Baekhyun's P.O.V

It's Thursday afternoon. Baekhyun has just finished his lessons for the day and Mrs Lee has already left the mansion. Lay is busy in the kitchen and Yuri is working as hard as Lay. Baekhyun walks slowly towards the living room in the big, silent house. He wonders when Chanyeol and the others will show up, after all they're coming back home today.

“Baekhyun! Don't forget that you're the one who's supposed to greet Chanyeol when he comes home!”
“I know that...”

Baekhyun mostly mumbles to Yuri who sighs. She probably thinks he's totally hopeless. But Baekhyun is just feeling a little tired today, after all he has been studying really hard the past days only so he can finish his lessons earlier. He's not working this hard for Chanyeol's sake, he's only working hard to get rid of those stupid lessons.

“I think they're here now!”

Yuri shouts from the living room as Baekhyun stops dead. They're already home? Baekhyun tries to not sigh as Lay hurries to come out of the kitchen. Baekhyun walks silently over to the hallway with Lay right behind him as he smiles happily.

“You will see that Chanyeol is in a much better mood today!”
“Why would he be in a better mood today?”
“Because I know that something good happened during his business trip. So if you smile and pretend that nothing is wrong, then he will definitely be even nicer to you.”
“Really?”
“Mm, so try smiling!”

Lay sounds so confident in what he's saying, it's almost scary how confident he can be. But if Lay truly believes that Chanyeol is in a better mood, then maybe Baekhyun should try to smile? Well it can't hurt to smile for once, especially after all the hard feelings he has felt the past days.

Baekhyun feels how he smiles a little as he feels how Lay puts a hand on his head. Baekhyun looks up at the slightly taller man who smiles his kindest smile he can effort. Baekhyun feels how all his feelings disappears and he feels relieved again. He can finally smile again.

“There you go, keep that smile now!”
“I will.”

Baekhyun feels how he smiles a little more as Lay removes his hand just in time before the front door gets open. First come Xiumin and Chen in with a couple of bags and right behind them comes Chanyeol. Baekhyun hurries to bow to Chanyeol who doesn't look too pissed or irritated for once. Maybe he's in a good mood today after all?

“Welcome back home Chanyeol.”
“Thank you.”
“How was your trip?”
“It was long and tiring.”
“Then I won't keep you here.”
“Chen, Xiumin, get my things up to my room please.”
“Yes sir.”

Chen and Xiumin hurry to leave with the bags as Chanyeol glances over at Lay who smiles kindly. Chanyeol suddenly clears his throat gently as Lay gets prepared for his orders.

“Lay, prepare a pot of tea please.”
“A whole pot?”
“Yes, it isn't only for me.”
“Are we going to have guests coming today?”
“No, it's soon time for Baekhyun's afternoon tea, right?”
“Yes, it is. Oh I see, you want to join him today. Then I will prepare it right away.”
“Good.”

Baekhyun feels speechless. Chanyeol will actually join him for afternoon tea? Lay hurries away towards the kitchen as Chanyeol looks back at Baekhyun. Baekhyun stands still and tries to keep his cheerful smile on his lips, but he feels a little stupid when he only stands and smiles like this.

Chanyeol stares at Baekhyun for a couple of seconds before his eyes moves down to Baekhyun's hands. Baekhyun hurries to hide his hands in shame as he tries to not make it too obvious. But Chanyeol already knows that Baekhyun is ashamed of his hurt hands. After all, he was the one who hurt them.

“They haven't healed yet?”
“M-Mm... But it's much better today.”
“I see.”

Baekhyun holds in a sigh as Chanyeol takes a step closer to him. Baekhyun feels how he wants to take a step back, he's not sure what Chanyeol is up to or what he will do. Chanyeol takes another step closer to Baekhyun and then another one until he stands right in front of Baekhyun who's struggling to not back off.

“Can I see?”
“S-See what?”
“Don't be a fool and just give me your hands.”

Chanyeol doesn't sound that annoyed, but he does look impatient. Baekhyun hesitates to give Chanyeol his hands, he's scared that Chanyeol will scold him and tell him that he's a big fool. But Baekhyun shouldn't try to refuse Chanyeol's orders, even though he's not his servant.

“What are you waiting for?”

Chanyeol asks impatiently as Baekhyun slowly reaches his hands out to Chanyeol. To his surprise, Chanyeol gently grabs the hands as he studies the wounds that is almost gone. Baekhyun's hands still hurts a little from time to time, but they're much better than what they were for a couple of days ago.

“Does it hurt a lot?”
“Not anymore...”
“Why did you do that of all the things you could have done?”
“I don't know... I just did...”

Chanyeol sighs as Baekhyun tries to not do the same. To be honest, it's Chanyeol's fault that Baekhyun ended up hurting himself. If Chanyeol had just accepted Baekhyun's apology and didn't tell him that he wouldn't give back his phone to him, then Baekhyun wouldn't have gotten so angry and frustrated to begin with.

“A-Anyway, I-I have to go for a while.”
“Why?”
“To study.”
“Haven't you just finished your lessons?”
“Mm, but I'm almost done.”
“W-What?”
“I only got some few pages left in the book, so I thought I could try to finish the book and practice the last ceremonies tomorrow at the lesson with Mrs Lee.”
“Y-You... Are you serious?”
“Yes I am.”
“I don't believe you.”
“Then come with me, I will show you.”

Baekhyun feels determined, he's definitely almost done with the book Mrs Lee gave him! Chanyeol follows Baekhyun who heads straight for the library. Chanyeol doesn't say anything during the way to the library, but Baekhyun is pretty sure that he's preparing to scold Baekhyun for lying to him.

Baekhyun picks up his heavy book filled with ceremonies and rituals as he opens it. He shows Chanyeol where he has marked the book as Chanyeol stares surprised at him. Baekhyun really did study hard while Chanyeol was gone. He even told Chanyeol that he would try even harder if that could help him get his phone back.

To be honest, all Baekhyun wants is to call his family. Even if it is a short call, he just wants to hear their voices for a short while and tell them that he's fine. Just a short call will be more than enough for him and it will definitely give him new strength to keep up with his hard work. But Chanyeol doesn't understand that or he appears to not understand that.

“I have studied really hard the whole time, I just studied even harder during the past days.”
“You... have almost finished... the whole book?”
“Mm... But I can't promise that I can perform all the ceremonies and rituals perfectly yet.”
“Why have you been studying even harder when I told you that I won't give back your phone to you until I think you have matured?”
“Because... I don't know... I just hoped that you... That you would at least let me just give them a short call... I... I just... I don't know...”

Chanyeol stands silent while he studies the last few pages. He then sighs as he closes the book and puts it back down onto the table. Baekhyun glances carefully over at Chanyeol who looks straight back at him.

“Are they really that important to you? Your family I mean.”
“O-Of course they are! I mean, they're the ones that has supported me all this time and... They're the only reason why I'm actually here. Without them, I wouldn't be working this hard or try to satisfy anyone. So yes, they're really important to me.”
“I don't really get it: why would you work so hard for someone else? It's not like they affect your life anymore.”
“But they have been a huge part of it up till now.”

Chanyeol stares silently at Baekhyun once again before he sighs loudly. Baekhyun begins to wonder if Chanyeol is up to something or not. Why would he sigh like this if he wasn't up to something?

“How much do you have left before you have finished the whole book?”

Baekhyun hurries to pick up his book as he checks the last few pages. Well, there is only around 20 pages left, so it won't take too long to read them. The problem is to memories everything and practice the ceremonies and rituals. But it shouldn't take too long. Maybe a day or two of studying and practice will do it?

“It's only 20 pages left, so it shouldn't take more than a day or two to memories it and practice a couple of times.”
“Let me see.”

Baekhyun carefully handles Chanyeol the book as he checks the last pages. He takes his time to scan the pages while Baekhyun stands silently beside him. What is he planning? He probably only cares about Mrs Lee's pay and hopes that he can send her away as fast as possible. Or maybe he's thinking about something else that is also about business?

“You don't have to memories the last 20 pages, it's just about the rituals history.”
“R-Really? I didn't know that...”
“The pages is pure history and only some few words about every ingredient at the last page. I will give Mrs Lee a call and tell her that tomorrow will be your last lesson. If you need more practice, you can always practice on your own and you got the book if you need any help. So I think that having Mrs Lee come here all the time isn't necessary anymore.”

Baekhyun knew it, Chanyeol truly does only think about business and money after all. Well, it's not a surprise, he's a business man. But Baekhyun had hoped for him to at least praise him a little, just a small “good job” would have been enough for him.

“Are you okay with that?”
“S-Sorry, what did you say?”
“I asked if you're okay with Mrs Lee not coming here from next week and on.”
“Mm, I'm fine with it...”
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah, just... tired...”

Baekhyun tries to smile a little, but he feels disappointed. Well, he doesn't have to see Mrs Lee from next week and on, but he had hoped for a little better praise. But what did he actually expect? He knows very well that Chanyeol is a strict man, everyone told him that and still he expects more of him. Why would he expect more from Chanyeol if he truly doesn't like him? And why would he expect Chanyeol to praise him if he never studied for his sake?

“T-Then, if you excuse me, I think I would like to go back to my room and-”
“Wait, I haven't finished talking yet.”

Chanyeol is fast to block Baekhyun's way out of the room as he looks somewhat bothered. What is wrong with him? Or what is it that is bothering him? Maybe... it's