"So like what are we gonna do?" Chanyeol asked slowly.

"Get changed." Jongdae looked at him like 'why are you asking such a stupid question' and left.

Soo Ji cast an apologetic glance at the two of us and said, "I'm really sorry, you guys. Baekhyun, don't you remember my parts?" 

I shook my head. "Not very well. Besides, it's a duet. I can't sing alone." 

"We should have thought about getting an understudy," Soo Ji whined and I don't know why but it just ticked me off.

"Why didn't you think of that before you went and had that strawberry milkshake or whatever?" I said, throwing my hands up.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Why didn't you?"

"This whole duet thing was your idea-"

"Baek, calm down." Chanyeol had walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"What are we going to do now, Chanyeol?" I said. "We can't back off. Everyone knows we were going to perform." 

"We will." Chanyeol said firmly.

"How-"

"I- er, remember her parts," Chanyeol said. "I mean I asked a friend of Suho, Sehun, I think- to turn the sheet music for me. If we can get the lyrics- I remember most of it- but just in case." 

"That's - are you sure?" I said, gripping his arm. "You remember how-"

"Yeah, pretty much." He nodded and my mind was already working faster than I could keep up with. "I did practice with you a lot."

I stepped away and took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down.

"Soo Ji, can you arrange the lyrics for us?" I asked turning to her.

"Yes, of course." She made to walk out of the room. "On it. I'll take ten minutes max." 

"Okay, Chanyeol," I said and he gave me a half smile. "Get changed. I'll be back in five minutes." 

"Where are you going?" He asked as I turned around.

"Just to take care of some stuff." I said, briefly. "Don't worry. I'll be back before the play ends." 

I rushed to that tent which was serving as a backstage of sorts. I spotted Suho right away. He was watching the play and checking his watch every two seconds with a clipboard in his hand.

"Suho!" I called out, running now.

He whipped around and his eyes widened. "You're still in your dance clothes!"

"We have an emergency!" I said.

"What happened?" 

"Long story. We have a change of plans." I explained what I had in mind and he nodded to every word I said. "Will you be able to manage that?"

"Sure. It's not much different from your previous arrangement." Suho said, scribbling away on his clipboard. "So that's not a problem."

"Thanks so much." I said. "I'm sorry for troubling you." 

"It's fine." Suho said. "If you see Jongdae, tell him I need him, okay?" 

"Yeah," I made my way back to the dressing room and luckily, I did see Jongdae. I told him to go find Suho and he told me to "Just go ing change!" 

When I entered the dressing room, I saw Chanyeol struggling with his tie, a frown on his face. We had arranged our suits from the drama club. His shirt was a light blue while mine was a shade of purple that Soo Ji said was called mauve. We both had black jackets over them and we had had a two hour long debate deciding between a tie or a bowtie. I had voted for neither but in the end the tie had won. 

"Baekhyun," Chanyeol cast a worried glance at me. "It's getting all tangled up in my fingers." 

I bit back a laugh. "Don't tell me you don't know how to- ah, never mind. Come here." 

He stepped closer to me and I began to work on his knot, focusing all of my attention on it. I tried not to look at his face but damn. With him so, so close, how could I resist? As I slid the tie up, my eyes travelled up as well, going past his chin, lips, nose, eyes.

His eyes. 

He was looking at me like- I can't even describe it. But it sent shivers down my spine. I stepped back, clearing my throat. 

"Looks good." I said, my eyes darting all over. 

"Yeah?" Chanyeol smirked knowingly.

"Ugh, whatever." I rolled my eyes. "I'll get my-"

"Wait!" Chanyeol said and dug around in his bag for something. "You look very handsome. Let me take a picture." 

"Ah, thanks." I mumbled. "Selfie?" 

"No. Pose for me." 

"Ha, ha." I tried my best to stand casually and smile but my head was ringing with the word handsome. I looked handsome. 

"Okay, now you can get changed." Chanyeol grinned as he tapped away on his phone. 

"Did you upload it somewhere?" 

"Instagram, but it's only a story." He grinned. "Want me to step out?" 

"Why? It's okay. We're both men." The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. "I mean-"

Chanyeol gave me a tight smile. "I know, but I'll go er- to the toilet. Yeah, be right back." 

Face burning, I hurriedly slipped out of my clothes after I heard the door shut, and just as quickly shrugged on my shirt and pants. I took two tries before I got a perfect knot of my own tie. My hands were shaking now, as I thought about the upcoming performance. 

It's okay. You'll be with Chanyeol. I tried to calm myself down. It'll be fine. 

I brushed my hair like D.O had told me, making sure my fringe fell cutely on my face. He'd also told me to use makeup but I didn't feel like it. 

I was putting on my jacket when Chanyeol came back, a bottle of water in his hand. He offered it to me and I accepted gratefully. 

"You look good," Chanyeol said. 

"You said that literally five minutes ago." I shook my head. 

"Well, you always look good," Chanyeol shrugged. "What can I do?" 

I chuckled nervously. I was already worried about the duet. Did he really have to mess with me right now? 

"Have you see Soo Ji?" I asked, clearing my throat. 

"Yeah, she's backstage." He said. "She's really upset that she didn't get to perform, so don't be mad at her, Baek." 

I nodded. I hadn't thought about that at all. "I'm just scared. Everyone is expecting a great performance, Yeol. I don't think I can give it to them."

Chanyeol stepped towards me and cupping my face with his hands, he said, "Even if you went up there and did PPAP, people will like it. You're that good. Trust me." 

"You're just saying that to make me feel better." I mumbled.

"Yes, but I'm not lying," he whispered and rested his forehead against mine. 

"Chanyeol..."

"Hmmm?" 

"I need to talk to you about some stuff." I said and pulled away. My heart was beating too fast and I was at my limit here, really. I can't take any more of his sweet words or kisses or touches without knowing that they mean something. That I'm not the only one here falling in love. 

"About what?" Chanyeol asked.

I was quiet for a minute, not sure what to say. "After the performance, okay?"

"Is it a long conversation?" I nodded. "Should I be worried?" I hesitated before shaking my head.

"No, it's just-" I started but I was cut off by Soo Ji who had entered the room.

"You guys, the mime club is finishing with their act." She said and I cringed internally when I heard her voice again. If that happened to me, I'd be freaking out. "It's just that saxophone guy from class 4 now." 

We nodded and headed out. Chanyeol slipped his hand into mine and I intertwined our fingers together. Suho gave me a smile and a thumbs up when he saw me. I only nodded. 

It was actually really painful to listen to the saxophone guy. He performed every year and Jongdae made a joke of it asking the audience to guess the song that he was playing. No one ever got it right. 

After the guy finished up and the curtains were drawn, the volunteers ran around getting his chair down and rolling the piano up a plank that had been set up.

Meanwhile Jongdae entertained the crowd.

"What are your guesses this year, guys?" I heard Jongdae's voice on the speakers. 

"Wasn't it that song Cheer Up?" I said as I walked up the steps, turning to Chanyeol.

He shrugged. "Wasn't listening." 

A junior, Tao, I think, handed me one of those dynamic microphones. Chanyeol headed to the piano and did a practice run of a few notes while the crowd shouted. 

"Rookie?" Jongdae said. "You guys think it's Rookie?" 

"Where's Sehun?" Chanyeol asked as Tao adjusted the microphones to face Chanyeol, and another the keys. 

"I'll be your page turner." I said and walked over to him. 

"Where's your chair?" He asked. 

"I'll stand." I answered. "And walk. Maybe sit down on the bench. I haven't thought it through." 

"Baekhyun!" Chanyeol said. "You- okay, just don't trip." 

I nodded and cleared my throat, starting my pre performance ritual. It was shorter than what I'd seen most trained artists do but I never needed to do any of those elaborate high and low notes before going on stage. 

"It's not Rookie! No, not Bonamana, either!" Jongdae said. 

"Chanyeol, don't get nervous, okay?" I said even though I was the one who was a second away from a mental breakdown. "If you forget the lyrics then just sing whichever line you remember. It's fine. I'll pick up. And, er- yeah, high notes. You haven't practiced so don't make them too high. Do not even go near flats." 

Chanyeol nodded and Jongdae screamed. "Ah, guess there aren't any correct answers this year either. The song was..."

"Oh, ." I took a deep breath and pushed my hair away from my face, remembered I had styled it that way and ruffled them back. "I think I'm gonna throw up." 

"Baekhyun!" Chanyeol stood up and his hands went to my face and it happened so suddenly, I barely registered it. His lips were on mine. For a mere second. Then he pulled away and smiled. "Relax. It'll be over in four minutes." 

Wow. If he had expected me to calm down after that, he was so, so wrong. My throat was dry and my hands were shaking and I wanted to run away. He kissed me. 

He kissed me. 

In front of so many people, he had kissed me and now I was supposed to perform a super mushy duet with him. 

"Gee!" Jongdae said. "Get ready for some romantic vibes next because it's the duet we've all been waiting for. Give it up for Baek and Chanyeol!"

The curtains were drawn slowly and Chanyeol started the intro as I took in the crowd. Same as the one I had danced in front of but it was still daunting. This time I did spot a familiar face. D.O was standing towards the front and glaring at me. 

"Smile." He mouthed when our eyes met. 

So I did. 

"You're beautiful just as you were yesterday..."

The first line itself was met with so many cheers I could hardly believe it.  

"No, you’re more beautiful than you were yesterday." I gave the crowd a cheeky smile and heard the girls respond with several 'Awww's. 

"When I say something like this." Another smirk. "You always change subjects pretending you didn’t hear anything."

The crowd was already hyped, so when Chanyeol sang his lines, the cheers dimmed for a moment but then picked up immediately. I was smiling and swaying to the music when Chanyeol looked up from the keys and fixed his gaze on me. 

"I think you are just like the dream.." 

I looked away, and finished the chorus as I felt my ears go warm. 

"La, la, la.. Hmm." I went and turned the two sheets- notes and lyrics both. My hands brushed Chanyeol's shoulder and even the little contact sent my heart into its standard elaborate cartwheels. 

"People say we’re really cute couple. I know, he knows," my eyes widened when I realised I had absentmindedly gestured towards Chanyeol. I was supposed to do that with Soo Ji and the actual line was 'she knows' and now everyone was laughing and hooting. Even Chanyeol cracked a smile. "Actually I also think so.."

"Hmm, You’re telling a lie," Chanyeol was outright grinning in between lines now. Ugh. "With the look full of confidence." His fingers glided elegantly over the keys. This part was my absolute favourite and the way Chanyeol played it made it ten times better. I wasn't the only one who thought that. As I turned the pages again, the audience grew louder and louder. Most of them were girls. Tch. Females and their raging hormones. 

"Well, I don't care even if you're a sweet liar," Chanyeol sang. 

This time, I turned to him, leaning against the piano and raising an eyebrow in mock challenge, I sang, "Well I don't care, 'cause I will make you believe." 

We finished the last part together and I don't want to brag but we sounded really good together. The thing about duets was that the deeper male voice was complemented by the shriller female voice. In our case, the pitch was almost the same and if you know your physics well, you'd know about superimposition and resonance and it occurred to me that if Chanyeol worked on his voice, he might actually end up becoming an idol. 

The audience erupted into cheers and it was so loud, it blew me away for a moment. I heard distant shouts of 'Encore' and saw D.O and my friends from dance club grinning and giving me the thumbs up. The shouts soon changed to 'Go Baekhyun! Go Chanyeol!' and I heard Chanyeol laugh as he walked up to me. 

"Should w