so he took action. We don’t know how your dad found out that Baek needed money for his mother’s surgery but he did and he offered to help. Of course Baek didn’t want to accept it at first but your dad says that he can pay it whenever he has the extra money and its okay if it takes him a long time to pay. So with Baek thinking that your dad was doing it out of a good heart, signed a contract that your dad produced but you know Baek is dyslexic so he just signed it out of pure trust to your dad.”

 

“Enough Kyungsoo… please stop…” Baekhyun begged, his voice almost coming out as a whimper.

 

“I’m sorry Baek but it’s about time that Chanyeol finds out the truth…”Kyungsoo sighs as he takes in Baekhyun’s state before continuing the story. “When Baek already used up the money… your dad shows up again and started threatening Baekhyun. He told him what the contract really was; it says that Baekhyun begged your dad for the money. He threatened Baek that he will show the contract to you and that Baek was only friends with you because of the money. He forced Baek to stay far away from you…”

 

“You should have just said that to me and let me deal with my dad than just disappearing on me like that…” Chanyeol tugs his bestfriend's arms to make the other look at him.

 

“You know what! I don’t know why you are so eager to find out the truth now, when you just ignored it for ten years!” Baekhyun couldn’t help but yell, he felt cornered and attacked right now.

 

“I didn’t know that my dad had something to do with you disappearing on me. I thought you just got tired of me.” Chanyeol rakes his hair in frustration while Baekhyun seemed shocked by what he said.

 

“I really thought that you got tired of all of my stupidity… I… I… I don’t know Baek…I was in denial, back then I don’t know what I really want so I just bury myself with finishing college then after that with the workload at the company. I wanted to see you… to find you but I don’t want you to see a half- baked potato… I wanted it that when the time comes that we meet again, I wanted to be certain about what I feel about you and now I finally know what I want.”

 

“And it took you ten years for that?”

 

“You know that I am stupid like that. I’m sorry it took me ten years to finally admit it to myself but I love you Baek and I hope that you will find it in your heart to give me a chance to prove it to you…” Chanyeol held both of Baekhyun’s hands and pressed it to his own chest. “I love you Baekhyun…”

 

Baekhyun’s eyes widen in shock, he didn’t expect Chanyeol to just say it straight out. He looked around and noticed that they were alone now, he didn’t notice when the four already left the two of them.

 

“C-Chan-yeol… Y-You mean that?”

 

“Baek, it took me ten years to finally say it… of course I mean it…” he squeezed Baekhyun’s hand lightly and smiled boyishly.

 

“You really love me?” Baekhyun asks again, still finding it hard to believe.

 

“I do…” Chanyeol cups Baekhyun’s face with his hands.”I really love you…”

 

“Stupid Yeol!” Baekhyun suddenly screams and started hitting the other’s chest. “You stupid son of a ! Why did it took you ten years to ing say it!!!”

 

“Says the one who just disappeared on me instead of just telling me the truth…” Chanyeol chuckles before pulling Baekhyun for a hug. “You still love me too, right?”

 

“Of course I still love you… stupid!” Baekhyun mumbles in Chanyeol’s chest… a smile playing on his lips.

 

“Good… no more disappearing act okay? You are mine now…” he kisses the tip of Baekhyun’s nose then hugged him tightly while repeatedly whispering ‘I love you’s’ on the other’s ears.

 

Baekhyun nods, contently wrapping his arms on Chanyeol’s waist. He can feel his own heart swelling in happiness because finally Chanyeol is his.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the other side of the venue…

 

“Do you think they are okay now?” Jongdae asks when he hears Baekhyun screams and saw that the smaller was hitting Chanyeol’s chest.

 

“Yeah they’re good… I’ll kill them both if they aren’t…” Kyungsoo says while casually sipping his wine.

 

“You know what… sometimes I fear for my brother’s life, you talk murder like it’s a normal thing to do…” Jongdae comments making Junmyeon and Jongin laugh.

 

“Why? Isn’t it a normal thing?” Kyungsoo answers and everyone goes silence. Kyungsoo looked at them seriously for a while before breaking out into a laughing fit.

 

“Relax guys!... I haven’t murder anyone…”Kyungsoo continued laughing. “Oh look… they are hugging! See… I know they will be able to fix things up!”

 

The other three turned their heads back to Chanyeol and Baekhyun and they collectively sigh as they see the happiness radiating from both of them.

 

“Finally…” Jongdae cheered like a proud parent.

 

 

---END---