Baekhyun's P.O.V

After a couple of hours, Baekhyun and Chanyeol finally arrive back at home. They went to one of Chanyeol's business friends and made a short stop where they talked and got something warm to eat. Apparently Chanyeol wanted to discuss some important matters with him which Baekhyun wasn't allowed to listen to, but afterwards Chanyeol seemed scary satisfied with his meeting.

Now they're finally back home to the big mansion. As fast they enter the warm house, Lay and Yuri greets them, though Kyungsoo hasn't showed up yet. Maybe he will be coming later today or tomorrow? Baekhyun shakes away the thoughts and smiles happily towards Lay and Yuri.

“We're back home!”
“Welcome back sir Chanyeol and Baekhyun.”
“Welcome back! How was the trip?”
“It was so long! I don't want to bother you Lay, but could you make me some tea? I have missed your tea so much!”
“Haha, of course I can Baekhyun! I will go and prepare something small to eat as well. Would sir Chanyeol like something?”
“I'm good. Yuri, would you mind taking our bags up to the room and clean our laundry?”
“Of course master Chanyeol, I will do that right away.”

Yuri takes care of the bags while Lay walks towards the kitchen to prepare Baekhyun's tea. Chanyeol gets his shoes and jacket off before he looks over at Baekhyun with a small smile on his lips.

“So, we're finally back home. You can feel free to do whatever you want, like usual. I will have to work a little, so I would appreciate some peace and quite around my office. If you need anything, turn to Lay or Yuri instead of me.”
“I understand Chanyeol. Don't work too hard, okay?”

Chanyeol nods before he walks towards the stairs and leave. Baekhyun smiles weakly after Chanyeol before a small sigh leaves his lips. That giant, he's working way too much. He wishes there was a way to help him, but Chanyeol refuses to ask for help. He only seems to trust Chen and Xiumin when it comes to work.

“Baekhyun, where should I deliver the tea?”
“Can I sit in the kitchen with you? I have so much I want to tell you!”
“But... Fine, as long Chanyeol doesn't find out about it.”

Baekhyun smiles happily as he hurries over to Lay to tell him about the trip. He wants someone to hear him out and he wants to confirm that everything he did with Chanyeol actually happened. He wants to tell Lay the good news about his phone and he wants to discuss what to wear during New Year. Actually, he just wants to talk with someone at the moment and that someone happens to be Lay.

***

The days between Christmas and New year passes by quickly. Chanyeol is working mostly of the time and Baekhyun is busy with texting his family, sometimes calling them, to keep himself busy. He talks with Lay and Kyungsoo when he's here, but mostly of the time he ends up being alone. Being lonely isn't easy, but he doesn't want to disturb the others or make Chanyeol pissed.

But today it's finally New year! Baekhyun is more than excited and both Chanyeol and Baekhyun are busy with packing their bags (again) to go to Luhan's and Sehun's home. They live only an hour or so away from here, so the journey shouldn't take too long. Baekhyun might be a little too excited to leave the mansion, but Chanyeol is perfectly calm and cold like always.

“Baekhyun, don't forget that you're supposed to bring some kind of gift-”
“I already know that! I have prepared a whole basket with wine, chocolate, bubble tea and cheese! I heard Luhan liked your wine, so I made sure to take a bottle or two from you.”
“Yah, don't you need to ask me first? That wine takes time to make!”
“Isn't Luhan a dear friend to you Chanyeol? I thought you wanted to make him happy.”
“Of course I want him to be happy, it's not that I want you to give him a bad gift.”
“Then why are you complaining? I'm just doing my part. You told me that I could take and give whatever I want, so I did.”

Chanyeol sighs and facepalms himself. He had totally forgotten that he did say something like that to Baekhyun, didn't he? Baekhyun chuckles silently and is about to say something to Chanyeol when his phone suddenly begins to ring loudly. He quickly leaves the room to answer the call and leaves Baekhyun alone.

“At least excuse yourself before leaving...”

Baekhyun sighs tired and packs the last clothes he needs. They will be staying a day or two at Luhan's and Sehun's home, even Chanyeol seems to like the idea to stay a day or two. Baekhyun wonders how Luhan's and Sehun's home looks like. Is it cozy and welcoming? Or is it really personal? He can't wait to see! He's very curious and honestly he would like to know if Sehun and Luhan decorated the place together.

Is it normal for couples to decorate and furnish the house together? Baekhyun sits down on his bed and thinks about it. His mother and father usually discuss how to furnish their house, but Chanyeol hasn't even considered to ask Baekhyun about his house. Well, Chanyeol only sees this mansion as his and not theirs. This room on the other hand is both Chanyeol's and Baekhyun's room, so shouldn't they at least try to furnish it together?

“Why am I even thinking about this?”

Baekhyun mutters for himself before he lies down on the bed and stares up at the ceiling. Soon they will be leaving here and go to Luhan's and Sehun's home. How will Chanyeol act around them when they get there? Will he go back to his cheerful and wonderful self or will he be the business man he usually is? Will Luhan like the gift they're bringing to them?

“Are you already done with the packing?”

Baekhyun sits up as fast he hears Chanyeol's voice echo through the room. Chanyeol walks over to his bed where his bag is waiting for him to finish the packing. Baekhyun smiles towards Chanyeol who is busy with shoving a hoddie into the bag.

“I finished a couple of minutes ago, I just wanted to double check the bag a couple of times. Do you need any help from me?”
“No, I don't. I'm a grownup man, I don't need your help all the time.”

Chanyeol sounds slightly pissed, but Baekhyun pretends he doesn't hear the irritated tone in his voice. Instead of getting annoyed like Chanyeol, Baekhyun gets up of the bed and walks over to his drawer. On top of it is a small box with jewelries, inside of it is something very important he hasn't worn for a couple of days. It's a little funny but Chanyeol hasn't noticed that Baekhyun hasn't worn their engagement ring during the whole Christmas trip. Actually, Baekhyun hasn't worn it too often. Isn't he supposed to get angry about it?

“Hey Chanyeol... I have been thinking about something lately.”
“Wow, you're thinking again? What a surprise.”
“Can you please just listen to me for once without getting pissed?”
“I don't have time to listen to your ridiculous philosophy.”

Chanyeol quickly closes his bag before he grabs his phone and checks the time. Is he just going to leave without even hearing Baekhyun out? A small annoyance is growing stronger inside of Baekhyun who tries to stay calm.

“But Chanyeol, I think this is really important. I have been thinking a lot and it's less than four months before we get married. I-I don't want to be like that, but aren't we supposed to plan it soon? You said it yourself that we shouldn't wait with the planning-”
“We can do it after New year, can't we? I don't have time with this, I still have to call some people and fax a couple of papers and-”

Chanyeol runs around in the room before he suddenly runs right into a door. Baekhyun holds in a laughter and hurries over to Chanyeol who curses angrily. He's too stressed, he's not even looking where he's going anymore.

“Are you alright? Maybe you should calm down a little? If you need any help-”
“I don't need any help! I'm perfectly fine! Don't get in my way-!”
“Calm down will you?! Stop screaming!”

Chanyeol stares startled at Baekhyun who snatches the bag from Chanyeol before he lets out a long sigh. This giant, he can't even hear him out before he starts screaming? Chanyeol is about to scold Baekhyun, but Baekhyun is slightly faster than him.

“Don't just cut me off like that. I know you're stressed and that's the only reason why I ask you if you want any help. I know very well that you're more than capable of taking care of yourself, but you have a little too much to do right now. I can fax the papers, I know how to do that and I can take the bags down to the car. You can call the people you need to call and do the other things you need to do. I'm only offering you a hand because I want you to have fun during New year as well.”
“I-I don't need any help. It's only 1 pm, we don't need to go until 3 pm. You should go downstairs and get ready to leave instead.”
“If you say so, then do as you please. But I don't want any stressed out, angry person coming with me to Luhan.”
“Did you just offend me? Yah, do you want to make me pissed?”

Chanyeol growls silently towards Baekhyun who is about to scold him, but the giant is too fast to leave the room. He leaves his bag to Baekhyun and takes up his phone to make a couple of calls. Like usual, this giant is too stubborn to even accept any help he can get. Baekhyun sighs tired and turns back to his jewelry box.

“You could at least notice that I'm not even wearing your stupid ring...”

Baekhyun gently picks up the small ring. He hates to admit it, but it's beautiful. It's elegant, simple and pretty. Though, isn't it a little feminine? Baekhyun doesn't care, he's already seen as the wife according to Chanyeol. Baekhyun sits down on the bed with the ring in his hand. He stares at it in silence for a while before he gently puts it on his finger. He studies it for a while and admires the beautiful handwork.

He takes his time to study the ring, but after a while he snaps back to the reality. He will get the bags down to the car and try to stay out of Chanyeol's way, because that is the only thing Chanyeol seems to be asking for. Baekhyun gets up of the bed and grabs the bag before he leaves the room. He will change his clothes later and meet Chanyeol up at the car, but for now he will get those bag downstairs.

***

“Baekhyun! Are you ready to leave?! I swear to god, if you're not ready I will-!”
“I'm right here, so stop screaming please.”

Chanyeol stops dead in the middle of the hallway and stares speechless at Baekhyun. The giant walks slowly over to Baekhyun who's already ready to go and is actually the one waiting for Chanyeol to come.

“You're ready... That's unusual.”
“I thought it was the least I could do for you. The bags are in the car and I have already told Lay and Yuri that we're leaving. They promised to watch the mansion for us.”
“I could have done that myself, you didn't have to go out of your way like that.”
“It's alright, I enjoyed chatting with Lay anyway. So, shall we go? I bet that Luhan and Sehun are waiting for us.”

Chanyeol gets ready to leave before he glances over at the kitchen where Lay is standing with a smile. He waves goodbye to them before Baekhyun exits the mansion and Chanyeol follows him shortly. They both walks silently towards the car and gets inside without another word. The car is slightly cold, the winter cold has finally reached their region and if they're lucky, it will start to snow shortly.

“Are you sure that you got everything you need? Do you have the gift with you?”
“It's right there in the back and your bag is in the back with mine. Everything is ready.”
“I see, you really did go ahead and pack the car. I would have scolded you if Chen and Xiumin had been around, but I will pretend it didn't happen for this time.”
“Why is it wrong that I do it? You're busy and I had nothing to do.”
“You're not a maid or a servant, you're my fiance. I refuse to have someone like that as my fiance-”
“Don't look down on maids nor servants! They're working for you, not because they have too, without they work for you in respect. Yuri respects you dearly and she wants you well, a little like a mother if you ask me. You even treat Chen and Xiumin as two butlers rather than assistants if you ask me.”
“Who asked you about it? I didn't. You shouldn't speak up like that if-”
“I'm your fiance and I refuse to let you look down on the people who are working for you. It's shameful and disrespectful, which isn't a behavior of a noble.”

Chanyeol falls silent while he starts driving the car. Baekhyun carefully glances over at Chanyeol from time to time in case he has gotten pissed, but he looks emotionless. He's almost like a doll: he has only one expression on his face mostly of the time, though it's emotionless. Baekhyun sighs silently before he tries to open his mouth again, though he has already said more than enough.

“I'm sorry that I scolded you like that... It's just... You're behaving so arrogant today, it's not like you. I don't like seeing you like that. Though, I did cross a line and nagged you a little too much. You have worked hard today and I shouldn't be screaming at you. I'm sorry.”
“Well... It's not like you were wrong... Though, it was unnecessary to scream.”
“Chanyeol... You have been quite... moody the whole day-”
“Don't talk about it, please. Let's just enjoy some silence.”

Baekhyun decides to shut up and stares out through a window instead. Chanyeol concentrates on driving while the car falls silent. Baekhyun won't open his mouth if he doesn't have too, after all Chanyeol did ask him for some silence. Besides, Baekhyun doesn't have anything he wants to talk about at the moment.

***

“Woah! It's beautiful! It's really beautiful!”

Baekhyun stares with dazzling eyes at the pretty normal sized house in front of him with the beautiful garden surrounding it. Chanyeol chuckles at the sight of Baekhyun admiring the beautiful wood house that looks to be more than cozy and welcoming. This house is nothing compared to Chanyeol's mansion, but Baekhyun still likes it more.

“Why are you getting so excited? It's just a house. Besides, isn't our home bigger and our garden is bigger and-”
“But this house is just so welcoming! I love it already and I haven't even seen the inside!”

Chanyeol looks slightly unimpressed at Baekhyun who ignores him. Baekhyun quickly grabs the basket before he looks up at Chanyeol.

“Can you take my bag? I will handle Luhan the gift!”
“Why should I carry your stuff?! Carry it yourself!”
“How mean... Come on, just this time. I will take it as fast I have given him the bas