33: Bow Tie [FB]

   [ ❉  F L A S H B A C K   C H A P T E R  -  New Year's Eve - December 31st 1999 ]

   “Baekhyun, stop moving,” said his mother, struggling to dress her boisterous youngest son.

   She wrestled his arm into a new white shirt that had been bought for him just days earlier. With one swift motion, she did up all the buttons and neatly tied a bright red bow tie around his collar. This was followed by a copious spray of hairspray and Baekhyun’s typically fluffy hair was smoothed down and neatly styled.

   He pulled a face when he saw his reflection.

   “Mom, this looks stupid,” he protested, tugging at the bow tie, “I look like stupid.”

   His mother took him by his hands and cupped them in hers, looking at him with an intense gaze of adoration and love.

   “You do not look stupid. You are my handsome little boy, Baekhyun, and that’s the truth. Now hold out your arms so we can put on your jacket,” she said, shaking out a smart black jacket.

   Baekhyun frowned once again at his reflection. He didn’t like how stiff his hair felt, and he didn’t understand why he had to wear such uncomfortable clothes. Everything was so rigid, and the new shoes hurt his feet. What was wrong with the clothes he was wearing when he was having a snowball fight earlier with his brother. So what if they got a bit wet and muddy, they were comfy. Baekhyun tugged on the bow tie one more time and crinkled his nose. Chanyeol was definitely going to make fun of him.

   His mother started straightening out his clothes, making sure her youngest son looked his best before telling him to go find his father. Baekhyun pelted out of the room and down the stairs like the little hyper ball of energy that he was, his breath coming out in small white puffs. Winter had been exceptionally cold this year; snow had been falling in non-stop for the past month, coating the capital like a white fairy-tale city. Baekhyun jumped the last few steps and crashed straight into his father.

   “Woah there!” his father’s eyes crinkled at the corner as he laughed and embraced his son with open arms, “We don’t want to break anything before the new millennium, or it’ll be bad luck, Baekhyun.”

   “Dad!” beamed Baekhyun, “Mom told me to find you. She said we’re gonna be late.”

   His father checked his watch and his eyebrows raised in surprise.

   “Oh, would you look at the time,” he said.

   Baekhyun turned around and saw his mother appear at the top of the stairs. The stressed ugly expression on her face didn’t match the beautiful shimmering dress that she was wearing.

   “We should leave now,” she said, kissing his father on the cheek.

   “Yes, let’s get our coats on,” he said, “Don’t wanna be late for our own party, do we?”

   “Baekhyun, can you go find your brother? We’re leaving now,” his mother asked.

   “Okay!” replied Baekhyun, rather brightly before he ran back upstairs.

   Tonight, Baekhyun’s parents were hosting a private New Year’s Eve for family and friends. It was especially important since come midnight they would enter a new millennium. The capital was abuzz with life tonight, warm orange lights radiating from each snow-covered window.

   It was time to enter a new age.

   The party was being held at some nice hotel in the centre of the capital. Baekhyun didn’t really know where it was exactly because he cared more about hanging his head out of the window, feeling the icy air rush past his face, before getting scolded at by his parents.

   Lines of cars slowly drove up to the front of the hotel, with staff milling around ready to take care of their guests. It didn’t take long for them to disembark, and Baekhyun looked on in awe, mouth gaping as their car pulled up to the hotel entrance. The hotel looked as though it had been lit on fire, except it wasn’t really fire. It was thousands of light orbs dancing around the building in a synchronised magical waltz that mirrored the shimmering stars in the night sky.

   Baekhyun jumped out as soon as his father unlocked the door and he shivered vigorously, it really was cold tonight. Quickly, he ran inside, ducking in between the hundreds of adults that were milling around, causing a minor chaotic scene. It wasn’t long before he spotted his lanky and awkward looking best friend in one of the rooms inside.

   “Chanyeol!” Baekhyun shouted, waving ecstatically and jumping up and down on the spot, “Hey, Chanyeol ah!”

   Chanyeol looked up and a goofy grin formed on his face. He said something to his mother before pushing through the sea of adults towards Baekhyun. As soon as Chanyeol reached Baekhyun, he laughed out loud, pointing at his bow tie.

   “You look like a Grade A loser with that on!”

   Baekhyun felt a pout form on his face, and he hit Chanyeol hard on the arm.

   “Shut up, my mum made me wear it.”

   His eyes scanned Chanyeol’s full tuxedo attire that was obviously way too large for him. He looked like a boy wearing an old man’s suit.

   “It’s not like you’re any better,” Baekhyun smirked.

   Chanyeol’s trousers were way too short, the bottom edges hung loosely around his ankles exposing his novelty winter socks. Chanyeol had grown a lot in the past Summer. In the back of his mind, Baekhyun was still hoping that he could grow taller, just like him.

   “Shut up,” Chanyeol retorted, but there was a grin on his best friend’s face.

   The two of them laughed and started playing games amongst the crowd of adults. It was an opulent ball with chandelier adorned ceilings and extravagant food displays. Baekhyun recognised some of the adults as distant family or friends of his father, but most of them were strangers to him, dressed in expensive gowns and laden with lavish jewellery. He didn’t feel very welcome in their presence and shied away when his parents asked him to greet them.

   Soon, the two boys left the main ballroom to explore the hotel. Adults hustled back and forth, ignoring the two young boys as they found their way onto the patio that led to the gardens. The snow was falling lightly now, fluttering down and landing softly onto the heavily snow-laden grounds.

   It was still bitterly cold, but that didn’t stop the two best friends from grinning at each other, the same comical idea forming in their minds.

   “Wanna…?” grinned Chanyeol.

   “You first!” said Baekhyun, grinning back.

   With a nod, they pushed open the tall glass doors together and stomped outside into the wintery wonderland for a snowball fight.

   They laughed like crazy, throwing snowballs at each other, ignoring the numbing feeling that was growing from their fingertips until Baekhyun noticed there was a girl in a white dress watching them from one of the hotel’s bottom floor windows. She had long dark hair that curled softly across her shoulders, and her eyes were big and round, observing them with a small note of curiosity and contentment. She had a babyish face, and her head was tilted in interest; her hands pressed against the cold window.

   Baekhyun didn’t know who the girl was. Experimentally, he waved at her, and to his surprise, she waved back with her small hand, smiling as she did.

   She had a really nice smile.

   Suddenly, a snowball landed hard on Baekhyun’s left temple.

   “Hey!” Baekhyun shouted, turning round to Chanyeol in anger.

   The latter had fallen to the ground, clutching his sides in laughter. Baekhyun looked back at