pairing: BaekLay
length: 1277 words
A/N: Written at the request of zaikenhuo! Hope you like it!
Part One: Unrequited
Part Three: Acceptance

There was something about Byun Baekhyun that caught Zhang Yixing’s eye. He wasn’t quite sure what it was.

Perhaps it was his infectious smile that seemed to light up every room he entered? Or maybe it was his happy-go-lucky personality that made even the gloomiest of days seem like a grand new opportunity? Or could it be how he listened attentively to anything that Yixing had to say, even if it was complete nonsense?

Regardless of what it was, Zhang Yixing knew that Byun Baekhyun was the one for him.

Call him young and stupid, but he was sure of that, at the very least. He felt it in the marrow of his bones. Byun Baekhyun was the one he wanted to spend forever and beyond with. No one else could compare to the boy that had brought excitement and light into his life, just by being himself.

Yixing had caught himself staring intently at Byun Baekhyun’s lovable face more than once whenever they hung out, sometimes completely zoning out on what his best friend was saying. Whenever Baekhyun would call him out on it, Yixing would just make up an excuse about how tired and stressed he was. Which wasn’t completely untrue.

His parents were in control of a powerful Chinese conglomerate. They had expanded into South Korea and decided that their youngest son would be in charge of operations here. Hence, being schooled in South Korea from a young age.

But Yixing didn’t mind.

Because otherwise, he would have never met and fell in love with the boy named Byun Baekhyun.

Yixing would trade away all the riches in the world for an opportunity to make Byun Baekhyun his. He would give up hundreds of business contracts and promotions if it meant Byun Baekhyun would spend each and every day with him. He would go to the ends of the earth to fulfill any wish that Byun Baekhyun had, because his happiness was Zhang Yixing’s happiness.

Some days, Yixing thought Baekhyun felt the same way about him. He would catch his best friend’s eye in class, when the younger male had no reason to look to the right side of the classroom where Yixing sat.

But then, when they ate lunch together and talked about whatever new gossip had traveled through the school grapevine, Baekhyun would treat the older male as he treated everyone else. Yixing saw no difference in the way that Baekhyun acted towards their other friends, Oh Sehun and Kim Jongin.

Which meant that Zhang Yixing probably wasn’t special to Byun Baekhyun.

It hurt to think that way. It frustrated him to no end. It made him want to pull out his hair and throw a tantrum, even though he had outgrown those years ago.

Yixing didn’t know if he should broach the topic. Because if his love for his best friend really was one-sided, then he didn’t want to make things awkward by bringing up a romance that would never happen. Byun Baekhyun meant too much to him.

As the younger male chattered on and on about their latest homework assignment from their philosophy class, Yixing sat on the carpeted floor with his back leaning against one of the legs of Baekhyun’s wooden bed frame. They were at his place, because the younger male lived alone since starting college. And Yixing would much rather be in the smaller apartment than in the large, empty mansion that his parents bought for him when he first moved to South Korea. It was less lonely when he was with Byun Baekhyun.

“Hey, Baek.”

“Yeah?” Byun Baekhyun ceased speaking and looked curiously at his best friend from where he sat at his desk.

“If you like someone, do you tell him how you feel?”

Upon hearing the question, Baekhyun stiffened immediately. But Yixing didn’t notice as he was staring off into space, his gaze fixed on the bedroom wall opposite of Baekhyun’s bed. Pictures of the two of them were hung up all around the wall in golden frames, spanning the entirety of their ten-year friendship.

Baekhyun didn’t know how to answer his best friend’s question. Because it was a question he had been asking himself for years.

“Baek?”

“Um, I guess it depends on how strongly you feel about them.” Well, that was a lie. Sort of. Because Byun Baekhyun’s heart felt like it was on fire whenever he thought of Zhang Yixing. By that logic, he should have proclaimed his feelings for the older male long ago. He knew he was irrevocably in love with Zhang Yixing. There was no question about it.

But fear kept him from saying anything.

Yixing thought about his best friend’s answer.

Baekhyun had a point. If you wanted something badly enough, you should go for it. It made no sense to let go of someone you truly cared about. Not unless they didn’t return your feelings. But how would you ever know if you never asked in the first place?

The older male knew his time was ticking. His parents were sure to begin setting him up with the currently single daughters of other influential conglomerates across Asia in order to further strengthen their power. If he didn’t tell Baekhyun how he felt now, he may never get the chance to in the future.

Yes, it was true that Byun Baekhyun was ordinary. He wasn’t amazingly rich. He wasn’t amazingly talented. He wasn’t amazingly smart.

But he had a pure heart, a kind soul, and a smile that could wash away anyone’s grief in an instant.

That was what Zhang Yixing loved about his best friend. And it would be a lie to say that he hadn’t fantasized about a future together with Byun Baekhyun. A future without him worrying every second about business politics and instead focusing on this bright, lovely boy in front of him. That was the dream.

And Zhang Yixing was one to go after his dreams. That was a trait that his parents had drilled into him at a young age. Well, they had actually told him to go after success, but Yixing equated the two together. And he wasn’t about to let his perfect record be marred now.

“Baekhyun?”

“Yeah?” Baekhyun stepped towards his best friend, slightly worried. The older male was never this pensive. And it was even more worrying when Yixing suddenly stood up and pushed the younger male to the bedroom wall, slamming his right palm by Baekhyun’s head. “Uh, Yixing? What are you doing?” the startled boy asked, starting to sweat with nervousness as his best friend leaned closely towards his face. Too closely.

“Baekhyun, do you like anyone?” Yixing’s expression was unreadable.

Baekhyun’s mind went blank. Because he didn’t know if he was supposed to answer with the truth or continue lying like he had been for the past few years. This was all too sudden for his brain to process properly.

Yixing leaned even closer, his minty breath ghosting over Baekhyun’s now very pink face. “Well, do you?”

“Uh–well–um–you see–I–uh–”

“If you like anyone, don’t like that person anymore.”

“Huh?”

“Because I want you to love me.” And Yixing leaned forward to place his lips firmly on Baekhyun’s gaping mouth, sending all of the passionate love he felt for the younger male in that one kiss.

Byun Baekhyun couldn’t believe it.

Zhang Yixing was kissing him. Zhang Yixing was kissing him. Zhang Yixing was kissing him.

It was like all of his dreams coming true all at once.

And Byun Baekhyun threw his arms around Zhang Yixing’s neck, kissing his love just as fiercely.

This was all he ever wanted.

♈♈♈