The semester had just begun, but Chanyeol couldn’t find the same excitement for it like he had the semester before and the year before that. He’d always been pretty enthusiastic about school, but now it troubled him. It was only Chanyeol’s second year of college. He had two left, but he had no idea how he’d pay for it now.

The previous semester, Chanyeol had sustained a pretty bad knee injury during a basketball game. He’d done physical therapy over the winter break and while he had healed well, he’d been told he would never be able to play at the level that he could before. It was recommended (but basically seen as a cease-and-desist) that he shouldn’t play basketball. What that meant was that Chanyeol was off the team, even though his coach would have kept him if possible, and his basketball scholarship had been taken away.

Chanyeol had been banking on that full ride. He was a good student, had high grades and a decent GPA, but even then, it wasn’t enough to ship him off to a good university. The scholarship had been covering everything for him and he’d gone and screwed it up. Chanyeol couldn’t forgive himself for the mistake. He was annoyed and upset. He’d lost almost everything in one winter.

 

Chanyeol walked into class, pulling his backpack off and taking a seat in the back. Usually he’d sit in the front, but he didn’t want any attention. He just wanted to get through this class with a passing grade. He didn’t want any sort of attention. As other students filed in, none even looked at him in the back and he smiled a bit. The class started right on time a few minutes later, the class nearly full and Chanyeol surrounded by people he’d never seen before.

About ten minutes after the teacher had begun reviewing the syllabus, the back door to the classroom, which connected to the last row in the lecture room and the row Chanyeol was sitting in, opened. A short boy with fluffy brown hair and a -eating grin scrambled in, settling right beside Chanyeol, since it was the only seat open.

“Did I miss a lot?” he whispered.

Chanyeol shook his head, taking in the other young man’s appearance, noting he was sweating a bit and panting lightly. Without asking, the young man grabbed Chanyeol’s copy of the syllabus and began to read it.

“Hey,” Chanyeol said.

“I’m just borrowing it.”

The boy pulled out his cell phone and began to snap photos of the syllabus for himself. Chanyeol just stared at him, no longer paying attention to the professor, who was still speaking at the front of the class. He returned the syllabus a moment later and smiled.

“Thanks.”

Chanyeol awkwardly shrugged.

“This class will primarily be group work, so I will allow you to select your group members. After the first project, you will have the option to switch members, but afterwards they will be permanent,” the professor said then.

Chanyeol bristled a bit. He didn’t want to work in groups. The boy beside him nudged him with a smile.

“Wanna be partners?”

Chanyeol didn’t want to agree but he didn’t have a decent reason to say no. He shrugged noncommittally, hoping it would perhaps deter the boy. The other just smiled, then rolled up a ball of paper he pulled from his bag and threw it at the student sitting in front of them.

“Hey, Jongdae, be partners with me and big ears over here,” he whispered loudly.

The boy who’d been hit with the paper, somewhat short but with good bone structure, looked back at them. He just smiled, looking happy and nodded at him. Chanyeol assumed they must be friends for the third boy to not even react over being hit with a piece of paper.

The mystery boy then grinned at Chanyeol. “That fine with you, big ears?”

“Don’t call me that,” he said back, scowling.

Chanyeol hadn’t wanted to be bothered and yet here he was, being irritated by a strange young man who’d shown up late to class.

“I’m Byun Baekhyun. What’s your name, so I don’t have to call you big ears?”

“Park Chanyeol.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Baekhyun grinned at him again. The professor dismissed the class then and Chanyeol immediately stood up.

“Whoa. Slow your roll there, Yeol. I have to introduce you to our other partner.”

Chanyeol frowned at Baekhyun’s familiarity with him already. He pulled his backpack onto his shoulders, but continued to stand there. Baekhyun leaned over and tapped the boy he’d called Jongdae earlier. Jongdae turned around.

“Hi, Baek. How are you?”

“I’m good, good, good. We’re gonna be partners, I hope.”

Jongdae laughed and agreed with a nod. “I’m sure you wouldn’t let me get anyone else anyways.”

“Nope! This is our other partner, Park Chanyeol.”

The third young man looked at Chanyeol. His eyes seemed to show he knew something and he nodded his head at Chanyeol.

“Hello, Chanyeol. Nice to meet you. I heard about your accident last semester. I hope you’re doing alright.”

Chanyeol bristled some, feeling uncomfortable. Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol in confusion. Before he could say anything, Chanyeol fled the classroom.

 

Chanyeol hated people talking about his injury. He didn’t need a reminder of how his life had been drastically changed. He didn’t even know Jongdae, but the other had known of his injury.

As Chanyeol lay in bed later that night, he stared at the photos he had scattered around his room. In all of them, he was grinning, and he felt a bit lost. He hadn’t smiled like that in what felt like forever and he wasn’t sure if he ever would again. Chanyeol couldn’t figure out how to put his life back together.

 

Baekhyun greeted Chanyeol the next time they had class. He was on time and had a bag of food.

“Hi, Yeol! Would you like a muffin?” he said.

Chanyeol just walked past him and sat down, not in the mood to deal with Baekhyun. The smaller didn’t seem to pick up on it as he settled beside him. He slid a blueberry muffin in front of the taller young man.

“Eat up,” he said with a smile.

Chanyeol ignored the muffin, getting out what he’d need for the class. Baekhyun did the same, eating his muffin the entire time. Jongdae came in just before class started and took the seat on the other side of Chanyeol.

“I’m sorry if I upset you the other day,” he whispered as he placed his notebook on the table.

Chanyeol shook his head. “It’s fine. I just…”

He shuffled his feet a bit under the table, too long to fit comfortable. His knee twinged in pain and he was glad he’d worn his knee brace that day. His face must have revealed his discomfort, because Jongdae spoke once more.

“Still recovering? That must be hard.”

Chanyeol nodded. “Sorry…if I’m…”

“It’s okay,” Jongdae said immediately.

The taller nodded, finding it odd Jongdae was so understanding and nice. Instead of focusing on it, Chanyeol turned his attention to the teacher who had just entered.

Halfway through the lecture, Chanyeol found himself eating the muffin Baekhyun had passed him. He could see Baekhyun smiling in his peripheral vision. He felt slightly embarrassed being caught, but Baekhyun said nothing, just taking his notes. When class finished up, the three young men all stood up.

“Are you coming to practice today, Baek?” Jongdae asked.

“Nah. I might go next time. I feel like doing something else today.”

Baekhyun put his hands behind his head and Jongdae laughed.

“You’re going to get kicked out of the club, I swear.”

Chanyeol was eavesdropping. He knew nothing about his new partners, but then again, it was only the second day of class. He’d have to get to know them to work with them. He’d have to get used to talking to them and letting them in. It’d been a while since Chanyeol had done so. It could be an experience.

Baekhyun and Jongdae both left before him, going in opposite directions. Chanyeol felt as if he was watching two different paths. Baekhyun seemed so unconventional, while Jongdae seemed like a normal, average kid. Chanyeol wondered what it would be like to spend more time with them. Good thing he was about to find out.

 

Chanyeol grew accustomed to Baekhyun and Jongdae’s presence rather quickly. After their first project, which had been a very simple write up about three distinct period writers, Chanyeol had opted just to stick with them instead of finding new partners. He didn’t want to admit that he actually quite enjoyed the two young men’s company.

Their second assignment was to select a novel for the three of them to read and select key scenes of which to analyze. They had two weeks to do it.

“When do you guys want to meet up?” Chanyeol asked.

“I’m free in the evening every day except Tuesdays and Thursdays,” Jongdae said as he packed up his bag.

Baekhyun just shrugged when Chanyeol looked at him.

“Just give me a time,” he said.

Chanyeol sighed. “We can meet at the library tomorrow night, then? Seven, on the first floor by the reference desk.”

“Sounds good to me,” Jongdae agreed.

Baekhyun gave a nod, already packed up and ready to go. Chanyeol nodded and Baekhyun rushed away almost at an alarming pace. Jongdae laughed.

“I have a feeling I won’t see him until tomorrow.”

“Are you supposed to see him before then?”

“We both are in choir, so yes, I should be seeing him this evening.”

Chanyeol blinked. He had no idea that the two were in the choir. He really didn’t know anything about either of his partners aside from what they were like in class.

“I had no idea you two were…” Chanyeol said.

Jongdae just smiled. “It’s fine. We’ve only just met. I’m sure as we have our little group activities, we’ll learn a lot about one another.”

The taller nodded, standing awkwardly. Jongdae just gave him another smile before bidding him goodbye and heading out of the classroom. Chanyeol figured he should find something to do before his next class and headed out as well.

 

Baekhyun didn’t show up to the library the next day. Chanyeol and Jongdae waited in front of the research desk for an extra thirty minutes.

“It seems he isn’t going to show,” Jongdae said, walking over to a table and pulling out a chair.

Chanyeol frowned and went to sit across from the other young man. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“What the hell?”

“Oh, I forget you don’t know Baekhyun. This is normal for him.”

“Normal? Flaking out on people? That’s pretty ty.”

Jongdae nodded. “You get used to it. Baekhyun isn’t someone you can really depend on in these sorts of situations. He’s not a bad guy. He just…doesn’t have his priorities straight?”

Chanyeol shook his head, unable to comprehend what Jongdae meant.

“The easiest thing to say is that he’s a free spirit. He enjoys being free to do whatever he wants, when he wants.”

“But he flakes out on people…” Chanyeol said grumpily.

“It’s just how he is. Don’t take it personal.”

Jongdae opened up his backpack and got out a few things. He then looked at Chanyeol and smiled.

“We can just do work without him. Don’t worry. He’ll still come through for us, even if he’s not here. He always gets his work done.”

“But how can we do it without him?”

“We’ll make all the decisions. Let’s select the book and divide it into sections. That way he knows what to do, but we don’t have to have him show up every time. It’ll be easier that way,” Jongdae said.

Chanyeol nodded as he got out a notebook and the list of books they could select.

“Did you have a preference for the book?”

Chanyeol shook his head. “No, not really. I’m not a big reader.”

“Oh, I see. I love literature. It’s a whole new world in each one.”

“Yeah, I guess…”

“Why don’t we read The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton? It’s a decent length and I don’t think it’ll be as complex as some of the other novels.”

Chanyeol shrugged. “That’s fine. I don’t really have an opinion.”

“Then I suppose we’ll read that,” Jongdae said simply, not seeming at all perturbed by Chanyeol’s lack of interest.

Jongdae went to find the book amongst the stacks of books and Chanyeol waited patiently, doodling basketballs on the margins of his paper. He sighed softly. Usually he’d be at practice or playing a game just for fun anyways. He missed being able to play basketball.

Jongdae returned quickly. “We have to make sure to buy the same edition. Should I pick them up and give them to you guys in class tomorrow?”

“That would work,” Chanyeol agreed, not looking up from his doodles.

“Okay. I’ll section off the novel as well.”

Chanyeol felt bad that Jongdae was already doing so much.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Not at the moment. Don’t worry so much, Chanyeol. It’ll be alright.”

He nodded, scratching at his neck a bit. He didn’t feel alright by doing nothing, but he had no reason to argue. Jongdae seemed content, noting down the book’s edition.

“You’ll have to pay me back though,” Jongdae said suddenly.

“For what?” Chanyeol said in surprise.

“For the book, silly.” He laughed a few times, a wide smile on his face. “Would you mind trading numbers? That way we can set up times easier and what not.”

Chanyeol nodded and got out his phone, feeling stupid for thinking Jongdae had meant something else. Of course he had to pay him back for a copy of the book. Jongdae rattled off his telephone number and Chanyeol saved it. As Chanyeol was getting his things together, the other boy looked at the clock.

“Oh, it’s already 8:30. We stayed long enough, I think. I’ll see you tomorrow, Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol bid him farewell as he got up and headed back towards the dining hall. Chanyeol had another thirty minutes to get food. When he got near, he got out his student ID so he could get in. There was no line luckily and he got in pretty quick, going to get in line.

“Hyung! Come eat with us over here!” called a voice.

Chanyeol caught sight of two young men who lived in the same suite as him. Chanyeol had his own single room while the rest were doubles. He went to sit down, carrying his tray.

“Hey,” he greeted with a forced smile.

“It feels like it’s been a while since we saw you,” said the brunet, who was named Junmyeon.

“Yeah, I think I saw you last Friday. We live in the same suite. How can we not see each other?” said the other boy, named Sehun, the youngest in their suite.

“I don’t know. Guess I haven’t been out and about much,” Chanyeol said as he began to eat.

“How’s your semester going?” Junmyeon asked.

“It’s alright.”

“Are your classes going well so far? I’m already preparing for a midterm.”

“Wow. That .”

Junmyeon laughed, wiping his mouth with a napkin then. “It’s what happens when you’re a Biology major in your third year.”

Chanyeol nodded.

“Hyung, how’s your knee?” Sehun asked as he finished off a bowl of gelatin.

“It’s…doing okay. Still hurts sometimes.”

“Did you finish all your physical therapy?”

“Basically. I think I have to go back for a checkup soon. Just periodically to make sure it’s healing properly.”

The blond boy gaped at him, his face appearing almost comedic. “Whoa. Sounds rough.”

Chanyeol managed a genuine smile, shook his head, and took another bite of food. “It’s not too bad.”

“You’re cool, hyung.”

Junmyeon and Chanyeol both laughed at their freshman roommate. Junmyeon ruffled his hair lightly before standing up.

“I have to go study, so I’ll see you guys later.”

He left quickly, taking all his dishes with him. Sehun slid over to be sitting in the middle of the cushioned seat.

“Met any cute guys yet, hyung?”

“Do you have to call me hyung with every sentence?”

Sehun shrugged, waiting for Chanyeol to answer. The older chuckled.

“I guess I have, yeah.”

“Oh. Spill, spill!”

“Well…both of my partners in my literature class are pretty cute, to be honest.”

“Gonna ask one out?” The teenager smirked.

“Not sure. I’ve only known them about two weeks.”

“Well, get on it! You don’t have basketball in the way, so you can date now.”

Chanyeol nodded silently. He didn’t want to get angry at Sehun for acting like basketball had ever been an inconvenience to him. It wasn’t. It never had been. And if he could still play it, he would. He wanted to play basketball more than he wanted to date.

After Chanyeol finished eating, he and Sehun went back to their dorm together, climbing the stairs and heading down the hall. Once they entered their suite, Sehun went to his door.

“I’m gonna go bug Junmyeon-hyung. Night, hyung.”

Chanyeol waved, sliding past him to reach his own room at the end of the L-shaped hallway. He opened the door with his ID card and slid in, shutting it quickly behind him. Chanyeol’s room was rather plain, since he’d taken down all his basketball posters and memorabilia. It was a painful reminder for him. He threw his backpack down on the bed and sat down at his desk. He had a few other assignments to work on, but he didn’t feel like doing any of it. He felt drained for some reason and his anger at Baekhyun was still gnawing at the back of his mind. He couldn’t believe the guy didn’t show up just because he didn’t feel like it.

Chanyeol changed into his pajamas, some shorts and a tank top. He took off his knee brace and settled back at his desk, getting on his laptop. He surfed the web for a few hours, wasting time checking statuses on Facebook, reading e-mails from his friends in foreign countries, and playing random match three games.

Chanyeol had been a serious student, but lately he hadn’t felt motivated at all. It was hard for him to care as much as he had before. Sure, he prided himself on good grades, but it had just been for bragging rights. He still hadn’t decided on a major, which he needed to pick before the end of the semester. Now that basketball was out of the picture, he couldn’t even say that was why he hadn’t decided. Chanyeol didn’t know what he was passionate about. Maybe he could do some sort of sport-related major.

Feeling frustrated at his thoughts, Chanyeol shut his laptop and climbed onto his bed. The single bed barely fit him due to his long legs, but he’d effectively found a way to curve his body to comfortably fit. He stared at his wall and sighed softly. His phone vibrated to signal a text had arrived. He raised an eyebrow. No one texted him after ten.

Good night Chanyeol

It was from Jongdae. The message oddly warmed his heart and Chanyeol couldn’t help smiling. It was the first, true genuine grin he’d had in months.

 

Chanyeol entered class, wearing a snapback and light jacket, since it’d been a tad cold that morning. He made his way to his usual seat and sat down, saving a spot for his partners. Chanyeol always arrived first. After a few minutes, Jongdae and Baekhyun came in together, talking animatedly. They both had coffee and muffins.

“Morning, Yeol!” Baekhyun called then, sitting down beside him. “Sorry I didn’t come last night.”

Chanyeol had been angry, but oddly just hearing Baekhyun’s apology made his anger dissipate. He smiled, a real one.

“It’s cool.”

Baekhyun grinned, that little square smile of his. He placed a muffin in front of the taller boy.

“I brought you blueberry. Is that what you like? I can get you a different one next time.”

“Nah. Blueberry is good.”

Jongdae settled on the other side of Chanyeol and placed a coffee in front of him.

“We brought you coffee too.”

“What’s the occasion?”

Baekhyun shrugged. “We’re just nice like that.”

All three of them started laughing. There was something pleasant about them that made Chanyeol feel relaxed, a semblance of happy. He was laughing and grinning.

“You have a nice smile, Yeol,” Baekhyun said then.

Chanyeol blushed a little. “Nah…”

Jongdae slid over the books to them. “No more flirting, Baek. You’ll scare him away. Here are the books. They were twelve dollars. Make sure to pay me back.”

Baekhyun nodded, just sitting there. Chanyeol pulled out his wallet and managed to pull out twelve dollars, though some was in change. While he was doing so, Jongdae got out some papers and passed them.

“I divided the sections by chapter numbers and took into account the numbers of pages and what not. You guys can decide which section you’d like. I chose the ending.”

“Thanks, Jongdae. This is really cool of you,” Chanyeol said.

He chuckled. “No problem.”

Baekhyun smiled at them. “I want the middle.”

The tallest nodded. “Okay. I’ll take the beginning then.”

“So, the paper is due in two weeks. We can try to have the beginning done by the first half of next week?”

“Good idea,” Jongdae agreed with Baekhyun.

“Sounds good,” Chanyeol said, marking down what he needed to read by when.

The three smiled at one another. When their professor came in, they turned forward. Chanyeol drank his coffee and ate the muffin as class began.

 

A week later, Chanyeol stood in front of his dorm, waiting patiently. Jongdae and Baekhyun had agreed to meet him and they were going to have their meeting in his room. They’d have privacy, despite that it wasn’t too big. The two boys showed up together and waved at him as they approached.

“Hi, Yeol!” Baekhyun yelled.

Chanyeol smiled and waved back. “Hey. You came.”

“I don’t always cut out!”

Chanyeol led them into his building and up to his suite. Jongdae and Baekhyun kept commenting on the interior until they got into Chanyeol’s room.

“It’s so cute and small,” Jongdae said.

“Yeol, where are your decorations? It’s so boring in here,” Baekhyun said, pouting and folding his arms over his chest.

“Oh…uh…I took everything down.”

Chanyeol didn’t want to talk to his new found friends about his problems. That’d be a downer. Chanyeol got depressed when he talked about basketball. He’d been so happy lately, hanging out with Jongdae and Baekhyun all the time. He’d managed to forget how empty he’d been feeling.

“How come?”

Jongdae nudged Baekhyun, giving him a warning look. Chanyeol lifted an eyebrow and Baekhyun just looked at the other boy in confusion. He apparently didn’t know why Jongdae pushed him.

“It was all basketball stuff,” Chanyeol said then.

“Oh. That was the thing I wasn’t supposed to bring up,” Baekhyun said with a knowing tone.

Chanyeol shifted awkwardly. He then motioned to his bed and desk.

“Make yourself comfortable.”

Baekhyun and Jongdae settled on the bed then, opening their bags and pulling out what they’d need.

“How did you like the first part?” Jongdae asked.

“Undine is a ,” Baekhyun immediately chimed.

Chanyeol nodded profusely. “She is.”

Jongdae laughed. “I also agree. It’ll be so fun to keep reading about her.”

They laughed more as they began their discussion. They talked for a long while, eventually going off on a tangent that involved personal and non-academic talk. Jongdae and Baekhyun talked about their choir practices and some of the other members. Chanyeol didn’t know any of them, but he had fun listening. His friends had all been friends of one another before and so they’d only talked about everyone someone knew, which eventually grew boring. All of their friends sounded fun and interesting, Chanyeol wanted to know more.

“Oh my god, is it really ten?” Jongdae said.

Chanyeol looked at the clock. “Oh, man. It is.”

“I need to get home. Damn.”

Jongdae began to get his backpack together. Baekhyun didn’t move.

“Come on, Baek.”

“I’ll get home on my own. I wanna hang out with Yeol more.”

“I’m sure he wants to sleep.”

“It’s cool,” Chanyeol said immediately.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol made eye contact, the shine in the smaller’s eyes made him curious. Baekhyun just smiled at him, spreading out on Chanyeol’s bed as if it was his own. Jongdae shrugged and pulled his backpack on.

“Alright. I’ll see you guys later. Night.”

“Get home safe.”

Jongdae left then. Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol.

“Sorry about your basketball thing.”

“It’s fine. I’m just trying to forget about it.”

“Is that hard?”

Chanyeol nodded. “Sometimes…”

Baekhyun rolled off the bed and popped up. “Come on, Yeol.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “What?”

“Let’s go drink.”

Chanyeol was flabbergasted. He blinked at him a few times before speaking. “What?”

“Let’s. Go. Drink,” Baekhyun said slowly.

“Why?”

“It’ll be fun.”

“I don’t think that’d…”

“Just loosen up, Yeol. Go with the flow.”

Chanyeol shrugged then. What could be the harm in going with the flow? He grabbed his jacket and ID card. They left the building together.

“Do you have a car, Baekhyun?”

“Nope. Don’t have a driver’s license.”

“Oh…”

“You don’t have one?”

“I don’t.”

“We’ll take the bus then.”

Chanyeol didn’t think that was the best idea but he shrugged his shoulders. He had to go with the flow. He wanted to have an adventure with Baekhyun.

Baekhyun went to stand at the bus stop with him. Chanyeol looked around with his hands in his pockets.

“So, where are we headed?”

“There’s a really good bar not far from here.”

“Oh, okay.”

The bus pulled up and the two got on, using their school issued bus passes which got them free rides. They sat together on the side, looking out the window.

“Do you ever go off campus?”

“Not very often. Everything is contained here,” Chanyeol responded, leaning his head against the window.

“Hmm…you gotta live a little.”

“Why? It’s not like it’s any different.”

“Yeah, it is, Yeol. You gotta go out and see the world. Experience stuff you haven’t before.”

Chanyeol shook his head. Baekhyun sounded like he was spouting nonsense. They got off the bus a while later and walked down the street. Baekhyun pointed out the bar, which had a flashing green sign that read “Snowy Peaks.” Chanyeol raised an eyebrow, but went in with the shorter man. The inside was lit somewhat dimly, blue lights accentuating certain alcohols and decorations. The counters were white with blue trim and snowflakes hung from the ceiling. It looked like a faux winter wonderland.

“What is this place?”

“A bar,” Baekhyun replied snarkily, “My friend showed it to me once.”

They took a seat at the bar and the bartender came over. His name tag said “Minseok.”

“Hey, Baekhyun. It’s been a while,” Minseok said as he placed a towel over his shoulder, “What’ll you be having?”

“Give us some hard stuff. My friend here needs to let go.”

Minseok laughed and nodded, heading off to obtain them their drinks. Chanyeol looked at Baekhyun, who just smiled.

“Do you drink often, Yeol?”

“Not really,” he said, “Once or twice. Didn’t really have time.”

“Well, tonight I’m gonna get you drunk.”

The taller laughed, not believing him.

 

Chanyeol was borderline drunk. He could tell. He and Baekhyun were talking about everything.

“Y’know, I just feel so ing sad all the time,” Chanyeol said, a little too loudly, “Like, my whole life was basketball and now I have nothing. Absolutely nothing. Do you know what it’s like to feel empty? No motivation. Nothing.”

Baekhyun nodded, taking another shot. Chanyeol was still unsure what it was they were even drinking.

“It’s fine, man. You’re sad and . You’ll figure out what to do. That’s what college is for, don’tcha know?”

Chanyeol shook his head. “I don’t know what to do with myself anymore, Baek…I feel so lost.”

“What’s wrong with being lost?”

Chanyeol turned to look at Baekhyun, who was leaning his cheek against a palm to stay upright. Baekhyun just smiled, his eyes seeming to shine even though they were a little hazy with intoxication.

“Getting lost is part of life. Why not embrace it? Maybe you’ll go on an adventure and discover something you never knew about yourself!”

Chanyeol shook his head. “I don’t know how…Doesn’t that scare you? To not know what will happen?”

“I…I embrace it, Yeol…It’s fun. You gotta try it just once…”

Chanyeol didn’t know what possessed him to do it. He leaned in and kissed Baekhyun, who held still for him. When he pulled back, Baekhyun only gave him a grin filled with mirth. Chanyeol stared at him, holding onto the counter.

“See? Was that so hard?”

Chanyeol flushed at Baekhyun’s comment. He supposed the kiss meant nothing then. At least to Baekhyun. He felt confused about how he should feel about Baekhyun and if it was genuine or not.

Chanyeol stood up from the barstool. “I need to go home.”

Baekhyun only nodded and got up, throwing down some money to pay for their drinks. Chanyeol wondered if it’d even been enough as they walked out of the bar. Baekhyun hailed a taxi in the quickest amount of time Chanyeol had ever seen. The shorter pushed him into the car.

“Get home safe, Chanyeol.”

The door closed and the taxi drove away. Chanyeol stared back after Baekhyun, wondering what would happen now that he’d kissed him.

 

Baekhyun acted like nothing had happened when they saw one another the following week in class. Chanyeol wondered if he was too drunk to remember and decided to let it slip. Kissing Baekhyun hadn’t been the sanest thing to do. He needed stable, not spontaneous.

“Chanyeol,” Jongdae whispered in the middle of class.

“Yeah?”

“We’re having a choir concert on Saturday.” He passed the small flier to him. “You should come. Baek would like it. I would too.”

Chanyeol looked down at the flier and gave a small shrug. “I’ll think about it.”

Jongdae smiled and nodded, returning to taking notes. Chanyeol stuffed the flier in his pocket. He was still confused about his feelings. What did Jongdae mean that Baekhyun would like it? Why would he like it? Because they were friends. That had to be it. Chanyeol had to be overthinking.

After class ended, the two told Chanyeol they had more choir practice because of their concert. They’d have to postpone their study break for the week, but promised to stay on top of the work. Chanyeol had told them it was fine and went back to his dorm.

Chanyeol didn’t know how long he’d fallen asleep, but he awoke when he heard a tapping sound every few seconds on his window. He sat up groggily, looking around. Once he figured out the noise was coming from the window, he got up and went over to it. Baekhyun was standing at the base of the building, throwing rocks at Chanyeol’s window. He wondered if he was suddenly in a movie. He pushed open the window so he could speak.

“Baekhyun, what are you doing?”

“You wouldn’t answer your phone, so this is my option! Let’s go!”

“Where are we going?” he asked in confusion.

“It’s a surprise. Let’s go!”

Chanyeol figured it couldn’t be too far since neither of them had a way of getting around. He grabbed his phone and a jacket, heading out quickly. Baekhyun was waiting for him in front of his building, hands in his pockets. He smiled.

“Ready for an adventure, Yeol?”

“Can’t say that I am, but I suppose I’ll try anything once.”

Baekhyun laughed and Chanyeol smiled. He’d been doing that more often lately. It was kind of nice. He followed Baekhyun and was surprised to find a jeep waiting for them.

“Umm…”

“My friend is going to drive us.”

“Okay…”

Baekhyun climbed into the passenger seat and Chanyeol got into the back. The driver was a tanned young man with brown hair. He started the car and drove away from the dorms.

“Yeol, this is Jongin.”

“Hey,” Chanyeol said.

“Hello,” Jongin responded.

“Where are we going?”

“I told you it’s an adventure,” Baekhyun said again.

Chanyeol pouted. “Why did I have to come?”

“Because it’s fun.”

The drive took about an hour and a half. Chanyeol played a game on his phone boredly, watching the signs to figure out where exactly they were going. After a while, he figured out they were heading towards the beach. It was late in the afternoon already though. He was thoroughly confused.

They pulled into a parking spot and Baekhyun launched himself out of the jeep. Chanyeol climbed out, as did Jongin, who grabbed a few other things out of the back.

“See you, guys.”

“Bye, Jongin. Thanks for the ride!” Baekhyun called, grabbing Chanyeol’s wrist and leading him away.

Chanyeol waved at Jongin as he and Baekhyun headed away. Baekhyun was pretty quick and surprisingly strong, pulling him along. They reached the pier in no time and Baekhyun bounded up the stairs. Chanyeol followed, watching the smaller. He climbed after him and stood on the pier with him.

“Ready for a fun evening?” Baekhyun said.

Chanyeol shrugged and he laughed, grabbing Chanyeol’s wrist again and leading him down the pier. They stopped at the coffee shop and Baekhyun bought them both a coffee. They then proceeded down the pier, stopping to take in all of the performers who littered the boardwalk with their performances. Chanyeol and Baekhyun swayed to the music of some, enjoying themselves. When they reached the end, they climbed up the steps that were set up and sat down.

“What are we waiting for?” Chanyeol asked.

“We’re watching the sun set, silly. Haven’t you ever done that?”

“No.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and shook his head, looking toward the horizon. There was a musician playing nearby, creating an atmosphere for them. Chanyeol swayed slightly as he drank his coffee.

“Do you like music, Chanyeol?”

“Yeah…I used to play guitar.”

“Why don’t you anymore?”

“I dunno…basketball and school took up all my time.”

“Were you good at it?” Baekhyun asked then.

“At which?”

“Both.”

“I was alright at basketball. Apparently good enough to get the basketball scholarship I had…”

“Oh, right. You lost that…Jongdae told me not to talk to you about it…”

“How does he know?”

“Beats me,” Baekhyun said, “Jongdae knew of your past though. He wanted me to avoid bringing it up. I’m bad at that.”

“It’s okay…It’s not a taboo topic. I mean…I’ve been avoiding talking about it, but…I should get over it, right?”

“It takes time. It’s okay to be upset about what happened to you. You just shouldn’t let it hold you back. Life keeps going on despite our hardships.”

Chanyeol nodded, then looked at Baekhyun. “I don’t know what to do with my future.”

“Like I told you the other night, that’s what college is for. Maybe it’ll help, maybe it won’t. You’ll figure it out.”

Chanyeol looked down at his coffee cup in his hands. Baekhyun reached out and touched Chanyeol’s arm.

“Don’t be scared, Chanyeol. It’ll be okay. Maybe you should pick up music again. It could help you. I needed music when my life changed and here I am.”

The taller young man looked up at him then. “What happened to you?”

“It’s probably stupid, but…my parents got divorced when I was young. In middle school, actually. I had just joined choir and I thought about quitting, but singing brought me a lot of joy. There was something about it that gave me solace. I was able to forget just for a little while about what was happening and enjoy life again.”

Chanyeol reached out and put an arm around Baekhyun. “I’m sorry you went through that.”

“Hey, it’s fine…I’ve been through worse. I realized it was easier not to expend my energy on every little thing. It’s better to go with the flow.”

“I wanted to find stability again…maybe that’s how,” Chanyeol said.

Baekhyun laughed and nodded, drinking his coffee. Chanyeol kept his arm around Baekhyun and he looked away from him, toward the sunset.

“I’m sorry I kissed you that night…” he mumbled.

“If I didn’t want you to, I wouldn’t have let you.”

Chanyeol flushed and squeezed the other boy’s shoulder. Baekhyun chuckled softly and finished his drink.

“Watch the sunset, Yeol. Enjoy it.”

Chanyeol did as he was told, not letting go of Baekhyun’s shoulder. Baekhyun just pushed his weight into him, smiling a bit.

After the sun had set, they got up. Baekhyun stretched.

“Let’s ride some rides!”

They went back down the boardwalk about halfway, where there was a tiny amusement park, all lit up in the dark. They rode the roller coasters and played a few games. Chanyeol won a stuffed monkey.

“That’s so cute. Hold it up.”

Chanyeol held the stuffed toy up by his face and Baekhyun took a picture of him. He giggled and texted it to Chanyeol so he had a copy.

They rode the ferris wheel last. As they rode, they looked at the moon. Baekhyun reached for Chanyeol’s hand, holding it lightly in his grasp. Chanyeol curled his fingers around his hand, practically enveloping it. They said nothing, sitting beside one another and looking out at the black sea and dark night.

 

Chanyeol went to the choir concert the following Saturday. Jongdae and Baekhyun were lined up with the other members of their group. Chanyeol found a seat for himself. He smiled at the sight of the two waiting. They spotted him and waved, making him wave back with a smile.

The concert started ten minutes later. Chanyeol listened and watched. He’d never attended a choir concert before. He hadn’t known anyone in the music program during high school.

As each song was performed, Chanyeol felt something he never had. There was an emotion behind music he’d missed, especially music he didn’t normally listen to. But there was something beautiful about it and Chanyeol found himself getting misty eyed halfway through. He wiped at his eyes a few times, trying to focus on Baekhyun. He observed the passion that came from Baekhyun’s voice and the emotion in his eyes. It made him want to cry more.

After the concert was over, Chanyeol stood and clapped with everyone else. He made his way to the front, waiting to speak to Jongdae and Baekhyun, who were surrounded by their other friends. Chanyeol felt out of place, but he knew he shouldn’t bail and compliment his friends. He recognized some of the people there, including the bartender they’d met just a week ago. Chanyeol should have figured they were friends.

As the group dispersed, he stood there and Baekhyun grinned at him.

“You came.”

“Yeah, well…Jongdae invited me,” Chanyeol said, oddly feeling nervous as he slid his hands into his pocket.

Baekhyun smiled a bit. “I’m glad he did.”

Jongdae came over to them then. “Chanyeol, you made it! I’m glad. Do you want to come out to dinner with us?”

“Oh…I don’t want to intrude.”

“Come on, Yeol. Live a little,” Baekhyun teased.

“You won’t be intruding! Come with us.”

Chanyeol agreed, keeping his hands in his pockets. Jongdae went off to gather up the other people, but Baekhyun remained behind.

“Did you find your guitar, Yeol?”

“I asked my mom if she could bring it to me sometime soon. Maybe she will.”

“I hope she does.”

Baekhyun stood awfully close to Chanyeol and it made him nervous. They hadn’t talked to one another since that night. He wasn’t sure where they stood.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol rode in Jongin’s car to the restaurant, Jongdae in the other car. Chanyeol sat in the back, legs crunched up, but he didn’t mind. Once they arrived, he climbed out and found Baekhyun waiting for him, while Jongin had gone ahead to group up with the others. Chanyeol smiled, walking with him and taking up the rear of the group.

They filled up two tables and Chanyeol and Baekhyun sat in a corner together. After ordering food, they looked at one another.

“How did you like the concert?”

“It was magnificent. You sing wonderfully. I was really impressed.”

Baekhyun smiled. “Did you cry?”

“A little.”

Chanyeol expected Baekhyun to laugh, but he just smiled. It was strange to see Baekhyun being so low energy, quiet and contemplative. Chanyeol reached out under the table, touching the smaller’s hand gently.

“Are you alright?”

Baekhyun nodded. “I am. Singing takes a lot out of me. Especially today. I just feel exhausted.”

Chanyeol nodded, not wanting to bother him any longer. He pulled his hand back, but Baekhyun grabbed hold of it once more. They awkwardly held hands underneath the table and Chanyeol tried not to blush.

After they’d finished eating, Chanyeol decided to take the bus back to campus. He was the only one who lived in the dorms. He let go of Baekhyun’s hand, which he’d held the entire meal, and prepared to go.

“I’ll see you on Tuesday.”

“Yeah…” Baekhyun said, picking some lint off of his blazer, “Get home safe, okay?”

“I will. Get some rest.”

Chanyeol awkwardly waved, then turned to go.

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun called after him.

“Yeah?”

“Promise me that I’ll be the first person you play guitar for.”

The taller nodded. “I promise.”

Baekhyun smiled and nodded his head, then heading after the others to get in the car. Chanyeol watched him go before going to the bus stop and taking a seat to wait. He hoped his mother would bring him his guitar soon.

 

Chanyeol hadn’t played his guitar since he was thirteen years old. He’d learned to play from his father, but after he got into football, he’d left it behind. It was something he’d truly enjoyed though and Chanyeol hoped that maybe it would bring back a happiness to his life he’d lost. Baekhyun had brought back some of that happiness, but Chanyeol wanted something he could do and rely on. He couldn’t rely on a person to feel happy, because what if he lost them? Chanyeol didn’t want to lose Baekhyun, but he could.

Chanyeol didn’t know what it was he and Baekhyun had. He couldn’t even really explain what drew him to Baekhyun, but there was something about him. Something drew him to Baekhyun and he didn’t want to fight it.

As Chanyeol lay in his bed, he stared up at the ceiling, wishing he could be back at the beach with Baekhyun. Maybe they could go again, during the day, and experience the water and sand, have fun together. He fell asleep, dreaming of such things and hoping it could be a reality.

Luckily for Chanyeol, his mother brought him his guitar the very next day. Chanyeol set the case on his bed and opened it, gazing down at the black acoustic guitar that he hadn’t touched in years. His mother had said his father had tuned it, excited that he’d decided to pick it up again. Chanyeol only hoped that he could remember how to play it with ease.

He sat down and checked the tuning, which had been a little off due to being in the car for a while. At least he remembered how to do that. As his fingers pressed against the fret board, Chanyeol recalled chords. He began to practice, trying to remember how to play at least one song. He needed a song to play for Baekhyun. He’d figure one out. Chanyeol spent his whole Sunday practicing instead of doing his homework.

 

Chanyeol kept his guitar a secret for a few weeks, practicing and getting the hang of it again. He spent a lot of time on YouTube looking up tutorials, while also getting his work done for his classes. Luckily they had finished up their book analysis a week after the concert and Chanyeol no longer needed to worry about keeping up with assigned reading.

Their next assignment was to perform two five minute scenes out of any Shakespeare play. Their teacher encouraged them to interpret them as they wanted and to add a modern twist. The boys were lost on what they should do for the assignment, but they luckily had a large amount of time to do so. This project was the only one before the final. Chanyeol had left the ideas up to Baekhyun and Jongdae, because he wasn’t any good with Shakespeare. He was the guy who had to buy the Shakespeare in Plain English books. But that meant he had time to practice guitar until they’d made a decision.

He entered class on a Thursday, ready for his weekend to begin, and found Baekhyun and Jongdae huddled around a book.

“Guys?”

“Yeol, we’ve got it!” Baekhyun said excitedly.

Jongdae offered Chanyeol a book with a smile. He took it and looked at the cover. It was Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Chanyeol turned it over to read the synopsis.

“You’ll be Duke Orsino,” Jongdae said, “Baek is going to be Viola and I’ll be Olivia.”

“Why didn’t you pick scenes with all guys?”

“Because this will be more fun,” Baekhyun said.

Chanyeol laughed. Jongdae then gave him the specific scenes they would be doing.

“Hey, Baek,” Chanyeol said once they had stopped talking about the assignment and were sitting down.

“Yeah, Yeol?”

“Do you think you could come over sometime soon?”

“Why?”

“I just…umm…there’s something I want to show you.”

“Okay,” Baekhyun agreed, “What time should I come?”

“Seven?”

“Alright.” Baekhyun smiled.

 

At seven, Chanyeol met Baekhyun outside his dorm. Baekhyun was dressed in a sweatshirt and some jeans with a beanie. He smiled at the taller boy and followed him inside to his dorm. When they entered the suite, the dorm to Sehun and Junmyeon’s room was open.

“Hyung!” Sehun called from the floor, appearing to be working on a project.

“Hey. This is Baekhyun. Baek, this is our resident maknae, Sehun,” Chanyeol introduced.

Baekhyun waved and Sehun gave a grin.

“Oh, hyung, you got a nice one.”

Chanyeol flushed. “Shut up.”

Baekhyun giggled, giving Sehun another wave and heading towards Chanyeol’s room. Sehun smiled knowingly.

“Try not to be loud, hyung. The walls are thin.”

Chanyeol flipped him off before following after Baekhyun. When he entered his room, Baekhyun was already sitting on his bed with his shoes off.

“Your room is still so plain.”

Chanyeol nodded, shutting the door behind himself. “Yeah. I was thinking of getting some new stuff soon.”

“That’s a good idea. You should have some things to look at.”

Chanyeol chuckled and went over to the corner of his room to get his guitar. Baekhyun waited patiently, watching him. The taller pulled his desk chair over and settled in it, beginning to tune his guitar. Baekhyun was silent as he watched him. Once Chanyeol was prepared, he gave a small smile and then went right to it, afraid he’d chicken out if he hesitated.

His fingers moved and Chanyeol began to sing softly. He wasn’t proud of his voice, unable to compare to the level that Jongdae and Baekhyun were at, but he couldn’t help it. He had to sing along if the song had lyrics. He felt calm after only a few seconds, enwrapped in the music he was making, not noticing how Baekhyun was reacting to his playing.

He finished a few minutes later and looked up, dragging his eyes away from his fret board. Baekhyun was sitting there with a blank face and Chanyeol felt panic build in his chest. Had he hated it? Did he mess up by singing that song?

Baekhyun grinned then. “That was amazing, Chanyeol.”

“Really?”

“I loved it. You’re a natural.”

“Nah…I just practiced a lot.”

The shorter male shook his head and chuckled. “Whatever you say.” He held up his finger then, as if he’d gotten an idea. “I have an idea!”

“What?”

“We should make our Twelfth Night scenes a musical. You can write a tune and we can sing our lines.”

Chanyeol shook his head. “No way. I can’t do that. There’s no way I could pull that off.”

“Why not?”

“There’s not enough time. I-I’m not that talented. I don’t know how to write music.”

“You won’t have to do it alone. Jongdae and I can help you,” Baekhyun assured, “Please. I know you can do it. We can do it together. We’ll get an A.”

Chanyeol kept shaking his head, but Baekhyun reached out and took hold of his face. They looked into one another’s eyes and Chanyeol calmed.

“I believe in you.”

“I…I don’t…”

“It’ll be an adventure.”

That was all Chanyeol needed to be hear. Sure, stability was safe, but what kind of life would he be living if he never took chances? He nodded slowly.

“Okay.”

“It’ll be fun.”

Chanyeol nodded again.

“No chickening out!”

Chanyeol smiled a little and Baekhyun grinned, patting Chanyeol’s cheeks. He then leaned in and kissed Chanyeol lightly. Chanyeol returned it, shutting his eyes. When Baekhyun pulled away, he was blushing.

“I’m happy you invited me over for this.”

Chanyeol smiled again. “I’m happy you came.”

Baekhyun chuckled and released his cheeks finally. He slid himself off the bed and got his shoes. The taller didn’t want him to go, but he knew he should. Chanyeol hugged Baekhyun after Baekhyun had gotten everything on, and the smaller held onto him, his fingers curled in the back of his sweatshirt.

“Thank you, Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol chuckled and squeezed him closer before letting him go. Baekhyun said goodbye and left the dorm. Sehun poked his head out into the hallway.

“You didn’t hook up?”

“Nope.”

“I’m disappointed in you, hyung.”

“Shut up, Sehun.”

 

Jongdae loved the idea about a musical. He set Baekhyun and Chanyeol to work on the music, while he worked on costumes for them. Jongdae was actually pretty handy with needle and thread. Their group study sessions consisted of Jongdae taking measurements and sewing, while Chanyeol and Baekhyun wrote lyrics and tested music out on the guitar. It was fun and Baekhyun actually came to every single group meeting they planned. Chanyeol was always happy to see him and Baekhyun would smile just a bit at him every time.

As their due date grew near, Jongdae had finished their costumes, which were surprisingly detailed, and Chanyeol had finished recording the music they needed. They were doing rehearsals together twice a week, sometimes on the weekend depending on the choir schedule.

 

“Y’know, it’s really cool. Baekhyun’s been coming to everything lately. I think it’s because of you,” Jongdae said one day.

“Yeah?”

“I think he likes you.”

“…I think I like him too…”

“Aww,” Jongdae cooed.

Chanyeol blushed a bit. “What do you think of the music?”

“I love it! I’m so excited! As soon as Baekhyun gets here, we can rehearse.”

Baekhyun came in a few minutes later, panting a bit. “Sorry…I ran here.”

“It’s okay. You aren’t that late,” Jongdae said.

“Let’s get rehearsing!”

As they got into their spots, Chanyeol started the music. Luckily, the boys didn’t expect him to carry a tune as well as they could. They sang and moved about for a few hours, working on blocking and where they should stand. Chanyeol kept messing up his lines, but the others assured him it was alright and that sometimes it was hard to remember everything clearly.

“Shall we do a full dress rehearsal next Tuesday?” Jongdae suggested.

“Okay.”

“Remember all of your costume pieces and props.”

“We will, mom,” Baekhyun teased.

Jongdae shoved him playfully as he gathered up his things. “See you guys then.”

Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol. “Want to get dinner?”

“Sounds fun.”

Chanyeol and Baekhyun held hands again as they ate dinner together at a small diner nearby the campus. Afterwards, Baekhyun headed home and Chanyeol thought about inviting him over to stay a night in his room.

 

The day came for their performance and Chanyeol was nervous. He had to wear his costume all the way from the dorm to the classroom because he wouldn’t have time to change. He saw people looking at him but headed for his class as quickly as possible. He carried a CD with their music on it, since they’d have to play it. When he arrived, Jongdae and Baekhyun were already there in costume. Jongdae had on a long wig and cute outfit, looking almost like a girl aside from his face. Baekhyun was dressed in a boyish outfit and had a large hat, which he’d stuffed his long wig up into. Chanyeol wore a fancy jacket that Jongdae had made with intricate trim and shoulder pads, along with a pair of gloves and some skinny jeans. They looked half modern and half medieval.

“Are you ready?” Jongdae asked.

“Nervous, to be honest.”

“Just breathe and have fun with it. It’ll be okay, even if you mess up.”

Chanyeol nodded, taking a deep breath. Their teacher called them down to the front to begin and they went down the steps to the bottom of the room. As they walked slowly, Baekhyun reached for and squeezed Chanyeol’s hand. Chanyeol took a deep breath and as they reached the bottom, they separated. Chanyeol presented the teacher with the CD and got into the position.

When the music began, they started singing. Chanyeol remembered his lines and sang as clearly as he could. They performed perfectly and afterwards, they were panting and running on adrenaline. Their class clapped loudly for them and Chanyeol grinned, feeling proud and exhilarated. They went to sit down and Jongdae removed his wig, as did Baekhyun. Chanyeol’s heart was pounding.

“Are you alright?” Baekhyun whispered.

Chanyeol nodded. Baekhyun reached for his hand and tugged lightly.

“Come with me.”

They got up and left out the back door. Baekhyun turned to Chanyeol, placing his hand over Chanyeol’s heart.

“It was exciting, right?”

Chanyeol nodded, watching him. His heart was racing still and couldn’t calm down. Baekhyun smiled and reached out, putting his arms around Chanyeol’s shoulders for a hug. Chanyeol hugged him back, holding him close.

“I told you we could do it.”

“Yeah…I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Baekhyun squeezed him closer. “I really like you.”

“I really like you too,” Chanyeol said back.

The shorter clung ever tighter, but Chanyeol pulled back and looked him in the eyes.

“I want to be with you…if you’re okay with something like that.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because…it’s not ‘go with the flow’?”

“Not everything has to be ‘go with the flow’,” Baekhyun said, “If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”

Chanyeol nodded. Baekhyun smiled.

“I want to go on an adventure with you,” Baekhyun whispered, “I hope you’ll come with me.”

Chanyeol grinned and leaned in to kiss Baekhyun. He held him close and spun them, still kissing.

Chanyeol had been searching for stability, but he’d found Baekhyun instead. He couldn’t be happier.